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How do you calculate couples counseling cost, or for that matter the advantages it can yield?
Obviously there are financial as well as emotional effects involved, and the latter may be the more significant by far. Being on your own, and especially breaking up after a long time together with another person, can be hard and depressing. Then there's the sunk cost: all the time and effort you've already put into building that relationship can be forever lost virtually overnight. However you choose to do the math, employing couples counseling to deal with existing relationship problems, or preventing them from arising in the first place, is one of the best investments you can possibly make in your happiness.
If you choose to book two hours a week for three months, it is going to set you back quite a bit. Fortunately, this is rarely necessary, with most couples experiencing at least some benefit within half a dozen sessions. It's worthwhile opting for a counselor licensed by the state, but this requires a minimum of an advanced degree, and those student loans don't pay themselves. In general, you can expect to pay upwards of $100 for each session, which lasts between 40 and 50 minutes.
It may be possible to reduce this up-front expense by seeing a couple's therapist who is still undergoing the practical portion of their training, contacting church or social groups or dipping into your health insurance. This limits the amount of choice you have, though, and may mean having to see a less qualified counselor or one who doesn't specialize in your particular kind of problem.
There is also an alternative way available in the form of fully qualified relationship therapists who offer their services online. This means that they can interact with a number of couples in the same hour, as these kinds of sessions don't need to fit into the mold dictated by traditional office appointments. Conducting therapy via a computer or mobile device also allows couples with difficult schedules or unique challenges to get in touch with whatever kind of specialist can help them best at whatever time is most convenient. Travel time, cancellation fees and convenience all represent further savings.
The money and time a couple can spend on couples counseling is obviously only one half of the equation. Even if breaking up isn't on the horizon, many couples spend far more on gifts and holidays in an attempt to save their relationship, which really means papering over the cracks rather than repairing the actual structure.
Alimony settlements and having to move into separate residences may be scary concepts, but the real damage a less than optimal relationship does lies in draining both partners' emotional resilience and psychic energy. If your feelings towards your spouse are causing you to lose sleep, warping your perspective or hurting your chances at happiness, a few sessions of couples therapy is not just a bargain but is also a necessity.
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To learn more about how hormone dysfunction may be preventing you from achieving better health, or to arrange an adrenal hormone function test or an extensive thyroid test and personalized online consultation, contact [email protected].... If the adrenal glands are not working well, they can make too many or too few hormones. Adrenal gland hormones help control fluid and salt levels in the body for healthy blood volume and blood pressure. They also help the body react to stress and change. Adrenal masses can cause hormone levels to grow too high and result in high blood pressure.
Owing to the theanine, tea can be a better fit for later in the day or to assist with mental energy.� (source: The Adrenal Reset Diet, pages 115-116) I�ve found that I do much better with caffeine if I mix it with gelatin and a healthy fat, like this . how to make a patty melt burger Helpful, trusted answers from doctors: Dr. Kern on how to improve pituitary gland function: What is the cause of your addison's? If the adrenals have failed, then the pituitary may be working fine, but the pituitary acth cannot stimulate a dead adrenal. If the pituitary is the cause of the addison's, then other hormones may also be affected. Best to discuss with your endocrinologist.
Each adrenal gland is composed of two distinct parts: the outer part called the adrenal cortex and the inner adrenal medulla. The adrenal glands secrete different hormones which act as 'chemical messengers'. These hormones travel in the bloodstream and act on various body tissues to enable them to function correctly. All adrenocortical hormones are steroid compounds made from cholesterol.
If the adrenal glands are not working well, they can make too many or too few hormones. Adrenal gland hormones help control fluid and salt levels in the body for healthy blood volume and blood pressure. They also help the body react to stress and change. Adrenal masses can cause hormone levels to grow too high and result in high blood pressure.
To learn more about how hormone dysfunction may be preventing you from achieving better health, or to arrange an adrenal hormone function test or an extensive thyroid test and personalized online consultation, contact [email protected].
The majority of women experience hot flashes, night sweats, heart palpitations, interrupted sleep, and irritability in menopause. And for a large portion of women, these symptoms either pass on their own, or they opt for hormone replacement therapy, which can reduce or eliminate their complaints.
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0.998732 |
Most of these new West Virginians soon became part of an economic system controlled by the coal industry. Miners worked in company mines with company tools and equipment, which they were required to lease. The rent for company housing and cost of items from the company store were deducted from their pay. The stores themselves charged over-inflated prices, since there was no alternative for purchasing goods. To ensure that miners spent their wages at the store, coal companies developed their own monetary system. Miners were paid by scrip, in the form of tokens, currency, or credit, which could be used only at the company store. Therefore, even when wages were increased, coal companies simply increased prices at the company store to balance what they lost in pay.
Miners were also denied their proper pay through a system known as cribbing. Workers were paid based on tons of coal mined. Each car brought from the mines supposedly held a specific amount of coal, such as 2,000 pounds. However, cars were altered to hold more coal than the specified amount, so miners would be paid for 2,000 pounds when they actually had brought in 2,500. In addition, workers were docked pay for slate and rock mixed in with the coal. Since docking was a judgment on the part of the checkweighman, miners were frequently cheated.
In addition to the poor economic conditions, safety in the mines was of great concern. West Virginia fell far behind other major coal-producing states in regulating mining conditions. Between 1890 and 1912, West Virginia had a higher mine death rate than any other state. West Virginia was the site of numerous deadly coal mining accidents, including the nation's worst coal disaster. On December 6, 1907, an explosion at a mine owned by the Fairmont Coal Company in Monongah, Marion County, killed 361. One historian has suggested that during World War I, a U.S. soldier had a better statistical chance of surviving in battle than did a West Virginian working in the coal mines.
In response to poor conditions and low wages in the late 1800s, workers in most industries developed unions. Strikes generally focused on a specific problem, lasted short periods of time, and were confined to small areas. During the 1870s and 1880s, there were several attempts to combine local coal mining unions into a national organization. After several unsuccessful efforts, the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) was formed in Columbus, Ohio, in 1890. In its first ten years, the UMWA successfully organized miners in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Attempts to organize West Virginia failed in 1892, 1894, 1895, and 1897.
In 1902, the UMWA finally achieved some recognition in the Kanawha-New River Coalfield, its first success in West Virginia. Following the union successes, coal operators had formed the Kanawha County Coal Operators Association in 1903, the first such organization in the state. It hired private detectives from the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency in Bluefield as mine guards to harass union organizers. Due to these threats, the UMWA discouraged organizers from working in southern West Virginia.
unions be allowed to hire their own checkweighmen to make sure the companies' checkweighmen were not cheating the miners.
When the strike began, operators brought in mine guards from the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency to evict miners and their families from company houses. The evicted miners set up tent colonies and lived in other makeshift housing. The mine guards' primary responsibility was to break the strike by making the lives of the miners as uncomfortable as possible.
As the intimidation by mine guards increased, national labor leaders, including Mary Harris "Mother" Jones, began arriving on the scene. Jones, a native of Ireland, was already a major force in the American labor movement before first coming to West Virginia during the 1897 strikes. Although she reported the year of her birth as 1830, recent research indicates she was probably born in 1845. As a leader of the UMWA's efforts to organize the state, Jones became known for her fiery (and often obscene) verbal attacks on coal operators and politicians.
Not only did the UMWA send speechmakers, it also contributed large amounts of weapons and ammunition. On September 2, Governor William E. Glasscock imposed martial law, dispatching 1,200 state militia to disarm both the miners and mine guards. Over the course of the strike, Glasscock sent in troops on three different occasions.
Both sides committed violent acts, the most notorious of which occurred on the night of February 7, 1913. An armored train, nicknamed the "Bull Moose Special," led by coal operator Quin Morton and Kanawha County Sheriff Bonner Hill, rolled through a miners' tent colony at Holly Grove on Paint Creek. Mine guards opened fire from the train, killing striker Cesco Estep. After the incident, Morton supposedly wanted to "go back and give them another round." Hill and others talked him out of it. In retaliation, miners attacked a mine guard encampment at Mucklow, present Gallagher. In a battle which lasted several hours, at least sixteen people died, mostly mine guards.
On February 13, Mother Jones was placed under house arrest at Pratt for inciting to riot. Despite the fact she was at least sixty-eight years old and suffering from pneumonia, Governor Glasscock refused to release her. On March 4, Henry D. Hatfield was sworn in as governor. Hatfield, a physician, personally examined Jones, but kept her under house arrest for over two months. During this same period, he released over thirty other individuals who had been arrested under martial law.
On April 14, Hatfield issued a series of terms for settlement of the strike, including a nine-hour work day (already in effect elsewhere in the state), the right to shop in stores other than those owned by the company, the right to elect union checkweighmen, and the elimination of discrimination against union miners. On April 25, he ordered striking miners to accept his terms or face deportation from the state. Paint Creek miners accepted the contract while those on Cabin Creek remained on strike. The settlement failed to answer the two primary grievances: the right to organize and the removal of mine guards. After additional violence on Cabin Creek, that strike was settled toward the end of July. The only gain was the removal of Baldwin- Felts detectives as mine guards from both Paint and Cabin creeks.
The Paint Creek-Cabin Creek strike produced a number of labor leaders who would play prominent roles in the years to come. Corrupt UMWA leaders were ousted and a group of young rank- and-file miners were elected. In November 1916, Frank Keeney was chosen president of UMWA District 17, and Fred Mooney was chosen secretary-treasurer.
Following the Paint Creek-Cabin Creek strike, the coalfields were relatively peaceful for nearly six years. U.S. entry into World War I in 1917 sparked a boom in the coal industry, increasing wages. However, the end of the war resulted in a national recession. Coal operators laid off miners and attempted to reduce wages to pre-war levels. In response to the 1912-13 strike, coal operators' associations in southern West Virginia had strengthened their system for combating labor. By 1919, the largest non-unionized coal region in the eastern United States consisted of Logan and Mingo counties. The UMWA targeted southwestern West Virginia as its top priority. The Logan Coal Operators Association paid Logan County Sheriff Don Chafin to keep union organizers out of the area. Chafin and his deputies harassed, beat, and arrested those suspected of participating in labor meetings. He hired a small army of additional deputies, paid directly by the association.
In late summer 1919, rumors reached Charleston of atrocities on the part of Chafin's men. On September 4, armed miners began gathering at Marmet for a march on Logan County. By the 5th, their numbers had grown to 5,000. Governor John J. Cornwell and Frank Keeney dissuaded most of the miners from marching in exchange for a governmental investigation into the alleged abuses. Approximately 1,500 of the 5,000 men marched to Danville, Boone County, before turning back. Cornwell appointed a commission whose findings did not support the union.
A few months later, operators lowered wages in the southern coalfields. To compound problems, the U.S. Coal Commission granted a wage increase to union miners, which excluded those in southwestern West Virginia. Non-union miners in Mingo County went on strike in the spring of 1920 and called for assistance from the District 17 office in Charleston. On May 6, Fred Mooney and Bill Blizzard, one of the leaders of the 1912-13 strike, spoke to around 3,000 miners at Matewan. Over the next two weeks, about half that number joined the UMWA. On May 19, twelve Baldwin-Felts detectives arrived in Matewan. Families of miners who had joined the union were evicted from their company-owned houses. The town's chief of police, Sid Hatfield, encouraged Matewan residents to arm themselves. Gunfire erupted when Albert and Lee Felts attempted to arrest Hatfield. At the end of the battle, seven detectives and four townspeople lay dead, including Mayor C. C. Testerman. Shortly thereafter, Hatfield married Testerman's widow, Jessie, prompting speculation that Hatfield himself had shot the mayor.
On July 1, UMWA miners went on strike in the region. By this time, over 90 percent of Mingo County's miners had joined the union. Over the next thirteen months, a virtual war existed in the county. Non-union mines were dynamited miners' tent colonies were attacked, and there were numerous deaths on both sides of the cause. During this period, governors Cornwell and Ephraim F. Morgan declared martial law on three occasions.
In late summer 1921, a series of events destroyed the UMWA's tenuous hold in southern West Virginia. On August 1, Sid Hatfield, who had been acquitted of his actions in the "Matewan Massacre," was to stand trial for a shooting at the Mohawk coal camp in McDowell County. As he and a fellow defendant, Ed Chambers, walked up the steps of the McDowell County Courthouse in Welch, shots rang out. Hatfield and Chambers were murdered by Baldwin-Felts detectives.
As a result of the Matewan Massacre, Hatfield had become a hero to many of the miners. On August 7, a crowd varyingly estimated from 700 to 5,000 gathered on the capitol grounds in Charleston to protest the killing. Among others, UMWA's leaders Frank Keeney and Bill Blizzard urged the miners to fight. Over the next two weeks, Keeney travelled around the state, calling for a march on Logan. On August 20, miners began assembling at Marmet. Mother Jones, sensing the inevitable failure of the mission, tried to discourage the miners. At one point, she held up a telegram, supposedly from President Warren G. Harding, in which he offered to end the mine guard system and help the miners if they did not march. Keeney told the miners he had checked with the White House and the telegram was a fake. To this day, it is uncertain who was lying.
On August 24, the march began as approximately 5,000 men crossed Lens Creek Mountain. The miners wore red bandanas, which earned them the nickname, "red necks." In Logan County, Don Chafin mobilized an army of deputies, mine guards, store clerks, and state police. Meanwhile, after a request by Governor Morgan for federal troops, President Harding dispatched World War I hero Henry Bandholtz to Charleston to survey the situation. On the 26th, Bandholtz and the governor met with Keeney and Mooney and explained that if the march continued, the miners and UMWA leaders could be charged with treason. That afternoon, Keeney met a majority of the miners at a ballfield in Madison and instructed them to turn back. As a result, some of the miners ended their march. However, two factors led many to continue. First, special trains promised by Keeney to transport the miners back to Kanawha County were late in arriving. Second, the state police raided a group of miners at Sharples on the night of the 27th, killing two. In response, many miners began marching toward Sharples, just across the Logan County line.
Blair Mountain stands as a powerful symbol for workers to this day. The miners who participated vowed never to discuss the details of the march to protect themselves from the authorities. For many years, the story of the march was communicated by word of mouth as an inspiration to union activists. It serves as a vivid reminder of the deadly violence so often associated with labor-management disputes. The mine wars also demonstrate the inability of the state and federal governments to defuse the situations short of armed intervention.
Cole, Merle T. "Martial Law in West Virginia and Major Davis as `Emperor of the Tug River.'" West Virginia History 43 (Winter 1982): 118-144.
