How do I sleep or skip nights?

Question: I was able to build a bed in Terraria and I thought it could allow me to sleep. By clicking on it, instead, I set only the spawn point.
Is it possible sleep in other ways or eventually skip nights (or days)?
Answer: This is not currently possible in the 1.01 version of Terraria, beds are strictly for setting of your spawn point.
UPDATE: I think this is currently a bug, but in 1.0.3 (And maybe before) if you play in windowed mode, minimize the game by clicking on its icon on the task bar (NOT using the minimize button on the window itself) the game runs VERY fast. You can still hear the background music and wait for it to play the day music... Takes about 15 seconds or so. Also note that the days will go by fast when you do this AND you need to be somewhere 100% safe as, well the game is still running and things will still try to get you.
I think the game is using a fixed time step because of its fixed framerate, but for some reason the framerate jumps up beyond the normal 60 max when minimized in this fashion and so runs very fast.
Answer: The 1.3 version of Terraria has now a solution for you.
This item is the Enchanted Sundial.
It is a furniture that can skip one day/night cycle, by setting the time at 4:30 AM. It will also create a new Angler quest.
It reloads every week of in-game time, and no legit action can hasten the cooldown of the furniture :
-placing multiple sundials ?
-remove and place the sundial again ?
Nope, the sundial's state is stored in the world's data, you'll have to wait a full week of in game time, which is 168 minutes (= 2h48m) before the item gets usable again.
It can be found inside Wooden, Iron or Golden crates, opened in a hardmode world, with better odds of getting it respectively.
Comment: It should be noted that the enchanted sundial is only available in Hardmode.
Comment: It should also be noted that a "week" is 1 in-game week. 1 real-life second is 1 in-game minute, meaning a week is equivalent to 60 seconds per hour * 24 hours per day * 7 days per week = 10,080 seconds = 168 minutes = 2.8 hours (2 hours, 48 minutes).
Answer: If you are running the server console (TerrariaServer.exe, should be in the folder you installed to) yourself, you can enter into the console the commands "dusk", "midnight", "dawn", or "noon" to change the time of day to that time. Even when playing single player, I tend to run the server console and connect to it, just to have options like this available.
Answer: Since 1.4, sleeping in a Bed will make time pass 5 times faster until you wake up.
In multiplayer, this requires all online players to be asleep.
Additionally, if you are in Journey Mode, you can increase the timescale up to 24 times faster.
Comment: Is this a joke?
Comment: No? Why should it?
Answer: You can skip nights actually, but it's an admin tool..
With it you can drag the sun or moon (if you like) across the horizon.
Comment: Is this admin tool released and available to download?
Comment: @Drake: Drag the sun/moon on the main menu to see what he is talking about, there is a single bit in the Terraria executable that allows you to use the same effect in game. My bet is that the admin tools modify this bit, but I don't know where to find those and can't help you further than positive reverse engineering...
Answer: If you're running a server using the dedicated server program that was added into the game package with version 1.04 IIRC, then you have some commands you can use to set the time.
Go to the console when the world is running and try typing:

dawn
noon
dusk
midnight
Answer: You can kinda skip time, albeit in a weird way. If you're playing in windowed mode click on the terraria icon on your taskbar (this should minimise it but you will still be able to hear music/sounds) then keep clicking on the taskbar icon of an internet browser and you will hear you action noises from Terraria. It's not a massive time skip but it fast forwards a little
Comment: I am not sure I understood well the part related to internet browser, can you add more details? Can you also estimate the time speed increment (e.g. 1.2x)? Thank you.
Comment: @Drake What JJ1 meant was that like when your using youtube, and you wanted to pause by click the video screen, you'll hear some noises like *Pffft*

How do I sleep or skip nights?


Paint a rusty hinge without sanding?

Question: If I use primer on a rusty hinge, can I paint it and get away without sanding it first?
Photo:
Answer: Depends on if you want it to look good or not.  If you don't care just go to local big box and grab a can of spray paint - I use the rustoleum auto body primer for any metals.  Then I go over it will whatever type of spray paint - usually a bronze or satin finish.  If you don't sand it you will have rust bubbles in your paint and unless you use an obnoxious amount of paint, you will have pitting and bursted bubbles, given that these plates are hitting each other constantly.
It is really all about the look you want.  I have seen people keep rust for an antique look and just a light spray of metal paint.  And then I have seen people make them look like new which involves sanding and painting as I prescribed above.
Answer: You "can", but odds are it'll look terrible and likely as the rust flakes the paint will come off with it.
you're better off cleaning this and painting it properly.
If you want to avoid sanding because it's antique you can try electrolysis to attempt to reverse the rusting process. If you don't want to sand because it's annoying... yeah... just fix it right.

Paint a rusty hinge without sanding?


"Unarm" vs. "disarm"

Question: Is there a semantic difference?
I thought unarm was more popular, but Google Ngram shows otherwise.
Comment: Almost all the NGram instances for *unarm* are actually quoting *much* earlier usage, or are the archaic/poetic *unarm'd*. As a current synonym for *disarm*, it's well below the radar, if it's actually used at all in that sense nowadays.
Answer: It seems to me the use of unarm as a transitive verb (to deprive someone of weapons, or to lay down one's own weapons) is at the very least archaic usage. Here's an instance from Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida.
Unarm survives mainly as the past participle unarmed, meaning not carrying any weapons (particularly firearms).
The standard term for taking someone's weapons is to disarm, which carries much the same sense as in disarming a bomb, meaning to disable the detonator mechanism so it won't explode.
There is also the figurative use as in a disarming smile, where the sense is that one's potential hostility melts away in the face of a charming appearance or friendly behaviour.
Answer: The only dictionary that has "unarm" with the meaning of "To empty or strip of arms" is the OED and it gives it as Obsolete. Another one that has it is the FreeDictionary that defines it as a less common word for disarm and mainly used in the military.
In the OALD and in the NOAD, you can only find the adjective "unarmed" which means "not carrying weapons", used like this:

He was shooting unarmed civilians.

Disarm is the verb that appears in both (see the OALD again) which relatively to this question, means "to take a weapon or weapons away from somebody":

Most of the rebels were captured and disarmed.
Answer: "Unarm" is when you don't have any weapons on you.

I came to the party unarmed.

"Dismarmed" is when you had weapons, but they made you "unarmed", that is, they took it away.
"Disarmed" has an additional meaning of taking away your defense, as in:

Her smile completely disarmed me...
Answer: As reported by the NOAD, unarm is a verb meaning "deprive or free (someone) of arms or armour."
One of the meaning of disarm is the following one:

take a weapon or weapons away from (a person, force, or country)
   • (of a country or force) give up or reduce its armed forces or weapons
   • remove the fuse from a bomb, making it safe.

"Unarm" vs. "disarm"


What's a good defense against silence?

Question: Well, a dungeon master keeps throwing characters who can silence spells at me.  It's a pain in the butt when trying to fight as a group, as most of my friends and I are casters.  We're dealing with radius silence.  Basically, the silence hits the first player.  If the second player is close to that player, he is silenced.  If the third player is close to the second player, he is silenced.  If the fourth player is closed to the third player, he is silenced.  As the enemy levels up, his silence becomes more powerful.  He has a lot of casting power, and he uses fear spells, as well.  So, we keep getting chains of silence and fear cast on us, which is a huge issue.  Up next, we're looking at dealing with wolves or something, and we aren't strong enough to take this guy alone.  Should we spread out and go in one at a time?  Should we try to bait him to a tank and get him to burn some magic, then try to get the jump on him?  We actually have limited time.  In a couple of weeks, he's going to have the sun sphere, which is going to give him so much power.  We don't want to lose the campaign because of this obstacle.  Any ideas?
Answer: Not sure which edition you are playing and what exact spell is in play - I don't know of any "spreading" silence spell, the normal second level one just hits one place or person and those within the radius are silenced but they don't spread it.
Your general counters to a technique like this are:

Mobility.  Make Will saves and get out of the silence radius. Spread out in general.
Counterspells.  Assuming you're playing 3.x/PF, read the counterspell rules.  If you have a bunch of casters, y'all should have dispels and/or silences readied as held actions to counter him.
Silenced spells. Buy a rod, get a feat, choose spells that don't have verbal components.
Rush him.  He's a caster, right?  He can't cast in silence either unless he has Silent Spell. If y'all are silenced and just go within 15' of him then he can't cast Fear or anything.  Murder him.
Comment: Upvoted for #4! Simple, obvious and yet it never occurred to me.
Answer: From the d20SRD:

Upon the casting of this spell, complete silence prevails in the affected area. All sound is stopped: Conversation is impossible, spells with verbal components cannot be cast, and no noise whatsoever issues from, enters, or passes through the area. The spell can be cast on a point in space, but the effect is stationary unless cast on a mobile object. The spell can be centered on a creature, and the effect then radiates from the creature and moves as it moves. An unwilling creature can attempt a Will save to negate the spell and can use spell resistance, if any. Items in a creature's possession or magic items that emit sound receive the benefits of saves and spell resistance, but unattended objects and points in space do not. This spell provides a defense against sonic or language-based attacks.

