Discussing the tensions between fashion, technology and sustainability with Vanessa Friedman
Before meeting Vanessa Friedman, I considered the perspective she could lend on the tension between designers’ ability to create freely and the need to choose sustainable materials. Is there a conflict? Does working with sustainable fabrics limit designers? What new technologies excite her? What does she think of ‘wearables’? I posed these questions and more to her, considering her answers in the context of the the wider fashion industry.
When discussing whether she perceives sustainability being at odds with unlimited creativity in fashion design, Vanessa told me “Fashion has always had that tension – sometimes it’s about pricing, sometimes its more practical restrictions, like the need for two armholes and a place for your head… that creates discipline for designers and I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. Sustainability is part of the challenge of design”. She believes that when you are making something that is functional, which fashion is, you have to wrestle with the egregiousness of the product you are making. Her standpoint is one of sustainable materials posing a challenge, rather than being a problem.
Vanessa cites the possibility that aesthetics may be shaped by the advance of new materials, smart textiles and new fibre composites – cellulosic and animal fibre blends, for example – as a huge opportunity. If such advances could result in less seams required and ultra light materials, like those used by Moncler who are “making warm coats that can by smushed into a tiny ball for carry on”, then all these advances are exciting. “Designers should embrace these challenges and opportunities as a chance for them to think differently – It should be something they look forward to”.
I am curious to know whether (and when) Vanessa sees a future where the discussion on sustainability becomes a part of the high profile seasonal fashion discourse during fashion month, taking place in New York, Paris, London and Milan, where she sits front row in her capacity as the Fashion Director and Chief Fashion Critic of The New York Times. “In my dream world, you don’t need a Copenhagen Fashion Summit that’s all about sustainability – this is not a discourse that is combined with a mainstream event because it is a mainstream event and it is part of best practice – period”. Her take on the sustainability message is “we can talk about it or not talk about it. You don’t want to be an eco brand, you just want to be a brand that happens to be sustainable. It shouldn’t be the thing that sets you apart, it should be the thing that makes you part of the general conversation”.
It’s Vanessa’s opinion that using sustainability as a sales tool and part of the brand message, has an upside and a downside. The upside is the point of differentiation which can attract consumers, while the downside is that it puts the brand in a different niche for other consumers. She reflects on Vogue’s former “eco or green design section of the magazine where they would feature a different designer every month… You don’t want to be there – you want to be with Gucci, you want to be with Vuitton”. Reflecting on her comment, it seems to me that sustainability shouldn’t be a consolation or an optional brand choice – it should be quietly integrated into all fashion brands.
Moving onto the subject of textiles and manufacturing, I asked Vanessa if she has seen any ‘game-changing’ developments emerging. She highlights 3D printing and manufacturing to order, thereby eliminating stock and production processes (that have long and complicated supply chains) as the most exciting. “If you can produce a garment in a very short amount of time to order for someone, you will change everything”. Vanessa is thinking of the likes of 3D printed shoes and advances in digital knitting. It is her opinion that the biggest change for fashion as a result of advances in technology is going to be in the production process, rather than “the accessory that tests your heart rate… To me, the really exciting opportunity is in how you manufacture”. Evidence in the form of the Adidas Speedfactory and the mass customisation by NIKEiD support her comments, as do the advances in digital knitting that have led to a complete transformation of the entire footwear industry through the creation of Flyknit and Adidas Ultra Boost, amongst many other digitally knitted products with simplified supply chains, local manufacturing and short lead times.
Image: Adidas Ultraboost
When I asked Vanessa which designers or brands that she feels are doing exciting things fusing tech and fashion she is of the leaning that there is a giant gap in this area. She defines it as “A problem that no-one has quite figured out, between technology companies that can make gadgets, and they are trying to make them ‘fashiony’ – and fashion companies that make fashion and are trying to make them ‘techy’. You need a third point of the triangle, which is someone who is going to figure out how to meaningfully combine the two”. Enter a number of innovative cross-disciplinary labs and incubators emerging for the express purpose of making this happen, including Plug and Play and Mira Duma’s Fashion Tech Lab.
On the subject of ‘wearables’, Vanessa pulls no punches: “I think ‘wearables’ is the most ridiculous word I have ever heard – everything is a ‘wearable’ – my jacket is a ‘wearable’ and it has no tech in it at all. I don’t think ‘wearables’ has figured out what it is yet. It’s a catch all word for techy gadgets you wear, but that’s not really a sector”. To a degree, we may be talking semantics here, but based on the abandoned Fitbit and Google Glass, amongst others, it’s true that the gaping divide between where tech provides clever capabilities and fashion provides aesthetics and desirability to create life-enhancing products, remains wide.
Image top: Google Glass Image bottom: Fitbit
Reflecting further on the state of wearables, Vanessa reminisces about the iPhone and iPod “changing the way that everybody interacted with music”. She says that in contrast, “there has been nothing like that with fashion – no wearable has achieved that”. Considering the outcome of our discussion and my questions about sustainability playing a bigger role in fashion, it seems that to Vanessa’s mind, there is a tension between fashion and tech, but not between fashion design and sustainability.
As I wrap up this article, an invitation to the launch of Nadi X by Wearable X – the first Wearable yoga pant to ‘communicate with the user to ‘aid alignment’, hits my inbox. Perhaps our ‘Wearable’ future is about to take a new life-enhancing turn towards the perfect fusion? Stay tuned for the verdict.


Piccolo features a custom Othello AI engine, designed to be fast, challenging and customizable. The AI's default Level 1 difficulty can be beaten by beginners, while its Level 8 difficulty is likely to challenge even top Othello masters around the world. Designed from scratch, the Piccolo AI engine is sure to give seasoned Othello players a new type of opponent to play against, with often surprising and creative strategies.
Polished User Experience
Piccolo features a native user experience designed for iOS and macOS. A modern design lets you focus on the game, with helpful move indicators, the ability to undo moves, and automatic game saves between every move in case you close the app by mistake or your phone's battery runs out. Multiplayer play is supported both locally and online.
Piccolo features a variety of beautiful themes to customize and breathe fresh life into your Othello experience. Othello veterans might enjoy sticking to the Classic theme, while others might prefer the handsome Seasoned Wood theme, the adorable Sailor Moon theme or even the Persian Spray theme, inspired by traditional Iranian ceramics. Additional themes designed by guest artist Aline Corrêa are also available, giving you access to an Othello game on top of an alligator lake, inside an ancient castle, next to Egyptian Pyramids, and more!
Cute iMessage Stickers!
Send cute “chibi”-style iMessage stickers to your friends with Piccolo's bundled iMessage Sticker Pack! Featuring 36 custom illustrations drawn by anime artist Erica Li, the stickers feature Piccolo's adorable mascot in different relatable situations.
No Ads, No Tracking
Unlike a majority of games on the App Store today, Piccolo has no terms you need to accept before playing. Piccolo will never show you a single ad, and will never track you. The app is entirely a labor of love for the game of Othello, made by players for players.
Available in 20 Languages
Thanks to contributions from players around the world, Piccolo has been translated from English into Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish and Vietnamese. No matter where you are, Piccolo's interface will be easy to understand.


Most sports organizations require the same common core functionalities in their public website, those being:
- The standard suite of site pages, ie. About us, Contact us, etc.
- The typical utilities, ie. document downloads, link management, photo gallery, etc.
But for all of the site requirements clubs have in common, there are just as many utilities and site features requested that make one sports website different from the others.
At Data Blueprints, we use content management system (CMS) technologies to lay a framework for your website so that no matter what features and utilities you request down the road, those special requests and customizations are easy to implement. We understand that each customer is different, and the uniqueness of your sports organization must be reflected in the design of the website.
And the added benefits of using a CMS to build your sports website is that you can delegate the maintenance of your website to authorized staffers … the coaches can update the team pages, the registrar can update the registration pages, and the communications officer can post the latest news. Our content management solutions provide you with easy tools to edit your website anytime, from anywhere.
When you've exhausted your patience with the cookie-cutter team sports solutions that are packed with unwanted advertisements and are so limited in terms of functionality and design, call Data Blueprints for a sports website that’s a custom fit.
Features of our sports-related website solutions include, but are not limited to the following:
- Easy editing of content by authorize staff.
- Multiple site pages dedicated to a variety of content needs.
- News postings.
- Contact Us utilities for the varied parts of your organization.
- Custom site colors and graphics specific to your organization.
- Shared calendaring.
- Link management.
- Sponsor displays.
- Photo Galleries.
- Global site search utility.
- Call-out boxes for special content, such as field conditions or game cancellations.
- Site pages dedicated to dynamic content, such as field directions provided by Google Maps.
- Document management so that site visitors can download important forms.


Top-Line vertical blinds is an exclusive brand of verticals for a demanding client. They apply as a cover in stylish interiors, modern architecture or in large glazed areas. Big windows and walls made of glass, allow to have constant contact with the surrounding, but unfortunately they don’t provide the sense of intimacy, sunlight and looks from the outside. For that reason, Vertical blinds have become an amazing solution for modernist architecture. Their main asset is the aesthetic effect and possibility of regulating the amount of sunlight coming inside the room. The available range of colours will satisfy even the most demanding client. Top-Line vertical blinds are also used as a room divider. Another useful advantage except for the possibility of rotating the lamels, is moving them to the left or right side and also from inside. It makes them functional and easy to use. Vertical blinds can be mounted horizontally or at an angle. Their rails have a straight shape, but can also be curved on the dimension. The rail is available in colours such as: white, silver and black.


