#performance testing coe

[yethiconsulting]

Best Practices for Designing a Test Automation Framework

Designing a robust test automation framework is essential for scalable, maintainable, and efficient testing. A well-structured framework helps teams standardize test processes, accelerate execution, and improve code reusability. Here are key best practices to follow:

Define a Clear Architecture

Choose a layered structure that separates test scripts, utilities, and test data. This modularity improves maintainability and enables easy updates.

Select the Right Tools and Tech Stack

Choose tools that align with your application, team skillsets, and CI/CD goals—like Selenium, TestNG, Cypress, or Playwright. Integrate with version control and build tools for automation framework continuity.

Use Data-Driven and Keyword-Driven Approaches

Implement reusable test logic that supports parameterization. This reduces redundancy and allows flexibility in running tests with various datasets.

Enable Logging, Reporting, and Exception Handling

Build in detailed logs and custom reports for quick debugging. Include robust error handling to prevent script failures from breaking the entire suite.

Ensure Scalability and Maintainability

Design the framework to scale with your application. Follow coding standards, comment code clearly, and regularly refactor for performance.

A well-designed framework is the foundation for long-term test automation success.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Reference saved in our archive

62% of responding EU's nations accept organs for transplants from covid-positive donors with ongoing acute symptoms. A new route for blood-borne illness going unchecked?

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 infection represents a new challenge for solid organ transplantation (SOT) with evolving recommendations. A cross-sectional survey was performed (February–June 2024) to describe practices among Member States of the Council of Europe (COE) on the use of organs from deceased donors with resolved or active SARS-CoV-2 infection. Overall, 32 out of 47 Member States with a transplant program participated in the study. Four (12.5%) countries did not use organs from deceased donors either with resolved or with active SARS-CoV-2 infection and 8 (25%) countries accepted organs only from deceased donors with resolved SARS-CoV-2 infection. Donor evaluation for SARS-CoV-2 included universal screening with standard PCR testing on respiratory specimens generally (61.4%) performed within 24 h prior to organ recovery. Further microbiological, immunological and radiological investigations varied. Most waitlisted patients receiving organs from a deceased donor with active (94.5%) or resolved (61.5%) SARS-CoV-2 infection were preferred to have natural, vaccine-induced or hybrid SARS-CoV-2 immunity. Most countries did not require recipients to undergo specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 treatment as pre-exposure (0%), post-exposure prophylaxis (15.4%) or modification of immunosuppression regimen (24%). This study highlights similarities and heterogeneities in the management of SARS-CoV-2 positive donors between COE countries, and a potential to safely expand donors’ pool.

[lilulicious]

Coe-Pilot: The Space Between Us

Chapter 5 (Part 2): Cowboys! Why'd There Have to Be Cowboys?

(Author's note: I am in the process of posting this Starfield fan fiction to AO3, but I will need to go back and edit some of the past posts to ensure the in-game quotes are more paraphrased so as not to cross any plagiarism lines. I've tried to write this chapter with that notion in mind, so you'll see that the quotes now don't exactly match up with the screenshots, which is intentional. The screenshots are here to give some visual reference to those who haven't played Starfield or perhaps not as in-depth. But I thought I'd clarify the mismatches as I continue to learn and grow in this process of writing my first ever fan-fic! Thanks for reading!)

Before THEN:

Scottsdale, AZ, United States, Old Earth, February 2024. The Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show, "The Greatest Horse Show on Earth" at WestWorld showgrounds, featuring 10 full days of competition for the best Arabian horses from around the globe, including professional and amateur competitors in all disciplines. Although Scarce River Equine typically trained race, jumping, eventing, and dressage horses, occasional clients with the "pretty horses" in those disciplines wanted hardcore performance horse trainers to perfect their steeds and/or help their darling children come home with blue ribbons, championships, and trophies at their breed-specific shows. In fact, it turns out parents can buy their children's love, especially when it has four hooves, a cute pink muzzle to kiss, and it does well in the show ring.

Lilu had proven her mettle around Scarce River, first helping with grooming and groundwork. Then due to her father Robert McLovin's recommendation, her equestrian C.V. (because her military and clandestine resume here was irrelevant and kind of scary), and some videos of some past rides, she started jogging young and convalescing horses down the shedrows and on the short bridle path meant for controlled exercise. When it became clear that she was talented, they started to test her on lower-level dressage mounts and hunter-jumpers and were pleased with the results. She was, sadly, too heavy to make weight as an apprentice jockey or even to breeze horses in workouts. Her height and the soft curves that belied her muscular fitness beneath them had her over 160lbs, easy. She looked good, but she wasn't going to be on a racer anymore. Lilu was more fit for other performance equestrian disciplines, at which she excelled.

So, her first big assignment: go with a small contingent of hauler, groom, and herself to the Scottsdale show to work with a junior amateur-owner-to-ride and her Arabian dressage mount, coach the girl through riding in her division, then she herself ride the horse as the "professional" trainer representing Scarce River to try to score a ribbon there, too. And hopefully come home with a modicum of success. In short, Scarce River was not going to send their big dressage trainer for this one, Lilu was good enough for a 14-year-old girl who was an ok rider on a horse that wasn't a fancy European Warmblood and not necessarily expected to hit the top 3 placings, let alone even the famous Scottsdale Top 10.

Lilu didn't let that kid down despite the rather academic dismissal of her chances. She asked for four extra days' stall rental at the WestWorld showgrounds, and the girl's family had the money and time to pay for it and come in early. Sending the van ahead with the groom and horse for the 21-hour drive, she flew in to Phoenix to meet the girl's family and they went to Scottsdale together to get settled in. They went from the hotel and visited the ongoing horse show while the girl's horse arrived, got bedded down into his stall, and relaxed a full day from his long journey. Then Lilu worked with the girl those few extra days at WestWorld so both the kid and the horse were comfortable with each other in the bustling environment of the enormous show, which had vendor booths, camel and elephant rides, various demonstrations... in short, plenty of distractions that could create a spooky horse and a real wreck.

When show time came, there wasn't a huge fairy-tale ending of a blue ribbon and a trophy, but there were a lot of junior amateur-owners-to-ride in her Level 2 dressage category and the kid had to ride two tests to triumph with that 3rd place ribbon that Lilu's boss had written off. The girl was beaming so brightly that Lilu thought she could be seen from outer space. The horse had a rest day, then Lilu had to ride him in open dressage, Level 2. That was a much tougher division than she anticipated and the horse, though well trained, was physically not capable of ascending to great heights with the additional professional competitors. She scraped through into the open Level 2 championship test and, riding her and her mount's hearts out, barely got the last place in the coveted Scottsdale Top Ten, which she thought wasn't too bad, and the boss back home was happy, as were the clients. They had two sets of ribbons to take home. She told the boss her recommendation was that if the girl wanted to win Level 2 or move up to Level 3, she needed a new horse with the mind and physicality for that level of movement, and this one would be great for a younger kid looking to start out. His Scottsdale show placement would ensure his resale value into a quality, high-care, show home.

And the crew prepared to take the horse back to Scarce River in his Air-Ride van, that boy deserved it. The kid and her family were going to stay in Scottsdale and enjoy the last few days of the show. And Lilu was going to head home a day early, thank god. Her newest home, now with Adam in his little house in Tenino proper. She had dated him about 3 months before he propositioned her to depart her aerie above the shedrow barn and come live with him. He had a dog, a lovely, older chocolate lab with a gray muzzle, and she could get a dog, too, this way, if she wanted. He loved her, he said, and he wanted her to be a permanent part of his life. Sounded great, didn't it?

Except... well, Adam was great when he was happy. Which wasn't as often as one might think, for all the positive things he seemed to have going for him: young, nice looking, smart, good job, owned his house. But he seemed happier before he had her firmly in his clutches. Like she was something he looked forward to discovering each time he came across her. When he was just coming by the barn, his face would light up when he saw her. She almost felt a pang of guilt, like she was doing something to him she shouldn't be. Leading him on? No, she was giving him affection, giving him her body, she just never told him she loved him, too.

But cracks started to show not long after they started having sex. She was not shy about how her body was shaped, she knew she looked good in most conventional respects. She was built for the traditional male gaze. But there were some aspects of her body she liked to keep hidden by clothing or cover of darkness. Less attractive, newly added features that were the results of the trauma she had endured. There was a reason the inpatient PTSD program she went to also treated MST (military sexual trauma). Her scars were more than euphemistically "skin deep", they were literally skin deep. She didn't want to have to explain them and their placement near intimate areas of her body and thus relive how they got there. And the terminus of that discussion would lead to exactly why Adam even had a place at her side when there should have been no vacancy.

One night, not long before she left for Scottsdale, they were engaged in foreplay, he was kissing up the inside of her thigh and he stopped to trace one of those scars with his fingers. For the first time, he decided to ask her, "What happened there, that almost looks like a burn..." but she cut him off and yanked his hand off her inner thigh as if he had burned her again.

