text:
This paper was initially presented at the Gaming the Gothic conference, held at the University of Sheffield on April 13th 2018. The intial CFP is available here.
This is a transcript of the presented paper, edited with some last-minute changes made during the presentation itself and, where appropriate, links to external material.
So begins our journey into the Dungeons & Dragons adventure of ‘Ravenloft’ where Strahd von Zarovich, a centuries old vampire-prince, rules his terror-haunted realm without pity or remorse. ‘Ravenloft’ is riddled with deeply gothic imagery from the flying buttresses of the eponymous Castle Ravenloft to the tortured, endless nature of Strahd’s vampirism. Yet, like all gothic fiction, there is more to ‘Ravenloft’ than simple theatrics. There is a deep sense of horror that comes not just from the story but from how the story is told and, crucially, how it is not told.
Dungeons & Dragons, the roleplaying system created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, was first published in 1974. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, a more complex version of the ruleset, followed in 1977 and the two would remain as separate streams until the introduction of the combined third edition, over twenty years later. D&D would go on to be a worldwide gaming sensation, a story-telling engine of unparalleled depth and, according to some, a gateway into the occult and Satanism.
Although the core game, by its very nature, encourages players to invent their own stories and settings, a constant stream of official expansion adventures have been available since the game’s inception. The Intermediate series, developed for relatively experienced players, appeared through the 1980s, beginning with I1; ‘Dwellers of the Forbidden City’, where adventures must tussle with the twin threats of leopards and brain fever.
The sixth entry in the Intermediate series, ‘Ravenloft’, written by Tracy and Laura Hickman, was released into an unsuspecting world in 1983. Since then, Ravenloft has been a key part of D&D mythology. In 2004 Dragon magazine ranked it the second greatest Dungeons & Dragons adventure of all time, behind 1986’s ‘Queen of the Spiders’ written by Gary Gygax himself, and it is the only I-series adventure to be re-released, as ‘The Curse Of Strahd’, for the current fifth edition of the D&D rules system.
What is it about ‘Ravenloft’ that holds the imagination, that mesmerises us with its vampiric stare?
In his essay for the British Library, John Bowen (Professor of 19th century literature at the University of York) highlights a number of key motifs of gothic literature and how they fascinate readers of the genre. I will use three of these motifs – which Bowen calls Strange Places, Power & Constraint and Doubt – to highlight how ‘Ravenloft’ not only uses gothic elements to make an effective adventure but, ultimately, to change Dungeons & Dragons forever.
A key element of D&D is the distinction between the village and the dungeon; at its most simplistic, a village is any civilised place where you rest and buy equipment, with a dungeon being any wild place were you earn treasure to buy that equipment. In ‘Ravenloft’, the player characters (also known as PCs or adventurers) find themselves in Barovia, a typically Transylvanian land of mist-cloaked forests and ice-scattered lakes, of furtive villagers and howling wolves. The immediate assumption is that the looming spires of Castle Ravenloft itself comprises the dungeon whereas the meagre hamlet that huddles below it, also called Barovia, is the village. This is not the case.
It is not a place. It is a trap.
Barovia is a tomb-prison that exists outside of the main D&D realities, a demi-plane in the D&D taxonomy. It was created, subconsciously, from the very will and malice of its most powerful inmate, Strahd Von Zarovich himself. It is a punishment both for his own crimes and those of the underlings he sees as having failed him. Barovia is transylvanian, literally “beyond the woods”, in a way that evokes the limits and rules of fairy tales more than mere geography. Once you stray from the path then you leave the safety and security of the daylight world. There is no trail of breadcrumbs to lead you back home. Nobody, not even the PCs, may leave Barovia as long as Strahd lives.
Not even the dead can pierce the choking mists that swirl around Barovia’s borders. The scattered groups of villagers that players encounter are actually mere shells that hold the same handful of tattered souls, endlessly reborn into a unliving nightmare.
There is an immediate parallel here in gothic fiction with how Jonathan Harker is summoned across Europe, through the symbolic gate of the Borgo Pass, and into Dracula’s domain, where he is imprisoned in a timeless, fog-haunted realm. Like Harker, the adventurers are lured into Barovia by a not-entirely-honest offer of employment and, like Harker, they soon realise that they are unwitting pawns in a larger, more insidious plot; in this case Strahd’s attempt to regain the affection of Tatyana, an unrequited lover from his human days whose suicide drove him into vampirism but who has now been reborn into a new body.
This fencing-off, in a geographic but also more spiritual sense, harks back to what cultural theorist Johan Huizinga refers to as a ‘magic circle’; a strangely prescient term when considered in the realms of Ravenloft.
Huizinga uses this term in his 1938 book ‘Homo Ludens’, a founding text on the nature and role of play.
Huizinga’s theory can be seen most clearly when painted arcs and lines on a flat surface turn into the ritualised zones of a football pitch or baseball field. The very rules of the game become manifest in the world to create a sigil that is impenetrable to outsiders but redolent with meaning to the initiated. The magic circle of play, a space where real-world rules are suspended and an ritual significance is placed upon otherwise insignificant acts and zones, resonates strongly when we talk about Dungeons & Dragons; the playing area that’s abstracted almost to nothing, the occulted space behind the Dungeon Master’s screen and the power-differentials that creates, the dice rolls that signify life or death.
There is also another very relevant implication of Huizinga’s theory. In a playing field, in a magic circle, some players can do things that others can’t, certain actions override others; magic circles delineate player agency and how, and when, that agency can be elevated or suppressed.
D&D is a game that, perhaps more than any other game and certainly more than a standard board game, is about agency. There are rules but those rules serve the overarching aim of creating an interactive narrative. The rules of D&D, unlike more traditional games, don’t tell the players what can and can’t be done but rather how difficult an action would be to perform. Even if failure is near-inevitable, success is still a possibility.
This, for many people, is the main draw of D&D. They can be anyone and do, or attempt to do, anything.
In specific terms, Dungeons & Dragons maximises player agency.
‘Ravenloft’, like gothic fiction, changes this. Entering Barovia is akin to entering a corrupted version of the magic circle, where rules are not simply changed but perverted.
Most immediately, player agency is limited by the breaking of the barrier between dungeon and village. They can’t hide, they can’t flee, they have trouble even resting. As we have seen, this is similar to Harker’s incarceration in Castle Dracula but it follows a much longer thread back to the beginning of the gothic genre; the concept of the accursed destiny, and the binding ropes of family and legacy, that forms the heart of Horace Walpole’s ‘The Castle of Otranto’. Once the party enter Barovia then they, like the denizens of Otranto, are cursed to act out the story of ‘Ravenloft’; a story which, canonically, has happened many hundreds of times before.
Yet this loss of agency is balanced elsewhere.
Like the players, Strahd von Zarovich is prevented from leaving Barovia. Unlike the players, however, he has almost unlimited power within his realm. He is free to move about his domain as he pleases and can be encountered long before the adventurers are prepared to face him. Indeed, the adventure makes this is almost inevitable. This contrasts sharply with previous adventures in D&D’s Intermediate series, and the stereotypical construction of roleplaying adventures across the board, where the ultimate enemy – the archetypal end-of-level-boss – waits in the sanctum sanctorum of their dungeon, behind waves of increasingly powerful underlings, until the heroes eventually find and then slay them.
Again we think most immediately of Dracula, crawling down the sheer sides of his castle to roam abroad whilst Harker, the very model of worldly agency as a white, male European, languishes in his confinement.
One of the most startling, and subtle, changes that the magic circle of Barovia brings about, however, is not that Strahd has agency but the way in which Strahd’s agency is exercised.
The use of a deck of cards, portrayed as an in-game tool of divination called the Tarokka, determines a number of aspects in a ‘Ravenloft’ campaign; the position of certain powerful artefacts, the disposition of certain characters, the movements of Strahd himself. This handing-over of decision-making to a mechanism that is itself part of the game limits the agency of the one thing that D&D has to an all-seeing, all-knowing deity; the Dungeon Master themselves.
This is a fundamental break with an unwritten rule of roleplaying; the narrative arc, if not the details of that arc, is normally entirely in the control of the Dungeon Master. Ravenloft reins in this control. A reading of the Tarokka, something which can happen multiple times during the adventure, may change the narrative arc substantially, and the Dungeon Master will need to react to this change as much as the players do. Again, this harks back to the unreliable or ill-informed (or simply deranged) narrators of gothic fiction. The epistolic format of ‘Dracula’, for example, leads the novel’s characters to take actions based on incorrect or out-of-date facts just as the players of ‘Ravenloft’ must interpret the gnomic results of the Tarokka.
In practice, this leads to the campaign having a feeling of sweeping all involved along in its own narrative. There is, again, a feeling of twisted and ancient destinies being played out, with the players as mere marionettes.
This breaking of agency leads to the third key gothic motif in ‘Ravenloft’; that of Doubt and its darker sibling, Corruption.
‘Ravenloft’ works tirelessly to undermine player confidence in their supposed certainties; their character’s abilities, the unity of their party and, most key of all, the neutrality of the Dungeon Master. The PCs are constantly exposed to visions of their own deaths – spectral doppelgängers hang from gibbets, mirrors reflect aged and decaying faces – and their abilities work haphazardly or simply fail. Even the most powerful spell available to mortals in D&D, the spell called Wish, can’t help them escape from the twisted geographies of Barovia.
What happens, then, when you can’t trust yourself? How can you bring yourself to trust others?
Quite simply, you can’t. ‘Ravenloft’ features a large number of non-player characters who are fundamentally untrustworthy, irrevocably insane or purely monstrous. NPCs will appear to aid the adventurers until they have furthered their own aims before turning on them, often violently.
This presents a number of ethical issues for the players. Is it right for a good character to give in to mistrust and suspicion, even if that seems the only way to survive? Should good characters side with evil allies, if their mutual enemy is even worse? If you betray someone before they inevitably betray you, is that proactive or prejudiced?
Doubt, the worry that you are not good enough, then turns to corruption, the acceptance that you don’t need to be good. In D&D, where moral alignment has in-game effects, this can be as dangerous as it is in the real world. Clerics or paladins who drift from the behaviours that their deity supports can lose their divine powers entirely. Characters may be shunned by once-friendly organisations, or even attract the attention of the authorities.
In Gothic fiction, corruption goes hand in hand with physical illness and with madness. The loss of sanity and humanity, and the realisation of that loss, is often seen as more terrifying than death. In ‘Dracula’, one of the most horrifying scenes, for both the reader and the characters involved, does not directly feature Dracula himself.
Lucy Westenra’s corruption into a vampire, described by Dr Seward as her becoming a thing that has ‘taken her shape without her soul’, is chilling not just because she walks after death, drinking the blood of children, but because it is a fate that could befall any of them. Lucy is not evil rather she has had the goodness literally sucked from her, so she must then drain it from others. Killing Lucy, killing the Thing that she has been turned into, a word which Seward himself intentionally capitalises, is described not as murder but as ‘an infinite kindness’. Death, true death, is far preferable to undeath. Yet it is still death and Lucy’s existence as a sentient, if undead, being was still ended by her friends, her lovers. The act still stains their hands.
‘Ravenloft’ is a populated with gothic monsters – vampires and spectres, werewolves and revenants. These are not traditional fantasy monsters like trolls and ogres nor even the inscrutably inhuman aberrations beloved by D&D such as beholders or mind flayers but, like the creature that Lucy Westenra becomes, they are all the more terrifying because they are what we could become if we allow doubt to become corruption.
In ‘Ravenloft’ the horror comes not from fighting monsters but from fighting ourselves, depicted as monsters.
It is my contention that ‘Ravenloft’ has used these three motifs, sourced directly from the heart of gothic fiction, to influence the development of D&D and other gaming systems that came after it. The use of landscape not simply as terrain but as a character in itself, placing limits on the abilities of the players and the combination of both of these into a kind of psychological warfare allowed roleplaying to go down darker paths as its players grew out of standard fantasy tropes.
For example, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay’s unremittingly grim and corrupted world, and the stereotypical ‘grimdark’ settings of other Games Workshop products, can be seen as a natural extension of Barovia.
The 1987 ‘Death On The Reik’ campaign, perhaps the crowning glory of the WFRP system, builds to a terrifyingly gothic finale, complete with a lightning-lit, castle-top battle against the necromancer Lady Margritte von Wittgenstein and her Frankenstein-ian monster, whilst mutants and monsters pour in from every direction. More recently, games like Silent Hill, Dark Souls & Kingdom Death Monster have taken this gothic corruption to an even darker pitch.
Yet it is ‘Ravenloft’ itself, and all the children it spawned, that role-players keep returning to. Every play-through of ‘Ravenloft’ is different, bringing its own challenges, and this is due purely to the way it changes the assumptions and expectations of D&D.
There are other contenders for the dark crown of role-play but Strahd von Zarovich will always be “undead, forever”.
Really enjoyed reading this! Thank you.
You are currently reading ‘Undead, Forever’ – Ravenloft and the Gothic in D&D at Research Archives of the Constant University.