I assume this is the spell you are referring to, of which there are a few options to overcome this.
There are two simple ways you could possibly already have:
1) Resist the spell and/or pass the will save, hopefully if you are a caster this should be a decent save anyway, if not make it better. And yes, as it spreads each affected target would get their own will save
2) Use spells during the duration that don't have a verbal component. There are a few spells out there which meet this that might be useful in combat: Distract (DR314), Lantern Light (BoED), Launch Item (MoF), Hypnotic Pattern (PH, non-bard), Shadow Tentacle (LoD), Rainbow Pattern (PH, again non-bard), and Mislead (PH)
The only other real options beyond that are going to be:
3) Silent Spell Metamagic Feat (again not for bards), this uses a spell slot one higher.
4) Use a wand, these are pretty much point and shoot, no verbals required even if the original spell required it.
Comment: *Silence* spells don't work the way you described.  *Silence* prevents sound within it's area of effect, and there is no save against that.  If it targets a point in space, there is no save at all, but anyone can move out of the area of effect.  If it targets a creature, they (and only they) get a save; if they fail the silence follows them.
Comment: Holding and pointing is necessary, but not sufficient. Those are additional *restrictions* on wands beyond their status as Spell Trigger Items, not a replacement for the spell trigger rules.
Comment: Silent spell metamagic rod would also do the trick.
Comment: Wands are spell trigger items. This means they need a spoken word to activate, though in theory a DM could create a wand that is an exception of course. See http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicItemBasics.htm#spellTrigger
Comment: According to this entry, it doesn't specify a command word has to be used and implies use activation
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wands.htm
To activate a wand, a character must hold it in hand (or whatever passes for a hand, for nonhumanoid creatures) and point it in the general direction of the target or area. A wand may be used while grappling or while swallowed whole.
Answer: For d20, there is a 1st level bard spell in the Spell Compendium called Joyful Noise which counteracts a silence spell in a 10' radius around a bard as long as he concentrates.  It has no verbal component, only somatic.  It doesn't dispel the silence, only protects you from it.  In a recent campaign I ran, the party bard kept using this against my silence spell attacks so the wizard and cleric could keep casting spells.
Of course the downside is the other spellcasters must remain within 10' making them a great target for area effect damage spells such as fireball.  And the bard must spend his effort concentrating to maintain the spell and thus cannot perform other efforts.  But the effect does move with the bard.
Answer: One idea not presented thusfar, Counterspelling.
From the SRD:

It is possible to cast any spell as a counterspell. By doing so, you are using the spell's energy to disrupt the casting of the same spell by another character. Counterspelling works even if one spell is divine and the other arcane.
  How Counterspells Work
To use a counterspell, you must select an opponent as the target of the counterspell. You do this by choosing the ready action. In doing so, you elect to wait to complete your action until your opponent tries to cast a spell. (You may still move your speed, since ready is a standard action.)
If the target of your counterspell tries to cast a spell, make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + the spell's level). This check is a free action. If the check succeeds, you correctly identify the opponent's spell and can attempt to counter it. If the check fails, you can't do either of these things.
To complete the action, you must then cast the correct spell. As a general rule, a spell can only counter itself. If you are able to cast the same spell and you have it prepared (if you prepare spells), you cast it, altering it slightly to create a counterspell effect. If the target is within range, both spells automatically negate each other with no other results.
  Counterspelling Metamagic Spells
Metamagic feats are not taken into account when determining whether a spell can be countered
  Specific Exceptions
Some spells specifically counter each other, especially when they have diametrically opposed effects.
  Dispel Magic as a Counterspell
You can use dispel magic to counterspell another spellcaster, and you don't need to identify the spell he or she is casting. However, dispel magic doesn't always work as a counterspell.

You mention in the question that most of the party are spellcasters, get all of them to prepare (if applicable) Silence twice.  Hopefully you can get someone to act before the enemy's initiative.  First caster counterspells the enemy's silence, then the second casts silence on the enemy.  Now, you tell the tank to charge.  A magician (any magician) who can't cast spells is no match for a similarly leveled Fighter.  Silence should not matter to sword-swingers.
Comment: Or, one caster with Improved Counterspell (Player's Handbook p95) could sacrifice an Illusion spell of a higher level to counterspell as if they had used the right spell. For wizards and sorcerers this would be more straightforward than begging the DM to let you learn a cross-class spell. Reactive Counterspell (Player's Guide to Faerûn, p42) would let them do it without readying an action, but it costs their next turn.
They would still need to notice the spell actually being cast, and succeed on the spellcraft check to identify it. Also, False Theurgy completely shuts down counterspelling.
Answer: Here are some ideas I didn't see others mention:

Create a custom magic item that defeats Silence spells cast on you.
Learn sign language and adapt your spells to be cast that way.
If you're high enough level, set up a Contingency spell to defeat Silence effects.
Get some artillery backup in the form of a powerful staff or wand. Plus all the initiative bonuses you can muster.
Cast Silence on your enemies before they can Silence you.

You might just talk to your DM and tell him that you think it's kinda cheesy that every single opponent you fight in this world has found the Silence spell and uses it as a first resort.
Comment: Oh those are pretty good.
Comment: #2 is "the silent spell feat" and #4 won't work as wands and staves are spell completion items which require verbal.
Comment: It's been ages since I played 3.5. Thanks for the additions. #2: I disagree that learning sign language is EXACTLY the same as Silent Spell feat, but that's probably what most DMs would tell players. #4: Replace "powerful staff or wand" with "powerful miscellaneous magic item that can launch fireballs," if you must. The spirit is still the same.

What's a good defense against silence?


Impedance ratio vs. SWR

Question: The specs of the Elecraft T1 tuner say, that it can match a 10:1 SWR.

What does that mean in terms of impedance ratio?
What antenna impedance can it match to 50 Ohm then?
Or is it not that easy?
Answer: As you can see from the following equation, it is definitely not that easy. What I would do is draw a 10:1 SWR circle on a Smith Chart and assume that your tuner can match all of the infinite number of impedances inside that 10:1 SWR circle. If you don't know how to read impedances from a Smith Chart, it would be worth your while to learn how. The green area below on the Smith Chart normalized to 50 ohms is the advertised matching range for your tuner.
Comment: Yes, this is the 10:1 circle. But given a basic Pi network, limited component values and a wide range of frequencies, it's probably more like an amoeba that changes shape over the bands, sometimes touching 10:1 !
Answer: Short detour:
There's a so-called reflection coefficient $\Gamma$ that says "OK, for this mismatch, so and so much of the power is reflected back where it came from".
We can calculate it as, based on load impedance $Z_L$ and conduction line impedance $Z_0$:
$$ \Gamma =\frac{Z_L - Z_0}{Z_L + Z_0}$$
Also, the VSWR is a result of things getting reflected back:
\begin{align}
\DeclareMathOperator{\vswr}{VSWR}
\vswr  &= \frac{1+\lvert\Gamma\rvert}{1-\lvert\Gamma\rvert}\\
&\implies\\
\lvert\Gamma\rvert &= \frac{\vswr-1}{\vswr +1}\\
&\iff\\
\left\lvert\frac{Z_L - Z_0}{Z_L + Z_0} \right\rvert &=\frac{\vswr-1}{\vswr +1}
\end{align}
Assuming $Z_L>Z_0$:
\begin{align}
\frac{Z_L - Z_0}{Z_L + Z_0} &=\frac{\vswr-1}{\vswr +1}&& \lvert\vswr=10, Z_0 = 50\,\mathrm\Omega\\
&=\frac{9}{11}\\
&\implies\\
\frac{Z_L - Z_0}{Z_L + Z_0} - \frac9{11} &= 0 && \lvert\cdot (Z_L+Z_0)\\
0 &=Z_L - Z_0 - \frac9{11}(Z_L + Z_0)  \\
&=\frac2{11}Z_L -\frac{20}{11}Z_0 &&\lvert\cdot11:2\\
&=Z_L -10 Z_0\\
Z_L&= 10 Z_0 \\
&= 500\,Ω
\end{align}
Assuming $Z_L<Z_0$:
\begin{align}
\frac{Z_0 - Z_L}{Z_L + Z_0} &=\frac{\vswr-1}{\vswr +1}&& \lvert\vswr=10, Z_0 = 50\,\mathrm\Omega\\
&=\frac{9}{11}\\
&\implies\\
\frac{Z_0 - Z_L}{Z_L + Z_0} - \frac9{11} &= 0 && \lvert\cdot (Z_L+Z_0)\\
0 &=Z_0 - Z_L - \frac9{11}(Z_L + Z_0)  \\
&=\frac2{11}Z_0 -\frac{20}{11}Z_L &&\lvert\cdot11:2\\
&=Z_0 -10 Z_L\\
\frac1{10}Z_0&= Z_L \\
&= 5\,Ω
\end{align}
So, 5 Ω to  500 Ω are "specification-wise" matchable.
This is assuming a real-valued antenna impedance. That's often not given. For the complete region of applicable values, see (and upvote!) Cecil's answer.
However, impedance matching doesn't happen on a "reflection coefficient level"; it happens by having an adjustable matching network (typically takes the shape of an adjustable LC filter). Things actually get rather interesting there, because the matches you get from that typically aren't wideband and typically aren't all real and typically aren't all within a "nice" shape in the real world. So, assuming the best, the SWR range is but a thing that the manufacturer has tested to work, and special complex impedances outside the circle from Cecil's answer can be matched too.
Comment: "So, 5 Ω to 50 Ω are specification-wise matchable." — I'm pretty sure you mean "5 Ω to 50**0** Ω" right?
Comment: yeah, @natevw-AF7TB
Answer: When a tuner in a radio says it can match 3:1 and below, they sometimes say that it can match 16.7-150 ohms.
I would take this to mean that a tuner that can match 10:1 and below, can match 5-500 ohms.
There is an example of a tuner that can match some bands to 10:1 on this page. they specify:
Frequency               Typical Matching Range and Power Limit
3 — 30 MHz            600W into 5 to 500 Ohms (10:1 SWR)
                                 1000W into 16 to 150 Ohms (3:1 SWR )