"I don't want to talk about it, Adam," Lilu said in a flat tone, and she pushed him away, closing her knees, pulling her t-shirt back down and her panties back up, then pulling the blanket over herself. The desire for sex vacated her body almost as quickly as her soul did.

He slid back up, leaned back a little way from her, his head on his pillow, and stared, frowning. "So, what, we're done now because I touched you the wrong way?" Petulant. Entitled. Wrong conclusion drawn on purpose or genuinely confused? Lilu wasn't sure with him, he could be manipulative to get what he wanted, and he ALWAYS wanted sex with her. When she first got with him, she told him she still had a lot of issues to work through and she wasn't sure she was in the right head space for a committed relationship, much less a physical one, but he swore up and down he'd be patient. He was anything but that.

"Adam," Lilu started, but he'd rolled over with a flop and turned his back on her. She didn't bother with continuing; she wasn't going to plead or beg.

Now as she was coming home from Scottsdale, she knew he'd be ready to fly at her with a raging boner. She wished she was excited to see him, but she found she wasn't, partially because of this... anticipation? Dread? She wanted to do more than fuck when she missed seeing someone. A kiss and a cuddle would be nice. She didn't even let him know she was coming back already. As soon as the horse was loaded in the wee hours of the morning, she grabbed a red-eye out of Phoenix-Sky Harbor to Sea-Tac and started the drive home. Adam had told her about his shifts for the week, and she knew he'd be working overnight; she would have some time in the house to herself for the morning. She did want to see the dogs. Yes, now dogs, plural: she had adopted a cute border collie mix, an older spayed female to match the energy level of Adam's old dog. It was soothing to hear the clack-clack of their claws on the wood floors, like a balm for her soul, and have them settle on either side of her on the sofa while she watched old movies and relaxed.

But on the way home, winding through the neighborhoods, she came to an abrupt halt. She saw Adam's Thurston County Sheriff's Deputy's compact SUV parked in the driveway of a house she didn't recognize. She knew the plate and the tiny decal of his favorite Saturday morning cartoon character, that Martian with the helmet, that he hid near the rear wiper blade. It was only 8:00am, and the vehicle was covered in dewy droplets. It hadn't been moved overnight. Next to it was a red Mini Cooper that Lilu recognized as belonging to Candalyn "Candy" Johnson, a blonde, 30-something, 911 dispatcher that she'd heard the other deputies refer to as a "Milf". Except there never seemed to be any kids around her place. So, this was where she lived. Lilu had no reason to take notice until now.

How fucking typical. Lilu felt tears pricking her eyes, but she blinked them back and decided Adam wasn't worth losing the salt. "Motherfucker," was all she said, and she drove on down the street towards home, thinking that she just needed to get back out of there, ASAP. There was a job waiting that her dad had asked if she could do over in Amsterdam for The Company. It was ugly, of a sexual nature, and originally, she had refused because it was the last thing she needed after what she'd been through. Being cheated on changed her mind. When these boys decided to engage in extracurricular activities, it was at their own risk, and this job was not unrelated to that concept. She could call her dad, pack, and be out of Sea-Tac again before Adam knew she'd been there and gone. Her boss's implicit deal with her dad allowed for an occasional absence, that was the beauty of it as far as her father was concerned. Fuck it, why not, no reason to stay here and fight with her "boyfriend". She could deal with that later. But she had one idea for a parting shot. She stopped at the convenience store.

As Lilu McLovin finally departed Adam's little house with her carryon repacked with a different set of "necessaries", petting and kissing the dogs copiously, she left a box of condoms from the convenience store on the kitchen table for Adam with a note telling him to make sure he used them in her absence, she'd be in Europe on assignment, didn't know when she'd be back, don't call. Petty? Sure. But he wasn't leaving her with any presents in the form of STDs, and he was going to get the goddamned point that his extracurricular activities had been made.

--------------------------------------

NOW:

Lilu guided the Frontier to touchdown at the Akila City Spaceport. As she looked out the front window of the ship, she was a bit surprised at what she saw. Unlike the sleek lines and glittering towers of New Atlantis, there were wooden walls and gates. No paved path led forth from the spaceport, but instead it was packed clay, mud, and puddles. It looked like an Old Earth, Old West, fort town. People were bundled up in leathers and woolen clothing, boots and hats. Some were carrying long rifles. "Jesus Christ," muttered Lilu to herself, "Where the hell am I, a theme park frontier land? If I find that cartoon mouse or fabled frontiersman in a coonskin hat up in this joint, I'm gonna shit myself."

She heard the clanging of a hatch in the rear of the ship and realized that her passenger, Sam Coe, had already left. He didn't say a word to her, so she assumed she was just supposed to meet him outside. Great, this was already going so well, and with Sarah coming along to add tension to the situation, it was bound to be tons of fun. She worried her inward groan was almost audible.

Oh well, it was still better than Argos Extractors... so far. She gathered her gear and still wished she had a better gun, as she looked balefully at the little Beowulf which had served her well but wasn't great if this Akila frontier was supposedly so daunting. Sarah, as if reading her mind, said, "You know, if you're looking for an upgrade, you won't have a better opportunity than right here in Akila City."

"Oh, yes?" Now Lilu perked up, interested at last in what Sarah had to say.

"Yes, Laredo Arms is a really high-quality gun maker, and then Rowland Arms as well, you should be able to find something they either sell or make that's a boost over that Beowulf," explained Sarah.

"Laredo!? Really?" Lilu asked, incredulously, half laughing.

"Yes, what's so odd about that?" asked Sarah, also laughing a little bit at Lilu's sudden mirth but looking puzzled.

"Because this 'city' is right out of a Western movie and Laredo is a place in..." but Lilu trailed off when she realized, seeing Sarah's confusion, she could have been speaking in Japanese and made as little sense. Future Woman had no idea what she was talking about. But then Sarah said what Lilu had long been hoping to hear.

"I think it's going to be just you and Sam for this mission, so I'm going to stay here and review that dossier that was sent over, you know, your files? Especially since you've obviously been wanting me to look it over for a while now," Sarah offered. Lilu felt relieved, although at the back of her mind, a tiny warning light of anxiety started to flash. Hopefully Sarah would view everything through a trained, military eye, not the eyes of a reactionary hysteric. Oh wait, that's what UC SysDef was supposed to be, trained military eyes and they had her pegged at first as a dangerous psychopath, like reactionary hysterics might do. What could go wrong here?

"Oh, that's great, Sarah, thank you." Lilu smiled a genuine smile this time, "I think that'll be really helpful going forward, maybe some things will start to make sense." And with that, she made her way to the back of the ship. She saw Cora, who said, "Hi!", brightly and happily, and then went back to her reading. Lilu smiled and waved and kept walking to the exit hatch. The kid seemed nice enough, she admitted to herself, as she made her way out of the hatch, through the landing bay, and into the Akila City sunlight, where she could see a man waiting in the distance, closer to the city gates. A man in a cowboy hat. Sam Coe.

What can be said about Sam Coe at this stage of his life in Constellation? He was a mirror of Lilu McLovin in so many ways that neither of them quite realized yet. An heir apparent turned crushing disappointment who started to find some level of redemption being a lawman, only to once again disappoint both his family and his professional colleagues by joining Constellation. A man raising a little girl, seemingly on his own, in the face of criticism for putting her in danger and (at least per Sarah) possibly not being up to the task of continuing her education while they went roaming through space on missions of exploration. If nothing else, no one could say that Sam Coe didn't have grit, determination, and courage to stand in the face of outside pressure. If Lilu had known all this going in, her approach might have been different. She might have understood his authoritative, cocksure attitude that already had her hackles up. And he already seemed like he wasn't too fond of her. As it stood, she would never admit to herself, in that moment, despite how little she knew, she was intrigued, nonetheless. He was...something else.

As Lilu strode up to Sam, she knew that she did have a second chance to make a first impression, and the one she wanted to make was that she was just as cocky as Sam, so she walked towards him with a catwalk strut that would have put a model to shame during New York Fashion Week. She was looking him directly in the eye, shoulders back, hips swaying, and stopped before him, feet slightly apart in a confident stance, their gaze almost level. She hoped she sold it better than she felt. She'd caught a glimpse of her reflection in one of the many puddles in the dirt track, her hair blazing red in the sunlight, her skin a light brown, like coffee with just enough cream. "Ay, que chulita," her mom would have said. If Sam spoke Spanish, he might have said it, too. She saw how his eyes ran over body, her legs, lingered over her breasts and her mouth before locking onto her gaze. There was a pregnant pause as she waited expectantly for him to say something. She was rewarded more richly than she could have ever hoped.

"Good, you're here," Sam said, and then he more than half leered at her. "So, are you ready? Because it's just going to be you and me, and I'm gonna be riding your ass until we get what we're after."

Lilu stared at him, a smile playing on her lips, thinking, "You can't be serious? What do I say here? 'Promise?' Shit, no, I can't say that, Jesus Christ, ummm," and she continued to stare at him like she had vapor-locked because the possibilities were endless. And the moment to strike had passed.

