We were looking to purchase our first home and were fortunate to find Dale Mattison to assist us with the process. When we originally contacted him, we were not ready to purchase but just wanted to see what was out there. He was consistent but not overly so. His daily email helped us to see what was on the market. He always gave his honest opinion on properties we looked at and that really helped. If we were unsure about anything he would go above and beyond to make sure we understood or felt comfortable. He was very patient with us throughout the entire process. There were several homes we visited and whenever we were interested in putting in an offer, he was there ready to do it ASAP. When we did find our home, he was there to walk us through the process and it was seamless. I highly recommend Dale and the Mattison Group if you are in the market for a home in the DMV area.
Dale has helped us purchase 2 homes as well as sell a home. He was professional and yet personal in each and every transaction. He has an extraordinary knowledge of the DC/MD/VA market. I would recommend Dale highly for any real estate transaction.
"Dale helped us buy this condo 8 years ago so my son could study in DC. We live in California and he made it easy to buy the property and kept in touch with us all this time. When we decided to sell, he facilitated people to help us fix it up and move our furniture to California. Made everything easy and provided outstanding service"
"Mr. Mattison is by far one of the best people in this world who provided me good old fashion customer service. He helped me buy my first home in 2001, and also helped my daughter buy her new home as well. Dale continues to provide us with tips to keep our homes in good shape updates new listings in the area and the customer service never ends, which is genuine. He is simple people friendly which matters the most when buying the biggest investment you could ever purchase." Jeff Schnider "I was particularly impressed with Dale's keeping me informed at every step in the selling process. He visited my condo and offered painting and tile suggestions. He reviewed the listing with me; then he kept me informed immediately after each showing and offered helpful suggestions regarding negotiations. Having sold multiple properties, the most difficult experience is when you feel not informed. Dale never let that happen."
"What can be said about Dale?! He is a consummate professional with 40 years of experience in the D.C. Metro real estate market. From our initial meeting, we knew we were in good hands. In such an aggressive market, he was very patient with us first time home buyers, answering our questions and helping us navigate a fast, complex process. It also helps that he's extremely friendly, kind, and owns his own family company as part of the larger L&F system. Dale will treat you right and get you your dream house."
"I have used Dale to purchase 2 properties, sell a property and he will be handling our forthcoming sale and purchase. His knowledge, insight and ability to understand and facilitate what can be a difficult decision for a family to make set him apart from any other Realtor I have known. I would highly recommend Dale to anyone serious about selling or purchasing a home."
"There is not a superlative to truly express the complete satisfaction with the experience with Dale. He is by far the primary asset we were able to utilize to purchase our first home. His customer service was extremely helpful as first time home buyers. To make the whole experience that much more rewarding he has a network of true professionals to accomplish even the most aggressive of plans. You would only be winning by going with Dale."
"Recently my wife and I moved from Orange County California. While in California I was referred by a close friend and business associate, whom I trust, to use Dale Mattison as my real estate agent as I relocate to Northern Virginia. Now I know why Dale was recommended to me. Simply put, Dale is an extraordinary Agent, consummate professional exceeding all our expectations. Dale has to be one of the most professional Realtors in the industry. It is not only his knowledge (expert on the D.C Metro real estate and all phases of purchasing a home) and experience that differentiates him, but his personal skills. He makes you feel like you are his only client. Dale is dependable, very smart, quick to adapt to changing situations. He is also a wonderful human being. It is now my turn to highly recommend Dale Mattison. Dale needs to be your top choice for your real estate agent too." Erica Ward "Dale is a wonderful agent! I felt like his most important client each time we met or spoke on the phone. Buying my first home was a wonderful experience!"
"Washington D.C. real estate moves quickly - luckily we had the help of Danai. Her open, honest, and experienced advice set us up for success in a competitive buying environment. She outlined our escalation clause and handled everything perfectly. The end result was my first home, at a great price, all within a two week time frame - more than I could have asked for. There was attention to detail, promptness, and a sense of confidence which relieved the stress of buying. All I had to worry about was moving in (and if our dog had enough space!) Thanks again Danai"
"I am so thankful I chose Danai as my realtor. I was originally on the fence about selling my home, but before I made my final decision Danai presented me with the most thorough information about the D.C. housing market, the value of my home, and a few small tips that would make my home that much more appealing to my future buyer. After allowing me to ask her a million questions about the selling process, I decided to put my home on the market. Even with me having a ton of things going on at the time, Danai was very patient with my tight schedule and made sure I stayed on top of things that were essential to making my home most appealing on the market. Although Danai had planned an open house, she ensured my house was being advertised properly on almost every real estate website you could think of. My home was only one the market for four days before I received a full price offer! I still can't believe it. During the negotiation process between myself and the buyer, Danai helped me understand what was being asked. And once my closing date approached, the process was seamless. Overall I had a wonderful experience with Danai as my realtor, and I will definitely reach back out to her when it's time to buy my next property!"
"We purchased a condo in DC with Danai's expert guidance. Danai invested time to understand what we were looking for then highlighted features that matched our interests while showing the condo and building. In addition, she provided expert information about the surrounding areas and life style that we valued and knew about different financing options that we were considering. Danai's guidance proved to be accurate in each instance throughout the purchase process. July 6, 2010" back to top Tessa Edison "Working with Danai with the City Vista Condo project has been a wonderful experience. She stepped in at a very busy time and it was seamless. She has become our go to person on ALL transactions, she knows her clients well! I hope to work with her on a nother project in the future! March 2, 2010"
"Dale helped me to look at houses in the DC area when home prices were out of control. He looked with me for 7 months until I finally found and purchased the house I still live in now. He knew the city very well and listened to what I could afford and took me to the places I requested for months until I finally chose the right property. He was awesome! For the record, my house doubled in value!" Leigh Reed "Dale is a rarity in the real estate realm - not only does he possess superior sales skills, but he is a student of his craft - he has a thirst for market and statistical knowledge that helps him better serve his clients. Whether it is technology, agent to agent networking to increase the exposure to his listings resulting in faster sales (because who wouldn't want to work with Dale as the agent on the other side of the table?) or just sitting down to catch up, he listens first, thinks...and then gives his input. Imagine - someone who actually listens to your needs in this day and age! Brilliant!"
"Dale Mattison is a top quality Real Estate professional and Associate Broker at Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Well experienced, exceptionally knowledgeable, truly the total package that one would want to represent them in a real estate transaction. He was the team leader for a property that was purchased by my client. The collaboration, cooperation, and coordination from his team was flawless, nothing less than one would expect from Dale Mattison. I strongly recommend Dale Mattison and his Long & Foster Mattison Group for business. Again, he is a top quality real estate professional!"
"I can highly recommend Dale Mattison for your real estate search/sell. When I was in less than desirable living arrangements and eagerly looking to purchase my first condominium, Dale and his team took me under their wings, found exactly what I was looking for, within my budget, and I was moving into the place within a month. Perfect communication, positive professional demeanor and perhaps most importantly, excellent results!"
"Friends who had a fantastic result selling their home referred us to Dale Mattison. We worked with Dale and his team to sell our home in 2006 as the housing market was hitting the downturn. We were very concerned, but Dale set the correct expectation from the beginning and led us through the process with the highest level of professionalism. We had an offer within a week of putting the home on the market and closed within our desired timeframe. From start to finish, Dale and his team were seamless. Dale is the first and only real estate professional we'd think of working with to sell or purchase our next home!"
"Dale and I just closed another transaction that went off perfectly without a hitch. Dale strives to make certain all the details are taken care of well in advance of settlement. He strives to make every step of the way a wonderful experience. I can't wait to work with Dale again!
The data relating to real estate for sale on this website appears in part through the BRIGHT Internet Data Exchange program, a voluntary cooperative exchange of property listing data between licensed real estate brokerage firms in which The Mattison Group at Long & Foster Real Estate participates, and is provided by BRIGHT through a licensing agreement. The information provided by this website is for the personal, non-commercial use of consumers and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Some properties which appear for sale on this website may no longer be available because they are under contract, have Closed or are no longer being offered for sale. © 2019 BRIGHT, All Rights Reserved Information Deemed Reliable But Not Guaranteed. Data last updated: April 19, 2019 10 AM.


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Чемпионат мира по настольному теннису 1931 года прошёл с 10 по 15 февраля в Будапеште (Королевство Венгрия).

