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Expeditions: Rome Dev Diary #14 - Combat AI

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Expeditions: Rome Dev Diary #14 - Combat AI

Development Info - posted by Infinitron on Tue 4 January 2022, 23:56:42

Tags: Expeditions: Rome; Logic Artists; THQ Nordic

THQ Nordic continued to promote Expeditions: Rome over the holidays with a new location trailer showcasing Gaul & Africa and a dev diary video about the making of the game's soundtrack. These however had little to do with the topic of Rome's fourteenth dev diary, which is all about the game's combat AI. Logic Artists are making a concerted effort to address the weaknesses of Expedition: Viking's enemy AI, particularly with regards to pathfinding decisions and tactical coordination. Apparently the AI is so effective now that they've had to introduce some optional "artificial stupidity" measures to prevent every encounter from becoming a drawn-out battle of attrition.

Today’s dev diary follows up on our diary from just before Christmas, which laid out how we go about designing a good combat encounter. This week we’re going to talk about how the AI has been designed.

Every game is a unique challenge when it comes to AI, and turn-based tactics offer a particularly exciting type of challenge. On the plus side, enemies don’t have to make split-second decisions because of the nature of a turn-based combat system, which means the AI can make more involved or complex calculations. On the other hand, the player has unlimited time to consider their actions and attempt to predict what the AI will do on its turn, so the AI must be quite clever and somewhat predictable without being fully deterministic.

The most important rule when designing AI for games is that the enemies shouldn’t play optimally all the time, but rather they should behave in a way that creates fun gameplay. It’s very easy for us to make the AI never make any mistakes – never step on your caltrops, never walk into your fire, never shoot your shield with their archers, never provoke attack of opportunity, never let themselves be flanked, etc. That won’t make for a fun game though: if you surround an archer with melee enemies, the smart play for the enemy might be to simply skip that archer’s turn, but that will just seem like a glitch. Having that enemy archer try to shoot you, only to get spectacularly skewered from three different sides is much more satisfying.

To this end we have a “mistake probability” value baked into our AI, which is tied to our “AI Difficulty” slider in the options. On higher difficulties, AI will be much less likely to make mistakes, which can feel unsatisfying as certain tactics or skills become more about denying options to the AI rather than provoking and exploiting its mistakes, but does make the game significantly more challenging.

The AI Difficulty setting also has more subtle effects, such as determining how good the AI is at maneuvering past your front line to reach your healer or your archer, or how often they’ll choose to focus their attacks on one specific unit on your team rather than spread out their damage. On the maximum setting, all bets are off as the AI does its level best to kill you, and we even give it a few extra advantages on this level such as extra movement for its melee units so they can maneuver more freely, or a small bump to enemy resistance stats to make flanking more important.

Movement in general is the foundation of good AI in a turn-based game – especially one that takes place on a grid. If the AI can’t reach you, they won’t be able to use their clever tactics. To this end, we have fixed a few of the big problems with the AI in Expeditions: Viking. First off, if you create a bottleneck by blocking off a choke point on the map, the AI would naturally attempt to find a different path which could potentially send it all the way around the level to get you. Now, this only happens if the AI can tell that it’ll be able to reach its target within a few turns. Otherwise it’ll find cover near the chokepoint and wait its turn, or even withdraw its own unit blocking the way, so another unit with higher damage potential can reach its target.

Once the AI is where it wants to be, the question is what it should do. Our combat designer has carefully designed which skills each enemy unit has, in order to create maximum tactical variation over the course of the game as you encounter different cultures and the complexity of the game ramps up. Some enemies have skills that are not even available to the player, which makes them much more interesting to fight. Every single ability that the AI has access to is associated with its own AI tactic that defines when, where, and how that ability should be unleashed. On top of this, there are general tactics available to the AI that help it coordinate between its multiple units, to ensure that the units move in the right sequence and get out of each other’s way.

To help you understand what the AI is up to, we’ve added a lot of combat one-liners. Most are related to specific events, such as morale failure, group movement, or flanking maneuvers. Some communicate the state of the AI, such as “defensive strategy” one-liners where enemy leaders order their subordinates to seek cover and stay put, forcing you to advance upon their position if that’s what the mission calls for. Some one-liners are even specific to a particular skill, such as when enemy heavy infantry uses Hunker Down to make themselves impervious to attacks from the front, or when enemy archers use Interrupt to nock an arrow and shoot the first of your units that enters their field of view. Not only does this help you understand the AI’s behavior, but it also adds a lot of personality and intensity to combat.

We’re very proud of how much the AI in Expeditions: Rome has improved compared to Viking. Our AI programmer has been hard at working over the holiday, polishing and improving the AI based on your demo feedback, but since the demo is limited to the prologue of the game, where the AI has access to very few tools in order to ease you into the gameplay, you’ve only seen a small fraction of what the AI can do once the training wheels are off. We can barely wait for you to get your hands on the full game and see for yourselves.
The usual devstream for this topic is scheduled for January 5th. I guess there'll be one or maybe two more of these before the game launches on January 20th.

There are 6 comments on Expeditions: Rome Dev Diary #14 - Combat AI

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Schistosomula of Schistosoma mansoni were labeled by oxidation with galactose oxidase or with periodate followed by reduction with NaB3H4 to study the loss of the surface membrane of these parasites in vitro. Grain counts of light microscope autoradiographs (LMARG) of radiolabeled schistosomula show that both galactose oxidase and periodate specifically label the surface of the organisms. Galactose oxidase labels 11 glycoproteins on the surface of skin and mechanical schistosomula, ranging in apparent molecular weight from 17,000 to greater than 105,000. These glycoproteins are lost from the surface of schistosomula with a halftime of 10-15 h in culture in defined medium. Most of these glycoproteins appear to be shed intact from the surface of the schistosomula rather than endocytosed and degraded, because greater than 50% of each of the lost proteins can be recovered by trichloroacetic acid precipitation of the culture medium and because there is no internalization of the radiolabels into cultured schistosomula examined by LMARG. In addition to glycoproteins, periodate labels at least seven glycolipids on the surface of mechanical schistosomula. After culture for 15 h, more than half of each of these periodate-labeled proteins and lipids are lost from the schistosomula, and their abundance relative to each other remains similar to that of freshly labeled organisms. Since both proteins and lipids are lost from the surface of the schistosomula at the same rate, we believe that we are observing a general loss of the parasite surface membrane.

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Ray Charles - 3/4 Time

I like enchilados and old El Dorados that shine
And old friend the guitar and songs and women and wine
They say that I'm livin to fast but I'm feelin fine (yeah)
And I just keep easin along in 3/4 time
Sometimes I get sideways and stay up all night writin songs
They say it ain't healthy but somehow I keep goin on (I do)
I write what I feel and don't care if the damn thing don't rhyme (no) ...(more)

Ray Charles Top Songs

MORE ABOUT Ray Charles

Ray Charles 3/4 Time lyrics - letras - testo are property and copyright of their owners.


Log4Shell security incident (Impero not affected)

The Log4Shell security incident is a critical vulnerability which introduces the possibility for an attacker to execute code remotely on any server which run software using the Java Log4j logging framework, unless the application is specifically configured. However, Impero does not have Java-based software in its stack. Our web server is Apache (written in C), and our backend services are a mixture of Rust and .NET code. Therefore, Impero is not affected by this vulnerability.


Close Menu

Protect Yourself and Your Family Against COVID-19

Translated by The Spanish Group LLC: a document translation service. This document translation is provided as a courtesy by The Spanish Group which is not affiliated with the CDC.

What is COVID-19 and how does it spread?

covid-19 is a disease caused by a coronavirus. The virus is spread when a person who is infected with the virus speaks, sneezes or coughs when in close contact with another person (within 6 feet). If you are infected with the virus, you may spread the disease even if you feel well. covid-19 has the potential to cause severe illness and pneumonia.

You can protect yourself and your family by following the guidance below.

Wash hands

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to kill the covid-19 virus. You can also use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

Wear cloth face coverings

Cover both your mouth and nose with your face covering but allow for breathing without restriction. Include multiple layers of fabric or cloth and secure with ties or ear loops. When removing a cloth face covering, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Wash your hands immediately after removing. Wash face coverings every day they are worn, if possible.

Watch your distance

Try to stay 6 feet apart from others. If a family member is infected with covid-19, they must stay home and away from others, even if they don’t have symptoms. If they are really sick, they must go to the hospital. Regularly clean and disinfect surfaces and objects your sick family member touches and open windows to create ventilation in your home.

Clean surfaces and objects

Clean and disinfect all surfaces that are touched often, like counters, tabletops, door knobs, keyboards and bedside tables. Use soap and water and household cleaning sprays and wipes according to the label instructions.


The story

Abraham Lincoln

American Statesman (1809-1865). Lawyer and anti-slavery, became one of the most important presidents of the United States.