Impedance ratio vs. SWR


Unsure how to decide ray intersection interval

Question: I'm coding an intersection algorithm with AABB, as found here. However, I'm absolutely unsure what to pass in as t0 and t1. The paper states that it's a ray intersection interval, but the only material I've been able to find on this is that it's some kind of guess or bound as to the final values. Any suggestions as to how to define t0 and t1?
Answer: I actually used this implementation myself. As far as I remember t0 and t1 are like the "clipping planes". So t0 you would think of as the ray origin or eye/camera position. So you might use t0 = 0.0 or t0 = 0.0 + epsilon. The idea being, if an intersection occurs behind the ray origin, the intersection point will be t < t0 and therefore is not the intersection you are looking for.
Now, for t1 is it sort of a guess. This is the furthest distance that you want to allow an intersection to occur. Usually when building a ray tracer you specify a maximum distance (or maximum ray length), beyond which you ignore any intersections. So you might specify t1 to be this distance as well.
Hope that helps.
Comment: See @seanmiddleditch's answer: You should pass `1.0f` to `t1` to get all collisions on the line segment between `ray.origin` and `ray.origin+ray.direction`, or you should pass `numeric_limits::infinity()` to get all collisions on your ray.
Comment: Since my rays have a definite length, not infinite, then `t1` being the length of the ray would guarantee all collisions, right?
Comment: @DeadMG When you say ray length, do you mean the length of the ray's direction vector? I'll assume that you are normalizing the ray direction vectors (as in all direction vectors have a length of 1.0). In that case, the "length" of the ray is not what you want for t1. You want it to be the _maximum_ distance that you want to allow an intersection to be found. So the suggestion of using infinity is a good idea.
Answer: The explanation of the math goes something like this:
A line can be represented as two points, call them A and B.  Any point on a line can be represented with a parametric equation L(t) = A + t(AB), where (AB) is the vector from A to B (that is, B - A).  If you work through that, you see that L(0) = A and L(1) = B.  For t=0, you get A + 0(AB) = A, and for t=1, you can A + 1(AB) = A + 1(B - A) = A + B - A = B.
Now let's think about what a line, ray, and line segment really are.  A line is an infinite series of points that contains a reference point and for which all points can be formed by adding that reference point to a scalar multiple of a vector.  Which is exactly what L(t) = A + t(AB) says.
A ray however is a a line in which the scalar multiple must be positive.  So R(t) = A + t(AB) for all t >= 0.  A ray is contained in a line, but a negative t value plugged into the equation would give you a point on the line that is "behind" the ray's reference point.  That is, if your ray starts at (1,1) and goes in the direction (1,0), and you put in t=-1, you get (1,1) + -1(1,0) = (0,1), which is clearly to the left of the reference point while the ray is pointing to the right.
A line segment is similar, except that now the t value must be constrained to [0,1].  That is, LS(t) = A + t(AB) for all t in [0,1].  If you put a t value larger than 1 in, you'll get a point "past" the point B.  So if your line segment goes from (1,0) to (5,0),  and you plug in t=1.5, you get (1,0) + 1.5((5,0)-(1,0)) = (1,0) + 1.5(4,0) = (7,0), which is clearly farther to the right than the rightmost point of the line segment.
Remember, however, that for all three line-like objects, the only thing you need to represent them is a single point and a vector.  In the case of a line, the vector can be pointing either "left" or "right" along the line, because t can literally be any scalar value.  In the case of a ray, the vector must point in the direction the ray points, but it doesn't matter how long the vector is, because t can be any non-negative value, including infinity.  In the case of a line-segment, the vector must be the vector from the first end-point to the second end-point, because t must be constrained to [0,1] and the reference point plus the vector must be equal to the second end-point.
The AABB intersection code you're looking at is working with a Ray object, but that object is really just a point and a vector.  Since we know that a point and a vector can represent a line, a ray, or a line segment, we see that the code is actually valid for any line-like object; the use of the name Ray is just a tad misleading.
Since the only differences between a line, ray, or line segment is what range the t values must be constrained to in its parametric form, and since the AABB intersection test is calculating the t value for the parametric form, the code will work for all three objects.  The t0 and t1 values are the limits of t value required.  So for a line, t0 and t1 should be -infinity and +infinity (-FLT_MAX and +FLT_MAX are reasonable and reliable alternatives in C/C++ code).  For a ray, the values should be 0 and +infinity.  For a line segment, the values should be 0 and 1.
Note that in the case of the line segment, the t values assuming that the vector provided really will point from A to B.  If the Ray object you're using always normalized its vector, then the line segment equation becomes LS(t) = A + len(AB)*t*v for all t in [0,len(AB)].  In other words, if the vector passed to the test is normalized, pass in 0 for t0 and the distance between the two end-points of the line segment for t1.
To summarize: for a ray, pass in t0=0 and t1=+infinity (or FLT_MAX).


Girls marriage rights?

Question: Salam everyone.
I will come directly to the point.
I want to know that what are the girls right in islam if girl wants to marry a muslim person of her own choice. But parents are not accepting her decision. Without any reason. That person has respectfully send his parents and asked for their daughters hand but they did not agree. Now trying to convince her parents she waited for 2 years. Now the question is that she is on her own now as muslim a girl needs WALI but in her case no one is there for her help. So in that case can she marry that person without wali or making someone else her wali? (not from her family ofcourse as they are against it). She tried her best to convince them but they are refusing just beacuse its her choice and they dont consider it good that girl choose her partner.
So please enlighten me in this case that what can she do?
Answer: What you finally are asking for is not about human rights but some kind of self-justice which is clearly prohibitted in Islam.
A girl can't marry herself in Islam as per the majority of scholars and only a matrone (an experienced woman) could do so as per the hanafi madhhab.
If the girl can't convince her parents or more exactly her father which is her guardian, she has only legal options one of them is if the reasons for the refusal are non-Islamic for example this guy is drinking alcohol or not a practicing Muslim or from a different tribe, race or social class then she can go to a court and ask them to lift the guardianship from her father and give it to somebody else.
On the other hand one must have in mind that parents have much more life experience than a young girl and they certainly want the best for their daughter.
Answer:
Aisha (R.A) reported: I asked Allah's Messenger (Peace Be Upon Him)
about a virgin whose marriage is solemnized by her guardian, whether
it was necessary or not to consult her. Allah's Messenger (Peace Be
Upon Him) said: Yes, she must be consulted. 'Aisha (R.A) reported: I
told him that she feels shy, whereupon Allah's Messenger (Peace Be
Upon Him) said: Her silence implies her consent. (source)

By this, we can clearly say that no one is allowed forcing a girl to marry or not to marry anyone, not even parents.
Rest Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala knows the best.

Girls marriage rights?


Marketing Cloud Query Activity in Automation

Question: I have created a query activity that selects all fields from data extension DE1 and I set DE2 as target data extension. By running the query activity manually, records are copied from one data extension to another.
Now I need to schedule this activity so I created an automation where I added this query activity. The automation runs and completes but the problem is that DE2 is not being updated.
Comment: What is the Update Type of your query activity?
Answer: For starters, there are 3 different kinds of ways the query can update the data that you can specify:

Update: Updates any existing data in the data extension and adds any new data (this requires at least one primary key)
Append: Adds the results of the query to the data extension after the existing records.
Overwrite: The system deletes the data in DE2 and puts in all new data from DE1.

Overwrites are certainly the easiest and most basic query types and they might be the right one to use in this case.
If that doesn't seem to be working there might be another reason: you've got a corrupt object. I've had this issue before myself where I've sworn everything about my query looks correct. What I've had to do is delete objects, re-create them, and then test each one until I've found the corrupted object. Start with the automation, then the query, then possibly the data extensions. Usually it's the automation but I've also seen issues with the query object as well. It's certainly one of the things I hate about Marketing Cloud and wouldn't be surprised if this was the case for you.


Is it allowed to talk to your opponent in a tournament game?

Question: Suppose my opponent in a tournament was running very low on time, and after move 40, presses the clock and leaves the board for a while, falsely believing they will get extra time on their clock. There have been many losses on time as a result of a similar situation. In this case, is it allowed to warn your opponent of the potential danger of flagging?
Answer:
In this case, is it allowed to warn your opponent of the potential
  danger of flagging?

Yes. The rule which limits talking to your opponent is the one which forbids annoying the opponent, article 11.5 -

11.5 It is forbidden to distract or annoy the opponent in any manner whatsoever. This includes unreasonable claims, unreasonable offers of
  a draw or the introduction of a source of noise into the playing area.

If your opponent has left the board and you remind him of the time control this cannot be interpreted as distracting or annoying. It is helpful.
Comment: The question doesn't state which rules apply. Your quote is from the FIDE rules. I presume the USCF rules are similar, but am not familiar with them.
Answer: Assuming the opponent got away from the chessboard, but nearby another game which takes place at a tournament, the only thing you should be careful, is not harassing the other players.
Whispering your opponent that he or she is gonna lose because of the 40 move bonus that didn't apply is noble. You show some class this way, something missing from a lot of chess players nowadays.


Wondering if the bottle of wine I have is still good or not

Question: During my move to a new place, I found a bottle of wine that I had kept in my refrigerator that was dated 2004. It was still sealed; it didn't look like anything was floating around inside, and to all intents and purposes, it looked to be an average bottle of red wine that you'd find at your typical liquor store. However, I'm wondering if it's still any good or not, and if there was a way to check outside of opening it and taking a swig.
Comment: Drink it and find out.  If you're still sober enough to care afterward, it's gone bad.  *This might be my time in industry speaking, not good sense.*
Comment: Intents and purposes.
Answer: If you want to make sure your wine is still good without opening the bottle (wine, vinegar or broth), there are some things you can check. This doesn't give you 100% guarantee that the wine is actually any good.

Did the bottle lay horizontally (good) or was it standing up (bad). The wine must be in contact with the cork to hydrate it. This way the seal stays intact and the wine doesn't spoil.
How 'aged' was the wine? Normally a young wine will last about one year (maybe two in the fridge), a reserve or great reserve can last longer. Some wines will mature for 25 years or more.
Check the seal. If it's in good state (no 'dirty' spots), that's good.
Check the cork (without opening the seal). If the cork is pushing the seal out, then your wine may have suffered from heat (the air in the bottle pushes the cork out). This may cause your wine to taste of cork (broth).
Remove the seal and check the cork. If the cork is clean, that's good. If it has red spots (see point 4). If it looks dry... you may have a nice vinegar.
Substances floating in the wine doesn't mean the wine is bad, but you'll need to decant the wine carefully.

