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Play games defined by keyword: "open world".
In open world video games the player can move freely in the world, almost without restrictions. Opposed to linear gameplay, in an open world game you can actually approach each situation in many different ways. Open world gameplay is usually related to RPG games such as Skyrim or the Ultima series, but can be applied to shooters or platform games (expecially metroidvania).
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or are they simply over used catch phrases?
We've all heard these terms before, especially lately. The thing is, I have a problem with how these terms are used. Journalists, Talk Show Hosts, your friends and family, and Politicians all use these term endearingly. Perhaps these terms have been over used to the point where it's just good sounding rhetoric. They've become catch phrases. The true meanings have been muddled over time through the process of taking the middle of the road.
Do you know what they mean? Do you hold the meanings close to your heart? Which one are you? Do you stand up for the values that they reflect.
I have organized definitions from two dictionaries in the original format. I did edit a bit for the sake of readability but I have not tweaked the literature any other way. Granted, some of it is repetitive but each definition carries its own separate nuance and I didn't want to edit too much.
For the sake of argument and good conversation, I might suggest looking up several other terms including: SOCIALIST, COMMUNIST, FASCIST and so on.
I hope you find it useful. Perhaps you'll find your political roots and you'll decide that perhaps you are none of these. Perhaps we should coin new terms for toady's politics.
Read on, I think you'll find this truly fascinating!
2. capitalized : a member of the Democratic party of the U.S.
1. One who is an adherent or advocate of democracy, or government by the people. "Whatever they call him, what care I, Aristocrat, democrat, autocrat." --Tennyson.
2. Democrat. Abbr. Dem., D, D. A member of the Democratic Party.
A peak, 4,315.1 m (14,148 ft) high, of central Colorado in the Park Range of the Rocky Mountains.
b : a member of the Democratic-Republican party or of the Republican party of the U.S.
1. Of or pertaining to a republic. The Roman emperors were republican magistrates named by the senate. --Macaulay.
(a) An earlier name of the Democratic party when it was opposed to the Federal party. Thomas Jefferson was its great leader.
(b) One of the existing great parties. It was organized in 1856 by a combination of voters from other parties for the purpose of opposing the extension of slavery, and in 1860 it elected Abraham Lincoln president.
1. One who favors or prefers a republican form of government.
2. (U.S. Politics) A member of the Republican party.
1: relating to or belonging to the Republican Party; "a Republican senator"; "Republican party politics"
1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a republic.
2. Being in favor of a republic as the best form of government.
belonging to the Republican Party of the United States. n.
1. One who favors a republic as the best form of government.
2. Republican. Abbr. R., Rep., Repub. A member of the Republican Party of the United States.
1. Having power to preserve in a safe of entire state, or from loss, waste, or injury; preservative.
1. One who, or that which, preserves from ruin, injury, innovation, or radical change; a preserver; a conserver. "The Holy Spirit is the great conservative of the new life." --Jer. Taylor.
2. One who desires to maintain existing institutions and customs; also, one who holds moderate opinions in politics; -- opposed to revolutionary or radical.
5. Conservative. Of or belonging to the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom or the Progressive Conservative Party in Canada.
6. Conservative. Of or adhering to Conservative Judaism.
3. Conservative. Abbr. C. A member or supporter of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom or the Progressive Conservative Party in Canada.
4. Archaic. A preservative agent or principle.
LIBERAL: ib·er·al (lbr-l, lbrl) adj. Abbr. lib.
d. Liberal. Abbr. Lib. Of, designating, or characteristic of a political party founded on or associated with principles of social and political liberalism, especially in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States.
university curriculum: a liberal education.
5. a. Archaic. Permissible or appropriate for a person of free birth; befitting a lady or gentleman.
b. Obsolete. Morally unrestrained; licentious.
1.A person with liberal ideas or opinions.
2. Liberal. Abbr. Lib. A member of a Liberal political party.
Synonyms: liberal, bounteous, bountiful, freehanded, generous, handsome, munificent, openhanded.
The central meaning shared by these adjectives is ìwilling or marked by a willingness to give unstintinglyî: a liberal backer of the arts; a bounteous feast; bountiful compliments; a freehanded host; a generous donation; a handsome offer; a munificent gift; a fond and openhanded grandfather.
See also synonyms at broad-minded.
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition Copyright © 1996, 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
1. Free by birth; hence, befitting a freeman or gentleman; refined; noble; independent; free; not servile or mean; as, a liberal ancestry; a liberal spirit; liberal arts or studies. "Liberal education." --Macaulay. "A liberal tongue." --Shak.
liberal giver. "Liberal of praise." --Bacon. "Infinitely good, and of his good As liberal and free as infinite. --Milton.
3. Bestowed in a large way; hence, more than sufficient; abundant; bountiful; ample; profuse; as, a liberal gift; a liberal discharge of matter or of water. "His wealth doth warrant a liberal dower." --Shak.
6. Free to excess; regardless of law or moral restraint; licentious. "Most like a liberal villain." --Shak.
7. Not bound by orthodox tenets or established forms in political or religious philosophy; independent in opinion; not conservative; friendly to great freedom in the constitution or administration of government; having tendency toward democratic or republican, as distinguished from monarchical or aristocratic, forms; as, liberal thinkers; liberal Christians; the Liberal party. "I confess I see nothing liberal in this "order of thoughts," as Hobbes elsewhere expresses it. --Hazlitt.
Note: Liberal has of, sometimes with, before the thing bestowed, in before a word signifying action, and to before a person or object on which anything is bestowed; as, to be liberal of praise or censure; liberal with money; liberal in giving; liberal to the poor.
The liberal arts. See under Art.
Liberal education, education that enlarges and disciplines the mind and makes it master of its own powers, irrespective of the particular business or profession one may follow.
Syn: Generous; bountiful; munificent; beneficent; ample; large; profuse; free.
Usage: Liberal, Generous. Liberal is freeborn, and generous is highborn. The former is opposed to the ordinary feelings of a servile state, and implies largeness of spirit in giving, judging, acting, etc. The latter expresses that nobleness of soul which is peculiarly appropriate to those of high rank, -- a spirit that goes out of self, and finds its enjoyment in consulting the feelings and happiness of others. Generosity is measured by the extent of the sacrifices it makes; liberality, by the warmth of feeling which it manifests.
LIBERAL \Lib"er*al\, n. One who favors greater freedom in political or religious matters; an opponent of the established systems; a reformer; in English politics, a member of the Liberal party, so called. Cf. Whig.
4. Often Independent. Affiliated with or loyal to no one political party or organization.
5. Not dependent on or affiliated with a larger or controlling group or system: an independent food store.
6. a. Not relying on others for support, care, or funds; self-supporting.
8. Independent. Of or relating to the 17th-century English Independents.
1. Often Independent. One that is independent, especially a voter, an officeholder, or a political candidate who is not committed to a political party.
2. Independent. A member of a movement in England in the 17th century advocating the political and religious independence of individual congregations.
3. Independent. Chiefly British. A Congregationalist.
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There are schools offering allied health degrees in Rhode Island!
Around 3.4% of Rhode Island's graduates graduate from allied health certificate programs every year. In other words, every year an estimated 1,219 allied health professionals graduate from Rhode Island's 8 allied health schools.
Salve Regina University, which was ranked 37th nationwide in 2010, is the top-ranked school in Rhode Island that has a allied health program. It is located in Newport. 3 students graduated with a certificate in allied health from Salve Regina University in 2010. Tuition at Salve Regina University was $31,450 per year.
Rhode Island College, which was ranked 42nd nationwide in 2010, is the second-ranked school in Rhode Island that has a allied health program. It is located in Providence. In 2010, Rhode Island College graduated 3 students from its allied health program. The tuition rate at Rhode Island College was $6,986 per year.
University of Rhode Island, which is located in Kingston, is the third-ranked school in Rhode Island that has a allied health program. It received a ranking of 66th in the country in 2010. In 2010, University of Rhode Island graduated 51 students from its allied health programs. Tuition at University of Rhode Island was $10,476 per year.
An allied health certificate from a Rhode Island school... what next?
The government projects that the number of allied health professionals in Rhode Island will grow by 15%. By 2018, there will be an estimated 21,590 allied health professionals working in Rhode Island. The greatest growth for allied health professional is predicted to be amongst Home Health Aides, who are expected to increase by 30% by 2018.
Take a look at the graphs and charts below for additional Rhode Island statistics regarding a career in allied health and to compare salaries with a variety of related fields such as nurse anesthetist or nurse assisting.
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Warren Crandall Giles (May 28, 1896 – February 7, 1979) was an American professional baseball executive. He spent 33 years in high-level posts in Major League Baseball, as club president and general manager of the Cincinnati Reds (1937–51) and president of the National League (1951–69), and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Born in Tiskilwa, Illinois, Giles attended Washington & Lee University and served as an infantry officer in France during World War I. Before becoming a full-time baseball executive he worked as a football and basketball official in the Missouri Valley Conference, a major U.S. college sports league.
Giles was elected president of the Moline, Illinois, Plowboys baseball club in the Class B Three-I League at age 23 in 1919, beginning his 50-year career in baseball.
He then joined the St. Louis Cardinals' organization and rose to prominence as the president and business manager of their top-level farm teams, the Syracuse Stars (1926–27) and Rochester Red Wings (1928–36) of the International League. As a foreshadowing of his most powerful position in professional baseball, Giles spent part of the 1936 season as president of the International League.
Upon the recommendation of Cardinals' executive Branch Rickey, Powel Crosley, Jr., owner of the Cincinnati Reds, appointed Giles as his club's general manager and president on November 1, 1936, succeeding Larry MacPhail. While the 1937 Reds won only 56 games and slid into the basement of the National League, the 1938 edition improved by 26 games to finish in the first division, earning Giles the 1938 Major League Executive of the Year award from The Sporting News. That season, he hired a future Hall of Fame manager, Bill McKechnie, to take charge of the Reds on the field. Then, on June 13, 1938, Giles swung one of the most successful trades in Cincinnati history, when he obtained starting pitcher Bucky Walters from the Philadelphia Phillies for catcher Spud Davis, pitcher Al Hollingsworth and cash.
Walters would help lead the Reds of 1939 and 1940 to back-to-back National League championships. The 1939 Reds—with Walters winning 27 games and the league Most Valuable Player award—captured the NL pennant by 4½ games, but they were swept by the New York Yankees in the World Series. Unfazed, the 1940 Reds won 100 games (with Walters accounting for 22 victories and leading the NL in earned run average for a second straight season) to repeat as league champions by a 12-length margin. Then, behind Walters' two complete game victories, the Reds defeated the Detroit Tigers in a seven-game World Series for the second world title in modern club history.
The Reds boasted .500 or above teams through 1944, but declined beginning in 1945 and during the postwar era finished in the NL's second division and posted losing records for Giles' last seven seasons as the Reds' top executive.
Nevertheless, Giles was a leading candidate to become baseball's third commissioner after Happy Chandler was fired in 1951. He was runner-up in the commissioner balloting to Ford Frick but succeeded Frick as president of the Senior Circuit on October 8, 1951.
During his 18-year reign as chief executive of the National League (including the full seasons of 1952–69), Giles presided over several historic events.
The NL opened the West Coast and Southeastern United States territories by approving the transfers of the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants in 1958, and the Atlanta Braves in 1966. Giles' first full season, 1952, was the last in which the eight-team league operated in the same cities as it had since 1900. In March 1953, the Braves pulled up stakes in Boston, where they had played since they were charter members of the Senior Circuit in 1876, and moved to Milwaukee. That transfer—initially wildly successful, although the Braves' tenure there would last only 13 seasons—was the first in the series of franchise moves that shook Major League Baseball for the next two decades.
In addition, Giles' National League expanded to 12 teams by adding two clubs in both 1962 and 1969. Although "who says you have to have a team in New York [City]?" was Giles' notorious reply when asked if his league would seek to replace the Dodgers and Giants in New York, the 1962 expansion, which created the Mets, returned the Senior Circuit to the city. The same expansion brought Major League Baseball to Texas, with the Houston Colt .45s. In 1969, Giles' last year in office, his league expanded into Canada with the Montreal Expos, adopted divisional play, and played the first National League Championship Series, between the Braves and Mets. Between 1952 and 1969, the NL's member clubs, with the exception of the Chicago Cubs, also opened or were planning to open new stadiums.
Giles' presidency also saw the National League widen its advantage over the American League in the signing of African-American and Latin American players, resulting in a three-decade-long dominance of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. In clubhouse meetings before the midsummer classic, Giles famously would exhort the NL's players to uphold their league's honor. During his tenure, the National League won 16 of 22 All-Star games played, with one tie. (Two games were played each year from 1959 to 1962.) The NL also won ten of 18 World Series during Giles' term.
In addition, Giles worked vigorously to keep premier players in his league. After the advent of interleague trading without waivers in November 1959, he lobbied against the trade of National League superstars to the American League to preserve the NL's hegemony. He was successful until his former team, the Reds, traded Frank Robinson to the Baltimore Orioles after the 1965 season.
During the early weeks of the 1963 season, Giles became a figure of some controversy after he instructed the NL's umpires to strictly enforce the balk rule then in place. In response, the Senior Circuit's arbiters called 74 balks from the opening of the season on April 8 until April 26, when Giles announced a relaxation of the policy. Only two balks were called in the American League over the same period.
Giles, then 73, announced his intention to retire after the 1969 season and on December 5, Giants' executive Chub Feeney was elected to succeed him. Under Feeney, league president through 1986, the NL's All-Star Game dominance would continue, with 14 triumphs in 17 games.
Giles was elected to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1969 and the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1979 shortly after his death in Cincinnati at age 82. Giles is interred in Riverside Cemetery in Moline, Illinois.
The National League Championship Series trophy is named in his honor. Also, Minor League Baseball gives out the Warren Giles Award to outstanding minor league presidents.
His son, Bill Giles, has also had a 50-year baseball career. After serving as an executive with the Reds, Houston Colt .45s/Astros and Phillies, he became a part-owner of the Phillies in 1981, and served as their club president until 1997 before becoming board chairman and then chairman emeritus. Following in his father's footsteps, Bill Giles is also honorary president of the National League.
↑ "Giles, Warren/ Baseball Hall of Fame". National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
↑ Jensen, Mike (October 16, 2008). "'Fantastic feeling' for Bill Giles". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2009-08-17.
↑ "History: MiLB Major Award Winners". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved 2011-10-15.
↑ Avallone, Michael (November 19, 2007). "Minor League Baseball announces top honorees: Annual awards salute outstanding organizations and executives". MLB.com. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved 2011-10-06. [Presented] annually to a league president for exceptional service.
↑ Czerwinski, Kevin T. (December 14, 2006). "McEacharn claims 2006 Warren Giles Award". MinorLeagueBaseball.com. Retrieved 2011-10-06.
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Find the hidden mini monkeys in Monkey Go Happy Ninjas 3!
Explore the area, look for hiding places, and assist the people who need help.
Enjoy Monkey Go Happy Ninjas 3!
Use Left Mouse Click to explore the environment, pick up and use items and solve puzzles.
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Hans F. Weinberger (September 27, 1928 in Vienna - September 15, 2017 in Durham, North Carolina) was an Austrian-American mathematician, known for his contributions to variational methods for eigenvalue problems, partial differential equations, and fluid dynamics.
He obtained an M.S. in physics from Carnegie Institute of Technology (1948) where he also got his Sc.D. on the thesis Fourier Transforms of Moebius Series advised by Richard Duffin (1950). He then worked at the institute for Fluid Dynamics at University of Maryland, College Park (1950–60), and as professor at University of Minnesota (1961–98) where he was department head (1967–69) and now is Professor Emeritus (1998–). Weinberger was the first director of Institute for Mathematics and its Applications (1981–87). Weinberger served as the IMA's first director from 1982 to 1987, and under his leadership, the IMA quickly became known for cutting-edge scientific programs, a collaborative atmosphere, and as a training ground for postdoctoral researchers. During his tenure, Weinberger was very engaged in scientific life at the IMA, attending lectures and collaborating with visitors and postdocs. His presence at these lectures usually meant that the toughest and most penetrating questions were asked.
While well known for his contributions to the analysis of partial differential equations, especially eigenvalue problems, Weinberger turned his attention to mathematical biology later in his career. He remained active in research throughout his life and authored several papers after his retirement in 1998. Weinberger was elected a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1986 and was in the inaugural class of the American Mathematical Society Fellows in 2012 American Mathematical Society.
"An inequality with alternating signs". Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 38 (7): 611–613. 1952. doi:10.1073/pnas.38.7.611. PMC 1063623. PMID 16589155.
with J. B. Diaz: "Error estimation in the Weinstein method for eigenvalues". Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 3 (4): 643–646. 1952. doi:10.1090/s0002-9939-1952-0050177-5. MR 0050177.
"A solution of the singular initial value problem for the Euler-Poisson-Darboux equation". Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 4 (5): 703–715. 1953. doi:10.1090/s0002-9939-1953-0058099-1. MR 0058099.
"Error bounds in the Rayleigh-Ritz approximation of eigenvectors" (PDF). Journal of Research of the National Bureau of Standards. 64B: 216–225. 1960. doi:10.6028/jres.064b.023.
"On bounding harmonic functions by linear interpolation". Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 70 (4): 525–529. 1964. doi:10.1090/s0002-9904-1964-11183-6. MR 0162953.
with M. H. Protter: "On the spectrum of general second order operators". Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 72 (2): 251–255. 1966. doi:10.1090/s0002-9904-1966-11485-4. MR 0190527.
Maximum Principles in Differential Equations (Prentice-Hall, 1967; Springer, 1985). With Murray H. Protter.
Variational Methods for Eigenvalue Approximation, C.B.M.S. Regional Conference Series in Applied Mathematics #15, S.I.A.M., Philadelphia, 1974.
^ List of Fellows of the American Mathematical Society, retrieved 2013-09-01.
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Ojibwe /oʊˈdʒiːbweɪ/ (Ojibwa, Ojibway), also known as Chippewa or Otchipwe, is a North American indigenous language of the Algonquian languages family. Ojibwe is characterized by a series of dialects that have local names and frequently local writing systems. There is no single dialect that is considered the most prestigious or most prominent, and no standard writing system that covers all dialects. The relative autonomy of the regional dialects of Ojibwe is associated with an absence of linguistic or political unity among Ojibwe-speaking groups.
Dialects of Ojibwe are spoken in Canada, from southwestern Quebec, through Ontario, Manitoba and parts of Saskatchewan, with outlying communities in Alberta; and in the United States, from Michigan through Wisconsin and Minnesota, with a number of communities in North Dakota and Montana, as well as groups that removed to Kansas and Oklahoma during the Indian Removal period. While there is some variation in the classification of Ojibwe dialects, at a minimum the following are recognized, proceeding east to west: Algonquin, Eastern Ojibwe, Ottawa (Odawa), Western Ojibwe (Saulteaux), Severn Ojibwe (Oji-Cree), Northwestern Ojibwe, and Southwestern Ojibwe (Chippewa). Based upon contemporary field research, S. J. Valentine also recognizes several other dialects: Berens Ojibwe in northwestern Ontario, which he distinguishes from Northwestern Ojibwe; North of (Lake) Superior; and Nipissing. The latter two cover approximately the same territory as Central Ojibwa, which he does not recognize.
The aggregated dialects of Ojibwe comprise the second most commonly spoken First Nations language in Canada (after Cree), and the fourth most widely spoken in the United States or Canada behind Navajo, Inuit and Cree.
Ojibwe is a relatively healthy Native American language. The Waadookodaading Ojibwe Language Immersion School teaches all classes to children in Ojibwe only.
The Algonquian language family of which Ojibwe is a member is itself a member of the Algic language family, other Algic languages being Wiyot and Yurok. Ojibwe is sometimes described as a Central Algonquian language, along with Fox, Cree, Menominee, Miami-Illinois, Potawatomi, and Shawnee. Central Algonquian is a geographical term of convenience rather than a genetic subgroup, and its use does not indicate that the Central languages are more closely related to each other than to the other Algonquian languages.
The most general indigenous designation for the language is Anishinaabemowin 'speaking the native language' (Anishinaabe 'native person,' verb suffix –mo ‘speak a language,’ suffix –win ‘nominalizer’), with varying spellings and pronunciations depending upon dialect. Some speakers use the term Ojibwemowin. The general term in the Severn Ojibwe dialect is Anihshininiimowin, although Anishinaabemowin is widely recognized by Severn speakers. Some speakers of Saulteaux Ojibwe refer to their language as Nakawemowin. The Ottawa dialect is sometimes referred to as Daawaamwin, although the general designation is Nishnaabemwin, with the latter term also applied to Jibwemwin or Eastern Ojibwe. Other local terms are listed in Ojibwe dialects. English terms include Ojibwe, with variants including Ojibwa and Ojibway. The related term Chippewa is more commonly employed in the United States and in southwestern Ontario among descendants of Ojibwe migrants from the United States.
Ojibwe and Potawatomi are frequently viewed as being more closely related to each other than to other Algonquian languages. Ojibwe and Potawatomi have been proposed as likely candidates for forming a genetic subgroup within Proto-Algonquian, although the required research to ascertain the linguistic history and status of a hypothetical “Ojibwe–Potawatomi” subgroup has not yet been undertaken. A discussion of Algonquian family subgroups indicates that "Ojibwe–Potawatomi is another possibility that awaits investigation." In a proposed consensus classification of Algonquian languages, Goddard (1996) classifies Ojibwa and Potawatomi as "Ojibwayan," although no supporting evidence is adduced.
Ojibwe communities are found in Canada from southwestern Quebec, through Ontario, southern Manitoba and parts of southern Saskatchewan; and in the United States from northern Michigan through northern Wisconsin and northern Minnesota, with a number of communities in northern North Dakota and northern Montana. Groups of speakers of the Ottawa dialect migrated to Kansas and Oklahoma during the historical period, with a small amount of linguistic documentation of the language in Oklahoma. The presence of Ojibwe in British Columbia has been noted.
Current census data indicate that all varieties of Ojibwe are spoken by approximately 56,531 people. This figure reflects census data from the 2000 United States census and the 2006 Canadian census. The Ojibwe language is reported as spoken by a total of 8,791 people in the United States of which 7,355 are Native Americans and by as many as 47,740 in Canada, making it one of the largest Algic languages by numbers of speakers.
The Red Lake, White Earth, and Leech Lake reservations are known for their tradition of singing hymns in the Ojibwe language. As of 2011, Ojibwe is the official language of Red Lake.
Because the dialects of Ojibwe are at least partly mutually intelligible, Ojibwe is usually considered to be a single language with a number of dialects, i.e. Ojibwe is "...conventionally regarded as a single language consisting of a continuum of dialectal varieties since … every dialect is at least partly intelligible to the speakers of the neighboring dialects." The degree of mutually intelligibility between nonadjacent dialects varies considerably; recent research has shown that there is strong differentiation between the Ottawa dialect spoken in southern Ontario and northern Michigan; the Severn Ojibwa dialect spoken in northern Ontario and Manitoba; and the Algonquin dialect spoken in southwestern Quebec. Valentine notes that these three dialects “...show many distinct features, which suggest periods of relative isolation from other varieties of Ojibwe.” Many communities adjacent to these relatively sharply differentiated dialects show a mix of transitional features, reflecting overlap with other nearby dialects. While each of these dialects has undergone innovations that make them distinctive, their status as part of the Ojibwe language complex is not in dispute. The relatively low degrees of mutual intelligibility between some nonadjacent Ojibwe dialects led Rhodes and Todd to suggest that Ojibwe “...could be said to consist of several languages...," suggesting analysis of Ojibwe as a linguistic subgroup.
While there is some variation in the classification of Ojibwe dialects, at a minimum the following are recognized, proceeding west to east: Western Ojibwe (Saulteaux), Southwestern Ojibwe (Chippewa), Northwestern Ojibwe, Severn Ojibwe (Oji-Cree), Ottawa (Odawa), Eastern Ojibwe, and Algonquin. Based upon contemporary field research, Valentine also recognizes several other dialects: Berens Ojibwe in northwestern Ontario, which he distinguishes from Northwestern Ojibwe; North of (Lake) Superior; and Nipissing. The latter two cover approximately the same territory as Central Ojibwa, which he does not recognize.
A sign at Lakehead University in English and Anishinaabemowin.
Several different Ojibwe dialects have functioned as lingua franca or trade languages in the circum-Great Lakes area, particularly in interactions with speakers of other Algonquian languages. Documentation of such usage dates from the 18th and 19th centuries, but earlier use is likely, with reports as early as 1703 suggesting that Ojibwe was used by different groups from the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to Lake Winnipeg, and from as far south as Ohio to Hudson Bay.
Documentation from the 17th century indicates that Huron (also called Wyandot), an Iroquoian language, was also used as a trade language east of the Great Lakes by speakers of the Nipissing and Algonquin dialects of Ojibwe, and also by other groups south of the Great Lakes, including the Winnebago and by a group of unknown affiliation identified only as “Assistaeronon.” The political decline of the Hurons in the 18th century and the ascendancy of Ojibwe-speaking groups including the Ottawa led to the replacement of Huron as a lingua franca.
In the area east of Georgian Bay, the Nipissing dialect was a trade language. In the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, the eastern end of the Upper Peninsula, the area between Lake Erie and Lake Huron, and along the north shore of Georgian Bay, the Ottawa dialect served as a trade language. In the area south of Lake Superior and west of Lake Michigan Southwestern Ojibwe was the trade language. A widespread pattern of asymmetrical bilingualism is found in the area south of the Great Lakes, in which speakers of Potawatomi or Menominee, both Algonquian languages, could also speak Ojibwe, but Ojibwe speakers did not speak the other languages. It is known that some speakers of Menominee also speak Ojibwe, and that this pattern persisted into the 20th century. Similarly bilingualism in Ojibwe is still common among Potawatomis who speak Potawatomi.
Michif is a mixed language that primarily is based upon French and Plains Cree, with some vocabulary from Ojibwe, in addition to phonological influence in Michif-speaking communities where there is a significant Ojibwe influence. In locations such as Turtle Mountain, North Dakota individuals of Ojibwe ancestry now speak Michif and Ojibwe.
Ojibwe borrowings have been noted in Menominee, a related Algonquian language.
Bungee is the name given to a dialect of English spoken in Manitoba by the descendants of "English, Scottish, and Orkney fur traders and their Cree or Saulteaux wives...". Bungee incorporates elements of Cree; the name may be from the Ojibwe word bangii 'a little bit' or the Cree equivalent but whether there is any other Ojibwe component in Bungee is not documented.
All dialects of Ojibwe generally have an inventory of seventeen consonants. Most dialects have the segment glottal stop /ʔ/ in their inventory of consonant phonemes; Severn Ojibwe and the Algonquin dialect have /h/ in its place. Some dialects have both segments phonetically, but only one is present in phonological representations. The Ottawa and Southwestern Ojibwe (Chippewa) have /h/ in a small number of affective vocabulary items in addition to regular /ʔ/. Some dialects may have otherwise non-occurring sounds such as /f, l, r/ in loanwords.
Obstruent consonants are divided into lenis and fortis sets, with these features having varying phonological analyses and phonetic realizations cross-dialectally. In some dialects, such as Severn Ojibwe, members of the fortis set are realized as a sequence of /h/ followed by a single segment drawn from the set of lenis consonants: /p t k tʃ s ʃ/. Algonquin Ojibwe is reported as distinguishing fortis and lenis consonants on the basis of voicing, with fortis being voiceless and lenis being voiced. In other dialects fortis consonants are realized as having greater duration than the corresponding lenis consonant, invariably voiceless, ‘vigorously articulated,’ and aspirated in certain environments. In some practical orthographies such as the widely used Double Vowel system, fortis consonants are written with voiceless symbols: p, t, k, ch, s, sh.
Lenis consonants have normal duration; are typically voiced intervocalically, although they may be devoiced at the end or beginning of a word; are less vigorously articulated than fortis consonants; and are invariably unaspirated. In the Double Vowel practical orthography, lenis consonants are written with voiced symbols: b, d, g, j, z, zh.
All dialects of Ojibwe have two nasal consonants /m/ and /n/; one labialized velar approximant /w/; one palatal approximant /j/; and one of glottal stop /ʔ/ or /h/.
All dialects of Ojibwe have seven oral vowels. Vowel length is phonologically contrastive, hence phonemic. Although the long and short vowels are phonetically distinguished by vowel quality, recognition of vowel length in phonological representations is required, as the distinction between long and short vowels is essential for the operation of the metrical rule of vowel syncope that characterizes the Ottawa and Eastern Ojibwe dialects, as well as for the rules that determine word stress. There are three short vowels, /i a o/; and three corresponding long vowels, /iː aː oː/, in addition to a fourth long vowel /eː/, which lacks a corresponding short vowel. The short vowel /i/ typically has phonetic values centring on [ɪ]; /a/ typically has values centring on [ə]~[ʌ]; and /o/ typically has values centring on [o]~[ʊ]. Long /oː/ is pronounced [uː] for many speakers, and /eː/ is for many [ɛː].
Ojibwe has nasal vowels; some arise predictably by rule in all analyses, and other long nasal vowels are of uncertain phonological status. The latter have been analysed both as underlying phonemes, and also as predictable, that is derived by the operation of phonological rules from sequences of a long vowel followed by /n/ and another segment, typically /j/.
Placement of word stress is determined by metrical rules that define a characteristic iambic metrical Foot, in which a Weak syllable is followed by a Strong syllable. A Foot consists of a minimum of one syllable, and a maximum of two syllables, with each Foot containing a maximum of one Strong syllable. The structure of the metrical Foot defines the domain for relative prominence, in which a Strong syllable is assigned stress because it is more prominent than the weak member of the Foot. Typically, the Strong syllable in the antepenultimate Foot is assigned the primary stress. Strong syllables that do not receive main stress are assigned at least secondary stress. In some dialects, metrically Weak (unstressed) vowels at the beginning of a word are frequently lost; in the Ottawa and Eastern Ojibwe dialects all metrically Weak vowels are deleted. For example, bemisemagak(in) (airplane(s), in the Southwestern Ojibwe dialect) is stressed as [be · mise · magak /ˈbɛːmɪˌseːmʌˌgak/] in the singular but as [be · mise · maga · kin /ˌbeːmɪˈsɛːmʌˌgaˌkin/] in the plural. In some other dialects, metrically Weak (unstressed) vowels, especially "a" and "i", are reduced to a schwa and depending on the writer, may be transcribed as "i", "e" or "a". For example, anami'egiizhigad [ana · mi'e · gii · zhigad /əˌnaməˈʔɛːˌgiːʒəˌgad/] (Sunday, literally "prayer day") may be transcribed as anama'egiizhigad in those dialects.
The general grammatical characteristics of Ojibwe are shared across its dialects. The Ojibwe language is polysynthetic, exhibits characteristics of synthesis and a high morpheme-to-word ratio. Ojibwe is a head-marking language in which inflectional morphology on nouns and particularly verbs carries significant amounts of grammatical information.
Word classes include nouns, verbs, grammatical particles, pronouns, preverbs, and prenouns. Preferred word orders in a simple transitive sentence are verb-initial, such as V(erb)–O(bject)–S(ubject) and VSO. While verb-final orders are dispreferred, all logically possible orders are attested.
a distinction between obviative and proximate third-person, marked on both verbs and nouns.
There is a distinction between two different types of third person, the proximate (the third person deemed more important or in-focus) and the obviative (the third person deemed less important or out-of-focus). Nouns can be singular or plural, and one of two genders, animate or inanimate. Separate personal pronouns exist, but are usually used for emphasis; they distinguish inclusive and exclusive first person plurals.
Verbs constitute the most complex word class. Verbs are inflected for one of three orders (indicative, the default; conjunct, used for participles and in subordinate clauses; and imperative, used with commands), as negative or affirmative, and for the person, number, animacy, and proximate/obviative status of both the subject and object, as well as for several different modes (including the dubitative and preterit) and tenses.
Although it does contain a few loans from English (e.g. gaapii, "coffee," ) and French (e.g. mooshwe, "handkerchief" (from mouchoir), ni-tii, "tea" (from le thé, "the tea")), in general, the Ojibwe language is notable for its relative lack of borrowing from other languages. Instead, speakers far prefer to create words for new concepts from existing vocabulary. For example in Minnesota Ojibwemowin, "airplane" is bemisemagak, literally "thing that flies" (from bimisemagad, "to fly"), and "battery" is ishkode-makakoons, literally "little fire-box" (from ishkode, "fire," and makak, "box"). Even "coffee" is called makade-mashkikiwaaboo ("black liquid-medicine") by many speakers, rather than gaapii. These new words vary from region to region, and occasionally from community to community. For example, in Northwest Ontario Ojibwemowin, "airplane" is ombaasijigan, literally "device that gets uplifted by the wind" (from ombaasin, "to be uplifted by the wind") as opposed to the Minnesota's bemisemagak.
Like any language dialects spanning vast regions, some words that may have had identical meaning at one time have evolved to have different meanings today. For example, zhooniyaans (literally "small[-amount of] money" and used to refer to coins) specifically means "dime" (10-cent piece) in the United States, but a "quarter" (25-cent piece) in Canada, or desabiwin (literally "thing to sit upon") means "couch" or "chair" in Canada, but is used to specifically mean a "saddle" in the United States.
Cases like "battery" and "coffee" also demonstrate the often great difference between the literal meanings of the individual morphemes in a word, and the overall meaning of the entire word.
Below are some examples of common Ojibwe words.
There is no standard writing system used for all Ojibwe dialects. Local alphabets have been developed by adapting the Latin script, usually the English or French alphabets. A syllabic writing system not related to English or French writing is used by some Ojibwe speakers in northern Ontario and Manitoba. The Great Lakes Algonquian syllabary is based upon the French alphabet, with letters organized into syllables. It was primarily used by speakers of Fox, Potawatomi, and Winnebago, but there is indirect evidence of use by speakers of Southwestern Ojibwe.
A widely used Roman character-based writing system is the Double Vowel system devised by Charles Fiero. Although there is no standard orthography, the Double Vowel system is used by many Ojibwe language teachers because of its ease of use. A wide range of materials have been published in this system, including a grammar, dictionaries, collections of texts, and pedagogical grammars. In northern Ontario and Manitoba, Ojibwe is most commonly written using the Cree syllabary, a syllabary originally developed by Methodist missionary James Evans around 1840 in order to write Cree. The syllabic system is based in part on Evans' knowledge of Pitman shorthand and his prior experience developing a distinctive alphabetic writing system for Ojibwe in southern Ontario.
Dialects typically either have /h/ or /ʔ/ (the orthographic ⟨'⟩ in most versions) but rarely both. This system is called "Double Vowel" because the long vowel correspondences to the short vowels ⟨a⟩, ⟨i⟩ and ⟨o⟩ are written with a doubled value. In this system, the nasal ny as a final element is instead written ⟨nh⟩. The allowable consonant clusters are ⟨mb⟩, ⟨nd⟩, ⟨ng⟩, ⟨n'⟩, ⟨nj⟩, ⟨nz⟩, ⟨ns⟩, ⟨nzh⟩, ⟨sk⟩, ⟨shp⟩, ⟨sht⟩, and ⟨shk⟩.
The sample text, from the Southwestern Ojibwe dialect, is taken, with permission, from the first four lines of Niizh Ikwewag (Two Women), a story told by Earl Nyholm, on Professor Brian Donovan of Bemidji State University's webpage.
Aabiding gii-ayaawag niizh ikwewag: mindimooyenh, odaanisan bezhig.
Inashke naa mewinzha gii-aawan, mii eta go imaa sa wiigiwaaming gaa-taawaad igo.
Mii dash iwapii, aabiding igo gii-awi-bagida'waawaad, giigoonyan wii-amwaawaad.
Once there were two women: an old lady, and one of her daughters.
They were from over there towards Inger.
See now, it was long ago; they just lived there in a wigwam.
And at that time, once they went net-fishing; they intended to eat fish.
aabiding gii- ayaa -wag niizh ikwe -wag mindimooyenh, o- daanis -an bezhig.
once PAST- be in a certain place -3PL two woman -3PL old woman, 3SG.POSS- daughter -OBV one.
Once they were in a certain place two women: old woman, her daughter one.
iwidi chi- achaabaan -ing akeyaa gii- onjibaa -wag.
over there big- bowstring -LOC that way PAST- come from -3PL.
(lit: by Big-Bowstring [River]) that way they came from there.
inashke naa mewinzha gii- aawan mii eta go imaa sa wiigiwaam -ing gaa- daa -waad igo.
look now long ago PAST- be so only EMPH there EMPH wigwam -LOC PAST.CONJ- live -3PL.CONJ EMPH.
Look now long ago it was, only there so in a wigwam that they lived just then.
mii dash iw- -apii aabiding igo gii- awi- bagida'waa -waad, giigoonh -yan wii- amw -aawaad.
An "Ojibway Language and People" app is available for iPhone, iPad, and other iOS devices. The source code is available for others interested in developing their own application for learning a native language.
↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Goddard, Ives, 1979.
↑ 6.0 6.1 Bloomfield, Leonard, 1958.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 1994, p. 6.
↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Nichols, John, 1980, pp. 1-2.
↑ Rhodes, Richard, and Evelyn Todd, 1981.
↑ 10.0 10.1 Valentine, J. Randolph, 1994, p. 456.
↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Statistics Canada 2006.
↑ Goddard, Ives, 1978; Goddard, Ives, 1979.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 1994, p. 1.
↑ Nichols, John and Earl Nyholm, 1995, p. 10.
↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Valentine, J. Randolph, 1994, p. 1, Fn. 2.
↑ Nichols, John and Earl Nyholm, p. 105.
↑ Baraga, Frederic, 1878, p. 336.
↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Valentine, J. Randolph, 2001.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 1994, p. 2.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 1994, pp. 3-4.
↑ Goddard, Ives, 1978, pp. 585-586; Valentine, J. Randolph, 1994, pp. 100-102.
↑ 23.0 23.1 Goddard, Ives, 1979, p. 95.
↑ Goddard, Ives, 1996, p. 4.
↑ Goddard, Ives, 1979, pp. 95-96.
↑ Rhodes, Richard, and Evelyn Todd, 1981, p. 54, Fig. 2.
↑ Feest, J. and Feest, C., 1978; Dawes, Charles, 1982.
↑ 28.0 28.1 U.S. English Foundation: Ojibwa. Retrieved November 12, 2009.
↑ 29.0 29.1 http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/phc-5-pt1.pdf U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census of Population and Housing,Characteristics of American Indians and Alaska Natives by Tribe and Language: 2000. PHC-5. Washington, DC, 2003.
↑ 2006 Canadian Census reported 32,460 total Ojibwe–Ottawa speakers less derived Ottawa of 7,564.
↑ Ethnologue reported 8,000 less 2000 US Census reported 436.
↑ 32.0 32.1 Gordon, Raymond, 2005. See online version of same: Ethnologue entry for Ottawa. Retrieved November 12, 2009.
↑ Rhodes, Richard, and Evelyn Todd, 1981, p. 52.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 1994.
↑ 37.0 37.1 J. Randolph Valentine, 1994, pp. 43-44.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 1994, pp. 42-43.
↑ Rhodes, Richard and E. Todd, 1981, p. 52.
↑ Rhodes, Richard and E. Todd, 1981, p. 61, Fig. 5.
↑ J. Randolph Valentine, 1994, pp. 39.
↑ Rhodes, Richard, 1982, p. 2.
↑ Bakker, Peter and Anthony Grant, 1996, p. 1117.
↑ Rhodes, Richard, 1982, p. 1.
↑ Bakker, Peter and Anthony Grant, 1996, p. 1116.
↑ Rhodes, Richard, 1982, pp. 3-4.
↑ 48.0 48.1 48.2 Nichols, John, 1995, p. 1.
↑ Bakker, Peter, 1996, pp. 264-270.
↑ Alex DeCoteau, Turtle Mountain Chippewa member and Ojibwe speaker.
↑ Blain, Eleanor, 1987, 7.
↑ See e.g. Nichols, John, 1981, p. 6 for Southwestern Ojibwe.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 1994, pp. 124-125.
↑ Rhodes, Richard, 1985, p. xlvi.
↑ Nichols, John and Earl Nyholm, 1995, p. xxvi.
↑ Rhodes, Richard, 1985, p. xli.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 1994, pp. 123-124.
↑ Bloomfield, Leonard, 1958, p. 8; Rhodes, Richard, 1985, pp. xliv, xlvii, xlix, l, li.
↑ 63.0 63.1 For Southwestern Ojibwe, see Nichols, John and Earl Nyholm, 1995; for Ottawa, see Rhodes, Richard, 1985.
↑ Bloomfield, Leonard, 1958, p. 8.
↑ For Southwestern Ojibwe, see Nichols, John, 1981; for Ottawa, see Valentine, J. Randolph, 2001.
↑ See e.g.: Rhodes, Richard, 1985, for the Ottawa dialect; Nichols, John and Earl Nyholm, 1995, for the Southwestern Ojibwe dialect.
↑ Nichols, John, 1980, pp. 6-7.
↑ For discussion of this rule in the Ottawa dialect, see Valentine, J. Randolph, 2001, p. 54.
↑ Valentine, J. Randoph, 2001, p. 53.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 2001, pp. 51-55.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 2001, pp. 934-935.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 2001, p. 114.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 2001, Chapters 5-8; pp. 62-72.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 2001, p. 178.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 2001, pp. 759-782.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 2001, p. 759.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 2001, pp. 830-837.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 2001, pp. 837-856.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 2001, pp. 623-643.
↑ Walker, Willard, 1996, pp. 168-172.
↑ Smith, Huron, 1932, p. 335.
↑ Valentine, J. Randolph, 1998.
↑ Nichols, John and Leonard Bloomfield, eds., 1991.
↑ Vollom, Judith and Thomas M. Vollom, 1994.
↑ For Southwestern Ojibwe, which has /ʔ/ (orthographic ⟨'⟩) but not /h/, see Nichols, John, 1981.
Bloomfield, Leonard. 1962. The Menomini language. New Haven: Yale University Press.
[Dawes, Charles E.] 1982. Dictionary English-Ottawa Ottawa-English. No publisher given.
Canada. Statistics Canada 2006 Retrieved on March 31, 2009.
Feest, Johanna, and Christian Feest. 1978. "Ottawa." Bruce Trigger, ed., The Handbook of North American Indians, Volume 15. Northeast, 772-786. Washington, D.C.: The Smithsonian Institution.
Goddard, Ives. 1978. "Central Algonquian Languages." Bruce Trigger, ed., Handbook of North American Indians, Volume 15, Northeast, 583-587. Washington: Smithsonian Institution.
Goddard, Ives. 1979. "Comparative Algonquian." Lyle Campbell and Marianne Mithun, eds, The languages of Native America, 70-132. Austin: University of Texas Press.
Goddard, Ives. 1996. "Introduction." Ives Goddard, ed., The Handbook of North American Indians, Volume 17. Languages, 1-16. Washington, D.C.: The Smithsonian Institution.
Nichols, John. 1995. "The Ojibwe verb in "Broken Oghibbeway." Amsterdam Creole Studies 12: 1-18.
Rhodes, Richard. 1976. "A preliminary report on the dialects of Eastern Ojibwa – Odawa." W. Cowan, ed., Papers of the seventh Algonquian conference, 129-156. Ottawa: Carleton University.
Rhodes, Richard and Evelyn Todd. 1981. "Subarctic Algonquian languages." June Helm, ed., The Handbook of North American Indians, Volume 6. Subarctic, 52-66. Washington, D.C.: The Smithsonian Institution.
Todd, Evelyn. 1970. A grammar of the Ojibwa language: The Severn dialect. PhD dissertation, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census of Population and Housing. Characteristics of American Indians and Alaska Natives by Tribe and Language: 2000 Retrieved on March 31, 2009.
Vollom, Judith L. and Thomas M. Vollom. 1994. Ojibwemowin. Series 1. Second Edition. Ramsey, Minnesota: Ojibwe Language Publishing.
Hinton, Leanne and Kenneth Hale. 2001. The Green Book of Language Revitalization in Practice. Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-349353-6 (Hardcover), ISBN 9-00-425449-8 (Paperback).
Kwayaciiwin Education Resource Centre. 2014. ᑭᑎᓯᑭᓯᐍᐏᓂᓇᐣ [Kihtisiikisiwewinan] : Anihshininiimowin Oji-Cree Dictionary (Severn River and Winisk River). Part One : Oji-Cree to English, Part Two : English to Oji-Cree. Nichols, John D. et al., editors. Sioux Lookout: Kwayaciiwin Education Resource Centre.
McGregor, Ernest. 1987. Algonquin lexicon. Maniwaki, QC: River Desert Education Authority.
Mitchell, Mary. 1988. Eds. J. Randolph Valentine and Lisa Valentine. Introductory Ojibwe (Severn dialect), Part one. Thunder Bay : Native Language Office, Lakehead University.
Moose, Lawrence L. et al. 2009. Aaniin Ekidong: Aaniin Ekidong: Ojibwe Vocabulary Project. St. Paul : Minnesota Humanities Center.
Treuer, Anton. Ojibwe in Minnesota. St. Paul : Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2010.
Look up Category:Ojibwe language in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Letter Men: Brothers Fight for Ojibwe Language, a story broadcast on Fresh Air, a National Public Radio broadcast show, interviewing Anton and David Treuer.
Language and Meaning — An Ojibwe Story, a story broadcast on Speaking of Faith, a National Public Radio broadcast show.
Gidakiiminaan (Our Earth) wall-map with Ojibwe Geographic Place Names in the 1837 Ceded Territories of Minnesota and Wisconsin, the 1842 Ceded Territories of Wisconsin and Michigan and the 1836 Ceded Territory of the Michigan Upper Peninsula, issued by the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission.
Baadwewedamojig project featuring audio recording made by William Jones between 1903 and 1905.
Grammar, lessons, and dictionaries — Ojibwe site by "Weshki-ayaad"
Native Languages: A Support Document for the Teaching of Language Patters — basic language patterns for Ojibwe (Manitoulin Ojibwe/Ottawa "CO" and Lac Seul Ojibwe "WO") and Cree (Swampy Cree "SC").
(1850). A Theoretical and Practical Grammar of the Otchipwe Language, the Language Spoken by the Chippewa Indians; Which Is Also Spoken by the Algonquin, Otawa and Potawatami Inidans, with Little Difference, For the Use of Missionaries and Other Persons Living Among the Indians of the Above Named Tribes.
"Ojibwe iPad app brings language to world" in Wawatay News Online.
Ojibwe People's Dictionary — Online Ojibwe-English dictionary with 8,000+ words, 60,000 audio clips by Ojibwe elders from Minnesota and Ontario, and related images/documents.
Aaniin Ekidong... (How Do You Say...): Ojibwe Vocabulary Project — Math and science terms for the Southwestern (Wisconsin, Leech Lake and Red Lake) and Minnesota Border Chippewa dialect of the Ojibwe language.
Freelang Ojibwe Dictionary — Freeware off-line dictionary for Windows-based systems (with instructions on how to load on a Macintosh), updated with additional entries every 6–10 weeks. On-line searches are also available.
Kees van Kolmeschate: My Ojibwe Documents — Assorted digital Ojibwe-related documents, including the electronic version of the 1878 Baraga Dictionary.
Baraga, Frederic (Bishop). Dictionary of the Otchipwe Language, Explained in English.
This page was last modified on 5 January 2016, at 06:03.
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My friend Chrissy asked me to comment on a question she received from an atheist friend of hers. Perhaps someone has asked you this same question; "You can say that God created us and the Earth, but then who created God, how did God come about?"
Chrissy, the following are my own views, but each of us must come to our own conclusions. Your friend has asked a question which he knows no man can answer to his satisfaction, but we can provide an understanding that allows us to accept the reality that God almighty has always existed, without a beginning and without an end.
How does one begin to explain with human words, that which is not human. The Father knew from the very beginning that we humans could not understand or even be able to behold Him, so He simple said, "I AM THAT I AM" (Exodus 3:14). For the one who has learned to love the Lord, this is enough. However, the evil one comes into our lives to challenge our faith with mankind's insignificant knowledge, so we blindly try to look further for human words to explain what is not human, and is far beyond man's simple ability to understand.
It is like looking at a fish in the dark ocean, how do we humans tell the fish about a thing called fire? The fish has never seen fire, and has no way even to comprehend such a thing, but his inability to understand does not mean there is not a thing called fire above and below the fish's dark waterier home. What could be more different than fire and water, what could be more different than God, and human understanding?
