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It is a common aphorism in the blogosphere that if you want to get read, you should post something every day. Even better, you should post even more frequently. Why not shoot for fifty? This almost makes sense. I mean, it works something like the basic advice for politicians: you want to get electe? Get out there and say something. To get in office takes votes, not good ideas!
The problem is that blogging is not exactly parallel to getting elected. Sure, if the most important thing is getting more readers, it's exactly like getting elected. It's a kind of entertainment business, and the goal is to get as much attention as possible. If you're trying to make a living off of this, you've got to expand the base as much as possible.
But seriously, is the whole blogosphere out to make a buck off of this thing? What are we, journalists with no publisher? Well, maybe [some](http://lashawnbarber.com/) of us. But then, those are the people I don't read. Take LaShawn Barber, for instance. I like her. I like to think I was one of her first few readers. But much as I like her, I don't read her any more. Why? She kept on talking. She kept on harping on the same positions, doing her job posting continuously all day, and at some point I said, Man, I don't have time for this. I've got 3,000 pages of theology to read. I don't have time to read the same political arguments I read yesterday with no new way of looking at it.
I've dropped instapundit, and a dozen other "big names" because I just don't have time to read all that. I'm trying to narrow my blog reading down to people I can consistently trust to say things that force me to think about things in a new light. And, humanly speaking, nobody, just nobody gets 15 new ideas every day. Seriously, I'd be hard pressed to believe that anybody gets one bona fide new idea every day.
I like to think that I have a seriously good idea worth thinking about every 2-3 days. The net result is that I hardly post at all, since by the time I've finished thinking out my first good idea, I have two others to think about. I'm too busy processing the ideas to write them down. So all you ever really get here is stale week-old ideas. I can commit to that: posting once every couple of weeks or so.
The old idea that you had to post every day to keep your readership is sort of pre-RSS. Back in those days, if people were to hear that you had something new to say, they had to manually go to your address (or pick up your newspaper, or whatever) and see if you had something new to say. Since they were looking every day, it got pretty frustrating to check and see that nothing had changed. So, to be good to your faithful readers, it was only right to guarantee something new to read every time they came. But with RSS, the minute you say something, all your faithful subscribers know about it, so why keep pinging them with the same content?
Every day I have to scan through dozens of posts by people who are just "posting every day" without anything to actually say. Every day I have to contemplate if today is the day I decide I can't be bothered with them any more because I skip what say more than I read it. These people do not help me by re-posting, verbatim, what they said six months ago. If what you already said is so vital to the thing at hand, we have these handy things called [links](http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/struct/links.html), which allow you to simply refer to what you said before. Let me be the judge of whether I want to read it. [Seth Godin](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0684856360/permissionmarket) could tell you that.
If the whole world won't listen to me, perhaps I could at least attempt to persuade the Christian Blogosphere to listen to a more Christian proverb than "post every day." To that perhaps the best reply is, "Even a fool looks wise if he keeps his mouth shut."


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For MetaXpress High Content Image Acquisition and Analysis Software
The Custom Module Editor in version 5 of MetaXpress® Software is a flexible, interactive environment where users can create and test a template for image analysis. Galleries of processing options, morphology filters, application modules, and segmentation methods are available for users to construct a sequence of analysis steps. The new Click-to-Find Tool enables easy object identification and auto-populates step card parameters. Once created, custom modules can be easily shared and re-used to analyze other image sets.
Custom modules can be rapidly written to measure general and specific toxicity parameters. In addition to monitoring cell viability, apoptosis, autophagy and mitochondria membrane potential, a custom module allows you to simultaneously analyze tissue-specific toxic effects. The user decides which responses to detect and also which measurements to record out.
The Custom Module Editor enables more analyses, such as identifying objects within objects, creating morphometric classifiers for shape analysis, and analyzing both color and transmitted light images. With custom modules, researchers can simplify segmentation steps and report only on the data selected, saving unnecessary analysis time. Analysis time can be further accelerated by taking advantage of parallel processing using MetaXpress® PowerCore™ Software.
Creating a custom module
Shown is a sample of a custom module to find granules in nuclei using the Custom Module Editor.
- Select raw image in the segment tab.
- Identify nuclei using the new Click-to-Find tool. Simply click on objects of interest and measurement parameters are updated automatically.
- Find spots with granule detection.
- Measure only granules within the nuclei mask.
Example measurements from a multi-parameter hepatotoxicity assessment:
- Total number of nuclei
- Number of apoptotic nuclei
- Size of nuclei
- Number of live cells (viability)
- Number of mitochondria/cell (counting granules in cytoplasm)
- Total amount of phospholipids/cell

subset: commoncrawl


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My next door neighbors have a fabulous yard, replete with many flowering plants. Unlike me, the black thumbed. Oh, I can grow aloe and ivy… easy, hard to kill stuff. They, however, must know the secret.
I have the same plants that flourish on their lot but perish (with extreme prejudice) on mine. It's crazy.
But I get to appreciate their efforts as they grow onto my postage stamp sized piece of real estate.
I can't grow hibiscus, but theirs is robust… and trying to come visit. Hope he makes it.
Likewise the bougainvillea is going gangbusters where mine never really got off the ground.
I fully expect to see the part of their plants on my side of the fence attacked by all manner of insects and mold.


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I've posted about some places I want to go. I feel kind of envious of friends and family that have traveled a lot and got to know lot of places, because I haven't. Well, I guess I will have my chance sometime.
Inside of Mexico, I will very much like to go to Chiapas. I have been there, but I will like to come back to Agua Azul, and visit the Cañón del Sumidero.
Some pictures:
Everybody says is very beautifull sight, Cañón del Sumidero, Chiapas.
Agua Azul, Chiapas: This is truly breath taking. I stil remember the day I saw the ultra blue waters, around 1988 or 1989. More than twenty years from now.
Map of Chiapas:


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I shouldn't be writing this now. I should be concentrating on playing bass. But quite frankly, the guys are getting on with it and I can play the riff with one hand on open strings, so I've got the iPhone out and I'm blogging with the other hand. It's slow but I can do it and it will give a unique 'live' feel to the blog. I'm in the corner with Mike drumming to my right. In front, Stuey is on guitar and vocals. No one can see me properly.
I may be interupted now and again if the key changes or we do a different bit in the song. I'll let you know when.
There. Just did an improvised middle eight, walking the bass up to the octave. Cool, even if I say so myself.
So we turned up at the pub and the other band sharing the bill were starting their second set, late. The pub was pretty much empty. The weather, which turned nasty this evening… oh, wait, a tricky… stretch my fingers to get this run… there… where was I? The weather probably put a lot of people off. By the time we were ready to go on, the pub was actually empty.
Oh wait, end of song. Better look up at the rapturous applause. Yeah, thanks. Cool. I have to listen to what Stuart is saying to try and guess which song we're playing next. I know I have a set list, but that only hints at what we might be doing… what? What did he say? In what key? 'J'? My bass doesn't go up to J. Excuse me, reader, I have to fake a song in the key of J. Only Stuey…
… well, that worked, just.
We could have cancelled the gig. I remember one fabulous weekend a few years ago when Stuey and I, as a duo, were booked to play a three gigs over the weekend. We were going through a busy period and this was the norm. We turned up at the first gig on the Friday night, in a pub in a holiday resort, to find used nappies under the table a drug deal going on in the corner and no one else in the pub. Wait…
… That was close. They decided to end that song early and if I hadn't been paying attention, I'd be playing a solo now.
Anyway, the landlady told us that we wouldn't be starting to play until about 10.30 as that was when all the resort staff would finish for the night, and they would be the audience. We decided the money wasn't worth it and we didn't like the dodgy surroundings, so we walked out. The following night we were due to play in a pub in Carmarthen. When we got there, there was a disco in full flow and the manager said we'd have to use the disco PA and none of our gear. There was no room to set up and no sign of the disco stopping, and it would have been rubbish to use that gear, which wasn't up to it. So we walked out. We ended up in Llansteffan, eating chips on the sea front. The rock star lifestyle…
… here's one I haven't played before. Turn the volume down, smile, move my fingers around a bit. Nod my head in time with the bass drum…
On the Sunday, the gig was cancelled before we left the house. It was a welcome break in a period when we were playing a lot of gigs.We were dobled booked a few times when the Agent, who got a percentage of our take, failed to do his job properly. The rule for a doble booking was the first band to set up played, so we would race to a gig if we got a hint that there might be a problem.. tricky bit coming up… bom bom bommm… there… but double bookings were always frustrating.
Oh no. I missed what Stuey said. I don't know what we're playing. Again. I'll jut see if I can work out what Stuey is playing. Nope. Oh dear. It sounds like 'Teenage Kicks'. I'll play that one. No one will notice. 'Teenage kicks right through the night, alright. Da da da da dadadadaaaa!' Yeah, Thanks, awesome.
That's the first set over with. It went quite well.
(This post was brought to you by the imagination of Franticsmurf. His conscience would like it to be known that tonight's gig was cancelled due to lack of interest. Town was empty.)
No photos – below this are adverts that I don't personally recommend.


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How to stage changes one by one after review in git?
When working on your code there are some situations when you might have to push a simple fix or a piece a code. Normally, it is recommended to create a new fix branch from your master and push it back but some times we kind of go lazzy. In those movments I simply do the changes and add them one by one using the following command.


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CAP funds enabled an organic goats milk farm to enhance its market orientation by establishing a cheese production dairy.
CAP funds enabled an organic goats milk farm to enhance its market orientation by establishing a cheese production dairy.
CAP funds finance dairy development and product diversification in Poland.
Angelic Gardens (Anielskie Ogrody) is a forward-looking project that aims to create oases of biodiversity in farms and gardens. It shows that a small productive garden on a family farm can, with little effort, be beautiful and provide high quality bio food. Angelic Gardens leads the way in the times of pandemic and climate change with high quality 'step by step' educational materials and easy internet communication.
A non-productive investment for restoring farm stone walls brings multiple practical, environmental and heritage benefits.
Female entrepreneurs used RDP investment support to increase the production capacity of their juniper syrup-producing business.
A well-established food processor used investment support from the Estonian RDP to expand the range of baby food products it offers and thus maintain its dynamic growth.
A Slovakian company with a long history of manufacturing confectionery products benefited from Rural Development Programme support to modernise its equipment and production processes.
A small farm converted to organic vegetable production and in so doing successfully increased its competitiveness and profitability.
Support from the rural development programme was used to establish an innovative production of GMO-free soybean oil products of superior quality.
A historic Chateau was restored to its initial state and turned into one of the most modern wine-producing facilities in Slovakia.