Медалисты

Февраль 1931 года
Международные спортивные соревнования в Будапеште
Спорт в Венгрии в 1931 году
Международные соревнования по настольному теннису в Венгрии
Чемпионаты мира в Венгрии

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Character: Bobb X. Ha
Knows all the answers
To people like Bobb X. Ha, pub quizzes are anything but trivial. After winning his first game at The Highball in 2011, the 37-year-old IT guy became hooked on the nationally syndicated Geeks Who Drink bar quizzes. Now on any night of the week you can find him flexing his mind muscles at a watering hole hosting the two-hour-long competition. Questions range from bad TV trivia to global affairs, and the vibe is always laid-back. But for serious devotees like Ha, it's more than just a game.
Do you self-identify as a "geek who drinks"?
Sure, but I don't really drink when I'm playing quiz. I take it so seriously I don't want to impair myself.
Is there any wisdom you can impart to a newcomer?
Questions require a measure of deliberation, and writing them down slows me down so I don't just blurt out the first thing that comes to my brain.
How does teamwork play into a game?
If the people on your team are just like you, there's too much overlap. You don't have the breadth to cover all the areas on the quiz. I play with a group now that is all different ages and from different parts of the country. We haven't all lived the same life.
Is there a question that haunts you?
In 2012, they held the Geek Bowl in Austin. It's like the World Series of pub quiz. My team tied for first place, but had we answered a certain question, we would've won outright. It ended up costing us $3,000 in prize money. [They guessed incorrectly that John Travolta's character in Saturday Night Fever lived in Queens; the right answer is Brooklyn.]
What keeps you coming back?
I'm still trying to attain the elusive goal of a perfect score. Also, trying to be on the team that posts the highest score in the country each night is a daily goal.
Do you ever see yourself stopping?
It's a hobby that's turned into a slight addiction. Like many addicts, I like to think I could quit anytime, but I'm not sure if I really could.
What to Do in Austin: Jan. 16-23
From marching in honor of MLK Jr. to Pink Floyd laser shows, here's the scoop on what's happening this week.
These Austin Businesses Are Fundraising for Australian Wildfire Relief
From enamel pins to fitness classes, here are four ways Austinites can send their support.
20 Questions in 2 Minutes with Ty Pennington
With the 22nd annual Austin Home and Garden Tour just around the corner, we talked to the reality TV star about everything from his sources of inspiration to easy DIY projects.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Q: Calculus and Category theory Quick question:
Is it possible to differentiate a function with respect to another function, or is it limited to a particular variable?
I tried thinking around how to make this question make sense, but I can't figure it out!
I mean, $\frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}x}$ is a function which accepts a function, and returns a function (the derivative of the original function). However, $\frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}x}$ is not equal to $\frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}y}$, and not equal to $\frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}z}$, so it appears that the function for differentiation would be:
derivative :: (real -> real) -> variable with respect to which you are differentiating -> (real -> real)
so, why can't I do:
$$
\begin{align}
\text{let }f(x) &= \sin(x)\\
\text{let }g(x) &= \cos(x)\\
\frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}g} f(x) &=\ ???
\end{align}
$$
and if I can, what is this called and where can I read more about this?
Sorry for badly formulating the question, but I am really curious on how to understand this idea, as I feel like I huge gap in understanding...
I would formulate this better, but the books on Calculus are so focused on applications and proofs, rather than explaining what it is, and when they try to explain what it is, they still do not explain it in terms that are useful to me. I am trying to understand how Calculus can be visualized under Category Theory, so that I can model it better in Haskell other programming languages.
Thanks!
~Dmitry

A: I don't know if this answers your question , but you might get some inspiration from the following article from The Harvard College Mathematical Review:
http://www.thehcmr.org/issue1_1/thanos.pdf
He basically talks about the derivative as a functor. A problem (as I see it) with trying to categorifying some parts of analysis is that category theory seems to be very good where we have lots of structure and global properties, but analysis doesn't always concern itself about these situations. A lot of analysis is more about local properties and randomness. Terence Tao has written about something on the dichotomy between structure and randomness which might be of value :
http://www.math.ucla.edu/~tao/preprints/Slides/icmslides2.pdf

A: For other ways of involving two functions in a derivative I'd take a look at Stieltjes derivatives. For instance;
Daniell, P. J.: Differentiation with respect to a function of limited variation. Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 19 (1918), no. 4, 353–362.

A: To answer the part of your question about a categorical point of view of calculus, Bill Lawvere developed an axiomatization of differential geometry in a smooth topos, which unifies many operations in both differential geometry (hence classical calculus) and algebraic geometry. This beautiful theory is called synthetic differential geometry, and is in many ways much simpler than the usual approach to calculus via limits.
In synthetic differential geometry the total derivative is the internal hom functor $(-)^D$, where $D := \{ d \in R : d^2 = 0\}$ is the "walking tangent vector". Here, $R$ is the line object in the smooth topos, which is like the classical real line but augmented with nilpotent elements.
To be more precise the above definition is an axiomatization of the tangent functor from classical differential geometry, so unlike the single-variable classical calculus derivative (which is a special case of the exterior derivative or Darboux derivative) it keeps track of the base points in the space. The classical derivative of a map between vector spaces can be obtained from the tangent map by projecting to the typical fibre of the tangent bundle, which is trivial in this case.
I apologize if this is a bit over your head, but check out John Bell's A Primer of Infinitesimal Analysis for an undergrad-level introduction, or Anders Kock's freely available text for a slightly more advanced but more comprehensive introduction.

A: Your question for the derivative of a function $f$ with respect to a function $g$ is answered in the comments: $\frac{df}{dg}=f'(g(x))\cdot g'(x)$.
As for the categorical approach, I'll try to indicate some inherent problems with categorifying the notions of limits and derivatives from analysis.
When you define something in a category, you are defining a concept that is sensitive to all of the morphisms in the category. The more category theoretic way of phrasing this is of course the notion of universality, which is everywhere in category theory.
However, a limit of a function at a point, or the derivative of a function at a point is a notion that is very local. You can change the function's values everywhere out of a tiny little neighborhood of the point, and the local behaviour of the function at that point does not change.
Thus, there is some tension here between the categorical philosophy where everything is global and highly sensitive to the other morphisms in the category, and the analytical notions of locality.
Having said that, there are some things that can (sort of) be categorified. There is Lawvere's work on generalized metric spaces which shows that quite a lot of metric space theory can be seen as enriched category theory. In particular, the notion of weighted (co)limits does related to an analytical notion of limit but not quite the ordinary one. Completion of metric spaces has been categorified, but here too the categorified notion is not quite the same as the analytic metric one.

A: A couple of days ago I came across a paper that marginally relates to the topic in this question, so I thought it would be useful to cite it here. Yes, I realize this paper has little to do with the specific question asked above, but I think it is likely that someone looking in math StackExchange for what this paper covers would be led to this question.
Giampaolo Cicogna, A method from categories for introducing a general notion of convergence and limit, Journal of Mathematical Analysis and Applications 76 #1 (July 1980), 476-482. MR 81k:18002 Zbl 441.18006
The Introduction to the paper follows.

This paper does not contain, properly, any "new theorem." Rather, it wants to propose an abstract construction, essentially of algebraic nature, which provides a sort of "axiomatization" of some classical topics of Mathematical Analysis, as well as possibly a convenient frame for understanding and generalizing some "global" properties of them.
This general construction is obtained by using a typical technique taken from Category theory: it is mainly given by (repeated) Kan extensions [6, 8] of suitable patterns of functors, as we shall describe in the next section. In the last section, we will test this scheme, by reexaminating [= reexamining] some key concepts of analysis, such as the notion of limit, of semicontinuous envelope, the various notions of convergence, including some more recent and refined ideas.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
University Health Network>Corporate>Newsroom>Michener valedictorian realizing dream of a career in healthcare
Michener valedictorian realizing dream of a career in healthcare
Samantha Bulger, a radiation therapy student and valedictorian of Michener's Class of 2019, says in high school she loved science and knew she wanted to work in healthcare. (Photo: UHN)
For many of us, figuring out what makes you want to jump out of bed every morning is a lifelong process. But not for Samantha Bulger.
In high school, Sam, as she's known, knew she loved science and that she wanted to work in healthcare. Radiation therapy was her first career choice, but she wasn't sure about committing to it so early on.
Instead, she completed a bachelor's degree in biochemistry at McMaster University, after which she realized that she still really wanted to be a radiation therapist.
Sam began the joint Radiation Therapy Program at The Michener Institute of Education at UHN and University of Toronto (U of T) in 2016.
On Saturday, she will be among more than 250 students in Michener's Class of 2019 graduating and entering their chosen professions. Sam will address them as valedictorian.
From being part of the Michener Charity Committee to the Interprofessional Healthcare Students Association (IPHSA) at U of T, Sam was heavily involved in the healthcare community throughout her three-year program. In her second year, she became Vice-President of the Charity Committee and spearheaded a knitting event that the group hosted for the first time.
"I taught everyone how to knit infinity scarves with your arms," she says. "They're like big, loopy scarves that you don't need needles to make."
The group sold the scarves and other knitted items in the St. Patrick Campus lobby prior to the holidays and donated the profits to charity. It was such a hit the Committee hosted it again the next year.
"I felt like Charity Committee was the one commitment I had that was a de-stressor," says Sam. "I just really enjoyed it."
Sam was also Vice-President Admininstration of the Medical Radiation Sciences Student Society and regularly volunteered at Career Fair.
"The opportunity to build that relationship with patients and get to work with them one-on-one so often is really unique to this field," Sam says. (Photo: UHN)
Sam earned three awards from the School of Applied Health Sciences – the TD Insurance Meloche Monnex Student Award for her contributions to enhancing student life; the Brookfield LePage Johnson Controls Radiation Therapy Scholarship for her contributions to the program; and the Michener Student Council Award.
Academically, Sam had a fantastic experience in the Radiation Therapy Program.
"The opportunity to build that relationship with patients and get to work with them one-on-one so often is really unique to this field," she says.
Sam feels her experience at Michener and U of T has helped her better understand the complexity of people.
"I think I used to see things more black and white, yes and no, good and bad," she says. "In my time here, I've really learned to judge less harshly and try to recognize that everyone is coming from a different place."
Looking ahead, Sam will be working on an education project as a summer student at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. She looks forward to mentally preparing herself for the transition from student to healthcare professional.


