text:
Facebook might be eager to get its hands on this latest 'fake news' AI
by Colm Gorey
4 Oct 2018322 Views
Image: ©voyata/Stock.adobe.com
MIT has debuted a new AI it said can detect 'fake news' at the source, no doubt intriguing social media companies eager to find a solution.
In one of Facebook's latest PR gaffes, the company admitted that its algorithms incorrectly flagged a story highlighting the company's recent data breach as spam because it was being shared so much.
While it is reasonable to assume Facebook was not actively trying to suppress negative news about itself, it highlighted the problems with artificial intelligence's (AI) ability to correctly identify what is and isn't so-called 'fake news'.
This is one reason why Facebook said it plans to have 20,000 human moderators by the end of the year to sort through reports as its technology isn't up to scratch yet.
Bad outlets will likely offend again
However, researchers from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and the Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI) believe they have found an alternative way to sniff out dubious articles.
Rather than focusing on the factuality of the news itself, the new AI will analyse the news sources themselves. This different approach, the team claimed, means AI is able to accurately determine an article's truthfulness.
"If a website has published fake news before, there's a good chance they'll do it again," said Ramy Baly, lead author on a new paper about the system. "By automatically scraping data about these sites, the hope is that our system can help figure out which ones are likely to do it in the first place."
Baly said that the AI only needed approximately 150 articles to determine whether a news source can be trusted, meaning it would be able to 'stamp out' problematic outlets before the stories can spread.
MIT example highlighting trigger words that AI interprets as being from an untrustworthy source. Image: MIT CSAIL
What its potential is
The data was compiled from Media Bias/Fact Check, a website of human fact-checkers who analysed the accuracy and biases of more than 2,000 news sites. It was then added to the algorithm, known as a support vector machine (SVM) classifier.
When given a news outlet, the algorithm was found to be 65pc accurate at detecting whether it has a high, low or medium level of factuality; and was roughly 70pc accurate at detecting if it is left-leaning, right-leaning or moderate.
The system also found correlations with an outlet's Wikipedia page, going on the assumption that the longer it was, the more legitimate it was, as well as finding identifying factors in the structure of a source's URL. If it had lots of special characters and complicated subdirectories, it was considered less reliable.
QCRI senior scientist and co-author of the paper, Preslav Nakov, said of its potential: "If outlets report differently on a particular topic, a site like PolitiFact could instantly look at our 'fake news' scores for those outlets to determine how much validity to give to different perspectives."
Related: AI, Facebook, MIT, media, research
Colm Gorey is a journalist with Siliconrepublic.com
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Fyffe es un pueblo ubicado en el condado de DeKalb en el estado estadounidense de Alabama. En el censo de 2000, su población era de 971.

Demografía
En el 2000 la renta per cápita promedia del hogar era de $ 30.298$, y el ingreso promedio para una familia era de 31.908$. El ingreso per cápita para la localidad era de 13.713$. Los hombres tenían un ingreso per cápita de 30.385$ contra 18.636$ para las mujeres.

Geografía
Fyffe está situado en  (34.446899, -85.90659).

Según la Oficina del Censo de los EE. UU., la ciudad tiene un área total de 4.40 millas cuadradas (11.41 km²).

Referencias

Enlaces externos

Localidades del condado de DeKalb (Alabama)
Pueblos de Alabama

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The Dangerous Goods – Initial Emergency Response Guide SAA/SNZ HB 76:2010 is about to be jointly published by Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand. This edition is a revision of SAA HB 76:2004 and SNZ HB 76:2008 to create a new joint Australia and New Zealand handbook.
The purpose of SAA/SNZ HB 76:2010 is to provide immediate general information and advice to persons handling dangerous goods emergencies. While written principally for trained emergency professionals, the handbook also contains advice, which anyone first on the scene of an incident should be able to follow.
SAA/SNZ HB 76:2010 is being revised to suit Australian and New Zealand conditions and a thorough review of guide references has resulted in a significant number of changes. A new 'Guide for Desensitised Explosives' has also been added and appropriate changes to guide references made.
The revised handbook will also provide updated information on assigned dangerous goods and United Nations (UN) numbers that appear in the 16th edition of the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods.
To pre-order a copy of SAA/SNZ HB 76:2010 Dangerous Goods – Initial Emergency Response Guide please email enquiries@standards.co.nz or call 0800 782 632 during business hours.
Note: NZS 5433 is in the process of being amended – publication of the amendment is planned for later in 2010. For more information about this amendment to NZ 5433 see the article in this issue, Standard in development, Transport of dangerous goods on land.


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Q: Trying to pass preprocessor directive via command line in bash script I'm trying to write a bash script that will take in an optional argument,
and based on the value of that argument, compile code using that argument
as a preprocessor directive. This is my file so far:
#!/bin/bash

OPTIMIZE="$1"

if[ $OPTIMIZE = "OPTIMIZE" ] then
    echo "Compiling optimized algorithm..."
    gcc -c -std=c99 -O2 code.c -D $OPTIMIZE
else
    echo "Compiling naive algorithm..."
    gcc -c -std=c99 -O2 code.c
fi

However, it doesn't seem to like the "-D" option, complaining that there is a macro name missing after -D. I was under the impression -D defines a new macro (as 1) with name of whatever is specified. I wanted "OPTIMIZE" to be the name of that macro. Any hints?

A: The -D should be glued to the name (ie -DFOO not -D FOO)
     gcc -c -std=c99 -Wall "-D$OPTIMIZE" -O2 code.c

and you forgot to pass -Wall to gcc. It is almost always useful.
BTW, you might consider (even for a single file) using make with two phony targets: the default one (e.g. plain), and an optimized one.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


If you've landed here, it is likely because you or a loved one were injured or otherwise wronged while at a hotel, motel, resort, or other similar destination. Many lawyers understand the ins and outs of litigation but the lawyers at Johnston | Martineau, P.L.L.P. believe it is imperative that a lawyer also have an in-depth understanding of the industry against which a claim is being investigated.
For example, most lawyers could investigate the activities of hotel manager but what type of information would they be looking for? Do you want a lawyer that might, or might not, just stumble across some information that would be helpful to your case or do you want a lawyer that knows what to ask, and how to ask, with near pinpoint accuracy, based on years of experience?
If you prefer the latter, then call or email Christopher Johnston today for a free consultation.
Many lawyers have the legal skills to help you through the legal process but very few have real world experience to back it up. However, if you have any legal needs involving the hospitality industry, you are just a call or email away from Attorney Christopher A. Johnston who has that unique blend of skills which he will put to work for you.
From California to Maine, contact Mr. Johnston with your hospitality related concern for a free consultation. If need be, Mr. Johnston will travel to you, anywhere in the country, to meet in person – at no charge to you. There may be a situation in which Mr. Johnston has to associate with, or refer to, another attorney in your area and that will be determined on a case by case basis.
Prior to becoming an attorney, Christopher Johnston earned an undergraduate degree in Hotel Management then went on to manage hotels across the country for some of the world's finest hotel owners / operators and brands including: Marriott ®, Hilton ®, Holiday Inn ®, Embassy Suites ®, and John Q. Hammons, Inc.
In addition to his experience and formal education, Mr. Johnston also completed many educational seminars sponsored by the American Hotel and Lodging Association and he held the Certified Rooms Division Executive designation which illustrates his in depth knowledge of hospitality operations.
Given Mr. Johnston's years of experience in the hospitality industry, he built and maintains a large network of hospitality professionals who frequently turn to him for counsel regarding potential liabilities and other legal issues intertwined with the hospitality industry.
With his years of hands-on hotel operations, there are likely few other attorneys in the country who are better positioned to represent people injured or otherwise wronged while staying at, or simply visiting, a hotel, motel, resort, restaurant, waterpark, or other similar destination.
Issues here may include property storage and security of guest's belongings.
When dealing with injuries or death involving swimming pools, there are many, often complicated issues that must be investigated such as: was there a lifeguard on duty? If not, was that fact properly posted? Were proper warning signs such as water depth and / or no-diving signs posted?
A "dram shop" case is a case against an alcohol vendor who over serves a patron who is then subsequently injured or injures a third person. Not all jurisdictions allow these types of claims to be brought.
The elements of a negligence claim are: duty, breach of that duty, causation, damages. For example, an Innkeeper typically has a duty to protect guests from risks of harm on their property. Should harm occur, it may be because the Innkeeper breached their duty. If the guest suffers damages and the cause of the damages was the breach, then there may be an actionable claim of negligence.
We have successfully achieved compensation for Negligent Security / 3rd Party Assault, Theft-Damage to property, Hotel employee assaultSwimming Pool Injuries and deaths and people hurt in slip and falls.
Trust Johnston | Martineau, P.L.L.P. to secure the compensation to which you are entitled following negligence at a hotel or resort. Contact our Twin Cities law office to schedule a free initial consultation. We are available by phone or email 24/7 and respond to messages within 24 hours. Call (651) ANY.TIME (651) 269.8463.


Customers love fun, different items that will make them stand out, even for something as simple as their contact lens case. Take the Strawberry 3D case, it is fun, it is unique and colourful and it is also functional in its size and shape. Perfect for all contact wearing customers who need a case to go with those new lenses.