Corbin, David A. "`Frank Keeney Is Our Leader, and We Shall Not Be Moved': Rank-and-File Leadership in the West Virginia Coal Fields." In Essays in Southern Labor History: Selected Papers, Southern Labor History Conference, 1976, edited by Gary M. Fink and Merl E. Reed, 144-156. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1977.
Corbin, David Alan. Life, Work, and Rebellion in the Coal Fields: The Southern West Virginia Miners 1880-1922. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1981.
Corbin, David Alan, ed. The West Virginia Mine Wars: An Anthology. Charleston, WV: Appalachian Editions, 1990.
Jordan, Daniel P. "The Mingo War: Labor Violence in the Southern West Virginia Coal Fields, 1919-1922." In Essays in Southern Labor History: Selected Papers, Southern Labor History Conference, 1976, edited by Gary M. Fink and Merl E. Reed, 102-143. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1977.
Laurie, Clayton D. "The United States Army and the Return to Normalcy in Labor Dispute Interventions: The Case of the West Virginia Coal Mine Wars, 1920-1921." West Virginia History 50 (1991): 1-24.
Lee, Howard B. Bloodletting In Appalachia: The Story of West Virginia's Four Major Mine Wars and Other Thrilling Incidents of Its Coal Fields. Morgantown: West Virginia University Library, 1969.
Mooney, Fred. Struggle in the Coal Fields: The Autobiography of Fred Mooney, edited by J. W. Hess. Morgantown: West Virginia University Library, 1967.
Savage, Lon. Thunder in the Mountains: The West Virginia Mine War, 1920-21. Pittsburgh: Univ. of Pittsburgh Press, 1990.
Scholten, Pat Creech. "The Old Mother and her Army: The Agitative Strategies of Mary Harris Jones." West Virginia History 40 (Summer 1979): 365-374.
Sullivan, Ken, ed. The Goldenseal Book of the West Virginia Mine Wars. Charleston, WV: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, 1991.
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0.946867 |
You have to win a war in order to win a peace!
"Every dispute around the world in history was solved through negotiations". This mantra repeatedly verbalized across Israel's political spectrum, the notion that a solution with the Palestinians can only be found through negotiations is, however, entirely false.
Israel's negotiations have actually brought more violence, not less. Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak's failure to reach a political solution despite his unprecedented concessions is just one proof of this.
The ONLY WAY a political solution can be reached via negotiations is if an Israeli government comes to power, which, for the sake of regional peace, would be willing to change Israel's nature so that it would no longer be a sovereign JEWISH state.
World history is replete with examples demonstrating that conflicts initiated by aggressive regimes are usually only resolved by military might. From the Islamic conquest of Europe, through the aggression of Nazi Germany and Japan, through Soviet aggression against Berlin, Argentina's invasion of the Falklands, Noriega's dictatorship, North Korea's designs on South Korea and Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, all these aggressors have been turned back by military means.
In truth, where nations were persuaded to relinquish the fruits of their military prowess and opt for negotiated settlements, it is nearly always the aggressor that has won.
Through Kissingers' negotiations with Hanoi, all America's military investment into ensuring that South Vietnam remained free was lost. The north overran the south as a direct result of the negotiated settlement.
We know that Eastern Europe was enslaved for decades by the Soviet Union as a result of negotiations between Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin.
Negotiations in and around Yugoslavia did not bring the desired result of peace to that fractured land. And Macedonia today is another clear example of the frequent futility of politically negotiated settlements.
In Lebanon, neither the numerous treaties and negotiations, nor the years-long presence of U.N. peacekeeping troops have led the country into freedom and independence, and Beirut remains largely under the control of Damascus, which militarily occupies Lebanese soil.
Egypt and Jordan - which received land and other benefits from Israel through the negotiating process, and as a result of these negotiations signed treaties with Israel - both have already withdrawn their ambassadors from Tel Aviv, and are under increasing pressure to join the rest of the Arab world in the next war against Israel.
Do I need to name more examples? There are Kashmir, Northern-Ireland and many others which, despite untold days of negotiations by the parties involved, have yet to reach peaceful solutions to their problems, and the bloodshed continues to this day.
No, Mr. Yossi Sarid, you are wrong when you (and many others) say: "Every dispute around the world in history was solved through negotiations."
Posterity is proof that the opposite is true! Negotiations have very seldom satisfactorily solved conflicts.
The near unanimous lesson from History is this: You have to win a war in order to win a peace.
And now I am afraid that the country's leaders will not be willing to even consider what I believe to be the only way out of its present predicament until Israel has suffered even more violence. There is no doubt that what's called for is a new leadership, a more correct perception of the realities, a sound recognition of the enemy's aims, and clear, definitive strategic-political planning. There must be no fumbling in the dark and no mere tactical expedients, for these will get us nowhere. If we don't have a well-defined, realistic objective, we won't have to fight the Arabs for our survival. The Arabs won't need to fight. The Jews, as usual, will destroy themselves. (Colonel Jonathan Netanyahu: Self-portrait of a hero, page 227).
1. Imprisoning all known terrorists.
2. Confiscating all illegal weapons.
3. Closing, until they relent, all institutions that promote violent jihad against the Jews.
4. Guaranteeing the protection of all Palestinians who sincerely foreswear violence and want to live in peace with Israel.
5. Giving these Arabs as much independence as possible; and offering them the chance to become Israeli citizens with full rights and full obligations (including military service).
1. A total security collapse in Israel, both within and without the green line.
2. A sustained and increasing drop in tourism leading to a serious economic downswing.
3. A successful turning of the tables by the Palestinians through continued terrorism and Israeli counteraction leading to the introduction of an international observer force into the "territories."
4. A keeping alive of the hope and intention of the world's billion-plus Muslims to create an Islamic Palestinian state, which will become the springboard for all fanatical forces to do away with Israel.
5. Denying the relevance of the age-old biblical promise of this land to the Jews jeopardizes Israel's whole historical claim.
Shortsighted politicians will counter that retaking control of these areas would create a demographic nightmare with the Arab population of such an all-encompassing state soon outnumbering its Jews.
Quite the opposite is true.
The moment Israel reestablishes full sovereignty over all of the Land of Israel, over a million of the Muslim Arabs now living in Judea and Samaria would opt against being fully-fledged citizens of this Jewish State and leave of their own accord. Conversely, numerous Jews still in the Diaspora would come to settle in Judea and Samaria, creating a far different demographic situation.
Israel's failure to take these drastic measures, however, may well place what is now left of the tiny Jewish state and its people in insuperable danger, from a security point of view, economically, and even demographically.
May God raise up courageous men in Israel to make the right decisions!
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0.991132 |
I need a new mascot for my product, [INSERT PRODUCT NAME]. [INSERT PRODUCT DESCRIPTION]. I'd like the mascot to be [INSERT ADJECTIVE: playful/serious/realistic/cartoony/etc.]. It will be used on [INSERT PURPOSE: mailers/website/business cards/etc.]. For your sample, please sketch one idea for the mascot, so I can see your style and vision.
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0.998567 |
Why do I receive different amounts of points for the same finishing position in different races?
Points are earned in races based on the average strength of drivers in a race as determined by iRatings and adjusted for field size.
Points are adjusted for field size so that there are no point advantages for driving in larger or smaller fields. Points are also adjusted for the skill of opponents based on the iRating of each driver prior to the race so that there are no point advantages for driving in weaker fields.
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0.928736 |
The whole country, is 103.000 km2.
Ocean area within the 200 miles limit is 758.000 km2.
Area of Vegetation, Lakes, Glaciers, Deserts. km2.
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0.981004 |
Is it possible to have a shabby chic room where the walls are painted wine?
Shabby chic is a mix of surroundings (walls) plus all of the cool furniture and "decorations". Its the eclectic "mix" that brings it all together.
Here is the wikipedia definition of Shabby chic, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabby_chic "Shabby chic is a form of interior design where furniture and furnishings are either chosen for their appearance of age and signs of wear and tear or where new items are distressed to achieve the appearance of an antique. At the same time, a soft, opulent, yet cottage-style decor, often with a feminine feel is emphasised.." It also clarifies the color palate, ". Whites and worn or bleached out pastels are favorite colours. ...". Now that is the text book definition, it would be tricky, but you can mix things around, I feel that it would take a trained eye to accomplish this.However, to stay "true " to the style, light colored or pastel walls.I hope this helps.
Wiki....where would we be without it.
White is the perfect backdrop for shabby chic! It provides the neutral canvas for everything else and you are not committed to one particular color or palette.
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0.999994 |
Context. Noninvasive encapsulated anaplastic thyroid carcinomas (NE-ATCs) have been described in few case reports, and consistently associated with favorable outcome compared to the classical ATCs. Objective. Our aim is to remark a rare histological finding in ATCs, encapsulation, which has been associated with a favorable outcome. Design. We have documented a rare case of an NE-ATC with its clinical, pathological, and molecular features. We also provided a thorough discussion of all the encapsulated ATCs reported in the literature. Subjects and Methods. A 50-year-old woman with an unremarkable medical history, who presented with a thyroid nodule, and diagnosed as “follicular lesion of undetermined significance” by fine needle aspiration biopsy. The patient was lost to follow-up for six years and revisited upon her neck disturbances and underwent total thyroidectomy. Results. Sections of the right lobe revealed a grossly encapsulated nodular lesion, measuring 75x55x55 mm. Histologically, the tumor consisted of both carcinomatous and sarcomatous components supported by immunohistochemical stains. Necrosis and atypical mitotic figures were evident. Capsular and/or vascular invasion was not identified. There were no BRAF codon 600, KRAS, NRAS mutations and RET/PTC rearrangement. During three-month follow-up, the patient was free of disease without adjuvant therapy. Conclusion. Encapsulated ATCs tend to follow a favorable clinical course and may deserve conservative treatment approaches.
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0.999939 |
Given a Replica Set with five data-bearing members , suppose the primary goes down with operations in its oplog that have been copied to only one secondary.
Assuming no other problem occurs, which of the following describes what is most likely to happen?
The most current secondary will not rollback the operations following the election .
Reads will be stale until the primary comes back up.
The primary will rollback the operations once it recovers 是错误的因为 A rollback reverts write operations on a former primary when the member rejoins its replica set after a failover. A rollback is necessary only if the primary had accepted write operations that the secondaries had not successfully replicated before the primary stepped down.
If a higher-priority member catches up to within 10 seconds of the latest oplog entry of the current primary, the set holds an election in order to provide the higher-priority node a chance to become primary.
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0.946684 |
Why I am not declaring Myself as Human Incarnation At the time of departure to Bombay,the devotee asked Swami Why dont you declare yourself clearly that you are the present Human Incarnation? Swami replied Buddha did not speak even about God and therefore, there is no question of the topic of the human incarnation. Therefore, Buddha was safe. Mohammed denied the concept of human incarnation and declared Himself as only the Messenger of God. Any body can be become Messenger and therefore, Mohammed was also safe. Lord Krishna emphasized on the concept of Human Incarnation through out Gita, but Krishna told that He is the Human Incarnation only to Arjuna and not to any other person. Therefore, Krishna was also safe. Jesus told that He is the Human Incarnation by telling that He and His Father are one and the same. He told this to many people and this news spread everywhere. This statement is in Bible and Bible is His message given to the public. For this statement He was brutally killed. Now, if I state the same in the present time, crucification may not be there due to improved legal atmosphere, but people will laugh at Me and will say that I am mad and should be admitted into a mental hospital. Of course this does not mean that I have accepted and stated that I am the human incarnation. Assuming that I am the Human Incarnation I am telling this. Let this not be taken as My declaration. This only means no human incarnation will declare himself as God after the crucification of Jesus. Since then God is terribly afraid of such declaration. Therefore, even if I am the real human incarnation I will not declare it. If I am not the human incarnation I should not declare it. Therefore, in any case I cannot declare this.
Please careful before God Whenever, you pray the Lord, be careful about the meaning of the prayer. You must utter that only, which you can really practice. In the prayer you say that the Lord is every thing for you. You cannot practice this. You cannot prove this as long as the Lord remains formless or in the energetic form or as the statue. But when the Lord comes in the human form and asks you to sacrifice a little for His sake, you will go back. For this inconvenience only you deny the human form. You like the statue or formless aspect of or energetic form of God because they cannot ask you for any proof of your prayer. You want that God should believe your prayer and should blindly sanction whatever you ask. You think that God is innocent and should believe whatever you say without any practical proof or test. This is the main reason for the denial of human form of God. When you offer the food to the Lord, the formless God or the energetic form or the statue will not take even a single particle of your offered food. But if you offer the same food to the human form, you will not get back a single particle to eat. This is the reason for denying the human form of the Lord. First you must be sure of the extent of value you give to God. Then, you must be sure of the extent of your faith when you meet the human incarnation and in recognizing Him as the Lord. If you have full value for the Lord and if you recognize the human incarnation, the full value to God must be proved practically in the case of that human incarnation. If you have full value for God but do not recognize the human incarnation, then there is no opportunity for you to prove your full faith to God. In such case your full value to God is false and you are Hippocratic. Jesus gave full value to God and sacrificed His life for the sake of God. In the end He told the Lord that His will should be done. When He accepted the will of God to be done, He did not feel adversely in the crucification. Since the crucification was the will of the Lord He followed it sincerely because He told that His will must be done. Therefore, whatever is told must be practiced. During crucification He never asked the Lord to protect Him and stop the crucification. If He had asked for it, it would have been stopped immediately by the miraculous power of the God. Therefore, unless you have the determination of practice you should not utter any thing before the Lord. Once you utter you must follow it at least in the case of the Lord. Most of our prayers are lies only and even one percent cannot be practiced. By doing such false prayers one invokes the anger of the Lord only and not the grace of the Lord. Whatever value you have for the God should be proved in practice and such value only should be mentioned in your words while praying the Lord. Whatever, little love you have for God, mention that much only in words. The God will not be displeased for your little love. In fact He is more pleased because you are telling truth before Him. There are some people who call every greater human being as the Lord. The purpose of such usage is only to have some benefit from that greater human being. Thus, the word Lord has become means to achieve the selfish ends in the hands of clever materialistic people. The false human incarnations may be trapped by such clever people. But the real human incarnation will get reversed.