"Hello? Are you ok?" Sam looked at her, waiting, puzzled.

Had she imagined the look and tone when he said what he said? Surely not. But she didn't want to embarrass herself. The smirk that had been twisting her lips faded. "Act natural," she thought, but out loud all she could manage was, "I understand." Her inner voice groaned, "Smooth," as she rolled her eyes inwardly at herself. Her flirting game was in the basement. Must have been those impure thoughts, they'll get you every damned time.

"Before we go any further," began Sam, "there's something I should tell you. I'm a Coe, as in Solomon Coe is my direct ancestor." And here, he paused and looked at Lilu waiting for some reaction. She just stared at him blankly for a beat or two and shook her head and shrugged slightly for him to go on, because she had no idea who Solomon Coe was. Too late, she saw the sign above the city gate that said, "Akila City, Founded in 2167 by Solomon Coe", thought "Ahhhh," but Sam was already continuing. He must think her to be a complete idiot.

"Solomon was a great man, his accomplishments have gone down in history, but time has a way of building upon legend." finished Sam, emphatically.

Lilu had now recovered, and her sense of sarcasm rose to meet this momentous occasion. "Sooo... Solomon Coe is your ancestor?" she asked Sam. "Your family founded Akila City?"

"Yep," he said, "And the Coes as a family have been riding those coattails for generations."

Now there was no mistaking the mischief in her eyes, the twist of her mouth again into an evilly sweet smile. "Well, now, hold up," she purred, "I may need some time so soak in your celebrity status." Lilu looked like the proverbial cat that swallowed the canary. Sam was not amused.

"Alright, alright, smartass. That's why I don't even like talking about it in the first place," he said.

"Oh, I bet you don't," thought Lilu, but she wisely said instead, "So where's our first stop?"

"Well, the place we're looking for is called 'The Empty Nest', it's something of a family legend," and he swiftly looked sidelong at her in case she decided to mock him or the Coes again, but she remained carefully poker-faced. "We have some heirloom maps that might give us an idea where to look. They're locked in one of the family safe deposit boxes at GalBank, so that's our first stop."

"I heard there were a couple of good firearms vendors in Akila City, I could really use an upgrade if we're going to be heading anywhere after that where we may need to defend ourselves. Do you think we could do that before we hit this frontier if it's going to be dangerous?" asked Lilu.

Sam said, unbelievably, infuriatingly, "Don't worry, darlin', I can protect you from anything dangerous that comes our way. When the shooting starts, you just get behind me." His face was serious.

Apparently, the steam that began to rise from Lilu's gut towards her face was a scald risk even from a distance. Sam laughed and said, "I kid, I kid. It looks like you could probably protect me. Sure, I know a couple of places. Let's go." Lilu allowed herself a tight smile, shook her head, chided herself for being sucked in, and walked on with him through the Akila City gates, feeling conflicted, her inner voice chanting mantras: dammit, don't let him be funny, funny is the kiss of death, try to dislike him more.

As they walked up to the security guard at the inner gate, they were stopped abruptly. The guard, a handsome young man with a buzz cut, heavy five-o'clock shadow, and a square jaw, told them there was a robbery gone bad at the GalBank, their GalBank, and the Marshall of the Freestar Rangers said for bypassers to stay away. He suddenly recognized Sam and asked, "Sam Coe, I remember you, glad to see you're back, the Rangers could use your help."

"I'm afraid I'm still out of the Rangering business, Andy, but we'll go see what we can do," said Sam. He turned to Lilu. "We're not going to get into that bank during a hostage situation, we'd better see if there's anything we can do to move things along." He led her towards a cluster of men standing behind barricades. One man was clearly the Marshall. It wasn't just the badge he wore, which bore a resemblance to a weathered one that Sam wore around his neck as a charm of sorts, it was the look of care, of deep thought, of weighing lives in the balance against the decisions he was yet to make. The look of responsibility and the buck stopping with him.

"Well, well, Sam Coe, it's been a long time," said Marshall Daniel Blake, extending his hand to shake Sam's. "Sam, I just wanted you to know, I don't blame you for doing what you did for your own life. But some of the others don't see it the same way. Just be ready."

"Thanks, Marshall. I knew that sooner or later I'd have to face that music, but I did what I had to do for me and for Cora. I'm sorry if the others can't accept it." Sam sounded so final in this, and Lilu wondered what had happened. The way both men talked made it sound like it was something altruistic and she genuinely hoped it to be so. Someone out there had to be making good decisions and not be as fucked up as she was.

"Sam, I'm a little busy here, the Shaw Gang tried to rob this bank, and it went sideways. Now there are hostages, and the Gang says they're going to start shooting them if we don't meet their demands, which there's no way in hell I'm just going to give them a ship and let them fly out of here. So, if you don't mind, we'll have to catch up another day. I have to find a neutral negotiator because they won't talk to any of my Rangers or Akila City Security." Marshall Blake looked haggard and helpless. He had no idea what he was going to do.

Fuck me, thought Lilu. Well, they did have to get inside that GalBank and maybe there was such a thing as karma. Put one foot forward, recruit!

"I can do it," she said, in a flat, bored tone, not betraying her thundering heartbeat and the flash of adrenaline that made her sphincter clench. She hadn't really negotiated a hostage release before. She had, at best, kept a suspect busy on the radio while an entry team set up outside the suspect's door. But at least she'd had some training and a tiny bit of experience.

As Sam and Blake stared at her, the adrenaline got the better of her and she forgot herself for a moment. "I had a couple of hostage negotiation courses at Quantico..." and then she stopped, horrified at what she let slip. Not the fact there was cross training between the CIA and FBI. But the fact that she mentioned a place on Old Earth, a place that had been dead the last several hundred years.

But Blake and Sam were, at least in that moment, oblivious to this. They were surprised that she had any such experience at all, and Sam, who gave her a side-eye that said, "You'd better not be full of shit," went on to say to Blake, "Seems like my friend here just might be able to help you out."

So they sent her to the intercom at the front of the bank, since all other comms in and out had been cut. No other data was going in or out of that bank. Blake told her they had no intentions of meeting the Shaw Gang's demands, but to say anything to get them to surrender. Ah, bargaining in bad faith, surely this would end well.

Lilu pressed the intercom button and right away a voice asked who it was and what they wanted. Lilu said, in her smoothest, kindest, television-commercial voice, "My name is Lilu McLovin, nice to meet you, who am I talking with?"

"Oh, how polite, what a lady. I'm Jed," sneered the voice. He sounded tired, angry, trying to put on a good bluff, but he also sounded scared. Lilu leaned into it.

"Look Jed, I'm gonna play it straight with you. I'm not from Akila City, I'm not from anywhere near here. I know what it's like to be scared and alone and have no one on your side, but here's the god's honest truth: If you come out of there, and don't hurt any of the hostages, the Marshall and the judge will go a lot easier on you. But if you hurt any of them, it's gonna go hard on you. And if you kill any of them, it's gonna get way worse, Jed. I mean BAD."

"Wh-What do you mean?" Jed asked, already cowed. He didn't even think to ask for anything now. The honesty from this sweet-sounding woman had disarmed him.

"Jed, think about it. If the hostages are dead, you simplify things for them. There won't be a judge. There won't be a trial. They're gonna come in there and kill every last one of you. Every last one. And you know what else, Jed?" She asked this last part very softly. She looked back over her shoulder. Sam was about 10 feet away, the Marshall and the others were behind the barricades almost 20 feet away. They wouldn't hear her.

"Yeah, what else?" Jed said, sounding as if he were marshalling his courage.

"I'm gonna help them do it," Lilu whispered. "That's my job, Jed. I'm an assassin. I kill people for a living. I've done it most of my whole life. The last man I killed, I strangled to death with my bare hands. That's what I'm here to do. They brought me here to end you and your gang. Not even your families will be safe. Every last one, GONE," she hissed menacingly. Huh. Maybe she was a murderous psychopath after all.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa there," said Jed, loudly. "Let's think this through." Lilu knew the onlookers had to have heard him, but she didn't turn around and she said nothing. The intercom crackled again. "OK, no one has been hurt, you go tell the Marshall we'll come along quietly. We surrender."

"YES!" thought Lilu, but when she turned around, her face was carefully assembled into an expression of bored nonchalance, like she solved hostage crises every other morning before she had coffee.

"You'd make a pretty good Ranger, the way you dealt with that," said Sam, looking at her with new appreciation. "Although, I didn't quite catch what you told him towards the end."

Lilu smiled beatifically at Sam and thought, "Oh honey, that's probably for the best." And she made her way up to Marshall Blake. "It's over, they're coming out. The hostages are safe."