In the Big Data era, the growing availability of a variety of massive datasets presents challenges and opportunities to not only corporate data analysts but also others, such as research scientists, data journalists, policy makers, SMEs, and individual data enthusiasts datasets are typically: accessible in a raw format that are not being loaded or indexed in a database (e.g., plain text, json, rdf), dynamic, dirty and heterogeneous in nature. The level of difficulty in transforming a data-curious user into someone who can access and analyze that data is even more burdensome now for a great number of users with little or no support and expertise on the data processing part. The purpose of visual data exploration is to facilitate information perception and manipulation, knowledge extraction and inference by non-expert users. Interactive visualization, used in a variety of modern systems, provides users with intuitive means to interpret and explore the content of the data, identify interesting patterns, infer correlations and causalities, and supports sense-making activities that are not always possible with traditional data analysis techniques.
In the Big Data era, several challenges arise in the field of data visualization and analytics. First, the modern exploration and visualization systems should offer scalable data management techniques in order to efficiently handle billion objects datasets, limiting the system response in a few milliseconds. Besides, nowadays systems must address the challenge of on-the-fly scalable visualizations over large and dynamic sets of volatile raw data, offering efficient interactive exploration techniques, as well as mechanisms for information abstraction, sampling and summarization for addressing problems related to visual information overplotting. Further, they must encourage user comprehension offering customization capabilities to different user-defined exploration scenarios and preferences according to the analysis needs. Overall, the challenge is to enable users to gain value and insights out of the data as rapidly as possible, minimizing the role of IT-expert in the loop.
The BigVis workshop aims at addressing the above challenges and issues by providing a forum for researchers and practitioners to discuss exchange and disseminate their work. BigVis attempts to attract attention from the research areas of Data Management & Mining, Information Visualization and Human-Computer Interaction and highlight novel works that bridge together these communities.


text:
Sailor dies after fall from ship's ladderwell during Mediterranean ops
Officials are investigating the death of a sailor who fell down a ladderwell, which can be inclined at steep angles on Navy ships
By Gina Harkins, Military.com | Published Mar 12, 2020 1:35 PM
Editor's note: This article by Gina Harkins originally appeared on Military.com, a leading source of news for the military and veteran community
Officials are investigating the death of a sailor who fell down a ladderwell, which can be inclined at steep angles on Navy ships.
A sailor aboard the Ticonderoga-class cruiser Vella Gulf died Tuesday, said Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Comer, a spokesman for 6th Fleet. The sailor was not identified pending family notification policies.
The sailor was a second-class petty officer, according to data from the Naval Safety Center, which tracks serious mishaps at sea, in the air and ashore. The sailor sustained fatal injuries from falling down a ladderwell, the center reported this week.
The Vella Gulf is currently operating in the Mediterranean Sea, Comer said.
Citing unspecified Navy records, Navy Times reported the sailor fractured his head in the fall. He was flown ashore by helicopter, according to the paper, where he was pronounced dead at Souda Bay in Greece.
No additional details about the sailor's death were immediately available.
A 2019 Navy news release said falls from ships' ladders are among the most common mishaps reported to the Naval Safety Center. Ladder mishaps, it added, result in more lost workdays than any other reported incidents.
Commands are encouraged to discuss the dangers of shipboard ladders.
"Multiple factors contribute to falls on ladders, including running, carrying heavy objects that obstruct the view and movement, sliding down ladders, and not utilizing the handrails," the news release stated.
Data from the Naval Safety Center showed more than 1,200 ladder-related mishaps reported between 2006 and 2012. The accidents resulted in sailors missing more than 10,000 workdays.
Ship ladders can be dangerous, the Safety Center warns, with most inclined at a 68-degree angle. Some are even steeper if they're in space-constrained areas or have room for storage underneath.
"Many of these mishaps occur while Sailors are moving equipment or carrying various items up and down inclined ladders," the Naval Safety Center notice states.
The Vella Gulf, which is based out of Norfolk, Virginia, recently participated in convoy operations across the Atlantic. The cruiser escorted the vehicle cargo ship Benavidez and vehicle carriers Resolve and Patriot as the Navy practices convoy operations amid new threats at sea from near-peer competitors.
This article originally appeared on Military.com
More articles from Military.com:
Navy Defends Cutting 36 Super Hornets from Budget Amid Strike Fighter Shortfall
Commander of Navy Corpsman Training Battalion Fired
1 Soldier Killed, Another Injured in Training Exercise at Fort Irwin
Uss Vella Gulf
The new helicopter can haul almost three times the weight of the current fleet.
The case of Spc. Enrique Roman-Martinez "remains unsolved."
"If I were to puke and make that color into an MDU that would be it."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Try replacing your good old high-calorie steaks with these healthy cauliflower versions encrusted with garlic parmesan! Check out the recipe on Best Bites.
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, oregano, thyme, rosemary and parsley.
Place cauliflower slices in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Brush each slice with the olive oil mixture on both sides; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Place into oven and bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway.
(1) Bring your steak to room temperature and pre-salt before cooking.
"I like the steak to rest outside of the fridge to come to temperature for about an hour before cooking it," celebrity chef and restaurateur Jet Tila says. "But I also like to salt the steak during that time. In my opinion, it helps with a few things: Drawing out the moisture helps create a nice brown crust, as well and concentrates the flavor."
(2) Cook your steak in a cast-iron skillet.
"Use a heated cast-iron skillet with a little olive oil," Chris Coombs, chef and owner of Boston Chops, says. "When anything is put in a normal frying pan, it drops the temperature of the pan, but the cast-iron skillet is able to maintain the temperature without it dropping."
(3) Know when your meat is done.
"A good way to test the temperature of a thick cut of steak if you don't have a thermometer is to use a cake tester," Denis Crutchfield, chef de cuisine of Craft in Los Angeles, explains. "If you put the cake tester in the meat for five seconds and put it on your lip and you feel no temperature difference, you have a perfect medium rare. You can use your judgment based on feel for the other temperatures (warm is mid, hot is midwell to well, etc)."
(4) Finish your steak with aromatics.
If you want the best results, you need to use the best products, Daniel Patterson, restaurateur and proprietor of Alfred's Steakhouse, explains. "I buy from local ranchers who raise cattle on pasture [grass], and then finish on grain. Find a producer or butcher in your area whose steaks you love."


text:
Q: Code to print directly to the printer ZEBRA TPL in 2844 of a web application on the client machine I have a problem in a system, I need to print directly from the application directly to the Zebra TLP 2844 printer, today we use a Java applet to do this, put in a near future will no longer be possible to use this.
I made the code below, put it only works on a machine or a LAN using C #.
string [] lines = {"I8, A, 001," "\ n"
    "Q216,024"
    "Q831"
    "RN"
    "S3"
    "D7"
    "ZT"
    "JF"
    "OD"
    "R215,0"
    "F100"
    "C"
    "A388,49,1,3,1,1, N \" 09/04/2015 "\",
    "A322,74,0,1,1,1 N, \" 2 \ ""
    "A360,63,1,2,1,1 N, \" 002049765 \ ""
    "A215,146,0,2,1,1, N \" NTO \ ""
    "A304,152,0,1,1,1, N \" CRT \ ""
    "A67,176,0,1,1,1, N, \" TEST JUNIOR \ ""
    "A67,188,0,1,1,1, N \" NIQUE \ ""
    "A276,130,0,1,1,1, N \" TTRACE \ ""
    "A46,42,1,4,1,1, N \" 10-000029 "\",
    "B72,32,0,1,2,6,71, B, \" 100340356701 \ ""
    "A292,46,0,1,1,1, N \" SERUM \ ""
    "P9"
};

System.IO.File.WriteAllLines (@ "C: \ ETIQUETA.prn" lines);
System.IO.File.Copy ("c: \\ ETIQUETA.prn", "127.0.0.1 \\\\ zebradb \\");

I would like to help to make a code to do this server printer command directly to the client machine. Using any tool other than Java.
Thank you.

A: This code is in C#, it creates a txt file and sends it to the printer.But this form only works for local applications, I would like to know a way to do this for a web application. Accessing the client printer. I believe this could be done in JavaScript or other web tool. –


Hartleys Supermarket and Stores – We deliver the ultimate shopping experience to our community by offering a wide variety of the freshest and quality products, with exceptional service.
A Floor Supervisor must oversee entire sales staff of a shift.
Stationed on the sales floor, a floor supervisor must interact with customers, performing the duties of a sales clerk as necessary.
The interaction that a floor supervisor has with both the sales staff and the customers gives him the unique ability to monitor the buying patterns of the customers, qualifying him to make recommendations for fast moving merchandise.
Before, during and after a shift, a floor supervisor assists the sales staff in the restocking of merchandise so that inventory is available for customers to purchase. All the items are priced according to the system. Floor supervisor must be in full control of expiration of products and notify Management on time to take appropriate action.
Beyond ensuring that employees are doing their jobs, supervisor is required to train employees to achieve 100% discipline on the floor, which includes motivating employees to put their best foot forward.
You are required to visit our main warehouse bi-monthly to ensure that all the products purchased are available for sales.
Your presence on floor must be strongly felt in terms of neatness and cleanliness of the shelves/floor.
Being the frontline staff of our business, you need to be polite and courteous to customers at all times and make sure you greet them while they arrive at your till and thank them once you have successfully handled their transaction.
Under no circumstances you should leave your duty post without approval from your Supervisors.
Eating and drinking at cash-point is prohibited.
Customers don't want to be served over a messy or dirty counter, so you are responsible for making sure your working area is clean and tidy.
You must log-in with your ID 15 minutes prior to opening hour.
You must be fully aware of the products sold in our shop.
You are not allowed to purchase any product without the consent of the Manager on duty.
You should dress appropriately to fit into the business environment. (Dangling earrings, unkempt hair is forbidden).
Ensure you have finished transaction with the customer prior to moving onto the next one.
Ensure you collect right amount from customer while processing his bill.
Must be smartly dressed as per the business norms.
Must greet customers and provide assistance if required.
Direct customers on the location, selection, price, delivery, use and care of goods available in the store, with the aim of encouraging them to buy.
Take special orders for items not currently in stock, or not normally stocked, and notify customers when the items have arrived through Floor Supervisor.
Package goods for customers if necessary.
Be aware of health & safety issues & measures.
Closely monitor goods about to expire and take appropriate action in conjunction with Floor Supervisor/Manager.
Participate in stocktaking (counting and describing the goods in stock).
Monitor items on display making sure there are no empty spaces on the shelves.
Represent the Company's interest at all times.
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Applications to: hr@primera-africa.com with specific job role applied for as the subject of the mail.