You should know the relevant worship of God Relevant worship in this world means worship of the form of God, which is relevant to this world of humanity. Such a relevant form is only the human form of God(Shri Dattaswami). Irrelevant worship means worship of the irrelevant form of God for this humanity. Worship of energetic forms of God like Vishnu, Shiva etc. is irrelevant for the humanity. Such energetic forms are relevant to the upper worlds in which the souls existing in energetic forms stay. The angels and the departed souls from this world are the energetic bodies containing the souls. The energetic form of God is relevant to the upper world and is irrelevant to this world of humanity. Direct worship means the worship of the alive human form of God (Shri Dattaswami) in this world by the human beings or the worship of alive energetic form of God in the upper world by the souls existing in energetic bodies. Indirect worship here or in the upper world means the worship of statues and photos representing the energetic forms or human forms of God. Relevant–direct worship means the worship of human form of God by human beings in this world or the worship of energetic form of God by the souls existing in energetic bodies in the upper worlds. Relevant–indirect worship means the worship of statues and photos of human incarnations in this world or the worship of statues and photos of energetic forms of God in the upper world. Irrelevant–direct worship means the worship of the energetic form of God that appears in this world at the end of long penance. Such worship can be for very short period only. Irrelevant–indirect worship means the worship of statues and photos of the energetic forms of God in this world or worship of statues and photos of human incarnations in the upper world. Out of all these four types of worship, relevant–direct worship is the best. The next best here is irrelevant-direct worship, which can be for very short period only. The next best here is relevant–indirect worship in which the merit is that at least the relevant form is selected. Worship of statue of Krishna in this world comes under this category. The merit is that a human form of God is selected instead of the irrelevant energetic form of God. The devotees of ISKCON society come in this group. The merit is that they have identified the importance of the relevant human form of God instead of the irrelevant energetic form like Vishnu. The defect in them is that they are worshipping the statue of Krishna only, which does not receive the worship. Lord Krishna clearly said in the Gita that He will come in human form to this world again and again (Yadaa yadaahi …). They should search for the human form of God in this generation, which has different name and different form. The same unimaginable God (Parabramha), who charged the form of Krishna, also charges the present alive human form (Shri Dattaswami) in this generation. These devotees have 50% merit and 50% defect. The ISKCON devotees stand on their statement of the Gita, which says that Krishna asks the devotees to worship Him only. But, they forget one important point here, which is that this statement refers to the devotees present in the time of Krishna. The devotees alive at the time of Krishna can worship Krishna only so that their worship becomes relevant-direct worship. This important point is missing and hence, the ISKCON devotees are misled to worship the statue of Krishna. The devotees here, worshipping the statue of Lord Vishnu, come under the last category of irrelevant-indirect worship. Such devotees have 100% defect. The devotees coming under the category of irrelevant–direct worship are also 50% meritorious and 50% defective like ISKCON devotees. The 50% merit in these devotees is that they worship directly but the 50% defect is that they worship the irrelevant form of God, which appears after long strenuous penance for a very short period only. Therefore, such worship can be only temporary.
The best worship of God The best worship in this world is the worship of the present alive relevant human form (Shri Dattaswami) directly. The identification of such human incarnation is by Its (Shri Dattaswami’s) wonderful knowledge only. The reason is that the true knowledge alone can lead you to the goal in the spiritual path. Miracles should not be taken as the identification because miracles only mislead you in the wrong direction since you are always tempted to use the miraculous power to solve your selfish problems. Moreover, miracles are exhibited even by demons and evil people having black magic also by attaining the power of God. The power of God is transferrable but not the knowledge of God. Hence, the Vedas say that knowledge alone is the identification mark of God (Satyam Jnanam…, Prajnanam…). Knowledge is said to be the characteristic of Sattvam. This does not mean that the incarnations of the deity of Sattvam, Lord Vishnu, alone preach knowledge. Even the incarnations of Bramha and Shiva preach knowledge. No incarnation is without preaching the knowledge. Mandana Mishra, the incarnation of Bramha, was a great scholar in philosophy. Shankara, the incarnation of Shiva was another great scholar in philosophy. Bramha is the deity of Rajas and Shiva is the deity of Tamas. Every quality of these three qualities contains the other two qualities also and there cannot be a single quality without the other two qualities. The scriptures say this point. Preaching this spiritual knowledge is the main characteristic of human incarnation of God. Based on this reason only, Ravana was rejected to be the human incarnation of God due to absence of preaching the spiritual knowledge even though the exhibition of miracles existed in him.
For identifying present human form of God(Shri Dattaswami) what you should do Why you are not able to recognise God in human form (Shri Dattaswami) Rajas is the source of ego, which is the projection of self. Tamas is the source of jealousy, which is the denial of the greatness of others. The ego and jealousy are the covering layers of the two eyes with the help of which only you can see and identify the present human incarnation. Absence of ignorance is Sattvam, which only represents the pure devotion to God in which the self is completely forgotten and the greatness of the human incarnation alone prevails in the mind. Almost all the human beings are affected by the ego and jealousy and as a result they are unable to recognize the alive human incarnation. Even if they recognize, in no time the infection of ego and jealousy affects the two eyes and hence, based on the intensity of infection, the negligence and in course of time even the enmity result. The human form of God (Shri Dattaswami) also is not much bothered about this infection because such a situation of infection favors Him to lead undisturbed role in this world. If everybody recognizes the human incarnation as God, the play of God acting as a normal person gets disturbed. Of course, the human incarnation (Shri Dattaswami) reveals the whole truth in preaching the spiritual knowledge. Apart from this preaching, God in human form (Shri Dattaswami) will not put any supernatural effort to protect the devotee from this infection of Maya. God derives more and more enjoyment only when He leads a normal life in this world without His identification. Due to this, only one in millions succeeds in identifying the alive human incarnation and in retaining the faith in It without the infection. You can count such successful devotees on fingers like Lakshmana, Hanuman, Sita, Radha etc.
Yajna shall be done to God in human form present infront of you Food shall be given first to Divine preacher (God in human form) in Yajna THE CORRECT WAY OF PERFORMING YAJNA Types of Yajnas O Learned and Devoted Servants of God, [A Vedic Scholar, who presided over a meeting called as ‘Veda Vidvat Sabha’, stated that the reason for draught and floods is the non-performance of sacrifices in these days in which the ghee is poured in the fire. Swami ridiculed this and gave the following message.] Burning ghee in the fire leads to environmental pollution, which causes the draught and flood. These ignorant people state that the cause and promoter of a disease itself is the remedial medicine. If you eat the sweet, the blood sugar will raise causing damage to heart and kidneys. The patient is already in serious condition due to damage of heart and kidneys. A foolish doctor says that more sweets should be eaten to save the patient. Perhaps, the doctor is correct in the sense that the patient will die soon and he will get relief from the suffering of the disease! The climax of the joke is that the above conclusion is drawn in the Veda Vidvat Sabha. The Veda means Knowledge. Vidvat means the Scholar of such divine knowledge of the scripture. Here, the Knowledge is stressed twice by the two words ‘Veda’ and ‘Vidvat’. The conclusion shows total ignorance of the Veda since the fundamental concept is missing. An error in the foundation will pervade into all the floors of the building and the whole building gets cracked. The fundamental concept of the Veda is to serve the food to the Divine Preacher, who is the incarnation of God (Agnou karana), to the devoted human beings (Brahmana Bhojana) and finally, to other livings beings like birds and animals (Pinda pradana). The food is prepared by God from the five inert elements for the sake of living beings. If you throw such food into inert elements like fire, earth etc., you are insulting God. Pouring milk into pores of the earth is also foolish. In such case, all the effort of God to synthesize food from the inert materials becomes waste. Food is essential for life since it generates energy in the living being with the help of which only one preaches the knowledge and the other hears the knowledge to practice it. The total essence of the sacrifice is serving food to the Divine Preacher followed by serving food to devotees, elder people like parents and other invited guests and finally serving food to birds and animals. Serving food to the Divine Preacher is called ‘Brahma Yajna’. Serving food to Scholars is called ‘Rushi Yajna’. Serving food to devotees is called ‘Deva Yajna’. Serving food to old people is called ‘Pitru Yajna’. Serving food to other invited guests is called ‘Manushya Yajna’. Serving food to birds and animals is called ‘Bhoota Yajna’. Finally, eating to maintain the self is called ‘Atma Yajna’. The first is ‘Brahma Yajna’ in which the Divine Preacher or the human incarnation is served. He is the Director of your practice in the entire life by which you are benefitted here and there. This is the reason why the post of Director is the top most position in any institution. Once the correct direction is given, the employees work in correct lines and the institution succeeds. Such greatest Divine Preacher should be served with the best food in the beginning itself. Since He is to be served first He is called ‘Agni’. The word ‘Agni’ comes from the word ‘Agri’, which means the first to be served. Therefore, such Divine Preacher is the meaning of the word ‘Agni’ and not the physical fire. Brahma means God and service to Him is service to God and therefore, such service is called as ‘Brahma Yajna’. The best food is the food prepared using excess of ghee. Ghee does not mean pure ghee and it means only the food prepared with excess of ghee. People have slipped in taking the meaning of these two words ‘Agni’ and ‘Ghrutam’. Ignorant people have taken the ‘Agni’ for physical fire and ‘Ghrutam’ for pure ghee and they have started pouring the ghee in the Fire.
All the scarifices in the yajna should be done to alive god in human form only Serve Bhokta by food liked by him in ceremonies Even in the ceremonies of departed souls, you must satisfy the person eating the food (Bhokta) and serve him with the items liked by him. If he is satisfied, the effect of such satisfaction called as ‘Apoorvam’ or ‘Punyam’ saves the departed souls. You need not force the eater to eat the items liked by the departed soul. It is foolish ignorance since there is no connection between the eater and the departed soul. In the sacrifice performed by the followers of Rigveda, there is no physical fire. The food is placed in the palm of the eater (Pani Homa) and burning the food in the fire is only developed later on due to ignorance of the Scripture. If you understand the meaning of the first hymn of the first Veda (Rigveda), you have understood the meaning of all the four Vedas. The first Veda introduced the main concept in the first hymn itself, attacking the fundamental ignorance. The first hymn is ‘Agni Meele Purohitam, Yajnasya Devamrutvijam, Hotaaram Ratna Dhaatamam’. The translation of this hymn is: I praise the Agni, who is ‘Purohita’, the deity to be worshipped in the sacrifice, the priest, the performer of the sacrifice and the possessor of the greatest gem. If you analyze this verse, you can easily understand that the meaning of the word Agni is only a living human being and not the inert fire. All the adjectives of the Agni stress again and again that Agni means only a specific special human being(Human form of God present infrotn of you). One important adjective is that Agni is said to be the performer of pouring the ghee in the fire. The inert fire cannot pour the ghee in it by itself. The ghee is poured only by a living being. You may argue that by this explanation, the pouring of ghee in inert fire is not contradicted. This argument is rejected because the human being can pour the ghee (eat the food prepared by ghee) in the hunger fire called ‘Vaisvanara’ existing in his own stomach. Burning the ghee in fire is objected by another Vedic statement that food should not be wasted or destroyed (Annam Naparichekshita). The Divine Preacher Himself can be compared to the fire, Who burns the ignorance and in the comparison through metaphor, you can say that the Preacher is Fire. This is stated in the Veda also (Aagneyovai Brahmanah). From all angles, the Preacher eating the ghee-food in the beginning is the most correct interpretation. He is called as Purohita, since He helps you here itself before your death. After the death, you will go to the upper world called as Bhoga Loka where you cannot practice anything. Only here, in this Karma Loka, you can do any practice. For practice, right direction is essential, which comes only from the true knowledge of the Divine Preacher. He is the God of your sacrifice or service, since He is the human form of God. He is the Priest since He directs you in the right path. He is the possessor of the true knowledge, which is the most valuable gem helping you here and there. The essence of this first hymn is only to say that ‘Agni’ means the present alive Human Incarnation and not the inert fire. The inert fire is lit in the beginning only to cook the food. Fire is only the helping instrument (Saadhanam) but not the goal of worship (Upaasya) in the sacrifice. This fire ignited in the beginning for cooking is misunderstood as the deity of the worship since there was no separate kitchen in the ancient hut (Aashrama). The fire is lit in the east-south corner of the single room and hot cooked food was served then and there itself. The fire was continuously burning to avoid the entry of cruel animals from the forest and the continuous smoke always repelled the mosquitoes. In the Bhagavatam, Kapila, the incarnation of God, says that only fool pours ghee in the physical fire. Lord Krishna also disturbed the blind practice of burning the food in the fire by asking it to satisfy the hunger. As per the Veda (Yaavateervai…) all the deities dwell in the body of the Divine Preacher, who are satisfied by the food eaten by the Divine Preacher and give rains in the proper time to the world. In this way the sacrifice is really the reason for the rain (Yajnaath bhavati… Gita). In the misunderstood sense, the ghee burnt in the fire producing smoke pollutes the environment and stops the rain! Do not waste food in fire during Yajna In the Bhagavatam, Kapila, the incarnation of God, says that only fool pours ghee in the physical fire. Lord Krishna also disturbed the blind practice of burning the food in the fire by asking it to satisfy the hunger. As per the Veda (Yaavateervai…) all the deities dwell in the body of the Divine Preacher, who are satisfied by the food eaten by the Divine Preacher and give rains in the proper time to the world. In this way the sacrifice is really the reason for the rain (Yajnaath bhavati… Gita). In the misunderstood sense, the ghee burnt in the fire producing smoke pollutes the environment and stops the rain!
