|Publication number||US4493565 A|
|Application number||US 06/400,265|
|Publication date||Jan 15, 1985|
|Filing date||Jul 21, 1982|
|Priority date||Jul 28, 1981|
|Publication number||06400265, 400265, US 4493565 A, US 4493565A, US-A-4493565, US4493565 A, US4493565A|
|Original Assignee||Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (6), Non-Patent Citations (4), Referenced by (9), Classifications (12), Legal Events (4)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
This invention relates to a thermometry device and more particularly to a thermometry device which embodies an electronic calculator system. A digital electronic thermometer commonly includes a thermistor as a thermometry resistor whose resistance value varies depending upon temperature.
As suggested in Japanese Patent Kokai No. 53-69685, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,573, another well known device includes a reference resistor and a thermometry device.
In the device of this patent an oscillator is provided whose oscillation frequency vaires in proportion or in inverse proportion to the value of the selected resistor, thus making resistance variations in the thermometry resistor substantially linearly proportional to temperature. Output pulses from the oscillator are counted within a predetermined limited period of time to restrain thermometry within a range covering from 35° to 45° C.
The temperature dependency of the resistance of the thermistor in the conventional device is inaccurate and does not have a linear relationship in a wide temperature range, thus requiring complex arithmetic logic processes.
In the case where the output pulses of the oscillator are counted within the limited period of time, additional hardware such as a counter is required and it is very difficult to set up the thermometry device with cost savings.
With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a thermometry device which may measure temperature in a wide range, may be constructed inexpensively with few parts, making use of an electronic calculator system.
According to a broadest aspect of the present invention, a thermometry device comprises an oscillator oscillating at a frequency which is dependent upon temperature, means for generating reference clock pulses, means responsive to said clock pulses for counting within a length of time as defined by the waveform divided, and means for obtaining temperature-related information from the results of counting by said counting means.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention and for further objects and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which;
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a thermometry device constructed according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of an oscillator in FIG. 1 and its related circuits;
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of an alternate embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of an oscillator in FIG. 3 and its related circuits;
FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of another alternate embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a flow chart for an explaining operation of temperature detection;
FIG. 7 is a system block diagram of the logic system of the invention; and
FIG. 8(A)-FIG. 8(E) are waveform charts for an explanation of operation of the circuit of FIG. 7.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a circuit diagram of an electronic calculator having thermometry means in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
This device comprises an oscillator (1) oscillating at different frequencies which are dependent upon either a value of a reference resistor R0 or a value of a thermometry resistor (a thermistor and the like) Rs according to the position of a changing-over switch SW switchable between the reference resistor R0 and the thermometry resistor Rs. An arithmetic logic system 2 which can be used as an electronic calculator is comprised of one-chip LSI for the electronic calculator. The device includes a key matrix (3), and a digital display device 4, such as a LCD. The terminals Ki and Ko in FIG. 1 are interconnected in a well known manner through key matrix 3 to provide key identification. K1 is a key input signal terminal, connected to an output of the oscillator. Fc is a control signal for controlling output of the oscillator and determines whether the output of the oscillator (1) is to be delivered to the key input signal terminal K1 of the arithmetic logic system of the electronic calculator.
The oscillator and its related parts are illustrated in FIG. 2.
This oscillator is a multi vibrator using a C-MOS inverter. There is a condenser C, inverters I1, I2, and a three-state buffer BF. Buffer BF decides whether an output pulse of the oscillator is sent to the key input signal terminal K1 by control signal Fc.
For example, if the signal Fc is avaiable at a High level, an output at a High level appears at the terminal K1 and an output of buffer BF shows high-impedance when the signal Fc is at a Low level. The changing-over switch SW for the resistor R0 or Rs is electronically switched by a signal of the arithmetic logic system (2) of the electronic calculator.
A method of detection of temperature of an embodiment using the present invention will be discussed with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. To place the device into temperature measuring mode, the control signal Fc is held at a High level and the three-state buffer BF is turned on to provide the waveform of the oscillating signals to the terminal K1. The switch SW is connected with a reference resistor R0, and an oscillation waveform which is dependent upon oscillation time constant R·C is fed to the key input terminal K1. The symbol R represents resistance generally and would be either the resistance of Ro or Rs depending on the position of switch SW and C is a constant dependent on the properties of oscillator 1. Where f0 is the oscillation frequency and α is a ratio constant, the relation among f0 and R0 and C is given by following relation: ##EQU1## Therefore the period of oscillation T0 of the oscillation waveform at K1 is given by the following relation: ##EQU2## In order to determine the time T0 in the arithmetic unit, a clock pulse t0 and the signal at terminal K1 are used and a register receives the count M0.
The count M0 is given by the following relation: ##EQU3##
As for relation (3), M0 should be made a large value to some extent by creating a relation of T0 >>t0 to reduce error. According to the above expressions (1) or (2), the count M0 and the reference resistor are correlated as the following relation: ##EQU4##
The changing-over switch SW is switched to thermometry resistor Rs and the number of counts Ms are calculated in the same way. ##EQU5##
The counts M0 and Ms as in the relations (4) and (5) are divided through the arithmetic logic system (2) to evaluate Ms /M0.
In order words:
M.sub.s /M.sub.0 =R.sub.s /R.sub.0 (6)
Since the relation (6) shows that Ms /M0 is depending only upon the thermometry resistor Rs, it is easy to convert the Ms /M0 ratio to temperature as long as the temperature dependency of Rs is known.
For example, assuming that the thermometry resistor Rs is a thermistor, the relation between the value of the resistor Rs and the temperature P (in °C.) is given by the following relation: ##EQU6## where R1 is the value of the resistor which is determined by P-P1 and B is a constant of the thermistor.
From the relations (6) and (7), ##EQU7## The temperature P can be rewritten from the relation (8): ##EQU8## where R0, R1, B, P1, are known constants.
Therefore, if Ms /M0 is determined, the temperature P can be obtained from the arithmetic operation according to the above relation (9). It is easy to put into practice the arithmetic operation of the above relation (9) by means of the arithmetic logic system (2).
When the device of the invention is not in a temperature measuring mode, the oscillator output is not input at the terminal K1, and the terminal K1 may be used as a key input terminal.
With the above structure, because the output pulse of oscillator (1) is input as key signal input, it is possible to use an electronic computer, (for example, an electronic calculator) as part of the thermometry device. It is unnecessary to use such hardware as an exclusive counter. Moreover, because the arithmetic system of the electronic calculator may be used in performing calculation for temperature conversion, it is possible to execute the arithmetical operation for temperature conversion with high accuracy. The variation of the value of the thermometry resistor with temperature may show a curve.
Thus, according to an embodiment of this invention, as the key input terminal of an electronic calculator system is used for input of temperature-related information, construction of a device in accordance with the invention is simplified and the need for outside circuits is eliminated. The signal processing and the arithmetic process may be performed by the arithmetic system of the electronic calculator, so that the electronic calculator having the thermometer means may be implemented easily.
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of an alternate embodiment of the present invention. A key input terminal K0, shown above K1 terminal in FIG. 3, matrix to set up an exclusive input terminal K0 for the oscillator. In this embodiment K1 represents a terminal directly connected to the key matrix 3 instead of the oscillator 1. In this case, the number of the key input terminals increases by one. However, this has the advantage of eliminating the need for three-state buffer BF and the output control signal Fc for the oscillator, as shown by the circuit diagram of FIG. 4. There is no particular difference in the signal processing and arithmetic process as compared to the electronic calcuator system of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of still another embodiment of the present invention. This circuit comprises an oscillator inside the electronic calculator arithmetic system, minimizing expenditure for the circuit structure.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart for explaining temperature detection. The same reference numbers in FIG. 1 are used throughout FIG. 6 whenever possible. When Fc =1, the circuit is in the thermometry mode, when Fc =0, the circuit is in the electronic calculator mode. In the case SW=1, a reference resistor is connected. In the case SW=0, a thermometry resistor is connected. N1 represents an optional step for setting Fc to select either the thermometry or calculator mode and steps n4 and n5 detect the beginning of an oscillation waveform. Steps n6 -n9 sample the oscillation waveform for a period, and count the sampled components. In this case, the count is fed to an X register when SW=1 and to a Y register when SW=0, as indicated in FIG. 6. A step n11 calculates Ms /M0 as in said relation (6). A step n12 is to calculate P as in the above relation (9). In this manner the oscillation waveform is sampled and counts are made to calculate a ratio of frequency. It is therefore possible to evaluate the temperature. Therefore, this system achieves thermometry by the use of the electronic calculator system. The oscillation output which is dependent upon temperature, is connected with the key input terminal (common use or excessive use), the width of the oscillation frequency pulse may be counted by a key routine of the electronic calculator.
The temperature dependency of the resistance of the thermistor in the conventional device is inaccurate and does not show good linear relationship in a wide temperature range, thus requiring complex arithmetic logic processes. If these processes are used in the electronic calculator routine, it is possible to measure the temperature in a wide range without excessive ROM steps.
FIg. 7 is a block diagram for further explaining operation of the present invention. The invention comprises an oscillator OSC, a switch SW switchable between the reference resistor R0 and the thermometry resistor Rs, a divider DV dividing an oscillation waveform of the oscillator, a counter CO, a clock generator CG, a selective output gate G, registers R1 and R2, and a gate change-over signal SS.
FIG. 8(A)-8(E) are waveform charts for an explanation of operation of those blocks. FIG. 8(A) shows the oscillation waveform. When the change-over switch SW is connected to reference resistor R0, it shows that a waveform of a frequency f0 oscillating from oscillator OSC is divided into a low frequency waveform of period T0 in divider DV. FIG. 8(B) shows a divided output waveform of period Ts, indicating that a waveform is oscillated from the oscillator OSC and divided by DV when the change-over switch SW is connected to the thermometry resistor Rs. FIG. 8(C) shows a reference clock pulse of period to oscillated from the clock generator CG. FIG. 8(D) shows the number of clock pulses counted when SW is switched to thermometry resistor Rs, that is, the number of clock pulses within a length of time from the beginning of the oscillation waveform of FIG. 8(B) to the end of that waveform. FIG. 8(E) shows the number of clock pulses counted with the reference resistor R0 connected, the number of pulses counted being fed to registers R1 and R2 , respectively. A value of temperature is calculated from a ratio of those numbers of pulses.
The way in which to count the oscillation waveform and to count the length of time (for example, a period of the divided waveform or a half period) as defined by the divided waveform is determined in accordance with the invention with regard to the reference clock pulses is especially suitable for the calculator system of the invention as compared to the conventional way of counting the output pulses from the oscillator within a given period of time, since the device can respond to the oscillation waveform in the same way that the calculator portion of the device reads key signals. It is already noted that the signal processing and the arithmetic processes may be performed by the arithmetic system of the electronic calculator. As the key input terminal of the electronic calculator system is used as the terminal for temperature measurement, simplification of circuits is assured and excess hardware is not required.
|Cited Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US3828338 *||Feb 28, 1972||Aug 6, 1974||Kato T||Safe|
|US4125871 *||Feb 7, 1977||Nov 14, 1978||Arthur D. Little, Inc.||Portable data entry device|
|US4150573 *||Dec 2, 1977||Apr 24, 1979||Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co., Ltd.||Electronic digital thermometer|
|US4206646 *||Sep 27, 1978||Jun 10, 1980||Eaton Corporation||Transducer combining comparator or converter function with sensor function|
|US4359285 *||Apr 16, 1980||Nov 16, 1982||The Sippican Corporation||Temperature measurement system|
|JPS54161978A *||Title not available|
|1||*||Programming Microprocessors, M. W. McMullan, 3 1977, pp. 154 157.|
|2||Programming Microprocessors, M. W. McMullan, 3-1977, pp. 154-157.|
|3||Thermometer Update; "Type 2572 Digital Thermometer: A Wide Temperature Range is Featured", JEE, 10-1977, pp. 31-34, Yoshio Oguma.|
|4||*||Thermometer Update; Type 2572 Digital Thermometer: A Wide Temperature Range is Featured , JEE, 10 1977, pp. 31 34, Yoshio Oguma.|
|Citing Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US4644481 *||Jul 26, 1984||Feb 17, 1987||Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha||Electronic thermometer|
|US4771393 *||Aug 18, 1987||Sep 13, 1988||Omron Tateisi Electronics Co.||Electronic thermometer with multi range measurement capability|
|US4858125 *||Apr 19, 1984||Aug 15, 1989||Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha||Electronic cone with environmental and human body condition sensors and alarm for indicating existence of undesirable conditions|
|US5116136 *||Jun 1, 1989||May 26, 1992||Massachusetts Institute Of Technology||Temperature measurements using thermistor elements|
|US5795068 *||Aug 30, 1996||Aug 18, 1998||Xilinx, Inc.||Method and apparatus for measuring localized temperatures and voltages on integrated circuits|
|US5899570 *||Mar 28, 1997||May 4, 1999||Microchip Technology Incorporated||Time-based temperature sensor system and method therefor|
|US6002991 *||Mar 24, 1998||Dec 14, 1999||Xilinx, Inc.||Method and apparatus for measuring localized voltages on programmable integrated circuits|
|US6067508 *||Oct 7, 1999||May 23, 2000||Xilinx, Inc.||Method and apparatus for measuring localized temperatures on integrated circuits|
|WO1998044321A1 *||Nov 29, 1997||Oct 8, 1998||Microchip Technology Incorporated||Time-based temperature sensor system and method therefor|
|U.S. Classification||374/185, 377/25, 374/170, 374/E07.032, 331/66, 374/E01.006|
|International Classification||G01K1/02, G01K7/24|
|Cooperative Classification||G01K7/245, G01K1/028|
|European Classification||G01K1/02F, G01K7/24B|
|Jul 21, 1982||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA 22-22 NAGAIKE-CHO, ABENO-KU
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:SAKA, MASAKAZU;REEL/FRAME:004023/0467
Effective date: 19820715
Owner name: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JAPAN
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SAKA, MASAKAZU;REEL/FRAME:004023/0467
Effective date: 19820715
|Jul 14, 1988||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Jun 10, 1992||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 8
|Jul 2, 1996||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 12