Chrissy, when I am asked such questions as "who created God", I tell them I will answer them if they can tell me where the universe ends, and if there is an end, then what is it contained in, and who, or what, is holding the container? Very quickly we begin to see how limited mankind's knowledge really is. All of our human knowledge is based on our surroundings, just as it is with the fish in the ocean. We look at the universe and think this is all there is, while also wondering where did it start and where does it end. You see, we humans can't conceive of something that is so different from us, something that never had a beginning and will never have an ending. We can somewhat understand our universe because it does have a beginning and it does have an end. However, our so called "massive endless Universe" will seem so insignificant when the Lord returns to the garden for His children, as we see Him roll the entire universe back like a simple paper scroll. If you can envision our Master's return in such wonderful glory and might, then tell me who created such an awesome power. When we see what our words do not have the power to describe, then we will know that God was always here, He is the creation Himself. It is only mankind, and his earth, which is temporary and in question.
How do I know God is the beginning? Because my own life began with Him, and He tells me He was always here, long before my time ever began. His "word" is enough for those who truly seek His knowledge and understanding. One day we will all understand, and rejoice in His great wisdom. You and I both know that we will see that day, and my greatest prayer is that your friend will learn enough to see our Lord too. It is our faith, like a scientific instrument, which measures and proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was never a thing called time that God did not already fill.
It is our faith that tells us we can believe the scriptures when they say; "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22:13-14). Also, "The things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18). Mankind's science cannot measure what cannot be seen, our scientific knowledge is too limited to understand.
Chrissy, I hope my simple words have helped you to answer your friend's question. If not, please let me know and we will dig a little deeper. Remember, "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God". Just as there is no end to the Father's heaven that surrounds us, there is no beginning to the Father who created us. God bless you Chrissy, in the name of our eternal Father, and may He fill your life with His understanding called faith.
Light Your Lamps, The Lord Comes Soon!
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Who was the incas god?
To be able to answer that we need to look back to a singular character wo was called the supreme god of the Incas. Hes name is Viracocha A.K.A Huiracocha Wiraqoca and Wiro Qocha, he is also known as Huiracocha, he was considered the creator god, he was the equivalent to Odin because both were considered to be the fathers of all, furthermore Viracocha was the father of all the other inca gods, adding tho the mythos of Viracocha he was who formed the planet earth, sun, moon and all the living being in the universe.
The Incas believed that he had travelled far and wide all over ther world teaching humanity and giving knowledge of the civilized arts, after that he went to the west across the Pacific, he entered in a hiatus state never to be seen again, but with a promise, one they I will return, he said.This absence cause lesser and lesser deities were assigned the duty of looking after the human race, despite this Viracocha was always watching his children and seeking they progress and development.
As the omnipotent supreme pan- Andean all mighty god, he was often named by the Inca, using his various functions in the empire, they used this other names maybe because the gods real name was to holly and sacred to be even spoken, his other names were Ilya (light), Ticci (beginning), and Wiraqoca Pacayacaciq (instructor).
Experts and historians believed that the first viracochas creations were a vicious race of giants made using the stone as a primal material, in the age of darkness. This giant creatures proved to be indomitable to a point were Viracocha saw necessary the eradication and punish to this unruly beasts.
Legend said that he send a great flood and all the giants returned to their original primal stone and were seal, the giants who manage to scape and survive could still be seen in much later times, they stood imposingly, brave and fearless at sites such as Pucara and tiahuanaco A.K.A Tiawanaku.
After his first fail attempt of creating life Viracocha created man and women but for this time instead of stone he decided to use clay. He gave then gifts such clothes, language, agriculture and arts, then all the animals were created. The most useful creations were the sun, moon and all the stars in the firmament and so he bring light to the world. these magnificent and heavenly bodies were made from islands located in the Lake Titica. When he finished he was indeed highly satisfied with his labours.
Viracocha set himself to travel al over the glove spreading his civilizing knowledge. For this mission he dressed as a beggar and assumed variations of his name such as Con Ticci Viracocha (also spel Kon-Tiki)Atun-Viracocha and Contiti Viracocha Pachayachachic. He wasn’t alone in this journey, two sons or brothers called Imaymana Viracocha and Tocapo Viracocha assisted him.
His visits not always went well because the people treat him in such a bad manner, sometimes trowing stones at Him, The gods courageous journey end up in Manta (in Ecuador), Viracocha then walked across the waters of the Pacific Ocean (in other variations he sails in a raff) heading into the west but with the promise of returning one day to their children.
The Incas were a polytheistic culture, the worshipped many gods and Viracocha was the creator God. The Incas were very good at farming. They built aqueducts to move water, this knowledge was acording to the legend given by Viracocha.
← Kambo: alternative amazing healing technique?
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What you see is hardly what the brain gets in terms of information from your eyes, according to a study published today in Nature. Indeed, new research from scientists at the University of California at Berkeley has revealed that the eyes transmit only sketches of the scenes before them to the brainmaking it all the more remarkable that we perceive our surroundings in such rich detail. "Even though we think we see the world so fully, what we are receiving is really just hints, edges in space and time," says Frank S. Werblin of UC Berkeley.
Werblin and doctoral student Botond Roska determined after nearly three years of work with rabbit retinas that there are about a dozen different populations of ganglion cellsthe eye's output cellssending signals to the brain. One group sends signals only when it detects a moving edge; another, when it sees large uniform areas, and so forth. "Each representation emphasizes a different feature of the visual worldan edge, a blob, movementand sends the information along different paths to the brain," Werblin explains. The brain then interprets the 12 sketches and probably merges them with images from memory, he adds.
"These 12 pictures of the world constitute all the information we will ever have about what's out there, and from these 12 pictures, which are so sparse, we reconstruct the richness of the visual world," Werblin says. "I'm curious how nature selected these 12 simple movies and how it can be that they are sufficient to provide us with all the information we seem to need."
The fact that the process is so pared down, however, may very well help scientists produce bionic eyes, employing a unique computer chip that can be programmed to do visual processing like the retina. Roska's father, Tams Roska, and Leon O. Chua of UC Berkeley invented the chip, called a Cellular Neural Network (CNN) Universal Machine, in 1992. "The biology we are learning is going into improving the chip, which is getting more and more similar to the mammalian retina," Roska says. "Nevertheless, a bionic eye is a far-fetched notion until someone figures out how to connect it to the neural circuitry of the brain."
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0.999195 |
How much does the NHS lose from foreign 'health tourists'?
According to the government, the National Health Service is in danger of becoming the International Health Service. But what's the evidence for so-called 'health tourists' - overseas visitors who aren't entitled to free healthcare - abusing the system?
First of all, there was Jeremy Hunt's statement that "we identify less than half of those who should be paying", which, it turned out, was based on questionnaire responses submitted by 22 NHS trusts. Using the same data, the Secretary of State also said that "we collect payment from less than half those we identify".
According to an internal report, which the Department of Health has recently made available to us, the government estimates that NHS Trusts "only manage to recover around 40% of all invoiced charges".
This 40% figure is based on the following approximate calculation: that NHS Trusts currently invoice £35-55 million to overseas visitors who owe money, and they manage to recover £15-25 million of this.
As it stands, NHS Trusts are legally obliged to identify patients who aren't "ordinarily resident", to invoice them, and then to recover the payment. According to Trust account data, in 2009/10 foreign visitors were liable for payments totalling £35 million. The upper estimate (£55 million) allows for discrepancies in the way Trusts file their accounts, including the fact that some report overseas visitor income under 'private income'.
In the same government survey of 22 NHS Trusts, on average only about 40% of the income charged to overseas visitors in 2010/11 had been recovered by the following year. Taking this as a "reasonable estimate" of the situation at a national level, the Department of Health concluded that this would mean that NHS Trusts in England recovered some £15-25 million each year out of the total (£35-55 million).
As the report admits, there's a considerable degree of uncertainty surrounding these numbers. The Department has relied on a small, limited sample of Trusts - and extrapolated the national picture.
Some of the costs incurred will never be recoverable - after all, the NHS must provide urgent treatment to anybody who needs it, regardless of whether or not they can pay for it. Yet the government argues that too few 'health tourists' are being identified and too little money is being recovered.
However - and this is crucial - NHS Trusts don't have any incentive to identify overseas visitors. This is because an NHS Trust, by flagging concerns about a patient's entitlement to free treatment, would be rejecting money that it would otherwise receive from government. Once an overseas visitor is identified, the commissioner will not pay the Trust. As well as losing this income, the Trust will also run up administration costs in recovering the debt it's owed.
"Overall the costs of operating the OV [Overseas Visitor] charging system may add up to more than £18m. Given our estimate of £15m - £25m per year being recovered by the current OV charging system, it is not clear whether, under current rules, the OV charging system is generating a net benefit to the NHS or a net loss."
The Department of Health's report suggests that at present the NHS is recovering less than 20% of what it might. But it acknowledges that even if hospitals identified all of the overseas visitors who might be charged, with such a low recovery rate and the financial disincentives still in place, it's unlikely that this would generate more than £20-50 million of additional income. The government appears to have recognised this - in July, it launched a consultation into extending the system of NHS charges.
As it stands, if the NHS identified every overseas visitor, the government suggests that the "best estimate" for income would be £125 million. According to its sample survey, Trusts are recovering £15-25 million of this, which means approximately £100 million is lost.
To put these sums in context, the NHS's budget for 2012/13 is £108.9 billion. This means, according to the government's own calculations, that overseas visitors currently account for about 0.1% of total NHS expenditure. In terms of a drain on resources, it's less open artery, more papercut.
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0.999985 |
Don't throw money away all winter by allowing cold air to leak into your home. Seal up those drafty windows now.
With winter rapidly approaching, it's time to seal drafty windows to prevent cold winds from blowing into your home. And while there are many ways to solve this problem, the best approach requires a two-pronged attack: caulking around the outside of the window and weatherstripping the inside.
Begin by using a stiff-blade putty knife to scrape off any old caulk or peeling paint from around the exterior perimeter of the window. Then, clean away all dirt and dust using a scrub brush dipped in warm, soapy water. Wipe the surfaces dry with a clean cloth.
Next, apply a fresh bead of caulk around the outside perimeter of the window, creating a continuous wind-blocking seal between the window frame and siding. Be sure to use an exterior-grade caulk. I recommend either 100 percent silicone sealant or a "siliconized" acrylic caulk. Both adhere well and will remain flexible for years.
Adhesive-backed foam: This is a compression type of weatherstripping, meaning that when the window closes against it, the foam compresses to seal gaps and block drafts. It features easy peel-and-stick application and cuts easily with scissors. Just be sure to thoroughly clean the area around the inside of the window, as the adhesive won't stick to dusty, dirty surfaces.
On double-hung windows, apply adhesive-backed foam weatherstripping to the bottom edge of the lower sash, and to the top edge of the upper sash. If you don't want to apply the weatherstripping to the sash, stick it to the sill directly below the lower sash, and to the head jamb above the upper sash. Either way, once the sash is closed and locked, the foam will seal out drafts. On sliding or casement windows, apply the adhesive-backed foam to the vertical edge of the sash or vertically along the side jamb.
Tubular rubber-gasket weatherstripping: This is similar to adhesive-backed foam, except that it's formed into a hollow rubber tube instead of dense foam. When compressed by the sash, the tubular weatherstripping conforms to the space, effectively sealing out drafts. Some tubular gaskets have peel-and-stick adhesive backing, while others have an attached metal or wood flange that must be secured with nails or screws. Also look for foam-filled tubular gaskets that have a spongy-foam core, which holds its shape better than the hollow-core gaskets.
Spring V-Seal: This is a resilient polypropylene plastic or metal strip that comes folded into a V-shape. It's known as tension-seal weatherstripping because the V-shape springs open, creating tension between the sash and window frame that blocks the passage of air. Plastic V-seal can be cut with scissors, but you'll need aviation snips to cut metal V-seal, which comes in copper, aluminum, bronze, and stainless steel. Also, the plastic type often has a peel-and-stick backing, while metal V-seal must be nailed in place.
V-seal can be installed vertically along the sides of double-hung windows, and at the horizontal meeting rail where the two sashes meet when closed. On casement or sliding windows, V-seal is installed along the vertical side jamb where the sash closes.
Felt: Felt is one of the oldest types of weatherstripping. It's commonly sold in rolls with or without an adhesive backing and is also available with an attached metal mounting flange. Felt is used as a compression weatherstripping around the inside of double-hung, casement, and sliding windows. Felt is affordable and easy to install, but it doesn't last as long as other types of weatherstripping and must be replaced every two to four years.
Window insulation kits to block cold air by sealing the entire window behind a large sheet of shrink-wrap plastic. The plastic adheres to the interior window casing with double-sided tape; you then use a blow dryer to seal it in place. Window insulation kits are very effective at sealing out drafts, but keep in mind that you won't be able to open the window until next spring, when you peel off the plastic wrap.
Here's one final tip for sealing drafty double-hung windows. Most of them have a single sash lock installed at the horizontal meeting rails where the upper and lower sash meet. To ensure that the two sashes fit tightly together, add a second sash lock: Unscrew the existing sash lock and reinstall it about one-third of the way in from the side jamb. For example, if the window is 24 inches wide, move the sash lock from the middle of the sash to about 8 inches from the end. Next, buy a second sash lock and install it 8 inches in from the opposite side jamb. Now, when you engage both locks, the sashes will fit together tightly.
7 Tips for Raking Leaves like a Pro!
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Most people really like the wise men who come from far in the East, following the star, to search for the Christ child.
We point to their observation skills, the fact that they even noticed that there was a new star. I would never have noticed. Would you have?
We point to their willingness to take this as a sign and pack their bags and make a long, arduous journey to investigate the meaning of this new star.
We point to their faith that recognizes God’s presence in the baby Jesus.
We point to their generosity and worship, when they adore and praise the Christ child and offer their costly gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
Yes, we love and admire these wise men from the East.
Yet this year, I came across one commentator who calls them stupid. To understand how he arrived at that sentiment, let me back up and tell you a little about King Herod.
King Herod the Great was appointed King of the Jews by the Roman senate. The Romans occupied the Holy Land and had this kind of power. Herod did not come from a royal line and was not elevated by his own people. Some of the Jewish people didn’t even consider Herod a true Jew because his family had only converted to Judaism a generation before him. In other words, Herod didn’t come to the throne on a wave of popular support.
Once King, Herod set to shaping the nation – and making a name for himself – through building projects. Most famously, Herod rebuild the temple in Jerusalem and created the huge temple platform that dominates the city scape to this day. Additionally, he built fortresses and palaces and more. All this gave him a great reputation in the Roman Empire.
All this also cost a lot of money. To raise that money, Herod increased taxes on the working population. Many of them were living close to the subsistence level already and were now driven into poverty.
Another thing about Herod: He was obsessed with power and extremely paranoid. If he smelled a whiff of insurrection or imagined a threat to his power, he reacted with immense brutality. Over the course of his reign, he killed 300 public officials, also two of his sons and one of his wives, all for suspicion of conspiracy against him.
Can you imagine the impact this question would have on King Herod? This power-hungry, hyper-paranoid king? These foreigners ask about the king of the Jews. That’s his title. Herod is the King of the Jews! The Bible tells us that Herod reacted with fear, and all Jerusalem with him. No wonder: When a paranoid, brutal king gets frightened, you never know what he might do.
The next paragraphs in Matthew’s gospel account tell us that the people were right to be frightened. Herod in his paranoia has all boys under two years of age in Bethlehem killed in order to eliminate the challenge to his throne. Fortunately, Joseph had been warned in a dream and had taken his wife Mary and the baby Jesus and fled with them to Egypt. Because of the power-lust and brutality of the ruler, Jesus and his family became refugees, seeking safety across the border. Like so many families we see in the news today, Jesus’ family is hoping to escape violence by travelling into a neighboring country.
The wise men from the East really unleashed something terrible. Were they to blame? Where they stupid? Could they have known how Herod would react? I don’t know.
What I do know is that they learned something important on their journey. They meet Herod, and then they meet the Christ child, and after that they decide not to go back to Herod. They go back by another road.
The wise men had seen the star and knew it mean a new king had been born among the Jews. So eager were they to see this king with their own eyes that they went on the long journey to the land of the Jews.
If you believe a new king to have been born, where would you look for him? In a palace, of course. In the capitol. In the seat of power, in the house of the king. That’s what common wisdom tells us and that’s where they go. But there they find first confusion, then fear and anxiety, and then conspiracy when Herod takes them aside and asks them to come back and tell him about the child when they find it, so he can go and pay homage. As if!
The wise men keep going. The star leads them to the house in Bethlehem where Jesus’ family is living. In that small house of average people, the wise men find something very different: overwhelming joy. Matthew is running out of superlatives when describing their joy: “They were overjoyed with exceedingly great joy.” They are bursting with joy.
Their response to this joy is worship and generosity. They kneel before Jesus and pay him homage, and they present him with gifts fit for a king: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
They had encountered the way of power and might in Herod, and they didn’t care for it. It left them without joy or hope or the desire to see more of it.
Now in Jesus they are encountering the way of humility and love, of service and welcome to all people, even these strangers from the East. This is what gives them joy. This is what makes them share what they have. This is what sends them home by another road. In Jesus, God broke into this world to change it. In the presence of Jesus, the wise men are changed and filled with joy and set on a different path.
In a way, Matthew’s Christmas story is much, much darker than the one in Luke, the one with manger and angels and shepherds. No wonder that’s the one we read on Christmas Eve. Matthew’s story with power-hungry, brutal, paranoid rulers reacting in fear and lashing out in ruthless violence against innocent families, that does not give us the warm and cozy feeling of “Silent Night”.
On the other hand, the world of Matthew’s Christmas story is much more familiar to us than Luke’s. Most of us have only rudimentary ideas about stables and shepherds, and angels filling the sky with praise is not part of the life experience of most people. Yet we only have to read or watch the news to be confronted with refugee families, with power-hungry rulers, with people driven to the edge by high taxes, with mass violence against innocent victims, with fear and paranoia shaping actions and policies. Yeah, we know that world.
Matthew told us in chapter one that God’s son would be named “Immanuel”, God with us. In the story of the wise men, Matthew assures us that, yes, it is this troubled, dark, violent world in which we live that God has decided to enter. God is with us in this life in this world in these challenging times.
His star, his light shine into this world and guide us to the place where we meet the Christ. Here in worship, we adore Jesus Christ, just like the wise men did. We offer our gifts, just like the wise men did. We experience the new way, the new possibility, the new hope that is opened up in Jesus Christ. Experiencing that, fills us with joy.
After having met Christ, we travel by another road. We no longer embrace the road that includes violence or power struggles or fear. Instead, we travel the road shown by the star, the road of Jesus the Christ, the road of humility and service and sacrifice and love, the road leading to peace and hope and joy, the road leading to a world where nobody has to be a refugee ever again or fear for their children’s lives or worry about their grandchildren’s future.
Because Matthew describes God’s incarnation in the very real world, it is also a very political story. Jesus challenges the way power is done, and those in power, Herod and his ilk, know it. And right away try to kill it.
We live in a political world. I think today’s gospel story challenges us to pay attention to politics. Herod is frightened because he senses a threat to his way of ruling coming from Jesus Christ. Today, we are the body of Christ in the world. Today, we have to hold our rulers accountable. No matter what party we prefer or what party our elected leaders belong to, we need to evaluate them and ask ourselves: Whom do they pay homage to? Which road do they travel?
Do they travel the road of power-lust, paranoia, and violence, the road that increases and takes advantage of fear, the road that serves only themselves and their cronies? Then we need to hold them accountable, let them hear our objections, and cast our votes accordingly.
Or do they travel the road of humility and service, the road of justice for all, the road of making life better for all people, the road that seeks peace and joy? Then we need to encourage them and let them know of our approval and vote for them.
Additionally, we have to hold ourselves accountable. Whom do we page homage to? Which road do we travel? Are we letting ourselves be changed here, in the presence of Christ, so we travel home by another road, one that leaves power behind and instead embraces service and generosity and love? Good questions to ask at the beginning of a new year.
The promise of Matthew’s Christmas story is that God become ones of us and joins us in this often dark, troubled world. Here, God is with us. Here, God meets us in Jesus Christ and changes us. And here, God’s star shines and lights the way for us so we can travel on by another road, bringing God’s light and hope to ever more people and making the world a brighter place. Amen.
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0.53191 |
After the first discovery that it was possible to carry out genetic analysis in E. coli, genetic exchange was soon demonstrated in other phylogenetically distant bacteria, and harnessed for experimental purposes. Against this background, several scientists began in the mid-1950s to look for evidence of genetic exchange in Streptomyces (reviewed by Hopwood 2007). There were three main reasons why this particular group of bacteria attracted attention. Firstly, it had become obvious that streptomycetes were a rich source of antibiotics, so there was a real possibility that success in developing genetic systems would find long-term utility. Secondly, these abundant, widespread, ecologically significant soil organisms were phylogenetically distant from E. coli and other genetically studied bacteria, and had an unusual mycelial growth habit like that of fungi (Fig. 1) (in fact, some people still incorrectly thought of them as intermediate between bacteria and fungi, or even as fungi). It was therefore felt that they should, on the one hand, exhibit novel features and, on the other, help to reveal what was universally true of bacteria. Thirdly, they were easy to grow at a reasonable rate on defined media, and went through a stage in their life cycle in which, as spores, they had a single copy of the genome, allowing the progeny of crosses to be classified readily; they were thus potentially experimentally convenient.
The greatest success was had with Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2), the organism chosen by D.A. Hopwood (Hopwood 1999). His earliest papers showed that random segments of its chromosome could be transferred between strains by conjugation, with both participants being able to act as donor or recipient (the crosses were "non-polar") and without obvious preference for particular chromosome segments (Hopwood 1967). Subsequent work revealed the involvement of a complex fertility system, involving plasmids, which is described in the next section. It was from this work that the unusual nature of some Streptomyces plasmids began to emerge, culminating in the 1980s with the revelation that many of them are linear.
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0.987206 |
Driving through Tijuana on my way to the border I have crossed Avenida Niños de los Heroes many times, not to be confused with Avenue of the Heroes. But, why is there an avenue memorializing children? I learned a fascinating and sad part of Mexicoʼs history.
The story has captured the hearts and minds of most Mexicans who look on it with both a mixture of pride and reverence. There is even a monument built in Mexico City to memorialize the event. Throughout Mexico today there are numerous schools, streets, and public squares named after those involved in the event.
It takes place during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848)–a war considered unjust by Abraham Lincoln and John Quincy Adams. President James Polk saw America in light of Manifest Destiny, meaning America had a “natural right” to expand its territory to the Pacific. Wanting to increase the area of the United States, Polk offered Mexico a sum of money for an area of land west of the Mississippi River, but this offer was rejected. The president then moved U.S. troops into the area north of the Rio Grande. A relatively small skirmish there resulted in the deaths of a dozen U.S men and the start of the war.
On September 13, 1847, American forces were closing in on Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City. The Castle was valued as an important geographical protection against invaders. American forces outnumbered Mexican men in numbers, weapons and gunpowder. As the Americans advanced there simply were not enough Mexican soldiers left to protect it.
Seeing that defeat was imminent, the Mexican men were ordered to retreat to safety. The Castle had been a military training academy and, as a result, there were dozens of young cadets among the men. Six of these young men, ranging in age from thirteen to nineteen, refused orders and died in the protection of the castle. The young men died defending their country. There is even a report that one jumped to his death wrapped in the Mexican flag.
The outcome of this war was that the United States purchased the territory that became California, Utah,Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico for $15 million. Mexico lost one third of its territory.
Now I understand why the street is called Avenida Niños de los Heroes.
Gerry Lidstrom is a retired english teacher living most of the year in northern Baja California, and summers in Minnesota. He writes regularly for the Baja Review and keeps very busy with all the associations, clubs and activities in Rosarito. He wouldn't trade his ocean front condo for any place on earth, now. Who knows about the future. Watch for his travel articles.
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How can The Therapy Center help?
Your Physical Therapist at The Therapy Center can help you to manage your injury, reduce the pain and swelling associated with acute injures, and can give you exercises to increase strength, and restore mobility and function. Exercise plays an important role in the recovery process. Exercise helps to maintain the motion at the injured area, promotes fluid reabsorption and prevents stiffening of joints. Your Physical Therapist can also educate you on returning to work and ergonomics, and can help develop progressive exercise programs aimed at work conditioning.
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0.962753 |
When should I speak to a lawyer?
The law encourages parents to reach an agreement about how to parent their children after separation, and to regard the court system as a last resort. This is because, not only can court proceedings be time consuming and expensive, but also because co-operation between separated parents will reduce stress for children and parents alike.
A parenting plan is a less formal way of documenting your parenting agreement with the other parent. This can be a good way of recording your agreement if you and the other parent are able to co-operate and do not want or need to enter into a legally enforceable agreement.
A parenting plan can provide details of where your children live, how they will spend time between the parents, how parental responsibility is exercised, how to resolve any disagreements that may arise, as well as any other arrangement that relates to the parenting of the children.
Parenting plans are not legally enforceable and cannot be registered in court. If you wish to register your parenting arrangement with the court you should consider a consent order.
While a parenting plan is not enforceable, if there is a dispute in court later on, the court may look to terms of any existing parenting agreement to determine what may be in the best interests of the child.
Also, if you have a pre-existing court ordered parenting arrangement you can, at any time, override that arrangement by entering into a parenting plan with the other parent. Similarly, an existing parenting plan can be overridden by a new parenting plan, a consent order or parenting order.
You are able to alter your previous parenting plan by agreement with the other parent or by creating a new plan to replace it.
Both parents must enter into the parenting plan willingly, without either parent coercing or threatening the other in any way. The plan must be in writing and signed and dated by both parents. Both parents should keep a copy.
While parenting plans are usually formed between the child’s parents, they can also be made with other people, such as between a parent and step-parent or between parents and grandparents.
Consent Orders are similar to a parenting plan, as they are also formed by both parents reaching an agreement about their parenting arrangements. Significantly however, consent orders are made by the Family Law Courts, are legally enforceable and penalties may apply in circumstances where the orders are found to have been contravened by a party. You may prefer this type of arrangement if you want a legally enforceable agreement.
Generally, a consent order is drafted by a family lawyer, signed by both parties (and their lawyers), then filed in the court registry with any relevant documentation. If the order is approved by the court, then it is binding and enforceable for both parents.
When considering whether to approve an application for a Consent Order, the court will look to whether the proposed order is in the child’s best interests. The court will also consider the legal framework referred to in the parenting section above.
If your proposed order includes arrangements for the child to live with a non-parent the court must be satisfied that it is appropriate to make such an order in the circumstances. The court will also require the parties to attend a conference with a family consultant prior to making the order.
You do not need to engage in the family dispute resolution process to file an Application for Consent Orders with the court and you can apply for a Consent Order without having a current case before the court.
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0.958858 |
NBA Rumors: Russell Westbrook recruiting Kristaps Porzingis to play for Thunder?
Rumors abound that Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook could be recruiting New York Knicks' super-sophomore Kristaps Porzingis as the two players were spotted working out together in a sports facility in the Big Apple.
Kurt Helin of NBC Sports' Pro Basketball Talk reported that Thunder teammates Westbrook and Enes Kanter recently worked out with the 7-foot-3 Latvian big man as well as with two other Knicks rookies Mindaugas Kuzminskas and Willy Hernangomez. Cleveland Cavaliers defensive ace Iman Shumpert was reportedly there as well.
Although a personal preseason workout between NBA players usually does not mean any more than that, speculations still went out that Westbrook and Kanter could be looking to recruit Porzingis to join their side while other rumors think it was the other way around.
Helin was quick to clear up, though, that "a preseason workout doesn't mean Westbrook is coming to NYC in two years" as he attempted not to raise the hopes of the Knicks' faithful in his article.
Meanwhile, Chat Sports Net indicated that Westbrook might be planning a new Big Three formation with Porzingis and Shumpert in Oklahoma City as the team begins the post-Kevin Durant era.
The report said that Westbrook is aware that "in a league as tough as the NBA, one superstar is not enough to carry a team" and so the two-time All-Star Game MVP "might be recruiting New York Knicks' Kristaps Porzingis and Cleveland Cavaliers' Iman Shumpert".
Shumpert will definitely improve the Thunder's defense on the wings, something that head coach Billy Donovan certainly needs after losing Durant this summer. Shumpert's numbers does not necessarily show his value on the court, but it is his defense, hustle, and drive that makes him an effective player.
Porzingis is one of the most promising young players in the NBA right now and he could be a potential sidekick for Westbrook in OKC. He is odd for his size as he also has a smooth shot from long range and the report even described him as a "strange hybrid of Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Garnett".
The 21-year-old Latvian can definitely grow to become one of the premier scorers in the league, which could be enough to help fill the scoring void Durant left in OKC.
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0.958074 |
Determinantal point processes (DPPs) are random point processes well-suited for modeling repulsion. In machine learning, the focus of DPP-based models has been on diverse subset selection from a discrete and finite base set. This discrete setting admits an efficient algorithm for sampling based on the eigendecomposition of the defining kernel matrix. Recently, there has been growing interest in using DPPs defined on continuous spaces. While the discrete-DPP sampler extends formally to the continuous case, computationally, the steps required cannot be directly extended except in a few restricted cases. In this paper, we present efficient approximate DPP sampling schemes based on Nystrom and random Fourier feature approximations that apply to a wide range of kernel functions. We demonstrate the utility of continuous DPPs in repulsive mixture modeling applications and synthesizing human poses spanning activity spaces.
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0.951562 |
Ghana is one of the five African nations along the northern coastline of the Gulf of Guinea. It is bordered on the west by Cote d'Ivoire, on the north by Burkina Faso, and on the east by Togo. The country consists mostly of low-lying savannah regions, with a central belt of forest. Ghana's distinguishing geographic feature is the Volta River, on which was built the Akosombo dam in 1964. The damming of the Volta created the enormous Lake Volta, which occupies a sizeable portion of Ghana's southeastern territory.
Ghana's rich history centers on the once-great Ashanti empire, which rose to power during the late 17th century and continued to prosper as a center of the 18th century slave trade. The Ashanti capital, Kumasi, was during this period one of the finest and most advanced cities in Africa, and the Ashanti state even employed significant numbers of Europeans as advisors and administrators. The European presence in Ghana is also marked by the multitude of colonial forts that dot its coastline strongholds that anchored the European trade in gold, ivory, and slaves. Although Ghana, then known as the Gold Coast, was largely considered a British territory by the latter half of the 19th century, it wasn't until 1900 that the British succeeded in defeating the Ashanti and the area's other strong kingdoms.
military rule. The country has been since then been moving steadily toward political stability and economic prosperity, and seems today to possess one of the most promising futures of any of the West African nations.
Most of Ghana's 17 million people practice either Christianity or Islam, which are prevalent depending on the region. Christianity prospers in the south, while Islam dominates the rural north. Local religions also endure in Ghana, and are often practiced syncreticaly with the mainstream religions.
The country's main holiday, Akwasidee, comes from the Ashanti religious calendar, and features an ornate ceremony involving the Ashanti king, known as the Asantehene.
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0.82122 |
There are 28 recognized subspecies of Apis mellifera based largely on geographic variations. All subspecies are cross-fertile. Geographic isolation led to numerous local adaptations. These adaptations include brood cycles synchronized with the bloom period of local flora, forming a winter cluster in colder climates, migratory swarming in Africa, enhanced (long-distance) foraging behavior in desert areas, and numerous other inherited traits.
The Africanized honey bees in the Western Hemisphere are descended from hives operated by biologist Warwick E. Kerr, who had interbred honey bees from Europe and southern Africa. Kerr was attempting to breed a strain of bees that would produce more honey and be better adapted to tropical conditions (i.e., more productive) than the European strain of honey bee currently in use throughout North, Central and South America. The hives containing this particular Africanized subspecies, were housed at an apiary near Rio Claro, São Paulo, in the southeast of Brazil and were noted to be especially defensive. These hives had been fitted with special excluder screens (called queen excluders) to prevent the larger queen bees and drones from getting out and mating with the local population of European bees. According to Kerr, in October 1957 a visiting beekeeper, noticing that the queen excluders were interfering with the worker bees' movement, removed them resulting in the accidental release of 26 Tanganyikan swarms of A. m. scutellata. Following this accidental release, the Africanized swarms spread out and cross-bred with local European colonies; their descendants have since spread throughout the Americas. Because their movement through South and Central America was rapid and largely unassisted by humans, Africanized bees have earned the reputation of being one of the most successful biologically invasive species of all time.
The first Africanized bees in the US were discovered in 1985 at an oil field in the San Joaquin Valley of California. "Bee experts theorized the colony had arrived hidden in a load of oil-drilling pipe shipped from South America." The first permanent colonies arrived in Texas, from Mexico, in 1990. In the Tucson region of Arizona, a study of trapped swarms in 1994 found that only 15 percent had been Africanized; this number had grown to 90 percent by 1997.
Though Africanized bees display certain behavioral traits that make them less than desirable for commercial beekeeping, excessive defensiveness and swarming foremost, they have now become the dominant type of honey bee for beekeeping in Central and South America due to their genetic dominance as well as ability to out-compete their European counterpart, with clear evidence that they are superior honey producers and pollinators.
Is more likely to "abscond"—the entire colony leaves the hive and relocates—in response to stress.
Has greater defensiveness when in a resting swarm, compared to other honey bee types.
Lives more often in ground cavities than the European types.
Guards the hive aggressively, with a larger alarm zone around the hive.
Has a higher proportion of "guard" bees within the hive.
Cannot survive extended periods of forage deprivation, preventing introduction into areas with harsh winters or extremely dry late summers.
Parlor Rollers is a breed of pigeon that can't fly but can roll or do somersaults on the ground.
Schrodinger didn't intend the cat thing to be taken seriously. It was meant to illustrate how absurd he found the existing view of quantum mechanics.
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Can Islam be compatible with religious freedom? I certainly hope so, but doubts are raised by a decision of Malaysia's highest court, given a month ago. Lina Joy is a 43-year-old Malay woman who became a Christian some years ago and wished to marry a Christian man.
As a Malay, at the age of 12 she had received a national identity card specifying her religion as Islam. As long as her identity card stated she was a Muslim, she could not obtain a marriage licence to marry a Christian.
She applied to the National Registration Department to have her designation as a Muslim removed. The department required a certificate of apostasy from an Islamic court before this would be done.
Malaysia has civil and Islamic courts, the latter having jurisdiction over Muslims in religious and family matters. In most states of Malaysia, apostasy from Islam is punishable as a criminal offence by order of an Islamic court. Certificates of apostasy are very difficult to obtain. If Joy and her Christian boyfriend had children without marrying, the children could be taken from them to be raised as Muslims.
Before the court's decision Joy and her boyfriend had received death threats and were in hiding.
As a member of the United Nations, Malaysia is committed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that: "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief", as well as providing that "without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion" men and women have the right to marry and have a family. Malaysia's constitution provides that every person has the right to profess and practise his religion; although it does also provide that civil courts have no jurisdiction over matters within the jurisdiction of Islamic courts. Interpretation of the constitution is a matter for civil courts and, ultimately, for Malaysia's Federal Court.
By a 2-1 majority, the Malaysian Federal Court decided that the department's requirement of a certificate of apostasy was lawful. The two judges of the majority were Muslim and included the Chief Justice of Malaysia. The dissenter, Justice Richard Malanjum, is a non-Muslim.
According to the majority, the question whether Joy was or was not a Muslim was a decision for the Islamic courts, which had been given jurisdiction over issues of conversion to Islam and, by implication, had jurisdiction over questions concerning conversion from Islam. The Chief Justice was quoted as saying: "If a person professes and practises Islam, he should be following Islamic laws including his conversion or renunciation. That is what is meant by adopting and practising Islam. What the [department] did was to ascertain whether Lina [Joy] had renounced this religion. I do not see this as an infringement to freedom of religion. No one is stopping her from marrying. She is merely required to fulfil certain obligations, for the Islamic authorities to confirm her apostasy, before she embraces Christianity."
The dissenting judge considered among other things that the requirement that Joy apply to Islamic courts for a certificate of apostasy was unreasonable, as it would expose her to punishment for the criminal offence of apostasy.
How the criminal offence of apostasy can co-exist with the Malaysian constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion, especially if that guarantee is construed in the light of Malaysia's commitment to the Declaration of Human Rights, was not addressed. However, that offence exists, and the difficulty of obtaining a certificate of apostasy seems clear. As well, Joy was not shown to have voluntarily adopted Islam as an adult: her classification came from her birth as a Malay and was an automatic procedure when she was 12.
In light of this, the decision and the words of the Chief Justice are difficult to understand: that a highly intelligent and moderate Muslim could reason in that way raises the doubts about Islam's compatibility with religious freedom.
The decision was applauded by Muslims in Malaysia. But what do moderate Muslims in Australia think about it?
Suppose that there was a law enforced in Australia. which made conversion from Christianity a criminal offence, punishable by order of Christian tribunals.
Suppose that there was also a law that prevented a woman who had converted from Christianity to Islam from marrying a Muslim man, unless she obtained a certificate from a Christian tribunal that she was no longer a Christian, and that these certificates were difficult to obtain. I'm sure Muslims in Australia would find this utterly repugnant, and rightly so.
Do Muslims in Australia not think that the converse situation in Malaysia is similarly repugnant? Would it be possible for Muslim leaders in Australia, and in other countries with religious freedom, to speak firmly and clearly against the denial of religious freedom in countries such as Malaysia?
If they can and do, this would certainly help to show that Islam can be compatible with religious freedom; but if they cannot and don't, doubt must remain.
David Hodgson is a judge of the Supreme Court of NSW.
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Could AI soon replace your radiologist?
31 doctors are charged with illegally distributing opioids and other dangerous drugs Authorities say 53 medical professionals are linked to 350,000 prescriptions and 32 million pillsAuthorities say 53 medical professionals are linked to 350,000 prescriptions and 32 million pills.
How to Fix the Federal Reserve Historically, the Fed has fought recessions by lowering real short-term interest rates at least five percentage points. It will probably not have that option next time.
Apple Stock Might Be a Secret Health-Care Play, Morgan Stanley Says Despite an array of new paid services announced last month, Apple’s ability to disrupt the $3.5 trillion health-care industry might be the real reason to buy the stock, according to a Morgan Stanley analyst.
Is struggling to pay the rent making people sick? Most severely rent-burdened people say they’d put paying the rent ahead of all else — even medical costsMost severely rent-burdened people say they’d put paying the rent ahead of all else — even medical costs.
If you must give money advice, here’s how to make it stick Tips from the author of a book on the subjectThese techniques could be helpful for anyone who wants to give effective money counsel.
How Nonprofits Helped Boost the Economy in 2018 The midterm elections had a noticeable impact on growth.
Amid the Fight Over Obamacare, There’s Reason for Optimism The U.S. spends 18% of GDP on health care, far above other developed nations. Capture that extra spending, and the U.S. could pocket 4% of GDP in savings.
New York sues billionaire Sackler family in case against OxyContin maker State says family behind Purdue Pharma is partially to blame for opioid crisisNew York on Thursday sued the billionaire family behind the company that created OxyContin, joining a growing list of state and local governments alleging the drugmaker sparked the nation’s opioid crisis by putting hunger for profits over patient safety.
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Краткое описание: Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning features Mythic's Realm versus Realm (RvR) combat system, originally developed in Dark Age of Camelot. This takes place within three different racial pairings: Dwarfs vs. Greenskins, Empire vs. Chaos, and High Elves vs. Dark Elves. Although there are only two races per pairing, players may travel to either of the other two pairings to help fight with their friends and allies. There are four types of RvR combat: Skirmishes (random world encounters), Battlefields (objective-driven battles in RvR-specific areas), Scenarios (instanced, point-based battles against the opposing faction), and Campaigns (invading enemy lands and capital cities). RvR contribution includes both Player vs. Player (PvP) combat and (to a lesser extent) Player vs. Environment (PvE) quests so that you can assist your realm in their victory, regardless of preferred play-style. Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning features Mythic's Realm versus Realm (RvR) combat system, originally developed in Dark Age of Camelot. This takes place within three different racial pairings: Dwarfs vs. Greenskins, Empire vs. Chaos, and High Elves vs. Dark Elves. Although there are only two races per pairing, players may travel to either of the other two pairings to help fight with their friends and allies. There are four types of RvR combat: Skirmishes (random world encounters), Battlefields (objective-driven battles in RvR-specific areas), Scenarios (instanced, point-based battles against the opposing faction), and Campaigns (invading enemy lands and capital cities). RvR contribution includes both Player vs. Player (PvP) combat and (to a lesser extent) Player vs. Environment (PvE) quests so that you can assist your realm in their victory, regardless of preferred play-style.
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Daptomycin is a treatment of last resort for serious infections caused by drug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. We have shown recently that S. aureus can evade daptomycin by releasing phospholipid decoys that sequester and inactivate the antibiotic, leading to treatment failure. Since phospholipid release occurs via an active process, we hypothesized that it could be inhibited, thereby increasing daptomycin efficacy. To identify opportunities for therapeutic interventions that block phospholipid release, we first determined how the host environment influences the release of phospholipids and the inactivation of daptomycin by S. aureus. The addition of certain host-associated fatty acids to the growth medium enhanced phospholipid release. However, in serum, the sequestration of fatty acids by albumin restricted their availability to S. aureus sufficiently to prevent their use in the generation of released phospholipids. This finding implies that in host tissues S. aureus may be completely dependent upon endogenous phospholipid biosynthesis to generate lipids for release, providing a target for therapeutic intervention. To test this, we exposed S. aureus to AFN-1252, an inhibitor of the staphylococcal FASII fatty acid biosynthetic pathway, together with daptomycin. AFN-1252 efficiently blocked daptomycin-induced phospholipid decoy production, even in the case of isolates resistant to AFN-1252, which prevented the inactivation of daptomycin and resulted in sustained bacterial killing. In turn, daptomycin prevented the fatty acid-dependent emergence of AFN-1252-resistant isolates in vitro. In summary, AFN-1252 significantly enhances daptomycin activity against S. aureus in vitro by blocking the production of phospholipid decoys, while daptomycin blocks the emergence of resistance to AFN-1252.
Daptomycin is a lipopeptide antibiotic of last resort used to treat infections caused by drug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens, such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) (1, 2). The target of daptomycin is the bacterial membrane, where it causes the mislocalization of enzymes required for cell wall biosynthesis, a loss of membrane potential and integrity, and rapid bacterial death (1, 3, 4).
Resistance to daptomycin can arise spontaneously via mutations in genes associated with phospholipid or peptidoglycan biosynthesis (1, 5, 6). However, while resistance has been reported to arise during treatment, it is a rare occurrence and does not explain why daptomycin treatment failure has been reported in up to 20% of cases of infective endocarditis and up to 30% of cases of complicated skin and soft tissue infection or osteomyelitis, most commonly caused by S. aureus (7, 8). Treatment failure is reduced at higher therapeutic doses of daptomycin, but host toxicity limits the concentration of the drug that can be used (1, 7, 8). In a bid to identify additional mechanisms by which S. aureus can withstand daptomycin treatment, we discovered that upon exposure to the antibiotic, S. aureus releases phospholipids into the extracellular space (9). These phospholipids act as decoys, sequestering daptomycin and preventing it from inserting into the bacterial membrane. This decoy-mediated antibiotic inactivation led to treatment failure in a murine model of invasive MRSA infection, suggesting that it could affect daptomycin efficacy in patients (9). Furthermore, the production of phospholipid decoys also occurs in enterococci and streptococci, suggesting a broadly conserved defense against membrane-acting antimicrobials (10).
The ability of released membrane phospholipids to inactivate daptomycin can be compromised in S. aureus by the quorum-sensing-triggered production of small cytolytic peptides known as the alpha phenol-soluble modulins (PSMα) (9). These peptides appear to compete with daptomycin for the phospholipid and thereby prevent inactivation of the antibiotic (9). While this may appear paradoxical, many invasive infections are caused by S. aureus strains defective for PSMα production due to defects in the accessory gene regulator (Agr) quorum-sensing system that triggers expression of the peptides (11–13). Furthermore, as serum apolipoproteins inhibit the Agr system and sequester PSMs, wild-type (WT) bacteria would be expected to inactivate daptomycin in the bloodstream (14–17).
The mechanism by which daptomycin triggers phospholipid release is currently undefined. However, we have shown that it is an active process that requires energy, as well as protein, cell wall, and lipid biosynthesis (9, 10). The requirement for fatty acid biosynthesis for phospholipid release is important because it raises the prospect of targeting this process to enhance daptomycin efficacy. We have shown previously that inhibition of the FabF component of the fatty acid synthesis type II (FASII) pathway, using the antibiotic platensimycin, completely blocked phospholipid release (9, 10). While platensimycin is unsuitable as a therapeutic drug due to poor pharmacological properties, the FabI inhibitor AFN-1252 shows more promising characteristics, and a prodrug variant is currently undergoing phase 2 clinical trials (18, 19). However, despite excellent in vitro activity, the therapeutic value of FASII inhibitors as monotherapeutic agents has attracted much debate (20, 21). Several bacteria, including S. aureus, can utilize fatty acids present in the host to generate phospholipids (21–24). Although wild-type S. aureus strains cannot fully substitute endogenous fatty acids for exogenous fatty acids synthesized via FASII, there is evidence that some clinical isolates (up to 7%) have acquired mutations that enable them to fully or partially bypass endogenous fatty acid biosynthesis by utilizing host-derived fatty acids (22, 25, 26). Furthermore, in vitro experimentation suggests that the acquisition of such mutations is dependent upon the presence of host-associated fatty acids, which means that the frequency at which resistance to AFN-1252 emerges in vivo may have been underestimated (25, 26). As such, the long-term viability of fatty acid synthesis inhibitors, such as AFN-1252, as monotherapeutic antibacterial drugs is unclear, and their ability to block daptomycin-induced phospholipid release in the presence of exogenous fatty acids is undetermined (20, 21).
Therefore, the aims of this work were to understand how the availability of fatty acids in the host influences the production of phospholipid decoys and determine whether AFN-1252 can be used in combination with daptomycin to provide a viable approach to combating MRSA infection.
Exogenous fatty acids modulate daptomycin-induced phospholipid release.Since S. aureus can incorporate exogenous fatty acids into membrane phospholipid production, it was hypothesized that host-derived fatty acids would contribute to the production of lipids required for daptomycin-induced phospholipid release (21–24).
To enable accurate measurements of phospholipid release, these experiments were done in tryptic soy broth (TSB) containing, or not, one of several different fatty acids found in normal human serum (27). To avoid the Agr system compromising daptomycin inactivation, these initial experiments employed the S. aureus USA300 LAC (USA300) ΔagrA mutant (Table 1), which has the same daptomycin MIC as the wild type (Table 2) (9).
Exposure of the S. aureus USA300 ΔagrA mutant to daptomycin in the absence of exogenous fatty acids resulted in the release of phospholipids into the extracellular space (Fig. 1A). Supplementation of the TSB growth medium with linoleic acid had no effect on the rate or quantity of phospholipid released, while the presence of myristic or palmitic acid resulted in a small increase in the quantity of phospholipids released at the latest time point (Fig. 1A). In contrast, the presence of oleic or lauric acid significantly enhanced both the rate and the quantity of phospholipids released relative to those seen in TSB without fatty acids (Fig. 1A).
Effect of exogenous fatty acids on daptomycin (Dap)-induced phospholipid release, daptomycin inactivation, and bacterial survival. S. aureus ΔagrA was exposed to daptomycin (20 μg ml−1) in the presence of the indicated fatty acid supplements (20 μM) or no fatty acid (No FA), and the release of phospholipids (A), antibiotic activity (B), and bacterial survival (C) were measured over time. Data represent the means from 4 independent experiments, and error bars show the standard deviation of the mean. Values significantly different (P < 0.05) from those for bacteria in broth without fatty acid supplements were identified by 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Dunnett’s post hoc test (*).
The increased release of phospholipids from bacteria incubated with oleic or lauric acid resulted in a slightly higher rate of daptomycin inactivation, while the presence of linoleic, palmitic, or myristic acid reduced the rate of daptomycin inactivation (Fig. 1B). Of note, S. aureus failed to fully inactivate daptomycin in the presence of palmitic or linoleic acid, indicating that exogenous fatty acids can retard as well as promote the rate of phospholipid-mediated daptomycin inactivation (Fig. 1B).
In keeping with the effect of individual fatty acids on daptomycin inactivation, the presence of oleic or lauric acid promoted bacterial survival to a rate 10-fold above that seen for S. aureus incubated without fatty acids by 8 h. In contrast, the presence of palmitic or linoleic acid reduced the rate of survival approximately 10-fold, while myristic acid had no effect (Fig. 1C).