Wrong scientific develpment& atheism leads to distruction of society Evil Effects of Extraordinary Amenities O Learned and Devoted Servants of God, Modern people think that most of the funds must be spent on the development and applications of technical education, which supports the basic needs of materialistic life. Obviously, the Government also is in the same line of the people. These people criticize the ancient Governments, which have spent lot of funds on the useless spiritual education, which do not contribute anything to the material life. The modern people think that spiritual knowledge is just theoretical tautology without any practical application to the society unlike the practical subjects of science and technology. This type of conclusion is erroneous since the application of this theoretical spiritual knowledge has tremendous applications in the perfect control of the society, which is totally absent today, resulting in terrible chaos of the society. With the help of science and technology, you have provided the extraordinary amenities in the life, which unfortunately result in environmental pollution that is likely to lead to the total end of the humanity on this earth. This also created ambition in the mind of humanity to achieve such dangerous and foolish amenities, which not only result in global destruction, but also affect adversely the individual health also. Therefore, the line of the progress in the modern education is totally negative. I agree that the ancient kings never concentrated on science and technology, but this is not a defect and instead, this should be treated as merit due to avoiding such above said negative effects. On the other hand, the concentration on the spiritual education, which you treat as defect, is a tremendous merit if you have the capacity of proper analysis and proper understanding. Spiritual Education Controls Ambition The spiritual education established the faith in the unimaginable God that results in the fear for sin. No separate controlling systems like judiciary and police were needed to arrest the sin. The sin is eradicated at its birth itself and today corruption, which is an unimaginable sin, is the sole reason for the present chaos and it is not controlled by any powerful machinery since any machinery is infected by corrosion. I agree that the subject about the God is purely theoretical logic, but, its application is unbelievable! Since God is unimaginable due to lack of spatial dimensions, the subject of God has no trace of provision for experimental science and technology, which deal only with imaginable and spatial items. What is the harm if the nature of the subject is like that? In such case, why don’t you remove such theoretical subjects like literature, history, politics, economics etc., from the present education system? These subjects are valid due to their practical applications. Before the practical application of spiritual knowledge, the practical applications of the above mentioned arts subjects are almost nothing. The reason is that the application of spiritual knowledge brings self control on the sin and present chaos. For such overall important value of the application only, the ancient governments have given lot of stress on spiritual knowledge and we should decide whether they were foolish or we are foolish. The spiritual education accommodates the normal growth of science and technology, which is the basic potentiality of employment. It resists only the undue over growth of science and technology that results in global destruction and the destruction of individual health. The spiritual knowledge by its very inherent nature controls the ambition for the unnecessary and dangerous amenities, which is responsible for this cancer of corruption. The unimaginable boundary of the Universe is a practical proof for the existence of unimaginable God. Once this basic concept is established, even the atheists fear for doing the sin following the benefit of doubt of the 50:50 probability by avoiding the risk to err on the safe side. Otherwise, in the absence of such spiritual knowledge, everybody will become atheist and the fear for the sin is limited to courts and police only, which are also almost ineffective due to the infection of corruption and also due to the present development of several clever techniques of escape.
O Learned and Devoted Servants of God, In the spiritual path, the aspirant should be in the stage of a householder (Grihastha). Then only, God can test him or her whether the human being can practically sacrifice these three strong bonds (Eeshanatrayam), which are Dhaneshana: Bond with money and wealth Daareshana: Bond with wife or husband Putreshana: Bond with issues. When the human being is in the atmosphere of these three bonds, then only, the testing can be done by God. For this purpose, you should be a householder and not a saint, who is far from these bonds. You can evaluate a student, who has appeared for the examination and submitted the answer script. Such a student is like the householder. A saint, who avoids these bonds, is completely out of the context of testing like a student, who does not attend the examination at all. Therefore, such a saint is not greater than the householder. The student not attending the examination is not greater than even the student, who has failed after attending the examination. Therefore, even the householder, who failed in the test of God, is greater than the saint. The saint, who thinks that he is greatest among the human beings, is totally false. There is a famous joke. One circus master is passing through burning rings by jump. He is gradually reducing the size of the burning ring and as the size decreased, more risk is faced. Hence, the public seeing this feat gave more and more claps as the size of the ring is reduced. One fellow, seeing this feat, thought that the greatness of the jumper increases as the radius of the burning ring decreases. The person thought that if the radius is zero, the jump will be greatest because the radius is in the stage of least reduction. Therefore, he made a jump without the ring at all and expected claps from the public in greatest level. But, unfortunately, not even a single person clapped! The state of such person is the state of the saint. Gopikas were householders and reached the highest place called Goloka by sacrificing these three strong bonds for the sake of Lord Krishna. Even Hanuman married Suvarchala, the daughter of the Sun. He got a son called ‘Matsyavallabha’. This means that even Hanuman became the householder. This indicates that even Hanuman appeared for the examination. Therefore, no saint should think that the householder is lower than his or her status since the fact is that the status of the saint is lower than the status of the householder. Shankara remained as saint since He has to walk to all places in India for the propagation of spiritual knowledge and becoming a householder disturbs this Divine program. They are exceptional since they are Incarnations of God and not the normal spiritual aspirants. Every spiritual aspirant must become a householder, face the testing done by God and pass the examination.
UNIVERSAL SPIRITUALITY FOR WORLD PEACE – Shri. Datta Swami O Learned and Devoted Servants of God! Hinduism is a mini representative model of the unity among various religions in the world. There are different philosophies within Hinduism as there are different religions in the world. Unity within Hinduism represents the removal of different walls in the house to make all the rooms united into one big hall. Unity among religions in the world is like uniting all such big halls to make the one biggest hall. In Hinduism, the Advaita philosophy of Shankara stands for the monism of God and the soul. The Vishishta Advaita philosophy of Ramanuja speaks of the soul as an inseparable part of God. The Dvaita philosophy of Madhva speaks about the total difference between God and the soul. The basic point here is that these three philosophies apply only to the Human Incarnation of God, in which the unimaginable God has charged the imaginable soul in that human body. These philosophies do not refer the case of an ordinary soul and God. When the invisible current charges the visible metallic wire, both can be treated as one and also as different. This basic point has been forgotten and the quarrels started. Similarly, the unity among all the religions of the world can be achieved by understanding that there is only one unimaginable God charging different visible-imaginable human forms like Krishna, Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed etc. Since God is basically unimaginable, there can be only one God since the existence of two ‘unimaginables’ is absurd. Imaginable items can be many, but such imaginable (visible) items can be only different media for the entry of God. They cannot be God Himself. Rigid conservatism can be refuted by a powerful argument in this way: If Jesus alone is the Savior, His message, the Bible, should have been propagated to all countries simultaneously. India was discovered only in the 17th century by the West and so 17 generations passed away without the fortune of coming in contact with the Holy Bible. The poor souls have gone to hell for no fault of theirs. Had the opportunity been given to them, at least some of them might have been saved. This clearly shows the partiality of God for confining His message only to Jerusalem for 1700 years. God is only one since every religion says that only one God created this entire Earth and there is only one Earth. The one God, Father of all humanity, should not be partial. Rigid conservatives of any religion have no answer for this absurd conclusion. This reasoning applies equally to every conservative religion. But there is an answer from our side, which is: The same God came to all countries in different human forms giving the same message in different languages. Hence, God cannot be blamed for being partial. You cannot say that an unimaginable item cannot exist. The boundary of the universe is unimaginable. Even scientists accept it. Hence, there is no objection for the existence of the unimaginable God. Similarly, the existence of hell need not be rejected just because I cannot show you the exact location of hell in space. You too have not shown Me the absence of hell in this infinite space! Therefore, a 50-50 probability of the existence of hell must be admitted. In that case, it is better to assume the existence of hell and avoid sin. A wise blind man will err on the safe side and turn back immediately, if hears two contradictory statements: one saying that there is a fire ahead in his path and the other that there is no fire in his path. Today, powerful logical knowledge is required in philosophy since the analytical faculty of the public is well-developed due to the growth of science. Lord Dattatreya, the Universal Preacher, is always ready with such knowledge to face the need of the time.
God is Unimaginable O Learned and Devoted Servants of God! The Veda says that God is unimaginable—beyond words, mind, intelligence and even imagination (Yato vacho…, Manasaa saha…, Yobuddheh paratah…, Atarkyah…). If God is thought to be imaginable, then due to the multiplicity in imaginable items, people consider different imaginable items such as light, sun, space etc. to be God, since each person is fascinated by different imaginable items. This leads to different philosophies and religions, resulting in quarrels, disturbance of world peace and sometimes even terrorism. There cannot be two ‘unimaginables’ since you cannot differentiate one ‘unimaginable’ from the other. The unimaginable entity must be only ONE. Hence, the unimaginable God must be only ONE. Moreover, there can be oneness only in the case of the unimaginable. Once an item is imaginable, it can be differentiated from another imaginable item in this world and this results in multiplicity. Every religion says that their God alone created this earth and humanity on it. But unfortunately, there is only one earth and hence, there must be only one God, who is the Father of this entire humanity!
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0.973538 |
Please do not reply directly to this email. All additional comments should be made in the comments box of this bug. Summary: Bugfix for glibc entry "nds_DE" in /usr/share/i18n/locales https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=624058 Summary: Bugfix for glibc entry "nds_DE" in /usr/share/i18n/locales Product: Fedora Localization Version: unspecified Platform: All OS/Version: Linux Status: NEW Severity: medium Priority: low Component: Other language AssignedTo: dimitris(a)glezos.com ReportedBy: ncfiedler(a)fedoraproject.org QAContact: aalam(a)redhat.com CC: piotrdrag(a)gmail.com, fedora-trans-list(a)redhat.com Classification: Fedora Created an attachment (id=438687) --> (https://bugzilla.redhat.com/attachment.cgi?id=438687) fixed nds_DE from /usr/share/locales Description of problem: The actual nds_DE file in /usr/share/locales is obsolete - it is old and wrong. I edited it and hope for it to be adequate now. The old file seems to produce errors while setting the locale to "nds" (Low German). I attached the new file to this bug as a fix. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): How reproducible: /usr/share/locales/nds_DE has some wrong contents Steps to Reproduce: 1. 2. 3. Actual results: Expected results: ship the new nds_DE in the next release or as an update Additional info: -- Configure bugmail: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/userprefs.cgi?tab=email ------- You are receiving this mail because: ------- You are on the CC list for the bug.
Please do not reply directly to this email. All additional comments should be made in the comments box of this bug. https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=624058 Bug Zapper <triage(a)lists.fedoraproject.org> changed: What |Removed |Added ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Status|NEW |CLOSED Resolution| |WONTFIX Flag|needinfo?(ncfiedler@fedorap | |roject.org) | Last Closed| |2011-06-28 10:36:53 --- Comment #5 from Bug Zapper <triage(a)lists.fedoraproject.org> 2011-06-28 10:36:53 EDT --- Fedora 13 changed to end-of-life (EOL) status on 2011-06-25. Fedora 13 is no longer maintained, which means that it will not receive any further security or bug fix updates. As a result we are closing this bug. If you can reproduce this bug against a currently maintained version of Fedora please feel free to reopen this bug against that version. Thank you for reporting this bug and we are sorry it could not be fixed. -- Configure bugmail: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/userprefs.cgi?tab=email ------- You are receiving this mail because: ------- You are on the CC list for the bug.
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0.992498 |
See how much you know about the fox in this quiz!
This English Language quiz is called 'Words (Class Recognition)' and it has been written by teachers to help you if you are studying the subject at middle school. Playing educational quizzes is a fabulous way to learn if you are in the 6th, 7th or 8th grade - aged 11 to 14.
Words are separated into different classes. This English revision quiz will help you identify nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. If you find it difficult, it might be worth doing some of the earlier quizzes again to reacquaint yourself with the terms.
See if you can tell an adjective from an adverb by playing this quiz.
Name the capitalized word in the following.
The special steam train puffed along the tracks SLOWLY.
The gray skies cleared and the SUN shone brightly.
The GREY skies cleared and the sun shone brightly.
The BROWN fox ran quickly through the woods.
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0.984178 |
As of 30th June 2014, population of the parish of St Joseph, Longsight was estimated at 18k. This was 7.5% higher than 2011 estimate and 55.1% higher than 2001 estimate.
In 2011 Christians made up 35.4% of the population, Muslims - 29.2% and population declaring 'no religion' accounted for 23.2%. Between 2001 and 2011, Christian population increased by 0.5k, while group declaring Muslim belief increased by 2.5k and population declaring 'no religion' rose by 2k.
The total number of households in the parish is estimated at 6k, of which 60% do not have access to the car. Of all households, 39% are occupied by a family and 36% are one person households. About 25% of households falls into 'other' category, including student and shared households.
Of the households occupied by a single family, 49% are married couples, 13% are cohabiting and 34% are lone parents. Overall, 60% of families have dependant children. Families with all members aged over 65 made up 4% of all families.
Of the working age population (aged between 16 and 74) in the parish, 28% of resident declared their main economic activity as working, 47% as being a student and 4% as being retired.
It is estimated that in 2011, 40% of working age population was in employment. This includes, for example, full-time students having weekend job, although their main economic activity is not classed as 'Working'. The table below gives the details of the occupation, based on the job title of job in which they worked most hours in the week before the Census.
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0.935745 |
What makes a good trekkers?
Vision 2020- creating a quality travel adventure in Nepal.
Annapurna base camp trek- where nomads escape fantasies.
Dream comes true on blissful trip- Everest base camp and Kalapatthar 15 days trek.
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0.953427 |
The river otter (Lutra canadensis) is a long, elongated water-loving animal found throughout Florida except the Keys. This playful animal is found from Mexico north to Alaska. They are especially abundant throughout Canada. Otters inhabit rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, marshes and inland waterways.
These social animals may make their home in a hollow log or abandoned beaver lodge; however, they usually dig a hole into the bank of a stream or lake. This hole leads to a leaf-lined den. They may dig their own burrow, or remodel the burrow of a beaver. River otters use both freshwater and brackish habitats.
This shy and secretive animal is a strong and graceful swimmer, with an ability to dive to depths of about 60 ft. Like other members of its family, the river otter has a long body, short legs, and a long neck. The head is broad and flattened and its muscular, tapering tail typically equals about one third of its total body length.
The otter's body is very streamlined and flexible, generally 18 to 42 inches in length with the male being up to 30% larger than the female. Their coat is water repellent, short, smooth and dense. Overall, their color is dark brown, but the under-parts, throat and cheeks are somewhat lighter. Northern river otters have short legs and webbed toes to aid them in swimming. Otters can swim 3-4 mph underwater and up to 6 mph on the surface. They can stay submerged for up to 4 minutes.
The river otter, a member of the weasel family, is equally versatile in the water and on land. Northern river otters hunt during the night and prey upon the species that are the most readily accessible. Fishes are a favored food among the otters, but they also consume various amphibians, turtles, and crayfish. There have been instances of river otters eating small mammals as well.
River otters are among the most playful of animals. A lone river otter often amuses itself by rolling about, sliding, diving, or "body surfing" along on a rapid current. In family groups, otters take turns sliding and will frolic together in the water. A river otter makes the most of a snow slide by running to get speed, then leaping onto the snow or ice with its forelegs folded close to its body for a streamlined toboggan ride.
Otters mate year-round, with activity peaking in late spring and early summer. The gestation period is about 2 months In late spring, expectant mothers begin to look for a den where they can give birth to the yearlings they will soon have. The female otters do not dig their own dens; instead, they rely on other animals, like beavers, to provide suitable environments to raise their offspring. When the mothers have established their domain, they give birth to several kits. Litter size can reach five, but usually ranges from one to three.
Each otter pup weighs approximately five ounces. At birth, the river otters are fully furred, blind, and toothless. They stay with their mother for about a year while she teaches them to find and catch food for themselves. Otters reach sexual maturity in about 2 years.