But anyway, open the bottle soon. Waiting any longer won't make the wine any better.
Comment: ...assuming it even has a cork, rather than a screwtop ;^) While I agree that the fridge is not ideal, I probably still have some 1980's and 90's bottles lurking around here, including at at least one from the 90's I made.
Answer: That's the thing about wine. You never know until you taste it. It might be a pleasant surprise or it might be swill. That's actually part of the fun of trying wine.
But generally speaking, if it was nothing special 2004 it won't be better now. Wines that are worth "waiting for" are noticeably outstanding even when they're new (they might need more decanting early in their life).
Just try it...  but have a back-up bottle!
Answer: Until you are ready to "take a swig" it doesn't really matter what state it is in "Now". At present it is a perfectly fine mantel piece.
When you are ready to actually drink it, it is either wine or vinegar, but you are going to have to pop the cork (or open the twist top...) to find out. If it is for an important occasion, have a back up bottle in the wine rack.
Answer: You need all the information on the label to assess a wine.  the vintage in only part of it.  The fridge is not a good wine cellar.  wines deteriorate quickly there.  ultimately, it is all educated guess work anyway.  It might not have been good in 2004.  try it.  if you like it, serve it.  if not, flush it.
Answer: Easiest answer: you can taste it, wine doesn't go off.
It can lose its taste and quality but it can be drunk without making you sick or killing you so crack her open and taste it.
If it tastes bad don't drink more obviously. If it's sweet then drink it. That's from a professional wine expert.
Comment: Are you the wine expert or are you quoting somebody? Just curious :)


Were Israeli-Arab conflicts in the Cold war testing grounds for NATO and Warsaw Pact equipment?

Question: During the Cold War, Israel and it's Arab neighbors often came into conflict with each other and fought a number of wars during which Israel often used weaponry from the West (USA, UK and France) while the Arab nations often used Soviet weapons and equipment. So were these conflicts in the Middle East the testing grounds (if that is the term) for the new equipment that NATO and the Warsaw pact could field against each other?
Comment: You really need to clarify just what you're asking.  As written, it seems to imply that the purpose of those wars was to serve as testing grounds, when as far as I can see there'd have been wars if both sides had been limited to clubs and stone-tipped arrows.  Of course ANY war serves to test the equipment used, but that is an unavoidable side effect, rather than the purpose.
Comment: Welcome to History:SE. Could you edit your question to clarify what you've looked into already, complete with links and references, and context if applicable? In particular, please let us know what you find missing or unclear about the Wikipedia entry on the topic, if one exists. This allows those who might want to answer to do so without needing to redo the work you've already done. You might find it helpful to review the site tour and Help Centre and, in particular, How to Ask.
Comment: A more useful question might be if Israel and the Arabs shipped samples of captured equipment and after-action reports to their allies outside the region. I believe the answer is "yes" for some eras, but I don't have the research handy to back that up.
Answer:
Question:
  Were Israeli-arab conflicts in the Cold war testing grounds for NATO and Warsaw Pact equipment?

Short Answer:
  Mostly no,  but in the end yes.
More Detailed Answer:
The cold war lasted from 1947 – 1991.    The Arab Israili wars during that time period were

1948–49: Israel's War Of Independence  - No US Military Aid
1956: Suez Crisis                      - US made France, UK and Israel withdraw
1967  Six Day War                      - Israel was not primarily a US ally (Israel mostly did not use American Weapons in 67)
1973: Yom Kippur War                   - US all in.
1982: Lebanon War

While the United States was one of the first countries to recognize Israel when they declared independence and gave aid that first year,  it was economic aid not military aid.  The US had an arms embargo on all beligerants in the 1948 war.   From 1948 through 1958 the United States gave no military aid to Israel at all.  In fact the United States forced Israel to withdraw from the Sinai after the Suez Crisis.  How Eisenhower Forced Israel to
End Occupation After Sinai Crisis   In the 1967 Six Day War, Israel did receive US military aid but not at the scale we are familiar with.   In 1967 for example the Israeli's flew French Mirage fighter planes, not American Phantoms.  Israel didn't fly US made Phantoms until the 1968   It was really after the 1967 six day war when the United States really stepped up it's aid to Israel and saw the Middle East as a theatre of the cold war.   In 1968 and 1969 the US increased it's overall aid to Israel by 400% and 600% relative to 1967 aid.  see Total US Foreign Aid to Israel

six day war
  The small Royal Jordanian Air Force consisted of only 24 British-made Hawker Hunter fighters, six transports, and two helicopters. According to the Israelis, the Hawker Hunter was essentially on par with the French-built Dassault Mirage III
  – the IAF's best plane.

I would argue the Yom Kipper 1973: Yom Kippur War was the first war in which Israel predominantly used modern American government supplied weapons.  Then in the 1982 lebanon war Israel again used American Weapons matched against the Syrian military sponsored by the Soviet Union.  In 1982 however unlike 1973,  the major innovation was Israel's innovative use of their home grown drones.  An Innovation the US military was quick to mimic.  So I would suggest that the Israeli's proved their own technology in 1982 to the US rather than visa versa.  (although Isreal in 82 did make extensive use of American weapons.)
Comment: It might be worth mentioning that I asked this question as I noticed that at last during the Six day war, the Israelis used British-built Centurion tanks (modified to Israeli use) while the Syrians and the Egyptians used various Soviet-made tanks (such as T-54/55 and T-64.) Correct me if this is the wrong conflict but that is where I gathered my assumptions partly...
Answer: During the War of Attrition (1967-1970) Israel used US supplied equipment. During that period the Soviet Union invested considerable resources in support for the Egyptian regime. The Soviets provided MiG and Sukhoi aircraft to the Egyptians, and during 1970 Soviet pilots took active part in operations (e.g. Rimon 20) and suffered casualties. The Soviets also operated SAM batteries that shot down Israeli aircraft.
Soviet-supplied SAM batteries played a significant role in the Yom Kippur War, as well.
During the First Lebanon War the Israeli Air Force demonstrated overwhelming superiority over the Syrian anti-aircraft defenses and Air Force (see here, for example).
It seems that during the late 60s the Soviet Union provided more advanced support for Egypt and Syria, but by the 80s Israel had far superior equipment. It would seem a stretch to claim that at any point the Soviets used the Middle East as a testing ground for its most advanced equipment, except possibly in the cases where Soviet troops operated the equipment themselves.
Comment: Of course an alternative would be that the Soviets DID supply their most advanced equipment, but it just wasn't nearly as good as the US equipment, or Israel's home-grown stuff.  This was, after all, the era in which the Soviets were increasingly being outmatched by the West in most technological areas.
Answer: A short answer to slightly qualify the detailed answer from JMS. The equipment that was being supplied by the Warsaw Pact and NATO powers to the various parties in the Middle East during the Cold War was usually not the most modern available technology and often borderline obsolete, so the implication of the original question that the Middle Eastern conflicts were being used as a "testing ground for new equipment" does not seem to be correct for the most part.
At times there may be some truth to the statement with respect to some select technologies, but even then it would hardly be sufficient reason to explain the support being provided. In general weapon sales were strategically intended to improve the diplomatic position of the respective Bloc in the region, either as a symbolic gesture of support for a particular regime or cause, or as a means to favorably shift the relative balance of power between regional powers (with the sophistication of newer weapons systems rarely exceeding what was necessary to provide a useful advantage).
Both the West and the East had good reasons to limit the scale and quality of arms transfers to the Middle East; the West had no interest in destabilizing the region in a manner that would threaten their access to oil reserves, and the Soviet Union were reluctant to embolden their allies in the region to the point where they might be dragged into any direct involvement themselves.

The World Since 1945 (T.E. Vadney) 1998
The Czech-Egyptian arms deal of 1955 : a turning point in Middle
Eastern Cold War history. (Thomas Michael Shaughnessy Skaggs)
2015


How to record streaming audio?

Question: Let's say I want to record part of an internet radio broadcast so that I can listen to it later. Is there a way to route the audio from my web browser into a recording app like Audacity? This seems like it should be simple... can it be done?
Answer: It is extremely simple, and a quick google using the title of your question will show you many sites explaining how to do it. Two simplest options are:

Use software such as MP3MyMP3recorder or Freecorder, which can record directly in software. This is the simplest physically, just giving you an output file from your input stream.
Use a cable to connect your headphone out to your mic in and use Audacity to record it. This one works exactly the same way as if you were recording from a mic, but uses the output from the streaming app instead of an external mic. As @WarriorBob commented below, make sure not to monitor input in your recording app - you can create a feedback loop!
Answer: There are a few ways to do this with Audacity. If you have Windows, the one that will give you the best quality is as follows:

In the first drop down menu (Audio Host) change the default setting from MME to Windows WASAPI.
In the second drop down menu (Recording Device) change the default setting from microphone to your output device (usually your speakers or headphones).

You will now be able to record whatever audio plays on your computer without picking up any distortion from your mic. Keep in mind if you have any sound alerts (such as message alert sounds etc.) it will pick up those as well.
Answer: Running a cable from your computer's audio output to its input as suggested above works, BUT it will reduce the quality of the recording and add noise. This is because of the extra digital to analog and digital to analog conversion involved, as well as the time spent in your computer's analog audio path. This may or may not be an issue, trust your ears. If your computer has S/PDIF i/o then use that and you should be fine.
BTW Audio hijack is the traditional solution for this on the mac.

How to record streaming audio?