Trying to get your dog to stop peeing in your house? You definitely will need to get your dog on some sort of a schedule to stop them from peeing and for housebreaking to work. Here you'll find great ways to get your dog to adapt to a daily routine and helpful tips for housebreaking and crate training.
You want to get your dog on some sort of a schedule so he always knows when he's going to be allowed outside to pee & poop, when he's going to be fed, and when he's expected to go to sleep for the night. Setting these types of boundaries and expectations for your dog will make potty training — and other things — so much easier. Here's how to get your dog to adapt to a daily routine.
To aid us in potty training our dog, we decided to try a dog doorbell. Take it from me, by teaching your dog to ring a bell to let you know when she has to go outside, you will definitely have fewer accidents in the house! Here's how we used dog bell training with our 2 dogs.
This remote control paw activates the Pet Chime wireless doorbell for dogs. Dogs can be taught to press the paw-shaped transmitter to signal whenever they want to go outside or come inside. Simply place a Paw near the door — indoors or outdoors — or on the floor. When mounted at dog's-eye-level, your dog can press the Paw with its nose or its paw to activate the Pet Chime doorbell.


Mona Yacoubian, senior advisor for Syria, the Middle East, and North Africa, testified on September 27 at the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Middle East and North Africa hearing on "U.S. Policy Toward Syria: Part I." Her expert testimony as prepared is presented below.
Mona Yacoubian testifies before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Middle East and North Africa, September 27, 2018.
Chairman Ros-Lehtinen, Ranking Member Deutch and members of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify on U.S. policy toward Syria. The timing for this hearing is especially important given the dangerous developments in Syria and the challenges they pose to U.S. interests.
I am a senior advisor on Syria, Middle East and North Africa at the United States Institute of Peace, although the views expressed here are my own. USIP was established by Congress over 30 years ago as an independent, national institute to prevent and resolve violent conflicts abroad, in accordance with U.S. national interests and values. Syria's multifaceted conflict and its regional—if not global—reverberations continue to pose a significant challenge to U.S. strategic interests.
Syria's brutal conflict is entering its most dangerous phase, with significant geostrategic and humanitarian consequences.
While Syria poses significant challenges, the United States has policy options to shape an outcome more favorable to key U.S. objectives including the enduring defeat of ISIS, curbing Iranian influence, and shaping a political settlement to the conflict.
Looking over the horizon, the Syrian conflict's complexity embodies trends that could define future conflicts in the Middle East. Distilling key "lessons learned" from the Syrian conflict will be essential to better prepare for the region's future challenges.
The Syrian conflict is entering its most dangerous phase.
The conflict in Syria is at a perilous inflection point. The Syrian civil war is entering a messy and protracted endgame. Unfortunately, the regime of Bashar al-Assad, backed by the critical support of Russia and Iran, is likely to prevail. Meanwhile, counter-ISIS military operations are moving toward a final stage, with an estimated 98% of ISIS-occupied territory occupied now liberated. Yet, Syria's multifaceted conflict—now well into its eighth year—is far from over.
Two key developments account for this precarious time in Syria.
First, the Assad regime's continued march to regain control over lost territory signals its likely victory over rebel factions in the Syrian civil war.
Implications of Assad's Survival. The regime will stop at nothing to ensure its survival, coming at an inestimable price to Syrian civilians. Assad's survival could also upend the regional order, emboldening Iran and its allies and posing new threats to Israel.
Starting in December 2016 with the fall of eastern Aleppo, the regime—supported by Russia and Iran—has systemically clawed back areas once under rebel control. More recently, in May 2018, the regime regained full control of the Damascus suburbs for the first time in seven years. This offensive was followed by a move to the south where the regime won back the governorates of Dera'a and Quneitra, including the strategic Nassib border crossing with Jordan.
Northwestern Idlib province stands as the last remaining anti-Assad rebel stronghold. It also harbors a significant al-Qaeda presence. Earlier this month, the international community watched with deep concern as the regime appeared poised to mount a brutal offensive. An agreement between Russia and Turkey to establish a de-militarized zone in Idlib forestalled the offensive, at least temporarily. Russia and Turkey will jointly oversee the zone which should be cleared of all extremist elements and heavy weaponry by October 15.
Several issues could lead to an unraveling of the agreement. Most prominently, Turkey may not manage to clear the zone of extremist elements or persuade its allies to relinquish their heavy weapons. Meanwhile, the Assad regime vows that it will reassert control over the province, a non-starter for rebel groups on the ground. Russia's track record of enforcing ceasefires is also poor; Moscow has repeatedly violated such agreements. At best, the agreement will buy time for more intensive diplomacy. Barring the success of these efforts, a renewed military offensive remains likely by year's end.
Damascus has prosecuted its campaign to consolidate control with extreme brutality, imperiling Syrian civilians. The Assad regime repeatedly has transgressed international norms and laws governing armed conflict. It has used chemical weapons, bombed civilians indiscriminately and deliberately targeted medical facilities. This past April, in its battle to reclaim the Damascus suburbs, the regime used chemical weapons in an attack that left more than 40 civilians dead. The United States, together with British and French allies, responded with coordinated strikes hitting chemical weapons-related sites.
Iran's Military Entrenchment. Assad's survival is due in no small part to Iran's unprecedented military support, potentially altering the regional balance of power. Tehran has supported Assad with troops, weapons and funding. Hard numbers are difficult to confirm but estimates range from several hundred to a few thousand Iranian troops in Syria. Tehran has also mobilized up to 25,000 fighters from Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Lebanon, including several thousand Hezbollah fighters. Iranian fighters and their proxies have been deployed to nearly 40 facilities across Syria. Iran's military funding is estimated in the millions, possibly billions of dollars. Tehran has also supplied the Assad regime significant amounts of arms and military equipment.
Iran's military entrenchment in Syria threatens Israel's security as well as the regional order. The old "rules of the game" establishing strategic deterrence between Israel and Syria no longer apply. While Israel has acquiesced to the Assad regime remaining in power, Jerusalem has underscored it will not tolerate a permanent Iranian military presence in Syria nor allow for the transfer or production of precision-guided missiles. Israel has also made clear it will enforce these red lines. The Israeli Intelligence Minister recently revealed that Israel has undertaken 200 military attacks against Iranian targets in Syria over the past two years.
Neither Israel nor Iran appears to be interested in all-out war, but they may be on a dangerous collision course. Israel wants to prevent Iran from transforming Syria into another Lebanon. Iran wants to preserve and deepen its presence in Syria. A shadow war is already playing out between Israel and Iran in Syria, and prospects for continued escalation remain high. The most significant danger is that hostilities between Israel and Iran escalate into a conflict that spirals out of control. Syria's accidental shootdown of a Russian plane following Israeli airstrikes illustrates the precariousness of the situation. In response to the shootdown, Moscow announced plans to send an S-300 missile defense system to Syria, adding yet another layer of complexity.
A key question centers on whether Iran's investment in Syria is reversible. If true, reports that Iranian backed forces are already integrating into Syria's military and security infrastructure suggest that Iran's pervasive influence will be very difficult to dismantle. Another question revolves around whether Russia wields sufficient leverage to force Iran out of Syria, or at least to diminish significantly Iran's influence on the ground. Although Russia's objectives in Syria may increasingly diverge from those of Iran, Moscow remains unlikely to possess both the desire and capacity to diminish Iran's power in Syria.
Second, as the military campaign against ISIS enters its final phase, new conflicts and fault lines are emerging.
Turkish-Kurdish Conflict. Conflict between Turkey and the Syrian Kurds looms large with the potential for much broader destabilization. Ankara has long voiced its alarm at the prospect of a Kurdish entity along its southern flank. For Turkey, the Kurdish threat is existential, equal if not greater than that posed by ISIS. This past March, Turkey, relying on Syrian proxies, seized control of the Kurdish canton of Afrin in northwestern Syria. In response, an incipient Kurdish insurgency in Afrin may be taking shape, signaling greater instability in this region.
Further to the east, mounting tensions in Manbij raised the specter of the United States and Turkey—NATO allies—engaging in direct military confrontation. U.S.-led diplomacy has de-escalated the situation with a "road map" that envisions joint U.S.-Turkish patrols, the withdrawal of Kurdish commanders from the city and the devolution of security and governance responsibilities to the local Arab population. Yet, Turkey appears to be raising the stakes again, with the Turkish Defense Minister recently demanding that Kurdish militants abandon Syria entirely. Turkish President Erdogan previously threatened to oust the Kurds from all areas along Syria's border with Turkey.
U.S. Hostilities with Russia. Potential hostilities between the United States and Russia pose a less immediate, but more significant threat. This past February U.S. forces engaged in direct hostilities with several hundred pro-regime forces, including a significant number of Russian mercenaries in eastern Syria. The firefight—sparked by an unsuccessful attempt by regime proxies to retake a key gas field—left 200-300 Russian contractors dead. Rigorous efforts at U.S.-Russian de-confliction have averted additional hostilities. Yet, as the regime consolidates its control in the west of the country, it is likely to turn its attention increasingly toward the east. The regime could seek to retake critical hydrocarbon facilities currently under the control of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. These efforts could once again put the United States and Russia in direct confrontation. Adding to the tensions, Russia reportedly warned the United States that its forces are prepared to attack the remotely-located U.S. base at Tanf, highlighting another potential flashpoint between U.S. and Russian forces.