Alongside George Washington, Abraham Lincoln is considered one of the most important American presidents in history. Born in a cabin near Hodgenville, Kentucky, on February 12, 1809, at the age of nineteen he joined the crew of a barge that transported agricultural products across the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans. In 1830, along with his father, stepmother, and stepbrothers, Lincoln moved to Decatur, Illinois, where he worked for some time cutting fences. In 1831 he left his home and worked in various types of jobs as a boat driver and shopkeeper.

In 1834 Lincoln was elected to the Illinois State Legislature, where he stayed until 1843. He became a lawyer in 1837 and was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1846, where he served a term before returning to Springfield, Illinois, to practice law. A convicted abolitionist and avowed critic of slavery, Lincoln participated in several debates with American speaker and senator Stephen Douglas (1813-1861) about whether or not slavery should be legalized in the new territories that had become states.

Lincoln's brilliant oratory in the Lincoln-Douglas Debates made him nationally famous, and the newly formed Republican Party chose him to run against Douglas in the 1858 Senate elections. Although he lost, in 1860 Republicans chose him as a candidate for the President And Lincoln was elected.

On February 4, 1861, shortly after he took office, the eleven southern states - Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee and Virginia - separated from the Union. and formed the Confederate States of America. Lincoln then decided to go to war to try to restore the Union. It was the beginning of the American Civil War (1861-1865), or Secession War, a conflict that shocked very different points of view. While the North wanted the United States to remain a single nation, the South intended to form two independent nations. Despite the Union's military and industrial superiority, the first great battle, which took place on July 21, 1861, had a landslide victory for the Confederacy. For two consecutive years, Union forces tried to go on the offensive, but the Confederates always defeated them.

History began to change in July 1863, when the two bloodiest confrontations of the conflict took place. Southern forces, attempting to invade the North, were detained in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. And Union forces captured the Confederate fortress in Vicksburg, Mississippi. It was during a ceremony in Gettysburg that Lincoln delivered a famous speech in which he promised that "in this nation, under the grace of God, there will be a rebirth of freedom; and the rule of the people, by the people, and for the people will not perish on earth." . Abraham Lincoln's dream of a unified country was finally assured. But, unfortunately, Lincoln himself did not survive to enjoy the hard-won peace. On April 14, 1865, while attending a performance at the Ford Theater in Washington, he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth (1838-1865), an unemployed slave-worker who sympathized with the Confederate cause.

List of site sources >>>


Can you get an ear infection from scuba diving?

How do you prevent an ear infection after scuba diving?

Prevent Ear Infections: What to Do After Diving? Wash your ear with fresh water. Rinse it, do not try to pressure water into the ear. Make movements with your head to empty your ears and dry them gently with a tissue or with a hairdryer at low temperature and airflow at low speed.

What can you do for ear pain after scuba diving?

  1. Chewing gum, sucking on a lozenge, swallowing, or yawning. Using the mouth helps to open up the eustachian tube.
  2. Taking an over-the-counter (OTC) nasal decongestant, antihistamine, or both. …
  3. Stopping a diving descent at the first sign of ear discomfort to allow time for equalizing.

Is scuba diving bad for your ears?

Diving related inner ear problems are very rare, but have the potential to cause permanent hearing loss. There are two main types that can result in serious injury- inner ear decompression sickness (IEDCS) and inner ear barotrauma (IEBT).

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Does diving cause swimmer’s ear?

In a diving environment, this is usually caused when prolonged exposure to wet conditions changes the natural acidity and flora in the ear canal, allowing opportunistic bacteria or fungi to grow and become pathogens.

How do I clear my ears after scuba diving?

Lie on your side – gravity will help the water drain out of your ear. Wiggle the earlobe – take hold of your earlobe and wiggle it while tilting your head down. Hairdryer – some people find a hairdryer can help evaporate the water inside their ear. Turn on the dryer about 30cm away from your ear on the lowest setting.

How do you dry your ears after diving?

Why do ears hurt after diving?

Ear pain occurs during the descent portion of a dive as the diver drops deeper underwater. As the diver descends in the water, water pressure increases on the external surface of the ear drum (tympanic membrane). To counterbalance this pressure, the air pressure must reach the inner surface of the ear drum.

How do you open a blocked ear?

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How do I know if I ruptured my eardrum?

Signs and symptoms of a ruptured eardrum may include:

  1. Ear pain that may subside quickly.
  3. Hearing loss.
  4. Ringing in your ear (tinnitus)
  5. Spinning sensation (vertigo)
  6. Nausea or vomiting that can result from vertigo.

Can I scuba dive if I can’t pop my ears?

To restore volume lost to pressure, you send air into the middle ear via the eustachian tubes, equalizing or “popping” your ears. Failing to do this causes ears to hurt when diving, and potentially damages the delicate mechanisms of the ear.

What happens if you don’t equalize while scuba diving?

However, if a diver does not equalize early or often enough, the pressure differential can force the soft tissues together, closing the ends of the tubes. Forcing air against these soft tissues just locks them shut. No air gets to the middle ears, which do not equalize, so barotrauma results.

What happens if you dive with an ear infection?

Diving is not permitted with a severe ear infection. If symptoms do not improve within a few days, you should visit a doctor. A middle ear infection is not a typical diving illness. However, you can get one when diving with a cold or equalising pressure during air travel.

Which part of the ear of a scuba diver is most likely to be damaged?

Ear injuries are the leading cause of morbidity among scuba divers. The most common injury is middle-ear barotrauma (MEBT).

Does tea tree oil help swimmers ear?

Tea tree and basil oils both have medicinal properties that may be useful in treating ear infections. A 2006 review of tea tree oil’s properties explains that tea tree oil has a lot of terpinen-4-ol. This chemical compound kills off bacteria that it comes into contact with.

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From rebrilliant

10 Pair Shoe Rack

10 Pair Shoe Rack - rebrilliant

[ Easy to assemble ] - Assemble a stackable shoe rack tall narrow or split into two shoes stand (5 tier can split into 2 tier shoe rack and 3 tier shoe rack, 10 tier shoe rack can split into 5 tier shoe rack 2 units). Please refer to the manual instruction in package.


Yukon court validates First Nation's right to require councillors, chiefs, to live on settlement lands

A woman argued in 2019 that not being allowed to run for council of her remote First Nation while living in Whitehorse violated her Charter rights. An appeal court sided with the First Nation, which could have implications for others.

Woman had tried to run for council while living in Whitehorse; appeal court sided with the First Nation

Sign in Old Crow, Yukon. The community of approximately 260 people is the only consistently-occupied location on Vuntut Gwitchin settlement land. (Leonard Linklater/CBC)

The Yukon Court of Appeal has upheld the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation's right to require chief and council to live on settlement lands.

In a split decision issued July 21, the court found the First Nation's requirement for elected officials to move to settlement lands within 14 days was in violation of section 15(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees equality rights.

However, it found the requirement is shielded by section 25 of the Charter, which protects the collective rights of Indigenous peoples.

The decision marks the first time a Canadian court has examined the intersection of section 25 and the personal rights of First Nations citizens.

It also found the original judge had overreached in declaring the Vuntut Gwitchin government, not just the residency requirement, was subject to the Charter.

Like the decision it overturned, the appeal case has implications for Indigenous governments across the country.

Citizen launched legal challenge in 2019

The case began in 2019, when Vuntut Gwitchin citizen Cindy Dickson filed a petition to the Yukon Supreme Court.

Dickson, who lives in Whitehorse, was barred from running for council because she didn't live on settlement land.

The only consistently-occupied location within Vuntut Gwitchin settlement land is Old Crow, a fly-in community of approximately 260 people roughly 800 kilometres north of Whitehorse.

The First Nation later changed the requirement so that elected councillors would have to relocate to settlement land within 14 days.

Dickson continued her challenge, arguing the requirement still discriminated against her and the roughly 300 Vuntut Gwitchin citizens who live outside of Old Crow.

In Dickson's case, she needed to be in Whitehorse so her son with a serious medical condition could easily access a hospital. She also noted the lack of available housing in Old Crow, among other barriers, and asked the court to strike down the requirement on the grounds that it violated her section 15(1) Charter rights.

The Vuntut Gwitchin government made several counter-arguments, including that the Charter didn't apply to it at all. It also argued the residency requirement was part of its inherent right to exercise self-government and key to preserving Vuntut Gwitchin culture and tradition.

Both sides appealed Yukon Supreme Court decision

Ron Veale, then-chief justice of the Yukon Supreme Court, delivered a ruling in 2020 that neither side agreed with.

In his decision, Veale wrote that the Charter applied to the residency requirement and the Vuntut Gwitchin government overall.

He also divided the requirement into two pieces, finding that mandating councillors to move to settlement land was not a violation of section 15(1) — and if it was, would be saved by section 25. However, he struck down the 14-day time limit for relocating, stating that it was unconstitutional.

Both Dickson and the Vuntut Gwitchin government filed appeals.