North American river otters usually live to 21 years of age in captivity, but they can reach 25 years of age. However, they normally live about 8 to 9 years in the wild, but are capable of living up to 13 years of age. The otter has few natural predators when in water. Aquatic predators include the Alligator, American Crocodile, and Killer Whale. On land or ice, the river otter is considerably more vulnerable. Terrestrial predators include: the Bobcat, Mountain Lion, Coyote , Domestic Dog, Gray Wolf, Red Fox, and Black Bear. Most river otter mortality is caused by human-related factors such as trapping, illegal shooting, road kills, and accidental captures in fish nets or set lines. Accidental deaths of river otters may be the result of ice flows or shifting rocks. Starvation may occur due to excessive tooth damage.
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0.997561 |
The entanglement of quantum objects can take surprising forms. Quantum physicists at the University of Innsbruck have investigated several flavors of entanglement in four trapped ions and report their results in the journal Nature Physics. Their study promotes further developments towards quantum computing and a deeper understanding of the foundations of quantum mechanics.
Entanglement is a fascinating property connecting quantum systems. Albert Einstein called it the "spooky action at a distance". This bizarre coupling can link particles, even if they are located on opposite sides of the galaxy. The strength of their connections is behind the promising quantum computers, the dream machines capable of quick and efficient computations.
Their results go far beyond what was previously investigated with two entangled particles since four particles can be connected in many more ways. This investigation forms an important basis for the understanding of entanglement under the presence of the disturbances of the environment and the boundary between the dissimilar quantum and classical worlds. The work has now been published in the journal Nature Physics.
As part of their study, the Innsbruck scientists have developed new theoretical tools for the description of entangled states and novel experimental techniques for the control of the particles and their environment.
Could some entangled states be useless for quantum cryptography?
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0.999992 |
Write a one page summary of the main ideas that are brought out in the book.
Choose 10 quotes from the book that will help you to learn about the time period that the book is written in and explain how the quotes tell you about the time period and the overall meaning of the story.
You will also need to be prepared to discuss your book in class possibly in literary circles or short presentations depending on your teacher, who may also ask for a more formal assignment based on the book at the beginning of the semester. This assignment is worth 10% of your first quarter grade.
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0.999609 |
Why Do I Need a Mobile Website for My Local Business?
You finally have your website tweaked and fine-tuned the way you want it. It’s attractive, inviting, extremely informative and even search-engine optimized. But when you call it up on your smartphone or tablet, how does it look?
Websites that aren’t scaled for mobile devices often don’t perform well when accessed on those platforms. Information may be hard to read or even omitted if it doesn’t fit on the screen. Buttons and drop down menus may be too difficult to access, or the website may simply take too long to load. By creating a scalable mobile website, you can eliminate those problems and take advantage of the booming business opportunities available through the rapidly expanding mobile community.
Smart phones are growing in popularity, and there are now over 4 billion mobile devices in use around the world. Many people have completely replaced their personal computers with a smart phone or tablet. Along with calling and texting, people are increasingly using these devices for mobile banking, online shopping and to search for local businesses. In fact, mobile searches have increased by five times over the last two years.
According to the latest research, 52% of all local searches are done on a mobile phone, and 9 out of 10 mobile searches end in a purchase. That’s a pretty good reason to want to ensure that your website is as effective when displayed on a mobile device as on a PC. What are the major advantages of a mobile website?
In order to optimize your website for a mobile device, you must pare away all the excess information and focus on the message. Mobile users don’t want to read all that tiny text, or have to scroll around on your page to find the information they’re looking for. Condense the site down to the most important information, and be sure to include your call to action.
Don’t be afraid of white space. In the case of a mobile site, white space is good. You’ll need to leave plenty of space between buttons or menus so that a user can access them easily, even with fat fingers. Keep your site navigation simple and easy to use.
Smart phones and tablets come in a wide variety of sizes these days. If your mobile website is set to just one size and doesn’t scale, it may appear illegible, or run off the edge of the page when accessed on a different sized device. A good scalable website program will detect the type of device of the accessing user and automatically scale itself to fit the page.
Another reason for creating a mobile site is that your original web page may take a very long time to load. Mobile users already have to deal with poor reception, so you don’t want your site’s large size to be part of the problem. A mobile website is pared down and designed to load quickly. Flash and other non-compatible multimedia elements should be left out. Most marketing specialists agree, consumers will give your site about five seconds to load before moving on, so once again, less is more.
Finally, mobile websites come up higher in local search results performed on mobile devices, giving you an edge over competitors who may not be leveraging the power of mobile marketing. And most mobile platforms provide free reporting and analytic tools to track the success of your mobile website. Be sure to integrate your mobile website with your social media pages to boost your profits even more!
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0.923678 |
The 16th Air Expeditionary Task Force (16 AETF) is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. It was last activated at Izmir Air Base, Turkey on 1 December 2006, and inactivated on 30 April 2008.
The 16 AETF may be activated or inactivated at any time.
Formerly designated as Sixteenth Air Force(16th AF), the command was the first newly established Numbered Air Force (NAF) by the USAF after World War II, It was activated in 1954 as a Joint Military Group to provide command and control of USAF activities in Spain, being designated a NAF in 1956. In 1957 16th AF was realigned under Strategic Air Command(SAC) to provide command and control of SAC bases and B-47 Stratojet rotational units assigned and deployed to Spain and Morocco.
In 1966 after SAC withdrew its forces from Europe, 16th AF became part of the United States Air Forces in Europe, providing command and control of USAFE forces initially in Spain and North Africa, and later in Italy and Turkey until 2006. It later became a provisional Air Expeditionary Task Force under USAFE as part of the Global War on Terrorism.
During the Cold War, the Sixteenth Air Force (16th AF) served both Strategic Air Command and United States Air Forces in Europe.
The 16th AF's ancestor organization was the Joint United States Military Group, Air Administration (Spain), which was established on 20 May 1954. It was attached to the Joint U.S. Military Group, which oversaw implementation of the 1953 Spanish-American Defense Cooperation Agreement.
On 15 July 1956, the Sixteenth Air Force was created when the Air Administration (Spain) was re-designated as Headquarters, 16th AF, and aligned directly under Headquarters, U.S. Air Force. Existing Spanish Air Force bases near Madrid, Sevilla, and Zaragoza were expanded to accommodate the 16th AF. On 1 July 1957, the 16th AF was realigned under the Strategic Air Command (SAC). Its main operating bases in Spain were used for SAC B-47 Stratojet rotational alert aircraft until April 1965.
The 16th AF also operated SAC bases in Morocco from 1958 through 1963. They included Nouasseur Air Base, Ben Guerir Air Base, and Rabat-Sale. In 1966, a year after SAC withdrew its B-47 alert force from Spain, the 16th AF was reassigned to U.S. Air Forces in Europe. The 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, with three squadrons of F-100D Super Sabres, moved from the United States to Torrejon Air Base, Spain. The wing later converted to F-4 Phantom IIs, and in 1983, to F-16 Fighting Falcons.
In 1961, General David Wade was dispatched to Torrejón, where he took command of SAC's 16th Air Expeditionary Task Force. He received his promotion to lieutenant general on 1 August 1963 and left Torrejón to assume command of SAC's Second Air Force with headquarters then at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana.
The 401st FW moved from Spain to Aviano AB, Italy, in May 1992 and was re-designated as the 31st FW in April 1994. It has two squadrons of F-16C/Ds. Headquarters, 16th AF moved to Aviano AB in August 1992.
During its time at Aviano AB, Sixteenth Air Force was the operational air force for USAF combat operations in the Balkans, supporting Operation Deny Flight, enforcing the U.N. ordered no-fly zone over Bosnia. Sixteenth Air Force aircraft participated in the raid on the Bosnian-Serb held airfield at Udbina in November 1994. In the fall of 1995, 16th AF supported Operation Deliberate Force, the U.N.-sanctioned/NATO executed attacks on Bosnian-Serb forces. In 1995, 16th AF supported Operation Joint Endeavor, the NATO peacekeeping mission to the former Yugoslavia, through operations in Croatia, Hungary and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The years 1996 through 1998 saw continued high operations in 16th AF. It was the first Air Force organization to fully employ the Expeditionary Wing concept. The 16th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force, consisting of the 16th and 31st Air Expeditionary Wings, activated in support of Operation Joint Guardian, and its air component, Operation Deliberate Guard, engaging air power for peace enforcement operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The 39th Air & Space Expeditionary Wing activated in support of Operation Northern Watch, engaging air power to enforce the no-fly zone over northern Iraq.
Headquarters 16th AF formed the joint force air component command for Operation Silver Wake, the evacuation of Americans and allied noncombatants from Albania. The 31st Fighter Wing was the first F-16 Falcon unit to fly combat missions utilizing night vision goggles, and wing aircraft provided close air support during Pope John Paul II's historic visit to Sarajevo. Today the wing remains a major participant in support of Balkan air operations. The 39th Wing at Incirlik AB, Turkey, deployed a flying ambulance surgical team to Dhahran Air Base, Saudi Arabia in response to the Khobar Towers bombing. The wing assisted in the evacuation of nearly 6,500 pro-U.S. Kurds from northern Iraq.
Beginning in March 1999, the 16th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force grew to 10 air expeditionary wings and 480 Air Force aircraft in 10 countries supporting Operation Allied Force, NATO's air campaign in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia. Approximately 13,200 airmen, in addition to 32,000 airmen through Europe, deployed in support of the 78-day air campaign that led to Serbian withdrawal of forces from the province of Kosovo.
In 2005, Sixteenth Air Force moved to Ramstein AB, Germany to become USAFE's new Warfighting Headquarters. Its mission was to execute aerospace operations through expeditionary force command and control in support of the U.S. European Command and NATO. Supporting this mission, 16th AF planned and executed combat air operations in southern Europe and portions of the Middle East and northern Africa as an air component or joint task force headquarters. It supported approximately 11,000 Air Force and civilian members at two main operating bases, four support bases and other sites in Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Croatia, Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hungary, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey and Israel; and conducted peacetime engagement throughout the region.
On 1 December 2006, the Sixteenth Air Force was inactivated at Ramstein AB and simultaneously reconstituted as the Sixteenth Air Expeditionary Task Force at Izmir Air Base, Turkey. It was replaced at Ramstein by the Third Air Force. The 16th AETF was inactivated in April 2008.
Re-designated Sixteenth Air Force on 15 July 1956 and elevated to Major Command status.
^ a b Kane, Robert B. (8 February 2010). "Sixteenth Air Force (USAFE) Fact Sheet". US Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
^ "Lieutenant General David Wade". United States Air Force Military Information Biographies. Archived from the original on 2013-03-11. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
^ Butler, William M. (1 May 2004). "Fifty Years On Nato's Southern Flank - A History Of Sixteenth Air Force 1954 – 2004" (PDF). Office of History Headquarters, Sixteenth Air Force United States Air Forces in Europe Aviano Air Base, Italy. p. 43. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
^ Dragoner, O. W. (September 2013). "United States Air Force 1989" (PDF) (in German) (1): 184–190. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
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0.948726 |
When you hope to win a traditional publisher for your next big American novel, you must write the best query letter ever. Provide a good description of the place with as much detail as possible. Are they good too? Have a good overview is much more than one page or two vague topics. It doesn't have to be good or happy, but the readers want to be satisfied.
Poor typing is above all tedious typing. This can be dull because it is too confusing or too logic, or dull because it is hysterical because it is lyrical, or dull because nothing really happens. When I give you a 400-page script of an unreleased novel - something I think is poorly spelled - you can finish reading it, but you will feel the same pain as you do.
It is possible that you have never spelled 80,000 words badly. Boyfriend of a friend's novel. When you ask, you'll find it easy enough to find a really poor novel. I' m talking about a novel by someone who has written a novel in isolation for years that he is sure is a great work of work.
Your boyfriend of a friend's novel can have some redemptive qualities - the strangely beautifully formed phrase, the lost brilliance of the picture. Poor authors still do poorly, because they have many good grounds for doing so. Authors are poor because they stick to the causes of poor typing.
Poor typing is almost always a romantic poetry directed from the Self to the Self. First and last and most admired is the author herself. Whilst poor authors can reread many different works of mythology, they are not able or willing to notice the things that these works do, which their own writings do not.
So, the most perilous kind of writer for evil authors to reread are what I call apology authors - novelists of the kind who seem to allow others to lend or mimic their mistakes. Poor authors defend themselves against a conflict with their own wickedness by referring to other authors with whom they have certain qualities worth defending.
When another writer's work survive with charme, you will never be able to rob it, only mimic it in an awkwardly apparent way. Often the poor author has the feeling of telling a certain tale. Till they tell this particular tale, they have the feeling that they can't go on.
However, because the materials are so near them, they can't play around enough to know how they work. Poor authors often want to re-write a novel by another author that has been published in a different era and under totally different people. Since it' a good work, they see no good why they can't just do it again.
You don't realize that even historic or sci-fi stories are an answer to a certain instant. It is catastrophic for any serious cliché to pretend that the realm is not what it is - or that the realm should still be what it once was. On the other hand, poor authors often use writing to advance a cause or to broaden other people's understandings of a modern societal topic.
Every effort to create literature to make the planet a better, more just place will certainly be doomed. Keeping any value more important than being a good author is risky. In order to change from a skilled author to a great author, you have to take the chance of being - or being seen as - a poor author.
Skills are fatal because they prevent the author from taking the humiliating risks he has to take before he goes beyond his skills. Competent authoring means doing a few magical things for your loved ones; good authoring means running away to join the show. Eventually, the teacher can show you how to do spell casts in a course of creativity; at best he will show you how to be a good wizard; but he also does spells - and you have to study that on your own.
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0.993392 |
HSA Contributions: Spend or Invest?
This post continues my discussion of how consumer-directed health plans (CDHP) and health savings accounts (HSAs) can improve your retirement security. You'll probably want to review my previous post to help you understand the further thoughts in this post.
In addition to covering your health expenses when you're employed, HSAs are also a great way to save money for your retirement; you're not taxed on the contributions going into your account, you're not taxed on the investment earnings, and you're not taxed on the amounts that are withdrawn from your account, as long as you use this money to pay for medical bills. You can also use HSA money to pay for Medicare premiums. These are currently at least $115.40 per month per person for Medicare Part B; add $30 per month or more if you buy a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.
Note that the income taxes on any money contributed to a traditional IRA or 401(k) are merely deferred until you retire, whereas money contributed to HSAs truly escapes income taxes completely. Sweet!