After witnessing one too many examples of terrible driving on my travels and with the ever-present risk of crash-for-cash scams, I decided to fit a dash cam to my car. Some research revealed the dod-tech LS460W as a good quality camera with all the features I was looking for.
It is fitted to the windscreen just between the rear view mirror and the screen itself and from the driver's seat is partially obscured (intentionally) buy the mirror. So it doesn't distract and it doesn't obscure the view of the road which is obviously important but it gets a good view of the road ahead and to the sides. It's connected to a USB power cable which runs down the A-pillar into the glovebox where it gets fed from a permanent 12V source.
I've got plenty of examples of bad driving but perhaps this one is one of the more ironic... This was filmed not long after the new tailgating laws were brought into effect and shows a "safety camera" van barely a car's length behind another vehicle at around 60MPH. As the saying goes, "Only a fool breaks the 2 second rule..."


text:
Pet News & Entertainment Chevron Right
Pet News Chevron Right
Nicole Kidman Adopts Rescue Cat Louis: 'Newest Member of Our Fur Family'
A self-proclaimed "cat person," the Oscar winner adopted her first-ever dog in July 2019
By Benjamin VanHoose
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's "fur family" is expanding!
On Tuesday, the star of The Undoing, 53, announced on her Instagram page that she adopted a black-and-white rescue cat. "Meet the newest member of our fur-family, Louis! ❤ #rescuecat 🐾," she wrote alongside a sweet photo of the kitty going in for a kiss on Kidman's nose.
The Oscar winner also shared a video of her new pet, in which she can be heard saying, "Louis, hi, welcome. We love you, Louis," as she pets the lovable cat.
Louis joins Kidman's two other cats, Ginger and Snow, plus her dog Jules, whom she welcomed in July 2019 — her first-ever pet dog. "My first puppy," Kidman captioned a snapshot of herself holding the puppy close at the time, adding, "Actually my first dog. Been waiting my whole life for this! 🐶"
Kidman — who shares two children with husband Urban, 52, daughters Sunday Rose, 12, and Faith Margaret, 9 — splits her time between Nashville and Australia, where she keeps lots of farm animals, she told You magazine last year.
RELATED: Nicole Kidman Lovingly Watches Husband Keith Urban Host ACM Awards from Afar: 'Wishing I Was There'
"They're a little fierce," said Kidman of the alpacas at the time. "They make noises, they spit and they can bite. We have chickens as well. Alpacas, 10 fish, and two cats … I really am a cat person. I've just got one of those carriers ... those backpacks that you can put them in."
Kidman explained that she takes her cats on hikes with a backpack designed to tote felines.
"[It's] a cat carrier that's a backpack and it has a window that they can peek out of and it's got air and everything and they love it," she said. "I was actually going to post a picture of it and then I thought, 'Oh, I don't want to do that.' But I may still because it is really cute. They hop in. They can't wait to get in."
RELATED GALLERY: The Celebs Fostering and Adopting Dogs During Coronavirus Isolation: 'Cuddly Lil' Quarantine Companion'
For International Cat Day in August 2019, Kidman marked the occasion by posting a gallery of throwback personal photos that showed her with pet cats she had throughout her childhood.
"I've always been a cat girl (and now I'm a cat and dog girl! 😉)," she wrote at the time. "Celebrating #InternationalCatDay with a #TBT of some of the cats I grew up with: Priscilla, Chauncy and Gregory 😻."
Though Jules isn't the newest in the fur family anymore with Louis now in the mix, Kidman gushed over her dog in April, writing on Instagram, "He might be the youngest member of the family but he's a wise old soul. 💕🐾"
This Story Originally Appeared On people


Since Thanksgiving is no time for sacrifice, I decided to amplify the flavor - and, consequently, the fat - of one of the meal's most critical sides.
And so I took a basic mashed potato and added some of the most popular baked potato toppings: bacon and scallions.
I also considered whipping a bit of sour cream into the mix, but feared it would be too -- well, sour. So I opted for an 8-ounce block of cream cheese.
The result is a delicious, creamy mashed potato with enough flavor to truly shine on an otherwise crowded table of sides.
If you wanted to take the taters even further, consider sprinkling them with diced jalapenos, sliced black olives or even a bit of shredded cheddar cheese.
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water, then set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
While the potatoes cook, heat a large skillet to medium-high. Add the bacon and cook until just crisp, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain the fat.
Drain off all but about 1 teaspoon of the bacon fat from the skillet.
Return the skillet to the burner over low heat.
Return the bacon to the skillet, then add the garlic powder and smoked paprika. Heat for 1 minute, then remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the scallions and set aside.
When the potatoes are cooked and drained, add the cream cheese, butter and milk to the pot. Mash until creamy and mostly smooth. Mix in the bacon-scallion mixture, season with salt and pepper.


A major cable satellite television provider came across a subject who was dealing in satellite equipment illegally and had even opened an office in a retail shopping plaza. Ethos Risk Services investigators were asked to research the individual and his companies and engage in business with the subject.
1. Determined that the subject was not only installing hundreds of illegal satellite receivers, but also promoting the service and even teaching others the business.
2. Found that the subject was employing software to decrypt the provider's signal and effectively pirate the programming.
3. Conducted months of undercover meetings, covert surveillance operations, purchases and testing to help the client build a case.
4. The provider was able to serve a civil action against the subject under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The subject's business was shut down and the provider was awarded damages in the form of equipment and restitution.
Bottom Line: Ethos eliminated the local operation and destroyed the piracy social network.
Positive Outcome: The Ethos team acted quickly by determining the pressure point of the problem to protect the media distribution pathway for the satellite provider. Furthermore, the investigators became embedded in the piracy community and identified numerous additional points of potential exposure.


Highly celebrated and widely travelled, with many festivals appearances under their belts, Span and Williams tunes have a distinctive quality of warmth and familiarity. . Decades on the road, they averaged over 200 gigs a year and played to thousands across the country.
Twenty years after the duo formation and fifteen after their debut recording Last Train -released in September 1995 to much critical acclaim including the BASF Sunnie award winning acoustic album for the Best Rhythm & Blues Recording – Doc Span and Ross Williams trawled through the archives to find a selection of favourites only ever heard live in one venue at one time: Rare Recordings.
The Rare Recordings album is a natural progression of the duo's long standing partnership that developed in Queensland out of a common love of music.
A great duo! Doc blowing some amazing harp with Ross tastefully playing guitar whilst tapping away on the stomp box and foot snare.
Rare Recordings continues in the same vein as the largely original Last Train, upholding the tradition of the legendary Jelly Roll Kings, Mississippi John Hurt, Sonny Boy Williamson and others.
If you weren't at the gig, here's your chance.


In July 2017, Grodd proposed on a suspension bridge overlooking a waterfall at Vancouver's Lynn Valley Canyon. "I had that ring tucked in a pillow case for two months before the actual proposal," the Bachelorette alum previously told us. The couple's timeline (from their very first encounter to the wedding) totaled nine months. "The truth is we wanted to get married faster than we did it," Lutar says of their whirlwind romance. However, once the planning process settled in, the couple realized they needed a few more months to execute their wedding day vision.
For more details from the couple's wedding, see below for a full breakdown of vendors, details and more.
Beautiful Life Studios documented the special occasion and captured sweet frames of the spouses, along with Kiana Rae of Kiana Rae Photography.
The couple wrote their own vows—a process that was especially sentimental for Grodd. "It was hard to get time away. I sat down the day of our wedding in the morning and I started to think and reflect on our whole relationship and that was the only time I had time myself was the day of the wedding," he says.
Be the first to comment on "'Bachelor In Paradise' Alum Marcus Grodd Marries Ally Lutar in Vancouver Wedding"


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kevin's Library
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250 Indie Games You Must Play
by Mike Rose
With a surge in popularity recently and an increase in great downloadable games, there has never been a better time to learn about independent "indie" games. 250 Indie Games You Must Play is a guide to the exciting and expanding world of indie gaming. Whether you are a veteran of the indie game scene or have never played an indie game before, this book helps you experience the best in indie gaming and further your understanding of why indie games are so important in the entertainment industry.
The wide range of games highlighted in the text encompasses concepts and ideas that will change your perspective of what video games can be. The book covers puzzlers, platformers, beat 'em ups, shoot 'em ups, role-playing, and strategy.
Apart from being fun, indie games can be experimental, emotional, nostalgic, and occasionally just plain bizarre. Some make you sit back in awe, while others have you thinking, "Why have I never played a game like this before?" Better still, the majority of these games are completely free to play and even the commercial releases are incredibly cheap. Once you start playing indie games, you may not be able to look at your big-budget blockbusters the same way ever again.