Inspirados en la naturaleza, somos una marca que desea proveer joyeria única que resalte tu belleza. Seguimos la marea.
At Marea-Dá, we are inspired by our island’s nature, which is reflected in the designs of our jewelry. Our pieces are carefully crafted to capture the essence of the natural beauty that surrounds us. We believe that jewelry is a form of self-expression, and our designs are meant to help you express your individuality and style.


Pink Chalk Studio Pattern Collection
Pink Chalk Studio
Welcome! I'm Kathy Mack - designer of Pink Chalk Studio sewing patterns. I find enormous joy in designing fun-to-make sewing projects that walk you through the construction process step-by-step with lots of illustrations. Pink Chalk Studio patterns have been road tested by sewists of all experience levels and through my teaching in real life classes. Sewing should be fun and a well written pattern supports that experience!
Love, Joy and Happy Sewing!


24 Graphtec CE6000-60 PLUS Vinyl Cutter/Plotter FREE DELIVERY
24 Graphtec CE6000-60 PLUS Vinyl Cutter/Plotter. Graphtec Pro Studio design & cutting software for Windows & Mac. The Graphtec CE-6000 PLUS has 450 gf of downforce pressure for cutting very thin films such as window tint all the way up to the toughest sand-blast mask and reflective materials. The new PLUS models are fast. It has a max cutting speed of 39 in/sec (in all directions) for quick output of intricate cut jobs. Reliable long length tracking up to 196.85 inchs long. The built-in front control panel provides complete parameter control including eight preset cutting conditions, as well as advanced features like tangential control mode, down force offset, pen up speed, blade wear monitoring and more. With a 25 pin RS-232C or the High Speed USB 2.0 control interface, the CE6000 Plus Series is compatible with legacy computer systems as well as the latest PCs available now and for several years to come. Dual tool configuration and easy switching between cutting and plotting. The pen carriage holds both a plotting pen and a blade at the same time to enable easy switching between plotting and cutting operations. Four sets of user-specified setup parameters are retained in memory for instantaneous recall. The pen is for plotting and detailing graded patterns with seams, text, notches, Grain direction, etc. Innovative features include maximum cutting speeds of 39 ips and with a maximum cutting force of 450g.
It also features an easy to use menu navigation system with eight groups of preset conditions which facilitates instantaneous recall of pre-programmed job-specific plotter setups. Each CE6000 comes standard with: floor stands (except for the 15" CE-6000-40), Rear media roll rack with new media brake (60" and 120), Graphtec Studio Software, Cutting Master Plug-In, plus Graphtec's ARMS (Automatic Registration Mark Sensor) system.
ARMS 5.0 LED sensor contour cutting for print & cut graphics scans faster and more accurately through optimizing your cropmark placement in the software. ARMS is an abbreviation for Advanced Registration Mark Sensing system, which uses sensors to detect registration marks and performs the AXIS ALIGNMENT. It is able to adjust received contour cutting data in the cutting plotter to align with the printed image.
It enables to significantly improve productivity in the Print & Cut applications that makes stickers or decals. The new CE-6000 PLUS model includes.
Software can drive multiple cutters simultaneously. Software automatically auto-detects any cutter once plugged into USB port. Stand Included with 24" and 48" models (Not available with 15 model).
Adobe Illustrator (PC and Mac). The item "24 Graphtec CE6000-60 PLUS Vinyl Cutter/Plotter FREE DELIVERY" is in sale since Wednesday, October 21, 2020. This item is in the category "Business & Industrial\Printing & Graphic Arts\Plotters & Wide Format Printers". The seller is "metamorphosedigitaldepot" and is located in Miami, Florida. This item can be shipped worldwide.
- Product: Vinyl Cutter
- Modified Item: No
- California Prop 65 Warning: NA
- Type: Vinyl, HTV
- Country/Region of Manufacture: Japan
- Material: Vinyl
- Brand: Graphtec
- Model: CE6000
- Custom Bundle: No
- MPN: CE600060


Highly skilled in back and front-end coding languages, Responsive Design, CMS & Ecommerce frameworks and a range of database systems – we will deliver an end-to-end solution that will exceed your expectations.
The look & feel of your website is just as important as the technical foundations behind it. We will work with you to create the design style you want – from corporate to cutting edge, we have you covered.
Many businesses find it challenging to succeed in the complex digital space – we will work directly with you to help you understand, create and deploy a business & marketing strategy that will deliver results within your budget.
If you have specific online functionality in mind – we can help you scope, source & develop your idea into reality. Our strategic focus always put the end user first and we will help you deliver a user experience that will get results.


Bullet Holes Template [PSD]
Bullet holes PSD graphic designed in high resolution. You can now download 4 bullet holes styles template in Photoshop PSD format presented on wood, paper, glass and stone. By using this bullet holes PSD file you could design a creative mobile application for example. Applications and games are just a small portion of what you could do with this bullet holes template PSD file. The combinations and uses are endless. Just put your own creative juices into action and produce an outstanding artwork.
It’s a good idea to use this bullet holes template as a starting point for creating a pattern or a brush. It will be much easier for you to have a brush based on this bullet holes template. This way you will create your artworks faster and easier.
The bullet holes template PSD file contains fully layered elements. The designer made sure that even a newbie in web design could work with this bullet holes template. All of the layers and groups are named in the PSD file.
The bullet holes template PSD comes in a tiny file size. It’s just 1,71 mb!
This bullet holes template PSD file is suitable for:
- Game designs.
- Mobile applications.
- Website templates.
- Print projects.
File Format: PSD
File Size: 1.71 MB
Number of Items in Set: 4
Author: Free PSD Files


Endless Exhibition, 2018 – ∞
Materials and dimensions variable
Endless Exhibition is a curatorial-manifesto-as-artwork by Prem Krishnamurthy. Building on his long work as a designer, writer, exhibition maker, and founder of P!—the “Mom-and-Pop-Kunsthalle” that first existed in New York City from 2012–2017—the artwork surveys the overproduction, mass consumption, and fleeting attention span of the contemporary art world. To redefine the stakes of exhibition making, Endless Exhibition proposes a simple temporal play: starting today, every exhibition, art fair, and biennial mounted should be permanent, remaining on view forever.
A performative, polymorphic work—incarnated in texts, images, PDF presentations, lectures, publications, audio and video documentation, contractual agreements, and even whole exhibition programs and institutional formats—Endless Exhibition poses timely questions of space, waste, labor, and future histories. At the same time, it challenges the supposed autonomy of discrete artworks, fulfilling, in Krishnamurthy’s own words from a 1999 notebook entry, “[Principle] 5: reappearance of the project—the project should never be ‘done’—it should always invite addition, rethinking, recontextualizing…”
In 2019, Kunsthal Gent acquired the piece as part of its inaugural institutional framework, “Kunsthal as City.” In this context, it accrues layers of architecture and programming to construct an ongoing archaeology. Instantiating itself over time, Endless Exhibition rehearses new approaches to changing the global art ecosystem by rewriting its rules.
Prem Krishnamurthy is based in Berlin and New York. He is a partner and director of the multidisciplinary design practice Wkshps. Previously, he was a founder of the design studio Project Projects, winner of the Cooper Hewitt’s National Design Award. He serves as co-Artistic Director of FRONT International 2021, the contemporary art triennial in Cleveland and Northern Ohio. As an independent exhibition maker, he was an Artistic Director of the inaugural Fikra Graphic Design Biennial, Ministry of Graphic Design, and has curated exhibitions internationally including at P!, the acclaimed "Mom-and-Pop-Kunsthalle" that he founded in New York’s Chinatown in 2012. He has written for numerous catalogues and magazines and has edited books with Berkeley Art Museum, Cabinet Books, Duke University Press, Paper Monument, and others. His first book, the experimental memoir/monograph/manifesto, P!DF, was published by O-R-G in 2017.