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The Alexander Technique empowers people to change the underlying habits which are at the core of pain or reduced performance in their everyday activities. It works by improving the student's movement, balance and coordination. It enables students to re-learn the most effective and effortless way to move, stand, sit, and be in one's body. The Alexander Technique helps people discover a new balance of mind and body by releasing unnecessary tension and improving performance in every activity. It can be applied to sitting, lying down, standing, walking, lifting, and everything else we do each day.
Alexander technique teachers are called teachers because they teach a skill rather than give a treatment. The technique has a therapeutic component but the main aim of the teacher using their hands is to guide the student in order that they may learn more quickly. The result is that the student learns skills they can take into their daily life and become independent of the teacher.


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Taking Public Transportation May Be a Fast-Track to Better Health
Ditch the car and pick up a bus pass.
Sick of sitting behind the wheel in rush hour traffic all the time? Well, there's no better time to start taking the bus or riding the train, according to a new study just presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions on November 8.
The study charted the health and commuting habits of 5,908 adults in Osaka, Japan. The different types of transportation taken by participants included driving cars, taking the bus or train, and walking or cycling to work.
Researchers at the Moriguchi City Health Examination Center checked in on participants' likelihood of obesity, diabetes, and blood pressure in relation to what kind of transportation they used to get to work each day. The average age of the participants was between 49 and 54 years old.
In comparison to people who drive to work every day, the folks taking public transportation were 44 percent less likely to be overweight, 34 percent less likely to have diabetes, and 27 percent less likely to have high blood pressure.
We'll assume not having to deal with road rage and traffic jams all the time might be one reason fewer bus/train commuters had high blood pressure. Plus, the necessity of walking to their bus or train stops adds to the amount of daily exercise these commuters get. However, it should be noted that the driving group was comprised mostly of men, whereas women were more likely to use public transportation, walk, or cycle to work.
But what's really surprising is that the folks taking public transportation were also healthier than the people in the study that walked or biked to work.
Why's that? The study's lead author and the director of the Moriguchi's health center Hisako Tsuji notes: "If it takes longer than 20 minutes one-way to commute by walking or cycling, many people seem to take public transportation or a car in urban areas of Japan." This makes sense — especially in an environment that tends to get chilly, snowy winters. Additionally, the walking and cycling group may not have been traveling as far to get to work as the public transport group walked to get to their respective bus or train stops.
So what does this mean for American commuters?
According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey results, most American commuters took cars to work with 76.4 percent driving alone and another 9.4 percent carpooling. Only 5.2 percent of people took public transport and there were even fewer walkers (2.8 percent) and cyclists (0.6 percent).
That means almost 86 percent of Americans surveyed were driving to work, which means there's a huge chunk of the population that may be at higher risk for obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure… all of which may be even more exaggerated in the U.S. than Japan as Tsuji threw shade noted: "Physical activity may be more effective at reducing diabetes among [the Japanese] population than it is among a Western population." (Ouch.)
However, it appears that Americans are slowly accepting public transportation as a viable, easy, and cost-effective way to get to where they're going. According to the American Public Transportation Association, there were a record 10.7 billion trips taken on American public transportation in 2013, which is the highest ridership of public transport in nearly six decades. With more train systems being built, bus routes being streamlined, and an emphasis being put on conserving resources, it looks like commuting via public transportation (and potentially boosting our health levels) is becoming easier each year.
However, the researchers in Osaka are careful to note that there's no real way to tell whether better health among public transport takers is a chicken-egg situation. Were the public transportation takers healthier in general or did they become healthier because they were taking public transport?
Regardless, we're looking for our bus passes right about now…


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Blogging, oh blogging. Why have I neglected you for so long?
Actually, I can answer that pretty easily: I moved.
For a little while, I lived in a town north of here, and it took 15 minutes to get to the farm. That doesn't sound like much for any other job commute, but for the way I like to work, it was a lot of driving. I'd go to chores, go home, eat breakfast, go work on the farm again, go home. Most days, I'd just pack up everything I needed and worked online at my parents' house. (I stayed disconnected at my old house.)
But then, a house opened up close to my family and the farm, so I moved back down here.
And I got Internet.
I've been here for nearly two months, and the front rooms are now mostly organized, so I'm now back to the point where I can have a more consistent schedule in blogging and writing
Here's what's happened since I last wrote:
- I celebrated one year of being home
- The chickens molted.
- The chickens started laying eggs again.
- My cousins opened a Christmas tree farm in our small town.
- The farrier trimmed the horses' hooves.
- One filly developed a cow kick (kicking to the side and front instead of to the back). This means walking with her is difficult sometimes, especially if she is impatient to reach her food.
- It snowed!
I like snow.
I've also been enjoying Christmas music. This is a nice time of year, and it's nice to listen to melodic music.
Here are some questions I've been pondering lately:
- What do readers look for in a good book?
- With the constant work flow of farming, why does this occupation often require that farmers still find second or third incomes? I just finished The Yorkshire Shepherdess by Amanda Owen and am currently reading The Shepherd's Life by James Rebanks. Both books take place in England. They both discuss how farmers throughout the centuries have had to seek second incomes to make ends meet, whether that was working in the coal mines, knitting socks, or hiring out as sheep shearers. The same thing happens in the U.S.
- How do we as farmers share with customers the economics of farming, show that a large farm can still care for animals and the soil, and demonstrate that the ideal of a small farm may not work sometimes?
- What is the "paradox of plenty" and how can it be beaten in impoverished rural areas? (I've especially been thinking about this in the context of a podcast with Chris Hayes and Eliza Griswold about rural life amidst fracking in Pennsylvania. One of the most interesting pieces in the conversation discussed the history of why there is a divide between urban and rural areas. She also mentions briefly the second income of farmers.) I've been working on my Wendell Berry posts, and all of this ties in.
These are questions that would require books to explore fully, it seems. Internet articles would not do these subjects justice.
On farmers and income: there are many different ways to farm, and a lot of the factors of needing a second job have to do with economics, the type of farm, and the way the business is run. I know full-time farmers with large operations, and I know full-time farmers that manage small operations. It's possible to make it work. Lately, I've been trying to think of professions where a second job is needed to make ends meet, and I've come up with farmers and teachers. What others?
What are your thoughts on these?
Enjoy the snow! And the chickens say hello.


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Jose Mourinho, the Special One is very much proud of his current team after the victory against his former club. He is so much happy and overwhelmed and that was reflected when he faced the media in the post match press conference. The Red Devils didn't only secure a crucial 2-0 home victory but also took the sweet revenge against the Blues of conceding two previous defeats against the very same opposition in the previous two meetings in the season. The Portuguese applauds his players' efforts against the All Blues and didn't forget to express his pride and satisfaction after a brilliant football display.
Manchester United were at the top of their football against their league rivals and showed some superb football displays to get a vital victory over the league leaders. It is their 2nd victory on the trot and they are now consecutive 22 matches unbeaten in the top tier competition of English football which is quite impressive. It is also the 2nd downfall in the last 5 EPL matches for the table toppers. United are currently at the 5th position in the ladder and are closing towards their desired 4th place and just 4 points behind than their city rivals Man City with a game in hand.
The 54 years old manager thinks that his side totally controlled Chelsea during that 2-0 victory and adds that they have executed their plans very well. The former Real Madrid boss didn't skimp at all to label Chelsea team full of fantastic players and appreciated his players as they have done an amazing job which has kept their hopes alive to finish inside top 4. The Special One is keen as always and indicates that they won't give up the EPL battle for the top 4 place until it's mathematically impossible and they will fight with their heart and that's some kinda spirit everyone expects from their head coach.
Former Inter Milan trainer regrets remembering the FA Cup downfall against the same opposition as the Setubal born manager thinks that they would have won that FA Cup clash as well if they had all the 11 players as like as Conte's side. The power of having an extra man, made the Blues dominant on that occasion but this time the complexion was different and the hosts proved to be the better side than their counter parts. The Portuguese also indicates that they're currently looking to win the UEFA Europa League trophy along with a Champions League spot for the next season.