industry_corpus2: Gaming


text:
Dentilo is offering a discount of up to 50% on all dental websites. Dentilo websites are packed with many features and are a powerful medium to advertise the services of dentists. Professionally designed web sites for dentists are created by Dentilo for prices as low as $ 99. Powerful dental websites created by Dentilo are being offered at 50% discount and offer a dynamic tool for dentists to create a unique presence in online.
Talking about the features available on the website, Greg Parker, a senior executive at Dentilo commented, "We have contact forms, request forms, new patient forms, tons of lead generators, as well as a full design staff to help any dentist build an amazing website for their practice. Best of all, our services are a fraction of the price of our competitors. Demos of Dentilo websites are available on their website where viewers can see the many designs that people can choose from to begin customizing.
Domain name registration services are also offered by Dentilo and all the content on the website is search engine optimized automatically. Appropriate keywords are used on the website to ensure that the links are picked up by search engines. This also helps in getting a higher ranking for the dental website in search engine results and increases the traffic to the dental website.
Speaking about the practice identity services offered, a graphic designer at Dentilo stated, "We also offer logo design, creation of letterheads and envelopes, business cards for team members, and anything else dental offices may need to have their own unique identity. All items are designed around the marketing strategy of the dental practice to give a solid brand.
Exposure of dental practices can be increased through dentist website design by Dentilo. All web design for dentist services are offered by Dentilo at affordable prices. A Custom dental website created by Dentilo allows dentists to maintain a blog and talk about their dental expertise and various treatments all while showing a professional looking high caliber website that represents their practice.
Dentilo is a leading provider of website creation services for dental practices and offers an amazing marketing tool to enhance the reach of dentist Web design services offered by Dentilo built in online scheduling system which makes it easy to manage appointments. Search engine friendly websites created by Dentilo help in ensuring high placement for websites in search results. Link building and content optimization services are also offered by Dentilo.
Fort Worth Dental's Dr. Terry M. Zang, Dr. Arthur J. Mund, and Dr. Justin Mund provide patients with the solutions they are looking for to get straighter teeth. When a patient desires a discreet method for straightening teeth, the Invisalign procedure is often the dental procedure of choice. The dentist can offer the treatment to patients of practically any age who wish to forego the traditional metal braces. The process requires customized plastic trays that are worn daily and adjusted and replaced regularly.
Most people are not born with teeth that will remain perfectly straight throughout their lives. While many people choose the traditional metal braces, the Invisalign procedure gives patients another option for getting straight teeth. The plastic aligner trays are very discreet and many people do not even notice when someone is wearing them.
The Invisalign dental procedure begins by having the dentist or an assistant take x-rays and impressions of the teeth. From them, a three dimensional model is created on the computer and is used to determine a treatment plan for the patient. A set of clear plastic aligner trays is molded to fit the patient's teeth. The trays are designed to be worn night and day, but can easily be removed when the patients eats or needs to clean their teeth and the trays.
Every two weeks the patient returns for a new set of dental trays. These trays have been tweaked slightly from the previous set to help gently guide the teeth into the proper position. The patient meets with the dentist every six to eight weeks to make sure that the teeth are moving according to plan and to make any adjustments that are necessary. The entire treatment often takes about a year to complete, and should be overseen by a trained Invisalign dentist. More information on the procedure can be found by visiting http://www.fortworthdental.com.
Fort Worth Dental is a general practice offering patients personalized dental care for Fort Worth, TX. Dr. Terry M. Zang, Dr. Arthur J. Mund and Dr. Justin Mund are all dedicated to their dental practice, which offers the recent FDA cleared laser procedure for gum disease and periodontal treatment. Focused on preventative, restorative and cosmetic dentistry, they each have unique attributes for the practice. To learn more about Fort Worth Dental and their dental services visit their website at http://www.fortworthdental.com.
V.Com (http://www.virtualintercom.com) is re-introducing their cutting edge intra-office communication system with added features to increase practice efficiency and patient satisfaction. Their fully customizable system allows messages to be sent instantly between different chairs and rooms, enabling heightened communication of important information. With V.Com, all inbound messages and in office communication can be reliably and efficiently managed.
The latest addition to their virtual intercom system incorporates Web Forms, allowing patients to fill out a practices forms online. With V.Coms Automated Web Forms your practice can be truly paperless. Using immediate recognition system, all Web Forms are automatically filed into the respective patients virtual chart, within any integrated practice management program, completely bypassing tedious and time consuming filing.
V.Com is truly the future of intra-office communications. The powerful tools offered through the service include Tech Support. The V.Com service is offered in a Free Version, Standard ($ 49.95/mo), and Premium Version ($ 69.95/mo) Quick and efficient, V.Com is easily installed and integrated into your office. For more information on V.Coms service, please visit http://www.virtualintercom.com.
Perfect teeth, although coveted by millions across the nation, are an attribute that few people can attain without a little cosmetic dentistry work. Fillings, dental crowns and veneers are found in most peoples mouths. Research shows that in the next 10 years, 1.2 billion of these fillings will need to be completely replaced. Dr. Michael Marcus is using the innovative Chairside Economical Restorations Esthetic Ceramic to make fixing a cavity or a bad tooth a one-time event that lasts about as long as a regular appointment.
Normally, a visit to the dentist will result in a follow-up appointment due to the discovery of cavities or other problems that will need to be taken care. This involves taking more time out of the patients schedule and a possible, extra cost for the procedure, gas money, etc. Now, with the advanced techniques involved with CEREC, that may no longer be the case.
CEREC is not all that new to the field of cosmetic dentistry, but Marcus Dental Practice makes it something worth experiencing. With the help of specialized tools and machinery, an optical impression of the teeth in need of fillings or dental crowns is taken and processed. Because there is no need for a mold made of goop that you bite into, this image of your teeth is then converted by 3D software to create a virtual model on the computer screen.
Using a separate milling machine found on-site, Dr. Marcus designs the appropriate restoration to exactly fit your needs. This is then created out of a ceramic block that matches the shade of your tooth--all within one appointment, lasting perhaps 10-20 minutes. After a good polish, the needed dental crowns or restoration is securely bonded to the tooth of the patient, with a guarantee that a return trip will not be necessary.
For the dentists and staff at Marcus Dental Practice, cosmetic dentistry has never been easier, more accurate, and effective for their patients. Using CEREC has proven to be fast and economical for both dentist and patient, and the results are reported as overwhelmingly positive.
Marcus Dental Practice is a dental office providing patients personalized dental care and implant dentistry for Chicago, Illinois for over 50 years. As a father-son team, David and Michael Marcus strive to continue their dental education and are both members of the American Dental Association. They aim to provide dentistry in all dimensions as part of one percent of dental professionals providing the most recent FDA cleared laser procedure for gum disease and periodontal treatment. To learn more about Marcus Dental Practice and their dental services visit their website at http://www.marcuslaserdentistry.com and call (312) 241-1328.