Retrieve Facebook User's Timeline Data

Question: To elaborate the subject line, I want to create an FB app or FB Connect that will fetch a user's historical data which he/she shared on FB; eg: fetch with whom user have made friendship in particular year or what statuses user have shared in a particular year. In short, retrieving users activities since he/she joined the FB till current date.
This is similar to what we can see in our timeline.
Is this possible to grab those info using graph api? I spend a day in searching a help for this but didn't found any.
Please correct me if I'm wrong. Very new to the Timeline and Open Graph thing.
Any help/suggestion would surely be appreciated.
I'm using PhP as the coding language.
Thanks in advance,
Javed.
Answer: should be possible but via the open graph api, see http://developers.facebook.com/docs/opengraph/
Graph Api != Open Graph
Comment: Thanks Rufinus.I know Graph Api is different than Open Graph

Retrieve Facebook User's Timeline Data


Partially semi-transparent texture in Cycles

Question: I have an image texture with a couple of parts that I'd like them to be semi-transparent. How can I achieve this? I know how to to make the whole texture semi-transparent and control it's transparency, but how can this be done for only a few parts of the texture?
In photoshop these parts aren't semi-transparent but I could make them, if it's necessary.
Comment: you can use a texture (or an image) as mask to control the mix of different shaders one of them being translucent or transparent. See these related links: https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/60445/partial-transparency-on-object/60446#60446 and https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/86315/change-opacity-transparent-image-texture/86348#86348 and https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/46424/add-a-transparent-image-on-top-of-a-material/46447#46447
Comment: and also: https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/44540/how-to-create-a-translucent-image-as-plane/44662#44662
Comment: Thanks for your answer too! I created an alpha channel for my texture for the parts that I wanted and used a .tga format and it worked. I also used an add math node to control those parts' transparency.
Answer: The general way you want to do this is by using the mix shader node to mix between your "solid" shader output (diffuse, glossy, principled, any shader you want) and a transparent chader node. By plugging the alpha channel of your image into the "Fac" setting of the mix shader node, the alpha channel of the image lets you control how transparent the result is. The alpha channel is what changes when you make parts of your image transparent in Photoshop. You can also use nodes like the noise or Musgrave texture nodes to procedurally generate transparent and opaque portions of the object. Just plug the factor output to the factor input on the mix shader node.
See this post for an example.
Answer: You can use a MIX shader to mix a transparent, glass or translucent shader with some other opaque shader. Then you can use a texture as the factor input to the mix shader.
This is an example, here I have a glass material that mixes a gloss shader for reflection, the output of the mix is then passed to another mix shader, which mixes the reflective glass material with an opaque black glossy shader, then I use a checker texture as the factor input to that mixer. Now I get checkered black and blue glass.


Canon EOS M not recording

Question: My canon EOS M doesn't want to record or take any pictures. I press the record button and nothing happens. Also, when I go to adjust the aperture it says I can't because it says "no lens attatched. Is that why it doesn't let me record? What can I do
Comment: What lens are you using?
Answer: If you are using an adapted lens, the camera may not register its presence, but of course it still works. You can change a setting in the camera to allow it to shoot without a lens attached (also without a memory card, if you like).
The following link should be helpful:
How do I get my EOS M to release the shutter with an adapted manual lens?
If you think your lens should be "attached" (according to the camera), it's possible the electrical contacts need to be cleaned (gently) or that the lens is not attached properly (take it off and carefully re-attach it and see if that helps?)

Canon EOS M not recording


Standing up acoustic guitar playing position for women

Question: It goes without saying that women typically have different body types than men and this fact often never gets addressed when guitarists are speaking on how to position a guitar when standing up. It seems that my breasts either make it near impossible to play in the "correct" position most teachers preach or that I hang it low enough they don't interfere yet lose some dexterity on the neck and power in strumming. Even when it is in this lower position, however, the neck is still pushed outwards and the guitar lies flat against me so I cannot see what I am strumming at all. I doubt this would be a problem with an electric seeing as how thin they are, but my acoustic is a very thick big sort of fella. Now, I do also primarily practice sitting down so I would guess that some of the difficulty is due to being unfamiliar with the standing position but I am having the darndest of times replicating it while seated. Any tips on where I should have the guitar fall on my person or how to create the same position when seated would be very helpful!
Comment: I'm a man (with a flat belly, in case that matters) and when I wear an acoustic standing up I can not see what I'm strumming. I probably could see with an electric, but usually I'm singing into a microphone at the same time anyway so I still can't see. Playing without being able to see is a skill I would suggest every guitarist learn.
Comment: @ToddWilcox makes some good points. I would further suggest that you might spend some of your practice time playing with your eyes closed (or looking out over your imaginary audience). The key is to develop the muscle memory for your actions and decouple the visual bit. I also tend to believe that when you stop watching yourself play, you can hear yourself better -- without distraction, that is.
Comment: I'm sure my body shape is very different to yours but I have found that I can position my acoustic more comfortably with both ends of the strap connected to the body (electric style) rather than one end tied to the headstock. It may be the other way round for you.
Comment: What style of guitar do you play? The typical positions used are different between classical and some jazz styles versus other styles.
Comment: Have you considered performing sitting down? I'm a veteran guitarist coming back to it after a long *(long)* break and I really would not consider performing standing up any more.
Comment: For info, I have only ever seen one guitar maker mention ergonomic designs for women - but electric only: http://www.ricktoone.com/2010/05/headless-ergonomic-multiscale-guitar.html
Comment: Another thing I forgot to mention - I have seen one or two ergonomically designed acoustics with a very pronounced top angle.  In other words, when in use the lower portion of the body is the usual (say) four inches deep, and the upper curve only two or three deep. These were custom instruments though, probably not available off the shelf...  (and I can't find any now.)
Answer: I'm going to post the dissenting answer here in that I feel like you don't want to look for a different kind of guitar or a perfect strap height. Most of my time in bands has been with at least one female guitarist or guitarist/bassist in the band, and in one band that I was in for a few years I was the only man. I also am a big fan of several bands feature women guitarists, including Sleater-Kinney and most importantly Indigo Girls, which is fronted by two women (Amy and Emily) who spend most of their time on stage playing full-size steel-string acoustic guitars.
Amy and Emily have each gone through different (human) body sizes over the years, although they have both been women the entire time. When they play acoustic guitars, they often play full-size dreadnought style guitars, which are the second largest common body style for acoustic steel string guitars (the largest being jumbo). Let's look at a picture (note, I believe these particular guitars are one size below dreadnought, but the picture is ideal in other ways):

Image Source (Amy on the left, Emily on the right)
I think this image is an excellent example of common guitar usage by women, which I want to note is pretty much identical to how men wear and play steel-string acoustic guitars.

The guitar is worn below the level where it would be uncomfortable for either of their chests.
Most of the time, they are not looking at their guitars, especially when strumming (as we see with Amy on the left, who has her eyes closed).
When soloing or really needing a quick glance at the guitar, several things happen (looking at Emily on the right, now). First, she lifts the neck of the guitar slightly using the fretting hand. Note that the top of the upper bout is between Emily's breasts here, which is partly the one main difference between male and female position, but also men normally would lift the guitar to the exact same place. Also, Emily is leaning back slightly, which is typical of men and women, to partly tilt the guitar up a little using her thigh on the back of the bottom lower bout. Finally, if you could see through her eyes, you'd realize she can't completely see the fingerboard perfectly, she is just getting a sense of position with a more raking view across the fretboard. This is why guitars (especially acoustics) ideally have fret markers on the top of the fretboard as well as on the fingerboard itself.

So my answer to this question is: Use normal guitars - choose them based on sound and playability, not on being able to see the fretboard while standing. Learn to play, especially strumming, without looking at all. When you do have to take a glance or even a longer look at the fretboard, don't expect or try to have a good full on look. Tilt the guitar up slightly, lift it with your body and your fretting hand, and look across the fretboard to keep a sense of where your hand is. Train your muscle memory so you don't really need to look, instead you're looking just to have that extra assurance for a live show.
For comparison, here is Sleater-Kinney:

Image Source (Carrie on the left, Corin on the right)
Carrie (Brownstein, also of Portlandia fame) is one of the best active guitarists in the world right now (in my not-very-humble opinion). She pretty much never looks at her guitar, she jumps around and gyrates pretty much the entire show, and she never misses a note. I think we can assume she practices hard. So you can aspire to being like Carrie.
Corin (Tucker, also of the Corin Tucker Band) is not so much of a perfectionist or so athletic on stage. She sings like a banshee (in a good way) though, and therefore doesn't have a lot of time to look down. This is one example of her looking, and again, she's doing the same thing that men do. Almost her whole body is involved in the process of looking at her fingerboard. Her weight is on her toes because she's bent forward slightly at the waist. Her back is curved, shoulders forward, and most importantly, her head is down with her neck out. This is to get her face and eyes to be forward of the front of the guitar. Depending on the type of acoustic, it can be hard to crane one's neck far enough to see properly (which seems to be the question at hand).
This is about the least-badass pose possible for anyone playing guitar. Corin can get away with it because she is badass in pretty much every other way possible. Note that even folk rockers like Indigo Girls need to keep a bit of badass-ness in their stage presence, and they put on probably the best live shows of anybody ever (really, go see them if you never have, just go do it).
Again notice that even though Carrie's guitar is kind of high up, both women wear their guitars below their chests, which is again common for men as well.
Work to be like Carrie and Amy, and allow yourself to be like Emily and even Corin when you need to be. When you're learning something on an acoustic from scratch, start off seated so you can really look at what you're doing. After you've got it down, discipline yourself to practice and rehearse without looking. Then when you get to a live situation, the poor visibility that you'll get with your quick glances and/or neck craning will be enough to ensure an excellent performance, and you'll be able to strike all your badass poses the rest of the time.
Comment: This is a classic answer.  I love the pics and references and examples.  You will get to 10 plus votes on this one and get another merit badge.  Good job!
Answer: You may need a different acoustic guitar. Go to a music store with a wide range of acoustic guitars and try guitars of different body sizes and scale lengths and see what is most comfortable to you.
Being of the male sex I cannot speak to your situation directly, but I would point out that acoustic steel-string guitars are available in a range of sizes, from the largest to the smallest: jumbo, dreadnought, grand concert, grand auditorium, concert, and parlor. In the traditional Martin parlance, they are jumbo, dreadnought, 000, 00 and 0 - sized.
I'm aware that many women choose the concert and parlor sizes, although there is certainly a difference in tone and projection with the smaller bodies -- that is by design.