Next, we determined how the concentration of exogenous fatty acid affected phospholipid release and bacterial survival. As shown in Fig. 1A, the presence of 20 μM oleic acid promoted phospholipid release in response to daptomycin challenge (Fig. 2A). However, increasing the concentration of oleic acid up to 100 μM (which is similar to that found in serum ) did not increase the level of phospholipid release above that seen with 20 μM (Fig. 2A). In keeping with this, the presence of 100 μM oleic acid did not significantly affect the rate of daptomycin inactivation relative to that seen with 20 μM, nor did the higher concentration of the fatty acid reduce the initial rate of daptomycin-mediated killing (Fig. 2B and C). However, the highest concentrations of oleic acid did promote the rate of recovery once daptomycin was inactivated, presumably by providing precursors to the energetically expensive process of membrane biogenesis (Fig. 2B and C).
Effect of increasing concentrations of oleic acid on daptomycin-induced phospholipid release, daptomycin inactivation, and bacterial survival. The S. aureus ΔagrA mutant was exposed to daptomycin (20 μg ml−1) in the presence of the indicated concentrations of oleic acid, and the release of phospholipids (A), antibiotic activity (B), and bacterial survival (C) were measured over time. For panel B, the values for 20 μM are obscured by the symbols representing 100 μM. Data represent the means from 4 independent experiments, and error bars show the standard deviation of the mean. Values significantly different (P < 0.05) from those for bacteria in broth without fatty acid supplements were identified by 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA and Dunnett’s post hoc test (*).
Serum albumin restricts the utilization of oleic acid by S. aureus for phospholipid release.Having established that fatty acids can modulate phospholipid release in TSB, we wanted to determine whether their presence in the host context had a similar effect. To do this, we first supplemented TSB with 50% delipidated human serum, which is deficient for fatty acids. Similar to what was seen in TSB alone, exposure of the ΔagrA mutant to daptomycin in TSB containing 50% delipidated human serum resulted in an initial fall in the CFU counts, followed by a period of recovery (Fig. 3A). However, in contrast to our observations for TSB (Fig. 1C), the addition of oleic acid to TSB containing 50% delipidated serum had no effect on bacterial survival (Fig. 3A). In keeping with these data, the presence of oleic acid had no effect on the rate at which the bacteria inactivated daptomycin (Fig. 3B). This indicated that the ability of S. aureus to use oleic acid to promote phospholipid release was restricted by a factor found in serum but not TSB, although this was not quantified directly, as serum components interfered with the dye-based assay system.
Human serum albumin prevents the use of exogenous oleic acid in daptomycin-induced phospholipid release. (A, B) The S. aureus ΔagrA mutant was exposed to daptomycin (20 μg ml−1) in TSB containing 50% delipidated human serum containing oleic acid (20 μM) or not (No FA), and bacterial survival (A) and antibiotic activity (B) were measured over time. (C, D) In a similar experiment, the S. aureus ΔagrA mutant was exposed to daptomycin in TSB containing human serum albumin (HSA) and supplemented with oleic acid (20 μM) or not (No FA), and bacterial survival (C) and antibiotic activity (D) were measured over time. Data represent the means from 4 independent experiments, and error bars show the standard deviation of the mean. There were no significant differences in values obtained with oleic acid compared to those obtained in unsupplemented medium (P > 0.05), as determined by 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA.
Fatty acids present in the bloodstream are typically bound to serum albumin, which acts as a carrier protein (28). To determine whether the presence of this host protein restricted the availability of oleic acid for use in phospholipid release-mediated inactivation of daptomycin, the S. aureus ΔagrA mutant was exposed to daptomycin in TSB containing oleic acid and human serum albumin (HSA). In contrast to the findings with TSB only, the presence of HSA completely abrogated the increased rate of daptomycin inactivation and bacterial survival observed on supplementation with oleic acid, presumably due to sequestration of the fatty acid by the protein (Fig. 3C and D).
AFN-1252 blocks daptomycin-induced phospholipid release in the presence of unbound oleic acid.The finding that HSA prevented the use of exogenous oleic acid by S. aureus to promote the rate of daptomycin inactivation indicated that this process is likely to be entirely dependent upon the FASII pathway in vivo. Therefore, we hypothesized that the FASII inhibitor AFN-1252 would enhance daptomycin activity against S. aureus by blocking the production of phospholipid decoys.
Alone, AFN-1252 (0.15 μg ml−1) showed bacteriostatic activity (a <10-fold drop in CFU counts after 8 h) (Fig. 4A). As described previously, the CFU counts of the S. aureus ΔagrA mutant exposed to daptomycin fell initially, before recovering due to the release of phospholipids that led to the inactivation of the antibiotic (Fig. 4A to C) (9). However, when the S. aureus ΔagrA mutant was exposed to daptomycin in the presence of AFN-1252, there was a >500-fold drop in CFU counts, with no recovery of the bacterial population (Fig. 4A). Further analysis revealed that AFN-1252 almost completely blocked daptomycin-induced phospholipid release and the associated daptomycin inactivation (Fig. 4B and C), providing an explanation for the synergy observed when these antibiotics were used in combination.
AFN-1252 blocks phospholipid release and therefore preserves daptomycin activity. The S. aureus ΔagrA mutant was exposed to daptomycin (20 μg ml−1), AFN-1252 (0.15 μg ml−1), or both antibiotics in the absence (A, B, C) or presence (D, E, F) of oleic acid (20 μM). During incubation, bacterial survival (A, D), the quantity of phospholipid released into the supernatant (B, E), and daptomycin activity (C, F) were measured over 8 h. Data represent the means from 4 independent experiments, and error bars show the standard deviation of the mean. Values significantly different (P < 0.05) from those obtained with bacteria exposed to daptomycin only were identified by 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA and Dunnett’s post hoc test (*).
While our data indicated that HSA restricts the utilization of exogenous fatty acids for phospholipid release (Fig. 3C and D), we considered the possibility that some unbound lipids may arise during infection because of damage to host tissues. Therefore, we repeated the experiments whose results are described in Fig. 4A to C in the presence of oleic acid without HSA, since this lipid was previously shown to significantly promote phospholipid release (Fig. 1A). The data generated from these experiments were almost identical to those from experiments done in the absence of the fatty acid (Fig. 4D to F). AFN-1252 showed clear synergistic activity when used in combination with daptomycin by blocking phospholipid release, even in the presence of unbound oleic acid (Fig. 4E). This resulted in the maintenance of daptomycin activity and a sustained killing effect on S. aureus (Fig. 4D and F). Together, these data demonstrate that AFN-1252 prevents the production of phospholipid decoys, even in the presence of exogenous fatty acids which would otherwise enhance phospholipid release.
AFN-1252 blocks phospholipid release triggered by a range of daptomycin concentrations.The bactericidal activity of daptomycin is dependent upon the concentration of both the antibiotic and calcium ions (1). To determine how these factors affected the inhibition of phospholipid release by AFN-1252 and the consequences for bacterial survival, both wild-type (WT) and ΔagrA mutant S. aureus strains were exposed to various concentrations of daptomycin in broth supplemented with 0.5 mM or 1.25 mM CaCl2 in the presence or absence of the FASII inhibitor (0.15 μg ml−1).
Daptomycin caused the dose-dependent killing of both WT and ΔagrA mutant S. aureus strains, which was greater at 1.25 mM than 0.5 mM CaCl2, with a >1,000-fold reduction in CFU counts being seen at 40 μg ml−1 of the antibiotic (Fig. 5A to D) (1, 10). As expected from our earlier studies, at both CaCl2 concentrations, the survival of the ΔagrA mutant was greater than that of the WT at lower concentrations of daptomycin, but killing was similar between the strains at the highest concentration of the antibiotic tested (40 μg ml−1) (Fig. 5A to D) (9). At lower concentrations of daptomycin, the presence of AFN-1252 reduced bacterial survival by ∼10- to 100-fold but had no effect on bacterial survival in the presence of the highest concentration of the lipopeptide antibiotic tested (Fig. 5A to D).
AFN-1252 blocks phospholipid release at various concentrations of daptomycin. Wild-type (WT) S. aureus (A, C, E, G, I, K) or the ΔagrA mutant (B, D, F, H, J, L) was exposed to daptomycin at the indicated concentrations in the absence (blue bars) or presence (orange bars) of AFN-1252 (0.15 μg ml−1) in the presence of 0.5 mM CaCl2 (A, B, E, F, I, J) or 1.25 mM CaCl2 (C, D, G, H, K, L). After 8 h of incubation, bacterial survival (A to D), phospholipid release (E to H), and daptomycin activity (I to L) were measured. Values from experiments done with AFN-1252 significantly different (P < 0.05) from those obtained with bacteria exposed to daptomycin only were identified by a paired Student's t test (*).
As observed previously, phospholipid release was generally greater at lower concentrations of daptomycin (10) and reduced in the presence of the higher concentration of calcium (Fig. 5E to H). However, regardless of the experimental conditions or the quantity of phospholipids released, the presence of AFN-1252 significantly reduced phospholipid release from the WT or ΔagrA mutant S. aureus strain to almost undetectable levels (Fig. 5E to H).
In agreement with previous work, the ΔagrA mutant was significantly more efficient than the WT at inactivating daptomycin (Fig. 5I to L) (9). In the presence of 0.5 mM CaCl2, WT S. aureus could only partially inactivate 10 μg ml−1 daptomycin, whereas the ΔagrA mutant was able to completely inactivate the lipopeptide at 20 μg ml−1 (Fig. 5I and J). At 1.25 mM CaCl2, WT S. aureus fully inactivated daptomycin at 5 μg ml−1, but the ΔagrA mutant inactivated the antibiotic at 10 μg ml−1 (Fig. 5K and L). However, for both the WT and the ΔagrA mutant, the presence of AFN-1252 prevented the inactivation of daptomycin, in keeping with the ability of this antibiotic to prevent phospholipid release (Fig. 5I to L) (9, 10).
In summary, at concentrations of daptomycin that are inactivated by released phospholipids, AFN-1252 promotes bacterial killing. However, at concentrations of daptomycin that cannot be inactivated by S. aureus, AFN-1252 has little or no effect on bacterial survival. This provides additional evidence that the FASII inhibitor synergizes with the lipopeptide antibiotic by blocking the release of phospholipids that inactivate daptomycin.
AFN-1252 blocks daptomycin-induced phospholipid release in human serum.To further explore how the host environment might influence daptomycin-induced phospholipid release and whether AFN-1252 would be expected to block this, we used TSB containing 50% normal human serum. In addition to providing fatty acids in their natural state and concentration, this system also accounts for the effects of antibiotic binding to serum proteins and the suppression of Agr activity by apolipoproteins.
As reported earlier, the presence of serum resulted in slightly increased MICs of some strains for both daptomycin and AFN-1252, due to the binding of the antibiotics by serum proteins (Table 2) (29, 30). Exposure of wild-type strain S. aureus USA300 to daptomycin alone resulted in a brief decline in the CFU counts over the first 2 h, followed by an increase in bacterial numbers (Fig. 6A). Unfortunately, the high lipid content of serum prevented accurate measurement of phospholipid release. However, bacterial survival correlated well with the inactivation of daptomycin, which occurred within 4 h (Fig. 6B). A broadly similar survival profile was seen for the ΔagrA mutant, suggesting that the presence of serum negates previously reported differences in daptomycin inactivation mediated by Agr (Fig. 6C and D) (9).
AFN-1252 preserves daptomycin activity in serum. Wild-type S. aureus USA300 or the ΔagrA mutant was exposed to daptomycin (20 μg ml−1), AFN-1252 (0.15 μg ml−1), both antibiotics, or neither antibiotic in TSB containing 50% normal human serum. During incubation, bacterial survival (A, C) and daptomycin activity (B, D) were measured over 8 h. Data represent the means from 4 independent experiments, and error bars show the standard deviation of the mean. Values significantly different (P < 0.05) from those obtained with bacteria exposed to daptomycin only were identified by 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA and Dunnett’s post hoc test (*).
Despite the increased MIC for AFN-1252 in serum, the presence of the FASII inhibitor prevented daptomycin inactivation by both wild-type S. aureus and the ΔagrA mutant, resulting in increased bacterial killing over the duration of the assay (Fig. 6A to D).
AFN-1252 blocks daptomycin-induced phospholipid release by clinical isolates.To test whether daptomycin-induced phospholipid release is a common property of clinical MRSA isolates and whether it is blocked in these strains by AFN-1252, we examined a panel of 10 MRSA isolates from bloodstream infections. In keeping with previous reports, some of these isolates were hemolytic, while others were not, indicative of a loss of Agr activity (Table 1) (11).
Exposure of each of the 10 isolates to daptomycin in the presence of normal human serum resulted in a wide variation in survival levels, with the CFU counts of some strains increasing slightly but those of others declining >10,000-fold after 8 h of challenge, which was independent of their Agr activity (Fig. 7A; Table 1). Measurement of daptomycin activity at the end of the experiment revealed that 6 strains had inactivated daptomycin fully or by at least 80%, while the other 4 strains did not significantly reduce the activity of the lipopeptide antibiotic (Fig. 7B). Of note, all 6 of the isolates that fully or partially inactivated daptomycin survived at higher levels (>5% survival) than the 4 isolates that did not reduce the activity of the antibiotic (<0.07% survival). There was no correlation between the oxacillin MIC and the ability of an isolate to inactivate daptomycin (Table 2).
AFN-1252 prevents daptomycin inactivation by clinical MRSA isolates. Clinical MRSA isolates from bloodstream infections were exposed to daptomycin (20 μg ml−1), AFN-1252 (0.15 μg ml−1), or both antibiotics in TSB containing 50% normal human serum. After 8 h of incubation, bacterial survival (A) and daptomycin activity (B) were measured. Data represent the means from 4 independent experiments, and error bars show the standard deviation of the mean. Values significantly different (P <0.05) from those obtained with bacteria exposed to daptomycin only were identified by a paired Student's t test (*).
In keeping with the findings of our experiments with the USA300 strain, the presence of AFN-1252 blocked the inactivation of daptomycin, which correlated with a significant reduction in the survival of the daptomycin-inactivating bacterial isolates (Fig. 7A and B). In contrast, AFN-1252 did not significantly affect the survival of bacteria that did not inactivate daptomycin, providing additional evidence that AFN-1252 promotes daptomycin’s bactericidal activity by preventing S. aureus from releasing phospholipid decoys that enable the bacterium to evade the lipopeptide antibiotic (Fig. 7A and B).
Exogenous fatty acids enable emergence of resistance to AFN-1252.The data described above indicated that use of the FASII inhibitor AFN-1252 in combination with daptomycin may be a promising therapeutic approach. To determine the propensity of S. aureus to acquire spontaneous resistance to AFN-1252, 10 parallel cultures of the USA300 ΔagrA mutant were repeatedly challenged with AFN-1252 (0.15 μg ml−1) in the absence or presence of a physiologically relevant fatty acid cocktail as described previously (26). Given the impact of HSA on fatty acid sequestration, parallel assays were done with or without the serum protein. After each exposure, bacterial susceptibility to AFN-1252 was determined by broth microdilution assays to establish the MIC.
As expected from a previous report, there was very little change in bacterial growth (Fig. 8A) or the MIC (Fig. 8B) when S. aureus was repeatedly exposed to AFN-1252 in the absence of fatty acids (26). However, in keeping with previous work, by the third round of exposure to AFN-1252 in the presence of fatty acids, with or without HSA, S. aureus was able to replicate in the presence of the antibiotic (Fig. 8A) (26). The ability of S. aureus to grow in the presence of AFN-1252 after repeated exposure to the antibiotic in the presence of fatty acids, regardless of the presence of HSA, correlated well with data from subsequent MIC assays (Fig. 8C and D). When fatty acids were included in the MIC assays, there was a significant and large increase in the MICs of most cultures from 0.03125 μg ml−1 to more than 16 μg ml−1 (>512-fold) for bacteria that were exposed to AFN-1252 in the presence of exogenous fatty acids (Fig. 8C and D). Since fatty acid-dependent AFN-1252 resistance has been most commonly linked to mutations in the fabD gene (26), we examined this locus in two randomly selected AFN-1252-resistant isolates from this assay. This revealed an 826G>T substitution, which corresponds to FabD G276STOP, resulting in a truncated protein in one isolate, while the other had a 3G>A substitution, which would be expected to result in failure of the ribosome to recognize the ATG start codon, resulting in a lack of FabD production.
Exogenous fatty acids enable the acquisition of resistance to AFN-1252. Ten parallel cultures of the S. aureus ΔagrA mutant were exposed to 3 rounds of AFN-1252 (0.15 μg ml−1) treatment in the absence or presence of 50 μM fatty acid (FA) cocktail and the absence or presence of human serum albumin (HSA) for 8 h before bacterial replication (A) and the AFN-1252 MIC (B, C, D) were determined in the absence or presence of the fatty acid cocktail. Each symbol represents an independent culture (n = 10 in each case). Differences in survival between the 1st and 3rd rounds of AFN-1252 exposure under identical conditions were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA with Dunn’s multiple-comparison test (*, P < 0.001).
Together, these data confirm previous work showing that repeated exposure of S. aureus to AFN-1252 in the presence of exogenous fatty acids facilitated the emergence of fatty acid-dependent resistance to this antibiotic, at least in part via mutations in the fabD gene (26).
Daptomycin prevents fatty acid-dependent emergence of resistance to AFN-1252.Having confirmed that AFN-1252 resistance can arise in the presence of fatty acids, the next objective was to test whether combination therapy with daptomycin could prevent this. As expected from previous data (Fig. 4), bacterial killing with daptomycin–AFN-1252 combination therapy was highly effective for the first two exposures, where bacterial survival was 1% or less after 8 h. An increase in bacterial survival was observed on the third exposure, but bacterial growth was still inhibited, with CFU counts not exceeding the count in the original inoculum (Fig. 9A). Furthermore, this increase in survival was independent of the presence of fatty acids (Fig. 9A).
Daptomycin prevents the acquisition of fatty acid-enabled resistance to AFN-1252. Ten parallel cultures of S. aureus ΔagrA were exposed to 3 rounds of daptomycin (20 μg ml−1) and AFN-1252 (0.15 μg ml−1) in the absence or presence of fatty acid cocktail and the absence or presence of human serum albumin (HSA) before bacterial survival (A), the AFN-1252 MICs (B, C, D), as well as the daptomycin MICs (E, F, G) were determined in the absence or presence of fatty acids after each round of exposure to the antibiotic combination. Each symbol represents an independent culture (n = 10 in each case). Differences in survival between rounds of antibiotic exposure under identical conditions were identified using a one-way ANOVA with Dunn’s multiple-comparison test (*, P < 0.001).
In contrast to experiments with AFN-1252 alone, repeated exposure of S. aureus to AFN-1252 in the presence of daptomycin did not lead to an increase in the MIC of the FASII inhibitor, even in the presence of fatty acids (Fig. 9B to D), nor was there any increase in the daptomycin MIC (Fig. 9E to G). Together, these data demonstrate that daptomycin prevented the emergence of fatty acid-dependent resistance to AFN-1252 when the two antibiotics were used in combination.
Despite the increase in bacterial survival on the third exposure, the CFU counts did not exceed the count in the original inoculum (Fig. 9A), and the unchanged MIC values (Fig. 9B to G) indicated that AFN-1252 and daptomycin still had bacteriostatic activity (i.e., while the antibiotics did not cause a drop in CFU counts, they still prevented bacterial replication).
AFN-1252 blocks daptomycin-induced phospholipid release in AFN-1252-resistant strains.Having established that the combination of daptomycin and AFN-1252 prevented the emergence of AFN-1252 resistance, we next wanted to understand the underlying mechanism.
As described above (Fig. 4), two independent colony picks of the ΔagrA mutant that had not previously been exposed to antibiotics survived exposure to daptomycin by releasing phospholipids that completely inactivated the antibiotic (Fig. 10A to C). However, the presence of AFN-1252 increased the bactericidal activity of daptomycin by preventing phospholipid release and, thus, preserving the activity of the lipopeptide antibiotic, regardless of the presence of fatty acids (Fig. 10A to C).
AFN-1252 prevents daptomycin-induced phospholipid release, even in the case of AFN-1252-resistant strains. Two independent isolates (each represented by an individual circle) of the S. aureus ΔagrA mutant (ΔagrA) that had not been exposed to antibiotic (A, B, C), three independent isolates of the S. aureus ΔagrA mutant (each represented by an individual square) that had acquired resistance to AFN-1252 in the presence of the fatty acid cocktail but the absence of HSA (AFN-1252 R) (D, E, F), or three independent isolates of the S. aureus ΔagrA mutant (each represented by an individual triangle) that had acquired resistance to AFN-1252 in the presence of the fatty acid cocktail and HSA (AFN-1252 R HSA) (G, H, I) were exposed to daptomycin (Dap) in the presence or absence of various combinations of AFN-1252 and fatty acid (FA) cocktail for 8 h. After this time, bacterial survival (A, D, G), the quantity of released phospholipid (B, E, H), and the activity of daptomycin (C, F, I) were determined. Data represent the means from 3 independent experiments, and error bars represent the standard deviation of the mean. Differences in survival, phospholipid release, or daptomycin activity were compared between the AFN-1252-susceptible USA300 ΔagrA isolates and AFN-1252-resistant isolates using a one-way ANOVA with Dunn’s multiple-comparison test (*, P < 0.01).
Next, we assessed the survival of bacteria from 3 independent cultures that had acquired resistance to AFN-1252 during exposure to the antibiotic in the presence of fatty acids but not HSA (AFN-1252 R). Of these 3 isolates, 2 were more susceptible to daptomycin than the ΔagrA mutant, apparently because they released lower levels of phospholipids that failed to fully inactivate the lipopeptide antibiotic (Fig. 10D to F). The remaining isolate reduced daptomycin activity by 70%, explaining its enhanced survival in the presence of daptomycin relative to that of the other 2 isolates. However, the presence of AFN-1252 completely abolished the ability of any of these isolates to inactivate daptomycin, even when exogenous fatty acids were present (Fig. 10D to F).
We then examined S. aureus isolates from 3 independent cultures that had acquired resistance to AFN-1252 during exposure to the antibiotic in the presence of fatty acids and HSA (AFN-1252 R HSA). The survival of these three AFN-1252-resistant isolates after exposure to daptomycin alone was not significantly lower than that seen for the AFN-1252-sensitive ΔagrA mutant. This was due to the release of sufficient phospholipid to inactivate all or most of the daptomycin that the bacteria were incubated with (Fig. 10G to I). However, despite the ability of these bacteria to grow in the presence of AFN-1252 when exogenous fatty acids were available, the FASII inhibitor almost completely blocked daptomycin-induced phospholipid release from all three isolates, even when the fatty acid cocktail was present (Fig. 10G to I).
Together, these data reveal that fatty acid-enabled AFN-1252 resistance results in a reduced ability to release phospholipids in response to daptomycin alone (Fig. 10E and H). Furthermore, although these strains were deemed resistant to AFN-1252, daptomycin-induced phospholipid release was inhibited by the FASII inhibitor, even in the presence of exogenous fatty acids (Fig. 10E and H). This provides additional evidence that daptomycin-induced phospholipid release is dependent upon endogenous, FASII-mediated fatty acid biosynthesis and that utilization of exogenous fatty acids to bypass FASII for lipid synthesis does not enable daptomycin-induced phospholipid release. As such, daptomycin-induced phospholipid release is efficiently blocked by AFN-1252, preventing inactivation of the lipopeptide antibiotic.
The high rate of failure of daptomycin treatment for osteomyelitis and complicated skin infections caused by S. aureus warrants efforts to understand the determinants of therapeutic outcomes and identify new approaches to enhance bacterial clearance (8). In agreement with our previous work (9, 10) and that of others (31), the data presented here revealed that S. aureus at a high density can inactivate daptomycin, which promotes the survival of bacteria exposed to this antibiotic. Subsequent in vitro studies revealed that the FASII inhibitor AFN-1252 prevents the inactivation of daptomycin by clinical S. aureus isolates, while daptomycin reduces the emergence of spontaneous fatty acid-dependent resistance to the FASII inhibitor, at least for the USA300 strain examined here.
It is increasingly clear that the host environment modulates the susceptibility of bacterial pathogens to antibiotics due to the scarcity of nutrients and the induction of stress responses that result in changes in bacterial physiology (32, 33). Serum contains high concentrations of fatty acids, which can be exploited by S. aureus to produce phospholipids, reducing the metabolic costs associated with membrane biogenesis (21, 23). In keeping with this, we found that the presence of specific exogenous fatty acids, such as oleic or lauric acid, enhanced phospholipid release in response to daptomycin. However, S. aureus has strict requirements for the type of fatty acids that it can incorporate, and, at least for wild-type strains, each phospholipid must have at least one fatty acid tail synthesized endogenously via FASII (33). This requirement for FASII-mediated fatty acid biosynthesis to generate phospholipids was underlined by the ability of AFN-1252 to completely block phospholipid decoy release, regardless of the presence of oleic acid (34). This provides evidence that daptomycin–AFN-1252 combination therapy may not be compromised by the availability of fatty acids in the host.
While some exogenous fatty acids can be used for phospholipid biosynthesis during staphylococcal growth, it appears that their contribution to daptomycin-induced phospholipid release is severely compromised by the presence of serum albumin, which sequesters the fatty acids (28). As described above, there is clear evidence that S. aureus can partially substitute endogenous fatty acid biosynthesis for exogenous host-derived fatty acids in the generation of phospholipids. However, our data demonstrate that the presence of serum albumin reduces the efficiency of this process sufficiently to prevent their use in daptomycin-induced phospholipid release, which must occur quickly if the bacteria are to survive exposure to the rapidly bactericidal antibiotic.
In addition to providing nutrients, the host environment can also modulate bacterial signaling systems and virulence factor production. We have shown previously that the inactivation of daptomycin by released phospholipids is inhibited by the concomitant production of PSMα peptides in response to activation of the Agr quorum-sensing system (9). However, serum blocks Agr signaling and sequesters PSMs (14–17), which explains why both the Agr-competent wild-type strain and the ΔagrA mutant were able to inactivate daptomycin when experiments were conducted in human serum. Similarly, the Agr status of the clinical isolates had no impact on their ability to inactivate daptomycin in the presence of serum, in contrast to what we have seen previously in TSB alone (9).
The mechanism by which S. aureus releases phospholipids in response to daptomycin is unknown. However, the finding that a majority, but not all, clinical isolates can inactivate daptomycin suggests that it may be possible to identify the genetic determinants of phospholipid release by whole-genome sequencing of clinical isolates and subsequent genome-wide association studies. Clearly, the release of phospholipids that can inactivate daptomycin occurs via an active process (9, 10). It appears that this system functions most efficiently at lower concentrations of daptomycin, since higher concentrations of the antibiotic presumably kill the bacteria before they can synthesize and release the phospholipids. This may explain why the efficacy of daptomycin is greater at a higher therapeutic dose of the antibiotic, particularly for endocarditis (8). Unfortunately, the toxicity of the lipopeptide antibiotic limits the concentration that can be used to treat infection (1). Therefore, the finding that the bactericidal activity of low concentrations of daptomycin can be promoted by AFN-1252, even in the presence of serum, may have clinical value as a route to improving patient outcomes.
The successful clinical development of AFN-1252 would be a welcome addition to the arsenal of antistaphylococcal antibiotics. However, although wild-type bacteria are dependent upon the endogenous FASII pathway to generate fatty acids for phospholipid biosynthesis, our data provide additional evidence that this is not the case in strains that have acquired mutations within the fabD lipid biosynthetic gene loci (25, 26). These mutants can bypass FASII-mediated fatty acid production, conferring resistance to AFN-1252 in the presence of exogenous fatty acids (25, 26). It has been suggested that FASII bypass could compromise the long-term therapeutic viability of FASII inhibitors, such as AFN-1252, a view that is supported by the identification of clinical isolates that are able to resist AFN-1252 in the presence of exogenous fatty acids (25). Despite this, early clinical studies have shown that AFN-1252 can successfully be used to treat skin and soft tissue infections, albeit in a relatively small number of patients (18). Furthermore, a study using a murine thigh infection model suggested that AFN-1252 is efficacious for the treatment of deep-seated infections, where host-derived fatty acids are likely to be available to S. aureus (35). Therefore, it remains to be seen whether resistance to AFN-1252 becomes a significant clinical problem. However, given the ability of S. aureus to rapidly acquire resistance to antibiotics, it seems prudent to develop therapeutic strategies to prevent or overcome the emergence of resistance to AFN-1252. Our data provide support for the concept of spontaneous AFN-1252 resistance development via fatty acid-dependent FASII bypass, but they also demonstrate that the frequency at which resistance emerges can be significantly reduced by the presence of daptomycin, at least in vitro.
The combination of AFN-1252 and daptomycin could be described as a mutually beneficial pairing; while AFN-1252 promotes daptomycin activity by blocking phospholipid release, daptomycin enhances AFN-1252 efficacy by preventing the emergence of resistance. This finding contributes to our growing appreciation for the potential of combination therapy approaches to circumvent resistance mechanisms. A well-established example of this is the combination of daptomycin and β-lactams that target penicillin-binding protein 1 (PBP1). The mechanisms responsible are complex and not fully defined. However, daptomycin increases the expression of pbpA, which appears to be important to enable the bacterium to survive exposure to the lipopeptide (36, 37). Blockage of PBP1 function therefore promotes daptomycin activity against S. aureus, possibly via the increased binding of the lipopeptide antibiotic to the bacterial membrane (36, 37). In turn, daptomycin reduces the quantity of PBP2a available, which reduces the resistance of S. aureus to β-lactams (38, 39). This phenomenon, known as the seesaw effect, significantly promotes the killing of S. aureus relative to that by each of the antibiotics individually and is currently being assessed as a therapeutic option in a clinical trial (40).
In summary, the presence of AFN-1252 prevented the phospholipid-mediated inactivation of daptomycin by clinical MRSA isolates, while daptomycin inhibited the fatty-acid dependent emergence of resistance to AFN-1252. Therefore, we propose that the combination of AFN-1252 and daptomycin may have therapeutic value for the treatment of serious MRSA infections.
Bacterial strains and growth conditions.Staphylococcus aureus USA300 wild-type and ΔagrA mutant strains (9) or clinical isolates (Table 1) were grown in tryptic soy broth (TSB) or on tryptic soy agar (TSA). For some assays TSB was supplemented with fatty acids, including oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, or lauric acid (all were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich). Since the serum concentrations of these fatty acids vary from 2 μM (lauric acid) to 122 μM (oleic acid) (27), assays were initially done with a single concentration (20 μM) within this range, although some assays with oleic acid used up to 100 μM of the fatty acid. For some assays, HSA was included (10 mg ml−1) to sequester fatty acids (22). Some assays used TSB containing 0.5 mM MgCl2 and 1.25 mM CaCl2 supplemented with 50% normal human serum (type AB positive; Sigma-Aldrich) to mimic the host environment. Bacteria inoculated onto TSA plates were incubated statically at 37°C for 15 to 17 h in air unless otherwise stated. Clinical isolates were also plated onto Columbia blood agar (CBA) containing 5% sheep’s blood to enable assessment of hemolysis, which is a useful proxy for Agr activity (9). Liquid cultures were grown in 3 ml broth in 30-ml universal tubes by suspending a single colony from TSA plates and incubated at 37°C with shaking at 180 rpm to facilitate aeration for 15 to 17 h to stationary phase. Staphylococcal CFU were enumerated by serial dilution in sterile phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and plating of aliquots onto TSA. Bacterial stocks were stored in growth medium containing 20% glycerol at −80°C.
Antibiotic killing kinetics.S. aureus was grown to stationary phase in 3 ml TSB with shaking (180 rpm) at 37°C in 30-ml universal tubes as described above. Bacteria were subsequently adjusted to a concentration of ∼1 × 108 bacteria ml−1 in fresh TSB containing 0.5 mM CaCl2 to maintain consistency with previous work from our group (9) and others (41) in resistance emergence assays, before antibiotics were added at the following concentrations: daptomycin at 20 μg ml−1 (Tocris) and AFN-1252 at 0.15 μg ml−1 (MedchemExpress). For some experiments, TSB was supplemented with 50% normal human serum (Sigma-Aldrich), human serum albumin, or fatty acids, as indicated above. For assays with 50% normal human serum, the TSB component was supplemented with 0.5 mM MgCl2 and 1.25 mM CaCl2 to provide physiological concentrations. Cultures were then incubated at 37°C with shaking (180 rpm), and bacterial viability was determined by the use of CFU counts from samples taken every 2 h for 8 h.
Daptomycin activity determination.The activity of daptomycin during incubation with S. aureus was quantified as described previously (9, 10). A well of 10 mm was made in TSA plates containing 0.5 mM CaCl2, followed by the spreading of stationary-phase wild-type strain USA300 (60 μl, ∼106 ml−1 in TSB) across the surface. When AFN-1252 was used in the assays, TSA was spread with Streptococcus agalactiae COH1 instead of S. aureus, as this bacterium is naturally resistant to the FASII inhibitor but susceptible to daptomycin. Thereafter the plate was dried before the wells were filled with filter-sterilized culture supernatant. The plates were then incubated for 16 h at 37°C before the zone of growth inhibition around the well was measured at 4 perpendicular points. To accurately quantify daptomycin activity, a standard plot was generated for the zone of growth inhibition around wells that were filled with TSB supplemented with a range of daptomycin concentrations. This enabled the conversion of the size of the zone of inhibition into percent daptomycin activity.
Phospholipid detection and quantification.S. aureus membrane lipid was detected and quantified using the FM-4-64 dye (Life Technologies) as described previously (9, 10). Bacterial culture supernatants (200 μl) were recovered by centrifugation (17,000 × g, 5 min) and then mixed with FM-4-64 dye to a final concentration of 5 μg ml−1 in the wells of clear flat-bottom microtiter plates with black walls appropriate for fluorescence readings (Greiner Bio-One). Fluorescence was measured using a Tecan microplate reader, with excitation at 565 nm and emission at 660 nm being used to generate values expressed as relative fluorescence units (RFU). Samples were measured in triplicate for each biological repeat. TSB with or without fatty acids was mixed with the FM-4-64 dye and used as a blank. The readings were analyzed by subtracting the values from the blank readings and plotted against time.
Antibiotic resistance selection assay.Stationary-phase S. aureus was inoculated at ∼108 CFU ml−1 into 3 ml TSB with 0.5 mM CaCl2 containing antibiotics, as specified above, for 8 h per exposure. Daptomycin (20 μg ml−1) and AFN-1252 (0.15 μg ml−1) were used singly or in combination. After 8 h, bacterial survival was determined by calculating the fold change (for assays with the bacteriostatic AFN-1252 only) or the percent change (for assays with the bactericidal antibiotic daptomycin) in the number of CFU relative to that in the inoculum. For repeated antibiotic exposure, 1 ml was removed from each culture after antibiotic exposure and centrifuged (3 min, 17,000 × g), and the resulting pellet was washed once in TSB before resuspension in 100 μl TSB. This was used to inoculate 3 ml TSB before incubation for 16 h at 37°C with shaking (180 rpm) in the absence of antibiotics. Bacterial exposure to antibiotics was then repeated twice for a total of three repeated exposures. In some experiments, the broth was supplemented with a fatty acid cocktail prepared as follows: myristic, palmitic, and oleic acids (all from Sigma-Aldrich) were made up to 100 mM in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as described previously (26). Where used, the fatty acid cocktail was diluted 1 in 2,000 in culture medium to obtain a final concentration of 50 μM to provide a balance between previous work (26) and physiological relevance (27). In some cases, TSB was also supplemented with human serum albumin (Sigma-Aldrich) at 10 μg ml−1 to improve the solubility of the fatty acids without reducing the activity of the antibiotics.
Determination of antibiotic MICs.Antibiotic susceptibility was determined using the broth microdilution procedure as described previously (42) to generate MICs for daptomycin and AFN-1252. Antibiotics were serially diluted in 2-fold steps in culture medium in a 96-well microtiter plate to obtain a range of concentrations. In some assays, a fatty acid cocktail (50 μM) was added to the broth as described above for the resistance selection assay. Stationary-phase bacteria were added to the wells to give a final concentration of 5 × 105 CFU ml−1, and the microtiter plates were incubated statically in air at 37°C for 18 h. The MIC was defined as the minimum concentration of antibiotic needed to inhibit the visible growth of the bacteria (38). For some assays, the fold change in the MIC relative to the MIC of the USA300 ΔagrA mutant which had not been exposed to antibiotics was calculated.
PCR amplification and sequencing of fabD.PCR amplification of fabD was performed using the colony PCR technique. A single colony was suspended in 50 μl nuclease-free H2O, microwaved for 3 min to lyse the cells, and then centrifuged for 2 min (13,300 rpm, room temperature) to pellet the cell debris. Supernatant (5 μl) containing genomic DNA was used for each PCR, in which Phusion high-fidelity DNA polymerase was used (New England Biolabs). PCR cycling conditions were as follows: 98°C for 10 min and 30 cycles of 98°C for 30 s, 56.8°C for 30 s, and 72°C for 30 s, with a final step at 72°C for 5 min. PCR products were purified using a QIAquick PCR purification kit (Qiagen) following the manufacturer’s instructions. Purified DNA was sequenced by Sanger sequencing (GATC Biotech, Germany) using the same forward primer used for PCR amplification. Primer sequences were obtained from reference 26 and were as follows: 5′-GAAGGTACTGTAGTTAAAGCACACG-3′ for primer FabDfd and 5′-GCTTTGATTTCTTCGACTACTGCTT-3′ for primer FabDrev.
E.V.K.L. is supported by a Wellcome Trust Ph.D. studentship (203812/Z/16/Z). A.M.E. acknowledges funding from the Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, and from the Imperial NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College London.
The Diagnostic Microbiology Laboratory at Charing Cross Hospital is acknowledged for providing clinical isolates.
Returned for modification 25 October 2018.
Accepted manuscript posted online 4 February 2019.
Copyright © 2019 Pee et al.
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, CAMERA2 Study Group and the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Network. 2016. CAMERA2—antibiotic therapy for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials 17:170. doi:10.1186/s13063-016-1295-3.
. 2017. Daptomycin resistance in clinical MRSA strains is associated with a high biological fitness cost. Front Microbiol 8:2303. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2017.02303.
. 2008. Agar and broth dilution methods to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of antimicrobial substances. Nat Protoc 3:163–175. doi:10.1038/nprot.2007.521.
. 2006. Complete genome sequence of USA300, an epidemic clone of community acquired methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Lancet 367:731–739. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68231-7.
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0.99967 |
Good sized tent. Roomy enough for three comfortably.
I love this tent! Got it back in 2008 and have used it ever since. It's super easy to set up and is large enough to comfortably hold three people.
I can't believe this tent has been reviewed but having bought one for an impromptu camping trip I feel compelled to right one. I give 3 stars for the price and ease of setup. Sleeps two pretty well and the vestibule is usable, however with two campers inside you wake up surrounded by condensation the likes of which I've never seen. I can say though that it never dripped on me or my gear, but if you touch the walls you will get wet. Withstood about 25mph winds pretty well.
The other reviews do tell pretty the story of how convenient this tent is. Easy, simple, light, big enough for 2, but great for 1, and innovative. Fairly waterproof when seam sealed, too.
But here's the reasoning behind the 2 star review: I've never been in a tent with more condensations. This was set up in August in the Northeast, and the temps really dropped at night. But this was ridiculous. Possible the condensation would be better with one user? Sure, but still, it just doesn't have the ventilation necessary to make it on the trail. Car camping probably ok, but if you are camping, what do you care about carry weight and size?!
For a tent stating it sleeps two, it is a great size for one backpacker. Make sure you seam seal and waterproof this tent otherwise it will slowly start to leak. Once done it makes for a easy setup with a hiking pole and built in supports in the corners. The vestibule could use a footprint, but makes due for a backpack.
My brother and his girlfriend used this same tent when they forgot their tent. They slept fine, but left their gear under the fly shelter.
I purchased this tent off of an auction site ,new,for $10, plus shipping. Being an unrepentant gearhead I was very curious about the design and quality. I set the tent up, out of the box, just before a series of thunderstorms was predicted. I was very curious to see how waterproof it was.
Needless to say there were numerous leaks. This is a single wall tent. The seams in the roof were taped, but after several hours of steady rain they started to leak. There were also several other areas of leakage. The next day I double seam sealed everthing and this stopped all leakage. The tent is supported by built in struts in each corner and a hiking pole, the hiking pole is included with the tent.
There are several things I like about this tent. It is waterproof after being seam sealed. It is cheap, moneywise. It has plenty of headroom at the front of the tent and is fairly well ventilated. The front of the tent consists of screening, there are two vents in the top of the tent as well as a vent at the foot of the tent. Also there is a good sized vestibule.
I would not take a $10 tent out for several months on the AT, but for an overnighter or a weekend trip it would be fine,especially if you're on a tight budget.
The Swiss Gear Hiker Tent is not available from the stores we monitor.
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Would You Have Helped David Sharp?
Would you have helped David Sharp? He's the British mountaineer who collapsed on his way up Mount Everest last week. In desperate need of oxygen, about 40 people walked right on by while he sat dying.
That's right, 40 people climbing Mount Everest saw Sharp but kept on climbing. Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to reach the top way back in 1953, called this horrifying. I agree.
Some of the forty walked right on by Sharp because they didn't think he'd have a chance to survive even with their help. Others were afraid of jeopardizing their own climb. Others just didn't care. I've never reached the top of Everest and I'll probably never even try, but if I were at its base camp I'd like to think I'd do whatever I could for someone in need until they had gulped their last breath. This culture where you blow by a fellow mountaineer in trouble because it's better him than you is pathetic.
They're right about one thing though. David Sharp never had a chance.
Forty people passed the dying man, including double amputee New Zealand climber Mark Inglis who has definately fallen from grace. ( I recently made reference to my admiration for this this man on my own blog) but none of them did anything to help him.
I know that death is a risk of mountaineering with temps of 100 degrees below zero farenheit, with the jet stream draining the life from every man and woman on the mountain, with treacherous ice fields and rope climbs to navigate. I imagine it is difficult enough to get yourself to a safer (or rather, less deadly) altitude. Even if the 40 people who passed him by felt they couldn't have saved David Sharp, why would they let a suffering man die alone, lonely and cold without someone to hold his hand or offer some comfort for as long as possible?
Who are those forty people? How can they live with themselves? These days, people care more about fame and themselves than a fellow human being. The saddest part is that the dying man told his mother before leaving that he would be okay. He said, "You are never on your own. There are climbers everywhere." He forgot to add, "But they won't care about me."
The question to be answered is this: Can you receive the same amount of pleasure for winning under conditions such as this, ie. winning but leaving a fellow mankind to die in the middle of Mt. Everest as you would when all condition went right? There's the rub. It would have been that one would not have had a good feeling of the win that took place under such horrid condtion as David Sharpe's death but today it doesn't seem to matter? People seem to have less and less morales. This is why we are seeing young 15 year olds die as we did at the Boxing Day disaster. Morales don't seem to be developed in people the way they use to. Let's look at some of the Westerns of the 50's and 60's where wrongs were righted but rights were rewarded.
Nope, David Sharpe is dead. I think you're thinking of Lincoln Hall.
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List 'Banner Items' does not exist at site with URL 'http://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/Research/RISE/GISRSC'.
The Geographic Information Systems(GIS) and Remote Sensing(RS) Center seeks to acquire a respectful status within the UAE and Gulf region as a credible research center specialized in GIS & RS fields. The center aims at establishing a geospatially-centered research environment and providing world-class knowledge and expertise for multi-disciplinary research in Engineering, Computer, Environmental, Social and Earth Sciences, Sustainable Development, as well as Information and Data Management Technologies. The center's research map involves a variety of services such as education, research, development, data gathering- analysis, training, and consulting.
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0.993513 |
Financial freedom from the evening to the morning. Myth or reality? I have enough time in the Internet business and from the first day I heard about bright possibilities to become rich overnight overnight. In fact I have been victim of such brilliant opportunities more than once. Then unfortunately, with much regret, I say unto you, that you’re reading this article at this time, the financial freedom of the overnight does not exist, well maybe if but you must buy a lottery ticket and earn you it. It is the only way I know, effortlessly and with a minimum of investment. Like everything else, Internet business have their initial fee and you must pay, no? The secret lies in lowering that fee and pay as little as possible. Because to get to where you want to reach, it is the level that is, you will have to pay a price a price in money, a price in time and a price in effort. The best way to reduce this percio is taking advantage of you knowledge of people that already it has achieved, have your business running, you already have assembled in the end structure, you’ll see for yourself. If you understand this you will save many headaches, because you shorten the learning curve significantly, but still, despite everything, you will have to be you that is released to the playing field and put into practice the foreign experience to earn yours, your own experience. Perhaps some time elapses until you generate the money you want, but if you are persistent and follow this theory, I cannot guarantee it, you warrant you have success in the business world!
However, we can notice the existence of ' ' gritos' ' of alert for the population each sunk time more in this programmed ocean. Evidently, it is the case of musics that try to present to the listener the reality, we take as the songs former: ' ' Generation cocaine-cola' ' (Urban Legion) that it says respect it influences American capitalist north in the mind of the Brazilians, and ' ' Televiso' ' (Titns). ' ' When we are born we were programmed to receive what vocs they had pushed in them With the tinned ones of the USA, from 9 to the 6. Since small we eat Commercial garbage and industrial But now ' arrived our time Rio De Janeiro Attitude (…); ' (Generation cocaine-glue/Urban Legion) ' ' The television me left donkey, much donkey excessively Now all things that I think me I seem equal I left me to the ice cream gripado for the remaining portion of the life and now all night when I lie down is good night, wanted. Cride, says pra mother Who I never read in a book that one I sneeze was a virus without cure Sees he understands if me at least a time, creature! Cride, says pra mother! (…) ' ' (Television/Titns). After this analyzes, of the historical, social context and modern of the communication – with prominence the media – finally it concludes that, the initial ideology of the same ones was deturpada. , After studies today brief on the subject, readings of news articles, it is evident that the power of intervention of the media in the life of the modern man comes more growing each time.
We must to be intent what adentra in our homes and our mind, therefore many times we leave of living the life and giving value to the simple things, those that really make in them happy say In them so intelligent and independent, but finish we place in them in the condition of an insignificant marionette. Reference:…/garoto-morre-ao-brincar-de-naruto.html BOY Upon request LIVES WHEN PLAYING OF EXPENSIVE NARUTO MR. MARINE ROBERT AS BONNER IT DEALS WITH the ESPECTOTADOR the Material NATIONAL PERIODICAL disponibilizado by Prof. Cerize Gomes.
These two instances, the significance and interpretation are given in the one, in personal contact. It is in everyday life, when one asks a friend or acquaintance, which is generally more informed than us, when the abstract information has meaning. This happens for various reasons, the stronger and more dominant: our brain is not and was never willing or adapted to process political information in a rational manner. The idea of a citizen or elector processing data and evaluating situations is part of the mythology of Western culture, but has nothing to do with what happens in our brain. Although the empirical verification about the impossibility of imposing an opinion among audiences medially has more than 50 years, the corroboration that grants the use of the computed tomograph and the cognitive psychology, in the last decade, about the processes of incorporation of political information, certify it.
Thus, modern political communication, applied to electoral campaigns, aims basically to connect. To find the connection between what the political and citizenship think and feel. And what they feel is most important since that information processing occurs at an emotional level. What is being sought is connect, align this information, to stimulate, activate and finally, greater action. Political information can not be processed in a rational manner does not imply not be understandable in a logical manner. It means that it is alien to the process of our frontal lobes, but it produces results. Original author and source of the article.
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Write a review on Optimum Nutrition Essential AmiN.O. Energy!
30 Servings - Buy 2 Get 1 FREE!
Optimum Nutrition's Amino Energy is easily one of the most underrated, perfectly priced and effective supplements on the market. Coupled with a mild dose of pre-workout at one scoop or as a stand-alone at two scoops, Amino Energy delivers the extra mental kick needed for one to blow passed personal records. It does not stop there; Amino Energy, at the full dose, also delivers the correct dose of amino acids needed to stabilize optimal nitrogen balances within the muscle during training. This, for me, allowed my workouts to be more intense, go further and above all, be more effective. Going further, the very mild dose 100% natural caffeine left me with a high level of clean energy that did not fade until long after my workout. My alertness was elevated, I was sweating good in the gym, my endurance was top-tier and my recovery was beyond quick for the nexy day's workout. To ice the cake, Amino Energy mixes better than any supplement that I have ever used AND tastes as if it is sold as a powdered drink mix. The fact that an amino acid blend with a mild amount of stimulants can mix this well, taste this great and have such long-lasting and unmatched effects puts it near the top of my list of all-time favorite supplements.