The Yukon government, Attorney General of Canada, Teslin Tlingit Council, Carcross/Tagish First Nation and the Métis Nation of Ontario all joined as intervenors in the case.

As Vuntut Gwitchin's final and self-government agreements closely mirror those of other self-governing Yukon First Nations — and has similarities to the agreements other nations have or are negotiating with Canada — Veale's decision had a potential wide-reaching impact.

A first in Canadian court

The Court of Appeal hearings took place over three days in May.

Justice Mary Newbury, who authored the majority decision backed by Chief Justice Robert Bauman, noted that the case "raised some issues that have never been dealt with by a Canadian court."

"The parties' arguments… look ahead to the future in a way that previous jurisprudence concerning Indigenous peoples did not," she wrote.

"They require us to consider the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, with its emphasis on personal rights and freedoms, in a different way than before; and to attempt to resolve, in the spirit of reconciliation, whether and how those rights affect, and are affected by, collective rights of self-governing [First Nations]."

Newbury found Veale was correct in determining the Charter applied to the residency requirement.

However, she struck down portions of his other findings, including that the Charter applied to the Vuntut Gwitchin government as a whole.

That, Newbury wrote, was a misstep — Veale had only needed to examine the Charter's applicability to the residency requirement.

As well, Newbury found Veale wrongly concluded the residency requirement, without the 14-day time limit, did not violate Dickson's section 15(1) rights. He was also wrong in analyzing the 14-day limit separately from the rest of the requirement, she wrote.

Instead, Newbury wrote, the residency requirement in its entirety was in violation of section 15(1). However, it was shielded by section 25 — meaning it can be allowed to stand as-is.

Newbury ultimately allowed both Dickson and Vuntut Gwitchin's appeals, but set aside Veale's decision and dismissed Dickson's petition. She issued a new order stating the Charter applies to the residency requirement and that the requirement violates Dickson's section 15(1) rights, but is shielded by section 25.

'Put simply, Ms. Dickson lost and the VGFN won'

The remaining appeal judge, Justice David Frankel, issued a dissenting decision. While he largely agreed with Newbury's conclusions, he thought Dickson's appeal should have been dismissed.

"What Ms. Dickson and the VGFN sought from this Court was a determination with respect to the validity of the Residency Requirement as a whole. In the end, the VGFN prevailed," Frankel wrote.

"Put simply, Ms. Dickson lost and the VGFN won. Accordingly, I consider Ms. Dickson's appeal to have failed and the VGFN's cross appeal to have succeeded."

He also objected to the appeal court making declarations, writing that an order should relate only to the outcome of the case, not outline the steps the court took to get to the outcome.

'Difficult process,' says Dickson

The Vuntut Gwitchin government declined an interview request, pointing the CBC to a press release stating chief and council were consulting with a legal team and would have more to say later.

Dickson, reached by phone, also said she would speak to her lawyers before deciding on her next steps. However, she told the CBC that she was disappointed by the court of appeal's decision, and added that she still believed that Vuntut Gwitchin citizens living off settlement land had an important role to play in government.

"I just want to say that it's been a difficult process," she said, "and it's not easy to challenge something that's under a self-governing First Nation."


Dossi Cave is a wonderful labyrinth of halls and galleries decorated with polychrome concretions of various shapes and sizes. The colors that distinguish the concretions in the Dossi Caves are due to mineral salts dissolved in the surface water that percolate in the cavity forming stalactites, stalagmites and columns.

It has a total length of 910 meters for a drop of 21. It was the first cave in the Province of Cuneo to be discovered (1797) and it was also the first cave in Italy to be illuminated with electric light with thirty Edison lamps. Today it has returned to life thanks to the wise arrangement of light beams that enhance the beauty of the concretions and bring out in all their splendor, discreet and solemn, hitherto unknown aspects of this underground labyrinth.
We recommend the use of non-slip shoes and a jacket because the temperature inside is constant and around 9 ° C.


New Mexico Wildflowers: Gentian Family

Hover over a photo series to control the images.

Green Gentian (Frasera speciosa)

For the first several years, the green gentian is a low cluster of large leaves. Once it has stored enough energy, it puts up a tall, leafy flower stalk, produces seeds, and dies. The flower stalks at the center of one of the pictures were both over 2 meters (6 feet) tall. So far, I have a close-up of the flower buds but not of the open flowers, which are green with some white and with dark spots.

Arizona Centaury (Zeltnera)

During usually low flow in the Rio Grande, I was able to tramp what is ordinarily a river channel. Next to the channel, in damp soil, was a cluster of Arizona centaury plants (either Zeltnera arizonica or Z. calycosa).


Opinion |

Israel Is Unraveling, but We Won’t Go the Way of the Crusaders

Yossi Melman head
Yossi Melman
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Reenactment of Battle of Hattin.
Reenactment of Battle of Hattin.Credit: Tomer Appelbaum
Yossi Melman head
Yossi Melman

“There’s something in what he’s saying,” Ezer Weizman told me, half in awe, half in dread, in 1988, referring to remarks by Syrian President Hafez Assad. Weizman, at the time a minister without a portfolio, was also a former defense minister and air force chief who helped make the peace treaty with Egypt possible. He also promoted peace with the Palestinians and later became Israel’s seventh president.

Assad was also a former defense minister and air force chief, and above all a bitter enemy of Israel. He drew a comparison between the Crusaders and their campaigns of conquest in the Holy Land, and Zionism and the State of Israel – a well-rooted notion still prevalent among some Arabs. He was referring to the fact that the Crusaders’ presence was temporary and their hold feeble.

Haaretz Podcast: Could a Trump triumph be Netanyahu's get out of jail free card?

The concept was widespread not only in politics but also in Arab literature and historiography in the 1950s and ‘60s, as self-consolation and to compensate for the defeats and humiliation by the Israeli army following the establishment of the Jewish state in 1948. The idea was that the land belongs to the Arabs, and the Jews, Zionists and Israelis, a foreign presence in the Middle East, would eventually be forced back to their countries of origin.

One of the works most popular among Arab scholars and politicians who embraced this analogy was the three-volume work by British historian Sir Steven Runciman, “A History of the Crusades.”

The Arabs’ hopes were echoed in the first 20 years of Israel’s existence in some Israeli narratives. It’s a tempting analogy. The Crusaders were invaders from Catholic Europe, imbued with strong religious faith and ideological zealotry, who conquered the country by force of arms. They introduced Western European culture and Catholic values into the heart of the Muslim world, tried to integrate into their surroundings and failed.

Their Muslim neighbors rejected them, fighting against them in tireless wars. The Crusaders were also divided among themselves. They were armed to the teeth and built isolated fortresses; they lived by the sword and eventually died by it. Muslim power revived and remained until the arrival of the Zionists at the end of the 19th century and the creation of the State of Israel.

Even if there are similarities, almost every historical comparison is simplistic, certainly one between the Zionist project and the Crusader kingdoms.

To begin with, remember that during the Crusades in the Holy Land, from the end of the 11th century to the middle of the 13th century, the concept of nationalism did not yet exist. And it was Jewish nationalism that laid the ground for the Zionist movement – not religious dreams.

Also, Jews have always possessed a strong historical, religious and sentimental bond with Jerusalem and the Holy Land. The Jews’ roots, experience and history contradict the Arab stance that Israel/Palestine was solely a Muslim possession.

Israel is a strong country, highly developed economically and technologically. It’s also the strongest military power between the Eastern Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. Yes, the process of its acceptance by the Arab states has been slow, but consistent, and not only because of the realization that Israel cannot be defeated by its enemies.

Most Arabs accept and recognize de facto Israeli existence in this part of the region. Israel has made peace with four Arab states, with a few more expected to follow. And one can assume with high probability that Israel will not be defeated on the battlefield; besides, according to foreign reports, it possesses doomsday weapons.

It is widely accepted by most Israeli security experts – generals and heads of the security and intelligence agencies – that Israel no longer faces an external existential threat, not even from Iran. If a serious danger looms over the country’s future as a free, democratic and Jewish state, it’s from within.

Israel is unraveling as a state and a society. The rifts, factionalism, hatred, growing abhorrence of liberal values, and the political and other disputes between right, center and left, secular and religious, Mizrahim and Ashkenazim are threatening the delicate fabric of existence here. There is also an aversion to Western liberal values and the desire, expressed by more and more Israeli Jews, to suspend democracy or replace it with a strongman regime.

To this must be added the suppression of the Palestinian right to self-determination and the expanding occupation of Palestinian lands, threatening Israel’s status as a Western democracy.

These trends did not begin when Benjamin Netanyahu became prime minister in 2009. The seeds were sowed earlier, but during his 11 years in power, they have been dramatically enhanced, their growth accelerated.