Q: Let's start off with your relationship IBM. You bring much more to the service-assurance table than simply reselling Big Blue's software, don't you?
A: Anand Thummalapalli (AT): Absolutely. Not only do we have a long history in service assurance, but we've also built a suite of our own software applications/products that complement client's existing service assurance investments. It means clients get a greater return on investment. We're very strong on big data analytics, so we can collect and process huge amounts of information that's coming from the network. This is a must. Software-based technologies tend to have more issues in the early stages of rollout, and today's [network] devices are much more 'noisy' and 'chatty'. This often results in a barrage of alarms to the NOC [network operations centre]. We dig through that noise and help both enterprises and CSPs understand better what's going on in their network, and how their services are actually performing.
Q: How do you engage with CSPs?
A: AT: We're proactive. We perform a 'health check,' which includes first determining the current status of the network, then we work with our clients' stakeholders and our internal best practices experts to determine where the CSP needs to be – in terms of their transformation strategy – and work out the best roadmap to get there. The health check is not focused on technology deployments, but on the state of the business, and how service assurance and operational efficiencies might be improved. We have a solid set of best practices, with various sets of metrics, so we can come back to the client and explain what their roadmap should look like for particular functional areas. It's not about pointing fingers, but about how to improve operations. We encourage clients to do a health check at least once a year.
Q: What do the health checks typically uncover?
A: AT: Health checks uncover many opportunities for improvement. In many cases, there are unused entitlements that could potentially remedy some of the shortfalls that are exposed. Many clients aren't getting the most leverage from their existing installs due to an incomplete implementation or lack of professional services. Also, many clients haven't been applying data analytics properly. The NOC still gets bombarded with a fair amount of alarms because CSPs are not really leveraging the analytics that can be completed before presenting information to NOC users. This is where our Professional Services Success Packs come in, which include event analytics and the 'grouping' of events, which cut down on the number of duplicate tickets. In a recent project with a Tier 1 operator, we achieved a NOC noise reduction of 75% (see case study below) from just the first phase of optimization. That's massive. It shows that many CSPs really need to get more sophisticated about service assurance.
Chip Chambers (CC): Cutting down on NOC noise, though, is only the beginning of the phased approach we take when it comes to improving operational efficiencies and enabling service assurance. Once we understand what 'normal' is, we set up an automated process to diagnose problems. We then capture that diagnosis and use it the next time, eliminating the need to perform the same manual tasks over and over again It's key to what we do, and accounts for a lot of the value we bring to clients. Underlying technologies and services might vary from one CSP to another, but the overall analytics methodologies are the same.
AT: Another value-add is the unification of different systems with a common front-end. It's the next generation to a 'single sign-on'. We have the ability to take various UIs [user interfaces] from disparate systems and put them into a single dashboard, or a set of dashboards, which takes into account who is using them within the organisation. You don't have to log into a number of OSSs [operations systems support]. We're cutting all that out.
CC: We're also agnostic to different infrastructure and cloud service providers. Our solution works in a multi-vendor environment. It's another key part of our value proposition on fault- performance monitoring. We can give CSPs a complete picture, and put all the data collected into a common format.
Q: You mentioned 'roadmap'. Do CSPs have clear ideas where they want to be in the future? And if they do, how can gen-E help them get there?
A: AT: This is where our experience really helps. Our professional services team includes solutions architects and business analysts, many of which have been decision-makers at CSPs in the past. We know first-hand the problems and obstacles that our clients are facing. In terms of roadmap, and having a clear vision of where CSPs want to be, I think Tier 2 operators are generally more mature than Tier 1s. They often seem more determined to transform their operations.
CC: I'd add that our clients benefit from our vast experience that we've accumulated while helping other clients tackle the same problem. That's important. We're not showing up [at a client] and doing it for the first time. We're showing up with about 20 other examples of what we can do.
Q: Do CSPs, generally speaking, see service assurance as a number one priority?
A: AT: From the standpoint of 'next-generation services', such as SD-WAN or some new wireless offerings, I still see CSPs launching them with no eyes on how they're actually doing. In the old days, when launching new services, service providers often took the view that they needed to get the BSS [business systems support] in order first, so they could start billing customers at the earliest opportunity. In today's world, that kind of thinking will likely backfire. You have to give much more attention to service assurance. The customer is far more finicky now, and will ditch their service provider and go somewhere else if they're not satisfied. It's also easier for consumers to switch, which makes it even more important that all eyes are on service assurance. CSPs which don't do that will be shooting themselves in the foot.
topology maps created to better manage and enable correlation.
56% reduction in costs associated with NOC managers.


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Home » Books » Ontario Genealogical Society 12-Book Bundle
Ontario Genealogical Society 12-Book Bundle
Conserving, Preserving, and Restoring Your Heritage / Genealogical Standards of Evidence / and 10 more
Kenneth Cox, Althea Douglas, David R. Elliott and 8 others
eBook (EPUB): $64.99Add to cart
For over fifty years, The Ontario Genealogical Society has been working to encourage, bring together, and assist people interested in the pursuit of family history, and the society is recognized as the authority and leader in all aspects of Ontario-related family history research, preservation, and communication. This special twelve-book bundle collects 12 titles that will be a delight and an invaluable resource for genealogical researchers and for people researching their own family histories.
The titles range from guides on genealogy and the law, including inheritance, to guides that assist in research and in publishing a family history, to more specific texts that detail research in specific areas such as Irish family history and early Toronto. This collection is essential reading for anyone interested in pursuing genealogical research in Ontario.
A Call to the Colours
Conserving, Preserving, and Restoring Your Heritage
Crime and Punishment in Upper Canada
Education and Ontario Family History
Genealogy and the Law in Canada
Inheritance in Ontario
Publish Your Family History
Researching Your Irish Ancestors at Home and Abroad
Time Traveller's Handbook
York's Sacrifice
Jane E. MacNamara
Jane E. MacNamara is a long-time member of the Ontario Genealogical Society. She speaks about family history to groups throughout Ontario. She is the organizer of Genealogy Summer Camp, a program attracting out-of-town researchers to Toronto for a week of tutorials and research. Jane lives in Toronto.
Read more about Jane E. MacNamara
Janice Nickerson
Janice Nickerson is a professional genealogist who specializes in Upper Canadian history. She provided behind-the-scenes research for the CBC Television program Who Do You Think You Are? and is a regular contributor to Family Chronicle, Internet Genealogy, and Your Family Tree magazines. Janice is also the author of Crime and Punishment in Upper Canada. She lives in Toronto.
Read more about Janice Nickerson
Althea Douglas
Althea Douglas was the author of numerous articles on genealogy, Canadian local history, and heritage conservation. Her books include Tools of the Trade for Canadian Genealogists, Help! I've Inherited an Attic Full of History, and Here Be Dragons: Navigational Hazards for the Canadian Family Researcher
Read more about Althea Douglas
Margaret Ann Wilkinson
Dr. Margaret Ann Wilkinson is a Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Western Ontario. Her doctoral dissertation on personal data protection law won an award from the American Society for Information Science. Dr. Wilkinson has researched, taught, written, and spoken widely in the areas of intellectual property, information law, and the professions. She lives in London, Ontario.
Read more about Margaret Ann Wilkinson
Susan Yates
Susan Yates has worked in book publishing since 1978. She has been employed in a variety of publishing and sales positions in which she has produced many books of all types. Now a full-time publishing consultant, she lives in Toronto.
Read more about Susan Yates
David R. Elliott
David R. Elliott is a retired professor of Canadian and European history and the author of three previous books. He has operated a genealogical research company, Kinfolk Finders, for ten years. As well as lecturing on Irish research he has indexed Irish cemeteries, parish registers, and poor law union registers. Dr.
Read more about David R. Elliott
Marian Press
Marian Press is a librarian at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. She teaches online courses for the National Genealogical Institute, is a frequent speaker at genealogical conferences, and is a regular contributor to Internet Genealogy, Family Chronicle, and Discovering Family History. She lives in Toronto.
Read more about Marian Press
Brenda Dougall Merriman
Brenda Dougall Merriman, Certified Genealogist (CG), is the author of Genealogy in Ontario and United Empire Loyalists: A Guide to Tracing Loyalist Ancestors in Upper Canada. A member of the Ontario Genealogical Society since 1970, she founded the Ontario Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists. She lives in Toronto.
Read more about Brenda Dougall Merriman
Susan Smart
Susan Smart worked for many years as a project manager in the information technology field. She is an active volunteer with the Ontario Genealogical Society, was project coordinator and editor of Index to the Upper Canada Land Books, and is the co-author of Using Forms for Canadian Genealogical Research. Susan lives in Markham, Ontario.
Read more about Susan Smart
Kenneth Cox
Ken Cox is a retired elementary school principal who has been collecting military memorabilia since he was a teenager. He lives in Toronto.
Read more about Kenneth Cox
Kennis Kim
Kennis has a master of art conservation from Queen's University and a master of art history and mater of museum studies from Syracuse University. She has worked for the National Art Gallery, Ottawa; the Museum of Fine Art, Boston; and the Textile Conservation Workshop, South Salem, New York. She lives in Toronto.
Read more about Kennis Kim
Genealogist's Reference Shelf
Read more about Researching Your Irish Ancestors at Home and Abroad
Read more about Inheritance in Ontario
Read more about York's Sacrifice
Adventures in the West
Read more about Adventures in the West
Read more about Genealogical Standards of Evidence
Read more about Genealogy and the Law in Canada
Read more about Conserving, Preserving, and Restoring Your Heritage
Greg Ioannou and Susan Yates
Read more about Publish Your Family History
Read more about Education and Ontario Family History
Read more about Crime and Punishment in Upper Canada
Read more about Time Traveller's Handbook
Read more about A Call to the Colours
Read more about A Better Place
Read more about Ontario Genealogical Society 12-Book Bundle
Of Related Interest