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Watch Now: Climate Depot's Morano on Fox News on legislating the weather: 'Climate activists think we need more taxes & regulation to somehow stop bad weather'
Morano: 'Mayor Bloomberg said we need to take immediate action to prevent bad weather. This has now reached the level of the Mayan Calendar and Nostradamus. The NYT has picture of stature of liberty underwater and warming of the end times. This is not science, this is the doomsday stuff of the Mayan calendar and we have no business masquerading it as science'
Watch full Morano interview on 'Your World w/ Cavuto' on Fox News here.
Selected excerpts from November 26, 2012:
Morano: "Climate activists think we need more taxes & regulation to somehow stop bad weather…Mayor Bloomberg said we need to take immediate action to prevent bad weather. This has now reached the level of the Mayan Calendar and Nostradamus.
The NYT has picture of stature of liberty underwater and warming of the end times. This is not science, this is the doomsday stuff of the Mayan calendar and we have no business masquerading it as science. When I was in U.S. Senate Environment & Public Works Committee, I got to go to Bali, S. America, Africa, My r/t ticket to Kenya in 2006 was $16,000 business class. The UN likes exotic locals…
To use Hurricane Sandy as the poster child for global warming — as the UN and Gore are now doing –makes as little sense as you can possibly imagine. We have gone longest period since the Civil War without a major cat 3 or larger hurricane to hit the U.S. If anything, global warming would prevent — at least Atlantic hurricanes — from making landfall.
The World Meteorological Organization said there is no evidence of a human footprint in hurricane activity. For warmists to pick hurricanes as a poster child means they are completely devoid of science. Obama said Americans can 'do something' about floods, hurricanes, droughts tornadoes, as though, you can at the ballot box, you vote yourself better weather. They are implying we can legislate better weather."
End Morano Fox News excerpts.
Watch Full Interview with Climate Depot's Marc Morano on Fox News Cavuto here.
Background reading on Hurricanes and extreme weather and global warming:
Global warming activists wished for severe storms!
Death Wish 2009: Nobel-Winner Who 'Wished' for 'tornadoes' and 'a lot of horrid things' to convince Americans of climate threat! — Economist Thomas Schelling: 'You have to find ways to exaggerate the threat'
DEATH WISH 2010: Warmist Michael Tomasky admits he's cheering for more natural disasters to convince people of man-made global warming! –'I confess morally unsupportable position of cheering for a certain amount of calamity, the better to put the crisis in stark relief, but hopefully not too much calamity, lest many die'
Warmist David Attenborough openly hoping for a disaster to hit North America: Asked what was needed to wake people up to [AGW]: 'Disaster. It's a terrible thing to say, isn't it?' — 'Even disaster doesn't do it. There have been disasters in North America, with hurricanes and floods, yet still people deny and say 'oh, it has nothing to do with climate change.' It visibly has got [something] to do with climate change'
Science on Hurricanes & Global Warming:
Climatologist Dr. Judith Curry: 'Arguably in terms of Atlantic hurricanes, the warming is resulting in fewer U.S. landfalls'
Prof. Roger Pielke Jr.: 'Remarkably, the U.S. is currently experiencing the longest-ever recorded period with no strikes of a Category 3 or stronger hurricane'
Martin Hoerling of NOAA on Sandy: 'As to underlying causes, neither the frequency of tropical or extratropical cyclones over N. Atlantic are projected to appreciably change due to climate change'
NOAA scientist Martin Hoerling debunks notion that warmer than average ocean temps made Sandy stronger — Hoerling: 'The unusually warm waters off Eastern Seaboard were however in areas where the background temperature is like 60 degrees Fahrenheit. So adding a few degrees Fahrenheit at that cool water temperature doesn't matter too much for the intensity of a hurricane'
Scientists reject Sandy/Climate Link — Warmists Go Full 'Tabloid Climatology' & Claim Sandy Speaks!
Hurricane Facts: 'According to NOAA, they have been on decline in US since the beginning of records in 19th century. The worst decade for major (category 3,4,5) hurricanes was 1940s'
Meteorologist Joe Bastardi: 'Was It Global Warming When Stronger Hurricanes Hit the East Coast in the 1950s?' — 'Sandy is well within the realm of what nature can, and in reality, should do, especially given the cycle we are in, which is very similar to the 1950s (cooling Pacific, with a still warm Atlantic).
New York Times Joins The Mayans: Paper goes full superstition asks 'Is This the End?' — 'There had been warnings. In 2009, New York City Panel on Climate Change issued a prophetic report'
NY Times Warns On Climate Change: 'Fear Death By Water', Rising Seas Likely To Swallow Up City If We Don't Act Soon — Reaction: Mayan prophets agreed with NYT! — We were warned!
We have heard it all before! 1950 Shock News: 'The world's weather is just crazy' — Strange Atmospheric Events Causing Floods, Droughts, Polar Melting, Global Warming — In 2012, NASA's James Hansen – 'says that 350 ppm CO2 would stabilize the climate, because he has absolutely no idea what he is talking about'
Pavlov's Dogs: 'Pavlov demonstrated that it is possible to create very strong associations between things that have no relationship to each other' — 'Climate scientists have done the same thing, connecting weather to taxes. A hurricane tells the New York mayor that we need more taxes. Every weather event convinces Bill McKibben that we need more taxes. California and Australia officially associate weather and taxes'
Meteorologist Tim Kelley: 'Sandy is not an unprecedented storm. The 1938 hurricane was worse, and was followed by major hurricanes in 1944 & 1954. Three major hurricanes in 16 years. We are fortunate to have gone nearly 60 years without a comparable storm here in the northeast'
A paper came out in 2010 in Nature Geoscience. It was authored by a working group established by the World Meteorological Org.: 'After studying past and present hurricane data they did not conclusively find any detectable human influence on hurricane activity.'
Tornadoes: Climatologist: 'There has been a downward trend in strong (F3) to violent (F5) tornadoes in U.S. since 1950s' — 'Warming causes fewer strong tornadoes, not more'
Drought: Study: Drought Trends, Estimates Possibly Overstated Due To Inaccurate Science — Study 'suggests that there has been little change in drought over the past 60 years'
Floods: Prof. Pielke Jr. : 'Are US Floods Increasing? The Answer is Still No' — 'A new paper out today shows flooding has not increased in U.S. over records of 85 to 127 years' –
Federal study finds no evidence that climate change caused more severe flooding during last century! — Inconvenient Reality: U.S. Geological Survey finds in some regions 'floods become LESS SEVERE as greenhouse gas emissions have increased'
Some people in the New York area face 168 straight involuntary Earth Hours — Sandy leaves 'Millions Without Power Across Tri-State Area'
NYC Mayor Bloomberg: 'Our climate is changing. And while the increase in extreme weather…may or may not be the result of it, the risk that it might be — given this week's devastation — should compel all elected leaders to take immediate action'
Climate Depot Response to Bloomberg: 'Wow. How persuasive. Let's legislate storms and weather! How simple. At least Bloomberg may start worrying less about the size of sodas in NYC restaurants!'
Global warming not making weather wackier: 'The weather was wilder and weirder in the past than it is today' – – 'back when CO2 was below 350 ppm' — 'People are claiming there are more disasters now. That's crazy. The weather was terrible in the past, back when CO2 was below 350ppm' – 'Climate was never safe. You had horrific fires, droughts, floods, heat waves — it hasn't gotten any worse with the CO2 increase'
We have heard it all before! 1950 Shock News: 'The world's weather is just crazy' — Strange Atmospheric Events Causing Floods, Droughts, Polar Melting, Global Warming


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Firewall is an interactive media installation that allows the audience to create amazing visuals and music by touching a stretched sheet of spandex membrane, which acts as a membrane interface sensitive to depth and pressure.
All posts for the month February, 2013
The artist INSA thought the relationship between art online and offline could work better and set out to create paintings that were static in the real-world but were moving images when viewed online. He did this by painting layer upon layer, photographing the changes in order, and then stringing the pictures together into a sequence and played on a loop in an animated GIF file.
Via: Mashable
Displair, a start-up from Russia which recently showcased its new technology at CES 2013, is basically an interactive air screen that displays any image you like in mid-air. It's powered by a multi-touch, optical system that makes it possible to control the image in the air by gestures only.
Via: Geekologie
Sonic Notify is a short range communication package that connects consumers with relevant location specific content (termed 'proximity media'), using audio signals that communicate with smartphones. Speakers are used to send the signal and can cover wide ranges depending on the strength of the speaker used. Content, for example, could include special offers from products located in supermarkets.
Via: Sonic Notify
Wi-Fi robots were fitted with a wireless receiver enabling them to receive messages from a server, movements captured by the user's webcam were translated into commands and relayed directly to the robot, and then Skittles were attached to each of the robots via magnets, making it seem that the Skittle was moving on its own. Users could log in via Facebook and control their allocated Skittle with their eye movements in real-time via their webcam. Certain eye movements also triggered 'special events' to show up on screen.
Via: Fast Company


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Dental Lab Wet Model Trimmer Gypsum Abrasive Trimming Grinder Disc Wheel Arch
- Brand: Dentalsalemall
- Availability: In Stock
- 5% OFF on Total Order Amount!
- Enjoy Discount at Checkout!
- Valid Till March 30th, 2023
- Note:No coupon code needed, please place order directly!
Our Price:$558.99
Dental Lab Wet Model Trimmer Gypsum Abrasive Trimming Grinder Disc Wheel Arch
1 .Work platform have three types for adjustable which used by
platform adjustment screw.
2 .When you need change sand, should lossen the left side of back
cover ,and use wrench gland shield machine, remove it for replacement .
The back and bottom: Power socket on the right of motor cover,power
switch on the right side of cover back. The water pipe interface on
the back cover of Pipe interface.
Sand diameter is 254m/m; Sand sheet aperture is 25.4m/m; Diamond and millstone both Ok.
1.When you open carton, please check machine and accessory all
completely ,and ready instructions before use machine.
2.Firstly, put machine on the flat table.
3.Let one side of pipe connect to the faucet, turn on the water valve.
4.Let sewage drain pipe connect to the outlet pipe mouth which at the
bottom of electric cover, just stretch expansion pipe.
5.Please insert the plug of power, and then press on the switch .
this model trimmer machine adopt the no-load brake (quick
stop sand idling ). When power is off , sand have a noise of
"CHA" is normal before stop .
6.If you found some rotating ring or abnormal sound during use it.
Please remove the sand sheet, use allen key into the middle of gap,
tighten the screw, then continue to work, this point should be pay
more attention to it during daily work time.
7.After change new sand. Look for a hard flat bar in platform plane.
( let sand as close as possible of plane. At this time ,turn the sand
by hand and visual ,if the plane greater than 2m/m, it is prohibited to
use . replacing the beat plane less than 2m/m .
Package Included:
1*main body
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Buy china dental equipment online at dentalsalemall.com with the high-quality and affordable price!
Order with confirmed payment will be shipped out in 2 business days and 3-4 business days for order placed on weekends. Delivery time may vary depends on the destination and the shipping service you choose.
Shipping Cost:
We provide the fast free shipping over $49. If your order amount is less than $49, we will charge $9.9 as shipping cost.
Shipping Methods:
1)Our shipping methods contains: DHL, UPS, EMS, TNT and FedEx, as well as China Post.
We will use international Express Shipping Service and the standard shipping.
1. The standard shipping way: we will ship the item by China Post, the estimated delivery time will be 7-10 business days to US, UK, AU, CA and DE; to other country, it will take 10-15 business days.
2. The Express shipping way: we will ship it by DHL, FEDEX, UPS, USPS.
The delivery takes 3-7 business days to UK, USA, AU and CA. It takes 5-10 business days to other countries.
Note: We will choose the optimal shipping method according to the size and weight. If you need it urgently, you can contact us to ship with Express Shipping.
1. Please check the package first before you sign for the package. If the package has any damage, please file a claim on your local shipping company. thanks for your cooperation
2. Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. Please check with your country's customs office about these additional costs before bidding or buying.