A loft conversion can drastically add up to the value of your house. Even though loft conversions are usually done to add more space to the house, they differ from one house to another. One of the vital requirements of loft conversion is adding a staircase for safe access. Commonly, staircases take up a huge amount of space. So, it is essential to find out a way to space-saving stairs for a loft conversion for both aesthetic and practical sense.
If you are planning for a new staircase for the newly added floor in your building, there are several Building Regulations to consider. Adding a new floor requires a new staircase. While you can use a fixed ladder in some cases, the majority of conversions need stairs. You have to consider the following regulations when installing stairs to your loft:
- A fixed staircase is a must to provide safe access
- Space saver stairs may be used, only for single room lofts
- Maximum steepness pitch of staircase maybe 42 degrees
- The staircase can provide minimum headroom height of 1.9m
- All the risers must be equal
- For a drop of more than 600mm, a handrail must be provided
Space Saver Stairs
One of the most popular types of loft staircase is space-saving stairs. They allow the optimization of the available space in small houses. With the use of alternating treads, which provide a deep step, space saver stairs provide comfort and safety. According to the building regulations, this type of stairs can only be used for lofts with only one habitable room.
Regulations for Space Saver
There are limitations on where you can use a space saver staircase. As I mentioned before, this staircase can be used only for a single room or a room with an en-suite. This type of staircase must have a handrail or a wall-rail on at least one side. It cannot be used as a replacement for a regular staircase.
Takes less Room
As space saver stairs take alternate steps, they take up a lot less room. Therefore, you can use each of your foot for each step alternately while taking the flight of the stairs. This way, you can also finish your steps twice as quickly. Although these are not considered as the safest means of escape. So, you must check with your building regulations first. Your builder will ask you whether you want the left or right foot first. People usually go for their strongest foot.
Stairs over the existing ones
As space-saving staircases are extremely regulated by the building control, there are other options you can use instead. Placing the loft stairs over the existing staircase will ensure that you have enough headspace and also it will minimize the floor space that the stairs will take.
Make the staircase in another room
If you do not have enough space above your existing stairs, you can always take the stairs in a spare bedroom or any other unused space. This will reduce the inconvenience that the staircase will cause.


congatec welcomes ratification of COM-HPC 1.2 specification, introducing COM-HPC Mini
congatec – a leading vendor of embedded and edge computing technology – welcomes PICMG’s ratification of the COM-HPC 1.2 specification, which introduces the COM-HPC Mini form factor. This new specification provides high-performance capabilities in a small form factor, measuring only 95 mm x 70 mm. Even devices with limited space can now benefit from the superior bandwidth and interface offerings of COM-HPC, including PCIe Gen 5 and Thunderbolt.
COM-HPC establishes itself as the most scalable Computer-on-Module (CoM) standard, covering a wide range of applications from small form factor designs to edge server designs. This simplifies the design-in process and enables the creation of complete product families with reduced engineering efforts. COM-HPC modules support not only specific processors like x86 or Arm but also FPGAs, ASICS, and AI accelerators, making it a comprehensive standard for developing innovative applications based on the latest embedded and edge data processing technologies.
Christian Eder, Chairman of PICMG's COM-HPC Working Group and Director of Market Intelligence at congatec, expresses his enthusiasm for the COM-HPC standard: “COM-HPC offers the highest performance, bandwidth, interfaces, and scalability compared to other computer-on-module standards and with COM-HPC Mini, engineers can now leverage all this on a real small form factor for space constrained embedded and edge computing designs.”
congatec is committed to supporting the adoption and implementation of the COM-HPC Mini specification, enabling customers to bring their solutions to market quickly. As a leading provider of embedded computing solutions, congatec also continues to develop and deliver products that align with the latest industry standards.
For more information about congatec and its COM-HPC ecosystem, please visit: https://www.congatec.com/en/ecosystems/com-hpc-ecosystem
The specification of congatec’s fist COM-HPC Mini module can be found here: https://www.congatec.com/en/technologies/com-hpc-mini/
The official PICMG COM-HPC page can be found here: https://www.picmg.org/openstandards/com-hpc/


A home is not merely a physical structure; it is a sanctuary where memories are made, and lives are nurtured. It is a space that reflects our personalities, comforts us after a long day, and provides shelter from the outside world. However, as our lives evolve, so do our needs and preferences. This is where the transformative power of home renovation comes into play. Whether it’s updating a single room or undertaking a complete overhaul, home renovations have the potential to enhance our lives and create spaces that truly resonate with who we are.
Creating Personalized Spaces
One of the most significant advantages of home renovation is the ability to customize your living space according to your unique tastes and requirements. Every individual has different preferences when it comes to aesthetics, functionality, and design. A renovation allows you to turn your vision into reality by tailoring every aspect of your home to suit your needs.
For instance, if you are a passionate cook, a kitchen renovation can transform a lackluster cooking area into a chef’s dream, complete with state-of-the-art appliances, ample storage, and a layout optimized for efficiency. Similarly, a bedroom renovation can turn a bland sleeping space into a cozy haven, incorporating elements such as custom-built closets, lighting fixtures, and a soothing color palette.
Enhancing Comfort and Functionality
Home renovations offer the opportunity to improve the comfort and functionality of your living space. Many older homes may lack the modern conveniences and energy-efficient features available today. By upgrading heating and cooling systems, insulation, and windows, you can create a more comfortable environment while reducing energy consumption and utility bills.
Renovations can also address practical issues within the home. For example, adding an extra bathroom or expanding an existing one can alleviate morning congestion and enhance convenience for large families. Additionally, creating an open floor plan by removing walls can foster better flow and connectivity between living areas, promoting interaction and enhancing the overall livability of the space.
Increasing Property Value
Home renovations are not only an investment in your present enjoyment but can also yield substantial returns in the future. When executed thoughtfully, renovations have the potential to increase the value of your property. Upgraded kitchens, bathrooms, and outdoor spaces are particularly sought after by potential buyers and can significantly boost the resale value of your home.
However, it’s important to strike a balance between personalization and broad appeal. While it’s crucial to create a space that aligns with your preferences, keeping certain design elements versatile and timeless can help attract a wider pool of buyers down the line.
Emotional Well-being and Personal Growth
Beyond the physical changes, home renovations can have a profound impact on our emotional well-being. Our living environment directly influences our mood, productivity, and overall happiness. By creating a space that resonates with our personalities and meets our needs, we can cultivate a sense of peace, contentment, and inspiration.
Moreover, embarking on a home renovation journey can be a transformative experience in itself. It provides an opportunity for personal growth, decision-making, and creative expression. The process of envisioning, planning, and witnessing the transformation of your home can instill a sense of accomplishment, pride, and ownership.
Home renovations have the power to go beyond superficial changes, allowing us to create spaces that truly enhance our lives. From personalized aesthetics and improved functionality to increased property value and emotional well-being, the benefits of home renovation are undeniable. By investing in our homes, we invest in ourselves, creating a sanctuary that reflects our identity, supports our needs, and inspires us to thrive. So, whether it’s a minor update or a major transformation, the transformative power of home renovation is an opportunity worth embracing.


Relaunching a news site that receives 107 million monthly unique visitors is an incredibly daunting task, particularly when that process involves changing not only the front and back ends of the site, but the entire philosophy around what a news site should be as well. The enormity of that change isn’t lost on the Guardian’s director of digital strategy Wolfgang Blau, who acknowledges that such a radical redesign puts an onus on an audience to remain loyal through the change as much as it puts on the publisher:
«In this industry you expect a launch dip because this is not a redesign, this is a completely rebuilt information architecture, different section structure. It’s not a repackaging of something, it’s a new Guardian.»
But the Guardian’s approach to the redesign – entirely in the open, taking over 100,000 pieces of feedback from beta users, a staggered roll-out in the United States and Australia – has so far mitigated the initial impact of the relaunch, with traffic stats in the US where it was first launched barely altering.
But while improving the user experience while keeping the audience on-side is paramount, the new design is also aimed at making it easier to monetise the Guardian online.
The redesign is built on a modular structure, which Blau says allows it to better serve its audience as a breaking news site even as it reduces the distance between ads and ecommerce offerings:
«The longer we thought about the theme the more we realised that we weren’t really sure what a homepage should be these days… Of course we knew [we are a breaking news site] but when we took a look at our old site we realised our old home page was not doing a very good job at making it really easy for you to really scan the news agenda before you then move onto most non-news journalism the Guardian can offer you. This is one editorial reason we came up with this very modular structure.
«We call them ‘containers’ or ‘modules’, but what we liked about the terminology of containers is their compatibility no matter where you put them.»
The modular structure is all in service of better reflecting the user journey on a breaking news site like the Guardian. Noting that a third of visits to the Guardian’s old site contained at least one visit to the homepage, whether that was where the user landed or not, Blau says the new colour-coding of comment pieces, news articles, reviews etc. is a more intuitive way for the user to discover the content they actually want.
And since the modular nature of those containers allows for the insertion of ads in-line without breaking user flow, it should have a positive effect on the revenue those ads bring in.
David Pemsel, the Guardian’s deputy chief executive, explains how the redesign offers benefits to advertising partners even as it distinguishes the Guardian’s premium nature from its rivals:
«On the macro level the industry rewards dwell time, engagement, brand loyalty etc. I suppose in the sea of programmatic the Guardian has an obligation to ensure it provides the most enriching and the most engaging environment, which this clearly is.
«This is a proof point particularly to the clients that we talk to about our role in the world, about being a premium publisher. Coupled with that, when you talk to an agency or client about that they then are straight into ‘show me the real estate we can have’. Because we can be quite precious. We can sort of say ‘we’re editorial led, therefore you’ll get the boxes you’re given’, whereas actually now this is far more integrated and far more intuitively right than it’s even been before.»
That real estate includes in-line MPUs with the option for visually appealing parallax scrolling and interactive banner ads that work just as well in terms of display viewability across all platforms. Moreover, that focus on streamlining the site to improve the user journey allows for better ecommerce opportunities. Pemsel says:
«In addition to display revenue we have an ecommerce business whether it be books or it be travel. It’s fair to say it also felt like pretty basic badging on the site, so even though you might have some fantastic editorial around travel the placement of our ability to monetise that did feel slightly awkward and sometimes the positioning would be wrong. Whereas here it’s much more seamless, so you can read an article and then very easily go and transact on a holiday.»
As for the still-developing question about the dismantling of the Chinese wall between editorial output and advertising, Pemsel notes that the Guardian does not use the term ‘native’, instead preferring to consider the content on Guardian Labs as ‘sponsored by’ content that is clearly labelled. That labelling is crucial to maintaining the premium Guardian audience’s trust and, says Blau, handily reflects what that audience already wants:
«One experiment that was eye-opening for us was the regular ad spaces in the article body, the MPU, there was a discussion early on should we label them or not? And we said, like everything, let’s just test it, A/B test it from morning to evening. And the clickthrough rate when we had the label ‘advertisement’ above the MPU was significantly higher. Our readers really like that and click more often, so we’re not worried at all about direct vicinity of commercial-editorial elements, quite the opposite.»
Pemsel is bullish on the commercial benefits of the relaunch, expressing his belief that it benefits all of the Guardian’s varied revenue streams:
«Some of the ideas we have been developing in Guardian Labs, the Unilever deal, the EE, they are very rich and beautiful content experiences that were somewhat lost in the site before, and now we’ve been able to bring them out and they’re far more discoverable.
«It demonstrates the diversity of our revenue whether it be from global, ecommerce, Guardian Labs, the display formats, and obviously events and membership.»
The back-end of the new site has been similarly streamlined, to allow for quick and easy adjustment of the containers on the home page and within articles. The decision is driven by the Guardian’s recognition that as a breaking news site it provides a service that its old home page simply wasnt delivering. As a result, news items and ads can be slotted in and out, in different territories and whenever necessary.
It also has benefits for individual journalists at the Guardian, who can now access that CMS from anywhere, and who can include video content much more easily that ever before. Blau says:
«Video is just a hygiene thing, where just so many functions weren’t there, and we’ve overhauled the video player tremendously. The whole idea is noone in the building should need more than 30 minutes [of training] to be able to publish.»
Everything about the relaunch from the open nature of its development to the revamped back end has flowed from the Guardian’s desire to reinvent itself as a breaking news destination with an intuitive user journey. As part and parcel of that, the container system developed for the relaunch has in turn fine-tuned its commercial viability to better reflect the needs of its audience and establish it as a premium destination for advertisers. While nothing can be taken fro granted in digital publishing, Pemsel believes the long-term benefits of the relaunch will become evident in time:
«We have to say, in the UK we talk about being the largest cross-platform quality news brand. You have to match that with our commercial opportunity as well as your editorial stance.
«Sometimes one can find yourself talking about that to an advertiser or media agency and they feel like you’re slightly naive to think you can go up against the advent of huge programmatric trading desks. But at the same time we have an obligation to say we have an incredibly valuable audience.»


