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NEW YORK — When reporters from The New Yorker, “NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams,” “Good Morning America,” The Associated Press and, yes, The Washington Post have all convened at one event, it must be important. An appearance by the president. A news conference about dignified matters, with plenty of throat-clearing and questions. Something worthy of those camera crews schlepping pounds of gear.
Nope! It’s puppies, 63 of them — the stars of Animal Planet’s ninth annual Puppy Bowl. Journalists spent two days writing about puppies and taking video of other people taking video of puppies.
Come Sunday, many more will be tweeting about those puppies. And here those puppies are, being discussed in a five-page Web article and many column inches of paper that several trees died for.
Many people may roll their eyes.
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But the rest will eat it up, because puppies — these puppies especially — are so very cute. So cute that in the nine years since the Puppy Bowl first graced our screens, adorable has become a television genre, an Internet phenomenon and a cash cow for both. Cute cannot be dismissed.
And thank goodness it wasn’t in 2005, when Animal Planet executives greenlighted a crazy idea: Film puppies playing football as counterprogramming to the Super Bowl. And now they are reaping the rewards: The Puppy Bowl attracts a larger audience every year, with 2012’s show attracting 8.7 million unique total viewers during the 12-hour marathon.
It was the highest day of Web traffic ever for Animalplanet.com, with 5.5 million page views and 1.4 million videos streamed. It also ranked No. 1 for social television in cable last year, and according to AdWeek, ad revenue is up 19 percent over last year. This year, for the first time, Geico bought the naming rights to the Puppy Bowl stadium.
And before it did all of that, the Puppy Bowl inspired an entire online ecosystem of cute. It got its start two years before “I Can Has Cheezburger?,” the chronicler of LOLcats, became an Internet brand. Since then, cute websites have only multiplied. Cute Overload. Zooborns. Reddit’s “Aww” section. Buzzfeed. The Daily Puppy. The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee. Cute Roulette. The Fluffington Post. Caturday. That’s just to name a few, and does not include the genuine animal celebrities, like Boo, the furball of a Pomeranian who has plush toys in his own image and a book, or Maru, the box-loving Japanese cat who has starred in hundreds of YouTube videos.
“People caught on and got smart with the cuteness,” says Puppy Bowl executive producer Melinda Toporoff, who also produces “Dogs 101” and “Cats 101,” two Animal Planet shows that could best be described as “cute porn” for the way cameras linger in slow motion over the most adorable specimens of every breed.
Yes, all this over a bunch of puppies rolling around in a stadium-shape box.
New role for hedgehogs
The two-day Puppy Bowl taping begins not with puppies, but with hedgehogs. They’ve been cast as cheerleaders this year, a role previously filled by bunnies and piglets.
Showtime. The hedgehog owners cluster around greenroom TV monitors to watch their pets with the anxiousness of stage parents.
“Come on, baby,” one woman whispers.
“I think she’s pretty photogenic,” says another.
On the field, the hedgehogs do not take to their cheerleader outfits, which more closely resemble ballerina costumes with their pink tulle. It’s about six seconds before they wriggle out of them and head to the end zone buck-naked. The critters are proving more difficult than anticipated, and not just because they’ve stripped off their clothes.
“This one’s a biter,” a volunteer says, pulling one hedgehog off the field. Hedwig quills up. His owner frets that the males will start to fight or mate. “Hedwig’s after the female,” she says.
There is screeching, and as predicted, a skirmish.
“Fight! It’s the white one!” a crew member shouts.
There is a foul on the field. Kleenex are summoned. The 69-person crew breaks for lunch.
Twenty-one kittens arrive for the “Kitty Halftime Show,” and by 2 p.m., the room is totally blissed-out on fluff. Volunteers and crew are holding two to three kittens at a time. This is partly out of necessity: Some kittens are scaling the wire walls of their topless enclosures to make a break for it. But it’s mostly because, awwwww, they are kittehs, in the language of the cuteblogs.
The kittehs are placed on the set, outfitted with a circuslike jungle gym of scratching posts, hidy-holes, blowing tinsel, wagging toys, gyrating toys, rotating toys and a blast of catnip. Despite the performance-enhancing drugs, the cats are subdued.
Most of the cats are more interested in the camera than the toys.,For the grand finale, a glittering rain of confetti blows onto the set, bewildering the cats and settling on the backs of the camera staff.
After 45 minutes of filming, the kittens are getting tired.
“They’re so adorable,” coos one volunteer.
There have been other attempts at offering counterprogramming during the Super Bowl, the most-watched TV event of the year, but none have persevered like Puppy Bowl. Even the Lingerie Bowl, which aired on pay-per-view, was only staged for three Super Bowls (2004 to 2006).
How do you make cute even cuter without being too cute? That’s the challenge for Animal Planet each year.
“It’s hard not to want to keep adding other cute elements to this,” said Toporoff. “It’s more about pulling it back in and figuring out which one are we going to go with. There are just so many cute fuzzy things out there.”
This year’s new cute element, the hedgehogs, are not very fuzzy. The Puppy Bowl has experimented with hamsters operating a blimp camera, and Meep, a cockatiel who “tweets” sideline commentary. This year they’ll also add a postgame hot tub; who can resist shots of puppies shaking off?
The producers have become experts at using technology to evoke awws. The water-bowl camera, capturing tiny lapping tongues and the occasional puppy falling in, has become a mainstay. New this year are super-high-speed cameras that create slow-motion shots of puppies running, ears flopping everywhere. They’ve also attached a camera to a hockey stick to catch action close-ups. Some dogs mistake the stick for a toy and bite at it, which is probably even cuter.
Once the 90 hours of footage from 15 cameras are pared down and edited, Animal Planet social-media manager Grace Suriel, 29, picks which cute moments will be the most talked about, so she can tweet them as Meep to build buzz. On game day, she responds to as many fans as possible and retweets their best quips.
Suriel, who has worked for Animal Planet for five years, says she remembers the first year Twitter became a crucial part of the Puppy Bowl strategy. In 2009, the show featured a streaker — a hairless Chinese crested — that ran across the field.
“ ‘Streaker’ trended right away,” she said, “and that’s when it really hit me — we have arrived in the pop-culture world.”
Last year, the introduction of Meep earned 21,000 followers in one day. Other than the human Super Bowl, of course, Suriel says, the Puppy Bowl was the most-tweeted event that day — 270,000 tweets — and the subject of four trending topics, beating out “The Voice.” Every year, the Puppy Bowl has broken records on Animalplanet.com.
“It sounds silly to even say this out loud, but it’s so hard to break into cute these days,” says Suriel. “There are so many — between Maru and Boo and all these animal celebrities, it’s crazy.”
Puppies are winners
The Internet has eaten cute like kibble ever since the first set of paws hit the Puppy Bowl AstroTurf.
“People take it more seriously than any of us do,” said Dan Schachner, who plays the referee. “I’ve gotten tweets from fans who were like, ‘No, that wasn’t technically a holding call, or a face mask — he didn’t put the paws on that puppy’s snout.’ ”
Of course, the calls and the rules and the playbooks are all a big joke. No matter who you cheer for in the Puppy Bowl, puppies always win.
“If you had to really write it down, the only hard-and-fast rule is that the chew toy needs to be dragged into the end zone,” says Schachner. “That’s it. It doesn’t matter what direction. It doesn’t matter how it’s dragged there. It could even be by accident. That’s a touchdown.”
Still, Schachner takes his role seriously. To prepare, he watches YouTube videos of animals playing sports. He comes up with one-liners for new penalties, such as “Illegal retriever downfield.” (Sorry, goldens.) He refers to the day’s other game as “human football.”
The biggest challenge of the two days of taping? “To watch where I step,” he said.
Nearly every surface of the studio is covered in absorbent pet pads on day two, when the 63 puppies arrive, escorted by volunteers from more than 20 shelters and rescue societies from across the country.
Animal adoption is the Puppy Bowl’s mission, and all dogs and cats on the show are available for adoption, though all but four will have found happy homes by the time of this story’s publication. Some shelters have built relationships with the show and give their dogs football-inspired names. Ana Bustilloz, of the Los Angeles SPCA, brought Blitz, a terrier mix, whom she hoped would follow in the footsteps of Fumble, last year’s Puppy Bowl MVP. “We’re hoping for magic twice,” she said, “but she’s shy.”
When the puppies are let loose with countless stimuli — a dozen toys in all shapes and sizes, new playmates all around and a small brigade of humans with shiny cameras and pockets full of treats, they don’t know where to begin. Copper, a dachshund, licks a camera hidden in a toy. Mickey, a shepherd mix, jumps up to chew the wires on a jib camera. Other puppies try to wriggle through the portholes where the camera lenses poke through a plexiglass wall. Suddenly, Agatha scores a touchdown.
“Congrats, Agatha! Small in stature, large in skill,” Schachner mugs for the cameras.
The entire production is supervised by Sandi Buck, a representative from the Humane Society’s film and television division, who ensures that the dogs, cats and hedgehogs are faring well. When the cats get too hyperactive or the puppies play too rough, she’ll swoop in for a substitution, giving the animals a timeout.
But at some point, when confronted by so much cuteness — two days of squishy faces and wagging tails and bellies to rub — cute becomes banal.
Especially to the woman who has to clean it up. Call a foul in the Puppy Bowl, and the ref has to stop the players from rolling in it.
“I don’t know why, but everyone else refused to do this job,” said Jessi Baden-Campbell, the unlucky line producer for Discovery Studios, as she stepped onto the 10-by-19-foot “field” with cleaning solution in hand. She may be the busiest person in the Puppy Bowl. In minutes her services are needed again.
“We’ve got a puker!” calls out a cameraman.
“Someone made a touchdown right here!” calls out another, using a euphemism for a moment you probably won’t see on TV.
On Twitter, debates will break out about which player is cutest. There are dachshunds and basset-dachshund mixes that fall asleep on top of each other on the field. There is Elias, a pit bull from Los Angeles, who has a perfect spot over his right eye and big, clumsy paws that he has yet to grow into.
But if you go by Schachner’s officiating, it’s clear which puppies may take the prize for cuteness. He calls a penalty for “excessive cuteness,” on three snuggling morkies (Maltese-Yorkie mixes) that are the most adorable things to have ever lived. They look like canine descendants of Swiffers.
“That’s a 10-yard penalty,” rules Schachner. “You know what? Fifteen-yard penalty. It’s that cute.”