An ISIS Insurgency. Finally, while ISIS has been ousted from much of Syria, the extremist movement appears to be morphing into a potent insurgency. In its most recent report to Congress, the Lead Inspector General for Operation Inherent Resolve noted a higher number of ISIS fighters remaining in Syria than previously estimated. More importantly, though vastly diminished, ISIS's current capabilities are considered to surpass those of Al-Qaeda in Iraq at its peak in 2006-2007. According to a recent United Nations report, the ISIS "bureaucracy remains essentially intact" as well as its "collective discipline." Meanwhile, the core grievances that fueled ISIS remain unaddressed, if not exacerbated, suggesting the terrorist group will continue to draw on a significant pool of potential recruits.
The Trump Administration's recent announcement of a new Syria team led by Ambassador Jim Jeffrey, a seasoned diplomat, provides an important opportunity to consider U.S. policy options for Syria. Ambassador Jeffrey's appointment coincides with what he terms "a more active approach" on Syria. Maintaining a U.S. military presence in Syria for the foreseeable future and re-energizing U.S. diplomacy on Syria comprise the most critical elements of this new approach. Increasing pressure via new sanctions and refusing to fund reconstruction in regime-held areas are additional elements.
The Administration's renewed focus on Syria is a welcome development. While the challenges posed to U.S. interests in Syria are significant, the United States can undertake steps to shape the conflict's trajectory in a more positive direction. Adopting a "Three-D" approach that leverages elements of U.S. power—defense, diplomacy and development—would facilitate a Syria strategy that pursues core U.S. national security interests within realistic constraints of what is possible.
Shape a political settlement to the conflict, containing the Assad regime in the interim.
A "Three-D" approach to Syria would rely on three inter-related and mutually reinforcing baskets of policy options.
Liberating ISIS-held areas. Working "by, with and through" the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), U.S. SOF have played a critical role in liberating ISIS-held areas, pushing ISIS out of key cities into more desolate areas in the Middle Euphrates Valley (MERV). The current focus is to clear the MERV of ISIS remnants.
Training Local Hold Forces. As part of these efforts, U.S. SOF are continuing to train local forces to serve as hold forces in their towns and cities, a key element in any sustainable strategy to ensure against the re-emergence of ISIS.
Providing Security for Civilian-led Stabilization Efforts. U.S. SOF on the ground also facilitate the work of the small cadre of U.S. civilian stabilization experts from the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) who are implementing critical stabilization programming together with their local Syrian partners.
Impeding Further Expansion by the Assad Regime or Iran. The U.S. military presence in Syria serves as a key counterweight against the Syrian regime and Iran. Were the U.S. to withdraw, the Assad regime backed by Iran undoubtedly would seek to capitalize on the U.S. absence and retake these areas.
Serving as Important Source of Leverage. The U.S. and its local Syrian partners have built important leverage on the ground that enhances U.S. influence in Syria. The U.S.-allied SDF currently controls an estimated 25% of Syrian territory. This region encompasses critical resources that are the lifeblood of the Syrian economy: oil and gas installations, including two of Syria's largest and most productive oil fields; essential water resources; and rich agricultural land. The region also holds strategic significance given its location along trading routes as well as the "land bridge" Iran seeks to build across Iraq and Syria.
Deterring Chemical Weapons Use. The U.S. military can also play a leading role in deterring the future use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime, a critical element of an Assad containment strategy while the regime remains in power. Creating an effective chemical weapons deterrence strategy against a regime that routinely disrespects international norms will be a challenging, but an essential element of U.S. policy toward Syria. Since 2017, the United States has twice responded with military force to Assad's use of chemical weapons. Yet, it remains unclear whether sufficient deterrence has been established. Together with Britain and France, the United States has vowed to respond militarily should the regime use chemical weapons in Idlib. Planning for this contingency should be well in place should the Russian-Turkish de-escalation agreement collapse.
Improve ties with Turkey – a key regional stakeholder in the Syrian conflict. U.S.-Turkish ties are at a nadir, yet cooperation with Turkey on Syria is critical. Turkey's role in Syria is anchored by its control of two key enclaves (Afrin and Euphrates Shield), its presence in Idlib, and its participation in the Astana Process. Turkey also hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees estimated at 3.5 million.
U.S. tensions with Turkey over Syria may be deep, but not irreconcilable. Fortunately, important progress on Manbij has been insulated from the downturn in bilateral relations. U.S. diplomatic efforts should focus on sustaining and deepening this cooperation. Encouraging broader de-escalation between Turkey and Turkish-based Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) elements will be essential to addressing Turkish-Kurdish tensions in Syria. While the United States currently has limited leverage in this regard, U.S. diplomatic efforts should seek openings to help restart Turkish-PKK negotiations which broke off in 2015.
Engage with Israel, Jordan, and Russia to prevent unintended escalation in the deepening shadow war between Israel and Iran inside Syria. Israel is establishing new red lines regarding Iran's military presence in Syria and the potential manufacture and proliferation of guided missiles. The use of kinetic measures to communicate these red lines may be effective in the short term but can easily spin out of control. Even if a shaky state of deterrence is holding, the risk of miscalculation leading to escalating hostilities, if not all out war, is high. Reinvigorated U.S. engagement on these challenging issues is needed. Heightened tensions between Israel and Russia underscore the need for the United States to play a more assertive role. Specifically, the United States should engage Israel, Jordan and Russia in discussions aimed at establishing and institutionalizing more comprehensive and robust de-confliction mechanisms.
Deepen engagement with European allies on Syria. Despite tensions with European allies on other Middle Eastern issues, Syria remains an area of cooperation. Coordinated U.S. and European statements on Idlib may have played an important role in impelling Russia to negotiate an agreement with Turkey. Earlier this year, Britain and France joined the United States to undertake joint missile strikes against Syria following the Assad regime's chemical weapons attack on Douma. Meanwhile, Germany remains a key partner on stabilization efforts inside Syria. The United States should build on these shared interests to forge a strong counterweight to the Russian-Iranian axis on Syria.
Restoring U.S. stabilization assistance is essential to a successful "three D" approach on Syria. U.S. stabilization assistance has been critical to the post-ISIS liberation strategy in Syria. Encouraging Gulf allies and others to contribute to these efforts is important and to be commended. But there is no substitute for U.S. leadership anchored by concrete commitments on the ground.
Highlighting a Success. To date, U.S. stabilization efforts in eastern Syria have been a success with tangible achievements on the ground. Leveraging limited resources and a small team of civilian experts on the ground, the United States has led efforts to stabilize communities in ISIS-liberated areas. Focused on de-mining, rubble removal, restoring essential services, and building the capacity of local governance structures, U.S. stabilization assistance has played a critical role in helping displaced Syrians return to their homes and ensured against the emergence of dangerous power vacuums that ISIS or other like-minded extremists could exploit.
A Strategic Imperative. As highlighted in the recent U.S. government Stabilization Assistance Review, stabilization efforts are increasingly recognized across the Interagency as a strategic imperative. Restoring U.S. stabilization funding will help consolidate and sustain the military gains made against ISIS in Syria. Stabilization assistance focused on governance, livelihoods and social cohesion is critical to addressing underlying popular grievances. Building representative local government that is accountable to the local population is perhaps the most powerful antidote to both the Assad regime and extremist groups such as ISIS. Providing agricultural inputs to farmers, revitalizing markets in urban areas, providing small business loans and vocational training can help struggling communities to recover. Addressing communal tensions and beginning to repair the frayed social fabric of local communities through dialogues and other efforts to restore social cohesion would round out the stabilization effort.
A Future Template. This model of decentralized governance offers a template for the future. A highly-decentralized Syria marked by devolving significant authority from the central government in Damascus to local communities will be essential for a sustainable political settlement to the conflict. Investing now in strengthening local governance and supporting localized economic and social recovery will help ensure that these communities stand as an effective counterweight to the regime and lay the foundation of a future, peaceful Syria.
massive levels of civilian displacement and humanitarian need that have overwhelmed the humanitarian assistance infrastructure and imperiled neighboring refugee-hosting countries.
Invest in more creative approaches to address civilian displacement in violent conflict, particularly efforts that bridge humanitarian assistance with longer term development efforts that facilitate livelihoods and education for displaced civilians.
The Syrian tragedy will resonate for generations to come. It is essential to seize the opportunity to both develop effective policy responses to the current crisis as well as more forward-leaning strategies to similar challenges to U.S. interests that will likely arise in the future.
The view expressed in this testimony are those of the author and not the U.S. Institute of Peace.