"That's incredible, you really got us out of a tight spot." Blake looked surprised and relieved all at once and then focused on her. He had written her off as some sort of creme puff and only allowed her to try because of Sam's recommendation. He knew Sam, but even then, he was skeptical of this less-than-rugged looking woman, overly-pretty in his estimation (meaning soft), in her skimpy, fancy, off-world clothing. But she had produced phenomenal results, and fast. "I know you're running with Sam so it must be Constellation business, but you sure would be great Freestar Ranger material, if you're ever interested, head on over to The Rock and ask for Emma Wilcox, she handles new recruits."

"Will do, Marshall." Lilu stifled another urge to laugh when she heard "The Rock". Alcatraz? Or no, there was history about the Alamo and the rock quarries in its construction. She saw the building a little further into town in the distance. It bore a passing resemblance to a different stone version of The Alamo. Freestar... Lonestar... Texas. The Freestar Collective symbols of the eagle everywhere... Akila.. Akila was Latin for eagle, or a bastardization of aguila, Spanish for eagle. In point of fact, there were some characteristics of this place that made her feel a little more at home than New Atlantis. The planet's terrain reminded her a bit of the Southwestern United States, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and yes, parts of Texas, especially. She didn't mind the dirt and mud; she was used to it working on horse farms or being in active duty military. And it was quieter here. It felt more like a community. She wasn't sure what her future held or what other planets might offer her, but this one, so far, seemed a bit more up her alley. Dare she say she almost felt comfortable here?

Sam interrupted her musing. "Now that this situation is cleared up, we have to get inside that GalBank and get those maps."

"Oh yeah," she said. "Eventful morning." And she jogged up the steps, two at a time.

"Gravity is a bitch here," he said. "Be careful, there is no such thing as a simple fall on this planet." But she continued on the way she was, praying that what now would look like showboating wouldn't bite her in the ass and land her with a broken bone just to pay her back for her hubris.

They found the Coe family safe deposit box empty except for a note to Sam saying the maps were now residing with one Jacob Coe. Sam swore a blue streak. Lilu wondered what this meant and tried to make light of it. Her attempt at humor went over like a lead balloon.

"Oh boy, this is where I walk right into the drama, isn't it?" she asked, jokingly.

"You gonna act like this the whole way?" Sam barked at her, gruffly, but before she could even act surprised, he said, "Dammit, I was hoping not to go to the estate, Cora's gonna be mad if she finds out."

"Why would Cora be mad? Wait, estate, what estate? Talk to me, Sam, I have no idea what's going on here."

"Yeah, well, it's not your business to know," Sam said in a surly voice.

"Asshole," Lilu muttered, sulkily. She was frustrated and a little bit stung. She had just resolved a goddamned hostage crisis where no one got hurt, what else did this guy want from her? Yes, she was a smartass but using humor to keep things light and as a defense mechanism was her specialty. She wanted to just walk away from Sam and let him figure it out. "Fuck this guy," her inner voice said. Well, one of her inner voices, the angry one that liked to tear things up and burn bridges, and she turned away from him as if she no longer possessed free will, as if she really was going to walk away.

"He's my father, alright," blurted Sam, suddenly, as if he realized he was losing... her assistance... her companionship... her... right then and there. "Family affairs weren't anything I wanted to get into."

She stayed still for a moment, took a deep breath, and turned back to him. The way he was looking at her, like a wounded child in search of approval. She knew the feeling. She looked away for a moment into space, decided to slow her roll. It wouldn't cost her anything to relent on this, would it?

"Thanks for opening up to me, Sam," she said, trying to sound sincere, hoping her token of goodwill wasn't squandered.

"Yeah, well, there's no love lost between me and my old man, it's a family tradition," he said. "Shall we?"

"Lead the way, my good man," Lilu prompted, and they were on their way deeper into Akila City, up the steps past the Rock, towards the Coe Estate.

The Coe Estate sat in an area of Akila City known as The Core, it was the oldest part of the city and apparently the founding families had settled there. When Lilu entered the great room of the house, she was struck by how warm and homey it felt for a stone, wood, and steel structure. The older gentleman waiting for them, however, was anything but welcoming.

Jacob Coe was, by anyone's account, a long-time public servant and a heavy hitter in the Freestar Collective government. The spirit of exploration and derring-do had left the Coes a long time ago. Sam was sort of a throwback to the original spirit of Solomon Coe. Not that there was anything wrong with the type of work that Jacob did. People with institutional memory and passion for doing right by the constituents they serve were always vital to a thriving society. Lilu had seen firsthand on Old Earth what happened when self-serving politicians took the reins. In fact, these people of the Settled Systems probably would not be inhabiting these planets now if not for that. Earth might have been saved, perhaps, if politicians cared more about the planet and its occupants rather than the pursuit of filthy lucre.

"Well, look who comes darkening my door again, and bringing some Constellation lackey with him, I bet," growled Jacob at Sam. He then turned to Lilu. "Come to help Sam loot his ancestry?"

Sam immediately spoke up. "You know why I'm here."

"Yes, I do know, and you're not getting those maps, period. They belong to the Coe family that you don't seem to want to be a part of anymore," said Jacob, twisting the knife a little.

"I won't ask a second time," said Sam, his hand on his belt, leaning towards Jacob menacingly. Jesus, thought Lilu, he wouldn't actually attack his father, would he?

"When did you even ASK once?" Jacob's voice rose and he was turning red. Lilu decided maybe it was time to say something.

"Constellation just wants to follow up on Solomon's work," she offered. But Jacob turned his fury onto her. She allowed its blast to wash over her. This was more than rage, it was hurt that was pouring out of the man.

"You really believe that? Let me set you straight. There's only one place a Coe should be, and it's not out there putting his life at risk. Nothing is more important than our family, and if Sam would come to his senses, he'd realize that and you? You wouldn't be here!" Jacob yelled at her. She said nothing, she just looked at him, into his blue eyes, Sam's eyes. But she saw something else there, too. She missed her horrible father, and it was almost like staring him in the face. Ice cold anger and disapproval. She felt the innate desire to turn that around and remembered it wasn't her dad, and it wasn't her place. Stifle it, soldier.

"OK, that's enough!" Sam said forcefully to Jacob, startling Lilu out of the spell that had fallen over her for a moment. To Lilu he said, "Let's talk for a minute." He took her by the elbow and guided her to one side of the great room.

"I hope you don't stay long, Sam," said Jacob with an audible "harumph". And he made off into an alcove and stood, back against the wall, arms crossed, glowering at them.

"You ok?" Lilu queried Sam, softly. "You want to talk about all this?"

"No, because this is how it goes almost every time. But we have to figure out how we're going to get those maps from him." Sam seemed at a loss, defeated. It was clear that Jacob Coe had his measure. Lilu totally understood this. She thought about how her own father could reduce her to a mere speck.

"Let me talk to him," she said. "I have experience in the 'bad dad' arts." Sam hesitated, but before he could object, she continued, "Trust me, it's a family tradition for me, too."

Sam looked both confused and skeptical. "You sure? I have more than 30 years of arguing with the man, basically since I could form a coherent sentence, but if you want to try it..." He trailed off, his lack of confidence apparent.

Wordlessly, Lilu turned and walked up to Jacob, her eyes appropriately and respectfully downcast, and then she said, "I meant what I said about just wanting to follow up on Solomon's work, don't you want to help Sam?" Then she flashed her big brown eyes up at Jacob, appealingly.

Jacob gave her a hard look, but Lilu's close proximity and innocent gaze took hold, and he softened ever so slightly. "You think I don't want to help him?" His tone carried more of a wounded tone now than just an angry one.

"I know you do," she said, soothingly. "Sam said something about you being part of the Freestar government? My father was a government man, too. It's an honorable profession, serving the people. What was your role?" Paydirt: she saw the spark light in Jacob's eyes.

"Yes, I was, I handled a lot of trade and commerce. You know, back in my day, we handled some major crises. The Colony War almost destroyed our economy. We thought we were going to crater more than once. I felt like I was going to have a nervous breakdown. It was one of the best times of my life." Jacob smiled, reminiscing.

Lilu smiled, too. "Folks underestimate the pressure of a job like that, the highs and the lows. You're quite a character, Jacob. You remind me so much of my father, he would have felt the same way, you two would have liked each other."

"Could be you're not too bad yourself, but... is he no longer with you?" Jacob asked, looking at her with sympathy.

"He passed away a long time ago, I miss him. Maybe if I come back through Akila City I can visit again sometime?" she asked, with a wistful tone. She almost felt as if she meant it. Maybe she did.

Jacob looked at her with an expression that bordered on fondness. "Sure. And listen, about before... you can have the maps, they're in the other room, here's the key. You seem like a nice girl, respectful, maybe you'll be a good influence on my Sam, huh?"

"I'll do my best," she said, warmly, and with that, Lilu gave him a winsome smile, reached out and clasped Jacob on the forearm to give it a squeeze. He smiled back at her and walked away on into his study to sit down. When she turned to look at Sam, he stared at her like he was in shock.

"How the hell did you do that?" he asked, incredulously.