At the reception, under a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, graduates from many years toasted each other, applauded awards and listened to speeches from the University of Pennsylvania Dental School Dean Denis F. Kinane, BDS, PhD, and other dignitaries. The commemorative gathering was set among the distinguished art collection, artifacts imbued with the heritage and culture of Philadelphia at the Union League which was founded in 1862.
Dental students enrolling in 1978 faced stiff competition for their place in one of the worlds most selective Schools of Dental Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, which has enjoyed a worldwide reputation for excellent training in the art and science of dentistry, and is the birthplace of many dental specialties.
After four years of rigorous study, the class of 1982 ventured into dental practice. Some graduates went on to specialize, some into private practice, some into the military, while others enrolled in an additional year of study in general dentistry. Dr. Korwin completed this additional year at the University and received an AEGD Certificate in General Practice from the School of Dental Medicine.
Robert Korwin DMD, MICOI, MAGD went on to study Implantology, orthodontics, temporomandibular joint disorders, esthetics, sedation, prosthodontics, and other dental areas, earning Mastership recognition by the Academy of General Dentistry and the International College of Oral Implantologists, as well as becoming a board member of the American Association of Sedation in Dentistry. He also received three patents for dental products, manufactured dental supplies, and launched dental software and training companies.
Since graduation, he has focused his efforts in general dental practice to help his patients become healthier and happier through efficient and cost effective methods of treatment and prevention. Dr. Korwin is a rare dentist who affords his patients the opportunity to have a one stop dental experience since he practices all facets of dentistry in one location.
For thirty years we have emphasized the importance of the link between oral bacteria and systemic disease. To diagnose this hidden problem, our family of patients has always been screened at every visit for the presence of periodontitis. Our aging patient population has kept their teeth longer than in the past. More evidence is being published about the correlation between periodontal inflammation and systemic disease, and it is even more important to bring this information to you. We have a long record of interceptive and preventive oral health care and we are pleased to help you control and prevent oral disease. Dr. Korwin promotes the good news is that by flossing daily, along with regular professional cleanings the public can protect their health and help prevent gum disease. For further information about flossing and health visit Flossing for Life.
Robert Korwin DMD, MICOI, MAGD is a renowned general dentist with 30 years of experience, teaching innovating, and practicing in Middletown and Red Bank, NJ. With extensive academic, clinical and didactic training, he is one of only a handful of dentists worldwide who have dual Mastership awards from The Academy of General Dentistry and The International College of Oral Implantologists. Dr. Korwin is a highest honors graduate of Progressive Orthodontic Seminars, awarded to only 2 of 4,000 students in 24 years. Dr. Korwin promotes excellence in preventing orally linked disease and provides highly cosmetic dental repair and reconstruction utilizing orthodontics, implants, surgery, prosthetics and sedation, with laser, digital and computer assisted diagnostics. The practice works with patients to maximize their dental health, ensure their comfort and minimize financial concerns.
Providing dental hygiene services at last year's RAM event at The Forum in Inglewood (Los Angeles). LADHS members Laurel Bleak, standing, and Sharie Mikolajczyk seated.
The California Dental Hygienists' Association (CDHA) is mobilizing its members to provide free dental care beginning tomorrow to thousands of the Los Angeles area’s indigent, uninsured and underserved at one of the city’s largest public health clinics.
The eight-day free medical and dental health care event – under the auspices of a program known as Remote Access Medical (RAM) – will be open to the public beginning Tuesday, April 27 through May 3 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, For the uninsured, underinsured, all are welcome for no charge.
Participating dental hygienists will not only be doing teeth cleanings, but will also conduct a wide range of public health services, including oral screening for cancer, malnutrition, diabetes and other diseases.
In addition to providing the actual dental hygiene services, CDHA members are actively participating with doctors, dentists, non-profit clinics, and dental suppliers to make such a massive community health clinic a reality.
“We have been actively organizing the dental hygiene services, recruiting hygienists, obtaining donated supplies and instruments, and coordinating dental hygiene schools participation,” said Bleak of the LA Dental Hygienists Society.
ZenDental and Dr. Jay Khorsandi of downtown LA want to see you smile by offering all new patients “ Name Your Price” for a complete dental cleaning, set of x-rays and an exam – a $ 250 value at a price you can afford. From October 1st thru November 15th, new patients are encouraged to make an appointment for this special deal to come see what feels better– a clean fresh mouth or paying what you want for it!
Located in downtown LA’s fashionable California Mart, ZenDental boasts a stylish spa like environment and the most peaceful dentist experience imaginable. Perks include neck pillows, soft blankets and a variety of entertainment options including TV’s, DVD players, iPods and even noise canceling headphones. Comfort is key at ZenDental and you’ll notice the moment you walk in the door with the cushy décor and flowing aromatherapy.
Dr. Jay Khorsandi and ZenDental have been providing superior dental care for almost 7 years in the downtown LA area. After participating in the RAM (Remote Area Medical) event this year, Dr. Khorsandi witnessed the extremely limited amount of dental services available to the public. Because of this, he would like to offer his expertise and continue community outreach by offering the “Name Your Price” special to local LA residents.
“I would really like to help those in need of basic dental care and those who haven’t been seen by a dentist in some time”, says Dr. Khorsandi.
The 2010 Best Of Downtown Readers Choice recognized Dr. Khorsandi with the runner-up title for Best Dentist. ZenDental has joined forces with the new DTLA Resident Card program that gives downtowners great discounts http://www.dtlaresident.com/discounts. In addition, Dr. K continues to receive recognition and rave reviews on websites including http://www.yelp.com, http://www.topdocla.com and http://www.healthgrades.com.
Other services include Zoom Whitening, Invisalign, Periodontal Cleanings, Veneers, Grinding/Migraine/TMJ, Dental Implants, Bonding and Anti-snore devices and more.
“Name Your Price” special is offered by appointment only and subject to availability.
Phillip Hare, president and CEO of ByteWyze Computer Services, has announced that Lucy Reese and Quentin Tilman, account executives for the firm, gave a presentation to the North Carolina Dental Assistants Association (NCDAA) on Aug. 26 at Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown, North Carolina. The presentation, entitled “The Dental Assistant’s Guide to Computer Networking,” discussed such topics as having Internet security, backing up data successfully, troubleshooting simple hardware problems and establishing HIPPA compliance for computers. Reese and Tilman were invited to give the presentation by Carolyn Newman, immediate past president of the NCDAA, and dental assistants who attended earned three credit hours of continuing education time.
Based in Cary, N.C., ByteWyze Computer Services is an expanding computer support consultancy. The skilled staff has extensive experience in providing computer support to small and medium-sized businesses. ByteWyze works hard to ensure a solid customer relationship and high quality of service. Workloads are carefully balanced to ensure that the client always receives the level of service it expects and deserves. More information about ByteWyze Computer Services can be found at http://www.bytewyze.com.