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By Beth Elderkin | January 26, 2023
FromSoftware's 'Elden Ring' and BlueTwelve Studio's 'Stray' are tied for the lead, followed by Santa Monica Studio's 'God of War Ragnarök' and Obsidian Entertainment's 'Pentiment.' All of these games were nominated for the prestigious Game of the Year award, alongside Sam Barlow and Half Mermaid's 'IMMORTALITY' and TUNIC Team's 'TUNIC.'
Here are this year's finalists for the 25th annual IGF Awards, part of the longest-running festival, summit, and showcase celebrating independent games and their creators. The Independent Games Festival is part of GDC 2023, which will be held in San Francisco March 20-24, 2023.
The First Time at GDC guide features some of the "Greatest Hits" GDC is known for, along with 10 tips on making the most of your GDC, and links to recommended GDC Vault videos and Game Developer articles that will help you get pumped for GDC 2023.
In this year's State of the Game Industry survey, we found more developers are moving to hybrid remote-office schedules; they're divided on the rise in major studio acquisitions; and their opinions on the use of blockchain technology in games are more complicated than they may seem at first glance.
The fourth annual GDC Main Stage event is about exploring the new ideas and ideals gaining ground in the industry, and how to make them work for you.
In our Business and Marketing track, gain insight into game industry trends, identify business opportunities and partners, and learn new strategies for marketing games.
Here Are the Outstanding Games Coming to alt.ctrl.GDC at GDC 2023
This exhibition, co-helmed by indie curator John Polson, showcases some of the most unique, offbeat, and innovative controllers in modern games—with this year featuring a focus on accessibility.
Dive Into 30 Years of Kirby in This GDC 2023 Session on 'Kirby and the Forgotten Land'
Close out the 30th anniversary of Dream Land's most-famous resident with this GDC 2023 design session from developers Shinya Kumazaki and Tatsuya Kamiyama about Kirby's multi-dimensional milestone year. Pink attire not required!
Equal Opportunity Attendance Program Applications Are Open for GDC 2023
The Equal Opportunity Attendance Program provides an Expo pass for people who would otherwise not be able to attend GDC in person, and applications are open through January 22.
GDC 2023 Session Guide for Programmers
Programmers from all over the world come to the Game Developers Conference to learn the latest tools, tips, and methods for developing incredible games. This session guide—with tips and suggested videos—will help you make the most of your GDC.
Marina Díez to Host 2023 IGF Awards at GDC
Marina is a Spanish award-winning game designer based in Berlin and London. She's the CEO at Three of Cups Games, a games studio based in London—as well as an emotional game designer at BTF Games for "The Berlin Apartment" and the lead game designer of Dordogne at Un Je Ne Sais Quoi Studio.
GDC 2023 Session Guide for Career and Company Growth
GDC Session Guide 1: Realize your Career Development goals with this guide featuring standout sessions, panels, and events dedicated to helping your career and company growth efforts—along with tips on making the most of your GDC, whether job seeking or recruiting.
GDC Pitch Returns to GDC 2023 with New Games and Judges
By Beth Elderkin | January 6, 2023
GDC Pitch is a special event designed to help select participants practice their game-pitching skills. Five studios will solicit their games to an opinionated panel of investors and publishers—followed by questions, advice, and feedback.
Learn the Ins and Outs of 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2' Streaming Tech in GDC 2023 Session
By Staff | January 4, 2023
This programming session presents an overview of On-Demand Texture streaming technology for 'Call of Duty,' up to and including 2022's 'Modern Warfare 2.'
Take a Deep Dive Into Facial Performance Capture for 'The Quarry' in This GDC 2023 Talk
By Beth Elderkin | December 30, 2022
In this programming and visual arts session, attendees will learn about the exciting workflows Digital Domain used to transfer human emotion automatically to realistic digital characters.


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We're working to make the data better and more relevant to home appraisers. We hope you can use this real estate appraisal information.


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Surveillance Video Shows Last Time Ole Miss Student Ally Kostial Seen Alive
A college student from Fort Worth has been charged with murder in connection with her death.
Ole Miss student Alexandria "Ally" Kostial was found shot to death over the weekend. Officials said she was a victim of foul play.
Former Ole Miss student Brandon Theesfeld, of Fort Worth, is charged with murder in her death.
Investigators have not revealed a motive in the slaying and wouldn't say much else about the ongoing investigation.
Police have released surveillance video of the last night that Ole Miss student Ally Kostial was seen alive. She was found dead Saturday with gunshot wounds and a college student from Fort Worth has been charged with murder in connection with her death.
Oxford, Mississippi, police released surveillance video which shows Alexandria "Ally" Madison Kostial as she was leaving a bar in a popular downtown area.
Kostial's body was found last Saturday by a sheriff's deputy near a fishing camp about 20 miles from campus in the Harmontown community near Sardis Lake, an area popular with Ole Miss students, a nickname for the University of Mississippi student body. Authorities say she was shot eight times in the stomach.
Brandon Theesfeld, 22, of Fort Worth has been arrested as a suspect in Kostial's murder. He was booked into the Lafayette County Jail Monday afternoon.
He attended his sophomore year at Fort Worth Country Day School from 2012 to 2014, but did not return for "academic reasons," according to the private, college prep school.
Theesfeld's attorney says a date has not been set for a bond hearing and his client will remain in the Lafayette County Jail.
Mourners held a vigil for Kostial Thursday night in her hometown of St. Louis. Public visitation is set for Friday and Kostial's funeral will be Saturday.
"We are not releasing details of the investigation as this is an ongoing investigation," Wilburn said. "We will release when it is appropriate and not before."
An arrest affidavit released Tuesday afternoon didn't reveal much else about the case, though in it Wilburn did write that Theesfeld, "feloniously and willfully and unlawfully with deliberate design to effect the death of Alexandria Madison Kostial, kill Alexandria Madison Kostial."
Sheila Robertson
Daniel Theesfeld, father of Brandon Theesfeld, is a doctor in Fort Worth and gave a statement to NBC affiliate WMC: "I know my son is innocent. And I have reasons to believe that I can't share anything now. But I would ask everybody to please give him the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise."
The victim's father, Keith Kostial, initially confirmed the news of his daughter's death on Facebook, where he posted: "Saturday afternoon we were visited by police, who communicated to us that our beautiful dear Alexandria (Ally) Kostial was the victim of a homicide."