I actually bought a tub of this when I first started taking amino acids. I didn't really care for the taste. The caffeine in it makes it sort of like a pre workout but with out the extra goodies. When I took it I felt almost nothing from it. I suppose the amino acid profile is up to par with most similar products and if that is all you're buying it for, I would go with something without the caffeine.Overall it's still a pretty new product and I believe some tweaking from the company could make a more enjoyable product. The price was also a little high for an amino acid. I will not be purchasing this product again in the future.
The amount of dosage of each ingredient is a mystery. I needed to consume a lot of scoops to get my daily required intake.
It tastes amazing, I bough the flavour concord grape also It mixes well.
Since I used it as a pre workout supplement, i was taking close to 4-5 scoops which meant i had to mix it with a 1.5L bottle, it was just to much water to consume for a pre workout drink.
When I saw Optimum Nutrition stepped into the BCAA game, I got excited, because I figured they were big enough to offer a quality product at a competitive price. Apparently, I was wrong. I'm not sure if Amino Energy was intended to revolutionize intra- or pre-workout supplements, and it seems Optimum wasn't sure, either. What is certain - however you look at it, Amino Energy is underdosed. There's not really enough caffeine in here to give you a boost, and the entire amino acid blend is just 5g. So you'll either have to live with the tiny, possibly irrelevant doses of everything, or just use a massive amount of servings. The issue there is that the tub is so tiny you'd be buying a new tub weekly. There are some positive aspects: mixability is excellent, and the flavor is great, even though I hate grape.
Taste Taste like the real thing, Even my friends liked it and they bought it as well.
Taste Grape is by far the best flavor i've had so far.
Ingredient profile Plus it has a nice amino acid profile.
Physical energy I've used Amino Energy for a long time and I love it; it isn't full of junk chemicals and you can use a little or a lot depending on your needs.
Physical energy It gives me great energy without jitters or crash.
Taste The flavor is great too!
Endurance I'm starting to get tired of the taste after about 20 servings.
Taste Amin.0 grape is a solid flavor - it's pretty close to a grape freezie or popsicle.
Taste I'm starting to get tired of the taste after about 20 servings.
Taste Blue rasp isn't horrible, its a little bit weak taste wise and again, pretty close to tasting like the blue part of those white/red/blue popsicles.
Taste When you think of Dave Chapelle's "drink" vs "juice" bit, these pretty much taste like you'd imagine "drink" tastes.
Taste Wow I was beyond amazed on how great in taste these BCAAs were.
Taste I bought the favors Strawberry Lime, Concord Grape and Watermelon and they were all great in taste.
Taste Flavor is not too strong, which I like.
Taste I do not like the Strawberry Lime flavor.
Taste I keep thinking it tastes like a hint of soap.
Taste I wish there was a whey with this flavor!
Taste but the Strawberry Lime tastes like booty extract.
Physical energy It gives you the sufficient type of energy to keep going at the gym and no crash afterward.
Taste The grape flavor taste really good, kool-aid like.
Taste Great flavor, simple ingredients, no adverse effects.
Ingredient profile Great flavor, simple ingredients, no adverse effects.
Physical energy I'm in the GYM and I feel good :) Only 2 scoops give me energy.
Taste Tastes great and I will definitely buy over and over!
Physical energy AmiN.O Energy is the only thing I take pre workout note and I love it!
Physical energy It gives me the right type of energy I need to kill my workouts while cutting.
Taste but in my opinion the flavor would be to much or would require way to much water to down right b4 your workout.
Taste I stack this with NLA for her Uplift pre workout as well as Con-Creat Creatine and it works very well for my tastes!
Taste Just finished up my first run, the grape is amazing tastes like koolaid.
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South African cave hid an ancient drawing that shows even early humans could produce deliberate designs using different techniques.
The drawing looks a little like a hashtag, and experts concluded after their analysis that it is 73,000 years old, which makes the sketch in the cave the oldest drawing ever found.
There have been found older abstract engravings, but the one discovered in the Blombos Cave, at almost 300 km east of Cape Town, appears to have been produced with different techniques, and also appeared on various surfaces.
In a report published by the researchers on 12 September in the journal Nature, they concluded that the drawing is at least 30,000 years older than any old known drawing.
According to Christopher Henshilwood (University of Bergen, Norway), the design was created with a sharp flake of a pigment called ochre, which was usually the most commonly used pigment in the ancient times.
The drawing represents six red lines which are intersected by other three lines that appear to be slightly curved. It was drawn on a small flake of mineral crust which measures almost 4 centimeters in length and 1.5 centimeters in height. The drawing appears to have been larger because the lines reach the edge and are abruptly cut, explained the researchers.
The newly discovered sketch was not just random scratching, explain the scientists. They have seen similar patterns in different artifacts in that cave, and the ancient “hashtag” was also used in rock art and paintings over the last 100,000 years.
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This blog post provides some guidance to help you decide whether to implement a custom data provider in the Sitecore ASP.NET web Content Management System (CMS). Data providers abstract systems so that you can access the contained data through the common Sitecore Application Programming Interface (API). The Sitecore Developer Network (SDN) forum thread Is it possible to build a data provider to communicate with data source in an existing business layer? prompted me to write this blog post. For more information about data providers, see Integrating External Data Sources on SDN and @techphoria414's blog post The Black Art of Sitecore Custom Data Providers.
Sitecore provides data providers that access the file system and the relational databases that the CMS supports, including Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle. You can write data providers to support additional databases technologies; for an example, see @knifecore's blog post Making Sitecore faster with MongoDB. You can also write custom data providers that access external systems to expose data in external systems as if it were native data in the CMS; for an example, the YouTube Integration Sitecore Shared Source project that represents a YouTube video library as Sitecore media items.
While I have used data providers created by others, I have never actually implemented a data provider; this post contains some speculation and opinion. My impression is that realizing a data provider is not always a trivial task, and that developers often think they need a data provider when they can get away without one. Creating a read-only data provider requires that you define some number of methods. Implementing a read-write data provider requires that you fulfill more methods. Coding a read-write data provider that supports versioning and translation requires that you complete additional methods, and that the external system support versioning and translation of the data that it contains. Writing a data provider that supports Sitecore features such as workflow and security requires that the external system support storage of Sitecore workflow state and security descriptors.
You want to publish a copy of the data from the content management environment to the content delivery environment, so that the content delivery environment does not depend on the external system. Data providers typically access the external system in the content management environment, but publishing can transform provided data to actual items in the content delivery environment.
The content management environment is the only system that updates the data in the external system. Having multiple systems update data can lead to synchronization challenges.
You have no existing user interface to edit the data. Sitecore data templates can provide a consistent user interface for data management without the need to code such a solution.
You want to use the Sitecore API to access the data that you use to access Sitecore items (for example, XSL renderings). You access elements through data providers using typical Sitecore APIs such as the Sitecore.Data.Items.Item class.
The data is naturally hierarchical rather than relational, where items do not have hundreds of children (especially considering data growth over time). Items with hundreds of children can adversely affect performance and usability. Data providers always represent data as a hierarchy, which is not appropriate for some types of data.
The data is general and does not relate to users. For example, data about users, including profiles and ecommerce orders, may not be appropriate for data providers. I would recommend using profile providers for user data and relational databases for order data.
You want to use Sitecore security roles to restrict access to the data. Data secured at a user level typically does not belong in a data provider.
You need to separate pre-production data from published data (workflow and/or publishing). Depending on how you implement the data provider, data can flow through Sitecore workflows and otherwise allow you to separate work in progress from published data.
You need to translate the data into multiple languages and/or version the data. As with workflow and publishing, you need to implement the data provider to apply these features and the external system must support them.
Data providers can deliver additional value, such as caching in the underlying data layer and making it easier for users to create HTML links to records in the external system.
In some cases, you can take a hybrid approach, where you access some data directly in the external system, but maintain additional data in Sitecore. For example, you could implement a custom data template field to allow users to select a record in the external system, and then create items in the CMS containing fields of that type to store information about those records that the external system cannot store. Or you could write an import process to create items in Sitecore from the data in the external system, and then use a saveUI pipeline processor, an item:saving or item:saved event handler, or a publishItem pipeline processor to update the external system when users update or publish the corresponding items in Sitecore. For information about the saveUI pipeline and events, see the blog post Intercepting Item Updates with Sitecore. For information about the publishItem pipeline, see the blog post Intercept Item Publishing with the Sitecore ASP.NET CMS.
If you decide not to use data providers or the hybrid approach, then you can use .NET presentation components such as sublayouts and web controls to access the external system through web services or .NET APIs provided by that system or that you write to expose that system. For more information about presentation components, see The Sitecore Presentation Component Reference. Depending on whether users or only systems modify the data, and whether user interfaces already exist for that system, you may also need to implement administrative user interfaces to manage that data.
Please comment on this blog post if you know of additional factors that would suggest the use or avoidance of data providers for any type of information or system.
Insightfull thoughts as always from you John. I believe it's often easy to stray down the Data Provider path thinking it is 'best practice' while in fact you are just causing a myriad of hoops you now need to jump through. One area I have found where Data Providers could possibly be used more than they are is in relation to policing 3rd party content(typically social media). In such a case you may have the client wanting to be able to police say twitter feeds using the Sitecore interface and workflows. Since that requires additional information to be attached to the actual tweets; importing the data into Sitecore is an option which will give the client an in interface to easilly manage/police how the twitter feed is used by the solution.
Hello Singh, I can interpret your post a few different ways, each of which could deserve a different response. 1. You may want to redirect from the classic ASP pages to the corresponding items in Sitecore. I think there is a redirection module that could help with this. 2. You may want to serve items from the classic ASP URLs without redirects. I think you could do this with minimal configuration, but getting Sitecore to generate URLs with .asp for some pages and .aspx or something else for others would take some work. 3. You want some classic ASP pages to reside on the same server, independent of the Sitecore pages. I don’t think there are any issues with this, although you may not be able to share context, session, authentication, and other features between classic ASP and ASP.NET pages. 4. You want some classic ASP pages on the same or a separate server to consume content managed in Sitecore. For this, I would expect you to use the Item Web API, web services, a custom json or XML representation of items, or otherwise consume data from the content delivery environment. This is easiest if the classic ASP pages only need to access public data (available to anonymous users). 5. You want to use Sitecore to generate some classic .asp files from items. This is possible, but in general, I would avoid it. 6. Something else. For example, somewhere between 4 and 5 is the option of generating static XML files for deployment between environments. In general, I avoid data duplication, but in some cases issues such as performance and reliability can outweigh that concern. Does any of these make sense and sound appropriate?
I don't know of any specific problems with that solution, other than those I mentioned, and I don't really have any specifics about those. I do not believe that ASP.NET (and hence Sitecore) can use ASP context/authentication/session. and I do not believe that ASP can use ASP.NET context/authentication/session/etc. I think the only solution maybe to use either ASP or Sitecore only for pages that do not require these features (pages available to anonymous users). Because you will eventually eliminate the ASP solution, I would try to focus on implementing the Sitecore features. I would not try to build custom bridges between these technologies, but knowing what components need what features, and what features you cannot share between technologies, may help you determine an order for converting existing components. I would especially avoid implementing things like Sitecore/ASP.NET web forms that post to classic ASP pages, or vice-versa. Based on all of this, is there anywhere you forsee relevant issues with the project at hand?
Hi Joseph, I would use something like redgate reflector to look at existing implementations of these methods, for example in Sitecore.Data.DataProviders.Sql.SqlDataProvider. For GetWorkflowInfo(), see Sitecore.Data.DataManager.GetWorkflowInfo(). You will need a place to store workflow state, etc. for your items. You may need to tie a workflow provider (such as the default) to your data provider? See the workflowProvider elements in /web.config.
Thank you John. I'll look into your suggestions.
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0.994994 |
The Allegory of the Cave was presented by the Greek philosopher Plato in his work the Republic (514a–520a) to compare "the effect of education (παιδεία) and the lack of it on our nature". It is written as a dialogue between Plato's brother Glaucon and his mentor Socrates, narrated by the latter. The allegory is presented after the analogy of the sun (508b–509c) and the analogy of the divided line (509d–511e). All three are characterized in relation to dialectic at the end of Books VII and VIII (531d–534e).
Plato has Socrates describe a group of people who have lived chained to the wall of a cave all of their lives, facing a blank wall. The people watch shadows projected on the wall from objects passing in front of a fire behind them, and give names to these shadows.The shadows are the prisoners' reality. Socrates then explains how the philosopher is like a prisoner who is freed from the cave and comes to understand that the shadows on the wall are not reality at all, for he can perceive the true form of reality rather than the manufactured reality that is the shadows seen by the prisoners.
Socrates remarks that this allegory can be paired with previous writings, namely the analogy of the sun and the analogy of the divided line. Socrates likens our perception of the world around us "to the habitation in prison, the firelight there to the sunlight here, the ascent and the view of the upper world [to] the rising of the soul into the world of the mind" (517b).
The allegory of the cave is also called the analogy of the cave, myth of the cave, metaphor of the cave, parable of the cave, and Plato's Cave.
Plato begins by having Socrates ask Glaucon to imagine a cave where people have been imprisoned from childhood. These prisoners are chained so that their legs and necks are fixed, forcing them to gaze at the wall in front of them and not look around at the cave, each other, or themselves (514a–b). Behind the prisoners is a fire, and between the fire and the prisoners is a raised walkway with a low wall, behind which people walk carrying objects or puppets "of men and other living things" (514b). The people walk behind the wall so their bodies do not cast shadows for the prisoners to see, but the objects they carry do ("just as puppet showmen have screens in front of them at which they work their puppets" (514a)). The prisoners cannot see any of what is happening behind them, they are only able to see the shadows cast upon the cave wall in front of them. The sounds of the people talking echo off the shadowed wall, and the prisoners wrongly believe these sounds come from the shadows (514c).
Socrates suggests that the shadows are reality for the prisoners because they have never seen anything else; they do not realize that what they see are shadows of objects in front of a fire, much less that these objects are inspired by real living things outside the cave (514b-515a).
Allegory of the Cave. Left (From top to bottom): Sun; Natural things; Shadows of natural things; Fire; Artificial objects; Shadows of artificial objects; Allegory level.
Plato then supposes that one prisoner is freed. This prisoner would look around and see the fire. The light would hurt his eyes and make it difficult for him to intuit the objects casting the shadows. And if he would be furthermore told that what he is seeing is not real but instead another version of reality, he would not believe it. In his pain, Plato continues, the freed prisoner would turn away and run back to what he is accustomed to (that is, the shadows of the carried objects). He writes "... it would hurt his eyes, and he would escape by turning away to the things which he was able to look at, and these he would believe to be clearer than what was being shown to him."
Plato continues: "Suppose... that someone should drag him... by force, up the rough ascent, the steep way up, and never stop until he could drag him out into the light of the sun." The prisoner would be angry and in pain, and this would only worsen when the radiant light of the sun overwhelms his eyes and blinds him. The sunlight is representative of the new reality and knowledge that the freed prisoner is experiencing."
Plato continues, saying that the freed prisoner would think that the real world was superior to the world he experienced in the cave; "he would bless himself for the change, and pity [the other prisoners]" and would want to bring his fellow cave dwellers out of the cave and into the sunlight (516c).
The returning prisoner, whose eyes have become accustomed to the sunlight, would be blind when he re-enters the cave, just as he was when he was first exposed to the sun (516e). The prisoners, according to Plato, would infer from the returning man's blindness that the journey out of the cave had harmed him and that they should not undertake a similar journey. Socrates concludes that the prisoners, if they were able, would therefore reach out and kill anyone who attempted to drag them out of the cave (517a).
The allegory is probably related to Plato's theory of Forms, according to which the "Forms" (or "Ideas"), and not the material world known to us through sensation, possess the highest and most fundamental kind of reality. Only knowledge of the Forms constitutes real knowledge or what Socrates considers "the good". Socrates informs Glaucon that the most excellent people must follow the highest of all studies, which is to behold the Good. Those who have ascended to this highest level, however, must not remain there but must return to the cave and dwell with the prisoners, sharing in their labors and honors.
Plato's Phaedo contains similar imagery to that of the allegory of the Cave; a philosopher recognizes that before philosophy, his soul was "a veritable prisoner fast bound within his body... and that instead of investigating reality of itself and in itself is compelled to peer through the bars of a prison."
Scholars debate the possible interpretations of the allegory of the Cave, either looking at it from an epistemological standpoint – one based on the study of how Plato believes we come to know things – or seeing it through a political lens. While there are scholars whose interpretations fall between these two and others have perspectives completely independent of either, it is the epistemological view and the political view, fathered by Richard Lewis Nettleship and A.S. Ferguson respectively, that tend to be discussed most frequently. Nettleship interprets the allegory of the cave as one about human ignorance and people who are unable or unwilling to seek truth and wisdom. Ferguson, on the other hand, bases his interpretation of the allegory on a description of the way rulers, without a strong philosophical mindset, manipulate the human population.
Evolutionary biologist Jeremy Griffith's book A Species In Denial includes the chapter Deciphering Plato’s Cave Allegory.
The films The Matrix, Dark City and City of Ember model Plato's Allegory of the Cave.
The novel Room by Emma Donoghue and its film adaptation were inspired by Plato's Allegory of the Cave.
Ray Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451 explores the themes of reality and perception also explored in Plato's Allegory of the Cave and Bradbury even references Plato's work in the novel.
José Carlos Somoza's novel the Athenian Murders is presented as a murder mystery but features many references to Plato's philosophy including the allegory of the cave.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Plato. Rouse, W.H.D., ed. The Republic Book VII. Penguin Group Inc. pp. 365–401.
↑ The various English names of this allegory were often traditionally capitalized as if they were the names of a chapter in Plato's text, which is not correct, or according to an older style that capitalized all (famous) allegories and theories and even concepts. Wikipedia's manual of style does not follow this older practice, and neither do many modern publications in reliable sources nor, for example, the Encyclopaedia Britannica and the Columbia Encyclopedia.
↑ Elliott, R. K. (1967). "Socrates and Plato's Cave". Kant-Studien. 58 (2): 138.
1 2 Hall, Dale (1980). "Interpreting Plato's Cave as an Allegory of the Human Condition". Apeiron: A Journal for Ancient Philosophy and Science. 14 (2): 74–75. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
↑ Nettleship, Richard Lewis (1922). "XII". In Charnwood, G. Lectures on The Republic of Plato. London: MacMillan. pp. 259–293.
↑ Ferguson, A.S. (January 1922). "Plato's Simile of Light. Part II. the Allegory of the Cave (Continued)". The Classical Quarterly. 16 (1). JSTOR 636164.
↑ Griffith, Jeremy (2003). A Species In Denial. Sydney: WTM Publishing & Communications. p. 83. ISBN 1-74129-000-7.
↑ The Matrix and Philosophy: Welcome to the Desert of the Real By William Irwin. Open Court Publishing, 2002/ ISBN 0-8126-9501-1 "written for those fans of the film who are already philosophers."
↑ Keates, Jonathan. "Shadows on the Wall". New York Times. Retrieved 24 November 2002.
↑ "Q & A with Emma Donoghue – Spoiler-friendly Discussion of Room (showing 1–50 of 55)". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
↑ "Parallels between Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and Plato's 'Allegory of the Cave'".
↑ Bradbury, Ray (1953). Fahrenheit 451. The Random House Publishing Group. p. 151. ISBN 978-0-758-77616-7.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Allegory of the cave.
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The distribution of individual traits of languages is in part the product of historical contingencies. Some languages leave many descendents, some few. In order to investigate the evolution of individual traits of languages we need to build up a picture of the overall history of the language family.
Bayesian phylogenetic methods infer historical relationships by seeking the phylogenetic hypothesis most likely to produce data like the observed data given a particular model of the evolutionary process. Model choice allows incorporation of realistic assumptions about the processes of language change, including geography, demography, cultural variation, and contact. Bayesian methods in general are valuable whenever there is a need to extract information from data that are uncertain or subject to any kind of error or noise, including measurement error and experimental error, as well as noise or random variation intrinsic to language/cultural systems. Bayesian phylogenetic inference allows quantification of uncertainty and the investigation of conflicting phylogenetic signals, as well as estimation of chronology.
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Images and field interviews are courtesy of aid organization Plan and photographer Alf Berg.
London, England (CNN) -- Recent rainfall has brought new vegetation to parts of Kenya that haven't seen rain for years, but aid workers say it's too little, too late to undo the damage caused by years of drought.
Kenya is experiencing its worst drought for a decade, according to Peter Smerdon of the UN World Food Program (WFP), with parts of the country having gone for four years without rain.
Smerdon told CNN the drought has brought food shortages to the entire Horn of Africa, with 3.8 million Kenyans and 6.2 million Ethiopians still in need of food assistance.
He said that in some parts of Kenya, one in five children under the age of five is suffering from malnutrition.
Alf Berg is a photographer with aid organization Plan. He was recently in Machakos in south-east Kenya, and Shebedino in southern Ethiopia, where he met some of those affected by years of low rainfall.
"I photographed a family in Machakos where the father was about to die of TB, and he hadn't been eating properly for two or three years," Berg told CNN.
"I talked to another man who had lost 26 of his 32 cattle in the last three weeks -- so it's not just a food security issue, it's a financial security issue too."
October's rains may be enough to officially end the drought, but Berg said they will not be enough to end food shortages in the region.
"Machakos received some rain this year, but before that they had received no rain for four years," he said. "Most of the livestock in the area died over the last two months because there was no foliage in the area."
"The irony is that I tended to photograph lush, green areas, but at the same time I was seeing cows that didn't have the strength to stand up. Two or three weeks into the rain they were still as weak as that."
In fact, Smerdon told CNN that livestock mortality rates actually increased immediately following the rains, as already weakened cows suffered from the cold and contracted illnesses.
Smerdon said that the people worst affected by the droughts were nomadic herders in arid regions in northern Kenya and subsistence farmers on the coast.
It rained, but it doesn't change the problems for those people who have lost just about everything.
"A lot of nomadic herders have lost their livestock and now have less than the minimum number of animals a family needs to survive," he said.
"OK, it rained, but it doesn't change the problems for those people who have lost just about everything," he continued.
Smerdon said these people will need humanitarian assistance for many months, until their herds are replenished or they can borrow money to buy new cattle.
He added that years of drought have meant that many coastal farmers have had to eat the seeds they would otherwise have planted, and have been forced to sell their farming implements and livestock to make ends meet. That means they won't be able to plant crops to take advantage of the recent rain.
"The rains mean they don't have to travel so far to get water, and the price of water has been reduced quite significantly, but it doesn't dig them out of the financial hole they find themselves in -- it just means they're going down slower," Smerdon told CNN.
While the drought hasn't led to famine, long-term food shortages have had a devastating impact on whole communities.
Dr Issa Kipera is Plan's country director for Ethiopia. He told CNN that those who don't get enough food are more susceptible to disease and lack the energy to work, meaning their productivity decreases, creating a poverty cycle.
"Children suffer stunted growth, which affects their development and capacity in later life," said Kipera.
"Many drop out of school because they cannot concentrate on an empty stomach or walk the long distances to get to school, which means they have the consequences of not having an education."
Kipera said the Ethiopian government predicts the food crisis could be over by March 2010, but Smerdon cautioned that rainfall in the region has been declining for the past 20 years and there is a real chance that rains could fail again next year.
"The rains will probably bring down the numbers in need of assistance but not by a great deal," Smerdon told CNN. "The situation is better, but we're not out of the woods yet."
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You’ve established a presence for your business on social media and are executing a strategy to help you meet your business goals, but how do you measure success? With a wealth of tools and a variety of ways to measure performance, the challenge is in identifying which metrics are the most meaningful. Let’s review the most important metrics across social media.
Audience Growth: Are you building a relevant audience?
The total number of followers across your networks reflects a group of users that have shown interest in your business and your content. When your social community is constantly growing, it shows that your content is bringing value. Building a following across social platforms is important but building a relevant and engaged audiences is even more so. Both Facebook Insights and Twitter Analytics offer data on your audience, where you can analyze if your audience represents your target market. Review follower growth and audience demographics monthly, consider which tactics could have contributed to those changes, and test different ways to grow your audience.
Engagement: Is your content inspiring action?
As a platform for creating and building relationships, engagement is the top metric to analyze when looking at performance on social media. Engagement speaks to the actions that users are taking on your content; specific engagement metrics vary on each platform and include likes, comments, shares, and clicks. Post data can be found in Facebook Insights, Twitter Analytics, and Instagram Insights on mobile. Monitor the type of content that results in high engagement, the quality of comments, and overall shares to adjust your content strategy.
Mentions: Are people talking about your business?
Do you know what customers and potential customers are saying about your business on social? Ensuring that you are driving positive conversations is key and this data also provides additional insight into customer perception and sentiment. Monitor these conversations by compiling the total number of times that your business is mentioned or tagged directly or your brand hashtag is used across social media.
Competitive Benchmarking: How do you stack up against your competition?
Different industries and regions see different results across social media, which is why compiling a competitive set to measure your success against is important. Think of your top 5 or 6 competitors and research to see if they have active social media accounts. If so, tracking the audience growth and engagement from those channels allows you to see how well their content is resonating with fans and could give inspiration and insight into things that work.
Ad ROI: Are you effectively guiding users to conversion?
While conversion is the end goal in all things marketing, paid social is the key tactic in driving conversions. Depending on your strategy, a conversion could be a website click, contact information, RSVP, or purchase. Ad results and data on each platform allow you to optimize and better connect with your target market.
Tracking the metrics above allow you to paint the full picture and make constant improvements to your social media strategy.
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Will it result in lower cancer rates, or decreased asthma rates?
That's pretty much the whole basis for it. While it isn't an issue for most, due to trade it's really bad in certain regions, hence the legislation. More or less, certain states are tired of paying for the externalities of said emissions, such as premature deaths, health problems, and diminished productivity. Since the amortized cost of retrofitting the fleet is so much smaller than this, they initially announced they were going ahead with these plans and provided incentives for the worst emitters.
As for why this diesel price spike is greater than others, off-road use switched to lower sulfur diesel while a cold spike drove up demand for heating oil, and as such the prices of all distillates have increased to reflect this change in demand. It's detailed here.
However, as discussed in the January 24, 2008 issue of TWIP , inventories of high sulfur distillate fuel, the product specifically identified as heating oil, were relatively low, even from the outset of winter, due to a shift of a significant portion of high sulfur distillate usage (the off road sector) to low sulfur diesel fuel consumption. Inventories, particularly in New England and the Middle Atlantic regions, remain at relatively low levels, reflecting the strong global market for distillate fuels.
I'm guessing the reason why this wasn't seen during the initial switch to ULSD is because that was during the summer, when diesel prices tend to drop. Switching off-road to ULSD when demand for distillates was higher resulted in even higher prices. Also, given the current crack ratios used, the relatively low demand for gasoline might have served to exacerbate low distillate stocks.
Ironically, bulging gasoline inventories and associated US gasoline market weakness may have exacerbated distillate markets by reducing outlets for surplus gasoline production, which accompanies distillate production.
I would ask Randy this: If they don?t add up, how do you explain the 70-90 cent per gallon price disparity between unleaded and diesel?
Diesel should be somewhat (10-20%) more expensive than gas, due to higher energy per gallon. It was cheaper in the US before the 90's because of the relative demand and the expense of refining it into gas. As the technology improved, refineries installed equipment to do that, pushing gas and diesel closer to even. Now worldwide diesel demand is high and growing fast. Europe increasingly uses diesel for personal use, leading to more gas and less diesel for export. Industry needs diesel in developing countries. But gasoline use in the US is actually down slightly. Ethanol prices are way down (10+% of gasoline). Refineries need time and investment to adjust to this new demand. Long term this should work itself out.
I still think that ULSD can't be the cause of the diesel price spike, because heating oil is also very expensive. If worldwide diesel demand is the cause it should push their prices close to the actual costs of upgrading the fuel (most world diesel is closer to heating oil).
In recent years, gas has gone way up in summer. Probably it won't go over diesel, but it's possible. Certainly it will be a lot closer in a few months than it is now.
??to temporarily drop pump price by a penny or two??
No. What I posted was "...to temporarily drop pump price by a penny or two until profit greed eats that up,..." The pump price has been shown to not be a dissuading factor in use levels. If the COST goes down, don't expect the PRICE to go down. If we willingly pay $4.20 a gallon today for fuel that costs the station $4 a gallon, why would we not pay $4.15 a gallon next month for fuel which costs the station $3.50?
If we willingly pay $4.20 a gallon today for fuel that costs the station $4 a gallon, why would we not pay $4.15 a gallon next month for fuel which costs the station $3.50?
That depends on whether or not said gas stations can form an effective cartel. I think it would be quite hard now.
Out here on the frozen steppes the differential is now up to a buck a gallon. $3.05 for unleaded. $4.05 for diesel. Thats a 33% premium. The heating value difference might justify a 16% premium.
Something this big and widespread is beyond mere short term pricing what the traffic will bear. It is the result of government regulations.
So if price drops back down to the usual levels later on, does that mean these government regulations have been repealed?
gov't knows best, global warming, increased taxes are a must, etc.
the USDA comes to my workplace(wholesale produce) by charged appointment if we desire it. this helps us to cut losses(shrinkage) due to poor product being sent. we can only refuse it IF the USDA deems it a "bad shipment."
NOW, the USDA employee will ask to see a predetermined % of the load. so, let's arbitrarily say that 50% of the load is molded. if the handful of cases of that particular item that he/she selects are fine, we MUST accept the entire load AT OUR LOSS!!!
our facility is certified by several gov't and non-gov't agencies. so we do in fact take a loss by throwing the product away. other produce companies DO NOT(they send out as much as can be). the health ramifications do not need to be dicussed i presume!
so, our fine gov't asks companies to take a loss and leaves the fate of the health of the general public to those that may or may not have integrity. sound familiar?
More socialist actions that don't allow the citizens to be responsible for their decisions.
Too much over the top protection.
The diesel boondoggle is what it is Big Dave. Short version was fine from you. It makes everything more expensive, and, of course, it hits those with lower incomes harder than those with incomes above them...and the cycle of those that want to tax more "the rich" to redistribute wealth to others continues after that.
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Conceived by prince Albert, the Great Exhibition was held in Hyde Park in London in the specially constructed Crystal Palace. The Crystal Palace was originally designed by Sir Joseph Paxton in only 10 days and was a huge iron goliath with over a million feet of glass. It was important that the building used to showcase these achievements be grandiose and innovative. Over 13,000 exhibits were displayed and viewed by over 6,200,000 visitors to the exhibition. The millions of visitors that journeyed to the Great Exhibition of 1851 marveled at the industrial revolution that was propelling Britain into the greatest power of the time. Among the 13,000 exhibits from all around the world were the Jacquard loom, an envelope machine, tools, kitchen appliances, steel-making displays and a reaping machine from the United States. The objects on display came from all parts of the world, including India and the countries with recent white settlements, such as Australia and New Zealand, that constituted the new empire. Many of the visitors who flocked to London came from European cities. The profits from the event allowed for the foundation of public works such as the Albert Hall, the Science Museum, the National History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
This "bigger and better" building was divided into a series of courts depicting the history of art and architecture from ancient Egypt through the Renaissance, as well as exhibits from industry and the natural world. Major concerts were held in the Palace's huge arched Centre Transept, which also contained the world's largest organ. The Centre Transept also housed a circus and was the scene of daring feats by world famous acts such as the tightrope walker Blondin. National exhibitions were also staged within its glass and iron walls, including the world's first aeronautical exhibition (held in 1868) and the first national motor show, plus cat shows, dog shows, pigeon shows, honey, flower and other shows.
After the Great Exhibition closed, the Crystal Palace was moved to Sydenham Hill in South London and reconstructed in what was, in effect, a 200 acre Victorian theme park. The new Crystal Palace park at Sydenham was opened by Queen Victoria on June 10th, 1854. In 1911, the year of King George V's coronation, the Crystal Palace was home to the Festival of Empire. Three-quarter size models of the parliament buildings of Empire and Commonwealth countries were erected in the grounds to contain exhibits of each country's products.
The Houses of Parliament, otherwise known as The Palace of Westminster, stands on the site where Edward the Confessor had the original palace built in the first half of the eleventh century. In 1547 the royal residence was moved to Whitehall Palace, but the Lords continued to meet at Westminster, while the commons met in St. Stephen�s Chapel. Ever since these early times, the Palace of Westminster has been home to the English Parliament. In 1834 a fire broke out which destroyed much of the old palace, all that remained was the chapel crypt, The Jewel Tower and Westminster Hall. It was Lord Melbourne, the Prime Minister, who saved the great hall by arranging for the fire engines to be brought right into the hall and personally supervising the fire fighting operation.
The magnificent Gothic Revival masterpiece you see today was built between 1840 and 1888, this was the work of Charles Barry who designed the buildings to blend with nearby Westminster Abbey. The two imposing towers, well known landmarks in London, are the clock tower, named after it�s thirteen ton bell called Big Ben, and Victoria tower, on who�s flag pole the Union Jack flies when parliament is sitting. Much of the Victorian detail of the interior was the work of Barry�s assistant Augustus Pugin.
Tower Bridge is one of the world�s most famous bridges. 150,000 vehicles cross it every day. Over 900 times a year the roadway parts and lifts to let tall ships, cruise liners and other large craft pass through.
Tower Bridge was completed in 1894, after 8 years of construction.
In the late nineteenth century the prospering seaside town of Blackpool set about the building of a huge, grand and visionary complex across four and a half acres of its most valuable estate.
Blackpool's Wintergardens was officially opened to the public on July 11th 1878. However, an open-air skating rink was built first in 1876. This was later transformed into Newsome's Circus. For the two years before the fabulous Empress Ballroom was created and opened in 1897 this part of the complex housed Noah's Ark - an entertaining collection of performing animals, birds and reptiles!
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Plain-text file notepad with markdown support and ownCloud integration.
QOwnNotes is the open source (GPL) plain-text file notepad with markdown support and todo list manager for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Windows by Patrizio Bekerle (pbek on GitHub and IRC), that (optionally) works together with the notes application of ownCloud or Nextcloud.
You own your own notes! All notes are stored as plain-text files on your desktop computer.
Sync them over devices (desktop & mobile) with your ownCloud or Nextcloud sync client.
Use ownCloud Notes to edit your notes in the web.
So you are able to write down your thoughts with QOwnNotes and edit or search for them later from your mobile device (like with CloudNotes) or the ownCloud / Nextcloud web-services.
The notes are stored as plain text files and you can sync them with your ownCloud or Nextcloud sync client. Of course other software, like Dropbox, Syncthing, Seafile or BitTorrent Sync can be used too.
I like the concept of having notes accessible in plain text files, like it is done in the ownCloud notes app, to gain a maximum of freedom, but I was not able to find a decent desktop note taking tool or a text editor, that handles them well in conjunction with ownCloud or Nextcloud.
Out of this need QOwnNotes was born.
699 1,827 Patrizio Bekerle <img src="https://www.oldergeeks.com/downloads/gallery/thumbs/QOwnNotes1_th.png"border="0"> Nov 30, 2018 - 10:51 18.12.0 30.05MB ZIP , out of 4 Votes.
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A superset is a form of strength training in which you move quickly from one exercise to a separate exercise without taking a break for rest in between the two exercises. Typically, you will take a brief break to catch your breath or grab a drink of water between sets of an exercise. This also gives time for the muscles to recover. But when doing supersets you move from one set to another without a break.
There are two main ways in which supersets can be performed. These two ways are quite different, and thus, the results derived from them vary greatly. The two main types of supersets are opposing muscle group supersets and same muscle group supersets.
Supersets can be used as a way to do more exercises in a given length of time. While your muscles are recovering from one set, you are performing another exercise rather than taking a break. You can switch back to the first exercise to perform another set and continue with that pattern until you need a break for a drink or recovery. Supersets place an emphasis on stamina as well as ability, as the lack of a break between sets can be extremely challenging.
In weight training, a set is a particular number of the same exercise performed consistently without stopping. Sets are comprised of repetitions (reps), which are individual performances of a single exercise.
For example, if you do 10 arm curls in a row, that is considered to be one set of 10 reps. Each one of the 10 arm curls performed is considered to be a rep.
A superset could be a set of 10 biceps curls followed by a set of 10 triceps extensions or it could be a set of 10 pushups followed by a set of 10 dumbbell bench presses.
One very common form of a superset workout includes working for two opposing muscle groups back to back and then repeating the circuit. For example, a common superset includes performing one upper body exercise (such as the bench press) and then immediately moving to a lower body exercise (such as the leg press).
Another easy method to plan supersets is to alternate with opposing muscle groups. You can combine the bench, which works the chest, with the seated row, which engages the back.
These supersets are very similar to a circuit training routine. Although supersets tend to focus on two exercises at a time, and circuit training routines often have up to 10 stations, both workouts require little rest between exercises.
The second way to perform a superset workout is to choose two different exercises that work out the same muscle group and then perform them back to back without a rest. Performing quadriceps extensions immediately after squats is an example of this type of superset. This type of superset works one individual area especially hard. It is a great way to focus on a particular area of the body.
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Base ten decimal system unsigned (positive) integer number 2 031 converted to unsigned binary (base two) = 111 1110 1111 How to convert an unsigned (positive) integer in decimal system (in base 10): 2 031(10) to an unsigned binary (base 2) 1. Divide the number repeatedly by 2, keeping track of each remainder, until we get a quotient that is equal to zero: division = quotient + remainder; 2 031 ÷ 2 = 1 015 + 1; 1 015 ÷ 2 = 507 + 1; 507 ÷ 2 = 253 + 1; 253 ÷ 2 = 126 + 1; 126 ÷ 2 = 63 + 0; 63 ÷ 2 = 31 + 1; 31 ÷ 2 = 15 + 1; 15 ÷ 2 = 7 + 1; 7 ÷ 2 = 3 + 1; 3 ÷ 2 = 1 + 1; 1 ÷ 2 = 0 + 1; 2. Construct the base 2 representation of the positive number, by taking all the remainders starting from the bottom of the list constructed above: 2 031(10) = 111 1110 1111(2) Conclusion: Number 2 031(10), a positive integer (no sign), converted from decimal system (base 10) to an unsigned binary (base 2): 111 1110 1111(2) Spaces used to group numbers digits: for binary, by 4; for decimal, by 3.
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In August [], Toussaint used the name L'Ouverture, or "The Closing," in an official document for the first time. The origins of the name are unclear, and several hypotheses seem plausible. One is that he was given the name for his uncanny ability to find and exploit openings on the battlefield. He might have given himself the name for similar reasons, or it may have started as a friendly taunt, referring to the gap in his teeth courtesy of a spent bullet. Whatever the origin, Toussaint dropped the apostrophe in short order and became simply Toussaint Louverture.
In August 1793, Toussaint used the name L'Ouverture, or "The Closing," in an official document for the first time. The origins of the name are unclear, and several hypotheses seem plausible. One is that he was given the name for his uncanny ability to find and exploit openings on the battlefield. He might have given himself the name for similar reasons, or it may have started as a friendly taunt, referring to the gap in his teeth courtesy of a spent bullet. Whatever the origin, Toussaint dropped the apostrophe in short order and became simply Toussaint Louverture.
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Athletes sometimes turn to energy supplements to increase their ability to exercise more often. Common supplements to increase an athlete's energy include: Caffeine, Guarana, Vitamin B12, and Asian ginseng. Caffeine, a common energy supplement, can be found in many different forms such as pills, tablets or capsules, and can also be found in common foods, such as coffee and tea. Caffeine is used to improve energy and increases metabolism. Guarana is another supplement that athletes take to enhance their athletic ability, it is frequently used for weight loss and as an energy supplement.
A 2009 study from the University of Texas reports that caffeinated energy drinks decrease sporting performance. They found that after drinking an energy drink, 83% of participants improved their physical activity parameters by an average of 4.7%. This was attributed to the effects of caffeine, sucrose and Vitamin B in the drink - however scientific consensus does not support the efficacy of using Vitamin B as a performance enhancer. To explain the performance improvement the writers report an increase in blood levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine and beta-Endorphin. The adenosine receptor antagonism of caffeine accounts for the first two, while the latter is accounted for by the Neurobiological effects of physical exercise.
Similarly, the caffeine found in energy drinks and coffee shows an increased reaction performance and feelings of energy, focus and alertness in quickness and reaction anaerobic power tests. In other words, consuming an energy drink or any drink with caffeine increases short time/rapid exercise performance (like short full-speed sprints and heavy power weight lifting).
Caffeine has been around since the 1900's and became popularly used in the 1970's when its power of masking fatigue became highly recognized.Similarly, the caffeine found in energy drinks and coffee shows an increased reaction performance and feelings of energy, focus and alertness in quickness and reaction anaerobic power tests. In other words, consuming an energy drink or any drink with caffeine increases short time/rapid exercise performance (like short full-speed sprints and heavy power weight lifting). Caffeine is chemically similar to adenosine, a type of sugar that helps in the regulation of important body processes, including the firing of neurotransmitters. Caffeine takes the place of adenosine in your brain, attaching itself to the same neural receptors affected by adenosine, and causing your neurons to fire more rapidly, hence caffeine's stimulating effects.
Common supplements to help athletes recover from exercising, include protein and amino acid supplements. The main use for athletes to take dietary proteins are for hormones, oxygen transport, cellular repair, enzymes and conversion to fuel. The intake of protein is a part of the nutrient requirements for the normal athlete and is an important component of exercise training. In addition, it aids in performance and recovery. Dietary protein intake for well-trained athletes should occur before, during and after physical activity as it is advantageous in gaining muscle mass and strength.] However, if too much protein and amino acid supplements is consumed it can be more harmful to the body than it is beneficial; health risks include: dehydration, gout, calcium loss, liver, renal damage, diarrhea, bloating, and water loss. A bountiful protein diet must be paired with a healthy, well-rounded meal plan and regular resistance exercise. Characteristics of this particular diet include the type of exercise, intensity, duration and carbohydrate values of diet. The most effective way to secure the natural nutrients required by your body for optimum health and physiological performance is by eating your vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, sugars and carbohydrates, which can be procured from fresh fruits and vegetables.
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Namie Amuro (?????, Amuro Namie, born September 20, 1977)?formerly known as Namie Maruyama in her personal life?is a Japanese singer, dancer, fashion model, actress, and businesswoman. She achieved popularity by a series of successful singles and albums, both exploring different genres and working with producers and musicians outside of Japan, one of the first Japanese artists to do so at the time. Due to her longevity and resilience in the industry, she has been often referred by critics and music publications as the "Teen Queen of Japan", the "Queen of J-Pop", the "Japanese Madonna", and the "Japanese Janet Jackson".
Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted in music as an idol with the band Super Monkey's at age 14. Although majority of their releases were unsuccessful in Japan, Amuro's venturing in modelling fashion and acting helped the group gain attention on their single "Try Me (Watashi o Shinjite)". Retitling themselves as "Namie Amuro with Super Monkey’s" to achieve further success, they released a studio album and a compilation. She signed with Avex Trax in 1995 to release her debut single "Body Feels Exit," the lead single from her best-selling album Sweet 19 Blues (1996). She achieved large success with her single "Can You Celebrate?," which is still the best-selling single from a female artist in Japan. Transitioning into westernised R&B music, she released her third album Genius 2000 (2000).
As she was beginning to mold her well-known signature R&B sound, sales started to decline by the release of her fifth album Style (2003). But in 2007, "Play", her eight studio album, was a period of her resurgence with sales. She then moved from R&B, onto electronic dance music with her tenth album Uncontrolled (2012), and has since recorded primarily in English language, including her most recent album Genic (2015). Though Amuro has been credited as a record producer and songwriter in some of her releases, she has remained solely as a recording artist, with many of her singles hitting number one including "Chase the Chance", "A Walk in the Park", "Dreaming I Was dreaming", "I Have Never Seen", "Wild", and an extended play single "60s 70s 80s'". Alongside this, her compilation albums 181920 (1998) and Best Fiction (2008) are two of the best-selling greatest hits albums in Japan.
Having sold more than 30 million records in Japan, Namie Amuro is recognized as the 12th best-selling artist, the fourth best-selling solo artist, and third best-selling female artist in that region according to The Richest.
She has been recognized at several award ceremonies, including being a recipient at the World Music Awards, Japan Record Awards, Japan Gold Disc Awards, among many others. Recording to calculated results by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ), she has a total of 43 million certified units. Her album Sweet 19 Blues was the best-selling album of Japan, until it was surpassed by several more entries during most recent years.
Amuro was born to Emiko Taira (June 30, 1950 - March 17, 1999), and an undisclosed Japanese father, in Naha, Okinawa on September 20, 1977. She is one of three children by Taira and her father. Taira had divorced when Amuro was four years old, and raised her three children solely in Okinawa. Taira worked as a nursery school employee and bar hostess to support her three children. Although she had no ambition to become a singer, she was discovered at age 12, while visiting a friend. Amuro was scouted by Masayuki Makino, the owner of Okinawa Actors School, a performing arts school, and eventually enrolled there. Two years later, Makino placed her in an idol group called Super Monkey's, with five other girls: Anna Makino, Hisako Arakaki, Nanako Takushi, and Minako Ameku. A year after their September 1992 debut with Toshiba-EMI, the group relocated to Tokyo, despite Amuro's mother's disapproval.
Super Monkey's did not gain much success and the group went through constant lineup changes. They changed their name to "Namie Amuro with Super Monkey's" in 1994 to reflect Amuro's rising popularity as an upcoming actress and fashion model. Aside from group's musical activities, Amuro had bit parts in Japanese television series and small films. The Super Monkey's experienced a large amount of success with their single "Try Me (Watashi o Shinjite)", produced by Italian eurobeat producer Dave Rodgers, and Japanese businessman Max Matsuura. Released on January 25, 1995, the song reached number eight on the Oricon Singles Chart, and stayed in the top 200 chart for 25 weeks. Despite the beginning success as a group, the other four members of the Super Monkey's formed their own sub-group, MAX, under the Japanese record label Avex Trax. As a result, Amuro released two more solo singles under Toshiba-EMI before moving to Avex Trax herself.
After signing with Avex Trax in 1995, the corresponding record company Avex Group enlisted Japanese musician Tetsuya Komuro to work with Amuro on her then-upcoming album. Amuro made her solo debut with Avex, releasing the single "Body Feels Exit" on October 25, 1995. It became a huge success in Japan, peaking at number three on the Oricon Singles Chart and sold over 881,000 units in that region. Amuro's second single with Komuro, "Chase the Chance", became her first number single on the Oricon Singles Chart, and became her first single to sell over one million units there. For Amuro's success with those singles, she won the Golden Arrow Award in 1995. After a brief hiatus, Amuro released two more singles in 1996: "Don't Wanna Cry" and "You're My Sunshine". Both singles were successful in Japan, bringing her second and third consecutive number one singles, and both sold over one million units there. Amuro achieved huge success after the release of her first solo studio album, Sweet 19 Blues (1996). Released on July 22, it reached number one on the Oricon Albums Chart in Japan, and has sold over 3.6 million units. She released the album's final single, the title track, on August 21, 1996; it achieved success by peaking at number two on the Oricon Singles Chart, and shifted over 400,000 units in Japan.
On November 27, 1996, she started work on her second solo studio album with Komuro, and released its lead single "A Walk in the Park". It gave Amuro her fourth number one single on the Oricon Singles Chart, and her fourth single to sell over one million units there. At the end of 1996, she was awarded the Grand Prix Award for her song "Don't Wanna Cry", the highest honor at the Japan Record Awards, making her the youngest artist to have won the award. On February 19, 1997, she released her single "Can You Celebrate?", which became her fifth number one single. The single became a huge success in Japan, eventually selling 2.29 million units there, making it the best-selling single by a solo female artist in Japan. After release her sixth consecutive number one single "How to Be a Girl" in May 1997, she released her second album Concentration 20 in July of that year. It became her third number one album in Japan, and sold over 1.9 million units there. For additional promotion, she embarked her Concentration 20 Dome Tour in Japan, which achieved commercial success. By early August 1997, the sales of Amuro's records reached 20 million.
During a press conference on October 22 of that year, Amuro confirmed her marriage to Japanese musician and TRF band member Masaharu "Sam" Maruyama. During the conference, she announced that she was three months pregnant with their first child. At the end of the year, she won the Grand Prix Award at the Japan Record Awards again for "Can You Celebrate?" and made her final appearance on the annual Japanese television music show K?haku Uta Gassen before beginning her one-year hiatus from the music industry. She legally changed her name to Namie Maruyama, but has continued to use her maiden name as her professional name.
