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/***************************************************************************//** * @file adf4350.c * @brief Implementation of ADF4350 Driver. * @author DBogdan ([email protected]) ******************************************************************************** * Copyright 2012-2015(c) Analog Devices, Inc. * * All rights reserved. * * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met: * - Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright * notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer. * - Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright * notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in * the documentation and/or other materials provided with the * distribution. * - Neither the name of Analog Devices, Inc. nor the names of its * contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived * from this software without specific prior written permission. * - The use of this software may or may not infringe the patent rights * of one or more patent holders. This license does not release you * from the requirement that you obtain separate licenses from these * patent holders to use this software. * - Use of the software either in source or binary form, must be run * on or directly connected to an Analog Devices Inc. component. * * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY ANALOG DEVICES "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR * IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, NON-INFRINGEMENT, * MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. * IN NO EVENT SHALL ANALOG DEVICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, * INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT * LIMITED TO, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR * SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER * CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, * OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE * OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. * *******************************************************************************/ /******************************************************************************/ /***************************** Include Files **********************************/ /******************************************************************************/ #include <malloc.h> #include <stdio.h> #include "adf4350.h" /***************************************************************************//** * @brief Writes 4 bytes of data to ADF4350. * * @param dev - The device structure. * @param data - Data value to write. * * @return Returns 0 in case of success or negative error code.. *******************************************************************************/ int32_t adf4350_write(adf4350_dev *dev, uint32_t data) { uint8_t txData[4]; txData[0] = (data & 0xFF000000) >> 24; txData[1] = (data & 0x00FF0000) >> 16; txData[2] = (data & 0x0000FF00) >> 8; txData[3] = (data & 0x000000FF) >> 0; return spi_write_and_read(dev->spi_desc, txData, 4); } /***************************************************************************//** * @brief Updates the registers values. * * @param dev - The device structure. * * @return Returns 0 in case of success or negative error code. *******************************************************************************/ int32_t adf4350_sync_config(adf4350_dev *dev) { int32_t ret, i, doublebuf = 0; for (i = ADF4350_REG5; i >= ADF4350_REG0; i--) { if ((dev->regs_hw[i] != dev->regs[i]) || ((i == ADF4350_REG0) && doublebuf)) { switch (i) { case ADF4350_REG1: case ADF4350_REG4: doublebuf = 1; break; } dev->val = (dev->regs[i] | i); ret = adf4350_write(dev, dev->val); if (ret < 0) return ret; dev->regs_hw[i] = dev->regs[i]; } } return 0; } /***************************************************************************//** * @brief Increases the R counter value until the ADF4350_MAX_FREQ_PFD is * greater than PFD frequency. * * @param dev - The device structure. * @param r_cnt - Initial r_cnt value. * * @return Returns 0 in case of success or negative error code. *******************************************************************************/ int32_t adf4350_tune_r_cnt(adf4350_dev *dev, uint16_t r_cnt) { do { r_cnt++; dev->fpfd = (dev->clkin * (dev->pdata->ref_doubler_en ? 2 : 1)) / (r_cnt * (dev->pdata->ref_div2_en ? 2 : 1)); } while (dev->fpfd > ADF4350_MAX_FREQ_PFD); return r_cnt; } /***************************************************************************//** * @brief Computes the greatest common divider of two numbers * * @return Returns the gcd. *******************************************************************************/ uint32_t gcd(uint32_t x, uint32_t y) { uint32_t tmp; while (y != 0) { tmp = x % y; x = y; y = tmp; } return x; } /***************************************************************************//** * @brief Sets the ADF4350 frequency. * * @param dev - The device structure. * @param freq - The desired frequency value. * * @return calculatedFrequency - The actual frequency value that was set. *******************************************************************************/ int64_t adf4350_set_freq(adf4350_dev *dev, uint64_t freq) { uint64_t tmp; uint32_t div_gcd, prescaler, chspc; uint16_t mdiv, r_cnt = 0; uint8_t band_sel_div; int32_t ret; if ((freq > ADF4350_MAX_OUT_FREQ) || (freq < ADF4350_MIN_OUT_FREQ)) return -1; if (freq > ADF4350_MAX_FREQ_45_PRESC) { prescaler = ADF4350_REG1_PRESCALER; mdiv = 75; } else { prescaler = 0; mdiv = 23; } dev->r4_rf_div_sel = 0; while (freq < ADF4350_MIN_VCO_FREQ) { freq <<= 1; dev->r4_rf_div_sel++; } /* * Allow a predefined reference division factor * if not set, compute our own */ if (dev->pdata->ref_div_factor) r_cnt = dev->pdata->ref_div_factor - 1; chspc = dev->chspc; do { do { do { r_cnt = adf4350_tune_r_cnt(dev, r_cnt); dev->r1_mod = dev->fpfd / chspc; if (r_cnt > ADF4350_MAX_R_CNT) { /* try higher spacing values */ chspc++; r_cnt = 0; } } while ((dev->r1_mod > ADF4350_MAX_MODULUS) && r_cnt); } while (r_cnt == 0); tmp = freq * (uint64_t)dev->r1_mod + (dev->fpfd > 1); tmp = (tmp / dev->fpfd); /* Div round closest (n + d/2)/d */ dev->r0_fract = tmp % dev->r1_mod; tmp = tmp / dev->r1_mod; dev->r0_int = tmp; } while (mdiv > dev->r0_int); band_sel_div = dev->fpfd % ADF4350_MAX_BANDSEL_CLK > ADF4350_MAX_BANDSEL_CLK / 2 ? dev->fpfd / ADF4350_MAX_BANDSEL_CLK + 1 : dev->fpfd / ADF4350_MAX_BANDSEL_CLK; if (dev->r0_fract && dev->r1_mod) { div_gcd = gcd(dev->r1_mod, dev->r0_fract); dev->r1_mod /= div_gcd; dev->r0_fract /= div_gcd; } else { dev->r0_fract = 0; dev->r1_mod = 1; } dev->regs[ADF4350_REG0] = ADF4350_REG0_INT(dev->r0_int) | ADF4350_REG0_FRACT(dev->r0_fract); dev->regs[ADF4350_REG1] = ADF4350_REG1_PHASE(1) | ADF4350_REG1_MOD(dev->r1_mod) | prescaler; dev->regs[ADF4350_REG2] = ADF4350_REG2_10BIT_R_CNT(r_cnt) | ADF4350_REG2_DOUBLE_BUFF_EN | (dev->pdata->ref_doubler_en ? ADF4350_REG2_RMULT2_EN : 0) | (dev->pdata->ref_div2_en ? ADF4350_REG2_RDIV2_EN : 0) | (dev->pdata->r2_user_settings & (ADF4350_REG2_PD_POLARITY_POS | ADF4350_REG2_LDP_6ns | ADF4350_REG2_LDF_INT_N | ADF4350_REG2_CHARGE_PUMP_CURR_uA(5000) | ADF4350_REG2_MUXOUT(0x7) | ADF4350_REG2_NOISE_MODE(0x3))); dev->regs[ADF4350_REG3] = dev->pdata->r3_user_settings & (ADF4350_REG3_12BIT_CLKDIV(0xFFF) | ADF4350_REG3_12BIT_CLKDIV_MODE(0x3) | ADF4350_REG3_12BIT_CSR_EN); dev->regs[ADF4350_REG4] = ADF4350_REG4_FEEDBACK_FUND | ADF4350_REG4_RF_DIV_SEL(dev->r4_rf_div_sel) | ADF4350_REG4_8BIT_BAND_SEL_CLKDIV(band_sel_div) | ADF4350_REG4_RF_OUT_EN | (dev->pdata->r4_user_settings & (ADF4350_REG4_OUTPUT_PWR(0x3) | ADF4350_REG4_AUX_OUTPUT_PWR(0x3) | ADF4350_REG4_AUX_OUTPUT_EN | ADF4350_REG4_AUX_OUTPUT_FUND | ADF4350_REG4_MUTE_TILL_LOCK_EN)); dev->regs[ADF4350_REG5] = ADF4350_REG5_LD_PIN_MODE_DIGITAL | 0x00180000; ret = adf4350_sync_config(dev); if(ret < 0) { return ret; } tmp = (uint64_t)((dev->r0_int * dev->r1_mod) + dev->r0_fract) * (uint64_t)dev->fpfd; tmp = tmp / ((uint64_t)dev->r1_mod * ((uint64_t)1 << dev->r4_rf_div_sel)); return tmp; } /***************************************************************************//** * @brief Initializes the ADF4350. * * @param device - The device structure. * @param init_param - The structure containing the device initial parameters. * * @return Returns 0 in case of success or negative error code. *******************************************************************************/ int32_t adf4350_setup(adf4350_dev **device, adf4350_init_param init_param) { adf4350_dev *dev; int32_t ret; dev = (adf4350_dev *)malloc(sizeof(*dev)); if (!dev) { return -1; } /* SPI */ ret = spi_init(&dev->spi_desc, &init_param.spi_init); dev->pdata = (struct adf4350_platform_data *)malloc(sizeof(*dev->pdata)); if (!dev->pdata) return -1; dev->pdata->clkin = init_param.clkin; dev->pdata->channel_spacing = init_param.channel_spacing; dev->pdata->power_up_frequency = init_param.power_up_frequency; dev->pdata->ref_div_factor = init_param.reference_div_factor; dev->pdata->ref_doubler_en = init_param.reference_doubler_enable; dev->pdata->ref_div2_en = init_param.reference_div2_enable; /* r2_user_settings */ dev->pdata->r2_user_settings = init_param.phase_detector_polarity_positive_enable ? ADF4350_REG2_PD_POLARITY_POS : 0; dev->pdata->r2_user_settings |= init_param.lock_detect_precision_6ns_enable ? ADF4350_REG2_LDP_6ns : 0; dev->pdata->r2_user_settings |= init_param.lock_detect_function_integer_n_enable ? ADF4350_REG2_LDF_INT_N : 0; dev->pdata->r2_user_settings |= ADF4350_REG2_CHARGE_PUMP_CURR_uA(init_param.charge_pump_current); dev->pdata->r2_user_settings |= ADF4350_REG2_MUXOUT(init_param.muxout_select); dev->pdata->r2_user_settings |= init_param.low_spur_mode_enable ? ADF4350_REG2_NOISE_MODE(0x3) : 0; /* r3_user_settings */ dev->pdata->r3_user_settings = init_param.cycle_slip_reduction_enable ? ADF4350_REG3_12BIT_CSR_EN : 0; dev->pdata->r3_user_settings |= init_param.charge_cancellation_enable ? ADF4351_REG3_CHARGE_CANCELLATION_EN : 0; dev->pdata->r3_user_settings |= init_param.anti_backlash_3ns_enable ? ADF4351_REG3_ANTI_BACKLASH_3ns_EN : 0; dev->pdata->r3_user_settings |= init_param.band_select_clock_mode_high_enable ? ADF4351_REG3_BAND_SEL_CLOCK_MODE_HIGH : 0; dev->pdata->r3_user_settings |= ADF4350_REG3_12BIT_CLKDIV(init_param.clk_divider_12bit); dev->pdata->r3_user_settings |= ADF4350_REG3_12BIT_CLKDIV_MODE(init_param.clk_divider_mode); /* r4_user_settings */ dev->pdata->r4_user_settings = init_param.aux_output_enable ? ADF4350_REG4_AUX_OUTPUT_EN : 0; dev->pdata->r4_user_settings |= init_param.aux_output_fundamental_enable ? ADF4350_REG4_AUX_OUTPUT_FUND : 0; dev->pdata->r4_user_settings |= init_param.mute_till_lock_enable ? ADF4350_REG4_MUTE_TILL_LOCK_EN : 0; dev->pdata->r4_user_settings |= ADF4350_REG4_OUTPUT_PWR(init_param.output_power); dev->pdata->r4_user_settings |= ADF4350_REG4_AUX_OUTPUT_PWR(init_param.aux_output_power); adf4350_out_altvoltage0_refin_frequency(dev, dev->pdata->clkin); adf4350_out_altvoltage0_frequency_resolution(dev, dev->pdata->channel_spacing); adf4350_out_altvoltage0_frequency(dev, dev->pdata->power_up_frequency); *device = dev; printf("ADF4350 successfully initialized.\n"); return ret; } /***************************************************************************//** * @brief Stores PLL 0 frequency in Hz. * * @param dev - The device structure. * @param Hz - The selected frequency. * * @return Returns the selected frequency. *******************************************************************************/ int64_t adf4350_out_altvoltage0_frequency(adf4350_dev *dev, int64_t Hz) { return adf4350_set_freq(dev, Hz); } /***************************************************************************//** * @brief Stores PLL 0 frequency resolution/channel spacing in Hz. * * @param dev - The device structure. * @param Hz - The selected frequency. * * @return Returns the selected frequency. *******************************************************************************/ int32_t adf4350_out_altvoltage0_frequency_resolution(adf4350_dev *dev, int32_t Hz) { if(Hz != INT32_MAX) { dev->chspc = Hz; } return dev->chspc; } /***************************************************************************//** * @brief Sets PLL 0 REFin frequency in Hz. * * @param dev - The device structure. * @param Hz - The selected frequency. * * @return Returns the selected frequency. *******************************************************************************/ int64_t adf4350_out_altvoltage0_refin_frequency(adf4350_dev *dev, int64_t Hz) { if(Hz != INT32_MAX) { dev->clkin = Hz; } return dev->clkin; } /***************************************************************************//** * @brief Powers down the PLL. * * @param dev - The device structure. * @param pwd - Power option. * Example: 0 - Power up the PLL. * 1 - Power down the PLL. * * @return Returns the PLL's power status. *******************************************************************************/ int32_t adf4350_out_altvoltage0_powerdown(adf4350_dev *dev, int32_t pwd) { if(pwd == 1) { dev->regs[ADF4350_REG2] |= ADF4350_REG2_POWER_DOWN_EN; adf4350_sync_config(dev); } if(pwd == 0) { dev->regs[ADF4350_REG2] &= ~ADF4350_REG2_POWER_DOWN_EN; adf4350_sync_config(dev); } return (dev->regs[ADF4350_REG2] & ADF4350_REG2_POWER_DOWN_EN); } | Mid | [
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Q: SMB jcifs "jcifs.smb.client.dfs.disabled=true" impacts I had a performance issue with SMB file upload using JCIFS SMB. The problem was related to jcifs.smb.client.dfs.disabled property and using true fixed the issue. Now the question is that in which case I will be having problems using jcifs.smb.client.dfs.disabled=true as it has to be static property for me? I have many different environments which is using the same configuration. Properties document (link) says: If this property is true, domain based DFS referrals will be disabled. The default value is false. This property can be important in non-domain environments where domain-based DFS referrals that normally run when JCIFS first tries to resolve a path would timeout causing a long startup delay (e.g. running JCIFS only on the local machine without a network like on a laptop). ... but this is over my head, cannot understand. Also, if I could change that dynamically, what is the indication that I need to do that? Any specific Exception or scenario that points out that true or false is needed? Thanks! A: Please read this - what is DFS. In general you can mount your folder to a different share. For example PC1 has Share1 and the PC2 Share2 had a folder named "not located here" and it points to PC1 Share1 (just a link). To resolve the real location The SMB uses an IOCL query "get_referrals" and this is the implementation of the DFS. | Mid | [
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Parameters for H-F # R0 = 0.928229620265 # Ks = 930.158715987 # De = 0.695578981122 # beta= 2.58577246858 | Mid | [
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Our response to CQC’s State of Care report 2018-19 Option responds to CQC’s State of Care report We breakdown the latest report from CQC and list 4 things we are doing to improve the quality of care we provide. The recent publication ‘The State of Care’ 2018-19 from the CQC brings to light some serious questions about current care provision within the UK. The report recognised in particular that across the country, care provision for people with learning disabilities and autism is ‘unacceptable’. To read the full report, you can click here. Or if you’d prefer this in easy read, download the report here. With our recent ‘Outstanding’ rating from the CQC, happily Options are bucking that trend. But as an organsisation that is constantly learning and trying to improve, we have looked at this report to identify any ways in which we can do things better. The report highlights some of the areas that need improvement: The skills, training and experience of support staff Staff Retention Innovation in providing care People accessing suitable packages of support and getting correct diagnosis Poor care and treatment within a hospital setting because of lack of understanding of specific needs So what are some of the things we are doing? The skills, training and experience of support staff Over the next 6 months, we will be implementing 2 new training courses as part of our core induction for all staff. The first will be on ‘Listening and Enabling’, and the second on ‘Health and Inclusion’. We want to provide foundational and inspirational training in these areas that will have a big impact on the lives of the people we support – tackling loneliness, and lack of independence, isolation and poor health. Innovation in providing care We are currently working with commissioners and families to develop packages of care in new and different ways than we have done before. With people’s support hours regularly being reviewed and reduced, we have a full-time IT lead who is focused on enabling people to utilise technology in new but everyday ways, for example, opening/closing blinds, automatic hoovers etc. This means people are going to be able to use their support hours to do the things that that want to do, like hobbies, work or volunteering. People accessing suitable packages of support and getting correct diagnosis We already have this handy guideon how to get support. Our Health Lead, Christine, is putting together guidance for people who want a correct diagnosis. Poor care and treatment within a hospital setting because of lack of understanding of specific needs This is a big one. We have already recruited a Health Lead, who is building relationships with the LD nurses in local hospitals. She’s also working with teams to help them understand what reasonable adjustments they can ask for on behalf of the people we support. Have you read this report? What did you think? Have a great idea on how we can improve? Comment below or email me at [email protected] | High | [
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Q: Replacing placeholders with SED I'm trying to replace [[****]] placeholders in a html file with values from property file. Sample content in the input file: <html> <host>[[my_host]]</host> <port>[[my_port]]</port> </html> Sample content in property file: my_host=linkcmb.com my_port=8080 My current script: #/bin/sh property_file=$1 input_html=$2 output_html=$3 IFS="=" while read k v || [[ -n "$k" ]]; do test -z "$k" && continue declare $k=$v done <"$property_file" eval "$(sed 's/\[\[\([^]]\+\)\]\]/${\1}/g' $input_html) >$output_html"; Error: Html tags are getting evaluated too causing errors. ./some.sh: line 32: html: No such file or directory ./some.sh: line 33: host: No such file or directory ./some.sh: line 35: /host: No such file or directory .... .... Any advises will be much appreciated. Thanks. A: You can replace your while loop with . "$property_file" However, I do not like the eval, and you do not need to declare these settings. You want sed commands like sed '/=/ s/\([^=]*\)=\(.*\)/s#\\\[\\\[\1\\\]\\\]#\2#g/' "$property_file" A lot of backslashes, the [[]] were a difficult choice. You can use these commands using process substitution: sed -f <( sed '/=/ s/\([^=]*\)=\(.*\)/s#\\\[\\\[\1\\\]\\\]#\2#g/' "$property_file" ) "${input_html}" | Mid | [
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Q: Date.js parseExact with french culture I'm using the last build of date-fr-FR.js in the svn trunk (rev 191). The parsing seems to fail on days and months names. Date.parse("9 3 2012") is ok, but: Date.parse("vendredi 9 mars 2012") returns null. parseExact doesn't help either: Date.parseExact("vendredi 9 mars 2012", "dddd d MMMM yyyy") returns null. Anyone faced a similar issue ? Is there a more recent version of the localized files ? Maybe you could recommend me another javascript date library if nobody can find a solution. A: The French culture file fr-FR:js appears to have a few of bugs. For example the regular expression for Friday shows: /^ve(n(.(dredi)?)?)?/i This means than either "ve" or "ven" or "ven." or "ven.dredi" are recognized as Friday but not "vendredi". More precisely the above regex matches the "vend" and leaves "redi" unmatched, thus failing the parser. The same bug is present for all days of the week and most months. To fix this you could replace the above regular expression with: /^ve(n(\.|(dredi)?)?)?/i Adding the alternate "|" after the any character ".". I have also escaped the dot because it should not match "any" character but just the dot though this would not fail your test case. | High | [
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Q: How do you toggle the status item in the menubar on and off using a checkbox? I have already created a status item for the menu bar but I would like to add a checkbox to make it able to be toggled on and off. So when the check box is checked the status item is displayed and when the checkbox is not checked it is not displayed. What code would i need to do this? A: First in your controller class create an instance variable to hold the reference to this item: NSStatusItem *item; Then create a method to create this status item, when the box is checked: - (BOOL)createStatusItem { NSStatusBar *bar = [NSStatusBar systemStatusBar]; //Replace NSVariableStatusItemLength with NSSquareStatusItemLength if you //want the item to be square item = [bar statusItemWithLength:NSVariableStatusItemLength]; if(!item) return NO; //As noted in the docs, the item must be retained as the receiver does not //retain the item, so otherwise will be deallocated [item retain]; //Set the properties of the item [item setTitle:@"MenuItem"]; [item setHighlightMode:YES]; //If you want a menu to be shown when the user clicks on the item [item setMenu:menu]; //Assuming 'menu' is a pointer to an NSMenu instance return YES; } Then create a method to remove the item when it is unchecked: - (void)removeStatusItem { NSStatusBar *bar = [NSStatusBar systemStatusBar]; [bar removeStatusItem:item]; [item release]; } Now tie it all together by creating an action that is called when the checkbox is toggled: - (IBAction)toggleStatusItem:(id)sender { BOOL checked = [sender state]; if(checked) { BOOL createItem = [self createStatusItem]; if(!createItem) { //Throw an error [sender setState:NO]; } } else [self removeStatusItem]; } Then create the checkbox in IB and set the action to your toggleStatusItem: method; make sure that the checkbox is left unchecked. Edit (In response to errors) As stated above, you need to declare the NSStatusItem in the interface of the class that you have placed the createStatusItem and removeStatusItem methods; the reason that this becomes an instance variable rather than one local to the createStatusItem method is that there is no way to retrieve a pointer to an item that has already been added to the status bar in the Apple menu, and in order to remove the item once the checkbox is unchecked, you must store a pointer to this item. This will also solve your third error. In response to your second error, I was merely demonstrating that if you want to add a menu to your status item when it is clicked, you must add the code for that yourself, retrieving a pointer to an NSMenu; I was showing how you could then add this menu item to the status bar item, if your pointer was called menu, hence my comment next to the line of code. | High | [
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30.375,
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Depletion of intracellular calcium stores is toxic to SH-SY5Y neuronal cells. Inhibiting Ca(2+) uptake by the sarcoendoplasmic reticular Ca(2+)-ATPase pump (SERCA) causes release of Ca(2+) from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), increased cytosolic Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](cyt)) and depletion of ER Ca(2+) stores. These studies were designed to test the effects of SERCA inhibition on neuronal viability, using as a model the human neuroblastoma cell line, SH-SY5Y. Continuous exposure to the SERCA inhibitor thapsigargin (TG) decreased SH-SY5Y viability to <30% after 48 h exposure, and produced DNA laddering. Two other SERCA inhibitors, BHQ and cyclopiazonic acid CPA, were similarly toxic, although at 1000-fold higher concentrations. BHQ and CPA toxicity was prevented by removing drug within several hours, whereas TG toxicity was essentially irreversible. All three SERCA inhibitors caused an increase in [Ca(2+)](cyt) that was partially blocked by the ryanodine receptor inhibitors, dantrolene and DHBP. Pretreatment with 40 microM dantrolene gave substantial protection against TG- or BHQ-induced cell death but it did not inhibit death from staurosporine, which does not cause release of ER Ca(2+). DHBP (20-100 microM) also gave partial protection against TG toxicity, as did ruthenium red (2 microM), but not ryanodine (10 microM). Inhibition of capacitative Ca(2+) entry with EGTA or LaCl(3) or low extracellular Ca(2+), or chelation of [Ca(2+)](cyt) with BAPTA-AM, failed to inhibit TG toxicity, although they prevented increases in [Ca(2+)](cyt) caused by TG. Taken together, these data suggest that toxicity caused by SERCA inhibition in SH-SY5Y cells is caused by ER Ca(2+) depletion, which triggers an apparent apoptotic pathway. | High | [
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Ice Cream Lyrics Ice Cream Come and get a scoop of my ice cream, baby JS got the flavours that I know will drive you crazy Tonight it's gon' be like we were streamin', baby Won't you taste my ice cream Baby, you know I've got all the flavours that you want Plus I got all the skills that I need to turn you on Vanilla, strawberries, chocolate, baby boy it's on Now tell me can you picture my body on a cone Baby, come lay your body right here I wanna ride it Switch it up, turn it around, now come and get inside it Tonight you're gonna have so much fun while tastin' my love Tell me do you have a taste for vanilla wafers Come and get a scoop of my ice cream, baby (Ice cream, yeah) JS got the flavors that I know will dive you crazy (flavors yeah) Tonight it's gon' be like (Yeah, yeah) We were streamin' baby (Won't you) Won't you taste my ice cream Now boy, it's getting late so don't hesitate lets get to it Just put the Chocolate Factory CD on and watch me lose it Come in my story, like ending know what is it you want Bananas mixed with peach Mixed with cherries Mixed with lime Come and get a scoop of my ice cream, baby (Ooh) JS got the flavors that I know will drive you crazy (Crazy, crazy, yeah) Tonight it's gon' be like we were streamin' baby (Oh) Won't you taste (Taste) My (My) Ice (Ice) Cream (Cream) You ain't never seen (You ain't never seen milky water falls) (No, no) You ain't never seen (You ain't never seen gumdrop walls) (No) You ain't never seen (You ain't never seen a vanilla Tootsies Roll till you) Taste (Taste) My (My) Ice (Ice) Cream (Cream, yeah) Come and get a scoop of my ice cream, baby (Come and get a scoop of my ice cream) (Bring me a scoop, boy) JS got the flavors that I know will drive you crazy (Come on and taste it, boy) Tonight it's gon' be like we were streamin', baby (Woo, won't you) Won't you taste my ice cream (Taste my ice cream, yeah) Come and get a scoop of my ice cream, baby Oh, I know you’re gonna like it, boy (Like it) JS got the flavors that I know will drive you crazy (Once I give it to you, baby boy) Tonight it's gon' be like we were streamin', baby It's like Lifesavers (Yeah) All these flavors (Yeah) Won't you taste my ice cream (Whoa, whoa, whoa ice cream) Come and get a scoop of my ice cream, baby JS got the flavors that I know will drive you crazy Strawberries (Strawberries) Raspberries (Raspberries) Tonight it's gon' be like we were streamin', baby (All those good things, yeah) Won't you taste my ice cream | Low | [
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Romaine lettuce is displayed on a shelf at a supermarket in San Rafael, California. Getty Images America tries to eat its vegetables, so the recent romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak has put everyone from Caesar salad fans to those who barely tolerate a splash of greens in a taco on high alert. But how did these seemingly innocent little leaves turn deadly? The Centers for Disease Control has tallied 121 cases in 25 states stemming from the romaine lettuce grown in the Yuma, Ariz., region, including one death and 52 hospitalizations. Fourteen people suffered kidney failure. The victims are between one and 88 years old. We've sent men to the moon. Many of us carry tiny computers in our pockets. So why can't we keep romaine lettuce safe and clean? Here's some reasons why lettuce is so vulnerable and why tracking down the source of a bacterial outbreak can be difficult. America hearts lettuce, especially women Thanks to the national wellness trend embraced by healthy Millennials and aging Baby Boomers, the consumption of fresh vegetables, as opposed to frozen or shelf-stable varieties, is on the rise. Adding to that is the growing popularity of salad-centric restaurants, like Tender Greens and Sweetgreen, and the increasing inclusion of salads on the menus of fast-food chains. According to global market research firm Mintel's most recent data, 70% of vegetables sold in the U.S. in 2016 were fresh produce, up 13% from 2011, but growing at a 39% clip since then is fresh-cut salad, now 11% of what's in stores. Fresh veggies are forecast to grow 9% by 2021 and fresh-cut salads, 33%. Read more from USA Today: From their parents' basements to dream homes: Millennials are skipping starter houses The pros and cons of U.S. unemployment rate falling below 4% Elon Musk puts his money where his mouth is: buys $9.85M more shares of Tesla "Household vegetable purchase is universal and highly driven by fresh product purchases with 97% of consumers purchasing fresh options in the past month," Mintel said. The group most impacted by the romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak is women. According to the CDC, 63% of the people sickened as a result of this episode are female. Chalk that up to women being bigger salad eaters than men. Blame it on Mother Nature Fields where produce is grown are subject to the whims of Mother Nature and her animals. Fruits and veggies grow in dirt and can be fertilized with manure. Bugs and birds fly around. Animals may run wild through even fenced fields -- or defecate in rivers and lakes used to irrigate nearby farms. Growing out in the open means lots of opportunities for bacteria to enter the picture. "Stuff is grown in nature outside. It can't be bacteria-free, virus-free, parasite-free," University of Florida food safety expert Keith Schneider said. "We do our best. The farmers jump through a lot of expensive hoops to make the food as clean as possible, but nature can intervene." Lettuce is naturally unprotected Unlike some of its fruit and vegetable brethren, lettuce has nothing to keep it safe. The lack of rinds and peels — which you'd find on say, a watermelon and a cucumber — gives bacteria countless entry points. A head of lettuce has tons of nooks and crannies for the nasty stuff to hide, making leafy greens far more vulnerable than other thinly-skinned, yet solid and easily washed produce, like tomatoes. "The population is choosing to eat foods inherently more risky," said Matthew Stasiewicz, an assistant professor of applied food safety at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign of produce, contrasting it with canned goods. "Realistically, there's not an activity in life that carries zero risk." Distance can make the problem grow faster The days of getting produce year-round only from nearby farms are long gone. As the national food supply becomes more sophisticated, we're able to grow food at a central location and then pack it, preserve it and ship it around the U.S. Despite the ease social media and 24-hour news cycles bring to spreading warnings about outbreaks, following the food from point A to point E remains complicated. Convenience can lead to illness The extra phase of processing the romaine lettuce -- whether chopping it or simply packaging it — provides more chances for bacteria to sneak in. "If all lettuce from the field is clean, you bring it to the packing house and equipment is contaminated," Schneider said. "All things that go over the belt, we can contaminate." A raw deal Foods you eat raw, like lettuce, miss out on a cooking phase that can kill bacteria. What the industry has dubbed "the kill step," withholds a key opportunity to get rid of food poisoning-causing particles. For example, applesauce, which is subjected to heat as part of the preparation, is far less likely to pose a problem than a raw Red Delicious apple. That's why health officials preach the importance of thoroughly cooking meat and poultry and to avoid unpasteurized dairy products. For produce, washing is key. It can take a while before illness gets reported People sickened by romaine lettuce after April 11 may not have reported it yet. The average lag is two to three weeks. "One of the major challenges of identifying sources of foodborne disease is people eat a lot of food," Stasiewicz said. "There's also a major problem remembering what they eat. When eating a complex food, like a sandwich or burrito, you might not even know what you're eating." The evidence is often tossed | Mid | [
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Q: Bank claims I'm personally liable for small business fees; despite leaving the company? I opened a small business (partnership) a while ago and was a signer on a company account. I later left that company, with the other partner being responsible for whathaveyou, but was apparently never removed as a signer. That account has since accumulated over $100 in inactivity fees, and the bank is holding me personally liable. Is that even legal? Do I have any recourse here? EDIT: I (ironically) also believe this question is off topic. As noted in the answers: the resolution depends on what was signed, where you are, and what records were given to the bank. I'll look to see what agreement was signed by me, but in the end, I'll probably just pay the fee and complain to my old partner. A: What did you sign when the account was opened? What did you sign when you left the company, to transfer those responsibilities? Unless the bank has a record of someone else being responsible, they are correct in billing the one who signed their paperwork. Of course this also probably means you still have access to the account, so your ex-partners should be Highly Motivated to help you fix this. If you want a legal opinion, try over in the Law area, or (better) ask a real lawyer in your jurisdiction. That's out of scope here. A: If I were you, I would go to the bank right now, pay the $100 and close the account. I would stop the bleeding first then consider the fallout later. Do you own the account jointly with your partner(s) as a partner or does the partnership (a separate formal entity) own the bank account with you a named representative? Those are two very different situations. If you're a joint owner, you're liable for the fees; along with your other partners in accordance with your partnership agreement. You never closed yourself off the account and that's your problem. If the dissolved partnership owns the account, you're not personally liable for the fees. You were never a personal owner of the account, now that the account is negative you don't magically become personally liable. The differences here are very nuanced and the details matter. If this were a large amount of money I'd suggest you go see a lawyer. Since this is about $100 I'd just pay it, make sure the account is closed, and move on. | Mid | [
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Modified from Kathy Patalsky’s Original Article Veggie Burger Basics If you are like us and love everything veggie you will love this. This is also great for preparing food for a vegan, vegetarian or health conscious individuals you may have over. The steps we’ll go over will explain some simple ways to a perfect veggie burger to make for dinner, serve at your next bbq or for a get together. We will go over Kathy 5 recommended tips as well as provide the key to a perfect veggie burger. Veggie Burgers are much quicker, healthier and more affordable then traditional meals and are easy to make using these 5 basic tips. If you are already buying frozen store veggie burgers you may want to start making these today. Not only are these fresher and more nutritious without the added sodium and preserving necessities, they are also much more affordable allowing you to make more for less, quicker and fresher. This is the most important step to a delicious burger filled with flavorful notes. Adding fresh herbs, spices, jalapeno, chipotle, lemon, cajun, rosemary, basil and more can bring your burger to life. We have used nutritional yeast to add a cheesy flavor, or agave, maple or honey for a sweet note. For Texture and depth and more of a savory flavor we enjoy adding tahini or hummus. Binding The most successful binders we have used have included wheat flour, quinoa, black rice, brown rice, or bread crumbs. Nut butters like tahini, soaked or dried flax, flax seed meal, or chia seeds are also great binders that add texture and hardiness to the burger. Seeds are great additions as they absorb moisture helping the process. When you add a binder you help create a paste like texture thickening the mixture and helping it all stick together. Cooking The best way to cook a veggie burger is either in a skillet, a flat top grill, or baked in the oven. If you want to cook them on a grill you will need to cook them in foil pouches otherwise you may lose your burger in the flames. Cooking them in foil pouches will also help keep them away from other meat you may be cooking on the grill. If you are making a large amount of patties they are healthier and easier to bake in the oven at 350 for about 15 to 20 minutes – How wet and thick you make your patties will determine how long or short you need to cook them. If you prefer you can also sauté your patties. When we pan saute them we press fresh bread crumbs on them and cook them on medium heat in extra virgin olive oil for about 3 minutes per side allowing them to crisp up nicely. Serving Veggies burgers have complex flavors and textures, and are usually much softer in texture than traditional burgers. We enjoy toasting sprouted whole grain buns and adding fresh produce for the toppings. Crisp lettuce or kale, sliced tomato and red onions, avocado, cucumber, and sprouts, are always delicious on a veggie burger. Fresh Raw apple beet agave salad , or cranberry Kale Salad (see our recipe at attractingwellness.net). These salads pair wonderfully to the burger. Vegan condiments like spicy mustard, agave bbq, and vegan mayo are great to add extra flavor. | High | [
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"use strict"; /** * @license * Copyright 2018 Palantir Technologies, Inc. * * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. * You may obtain a copy of the License at * * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 * * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and * limitations under the License. */ Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", { value: true }); var tslib_1 = require("tslib"); var Lint = require("../../index"); // tslint:disable: object-literal-sort-keys exports.codeExamples = [ { description: "Requires the inclusion of the radix parameter when calling `parseInt`.", config: Lint.Utils.dedent(templateObject_1 || (templateObject_1 = tslib_1.__makeTemplateObject(["\n \"rules\": { \"radix\": true }\n "], ["\n \"rules\": { \"radix\": true }\n "]))), pass: Lint.Utils.dedent(templateObject_2 || (templateObject_2 = tslib_1.__makeTemplateObject(["\n const x: string = '11';\n const dec: number = parseInt(x, 10);\n const bin: number = parseInt(x, 2);\n const hex: number = parseInt(x, 16);\n "], ["\n const x: string = '11';\n const dec: number = parseInt(x, 10);\n const bin: number = parseInt(x, 2);\n const hex: number = parseInt(x, 16);\n "]))), fail: Lint.Utils.dedent(templateObject_3 || (templateObject_3 = tslib_1.__makeTemplateObject(["\n const x: string = '11';\n const dec: number = parseInt(x);\n const bin: number = parseInt(x, 2);\n const hex: number = parseInt(x, 16);\n "], ["\n const x: string = '11';\n const dec: number = parseInt(x);\n const bin: number = parseInt(x, 2);\n const hex: number = parseInt(x, 16);\n "]))), }, ]; var templateObject_1, templateObject_2, templateObject_3; | Mid | [
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We Are Catholic ! NeedImprovement Admin Reputation : 86 Over at CAF , when the news about our Holy Father - Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming resignation was first announced early in the morning on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes ( ) , some members were expressing worry at what the outcome is going to be. In response, one member who'd only become a Catholic several years earlier, reminded everyone that it was going to be business as usual, remarking : | Low | [
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Scam Risks – The Main Reason for Rebuffs The ETFs which saw the red light from the SEC this time have some peculiar features. The one, filed by ProShares, could trace BTC futures, whereas those from Direxion are reciprocal and leveraged. However, none of them has seen the endorsement from the U.S. assets and trading venues watchdog, CNBC reports. Just as it happened to the Winklevoss ETF, the SEC explained that the reason for the denial was the scam and speculations on the market of BTC. As per the SEC, NYSE Arca, which filed the ProShares proposal, had not foreseen measures for averting scam and other manipulative moves. Furthermore, the independent agency stated that this particular applicant did not present any evidence, showing that the BTC futures niche is of considerable size. Bitcoin Has Nothing to Do With ETFs’ Rejection – SEC Despite the above mentioned, the SEC highlighted that the repudiation did not depend on the assessment of BTC and DLT as piling or innovation. Any Other ETFs? As the SEC does not hurry to endorse an ETF, based on cyber assets, there are other interesting applications waiting for the agency’s answer. For instance, earlier it delayed the endorsement or rebuff of the VanEck ETF until the end of fall’s first month. Another application, filed last month by Bitwise, is also anticipating the review. The latter, by the way, would trace a number of cryptos, but now everything depends on the SEC’s decision. In the meantime, bitcoin’s price is fluctuating in the frames of $6,400-$6,700 margins and is showing no positive features like growing. However, there are no downward trends either. | Mid | [
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Q: Expected(200) <=> Actual(401 Unauthorized) in Heroku console This just started happening. Whenever I open the console in my production app (via Heroku CLI), I get this message. Connecting to database specified by DATABASE_URL Expected(200) <=> Actual(401 Unauthorized) request => {:connect_timeout=>60, :headers=>{"Accept"=>"application/json", "Accept-Encoding"=>"gzip", "Authorization"=>"Basic OmQ5NDc0NTY0LWUwMDMtNDRlYy1hYTJjLTUxODYwMTI5YzA5Zg==", "User-Agent"=>"heroku-rb/0.2.1", "X-Heroku-API-Version"=>"3", "X-Ruby-Version"=>"2.0.0", "X-Ruby-Platform"=>"x86_64-linux", "Host"=>"api.heroku.com:443"}, :instrumentor_name=>"excon", :mock=>false, :read_timeout=>60, :retry_limit=>4, :ssl_ca_file=>"/app/vendor/bundle/ruby/2.0.0/gems/excon-0.13.4/data/cacert.pem", :ssl_verify_peer=>true, :write_timeout=>60, :host=>"api.heroku.com", :path=>"/apps/staging-xxxx/ps", :port=>"443", :query=>nil, :scheme=>"https", :expects=>200, :method=>:get} response => #<Excon::Response:0x007f2ecf385658 @body="{\"id\":\"unauthorized\",\"error\":\"Invalid credentials provided.\"}", @headers={"Cache-Control"=>"no-transform", "Content-Type"=>"application/json", "Date"=>"Tue, 28 Apr 2015 18:40:19 GMT", "Request-Id"=>"53c8af5d-0d1c-46bf-8779-e5f6d6c8cd1a", "Server"=>"nginx/1.4.6 (Ubuntu)", "Status"=>"401 Unauthorized", "X-Content-Type-Options"=>"nosniff", "X-Runtime"=>"0.015607713", "Content-Length"=>"61", "Connection"=>"keep-alive"}, @status=401> Expected(200) <=> Actual(401 Unauthorized) Console still opens, but wondering why I now get this message every time I open the prod console. Thoughts? A: The issue was with the delayed_job_recurring gem. I removed the gem and the error went away. | Mid | [
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NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said his four-nation tour of Germany, Spain, Russia and France beginning tomorrow is aimed at boosting India's economic engagement with these nations and inviting more investment.In the first leg of his six-day trip, he will visit Germany, where he will hold talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel under the framework of India-Germany Intergovernmental Consultations (IGC).He will also call on German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.Modi said he and Merkel will "chart out a future roadmap of cooperation with focus on trade and investment, security and counter-terrorism, innovation and science and technology, skill development, urban infrastructure, railways and civil aviation, clean energy, development cooperation, health and alternative medicine."Describing Germany as a valuable partner, the prime minister said, "German competencies fit well with my vision for India's transformation."In Berlin, Modi and Merkel will also interact with top business leaders of both the countries to further strengthen the trade and investment ties."I am confident that this visit will open a new chapter in our bilateral cooperation with Germany and further deepen our Strategic Partnership," he said in a Facebook post.On Tuesday, Modi will travel to Spain for an official visit, the first by an Indian prime minister in almost three decades.He will call on King Felipe VI and hold talks with President Mariano Rajoy."We will discuss ways to enhance bilateral engagement, especially in the economic sphere, and cooperation on international issues of common concern, particularly in combating terrorism," he said.The prime minister said there is significant potential for deepening bilateral trade and investment ties."We seek active participation of Spanish industry in various Indian projects including infrastructure, smart cities, digital economy, renewable energy, defence and tourism," he added.He will also meet top CEOs of the Spanish industry and encourage them to partner in the 'Make in India' initiative."I look forward to their valuable recommendations for strengthening India-Spain economic partnership," he wrote.From Spain, the prime minister will travel to St. Petersburg in Russia from May 31 to June 2 for the 18th India-Russia Annual Summit."...I will be conducting detailed discussions with President Putin to take forward our dialogue from the last Summit in Goa in October 2016," he said.The two leaders will also be interacting with CEOs from the two countries.On June 2, Modi and Putin will address the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) where India is the 'guest country'."In a first meeting of its kind, I will also have the opportunity to engage with Governors from various Russian regions to further broad base bilateral cooperation and more actively involve States/Regions and other diversified stakeholders," he said.At the beginning of his visit, he will go to Piskarovskoye Cemetery to pay homage to those who perished during the siege of Leningrad.He will also visit the world famous State Hermitage Museum and the Institute of Oriental manuscripts."I greatly look forward to my visit to St. Petersburg in this special year for the bilateral relationship as both countries celebrate the 70th Anniversary of our diplomatic relations," Modi said.In the last leg of the tour, he will visit France from June 2 to 3 for an official meeting with the newly-elected French President Emmanuel Macron."France is one of our most important Strategic Partners. I look forward to meeting President Macron and have discussions on issues of mutual interest," Modi said."I would be exchanging views with the French President on important global issues including UN Security Council reforms and India's permanent membership of the UN Security Council, India's membership of the various multilateral export control regimes, counter-terrorism cooperation, collaboration on climate change and International Solar Alliance," he added.France is India's 9th largest investment partner and a key partner in its development initiatives in the area of defence, space, nuclear and renewable energy, urban development and railways."I am committed to substantially strengthening and advancing our multi-faceted partnership with France," the prime minister said. | Mid | [
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News Flash Braintree Police Department News Braintree Police Department was recently awarded a grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Office of Grants and Research - Highway Safety Division (EOPSS/OGR/HSD) to improve traffic safety on local roads for pedestrians and bicyclists. In total, nearly $700,000 was awarded to 93 police departments across the Commonwealth, with funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). With close to 6,000 pedestrians killed in 2016 across the country, pedestrians now account for a larger proportion (16%) of traffic fatalities then in the past 33 years. In Massachusetts, that rate is even higher, with pedestrians representing more than 20% of all traffic fatalities. Bicyclists are dying at higher rates nationally as well-the 840 killed in traffic crashes in 2016 are the most since 1991. According to NHTSA, 94% of crashes can be tied back to a human choice or error. “Bicyclists and pedestrians are at risk from the motoring public because they may not be immediately visible to drivers and unlike those in vehicles, nothing protects them in a crash,” said Interim Deputy Chief Sean Lydon. “We’ll analyze crash data to identify crosswalks, intersections, and roadways where our enforcement efforts can yield the largest impact on pedestrian and bicyclist safety.” Under the grant, departments will pay for overtime enforcement to increase compliance with traffic laws by all road users. Departments are also eligible to purchase educational materials, bicycle helmets, and safety items to help enhance pedestrian and bicyclist visibility at night. From April through September the Braintree Police Department will be performing community outreach and education to elementary and middle school students as well as enforcement at crosswalks throughout town. | Mid | [
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Steven Shell Steven Daniel Shell (born March 10, 1983) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He made his major league debut on June 22, 2008. Playing career Played high school ball in Minco and El Reno Oklahoma. His senior year he was named Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year. Shell was drafted straight out of high school in the 3rd round of the amateur draft by the Anaheim Angels. Shell pitched in the Angels organization from 2001–. In the off season of the 2007 season, Shell pitched for team USA and was the winning pitcher in the Gold Medal game verses Cuba. He became a minor league free agent after the 2007 season and signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals. On July 11, 2008, he set the Nationals' record for the longest save in club history. He pitched 3 scoreless innings against the Astros to get the record as well as his first career save. On April 29, 2009 Shell refused a minor league assignment and became a free agent. On May 2, 2009 Shell signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners. On November 15, 2010, Shell signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals. On May 8, 2011, Shell was released. On May 19, 2011, he signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves and was assigned to Triple-A Gwinnett the following day. A free agent again after the 2011 season. After leaving baseball in 2011, Shell is currently working as an Operations Tech for Husky Ventures. Personal life Shell was married to model, internet blogger and fitness entrepreneur Kenna Shell 2006-2015. The couple have one child, Tyler Shell, born May 18, 2009. He now owns an oil business as well as a store in a cookie franchise in Yukon, Oklahoma. He is currently remarried to Kady Shell (2017). References External links , or Retrosheet, or Baseball Reference (Minor, Fall and Winter Leagues) Category:1983 births Category:Living people Category:Arizona League Angels players Category:Arkansas Travelers players Category:Baseball players from Texas Category:Cardenales de Lara players Category:Cedar Rapids Kernels players Category:Columbus Clippers players Category:Gwinnett Braves players Category:Omaha Storm Chasers players Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:People from Longview, Texas Category:Provo Angels players Category:Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players Category:Salt Lake Bees players Category:Tacoma Rainiers players Category:Washington Nationals players Category:West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx players | High | [
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The goal of the Animal Resources core will be to generate and maintain transgenic mouse lines derived from genetically manipulated embryonic stem (ES) cells lines that will be developed in Projects II and III. The core will also provide animals for analysis, testing, and mating as needed by Program II, III, IV and Core B. Primarily, mouse lines will be generated through blastocyst injection of ES cells, however, this core will also be able to generate standard transgenic mouse lines through pronuclear microinjection of DNA constructs, as necessary. It is estimated that two to three ES cell lines will be injected for each construct and that one to two lines of mice will be maintained for each construct, depending on the phenotype and expression levels in each line. The Core will maintain breeding stocks and study animals for six transgenic mouse lines and appropriate control strains that are currently under study in Program II and III and Core B. The Core will also provide animals for mating by Project IV. The Core will oversee DNA typing, breeding record, and pedigrees for these lies and all subsequent lines that are developed by the project. The Animals Core will also maintain breeding stocks of C57BL/6J mice for production of blastocysts and CD-1 females and vasectomized males for production of pseudopregnant host females. Breeding stocks of FVB/NJ mice and a transgenic line of FVB/NJ mice carrying a pSV40tkneo construct will be maintained to provide embryonic fibroblast feeder cells for maintenance and selection of ES cells. The average daily census for the Animal Core is expected to be 500. All animals will be maintained in micro-isolator cages in a pathogen-free facility at the Johns Hopkins Medical School. The Animal Core w ill also be able to maintain frozen stocks of embryos from transgenic lines that are no longer needed for immediate production of study animals. | High | [
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' TEST_MODE : COMPILE_ONLY_FAIL type T as integer i private: declare destructor( ) end type destructor T( ) end destructor dim as T x(0 to 1) | Low | [
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Donald Trump buys Turnberry golf resort TYCOON Donald Trump tonight confirmed he had swooped to snap up one of Scotland’s best-known golf resorts - as it emerged a wind farm could be built within view of it. By ANDREW WHITAKER AND BRIAN FERGUSON Wednesday, 30th April 2014, 1:12 pm US Tycoon Donald Trump is set to buy Turnberry. Picture: AP The billionaire has clinched a deal reputed to be worth £35 milion to take over the Open Championship course and luxury hotel at Turnberry, in South Ayrshire, from the Dubai-based Leisurecorp group. He made his move just two months after vowing to turn his back on Scotland in the wake of the bitter row over an offshore wind firm he claims will blight his Aberdeenshire development. Sign up to our daily newsletter The i newsletter cut through the noise Sign up Thanks for signing up! Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... However it emerged earlier today that a Marine Scotland report has identified a potential site on the seabed close to the prestigious course where offshore turbines could be installed. The document details the potential wind farm, a 116-square mile area, just 3.5 miles from the shoreline at Turnberry. Trump was left furious after losing a lengthy court battle in February against the Scottish Government’s approval of an offshore development near his controversial Menie Estate course. At the time he said his global organisation would be focusing “all of our investment and energy” on a new golf course development at County Clare, in the Republic of Ireland. However Trump – who currently owns 16 golf resorts around the globe – last night confirmed he had completed the deal and vowed to make Turnberry “the finest golf hotel in the world.” He hinted at an immediate name change for the hotel, saying: “’Trump Turnberry’ has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?” But the New York-based businessman insisted he would not “touch a thing” at the world-famous course without speak to officials at the Royal and Ancient, who run the Open Championship. Trump told Golf.com website: “It was an opportunity, as far as I was concerned. “Turnberry is considered one of the greatest courses in the world. It’s a special place. It’s an important place. “Some of the greatest championships in the history of golf have taken place at Turnberry. “And the golf course itself is considered one of the greatest in the world. Some rate it as the best in the world. “I’m not going to touch a thing unless the Royal and Ancient ask for it or approve it. I have the greatest respect for the R&A and for Peter Dawson (its chief executive). I won’t do anything to the golf course at all without their full stamp of approval.” The Turnberry resort includes three links courses, a golf academy and the famous five-star hotel, which dates back to 1906 and boasts 149 rooms. It was owned by the Starwood chain from 1997 until 2008, when it was bought over by Leisurecopr, which is a subsidiary of the Dubai government. Trump added: “This is a fabulous property in a great location. We’re going to bring a new level of luxury to the hotel. Our aim is to make it the finest golf hotel in the world.” Before February’s court ruling, Trump had already called a halt to any future major investment at his Menie resort, including the development of a planned 140-bedroom hotel. He has been embroiled in a dispute with the Scottish Government over its decision to give the green light to a £230 million windfarm in Aberdeen Bay. Fergus Ewing, Scotland’s energy minister, last night said proposals for a wind farm off Turnberry had been “removed” from current planning guidance – but refused to rule out the prospect of such a development in the future. Murdo Fraser MSP, chair of Holyrood’s energy committee, last night suggested that news of a potential wind farm could put Trump off. Mr Fraser said: “Given Mr Trump’s aggressive opposition to the project off his Menie resort, it’s hard to imagine him pursuing this while the possibility of offshore wind remains. “It’s another example of the Scottish Government’s gung-ho approach to turbines potentially costing jobs and investment.” However a spokesman for the energy minister said the proposals had been removed from the current Marine Scotland plan. He said: “The report in question has since been superseded.” He did, however, add: “Our commitment to harnessing Scotland’s energy wealth will ensure that renewables continue to provide low-carbon energy supplies as well as jobs, investment, and opportunities for Scotland’ long into the future.” | Low | [
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Imler explained the measures the auctioneers took to authenticate the items, which included confirming with the Lakers that Ali worked as a ball boy at the time and searching for a photo of Jordan wearing the shoes during the game. They couldn't find an image from that date, but they found one of him wearing the same style of shoes on Nov. 23 against the Seattle SuperSonics. Officials also verified the signatures on the shoes matched Jordan's handwriting style from that period. "Does the item match the story? In this case everything lines up perfectly," Imler said. | High | [
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Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano — who helped put John Gotti and many Gambino soldiers behind bars — is now helping his former associates get out of prison. Gravano, who confessed to involvement in 19 murders, was released from prison last year after doing 15 years for dealing ecstasy. Now he’s claiming that Frank “Frankie Loc” Locascio was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 1992 for the murder of mobster Louis DiBono. Gravano said he never testified that Locascio was innocent because no one ever asked. “But if I ever have to testify in court,” he told Gang Land News columnist Jerry Capeci, “I’ll tell the truth, just like I did every other time I was on the witness stand.” Gravano also persuaded the feds to drop a murder charge against Danny Fama, and got reduced sentences for John “Jackie Nose” D’Amico and Louis “Big Lou” Vallario in other cases. | Low | [
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This invention relates generally to electric submersible pumps and more particularly concerns systems for supplying oil to such pumps during downhole operation. The upper operating temperature for an electric submersible pumping system is limited by the degradation of the motor oil and the motor insulation due to temperature and by the ability of the thrust bearing to function at elevated temperatures. It has long been recognized that a continuous fresh oil supply increases the life expectancy of the unit. Present oil feed systems depend on the use of complex, surface controlled, pressure balancing and metering systems and require specially developed sub-surface pressure regulating valves that operate at elevated temperatures in the well fluid. These complex regulating systems are used because of the difference in the height of the column of fluid in the well bore and the height of the column in the oil supply tubing, which could amount to several thousand feet. The motor and the seal system could not handle the pressure that this fluid level differential represents. Even if they could, the volume of oil required if oil was allowed to flow freely would be cost prohibitive. In normal operation, the electric submersible pump motor oil is contained in a closed system. The expansion of the motor oil when the motor comes up to operating temperature is offset by storage in a reservoir and is returned to the system when the motor is shut down. On the initial start, the excess oil is vented to the well bore. Such a system typically requires a quarter inch inner diameter tube extending some three to six thousand feet downhole to the motor. In a free flow condition, several barrels of oil per day flow to the motor. This translates into thousands of dollars a day just for the oil necessary to keep the system running. A further problem with the present fresh oil supply systems is that the oil is introduced at a bellows below the motor with the oil then passing upwardly through the motor and being released at a relief port at the top of the motor. This reduces the effectiveness of the oil by the time it reaches the pothead cavity which is the most likely breakdown point in the system. It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an oil supply system for an electric submersible pump which eliminates the need for a downhole pressure regulator. It is a further object of this invention to provide an oil supply system for an electric submersible pump in which the continuous flow of oil is limited to less than ten and preferably to approximately one to five gallons of oil per day. Another object of this invention is to provide an oil supply system for an electric submersible pump which does not require a downhole oil reservoir. It is also an object of this invention to provide an oil supply system for an electric submersible pump in which the oil is introduced to the pump motor at the pothead cavity. | Mid | [