If you withdraw contributions from your HSA for any purpose other than qualified medical expenses, however, the IRS imposes a 20 percent penalty tax. And while this tax no longer applies after age 65, the amounts withdrawn and used for non-medical expenses will be subject to income taxes.
If you let your HSA contributions remain invested, you're typically offered an array of investment options that are similar to the investment menu in your 401(k) plan. And your investment strategy for your HSA should be similar to your 401(k) investing strategy, since you have about the same time horizon. So decide the appropriate amount of exposure to stocks you're comfortable with and look for ways to minimize your investment expenses.
Should you spend the amounts in your HSA or leave them invested for the future? I prefer keeping these contributions invested for the future, provided you have enough money from other sources to pay for medical expenses you incur while you're employed. I realize with a tight economy, many people will spend the money now, but see if you can find a way to leave some money invested for the future. You won't regret it when you reach your Medicare years and have to pay for Medicare premiums and other medical expenses.
I've heard one rationale for spending your HSA money in the current year, but I don't buy it. The reason goes something like this: If you pay for medical expenses with HSA money, you're not paying income taxes on that money. If you use any other money, you're using money that's subject to income taxes, so that's less efficient. So what? The money you spend on everything else -- food, utilities, clothes, entertainment -- is paid for with after-tax money, but that doesn't stop you from paying for them, does it? And if you had money left over at the end of the year, you'd save it on an after-tax basis, wouldn't you?
For me, the real issue is whether you can afford to save more money for tomorrow through the HSA, or whether your budget is so tight that you need to spend the HSA money for medical expenses in the current year.
Can CDHP/HSA plans save money on medical bills and improve your health? Stay tuned for my next post that answers these questions.
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0.999981 |
How does authorship order affect the evaluation of a publication record?
First authorship indicates you were primarily responsible for idea generation and/or running subjects and/or writing the manuscript. Thus, the research is viewed as directly reflecting the abilities of the first author.
If not first author, the order of your authorship is generally less important because second authorship provides generally the same weight as a third, fourth, or etc authorship. Being second, third, fourth, or etc, provides relatively little information about your ability to conduct research because its difficult to know the contributions of non-first-authorships and the research is usually not viewed as directly reflecting the ability of the other authors who are seen as having secondary roles on the project.
One caveat is that if the first author is a graduate student, the research may be viewed as reflecting the abilities of the faculty member irrespective of where in the authorship order that faculty member has his/her name.
At the same time, another possible heuristic that may be invoked when evaluating your publication record is whether on your non-first-authorship articles you have a tendency to be closer to the front when it comes to authorship order, or a tendency to be farther to the back. In this case, having a tendency to be closer to the front may indicate something about your contributions and ability to conduct research.
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0.999996 |
This topic contains information, advice, reflections, suggestions, warnings, etc., about life at the [[http://www.rochester.edu][University of Rochester]]'s [[http://www.cs.rochester.edu][Department of Computer Science]], located in [[http://www.ci.rochester.ny.us/][Rochester]], [[http://www.state.ny.us/][New York]]. Edit this topic to add links to related topics. ---+++ Department * [[RiverRun09][2.1 miles River Run, September 11, 2009]] * [[RochesterNovember][Rochester in November photo shoots]] * [[RiverRun08][2.60 miles River Run, September 12, 2008]] * [[http://www.cs.rochester.edu/dept/news/photos/2007.riverrun/index.html][River Run 2007]] * [[http://www.cs.rochester.edu/dept/news/photos/2006.riverrun/index.html][River Run 2006]] * [[http://www.cs.rochester.edu/dept/news/riverrun2005.html][River Run 2005]] * [[CommitteeAssignments][Committee Assignments]] * URCS [[MarchMustacheMadness2008][March Mustache Madness 2008]] * URCS [[MarchMustacheMadness2007][March Mustache Madness 2007]] * URCS [[MarchMustacheMadness][March Mustache Madness 2006]] ---+++ Area Attractions * UR's [[http://sa.rochester.edu/RED/][RED]] Program is an easy way to save money at nearby restaurants.
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0.944365 |
Once there was girl named Sarah. Her mother told her a new baby was about to get born, so she had to go to the hospital. Sarah was very happy, When her mother got home she found out it was a girl baby. Her name was Laura. Laura was a very cute baby, but Sarah was jealous. One night Sarah snuck into Laura's bedroom and the baby started to cry. Sarah hid behind the baby's crib. Her mother came into Laura's bedroom and saw nothing. Sarah got out from behind the crib and helped Laura stop crying. After that she liked he new baby sister. One day when Laura was turning 8 and Sarah was 14, Sarah got her the best birthday gift ever. It was a family gathering to celebrate Laura. They got to go to fanciest restaurant in town. Laura had the best birthday ever and loved her sister very much. At the end of the night Laura gave Sarah a great big hug!!!
I loved the story because it was about a dad.
NICE! I LIKE THIS STORY.
make a story with happy endings next time ok?
I really liked it? Hope that you will make new stories everyday.
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0.980127 |
How to create connection to MongoDB?
I can't create a connection to MongoDB, I do not know where to configure the connection.
You can create the mongo db connection just visit https://zappysys.com/blog/ssis-loading-data-into-mongodb-upsert-update-delete-insert/ it will create mongo db connection. I hope it will solve your mongo db connection issue.
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0.987431 |
What is the difference between Laser & LED printing?
Lambda and Lightjet are both brands of laser printer companies (Durst and Océ, respectively) that developed innovative digital replacements for traditional darkroom printing. Rather than using a bulb to expose light on photographic paper, these printers use three lasers (red, green and blue) to expose light onto photographic silver halide paper, advancing through the Lambda and in the Lightjet, rolled inside a large drum. The exposed paper is then processed in photographic chemistry to create a perfectly archival, digital but traditional C Type print. Hence the term, ‘digital C Type‘.
Laser printers such as Lambda and Lightjet are the preferred choice by artists and photographers the world over. Laser systems rely on elaborate combinations of rotating mirrors and lenses that must remain in alignment through use. LED technology uses a Light Emitting Diode print-head as a light source which is ‘solid-state’ (i.e. fixed) and has no moving parts.
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0.945718 |
As my inaugural year on the bicycle recently concluded, I came to the astounding realization that I had somehow managed to become a cyclist. This change did not only take place during this short span of time - it has been a transformation process that has slowly been occurring. I never noticed this progression happening but instead took each day in stride not noticing how I was changing.
It is entertaining to think how life persists and how we change and grow into each new stage. If you would have asked me at the beginning of summer what type of athlete I considered myself, I would have responded that I was a "variety show". I was searching for a niche I could call my own. As I look back at all the different sports and events that brought me to where I am now, I can see how each played a significant role into forming the athlete I am today. Within a short period of time, I have come to the realization that I am officially a cyclist.
Cycling brings together a myriad of athletes and we all have different stories and reasons why we are in this sport today. A common introduction in the women's peloton is the question of which athletic background each rider came from. When I respond with my collegiate tennis experience it is often met with an inquisitive glance considering that tennis is not known as a launching pad for a career in cycling, in contrast to other sports such as Nordic skiing, soccer or cross country. However, as most collegiate athletes would agree, it is not always the sport itself that defines you, but the dedication and determination it takes to be a scholar-athlete.
I was never a gifted tennis player. In my defense, I may have been a natural athlete, but I was not a natural tennis player. I first picked up a racquet in high school, which is 10 years too late to ever be a contender at Wimbledon or a tournament of that stature. Yet, I had one vision - to play NCAA tennis to assist in my college education. At the age of 14 I was blatantly told by my first tennis instructor that this goal was ludicrous and impossible. This may have been a logical rationalization due to my lack of finesse and experience on the court, but what this instructor did not recognize was my absolute determination. It goes without saying that I refused to work with a coach that could not identify the power of a driven athlete.
Even though I had the results to spur recruiting trips and multiple college options, it was Hutton Jones from Abilene Christian University who saw the potential I had as an athlete - both physically and mentally. It could be argued that the only reason Hutton selected me to join his nationally ranked team is because my father was a team member of a successful UCLA football team and my mother plays national open senior tennis. Regardless of Hutton's reasoning, his opportunity made a permanent impact on my life. Through this stepping stone to my cycling career I made the greatest lifetime friends and grasped the true meaning of a team, which will assist in my upcoming profession as a cyclist. I learned that although I could play college tennis I was not an exceptional tennis player, but I had the potential to become something more - I just had to find the right sport.
I have become a cyclist. When I look back upon this progression I not only feel the thousands of miles I have put on my bicycle, but I also see hours on the court and around the track. I see those who have unwaveringly supported me throughout the years, allowing me to take lessons and to compete. I see my ACU tennis teammates and their dedication to not only the sport, but to the importance of the dynamics of a team. I see the USWCDP (www.uswcdp.org) and how Michael Engleman believed in me throughout my development - even before I was a cyclist.
Getting ready to embark on my first official season as a cyclist, I will race for Team TIBCO under the unfailing leadership of Linda Jackson. Not only will I have the opportunity to race for a team director of the highest caliber, but I will also be able to grow and develop under the tutelage of the best female riders in the nation. Similar to my freshmen year of college, I am entering a sport where I cannot offer much in experience or skills but I can give my full commitment and resolve to realize my potential.
Once again, I am dumbfounded by the tremendous amount of blessings in my life. Entering into this holiday season, I am thankful for so many people in my life. I am thankful for the opportunity to race with an amazing team and once again be part of a group of women that are not only talented athletes, but incredible people as well. I am thankful that my husband, family, and friends are so supportive of the sacrifices we make to race our bicycles. I am thankful for my job at Endurance Performance Training Centers (www.enduranceptc.com), which not only provides me with a work and training balance, but also a great environment to pursue my dreams. Finally, I am thankful that I have completed my first "off-season" and I am back on bike for long grueling rides, eating Powerbars and continually validating the fact that I am now a cyclist - who would have imagined?
Alison Starnes in the TIBCO kit.
Alison Starnes hard at work on the trainer.
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Is There an Example of Situational Irony in "Hamlet"?
The irony in "Hamlet" is dramatic irony, which is different from situational irony; dramatic irony is the difference between what the character believes and what the audience knows. Situational irony refers to the character behaving in a way that is contradictory to the way they are expected to act.
Sometimes situational irony is referred to as dramatic irony, but they do have different definitions. An example of situational irony would be the minister in "The Scarlet Letter" who commits adultery. An example of dramatic irony in "Hamlet" is the fact that the audience knows that Laerte's weapons are poisoned, but Hamlet and others involved are not aware of it until later.
What Are the Characteristics of "Hamlet"?
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I'm trying to implement the CNN multi view network in Movidius NCS (MVCNN image).
Is it possible to use an input for NCS of dimensions [Nviews, batch_size, im_l, im_w, Nchannels]?
ValueError: as_list() is not defined on an unknown TensorShape.
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What will come of one Runner's hunt for the net's legendary source protocols? The answer to this question is embedded within the core of All That Remains, the fifth Data Pack in the "Lunar Cycle" for Android: Netrunner. Its sixty new cards (three copies of each new card) include a new Criminal Runner identity, a new shard of the source protocols, and a host of assets designed to support the ambitions and secrecy of those Corporations that have the most investment in lunar development.
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What should you buy in September? Well, it depends on what you're looking for. If you're shopping for shoes, previous generation smartphones or grills - go for it.
Consumer experts say September is also a good time to buy larger items. It's when a lot of big box stores slash prices to make room for their holiday merchandise.
Several of the big box stores right now have good deals on large appliances like stoves, dishwashers, fridges, washers, and dryers.
If you need a new TV, September is a good time to buy smaller models. If you're wanting a larger TV, experts say it's still best to wait until Black Friday.
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Poems of Tennyson, 1829-1868: Including The Princess, In Memoriam, Four, Idylls of the King, Maud, Enoch Arden, Etc.
"Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers": Finely bound by Riviere of Poems of Tennyson, 1829-1868.
London: Oxford University Press, 1921.
Octavo, finely bound in full leather by Riviere. Gilt titles and tooling to the spine, double gilt ruled to the front and rear panels, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, slipcase. Frontispiece of Tennyson. Introduction by Herbert Warren. In near fine condition.
As source material for his poetry, Tennyson used a wide range of subject matter ranging from medieval legends to classical myths and from domestic situations to observations of nature. The influence of John Keats and other Romantic poets published before and during his childhood is evident from the richness of his imagery and descriptive writing. He also handled rhythm masterfully. The insistent beat of Break, Break, Break emphasizes the relentless sadness of the subject matter. Tennyson's use of the musical qualities of words to emphasize his rhythms and meanings is sensitive. Tennyson was a craftsman who polished and revised his manuscripts extensively, to the point where his efforts at self-editing were described by his contemporary Robert Browning as "insane", symptomatic of "mental infirmity." Few poets have used such a variety of styles with such an exact understanding of metre; like many Victorian poets, he experimented in adapting the quantitative metres of Greek and Latin poetry to English. He reflects the Victorian period of his maturity in his feeling for order and his tendency towards moralizing. He also reflects a concern common among Victorian writers in being troubled by the conflict between religious faith and expanding scientific knowledge. Like many writers who write a great deal over a long time, his poetry is occasionally uninspired, but his personality rings throughout all his works. Tennyson possessed a strong poetic power, which his early readers often attributed to his "Englishness" and his masculinity. Well known among his longer works are Maud and Idylls of the King, the latter arguably the most famous Victorian adaptation of the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. A common thread of grief, melancholy, and loss connects much of his poetry (including Mariana, The Lotos Eaters, Tears, Idle Tears, In Memoriam), possibly reflecting Tennyson's own lifelong struggle with debilitating depression. T. S. Eliot famously described Tennyson as "the saddest of all English poets", whose technical mastery of verse and language provided a "surface" to his poetry's "depths, to the abyss of sorrow". Other poets such as W. H. Auden maintained a more critical stance, stating that Tennyson was the "stupidest" of all the English poets, adding that: "There was little about melancholia he didn't know; there was little else that he did" (Norton Anthology of English Literature).
London: Henry S. King and Co, 1875.
First edition, first issue of the first book in Tennyson’s historical trilogy with “behled” on page 126. Small octavo, bound in full red morocco, gilt titles to the spine, elaborate gilt tooling to the spine and panels, double gilt ruled, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Association copy, signed by Alfred Tennyson on the title page with Ellen Terry’s inscription below, “From her loving Ellen Terry” and below that “Her old friend, Henry Irving.” The recipient, Sir Henry Irving performed in and produced the the first production of Queen Mary at the Lyceum Theatre in April of 1876. The book was likely giving from Tennyson to Irving, and later from Irving and Terry to a female recipient. Henry Irving’s bookplate to the pastedown. In good condition. Rare and desirable signed by Tennyson.