On May 19, 1998, Amuro gave birth to her son, Haruto. She returned to the music industry with the release of her single, "I Have Never Seen" (1998). It became her eighth number one single on Oricon, and sold over 650,000 units in Japan. She made her first televised appearance on K?haku Uta Gassen days later, performing a tearful rendition of her single "Can You Celebrate?". Working on her third studio album with Komuro and American producer Dallas Austin, she released its second single "Respect the Power of Love" on March 17, 1999. On the same day, news publication's in Amuro's hometown, Okinawa, reported that her mother, Emiko Taira, had been murdered. According to staff editors at The Japan Times, Emiko and her second husband were hit by an axe, owned by Kenji Taira, Emiko's ex-husband's brother. While her second husband survived with moderate injuries, Emiko was taken to hospital, and pronounced dead after noon on March 17. Kenji was then found dead in his car, after consuming insecticide. Upon hearing the news, Amuro postponed all promotional activities and flew back to Okinawa in order to identify her mother's body. A week later, the single debuted at the number two on the Oricon Singles Chart, beaten by the single "Dango 3 Kyodai". A third single, "Toi et Moi", was used for the Japanese animation movie Pokémon: The Movie 2000. Both singles proved to be success, selling over 400,000 and 200,000 units in that region, respectively.
Amuro made her first single debut with Austin on "Something 'Bout the Kiss", released on September 1, 1999. It became a success in Japan, reaching number three on the Oricon Singles Chart and sold over 390,000 units there. In January 2000, Amuro released her fourth studio album Genius 2000; it reached number one on the Oricon Albums Chart, and shifted over 800,000 units there. That same month, Amuro confirmed her separation from husband Masaharu. For the first half of 2000, Amuro embarked on her Genius 2000 concert tour throughout Japan. She then released the single "Never End", in July, confirming work on her fifth studio album with Komuro and Austin. The single was used as part of the G8 Summit taking place in Okinawa, Japan that year. It was commissioned by late Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, who asked Tetsuya Komuro to write a song conveying "a vision of harmony and interaction in the world in the 21st century". Obuchi later asked Amuro to perform the single at the summit.
Amuro's fifth studio album Break the Rules was released on December 20, 2000, and is her final full-length produced album with Komuro. It became her first studio album to miss the top spot, peaking at number two on the Oricon Albums Chart. Amuro's sales started to decline from this release, as the album only shifted 335,000 units in Japan. To promote the studio album, Amuro toured Japan in March 2001, and finished in May that same year. In August, she released the single "Say the Word"; it was her first single that she contributed to songwriting. This was her last solo single to be produced by Komuro, until years later, and was released in part of her upcoming greatest hits album. However, in December she worked with Komuro for the last time on "Lovin' It", a single released as part of Avex's Song+Nation charity project. The single featured Japanese rapper Verbal from the music group M-Flo.
On March 13, 2002, she released her second greatest hits album Love Enhanced Single Collection. The singles featured on the compilation were re-arranged from the original versions. The album was successful, peaking at number three on the Oricon Albums Chart and sold over 300,00 units in Japan. In July 2002, Amuro was divorced from Maruyama, having cited irreconcilable differences According to reports, her separation was based on personal issues with Maruyama's family, and legally reverted to using her maiden name. She started work on her sixth studio album, and third collaboration with Austin, releasing the Diane Warren-written "Wishing on the Same Star" on September 11, 2002. The single saw a large slip in Amuro's sales, only shifting 95,000 units by the end of the year. In December 2002, Amuro was part of the Japanese musical project Suite Chic, collaborating with several Japanese artists including Verbal, Zeebra, Dabo and DJ Muro. The project released two singles, one studio album, and one remix album before their split in 2003.
Amuro returned to solo activities in mid-2003, releasing the singles "Shine More", "Put 'Em Up", and the double A-side singles: "So Crazy" and "Come". The single's saw an exploration of westernised musical styles with American producers, including R&B producers Full Force and the work of Austin. "Come" was used for the Japanese anime InuYasha, and is a re-arranged song that was originally recorded by Australian recording artist and TV personality Sophie Monk. At the end of the year, she released her sixth studio album and first album in three years, Style. The album became her lowest chart album on the Oricon Albums Chart, peaking at number four. It is also her lowest selling studio album, shifting only 222,000 units in that region. To promote the studio album, Amuro embarked on her So Crazy Tour Featuring Best Singles on November 29. The tour concluded on April 11, 2004. She extended the concert tour, marked as a promotional appearance, in Taiwan, and South Korea. Shortly after the tour, she released the single "All for You" on July 22, 2004, confirming work on her seventh studio album. This was followed by the double A-side single "Girl Talk" and "Girl Talk/The Speed Star", released on October 14, 2004. It was successful in Japan, peaking at number two, and sold over 107,000 units in that region; it became her first top three single in two years. Amuro chose not to appear on K?haku Uta Gassen, though she had been invited to perform at the event. She had previously attended the event nine years in a row.
On April 6, 2005, she released the single "Want Me, Want Me". The song was a success in Japan, reaching number two on the Oricon Singles Chart, and sold over 103,000 units in that region. In May, following a three year split from Maruyama, Japanese publications reported that she would take back full custody of their child, Haruto. In August, she was granted full custody of Haruto with visitation rights by Maruyama. On May 29, she performed at the MTV Video Music Awards Japan for the fourth consecutive year in a row. She received two awards, "Best R&B Video" and "Most Impressive Performing Asian Artist", making her the first artist to receive awards four years in a row. She took home the "Inspiration Award" in 2002, "Best Collaboration" in 2003, "Best R&B Video" for 2004, and 2005 as well as "Most Impressive Performing Asian Artist" in the latter year. Amuro released her seventh studio album Queen of Hip-Pop July 13, 2005. The album was a success, reaching number two on the Oricon Albums Chart, and sold over 455,000 units in Japan. In collaboration with MGM Studios, Amuro was granted use of The Pink Panther character in the album; a female panther counterpart was created for the album as well.
In September 2005, Amuro embarked on her Space of Hip-Hop concert tour in Japan. Shortly after the commencement of the tour, she announced that she would contribute to the Japanese theatrical release of the film Sin City (2005). After viewing the movie, Amuro made an offer to the Japanese distribution company to sing its theme song; the company, feeling that her image fit the movie, accepted her offer. The theme song, "Violet Sauce", was later released as part of a double A-side single, "White Light/Violet Sauce", on November 16, 2005. It achieved moderate success in Japan, reaching number seven on the Oricon Singles Chart, and sold over 72,000 units there. The movie's director, Robert Rodriguez, was impressed by the song and asked to be a part of it; he can be heard saying "Welcome to Sin City" towards the end of the song. Shortly after the single, she released Filmography 2001-2005' (2006), a compilation of twelve of her music videos between the years 2001 to 2005. Amuro collaborated with Japanese recording artists Zeebra, Ai, and Mummy-D on Zeebra's album, The New Beginning, released on February 15, 2006, in a song called "Do What U Gotta Do". On May 17, she released the double A-side single "Can't Sleep, Can't Eat, I'm Sick/Ningyo", which peaked at number two on the Oricon Singles Chart and shifted over 80,000 units in Japan. In August 2006, she began her Live Style tour in 2006. On September 17, she performed to an audience of 12,000 at Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan.
Amuro released the third single from her upcoming eight studio album, "Baby Don't Cry" on January 24, 2007; it was used as the theme song for the Japanese television series Himitsu no Hanazono. It was successful in Japan, reaching number three on the Oricon Singles Chart, and sold over 144,000 units in that region, her highest selling single since "Say the Word". Based on ringtone sales, it became her first single to shift over one million units since "How to Be a Girl". Alongside this, she achieved the distinction in having a top ten single each year for 13 consecutive years, breaking the solo female artist's record in Japan by Ky?ko Koizumi and Shizuka Kud?. At the end of 2007, it ranked at number seven on the RIAJ yearly ringtone sales charts. She then released the fourth and final single, "Funky Town", on April 4, 2007. It achieved moderate success on the Oricon Singles Chart, peaking at number seven, and shifted over 54,000 units. She was also featured on Japanese group, M-Flo's album, Cosmicolor, in a song titled "Luvotomy". Her eighth studio album, Play, was released on June 27, 2007. Play charted atop of the Oricon Albums Chart, becoming her first number-one album in more than 7 years. From August 18, 2007, to February 27, 2008, she embarked her concert tour in Japan, titled the Play Tour 2007. Originally consisting of 53 performances, it increased by 12 performances to 65 performances, making this her longest spanning tour.
In early 2008, Amuro confirmed that she would promote Japanese hair company Vidal Sassoon through their new marketing campaign Fashion x Music x VS, with a new single. The single, though marketed as an extended play, was titled 60s 70s 80s, and consisted of three songs: "New Look", "Rock Steady", and "What a Feeling". It became a huge success in Japan, reaching number one on the Oricon Singles Chart, and sold over 293,000 units in that region, her highest selling single since "Baby Don't Cry". It became her first number single since "I Have Never Seen". On March 25, 2008, Amuro was awarded "Best Female Video" for "Hide and Seek" (taken from Play) at the 2008 Space Shower Music Video Awards. "Hide & Seek" also won the award for "Best R&B Video" at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, which was held at the Saitama Super Arena on May 31. In May 2008, Amuro recorded a collaboration with Japanese musician Double in a song called "Black Diamond". Despite lacklustre success on the Oricon Singles Chart, it sold over 500,000 ringtone units. On July 26, Amuro participated at the 2008 A-nation music concert; an estimated 25,000 people attended her performance. This was the first time she was invited to perform in seven years.
On July 30, she released her third greatest hits album, Best Fiction. Featuring tracks between 2003 and 2008, Best Fiction sold 681,000 copies in the first week and debuted at number one on the Oricon Albums Chart. Within its third week, Best Fiction sold over one million units, making her the first artist to have one million certified album in three consecutive decades. Best Fiction eventually spent six consecutive weeks at the number-one position, becoming the first album to do so in more than 14 years since the Dreams Come True's 1993 album Magic. By the end of 2008, Best Fiction became the second best-selling album behind Exile's Exile Love. In addition, it became the second best selling digital-format album by a Japanese artist behind Hikaru Utada's Heart Station. Best Fiction was awarded the Album of the Year award at the 50th Japan Record Awards. To promote the album, she embarked her Best Fiction 2008-2009 concert tour, starting at the Makuhari Messe. Amuro was invited again to the 59th NHK K?haku Uta Gassen, but she declined.
On January 20, 2009, Amuro begun working on her ninth studio album, and featured a new track entitled "Dr." through a Vidal Sassoon commercial. She then released the album's lead double A-side singles, "Wild/Dr.," on March 18, 2009. The song was a success, peaking at number one on the Oricon Singles Chart, and sold over 119,000 units in that region. As a result, she also broke her own record of having all of her singles debut in the top 10 (on the Oricon Daily Singles Chart) for the last 15 years. Amuro collaborated with Japanese music group Ravex on a song for their album Trax (2008), entitled "Rock U". On October 1, Vidal Sassoon released new commercials featuring Amuro, and two tracks from her ninth studio album, "My Love" and "Copy That." On December 16, she released her ninth studio album, Past<Future. The album was a success on the Oricon Albums Chart, reaching number one, and sold over 576,000 units in that region, slightly higher than the sales of Play. In April 2010, Amuro embarked on her Past<Future concert tour, travelling throughout 26 cities in Japan, and lasted for nine months.
On May 18, 2010, Amuro attended the World Music Awards on Monaco, receiving an award for "Best Artist From Asia", making her the First Asian Female Artist and second Japanese artist after Chage and Aska to do so, and performed her hit song from her album Play, "Hide and Seek".
Afterwards, it was announced that a new single was going to be released soon, and on July 28 her 34th single "Break It/Get Myself Back" was released (during her Past<Future tour summer hiatus). "Break It" was used in a Coca-Cola Zero commercial and the song reached number "3" on Oricon's weekly chart. The single has been certified Gold for shipment of 100,000 copies, as well as "Get Myself Back" being certified as a gold download to cellphones according to RIAJ.
The live DVD "Namie Amuro: Past < Future Tour 2010? was released on December 15th and sold 95,000 copies within the first week, ranking first in the Music DVD category of the DVD Oricon rankings for the week of December 27. It became her second consecutive number one DVD, after "Namie Amuro:_ Best Fiction Tour 2008-2009". The Blu-ray version sold 18,000 more copies. The year 2010 ended on yet another success with "Past < Future" charting at 6th in the Oricon yearly album rankings, her highest position with a studio album since 1996's Sweet 19 Blues (2nd best selling album of that same year).
Namie Amuro released her second collaboration album (the first under her own name) on April 27, 2011. Titled Checkmate!, the album features nine collaboration songs released from 2003 to 2011, including "Do What U Gotta Do", "Luvotomy", "Black Diamond", "Rock U", and her 2010 collaboration single with AI, "Fake", along with four new songs: "Wonder Woman" featuring AI and Anna Tsuchiya, "Make It Happen" with After School, "Unusual" with ex-News member Tomohisa Yamashita and "#1" featuring Chemistry's Kawabata Kaname. The original release date was scheduled for March 23, 2011, but was delayed due to the 2011 T?hoku earthquake and tsunami and its related nuclear accidents.
Meanwhile, Namie recorded the new theme song for One Piece, titled "Fight Together". A 2:30 minute long edit of the song started airing on April 10 as the opening theme of the long running Japanese anime. "Fight Together" was released as a download to cellular phones and got the number 1 position for one week. The first six months of 2011 were indeed another achievement for Namie, as according to Oricon her album Checkmate! was the third best selling album in Oricon's 2011 Half Year Ranking Charts for Album, while her DVD Past<Future Tour 2010 was also the 3rd Best selling DVD in Oricon's 2011 Half Year Ranking in Music DVD. she was also Japan's Best Selling Solo Artist (Male or Female) for 2011 according to Oricon's 2011 Half Year Sales of Artist (which includes all of Albums, Singles and DVDs) with an estimate sales of 2.7 Billion Yen. according to "Amazon.co.jp", her Album Checkmate! top their Half Year Ranking in Music. And at the end of July, she started an arena tour entitled "Live Style 2011" to commemorate her 20th anniversary in the Japanese music industry.
In early July, her official website announced her 35th single entitled "Naked/Fight Together/Tempest". "Naked" was used in her commercial campaign for KOSE ESPRIQUE, while "Tempest" is going to be used in a NHK drama series with the same title. The single landed on the Top 2 of Oricon Weekly Charts, extending her record as the only female Japanese artist to have a top 10 single each year for 17 consecutive years. Since the release of the single, it has sold more than 100,000 copies.
During her "Live Style 2011" tour, two new songs were added to the set list. The songs were "Higher" and "arigatou <thank the world for LOVE... gift song for 2011>". "Higher" was going to be used as song for her new commercial for Coke Zero, but never aired on TV and "arigatou" was used as the song for her new Kose Esprique Campaign in an a capella version. Namie released her 2nd single and last for 2011 after "Naked/Fight Together/Tempest" on July 27. Her 36th single entitled "Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!/Love Story" went sale on December 7, 2011. Her official website announced her new live DVD / Blu-ray entitled "Namie Amuro: Live Style 2011" and its release date is on December 21, 2011. On November 30 the covers for her DVD / Blu-ray were revealed. Also they announced on November 16, the official Namie Amuro YouTube Channel and since then, the site has gained a lot of attention from her fans all over the world.
Namie Amuro's single "Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!/Love Story", which both are the theme song for the drama series Watashi ga Renai Dekinai Riyuu, became the first double A-side single to occupy the first and second position in the Weekly Ranking of Recochoku since the day of release. Besides that, "Love Story" got the first position and "Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!" got the 5th position for its monthly chart. On November 27, Namie filmed her TV version of "Love Story" for the drama series Watashi ga Renai Dekinai Riyuu. On December 7, along with the release of her single, Namie launched her official Facebook page. The page includes a free download of the song "Arigatou: Thank the World for Love... Gift Song for 2011" which was originally featured on the single "Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!/Love Story". On December 12, MTV Japan and Space Shower TV aired the Live performances of "Make It Happen" and "Unusual" which was included in her "Namie Amuro: Live Style 2011" DVD.
On January 21, she recorded a new song titled "Go Round". The song was included in her 37th single "Go Round/Yeah-Oh!", which was released on March 21. Her song "Love Story" received many forms of recognition: LISMO, an online music player provided by the cell phone company au, selected "Love Story" as the winner of LISMO Award; the karaoke company Daiichi Kosho announced that the song is the most popular Valentine's Day song for a female artist, along with Exile's "Lovers Again", while Recochoku announced that "Love Story" became the best-selling digital song for the year 2012 in 4 different categories. The song also won "Song of the Year by Download" at the 27th Japan Gold Disc Awards.
In April, it was announced that Namie Amuro would release a new album, on June 27. The album includes A-sides of singles released between 2010 and 2012 as well as four new songs. Along with the album, 2012 coincides with her 20th year of her career. All of the new songs received music videos which were included in the CD/DVD version of the album. On May 27, the covers for the album were revealed and her Facebook also showed a painting, collaborated with "Annular Eclipse", of her cover image located on Alta Shinjuku, Tokyo. It was up for viewing until June 1. On May 29, her official YouTube page released a commercial preview of the music video for "In the Spotlight(TOKYO)", the lead track of her upcoming album.
On June 27, Namie released her new album Uncontrolled. The album sold 292,000 copies in its first week of release, making the highest first week sales for a Japanese solo artist, until it was beaten by Keisuke Kuwata's compilation album, the album stayed on the top of the chart for 3 consecutive weeks, making her 1st studio album in her career as a solo artist, the album also became her 10th overall #1 album, while it became the 11th best selling album in Japan for 2012, with 517,000 copies sold.
On September 16, a concert in Namie's hometown Okinawa was planned to coincide with her 20th Anniversary as a singer, with it being her 1st concert to feature guests with whom she collaborated over the past 20 years. The expected attendance for the concert was 27,000. However, due to a typhoon warning in Okinawa the concert was cancelled. It was not rescheduled because the date was supposed to be a special day.
On October 31, Amuro released the digital single "Damage", which was the theme song for the film Fly with the Gold. The music video was released on December 2.
On November 24, Namie started her "Namie Amuro 5 Major Domes Tour 2012 ~20th Anniversary Best~" this being her first dome tour in 15 years. The tour became the most attended dome tour for a female solo artist, with an attendance of 340,000.
On March 6, 2013, Amuro released her 38th single, "Big Boys Cry/Beautiful", songs that were previously featured in her KOSE CM. This is her first single since White Light/Violet Sauce that does not come in a CD+DVD version and at the same time it is currently listed at Oricon as being Amuro's worst-selling single.
Amuro released her eleventh studio album entitled Feel on July 10, 2013, through Dimension Point, a new label under Avex Trax. This is the first full-length studio album Amuro has released since "Uncontrolled" almost a year before. The album included "Big Boys Cry" from her thirty-eighth single "Big Boys Cry/Beautiful", however, the B-side of the single, "Beautiful" was not included in this album. "Contrail" was released as Amuro's sixth digital single on May 19, 2013 through Recochoku, "Contrail" is also included in the album, Feel. The album has 7 songs which were sung entirely in English and have a total of 6 music videos. Feel successfully became her 6th consecutive number one album on the Oricon's weekly albums charts, with 247,000 copies. On the first day of release, the album sold 111,458 copies, surpassing "Uncontrolled" in terms of first day sales, and also became the highest first day sales for solo female artists in 2013. In support of the album, on August 16, 2013, Amuro started her "Namie Amuro Feel Tour 2013" which ended on December 23, 2013.
Also in 2013 Amuro was featured on a remake of TLC's 1995 #1 hit song "Waterfalls". She re-recorded the rap part in homage to the late Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes. However, the remake was met with controversy & backlash from American fans. The song was only released in Japan.
On June 4, 2014, Amuro released Ballada, her first greatest hits album to feature only ballad tracks. The album includes 15 of Amuro's popular ballads, which were elected by fans through a vote held on Amuro's official website. It also features a ballad version of "Contrail" as a bonus track. To commemorate the release of Ballada, Amuro re-recorded two of her biggest hits from the 90s, "Sweet 19 Blues" and "Can You Celebrate?". She also created new music videos for "Sweet 19 Blues", "Can You Celebrate?", "HimAWArI" and "Four Seasons". A total of 17 music videos are included in the DVD and Blu-ray editions. In support of the album, Amuro held a nationwide tour titled "namie amuro LIVE STYLE 2014". The tour began on August 22, 2014, and concluded on December 18, 2014, with a total of 36 shows.
On November 12, Amuro released a new single titled "Brighter Day". The single included "Sweet Kisses", the theme song for the KOSE COSMEPORT "OLSE D' OR" TV commercial and "Still Lovin' You", the theme song for the KOSE ESPRIQUE TV commercial.
In November 2014, Amuro collaborated with Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai for a song on Tsai's 13th studio album, Play. The song, "I'm Not Yours", was highly anticipated and well received by Amuro and Tsai's fans alike. In February 2015, an also highly anticipated music video of "I'm Not Yours" was released with both singers featuring in the music video.
On April 8, 2015, Amuro announced that she would be releasing her eleventh solo/twelfth recorded studio album Genic on June 10. The album is her first one independent from the management company Vision Factory, from which she separated in mid-January after 22 years. The album has a total of 14 new songs and 5 music videos, with the album style being a complete departure from Feel. To promote the album, Amuro went on the 'Namie Amuro Livegenic 2015-2016' Tour, which started in September and ended in February.
On November 3, amidst a week-long rumour, Amuro announced her 41st solo single "Red Carpet". The single consists of an A-side, "Red Carpet", and a B-side, "Black Make-Up". The single was released on December 2, 2015.
May 18, 2016, saw Amuro's 42nd single release "Mint" with B-side "Chit Chat" and instrumentals of both songs. Rumours of a new song, titled "Hero" surfaced around the time leading up to the release of previous single "Mint". "Hero" was originally determined to be the B-side to "Mint" but was shelved for unknown reasons. "Hero" is the theme song for NHK's broadcasting of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. The song, along with B-side "Show Me What You've Got", was released on the July 27, 2016. The theme song "Dear Diary" and the insert song "Fighter" of Death Note: Light Up the New World (2016) is performed by her.
March 20, 2000 - May 7, 2000: Namie Amuro Tour "Genius 2000"
August 27, 2004 - September 20, 2004: Namie Amuro Tour "Fan Space '04"
August 13, 2006 - November 23, 2006: Namie Amuro Best Tour "Live Style 2006"
Emiko Taira (1998). ????????????? (Promise?To my daughter Namie Amuro). Japan: Fusosha. ISBN 978-4-594-02483-3.
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Tickets to New York Mets are available for the following venues, dates and times. To sort the list, click on the column header. To find tickets for the given venue, date and time, click the tickets link in that row.
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Are you someone who has been researching the web to educate yourself on the ways in which you can secure a high rank for your business website in the search engine results? If answered yes, you should be aware of the 3 components of SEO, content, back links and keywords, which play a huge role in determining the search engine rank of a website. The concerns of this article will deal with the different steps that you need to take to research the right keywords for your website, imbibing which, you can easily target a higher rank in the search engine results, leaving behind your competitors. Here are some steps that you may take into account.
1. Choose a list of suitable keywords: The foremost step that you need to take is to identify a comprehensive list of keywords that are relevant to the theme of your business website and that might indicate the theme of your business to the visitors. You may either use your intuition, PPC data, analytics data, and internal search data or even analyze competitor insight. Without taking this step, it is almost impossible to move on with the next few steps.
2. Stretch that list of keywords: As your company constructs the “seed word” list, you can then use the Google Keyword Tool to expand or stretch this seed word list and understand the relative search volumes for all your keywords. While doing this, you should keep in mind that the projected search volumes of Google are mostly not accurate and are usually only helpful in comparing the relative popularity of a particular keyword to another. You can also use paid search to test the popularity of the keywords and their conversion rates.
3. Prioritize your list of keywords: After you expand your list, your seed word list becomes your keyword universe. Then, the immediate step that you need to take is to prioritize them and choose the most important keywords that you’re going to target for the search engine optimization campaign. These will be the keywords that you’ll want to track rankings for in order to know the health of those keywords. There are some people who come up with 25 priority keywords, while some others end up with hundreds. Remember that you choose your keywords on their competitiveness in the industry.
4. Identify preferred landing pages: Once you have your keywords defined in a manner, you should begin mapping the priority keywords to the specific landing pages that will be the most relevant for them. You ma start finding the preferred landing pages once you start off with on-page optimization and you will also come to know whether a single landing page can be suitable for a single keyword or a list of keywords. You can use the additional keywords from the keyword universe to the list of priority keywords.
Hence, when you’re looking for SEO solutions, you should always keep in mind the importance of keywords. Take into account the above mentioned steps to research the right keywords and use them in your website in order to increase your search engine ranking.
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The Mosque of the Prophet was built in 622 by the Muslim community after they reached the city of Yathrib, which would later be called al-Madina al-Muanwara. The mosque was situated next to the Prophet's house, and it consisted of a square enclosure of thirty by thirty-five meters, built with palm trunks and mud walls. It was accessed through three doors, Bab Rahmah to the south, Bab Jibril to the west and Bab al-Nisa' to the east. Within this enclosure, the Prophet created a shaded area to the south called the suffrah and aligned the prayer space facing north towards Jerusalem. After the revelation of Surat al-Baqara, the qibla direction was set to the south in order to face Masjid al-Haram, or, the Ka'ba in the city of Mecca. Seven years later, the mosque was doubled in size to accommodate the increasing number of Muslims.
After the death of the Prophet, the mosque was again enlarged to twice its size. In 707, Umayyad Caliph al-Walid (705-715) tore down the old structure, in order to build a larger mosque measuring eighty-four by one hundred meters, with stone foundations and a teak roof supported on stone columns. The new mosque included the house of the Prophet under which he was buried. The mosque walls were decorated with mosaics by Coptic and Greek craftsmen similar to the decoration of the Umayyad mosque in Damascus and the one of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem built by the same caliph. The courtyard was surrounded by a gallery on four sides and four minarets added to its corners. A mihrab topped by a small dome was built on the qibla wall. Abbasid Caliph al-Mahdi (775-785) period, destroyed the northern section of al-Walid's mosque between 778 and 781 to enlarge it further. He added twenty doors to the mosque, eight on each of the east and west walls, and four on the north wall.
The Mamluk Sultans maintained the tradition of restoring and expanding of the Prophet's Mosque. During the reign of Sultan Qala'un, a dome was erected above the house and tomb of the Prophet and an ablution fountain was built outside of Bab al-Salam. Sultan Nasir bin Muhammad bin Qala'un rebuilt the fourth minaret that had been destroyed earlier. After a lightning that destroyed a big part of the mosque in 1481, Sultan Qaytbay rebuilt the east, west and qibla walls.
The Ottoman sultans who held Hijaz region from 1517 until World War I, also contributed to the Mosque of the Prophet. Sultan Suleyman I (1520-1566) rebuilt the western and eastern walls of the mosque and built the northeastern minaret known as al-Suleymaniyya. A new mihrab, called al-Ahnaf, was built next to the Prophet's mihrab known as al-Shafi'iyyah, and a new dome covered in lead sheets and painted green, above the Prophet's House and Tomb.
During the reign of Ottoman Sultan Abdulmecid I (1839-1861), the entire site was remodeled with the exception of the Prophet's Tomb, the three mihrabs, the minbar and the Suleymaniyya minaret. The precinct was enlarged to include an ablution area to the north. The prayer hall to the south was doubled in width and covered with small domes equal in size except for domes covering the mihrab area, Bab al-Salam and the Prophet's Tomb. The domes were decorated with Quranic verses and lines from Nahj al-Burdah the famous poem by thirteenth century Arabic poet al-Busiri. The qibla wall was covered with glazed tiles featuring Quranic calligraphy. The floors of the prayer hall and the courtyard were paved with marble and red stones and a fifth minaret, known as al-Majidiyya, was built to the west of the enclosure.
After the foundation of the Saudi Kingdom of Arabia in 1932, the Mosque of the Prophet underwent several modifications. In 1951 King Abdul Aziz (1932-1953) ordered major demolitions around the mosque to make way for new wings to the east and west of the prayer hall, which consisted of concrete columns with pointed arches. Older columns were reinforced with concrete and braced with copper rings at the top. The Suleymaniyya and Majidiyya minarets were replaced by two minarets in Mamluk revival style. Two additional minarets were erected to the northeast and northwest of the mosque. A library was built along the western wall to house historic Qurans and books on religion. In 1973 Saudi King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz ordered the construction of temporary shelters to the west of the mosque to accommodate the growing number of worshippers in 1981, the old mosque was surrounded by new prayer areas on these sides, enlarging five times its size.
As it stands today, the mosque has a rectangular plan on two floors with the Ottoman prayer hall projecting to the south. The main prayer hall occupies the entire first floor. It has a flat paved roof interrupted by twenty-four domes raised on square bases. Forty-eight pierced into the base of each dome illuminate the interior. The roof is also used for prayer during peak times, when the twenty-four domes slide out on metal tracks to shade areas of the roof, creating light wells for the prayer hall. At these times, the courtyard of the Ottoman mosque is also shaded with umbrellas affixed to freestanding columns. The roof is accessed by stairs and escalators. The paved area around the mosque is also used for prayer, equipped with umbrella tents. The north façade has three evenly spaced porticos, while the east, west and south façades have two. The walls are composed of a series of windows topped by pointed arches with black and white voussoirs. There are six peripheral minarets attached to the new extension, and four others frame the Ottoman structure. The mosque is lavishly decorated with polychrome marble and stones. The columns are of white marble with brass capitals supporting slightly pointed arches, built of black and white stones. The column pedestals have ventilation grills that regulate the temperature inside the prayer hall. The mosque enclosure is one hundred times bigger than the first mosque built by the Prophet and can accommodate more than half a million worshippers.
Michell, George, ed. 1978. Architecture of the Islamic World. London: Thames and Hudson, 210.
Hillenbrand, Robert. 1994. Islamic Architecture, Form Function and Meaning. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 72-73.
Damluji, Salma Samar, ed. 1998. The Architecture of the Prophet's Holy Mosque, Al Madinah. London: Hazar Publishing Limited.
Brugman, Youssef, ed. "Masjid al Madinah Al Nabi".
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If The Passion of the Christ has taught us anything, it's that a film doesn't have to open to piss people off. Case in point: Shark Tale, a computer animated feature from SKG DreamWorks.
The movie, which has an all-star cast, including Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese - could be described as Finding Nemo meets GoodFellas. It hits theaters this fall, but already, the Italic Institute of America is attacking the movie, not just for perpetuating Italians -as-mobsters stereotypes, but for peddling them to kids. "It's bringing the whole Godfather theme to children's movies," says the Italic Institute's John Mancini. "They've got sharks with Italian names - Don Lino, Luca. It's underwater Mafia, basically. They thought it was a big yuk to bring this Sopranos stuff over to kids." Mancini, obviously, isn't amused.
Mancini's preemptive strike recalls Abe Foxman's in the months before The Passion's release; neither, in fact, had seen the object of his ire. Still, one major difference exists: Mel Gibson himself had first warned that the film would offend "certain people." Jeffrey Katzenberg and Steven Spielberg have yet to adopt this strategy, but even if they did, they'd have more than just Italian-Americans to deal with: Shark Tale appears to be a veritable cavalcade of stereotypes, parading not only wise guys, but black street characters, like two Rastafarian jellyfish named Ernie and Bernie, voiced by Doug E. Doug and Ziggy Marley. (Their tentacles are dreadlocks. Get it?) There's even a Jew: a sand shark named Don Feinberg.
As a parent, I'm a tiny bit squeamish about criminality serving as the basis for children's fare. You have to wonder what Spielberg was thinking. He's dedicating a significant portion of his life to fighting anti-Semitism through his Shoah Foundation, yet he's trafficking in ethnic caricatures.
Even so, Mancini has no desire to stop DreamWorks from releasing Shark Tale. "We told them, ŒFine, make your movie, but de-Italianize it.'" In fact, he says, "Don Feinberg" resulted from his appeal to actor Peter Falk, who voices the part. "We didn't ask him to turn his character Jewish, even though he's Jewish," Mancini says. "We just said, de-Italianize."
Has Mancini contacted any Italian-American cast members? Sopranos stars Vincent Pastore and Michael Imperioli, for example? "Those are lost souls. They wouldn't have a life without the Mafia." What about Scorsese or De Niro? "Even though they were honored recently by the National Italian American Foundation," Mancini says, "they don't care; they're in it for the money."
Mancini concedes that he faces an uphill battle, due in no small measure to the power of Italian-American images in popular culture. "Italians are very interesting to people," he says. "The concept of family, and the characters they imbue it with. Criminals come in all ethnic groups, but the Italians have more romance - more panache - than, say, Chinese criminals." To Spahn, the issue is simpler: "Look, these are fish. I really don't know what his problem is."
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Does CRM for Outlook work on SAP HANA?
Yes, B1 CRM for Outlook works with all SAP B1 HANA Versions. CRM for Outlook has the ability to function on all B1 with various DB options.
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Myanmar economy: Rohingya refugee crisis: what next for oil and gas players?
The humanitarian crisis and violence in Rakhine state has increased reputational risks for oil and gas exploration in Myanmar, contributing to Western companies' reluctance to boost investment in their oil and gas blocks and extend operations for further phases of development. Although the violence alone has not altered the firms' calculations, the government's involvement in what is being perceived internationally as ethnic cleansing is now coupled with a more bearish view of the country's resource potential. Meanwhile, these issues continue to be viewed differently by regional investors, who have proven less susceptible to influence by international public opinion.
Myanmar's oil and gas sector has had a difficult time in recent months. A number of companies that were awarded offshore blocks in the 2014 bidding round have relinquished their units: at least eight out of 20 of these blocks have been returned to the government. Companies returning their blocks include Shell (a multinational), Reliance Industries (India) and Statoil (Norway). These decisions came at the end of the "study period", when operators were required to notify the government by March 2018 if they intended to pursue the next phase of exploration. In their statements, these companies cited economic reasons, such as seismic findings that showed limited commercial viability. However, the influence of the turmoil in Rakhine on Myanmar's oil and gas sector is increasingly visible.
Since August 2017 the violence in northern Rakhine has led to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, which has been matched by widespread international outrage. The UN high commissioner for human rights, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, has called the situation a "textbook case of ethnic cleansing". Since August, when attacks were carried out by suspected ethnic-Rohingya militants on several security posts, close to 700,000 people from the minority Rohingya Muslim community have been pushed across the border to Bangladesh.
Repatriation efforts are at a standstill and reports of continued violence are ongoing. Although Rakhine has experienced years of tension between the different ethnic and religious communities, the scale of this disaster is unmatched, with seven times more displaced people than in a previous bout of communal violence in 2012.
The scale of the crisis has meant that Rakhine is increasingly featuring in investors' risk evaluations; the widespread international attention has made it almost impossible for multinationals' headquarters across the globe to ignore. Although oil and gas industry players are not strangers to reputational risks associated with Myanmar—several had entered while the country was still run by a military regime—the extent of negative international attention is rapidly changing investor perceptions.
Public pressure on oil and gas companies has been growing. In August 2017 Chevron, an energy company based in the US, received a letter from activist investors calling on it to evaluate options for withdrawal from Myanmar. This prompted it to commit to working for a "business environment that respects human rights". Soon after that, a petition from an advocacy group, International Campaign for the Rohingya, called on Malaysia's state-owned oil and gas behemoth, Petronas, to cease operations in Myanmar by January 2018. The government of Muslim-majority Malaysia has been among the region's most critical of the situation in Myanmar. Following that, in October 31 investor organisations sent a letter to executives at six major oil companies, calling for an end to "business as usual" in Myanmar.
This public pressure comes at a time of continued strain on the oil and gas sector. Despite a rebound in global energy prices, the market remains volatile. Still-subdued prices make it more difficult to justify expensive exploration efforts, which are exacerbated in Myanmar by the challenging fiscal requirements placed on companies operating there. Crucially, output from Myanmar's four active gasfields has plateaued.
These negative trends are now worsened by geopolitical and reputational risks associated with the Rohingya refugee crisis, which have made risk-averse lenders more reluctant to continue investing. The government appears to be aware of the declining interest in the sector, and has increased its focus on liquefied natural gas (LNG) investment, in order to fill more immediate power needs.
Despite this relatively bleak outlook, there has not been a complete withdrawal. Firms such as Woodside (Australia) and, to a lesser extent, Shell, are forging ahead with plans to begin drilling in 2018. But the recent withdrawals signal a need for strong positive messages from policymakers, such as a commitment to ending the humanitarian crisis or relaxing fiscal terms, to help renew investors' faith in the sector. Indeed, an analyst from Woodside has pointed out that Myanmar needs to demonstrate that its gas sector remains a valuable prospect. Amid speculation that another tender for oil blocks could be launched later this year, stronger commitment on the part of the government could come in the form of lower prices, which could alter the finely balanced risk-reward calculation currently faced by many industry players.
Given Western investors' greater sensitivity to reputational risk, they are more likely to consider leaving Myanmar (or not entering altogether), amid the uncertain market conditions. Although investors based nearer to Myanmar are not immune to such pressures, and do remain affected by broader international trends, regional energy firms continue to be the most active in Myanmar—as they have always been.
Since August regional investments have continued to flow into Myanmar, particularly in electricity, water and infrastructure. In October Thailand's TTCL, a construction company, announced plans to build a US$2.8bn coal-fired power plant, while India's Punj Lloyd, a major contractor, secured a US$182m contract to build a highway from Yagyi to Kalewa in Myanmar, as part of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway.
While Western media outlets have been filling pages on the Rakhine crisis, Asian publications have given the issue far less attention. Regional governments are also working to support Myanmar's government economically and politically. This has further assuaged reputational concerns among companies from those countries.
The Rakhine crisis is undeniably influencing corporate decision-making in Western firms, albeit at the margins and in response to additional economic pressures. Without a resolution to the plight of the Rohingya—which remains unlikely given the government's lack of leadership and the military's hardline stance on the issue—or a stronger recovery in global energy prices, Myanmar will see continued fragility in commitment from Western investors in its oil and gas sector. From the standpoint of regional investors, this would be a welcome situation.
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I would like guest bloggers would could do once or twice monthly columns on my blog. The topics would be fashion, beauty and lifestyle related. I would also love to guest write on your blog.
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Calcio Padova, commonly referred to as Padova, is an Italian football club based in Padua, Veneto. Founded in 1910, Padova currently play in Serie B, having last been in Serie A in 1996. The team's official colours are white and red.
The team was refounded in 2014 after the sports title was awarded to Biancoscudati Padova for the 2014–15 Serie D season as a phoenix club. The old holder of the title was in the process of liquidation after it was expelled from 2014–15 Lega Pro. The original Padova was renamed to Football Padova in order to allow the new iteration of Padova to use the original name of the club, Calcio Padova in 2015.
Padova's golden days were the late 1950s, when the team managed by Nereo Rocco, reached the heights of third place in 1958 thanks to the wing wizardry of Kurt Hamrin. Forwards Sergio Brighenti and Aurelio Milani would star as Padova remained a force in Serie A, before relegation in 1962. The rest of the 1960s would see the club in Serie B before going into a serious decline ahead of a 1980s revival.
The revival would see Padova return to Serie B in the early 1980s, and within a decade they would be serious promotion contenders. A play-off win over Cesena in 1994 saw the club return to Serie A after 32 years. After a dire start to 1994/95, Padova looked like fulfilling most experts' predictions of a swift return. They nonetheless found their form in the second half of the year and when they recorded a 1–0 win away to Juventus, they were six points clear of the drop zone. However, they eventually ended up in the relegation play-off against Genoa, due to a late Inter Milan goal assisted by a Rubén Sosa corner, which they won on penalties.
There would be no such luck the following year, as Padova were relegated with further relegations in 1998 and 1999. Since 2001, they have resided in Serie C1 and Lega Pro Prima Divisione. The team returned in Serie B at the end of the season 2008–2009.
In total, Calcio Padova took part to 11 Prima Divisione/Divisione Nazionale championships between 1914–15 and 1928–29 (best place being 3rd in 1922–23) and 16 Serie A championships between 1929–30 and 1995–96 (best place being 3rd in 1957–58); in Coppa Italia, the best place was runner-up in 1967. Padova won a Coppa Italia Serie C in 1980, and played also 34 Serie B championships (won in 1947–48) and 29 Serie C1/C2/Lega Pro Prima Divisione championships (won in 1936–37, 1980–81 and 2000–01). Padova ended as runner-up the Anglo-Italian Cup of 1983.
In the 2013–14 Serie B season, Padova were relegated after finishing 20th, and on 15 July 2014, the team did not sign up to the 2014–15 Lega Pro championship. In April 2015 the company was put into liquidation.
The club was founded in the summer of 2014, with the name Società Sportiva Dilettantistica a r.l. Biancoscudati Padova, after the non-inclusion of Calcio Padova in Lega Pro and Serie D.
The first official match was Biancoscudati Padova-Castellana (2–0), valid for the Coppa Italia Serie D, played 24 August 2014.
On 19 April 2015, by virtue of a 2–1 success in the field of Legnago, the venetian team reaches mathematics promotion in the Lega Pro.
On 5 June 2015, changed its name to Biancoscudati Padova Spa.
On 6 July 2015, changed its name to Calcio Padova Spa, after the old Calcio Padova changed its name to Football Padova Spa – società in liquidazione.
2009–10 – Serie B, 19th place, remained in Serie B after beating Triestina with 3–0 aggregate after play-outs.
As of 27 February 2019.
As of 9 July 2017.
^ "Avv. Chiacchio: "Non solo l'ACP1910 ha fatto richiesta di ammissione alla D, ma è arrivata anche la risposta. Padova caso clamoroso, poteva essere in B"" (in Italian). padovasport.tv. 20 August 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
^ "Biancoscudati Padova, buona la prima davanti a 2.000 spettatori" (in Italian). mattinopadova.gelocal.it. 24 August 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
^ "Squad season 2017/2018". padovacalcio.it. Padova Calcio. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
^ "Squad season 2015/2016". padovacalcio.it. Calcio Padova. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Calcio Padova.
This page was last edited on 17 March 2019, at 23:58 (UTC).
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Uncle Tom’s cabin was the most influential American novel.
Answer each question in 4-8 sentences.
1. Give two reasons that the author believes that Uncle Tom’s cabin was the most influential American novel.
2. Describe Harriet Beecher Stowe’s inspiration for writing Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
3. Give three examples of how the novel influenced American history.
4. How did other countries react to Uncle Tom’s Cabin?
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Both of you should feel comfortable and just be yourselves. Others decide to look at celebrity couples that appear to set the bar high. One user commented as such, as they cited the pairs names in a Tweet. One of the most important relationship goals is an ability to talk to your partner on any topic with no shame or lies. This rule comes to both important and minor issues. Giving a call, when you come home late or asking to drive safe are just a few examples from taking care about your beloved. Legal requirement: This woman has only one requirement for the perfect relationship The comments on Twitter appear to be flooding in at an astonishing rate and were trending for a while on the social media website.
Not to mention, lying is one of the most common issues that often destroy the relationships. The cutest relationship goal and the most difficult to reach, is being best friends with your partner. More traditional advice is also offered: 'Grow old together' reads one tweet; 'Loyalty. Others looked towards recent political stories for inspiration - 'Doesn't vote Trump' came the words of advice from one. You might spend hours together, discuss hundreds of topics, share secrets and stay attracted to each other. Scroll down for video Cheaters of the world: This Twitter user suggests using the website Ashley Madison may not be the best idea Some of the advice is topical, with one user suggesting 'No Ashley Madison', the website that encourages users to have affairs with one another, and was in the news for having its list of users hacked. Furthermore, you need to accept your partner completely and without hesitation.
Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles from the boy-band One Direction have long been seen to have the ultimate bromance. It is absolutely normal to have different hobbies and spend some time apart. Although this point might seem obvious, many couples still lack of healthy. If you are single and want to meet your soul mate - stay with us, we will help you to love and to be loved. The secret component and relationship goal of every couple is honesty.
This relationship goal is usually achieved when you have mutual trust and deep understanding. What are the relationship goals? Relationships are also interpreted with a wide degree of focus: 'Me and pizza' writes a user, showcasing pictures of someone sprawled across a floor covered with empty pizza boxes. . Others turn to religion when looking for inspiration: 'Christ is enough', Tweets one, while the crazies are never far away, as another user suggests 'Adopt twenty cats'. If you really love your partner, you always pay attention to his or her safety. Beyonce and Jay-Z are Tweeted fist-pumping one another at a basketball game.
The dating blog also features regular dating advice from recognised dating and relationship experts. You should not feel guilty or text your partner in every 5 minutes, when you hang out apart. Whether it be pizza, candy, or perhaps another celebrity couple who seem to have the perfect chemistry, many the tweets are full of comedy, wisdom and inspiration. The newly-created social media trend has given way to a wide variety of suggestions about what makes the perfect coupling, with the answers ranging from the romantic and serious, to the witty and entertaining, to the downright bizarre. Although these shots are just pictures of professional models, they often depict relationship goals for real couples. This simple trick might elevate your feelings to the new level and make your feelings much deeper. Motto: Sounding more like a police force motto, these sound like core values from any serious partnership Popular culture crops up time and again as the public come up with humorous words of advice.
What should you work on to become happier in your relationship? Forget it: For those not involved in a relationship , this is a simply piece of advice to follow Celebrities are often seen as role models when it comes to relationships and such trends are not lost on the Twitter population. Like many Twitter hashtags, it's not clear what sparked the deluge of relationship advice, but there have been hundreds posting their wisdom every hour. Of course, it relies on the reader knowing the crustaceans supposedly only mate with just one other lobster during their lifetimes. . . .
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Vick is proving to be a point of controversy early in his Jets tenure.
want Michael Vick on the football field. Vick, previously convicted in a federal dogfighting conspiracy investigation, is the subject of a petition at SUNY Cortland. Since 2009, Cortland has been the offseason home of the Jets. This year a petition with around 1500 signatures states that Michael Vick is not welcome to join the team at camp.
How could Vick help the Jets in 2014?
The petition which was submitted to the president of SUNY Cortland was very strongly worded, calling Vick a "monster and a disgrace". It elaborates by stating that "If we welcome Vick onto our campus, we are complicit in his crimes". A picture of a mauled dog accompanied the petition.
It was inevitable that there would be some of this type of reaction when the Jets brough Vick into the fold. Although he served his time, the brutal nature of dogfighting elicits a strong response from fans and society in general. A large market like New York only serves to magnify the attention of individuals and groups who believe that Vick's punishment was not as severe as his crime warranted.
There had already been some negative attention on the Jets as PETA and celebrities including ESPN's Michelle Beadle panned the signing of Vick. It seems likely that this type of protest will continue for as long as Vick remains in the NFL. So far, his return has brought mixed results on the field. He was electric in 2010 and 2011 before two disappointing and injury riddled seasons in '12 and '13.
The Jets are used to dealing with sideshows when it comes to quarterbacks. Mark Sanchez was panned for his participation in New York nightlife and his infamous GQ appearance. Tim Tebow got tremendous media attention just by being himself, despite the fact that he barely made it onto the field as a Jet. It is yet to be seen if anything more will come of the petition in Cortland, but Vick and the Jets will have to prepare themselves for more backlash from animal lovers.
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Is it a good time to buy an SSD (solid state drive)?
Afraid to use your credit/debit card online? There’s an app for that!
We’ve all heard about the dangers of using your credit cards on-line. Someone can steal the number, forge the card, and you’ll have to work hard to dispute tens of charges and waste a lot of energy, and may be some money. Not to mention the potential identity theft when you provide your billing address everywhere, etc.
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UBS ETF In order to proceed, you must confirm that you are an institutional investor based in Spain.
The fund generally invests in stocks contained in the MSCI Canada Index. The relative weightings of the companies correspond to their weightings in the index.
The investment objective is to replicate the price and return performance of the MSCI Canada Index net of fees. The stock exchange price may differ from the net asset value.
Provides access to the performance of the index with a single transaction.
Optimised risk/return profile thanks to a broad diversification across a range of sectors.