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Bitcoin Mania Bitcoin Mania Bitcoin – What is it? Bitcoins are a blockchain-based, frictionless, anonymous digital cryptocurrency. Quite the mouthful huh… Let’s break that down a bit. Anonymous Digital Currency As you’re probably aware, Bitcoins are a digital currency which users can send and receive across the internet. The method by which Bitcoin users buy and sell coins through online exchanges is similar to acquiring foreign currency. Online exchanges make money by setting exchange rates that are discounted to the actual value. Although currently limited, there are a growing number of businesses which accept Bitcoin as a form of payment. Bitcoin owners have an online address, which acts as a digital wallet. Unless you choose to link your identity to it, your digital wallet is completely anonymous. This anonymity has been a point of controversy as it makes Bitcoin a favorite for criminals and money launderers. In fact, there have been a number of exchange owners who have received jail time for knowingly allowing criminals to use their exchange to facilitate elicit dealings. Blockchain For many Techies, Bitcoin’s use of a blockchain system is what sets it apart from other currencies. Comparing blockchain transactions to traditional electronic payments in the following example helps explain this. Traditional Electronic Transactions: Jarvis purchases a new pair of shoes from an online retailer. The transaction is submitted to Jarvis’ bank, which then pulls funds from his account and wires the funds electronically to the retailer’s bank. Having received the funds, the retailer’s bank verifies the transaction and deposits the money into the retailer’s account. In this system, all individuals are connected to banks, which control all the transactions. Blockchain Transactions: In this example, Jarvis similarly purchases a new pair of shoes from an online retailer. Instead of using his bank account, however, Jarvis uses his digital Bitcoin currency to make the transaction. The transaction is sent across a network of computers, all of which independently register and verify the transaction. Unlike traditional systems, in which banks control transactions, blockchain transactions are distributed through and verified by network users. Although this distinction may not sound like a big deal, two important factors result from the blockchain process: First, it’s nearly impossible to fake or corrupt transactional information. Second, because transactions are processed across an entire network, no single institution is controlling the flow of currency, and no institution is charging for the transaction. Although a more robust discussion of the blockchain and its implications are beyond the scope of this article, those interested can learn more by listening to this episode of the Planet Money podcast. Frictionless As illustrated above, Bitcoins can be sent and received in any amount, at any time, free of any fees through the blockchain network, where no controlling institution exists to impose fees or limitations. Economists refer to this as a frictionless currency system. While the system is regarded as “frictionless,” it is not free from problems; transactions through the Bitcoin network can often be processed very slowly or fail altogether. Cryptocurrency and Inflation Whereas the United States Central banking system uses monetary policy to control the supply of U.S. dollars in circulation, cryptocurrencies use cryptographic mathematics as their medium of currency exchange and creation. One of the most basic goals of monetary policy is to control the rate of inflation. In contrast, by ensuring that a known, fixed number of new currency units are created each year, cryptography stabilizes the value of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, making them generally not sensitive to inflation, as traditional currency is. Cryptocurrencies are, however, subject to investor sentiment, which can – as we have seen recently with Bitcoin– cause massive shifts (positively and negatively) in price. Blockchain-Based Frictionless Anonymous Digital Cryptocurrency Viewing its components together, we now understand that Bitcoin is a digital system which allows users to make anonymous online purchases in any amount, at any time, free of transactional fees, as part of a larger distributed blockchain system that is resistant to inflation, but not investor sentiment. Bitcoin and The Bubble As illustrated in the above graph, Bitcoin price has risen by a staggering 3,118% since the beginning of 2015. It may be natural to look at the graph and kick yourself for not jumping on the bit-train earlier, but let’s look, for a minute, at why Bitcoin is functioning as an investment in contrast to Bitcoin functioning as a currency, and why that makes it look like a big, fat, bubble. Bubble Reason #1 – Non-currency The primary purpose of a currency is to provide a medium for the exchange of goods and services, and its relative value can be measured by the amount of it needed to purchase these things. The value of the US dollar, for instance, is reflected by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which tracks the cost of a fixed set of goods. As the price of goods rise, the value of currency falls. Likewise, as the cost of goods falls, the value of currency rises. In other words, there is an inverse correlation to the utility of a currency and the rate of change in its value. Ask yourself this: Has the falling value of goods caused the rise in price of Bitcoin? The answer is obviously no, but so what? To answer this, let’s consider the following hypothetical. At the start of 2015, I use Bitcoin to splurge on a new dining room table. Less than two years later, while eating breakfast at my table, I see a headline proclaiming Bitcoins’ new record price. Doing some quick calculations, I find that if I had held off on purchasing a new table, the same Bitcoins I used to purchase my table would now buy a new 2017 BMW 3 Series. I flip the table and, understandably, cry over my spilled milk. This example is condemning for Bitcoin as a currency, because it illustrates how owners are discouraged from using the currency for its intended purpose. What rational adult would forgo exponential returns for purchases that could be made with regular currency? If you stop and reflect for a moment you’ll notice that while all the headlines focus on price, there’s an eerie lack of stories purporting its actual use as a medium of exchange… Bubble Reason #2 – Speculative Risk Last week the CEO of Credit Suisse said in a press conference that Bitcoin was, “the very definition of a bubble” citing the intensely speculative nature of the market. In financial terms, a bubble is the extreme over-valuation of an asset resulting from irrational exuberance. The Dutch fell victim to one of the first recorded bubbles in an event which has now been dubbed Tulip Mania. In the early 17th, new breeding techniques led to the development of new tulip genotypes, resulting in interesting and never-before-seen petal colorations. It didn’t take long for these interesting bulbs to catch on and soon they were in highest demand. Nobles, wealthy tradesmen, and anyone-who-was-anyone wanted these tulips, but the demand greatly outweighed the supply. Sensing opportunity, new markets sprung up for tulip bulbs and futures with bulbs being bought and sold multiple times per day. Speculation took hold and bulb prices soared. At its peak, a single tulip bulb was worth as much as an affluent apartment on the Amsterdam canals. But as with all bubbles, it couldn’t last. Eventually sentiment shifted, and the price of bulbs plummeted. What was worse, individuals who had sunk their livelihood into bulbs were unable to offload their investments, as markets rapidly turned illiquid. From Tulip Mania to the more-recent Dot-com bubble, the same pattern of irrational exuberance, overvaluation, and market collapse has been repeated, again and again. Rather than asking if the current Bitcoin price explosion is a bubble, a more appropriate question would be when that bubble will burst. Although it might be tempting to speculate on bubbles, it’s important to remember that they are impossible to time. And as the poor Dutch bulb investors can attest, once the bubble bursts it can be impossible to get out of the market. Bubble Reason #3 – Political Risk Generally speaking, governments are not fond of criminal activity. Especially when said criminal activity hinders their ability to collect tax dollars. Bitcoin’s complete anonymity gives criminals and money launderers any easy avenue for nefarious dealings outside Uncle Sam’s watchful eye. As it’s new on the scene, Congress has yet to enact any regulation surrounding Bitcoin, although forthcoming laws would be inevitable should it be adopted as a major global currency. Future legislation creates a large amount of political risk for Bitcoin as a currency. New laws and regulations may put restraints on the frictionless blockchain system or hinder its anonymity. Such changes could result in drastic swings in public perception, potentially imploding the market. This article is intended for educational purposes only and is not a recommendation for or against cryptocurrency. This communication is strictly intended for individuals residing in the states of AK, CA, CO, GA, HI, IL, KY, MN, NH, NM, VA, WI. No offers may be made or accepted from any resident outside these states due to various state regulations and registration requirements regarding investment products and services. Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network®, Member www.FINRA.org, www.SIPC.org, a Registered Investment Adviser. Investments are not insured by the FDIC and are not deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, any depository institution. Funds are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of principal investment. | Low | [
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Q: get list of numbers from stdin and tokenize them How would I get a list of numbers from the user and then tokenize them. This is what I have but it doesn't get anything except for the first number: #include <iostream> #include <sstream> #include <vector> #include <string> using namespace std; int main() { string line = ""; cin >> line; stringstream lineStream(line); int i; vector<int> values; while (lineStream >> i) values.push_back(i); for(int i=0; i<values.size(); i++) cout << values[i] << endl; system("PAUSE"); return 0; } Related Posts: C++, Going from string to stringstream to vector Int Tokenizer A: Here is probably the easiest way to read values from cin into a container: #include <iostream> #include <iterator> #include <vector> int main() { std::vector<int> values; std::copy( std::istream_iterator<int>(std::cin), std::istream_iterator<int>(), std::back_inserter(values)); // For symmetry with the question copy back to std::cout std::copy( values.begin(), values.end(), std::ostream_iterator<int>(std::cout,"\n")); } A: I believe cin >> breaks on whitespace, which means you're only getting the first number entered. try: getline(cin, line); | Mid | [
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Family Abandons 17-Year-Old Dog Because She’s ‘Too Old’ Dogs offer their unconditional and eternal love to their owners and best friends, which is why one Border Collie was heartbroken when she realized her human family didn’t feel the same way about her. On Feb. 7, a family came into the Los Angeles County Animal Services facility in Lancaster, which is a high kill shelter because of the amount of stray and surrendered animals in their care, with their 17-year-old dog named Maddison, who had given the family years of unconditional love and companionship. Photo by Facebook/Antje Stobbe Tragically, the heartless family coldly told the shelter’s staff that they were there to surrender Maddison, who they claimed they had owned for five years yet the shelter suspects they likely had Maddison her entire life, and when the stunned staff asked why, they simply explained that she was ‘too old‘. “They said that I spend most of my time indoors. I do not show interest in small children. I have begun housetraining, but I still need some work. I am good on a leash. I am just learning obedience skills,” The staff explained in Maddison’s adoption ad. Photo by Facebook/Antje Stobbe “Few dogs make it to 17 years of age – those who do should be spoiled by their owners, not dumped at a busy, loud and frightening animal control agency,” said Antje Stobbe, a worker from the shelter who shared Maddison’s adoption ad to help find a home for her before it was too late. Thankfully, Antje’s plan worked. Her post went viral, and within a few days, it had been shared over 860 times. Maddison was finally adopted just in time and is now happily living with a new loving owner who will never abandon her. Can you believe someone would give away their dog for being ‘too old’? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook. | Mid | [
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38.25,
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Son Heung-min scores 1st EPL goal of season Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean forward Son Heung-min has scored his first league goal of the season in his club's 3-1 win over Chelsea. Son scored Tottenham's third goal against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday (local time). With Spurs leading 2-0, Son scored a fantastic solo goal in the 54th minute. He took the pass from Dele Alli near the halfway line and dribbled past Jorginho and David Luiz before finishing with a neat left-footed strike past Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. (Yonhap) This was Son's first English Premier League goal in the 2018-19 season after playing eight matches. Including other competitions, it was his third goal of the season. The 26-year-old previously netted twice in Spurs' 3-1 win over West Ham United at the Carabao Cup on Oct. 31. Son is now only one goal away from scoring his 100th goal in his European career. He scored 49 goals for Hamburger SV and Bayer Leverkusen in the German Bundesliga before moving to Tottenham in 2015. For the London club, he has bagged 50 goals across all competitions. Against Chelsea, Son started as a left winger and had a couple chances to put his name on the score sheet in the first half. In the 10th, he fired a volley off Christian Eriksen's through ball in the box, but it flew over the net. His curling left-footed striker in the 31st went off target, while his volley off Eriksen's cross in the first-half stoppage time was saved by Kepa. Son didn't play full time as he was replaced by Erik Lamela in the 78th. Tottenham got their lead in the eighth with Alli's header off Eriksen's free kick, and Harry Kane made it 2-0 with his right-footed strike in the 16th. Chelsea did manage to avoid a shutout loss with Olivier Giroud's goal in the 85th. "I think Dele's pass was unbelievable," Son said of his goal to Spurs TV. "It's just amazing to score a goal like this. I feel very proud of this team and this goal." Son went through a hectic schedule for his South Korean national team this season, playing international events like the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia, where he won a gold medal, as well as friendly matches. Last season, his first EPL goal came in October. "I feel very sorry because I was away for a long time and didn't play well," he said. "But the fans again made me play well, and I want to thank them for that." (Yonhap) | Mid | [
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Biotinylation Assay to Determine LFA-1 Recycling in Motile T-Lymphocytes. The cycles of internalization of the cell surface β2 integrin receptor lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) and its re-exposure on the plasma membrane are important for T-cell trafficking. Biotinylation of cells enables to measure surface expression of receptors, and after reducing surface biotin with reducing buffer, enables to measure the internalization of receptors. Here, by using biotin in combination with reducing buffer and recombinant intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (rICAM-1)-coated dishes and subsequent Western immunoblot analysis, we describe how to measure internalization of the LFA-1 receptor and its re-expression back to the cell surface in motile T-lymphocytes. | Mid | [
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As you may know, a petition to add a class of former employees at the S-50 Oak Ridge Thermal Diffusion Plant, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to the Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) was received by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). This letter is to provide you with information on the status of this petition and the effect this petition may have on your claim. On November 9, 2006, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Michael Leavitt, designated the following class for addition to the SEC in a report to Congress: Employees of the Department of Energy predecessor agencies and their contractors or subcontractors who were monitored or should have been monitored while working at the S-50 Oak Ridge Thermal Diffusion Plant for a number of work days aggregating at least 250 work days during the period from July 9, 1944, through December 31, 1951, or in combination with work days within the parameters established for one or more classes of employees in the SEC. Since Congress did not take any action within 30 days of the submission of this report, this designation became effective on December 9, 2006. This letter is to let you know that your claim for benefits under EEOICPA may be affected by this new designation. Our records indicate that you, or the energy employee on the claim, worked at the S-50 Oak Ridge Thermal Diffusion Plant during the period from July 9, 1944, through December 31, 1951, and were diagnosed with an SEC-specified cancer. All decisions regarding your status as a member of the SEC, and any resulting action on your EEOICPA claim, will be made by the Department of Labor (DOL). We have sent a list of all claims that are with NIOSH awaiting completion of a dose reconstruction that appear to involve employment at the S-50 Oak Ridge Thermal Diffusion Plant during the period from July 9, 1944, through December 31, 1951 and an SEC-specified cancer to DOL for their review. Employment during this period and type of cancer are only two of the factors that DOL must consider to establish membership in the SEC. You will be informed of the results of this review when it is complete. I hope this information is helpful. Should you have any further questions about the SEC process, or eligibility requirements for the new class of employees that has been added to the SEC, you should contact NIOSH at 1-800-35-NIOSH (1-800-356-4674) or e-mail us at [email protected]. Additional information on NIOSH activities under EEOICPA can also be found at our website www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas. | Mid | [
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A former US ambassador to Mali, has claimed Nicolas Sarkozy’s government paid $17m (£11m) to free French hostages seized from a uranium mine in its former colony, Niger, in 2010. Vicki Huddleston, who has now retired, said under Mr Sarkozy, France paid out as much as $89m (£56m) in ransoms to Saharan criminal gangs and Islamist groups – money which experts said fuelled the rise of the Jihadi organisations which later overran northern Mali. “About two years ago... the AQIM [al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb] took French hostages at the yellowcake uranium mine in northern Niger, and France paid ransoms for the release of these hostages,” she told France’s iTele station in an interview aired yesterday. Download the new Independent Premium app Sharing the full story, not just the headlines The payments were made indirectly, she said, through the Malian government in a procedure that may have helped to fuel the epic corruption that has dogged the country. When questioned about the ransom claims after the EU summit in Brussels last night, President François Hollande said he could not comment on the actions of “previous administrations” but stressed France’s present policy was to refuse negotiations with terrorists Yesterday also saw the first suicide bomb attack in Mali since France’s military intervention last month, prompting fears that a second phase of the war has begun in the chaotic West African nation. Yesterday’s blast near the northern city of Gao came as two factions in the Malian army opened fire on each other in the capital, Bamako, underlining how far the country is from a stable solution to its year of crises. A suicide bomber on a motorcycle detonated himself at an army checkpoint in Gao but succeeded only in killing himself. In Bamako, five civilians, including three children were wounded when soldiers linked to last year’s military coup stormed the barracks of the presidential guard. The skirmish has added to international concerns that the Malian army is in no shape to confront the Islamist threat without outside military support. Meanwhile hopes some of the foreign hostages being held by al Qa’ida-linked militants may have survived the opening phase of the conflict were raised when the deputy mayor of Timbuktu said some of them may have been held in the desert city until recently. A South African man with a British passport, seven French citizens, a Swede and a Dutchman have all been kidnapped in this part of the Sahara in recent years. It is not known which of the hostages may have been seen. Witnesses in the recently liberated city said an unknown number of hostages were held in the Timbuktu house of Abou Zeid, the feared commander of AQIM and the leading figure to impose a harsh form of Sharia law in northern Mali. The Islamists were driven out of the city last month by French forces who have since secured most of the major towns in the north of the country. “In the last few days, the hostages were in that house with Abou Zeid,” said Diadie Hamadoun Maiga told Reuters. The deputy mayor sat with Abou Zeid on Timbuktu’s crisis committee, a body set up to liaise between previous civilian authorities and the new Islamist rulers during the 10-month occupation. Two other witnesses said that several Western-looking hostages were kept in the militant leader’s walled compound in Timbuktu. Previous hostages, including Canadian diplomat Robert Fowler, confirmed the AQIM commander takes a personal role in the foreign hostages. | Mid | [
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The socioeconomic status of 100 renal transplant recipients in Shiraz. Data regarding the socioeconomic status in Iranian kidney transplant (KT) recipients is lacking. In this cross sectional descriptive study we evaluated the socio-economic status of 100 KT recipients in Shiraz organ transplantation center. In a cross-sectional design, we randomly selected and interviewed 100 RT recipients (50 males and 50 females). Data regarding age, gender, martial status, occupation, level of education, number of children, type of insurance, monthly household income, place of residence, ownership of a personal transportation device, duration and frequency of pre-transplant dialysis, family history of CRF (Chronic renal failure), and etiology of renal disease were obtained. There were 50 (50%) patients aged between 16 and 35 years, 55 had a family history of CRF, 60 had been on dialysis for more than a year, 61 were married, 47 did not have any children, 41 had more than 3 children, and 65 were unemployed due to physical and emotional impairment as a result of their disease. The majority (73%) did not have a high school diploma, 15% were illiterate, 85% were below the poverty line, 52% were from rural areas, and 98% were covered by insurance. We conclude that patients with CKD in our study had acquired this condition possibly due to negligence and lack of basic health care in the lower socioeconomic class. In addition, KT is an available therapeutic modality to lower socio-economic level in Iran. | High | [
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34,
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Cell phone apps take aim at distracted driving When it comes to distracted driving, many consider text messaging while at the wheel extremely dangerous, and rightfully so. This practice takes a driver's eyes off the road, and it has been attributed as the cause for countless fatal car accidents in Maryland and around the United States. Now, companies that produce the potentially distracting gadgets are introducing software that could possibly take a bite out of this epidemic. Some cell phone companies now offer new downloadable applications that will disable text messaging and incoming calls when the phone is in a moving car. Once the phone senses a certain speed, it deactivates these features. The applications work on Sprint Android phones and AT&T Blackberries. Apps for both companies disable text messaging and incoming phone calls while driving. Drivers are also never blocked from being able to call 911 in an emergency. The companies hope that because drivers are not receiving text messages or phone calls, they will be less prone to taking their eyes off the road and shifting their attention to their phones. The feature needs to be turned on in the AT&T app, which is free, while Sprint's app automatically activates when in a car traveling faster than 10 mph. Sprint's app costs $2 per month. AT&T and Sprint also designed a feature to stop kids from disabling the feature by automatically alerting parents when they attempt to do so. Both companies are working to bring the same technological solution to the problem of distracted driving to a wider range of cell phones. The use of the Internet or this form for communication with the firm or any individual member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form. | Mid | [
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37.5,
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Kolkata Knight Riders would like to go all out for victory when they face Mumbai Indians on Wednesday in the Indian Premier League. With 4 wins out of 9 Kolkata are 4th on the points table and will try to make decent inroads to book a place in the playoffs. Written by Press Trust of India Read Time: 3 mins Cuttack: High on confidence after beating table-toppers Kings XI Punjab in their previous game, Kolkata Knight Riders will look to continue the winning momentum when they take on erratic defending champions Mumbai Indians in their Indian Premier League match here on Wednesday. Â The last time the two sides faced off in the tournament opener in the United Arab Emirates, the Knight Riders came out triumphant. The Kolkata outfit, though, has been struggling to find its feet in the ongoing tournament, but back-to-back victories, especially a win against a strong Punjab side at this very venue, must have done its confidence a world of good. Come Wednesday, KKR, who are placed fourth in the points table with four wins and five loses in nine games, would certainly be keen to go all out for a victory and brighten their chances of making the play-off stage. Kolkata's batting has clicked against both Delhi Daredevils and KXIP, with underfire skipper Gautam Gambhir leading from the front striking a couple of superb half-centuries to guide the team to victory. Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey have also made significant contributions in the last two games and would be looking to continue with their exploits. The bowlers will also draw confidence form the fact that they managed to restrict Punjab's marauding batsmen to a mere 149 for eight here. Knight Riders' decision to include Morne Morkel and Piyush Chawla in the playing XI paid huge dividends as they picked five wickets for 49 runs in eight overs between them. While leg-spinner Piyush Chawla (3/19) bowled brilliantly in the middle overs, pacer Morne Morkel (2/20) did his job to perfection. The defending champions, with just three victories from nine games so far, are well aware that they would have to win all their remaining matches if they want a berth in the play-offs. They will take inspiration from the seven-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad last night. Despite most of their batsmen being among runs, Mumbai have faltered a little too often in this tournament so far. Skipper Rohit Sharma and West Indian powerhouse Kieron Pollard have been successful in the current season. Even Ambati Rayudu have contributed with runs. Last night, Rayudu (68) along with Lendl Simmons (68) comfortably chased down a 158-run target against the Sunrisers. Mumbai Opener Chidambaram Gautam has also pulled off a few surprises with his big hits. However, other key batsmen in the ranks -- Michael Hussey and Corey Anderson -- are yet to click. And Mumbai can only hope that they would rise to the occasion tomorrow. As far as their bowling is concerned, Zaheer Khan's absence has hurt Mumbai but if the likes of Lasith Malinga, Praveen Kumar, Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha manage to fire in unison, the hosts might face some serious trouble. | Mid | [
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Q: What's the difference between the Conditional and Conditional Perfect to convey conjecture? My Barron's 501 Spanish Verbs book says for the two tenses: Conditional (Potencial Simple): used to express conjecture about the past. Serían las cinco cuando salieron. ¿Quién sería? Conditional Perfect (Potencial Compuesto): used to express conjecture about the past. Habrían sido las cinco cuando salieron. ¿Quién habría sido? So what is the difference? A: The difference is that when we conjecture about the past, we will have anchored ourselves in some period of time. For example: Ayer serían las ocho cuando llegué a casa. The time frame is yesterday/when I got home, and since we speculating about something concurrent/contemporaneous with that timeframe, we use the simple conditional. If we establish a time frame in the past, but we want to speculate about something happening before that time frame (that is, it has already finished), then we use the conditional perfect: Ayer cuando llegué a casa, mi familia habría cenado porque vi los platos sucios en la mesa. Here we anchored the time frame in yesterday/when I got home, but our speculation is about what happened before when I got home, and thus being a completed (or perfect) action, we use conditional perfect. Notice that this is the same difference between preterite/imperfect and pluperfect: Ayer eran las ocho cuando llegué a casa. Ayer cuando llegué a casa, mi familia había cenado porque vi los platos sucios en la mesa.1 1. This one would sound more natural with the first two clauses swapped and a few other minor elements changed (mi familia ya había cenado cuando llegué a casa, ya que…) but I kept the other order to show the parallel with the conditional perfect. | High | [
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Show HN: JavaScript image compressor - chenfengyuan https://github.com/xkeshi/image-compressor ====== MaxLeiter I was really hoping this would implement some complex algorithm or at least be an interesting implementation, however, it seems to just divide the image height/width by the aspect ratio: [https://github.com/xkeshi/image- compressor/blob/master/src/i...](https://github.com/xkeshi/image- compressor/blob/master/src/index.js#L80-L87) ~~~ phoboslab As I understand it, this library draws the image into a Canvas to then re- compress the Canvas' via the Browser's native `toDataURL('image/jpeg', quality);`. You can optionally specify a width/height to downscale the image. Imho the readme needs to state what the library actually does. E.g. "This takes a user image from a file input, optionally resizes it, and returns a JPEG, PNG or WebP as a Blob, ready to upload." ------ ratsz This is a simple resize using canvas.drawImage(). Since data is permanently lost in the output file, it is misleading to call it compression. ~~~ btown Lossy compression is still technically compression. ~~~ XaspR8d I've optimally compressed your image for you: <EOF> (For very naive definitions of "optimal") ------ atonse This could be a great (although not really real-world) addition to a JS benchmark suite. ------ dsun176 Input (original) name: Fuckscape_d80352_5915762.jpg type: image/jpeg size: 19.14 KB Output (compressed) name: Fuckscape_d80352_5915762.jpg type: image/jpeg size: 20.64 KB (-7.85% off) So your image-compressor actually adds 7.85% to the filesize? Maybe I don't understand the meaning of compression, but shouldn't it be smaller? ~~~ andreasklinger you should share an image link plus your settings/script to make this useful for OP | Low | [
0.49445676274944506,
27.875,
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/**************************************************************************** ** ** Copyright (C) 2009 Nokia Corporation and/or its subsidiary(-ies). ** All rights reserved. ** Contact: Nokia Corporation ([email protected]) ** ** This file is part of the QtGui module of the Qt Toolkit. ** ** $QT_BEGIN_LICENSE:LGPL$ ** Commercial Usage ** Licensees holding valid Qt Commercial licenses may use this file in ** accordance with the Qt Commercial License Agreement provided with the ** Software or, alternatively, in accordance with the terms contained in ** a written agreement between you and Nokia. ** ** GNU Lesser General Public License Usage ** Alternatively, this file may be used under the terms of the GNU Lesser ** General Public License version 2.1 as published by the Free Software ** Foundation and appearing in the file LICENSE.LGPL included in the ** packaging of this file. Please review the following information to ** ensure the GNU Lesser General Public License version 2.1 requirements ** will be met: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/lgpl-2.1.html. ** ** In addition, as a special exception, Nokia gives you certain additional ** rights. These rights are described in the Nokia Qt LGPL Exception ** version 1.1, included in the file LGPL_EXCEPTION.txt in this package. ** ** GNU General Public License Usage ** Alternatively, this file may be used under the terms of the GNU ** General Public License version 3.0 as published by the Free Software ** Foundation and appearing in the file LICENSE.GPL included in the ** packaging of this file. Please review the following information to ** ensure the GNU General Public License version 3.0 requirements will be ** met: http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html. ** ** If you have questions regarding the use of this file, please contact ** Nokia at [email protected]. ** $QT_END_LICENSE$ ** ****************************************************************************/ #ifndef QCDESTYLE_H #define QCDESTYLE_H #include <QtGui/qmotifstyle.h> QT_BEGIN_HEADER QT_BEGIN_NAMESPACE QT_MODULE(Gui) #if !defined(QT_NO_STYLE_CDE) class Q_GUI_EXPORT QCDEStyle : public QMotifStyle { Q_OBJECT public: explicit QCDEStyle(bool useHighlightCols = false); virtual ~QCDEStyle(); int pixelMetric(PixelMetric metric, const QStyleOption *option = 0, const QWidget *widget = 0) const; void drawControl(ControlElement element, const QStyleOption *opt, QPainter *p, const QWidget *w = 0) const; void drawPrimitive(PrimitiveElement pe, const QStyleOption *opt, QPainter *p, const QWidget *w = 0) const; QPalette standardPalette() const; protected Q_SLOTS: QIcon standardIconImplementation(StandardPixmap standardIcon, const QStyleOption *opt = 0, const QWidget *widget = 0) const; }; #endif // QT_NO_STYLE_CDE QT_END_NAMESPACE QT_END_HEADER #endif // QCDESTYLE_H | Low | [
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'Minority Report' Interface Shown at CES Email a friend To From Thank you Sorry In a small meeting room at the edge of the show floor at the Consumer Electronics Show, a startup company is demonstrating a motion-sensing interface technology that could offer a radical new way for interacting with games, PCs and televisions. The technology, from Israeli startup PrimeSense, can be embedded in TVs, Blu-ray players and set-top boxes, allowing people to use hand gestures to scroll through cable TV menus from their living room couch, or stand in front of the TV and shuffle documents on the screen by moving their hands around in mid-air, much as Tom Cruise does in the sci-fi film "Minority Report." The technology can also be used as an interface for PC games and game consoles. In that way resembles Microsoft's Project Natal, which allows users to stand in front of a large screen and use full-body gestures, such as a kick, punch or jump, to control an avatar on the screen. Microsoft said this week that it will launch Project Natal for Xbox 360 users later this year. PrimeSense's system uses a sensor-camera that sits above the screen and projects a beam of light, at a wavelength close to infrared, to build a 3D map of the people and objects in a room. When a person activates the device by thrusting their palm out towards the screen, the system locks onto that person and puts them in control. PrimeSense is a fabless chip company, which means it designs the 3D sensor chip that powers the technology, as well as software that gets embedded into devices. It says it has an agreement with a large manufacturer to produce its chips for the mass market, although it won't yet say who it is. In fact, a big question mark over PrimeSense is that it won't disclose any of its customers publically yet, although companies in the PC and set-top box markets are likely to announce products this quarter that include its technology, according to Adi Berenson, PrimeSense's vice president for business development and marketing. The company is also in talks with TV makers, he said. A prototype system is being shown behind closed doors to reporters and industry partners at CES this week. The technology sounds futuristic, but in fact variations on it have been in the works for years, and are also being developed by competitors including Canesta of Sunnyvale, California, Optrima of Belgium, PMDTechnologies of Germany, and Mesa Imaging of Switzerland. Canesta said in October that it had secured an additional US$16 million in funding, from companies including laptop giant Quanta Computer, to further develop its own 3D sensor technology. Last year Canesta demonstrated a prototype gesture-controlled TV from Hitachi, and it has worked with Honda in the past on vehicle safety systems. Most companies in the market are using a "time of flight" technology, which works by emitting an infrared pulse from a camera above the screen and measuring the time it takes to bounce back from objects in the room. This allows the systems to calculate the distance of each surface and create a virtual 3D model of the room. Any changes, like hand movements, are then translated onto the screen. PrimeSense uses a variation of this. Instead of calculating the time for light to bounce off of objects, it encodes patterns in the light and builds a 3D image by examining the distortion created in those patterns by objects in the room, Berenson said. He claimed this system is faster and more accurate than time-of-flight systems, and can operate in near darkness. The technology can map out objects that are up to 18 feet (six meters) away, though six to seven feet is best for applications where the user is standing up, and 10 to 12 feet is the "sweet spot" for using hand gestures on the couch, he said. The entire system, including the sensor chip and middleware, will cost manufacturers $20 to $30 to add to PCs or TVs when shipped in volume, Berenson said. Most high-end TVs will have enough computational power to run the software, and have USB 2.0 ports where the sensor device can be plugged in, he said. PrimeSense showed a few applications for the technology here. At one point during a "Minority Report" style demonstration the system froze for a moment, but it recovered fairly quickly and appeared to work smoothly after that. When using the "touch-screen" effect to manipulate documents, the outlines of two grey hands appear on the screen corresponding to the user's hands in mid-air. Touching a document turns the palms red, and the document can then be moved about the screen or rotated using two hands. Possible uses including sorting through digital photos on a PC, or playing a card game on a TV screen. The sensor on top of the TV also includes a camera and a microphone, and PrimeSense showed how a person's image can be superimposed over a background on the screen, much like a weatherman on TV. It wasn't clear how the capability might be used, and partner companies will have to come up with some of their own applications for the technology. One possibility is for a type of videoconferencing between two Internet-connected TVs, so that two people could discuss a Web page by appearing to stand in front of it on the screen point to images and links on the page. "We don't know yet how everything will be implemented," Berenson said, "but it's something that could be fun to use." To comment on this article and other PCWorld content, visit our Facebook page or our Twitter feed. | Mid | [
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/** * * WARNING! This file was autogenerated by: * _ _ _ _ __ __ * | | | | | | |\ \ / / * | | | | |_| | \ V / * | | | | _ | / \ * | |_| | | | |/ /^\ \ * \___/\_| |_/\/ \/ * * This file was autogenerated by UnrealHxGenerator using UHT definitions. * It only includes UPROPERTYs and UFUNCTIONs. Do not modify it! * In order to add more definitions, create or edit a type with the same name/package, but with an `_Extra` suffix **/ package unreal.niagara; @:umodule("Niagara") @:glueCppIncludes("Public/NiagaraCommon.h") @:noCopy @:noEquals @:uextern @:ustruct extern class FNiagaraVariableDataInterfaceBinding { @:uproperty public var BoundVariable : unreal.niagara.FNiagaraVariable; } | Low | [
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Q: Installing Oracle Calendar on Fedora Im trying to install oracle calendar on fedora and Im running into the following problem Preparing to install... Extracting the JRE from the installer archive... Unpacking the JRE... Extracting the installation resources from the installer archive... Configuring the installer for this system's environment... awk: error while loading shared libraries: libdl.so.2: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory dirname: error while loading shared libraries: libc.so.6: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory /bin/ls: error while loading shared libraries: librt.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory basename: error while loading shared libraries: libc.so.6: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory dirname: error while loading shared libraries: libc.so.6: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory basename: error while loading shared libraries: libc.so.6: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory hostname: error while loading shared libraries: libc.so.6: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory Launching installer... grep: error while loading shared libraries: libc.so.6: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory /tmp/install.dir.7150/Linux/resource/jre/bin/java: error while loading shared libraries: libpthread.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory A: It seems that the LD_ASSUME_KERNEL environment var can cause problems, it is old var used during the time of kernel threading switch. Some apps, mostly java, still have this set and it cuases problems in fedora. The soluction is to turn it off: perl -pi -e 's/export LD_ASSUME_KERNEL/#xport LD_ASSUME_KERNEL/' cal_linux | Mid | [
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A National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL) press release quoted in The Sun issued in Miss Hewitt’s sole name in Mach 1976 read: “NCCL proposes that the age of consent should be lowered to 14, with special provision for situations where the partners are close in age or where the consent of a child over ten can be proved.” | Mid | [
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Before the season began the biggest potential threat to reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton appeared to come from rivals Ferrari. But the Scuderia has largely failed to live up to its pre-season testing form, and Hamilton instead faces a renewed challenge from within his own team. Valtteri Bottas has matched Hamilton’s two wins, and while last year he was 30 points adrift in the championship at this stage, after Azerbaijan he holds a one-point lead over his team mate. Four races in, it’s 2-2 between the pair in the all-important qualifying battle. Bottas has clearly clicked with the W10 and started 2019 in far better shape than he ended the previous season. This isn’t the first time Bottas has started a season strongly. In fact since he joined Mercedes he’s tied 2-2 with Hamilton over the opening four races in all three seasons, then dropped off the pace over the rest of the season. In both 2017 and 2018, he seldom out-qualified Hamilton after the summer break: So is it really the case that we’re looking at a faster, stronger ‘Bottas 2.0’, or does he just tend to start a season strongly and then fade? Does he have the knack of mastering a tricky car quickly, while Hamilton is taking longer to play himself in with a car he has described as “tricky to work with”? Bottas doesn’t see it that way: “For sure Lewis can adapt as well to difficult car to drive. But maybe it depends more like how the car is actually behaving in which way. “Sometimes he can extract more and sometimes he might struggle more. For me the same thing, it really depends on the circumstances so I can’t really point out one particular trend why it would be differences between us. “It’s all about details as we’ve seen in the past few years our car is very quick but it’s also sometimes been so easy to get it completely right in terms of set-up and it’s not always maybe the most easier car to drive.” However he does believe he has narrowed the gap to Hamilton over the off-season. “Every year performance-wise I’ve been able to make steps in my career and again I feel I’ve made one,” he said. Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free “Obviously it’s a long season ahead and again long season still with an opportunity to improve during the year. But early stages, yes, performance-wise we’ve been close which is good and also the points we’re close at the moment. There’s no magic it’s just working on how to improve, focusing on the details.” Given his experience and history with the team, plus his status as a five-times champion, Hamilton might be expected to have more of a say on Mercedes’ development direction. However Bottas feels that, following changes on his side of the garage, he is having more input on the progress the team is making. “I think this year has been a bit different to last year,” he explained. “I’ve been maybe a bit more direct and maybe can say aggressive in terms of how big changes we’ve been making in the practice and what kind of set-up directions we’ve been taking. “As the years go by you gain confidence in knowing what you exactly need from the car and how you feel the car will be quicker for you.” As his former race engineer Tony Ross has moved over to Mercedes’ Formula E programme, Riccardo Musconi is now in charge on the number 77 Mercedes. Bottas says this “brings maybe different ideas on the table and different way of thinking which then makes me also think different things on the set-up, what we work me and for the car and for the quali, for the race, so on.” The driver says he is in better shape too. New rules setting a minimum weight limit for drivers have allowed him to put more weight on, and Bottas said this was his first F1 off-season where he hasn’t fallen ill. Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free Following another one-year renewal on his contract, Bottas came into 2019 aware Mercedes have Esteban Ocon waiting in the wings for an opportunity to take arguably the most coveted seat on the grid. Bottas has surely seen off that threat, but the question now is whether he can do what his predecessor Nico Rosberg did and beat Hamilton to the title. “For sure it’s not easy to beat him,” said Bottas. “it’s always difficult to be ahead of him. But I know it’s possible and it’s been closer and closer as we’ve been together in the team.” Whether Bottas can sustain his recent form will be crucial to his championship chances. The margins between the pair have been incredibly fine – less than a tenth of a second in the last three qualifying sessions. If Bottas can qualify ahead at the next two races – Spain and Monaco, both tracks where overtaking is notoriously difficult – he will be superbly placed to stretch out his hard-won one-point lead. Quotes: Dieter Rencken Go ad-free for just £1 per month >> Find out more and sign up 2019 F1 season | Mid | [
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Q: date.time not printing date AND time (within addSecs function)..... python 2.7 Hi does anyone have experiance with this date,time function, i feel like I'm missing something important..... There is something weird going on when I print Date_time, if i print it by its self, like in the code below (first print output) i get both the date and the time. But when i print it as part of the addSecs function, i lose the date part... ############ DeltaTimeS = 9e-6 ######### from datetime import datetime, timedelta Date_time = datetime.strptime(T['value'], '%d-%m-%Y %H:%M:%S') print 'Date_time =',Date_time def addSecs(tm, secs): fulldate = datetime(100, 1, 1, tm.hour, tm.minute, tm.second) fulldate = fulldate + timedelta(seconds=secs) return fulldate.time() for i, x in enumerate(Data_list): print ';'.join(map(str,["Hello",addSecs(Date_time, i * DeltaTimeS),x])) output looks like this Date_time = 2016-08-24 14:59:08 Hello;14:59:08.095733;-0.04821 Hello;14:59:08.095742;-0.05164 Hello;14:59:08.095751;-0.05134 Hello;14:59:08.095760;-0.04280 Hello;14:59:08.095769;-0.03390 Hello;14:59:08.095778;-0.02819 Hello;14:59:08.095787;-0.01727 Hello;14:59:08.095796;-0.00933 Hello;14:59:08.095805;-0.00435 Hello;14:59:08.095814;0.00273 Hello;14:59:08.095823;0.00924 Hello;14:59:08.095832;0.01594 I'm using the join function becuase the output need to be without spaces. Also this code is pulling the datalise from a database, so i dont think it will run for you. But maybe you can see the problem without running it???? A: This bit trashes the date information: fulldate = datetime(100, 1, 1, tm.hour, tm.minute, tm.second) And then this bit converts a datetime into a time structure (without date): return fulldate.time() Why don't you just do: def addSecs(tm, secs): return tm + timedelta(seconds=secs) | Low | [
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Loi Luu, ‘s CEO & Co-Founder We are pleased… We are pleased to inform that WETH is now available on Kyber Network! That means DApps which are already supporting WETH will now be able to seamlessly integrate Kyber Network’s liquidity protocol. Like this: Like Loading... | Mid | [
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Glucosamine and Chondroitin for tendons and ligaments I know that many people have back or knee problems and that joint pain is a real big problem in north america today…actually my wife is one of those that suffers from back pain. One of the supplements that people are using successfully to help alleviate joint pain is Glucosamine and Chondroitin One of the things that you can try is Glucosamine and Chondroitin for Pain Here is more info on the double wammy of these to great supplements: Glucosamine and chondroitin are building blocks of connective tissue and are key components of the joints. For detailed discussions of these nutrients, please see the individual articles for glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate. Glucosamine is a simple molecule that is available as a supplement in several forms: glucosamine sulfate, glucosamine hydrochloride and N-acetyl-glucosamine (NAG). The glucosamine sulfate (GS) form (stabilized with a mineral salt, such as sodium chloride or potassium chloride) is the only form consistently shown in clinical trials to be effective for people with osteoarthritis (OA). Chondroitin sulfate(CS) is a much larger and more complex molecule than GS. Like glucosamine, it is a major constituent of cartilage and has been the subject of many clinical trials. CS supplementation has proven to be an effective treatment for people with OA. Glucosamine and chondroitin as a Pair for Relief When to take glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, or both: The popular idea that GS is clinically “preferred” over CS, or that CS is “not necessary,”1 has not been examined (let alone supported) by appropriate comparative research. An analysis of controlled clinical trials evaluated the independent effects of GS and CS in the treatment of OA.2 The authors concluded that the overall efficacy in trials of CS for people with OA exceeded the overall efficacy of GS for people with that condition. However, more than one-third of CS supplements have been reported to contain less than 40% of the amount of CS listed on the label.3 Moreover, no single clinical trial has compared the effects of the two supplements. Many people with osteoarthritis take combinations of CS and GS or glucosamine HCl. This practice may be based on the suggestion, made in a best-selling book,4 that GS and CS in combination have stronger effects than either supplement alone. Although this idea may sound appealing, and may be harmless, it is based only on anecdotes and hypotheses. The theory that GS and CS work synergistically in the treatment of osteoarthritis remains unproven. To date, no clinical trials have compared glucosamine/chondroitin combinations with either of the supplements taken individually. Studies on Glucosamine and chondroitin One preliminary trial on Glucosamine and chondroitin found that the combination of glucosamine HCl (1,600 mg per day), CS (1,200 mg per day), and calcium ascorbate (1,000 mg per day) was effective at reducing joint noise, pain, and swelling in people with osteoarthritis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ, or jaw joint).5 However, this study was not well controlled and the outcomes measured were highly subjective. Moreover, participants in this study were allowed to use aspirin and ibuprofen, so the exact effects of the nutrient combination cannot be accurately assessed. Similarly, the combination of glucosamine HCl (1,500 mg per day), CS (1,200 mg per day), and manganese ascorbate (228 mg per day) was evaluated in a double-blind trial and was associated with significant symptom reduction and improvement on x-ray for osteoarthritis of the knee (less so for spine). However, subjects were allowed to use acetaminophen for pain, and comparative effects of a glucosamine HCl/chondroitin sulfate combination and the individual nutrients were not examined Have you tried the pair of Glucosamine and chondroitin for your ligaments and joints? Over a few months Glucosamine and chondroitin can have a big effect from everyone that I have talked to but just remember that the effect is not overnight. Free Fit In 30 Days Email Course Change your life in only three weeks with free and simple lifestyle changes that will dramatically change your quality of life.What will you get? More energy, better concentration, become stronger, fitter and sleep better. Related Fitness, health, and Weight Loss posts: Glucosamine with Chondroitin Glucosamine with Chondroitin is an excellent supplement for joint health. Its function is to draw fluid into the joint and lubricate it. Please check with your doctor if you are... Types of Arthritis I thought that over the next few days I would put up some posts about arthritis. My wife has settled with arthritis for years and not a lot has helped.... Glucosamine Doesn’t Help Bad Knees? I have always heard that Glucosamine is a very good help for knee and back problems but there is a new study that may cast some doubt on that. The... Glucosamine for Back problems in Doubt? I just saw an article about a study done by some Norwegian researchers saying that among other findings that Glucosamine does not seem to help lower back problems as much... Comments My wife’s knee used to give her trouble, especially when she played softball. She’s been using Glucosamine Sulfate regularly, and her knee doesn’t give her any trouble. She’s tried the Glucosamine/Chondroitin combo, but didn’t see any advantage in that compared to just Glucosamine. | Mid | [
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Q: How do I place this TextView onto this Activity? I have an Activity for which I obviously have a layout. The layout's background is an image and the TextView placement needs to be in a precise place. When I place the TextView in any layout, the position doesn't change with the scaling of the background image as I expect. How do I get the TextView to scale based on the size of the screen? The simplest solution will be accepted. A: Your question is a little vague, but assuming what you're going for is 'put the TextView over the speech bubble in the above image', you may have a bit of work ahead of you. You could attempt to use margins and such to give it a precise placement over the speech image, but this will be quite tricky and will probably never work exactly like you want. Your simplest option would be to do the following Use Photoshop, Paint, or just about any editing program to cut out Bart and the speech bubble and save them as seperate images. Use a RelativeLayout with the background color set to black android:background="@android:color/black". Place an ImageView using the graphic of Bart, and set the following properties on it: android:layout_alignParentLeft="true", android:layout_alignParentBottom="true", and `android:id="@id/img_bart". Place a TextView, set the background to use the speech bubble image (android:background="@drawable/img_speech" or whatever you called the speech bubble image), set it to appear to the right of Bart android:layout_toRightOf="@id/img_bart", and either snap it to the top (android:layout_alignParentTop="true" - this may cause issues on tall screens though), or snap to the bottom offset by an appropriate amount through android:layout_alignParentBottom="true" and android:layout_marginBottom="150dp", modifying the 150 to get it to appear at the right height relative to Bart. I know it's a fair bit of work, unfortunately Android layouts often are, especially in cases where you want to get different elements to stick together in appropriate ways, like speech bubbles. Another thing you could look at is AbsoluteLayout, which allows you to place child elements in exact locations - however this is strongly discouraged as it won't scale well to different screen sizes, and the AbsoluteLayout class itself is deprecated and has been for a very long time. | High | [
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PS4’s exclusive game ‘Rime’ was first pitched to Microsoft, only to be rejected Developed by Tequila Works, an adventure game called ‘Rime’ (known then as Echoes of Siren) was originally pitched to Microsoft for the Xbox, Windows, and Windows Phone platforms as an exclusive title. Microsoft declined the pitch and the developer subsequently took the game to Sony, who is now claiming the game as an exclusive for the PS4 console. Rime tells the story of a boy who must use his wits and ingenuity to survive and ultimately escape from a mysterious island and a terrible curse. That’s the plot of the game (you can watch the trailer of the game via the video embedded below). Microsoft refused to pay for the partial funding of the game, which asked for $3 million for the Xbox platform and $40,000 for the Windows platform. Sony took the ball from Microsoft and made the game an exclusive to the Xbox One’s primary competitor – the PlayStation 4. In a Twitter post today, Microsoft Studio boss Phil Spencer hinted that Microsoft has regretted declining some of these games, which have moved on and become exclusives on Sony’s PS4 platform. As a matter of fact, Spencer even revealed that Microsoft passed on Guitar Hero for the Xbox One. However, Spencer admitted that Microsoft will miss some great games but that is the “nature of the beast.” Rime has yet to be released so there is no telling how popular the game will become. If the game does manage to be a hit, Microsoft likely won’t toss and turn at night over this “missed opportunity.” After all, Microsoft has a plethora of other popular games to worry about – like Titanfall. What do you think? @Hyathod Part of job is living with mistakes. Passed on Guitar Hero…I can list many misses regretfully. I try to focus on what we did ship | Mid | [
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Whip hand: the free-thinking Carlyle Club abolishes Whig history, serves up some primary sources, and cottons on to a south-side view in this, our masterful third issue. It’s bound to please! Table of Contents Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free. Jefferson Memorial, Washington, D.C. … Nor is it less certain that the two races, equally free, cannot live in the same government. Thomas Jefferson Question: what’s wrong with slavery? Yes, I know, it’s beneath you and your sophisticated understanding of history. Indulge me. Pretend I’m an alien from Neptune, and explain to me why this thing you call “slavery” was bad. Feel free to cite primary sources. And we’ll restrict our attention to American slavery, so you needn’t wrestle with Aristotle, if you don’t want to. On second thought, don’t answer just yet: first I want to make you wade through some quotes. Don’t worry, this will be fun! Just make sure to pay close attention… We’ll start by just opening up a newspaper (2013): As Detroit recorded its highest homicide rate in nearly two decades, city and police officials pledged to try to stem the tide of violence. Authorities recognized the spiraling problem of gun play and homicide in Detroit during a news conference Thursday — a recognition that comes as the city kicks off the new year with violence. Already this week, a mother has been charged with fatally stabbing her 8-year-old daughter, and a cab driver was shot to death. “We’ve lost respect of each other,” Mayor Dave Bing said. “We’ve lost respect for life.” The good news is, lots of kind-hearted philanthropic types want to help out (2011): The National Institute for Literacy estimates that 47% of adults (more than 200,000 individuals) in the City of Detroit are functionally illiterate, referring to the inability of an individual to use reading, speaking, writing, and computational skills in everyday life situations. […] Low-income and low-skilled adult learners require a range of supports to ensure they can participate in education and training (like transportation, childcare, food and shelter, disability services). Current programs lack the internal capacity to offer these services. Boy, that sounds like a lot of support. Could Japan have the answer? (2009) “Japan’s success — and there is no precedent for it in history — very largely rested on organized immobility — the immobility of ‘lifetime employment,’” asserted Drucker, who first visited Japan in 1959 and was among the earliest observers to predict the nation’s rise as a world economic power. […] What worried Drucker — and what the Japanese election underscores — is that the flip side of mobility is instability, especially for those workers lacking the skills and education to be in high demand. […] “I very much hope,” he added, “that Japan will find a solution that preserves the social stability, the community — and the social harmony — that lifetime employment provided, and yet creates the mobility that knowledge work and knowledge workers must have.” On an unrelated note, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services explains the benefits of adoption: Adoption is the best choice for a child in CPS care when it’s not safe for the child to return home and for the relative or close family friend who wishes to be a permanent home for the child. It gives the child a stable and permanent home and lifelong support. It also gives the adoptive family legal protection because adoptive parents have the same legal rights as birth parents. Adoption can give children a sense of belonging and security because they know they will have a lifelong relationship with the adoptive family. (It’s also true, of course, that a few parents — adoptive and biological — do treat their children badly. But that doesn’t mean adoption is worse than the alternative, and it certainly doesn’t suggest that we should ban adoption — let alone ban parenthood!) You know, it sounds like the good people of Detroit would benefit a lot from some sort of a combination of adoption, which provides stability, security, and lifelong support, and lifetime employment, which provides stability, community, and social harmony, especially for low-skilled workers (like in Detroit). Now, if only American history could furnish us with an example of a social arrangement combining adoption and lifetime employment… But I digress. Allow me, at last, to introduce Ms. Tempe Durham, a real-life emancipated slave: Freedom is all right, but de niggers was better off befo’ surrender, kaze den dey was looked after an’ dey didn’ get in no trouble fightin’ an’ killin’ like dey do dese days. If a nigger cut up an’ got sassy in slavery times, his Ole Marse give him a good whippin’ an’ he went way back an’ set down an’ ’haved hese’f. If he was sick, Marse an’ Mistis looked after him, an’ if he needed store medicine, it was bought an’ give to him; he didn’ have to pay nothin’. Dey didn’ even have to think ’bout clothes nor nothin’ like dat, dey was wove an’ made an’ give to dem. Maybe everybody’s Marse and Mistis wuzn’ good as Marse George and Mis’ Betsy, but dey was de same as a mammy an’ pappy to us niggers. And we’re back. So: what’s wrong with slavery? Why was it bad? Never mind the aliens from Neptune; explain it in a way Ms. Durham can understand — because a question this obvious really should have a straightforward answer, shouldn’t it? And sure enough, everyone assures me it does have a straightforward answer. Then they open their mouths, and out comes the most tremendous nonsense. From the nonsense emerge two basic ideas. The first idea is that slavery was bad because of what slavery was actually like, which boils down to slaves, who cost an average of $40,000 apiece in today’s money, getting whipped and beaten ceaselessly for no good reason by their owner, whose livelihood depended on the slaves’ ability to perform agricultural labor. This argument, you may be relieved to learn, is supported by neither history nor basic logic. Yes, I’m sure it was hard work, but Lincoln didn’t emancipate anyone from hard work, did he? No, he didn’t. That reminds me of something Thomas Carlyle wrote in Shooting Niagara (1867), a pamphlet considered extreme even by Victorian standards: Servantship, like all solid contracts between men (like wedlock itself, which was once nomadic enough, temporary enough!), must become a contract of permanency, not easy to dissolve, but difficult extremely, — a “contract for life,” if you can manage it (which you cannot, without many wise laws and regulations, and a great deal of earnest thought and anxious experience), will evidently be the best of all. […] Of all else the remedy was easy in comparison; vitally important to every just man concerned in it; and, under all obstructions (which in the American case, begirt with frantic “Abolitionists,” fire-breathing like the old Chimaera, were immense), was gradually getting itself done. In other words, if you are a “just man” and do not want the slaves abused, what you need are better (or better-enforced) laws against abusing slaves. So what did the abolitionists do instead? A continent of the earth has been submerged, for certain years, by deluges as from the Pit of Hell; half a million (some say a whole million, but surely they exaggerate) of excellent White Men, full of gifts and faculty, have torn and slashed one another into horrid death, in a temporary humour, which will leave centuries of remembrance fierce enough: and three million absurd Blacks, men and brothers (of a sort), are completely “emancipated”; launched into the career of improvement, — likely to be ‘improved off the face of the earth’ in a generation or two! Actually, only a few hundred thousand slaves, or perhaps a million, were killed by the “freedom” they never asked for, but we’ll talk about that later… It’s also worth noting, for the record, that “U.S. slaves had much longer life expectations than free urban industrial workers in both the United States and Europe” (Time on the Cross, 1974). Anyway, since the practical, day-to-day realities of slavery were much better than you have been led to believe, this idea makes no sense, and you need to re-assess slavery. Maybe it wasn’t bad after all. Are you re-assessing slavery? You’re not re-assessing slavery, are you? Okay, try the second idea: slavery was bad regardless of what it was actually like, because slavery contradicts Liberty, Equality, and other, miscellaneous abstractions (Human Dignity springs to mind), which are to be considered good regardless of how much misery they have created over the centuries. In that case, congratulations: you, like the abolitionists, have got religion. Kindly keep your Church far away from the State. If neither idea suits you, it might be a combination of the two, sort of circular in shape: everyone knows slavery was bad, because the slaves weren’t Free and Equal, which was terrible for them, because they were whipped and beaten ceaselessly for no reason, and if you say they weren’t, why, you’re just excusing slavery, which everyone knows was bad, because the slaves weren’t Free and Equal — and round and round we go, abandoning even the pretense of straightforwardness, and always returning to Liberty, Equality, and we might as well throw in Fraternity, so ultimately the argument turns out to be a popular late 18th century murderous insurrectionary war cry. I direct your attention to the English judge James F. Stephen’s Liberty, Equality, Fraternity (1874): The object of this work is to examine the doctrines which are rather hinted at than expressed by the phrase “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.” This phrase has been the motto of more than one Republic. It is indeed something more than a motto. It is the creed of a religion. […] The Religion of Humanity is perhaps as good a name as could be found for it. […] It is one of the commonest beliefs of the day that the human race collectively has before it splendid destinies of various kinds, and that the road to them is to be found in the removal of all restraints on human conduct, in the recognition of a substantial equality between all human creatures, and in fraternity or general love. These doctrines are in very many cases held as a religious faith. They are regarded not merely as truths, but as truths for which those who believe in them are ready to do battle, and for the establishment of which they are prepared to sacrifice all merely personal ends. Such, stated of course in the most general terms, is the religion of which I take “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” to be the creed. I do not believe it. I am not the advocate of Slavery, Caste, and Hatred, nor do I deny that a sense may be given to the words, Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, in which they may be regarded as good. I wish to assert with respect to them two propositions. First, that in the present day even those who use those words most rationally — that is to say, as the names of elements of social life which, like others, have their advantages and disadvantages according to time, place, and circumstance — have a great disposition to exaggerate their advantages and to deny the existence, or at any rate to underrate the importance, of their disadvantages. Next, that whatever signification be attached to them, these words are ill-adapted to be the creed of a religion, that the things which they denote are not ends in