industry_corpus2: Health & Medicine


text:
Sheetz announced this morning that it will hire more than 500 employees across Virginia Wednesday next week. The company will also be hiring more than 2,500 full-time and part-time positions companywide.
“The hiring initiative aims to increase Sheetz’s total employee count and the number of full-time positions by creating and filling jobs at stores throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, West Virginia and North Carolina,” according to a Sheetz press release.
Open interviews will take place on Wednesday, March 27 at all Sheetz locations from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


text:
A talented performer with a bubbly vibrant personality presents a formidable Tina Turner Tribute Act.
The Heels, the Fishnets, the Strut, the Lips, and the hair capture the moment as this talented performer delivers a pulsating Tina Turner Tribute show, emulating the sounds of the greatest ever female Rock Legend – Tina Turner.
Performing Tinas hits such as “Nutbush City Limits”, “Simply the Best”, “Steamy Windows”, “Whats Love Got To Do With It”, “Private Dancer”, “Addicted To Love”, “Disco Inferno”, “Lets Stay Together”, “Proud Mary” and many more at a number of venues including Crewe Hall, Cheshire, Village Hotels, Celtic Manor Resort, The Trafford Centre, Ribbey Hall Village, Renaisance Hotels, Holiday Inns, Marriott Hotels, Moat House Hotels, Hull Kingston Rovers, Manchester Pride Festival as well as selected venues in Europe & America.
The Tina Turner Tribute Act performance is adapted to suit every occasion – dinner dance, night club, hotel, restaurant, private function, wedding or holiday camp. Enjoy those well known hits – from the 60s to the hits of the 90s era.
Close your eyes and Tina Turner is right there – let your imagination roam as the singer’s powerful voice re-creates the feeling of a live Tina performance. Hear the raw emotions as she performs “Dont Want to Fight & Heartache”, the passion as she belts out “Lets Stay Together” just for you.
The Tina Turner Tribute Act will be tailored to meet your requirements and you can be confident that you are engaging a fabulous performer who is guaranteed to provide a tantalising and memorable evening of entertainment.
Standard Length of Performance: 1 hour.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


text: There are many key moments in 'The Master', Paul Thomas Anderson's stomach-punching, fingernails-down-a-chalkboard psychological thriller loosely based on the founding of Scientology, but more deeply understood as a tale of two egos. We witness a titanic battle for self-control by a man who knows nothing of it (Joaquin Phoenix's Freddie Quell), or to distinguish imagination from delusion by a man whose simmering rage emanates perhaps from the terror that the truth he has found may not be enough (Philip Seymour Hoffman's L Ron Hubbard surrogate, Lancaster Dodd). Neither of them know how to love; both are desperate to be loved; they find in each other a conversation partner, a patient, an unrequited lover. They are two of the most human characters the movies have brought us; their power trips are terrifying, because they may remind us of our own. There are many key moments - the first meeting between the war veteran and new religious leader, the dictator bonding with his subject over mutual substance abuse; when the master holds court in New York society, first offering tender words of potential healing to a grand dame, then exploding at a guest who dares question the source of his 'knowledge'; when the protege is experimented with, commanded to walk up and down between a wall and a window until he is both capable of imagining unbridled freedom, and driven nearly mad in the process; a science fiction-esque digging of buried treasure on an Arizona flat bed that could pass for Mars. Striking moments, but the one that remains most resonant in my memory after two viewings is still the most ambiguous. After Freddie and Dodd first meet, the new father invites the new son (the relationship, and the failings of relationship, between fathers and sons is where this film really aches) to attend his daughter's wedding. The invitation is accompanied either by a warning, or an invocation: Dodd tells him either 'Your memories aren't welcome' or 'Your memories are welcome'. Two viewings leaves it unclear - and I could check, but it doesn't really matter; for each is a blessing. You don't have to carry your trauma always and everywhere, or at least it doesn't always have to weigh as much; or you can join this community and still be fully yourself. It's a mark of the moral complexity of 'The Master' that it can critique the damage done by demonic religion while here honoring the best hopes of its angelic shades. The movie's not really about Scientology per se, but power and love. Like 'Andrei Rublev' it's too big a film to be interpreted in a review. It needs to be seen; deserves to be studied; and invites a response in life as well as words.


text:
We are a “Platinum” tier supporters club (the highest level achievable), so our members receive the maximum level of support and benefits from Chelsea FC.
To buy match tickets through HDCSC you’ll need to first take out a True Blue Membership with Chelsea FC (£26 Adults, £22 Juniors) which you can do by clicking here. If you’re already a True Blue Member or Season Ticket Holder then becoming a member of HDCSC will provide you with many new benefits that you wouldn’t have had access to before.
Annual HDCSC membership is £10 for those aged 20 yrs and over .....and is FREE for Juniors aged under 20 yrs. You can join us by completing the HDCSC Membership Application Form by clicking here. If you can't attend the next club meeting, membership monies and ticket payments can be made to HDCSC's Lloyds Bank Account Number 41919468, Sort Code 30-97-66 (remembering to indicate from whom the payment is coming from). As a last resort, you can deliver cash or cheque made out to "HDCSC" to Mark Barfoot (HDCSC Secretary), 76 Ashford Road, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 2HZ.
HDCSC is run on a “not for profit” basis and exists entirely for the benefit of its members. HDCSC’s financial benefits are returned to members throughout the season in the form of free match ticket draws, HDCSC raffle prizes, Supporters Club coach travel subsidies, etc.

industry_corpus2: Sports


text:
Last week in this post I mentioned that I had moved the chair from the office desk. I addition to the arms banging the desk I did not mention that the finish of the upholstery was all cracking a flaking. The wear on the front edge of the seat was so bad that I had previously made an elasticised fabric cover for the seat and I noticed that the back was showing the same tendencies.
It was definitely time for the chair to go. I was not hopeful of finding a new home for it but placed an ad on the local Facebook Buy, Swap, Sell page give it away. Happily, it was just what someone wanted so it has gone.
The dining chair was not a suitable long-term replacement so yesterday we looked for a replacement at Officeworks.
We were a bit like Goldilocks trying out all of the various options which ranged from very lightweight and uncomfortable to positively luxurious and everything in between. In the end this is what we chose. It is sturdy, comfortable and relatively compact.
It fits neatly under the desk and I am very happy with our new chair.
Well the desk is all assembled but not without a hiccup or two.
This morning we opened the box containing the hutch and it was the wrong colour!! Yes, we had managed to pick up the wrong one. So, it was off to IKEA again which really threw our plans for the day into disarray.
The traffic was a nightmare on our way home but we finally made it back and set about assembling the hutch.
Here is the final item all completed and in position. It is shorter and narrower than the old table so creates a bit more space in the room. I have been able to conceal almost all of the cables behind the desk which is much neater than before.
I moved the pictures that were above the old desk to the other side of the room now that the second bookcase has gone.
Now I need to find a suitable chair to place in the corner to create a comfortable reading nook.
I am really pleased with how this room has been altered and redefined. I have some plans for minor alterations to a couple of other rooms in the future. No doubt, I will post about those when they happen but please don’t hold your breath.
I have just checked the date and realised that it is 10 days since my last blog post. I have been busy – in that time my mother has come home from hospital after having undergone heart surgery, I have attended a gathering of my extended family which I organised to celebrate a milestone from my grandfather’s life and been away for a work conference for 2 days. That has all been in addition to running a household and holding down a full-time job.
There will be some blog posts about some of what I have been doing,but that is enough of my excuses for the moment.
GMan and I both had a day off today and we decided to make a round trip of over 200km to IKEA to buy a new desk for our home office. I had searched online for either a new or second-hand desk and the one we bought was definitely the best to suit our needs.
We arrived home this afternoon with 3 large packages.
GMan and I have spent several hours assembling the desk. We are very happy with how it has turned out so far. It is currently sitting in the middle of the office.
Tomorrow we will move all of the stuff of the existing desk and position the new one in its place. The next step will be to build the bookcase/hutch section which attached to the desk.
Watch out for tomorrow’s post in which I hope to show you the completed desk and revamped office/library area.
I have not written much lately about my decluttering efforts but that does not mean that it isn’t happening.
Today we finally got around to collating the documents we needed to have our tax returns done. The Duke scanned these and emailed them to the accountant. On thing led to another and I ended up cleaning out the filing cabinet as well as sorting and tidying the shelves in the cupboard.
We have one completely empty drawer in our 4 drawer filing cabinet and the others are sorted and tidied up.
There is a lot less stuff in the top cupboard.
It is difficult to see but you will have to believe me when I say that we got rid of quite a bit of stuff. All of the paper has been recycled. Some went in the recycle bin but most was torn into strips and added to the the leaf litter in the new raised garden bed. We topped it with a layer of mulch and watered it in well. This will break down over time.
Paper is one of the most difficult types of clutter to keep under control so it requires constant work to win the battle. There will be more to do but I feel that we have made some real progress today.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


text:
The methodology used to construct the indices is straightforward and transparent making it fully accessible for investors.
STOXX, the operator of Deutsche Borse Group’s index business and a provider of tradable index concepts, has launched the EURO STOXX 50 Multi-Asset Indices, combining the core asset classes, equity and fixed income.
The indices replicate a hypothetical portfolio which tracks the performance of the EURO STOXX 50 Index and the EURO STOXX 50 Corporate Bond Index, thus creating multi-asset index concepts with pre-defined equity and bond exposure levels.
These are the first STOXX indices which provide a highly liquid solution for diversification over two complementary asset classes.
By offering built-in exposure levels to equity and fixed income, the indices offer the opportunity to construct portfolios according to individual risk preferences, as well as various macroeconomic factors.
The EURO STOXX 50 Multi-Asset Indices combine the performance of two indices, EURO STOXX 50 and EURO STOXX 50 Corporate Bond Indices, following a model with pre-defined exposure levels to the parent benchmarks.
The indices are re-balanced on a quarterly basis on the last trading day of March, June, September and December.
In addition to the EURO STOXX 50 Multi-Asset Indices, STOXX has introduced currency hedged and unhedged index versions for the EURO STOXX 50 Corporate Bond Index which are available in USD, JPY, GBP and CHF.