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This week hundreds of activists are gathering to protest the anti-gay teachings of the Southern Baptist Church at itsnational convention in New Orleans.
Many of the activists are members of Soulforce, an interfaith coalition committed to waging nonviolent resistance toliberate sexual minorities from the anti-gay practices and teachings of the mainline churches.
The founder of Soulforce, Mel White, was a former film maker and speech writer for Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell,Billy Graham, and Ollie North who struggled to reconcile his homosexuality with his Christian faith. In 1993 he cameout of the closet and became Dean of the Cathedral of Hope Metropolitan Community Church in Dallas, Texas, thenation’s largest gay-lesbian congregation.
He left to start Soulforce in 1999. Mel is author of the book ??Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay and Christian inAmerica.
- Mel White, founder of Soulforce.
Mel White gave the following sermon, “Why We Can’t Wait,” last year at Riverside Church in Manhattan, shortly beforethe national meeting of the United Methodist Church in Cleveland. More than 200 activists from 24 states, includingthe grandson of Arun Gandhi, were arrested at the Methodist’s meeting protesting the Church’s anti-gay practices
- Mel White, “Why We Can’t Wait,” at the Riverside Church in New York on February 13, 2000.

domain: sociology


MEINHARD DIHEN Direct Injection Nebulizers
MEINHARD's® Direct Injection High Efficiency Nebulizers (DIHEN) use the HEN nozzle design in a nebulizer which operates within the plasma torch at the base of the plasma. As a result, 100% of the sample is transported to the plasma.
100% Transport Efficiency/Specialty Applications
The DIHEN are designed to operate a lower sample flow (less than 300 uL/min) with a smaller gas cross-section to obtain higher nebulizing gas velocity, smaller droplets, and the most signal from the smallest volume of sample. The carrier backpressure is 90 psi (620 kPa), 120 psi (830 kPa), 150 psi (1030 kPa), or 170 psi (1200 kPa). In order to ensure that maximum gas velocity is obtained, the operator should select the highest gas pressure with which he is comfortable working, or the highest pressure available for his instrumentation. The complement to gas velocity is a reduction in liquid flow to less than 300 uL/min, where < 100 uL/min is most commonly used with the MEINHARD DIHEN.
Typically, DIHEN are manufactured in borosilicate glass nebulizers for many routine sample types in ICPMS.
If you are needing the quartz version, please contact us for more information.
To order DIHEN Direct Injection Nebulizers online, click on the name of the nebulizer below (* designates multiple options available).
|Part No||Description||Type / Material|
|Glass DIHEN (*)||MEINHARD DIHEN Glass Nebulizer||DIHEN / Glass|
|Various||Fluorocarbon Adapters (for various instruments)||Fluorocarbon|


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Not only can you travel to exotic and breathtaking locales, you can also do so in the lap of luxury.
Still your trip can be all the more luxurious if you’re in the know. There are several tips and tricks that you won’t hear from the cruise line that can help your getaway be all the more grand. Before you start planning your next (or first!) cruise, check out this list and make your trip is the savviest one ever!
1. Save On Booze By Bringing Your Own
Vacation is a time to enjoy yourself, but partaking of alcoholic treats on the ship can get expensive. The colorful and sweet drink deals-of-the-day may be tempting but there’s a better way to get your drink on!
Depending on the cruise line, there are specific rules allowing guests to bring spirits and wine on the boat. As long as it meets the guidelines, employees will check the alcohol for you and deliver it to your stateroom. You can then enjoy your libations in your room or while dining. You’ll also get much cheaper prices on drinks once in port, so if you’re looking to score a deal on alcoholic beverages, try a restaurant or bar on land and drink with the locals!
2. All-You-Can-Eat Really Means ALL
Dining on cruise ships offer guests food from around the world but sometimes the dishes are so tempting, it’s hard to pick just one. Luckily for cruisers, you don’t have to!
Besides the buffets, you can also eat in the main dining room for some upscale cuisine. Here you can order as much as you want! Say you want the lobster, flat-iron steak, AND the lasagna. You can have it all! You can also order off menu if one of your favorite dishes isn’t featured that night. Just make sure you leave room for dessert!
3. Save Big On Souvenirs
No trip would be complete without a keepsake to help you remember it by, but all that shopping can be pricey— especially if you’re looking to score souvenirs for your whole crew back home! Thankfully, there are ways to stock up on your swag without blowing your cruise budget.
The on-ship gift shops offer cool keepsakes, but they are typically pretty expensive. Shops in ports will have many of the same options that the on-ship shops do and with the same benefit of being tax and duty free. Also, towards the end of your cruise, those same products from the ship’s gift shops will be drastically reduced so that is the best time to swoop in and get your souvenirs.
4. Check Out The Hidden Space On Your Ship
Cruise ships can get crowded, especially if it’s during the cruising peak season. If you’re looking for a little privacy but want somewhere else to occupy besides your cabin, there are hidden treasures to discover among the decks of your ship.
Lower decks and areas in the back of the cruiser are often less crowded and are the perfect areas to check out for some privacy. Sunbathe on the Veranda or relax in one of the lounges during the daytime and you’ll find the quiet you’re looking for. Also, you may just find a secret corner that’s perfect for a romantic rendezvous with your boo.
5. Avoid The Mini Fridge Trap
Each cabin on the ship comes equipped with a fully stocked mini fridge but anyone who’s snacked on the contents of these fridges knows that the drinks and treats are a definite money pit. Avoid temptation by having your room’s steward remove the items all together.
Once empty, you can stock the fridge with your own goodies since cruise lines allow food and drinks to be brought on board as long as they are within the guidelines. Also, if you feel the need to nosh in your room, you can order from room service for free on pretty much every cruise line. Pizza in bed is much better than anything you’ll find in a mini fridge!
6. Always Book Through An Agent
Though the internet makes it easier to book things online, cruises are best booked with the help of agents. Whether it’s an individual agent, a trip adviser from a large firm, or a personal cruise planner with the cruise line, they can help you find better deals for a better cruise.
Large firms usually book rooms in bulk so they can offer discounts that you wouldn’t typically get from booking by yourself. If you book through an agent with your cruise company, they have insider deals that can offer discounts and upgrades, especially if you’re a return cruiser. When it comes to locking down your cruise, relax and let someone else do the work!
Keep these tips in mind the next time you take to the sea and you’ll be the savviest cruiser on your vacay! Bon voyage!

domain: travel


We have included a group of Site Accelerator Programs to your Web Site Control Panel that can assist you quickly optimize the overall effectiveness of your websites. You will not have to modify anything within the code or come up with special adjustments that demand technical knowledge on your part. Inside the Web Site Control Panel, only select the tool you need to make use of – Node.js, Memcached and Varnish and set up an instance for it. It is all finished with a click of the mouse. By accelerating your websites, you will not just stop your visitors from being forced to hold but also will make your website rank higher in search engine results.
You’ll find the Site Accelerator Programs in the Advanced Instruments area of your Web Site Control Panel.
RAM–storing as opposed to data base requests
Should you have a lively database–driven site or web app, it might have issues loading speedy for the site visitors as a result of the different requests delivered to the data base. To help you address the page loading problem, we’ve provided the Memcached system inside the Web Site Control Panel.
Memcached is known as a strong distributed memory caching system, which collects information as well as objects in the server’s memory to prevent the database from getting queried every time a visitor loads a selected web page. Using this method, your website pages will load quicker for visitors and definately will increase the chance for them to come back.
RAM–storing as an alternative to HTTP requests
There are various new ways to to quicken a site, but most of them need a designer to reword the code. Luckily, there are more straightforward tools for accelerating a web site, like the Varnish website accelerator included in our Web Site Control Panel.
Varnish is web application accelerator, which saves HTTP queries within the server RAM and sends them to the site visitor rather than waiting for the web server to return them. Checks indicate that putting into action Varnish on a site as well as a web app in most cases accelerates website speeds with a 300 – 1000x factor. Varnish can even be set up how to handle inward queries – if they need to be delivered by Varnish, by the server, and so on.
Produce scalable web apps without any problem
Node.js provides an advanced coding program for establishing flexible applications and sites in a short time span. It can be employed for just about everything – from managing API requests, streaming files and also parsing e–mails to converting graphics, music files, videos and office files.