themselves, and that when used collectively the words do not typify, however vaguely, any state of society which a reasonable man ought to regard with enthusiasm or self-devotion. You know, that reminds me of something else Carlyle wrote in Shooting Niagara: Our accepted axioms about “Liberty,” “Constitutional Government,” “Reform,” and the like objects, are of truly wonderful texture: venerable by antiquity, many of them, and written in all manner of Canonical Books; or else, the newer part of them, celestially clear as perfect unanimity of all tongues, and Vox populi vox Dei, can make them: axioms confessed, or even inspirations and gospel verities, to the general mind of man. To the mind of here and there a man, it begins to be suspected that perhaps they are only conditionally true; that taken unconditionally, or under changed conditions, they are not true, but false and even disastrously and fatally so. Ask yourself about “Liberty,” for example; what you do really mean by it, what in any just and rational soul is that Divine quality of liberty? That a good man be “free,” as we call it, be permitted to unfold himself in works of goodness and nobleness, is surely a blessing to him, immense and indispensable; — to him and to those about him. But that a bad man be “free,” — permitted to unfold himself in his particular way, is contrariwise, the fatallest curse you could inflict on him; curse and nothing else, to him and all his neighbours. Him the very Heavens call upon you to persuade, to urge, induce, compel, into something of well-doing; if you absolutely cannot, if he will continue in ill-doing, — then for him (I can assure you, though you will be shocked to hear it), the one “blessing” left is the speediest gallows you can lead him to. Speediest, that at least his ill-doing may cease quàm primùm. Ms. Durham, meet Mr. Carlyle. I think the two of you are going to get along fine. In this issue of Radish, we’ll be taking a closer look at slavery as it actually existed in the United States of America. Consider it our own, small contribution to the battle — not exactly raging these days — against that great disposition to exaggerate the advantages, and deny the disadvantages, of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity/Diversity: the Holy Trinity of Progressivism, the “Religion of Humanity.” I do not believe it. In 1854, the Reverend Nehemiah Adams, a Unitarian Universalist minister and staunch abolitionist living in Boston, which makes him about as left-wing as you could get in the 1850s, was forced to spend the winter in Georgia for health reasons. He took it as an opportunity to see firsthand the condition of the slaves he was trying so hard to emancipate. The result was a remarkable book: A South-Side View of Slavery. Likely you have never heard of it. Well, I offer it to you, my open-minded friend, as a first step towards understanding that peculiar institution. An excerpt from Chapter 1, ‘Feelings and Expectations on Going to the South’: He who proposes to write or speak at the present time on the subject which has so long tried the patience of good men as the subject of slavery has done, is justified in asking attention only by the conviction which it is supposed he feels that he can afford some help. The writer has lately spent three months at the south for the health of an invalid. Few professional men at the north had less connection with the south by ties of any kind than he, when the providence of God made it necessary to become for a while a stranger in a strange land. He was too much absorbed by private circumstances to think of entering at all into a deliberate consideration of any important subject of a public nature; yet for this very reason, perhaps, the mind was better prepared to receive dispassionately the impressions which were to be made upon it. The impressions thus made, and the reflections which spontaneously arose, the writer here submits, not as a partisan, but as a Christian; not as a northerner, but as an American; not as a politician, but as a lover and friend of the colored race. […] I will relate the impressions and expectations with which I went to the south; the manner in which things appeared to me in connection with slavery in Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia; the correction or confirmation of my northern opinions and feelings, the conclusions to which I was led; the way in which our language and whole manner toward the south have impressed me; and the duty which it seems to me, as members of the Union, we at the north owe to the subject of slavery and to the south, and with the south to the colored race. I shall not draw upon fictitious scenes and feelings, but shall give such statements as I would desire to receive from a friend to whom I should put the question, “What am I to believe? How am I to feel and act?” In the few instances in which I do not speak from personal observation, I shall quote from men whom, in many places at home and abroad, I have learned to respect very highly for their intellectual, moral, and social qualities—I mean physicians. Associated with all classes at all times, knowing things not generally observed, and being removed by their profession from any extensive connection with slavery as a means of wealth, they seemed to me unusually qualified to testify on the subject, and their opinions I have found to be eminently just and fair. Very early in my visit at the south, agreeable impressions were made upon me, which soon began to be interspersed with impressions of a different kind in looking at slavery. The reader will bear this in mind, and not suppose, at any one point in the narrative, that I am giving results not to be qualified by subsequent statements. The feelings awakened by each new disclosure or train of reflection are stated without waiting for any thing which may follow. […] Just before leaving home, several things had prepared me to feel a special interest in going to the south. The last thing which I did out of doors before leaving Boston was, to sign the remonstrance of the New England clergymen against the extension of slavery into the contemplated territories of Nebraska and Kansas. I had assisted in framing that remonstrance. The last thing which I happened to do late at night before I began my journey was, to provide something for a freed slave on his way to Liberia, who was endeavoring to raise several thousand dollars to redeem his wife and children from bondage. My conversations relating to this slave and his family had filled me with new but by no means strange distress, and the thought of looking slavery in the face, of seeing the things which had so frequently disturbed my self-possession, was by no means pleasant. To the anticipation of all the afflictive sights which I should behold there was added the old despair of seeing any way of relieving this fearful evil, while the unavailing desire to find it, excited by the actual sight of wrongs and woe, I feared would make my residence at the south painful. […] In the growth of the human mind, fancy takes the lead of observation, and-through life it is always running ahead of it. Who has not been greatly amused, sometimes provoked, and sometimes, perhaps, been made an object of mirth, at the preconceived notions which he had formed of an individual, or place, or coming event? Who has not sometimes prudently kept his fancies to himself? Taking four hundred ministers of my denomination in Massachusetts, and knowing how we all converse, and preach, and pray about slavery, and noticing since my return from the south the questions which are put, and the remarks which are made upon the answers, it will be safe to assert that on going south I had at least the average amount of information and ignorance with regard to the subject. Some may affect to wonder even at the little which has now been disclosed of my secret fancies. I should have done the same in the case of another; for the credulity or simplicity of a friend, when expressed or exposed, generally raises self-satisfied feelings in the most of us. Our southern friends, on first witnessing our snow storms, sleigh rides, and the gathering of our ice crops, are full as simple as we are in a first visit among them. We “suffer fools gladly, seeing” that we ourselves “are wise.” So far, so good: our narrator does not exactly appear to be consumed by fear and hatred of “the colored race.” Going forward, please forgive and enjoy the occasional interjection of reviews of the Quentin Tarantino film Django Unchained, on which more will be said later. From Chapter 2, ‘Arrival and First Impressions’: The steam tug reached the landing, and the slaves were all about us. One thing immediately surprised me; they were all in good humor, and some of them in a broad laugh. The delivery of every trunk from the tug to the wharf was the occasion of some hit, or repartee, and every burden was borne with a jolly word, grimace, or motion. The lifting of one leg in laughing seemed as natural as a Frenchman’s shrug. I asked one of them to place a trunk with a lot of baggage; it was done; up went the hand to the hat—“Any thing more, please sir?” What a contrast, I involuntarily said to myself, to that troop at the Albany landing on our Western Railroad! and on those piles of boards, and on the roofs of the sheds, and at the piers, in New York! I began to like these slaves. I began to laugh with them. It was irresistible. Who could have convinced me, an hour before, that slaves could have any other effect upon me than to make me feel sad? One fellow, in all the hurry and bustle of landing us, could not help relating how, in jumping on board, his boot was caught between two planks, and “pulled clean off”; and how “dis ole feller went clean over into de wotter,” with a shout, as though it was a merry adventure. One thing seemed clear; they were not so much cowed down as I expected. Perhaps, however, they were a fortunate set. I rode away, expecting soon to have some of my disagreeable anticipations verified. […] Meanwhile, in fantasyland: “The journey takes them ultimately to the world of Calvin Candie (Leonard DiCaprio), the charming Mississippi aristocrat and committed racial supremacist. His vicious personal fiefdom of Candyland becomes a symbol for the sadism, oppression, theft of identity, false assertion of enduring superiority and the corruption of the human spirit that lie behind slavery. He represents the self-deception and viciousness underlying the south’s much vaunted hospitality and chivalry that has for so long been the subject of sentimental celebration, not least by Hollywood movies” (Philip French, The Guardian). The city of Savannah abounds in parks, as they are called—squares, fenced in, with trees. Young children and infants were there, with very respectable colored nurses—young women, with bandanna and plaid cambric turbans, and superior in genteel appearance to any similar class, as a whole, in any of our cities. They could not be slaves. Are they slaves? “Certainly,” says the friend at your side; “they each belong to some master or mistress.” In behalf of a score of mothers of my acquaintance, and of some fathers, I looked with covetous feelings upon the relation which I saw existed between these nurses and children. These women seemed not to have the air and manner of hirelings in the care and treatment of the children; their conversation with them, the degree of seemingly maternal feeling which was infused into their whole deportment, could not fail to strike a casual observer. Then these are slaves. Their care of the children, even if it be slave labor, is certainly equal to that which is free. “But that was a freeman who just passed us?” “No; he is Mr. W.’s servant, near us.” “He a slave?” Such a rhetorical lifting of the arm, such a line of grace as the hand described in descending easily from the hat to the side, such a glow of good feeling on recognizing neighbor B., with a supplementary act of respect to the stranger with him, were wholly foreign from my notions of a slave. “Where are your real slaves, such as we read of?” “These are about a fair sample.” […] “Foxx applies a sheen of nobility to the character from the second he is freed and begins moving through the air with his shoulders back and his head high, his dignity shining. In a repeated motif, Django rides into towns atop a horse, his body language singing of pride and strength, a sight that causes people to rear back in shock, unused to seeing a Black [sic] person cloaked in dignity” (Touré Neblett, MSNBC). Without supposing that I had yet seen slavery, it was nevertheless true that a load was lifted from my mind by the first superficial look at the slaves in the city. It was as though I had been let down by necessity into a cavern which I had peopled with disagreeable sights, and, on reaching bottom, found daylight streaming in, and the place cheerful. A better-looking, happier, more courteous set of people I had never seen, than those colored men, women, and children whom I met the first few days of my stay in Savannah. It had a singular effect on my spirits. They all seemed glad to see me. I was tempted with some vain feelings, as though they meant to pay me some special respect. It was all the more grateful, because for months sickness and death had covered almost every thing, even the faces of friends at home, with sadness to my eye, and my spirits had drooped. But to be met and accosted with such extremely civil, benevolent looks, to see so many faces break into pleasant smiles in going by, made one feel that he was not alone in the world even in a land of strangers. How such unaffected politeness could have been learned under the lash I did not understand. It conflicted with my notions of slavery. I could not have dreamed that these people had been “down trodden,” “their very manhood crushed out of them,” “the galling yoke of slavery breaking every human feelings, and reducing them to the level of brutes.” It was one of the pleasures of taking a walk to be greeted by all my colored friends. I felt that I had taken a whole new race of my fellow-men by the hand. I took care to notice each of them, and get his full smile and salutation; many a time I would gladly have stopped and paid a good price for a certain “good morning,” courtesy, and bow; it was worth more than gold; its charm consisted in its being unbought, unconstrained, for I was an entire stranger. Timidity, a feeling of necessity, the leer of obliged deference, I nowhere saw; but the artless, free, and easy manner which burdened spirits never wear. It was difficult to pass the colored people in the streets without a smile awakened by the magnetism of their smiles. “These are powerful, taboo-breaking characters with a perverse but somehow believable relationship redolent of the deep weirdness of race relations in the Old South: DiCaprio’s poncey, Van Dyke-wearing Calvin Candie is actually under the thumb of Jackson’s grinning, jiving Stephen, […] but both are hopelessly doomed by the soul-crushing institution of white supremacy” (Andrew O’Hehir, Salon). From Chapter 3, ‘New Views of the Relations of the Slaves’: The gentleman at whose house I was guest commanded the military battalion. The parade day occurred during my visit. Three bands came successively within an hour in the morning to salute him. These bands were composed of slaves, so called; but never did military bands suggest the idea of involuntary servitude less, or feel servitude of any kind for the time less, than these black warriors. […] There was nothing grotesque in their appearance, nothing corresponding to Ethiopic minstrelsy in our northern caricatures; any military company at the north would have feelings of respect for their looks and performances. […] “The horrors of human bondage… traumatic cultural experience of a marginalized people… the day-to-day suffering slaves endured… benevolent white people equally complicit in the ills of slavery… slavery is this terrible, looming thing… inescapable” (Roxane Gay, Buzzfeed). If it be less romantic, it is more instructive, to see the fire department of a southern city composed of colored men in their company uniforms, parading, and in times of service working, with all the enthusiasm of Philadelphia or Boston firemen. Thus it is given to the colored population of some cities and towns at the south to protect the dwellings and stores of the city against fire—the dwellings and property of men who, as slaves owners, are regarded by many at the north with feelings of commiseration, chiefly from being exposed, as we imagine, to the insurrectionary impulses of an oppressed people. To organize that people into a protective force, to give them the largest liberty at times when general consternation and confusion would afford them the best opportunities to execute seditionary and murderous purposes, certainly gave me, as a northerner, occasion to think that whatever is true theoretically, and whatever else may be practically true, with regard to slavery, the relations and feelings between the white and colored people at the south were not wholly as I had imagined them to be. These two instances of confidence and kindness gave me feelings of affection for the blacks and respect for their masters. Not a word had been said to me about slavery; my eyes taught me that some practical things in the system are wholly different from my anticipations. “I saw it, and received instruction.” “American Slavery Was Not A Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western. It Was A Holocaust” (Spike Lee). Law and Order “When we find ourselves to have been under wrong impressions,” wrote the Reverend Adams, “and begin to have our notions corrected, our disposition is to reach an opposite extreme, and to see things in a light whose glare is as false as the previous twilight. I resolved to watch my feelings in this respect, and take the true gauge of this subject.” Bearing that in mind, let’s look at Chapters 4 through 6, ‘Favorable Appearances in Southern Society and in Slavery.’ From Section 1, ‘Good Order’: The streets of southern cities and towns immediately struck me as being remarkably quiet in the evening and at night. “What is the cause of so much quiet?” I said to a friend. “Our colored people are mostly at home. After eight o’clock they cannot be abroad without a written pass, which they must show on being challenged, or go to the guard house. The master must pay fifty cents for a release. White policemen in cities, and in towns patrols of white citizens, walk the streets at night.” Here I received my first impression of interference with the personal liberty of the colored people. The white servants, if there be any, the boys, the apprentices, the few Irish, have liberty; the colored men are under restraint. But though I saw that this was a feature of slavery, I did not conclude that it would be well to dissolve the Union in order to abolish it. Apart from the question of slavery, it was easy to see that to keep such a part of the population out of the streets after a reasonable hour at night, preventing their unrestrained, promiscuous roving, is a great protection to them, as well as to the public peace. In attending evening worship, in visiting at any hour, a written pass is freely given; so that, after all, the bondage is theoretical, but still it is bondage. Is it an illustration, I asked myself, of other things in slavery, which are theoretically usurpations, but practically benevolent? From the numbers in the streets, though not great, you would not suspect that the blacks are restricted at night; yet I do not remember one instance of rudeness or unsuitable behavior among them in any place. Around the drinking saloons there were white men and boys whose appearance and behavior reminded me of “liberty and pursuit of happiness” in similar places at the north; but there were no colored men there: the slaves are generally free as to street brawls and open drunkenness. I called to mind a place at the north whose streets every evening, and especially on Sabbath evenings, are a nuisance. If that place could enforce a law forbidding certain youths to be in the streets after a certain hour without a pass from their employers, it would do much to raise them to an equality with in good manners with their more respectable colored fellow-men at the south. I had occasion to pity some white southerners, as they issued late at night from a drinking-place, in being deprived of the wholesome restraint laid upon the colored population. The moral and religious character of the colored people at the south owes very much to this restraint. Putting aside for the time all thoughts of slavery, I indulged myself in thinking and feeling, here is strong government. It has a tonic, bracing effect upon one’s feelings to be in its atmosphere; and as Charles Lamb tells us not to inquire too narrowly of every mendicant whether the “wife and six young children” are a fiction, but to give, and enjoy it, so there was a temptation to disregard for the time the idea of slavery, and, becoming a mere utilitarian, to think of three millions of our population as being under perfect control, and in this instance indisputably to their benefit. And from Section 5, ‘Personal Protection’: A strong public sentiment protects the person of the slave against annoyances and injuries. Boys and men cannot abuse another man’s servant. Wrongs to his person are avenged. It amounts in many cases to a chivalric feeling, increased by a sense of utter meanness and cowardice in striking or insulting one who cannot return insult for insult and blow for blow. Instances of this protective feeling greatly interested me. One was rather singular, indeed ludicrous, and made considerable sport; but it shows how far the feeling can proceed. A slave was brought before a mayor’s court for some altercation in the street; the master privately requested the mayor to spare him from being chastised, and the mayor was strongly disposed to do so; but the testimony was too palpably against the servant, and he was whipped; in consequence of which the master sent a challenge to the mayor to fight a duel. A gentleman, whose slave had been struck by a white mechanic with whom the servant had remonstrated for not having kept an engagement, went indignantly to the shop with his man servant to seek explanation and redress, and in avenging him, had his arm stripped of his clothing by a drawing knife in the hands of the mechanic. It is sometimes asserted that the killing a negro is considered a comparatively light offense at the south. In Georgia it is much safer to kill a white man than a negro; and if either is done in South Carolina, the law is exceedingly apt to be put in force. In Georgia I have witnessed a strong purpose among lawyers to prevent the murderer of a negro from escaping justice. A slave had recently set fire to a cotton house, after the crop was in, and the loss was great. He was arraigned, and plead guilty. The judge asked who was his master. He pointed to him. The judge inquired if he had provided counsel for him. The master honestly replied that as the slave was to plead guilty, and there was no question in any mind of his guilt, he had not thought it necessary. The judge told the clerk not to enter the negro’s plea, and informed the master, that unless he preferred to provide counsel, he would do it, as the law allowed him to do, at the master’s expense. The master brought forward two young lawyers. The judge said, with due respect to the young gentlemen, that the master knew how grave was the offense, and that experienced men ought to manage the case. He appointed two of the ablest men at the bar to defend the negro. But the evidence, as all knew it would be, was overwhelming, and the jury convicted the prisoner. Whereupon one of the counsel rose, and reminded the judge at what disadvantage the defense had been conducted, and moved for a new trial. It was granted. The case was pending at my last information. I asked myself, where at the North would a white culprit meet with greater lenity and kindness? If the administration of justice is any good index of the moral feeling in a community, I began to see that it was wrong to judge such a community as the one in question merely by their slave code, or by theoretical views of slavery however logically true. Work More ‘Favorable Appearances’ in Section 4, ‘Labor and Privileges’: Life on the cotton plantations is, in general, as severe with the colored people as agricultural life at the north. I have spent summers upon farms, however, where the owners and their hands excited my sympathy by toils to which the slaves on many plantations are strangers. Every thing depends upon the disposition of the master. It happened that I saw some of the best specimens, and heard descriptions of some of the very bad. In the rice swamps, malaria begets diseases and destroys life; in the sugar districts, at certain seasons, the process of manufacture requires labor, night and day, for a considerable time. There the different dispositions of the master affect the comfort of the laborers variously, as in all other situations. But in the cotton-growing country, the labor, though extending in one form and another nearly through the year, yet taking each day’s labor by itself, is no more toilsome than is performed by a hired field hand at the north; still the continuity of labor from February to the last part of December, with a slight intermission in midsummer, when the crop is “laid by,” the stalks being matured, and the crop left to ripen, makes plantation life severe. Some planters allow their hands a certain portion of the soil for their own culture, and give them stated times to work it; some prefer to allow them out of the whole crop a percentage equal to such a distribution of land; and some do nothing of the kind; but their hearts are made of the northern iron and the steel. It is the common law, however, with all who regard public opinion at the south, to allow their hands certain privileges and exemptions, such as long rest in the middle of the day, early dismission from the field at night, a half day occasionally, in addition to holidays, for which the colored people of all denominations are much indebted to the Episcopal church, whose festivals they celebrate with the largest liberty. They raise poultry, swine, melons; keep bees; catch fish; peddle brooms, and small articles of cabinet making; and, if they please, lay up the money, or spend it on their wives and children, or waste it for things hurtful, if there are white traders desperate enough to defy the laws made for such cases, and which are apt to be most rigorously executed. Some slaves are owners of bank and railroad shares. A slave woman, having had three hundred dollars stolen from her by a white man, her master was questioned in court as to the probability of her having had so much money. He said that he not unfrequently had borrowed fifty and a hundred dollars of her, and added, that she was always very strict as to his promised time of payment. It is but fair, in this and all other cases, to describe the condition of things as commonly approved and prevailing; and when there are painful exceptions, it is but just to consider what is the public sentiment with regard to them. By this rule a visitor is made to feel that good and kind treatment of the slaves is the common law, subject, of course, to caprices and passions. One will find at the south a high tone of feeling on this subject, and meet with some affecting illustrations of it. You may see a wagon from a neighboring town in the market-place of a city or large place, filled with honeycombs, melons, mops, husk mats, and other articles of manufacture and produce, and a white man with his colored servant selling them at wholesale or retail. It will interest your feelings, and give you some new impressions of slave owners, to know that these articles are the property of that servant, and that his master, a respectable gentleman, with disinterested kindness, is helping his servant dispose of them, protecting him from imposition, making change for him, with the glow of cheerfulness and good humor such as acts like these impart to the looks and manner of a real gentleman, who always knows how to sustain himself in an equivocal position. Had that master overworked his servant in the sugar season, or killed him in the field, we might have heard of it at the north; but this little wagon has come and gone for more than a year on the market days, the master and servant chatting side by side, counting their net profits, discussing the state of the markets, inventing new commodities, the master stepping in at the Savings Bank, on the way home, and entering nine or ten dollars more in Joe’s pass-book, which already shows several hundred dollars; and all this has not been so much as named on the platform of any society devoted to the welfare of the slaves. True, there are masters, who, as the psalm sung by the colored choir says, “never raise their thoughts so high”; but it is gratifying to know that such things as these characterize the intercourse of masters and servants at the south. Nameless are they, in a thousand cases, and noiseless; but the consciousness of them, and of the disposition and feelings which prompt them, it was easy to see, gives to our wholesale denunciations of slavery a character of injustice which grieves and exasperates not a little. From Section 10, ‘Absence of Pauperism’: Pauperism is prevented by slavery. This idea is absurd, no doubt, in the apprehension of many at the north, who think that slaves are, as a matter of course, paupers. Nothing can be more untrue. Every slave has an inalienable claim in law upon his owner for support for the whole of life. He can not be thrust into an almshouse, he can not become a vagrant, he can not beg his living, he can not be wholly neglected when he is old and decrepit. I saw a white-headed negro at the door of his cabin on a gentleman’s estate, who had done no work for ten years. He enjoys all the privileges of the plantation, garden, and orchard; is clothed and fed as carefully as though he were useful. On asking him his age, he said he thought he “must be nigh a hundred”; that he was a servant to a gentleman in the army “when Washington fit Cornwallis and took him at Little York.” At a place called Harris’s Neck, Georgia, there is a servant who has been confined to his bed with rheumatism thirty years, and no invalid has more reason to be grateful for attention and kindness. Going into the office of a physician and surgeon, I accidentally saw the leg of a black man which had just been amputated for an ulcer. The patient will be a charge upon his owner for life. An action at law may be brought against one who does not provide a comfortable support for his servants. And from Section 11, ‘Wages of Labor’: One error which I had to correct in my own opinions was with regard to wages of labor. I will illustrate my meaning by relating a case. A young colored woman is called into a family at the south to do work as a seamstress. Her charge is, perhaps, thirty-seven and a half cents per day. “Do you have your wages for your own use?” “No; I pay mistress half of what I earn.” Seamstresses in our part of the country, toiling all day, you will naturally think, are not compelled to give one half of their earnings to an owner. This may be your first reflection, accompanied with a feeling of compassion for the poor girl, and with some thoughts, not agreeable, concerning mistresses who take from a child of toil half her day’s earnings. You will put this down as one of the accusations to be justly made against slavery. But, on reflecting further, you may happen to ask yourself, How much does it cost this seamstress for room rent, board, and clothing? The answer will be, nothing. Who provides her with these? Her mistress. Perhaps, now, your sympathy may he arrested, and may begin to turn in favor of the mistress. The girl does not earn enough to pay her expenses, yet she has a full support, and lays up money. […] The accusation against slavery of working human beings without wages must be modified, if we give a proper meaning to the term wages. A stipulated sum per diem is our common notion of wages. A vast many slaves get wages in a better form than this—in provision for their support for the whole of life, with permission to earn something, and more or less according to the disposition of the masters and the ability of the slaves. A statement of the case, which perhaps is not of much value, was made by a slaveholder in this form: You hire a domestic by the week, or a laborer by the month, for certain wages, with food, lodging, perhaps clothing; I hire him for the term of life, becoming responsible for him in his decrepitude and old age. Leaving out of view the involuntariness on his part of the arrangement, he gets a good equivalent for his services; to his risk of being sold, and passing from hand to hand, there is an offset in the perpetual claim which he will have on some owner for maintenance all his days. Whether some of our immigrants would not be willing to enter into such a contract, is a question which many opponents of slavery at the north would not hesitate to answer for them, saying that liberty to beg and to starve is better than to have all your present wants supplied, and a competency for life guarantied, in slavery. Leisure We’ll take one last look at those ‘Favorable Appearances.’ From Section 2, ‘The Dress of the Slaves’: To see slaves with broadcloth suits, well-fitting and nicely-ironed fine shirts, polished boots, gloves, umbrellas for sunshades, the best of hats, their young men with their blue coats and bright buttons, in the latest style, white Marseilles vests, white pantaloons, brooches in their shirt bosoms, gold chains, elegant sticks, and some old men leaning on their ivory and silver-headed staves, as respectable in their attire as any who that day went to the house of God, was more than I was prepared to see. As to that group of them under the trees, had I been unseen, I would have followed my impulse to shake hands with the whole of them, as a vent to my pleasure in seeing slaves with all the bearing of respectable, dignified Christian gentlemen. As it was, I involuntarily lifted my hat to them, which was responded to by them with such smiles, uncovering of the head, and graceful salutations, that, scribe or Pharisee, I felt that I did love such greetings in the market-places from such people. Then I fell into some reflections upon the philosophy of dress as a powerful means of securing respect, and thought how impossible it must soon become to treat with indignity men who respected themselves, as these men evidently did; nay, rather, how impossible it already was for masters who would so clothe their servants to treat them as cattle. Further acquaintance with that place satisfied me that this inference was right. There is one southern town, at least, where it would be morally as impossible for a good servant to be recklessly sold, or to be violently separated from his family, or to be abused with impunity, as in any town at the north. On seeing these men in their Sabbath attire, and feeling toward them as their whole appearance compelled me to do, I understood one thing which before was not explained. I had always noticed that southerners seldom used the word slaves in private conversation. I supposed that it was conscience that made them change the word, as they had also omitted it in the Constitution of the United States. But I was soon unable to use the word myself in conversation, after seeing them in their Sabbath dress, and as my hearers, and in families; their appearance and condition in so great a proportion making the idea connected with the word slave incompatible with the impressions received from them. Let no one draw sweeping conclusions from these remarks, but wait till we have together seen and heard other things, and in the mean time only gather from what has been said that our fancies respecting the colored people at the south, as well as their masters, are not all of them, probably, correct. But the women, the colored women, in the streets on the Sabbath, put my notions respecting the appearance of the slaves to utter discomfiture. At the north an elegantly-dressed colored woman excites mirth. Every northerner knows that this is painfully true. Gentlemen, ladies, boys, and girls never pass her without a feeling of the ludicrous; a feeling which is followed in some—would it were so in all—by compunction and shame. It was a pleasant paradox to find that where the colored people are not free, they have in many things the most liberty, and among them the liberty to dress handsomely, and be respected in it. And from Section 3, ‘The Children of the Slaves’: But of all the touching sights of innocence and love appealing to you unconsciously for your best feelings of tenderness and affection, the colored young children have never been surpassed in my experience. Might I choose a class of my fellow-creatures to instruct and love, I should be drawn by my present affection toward them to none more readily than to these children of the slaves; nor should I expect my patience and affection to be more richly rewarded elsewhere. Extremes of disposition and character, of course, exist among them, as among others; but they are naturally as bright, affectionate, and capable as other children, while the ways in which your instructions impress them, the reasonings they excite, the remarks occasioned by them, are certainly peculiar. Their attachments and sympathies are sometimes very touching. One little face I shall never forget, of a girl about seven years old, who passed us in the street on an errand, with such a peculiarly distressed yet gentle look, that I inquired her name. A lady with me said that she belonged to a white family, in which a son had recently killed a companion in a quarrel, and had fled. The natural anguish of a sister at some direful calamity in a house could not have been more strikingly portrayed than in that sweet little dark face. It had evidently settled there. Going to meeting one Sabbath morning, a child, about eight years old, tripped along before me, with her hymn book and nicely-folded handkerchief in her hand, the flounces on her white dress very profuse, frilled ankles, light-colored boots, mohair mits, and sunshade, all showing that some fond heart and hand had bestowed great care upon her. Home and children came to mind. I thought of the feelings which that flower of the family perhaps occasioned. Is it the pastor’s daughter? Is it the daughter of the lady whose garden I had walked in, but which bears no such plant as this? But my musings were interrupted by the child, who, on hearing footsteps behind, suddenly turned, and showed one of the blackest faces I ever saw. It was one of the thousands of intelligent, happy colored children, who on every Sabbath, in every southern town and city, make a northern visitor feel that some of his theoretical opinions at home, with regard to the actual condition of slavery, are much improved by practical views of it. There’s more of this, and I urge you to read the entire book, but as the Reverend Adams points out: We have thus far looked at the slaves apart from the theory of slavery and from slave laws, and from their liability to suffering by being separated and sold. These features of slavery deserve to be considered by themselves; we can give them and things of that class a more just weight, and view the favorable circumstances of their condition with greater candor. So let us now consider them. Revolting Features Chapter 7, ‘Revolting Features of Slavery,’ features a tale from that rare, possibly rarest intersection of literary genres: the heartwarming child slave auction comedy of errors based on a true story. Passing up the steps of a court-house in a southern town with some gentlemen, I saw a man sitting on the steps with a colored infant, wrapped in a coverlet, its face visible, and the child asleep. It is difficult for some who have young children not to bestow a passing look or salutation upon a child; but besides this, the sight before me seemed out of place and strange. “Is the child sick?” I said to the man, as I was going up the steps. “No, master; she is going to be sold.” “Sold! Where is her mother?” “At home, master.” “How old is the child?” “She is about a year, master.” “You are not selling the child, of course. How comes she here?” “I don’t know, master; only the sheriff told me to sit down here and wait till twelve o’clock, sir.” It is hardly necessary to say that my heart died within me. Now I had found slavery in its most awful feature—the separation of a child from its mother. “The mother is at home, master.” What are her feelings? What were they when she missed the infant? Was it taken openly, or by stealth? Who has done this? What shape, what face had he? The mother is not dead; “the mother is at home, master.” What did they do to you, Rachel, weeping and refusing to be comforted? Undetermined whether I would witness the sale, whether I could trust myself in such a scene, I walked into a friend’s law office, and looked at his books. I heard the sheriff’s voice, the “public outcry,” as the vendue is called, but did not go out, partly because I would not betray the feelings which I knew would be awakened. One of my friends met me a few minutes after, who had witnessed the transaction. “You did not see the sale,” he said. “No. Was the child sold?” “Yes, for one hundred and forty dollars.” I could take this case, so far as I have described it, go into any pulpit or upon any platform at the north, and awaken the deepest emotions known to the human heart, harrow up the feelings of every father and mother, and make them pass a resolution surcharged with all the righteous indignation which language can express. All that any speaker who might have preceded me, supposing the meeting to be one for discussion, might have said respecting the contentment, good looks, happy relations of the slaves, I could have rendered of no avail to his argument by this little incident. No matter what kindness may be exercised in ten thousand instances; a system in which the separation of an infant from its mother is an essential element can not escape reprobation. On relating what I had seen to some southern ladies, they became pale with emotion; they were silent; they were filled with evident distress. But before remarking upon this case, I will give another. My attention was arrested by the following advertisement:— Guardian’s Sale. Will be sold before the court-house door in——, on the first Tuesday in May next, agreeably to an order of the ordinary of——county, the interest of the minors of——, in a certain negro girl named——, said interest being three fourths of said negro. Three fourths of a negro girl to be sold at auction! There was something here which excited more than ordinary curiosity: the application of vulgar fractions to personal identity was entirely new. I determined to witness this sale. An hour before the appointed time, I saw the girl sitting alone on the steps of the court-house. She wore a faded but tidy orange-colored dress, a simple handkerchief on her head, and she was barefoot. Her head was resting upon her hand, with her elbow on her knee. I stood unperceived and looked at her. Poor, lonely thing, waiting to be sold on the steps of that court-house! The place of justice is a bleak promontory, from which you look off as upon a waste of waters—a dreary, shoreless waste. What avails every mitigation of slavery? Had I become a convert to the system, here is enough to counterbalance all my good impressions. The sheriff arrived at noon, and the people assembled. The purchaser was to have the services of the girl three fourths of the time, a division of property having given some one a claim to one fourth of her appraised value. The girl was told to stand up. She had a tall, slender form, and was, in all respects, an uncommonly good-looking child. The bidding commenced at two hundred dollars, and went on in an animated and exciting manner. The girl began to cry, and wiped her tears with the back of her hand; no one replied to her; the bidding went on; she turned her back to the people. I saw her shoulders heave with her suppressed crying; she said something in a confused voice to a man who sat behind the auctioneer. When I was young I was drawn, by mingling with some older schoolmates, strongly against my will, and every moment purposing an escape, to see a youth executed for arson. I resolved that I would never look upon such a sight again. But here I was beholding something which moved me as I had not been moved for all these long years. She was fourteen years old. A few days before I had sent to a child of mine, entering her fourteenth year, a birthday gift. By this coincidence I was led to think of this slave girl with some peculiar feelings. I made the case my own. She was a child to parents, living or dead, whose hearts, unless perverted by some unnatural process, would yearn over her and be distracted by this sight. Four hundred and forty-five dollars was the last bid, and the man sitting behind the sheriff said to her kindly, “Well, run and jump into the wagon.” A large number of citizens had assembled to witness the sale of this girl; some of them men of education and refinement, humane and kind. On any question of delicacy and propriety, in every thing related to the finest sentiments, I would have felt it a privilege to learn of them. How then, I said to myself as I watched their faces, can you look upon a scene like this as upon an ordinary business transaction, when my feelings are so tumultuous, and all my sensibilities are excruciated? You are not hard-hearted men; you are gentle and generous. In my intercourse with you I have often felt, in the ardor of new friendships, how happy I should be to have you in my circle of immediate friends at home; what ornaments you would be to any circle of Christian friends. Some of you are graduates of Yale College; some of Brown University: you know all that I know about the human heart: I hesitate to believe that I am right and you wrong. If to sell a human being at auction were all which I feel it to be, you must know it as well as I. Yet I cannot yield my convictions. Why do we differ so in our feelings? Instances of private humanity and tenderness have satisfied me that you would not lay one needless burden upon a human being, nor see him suffer without redress. Is it because you are used to the sight that you endure it with composure? or because it is an essential part of a system which you groan under but cannot remove? To begin with the sale of the infant. During my stay in the place, three or four estimable gentlemen said to me, each in private, “I understand that you saw that infant sold the other day. We are very sorry that you happened to see it. Nothing of the kind ever took place before to our knowledge, and we all feared that it would make an unhappy impression upon you.” The manner in which this was said affected me almost as much as the thing which had given occasion to it. Southern hearts and consciences, I felt reassured, were no more insensible than mine. The system had not steeled the feelings of these gentlemen; the presence of a northerner, a friend, retaining his private, natural convictions, as they perceived, without unkindness of words or manner, made them look at the transaction with his eyes; every kind and generous emotion was alive in their hearts; they felt that such a transaction needed to be explained and justified. How could they explain it? How could they justify it? With many, if not with all of my readers, it is a foregone conclusion, as it had been with me, that the case admits of no explanation or justification. I received, as I said, three or four statements with regard to the case, and this is the substance of them:— The mother of this infant belonged to a man who had become embarrassed in his circumstances, in consequence of which the mother was sold to another family in the same place, before the birth of the child; but the first owner still laid claim to the child, and there was some legal doubt with regard to his claim. He was disposed to maintain this claim, and it became a question how the child should be taken from him. A legal gentleman, whose name is familiar to the country, told me that he was consulted, and he advised that through an old execution the child should be levied upon, be sold at auction, and thus be removed from him. The plan succeeded. The child was attached, advertised, and offered for sale. The mother’s master bought it, at more than double the ratable price, and the child went to its mother. Nor was this all. In the company of bidders there was a man employed by a generous lady to attend the sale, and see that the infant was restored to its mother. The lady had heard that the sale was to take place, but did not fully know the circumstances, and her purpose was to prevent the child from passing from the parent. Accordingly her agent and the agent of the mother’s master were bidding against each other for some time, each with the same benevolent determination to restore the child to its mother. Rachel was comforted. Rather she had had no need of being comforted, for the sheriff was in this case to be her avenger and protector. Here was slavery restoring a child to its mother; here was a system which can deal in unborn children, redressing its own wrong. Moreover, the law which forbids the sale of a child under five years was violated, in order to keep the child with its mother. Had I not known the sequel of the story, what a thrilling, effective appeal could I have made at the north by the help of this incident. Then what injustice I should have inflicted upon the people of that place; what stimulus might I have given to the rescue of a fugitive slave ; what resuscitation to the collapsing vocabulary of epithets. How might I have helped on the dissolution of the Union; how have led half our tribes to swear that they would have war with the rest forever, when in truth the men and women who had done this thing had performed one of the most tender arid humane actions, and did prevent, and, if necessary, with their earthly all, (for I knew them well,) would have prevented that from ever taking place to which, in my ignorance and passion, I should have sworn that I could bear witness ‚ an infant taken from its mother s breast and sold. Or maybe it was another racist, sadistic horror of the soul-crushing, hot-boxing holocaust. Or whatever. The “three fourths” of the girl were bought by the owner of the other fourth, who already had possession of her. The sale took place that he might be her sole owner. That word which followed the sale, “Well, run and jump into the wagon,” was music to the child. I understood afterward why she turned her back to the crowd, and looked at the man who sat behind the sheriff. He was her master, and he owned her mother; the girl heard the bidding from the company, and heard her master bidding; the conflict she understood; she was at stake, as she felt, for life; it took some time for the bidding to reach four hundred dollars; hope deferred made her heart sick; she turned and kept her eye on her master, to see whether he would suffer himself to be defeated. He sat quietly using his knife upon a stick, like one whose mind was made up; the result of the sale in his favor excited no new feeling in him; but the ready direction, “Well, run and jump into the wagon,” was as much as to say, I have done what I meant to do when I came here. The Reverend Adams got to know the slave auctions pretty well: The sale of slaves at auction in places where they are known—and this is the case every where except in the largest cities—excites deep interest in some of the citizens of that place. They are drawn to the sale with feelings of personal regard for the slaves, and are vigilant to prevent unprincipled persons from purchasing and carrying them away, and even from possessing them in their own neighborhood. I know of citizens combining to prevent such men from buying, and of their contributing to assist good men and women in purchasing the servants at prices greatly increased by such competition. In all such cases the law requiring and regulating public sales and advertisements of sales prevents those private transfers which would defeat the good intentions of benevolent men. It is an extremely rare case for a servant or servants who have been known in town to be removed into hands which the people of the place generally would not approve. The sale of a negro at public auction is not a reckless, unfeeling thing in the towns at the south, where the subjects of the sale are from among themselves. In settling estates, good men exercise as much care with regard to the disposition of the slaves as though they were providing homes for white orphan children; and that too when they have published advertisements of slaves in such connections with horses and cattle, that, when they are read by a northerner, his feelings are excruciated. In hearing some of the best of men, such as are found in all communities, largely intrusted with the settlement of estates, men of extreme fairness and incorruptible integrity, speak of the word “chattel” as applied to slaves, it is obvious that this unfeeling law term has no counterpart in their minds, nor in the feelings of the community in general. Slaves are allowed to find masters and mistresses who will buy them. Having found them, the sheriffs’ and administrators’ sales must by law be made public, the persons must be advertised, and every thing looks like an unrestricted offer, while it is the understanding of the company that the sale has really been made in private. Sitting in the reading-room of a hotel one morning, I saw a colored woman enter and courtesy to a gentleman opposite. “Good morning, sir. Please, sir, how is Ben?” “Ben—he is very well. But I don’t know you.” “Ben is my husband. I heard you were in town, and I want you to buy me. My mistress is dead these three weeks, and the family is to be broken up.” “Well, I will buy you. Where shall I inquire?” All this was said and done in as short a time as it takes to read it; but this woman was probably obliged by law, in the settlement of the estate, to be advertised and described. Oscar Wilde, James Redpath, and John Brown We are now prepared to ask, at least, if not answer, three questions about American slavery. First, did the slaves want to be free? Second, did the slaves try to become free? Third, were the slaves glad to be free? In general, I mean: disregarding rare exceptions, like the barbarous murderer Nat Turner. Answers courtesy of Oscar Wilde, of all people, in The Soul of Man under Socialism (1891): Slavery was put down in America, not in consequence of any action on the part of the slaves, or even any express desire on their part that they should be free. It was put down entirely through the grossly illegal conduct of certain agitators in Boston and elsewhere, who were not slaves themselves, nor owners of slaves, nor had anything to do with the question really. It was, undoubtedly, the Abolitionists who set the torch alight, who began the whole thing. And it is curious to note that from the slaves themselves they received, not merely very little assistance, but hardly any sympathy even; and when at the close of the war the slaves found themselves free, found themselves indeed so absolutely free that they were free to starve, many of them bitterly regretted the new state of things. “Grossly illegal conduct.” Speaking of lit torches, you might recall Carlyle’s “frantic ‘Abolitionists,’ fire-breathing like the old Chimaera.” Is this a fair description? Not according to PBS: Radicals. Agitators. Troublemakers. Liberators. Called by many names, the abolitionists tore the nation apart in order to make a more perfect union. Men and women, black and white, Northerners and Southerners, poor and wealthy, these passionate antislavery activists fought body and soul in the most important civil rights crusade in American history. What began as a pacifist movement fueled by persuasion and prayer became a fiery and furious struggle that forever changed the nation. […] In the face of personal risks—beatings, imprisonment, even death—abolitionists held fast to their cause, laying the civil rights groundwork for the future and raising weighty constitutional and moral questions that are with us still. […] What aspect of the abolitionist movement moves you the most? Is there an event you wish you could have witnessed in person? A story you love? A person you admire or can relate to? Share your story with American Experence [sic]. Not according to your teacher, either (Scholastic): In the 1800s, the abolition movement grew steadily in the North. Abolitionists organized meetings and gave speeches against slavery. They wrote and distributed anti-slavery books, pamphlets, and newsletters. They formed abolitionist societies, signed petitions, and even murdered a bunch of people. Wait, sorry, I’ve copied that down wrong: “… and even boycotted goods made with slave labor.” Compare an actual abolitionist: James Redpath. “He would write passionately against the institution, using his words to influence opinion throughout the North” (PBS) and blah blah blah more abolitionist propaganda. Consider this passage from The Roving Editor: Talks with Slaves in the Southern States (1859), which he dedicated to the abolitionist and murderer John Brown (“something of a romantic ideal to Redpath,” says PBS): In order that no man, or body of men, may be injured or misrepresented by unfair presentations or perversions of my creed, or induced to peruse the pages that follow, under false impressions or pretences, I will here briefly state my political, or rather my revolutionary Faith: I am a Republican—and something more. I am inflexibly opposed to the extension of slavery; but equally do I oppose the doctrine of its protection in States where it already exists. Non-intervention and protection are practically synonymous. Let slavery alone, and it lives a century. Fight it, and it dies. Any weapons will kill it, if kept ever active: fire or water—bayonets or bullion—the soldier’s arm or the writer’s pen. To prevent its extension merely, will never destroy it. If it is right that slavery should exist in Georgia, it is equally right to extend it into Kansas. If the inter-state traffic in human beings is right, equally just is the demand for re-opening the slave trade. I am an Emancipationist—and something more. I believe slavery to be a curse, which it is desirable to speedily abolish. But to Gradual Emancipation I am resolutely antagonistic. For I regard property in man as robbery of man; and I am not willing that our robbers should give notes on time—for freedom and justice at thirty days, or thirty years, or any other period: rather let them be smitten down where they stand, and the rights that they have wrested from their slaves, be wrested—if necessary—with bloodshed and violence, with the torch and the rifle, from them. They do so love their torches. Note that Redpath would rather invade, enslave, and destroy the South than emancipate the slaves over thirty days—no, really: the whole point of this passage is to correct “false impressions or pretences” about Redpath’s “revolutionary Faith.” Does he actually care at all about the slaves? If so, why would he choose “bloodshed and violence” over “Gradual Emancipation”? (The former were by no means guaranteed to bring about “freedom and justice” for anyone!) Is he, in fact, fighting slavery—or just attacking the South? “But what shall we do with the slaves?” Make free men of them. “And with the slaveholding class?” Abolish them. “And with the Legrees of the plantations?” Them, annihilate! Drive them into the sea, as Christ once drove the swine; or chase them into the dismal swamps and black morasses of the South. “Anywhere—anywhere—out of the world!” Now we’re talking about a fictional character in a propaganda novel written by a woman who had never seen a plantation. Since “Simon Legree” doesn’t actually exist, who is the author pledging to “annihilate”? What would constitute reasonable self-defense? Again, does Redpath appear to be attacking slavery here? I am a Peace-Man—and something more. I would fight and kill for the sake of peace. Now, slavery is a state of perpetual war. I am a Non-Resistant—and something more. I would slay every man who attempted to resist the liberation of the slave. I am a Democrat—and nothing more. I believe in humanity and human rights. I recognize nothing as so sacred on earth. Rather than consent to the infringement of the most insignificant or seemingly unimportant of human rights, let races be swept from the face of the earth—let nations be dismembered—let dynasties be dethroned—let laws and governments, religions and reputations be cast out and trodden under feet of men! This is my creed. For myself, I am an earnest man. If you think proper, now, to accompany me—come on; if not, au revoir—and may the Lord have mercy on your soul! “I believe in humanity and human rights,” so “let races be swept from the face of the earth.” It’s the Religion of Humanity again, ready to burn the world in the name of Human Rights—and perhaps tomorrow it will be some other, equally appealing unexamined abstraction demanding that nations be dismembered. “I would fight and kill for the sake of peace.” Thanks, we wouldn’t want to harbor any “false impressions” about your “revolutionary Faith.” Of course, we mustn’t lose sight (not that progressives will ever let us) of what the abolitionists actually accomplished: forcing the “liberty to beg and starve” (Adams) on millions of people who never asked for it, didn’t want it, and indeed “bitterly regretted” the whole thing (Wilde). Allow me to introduce Mr. Charlie Davenport, another real-life emancipated slave: Us Niggers didn’ know nothin’ ’bout what was gwine on in de outside worl’. All us knowed was dat a war was bein’ fit. Pussonally, I b’lieve in what Marse Jefferson Davis done. He done de only thing a gent’man could a-done. He tol’ Marse Abe Lincoln to ’tend to his own bus’ness an’ he’d ’tend to his’n. But Marse Lincoln was a fightin’ man an’ he come down here an’ tried to run other folks’ plantations. Dat made Marse Davis so all fired mad dat he spit hard ’twixt his teeth an’ say, “I’ll whip de socks off den dam Yankees.” Dat’s how it all come ’bout. My white folks los’ money, cattle, slaves, an’ cotton in de war, but dey was till better off dan mos’ folks. Lak all de fool Niggers o’ dat time I was right smart bit by de freedom bug for awhile. It sounded pow’ful nice to be tol’: “You don’t have to chop cotton no more. You can th’ow dat hoe down an’ go fishin’ whensoever de notion strikes you. An’ you can roam ’roun’ at night an’ court gals jus’ as late as you please. Aint no marster gwine a-say to you, ‘Charlie, you’s got to be back when de clock strikes nine.’” I was fool ’nough to b’lieve all dat kin’ o’ stuff. But to tell de hones’ truf, mos’ o’ us didn’ know ourse’fs no better off. Freedom meant us could leave where us’d been born an’ bred, but it meant, too, dat us had to scratch for us ownse’fs. Dem what lef’ de old plantation seamed so all fired glad to git back dat I made up my min’ to stay put. I stayed right wid my white folks as long as I could. My white folks talked plain to me. Dey say real sad-lak, “Charlie, you’s been a dependence, but now you can go if you is so desirous. But if you wants to stay wid us you can share-crop. Dey’s a house for you an’ wood to keep you warm an’ a mule to work. We aint got much cash, but dey’s de lan’ an’ you can count on havin’ plenty o’ vit’als. Do jus’ as you please.” When I looked at my marster an’ knowed he needed me, I pleased to stay. My marster never forced me to do nary thing ’bout it. Didn’ nobody make me work after de war, but dem Yankees sho’ made my daddy work. Dey put a pick in his han’ stid o’ a gun. Dey made ’im dig a big ditch in front o’ Vicksburg. He worked a heap harder for his Uncle Sam dan he’d ever done for de marster. I hear’d tell ’bout some Nigger sojers a-plunderin’ some houses: Out at Pine Ridge dey kilt a white man named Rogillio. But de head Yankee sojers in Natchez tried ’em for somethin’ or nother an’ hung ’em on a tree out near de Charity Horspital. Dey strung up de ones dat went to Mr. Sargent’s door one night an’ shot him down, too. All dat hangin’ seemed to squelch a heap o’ lousy goin’s-on. Lawd! Lawd! I knows ’bout de Kloo Kluxes. I knows a-plenty. Dey was sho’ ’nough devils a-walkin’ de earth a-seekin’ what dey could devour. Dey larruped de hide of’n de uppity Niggers an’ driv de white trash back where dey b’longed. […] My granny tol’ me ’bout a slave uprisin’ what took place when I was a little boy. None o’ de marster’s Niggers ’ud have nothin’ to do wid it. A Nigger tried to git ’em to kill dey white folks an’ take dey lan’. But what us want to kill old Marster an’ take do lan’ when dey was de bes’ frien’s us had? Dey caught de Nigger an’ hung ’im to a limb. […] De young Niggers is headed straight for hell. All dey think ’bout is drinkin’ hard likker, goin’ to dance halls, an’ a-ridin’ in a old rattle trap car. It beats all how dey brags an’ wastes things. Dey aint one whit happier dan folks was in my dey. I was as proud to git a apple as dey is to git a pint o’ likker. Course, schools he’p some, but looks lak all mos’ o’ de young’n’s is studyin’ ’bout is how to git out o’ hones’ labor. I’se seen a heap o’ fools what thinks ’cause they is wise in books, they is wise in all things. Mos’ all my white folks is gone, now. Marse Randolph Shields is a doctor ’way off in China. I wish I could git word to ’im, ’cause I know he’d look after me if he knowed I was on charity. I prays de Lawd to see ’em all when I die. And I think Mr. Henry Murray has something to add: Freedom made colored folks to lazy to work fo’ a livin’. They was a heep better off in slavery days. People gettin’ worse all de time. Some dese days they’s gon-a have to answer fo’ their sins tho’. I’s tellin ’em now but don’t do no good. As fo’ me I allus tries to live right; does what de Bible say do an’ I’s gon-a get rewarded fo it sho. I belongs to de Baptist church. Am de oldest member in our church. Needless to say, this version of American history isn’t taught in college or made into movies, so it couldn’t possibly be true. On the other hand (The Guardian, 2012): Hundreds of thousands of slaves freed during the American civil war died from disease and hunger after being liberated, according to a new book. The analysis, by historian Jim Downs of Connecticut College, casts a shadow over one of the most celebrated narratives of American history, which sees the freeing of the slaves as a triumphant righting of the wrongs of a southern plantation system that kept millions of black Americans in chains. But, as Downs shows in his book, Sick From Freedom, the reality of emancipation during the chaos of war and its bloody aftermath often fell brutally short of that positive image. Instead, freed slaves were often neglected by union soldiers or faced rampant disease, including horrific outbreaks of smallpox and cholera. Many of them simply starved to death. After combing through obscure records, newspapers and journals Downs believes that about a quarter of the four million freed slaves either died or suffered from illness between 1862 and 1870. He writes in the book that it can be considered “the largest biological crisis of the 19th century” and yet it is one that has been little investigated by contemporary historians. Downs believes much of that is because at the time of the civil war, which raged between 1861 and 1865 and pitted the unionist north against the confederate south, many people did not want to investigate the tragedy befalling the freed slaves. Many northerners were little more sympathetic than their southern opponents when it came to the health of the freed slaves and anti-slavery abolitionists feared the disaster would prove their critics right. […] You see how bad northerners could be: many of them were almost as bad as everyone in the South. Yet Downs believes that his book takes nothing away from the moral value of the emancipation. Instead, he believes that acknowledging the terrible social cost born by the newly emancipated accentuates their heroism. “This challenges the romantic narrative of emancipation. It was more complex and more nuanced than that. Freedom comes at a cost,” Downs said. So, to sum up: “freedom” is good, even though it killed hundreds of thousands of slaves, and presumably even if it had killed all of them; slavery is bad, because something something “black Americans in chains,” and don’t ask stupid questions; finally, any emancipated slaves who (ever so bravely) failed to die from disease and hunger now get to join their attempted murderers, the abolitionists, in the pantheon of American heroes. Narrative: intact. Lessons learned: none. Django Unchained—ah, fake history! (1, 2, 3) I have not seen, I will not see, and I recommend wholeheartedly that no one else see Quentin Tarantino’s long, violent, irredeemably stupid film Django Unchained—but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a good laugh at anyone who did and took it seriously. Will somebody please give these straight-A students of Whig history a library card? To The Guardian, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Calvin Candie, a “charming Mississippi aristocrat and committed racial supremacist,” represents “the self-deception and viciousness underlying the south’s much vaunted hospitality and chivalry,” while his home symbolizes “the sadism, oppression, theft of identity, false assertion of enduring superiority and the corruption of the human spirit that lie behind slavery.” Do you think the Reverend Adams would agree? Bear in mind, he was actually there at the time. According to The Washington Post, “Tarantino doesn’t shrink from the inhumane realities of life for enslaved people in 19th century America.” For example, “when he shows a man being castrated, the scene plays less like a cheap stunt than a weirdly honest confrontation with a painful, unresolved past.” Is being weirdly honest anything like being not honest? The Wall Street Journal calls the film “wildly extravagant, ferociously violent, ludicrously lurid and outrageously entertaining, yet also, remarkably, very much about the pernicious lunacy of racism and, yes, slavery’s singular horrors.” Not only that, “this seriously crazed comedy is also a crazily serious disquisition on enslavement.” (Is being crazily serious…?) Candie’s plantation “takes the story into a wickedly astute parody of antebellum drama, with all of its lace and grace and happy slaves.” Well, thank goodness Sherman fixed all that. Cinema Blend explains how the director “holds back nothing in his portrayal of slavery’s cruelty, unabashedly showing unspeakable acts like brandings, whippings, beatings and even dog attacks.” Sounds like he actually added one or two things there. “But it’s anything but gratuitous. By showing the true-life unspeakable acts that were committed against innocent people during that era, the director earns a powerful emotional response from the audience. … Without the brutality we’d be cheering for Django getting his vengeance anyway, but by including it the movie actually gives you a sense of closure and personal satisfaction,” which makes Django Unchained a Two Minutes Hate dragged out for a full three hours. Speaking of closure and personal satisfaction, The New Yorker notes that “an apocalypse of blood” is “the least that Candie deserves, together with other defenders of the Southern status quo: such, at any rate, will be the claim of Tarantino’s fans, although I was disturbed by their yelps of triumphant laughter, at the screening I attended, as a white woman was blown away by Django’s gun.” (For “Tarantino’s fans,” read black moviegoers.) The Houston Chronicle seems to agree with them: “There’s a place for violence on screen, and this is the place.” To the Denver Post, Tarantino has “crafted a parable of decency versus evil for a generation that never saw ‘Roots,’” in which “the sight of plantation owner and slave is… an image from a house of horrors.” Good point: Roots, too, was a pack of vicious lies; we’ll talk more about that later. Communist newsletter Salon notes that Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson’s characters, plantation owner and “house slave” respectively, with their “perverse but somehow believable relationship redolent of the deep weirdness of race relations in the Old South,“ are both “hopelessly doomed by the soul-crushing institution of white supremacy.” In a scene in which Django and a bounty hunter “shoot a farmer who’s plowing his field, right in front of his son,” O’Hehir recognizes a “moral argument,” namely that “Tarantino is suggesting that white Americans who benefited from a slave economy were guilty of historical crimes whether or not they personally owned slaves.” Making it, in fact, a “moral argument” for murdering every white American. “Kill white folks and they pay you for it?” Django asks at one point. “What’s not to like?” Time magazine calls this “a tantalizing question.” Cinema Autopsy characterizes the film’s setting as “one of the darkest and most shameful periods of American history. When depicting the type of daily brutality that black slaves experienced, some scenes based on historical record, some based more on hearsay, Tarantino conveys the gut-wrenching horror of some of the acts without revelling in the acts, to create a profound contrast between the styles of violence in the film. One style is gleeful and based on the fantasy of a slave rising up against his tormentors, the other is gruelling and demands the audience recognise and respect the history that the film is engaging with.” If only it were. I think Rolling Stone speaks for all of us: “Welcome to alternative History 101 with Professor Quentin Tarantino,” and “fuck the facts.” Touré Neblett Not to be outdone, the absurd Touré Neblett (MSNBC) rejoices that Tarantino, far from “trivializing” slavery, offers “an unsparing look at its horrors, from Mandingo fighting to hot boxes to facial branding to brutal whipping to all sorts of frightening headgear,” none of which bears any resemblance to reality. Neblett’s alternative history of slavery is particularly amusing when we put it side by side with A South-Side View of Slavery. Compare, if you will, the fantasy… In a repeated motif, Django rides into towns atop a horse, his body language singing of pride and strength, a sight that causes people to rear back in shock, unused to seeing a Black [sic] person cloaked in dignity. … the history… It was a pleasant paradox to find that where the colored people are not free, they have in many things the most liberty, and among them the liberty to dress handsomely, and be respected in it. … and, of course, the modern reality: (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) “Cloaked in dignity”! Oh, do go on, Mr. Neblett. In a critical moment Leonardo DiCaprio’s slavemaster Calvin Candie points out that there are more Blacks than whites [sic] on his plantation and wonders, “Why don’t they kill us?” He explains via phrenology—Black brains are lesser—which is now obviously and hysterically false. I don’t want to take us too far off topic, but phrenology, which doesn’t work, is not the same as directly measuring someone’s brain volume, which has been done quite a few times over the years… Average brain volume (in cubic centimeters) for some indigenous populations … or testing someone’s cognitive ability (Lynn, 2006), also known as general intelligence… Average IQ score for some indigenous populations … or just, y’know, looking at people’s skulls: Typical skull shape of a (modern adult male) European, Asian, African, and aboriginal Australian By the way, there is a 40 percent correlation between brain volume and IQ score (because apparently brains are involved in thinking). Yes, these are facts. They will not go away. This is the actual universe we both have to live in. (“Something something Flynn effect.” No.) Frankly, it is not at all clear to me how the idea that black brains are lesser than white brains could be obviously false, let alone hysterically false. Quick, name a Congolese astrophysicist. No? A Liberian philosopher, then. A Haitian Fields medalist? A Rwandan chess master?