industry_corpus2: Finance & Economics


text:
Hey guys! Just wanting to touch base with you guys, since I haven't spoken with you all in a long while.
How goes the project? How go your lives?
Mine has been... Well... Up and down.
Warning, this next part is a teenage male griping about how terrible his life is.
No but really, I just moved to the country, which is good and bad. Good because I can actually take my gun out of my house/shoot it/let the dog out, bad because the only internet here is terrible satellite/my dog might get eaten by wolves/it's in the middle of nowhere.
Other than that, life's been okay, I'm starting to get back into a routine, so I've been trying to devote at least 45mins-2hours to Prism a day, whether it be drawing or reading on the forum.

industry_corpus2: Others


text:
Media: 2 x SD for SD, HD and UHD recording. UHS II and able to support ProRes 4444 playback and 422 recording. Can format discs to ExFAT (Windows/Mac) or OS X Extended (Mac) file systems.
Supported Codecs: Apple ProRes 422 HQ QuickTime, ProRes 422 QuickTime, ProRes 422 LT QuickTime, ProRes 422 Proxy QuickTime.
Built-in Control Panel includes 8 buttons for menu control, 2.2" color display, and a rotary wheel.
Software: Media Express, Disk Speed Test, Blackmagic System Preferences and Blackmagic driver (Mac only).
Displays: Built-in LCD for video, audio and timecode monitoring and menu settings. 2 x LED indicator lights above the SD slots.
What's included: HyperDeck Studio Mini and SD card with software and user manual.
Optional accessory: Teranex Mini Rack Shelf (MSRP $85.00) for mounting up to three HyperDeck Studio Minis.
MRSP of $695.00 . . . contact Matt Drabick at mdrabick@mindspring.com or 919 790 5488 for our best price.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


text: While there are many treatments that your crawl space can go through it is important to know that when you call our Nashville contractors, they will be able to pick out the best one for you and your crawlspace. But while the treatments for your crawl space will be different than others’, the one thing that should not change is a waterproof treatment. Without a waterproof treatment, your crawl space can be affected by so much, you can get mold spores growing in your crawlspace, there could be moisture settling in and causing humidity, and then there could even be standing water because your encapsulation is either non-existent or wasn't installed correctly. There are many things that can cause your crawl space to be less than perfect, so why worry anymore when you can call Nashville crawlspace co, and they can help treat your crawl space or repair the crawlspace solutions that were not installed correctly from the beginning. With our treatments and solutions, you can be sure that the work our Nashville Crawl space contractors do will be ones that will last for many years to come, so you don't have to do repairs on your repairs. When you have our contractor install a vapor barrier treatment in your crawl space you will be surprised at how much it can fix. Those days of having humidity and wetness in your crawl space will be over because the vapor barrier creates a layer of protection from the ground and your crawl space only leaving you with a dry space crawl space. Don't look up on google how to install a vapor barrier on your own, instead call our professional team that will offer you expert solutions.


text:
World Rainforest Day celebrates rainforests and leads to increasing individual and collective global action throughout the year. We need organizations like yours to join our ever-growing network of World Rainforest Day partners.
Our goal for World Rainforest Day 2019 is to engage a worldwide audience by connecting with new partners who will collectively inspire a day of action, education, and appreciation for rainforests.
World Rainforest Day partners are showcased on our website where visitors are encouraged to donate to their causes related to conserving and protecting the planet.
Reach us by filling out your information on the right and join the World Rainforest Day global partner network.
Thank you to our global network of World Rainforest Day 2018 partners.
We appreciate all that you do for our planet.


text: Use the Bulletin 1797 FLEX Ex™ communication module and FLEX Ex I/O installed in the hazardous area to gather data at its origin and transport it to the safe area with minimal wiring. ControlNet™ Ex connectivity leverages the diagnostic capabilities and determinism of the ControlNet network for intrinsic safety (IS) applications. FLEX Ex is also compatible with standard FLEX™ I/O communication modules for connectivity to DeviceNet™, Universal Remote I/O, and EtherNet/IP™ networks.


text: What is it? Launched in July, Carnival Liberty is the 21st ship in the cruise line's 'Fun Cruise' fleet. It has a capacity for 3,000 passengers across 13 decks and has 1,487 cabins.

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


text:
The W Master, Hamish Spencer, of the Old Worksopian Lodge 6963 and several members took part in Barry Cuttle's Swimathon at Worksop College in November. It is pleasing to report the event raised £5,025 towards the 2018 Festival and moves us nearer to our target.
Grateful thanks must go to Barrie Cuttle and his grandchildren for their sponsorship and Charity Steward John Neville who became the debt collector. We will be looking at more gatherings in the future.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


text:
Xenon's template packages are designed for FrontPage™ 2000 and 2002. We have created this template using FrontPage™ 2002.
A 5 page web template.
All pages can be renamed, rearranged or deleted. To add new pages, use the file newpage.htm. Read through all the pages of this web template for further instructions.
The left and right-hand columns are contained in separate include files. This ensures that you can edit their content in one place, and have the changes appear on every page in the site, reducing page maintenance. To change their content, edit the files leftcolumn.htm and rightcolumn.htm.
Our templates are tested for compatibility with Internet Explorer 6.0 and above, Netscape 6.0 and above and Opera 7.0.
All colours used for table backgrounds, fonts etc. are from the web-safe colour palette.


text:
The institutional answer key for GATE Exam has been released by the various institutions, Candidates who have appeared in the GATE Examination can check. After completion of the examination, every student keenly wants to know how much they will score in the GATE Examination. To know the scorecard they are waiting for the answer key. Through the help of answer key candidates can evaluate their answer key and can get little bit idea about the examination. Today on 2nd February 2019, Thegateacademy has been released answer key for the ME Stream for afternoon or morning session examination.
GATE ME Answer key is available now. Click here to download.
Every student wants to obtain their answer key, while the final scorecard will be declared by the conducting authority, The authority will also release the official answer, which will be the final answer key through candidate can assume their final marks, How much they can score in the examination.
GATE(Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) is organized to provide admission into the various IITs, IISc to M.Tech/ Ph.D. and other Government Scholarships/Assistantships in the field of engineering and technology. Every year GATE examination has been conducted on a rotation basis through the 7 IITs(IITs (Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Guwahati, and Roorkee) and IISc Banglore. GATE ME Examination has been conducted on 2nd February 2019 in two shift (Morning and After Noon). In this year GATE examination is conducted by the IIT Madras.
GATE Scorecard is very important not only to be eligible for getting admission in IITs and IISc Banglore but also applied for PSUs Recruiting programme of graduate trainees/management trainees.
Visit the official website of GATE 2019 which is given above.
Enter your registration number and password one who is sent to your registered mobile number while registration.


text:
This was 2017 and time for a new me.
BOILERINAZ is a SparkPeople Motivator!
I'm starting over, the past is the past, it only shows me that with dedication and hard work I CAN get to a healthy me. Today I have to start fresh, be open to new ideas, figure out a way to be healthy with a fast paced career, as a wife, and a mom of 2 young boys. I turned 40 in March, the last time I started new on Spark I was 30 and living alone, what worked then is not going to work now so I have to have new eyes, new approaches, and start fresh. Today is the start of that journey, today I erase all my past successes from years ago and make this about today, about me, and what I have to do to take responsibility for my health.
To track my food regularly.
To start exercising 3x a week.
Coming soon....I'm starting by tracking and reducing my carbs.
I call Phoenix home and really love the sunshine and the clear blue skies. I have a wonderful husband and 2 beautiful boys (age 4 and 18 months). I love to travel and stay busy. I want to be a good example for my kids, have the energy to keep up with them, and make sure I'm going to be healthy and strong for years to come.
To track my food regularly. To start exercising 3x a week.
Just wanted to tell you to have a great day!


text:
Ever since the World Wide Web introduced the concept of “etailing,” established brick-and-mortar retailers, especially those who cater to upper-tier shoppers, have seen upping their customer-service quotient as the means of maintaining a competitive edge over online stores.
An award was created, with a single store named the Service Star Store of the Year.
To determine which store is the best in service over the previous 12 months, Saks surveys its customers, asking them to rate their local branch in terms of customer service.
The first Service Star award was presented to Saks at Dadeland in Miami for its performance during 2010. The 2011 store of the year was the Saks branch located at the Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station, N.Y. on Long Island.
Receiving the highest marks, and thus the Service Star award among the 46 Saks stores, for 2012, is Saks Fifth Avenue, Palm Beach, 172 Worth Ave.
The engraved trophy was put on display in the store Thursday, after Peter Schuette, the branch’s general manager, made the announcement of the win to his staff that morning.
Congratulations to Saks Palm Beach, which is obviously held in high regard by its island customers.
Maybe 2013 will be a repeat performance for the branch.
And in 2014 could we maybe manage a “three-peat” guys?