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[ About | The Game | Details | Download | Run ]
In this article, I describe how I created a bot that plays Yoshi’s Cookie, the tile-matching puzzle video game for the NES.
In the video below, watch the bot complete normal mode and the ending that follows.
Next, check out the bot finishing off expert mode and the subsequent finale.
Yoshi’s Cookie provides two different game modes:
In 1-player mode, the player completes stages that progressively increase in difficultly:
In versus mode, 2 players compete against each other in split-screen:
The bot is designed for 1-player mode. If you launch it during the title screen, it will play through all the stages from the first to the last. Or you can intermittently start and stop it on any stage to enable it to complete a section.
In 1-player mode, the playfield consists of a rectangular matrix populated with various cookies. And the objective of each stage is to completely clear the playfield. The player accomplished that task by repeatedly forming rows/columns consisting exclusively of the same cookie type; completed lines are automatically removed, shrinking the matrix. However, new rows/columns that slowly fall from the sides cause the matrix to grow upon contact. If the width/height of the matrix reaches 8, it’s game over.
The player controls a cursor that’s used to rotate individual rows/columns. A rotation consists of shifting all the cookies within a line by 1 space in either direction. The cookie that get pushed off the edge of the matrix wraps around to the other side, filling in the gap created by the shift.
The rotation mechanic makes the playfield topologically resemble a torus. Rotating rows is analogous to toroidal motion along the tube and rotating columns is analogous to poloidal motion around the tube, or vice versa.
In the lower-right of the frame, the game displays how many lines of each cookie type were completed by the player. Each completed line is indicated by a glowing red bulb. When the player achieves 5 red bulbs for the same cookie type, he’s rewarded with a Yoshi Cookie.
A Yoshi Cookie acts as a wild card that can be used to clear lines of any other cookie type.
Interestingly, the Yoshi’s Cookie Instruction Booklet erroneously describes a slightly different behavior:
Perhaps a last-minute design change resulted in that mismatch. In fact, the hint that appears in the instruction booklet for the SNES version correctly explains, “When you complete five lines of one type of cookie you will get a very special YOSHI COOKIE! This cookie can be used as a wild card to help complete any type of cookie line.” Whatever the case, as you’ll see below, Yoshi was right about the “special message from Mario.”
The 1P menu allows the player to choose the starting round, which normally goes up to 10. And each round consists of 10 stages. However, upon completing the tenth stage of round 10, the end credits roll and the sequence culminates with these two screens:
In rounds 11 and up, Heart, Flower, Diamond, Check and Circle cookies are respectively replaced by Super Mushroom, Boo Buddy, Goomba, Jumpin’ Piranha Plant, and Bloober cookies. Yoshi Cookies are still available upon completing 5 lines of the same type. But, as an added challenge, each stage begins with a Green Koopa Troopa Shell cookie. And only one Shell exists throughout the entire stage. The only way to eliminate it is to pair it up with a Yoshi Cookie, completing a line of length 2.
In recognition of beating round 10, the game swaps Music Type A with a new tune. Listen in to the Round 99 video above to experience it.
The bot constructs lines in much the same way that a human player does. It builds them incrementally using a greedy algorithm, making locally optimal choices at each stage. That compromise was employed due to the immense size of the solution space; an exhaustive search to compute the globally optimal way to manipulate the playfield is not feasible in real-time.
I’ll explain how the algorithm does this through an example. In the matrix below, the algorithm is in the process of building row 1. Three Hearts are already in place and three spaces remain:
The first step is to move the cursor to the column containing the nearest space:
Next, it locates the nearest Heart outside of row 1, which happens to be directly beneath the cursor. Since the Heart is within the same column, all it needs to do is to rotate the column to get the Heart into position:
With the Heart in position, the cursor advances to the column containing the nearest space. When accounting for wraparound, the nearest space is in column 0. The cursor moves there by taking 1 step right:
Anytime that the algorithm measures a distance, moves the cursor, or rotates a row/column, it always considers wraparound to exercise the minimal cost option.
As before, it locates the nearest Heart outside of row 1. And this time the target is on row 4. Since its not within the cursor’s column, the cursor moves to that row:
Next, it rotates row 4 until the Heart is within column 0:
Then it rotates column 0 to get another Heart into position:
Once again, the algorithm moves the cursor to the column containing the nearest space:
As seen twice before, it locates the nearest Heart outside of row 1, which is directly beneath the cursor. Since the Heart is within the same column, all it needs to do is to rotate the column to get the Heart into position. In this case, the optimal way to do that is to take advantage of wraparound by shifting the Heart down 2 steps:
That completes the line. But how does the bot know which line to build?
For all cookie types, the bot simulates building all possible rows and all possible columns. A line can be built if there are at least the line-length number of cookies of a given type—and/or Yoshi Cookies—on the playfield. It scores all the lines that can potentially be built and then it goes with the one with the highest score. The score depends on 3 factors:
In comparing potential lines, when the points are equal, the one with the fewest steps wins out. Regarding balance, when rows take priority, columns aren’t even considered, and the other way around.
While building a line using the greedy algorithm discussed above, it is possible to inadvertently clear other lines. And such unintentional clears may even trigger chain reactions. During simulation, clearing any lines will cause the greedy algorithm to halt, at which point it will evaluate the score. Meaning, even if the result was accidental, it may potentially be a valuable discovery and its treated as such.
The greedy algorithm is applied at the start of the stage and at any time the matrix size changes. The latter happens after clearing lines and after falling rows/columns make contact with the matrix. A falling line may make contact mid-build. In that case, the current line construction ceases, the greedy algorithm executes with the modified matrix, and the bot runs with the new results.
In general, the contents and the locations of the falling lines are ignored until contact with the matrix except when they benefit the elimination of the Green Koopa Troopa Shell in rounds 11+. When the matrix has been reduced to a single row/column containing a Shell, the bot will rotate that line to pair up the Shell with a falling Yoshi Cookie when available:
The bot often successfully reduces the matrix to the point that no additional cookies can be eliminated. When that happens, the bot holds down gamepad button B to make the falling lines drop faster. The game does not reward the player for doing so with bonus points. But it diminishes idle time.
While the bot can detect and execute patterns much faster than human players, it’s not perfect. Success varies with the cookies drawn by the RNG. Luckily, the game provides infinite continues. And the bot plays on unfazed by losses. Checkout some of the videos of its gameplay at the top of this page.
The bot uses the Nintaco API to manipulate CPU Memory, to assert gamepad buttons and to receive frame rendered events. All memory addresses were discovered through exploration with the Nintaco Debugging Tools and the information has been added to the Data Crystal ROMhacking.net wiki. In the source, they appear as constants within the Addresses interface.
The .zip contains:
Copyright © 2019 meatfighter.com