—What’s that? “Something something oppression, something something white people won’t let them”? See, this is why it’s important not to confuse evidence (like, say, a Rwandan chess master) with excuses for why all the evidence is against you—but I digress. Even when Candie is outsmarted by one of his slaves who must explain to Candie that he’s being played for a fool, his certainty in white intellectual superiority goes unchallenged. Early on, Django excises white supremacy from his mind and eventually destroys white supremacy in his tiny corner of the world. Yes, white supremacy relates to a national (if not global) matrix that no one man could conquer. There’s no telling what could happen to Django after the screen fades to black. But his self-love propels him through the universe of this film, making him heroic before he even begins killing slavemasters. “A better-looking, happier, more courteous set of people I had never seen, than those colored men, women, and children whom I met the first few days of my stay in Savannah,” the Reverend Adams wrote; and “every slave has an inalienable claim in law upon his owner for support for the whole of life.” Django is heroic not just for rescuing his wife but also for spreading justice by putting slavemasters in the grave. It’s honestly baffling to me that smart people could find Django’s slavemaster killings as anything other than heroic. The moral calculus between slave and master is clear and unambiguous. The slave, cinematic or real, who doesn’t want to kill his master may be psychotic and still in the grip of white supremacy. “I do not remember one instance of rudeness or unsuitable behavior among them in any place.” Killing a slavemaster does not reduce the slave to the slavemaster’s moral level. Nothing short of becoming a slavemaster could do that. Murder is the only fitting punishment and given the generations-long pain and chaos that slavery had and would cause, for a slavemaster to die only once is to get off easy. Truly vile. Sounds a bit like James Redpath, doesn’t he? These people never change. Roxane Gay There’s more of this nonsense, of course: The New York Times, USA Today, NPR, etc., etc. The nadir, if not Mr. Neblett, must be Roxane Gay (Buzzfeed). At each of the film’s 110 anachronistic uses of the word “nigger,” Ms. Gay felt a stab of anger because it felt so needless and so gratuitous. Had Tarantino used historical accuracy to guide every aspect of Django Unchained, one might accept his explanation. But this is a movie that includes, among other oddities, a slave merrily enjoying herself on a tree swing of Big Daddy’s plantation. Ms. Gay is holding up a slave ever having fun as a prime example of historical inaccuracy. “But of all the touching sights of innocence and love appealing to you unconsciously for your best feelings of tenderness and affection, the colored young children have never been surpassed in my experience.” Certainly, the N-word is part of our history as much as it is part of our present. The first documented instance of the word dates back to the 1600s and since then it has appeared in nearly every aspect of American life from legal documents to music and movies to our vernacular. And still, Roots manages to depict the realities of slavery without using the N-word once and it’s nearly ten hours long. Roots, “nigger” or no “nigger,” manages to depict no such thing, but we’ll get to that soon enough. Tarantino spends an inordinate amount of time depicting the suffering of the slaves, but he is rather selective in these depictions. There is little evidence of the sexual violence slave women faced or the day-to-day suffering slaves endured. There is indeed little evidence of it. Sometimes, like on Big Daddy’s plantation, it seemed like maybe slavery wasn’t so bad, with slaves well dressed and roaming the grounds, leisurely. “To see slaves with broadcloth suits, well-fitting and nicely-ironed fine shirts, polished boots, gloves, umbrellas for sunshades, the best of hats, their young men with their blue coats and bright buttons, in the latest style, white Marseilles vests, white pantaloons, brooches in their shirt bosoms, gold chains, elegant sticks, and some old men leaning on their ivory and silver-headed staves, as respectable in their attire as any who that day went to the house of God, was more than I was prepared to see. As to that group of them under the trees, had I been unseen, I would have followed my impulse to shake hands with the whole of them, as a vent to my pleasure in seeing slaves with all the bearing of respectable, dignified Christian gentlemen. As it was, I involuntarily lifted my hat to them, which was responded to by them with such smiles, uncovering of the head, and graceful salutations, that, scribe or Pharisee, I felt that I did love such greetings in the market-places from such people.” At other times, we see chained slaves headed to the slave market in Mississippi or slaves forced to fight to fight each other like animals for the white man’s amusement, or, in a particularly gruesome scene, a runaway slave is thrown to wild dogs. We see how his body is torn apart. We hear his screams. Well, thank goodness for that bit of realism. I was worried we’d never cover the period in American history when runaway slaves were thrown to wild dogs. (Aisha Harris of Slate has the minimal honesty, unusual among journalists, to admit that “Mandingo fighting” never existed in America.) In Haiti where my family is from, January 1 not only ushers in a new year, it is the day Haitians recognize as Independence Day. On that day in 1804, Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared Haiti a free nation, the first of its kind in Latin America, ending a thirteen-year slave rebellion. As a first generation American, I was raised with stories of how my ancestors fought for freedom, and how no matter what burdens we may suffer as a Haitian people, we know we set ourselves free. As I’ve thought about Django Unchained, I’ve thought about this freedom, and what it has cost and how what Django Unchained lacked, above all, was any understanding of how people can and will fight for their freedom under any circumstance. Haiti! Oh, well chosen, Ms. Gay! Haiti: from the richest colony in the world (the leading producer of both sugar and coffee) to the poorest country in the hemisphere, all thanks to that one slave rebellion—after which Ms. Gay’s hero, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, had all the white people murdered. Here we see Ms. Gay’s ancestors hanging white soldiers en masse, then murdering all the other white people, including the children, on Dessalines’ orders; and Dessalines himself, displaying a white woman’s severed head : (1 and 2, 3) At one point, Dessalines proclaimed an amnesty for any surviving whites—but anyone who came out of hiding was murdered too. It’s all very Tarantino. Today, having “fought for freedom” and “set ourselves free,” the proud people of Haiti live in shacks, eat dirt, and are incapable of cleaning up the rubble from a single earthquake after one, two, three years and counting, even with nine billion dollars in foreign aid: (1, 2, 3) To be fair, the Haitians were already incapable of this in 1842 (Hayti: The Black Republic, 1889): Cap Haïtien never recovered from the effects of the fearful earthquake of 1842, when several thousands of its inhabitants perished. To this day they talk of that awful event, and never forget to relate how the country-people rushed in to plunder the place, and how none lent a helping-hand to aid their half-buried country-men. Captain Macguire and myself used to wander about the ruins, and we could not but feel how little energy remained in a people who could leave their property in such a state. It was perhaps cheaper to build a trumpery house elsewhere. One of those that suffered the most during that visitation wrote, before the earth had ceased trembling, “Against the acts of God Almighty no one complains,” and then proceeded to relate how the dread earthquake shook down or seriously injured almost every house; how two-thirds of the inhabitants were buried beneath the fallen masonry; how the bands of blacks rushed in from mountain and plain, not to aid in saving their wretched countrymen, whose cries and groans could be heard for two or three days, but to rob the stores replete with goods; and—what he did complain of—how the officers and men of the garrison, instead of attempting to keep order, joined in plundering the small remnants of what the surviving inhabitants could save from the tottering ruins. What a people! Still, we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that now, at long last, the Haitian people are “free,” which is, of course, unquestionably good—whatever this word “freedom” actually means in the context of living in huts, eating dirt, roaming machete gangs, frenzied looting (along Boulevard Jean Jacques Dessalines, no less), and so on. In her eagerness to help the poor, oppressed people of Haiti, Amanda Kijera made a slight miscalculation Haitian Aside Some of the “foreign aid” Haiti has received over the years has been, shall we say, less than consensual. What do I mean by that? Consider the fascinating report by white “civic journalist and activist” Amanda Kijera, ‘We are not your weapons—we are women’ (AlterNet, 2010; discussed here, here, here, and here): Two weeks ago, on a Monday morning, I started to write what I thought was a very clever editorial about violence against women in Haiti. The case, I believed, was being overstated by women’s organizations in need of additional resources. Ever committed to preserving the dignity of Black [sic] men in a world which constantly stereotypes them as violent savages, I viewed this writing as yet one more opportunity to fight “the man” on behalf of my brothers. That night, before I could finish the piece, I was held on a rooftop in Haiti and raped repeatedly by one of the very men who I had spent the bulk of my life advocating for. It hurt. The experience was almost more than I could bear. I begged him to stop. Afraid he would kill me, I pleaded with him to honor my commitment to Haiti, to him as a brother in the mutual struggle for an end to our common oppression, but to no avail. He didn’t care that I was a Malcolm X scholar. He told me to shut up, and then slapped me in the face. Overpowered, I gave up fighting halfway through the night. […] Black men have every right to the anger they feel in response to their position in the global hierarchy, but their anger is misdirected. Women are not the source of their oppression; oppressive policies and the as-yet unaddressed white [sic] patriarchy which still dominates the global stage are. Because women—and particularly women of color—are forced to bear the brunt of the Black male response to the Black male plight, the international community and those nations who have benefitted from the oppression of colonized peoples have a responsibility to provide women with the protection that they need. […] I went to Haiti after the earthquake to empower Haitians to self-sufficiency. […] Not once did I envision myself becoming a receptacle [!] for a Black man’s rage at the white world, but that is what I became. While I take issue with my brother’s behavior, I’m grateful for the experience. I’m speech | Low | [
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SPC-140 NOTICE FROM THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE COORDINATION AND PROJECTS OPERATION COMMAND OFFICE SPC-140 is currently active. Agents are to make every effort to secure the hides and ink of CYAN ABYSS Deviant-Type Selachian Entities, and to secure any other instances of BRONZE UPPERCUT. Efforts to locate GREY WANDERER and any associated persons are ongoing. In the event of positive contact with GREY WANDERER related persons, a priority OMEGA-BLACK report is to be made to the CICAPOCO immediately; direct contact without authorization is to be avoided if possible; in the event of unavoidable contact, personnel are to engage diplomatically as GREY WANDERER may be a useful ally against the selachian threat. CYAN ABYSS Deviant-Type Selachian Entity, Manual of Selachian Pugilism, 11th ed., Plate VI:LI Project #: SPC-140 Selachian Pugnātorial Capabilities: The sophisticated SPC methods described by BRONZE UPPERCUT, as well as those located in archeological sites generated via SPC-140 enhancement have been instrumental in the Centre's ability to deal with the selachian threat. Furthermore, should SPC-140 fully activate, it may result in a favorable reality restructuring event that will remove the effect of SPC-001 from history completely. Project Component(s): SPC-140 consists primarily of a scroll (BRONZE UPPERCUT), written on the skin of CYAN-ABYSS Deviant-Type Selachian Entities with the ink derived from these entities, in a proto-Uralic language, entitled "Chronicle of the Sharkic War". Additional components are the skin and ink from CYAN ABYSS entities, and other instances of BRONZE UPPERCUT (especially those of extra-universal origin). BRONZE UPPERCUT describes the war between a previously unknown civilization, originating in Central Asia, and selachian entities. This war began in approximately 1800 BCE with a slave revolt in a minor city-state called "Adytum". These rebel slaves adopted the direct worship of SPC-001, and are identified as the "Sharkic Cult". Using deviant biotechnology, these Sharkics were able to transform themselves into chimerical organisms using selachian and cephalopodian tissues: CYAN ABYSS entities . At the time of initial discovery, this war ended in c. 300 BCE with the annexation of this civilization's last strongholds by the expanding Kingdom of Yan and the execution of the ruling scholar class, the daeva, by being fed to selachian entities. As a result of enhancement this date has been brought forward to 1210 CE, when the civilization joined with the Jin Dynasty in the alliance that would eventually become the Jianese Federation (see Enhancement Summary), following the deaths of nearly the entire daeva class during a boating accident. BRONZE UPPERCUT describes the discovery by the daeva philosopher-kings of SPC-001's vulnerability to selachian pugilism, and their continued development, as the war progressed, of increasingly sophisticated selachian pugnātorial capabilities. Furthermore it describes the creation of itself as a sophisticated causal weapon aimed at removing SPC-001's influence from history entirely. BRONZE UPPERCUT, when exposed directly to the hide and ink of CYAN ABYSS entities or to additional copies of the scroll, will absorb these objects. This causes the scroll to lengthen and generate new text. Although these new sections sometimes include elaborations or refinements of previously covered selachian pugnātorial techniques or historical events, they more frequently include new, more recent accounts of information chronicling the continued history of the civilization and advancements to the art of selachian pugilism. Former accounts of the civilization's final collapse become setbacks; new persons, events, and refinements to the pugnātorial art (including illustrations) are inserted. Centre archaeologists have discovered corresponding new artefacts and traces of the civilization in applicable locations and strata, in some cases found in dig sites that had already been thoroughly explored. Each time the civilization comes to an apparent end, nearly every member of the ruling daeva class is killed and consumed by selachian entities. In every case, up until the final collapse, surviving daeva were able to rally and restore the class to power. The ink required for enhancement can be extracted from CYAN ABYSS entities' two ink sacks, positioned directly beneath the thoracic gills, roughly where the lungs would be located in a human torso (see the Manual of Selachian Pugilism, 3:13.3 to 3:13.5). Enhancement Summary: BRONZE UPPERCUT was discovered on November 28th, 1952 in the aftermath of the raid by the UAS government on the Hades Shoal CYAN ABYSS outpost off the coast of Massachusetts. The document was fully translated by March of 1954 and techniques derived from it were included in the 6th Edition of the Manual of Selachian Pugilism in 1956. On December 2, 1963 contact was made via a Centre dead drop by an unknown person or persons (GREY WANDERER). The encoded note, written in the proto-Uralic language of BRONZE UPPERCUT, congratulated the Centre on finding the scroll and suggested that the Centre expose it to CYAN ABYSS hides and ink. On February 13th, 1964, CICAPOCO authorized the test, and the method of enhancement by exposure to the CYAN ABYSS products was discovered. On January 30th, 1975, the Centre located a second copy of BRONZE UPPERCUT in ruins near Muynak, Khorezm Republican Khanate. On contact, the two documents merged, resulting in a roughly four hundred year extension to the timeline. Overall, 313.6 litres of CYAN ABYSS ink, 470.4 kg of hides and two additional BRONZE UPPERCUT instances have been used to enhance BRONZE UPPERCUT, extending the scroll by 205 metres and the timeline by approximately one thousand years. This has resulted in significant refinements to the Manual of Selachian Pugilism; 102 of the 170 advanced techniques in the 11th edition were derived directly from BRONZE UPPERCUT. On July 20th, 1984, Centre Agents tracked GREY WANDERER to a meeting with Serpent's Hand agents. The following transcript is of audio surveillance of the meeting: <Begin Log> First Unidentified Serpent's Hand Operative: I can't say I'm unimpressed with how you've played the Boxers, certainly none of your alternates ever get very far with Jailors, but I don't have the slightest idea why you think we'll help you. You aren't welcome in the Library any longer, and saying the Archivists wouldn't be happy with us if we help you is a massive understatement. GREY WANDERER: I understand, there is much bad blood between my people and the Library. However, in this case, I feel our interests do coincide. This worldline, my home, is a dangerous aberration that threatens all possible Earths. I seek to correct this flaw in the fabric of my reality … and I can make it worth your while. First Unidentified Serpent's Hand Operative: That's a bit disingenuous, since what you are asking us for won't just get rid of your shark problem, it would solve your whole nonexistence problem entirely. Which is unacceptable to the Library, it wants the daeva to stay extinct. Second Unidentified Serpent's Hand Operative: [Laughs] Eaten by sharks is good. First Unidentified Serpent's Hand Operative: Yeah, well, you must think you've something pretty valuable. What, exactly, are you selling? GREY WANDERER: Quid pro quo. If you bend the rules for me, I'll bend for you. There are things that are unknown to your Library, but not unknown to me. First Unidentified Serpent's Hand Operative: You don't mean? GREY WANDERER: It isn't safe to even name it, but yes I do. I will teach you that forbidden lore in exchange for a copy of the Chronicle untainted by the Mistaken Beast . First Unidentified Serpent's Hand Operative: Well … well, that is something. Who knows, maybe the Library will overlook your crimes in exchange for information that it doesn't possess. That's a rare commodity. I can't make this deal without some hints about how the Library will actually react though. I'll take this back, see what kind of reception it has, and if the deal is workable, I'll get back to you. I wouldn't count on it, though. GREY WANDERER: That is acceptable, for now. Needless to say, I'd prefer if you were discrete in your inquiries, as my own counterparts will find a way to kill me if they were to learn what I am offering you. <End Log> As a result, Agents are to be alert for versions of BRONZE UPPERCUT with extra-universal origins and to make all necessary effort to secure and report them immediately, if located. If the Centre's access to VENUSBERG is restored, acquisition of alternate BRONZE UPPERCUT documents is to be considered highest priority (in this event, agents within VENUSBERG are strongly prohibited from interacting with any selachian entities; INCIDENT GOBLIN CHARIOT must not be repeated). | Mid | [
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The Upper Footage The Upper Footage (also known as Upper) is a 2013 found footage film written and directed by Justin Cole. First released on January 31, 2013 to a limited run of midnight theatrical screenings at Landmark’s Sunshine Cinema in New York City, the film centers upon the death of a teenager and attempts to cover it up. It was initially met with much controversy, as some believed that the footage depicted an actual death and cover up after the media reported on the events around the film as fact for years prior to its release. Cole later issued an email to Dread Central confirming that the entire film was fictional in nature. Synopsis The film is said to be a 90-minute edited version of 393 minutes of recovered footage documenting the death and subsequent cover-up of a young woman by a group of NYC socialites. The film is set up in a documentary format explaining all the media events around the project before and after the showcased footage. Marketing Drawing from the marketing for films such as Blair Witch Project, Cole allegedly began releasing videos on YouTube starting in 2010, all of which featured the actors with pixelated faces. The first uploaded clip was titled "NYC Socialite Overdose" followed by 2 additional clips that were eventually pulled from YouTube. He labeled the first film "Socialite Overdose" and uploaded several more clips from the movie during 2011, all of which were supposedly pulled off of YouTube. Media outlets then alleged that Quentin Tarantino had expressed an interest in picking up the footage and releasing it under the name Upper, but that he had to "kill" the film due to pressure from outside forces. A website then emerged and claimed to have the complete footage and would release it under the name of The Upper Footage. Some media outlets reported on the footage, claiming it to be true. Chelsea Kane, a Dancing With The Stars contestant at the time and Disney starlet was briefly named as one of the participants in the video, prompting her to issue a statement saying that it was not her. During this time, fliers and posters advertising the disappearance of "Jackie" were distributed in several areas. In 2013 Cole released an e-mail to Dread Central, explaining that his intentions were not "to fool people for the sake of fooling them but to give them an experience where they could leave a movie theater, discuss the film, wonder if the footage was real or not and if something like this could/does happen". He went on to say that while there was some "scandal" surrounding the film, it was not due to any death but because one of the film's actresses later objected to one of the scenes she had shot previously. Because of various issues the footage could not be re-shot and Cole agreed to leave the actress's face blurred throughout the production to preserve her anonymity. Reception Reception to the marketing was mixed and prior to Cole's e-mail to Dread Central, some skepticism was expressed over the claims made about the footage and allegations of Tarantino's involvement. A columnist for Dread Central questioned the validity of Tarantino's involvement, as they did not think that he would actually show interest in something that "would probably be next to impossible to show publicly". He also noted that other than a website called "TheDirty", no other websites had reported on the overdose, which he found unlikely considering the content in the video. Critical reception to The Upper Footage upon its release was also mixed. CultureMass called the film "One of the best of 2013" saying that "The performances here are nothing short of superb. This is quite possibly one of the best ensembles that I have seen since Jacob Aaron Estes’ Mean Creek. There isn’t one false note to be found here, which makes the experience all the more authentic and unsettling." New York City film critic Avi Offer rated the film 9.5 out of 10 on Rotten Tomatoes and “irresistibly entertaining, provocative and bold” while highlighting the film’s “statement about the corruption, selfishness and amorality of the 1% and how easily they can use their powers to control mainstream media to cover up their crimes.” Ain't It Cool News gave a mostly positive review, stating that while the marketing for the movie was interesting, "UPPER succeeds in making you feel like this footage is real because it all does seem so drawn out and, dare I say, boring" but that overall "it still is more effective as a found footage film than most." Bloody Disgusting panned the film overall, also calling it "boring" and criticizing the marketing and media as "not worth it" and that stating that they thought that the idea would have been more interesting left as "a comment on truthfulness and accountability in the media". Screen Rant stated that they found the acting to be flawed as it didn't feel "suitably convincing" enough to seem realistic, but that " there is still enough detail and earned authenticity to leave one wondering – even though we may not be seeing the actual footage of actual events – if we still might be watching the re-enactment of something very real." References External links Category:American films Category:Found footage films Category:2013 films | Mid | [
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Those two beautiful songs, “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name,” and “Arise, Shine, Thy Light is Come,” together with that comprehensive prayer, have made me feel this morning to bear testimony to the world that I know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, who came and gave his life for us. Though he gave us the plan of life and salvation, he was crucified. Through his resurrection it is possible for us to enjoy eternal life. Prophets of God have always been persecuted, and many of them killed when they taught the word of the Lord. What a serious situation to think of! Also, I wish to bear my testimony to you today that his Church, with the gospel in its fulness, has been re-established through one of his chosen prophets; that the Church of Jesus Christ is here upon the earth today; and that Jesus is directing his Church through a living prophet, Harold B. Lee. I would appeal to men everywhere to listen to the word of the Lord as given unto us by the voice of his Prophet for the salvation of all mankind. Do not ignore, ridicule, or try to destroy. Today I should like to speak about the role of womanhood in this Church, where we have such a great body of wonderful women—wives, mothers, and single women engaged in the work of the Lord and in the service of their fellow men. They are affiliated with the Relief Society, the principal women’s organization; the Primary, where our children are instructed; the Sunday School, where the gospel is taught to all members; the MIA (Mutual Improvement Association), which is the activity and social organization for youth and adults; and our women serve with dedication and skill in various other capacities. After I had discussed business matters with some men the other day, the conversation took on a more personal, informal note when one man said: “I have the most wonderful wife in the world.” Another said: “That’s what you think. I think I have the best.” A third man said: “Isn’t it a great blessing to have a wife you love, who loves you, one who is a good mother and homemaker, with high ideals, who believes in God and wants to help her family accept and live the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ?” What woman could want any greater glory or tribute than that which comes from an appreciative and loving husband? The applause and homage of the world fades into insignificance when compared with the approbation of God and expressions of love and appreciation which come from the hearts and lips of those who are nearest and dearest to her. From the beginning God has made it clear that woman is very special, and he has also very clearly defined her position, her duties, and her destiny in the divine plan. Paul said that man is the image and glory of God, and that woman is the glory of the man; also that the man is not without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord. (See 1 Cor. 11:7, 11.) You will note that significantly God is mentioned in connection with this great partnership, and we must never forget that one of woman’s greatest privileges, blessings, and opportunities is to be a co-partner with God in bringing his spirit children into the world. It is of great concern to all who understand this glorious concept that Satan and his cohorts are using scientific arguments and nefarious propaganda to lure women away from their primary responsibilities as wives, mothers, and homemakers. We hear so much about emancipation, independence, sexual liberation, birth control, abortion, and other insidious propaganda belittling the role of motherhood, all of which is Satan’s way of destroying woman, the home, and the family—the basic unit of society. Some effective tools include the use of radio, television, and magazines where pornography abounds and where women are being debased and disgracefully used as sex symbols—sex-ploited, some call it. Immodest dress, drugs, and alcohol daily take a tremendous toll through the destruction of virtue and chastity and even lives. With modern electronic devices of communication and speedy transportation, much more is being heard throughout the world by many more people than would be possible otherwise, and it is having its degrading influence and effect. Yes, pornography, drugs, and alcohol are available to young and old in alarming quantity, and are destroying the moral values, and further deteriorating the minds and thought processes of those who succumb to these devilish wiles. President Dallin Oaks recently said to the student body at Brigham Young University: “We are surrounded by the promotional literature of illicit sexual relations on the printed page and on the screen. For your own good, avoid it. Pornographic or erotic stories and pictures are worse than filthy or polluted food. The body has defenses to rid itself of unwholesome food, but the brain won’t vomit back filth. Once recorded it will always remain subject to recall, flashing its perverted images across your mind, and drawing you away from the wholesome things in life.” It is so important that our young girls keep themselves from this kind of pollution. The girls of today will be the women of tomorrow, and it is necessary that they prepare for that role. Can you imagine the kind of world we will have in the future if the girls of today are weakened morally to the extent that virtue will not be taught in their homes, and if their children, if any, are not nurtured within the walls of homes sanctified by the holy laws of matrimony? Marriage is ordained of God, and we must do everything we can to strengthen the ties that bind, to strengthen our homes, and to prepare ourselves by exemplary living to teach our children the ways of God, which is the only way for them to find happiness here and eternal life hereafter. As we enumerate the many important responsibilities a woman has in connection with her duties as a wife, a mother, a homemaker, a sister, a sweetheart, or a good neighbor, it should be evident that these challenging responsibilities can satisfy her need to express her talents, her interests, her creativity, dedication, energy, and skill which so many seek to satisfy outside the home. It is impossible to estimate the lasting influence for good a woman can have in any of these roles. Let me remind us all of her primary responsibilities. First of all, as I mentioned before, she is a co-partner with God in bringing his spirit children into the world. What a glorious concept! No greater honor could be given. With this honor comes the tremendous responsibility of loving and caring for those children so they might learn their duty as citizens and what they must do to return to their Heavenly Father. They must be taught to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and to accept and live his teachings. As they understand the purpose of life, why they are here and where they are going, they will have a reason for choosing the right and avoiding the temptations and buffetings of Satan, who is so very real and determined to destroy them. A mother has far greater influence on her children than anyone else, and she must realize that every word she speaks, every act, every response, her attitude, even her appearance and manner of dress affect the lives of her children and the whole family. It is while the child is in the home that he gains from his mother the attitudes, hopes, and beliefs that will determine the kind of life he will live, and the contribution he will make to society. President Brigham Young expressed the thought that mothers are the moving instruments in the hands of Providence and are the machinery that give zest to the whole man, and guide the destinies and lives of men and nations upon the earth. He further said, “Let mothers of any nation teach their children not to make war, and the children would not grow up and enter into it.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 199.) When the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet …”, he meant just that, and so presented Eve to Adam. (Gen. 2:18.) We are taught that a man should leave his father and mother, and cleave unto his wife, and that they should be one flesh, and thus is described the relationship that should exist between husband and wife. (Gen. 2:24.) It is said that behind every good man there is a good woman, and it is my experience and observation that this is generally true. It is interesting to note that when executives of companies look for new employees, or are planning promotions for their experienced ones, they always want to know what kind of wife a man has. This seems to be very important. In the Church when men are being considered for new priesthood offices, the question is always raised about the worthiness of the wife and whether or not she can give him full support. Women, you are of great strength and support to the men in your lives, and they sometimes need your help most when they are least deserving. A man can have no greater incentive, no greater hope, no greater strength than to know his mother, his sweetheart, or his wife has confidence in him and loves him. And men should strive every day to live worthy of that love and confidence. President Hugh B. Brown once said at a Relief Society conference: “There are people fond of saying that women are the weaker instruments, but I don’t believe it. Physically they may be, but spiritually, morally, religiously, and in faith, what man can match a woman who is really converted to the gospel! Women are more willing to make sacrifices than are men, more patient in suffering, more earnest in prayer. They are the peers and often superior to men in resilience, in goodness, in morality, and in faith.” (Relief Society Conference, Sept. 29, 1965.) And girls, don’t underestimate your influence on your brothers and your sweethearts. As you live worthy of their love and respect you can help greatly to determine that they will be clean and virtuous, successful and happy. Always remember that you can go much further on respect than on popularity. I was reading the other day of a report of a conversation between two young prisoners of war in Vietnam. One said: “I am sick of war, bombers, destruction, prison camps, and everything and everybody.” “I feel much like that myself,” said the other. “But there is a girl back home who is praying that I will come back. She cares, and it really helps me endure all these atrocities.” To mothers, daughters, and women everywhere, let me stress the fact that because of your great potential and influence for good in the lives of all of us, Satan is determined to destroy you. You cannot compromise with him. You must have the courage, the strength, the desire, and the determination to live as the Lord would have you live—good clean lives. Girls, keep yourselves virtuous and worthy of a fine young man who has likewise kept himself clean, so that together you can go to the House of the Lord to be sealed in the holy bonds of matrimony for time and all eternity, and prepare a home where God will be pleased to send his spirit children. Then you will be able to face your children secure in the knowledge that your own example is the way to happiness and eternal progression. They are entitled to this heritage. I humbly pray that you will so live as to give it to them. The whole purpose of the creation of the earth was to provide a dwelling place where the spirit children of God might come and be clothed in mortal bodies and, by keeping their second estate, prepare themselves for salvation and exaltation. The whole purpose of the mission of Jesus Christ was to make possible the immortality and eternal life of man. The whole purpose of mothers and fathers should be to live worthy of this blessing and to assist God the Father and his son Jesus Christ in their work. No greater honor could be given to woman than to assist in this divine plan, and I wish to say without equivocation that a woman will find greater satisfaction and joy and make a greater contribution to mankind by being a wise and worthy mother raising good children than she could make in any other vocation. The Lord has promised us great blessings if we will do our part in this divine plan. President Herbert Hoover gave this incentive: “If we could have but one generation of properly born, trained, educated and healthy children, a thousand other problems of government would vanish. We would assure ourselves of healthier minds, more vigorous bodies, to direct the energies of our nation to greater heights of achievement.” (Quoted by President David O. McKay, Conference Report, April 1931, pp. 79–80.) How fortunate we are to have the Church of Jesus Christ established in these latter days, with a prophet of God upon the earth to receive divine revelation and direction for the children of men! We are blessed to know the personality of God, his attributes, and his characteristics. We have been given the plan of life and salvation. We are continually directed as to how we should live so we may have happiness here and eternal life hereafter. We have organizations set up to instruct and educate us in all matters pertaining to our temporal and spiritual welfare. One of the finest programs the Church has instituted is what we call Family Home Evening, where all members of the family are called together once a week. It is quite thrilling to me when I contemplate that each Monday evening all over the Church throughout the world our families are gathered together in their homes, and the father, where possible, as head of the house, is directing his family in a discussion of all problems pertaining to their spiritual and temporal welfare, using a manual which has been carefully prepared and distributed to each family in the Church. Where these gatherings are held regularly and properly, they are of inestimable value to the family unit, as is evidenced by the many testimonies we receive. I wish to urge every family to follow this program, and I can promise you that as you do so you will be greatly blessed in unity, love, and devotion, and will be delighted with the outcome. Of course, family prayer should be a significant part of this evening, as well as regular family and individual prayer every day. I can think of nothing sweeter than a home where a man is living his religion, magnifying his priesthood, with his wife supporting him in every way, where love and harmony exists, and where together they are trying to raise a family of righteous sons and daughters whom they can take back into the presence of their Heavenly Father. This may sound like an impossible dream, but I can assure you that there are thousands of such families within the Church, and it is something that can be a reality for every one of us as we accept and live the teachings of Jesus Christ. How fortunate a child is to live in such a home, and how great will be the joy of the parents in their posterity! I repeat: Satan is trying to keep us from the full enjoyment which comes from keeping the commandments of God. We must never forget, and we must teach our children to know, that Satan is real and determined to destroy us. He knows the importance and significance of the family unit. He knows that entire civilizations have survived or disappeared depending on whether the family life was strong or weak. We can keep him out of our homes by living and teaching our children to live the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, thereby resisting temptation when it comes, as it surely will. Girls, prepare yourselves to assume the roles of mothers by gaining knowledge and wisdom through a good education. We teach that the glory of God is intelligence, and so we must all be aware of what is going on around us and be prepared to thwart Satan in his attempts to divert us from our divine destiny. With knowledge, wisdom, determination, and the Spirit of the Lord to help us we can succeed. We also believe that women should involve themselves in community affairs and in the auxiliary organizations of the Church, but always remember that home and children come first and must not be neglected. Children must be made to feel that mother loves them and is keenly interested in their welfare and everything they do. This cannot be turned over to someone else. Many experiments have been made and studies carried out which prove beyond doubt that a child who enjoys mother’s love and care progresses in every way much more rapidly than one who is left in institutions or with others where mother’s love is not available or expressed. Fathers, too, must assume their proper role and responsibility. Children need both parents. While they are at home fathers should assume with mothers the duties attendant upon the young children, the discipline and training of the older ones, and be a listening ear for those who need to discuss their problems or want guidance and counseling. Through love establish a good relationship and line of communication with your children. I would urge all husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers to show our great respect and love and try to be worthy of the women who are our wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, and sweethearts. There is no surer way for a man to show his lack of character, of good breeding, and of quality than for him to show lack of respect for woman or to do anything that would discredit or degrade her. It is unchristianlike, unfair, and displeasing to God for any husband or father to assume the role of dictatorship and adopt the attitude that he is superior in any way to his wife. At the Area Conference in Munich, Germany, President Lee said: “If you husbands remember that the most important of the Lord’s work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own home, you can maintain close family ties. … If you will strengthen your family ties and be mindful of your children, be sure that home is made a strong place in which children can come for the anchor they need in this day of trouble and turmoil, then love will abound and your joy will be increased.” As women realize the importance of the home and family, and with their husbands keep the commandments of God to multiply and replenish the earth, to love the Lord and their neighbors as themselves, to teach their children to pray and to walk uprightly before him, then will their joy be increased and their blessings multiplied to the extent that they will hardly be able to contain them. These blessings will be joy and rejoicing in our posterity of healthy, happy children, which blessings those who reject this way of life will never know. There will be peace and satisfaction in the accomplishments of children who succeed, and in turn make their own contribution to making this a better world for generations yet unborn. What a joyous privilege and blessing it will be for those families who, through obedience and love, have prepared themselves to go back into the presence of our Heavenly Father and have it said of each of them: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant … enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matt. 25:21.) May this be our privilege and blessing I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. | Mid | [
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Anti bacterial resistant superbugs essay Who fact sheet on antimicrobial resistance (amr) or drug resistance, which is resistance of a microorganism to an antimicrobial medicine to which it was previously sensitive microorganisms that develop antimicrobial resistance are sometimes referred to as “superbugs” as a result, the medicines. Anti-bacterial resistant superbugs essay - it is undeniable that the recent discovery of antibiotics and disinfectants in the past century is leading to the creation of increasingly dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria super bugs like methicillin-resistant staphylococcus have begun breaking out in hospital areas, killing more. Dr john rex discusses the growing concerns around antibacterial resistance and why so many companies have stopped trying to create new drugs by paul heads of state will gather this week to address perhaps the biggest health threat the world faces: the growing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics and superbugs. Anti bacterial resistant superbugs essay 1251 words - 5 pages it is undeniable that the recent discovery of antibiotics and disinfectants in the past century is leading to the creation of increasingly dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria super bugs like methicillin-resistant staphylococcus have begun breaking out in. Antimicrobial drug resistance - introduction antimicrobial drug resistance ( amdr) is a clinical phenomena, it means that the ability of specific microorganism to acquire resistance property against certain antibiotic which it was susceptible before (meyers, 1987 russell, 1997) amdr process is the natural consequence of. In another paper in the same issue of essays in biochemistry, dr mark blaskovich , program coordinator, community for open antimicrobial drug discovery and colleagues from the university of queensland, brisbane, australia, describe the key ways they believe antimicrobial resistance can be targeted. Antimicrobial resistance is one of our most serious health threats infections from resistant bacteria are now too common, and some pathogens have even become resistant to multiple types or classes of antibiotics (antimicrobials used to treat bacterial infections) the loss of effective antibiotics will undermine our ability to. Dear colleagues the rise of bacterial resistance to antibiotics is well documented both in the scientific literature and in the popular press the world health organisation recently described antimicrobial resistance as “a problem so serious that it threatens the achievements of modern medicine” [1] writing in nature. In the following extract from the book, mallet describes the ganga as a “superbug river”—host to bacterial genes that expose the water's users to infectious diseases that are resistant to modern antibiotics the journalist discusses the role the ganga and its tributary yamuna play in the spread of. Anti-bacterial resistant superbugs essay 1191 words | 5 pages can kill 999% of bacteria on a given surface the 01% that is left remaining is the mutated antibiotic-resistant super bug which the disinfectant is unable to kill due to its mutated nature and being the only type left, it has no competitors remaining for. What can be done about the rising risk of antibiotic resistance the spread of superbugs what can many antibiotics are bought over the counter, with neither diagnosis nor proper recommendations for use, multiplying still further the number of human reaction vessels from which resistance can emerge. But there's a larger problem—the problem of resistance is also due to an abuse of antibiotics many people will go to a doctor and demand an antibiotic when they have a cold or a flu, for which these antibacterial compounds are useless in many countries it is possible to buy antibiotics over the counter. Antibacterial-resistant strains and species, sometimes referred to as superbugs, now contribute to the emergence of diseases that were for a while well controlled for example, emergent bacterial strains causing tuberculosis that are resistant to previously effective antibacterial treatments pose many therapeutic challenges. Antimicrobial resistance—or the rise of “superbugs,” as the tabloids call it—is “ one of the most serious threats to global health and security,” the world health organization warns and make no mistake: the threat is also, largely, human- made before i get to our culpability on this front, let's start with nature's. This enquiry has been an alarming experience, which leaves us convinced that resistance to antibiotics and other anti-infective agents constitutes a major threat to public health and ought to be recognised as such more widely than it is at present resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents report of house of. However, antimicrobial agents have now been used so widely that some of the microbes targeted by the drugs have adapted and become resistant to these drugs1,2 according to the centers for disease control and prevention (cdc), at least 2 million people become infected with antimicrobial-resistant. Antibiotics can destroy many types of bacteria that can make us sick sadly, our overuse of antibiotics is helping to create new drug-resistant “superbugs” that are difficult to defeat. Virulent drug-resistant superbugs are back in the news we have a multiple antibiotic resistance clearly represented genome change and evolution of a type unimagined in the pre-dna period “protein secretion systems in pseudomonas aeruginosa: an essay on diversity, evolution, and function. Era of medicine at risk now, we find ourselves in a race to prevent bacterial infections from once again becoming one of humanity's major killers rise of the superbugs activity at a glance purpose: to show how populations of bacteria become resistant to antibiotics via the process of natural selection and human. The implications of antibiotic-resistant bacteria include so-called superbugs, or bacteria harmful to humans that do not respond to any known medicines the world health organization has already warned antimicrobial resistance could lead to “a return to the pre-antibiotic era,” where once curable. | High | [
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Month: July 2016 This week in our blog, we offer a snapshot of cybersecurity, privacy and data security news of interest to the executive suite. Periodically, we’ll recap insights from the growing cadre of voices in this space as well as lend our own views on the issues that impact executive governance of cyber risk and response. As[…] British Emporium Consultancy? Nope. Business Enterprise Controls? Closer, but no. BEC is the acronym for business email compromise. One of the contributions the era of cyber theft is making is the enrichment of the language. Phishing begot whaling, and on it goes. A week ago my daughter casually mentioned that her boyfriend, who works as an independent[…] Some stories are hard to swallow. Take for instance, fast food restaurant chain Wendy’s, which announced in January of this year that it had suffered a breach of unknown magnitude. Wendy’s hired an investigative firm, and in May indicated that about 300 of its 5,800 locations had been affected. Two months later, it appears that[…] Nearly 500 years ago Nicolaus Copernicus published a theory that turned the world on its head. He proposed that the sun was as the center of the universe, and that the earth was a planet revolving around the sun. His heliocentric theory met with abundant skepticism, for it flew in the face of accepted scientific[…] | Mid | [
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TODAY more than 50 patient advocates from the Alliance for Lupus Research and Lupus Research Institute are meeting with members of Congress to educate U.S. legislators about lupus. You can help make them listen to the needs of lupus patients without ever leaving home. | High | [