text:
between 1982 and 1993 in his home studio.
follow nervous sequences and vocoder chants.
without memory, were uneasy to reproduce.
⇨ Order Novocibirsk album at special now!
We, at productionB, love electronic sounds. We like sequences and tones.
focused on the tension and texture of sounds.
Be ready for the next release of productionB label.


text:
Neil Grinham, a third year graduate engineer employed by Costain and who has worked on South Wales projects at Church Village and Rhydyfelin in Rhondda Cynon Taff, has received a top award from the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (Wales).
For the second year in succession a Costain graduate engineer was awarded the CECA Wales Most Promising Trainee Civil Engineering Award.
Rhodri–Gwynn Jones, a Director of CECA, said: “CECA Wales is once again proud to have sponsored the ‘Trainee Engineer of the Year’ Awards 2012 and it was very fitting that the award itself was presented by the Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Skills, Jeff Cuthbert AM. His support and commitment and that of the Welsh Government to the training of new entrants into civil engineering industry is crucial if it is to survive and prosper into the future. CECA extends its gratitude to all member companies who provide the necessary opportunities to encourage new entrants and provide training opportunities, particularly in the current economic climate."
In assessing the awards, CECA Wales sought evidence of the candidates’ development and potential and their capacity and hunger for the tasks ahead of them. Neil fully matched these expectations and is indeed a worthy winner in 2012.
Thomas Kenyon, Site Agent for Costain, said: “Neil is wholly deserving of the award. His dedication and determination to challenge the norm and promote innovation within the business whilst always being committed to his role with the upmost efficiency and professionalism, singles him out. Suffice to say the Costain team is very proud of his achievement."
Neil Grinham said: "I am really pleased to have received the award and perhaps most important is the encouragement and support I have received from all at Costain. I have an exciting and fulfilling career and look forward to supporting and delivering high quality projects with Costain."
The winner of the award last year, James Bulleid also of Costain, has been shortlisted for the Construction News Awards 2012 in the category of ‘Rising Star of the Year’.


text:
This week, we had the pleasure for the first time to be a part of Dell’s significant presence at the annual conference of the Healthcare Information Management and Systems Society (HIMSS) in Orlando, Florida. It gave us a valuable opportunity to talk to health IT professionals about our integration capabilities, and our dedication to interoperability in health IT.
In the U.S., healthcare seems to remain at a perpetual crossroads, as wave after wave of change continues to hit the industry.


text:
An initiative of the Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft urbanxchanger aims to develop new practices based on the experiences of community initiatives.
To enable this process, urban practitioners from São Paulo, Mexico City, Cape Town and New Delhi were paired with partners from Berlin to collaborate with and take forward community initiatives identified as part of the Deutsche Bank Urban Age Award.
Urbanxchanger was initiated by Ute E. Weiland and curated by Marcos L. Rosa. We have invited Edwin Heathcote, architecture and design critic of the Financial Times, to reflect on it.
The Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft (AHG) is the international forum of Deutsche Bank. AHG seeks traces of the future in the present: identifying trends, exploring intellectual frontiers and conceptualising topics for analysis and debate. It promotes research and gets involved in debates on current issues. Working with partners from politics, economics, science and society, it establishes discussion forums across the globe.


text:
Already, as of 2010, a quarter of Americans (24 percent) had posted product reviews or comments online, and 78 percent of internet users had gone online for product research. But those are ancient stats. Numbers are higher now. More recently, BrightLocal found in 2016 that 91 percent of consumers regularly or occasionally read online reviews, with 47 percent taking sentiment of local-business reviews — the tonality of a review’s text — into account in purchasing decisions. Breaking out the figures, 74 percent of consumers say that positive reviews make them trust a local business more, and 60 percent say that negative reviews make them not want to use a business, according to BrightLocal.
So reviews are important, and the feelings expressed are key. To understand review content, including sentiment, at web and social scale and velocity, you need automated natural language processing (NLP) and other forms of AI.
Customer reviews contain several forms of salient information. First there’s the star rating, but ratings, even when broken out into categories — on Airbnb, for example, categories include accuracy, communication, cleanliness, location, check-in, and value — have zero explanatory power. So we have review text: free-form, voice-of-the-customer reactions. This text tells a story, and stories sell, so we need to know the aspects of a product or service discussed, the wording used to describe them, and the sentiment expressed.
Review text also reveals a lot about the reviewer, as Stanford University Prof. Dan Jurafsky explains in an exploration of review language, Natural Language Processing on Everyday Language. (Jurafsky’s data science study on how restaurants and reviewers talk about food — including the connection between menu wording and item price — is really illuminating. Also, NLP and AI can help in review moderation by identifying abusive language and detecting fraudulent reviews, but those are topics for another article.) Finally, reviewer identity is key: Demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and geographic location, as well as reviewer reputation or ratings and the reviewer’s social profile, come into play, as does review recency.
We’re describing a complex data scenario. A Bazaarvoice blog post will take you through some of the data science challenges, but it doesn’t cover solutions. The startups I will profile deploy analytics — NLP, machine learning, and other forms of AI — to respond to the challenges.
A results graphic — product aspects and sentiment ratings, as shown in the image — can be embedded in an online commerce site. The goal, per the Brandwatch report cited above, is to boost conversion rates and sales revenue. Aspectiva also provides an API, allowing customers to build their own front-ends to Aspectiva analytics, and a search function that is cognizant of product attributes.
Aspectiva deploys an NLP–machine learning combination that “scans texts written by consumers and learns what people are saying when they are happy or unhappy with products they write about, beyond the obvious ‘sentiment words’ themselves … determining sentiment also with factual sentences.” This capability isn’t unique to Aspectiva — Revuze claims something similar — but it makes for more robust sentiment detection than is found in many competing products.
3. SmartMunk story.ly analysis centers on satisfaction drivers rather than on product and service attributes. The principle is that customer satisfaction drives business outcomes, so it’s important to focus on elements that make customers happy or that disappoint.
4. SentiGeek is a pre-launch customer feedback/review-sentiment company. (I informally advise founder Mara Tsoumari, who presents features and possibilities in an online video.) Candidate markets — indicating the breadth of review-sentiment interest — include online retail, market research, marketing, financial institutions, and public administrations. The product is designed to support reporting, analysis, and monitoring options. It extracts opinion words and phrases and fine-grained sentiment and provides analyses by review and by opinion holder, with the ability to generate customer profiles.
It’s the reviewer-focused analyses that differentiate SentiGeek, but rather than provide an interface screenshot for illustration, I thought it would be more interesting to look at SentiGeek’s technical architecture. Note the use of spaCy, an innovative, open source NLP package that features parsing and named-entity extraction capabilities. Note also the use of an RDF-structured knowledgebase — RDF is the Resource Description Framework, which originated as a Semantic Web standard — designed for domain-specific aspect–sentiment evaluations.
Do-it-yourself is an option if you have strong data-wrangling and analytical skills. DIY option #1 is to analyze review text within a data analysis workbench: for example, Aylien describes Building a Text Analysis process for customer reviews in RapidMiner, and MeaningCloud covers Text Classification in Excel: build your own model. If you have data science skills, Python is a great choice, perhaps using gensim, NLTK, Stanford CoreNLP (via a Python wrapper), or TensorFlow. You can use spaCy NLP — SentiGeek’s choice — for Python native information extraction; spaCy plays nice with TensorFlow, Keras, Scikit-Learn, Gensim, and the rest of Python AI ecosystem.
You can also build it yourself, applying a commercial NLP service. Hearing John Kelley describe his work at TripAdvisor (using tech from Lexalytics) is what first opened my eyes to the possibilities that review analytics provide. Video of Kelley’s presentation, What Travelers Say… Using Sentiment to Improve User Engagement, is dated but still quite interesting.
Expect consumers to continue sharing product and service perceptions, focusing on both features and experiences. “Word of mouth” matters: Influence on purchase decisions, of reviews and social postings, will likely only grow. We will see a continued strong market for analytics — NLP, machine learning, and data science — as a best response to the volume–impact combination, text analytics (and also image and video analytics) that can detect entities, emotions, and context in diverse media. If you’re a brand, you need to build or adopt an analytics solution, whether from an established vendor or a startup, or you risk falling behind.

industry_corpus2: Artificial Intelligence


text: Dark scarlet colour with some purple notes. Characteristic spicy aromas. Ripe tannins and full body with lots of character. Elegant with a long finish. Excellent structure. Very complex palate with ripe tannins and a velvety texture.

industry_corpus2: Petrochemicals


text:
The game will introduce a new tribe called the “Rogue Tribe” and we get a look at the first one with the strange robot Yo-kai above, named “Android Yamada.” They also show a Legend Yo-kai from the Brave Tribe named Columbus.
Now that Level-5 has broken the short period of silence we’ve had on Yo-kai Watch 3, and its release is much sooner than expected, we’ll likely be hearing more about it in the near future.
Yo-kai Watch 3 will release in Japan on July 16, 2016 for Nintendo 3DS.