"I hypnotized him," she said, nonchalantly, the smile still playing on her lips, but her mind far away with the thoughts of her own father. She unlocked the storage room that held the maps. Sam shook his head, mind still boggled, and followed her inside.

"Seriously, though, what did you say to make him change his mind? He can be stubborn as a mule," Sam persisted.

"I told him I'd bear him another grandchild," she said, quite neutrally.

Now Sam really was staring at her, stunned.

"Oh, spare me, you're actually thinking about it?" Lilu exclaimed, laughing.

"I mean," and here he dropped his voice, "I wouldn't mind the trying," he leered.

"Calm down and keep it in your pants, bub, you've got enough to handle with the child you have. Now, let's look at these maps." And both of them smiling with the joke, they stood close and bent their heads over the maps to get their bearings.

But there was something in that exchange, something in the way he moved closer to her, the way their eyes met for just a heartbeat or two, Lilu felt something shift. It had always been there, in the background, a low susurration of attraction that was starting to bubble to a simmer now. She knew by how much she wanted to dislike him the moment she met him. After what had happened to her during that fateful mission where she screwed up, and the big mistake in letting Adam into her life so intimately far too soon for someone so inappropriate for her, she had been determined to not rush in once again to find comfort in just any man's arms simply because he wanted her and he was attractive.

This was already moving fast enough to be similar. Far too fast. And she was afraid of it already. But there were some key differences, about Sam at least, if not herself. He was older, more confident (at least outwardly, with the exception of dealing with his father, which she understood), he was funny, and he was... well, to her, he was gorgeous. She had never been a sucker for a pretty boy, but those eyes of his held her captivated. The lines of his perfect cheek bones, his classic jawline, the short beard she wanted to rub her cheek against, the thick hair she wanted to bury her fingers into. She felt a compulsion to put her hands on his face, pull it close to hers so she could get lost in those beautiful blue eyes before she...

"Hey, you ok?" asked Sam.

"Oh." Lilu snapped out of her fantasy, realized she was staring right at him. She wondered how her own facial features had been composed while she had been fantasizing about sticking her tongue down his throat. Wouldn't he be surprised if he only knew? Instead, she said, "Yeah, I was just thinking again about how I really need to stop and look for a firearm upgrade before we leave the city for any place too wild and woolly. Remember?" Yeah, sure, that's what she was thinking about. Guns. Uh huh.

"Well, you couldn't be more right, because according to this map, we're heading right back out into Shaw Gang territory," Sam said, grimly. His face implied that he wasn't confident about their chances. Well, that's because he hadn't been out on a mission with her before. She couldn't wait to show him what she could do. Then as she caught herself thinking these thoughts, she dealt herself with a swift rebuke. Showboating to impress a boy could get them both killed.

"Damn, there are more of these idiots out there? Well, let's go get that firepower I've been asking for and our Artifact! And, don't worry, darlin', when the shooting starts, just get behind me, I'll keep you safe." Lilu flashed a wolfish grin at Sam as she used his earlier joke against him. But in reality, she hoped she sounded more confident than she felt as they turned to leave the Coe Estate. She called out, "Thanks again, Mr. Coe!" She didn't wait for a response, and went through the door with Sam, back into Akila City and on their way to Laredo Arms. Because it was time to head out to the Akila frontier and find the Empty Nest, and whatever lay within it.

-----------------------------

Chapter 5 (Part 2) Song:

It's just a little bit warmer Than you're used to up above It's just a little bit harder To control the one you love It's just a little more danger And the slightest remark It goes a little bit deeper And gets a little more dark

[ablinksg]

🚐 Top Commercial Vehicles for Sale in Singapore – Toyota Hiace, Honda N-Van & Nissan NV200 at Ablink.sg

 If you're a business owner in Singapore searching for a reliable commercial vehicle, Ablink.sg has you covered. From logistics to mobile services and delivery operations, having the right van makes all the difference. At Ablink, we specialise in high-quality, pre-owned and new commercial vehicles tailored to suit your business needs. Today, we highlight three trusted workhorses: the Toyota Hiace, Honda N-Van, and Nissan NV200.

🚛 Toyota Hiace – The Industry Favourite

The Toyota Hiace is arguably Singapore’s most popular commercial van – and for good reason. With its reputation for unmatched durability, high resale value, and low maintenance costs, the Hiace is the top choice for logistics, delivery, and trade professionals.

Key Features:

Powerful 2.8L diesel engine (newer models)

Spacious cargo area with easy loading access

High roof option for vertical storage

Safety features including Pre-Collision System (on newer models)

Whether you’re delivering goods or transporting equipment, the Toyota Hiace offers reliability that keeps your business running smoothly.

🚐 Honda N-Van – Compact and Capable

Need a compact commercial vehicle that’s big on features? The Honda N-Van brings innovation and practicality in a small package. Ideal for urban deliveries and service-based businesses, the N-Van’s smart design maximises space without compromising maneuverability.

Key Features:

Ultra-compact size perfect for tight city roads

Flat cargo floor with no centre pillar on the passenger side – for easy loading

Fuel-efficient engine with low COE category (Cat A)

Ideal for home businesses, florists, courier services, and more

At Ablink.sg, the Honda N-Van is a favourite among small business owners looking for versatility without the bulk.

🚚 Nissan NV200 – The Balanced Performer

If you’re looking for something between the compact N-Van and the larger Hiace, the Nissan NV200 is your go-to van. It combines generous cargo capacity with a compact exterior, making it perfect for city deliveries with heavy loads.

Key Features:

1.5L or 1.6L petrol/diesel engine options

Dual sliding doors for efficient loading/unloading

Foldable front passenger seat for extended space

Driver-focused comfort with ample dashboard storage

With a solid track record in Singapore’s commercial fleet, the NV200 offers the perfect balance of efficiency, load space, and affordability.

🛠️ Why Choose Ablink.sg?

At Ablink.sg, we pride ourselves on offering:

A wide selection of pre-owned and new commercial vehicles

Flexible hire purchase and in-house financing options

Full logistics and COE services

Transparent vehicle history and servicing records

From first-time buyers to fleet upgrades, our team ensures you find the right vehicle at the right price.

✅ Ready to Upgrade Your Commercial Vehicle?

Visit Ablink.sg today or drop by our showroom to test drive your next business partner. Whether it’s the Toyota Hiace, Honda N-Van, or Nissan NV200, we’ve got the best deals in town – backed by service you can trust.

📞 Contact us now to speak with a commercial vehicle specialist or schedule a visit.

[drchristophedelongsblog]

Les enhanced games qui se tiendront à Las Vegas en 2026

Les "Enhanced Games" (Jeux Améliorés) prévus à Las Vegas en mai 2026 sont une initiative très controversée qui a suscité de vives réactions dans le monde du sport et au-delà. Voici un résumé des principaux points à retenir :

Qu'est-ce que c'est ?

Les Enhanced Games sont une nouvelle compétition multisports qui autorise et même encourage l'utilisation de substances améliorant la performance (dopage) par les athlètes, sans tests antidopage.

Les organisateurs, menés par l'entrepreneur australien Aron D'Souza, affirment que c'est "l'Olympique du futur" et qu'elle permettra de "repousser les limites du potentiel humain" grâce à la science et à la médecine.

Ils prévoient de récompenser généreusement les athlètes, avec des primes à la participation et des bonus pouvant aller jusqu'à 1 million de dollars pour les records du monde battus.

Les sports initialement prévus incluent la natation (sprint), l'athlétisme (sprint et haies) et l'haltérophilie.

Controverses et critiques :

Santé et sécurité des athlètes : C'est la principale préoccupation. Les agences antidopage et les organismes sportifs mondiaux (comme l'AMA, le CIO, World Athletics) dénoncent unanimement le concept comme étant "dangereux et irresponsable". Ils soulignent les risques graves pour la santé des athlètes liés à l'utilisation de substances interdites à long terme (dommages au foie, aux reins, maladies cardiovasculaires, décès). Certains critiques décrivent même cela comme un "essai clinique mal conçu manquant de surveillance éthique".

Éthique et intégrité du sport : Les Enhanced Games sont considérés comme une attaque directe contre les valeurs fondamentales du sport, telles que l'équité, l'intégrité, le fair-play et le respect de l'esprit sportif. L'idée de récompenser la performance dopée est perçue comme une perversion de la compétition athlétique.

Message envoyé aux jeunes : De nombreuses voix s'inquiètent du message que cela envoie aux jeunes athlètes, normalisant le dopage et suggérant que la performance ne peut être atteinte qu'avec des drogues.

Légitimité et crédibilité : La majorité du monde sportif refuse de reconnaître la légitimité de ces Jeux. Sebastian Coe, président de World Athletics, a qualifié l'idée de "foutaise" et a menacé de bannir à vie tout athlète qui y participerait des compétitions régies par son organisation.