text:
Unions and the Movement to Protect Journalists
September 11, 2019
Labor unions are having a major impact across the digital media landscape and it’s past time to discuss their role in the newsroom and in the C-suites, how collective bargaining can impact labor conditions and gender and racial equity and major opportunities and pitfalls in the union drive process.
This session is designed for:
- Newsroom staff and journalists that want to turn solidarity into action
- Anyone who would like to know more about the digital media unionization process
- Leaders that support collective action, codetermination and rights at work

domain: news


Cauto "Magia (Blind Prophet Remix)"
Due out next month, the three-track Magia EP showcases the talents of rising Barcelona resident Cauto, whose subdued take on textural 2-step is likely to turn a few heads. Before that EP drops, though, we are treated to a remix of its title track from Blind Prophet, a Long Island-based producer who also runs the South Fork Sound imprint, which will issue Cauto's EP on October 4. Blind Prophet's rework finds the artist refitting the original tune with a healthy dose of heavy percussion and rounded sub frequencies, on top of which the East Coast producer absolutely soaks "Magia" with extra layers of sequenced synths. Those interested in hearing more of Cauto's Magia EP can do so after the jump.
- GearIn the Studio: Surgeon
- NewsWatch a Documentary on the Club Music Culture of Colombia's Caribbean Coast
- GearKuvo: What Is It, How Does It Work, and Is It a Good Idea? (a.k.a. an XLR8R Interview with Pioneer About Its Newest Product)
- GearAsk the Experts: Vladislav Delay
- NewsWatch a Live Performance of Jacques Greene's New Single
XLR8R Downloads Player


A few weeks ago, Volkswagen, the parent company of Porsche gave the green light for the Sports car brand IPO. Volkswagen took this route to raise additional funds to boost EV development. Today Porsche AG shares went live at a valuation of 75 billion euros ($72 billion).
That valuation is the second-largest IPO in Germany after Deutsche Telekom in 1996. It’s also close to Volkswagen’s market cap of $81.2 billion. In comparison to other sports car brands, Porsche’s market cap is nearly double that of Ferrari ($36 billion).
Shares of Porsche opened at €84 apiece but went down to €82.88 shortly after. Similarly, shares in Porsche SE, Volkswagen’s largest shareholder, which now also owns a blocking minority in the sportscar brand, were down by 10% as investors switched across. Volkswagen’s shares also fell 6.9% from the open on Thursday to 129.1 euros.
The IPO raised 19.5 billion euros, 9.6 billion of which will go to Volkswagen – just under a fifth of the 52 billion euro budget they required for electrification plans – with the remainder distributed to shareholders as a special dividend.
“We are well set-up financially have strong cash flows to fund our electromobility strategy ourselves,” said Volkswagen’s Chief Financial Officer.


Kong Kim, a fisherman in Cambodia's northeast, is worried about the next few years.
"I am concerned that there will be no fish in the future," the 62-year-old told VOA Khmer earlier this week. "Fish are now less and less."
Once he could fish the Mekong River for his family and catch enough to sell as well, he said, but today he hooks just 1 or 2 kilograms of fish where he usually fishes in Cambodia's Kratie province. "In the last two years, fish have declined, and even people who just catch fish near (their) home can't even get one."
"Since there are hydropower dams, the water flow during the dry season has changed," said the father of seven. "Now even during the dry season, there is rising water level."
The Mekong River Commission (MRC) — an intergovernmental body comprising Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam — has conducted two new studies that support Kong Kim's observations.
The reports examine the effects of human and environmental incursions in the lower Mekong basin, where Cambodian fisherfolk such as Kong Kim say their catch has declined in recent years.
Environmental groups have long criticized the rapid construction of large hydropower dams along the Mekong River, most recently pointing to the planned 1,460-megawatt Luang Prabang dam in Laos.
The dams, environmentalists say, have disrupted the culture of the communities living along the river, reduced fish populations and, more recently, obstructed the flow of sediment, making the water clear in parts of the Mekong. The seasonal flow of sediment is important to sustaining fertile farmlands near the river.
Overfishing and habitat degradation caused by rapid population growth, infrastructure development and climate change, according to MRC's statement on Tuesday, "are stressing the lower Mekong basin's fisheries while changes in the Basin's aquatic ecosystems are impacting social conditions."
The reports, Status and Trends of Fish Abundance and Diversity in the Lower Mekong Basin during 2007–2018 and Social Impact Monitoring and Vulnerability Assessment 2018, found that households continue to rely on water resources "that are increasingly under pressure."
"These studies further highlight the importance of responsible development, balanced regional and national interest, and stronger regional cooperation in order to safeguard the Mekong River water and related resources," said An Pich Hatda, CEO of the MRC Secretariat.
The commission is urging governments of the four MRC member countries to enforce national fisheries laws and proposes integrating river management plans to address risks from increasing hydropower development.
Seum Noeun, 42, who fishes the Mekong from Koh Dambang village in the Sambo district of Kratie province, said the water level has changed so much it affects fish hatching.
"In the last five years, the number of fish have declined by almost half," said Seum Noeun, who also grows rice and raises chickens and pigs. He now catches only 1 to 3 kilograms a day. Five years ago, he said, he could catch around 6 kilograms of fish a day.
"When the water is high, fish go to hatch, but when it just recedes immediately, the hatchlings will die," he told VOA Khmer earlier this week.
"If there are no fish, I can't support my daughters' study," said the father of three girls, two of whom are in school — grades two and three — and a 3-year-old still at home.
Not too long ago, he could catch enough fish to earn $2.50 to $5 per day. According to the World Bank, the per capita annual income in Cambodia is $1,512.73 as of 2020.
The livelihoods of 60 million people depend directly on the 4,350-kilometer-long Mekong River, according to the New Agriculturist. In 2015, the MRC valued the river's fisheries at $17 billion. As a food source, the river "touches the lives of more than 300 million," according to the World Wildlife Fund. Any regulation of the river's flow, such as dams, has the potential to affect millions of lives.
Om Savath, executive director of Fisheries Action Coalition Team, a nongovernmental organization in Phnom Penh, said the MRC reports reflect his persistent concern about the growing number of dams on the Mekong River.
"In 2019, 2020 and 2021, we have seen the impacts (of dams), especially the water flow from Mekong to Tonle Sap, which has changed a lot, affecting fish both at Mekong and Tonle Sap," he said, adding that the water flows from Mekong to Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.
In August last year, authorities reported record low water levels in the Mekong basin for the second straight year.
In Cambodia, the commission said the Tonle Sap Lake, which relies on reverse flows from the Mekong River during the wet season, had recorded its lowest flows since 1997. The lake is a crucial source of fish: It's the source of more than 70% of Cambodia's protein, and it provides livelihoods for millions of Cambodians.
Cambodia has just completed another dam on a Mekong tributary, the Lower Sesan II, and a large mainstream dam on the Mekong River itself, the Sambor, is in the planning stages.
Kol Vathana, the deputy secretary-general of the Cambodia National Mekong Committee, told VOA Khmer that the MRC's reports required a "joint agreement" from the four member countries before release.
He said all MRC members need to coordinate to keep the negative effects of dams to a minimum because no country has the right to prohibit construction of another's dams.
Laos is building two controversial dams, Don Sahong and Xayaburi, while preparing the site for a third, the $2.3 billion Pak Beng project.
China has built eight dams on the river, and more than 20 others are under construction or planned in Yunnan, Tibet and Qinghai, according to International Rivers, an NGO based in Oakland, California.