text:
This is the second year of the event.
The inspiration for the event came from understanding the importance of Information Security Management Systems. Today, organisations are increasingly vulnerable to security threats as the dependence on information systems grows ever greater. It is vital that organisations apply the appropriate controls to manage the risks associated with information and data and demonstrate that companies are preserving the confidentiality, integrity and availability of those assets for clients, shareholders and society as a whole.
Our Keynote Speakers have been carefully selected for their understanding of the challenges and benefits of adopting ISO27001. Passionate about the information security of their organisations and the management systems they rely on, our speakers will actively engage with the audience to create a sharing of information and knowledge. There will be One on One Sessions available at the event. Senior industry consultants will be on hand to accommodate “one on one” meetings with IT Managers/Facility Managers/CIO, etc who are at the stage of Gap Analysis and are ready to begin their journey to this IMIS system.
· Hive Meetings: Listen to the solution supplier case studies.
· Huddle Zone: Meet face to face with speakers after each session.
· Exhibition Area: A small number of solution suppliers will be available to answer any questions generated on the day.
· Earn 8 CPE Credits: Delegate will have the opportunity to earn 8 CPE Credits by attending the event.
Delegate Seats can be booked for the event by either contacting myself directly, Susan Doyle, on 046 977 3434 / [email protected] or by booking through the website, www.ISO27001Ireland.com There are a limited amount of delegate seats available so to avoid disappointment please contact myself as soon as possible. The Speaker Lineup can be viewed on the website.

industry_corpus2: Information Services


text:
Welcome to Mold Inspection and Testing Glendale , California the most trusted mold testing company in USA. Offering people our services without a conflict of interest as we do not perform mold remediation. With a firm test only policy in place for all the technicians working for us, you can be sure that we have no unknown agendas. This is vital when analyzing indoor air quality, to guarantee the client does not have to worry the possibility of dishonest results to encourage a mold remediation job. If you have some questions please feel free to give us a call at 424-652-8081 or shoot us an email by clicking the contact page above. If you are ready to plan an inspection, our customer representatives will be able to aid you with that as well.
Unless you have experienced issues like this with another indoor environment in the past; you are probably in strange territory at the moment. Well, if you are worried about mold growth dangerously impacting your Los Angeles indoor air quality testing, you have come to the right place. While every situation is the only one of its kind; the professionals at Mold Inspection and Testing have observed countless number of situations just like yours. We know where mold hides and why it is is happening. You can rest assured that if your home or business has a indoor mold growth problem, we will not only find it, but also find out exactly what is causing it. Choosing to hire us is the best first step you can take when trying to determine what should or should not be done at the property in question.
So rest easy resident of Glendale ,California, if there is a issue with fungal growth in your home or business, the experienced inspectors at MI&T will find the problem and name the origin. When it comes to mold, testing is the only method that can get you the answers you want. All of the samples we collect are sent to an independent laboratory for investigation. They provide a thorough report of all our findings that can be used as data for disputes in which someone like a landlord, seller, or building management is trying to downplay the importance of a problem within your residence. At the same time, we will be glad to act as a representative for any of our clients by explaining and backing whatever claims our test results show. After this is finished you will have hard evidence of what species of mold is existing inside your home or business and exactly how much of it is there. It will show without a doubt whether or not a problem exists and how serious it is.
Our mold inspection company in Glendale ,California uses state of the art technology like thermal imaging cameras and moisture meters to find the best areas to test. Our inspectors then collect air/surface samples to determine what species of mold are present in your air. This is the only exact way to determine what is happening with your indoor air quality. Be aware of unethical practices like offering a “free mold inspection”, as these are typically promoted by removal companies. As mentioned earlier, the company handling your inspection should be independent of whoever you plan to hire to carry out the necessary work. Just because you see mold does not mean a professional is required to handle the work as some mold is common and non-toxic. The only way to find out for sure precisely what is happening with your indoor environment is to mold test Glendale. Without air and surface sample collection, anything else is just a guess.
Once the test results come in, we will contact you right away and let you know whether or not elevated levels of mold exist at the location of the Glendale mold inspection. If elevated levels of mold do exist, you will be supplied a step-by-step protocol to get your indoor environment back to normal. If you are being provided with these detailed steps; chances are we will be recommending that a professional with all the necessary equipment performs the work. This is valuable information for whatever company you go with to handle the removal process. Making sure only required work is done and the job is completed the first time around saves a lot of time and cost. The best removal companies not only prefer that an initial inspection is completed before a removal, but also that a clearance test is taken after to ensure everything has been completed correctly. This keeps them honest, but more importantly guarantees that your indoor air quality has returned to normal.
Last updated: November 15, 2015 at 22:51 pm by Eric R.


text:
Pennsylvania Rule of Criminal Procedure 600 guarantees the right to a speedy trial for all criminal defendants. This Rule, however, is often misunderstood because clients assume that every day that passes counts for the purposes of Rule 600. This is simply incorrect and clients are often upset when I explain how time is calculated under the Rule.
In Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth (District Attorney) is required to bring a criminal defendant to trial no later than 365 days after a criminal complaint is filed if the person isn’t in custody. If the person is in custody, the Commonwealth must proceed to trial no later than 180 days after the complaint is filed. A countable day for the purposes of the Rule include weekends and holidays but there is much more to the Speedy Trial Clock concept.
There are usually some delays before trial all delays aren’t counted against the Commonwealth. The only days that count are those dates in which the Commonwealth “fails to exercise due diligence”. If, for instance, you or your defense attorney were to request a continuance the number of days between the day the continuance was granted and the court date are excluded for the purposes of Rule 600. Clients incorrectly believe that defense continuances are included in either the 180 day rule or the 365 day rule (out of custody) but this is simply wrong. There is not usually much argument over whether a day counts toward Rule 600 but when there is an argument the judge decides the issue. A criminal defense attorney who isn’t satisfied with the judge’s ruling may obviously appeal the decision but if the attorney never raises the issue the appellate courts will deem it waived which means you can’t raise it on appeal. You may, however, have an ineffective assistance of counsel issue.
Exercising due diligence means that the District Attorney did everything to bring the case to trial but the case could not proceed due to other cases on the court’s calendar, the weather, or something out of the District Attorney’s control. While many defense attorneys may ask for continuances it is important to understand that these continuances are never included in either the 180 day or 365 day rule and this is why criminal cases frequently go on for 1, 2, or even 3 or 4 years but yet never violate the Speedy Trial clock. If Rule 600, however, is violated without good cause, your criminal defense attorney may make a motion to the court requesting that the charges be dismissed (Rule 600 A) with prejudice. Even if charges aren’t dismissed your defense attorney can also file a motion for nominal bail under Rule 600 B if you are in custody 180 days after the criminal complaint is filed. The right to release under Rule 600 B, however, is not automatic and the District Attorney frequently argues that the court shouldn’t grant release on nominal bail because the person is a flight risk or a danger to the community. These Rules of Criminal Procedure apply to felony and misdemeanor charges and uniform in all counties including Philadelphia, Delaware and Montgomery.
There is sometimes a good reason or a strategic purpose for requesting a continuance but it’s important to understand why your attorney is doing it. If you have questions about criminal defense concepts, I encourage you to call our office and visit our free download section. I have also recorded over 30 instructional videos on a variety of topic.

industry_corpus2: Law & Justice


text: WOW! This home will not disappoint! As soon as you arrive you are greeted by a stunning exterior w/beautiful landscaping! Look out into the lovely community from your large covered patio! As you step inside you are greeted by phenomenal vaulted ceilings w/eye catching fireplace! Living opens up to gourmet kitchen w/custom cabinetry, HUGE center island w/optional seating area, gas range cooktop, built-in microwave, pantry near by & perfectly accented dining area! Master retreat strategically located & features cozy carpet, ceiling fan & gorgeous lighting provided by Low-E windows. Spa like master en-suite w/double vanity, built in linen storage jetted tub, throne room, stand in shower and HUGE master closet w/built in dresser! Spacious secondary beds w/carpet, step-in closets and stunning natural light! Hall bath w/double granite vanity, over throne storage, tiled tub/shower combo & large mirror! Classy half bath conveniently located for guests! Mud room with built-in just off garage!


text:
What was Aviation Like in the 1920s?
“The history of astronomy,” Edwin Hubble said in 1925, ‘‘is a history of receding horizons’’ — and even as the noted astronomer marveled at the colossal advances in his field, a segment of the population busied itself in an enterprise a little closer to home.
World War I had ushered in the development of airplanes and industrialists of the 1920s set about to refine their capabilities in flying longer distances and carrying heavier loads. The country’s first fixed-wing commercial airline had been in operation since 1914, featuring a ‘‘wood and muslin biplane flying boat’’ — but by the end of the war four years later, the U.S. had a surplus of pilots, hailing the industry through everything from stunt flying to deliveries of bags of mail.
In 1918, the United States Postal Service won government backing to experiment with airmail delivery — but a track record littered with accidents led to the U.S. Army’s creation of its own service, which also proved unreliable. The postal service entered the picture again in the mid-1920s, operating a 12-stop mail network between New York and San Francisco.
1925, however, saw a boom in passenger service, as the Ford Trimotor, the first successful American airliner. Simultaneously, commercial aviation pioneer Juan Terry Trippe would found Pan American World Airways, linking the U.S. to Cuba and, later, several trans-Pacific destinations. Trippe hailed the development as a road to world peace.
Planes seemed to fill the skies, with metal replacing tenuous wood and muslin construction material. U.S. manufacturers built 4,600 planes in 1928, leading Henry Ford to predict a wave of consolidation in the industry.
Meanwhile, pilots such as Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart would steal the country’s hearts. Lindbergh’s groundbreaking New York-Paris solo nonstop flight in 1927 marked an era of celebrity in pilot science, while Earhart became the first female to cross the Atlantic and the English Channel. Cities and towns would turn out to greet the record-setting fliers, including naval Rear Admiral Richard Byrd, who discovered previously unknown parts of Antarctica through aerial photography.
Altogether, aviation saw stunning growth in the America of the 1920s. What started as a central wartime element would evolve into an indispensable industry, replete with a built-in celebrity quotient that fires the imagination even today.