Even mainstream Israelis, especially young people, talk about the fear that their beloved country is on the verge of a civil war. They’re concerned that maybe there is validity in the reflections, expressed many years ago by Ezer Weizman, that Israel will become an episode in history, a new version of the Crusaders, who settled on the land, fought wars, tried to establish a vibrant society but eventually returned to the West, from whence their ancestors came.

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Food, Health/Life

How to cook cauliflower rice: complete guide

How to cook cauliflower rice:

Image via: Pexels

Complete guide on How to cook cauliflower rice outlines how to prepare cauliflower rice and ways to cook it, with great easy recipes to try.

Find more food guides, tips and advice

Rice is a great accompaniment to many dishes. Unfortunately, it is also high in carbohydrates and this can be the cause of you feeling tired after a meal of rice. But there is a side dish that tastes similar but has hardly any carbohydrates.

Cauliflower rice is a great low-carb alternative to rice. It’s made from cauliflower, a versatile vegetable that is incredibly good at cooking. In addition to being low in carbohydrates, there are many other reasons why cauliflower is so healthy . With homemade cauliflower rice you have a healthy alternative to rice.

More and more people want to eat a low-carbohydrate diet. Usually, relatively expensive low-carb products are used. You can make your own low-carb rice with very simple means. For example, we regularly have cauliflower rice. The recipe is super simple and easy to follow for anyone. Also read how to cook brown rice on the stove, rice cooker or instant pot.

We don’t necessarily eat cauliflower rice because we eat low-carb, but simply because it tastes better that way. The slightly seared cauliflower gives the dish a slightly nutty taste that usually goes very well with all recipes. By the way, it is much faster to cook than normal rice. Cauliflower rice is also something for quick cooking.

We love the low carb rice substitute, which even tastes slightly like cauliflower with delicious toppings. Whether with Thai curry,  chicken vegetables or as a salad – the vegetable rice is a real alternative to conventional rice.

So don’t wait a second longer: Here are step-by-step instructions that will make it super easy to make cauliflower rice.

How to make cauliflower rice
How to cook cauliflower rice
Answers to common questions
Recipes with cauliflower rice

How to make cauliflower rice

There are two methods of making cauliflower rice:

  • Low budget method: with a potato grater
  • Premium method: With a food processor

Both methods produce cauliflower rice the size of regular rice.

Make cauliflower rice with a square grater

Making cauliflower rice with a square grinder is the cheaper of the two methods. All you need besides the cauliflower is a square grinder.

Step 1: wash the cauliflower
Step 2: Roughly separate the cauliflower florets
Step 3: Grate the florets on a square grater to make rice

Since you always have to take good care of your fingers towards the end in order not to cut yourself, keep the florets as large as possible. So the risk of getting cut isn’t that great.

The square grater has several sizes. We always used the medium size. If you like, you can of course use the larger or smaller setting to get rice in a different size.

If you put the square grater in a bowl right from the start, the finished rice will land directly in the bowl. This method requires a little effort and it takes a little longer than the second method.

Make cauliflower rice with a food processor

Step 1: wash the cauliflower
Step 2: Separate the cauliflower florets into small pieces
Step 3: Put the cauliflower florets in the food processor and chop.

With this method, you can cut the florets a little finer so that they shred better. This method is a little more expensive than the method with the square drive, but it is also much faster and easier.

How to cook cauliflower rice

When cooking cauliflower rice, you have two options:

  • Cook in the frying pan
  • Prepare in the microwave

Both methods take about 5 minutes. You have to decide for yourself which one you like better.

Cook in the frying pan

  1. Heat some oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
  2. Add the cauliflower rice to the pan and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Season the rice as desired (e.g. salt, pepper, basil, coriander, rosemary)

Prepare in the microwave

  1. Place the cauliflower rice in a microwave-safe container.
  2. Cook the vegetable rice for about 3 minutes, then stir it.
  3. Cook the rice for another minute.

Answers to common questions

When dealing with cauliflower rice, there are a few questions that can come up frequently. Here are the answers.

How do I store cauliflower rice?

It’s best to store cauliflower rice in the refrigerator. After you have processed the cauliflower into rice, put it in a sealable food storage container.

How long can cauliflower rice keep?

Cauliflower rice can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Can you freeze cauliflower rice?

Especially in autumn when cauliflower is harvested, the heads of cabbage in the supermarket reach almost record-breaking proportions. What you might get away as a family, an individual eats sometimes for days, again and again cauliflower recipes in different variations. Since it makes almost no difference in terms of effort and time when making cauliflower rice, whether you only produce one portion or immediately in stock, I recommend simply freezing the raw cauliflower rice.

To extend the shelf life of cauliflower rice, you can put it in a freezer bag and then freeze it. It can be kept for several months in the freezer. As soon as you are ready to eat the frozen rice, simply let it thaw before cooking it normally.  After thawing, all you have to do is fry the low carb rice in a little coconut oil or similar, or add it to your soups and other dishes.

How does cauliflower rice taste?

Cauliflower rice is surprisingly grainy. In the taste test, it might not win against normal rice, but it would come pretty close. It tastes like cauliflower (no surprise), is slightly fluffy like couscous, and has a firmness similar to rice.

What is the consistency of cauliflower rice?

If you eat it raw, the grains are tender and firm to the bite at the same time. If you cook the vegetables beforehand, they will be a little softer.

Cauliflower Rice vs. Rice: which takes longer?

When cooking normal rice, you first have to heat the water to boil in which you then cook the rice. The cooking time varies depending on the type of rice. In any case, the rice will cook for 10 minutes, so you end up with at least 15 minutes including boiling water. With cauliflower rice, cutting with a food processor and frying in the pan each take around 5 minutes. Cauliflower rice is ready even faster than conventional rice with a total time of around 10 minutes.

How to cook cauliflower rice: The bottom line

There can be many reasons why you might want to eat cauliflower rice instead of regular rice:

  • Incorporate more vegetables into your diet
  • Avoiding carbohydrates from rice and grains
  • Try something new

How to cook cauliflower rice: Recipes with cauliflower rice

The nice thing about cauliflower rice is that it is incredibly diverse. There are tons of recipes that make cauliflower rice great. Of course, everything can be done first that can be done with rice. It can be traditionally used as a side dish or as a filling for tomatoes or peppers. It is also very good as fried rice or as a pizza topping. I am also happy to use it as a “substitute” for minced meat. In lasagna, for example, the nutty aroma of the baked or seared cauliflower is a great alternative.

Since cauliflower can be eaten raw, you can of course also use the cauliflower rice raw. Why don’t you just try a delicious salad based on our low-carb rice. In my research for new recipes, I have already discovered cauliflower rice recipes in which it was baked in hearty muffins and the like.

Cauliflower Rice Casserole with Chicken Low Carb Recipe

Servings: 4
Difficulty: medium
Preparation: 10 mins
Total: 35 minutes

500 g chicken breast fillet
1 head of cauliflower (large)
1 bell pepper (red)
3 carrots
2 spring onions
3 eggs
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon rapeseed oil
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 pinch of salt
1 tbsp pepper

frying pan
Baking dish
Food processor
Cutting board
Vegetable peeler

Dice the chicken & peppers. Cut the carrots and spring onions into slices. Chop the ginger. Grate the cauliflower with a food processor . Beat eggs in a bowl and stir.

Step 1: Sear the chicken in a deep pan with rapeseed oil over high heat for about 5 minutes until cooked through. Take the chicken out of the pan. Add the carrots and peppers to the pan and fry for about 5 minutes.

Step 2: Add cauliflower, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, onion powder, and garlic powder to the pan. Fry for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Return the chicken to the pan and stir in.

Step 3: Pour the contents of the pan into a baking dish. Spread the beaten eggs over the contents of the baking dish. Place the baking dish in the oven preheated to 180°C. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, until the egg begins to turn golden brown. Take the casserole out of the oven. Garnish with spring onion slices. Then serve.

Indian chicken tikka masala with cauliflowew rice.

Golden fried chicken in a spicy, creamy tomato sauce – garnished with coriander. This simple recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala is probably one of the best you will ever try!

Servings: 4
Difficulty: medium
Preparation: 15 minutes
Total: 35 minutes

400 g chicken breast fillet
1 head of cauliflower (large)
3 carrots
1 can of chickpeas
2 cloves of garlic
3 spring onions
1 can of coconut milk
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 teaspoon ginger
1 lime
1 tbsp garam masala
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Coriander/cilantro (fresh)
Coconut oil

Food processor
2 frying pans
Cutting board
kitchen knife
Vegetable peeler
Garlic press

Divide cauliflower into small florets and process into cauliflower rice according to these instructions. Cut the chicken breast fillets into approx. 2 cm cubes. Peel the carrots, cut in half lengthways and cut diagonally into fine crescent moons. Peel the garlic cloves and pass them through a garlic press. Peel and chop the ginger. Put the chickpeas in a colander and rinse under running water until the water runs clear. Wash the spring onions and cut into thin rings.