Stunning private retreat
House Sold - Duffy ACT
This light and airy townhouse is situated moments from Duffy shops, and yet retains a quiet and peaceful ambiance of a low-traffic loop street. Private courtyards to the front and rear are fully landscaped and ready for you to enjoy sunny days with your morning coffee and newspaper.
Upon entering the home itself you are presented with a serene and spacious living area that flows effortlessly through to the open plan dining room and the outside living spaces. The kitchen is enviable and boasts a gas cooktop and island bench with an adjoining separate meals area. With direct access to the double car garage, bringing in the groceries is a breeze. The lower floor is also equipped with a large laundry offering additional storage space, and a powder room for your convenience.
Upstairs you will be delighted with the three generous bedrooms which spill out on to a private balcony. Each boasts built-ins and the fully renovated bathroom also offers a full separate bath.
This home has been lovingly renovated and you won’t need to spend a cent. With designer touches throughout this multi-level beauty, you’ll feel like you’ve come home at the very first inspection.
* Moments from Duffy shops
* Quiet, peaceful location
* Two lovely landscaped courtyards
* Designer touches and multi-floor layout
* Three generous bedrooms with robes
* Gas stovetop for precision cooking
* Ducted gas heating
* Two car garage
* Perfect landscaping
* Generous cupboards and a converted roof space with copious storage
* Move right in
- 3 bed
- 1 bath
- 2 Parking Spaces
- 2 Garage


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Robust, voice solutions that bring together collaboration and conversation with global flexibility and seamless integration.
While businesses are increasingly transitioning to BYOD (bring your own device) and remote work arrangements, IT departments are feeling the pressure of how to handle this influx with constrained resources and budgets. Advanticom understands how to work within those parameters while delivering a customized telephone solution that successfully delivers business communications and aligns with the strategic vision of the organization.
Since 2006, Advanticom has substantial experience in designing data centers and physical cabling plants, both inside and out. Led by an RCDD, the highest certification in cabling, Advanticom has been able to design, install, optimize, and easily manage cable plants. Advanticom also has dedicated experts to handle the cabling, connections that are needed to connect the phone equipment within your business. We take the time to understand the layout and any potential interferences before executing. The Advanticom engineers will then efficiently run the cables to all necessary locations including individual desktops, closets, equipment rooms or other facilities.
Imagine having access to technology that can fundamentally change the way your business communicates? VoIP technology has no boundaries on location, can support any device, and is easy to install, use and troubleshoot allowing a stress-free implementation. Advanticom’s Voice over IP solution delivers a phone system leveraging the internet for a flexible and can customized to support your strategic communication plans. Advanticom also offers PBX (Private Branch Exchange) telephony solutions which provide a private telephone network that can be used both internally and externally with a comprehensive list of available features and the ability to maintain full control over this system. Advanticom has been an innovation leader in the integration of voice technologies into business processes. We have clients whose voice implementations increased profits several times over the cost of the new system.
Advanticom will not just sell you a phone system, but instead brings forth solutions that integrate a variety of components that will help you to be successful and remain competitive. We aim to integrate tools such as instant messaging, VoIP, and chat features to enable all users a consistent interface and complete mobility. We want to deliver the best in class technology that supports business growth, increased productivity, and a unified, system-wide communications platform.


from 1,795 GBP
Perhaps you have just passed your Day Skipper qualification, or you simply want to take friends or family away for a holiday with a difference. If so, ‘Kitmar’ is your answer. Bareboat yacht charter in Scotland gives you the freedom to go to places not accessible by car, at the pace that you want. See the dramatic coastline from the water at your leisure.
Kitmar can be sailed short or single handed and is very easy to manage as she has in mast reefing. There is also a good sized teak deck, cockpit and electric windlass – all of which will make your sailing a little bit easier.
from 1,995 GBP
The freedom to see the beautiful and dramatic coastline from the water at your leisure. Charter our Jeanneau Sun Odyssey, which has eight berths, four cabins, two double cabins in the aft, one bunk and a spacious double cabin in the forepeak with two bathrooms and a generous sized saloon. There is plenty of space to have friends who can join you on your adventure!
On deck there is an ample sized cockpit. In mast reefing with brand new sails in 2018 and electric windlass will make your sailing a little bit easier. If the weather gets a little ‘Scottish’, ‘Jon Boy’ is equipped with a sprayhood to shelter your crew.
from 2,995 GBP
Designed by the award winning Rob Humphreys, the Elan Impression 434 is a joy to sail and easy to handle whether in the confines of the marina or on the open seas. The Elan 434 is designed for a safe, first class sailing performance and swift passage making. This together with her spacious cockpit, well planned deck layout and roomy, comfortable interior make her the ideal yacht for cruising the West Coast of Scotland
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Introduced in 2002, the Bavaria 38 was designed for Bavaria by J & J Design as an update to their earlier Bavaria 37. She is a modern high-volume cruising yacht and is considered one of the best family cruising yachts engineered to handle a variety of conditions in control and total comfort. The designers have maximised the interior volume to create a roomy and comfortable cockpit that features attractive solid wood trim and veneered surfaces. ‘Yachting Monthly’ reviewed the design in a boat test in the Dec 2002 issue, reporting that she was “light on the helm and rewarding to sail”.
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Offering comfort and performance, the Beneteau 393 is a well behaved and easy to handle yacht, a class leader in the 40 foot range of cruisers. She is an ideal yacht for bareboat or skippered charter. A beautiful sailing boat, ideal for yacht charter. The saloon and cabins are very light and airy, benefiting from the large number of portholes and hatches throughout. Three double berth cabins with the forward cabin having en-suite heads. Large, well protected cockpit and good access around the deck of this Beneteau Oceanis 393.
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This 44-foot yacht stands out for the space there is on board – it can accommodate up to 8 people. The Bavaria 44 is comfortable and easy to manoeuvre without compromising on navigation performance or power. It is the ideal yacht for going on a cruise with friends or family. This German-made yacht has enjoyed great success with charter companies and proudly boasts of using the best materials, fixtures, and fittings. The large cockpit and the clear decks provides great access to every part above and below deck this yacht makes full use of the generous beam.


The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the three note-issuing banks (Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited and Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited) announced today (Tuesday) the issue of the 2010 new series Hong Kong banknotes.
Consistent with the current series, the new series will consist of five denominations, each adopting the same colour scheme. The designs of HK$1,000 and HK$500 were unveiled today, and these two denominations will be put into circulation in the last quarter of 2010 and early 2011 respectively. Further public announcements will be made nearer the time when the new notes are to be put into circulation. The design of the remaining three denominations, HK$100, HK$50 and HK$20, will be unveiled around the middle of next year.
The new banknotes have incorporated state-of-the-art security features, the locations of which will be the same across all five denominations. The five more important key features are:
People with visual impairments will find the new banknotes easier to use as Braille and tactile lines have been added to help them differentiate the denominations. A new note measuring template, sponsored by the HKMA and the three note-issuing banks, will be made available through voluntary agencies serving the visually impaired community.
"For the past 6 years Hong Kong has seen a continuous decrease in counterfeit rate. Currently there is less than 1 piece of fake note in every 1 million pieces of notes in circulation. We should not be complacent and must ensure that we are staying ahead of counterfeiters. There is a need to revamp the design of our banknotes and introduce latest available security features to minimise the risk of being counterfeited," said Mr Norman Chan, Chief Executive of the HKMA.
"We have used state-of-the-art security designs and also plate-making and printing technology to enhance the anti-counterfeiting capability and recognisability of the new notes. The new notes also incorporates enhanced accessibility features to facilitate visually impaired people to differentiate the denominations," Mr Chan added.
The new banknotes have been approved by the Financial Secretary and are printed by Hong Kong Note Printing Limited. The designs of the notes are individual note-issuing banks' responsibilities.
Mr Benjamin Hung, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, said, "Standard Chartered's new series of banknotes are a continuing evolution of the design theme first unveiled in the 1980s - refreshed and refined to incorporate the latest world-class security features specified by the HKMA. The reverse side of the new notes celebrates Chinese inventions and their influence on modern security technology. With almost 150 years of experience as one of Hong Kong's note-issuing banks, Standard Chartered is delighted to continue its contributions towards the ongoing development of our city's financial sector."
Mr Peter Wong, Chief Executive of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC), said, "HSBC is the largest note issuer in Hong Kong and our banknotes are the most commonly seen in the city. Our new series of banknotes reflect some of the important occasions that the people of Hong Kong celebrate every year. To illustrate the unique culture of Hong Kong, the spiritual home of HSBC, our in-house designers have incorporated into the new series the images of local celebration activities, Chinese calligraphy and auspicious Chinese patterns. It is also the first time that images of Hong Kong people have been included in the design of the whole series of HSBC's banknotes."
Mr He Guangbei, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (BOCHK), said, "The front panels of BOCHK's new notes will have a fresh but familiar look as we continue to use the two symbolic images - the bauhinia and the Bank of China Tower, with a brand-new design. The back panels feature beautiful natural scenery, highlighting the unique and majestic side of Hong Kong. We hope the designs of the new note series will help promote the natural wonders as well as significant landmarks of Hong Kong. As a responsible corporate citizen, we endeavour to increase environmental awareness of the public and contribute to the sustainability of society through the design of the new series, making "The Pearl of the Orient" even shinier and brighter."
All existing banknotes continue to be legal tender. They will continue to circulate along the new banknotes and will be gradually withdrawn from circulation when they become unfit for circulation.
The HKMA will launch an extensive education programme to raise public awareness of the new banknotes. Seminars will be conducted for banks, retailers and money changers; and special outreach seminars will be arranged for centres for the elderly and people with visual impairments. Exhibitions will be held in different districts in Hong Kong to let people view and feel the new banknotes before the notes go into circulation (see schedule of exhibitions at Annex). An interactive online-learning programme is available on the HKMA website at http://www.hkma.gov.hk, and leaflets illustrating the new security features are available to the public at the HKMA office, branches of the note-issuing banks and District Offices.
For further enquiries please contact:
Hong Kong Monetary Authority
Tel: 2878 1802
Tel: 2878 1213
Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited
Head of Media & Government Relations
Tel: 2820 3036
Senior Corporate Affairs Manager
Tel: 2820 3837
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited
Head of External Affairs, Group Communications (Asia)
Tel: 2822 4930
Senior Corporate Communications Manager, Group Communications (Asia)
Tel: 2822 4992
Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited
Chief Corporate Communications Manager
Tel: 2826 6159
Senior Corporate Communications Manager
Tel: 2826 6133
Hong Kong Monetary Authority
20 July 2010