industry_corpus2: Aerospace


text: [ABCNews]There's nothing like sitting back and relaxing with a remote control. No, we're not watching television. In fact, a number of professors have decided to provide students with remote controls that allow them to interact with the lecturer, answer quiz questions, and provide other statistical information.


text:
The elephant walked up and studied us.
It all started when we flew to Arusha, Tanzania and rented a long-in-the-tooth Land Rover.
It was $1.30/km with a 100 km. daily minimum rental. But note the two tents on top of the vehicle. For $65/day each we had our lodging and transportation covered.
We immediately headed into the bush.
Ended up hitting six different National Parks in Tanzania - Arusha, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, Rubondo Island and Tarangire. 27 days. And, without exception, the local folks were warm and incredibly helpful.
On this day, we had spent a couple of hours lost on faint trails before finally making it to the general area of Lake Ndutu in Serengeti National Park. In these parts, you can easily drive for a full day without seeing another person or vehicle. In the photo above we had stopped for lunch in a place slightly out of the range of the tsetse flies. They had been particularly aggressive on that morning.
Since the sun was rapidly receding, we drove 400 meters off the trail into the bush and set up camp. I quickly put up my tent and placed the rubberized canvas tent cover on the ground. Then I stood on it and showered with about 1.5 liters of water.
Right after toweling off, I noticed the elephant approaching and assumed she would divert around our camp. She didn't. She got close and then stopped and looked at us for the longest time.
Neither of us made any sudden moves or said a word. I found myself filled with a powerful sense of reverence.
And a little fear. If they choose to do so, elephants can kill you. Instead this one slowly started walking in an arc around our campsite. Every 20' or so, she would stop and face us for the longest time.
She completed a semi-circle around us and continued on her way. Upon reflection, I believe she had been attracted to the water that had pooled on the tent cover under my shower.
-Stan Peyton, Live Oak CLE, Inc.
Could I possibly interest you in a CLE 12 Pack™?


text:
Annette Johnson | Rolluda Architects, Inc.
Annette is originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan and moved to Washington State in the mid-80′s. She and her husband have lived in Lake Stevens for the last 20 years. She and her recent family member, Roscoe, a West Highland Terrier, spend weekend time watching Disney Junior (yes. . .he loves watching TV!). Annette also enjoys jogging and commuting by train to work, which gives her time to read and relax.


text:
Measurements in tables refer to garment dimensions when lying flat – across shirt just below armpits for chest measurement.
We endeavour to keep sizing consistent but because our shirts are handmade, measurements may vary slightly from shirt to shirt.
Please allow plenty of room if you like a loose fitting garment.
PERENTIE design T-shirts are cut in one piece so the design goes continuously around from front to back. Only one side seam results in a slightly larger width.
Allow for 1% shrinkage ~ in length only, not width. Cold wash only is recommended to avoid extra shrinkage.
Various prices – some available already framed, others unframed only.
Photographic with plain white envelope or small screen printed design glued or sewn onto card with hand sewn envelope to match.
Postage method for overseas orders will be Airmail by Australia Post.
Delivery time will be approximately 10-14 days (depending on destination).
* Depending on the overseas postal zone, price may vary. Customers will be informed of exact cost by email.


text:
MusclePharm Combat 100% Whey Protein Powder is very popular whey protein blend, suitable for Post Workout Meal (PWM) shakes and smoothies. It comes in several package sizes and flavors and it is one of the best-buy whey supplements on the market. And no, it is not a ‘cheap whey’ protein.
The only whey protein sources are whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrate. Such protein sources ensures rapid digestion and fast recovery and regeneration after workouts.
MusclePharm Combat Whey comes in several flavors: Cappuccino, Chocolate Milk, Cookies ‘N’ Cream, Strawberry and Vanilla. Note that not always are all flavors available on the market.
Also, it comes in several packages: 2 and 5 pounds.
MusclePharm Combat 100% Whey Protein Powder mixes well in the shaker, preferably with plastic mesh inside. It doesn’t foam much and created foam is gone within seconds. Blending it in the glass with spoon or fork creates little chunks, but small hand blender can solve that problem easily.
Shakes with water and perhaps fast carbs, BCAA, glutamine, creatine and other potential ingredients are thick and very fulfilling, making one even satiated for 45-60 minutes.
Taste : Taste of the PWM shakes and smoothies often depend on the individual preferences. Every flavor is acceptably good, but nothing to die for, especially when making the shakes with plain water.
Adding fast carbs improve taste, and make the shakes sweeter and more palatable.
Price – MusclePharm Combat 100% Whey Protein is not cheap protein, but what you pay is what you get. Also, it is not expensive protein powder, especially when buying larger package.
if you need a good whey protein powder to speed up recovery after workouts, consider MusclePharm whey.

industry_corpus2: Biopharmaceuticals


text:
Sean Williams has powered Zimbabwe to a 4-match ODI series win, posting an unbeaten 109 as Chevrons beat the UAE by 133 runs at Harare Sports Club to take an unassailable 3-nil lead.
The UAE were put through yet another tough examination with the Chevrons’ batsmanship proving far superior.
This was made possible courtesy of Williams’ third ODI century, an unbeaten 84-ball 109, that helped Zimbabwe post 307 for 4.
Williams’ century came off 77 balls, the fastest ever in an ODI by a Zimbabwean.
Earlier, Zimbabwe lost Regis Chakabva early on for 1 but a 104-run partnership between Solomon Mire and Craig Ervine followed before the former was out for 40 to Zahoor Khan.
Ervine, in red hot form this year, could not convert his 12th half century into a big one falling for 64, bowled by Rohan Mustafa.
Williams by then had started his jaunt but was dropped by Naveed after having skied a top-edge for 31.
He took full advantage of it first with Sikandar Raza who made 18 and an unbeaten 145-run partnership with skipper Peter Moor 58 not out.
When Kyle Jarvis took two wickets in three balls during the third over, an arduous task became mission impossible at 9-2. Chris Mpofu in for Tendai Chatara made it 15-3 removing Rohan Mustafa for 9.
Chundangapoyil Rizwan(47) and Muhammad Usman(49) provided resistance but once that partnership was broken a procession followed with Ryan Burl returning career best figures of 4-32.
In the end UAE were bowled out for 176 after 46.2 overs.
Jarvis returned 2-20 while Raza had 2-40.
Zimbabwe take a 3-0 lead, with the final series match set for Tuesday.


text: Used with wear associated with use. Minor scratches, scuff, dents. Some tape residue on the sides. Overall in excellent condition. Works as it should.


text:
New Delhi, India, March 12, 2018: Ananda, a leading dairy and dairy products manufacturer, today announced its participation at AAHAR 2018 - the 33rd International Food and Hospitality Fair to be held in New Delhi. At AHAAR, one of Asia‘s leading food and hospitality trade shows by the India Trade Promotion Organisation, Ananda will be taking its promise of health, goodness and unbridled joy to a global audience from the food and hospitality industries.
Ananda will be leveraging the international platform to showcase select products from its fresh and wide dairy produce range of over 75 products, including confectionary and bakery items, as well as products that are customized specifically for hospitality, restaurant and café customers (HORECA). The company will also invite renowned chefs attending the trade show to explore the quality and taste of its produce.
Visitors at AHAAR 2018 will be able to visit the Ananda exhibit at Hall No. 2, PragatiMaidan, New Delhi between 13-17 March, 2018.
Ananda’s philosophy is to create happier consumers through a product portfolio that adds positive value to their health and contribute to their overall well-being. The company has steadily grown in production capacity and is soon planning to add 25 new products in its portfolio. Furthermore, Ananda stands committed to develop and enhance sustainable practices to empower the Indian dairy farmer.

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


text: This embroidered patch is an excellent illustration of our ability to create patches with a laser cut machine. There are two methods for cutting patches. One is to cut them by hand using scissors and then singing the edges with a flame. This is the method we used for patches with perfect edges such as squares, triangles, rectangles, and also circles. However, in cases such as this custom patch that we did for a high school, it would take too long and the cuts would not be perfect if we used the traditional method of cutting and then singing the patch. Therefore, we use a laser machine which precisely cuts around the edges of the patch using a real laser. Most companies charge extra for this feature, but we do this absolutely for free.