Deep River (stylized as DEEP RIVER) is the third Japanese studio album (fourth overall) released by American-born Japanese J-pop star Hikaru Utada, released in June 19, 2002. It sold just over 2.35 million copies in its first week of release (much like the 2,026,870 units by First Love and 3,002,720 by Distance in their debut sales week), easily debuting at #1 on the weekly, monthly and eventually yearly charts of the Oricon Albums chart. Deep River is Japan's 5th highest album in debut sales.
The final track, "Hikari", would be her first single to reach #1 on the Oricon Weekly Singles chart three times, and would be the Japanese version of the theme song for Square Enix's smash hit RPG video game, Kingdom Hearts. The song has an English version, "Simple and Clean," that would accompany promotion of "Kingdom Hearts" in the Western Hemisphere and elsewhere. That song would give Utada's voice and music its first major mark of international recognition. The album was Utada's most acclaimed work to date by fans and critics alike, and earned her the Triple Crown at the 17th Golden Disc Awards. DEEP RIVER is the 8th highest selling album in Japan of all time.
According to IFPI the album is listed at #18 on the Top 50 Global Best Selling Albums for 2002


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Now celebrating its 24th year, “Art to the Avenue 2021” is vitally important to the 100 artists and the 35 merchants in Greenwich who are participating this year! Both benefit from many people visiting the Greenwich Avenue for the month of May to see the art in the stores, restaurants, and other businesses.
Each participating retailer had the opportunity to view and select through our online gallery the art work that will be displayed at their store. Soon after they made their choice, the retailers work with the artists directly to select the works that would be on display during the month of May in their location. This “match” is one of the signature aspects of GAC’s “Art to Avenue” that makes it like no other in the area.
Our artists are from all over Westchester, as well as from Connecticut as far up as Seymour and throughout the eastern part of the state.
Due to the pandemic, this year’s Art to the Avenue will be a little different and no parties will take place on opening day, yet we invite the public to enjoy the art in the participating stores as well as to visit a celebration exhibit in our Bendheim Gallery (by appointment) with all of the artists participating in this year’s event.
The Exhibition will be also virtual, for those who wish to view it from home.
Art to the Avenue will run in the participating retailers from May 6 through the 31, and in the Bendheim Gallery from May 6 to June 10. Please email [email protected] to schedule your visit.
Art to the Avenue is the signature event of The Greenwich Arts Council, it is the biggest arts festival in the area and perhaps best of all it continues through the end of May. People come to Greenwich from all over the Tri-State area to walk the streets, visit the stores, shop and view the wonderful art.
This year we will have the traditional “ART to the AVENUE MAP” online only, participating retailers will have a sign by their window with a QR code that will take you directly to this year’s Map. Additional information about this year’s event, can also be accessed through the website greenwichartscouncil.org
Of special importance for both viewers and the artists is that all the art work is for sale, with a portion of the sale benefiting the arts education programs of the GAC as well as the artists and this year more than ever, to help the sustainability of the Council, just like many other arts organizations, the Council has been greatly impacted by the pandemic. We thank you all for your support and we hope to see everyone walking up and down the streets to view the art throughout the month of May
For more information or to download a copy of this year’s map, visit: www.greenwichartscouncil.org or call 203.862.6750.

domain: artistic


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The Vocabulary Study section makes it convenient for students to look up the meanings of words and phrases highlighted in the reading passage.
The varied exercises in each workbook provide not only written work for students to do individually, but also oral discussions to be done among themselves. Workbooks 1 and 2 cover the following types of exercises:
• Vocabulary Building – an essential tool to reading.
• Read and Understand provides comprehension questions in True/False and MCQ formats, as well as open-ended questions to test students’ understanding of the passage.

domain: library


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NEW YEAR’S EVE BALL 2019/2020 at the Wąsosz Palace! From 350 zł /osView More
In the heart of an extremely picturesque and one of the most ecological places in Poland – Drawskie Lake District, you will find a unique place combining history, family passion with the close contact with pure nature.
Elegant interiors of the Neo-Gothic Wąsosz Palace create a beautiful background for family celebrations, business meetings, training sessions and conferences.
Our accommodation offer, excellent conference and restaurant facilities create ideal conditions for meetings with family or business partners.


Jordan Henderson is struggling at the moment with an injury to his calf, which kept him out of the FA Cup defeat to Wolves.
This is according to Chris Bascombe in the Telegraph, who suggests our captain may not be able to take the field at the Amex against Brighton tomorrow.
For us, Hendo was a certainty to start in midfield alongside Gini Wijnaldum, likely in a double pivot which would enable Xherdan Shaqiri, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah to make up the front four.
Fabinho is filling in at centre-back due to injuries to Dejan Lovren, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip, so if Henderson cannot play, the two options are James Milner and Naby Keita.
For us, Milner is enduring a poor run of form and away to Brighton, there seems no reason not to start our Guinean – who’s so far only been able to show flashes of the brilliance he undeniably possesses.
We hope if the skipper isn’t ready, Jurgen Klopp will back his big money summer signing.


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Caxino Casino can be accessed from both the computer and the mobile. Payment methods include both e-wallets and credit cards. The fastest player Trustly is of course for you who prefer that way of paying. For questions and concerns, you can contact Caxino Casino live chat or send an e-mail. No Caxino Bonus is available at the moment. What does it do when Caxino Casino has invested fully in creating a good online casino with cool games and nice design.

domain: entertainment


text: I did a photo series on playgrounds a year or so ago. I specifically searched out the playgrounds of my youth, you know, the kinds with rusty metal and peeling lead paint. Believe it or not, they still exist…although very hard to find. I find them somewhat surreal, yet very beautiful. Maybe it’s because they remind me of my youth. Maybe it’s because they have character that the molded plastic play pieces of today lack. Either way, rusty metal and lead paint aside, we loved them. And survived to tell about it.