Comic Con 2012: Warner Bros. Pictures – Man Of Steel And The Hobbit at Why So Blu?
It was indeed a giant block of presentations for Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures. Taking up over two and a half hours in Hall H on Saturday at Comic Con, they had plenty of amazing things they were prepared to show audiences. Following a look at what Legendary had to offer, it then became Warner Bros. turn to add all of their work into the mix, which included heavy hitters that many people camped out the previous night to see – Man of Steel and The Hobbit. Along with one surprise that began this panel presentation, everything presented was very entertaining to see and featured a lot of exclusive looks that hopefully got people wanting to see a whole lot more. Continue on to read more about what went down under Warner Bros. watch, during these presentations.
Before really getting into the heavy hitters, it should be noted that a big surprise came by way of The Campaign. This is the upcoming comedy that features Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis as rivals in an upcoming election for Congress. Both Ferrell and Galifianakis came out on stage, with their election ads plastered on the secondary screens located next to the main screen. This being unexpected, the crowd was getting pretty wild, as they got to see what was basically a hilarious sequence of events that came from Ferrell, Galifianakis, and panel moderator Chris Hardwick all making jokes, cracking each other up, and heckling those who were coming up for Q&A.
After some initial fun an extended preview of the film was shown, which actually got me more excited to see it, given that I was not exactly dying to see The Campaign beforehand. I just wish the preview did not show so much of what happens in the film. One thing is for sure though, as briefly seen in the trailer, there are going to be full on punches to babies delivered in The Campaign. One other thing of note about the panel, before I move on, it seemed very clear that Galifianakis has not yet accepted how popular he is, as he was very awkward in his seat, as he faced 6,600 fans and was not incredibly ready to be put on the spot for making with the funny. Fortunately Will Ferrell was plenty game for keeping things under control and, combined with the awkwardness, the panel was still pretty hilarious.
Moving in a completely opposite direction, Man of Steel was the next presentation. Director Zack Snyder and star Henry Cavill were both present and eager enough to be there to present the first look that anyone was able to see of the film. It helped that Cavill was there in person as well, because Snyder is not the best when it comes to peaking at panels, despite the enthusiasm he clearly has for the material he gets to work on. This is opposed to Cavill, who seemed just fine being in front of a huge crowd and looking as strapping as he did. Eventually they announced that there would in fact be a trailer for Man of Steel playing in front of The Dark Knight Rises, but rather than play that, Snyder thought he should do something special for Comic Con, which led to him announcing that the audience would get to view an extended version of the trailer, which would give a general idea of what the film is going for.
To describe the footage, the best point of reference is Batman Begins. For those unaware, Christopher Nolan is on board as a producer for Man of Steel, and the way the trailer played felt very much similar to what watching Batman Begins felt like. Now Man of Steel is not an origin story film again, as far as I can tell, but the footage certainly indicated that we'll be seeing a period of time that shows a younger Clark Kent all the way to a Superman who is challenged with problems, including a menacing looking figure played by Michael Shannon, who some may have to kneel before. Throughout the footage Russell Crowe, who plays Jor-El, can be heard speaking, seemingly in the same way that Marlon Brando had been addressing Clark in Superman: The Movie. There are glimpses of the other characters in the film as well, including Amy Adams as Lois Lane and Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent. The look of the film felt very much like a Christopher Nolan film in the way shots were presented, the cinematography, and the somber tone seen in it all. The Nolan-ness of the footage was further aided by the fact that Hans Zimmer's score from The Thin Red Line was being played throughout. As far as Cavill's presence goes, he certainly looks the part when in the tights, but it also seemed like the Man of Steel was definitely facing some problems, while also showing off his super abilities. Overall, it was a fine trailer in terms of looking like a good film could come out of this.
Now in saying that a good film could come from this, I am referring to the fact that it does not necessarily seem like a typical or "expected" Superman film, but one that is more contemplative, which can either work out well or poorly. I am admittedly not a big fan of Superman as a character. While I love the first two Superman films and find that with the right story, he can become interesting, I am generally not one to get excited about Superman-related stories, until I am given something that seems to be worth it. A film directed by Zack Snyder and produced by Christopher Nolan, let alone the strong cast involved, is an easy way to have me approach excitement, but there is still something for me to consider regarding Superman's portrayal. It is sort of a Catch-22, as when I think of Superman, I tend to think of an uplifting character with artwork that utilizes bright coloring, but with that said, I think I find the character boring because he is such a good guy. I am of course aware and have read some of the legions of comics that challenge this sort of way of thinking in regards to the character, but that's basically where I stand. So anyway, with this movie, the last time a film attempted to bring Superman into a more somber place was Superman Returns, which is a film that a majority of people did not, overall, respond too favorably to and one that I personally found to be filled with way too much super angst. Hopefully, despite continuing to be a film grounded in a certain level of reality, it can still manage to be both a really entertaining Superman film, while also a very engaging one.
Some of this was touched upon in the panel as well, following the extended preview. During the Q&A, some notable bits of information included Snyder responding to the lack of John Williams classic theme by stating that he very much wanted to make this Superman its own movie. Henry Cavill stated that his performance in the film was very much inspired by what he read in The Death of Superman and The Return, as well as Red Son. There was also plenty of hinting around at the character of Zod, but Snyder was not willing to actually confirm that he was in the film (despite the fact that Zod has been known to be in the film for months now thanks to just about any news outlet that had a story about it). I should also note that this Zod-related question was brought up by a fan (an adult male), who literally started crying on camera when asking his question, only to have Chris Hardwick come down and help him get through it. Lastly, a question was brought up about Justice League, which had Snyder respond by stating that Superman first needs to get his own house in order, before going anywhere else.
Last up for Warner Bros. was The Hobbit presentation. Before Comic Con started a brand new poster banner for The Hobbit was revealed, which was brought to life on the secondary screens in Hall H as motion posters appearing in pieces, one by one on the screens, only to be merged into one seamless picture by the time they were all revealed. Following this introduction, the audience got to witness the latest production diary, which Peter Jackson is always happy to put out for his films, as they are being made. The diary consisted of footage from the last days of filming, interspersed with various members of the cast introducing themselves and having fun on the set. The audience was very excited for all of this, getting to see some behind the scenes footage and a lot of fun with the actors. Following the end of this diary, Peter Jackson came out and explained that he was very happy to be back filming in Middle Earth again and was prepared to show nearly twenty minutes of footage from the film.
The footage seen was explained to be from both Hobbit films; An Unexpected Journey, arriving this December and There and Back Again, which arrives December, 2014 . We were also told that it was not all necessarily completely finished, but done well enough to be presentable for the audience. What followed was a number of extended scenes as well as a lot of montage footage from throughout the films. One scene featured Bilbo being talked into going along with Gandalf and the Dwarves. Another scene featured Gandalf in a labyrinth, be stalked by some sort of large creature. Gandalf had another seen as well, where he was engaged in conversation with Galadriel (Cate Blanchett's character). Gollum was given screen time as well, as we watched he and Bilbo interact. Lastly, a seen involving Bilbo and Gandalf talking, with the undercurrent of danger, as Bilbo was now in possession of the one ring and being tempted by its power.
The best thing I can say about this footage was that it very much felt like Lord of the Rings was being brought back to the big screen but in a whole new way. Anyone who was pleased the first three times will likely be happy with these films as well. The universe is still wonderful to look at, with what seems to be even more wonderfully creative looking worlds and characters to behold. I did find it unfortunate that the film footage was only presented in 2D and at 24 fps, as opposed to 3D and in 48 fps, the way it was filmed. It was reported some months back that the reaction by many at CinemaCon to seeing The Hobbit footage in 48 fps was not exactly positive, given the short amount of time to see this in action, as the realistic sheen was seen as off-putting. As a result, it appears that Warner Bros. backed off showing the film in this manner at the last minute. Still, in keeping the focus on the film being presented, regardless of the technical aspects involved, I was certainly happy with what I saw. I may not be more or less excited than I was before, but I am really looking forward to seeing the whole film.
Following the footage, Jackson, Boyens, and a portion of the cast came out on stage, which included Andy Serkis, Richard Armitage, Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, and Elijah Wood, who was not supposed to be present, but happened to be hanging out in the area, so why not. Everyone was obviously excited to be there, with special mention going to McKellan, who seemed to be having a ball and was constantly being given gratitude by those with questions, regardless of the fact that no specifically had a question for him. It was great to see Andy Serkis as well, who was originally supposed to be filming on set for just a couple weeks, before actually becoming the second unit director for the film. There really is nothing Serkis can't do. Two more questions had answers worth noting. There will be extended cuts for the films, just as there was with the original Lord of the Rings trilogy. Additionally, Jackson has no plans on filing anything from the Silmarillion (an assortment of chronicles set in the same universe, written mainly by J.R.R. Tolkien), as it is owned by the Tolkein estate and not Warner Bros./New Line, and they apparently hate the movies made by Jackson. To end on something a little more lighthearted, while the panel was plenty enjoyable, the highlight was easily getting to see Serkis perform as both personalities of Gollum, on stage, stating things that were quite lewd.
Written by: Aaron Neuwirth on July 17, 2012.
Tags: Andy Serkis, Elijah Wood, Henry Cavill, Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Peter Jackson, Phillipa Boyens, Richard Armitage, Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Zack Snyder.