text:
Another really important reason to give breast milk to preterm babies
A study has found another potential benefit of breastfeeding.
Aside from its nutritional virtues, breast milk has been found to favor more robust brain growth in premature babies. Positive effects were seen in preterm babies fed a daily diet of at least 50% breast milk. The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies in Baltimore, Maryland, US.
A wealth of scientific research has already highlighted the protective role of breast milk against infection and illness, as well as inflammation, thanks to its composition rich in nutrients and antibodies.
Researchers from Washington University in the US have now found beneficial effects of early exposure to breast milk on the development of babies born prematurely.
Preterm birth is a major cause of neurological problems in children and has been associated with an increased risk of psychiatric disorders later in childhood. A child’s brain continues to develop until the age of 20.
The researchers studied 77 preterm babies born at least 10 weeks early and initially cared for in intensive care units. They monitored brain development with MRI scanning techniques at around the time each baby would have been born had they not been premature. The children will also be followed during their first years of life so the team can monitor motor, cognitive and social development.
“As the amount of breast milk increased, so did a baby’s chances of having a larger cortical surface area,” said the study’s first author, Erin Reynolds.
“The cortex is the part of the brain associated with cognition, so we assume that more cortex will help improve cognition as the babies grow and develop.” In other words, data from the study suggests that feeding babies breast milk at a very early age could help improve cognition by encouraging brain growth.
The scientists also found that preterm babies with a daily diet of at least 50% breast milk had more brain tissue and cortical surface area than premature babies who received less breast milk at the same age. With a well-established link between brain volume and cognitive development, the study’s findings are particularly significant.
However, further investigation is needed to establish exactly how breast milk affects the brain and which of its components appear to favour brain development.
Source: AFP Relax

domain: medical


WASHINGTON, March 19, 2013 —What do Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Louie Anderson and Kendra Wilkinson all have in common? The question sounds like the first line of a joke, but there is a real answer that isn’t a joke, almost. All three are contestants on the newest competitive reality show “Splash.” It airs tonight at 8 p.m. on ABC.
This American version of “Splash” debuts close on the heels of the British original that tanked in the ratings, but still managed to hold onto five million viewers through its five-episode run. That was apparently enough to get the British “Splash” renewed for a second season. We’ll see how things work out over on this side of the pond starting this evening.
The concept of the show is simple enough. Ten celebrities will train and compete in regulation platform and springboard diving in front of a weekly poolside audience. Leading up to the competition, the world’s most decorated and medaled diving legend, Greg Louganis, will give each celebrity weeks of training.
It should come as no surprise that some producer in America would jump at the chance to film D-list celebrities flirting with disaster. After all, TruTV’s screwy, cheap-to-produce, but incredibly successful “World’s Dumbest” has given D-list comedians—and Tonya Harding—a second chance and a modest paycheck for years for making snarky comments on home movie clips of people disgracing themselves. Maybe there’s a market for this kind of stuff.
But seriously now folks, Louie Anderson diving off a platform 10 meters high is not entertainment. It’s more like serial assisted attempts at suicide, and marks an all-time low in reality TV, which is really saying something if you’ve ever caught an episode of “Lizard Lick Towing.”
What’s next, Kate Gosselin on the uneven bars? The British started all this competitive reality show nonsense by exporting the “American Idol” concept. But do we really want to copy everything they do? If American TV insists on continuing its obsession with British entertainment, can we at least have a little more “Downton Abbey” and a lot less “Splash?”
Until the “good taste” police reign in the bargain basement mentality of Hollywood, maybe we should have the option of putting a heavy import tax on anything labeled British entertainment. Say, Congress isn’t busy. Maybe they can at least agree on some legislation regulating what passes for entertainment these days.
Or better yet, let the Tea Party handle it. It’s historically appropriate, and it will give Sarah Palin something to do now that CPAC is over. She took on Mayor Bloomberg armed with only a “Big Gulp,” so conquering the British should be a piece of cake for Mama Grizzly.
Just don’t forget to film it!
While you wait breathlessly for the real thing tonight, here’s a video promoting ABC’s newest effort:
All times are EST:
ABC: Splash: (New) After training with professional divers for weeks, five celebrities face their fears as they flip and twist into the pool.
CBS: NCIS: (New) The wife of a Marine who specialized in K-9 bomb detection urges the NCIS team to investigate the recent death of her husband in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Director Vance asks for the team’s assistance as he interviews nannies.
FOX: Hell’s Kitchen: (New) The 19 remaining chefs participate in a physical challenge involving lobsters. Later, two contestants from each team head into the elimination round after a disappointing dinner service.
NBC: Betty White’s Off Their Rockers: (New) A senior brings his own organ donation in a cooler to a food court; a prankster’s “wife” is actually a blow-up doll; an elderly woman asks for help in writing an erotic book; and a woman swigs beer at a grocery store.
CW: Target Presents the IHeartRadio Album Release Party with Justin Timberlake: (New) Justin Timberlake discusses his 2013 album “The 20/20 Experience” and performs in concert at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles.
NBC: Betty White’s Off Their Rockers: (New) Two seniors seek a rave party; a lady prankster flirts with men during a bachelorette party; an oldster proposes to his girlfriend; an elderly man offers free tickets to Hawaii. Also: A hiking spot features a finish line.
ABC: Dancing With The Stars: Exclusive First Look: (New) Interviews; performance highlights.
CBS: NCIS: Los Angeles: (New) When a murder weapon in Idaho matches the one used in a national security case in L.A., Callen and Sam fly to the crime scene to join NCIS: Red, a mobile team of agents who live and work together as they solve crimes in various locations.
FOX: New Girl: (New) Jess admits how she feels about Nick, but soon after coming clean, she learns that he may have been hiding something. Elsewhere, Schmidt becomes preoccupied with buying a fish; and Nick tries to impress his boss by planning a promotion at the bar.
NBC: Go On: (New) Mr. K’s history comes to light as his compatibility algorithm wreaks havoc on Lauren; Ryan plays yenta for Danny and Sonia.
CW: Beauty and the Beast: (Repeat) Cat tracks down and threatens a witness in order to protect Vincent.
FOX: The Mindy Project: (New) Mindy has a terrible birthday when her friends and coworkers accidentally screw up her party, but things go from bad to worse when she winds up in a fight with a new group of revelers she just happened to meet. Meanwhile, Danny and Jeremy both have their eye on Mindy’s friend.
NBC: The New Normal: (New) David and Bryan consider alternative birthing options, while Shania helps Rocky with her new baby.
ABC: Body of Proof: (New) Megan and Tommy investigate two murders that seem to be the work of a vigilante; Megan takes up an offer of counseling, from a victim’s father.
CBS: Golden Boy: (New) Owen takes a special interest in a murder investigation when the victim, an airport supervisor, also turns out to be the brother of a confidential informant who was killed a few years ago. Meanwhile, Clark’s newly sober mother shows up wanting to reconnect with her children.
NBC: Smash: (New) Tensions boil on Liaisons, while Eileen may have found the key to saving Bombshell. Grace Gummer, Sean Hayes, Jesse L. Martin and Daniel Sunjata guest star.
New episodes of:
Inside the Actors Studio at 8 p.m. on BRAVO
Dual Survival: Untamed at 8 p.m. on DSC
Dance Moms at 8 p.m. on LIFE
Top Gear at 9 p.m. on History Channel
Income Property at 9 p.m. on HGTV
Doomsday Preppers at 9 p.m. on NGC
NASA-Mission to Mars at 9 p.m. on SCI
Face Off at 9 p.m. on Syfy
19 Kids and Counting: Duggars Do Asia at 9 p.m. on TLC
Chopped at 10 p.m. on Food Channel
Justified at 10 p.m. on FX
Snooki & JWoww at 10 p.m. on MTV
Apocalypse 101 on NGC
The Definitive Guide to Aliens at 10 p.m. on SCI
Robot Combat League at 10 p.m. on Syfy
Cougar Town at 10 p.m. on TBS
Little People, Big World at 10 p.m. on TLC
Armed & Ready at 10 p.m. on Travel Channel
For movie lovers:
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance on ENC
The Ref on FLIX
Maid in Manhattan on FMC
Lethal Weapon 2 on IFC
Blue Crush on REELZ
Once on SUND
The Best Years of Our Lives on TCM
Men in Black 3 on STARZ
Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang on MOMAX
Love and Other Drugs on HBO
The Border at 9:30 p.m. on SUND
The Fifth Element at 9:40 p.m. on ENC
Canvas at 10 p.m. on TMC
Bridesmaids at 10 p.m. on CINEMAX
The Darkest Hour at 10 p.m. on SHO
Lethal Weapon 3 at 10:30 p.m. on IFC
This article is the copyrighted property of the writer and Communities @ WashingtonTimes.com. Written permission must be obtained before reprint in online or print media. REPRINTING TWTC CONTENT WITHOUT PERMISSION AND/OR PAYMENT IS THEFT AND PUNISHABLE BY LAW.