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Department of Civil, Structural
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Environmental Engineers present solutions to water and wastewater challenges
MS environmental engineering student Kristina Macro, PhD environmental engineering student Abdulraham Hassaballah and environmental engineering undergraduate student Jeremy Nyitrai presented research on water and wastewater at the 2018 NYWEA conference. The group was advised by environmental engineering faculty members Lauren Sassoubre and Ning Dai
3/13/18 Learn more about their research here
Fire protection for railway tunnels
This research examines the expected structural damage in a tunnel during a fire event, and concludes that, although safety may not be compromised, significant damage to the tunnel structure could be incurred.
4/19/18 Learn about fire protection at this link
The NSF-funded Future of Work at the Human Technology Frontier (FW-HTF) project will advance effective human-robot collaboration (HRC) to reduce electronics remanufacturing costs and improve operator safety, while considering the highly complex unstructured nature of the remanufacturing environment.
Tunnel Fire Project
The objective of this project is to establish fire damage to reinforced concrete tunnel liners using numerical modeling and experimental testing. Researchers at UB performed large-scale furnace testing as well as finite element modeling to test and simulate the effects of fire scenario, soil conditions, etc. on the fire performance of tunnel liners.
Integrating seismic protection systems into nuclear power plants
All nuclear power plants are required to have a significant level of resistance to the effects of earthquake shaking, but the safety-grade nuclear equipment is generally large and routinely custom-made for each nuclear plant. Whittaker's team will simplify plant design and standardize the equipment to drive down cost and speed construction.
Public education and plastic bag bans at consumer recycling sites
Real-Time Aerodynamics Hybrid Simulation
A Novel Wind-Tunnel Model for Flexible Bridges
Vision-Based Planning and Control in Support of Autonomous Inspection, Maintenance and Repair
Robots can be leveraged to perform maintenance and repairs because of their mixed mobility and reconfigurability in a challenging work environment. Xiao Liang identifies four tasks to integrate computer vision models with robotic systems to automate inspection and maintenance.
COVID-19 wastewater surveillance
Accelerating the use of integrated incident management system (IIMS) for traffic incident data collection and management
Traffic incidents have significant negative impacts on the safety and efficiency of overall transportation system performance. The transportation community has consistently strive to improve the transportation incident management process. This project demonstrates the ability of the NYSDOT, GDIT and IIMS to improve traffic incident management.
See all research highlights
See research accomplishments and recogition of our faculty and students, from honors to publications to sponsored research awards.
Repowering coal plants to fight the climate crisis
Andrew Whittaker, SUNY Distinguished Professor is part of a cohort developing a digital platform to repower coal plants using advanced nuclear energy.
UB will expand COVID-19 wastewater surveillance in WNY
The effort buttresses data collected at hospitals and other health care providers that inform the region's infection rate.
Aich part of $450,000 grant to address major pollution concern for coastal areas
Nirupam Aich, an assistant professor in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering is part of a $450,000 grant to address concerns on harmful algal bloom (HAB) in lakes and oceans.
Research in environmental engineering seeks to better understand the physical, chemical, and biological processes that influence the health of our environment and to pursue innovative solutions for its protection. Researchers in this area also focus on engineering sustainability.
Research in geosystems engineering addresses computational geomechanics, deep foundations, ground improvement, seismic response of soils, liquefaction, and retrofit of foundations, dams, slopes, and retaining walls.
Researchers in the structural engineering, mechanics and materials group enhance community resiliency to earthquakes, develop design guidelines for buildings and other structures, and conduct vital research in various emerging areas such as wind, fire and materials engineering.
Research in transportation systems engineering focuses on improving the efficiency, safety, sustainability, and resiliency of surface transportation systems.
The institutes and laboratories in the Department bring researchers and engineers together to solve global problems in the natural and built environments.
See the research grants and awards earned by CSEE faculty members
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There are times in life when I view the future with excitement. Things I've planned and worked for are about to come to fruition, and I watch with anticipation as they unfold before my eyes—like when I completed a degree program, got married, or had a child. In those times, I love the future, and even strive to speed up its arrival—as if that were possible!
But there are other times in life when the future is not exciting at all. Instead, the future is dark with shadows, and it seems to hide its intentions. I can't see what lies ahead, and it fills me with dread and fear. The unknown keeps me awake at night thinking through all the "what if?" scenarios: "What if ____ happens? Then what will I do?" In those times, I do what I can to keep the future at bay—as if I ever could!
I'm in the midst of one of those "what if?" seasons right now. It's hard not to worry and fret about the unknown. It's hard not to fear. And it can be hard to trust God with the future.
I want to look at the future with anticipation and hope—no matter what lies ahead—knowing that God is my refuge and strength (Ps. 46:1).
1. God holds the future.
And whatever does come to pass is God's plan. This means that while our future is unknown to us, it is not unknown to God. When a difficult circumstance enters my life, I often repeat to myself, "God is not surprised by this." It's a refrain that reminds me that while I may be taken off guard, he is not.
And because God is not surprised, it means everything is happening just as he planned it.
God never changes; there is no "shadow due to change." He is the Father of lights. In spiritual terms, darkness implies evil; yet, there is no darkness in God. He is always good. As fallen creatures, it is hard for us to fathom what that means. Even our good deeds are often tainted by wrong motives. But God always does what is right. He is the source of all that is good, and everything he gives us is good.
3. You can trust your future to God.
Because the future is in God's hands and no one else's and because he is good and only does what is good, we can trust our future to him. We can rest in his sovereign care for us. The trials and circumstances we fear, while not good in and of themselves, are always used by God for our ultimate good (Rom. 8:28-29). He is at work in us, making us into the image of his Son.
The work involved in that process can be difficult and sometimes even painful work, but it is good work. And the end result will be glorious when his work is complete. We can look to the greatest suffering—our Savior's death on the cross—and see how it was used for good, to set us free from sin and bring us into right relationship with God.
This article is adapted from "Three Things to Remember When You Fear the Future" at christinafox.com.


In an evolving world of organized crime, Johnny is a reliable prodigy looking to keep his boss Vincent on top of the food chain. In order to do so, Johnny utilizes Ross and Gill, Vincent's muscle, to keep wannabe drug kingpin Stefan from undermining Vincent's Empire. Meanwhile on the bottom of the mob hierarchy, twenty something druggie Jake attempts to fix his mistakes in the hopes of picking up with his girlfriend Tiff and escaping Johnny's growing shadow over them.


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The First Edition of Taormina Film Fest Los Angeles
Pubblicato Martedì, 19 Gennaio 2016 12:18
Organized by TaorminaFilmFest and IIC (Italian Cultural Institute) under the auspices of the Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles and in collaboration with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Italian Trade Agency Los Angeles, Variety, and Gerardo Sacco.
Started in 1955, the Festival, one of the oldest and most recognized in Italy, today is held in the small town of Taormina, on the east coast of Sicily, with its stunning Ancient Theatre. This inaugural LA edition will feature film and documentary premieres with Italian and American filmmakers in attendance. Protagonists of the festival from Italy are Valeria Golino, Elio Sofia and Francesco Cannavà. Among other Hollywood celebrities Cecilia Peck as well as Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah, known for their Studio 189 project, will be in attendance.
The opening night will also include a special tribute to photographer Phil Stern (1919  2014), noted for his iconic portraits of Hollywood stars, as well as his war photography while serving in the U.S. Army in the North African and Italian campaigns during World War II.
FINAL PROGRAM - Wed, January 20
4:00 pm - Welcoming Remarks: IIC Director Valeria Rumori and Peter and Ashley Stern (son and granddaughter of Phil Stern). Exhibition Opening: Phil Stern. Welcome Back Sicily Photographs by Carmelo Nicosia.
Screening: Phil Stern. Sicily 1943, the War and the Soul (Phil Stern. Sicilia 1943, la guerra e l'anima, documentary, 40', 2013) by Ezio Costanzo and Filippo Arlotta Winner at Sicily East Festival Cinema 2015, documentary section
4:50 pm - Ceremony: Joe Buscaino, Councilman to the 15th District presents proclamations from the City of Los Angeles to the family of Phil Stern, the photographer Carmelo Nicosia and the director Ezio Costanzo for the project Phil Stern. Welcome back to Sicily and to Tiziana Rocca, General Manager of TaorminaFilmFest for the first Los Angeles edition.
5:00 pm - Clip screening: Gerardo Sacco, Master Goldsmith for Cinema
5:05 pm - Screening: The Last Reel (L'ultimo metro di pellicola, documentary, 73', 2015) by Elio Sofia Winner at TFF2015, Sicilian Filmmaker, documentary section
6:00 pm - Red carpet
6:30 pm - TFF LA 1st edition Official Opening Ceremony and Awards Remarks by Valeria Rumori, IIC Director, Antonio Verde, Consul General of Italy in Los Angeles and Tiziana Rocca, TFF General Manager
7:00 pm - Welcome Cocktail
FINAL PROGRAM - Thur, January 21
4:00 pm - Screening: The Aeolian Carnival (Il Carnevale eoliano, documentary, 52', 2015) by Francesco Cannavà Winner at TFF2015, Sicilian Filmmaker, documentary section, 2nd place
5:00 pm - Screening: Brave Miss World (documentary, 88', 2015) by Cecilia Peck. Presented by Cecilia Peck, Elisa Bonora and Inbal Lessner. In support of the elimination of violence against women, in collaboration with WeWorld
6:30 pm - Welcome remarks by Valeria Rumori, IIC Director and Tiziana Rocca, TFF General Manager TFF LA Awards to Steven Gaydos, Variety Executive Director and Actress Valeria Golino
Q&A: Actress Valeria Golino, Lorenzo Soria, President of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and Steven Gaydos, Variety
6:50 pm - Screening: Per amore vostro (110', 2015) by Giuseppe M. Gaudino starring Valeria Golino
PHIL STERN. WELCOME BACK TO SICILY
Photographs by CARMELO NICOSIA
On the occasion of TaorminaFilmFest Los Angeles The Italian Cultural Institute (IIC) in Los Angeles presents (Opening: January 20, 2016 at 4:00 PM) PHIL STERN. WELCOME BACK TO SICILY. Photographs by CARMELO NICOSIA. Remarks by Peter and Ashley Stern. Organized by IIC in collaboration with Accademia di Belle Arti di Catania, Scuola di Fotografia and Museo Storico dello Sbarco in Sicilia, Le Nove Muse Editrice, Digital History Archives, Sheraton Catania, Credito Siciliano, Miartè Fine Art, Fon Gallery, and Phil Stern Archives, Los Angeles.
A collection of photographs by Carmelo Nicosia portraying the emotional return to Sicily of celebrated photographer Phil Stern for a solo exhibit featuring his work as a WWII combat photographer, when he followed the US troops to document the liberation of the Italian island and the advance of the Allies. Best known for capturing Hollywood icons and jazz legends in unguarded moments, as well as for being the personal photographer of President Kennedy, Stern died last year in Los Angeles at the age of 95.
Press source: IIC (Italian Cultural Institute) Los Angeles