For marketing and information purposes by UBS. UBS funds under Luxembourg law. CNMV registration number: 1501. Representative in Spain for UBS funds established under foreign law: UBS Europe SE, sucursal en España, MARÍA DE MOLINA, 4, E-28006 MADRID. Prospectuses, simplified prospectuses or Key investor information, the articles of association or the management regulations as well as annual and semi-annual reports of UBS funds are available free of charge from UBS Europe SE, sucursal en España, MARÍA DE MOLINA Nº 4, 28006 MADRID / AVENIDA DIAGONAL Nº 640, 2º A, E-08017 BARCELONA / FERNÁNDEZ Y GONZÁLEZ Nº 2, PLANTA PRINCIPAL, E-41001 SEVILLA / C/ROGER DE LAURIA Nº 7, 1ª PLANTA, 46002 VALENCIA / COSO Nº 33, 5º A, 50003 ZARAGOZA, CANTÓN PEQUEÑO 15, 4º, 15003 A CORUÑA. The fund documentation is available free of charge in English and, where relevant, in one of the local language(s) where the fund is registered. Before investing in a product please read the latest prospectus carefully and thoroughly. Units of UBS funds mentioned herein may not be eligible for sale in all jurisdictions or to certain categories of investors and may not be offered, sold or delivered in the United States. The information mentioned herein is not intended to be construed as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any securities or related financial instruments. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. The performance shown does not take account of any commissions and costs charged when subscribing to and redeeming units. Commissions and costs have a negative impact on performance. If the currency of a financial product or financial service is different from your reference currency, the return can increase or decrease as a result of currency fluctuations. This information pays no regard to the specific or future investment objectives, financial or tax situation or particular needs of any specific recipient. The details and opinions contained in this document are provided by UBS without any guarantee or warranty and are for the recipient's personal use and information purposes only. This document may not be reproduced, redistributed or republished for any purpose without the written permission of UBS AG. Source for all data and charts (if not indicated otherwise): UBS Asset Management © UBS 2019. The key symbol and UBS are among the registered and unregistered trademarks of UBS. All rights reserved.
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How does a Roth Solo 401(k) work? Think of it as a standard Solo 401(k) with an added Roth account. The magic word is Roth. You have the chance to make tax-exempt withdrawals from this 401(k) for retirement, in the manner of a Roth IRA.
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Google Stock Split History Alphabet split its stock once before, in March 2014. There were some interesting reasons for that split (more on that below), but first things first.
3/29/2016 · A stock split is a procedure that increases or decreases a corporation's total number of shares outstanding without altering the firm's market value or the proportionate ownership interest of existing shareholders.
Google Stock Split FAQ Bloomberg Tradebook March 27, 2014 On January 29, 2014, Google approved the issuance of a Class C stock dividend and set a March 27 record date.
Alphabet Stock Split: Will the Google Parent Ever Split Again?
2/3/2014 · Now, almost two years and a settled shareholder lawsuit later — and with Google stock trading at $1,133 — there is a timeline for when the stock split will take effect.
4/2/2018 · This stock split calculator is capable for calculating both forward stock split, and reverse stock split. This application can also tell you that how much of your stock the company will buyback from you in lieu of money. (the amount of fractional stocks left after a stock split).
A stock split is a change in the number of shares outstanding The Impact Of Stock Splits On Options Contracts: such as Google Chrome. Stock Trainer uses real markets and their data to help beginners make their first steps in the world of stock investment.
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0.976102 |
The positions can be assigned within the following subjects: General Linguistics, English Language and Linguistics, Cognitive Semiotics and Scandinavian Languages. Please state in the application which subject it concerns.
Cognitive semiotics is the study of meaning making writ large, as it is conveyed and simultaneously structured by all kinds of sign vehicles including language, gestures, and pictures, and as it manifests itself in consciousness, perception, and action, even outside of directly communicative contexts.
Cognitive semiotics investigates the properties of our meaningful interactions with the surroundings across all domains of the natural as well as social world. It integrates perspectives, methods, and insights from cognitive science, cognitive linguistics, semiotics, and other human sciences placing signs and sign use as well as other meaning vehicles into a wider context of cognitive, social, and neurobiological processes. In its investigations of the relations between body and mind, cognitive semiotics entertains a close relationship to philosophy, psychology, and biology. Its methodology ranges from phenomenological analysis to experimental studies, integrating first-, second- and third-person methodologies. It investigates wide-ranging theoretical issues bearing on the nature of different kinds of meaning, their connections and the way they develop through history, evolution, and childhood.
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0.984393 |
The realization of the conservative two-party system is an idea put forward by ozawa and other conservative politicians. But the idea has not worked out well. After the establishment of the new progressive party, it formed a confrontation pattern with the liberal Democratic Party, but this pattern was soon disintegrated due to the defeat of the new progressive party in the 1996 general election. In the 1998 upper house election, the liberal Democratic Party was defeated by the liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party was defeated by the Democratic Party. In 2003, the merger of the Democratic Party and the liberal party and the reduction of seats of the Japanese communist party and the social Democratic Party objectively promoted the formation of the pattern of the two major political parties. The Democratic Party of Japan won the house election in 2009, bringing about the political transition between the democratic and democratic parties, which became a major turning point in Japan's post-war politics.
After the end of the cold war, with the disintegration of the "1955 system" in which conservative parties confronted with innovative parties, a new type of conservative party with the goal of establishing a conservative two-party system emerged. Among them, the new progressive party and the Democratic Party of Japan successively played an extremely important role in constructing the competitive party political pattern in Japan. In essence, the two parties have not weakened the conservative political ideas at all. The fundamental difference between the two parties and traditional conservative parties is that they always take the promotion of political reform, regime change and the realization of the conservative two-party system as the party's purpose. Their conception and practice of the conservative two-party system in Japan have completely changed the party political structure and pattern in Japan since the second world war and are exerting a profound influence on the political development of Japan in the 21st century.
Political parties are inseparable from the parliamentary system and the electoral system, which is an important bridge between the government and citizens and the main form of "political democracy". In other words, political parties, as a power subject in bourgeois democracy, play and maintain their political roles through continuous fierce elections. "In Japan, the monopoly bourgeoisie, the chaebol manipulate the election, control the parliament, control the legislation, and hold the power of the government, usually through political parties." In the "1955 system" period, the "conservative" and "innovative" political forces represented by the liberal Democratic Party and the socialist party formed a confrontation situation corresponding to the cold war pattern at that time, and this political mechanics maintained the super-stable situation of Japanese politics. The "1955 system" is an "asymmetric" opposition formed according to the ideological orientation of political parties. Conservative parties have always existed as the ruling party, while innovative parties have long been in the opposition of non-ruling parties. They can only supervise the government and contain the activities of the ruling party, which is called the "opposition party for thousands of years". In fact, the "1955 system" is the unique pattern of Japanese party politics in which conservative parties remain in power for a long time and innovative parties remain in opposition for a long time.
With the end of the cold war between the east and the west, Japan's domestic political situation began to change, and the old opposition between "conservative" and "innovative" due to ideological division gradually disappeared, which not only changed the basic political structure of the "1955 system", but also launched Japan's overall conservative process. After the LDP fell in 1993, Japan's opposition parties had a chance to govern. In addition to the communist party, the socialist party, the new komeito party and the social Democratic Party all entered the multi-party coalition regime. The traditional opposition forces gradually dissolve the policy boundary with the conservative party while realizing the ruling desire. In particular, on some domestic policies, the differences between the government and the opposition are narrowing and the opinions are converging, which in fact leads to the expansion of conservative political forces. At the same time, with the establishment of Japan's status as an economic power, people's living standards have been improved correspondingly, and the middle class has been expanding continuously. Japanese society has shown the trend of "life conservatism", and people generally agree with the economic prosperity brought by the ruling of conservative parties and hope to maintain a stable political situation. This kind of political consciousness is the carrier of Japanese politics in general.
However, while Japanese society agrees with the conservative political line of the liberal Democratic Party, it is disgusted with the serious corruption caused by its "golden power politics". Therefore, the neoconservative forces represented by ichiro ozawa, once the powerful figure of the LDP, began to plan "political restructuring" and advocate "political reform". "So what is the political system that ozawa envisions? He himself had a very direct answer: 'with political reform... Trying to create a two-party system... 'and' stronger leaders must be established among them. He articulated the need for a us-style, efficient "two-party conservative system". This is the self-improvement and self-abandonment of Japan's conservative forces. It is an innovation of the concept of abandoning the "1955 system" which is no longer suitable for the development of The Times and seeking to explore Japan's brand-new political party model.
The so-called conservative two-party system refers to the political system in which two evenly matched parties representing different interest groups of the bourgeoisie confront each other and take turns to take power through the victory of parliamentary elections or presidential elections. Usually, in the regular elections, the two parties compete for each other. Among them, the party that controls the majority of seats in the parliament ACTS as the supreme representative of the interests of the bourgeoisie, organizes the government, and exercises state power. The party that loses an election is called an opposition party, an opposition party, or a non-ruling party. This is exactly the conservative "two-party confrontation" or "two-party competition system" that ozawa aspires to establish in his 1993 book "Japan reform plan", to replace the "two-party confrontation" mode of the conservative and innovative two different parties under the "1955 system". Considered itself as the "reformists" ichiro ozawa believes that after the end of the cold war, Japan's political system to change in the past, the first thing to change under the condition of the cold war form of traditional party politics, change the ruling and opposition parties long-term status quo mechanics of political relations, realize from confrontation "leather" to "bao bao united" the transition of political party system, establish the real conservative two-party system.
Ozawa, who takes the realization of the conservative two-party system as his political ideal, pointed out in "innovative politics" : "it is impossible to carry out reform under the national character and national conditions of Japan without accumulating strength and energy within the system. So, as far as possible, among the people who have been supporting the system, expand the number of people who have the same reform aspirations, or the same understanding, and use that strength to turn to reform together. A coalition of like-minded neoconservative parties would form a powerful new one. But the establishment of a new conservative party with a majority in parliament is not Mr Ozawa's ultimate political ideal. Because, "as the international situation changed, Japan came under external pressure. Recognizing the severity of external pressure and hoping to establish a political system capable of responding and dealing with it effectively are the most fundamental foundation of ozawa's political reform proposals. "One of the main themes of political reform," he says, "is the establishment of a new system in which the prime minister literally rules and leads politics." Because "the tendency of the world today is for leaders to speak more and more. Because in modern world politics, the leader's personality is of great significance. To that end, Mr Ozawa has made clear that Japan needs a conservative two-party system to ensure that politicians dominate domestic and foreign affairs. Because "Japan has become a world power" and "cannot escape its role as a great power", Japan has the obligation to "contribute to the world" and become an "ordinary country" equal to other developed countries. It can be said that ozawa's political conception of realizing the conservative two-party system internally and "ordinary country" externally in the Japan reform plan is not only the political pursuit of the Japanese neoconservative forces, but also reflects the ideological trend of Japan's political reform after the cold war. "The Times call for a renewal of Japan's closed society," the commentary in the Japanese media said, so the onus as leader of the ruling and opposition parties "is greater than ever for politicians."
Ozawa, who takes "political reform" as his mission, believes that to reform the current political system as soon as possible, "political reform must be based on the majority decision and the political parties' policy disputes to promote politics". Ozawa in "Japan reform plan", a comprehensive elaboration of his governing philosophy. He advocated changing the administrative system dominated by bureaucrats, implementing the reform of the electoral system and promoting the establishment of a conservative two-party system. He believed that the current political system was still established in the cold war environment, and it must be reformed, and it must be freed from the "irresponsible politics" of the clientelism and non-competitive party system to realize the true conservative two-party system. With the defeat of the LDP and the socialists, the two main parties in the "1955 system", the new party and the new generation and forerunners, which split from the LDP, won. Taking this as a starting point, Japan's party politics has entered a new historical stage. "The realization of the 'two-party system' has been ozawa's political ideal and goal for many years, and this pursuit is in line with the majority of the national views on the changing direction of the political party system model", and has also been highly concerned by political scholars. "The change in Japanese politics is a gradual move towards the goal of a 'two-party system,'" one scholar said. On the way to achieve the two major conservative party system, seiji maehara, a representative of the democratic youth faction, made it clear that: "to create the possibility of regime change with the goal of two major party politics, our first task is to have the power. And Mr Ozawa, kan, hatoyama and katsuya okada, the Democratic Party's core, as early as the summer of 1993, established the pursuit of "regime alternation" big goals, specific the LDP coalition of hosokawa and haneda cabinet disintegration of experiment, the new frontier party struggle with the defeated, the rise of democratic development phase, the forces of the liberal Democratic Party restructuring of polymerization has been through more than ten years. It can be said that the rise of new conservative parties, such as the new progressive party and the Democratic Party of Japan, means that the conservative forces in the Japanese political party structure increase greatly, which leads to a qualitative change in the Japanese political party structure, and forms the political ecological environment in which the Japanese political situation evolves to the conservative two-party system.
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0.999982 |
Where did tabata come from?
Tabata training (also called Tabata protocol) is a type of HIIT (high-intensity interval training). It originated in the research of Japanese scientist Dr. Izumi Tabata and his team from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports at Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, on high-intensity exercise during the early 1990s. Their objective was to find out if short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by shorter rests might condition the body better than a continuous moderate-intensity exercise.
To determine this, they worked with two test groups—one doing moderately intense exercise and the other high-intense. Moderate-intensity exercising consisted of a one-hour workout, five days a week, for six weeks. The high-intensity exercising consisted of a four-minute workout, four days a week, for six weeks; each workout consisted of eight sets of 20 seconds of exercise at maximum effort each followed by a 10-second rest. To do the math: (8 x 20) + (8 x 10) = 240 seconds (4 minutes).
The results of the study showed that the moderate-intensity workouts improved the aerobic (or cardiovascular) fitness of test subjects but did little anaerobically (that is, in muscle strengthening). The high-intensity workouts, on the other hand, benefited the test subjects more significantly both aerobically and anaerobically, which, evidently, was due to the unbalanced exercise-to-rest ratio. The reasoning behind this is that a shorter period of rest in between longer periods of intense exercise during a workout does not allow the body to fully recover. By the second half of the workout, the body is forced to work at maximum capacity physiologically, causing the heart to pump faster and the rate of metabolism to increase. In the end, the high-intensity routine builds endurance and muscle, and burns lots of calories—and it only takes four minutes of pushing yourself to the absolute limit four or five days a week. Hence, we have the popularity of the Tabata 20-10 workout (20 seconds of exercise, 10 of rest—and repeat).
Tabata has evolved since the 1990s, not in execution, but in the exercises that are incorporated in training. They are now more intense than pedaling a stationary bike at full speed, which was the main exercise in Dr. Tabata's research. Nowadays, a combination of advanced exercises—such as burpees, medicine ball slams, lunges, and kettlebell swings—are performed at maximum effort, making the 4-minute session of self-inflicted torture that much more intense.
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0.979778 |
summary : In an emotional blog post from singer Rory Feek Saturday entitled "when I'm gone," he for the first time shared that he and his wife, popular vocalist Joey Feek of their bluegrass country singing duo Joey+Rory, acknowledged she's truly dying and they needed to start saying goodbye. "I’d like to tell you that she’s doing great and is going to beat this thing. But I can’t," penned Rory, as he revealed Joey's pain and discomfort has increased daily and the morphine dosage needed to help her comfort has had to be quadrupled in the last four days.
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0.989601 |
Testing Distributed Systems at 1000+ node Scale for the Cost of a Large Pizza, and yes, on AWS!
One of the main challenges that faces software engineers is properly testing code before releasing it to users. Those challenges are compounded further when the software is run across hundreds or thousands of machines at the same time, while communicating and coordinating with one another. Many distributed systems for "big data" are designed to scale horizontally, but until someone really invests the time and resources into testing them in a real environment, it's difficult to tell up to what number the implementation will actually scale to. This is due to various types bottlenecks which may be tough to uncover during small-scale testing. Many times the users are stressing the systems to their limits well before developers are able to verify how far the systems can be pushed.
So why don't developers just build large clusters and test their deployments well before the users? It all comes to down to time and money. Provisioning clusters with thousands of nodes is expensive and time consuming. Many companies will hire several full-time engineers in order to maintain a single cluster. Many engineering teams simply don’t have the resources available to them to install, launch, and test their software on thousands of nodes on a regular basis. The maintainers of Alluxio have done our best to mitigate this so that we can test and fully vet all features at scale before release.
For the uninitiated, Alluxio is an open-source virtual distributed file system that provides a unified data access layer for big data and machine learning applications in hybrid and multi-cloud deployments. Alluxio enables distributed compute engines like Spark, Presto or Machine Learning frameworks like TensorFlow to transparently access different persistent storage systems (including HDFS, S3, Azure and etc) while actively leveraging in-memory cache to accelerate data access.
Most scaling problems that Alluxio users face are typically not related to the size of data stored in Alluxio. Rather, many issues are due to the metadata size (which are proportional to the number of files and directories) and overhead of executing some operations when there is a large number of workers. For the maintainers here, the focus of the scalability test is to verify the correctness of features and measure performance of certain operations after launching lots of Alluxio workers and inserting a lot of files/directories.
To simulate large clusters without the need to launch hundreds or thousands public-cloud instances, we launch multiple docker containers from the alluxio image on a single EC2 instance. This saves cost and time compared to launching a second Alluxio worker on a second instance. Launching multiple workers per cloud instance also allows us to squeeze as many of the resources out of the instances as possible. By carefully selecting the instance types it is possible to fit as many as 100 Alluxio workers on a single instance! Each worker gets access to its own small ramdisk which can be anywhere 64MB-256MB in size. With this configuration the entire footprint of an Alluxio worker typically stays within ~1.2GB of RAM including the ramdisk. With the help of some automation tools we are able to deploy and tear down 1000-worker clusters in less than 15 minutes.
We do not, however, containerize the master process. It exists on its own EC2 instance separate from workers similar to a real environment. Even with containerized workers it is still possible to capture information about the performance of the master in this architecture. Mainly, it is still possible record the performance of metadata operations through the master which are critical to the overall performance of Alluxio and its ability to handle thousands of concurrent clients.
It turned out non-trivial to implement such testing infrastructures on public clouds like AWS to support thousand-worker clusters. We faced and addressed quite a few challenges including socket port assignment, DNS configuration, container footprint and memory constraints, configuration tuning for Alluxio service and also the operating systems. The Challenges, Results, and Future Work These are covered in other sections in the full length Technical White Paper. including Challenges, Results, and Future Work.
Hope the approaches described in this paper can help you save some $$, a lot more than the cost of a large pizza!
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0.999791 |
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM at 18mm (29mm eq.), f/8.0, 2.5s, ISO 100.
The Canon Rebel T7i was announced alongside the EOS 77D and shares many features with its larger, more expensive sibling. It offers the same 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor as its predecessor, however, the T7i is the first DSLR in Canon's Rebel lineup to include the DIGIC 7 image processor, which allows the new camera to offer a wider ISO range than the T6i. This new Rebel camera is straddling the line between being an entry-level or enthusiast DSLR more than ever. How does the new T7i handle in the real world?
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM at 50mm (80mm eq.), f/5.6, 1/200s, ISO 100.
An aspect of the T7i that makes it feel more entry-level than enthusiast is its handling: no twin dial controls. That is not to say that the T7i doesn't feel good to use because it does. Its front grip is chunky and comfortable and the buttons and dials all feel nice and responsive. The Canon Rebel T7i has a normal DSLR design, although it isn't a big DSLR. It weighs 17.1 ounces (485 grams) body only and has dimensions of 5.2 x 3.9 x 3.0 inches (131 x 100 x 76 millimeters).
The T7i has an interesting command dial set-up, with the sole command dial being located on the top deck of the camera. The dial has a toothed, grippy texture and rotates well, offering distinct feedback and allowing precise settings changes. When you want to shoot in manual mode and control both shutter speed and aperture, the dial controls shutter speed unless you press the Av/exposure compensation button on the back of the camera while rotating the dial, which then adjusts aperture.
Other buttons on the top deck of the camera include autofocus area mode, ISO and display buttons. The ISO button has a raised bump on it, so you can tell which button it is (and thereby the buttons on either side of it as well) without having to look; I like this a lot. Having the ISO button there is great, in general, because it places all exposure controls within reach of your right hand.
On the rear of the camera, there is an excellent articulating touchscreen display. The 1,040,000-dot touchscreen LCD is very versatile and works well even in bright light thanks to its tilt/swivel design. The viewfinder offers 95 percent coverage and 0.51x magnification (35mm eq.). It's a bit disappointing that the viewfinder doesn't offer full frame coverage, but that is not unusual for an entry-level DSLR.
Overall, the T7i feels nice to use and has a good design. Its button layout is generally user-friendly and the touchscreen is particularly excellent.
With its 24.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor (1.6x focal length multiplier), the Canon Rebel T7i can capture good images right in the camera. Its sensor produces images with good detail, although there is some noise reduction being applied even at low ISOs that can reduce very fine details.
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM at 29mm (46mm eq.), f/8.0, 1/6s, ISO 100.
Dynamic range has not always been a strong suit for Canon cameras, but the T7i performs well in this regard. The RAW files have good flexibility when recovering highlight and shadow detail. I was also impressed by its color reproduction at default settings. One aspect of the image quality that I don't like is how much contrast is applied to JPEG images in-camera at default settings -- it is excessive and removes some shadow detail. This can be adjusted, of course, so it is not a big deal. It's also a matter of personal taste.
The T7i records images from ISO 100 to 25600 natively, but it can expand to ISO 51200. Unsurprisingly, given its sensor size, ISO 51200 is basically useless, I feel. However, the camera still performs well at other high ISO settings. While I was going to mention it later, now is as good a time as any to point out that the T7i's auto white balance tends toward bluer tones, as you can see in the ISO charts below. It's not a big issue, especially if you shoot RAW, but it is worth pointing out.
RAW images look good at ISO 100, as expected. Minimal processing can bring out quite a bit of fine detail here. In fact, through ISO 800, the T7i produces nice, easy to work with RAW files. The visible noise becomes much more apparent at ISO 1600, but it is manageable. ISO 3200 sees the sensor introduce quite a bit more noise, and ISO 6400 will require careful noise reduction processing and selective sharpening to bring out the best the file can offer. Beyond ISO 6400, the noise is excessive, shadow detail is lost, and the camera fails to capture much detail. Like most cameras, the extended ISO 51200 setting is not useful.
When considering JPEG images straight from the camera, images at ISO 100 and 200 are similarly sharp and detailed. At ISO 400, when viewing the images at full size, you can see a very slight drop in detail, but this wouldn't impact image quality unless making large prints. At ISO 800, detail drops a bit again, but images still look good. ISO 1600 is where noise starts becoming noticeable, but images still look quite good and have sufficient detail for many uses. ISO 3200 is considerably softer, but still usable for smaller prints. Noise is very visible in JPEGs shot at ISO 6400 and fine details are lost due to noise reduction. Beyond ISO 6400, images get very soft as the camera must perform a lot of noise reduction. ISO 25600 and 51200 are particularly bad with no visible fine detail and considerable blotchiness; they're not worth using, in my opinion.
Overall, despite some aggressive contrast using the default automatic Picture Control setting, the T7i produces nice images straight from the camera. Images are detailed and sharp through ISO 800 and quite good through ISO 3200, allowing for considerable flexibility while shooting in different situations.
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM at 135mm (216mm eq.), f/5.6, 1/200s, ISO 250.
The Canon Rebel T7i is the first Rebel camera to include a 45-point, all-cross-type autofocus system. Of the 45 AF points, 27 of them support f/8 (9 cross-type), the rest support f/5.6 aperture lenses. This means that 27 points would work well even when using teleconverters on slower lenses, which is great for wildlife and sports shooters looking for extra reach.
Overall, I found that when shooting through the optical viewfinder, phase-detect autofocus was quick and accurate. I had no complaints with how the autofocus system worked, although on the usability side of things, changing the autofocus point location is slightly tedious on the T7i. To change the AF point, you must press the dedicated AF select button to the right of the thumb grip and then use the directional buttons to move the point around. If you want to change the autofocus area mode itself, there's a dedicated button on the top deck of the camera you can press to cycle through modes. It's not a bad setup, but it isn't quite as fast or as direct as some other DSLRs I've used.
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM at 50mm (80mm eq.), f/8.0, 1/4s, ISO 100.
When using Live View, autofocus changes and the camera utilizes Canon's excellent Dual Pixel CMOS AF system. The T7i is the first Rebel camera to offer this focusing system. By default, it is set to Face + Tracking and you can also use Smooth Zone AF or Live 1-Point AF, and you change these settings through the Q menu on the touchscreen rather than using the dedicated focus buttons. Using the touchscreen for moving focus points is great -- really quick and convenient. Live View autofocus performance is impressive for a DSLR, proving to be fast and accurate, much faster than non-Dual Pixel CMOS AF cameras have been in my experience.
Speaking of the touchscreen, it should be noted that if you press the autofocus buttons while shooting through the viewfinder, the display will come on and you can use the touchscreen to move focus points around.
Overall, the Rebel T7i, thanks to its new autofocus features, is a quick-focusing DSLR and certainly faster and more sophisticated than either the T6i or T6s cameras I tested last year.
Relying on a 7,560-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor divided into 63 segments, the T7i meters exposure quite well most of the time. I found that it tended to underexpose, but that isn't unusual. Exposure compensation is available up to +/- 5 EV, and there's a dedicated button you can hold while rotating the top command dial to quickly adjust compensation. Metering modes include evaluative (linked to all autofocus points), center-weighted, partial and spot. However, the spot metering is not linked to the active autofocus point.
The T7i has a shutter speed range of 30 seconds to 1/4000s. It has an Auto ISO mode as well, which works pretty well but isn't customizable beyond selecting a maximum allowable ISO.
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM at 18mm (29mm eq.), f/5.6, 1/250s, ISO 100.
Continuing their DIGIC 7 rollout, the Canon Rebel T7i is now the first Rebel-series model with this latest-generation chip. The faster processor results in very good overall performance for a consumer DSLR with notable improvements over its predecessor, the T6i.
Looking first at continuous shooting speeds, the T7i can record RAW and JPEG images at about six frames per second. Compared to the T6i, this is over a frame per second faster. While that gain is good, the increase in buffer depth is more impressive. The T6i topped out at just six RAW frames. The T7i quadruples that with a 24-frame buffer depth. The buffer is only three seconds slower to clear despite capturing four times the number of RAW images.
The T7i is also faster to start up to first shot, about a half second improvement over its predecessor -- great for a consumer DSLR. Focus speeds are very good for an entry-level DSLR as well, nearing professional DSLR speeds.
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM at 24mm (38mm eq.), f/4.0, 1/80s, ISO 640.
In addition to the standard program auto, aperture priority, shutter speed priority and full manual shooting modes, the T7i offers a good Scene Intelligent Auto mode and a variety of creative shooting options. There's also a Creative Auto mode which allows you to create ambience-based shots by selecting one of the following settings: Standard, Vivid, Soft, Warm, Intense, Cool, Brighter, Darker and Monochrome. On the mode dial, there are also specific portrait, landscape, close-up and sports modes. There is a scene mode, which includes: Group photo, Kids, Food, Candlelight, Night Portrait, Handheld Night Scene and HDR backlight control. Further, there's a Creative Filter mode. The filters available are: Grainy B/W, Soft focus, Fish-eye effect, Water painting effect, Toy camera effect, Miniature effect, HDR art standard, HDR art vivid, HDR art bold and HDR art embossed.
In all its modes, the T7i does a lot of handholding by default, which could be redundant for experienced shooters, but very useful for beginners. For example, when shooting in aperture priority (Av) mode, the camera shows a diagram for your aperture. On the left, there's an illustration showing a blurred background and on the right, where the aperture is smaller, it shows the background being sharper. When shooting shutter speed priority mode, the illustrations show blurred versus frozen motion as you move your shutter speed from a slower speed to faster. This information is overkill for someone who has shot in these modes a lot, but are nice and illustrative for new photographers or those trying manual modes for the first time. The camera also warns you when manual settings won't deliver what it considers to be the intended results. If there isn't enough light for your current settings, the camera will warn you that the image will be underexposed.
Using the Canon Camera Connect app on a compatible smart device, you can connect to the Canon Rebel T7i via Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth. The connection process is straightforward. Once connected, you can transfer images and remotely control the camera.
Screenshots from Canon Camera Connect application on iOS.
The remote control functionality itself is impressive. Not only can you adjust a lot of settings on the smart device, the app recognizes changes made on the camera body itself without requiring you to reestablish the connection. The live view image sometimes freezes for a short time before starting back up, but this is a minor annoyance in the grand scheme of things.
The Rebel T7i can capture nice video, but its resolution does top out at 1920 x 1080. It can record at up to 60 frames per second in normal video recording modes, which is good, although additional fast or slow-motion video recording would be welcome.
I like that the camera has a dedicated movie record button and that the touchscreen display can be used quietly and quickly to move the focus point. The Dual Pixel CMOS AF pays dividends as well -- the autofocus performance is impressive.
The T7i can record video in a variety of modes, including full manual mode, which is nice. But the camera also includes a few special video recording modes. There is an in-camera time-lapse movie mode, which produces a 30fps output, and there's an HDR movie mode. The HDR movie mode doesn't offer the stark difference that an HDR photo does compared to a single image, but it could be useful in high-contrast scenes. The way that the HDR movie mode works is that the camera records at 60 frames per second, but combines every two frames into a single frame, leading to a final output of 30fps.
The Rebel T7i includes a microphone jack, which is nice for users looking to capture better audio than the built-in stereo mic can record. There is also composite video out and an HDMI connection.
Overall, video quality from the T7i is good thanks to generally reliable automatic exposure, autofocus performance and a useful array of video recording modes.
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM at 18mm (29mm eq.), f/8.0, 3.2s, ISO 100.
The Canon Rebel T7i brings several improvements over its predecessor, including better autofocus and higher overall performance. The camera can capture nice images, and it is very user-friendly, making the Rebel T7i is an appealing option for photographers looking for a good entry-level DSLR.
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM at 76mm (122mm eq.), f/8.0, 2s, ISO 100.
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0.916028 |
If a and b are positive integers, is a/b<9/11 ?
C BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
Is x < 0 ?
The only gift certificates that a certain store sold yesterday were worth either $100 each or $10 each. If the store sold a total of 20 gift certificates yesterday,how many gift certificates worth $10 each did the store sell yesterday?
(1) The gift certificates sold by the store yesterday were worth a total of between $1,650 and$1,800.
(2) Yesterday the store sold more than 15 gift certificates worth $100 each.
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0.926731 |
What other Sims games do you play?
I never played Sims1 and found Sims2 at the Pets EP, but I was a huge fan of SimCity back in the day (doughnut strategy works every time) and I loved SimCity 3000. I tried SimCity 4 and the regions thing just baffled me.
I also was quite addicted to SimTower, though the blasted escalators beat me every time and I never reached 100 floors.
I tried Sims Medieval, but it didn't really hold my interest.
What other Sims games (apart from Sims2 and Sims3) have you played and would you recommend them?
Sim Tower was a great game at the time.
Sims Medieval was ok, but kinda lacking.
TS3, but we all know how I feel about that game.
MySims, a great idea but very repetative and kinda shallow.
I did SimTower, and liked that too. The trick to reaching the 100th floor was NOT to use escalators... One could only build like 50 escalators or so, but you'd need at least three or four between every two floors to get things really going. The trick was to use way more elevators.
SimCity 4 isn't too hard... the trick with zoning is: you don't simply build factories, shops, offices and residences; in stead you define the areas where those buildings may be placed, and the sims themselves build what they need using each area (or zone) for the type of buildings you've decreed there.
I've had one world where first the Reptilians evolved into a sentient society, developed space travel and left, and then several ten-thousands of years later, Avians did the same, followed by the Mammals even later. One world, generating an Exodus three times.
Not much else on the Sim front, until I got my hands on Sims 2, which happened around the time AL was just released.
I played Sims Medieval for a few weeks but it didn't hold my interest much longer than that.
I loved Sims 2 Castaway though. Going through the little story was FUN. Very easy gameplay, but charming and funny and just... fun. I liked that it was different from regular Sims 2. Can't go spear fishing and play with orangutans in regular Sims 2! I even put my own sims and some CC in the free play neighbourhood. The gameplay is limited, but it's fun to see my fave simmies doing Castaway activities. And if you have a good graphics card, the water in it is spectacular. Haven't done so in a long time but I'll still fire it up once in a while to mess around in that free-play 'hood.
Well, I have been following the new SimCity site - it is looking really exciting.
Before I saw that video, I actually thought "New SimCity? What the hell for, actually?" But now this video is playing tricks, changing my mind! Looks good!
Well, the online stuff is a serious concern for me. Why?
This means you are depending on EA to keep the server up to play.
I agree completely with you, Lee, and also for exactly the same reasons! If I'm required to be online just to be able to play it, then they can put their game in a place where the sun never shines!
fanseelamb;10742 Wrote: I loved Sims 2 Castaway though. Going through the little story was FUN. Very easy gameplay, but charming and funny and just... fun.
leefish;10762 Wrote: Well, the online stuff is a serious concern for me. Why?
Especially since EA has been closing servers left and right lately. This online connection idea needs to die, seriously.
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ourselves, we want it for our children, those vulnerable satellites of our hearts that we send, unsteady, into the world. The other, who had work that required her to travel, had a full-time nanny who stayed with the family for years. One of blos major features is the high-tech lighting that has an incredible effect of the mood of the club.
The buildings are so astonishingly tall and eye-catching. My children are no longer babies, and the women who helped me raise them, both the people I hired and the women from the playground, have moved. Summarize the text: Main Idea. She was president of her neighborhood organization and a member of five social clubs.
And I think as a result, we are actually setting them up for long-term failure Politics Why Vote? Life and, death, why Modern Life Feels Rather Undead by Chuck Klosterman. m, ml (accessed October 10, 2018). This is an alchemy that works for working parents. We x27;ve chosen 16 of our favorite photo essays of the year. But she and her sister had come on visitor visas. But by all visible signs, I was wrong. We pass them on sidewalks, sit across from them in the subway and in restaurants; we glimpse their lighted windows from our own lighted windows late at night. Whatever lay ahead now, could it be worse than starving or living as a parentless child in constant fear?
People looked proud and New Yorkers had strong loyalty to personal style and.
Appalachia photo essay Fifty years after LBJ declared a War on Poverty.
Photo by full-time Chicago nanny Vivian Maier, whose hobby was photography.
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Even though some people think that cavities only appear in children, that fact is that they appear throughout the course of life of an adult because of the various lifestyle choice that we make along with other factors. As people get older, their gums pull away from the teeth, thus exposit them to plaque, which in turn leads to cavities. Those who usually eat a lot of sugary products are more prone to developing cavities, because sugar leads to plaque build-up. Other people get cavities because they lack Calcium and other vitamins that normally strengthen your enamel.
How can I determine if I have a cavity?
Usually, one of the most obvious indicators that you have a cavity is if your tooth hurts, not necessarily in contact with a sudden temperature change. In these cases the infection has most likely reached a nerve and it should be treated as soon as possible to avoid other complications. Another symptom that you could be dealing with a cavity is sugar sensitivity. If a tooth hurts every time you eat a piece of chocolate or a caramel, you should make an appointment with a local dentist. Moreover, a frequent bad breath can also be an indicator of a hidden cavity, so if you still feel that you have a bad breath even soon after you have washed your teeth, you should consider it as a warning sign.
The treatment depends on the severity of the situation. If the cavity has extend to one of your nerves, you may need a root canal treatment, but if it is only on the surface of your tooth, a single visit to the dentist could solve it. This is why it is so important to go to the dentist once every six months, because he will be able to catch any problem from an early stage and the treatment will not be as stressful and time-consuming.
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Why is my monitor display distorted?
I have 3 computers at my business. in the last 2 months i've had different computer people look at the monitors. When you look at the screen there seems to be dark lines going across the screen. Really bad when working with auto cad. each system is a seperate computer. The only thing that has changed is they put a cell tower about 300 feet from my business. My employees are starting to get headaches. Please advise what to do.
Monitors these days operate using so little current, and have so little shielding, that the display can be distorted by any number of sources.
First, I'd look for any fans or transformers in the area A desk fan or printer power supply plugged in near the rear of a monitor can cause many different types of screen distortion Look especially for those "wall wart" type of plug-in supplies which seem to be about everywhere these days, especially ones which are rather large in size.
Don't forget to check the other side of the wall Plaster board will not shield against interference from a refrigerator motor or fan.
Next, I would relocate one of those machines and see if the problem disappears Sounds like it probably will.
Then I'd put the machine back in place and look in the phone book under your local municipality or county Most people don't know this, but there are usually departments which check out problems with radiation This includes all types of radiation, including interference from radio sources and power lines They will probably help you out.
If this doesn't pan out, call up the entity who installed that cell tower Complain loudly If the problem really occurred concurrently with the tower, it might just be your problem.
Also, try adjusting the refresh rate of your monitors Right click on the desktop, click properties, and adjust the frequency For reasons I never could understand, these things always default to 60 HZ, which plays off of fluorescent lighting and can give almost anybody headaches.
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A landmark scientific research paper entitled, The Treatment of Intermetatarsal Neuromas with 4% Alcohol Sclerosing Injections was published in the November/December 1999 issue of The Journal of Foot & Ankle Surgery. In this study, 100 adult patients with previously untreated intermetatarsal neuromas received three to seven injections of a 4% alcohol sclerosing solution every 5-10 days. No additional treatment was provided during the visits.
Table 1 shows the number of 4% ethyl alcohol injections performed.
Table 2 shows the number of cases presenting with single inter- space involvement.
Table 3 shows the total percentage of reported improvement noted by the patients at end of study.
In summary, The use of a series of 4% ethyl alcohol sclerosing solution showed an 89% success rate. Of the 89 patients that were improved, 82 had complete resolution of symptoms. The results of this prospective study indicate that the alcohol sclerosis treatment of intermetatarsal neuromas is a viable alternative to serial steroid injections or surgery for persistent symptoms.
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What is Steem Dollars ?
Steem Dollars ( SBD ) is a decentralized and open-source cryptocurrency that offers both private and transparent transaction types.
Steem Dollars payments are published on a public blockchain, but the sender, recipient, and amount of a transaction remain private.
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If your project needs just a little 'something' that will set it apart from already existing solutions, you're in the right place. But how can you integrate Machine Learning solutions into your products? There are two approaches to consider.
You can schedule a Machine Learning system within own resources or delegate the task to a third party. If you are not into producing your own AI solutions, you can consider using cloud services. One of the most popular tools used worldwide is the Google Cloud Platform.
Google Cloud offers various Machine Learning tools which can extend your project with AI components easily. It can be integrated into your existing projects without having to maintain and set up additional infrastructure. First of all, the most general one is called Machine Learning Cloud. You can build, store, and perform your own Machine Learning structures, like Neural Networks, Decision Trees, and Clustering Algorithms on it. The biggest advantage of using this technology is the ability to run complex calculations on strong CPUs and GPUs. This way, you don’t have to buy and maintain you own powerful servers.
Another advantage is payments. Building your own infrastructure requires bigger initial costs and continuous maintenance. With Google Cloud you just pay per usage, for example 1 hour of running complex calculations.
The next option would be a more specific solution, called Natural Language Processing Cloud. The service is dedicated to processing blocks of text and fetching various bunches of informations based on that. The biggest advantage of using NLP Cloud is that you don't have to define your own processing algorithms, for example Convolutional Neural Networks. The service brings its own huge database of already learnt words and that allows you to use the service immediately, without preparing any databases. This way you can discover various information about text blocks by simply calling an NLP cloud service.
If you need to apply the potential of Machine Learning to images, Computer Vision Cloud is just for you. The service allows you to recognize the meaning of image files. Similarly to NLP Cloud, you don't have to define your own algorithms there. Google comes with a trained model dedicated to recognizing objects in image files. Just call the Computer Vision Cloud service with an image attachment and collect information about the content inside.
Implementation - do we rely on our own "smart" algorithms or use available solutions?
Deployment - how do we want to push our Machine Learning infrastructure into testing and production environments?
Maintenance - how do we want to care of servers, performance, and security?
You don’t have to own machines with powerful CPUs and GPUs.
You pay for usage, not monthly, so it's best for testing or performing single tasks.
You can use predefined data structures to make predictions easier and faster in case of development.
You can use predefined data, so you don’t need to have much experience with Machine Learning techniques.
Google Cloud provides an API for Ruby and Python, which allows you to integrate cloud services with your application quickly.
Recognize main entities in a text block. By entities we mean the main keywords defining the meaning of the text.
Recognize the sentiment of a text block. By sentiment we mean some characteristic of specific keywords/sentences in text block. Sentiment can be positive, negative or neutral.
Syntax analysis - research the hierarchy of words in a text.
Create a sentiment recognizer. Within that you can measure if opinions, posts or publications point to optimistic, negative or pessimistic emotions.
Create an application which categorizes the given input. That could be a news categorizer or a tool to discover the topic of specific blog posts. It can be used to create a basic recommendation system.
Create an application which extracts context and the most important details from news/posts/given block of text.
The examples below show what the Google Cloud Vision API is capable of.
Label a picture with keywords describing its elements.
Validate content (searches for adult imagery, violence, and other unwanted content in the picture).
Detect faces and emotions in a picture.
Create an application which tries to collect, categorize, and sort images into meaningful groups.
Any type of application which needs face detection.
Application translating images into web search results.
Application analyzing visual properties of images (is the image light, dark, how about composition and contrast, low or high resolution of pictures).
Application which blocks improper content while browsing the web.
Recognition of people - at least not always. With the power of Google web search we were able to detect the Polish president, but this might not work with less popular people.
Application which rates "the prettiness" of photos. Machine Learning can determine a features of a photo, but it has no mind and cannot rate the quality or concept of photos.
Application which creates new pieces of art. The cloud service can bring you information about pictures, but cannot transform a photo into something new.
Depending on your case, you can decide between running your own development of Machine Learning or using a third party service, such as the Google Cloud API. The decision is yours. You should make it based on calculations and the future perspective. However, Google’s solution is always worth consider - it does magical things without extensive knowledge. Furthermore, it’s a great entry point for developing even more complex, custom models. Maybe that would be the perfect cure for your Machine Learning doubts?
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What happens when a female candidate enters the standoff in a high school locker room that is the US presidential election?
Donald Trump, who owned the Miss USA beauty pageant from 1996 to 2015, boasted that under his control ‘the bathing suits got smaller and the heels got higher.’ Before the 2005 contest, he said: ‘If you’re looking for a rocket scientist, don’t tune in tonight, but if you’re looking for a really beautiful woman, you should watch’. Trump frequently boasts of his sexual conquests and exploits, and there have been accusations made against him of sexual predation, one involving an underage girl: in June 2016 a federal lawsuit was filed by an anonymous ‘Jane Doe’, alleging that Trump raped her in 1994 when she was 13 years old. In 2007 he had plans to executive produce a reality show, ‘Lady or a Tramp’, in which ‘party girls’ would be sent to a ‘charm school where they would receive a stern course in debutante manners’.
Trump’s enthusiasm for the female form is matched by a profound revulsion for real women’s bodies. The lawyer Elizabeth Beck told CNN in July 2015 that she had to interrupt a meeting in 2011 to go and use her breast pump; a red-faced Trump stood up and accused her of being ‘disgusting’. Traumatised by a tense interview with Fox journalist Megyn Kelly, he told CNN (7 August 2015): ‘You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her... wherever.’ And on 21 December 2015, at a rally, he declared that Hillary Clinton making a brief bathroom visit during a commercial break in a debate was ‘too disgusting’ to talk about.
Full article: 1 432 words.
(1) Andrew Kaczynski, ‘Donald Trump said a lot of gross things about women on “Howard Stern”’, Buzzfeed.com, 24 February 2016.
(2) Steven Zeitchik, ‘Trump’s “Lady” comes to Fox’, Variety.com, 12 June 2007.
(3) Jackson Katz, Man Enough? Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and the Politics of Presidential Masculinity, Interlink, Northampton, 2016. Most of the anecdotes quoted here come from this book.
(4) See Stephen J Ducat, The Wimp Factor: Gender Gaps, Holy Wars & the Politics of Anxious Masculinity, Beacon Press, Boston, 2005.
(5) Hannah Levintova, ‘Even some men’s rights activists are worried about a Trump presidency’, Mother Jones, San Francisco, 20 May 2016.
(6) Harold Thibault, ‘Aux Philippines, “Duterte Harry”, le candidat à la présidence partisan des escadrons de la mort’ (‘Duterte Harry’, the presidential candidate who favours death squads), Le Monde, 29 February 2016.
(7) See Thomas Frank, What’s the Matter With Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America, Metropolitan Books, 2004.
(8) Susan Faludi, The Terror Dream: Fear and Fantasy in Post-9/11 America, Metropolitan Books, New York, 2007.
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How do I upgrade the new version of Win95?
How can I find out which version of Windows-95 is in my PC? I bought it in August 1997 (it is on 13 floppy disks). I believe that there is an "A" version, a "B" version, an OSR2 version, etc.
I want to replace my 2 GB hard disk (2 partitions, "C" and "D", of 1 GB each) with a 6 GB or 8 GB disk. I am told that the old version of Windows-95 cannot have partitions bigger than 2 GB. I would like to have a 6 GB "C" partition. So I reckon I ought to have a 'new' version of Windows-95 . If I have an 'old' version of Windows-95 how do I upgrade to a 'new' version ?
Windows 95B is not available as an upgrade to the regular Windows 95 users It is only available with new systems However, if you have a copy and want to upgrade from Windows 95A to 95B it can be done in one of two ways The first way, wipe your hard drive clean by using the fdisk and format commands and then load the new OS in the traditional manner.
If you do not want to start over from scratch use the following steps Make sure you need to upgrade first Right click on My Computer and choose Properties, then look for the version number of Windows If you do not see "950 B" listed, you can continue with the upgrade.
Put in the Win95B CD-ROM On some systems, the setup program will automatically run If it does not do that, run it manually When you see the License Agreement box, leave the box alone—do not click anything in the box Press Ctrl-Esc to open the Start Menu, then click the Run icon Type "Notepad" and click "OK."
Save the file and click back on the Win95B setup window, then continue the installation by responding to the License Agreement box Windows 95B will then install itself over your current version of Windows.
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Read this article--https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/08/24/i-was-a-civil-rights-activist-in-the-1960s-but-its-hard-for-me-to-get-behind-black-lives-matter/--and respond to the following questions: (1) what is the primary message of the Black Lives Matter movement (BLM); (2) what are some similarities between the BLM and the Civil Rights movement; (3) what are some differences; (4) why do you think the United States is still grappling with issues of racial discrimination today . . . and what can be done to reduce racial prejudices and discrimination in America?
Read this article--https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/10/the-first-white-president-ta-nehisi-coates/537909/--and respond to the following questions: (1) what is the relationship between the history of race in American society and the current state of race in American society today; (2) how does Coates see the rise of Trump as related to ideologies tied to white supremacy; (3) do you believe that hate speech should be defined as free speech, and why or why not; (4) how do you think responses to some of Trump’s more controversial statements would have been perceived had he been a black candidate?
Follow this link to the Harvard Implicit Bias Test website--https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html. Click on the “I wish to proceed” link, and then click on the “Race IAT” link and complete the test. What did this test reveal about your preference for racial categories? Do you agree with the results of this test? Did the results make you feel angry, or upset? What part of your socialization do you believe contributed most mightily to the results of this test for you? For someone who discovered they are deeply biased in their preference of one race over another, should this individual actively work to reduce this bias? Explain.
Read this article--http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/04/19/524571669/model-minority-myth-again-used-as-a-racial-wedge-between-asians-and-blacks--and respond to the following questions: (1) in your own words, what is the model minority myth; (2) why is this myth perpetuated in American society; (3) how might the prevalence of this myth influence young people who identify as Asian in America; (4) how do the authors describe the link between the model minority myth and discrimination against African Americans . . . and do you see any evidence of this in America today?
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Context: Yesterday, two seventh English teachers from the middle school came down to visit our sixth grade classroom. They have been making the rounds to all five of our regional elementary schools, to peek at what kinds of writing and learning are going on. We were able to chat for about 30 minutes about a range of topics, including finding a shared sixth grade novel that could become a touchstone text for discussions when all sixth graders arrive together in seventh grade (but different from a summer reading book). It was a nice visit, very positive, and my students were just starting an Interactive Fiction project, so they were excited and energized and happy to talk with our visitors about what they were up to with writing. We don’t do enough of these kinds of visiting classrooms in our district, and almost never do we do seventh grade teachers coming into sixth grade classrooms (and vice versa). So, this was a welcome endeavor.
Nice use of words! I am looking for inspiration to write a poem today, and this format could work for me. I’m guessing it’s easier than it looks!
Condensing a moment to six words means both that much is inferred and much is left out.