text:
Find the most suitable editor for your language editing requirement
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text:
Group Travel and Meetings
The Spencer County Visitors Bureau is happy to assist tour operators, meeting planners, event coordinators, etc., interested in bringing a group of 15+ to the area. You'll find several reasons as to why the region Abraham Lincoln grew up in is the perfect destination for group travel, meetings, and events.
Below is a sample of the various areas we can help with, and a full list of local facilities and venues, but don't hesitate to send any specific requests that aren't included.
- Bringing a family reunion or small group to the region where Lincoln spent 14 years?
For local, group-friendly attractions, lodging, and restaurants, click here!
- Are you looking to host a small meeting in this historic area?
Explore trip ideas for various excursions before/after your meeting, including activities, spots for sweets, dining, and more in the Santa Claus region here!
- If you're looking to host a small meeting in the area where Abraham Lincoln spent 14 years, check out venues and more here.
Family Reunions
Family Reunions
Enjoy multiple days of family fun with a variety of accommodations to choose from and activities to keep groups busy from sun up to sun down.
Historical Destination
Historical Destination
Step back in time and witness history at a replica of Abe Lincoln's boyhood home. Learn about Lincoln's childhood and our country's history at local museums and sites.
Outdoor Recreation
Outdoor Recreation
Walk through the trails that Abraham Lincoln walked as a boy or take the group on a horseback riding adventure. Stop to take in the beauty of the Saint Meinrad Archabbey, one of only two archabbeys in the United States.
Celebrate Holidays
Celebrate Holidays
Believers of all ages can wander through Christmas-themed attractions, just five minutes from Lincoln State Park and Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial.
Browse a full list of local meeting facilities and event venues with location details, contact information, amenities, and more. Contact Ally with any general questions.
Promotional Materials
We can provide digital photos of attractions and the destination to help promote the tour. These can be sent via email or postal mail on a CD/DVD or USB. B-roll, video interviews, and promotional videos are also pieces we can provide. Need help explaining the tour you're planning? We can assist you with promotional text and details for material pertaining to scheduled county tours.
Guide Services
We're known for friendliness in the Midwest and are happy to step on the bus to deliver a warm welcome or greet your group at a reception. If your group would like to learn on the go, we can ride along throughout the local tour to give fun facts and info between stops. FAM Tours offer the opportunity for a tour operator to familiarize themselves with the attractions and destination to better sell the experience to their audience. In order to qualify for a FAM tour the following apply:
- Tour operator must plan to bring a group of 20+ to stay overnight at local accommodation.
- All FAM tours need to be approved by Spencer County Visitors Bureau Executive Director.
Rooms to stay in
Places to eat
Places for fun and games
"I believe travelers of all ages would enjoy visiting Spencer County, Indiana. Even if you are not into Christmas or theme parks, you may enjoy visiting Abraham Lincoln's Indiana Boyhood Home or the Saint Meinrad Archabbey, both just minutes away from Santa Claus."
- Backroad Planet


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Update on Spanish Politics – by Michael Tangeman
In Kevin's absence, Michael Tangeman kindly accepted the invitation to comment on the current state of Spanish Politics, in particular on the situation in Cataluña.
The governing CDC party of Cataluña, under ArturMas, continues to push for independence with its Junts pel Sí ('Together for Yes') coalition partner, the ERC party. On 9 November, the 62 deputies of the Junts pel Sí coalition in the Catalan Parliament joined with 10 deputies from the small anti-capitalist and Euro-sceptic CUP party to pass an Independence Resolution, giving the regional parliament 30 days to draft a new Catalan Constitution and new laws to completely take over the Healthcare and Taxation functions reserved for the Spanish central government. The resolution also mandated that Catalan authorities must only obey laws passed by the regional government and ignore any rulings by Spain's highest constitutional court, the Tribunal Constitutional. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, leader of the governing PP, vowed to overrule the resolution either by seeking an injunction from the Tribunal Constitutional or even to use the Spanish State to issue an order against seditious activity.
Because Mas and his Junts pel Sí coalition do not have the 68 parliamentary votes necessary for an overall majority, he meanwhile has been attempting a deal with the CUP to get the necessary votes for him to be reinstated as Cataluña's President. In recent months, Mas and his conservative CDC party have been wrapping themselves in the Catalan independence flag to divert attention from alleged corruption within party and taking the opportunity to blame unpopular cuts to public spending on the central government — though many of those cuts were initiated with vigor by Mas and the CDC, even prior to the PP coming to power in Madrid. Rajoy is using the current situation in Cataluña to make the sovereignty of Spain a major platform for upcoming 20 December general elections and has invited the PSOE and Spain's new parties, Podemos and Ciudadanos, to make this an issue of solidarity for all Spaniards, summoning leaders of all three parties and others to publicly meet with him on the issue.
PSOE leader Pedro Sanchez organized a pan-regional summit of PSOE leaders to show the PSOE stands united against Catalan secessionism, while trying to place some distance between the PSOE and Rajoy's attempt to assert PP leadership on the issue in the election run-up. In the most recent national poll, the PP was still in the lead, with PSOE trailing by 4-5 percentage points, followed by the new center-right Ciudadanos party; Podemos has slid sharply in the polls and was in fourth place. The PP is looking strong going into the 20 December election, but most analysts say the PSOE still has a chance to unseat the PP through a coalition government, most likely with Ciudadanos but also possibly with Podemos.


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Oh y'know… just posting this music video on this #TuneTuesday because… important.
Surprisingly, The Replacements originally released this song in 1984. Almost 30 years later we're still giving people shit for trying to do and be who and what they want… Anyway, here's a video that was released on Friday featuring Miley, Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! and Joan Jett rocking out for Miley's new campaign, The Happy Hippie Foundation, aimed to support our homeless youth. Rock on, you beautiful, lovely ladies, you.


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Wateree Elementary School
We are a Title One School-wide Program School
Phone: (803) 438-8018 ext: 8208
Degrees and Certifications:
Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education: Columbia College Master's Degree in Instructional Accomodations: Francis Marion University 2013-2014 Wateree Elementary School Reading Teacher of the Year
Mrs. Joni Baker
I graduated from Columbia College where I received my bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education. I also have a master's degree, from Francis Marion University, in Instructional Accommodations. This is my 19th year teaching. I have been fortunate to teach in Kershaw County School District for the past 17 years. I was honored to be recognized as the 2013-2014 Wateree Elementary School Reading Teacher of the Year. My husband and I live in Kershaw County. We have two children. Brent is 19 years old, and graduated from Lugoff Elgin High School. Colden is 15 years old and is in the 9th grade. I am looking forward to an exciting school year!


text:
Oftentimes it can be convenient to merge different PDF documents in order to get a single, continuous document that can be easily sent via mail for review or correction.
If one has just a few documents, this can be done directly through the Preview.app application on the Mac, but for more documents (or when we want to repeat the merge many times) a command-line application can be very convenient.
On Linux, or on the Mac, poppler is the kind of set of tools that makes the trick (you can install it with Homebrew on the Mac).
In particular, you will find that the package includes a program called
pdfunite. Its usage is straightforward:
pdfunite file_in_a.pdf file_in_b.pdf file_in_c.pdf fileout.pdf


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Challock Chilli & Craft Fest – 27 & 28 September 2014
It's that time of year here at the nursery where we go Chilli mad! Earlier in the year we decided we just didn't grow enough varieties of Chilli – so we doubled the size of our growing house and more than doubled the number of varieties we are growing. We've had an excellent fruit set this year and they've hotted up more than nicely!
So if you'd care to come and taste over 70 varieties from the cool to the blistering do pop along and see us this weekend (27th & 28th September) – we'll have every variety on taste test and would very much appreciate your help in voting for which of the varieties we have trialled this year that you'd like us to add to our listings. Along with the Chillies, there will also be more than 20 Craft and Food Stalls – all of which will have at least one Chilli based item on sale (food or craft). Full information can be found at Challock Chilli Fest
We'd love to see as many of our gardening friends as possible but for those who can't make it we'll be tweeting on the day using the hashtag #ChallockChilliFest (you can find us on Twitter @Victoriana_NG) – and of course we'll feature it in next month's video clip
20% Off All Fruit
Autumn is creeping up on us now and it wont be long until we're lifting fruit trees and bushes. If you're planning on planting Fruit this Autumn and Winter, get your order in now with us and receive a 20% discount simply by using the offer code OCT14. So take a look at our range of Tree Fruit & Soft Fruit now – but be quick as the offer is only valid until the 31 October 2014!
Happy Gardening!
All At Victoriana


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We all have an ego, but Eckhart Tolle's book The Power of Now changed my life and I believe it can change yours. Our ego always wants to be associated with the past and the future whereas its ultimate enemy is the present. It is always trying to want more with future ambitions or think of the past. The ego is never happy, and our first step is to be aware of the ego, acknowledge that you are not the voice/the thinker but the one who is aware of it. Simply put, Tolle says, "knowing yourself as the awareness behind the voice is freedom."
The second step is to feel 100% in the present moment starting with the air you breathe, your physical form, and give everything to creating the best possible moment. Our mind is always trying to conclude and interpret, so when one becomes at ease with not knowing, you are going beyond the mind – says the acclaimed author.
The third step is surrender to the now, if you have trouble doing so just look at nature – how a flower or a tree adapts to the changing climate via the seasons. Surrender only arrives when you no longer ask "Why is this happening to me?"
To conclude, our ego is hungry for the past and eager for the future so the only way we can defeat it is by living in the present.