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All relevant data are within the paper. Introduction {#sec001} ============ Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are ecological pioneers and play very important ecological functions in the desert ecosystem. Because of their drought and cold resistance, they are widely distributed in arid and semi-arid regions. They can fix sands by aggregating surface soil \[[@pone.0134447.ref001],[@pone.0134447.ref002]\], change soil nutrient cycling \[[@pone.0134447.ref003]\], accumulate soil nutrients \[[@pone.0134447.ref004],[@pone.0134447.ref005]\], improve the soil micro-structure \[[@pone.0134447.ref006]\], and lay the foundation for ecosystem development \[[@pone.0134447.ref007],[@pone.0134447.ref008]\]. BSCs can be divided into cyanobacteria crusts, lichen crusts, and moss crusts according to the dominating species \[[@pone.0134447.ref009]\], and the successional order is cyanobacteria crusts, followed by lichen crusts and moss crusts \[[@pone.0134447.ref010]\], with moss crusts being the advanced stage under favorable site conditions \[[@pone.0134447.ref011],[@pone.0134447.ref012]\]. Mosses are poikilohydric plants that are physiologically drought tolerant. During drought, mosses lose water and become dry, and when the soil water and air humidity increases, they rapidly absorb moisture to restore normal physiological metabolic activities. Moss crusts facilitate the colonization and growth of vascular plants in some arid ecosystems due to their soil stabilization and fertility effects \[[@pone.0134447.ref012]\]. Moss crusts can fix carbon (C) through photosynthesis \[[@pone.0134447.ref013]\], increase the organic matter content in soils \[[@pone.0134447.ref014]\], fix sands \[[@pone.0134447.ref015]\], provide better fertility for the subsequent germination of vascular plant seeds, and engineer a solid foundation for the establishment of vascular plants \[[@pone.0134447.ref003],[@pone.0134447.ref016]\]. Although moss crusts have a significant positive impact on the ecosystems in arid areas, their growth can take several years or even decades under natural conditions \[[@pone.0134447.ref017]\]. Meanwhile, mosses are very sensitive to disturbance \[[@pone.0134447.ref018]\], and thus, damage to stable developed mosses can easily result in changes in their coverage, composition, and functions, leading to severe soil erosion. In addition, mosses take a long time to fully recover after disturbance \[[@pone.0134447.ref019], [@pone.0134447.ref020]\], so it would be both effective and practical to cultivate artificially moss crusts for use in ecological restoration. Compared with vascular plant restoration materials, moss crusts are better adapted to environments with drought or poor soils, especially in some of the ecosystems most vulnerable to degradation. Artificial moss crusts could immediately play a role in preventing erosion of damaged surfaces in urgent need of restoration. Technology development to accomplish fast cultivation is the first step toward this goal. Therefore, the identification of key factors that affect the rapid development of moss crusts and aid in the achievement of rapid recovery is of great practical significance for exploiting their positive ecological functions. A previous report \[[@pone.0134447.ref021]\] suggested that the recovery of the mosses on scalped surfaces was relatively fast even under the extreme arid conditions of the Negev Desert (with long-term annual precipitation \<100 mm), however, there are few studies on the artificial cultivation of moss crusts in arid areas and their applications for ecological restoration \[[@pone.0134447.ref022],[@pone.0134447.ref023]\], and most studies on mosses have concentrated on cultivating their tissues, primarily for applications in medicine \[[@pone.0134447.ref024], [@pone.0134447.ref025]\]. The feasibility of artificially establishing moss-dominated crusts needs to be examined to narrow the information gap between research and practical applications. Typical dune-stabilizing moss crusts in the Mu Us Sandy land were collected for the present experiment, and a moss crust cultivation experiment was performed using incubators that allowed for the careful control of moisture, illumination, nutrients, and other environmental factors. The key factors that affect the rapid development of moss crusts were investigated by measuring and analyzing various indicators, including plant height, plant density, and chlorophyll *a* and exopolysaccharide contents, to determine the optimal environment for the rapid development of moss crusts under constant light intensity and constant temperature and, thus, provide baseline references for engineering applications. Materials and Methods {#sec002} ===================== Sample collection and experimental design {#sec003} ----------------------------------------- Under natural conditions, asexual reproduction through fragments of stems and leaves is the primary means of moss propagation and development of moss crusts \[[@pone.0134447.ref024],[@pone.0134447.ref025]\]. Based on this, typical dune-stabilizing moss-dominated (*Bryum argenteum* was the dominant species) crust samples were collected from the southeast edge of the Mu Us Sandland (Gechougou of Shenmu County, Shaanxi, 38° 53\'57\"N, 109° 52\'44\"E) administered by Northwest A&F University. Samples were brought indoors, soaked in water, and seived to remove most impurities including soil and litter. The leaf and stem fragments of moss with some cyanobacteria were ground using plant grinder after the samples were dried at 35°C. A plate-like container (diameter: 18 cm, height: 2 cm) was used as the cultivation vessel. The underlying sands at the sampling sites were placed in each container as the substrate (1.5 cm thick) (soil nutrient contents are shown in [Table 1](#pone.0134447.t001){ref-type="table"}). Substrate sands and crusts layer were watered to a gravimetric water content of 13.9%, which not only completely hydrated the crusts but avoided water ponding (as determined in preliminary testing). Then 2.48 g of moss fragments were evenly sowed to achieve the ideal coverage and homogeneity (after attempting various methods, we found that manual sowing achieved the best uniformity) and cultivated in an incubator for 40 days. In general, 5--25°C is the adaptive range for most moss growth \[[@pone.0134447.ref022]\]. Our previous study showed that moss crusts (*Bryum argenteum* dominated) developed best in terms of plant density and height at 15°C, compared to 25°C or 35°C \[[@pone.0134447.ref026]\]. Similar studies demonstrated that when the temperature is higher than 17°C, moss crusts (*Barbula vinealis* dominated) coverage and moss plant growth are inhibited \[[@pone.0134447.ref024]\]. Accordingly, the cultivation temperature of the experiment was set to 15°C. The experimental factors and their levels were as follows: light intensity: 2,000 lx, 6,000 lx, or 12,000 lx \[[@pone.0134447.ref022],[@pone.0134447.ref025]\]; watering frequency \[[@pone.0134447.ref027]\]: once every 2 days or once every 6 days. All treatments underwent a natural evaporative process in the growth chamber with the relative air humidity of 80%, and were supplemented every 2 days or 6 days with just enough water to bring the soil water content back to 13.9% (determined by weighing); Knop nutrient solution \[[@pone.0134447.ref022]\]: solution was applied by spraying once every 2 days \[[@pone.0134447.ref028]\] and 38 ml per container was applied each time, and the control is the same 38 ml/container of water without nutrients. There were a total of 12 treatments (shown in [Table 2](#pone.0134447.t002){ref-type="table"}) and 3 replicates per treatment, for a total of 36 experimental units. This study was approved by the Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University. 10.1371/journal.pone.0134447.t001 ###### Soil nutrient content. {#pone.0134447.t001g} Organic N(g/kg) Total N(g/kg) Ammonium N (mg/kg) Nitrate N (mg/kg) Total P(g/kg) Available P(mg/kg) Total K(g/kg) Available K(mg/kg) pH value ----------------- --------------- -------------------- ------------------- --------------- -------------------- --------------- -------------------- ----------- 6.49±0.02 0.16±0.01 4.02±0.06 3.33±0.02 0.35±0.02 4.04±0.04 25.24±0.36 109.02±0.52 8.04±0.04 10.1371/journal.pone.0134447.t002 ###### The design scheme for each treatment. {#pone.0134447.t002g} Treatments Light intensity Watering frequency Culture medium ------------ ----------------- --------------------- ---------------- 1 2,000 lx 1 watering / 2 days -Knop 2 2,000 lx 1 watering / 2 days +Knop 3 2,000 lx 1 watering / 6 days -Knop 4 2,000 lx 1 watering / 6 days +Knop 5 6,000 lx 1 watering / 2 days -Knop 6 6,000 lx 1 watering / 2 days +Knop 7 6,000 lx 1 watering / 6 days -Knop 8 6,000 lx 1 watering / 6 days +Knop 9 12,000 lx 1 watering / 2 days -Knop 10 12,000 lx 1 watering / 2 days +Knop 11 12,000 lx 1 watering / 6 days -Knop 12 12,000 lx 1 watering / 6 days +Knop Measured indicators and measuring methods {#sec004} ----------------------------------------- For plant density determination, 5 sampling points for each replicate plate were measured every 10 days and the values (total 3 plates) averaged. At the end of experiment (40 days duration), 4 points per plate were sampled and pooled to determine Chlorophyll *a* and exopolysaccharide contents for each replicate plate. The sampler was a cylindrical hollow tube with an inner diameter of 1.86 cm with an area of 2.72 cm^2^ (equivalent to 12.8% of the total surface area of one plate). The sample thickness was 3mm. Chlorophyll *a* and exopolysaccharide were used as indicators of the photoautotrophic activity of the biocrust organisms (moss or cyanobacteria) \[[@pone.0134447.ref029]\] and conditions for moss-dominated crusts development \[[@pone.0134447.ref030]\]. Chlorophyll *a* was extracted with acetone \[[@pone.0134447.ref031]\]. The specific steps for chlorophyll *a* extraction were as follows: 5 ml of 80% acetone was added to the moss samples, the samples were ground, and then placed into test tubes and left in the dark for 18 h. The sample volume was adjusted to 25 ml using 80% acetone, and then the absorbance at 645 nm (A645) and 663 nm (A663) was measured separately. The equation, chlorophyll a = 12.72 (A663)- 2.59 (A645), was used to calculate the chlorophyll *a* contents. Exopolysaccharides, the primary components of extracellular polymers that cement soil particles and increase the erosion resistance of soils, can adhere to clay minerals by forming hydrogen bonds. The anthrone method was used to determine the exopolysaccharide content \[[@pone.0134447.ref031]\]: moss-dominated crusts sample collected was put into the test tube, 5 ml dilute sulphuric acid was added and then shocked for 1 h and filtered to obtain extracted sample. 1 ml extracted sample was placed in a test tube, and 5 ml water was added; the extraction took 30 min in an 80°C water bath. 0.5 ml of anthrone reagent and 5 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid were added, and the sample was kept in the 80°C water bath for another 10 min. After cooling, the absorbance was measured at 630 nm. The standard curve was plotted using a sucrose solution. Data analysis {#sec005} ------------- The response data collected were organized and calculated using Excel 2007. One-way ANOVA and three-factor ANOVA were performed using SPSS 13.0 to examine moss density, chlorophyll *a* or exopolysaccharides responses to light intensity, watering frequency, and nutrient solution. The Duncan\'s multiple range test using DPS 7.05 was used for post hoc comparison of the means. Results {#sec006} ======= Effects of three factors on moss growth {#sec007} --------------------------------------- [Fig 1](#pone.0134447.g001){ref-type="fig"} shows the growth status of mosses that received 6,000 lx illumination+1 watering/2 days-Knop at 0 days (A), 20 days (B) and 40 days (C). There were significant changes in the growth of the bryophytes. At the end of experiment the associated cyanobacteria could be seen. The growth rate of moss plant densities ([Fig 2A, 2B and 2C](#pone.0134447.g002){ref-type="fig"}) demonstrated a consistent trend under various treatments: initially fast and subsequently slow. The same trend was also observed for plant height, and the average plant height of all treatments reached 0.49±0.06 mm after 40 days. The order of the plant height under the 3 light intensities was 6,000 lx \> 12,000 lx \> 2,000 lx, the average plant height was 0.52±0.06 mm, 0.48±0.08 mm and 0.47±0.02 mm, respectively. Differences between them were non-significant (p\>0.05). {#pone.0134447.g001} {#pone.0134447.g002} Three-factor ANOVA (Table A in [S1 File](#pone.0134447.s001){ref-type="supplementary-material"}) showed that both illumination and watering frequency had significant effects on the moss plant density (P\<0.05). The nutrient solution and the interaction between the 3 factors showed no significant effect on the moss plant density (P\>0.05). [Fig 3](#pone.0134447.g003){ref-type="fig"} shows the dynamic characteristics of moss plant densities under the 3 different light intensities. Under low light conditions (2,000 lx, [Fig 3A](#pone.0134447.g003){ref-type="fig"}), the mosses that were watered every 2 days had higher plant densities than those that were watered every 6 days. Using the same watering frequency, mosses treated with extra water had higher plant densities than those treated with the nutrient solution, indicating that applying the nutrient solution did not promote the growth of bryophytes. Under moderate light intensity (6,000 lx, [Fig 3B](#pone.0134447.g003){ref-type="fig"}), the watering frequency had similar effects on moss plant densities as were observed under 2,000 lx. Nevertheless, there was only a small difference between the two watering frequencies at day 40. Under high light intensity (12,000 lx, [Fig 3C](#pone.0134447.g003){ref-type="fig"}), the effects of the watering frequency were similar to those observed under 2,000 lx and 6,000 lx. However, the plant density differences among the various treatments were the largest at day 40. {#pone.0134447.g003} Overall, the order of plant density under different watering treatments, from high to low, was the same regardless of light intensity: 1 watering/2 days-Knop \> 1 watering/2 days+Knop \> 1 watering/6 days-Knop \> 1 watering/6 days+Knop. The order of plant density for the same watering treatment but different light intensities was, from high to low, 6,000 lx \> 12,000 lx \> 2,000 lx. For the optimal moss plant density, the best combination of factors was 6,000 lx illumination+1 watering/2 days-Knop. Effects of three factors on the chlorophyll *a* of moss-dominated crusts {#sec008} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Under low light intensity (2,000 lx), the amount of moss was small, and there was not enough biomass to determine the chlorophyll *a* and exopolysaccharide contents. Therefore, only changes in the chlorophyll *a* of the mosses that were grown under 6,000 lx and 12,000 lx were analyzed. Three-factor ANOVA (Table B in [S1 File](#pone.0134447.s001){ref-type="supplementary-material"}) demonstrated that illumination, watering frequency, watering frequency × nutrient solution and illumination × watering frequency × nutrient solution all had highly significant effects on the chlorophyll *a* contents of moss-dominated crusts (P\<0.01). Illumination × nutrient solution had a significant effect (P\<0.05), the effect of the nutrient solution and illumination × watering frequency was not significant (P\>0.05). [Fig 4](#pone.0134447.g004){ref-type="fig"} shows the effect of illumination on chlorophyll *a* contents, and the comparison of the means using Duncan's test. The chlorophyll *a* contents of moss-dominated crusts under varying watering treatments and 12,000 lx illumination were greater than those under 6,000 lx illumination though with lower moss plant density (except for the treatment of 12,000 lx illumination+1 watering/6 days+Knop). The chlorophyll *a* contents were higher in moss-dominated crusts that were watered once every 2 days than those that were watered once every 6 days. Under 6,000 lx illumination, there were no significant differences in chlorophyll *a* contents between moss-dominated crusts treated with water and nutrient solution, regardless of watering frequency. However, a significant effect was observed for watering frequency, with greater chlorophyll *a* levels in moss-dominated crusts under the low watering frequency. In particular, chlorophyll *a* of moss-dominated crusts under the treatment 12,000 lx+1 watering/2 days+Knop was significantly larger than those of moss-dominated crusts under various treatments receiving 6,000 lx illumination, as well as those of moss-dominated crusts receiving other treatments under 12,000 lx illumination. One-way ANOVA revealed that the watering frequency significantly affected the chlorophyll *a* contents of moss-dominated crusts under 12,000 lx illumination (F = 9.883, P = 0.010), while the nutrient solution did not show a significant effect (F = 1.057, P = 0.328). Under 6,000 lx illumination, the chlorophyll *a* contents of moss-dominated crusts that were watered once every 2 days was significantly higher than those that were watered once every 6 days (F = 50.93, P = 0.000). At the high watering frequency, the chlorophyll *a* contents were greater in moss-dominated crusts treated with the nutrient solution than in those treated with extra water; and at the low watering frequency, the results were the opposite; however, these differences were not significant (F = 0.022, P = 0.884). {#pone.0134447.g004} The order of the chlorophyll *a* content of moss-dominated crusts under different treatments was shown in [Fig 4](#pone.0134447.g004){ref-type="fig"}. The chlorophyll *a* contents were significantly higher in moss-dominated crusts under the 12,000 lx+1 watering/2 days+Knop treatment than in those under any other treatment. In summary, the best environmental combinations for the best development of moss-dominated crusts crust were 12,000 lx illumination+1 watering/2 days+Knop and 12,000 lx illumination+1 watering/2 days-Knop. Effects of three factors on the exopolysaccharide of moss-dominated crusts {#sec009} -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three-factor ANOVA (Table C in [S1 File](#pone.0134447.s001){ref-type="supplementary-material"}) showed, except for illumination × nutrient solution, that all of the other individual factors and their interactions significantly affected the exopolysaccharide contents of mosses (P\<0.05). Similar to the changes observed in the chlorophyll *a*, the effect of illumination on the exopolysaccharide contents was highly significant. [Fig 4](#pone.0134447.g004){ref-type="fig"} shows that the exopolysaccharide contents of moss-dominated crusts under various treatments at 12,000 lx illumination were greater than those under 6,000 lx illumination (except for the 12,000 lx illumination+1 watering/6 days+Knop treatment), that the exopolysaccharide contents were significantly greater in moss-dominated crusts watered once every 2 days than in those watered once every 6 days, and that the exopolysaccharide contents were significantly greater in those treated with water than in those treated with nutrient solution. One-way ANOVA showed that the watering frequency significantly affected the exopolysaccharide contents of moss-dominated crusts (F = 40.343, P = 0.000), whereas the effect of the nutrient solution on their exopolysaccharide contents was not significant (F = 2.223, P = 0.167). Under 6,000 lx illumination, the exopolysaccharide content was higher for moss-dominated crusts receiving the 1 watering/2 days treatment than for those receiving the 1 watering/6 days treatment; the exopolysaccharide contents were significantly lower for moss-dominated crusts treated with the nutrient solution treatment than for those treated with water. The frequency of watering had a highly significant impact on the exopolysaccharide contents of moss-dominated crusts (F = 10.617, P = 0.009). Knop solution had a significant negative effect on the exopolysaccharide contents of moss-dominated crusts (F = 6.843, P = 0.026). The order of exopolysaccharide contents in moss-dominated crusts under different treatments was demonstrated in [Fig 4](#pone.0134447.g004){ref-type="fig"}. The highest exopolysaccharide content in moss-dominated crusts was under 12,000 lx illumination+1 watering/2 days-Knop treatment. In terms of exopolysaccharide content, the best combination of factors for moss-dominated crusts crust cultivation was 12,000 lx illumination+1 watering/2 days-Knop. Discussion {#sec010} ========== Factors influencing development of moss-dominated crusts {#sec011} -------------------------------------------------------- The moss species tested, *Bryum argenteum*, has hygrophilous properties and requires a certain amount of humidity or water to perform photosynthesis, respiration, and physiological metabolism. The present study demonstrated that moss-dominated crusts receiving a high watering frequency resulted in higher moss plant densities, plant heights, chlorophyll *a* contents, and exopolysaccharide contents. Mosses watered once every 2 days grew better than those watered once every 6 days, indicating that water or moisture is a key factor for the growth of bryophytes. This result is supported by related studies. For example, Kidron et al. \[[@pone.0134447.ref032],[@pone.0134447.ref033],[@pone.0134447.ref034]\] found that wetness duration of soil surface had a high positive correlation with moss growth, rather than dust-driven nutrients, direct rain precipitation, or dew. Severe desiccation of soil surface negatively affected the shoots biomass of moss crusts in Mojave Desert \[[@pone.0134447.ref035]\]. Other reports demonstrated that relative air humidity is a major factor limiting the growth of bryophytes and high humidity is conducive to generating more protonema \[[@pone.0134447.ref024]\], the optimum moisture content for the photosynthesis of mosses was 80%- 100% \[[@pone.0134447.ref036]\]. Mosses are primarily shade plants but can also adapt to a wide range of light intensities \[[@pone.0134447.ref036]\]. Of the three light intensities tested in the present experiment, moss-dominated crusts did not grow adequately under the lowest light intensity (2,000 lx), and the chlorophyll *a* and exopolysaccharide contents were the highest under 12,000 lx illumination. The possible reasons are as follows: a light intensity of 2,000 lx is not adequate for moss growth, resulting in the slow growth of the bryophytes; illumination at 12,000 lx provided relatively sufficient light, and would obviously result in development of accompanying cyanobacteria and moss plant density. These results suggest that the light inhibition point of mosses was not reached at 12,000 lx. This result is also supported by similar studies: for moss crusts, the light saturation point is approximately 1,000 μmol m^-2^ s^-1^ (approximately 80,000 lx) \[[@pone.0134447.ref036]\]. Moss plants under low light (2,000 lx) were significantly thinner than those under other illuminations. The higher moss plant density and lower chlorophyll *a* and exopolysaccharide content under 6,000 lx than that under 12,000 lx were probably because the interaction of 6,000 lx with the temperature and soil water content resulted in higher emergence of moss. Under 12,000 lx, the photosynthesis rate and accompanying cyanobacteria is higher resulting in higher chlorophyll *a* and exopolysaccharide content. In theory, applying nutrient solution should increase the growth rate of bryophytes. However, treatment with Knop nutrient solution did not demonstrate any significant advantage and instead demonstrated disadvantages for plant density and plant height. This was the opposite of expectations and of prior work \[[@pone.0134447.ref024],[@pone.0134447.ref027]\]. The possible reasons are as follows: the moss growth had a higher demand for water than for nutrients during the early stage of the present study, but as time extended, nutrients gradually played more important role. For example, the treatment of 12,000 lx illumination+1 watering/2 days+Knop produced a higher i rate of increase in plant density ([Fig 2C](#pone.0134447.g002){ref-type="fig"}) and a larger chlorophyll *a* content ([Fig 4](#pone.0134447.g004){ref-type="fig"}) than that without Knop. This indicates that the application of the nutrient solution would be beneficial to the growth of mosses in the long run, which is consistent with the results reported by Maestre et al. \[[@pone.0134447.ref027]\]. In addition, the chlorophyll *a* results of indicated that a moderate increase in the light intensity can promote moss-dominated crusts growth and that the magnesium (Mg) and N in the Knop solution can promote the synthesis of chlorophyll *a* under the high watering frequency. The exopolysaccharide contents were significantly lower in treatments with the nutrient solution than in those treated with water alone. These results may have occurred because the metal ions contained in the Knop nutrient solution inhibited the physiological activities of mosses and accompanying cyanobacteria during the growth stage, preventing moss-dominated crusts from showing significant nutrient effects \[[@pone.0134447.ref022]\]. As a whole, Knop solution application played a lesser role in comparison to light intensity and watering frequency in this study. However this does not imply that Knop nutrient would not be important in moss-dominated cultivation. For example, Ahmed et al. \[[@pone.0134447.ref037]\], proposed that the concentration of Knop solution affects the bud induction of mosses. Modified Knop medium is able to facilitate the elongation of the protonemata of *Rhodobryum giganteum* moss and prolong their growth time \[[@pone.0134447.ref038]\], but half-strength Knop did not clearly promote the growth of moss *Brachymenium capitulation* \[[@pone.0134447.ref039]\]. In our experiment, exopolysaccharide with Knop solution under higher watering frequency are higher than that without Knop, which supported its rather complicated interactive effects in combination with other factors. Therefore, the reasons underlying the somewhat unexpected results can only be speculative. Further studies are needed to determine how and why moss-dominated crusts may, or may not, respond to nutrient amendments. Potential applications of artificial moss crusts {#sec012} ------------------------------------------------ Although bio-crusts are distributed widely in arid and semi-arid regions and have a large number of important ecological functions, their natural development or restoration after disturbance generally takes from several years to decades. Therefore, in recent years, researchers \[[@pone.0134447.ref024],[@pone.0134447.ref025],[@pone.0134447.ref026]\] have attempted to achieve fast cultivation of biocrusts to restore functions in the ecosystem. Especially, in many extreme conditions, bio-crusts can act as pioneers. For example, there are 76810 large-scale construction projects covering 552.8×10^4^ hm^2^ from 2001--2005 in China, which resulted in vast area of ecologically damaged lands in need of restoration. Compared to traditional tree and grass planting, artificial cultivated biocrusts is thought to have potential as a high- benefit and low-cost way to prevent erosion in these damaged surfaces that are in urgent need of stabilization. Our current results could provide some useful baseline information for selecting factors including light intensity, watering, and nutrients, for artificial cultivation of biocrusts in the lab. However, there are at least three further steps before practical applications occur in the field. First, more factors such as air humidity and plant growth regulators, which might influence the development of moss crusts should be investigated in further studies, to enable specifying the optimal environment for fast cultivation in the lab under controlled environmental conditions. Also, the influence of substrate conditions including soil type, soil texture, and chemical properties which may affect the growth of moss crusts should be addressed. Second, cultivation of moss-dominated crusts in large pieces \[[@pone.0134447.ref040]\] needs to be investigated. This would determine whether it is possible to transport moss crusts from laboratory to the field and whether artificially produced moss crusts could be transplanted in the field in a similar manner as laying sod. Third, the evaluation of stress resistance and appropriate management for artificially moss-dominated crusts are essential to make them better adapted under natural conditions. In this study, we used the fragments of stem and leaf as initial moss propagules. The more elaborate method (spore propagation) for in vitro cultivation of bryophytes proposed by Duckett et al. \[[@pone.0134447.ref022]\] will be attempted in future studies. Artificially-produced moss-dominated crusts are suitable for application in construction scarred sites especially those that are vulnerable to erosion. In some cases, *in situ* moss crusts cultivation, through direct spreading of moss-dominated crust samples salvaged from construction sites, will be a better choice. The cultivation and management or the protection of moss-dominated crusts under these unpredictable environments is also an important research topic for their rapid restoration. In conclusion, our current study improves the understanding of the factors influencing moss-dominated crusts development, and these results provide a basic and helpful reference for advancement from laboratory experiment to field application. Nevertheless, there is still much work to be done to narrow the information gaps and to accelerate the transition between research and practical application, for restoring and engineering moss crusts to control erosion for ecologically impaired areas in urgent need of restoration. Supporting Information {#sec013} ====================== ###### Table A: Variance analysis of different factors on moss plant density. Table B: Variance analysis of different factors on moss chlorophyll *a* content. Table C: Variance analysis of different factors on moss exopolysaccharide content. (DOCX) ###### Click here for additional data file. We deeply appreciate the kind assistance of Prof. Guoxiong Gao and Dr. Yongsheng Yang at Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources during the experimental process. We also appreciate the helpful and critical comments from six anonymous reviewers and the editors. [^1]: **Competing Interests:**The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. [^2]: Conceived and designed the experiments: CB KZ SW. Performed the experiments: KZ CZ. Analyzed the data: CB KZ. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: KZ CZ. Wrote the paper: CB KZ SW. | Mid | [
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#pragma once #include <vector> #include <thread> #include <queue> #include <mutex> #include <future> class ThreadPool { private: std::condition_variable m_cond_var; bool m_destruct_pool; std::mutex m_mutex; std::vector<std::thread> m_threads; std::queue<std::function<void()>> m_work_queue; public: ThreadPool(unsigned int initial_pool_size); ~ThreadPool(); template <typename F, typename...Args> inline auto SubmitWork(F &&f, Args&&... args) -> std::future<decltype(f(args...))> { auto func = std::bind(std::forward<F>(f), std::forward<Args>(args)...); auto task = std::make_shared<std::packaged_task<decltype(f(args...))()>>(std::forward<decltype(func)>(func)); { std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(m_mutex); // wrap packed task into a void return function type so that it can be stored in queue m_work_queue.push([task]() { (*task)(); }); } m_cond_var.notify_one(); // unblocks one of the waiting threads return task->get_future(); } }; | Mid | [
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Dr. Phillip W. Schoenberg Attending Summer Institute Focused on Reviving Philosophy as a Way of Life WNMU Assistant Professor of Philosophy and English Dr. Phillip W. Schoenberg, pictured here, is attending the National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute focused on reviving philosophy as a way of life this month. Western New Mexico University Assistant Professor of Philosophy & English Dr. Phillip W. Schoenberg was awarded a fellowship to attend National Endowment for the Humanities’ Summer Institute for College and University Faculty called Reviving Philosophy as a Way of Life this month. Hosted by Wesleyan University, the institute includes scholars from around the country who are interested in exploring proposals that philosophers and philosophic traditions have suggested for living well. About a quarter of those who applied were selected for this fellowship, and Dr. Schoenberg was chosen in part because of his role at New Mexico’s only public Applied Liberal Arts and Sciences university. He was hired at WNMU last fall in order to update the humanities curriculum and build a philosophy minor, which is important to WNMU as it builds an identity as a liberal arts institution. Dr. Shoenberg said the two-week summer institute is about teaching and sharing ideas to bring back to the classroom. Dr. Schoenberg hopes this experience will help him develop a course for the philosophy minor called philosophy as a way of life. He was also a good candidate for the fellowship because of his influence on WNMU’s unique student body. “We have are a remarkably diverse student body. The fact that we’re bringing liberal arts to a population that might never get to experience that kind of liberality — freedom — in their education is attractive to those who are serious about philosophy and teaching,” Dr. Shoenberg said. | High | [
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Corneal diameter and axial length in congenital glaucoma. The corneal diameter was recorded and the ocular axial length measured by A-scan ultrasonography in 31 eyes of 17 children (ages 0.05 to 7.0 years) who had undergone or were about to undergo surgery for primary congenital glaucoma. These measurements were also done in 60 normal eyes of 33 children (ages 0.20 to 9.6 years) undergoing nonophthalmic surgery. Both measures were usually greater than normal in the glaucomatous eyes. However, the corneal diameter was more sensitive than the axial length in identifying congenital glaucoma. The axial length measurement did not provide additional useful information for any of the eyes. We conclude that the corneal diameter is a more reliable guide than the axial length in the assessment of congenital glaucoma. A transparent plastic gauge for rapid and accurate measurement of the corneal diameter is described. | Mid | [
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Antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen among employees in the National Hospital, Oslo, Norway: a prevalence study. During the last decade, several studies of serologic markers of hepatitis B virus infections in hospital personnel have demonstrated an increased prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis B virus (anti-HB) compared with the general population. Norway has a very low incidence rate of hepatitis B as seen on a global scale, and this study was performed to evaluate the infection risk by hospital workers in such environments. The employees, 2,546 (94.7% of the population), in the 800-bed National Hospital in Oslo were tested for antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) in serum. Five per cent (128 persons) were anti-HBs-positive; this was only slightly higher than that in the general Norwegian population. Male employees were more often positive than females (7.0% vs. 4.4%). Staff more than 50 years of age or with 16 or more years of employment in the health services had a rate twice as high as the rest of the employees. Staff in the porter services (mostly men) had a higher rate than others, whereas the rates in the different professional groups showed no statistical differences. Contrary to many other studies, significant differences in prevalence according to frequency of patient contact or blood handling were not found. | High | [
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Nuclear localization of the dystrophin-associated protein α-dystrobrevin through importin α2/β1 is critical for interaction with the nuclear lamina/maintenance of nuclear integrity. Although α-dystrobrevin (DB) is assembled into the dystrophin-associated protein complex, which is central to cytoskeletal organization, it has also been found in the nucleus. Here we delineate the nuclear import pathway responsible for nuclear targeting of α-DB for the first time, together with the importance of nuclear α-DB in determining nuclear morphology. We map key residues of the nuclear localization signal of α-DB within the zinc finger domain (ZZ) using various truncated versions of the protein, and site-directed mutagenesis. Pulldown, immunoprecipitation, and AlphaScreen assays showed that the importin (IMP) α2/β1 heterodimer interacts with high affinity with the ZZ domain of α-DB. In vitro nuclear import assays using antibodies to specific importins, as well as in vivo studies using siRNA or a dominant negative importin construct, confirmed the key role of IMPα2/β1 in α-DB nuclear translocation. Knockdown of α-DB expression perturbed cell cycle progression in C2C12 myoblasts, with decreased accumulation of cells in S phase and, significantly, altered localization of lamins A/C, B1, and B2 with accompanying gross nuclear morphology defects. Because α-DB interacts specifically with lamin B1 in vivo and in vitro, nuclear α-DB would appear to play a key role in nuclear shape maintenance through association with the nuclear lamina. | High | [
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29.625,
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Copyright Tuesday, September 16, 2014 Prescription costs are increasing and it is contributing to higher workers' compensation costs. Today's post is shared from nytimes.com/ The maker of one of the costliest drugs in the world announced on Monday that it had struck deals with seven generic drug makers in India to sell lower-cost versions of the medicine — a $1,000-a-pill hepatitis C treatment — in poorer countries. Gilead Sciences, which is based in California, also said it would begin selling its own version of the drug in India and other developing countries at a fraction of the price it charges in the United States. The company intends to provide greater access to the medicine, Sovaldi, for most of the nearly 180 million infected worldwide with hepatitis C who do not live in rich countries. Some 350,000 people die every year of hepatitis C infections, most of them in middle- and low-income nations. Sovaldi, in only its initial year on the market after gaining approval in the United States in December, is on pace to exceed $10 billion in sales in 2014, becoming one of the world’s best-selling drugs. Its high price has led to intense criticism even in the United States, where officials say it could drain Medicaid budgets and insurers say it could cause increases in private insurance premiums.But executives at Gilead say its price is similar to those of other hepatitis C treatments and is a bargain compared with the costs of liver failure and liver cancer, which it may prevent. The high price of some drugs in the United States, particularly those that treat cancer, has led some of the nation’s most... | Mid | [
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Nickel(II) complexes of the new pincer-type unsymmetrical ligands PIMCOP, PIMIOCOP, and NHCCOP: versatile binding motifs. Chelation/nickellation of an unsymmetrical meta-phenylene-based ligand featuring phosphinite and imidazolophosphine functionalities gives the corresponding pincer complex. N-Methylation of the latter generates a new complex featuring the ternary moiety NHC→Ph(2)P(+)→Ni, which can be converted subsequently into the binary moiety NHC→Ni by extrusion of Ph(2)P(+), thus allowing a sequential synthesis of pincer complexes displaying varying degrees of dipolar character. | Mid | [
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<string>external_validator</string> </key> <value> <string></string> </value> </item> <item> <key> <string>extra</string> </key> <value> <string></string> </value> </item> <item> <key> <string>hidden</string> </key> <value> <int>0</int> </value> </item> <item> <key> <string>max_length</string> </key> <value> <string></string> </value> </item> <item> <key> <string>required</string> </key> <value> <int>0</int> </value> </item> <item> <key> <string>title</string> </key> <value> <string>Simulation Select Method</string> </value> </item> <item> <key> <string>truncate</string> </key> <value> <int>0</int> </value> </item> <item> <key> <string>unicode</string> </key> <value> <int>0</int> </value> </item> <item> <key> <string>whitespace_preserve</string> </key> <value> <int>0</int> </value> </item> </dictionary> </value> </item> </dictionary> </pickle> </record> </ZopeData> | Low | [
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Q: Border hovering over a div (CSS) first of all I wanted to give you a fiddle instead but as I ran it, it looked correctly so obviously the problem lies somewhere else in my code and I have no idea where. Basically, I want rounded borders around the 2 div columns above the footer, however they hover over the divs. Additionally as you can see, the rounded border is hidden behind the div background in the bottom corners. How can I fix these? Link (sorry for the dodgy-looking link but that's the first free hosting website I could find to test the website before I actually get some proper hosting): http://pawel.net63.net/ A: Put the background image on #featured-product not #bottom-main. | Low | [
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/* * Copyright (C) 2019 The Android Open Source Project * * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. * You may obtain a copy of the License at * * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 * * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and * limitations under the License. */ package com.google.android.material.internal; import static androidx.annotation.RestrictTo.Scope.LIBRARY_GROUP; import android.os.Parcel; import android.os.Parcelable; import android.util.SparseIntArray; import androidx.annotation.NonNull; import androidx.annotation.RestrictTo; /** * Child of SparseIntArray that is parcelable. * * @hide */ @RestrictTo(LIBRARY_GROUP) public class ParcelableSparseIntArray extends SparseIntArray implements Parcelable { public ParcelableSparseIntArray() { super(); } public ParcelableSparseIntArray(int initialCapacity) { super(initialCapacity); } public ParcelableSparseIntArray(@NonNull SparseIntArray sparseIntArray) { super(); for (int i = 0; i < sparseIntArray.size(); i++) { put(sparseIntArray.keyAt(i), sparseIntArray.valueAt(i)); } } @Override public int describeContents() { return 0; } @Override public void writeToParcel(@NonNull Parcel dest, int flags) { int[] keys = new int[size()]; int[] values = new int[size()]; for (int i = 0; i < size(); i++) { keys[i] = keyAt(i); values[i] = valueAt(i); } dest.writeInt(size()); dest.writeIntArray(keys); dest.writeIntArray(values); } public static final Creator<ParcelableSparseIntArray> CREATOR = new Creator<ParcelableSparseIntArray>() { @NonNull @Override public ParcelableSparseIntArray createFromParcel(@NonNull Parcel source) { int size = source.readInt(); ParcelableSparseIntArray read = new ParcelableSparseIntArray(size); int[] keys = new int[size]; int[] values = new int[size]; source.readIntArray(keys); source.readIntArray(values); for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) { read.put(keys[i], values[i]); } return read; } @NonNull @Override public ParcelableSparseIntArray[] newArray(int size) { return new ParcelableSparseIntArray[size]; } }; } | Mid | [
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ) DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) Civil Action No. 09-879 (EGS) v. ) ) UNITED LEASING ASSOCIATES ) OF AMERICA, LTD., et al., ) ) Defendants. ) ) MEMORANDUM OPINION Pending before the Court is plaintiff’s motion to remand the case to the Superior Court for the District of Columbia (“D.C. Superior Court”) and defendant Balboa Capital Corporation’s motion for jurisdictional discovery. Upon consideration of the motions, the responses and replies thereto, the applicable law, the entire record herein, and for the reasons stated below, this Court GRANTS plaintiff’s motion to remand, DENIES plaintiff’s request for attorneys fees and costs incurred in bringing this motion, and DENIES AS MOOT defendant’s motion for jurisdictional discovery. I. BACKGROUND On April 9, 2009, the District of Columbia (the “District”) filed this action in D.C. Superior Court against defendants United Leasing Associates of America (“United Leasing”), Balboa Capital Corporation (“Balboa”), Chesapeake Industrial Leasing Company (“Chesapeake”), Television Broadcasting Online, Inc. (“TVBO”), Urban Interfaith Network, Inc. (“Urban Interfaith”), Willie Perkins (“Perkins”), and Michael J. Morris (“Morris”). Am. Compl. ¶¶ 3-9. The District alleges that from 2004 to the present, defendants conspired to “illegally obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars” from “African-American religious congregations in the District of Columbia and in other regions of the country” through a computer-leasing scheme developed by Morris and Perkins, both individually and through their companies TVBO and Urban Interfaith (collectively, the “TVBO Defenants”). Am. Compl. at 2, ¶¶ 11-18.1 The TVBO Defendants allegedly induced congregations to accept computer equipment on the representation that it was “free of charge,” when in fact, the congregations were contractually obligated to make “tens of thousands of dollars” in leasing payments to United Leasing, Balboa and Chesapeake (collectively, the “Leasing Defendants”) for equipment “that did not work.” Am. Compl. at 2, ¶¶ 11-29. As a result of the alleged scheme, some churches in the District were “forced to remove money from their community funds to keep paying the leases,” while other churches were subject to aggressive collection efforts and threatened with litigation. 1 A detailed description of the alleged scheme is contained in the District’s First Amended Complaint. See Docket No. 1, Ex. 1. Because the details of the alleged scheme are not relevant to the pending motion, it is discussed only in general terms. 2 Am. Compl. ¶¶ 27-29. The District further alleges that the defendants’ actions resulted in many of the churches having to reduce their religious services and other community activities. Am. Compl. ¶ 64. Pursuant to its authority under the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act (“DCCPPA”), and as parens patriae for the residents of the District, the District brought this action asserting claims of fraud, negligence, civil conspiracy, and public nuisance, as well as violations of the D.C. Human Rights Act (“DCHRA”) and the DCCPPA. The District is requesting: (i) an injunction to prevent further collection on the leases; (ii) rescission of the transactions; (iii) restitution and disgorgement; (iv) a permanent injunction prohibiting defendants from engaging in the behavior alleged in the complaint; (v) civil penalties; and (vi) attorneys fees and costs. Am. Compl. at 16- 17. On May 8, 2009, defendants filed a Notice of Removal with this Court, asserting “complete diversity of citizenship between all of the Defendants and all of the Plaintiffs.” Notice of Removal ¶ 4. On June 8, 2009, the District filed the pending motion to remand, which defendants oppose. 3 II. STANDARD OF REVIEW “[A]ny civil action brought in a State court of which the district courts of the United States have original jurisdiction, may be removed by the defendant or the defendants, to the district court of the United States for the district and division embracing the place where such action is pending.” 28 U.S.C. § 1441(a). A district court has original jurisdiction of all civil actions “where the matter in controversy exceeds the sum or value of $75,000, exclusive of interest and costs” and “is between Citizens of different States.” Id. § 1332(a). “When a plaintiff seeks to remand to state court a case that was removed to federal court, ‘the party opposing a motion to remand bears the burden of establishing that subject matter jurisdiction exists in federal court.’” RWN Dev. Group, LLC v. Travelers Indem. Co. of Conn., 540 F. Supp. 2d 83, 86 (D.D.C. 2008) (quoting Int’l Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers v. Ins. Co. of the West, 366 F. Supp. 2d 33, 36 (D.D.C. 2005)). “Because of the significant federalism concerns involved, this Court strictly construes the scope of its removal jurisdiction.” Breakman v. AOL, LLC, 545 F. Supp. 2d 96, 100 (D.D.C. 2008) (citing Shamrock Oil & Gas Corp. v. Sheets, 313 U.S. 100, 107-09 (1941)). Therefore, “[a]ny doubts as to whether federal jurisdiction exist must be resolved in favor of remand.” RWN Dev. Group, 540 F. Supp. 2d at 87 (citing cases); see also, 4 e.g., Breakman, 545 F. Supp. at 101 (“‘[I]f federal jurisdiction is doubtful, a remand to state court is necessary.’” (quoting Dixon v. Coburg Dairy, Inc., 369 F.3d 811, 815-16 (4th Cir. 2003) (en banc)); Johnson-Brown v. 2200 M St. LLC, 257 F. Supp. 2d 175, 177 (D.D.C. 2003) (“Where the need to remand is not self-evident, the court must resolve any ambiguities concerning the propriety of removal in favor of remand.”). If the removing party cannot meet its burden, the court must remand the case. See, e.g., Reed v. Alliedbarton Sec. Servs., LLC, 583 F. Supp. 2d 92, 93 (D.D.C. 2008); Johnson-Brown, 257 F. Supp. 2d at 177. III. DISCUSSION A. Plaintiff’s Motion to Remand to D.C. Superior Court Defendants allege that this Court has original jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332. Notice of Removal ¶ 8. As noted above, diversity jurisdiction requires both (i) complete diversity and (ii) an amount in controversy exceeding $75,000. See 28 U.S.C. § 1332. The parties dispute whether the former requirement has been met in this case. As relevant here, complete diversity exists where parties are “Citizens of different States.” Id. § 1332(a)(1). States, however, are not subject to diversity jurisdiction under § 1332. See Long v. District of Columbia, 820 F.2d 409, 412-13 (D.C. Cir. 1987) (explaining that because “‘a suit between a State and a citizen or corporation of another State is not between citizens 5 of different States,’” a federal court will only have jurisdiction if the action “‘arises under the Constitution, laws or treaties of the United States’” (quoting Postal Telegraph Cable Co. v. Alabama, 155 U.S. 482 (1894))). The D.C. Circuit has concluded that the District must be treated like a state for purposes of diversity jurisdiction, and consequently is not subject to removal under § 1332. See id. at 414 (“[T]he District, like the fifty states, is not subject to diversity jurisdiction.”). The District therefore argues that defendants’ removal on the basis diversity jurisdiction was improper. Pl.’s Mot. to Remand at 10-15.2 Defendants counter, however, that removal was proper because “[t]he real plaintiffs in interest are various church congregations located in and constituting citizens of the District of Columbia.” Notice of Removal ¶ 6. Accordingly, defendants argue that the District is a nominal party whose presence should be disregarded for purposes of determining 2 In its motion to remand, the District raised additional arguments regarding why removal was improper. Specifically, the District argues that: (i) defendants Perkins and TVBO are citizens of the District, and therefore complete diversity does not exist; and (ii) certain defendants failed to provide timely notice of or consent to removal. In response to the District’s first argument, Balboa filed a motion seeking leave to conduct limited depositions of Perkins and TVBO. See generally Docket No. 26. Because the Court finds that the District is not subject to removal on the basis of diversity jurisdiction, the Court need not reach these additional issues. Accordingly, Balboa’s motion for leave to conduct jurisdictional discovery is DENIED AS MOOT. 6 whether complete diversity exists. See District of Columbia, ex rel. American Combustion, Inc. v. Transamerica Ins. Co., 797 F.2d 1041, 1047-48 (D.C. Cir. 1986) (explaining that when the District is a nominal party, its presence in the lawsuit does not defeat diversity jurisdiction); see also Navarro Sav. Ass’n v. Lee, 446 U.S. 458, 461 (1980) (“[A] federal court must disregard nominal or formal parties and rest jurisdiction only upon the citizenship of real parties to the controversy.”). The issue before the Court, then, is whether the District is the “real party in interest” in this litigation. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 17(a). If it is, then subject-matter jurisdiction is lacking and the case must be remanded. “The focus of the ‘real party in interest’ inquiry is on ‘the essential nature and effect of the proceedings.’” Wisconsin v. Abbott Labs., 341 F. Supp. 2d 1057, 1061 (W.D. Wis. 2004) (quoting Adden v. Middlebrooks, 688 F.2d 1147, 1150 (7th Cir. 1982)). In conducting this inquiry, courts typically look to the relief requested. See Missouri, Kansas, & Texas Ry. Co. v. Hickman, 183 U.S. 53, 59-61 (1901). The real party in interest is generally a direct beneficiary of the requested relief, while a nominal party is not. See id. (concluding that the government lacked “a real pecuniary interest in the subject-matter of the controversy” and therefore was not the real party in interest). Consequently, nominal parties may be disregarded from the 7 diversity analysis as they lack a “substantial stake in the outcome of the case.” Hood ex rel. Mississippi v. Microsoft Corp., 428 F. Supp. 2d 537, 546 (S.D. Miss. 2006) (“viewing the complaint as a whole” and then concluding that the state was sufficiently interested in the outcome of the case such that it was the real party in interest); see also American Combustion, 797 F.2d at 1047 (concluding that the District was a nominal party who could be disregarded for diversity purposes because it had no pecuniary interest in the lawsuit, was not involved in the prosecution of the lawsuit, and was protected from any liability for its costs or results). Defendants argue that the District is a nominal party because it seeks to protect “only a specific subgroup of its population,” and therefore lacks a quasi-sovereign interest in the case. Chesapeake Opp’n Br. at 5; see also Balboa Opp’n Br. at 11. A quasi-sovereign interest is “an interest apart from the interests of particular private parties.” Alfred L. Snapp & Son, Inc. v. Puerto Rico ex rel. Barez, 458 U.S. 592, 607 (1992). Without a quasi-sovereign interest, a state is a nominal party that can be disregarded for diversity purposes. Id. at 600, 607. For instance, if a state is merely “stepping in to represent the interests of particular citizens who, for whatever reason, cannot represent themselves,” then the state is “a nominal party without a real interest of its own.” Id. However, “[a] state is not a 8 nominal party if it has quasi-sovereign interests beyond the interests of a few particular private parties.” Maine v. Data Gen. Corp., 697 F. Supp. 23, 25 (D. Me. 1988). Accordingly, in order to be the real party in interest in this litigation, the District must have a quasi-sovereign interest that extends beyond the interests of the African-American churches. The Court concludes that such an interest exists. Through this action, the District is exercising its authority to prevent the individuals and corporations engaged in allegedly predatory and fraudulent activities from targeting and soliciting further business within its domain.3 Am. Compl. ¶ 2. Such an action implicates two well-established quasi-sovereign interests: (i) securing an honest marketplace, see, e.g., Snapp, 458 U.S. at 607 (“[A] State has a quasi-sovereign interest in the health and well-being - both physical and economic - of its residents in general.”); Hood, 428 F. Supp. 2d at 545 (“[T]he State has a quasi-sovereign interest in the economic well-being of its citizens, which includes securing the integrity of the marketplace.”); New York v. Gen. Motors Corp., 547 F. Supp. 703, 3 The DCCPPA authorizes the Attorney General for the District to bring an action in the name of the District in order to obtain an injunction, restitution, civil penalties, costs, and fees. D.C. Code § 28-3909. Moreover, as the officer charged with “the conduct of all law business” of the District, D.C. Code § 1- 301.111, the Attorney General is authorized to bring common law actions to protect its quasi-sovereign interests. See generally Pl.’s Mot. to Remand at 14-15. 9 705 (S.D.N.Y. 1982) (“The State’s goal of securing an honest marketplace in which to transact business is a quasi-sovereign interest.”); and (ii) securing residents from the harmful effects of racial discrimination, see, e.g., Snapp, 458 U.S. at 609 (“This court has had too much experience with the political, social, and moral damage of discrimination not to recognize that a State has a substantial interest in assuring its residents that it will act to protect them from these evils.”); New York v. Peter & John’s Pump House, Inc., 914 F. Supp. 809, 812 (N.D.N.Y. 1996) (“[T]he State has a quasi-sovereign interest in preventing racial discrimination of its citizens.”). The District therefore has significant quasi-sovereign interests that it seeks to protect through this litigation. Moreover, despite defendants’ assertions to the contrary, this action does not accrue solely to the benefit of the African- American churches allegedly injured by defendants. The District’s request for injunctive relief, civil penalties, and costs is “designed to vindicate the State’s interest in preserving fundamental honesty, fair play and right dealings in public transactions.” Missouri ex rel. Webster v. Best Buy Co., Inc., 715 F. Supp. 1455, 1457 (E.D. Mo. 1989). The widespread relief “goes well beyond addressing the claims of previously injured organizations or individuals.” See Abbott Labs., 341 F. Supp. 2d at 1063 (concluding that the Attorney General’s request 10 for injunctive relief was aimed at “securing an honest marketplace, promoting proper business practices, protecting [state] consumers, and advancing plaintiff’s interest in the economic well-being of its residents”). Indeed, “the indirect benefits of barring unscrupulous companies from soliciting further business accrues to the population at large.” Illinois v. SDS West Corp., No. 09-3128, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 65736, at *9 (C.D. Ill. July 29, 2009); see also Pl.’s Mot. to Remand at 15 (“[R]equiring parties who engage in unfair trade practices to disgorge their ill-gotten gains and pay penalties serves not only to make private victims whole, but to deter future violation.”)4 Therefore, having considered the “essential nature and the effect” of the complaint as a whole, Abbott Labs., 341 F. Supp. 2d at 1061, this Court concludes that the District has a “substantial stake” in the outcome of this litigation and is the real party in interest. See Hood, 428 F. Supp. 2d at 546 (concluding that the State of Mississippi was the real party in interest due to the State’s “substantial stake” in the case). The fact that the District is seeking compensatory damages for 4 Moreover, absent litigation by the District, it is unlikely that the requested injunctive relief would be obtained because “the interests of the State and individual victims are not coextensive.” Peter & John’s Pump House, Inc., 914 F. Supp. at 812. For instance, “[p]rivate litigants might not achieve the complete relief requested that the State seeks because they have a greater incentive to compromise requests for injunctive relief in exchange for increased money damages.” Id. 11 the injured African-American churches does not diminish the District’s substantial stake in this action. See Abbott Labs., 341 F. Supp. 2d at 1063 (“The fact that private parties may benefit monetarily from a favorable resolution of this case does not minimize or negate plaintiff’s substantial interest.”); see also, e.g., SDS West Corp., 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 65736, at *12 (concluding that the state was the real party in interest even though it was seeking rescission and restitution on behalf of injured individuals); Illinois v. LiveDeal, Inc., 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10560, at *5 (C.D. Ill. Feb. 12, 2009) (same); Webster, 715 F. Supp. at 1457 (same); Gen. Motors Corp., 547 F. Supp. at 706- 07 (same). In sum, because the District is the real party in interest, this is not a dispute between “Citizens of different States” and diversity jurisdiction is lacking. 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a)(1); see Long, 820 F.2d at 412-13.5 Accordingly, this Court finds that 5 Defendants alternatively argue that “[t]o the extent that the District of Columbia may be the real party in interest with respect to any Count in the Complaint, there is no possibility that the District can establish a cause of action, and its presence should be disregarded under the doctrine of fraudulent joinder.” Notice of Removal ¶ 7; see Balboa Opp’n Br. at 11-16. This Court, however, finds the doctrine of fraudulent joinder inapplicable “where, as here, the party alleged to be fraudulently joined is the only named plaintiff and that plaintiff sues on its own behalf.” WMW Mach. Co., Inc. v. Koerber A.G., 879 F. Supp. 16, 17 (S.D.N.Y. 1995). Indeed, “[b]ecause here there exists only one named (non-diverse) plaintiff seeking a remedy for itself, the proper course of action is for the defendants to pursue dismissal of plaintiff’s claims in the state court.” Id. But even assuming that 12 defendants’ removal was improper and GRANTS plaintiff’s motion to remand this action to D.C. Superior Court. B. Plaintiff’s Request for Attorneys Fees and Costs Under 28 U.S.C. § 1447(c), a court “may require payment of just costs and any actual expenses, including attorney fees,” when an action is remanded. Plaintiff argues that such costs should be awarded because, among other reasons, “Defendants sought removal despite the settled case law that the District is not a diverse party.” Mot. to Remand at 17; see Johnson-Brown, 257 F. Supp. 2d at 181 (explaining that costs and expenses may be awarded if “the removing party contradicts well-settled law in attempting to remove the case to federal court”). In view of the fact that the specific issue presented in this case - whether the District is the real party in interest in its public advocacy litigation - is an issue of first impression for this Court, the Court concludes that defendants’ removal was not “contrary to defendants’ fraudulent-joinder argument is cognizable, defendants have failed to establish that “there is no possibility that plaintiff would be able to establish a cause of action” against defendants in D.C. Superior Court, Brown v. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., 26 F. Supp. 2d 74, 77 (D.D.C. 1998), for the reasons stated in plaintiff’s reply brief. Pl.’s Reply Br. at 13-16; see also Brown, 26 F. Supp. 2d at 77 (“[G]iven that the jurisdiction of this court is uncertain and that a determination [of fraudulent joinder] should be made cautiously by a court uncertain of its jurisdiction, it is more appropriate to remand this case and allow the courts of the District of Columbia to decide whether or not the plaintiffs can state a valid cause of action. . . .” (internal quotation and citation omitted)). Remand to D.C. Superior Court, therefore, is the proper course of action. 13 well-settled law.” Id. Accordingly, the Court declines to award attorneys fees and costs given the circumstances of this case. See LiveDeal, Inc., 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10560, at *10 (declining to award fees and costs on similar facts when there was a “lack of controlling authority on point”). Plaintiff’s request for attorneys fees and costs is DENIED. IV. CONCLUSION For the reasons set forth above, the Court GRANTS plaintiff’s motion to remand this action to D.C. Superior Court, where the case commenced, DENIES plaintiff’s request for attorneys fees and costs, and DENIES AS MOOT defendant Balboa’s motion for jurisdictional discovery. An appropriate Order accompanies this Memorandum Opinion. SIGNED: Emmet G. Sullivan United States District Court Judge August 11, 2009 14 | Mid | [
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A pet iguana, injured last month when its owner swung it at an Ohio restaurant manager, remains in protective custody as it awaits a $1,600 surgery. The female iguana, named Copper by police, suffered a broken leg and several other ailments after the unidentified owner swung the animal by her tail. According to authorities, the man threw a menu at a waitress at a Perkins restaurant in Painesville on April 16. When a manager intervened, the man removed the iguana from beneath his shirt, twirled it around and threw it at him, police said. The reptile has remained in the protective custody of the Lake County Humane Society, which says she needs a surgery that would cost about $1,600; according to intake coordinator Allison Rothlisberger, the procedure can't be done without the approval of a judge. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The Humane Society is seeking tax-deductible donations to pay for the surgery. For now, the animal is getting basic care to make it as comfortable as possible. The Associated Press contributed to this report. | Low | [
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Thursday, February 2, 2012 This week, Grey learned Mama. It is the sweetest sound I have ever heard, him reaching for me, hugging me, mumbling "Mum. Muma." Even in the middle of the night, I don't mind so much when he gets up, when he calls out Muma? first. I don't think I ever wrote about the experience, but a few months after the babies were born I was asked to come in and speak to a class on campus. It was a class called (something like) The Social and Economical something something of Women. Essentially it was a feminist women's studies course. I was asked to bring my babies, and be prepared to answer some "questions about Motherhood." I was a little worried that it would be (at least partially) an attack on mothers like me, who chose to drop out of school, quit my job, and be at home with my kids 100% of the time. I came at the beginning of the lecture, and listened/played with my babies while the professor talked about previous lessons, mothers, some article or story about this or that mother. She read a quote by Madeline L'Engle, which I have searched in vain for about how all mothers must understand Mary (mother of Christ) to some extent when they hold their new infant in their arms. And then she called me to the front of the room. She asked me to strip my babies down to their diapers, so that everyone could see and appreciate how beautiful and perfect they were. I was in a room of about 50 students. Most of them women. Most of them childless. I don't remember every question that she asked me, but I do remember a few, and these weren't my answers verbatum, but at least close. And many of these things are questions I've pondered for last 6 months. She asked, "Having two new babies, when you look at the world, do you think it's good enough, or do you want to change it for the better?" Before I had my babies, I looked at the world and I saw a lot of evil or ugly things, but I was like "Whatever. People have their choice. They don't have to fight in wars. They don't have to look at porn. We all have pain and cruelties, but that's life." And now I do not think like that. Now I look at war, and it breaks me. I think of my sons dying, my husband dying, I think of them injured abused, torn apart by the awful actuality of war and I think "How can parents let this happen? I know these people have children. Why are they allowing violence and hatred?" Hatred. I've gone from being offended and horrified by ignorance and hatred, to being physically nauseous about it. I hear about kids bullied at school; my brother Jack's best friend is Jewish and you wouldn't believe the things kids at his middle school say to him. It makes me want to break down the kids' front doors and punch their parents in the throat.... but in a nonviolent, enlightening way. Kids don't wake up and think to themselves "You know what's funny? The holocaust. Those Jews, aww man. They're the worst." They're taught that. SOMEONE IS TEACHING THEM THAT. I am grossed out. And that is not, by far, the worst thing that children are being exposed to. Which is a horrible thing to know. I don't know how, but man oh man. I will make the world better. Or at least, I will spend all my time teaching my kids that the evil around them is unacceptable. The professor asked me, "Do you feel like you can love to a greater extent now that you have your children?" And honestly, I don't know. In movies and sappy poems people always say "I never knew I could have so much love for someone," but loving my children so so much doesn't feel unnatural or impossible. But I do feel a different kind of love for them than I feel for anyone else, even my husband Travis. I love Travis as another person, one who completes and perfects me, but is nonetheless a separate being and body from myself. My children are not. They are not seperate beings and bodies than I am. They are me. They are part of me, they were nurtured and grown by me. They are my body. Even after they were born, and they were nursing, I was nourishing them. Every ounce they gained was first my ounce. I miss feeling them kick inside of me. I miss the closeness of being able to completely and totally surround and encompass them, and have them -in turn- complete me. I felt a bit empty for so long after they were born. I still feel fantom kicks every single day. But there's not a baby (or two) in there anymore. I love having them cling to me. I love having them fall asleep in my arms. I love their hot, wet breath on my neck as they sleep, because it feels like I am whole again. It's a strange feeling, seeing part of your body, like your heart or your lungs, tramping about the room. Learning. Discovering. Growing more distant and separate from you every day. It is not always pleasant. The professor asked me: "What if you were at the park, and you were distracted by Micah and when you look up, you notice that someone is leaving with Grey?" "I would stop them," I said. "He's far away, he's clearly stronger and bigger than you. I mean, what would you do?" "I would stop them," I repeat. "They would be stopped." "At all costs?" "Yes." "Would you kill someone to protect your child?" Here's the thing: When my babies were newborns, I would jerk awake at every creak and peep. I would find myself thinking "There's someone is their room, someone is taking my babies." I would try to wake Travis, but let's face it -he was so tired that he wasn't going to get up and prance into their room unless they were screaming to be fed (and even then, there was no prancing.) "Okay," I would steel myself as I walked to their room, sometimes picking up a hammer or a leveler on my way, just in case. "When you go in there, you might have to kill someone." And I was not joking. If there had ever been someone in their room.... they would have been attacked with all the strength and insanity of a mama grizzly bear. And they still would. I will protect my children. I will kill people for my children. They are mine. They are part of me. You will not touch them against my will. I have a friend who is father, and although his wife has said the same thing as me (she would kill someone to protect her son) he has said that he probably wouldn't. "I don't know that I could kill someone," he said. "It's not just like sticking a knife into a steak, it's a person. It's a person, and you're taking away their life." And that is valid. I couldn't kill someone for just any reason. I doubt that I would do very well in war (especially now that I am a mother. I can't even see people holding hands on the street without wanting to burst into tears, because they're *gasp* so happy and *sniffle* in love) but this is a different kind of war. This is someone trying to walk away with a chunk of my heart. A literal, physical piece of my body. You think I'm gonna let that slide? No, sir. I am not. The teacher ended the class with a discussion of the strength and power of mothers. "Being a mother makes you want to change the world for the better, avoid wars, solve conflicts, help people," she said. "But you just heard this skinny 21 year old announce that she would kill any one of you that tried to leave with one of her kids, so motherhood certainly doesn't make a woman weak." Babies have that power, she said. If a man with a gun came into the class right now, and tried to leave with these kids, I don't think that Becky would be the only one risking her own life to stop them, and none of you have ever even seen these children before. But would you let him take them? It was one of the most powerful arguments for women in politics that I've ever heard. I left thinking, "We need a woman president, clearly the person taking care of our country should be someone that wants to rid the world of war and evil, and yet will fight to the death to protect her citizens." But it also gave me a renewed and wonderful sense of strength. It's easy to feel like we're at the bottom of a heap. I am in my apartment for 22 hours a day (longer in Montana, since we don't have a car or stroller here and it's freezing out), and for most of the waking hours, I'm essentially alone. It's so easy to feel forgotten, downtrodden, unappreciated. It's so easy to forget that I am making a great and important contribution to society. It's so easy to just... bleh. But don't.Don't shrivel up. Don't give up. Don't bleh. We are strong. And I have a lot to say about it, and you probably do too. Stay tuned for more thoughts and essays on Motherhood, and please please please leave links and thoughts in the comments. I'd love to hear your opinions, and couldn't we all do with an encouraging word? And I'd love a vote, they reset the numbers! Just click on the box below, and the left hand owl on the page you're redirected to! Thanks! 20 comments: Holy crap you pretty much made my day. We totally don't even know each other, but hearing your words makes me feel so much better about my life. It's so easy to be alone in my apartment all day long, and to feel a little bit down. I feel like I go days at a time without talking to another adult (besides my husband). But it's such a good feeling to be reminded what a huge contribution we are making to the world, and what a difference we can make with our children. I wouldn't give up staying home with my child for anything. You are just much better at putting it into words. There it is. That is what I needed. You and your bloggers whom I don't know, can know that my husband and I are trying for a baby. I was scared at first. I was worried it wouldn't come naturally to me. But there it is. The raw truth that it is a woman's nature to protect hers. Holy smokes, Becky... very powerful. Becky, yesssss! I think about this stuff so much. I have lists and lists, pages and pages about ideas for essays like this one. The true life of a mother too often goes unrecognized. We have to tap into it! Even though my baby is still in my belly, I already feel this way. Thank you for articulating your feelings. I loved reading it, beginning to end. You also just made me realize what those weird pangs are in my womb area...I seriously wondered if I was pregnant again, or if my organs were moving around, but there you go. I must miss carrying them too. I would just like to say that you inspire me. I love getting topics like motherhood out there in the open to talk about and think about. It's true that there's definitely a different kind of love that you have for your kids than for anyone else. It helps me understand a little bit more how Heavenly Father must love us. I know it's infinite, but now it feels like his love must be infinitely infinite if I can love my little boy as much as I do. I'm definitely staying tuned for more of this motherhood talk. Oh Becky, this just made my day. This has to be shared with many women, because you know we all have this hard time where raising kids is just, hands down, plain hard. Agreeing on the bit where you describe the babies as a part of your body, I still feel like that too. I've been reading since Grey and Micah were in the hospital. I even named my 7 month old (today!) Greyson so I felt a kinship with you from the start. However, i've never taken the time to post a comment until today. I completely agree with you on the statement about watching a piece of you move around the room is the most complicated feeling out there. I often find myself in a panic at night thinking that I didn't spend enough time with my baby and by the next time I see him, he'll already be one day older and one day closer to being his own independent being. I love watching him grow and learn, but with every new skill he learns, it's another step away from his mama. I love this. It articulates perfectly what every mother must feel. And that makes it sound generic and commonplace, but every mother feels like her intensity and love are all her own and can change the world. Which is true. Becky! Oh Becky! You make me want to pound my chest, in the pouring rain, ranting and screaming: "I AM WOMAN!!" total Hollywood style. This is an AMAZING post, and I think if Michelle Bachman had got her womanly political hands on this empowering gem, well, I think a lot of people would be seeing her in the polls right now. Now, I am only 16, and far, far, faaaar away from having children. (read 100 years away. Just kidding, but pretty close to that) but this makes me so excited to be a mom, for that right there!! ALL moms should read this!!. I am soooo impressed with this essay and can not wait for more! Give those two sweet munchkins a squeeze for me! And this is one of many reasons you consistently get my vote in the topbabyblogs thingy. Such a good post, thanks so much for sharing! I sent it to a buddy who has her first babe at home now, I know she will love it. :) A friend of mine just posted on FB a wall photo of a fetus with the words: "will you still be prolife after she's born? Will you apply the same vigor to your work against war, against hunger, against poverty, against homelessness, against our planet's degradation, against capital punishment, for human rights, for opportunities for education and jobs that you do to your efforts to make abortion illegal? If not, please stop calling yourself prolife." I can't imagine a better response than this blogpost, which so beautifully cuts through the divisiveness and screaming dogma. Well done! I, too, was left in an apartment for most of the day in Montana, while my husband studied in University. I, too, was left to think during the day or night, in the shower, making dinner, in bed....that I, too, would have to pumble (sp?) someone with a baseball bat or a cooking utensil if they tried coming in and harming me and my child! I'm glad I"m not the only one that has those thoughts, and now that we're out of that apartment and in a different state, and I have another little one about, the thoughts are the same. Do anything, at anytime, with any thing to protect your children! Loved this post! | Mid | [