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As nice as it would be, there aren’t any universal guidelines to improve mental health. Emotions are a complex topic, and current research only grazes the surface when attempting to understand the physiology behind mental health. With that said, some research has helped to identify certain habits and qualities that are often found in individuals who report strong mental health.
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How can the isolation level required by different cloud services in containers be met?
Cloud service deployments may end up residing in containers that have specific deployment location requirements that, when not adhered to, can cause conflicts and runtime processing problems.
A control mechanism is used to dictate where each cloud service or container can or cannot be deployed, based on pre-defined rules. Often factors, such as performance, licensing, governance and regulatory requirements are the basis of these rules.
The control mechanism is created by defining affinity and anti-affinity rules and enforcing them at runtime. The control mechanism can comprise multiple rulesets and can be applied to a single cloud service or container and a single or multiple hosts, or a combination of different cloud services, containers and hosts.
Containers A and B need to be isolated on two different physical hosts.
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Battery going down fast after two months I use my A3500 HV . Plz look at this.
How do i get the speakers to work? I can only listen to sounds with earphones.
Anonymous, 31 Dec 2014Can the Lenovo A3500 make phone calls?yes and no depending on the model you've got. the HV has data (HSPA) and voice call features (2G), the H version is data only (HSPA) and no voice call features, while the F model is Wi-Fi only and has not SIM slot for either data or voice calls.
AnonD-345204, 08 Jan 2015How the hell do i get my volume louder with my earphones plugged in, and dont say adjust the v... morethere is a pop-up, warning you about the possible hearing damage of loud volumes from earphones. maybe you were pressing "ok" instead of "cancel" which would possibly explain the volume remaining at 30% (its default "safe" sound volume level).
overall this is a pretty good tablet. almost got the a3300 but for a few more bucks I get an HD screen, front facing speakers and voice call features (I got the HV version - data and voice, the H version has no voice call feature just data while the F is Wi-Fi only). my two biggest surprises (and biggest disappointments) on this tablet is that the front facing speakers are not stereo and no dolby digital sound! coming from a lenovo s930 (6inch, 720p phone) which has the said features, I was expecting all of these features to be there on the a3500, I mean, they put it on the a1000 for crying out loud!
AnonD-345204, 08 Jan 2015How the hell do i get my volume louder with my earphones plugged in, and dont say adjust the v... morehave you tried going to the audio profile settings and adjust the volume(s) there.
The lenovo A3500-F is great very good f or games. As it is onlay the wi-fi versoin.display is HD soo... Great tablet..
Did anyone try to root this device "hv" version?
Battery lasts up to 6 hours with pwr saving and www browsing. Antutu got 18000. Wifes asus fonepad k004 lasts up to 8 hours ir even 9, būt antutu only 12000.
Lenovo has kind of plastic feeling, while asus feels better. Speaker is not loud, asus is louder.
Cpu-z shows 1000mAh capacity-wtf? Asus shows correct 4k And stmth.
Planning to buy the A35000 H. I'm in South Africa and need to know if it can whatsapp?
Can the Lenovo A3500 make phone calls?
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Please help improve it by adding dated informations, images and videos about Sense and Sensibility.
"'Sense and Sensibility"' is a novel by Jane Austen, and was her first published work when it appeared in 1811 under the pseudonym "A Lady"
Jane Austen - Through her brother Henry, the publisher Thomas Egerton agreed to publish Sense and Sensibility, which appeared in October 1811.
Sense and Sensibility (film) - "Sense and Sensibility" was the first English-language period adaptation of an Austen novel to appear in cinemas in over fifty years, the previous being the 1940 film "Pride and Prejudice"
Sense and Sensibility (film) - The popularity of both "Sense and Sensibility" and "Pride and Prejudice" led to the BBC and ITV releasing their Austen adaptations from the 1970s and 1980s onto DVD.
Paul Boateng - In 1993, he wrote the foreword to the Harper Collins collected works edition of Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility"
Aishwarya Rai - In 2000, Rai starred in "Kandukondain Kandukondain", a Tamil language adaptation of Jane Austen's novel "Sense and Sensibility"
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Show support appreciated: 35iDYDYqRdN2x6KGcpdV2W1Hy3AjGje9oL Matthew interviews Stephan Kinsella, longtime advocate of private property and personal liberty, and expert on intellectual property law. We discuss broad ranging issues on Bitcoin and private property. Is Bitcoin really property per se, and does anyone truly own bitcoin(s)? Also, how does the nature of intellectual property (or lack thereof) play into the open-source aspects of Bitcoin? What is Bitcoin? Is Bitcoin a digital good? Stephan shares his knowledge on the history of intellectual thought, personal liberty, and intellectual property to answer some of these questions. We discuss some current topics about the brand of Bitcoin (versus Bitcoin Cash), and if blockchain could(?) ever resolve some of the faults and friction in IP that Stephan has studied for years. Stephan is a well-read intellectual and Bitcoiners would do well to read more of his writings. Links for more info: https://twitter.com/NSKinsella http://www.stephankinsella.com/ https://mises.org/profile/stephan-kinsella https://mises.org/library/against-intellectual-property-0 https://mises.org/library/goods-scarce-and-nonscarce https://cointelegraph.com/news/pro-btc-movement-scraps-lawsuit-against-vers-bitcoincom-citing-lack-of-funds Hosts: Matthew Mežinskis, Fernando Ulrich Music: New Friend Music newfriendmusic.com/ Site: cryptovoices.com/ Podcast & Information Cryptoeconomics & Liberty Thanks for listening! Show content is not investment advice in any way.
Listen to Show 43: Stephan Kinsella - Bitcoin & Intellectual Property now.
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What do kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, and cabbage have in common? They are all different cultivars of the same species!
Wild cabbage (Brassica oleracea) is native to coastal parts of southern and western Europe. In its native habitat, wild cabbage is very tolerant of salty, limey soils but not so tolerant of competition. Because of this, it tends to grow mainly on limestone sea cliffs where few other plants can dig their roots in.
Despite their popularity as delicious, healthy vegetables, as well as their long history of cultivation, there is scant record of this plant before Greek and Roman times. Some feel that this is one of the oldest plants in cultivation. Along with the countless number of edible cultivars, the wild form of Brassica oleracea can be found growing throughout the world, no doubt thanks to its popularity among humans.
I am always amazed by how little we know about crop wild relatives. Despite the popularity of its many agricultural cultivars, relatively little attention has been paid to B. oleracea in the wild. What we do know is that at least two subspecies have been identified - B. oleracea ssp. bourgeaui and B. oleracea L. ssp. oleracea. As far as anyone can tell, subspecies 'oleracea' is the most wide spread in its distribution whereas subspecies 'bourgeaui' is only known from the Canary Islands.
B. oleracea's long history with humans confuses matters quite a bit. Because it has been cultivated for thousands of years, identifying which populations represent wild individuals and which represent ancient introductions is exceedingly difficult. Such investigations are made all the more difficult by a lack of funding for the kind of research that would be needed to elucidate some of these mysteries. We know so little about wild B. oleracea that the IUCN considers is a species to be "data deficient."
It seems to appreciate cool, moist areas and will sometimes escape from cultivation if conditions are right, thus leading to the confusion mentioned above. It is amazing to look at this plant and ponder all the ways in which humans have selectively bred it into the myriad shapes, sizes, and flavors we know and love (or hate) today! However, we must pay more attention to the wild progenitors of our favorite crops. They harbor much needed genetic diversity as well as clues to how these plants are going to fare as our climates continue to change.
In the interest of full disclosure, I have never been a fan of garden variety Pachysandra. Long before I had any interest in plants or gardening, there was something about this groundcover that simply did not appeal to me. Fast forward more than a decade and my views on the use of Asian Pachysandra in the garden have not changed much. You can imagine my surprise then when I learned that North America has its own representative of this genus - the Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens).
My introduction to P. procumbens happened during a tour of the Highlands Botanical Garden in Highlands, North Carolina. I recognized its shape and my initial reaction was alarm that a garden specializing in native plants would showcase a non-native species. My worry was quickly put to rest as the sign informed me that this lovely groundcover was in fact indigenous to this region. Indeed, P. procumbens can be found growing in shady forest soils from North Carolina down to Florida and Texas.
This species is yet another representative of a curious disjunction in major plant lineages between North America and eastern Asia. Whereas North America has this single species of Pachysandra, eastern Asia boasts two, P. axillaris and P. terminalis. Such a large gap in the distribution of this genus (as well as many others) seems a bit strange until one considered the biogeographic history of the two continents.
Many thousands of years ago, sea levels were much lower than they are today. This exposed land bridges between continents which today are hundreds of feet under water. During favorable climatic periods, Asia and North America likely shared a considerable amount of their respective floras, a fact we still find evidence of today. The Pachysandra are but one example of a once connected distribution that has been fragmented by subsequent sea level rise. Fossil records of Pachysandra have been found in regions of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, and North and South Dakota and provide further confirmation of this.
As a species, P. procumbens is considered a subshrub. It is slow growing but given time, populations can grow to impressive sizes. In spring, numerous fragrant, white flower spikes emerge that are slowly eclipsed by the flush of spring leaf growth. The flowers themselves are intriguing structures worthy of close inspection. Their robust form is what gives this genus its name. "Pachys" is Greek for thick and "andros" is Greek for male, which refers to the thickened filaments that support the anthers.
It is hard to say for sure why this species is not as popular in horticulture as its Asian cousins. It tolerates a wide variety of soil types and does well in shade. What's more, it is mostly ignored by all but the hungriest of deer. And, at the end of the day, it took this species to change my mind about Pachysandra. After all, each and every species has a story to tell.
A geophyte is any plant with a short, seasonal lifestyle and some form of underground storage organ ( bulb, tuber, thick rhizome, etc.). Plants hailing from a variety of families fall into this category. However, they share more than just a similar life history. A disproportionate amount of geophytic plants also possess massive genomes.
As we have discussed in previous posts, life isn't easy for geophytes. Cold temperatures, a short growing season, and plenty of hungry herbivores represent countless hurdles that must be overcome. That is why many geophytes opt for rapid growth as soon as conditions are right. However, they don't do this via rapid cell division.
Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) emerging with preformed buds.
Instead, geophytes spend the "dormant" months pre-growing all of their organs. What's more, the cells that make up their leaves and flowers are generally much larger than cells found in non-geophytes. This is where that large genome comes into plant. If they had to wait until the first few weeks of spring to start their development, a large genome would only get in the way. Their dormant season growth means that these plants don't have to worry about streamlining the process of cellular division. They can take their time.
As such, an accumulation of genetic material isn't detrimental. Instead, it may actually be quite beneficial for geophytes. Associated with large genomes are things like larger stomata, which helps these plants better regulate their water needs. The large genomes may very well be the reason that many geophytic plants are so good at taking advantage of such ephemeral growing conditions.
When the right conditions present themselves, geophytes don't waste time. Pre-formed organs like leaves and flowers simply have to fill with water instead of having to wait for tissues to divide and differentiate. Water is plentiful during the spring so geophytes can rely on turgor pressure within their large cells for stability rather than investing in thick cell walls. That is why so many spring blooming plants feel so fleshy to the touch.
Taken together, we can see how large genomes and a unique growth strategy have allowed these plants to exploit seasonally available habitats. It is worth noting, however, that this is far from the complete picture. With such a wide variety of plant species adopting a geophytic lifestyle, we still have a lot to learn about the secret lives of these plants.
The cloud forests of Kohala Mountain on the island of Hawai'i are home to a unique botanical community. One plant in particular is quite special as it may be one of the most ancient clonal organisms in existence. Look down at your feet and you may find yourself surrounded by a species of moss known as Sphagnum palustre. Although this species enjoys a broad distribution throughout the northern hemisphere, its presence on this remote volcanic island is worth closer inspection.
Hawai'i is rather depauperate in Sphagnum representatives and those that have managed to get to this archipelago are often restricted to growing in narrow habitable zones between 900 to 1,900 meters in elevation as these are the only spots that are cool and wet enough to support Sphagnum growth. Needless to say, successful colonization of the Hawaiian Islands by Sphagnum has been a rare event. The fact that Sphagnum palustre was one of the few that did should not come as any surprise. What should surprise you, however, is how this particular species has managed to persist.
Mounds of S. palustre in its native habitat.
Hawaiian moss aficionados have long noted that the entire population of Kohala's S. palustre mats never seem to produce a single female individual. Indeed, this moss is dioicous, meaning individuals are either male or female. As such, many have suspected that the mats of S. palustre growing on Kohala represented a single male individual that has been growing vegetatively ever since it arrived as a spore on the island. The question then becomes, how long has this S. palustre individual been on Kohala?
To answer that, researchers decided to take a look at its DNA. What they discovered was surprising in many ways. For starters, all plants were in fact males of a single individual. A rare genetic trait was found in the DNA of every population they sampled. This trait is so rare that the odds of it turning up in any number by sheer chance is infinitesimally small. What this means is that every S. palustre population found on Kohala is a clone of a single spore that landed on the mountain at some point in the distant past. Exactly how distant was the next question the team wanted to answer.
A lush cloud forest on the slopes of Kohala.
The first clue to this mystery came from peat deposits found on the slopes of the mountain. Researchers found remains of S. palustre in peat deposits that were dated to somewhere around 24,000 years old. So, it would appear that S. palustre has been growing on Kohala since at least the late Pleistocene. But how long before that time did this moss arrive?
Again, DNA was the key to unlocking this mystery. By studying the rate at which mutations arise and fix themselves within the genetic code of this plant, they were able to estimate the average rate of mutation through time. By sampling different moss populations on Kohala, they could then use those estimates to figure out just how long each mat has been growing. Their estimates suggest that the ancestral male sport arrived on Hawai'i somewhere between 49,000 and 50,000 years ago and it has been cloning itself ever since.
As if that wasn't remarkable in and of itself, their thorough analysis of the genetic diversity within S. palustre revealed a remarkable amount of genetic diversity for a clonal organism. Though not all genetic mutations are beneficial, enough of them have managed to fix themselves into the DNA of the moss clones over thousands of years. The DNA of S. palustre is challenging long-held assumptions about genetic diversity of asexual organisms.