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Before long, more Queen's Guards came pouring into the Dauntless, their red uniforms and gleaming brass buttons at odds with their stern countenances. They quickly found Tycho Brahe, although their first attempt to approach was met by a stern glare from Watson.
"Keep back!" he commanded, his respect for authority momentarily buried beneath the physician's natural protectiveness. "He's severely injured and unconscious, and doesn't need you lot crowding around him!"
The harsh tone of his voice made the men pause. They didn't back down, but instead remained in a standoff as they looked back at Watson, perhaps waiting for some order to come through from a superior.
Less than a minute later, that superior officer arrived, strolling in casually on light feet and looking around like he'd entered a rather dusty and unclean antique shop. Short, his head barely reaching Watson's shoulders, he still carried an unmistakable air of command.
He was, to be frank, not at all what Watson had expected.
As soon as the officer's eyes fell upon Brahe's prostrate form, he turned around, leaning out through the still-open front hatch and barking commands to invisible underlings. Several other men soon pushed their way into the already-crowded cabin, bearing a stretcher between them. With Watson presiding over each step like a worried mother hen, the men transferred Brahe to the stretcher and carried him carefully out.
The officer, however, remained behind, now turning to Watson and holding out a hand to prevent him from following after Brahe.
"And you must be the intrepid doctor," he commented, turning to Watson with a small, wry smile darting across his lips. "Your name, sir?"
"Watson, Thomas Watson," the man of that name replied, accepting the offered hand. "There was a yell for a doctor, and I happened to be nearby, watching the landing. I came forward."
"And what did you find?" asked the officer, standing in the midst of the Dauntless's wrecked cabin as if the sight was completely normal.
Watson exhaled, looking around. "Well, all of this!" he expectorated, gesturing. "Burn marks, wreckage everywhere, and Brahe lay on this makeshift pallet over here. He moaned, and I rushed to attend to his wounds."
"And those wounds, in your professional opinion?"
Watson paused, composing his thoughts. "Severe burns covering approximately seventy percent of the area of the left leg," he stated. "Burns ranged from first degree up to high second degree, and blackening indicates that they came from brief exposure to an intense but short-lived fire."
"And how long ago did these burns occur?" asked the officer – Watson realized that he hadn't gotten the man's name.
Watson remembered the appearance of the burns. "Very recently. Less than a week ago, perhaps three or four days."
The man nodded. "I see." He paused, fixing Watson with a flat stare that seemed to peel back layers of the doctor's skin.
After a moment, pinned by that stare like a butterfly beneath a pin, Watson fidgeted and looked back at the exit from the Dauntless. "Is anything further needed from me?" he asked, suddenly itching to get outside.
The officer sighed. "I'm afraid so," he said sadly, shaking his head back and forth. "My name is Yeoman James, and I need to ask you, Dr. Watson, to come with me."
"What? I'm not connected with this-"
"But you are, Doctor," Yeoman James sighed. "You are now."
Watson's shoulders slumped, but he couldn't muster up the energy to argue; the adrenalin that had flowed through his veins was gone, leaving him drained. He followed after the short, muscular little figure of Yeoman James, leaving the Dauntless behind under the watchful eyes of at least a dozen more guards.
The story, however, couldn't be contained. Within the hour, broadsides littered the London streets, proclaiming in massive letters that Balloon Day ended in disaster, filled with apocalyptic warnings about what horrors might be lurking on Luna, ready to sweep down and devour housewives and young children in their beds. By the time the sun set, the departing outline of Luna still large in the sky, much of the populace hovered on the verge of panic.
Inside the stately palace halls of Richmond Place, however, the panic took on a chill, brittle edge. Watson felt the cold touch of that fear like a razor's blade, pressing in against his neck as he followed after Yeoman James.
"Where are we going?" he asked, finally, after half a dozen turns inside the huge palace left him hopelessly lost.
"Here," the officer replied simply, pushing open a set of double doors.
Watson followed after him, and found himself standing in a huge library, an absolutely massive redwood table standing in the center and covered with an assortment of maps, globes, markers, and other assorted objects. Several men stood in small groups around the huge table, talking quietly to each other. Watson didn't recognize any of the faces, but they looked strong and important, nobility and gentlemen of means. Several carried themselves with a bearing that Watson recognized from his own military background. The bullet twinged in his leg.
"What is this?" he asked, as Yeoman James stepped forward and clapped his hands on the table. The other men stopped talking, turning to look at the officer.
"This," James announced, his voice carrying through the large chamber and easily audible to everyone, "is a council of war."
And then, from the other side of the chamber, a haggard face stepped forward. Watson took an involuntary step back as he recognized Walter Raleigh, the first to come off of the Dauntless and, at this point, the only one capable of speaking about the events on Luna.
"No," he countered. His voice was raw and his features gaunt, but his tone carried iron strength, steel determination.
"This is not a council of war. This is a rescue mission."
The room was silent. Watson finally cleared his throat. "A rescue of whom?" he asked.
Raleigh turned that thousand-yard gaze on him, his eyes glinting like a hawk's. "A rescue mission," he repeated, "to bring back Francis Drake."


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Hi Friends,
On January 24th the Senate will vote on their version of the internet censorship bill SOPA. This is our best chance to kill the internet censorship bill. The problem? We need 41 Senators to agree not to rush a vote, and right now we've got 2. That's why we're asking you to take an unusual step: We need you to request an in-person meeting with your Senators.
Can you ask for an in-person meeting with your Senators? Click here to get started.
Most Senators are home right now for the January recess. And most--even those who've signed on as cosponsors--do not understand these bills and the terrible consequences they'll have for the internet, the economy, and free speech. If they're blindsided by the strength and clarity of our objections, we can bring them over to our side. The future of the internet depends on it.
If you do get a meeting you won't be alone-- post it to the forums and we'll organize others to join you. We can also provide materials and help with preparation. Leading up to the vote we'll also be swarming townhall meetings and public appearances, as they're announced. But right now, we need to set up these in-person meetings. Please, click here to ask for a meeting. We've got your back. We've taken the time to ask each Senator's office the best way to request a meeting. But we need you to take the plunge-- it'll only take a few minutes. After you set up your meeting, be sure to share information on the forums. Did you get a date and time for a meeting? Did you learn any other information that will be useful for others trying to set up a meeting? If you can take on an organizing role, say so. And please, stay active and keep spreading the word about the need to meet your Senator. There is an absolute firestorm of news and energy around stopping SOPA/PIPA on the internet, but it's not always visible to Senators and their staff. Be visible. Schedule a meeting. This is our best chance to stop SOPA, and it could be our last. Thanks for everything you do this month, --Holmes, Tiffiniy, Donny
P.S. The Reddit community has been an anti-SOPA firestorm. These meetings are our best hope for beating SOPA, and we think Reddit needs to know about it. If you agree, help us spread the word on Reddit.
P.P.S. Please use these links to ask your friends to help fill up your local events too. Everyone needs to know the game plan: schedule meetings, and swarm townhalls.
You need to be a member of Ashtar Command - Spiritual Community to add comments!