"Dopage encadré" ? Les organisateurs affirment qu'il y aura une surveillance médicale et que seules les substances approuvées par la FDA américaine seront autorisées. Cependant, les experts soulignent le manque de données fiables sur les effets secondaires de nombreuses substances interdites et la difficulté de mettre en place des protocoles de sécurité robustes pour des pratiques de dopage complexes.

Arguments des promoteurs :

Liberté individuelle : Ils estiment que les athlètes devraient être libres de faire ce qu'ils veulent de leur corps.

Innovation et dépassement des limites : Ils voient cela comme une opportunité de repousser les frontières de la performance humaine grâce aux avancées scientifiques.

Transparence et sécurité : Ils affirment vouloir sortir le dopage de l'ombre en l'encadrant médicalement, ce qui, selon eux, serait plus sûr.

Critique du système antidopage actuel : D'Souza critique le Comité International Olympique (CIO) qu'il qualifie d'"organisation corrompue" et propose une alternative qui, selon lui, serait plus axée sur les athlètes (notamment via des compensations financières importantes).

En résumé, les Enhanced Games représentent un défi radical à la conception traditionnelle du sport. Bien que leurs promoteurs mettent en avant l'innovation et la liberté, la grande majorité de la communauté sportive et scientifique condamne fermement cette initiative pour ses risques pour la santé des athlètes et son atteinte aux valeurs fondamentales du sport. Il sera intéressant de voir comment cet événement se déroulera et quelles en seront les répercussions à long terme.

Aller plus loin

[innovationalofficesolution]

Creating a Center of Excellence for Power BI After Leaving Tableau

Migrating from Tableau to Power BI is more than a technology switch — it’s a transformation in how your organization approaches data. To maximize ROI and ensure scalable success post-migration, building a Center of Excellence (CoE) for Power BI is essential. A well-structured CoE provides governance, standardization, and innovation — ensuring your Power BI environment delivers long-term business value.

Why a Power BI CoE Matters After Migration

Once you’ve completed your Tableau to Power BI migration, users often face a learning curve with DAX, data modeling, and Power BI service workflows. Without guidance and structure, this can lead to inconsistent reports, performance issues, and security risks.

A Power BI CoE solves these challenges by offering centralized best practices, training, support, and governance. It empowers both business and IT users to work together effectively, creating a self-service BI culture that’s secure, scalable, and aligned with organizational goals.

Key Pillars of a Power BI Center of Excellence

Governance and Standards Define and enforce clear guidelines for data sources, naming conventions, and publishing workflows. The CoE should establish workspace structures, usage policies, and user roles to ensure consistency and security.

Training and Enablement Post-migration, users need structured onboarding to Power BI. The CoE should offer tiered training (basic to advanced), DAX learning paths, and documentation tailored to business roles. Consider using champions from different departments to support peer learning.

Tool and Template Management Develop and distribute reusable templates for reports, visuals, and KPIs. This accelerates adoption and ensures your Power BI outputs are aligned with corporate branding and design standards.

Performance Monitoring and Optimization A CoE should continuously monitor report and dataset performance. Using tools like DAX Optimizer, you can identify slow-running queries and apply best practices for DAX optimization in Power BI.

Innovation and Collaboration Encourage collaboration through Power BI user groups and feedback loops. The CoE should act as a testing ground for new Power BI features and foster innovation through regular showcases and ideation sessions.

Start Small, Scale Strategically

You don’t need to build everything at once. Start with governance and training, then expand into performance optimization and community engagement. Use feedback loops to improve over time, and align the CoE with evolving business needs.

Empowering the Future of Analytics

Creating a Power BI Center of Excellence after your tableau to power bi migration positions your organization to not only adopt a new tool, but to evolve its entire data culture. With the right framework, your teams can confidently deliver faster insights, better decisions, and greater value from your Power BI investment.

About OfficeSolution At OfficeSolution, we help enterprises transition smoothly through their tableau to power bi migration journey. Our tools, including Pulse Convert and DAX Optimizer, accelerate success and unlock the full potential of Power BI.

Explore more migration strategies and Power BI best practices at 👉 https://tableautopowerbimigration.com

[govindhtech]

The LUMI Supercomputer specs, 3 World-Changing Applications

LUMI Supercomputer

EuroHPC JU funds the Kajaani, Finland-based LUMI supercomputer. Finland, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and Switzerland support LUMI.

Top500 named LUMI Europe's fastest supercomputer and sixth overall in November 2024. The peak LUMI Supercomputer can handle 380 petaflops, or 1.5 million high-end laptops. HPE Cray EX is built on AMD EPYC CPUs and AMD Instinct MI250X GPUs. LUMI is the 25th most energy-efficient supercomputer on Green500. The hydropower-powered plant recovers waste heat to heat 100 Kajaani dwellings.

Though LUMI may assist many efforts, here are three ways teams are using its massive processing capability to change the world.

Addressing climate change

How to halt global warming and mitigate its impacts is one of humanity's biggest issues. Destination Earth is one of the most intriguing LUMI climate initiatives. The digital twin project accurately models five km of the earth. A supercomputer is needed to manage this initiative's daily petabyte of data.

Every seven to ten years, climate experts might update their climate change estimates. Destination Earth's annual estimates have increased prediction accuracy, allowing mankind to prepare.

The model lets scientists test alternative situations. Destination Earth allows government agencies to simulate weather-related programs to measure their effectiveness in reducing global warming.

Forecasting natural disasters

LUMI and Destination Earth anticipate droughts, floods, storms, and cyclones. At least 3,700 died in 2024 from climate change. Scientists predict better analytical skills to reduce disasters as they increase.

The Destination Earth project and European High-Performance Computing Centre of Excellence for Exascale on Solid Earth (ChEESE CoE) use the LUMI supercomputer. Creating accurate glacier outburst flood forecasts is one endeavour. Glacier outburst floods threatens Iceland, a LUMI supercomputer cooperation member. In difficult-to-reach places, temperature, weather, glacier melt, and tiny seismic occurrences combine in complex ways, making these events notoriously unpredictable.

These floods threaten Iceland, a LUMI consortium member. Using Elmer/Ice software on the LUMI system, scientists from several organisations are modelling sudden glacier outburst floods that endanger Icelandic settlements to offer lifesaving early warnings.

Other ChEESE CoE and LUMI initiatives analyse hydrology, earthquakes, fires, volcanic ash, and more. LUMI has urgent computer cycles and is working on weather forecasting projects using AI.

Treating illness

LUMI provides disease diagnosis and treatment information, making it essential for life sciences research. One of its early projects, ComPatAI, analyses tissue samples using deep learning. “We have primarily worked on breast and prostate cancer,” says University of Turku Institute of Biomedicine associate professor Pekka Ruusuvuori. These are the most common cancers in men and women, therefore there's much of information about them. The objective is to provide a flexible model that can be expanded for new and different uses.

Finnish healthcare lab leader Fimlab offers digitised slides to the program. By project completion, ComPatAI expects 2.5 million images. With this much data, they can train AI algorithms to detect unseen cancer.

Another project employs LUMI to model atomic-scale cell membranes. Cell membrane modifications can help doctors identify and treat type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's. Scientists employ simulations to study healthy and sick cells since atomic-scale physical testing are impractical. This might change medicine.

[nijjhar]