The Acoustic Guitar Body Shapes Guide at MusicRadar.com
In addition to the body size, different models of guitars differ in the depth or thickness of the body, which could certainly be a factor in your case.
It's also possible to select a guitar with a thicker or thinner neck, a different neck shape, a different fingerboard width and a different string spacing at the bridge.
It's also possible to select a guitar with a shorter scale length, which makes it easier to finger if you have small hands.
There is one design for an acoustic guitar that is more or less unique to one company, Ovation, which incorporates a bowl-shaped back made of a cast synthetic polymer rather than the traditional flat wooden back. Ovations are hard to find these days although they are being made in the USA once again. You should try one if you can find one.

The front of the Ovation acoustic guitar
As for the position that you hold it on the body, guitarists of both genders are notorious for slouching horribly when the play seated, but the conventional wisdom for males is that you use a strap while seated to hold the guitar in more or less the same position that it sits against your body when you are standing.
In your case you should investigate trying the position traditionally used for a person playing a classical guitar (as opposed to a person playing a steel-string acoustic guitar): assuming you are right-handed, with the body of the guitar resting on the left thigh and the left leg elevated; versus the acoustic guitar position, with the body of the guitar resting on the right thigh and both feet at the same height).

Traditional classical guitar posture with an elevated footrest

Traditional classical guitar posture with a guitar brace attached to the guitar, so you can keep both feet flat on the floor. This is a posture with less stress on the body.

The usual acoustic guitar slump (which you might find to be stressful on your neck and back after awhile. Stand up and stretch frequently.)
Comment: @ToddWilcox, I am suggesting that she try playing her steel-string acoustic guitar in the classical guitar position. I do this myself sometimes, though I am a man. She might learn a thing or two about posture and ergonomics by trying this.
Comment: As the asker mentions electric guitars and playing standing up, it seems safe to assume they are not playing in the classical style, although it is true that at the time of this answer and comment they have not specified.
Comment: @ToddWilcox  I think it's valuable to look at all the options, including classical position.  If not for OP then for someone else who comes across the question in future.  Strict adherence to the idea that every answer must be limited to the OP's specific situation could potentially diminish the value of the content generated.  We need to be cognizant of the fact that the main purpose of this site is not just to answer a single question for a single poster - but to provide valuable, useful & enduring information that may help many future visitors with a "similar" problem.
Comment: I just commented I didn't downvote and any sense that I thought this answer was worthless was totally unintentional. It's a great answer if the asker does play classical and a decent answer even if not. My comment was only to point out that this leaves out other genres and guitar types.
Comment: While I am a complete ignorant on that matter, I find it quite difficult to believe or accept that a women would be unable to play a larger guitar due to her having relatively sizey breasts, as opposed to, for example, her having too short hands. I might be wrong in my ignorance
Comment: Emily in the indigo girls picture (another post) seems to have a stance at that moment that is close to classical. (Of course I'm sure Segovia would not agree) Of course I bet she adjusts her position depending on what she is playing.
Comment: Nice job Wheat.  I love the pics and all the options presented.  Todd had a great answer too.  Plus one to both.
Answer: A number of years back, I found a solution which helped me position my guitar exactly where I wanted when I was standing up.  The answer is a string running from the strap button, across the top of the lower bout of the guitar, to the strap at the other side near your shoulder.  This lets you angle the guitar neck however you want, adjust the guitar balance across your body, and also has the side-effect of lifting the face of the guitar so you can see the fretboard better.

At the time, I put a little page together about how I did it.  As far as I know, no-one else has ever used it. :)  Never mind - it still works for me, and it might work for you too.
http://gunfire.sourceforge.net/about_guitar_strap.html
Answer: For a reference, you could look up for guitar players who may have a similar body type as yours, and try to figure out how they are getting comfortable at what they are doing.
Playing while standing up will always feel different than sitting down, so with time most players figure it out automatically. Just make sure your strap feels comfortable to you.
A few examples: If you compare the standing stances of Slash with that of Dimebag Darrell you will notice each have their own unique style.
Answer: I think that probably you just have a too big guitar. Some steel strings come with absolutely huge bodies that are in many ways very unpractical. Something like a Taylor GS Mini or even a Baby Taylor could work better for you.
I would especially not advice you to play a dreadnought body as they are very thick at the neck. A shape that has most of the girth at the rear and slims out at the neck is probably your best bet..

It goes without saying that women typically have different body types
  than men and this fact often never gets addressed when guitarists are
  speaking on how to position a guitar when standing up.

It is just something you have to figure out for yourself. As you mention people's bodies are different. There really is no one size fits all solution.
A long skinny person and a short overweight person will have to find different solutions to these problems.

Now, I do also primarily practice sitting down so I would guess that
  some of the difficulty is due to being unfamiliar with the standing
  position but I am having the darndest of times replicating it while
  seated.

You are not going to replicate it. Especially not the classical position. You have to practice this new posture until you get the hang of it.
For reference here is the Taylor website. You can see a visual representation of the body shapes there.
Answer: I have no gender-specific advice, but this is what I do to get a guitar into a good position while standing: While in a good sitting position, I adjust my strap until I can stand without the guitar moving significantly.
You may need to experiment with different kinds of straps. Tied to the headstock or using a second strap button will be different. Maybe a Mariachi style strap would work better for you. Maybe some sort of dual-shoulder strap. Maybe the option from Graham's answer. And there are likely other options out there as well.
Comment: That dual shoulder strap looks like it might just work; never seen one before.
Answer: Credit to other answers:
I do believe you could benefit from experimenting with a different size of guitar. Note that the size of the guitar effects the way it sounds. I like smaller guitars, but you might like the punch of a dreadnought and may not want to compromise. I believe that you could learn to handle any guitar that you love, even if it may not be the easiest guitar choice. Not knowing your particular build, I must admit that I have seen some players where the dreadnought or jumbo was not possible because of a combination of height (short), belly(large), and chest size (large) but it is not a universal problem for all women. It is also a problem for some men and younger students. A search for Dolly Parton plays guitar, shows her with mostly small guitars but she also has large ones and plays them seemingly without issue.
Seeing the strings and the fretboard: You may need, from time to time, to look at your hands, if your technique is correct it should not be from a very good point of view. Use your imagination, touch/feel, and practice to see through the guitar and make up for what you can't see with your eyes. You should never be able to see your left hand fingers connecting to the individual strings (electric or acoustic). If you can, your technique is wrong. You are twisting your wrist back or bending it too much, doing something really weird with your neck, or perhaps some combination along those lines (What Wheat calls the acoustic slump). It is possible to learn to play without seeing your hands. That's how I play most of the time. Some people are constantly looking at their hands and seeing their hands on the strings while they are playing, but I have never seen someone like that make it through a live performance.
Actionable ideas: (Aside from changing your guitar) I liked the comment about closing your eyes sometimes when you practice. Another thought is to practice in front of a mirror to see your hands. This is difficult to do this since everything is backwards, but once you get a little practice at it can give you a better understanding of your own technique and how to improve, plus it will keep you from looking at your hands in a way that is a bad habit or technique.


Perfect Forward secrecy in TLS session

Question: I am looking at packet captures of perfect forward secrecy for cipher "TLS_ECDHE_ECDSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256". Per definition of PFS, after initial client and server hellos exchanged, both sides must come up with public-private key pairs and they share the new public keys. In packet capture, i am seeing client is sending its public key in very next message (under "EC-Diffie-Hellman Client Params" header) but server doesn't (instead server is sending new session ticket). How does server sends its new public key to client?
Comment: Server sends its ephemeral key (and parameter info, usually a small number for one of the standard "named" curves) in ServerKeyExchange *after* (Server)Cert and *before* ServerHelloDone and thus *before* (Client)Cert or ClientKeyExchange. Look at your capture again; some capture display formats don't have room for details of multiple TLS messages contained in one frame, or frame group, especially if they are also combined in one TLS *record*. Make sure you look at each record *and* each message. See http://security.stackexchange.com/questions/20803/how-does-ssl-tls-work for many details.
Answer: From RFC 4492, section 2.2:

The server sends its ephemeral ECDH public key and a specification of
the corresponding curve in the ServerKeyExchange message.  These
parameters MUST be signed with ECDSA using the private key
corresponding to the public key in the server's Certificate.
The client generates an ECDH key pair on the same curve as the
server's ephemeral ECDH key and sends its public key in the
ClientKeyExchange message.

Further, in sections 5.4 and 5.7 you can find their structure.
Comment: Hi Dave and Zakjan, thanks for your responses. I looked again at my pcaps and yes in Server Key exchange message (before server hello done), i can see something with length of 329 bytes but i don't see it with label like key etc (the way i am seeing it in client key exchange message). Is this expected? Do i have to enable/disable something in Wireshark so it interpret it correctly? (By the way i am checking by going to https://mail.google.com). Thanks
Comment: I can see ECDH server params in Wireshark, with no special setting necessary. Check if you have the latest version. http://imgur.com/tWPunSo