A look into Taiwan’s fascinating food culture
“Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are,” wrote 19th century gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. So it is that I find myself in Taiwan, the home of bubble tea and instant noodles, the world’s lowest fertility rates and highest math scores, in a quest to eat my way to a better understanding of this intriguing island nation.
I begin my mission in the shadow of Taipei 101, at the 2017 Taiwan Culinary Exhibition. There, amongst Papuan warriors in full face paint, an avalanche of colorfully wrapped pineapple cakes and 800 raucous exhibitors, I meet up with Ms. Lee Mei, Director of the Department of Commerce. “Taiwanese food is just so unique, inherited from traditional Chinese cuisine with a touch of Japanese influences and using local ingredients very creatively”, she says. When pressed for her top three dishes that every visitor should try, she responds rather surprisingly with braised pork over rice, beef noodles and rice porridge—some of the humblest, simplest comfort food around.
Once voted the top food destination on the planet in a somewhat controversial 2015 CNN reader poll beating out the likes of Italy, Japan and France, I have a feeling there’s more to Taiwan’s food scene than just bubble tea and rice porridge, evidenced by the USD2.3 billion that tourists spent on food here last year. As a guest of the “Old Restaurant Story Marketing Program” organized by the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Economic Affairs, I set off on a two-city, three-day, 10-restaurant whirlwind culinary tour of Taiwan to see what this little-known cuisine has to offer.
Children of the Sweet Potato
The tuber-shaped island of Taiwan has a total area of just over 36,000 sq km, putting it somewhere between Belgium and the Netherlands in size. Dominated by five rugged mountain ranges in the east, 90 percent of the population lives on the island’s west side, leaving less than a quarter of the island for farming. Even so, subtropical Taiwan proves true to its moniker of “Ilha Formosa” or “Beautiful Island,” a name given to the heavily forested island by Portuguese sailors in the mid 16th century, which now produces a cornucopia of tea, fruits, vegetables and more rice than its citizens can eat.
In Taichung, Taiwan’s third largest city, we stop in at Giverny’s Kitchen, a small, cheery restaurant decorated in old-timey clocks and French country aesthetics. Open for 23 years, it’s dominated by a massive chef’s table with a built-in range where Chef Yang cooks everything to order as diners crowd around. We sip on red cabbage juice with pineapple, apple and lemon while he carries on a running commentary on what he’s doing—sous viding the duck breast to seal in the moisture, flash cooking mushrooms to retain their flavor and steaming shrimp in a dash of white wine. “We’re all about teaching our customers about ingredients and cooking techniques,” says owner Debbie Lo. Modern life is busy, so people got used to adding MSG and instant seasoning to food, but I think we’re in the middle of a food revolution. People now want to know what they’re eating,” she says as she delicately arranges baby corn, panfried salmon and sweet potato chips onto a plate. “Taiwan produces such beautiful products that you don’t need to add a lot of heavy sauces and spices. Just let the real flavors come through.”
Surrounded by water, Taiwan is also blessed with an abundance of seafood thanks to a healthy industry of distant water fishing and aquaculture. The country manages to export USD2 billion of seafood per year, even after its residents consume 35 kg of fish and seafood per person, almost twice the global average. At Taichung Dan Zai Noodles, a seafood restaurant and banquet hall started by two brothers 30 years ago, we’re greeted by a gigantic display of freshly caught seafood packed in ice. Soon, dishes begin streaming to the table, a showcase of local products including pan-seared scallops and steamed local abalone in tomato sauce, followed by ponyfish, of which Taiwan has one of the richest concentrations in the world, steamed with salted plum infusing the firm, flavorful flesh with a sweet-sour punch.
At our next stop, Shian Yuan Seafood Restaurant, all of Taiwan’s bounty is again on display. Opened in 2002, the restaurant began as a Chinese herbal soup shop but now specializes in seafood and other Taiwanese products. We feast on sea bass soup with pickled baby watermelon, a by-product pruned from the vine and often pickled when there’s more than one fruit, along with a ridiculously pretty seafood salad showcasing the colors and flavors of Taiwan including strawberries, candied radishes, asparagus and squid. Even scrambled eggs get a makeover when topped with locally-sourced abalone and crab meat. For dessert, we enjoy pineapple cheesecake, a deliciously creamy nod to Taiwan’s famed pineapple cakes which became popular in the early 1970s when the country was the world’s leading pineapple producer. Local bakers used surplus fruit to make a jam-like filling for shortbread cakes, now one of Taiwan’s bestselling souvenirs.
One Day, Every Week
With 13 percent of its population claiming to be vegans or vegetarians, Taiwan has one of the highest vegetarian rates in the world. Partly due to a syncretic mix of Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism and traditional bai-bai ancestral worship, many islanders refrain from eating meat, with some also abstaining from strong foods like onions, garlic and chili. Even local government and schools have gotten in on the action, calling for a vegetarian diet “one day, every week,” making Taiwan a vegetarian’s paradise.
In 1983, when a young doctor couldn’t find a vegetarian restaurant to cater his wedding, he decided to open his own, just the second vegetarian restaurant in Taipei. Now there are more than 6,000 across the island. Specializing in banquets and weddings, Guan Shi Yin Vegetarian Restaurant has mastered the art of fooling the palate and the eyes with their no-meat offerings. Chewy king oyster mushrooms resemble stir-fried river snails, and soybean is turned into tasty sweet and sour chicken. Pressed tofu passes masterfully for grilled eel while shredded Japanese yam mimics cold soba noodles with a dab of wasabi and a dipping sauce of slow-cooked celery, seaweed and ginger. “Taiwanese used to look down on vegetarians who they thought were too poor to afford meat,” explains the restaurant manager. “Now, that thinking is changing and people are turning towards a healthier diet which is perfect for Taiwan where creativity and great products are our ingredients.”
50 Years of Japanese Rule
Following China’s defeat during the First Sino-Japanese War of 1895, Taiwan was ceded to Japan who would rule the island for 50 years until the end of World War II. Along with colonization came Japanese influences on Taiwan’s language, arts and cuisine. At the very retro Sing Fa Ting Shaved Ice, adorned with hanging colander lamps, vintage tiles and antique hand-cranked shaved ice machines, we meet Ms. Chen Wei Chu, the third generation owner of this shop opened in 1938. At its peak, the store sold upwards of 10,000 plates of shaved ice a day, a luxury originally reserved for royalty in imperial Japan.
“My real customers are 70-80 years old,” says Ms. Chen. “They come to taste the ice of their youth. I sometimes see them crying as they eat their memories.” The shop specializes in traditional mizumami-style shaved ice topped with candied and fresh fruit and a dash of banana syrup as well as snow ice, a fluffy, creamy, chewy ball of goodness in flavors like vanilla or green tea, often topped with red beans or mochi rolled in crushed peanuts and sesame, the perfect antidote for a muggy Taiwanese afternoon. “My grandparents and parents supported our whole family selling this ice,” says Ms. Chen. “But it’s not just the memories of my family. It’s the memories of all the local people. That’s why we can never close. The old people come here to introduce these flavors to their grandchildren. You can say their memories are frozen in time.”
However, it’s not just the old who are enamored by all things Japanese. According to a 2013 survey, 43 percent of Taiwanese (and 54 percent among young people) named Japan as their favorite foreign country, while Singapore, the US and China only garnered single-digit responses. On a humid afternoon tailor-made for ice-cold Asahi, we make our way to Kanpai Yakiniku Restaurant. Opened in 1999 as Taipei’s first Japanese-style grilled meat joint, the chain now has seven locations in Taipei and Shanghai with plans to expand to London. Amid blaring Japanese punk, exposed pipes and rustic brickwork, we sit down to gorgeous cuts of meat grilled tableside including beautifully marbled Australia wagyu and heavenly Iberico pork nurtured on a diet of acorns and so beef-like that it can be served medium-rare. It’s almost enough to tempt me to join the hundreds who have liplocked with a fellow patron for 10 seconds to earn a free plate of meat, evidenced by the Polaroids that plaster the walls.
The space left by the Japanese after World War II was quickly filled by a mass migration of Chinese mainlanders following the Chinese Civil War. As many as two million people, mostly soldiers, intellectual and business elites aligned with the defeated Kuomintang (KMT)- led government of the Republic of China, retreated to Taiwan, bringing with them dishes from all corners of the mainland. Established almost 70 years ago by a wealthy family from Wuxi, just northwest of Shanghai, Qin Yuan Chun Restaurant was once a meeting place for businessmen and politicians hungry for a taste of home. As we slurp down iconic Shanghai favorites like xiaolongbao, everyone’s favorite soup dumplings, and tangy triple-cooked spare ribs, we listen to the story of how the restaurant’s owner was briefly accused of being a Communist spy when Chairman Mao happened to write a poem with the same name as the restaurant. Nothing like a bit of political intrigue to go with your dumplings.
At Chen Family Restaurant, opened by a former cavalryman with the KMT from the northeastern region of Dongbei, we sample the unique cuisine from this area formerly known as Manchuria. Bordering Russia, Mongolia, and Korea, short growing seasons and harsh winters meant families often pickled their vegetables in giant clay vats to accompany hearty, meat-heavy dishes. Representative of the region, we gorge on giant Lion’s Head Meatballs (so named after their resemblance to Chinese lion statues with stylized curly tufts of hair), a pickled cabbage hot pot and an omelet with three kinds of chili nicknamed “Tear Gas,” guaranteed to keep diners warm during long Dongbei winters.
One of the oldest restaurants we visit is Yin Ye (Silver Wings), originally established in 1932 by the KMT to serve their Air Force Academy in Hangzhou, China. When they retreated to Taiwan in 1949, they conveniently brought the restaurant with them. “Even though we’re private now, the restaurant is still run like the air force. I only got this job when the former general manager died,” laughs Mr. Lan. “Like army food, our dishes might not be much to look at, but it’s food with a history,” he says as he regales us with the stories behind the restaurant’s specialties from Sichuan and Huaiyang. There’s wensi tofu, made famous by Qing Emperor Qianlong more than 300 years ago, and revered for its paper thin threads. Yin Ye’s chefs can hand-cut an incredible 5,000 threads from a 20cm x 20cm block of tofu. “Bigger threads mean the chef stopped mid-way and lost his concentration while threads that are too thin shows he was in a hurry,” Mr. Lan tells us. We look into our bowls and see perfectly-uniformed threads almost too pretty to eat. We then take notice when the next dish is introduced as the “Number One Dish in the World,” a grand name for a dish of humble origins. According to food lore, a government official of the Ming Dynasty found himself in a remote village one lunch time. With no restaurants nearby, he settled for an impromptu meal at a local family’s home. But with no real ingredients to cook with, the family scraped the crust from their rice pot and threw it into a wok with some oil. They then made a simple sauce of tomatoes and shrimp, which sizzled when poured over the puffed rice. The hungry official promptly declared it the “Number One Dish in the World,” and we are hard pressed to disagree with this wonderfully rustic dish accompanied by dramatic smoke and crackle, cheekily dubbed “Bombs Over Tokyo” by the Chinese during World War II.
Tigers and Dragons
While fascinated by Taiwan’s many historical influences, I find myself wondering what the future holds for this unique island nation with a complicated past and an even more puzzling present. At the elegant Chiou Hwa Restaurant inside of Taipei’s posh Gloria Prince Hotel, I get glimpses of an answer in between bites of crispy Peking duck and spoonfuls of goose liver flavored soup surrounding a beautiful block of tofu cut to look like a blooming flower, all topped with foie gras. Established 45 years ago, the restaurant specializes in traditional Cantonese and Hong Kong-style cuisine. I can’t help but think of how similar these two Asian tigers are, Hong Kong and Taiwan, both economic powerhouses sharing ties with the mainland but developing their own cultural identities. While always under the watchful eye of Red Dragon Brother, these two nations in some ways identify more with the West than with the East, especially with regards to civil liberties and democratic values. What’s next for the beautiful island nation once known as Ilha Formosa, whose history, culture and cuisine have been shaped by so many foreign powers?
Unfortunately, my present food coma fueled by virtually non-stop eating over the past three days renders my brain all but useless to pontification. I decide to leave the matter in the hands of the political pundits and instead, reach for another steamed lava bun oozing with black sesame paste to be washed down with a bubble tea and accept that this is what I eat and this is who I am.
If You Go
Wuquan 7th Street, West District
Qin Yuan Chun Restaurant
No. 71, Zhongzheng Rd., Central District
Shian Yuan Seafood Restaurant
No. 288, Section 2, Huanzhong East
Road, Beitun District
Sing Fa Ting Shaved Ice
No. 127 Section 1, Taiwan Blvd, Central
Taichung Dan Zai Noodles
215 Section 2, Huamei West Street,
Chen Family Restaurant
No. 154, Section 3, Muxin Road,
2F, No. 369, Linsen North Road,
Guan Shi Yin Vegetarian Restaurant
No. 29, Section 2, Minquan East Road,
Kanpai Yakiniku Restaurant
No. 17, Lane 236, Section 1, Dunhua
South Road, Da’an District
Yin Yi (Silver Wings) Restaurant
No. 18, Section 2, Jinshan South Road,
Images provided by James Pham