Step 1: Heat some coconut oil in a large, non-stick pan over medium to high heat and fry the chicken until golden brown on all sides. Add the carrots, garlic and ginger and fry for another 5 minutes.

Step 2: Add the chickpeas, tomato paste, garam masala, ground cumin, paprika powder, turmeric, chilli powder, black pepper and salt. Deglaze with coconut milk, stir vigorously and simmer for about 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are firm to the bite and the sauce is thick.

Step 3: Squeeze in lime juice to taste and season with a little salt if necessary. Garnish with coriander. Then serve.

genevieve dumas new Genevieve Dumas is a design, fashion, food and style writer who has worked on major magazines and mastheads in the United States and Europe.


Grand Sauces

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Grand Sauces by Mind Map: Grand Sauces

1. Bachemel

1.1. Ingredients

1.1.1. 3 tablespoons (45 ml) butter

1.1.2. 3 tablespoons (45 ml) flour

1.1.3. 2 cups (500 ml) milk

1.1.4. 1/2 onion, finely chopped

1.1.5. 1 pinch nutmeg

1.2. STEP 1: Measure 45 ml (3 tablespoons) of butter and 45 ml (3 tablespoons) of flour per 500 ml (2 cups) of milk.

1.2.1. STEP 2: Melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan, add 1/2 chopped onion and stir until tender and almost translucent (looks like you can see through them!). STEP 3; Sprinkle the flour on the butter and onion and stir with a whisk. STEP 4; Let the butter and flour mixture cook for 1 minute over medium heat, whisking constantly. That way, your bechamel won’t taste like flour. This step is called making a roux. The roux is used to thicken your milk and give you a nice creamy sauce.

2. Veloute

2.1. Ingredients

2.1.1. 2 cups of chicken (fish or veal stock)

2.1.2. 4 tbsp of flour

2.1.3. 4 tbsp of butter

2.1.4. salt and pepper

2.2. STEP 1:In a medium sized saucepan melt the butter.

2.2.1. STEP 2:Remove the pan from the stove and quickly stir in the flour. STEP 3: Return the pan to the heat and cook the paste mixture, stirring frequently until it turns pale and straw-like in colour. This should take several minutes STEP 4 : Take the pan off the heat again and whisk or stir in half of the stock. Make sure that the paste has dissolved and a liquid has formed without any lumps

3. Espagnole

3.1. Ingredients

3.1.1. Mirepoix: 4 oz/112g onions, 2 oz/56g celery, 2 oz/56g carrots

3.1.2. 2 oz/56g butter

3.1.3. 2 oz/56g flour

3.1.4. 2 oz/56g Tomato Puree

3.1.5. Sachet Containing: 1/2 Bay Leaf, 2-3 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme, 2-3 Sprigs Parsley

3.1.6. 1.5-2 qts/1.5-2L Roasted Veal Stock

3.2. STEP 1: Start by roasting your mirepoix over medium heat, in the bottom of a heavy bottom sauce pot with the butter, until the mirepoix turns a nice golden brown.

3.2.1. STEP 2: Once your mirepoix has browned, add in your tomato puree and continue roasting for 2-3 more minutes. STEP 3: Sprinkle in your flour, and cook until the flour is well incorporated into the other ingredients (about 5 more minutes). STEP 4: Add your roasted veal stock and sachet.

4. Tomato

4.1. Ingredients

4.1.1. 1 cup olive oil

4.1.2. 13 cloves garlic

4.1.3. One 96-ounce can (or, if you can find it, 1-kg) or four 28-ounce cans Italian tomatoes

4.1.4. Large pinch of red pepper flakes

4.1.5. 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

4.2. STEP 1: Combine the olive oil and garlic in a large deep saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring or swirling occasionally, until the garlic is deeply colored—striations of deep brown running through golden cloves—and fragrant. If the garlic starts to smell acrid or sharp or is taking on color quickly, pull the pan off the stove and reduce the heat.

4.2.1. STEP 2: While the garlic is getting golden, deal with the tomatoes: Pour them into a bowl and crush them with your hands. We like to pull out the firmer stem end from each of the tomatoes as we crush them and discard those along with the basil leaves that are packed into a can. STEP 3: When the garlic is just about done, add the red pepper flakes to the oil and cook them for 30 seconds or a minute, to infuse their flavor and spice into the oil. Dump in the tomatoes, add the salt, and stir well. Turn the heat up to medium, get the sauce simmering at a gentle pace, not aggressively, and simmer for 4 hours. Stir it from time to time. Mother it a little bit. STEP 4: Check the sauce for salt at the end. The sauce can be cooked with meat at this point, or stored, covered, in the fridge for at least 4 days or frozen for up to a few months

5. Hollandaise

5.1. Ingredients

5.1.1. 3 egg yolks (see how to separate eggs)

5.1.2. 1 tablespoon lemon juice

5.1.3. 1/2 teaspoon salt

5.1.4. 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

5.1.5. 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (if using salted butter, skip the added salt)

5.2. STEP 1: Melt the butter slowly in a small pot. Try not to let it boil – you want the moisture in the butter to remain there and not steam away.


Submarine drones could grow a lot kelp in the open ocean

Marine BioEnergy is collaborating with a research team at the University of Southern California, Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies. US Department of Energy, Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) has provided $2.1 million in funding for a proof of concept.

Kelp grows best 100 and 300 meters beneath the surface, or where there are natural upwellings, typically along coasts. Can submarine drones hold nets and lines to suspend kelp crops in the open ocean ? Marine BioEnergy proposes to tether their kelp farms to drone submarines that will submerge the entire farm every night, bringing all of the kelp down to the nutrient rich water that it needs and then floating it back up again as the sun rises.

Kelp grows up to 2 feet per day and does not need weeding, pesticides, fertilizers, or any other kind of resource-intensive micromanagement.

The key test is: does a fast-growing kelp thrive when depth-cycled at night to absorb nutrients and surfaced during the day to absorb sunlight?

The first tests will depth-cycle kelps near-shore to measure resilience to pressure changes. The target kelp is Macrocystis. If Macrocystis does not thrive, an alternate native species will be tested.

Juvenile kelps will be attached to an anchored buoy system which will surface the kelps during the day and submerge them at night. Marine Biologist will monitor the kelps and the water nutrients regularly. The biomass will be weighed at the end of multiple experiments and compared to biomass from a group of controls.

The second set of tests will be anchored in deeper water where the conditions will closely replicate the open ocean environment. In the open ocean, the top layer is nutrient deplete and the kelp must absorb deep water nutrients to continue to produce biomass. The biomass will be weighed at the end of the 90-day growing/harvest cycle and compared to biomass from a group of controls.

As part of this effort, the Wrigley Institute will be developing a kelp nursery to grow sporeling on artificial substrate (long lines). The nursery long lines will be subjected to depth-cycling and are part of the preparation for commercial deployment.

They are trying to develop an open ocean cultivation system for macroalgae biomass using drone boats to hold long lines and nets. The kelp can be converted to biocrude. Giant kelp is one of the fastest growing sources of biomass, and the open ocean surface water is an immense, untapped region for growing kelp. However, kelp does not grow in the open ocean because it needs to attach to a hard surface, typically less than 40 meters deep. Kelp also needs nutrients that are only available in deep water or near shore but not on the surface of the open ocean. To overcome these obstacles, the team proposes to build inexpensive underwater drones that will tow large grids, to which the kelp is attached. These autonomous drones will be capable of towing the farms from sunlight-rich surface water during the day to nutrient-rich deep water during the night, and will submerge the farms to avoid storms and passing ships. A prerequisite for this vision will be successful demonstration of depth-cycling kelp plants from the surface to the deep ocean. Working with researchers at the University of Southern California, Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, Marine BioEnergy will develop and deploy first-of-kind technology to assess and apply this unique concept of kelp depth-cycling for deep water nutrient uptake to kelp production. Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will convert this kelp to biocrude and document the quality. This technology could enable large-scale energy crop production in many regions of the open ocean, with an initial focus on the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone off California.

Potential Impact:

If successful, Marine BioEnergy, Inc. would be able to grow giant kelp in open water to create an abundant and affordable feedstock for low-carbon biocrude.

Increasing the production of domestic biofuels would help diversify the resources we rely on for transportation, thus further reducing dependence upon imported crude oil.

The proposed technology would enable commercial biomass farming to be deployed in the open ocean, thereby reducing the demand for artificial fertilizer, land, and freshwater resources.

Marine BioEnergy estimates the open-ocean kelp farming method would result in “a cost per unit energy comparable to coal and natural gas: under $2.50/GJ.” You’d also end up with about 16 percent by mass of methane gas, which is useful, along with a solid waste byproduct that is very rich in nutrients and makes a great fertilizer

Marine BioEnergy, Inc. projects the cost of its biocrude to be competitive with conventional petroleum.