Perfect Forward secrecy in TLS session


Employer Duty of Care for cyclist

Question: The company I work for provides cycle racks for cyclists in a semi underground carpark that is open at one side. Several cycles have been stolen from this area and one colleage was attacked by a bike thief who he surprised. Another was threatened on another occasion.
The company refuses to install a gated caged area or secure entrance to the car park, does the company have a duty to provide a safe parking area?
Comment: What is the jurisdiction there?
Comment: Keep in mind that there is a vast difference between legal and ethical obligation and, in the case of many businesses, the cost effectiveness of those decisions. They may just decide that it is too much of a liability and remove the bike racks altogether.
Comment: I think in most of the US there would be only a minimal obligation to protect people from serious risk of bodily harm -- more an insurance thing than a legal obligation.
Comment: Does your company own the property or do they rent it?
Comment: Can you bring your bikes inside?
Answer: Where I live the employer would have an obligation under law to "Take all practical steps", however, one practical step for the employer is to remove the bike racks, as these are attracting the thieves, thus, the employer has addressed the issue.
I do not think you want to go quoting various legislation at them. The better way is to sell the benefits of people biking (reduce number of car, healthier people- less time off work (careful here -  accidents can count against you, happier more lively people - more productive when at work.). Sell the benefits of not have low life-cruising company car parks (it's not only cyclists who will get attacked) - they might take a liking to the bosses car....
When you say they refused - how and what did you ask for? Did you leave room to negotiate, to did you demand a they provide a solution to your problem? Was the refusal from one person (say a low level facilities manager), or from the Executive/Senior management team?
A flat refusal with no good reason would seem unlikely to me.
Comment: Very good answer, especially from the perspective of looking at the problem both from employee and management perspectives.
Comment: Anyone care to explain the -1? I have no idea why this answer could be considered bad?
Answer: where i work we had the same problem. Lots of bike thefts and on two occaisons, violence directed at people who interrupted a theft. Work had a duty of car to look after us and many options where explored including moving the bike rack from the semi underground car park.
It was decided that the underground car park provided good protection from the elements so a cage was installed around the bikes with a code to get in. We haven't had a single theft since. Absolutely brilliant!
If work won't pay for it, is it an option for all the users to club together and cover the cost?
Answer: Where I worked in the US, our company furnished a parking area for bicycles, but it was up to the owner to secure their bicycle with a lock if they wished to deter any theft of the bike. The area for bikes was right in the same location of the vehicle parking, so the bike parking was visible from anywhere at the front of the plant. I would think that any company no matter where they were located can furnish an area for bicycles, but should not be held reaponsible for stolen bicycles or damage to bikes on their property. In my opinion, this bicycle parking area you describe is in an area that is accessable by a thief, but in an area that is too quiet and provides a thief with the solitude needed to break a bicycle lock unnoticed by anyone passing by. Quiet/darkened areas are very condusive for having a bicycle or anything else stolen. Maybe the company would consider installing a security camera and better lighting that covers this area, if they have someone to monitor the camera. If you can find a safer place with more pedestrian traffic nearby, that would possibly deter a bicycle thief from having "private time" to work on stealing a bike.
Answer: I'm not a lawyer but there seem to me to be two issues here:
(1) does the company have a duty to provide a parking area (for bikes)
The answer is generally "No", but you may have a contract with them (written or otherwise) that means they are obliged to provide one to you.
(2) if the company provides a parking area what steps are they obliged to take to make your bike and you safe from thieves?
Generally, employees would bring property on to their employer's premises at their own risk but that is, again, an issue between you and your employer (check staff handbook, notices posted in staff areas, etc).
As for your personal safety, your employer would have some type of duty of care.  If your employer knows of a threat to your health and fails to warn you or take reasonable steps to ensure your safety then there may be some liability.
As other posters have suggested though, removing bike racks, or simply advising you not to use them may be considered acceptable solutions.
My personal experience of this is that a previous employer did respond to bike thefts by providing a locked cage.  Also, where I have worked in places that involve entering or leaving the building late at night, I have been warned of the increased personal risk (e.g., from drunks).

Employer Duty of Care for cyclist


Median of a set of Integer

Question: The median of a set containing odd number of integer is the middle element after sorting. What about the case of even number of terms. Some places mention of average of the two middle value, but I heard that precise definition allows any number from the left middle number to the right middle number. For example, {1 2 3 4}, any number between and including 2 and 3 is valid.
Answer: It's really a matter of custom-convention-convenience. "If there is an even number of observations, then there is no single middle value; the median is then usually defined to be the mean of the two middle values" (wikipedia). No definite argument (that I'm aware of) dictates that the average is to be prefered, but in many scenarios that seems a reasonable thing to do. Specially if we can assume that the underlying distribution is approximately symmetric around the median.
On one side:  to see that that definition cannot be the last word, consider this example: for a positive random variable $X$ the ("true") median $m_X$ is insensitive to a change $Y=X^2$, in the sense that $m_Y=m_X^2$. Imagine that $X$ is the  length of some random squares, and $Y$ their area. If an statician is given a sample $\mathbf{X}=\{98,99,101,102\}$, he will estimate that the median of X is 100, so that his median area is 10000. If another statician is given the same data, expressed as areas, $\mathbf{Y}=\{9604,9801,10201,10404\}$, he will get a median area of 10001 (If they had opt for a geometric mean instead of an arithmetic one, they would have agreed).
On the other side, to see that the recipe "Take any number between and including the two middle values" can also be justified, recall that the (probabilistic) median is the value that minimizes the expected value of the absolute prediction error $|x - a|$. Analogously, we'd expect that to find the sample median should be equivalent to find the value that minimizes the average distance to all points, i.e. minimize $\sum |x_i-a|$. And this indeed coincides with the traditional definition of sample median, for odd sample size; and, for even sizes, it's easily seen  that any number "between and including the two middle values" attain this mininum - and hence, is a reasonable sample median.
Comment: +1 though with your $Y=X^2$ example, you have be be slightly careful if $X$ can be positive or negative
Comment: @Henry: thanks, fixed
Answer: I think you have to take the average of the two middle numbers.
median({1,2,3,4}) = (2+3) / 2 = 2.5
That's what they said me in school.

Median of a set of Integer


Is it legal to broadcast an FM radio signal with a Raspberry Pi Zero?

Question: I saw a video lately where someone soldered an antenna to a Raspberry Pi Zero and broadcasted radio signals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXedC5dQyNk&t=9s They said they were not worried to do it because they were only going to do it for a few seconds, but I'd like to know if I could do it for extended periods of time. I am in ME, US.
Comment: Welcome to ham.stackexchange.com!  Please consider taking [the tour](http://ham.stackexchange.com/tour) to get the most from the site.
Answer: When running rpitx or pifm on a Raspbery Pi, the "transmitter" output uses an unfiltered digital I/O pin.  Thus you not only need to worry about FM band interference, but emission laws and interference on any of the harmonic frequencies of the Pi transmit frequency setting, especially odd harmonics, but various non-linearities can even cause radiation on the even harmonics.
If you only want to worry about the Part-15 legality of low power transmission in the FM broadcast band, you will need to add a low-pass filter with a cut-off below the second harmonic (or a band-pass filter, or both) between the Pi and the antenna.
Added: The concept that seems not to be known by PiFM hobbyists is that a digital output does not produce anything close to a sinewave, but that the rectangular pulses produced by any periodic digital output consists of a spectrum containing lots of different sinusoidal components (Fourier's theorem) spattered across a huge portion of the entire RF spectrum, much of it well outside the RF band of interest.
Answer: the limit according to https://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/Documents/bulletins/oet63/oet63rev.pdf  is 150uV/m measured 3m from the antenna.  however, if one of the harmonics or IMD products interferes with another service the FCC won't care about the radiation measurement anymore, and tell you to stop transmitting immediately.  since the pi uses a GPIO pin for output, and the signal is unfiltered, the 7-or-8 bit modulation is sure to generate a lot of IMD and harmonics. the IMD may splatter in the aircraft band, and the harmonics may interfere in the emergency services bands.
Answer: Probably, as long as you don't interfere with others' FM reception.
You are allowed a maximum range of 200 feet.
Judging from the length of the antenna and the apparent lack of a power amplifier, it is likely legal. I doubt whether that thing has a 50 foot range, and that's why I said that.
Here is the specific FCC rules page (which I didn't read, but  you should!).
Comment: The key is to not interfere with any licensed service.  FM or otherwise.
Comment: So there's no punishment if I broadcast under 200ft and don't interfere with other stations?
Comment: You can still put a bunch of low-range Pi's all over the place?
Comment: This answer may be incorrect, since the Pi output can be legal in the FM band while simultaneously transmitting above legal limits on a whole bunch of other harmonic frequency bands.  Which would violate FCC regulations.
Answer: Part 15 operation on the FM band is not limited by distance.
It is judged by the FCC based on emissions.  If they get interested in your transmissions they will send out a van with calibrated receivers and take various measurements to ensure that you are not exceeding the limits.
In practice, with a legal antenna and power output, the range is limited to a couple of hundred feet.
The good news is that you are not limited by the number of transmitters.  So if you want to cover a whole city block you are free to put legal transmitters at whatever intervals will accomplish your goals.
As always, the FCC is most interested when you cause interference with a properly licensed service.  So for that reason it is wise to make sure you are in an untilized portion of the band.   As long as nobody complains you will probably have no trouble with the FCC.
This applies to both intentional radiators (the Zero) and also to unintentional spurious emissions.  As an example, if you have a fully legal setup in a  briefcase and operate it from a taxi, you're fine unless you interfere with the taxi's radios.
Comment: So there's no punishment if I broadcast under 200ft and don't interfere with other stations?
Comment: The regulation does not specifically say 200 feet, but that is a safe assumption.  It is actually based on the field intensity near the antenna.
  And if you never interfere with a licensed operator nobody would have cause to send the inspectors to test you in the first place.  So in that light, yes, your question is basically true. (I'm not a lawyer).
Comment: Thanks! Just don't want to pay $15,000-$75,000 fine!


defining equations for secant varieties

Question: Could anyone here give me some reference on finding defining equations for secant variety of any projective varieties?
Ex: secant variety of Segre, Grassmanian ...
Answer: There is an advanced monograph by F.L.ZAK on exactly this subject:  "Tangents and secants of algebraic Varieties" (AMS, 1993, Translations of Mathematical Monographs 127).
A free pdf version is online
http://mathecon.cemi.rssi.ru/zak/files/Zak_TSAV.pdf
Charles's excellent reference is more elementary, so according to the level of technicity you are ready to tolerate you may navigate between both books.
Answer: Harris's book on Algebraic Geometry has a lot of this in it.  Try lectures 8 and 9, in 8 he introduces secant varieties and makes the first two nontrivial examples exercises (do them.  It will help) and in 9 he talks about computing the secant variety of a determinantal variety.
Answer: You could also try out Brendan Hassett's book "Introduction to Algebraic Geometry". In the fourth chapter he introduces secant varieties and even computes some examples using the techniques provided by Gröbner Bases. It is a really nice book.
Answer: I think you want this article by J. Sidman and P. Vermeire.
Answer: The equations that cut out the first secant variety to a Segre variety were computed in characteristic 0 by Claudiu Raicu: http://arxiv.org/abs/1011.5867
Answer: I'm very late to the conversation.  In general nothing is known.  For some cases of the Segre or Veronese variety, one can interpet the varieties as spaces of matrices and then the equations are determinants.  In general this is not known.  There is a large current literature on this topic. I would start at the arxiv with pretty much any current paper by J.M. Landsberg.  It will contain loads of information and references on this topic.

defining equations for secant varieties


How can ethnically Asian people, who are not German, practice spoken German?