text:
This article is in the Product Showcase section for our sponsors at CodeProject. These articles are intended to provide you with information on products and services that we consider useful and of value to developers.
It can be a time-consuming and often frustrating task to provision all development, test and delivery environments, such as UAT, pre-production and so on, with the latest copy of the production database, or with "production-like" data. Moving large databases around takes time, and there are inevitably painful issues to resolve around disk space, database configuration, permissions and more.
I'll describe how a new tool from Redgate, SQL Clone, can remove much of this pain. I'll demonstrate a nightly provisioning job, in PowerShell, that will make multiple copies of a database available for non-production environments, with data as of the nightly backup. SQL Clone allows us to create a 'data image' from a database or backup, and then reuse that data image many times, delivering database clones to multiple SQL Server instances in a matter of seconds, and using only a few megabytes of disk space for each clone. From SQL Server's perspective, a clone is just a normal database, and we can query and update the clone just as any other database, with any changes isolated in a local differencing file.
For more information and to download a trial, head over to the SQL Clone product page.
Increasingly, developers expect to be able to run scripts to make available, reliably and predictably, all required database and application resources. This includes the ability to develop and test against production-like data, in databases installed in a production-like environment. It means they can perform realistic load, integration and acceptance testing as early as possible, and see the true impact their changes are likely to have, and can reproduce quickly the production conditions required to diagnose bugs and implement hotfixes.
However, databases are unlike other resources; they are by definition mutable, so only really exist as of a given point in time; they are large, averaging around 100GB according to our latest survey; they have to be mounted or attached to a database management system; the commands required to make them available in the application context are complex and specific.
The pains of database provisioning are all too familiar, the disk space juggling, the endless ad hoc requests for an environment 'refresh'. I've experienced first-hand the frustration of waiting for backups to restore to a shared development database, and then getting in each other's way when making changes, and having to request a new restore in order to revert to the baseline.
And yet, just how hard can it be to automate this task? In fact, creating a solution that will copy down a large database to any environment, and make it available in correct configuration, is trickier than you might think.
Let's have a look behind the curtain. As a DBA working with a software team, I'll start from a familiar place, my existing database backup maintenance plan in SSMS:
Surely all I need to do is reverse the process, restore the backup and run an integrity check, but this time do it in a way that can be scheduled, or run on demand?
Back to the maintenance wizard, but there doesn't seem to be an option for restoring the database:
No problem, I'm pretty sure I'll need to write a script anyway. I'll just use the Restore Database wizard, then hit the Script button to get my starting point.
This gives me the following block of T-SQL:
USE [master]
RESTORE DATABASE [Forex-Copy] FROM DISK = N'E:\SQL\MSSQL12.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Backup\Forex_backup_2017_02_20_092655_6408207.bak' WITH FILE = 1,
MOVE N'Forex' TO N'E:\SQL\MSSQL12.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\Forex-Copy.mdf',
MOVE N'Forex_log' TO N'E:\SQL\MSSQL12.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\Forex-Copy_log.ldf'
So, RESTORE DATABASE x FROM DISK= ' … '. Ah, my files have timestamps. No matter, I'll put together some PowerShell to query the backup folder and find out what my filenames are:
WITH MOVE … hmm, but the drives are different for each of the servers to which I need to restore. OK, so now I need to create a PowerShell function that takes an environment name, and resolves it to a file path. Shouldn't be too tricky. What? Some have two files, some have more? That's OK, I'm sure my scripting skills can handle it…although I hope the destination paths have enough disk space!
Of course, on my production server, I have various service accounts for my application (Orders service, Invoices service and so on). So, right after the restore I'll need to drop those Production logins, and then create environment-specific logins (UAT_Orders, UAT_Invoices etc.), and map them to the users and roles in that database. I'm sure the application developers will let me know in plenty of time every time they need a new service account?
Hopefully, by now, you get the picture. While it may sound simple to script a database restore and then adapt it, in order to automate database provisioning to various environments, it's not. In fact, many of the scripted solution I've encountered personally have tended to be rather brittle and unreliable.
SQL Clone is a dedicated database-provisioning tool that can remove some of these problems entirely. For example, it uses the VM technology built into Windows to provide storage virtualization; you no longer need to think about disks. Its PowerShell interface makes it very easy to automate provisioning, updates and maintenance of the clone databases.
SQL Clone uses the Virtual Disk Service in x64 Windows to allow the same bytes (the 'data Image') to be reused many times, and on multiple SQL Server instances, as 'Clone' databases. The changes made on each clone are stored in a differencing disk on the local clone machine, so the data Image is immutable. In other words, the actual database image is held only once, in the network, and never updated: all changes are held locally with the clone, using existing virtualization technologies within Windows.
The provisioning time for each clone is just the time it takes to set up the .vhd and mount the database (typically seconds), and the initial clone requires only about 40MB of disk space.
You can find out more about how SQL Clone works here, but let me show you it in action.
You'll need a database to play with. In this example, I use a Foreign Exchange rate (Forex) database that is about 48GB. However, a great, publicly-available alternative is to use Brent Ozar's copy of the StackOverflow database, which weighs in at 95GB; not huge, but big enough to be a pain to copy around. The following screen shows a few of my existing data images, in the SQL Clone UI:
A common approach for many users, in the first instance, will be to set up SQL Clone using the UI, and then start thinking about automation with PowerShell. That's the approach I'll use here; I'll create an initial data image through the UI, and then automate image creation, and provisioning of clones from that image, using PowerShell.
SQL Clone's user interface provides a simple Create Image workflow. I can select a backup or a direct SQL Server connection as the source. In this example, I'm creating the data image from a backup, so I provide the path to the backup and identify a SQL Server instance (SQL Server has to initialize a restore operation on this instance, which creates the data image).
After that, just follow the instructions and hit Create Image.
The developers will want to be using the latest data, so I need to automate this task so that it runs nightly, in a batch during my maintenance window. Time to turn to the PowerShell interface for SQL Clone.
# Script to create a new SQL Clone data image from a backup file
$SQLCloneServer= "http://mysqlcloneserver.red-gate.com:14145"
$SQLCloneAgent = "rm-iclone1"
Connect-SqlClone -ServerUrl $myUrl
$SourceDatabase = 'Forex'
$BackupFolder = 'E:\SQL\MSSQL12.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Backup'
if (!(Test-Path ($BackupFolder)))
write-host 'Backup folder not found. Exiting.'
# Get the latest backup file for our database (striped backups would be more complex)
$BackupFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $BackupFolder |
Where-Object -FilterScript { $_.Name.Substring(0,$SourceDatabase.Length) -eq $SourceDatabase} # My backup files always start with the database name
# Now we have a filtered list, sort to get latest
$BackupFile = $BackupFiles |
Sort-Object -Property LastWriteTime |
Select-Object -Last 1 # I only want the most recent file for this database to be used
$BackupFileName = $BackupFile.Name
#Start a timer
$elapsed = [System.Diagnostics.Stopwatch]::StartNew()
"Started at {0}, creating data image for database ""{1}"" from backup file ""{2}""" -f $(get-date) , $SourceDatabase , $BackupFileName
$DataImageName = $SourceDatabase + "_" + (Get-Date -Format "yyyyMMdd") # Prepare a name for the data image, with a timestamp
$ImageDestination = Get-SqlCloneImageLocation -Path '\\is-filestore.red-gate.com\rm-iclone\RM\SQL Clone Beta Images' # Point to the file share we want to use to store the image
$CloneBackupLocation = Get-SqlCloneBackupLocation -Path $BackupFolder # Point to the backup folder we want to work with (this was 'registered' with SQL Clone when I used the UI above)
$NewImage = New-SqlCloneImage -Name $DataImageName -BackupLocation $CloneBackupLocation -BackupFileName $BackupFileName -Destination $ImageDestination | Wait-SqlCloneOperation # Create the data image and wait for completion
"Total Elapsed Time: {0}" -f $($elapsed.Elapsed.ToString())
If I set the script running and then return to the SQL Clone UI, I can see the image creation in progress. This took 20 minutes for my 48GB database, but remember that I can create multiple clone databases from this image, at little further cost in terms of time or disk space.
Having automated creation of a nightly data image, developers can self-serve the creation of clone databases from that image, on-demand, and requiring only a handful of megabytes per copy.
In this case, I'm just going to deliver a database from that nightly image to a few environments and adjust some permissions following delivery.
# Script to create a new SQL Clone database on each of my connected machines
$SQLCloneServer= "http://rm-win10-sql201.testnet.red-gate.com:14145"
Connect-SqlClone -ServerUrl $myUrl
$SourceDataImage = Get-SqlCloneImage -Name 'StackOverflow 20170117'
$CloneName = 'StackOverflow_Latest'
# I have 3 SQL Server instances registered on my SQL Clone Server - I want to deliver a copy to all of them
$Destinations = Get-SqlCloneSqlServerInstance
# I'm only going to make a small adjustment to permissions in this example
$Query = "CREATE USER StackOverflowUser FROM LOGIN [RED-GATE\Richard.Macaskill];ALTER ROLE db_datareader ADD member [StackOverflowUser];"
# Start a timer
$elapsed = [System.Diagnostics.Stopwatch]::StartNew()
"Started at {0}, creating clone databases for image ""{1}""" -f $(get-date) , $SourceDataImage.Name
foreach ($Destination in $Destinations)
$SourceDataImage | New-SqlClone -Name $CloneName -Location $Destination | Wait-SqlCloneOperation
$ServerInstance = $Destination.Server + '\' +$Destination.Instance
Start-Sleep -s 10
Invoke-Sqlcmd -Query $Query -ServerInstance $ServerInstance -Database $CloneName
"Created clone in instance {0}" -f $Destination.Server + '\' + $Destination.Instance;
"Total Elapsed Time: {0}" -f $($elapsed.Elapsed.ToString())
If I look in the UI of SQL Clone, I can see that my databases have been delivered, taking up a handful of megabytes on each instance.
For a really smooth workflow, there is a lot more I could do with the script in Listing 2. For example, I might want to perform some trivial data masking. In this example, we're cloning a production database, so we're assuming there are no data sensitivity issues, but there still might be data that you don't want the application to use (such as real email addresses). We can do this quite simply by running the invoke-sqlcmd cmdlet on the clone database. We could also build in automated database configuration, and possibly also some clone maintenance. For example, some early users set up ''Cinderella' database clones; basically SQL Clone scripts to remove any SQL Clone databases (and images) older than 7 days.
Having configured a clone as required for a particular environment, you have the option of creating a fresh data image from that clone, as part of the overnight batch (though of course, the job would take longer).
SQL Clone exploits the existing virtualization technology within Windows to take much of the sting out of the traditional problems surrounding database provisioning.
Redgate will be working on additional capabilities in the coming months. For now, get your trial copy here, and see what it can do for your database provisioning workflows.
This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)


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Connected Bloodlines
707 S. Menlo Ave., Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Matches 1 to 1 of 1 » See Gallery » Slide Show
|Linked to
|707 S. Menlo Ave., Sioux Falls South Dakota. Front view.
707 S. Menlo Ave.: House built by George and Hazel Lowell in 1931. After their deaths in 1993 and 1994, son G. James Lowell and wife Alice Nelson moved into the home. House was sold in early 2000, after Alice Lowell's death in Nov. 1999.
|Linked to
|707 S. Menlo Ave., Sioux Falls, Minnehaha, South Dakota, USA, Family: LOWELL/NELSON (F34), Family: LOWELL/MILLER (F73)


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One Million Moms #fundie onemillionmoms.com
1MM suspects there are going to be a lot of shocked moms and dads when they discover that the family-friendly Muppets of the 1970s are no more. It appears that no subject is off limits. ABC's new Muppet Show, airing on Tuesday evenings at 8:00 pm ET/7:00 pm CT, is not what Jim Henson imagined and created. The new show is aimed at a mature, modern audience and addresses subjects not suitable for family viewing.
"It's sort of an adult Muppet show," Kermit the Frog said during a promotional video for the show. One ad read, "Finally, a network TV show with full frontal nudity." Technically, the advertisement is correct seeing how Kermit doesn't wear pants.
The mature version of "The Muppets" will cover a range of topics from sex to drugs. Miss Piggy came out as a pro-choice feminist during an MSNBC interview. The puppet characters loved by kids in the 1970s and 1980s and beyond are now weighing in on abortion and promiscuity.
ABC hopes children watch the show and predict they would enjoy some of the humor, but 1MM would disagree. It is not the show it once was. ABC has ruined "The Muppets." How many parents want to explain the punchline of sexually charged jokes to young children?
Many parents unknowingly will let their children watch an episode only to find out its perverted nature too late, unless they are alerted ahead of time. 1MM and others need to get the word out to families to avoid this program at all costs. Please forward this to everyone you know!
Meanwhile, parents will have to explain to confused children that the program they once were allowed to watch is no longer a nice show. This would have been completely unnecessary if ABC had made the program follow its original family-friendly design.
Take Action
Please use the information we have provided to contact ABC (owned by Disney) and strongly encourage the network to drop all plans to air the program.