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Q: How to correctly use an unordered_map C++ I wanted to create a std::unordered_map with a custom hash function. I am having trouble figuring out where to declare/how to use my unordered_map though. Here is the situation. I have a class called Object. It's super simple and merely contains an integer id. Here is the header file: // Object.hpp class Object { public: Object(); ~Object(){}; int Id(); void setId(int i); private: int id; }; I have a class called DataSet that acts as a container which will hold millions of these Objects. For simplicities sake, I only want to be able to construct a DataSet, add an Object to the DataSet, delete an Object by ID from the DataSet, clear the DataSet, and get the size of the DataSet. The structure I want to (and am required to) use in my DataSet class is a an std::unordered_map. For this map, I want the key to be the integer id associated with an Object, and the actual Object* itself as the value. Finally I have this hash function that I want to use for the unordered_map. Here is what I currently have in my DataSet header file: // DataSet.hpp struct HashKey { unsigned int hash(unsigned int x) { x = ((x >> 16) ^ x) * 0x45d9f3b; x = ((x >> 16) ^ x) * 0x45d9f3b; x = ((x >> 16) ^ x); return x; } }; class DataSet{ public: std::unordered_map<int,Object*,HashKey> objects; DataSet(); ~DataSet(); int addObject(Object *object); void clear(); int deleteObject(int id); int getSize(); }; As of right now I'm just trying to figure out how to create addObject in DataSet.cpp. Here is my (broken) try: int DataSet::addObject(Object *object) { objects.emplace(object->Id(),object); return 1; } When compiled, I end up with this error: type 'const HashKey' does not provide a call operator {return static_cast<const _Hash&>(*this)(__x.__cc.first);} What I eventually want to be able to do is in another file called driver.cpp, have a for loop that will add millions of Objects. It would look like this: DataSet container; for(int i = 0; i < 10000000; ++i) { Object *object = new Object(); object->setId(i); container.addObject(object); } Is there some way to make the unordered_map so that I can accomplish this? As a side note, I am required to use the current DataSet class and the current Object class as is. I just need to make a std::unordered_map for it. A: You need to define the hash function as a const call operator (i.e. operator()) that takes an object of the key type and returns size_t: size_t operator()(int x) const { ... } | Mid | [
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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Mark Herzlich's current experience is simultaneously identical and dissimilar to one he had eight years ago. The Giants' veteran inside linebacker has again returned to the field after a forced year in exile. Herzlich suffered a burner in training camp last year and spent the entire 2017 season on injured reserve. Herzlich also sat out the 2009 season at Boston College, after he was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma. That year, putting on shoulder pads again was not high on his list of priorities. Doctors told him he would never play football again, might never walk again and could even die from the rare form of bone cancer. Herzlich defied their predictions and the odds and played well enough in his return to the field in 2010 for the Giants to sign him the following year as a free agent. He is the team's third-longest tenured player, behind Eli Manning and Zak DeOssie. Yes, Herzlich has traveled this road before. But somehow it all looks so different. "The first time I did it, I obviously was going through treatments, and it was a year of just getting my body destroyed," Herzlich said during a training camp break this week. "It was just beaten down. The following year, that was just trying to constantly build back up. "Last year, after recovering from my injury, it was just a full year of getting my body right again. It was building strength and endurance and just focusing on how to get my 30-year-old body in the best shape it could possibly be in. I feel so much better this year." Herzlich has not missed a day of work as a front-line special teamer and backup defender. Some players consider training camp required drudgery. But after being forced to spend another season watching his teammates play, Herzlich enjoys every minute on the field. "I think anytime something's taken away, you realize what's important to you," Herzlich said. "Doesn't matter what's taken away. But you start to evaluate what are these things in my life that are important to me, and football is definitely one of them. The first time, obviously with cancer, it was a little bit different, because I had to make medical decisions based on what I wanted my football future to look like. This time it was, 'I'm going to come back and play again, it's just in terms of when.'" Herzlich spent almost as much time around the team last season as he would have had he played. He was in position and defensive meetings, and attended as many games as possible. "It's always hard the first couple of games you miss, because you feel like you want to be in there, you want to be playing," he said. "And then you have to start to kind of accept the other reality and see how I can be a part of this without actually doing the playing. That was similar in both senses - there was no decision to be made where I could possibly come back. I knew I was going to miss the entire season in both cases. So I said, 'Okay, how can I be around the team and help out as much as I can?'" Herzlich also made the most of his second year out of uniform. Always in demand to speak to children afflicted with or groups affiliated with fighting cancer, he honored as many of those requests as possible. Willing to help or support any person or group in need, Herzlich last year did so much good work in the community so frequently that he was the Giants' nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. The league's most prestigious individual award, it is given to a player for outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field. Herzlich was cited despite not playing a down, a testament to the volume of good work he does. In addition, his wife, Danielle, gave birth to the couple's first child in May, a boy they named Boston King. "You find silver linings in things and because I wasn't playing I was able to be with my wife for different doctor's appointments," he said. "As much as I would've loved to be playing, you find out how to make the best of it. "Fatherhood has definitely changed me, in terms of focusing on another human being's life. Obviously, it's been me and my wife and we've been kind of a team. But now I'm responsible for not only the health and wellbeing of my child, but also it's my responsibility to raise a quality young man. It's an honor and a pressure and that's a good thing." A week before the Giants open their season, Herzlich will turn 31, an age when many NFL players step onto the downside of their careers, if they're not already there. Herzlich said his body feels good after a year of conditioning, and like all veterans, he's learned how to take care of himself. But he still has plenty of challenges to meet and hurdles to clear. When Herzlich last played in 2016, the Giants' general manager, head coach and defensive coordinator were, respectively, Jerry Reese, Ben McAdoo and Steve Spagnuolo. They have since been replaced by Dave Gettleman, Pat Shurmur and James Bettcher. Gettleman was the Giants' pro personnel director when Herzlich signed here seven years ago. But the veteran linebacker must make a favorable impression with decision-makers with whom he has no history. "I went into the offseason thinking very clearly that I wanted to come back," Herzlich said. "I love being a Giant. I knew that, obviously, Dave was here when I was here before, but you never know, because it's a whole new group. I treat every year like it was my rookie year, regardless. That means you have to come out there and prove yourself every year. I've had three D-coordinators since I've been here. You have to constantly keep working." | Mid | [
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Juan Lagares makes a miraculous over-the-shoulder grab in deep center field during the top of the 7th inning | Low | [
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Fast & Easy Business Funding in Colorado Springs, CO Few places in the world combine a friendly business environment with breathtaking scenery the way Colorado Springs, CO does. With a population that ranks in the top 50 of the country, a booming economy and Pike’s Peak as its backdrop, it’s easy to see why Forbes.com has ranked Colorado Springs a top 20 place for business and careers. Colorado Springs has also earned the nickname “Olympic City USA” for its use as USA’s Olympic headquarters, housing both the United States Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic Training Center. At 6,035 feet above sea level, “The Springs” rests even higher than the Mile High City itself , Denver. Its location, other than making it a great place to train, has made it home to a large number of military bases and defense corporations. The U.S. Air Force Academy , Fort Carson and many other facilities reside in Colorado Springs, making the most of its advantageous setting. Getting started is fast, easy, and won’t impact your credit score. Small Business Loans in Colorado Springs, CO With a significant amount of traffic coming through The Springs year round, small businesses have found it to be a refreshingly comfortable place to run a business. That being said, even the most successful small business run into the need for additional working capital sooner or later. When this happens, many business owners will turn to small business loans with traditional lenders like banks for the funding they need. Over the years, however, traditional loans have fallen out of favor with small businesses due to big banks’ unwillingness to offer any type of flexibility with them. Banks see small businesses as a risk they are seldomly willing to take, and on top of that, they can take up to 90 days to make a decision on an applicant. This can feel like forever for a small business owner in a pinch. Small Business Funding in Colorado Springs Fast Capital 360 knows how valuable time is to a small business owner. That’s why our application process takes less than 10 minutes to complete and the average applicant will receive a decision on their business in as little as 60 minutes. After your approval, one of our passionate business advisors will walk you through our various funding programs and find the one that best fits your capital needs. If your looking for fast small business loans in Colorado Springs, but are having trouble meeting the high standards of big banks, Fast Capital 360’s online funding is the perfect alternative to traditional loans. Whether you’re looking for a small business line of credit, or new business equipment funding, we have a funding program that works for you. Contact us today at 800-735-6107 to speak with one of our dedicated business advisors and get the funding you need fast. For the best alternative to small business loans in Colorado Springs, contact Fast Capital 360 today. | High | [
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Walgreen-Express Scripts Deal Boosts Both Companies By Avi Salzman Shares of Walgreen (WAG) soared 12% on the announcement it had ended its seven-month long dispute and entered into a new multi-year reimbursement agreement with pharmacy-benefit manager Express Scripts Holding (ESRX). Prior to entering into the agreement, both companies struggled to come to consensus over the reimbursement rates for prescriptions. As the dispute wore on, patients went elsewhere to fill their prescriptions and same-store sales at Walgreen slumped. The market welcomed the news that the dispute had ended, while rival pharmacies saw their shares fall. CVS Caremark (CVS) was down 5.9% and Rite Aid (RAD) fell 5.5%. Express Scripts rose 1.9% on the news and Barclays analyst Lawrence C. Marsh raised the company’s price target to $68 from $65 in an update. “We believe that this announcement lifts our top-line visibility to 2014, which we believe was already reasonably high, and most likely confirms the consistent Express pricing view around its retail network. It is our view that this agreement is in the best interest of both parties,” wrote Marsh. About Stocks To Watch Earnings reports, corporate strategies and analyst insights are all part of what moves stocks, and they’re all covered by the Stocks to Watch blog. We also look at macro issues, investor sentiments and hidden trends that are affecting the market. Stocks to Watch gives you the full picture of the U.S. stock markets, all day long. The blog is written by Ben Levisohn, a former stock trader who has covered financial markets for the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and BusinessWeek. | Mid | [
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Q: Visual Studio 2017 msbuild package sharepoint I have a simple SharePoint 2013 solution which I can publish through Visual Studio - this will generate .wsp for me. However when I am trying to run build by the command: msbuild /t:Package mySolution.sln Build is ok but during packaging I receive an error: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Enterprise\MSBuild\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v15.0\SharePointTools\Microsoft.VisualStudio.SharePoint.targets(190,5): error : Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.VisualStudio.Modeling.Sdk.15.0, Version=15.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified. If I put this missing dll to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Enterprise\MSBuild\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v15.0\SharePointTools then I receive another error about another missing dll... What am I doing wrong? A: Looks like this is MSBuild issue: 1.Open elevated command prompt 2.Navigate to your SDK tools cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.6.1 Tools\x64" Sn -Vr "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Enterprise\Common7\IDE\PrivateAssemblies\Microsoft.VisualStudio.Modeling.Sdk.15.0.dll" gacutil /i "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Enterprise\Common7\IDE\PrivateAssemblies\Microsoft.VisualStudio.Modeling.Sdk.15.0.dll" For the following three dlls, please do same behavior from step 3 to 4 C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Enterprise\Common7\IDE\PublicAssemblies\Microsoft.VisualStudio.SharePoint.dll Note if Microsoft.VisualStudio.SharePoint.dll not found in above path, check in C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Enterprise\MSBuild\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v15.0\SharePointTools\Microsoft.VisualStudio.SharePoint.dll C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Enterprise\Common7\IDE\PrivateAssemblies\Microsoft.VisualStudio.SharePoint.Designers.Models.dll C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Enterprise\Common7\IDE\PrivateAssemblies\Microsoft.VisualStudio.SharePoint.Designers.Models.Features.dll Now you can MSBuild your SharePoint 2016 solutions by VS command promp. Check Link, that's for Sharepoint 2016, but same works for 2013 as well: https://developercommunity.visualstudio.com/content/problem/40195/cant-use-msbuild-to-package-sharepoint-2016-soluti.html | High | [
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Q: Hide Background on moving Li to Top I need one help On clicking on Li i am taking that at top its working fine you can see here http://jsfiddle.net/65fed/1/ var theLis = lis.get(); // to be sorted if (li.is(":animated")) return; // stop double clicks! arrayMove(theLis, li.index(), 0); In my application i have white background But whats happening while moving that li the background comes white as my app has white background. What i need is that when my li moves at top it should adjust the backgroung in this way. http://jsfiddle.net/N2Py9/ $('li.method-item').click(function () { var $this = $(this), callback = function () { $this.insertBefore($this.siblings(':eq(o)')); }; $this.slideUp(500, callback).slideDown(500); }); Note : But approach should be taken as the first link oi provided. Thanks in Advance A: here is one I put together http://jsfiddle.net/65fed/3/ you might have to alter it to check if it is the first item that is clicked though. $('li.method-item').click(function () { var item = $(this); var ul = item.parent(); item.css({ position: 'absolute', top: item.position().top, width: item.width()+'px', background: '#fff' }); item.animate( {top: 0}, {speed: 200, complete: function(){ var itemclone = item.detach(); itemclone.css({position: 'relative', top: '0px', background: 'none'}); ul.prepend(itemclone); }} ); }); EDIT : Use the one in the fiddle below I have updated it to take make sure the clicked one is always on top and also to check if the first item is clicked. http://jsfiddle.net/65fed/4/ | Mid | [
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/* ** Instruction dispatch handling. ** Copyright (C) 2005-2015 Mike Pall. See Copyright Notice in luajit.h */ #ifndef _LJ_DISPATCH_H #define _LJ_DISPATCH_H #include "lj_obj.h" #include "lj_bc.h" #if LJ_HASJIT #include "lj_jit.h" #endif #if LJ_TARGET_MIPS /* Need our own global offset table for the dreaded MIPS calling conventions. */ #if LJ_HASJIT #define JITGOTDEF(_) _(lj_trace_exit) _(lj_trace_hot) #else #define JITGOTDEF(_) #endif #if LJ_HASFFI #define FFIGOTDEF(_) \ _(lj_meta_equal_cd) _(lj_ccallback_enter) _(lj_ccallback_leave) #else #define FFIGOTDEF(_) #endif #define GOTDEF(_) \ _(floor) _(ceil) _(trunc) _(log) _(log10) _(exp) _(sin) _(cos) _(tan) \ _(asin) _(acos) _(atan) _(sinh) _(cosh) _(tanh) _(frexp) _(modf) _(atan2) \ _(pow) _(fmod) _(ldexp) \ _(lj_dispatch_call) _(lj_dispatch_ins) _(lj_err_throw) \ _(lj_ffh_coroutine_wrap_err) _(lj_func_closeuv) _(lj_func_newL_gc) \ _(lj_gc_barrieruv) _(lj_gc_step) _(lj_gc_step_fixtop) _(lj_meta_arith) \ _(lj_meta_call) _(lj_meta_cat) _(lj_meta_comp) _(lj_meta_equal) \ _(lj_meta_for) _(lj_meta_len) _(lj_meta_tget) _(lj_meta_tset) \ _(lj_state_growstack) _(lj_str_fromnum) _(lj_str_fromnumber) _(lj_str_new) \ _(lj_tab_dup) _(lj_tab_get) _(lj_tab_getinth) _(lj_tab_len) _(lj_tab_new) \ _(lj_tab_newkey) _(lj_tab_next) _(lj_tab_reasize) \ JITGOTDEF(_) FFIGOTDEF(_) enum { #define GOTENUM(name) LJ_GOT_##name, GOTDEF(GOTENUM) #undef GOTENUM LJ_GOT__MAX }; #endif /* Type of hot counter. Must match the code in the assembler VM. */ /* 16 bits are sufficient. Only 0.0015% overhead with maximum slot penalty. */ typedef uint16_t HotCount; /* Number of hot counter hash table entries (must be a power of two). */ #define HOTCOUNT_SIZE 64 #define HOTCOUNT_PCMASK ((HOTCOUNT_SIZE-1)*sizeof(HotCount)) /* Hotcount decrements. */ #define HOTCOUNT_LOOP 2 #define HOTCOUNT_CALL 1 /* This solves a circular dependency problem -- bump as needed. Sigh. */ #define GG_NUM_ASMFF 62 #define GG_LEN_DDISP (BC__MAX + GG_NUM_ASMFF) #define GG_LEN_SDISP BC_FUNCF #define GG_LEN_DISP (GG_LEN_DDISP + GG_LEN_SDISP) /* Global state, main thread and extra fields are allocated together. */ typedef struct GG_State { lua_State L; /* Main thread. */ global_State g; /* Global state. */ #if LJ_TARGET_MIPS ASMFunction got[LJ_GOT__MAX]; /* Global offset table. */ #endif #if LJ_HASJIT jit_State J; /* JIT state. */ HotCount hotcount[HOTCOUNT_SIZE]; /* Hot counters. */ #endif ASMFunction dispatch[GG_LEN_DISP]; /* Instruction dispatch tables. */ BCIns bcff[GG_NUM_ASMFF]; /* Bytecode for ASM fast functions. */ } GG_State; #define GG_OFS(field) ((int)offsetof(GG_State, field)) #define G2GG(gl) ((GG_State *)((char *)(gl) - GG_OFS(g))) #define J2GG(j) ((GG_State *)((char *)(j) - GG_OFS(J))) #define L2GG(L) (G2GG(G(L))) #define J2G(J) (&J2GG(J)->g) #define G2J(gl) (&G2GG(gl)->J) #define L2J(L) (&L2GG(L)->J) #define GG_G2DISP (GG_OFS(dispatch) - GG_OFS(g)) #define GG_DISP2G (GG_OFS(g) - GG_OFS(dispatch)) #define GG_DISP2J (GG_OFS(J) - GG_OFS(dispatch)) #define GG_DISP2HOT (GG_OFS(hotcount) - GG_OFS(dispatch)) #define GG_DISP2STATIC (GG_LEN_DDISP*(int)sizeof(ASMFunction)) #define hotcount_get(gg, pc) \ (gg)->hotcount[(u32ptr(pc)>>2) & (HOTCOUNT_SIZE-1)] #define hotcount_set(gg, pc, val) \ (hotcount_get((gg), (pc)) = (HotCount)(val)) /* Dispatch table management. */ LJ_FUNC void lj_dispatch_init(GG_State *GG); #if LJ_HASJIT LJ_FUNC void lj_dispatch_init_hotcount(global_State *g); #endif LJ_FUNC void lj_dispatch_update(global_State *g); /* Instruction dispatch callback for hooks or when recording. */ LJ_FUNCA void LJ_FASTCALL lj_dispatch_ins(lua_State *L, const BCIns *pc); LJ_FUNCA ASMFunction LJ_FASTCALL lj_dispatch_call(lua_State *L, const BCIns*pc); LJ_FUNCA void LJ_FASTCALL lj_dispatch_return(lua_State *L, const BCIns *pc); #if LJ_HASFFI && !defined(_BUILDVM_H) /* Save/restore errno and GetLastError() around hooks, exits and recording. */ #include <errno.h> #if LJ_TARGET_WINDOWS #define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN #include <windows.h> #define ERRNO_SAVE int olderr = errno; DWORD oldwerr = GetLastError(); #define ERRNO_RESTORE errno = olderr; SetLastError(oldwerr); #else #define ERRNO_SAVE int olderr = errno; #define ERRNO_RESTORE errno = olderr; #endif #else #define ERRNO_SAVE #define ERRNO_RESTORE #endif #endif | Low | [
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January 2014: Unfortunately monthly database dump generation is delayed for many wikis. Reports will appear later than usual. Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused.Upd. March 2: Dump generation was restarted on February 12. All dumps are up to date now for December, some not for January, some days to go. This is an intermediate update. Metrics have been collected from a full archive dump, which contains all revisions of every article, meta data and raw content.See also metrics definitions The following table ranks this project in relation to projects in other languages with 1000+ articlesNote: data for month(s) after Dec 2014 for one or more large projects are not yet known.As a temporary approximation missing data for a project are substituted by the highest historic value for that project.Once those missing data are available final rankings for recent months can shift one or more positions. Table out of order. Data collection needs to be revised.For some projects up to date and much more extensive database reports are published from the toolserver, e.g. for English Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons ZeitGeist For each month articles with most contributors in that month are shown.xy z ⇐ x = rank, y = contributors in that month, z = article title | Low | [
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Piracy and armed robbery against ships increased 16 percent in July 2002 compared to July of last year. Incidents in the South China Sea were up 18 percent, while incidents in West and East Africa and the Malacca Strait declined. Incidents in the Indian Ocean more than doubled. While passenger aviation continues to rebound from the lows reached in September 2001, domestic passenger miles on large U.S air carriers in June 2002 were still 6 percent below levels of June 2001. International passenger miles on U.S. air carriers were down 12 percent in June 2002 compared to June 2001. Large U.S. air carriers had a revenue load factor for freight on domestic flights of 29 percent in June 2002, the lowest value in the 10 years tracked by this report. On international flights, the revenue load factor for freight increased by 4 points to 48 percent. U.S. rail intermodal traffic was up nearly 8 percent for the week ending September 7 (week 36) compared to the same week last year. Canadian intermodal rail traffic increased 26 percent when the same two weeks are compared. Air carrier passenger revenues declined 18 percent in the second quarter of 2002 compared to the same quarter last year. Operating revenues were down 14 percent and operating expenses were down 11 percent. However, freight revenues increased 8 percent. There was a 6 percent decline in the real return on assets for large U.S. air carriers over the four quarters ending June 2002. The real return on assets reached the lowest value in the 10 years tracked by this report. Manufacturers' new orders for transportation equipment were up 21 percent in July 2002 from the previous month, seasonally adjusted- the highest level for any July tracked over the 10 years covered by this report. | Low | [
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Resistance to antibiotics is becoming increasingly prevalent and threatens to undermine healthcare systems across the globe. Antibiotics including penicillins, cephalosporins and carbapenems are known as β-lactams and are the most commonly prescribed worldwide. In the first paper, University of Bristol researchers defined the relative importance of two mechanisms associated with β-lactam antibiotic resistance. In one, bacteria restrict the entry of antibiotics into the cell; in the other, bacteria produce an enzyme (a β-lactamase), which destroys any antibiotic that gets into the cell. The latter was found to be the more important of the two mechanisms. These findings imply that if chemicals could be developed to inhibit β-lactamase enzymes, a significant proportion of antibiotic resistance could successfully be reversed. Building on these findings, and working in partnership with chemists at the University of Oxford and the University of Leeds, in the second paper, Bristol researchers studied the effectiveness of two types of β-lactamase enzyme inhibitor in a bacterium known to be highly resistant to common antibiotics. Using a variety of approaches, the authors studied avibactam, an inhibitor that has recently been introduced into clinical practice, and a "bicyclic boronate" inhibitor, which was first reported by the Oxford/Leeds/Bristol team in 2016. They found both inhibitors failed to consistently protect the β-lactam antibiotic, ceftazidime, from attack by the β-lactamase enzyme. However, when paired with a different β-lactam antibiotic =, aztreonam, the inhibitors worked extremely well and killed some of the most resistant bacteria ever seen in the clinic. Dr Matthew Avison, Reader in Molecular Bacteriology from the University of Bristol's School of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, and senior author for both studies said: "Our bacteriology research has further demonstrated that β-lactamases are the real "Achilles heel" of antibiotic resistance in bacteria that kill thousands of people in the UK every year. "Structural/mechanistic work on β-lactamase enzymes, including that led by my colleague Dr Jim Spencer, is helping to drive the discovery of wave after wave of β-lactamase inhibitors, including the potentially game-changing bicyclic boronate class, shown to be effective in our research, and recently successful in phase one clinical trials. "Two β-lactamase inhibitors have recently been licenced for clinical use: avibactam and vaborbactam. Our work shows that avibactam might more successfully be deployed with aztreonam instead of ceftazidime as its antibiotic partner. We are delighted to see that this combination has entered clinical trials, and has recently saved the life of a patient in the USA who was suffering from a previously untreatable infection." "This is an exciting time for researchers studying β-lactamase inhibitors. At the risk of sounding like King Canute, it is the first time for a decade that there is some genuine positivity about our ability to turn back the rising tide of β-lactam antibiotic resistance." | High | [
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Rosapepe, also a Prince George's Democrat, had urged the committee to pass the bill without amendments so it could go through both houses before the midnight deadline. But after the senator had difficulty answering questions from both Republican and Democrats on the panel, Davis abruptly pulled the plug. | Low | [
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The present invention relates to novel modified tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cTIMPsxe2x80x9d). The subject application claims priority based on the Japanese Patent Application No. 095142/1999. The contents of the Japanese application is hereby incorporated by reference. Metastasis is a feature of malignant cancer and most life-threatening pathologies and therefore one of the important objects of cancer therapy is to arrest metastasis. In practice, metastasis is palliatively treated by surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy, but no therapy can definitively arrest it. However, the mechanism of metastasis has been gradually elucidated in recent years and the breakdown system of extracellular matrix (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cECMxe2x80x9d) is noted as a reflection of the metastatic potency of cancer. More specifically, cancer cells begin to grow at the primary location and some of them discontinue adhering to surrounding cells so that they can escape from tumor tissues. However, tumor tissues are surrounded by dense ECM, and cancer cells cannot escape from there only via attack by physical motion without enzymatic breakdown. Metastatic cancer cells begin to move in the tissues by producing an enzyme that breaks down this barrier ECM. To further move to a distant location, cancer cells break vascular walls formed by robust ECM to enter the bloodstream. Then, they adhere to the inner membranes of the vascular walls at the second location, and enzymatically break down the vascular wall ECM again to escape from the vessel and infiltrate tissues by further breaking down surrounding ECM (xe2x80x9cSAIBOU KOUGAKUxe2x80x9d (Cell Technology), Vol. 17, No. 4, 1998, pp. 523-533). In such a cascade of processes, breakdown of EMC seems to be most important for studying or diagnosing metastasis of cancer cells. Matrix metalloproteinases (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cMMPsxe2x80x9d) (Docherty, A. J. P., O""Connell, J., Crabbe, T., Angal, S. and Murphy, G. (1992) Trends Biotechnol. 10, 200-207) are zinc-dependent endopeptidases that degrade components of ECM. MMPs play an essential role in tissue remodeling under physiological and pathological conditions such as morphogenesis, angiogenesis, tissue repair and tumor invasion (Docherty, A. J. P. et al., (1992) Trends Biotechnolol. 10, 200-207, supra.; Matrisian, L. M. (1992) Bioessays 14, 455-463; Stetler-Stevenson, W. G., Aznavoorian, S., and Liotta, L. A. (1993) Annu. Rev. Cell Biol. 9, 541-573). Most MMPs are secreted as zymogens and are activated by serine proteases or some activated MMPs. At present, about twenty MMPs have been discovered, which have characteristic substrate specificities to degrade various collagens, glycoproteins, proteoglycans, etc. MMPs are grouped into several families by their substrate specificities and morphologies. For example, MMP-2 and -9 are also referred to as gelatinase A and gelatinase B, respectively, as members of the gelatinase family having a gelatin as a substrate. MMP-14 to -17 are the membrane-associated type, and belong to the MT-MMP family (membrane type-MMP). MMP-14 to -17 are referred to as MT1-MMP, MT2-MMP, MT3-MMP and MT4-MMP, respectively. Other families are the collagenase family (MMP-1, MMP-8, MMP-13 and MMP-18), stromelysin family (MMP-3 and MMP-10), etc. The activities of activated MMPs are regulated by a family of specific inhibitors known as tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cTIMPsxe2x80x9d). At present, four TIMPs have been identified, which efficiently inhibit MMPs except for MT-MMP. MT-MMP has selectivity in that it is efficiently inhibited by TIMP-2 and TIMP-3, but hardly inhibited by TIMP-1. TIMPs have a structure basically consisting of an N-terminal region and a C-terminal region. The MMP-inhibitory activity exists at the N-terminal region of TIMPs, and even recombinant TIMPs lacking the C-terminal region can inhibit MMPs. Previous studies proposed hypotheses about the mechanism of MMP-inhibitory activity of TIMPs. For example, the following findings have been obtained about TIMP-2 and TIMP-1. Among the MMP family, gelatinase A (MMP-2) and gelatinase B (MMP-9) are critical in the invasion of tumor cells across basement membranes because of their strong activity against type IV collagen, a major component of basement membranes (Liotta, L. A. (1986) Cancer Res. 46, 1-7; Collier. I. E., Wilhelm, S. M., Elsen, A. Z., Marmer, B. L., Grant G. A., Seltzer, J. L., Kronberger, A., He, C., Bauer E. A., and Goldberg, G. I. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 6579-6587; Wilhelm, S. M., Collier, I. E., Marmer, B. L., Eisen, A. Z., Grant G. A., and Goldberg, G. I. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 17213-17221). Unlike other zymogens of MMPs, progelatinase A is not activated by serine proteases or soluble MMPs and had been reported to be activated by a MMP-like activity on the surface of cancer and fibroblastic cells (Overall, C. M., and Sodek, J. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 21141-21151; Brown, P. D., Levy, A. T., Margulies, I. M., Liotta, L. A., and Stetler-Stevenson, W. G. (1990) Cancer Res. 50, 6184-6191; Ward, R V., Atkinson, S. J., Slocombe, P. M., Docherty, A. J., Reynolds, J. J., and Murphy, G. (1991) Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1079, 242-246; Azzam, H. S. and Thompson, E. W. (1992) Cancer Res 52, 4540-4544). Sato et al. (Sato, H., Takino, T., Okada, Y., Cao, J., Shinagawa, A., Yamamoto, E., and Seiki, M. (1994) Nature 370, 61-65) identified a novel membrane-type MMP, named MT-MMP as an activator of progelatinase A on the cell surface. The cell-mediated activation of progelatinase A includes two steps of processing; MT-MMP-catalyzed cleavage of progelatinase A at a peptide bond between Asn-37 and Leu-38 firstly converts the zymogen into an intermediate form, and then autocatalytic cleavage of an Asn-80-Tyr-81 bond converts the intermediate form into a mature one (Strongin, A. Y., Marmer, B. L., Grant, G. A., and Goldberg, G. I. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 14033-14039). Several studies suggest that both steps are greatly accelerated by binding of (pro)gelatinase A onto the cell surface, and therefore, the receptor of (pro)gelatinase A on the cell surface is important for the activation. Carboxy-terminal hemopexin-like domain of gelatinase A is reported to be essential for the interaction with the cell-surface receptor (Strongin, A. Y., Marmer, B. L., Grant, G. A., and Goldberg, G. I. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 14033-14039; Strongin, A. Y., Collier, I., Bannikov, G., Marmer, B. L., Grant, G. A., and Goldberg, G. I. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 5331-5338). Recent studies (Brooks, P. C., Silletti, S., von Schalscha, T. L., Friedlander, M., and Cheresh, D. A. (1996) Cell 92, 391-400; Kinoshita, T., Sato, H., Takino, T., Itoh, M., Akizawa, T., and Seiki, M. (1996) Cancer Res. 56, 2535-2538; Pei, D. Q., and Weiss, S. J. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 9135-9140; Will, H., Atkinson, S. J., Butler, G. S., Smith, B., and Murphy, G. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 17119-17213; Lichte, A., Kolkenbrock, H., and Tschesche, H. (1996) FEBS Lett. 397, 277-282) suggest that transmembrane domainless variants of MT-MMP convert progelatinase A to the intermediate form but hardly to the mature one. It is also reported that cell-mediated processing of mutant progelatinase A of which active site residue is replaced by site-directed mutagenesis, does not produce the mature form of the mutant (Atkinson, S. J., Crabbe, T., Cowell, S., Ward, R. V., Butler, M. J., Sato, H., Seiki, M., Reynolds, J. J., and Murphy, G. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 30479-30485; Sato, H., Takino, T., Kinoshita, T., Imal, K., Okada, Y., Stetler-Stevenson, W. G., and Seiki, M. (1996) FEBB Lett. 385, 238-240). These studies suggest the importance of cell-associated activity of gelatinase A for the conversion of intermediate form of gelatinase A to its mature form. On the other hand, the crystal structures of complexes of TIMPs and MMPs have also been studied. The crystal structure of the complexformed between TIMP-1 and stromelysin suggests that the free xcex1-amino group and carbonyl oxygen of NH2-terminal Cys-1 of TIMP-1 coordinate the catalytic zinc atom of stromelysin, thus being involved in the inhibitory action (Gomis-Ruth, F. X., Maskos, K., Betz, M., Bergner, A., Huber, R., Suzuki, K., Yoshida, N., Nagase, H., Brew, K., Bourenkov, G. P., Bartunik, H., and Bode, W. (1997) Nature,389, 77-81). Quite recently, the crystal structure of the complex formed between TIMP-2 and catalytic domain of MT1-MMP was also determined (Fernandez-Catalan, C., Bode, W., Huber, R., Turk, D., Calvete, J. J., Lichte, A., Tschesche, H., and Maskos, K. (1998) EMBO J. 17, 5238-5248). However, the crystal structures of the two MMP-TIMP complexes also indicate that TIMPs have wide range contacts with the corresponding MMPs. Previously, it had been reported that chemical modification of TIMP-1 with diethyl pyrocarbonate abolishes the inhibitory activity. The modified residues are His-95, His-144 and His-164 of TIMP-1, and the modification of His-95 has been proposed to be responsible for the loss of activity (Williamson, R. A., Smith. B. J., Angal, S., and Freedman, R. B. (1993) Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1203, 147-154). However, a study based on site-directed mutagenesis has revealed that replacement of His-95 to glutamine does not affect the inhibitory activity of TIMP-1 (Williamson, R. A., Smith, B. J., Angal, S., and Freedman, R. B. (1993) Biochem. Biophys. Acta. 1203, 147-154). Furthermore, the H95Q mutant is still sensitive to the diethyl pyrocarbonate-treatment. So far, there is no explanation for the effect of diethyl pyrocarbonate on the TIMP-1 activity. Thus, the mechanism of MMP-inhibitory activity of TIMPs has been explained by the formation of complexes between TIMPs and MMPs, and the N-terminal region of TIMPs seemed to be involved in the formation of such complexes. However, the details are unknown and any methods for effectively arresting metastasis of cancer have not been obtained from the explanation of such a mechanism. An object of the present invention is to provide a novel modified TIMP. The NH2-terminal xcex1-amino group of the present TIMP is modified with an electron-accepting group to substantially lose the ability to bind to a metalloproteinase. The modified TIMP of the present invention is preferably a modified TIMP-2. In the present-invention, said electron-accepting group is preferably a carbamyl group. The present invention also provides a method of inhibiting the formation of a complex including a TIMP by adding said modified TIMP. The method may be any of in vivo, in vitro or ex vivo method. In the inhibiting method of the present invention, said-modified TIMP is preferably a modified TIMP-2 and the complex is one including MT-MMP, TIMP-2 and gelatinase A. Another object of the present invention is to provide a pharmaceutical composition comprising said modified TIMP in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is used for the inhibition of metastasis of cancer or the inhibition of vascularization. | Low | [
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The aims of this application by the Forsyth County Field Center are to recruit and examine 666 white and African American individuals selected according to the study design described in this application. The Forsyth County Field Center will contribute 500 white, and 166 African-American study participants, stratified into families with 2 or more hypertensive siblings, untreated relatives, and controls. The source population will be individuals previously examined by the Family Heart Study and the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, and their siblings. Previously collected data by these parent studies will make it convenient and efficient to identify individuals in the required categories according to hypertension status, treatment status, and availability of siblings defined according to previously reported history of hypertension. The examinations will take place at the Forsyth County Field Center, one of six field centers participating in the Network on Genetic and Interacting Determinants of Hypertension. This field center currently serves as the recruitment and examination facility for the Family Heart Study and the ARIC Study. Recruitment and examination of study participants will be carried out according to a standardized protocol, common to all Network field centers, and subject to the quality control procedures in place for the Network as a whole to ensure that data can be appropriately pooled. Analytic methods will cover genetic association and model-free sibship linkage with adequate statistical power to detect specific genetic loci which promote hypertension, for the African American and non-black populations inducted in this Network. Epidemiologic analyses will follow, to identify gene-environment interaction in sub- populations with, and without confirmed genes for hypertension in relation to specific lifestyle factors putatively associated with the likelihood of expression of genetic predispositions to hypertension. | Mid | [
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1. Introduction {#sec1-materials-13-01413} =============== Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) is widely used to study the properties of matter at the highest spatial resolution. There is a wide body of literature that reports on the study of single nanoparticles of inorganic material, showing how fundamental subtle physical effects can be understood by TEM experiments at atomic resolution \[[@B1-materials-13-01413]\]. High-Resolution TEM (HRTEM) enables direct access to the structural properties of individual particles, correlating their structure to their behavior. This allows the comprehension of matter at the atomic level and the development of new materials for a huge variety of applications \[[@B2-materials-13-01413]\]. In a realistic specimen, the particles are not necessarily all equal and properly oriented, but they could have different crystalline properties, defects, or allotropic state, which deeply influence the properties of the materials system. The study of single particles enables, in a batch of nanoparticles, the distinguishing of the differences between the particles and the relevant influence on the macroscopic behavior of the nanostructured material. In the case of radiation-sensitive material, standard HRTEM approaches on single particles could fail, due to the damage induced by the high-energy electrons on the specimen. This is a big issue for biologic materials \[[@B3-materials-13-01413]\]. Moreover, in pharmacy, TEM study of single nanocrystalline salt drugs, which are organic-like material consisting of low atomic number atoms tied with weak chemical bonds, cannot be performed by standard HRTEM \[[@B4-materials-13-01413],[@B5-materials-13-01413]\]. In fact, radiation damage provides the main limitation to the spatial resolution of electron beam imaging or spectroscopy of organic materials \[[@B6-materials-13-01413]\]. The use of new TEM/STEM microscopes, equipped with aberration correctors and field emission cathodes, ascertains the highest spatial resolution so far achieved, but this technology can deliver a high-density of current on the specimen, making radiation damage an issue of growing importance also for inorganic materials and even metals \[[@B7-materials-13-01413]\]. As the radiation damage cannot be eliminated, there is a strong interest in finding approaches that can limit, or in some way overcome, the damage, enabling the study of the specimen at atomic resolution despite the radiation damage \[[@B8-materials-13-01413],[@B9-materials-13-01413]\]. The issue of radiation damage is not only limited to electrons, but it is common to other probes, for example, X-rays. A very recent approach, which is polarizing the X-ray scientific community, is the so-called diffract-and-destroy method, developed for extremely intense sources of X-rays with high-frequency pulses, such as free electron lasers (FEL) \[[@B10-materials-13-01413]\]. In this case, the scattered photons are acquired on a femtosecond time-scale, and therefore before the explosion of the illuminated ensemble of molecules. Unfortunately, this approach cannot be straightforwardly extended to the case of electrons in a TEM, due to the peculiarity of electrons as charged particles and the relevant Boersch effect \[[@B9-materials-13-01413],[@B11-materials-13-01413]\]. The radiation damage depends strongly on the specimen nature. Indeed, in a very schematic description, the knock-on damage is the main issue in conducting materials, whereas the ionization damage, and the related radiolysis, is the main issue in case of semiconducting or insulating inorganic materials and for all organic or organic-like matter. The knock-on damage is due to the deflection of the primary electrons by the electrostatic field of the nuclei of the specimen. For deflection angles up to 100 mrad, this scattering is considered elastic, to a good approximation, as the energy transferred to the specimen nucleus is below 0.1 eV. For angles of deflection higher than 100 mrad, this event can cause an energy transfer from the incident electron to the nuclei of the specimen of several eV, producing sputtering of the atoms from the specimen surface. For energy transfer of tens of eV, the atoms are displaced in the specimen, forming crystal defects \[[@B12-materials-13-01413]\]. In the case of ionization damage, known as radiolysis, the scattering considered is between electrons: the primary electrons lose part of their kinetic energy by ionizing the atoms of the specimen or exciting collective motion in the form of plasmons, which involves, in the case of metals, the vibration of atomic nuclei, but not their permanent displacements \[[@B6-materials-13-01413]\]. In the case of insulating or semi-insulating materials, the energy loss by the primary electrons produces holes that are not rapidly recombined, as they are in metals, but could result in a stable arrangement that stores the energy loss by the primary beam in a configuration of broken bonds \[[@B6-materials-13-01413]\]. Energy of few eV is enough to break a chemical bond, whereas the ionization energy involves tens of eV, and most of this energy is dissipated by producing secondary electrons. Consequently, an electron made available from an ionization process during its lifetime can break several bonds in an organic material, producing most of the damage in this class of materials \[[@B6-materials-13-01413]\]. The breaking of the bonds produces the loss of short-range order in crystalline materials and results in the appearance of a diffused halo in the diffraction pattern. It is a common and frustrating experience, during electron diffraction experiments in a TEM on radiation-sensitive materials that, as a function of the irradiation time and dose rate, the diffracted Bragg's spots are quickly progressively faded and disappear completely, as a result of the disruption of the crystalline order. An example is shown in [Figure 1](#materials-13-01413-f001){ref-type="fig"}. [Figure 1](#materials-13-01413-f001){ref-type="fig"} shows two selected area electron diffraction patterns obtained by illuminating an area of \~10 microns in diameter of a specimen consisting of nanoparticles of a salt of Vincamine \[[@B13-materials-13-01413]\], which is an indole alkaloid used for the treatment of important neurovegetative conditions, like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases \[[@B14-materials-13-01413],[@B15-materials-13-01413]\]. The current density of the electron probe is \~300 e^−^Å^−2^s^−1^. In [Figure 1](#materials-13-01413-f001){ref-type="fig"}a, the specimen has been exposed to the electrons for 0.01 sec, whereas in [Figure 1](#materials-13-01413-f001){ref-type="fig"}b, the same area of the specimen is exposed to the electron beam for \~0.3 sec, which faded or cancelled the diffracted intensities, due to the damage of the crystalline structure. As reported by Egerton \[[@B6-materials-13-01413]\], the radiation damage is of particular concern in electron microscopy because of the need of high spatial resolution. Otherwise, we could simply defocus the incident beam and spread the damage over a large volume of the specimen; the fraction of the broken bonds would then become small and the radiation damage would cease to be a problem. It is therefore rather evident that imaging of single particle, in a specimen like the one shown in [Figure 1](#materials-13-01413-f001){ref-type="fig"}, is quite cumbersome. Imaging can become impossible if we aim to look for a specific particle of interest before acquiring the atomic resolution HRTEM image. Indeed, the limit imposed by the radiation damage is particularly evident in the case of atomic resolution TEM study of nanoclusters, where when the beam is focused onto a beam sensitive particle, it can rapidly cause the disappearance of the crystalline order and, furthermore, the effect of charging could even produce a Coulomb explosion creating a hole in the eventual supporting film used for TEM observation. Therefore, especially in the case of a specimen consisting of nanoparticles, where the interest is to study the properties of single particles, before acquiring an atomic resolution HRTEM image, we need to find the particle suitable for the experiment. A suitable particle is defined as a particle properly oriented with respect to the electron beam to distinguish between eventual different crystal polytypes and orientation. The HRTEM image contrast is due mainly to the elastic scattering between the electrons and the nuclei of the atoms of the specimen \[[@B2-materials-13-01413]\]. Unfortunately, organic particles consist of low atomic number atoms, which have a relatively low elastic scattering power \[[@B2-materials-13-01413]\], and therefore a relatively high density of current is necessary to distinguish the particle with respect to the supporting film. Nevertheless, once the candidate particle is found, we need to evaluate the relevant diffraction pattern to check the proper orientation, therefore we need to wait until the eventual specimen holder drift is stopped and only at this point, after focusing, we can acquire the HRTEM image. Indeed, in the case of radiation-sensitive materials, we cannot even detect the particle by standard specimen survey conditions without destroying the particle itself or its eventual crystalline order. For example, in the case of radiation-sensitive polymers, to avoid quick degradation of the material, the electron current density threshold should be between 0.1 to 10 e^−^Å^−2^s^−1^ \[[@B16-materials-13-01413]\]. In these conditions, if we are looking for a particle in a TEM specimen with a low density of nanoparticles, we do not have enough image contrast to distinguish between the nanoparticle itself and the supporting carbon film. It is, therefore, important for a successful atomic resolution low-dose HRTEM experiment on radiation-sensitive specimen, to find an approach that enables the detection of an isolated particle, to check its crystallinity and orientation with respect to the electron beam, to check the specimen holder drift to enable atomic resolution imaging, and to adjust the electron optical conditions prior to low dose and low dose rate HRTEM acquisition, all by using an electron density of current between 0.1 to 10 e^−^Å^−2^s^−1^. The use of expediencies to reduce the radiation damage in some classes of materials can be applied; this is the case, for example, in the use of a conducting coating on inorganic insulators to reduce the effect of radiolysis, the use of energy primary beam as low as 60 KeV to avoid the knock-on damage in many materials, or the use of low dose rate to enable the specimen recovery of knock-on damage in some classes of materials. There exists extensive literature on where these expediencies are considered and their effectiveness is discussed \[[@B6-materials-13-01413],[@B9-materials-13-01413],[@B17-materials-13-01413],[@B18-materials-13-01413],[@B19-materials-13-01413],[@B20-materials-13-01413]\]. In organic materials and soft matter, a particular role is played by the use of low temperature to reduce the effect of radiolysis. In fact, for a long time, it has been recognized that the use of cryogenic temperature reduces the appearance of the effect of radiolysis in TEM images of proteins \[[@B21-materials-13-01413],[@B22-materials-13-01413]\]. Nevertheless, the use of cryogenic temperature still needs the use of an extremely low dose of electrons, and this results in TEM images with extremely low contrast, where in some cases, the presence of a single particle in an electron micrograph can be hardly distinguished \[[@B21-materials-13-01413]\]. Actually, the effect of cryogenic temperature does not influence the ionization cross section, but reduces the desorption and the movement of the molecular fragments, whose bonds have been broken by the primary and secondary electrons. For example, at liquid nitrogen temperature, the density of electrons to image quite safely a protein has to be ≤5 e^−^Å^−2^, whereas at the liquid helium temperature, it has to be ≤ 20 e^−^Å^−2^ \[[@B21-materials-13-01413]\]. This is why nowadays the approach, which is revolutionizing the structural biology in TEM, is the cryo-EM, which is a method that enables the study of proteins that cannot be easily crystallized for study by X-ray crystallography, for example, the membrane proteins. The word "cryo" denotes that this method is performed at cryogenic temperature. The development of this approach earned the authors the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry \[[@B23-materials-13-01413]\]. Cryo-EM was actually established as method decades ago and requires the acquisition of thousands of low dose images from a specimen consisting of identical particles. The images are then processed by sophisticated software that produces a tridimensional model of the particle. Note that cryo-EM is not a true imaging approach, and the resulting structural model needs to be validated by well-controlled protocols, whose development is still in progress with dedicated task forces. The validation of structural models is a field where there is a strong research activity, and the number of structures solved by cryo-EM is growing fast \[[@B24-materials-13-01413]\]. The biggest success in the last years of cryo-EM is due to some particular technological advances that represent a turning point in the results achievable by cryo-EM, producing the so-called "Resolution Revolution" \[[@B25-materials-13-01413]\]. One key technological advance for the practical use of cryo-EM has been the development of direct conversion detectors to acquire the electron images with much better performances for the same low dose of electrons \[[@B26-materials-13-01413],[@B27-materials-13-01413]\]. The other key point has been the development of capacity of calculus, which was hard to conceive when the basics of cryo-EM were proposed. These aspects were underlined by Richard Henderson during his Nobel Prize acceptance speech. It is worthwhile to remark once again, that the result of a so-called single-particle imaging by cryo-EM, is not a true single particle imaging at all, as it uses the images of thousands of particles, assumed as identical, to produce a 3-D model of the macromolecule. This reconstruction is, in any case, achieved at a spatial resolution worse than the one allowed by the electron optics, and related to the statistics of the particles imaged and also to the accuracy of the starting model of the particle to be imaged. Here, we report on the use of in-line holography in TEM to perform true single-particle atomic resolution imaging of soft matter and biologic nanoparticles, believed not accessible by high-energy atomic resolution TEM experiments. In the reported studies, the experiments were successfully performed at room temperature using 200 KeV electrons. In-line holography is used to survey the specimen, to find suitable isolated particles, and to tune the experimental conditions to enable a reliable quantitative atomic resolution imaging experiment on radiation-sensitive materials. This approach enables to acquire safely low dose and low dose rate HRTEM images from radiation-sensitive materials, gathering information in analogy with the well-established methodology used in materials science on specimens robust to electron irradiation. 2. Methods {#sec2-materials-13-01413} ========== The imaging and analysis performances of a TEM, reported by the manufactures, have meaning only if the numbers of electrons "*N*", measured within each spatial resolution element, have a statistical significance. The radiation damage limits the number of electrons for each resolution element of size *δ* and, therefore, is directly correlated to the resolution \[[@B28-materials-13-01413],[@B29-materials-13-01413]\]. If *D~c~* is the critical electron dose that the specimen region δ can tolerate without damage then $$N = F{(\frac{D_{c}}{e})}\delta^{2}$$ where "*e*" is the electron charge and *F* is the fraction of electrons reaching the detector. The image contrast C, between the recorded pixel and its neighbors containing N~b~ electrons, is defined as $$C = \left( {N~–~N_{b}} \right)/N_{b} = \Delta N/N_{b}$$ (C is negative in the case of absorption contrast). The signal to noise ratio (SNR) is:$$\left( {SNR} \right) = \sqrt{\left( {DQE} \right)}\left( {{\mathsf{\Delta}N}/N_{shot}} \right)$$ where DQE is the detective quantum efficiency, which is a measure of the noise introduced by the detector, and $N_{shot} = \sqrt{N + N_{b}}$, according to Poisson's statistics. Therefore, from Equations (1)--(3), the size of δ depends linearly on the SNR. The dose-limited resolution is thus $$\delta = \frac{\left( {SNR} \right)}{\sqrt{\left( {DQE} \right)}}\frac{\sqrt{2}}{\left| C \right|}\frac{1}{\sqrt{FD_{c}/e}}$$ Equation (4) gives analytical evidence, in the approximation of weak contrast \[[@B30-materials-13-01413]\], of the role of the radiation damage on the resolution. It is worthwhile to mark the role of *F*, which makes bright-field imaging intrinsically less efficient than phase contrast in terms of radiation damage limited resolution \[[@B29-materials-13-01413]\], irrespective to the peculiar features of the two imaging methods. Moreover, the role of DQE should be noted, as it is the reason why, in the last years after the introduction of direct conversion detectors with better DQE, we are observing a fast growth of microscopes equipped with direct conversion devices especially on the instruments dedicated to cryo-EM, but not limited to them. The Rose's criterion states that, to distinguish two adjacent elements in an image, the SNR has to be at least 5 \[[@B31-materials-13-01413]\]. From Equation (4) and considering *F* = 1, for HRTEM, and a perfect detector, resulting in DQE = 1 $$\delta = {({5\frac{\sqrt{2}}{\left| C \right|}})}\sqrt{\frac{e}{D_{c}}}$$ According to this equation, we can estimate the resolution limit for a polymer with a reasonable *D~c~* of 0.01 C/cm^2^. Considering a contrast of 20% (C = 0.2) it results δ\~1 nm \[[@B32-materials-13-01413]\]. The high sensitivity of some classes of materials, like polymers, nanodrugs, or biologic matter, limits the resolution in an imaging experiment, due to the need to use low dose of electrons. Furthermore, these materials have a relatively small cross section for elastic scattering with electrons resulting in a poor image contrast. This makes it impossible to perform an experiment of atomic resolution imaging on single radiation-sensitive nanoparticle, as its intrinsic low scattering power, together with the fast damage, limits the particle visibility and the tuning of the electron optical conditions for quantitative imaging before its damage. An example is shown in [Figure 1](#materials-13-01413-f001){ref-type="fig"}. Indeed, by using standard survey methods, like bright-field or HRTEM, to find the particles suitable for quantitative atomic resolution imaging experiments, we are groping in the dark looking for where the representative nanoparticles are. Highly defocused electron probe coupled to strong defocus of the objective lens, or eventual future dedicated phase plates with improved stability with respect to charging effect and contaminations \[[@B33-materials-13-01413]\] could help to increase the contrast in the sample survey to detect the nanoparticles. Nevertheless, once the particle has been seen, we still do not have any clue of its crystallinity and orientation, and in the time necessary to put in focus the objective lens and to stabilize the eventual drift for an atomic resolution image, the particle would have been destroyed or, at least, it would be no longer representative of the pristine particle. The use of an in-line hologram could overcome these difficulties as it provides high contrast evidence of the nanoparticle, even if it is composed of light chemical elements, while providing clues on its crystalline status and on the electron optical conditions. All this required using density of electron current of \<1 e^−^Å^−2^s^−1^. In-line electron holography was proposed in 1948 by Dennis Gabor for overcoming the limitation related to electron lens aberrations \[[@B34-materials-13-01413]\], and his idea was awarded in 1971 by the Nobel prize in physics. The in-line hologram formation is schematized in [Figure 2](#materials-13-01413-f002){ref-type="fig"}. Electron holography in TEM historically followed, for its application in physics, biology, and materials science, mostly another experimental configuration called off-axis holography, which requires a reference wave field obtained by splitting the illuminating wave field before the interaction with the specimen by using, in most of the cases, an electron biprism \[[@B35-materials-13-01413]\]. The reference is then used to recover the wave field after the scattering with the specimen. The introduction of the off-axis holography is related to practical reasons for quantitative applications of the holography to overcome the "twin image problem" related to the original proposal of Gabor \[[@B36-materials-13-01413],[@B37-materials-13-01413],[@B38-materials-13-01413],[@B39-materials-13-01413]\]. Although for many years after its proposal in-line holography was not used for quantitative imaging, this experimental configuration is well known, for example, to all those electron microscopists involved in convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED) or scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Indeed, this approach was used, for example, as a visual aid in CBED to follow the movement of the specimen in the direct space (shadow image) while observing the diffraction pattern in the reciprocal space during tilting for accurate specimen orientation with respect to the electron beam \[[@B40-materials-13-01413]\]; or in STEM, to accurately tune the microscope illumination lenses alignment necessary for accurate quantitative experiments. In-line holograms are also used for lens aberrations measurements and corrections \[[@B41-materials-13-01413]\], for accurate focusing \[[@B42-materials-13-01413]\], and for a variety of applications, as recognized in the pioneering work of J. M. Cowley \[[@B43-materials-13-01413]\]. In fact, as far as the detection of a low scattering nanoparticle concerns, the presence of the twin-image effect is an advantage as it enhances the contrast of the particle in the hologram. This feature of the in-line hologram, is here used to set up the method for the very low dose survey and to tune the electron optical set up to enable HRTEM image on single particle. It is indeed worthwhile to mark here that, recently, thanks to the advances in digital holography, and in particular in phase-shifting digital holography \[[@B44-materials-13-01413]\], the "twin image problem" has been successfully overcome, enabling an in-line hologram reconstruction free from twin-image disturbance, and therefore making feasible the retrieval of the relevant intensity and phase distribution \[[@B45-materials-13-01413]\], establishing in-line holography itself as a possible quantitative approach to atomic resolution imaging. The experimental conditions in the in-line holography, and in particular the electron current density in the area of interest, can be readily changed by simply acting on the microscope illumination conditions, and therefore in-line holograms can be formed and observed in the reciprocal space varying the density of the electrons on the specimen to extremely low value, but still effective to detect the shadow image of the particles and, at the same time, looking at diffraction coming from the illuminated area, as shown in [Figure 3](#materials-13-01413-f003){ref-type="fig"}. When the electron probe is focused above or below the specimen plane, each diffracted disc in the reciprocal plane contains a shadow image of the direct plane of the specimen. The magnification "M" of this shadow image is related to distance "u" between the focal plane and the specimen, and to the distance "v" between the specimen plane and the plane of view. From the geometric optics, M = v/u. The magnification of the image can be readily changed by changing the plane where the electron probe is focused \[[@B46-materials-13-01413]\]. The hologram in [Figure 3](#materials-13-01413-f003){ref-type="fig"} comes from an area of \~150 nm in diameter, illuminated by an electron density of \~0.1 e^−^Å^−2^. The specimen consists of vinpocetine and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and was studied at room temperature as no cooling holder was necessary, despite the extreme sensitivity of the material to the radiation damage. The electron energy was 200 KeV. The low dose of electrons enables surveying of the sample finding an area suitable for atomic resolution imaging with no detectable degradation of the particles. The size of the circular area in the diffractogram is related to the size of the used condenser aperture, whereas the magnification of the particles and their contrast are related to the illumination condition and in particular to the spatial coherence of the probe \[[@B47-materials-13-01413]\]. In the circular area in the central part of [Figure 3](#materials-13-01413-f003){ref-type="fig"}, the presence of spherical particles of vinpocetine and filaments of polyvinylpyrrolidone is clearly detectable in the shadow image, despite the low intensity of the electron probe and the low atomic number of the atoms in both vinpocetine and PVP \[[@B48-materials-13-01413],[@B49-materials-13-01413]\]. The shadow image also enables the accurate monitoring of the eventual drift of the specimen and checking when the conditions are such that an HRTEM from the particle of interest can be safely recorded with a low dose rate. In the dark area around the region selected by the condenser aperture, the sharp diffracted intensities are the signature of the crystalline nature of some of the structures in the illuminated area. The advantage of operating in the reciprocal space is evident, as the hologram contains all the information on the shape and crystal status of the particle of interest and also on the electron optical conditions, whereas the focus of the objective lens, adjusted in the direct space on an area close to the area of interest before switching the electron optics to diffraction mode, remains fixed and it is recovered immediately by switching back the electron optics to conjugate the direct space to the detector. This is the optimal condition to acquiring the relevant low dose and low dose rate HRTEM image, as shown in [Figure 4](#materials-13-01413-f004){ref-type="fig"}. Indeed, in [Figure 4](#materials-13-01413-f004){ref-type="fig"}, the HRTEM image of a particle of vinpocetine together with the relevant diffractogram is shown. The density of electrons to image the particle is \~100 e^−^Å^−2^. The lattice contrast in the particle is rather sharp indicating a high degree of crystal order, as also confirmed by the relevant diffractogram. Note that the experiment was performed at room temperature by using a JEOL 2010 FEG UHR TEM/STEM (Jeol ltd., Tokyo, Japan) operated at 200 kV. The FEG cathode enables to illuminate the specimen by a highly coherent probe of electrons, whereas the Cs = (0.47 ± 0.01) mm of the objective lens provides an interpretable spatial resolution at optimum defocus for HRTEM of 0.19 nm \[[@B2-materials-13-01413]\]. The equipment was operated in free lens control to finely tune the illumination conditions \[[@B4-materials-13-01413],[@B5-materials-13-01413]\]. The beam current was measured by Faraday's cup. This equipment and the above reported experimental conditions were used for a variety of successful experiments on radiation-sensitive materials, and some of these experiments are discussed in the next paragraph. 