John 13v1-15:- Christ Jesus was the feet of 11 Mammon-Free after expelli... John 13v1-15:- Christ Jesus was the feet of 11 Mammon-Free after expelling the Thief Judas Iscariot. https://youtu.be/BYISmbHTbmE Gospel according to Saint John 13,1-15. Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. This Thief Judas Iscariot had already been expelled from the company of his Mammon-Free “Eleven” Labourers. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the Brethren’ and not the once-born Rabbinic disciples' feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. Remember that the Pharisee Simon didn’t honoured Christ Jesus by washing his feet because he was a proud moral teacher who boosts the ego of their Disciples and he could not honour Christ Jesus but wanted to test his knowledge. Whilst the twice-born Mary Magdalene highly honoured Christ Jesus and washed His Feet with tears of extreme love and then, dried them with her honour, the hair submitting totally to Christ Jesus. He came to the only once-born truth speaking Labourer Simon Peter, who said to him, "Master, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later on being Rewarded the Very Spirit of Father Holy Spirit that the 12 Labourers got at the Pentecost. Then, Peter was the First to proclaim Christ Jesus." Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance of the Royal Kingdom of God Elohim, Shams, with me." Simon Peter said to him, "Master, then being extremely happy requested Christ Jesus not only my feet, but my hands to perform good deeds and head so that I can ponder over His Word as well." Jesus said to him, "Whoever has bathed of the sins in the River Jordan that involved the Baptism of John, the Baptist in the name of Abraham to remain “Salt” of Abraham has no need except to have his feet washed so that you can walk to serve others, for he is clean all over of the sins and spoke the secular natural truth, which is the Base for the Absolute Gospel Truth called Logo, the end product of the logical reasoning. For example, people of Judah, Levi, Benjamin, etc. tribes were born and they led by their Blind Guides, the Rabbis, died during the Holocaust and not the spiritual inwardly self-Jew. The same applies to Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, etc.   So, you are clean in 7, the Menorah, but not all as heart needs to be cleansed of 5 making altogether 12 Labourers of Christ Jesus and the KUMBH MELA after every 12 years. Thus, the 12 Labourers of Christ Jesus had nothing to do with the 12 tribes of Israel." For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, "Not all of you are clean. Not correct." So when he had washed their feet (and) put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, "Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me 'teacher' and 'master,' in Moses and whereas in Elohim, Whose Son is Christ, you rightly serve, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do. But Pope killed people as the soldiers who died in the two world wars are proclaimed by the COE, headed by King Charles, as to have glorified God.   WHY WAS JESUS GIVEN THE NAME "YAHSHUA"? https://youtu.be/MqC_eFyTItQ Intuition - Taught by God:- Circumcision is the Tribal Mark or Covenant of Abraham to Isaac and his seed ONLY. https://youtu.be/hhJIzWLxdAQ The Circumcision of the flesh was floated so much by the Temple Priests that it has become OBSOLETE. https://youtu.be/oOqHQc3kjA8 The Promised Land belongs to the Faithful sons of Abraham and not to fake "Saltless" Jews outwardly who cannot build their tribal "Covenant" with Abraham. https://youtu.be/5vpu-FYuBuM Return under Moses was faithful to Abraham, and Yahweh “Wheat” plants whilst under Christ Jesus just the opposite “Tares” – Matt 13v24-30. https://youtu.be/cKvnXH538WE www.gnosticgospel.co.uk/JAntisem.htm Donald Trump is the Jewish Messiah of DESTRUCTION. My seminars and lectures are FREE. My ebook on Kindle. ASIN: B01AVLC9WO YouTube Channel:- Jatt Unity Ch. Chhotu Ram Ohylan:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogc8-g5e_Og Any helper to finish my Books:- ONE GOD ONE FAITH:- www.gnosticgospel.co.uk/bookfin.pdf and in Punjabi KAKHH OHLAE LAKHH:-  www.gnosticgospel.co.uk/pdbook.pdf EXPOSES the CROOK KHATRIS:- Punjab Siyan. John's baptism:- www.gnosticgospel.co.uk/johnsig.pdf Trinity:- www.gnosticgospel.co.uk/trinity.pdf

[nkorealive]

World Athletics of Gender Tests: NCAA has invited to follow the suit

Ncaa On Tuesday, they faced calls to follow the footsteps of world athletics and perform gender tests for athletes who want to compete in women’s sports. World Athletics Sebastian Coe said that cheeks’ tests will be used for athletes who want to compete in the women’s category. He called the process “very direct” and held a female sports fair a question that was “important” to him. He added that…

[modulesap]

Migrating to SAP S/4HANA is a complex process that organizations often struggle with. The biggest challenges include technical hurdles, data migration issues, business process alignment, and user adoption. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

1. Choosing the Right Migration Approach

📌 Challenge: Organizations must decide between Greenfield (new implementation), Brownfield (system conversion), or Hybrid (Selective Data Transition) approaches. 🔹 Solution: A thorough business impact analysis and pilot testing help determine the best approach.

2. Data Migration & Quality Issues

📌 Challenge:

Cleaning, transforming, and moving large volumes of legacy data.

Ensuring data consistency between old and new systems. 🔹 Solution:

Use SAP Migration Cockpit and Data Services for smooth data transfer.

Conduct thorough data cleansing and validation before migration.

3. Custom Code Adaptation

📌 Challenge: Many organizations have custom ABAP programs that need to be adapted for HANA’s in-memory architecture. 🔹 Solution:

Use SAP Readiness Check to analyze custom code.

Optimize performance with CDS Views, AMDP, and HANA-native SQL.

4. Business Process Reengineering

📌 Challenge:

SAP S/4HANA introduces simplified processes (e.g., Universal Journal in Finance).

Aligning business processes with SAP Best Practices is critical. 🔹 Solution:

Use SAP Signavio & SAP Activate Methodology for process optimization.

Conduct Business Process Workshops for alignment.

5. Integration with Existing Systems

📌 Challenge: Many organizations rely on third-party applications or legacy SAP modules (e.g., ECC, CRM, BW). 🔹 Solution:

Use SAP BTP (Business Technology Platform) for integrations.

Leverage SAP Cloud Connector for hybrid landscapes.

6. Change Management & User Adoption

📌 Challenge:

Resistance from employees accustomed to SAP ECC.

Need for extensive training to use Fiori-based UI. 🔹 Solution:

Implement a comprehensive change management strategy.

Conduct role-based training sessions for end users.

7. Performance & System Downtime Risks

📌 Challenge:

Poorly planned migrations can cause business disruptions.

Performance tuning is needed for large transactional volumes. 🔹 Solution:

Conduct sandbox testing before full deployment.

Use Near-Zero Downtime (NZDT) methods for mission-critical environments.

8. Security & Compliance

📌 Challenge:

Ensuring GDPR, SOX, and industry-specific compliance in the new system.

Managing user access & role-based security. 🔹 Solution:

Implement SAP GRC (Governance, Risk & Compliance) solutions.

Regular security audits and role testing.

9. High Costs & Budget Overruns

📌 Challenge:

Licensing, infrastructure upgrades, and consultant fees can exceed budgets.

Hidden costs in custom development & post-go-live support. 🔹 Solution:

Use SAP S/4HANA Cloud for cost control if applicable.

Have a detailed cost estimation & risk management plan.

10. Post-Go-Live Support & Continuous Optimization

📌 Challenge:

After go-live, organizations struggle with performance tuning, bug fixes, and new requirements. 🔹 Solution:

Establish a Center of Excellence (CoE) for continuous monitoring.

Use SAP Solution Manager for ongoing system health checks.

Final Thoughts

Migrating to SAP S/4HANA is a major digital transformation, not just a technical upgrade. Companies that plan strategically, invest in change management, and optimize business processes will gain the most value.

Mail us on contact@anubhavtrainings.com

Website: Anubhav Online Trainings | UI5, Fiori, S/4HANA Trainings

[programmingandengineering]

CS/COE 1501 Assignment 5

To get hands on experience with algorithms to perform mathematical operations on large integers, using RSA as an example. Note that the result of this project should NEVER be used for any security applications. It is purely instructive. Always use trusted and tested crypto libraries. High-level description: You will be writing two programs. The first will generate a 512-bit RSA keypair and store…

[atplblog]

Price: [price_with_discount] (as of [price_update_date] - Details) [ad_1] It is often assumed that software testing is based on clearly defined requirements and software development standards. However, testing is typically performed against changing, and sometimes inaccurate, requirements. The third edition of a bestseller, Software Testing and Continuous Quality Improvement, Third Edition provides a continuous quality framework for the software testing process within traditionally structured and unstructured environments. This framework aids in creating meaningful test cases for systems with evolving requirements. This completely revised reference provides a comprehensive look at software testing as part of the project management process, emphasizing testing and quality goals early on in development. Building on the success of previous editions, the text explains testing in a Service Orientated Architecture (SOA) environment, the building blocks of a Testing Center of Excellence (COE), and how to test in an agile development. Fully updated, the sections on test effort estimation provide greater emphasis on testing metrics. The book also examines all aspects of functional testing and looks at the relation between changing business strategies and changes to applications in development.Includes New Chapters on Process, Application, and Organizational MetricsAll IT organizations face software testing issues, but most are unprepared to manage them. Software Testing and Continuous Quality Improvement, Third Edition is enhanced with an up-to-date listing of free software tools and a question-and-answer checklist for choosing the best tools for your organization. It equips you with everything you need to effectively address testing issues in the most beneficial way for your business. Publisher ‏ : ‎ Auerbach Publications; 3rd edition (22 December 2008) Language ‏ : ‎ English Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 684 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1420080733 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1420080735 Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 kg 430 g Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.75 x 4.32 x 23.62 cm Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ India [ad_2]

[itsicn]

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Jasprit Bumrah Delivers Major Injury Update After 'bed rest' Report

Champions Trophy 2025: Jasprit Bumrah has put an end to rumors about his fitness, as the ace Indian pacer categorically denied reports that he has been advised bed rest due to swelling on his back. The 31-year-old fast bowler dismissed the claims with humor, calling them baseless and coming from unreliable sources.

With the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on the horizon, Bumrah's participation remains in serious doubt after he suffered a back spasm during the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. While the BCCI remained silent on Bumrah’s availability, there has been a lot of speculation about his injury.

Read Also: UPW-W vs RCB-W Dream11 Prediction WPL

Jasprit Bumrah denies reports of swelling on his back!!

On January 15, a report by The Times of India created a storm on social media. The report claimed that medical experts have allegedly advised the Indian bowler to take bed rest due to swelling on his back, and he will soon head to the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru for treatment.