Arshad’s Adult Ahram is meticulously designed for pilgrims embarking on the sacred journey of Hajj or Umrah. Crafted with simplicity and comfort in mind, these two pieces of plain, white, seamless cloth serve as the essential attire for spiritual worship during the pilgrimage.
Simple and Seamless: Made from high-quality, plain white cloth without stitching, ensuring simplicity and adherence to traditional attire requirements for Hajj and Umrah.
Comfortable Fabric: Crafted from soft and breathable fabric, providing comfort during various rituals and prayers throughout the pilgrimage.
Generous Sizing: Designed in sizes suitable for adults, ensuring ample coverage while maintaining ease of movement during the rituals.
Easy-to-Wear: Tailored for convenience, the two-piece cloth is easy to wrap and wear, facilitating a hassle-free experience during the sacred journey.
Versatile Use: Suitable for both Hajj and Umrah, adhering to the dress code required for these spiritual pilgrimages.
Arshad’s Adult Ahram serves as the essential attire for pilgrims undertaking the sacred journey of Hajj or Umrah. Comprising two plain, white, seamless pieces of cloth, these garments are meticulously designed to provide simplicity, comfort, and adherence to the traditional attire guidelines.
Crafted from high-quality, plain white fabric without stitching, the Ahram ensures conformity with the attire requirements for Hajj and Umrah. The soft and breathable fabric offers comfort and ease during the various rituals and prayers performed throughout the pilgrimage.
The generous sizing of the Ahram is tailored for adults, ensuring ample coverage while allowing ease of movement during the rituals. Its straightforward design allows for easy wrapping and wearing, facilitating a hassle-free experience during the pilgrimage journey.
Arshad’s Adult Ahram is versatile, suitable for both Hajj and Umrah, complying with the prescribed dress code for these spiritual pilgrimages. It embodies simplicity, tradition, and comfort, providing pilgrims with the essential attire needed for their sacred journey.
Arshad’s Adult Ahram is an essential garment designed to fulfill the dress code requirements for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. Offering simplicity, comfort, and adherence to tradition, these seamless and plain white garments ensure pilgrims can perform their rituals with ease and focus during this sacred journey.


Creative agency Squared is the only Bulgarian winner awarded in communication design at this year's
Squared is the only Bulgarian creative agency awarded in communication design at this year's edition of A'Design Award & Competition. On July 20, the laureates were officially awarded during a glamorous gala ceremony in the city of Como, Italy, where Squared was awarded with two design awards.
The creative agency's Joy of Playing project received a bronze award, which is awarded for very good design demonstrating excellence. The award is for the brand identity and overall communication of the children's toy brand Balin. The agency developed both the brand's visual identity and the actual designs of the toys, which are then brought to life in a series of illustrations. The project is also a finalist in the product design, toys category.
Squared's second awarded project, Enable Change, achieved the prestigious A'Design Award. The agency has another finalist in the communication design category as well.
"This international recognition means a lot to us. When our projects receive such a good response, we are confident that we are on the right path. I believe that this is also a source of pride for our clients, whose brands have been honored on the world stage for communication design," commented Yana Okolijska, Creative Director of Squared.
The project Joy of Playing will be presented at an international design exhibition in Italy. The exhibition is expected to tour other countries around the world. A' Design Award & Competition is one of the most significant and prestigious events in the field of design and innovation. This year's competition entries were carefully evaluated by a 227-member jury that brought together prominent academics, influential journalists, established design professionals and experienced entrepreneurs from around the world. 2,022 winners from 115 countries were honored.
A' Graphic Design Award aims to highlight the excellent qualifications of the best graphic designs and greatest graphic design concepts worldwide. The A' Design Accolades are organized and awarded annually and internationally in multiple categories to reach a wide, design-oriented audience. The ultimate aim of the A' graphic Design Competition is to create a global awareness of good design. More info could be found at https://competition.adesignaward.com
SQUARED is an independent creative studio working internationally focused on design, art direction, and content creation for advertising. Located in the city of Sofia, and counting with a small but restless team of creatives SQUARED is able to drive businesses anywhere in the world, surprising with unbounded creativity, bold ideas, and quality executions of the highest international caliber.
To learn more, visit: A' Design Award and Competition - Profile: Yana Okoliyska (adesignaward.com)


- Residential Heating & Cooling
- Plumbing Services
- Electrical Services
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- Home Efficiency Services
CLEVELAND, OH – Russell’s Heating & Cooling located in Chesapeake, VA, has received a Quality Home Comfort Award from Contracting Business magazine, Highlights of the award, designed to create awareness of the critical of the critical role heating/ventilation/ air conditioning (HVAC) contractors play in the creation of quality homes, appear in the July 2003 issue of the monthly, national magazine. Russell’s will receive the QHCA award in September at Comfortech, a national event, to be held in Dallas, Texas.
Russell’s was honored for the installation of the comfort system in a 4,000 square foot home in the Hampton Roads waterways region of Virginia. Russell’s, one of five winners in the nation, won first place in the New Construction category, up to 4001 square feet. The award is based on outstanding design, the use of the newest technology, and top quality installation practices.
Homeowners Tom and Ann wanted a system that would keep them cozy during their region’s damp winters and cool during the hot, humid summers. They were also particularly interested in radiant heat. “We had radiant heat in the kitchen and bathroom in our previous home, and it was so comfortable,” says Ann. “It also seems like such a ‘healthy’ type of heat, because dust is never blown around.” After doing extensive research on the Internet, the couple decided they wanted a radiant system to heat their entire home.
However, radiant heat isn’t too common in their region because of the mild winters, and finding a contractor well-versed in radiant was a bit of a tall order. After contacting a radiant heating manufacturer’s representative, the couple was put in touch with Russell’s Heating and Cooling, since 1977, Russell’s serves the residential service and replacement market in the Hampton Roads/Tidewater area of Virginia.
Also included in the system design was the use of a constant fresh air exchange system. “ This home is built so well that the air inside will not have much opportunity to mix with fresh outside air. I was concerned about the air quality of the home, and the only way to bring in fresh air was to use an exchanger system,” says Buddy Smith, president of Russell’s. “If we didn’t bring in outside air then all the indoor pollutants would build up in the home, and would eventually make our clients sick.”
Since moving into their new home, Tom and Ann have been thrilled with their comfort system. Not only are their utility bills lower than in their former home, they are more comfortable than they ever imagined. Their praise extends to Russell’s, as well. “Throughout the entire process, Russell’s Heating and Cooling paid such close attention to all the details,” says Tom. “They are a first class company, and we recommend them to our friends, family, and associates.”
And for Russell’s Heating and Cooling, a Quality Home Comfort Award is nice, but there’s no better reward than satisfied customers.
Contracting Business is a monthly, national business publication written specifically for heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration contractors. The mission of the Quality Home Comfort Awards is to promote excellence in comfort system design and installation and create awareness of the broad range of comfort systems available today through quality HVAC contractors. It’s a program that recognizes a true commitment to quality by contractors, builders, and manufacturers alike.
Penton Media (NYSE: PME) is a leading, global business-to-business media company that produces market-focused magazines, trade shows, and conferences, and Web sites. Penton’s integrated media portfolio serves the following industries: Internet/broadband; information technology; electronics; natural products; food/retail; manufacturing; design/engineering; supply chain; aviation; government/compliance; mechanical systems/construction; and leisure/hospitality. For more information, visit www.penton.com.