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Drop a line and see what you catch! Take turns and challenge your opponent to hook what you pick or create your own game. The whimsical boxes will make you wish you were swimming the deep blue sea.
- Wrapped artwork boxes in whimsical themes
- Safe magnetic hooks
- Wooden Rods and characters.

domain: entertainment


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A belt of fraction opened in a mountain hill above Hveragerdi after the big earthquake last Thursday. The belt is around 800 meters long. The fraction is two meters deep and up to three meters wide. The fraction belt is right above the hot spring that also emerged from Thursday’s earthquake. Mbl.is reports
Zophanias Fridrik Gunnarsson, the leader of Hveragedi Rescue Squad, says that members from the squad have evaluated the belt and urge people not trespass the area.

domain: geography


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In the past, his work as an undercover drug investigator had often led through New York City’s Chinese enclaves as he pursued heroin shipments from Asia.
But seven or eight years ago, the investigator’s supervisors at the Drug Enforcement Administration disbanded his unit and assigned him elsewhere. The reason was simple: drug routes were changing, and Colombian and Mexican heroin had won over the New York market.
But last year, he returned to Manhattan’s Chinatown in pursuit of a new lead: a number of low-level drug dealers seemed to have access to a large supply of methamphetamine, a drug that had burned a path across much of the country but had never quite caught on in New York City.
And after a lengthy investigation that played out across Chinatown and Flushing, the undercover investigator found himself standing in the parking lot of the closed Pathmark supermarket on Cherry Street, buying nearly $200,000 worth of crystal methamphetamine, according to interviews and court documents.
Four men were arrested in January in connection to the case. An indictment unsealed in State Supreme Court in Manhattan on Thursday offered new details.
Investigators said they were surprised to find that such a large quantity of crystal methamphetamine, most likely manufactured in Mexico, was so readily available for sale in the city’s Chinese neighborhoods, suggesting a new pipeline.
“This prosecution sheds light for us on the fact that these Chinese men were able to very easily obtain methamphetamine from Mexican suppliers, and this is a lot of meth,” said Bridget G. Brennan, the city’s special narcotics prosecutor.
For years, the market for crystal methamphetamine in New York City has centered on nightclubs, and law enforcement officials here frequently express relief that the market does not appear to be rapidly growing.
“We see it in Chelsea and in the Asian community,” said Brian Crowell, the special agent in charge of the D.E.A.’s New York field office. “We’ve seen it staying level in New York City,” he said.
So far, Ms. Brennan said, it has been “pretty much a niche drug” within the city.
Of the four men arrested, one had previously faced drug charges related to ketamine, an anesthetic, and another had once been indicted in a federal case involving a conspiracy to import Ecstasy. But it did not appear any had ever faced charges relating to methamphetamine. Most of the men lived in Flushing, Queens, and one, Ping Lin, 50, was a restaurant worker.
Lawyers for three of the men said their clients pleaded not guilty Thursday, but they declined to comment further, saying they had not yet been given a chance to review much of the evidence in the case.
Between April 2012 and January of this year, the undercover officer repeatedly bought drugs from several of the accused men, starting with small quantities of Ecstasy and methamphetamine, according to court papers.
Then in August came a crucial meeting at Old Shanghai Deluxe restaurant at the corner of Mott and Bayard Streets, where the undercover officer negotiated with two of the men, Mr. Lin and Liyuan Sheng. It was there that Mr. Sheng agreed to call his supplier, according to the indictment.
After buying an ounce of methamphetamine from the men for $7,000 in December, the undercover investigator showed up to the parking lot of the closed Pathmark supermarket on Cherry Street in Chinatown. There, he bought about three-quarters of a kilogram for $193,000. The men were arrested shortly thereafter.
Law enforcement officials said that the case involved extensive wiretaps and that targets appeared to be less vigilant than most drug dealers when conversing in Mandarin over the telephone.
“Unlike cocaine or heroin traffickers, who typically use coded language, and are cagey,” Ms. Brennan said, the intercepted phone conversations in this case “were much more blatant or upfront than others we listen to.”
Mr. Crowell said, “The undercover knew the community so well, and he was able to infiltrate them.”
Ms. Brennan said that it may have been on account of how rarely drug investigators in New York have a wiretap for a suspect who speaks Mandarin.
“They didn’t believe anybody would be listening in,” she added.

domain: law


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The Greensboro, the NBA G League affiliate of the Charlotte Hornets, announced today that the team has added Jeff Roberson to its roster via returning player rights. The Swarm acquired Roberson in a trade with the Maine Red Claws (Boston Celtics affiliate) on February 28.
Roberson, 23, was a four-year player for Vanderbilt University. Undrafted in 2018, the Houston native spent his first season as a professional playing for the Red Claws. With Maine (2018-19), he averaged 4.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 20.7 minutes per game.
Roberson has played for Trefl Sopot in the Polish Basketball League this season. In 17 games, he has averaged 8.7 points and 4.1 rebounds in 24.0 minutes per game.
The trade with the Red Claws saw Greensboro acquire Roberson in exchange for its second-round selection in the 2020 NBA G League Draft.
Roberson (6-6, 220) will wear No. 12 for the Swarm.


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The red carpet is so much more than fabulous gowns on famous people. It reflects the styles and values of the time, and has become a platform for often trenchant social statements. Red Carpet: Oscars presents over ninety years of fashion worn at the awards ceremony since its inception in 1929. From ready-to-wear to haute couture, it charts what stars and invitees wore across the decades, as well as the emergence of stylists, the commercialization of the red carpet and how fashion has shaped Hollywood.
The book opens with a foreword by Cate Blanchett and an introduction by Giorgio Armani, and then goes on to showcase hundreds of looks across almost a century. Each year is introduced with a short text explaining the era's fashion trends as well as the social and political influences of the day, along with carefully curated images of the most iconic and inspiring outfits.
'Impressively researched and organized... One of the delights of paging through Dijanna Mulhearn's Red Carpet Oscars ... is how clearly it outlines the evolution of the Academy Awards through clothing'
The New York Times
'A delectable compilation, sure to please fashion and film devotees'
'Gigantic and gorgeously illustrated'
New York Daily News
'Photographs offer an incredible parade of silver screen talent... and Mulhearn's text helps tell the couture story, providing social context and a taste of each evening's drama and the actors' personalities ... Fascinating'
'A great way to enrich your TV viewing pleasure, or an Oscar party'
'A mesmerizing dive into this heady cocktail of couture and celebrity style, offering readers a front-row seat to the most prestigious event of the awards season'

domain: artistic


When it comes to a viral infection, fever is one of the most frequent symptoms. Leading German biometric company has developed a camera, which measures body temperature with outstanding accuracy and speed to make a significant contribution to the containment of pandemics.
Biometric fever detection system measures body temperature by scanning people's faces using state-of-the-art sensor technology. The biometric camera can simultaneously check up to 5 people for fever. If an increased temperature is detected, the system sets off an alarm or even denies access, for example, as part of an automated access control system.
The company's solution is already in use at border controls, airports, trade fairs and events. The system is also suitable for the protection of healthcare facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes. Access to factories, offices, shopping centers, hotels, schools and authority locations can also be secured with the biometric technology.
High accuracy, even from a distance of up to 2 meters, is another advantage of the biometric camera. When using a handheld thermometer, the recommended safety distance cannot be maintained, which leads more quickly to infections. In contrast, biometric automatic Fever Detection Camera does not require any additional operating personnel and, as a result, ensures extra safety.
Bangkok/Hamburg, February 13, 2020
The spread of coronavirus shows that in today's world of fast global travel, outbreaks of infectious diseases can cross national borders within the shortest time. the first biometric border control system with integrated fever detection, identifying potentially infected travelers right at border entrance to contain epidemics. The latest innovation of the German company has now been presented to the public for the first time in Thailand.
As the first country in the world, Thailand has introduced a pilot for a new fever detection system, fully integrated into its biometric border control.
From now on, the biometric border control system in Don Mueang can capture not only fingerprints and faces, but also measures the body temperature of travelers who pass through the related counters. The temperature is displayed on the border officer's screen and, if someone with fever is detected, the officer is automatically informed and can send the affected person for a health check.
the biometric border control system, has developed a special fever camera, which is fully integrated into the Thai entry-exit system. It automatically measures the exact temperature of the traveler while standing in front of the border counter. The high fever-detection accuracy at a distance of up to 1.5 m, is one of the system's outstanding features.
Border counters are the perfect spot for such fever checks, as travelers stop here one by one for a moment. solution provides more accurate and precise results than camera systems that capture several travelers simultaneously. This makes the Thai borders more secure, also against the coronavirus.