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October 04, 2023 12:36 am | Updated 12:36 am IST
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), Girish Chandra Murmu, who is the chair for the Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of the G20, warned that absolute dependence on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for auditing purposes may lead to inaccurate findings, and emphasised ethics as the cornerstone of responsible AI. The CAG conducts financial audits, compliance audits, and performance audits. The auditing challenges of AI include ensuring transparency, objectivity, fairness, and avoiding bias.
Responsible AI must be ethical and inclusive. Only ethical AI can add credibility, trust, and scalability to the CAG audit. Data sets must be complete, gathered on time, accurate, available, and relevant. If integrity of the data fields is not ensured, we will have inaccurate audit findings. The AI auditor must be extra-vigilant about the risk of inherent AI data bias if data are taken from unauthorised sources like social media, where data manipulation and fabrication are common.
In June, the European Parliament approved the EU AI Act, the first of its kind in the world. The Act ensures that generative AI tools such as ChatGPT will be placed under greater restrictions and scrutiny. Developers will have to submit their systems for review and approval before releasing them commercially. Parliament also prohibited real-time biometric surveillance from all public settings and “social scoring” systems.
Ensuring the accuracy of vast Internet data mines is a challenge. The content generated by AI systems may lead to potential copyright infringement issues, violating intellectual property rights. Addressing legal implications relating to content ownership is a formidable task. AI bias is an inherent risk originating from the human bias that is added to the data sets of machine learning. Elon Musk wants to address these concerns by developing ‘Truth GPT’, a “maximum truth-seeking AI”. His vision of a harmonious fusion of technological progress and ethical considerations poses significant challenges. A multifaceted approach may be required to mitigate bias and ensure the safety and accuracy of AI models. U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that he wants to make the U.K. the “geographical home” of AI safety regulation. It is time for India also to take a cue from the EU and make appropriate legislation about the use of AI systems.
The CAG faces many challenges in auditing AI systems. AI regulation and data standardisation are critical. Since the data for various government entities are taken from different sources and stored in multiple divergent platforms, the AI auditor will face enormous risks and challenges. Audits cannot be based on big data from unauthorised sources. Data integration and cross-referencing become cumbersome. The data platforms of all entities must be synchronised through the government’s IT policies. According to the CAG, One Indian Audit and Accounts Department One System, a web-enabled IT application is going to support multiple languages, offline functionality, and a mobile app, enabling complete digitalisation of the audit process from April 1, 2023, with only one exception, the defence audit, because of security dimensions. The SAI G20 conference emphasised the need for a common international audit framework relating to AI.
At present, auditors can only adopt and adapt existing frameworks and regulations relating to IT. As there are limited precedents for AI use, the national audit institution needs to communicate with all the stakeholders. The existing definitions and taxonomies of AI must be examined to adopt what is legally acceptable. Since there is wide variance among AI systems and solutions, the auditor must adopt an appropriate AI design and architecture while defining the audit’s objective, scope, approach, criteria, and methodology. There needs to be capacity building of auditors in varied aspects of the AI technology landscape so that they are familiar with AI frameworks, tools, and software. In the absence of explicit AI auditing guidance, auditors must focus on ethics, use authentic data sources to ensure transparency, address legal concerns, and look at deficiencies in IT controls and governance. AI audit assignments may require consultation with data scientists, data engineers, data architects, programmers, and AI specialists. AI outsourcing to third parties while using cloud computing implies the risk of third parties’ having control of the infrastructure. AI domain risks such as big data, machine learning, and cybersecurity must be documented in a risk and control matrix.
Global organisations have developed many AI auditing frameworks. These include the COBIT framework for AI audit, the US Government Accountability Office framework, and the COSO ERM Framework. The U.K.’s Information Commissioner’s Office has published draft guidance on the AI auditing framework. Data Protection Impact Assessments are legally required if organisations use AI systems that process personal data to avoid potential risks. The AI auditor must ensure that personal data is processed in a manner that guarantees appropriate levels of security.
With few frameworks available for auditing AI, auditors can only focus on the risks, controls and governance structures that are in place to determine whether they are operating effectively.
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DETROIT (FOX 2) - Detroit police are not the only ones searching - a coalition of clergy, activists and grass roots groups hit the streets on Detroit's east side looking for tips, searching abandoned houses and advising women to be on guard.
"I watched women walk by themselves at 10:30 in the dark, walking the streets going to the gas station," said Pastor Maurice 'Mo' Hardwick. "That has to stop."
Detroit police Chief James Craig sounded the alarm Wednesday-they believe the deaths of three women on Detroit's east side are the work of one man targeting sex workers.
"I don't know who to define these women but they're women," said Eric Ford, Detroit 300 Community Action Team. "But we have to get out here every day until we get this guy off the street."
Members of the coalition went door to door soliciting tips and handing out literature, others searched inside abandoned homes that double as dumping grounds and hiding places for bodies.
DPD: Serial killer targeting sex workers lures them to abandoned houses
Detroit Police say they're searching for possible serial killer, rapist
Woman's body found in vacant house on Mack Ave near Mt Elliot
"You can smell that something is decomposing in this area right here," said Minister C.P. Fuqua Bey, Moorish Science Temple of America No. 25.
They eventually found a dog's decaying body in a trash bag outside one of the empty eyesores. Police say the serial killer's first two victims were Nancy Harrison and Trevesene Ellis. The third woman they believe he killed has not been identified.
"Now they're saying it's a serial killer two months after the fact," said Gary Harrison, Nancy's brother. "Those other deaths could've been stopped if they would have just investigated.
Nancy Harrison's brother says police initially thought his sister died from an overdose on March 19th even though he told investigators she was beaten to death. The Wayne County Medical Examiner confirmed that a day later police say they did not find out she was murdered until May 20th.
"The fact that it took this, for everybody to decide to listen, is what the problem is," said Brenda Hill, Women's Delegation for Peace and Change.
Detroit police are asking people to come forward with any tips they might have, especially sex workers. Officials say they will not be arrested when they come forward with information.