THE FIRST IMPRESSION OF THIS CONTEMPORARY RESIDENCE SETS FASHIONABLE LIVING DESIRES ALIGHT.
The two main entrances to this residence are marked by modern archways and a 2-storey security centre, uplifting the aesthetic value of the security
facilities. The entire development is ringed by a buffer of greenery, and running parallel to this lush belt is predominantly a 24’-wide internal road with 2-lane ingresses and egresses. This spacious and appealing design concept makes driving both a pleasure and a scenic adventure.
The entire perimeter of the development is fenced with an 8' anti-theft boundary, and each residential tower drop-off is shielded with an extended 10’-tall perimeter wall designed to complement the ambient greenery. This provides a two-fold benefit: increased security
and privacy, as well as a canvas for designer landscaping.
THE DIVERSE ARCHITECTURAL FACADES LEADING TO THE POTPOURRI’S LOBBY ADD A TOUCH OF UNEXPECTED DRAMA. THE IMPACT OF HIGH CEILINGS AND A DESIGNER-CRAFTED LOBBY INTERIOR CREATES AN INSTANT IMPRESSION THAT IS TIMELESSLY CHIC.
Inside, a 3-tier security system controls access through entry points, the car park lift lobbies, as well as lift control panels that allow access to the resident’s designated floor. Every unit has an audio-video intercom that not only provides direct communication to the security centre, but also gives residents the convenience of identifying guests on the video stream from the comfort of their own homes.
Fully embodying the concept of plug-and-play, The Potpourri is built with a fibre optic backbone, enabling residents to upgrade their technology quickly and easily in the future.
MODERN WITH A TOUCH OF WHIMSY, THE FACILITIES DECK IS A SHOWCASE OF INNOVATIVE DESIGN.
Podium walkways link the various facilities scattered on the recreational level, giving you a different living experience. A myriad of sky facilities such as the Sky Lifestyle Lounge, the Sky Audio-Visual Lounge and the Sky Lounge with Pool are intertwined to add a sense of continuity and cohesion, creating a synergy between facilities and landscape that heightens and enhances the vibrancy of the development.
AN INVOCATION OF BEAUTY THAT REVITALISES THE SOUL, THE VIEWING GALLERY ABOVE THE POOL DECK REDEFINES THE MEANING OF ART APPRECIATION.
On the facilities podium, a 50m lap pool glitters cool blue on a hot day, while the fully-equipped gym is a healthy diversion for the active.
Ripple & Splash
BE IT HYDROTHERAPY OR RECREATION, A MULTITUDE OF SHADED POOLS FULFILL WHAT THE BODY AND MIND YEARN FOR.
Organic and fluid in shape, the pools flow across the facilities podium with cabanas dotted alongside. Lazing and idling are the right things to do.
THE COMPOSITION OF CANOPIED TREES, HEDGES, LINEAR STONES, SCULPTURAL BENCHES AND SPLASH POOLS CREATES AN INTERACTIVE GARDEN WITH EXCITING LANDFORMS AND VISUAL DRAMA.
Over 40% of The Potpourri is embraced by lush landscaping, spanning over 3 acres of the entire development footprint. This generous allocation envelops residents in luxuriant surroundings, evoking a feeling of calm and serenity upon stepping foot into the enclave.
THE LUXURIOUS POTPOURRI CLUBHOUSE IS OUTFITTED WITH A VARIETY OF SPORT FACILITIES AND ACTIVITY ROOMS THAT KEEP YOUR RECREATIONAL VIGOUR ALIVE.
Upon entry on the ground floor, residents are greeted by the dining lounge, kitchen and residents’ lounge. Two levels up are the badminton courts, multi-purpose hall, management office, kindergarten and nursery, while up on the rooftop, a landscaped garden is the perfect place to hang out with friends and family. This multi-level clubhouse is also linked by bridges that connect directly to the Main Facilities Podium, easing accessibility for residents.
THE ACT OF WORKING OUT IS ELEVATED TO NEW HEIGHTS IN THE POOL-FRONT GYM, WHERE EXERCISE IS INVIGORATING AND THE VIEW, IMPRESSIVE.
A sunken tennis court is surrounded by greenery, keeping it cool and shaded the whole day through.
A FEAST FOR THE SENSES, THE WOK PAVILION IS A SHOWPIECE OF LIFESTYLE AND LEISURE THAT DEMONSTRATES AN ARTISTIC FLAIR.
Ideal for gatherings, parties and celebrations, the Wok Pavilion hosts outdoor kitchen space and an organic garden with fruits and vegetables to encourage appreciation for nature and cooking. Designed to stimulate social activities, the Wok Pavilion area is a lush and modern setting that promotes quality interactions among like-minded people.
The residences are interspersed with gardens and playgrounds designed to channel social activities, evoking a modern yet holistic lifestyle that encourages more quality family interaction time.
THE POTPOURRI IS DESIGNED FOR FULL IMMERSION IN AN OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE.
The wealth of parks and recreational facilities provide space for wholesome activities, while the strip of alfresco cafes, restaurants and bars satisfy the urban need to entertain and unwind.
THE BRIDGE LOUNGE, WITH ITS ATTRACTIVE RANGE OF FACILITIES, IS THE PINNACLE OF AN ELEVATED LIFESTYLE.
Residents are free to mingle and converse with one another after dinner, host gatherings with family and friends, or simply enjoy the beautiful skyline with a loved one. A mini Sky Audio-Visual Lounge is also located here for a convenient movie night without leaving The Potpourri.
Sky Audio-Visual Lounge
THE SKY LOUNGE OFFERS A PRIVATE GARDEN, A POOL, PLUS THE BEST VIEW OF ARA DAMANSARA, AN UNDENIABLY MAGNETIC DRAW.
Deck chairs line the pool, while ample space is given to those who wish to throw private parties or get-togethers amidst a glittering backdrop of the city skyline.
The Potpourri is a collection of modern residences that interweave elements of “live, work & play” to create a sustainable living environment. Sitting on prime land in the hip and trendy township of Ara Damansara, The Potpourri is footsteps from Citta Mall and is conveniently linked to surrounding areas like Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Subang Jaya via roads, highways and public transport.
Residences are tailored to suit the modern family, with floor plans ranging from studio to 3+1 bedroom units. Anchoring the development is a luxurious facilities podium and sky facilities complemented by a vast landscaped deck for leisure and recreation activities. The Potpourri will also host retail outlets and a clubhouse, which are open to residents and their guests.
This sustainable and innovative development will set a new benchmark for homes classified as serviced apartments with contemporary design as it offers an integrated work and play environment, as well as unique architectural elements to create a landmark that residents can truly call home.


When working on a website build, typically some or all of the images for the project are “provided by the client.” This is one way to save some money on the project and in some cases, you are the only one who could effectively find them. Whether it’s product images, photography of your facility and employees, at some point you’re almost certainly going to be asked to come up with some images.
If you aren’t familiar with graphics and all that stuff – it can get a bit confusing. Optimizing images? Aspect Ratio? JPG or PNG? What the heck are they talking about?
In these examples, I’m going to be using WordPress as our guide – most of the time, we use WordPress as the platform for our clients because it is flexible, efficient (if you know how to set it up), and scales well to nearly all needs. About one in every three sites on the web uses this platform. Many of these concepts will work well for other platforms as well, though.
What Are Aspect Ratios and Why Are They Important?
In technical terms, the aspect ratio is the comparison of the width and the height. Using television as an example, old TV sets before the era of HDTV had an aspect ratio of 4:3. No matter how big the screen, the height of the screen is 0.75 (3/4) of the width. If your screen was 12 inches across, it would be 8 inches tall. 16 inches across would have a height of 12 inches. Wikipedia has a bunch more technical information available about aspect ratios, too.
If you’ve watched an older television show on your HDTV (which is typically at a 16:9 aspect ratio) you are familiar with the black bars on either side. This is because if the image was zoomed in to fit the width of the screen, portions of the top and bottom would be cut off. In some cases you can set the image to “stretch” to the full width to match the aspect ratio of your television set, but then you end up with everyone looking like they’ve put on a few pounds and everything in the image is wider than it normally would be. You could also set them to “zoom” in and loose the black borders, but the tops of everyone’s heads and their feet get chopped off.
In most web projects, it’s not so much which aspect ratio you choose as it is about being consistent with them once they are chosen. If you are inconsistent, you end up with the same sort of situation we described with the televisions above. You can work around it a little bit, but it invariably means that there is going to be extra white space or cropping out of portions of the image.
In some cases, such as the header image on this site, cropping happens no matter what when it comes to converting things to mobile. If we left it so the whole image was visible, the height would be very small and the image would be hard to see. By understanding how images are cropped or scaled when switching between different devices, we can come up with a plan on how to choose the images.
Inconsistent aspect ratios are especially noticeable when trying to lay things out in a grid like with your product listings or blog posts page. In order to make the columns all fit the width, you end up with a bunch of ugly white space around everything if your aspect ratios aren’t the same.
WordPress and your designers can sometimes come up with some tricks to fool the eye and make this less noticeable – but there are sacrifices to be made in such cases. For example, in the image here, option “E” would almost certainly need to be cropped in order to make things lay out nicely. Much of the top and bottom of the image would need to be scrapped. Meanwhile, image “F” would likely need to be cropped on the left and right to fill the space appropriately and not end up so small that you couldn’t see it.
Optimal Image Sizes
Once you’ve come up with the aspect ratio (or sometimes multiple ratios will be chosen for different sections of the site) you have to consider how big things are. Smaller images are faster to download, but larger images look better on a big screen. The trick is finding the right balance.
If you have a good quality digital camera (or even a nice cell phone) the pictures that come off it can be HUGE – 4000 pixels across or more. For printing images, this is great, but for the web, it’s overkill. Even the highest setting on most desktops isn’t typically set to anything larger than 2000 pixels wide.
If the images you’re going to be using are for a grid layout and will never be seen full screen sized, then making them larger than they need to be on a large screen is a waste, too.
WordPress helps us a bit in this area by creating multiple versions of each image when you upload it. If you click the image here, you’ll see that it scales up and you can see it full sized, but if you never click it – it only downloads a smaller version of itself to save bandwidth and make the downloads go faster.
As a general rule of thumb, I always suggest to clients that the largest version of the image should be no more than 1600 pixels wide. This is large enough to cover the width of most screens (and it doesn’t blur out too much on larger ones). Once optimized, it’s a fairly decent download size and you still get some great quality.
In most graphics editing programs, there are several ways to save the images – and a number of different formats that you can save them in.In most graphics editor programs, you will see a “Save for Web…” option under the “File” menu. From there, you can select the type of image (see “Image Formats” below) and the settings. Some will provide a preview.
- DPI (Dots Per Inch): For print, we typically see a number of around 200 dots per inch. On the web, we typically use 72dpi. Adjust this number to 72. You’ll get good enough qualify for the web and not have a lot of wasted pixels that won’t ever get rendered.
- Compression Levels (Image Quality): Typically (for JPG files, especially) you have some options for compression levels or image quality. Compression Level is typically a “low to high” scenario with low levels being better quality, but larger download sizes. Image Quality is the same thing, but backwards. High quality means lower compression levels. It can be a number from 1 to 100 or sometimes it will use words like “low,” “high,” “very high”, etc. The idea here is to pick something around the 60-80% range -a fair trade off between compression levels and quality.
Notes on Compression Levels: If your image has text and/or crisp straight lines in it, you will want a lower compression level/larger file size. Compression “blurs” things slightly, so the more compression you add, the more blur. Most images that are photographs without crisp lines can be compressed at a much higher level before you notice the blurring effect kicking in.
Though there is a new format of web images called “webp” which has amazing compression levels but it is not fully supported in all graphics editors yet. These can be a great choice if you have the ability to work with them. If not, you have two more traditional choices along with a third for special circumstances.
- JPG (or JPEG): This is the standard format for normal images without transparency.
- PNG: Portable Network Graphics file format supports transparency so you can see “through” portions of the image to what is behind it. This format is larger than JPG images, but is useful for logos or other graphics with a background that has been removed.
- GIF: These files are very large and only support 256 colors. They can still be handy to use once in a while if you have an image with some animation going on. Typically you won’t be saving images in this format, though.
Still Confused? What now?
Graphic design is a complex skill. It’s not just art, but a lot of technical information all mixed in, too. In fact, I run into situations when dealing with highly trained graphic designers from the print world who have trouble wrapping their heads around some of the various differences between print and web design. It’s not easy, but it can be learned.
In some cases, though – especially if a slick and consistent look and brand message are important to you, it might be worth your time to pay a professional to crop, scale, and optimize your images. It can seem pricey on the surface, but once you’ve tried it a few times, you can see that it takes a good eye, careful planning, and a knowledge of the tools you’re working with to make it all come together.
Over the coming weeks and months, I’ll be posting more here at Equestics to help those who want to save the money and take the time to learn more about the basics of image optimization and prepping things for the web. I’m talking to various graphic designers now in hopes of getting them to contribute some articles to help you, as well.