3. Results and Discussion {#sec3-materials-13-01413} ========================= The method for atomic resolution imaging of radiation-sensitive materials by in-line holography coupled to HRTEM has been extensively applied, in our laboratory, to drug salts, but also to biologic samples, enabling the achieving of atomic resolution imaging despite the use of primary electrons of 200 KeV and specimen at room temperature \[[@B4-materials-13-01413],[@B5-materials-13-01413]\]. The results shown in this paragraph focus on the low dose and low dose rate HRTEM experiments, giving significant atomic resolution insights of the nanoparticles of radiation-sensitive matter, however note that the HRTEM experiments follow the in-line holography survey of the specimen and the procedures, described in the methods section, necessary for accurate survey, electron optical tuning, and low-dose HRTEM experiments at low dose rate. In the following, the results on vincamine nanoparticles ([Section 3.1](#sec3dot1-materials-13-01413){ref-type="sec"}), co-crystals nanoparticles of caffeine and glutaric acid ([Section 3.2](#sec3dot2-materials-13-01413){ref-type="sec"}), and nanoparticles of ferrihydrite bound to creatinine particles ([Section 3.3](#sec3dot3-materials-13-01413){ref-type="sec"}) are reported. 3.1. Vincamine {#sec3dot1-materials-13-01413} -------------- Here, the in-line holography method was applied to the study of the nanoparticles of vincamine citrate as obtained by "solid-excipient assisted mechanochemical salification". The aim was to correlate the enhancement of solubilization kinetics of ball-milled vincamine citrate with respect to the vincamine citrate obtained by classical synthetic routes and, more generally, to understand the structural origin of the different features of this drug obtained by different methods of synthesis \[[@B4-materials-13-01413]\]. The analysis of single particles repeated on hundreds of particles, within the limit of a statistical analysis by HRTEM experiments, enables acquiring information on the different crystallographic properties related to the differences in the material preparation. Moreover, this leads to a better understanding of the results of the X-ray diffraction pattern measurements, as far as the peak broadening is concerned, and photoelectron spectroscopy experiments performed on the same specimens \[[@B4-materials-13-01413]\]. The HRTEM images in [Figure 5](#materials-13-01413-f005){ref-type="fig"} and [Figure 6](#materials-13-01413-f006){ref-type="fig"}, with the relevant diffractograms, were obtained by exposing the particles to a parallel electron beam and illuminating a relatively large area, of \~100 nm in diameter, of the specimen around the particle of interest. The density of electrons in the illuminated areas was of \~100 e^−^Å^−2^ and no evidence of electron-induced damage was detected. It is worthwhile to remark that during these kinds of experiments, we noticed the role of the dose rate on the particle damage, namely, low dose rate has relatively little effect on the particles damage \[[@B50-materials-13-01413]\], at the same total dose delivered, as the structure has the time to recover the damage between different collisions events and in images series at low dose rate the particles can maintain their pristine structure \[[@B51-materials-13-01413],[@B52-materials-13-01413]\]. During the in-line holography survey with low density of electron current, typically between 0.1 and 10 e^−^Å^−2^s^−1^, the features of the diffracted spots remained unchanged for tens of seconds but, if the density of electron current is increased, by changing the excitation of the condenser lens in a range of 10^2^ to 10^3^ e^−^Å^−2^s^−1^, the diffracted spots become immediately faded and disappear. [Figure 5](#materials-13-01413-f005){ref-type="fig"} shows a particle of vincamine oriented along a high symmetry zone axis, in the relevant diffractogram the spots correspond to a lattice spacing of (0.20 ± 0.01) nm, which is a typical value for many polytypes of vincamine. The experiments show that about 10% of the observed particles have a crystalline nature, whereas in the remaining cases, the particles are amorphous. In the case of the crystalline particles, the availability of measurable symmetries in the diffractogram enables not only to measure the lattice spacing but also to compare the experimental symmetries with those simulated by using the known allotropic states of Vincamine. This results in a higher accuracy in the relative measurement of spacing in the same diffractogram. As a result, the comparison between the experimental diffractograms and the simulated ones indicates a deformation of the crystal cell possibly due to the synthesis process in the presence of solid excipients \[[@B4-materials-13-01413]\]. The use of low dose rate during the acquisition of the HRTEM images enables to detect and study the extended structural defects in the pristine nanoparticles. This was done, for example, as shown in [Figure 6](#materials-13-01413-f006){ref-type="fig"}, where a stacking fault, approximately in the middle of the nanoparticle, is detectable in the lattice fringes contrast, and it is reflected in the splitting of the relevant spots in the diffractogram on the right of the figure. In the diffractogram, the split concerns two couples of intensities corresponding to a spacing of (0.30 ± 0.01) nm, whereas the remaining couple of diffracted beams are due to a spacing of (0.32 ± 0.01) nm. The presence of extended defects in the structure of crystalline vincamine is related to the mechanochemistry process used for its synthesis, and it is at the origin of the broadening of the peaks in the relevant XRD measurements \[[@B4-materials-13-01413]\]. 3.2. Caffeine/Glutaric Acid Co-Crystals {#sec3dot2-materials-13-01413} --------------------------------------- The in-line holography-based approach was applied here to the study of co-crystallization in nanoparticles, used in the design of a supramolecular structure with desired functional properties. Indeed, a co-crystal is a solid having two or three different molecules in the crystal structure and, therefore, it is particularly attractive for the application in engineering of composition of pharmaceutical phases \[[@B53-materials-13-01413]\]. For example, a molecule active against a particular disease can be associated in the same crystal cell of another drug, which is capable to reach a particular target or it is capable to overcome the cell barriers. On the other hand, co-crystals can easily exhibit polymorphism that can have deep influence on the properties of a drug, as demonstrated by the case of the anti-HIV drug ritonavir \[[@B54-materials-13-01413]\]. Single-particle studies by TEM in-line holography-based atomic resolution imaging have the possibility to access the crystal properties of individual nanoparticle of the drug, revealing the polytype and the influence of the synthesis process in controlling polymorphism phenomena \[[@B5-materials-13-01413]\]. The mechanochemical co-crystallization reaction in polymer-assisted grinding represents a well-controlled approach to the co-crystallization process, but it needs an appropriate understanding of the influence of polymer structure and polarity, together with the grinding conditions, on the synthesis results and, therefore, on the polytypes synthetized \[[@B55-materials-13-01413]\]. Caffeine (CAF) and glutaric acid (GLA) represent an ideal case study for the understanding of the co-crystallization process \[[@B5-materials-13-01413]\]; in particular, as solid excipient, ethylene glycol polymer chains of variable length and polarity were used. An in-line hologram of caffeine-glutaric acid (CAF-GLA) co-crystals is shown in [Figure 7](#materials-13-01413-f007){ref-type="fig"}. TEM specimens were prepared dispersing the pristine powders on a copper grid previously covered by an amorphous carbon film, avoiding any pre-dispersion in liquid to prevent their possible modification. The aim is to have a low density of pristine nanoparticles on the copper grid to avoid accidental modification of the particle structure in the area illuminated by the electron beam, but not in the field of view of the microscopist and not under his direct monitoring. The in-line hologram in [Figure 7](#materials-13-01413-f007){ref-type="fig"} is acquired in diffraction mode and shows few nanoparticles of \~10 nm in diameter, with high contrast in a field of view of \~500 nm. The density of electrons in the in-line hologram is \~1.2 e^−^Å^−2^. The low density of particles, on one hand, reduces the possibility of artifacts but, on the other hand, requires frequent and relatively wide movements of the specimen holder, with relevant specimen drift, to locate the particles and to put them properly in the field of view. It is therefore important to have an extremely low-dose approach, like the in-line hologram with defocused illumination, to check also the specimen drift until it stops, before switching the electron optical conditions to an intrinsically higher dose mode in the direct space HRTEM imaging, for an appropriate low dose exposure time. [Figure 8](#materials-13-01413-f008){ref-type="fig"} summarizes the atomic resolution information gained from one particle. The particle in [Figure 8](#materials-13-01413-f008){ref-type="fig"} was synthetized by using a chain of polyethylene glycol of 1000 monomers as solid excipient. [Figure 8](#materials-13-01413-f008){ref-type="fig"}c shows the HRTEM zoom on a nanoparticle oriented along a high symmetry zone axis, whose diffractogram in the area pointed by the arrow is shown in [Figure 8](#materials-13-01413-f008){ref-type="fig"}b. The identification of the polytype can be univocally performed by comparing the experimental results with the simulations performed by using the Crystallographic Information File (CIF) available for the different polytypes of CAF-GLA system in the crystallography open database. The simulations here were performed by JEMS \[[@B56-materials-13-01413]\]. In particular, the particle in [Figure 8](#materials-13-01413-f008){ref-type="fig"} is a polytype I CAF-GLA oriented along the \[−2, 0, 1\] zone axis. The same approach was applied to the particle in [Figure 9](#materials-13-01413-f009){ref-type="fig"}. In the latter case, the particle belongs to the polytype II of CAF-GLA system and the relevant diffractogram shows that the particle is oriented along the \[2, −4, 3\] zone axis with respect to the primary electron beam. These kinds of experiments enable the study of the crystallography and the morphologic properties of individual pristine particles addressing the role of the synthesis conditions on the structure and the properties of the CAF-GLA co-crystals \[[@B5-materials-13-01413]\]. This approach enables the application of well-known and powerful electron microscopy methods, developed in materials science for materials robust to the radiation damage, to radiation-sensitive single particles. 3.3. Creatinine-Ferrihydrite Nanoparticles {#sec3dot3-materials-13-01413} ------------------------------------------ In this last example of applications, the in-line holography-based atomic resolution imaging approach was applied to biologic traces of creatinine bound to ferrihydrate, which can be present in the bloodstream of patients suffering from acute kidney disease \[[@B57-materials-13-01413]\]. The pristine particles were placed on a copper grid and inserted in the high vacuum of the TEM specimen chamber without any pretreatment, like staining or similar procedures, usually employed on biologic specimens to increase the image contrast, or coating with carbon or metals, to prevent the charging effect and to partially protect the specimen from the electron irradiation. The experiments were performed at room temperature at an acceleration voltage of 200 kV. [Figure 10](#materials-13-01413-f010){ref-type="fig"}a shows the in-line hologram as acquired, in diffraction mode, from a group of particles. The dark part on the left of [Figure 10](#materials-13-01413-f010){ref-type="fig"}a is due to the mesh of the copper grid. The density of electron current is \~0.5 e^−^Å^−2^s^−1^, and the illuminated area is \~3.5 micron in diameter. Note that most of the particles visible in the in-line hologram show the evidence of some substructures. The origin of these substructures can be immediately recognized from the low magnification HRTEM image in [Figure 10](#materials-13-01413-f010){ref-type="fig"}b, acquired on one of the particles visible in [Figure 10](#materials-13-01413-f010){ref-type="fig"}a, where dark small particles appear embedded within the big one. The morphology, the size, and the contrast of the particle in [Figure 10](#materials-13-01413-f010){ref-type="fig"}b are similar to those of globular protein of ferritin \[[@B58-materials-13-01413]\], but a further investigation rules this interpretation out. As matter of the fact, the structure of the small dark particles, as measured from all the diffractograms, is compatible with the ferrihydrite of the ferritin, as shown, as an example, in [Figure 11](#materials-13-01413-f011){ref-type="fig"}. In this case, the experimental data and the relevant simulation, performed by considering the known crystal structure of ferrihydrite \[[@B59-materials-13-01413]\], enable to index the particle as ferrihydrate oriented along the \[4, 2, 1\] zone axis with respect to the primary electron beam. In the figure are also reported the relevant Miller's indexes together with their spacing. Nevertheless, all of the experimental data, HRTEM images, and relevant diffractograms acquired in the big particles away from the dark particles never reproduce what is simulated by using the known crystal structure of the globular protein of ferritin. Furthermore, we caution the reader that in all of our experiments we never observed the ferrihydrite fingerprint spacing at 0.25 nm. The discrepancy in the experimental data with respect to the hypothesis suggested by the morphologies and some structural data of the ferrihydrite can be understood in the light of what was reported in some studies of the interaction between ferrihydrite nanoparticles and creatinine and urea \[[@B56-materials-13-01413]\]. Note that the interaction and bonding between ferrihydrite and creatinine, or urea, is not likely to happen in the blood of a healthy organism, but could occur when some pathologic events, for example, rhabdomyolysis, determine the occurrence of the interaction of the content of the muscle cells, like ferritin, with waste substances, like urea and creatinine, contained in the blood stream. Indeed, rhabdomyolysis is a serious syndrome due to a direct or indirect muscle injury, and it results from the death of muscle fibers and release of their contents into the bloodstream. This can lead to serious complications, such as fatal renal failure, as the kidneys cannot remove waste and concentrated urine \[[@B60-materials-13-01413]\]. The studies by X-ray diffraction pattern reported in literature on the interactions between iron oxide nanoparticles and creatinine and urea show that the iron oxide fingerprint spacing at 0.25 nm is always absent when the nanoparticles of iron oxide are bound to creatinine or urea \[[@B56-materials-13-01413]\]. This evidence suggested the comparison of the experimental TEM results of the crystalline structure of the nanoparticle, like the one shown in [Figure 10](#materials-13-01413-f010){ref-type="fig"}b, away from the iron oxide dark particles ([Figure 11](#materials-13-01413-f011){ref-type="fig"}a,b), with the simulation performed starting from the known structure of creatinine and urea. The results of these comparisons show that in all the HRTEM experimental data collected, the relevant Fourier transforms are compatible with the structure of creatinine. An example is shown in [Figure 12](#materials-13-01413-f012){ref-type="fig"}. [Figure 12](#materials-13-01413-f012){ref-type="fig"}a is a HRTEM image focused on an area of the big envelope particle. Note the darker contrast due to the ferrihydrite nanoparticles and the lighter contrast due to the structure of the big particle embedding the ferrihydrite nanoparticles. [Figure 12](#materials-13-01413-f012){ref-type="fig"}b shows the lattice contrast of the HRTEM image zoomed in the region marked by the blue square in [Figure 12](#materials-13-01413-f012){ref-type="fig"}a. The relevant Fourier transform is shown in [Figure 12](#materials-13-01413-f012){ref-type="fig"}c. The latter is compared with the pattern simulated starting from the known crystallographic information file (CIF) of creatinine structure shown in [Figure 12](#materials-13-01413-f012){ref-type="fig"}d. In the latter, there are also reported the relevant Miller's indexes of the crystal planes together with the spacing. As a result of the TEM experiments and simulations, the particles present in the analyzed biological traces are therefore due to creatinine bound to ferrihydrate nanoparticles. This result helps understand that the biological traces studied by TEM could be due to the serum of an organism with a pathologic bonding of creatinine to ferrihydrite due to rhabdomyolysis. The detailed experimental data on the biologic specimen, collected at room temperature and by using the pristine material, were successfully obtained due to the capability of the in-line holography low dose approach to study a specimen by high-energy electrons despite its sensitivity to the radiation damage. The approach achieves high spatial resolution information of individual biologic particles as whole, and within their inner structure, enabling to detect eventual anisotropy within their volume. 4. Conclusions and Future Perspectives {#sec4-materials-13-01413} ====================================== Atomic resolution single-particle TEM studies of radiation-sensitive organic and inorganic matter are essential for the complete understanding of the properties of this important class of materials and therefore for the advances in biology, pharmacology, medicine, material science, physics, etc. Accurate true imaging of single particles is also a prerequisite for a successful and more reliable structural modeling by cryo-EM, providing a priori information that drives the modeling. Unfortunately, the sensitivity to radiation damage prevents a straightforward use of the powerful TEM/STEM atomic resolution methods developed for materials robust to radiation as not only the particle irradiation for the imaging acquisition itself, but all the steps necessary for a meaningful quantitative single particle imaging experiment can destroy, or at least damage, the case of interest. Here, it was established how in-line holography coupled with HRTEM enables the performing of extremely low dose experiments on radiation-sensitive nanoparticles of organic and inorganic materials, thus accessing the properties of single particles allowing the understanding of their structural properties and enabling the correlation to their performances. All of these experiments were not on specially designed specimens, but on standard specimens of pristine nanoparticles with different structure, chemistry, and morphology. This true single-particle study of radiation-sensitive matter opens new perspective in a variety of scientific disciplines. In particular, here the use of in-line holography allows setting up the electron optics to provide reliable low dose and low dose rate atomic resolution imaging, to find the particle of interest accessing immediately its crystalline status and shape, to monitor the eventual specimen drift, and to check when it stops to make atomic resolution imaging possible. All these steps delivering a safe density of current between 0.1 to 10 e^−^Å^−2^s^−1^ and monitoring the eventual structural damage. The experiments on nanoparticles of drugs and of organic materials have shown that the pristine properties of single particles of radiation-sensitive matter can be studied at atomic resolution even at room temperature by using electrons of 200 keV. The results shown so far regard the combination of in-line holography and low dose rate HRTEM to provide true atomic resolution imaging on single particle. Moreover, the recent understanding on in-line holography and digital reconstruction of in-line holograms \[[@B44-materials-13-01413],[@B45-materials-13-01413],[@B61-materials-13-01413]\] indicates a further advancement in the application of in-line holography to provide, by itself, detailed information of the atomic structure of organic molecules while delivering low dose of electrons to the specimen. These features together with the successful theoretical demonstration that tridimensional structure of organic molecules can be recovered by in-line holography from a single projection \[[@B52-materials-13-01413]\] pave the way to a new direct knowledge of the atomic structure of organic and inorganic materials by electrons in a TEM. I would like to acknowledge L. De Caro for the extensive fruitful interactions to interpret the experimental data of the creatinine--ferrihydrate system and for the help in realizing [Figure 11](#materials-13-01413-f011){ref-type="fig"} and [Figure 12](#materials-13-01413-f012){ref-type="fig"}. I would like also to thank A. Taurino for the careful reading of the paper. This work was partially supported by the NOXSS PRIN (2012Z3N9R9) project and Progetto premiale MIUR 2013 USCEF. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. ![Selected area electron diffraction patterns of a specimen consisting of nanoparticles of Vincamine; (**a**) after an exposure to the electron beam with a density of current of 300 e^−^Å^−2^s^−1^ for 0.01 sec \[[@B4-materials-13-01413]\] and (**b**) after an exposure to the same current density for 0.3 s.](materials-13-01413-g001){#materials-13-01413-f001} {#materials-13-01413-f002} ![(**a**) In line-hologram on Vinpocetine and polyvinylpyrrolidone acquired in diffraction mode. (**b**) 3D Chemical structure of polyvinylpyrrolidone (gray atoms: C; white atoms: H; red atoms: O; blue atoms: N). (**c**) Crystal cell of Vinpocetine in \[0,0,1\] zone axis.](materials-13-01413-g003){#materials-13-01413-f003} {#materials-13-01413-f004} ![Left: Low dose rate HRTEM of a particle of vincamine. Right: The relevant high symmetry diffractogram (reprinted by courtesy from Hasa et al. \[[@B4-materials-13-01413]\]).](materials-13-01413-g005){#materials-13-01413-f005} ![Left: Low dose rate HRTEM of a particle of vincamine. Right: The relevant high symmetry diffractogram. The lattice fringes in the central part of the particle and the spot splitting in the diffractogram point the presence of an extended structural defect in the crystal structure (reprinted by courtesy from Hasa et al. \[[@B4-materials-13-01413]\]).](materials-13-01413-g006){#materials-13-01413-f006} {#materials-13-01413-f007} ![Caffeine-glutaric acid (CAF-GLA) co-crystal of polytype I \[[@B5-materials-13-01413]\]. The kind of polytype of the nanoparticle is univocally determined by comparing the structure of type I, viewed along the \[−2, 0, 1\] zone axis in (**a**), with the experimental diffractogram (**b**) and the HRTEM image (**c**). The arrow points the region from which the diffractogram was extracted (reprinted by courtesy from Hasa et al. \[[@B5-materials-13-01413]\]).](materials-13-01413-g008){#materials-13-01413-f008} ![(**a**) HRTEM image of a caffeine (CAF) glutaric acid (GLA) polytype II \[[@B5-materials-13-01413]\] particle along with (**b**) the relevant diffractogram (reprinted by courtesy from Hasa et al. \[[@B5-materials-13-01413]\]).](materials-13-01413-g009){#materials-13-01413-f009} {#materials-13-01413-f010} {ref-type="fig"}; (**b**) zoom inside the blue square of panel (**a**) (false color output); (**c**) Fourier transform relevant to the zoomed area in panel (**b**); (**d**) simulation, with the Miller indexes associated to some spots and the corresponding lattice spacing. Simulations show that the pattern of panel (**c**) is compatible with the ferrihydrate in the \[4, 2, 1\] zone axis.](materials-13-01413-g011){#materials-13-01413-f011} ![(**a**) Characterization of creatinine particles; HRTEM image; (**b**) magnified view of the square region marked in (**a**); (**c**) Fourier transform of (**b**); (**d**): simulation of the diffraction pattern of creatinine in \[1, −1, 0\] zone axis with reported the lattice spacing relevant to the observed intensities. The yellow and pale-blue circles in the diffraction pattern simulation mark the correspondence with the circles around the experimental spots in panel (**c**).](materials-13-01413-g012){#materials-13-01413-f012} | Mid | [
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Sounds good. I add in an interim inflate of each of the tube chambers to about 100mbar... just a personal thing to go that extra step to looking after the baffles. Thanks for the quick reply, I just spoke to somebody on the phone who has told me to start with the port and just go round in a clockwise direction and slowly take them up to pressure port - bow - stbd and told me it doesnít matter which way the baffles go, I was under the impression that it did matter, now Iím confused haha I was led to believe the baffles are glued in with the seam on the forward side of the baffle so it was better to start at the bow and work aft. This minimised the risk of you peeling the baffle away from the tube. I would have thought this was an obvious failure route so maybe they put a seam strengthener on the other side meaning it doesn't matter from which side you inflate it. Well if you think about it the baffles are a safety design and you have no way of knowing which tube you might puncture leaving the adj ones to full pressure. So the baffles should cope with pressure from either direction. I think its fine as long as you do a variation of the gradual inflate you mention or I do. For completeness perhaps its worth mentioning that I have had two inflatable boats which must have the baffles pointing in a certain direction. The manuals with both boats clearly indicated the sequence. The Frib and an second hand Lodestar I had a few years ago. Both boats were fitted with pressure release valves which is why an inflation sequence should be followed. Example the Frib has release valves on the rear chambers. The Front chambers don’t have one fitted. The rear chamber is finally pressurized before the front chamber so the baffle is pointing forward. (still inflate all chambers in steps) In the event of the sun heat over pressurizing the boat .. the release valves operate and release pressure from the rear chambers. The Front chambers equalise pressure by moving the baffle backwards. If the front chamber was pressurised first the baffle could not move backwards so the front would not be protected. If memory serves me right,,the Lodestar had the relief valve on the front chamber .. so it had to be inflated first so that its baffles pointed into the rear chambers. I believe the Excel Vanguard range of inflatable’s also have a pressure relief valve in the front chamber similar to the Lodestar.. (although I may be wrong in thinking that) ..but their website advertises they do. If so..it will also matter on the sequence of inflation. So beware if your boat is fitted with pressure release valves. it matters which way the baffle points for the release valve to protect all chambers | Mid | [
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Fine sequence analysis of 60 kb around the Arabidopsis thaliana AtEm1 locus on chromosome III. The Arabidopsis thaliana Em1 gene has been mapped to the lower arm of chromosome III. Fine analysis of 60 kb around this gene, based largely on identification and sequencing of cognate cDNAs, has allowed us to identify 15 genes or putative genes. Cognate cDNAs exist for ten of these genes, indicating that they are effectively expressed. Analysis by sequence alignment and intracellular localization prediction programs allows attribution of a potential protein product to these genes which show no obvious functional relationship. Comparison of the true exon/intron structure based on cDNA sequences with that proposed by three commonly used prediction programs shows that, in the absence of further information, the results of these predictions on anonymous genomic sequences should be interpreted with caution. Examination of the non-coding sequence showed the presence of a novel repeated, palindromic element. The results of this detailed analysis show that in-depth studies will be necessary to exploit correctly the complete A. thaliana genome sequence. | High | [
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Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pedro de Macorís The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Pedro de Macorís () (erected 1 February 1997) is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo. Ordinaries Francisco Ozoria Acosta (1997 – 2016), appointed Archbishop of Santo Domingo Santiago Rodríguez Rodríguez (2017 - ) External links and references Category:San Pedro de Macorís San Pedro de Macoris San Pedro de Macoris San Pedro de Macoris San Pedro de Macoris, Roman Catholic Diocese of | Mid | [
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In hot-sections of gas turbines and other heat engines, high temperature protective coatings are necessary to protect engine components and improve engine reliability. Alloyed metallic coatings that form protective, slow growing oxide scales such as alumina (Al2O3) and chromia (Cr2O3) have been designed and used as oxidation and corrosion resistant coatings, thus enabling load-bearing components to exhibit extended service lives due to the prevention of fast oxidation and corrosion degradations occurring under high temperature, oxidation and thermal cycling conditions. However, these metallic coatings have a limited temperature capability, with most applications limited to less than 1000° C. Thus large amounts of cooling air are required to reduce component temperatures, even under moderate engine operating temperatures, and engine performance and efficiency are severely limited due to component temperature capability. In order to increase the temperature capability of engine components, thermal barrier coatings have been developed and applied to component surfaces. Thermal barrier coatings are thin ceramic layers, generally applied by plasma-spraying or physical vapor deposition techniques, used to insulate air-cooled metallic components from high temperature gases. Such coatings are useful in protecting and extending the service life of metallic and ceramic components exposed to high temperatures, such as jet engine turbine blades, vanes and combustors. Thermal barrier coatings comprised of zirconia-yttria (ZrO2—Y2O3) are well known in the art, wherein yttria typically is present from 7 to 9 weight percent (wt %) (4 to 5 molar percent), and have been widely used in more advanced engine systems. These coatings are typically applied using plasma-spraying or physical vapor deposition in which melted ceramic particles or vaporized ceramic clouds are deposited onto the surface of the component to be protected. Thermal barrier coatings are designed to be porous, with overall porosities generally in the range of 5 to 20%. The porosity serves to reduce the coatings thermal conductivity below the intrinsic conductivity of the dense zirconia-yttria ceramic, and thus retards the flow of heat from the hot gases to the underlying component surface. As operating temperatures continue to increase, current zirconia-yttria coating conductivities (approximately 2.5 W/m-K) are not acceptable (i.e. too high) for future high performance, low emission turbine engines currently under development. Moreover, the phase and microstructural stability of the current zirconia-yttria coatings remain a significant issue. For example, the destabilization of the zirconia-yttria phases starting at temperatures ranging between 1200-1300° C. may result in the coatings premature spallation. Furthermore, phase destabilization aids in the sintering of a zirconia-yttria coating during high temperature service, thereby decreasing porosity, increasing thermal conductivity and reducing the coatings effectiveness. In summary, the coating and component durability are adversely impacted by the degradation of the coating phase structure and properties associated with higher temperature aging effects. Thus, an improved thermal barrier coating is required for advanced engine applications. | High | [
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Pre-registration is required for PDGA Major & NationalTour events and strongly suggested for all other tierevents. Posting of the pre-registration list on pdga.com is requiredfor Major & National Tour events (see sanctioningagreement for details) and strongly suggested for alltier events. Pre tournament check-in is required for Major & NationalTour events and suggested for all other tier events. All players at PDGA National Tour and Major events arerequired to be available to any and all media while on siteexcept during or within 30 minutes of the start of acompetitive round. The following dress code for all competitors will beenforced at all PDGA National Tour and Major Events. ThePDGA also recommends that this dress code be enforcedat Super Tour and lower tier events, but this decision liessolely with the Tournament Director:(1) All players in PDGA sanctioned competition andtournament staff are expected to dress appropriatelyand to maintain a clean and well-groomed appearanceat all event sites and associated functions.(2) All players must wear a shirt covering their upperchest area. A well-tailored shirt with a fold-down,mock turtle, v-neck, crew neck, Henley, or zipperedcollar, and with sleeves covering the part of the armfrom the shoulder to the elbow (commonly known asthe upper arm), shall be considered acceptable.Women are also allowed to wear sleeveless shirts asdesignated above.(3) No tee shirts will be allowed, except for competitors inthe Junior and Amateur divisions during preliminaryrounds only. Juniors and Amateurs shall not wear teeshirts during semifinal or final rounds. Crew neck orV-neck shirts made of high-performance or high-techmaterials, such as Dry-Fit, Cool-Max, and others willbe allowed.(4) Shirts that hang down lower than the bottom hemlineon the player’s shorts shall be tucked in.(5) No ripped shirts, shorts, pants will be allowed on thecourse. This includes unhemmed, torn or cut “vents”at the shirt collar.(6) No offensive, profane, or obscene slogans or logosshall be allowed on any clothing. Junior players maynot wear slogans or logos referring to alcohol ortobacco.(7) This dress code will be in effect from start to finish ateach event, including all tournament rounds.(8) Players who do not make a cut, but wish to remain onsite through the duration of the tournament, will beconsidered spectators and will not be required toconform to the Tour’s dress code. Current PDGA Membership is required to compete in anyMajor, National Tour, or SuperTour (A Tier) event. all that sounds good. i think what i was worried about is if there were any ratings requirements or points accumulation requirements to enter one. but it looks like you just have to sign up early and dress nice - that can be done! The US Masters is for Am and Pro male and female players who turn 40 or older in 2009. No youngsters. I'm sure the info is a little slow in coming this year because the regular TD, TIm Selinske has a cancer battle on his hands. Here are results from last year so you can see the divisions offered:http://www.pdga.com/tournament-results? ... 77#Masters | Mid | [
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Making Light Issue 66 March 2010 The jokes of school days seemed far away when Mark lost everything, but the enduring friendship of Mumtaz proved a lifeline. Mumtaz I met Mark 25 years ago, when he was a regular customer at my dad’s shop in South London. My first impression of him was ‘this guy can talk; he’s like a radio!’ I was only a school boy when we met – Mark was older and in college. I’d tease him by saying something or another and he’d chase me around the shop – it was this kind of playful humour that made us get along instantly. After Mark got married and moved away to Malaysia, we drifted apart but whenever he came back to London, the first place he would come to was the shop that I was now running. It was 15 years later, when Mark moved back to London, that our relationship developed the way it first began. Our personalities are very similar; we both love joking around and just having a laugh but at the same time we can spend hours discussing more intense things like religion; although religion is something we differ on -me being a Muslim and Mark a devout Christian. He’s now become an Assistant Pastor at his church but we’ve always respected each other’s individual beliefs. Our backgrounds most definitely differ. I was never interested in education as a child, as I wanted to work and own my own business like my dad, whereas Mark has always been interested in education and wanted to further his studies. Yet we find common ground in the fact that we are both hard working and committed. Over the years we have been through a lot together. I remember when Mark suffered a heart attack –it was such a difficult time. I remember taking him to the hospital; the doctors rushed around and connected him to all sorts of machines. Given this was his third heart attack, I really thought he wouldn’t make it. It was extremely difficult knowing I might lose Mark, who is like a brother to me but I knew I had to be strong for him and we got through it the way we got through our entire friendship; by making light of the situation. All the experiences we have been through have strengthened our bond. Mark is always there - not only for me but for all of my family. Mark I first met Mumtaz in my local shop in South London. He used to come and help his dad out after school and on the weekends. The shop was our local hang out where all the boys would get together; a real, friendly environment. Our friendship developed the more we got to know and understand each other. Although we didn’t see much of each other when I moved to Malaysia, he was the first person I would come to see when I came back to London. We’re very similar in the sense that we like to laugh a lot and use humour as a tool to get through life. But although we share humour, we have opposing views on many things. We follow different religions and do debate a lot about our beliefs but ultimately we are people of the book and believe in the same God. We respect each other’s view and this is what keeps our friendship going. Mumtaz always says we are different as I went to university and studied and he didn’t. But he is extremely intelligent- he underestimates himself! When I had a heart attack, I was really scared I was convinced that I had reached the end of my life. The doctors asked me for my next of kin. At that time, my daughter was studying for her exams and I didn’t want to worry her, so I asked Mumtaz if I could put him down as my next of kin and he of course agreed. Mumtaz was really there for me and it was only due to his positivity and support that I got through it. What makes our relationship so strong is I can talk to Mumtaz about anything; he is my sounding board and will always advise me in the right way. There was a point when I had lost everything: from my home to my business and I didn’t have the will to live any longer. I asked Mumtaz to take care of my baby girl for me and he realised what I meant. He sat me down and spoke to me for hours. He told me to think of my daughter and her upbringing and of course, my relationship with God. He bought me back to reality and made me realise that life was a gift. To put it simply, he saved my life. If it wasn’t for his support and comfort, I wouldn’t be here today. | Mid | [
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] |
"What gives you that idea?" "You want to know the secret to surviving air travel?" "After you get where you're going, take off your shoes and socks." "Then you walk around on the rug barefoot and make fists with your toes." "Fists with your toes?" "I know." "It sounds crazy." "Trust me." "I've been doing it for nine years." "Yes, sir!" "Better than a shower and a hot cup of coffee." "OK." "It's OK." "I'm a cop." "Trust me." "I've been doing this for 11 years." "On behalf of the captain and the crew,... ..l'd like to welcome you to Los Angeles." "Have a very merry Christmas." "Flight247 to Tucson now boarding at gate 14." "Flight 247 to Tucson now boarding at gate 14." "How do you do?" "Ladies and gentlemen,..." "Ladies and gentlemen!" "I want to congratulate each and every one of you... ..for making this one of the greatest years... ..in the history of the Nakatomi Corporation." "On behalf of the Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ozu,... ..and the Board of Directors,... ..we thank you one and all... ..and wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!" "Happy New Year!" "Hey, Holly." "What about dinner tonight?" "Harry, it's Christmas Eve." "Families, stockings,..." "Chestnuts?" "Rudolph and Frosty?" "Any of these things ring a bell?" "Actually, I was thinking more of... ..mulled wine, a nice aged Brie... ..and a roaring fireplace." "You know what I'm saying?" "Ginny, it's 5.40." "Go join the party." "Have some champagne." "You're making me feel like Ebenezer Scrooge." "Thanks." "Do you think the baby can handle a little sip?" "That baby's ready to tend bar." "Last chance." "Bye." "McClane residence." "Lucy McClane speaking." "Hello, Lucy McClane." "This is your mother speaking." "Mommy!" "When are you coming home?" "Pretty soon." "You'll be in bed when I get there, though." "Let me talk to Paulina, OK, hon?" "And no snooping around the house looking for presents." "Is Daddy coming home with you?" "Well, we'll see what... ..Santa and Mommy can do, OK?" "Put Paulina on." "Bye, honey." "Paulina!" "Hola, Mrs Holly." "Um, did Mr McClane call?" "No, Mrs Holly." "No telefono." "He probably didn't have time before his flight." "It might be a good idea to make up the spare bedroom... ..just in case." "Si, Mrs Holly." "I do that already." "What would I do without you, Paulina?" "California!" "Hey, I'm John McClane." "Argyle." "I'm your limo driver." "Nice bear." "OK..." "Argyle." "What do we do now?" "I was, uh, hoping you could tell me." "It's my first time driving a limo." "That's OK." "It's my first time riding in one." "We got everything in this mug, man." "Look at this..." "CD, CB, TV,... ..telephone, full bar, VHS." "If your friend's hot to trot,... ..l know a few mama bears we can hook up with." "Or is he married?" "He's married." "OK." "Sorry about that." "It's the girl's day off." "I didn't know you were gonna sit up front." "Your lady live out here?" "About the past six months." "Meaning you still live in New York?" "You always ask this many questions, Argyle?" "Sorry." "I used to drive a cab and people would expect a little chitchat." " So, you divorced?" " Just drive the car, man." "Hey, come on." "You divorced?" "You separated?" "She beat you up!" "?" "She had a good job." "It turned into a great career." " That meant she had to move here." " You're very fast, Argyle." "So, why didn't you come?" "Why didn't you come with her?" "Because I'm a New York cop." "I got a backlog of New York scumbags I'm still trying to put behind bars." "I can'tjust go that easy." "You thought she wasn't gonna make it out here... ..and she'd come crawling back to you so why bother to pack, right?" "Like I said, you're very fast, Argyle." "Mind ifwe hear some tunes?" "Hey, that'll work." "Don't you got any Christmas music?" "This is Christmas music." "So your lady sees you, you run into each other's arms,... ..the music comes up and you live happily ever after, right?" "I can live with that." "So, if it doesn't work out, you got a place to stay?" "I'll find a place." "I tell you what..." "I'll wait in the parking garage." "You score, give me a call on the car phone." "I'll take your bags to the desk." "You strike out, I'll get you a hotel." " You're all right, Argyle." " Remember that when you sign for the tip." " Hi." " Good evening." "I'm here to see Holly McClane." "Just type it in there." "Cute toy." "Yeah, if you have to take a leak, it'll even help you find your zipper." "Christ." " Thirtieth floor?" " The party." "They're the only ones left in the building." "Take the express elevator." "Get off where you hear the noise." "Thanks." " Champagne, sir?" " Yeah, thanks." "Oh, I'm sorry." "Hey!" "Merry Christmas!" "Jesus." "Fuckin' California!" "I couldn't agree with you more." "Why don't I talk to him right now?" "Hi." "I'm looking for..." " Holly Gennero." " Yeah." "Then you must be John McClane." "Joe Takagi." "How was your ride in?" "Nice." "I have you to thank for that?" "Seemed the least we could do." " Quite a place you have here." " It will be ifwe ever get it finished." "Still several floors under construction." "Holly went to fax some documents." "She should be back any minute." "In the meanwhile, her office is back here." "Ellis?" "I was just making a call." "This was the nearest phone." "I want you to meet John McClane,... ..Holly's husband." "Holly's policeman." "Ellis is in charge of international development." "Heard a lot about you." "You missed some." "Can I get you anything?" "Food?" "Cake?" "Some watered-down champagne?" "No, thank you." "I'm fine." "You throw quite a party." "I didn't realise they celebrated Christmas in Japan." "We're flexible." "Pearl Harbor didn't work out, so we got you with tape decks." "It's sort of a double celebration." "We closed a pretty big deal today... ..and a lot of it was due to Holly." "Right, Joe?" "I'll be out in a couple of minutes." "John." "Have you met everyone?" "We've been sticking him with spears." "Of course he has." "She was made for the business." "Tough as nails." "I was hoping you made that flight." "Show him the watch." "Later." "Show him." "Are you embarrassed?" "It's just a small token of appreciation... ..for all her hard work." "It's a Rolex." "I'm sure I'll see it later." "Is there a place where I could wash up?" "Sure." "You have to forgive Ellis." "He gets very depressed this time ofyear." "He thought he was God's greatest gift, you know?" "I know the type." "I think he's got his eye on you." "That's OK." "I have my eye on his private bathroom." "Where are you staying?" "Things happened so fast... ..l didn't get a chance to ask you on the phone." "Cappy Roberts retired out here." "Oh, yeah?" "He said I could bunk with him." "Cappy retired, huh?" "Where's he live?" " Romona." " Ha!" "Pomona." " Huh?" " Pomona." " Pomona." " Yeah." "You'll be in the car halfthe time." "Why don't we make it easy?" "I have a spare bedroom." "It's not huge or anything, but... ..the kids would love to have you at the house." "They would, huh?" "I would, too." "Ha ha!" "Ooh!" "Sorry." "I missed you." "Didn't miss my name, though, huh?" "Except maybe when you're signing cheques?" "Since when did you start using Ms Gennero?" "This is a Japanese company." "They figure a married woman's..." "You are a married woman." "This conversation again?" "We did this in July." "We never finished this conversation." "I had an opportunity." "I had to take it." "No matter what it did to our marriage." "It only changed your idea of our marriage." "You have no clue what my idea..." "I know exactly what your idea of our marriage should be." "Ms Gennero, I..." "Excuse me." "Hi." "Um, Mr Takagi is looking for you." "He wants you to say something to the troops." "Thank you." "Speech time." "Be back in a few minutes." "That was great, John." "Good job." "Very mature." "So Kareem rebounds." "Feeds Worthy on the break, over to AC, to Magic,... ..then back to Worthy." "Boom!" "Two points." "We're in." "Links... ..rechts... ..und wieder links." "Son of a bitch." "Ha ha!" "Fists with your toes." "Yeah, Argyle?" "How's it going?" "All right." "Where are you?" "Down at the garage." "What's with you and your lady?" "The vote's not in yet." " Hey, Bruder." " Moment." "Nein!" "Nein!" "Nein!" "Argyle?" "Mac, you there?" "Hello?" "You know the number." "Use it." "Stay calm." "Everything's going to be fine." "Everything's going to be fine." "Shit!" "Think." "Think." "Ladies and gentlemen." "Ladies and gentlemen." "Due to the Nakatomi Corporation's legacy of greed around the globe... ..they're about to be taught a lesson in the real use of power." "You will be witnesses." "Now... ..where is Mr Takagi?" "Joseph Yashinobo Takagi,... ..born Kyoto, 1937..." "Family emigrated to San Pedro, California, 1939,... ..interned at Manzanar, 1942 to '43,..." "..scholarship student, University of California,... ..1955." "Law degree, Stanford, 1962." "MBA, Harvard, 1970." "President, Nakatomi Trading." "Vice Chairman, Nakatomi lnvestment Group..." "Enough." "And father... ..of five." "I am Takagi." "How do you do?" "It's a pleasure to meet you." "OK, 32... construction, 33... computers." "Nice suit." "John Phillips, London." "I have two myself." "Rumour has it Arafat buys his there." " This way?" " On the left." "And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain... ..he wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer." "The benefits of a classical education." "Ohh, that's beautiful." "I always enjoyed to make models when I was a boy." "The exactness, the attention to every conceivable detail." "It's beautiful." "Is this what this is all about?" "Our project in Indonesia?" "Contrary to what you people may think,... ..we're going to develop that region, not exploit it." "I believe you." "I read the article in Forbes." "Mr Takagi..." "I could talk about industrialisation and men's fashions all day... ..but I'm afraid work must intrude... ..and my associate here has some questions for you." "Sort offill-in-the-blanks questions, actually." "I don't have that code." "You broke in here to access our computer?" "Any information you could get... ..when they wake up in Tokyo, they'll change it." "You won't be able to blackmail our executives..." "Sit... down!" "Mr Takagi, I'm really not interested in your computer." "But I need the code key... ..because I am interested in the $640 million... ..in negotiable bearer bonds that you have locked in your vault... ..and the computer controls the vault." "You want money?" "What kind ofterrorists are you?" "Who said we were terrorists?" "The bonds represent, at most... ..10 days' operating capital for your parent organisation." "It's really no more than a temporary inconvenience." "Now..." "..the code, please." "It's useless to you." "There are seven safeguards on our vault and the code key's only one of them." "You'll never get it open." "Then there's no reason not to tell it to us." " I told you." " It's not over yet." "It's a very nice suit, Mr Takagi." "It would be a shame to ruin it." "I'm going to count to three." "There will not be a four." "Give me the code." "One,... ..two,..." " ..three,..." " I don't know it." "Get on ajet to Tokyo and ask the chairman." "You're just gonna have to kill me." "OK." "We do it the hard way." "Tony, see ifyou can dispose ofthat." "Karl, you better check on Heinrich's work up on the machine floor." "[bumps head]" "Nothing." "See to Heinrich." "Now... ..you can break the code?" "You didn't bring me for my charming personality." "Argyle, tell me you heard the shots." "You're calling the police right now." "Of course I'm still coming by later." "Sweetheart, have I ever lied to you?" "My boss?" "He thinks I'm on my way to Vegas." "Uli, get up on the pipes." "Marco, you go through here." "I'll throw you the cord." "Hans, we're on the roof." "Here." "Uli." "30 minutes to break the code,... ..two hours, two and a half hours for the five mechanicals, at the minimum." "The 7th lock, however, is out of my hands." "I'm sorry?" "The 7th lock..." "the electromagnetic seal." "You do understand the circuits cannot be cut locally?" "Trust me." "Why the fuck didn't you stop him, John?" "'Cause then you'd be dead, too, asshole." "Think, goddamn it!" "Think!" "We've got a fire alarm." "Call 911." "Give them the guard's name and cancel the alarm." "Then disable the sys..." "Eddie, on what floor did the alarm go off?" "Shall we go?" "Nein." "Yes." "Hello, baby." "Come to Papa." "Come on." "Ah ha ha ha!" "Come on, baby." "Come on, baby." "Come on, baby." "Come to Papa." "I'll kiss your fuckin' Dalmatian." "You stupid motherfuckers!" "No!" "No!" "Turn the fuckin' truck around!" "The fire has been called off, my friend." "No-one is coming to help you." "You might as well come out and join the others." "I promise I won't hurt you." "Drop it, dickhead." "It's the police." "You won't hurt me." "Yeah?" "Why not?" "Because you're a policeman." "There are rules for policemen." "Yeah, that's what my captain keeps telling me." "Bet your ass I wish to proceed." "Nine million terrorists in the world... ..and I got to kill one with feet smaller than my sister." "I wanted this to be professional,... ..efficient, adult, cooperative." "Not a lot to ask." "Alas, your Mr Takagi did not see it that way... ..so he won't be joining us for the rest of his life." "We can go any way you want it." "You can walk out of here or be carried out... ..but have no illusions..." "we are in charge." "So... decide now, each ofyou... ..and please remember..." "..we have left nothing to chance." "It's Tony!" "Get them back!" "Now lhave a machine gun." "Ho... ho... ho." "A security guard we missed?" "They're usually tired old policemen." "No, this is something else." "We have to do something, Hans." "Yes, we do." "Tell Karl his brother is dead." "Tell him to come down." "Karl... komm sofort." "Franco, Fritz, take the body upstairs... ..and out of sight." "I don't want the hostages to think too much." "Komm sofort." "Schnell." "I want blood!" "You'll have it, but let Heinrich plant the detonators... ..and Theo prepare the vault." "After we call the police,... ..you can tear the building apart looking for this man... ..but until then, do not alter the plan!" "And if he alters it?" "What do you think?" "Something's wrong." "Cops?" " John." " John?" "He can fuck this whole thing up." "What does he think he's doing?" "His job." "Bullshit." "His job's 3,000 miles away." "Without him, we still have a chance to get out of here." "Tell that to Takagi." "Mayday, Mayday, anyone copying channel nine." "Terrorists have seized the Nakatomibuilding... ..and are holding at least 30 people hostage." "I repeat." "Unknown number ofterrorists... ..six or more armed with automatic weapons... ..at Nakatomi Plaza,... ..Century City." "Where's the best place to transmit?" "The roof!" "Go!" "Go!" "It's the same address as that fire signal." "I'll handle it." "Attention, whoever you are,... ..this channel is reserved for emergency calls only." "No fucking shit, lady!" "Do lsoundlike I'm ordering a pizza?" "No-one kills him but me." "They have already killed one hostage." "They are fortifying their positions while you're jerking' me off on the radio!" "Sir, I've already told you." "This is a reserved channel." "If this is an emergency call, dial 911 on your telephone." "Otherwise, I'll report this as an FCC violation." "Fine!" "Report me!" "Come the fuck down here and arrest me!" "Just send the police now!" "See if a black and white can drive by." "Thought you guys just ate doughnuts." " They're for my wife." " Yeah." " She's pregnant." " Yeah." "Bag it." "Big time." "Thanks." "Dispatch to 8-Lincoln-30." "Over." "This is 8-Lincoln-30." "Investigate a code two at NakatomiPlaza, Century City." "8-Lincoln-30 to Dispatch." "I'm on my way." "Girls." "Shit!" "Where the fuck is it?" "Oh, my God." "He's in the elevator shaft." "Perfect." "The elevators are locked off." "He can't escape." "Just shut him in and come back down." "Oh, fuck." "Karl, the police are probably on their way... ..already." "Karl?" "Christ." "I can stall them, but not ifthey hear gunshots." "If you lock him in, he'll be neutralised..." ""Come out to the coast!"" ""We'll get together, have a few laughs."" "Now I know what a TV dinner feels like." "Such!" "Karl, komm!" "Die polizei!" "Karl, die polizei!" "Well, it's about time." "No signs of disturbance, Dispatch." "Roger." "Possible crank call." "Check the area again and confirm." "Who's driving this car, Stevie Wonder?" "I do see a guard inside." "I'm gonna go in for a closer look." "Use caution." "Eddie?" "I had a feelin' you'd be calling." "Evenin', officer." "What can I do for you?" "We had that false alarm." "You ask me, that goddamn computer sent you... ..on another wild-goose chase." "They been chasing bugs in this system ever since they installed it." "..Notre Dame on top ofUSC." "Aw, shit!" "I got 50 bucks bet on them assholes." "Come on, come on, where's the fucking cavalry?" "..was goodfor52 yards." "Mind if I look around?" "Help yourself." "27 seconds left in this first period." "Seven to nothing, Notre Dame." "The Irish driving 74yards in eightplays..." "I'll put this fuckin'..." "Freeze, motherfucker!" "Drop it!" "Don't shoot!" " Put the gun down!" " OK!" "Don't shoot!" "Drop that fuckin' gun!" "Marco, down!" "Ah, to hell with this!" "You are done!" "No more table!" "Where are you going, pal?" "Next time you have a chance to kill someone,... ..don't hesitate." "Thanks for the advice." " Sorry to waste your time." " No problem at all." " Merry Christmas." " Merry Christmas to you." "Oh, for the love... 8-Lincoln-30 to Dispatch." "Go ahead." "A wild-goose chase over here at Nakatomi Plaza." "Everything here's OK." "Over." "Shit!" "Goddamn it!" "Jesus H Christ!" "Welcome to the party, pal!" "Goddamn it!" "Get someone here now, goddamn it!" "Policeman under automatic rifle fire at Nakatomi!" "I need backup assistance now!" "Now, goddamn it!" "Now!" "Monica, I can get us a table." "Wolfgang and I are very close friends." "I interviewed him, for God's sake." "..Nakatomi." "Repeat." "Officer needs assistance at..." "I'm at Nakatomi Plaza." "They're turning my car into Swiss cheese!" "I need backup assistance now!" "Now, goddamn it!" "Now!" "Never thought I'd love to hear that sound." "All of you relax." "This is a matter of inconvenient timing, that's all." "Police action was inevitable... ..and, as it happens, necessary." "So, let them fumble about outside and stay calm." "This is simply the beginning." "I told you all I wanted radio silence until..." "I'm very sorry, Hans." "I didn't get that message." "Maybe you shouldhave putit on the bulletin board." "I figured since I waxed Tony and Marco and his friend here,... ..l figured you and Karl and Franco might be lonely... ..so I wanted to give you a call." "How does he know so much about us?" "That's very kind ofyou." "I assume you are our mysterious party crasher." "You are most troublesome... ..for a security guard." "Eeeh!" "Sorry, Hans." "Wrong guess." "Would you like to go for doublejeopardy where the scores can really change?" "Mm, these are very bad for you." "Who are you, then?" "Just the fly in the ointment, Hans." "The monkey in the wrench,... ..the pain in the ass." "Whoa!" "Check on all the others." "Don't use the radio." "See if he's lying about Marco... ..and find out if anyone else is missing." "Mr Mystery Guest,... ..are you still there?" "Yeah, I'm still here... ..unless you want to open the front door for me." "No, I'm afraidnot... ..but you have me at a loss." "You know my name, but who are you?" "Just another American who saw too many movies as a child?" "Another orphan of a bankrupt culture... ..who thinks he's John Wayne, Rambo, Marshal Dillon?" "I was always partial to Roy Rogers, actually." "I liked those sequined shirts." "Do you really think you have a chance against us, Mr Cowboy?" "Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker." "I'll beat everyone if I get a remote." "Sam, I don't have the new pages." "Harvey, keep your pants on." "Sam, I'm begging you." "Simon's with the remote." "I'll tell him to swing by." "I won't sit on this!" "This is my story!" "I'm going out there!" "Look, Sam." "Tell you what." "You don't give me a truck, I'll steal a truck." "Give us a break, Thornburg." "Eat it, Harvey!" "..four, three, two,... ..one." "Harvey, we're on the air." "Good evening." "This is Harvey Johnson." "And I'm Gail Wallens." "This is Nightline News at 10.00." "Our top stories on this Christmas Eve..." "Take truck number five." "Get out of here." "He wasn't lying about Marco." "He's down on the street." "The other man was Heinrich... ..and his bag is missing." "He had the detonator." "Theo." "Theo." "Yo!" "We mayhave some problems." "How's ourschedule?" "Three down, four to go." "Then don't waste time... ..talking to me." "This is SergeantAIPowell... ..of the Los Angeles Police Department." "If the person who radioed for help... ..can hearme on this channel,... ..acknowledge this transmission." "I say again,... ..if the person who radioed for help can hear me,... ..acknowledge this transmission!" "I read you, pal." "You the guy in the car?" "What's left of him." "Can you identify yourself?" "." "Not now." "Maybe later." "Listen fast." "This is a party line." "The neighbours got itchy trigger fingers." "All right, here's the deal." "You got 30 or so hostages on the 30th floor." "The leader's name is Hans." "We have to find him and shut him up." "He's telling them everything!" "Let him." "I'm waiting for the fbi." "He can waste as much time as he likes... ..but we must find the bag, Fritz." "They have a freakin'arsenalhere." "We must have the detonators." "They got missiles, automatic weapons,... ..and enough plastic explosives to orbit Arnold Schwarzenegger." "They're down to nine now, counting the skydiver you met." "These guys are mostly European... ..judging by their clothing labels and..." "..cigarettes." "They're well-financed and very slick." "How do you know that?" "I've seen enough phoney IDs in my time... ..to recognise the ones they got must have cost a fortune." "Add all that up." "I don't know what the fuck it means... ..but you got some bad-ass perpetrators... ..and they're here to stay." "I hear you, partner." "LA's finest are on it,... ..so light 'em if you got 'em." "Way ahead of you, partner." "So what do I call you?" "Call me... ..Roy." "Listen up, Roy, if you think of anything else... ..don't be shy, OK?" "In the meantime, find a safe place and let us do our job." "They're all yours, Al." "Who's talking to 'em?" "I am, sir." "Sergeant Powell." "AI Powell." "Dwayne Robinson." "What's the deal?" "What do these pricks want?" "If you mean the terrorists,... ..we haven't heard a peep from them." "Who have you been talking to?" "We don't know." "He won't give us his name." "But he appears to be the one who phoned." "He's killed one terrorist for sure and claims he capped off two others." "He claims?" "Powell, has it occurred to you... ..he could be one ofthe terrorists pulling your chain... ..or some nutcase in there?" "I don't think so." "In fact, I think he's a cop,... ..maybe not LAPD, But he's definitely a badge." " How do you know that?" " A hunch... things he said... ..like being able to spot a phoney ID." "Jesus Christ, Powell!" "He could be a fucking bartender for all we know!" "TV's here." "Oh, shit." "I have a request." "What idiot put you in charge?" "You did... ..when you murdered my boss." "Now everybody's looking to me." "Personally, I'd pass on the job." "I don't enjoy being this close to you." "Go on." "We have a pregnant woman." "Relax." "She's not due for a couple weeks... ..but sitting on that rock isn't doing her back any good." "So I'd like permission to move her to an office with a sofa." "No, but I'll have a sofa brought out." "Good enough?" "Good enough." "And unless you like it messy,... ..start bringing us in groups to the bathroom." "Yes." "You're right." "It will be done." "Was there something else?" "No, thank you." "Mr Takagi chose his people well, Mrs...?" "Gennero." "Ms Gennero." "We interrupt this programme for a special news bulletin." "This is Richard Thornburg live from Century City." "Tonight, Los Angeles hasjoined the sadand worldwide fraternity ofcities whose only membership requirement is to suffer the anguish of international terrorism." "Approximately two hours ago, an unidentified group of men seized control of the Nakatomi building, sealing off all entrances and exits." "All telephone lines have been cut and the only communication now possible has been through the use of CB communicators which the group apparently brought with them." "According to official sources, the perpetrators of this building siege..." "Unit five, hold your position in the main entrance." "We got Charlie unit in position by the parking structure." "Let me ask you