It sounds like this was a positive experience. We have a “learning walk” from administrators today. I’m going to try to think about your slice.
Well, administrators coming in and teachers coming in are two very different experiences. (Although, our curriculum coordinator visited with the teachers I wrote about, but she was mostly in the background, supportive). Good luck.
Visiting colleagues is often the best PD.Energy and excitement of learning certainly contributes to the positive experience. Hopefully the visits will continue.
We don’t do it nearly enough. Which is odd. You’d think it would be a no-brainer.
Ohh! I love the idea of a shared sixth grade novel becoming a touchstone text for seventh grade.
I want to know about the novels. You six words left me wanting more. As it should be.
When I taught special ed, it was common practice for the middle school sped folks to attend the transition meeting for outgoing fifth graders. I remember thinking how beneficial this would be for all fifth grade students, not just the ones who receive special services. The fifth grade classes do take field trips to the middle school, but I’ve never seen middle school teachers roaming our elementary halls. Good idea to ponder!
We have transition meetings, too, where we in elementary school meet with middle school colleagues, and parents, together. It is helpful. This “roaming” was more powerful, in the general sense of what’s going on, as opposed to the very narrow “this student” conversations in transition meetings.
I love your six word moments… being able to choose the ‘just right’ words must be a challenge, but yet gratifying at the same time! Definitely trying this!
It’s a challenge, but fun. All about compression.
That’s powerful for both the kids and the teachers! For the kids to see that their future teachers care about them and their learning, and for the teachers to be able to plan ahead about what they’ll need for next year. Great practice!
I’m into this format, Kevin: the blend of context and then compression.
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London began this past balmy weekend with the news that Sadiq Khan has been elected Mayor of London in a landslide victory – achieving the biggest personal mandate of any politician in UK history.
“Victory for Sadiq Khan highlights tolerant face of London,” says the Financial Times. Indeed, despite some efforts to present Sadiq as a secret Al-Qaeda-supporting fanatic out to impose public beheadings south of the London Eye, Londoners – or at least 57 per cent of them – do not seem to have bought into the idea that Khan is in fact a secret extremist.
I should say that the fact Londoners didn’t buy into that ploy is not exactly cause for a victory dance. If Sadiq Khan, the man who the Daily Mail has called “so liberal he backed gay marriage and even launched his campaign in a pub”, could be seen as an extremist, then frankly the rest of us are screwed. The entire strategy played into some of the most sinister anti-Muslim sentiment currently being peddled as a means of discrediting any Muslim who dares raise their head above the pulpit.
The fact so much has been made of Khan’s “Muslim” identity suggests that despite his victory, Muslimness remains as contentious an identity as ever.
For many Muslims, it was a sign that no matter how clean your slate, the extremist label can be wheeled out to diminish your credibility and, frankly, humanity. And so in this sense, the fact Londoners proverbially raised their eyes at such a crude tactic is a heartening vindication of London’s true vibe – a proud multicultural city that recognises that its diversity is indeed its richness. Studies show it’s much harder to hate people you get to know, and in London Muslims make up around 12.4 per cent of the population. In some boroughs it is 40 per cent, compared with around 4.5 per cent of the general population. Indeed, most Londoners probably just don’t care about Khan’s religion, because they don’t see how it would impact the policies he plans to implement.
Unsurprisingly, perhaps, this is what people really care about: the fact that a whole generation feels priced out of the housing market; the fact that the cost of public transport has risen under Boris’ watch (a man who was once asked the cost of a single ticket and had no clue); the threefold increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes since the Paris attacks; the need for safe cycle routes, the eye watering cost of rent, and all the other stuff that affects their quality of life. In other words, policy matters.
And the significance of Khan’s “Muslim” identity was always much overstated, both by his worst detractors and by some of his strongest supporters.
Yes, he’s a Muslim, but he’s also many things: British, second-generation Pakistani, a human rights lawyer, and, of course, as we know from his repeated references to his “bus-driving” Dad, working class. And actually this part of his identity may be more significant to Londoners than his faith or his ethnicity. London has become an increasingly divided capital, one in which working class communities are pushed out of their old neighbourhoods by gentrification and cleaners schlep in the small hours of the night to gigantic glass pyramids whose inhabitants they will never meet. Yes, his faith matters – to Muslims and people who hate Muslims – but his working class identity speaks to everyone who wants London to be for everyone. He represents in many ways a kind of Londoner which has been forgotten under the rule of cheerily, proudly posh Boris Johnson.
But I will say this: Khan’s victory is very meaningful to a lot of Muslims who see in him the embodiment of a previously unattainable dream. As one friend who gave up his position elsewhere to campaign for Sadiq explained to me, the symbolism of a Muslim mayor of London for a whole generation of Muslim children who never thought that someone “like him” could attain such a position – is very real indeed. And certainly the symbolism of London electing a Muslim mayor is a powerful one internationally. Perhaps France’s Prime Minister Manuel Valls could follow up his congratulations of Khan with an attempt to start tackling the kind of overt and endemic racism which would make Sadiq’s election in today’s France a real impossibility.
But both his detractors and his ardent supporters should know that it’s entirely unlikely Khan will represent “Muslim” interests in the narrowest sense of the term – and that’s a good thing. He’s mayor to all Londoners, and as a good Muslim – and, critically, a good elected official – that should mean a commitment to representing each and every one of them fairly. The Conservatives will have a few lessons to take from this resounding defeat, not least amongst them that in London – despite its reputation for wealth and excess – the appeal of a working class hero shouldn’t be underestimated.
Myriam François is a writer, broadcaster, and academic with a focus on current affairs, the Middle East, Islam, and France. She currently works as a broadcast journalist for TRT World, and writes a regular columns for the New Statesman’s rolling politics blog, “The Staggers”, the Telegraph, and Middle East Eye. Myriam is the presenter of BBC One documentary “A Deadly Warning: Srebrenica Revisited,” and has also presented a short video for BBC news on the genocide at Srebrenica. Myriam is a Research Associate at the Centre of Islamic Studies (CIS) at SOAS University, where her research focuses on British Muslim integration issues, as well as the centre’s media outreach and research dissemination. Myriam is currently a PhD (DPhil) researcher at Oxford University, focusing on Islamic movements in Morocco. She tweets @MFrancoisCerrah and can be contacted at [email protected].
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Telephone Number 1-8761-868933552131-6843762441-2641-2681-2465437429724761439941-2429738801-246375325012291-441975591387267551-28467335922625785523712381-34523623556865726924268250638553357420243452462531-7671-809670593205032402913722512986793583359468924122099549233350302991-4735901-671502224245592509504852363549162989643539723922581962725468696599685637196126623121842337035285338926126560960223356692596222230262526913733779763821-664212258952646749773168764505227234683850314796892680507675595516348351 Enter Without Spaces or Dashes.
Telephone Number of Contact 1-8761-868933552131-6843762441-2641-2681-2465437429724761439941-2429738801-246375325012291-441975591387267551-28467335922625785523712381-34523623556865726924268250638553357420243452462531-7671-809670593205032402913722512986793583359468924122099549233350302991-4735901-671502224245592509504852363549162989643539723922581962725468696599685637196126623121842337035285338926126560960223356692596222230262526913733779763821-664212258952646749773168764505227234683850314796892680507675595516348351 Enter Without Spaces or Dashes.
Please indicate a projected timeframe when the renewable solution will be required.
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Super-lawyer Wolfgang Kaleck – he represents Edward Snowden, founded the ECCHR and sued torturers and dirty multinationals across the globe. On February 6, 7pm, he presents his new book Law vs Power at Kreuzberg's Denkerei with a discussion with Exberliner's Nadja Vancauwenberghe.
Many in Berlin know him as "Snowden's lawyer", but Wolfgang Kaleck's fight for justice and human rights started 30 years ago – it's brought him from challenging Latin American ex-dictators and their accomplices, including Western corporations like Mercedes Benz, to representing the families of US drone-attack victims in Yemen, to holding accountable people in power who torture and kill. This includes the protagonists of the CIA-led “Enhanced Interrogation Techniques” perpetrated by the US in Iraq's Abu Grahib and Guantanamo Bay during the Bush Jr. era, or those who still torture in the jails of Syrian President Assad. With human rights as his legal arsenal, domestic and international courts as his stage, Kaleck has been part of a growing network of worldwide NGOs, activists and lawyers working in concert to bring about transnational justice. As the founder and director of the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), the Berlin-based organisation he set up 12 years ago, he's filed criminal complaints against the likes of ex-US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld and new CIA director Gina Haspel – unsuccessfully so far, but decades of experience have taught him that determination pays off.
In your book, you describe how you started out as a young romantic student who couldn't stand still in the face of injustice and human rights violations, someone who chose law to make a difference not just inside but beyond the borders of Germany. It started with your work in Latin America, can you explain?
Part of my legal education was in Mexico and Guatemala at the beginning of the 1990s, and the human rights organisations by that time were counting the deaths, the disappeared and the tortured, and putting them in reports. There was no talk of accountability back then, because there was no idea that at some point people like Guatemala’s ex-dictator Efraín Ríos Montt would face a trial for genocide against the indigenous population in Guatemala (in 2012). But within 10 years the panorama changed: it was the result of self-empowerment of civil society and lawyers’ networks, happening basically at the same time in many parts of the world. A good example of that was the whole Pinochet case, and the proceedings in Spain, France, Italy and other countries. So I grew with this network of lawyers who said relatively quickly that it was necessary to go after the Pinochets and the Videlas [Argentine President Jorge Rafael Videla] of this world, but also apply the same kind of law to other torturers, or those who bear responsibility to torture. And then it was relatively easy to say, “Okay, let’s move from Argentina and Chile to Rumsfeld and Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo.” But in my particular case I had the privilege to work with one of the most exciting and, I would say, one of the most intelligent organisations in the world – the Madres de Plaza de Mayo.
How does a German lawyer get to take on the case of the disappeared of Plaza de Mayo in Argentina – can you tell us more about a woman named Ellen Marx?
In this case I was dealing with German-Jewish emigrants of Argentinian children who had been killed or had disappeared. The German mothers were headed by a very sophisticated German-Jewish-Argentinian woman called Ellen Marx; her parents had been smart enough to send her on one of these Youth Transports in the 1930s. In Argentina Ellen married, and had three children – one of them, Nora, got engaged in the leftist movement, and disappeared in the very first summer of the dictatorship in 1976. Back then (the 1990s) there was impunity for the military. But the Argentinian human rights movement was challenging the impunity, so they went to court in Argentina; they went to the streets, to the houses of torturers – everything. And then at some point they thought, okay, here in Argentina it’s not moving on much, so they went to other European countries and tried to initiate cases there. And their angle was that many of the victims had double citizenships, or European ancestry. So in Italy, France, Germany and Spain, they started proceedings. And at some point, Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, the Nobel Peace Prize winner from Argentina, and the German Mothers group and other Argentinian groups, approached the Nürnberger Menschenrechtszentrum – the Nuremberg Human Rights Centre – and said, why don’t we do something similar in Germany? That was in 1998 and I was one of the lawyers. And we filed close to 100 cases here in Germany.
Exactly. What we tried to communicate is that the German prosecutors have to do their share. In the beginning they said to us, “Oh wonderful, interesting, but what should we do?” And then we managed to push for investigation. And after four years, they ended up releasing an arrest warrant against Videla and Massera, by that time still living members of the junta. And then Germany would ask for their extradition, which was the most you could get at that time, in 2003. So this was the first set of cases I took – it was incredibly enriching, and it was successful. And here was the blueprint for future work. I like to quote Ellen Marx on this when she said: “There are things that just need to be done.” And that is something that then became part of my, and later on the organisation’s, DNA.
In Argentina you had the German angle. In the case of US torture and Rumsfeld, what could justify a German federal court's investigation?
In the Argentina cases we needed the German angle, we needed the citizenship, we needed some of the victims to be Germans, because the law wasn’t as developed. We had to apply the law of the time. But that was 20 years ago. In 2002, Germany started implementing a code against international crimes, the so-called Völkerstrafgesetzbuch, which allows universal jurisdiction in crimes against humanity and in war crimes. So here for the first time we can really count on more international law being implemented in the German legislation. But of course the probability that prosecutors will take up the case is bigger when there is a link to the country. So in the Rumsfeld cases, we first argued that many of the units who then committed torture crimes in Abu Ghraib were stationed here in Germany. The prosecutor didn’t accept it. That was our entry into the greater international scene. I see organisations like The Centre for Constitutional Rights (in New York) and how they work – a completely different model from what we had in Europe in the mid-2000s. So we set up this organisation, the ECCHR, and call it ‘European’ from the very beginning in order to make it as European as possible.
Many have pointed to the double standard of international justice, and asked why no Western head of state ever had to stand for trial before the ICC. Can you tell us more about your effort to make the powerful West accountable as well?
From the very beginning we said it’s not enough to point to the Videlas and the Pinochets of the world – the torturers in uniform, dark and unsympathetic – we have to also look at the complicity of Western states."
From the very beginning we said, it’s not enough to point to the Videlas and the Pinochets of the world – the torturers in uniform, dark and unsympathetic – but we have to also look at the complicity of Western states, in the time of the Cold War but also after that. That’s what we do in many cases. We address Western war crimes like Guantanamo, like the Kunduz bombing in Afghanistan, but also the complicity of transnational corporations. That is fairly new because what we are doing is not only saying if you have a case, come to us to bring it to court – that was our idea 10 years ago, but then we hooked up with groups of activists, lawyers and human rights organisations in India, Columbia, South Africa and came up with strategies: how can we connect their efforts in the domestic courts and our efforts dealing with transnational and international cases?
For example, we go to India because the Indians filed a petition to their supreme court, asking the state to probate the import of poisonous pesticides from Bayer in Germany and Syngenta in Switzerland. When it comes to human rights violations by companies, there are some really dirty industries. Obviously the oil industry is very dirty in every sense of the word, so that is the focus of litigation against Shell, Chevron and others. Many, many important lawsuits all over the world. The Germans have more technology-based industry, less dirty, but still a number of cases where we would say they are involved with dictatorships, for example. Take Mercedes Benz in Argentina, where 15 trade unionists disappeared; Volkswagen in Brazil, again many trade unionists disappeared; Nestle in Colombia, trade unionists were assassinated by paramilitary, and Nestle did not take action against it. So that’s one line. The other line is human rights violations in the textile industry; people are not tortured and assassinated, but we think it’s important to address this kind of human rights violation. The KiK case is an example of that – the fire in Karachi. We now go there, too.
So you brought the German textile giant KiK to court for its connection to the tragedy of over 200 people dying in a factory in Karachi, Pakistan, in 2012. Can you tell us more about that?
We have an angle, because the German discounter KiK had 70 percent of their textiles produced there. We were a back-up because our colleagues in Pakistan first tried to negotiate with the company. At some point they said “negotiations are stuck, please move on in Germany,” that’s the way it should work. It’s a collaborative way of practicing law which is absolutely new and didn't exist even 10 years ago. That is something our network was able to develop. It’s still a work in progress, but the world is developing very quickly and we are experiencing all kinds of backlash – we have no idea if this works. Many of the problems are systemic and endemic, like the exploitation of workers in the textile industry. So, with our piece of litigation we won’t change the world, we won’t solve the problem. But we can contribute. All over the world these crimes are committed – by state actors, by non state actors including corporations. As an organisation, as a network, we do not have so many resources, so we are trying to prioritise.
Lots of priorities! But yes, maybe the biggest single project right now is the Syria work, and for the good reason that we have over 500,000 refugees in Germany, many of them torture survivors, but also Syrians in other European countries. So we fight cases in Germany against the torturers, including the heads of the secret service, and we got the German Federal Court to issue an arrest warrant against Jamil Hassan, the head of the Syrian Air Force Intelligence Service and a close advisor of President Assad. We also went to Austria last year, and we plan to present more cases across Europe. So what we try to do is not always focus on Germany, but make it European-wide. Last year we tried to litigate cases against the high-up figures of the Assad regime; but at the same time we also looked into the complicity of the West, so we fight cases against surveillance technology companies who provided the tech to the state, like the German firm Utimaco and their French and Italian partners.
Yes. Many of the arms traders who fuel these terrible wars, which then cause emigration from nearly completely destroyed countries, sit down and say: “As long as this is not prohibited, we do it.” So now we're trying to build up a series of cases against arms traders who export to Saudi Arabia, over the Yemen War, and last year we went to Italy and fought a case against the daughter of Remington.
Speaking of warfare – you supported litigations in cases of victims of drone attacks arguing Germany's complicity through the role of Ramstein as a satellite relay station providing crucial information for those so-called targeted killings.
It’s a world-wide system. Of course the centre is the US, but they also count on other bases like the US air base of Ramstein. Without Ramstein, many of the drone strikes in the Middle East couldn’t be carried out. So we filed two cases, with similar arguments, in Germany and Italy, where we try to achieve a court judgement by administrative courts to say that Germany has to guarantee that no illegal drone strikes are carried out from German territory. The German government would reply, “That’s what we’re doing, we asked the US please don’t breach international law,” and the US says, “No, of course we don’t breach International law.” It's typical argumentation and we have to work so Germany imposes more restrictions on the US.
What about people who argue that we should leave the painful past behind, the dead in peace and concentrate on looking forward and reconciliation? That's pretty much what happened in the US with the Bush Jr-era torture programme we now all know about since that Senate report in 2014. It clearly showed two things: they tortured and lied about it. But Obama decided not to look back.
Obama thinks other issues are more important, and he doesn’t want to raise more opposition; and then Trump appears on the scene and says let's use waterboarding again because it’s functioning."
Exactly, that is a repetitive way of approaching these crimes. President Lopez Obrador in Mexico basically said the same thing, that what we need now is national reconciliation. In Brazil it ended with Bolsonaros' election. Whereas in Argentina and Chile the torturers were tried in court. Argentinian and Chilean society got an insight into what torture means. They are therefore more immune against torture than the Brazilians are, where it was never really an issue. And the same goes for the US. I mean, President Bush and Cheney and Rumsfeld established this torture system; Obama thinks other issues are more important, and he doesn’t want to raise more opposition; and then Trump appears on the scene and says let's use waterboarding again because it’s functioning.
But is torture always illegal, or can it be legal in outstanding circumstances as argued by some?
They also euphemistically renamed it “enhanced interrogation techniques”.
Do you see an erosion of international law when it comes to human right standards?
Yes, and this erosion of international law is pretty much caused by US and Western states post-9/11, but also post 2003: the illegal invasion of Iraq. That was a turning point. This is why Obama was so terribly wrong not to address that, because he had a moment where he could, at least, do something for the restoration of international law. He didn’t, and now we’re in a worse situation, and it’s not Trump and Putin alone. I mean they deserve criticism a lot of the time, no question about that, but it was others who now seem more honourable, more respectful, who set the course for the current situation. Like Bush, Blair, and the others who allowed torture, who ordered torture and who went to war against Iraq.
But many, especially in the US, seem to consider torture a necessary evil that should be used when required, especially in the case of terrorists. That's a position reflected by someone like Cheney when he says “I would do it [torture] again, because it works.” Films like Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty insinuated that it did work, that that’s how Bin Laden was caught. Yet, there was an inquiry that showed it didn’t actually lead to any meaningful information. What do you think?
The case against torture was made – and it showed it doesn’t work. But this debate ignores the individual and collective consequences of torture. Torture causes trauma to the individual, the family, the whole environment of the tortured and the disappeared – they're traumatised for the rest of their lives. But the society is also traumatised. On both sides – the one that identifies with the disappeared and with the tortured, but also that which identifies with the torturers. The US is a country which pretends to solve problems in a legal way. And then you see there are 40,000 deaths by gunshots every year. It's a crazy and sick society, and you have to face that. The not-looking-back paradigm is completely stupid. The past is not past, it still lives. And if we allow that to happen without any kind of investigation, it will happen all over again.
And when you don't, someone like Gina Haspel gets appointed director of the CIA!
Yes, that woman was the head of a black site unit in Thailand where people were tortured. People like her should have to carry files in a dark room in Washington for the rest of their lives, not be appointed head of her country's top intelligence agency… It’s terrible that people have such a short memory. I’ve just come back from the US and I’ve been talking to lots of students, and they raised this point. We were discussing how we can get more people to have longer historical memory. People should not only be pointing to Trump, but looking beyond that.
We've talked a lot about contributing to fixing human rights infringement outside Europe – what about inside Europe? Can you talk about your work on behalf of refugees and asylum seekers?
We think that it’s currently the most important set of human rights violations in Europe. Thousands and thousands of refugees from the Middle East – political refugees, as well as sub-Saharan Africans – are completely denied their rights. Even if they are on European soil, they have no access to justice.
So what can you do for them?
We go to the European Court of Human Rights. An example of our achievements is that on October 3, 2017 Spain was convicted (they are now appealing) in the name of two sub-Saharan Africans. We filed a case against Spain, because the practice in Ceuta and two other enclaves was building up walls; but when the migrants had crossed the borders and were on Spanish territory, they were sent to the back door without any kind of access to a proceeding, and that is a breach of the prohibition against collective expulsions. That was our argument – and the European Court agreed. We fight similar cases, such as that between Greece and Macedonia, which we also presented to the European Court of Human Rights. These cases are not only dealing with individual complaints, but setting a precedent.
Do you sometimes feel a little frustrated that the legal way is so slow?
Of course, but frustration can be a source for more motivation and engagement. It’s a life decision: you can be a bystander of this current situation, or you can throw yourself at the struggle. We decided to be lawyers and we think that lawyers can contribute to the struggle for human rights. Are we successful? Not necessarily on the very spot, but that’s the same experience that political activists experience in their lives.
In the case of Edward Snowden, you have a masterpiece of political persecution: the espionage act from 1940 doesn’t even allow an evaluation of whether there’s any good in what he's revealed."
Yes, our whistleblowers are criminalised in a way that is unbearable. In the case of Edward Snowden, you have a masterpiece of political persecution: the espionage act from 1940 doesn’t even allow an evaluation of whether there’s any good in what he's revealed. He is treated the same way as if he’d given data to the North Koreans! Whereas he’s an example of a good faith whistleblower, who was motivated to prevent future violations of law. And the problem with him is that the US, not only the US but also European countries, don’t allow him safer stay than Russia, which I find a very bigoted position, especially of Germany. It’s an ongoing scandal.
But isn't Snowden's lonesome exile in Putin's Russia setting a sad precedent for anyone willing to blow the whistle in future?
He’s free to speak, he’s free to work, he sees his family. He was aware of what he was doing and he’s still satisfied with that, so why do you say it’s a sad precedent? No, it’s not. He's an inspiring example of what a single person can achieve. Because his is a historical achievement. We have a world before and after 2013. He enabled all of us to see the risk of surveillance, not only of the secret services but also of the data collecting operations all over the world. And that is something we want to point to. Of course you can always focus on the downside of such a story.
So what? He is aware of his situation and still says it was worth it. He’s in the sixth year now after the revelations, he’s still in his early thirties. I’m insisting on this point because all of this is about our attitude – individual and collective – and if you frame it like this, you make a call to everyone to continue as bystanders. It isn't necessary to put him on a stage and call him a hero. I would rather bring him down to earth and say, look what one human being can do, and continue to live. And the story is not over. Everyone has to make the choice: how do I want to live my life? I’m not saying everyone should follow in Snowden’s footsteps. But all of us can take more risk, in a way that’s appropriate to our own lives.
So, at the end of the day, we need brave people; do you see enough of them?
There could be more [laughs].
I would say others can judge for themselves. It’s easier to do what I do being based in Berlin compared to Mexico or Manilla. The people there are risking their lives and existence. Here, I'm not.
Law Vs Power, published in English this month, recounts the 30 years that span the fascinating career of one intrepid Berlin lawyer. It's a book that inspires through the unique blend of bravery and humility of its author, but also through the mix of realism and pragmatic optimism it speaks for: things might look bad, but they can and will change, as long as there are enough of us yearning and striving for change.
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Barack Obama has moved swiftly to distance himself from the arrest of the governor of Illinois for trying to sell his Senate seat to the highest bidder.
The president-elect and his transition team were nervously watching the fallout from the arrest of Rod Blagojevich on corruption charges.
Their biggest fear is that Mr Obama's relationship with Chicago businessman Antonin 'Tony' Rezko will be dragged up as opponents seek to tie the president-elect to Mr Blagojevich.
Rezko, a political fundraiser, faces 10 years in jail on bribery and corruption charges and will be sentenced next month.
Both Mr Obama and Mr Blagojevich received money and support from Rezko during their campaigns.
The most damming charge against Mr Blagojevich is that he tried to sell Mr Obama's vacant Senate seat to whoever would pay him the most cash.
Despite Mr Obama's attempts to distance himself from the scandal, it was being seen in Washington last night as a major embarrassment for him.
In Chicago, the state's largest city, the tradition of corruption goes back past the days of celebrated 1920s gang boss Al Capone.
Obama 'to pick Al Gore as environment chief' as pair hold private talks in Chicago Pictured: As George Bush starts looking for a new job, may we suggest children's entertainer?
Although there is no suggestion that the incoming president was involved, Mr Obama was thrust onto the world stage via the political cauldron in Chicago, where he worked as a community organiser and senator and where he is still based until he moves into the White House next month.
Under American law, the Democrat Illinois governor gets to appoint Mr Obama’s successor in the US Senate.
But the FBI recorded him discussing ways of profiting by offering the seat in exchange for the Health Secretary post in the Obama administration, or a lucrative job with a trade union or charity.
Blagojevich and his chief-of-staff, John Harris, were arrested at their homes in dawn raids yesterday.
He was charged with solicitation of bribery and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
‘The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering,’ said US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.
He said the governor put a ‘for sale’ sign on the naming of a US senator. ‘We were in the middle of a corruption crime spree and we wanted to stop it,’ he added.
According to court papers, Blagojevich had close ties with Antoin Rezko, a Chicago businessman who was involved in a controversial property deal with Mr Obama that was highlighted during the presidential election campaign.
But Mr Fitzgerald said there were ‘no allegations’ that Mr Obama was aware of any alleged scheming.
In Illinois, the governor selects a senator who takes over until the next election if there is a mid-term vacancy.
In return for choosing a union-preferred candidate, he was seeking a ‘substantial’ salary for himself at a nonprofit foundation or union, a spot on a corporate board for his wife, promises of campaign cash, as well as a cabinet post or ambassadorship, said an FBI affidavit.
He was also charged with allegedly threatening to withhold state assistance to the troubled local newspaper group unless it fired editorial writers who had criticised him.
Blagojevich, 51, in his second term, is the latest in a string of Illinois governors to run afoul of the law. His immediate predecessor, George Ryan, is in jail following a federal corruption conviction.
The arrest came as the first cracks in Mr Obama’s new administration emerged in a catfight between his two top women appointees, Hillary Clinton and Susan Rice.
His picks for Secretary of State and US Ambassador to the United Nations squared off in a bitter Washington power struggle over who holds the most sway over foreign policy.
Mrs Rice, a former Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, is said to be pushing to install her own transition team inside the State Department.
Such a move by an incoming United Nations envoy is unheard of because the job is based in New York.
It was being seen as a direct challenge to Mrs Clinton’s authority as America’s top diplomat.
With more than a month still to go before his inauguration, the growing split in his top foreign policy team threatens to dent Mr Obama’s hopes of improving America’s image around the world.
Many in the former First Lady’s camp already looked on Mrs Rice as a traitor because of her enthusiastic backing for Mr Obama during the primaries despite working as a senior state official on President Clinton’s administration.
Washington sources say Mrs Rice wants a say at the State department as part her bid to widen her influence with the new president to play a more significant role than previous UN envoys and elevate her position to his Cabinet.
Technically, Mrs Rice falls under the authority of Mrs Clinton, but some previous UN ambassador’s have held Cabinet rank.
Both women paid separate visits to the State Department’s Foggy Bottom, Washington headquarters on Monday, but did not meet.
‘Let’s just say that Hillary is not going to be pleased at any attempt to undermine her position,’ said one former aide.
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Letter 347 is a letter written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien.
This letter is a reply to several questions, mostly linguistic in nature, asked by Richard Jeffery.
Question one: Concerning the phrase Pedo mellon a minno on the Doors of Durin. Jeffery asked whether "friend" could mean "friendly, like a friend". Tolkien replied that Gandalf's explanation was the correct one.
Question two: Concerning the names of the Kings of Gondor and Arnor. All the Quenya names end in a consonant, like Sindarin would do, but the names of the descendants of Castamir (Sangahyando and Angamaitë) end with a vowel. Jeffery asks whether this was a deliberate choice, to make the names sound more aggressive. Tolkien replies that Quenya names permitted consonants (especially dentals) at the end. While Sangahyando and Angamaitë might have been warrior names, names such as Rómendacil, "East-victor", were no less aggressive, albeit more political.
Question three: About the use of Quenya by Elendil, a man, and the use of Sindarin by Gil-galad, a Noldo. Jeffery thought this odd, as Quenya was introduced to Men by the Noldor. Tolkien replies that after the Doom of Mandos, the Noldor adopted Sindarin, and adapted their names. On the other hand, in Númenor Quenya was used as a language of lore and prestige, and so too in Gondor. By the end of the Third Age, there were more Men than Elves, and more speakers of Quenya in Minas Tirith than anywhere else in Middle-earth. Westron was the official language, and Sindarin was used to be polite.
Question four: A short question about the connection between the Tengwa tyelpë and the Sindarin word celeb. Tolkien confirms this connection, and goes on to tell about the skill of the Teleri with silver.
Question five: A question about the etymologies of Aragorn and Arathorn. Jeffery proposed the etymologies "Tree-king" and "Two-tree-king". Tolkien dismissed both, and explains why.
Aragorn: Despite Aragorn II's obvious connection to the White Tree of Gondor, this is not the case for Aragorn I, after whom the former was named. Tolkien goes on that not all king-names in the line of Arthedain can be translated. He does not translate the name.
Arathorn: Jeffery here proposed -ath, but Tolkien clarified that it did not come from Quenya atta ("two"), but from an old dual. The Two Trees were made and owned by the Valar, and there was no need to name a Man after them. Arathorn's name is translated as "Eagle-king".
Tolkien concludes the letter with a lament that he cannot provide more linguistic material, nor produce more legends. He then apologizes for the late reply - Jeffery had sent his letter on August 14th, and comments that the Oxford University's Residents' List spells his name "Jeffrey" rather than "Jeffery", and mentions he is almost always referred to as "Tolkein".
This page was last modified on 3 February 2018, at 21:02.
This page has been accessed 12,161 times.
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A method for data binding a control to a data object by using drag and drop functionality without requiring additional programming. More particularly, the present system relates to either simple or complex data binding of a control in a form or a webform to an XML data object, database or other data object or source through drag, and drop functionality in a graphical user interface without requiting a programmer to programmatically bind the control to the XML data object, database or other data abject or source.
The present system relates generally to data binding a control to an XML data object or a database by using drag and drop functionality without requiring additional programming.
More particularly, the present system relates to either simple or complex data binding of a control in a form or a webform to an XML data object, database or other data source through drag and drop functionality in a graphical user interface without requiring a programmer to programmatically bind the control to the data source.
It is common when developing desktop or Internet (web) applications to access data stored in an independent data source. One method of accessing data from a data source is data binding.
Data binding is generally the process of retrieving data from a data source and subsequently allowing such retrieved data to be used in a control. In particular, the retrieved data may be used to set a property of the control, which may, for example, include labelling the control (simple data binding) or it may be used to provide the contents for a control such as a listbox at run time (complex data binding).
Data binding also allows a programmer to insulate the data from the presentation layer of the application as the data is provided in an independent data source and the data's integrity and/or secrecy can therefore be maintained.
While data binding can be advantageous, due to limitations in previous application programming interfaces (APIs), data binding was awkward and it was difficult for programmers to control how data was bound to the control. More recent APIs have dramatically improved the effectiveness of data binding and have further included wizards to try to make data binding a more accessible system for programmers. However, these recent APIs still do not take advantage of drag and drop functionality to bind a control to data found in an independent data source which would improve the speed with which applications could be developed by reducing the need for additional programming.
It is therefore desirable to provide a data binding method using drag and drop functionality in a novel way to provide for more rapid application development.
It is an object of the present system to obviate or mitigate at least one disadvantage of previous data binding methods by introducing an aspect of drag and drop functionality.
Other aspects and features of the present system will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the system in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
further, on closing the forms containing the controls, the control's properties are loaded to the XML variables or database variables, respectively.
XML data binding is performed by first displaying the design view or design layer of a form or webform and exposing the XML data object to reveal the XML data object elements and nodes, as shown in Figure 1. The XML data object elements and nodes may be displayed hierarchically in a tree view or as a list. Next, the programmer drags and drops one of the elements or nodes onto the required control'°'type which may be a label, button, textbox, checkbox, data, radio button, combo box or listbox, depending on the development requirements and depending on whether the programmer requires simple or complex data binding.
Once the XML element or node is dropped on the control type, an icon may appear which indicates that the control is bound to an XML element or node.
After completing the data binding process, the programmer may determine which XML element or node a particular control 30 is bound to by checking a property of the control 30, typically the XMLDataBinding property. This property may provide information such as the name of the XML data object and the path and name of the element or node.
data binding from the property view or, alternatively, a shortcut may be provided upon right-clicking or other invocation step on a control 30 which allows the data binding to be removed.
The present invention may allow a programmer to quickly create an entire form or webform by repeating the steps above. However, the present invention also may allow a programmer to select an XML data obj ect and invoke a shortcut (such as right-clicking on the XML data object) to create the entire form or webform with a control automatically created for each element or node, or, alternatively, invoke a shortcut for specific nodes to populate the form or webform.
The above advantages can also be attained by data binding a control 30 to a database data object or even a data object's output rather than an XML data object, thereby greatly increasing the potential uses of the present invention. A control 30 bound to a database data object is shown in Figure 2 and Figure 4 (and can be discerned as a control bound to a database data object by icon 12).
In addition to alleviating the need for the programmer to programmatically data bind the control 30 to the XML data object, the present invention further provides the advantage that the necessary script or programming is also completed for the form or page load event for the form or webform, respectively, and, further, the present invention automatically completes the necessary code for the click event of the OK button (or submit button 2) on the form (or webform) based on the data binding completed previously.
The above-described embodiments of the present system are intended to be examples only. Alterations, modifications and variations may be effected to the particular embodiments by those of skill in the art without departing from the scope of the system, which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto.
b. dragging and then subsequently dropping a node from the data source onto an icon representing the control; and c. dragging the cursor from the control to a form and dropping the control on the form.
b. dragging and then subsequently dropping a node from the XML data object onto an icon representing the control; and c. dragging the cursor from the control to the form and dropping the control on the form.
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and the key is effectiveness over productivity..
The key to great management is knowing that you manage things and lead people. The only person amazing managers manage is themselves, that’s the key to getting the most out of each day.Here are 5 ways you can become an amazing manager.
Understand who you are. A few years ago in a new role, I became frustrated by office politics and decided to learn from Oliver James’ book Office Politics: How to Thrive in a World of Lying, Backstabbing and Dirty Tricks. It opened my mind to modern human psychology and enabled me to better deal with my surroundings. While this was going on I became a father for the first time and wanted to do what I could to be a great parent. I looked into another book by Oliver James, They F*** You Up: How to Survive Family Life. This helped me realize I have default reactions to certain situations as well as why I have them. Over the next 6 months, I began to truly understand myself, how I react around others and how to recognize the signals so I can better adapt. I am now the greatest manager I have ever had.
Personal Kanban. This book: Personal Kanban – Mapping Work | Navigating Life changed everything for me (I favor Trello for my Kanban in case you’re interested in a great tool). Once I mastered personal Kanban, I became hugely effective at managing things and getting them done. Personal Kanban is based around just 2 principles: Visualize your work and Limit your work-in-progress. Get the book, learn, take action and get things done, this is step 2 to being a great manager.
Practice the Pomodoro technique. The Pomodoro technique is about completing 25 minutes of continuous uninterrupted work, followed by a 5 minute break. Science claims that it has cracked the code to our brain and that 20 – 45 minute intervals can maximize our attention and mental activity if followed by a short break. It works for me and millions of others, make sure it’s part of your management toolbox.
Understand and practice the principles of Peter Drucker’s Effective Executive. Drucker’s whole book is based on managing yourself for effectiveness. Don’t be fooled by the outdated title and the fact it was written in 1967. In today’s age, when so many talk of productivity, it’s refreshing to go back to Drucker and see productivity is primarily for machines and process, the real magic for humans is effectiveness. The best summary I’ve used is here: https://hbr.org/2004/06/what-makes-an-effective-executive. Read this, get the book for reference and make yourself truly effective.
Become an Essentialist. The art of essentialism has been described in a remarkable and practical way by Greg McKeown in his book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. I do less, but better, it’s the way of the essentialist. Doing this enables me to make the highest possible contribution. Try it for yourself, it’s an essential part of effective management.
This can be a key part of understanding who you are, the first step to making the most of each day.
Big appreciator of Jeph Loeb, Batman and all things Mark Millar.
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0.946504 |
So can i buy a GP3 (does anybody sell one?) and put a power converter between?
This question would be best answered by VHT!
I also live in Germany and I have a 110v Vht Ul. I have been using a transformer since I have owned my amp and I have had no problems with any hums, noise or failure. This is an external unit. Just make sure the transformer is more watts than the amp. Contact VHT first and maybe they can put a 220v transformer in it before it gets sent to you. If not buy an external transformer. If you need help finding one let me now. I will only be living in Germany for a couple more months and back to the U.S. for me. I have been in kaiserslautern for almost 4 years and love it.
I live in Malaysia and I have a US model Bogner Uberschall, which I'm using an external power supply with. I've told that it DOES effect the sound in some way. I think it has something to do with the fact that the European current, has more cycles than the US current.
thanks for the answers. So do i need an external transformer which is transforming the voltage?
By the way, i was asking VHT per email 2 days ago. No answer till now. I let you know, when i get an answer.
NAMM is/was the past couple of days so no wonder you haven't received an answer yet probably because they have been busy with it.
VHT does not allow U.S. dealers to ship VHT amplifiers to outside the American market. Some U.S. dealers will still sell to European customers to make a sale.
Anyone in Europe wanting to buy a VHT from the U.S. should remember that VHT will offer no warranty. All repairs (parts & labour) will be your own responsibility.
born_hard: If you ask VHT they will just tell you to contact a local German dealer. What they do not understand is that you can save alot of money by buying from the U.S. The prices on VHT amplifiers in Europe are crazy high.
So you see, the prices in Germany and Holland are very high and alot of money can be saved by buying from the U.S. Only downside will be that VHT will probably punish you by refusing to offer you any technical support or warranty.
Yes, a voltage transformer will be necessary. The difference in cycles will not be a problem. 120v U.S. current is generated at 60hz, whereas 230v European current is generated at 50hz. All VHT amplifiers will operate fine with either frequency. Voltage transformers only transform the voltage and not the cycles, but this is not an issue as most electric devices can operate on both 50hz and 60hz sources.
Using a voltage transformer is perfectly safe. You just need to make sure your transformer can provide enough wattage.
As an example, the VHT Two/Ninety/Two poweramp consumes 450watts of power, so for that one you would need a voltage transformer rated at 750watts or higher, just to be safe. The GP3 preamp consumes 38watts of power so a transformer rated at 200watts would be adequate.
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0.952342 |
Can Mrs T change locks?
Mrs T will give valid notice. Mr T probably won't move out so Mrs T will be liable for 2x rent at MrT's place and her own rent. Mr T has a very small income so the debt will fall to Mrs T.
If notice has been given then, indeed, a s.21 notice may be given as precaution.
The 2x rent is not an issue.
Thanks jp. If Mrs T changed the locks now and excluded Mr T he'd throw a wobbler and would probably be howling at the front door all night. I don;'t think there's an easy way out of this. Easy and cheap, I should say.
That's why I'm suggesting the landlord doesn't get involved - the tenants need to sort themselves out.
jp - I think you're right. They're just going to have to sort it out, even if Mrs T ends up paying an awful lot of rent.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions, thoughts and comments.
She won't end up paying more rent than she is now and it is up to her to end the tenancy.
I think the OP means she will continue to pay the rent for her free loading partner, as well as the rent for the property where she is actually living.
although she wont' be paying more rent to the OP, she will be paying more rent in total.
Hence serving notice to quit. There is no way around that, really.
Leaseholder - yes, she'll be paying her own rent and 2x the rent at the old place (because she gave notice and MrT hasn't moved out; she's the only one with any kind of income so she'll be liable).
There is no way around serving notice if she wants to leave.
As said the 2x rent is only if the landlord successfully pursues it.
The tenant's notice ends the tenancy, which also ends the joint agreement.
If Mr T remains in the property, he does so as an individual, not as the joint "tenant".
So he's not holding over, he's simply no longer entitled to remain.
EDIT : This is not my tenant. Update: Mr T is looking for a flat. Mrs T needs to prove to housing benefits/UC that she is living alone. What's the best way for her to do this? Ideally a new TA would do but would the agent charge an arm and a leg to do this? I've suggested she go to the LL direct (not sure if there is in fact an agent). What happens about teh deposit ? Does it have to be given back and redeposit it?
The deposit will need to be re-protected if changing from joint to sole tenancy.
Berlinogogirl, I had got my threads crossed with one where the person remaining wasn't on the tenancy agreement.
While I don't actually agree with jjlandlord, he certainly has a valid point, and my post (#25) shouldn't have been so definite.
A joint tenant staying in place / holding over is nowhere near as simple as my response indicated.
The tenant's haven't sorted out the issue as suggested.
Mrs T is going to find it hard to prove anything to the housing benefit office as she is going to have a lot of rent due if she has simply moved out leaving her partner "looking for a flat".
There's a very good argument to be made that the tenancy continues as before.
She needed to exclude him when notice expired to end the tenancy beyond any doubt - and failed to do that.
Is this a social landlord? An ordinary, small scale, private landlord would not have a web portal.
No inventory was issued when I moved in.
Then change the supplier to someone that will.
Rescinding Section 21 notice, or not?
Reply to Rescinding Section 21 notice, or not?
When this happened to me I could not change them back as LL; the next tenant had to do it.
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0.995281 |
The Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) which would be the core of the Indian Space Research Organization's (ISRO's) future manned missions was inaugurated at the ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru.
The Human Space Flight Centre will implement the first development flight of Gaganyaan with the support of existing ISRO Centres.
The Human Space Flight Centre would be responsible for end-to-end mission planning, development of engineering systems for crew survival in space, crew selection and training and also pursue activities for sustained human space flight missions.
Gaganyaan which is India's first manned space mission has been accorded highest priority by ISRO and the plan is to have the first unmanned mission in December 2020 and second for July 2021.
The manned mission will happen in December 2021.
The Gaganyaan project is headed by R. Hutton, who was the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) Director.
The Gaganyaan project would take the Indian astronauts into space to a height of 350-400 km above the Earth and orbits around the planet for at least a week.
The Indian astronauts would be conducting experiments in the space.
Q. Which centre which would be the core of the Indian Space Research Organization's (ISRO's) future manned missions was inaugurated at the ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru?
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0.975263 |
Does Transfer Learning with Pretrained Models Lead to a Transferable Attack?
Reading a post just now on Logo detection using Apache MXNet, a handy tutorial on how to train an image classifier to detect brand logos using Apache MXNet, a deeplearning package for Python, I noted a reference to the MXNet Model Zoo.
The Model Zoo is an ongoing project to collect complete models [from the literature], with python scripts, pre-trained weights as well as instructions on how to build and fine tune these models. The logo detection tutorial shows how training your own network with a small number of training images is a bit rubbish, but you can make the most of transfer learning to take a prebuilt model that has been well trained and “top it up” with your own training samples. The guess the main idea is: the lower layers of the original model will be well trained to recognise primitive image features, and can be reused, and the final model tweaked to reweight these lower level features in the upper layers so the overall model works with your particular dataset.
So given the ability to generate adversarial examples that trick a model into seeing something that’s not there, how susceptible will models built using transfer learning on top of pretrained models be to well honed attacks developed on that pretrained model? To what extent will the attacks work out of the can (and/or to what extent) or how easily will they be transferred?
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0.999977 |
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07MOSCOW4599.
Classified By: Political Officer Bob Patterson: 1.4 (d).
¶1. (C) The mercurial Vladimir Zhirinovskiy staged yet another impressive act of political theater on September 17 with the surprise announcement that the number two position on his party’s ticket would be filled by Andrey Lugovoy, the former FSB officer accused by Scotland Yard of orchestrating the murder of Aleksandr Litvinenko. The announcement made Zhirinovskiy’s party, the LDPR, front-page news in virtually all major Russian newspapers and drew greater attention to what had been a lackluster kick-off to the party’s Duma campaign. Opinions vary in Moscow as to the reasons behind the move. Zhirinovskiy may hope that the hoopla surrounding the appointment of Lugovoy will revive the apparently flagging fortunes of his party. End summary.
¶2. (SBU) In the past months, it appeared that LDPR was on the ropes, crippled by high-level defections of top party officials to other parties. The most recent blow was the loss of long-time Zhirinovskiy confederate Aleksey Mitrofanov, who defected to Just Russia (SR) in late August. LDPR had fallen behind in the funding race as well, dropping to last place among the top four parties in the second quarter of 2007, according to the Central Election Commission. Public opinion polling, such as a mid-September survey by the Fund for Public Opinion, showed the party scraping along at the seven-percent minimum required for joining the new Duma. Levada polling showed LDPR losing about a percentage point every month since May.
¶4. (SBU) Perhaps to set the stage for Lugovoy’s debut, Zhirinovskiy reserved special vitriol for the role played by Great Britain over the centuries and today in denying Russia its “proper place” in the world, according to press reports. At a press conference on September 18, he launched a diatribe against a hapless reporter from Voice of America, who had asked Lugovoy about the need to deal with the problem of international criminal investigations. During his tirade, Zhirinovskiy blasted the United Kingdom for sponsoring terrorism in Chechnya (implying as well that the U.S. was behind the events of September 11). He criticized London for its campaign of “espionage and lies,” insisting that the British government was responsible for Litvinenko’s death.
¶5. (U) Throughout the press conference, Lugovoy appeared uncomfortable in his new role as straight man for Zhirinovskiy. It also appeared that he had been reprimanded by his new boss about the rank order in the party. Lugovoy pointedly retracted his statement of a day earlier that he had ambitions to run for President, coyly saying that every Russian would want to be the leader of such a great country, before gamely insisting that Zhirinovskiy had the mettle to replace Putin. Lugovoy seemed completely surprised by a question about his plans as a deputy were he to win a Duma seat, and he said something about working to be helpful to the government and the Russian people. (Zhirinovskiy interrupted to say that Lugovoy’s military and business experience made him an excellent candidate for the Duma committees on defense and security, particularly in dealing with questions of economic security.) When asked, Lugovoy reiterated his statement of September 17 that he was not seeking a position in the Duma in order to win immunity for he was protected, “like all citizens,” by the Constitution.
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0.999969 |
What are the most common symptoms of delayed food hypersensitivity reaction?
Digestive disorders: bloating, flatulence, nausea, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, rectal itching, abdominal cramps.
Non-normalized weight: Swelling or water retention, the tendency to fluctuations in body weight, the difficulty of reducing body weight, even if you think what you eat and count calories.
Unbridled appetite: desire of sweets and refined carbohydrates.
Allergic “black eyes”: dark circles under eyes, puffy eyes, bags under the eyes.
Excessive secretion of mucus: chronically congested nose, runny nose, excess mucus from the respiratory tract, often blowing the nose, blocked or itchy ears.
Chronic pain: Migraine or other headaches, muscle aches, joint pain.
Sleep disorders: Sleepiness during the day, insomnia at night.
Emotional, mental, behavioral symptoms: Sudden changes in mood, irritability without apparent reason, hyperactivity, difficulty concentrating, unexplained anxiety or depression.
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0.994967 |
A drug dealer who operated out of a Travelodge hotel has been given a five-year sentence.
Ibrahim Mohamed, 20, looked after a "significant" amount of heroin and cocaine in a room while two associates sold the product on the street.
When police raided the hotel, Cambridge Crown Court heard, Mohamed attempted to throw drugs out of a window.
Mohamed, from east London, was found guilty of possession with intent to supply.
He was arrested when police swooped on the hotel on Chieftain Way in Orchard Park on 7 October 2017.
Mohammed and his accomplices, who have never been traced, were placed there by a London-based gang as part of a so-called county lines operation, the court heard.
It usually involves dealers in large cities using vulnerable people to peddle drugs in other parts of the country.