The Times of India was quoted as saying by a source: “Bumrah could go to the CoE next week, but right now there is no fixed date yet. He has been advised to have bed rest at home to help the muscles recover and the swelling to subside. Once that is done, the future course of action will be ascertained.”

Read Also: WTC 2023 Final Dream11 Prediction

“Fake news made me laugh”: Jasprit Bumrah dismisses reports of bed rest

After the news spread like wildfire, Jasprit Bumrah was forced to take to his social media handle to quash the rumors. He laughed at the “fake news” and called the source “unreliable.” The Indian pacer rubbished the report while tagging the content creator on X, which was later deleted following the Indian star's reaction.

Bumrah posted on X: “I know fake news is easy to spread, but this made me laugh. Sources unreliable,” with a couple of laughing emojis.

Meanwhile, the Indian pacer was in stellar form last year across the format before suffering the back spasm on the Australia tour, where he took 32 wickets in nine innings and won the Player of the Series award.

Bumrah is currently the top-ranked bowler in the ICC Test Rankings and was also awarded the ICC Player of the Month award for December 2024 for his remarkable performance in the recent Test series against Australia.

Read Also: UPW-W vs MI-W Dream11 Prediction WPL

BCCI delays ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad announcement due to Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav's fitness issues

He has taken 22 wickets in three Tests at an average of 14.22 last month in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Bumrah was also recently nominated for two of the top honors in the ICC Awards 2024—the ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year Award and the coveted Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year for his incredible bowling display in 2024.

Notably, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to announce the squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 before the final deadline, and the reason behind this delay is the uncertainty over the fitness of Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav.

The Men in Blue will kickstart their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, UAE.

Read Also: ZIM vs SCO Super Six Match 6 Dream11 Prediction

[icecricnews367]

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Jasprit Bumrah Delivers Major Injury Update After 'bed rest' Report

Champions Trophy 2025: Jasprit Bumrah has put an end to rumors about his fitness, as the ace Indian pacer categorically denied reports that he has been advised bed rest due to swelling on his back. The 31-year-old fast bowler dismissed the claims with humor, calling them baseless and coming from unreliable sources.

With the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on the horizon, Bumrah's participation remains in serious doubt after he suffered a back spasm during the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. While the BCCI remained silent on Bumrah’s availability, there has been a lot of speculation about his injury.

Read Also: UPW-W vs RCB-W Dream11 Prediction WPL

Jasprit Bumrah denies reports of swelling on his back!!

On January 15, a report by The Times of India created a storm on social media. The report claimed that medical experts have allegedly advised the Indian bowler to take bed rest due to swelling on his back, and he will soon head to the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru for treatment.

The Times of India was quoted as saying by a source: “Bumrah could go to the CoE next week, but right now there is no fixed date yet. He has been advised to have bed rest at home to help the muscles recover and the swelling to subside. Once that is done, the future course of action will be ascertained.”

Read Also: WTC 2023 Final Dream11 Prediction

“Fake news made me laugh”: Jasprit Bumrah dismisses reports of bed rest

After the news spread like wildfire, Jasprit Bumrah was forced to take to his social media handle to quash the rumors. He laughed at the “fake news” and called the source “unreliable.” The Indian pacer rubbished the report while tagging the content creator on X, which was later deleted following the Indian star's reaction.

Bumrah posted on X: “I know fake news is easy to spread, but this made me laugh. Sources unreliable,” with a couple of laughing emojis.

Meanwhile, the Indian pacer was in stellar form last year across the format before suffering the back spasm on the Australia tour, where he took 32 wickets in nine innings and won the Player of the Series award.

Bumrah is currently the top-ranked bowler in the ICC Test Rankings and was also awarded the ICC Player of the Month award for December 2024 for his remarkable performance in the recent Test series against Australia.

Read Also: UPW-W vs MI-W Dream11 Prediction WPL

BCCI delays ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad announcement due to Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav's fitness issues

He has taken 22 wickets in three Tests at an average of 14.22 last month in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Bumrah was also recently nominated for two of the top honors in the ICC Awards 2024—the ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year Award and the coveted Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year for his incredible bowling display in 2024.

Notably, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to announce the squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 before the final deadline, and the reason behind this delay is the uncertainty over the fitness of Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav.

The Men in Blue will kickstart their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, UAE.

Read Also: ZIM vs SCO Super Six Match 6 Dream11 Prediction

[samantharobinus]

Fast, Simple, and Innovative: Tavant’s Encompass® Solutions is what you need to Supercharge Your Mortgage Process

As the mortgage lending industry grows more competitive, efficiency and innovation have become a requisite for survival for lending companies – both big and small. Tavant, a global leader in digital transformation, empowers lenders to tackle these challenges head-on with its innovative Encompass® software. Positioned at the forefront of mortgage process transformation, Encompass leverages AI and automation to revolutionize the entire loan lifecycle.

Encompass has become a cornerstone for mortgage lenders seeking a comprehensive platform to manage loan origination, processing, and servicing. This all-in-one solution not only streamlines operations but also enhances customer experiences and reduces costs. Its intuitive interface, extensive features, and seamless integrations make it the go-to choice for industry professionals. At Tavant, our deep understanding of the mortgage sector allows us to tailor solutions that fully unlock Encompass's potential for lenders of all sizes. With our domain expertise and in-depth knowledge of best practices, lenders gain the competitive edge they need to excel in today’s rapidly evolving market.

Why Efficient Mortgage Solutions Matter

As the mortgage industry faces mounting pressures to streamline workflows, reduce costs, and enhance decision-making, Encompass combined with Tavant's expertise offers a powerful solution. By leveraging this partnership, lenders can:

Accelerate loan processing: Reduce turnaround times and improve customer satisfaction.

Optimize operational efficiency: Streamline manual tasks and eliminate bottlenecks.

Enhance decision-making: Leverage data analytics and AI to make informed decisions.

1. Unlocking the Full Potential of Encompass with Tavant's Center of Excellence (CoE)

The Encompass Center of Excellence (CoE) is a dedicated team of experts specializing in optimizing Encompass for mortgage lenders. Our CoE provides a range of services, including:

Streamlined workflows: We help lenders identify and eliminate inefficiencies in their processes, resulting in faster loan processing and improved productivity.

Seamless integrations: We integrate Encompass with third-party systems to ensure a smooth data flow and enhance operational efficiency.

Accelerated data access: We provide tools and techniques to help lenders access and analyze data quickly, enabling informed decision-making.

2. Revolutionizing Mortgage Automation with Encompass Testing Services

Testing is a critical component of any successful mortgage automation initiative. Tavant's Encompass Testing Services ensure the software is compliant, reliable, and ready for deployment. Our services include:

Compliance testing: Encompass adheres to regulatory requirements, minimizing the risk of errors and penalties.

Release testing: We rigorously test new releases of the software to ensure they are stable and perform as expected.

Performance testing: We assess the overall performance under various load conditions to identify and address potential bottlenecks.

3. Decision Analysis: Empowering Faster, Data-Driven Mortgage Lending

Our decision analysis solution provides automated underwriting capabilities that accelerate loan approvals and improve decision-making. Our solution leverages advanced analytics and machine learning to:

Streamline underwriting: Automatically assess loan applications against underwriting guidelines, reducing manual review time.

Improve accuracy: Enhance the accuracy of credit risk assessments, minimizing the risk of loan defaults.

Reduce costs: Lower operational expenses by automating time-consuming tasks.

4. AI-Powered Automation: Transforming the Mortgage Experience

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the mortgage industry by automating tasks, improving accuracy, and enhancing customer experiences. The AI-powered solutions for Encompass software include:

Automated data entry: Reduce manual data entry errors and improve data quality.

Intelligent document processing: Automatically extract information from documents, streamlining the loan application process.

Enhanced customer experience: Provide personalized recommendations and improve customer satisfaction.

5. Touchless Lending®: The Flagship Solution for Mortgage Automation

Touchless Lending is Tavant's flagship solution for automating the entire loan production process. Powered by AI, Touchless Lending enables lenders to:

Reduce costs: Streamline operations and eliminate manual tasks, resulting in significant cost savings.

Accelerate processing: Automate routine tasks, speed up loan processing, and improve customer satisfaction.

Enhance customer experience: Offer a self-service portal for borrowers, empowering them to manage their loan applications online.

6. The Competitive Edge of Encompass Expertise

Our deep expertise in mortgage automation provides a competitive advantage for lenders. Our solutions offer:

Cost efficiency: Reduce operational costs through automation and streamlined processes.

Rapid implementation: Deploy solutions quickly to achieve a faster return on investment.

High ROI: Deliver measurable results and improve overall business performance.

Conclusion

Driven by technological advancements and changing customer expectations, the mortgage industry is undergoing rapid transformation. It has led to fierce competition among lending companies, and being efficient and innovative has become the key to survival. By leveraging Tavant's expertise in Encompass® software and AI-powered automation, lenders can streamline their operations, reduce costs, and gain a competitive edge.