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Sun.Nov 28, 2021

How “strategic philanthropy” has harmed our sector, and why it refuses to die

Nonprofit AF

Remember that couple that did a gender reveal party earlier this year and ended up starting a wildfire that lasted. Funder Relations philanthropy Race, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion

How To Be An Impact Player At Work

Eric Jacobsen Blog


Rainham Village Primary School and Nursery

Rainham Village Primary School and Nursery

Quality Education Meeting Individual Needs

YEAR 4

Week 3: 17th-21st January 2022

Click on the subjects below.  Complete all lessons and write your outcomes in your exercise book.

Addition and Subtraction

Complete lessons 1-5

English - ‘John Lyons’ Part 1 Complete lessons 1, 4, 6, 8 and 9

GPSComplete lessons 3 and 5

Spellingsthe ‘ous’ suffix. Complete lesson 2

Guided Reading - Complete all 5 lessons on ‘Mulan’ and write your outcomes in your exercise book.

What happens in a circuit when we change the components?

Watch the video and answer the questions in your exercise book.

Geography R.E.

Who won the Peloponnesian wars?

Watch the video and complete the activities in your exercise book.

Building Locational Knowledge

What is the geography of the Arctic and Antarctic?

How do Muslims express their faith?

P.E. Art French

Just Dance

Choose a dance and copy it.

Dreamscape - Week 1

Research some dreamscapes images to give you inspiration. Then begin to sketch your own dreamscape.

A dreamscape drawing or painting is a dreamlike usually surrealistic scene or image.

Read through the page from the food section listening to the pronunciation     tabs as you go — learn how to pronounce likes and dislikes in French and learn the names of French food.


Fighting to Protect the American Dream in Florida

  I am your neighbor, small business owner, father, husband, and veteran and have been able to partner with my wife to build several successful small businesses.  Together, my wife and I, have built successful relationships in business and medicine to improve the lives of people and families in Palm Beach County and the surrounding communities.

     I have been a physician, working for the last 15 years, to help the people in our community to optimize their health.  Unlike corrupt professional politicians that make shady back door deals to push political agendas and enrich the politically connected, I have enriched the lives of people and families to be more functional and to live happier, healthier, and more productive lives in our community.

Dr. Saulis Banionis

Dr. Saulis Banionis, M.D.

     In the current political climate that seeks to divide and destroy America based on race, sex, pronouns, etc., while uttering nonsense such as “diversity is our strength”.   Diversity is not our strength; it is our weakness when it is used to divide us, but diversity is beautiful when is used to unite us as Americans to make our communities and our country better.  We’ve all witnessed these professional politicians and their corrupt policies attempt to divide and distract the people as they make endless excuses why things don't get done.   These professional politicians seek to enrich themselves and gain political power at the expense of the working people while overtaxing and under serving our community. We see the political elites and their hypocrisy as they promise much, yet do nothing about violence in cities, destruction of small businesses, neglect of the elderly and providing fewer services for them, corruption of children and their education, and they seek instead to divide us to maintain their power.  We get glimpses of what our world could be with caring people making good choices for our communities and building them up, rather than allowing these politicians to let the communities around then crumble.  Instead of professional politicians, we need people with common sense and a proven track record of caring and success to step up and unite people to take our country and our communities back to build a successful future for our families and future generations.

     It’s time for good every day citizens to step up and take our country back.  From local school boards and county positions, to local and state elected offices, it's time for citizens with common sense and pride in our imperfect history to take our government back.  To make it work for the people, it must be run by the people, not professional politicians that say what people want to hear and then fail to deliver.  We have inherited from our founding fathers and by God’s grace the freedoms that we cherish and have a responsibility to protect that freedom for our children.   That's why  I am  running for public office.  Rather than “political experience”, I offer our community a caring physician, neighbor, and father with common sense and a proven track record of success that is willing to fight to protect the American dream for Florida families.


Out of stock
File under: Art-RockFolkJapan

Remains of the Light (LP)

Label: An'Archives

Format: LP

Genre: Experimental

Out of stock

** Edition of 285, comes in a silk-screened (2 colors with metallic ink) 3 panels foldout jacketwithobi(red or black), inserts and a postcard. Liner notes by Michel He nritzi ** Remains of the Light, the debut album by Japanese trio Usurabi, is a gorgeous thing –six generous, deftly melodic songs that stretch out slowly, breathing deeply, yet never outstaying their welcome. The members of Usurabi started playing together in 2017, but they’d known each other for several decades, meeting via their involvement in a music club at university. Led by songwriter, singer and guitarist, Toshimitsu Akiko, previously of psych-pop duos Doodlesand Aminome, the trio is completed by Kawaguchi Masami (New Rock Syndicate, Hardy Rocks, Miminokoto) on bass and guitar, and Morohashi Shigeki (Majutsu no Niwa, Uchu Engine, peaflan, Alraune) on drums. Kawaguchi and Morohashi had already played together in the legendary Broomdusters, a group they formed when they wereboth university students. Toshimitsu, long a fan of Broomdusters, formed Usurabi to explore what she describes as “rock music that features vocal mainly and floating sound like waves.” It’s a clear, simple and apt description of what they do. Toshimitsu’s songs are graceful, each having a dynamic arc to their construction, while allowing for all kinds of subtle inflection from her guitar, sometimes tussling with Kawaguchi’s flinty, overloaded blues; Toshimitsu drives the songs with subtletly and wit, sculpting waves of energy from his kit. Throughout, Toshimitu’s songs hint at questions, complexities, metaphors: allusions and illusions.

Songs like “Brunnera” and the closing “Constellation” are adrift, beamed out on rays of light, the trio’s empathic playing harnessing a subtle kind of psychedelia. “Constellation” explores Toshimitsu’s thought, “Am I allowed to turn the feeling I can nothing to do into a constellation, like ancestors did?” The lovely, shaded pop of “Autumn Rain” translates a Toshimitsu solo arrangement into a stripped-back, delightful slice of happy-sad nostalgia; “The rain is always sweet to me,” Toshimitsu says of the song. Ask the trio what other music informs Usurabi, and they share names, some expected, some surprising: Kaneko Jutok, Les Rallizes Denudes, The Doors (“The first real rock experience to me,” Toshimitsu recalls), Captain Beefheart, The Rolling Stones. You can hear elements ofall of this music in their songs, but mostly it’s more a hint, or a tint, than an obvious acknowledgment; the playing certainly shares the hopeful freedom of Kaneko, and the stridency and sensitivity of the Stones at their best. It also recalls the independent music of groups like The Pastels; like that outfit, Usurabi have absolute integrity in their sound. It’s quietly ambitious, and quite beautiful.

File under: Art-RockFolkJapan
Cat. number: An 22
Year: 2021


• setorii

Jo-EL Sonnier Is Inspiring Everyone To Reach For The Stars

Updated: Feb 4, 2020

Bob Dylan, Tanya Tucker, Hank Williams Jr. and many other legendary artists have talked about the influence that the Grammy winning Jo-EL Sonnier had on their music. His combination of authenticity and talent have endeared him to his peers and fans for over six decades.

Jo-EL's love for music has been with him since the beginning. He was given an accordion at three years old. At first, it was something his parents thought would just keep him occupied. However, they and the locals would soon realize that Jo-EL could play the instrument. This lead to his radio debut the age of six and first recording session when he was 11.

As an adult, Jo-EL moved to Nashville and in 1974 he signed a contract with Mercury Records, recording country music. But his love for Cajun music was always with him and by the middle 80’s Jo-EL recorded "Cajun Life”, scoring a Grammy nomination. The recognition achieved with the success of "Cajun Life" allowed him the freedom to fuse his deep Cajun roots with country, rock, and other pop influences.

In 1987 Jo-EL signed with RCA Records and the recorded "Come on Joe.” From that album came Top 10 hits like “Tear-Stained Letter” and “No More One More Time.” Throughout his career, Jo-EL has performed on stages in all 50 states and in 32 countries around the world. Along the way, he has made time for lending his accordion talents to more than 100 records for artists like Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Alan Jackson and Merle Haggard. As a songwriter, he has had his songs recorded by George Strait, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, John Anderson and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Jo-EL is a busy man, but even with all his success he still has remained humble and kind. He has also remained a devoted husband for almost 30 years to his wife Bobbye. They have a relationship that's as inspiring as Sonnier's music We caught up with Jo-EL and talked about his life and career. We also discussed autism. He has a form known as Asperger's Syndrome.

Jo-EL, you’re open with the public about having autism. Has that always been the case? The truth is, I didn’t know that I was autistic until a few years ago. I always knew I was different from most people, but I never knew why. When I was young, I was labeled as uneducable and put in the back of the classroom. I was already different because I only spoke Cajun French until the 3rd grade. I didn’t fit in with the other kids and the only time I felt normal was when I played music. People who knew me, always knew I was different, but they just thought I was quirky. It’s hard not understanding why you are different. When I finally found out that I have Aspergers, it was like a weight was lifted off me. Now I know that there’s nothing wrong with me, I’m just different from most people. It’s nothing to hide and I don’t mind if the whole world knows that I’m Autistic.