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SGR0018 Lisa King vs Scorpion - Dirty Tactics
Scorpion has recovered from her thrashing at the hands of Pippa L'Vinn (see SGR0013) and she wants revenge. She returns to The Wrestling Factory to take on gorgeous blonde Lisa King.
And this time, it's Scorpion that will be dishing out the dirty tactics
Scorpion storms in, headlocks Lisa and immediately delivers closed fist strikes to her face! Where is the ref?! Scorpion continues the vicious assault with hair grabbing, punches, kicks and even knees before chucking her through the ropes and out of the ring
More punishment for Lisa follows strangles, throws, torture rack, clawed in the eyes, thrown into the corner post, backbreaker, camel clutch, it's an endless assault!
By the third fall Scorpion has turned from bad to worse! Low blows with kicks, elbows, crotch grabs...and what...a pussy bite??!!
Lisa's domination continues with her being worked over the ropes in a deadly standing headscissors. Then the evil Tree of Woe. Her final move is the deadly figure four, Scorpion attacks her leg until she can take no more.
Scorpion wears white bra and thong over natural pantyhose/tights with bare feet
Lisa King wears leopard print bra and thong over natural pantyhose/tights with bare feet


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Phil entertained us with old familiar tunes as he sang and played guitar. It was a really lively atmosphere and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. In fact some of us enjoyed the tunes so much we had to get up and dance. We can't wait until Phil visits us again.
Research shows that music activities (both music listening and music making) can influence older adults' perceptions about the quality of their lives. The British Association for Music Therapy says: "Music is something that we can all relate to regardless of age, and is often central to a person's sense of identity. It provides us with ways to connect and share feeling, memories and moments with others, and offers stimulation and encourages expression. Music therapy can also enhance exploratory and creative abilities, as well as foster self-esteem and the sense of feeling valued and heard.
We at Cornwall Care believe in ensuring that music plays a regular part in the lives of our residents. When they are happy, we are happy.
To find out more about St Breock and what we can offer you and your loved ones, please click here.


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(Adapted from Rites From The Crystal Well)
Insofar as The Craft Of The Wise is the most ancient and most honourable creed of humankind, it behoves all who would be witches to act in ways that give respect to the Old Gods and Goddesses, to their brothers and sisters of The Craft, and to themselves
Chivalry is a high code of honour, which is of most ancient Pagan origin and must be lived by all who follow the Old Ways.
Know well that thoughts and intent put forth will wax strong on many planes of existence and return, bringing into creation that which has been sent forth. For this reason the adept must exercise discipline over his or her thoughts. Remember, " as you sow, so shall you harvest"
It is only by preparing our minds to be as Gods that we may one day unite with the Godhead.
"This above all … to thine own self be true…"
A witch's word must have the validity of a signed and witnessed document. It is only by developing such mental discipline that great power may be controlled and directed
It is well to refrain from speaking ill of others for not all truths of the matter may be known
Pass not unverified words about another. For the most part hearsay is a thing of falsehoods
Be honest with others. Have them know that honesty is likewise expected of them
The fury of the moment plays havoc with the truth. Strive always to keep your head
Harm not another. Think always of the consequences of your actions
Dignity, a gracious manner, and a good humour are much to be admired
As a witch you wield much power. Therefore exercise much discretion in its use
Courage and honour endure forever.
Offer friendship only to those worthy of it. To associate with younger souls will only pull you down
Those who follow the mysteries must be above reproach in the eyes of the world
Keep pride in thyself. Seek perfection in body and in mind


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[ Browse by Service Category : Environment and Public Health/Safety : Sub-Topics of Public Safety (31) ]
Emergency Rescue
Programs that provide emergency rescue operations and/or lifesaving activities for people who are stranded, lost, accident victims or exposed to other life threatening dangers.
Fire Services
Programs that are responsible for preventing, investigating, controlling and extinguishing fires. Activities include fire safety education, firefighting, investigating the causes of suspicious fires, maintaining equipment and trained firefighters necessary for a quick and efficient response to fires when they occur, and enforcing fire codes which protect lives and property from fires and explosions arising from the storage, handling and use of hazardous substances, materials and devices, or from conditions hazardous to life and property in the use or occupancy of buildings or other premises.
Safety Advisories
Programs that issue bulletins to update the public about road or weather conditions, warn them of imminent threats to public health or which otherwise inform them of environmental conditions that are potential safety hazards for people in the immediate area.
[ Sub-Topics | View Programs and Services (3) | Related Topics ]
Safety Education Programs
Programs whose primary purpose is to make the public aware of the measures that people can take to reduce the risk of fires or accidents in the home, at school, at work, in the air or on the water or while walking, driving or riding as a passenger in a motor vehicle; and/or which provide instructions for preparing for and surviving an accident should one occur. Also included are programs that conduct related safety inspections, particularly in the traffic safety area.
[ Sub-Topics | View Programs and Services (19) | Related Topics ]
The above terms and definitions are part of the Taxonomy of Human Services, used here by permission of INFO LINE of Los Angeles.


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We are still accepting applications to serve on various boards and committees of the City. The application deadline is 4:30 PM on Friday, August 2, 2019.
This is a perfect opportunity for you to meet new people and to expand your social network. It is a great opportunity for you to share your skills and experiences, while developing new skills that may help you along in your career, such as problem solving, decision making, project planning, task management, and much, much more. Volunteering can be a fun and rewarding experience. One that will give you a sense of pride knowing that you are giving back to your community and YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE! If this is something you are interested in, don't hesitate...apply now!
For more information on vacancies and how to apply, please click on the link below.


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6 Tips on Figuring Out Your Bills for Widowers
The Way We Were
I married my senior year of college. When I graduated from university, I received a commission as an officer in the US Army and was selected for active duty. I soon found myself gone from home on training assignments or lengthy deployments with the military. As a result, my wife took over the bill paying. This continued for years, until her death.
A Real Challenge
When she died, I faced a real challenge. We did not transition the bill paying to me. My wife simply said, "I thank goodness you are smart enough to figure out the bill paying."
6 Tips on Figuring Out To Whom Who You Owe Money
1. Check the Mail
- I began by checking the mail every day and carefully looking at and reading each item the postman delivered.
- I had a few bills coming by snail mail.
- Some of the statements said DO NOT SEND PAYMENT on them.
- A message on the bill said either e-payment or auto-bank draft.
2. Check the Checkbook Ledger
- I looked in both the checkbook ledger and on the monthly bank statement to see if the payment was debited from there. About half the bills were debited from the checking account.
3. Check the Credit Card Statements
- I next went to the monthly credit card statements.
- As we had more than one credit card, I had to look at multiple accounts.
- My wife liked to earn cashback when possible with credit cards. So she paid as many bills as possible to obtain the "cash back" bonus.
- Even with credit cards, we paid off the bills each month.
4. Check for Email Notifications of Bills Due
- Some companies notified us that we had a payment due
- Other's notified us that they were about to debit an account for the payment.
5. Check for Text Messages (SMS) Notifications of Bills Due
- Some companies notified us that we had a payment due
- Other's notified us that they were about to debit an account for the payment.
6. Write Down and Compile Your Information
- Write down the name of the bill. This tells you who the bill is from.
- What the bill was for.
- The name of the service provider.
- The service provider contact information for billing issues as well as for customer support.
- The account number.
- The due date.
- If it was paid by check via US Mail or by a credit card where the card number was entered on the bill and mailed back each month or by credit card auto-payment or an auto-payment bank draft.
Next, we will look at what to do once you've determined to whom you owe money.


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Dreams to Reality – hand crafted stationary
Dreams to Reality created hand crafted stationary for all occasions, with an emphasis on the wedding market. They are big sellers on Not on the High Street and were looking to photograph their entire range in a new style more suited to that environment. I chose to use the table top I made from old floorboards and the old white painted brick wall of the studio as the background and working together we managed to get everything done. Oliver was so delighted he let me a 5* review on my Google Plus page!
Absolutely fantastic, the job was better than we hoped for in a very friendly and helpful atmosphere, beautiful product shots that have received many excellent comments about and improved sales already – would definately recommend and we will be working with Ewan on a regular basis for all new products photos. thank you!


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I thought I'd better catch you all up, and explain the radio silence a little bit… so here we go 🙂
We have moved from Nottingham to Leicester, to a bigger house, in a more suburban area, for a time there LP and I were both commuting from Nottingham to Leicester full-time, both also doing part-time and weekend work all while selling a house, and being parents, whew! and to top it all off we ended up moving 2 days before Christmas, and we had family coming for Christmas day, I'm still recovering I think….. but since then the kids have settled into school, I have got a lovely new job in a local school working as the Art Technician, and I turned 40! and finally after all that I am also getting a bigger studio space in the garage, but that is going to need a bit more work I'll show you that as it progresses.
I'll keep you posted on my new makes and studio over the next few weeks.
Bye for now
Leah X


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Investment Summary
Sasa`s retail and wholesale turnover decreased by 2.8% during Q3 in HK and Macau markets, while same store sales dropped by 3.7%, compared to the increase of 9.6% and 7.1% respectively in Q2. Negative growth was recorded in both retail sales and same store sales in the region in November and December. The total turnover of Sasa during the period recorded a 2.2% decrease, while 9 months ended 31st December 2018 recorded an increase of 9.2%, but missing the whole-year growth target of double digit.


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Gas leak killed boys at home, mother cleared
The mother of two young boys found dead in their home near Shepparton in Victoria's north has been cleared of any involvement in their deaths.
The bodies of Tyler Robinson, 7, and his brother Chase, 9, were found inside their house at Mooroopna on Sunday.
Energy Safe Victoria examined the house and police believe a gas leak was responsible for the boys' deaths.
Inspections have revealed a faulty gas appliance, possibly a heater.
The boys' 29-year-old mother, Vanessa Robinson, was taken into police custody for questioning, but was later admitted to hospital after becoming disoriented and falling ill.
Inspector Bernie Edwards from the Homicide Squad says the woman was never officially a suspect but was under police guard in hospital for her own safety.
"It's normal practice if a tragedy happens or a death happens that we get to the bottom of it," he said.
"If somebody was the last person to see somebody alive or the primary carer they definitely get spoken to.
"Unfortunately in this one rather than it being cleared up as quickly as possible the mother fell ill and had to be cared for."
He has urged the Mooroopna community to rally around the family.
"This is a tragedy either way and the family will go through a lot," he said.
On the night the boys died, a neighbour called Lyn said she heard a strange noise from the house.
She said the family kept to themselves.
"I've just seen them coming and going very quietly. They're quiet people," she said.
"The children, just very happy little boys playing in the backyard in the swimming pool in the summer. It's devastating."
The boys were students at the Mooroopna Primary School and the principal, Steve Rogers, has said students and teachers have been offered counselling.