K9 Cena's life ended on July 26 but his impact on Marine veteran Jeff DeYoung and the country is lasting.
Cena, a black lab, and Lance Cpl. DeYoung served a successful tour in Afghanistan, fulfilling their mission to sniff out IEDs and bring the soldiers they served with back alive. Upon DeYoung's return the two were unceremoniously separated for years. Those turned out to be the darkest years of DeYoung's life, marred by alcoholism and suicidal thoughts. That is until, after a significant struggle on DeYoung's part to find Cena, the two were reunited and took on a new mission: changing the way the military handles military dogs once they're retired.
Cena was diagnosed with aggressive bone cancer last month, which left him in severe pain and unable to walk. DeYoung decided the best thing was to end his suffering, as painful as it would be for the two to be separated again—this time for good.
After DeYoung asked to borrow a Jeep Wrangler for a top-down final ride with Cena, people from all over his home state of Michigan responded and an event honoring Cena's service was organized by the Patriot Guard Riders and the U.S. Marine Corps League. In front of the hundreds of people who'd gathered to honor Cena, DeYoung carried him—just as he'd carried him across rivers while on patrol in Afghanistan—onto the retired Navy vessel USS LST 393 while a bugler played "Taps."
A veterinarian then ended Cena's suffering.
After the ceremony, DeYoung traveled to Alaska to be with his family and grieve. He took a week off from speaking to the media before sharing his story with the Washington Free Beacon.
DeYoung and Cena's bond was formed on deployment, trying to find improvised explosive devices planted by Taliban fighters before they could kill American soldiers. Cena kept DeYoung warm on cold nights in the Afghan wilderness and DeYoung laid on top of Cena to protect him from enemy fire during gun fights. The danger and stress were immense but having Cena by his side helped DeYoung cope with what they were facing.
"Everything seemed easier, because you didn't do it alone," DeYoung told the Free Beacon. "I mean, if you went out on patrol, he was there. You always knew whatever new area you went to, any scary situation, you had that security blanket of knowing he was there. It definitely made it easier for myself and a number of the guys I was working with. Because they started developing a relationship and trusting him and in return trusting myself and my buddy, Cena. I mean, we became family."
The team never lost a soldier they were tasked with protecting.
"Most people measure success in the amount of IEDs you find," DeYoung said. "But I measure success in the fact that every single one of my guys came back to safety that I took out on that tour. In that measure, I'd say I was very successful."
Despite that, when DeYoung's tour of service was up, the two were separated without even a chance to say goodbye.
"We came back to Cherry Point, N.C., and they were returned to their civilian handlers, the corporation that owned them and then retrained and retasked to go back out," DeYoung said. "It didn't really hit until three or so weeks until after my deployment. I mean the day that we separated, I was like, 'Hey, what the hell, that's my dog.' I really wanted to get home, so it kinda gets put on the backburner."
After Cena was redeployed to serve once again, DeYoung tried to figure out where his dog was, how he was doing, or if he was even alive. But nobody would answer his questions.
"The civilian owner would not tell me if he was dead or alive, retasked or whatever," he said. "They wouldn't give me any sort of data. And I know they don't have to, but maybe as a moral courtesy to the guy who fought in war with the dog, that might be nice. Eventually, years down the road, I chalked it up to him being dead. I guess that was easier for my life."
Without the steadying influence of Cena, DeYoung had difficulty coping with the losses he'd experienced while serving and the transition back to civilian life.
"I battled a lot of things that veterans do—alcoholism, depression, suicide attempts," he said. "I pretty much alienated the ability to get close to anything, including my wife, because the closest thing I've ever known to myself left. You know it doesn't help a marriage when you're afraid to commit."
Cena was retired in the fall of 2013 but instead of reuniting with DeYoung he sat in a kennel for 8 months and was nearly given to a civilian adopter—a problem many dog handlers have run into while trying to find their own dogs, some with even more tragic outcomes. DeYoung said the delay in reuniting with Cena also delayed his recovery.
"I didn't adopt him until June ," he said. "All that time he was just in a kennel. Now, if I had got him back that August, I think the healing could have started eight months earlier."
DeYoung credits Cena with saving his life—not just on the battlefield but back home. In the three years he was able to spend with Cena after adopting him, his life completely changed.
"It was amazing," DeYoung said. "The four years without him, I was nobody and nothing. I did not want to socialize, I could not go out in public. Once I had Cena with me, I could do things like hang out at a brewery or go to a movie. People started approaching me and treating me more socially and initiate friendships. All because I had a topic to start talking about: my dog. I started actually having friends, something I've never had before.
"He gave me my life back. I didn't know what I was missing until I had it."
Still, it took time for Cena's renewed presence to really sink in, for it to feel like it was really happening.
"Everyone thinks trauma hits right away. In certain cases, like a car accident or family death it does," he said. "But in others, it has to really infiltrate your life and then you notice it. Having him back the first few weeks, I used to run downstairs at two o'clock in the morning just to see that he was still there with my kids. He was laying on his bed. I would do that for two or three weeks, I didn't believe it was real. Once I accepted that he wasn't going anywhere and that this was for real, I started working on healing."
After the struggle DeYoung and Cena went through in their efforts to reunite, they decided the process for military dog handlers to adopt the dogs they served with needed to change. That's when they teamed up with the American Humane Association to lobby Congress. In December 2015, their efforts walking the halls of Congress and talking to lawmakers paid off, and they accomplished their mission. Thanks in large part to their efforts, President Obama signed the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act which guaranteed military dogs a ride home at the end of their service and their handlers the right to be the first in line to adopt them.
"We spent every chance we had advocating for military dog rights and PTSD vets. Something as simple as a canine or a dog could be life changing and we need to be doing everything we can to get these dogs back," DeYoung said. "I did the math a little while ago—of the 13 Marines I deployed with who had dogs, I'm the only one to get mine back. That's about a 7 percent success rate. And that's not okay."
Having Lance Cpl. DeYoung, K9 Cena, and other military dog teams meeting with politicians, staff, and press on Capitol Hill brought a different dynamic to lobbying for an issue that faced little overt opposition but was in danger of being viewed as too small to drive actual legislation. Seeing the military dog teams in person, experiencing their bond, and seeing the impact the dogs had on the lives of those veterans was a game-changer for many.
"Until you actually see something up close, whether it's two wingmen or a dog handler and his dog, until you see it up close, it's just going to be a foreign, cold subject," DeYoung said. "You're not going to understand it. Unless perhaps you've lived it yourself. Of course, you understand dogs as a pet, but as a warrior, there's a bond you have to experience to understand."
The American Humane Association, which DeYoung will continue working with as an advocate for military dog teams, said Cena won't be forgotten.
"Military Working Dog Cena is a true American hero and an inspiring testament to the life-changing power of the human-animal bond," Dr. Robin Ganzert, the group's president, said. "He will be greatly missed by all those who knew and who owe their lives to him. His work and his example will live on in the memories of all who knew him and were touched by his story."
Though Cena's memorial was greeted by most with respect, DeYoung said he's bothered by those who complained the event was too much for a dog.
"Some people, and I've seen their comments, who have said, 'Oh he's just a dog. Why would you do this for a dog?'" he said. "But there comes a time when once deployed these dogs become so much more. They become family, or a mascot, or a good luck charm. When you're overseas and your little piece of sanity is that dog, you'll do anything for it. This dog has done more for this country than half the people who live in it. And I think he deserves respect for that."
Just as his reunion with Cena took time to really set in, DeYoung said he knows his loss of Cena—this time for good—hasn't really set in yet.
"It's been a week since I had to say goodbye, but it hasn't really hit yet," he said as he talked to the Free Beacon during a layover on his flight back to Michigan from Alaska. "I just want to get home. Once I actually try to get back there and I have to rebuild my life and not just myself, I'm going to go through a lot of those things. But this time there's no hope of getting him back. Part of my time when we first separated was 'I want my dog back. I need my dog back.' There was a chance the first time."
Cena will be laid to rest at the War Dog Memorial in Lyons, Mich., on August 26. A fundraiser to build a statue in his honor has already surpassed its goal.
"He was just a really great dog," DeYoung said. "It was his time, and he had nothing to prove to anyone."
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It was his swan song, and he knew it was his swan song, it's a career summation in a lot of ways, both visually and morally, in the messages and the images.
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Philip Nel is an American scholar of children's literature and University Distinguished Professor of English at Kansas State University. He is best known for his work on Dr. Seuss and Harry Potter, which have led to his being a guest on such media programs as CBS Sunday Morning, NPR's Morning Edition and Talk of the Nation.
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Who said: "The art of leadership is saying no, not yes – it's very easy to say yes.'"?
A. Franklin Delano Roosevelt
B. Mao Tse-Tung
C. Tony Blair
D. Donald Trump


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Holland's Kramer Takes Gold in Men's 5000 Meters
The Dutch trio brought The Netherlands to the top of the Olympic medals counter on Saturday. Vladimir Baranov
Dutchman Sven Kramer successfully defended his Olympic title, taking gold in the men's 5000-meter speed skating event.
Kramer finished with a time of 6:10:76 minutes, beating fellow countrymen Jan Blokhuijsen and Jorrit Bergsma, who came in second and third place, respectively.
The trio were favorites for the top medal spots.
Kramer will be looking to add to his medal haul in the men's 10,000-meter speed skating event, which is scheduled to take place on Feb.18. In 2010, Kramer finished first in the event, only to be disqualified for going outside of his lane after his coach issued him with incorrect directions.
Russia's Denis Yuskov and Ivan Skobrev finished sixth and seventh, respectively, with Alexander Rumyantsev finishing 11th in the field of 26 competitors.


through the streets as ghostly traces of a moving mass, making them seem almost menacing, like a faceless monster working its way through the city, the line between monstrosity and humanity dissolving in a mist of motion.
I grew up in Berlin, a city that never sleeps, like many metropolitan cities in Europe and around the world. There are many festivals, concerts, demos, sports events and tourist crowds, and these events attract many people. Sometimes I'm fascinated by these masses, and at times it is repulsive for me. Every kind of individuality is gone in a big mass of people, so I hope to catch this feeling in the photographic project.
All pictures taken on film with a medium format camera.
Frank Machalowski lives and works in Leipzig, Germany.