something." "Does this stairway go up to the escalator?" "Yeah." "Tell them to go ahead." "What's going on?" "What's it look like?" "We're going in." "Going in?" "Man, that's crazy!" "There could be over 30 hostages in there for all we know." "We don't know shit, Powell." "If there's hostages, how come there were no ransom demands?" "If there's terrorists in there, where's their list of demands?" "All we know is that somebody shot your car up." "It's probably the same silly son of a bitch you've been talking to on that radio." "Excuse me, sir, but what about the body that fell out the window?" "Probably some stockbroker got depressed." "We're ready, Chief." " Light 'em up." "Let's go." " Hit your lights." " Blue units, go." " Lights on!" "Powell?" "Powell, you still with me, babe?" "What's going on?" "Yo, Al." "I'm here, Roy, but I'm kind of busy right now." "I'll talk to you later." "Al, what's wrong?" "I'll talk to you later." "If you are what I think you are, you'll know when to listen, shut up, and" "and when to pray." "Jesus Christ!" "You're coming in, right?" "Christ, Powell," "I told you what kind of people you're dealing with here." "Let's load them up." "They'll be coming." "Everyone get ready." "Theo, you are the eyes now." " Rivers." " Yo." "Begin your reconnoitre." "Let's go." "Shit!" "Come on." "Let's go." "Ow!" "Jesus!" "All right, spread out." "Shut up." "Let's go." "You macho assholes." "No!" "No!" "Ahem... all right." "Listen up, guys." "'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring, except the four assholes coming in the rear in standard two-by-two cover formation." "We're all set." "We're ready." "Kick ass." "Go!" "Right." "Let's do it." "Take cover!" "They're shooting at 'em." "It's panic fire." "They can't see anything." "They're shooting at the lights." "They're going after the lights." "Call them back." "It's not happening." "Mike, burn it." "Don't be impatient." "Just wound them." "Get them back." "They're sitting ducks without lights." "They're almost in." "Send in the car." "Send in the car." "Jesus Christ!" "Rivers, Rodriguez, report." "Wait a minute." "What have we here, gentlemen?" "The police have themselves an RV." "Southeast corner." "Oh, Jesus Christ." "Get back!" "Get the fuck back!" "Get over there." "Schnell!" "Schnell!" "Mach schnell!" "Weiter!" "Weiter!" "Weiter!" "Mach schnell!" "Mach schnell!" "Weiter!" "Mach los!" "Mach los!" "I see him!" " Fire!" " Clear!" "Oh, my God!" "The quarterback is toast!" "Hang on, Rivers." "That's an order." "Hit it again." "All right, you motherfucker, you made your point!" "Let them pull back!" "Thank you, Mr Cowboy." "I'll take it under advisement." "Hit it again." "Fire." "Fuck me." "Get them out of the car!" "They're burning!" "Fuck it." "Mach schnell!" "Mach los!" "Let's see you take this under advisement, jerkweed." "Geronimo, motherfucker." "Oh, shit!" "They're using artillery on us!" "You idiot, it's not the police." "It's him." "Holy shit." "My God!" " Tell me you got that." " I got it." "Eat your heart out, Channel Five." "We've had an update on the terrorist take over of the Nakatomi building." "Sources say the terroristleader, Hans, may be this man..." "Hans Gruber." "A member ofthe radical West German Volksfreimovement." "Strangely, the Volksfrei leadership issued a communiqué an hour ago stating that Gruber had been expelled from that organisation." "Al, do you copy?" "Are you all right?" "Yeah, I'm fine." "W-what was that?" "Remember that plastic explosive I told you about?" "There you go." "Is the building on fire?" "No, but it's gonna need a paint job and a shitload of screen doors." "Our spotter said you got two with that blast." " Is that him?" " Yes, sir." "I don't know who you think you are but you just destroyed a building." "We do not want your help." "Is that clear?" "We don't want your help." "I've got 100 people down here, and they're covered with glass." "Glass?" "Who gives a shit about glass?" "Who the fuck is this?" "This is Deputy Chief of Police Dwayne T Robinson and I am in charge of this situation." "Oh, you're in charge?" "I got some bad news for you, Dwayne." "From up here it doesn'tlook like you're in charge ofshit." "Listen to me, you little asshole..." "Asshole?" "I'm not the one who just got butt fucked on national TV, Dwayne." "Ah ha ha!" "Listen to me,jerk-off, if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem." "Quit being part of the problem and put the other guy back on!" "Hey, Roy, how you feeling?" "Pretty fucking unappreciated, Al." "Hey, look." "I love you." "So do a lot of the otherguys." "So hang in there, man, you hear me?" "You hang in there." "Yeah, thanks, partner." "What are you doing?" "I'm tired of sitting here waiting to see who gets us killed first, them or your husband." "What are you going to do?" "Hey, babe," "I negotiate million-dollar deals for breakfast." "I think I can handle this Eurotrash." "Hey, sprechen sie talk, huh?" "If you'd listened to me, he would be neutralised already." "I don't want neutral." "I want dead." "Hope I'm not interrupting." "What does he want?" "It's not what I want." "It's what I can give you." "Look, let's be straight, OK?" "It's obvious you're not some dumb schmuck up here to snatch a few purses." "You're very perceptive." "I watch 60 Minutes." "I say to myself, these guys are professional, they're motivated, they're happening, they want something." "I couldn't care less about your politics." "Maybe you're pissed off at the camel jockeys." "Maybe it's the Hebes, Northern lreland." "It's none of my business." "I figure you're here to negotiate, am I right?" "You're amazing." "You figured this all out already?" "Hey, business is business." "You use a gun, I use a fountain pen." "What's the difference?" "Let's put it in my terms." "You're here on a hostile takeover." "You grab us for some green but you didn't expect some poison pill was gonna be running around the building." "Am I right?" "Hans, bubble..." "I'm your white knight." "I must have missed 60 Minutes." "What are you saying?" "The guy upstairs who's fucking things up, huh?" "I can give him to you." "Oh, God..." "Roy?" "Roy, you all right?" "Just trying to fire down a 1,000-year-old Twinkie." "What do they put in these things, anyway?" "Sugar, enriched flour, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, polysorbate 60, and yellow dye number five." "Just everything a growing boyneeds." "How many kids you got, Al?" "As a matter of fact, my wife is working on our first." "How about you, cowboy?" "You got any kids back on your ranch?" "Yeah." "Two." "Sure hope I can see them swinging on ajungle gym with AI Jnr someday." "Well, now, that's a date but you bring the ice cream." "Touching, cowboy." "Touching." "Or shouldl call you" "Mr McClane?" "Mr Officer John McClane of the New York Police Department?" "Get on the phone to Harry in New York." "You better get a hold of somebody at Dispatch." "Sister Theresa called me Mr McClane in the third grade." "My friends call me John and you're neither, shithead." "I have someone who wants to talk to you." "A very special friend who was with you at the party tonight." "Hey, John boy." "Ellis?" "Yeah." "Listen, John, they're giving me a few minutes to talk sense into you." "I know you think you're doing yourjob and I can appreciate that but you'rejust dragging this thing out." "Look, no-one gets out of here until these guys can talk to the LA Police." "That won't happen until you stop messing up the works." "Capisce?" "Ellis, what have you told them?" "I told them we were old friends and you were my guest at the party." "Ellis, you shouldn't be doing this." "Tell me about it." "All right, John, listen." "They want you to tell them where the detonators are." "They know people are listening." "They want the detonators, or they're gonna kill me." "John, didn't you hear me?" "Yeah, I hear you." "John, get with the programme." "The police are here now." "It's their problem." "Tell these guys where the detonators are so no-one else gets hurt!" "I'm putting my life on the line for you, pal!" "Ellis, listen to me carefully." "John..." "Shut up, Ellis!" "Just shut your mouth!" "Put Hans back on the line." "Hans, this shithead doesn'tknow what kind of man you are but I do." "Good." "Then you'll give us what we want and save your friend's life." "You're not part ofthis equation." "Hey, what am I, a method actor?" "Babe, putaway the gun." "This is radio, not television." "Hans, this asshole is not my friend!" "I just met him tonight!" "I don't know him!" "Jesus Christ, Ellis!" "These people will kill you!" "Tell them you don't know me!" "How can you say that after all these years?" "John?" "John?" "Do you hear that?" "Talk to me!" "Where are my detonators?" "Where are they, or shall I shoot another one?" "Sooner or later" "I mightget to someone you do care about." "Go fuck yourself, Hans." "He just let the guy die." "He just gave him up." "Give me that headset." "That's like pulling the trigger yourself." "Can't you see what's happening?" "Can't you read between the lines?" "He did everything he could to save him." "If he gave himself up, they'd both be dead right now!" "No way, man." "They'd be talking to us." "You tell this partner of yours to stay out of this from now on." "Because if he doesn't, I'm really going to nail his ass." "The man is hurting." "He is alone, tired, and he hasn't seen diddly-squat from anybody here!" "You're gonna tell me he'll give a damn about what you do to him if he makes it out ofthere alive?" "Why don't you wake up and smell what you're shovelling?" "You listen to me, sergeant." "Any time you want to go home, you consider yourself dismissed." "No, sir." "You couldn't drag me away." "Attention, police." "Attention, police." " This is Sergeant AI Powell..." " Give me that." "This is Deputy Chief Dwayne Robinson." "Who is this?" "This is Hans Gruber." "I assume you realise the futility of direct action against me." "We have no wish for further loss of life." "What is it you do wish for?" "I have comrades in arms around the world languishing in prison." "The American State Department enjoys rattling its sabre for its own ends." "Now it can rattle it for me." "The following people are to be released from their captors." "In Northern lreland the seven members of the New Provo Front." "In Canada, the five imprisonedleaders ofLiberté de Quebec." "In Sri Lanka, the nine members of the Asian Dawn." "What the fuck?" "Asian Dawn?" "I read about them in Time magazine." "When these revolutionary brothers and sisters are free, the hostages in this building will be taken to the roof and they will accompany us in helicopters to the Los Angeles International Airport where they will be given further instructions." "You have two hours to comply." "Wait a minute." "Uh, Mr. Gruber." "This is crazy." "I don't have the authority." "Two hours is not enough." "Hello?" "Hello!" "Did you get all that?" "We got to make some calls." "Do you think they'll even try?" "Who cares?" "Theo, are we on schedule?" "One more to go, then it's up to you." "You better be right because the last one will take a miracle." "It's Christmas, Theo." "It's the time of miracles, so be of good cheer and call me when you hit the last lock." "Karl, hunt that little shit down and get those detonators." "Fritz is checking the explosives." "I'll check the explosives." "You just get the detonators." "Hey, Powell, you out there?" "I'm here, John." "I'm here." "You gotta believe me." "There was nothing I could do." "Well, it's gonna be both our asses ifyou're wrong." "I hear you." "Did you catch that bullshit Hans was running?" "It doesn'tmake sense, man." "Hey, don't ask me, man." "I'm just a deskjockey who was on my way home when you rang." "The way you drove that car I figured you for the street, Al." "In my youth." "In my youth." "..author of "Hostage Terrorist, Terrorist Hostage," "A Study in Duality. "" "Dr Hasseldorf, what can we expect in the next few hours?" "Well, Gail, by this time, the hostages should be going through the early stages of the Helsinki Syndrome." "As in Helsinki, Sweden." "Finland." "Basically, it's when the hostages and the terrorists go through a sort of psychological transference and a projection of dependency." "A strange sort oftrust and bond develops." "We've hadsituations where the hostages have embraced their captors after release and even corresponded with them in prison." "No, no, darling." "Asian Dawn." "Dawn." "D-A-W-N." " Sir?" " Yeah?" "Sir, the FBI is here." " The FBI is here now?" " Yes, sir." "Right over there." "Hold this." "Want a breath mint?" "Hey, how you doing, man?" "I'm Agent Johnson." "This is Special Agent Johnson." " Oh, how you doing?" " No relation." "I'm, uh..." "I'm Dwayne Robinson, LAPD." "I'm in charge here." "Not any more." "Hi, there." "How you doing?" "Ohh..." "Please, God." "No." "You're one ofthem, aren't you?" "You're one ofthem." "No!" "Don't kill me!" "Please!" "Don't kill me, please!" "Please, please, please." "Whoa." "Relax." "I'm not gonna hurt you." "I'm not gonna hurt you!" "Oh, God." "What the fuck are you doing up here?" "What were you looking for?" "I managed to get out ofthere and" "I was just trying to get up on the roof and see if I could signal for help." "It's just over here." "Why don't you come and help?" "Hold it." "Forget the roof." "I said forget the roof." "They got people all over it." "You want to stay alive, you stay with me." "The best we can figure it, we've got maybe 30 or 35 hostages up there probably on the 30th floor and maybe seven or eight terrorists up there." "Sounds like an A-7 scenario." "Thank you." "We'll handle it from here." "When we commandeer your men, we'll try and let you know." "Aren't you forgetting something?" "Such as?" "What about John McClane?" "He's the reason we have any information." "He's also the reason you're facing seven terrorists, not twelve." "He's inside?" "Who is he?" "He might be a cop." "We're checking on that." " One ofyours?" " No, no way." "You smoke?" "Yeah." "Thanks." "You don't work for Nakatomi." "And ifyou're not one ofthem..." "I'm a cop from New York." "New York?" "Yeah." "Got invited to the Christmas party by mistake." "Who knew?" "Better than being caught with your pants down, huh?" "I'm John McClane." "You're, uh..." "Clay." "Bill Clay." "Know how to use a handgun, Bill?" "I spent a weekend at a combat ranch." "That game with the guns that shoot red paint." "Probably seems kind of stupid to you." "Nope." "Time for the real thing, Bill." "All you got to do is pull the trigger." "Come on." "Put down the gun and give me my detonators." "Well, well, well..." "Hans." "Put it down now." "That's pretty tricky with that accent." "You oughta be on fucking TV with that accent." "But what do you want with the detonators?" "I already used all the explosives." "Or did I?" "I'm going to count to three." "Yeah." "Like you did with Takagi?" "Oops." "No bullets." "What do you think..." "I'm fucking stupid, Hans?" "You were saying?" "Karl." "SchieB dem Fenster." "Shoot the glass!" "Jesus Christ!" "Smile, Karl." "We're back in business." "..is the lastresort ofdiplomacy, then couldn't wejustas well say that terrorism has an equal claim on being that, too?" "Tell me you got something." "McClane's name, badge number, employment record, vital statistics, and his family's home address right here in LA." "Whoo!" "Go to work." "Got it." "God, that man looks really pissed." "He's still alive." "What?" "Only John can drive somebody that crazy." "Hans, you better heat up that miracle because we just broke through on number six and the electromagnetic came down like a fucking anvil." "Have a look at what our friends outside are doing and I'll be right up." "Hey, John." "John McClane, you still with us?" "Yeah." "But all things being equal, I'd rather be in Philadelphia." "Chalk up two more bad guys." "The boys down here will be glad to hear that." "We gota poolgoing on you." "What kind of odds am I getting?" "You don't want to know." "Put me down for 20." "I'm good for it." "Hey, pal, you gotflatfeet?" "What the hell are you talking about, man?" "Something had to get you offthe street." "What's the matter?" "You don't thinkjockeyingpapers across a desk is a noble effortfora cop?" "No." "I had an accident." "The wayyou drive, I can see why." "What'd you do ?" "Run over your captain's foot with the car?" "I shot a kid." "He was 13 years old." "Oh, it was dark." "I couldn'tsee him." "He hada raygun, lookedreal enough." "When you're a rookie, they teach you everything about being a cop except how to live with a mistake." "Anyway, ljust couldn'tbring myself to drawmygun on anybody again." "Sorry, man." "Hey, man, how could you know?" "I feel like shit anyway." "Well, then, this won't matter." "The LAPD is not calling the shots down here any more." "The Feds?" "You got it." "Those are the city engineers." "Wait." "They're going into the street circuits." "Those guys in the suits, I don't know who they are." "That's the fbi." "They're ordering the others to cut the building's power." "Regular as clockwork." "Or a time lock." "Precisely." "The circuits that cannot be cut are cut automatically in response to a terrorist incident." "You asked for miracles, Theo." "I give you the F-B-l." "I want the building shut down." "I got a problem." "I got a switch..." "I don't care about your switch." "I want it out." "Dark!" "You can't do it from here." " Yeah, you could." " It can't be done from here." "I could just..." "I got the radio..." "You can't do it from here." "It's got to be done from downtown." "They've gotta take out a whole city grid." "We're talking 10 square blocks." "Ten blocks?" "Johnson, that's crazy." "It's Christmas Eve." "There's thousands of people." "You have to go wider." " I need authorisation." " How about the United States government?" "Lose the grid, or you lose yourjob." " Yeah, Central?" " Yeah?" "This is Walt down at Nakatomi." "Would it be possible for you to turn off grid 212?" "Are you crazy?" "!" "Maybe I should call the Mayor." "No shit it's my ass." "I got a big problem here." "Shut it down now." "Emergency lighting activated." "Al, talk to me." "What's going on here?" "Ask the fbi." "They got the universal terrorist playbook and they're running it step by step." "It's gonna go." "It's gonna go!" "Yes!" "Merry Christmas." "They must be pissing in their pants." "The Mayor is gonna have my ass." "Whoo!" "What are we gonna do now ?" "Arrest them for not paying their electric bill?" "We've shut them down." "We let them sweat for a while, then we give them helicopters." "Right up the ass." "This is Agent Johnson." "No, the other one." "I want that air support ready to lift off in five minutes." "Damn right." "Fully armed." "We're on the way." "Oh, yes!" "I wish to talk to the fbi." "This is Special Agent Johnson." "The State Departmenthas arranged for the return ofyour comrades." "Helicopters are en route as you requested." "I hearyou." "We'll be ready." "By the time he figures out what hit him, he'll be in a body bag." "When they touch down, we'll blow the roof." "They'll spend a month sifting through the rubble." "By the time they figure out what went wrong, we'll be sitting on a beach earning 20%." "Ah!" "Jeez!" "Powell?" "Yo, Powell, you got a minute?" "I'm here, John." "Listen, I'm starting to get a bad feeling up here." "I want you to do something for me." "Um... ahem..." "I want you to find my wife." "Don't ask me how." "By then you'll know how." "Uh, I want you to tell her something." "I want you to tell her that..." "Tell her it took me a while to figure out what ajerk I've been but, um... that... that when things started to pan out for her" "I should have been more supportive." "And, uh..." "Ijustshouldhave been behind hermore." "Oh, shit." "Tell her that, um that she's the best thing that ever happened to a bum like me." "She's heard me say "l love you" a thousand times." "She never heard me say I'm sorry." "I want you to tell her that, Al." "Tell her that John said that he was sorry." "OK?" "You got that, man?" "Yeah, lgotit, John." "But you can tell her that yourself." "You just watch your ass and you'll make it out." "You hear me?" "I guess that's up to the man upstairs." "John?" "John?" "What the fuck were you doing upstairs, Hans?" "John?" "No, Al, listen." "Just lay offfor a while." "I gotta go check on something." "One minute, that's all I'm asking." "One minute to speak to them." "All right." "Get back." "Get back." "All right, look." "You let me in right now, or I call the INS, comprende?" "This is the last time these kids are gonna have to speak to their parents." "All right?" "All right." "Come on." "Come on." "What were you doing, Hans?" "What were you doing?" "Jesus, Mary, mother of God." "Al, listen to me!" "It's a double-cross!" "The roof is wired to..." "John?" "John!" "John, come in!" "Did you get that?" "Something about a double-cross." "Tell me about it." "We are both professionals." "This is personal." "Aww..." "They're coming!" "Choppers are coming." "Time to gather your flock, Miss Gennero." "Your mom and dad are veryimportantpeople." "They're verybrave people." "Is there somethingyou'dlike to say to them, ifthey're watching?" "Come home." "Mrs McClane." "How nice to make your acquaintance." "On your feet, everyone!" "To the roof!" "Lock them up there and come right back." "You should have heard your brother squeal when I broke his fucking neck!" "What do you figure the breakage?" "I figure we take out the terrorists," "lose 20, 25% ofthe hostages, tops." "I can live with that." "Get this thing on the deck." "They're expecting transports, not gun ships." "Move it!" "Come on!" "Move!" "Come on!" "Come on!" "Move it!" "Go!" "Move!" "Theo." "A little bonus for us." "Please, sit down." "Sit down!" "A policeman's wife might come in handy." "McClane, I have some news for you." "McClane?" "Move!" "Come on!" "Motherfucker!" "I'll kill you!" "Armed." " The truck?" " The truck." "After all your posturing, all your little speeches, you're nothing but a common thief." "I am an exceptional thief, Mrs McClane." "And since I'm moving up to kidnapping, you should be more polite." "You motherfucker, I'm gonna kill you!" "I'm gonna fuckin' cook you, and I'm gonna fuckin' eat you!" "I don't like this, Sarge." "Yee-hah!" "Just like fucking Saigon, eh, Slick?" "I was in Junior High, dickhead." "Where's Holly?" "Where's Holly Gennero?" "Holly Gennero?" "Where's Holly?" "Where's Holly?" "Where is she?" " They took her!" " Where?" "The vault!" " Where is the vault?" " The 30th floor!" "They just took her!" "Get downstairs!" "The whole fucking roof is wired to blow!" "Get down!" "Get down!" "Get the fuck downstairs!" "They made us, Bureau." "Terrorist shooting hostages." "Break left!" "Nail that sucker!" "I'm on your side, you assholes!" "Swing around again!" "I'll bag this little bastard." "What the fuck..." "Oh, John, what the fuck are you doing?" "How the fuck did you get into this shit?" "There's something wrong!" "They're coming back down!" " Blow the roof." " But Karl's up there!" "Blow the roof!" "I promise I will never even think about going up in a tall building again." "Oh, God, please don't let me die!" "Holy Christ!" "We're gonna need some more FBI guys, I guess." "Jesus fucking Christ!" "Fuck!" "What the fuck is going on?" "What are you gonna do?" "Sit here while the building falls down?" "Shit!" "All right!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "Hang on, baby." "Hang on, honey." "Oh, God." "Hans!" "Jesus." "Hi, honey." "So that's what this is all about?" "A fucking robbery?" "Put down the gun." "Why'd you have to nuke the whole building, Hans?" "Well, when you steal $600, you can just disappear." "When you steal 600 million, they will find you unless they think you're already dead." "Put down the gun." "Nein." "This is mine." "You got me." "Still the cowboy, Mr McClane." "Americans... all alike." "This time, John Wayne does not walk off into the sunset with Grace Kelly." "That was Gary Cooper, asshole." "Enough jokes." "You'd have made a pretty good cowboy yourself, Hans." "Oh, yes." "What was it you said to me before?" "Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker." "Holly!" "Happy trails, Hans." " Aah!" " Holly." "I hope that's not a hostage." "Gimme water hook-ups for engine companies 5, 3, 9, 6." "Over here." "It's a better angle." "Let's give them a hand." "Keep it going, now." "Keep it going." " Come on." "We're going to miss it!" " OK." "Hand me my notes!" "What was it like in there?" "How did they treat you?" "Al, this is my wife Holly." "Holly Gennero." "Holly McClane." "Hello, Holly." "You got yourself a good man." "You take good care of him." "McClane!" "McClane, I want a debriefing!" "You got some things to answer for, mister." "Ellis' murder, for one thing." "Property damage, interfering with police business." "Two ofyou go inside and see ifthere's anybody else!" "No." "This one's with me." "Mr McClane, Mr McClane!" "Now that it's all over, after this incredible ordeal, what are your feelings?" "Well, well, well." " Merry Christmas, Argyle." " Merry Christmas." "Did you get that?" "Let me through." "If this is their idea of Christmas, I gotta be here for New Year's." "I'm here, Roy, but I'm kind of busy right now." "I'll talk to you later." "Al, what's wrong?" "I'll talk to you later." "If you are what I think you are, you'll know when to listen, shut up, and" "and when to pray." "Jesus Christ!" "You're coming in, right?" "Christ, Powell," "I told you what kind of people you're dealing with here." "Let's load them up." "They'll be coming." "Everyone get ready." "Theo, you are the eyes now." " Rivers." " Yo." "Begin your reconnoitre." "Let's go." "Shit!" "Come on." "Let's go." "Ow!" "Jesus!" "All right, spread out." "Shut up." "Let's go." "You macho assholes." "No!" "No!" "Ahem... all right." "Listen up, guys." "'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring, except the four assholes coming in the rear in standard two-by-two cover formation." "We're all set." "We're ready." "Kick ass." "Go!" "Right." "Let's do it." "Take cover!" "They're shooting at 'em." "It's panic fire." "They can't see anything." "They're shooting at the lights." "They're going after the lights." "Call them back." "It's not happening." "Mike, burn it." "Don't be impatient." "Just wound them." "Get them back." "They're sitting ducks without lights." "They're almost in." "Send in the car." "Send in the car." "Jesus Christ!" "Rivers, Rodriguez, report." "Wait a minute." "What have we here, gentlemen?" "The police have themselves an RV." "Southeast corner." "Oh, Jesus Christ." "Get back!" "Get the fuck back!" "Get over there." "Schnell!" "Schnell!" "Mach schnell!" "Weiter!" "Weiter!" "Weiter!" "Mach schnell!" "Mach schnell!" "Weiter!" "Mach los!" "Mach los!" "I see him!" " Fire!" " Clear!" "Oh, my God!" "The quarterback is toast!" "Hang on, Rivers." "That's an order." "Hit it again." "All right, you motherfucker, you made your point!" "Let them pull back!" "Thank you, Mr Cowboy." "I'll take it under advisement." "Hit it again." "Fire." "Fuck me." "Get them out of the car!" "They're burning!" "Fuck it." "Mach schnell!" "Mach los!" "Let's see you take this under advisement, jerkweed." "Geronimo, motherfucker." "Oh, shit!" "They're using artillery on us!" "You idiot, it's not the police." "It's him." "Holy shit." "My God!" " Tell me you got that." " I got it." "Eat your heart out, Channel Five." "We've had an update on the terrorist take over of the Nakatomi building." "Sources say the terroristleader, Hans, may be this man..." "Hans Gruber." "A member ofthe radical West German Volksfreimovement." "Strangely, the Volksfrei leadership issued a communiqué an hour ago stating that Gruber had been expelled from that organisation." "Al, do you copy?" "Are you all right?" "Yeah, I'm fine." "W-what was that?" "Remember that plastic explosive I told you about?" "There you go." "Is the building on fire?" "No, but it's gonna need a paint job and a shitload of screen doors." "Our spotter said you got two with that blast." " Is that him?" " Yes, sir." "I don't know who you think you are but you just destroyed a building." "We do not want your help." "Is that clear?" "We don't want your help." "I've got 100 people down here, and they're covered with glass." "Glass?" "Who gives a shit about glass?" "Who the fuck is this?" "This is Deputy Chief of Police Dwayne T Robinson and I am in charge of this situation." "Oh, you're in charge?" "I got some bad news for you, Dwayne." "From up here it doesn'tlook like you're in charge ofshit." "Listen to me, you little asshole..." "Asshole?" "I'm not the one who just got butt fucked on national TV, Dwayne." "Ah ha ha!" "Listen to me,jerk-off, if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem." "Quit being part of the problem and put the other guy back on!" "Hey, Roy, how you feeling?" "Pretty fucking unappreciated, Al." "Hey, look." "I love you." "So do a lot of the otherguys." "So hang in there, man, you hear me?" "You hang in there." "Yeah, thanks, partner." "What are you doing?" "I'm tired of sitting here waiting to see who gets us killed first, them or your husband." "What are you going to do?" "Hey, babe," "I negotiate million-dollar deals for breakfast." "I think I can handle this Eurotrash." "Hey, sprechen sie talk, huh?" "If you'd listened to me, he would be neutralised already." "I don't want neutral." "I want dead." "Hope I'm not interrupting." "What does he want?" "It's not what I want." "It's what I can give you." "Look, let's be straight, OK?" "It's obvious you're not some dumb schmuck up here to snatch a few purses." "You're very perceptive." "I watch 60 Minutes." "I say to myself, these guys are professional, they're motivated, they're happening, they want something." "I couldn't care less about your politics." "Maybe you're pissed off at the camel jockeys." "Maybe it's the Hebes, Northern lreland." "It's none of my business." "I figure you're here to negotiate, am I right?" "You're amazing." "You figured this all out already?" "Hey, business is business." "You use a gun, I use a fountain pen." "What's the difference?" "Let's put it in my terms." "You're here on a hostile takeover." "You grab us for some green but you didn't expect some poison pill was gonna be running around the building." "Am I right?" "Hans, bubble..." "I'm your white knight." "I must have missed 60 Minutes." "What are you saying?" "The guy upstairs who's fucking things up, huh?" "I can give him to you." "Oh, God..." "Roy?" "Roy, you all right?" "Just trying to fire down a 1,000-year-old Twinkie." "What do they put in these things, anyway?" "Sugar, enriched flour, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, polysorbate 60, and yellow dye number five." "Just everything a growing boyneeds." "How many kids you got, Al?" "As a matter of fact, my wife is working on our first." "How about you, cowboy?" "You got any kids back on your ranch?" "Yeah." "Two." "Sure hope I can see them swinging on ajungle gym with AI Jnr someday." "Well, now, that's a date but you bring the ice cream." "Touching, cowboy." "Touching." "Or shouldl call you" "Mr McClane?" "Mr Officer John McClane of the New York Police Department?" "Get on the phone to Harry in New York." "You better get a hold of somebody at Dispatch." "Sister Theresa called me Mr McClane in the third grade." "My friends call me John and you're neither, shithead." "I have someone who wants to talk to you." "A very special friend who was with you at the party tonight." "Hey, John boy." "Ellis?" "Yeah." "Listen, John, they're giving me a few minutes to talk sense into you." "I know you think you're doing yourjob and I can appreciate that but you'rejust dragging this thing out." "Look, no-one gets out of here until these guys can talk to the LA Police." "That won't happen until you stop messing up the works." "Capisce?" "Ellis, what have you told them?" "I told them we were old friends and you were my guest at the party." "Ellis, you shouldn't be doing this." "Tell me about it." "All right, John, listen." "They want you to tell them where the detonators are." "They know people are listening." "They want the detonators, or they're gonna kill me." "John, didn't you hear me?" "Yeah, I hear you." "John, get with the programme." "The police are here now." "It's their problem." "Tell these guys where the detonators are so no-one else gets hurt!" "I'm putting my life on the line for you, pal!" "Ellis, listen to me carefully." "John..." "Shut up, Ellis!" "Just shut your mouth!" "Put Hans back on the line." "Hans, this shithead doesn'tknow what kind of man you are but I do." "Good." "Then you'll give us what we want and save your friend's life." "You're not part ofthis equation." "Hey, what am I, a method actor?" "Babe, putaway the gun." "This is radio, not television." "Hans, this asshole is not my friend!" "I just met him tonight!" "I don't know him!" "Jesus Christ, Ellis!" "These people will kill you!" "Tell them you don't know me!" "How can you say that after all these years?" "John?" "John?" "Do you hear that?" "Talk to me!" "Where are my detonators?" "Where are they, or shall I shoot another one?" "Sooner or later" "I mightget to someone you do care about." "Go fuck yourself, Hans." "He just let the guy die." "He just gave him up." "Give me that headset." "That's like pulling the trigger yourself." "Can't you see what's happening?" "Can't you read between the lines?" "He did everything he could to save him." "If he gave himself up, they'd both be dead right now!" "No way, man." "They'd be talking to us." "You tell this partner of yours to stay out of this from now on." "Because if he doesn't, I'm really going to nail his ass." "The man is hurting." "He is alone, tired, and he hasn't seen diddly-squat from anybody here!" "You're gonna tell me he'll give a damn about what you do to him if he makes it out ofthere alive?" "Why don't you wake up and smell what you're shovelling?" "You listen to me, sergeant." "Any time you want to go home, you consider yourself dismissed." "No, sir." "You couldn't drag me away." "Attention, police." "Attention, police." " This is Sergeant AI Powell..." " Give me that." "This is Deputy Chief Dwayne Robinson." "Who is this?" "This is Hans Gruber." "I assume you realise the futility of direct action against me." "We have no wish for further loss of life." "What is it you do wish for?" "I have comrades in arms around the world languishing in prison." "The American State Department enjoys rattling its sabre for its own ends." "Now it can rattle it for me." "The following people are to be released from their captors." "In Northern lreland the seven members of the New Provo Front." "In Canada, the five imprisonedleaders ofLiberté de Quebec." "In Sri Lanka, the nine members of the Asian Dawn." "What the fuck?" "Asian Dawn?" "I read about them in Time magazine." "When these revolutionary brothers and sisters are free, the hostages in this building will be taken to the roof and they will accompany us in helicopters to the Los Angeles International Airport where they will be given further instructions." "You have two hours to comply." "Wait a minute." "Uh, Mr. Gruber." "This is crazy." "I don't have the authority." "Two hours is not enough." "Hello?" "Hello!" "Did you get all that?" "We got to make some calls." "Do you think they'll even try?" "Who cares?" "Theo, are we on schedule?" "One more to go, then it's up to you." "You better be right because the last one will take a miracle." "It's Christmas, Theo." "It's the time of miracles, so be of good cheer and call me when you hit the last lock." "Karl, hunt that little shit down and get those detonators." "Fritz is checking the explosives." "I'll check the explosives." "You just get the detonators." "Hey, Powell, you out there?" "I'm here, John." "I'm here." "You gotta believe me." "There was nothing I could do." "Well, it's gonna be both our asses ifyou're wrong." "I hear you." "Did you catch that bullshit Hans was running?" "It doesn'tmake sense, man." "Hey, don't ask me, man." "I'm just a deskjockey who was on my way home when you rang." "The way you drove that car I figured you for the street, Al." "In my youth." "In my youth." "..author of "Hostage Terrorist, Terrorist Hostage," "A Study in Duality. "" "Dr Hasseldorf, what can we expect in the next few hours?" "Well, Gail, by this time, the hostages should be going through the early stages of the Helsinki Syndrome." "As in Helsinki, Sweden." "Finland." "Basically, it's when the hostages and the terrorists go through a sort of psychological transference and a projection of dependency." "A strange sort oftrust and bond develops." "We've hadsituations where the hostages have embraced their captors after release and even corresponded with them in prison." "No, no, darling." "Asian Dawn." "Dawn." "D-A-W-N." " Sir?" " Yeah?" "Sir, the FBI is here." " The FBI is here now?" " Yes, sir." "Right over there." "Hold this." "Want a breath mint?" "Hey, how you doing, man?" "I'm Agent Johnson." "This is Special Agent Johnson." " Oh, how you doing?" " No relation." "I'm, uh..." "I'm Dwayne Robinson, LAPD." "I'm in charge here." "Not any more." "Hi, there." "How you doing?" "Ohh..." "Please, God." "No." "You're one ofthem, aren't you?" "You're one ofthem." "No!" "Don't kill me!" "Please!" "Don't kill me, please!" "Please, please, please." "Whoa." "Relax." "I'm not gonna hurt you." "I'm not gonna hurt you!" "Oh, God." "What the fuck are you doing up here?" "What were you looking for?" "I managed to get out ofthere and" "I was just trying to get up on the roof and see if I could signal for help." "It's just over here." "Why don't you come and help?" "Hold it." "Forget the roof." "I said forget the roof." "They got people all over it." "You want to stay alive, you stay with me." "The best we can figure it, we've got maybe 30 or 35 hostages up there probably on the 30th floor and maybe seven or eight terrorists up there." "Sounds like an A-7 scenario." "Thank you." "We'll handle it from here." "When we commandeer your men, we'll try and let you know." "Aren't you forgetting something?" "Such as?" "What about John McClane?" "He's the reason we have any information." "He's also the reason you're facing seven terrorists, not twelve." "He's inside?" "Who is he?" "He might be a cop." "We're checking on that." " One ofyours?" " No, no way." "You smoke?" "Yeah." "Thanks." "You don't work for Nakatomi." "And ifyou're not one ofthem..." "I'm a cop from New York." "New York?" "Yeah." "Got invited to the Christmas party by mistake." "Who knew?" "Better than being caught with your pants down, huh?" "I'm John McClane." "You're, uh..." "Clay." "Bill Clay." "Know how to use a handgun, Bill?" "I spent a weekend at a combat ranch." "That game with the guns that shoot red paint." "Probably seems kind of stupid to you." "Nope." "Time for the real thing, Bill." "All you got to do is pull the trigger." "Come on." "Put down the gun and give me my detonators." "Well, well, well..." "Hans." "Put it down now." "That's pretty tricky with that accent." "You oughta be on fucking TV with that accent." "But what do you want with the detonators?" "I already used all the explosives." "Or did I?" "I'm going to count to three." "Yeah." "Like you did with Takagi?" "Oops." "No bullets." "What do you think..." "I'm fucking stupid, Hans?" "You were saying?" "Karl." "SchieB dem Fenster." "Shoot the glass!" "Jesus Christ!" "Smile, Karl." "We're back in business." "..is the lastresort ofdiplomacy, then couldn't wejustas well say that terrorism has an equal claim on being that, too?" "Tell me you got something." "McClane's name, badge number, employment record, vital statistics, and his family's home address right here in LA." "Whoo!" "Go to work." "Got it." "God, that man looks really pissed." "He's still alive." "What?" "Only John can drive somebody that crazy." "Hans, you better heat up that miracle because we just broke through on number six and the electromagnetic came down like a fucking anvil." "Have a look at what our friends outside are doing and I'll be right up." "Hey, John." "John McClane, you still with us?" "Yeah." "But all things being equal, I'd rather be in Philadelphia." "Chalk up two more bad guys." "The boys down here will be glad to hear that." "We gota poolgoing on you." "What kind of odds am I getting?" "You don't want to know." "Put me down for 20." "I'm good for it." "Hey, pal, you gotflatfeet?" "What the hell are you talking about, man?" "Something had to get you offthe street." "What's the matter?" "You don't thinkjockeyingpapers across a desk is a noble effortfora cop?" "No." "I had an accident." "The wayyou drive, I can see why." "What'd you do ?" "Run over your captain's foot with the car?" "I shot a kid." "He was 13 years old." "Oh, it was dark." "I couldn'tsee him." "He hada raygun, lookedreal enough." "When you're a rookie, they teach you everything about being a cop except how to live with a mistake." "Anyway, ljust couldn'tbring myself to drawmygun on anybody again." "Sorry, man." "Hey, man, how could you know?" "I feel like shit anyway." "Well, then, this won't matter." "The LAPD is not calling the shots down here any more." "The Feds?" "You got it." "Those are the city engineers." "Wait." "They're going into the street circuits." "Those guys in the suits, I don't know who they are." "That's the fbi." "They're ordering the others to cut the building's power." "Regular as clockwork." "Or a time lock." "Precisely." "The circuits that cannot be cut are cut automatically in response to a terrorist incident." "You asked for miracles, Theo." "I give you the F-B-l." "I want the building shut down." "I got a problem." "I got a switch..." "I don't care about your switch." "I want it out." "Dark!" "You can't do it from here." " Yeah, you could." " It can't be done from here." "I could just..." "I got the radio..." "You can't do it from here." "It's got to be done from downtown." "They've gotta take out a whole city grid." "We're talking 10 square blocks." "Ten blocks?" "Johnson, that's crazy." "It's Christmas Eve." "There's thousands of people." "You have to go wider." " I need authorisation." " How about the United States government?" "Lose the grid, or you lose yourjob." " Yeah, Central?" " Yeah?" "This is Walt down at Nakatomi." "Would it be possible for you to turn off grid 212?" "Are you crazy?" "!" "Maybe I should call the Mayor." "No shit it's my ass." "I got a big problem here." "Shut it down now." "Emergency lighting activated." "Al, talk to me." "What's going on here?" "Ask the fbi." "They got the universal terrorist playbook and they're running it step by step." "It's gonna go." "It's gonna go!" "Yes!" "Merry Christmas." "They must be pissing in their pants." "The Mayor is gonna have my ass." "Whoo!" "What are we gonna do now ?" "Arrest them for not paying their electric bill?" "We've shut them down." "We let them sweat for a while, then we give them helicopters." "Right up the ass." "This is Agent Johnson." "No, the other one." "I want that air support ready to lift off in five minutes." "Damn right." "Fully armed." "We're on the way." "Oh, yes!" "I wish to talk to the fbi." "This is Special Agent Johnson." "The State Departmenthas arranged for the return ofyour comrades." "Helicopters are en route as you requested." "I hearyou." "We'll be ready." "By the time he figures out what hit him, he'll be in a body bag." "When they touch down, we'll blow the roof." "They'll spend a month sifting through the rubble." "By the time they figure out what went wrong, we'll be sitting on a beach earning 20%." "Ah!" "Jeez!" "Powell?" "Yo, Powell, you got a minute?" "I'm here, John." "Listen, I'm starting to get a bad feeling up here." "I want you to do something for me." "Um... ahem..." "I want you to find my wife." "Don't ask me how." "By then you'll know how." "Uh, I want you to tell her something." "I want you to tell her that..." "Tell her it took me a while to figure out what ajerk I've been but, um... that... that when things started to pan out for her" "I should have been more supportive." "And, uh..." "Ijustshouldhave been behind hermore." "Oh, shit." "Tell her that, um that she's the best thing that ever happened to a bum like me." "She's heard me say "l love you" a thousand times." "She never heard me say I'm sorry." "I want you to tell her that, Al." "Tell her that John said that he was sorry." "OK?" "You got that, man?" "Yeah, lgotit, John." "But you can tell her that yourself." "You just watch your ass and you'll make it out." "You hear me?" "I guess that's up to the man upstairs." "John?" "John?" "What the fuck were you doing upstairs, Hans?" "John?" "No, Al, listen." "Just lay offfor a while." "I gotta go check on something." "One minute, that's all I'm asking." "One minute to speak to them." "All right." "Get back." "Get back." "All right, look." "You let me in right now, or I call the INS, comprende?" "This is the last time these kids are gonna have to speak to their parents." "All right?" "All right." "Come on." "Come on." "What were you doing, Hans?" "What were you doing?" "Jesus, Mary, mother of God." "Al, listen to me!" "It's a double-cross!" "The roof is wired to..." "John?" "John!" "John, come in!" "Did you get that?" "Something about a double-cross." "Tell me about it." "We are both professionals." "This is personal." "Aww..." "They're coming!" "Choppers are coming." "Time to gather your flock, Miss Gennero." "Your mom and dad are veryimportantpeople." "They're verybrave people." "Is there somethingyou'dlike to say to them, ifthey're watching?" "Come home." "Mrs McClane." "How nice to make your acquaintance." "On your feet, everyone!" "To the roof!" "Lock them up there and come right back." "You should have heard your brother squeal when I broke his fucking neck!" "What do you figure the breakage?" "I figure we take out the terrorists," "lose 20, 25% ofthe hostages, tops." "I can live with that." "Get this thing on the deck." "They're expecting transports, not gun ships." "Move it!" "Come on!" "Move!" "Come on!" "Come on!" "Move it!" "Go!" "Move!" "Theo." "A little bonus for us." "Please, sit down." "Sit down!" "A policeman's wife might come in handy." "McClane, I have some news for you." "McClane?" "Move!" "Come on!" "Motherfucker!" "I'll kill you!" "Armed." " The truck?" " The truck." "After all your posturing, all your little speeches, you're nothing but a common thief." "I am an exceptional thief, Mrs McClane." "And since I'm moving up to kidnapping, you should be more polite." "You motherfucker, I'm gonna kill you!" "I'm gonna fuckin' cook you, and I'm gonna fuckin' eat you!" "I don't like this, Sarge." "Yee-hah!" "Just like fucking Saigon, eh, Slick?" "I was in Junior High, dickhead." "Where's Holly?" "Where's Holly Gennero?" "Holly Gennero?" "Where's Holly?" "Where's Holly?" "Where is she?" " They took her!" " Where?" "The vault!" " Where is the vault?" " The 30th floor!" "They just took her!" "Get downstairs!" "The whole fucking roof is wired to blow!" "Get down!" "Get down!" "Get the fuck downstairs!" "They made us, Bureau." "Terrorist shooting hostages." "Break left!" "Nail that sucker!" "I'm on your side, you assholes!" "Swing around again!" "I'll bag this little bastard." "What the fuck..." "Oh, John, what the fuck are you doing?" "How the fuck did you get into this shit?" "There's something wrong!" "They're coming back down!" " Blow the roof." " But Karl's up there!" "Blow the roof!" "I promise I will never even think about going up in a tall building again." "Oh, God, please don't let me die!" "Holy Christ!" "We're gonna need some more FBI guys, I guess." "Jesus fucking Christ!" "Fuck!" "What the fuck is going on?" "What are you gonna do?" "Sit here while the building falls down?" "Shit!" "All right!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "Hang on, baby." "Hang on, honey." "Oh, God." "Hans!" "Jesus." "Hi, honey." "So that's what this is all about?" "A fucking robbery?" "Put down the gun." "Why'd you have to nuke the whole building, Hans?" "Well, when you steal $600, you can just disappear." "When you steal 600 million, they will find you unless they think you're already dead." "Put down the gun." "Nein." "This is mine." "You got me." "Still the cowboy, Mr McClane." "Americans... all alike." "This time, John Wayne does not walk off into the sunset with Grace Kelly." "That was Gary Cooper, asshole." "Enough jokes." "You'd have made a pretty good cowboy yourself, Hans." "Oh, yes." "What was it you said to me before?" "Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker." "Holly!" "Happy trails, Hans." " Aah!" " Holly." "I hope that's not a hostage." "Gimme water hook-ups for engine companies 5, 3, 9, 6." "Over here." "It's a better angle." "Let's give them a hand." "Keep it going, now." "Keep it going." " Come on." "We're going to miss it!" " OK." "Hand me my notes!" "What was it like in there?" "How did they treat you?" "Al, this is my wife Holly." "Holly Gennero." "Holly McClane." "Hello, Holly." "You got yourself a good man." "You take good care of him." "McClane!" "McClane, I want a debriefing!" "You got some things to answer for, mister." "Ellis' murder, for one thing." "Property damage, interfering with police business." "Two ofyou go inside and see ifthere's anybody else!" "No." "This one's with me." "Mr McClane, Mr McClane!" "Now that it's all over, after this incredible ordeal, what are your feelings?" "Well, well, well." " Merry Christmas, Argyle." " Merry Christmas." "Did you get that?" "Let me through." "If this is their idea of Christmas, I gotta be here for New Year's." | Low | [
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Carvedilol, a new beta-adrenoreceptor blocker antihypertensive drug, protects against free-radical-induced endothelial dysfunction. We tested the ability of carvedilol, an antihypertensive beta-adrenoreceptor antagonist with antioxidant properties, to protect rat aorta rings from free-radical-induced endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction. Rings were exposed to the superoxide generator pyrogallol. Vascular function of intact rings was assessed by observing acetylcholine (ACh)-induced vasorelaxation following submaximal contraction by U-46619. Function of rings denuded of ECs was assessed by observing S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP)-induced vasorelaxation following submaximal contraction by U-46619. Carvedilol exerted a significant protective effect against pyrogallol-induced vasoconstriction (17.1 +/- 4.8 vs. 31.9 +/- 5.4% for vehicle, p < 0.05). Carvedilol also demonstrated significant protection against pyrogallol-induced endothelium dysfunction, enhancing vasorelaxation to 1,000 nmol/l ACh (73 +/- 3.9 vs. 48 +/- 3.0% vehicle, p < 0.01). These protective effects were not seen with propanolol, a pure beta-receptor antagonist. Carvedilol mixed with pyrogallol and SNAP preserved SNAP-induced vasorelaxation in rings denuded of ECs (80.4 +/- 5.3 vs. 63.7 +/- 4.8% control, p < 0.05). Carvedilol appears to protect vascular function by scavenging free radicals and enhancing the effects of NO. | High | [
0.6697038724373571,
36.75,
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Forest Falls -- A mother and daughter who were hiking in the mountains were rescued after falling nearly 40 feet from Big Falls in Forest Falls Wednesday afternoon. Firefighters received a call from witnesses who had seen the two fall from the top of the falls and landed in one of the pools. Twelve rescuers from the San Bernardino County Fire Department began to scale the mountain in efforts to bring the two hikers to safety. Members of the San Bernardino County sheriff's search and rescue teams that live in the area heard the call on the radio and raced to assist the fire department's rescue team. "The 34-year-old woman and 14-year-old girl sustained non-life threatening injuries in the fall," said fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez. "Rescuers hiked the two out to a sheriff's rescue helicopter that was waiting to fly the two to Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Linda." | Low | [
0.503787878787878,
33.25,
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11 Food Photos We Liked in 2011 December 22, 2011 Photo Credit: Jenna Weber | Eat, Live, Run Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cookies (Fresh Tastes) They are ooey, they are gooey, and they make you want to put your face through your computer screen. These chocolate cherry chunk cookies from our Fresh Tastes food blog were created by Jenna Weber of Eat, Live, Run, and the picture alone tells you just how delicious this recipe must be. I have heard this version as well -- That musicians finishing at 3-4am went to all night diners as menus were changing and wanted something hearty and dinner like such as Fried Chicken and Something light and sweet - i.e. waffles and syrup and such the marriage was made --- Now me -- I like chicken and waffles with sausage gravy! This is a fantastic bake - thank you Beca! We have done roughly 10 bakes from recipes from this show and this was the best. We followed everything almost exactly to recipe and it tastes great. A few notes- don't boil the syrup too long - we did so the first time through, then found that it sets really quickly in the pan and will even set before being ab One of the greatest salads of all time. I prefer the classic buttery croutons on top rather than a croissant on the bottom. But THEE most decadent version was served to me years ago at the Claremont Hotel in Oakland, CA. The waiter grated fresh, black truffles generously over the top just before bringing it to the table. Oh, the aroma wafting from that plate It is the same thing as Jello. In England it comes in a thick jelly bar that you melt in hot water. In the US it is powder but its the same thing. Just use 1/3 the water because you need it to be really firm. The quantities are too small in this recipe. I doubled the sponge recipe and got only 16 jaffa cakes using one tablespoon of batter for each one. You can use a muffin tin. Just put one tablespoon of the batter in a buttered muffin tin. Each Jaffa cake is tiny to the American eye but that is what they are supposed to be like. Also Americans can use regular Or | Low | [
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Q: Dplyr conditional column ifelse with vector input I am trying to use dplyr's new NSE language approach to create a conditional mutate, using a vector input. Where I am having trouble is setting the column equal to itself, see mwe below: df <- data.frame("Name" = c(rep("A", 3), rep("B", 3), rep("C", 4)), "X" = runif(1:10), "Y" = runif(1:10)) %>% tbl_df() %>% mutate_if(is.factor, as.character) ColToChange <- "Name" ToChangeTo <- "Big" Now, using the following: df %>% mutate( !!ColToChange := ifelse(X >= 0.5 & Y >= 0.5, ToChangeTo, !!ColToChange)) Sets the ColToChange value to Name, not back to its original value. I am thus trying to use the syntax above to achieve this: df %>% mutate( !!ColToChange := ifelse(X >= 0.5 & Y >= 0.5, ToChangeTo, Name)) But instead of Name, have it be the vector. A: You need to use rlang:sym to evaluate ColToChange as a symbol Name first, then evaluate it as a column with !!: library(rlang); library(dplyr); df %>% mutate(!!ColToChange := ifelse(X >= 0.5 & Y >= 0.5, ToChangeTo, !!sym(ColToChange))) # A tibble: 10 x 3 # Name X Y # <chr> <dbl> <dbl> # 1 A 0.05593119 0.3586310 # 2 A 0.70024660 0.4258297 # 3 Big 0.95444388 0.7152358 # 4 B 0.45809482 0.5256475 # 5 Big 0.71348123 0.5114379 # 6 B 0.80382633 0.2665391 # 7 Big 0.99618062 0.5788778 # 8 Big 0.76520307 0.6558515 # 9 C 0.63928001 0.1972674 #10 C 0.29963517 0.5855646 | High | [
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Q: Java Swing Panel layout I am working on a Java project for college that involves us setting up a TCP Server and Client. I have that part working and now to add more of a feel to my project I want to add a GUI. We have not begun learning about GUI's in Java yet. However I want to try as I think it would be a useful exercise. I have a very basic GUI set up and the appropriate ActionListener set for the button. My next problem is positioning my panels so they look neat and tidy on the Frame... At the moment I have all the components in one panel as seen below: public ClientGUI(){ //Initialise Frame frame = new JFrame("TCP Client"); //Initialise Panel 1 & Components p1 = new JPanel(); //Set Layout p1.setLayout(new GridLayout(1,2)); //Label 1 - For TextArea l1 = new JLabel("Chat Log"); p1.add(l1); //TextArea - To display conversation t1 = new JTextArea(10,10); p1.add(t1); //Label 2 - For TextField l2 = new JLabel("Message"); p1.add(l2); //Message Box - For user input t2 = new JTextField(10); p1.add(t2); //Button 1 - To send message b1 = new JButton("Send"); p1.add(b1); //Add panels to frame frame.add(p1); //Frame properties... frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE); frame.setSize(400,400); frame.setVisible(true); //Add Event listener to button b1.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){ public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ev){ //do something t1.setText(t2.getText()); } }); I would love for it to look something like the rough wireframe below. I'd appreciate any feedback anyone might have! Thanks very much. A: What you want is called the BoxLayout, which feeds UI elements in columns or rows. And then you can nest them one inside another, e.g. have one horizontal box layout panel as an element in another that is vertical (kind of like nested HTML tables). So all of your elements would go in a top level vertical BoxLayout and the line that has JLabel2 and JTextField would be its own horizontal BoxLayout nested in the top level vertical layout. Here is a pretty decent tutorial about layout managers and it includes the BoxLayout. A: There are many different ways, and many different LayoutManagers to use. Read up some more on them here: A Visual Guide to Layout Managers Here is an example I made which uses GridBagLayout: //necessary imports import java.awt.BorderLayout; import java.awt.GridBagConstraints; import java.awt.GridBagLayout; import java.awt.event.ActionEvent; import java.awt.event.ActionListener; import javax.swing.JButton; import javax.swing.JFrame; import javax.swing.JLabel; import javax.swing.JPanel; import javax.swing.JScrollPane; import javax.swing.JTextArea; import javax.swing.JTextField; import javax.swing.UIManager; import javax.swing.UIManager.LookAndFeelInfo; public class Test { /** * Default constructor for Test.class */ public Test() { initComponents(); } public static void main(String[] args) { /** * Set look and feel of app */ try { for (LookAndFeelInfo info : UIManager.getInstalledLookAndFeels()) { if ("Nimbus".equals(info.getName())) { UIManager.setLookAndFeel(info.getClassName()); break; } } } catch (Exception e) { // If Nimbus is not available, you can set the GUI to another look and feel. } /** * Create GUI and components on Event-Dispatch-Thread */ javax.swing.SwingUtilities.invokeLater(new Runnable() { @Override public void run() { Test test = new Test(); } }); } /** * Initialize GUI and components (including ActionListeners etc) */ private void initComponents() { JFrame jFrame = new JFrame("Chat Test"); jFrame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE); jFrame.setResizable(false); //Initialise Panel 1 & Components JPanel p1 = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout()); JPanel p2 = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout()); //Label 1 - For TextArea JLabel l1 = new JLabel("Chat Log"); //TextArea - To display conversation final JTextArea t1 = new JTextArea(10, 10); JScrollPane pane = new JScrollPane(t1); //Label 2 - For TextField JLabel l2 = new JLabel("Message"); //Message Box - For user input final JTextField t2 = new JTextField(10); //Button 1 - To send message JButton b1 = new JButton("Send"); GridBagConstraints gc = new GridBagConstraints(); gc.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL; gc.weightx = 1; gc.gridx = 0; gc.gridy = 0; p1.add(l1, gc); gc.gridx = 0; gc.gridy = 1; p1.add(pane, gc); GridBagConstraints gc2 = new GridBagConstraints(); gc2.fill = GridBagConstraints.HORIZONTAL; gc2.weightx = 1; gc2.gridx = 0; gc2.gridy = 0; gc2.ipadx = 10; p2.add(l2, gc2); gc2.gridx = 1; gc2.gridy = 0; p2.add(t2, gc2); gc2.gridx = 1; gc2.gridy = 1; p2.add(b1, gc2); b1.addActionListener(new ActionListener() { @Override public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ev) { //do something t1.setText(t2.getText()); } }); jFrame.add(p1, BorderLayout.CENTER); jFrame.add(p2, BorderLayout.SOUTH); //pack frame (size JFrame to match preferred sizes of added components and set visible jFrame.pack(); jFrame.setVisible(true); } } | Low | [
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Lagrange's identity (disambiguation) Lagrange's identity may refer to: Lagrange's identity, an algebraic identity Lagrange's identity (boundary value problem), an identity in calculus Lagrange's trigonometric identities, two trigonometric identities Lagrange's four-square theorem, a theorem from number theory Lagrange polynomial for theorems relating to numerical interpolation Euler–Lagrange equation of variational mechanics | Mid | [
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Leeds’ status on Yahoo! The rest don’t even get into three figures – excepting Milan which has 107! Okay, few in the UK use Yahoo anymore but, for an overseas viewer, the rankings above show Leeds to be the fourth best supported ‘soccer’ club. With more than twice the support of Man City, GHF may have bought a gem. | Low | [
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25.625,
33.25
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Analysis Interpretation of the news based on evidence, including data, as well as anticipating how events might unfold based on past events For Albanians, it’s not just an eagle. Here’s the deeper story on those World Cup fines. Switzerland’s Granit Xhaka celebrates with the sign of the Albanian eagle after scoring his side’s first goal during the Group E match between Switzerland and Serbia at the 2018 World Cup in Kaliningrad, Russia, on Friday. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone/AP) By Ani Kokobobo July 2 When Switzerland competes against Sweden in the World Cup on Tuesday, no players will celebrate with the eagle hand gesture. At a match on June 20, there was a big to-do over the gesture by Albanian players on the Swiss team. Why the eagle? And why was there a backlash from FIFA, the organizer of the World Cup? After scoring two goals against Serbia, Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri, two Kosovar Albanian players on the Swiss national soccer team, celebrated by making a gesture of the Albanian eagle. FIFA announced it would fine the two Albanian players and their Swiss team captain $10,100 for the celebratory gestures, which it deemed unsporting behavior. During the same game, Serbian fans booed the Albanian players and wore T-shirts with pictures of Ratko Mladic, the “butcher of Bosnia,” who was convicted of genocide by an international criminal tribunal. In a separate judgment, the World Cup organization fined the Serbian soccer federation $54,700 for its fans’ “display of discriminatory banners and messages.” While the Mladic image may be self-explanatory, the larger significance of the hand signal of the Albanian eagle, which sits on the Albanian flag and denotes “Albania” in international sign language, warrants more explanation. Yes, there are political rivalries at the World Cup The FIFA decision might seem a typical Balkan affair. In 2014, a riot broke out during a soccer match between Serbia and Albania when a fan flew a drone over the stadium carrying the insignia of greater Albania — which included the eagle. As journalist Aleks Eror noted in a recent discussion of the Switzerland game, there are many historical realities at play for everyone involved in that World Cup match. Serbs and Albanians, and certainly Serbs and Kosovar Albanians, have a complicated relationship and a long history of conflict — particularly over Kosovo, which Serbians view as the cradle of Serbian civilization. Dating to the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, a conflict between the Ottoman Empire and Balkan people, the province has assumed a central role in the construction of Serbian national identity — in part through oral and later written epic poetry. This long history reemerged in Yugoslavia’s ethnic conflicts in the 1980s after years of peaceful coexistence during Josip Broz Tito’s regime. Serbian politician Slobodan Milosevic launched his career through a nationalist platform that instrumentalized the battle mythology to strip the predominantly Albanian Kosovo of its autonomous status. After Yugoslavia broke apart, significant human casualties on both sides during the late 1990s and early 2000s brought the conflict to a boiling point. Serbia still does not officially recognize Kosovo’s independence, though the Brussels Agreement of 2013 was a step in normalizing relations. From this perspective, the game between Serbia and Switzerland — a team with four Albanians on the roster — was marked by the long and complicated history of ethnic tensions. The history of trauma and violence is painful on both sides, but the Albanian eagle hand symbols don’t quite stack up to the fans’ decision to wear Mladic T-shirts. It’s all about the eagle for Albania Albania, a small country of more than 3 million people, has existed as a political entity for a little over 100 years. During some 500 years of Ottoman occupation and even now, the eagle was not an aggressive or violent symbol. Perhaps to a minority, the eagle symbolizes radical nationalism and notions of greater Albania. During the 2014 drone incident, the eagle had been placed on a distorted red background that signified greater Albania. But to most Albanians, the eagle — shqiponja — simply encapsulates their national flag and identity, and Albania is the “land of eagles.” The modern Albanian word for “Albania” is “Shqipëri” — and the word for “Albanians” is “Shqiptar.” Although the linguistic ties may be coincidental, Albanians construe the link as authentic and see the eagle as a consistent symbol representing the Albanian people — dating from the 11thcentury. Here’s an example. When Albanian national hero George Kastrioti Skanderbeg fought against the Ottoman Empire during the 15th century, he carried a banner with the two-headed eagle to unite his people. The eagle, with its two heads, serves as that one token of identity inclusive enough to represent a diverse population of Muslims and Orthodox and Catholic Christians. Given the multi-faith demographic makeup of the country, not many other symbols could serve as unifying identity markers. To Albanians, the eagle denotes pride, heroism, strength and, ultimately, their ability as a people to survive historical calamities — of which there have been many. For Albanians, the eagle is a proud historical symbol Different political factions have sought to appropriate the eagle, usually by forcing symbols between the two eagle heads. When Italy invaded Albania during World War II, the regime of Benito Mussolini placed a crown on top of the eagle. Most notably, the 40-year postwar communist regime of Enver Hoxha adorned the eagle with a star. Yet these ideological and political symbols have always fallen by the wayside, seen by Albanians as misguided attempts to co-opt their identity — and violate the eagle’s unifying neutrality with an ideological message. Political and economic instability, beginning in the 1990s, led to high rates of emigration. Close to 20 percent of Albania’s population left the country — and many headed to Switzerland, Germany and other destinations, including the United States. Hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanians fled Kosovo in 1999 to escape ethnic conflict, followed by subsequent waves of emigrants seeking to escape poverty. For those abroad, like Xhaka and Shaqiri, who face cultural loss in the process of integration in adopted countries, the eagle often remains the only visible trace of their Albanian identity. In Swiss uniforms, while celebrating with the Albanian eagle, the two players embody immigrant identity and self-expression — with its hybridity, historical references and mishmash of allegiances. Editors’ note: The post has been updated to reflect that there are four Albanian players on the Swiss national team. Ani Kokobobo is an associate professor in the Slavic Department at the University of Kansas. Follow her on Twitter @ani_kokobobo. | Mid | [
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