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Andrić and Bašagić in the Yugoslavian Key
The different views on identity politics in Ottoman Bosnia presented by Ivo Andrić and Safvet-beg Bašagić in their respective doctoral dissertations stem from differences in the historical and socio-economic experiences of each of their respective religious and confessional communities. Andrić, oriented towards the future, perceives Bosnia from the perspective of a newly introduced concept of Yugoslav national unity that does not value diversity. Bašagić, romantically looking into the past, sees Bosnia through rose-coloured glasses. Both Andrić and Bašagić share distinct notions of their historical periods and allow for non-scientific influences to shape their academic discourses.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

domain: library


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Michael Cohen says he’s ‘done with the lying’ in first interview since sentencing01:39
In an interview with ABC News, Michael Cohen disputed Mr. Trump’s assertion that he never directed Cohen to break the law by arranging hush money payments -- claims the President and his aides deny.
American companies being targeted by renewed cyber attacks from China and Iran01:11
Navy veteran identified as ‘kissing sailor’ in WWII photo dies at 9501:20
Man rescued from quicksand inside Zion National Park01:01
American and British ISIS brides plead to return home01:16
Five best friends elected to Colorado’s State Senate02:00
Ukraine military forces preparing for potential showdown at sea with Russia01:14


The German government in early June suggested the member countries of the EU to jointly impose sanctions against Russia for cyber attacks on the Bundestag in 2015. On 12 July, reports the “New wave”.
The German government believes that cyber attacks on the Bundestag involved in the Russian military intelligence service of the Russian military intelligence (GRU).
According to the broadcaster, in the case of the adoption of the German proposal, it will be the first case of application of the sanctions regime of the EU for cyber attacks — legislation enacted in 2017.
The decision on this issue, as of July 12, is still pending.
On 5 may, the General Prosecutor’s office of Germany has issued a warrant for the arrest of Russian citizen Dmitry Badin, who is suspected of involvement in the hacking of servers of the US Democratic party, attacks on the Bundestag and the Organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons, and Russia’s intervention in the US presidential election in 2016. Presumably, the GRU officer badin included in hacker group Fancy Bear / APT28. He is also wanted by the US authorities.
May 13 German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that against Russia may be taken in connection with hacker attack to the Bundestag.


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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) - The next step in a seemingly twisted case happened Wednesday morning when two men charged with multiple counts of child sex abuse had their arraignments.
Carl Herold and his domestic partner, Charles Dunnavant, appeared before Madison County Circuit Judge Chris Comer. The two men are charged with dozens of counts of sodomy, sexual abuse, and conspiracy for allegedly holding a boy captive in their house for eight months. The young boy is currently in therapeutic foster care. "We just want him to be whole and healthy, that's really what our goal is," said Gabrielle Helix with the District Attorney's office, "and our goal is also to protect the community so we have to balance that." Herold's court-appointed attorney withdrew from the case. Judge Comer denied a request to lower Dunnavant's bond.
"He said it was within what he thought was reasonable given what the allegations were and he just denied the motion at this time," said Jason Scully-Clemmons, also with the DA's office. Scully-Clemmons says the judge took into account any possible flight risk when making his ruling. Judge Comer did not rule on whether statements from the alleged victim would be used as evidence. The defense argued the child may have been influenced or have mental health problems. Prosecution says their focus is on his well being. "What his counseling is, and whether or not he will be ready and able to testify at the time the court needs to pull this in for trial." The judge ordered a status conference in November to determine a trial date.


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Dakota Electric Association recently awarded Jeff Reed, Hampton, the Outstanding Leader of the Year award. Each year, Dakota Electric seeks to recognize outstanding leadership with the award, and Dakota Electric Director Judy Kimmes attended a recent Dakota County Township Officers Association meeting to present the award to Reed.
“I was pretty surprised and honored,” Reed said of the award. He has been a Douglas Township Supervisor for six years and has been serving as chair for the past four years. He has supported the local community in many ways, including serving on and chairing the planning commission, getting the Douglas Township solar ordinance passed, serving on the Dakota Township Officers Board and being vice chair of the 4-H auction committee. Reed was awarded $250 to donate to the charity of his choice, which he designated Dakota 4-H to receive it.
Peg Varien, township clerk, said Reed is a go-to resource person. He knows a lot and remembers a lot, and he is always willing to attend extra meetings.
“Service to the community runs in his family,” Varien said. “His dad and grandfather were township officers. Jeff has also served on the Dakota County Fair board for many years.”
It is easy to see why people speak well of Reed and the work he has done as he keeps the goal of local government in mind. “Township government is all about grassroots,” he said. “We do our best to represent the needs of the community.”
“People who serve the local townships are very dedicated to their communities,” Peggy Johnson, Dakota Electric’s community relations director, said. “As a member-owned cooperative, Dakota Electric is pleased to help recognize people like Jeff who do outstanding work.”

domain: sociology


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The LSA 2017 is underway during which several events…Pin It
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Jinnah of Pakistan by Stanley Wolpert
৳ 400.00 – ৳ 420.00
“Few individuals significantly alter the course of history. Fewer still modify the map of the world. Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. Muhammad Ali Jinnah did all three.” Stanley Wolpert
These are the opening lines of the preface of Stanley Wolpert’s book, “Jinnah of Pakistan” and serves to entice you to read an extremely thorough, comprehensive and detailed study about one of the most pragmatic and charismatic leaders of South Asia, Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Stanley Wolpert is an American academic who is considered to be one of the world’s foremost authorities on the political history of modern South Asia. During a trip to Bombay in 1948, he became interested in the complexities of Indian culture, history and politics. Since 1962, he has published many fictional and non-fictional books on his favorite subject.
In the preface, Wolpert adds: “For more than a quarter century, I have been intrigued by the apparent paradox of Jinnah’s strange story which has to date never been told in all the fascinating complexity of its brilliant light and tragic darkness.”
“Jinnah of Pakistan” was published in 1984. This unique and insightful biography explores the fascinating public and private life of founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah from his birth in 1876 till his death in 1948. In recording the events that unfold and shape Jinnah’s life, Wolpert also chronicles almost eight decades of Indian history to the point where India achieves independence from British rule amid growing Muslim-Hindu antagonism.
It is a tragedy that the new generation of Pakistan knows about the founder of their country only through text books, a few websites and television programs. These limited resources do not tell the complete picture of a very intelligent, shrewd and resilient lawyer, politician and statesman who altered the map of South Asia through his sheer indomitable will against all odds.
It is almost a standard statement in Pakistani textbooks that Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a great man but after reading Stanley Wolpert’s “Jinnah of Pakistan” one can get a better understanding of why Jinnah can be….. and should be…. regarded as such a great leader. Physically a frail man, he alone gave courage, hope, strength, and voice to millions of Muslims of South Asia who were dismissed as second class citizens in United India before partition in 1947.
The biography is placed on a huge canvas and takes the readers to the bustling port of Karachi where Jinnah was born and follows him to London, Bombay, Calcutta, Lucknow, Nagpur, Amritsar, New Delhi, Simla, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Ziarat and finally Karachi again where lies buried “ one of history’s most remarkable, tenacious, enigmatic figures.”
The book reveals Jinnah’s failings, his loneliness, his pain, his broken marriage, his estrangement from his only daughter, his long and fatal disease which he kept under wraps and yet the true worth of his gigantic accomplishment can only be more appreciated when viewed alongside his human weaknesses.
The book also brings under the spotlight, Jinnah’s love and marriage to the beautiful and vivacious “flower of Bombay” Ruttie. The whole episode is dealt with a great deal of compassion as Wolpert gives a rare glimpse into Jinnah’s most private moments and thoughts___ and his ultimate pain when due to Jinnah’s extremely demanding political and legal career, the marriage breaks down and ends with Ruttie’s tragic death when she was only 29.
An excerpt from the book: “It (the funeral) was a painfully slow ritual. Jinnah sat silently through all its five hours. As Ruttie’s body was being lowered into the grave, Jinnah as the nearest relative was the first to throw the earth on the grave. He broke down suddenly and wept and sobbed like a child for minutes together. That was the only time when I found Jinnah betraying some shadow of human weakness.”
The best thing about the book is that is very impartial and does not gloss over any facts or resort to hyperbole. Like an artist who creates a masterpiece with careful strokes of his paintbrush, Wolpert also records small anecdotes and major incidents to show Jinnah’s shrewd and skillful leadership as well his single-minded tenacity to win his case for the creation of Pakistan on behalf of the Muslims of South Asia.
For this great and engrossing biography, Stanley Wolpert has won a great deal of gratitude from those who have read and enjoyed this book. ’Jinnah of Pakistan’ is an absolute must-read for the students of the political history of South Asia and for every Pakistani who is interested in knowing the extent of debt owed to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah for freedom and a separate country after the end of British Raj in the sub-continent.


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Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth is celebrating its 20th birthday today (Sunday 28th February).
The shopping centre, located near to both the catamaran and hovercraft terminals, has become a firm favourite with Islanders looking to explore top brands and, of course, the Cadbury’s chocolate shop.
Gunwharf Quays was designed using the V&A waterfront complex in Cape Town as the inspiration. Developers procured redundant land from the Royal Navy, whose history on the site dated back to the 13th century. The area was at one point called HMS Vernon and was home to Royal Navy Divers throughout both World Wars.
A selection of photographs have now been released looking back at the history of the site, from its days as a naval base through to the inaugural shopping day and even a visit from Her Majesty The Queen.
Colin Wilding, Senior Centre Director at Gunwharf Quays has memories of Gunwharf Quays from its conception:
“From the day of opening, in 2001, Gunwharf Quays was ahead of its time, a comprehensive mixed-use operation with bars, restaurants, a casino, a cinema and a bowling alley. The retail area opened as an Outlet centre, as unique today as it was back then for such a comprehensive scheme. 1000 on site residents gradually moved into the residential area and the icing on the cake…in 2005 the Spinnaker Tower, offering spectacular views over the Isle of Wight and Hampshire, opened its doors. All of this in a location overlooking the sea, Gunwharf Quays couldn’t fail but to be successful.
“Not only is the centre one of the top performing Outlet centres in the UK, its vibrant waterfront bars and restaurants are also some of the most successful. I joined the Gunwharf Quays team in 2014 to support the delivery of a new and invigorated strategy, winning awards that Outlet centres hadn’t historically been taken seriously for, and seeing strong growth. A great centre with a great team will ensure the future is as positive as the past – I can’t wait to see how the centre evolves over the next 20 years and beyond.”