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Image description: A red PlayStation 4 controller against a red background.
Microsoft and Sony fanatics should lay down their arms, for the console wars are over. Or, at least, they are set to be completely different this upcoming generation. Despite what the fact that GTA V getting its fourth release on its third generation of consoles may suggest, the industry is moving forward. And in exciting new directions.
Whilst both Sony and Microsoft are releasing two consoles each next month, their business strategies are set to differ significantly, taking them out of the direct competition they have been in since the days of the PS2 and first Xbox.
Xbox Game Pass, most easily described as a sort of Netflix for gaming, allows subscribers on Xbox and PC access to a vast catalogue of games for a monthly price. Microsoft has been building up this service recently, acquiring huge companies like Zenimax (parent company of Bethesda, publisher of The Elder Scrolls games, among others) to beef out their offering.
One of the most important new aspects of Game Pass is the xCloud feature, allowing you to stream games to your phone, negating the need for any console. Almost everyone has a phone, and so now almost anyone can play ‘Xbox’.
This moves Microsoft’s main competition from Sony, to bigger companies like Amazon and Google, given these companies have similar services like Stadia. Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, has said as much himself, and it certainly makes sense, as Microsoft has always been a bigger company than Sony and now they are looking to take their own path in the gaming space.
Along with xCloud, the cheaper price (by £100) of the digital-only Xbox Series S compared to the PS5, is testament to the fact that Microsoft’s focus is no longer just on sales of their Xbox, but on giving an entryway to get players hooked on their subscription services.
Sony, on the other hand, are hoping to still give people the traditional gaming experience. PS Now, Sony’s equivalent of Game Pass, is not remotely comparable in the scope of games offered, and nor is it trying to be. The PS5 looks set to iterate on the success of the PS4 with the latest hardware and maintaining a focus on high-quality exclusives which will drive people to buy the PS5.
Microsoft’s hope to carve its own niche should therefore be welcomed, giving us some much-needed innovation and variety in gaming.
Nintendo left the battle of the consoles a while ago, as it carved out a niche for itself as a family-orientated ecosystem with novel hardware. Microsoft’s hope to carve its own niche should therefore be welcomed, giving us some much-needed innovation and variety in gaming.
It should certainly be welcomed by those interested in expanding gaming to new audiences. Game Pass allows access to Triple-A games which would normally be far too expensive for most people to buy individually. It also provides people with mobility issues the opportunity to test a games accessibility for themselves without dropping £50 a game.
Of course, as is often the case, those lucky enough to build powerful PCs to handle their gaming look set to come out on top this generation.
For starters, access to Game Pass is a game changer (if you’ll pardon the pun) for PC players. Access to Xbox exclusives and a range of other games puts PC on at least an equal playing field with Xbox. Not to mention the fact that we have seen PS4 exclusives come to PC recently. This is likely an attempt by Sony to get people to see what they were missing out on and buy a PS4, but it still shows the variety of games on offer to PC gamers compared to those on just a PlayStation or Xbox.
The most important development for PC gaming though, has been cross-platform play.
The most important development for PC gaming though, has been cross-platform play. The ability to play with your friends on PlayStation or Xbox, despite the fact you are on your computer has broken one of the last barriers to entry for many into PC gaming. Unlike the Xbox 360/PS3 days, and early Xbox One/PS4, you no longer need the same console to play the biggest titles with your friends.
As the consoles come on sale next month, it may look to be business as usual, as sales figures are compared between the two companies in the lead up to Christmas. But should they get lower sales figures, I doubt Xbox will be panicking, as long as their shiny new service continues to grow.

domain: game


By Ron Howells • 12 July 2021 • 20:47
Europe's climate masterplan aims to slash emissions within the next ten years. image: Wikimedia
Europe’s “Fit for 55” climate masterplan aims to drastically reduce emissions over the next decade.
The European Union is about to take the lead in climate policy action among the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters this week, with a raft of ambitious plans designed to cut down on emissions drastically over the next decade.
The EU, the world’s third-largest economy, would be on track to meet its 2030 goal of reducing planet-warming emissions by 55% from 1990 levels if the proposed policies are approved.
The “Fit for 55” package being released on Wednesday, July, 14, will face months of negotiations between the 27 EU countries and the European Parliament.
Other major economies including China and the United States – the world’s top two emitters – have committed to achieving net-zero emissions, which scientists say the world must reach by 2050 to avoid catastrophic climate change.
But the EU is the first to overhaul its legislation to drive greener choices within this decade among the bloc’s 25 million businesses and nearly half a billion people.
“Everybody has a target. But translating it into policies that lead to real emission reductions, that’s the most difficult part,” said Jos Delbeke, a former senior policymaker who developed some of the EU’s flagship climate policies.
Europe’s climate masterplan outlines 12 policies that target energy, industry, transport and the heating of buildings.
Emissions from cars, planes and ships, which make up a quarter of the EU total, are rising. Buildings produce a third of the bloc’s emissions and, like Europe’s factories, many homes use heat produced from fossil fuels.
The draft measures aim to encourage companies and consumers to choose greener options over polluting ones.
Brussels will also announce the details of its world-first carbon border tariff, targeting imports of goods produced abroad with high emissions such as steel and cement. That has unnerved EU trading partners, including Russia and China.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, please remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories.
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Manufactured in 1906 with the standard two-line address and patent dates on top of the barrel, "COLT. D.A. 38" on the left of the barrel, circled Rampant Colt on the left rear of the frame, serial number on the butt, and matching assembly number "362" on the frame, crane, and cylinder latch. Fitted with blade and frame groove sights, nitre blue trigger, hammer, and screws, and diamond pattern checkered grips, each numbered "372" on the inside.
Exceptionally fine, retains 75% plus of the bright original high polish blue finish and 75% plus of the original nitre blue with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey patina, primarily on the barrel and grip straps. The grips are very fine with a few scattered light blemishes in the overall crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.
There are currently no customer product questions on this lot


Mon, 07 May 2012 16:49 - Updated Mon, 07 May 2012 16:49
Environmental study in mining defended
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Luanda - The environmentalist Vladimir Russo Monday in Luanda spoke of the need for environmental impact studies before exploitation of minerals starts, in order to preserve the welfare of citizens.
Speaking to ANGOP, the expert stressed it is important for mineral exploration licensees to conduct an environmental impact study.
According to the environmentalist, impact study helps the promoter to characterise the area and define what should be preserved.
He added that, similarly, it will help the promoter and State to exploit minerals in a sustainable manner and mitigate the impacts on the environment.
In his view, civil construction companies and private persons should see the environmental impact study not as a requirement of legislation, but as a tool for improving the environmental performance of their projects.


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„This time, there will probably be less internal fighting in local churches over Trump because no one really expects the other side to be convinced. Many churches have “sorted” themselves out over political issues (and related questions about COVID-19 precautions, Black Lives Matter, and #MeToo).
Some of the multiethnic churches I saw most divided over these matters aren’t multiethnic anymore. Some of the multigenerational churches I saw wrenched over these issues aren’t multigenerational anymore.
In those situations, the 2024 presidential election might seem much less divisive than the last two elections because those who disagree are now gone from the church. The divisions are already formed, and for many people, they seem intractably permanent.
What’s more significant, though, is how the Trump era has already changed all of us.”


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Zika virus genes have been discovered in tears in a finding that may explain why some people with the disease go blind.
The researchers suggested that the eyes could be a “reservoir” of the virus, possibly helping it to spread from one person to another.
It normally causes only a mild disease in adults but can result in microcephaly, or small heads, brain damage and death to foetuses.
It causes eye disease in about of a third of babies infected in the womb, while in adults it can cause red and itchy eyes or in rare cases, uveitis, which can cause some permanent loss of vision.
There have, however, also been occasional reports of infected adults dying and there is some evidence it could have an Alzheimer's-like effect on the brain.
In the new study, researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis infected mice with Zika by injecting them under their skin, in a similar way to which infections are normally spread by mosquitoes.
They then found a live virus in the mice’s eyes and their genetic material in their tears.
Dr Jonathan Miner, lead author of a paper about the research in the journal Cell Reports, said: “Even though we didn’t find live virus in mouse tears, that doesn’t mean that it couldn’t be infectious in humans.
“There could be a window of time when tears are highly infectious and people are coming in contact with it and able to spread it.”
While the study confirmed the Zika virus could get to the eye, it is not known how it got there.
However, it may have travelled through the blood-retina barrier that separates the eye from the bloodstream or got into the brain and then used the optic nerve that connects to the eyes.
Professor Michael Diamond, who also took part in the research, said: “Our study suggests that the eye could be a reservoir for Zika virus.
“We need to consider whether people with Zika have infectious virus in their eyes and how long it actually persists.”
He said scientists were struggling to understand why the Zika virus had suddenly taken off.
“The Zika epidemic has been very explosive, more explosive than we can account for by just mosquitoes and the level of Zika virus in human blood. Some other factor may be at play,” Professor Diamond said.
“Sexual transmission is probably not playing a major role, but it could be some other bodily fluid – saliva or urine or tears.”
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domain: medical