You’ve been described by many as a musical genius. Do you think having autism plays a role in that? Absolutely it does! When you are on the Autism spectrum and blessed to be on the high functioning end of the scale, you have extra abilities to focus on a certain field that you have interest in. Because I was different and didn’t fit in when I was young, my world revolved around my accordion and music. As I grew up, that didn’t change. The only time I ever felt like I fit in, was when I was playing music. I’m able to block out just about anything that doesn’t involve music, because my mind is so tuned into my music. I’m not sure that makes me a musical genius, but it means a lot to me that people think I’m good at something as important to me as my music is.

What message about reaching your goals do you share with others with autism? I want people to understand that being autistic doesn’t mean you can’t follow your dreams and achieve your goals. Yes, it will be harder and might take longer but, it can be done. I want people to understand that sometimes what others perceive as a disability, is really what gives you the ability to succeed in life. At least it did for me.

You and your wife Bobbye seem to have a very strong partnership. What role or roles does she play in your personal and professional life? My wife plays a huge role in both my personal and professional life. Living and working with an artist or musician isn’t the easiest job in the world. We are just a different breed of men. And living and working with an autistic artist is harder than I even understand. Bobbye is my true believer, my strength and my reason for everything I do. She travels every mile I make, she fights all my battles and keeps me sane when my world gets crazy. She is the words to my music.  Describe your state of mind when you are performing. When I’m performing I’m in my world where I’m safe and in control. I’m surrounded by my band and other musicians who love and understand me so it’s ok to be who I am. And I understand that the people in the audience are there to listen to my music because they like what I do. I have nothing to prove when I’m on stage so I feel safe. It’s also the time when I feel like I’m able to connect with people through my music. Off stage it’s not that easy for me to communicate with people but onstage my songs can have great conversations with each one of them.

When I’m onstage, my music does my talking and it helps me connect with the audience in a way that I never could in a conversation with them. Music is like medicine and I’d like to think that it heals people’s hearts when they hear my songs. I’ve seen the people laugh, cry and smile. Any emotion tells me my music got to them on some level and that tells me I did my job.

Please share with us some words of wisdom that you live by. I’m not sure I have any wise words, but I can say that the only thing that can stop you reaching for the stars, is sitting on your hands. Oh, and that sometimes being different, makes all the difference in a life.

You can keep up with Jo-EL by clicking on the links below. https://jo-elsonnier.com https://www.facebook.com/comeonjoe

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Year 3

December 2021

Year 3 started with meditation followed by yoga. Before the sessions started,  children discussed the purpose - how meditation and yoga can/ has helped them to stay calm.

This was followed by a poster  of 'one kind word.' Children discussed its importance and the difference it makes to people both ways - person who says it and to whom it was being said.

Children actively  participated  in the discussion about what children found challenging in Year 3 and how they have shown resilience to overcome it. Children talked about different situations and scenarios in school and outside and discussed how they felt when they found it hard and how they overcame it.

In the afternoon, children designed and made their Christmas cards. The day ended by listening to the class story.


HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Senate is advancing legislation to prevent school children from being required to get a COVID-19 vaccination to attend school, although it likely faces a veto by Gov. Tom Wolf.

The bill passed on party lines Monday and goes to the House of Representatives. Neither the state nor any school district in Pennsylvania requires the COVID-19 vaccination to attend school.

In cases of other infectious diseases, school children in Pennsylvania can invoke medical, religious or philosophical exemptions for immunization requirements. Evidence of immunity is sometimes acceptable.

Wolf’s office says there are no plans to require the vaccine and is urging Pennsylvanians to get vaccinated.


Courage & Defiance: Spies, Saboteurs, and Survivors in WWII Denmark

Courage & Defiance: Spies, Saboteurs, and Survivors in WWII Denmark
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Release Date
September 27, 2016
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When the Nazis invaded Denmark on Tuesday, April 9, 1940, the people of this tiny country to the north of Germany awoke to a devastating surprise. The government of Denmark surrendered quietly, and the Danes were ordered to go about their daily lives as if nothing had changed. But everything had changed.

Award-winning author Deborah Hopkinson traces the stories of the heroic young men and women who would not stand by as their country was occupied by a dangerous enemy. Rather, they fought back. Some were spies, passing tactical information to the British; some were saboteurs, who aimed to hamper and impede Nazi operations in Denmark; and 95% of the Jewish population of Denmark were survivors, rescued by their fellow countrymen, who had the courage and conscience that drove them to act.

With her talent for digging deep in her research and weaving real voices into her narratives, Hopkinson reveals the thrilling truth behind one of WWII's most daring resistance movements.

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Nazi Resistance
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Immersive, impactful and informative. This non-fiction account of World War 2 takes a somewhat more alternate angle than is usual—shedding light on those among the Danes, specifically, who resisted the Nazi invasion.

Filled with black and white pictures of brave rebel Danes, newspaper pages, and historic moments in progress, Hopkinson stitches together a vivid sense for the oppression and pushback in a tiny nation that regarded all of its citizens with uncommon loyalty. The stories are sobering and significant in historical value, while the language choices leave it accessible to those as young as 12.

COURAGE & DEFIANCE is broken into five parts, beginning in April of 1940 with the overnight invasion of the tiny nation of Denmark. Sedition was initially scattered, disorganized, and small scale until the Summer of 1943. As news of Allied victories spread, it brought embodiment and hope to the Danish people. They began to openly revolt, and the Germans cracked down with martial law and the total neutralizing of the Danish military. It is here, at part 2 and the book’s halfway point, that the Nazis ordered the roundup of all 7,700 Jews living in Denmark. The pacing accelerates from here on out as the Danes worked together to warn their Jewish neighbors, then evacuate as many as they could. Part 3 covers the Fall of 1943-Summer of 1944, as a number of the resistance members that readers have come to know are captured and imprisoned. Some are executed. Part 4 tells of those who survived to be deported into Germany and face the cruel and deteriorating conditions of Nazi camps—illness, starvation, and ten hour work days. Part 5 recounts Liberation in the spring of 1945—though survival was far from assured for these political prisoners, even to the final moments.

What’s most striking is how perfectly well these men and women understood the risks they were running in opposing the Nazis. There were no guarantees that Hitler could be stopped. Torture and death awaited any caught engaging in espionage or sabotage. And yet, there were many who could not just stand by and passively watch their society and principles were ravaged a piece at a time. They were willing to put their bodies and lives on the line—potentially being betrayed by their own Nazi-sympathizing countrymen—to defy submission to a genocidal war machine.

One of the most harrowing accounts would have to be that of The Flight of the Hornet, which begins on page 47. It tells of Tommy Sneum’s daring escape from Denmark to Great Britain in an outdated little plane, which he had to secretly reassemble himself in a barn. The tension throughout this incident is palpable.

On the flip side, readers may have a bit of trouble keeping track of all of the characters followed throughout. Pictures of said persons are offered, but not up front. And while the linear chronological ordering of events makes perfect historical sense, it leaves large alternating gaps between character accounts—and thus time for readers to forget who they are being told about. For this reader, it caused distancing and disconnect from their individual plights.

This book has great bottom-line potential as a tool for bringing the tensions and conflict of WW2 to life in a whole new way; suitable for students as young as lower middle-grade, or for anyone who is simply interested in expanding their understanding on the subject.

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Individual Support Module

Tracking client data is one of the most critical aspects of a home team's day. The Individual Support Module makes it easy for direct support professionals to thoroughly and accurately schedule, document and review client's status mental, behavioral and physical health status during each visit.

No more filling out paper reports by hand—home teams can simply input everything into HSI Portal and produce immediate, automated notifications. By having all of this data in one place, agency supervisors can monitor every client's activity over time to better evaluate treatment plans and greatly reduce incidents of client harm.

Additionally, agencies can maintain transparency with conservators and monitors by granting secure access to the client's activity data.

Schedule Activities & Appointments

With the Individual Support Module, you can create a list of daily activities with just a few clicks. Schedule milestone activities such as picking out clothes, brushing teeth or meal times. You can also add medication timing and upcoming medical or other appointments. As home teams encounter each activity, they can indicate level of completion right on the task.

Track Behavior Data

The portal makes it easy to track and chart different types of behavior data, which gives behavior analysts a better understanding of treatment plan effectiveness. Caregivers can note behavioral occurrences such as aggression, self-injury, and other reportable incidents, which is then automatically charted and reported. Additionally, staff can collect and chart sleep data and monitor over time.

Improve Internal & External Communication

Detailed communication between treatment teams is key, especially when those teams are located in different remote locations. Within the portal, care teams are able to leave thorough notes about the client's overall behavior throughout the day, giving the next shift insight into what to expect and any red flags to be aware of. Without communication barriers, treatment teams can better collaborate to ensure there are no gaps in care.