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September 5, 2016
If you’re in London this month, and you love to cook, here’s some good news for you. IKEA is opening up a DIY restaurant called “The Dining Club” at their Shoreditch outlet from 10 to 25 September, and up to 19 diners will be able to take over a dedicated space to make their own meals, just as how they would in their own homes.
“We bond and connect over the everyday process of cooking meals together so to celebrate this firmly held belief, we are opening The Dining Club to bring people together to enjoy a meal from beginning to end. This will take place in an environment that reflects a homely kitchen, so you can host a dinner party for all of your friends,” said Ellie Pniok, commercial manager for Ikea Food, in a statement.
According to Mashable, you’ll be able to construct and personalise your very own menu, and pick from a selection of sharing dishes and Scandinavian classics. There’ll also be an expert chef present, so no worries if you’re afraid you might screw up the cooking.
Best part is, this unique dining experience is free of charge. But do make reservations as quickly as possible though, because slots for places are filling up fast. If anything, we hope IKEA Singapore does something similar in the near future, but with a localised version. It’d be great making our very own Nasi Lemak or Laksa dishes don’t you think?
Make your bookings now at www.ikeathediningclub.com.
Top image credit: IKEA

domain: food


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Realiteen: Reflections On Growing Up is a celebration of what it means to be a teenager. Through the stories of our diverse cast of authors, this anthology represents how this pivotal age has come to mean so much more than the seven years by which it is defined. Read a collection of experiences that capture the essence of what it means to find oneself along the path from child to adult. Perhaps you might even find yourself reflecting on your own memories of young adulthood!
Edited by JK Larkin
To leave a Review for “Realiteen” please CLICK HERE


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Let’s add “National Get Mad About Gas Prices Month” to March’s resume and move on.
I recently wrote a column putting recent pump-price increases into a historical perspective — that Southern California gasoline gets pricier almost every March (17 out of 18 years I studied), and average March price hikes are the largest of the year.
Let’s politely say some readers chose to forcefully disagree about the cyclicality of statewide pricing, suggesting various evil forces were the true culprits putting California’s drivers at unique financial risk.
So, as a public service, I analyzed national pump-price picture to see if drivers nationwide are enjoying any respite from springtime price hikes. My trusty spreadsheet tells me, resoundingly so, that March is bad for any U.S. driver’s budget.
Looking at U.S. Energy Information Administration stats for regular gasoline dating to 1991, the average March sees a 5.1% one-month rise at the pump — a typical year’s biggest jump! Note, April is the No. 2 month for hikes at 4.3% and May’s next at 3.4%! So continue to breathe deeply before filling up.
Now March 2019 did have a noteworthy pop at the pump: the national average rose 21 cents to $2.52 a gallon. That’s a 9% upswing — almost double the 5% historical rise for a March. But it could have been worse: Last month’s jump is only the seventh biggest March surge — with two of those bigger bumps coming in 2015 and 2016.
Recent anxiety over gasoline’s expense may be part forgetfulness of how blessed drivers have been since autumn.
In November, national prices fell 21 cents to $2.65 a gallon, a 7.4% decline compared with a 4% average dip for November since 1991.
Then came December when prices fell 28 cents to $2.37 a gallon. That 10.6% fall nearly tripled the 3.6% average dip. And in January, prices fell 12 cents to $2.25 a gallon — a 5% fall vs. a historic 1.7% dip.
So, it was a very good winter for drivers. February, when prices typically begin to rise, saw prices up nationally by 6 cents to $2.31 a gallon. That 2.7% upswing was just modestly above the 1.7% expected rise.
I know it’s not as intriguing to know that pain at the pump — nationally or statewide — is a largely seasonal swing compounded by commodity market volatility and production challenges. Yet once winter’s chill subsides, and holiday bills are paid down, folks seem to drive more. And that demand for fuel is the critical nudge for higher prices.
Of course, other factors are in play but they’re almost as predictable. The need to create cleaner-burning “summer blend” gasoline for much of the nation — it’s not just California “craziness” — complicates springtime gasoline production. That boosts prices, too.
And, yes, governments are taxing gas more: Alabama this year becomes the 33rd state to increase its gas taxes since 2010.
Certainly, some years throw the energy markets a curve or two.
Late 2018’s gasoline price cuts — tied in large part to cascading crude oil prices — pushed some producers (even entire nations) to cut back on drilling and production. That trimmed supply of gasoline’s main ingredient.
Recently, refineries — notably in California — were more recently hit by shutdowns and maintenance needs that further tightened supplies.
Still, there’s no reason to be extra grumpy about routine springtime gasoline costs. Average prices, February to May, have risen nationally in 24 out of the past 27 years.
Or you could offer a solution — volunteer your community to become home to a new much-needed refinery, as gasoline production capacity is woefully short nationwide, making retooling for summer blends tricky.
Or you could be happy it’s not 2012 — when national gas prices averaged $3.85 in March!

domain: finance


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Although millennials still say they want to buy, a significant number are wondering if now is the right time, according to recent surveys by ValueInsured and Experian. They’re also questioning the future robustness of the housing market.
Thanks to a new survey by homebuilder Taylor Morrison, we now know that only 19 percent of home buyers consider shag carpeting outdated. Which suggests that a whopping 81 percent of home buyers think shag carpeting is the latest and greatest, right up there with granite, stainless steel and Ethernet ports.
A New York Times article on what makes Black Friday shoppers so aroused has me thinking that our real estate Black Friday began during the dot-com era and never stopped.
According to a recent survey by ValueInsured, home buyers complain that “tight inventory and rising home prices are causing several negative trends in the housing market”.
I’m shocked! Shocked!
“In September, the Bay Area maintained its position as California’s most in-demand region for real estate.”
Remember when I said last month that August’s torrid pace was unsustainable? Apparently I lied, although probably not intentionally.
Ever wonder why home prices are up, way way up? A recent article posted on RISMedia indirectly explains why.


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COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — Two older male bottlenose dolphins simultaneously died after stranding themselves in separate locations over the weekend.
Witnesses said one of them was found in Clam Pass. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers and biologists, in addition to dozens of bystanders, saw it happen. It was towed away to a lab in Charlotte County, where it later died.
A necropsy of the dolphin revealed it died from a brain blood clot, likely due to its old age. The second dolphin was found around the same in San Carlos Pass, near Lovers Key State Park. FWC said it will undergo a necropsy to determine its cause of death soon.
FWC officers are investigating what caused both to strand themselves.
“It is important to know that most dolphins strand because they are sick or injured,” an FWC spokesperson said. “Dolphins pushed or pulled back into deeper water can delay treatment, cause further injury (herniated discs, broken bones, dislocated flippers), or result in a weakened or injured animal drowning. However, these two cases highlight concerned citizens reporting these animals immediately to our FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline 888-404-3922.”
Meanwhile, K.C. Schulberg, who is with Collier County Waterkeeper, believes their deaths could be due to exposure to cyanobacteria.
“A neurotoxin called BMAA. BMAA accumulates in the food chain and since dolphins are apex predators, they can ingest a lot of BMAA. BMAA has been linked to neurodegenerative disease much like humans, Alzheimer’s Parkinson’s,” he said.

domain: biology


I dare you not to listen to this on repeat… Photo by Acacia Evans
All tagged new music video
The new music video for “There I’ll Go” is stunning. Photo by Elliot Malcolm
Neon Dreams’ single “We Were Kings” takes a tender turn.
“Sunkissed” from Shai Nowell ft. Nai Br.XX is a total dream.
Kate Davis’ “rbbts” is easily one of our favorite tracks of the month. Photo by Holden Brown
The new lyric video for “Going Down Together” is just as dark and edgy as the song is. Photo by Mathias Fau
The new music video from Jaz Ellington is a feat of intensity and emotion.
Fly By Midnight have done it again with their super fun new single “Waiting Tables.”
In the new video for Semler’s “Before We’re Dead,” she delivers an emotive performance of a haunting song.
Aloe Blacc’s newest music video for “Never Growing Up” is one big party.
Lorkin O’Reilly’s new music video for “Upon The Hammer” is as haunting as its music.
Current obsession: Cat Clyde’s new single “All The Black” and its abstract video accompaniment.
Our Brooklyn buddies Earthquake Lights are back with their jazzy new single, “Moonlight.”
Jackson Dyer is back with a new single and we’ve got the scoop!
We’re stoked to exclusively premiere Tyler Boone’s new music video for “Moving On” ft. Americana duo Finnegan Bell.
InAbell’s music video for “Nightgown” is mesmerizing in black-and-white simplicity to match the track itself.