|Publication number||US5057911 A|
|Application number||US 07/424,829|
|Publication date||Oct 15, 1991|
|Filing date||Oct 19, 1989|
|Priority date||Oct 19, 1989|
|Also published as||DE69021982D1, DE69021982T2, EP0423921A2, EP0423921A3, EP0423921B1|
|Publication number||07424829, 424829, US 5057911 A, US 5057911A, US-A-5057911, US5057911 A, US5057911A|
|Inventors||Kevin Stec, Jerome D. Shields|
|Original Assignee||Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (2), Referenced by (34), Classifications (10), Legal Events (5)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
The invention relates to a system and method for converting a digital video component signal to a digital video composite signal and for accomplishing part of the reverse conversion, namely, the conversion of a digital composite signal decoded into components to a digital component signal.
An international standard (known as D1) has been adopted for digital representation of a video component signal. Similarly, there is a growing consensus in the electronics industry as to a standard (known as D2) for a digital representation of a video composite signal.
By way of background, there are three levels of signals produced for color television. At the highest quality level, the video signal produced by the television camera has red (R), green (G), blue (B) signal components. At the next level, referred to as the component level, the video signals are referred to luminance (Y) and two chroma signals, a signal designated CR and a signal designated CB. At the lowest level, the video signals are in the NTSC (or PAL) format, which includes a luminance (Y) signal and two chroma signals, designated I (or U) and Q (or V). These are the digital NTSC (or PAL) components, where the chroma signals are modulated and added to the luminance signal to form the digital composite signal. As used herein, the term digital component signal refers to a digital representation of the color video signal at the component (Y, CR, CB) level, and the term digital composite signal refers to a digital representation of the color video signal at the composite (NTSC, PAL) level. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention described and claimed herein is applicable for use in both the United States (NTSC) and European (PAL) color television systems, and references to the Y, CR, CB, I and Q signals and NTSC signal are for illustrative purposes only and should be understood to encompass the corresponding representations of the corresponding signals under the European standards.
There is a need to convert digital video signals between the video component (D1) signal format and the video composite (D2) signal format. The video component signal is a better quality signal and can be manipulated more easily than the video composite signal. Thus, the D1 signal format is usually used by professionals for production work to do such things as inserting computer graphics, resizing a picture, overlapping, matting and creating special effects. Once the production work is completed, the D1 signal format must be converted to the D2 signal format in order that the signal can be decoded by a television receiver. Similarly, if a video signal is in the D2 signal format, it would be converted to a D1 signal format for production work.
Conversion between the D1 signal format and the D2 signal format require several steps. Conversion from D1 to D2 is accomplished as follows:
Conversion from D1 to D2 is accomplished as follows:
1) Matrixing of D1 components to D2 components in accordance with the following mathematical relationship:
Y.sub.D2 =0.625 Y.sub.D1 ( 1)
I=0.625 [(1.031) CR+(-0.477) CB] (2)
Q=0.625 [(0.669) CR+(0.730) CB] (3)
2) Band limiting of the chroma components:
(a) low-pass filter I
(b) low-pass filter Q
3) Modulation of the 3.58 MHz carriers by the chroma components and forming of the composite signal:
NTSC COMPOSITE VIDEO=Y.sub.D2+ I cos [2π(3.58MHz)t]
+Q sin [2π(3.58MHz)t]
Conversion from D2 to D1 is accomplished as follows:
1)Separation of the chroma and liminance information from the composite video signal and demodulation of the chroma information to obtain YD2, I, Q. This is accomplished by known signal processing techniques and cannot be easily described by equations.
2) Matrixing of D2 components to D1 components:
Y.sub.D1 =1/0.625 Y.sub.D2 ( 4)
CR=1/0.625 [(0.681) I+(0.445) Q] (5)
CB=1/0.625 [(-0.624) I+(0.962) Q] (6)
Problems arise when attempts are made to convert the video signals between the Dl signal format and the D2 signal format. The system for producing the Dl signal format uses a clock frequency of 13.5 MHz. On the other hand, the system for producing the D2 signal format uses a clock frequency of 14.318 MHz. Thus, in converting from one signal format to the other, the differences in clock frequencies must be taken into account. Due to the differences in clock frequency, some of the digital samples in one of the signals may be lost, requiring that interpolation techniques be used to prevent the loss of information. In addition, the chroma signal portion of the video signal in the D1 signal format has a bandwidth of 2.75 MHz, whereas the chroma signal portion of video signals in the D2 signal format has a maximum bandwidth of 1.3 MHz. Conversion from the D1 signal format to the D2signal format therefore requires band limiting of the chroma signal.
The chroma signal has two components which must be combined during the conversion in the appropriate way according to the mathematical relationship set forth above to produce the proper chroma signals for the format into which the signal is to be converted. Differences in signal levels for each format must be taken into account by providing gain adjustments for the signals. Finally, in the conversion from the D1 signal format to the D2 signal format the chroma signal must be modulated and the resulting composite signal corrected for DC offset.
FIGS. 1A and 1B show prior systems which adopt a relatively direct approach to accomplish, respectfully, conversion of digital video signals between the D1 signal format and the D2 signal format and conversion of the digital video signal between the D2 signal format and the D1 signal format. In the D1 to D2 conversion, illustrated in FIG. 1A, the video signal is broken down into its luminance, Y, and individual chroma CB, CR signals. Each of these signals is applied to a gain correction circuit and thereafter to a pair of parallel connected low pass digital interpolation filters which provide the necessary digital samples of the D1 signal for the D2signal. Because of the difference in clock rates between the D1 and D2 signal formats, 35 output samples of the D1 signal are required for every 33 input samples. That difference in the number of samples is provided by the operation of the two parallel interpolation filters for each signal component. The three sets of signals from the interpolation filters are then passed to three rate converters, where they are reclocked to the 14.318 MHz clock frequency of the D2signal format. The reclocked CR signals and the reclocked CB signals are both applied to I and Q matrix circuits, where the signals are combined to produce I and Q signals. The output from the Q matrix circuit is applied to a Q interpolation digital filter to move the Q sample to be in time with the next luminance sample. The output of the I matrix is applied to a delay circuit to compensate for the Q processing delay. The output from the delay circuit and from the Q interpolation digital filter are applied to an offset and modulator circuit such that alternate I and Q signals are multiplied by -1. The output of the offset and modulator is applied to a band limiting filter to limit the bandwidth of the chroma signal. The chroma output signal from the band limiting filter is applied to an adder circuit where it is added to the luminance signal output of the luminance rate converter to produce an output signal in the form:
Y+I, Y+Q, Y-I, Y-Q, . . .
In converting from the D2signal format to the D1 signal format (FIG. 1B), the individual Y, I and Q signals are again separately processed. The Q signal is applied, after gain correction, to an interpolation filter and thereafter to CR and CB matrix circuits. The I signal is passed through a delay circuit and also applied to the CR and CB matrix circuits. The output of each matrix circuit is applied to a low pass filter and thereafter reclocked in a rate converter to the frequency of the D1 signal format to produce the CR and CB chroma signals. The Y signal, after gain correction, is applied to a low pass filter and then is reclocked in a rate converter to the frequency of the D1 signal format to produce the Y signal for the D1 signal format.
These prior art systems require a relatively large amount of hardware. They also require a different hardware configuration for the D1 to D2signal conversion and the D2to D1 signal conversion. It is one objective of the present invention to provide a system for conversion between the D1 and D2signal formats which eliminates much of the hardware previously required and which uses the same hardware configuration to effect conversion from the D1 to the D2signal format and from the D2to the D1 signal format.
These and other objects and features are realized in accordance with the present invention in which the chroma signal and the luminance signal are applied to a luminance/ chroma rate conversion circuit which converts the data rate from the input signal format (e.g., D1) to the output signal format (e.g., D2). The output of the rate converter is applied to the taps of a digital filter. Each tap of the digital filter is also coupled to a circuit which is controlled to provide a selected coefficient to each tap for combination with the output of the rate converter applied to that tap. The outputs of the taps are then combined to produce the converted signal.
In converting from the D1 signal format to the D2signal format, account must be taken of the fact that the luminance signal occurs at a rate which is twice the rate of occurrence of the chroma signal. According to the present invention, the chroma signal is shifted two positions in the rate converter for each clock cycle. That problem does not arise when converting from the D2signal format to the D1 signal format.
These and other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the followinq description of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
FIGS. 1A and 1B are, respectively, block diagrams of prior art systems for converting from the D1 signal format to the D2signal format (FIG. 1A) and from the D2signal format to the D1 signal format (FIG. 1B);
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the system for converting a digital video signal between the D1 and D2signal formats (less the D2decoder) in accordance with the present invention; and
FIG. 3 is a detailed diagram of the electronic components of the system shown in FIG. 2.
Referring to FIG. 2, which will first be described with respect to a conversion between D1 signal format and the D2 signal format, the system includes luminance/chroma (Y/C) rate converter 10, which receives as its inputs: the two chroma signals, CR, CB, on Data C line 12, the luminance signal, Y, on Data Y line 14, as well as the CLOCK IN signal on line 16 and the CLOCK OUT signal on line 18. It will be understood that references to the "input" signal refer to the original signal, which in the present example is the D1 signal, and references to the "output" signal refer to the signal to which the original signal is converted, which in the present example is the D2signal. The CLOCK IN frequency is 13.5 MHz of the D1 signal and the CLOCK OUT signal frequency is twice the 14.318 MHz of the D2signal due to the multiplexed processing of the luminance and chroma data.