text:
Media Organisations Publish JMSC Students' Journalism
April 28: Symposium on Suicide and the Media
April 15: Eileen Chang Book Launch
Published by admin at 9 April 2010
The Hong Kong University Press and the Project for Public Culture at the Journalism and Media Studies Centre (JMSC) will co-host a book launch for Eileen Chang's English novel, The Fall of the Pagoda《雷峯塔》on April 15, 2010.
Eileen Chang (1920-1995) is now recognized as one of the greatest modern Chinese writers.
However, she has been completely erased from official histories in mainland China due to the political leanings of her first husband, who collaborated with the Japanese when China was occupied.
She was the most popular writer in Japanese-occupied Shanghai during World War II, with English and Chinese stories focusing on human frailties rather than nationalist propaganda.
The Fall of the Pagoda is the English-language precursor to her semi-autobiographical novel Little Reunion《小團圓》, which was a number one best-seller in Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China in 2009. It is the first of a two-part novel series. The second part is called The Book of Change and will be released in Sept 2010 by HKU Press.
Like Little Reunion, The Fall of the Pagoda bears traces of Chang's own life. The protagonist, a young girl called Lute, is growing up in Shanghai in the 1930s when the international settlement there was known as the "lonely isle" and was relatively safe from the invading Japanese army.
Lute lives on-and-off with her divorced mother and spinster aunt; the tale is one of family tension and evolves from a comedy of manners into an opium-infused gothic thriller.
At the launch, Dr Roland Soong, the executor of Eileen Chang's estate, will donate a photocopy of the manuscripts of Eileen Chang's English novel The Fall of the Pagoda and Long River to HKU and shares his views on Chang's writing career.
Perry Lam, Editorial Director of Muse, Hong Kong's leading magazine about arts and culture, will analyse the book.
Last year, Soong set up a HK$1 million scholarship fund at HKU in memory of Eileen Chang, to create opportunities for students with backgrounds similar to hers, so that they could be freed from financial constraints and able to prosper and excel.
The first recipient of this Eileen Chang Memorial Scholarship, Xue Jun Yuan of the Faculty of Arts, will share her thoughts.
This book launch is also supported by HKU Libraries and Faculty of Arts. The Project for Public Culture at the JMSC is sponsored by the Azalea (1972) Endowment Fund.
Date : Thursday, April 15, 2010
Time : 3 pm
Venue : 1/F, Main Library, HKU
For enquiries, please contact Velentina Ma at velentinam@hku.hk


1% of the funds raised through Dance Marathon go to PAC's Direct Service programming, which provides support to local affected/infected children in the Los Angeles Area through mentorships, community-building events, and a Life Skills Retreat.
Our mentorship events are geared toward children affect by HIV/AIDS, whether through their own experience or the experience of a family member. These are daytime events hosted by members of the Pediatric AIDS Coalition on UCLA's campus and around Los Angeles. The purpose of these events is to give children a chance to spend time with others that may be experiencing a similar journey. We strive to create a supportive community and a safe space between UCLA students and the children we serve.
These events include scavenger hunts, picnics and BBQs, visits to the UCLA campus and excursions in the greater Los Angeles area. They are free for participants and include transportation, meals and group discussions!
Life Skills Retreat is a weekend-long retreat over Presidents' Day weekend starting at UCLA and ending at a mountain retreat. Led by PAC members, it is catered toward young adults transitioning from high school to adulthood. The weekend incorporates workshops on topics such as resume construction, relationships, college life, budgeting in the read world, and more. We aim to give attendees the opportunity to connect with others on a similar path, while learning skills helpful in preparing for life as a young adult.
Life Skills Retreat includes a tour of the UCLA campus, a meal in one of the #1-ranked dining halls in the nation and two nights at a mountain retreat. They are free for participants and include transportation, meals and group discussions. Participants will learn invaluable skills to utilize in their everyday lives and create lasting friendships!


text:
The 2017–18 Southeast Missouri State Redhawks men's basketball team represented Southeast Missouri State University during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Redhawks, led by third-year head coach Rick Ray, played their home games at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri as members of the  Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 14–17, 8–10 in OVC play to finish in seventh place.

The team was ineligible for postseason play this season due to APR violations.

Previous season
The Redhawks finished the 2016–17 season 15–18, 9–7 in OVC play to finish in second place in the West Division. They defeated Tennessee State in the first round of the OVC tournament to advance to the quarterfinals where they lost to Jacksonville State.

Preseason
In a vote of conference coaches and sports information directors, SEMO was picked to finish in 10th place in the OVC. Denzel Mahoney was named to the 2017–18 Preseason All-OVC team.

After five years of divisional play in the OVC, the conference eliminated divisions for the 2017–18 season. Additionally, for the first time, each conference team will play 18 conference games.

Roster

Schedule and results

|-
!colspan=9 style=| Exhibition

|-
!colspan=9 style=| Non-conference regular season

|-
!colspan=9 style=| Ohio Valley Conference regular season

References

Southeast Missouri State Redhawks men's basketball seasons
Southeast Missouri State
Southeast Missouri State Redhawks men's basketball
Southeast Missouri State Redhawks men's basketball


text:
Q: Is it possible to name SQL result columns from rows in another table? (Postgres) Basically I have users with a dynamic attributes table. Simplified:
SELECT * FROM users;
 id  |                  email
-----+------------------------------------------
  1 | example@example.com

SELECT * FROM user_attributes;
 id |      name
----+----------------
  1 | Salutation
  2 | Given Name
  3 | Surname
  4 | Alias
  5 | Address
  6 | Address 2
  7 | Address 3
  8 | City
  9 | Region
....

SELECT * FROM user_attribute_values;
 client_id | attribute_id | value
-----------+--------------+-------

What I'm looking to do is a SELECT that would return columns user_id, city, region where city & region are not empty.
The reason for the user_attributes table is one may want to store any number of custom fields about the user, and it's impossible to know beforehand what they will be to create them as columns of the user table.

A: This is based on a principal misunderstanding of the inner workings of Postgres and EAV designs.
If you don't have hundreds of different fields or a dynamic set of attribute types, use a single table with all columns - except for database normalization. Columns without value are filled with NULL.
Null storage is very cheap, occupying 1 bit per column in the table for the null bitmap, typically allocated in units of 8 bytes to cover 64 columns. See:

*

*How much disk-space is needed to store a NULL value using postgresql DB?
A separate row for a single additional attribute occupies at least an additional 36 bytes.
4  bytes item identifier
23 bytes heap tuple header
1  byte  padding
8  bytes minimum row data size

Typically more, due to padding and additional overhead.
There would have to be hundreds of different, sparsely populated columns before such an unwieldy EAV design could pay - and hstore or jsonb in Postgres 9.4 would be superior solutions for that. There is hardly any room in between for your design, and if there was, you'd probably be using an enum for the type.
At the same time, queries are more complicated and expensive. We're in a tight spot here.
Instead use a table layout like this:
CREATE TABLE users (
   users_id serial PRIMARY KEY
 , salutation text
 , given_name text
 , surname text
 , alias text
 ... (many) more columns
);

CREATE TABLE address (
   address_id serial PRIMARY KEY
 , users_id int REFERENCES users
 , city text  -- or separate TABLE city incl region_id etc. ...
 , region_id int REFERENCES region
 , address  text
 ... (many) more columns
);

Closely related answer with more advice:

*

*SQL : Create a full record from 2 tables

A: select    client_id,
          min(case when attribute_id = 8 then value else '0' end) as city,
          min(case when attribute_id = 9 then value else '0' end) as region
from      user_attribute_values
group by  clientid
having    min(case when attribute_id = 8 then value else '0' end) <> '0'
       or min(case when attribute_id = 9 then value else '0' end) <> '0'

This will show clients with a city or region value. If you want only clients with BOTH such attributes, in the having clause, change the OR to an AND.

A: Use INNER JOIN for that:
SELECT u.id, a_city.value AS city, a_region.value AS region
 FROM users u
 INNER JOIN user_attribute_values a_city ON a_city.client_id = u.id AND a_city.attribute_id = 8
 INNER JOIN user_attribute_values a_region ON a_region.client_id = u.id AND a_region.attribute_id = 9
 WHERE LENGTH(a_city.value) > 0
   AND LENGTH(a_region.value) > 0