text:
Guar Gum Split
Guar gum is one of the most efficient
water thickening agent known and having characteristics of white to creamy
coloured and free flowing powder. Guar Gum is a very versatile and efficient
bio-polymer covering a wide range of industrial applications.
Guar Gum Splits is manufactured from
Guar Seed. Guar Gum Split is refined endosperm and non ionic polysaccharide
galacomannan. Split (Endosperm) is mechanically separated from guar seed and
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splits are obtained from fibrous material, which forms the husk. The refined
guar split is produced when the fine layer of fibrous material is removed and
separated from the endosperm halves of husk by polishing. Guar Gum Splits is
basic raw material for manufacturing guar gum powder.
Guar gum undamaged by bleaching or
thermal degradation and are available in several granulation and viscosity
ranges. In dry storage, Guar gum may be stored virtually indefinitely without
spoilage or degradation of properties. Guar gum is a complex natural polymer of
mannose and galactose sugars.
Refined Guar Splits
Contains high protein.
Guar Gum Refined Split is refined
endosperm derived from guar seed or cluster bean (cyamoperm tetragonoloba). It is a non-ionic polysaccharide
galacomannan. Guar Gum Refined Split (Endosperm) is mechanically separated from
guar seed which yields 28-30% of Refined Split. Guar beans are harvested and
dried following the growing season. The beans are shelled from the pods, the
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to specification, bagged and marked. Guar Gum Split with its versatile inherent
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domain: chemistry


text:
[Jackie Braun] Å Greek for Beginners [lesotho PDF] Read Online ô aqqa.pro
[Jackie Braun] Å Greek for Beginners [lesotho PDF] Read Online ô 4 StarsChallenges AMMP Fairy Tale Spell Out G in Ugly Duckling B Bluebeard AMMP Cinderella s Team Week 6 Task read a book with a wedding in it Pass the Parcel Round 10 Week 1 read a book set in Europe Usually we have greeks as total Alphas with sheer dominance in characters, Nick here is a man comfortable in his own skin, he gets what he wants, but only if he has worked for it Darcie is his complimentary other half Both have a sense of humor that has one enjoying thoroughly and we get to laugh over their witty conversations Their journey in this book is a journey one would want to go through themselves.
My first book by this author and I loved it I did not want to put it down Can t wait to readby her. I really enjoyed this book Nick is not the alpha male, but he is gentle and kind and I like it how he and Darcy slowly develop their relationship. Greece and romance How can I not like a book after that This book was really fun Humorous with some drama and emotional twists I really enjoyed the characters Nick and Darcie were both well developed and easy to root for And the ending was very satisfying, too. Quick romance read This was recommended to me by my sister because she said once you got into it, you couldn t put it down She was right The words were so easy that you had read like 30 pages before you noticed I liked the chemistry between the two main characters and the little life lesson about being in love no matter the length of the relationship. I got this as a read and return at the library without knowing who she was and will now definitely readby this author Adorable Perfectly light sweet listen while on a long hike with the dogs Lovely narration. Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta That S Just About The Extent Of Darcie Hayes S Greek Before She Touches Down In Athens, Ready To Put Her Troubles Behind Her And Indulge In A Little Sun, Sea, Sightseeing And Er Flirtation But When Nick Costas, Modern Day Adonis, Saves Her From A Con Man, She Begins To Think There Might Be To Greece Than Meets The Eye Nick Is Perfectly Happy With His Single Status, But Meeting Darcie Makes Him Wonder If Falling In Love Really Would Be The Worst Thing In The World Is Nick Actually Considering Pushing This Thing With Darcie Past The Beginners Stage And On To Advanced Excellent book The honeymoon from hell When Darcie arrives in Greece for her honeymoon trip by herself, her life continues to crumble She called off the wedding two weeks previous, and while her ex got the condo and the Satan s spawn cat, she got the cheap honeymoon trip Although she s supposed to be met at the airport by the tour guide, she is only met by a sexy guys stare across the crowd and then everyone leaves but her. Turns out her tour guide is somewhere wearing off last nights party and not good for any of the non refundable money Lucky for Darcie, sexy stranger appears at her side a little later and rescues her from a bad situation Nick is in Athens for his brothers wedding The brother who is marrying the girl that Nick thought he would marry one day Needless to say there are hurt feelings and forgiveness is not in the picture But as Nick spends time with Darcie, taking things
After graduating from Central Michigan University with a degree in journalism, Jackie Braun worked at newspapers for nearly 17 years, 11 of those years as an award winning editorial writer for The Flint Journal in Michigan, where she was also the first female editorial writer in the newspaper s history.She sold her first book to Silhouette Romance in late 1999 and started writing under the Harlequ


text: JTF (just the facts): Published in 2019 by MACK Books (here). Hardcover, 88 pages, with 46 black and white images made between 2016 and 2018. Includes 50 reproductions of newspaper clippings (drawn from the Amherst Bulletin 2014-2018) and a poem by Emily Dickinson. (Cover and spread shots below.)... Read on.


text:
One of the most popular LED indoor gardens around, AeroGarden’s Harvest, is currently $50 off.
The kit uses 20W lights and a water base (instead of soil) to grow up to six plants at a time. The lamp arm is extendable, which allows the plants to reach a max height of a foot. Backlit buttons will remind you when to add more water, and the machine will shut itself off when it needs to conserve energy. In other words, you can’t mess this up, no matter how may plants you’ve led to untimely deaths over the years.

domain: agronomy


text:
American, R&B pop princess Fantasia lived up to her top billing at the sold out “Voices In Concert” held recently at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York.
“Fantasia came, saw and conquered tonight” said event organizer George Crooks, Jammins Events. “We are just thrilled that we had the opportunity to present such a memorable performance of her in the tri-state area,” he said.
When the Idol winner hit the stage at close to 11:00 p.m. with her band in tow, excitement broke out in anticipation of the tasty musical treat that fans were to receive. The singer, who announced she was mourning the passing of her grandmother quickly composed herself and for the next 60 minutes, engaged fans with classic hits like “Lose To Win,” “Free Yourself,” “Ain’t Gon’ Beg You” “Bitter Sweet” and “Baby Making Hips” that were warmly received. Midway in her set she even made her way off stage and into the press/VIP area so she could better interact with fans. This simple act was a winning move that may have earned her a permanent place in the hearts of music lovers in the house.
Voice season 5 winner Tessanne Chin was also in fine nick, displayed stunning vocal range at her first major performance in Brooklyn. The Jamaican reggae, soul, pop queen served up a tasty musical treat, including her first hit single “Hideaway,” “Anything’s Possible,” “Underneath It All,” “You Got What I Need,” “Redemption Song” and “Try” for the 3,000 plus fans who were there to see her perform. Midway in her set she earned a rousing ovation after a riveting, spine chilling rendition of Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” that was perfectly executed.
These two phenomenal artist are just the kick off to Jammins Events upcoming concert series. Look out for a Mother’s Day Weekend you ca n not miss as on Saturday, May 9 it is the O’Jays, Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes and special guest Glen Jones; Sunday, May 10 it is the King of Soca – Machel Montano, Angela Hunte & Friends; and on Saturday, Aug. 1 it is the Lover’s Rocker himself, Beres Hammond and Jamaica Reggae/Jazz legend Monty Alexander.