The Spectropolarimeter for Planetary EXploration SPEX is designed to measure aerosol and cloud particles in atmospheres of planets within our solar system. The instrument is, among else, able to find the number densities of particles within the atmosphere, to detect the size distribution, and determine chemical properties, such as refractive index. In order to achieve this, SPEX directly measures the (intensity) spectrum and the degree of polarization for visible light.
In order to measure the degree of polarization, SPEX uses a completely new technique, which is developed by members of the iSPEX team (Snik, Karalidi, & Keller(2009)). In stead of temporal modulation or spatial modulation, techniques described in the polarimetry page, SPEX uses the technique which we call spectral modulation. An extensive, technical description on spectral modulation can be found on the SPEX site of SRON.
The modulated spectrum
Whenever the light is unpolarized, SPEX will measure a regular spectrum, as if it was nothing more than a spectrograph. This unmodulated spectrum is shown in the left plot of the image above. The upper band shows a color spectrum, similar to what we would see with our eyes. The graph below plots the light intensity against the color, or wavelength. The wavelengths of the graph roughly correspond to the colors in the upper band.
However, as soon as the light becomes polarized, the spectrum is superimposed with a synusoidal pattern, as shown in the right plot of the above picture. Dark and bright areas interchange one another across the spectrum. We call this a modulated spectrum, where the synsoidal pattern is the modulation.
The amplitude of the synusoidal pattern is an indication of the fraction of light that is polarized. Completely polarized light will thus have a maximum amplitude to the modulation, which can be recognized for its minima reaching the zero intensity line. The opposite, where the light is fully unpolarized shows no modulation at all, i.e. the normal spectrum. Any degree of polarization between 0 and 1 (between completely polarized and unpolarized) yield a modulation with a shallower modulation.
The direction in which the light is polarized can also be determined from the modulated spectrum. Change in this direction will cause a (phase)shift of the synusoidal pattern across the spectrum.
SPEX optical design
The SPEX concept consists of four basic elements, briefly described below.
1: quarter wave plate
The quarter wave plate is not the most fundamental element. Some polarization directions (or angles) are even left completely unaffected. The purpose of this waveplate is to change the linear polarization for specific polarization angles into circular polarization. This is needed to make sure that the (initial linear) polarization angle will be modulated by the next element, the multi-order waveplate.
The effect is that incident light that is polarized in any random direction will always be modulated by the multi-order waveplate.
2: multi order waveplate
This element is primarily responsible for the spectral modulation. Different from the quarter wave plate is that the phase shift (change of polarization) depends on the color (wavelength) of the light.
In other words, the change in polarization angle caused by this waveplate is different for each wavelength. This causes a difference in polarization angle between two separate wavelengths of 90º.
Conceptual drawing of the SPEX optical design. Of the incident horizontally polarized beam (indicated by the arrows), only certain colors keep this horizontal polarization, while the polarization angle of other colors is transformed by the multi order waveplate into vertical polarization. Only vertically polarized colors are transmitted by the polarizer.
Similar to the other polarimetric methods, finally, a polarizer is used.
As we described in the caption of the conceptual drawing above, the polarization angle of one wavelength can be perpendicular to the polarization angle of another wavelength. When the latter angle is exactly aligned with the polarization axis of the polarizer, this color will be fully transmitted, while the first color will be fully blocked by the polarizer, because it’s polarization angle is perpendicular to the polarizer.
Since the modulation of the light beam is spectral by nature, we can only observe it after we look at each color seperately. That is why the SPEX concept needs a spectrograph at the end of the light path. The modulation of the light that is caused by the previous elements can then be seen in the spectrum that is created and measured by this spectrograph.


Customizing the Color of Your Top Bar
For those students who utilize Piazza for multiple courses, you can quickly and visually differentiate between your classes by customizing the color of your top bar. These custom colors will only be visible to you and will not change the top bar color for your peers and instructors.
1. In your Piazza Q&A account, your header bar color can be customized by navigating to the color bar menu illustrated below:
2. Once pressed, you will be offered a suite of colors to choose from:
3. Once a color is selected, you should see your top bar color change instantaneously:
4. Navigating to another course will display that courses' selected top bar color:
Additionally, for those who have multiple Piazza courses, an efficient way to change any course's top bar color can be found through Account/Email Settings:
On the resulting page you will be able to see all your Piazza courses and will be able to adjust the top bar color for each accordingly under Class & Email Settings:


Joburg Ballet is striking out in new and exciting directions, including the launch of a line of dance and fitness wear designed and produced by the dancers, management and staff of the ballet company which will be launched on 26 November.
Entitled Made to Move, the Joburg Ballet dancewear line is available from Joburg Ballet’s online shop at www.joburgballet.com/merchandise with proceeds going to the #SupportJoburgBallet fund to help the company through the COVID-19 crisis.
Commenting on the Made to Move line, Joburg Ballet artistic director Iain MacDonald applauded ballet mistress Lauren Slade who launched and developed the project in partnership with wardrobe mistress Yolanda Roos and the dancers of Joburg Ballet.
“This is a unique project which we don’t think any other ballet company has undertaken,” said Iain MacDonald. “Every dancer in Joburg Ballet has designed for the Made to Move label, resulting in a spectacular collection by dancers for dancers. Drawing inspiration from a multitude of sources, the dancers have succeeded in creating an exceptional range of dancewear.”
Ballet mistress Lauren Slade added: “At a time when our traditional, established way of connecting with our public – through live performances in the theatre – has not been available to us for most of 2020, the Made to Move project is a new way for Joburg Ballet to stay linked to the public. It has also allowed our dancers, every one of whom has designed for Made to Move, to tap into an entirely new creative process. And to give Made to Move a very personal stamp, each unique design carries the name of the dancer who created it.”
Lauren Slade praised wardrobe mistress Yolanda Roos for her “wizardry and skill in turning the dancers’ designs into truly sensational dance and fitness wear, translating their imagination into reality.”
The full range of Made to Move designs, modelled by the dancers, can be viewed in the Joburg Ballet Online Shop on the ballet company’s website at www.joburgballet.com/merchandise
In addition to photographs, the Shop also provides written descriptions of every item in the range, a few words from each dancer on what inspired them as well as prices, payment and delivery information.