The Fall EMT-Basic class co-sponsored by CCFR and the Technical College of the Lowcountry began on J uly 15th. After learning foundational material, students have now started to participate in "hands-on" skills. Click here for more information.
7/31/2008 - An arrest has been made from the fire on 7/25/2008 at 311 Hickory Street. A 16 year old male has been arrested and charged with Arson 3rd degree. He has since been transported to the Juvenile Detention Center in Columbia.
Stations 9 and 11 responded to a fatal MVC in the 26000 block of Augusta Hwy Wednesday 30-July. The call was received at 15:19 reporting an over-turned vehicle in the woods. Fire units arrived about 10 minutes later to find a Chevrolet mini-van upright in the woods. Click here for more information.
Station 9 responded to a man injured in a fall in the 200 block of Ohio Lane north of Cottageville. The incident occurred around 15:40 when the man fell approximately 35 feet from a tree. He was unconscious on arrival of Medic 9. Click here for more information.
Stations 24, 1, 12 and 19 responded to a singlewide mobile home fire at 311 Hickory Street Friday 25-July at 2:25. On arrival Tanker 27 advised heavy smoke conditions with fire visible from the "C" side of the structure. Firefighters used one 1-3/4 handline to quickly extinguish the fire. A booster line was used during overhaul. The fire was burning under the mobile home, which extended to the flooring and also against a back wall. The mobile home was vacant and in the process of being renovated. The interior suffered heavy damage. No injuries were reported. State Law Enforcement Arson Division Agents were requested to assist Fire-Rescue and Sheriff's Department investigators in processing the scene. Click here for more information.
7/25/2008- A Walterboro man faces life in prison without parole after a jury convicted him Tuesday in 14th Judicial Circuit Court of committing second-degree arson in 2007. Click here for more information.
Stations 6, 2, 22 and 25 responded to a dwelling fire at 329 Gobbler Circle near Green Pond, Thursday afternoon 24-July at 17:54. Engine 6 arrived to report a doublewide mobile home with heavy fire showing from the "B" side of the structure. All occupants were out of the building. Downed power lines were blocking the driveway and access to the "B" side of the structure. Click here for more information.
7/22/2008- Congratulations to Firefighter Bryan Eadon for passing his NREMT-Basic examination.
7/22/2008- Congratulations to Firefighter/EMT Mikey Banks and Firefighter/EMT Robby Sherry for passing their Engineer Promotional Examinations. Colleton County Fire-Rescue requires that over 400 hours of training and several IFSAC certifications be obtained prior to attempting the Engineer Promotional Examination. The exam is a written test requiring knowledge of roads, advanced hydraulics, foam calculations, auto extrication, hazardous materials, and scenario based questions as well as a practical evaluation of pumping from a pressurized hydrant, drafting from a dry hydrant and drop tank, driving, calculating and applying foam, and operating a ladder truck.
In conjunction with "A" Shift Battalion Chief Rich Ellis, the training division conducted a "mega-code" drill. The simulated patient was an elderly man with sudden onset respiratory distress. Upon arrival, FF/P Goins and Eng/EMT Hoff found the patient laying supine breathing 8 times per minute. Click here for more information.
Fire-Rescue units responded to a house fire Thursday, 17-July at 135 Franklin Street. The call was received at 19:51, reporting flames coming out of the house at this address. The first fire units arrived about 6 minutes later to find heavy smoke conditions with fire coming out of several windows and doors. Firefighters used two 1-3/4 hand lines to bring the fire under control. Click here for more information.
The Tactical Response Team drilled on the mornings of 7/12 & 7/13/2008 to train on water rescue. Firefighters used the "steel bridge" landing on the Combahee River at the Beaufort County Line. Divers found the near pitch black water and strong current to be very challenging. Click here for more information.
Station 7 responded to an over turned vehicle on Beulah Road Saturday 12-July at 2:15. The single vehicle accident involved an older model Chevrolet pickup truck that entered the ditch and flipped over. Both occupants received multiple trauma injuries. A female patient had significant head injuries and was flown from the scene to MUSC in Charleston by Lifenet. Click here for more information.
Stations 1, 19 and 27 were dispatched to a head-on MVC in the 700 block of Bells Hwy. in front of Captain D's Thursday night 10-July-08 at 21:45. Medic 9 responded from the ED and reported two vehicles in the roadway, both with heavy damage. Click here for more information.
Stations 6, 12, 24, 22 responded to a structure fire in the 100 block of St. Johns Road 10-July at 16:05. The fire, which is suspected to have been intentionally set, was reported by several children. On arrival, Engine 24 found a 40 year old singlewide mobile home completely on the ground with several hundred tires ablaze in the surrounding woods. Click here for more information.
Two new full-time employees completed orientation on 7/9/08. They are Firefighter/Paramedic Jimmy Guenther (left) and Firefighter Anthony Keen (right). FF/P Guenther will be assigned to A-shift at Station 9, while Firefighter Keen will be assigned to D-shift at the Station 6 rotation.
Engine 19, Medic 19, Medic 27, and Haz Mat 19 responded to the 500 block of Anderson Road for a Hazardous Materials Drill. Firefighters were faced with a simulated leaking tractor-trailer transporting an unknown material. Firefighter/EMT-Intermediate Scottie O'Quinn served as the Incident Commander and ordered a Haz Mat Blitz Entry. Click here for more information.
Firefighter/EMT-Basic David Goins received his State of S.C. EMT-Paramedic card and was promoted to Firefighter/Paramedic. He is pictured here with his paramedic card attached to the top of his name tag that currently reads "Firefighter/EMT-Basic". Goins is currently stationed at Medic 27 on C-shift.
Stations 2 and 6 responded to a head-on MVC in the 13000 block of ACE Basin Parkway (US Hwy 17) Saturday 5-July at 12:20. The two car MVC injured four people, one severely. An elderly man suffered acute abdominal injuries. Firefighters treated him at the scene, which included bilateral IV lines and packaged him for transport. Click here for more information.
Rescue 1, Engine 19, Medic 27 and Walterboro Public Safety Units responded to a tractor Trailer vs car MVC at the intersection of Sniders Hwy (SC Hwy. 63) and Beach Road at 08:50, 1-July. A elderly Florida man pulled into the path of north bound tractor trailer and struck in the side behind the driver's door. Click here for more information.


text:
UK Institutional Blog Posts Retake on Double Take: Data privacy and regulating big tech
Retake on Double Take: Data privacy and regulating big tech
We investigate how big tech companies are mining personal data, and how regulators and lawmakers are responding.
Massive changes are rippling through the world of big tech. These mega companies are transforming in numerous ways, including how they mine our personal data and sell advertising, all while raising the hackles of regulators and lawmakers.
Our latest Double Take episode tackles the complex issue of big data privacy laws and antitrust implications. While tech companies are undoubtedly the focus of this regulatory scrutiny (a pointed outcome of what is commonly referred to as the 'techlash'), this episode also covers the broad reach of antitrust law. Finally, we consider potential arguments surrounding what is truly in the consumer's best interest.
In 2016, Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was passed, requiring tech companies to comply with a rigorous set of steps to protect consumers. The law was a direct response to decade-long, radical changes to digital advertising and the digital economy. This evolution was not always favourable to consumers, according to Richy Glassberg, founder of the Internet Advertising Bureau and Safeguard Privacy:
With the rise of programmatic advertising and algorithms taking over, we really forgot the consumer. What happened was you would go somewhere [on the internet] and they would just follow you around with creepy ads… really creepy that you would go look for a pair of snow mountain pants and everywhere you went on the web, those snow mountain pants followed you.
Richy Glassberg, founder of the Internet Advertising Bureau and Safeguard Privacy
Lina Khan, President Biden's appointed Federal Trade Commission chairwoman, is well-known for her progressive stance toward antitrust laws and is a proponent of structural separation. In the context of large tech platforms, structural separation restricts these companies' search platforms from preferencing their own products over products from outside suppliers.
This concerns Aurelian Portuese, Director of Antitrust & Innovation Policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, which is funded by big tech and seeks to preserve innovation in the sector:
If you go down that line, which is a very radical line, preventing any companies to sell product and running a platform, just think of, for the sake of argument, think of any supermarket. Every supermarket is a platform, welcoming third-party sellers, but also most of the supermarkets compete and sell their own private-labelled product. So if you prohibit that, then you prohibit a very common business practice.
Aurelian Portuese, Director of Antitrust & Innovation Policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
There is further debate over the ways digital businesses monitor and target potential customers online. Glassberg notes that the shift from person-to-person advertising sales to algorithms that harnesses individual consumer data represents a newfound ability to discriminate against the consumer based on their tracked online activities. Additionally, companies collect and keep personal and behavioural data, which is then used to generate billions in profits. Glassberg argues that this practice ultimately led to GDPR and conceptually similar US legislation like the California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA).
I think there is a huge, Orwellian, distrust of all this, because the tech platforms have not shown themselves to be good actors. They're doing it for the unbridled profit on every single consumer. I say it that way because I think that is what they're showing instead of showing a modicum of restraint on what they've done. You could control all of this. They've just chosen not to.
Richy Glassberg
The pretext for such potential legislation in the US is Europe's Digital Markets Acts (DMA), which aims to increase fairness and contestability in digital markets. These laws assign a gatekeeper designation to large-cap tech companies that are platforms for apps and commerce companies that compete with firms doing business on these platforms. Under the emerging regulatory regime, once a company is designated as a gatekeeper, it is liable for fines at best and forced to break up at worst. At present, the DMA is applicable to a handful of companies.
Portuese believes it is virtually certain that legislation similar to the DMA will be adopted in the US. However, how this is achieved, and importantly, enforced, is very uncertain. The potential passage of bills currently being drafted in Congress is similarly uncertain, which is why the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under Khan is working to create its own set of regulations, something Portuese notes takes an average of six years to see to fruition.
Crucially, Portuese casts doubt on the enforcement of any such regulation and its ability to hold up in court.
That's a very high threshold for the judges to be convinced of… it's going to be very difficult for these regulators to convince these judges to do so — you cannot only break up the company. It's that you have to manage, you have to give the regulators the way, some power to manage on a daily basis, on a weekly basis. I'm doubtful whether or not the judge will go down that road. And for what consumer benefits? I don't know.
Aurelian Portuese
While Glassberg takes the pro-regulation angle, arguing that most companies are not taking the notion of rethinking data privacy as seriously as they should, he shares Portuese's view that the FTC is not likely to have much ability to enforce regulation.
I'm just concerned that the arms race is not in the favour of the regulators…it's in the favour of the big walled gardens that throw tremendous amount of money at the best and the brightest. And that's a hard game to win.
Portuese believes tech players may be more skittish toward merger and acquisition activity and should be prepared to spend large sums on litigation costs. Much will depend on the make-up of Congress following the 2024 elections, how quickly the current administration's FTC drafts regulations, the litigation that will follow any enforcement of those rules and the view that future administrations might take toward antitrust laws. Many believe that the war between big tech and those who seek to regulate it will be characterized by an initial decade of uncertainty.
Subscribe to "Double Take" on your podcast app of choice or view the Data Privacy and Regulating Big Tech episode page to listen in your browser.
Published on April 7th, 2022
Categories Industry views , Macro views , Sector research
This is a financial promotion. These opinions should not be construed as investment or other advice and are subject to change. This material is for information purposes only. This material is for professional investors only. Any reference to a specific security, country or sector should not be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell investments in those securities, countries or sectors. Please note that holdings and positioning are subject to change without notice. This article was written by members of the NIMNA investment team. 'Newton' and/or 'Newton Investment Management' is a corporate brand which refers to the following group of affiliated companies: Newton Investment Management Limited (NIM) and Newton Investment Management North America LLC (NIMNA). NIMNA was established in 2021 and is comprised of the equity and multi-asset teams from an affiliate, Mellon Investments Corporation.
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