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Lightsong Plays Terachin With Three Other Gods
This is the newest scene in the book, added in the last revision before the novel went to copyedit. I added it for two reasons. My editor wanted to see another chapter between the previous Lightsong chapter and the next one. He felt that the god made up his mind to help Blushweaver too easily, and wanted to spend more time with Lightsong mulling over the decision.
I reacted quickly to the suggestion, as I'd been wanting to show Lightsong interacting with some of the other gods. It's sometimes too easy for me to build my books around a small core cast and rarely involve any others, and I have to force myself to include more characters to round things out. This book had a distinct lack of scenes with "ordinary" gods. We got to see a lot of the exceptions, but never the run-of-the-mill divinities who make up the ranks.
I wanted to show how they schemed and how they acted. Putting Lightsong with three of them here helps the book quite a bit, I think. It makes the world feel more real and helps his character by providing contrast.
The game is something I developed in order to make this scene work. I wanted a divine game—one that wouldn't require too much effort, would require a lot of preparation and extravagance, but would still qualify as a sport. So, we have a game where the gods can sit on a balcony attended by a fleet of servants and scribes tallying their throws.
When my editor read the scene, he loved it instantly. He called to tell me it was one of his favorites in the book, partially because of some particularly good Lightsong quips. He says that he fully expects some Sanderson book readers to develop the rules for the game someday, then play it at a con.
[Editor's note: Also compare the game of Stones in the deleted Mad Prince Eton scenes from Elantris. Warning: Contains spoilers, so do not read this if you have not readElantris.]
Vivenna Goes to Two Restaurants to Meet with Crime Lords
Can you tell that I hate seafood? How does anyone eat that stuff? I mean, honestly. I've been forced to choke down raw clams before, and it was just about one of the most traumatic events in my life.
Only Potential Heirs of Idris Have Royal Locks
This is true. It's not a matter of genetics, but lineage. That's a subtle distinction. Only the children of the person who ends up inheriting will have the Royal Locks. (Though there are a couple of notable exceptions to this, they won't show up in this book, as it will take another novel to explain why and how the Royal Locks really work. If I ever write a sequel, that should be in it.)
This factoid about the Royal Locks should be one of several hints about the lineage of the Idrian crown. There is something odd about their heritage.
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I love a good flea market. The photo of the woman among all the figures is really cool. Marry Christmas, Hedy. Cheers!
I see your smile in your photos and writings, which always lifts my spirit, heart and mind to new levels. Have a wonderful peaceful Holiday and New Years my dear friend.
Will be heading up to the Pacific Northwest to visit my son, daughter in law and grandson right after Christmas. It will be so much fun to play in the snow for a little while. Have a restful, meditative time.
A pretty song! Pretty isn't a bad idea right about now, and laughing buddhas, and odd collages – all the best to you, Hedy!
Great idea. We have to smile more.
Wonderful song Hedy 😃 .. smiles to you, I hope you had a very special Christmas !


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TCA: 'Two and A Half Men' - It's All About The Hair
By Stephanie Robbins published 11 January 12
The cast and creators of Two and Half Men — Chuck Lorre, co-creator and exec producer; Lee Aronsohn, exec producer and stars Ashton Kutcher, Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones — took the stage during CBS' portion of the winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif. Wednesday morning.
Television critics couldn't help but ask the expected Charlie Sheen-related questions and whether Kutcher would return next season, but surprisingly Kutcher's newly shaved beard and haircut was an equally hot a topic for the audience.
Here are some highlights from the panel:
On the decision to keep the show going after Sheen
Lorre: Ashton Kutcher changed the impossibility. We started talking about possible ways to go. CBS was clearly interested in keeping this thing going. It seemed like an impossible and slightly ridiculous thing to do. We just went, "Why not try?" No one will be physically harmed.[What happened with Sheen] seemed like a heartbreaking way to end.
Aronsohn: We went through all the possibilities. We just knew that we needed to create another core relationship.
On the experience of re-launching the series
Lorre: It's been an extraordinary experience rebirthing the show. We have an audience who stayed with us. Beyond the actual physical numbers, for Lee [exec producer] and I, this has been an extraordinary experience…We're grateful this guy [Kutcher] came on and kept the light going.
On comments that the show is different without Sheen
Aronsohn: I've read comments online saying it's not the same without Charlie. It's not supposed to be. We did eight years of one certain type of show. And it's been a lot of fun to essentially create a different show with a lot of the same elements. A lot of folks find it a breath of fresh air. You can only go so long with the same tone, same conflicts.
On Kutcher's character
Lorre: We were looking backwards, Ashton forced us to look forward to a forward-looking character. The first time I met Ashton, he launched into a conversation about how he was fascinated with the computer code of Skype. That's a whole new guy. A guy that's not on TV; not on a comedy.
On the critical response Kutcher received on the show via social media
Kutcher: I think that initially and, even now, you can see that people are supportive of the show. In general, my feedback has been really positive…Part of listening to the audience in a slightly more personal way has helped me guide the character into what the audience wants.
If you look at rough numbers of the demos, they have skewed a little younger. So, you can see the reflection of social media on the surfaces.
On whether Kutcher will return next season
The deal we structured was a test deal…The show is outperforming the numbers from before I was here. I think people are responding to it. For me, having a show that people like and want more of - that will dictate my decision…I'm interested in coming back.
On the reported feud between Sheen and Lorre
Aronsohn: I never saw a feud between Charlie and Chuck on set. The differences came up after Sheen left the show. Chuck was always extremely respectful of Charlie and Charlie was always extremely respectful of Chuck.
On the dynamic between Cryer and Kutcher's character versus he and Sheen's
Cryer: What's been lovely is the relationship is different. They are friends. They both need each other for different reasons. They are not brothers who are stuck together. They are hurt and wounded people. It allows a completely different dynamic to come through.
On Kutcher having a shaved beard and haircut on stage
Kutcher: It's related to the show completely. See it on this Monday night's episode (Jan. 16).
On Kutcher starting on the show with longer hair and a beard
Kutcher: Coming in, when I'm not working on something specifically, I kind of let it [my hair] be a growing field. I think when we first met [he and Lorre], I was starting to get a little shaggy.
Lorre: I thought it was great to have a lead character on TV that didn't look like anyone else on TV.
On how many more years the show will go on
Lorre: That's a question you should ask Nina Tassler. I don't know. Have no idea. We're having a good time writing the show.
Lee: It can go as far as life goes.


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Pia Wurtzbach talks staying in shape, her favourite Filipino things, and drops us a couple of lines of "Hotline Bling."
He added: "We feel very proud."
"I sold it 6 months ago for a record price. This would never have happened!"
Donald Trump now owns all of Miss Universe. Be very afraid.
The Republican presidential hopeful has purchased NBC's half of the Miss Universe Organization and settled all lawsuits against the media company.
Trump claims Univision move was a way to "suppress his First Amendment rights."
Trump previously called Mexican immigrants "rapists."
This just made that 'Miss Congeniality' moment look profound.


Is your Ipad Mini not charging? Is the power still decreasing while the ipad is plugged in? Is it not receptive of other products that are plugged into the usb port? Are you wasting too much of your valuable time chasing down other charger and usb cords to try? It might be time for a change.


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Home » News & Speeches » Taxation Commission Chair outlines key to balancing international tax regulation
Taxation Commission Chair outlines key to balancing international tax regulation
In an article published in the latest edition of "World Commerce Review", Chair of the ICC Commission on Taxation describes the criticism on multinational enterprises (MNEs) engaging in aggressive tax planning schemes as "lopsided".
Christian Kaeser, Chair of the ICC Commission on Taxation and Global Head of Tax at Siemens AG describes the criticism on multinational enterprises (MNEs) engaging in aggressive tax planning schemes as "lopsided" given that they do so legally and are simply embracing tax benefits that are willingly and openly granted by governments.
"Enterprises … will consider the tax environment in their investment decisions and try to lower the tax expense by setting up their business structures in a tax-efficient way using the various tax benefits that are offered to them by many countries." Mr Kaeser states that MNEs should not be targeted as scapegoats for public failure to design an effective tax system.
The key to balancing local tax legislations while avoiding double-taxation of businesses operating internationally, Mr Kaeser said, is a dispute resolution mechanism that ensures that it is neither the taxpayer who defines the "fair share" of tax nor two or more countries, which leads to deviating results.
"If both sides would enforce their ideas of "fairness", the taxpayer would end up paying his taxes twice," Mr Kaeser wrote. "Such a result would contradict many decades of concerted efforts to overcome double taxation fostering global growth and international trade and business – which so far has been the mandate of the OECD. Unfortunately, this is a likely outcome of the current discussions around BEPS. It is this negative potential which should worry everybody, especially given the fragile state of the world economy after the financial and economic crises of the past years."
Mr Kaeser concludes his article by highlighting that close to a hundred years ago, the International Chamber of Commerce proposed that if no other settlement could be achieved the taxable income should simply be split leaving both disputing countries with half of it to tax.
The ICC Commission on Taxation today brings together 130 taxation specialists from some of the world's leading companies and tax consultancy firms to examine major policy issues of interest to world business and voice business views on government and intergovernmental projects affecting taxation. Mr Kaeser was appointed Chair of the Commission in March 2014.
Read the full article online.
ICC Commission on Taxation
Raelene Martin
+ (33) 01 49 53 29 69
Policy Manager, ICC Commission on Taxation
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Dixa Life | 3 min read
Dixa Welcomes Pam & Dipo to Management
We're ending 2020 with a bang – adding two talented new leaders to the management team.
Pam Alvarez has started as Dixa's new VP Customer Success, and Dipo Osho has joined heading up hiring as Director of Talent Acquisition. Both will be based out of London.
Customer Success and Talent Acquisition are arguably two of the most important departments for a fast-growing customer experience company that's focusing on eliminating bad customer service and fostering customer friendships. CEO Mads Fosselius is beyond excited to see the impact of these crucial new Dixaterians:
"Only one month in we are already seeing a tremendously positive impact from having the breadth and depth of experience that Pam and Dipo bring in their respective areas. We don't take hiring new leaders lightly and put a lot of time and resources into ensuring we hire the best talent to take us to the next stage of our journey. I'm thrilled to have such accomplished and inspiring leaders in their fields taking Dixa through 2021 and beyond."
Who are Pam and Dipo?
Pam Alvarez joins us from Glint (acquired by LinkedIn) where she held a number of positions, most notably being the first employee outside the US and building out the Customer Success organization in EMEA from scratch. A Mexican-Texan who started her career in California, then made the leap to London, followed by Dublin, before settling with us between Copenhagen and London.
Dipo Osho comes to us with a wide range of experience building and managing Talent Acquisition functions in small and large organizations, most recently with ASOS and Culture Trip in London. A Nigerian-Briton, Dipo was an ex-professional rugby player before entering the world of Talent Acquisition and People Culture. He has strategically built and grown organizations across a number of locations around the globe.
Both Pam and Dipo's international experience and viewpoints will no doubt help us scale on a global level over the coming years.
What has it been like joining Dixa?
Dixa's vision is to create a world in which all people are welcomed by their favorite brands with the warm familiarity of a friend. This is an attitude that runs through everything at Dixa – it's how we treat our customers, it's ingrained in our company culture, and also in our hiring and onboarding process. We talked to Pam and Dipo about how their experience has been joining Dixa:
"Starting at Dixa has been everything I had imagined – friendly and welcoming, and challenging and fast-paced. I was thrown headfirst into the deep end but also had an organized and structured onboarding where I got to know everyone quickly and had all the information that was crucial for me to analyze and identify key priorities for 2021" Pam explained.
Dipo went on to say, "The hiring process was definitely extensive, but I really appreciated how much thought was put into every step and how it was such a two-way experience. That showed me that Dixa really cares about who they hire, especially making sure that it's the right next step for both the candidates and the company. As a leader in Talent Acquisition, this is of course something I prioritize in the companies I choose to work for. And I agree with Pam – it's definitely been a dive-right-in start, but incredibly welcoming and one of the best onboardings I've ever experienced. I'm super excited for the years to come, especially adding 100+ new Dixaterians in 2021!"
We're hiring for a bunch of positions across all our locations 🌍 If you're interested in exploring what it's like to work at Dixa, check out our open positions here.
Anna Dewhurst
A Brit living in Copenhagen for the last 3 years, my background is in Talent Acquisition and Employer Branding from both small & large international tech companies. I have a mild obsession with dogs.
Customer Support | 2 min read
Empower Your Customer Service Agents
Contact Center Management Basics
Are Your Customers Contacting You About the Right Things?