Question: Being a mechanical engineer, it would be helpful to learn to speak Deutsch. Will reading newspaper headlines in German papers help, or what else should I do?
Comment: Newspaper titles are often contracted or truncated. English newspapers won't help learning spoken English. I think it's the same here. Watch videos with subtitles and find language buddies.
Comment: Unsure how ethnicity plays a part in this? My answer would be: just like any other learner, too.
Comment: It would be good to know how much German you already know.
Comment: Der erste Schritt wäre: Versuche mal, deine Frage hier auf Deutsch zu formulierren. Es muss durchaus nicht fehlerfrei sein.
Answer: Reading will help to improve your reading skills. Reading means: Consume language that others have produced without being able to hear it. Of all the possibilities to interact with a new language, reading is the most useless way to practice speaking skills.
When you write in German (and get your writings corrected by someone who speaks German), you will be able to actively produce German text. You can't learn how to produce new sentences just by passively consuming what others wrote. (Reading helps a little, but reading alone is way to little.)
When you listen to a German speaker, you will be able to learn how German sounds. You never can learn this just by reading and writing. You have to listen to native speakers of the German language. Don't listen to Asian speakers, who learned German form other Asians, who learned it ... I've heard Asians speaking what they thought was German, and what they thought was English, but it was not understandable at all. On the Internet you can find German radio and TV stations, and on YouTube you can find German videos. Watch them, listen to them!
But listening is way too little to learn how to speak. There are phonemes in the German language that don't exist in Asian languages, but it is important to be able to produce those vowels and consonants correctly if you want to be understood. So you have to SPEAK! Try to imitate German native speakers!
Only speaking helps you to learn to speak!
Answer: The German Wikipedia (de.wikipedia.org) has a portal called "Gesprochene Wikipedia".  There you will find a large selection of Wikipedia articles that you can read as the text is read to you.  The articles are spoken by real people, the same way as spoken text is done with audio books.
The control to start, pause, back up, and restart the spoken article is down at the bottom of each article. Some long articles have several different speakers, so you the listener can hear different speakers and their pronunciations in one article.
By using an article's 'tape speed" control you can back up and repeat a word, phrase, or sentence (ALWAYS out loud so you can actually hear yourself) following or mimicking the pronunciations of the speaker.  You will find that after you have repeated a spoken word, phrase or sentence that has been read to you several times that after ten or so of doing your own 'repeat after me's" by backing up the 'tape' you will find yourself increasingly being able to start closely matching the Wikipedia speaker's speaking speed, pronunciations, tone, and inflections.
You will be pleasantly surprised at how well you will be speaking Wikipedia-correct German by simply reading and repeating those spoken Wikipedia texts (and once again, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, out loud !!!).  Remember, you do not have to stop and learn the vocabulary in a spoken article.  The whole objective is to learn how to correctly speak the German language.  And above all, don't try to  translate what you are reading.  Certainly keep a good German<-->English dictionary close at hand, and stop the tape whenever you want to 'look up' the meaning of a word that you've read/heard spoken. Keep your main priority with this method of learning as being able to speak German correctly, so you will be understood by native speakers of the language.
Because the 'tape' control is inconveniently placed at the bottom of the article, it is quite easy to generate a second copy of the de.Wikipedia, which you can then use to turn to the article you have selected in your original copy, then scroll down the page where the 'tape speed' controls are located, then use the ALT+TAB (pressing ALT first then TAB) keyboard keys to switch back and forth between your two copies, making it easier for you to control your 'tape' speed without breaking off from the point in the article that you're reading.
In computer jargon this multi-copy procedure is called "multi-tasking" -- and all contemporary computers can do it.
Answer: Actually for spoken German you need a language environment,a group learning. Reading a newspaper will help you up to some extent. But you should join any German learning institutes. Goethe institutes are best for such learning.
Answer: I find watching German films that are about things I know a lot about helps, for example I am a WWII enthusiast and watch documentaries and war movies in German so I don't have to read subtitles I can just watch and since I already know about the events taking place I can infer what they are saying. It is like reading and figuring out the meaning of a new word using context clues except you're listening instead of reading. Another thing is popular culture, if you listen to music or use websites often, make your youtube or facebook page to be in German. Making things you use daily to be in German will force you to be like "Hochladen" what does that mean? Oh! Thats right, it means upload. Also just seeing the blue text box in the top right on youtube is something you already see if you use youtube daily. Recognition is key. If I watch movies I try to watch them in my first learned language and then in German. Also repetition helps, re-watch and re-read, If math class taught us anything, it is repetition is the best way to learn! However, keep in mind that films or anything online can be Umgangssprache (slang) and may not be standard or formal.
Answer: Eine sehr gute Möglichkeit, Deutsch zu lernen, ist es, den Deutschlandfunk zu hören. Der Deutschlandfunk ist ein öffentlich-rechtlicher  Radiosender (das ist so etwas wie "vom Staat finanziert, aber nicht direkt von der Regierung abhängig") mit sehr hochwertigem Programm (sehr guter Journalismus, sehr gute Aussprache). Man empfängt Deutschlandfunk heute natürlich auch übers Internet.
Das setzt natürlich eine gewisse Kenntnis voraus, insbesondere beim Wortschatz.
Wenn du noch sehr wenig Deutsch verstehst, kannst du am Freitag um 20 Uhr Deutscher Zeit dort die "Nachrichten in einfacher Sprache" anhören.
Fast alle Sendungen sind auch nachträglich im Internet abrufbar.


Is there a word for powerful people in politics?

Question: Is there a word for powerful people in politics? There has to be, I know the word "insider", but "insiders" aren't all that powerful, some are, but they are not the ones who make the decisions necessarily.
Answer: The commonest term I've heard is "movers and shakers."
Answer: I can't think of a single word that applies to politics specifically, but you could make use of magnate:

: a person of rank, power, influence, or distinction often in a specified area
  // a railroad magnate

Since it could be true of any field, a qualification is necessary:

She was a political magnate.

From Wikipedia's entry on George Maitland Lloyd Davies (emphasis mine):

Davies was born in Peel Road, Sefton Park, Liverpool, grandson on his maternal side of a noted Welsh preacher, John Jones, Talysarn; his family was wealthy - his cousin was David Davies of Llandinam, a Welsh industrial and political magnate.

From "5 Surprising Facts about the Patty Hearst Kidnapping Saga" by Randy Dotinga (emphasis mine):

Terrorists had kidnapped Patricia Hearst, the young granddaughter of newspaper and political magnate William Randolph Hearst, and no one knew what chaos would come next.

From "The Percy Family, Marching with English History" by Dean Smith (emphasis mine):

Henry, 4th Lord of Alnwick soon became Edward's most important courtier (and political magnate). In 1377 Henry Percy was Marshal of England, and then Earl of Northumberland.
Answer: "Powerful politicians" and "abusive politicians" (where it can be implying some considerable to significant degree power that can be abused). In benefits / qualities it is pretty concise (short) and also associativity descriptive and simple for common understanding. Because of those benefits it can be relatively better term than both 2-words alternative/option terms for this and also even some, I'm not sure if they are existing, 1-word option terms for the meaning because it's still pretty short and okay (as opposed to if it would be 3/4/more words) and also have mentioned other benefits
Answer: "Statesman/Stateswoman".  This doesn't necessarily mean powerful, but it does imply it.


when did the 1980's sound of pop music and power ballads end?

Question: When were the latest pop and power ballad songs done in the style of the 1980's, such as in Journey's "who cries for you", Brenda Russell's "Piano in the Dark" or Chicago's "we can last forever"?
I'm wondernig when that style of pop or power ballad came to an end, and I'd like some examples of some of the last ones to have that type of sound to them.
note:
I do not mean power balads as a genre, i simply mean when did that particular sound stop in terms of what year did it really die out in?
Comment: ah, fair points.  I thought it would have fit here at pop music on theories and such.  feel free to migrate it if you like, as i don't know how to do that.
Answer: Power ballads continue to reach the charts. (Lady Gaga's A Million Reasons, Disturbed's The Sound of Silence, Harry Style's Sign of the Times) but the dominance seems to have given way to cozier ballads that came in the wake of Lilith Fair in the mid 90s where smaller ensembles were encouraged for singer-songwriters (a lone or duo of guitars, a piano, etc.)  Just prior to that, you had the successful Céline Dion belting out chart topping power ballads.
In the specific examples you posted, the keyboard is the Yamaha DX7.  The Yamaha keyboards would be eclipsed by Roland keyboards in roughly 1989.  The Yamaha keyboards were difficult to program because you were often mapping oscillators with binary.  I managed to program DX7s but it took a lot of time of experimenting to figure out what the User Interface was telling you.  Roland and Korg synthesisers, while more rudimentary in synthesis, allowed programmers to easily navigate their digital keyboards which was critical for broadening sound palettes. The earlier songs (1979-1982) would have been using older Fender Rhodes for those similar sounds.
Comment: so what about in terms of the 1980's sound, i used power balads as I notice the use of those 80's electric keyboards and sort of 80's rock sound in them, hence why I used CHicago's 'we can last forever" as an example.
Comment: It was more a technology shift.  Power ballads continue to be produced with less primitive sound design.
Comment: when would you say this technology shift took effect?  Because I do think that the 80's sound lasted into the 90's.  if you had to pick a year that this shift happened when would it be?
Comment: I think that would be better as a new question.
Comment: just say your edited comment, and i think now it seems to answer my question. thanks.
Comment: sinse i saw your edit, i feel it better answers the question. thanks.