domain: celebrity


text:
By: Dr. Richard A. Bartle
From: New York Law School Law Review. 2004/2005, Vol. 49 Issue 1, p19-44. 26p.
EBSCO link (requires registration)
legal professionals; judges
To explain how virtual world economies work so that “legal experts may be better informed in their deliberations”. (p. 20)
To persuade judges that designers deserve the right to act upon their virtual worlds with complete authority, according to the End User License Agreement (EULA), and to protect the entirety of the virtual world from individuals who would use the legal system to their own benefit.
Bartle’s paper explicitly states:
At the moment, virtual worlds are regulated by a set of industry “standards,” or design principles, unilaterally imposed by their developers. This paper seeks to describe what these design principles are, why they can to be, and what would happen were they to be weakened.” (p. 19)
The main issue at hand is the commodification of virtual items by third parties and the game developers ability to deal with users in accordance with their EULA. Basically, if you purchase a sword inside of World of Warcraft (or a similar virtual world) by spending real money on eBay, and that sword is made worthless because of a patch made down the line, then you should not be allowed to sue the developers for having your “property” devalued.
Bartle defends developers’ rights to add, subtract, divide, and multiply their game’s virtual worlds because they understand what is best for the overall game world even if it hurts a few (or a few thousand) players.
“Virtual world administrators have absolute control over their world vested in the mechanics of that world. As long as this design principle is respected, administrators can protect the game conceit.” (p. 27)
Hampering the progress of a minority of players will no doubt suck for them, but if the developers can’t change the game, then it will ruin the game for everyone.
“If virtual world designers were unable to make changes to their virtual world, that world would become stale, dated, dominated by exploits and its gameplay would become completely disjointed.” (p. 27)
“Virtual world administrators cannot please all their players all the time, no matter how fair they try to be.” (p. 30)
Since Bartle’s overt thesis is:
“This paper makes no argument for or against these virtual world design principles from a legalistic point of view; it merely states the way things work now, so that legal experts may be better informed in their deliberations.” (p. 20)
then Bartle is clearly trying to prevent laws from protecting the user in favor of developers. This might sound treacherous to the people who play these games (i.e. you and me), but most of the paper explains the history of the very game design principles that are in modern games.
Bartle splits the essay into the following hierarchy:
“MUD (‘Multi-User Dungeon’) was the world’s first virtual world, although we [Richard Bartle & Roy Trubshaw] did not know that at the time.” (p. 20)
- The Vision
“I always knew what virtual world promised: freedom. Freedon to do, to be, to realize.” (p. 22)
- The Game Conceit
“[…]some freedoms must be willingly given up for a time in order that new freedoms can be experienced during that time.” (p. 23)
“Changes to a virtual world affect different characters (and hence different players) in different ways.” (p. 28)
“Players must feel that they are advancing, that the advancement is worthwhile, and that there is some definite goal that indicates they have ‘won.'” (pp. 30-31)
- The Game Conceit
“The game conceit, freedom to evolve, and support of a hero’s journey—without all three of these fundamental characteristics, a virtual world is greatly diminished if not mortally wounded.” (p. 34)
- Playing by the Rules
“[…]a virtual object is only what it is because the designer makes it so. Take away the designer’s ability to make it so, and it ceases to be what it was.” (p. 36)
- There’s One Born Every Minute
“[…]every change to a virtual word has some effect that will impact one player less advantageously than another. If that player can call upon the law for compensation, so can someone else for some other change. The overall effect is to remove the designer’s freedom to change their world however they deem necessary. The result is that virtual worlds will not evolve.” (p. 37)
“Bill Gates could be the world champion high jumper if he wanted to be. All he has to do is go to the current world champion high jumper and buy his world record off him. Once he has got it, maybe he can persuade the courts to prevent other people from attempting to beat it because that would be stealing.” (p. 39)
- Playing by the Rules
“If virtual worlds are to continue to astound us, to fill us with wonder, to allow us to be who we really are, these threads of similarity [the fundamental characteristics that separate virtual worlds from reality] must be protected—cherished even.” (p. 44)
Bartle’s essay is long because he’s riding a fine line; if he heads into the job of a game designer, he risks antagonizing video gamers. If he argues too much on the side of the developer and not the consumer, his argument is one-sided and won’t convince the legal professionals he lists as his target audience (keep in mind that this article was published in a law journal). By giving his history as a creator and explaining how developers are ultimately looking out for the game’s world, he puts himself on the side of the vast majority of players who aren’t breaking the written or unwritten game rules. By situating himself as a person who enjoys virtual worlds (“They’re not games, they’re places./And I still want to go there.”) then he demonstrates empathy as a player himself. (p. 44)
Obviously, the essay can be used to defend those who are seeking legal action against developers for changing their game.
Game Rules: Written vs. Unwritten
Bartle gives a great explanation for how game rules work.
In an example about people playing the board game Clue, Bartle describes a scenario where one player bribes another, with real world money, to see her cards and gain an unfair advantage in the game.
“Although there are no written rules in Clue about bribery, there are, nevertheless, unwritten rules that say this kind of activity stops a game from being a game.” (p. 24)
The idea of written and unwritten rules applies to all games, multiplayer or singleplayer, but can even get into concepts of “griefers”, who enter game worlds with their own goals of annoying, furstrating, or confusing other players. (source)
“They argued that in computer games it was the program, not the players, that defined the rules. Only the code could dictate what they did.” (p. 26)
The “They” above refers to, essentially, “griefers” in Bartle’s MUD.
Griefing is defined by Warner and Raiter as:
“Intentional harassment of other players […] which utilizes aspects of the game structure or physics in unintended ways to cause distress for other players.” 1
This represents griefing as an inherently malicious act. However one could argue how, using these ideas, games can be “griefed” for other reasons, such as bug-testing, creative gameplay conceits, or adaptation. EVE Online is a great example of how communities adapt to griefing.
“Anything the virtual world lets its players do, they can indeed do.” (p. 26)
Goals: Conflict & Resolution
“I always knew what virtual worlds promised: freedom. Freedom to do, to be, to realize.” (p. 22)
Along with Bartle’s Test of Gamer Psychology, this essay can more closely identify the reasons people play games and what different personalities are trying to get from the experience.
“Virtual worlds are not games, but they use the game conceit—that some freedoms must be willingly given up for a time in order that new freedoms can be experienced during that time.” (p. 23)
If games are about giving up control in order to gain other freedoms, then we can look at how people view their own free will in social contexts.
For anymore potential uses, or to list other relevant sources or uses of this page, please leave a friendly comment in the spirit of sharing.
featured image “Jury” by Eric Molinski from CALI Flickr page licensed under Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike 2.0
- Warner, D. & Raiter, M. (2005). “Social Context in Massively-Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs): Ethical Questions in Shared Space”. International Review of Information Ethics. vol 4. (12/2005). ↩

domain: game


text:
I can’t decide which is more devastating - leaving guests hungry or wasting perfectly good food because you cooked too much. There may be no right answer to this dilemma, but there is a solution. That solution is menu planning, a skill used by all chefs and all caterers that we, home cooks, often forget about.
We’re wary to inform you, this technique does involve taking notes and doing a bit of math. But it can really help in determining the right amount of food for every gathering, so those who stick to it will benefit tremendously.
Things to Consider Before Planning a Menu
Being a good party host means knowing to cater to every guest and every occasion. Usually, it all boils down to the following five things:
- The number of guests. This one’s pretty straightforward, and we explain how to calculate food per person a bit later.
- The time of day. People always eat and drink more in the evening than during the day. You’re expected to serve something substantial at evening dinners, whereas a party at night or at lunchtime is usually limited to appetizers and light snacks.
- Food restrictions - make sure to ask your guests if there are any foods they avoid or prefer. This may be tougher for larger gatherings, so in this case, it’s crucial to add some vegetarian, non-dairy, and gluten-free options, etc.
- The guests’ age dictates more than just the cocktail menu. For example, kids generally eat half the amount of an adult, so the age range also influences the quantity of food.
- The length of the gathering. A quick one-hour brunch will most likely involve drinks, snacks, and an optional light dessert, but a 3-4 hour long sit-down dinner will require a lot more sustenance, and certainly, a few courses.
Food and Drink Calculation Made Easy
In this section, we list all the specifics, namely the precise quantities of drinks and foods to calculate for each guest. All you need to do is multiply the quantities by the number of guests expected at your party. For your convenience, we organized the food and drinks into clear sections.
Setting up a well-stocked bar is easier than you think! Here are the general guidelines:
Nonalcoholic drinks - aim for about 2 drinks per guest for the first hour and 1 drink for each following hour. An average two-liter bottle of soda contains 10 eight-ounce servings, and beverages available in gallon containers will have 16 servings. So, for a three-hour gathering of six guests, you’ll need around two bottles of soda or a little over one gallon-sized bottle of juice.
Alcohol - expect each guest to drink at least 1 alcoholic beverage in an hour. If you’re serving beer, the quantity may rise by up to 2 bottles per hour. When calculating the number of bottles to get for a party, use this as guidance:
- 1 750-ml bottle of wine or champagne = 5 glasses
- 1 750-ml bottle of liquor = 15 mixed drinks.
This means that for a 3-hour party of 5 people, you’ll need around 15 strong drinks - either 3 bottles of wine or 1 bottle of liquor with mixers. For longer gatherings, you can decrease the amount of alcohol by a little, as guests will likely start drinking less after a few hours.
Ice - the general rule is 1/2 pound (1 cup) of ice per cocktail. Calculate the number of drinks first, and then divide it by half to get the amount of ice needed in pounds. So, for our imaginary scenario above, we’d aim for 7-8 pounds of ice.
Charcuterie - a meat and cheese platter is a hit at most parties, and it’s ridiculously easy to set up too. Calculate around 2 ounces of cheese and 1-2 ounces of meat per guest. Every person should also get at least 4-6 crackers or small pieces of bread. You can eyeball things like condiments and nuts, and top up as needed.
Appetizers - 6 pieces of snacks like Deviled Eggs or Arancini for one person when preceding a meal OR 6 pieces per guest every hour when serving only appetizers. Anticipate the crowd's favorite and serve it in the middle. This way, everyone will get to enjoy it. For example, appetizers with fish and seafood always tend to vanish the fastest at our home, so I avoid serving them when the guests are either very hungry or full.
Chips, nuts, pretzels, olives, etc. - 1/2 to a full cup per guest should be plenty to keep guests going between meals, and best of all, they require no extra preparation.
Bread - fresh bread creates a cozy and inviting atmosphere on every table and can fill every hungry stomach, even when you’re a bit low on the main course. Aim for at least 1-2 slices of bread per person.
Main meal - no matter the number of dishes, aim to offer about 1.5 servings per person. If you're preparing a selection of dishes, you can decrease the serving size a bit. Still, it's good to have enough for everyone to be able to sample each dish. The general rule is to decrease the portion size by 1-2 ounces if served alongside other main dishes.
Listed below are approximate quantities for common types of main courses:
- Sandwiches - 1.5 per person
- Meat or fish - 6 ounces per person
- Roast chicken - one bird feeds 4 people, assuming it’s served with a side
- Green salad (without dressing) - 1 ounce, or about 1 cup per guest
- Vegetables - 4 ounces, or about 6-10 pieces per person
- Pasta - 2 ounces as a side, 4 ounces in the main dish
- Potatoes - 2-3 medium potatoes (or 4-5 small ones) per person. Guests always eat more potatoes than you’d think, so make sure to make extra.
- Rice and other grains; beans and other legumes - 1.5 ounces for one person when served as a side or 2 ounces per guest in the main course (e.g. risotto).
Approximate about one serving of dessert per person, or maybe a bit more for those with a sweet tooth:
- 1 1/2 cupcakes per person
- 3 cookies per guest
- 1 slice of cake, tart, or pastry - one nine-inch layer cake has 10-12 slices, whereas one pie of the same size will only serve 6-8 people.
- 1/2 cup of creamy desserts (e.g. pudding, mousse, or ice cream) for every guest
- 1/2 cup of peeled fruit per person.
Related article: Your Next Dinner Hosting Will Be a Breeze With These Tips
A Few Final Menu Planning Tips
1. It’s better to have a bit more food and drinks than too little, so make sure to round up and never down when shopping for ingredients.
2. People eat less at a buffet than at a sit-down dinner - about 1/3 less, to be more precise.
3. At a buffet, guests will want to taste every dish, so it’s good to have a bit more variety but smaller portions.
4. Mix and match filling and light dishes, as some guests will be starving, and others may not be very hungry. A variety of dishes can accommodate both.
5. When planning the main course, choose a star piece (usually the protein) and fillers (usually the side dish and things like bread). You’ll need less of the former and an abundance of the latter.
6. Consider the presentation - make sure that there is color variety in food that will be served side by side.
7. Our last tip is “don’t stress it.” If people agreed to come to your place, they’re more interested in you than the diversity and complexity of the menu. Try to relax and enjoy the party!