The outputs of rate converter 10, which are the rate converted samples of the luminance and chroma signals, are applied via output lines 20, 22, 24, 26 ... to taps 30, 32, 34 36 ..., respectively, of digital filter 28. The signals which appear at the output of rate converter 10 are alternately samples of the luminance signal and samples of the two components, CR, CB, of the chroma signal. The other input to each tap in the digital filter is controlled, via address bus 38, to provide a particular coefficient to each tap which is dependent upon the input to that tap from the rate converter and which are required for the particular sample output signals which appear on the output lines from rate converter 10 to create the output signal in the D2signal format. The coefficients are determined by first designing those digital low pass filters to meet both the interpolation and band pass requirements of each D2component. This can be done utilizinq well known techniques for synthesizing Finite Impulse Responses (FIR) digital filters. Next, the coefficients are scaled by the matrix factors for YD2 I and Q. The coefficients are then divided into 35 luminance groups, 70 I groups and 70 Q groups representing every possible interpolation phase of the outputs. Each group of coefficients is adjusted for frequency response matching among the different interpolation phases of each interpolating filter. The coefficients are then organized into memory blocks for each filter tap. One coefficient from every Y group goes into each block while one coefficient from each I and Q group that have CR matrix factors are included in the odd blocks and one coefficient from each I and Q group that have CB matrix factors are included in the even blocks. This results in 105 coefficients in every block corresponding to every output interpolation phase of Y, I and Q.
The operation of rate converter 10 presents either samples of the luminance signal on each of its output lines or samples of the CB and CR chroma signals on alternate output lines. Furthermore, the CB and CR chroma signals always appear on the same output line. For example, the CB chroma signal would always appear on output lines 20, 24 . . . and the CR chroma signal would always appear on output lines 22, 26 . . .
The output of taps 30, 32, 34, 36 . . . , which are either coefficient modified luminance signals or coefficient modified chroma signals, are applied to adder 40. The outputs of adder 40 are the sequence of digital signals: Y, I, Y, Q, Y, I, . . . , which are input to register 42, controlled at the CLOCK OUT frequency. The output register 42 is applied to output circuit 44 which combines the signals to produce an output signal on the DATA OUT line in the form:
Y+I, Y+Q, Y-I, Y-Q, . . .
FIG. 3 shows four of the twenty identical stages of the embodiment of the invention, as well as additional details of the system shown in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 3, Y/C rate converter 10 includes chroma registers 50, 52, 54, 56 . . . which receive the chroma data signals on the DATA C line 12. Similarly, luminance registers 60, 62, 64, 66, . . . , receive the luminance data signals on the DATA Y line 14. In order to have proper timing of the luminance and chroma data signals in the rate converter to effect conversion of the D1 signal to the D2 signal, the outputs of the same chroma registers must be controlled such that chroma registers store the same type chroma (i.e., either the CB or the CR signals) signals when information is retrieved from the chroma registers. For example, when information is retrieved from the chroma registers, registers 50, 54 . . . , store CB chroma data signals and chroma registers 52, 56 . . . , store CR chroma data signals. Thus, functionally, one group of chroma registers, e.g., chroma registers 50, 54 . . . , are CB registers, and the group of adjacent chroma registers, i.e., chroma registers 52, 56 . . . , are CR registers. To this end, rate converter 10 also includes register 68 which receives the chroma data signal input from line 12 and multiplexer (MUX) circuits 70, 72, 74, 76 . . . , controlled via the D1 /D2control lines as explained in further detail below. Due to timing considerations, each chroma registers 50, 52, 54, 56 ... and each luminance registers 60, 62, 64, 66 ... is a bi-phase shift register with each phase operating 180° out of phase with the other phase, as would be understood by a worker skilled in this field.
The luminance registers 60, 62, 64, 66 . . . , are clocked at the CLOCK IN frequency of the D1 signal, namely, 13.5 MHz. The CLOCK IN signal is also applied to enable gate 78, the other input to which an ENABLE C signal causinq the output of gate 78 which is connected to control chroma registers 50, 52, 54, 56 ..., to produce a chroma clock signal at one half (6.75 MHz) the frequency of the CLOCK IN signal. On the other hand, chroma data is being applied to the chroma registers via register 68, which is clocked at the frequency of the CLOCK IN signal. In effecting conversion of the D1 signal to the D2signal, the control signal on the D1 /D2control line is set such that the output of each MUX 70, 72, 74, 76 which is input, respectively, to its associated register 50, 52, 54, 56 . . . , is applied to the register at one half the frequency of the CLOCK IN signal.
Y/C rate converter 10 also includes multiplexer (MUX) circuits 80, 82, 84, 86 . . . , whose inputs are coupled to receive the outputs, respectively, from their associated registers: 50, 60; 52, 62; 54, 64; 56, 66; . . . MUX circuits 80, 82, 84, 86 . . . are switched at the frequency of the D2 signal, namely, 14.318 MHz, that is, one-half the CLOCK OUT frequency. It will now be apparent to a worker skilled in the art that each time a MUX circuit 80, 82, 84, 86 . . . is connected to receive an input from a chroma register, that the chroma register will provide the same type of chroma signal, that is, a CR or CB chroma signal.
More specifically, and by way of example, when MUX circuits 80, 82, 84, 86 . . . are clocked to receive inputs from the chroma registers, chroma registers 50, 54, . . . always provide CB chroma signals to MUX circuits 80, 84 . . . , and chroma registers 52, 56 . . . always provide CR chroma signals to MUX circuits 82, 86 . . . Thus, the outputs from MUX circuits 80, 84 . . . are a data stream consisting of the signals Y, CB, Y, CB . . . and the outputs from MUX circuits 82, 86 . . . are a data stream consisting of the signals Y, CR, Y, CR . . . Those outputs are input to taps 30, 32, 34, 36, . . . The other inputs to taps 30, 32, 34, 36 come from the coefficient setting circuits, each of which includes a random access memory 90, 92, 94, 96 . . . and an associated register 100, 102, 104, 106 . . . The random access memories are controlled via an address (COEF ADDR) bus via register 98, a data (COEF DATA) bus and a write (COEF WR) line. The purpose of the coefficient setting circuits is to provide the particular coefficient to be assigned to the data signal input to the associated taps at a particular point in the processing of the data signals in-order to produce output signals which conform with the new (i.e., D2) signal format. Initially, the coefficient data is written to each coefficient memory block by applying the data serially to the COEF DATA bus where its location is specified by the COEF ADDR bus as controlled by the COEF WR line. Thereafter, the COEF ADDR bus is used to select the appropriate set of coefficents to be multiplied with the data signal input in their associated taps to produce the desired output phase.
The output of taps 30, 32, 34, 36 . . . are applied to adder circuit 40, the output of which is alternately: YD2 (equation 1); I (equation 2); YD2 ; Q (equation 3); YD2 . . . The output of adder 40 as applied to register 42 and then to output circuit 44 where the output of register 42 is applied to gate 43. The output of gate 43 is input to adder 47 which receives as its other input the output of multiplexer MUX. 49. The output of adder 47 is input to output register 46 which is clocked at the CLOCK OUT frequency. The output of register 46 is fed back as one input to the multiplexer 49, the other inputs being the OFFSET data bus and FB SEL. The Feedback Select (FB SEL) line selects the OFFSET data bus when register 42 holds a Y signal which provides a DC offset signal to maintain the proper reference black level to be added to the output of register 42 in multiplexer 47 to produce (Y + offset) signal. When register 42 holds a I or Q result, FB SEL selects the output register 46 which holds (Y + offset) signal to be added to the I or Q result in adder 47. In addition, the INVERT line is used to alternatively invert I and Q outputs to produce the sequence Y + offset, Y + offset + I, Y + offset, Y offset + Q, Y + offset, Y + offset - I, Y + offset, Y + offset - Q . . . at the DATA OUT bus which produces an output on the DATA OUT line, which is alternately: Y+I; Y+Q; Y-I; Y-Q; Y+I ....
To convert from the D2signal format, where the composite data has previously been separated in the NTSC components of Y, I and Q, to the D1 signal format the same circuitry is used as for the D1 to D2signal conversion, with the following minor changes in operation, which would be apparent to a worker skilled in the art based upon the foregoing explanation of the operation of the invention. Referring to FIG. 3, the D1/D2control signal is changed to enable MUX circuits 70, 72, 74, 76 . . . at the CLOCK IN signal frequency. The output from each chroma register 50, 52, 54, 56 . . . is alternately I, Q, I, . . . data signals. The output of each MUX circuit 80, 82, 84, 86 . . . is thus alternately Y, I, Y, Q, Y, I, . . . data signals. The coefficient data applied to aps 30, 32, 34, 36 . . . is changed in accordance with the desired output phase such that the output of each tap 30, 32, 34, 36 . . . is alternately: Y, Y, Y, Y, . . . and I, Q, I, Q, . . . Those signals are applied to adder 40, the output of which is the sequence of data signals Y, CR, Y, CB . . . Those signals are applied to the DATA OUT line via register 42 and output circuit 44. The FB SEL line remains in the external input bus position so the values on the OFFSET bus are added to each output of register 42. The INVERT line remains in the non-inverting position. The sequence produced at the DATA OUT bus is Y + offset, CR + offset, Y + offset, CB + offset .... Since the remaining operation of the circuits to convert from the D2to D1 signal formats would be apparent to a worker skilled in the art, further explanation is unnecessary.
What has been described is a presently preferred embodiment of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that changes and modifications can be made while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. For example, as noted above, this system can be used for both the United States and European color video standards.
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|U.S. Classification||348/642, 348/E07.008, 348/E09.037|
|International Classification||H04N7/01, H03H17/06, H04N9/64|
|Cooperative Classification||H04N9/64, H04N7/0102|
|European Classification||H04N9/64, H04N7/01A|
|Oct 19, 1989||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD., A CORP O
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNORS:STEC, KEVIN;SHIELDS, JEROME D.;REEL/FRAME:005160/0805
Effective date: 19891018
|Oct 18, 1994||CC||Certificate of correction|
|Mar 28, 1995||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Apr 8, 1999||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 8
|Mar 24, 2003||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 12