Communication between the agency and conservators and monitors is vital as well, to maintain clear visibility into client care and wellbeing. To assist with these, you can actually grant outside parties the ability to log into a secure portal of their own to view the client's history of notes and documentation.


How exactly to Use Football Predictors

How exactly to Use Football Predictors

There are numerous ways to use football predictors. Some derive from the strengths of players and others are based on the strength of teams’ defenses. A team could be ranked on a variety of factors including its defensive strength or home field advantage. A football predictor will be able to let you know which team will win or lose the game based on their rating, and help you create informed decisions about your bets.

football predictors

There are a variety of different methods for creating a football predictor. A statistical model can be built to forecast the results of a game. For instance, in case you are a betting fan, statistical football prediction is definitely an excellent solution to bet on a casino game and make money. The goaltending method uses an analysis of player strengths and weaknesses to forecast the results of a game. This type of software may be used to make predictions of upcoming games.

A 파라오 토토 toto mathematical model for football predictions has been useful for quite a long time. In 1982, Michael Maher published a paper outlining a strategy to estimate the probability of a game. It runs on the Poisson distribution to look for the possibility of a team scoring a goal. The model’s parameters are defined by a difference between a team’s defensive and offensive skills. The model is adjusted for the house field advantage factor. A technical report from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology was published in 1992.

The initial statistical analysis of soccer games was published in 1956 by Moroney. He found that the negative binomial and Poisson distributions were adequate for predicting the results of a casino game. In 1974, Reep and Benjamin improved with this method by analyzing the ball passing between players throughout a football match. Hill’s findings indicated that the outcomes of soccer games are highly predictable. There are some various kinds of football predictors.

Some football predictors use statistical analysis. For instance, in 1982, Michael Maher published a model that uses the difference between the defensive and attacking skills of two teams. The model was based on the home field advantage factor. In the 1990s, Knorr-Held analyzed the time-dependency of team strengths. In 1994, Hill and Benjamin published a written report that proved the effectiveness of a statistical model for football matches.

Football predictors have been studied for decades. The initial model, developed by Michael Maher in 1982, runs on the Poisson distribution to calculate the probability of a game. The model includes both defensive and attacking skills, and is adjusted for home field advantage. Several other football predictors have already been created and refined through the years. This short article describes the development of two of the very most common statistical models. It is very important note that the majority of football predictions are based on historical data. However, the info are not yet complete and could not accurately reflect current conditions.

A football predictor could be developed based on past data. The first statistical model published in 1968 by Michael Maher incorporated the info of the team’s opponents to calculate its own rankings. This method can be used to calculate the probability of a casino game and is considered a great way to make wagers. But you need to understand how football predictions work. Basically, they’re not only guessing. They’re using statistics that measure a team’s past results.

A football predictor could be developed based on past performance. The first such model was made by Michael Maher in 1982, also it depends on the Poisson distribution to look for the outcome of a match. Unlike bookmakers, football predictors may be used to pick winners in probably the most competitive matches. The most successful models can even be rated based on the strength of a team’s players. They are tested over a number of football games, and will even predict which teams will win and which ones will lose.

Football predictors have already been around for a while. Various researches have attempted to create football predictors using data from previous seasons. Fortunately, they are around for some time, and their efforts have helped millions of people improve their probability of winning a casino game. These models have been used to determine the odds of a match, and will even predict the outcome of the game by simply considering a team’s past performance.


Who pays what in a real estate transaction?

Who pays fees buyer or seller?

Generally, the seller pays this fee, which is used to cover the preparation of the HOA paperwork and the registration of the new buyer as the owner of the property. Usually these fees are $1000 or less.

Do buyers pay realtor fees?

What is the buyer responsible for at closing?

Aside from the down payment and earnest money the buyer is responsible for most of the closing costs. … Buyers typically pay for property-related fees including the appraisal fee, home inspection fees and loan-related fees. These include the application fee, attorney’s fees, and mortgage broker fee.

How much are closing costs and realtor fees for buyer?

They’re charges on the overall purchase price of a home, typically paid at closing. The fees amount to around six percent of the total purchase price of the home — with three percent going to the selling agent and three percent to the buyer’s agent.

THIS IS IMPORTANT:  Your question: How do I schedule my Ohio real estate exam?

What is the difference between a buyer’s agent and a Realtor?

Is a buyers agent worth it?

How can I avoid paying closing costs?

How to avoid closing costs

  2. Close at the end the month. …
  3. Get the seller to pay. …
  4. Wrap the closing costs into the loan. …
  5. Join the army. …
  6. Join a union. …
  7. Apply for an FHA loan.


Reconciling Chance and Divine Providence: Three Theological Options

For many Christians, the most-troubling aspect of evolution is not the idea of common descent or its conflict with a literal reading of Genesis, but because the mechanism of natural selection implies that creation is governed by chance. Assuming that chance is a real feature of the world, my paper will evaluate three different models for reconciling chance and divine providence.


A new underwater breathing device to aid in the detection of carbon monoxide leaks

The discovery of the world’s first oxygen mask in the depths of the Indian Ocean has led to an urgent search for a way to identify carbon monoxides in the atmosphere.

The mask, which is in the shape of a square and has a hole at its base, was developed by the Japanese company Takumi Corp. for underwater breathing equipment.

Takumi has been developing the mask in collaboration with the University of Washington in Seattle.

Takumi’s mask uses a device that resembles a rubber hose with a metal mesh inside, designed to suck up CO2 from the ocean floor.

The device measures the amount of CO2 in the water and measures the pressure to extract it.

It uses this information to measure the depth of the water, which in turn allows the mask to determine whether there is carbon monoxy in the air.

“This technology can help us to identify bubbles in the ocean, and also to detect the presence of carbon dioxide in the environment,” Takumi’s president, Masataka Ishizaka, said in a statement.

“This could potentially have a huge impact on the prevention of climate change.”

Ishizaka also said the mask could help detect leaks of methane from fossil fuel burning.

He said it could also help to identify areas where CO2 has been released from fossil fuels, and help to measure pollution in such areas.

The Japanese mask was unveiled on Monday in a press conference hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The mask, about the size of a tennis ball, has a metal base that can be used to secure the cylinder.

The press conference also included a demonstration of the device in action, as well as Takumi President Ishizasha and the U.S. Navy’s underwater testing team, which will be participating in a study of the mask.

The new device, known as the SOLA underwater breathing system, will not only aid in detecting CO2 leaks, but it could potentially help in finding areas where there is CO2.

“The mask can be attached to the submarine, and we have shown that we can operate it underwater without touching the water,” Takumis chief engineer Kazunori Nakamura told reporters in Tokyo.

“We will also be able to use the mask underwater to measure carbon monozides, which can be very important for monitoring emissions.”

The company said it has received the support of more than 500 countries.

The company says the mask will be used in an underwater demonstration in Japan this month.

The US Navy and the Navy’s Advanced Underwater Device Team, which includes members from the Navy and NASA, are also expected to be involved in the study.

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What coat can I apply on a gallery canvas (before painting on top of it) to prevent it from yellowing over time? I'm planning to leave some parts of the canvas unpainted.

  • Do you mean to prevent the canvas from yellowing? Independent of the paint itself? Are you planning on leaving parts of the canvas shine through, or are you talking about the backside?
    – Joachim
    Nov 6 '20 at 8:48
  • You would usually just paint on the canvas and add a varnish on top to protect the paint (and the canvas if there is any blank canvas left).
    – Lapskaus
    Nov 6 '20 at 13:48
  • @Joachim yes and yes. I’m planning to leave some parts of the canvas unpainted
    – Carlo Yu
    Nov 8 '20 at 9:00
  • I'll post this as a comment because it's speculation. You can slow down any yellowing that will occur by sealing the surface of the canvas with something clear. But if it's going to yellow, it eventually will. I suspect the solution is to coat the surface with something white and opaque. There are low viscosity finish materials that won't change the surface texture if that's important.
    – fixer1234
    Nov 9 '20 at 19:43
  • 2
    Are you using "raw" canvas, or "white" canvas that has already been prepped for acrylic (with e.g. a couple of layers of gesso). Because the former will tend to yellow regardless of your efforts to seal it, even if you seal both sides, whereas the latter will stay white for longer (depending on the quality of the gesso)
    – Gwyn
    Nov 12 '20 at 0:58

If you want the canvas to be raw it will discolor but if you want it to look raw and are ok with covering it, then use a good quality acrylic gel medium. Golden makes several, and if you use a matte gel and cover both sides of the canvas you will not have any yellowing as it will be insulated from oxidation. Matte, is suggested because a thin coat is almost impossible to see. Gloss will show itself.

The quick fix is a sealer so the tannin or stain can't penetrate through. Stain blockers that are oil-based primer/paints, spray shellac, polyurethane, or even wax.

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