VGArc Originals are content made for VGArc.org.
Below is a list of in-production content.
A video documentary telling the history of game developer SunSoft and the games they made. The project is planned to be finished by winter 2017.
After the release of the video we will post six interviews with former SunSoft employees that were interviewed for the documentary.


Cardi B attending the Warner Music Group's annual Grammy celebration in association with V magazine in New York January 25, 2018.
MTV announced that the white-hot rapper is the most nominated act at this year's show, which returns to New York City's Radio City Music Hall on Aug. 20.
Five of Cardi B's nominations are thanks to her collaboration with Bruno Mars on the upbeat anthem, "Finesse (Remix)." The song's video, inspired by '90s sketch comedy series "In Living Color," will compete for video of the year along with Childish Gambino's "This Is America," Drake's "God's Plan," Beyonce and Jay-Z's "Apes(asterisk)(asterisk)t," Camila Cabello's "Havana" and Ariana Grande's "No Tears Left to Cry."
The Dominican-Trinidadian rapper Cardi B was born and raised in The Bronx, New York City. Her hit "Bodak Yellow" was the first No. 1 song by a solo female rapper since Lauryn Hill's "Doo Wop (That Thing)" in 1998.
Beyonce and Jay-Z — who recently released a collaborative album as The Carters — are nominated for eight awards with "Apes(asterisk)(asterisk)t," which was filmed at the Louvre museum in Paris.
Gambino's "This Is America," which tackles racism and gun violence, earned him seven nominations. Drake, who gave away $1 million dollars to Miami residents in his "God's Plan" clip, also scored seven nods.
Taylor Swift was shut out of the major categories, but did nab three nominations for technical awards: Her No. 1 hit, "Look What You Made Me Do," is up for best art direction, best visual effects and best editing.
Justin Timberlake, whose "Man of the Woods" album has underperformed, earned nominations for best direction ("Say Something" with Chris Stapleton) and best choreography ("Filthy").
Cardi B gave birth to her first child last week and recently became the first female rapper to have two No. 1 hits on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Her other nominations include best new artist, best hip-hop video for "Bartier Cardi" and best Latin video for "Dinero" with Jennifer Lopez and DJ Khaled.
The best Latin category comes a year after MTV didn't nominate "Despacito," last year's biggest hit by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, for any of its main awards. It caused an outcry and even led actor John Leguizamo to write an editorial for Billboard about Latinos being underrepresented in not just music, but film and TV.
MTV did nominate the Justin Bieber-assisted "Despacito" remix for its song of summer award, which was announced weeks after the network revealed its nominees in other categories. MTV last presented a Latin award at its 2013 show.
Others nominated for multiple VMAs include Ed Sheeran, Khalid, SZA, Shawn Mendes, Alessia Cara and Dua Lipa.
Avicii, who died in April, earned a nomination for best dance with "Lonely Together," which features Rita Ora.


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Terror Returns to Moscow
Chechnya, Terrorism
As you can guess the big news, actually, the only news today in Russia is the two subway bombings in the center of Moscow. The first occurred Monday morning at 7:50 am at the Lubyanka station, the second 40 minutes later at Park kulturty station. As of now there are 41 deaths but this will certainly continue to rise. Around 61 people are injured with over half in critical condition reports RIA Novosti. Those interested can keep on top of things through Russia RIA Novosti English site.
I'm okay and as far as I know everyone I know in Moscow is okay.
This is what is known at the moment . . . I repeat at the moment. The bombings are said to have been carried out by two female bombers with two kilograms of plastic explosives with nails and bolts in each. The suspects behind the blast are the usual ones: Muslims from the Caucasus (which is mostly likely). Though I'm sure in the coming days there will be all sorts of accusations, theories, and finger pointing. I just wonder how long it will take for people–i.e. Russian liberals and Western commentators–to blame Putin himself. Apparently, that is already starting . . .
Either way, I'm sure the Russian government will take some heat, and perhaps deservedly so since the North Caucasus continues to be an increasing mess. Thus, six years of a terror free Moscow has officially ended.
And lo and behold, as I write this, Chechens have claimed responsibility via their website, reports CNN. Experts believe that the bombs are in response to the recent killings of Chechen militant leader Anzor Astemirov, the so-called "Emir of Grozny" Salambek Akhmadov, Abu Khaled and Said Buryatskii. Former FSB director Nikolai Kovalev says that the female suicide bombers could have been relatives of Buryastskii.
A source inside the Metro administration is suggesting that the terrorists' plan was to say "hello" to the Russian security forces. FSB headquarters is located at Lubyanka and the MVD is at Oktryabrskaya station. If this was the case, it is unknown why the second bomb didn't make it to its intended location.
President Medvedev has promised to help the families of victims, declared Tuesday a day or mourning, demanding increased security on public transportation, and, of course, called for vigilance, curiously adding "to not violate the rights of citizens."
Maybe this will be Dimitry Medvedev's big chance shed his Rodney Dangerfield persona and show he's the tough guy Russia needs and wants. So far his initial statements are calm and collected demonstrating he's not shaken by the incident.
Putin, as you could imagine, was more unequivocal. "I believe that the security service will do everything to find and wipe out the criminals. The terrorists will be eliminated."
But right now the real story can be summed up in two words: panic and trauma. Both are sweeping through the city as one might expect. Certainly many people are afraid to take the underground. Without a system that moves somewhere around 5-6 million people a day, the city is clogged beyond capacity. The center is paralyzed.
I'll provide more as I can in the coming hours and days.
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Q: Django: Annotate across three models I'd like to make an intricate annotate call over a QuerySet and I don't know how to build it. Could you help?
I'll try to simplify my setup:
I have 3 models: Movie, Actor and Casting.
Each Casting has a foreign key to a Movie and an Actor, and a CharField for role.
For example, a Casting can be that Johnny Depp played Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean.
I'd like to get a list of movies, and to each movie there will be an annotation saying the role that Johnny Depp played in that movie. If he didn't play in that movie, it should be None.
Note that I'm giving a specific actor, I don't want to go over all actors.

A: You can .annotate(..) this with a Case(..) object:
Movie.objects.annotate(
    role=Min(Case(
        When(casting__actor=my_actor, then=F('casting__role')),
        default=None
    ))
)

Now the Movie objects will have an attribute .role that holds the role for that actor.
If there are multiple roles for the actor, it will take the lexicographically smallest one, if there is no such actor, it will take None.


Elizabeth J. Cassidy of Fairmont, passed away on August 6, 2011, at the age of 91. Services will be held on Thursday, August 11 at 10:30 a.m., at the Fairmont Community Church in Fairmont. Visitation will begin on Wednesday, August 10 from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Farmer and Son Funeral Home in Geneva. Memorials preferred to Arm in Arm in Africa. A full obituary will appear in The Nebraska Signal.