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By Maurice Atkinson
Romney was a unique candidate with a unique opportunity. We all knew he was wealthy beyond the scope of average comprehension which drew some suspicion from both the right and left.
I'm not bashing on Romney, but there were deficiencies in his campaign that nuked him. From my perspective, he never painted the picture but used 5 point broad generalities.
One of the things we did successfully on the emergence of Cain's candidacy was "paint a picture". Cain's message was well honed in sound byte, as only he can do. However, it was understandable (i.e.., scrap the tax code, start over; surround yourself with strong people, etc.) Romney could have done himself INCREDIBLY well if he had pulled a Ross Perot and aired a 20 min. Town Hall Meeting that clearly defined the problem and roadmap to the solution.
Additionally, he NEVER presented an adequate rebuttal to Bain attacks. They were introduced during the Gingrich campaign as Romney was trashing Gingrich. Sure he created jobs and the Free Enterprise System can be messy. That's the nature of business. However, he never articulated an adequate response. Having a Town Hall Meeting in the middle of the rust belt would have changed the whole thing (define the national problem, provide a roadmap to the solution), IMO.
Romney's communications were SCREWED UP. Sending begging letters via U.S. Postal service multiple times a week and endless emails begging money may help raise funds, but it doesn't communicate an ACTION PLAN or show appreciation for the vast field of volunteers Romney would have been better served mailing a bumper sticker to everyone and asking them to put it on their car.
Anyhow, now we have to recognize the losses and retool our message for 2014. Voter EDUCATION (we have an ignorant electorate), Voter Registration and Voter Stewardship (GET INVOLVED in the process), will correct the course. Yes we lost the White House, but we gained in Governors' races across the country. Over 30 Governors are GOP.
My ramblings, for what it's worth.
This post originally appeared here.


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by Jeff Foust
Deep Space Commodities: Exploration, Production and Trading
by Tom James (ed.)
Palgrave Macmillan, 2018
hardcover, 203 pp., illus.
The asteroid mining business ain't what it used to be. Several years ago, it appeared that asteroid mining, once the province of science fiction and far-future space aspirations, was moving into the industry mainstream as companies like Deep Space Industries and Planetary Resources announced plans, in some cases with the backing of billionaire investors, to prospect and ultimately extract resources from near Earth asteroids. Recently, though, Planetary Resources has fallen on hard times, laying off a substantial fraction of its staff because of a fundraising setback. At one point last month, it planned to auction off much of its equipment, only to postpone that sale. Deep Space Industries, meanwhile, has reshaped its leadership and has pivoted to primarily serving the growing smallsat industry, with only a passing mention on its website of "deep space exploration spacecraft."
That hasn't deterred the hardcore asteroid mining enthusiasts, though. "Then 25 November 2015 happened—a turning point in the diary of the new space economy," Tom James writes in the opening chapter of the new book Deep Space Commodities. That was the day that President Obama signed into law the Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act, whose provisions include language giving US companies the rights to resources they extract from celestial bodies. That bill addressed some of the regulatory uncertainty involving commercial asteroid mining.
"Earth, post-Space Act 2015, has already begun to change," he argues in the book, using a common but inaccurate name for the law. "I have personally witnessed the first-hand impacts on my day to day work in the Earth-based Energy and Commodity industry thanks to the lowering of costs in access to space and space technology." But that reduced cost of access to space, and related technologies like Earth observation, are not effects caused by the legislation, but rather trends in place for several years that are, at best, tangential to the law. And that act clearly has not been that enabling to asteroid mining companies, given the problems those companies have subsequently experienced.
Those problems aren't brought up in the book, a collection of essays that includes several authored or co-authored by James. Some focus on more general commercial space issues, others on technology for resource extraction from asteroids. One chapter examines a specific mission concept, the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment, which is intended to demonstrate technologies for planetary defense but which James argues can also offer insights for future mining missions.
There is surprisingly little, though, on the business and economics of asteroid mining. The book includes a table from a website called "Asterank" that attempts to quantify the value of certain near Earth asteroids and even the "estimated profit" from mining them, but there's no rationale given in the book for how that profit—which in some cases is measured in the trillions of dollars—is calculated. If there really was a profit potential in the trillions for some asteroids, asteroid mining startups should have no problem raising funding. Instead, investors seem deterred, perhaps by the long time horizons, technical and other uncertainties, or doubts that mining is that profitable—or profitable at all.
The book also suffers from internal contradictions and general sloppiness. Near the end of the first chapter, James discusses how water may be the most valuable early resource extracted from asteroids or the Moon. However, a later chapter James co-authors with Simon Roper includes a section titled "Asteroid Mining 101" whose four paragraphs focus as much on rare earth elements as on water. Another chapter by James and Roper is rife with typos and errors like "Mother Gaya," "Expidition 53," and "New Sheppard," and also mentions the now-concluded Google Lunar X PRIZE in the present tense.
There are a few good chapters in the book. Michael Listner (a regular contributor to this publication) provides a detailed overview on the legal regime regarding space resources. British academic Bleddyn E. Bowen offers an essay on international politics and spaceflight, although it has little to do directly with the issue of space resources.
Despite the setbacks of current ventures, the idea of extracting space resources has not gone away, but the near-term focus appears to be more on the Moon given the new US space exploration policy and interest by other nations in lunar exploration. While the book includes a chapter on the "economic viability" of Mars settlement (written by Robert Zubrin), there's less attention to lunar resources in the book. When it is mentioned, the book often references Shackleton Energy, a venture that proposed extracting lunar ice but appears to be either defunct or on an extended hiatus.
Given the realities of asteroid mining have yet to match up with rhetoric offered by companies several years ago, a more thorough, and skeptical, look at the subject is warranted. However, that is not provided in Deep Space Commodities, which appears to be as optimistic about the potential for asteroid mining as ever. Perhaps one day the technical, financial, and regulatory factors will finally align for companies wanting to turn asteroid mining into a viable, profitable business. For now, though, it remains, at best, an aspiration.


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The Significance of Lightning in Well-Defined Tropical Cyclones (credit: Matt Reagan and American Meteorological Society)
When most people think of hurricanes and tropical cyclones, the first line of thought does not always include lightning. Tropical cyclones are what are known as "warm-core" systems, which mean that the center of the storm is most intense at the surface but then stabilizes with altitude. Because of the significant amount of latent heat that is released within tropical cyclones and the rapid rotation, lightning is not a common feat With all of the news surrounding the ever-evolving Hurricane Dorian in the western Atlantic waters, recent satellite passes indicated the presence of lightning within the inner core of the cyclone. In the subsequent hours, Dorian intensified to a category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds exceeding 130 mph. But how much of a role does lightning play in the intensification of organized tropical cyclones?
One of the first studies in the literature concerning the relationship between lightning and tropical cyclones is from Samsury and Orville (1994) who investigated the lightning characteristics from Hurricanes Hugo and Jerry of 1989. Although their study focused on the quantitative statistics of lightning flashes including parameters such as the polarity, one of the primary results from this study showed that the greatest number of flashes within both storms occurred in the right-front and right-rear quadrants, more specifically within the outer convective rainbands.
Regarding rapid intensification, A study performed by DeMaria et al. (2012) showed that TCs that intensify over time tend to have the greatest lightning densities compared to those that weaken over time. Most recently, Stevenson and Corbosiero (2018) surveyed a total of 10 years-worth of tropical cyclone data fitting between certain criteria for vertical wind shear and sea surface temperature. It was found that most of the inner core lightning bursts (ICLBs from their paper) occurred with intensifying storms (e.g., depressions and tropical storms) and were also a precursor to intensification at a roughly 24-hour lead time prior to the lightning bursts. The symmetricity of convective cores and lightning bursts within intensifying tropical cyclones also was observed to be more prominent than in decaying convection.
So while it is uncommon to see lightning in tropical cyclones, the advent of satellite technologies such as the World Wide Lightning Location Network and the Geostationary Lightning Mapper aboard the GOES-16 and GOES-17 satellites allow for forecasters and researchers to better understand rapid intensification processes. With more research and applications to forecasting practices, detection of rapid intensification events have the potential to become more predictable in the future, leading to more accurate intensity forecasts.
Below are the references for the articles mentioned above:
DeMaria, M., R.T. DeMaria, J.A. Knaff, and D. Molenar, 2012: Tropical Cyclone Lightning and Rapid Intensity Change. Mon. Wea. Rev., 140, 1828–1842, https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-11-00236.1
Samsury, C.E. and R.E. Orville, 1994: Cloud-to-Ground Lightning in Tropical Cyclones: A Study of Hurricanes Hugo (1989) and Jerry (1989). Mon. Wea. Rev., 122, 1887–1896, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1994)122<1887:CTGLIT>2.0.CO;2
Stevenson, S.N., K.L. Corbosiero, M. DeMaria, and J.L. Vigh, 2018: A 10-Year Survey of Tropical Cyclone Inner-Core Lightning Bursts and Their Relationship to Intensity Change. Wea. Forecasting, 33, 23–36, https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF-D-17-0096.1
To learn more about other tropical cyclone topics, be sure to click here!
© 2019 Meteorologist Brian Matilla
May 2022


text: It indeed is the most delightful matter for Lincoln University College, Malaysia that two of our students, Mr. Muruga Prasanth & Ms. Teo Rui Ling, got success in the MRCS Part 'A' exam and that's only in their first attempt. It's a great privilege for our institution to present them with the Doctor of Medicine (MD). Among the three aspirants attempted from LUC, Malaysia these two aspirants grab this opportunity. Presently, they are waiting to take up their housemanship placement. We, on behalf of all the faculty members of this esteemed institution, would like to congratulate them for their great and phenomenal success.