Naeem Karbhari, defending, said the case was unusual in that county lines gangs usually commandeer the homes of local drug addicts in a practice known as "cuckooing".
Judge David Farrell QC said the use of a hotel room brought an "added sophistication" to the case.
Mr Karbhari said Mohamed of Brading Crescent, Wanstead, had been roped into the operation after running up drugs debts himself.
He told the court that his client had "vulnerabilities" that made him "the ideal candidate... to do the function of cuckoos".
"He is someone that has been brought up [to Cambridge], placed in that room and, to some extent, exploited," Mr Karbhari.
"He fell into drugs debt, particularly cannabis... because of that debt he was exploited by individuals."
Judge Farrell told Mohamed he had been "dealing in misery so you and your friends can make money".
"You knowingly looked after the drugs in the hotel while the other two associates went out selling them," he said.
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0.999996 |
Are fruits and vegetables good for me? Mostly yes, but there are some exceptions. One of these exceptions is an intolerance of some sugars and starches in fruit and vegetables.
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0.674669 |
An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war.
The Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command was formed in the fall of 1942 to establish a single command to control antisubmarine warfare (ASW) activities of the Army Air Forces (AAF).
The Bay of Biscay (Golfe de Gascogne, Golfo de Vizcaya, Pleg-mor Gwaskogn, Bizkaiko Golkoa) is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea.
A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire or by dropping bombs from aircraft on fortifications, combatants, or towns and buildings.
Carlsen Air Force Base is a former United States Army Air Forces World War II airbase on Trinidad, consisting of two landing strips, "Edinburgh" and "Xeres".
Canadian Forces Base Gander (also CFB Gander), is a Canadian Forces Base located in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Newfoundland was a British dominion from 1907 to 1949.
The Douglas B-18 Bolo is an American medium bomber which served with the United States Army Air Corps and the Royal Canadian Air Force (as the Digby) during the late 1930s and early 1940s.
The Duluth Air Defense Sector (DUADS) is an inactive United States Air Force organization.
Duluth Air National Guard Base is a United States Air National Guard base located on the grounds of Duluth International Airport.
Duluth International Airport is a city-owned, public-use joint civil-military airport located five nautical miles (9 km) northwest of the central business district of Duluth, a city in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States.
Dunkeswell Aerodrome is an airfield in East Devon, England.
The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a group of underwater plateaus south-east of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf.
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base (Base Naval de la Bahía de Guantánamo), officially known as Naval Station Guantanamo Bay or NSGB (also called GTMO because of the abbreviation of Guantanamo or Gitmo because of the common pronunciation of this word by the U.S. military), is a United States military base located on 120 square kilometres (45 sq mi) of land and water at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, which the U.S. leased for use as a coaling station and naval base in 1903 for $2,000 in gold per year until 1934, when the payment was set to match the value in gold in dollars; in 1974, the yearly lease was set to $4,085.
Lorient is a town (French "commune") and seaport in the Morbihan "department" of Brittany in North-Western France.
The Martin MGM-1 Matador was the first operational surface-to-surface cruise missile designed and built by the United States.
Orlando Executive Airport is a public airport three miles (6 km) east of downtown Orlando, in Orange County, Florida.
Podington is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, United Kingdom. The village is within the electoral ward of Harrold in the Borough of Bedford. Podington lies around northwest of Bedford and is about east of the county border with Northamptonshire. Podington is a small picturesque rural village; many of its buildings are stone cottages dating from the 18th century, and some even earlier. Nearby there is paintballing and Podington Wyevale Garden Centre can be found in the High Street. Podington was included in the Domesday Book 1086; and has been recorded as "Podintone" and "Potintone" from the 13th century and later as "Puddington". Today it is sometimes spelt (or misspelt) "Poddington". Located around southeast of the village are RAF Podington and Santa Pod Raceway. Hinwick House is found at a crossroads under south of the village. Church of St Mary is a Grade I listed church in Podington. It became a listed building on 13 July 1964. Some surviving architectural elements date back at least to the early 13th century. Richard Orlebar the High Sheriff for Bedfordshire and his wife the culinary writer Diana Astry, were both buried here in the 1700s.
Saint-Nazaire (Gallo: Saint-Nazère/Saint-Nazaer) is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France, in traditional Brittany.
Sea Frontiers were several, now disestablished, commands of the United States Navy existing from 1 July 1941 during World War II as areas of defense against enemy vessels, especially submarines, along the American coasts.
A sea lane, sea road or shipping lane is a regularly used route for vessels on oceans and large lakes.
The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE, a name selected to mean "wise") was a system of large computers and associated networking equipment that coordinated data from many radar sites and processed it to produce a single unified image of the airspace over a wide area.
U-boat is an anglicised version of the German word U-Boot, a shortening of Unterseeboot, literally "undersea boat".
Vernam Field (locally spelled Vernamfield) is a former World War II United States Army Air Forces airfield located in Clarendon Parish, west-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica.
Zanderij is a village located in the northern part of Suriname, situated 50 kilometres south of the capital Paramaribo on the Southern East-West Link.
The 13th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit.
The 25th Antisubmarine Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit.
The 29th Air Division (29th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization.
The 310th Fighter Squadron is part of the 56th Operations Group at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.
The 479th Antisubmarine Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit.
The 488th Tactical Missile Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit.
The 99th Reconnaissance Squadron is a squadron of the United States Air Force.
40th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 4th Antisubmarine Squadron, 74th Air Defense Missile Squadron, 74th Tactical Missile Squadron.
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0.95191 |
Response: Patients with high risk prostate cancer have several curative treatment options: radical prostatectomy, external beam radiotherapy with androgen deprivation therapy, and external beam radiotherapy with a brachytherapy boost, also with androgen deprivation therapy (so-called extremely dose-escalated radiotherapy). Prior attempts at comparing long-term clinical outcomes between these treatment options have been hampered by the fact that standards of care have changed significantly with respect to the appropriate dose of radiation and the usage of androgen deprivation therapy. Therefore, many comparative effectiveness reports are in essence comparing apples with rotten oranges.
Further, not all high risk prostate cancers are the same. Gleason score 9-10 disease is a particularly aggressive form of prostate cancer that is much more likely to metastasize and potentially cause death. Thankfully, this is a rarer type of prostate cancer — but this also means that not much data are available specifically for this type of disease.
Therefore, we launched a multi-institutional study of men with Gleason score 9-10 disease, including 1809 men treated across 12 institutions. All men were treated between 2000 and 2013 and therefore were more likely to have treatments that would be commensurate with modern standards.
Response: We found that patients receiving extremely-dose escalated radiotherapy had significantly improved cancer-specific survival and were significantly less likely to develop metastases than men treated with surgery or standard external beam radiotherapy. Importantly, outcomes of men treated with surgery and external beam radiotherapy were identical. It is also important to highlight that the median duration of androgen deprivation therapy was 12 months with extreme dose-escalation, versus 22 months with radiation alone, and that nearly 40% of patients undergoing surgery ultimately underwent postoperative radiation.
Specifically, after adjusting for major imbalances in age and disease status across the three groups, the 10-year risk of prostate cancer specific death was 13% for patients receiving extremely dose-escalated radiotherapy, versus 26% for those receiving external beam radiotherapy alone and 23% for those undergoing radical prostatectomy. Similarly, the 10-year risk of distant metastasis was 13% for patients receiving extremely dose-escalated radiotherapy, versus 44% for those receiving external beam radiotherapy alone and 46% for those undergoing radical prostatectomy. This translates to a nearly 50% reduction in prostate cancer-specific death, and a 75% reduection in the rate of distant metastases.
Response: I think there are two main “take away” messages.
First, patients with Gleason score 9-10 disease appear to benefit from a comprehensive treatment strategy that includes both intensified treatment directed at the prostate–radiation with a brachytherapy boost–and systemic treatment–a median of a year of androgen deprivation therapy.
Second, men with Gleason score 9-10 disease definitively have a curable disease and, particularly with intensified treatment upfront, few actually succumb to their disease.
Response: Any time we see such a large treatment effect, we must ask two questions: why does this work, and who is going to benefit (that is, how can we identify the patients who will benefit the most from an intensified treatment). There are emerging genetic tools that will give us insight into both questions, and this constitutes an area of active and future research. One could and should also ask, how could outcomes have been improved in the patients who did receive radiation without brachytherapy or radical prostatectomy. That too is being investigated. Potential answers may include earlier use of radiation after prostatectomy, and/or use of androgen deprivation therapy before or after radical prostatectomy, as well as use of more powerful anti-androgen agents with radiation.
This entry was posted in Author Interviews, JAMA, Prostate Cancer and tagged prostate cancer, radiotherapy by Marie Benz MD FAAD. Bookmark the permalink.
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0.999893 |
The Trump Administration’s Endangered Species Act proposal prioritizes industry over the environment.
Its proposal is supposed to sound common-sense. But it prioritizes industry over wildlife.
This eagle will be OK. It lives in England.
The Trump administration proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act on Thursday, an unsurprising move given that it asked the public for comments on the 45-year-old rule in 2017. The proposal features recommendations from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service, and boils down to two main changes: First, the administration wants to end the policy of applying the same level of protection to threatened species as it does to endangered species. This would only apply to species that are listed as threatened going forward, not retroactively. The text of the proposal emphasized that this change would bring USFWS into line with the current strategy practiced by NOAA, and noted that if implemented, the change would mean that individual species ought to be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The second major change involves the fact that the current version of the ESA dictates that listed species must be protected without regard to the economic cost of doing so. The proposal seeks to end this: “We propose to remove the phrase, “without reference to possible economic or other impacts of such determination,” the proposal states. In other words: We’ll now only protect endangered wildlife if we decide we can afford it.
You can almost hear the defensiveness in USFWS’s announcement, understandable given the enormous popularity of the Endangered Species Act (polls suggest 90 percent of Americans support the bill that is perhaps most famous for rehabilitating the bald eagle). “All changes are being proposed as part of a robust, transparent public process,” the regulation revisions page on the USFWS site states. The announcement doesn’t even spell out that it seeks to end the practice of not accounting for economic impacts in making choices about protection—it buries it in what amounts to essentially meaningless jargon (go look for yourself, it’s the third paragraph here).
The interesting thing is that for all of the adoration the Endangered Species Act receives—surprise, it’s popular to want to save wild animals—the law itself has been woefully out of date for some time. It hasn’t been updated in a quarter-century, and despite success stories like that of the bald eagle and the grey wolf, is underwhelming in its accomplishments. Biannual assessments conducted from 1990 to 2010 found that half of all listed species were continuing to decline despite their status. The number of species added to the list woefully outnumbers any successes that allow species to come off, and yet funding has never been adequate to handle the growing demands. All of this means that the ESA functions more like an overcrowded emergency room struggling to triage its patients than as a functional way to rehabilitate wildlife.
In some ways, the new proposal initially appears to makes sense as a way to handle this overcrowded ER. By focusing the most intensive efforts only on the species that are endangered, rather than all species that are threatened, the new plan could provide more concentrated support to the most endangered animals, which sounds on its face like a good thing. And the proposal to craft individualized plans for threatened species is frankly quite reasonable: Many conservation groups have (convincingly) argued that involving local stakeholders in management plans is in fact the best way to move forward with protecting a species, again, considering the overburdened and underfunded state of the ESA.
But the two parts of the proposal would combine to inhibit these small, potentially reasonable tweaks from having any positive outcome.
For one thing, removing the protections from threatened species would not have a meaningful impact on the funding and resources available to the more endangered animals. Already, 80 percent of ESA funding goes toward just 5 percent of species listed, most of these being either charismatic megafauna or game species. (A full 80 percent of species, most of them plants, received less than 5 percent of available funding.) The ESA is already in a crisis of prioritization—it doesn’t need more help with that. It needs more money. And furthermore, protecting species when we first start to notice their decline has the potential to be way more cost effective than protecting them when they’re so endangered that they need the equivalent of the herculean effort it took to save the California Condor—hand raising individual chicks!—to survive. If the Trump administration was actually interested in cost-effective ways to conserve the broadest amount of wildlife, it would continue to require us to try to help threatened species, in the interest of not having to spend as much later when they become endangered.
Of course, this is plainly not the plan, and that is evident in the second half of the proposal, which dictates that it’s perfectly fine to assess the economic impact of saving a species, and, presumably, decide it’s not worth it to invest in a species that is too far gone. This is of a piece with the larger Trumpian strategy of making it easier for corporations to harm living creatures and the environment while also making it harder to justify protections. This philosophy was pushed by former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt before he was forced out of his post: Pruitt proposed an extremely revealing tweak to how we consider the positive impact environmental rules have. His plan suggested that we no longer account for what are referred to as “co-benefits,” which is a positive effect a rule might have on something outside of the purview of what it was intended to fix.
All together, this represents a philosophy that seeks to systematically make it harder to protect the environment while enabling industry to do whatever it wants. The costs of protecting an endangered species are taken into account, but the inadvertent benefits of an environmental rule cannot be. Killing a bunch of birds doesn’t matter, as long as the person who did it didn’t mean to (another change pushed through by the Trump administration this spring). Threatened species no longer get protection, and when they are weak enough to be endangered, we can basically decide not to save them if it’s too expensive. And of course, the overarching problem that is threatening all species—climate change—is not even worth recognizing as a real problem. The Trump administration does not want to conserve the environment. It wants to exploit it for all its worth. This proposal to revise the ESA is just further evidence.
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Cold Coast siege man dressed as American IndianA GOLD Coast man who allegedly threatened to shoot neighbours with a nail gun was dressed as an American Indian--complete with war paint--during a siege.
Police allege the man, who had held them at bay for almost 24 hours, was wearing an Indian head dress and war paint when he surrendered today, and was shouting war-cries prior to his arrest.Comment: What can we conclude from this incident?
1) Indians are universal symbols of protest--mainly against government authority. Examples range from the Boston Tea Party to Palestinians Dress Like Faux Indians to Protest Israeli Oppression.
2) Indians are universal symbols of violence. People who dress as Indians usually do something aggressive: dumping tea, chucking spears, waving tomahawks, or threatening neighbors with a nail gun. They accompany their actions with war paint and war cries. The Palestinian protest above was a rare exception.
3) Plains chiefs are the universal symbols of Indians. Few protesters dress as a Cahuilla or Ute or Shawnee or Wampanoag Indian. If you want to get your message across, use the stereotype of the powerful chief from the past. Show the world that you too can be a legendary figure that no longer exists.
So the entire world is aware of the stereotypical Indian portrayed in countless movies, sports logos, and product labels. Yet Kenn and Ken think eliminating mascots, which this man mimicked, is a problem? Yeah, it would be so tragic if Australians couldn't dress up like Chief Illiniwek or Chief Wahoo for their angry protests. They might have to crack open a book to find out what real Indians look like.
For more on the subject, see The Political Uses of Stereotyping.
Below: Palestinians emulate Indians by dressing up as party clowns.
As for "Palestinians Dress Like Faux Indians to Protest Israeli Oppression", the Palestinians forced the Israelis to institute these roadblocks and the searches and slowdowns through such incidents as the Palestinian government using ambulances secretly as troop transports.
With the Palestinian government violating any concepts of decency and respect for civilians or the importance of unhindered medical transport, the roadblocks and inspections are a very reasonable reaction and precaution.
Hardly "oppression", and the roadblocks would go away if the Palestinian government did not use the roads as part of its invasion of Israel and its oft-stated goal of exterminating Jews.
Palestinians have forced Israel to oppress them? Did they also force Israel to occupy Palestinian territory illegally in violation of UN resolutions 242 and 338?
The so-called invasion of Israel would go away if Israel stopped building illegal settlements in Palestinian territory, withdrew from the illegally held territory, and seriously negotiated a two-state solution in good faith.
The so-called Palestinians (not even called such until 1967) could not force Israel to do something she's not doing. Israel is illegally occupying NOTHING, & in violation of NOTHING. Trying to keep a lid on daily rocket bombings is NOT oppression. You have got to stop reading propaganda (did you know they consider Jerusalem & Tel Aviv "illegal settlements", too? Did you know that Israel provides the BULK of water, electricity, food & medical services to the so-called Palestinians?) just because they SAY they are like Native Americans - they are nothing of the kind.
Israel is the only one who has ever upheld any end of any bargain ever signed by the so-called Palestinians. Read Oslo, read the Road Map - & read Wye, if you want to understand just how LITTLE they want their "own state": they were offered 93% of everything they asked for, & equivalences for everything else - & Arafat turned it down. You ask yourself "why?" It just may have something to do with the 900 MILLION dollars his widow has in her bank account, gotten straight from US & EU handouts.
Although I cringed as soon as I saw it no-one else 'appeared' to mind. I credit her for making a speech notifying everyone of a new highway development threatening a sacred site in northern NSW. She finished the concert by stating "remember you are never alone when you are standing up for your people or your planet!"
"You guys actually exist still?"
NYT: Poem on "justly exterminated race"
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How does fatigue affect the Star Excursion Balance Test?
You should also consider fatigue with pre-participation physicals. Many places use the Y Balance Test not only for risk identification, but also as a baseline measure for return to sport after musculoskeletal injury or concussion. So if the athletes have a heavy workout prior to testing, their scores may be a little lower. I think that may be important to note, but would not cause me to postpone testing.
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This article is about the Crimean city. For other uses, see Sevastopol (disambiguation).
"Sebastopol" redirects here. For other uses, see Sebastopol (disambiguation).
Sevastopol (/ˌsɛvəˈstoʊpəl, -ˈstɒpəl, səˈvæstəˌpɒl, -pəl/; Russian: Севасто́поль; Ukrainian: Севастополь; Crimean Tatar: Акъяр, Aqyar) is the largest city on the Crimean Peninsula and a major Black Sea port. The city is administered as a federal city of the Russian Federation following Crimea's annexation by Russia in 2014. Nevertheless, Ukraine and most of the UN member countries continue to regard Sevastopol as a city with special status within Ukraine.
Sevastopol has a population of 393,304 (2014 Census), concentrated mostly near the Sevastopol Bay and surrounding areas. The location and navigability of the city's harbours have made Sevastopol a strategically important port and naval base throughout history. The city has been a home to the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which is why it was considered as a separate city in Crimea of significant military importance and was once operated by the Soviet Union as a closed city.
Although relatively small at 864 square kilometres (334 sq mi), Sevastopol's unique naval and maritime features have been the basis for a robust economy. The city enjoys mild winters and moderate warm summers; characteristics that help make it a popular seaside resort and tourist destination, mainly for visitors from the former Soviet republics. The city is also an important centre for marine biology research. In particular, dolphins have been studied and trained in the city by the military since the end of World War II.
The name of Sevastopolis was originally chosen in the same etymological trend as other cities in the Crimean peninsula; it was intended to express its ancient Greek origins. It is a compound of the Greek adjective, σεβαστός (sebastos, 'venerable') and the noun πόλις (pólis) ('city'). Σεβαστός is the traditional Greek equivalent of the Roman honorific Augustus, originally given to the first emperor of the Roman Empire, Augustus and later awarded as a title to his successors.
Despite its Greek origin, the name is not from Ancient Greek times. The city was probably named after Empress ("Augusta") Catherine II of the Russian Empire founded Sevastopol in 1783. She visited the city in 1787, accompanied by Joseph II, the Emperor of Austria, and other foreign dignitaries.
In the west of the city, there are well-preserved ruins of the ancient Greek port city of Chersonesos, founded in the 5th (or 4th) century BC by settlers from Heraclea Pontica. This name means "peninsula", reflecting its immediate location. It is not related to the ancient Greek name for the Crimean Peninsula as a whole: Chersonēsos Taurikē ("the Taurian Peninsula").
In English, the current prevalent spelling of the name is Sevastopol; the previously common spelling Sebastopol is still used by some publications such as The Economist. In English, the current spelling also has the pronunciation /səˈvæstəpoʊl/ or /ˌsɛvəˈstoʊpəl/, whilst the former spelling has the pronunciation /sɪˈbæstəpəl, -pɒl/ or /səˈbæstəpoʊl, -pɒl/.
Ukrainian: Севастополь; Russian: Севасто́поль, pronounced [sevɑˈstɔpɔlʲ] in Ukrainian and [sʲɪvɐˈstopəlʲ] in Russian.
Crimean Tatar: Aqyar, pronounced [aqˈjar].
In the 6th century BC, a Greek colony was established in the area of the modern-day city. The Greek city of Chersonesus existed for almost two thousand years, first as an independent democracy and later as part of the Bosporan Kingdom. In the 13th and 14th centuries, it was sacked by the Golden Horde several times and was finally totally abandoned. The modern day city of Sevastopol has no connection to the ancient and medieval Greek city, but the ruins are a popular tourist attraction located on the outskirts of the city.
Sevastopol was founded in June 1783 as a base for a naval squadron under the name Akhtiar (White Cliff), by Rear Admiral Thomas MacKenzie (Foma Fomich Makenzi), a native Scot in Russian service; soon after Russia annexed the Crimean Khanate. Five years earlier, Alexander Suvorov ordered that earthworks be erected along the harbour and Russian troops be placed there. In February 1784, Catherine the Great ordered Grigory Potemkin to build a fortress there and call it Sevastopol. The realisation of the initial building plans fell to Captain Fyodor Ushakov who in 1788 was named commander of the port and of the Black Sea squadron. It became an important naval base and later a commercial seaport. In 1797, under an edict issued by Emperor Paul I, the military stronghold was again renamed to Akhtiar. Finally, on 29 April (10 May), 1826, the Senate returned the city's name to Sevastopol.
One of the most notable events involving the city is the Siege of Sevastopol (1854–55) carried out by the British, French, Sardinian, and Turkish troops during the Crimean War, which lasted for 11 months. Despite its efforts, the Russian army had to leave its stronghold and evacuate over a pontoon bridge to the north shore of the inlet. The Russians chose to sink their entire fleet to prevent it from falling into the hands of the enemy and at the same time to block the entrance of the Western ships into the inlet. When the enemy troops entered Sevastopol, they were faced with the ruins of a formerly glorious city.
A panorama of the siege originally was created by Franz Roubaud. After its destruction in 1942 during World War II, it was restored and is currently housed in a specially constructed circular building in the city. It portrays the situation at the height of the siege, on 18 June 1855.
During World War II, Sevastopol withstood intensive bombardment by the Germans in 1941–42, supported by their Italian and Romanian allies during the Battle of Sevastopol. German forces used railway artillery—including history's largest-ever calibre railway artillery piece in battle, the 80-cm calibre Schwerer Gustav—and specialised mobile heavy mortars to destroy Sevastopol's extremely heavy fortifications, such as the Maxim Gorky Fortresses. After fierce fighting, which lasted for 250 days, the supposedly untakable fortress city finally fell to Axis forces in July 1942. It was intended to be renamed to "Theoderichshafen" (in reference to Theoderic the Great and the fact that the Crimea had been home to Germanic Goths until the 18th or 19th century) in the event of a German victory against the Soviet Union, and like the rest of the Crimea was designated for future colonisation by the Third Reich. It was liberated by the Red Army on 9 May 1944 and was awarded the Hero City title a year later.
During the Soviet era, Sevastopol became a so-called "closed city". This meant that any non-residents had to apply to the authorities for a temporary permit to visit the city.
On 29 October 1948, the Presidium of Supreme Council of the Russian SFSR issued a ukase (order) which confirmed the special status of the city. Soviet academic publications since 1954, including the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, indicated that Sevastopol, Crimean Oblast was part of the Ukrainian SSR (Great Soviet Encyclopedia 1976, Vol.23. pp 104).
In 1954, under Nikita Khrushchev, both Sevastopol and the remainder of the Crimean peninsula were administratively transferred from being territories within the Russian SFSR to being territories administered by the Ukrainian SSR. Administratively, Sevastopol was a municipality excluded from the adjacent Crimean Oblast.[further explanation needed] The territory of the municipality was 863.5 km² and it was further subdivided into four raions (districts). Besides the City of Sevastopol proper, it also included two towns—Balaklava (having had no status until 1957), Inkerman, urban-type settlement Kacha, and 29 villages.
At the 1955 Ukrainian parliamentary elections on 27 February, Sevastopol was split into two electoral districts, Stalinsky and Korabelny (initially requested three Stalinsky, Korabelny, and Nakhimovsky). Eventually, Sevastopol received two people's deputies of the Ukrainian SSR elected to the Verkhovna Rada A. Korovchenko and M. Kulakov.
In 1957, the town of Balaklava was incorporated into Sevastopol.
On 10 July 1993, the Russian parliament passed a resolution declaring Sevastopol to be "a federal Russian city". At the time, many supporters of the president, Boris Yeltsin, had ceased taking part in the Parliament's work. On 20 July 1993 the United Nations Security Council denounced the decision of the Russia parliament. According to Anatoliy Zlenko, it was for the first time that the council had to review actions and come up with qualification of them for a legislative body.
On 14 April 1993, the Presidium of the Crimean Parliament called for the creation of the presidential post of the Crimean Republic. A week later, the Russian deputy, Valentin Agafonov, stated that Russia was ready to supervise the referendum on Crimean independence and include the republic as a separate entity in the CIS. On 28 July 1993, one of the leaders of the Russian Society of Crimea, Viktor Prusakov, stated that his organisation was ready for an armed mutiny and establishment of the Russian administration in Sevastopol.
In May 1997, Russia and Ukraine signed the Peace and Friendship Treaty, ruling out Moscow's territorial claims to Ukraine. A separate agreement established the terms of a long-term lease of land, facilities, and resources in Sevastopol and the Crimea by Russia.
The ex-Soviet Black Sea Fleet and its facilities were divided between Russia's Black Sea Fleet and the Ukrainian Naval Forces. The two navies co-used some of the city's harbours and piers, while others were demilitarised or used by either country. Sevastopol remained the location of the Russian Black Sea Fleet headquarters with the Ukrainian Naval Forces Headquarters also in the city. A judicial row periodically continued over the naval hydrographic infrastructure both in Sevastopol and on the Crimean coast (especially lighthouses historically maintained by the Soviet or Russian Navy and also used for civil navigation support).
As in the rest of the Crimea, Russian remained the predominant language of the city, although following the independence of Ukraine there were some attempts at Ukrainisation with very little success. The Russian society in general and even some outspoken government representatives never accepted the loss of Sevastopol and tended to regard it as temporarily separated from the homeland.
In July 2009, the chairman of the Sevastopol city council, Valeriy Saratov (Party of Regions) stated that Ukraine should increase the amount of compensation it is paying to the city of Sevastopol for hosting the foreign Russian Black Sea Fleet, instead of requesting such obligations from the Russian government and the Russian Ministry of Defense in particular.
On 27 April 2010, Russia and Ukraine ratified the Russian Ukrainian Naval Base for Gas treaty, extending the Russian Navy's lease of Crimean facilities for 25 years after 2017 (through 2042) with an option to prolong the lease in 5-year extensions. The ratification process in the Ukrainian parliament encountered stiff opposition and erupted into a brawl in the parliament chamber. Eventually, the treaty was ratified by a 52% majority vote—236 of 450. The Russian Duma ratified the treaty by a 98% majority without incident.
On 20 February 2014, Russian armed forces seized control of the Crimean peninsula. The city council of Sevastopol reportedly unilaterally declared that it wished to join the Russian Federation as a federal subject. The city council on 11 March released a joint resolution with the Supreme Council of Crimea to unite as an independent republic between the potential passing of the referendum and union with Russia. Ukrainian authorities and the international community strongly criticised the referendum decision. The actions of the Russian Federation were qualified by the international community as aggression against Ukraine, and occupation of its territory.
On 16 March, a controversial referendum on leaving Ukraine took place in the city, along with the rest of Crimea. During the voting, the Building of the Supreme Council of Crimea was controlled by the Russian military. The official reports by the organizers of the referendum were that a majority of 95.6% voted to become a part of the Russian Federation, though these results are contested. This referendum resulted in the establishment of the short-lived Republic of Crimea, which consisted of both Sevastopol and Crimea.
While Russia and ten other UN member states recognize the Crimean peninsula as part of the Russian Federation, Ukraine continues to claim Crimea and Sevastopol as an integral part of its territory, supported by most foreign governments and United Nations General Assembly Resolution 68/262.
Satellite image of the Sevastopol area.
A view of the Bay of Sevastopol.
Fiolent rocks formation on the coast of Sevastopol.
The city of Sevastopol is located at the southwestern tip of the Crimean peninsula in a headland known as Heracles peninsula on a coast of the Black Sea. The city is designated a special city-region of Ukraine which besides the city itself includes several of its outlying settlements. The city itself is concentrated mostly at the western portion of the region and around the long Bay of Sevastopol. This bay is a ria, a river canyon drowned by Holocene sea-level rise, and the outlet of Chorna River. Away in a remote location southeast of Sevastopol is located the former city of Balaklava (since 1957 incorporated within Sevastopol), the bay of which in Soviet times served as a main port for the Soviet diesel-powered submarines.
The coastline of the region is mostly rocky, in a series of smaller bays, a great number of which are located within the Bay of Sevastopol. The biggest of them are the Southern Bay (within Bay of Sevastopol), the Archer Bay, a gulf complex that consists of the Deergrass Bay, the Bay of Cossack, the Salty Bay, and many others. There are over thirty bays in the immediate region.
Through the region flow three rivers: the Belbek, Chorna, and Kacha. All three mountain chains of Crimean mountains are represented in Sevastopol, the southern chain by the Balaklava Highlands, the inner chain by the Mekenziev Mountains, and the outer chain by the Kara-Tau Upland (Black Mountain).
Sevastopol has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfa), thanks to summer mean straddling 22 °C (72 °F) that is bordering on a four-season oceanic climate, with cool winters and warm to hot summers.
The average yearly temperature is 15–16 °C (59–61 °F) during the day and around 9 °C (48 °F) at night. In the coldest months, January and February, the average temperature is 5–6 °C (41–43 °F) during the day and around 1 °C (34 °F) at night. In the warmest months, July and August, the average temperature is around 26 °C (79 °F) during the day and around 19 °C (66 °F) at night. Generally, summer/holiday season lasts 5 months, from around mid-May and into September, with the temperature often reaching 20 °C (68 °F) or more in the first half of October.
The average annual temperature of the sea is 14.2 °C (58 °F), ranging from 7 °C (45 °F) in February to 24 °C (75 °F) in August. From June to September, the average sea temperature is greater than 20 °C (68 °F). In the second half of May and first half of October; the average sea temperature is about 17 °C (63 °F). The average rainfall is about 400 millimetres (16 in) per year. There are about 2,345 hours of sunshine duration per year.
On 18 March 2014 the Kremlin announced that Sevastopol would become the third federal city in the Russian Federation, the two others being Moscow and St. Petersburg.
The executive power of Sevastopol is exercised by the Sevastopol City State Administration led by a chairman. Since April 2014 the executive power is held by the Government of Sevastopol, led by the City Governor.
Before 2014, the Sevastopol City Council was the legislature of Sevastopol and the mayor of Sevastopol was appointed by the Ukrainian central government. However, during the 2014 Crimean crisis, the pro-Russian City Council threw its support behind Russian citizen Alexei Chaly as the "people's mayor" and said it would not recognise orders from Kiev.
After the Accession of Crimea to the Russian Federation, the Legislative Assembly of Sevastopol replaced the City Council and the mayor is appointed by the legislative branch on the nomination of the Russian President, and officially the mayor is called the Governor of Sevastopol City.
Sevastopol is administratively divided into four districts.
Within the Russian municipal framework, the territory of the federal city of Sevastopol is divided into nine municipal okrugs and the Town of Inkerman. While individual municipal divisions are contained within the borders of the administrative districts, they are not otherwise related to the administrative districts.
Apart from navy-related civil facilities, Sevastopol hosts some other notable industries. An example is Stroitel, one of the leading plastic manufacturers in Russia.
The city received millions of US Dollars in compensation for hosting the Russian Black Sea Fleet from the Russian and the Ukrainian government.
Chornomornaftogaz § Chernomorneftegaz (Chjornomor), oil gas extraction, petrochemical, jack rigs and oil plantforms, LNG and oil tankers.
AO FNGUP Granit subsidiary of Almaz Antej, (assemblation ?) overhaul and manutention of SAM and radar EW complexes, ADS services.
Agricolture, crops, rice wheat wines thea fruits, tobacco (lesser), other products . Fishing and farming .
Mining, iron titanium manganese aluminium, calcite silicates and else, amethyst, other .
Kerch bridge, Taurida highway, Sevastopol GasTES plus solar FV plants, gas and petro depots coal and materials, ports .
Sevastopol Shipyard comprises three facilities that together repair, modernise, and re-equip Russian Naval ships and submarines. The Sevastopol International Airport is used as a military aerodrome at the moment and being reconstructed to be used by international airlines.
Sevastopol maintains a large port facility in the Bay of Sevastopol and in smaller bays around the Heracles peninsula. The port handles traffic from passengers (local transportation and cruise), cargo, and commercial fishing. The port infrastructure is fully integrated with the city of Sevastopol and naval bases of the Black Sea Fleet.
Panorama of the Sevastopol port entrance (left) with its monument to Russian ships which were sunk in the Crimean war to blockade the harbour (far right side).
After World War II, Sevastopol was entirely rebuilt. Many top architects and civil engineers from Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev and other cities and thousands of workers from all parts of the USSR took part in the rebuilding process which was mostly finished by the mid-1950s. The downtown core situated on a peninsula between two narrow inlets, South Bay and Artillery Bay, features mostly Mediterranean-style, three-story residential buildings with columned balconies and Venetian-style arches, with retail and commercial spaces occupying the ground level. Some carefully restored landmarks date back to the early 20th century (e.g., the Art Nouveau Main Post Office on Bolshaya Morskaya St and the Art Museum on Nakhimovsky Prospect). It has been a long-time tradition for the residents of surrounding suburbs to spend summer evenings by coming to the downtown area for a leisurely stroll with their families along the avenues and boulevards encircling the Central Hill, under the Sevastopol chestnut trees, and usually ending up on the waterfront with its Marine Boulevard.
Due to its military history, most streets in the city are named after Russian and Soviet military heroes. There are hundreds of monuments and plaques in various parts of Sevastopol commemorating its military past.
Cheremetieff brothers museum "Crimean war 1853–1856"
Museum Historical Memorial Complex "35th Coastal Battery"
The Naval Museum "Michael's battery"
St. Vladimir's Cathedral at 'the city hill'.
Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral.
View of the Northern side.
The Panorama Museum (The Heroic Defence of Sevastopol during the Crimean War).
The Storming of Sapun-gora of 7 May 1944, the Diorama Museum (World War II).
Entrance to Balaklava bay, 2010.
The population of Sevastopol proper is 443,211 (01.01.19), making it the largest in the Crimean Peninsula. The city's agglomeration has about 600,000 people (2015). According to the Ukrainian National Census, 2001, the ethnic groups of Sevastopol include Russians (71.6%), Ukrainians (22.4%), Belarusians (1.6%), Tatars (0.7%), Crimean Tatars (0.5%), Armenians (0.3%), Jews (0.3%), Moldovans (0.2%), and Azerbaijanis (0.2%).
There are many historical buildings in the central and eastern parts of the city and Balaklava, some of which are architectural monuments. The Western districts have modern architecture. More recently, numerous skyscrapers have been built. Balaklava Bayfront Plaza (On Hold), currently under construction, will be one of the tallest buildings in Ukraine, at 173 m (568 ft) with 43 floors.
After the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea the city's monument to Petro Konashevych-Sahaidachny was removed and handed over to Kharkiv.
2121 Sevastopol – asteroid discovered in 1971 by Soviet astronomer Tamara Mikhailovna Smirnova and named after the city.
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^ Russian Federal State Statistics Service (2014). "Таблица 1.3. Численность населения Крымского федерального округа, городских округов, муниципальных районов, городских и сельских поселений" [Table 1.3. Population of Crimean Federal District, Its Urban Okrugs, Municipal Districts, Urban and Rural Settlements]. Федеральное статистическое наблюдение «Перепись населения в Крымском федеральном округе». ("Population Census in Crimean Federal District" Federal Statistical Examination) (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
^ "definition: meaning, pronunciation and origin of the word". Oxford Dictionary. Oxford University Press. 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
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^ a b c d "Українське життя в Севастополi Михайло ЛУКІНЮК ОБЕРЕЖНО: МІФИ! Міф про юридичну належність Севастополя Росії". archive.org. Archived from the original on 8 December 2014.
^ "Яндекс.Словари". yandex.ru. Archived from the original on 17 August 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
^ "小褌邪褌褜懈 / 谐邪蟹械褌邪 肖谢芯褌 校泻褉邪褩薪懈: 袩袨效孝袠 50 袥袝孝 袧袗袟袗袛. 小袝袙袗小孝袨袩袨袥鞋 袙 1955 袚袨袛校". archive.org. Archived from the original on 8 December 2014.
^ "Лужков знайшов у серці рану і хоче почувати себе в Криму як вдома". pravda.com.ua.
^ "Today is the 2nd anniversary since the beginning of Crimea occupation". 112.international.
^ "Севастополь принял решение о вхождении в состав РФ : Новости УНИАН". Unian.net. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
^ Парламент Крыма принял Декларацию о независимости АРК и г. Севастополя [Parliament of Crimea adopted the Declaration on the Independence of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol] (Press release) (in Russian). Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. 11 March 2014. Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
^ a b "ВС Крыма принял незаконное решение о проведении референдума – Турчинов". unian.net.
^ "Backing Ukraine's territorial integrity, UN Assembly declares Crimea referendum invalid". UN News. United Nations. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
^ "Kremlin: Crimea and Sevastopol are now part of Russia, not Ukraine". CNN. 18 March 2014.
^ Kottek, M.; J. Grieser; C. Beck; B. Rudolf; F. Rubel (2006). "World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated" (PDF). Meteorol. Z. 15 (3): 259–263. doi:10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
^ "The duration of sunshine in some cities of the former USSR" (in Russian). Meteoweb. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
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^ "Climate Sevastopol: Temperature, Climate graph, Climate table for Sevastopol - Climate-Data.org". climate-data.org.
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^ "Ukraine: Sevastopol installs pro-Russian mayor as separatism fears grow". The Guardian. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
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^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names (5th ed.). New York: Springer Verlag. p. 172. ISBN 3540002383.
The murder of the Jews of Sevastopol during World War II, at Yad Vashem website.
Yalta is a resort city on the south coast of the Crimean Peninsula surrounded by the Black Sea. It serves as the administrative center of Yalta Municipality, one of the regions within Crimea. Population: 76,746 .
Balaklava is a former city on the Crimean Peninsula and part of the city of Sevastopol. It was a city in its own right until 1957 when it was formally incorporated into the municipal borders of Sevastopol by the Soviet government. It also is an administrative center of Balaklava Raion that used to be part of the Crimean Oblast before it was transferred to Sevastopol Municipality. Population: 18,649 .
The Black Sea Fleet is the fleet of the Russian Navy in the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Mediterranean Sea.
Yevpatoriya, is a city of regional significance in Western Crimea, north of Kalamita Bay. Yevpatoriya serves as the administrative center of Yevpatoriya municipality, one of the districts (raions) into which Crimea is divided. Population: 105,719 .
Krasnoperekopsk is a town of regional significance that was following the 2014 annexation of Crimea incorporated into Russia's Republic of Crimea, though the territory is recognised by a majority of countries as part of Ukraine within the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. It also serves as the administrative center of Krasnoperekopsk Raion, although it is not a part of the raion (district). Population: 26,268 .
The recorded history of the Crimean Peninsula, historically known as Tauris, Taurica, and the Tauric Chersonese, begins around the 5th century BC when several Greek colonies were established along its coast. The southern coast remained Greek in culture for almost two thousand years as part of the Roman Empire, and its successor states, the Byzantine Empire, the Empire of Trebizond, and the independent Principality of Theodoro. In the 13th century, some port cities were controlled by the Venetians and by the Genovese. The Crimean interior was much less stable, enduring a long series of conquests and invasions; by the early medieval period it had been settled by Scythians (Scytho-Cimmerians), Tauri, Greeks, Romans, Goths, Huns, Bulgars, Kipchaks and Khazars. In the medieval period, it was acquired partly by Kievan Rus', but fell to the Mongol invasions as part of the Golden Horde. They were followed by the Crimean Khanate and the Ottoman Empire, which conquered the coastal areas as well, in the 15th to 18th centuries.
The Crimean Oblast was an oblast (province) of the former Russian SFSR (1945–1954) and Ukrainian SSR (1954–1991) within the Soviet Union. Its capital was the city of Simferopol.
FC Sevastopol was a Ukrainian football club based in Sevastopol. The club was a spiritual descendant of the Soviet clubs from Sevastopol such as Chaika Sevastopol. After the completion of 2013–14 Ukrainian Premier League season due to the 2014 Crimean Conflict, the club ceased its existence and applied for a Russian license with the new name FC SKChF Sevastopol.
The Crimean People's Republic existed from December 1917 to January 1918 in the Crimean Peninsula, a territory currently disputed between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. Crimean People’s Republic was the first Turkic and Muslim democratic republic in the world. In its founding, the Crimean People's Republic was one of many short-lived attempts to create new states after the Russian Revolution of 1917 had caused the Russian Empire to collapse.
Naval museum complex Balaklava is an underground submarine base in Balaklava, Crimea, Disputed between Russia and Ukraine. It was a top-secret military facility during the Cold War, located in Balaklava Bay.
Sevastopol Marine Trade Port (SMTP) is a port in Sevastopol. It is located mainly at the Bay of Sevastopol, and at smaller bays around the Heracles peninsula. The port infrastructure is fully integrated with the city of Sevastopol and naval bases of the Russian Navy and the Black Sea Fleet.
FC Sevastopol is a Crimean football team based in Sevastopol.
Sevastopol is a city on the Black Sea, located in the southwest of the Crimean Peninsula—a territory disputed between Russia and Ukraine as a result of the 2014 Crimean crisis. It has been under the de facto Russian control since March 2014, when it was incorporated into Russia as one of its federal subjects, with a status of a federal city. Being a disputed territory, Sevastopol has two sets of laws governing how its administrative and municipal divisions are set up. Under both Ukrainian and Russian laws, the city is administratively divided into four districts.
The Sevastopol Naval Base is a naval base located in Sevastopol, on disputed Crimean peninsula. It is a base of the Russian Navy and the main base of the Black Sea Fleet.
The Monument to the Sunken Ships is the symbol of the city of Sevastopol, on disputed Crimean peninsula. Located in the Sevastopol Bay, it was designed by Amandus Adamson and built by Valentin Feldmann in 1905.
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AS Monaco FC was founded on 1 August 1919 as a unification of numerous local clubs based in France and the principality. The club's early years were spent in the amateur regional divisions of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, rising rapidly between the leagues in the 1920s. In 1933, Monaco were invited by the French Football Federation to turn professional. The Monégasques' first year of second division football ended in failure however, as they were relegated to the amateur leagues the following year. By 1948, Monaco re-acquired its professional status and returned to the French second division; they subsequently consistently finished in its upper echelons, with this sustained effort resulting in promotion to the French first division for the first time in 1953.
In 1960, Monaco's first iconic coach, Lucien Leduc, led the club to its first professional trophy, the Coupe de France, beating Saint-Étienne 4–2 in extra time. This initial success was bettered in the following year with the club winning the French Championship for the first time in its history, qualifying for the European Cup. Leduc subsequently led the club to its first League and Cup Double in 1963. Upon Leduc's departure in 1963, Monaco endured a barren run, entrenched in the middle half of the league for the best part of the next decade and alternating between the first and second divisions after 1963. In 1975, Jean-Louis Campora, son of former president Charles Campora, became chairman of the club. In his second season, he brought back Leduc, who immediately won the club promotion to the first division and won them the championship the following year in 1978. Leduc subsequently left the club again in 1979, to be succeeded by Lucien Muller and Gérard Banide, both of whom were unable to halt the club's decline.
Disappointingly for Monaco fans, the club could not translate its domestic leadership into European success. Up to this point, Monaco had never passed the first round of any European competition. Monaco lost to Dundee United (1981) CSKA Sofia twice (1982 and 1984) and Universitatea Craiova.
In 1986, famed Ajax manager Ștefan Kovács, who succeeded Rinus Michels and honed his Total Football ideals with the Dutch champions, came out of a three-year "retirement" to manage Monaco, but even he could not bring them success. With the club facing a second barren spell, they signed Arsène Wenger, who had hitherto been relatively unknown, managing Nancy without much success. Wenger's reign saw the club enjoy one of its most successful periods, with several inspired signings, including George Weah, Glenn Hoddle, Jürgen Klinsmann, and Youri Djorkaeff. Youth team policies produced future World Cup winners Emmanuel Petit, Lilian Thuram and Thierry Henry. Under Wenger, they won the league in his first season in charge (1988) and the Coupe de France in 1991, with the club consistently competing in the latter stages of the European Cup and regularly challenging for the league title. The club could have had even greater success in this period, as it emerged in 1993 that bitter rivals Marseille had indulged in match fixing and numerous improprieties, a view that Wenger had long held. In 1994, after being blocked by the Monaco board from opening discussions with German powerhouse Bayern Munich for their vacant managerial post after being shortlisted for the role, Wenger was released from the club, several weeks after the post had already been filled.
After Wenger's departure, the club went on to record two further league championships; under Jean Tigana in 1997 and under Claude Puel in 2000. However, as the decade came to an end, rumours were surfacing that the club was facing numerous financial difficulties. In 2003, these financial problems came to a head. Despite finishing second in the league, the club was relegated to Ligue 2 by the French Professional League for amassing a €50 million ($68 million) debt. Whilst this was reduced on appeal to a ban on purchasing players, it was enough to force President Jean-Louis Campora, who had been in charge for 28 years, to step aside. He was replaced by Pierre Svara, an administrator considered to be close to the Principality's royal family but with no footballing experience.
In July 2009, Ricardo Gomes was replaced by former Cannes and Rennes coach Guy Lacombe, inheriting a youthful squad featuring numerous highly lauded youth team prospects, including Cédric Mongongu, Serge Gakpé, Vincent Muratori, Frédéric Nimani, Nicolas N'Koulou, Park Chu-Young, Yohan Mollo and Yohann Thuram-Ulien. Lacombe led Monaco to eighth place in Ligue 1 in his first season in charge, but he was unable to replicate this performance in his second season, and was sacked in January 2011, with Monaco in 17th place in Ligue 1. He was replaced by former coach Laurent Banide, who was unable to turn around the club's fortunes; Monaco finished the 2010–11 season in 18th, thus becoming relegated to Ligue 2.
In December 2011, 66.67% of the club was sold to the Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev while the club were bottom of Ligue 2. Banide was sacked due to this poor start to the 2011–12 season, and was replaced by Italian manager Marco Simone. Although he lifted the club to eighth by the end of the season, the club's board targeted promotion for the upcoming season and so fired him and appointed his compatriot Claudio Ranieri, whose attacking style of football saw the club score 64 goals in the 2012–13 season. With the club only losing four times, Monaco finished the season as champions, earning promotion back to Ligue 1. Using Rybolovlev's funds, Monaco were one of the biggest spenders in Europe in 2013, spending roughly £140 million, including a club-record £50 million for Radamel Falcao from Atlético Madrid.
Monaco played at the original Stade Louis II since its construction in 1939. In 1985, the stadium was replaced with the current iteration, built on a nearby site consisting of land reclaimed from the Mediterranean, which has become a recurring feature of the stadium's seaside surroundings. The stadium is named after the former Prince of Monaco Louis II and houses a total of 18,500 supporters. The Stade Louis II is noted for its iconic nine arches and has hosted numerous athletic events and European Cup finals. Every August from 1998 – 2012 it hosted each instance of the annual UEFA Super Cup, but from 2013 UEFA decided to rotate the event throughout various stadiums in Europe. The stadium has undergone renovations numerous times and, at the beginning of the 2008–09 season, underwent numerous changes, one of which was the installation of two large screens. Monaco train in nearby La Turbie, a newly built training facility featuring state-of-the-art gyms, pools and conference centres.
AS Monaco is one of the Ambassadors for Peace and Sport, a Monaco-based international organisation.
Although AS Monaco is sometimes regarded as a French club, the club claims to "represent proudly the Principality of Monaco, faithful to its roots and opened to the world".
Below are the notable former players who have represented Monaco in league and international competition since the club's foundation in 1924.
Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries while playing for Monaco.
For a list of former and current AS Monaco players with a Wikipedia article, see here.
This page was last modified on 13 January 2016, at 21:26.
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I follow your question. I was never introduced by Dr Manneh to this man, Suwandi Camara, at all. And it could not have happened, because there was not a Foday Sankoh that Dr Manneh could have introduced me to this man in the presence of. No.
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