Of course, no conversation about Hawaiian botany would be complete without mention of invasive species. As one can expect at this point, Kohala's S. palustre populations are being crowded out by more aggressive vegetation introduced from elsewhere in the world. Unlike a lot of Hawaiian plants, however, the clonal habit of S. palustre puts a more nuanced twist to this story.
Because Sphagnum is spongy yet durable, it has often been used as packing material. Packages stuffed with S. palustre from Kohala have been sent all over the island and because of this, S. palustre is now showing up en masse on other islands in the archipelago. Sadly, when it starts to grow in habitats that have never experienced the ecosystem engineering traits of a Sphagnum moss, S. palustre gets pretty out of hand. It's not just packages that spread it either. All it takes is one sprig of the moss stuck on someone's boot to start a new colony elsewhere. The unique flora elsewhere in the Hawaiian archipelago have not evolved to compete with S. palustre and as a result, escaped populations are rapidly changing the ecology to the detriment of other endemic Hawaiian plants.
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What is the other type of boat?
Lettering Text? ie: "Boat Name, Huntington, NY"
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VARNISHING NOTE: An in-person survey of the work to be performed is required prior to receiving a quote on our varnishing services. Please continue filling out this form and we will contact you to arrange a survey.
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two questions before implementing the plan: ( 1) Does every individual/ department know what is expected of them? and ( 2) Can their performance be measured? It is imperative that the answer to both questions is "yes" before beginning to execute the plan.
Earning employee buy-in is only half the battle. Leadership must maintain adherence or risk losing buy-in midway through implementation.
The costly process of regaining employee engagement diverts time, energy, and resources away from execution, but can be largely avoided by tracking performance and making corrective actions as necessary.
Tracking performance and results helps to maintain the momentum generated in the development of the plan. Employees can measure how their actions contribute to the overall goals of the company. To effectively measure performance, operating metrics established at the department/ individual level must be directly linked to the desired results of the overall plan.
For example, an airline company has a plan to increase profitability. Part of the plan requires reducing idle fuel costs by speeding up repair times on airplanes with maintenance issues. The maintenance technicians are the key group that will need to change their behavior for the plan to be successful.
What would be an effective method of tracking their performance? Sharing the company’s consolidated income statement with the technicians—or even the maintenance department’s income statement—would do little to inform them if they are meeting plan goals. Rather, showing them operating metrics of repair times against standards that are tied to the plan would be more effective. From that perspective, they can make any corrective actions necessary to hit and/or exceed the plan.
When analyzing a department and/ or individual’s performance, the following two questions should be asked: ( 1) Are results consistent with the plan that was agreed upon? and ( 2) Are results favorable or unfavorable?
The answer to these questions will dictate the suitable course of action.
It is important that the metrics selected are almost entirely controllable by the people being measured. For instance, a large metals company measured its plant performance based on plant operating income. However, it did not adjust operating income for commodity price fluctuations. Thus, operators were often rewarded or penalized for things outside of their control, which both demoralized management (inhibiting buy-in) and distracted them from more important tasks.
22 percent. 1 Therefore, leaders must be thoughtful in the design of incentive plans and deliberate in their execution.
Three critical elements set apart well-designed incentive plans from the rank and file. First, they are tied to key performance indicators (KPIs) that are measurable, directly correlated with desired behavior, and are under the control of the target group. These can be the same KPIs used to measure the turnaround as detailed earlier.
Second, they include both financial and nonfinancial components. While leaders typically focus first on dollars and cents, many employees find just as much if not more satisfaction in being recognized by their colleagues. In-person celebrations, calls from the CEO, and company-wide newsletters can all work wonders.
the best-performing in the company.
Finally, well-designed incentive plans target a broad swath of the company, not just a handful of senior executives.
By going down multiple levels into the organization, incentive plans motivate employees who might not otherwise fully grasp (or be motivated by) the dire situation their company faces.
5 Remove Resistance Individuals react differently to change. Buy-in requires not just lip service, which is easy to provide, but actual behavior change, which is harder. Thus, turnaround practitioners are likely to encounter resistance as they roll out the plan.
For example, an underperforming company developed a plan to increase gross margins by 5 percent. The entire organization participated in the planning process, and all departments/ individuals had clear goals and objectives. After a month, results showed that margins actually fell by 1 percent. After investigating the causes of underperformance, results showed that the sales department sold several large orders at very low margins, citing their need to keep sales volume up.
Does this example demonstrate that the sales department bought into the plan to increase margins? They may have nodded their heads in agreement throughout the planning process, but their actions did not demonstrate buy-in. So, how can leaders overcome resistance to turnaround plans?
Considering the time-sensitive nature of turnaround management and the often serious implications of failure, decisive and swift action must be taken.
The first step in overcoming resistance is providing additional training and increased oversight.
However, practitioners cannot afford to wait long. Ultimately, employees who refuse (or are unable) to buy in cannot be tolerated. Dissent can spread like cancer throughout an organization and destroy any chance of a successful turnaround.
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What are the risks if your laptop or PDA is stolen ?
Only you can determine what is actually at risk. If a thief steals your laptop or PDA, the most obvious loss is the machine itself. However, if the thief is able to access the information on the computer or PDA, all of the information stored on the device is at risk, as well as any additional information that could be accessed as a result of the data stored on the device itself.
Sensitive corporate information or customer account information should not be accessed by unauthorized people. You've probably heard news stories about organizations panicking because laptops with confidential information on them have been lost or stolen. But even if there isn't any sensitive corporate information on your laptop or PDA, think of the other information at risk: information about appointments, passwords, email addresses and other contact information, personal information for online accounts, etc.
How can you protect your laptop or PDA?
Password-protect your computer - Make sure that you have to enter a password to log in to your computer (see Choosing and Protecting Passwords for more information).
Keep your laptop or PDA with you at all times - When traveling, keep your laptop with you. Meal times are optimum times for thieves to check hotel rooms for unattended laptops. If you are attending a conference or trade show, be especially wary—these venues offer thieves a wider selection of devices that are likely to contain sensitive information, and the conference sessions offer more opportunities for thieves to access guest rooms. Downplay your laptop or PDA - There is no need to advertise to thieves that you have a laptop or PDA. Avoid using your portable device in public areas, and consider non-traditional bags for carrying your laptop.
Consider an alarm or lock - Many companies sell alarms or locks that you can use to protect or secure your laptop. If you travel often or will be in a heavily populated area, you may want to consider investing in an alarm for your laptop bag or a lock to secure your laptop to a piece of furniture. Back up your files - If your portable device is stolen, it's bad enough that someone else may be able to access your information. To avoid losing all of the information, make backups of important information and store the backups in a separate location (see Good Security Habits for more information). Not only will you still be able to access the information, but you'll be able to identify and report exactly what information is at risk.
What can you do if your laptop or PDA is lost or stolen?
Report the loss or theft to the appropriate authorities. These parties may include representatives from law enforcement agencies, as well as hotel or conference staff. If your device contained sensitive corporate or customer account information, immediately report the loss or theft to your organization so that they can act quickly.
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The Head of the Thai Armed Forces (Thai: จอมทัพไทย; rtgs: Chom Thap Thai) is a position vested in the Thai monarch, who as sovereign and head of state is the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.
The position is only nominal. The armed forces are actually managed by the Ministry of Defence, headed by the Minister of Defence (a member of the cabinet) and commanded by the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, which in turn is headed by the Chief of the Defence Forces.
Ever since the foundation of the first Thai state, the king has always led his armies into battle. The role of the king as chief warrior was derived from Hindu concepts of kshatriya, and later much influenced by the ideal of a Chakravartin as defender of the realm. This martial responsibility has by tradition been borne by every Thai monarch since, but has never been formally instituted. By the 19th century, with the formal creation of a modern Thai army and navy in 1874 and 1887 respectively, the establishment of a formal chain of command was necessary. The titles of Supreme Head of Army (จอมทัพบก; Chom Thap Bok) and Supreme Head of the Navy (จอมทัพเรือ; Chom Thap Ruea) were created around the latter half of the reign of King Chulalongkorn for himself. After the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932, Siam's first permanent constitution established the ceremonial role of Head of the Siamese Armed Forces (จอมทัพสยาม; Chom Thap Siam) in Article 1, Section 5. Since then Thailand has had 16 constitutions and the title has been enshrined in every one of them.
Under the constitutional system, the king's post as head of the armed forces is a means for the monarchy to be closely related to the armed forces. The king participates in military activities and functions, including the presentation of ceremonial colours, based on the national flag, to various units of the armed forces and the presentation of ceremonial swords to all graduating officers of the military academies. The armed forces celebrate the king with an annual parade held on his birthday at the Royal Plaza in central Bangkok.
Since 1910, starting with King Vajiravudh, it is customary for representatives of the Armed Forces to present the newly acceded monarch his insignia as Head of the Armed Forces, at a formal ceremony at the Grand Palace. These include a golden marshal's baton (featuring a Garuda), a sabre and a golden aiguillette (to be worn on the right shoulder).
↑ "Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters English version". web.archive.org. Retrieved 2014-05-11.
↑ Suwannathat-Pian, Kobkua (2003). Kings, Country and Constitutions: Thailand's Political Development 1932-2000. RoutledgeCurzon. ISBN 0-7007-1473-1.
↑ "Symbols of the Head of the Armed Forces". Royal Aide-de-camp Department. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
↑ Royal Gazette, Army and Naval officers presenting the insignia of a Field Marshal and Admiral of the Fleet to the King, Volume 42, Page 2746, 13 December 2468 B.E.
↑ Royal Gazette, Speech of the Minister of Defence on the occasion of the presenting of the field marshal's insignia to the King, Volume 42, Page 2747, 13 December 2468 B.E.
↑ Royal Gazette, Speech of the Minister of the Navy on the occasion of the presenting of the admiral of the fleet's insignia to the King, Volume 42, Page 2750, 13 December 2468 B.E.
↑ Royal Gazette, Army and Airforce presenting the insignia of Chom Phon to the King, Volume 67, Chapter 14 ง, Page 1001, 7 March 2493 B.E.
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0.988148 |
The control of Germany's rivers and construction of infrastructure by outside powers will hamper Germany's economic development. The Germans had destroyed much of France,costing thousands of lives, and lost. Having most of it taken away ruined Germany's Great Power Status. Finally, when Germany's compensation to France was delayed and hindered by financial turmoil within the country, France invaded the key industrial zone, the Ruhr, and took all the goods from the town. At this time the allies would be looking for revenge on Germany for the high casualties and destruction that German shells pounded on French soil.
Britain and France imposed these four restrictions -small military -not airforce or navy -no troops in Rhine terr. The military clause was the harshest and most damaging clause, and was greatly disapproved of by Germany. Germany, defeated by the Allies during the Great War, was not in a position to dictate the terms of surrender. Germany has already lost masses of land and also major industries cut off from Germany. German was guilty for the world war one.
The ruthless rules put in place on Germany because of the Treaty of Versailles caused Germany to feel as though they were being treated unfairly which would later lead the German people to rebel and support radicals. This loss of territory caused Germany to lose around 2. Clemenceau wanted German power reduced so that she could never again pose a military threat. Lost a small section of East Prussia to Lithuania, they lost North Schleswig to. The conference went on for months.
Historically speaking, the Treaty of Versailles was reasonable. It was unfair because Germany was not invited into the table to discuss the tasks they were going to do. However for Germany they again have lost a key income which is unfair for the Germans as how else are they going to pay the Reparations and run the country at the same time. I will argue in this essay that the revisionist school is the correct argument. World War One was a devastation to Europe, which Germany was wrongfully held accounted for. France had wanted this city to be given to Poland but Lloyd George disagreed with this and was turned into a free city.
As well as, what they believed would have led to them being treated differently in the sanctions. This made it harder for Germany, and was struggling to survive. On January 18, 1919, a con- ference to establish those terms began at the Palace of Versailles, outside Paris. As a result, Germany had to pay reparations to the Allies. The involved requirements were seen to be very harsh. The aftermath of this total war had left the world in chaos; drastic political, cultural, and social changes had taken place throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa, powerful empires had collapsed, countries were abolished as new were formed. S just wanted to make sure there were no more wars in the future.
It did not diminish its national identity, nor did it enslave the people of Germany. Germany entered the Austro-Serbian conflict backing Austria, their only ally. If Austria were taken, Germany would be left open for attacks from Russia and France, two hostile countries at the time Fenton 181. Economic depression was not just the treaty's fault but that coupled with unwise choices and the crash of the stock exchange which affected the whole world. This had been the second time in living memory that France had been invaded by Germany.
Germany was made even weaker as the allies decided that Germany can no longer make an alliance with any country in fear it may grow strong again. Moreover, the official policy of Britain and France in 1933 was multilateral disarmament. The German navy sank its own ships in protest to. In the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk 1919 , Germany imposed terms that were far harsher than the ToV on Russia. By the time the war was over, the northern regions of France were basically laid in ruins. One of these points established the principle of self-determination. Keeping Germany's military at a size limit was also a good idea so they dont attack anyone.
The mass gathering of worldwide leadership entered the history books as the Paris Peace Conference, from which, the Treaty of Versailles was created. Germany only had itself to worry about now. The Treaty called for Germany to surrender territory, such as Alsace-Lorraine International Conciliation, 1919. Simultaneously, social and political factors in Britain, France and Italy forced treaty terms inimical to both short and long-term interests for Germany. Germany had to pay reparations in the sum of £6,600,000,000 in the form of compensation; money that Germany did not have this was to be in paid in instalments.
How Far Was The Treaty Of Versailles Fair?
If there was one aspect of the Treaty of Versailles that you could change, what do would it be and why? Instead of preventing further conflict and wars, the Treaty of Versailles was a catalyst in World. The army was a symbol of German pride and an important political source of nationalism. Out of these the Polish Corridor and Danzig impaired Germany the most because by taking the Polish Corridor it split the country into two parts, cutting some people away from their families. The five treaties were named after the Paris suburbs of Versailles of Germany, St Germain of Austria, Trianon of Hungary, Neuilly of Bulgaria and Serves of Turkey. Essay The bloody war ended in 1918 when peace was called by Germany. I think that most of the treaty was fair. I think it is fair that Germany should be forced to give up land that they had taken because they lost, also Germany should be disarmed mainly because they wouldn't want Germany to start another war.
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0.999999 |
The health departments of Illinois and Washington state have reported nine and five cases of acute flaccid myelitis, respectively, and local media in Texas, New Jersey, and New York are also highlighting cases of the polio-like illness.
"The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has received recent reports from health care providers of nine sporadic, clinically diagnosed cases of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)," the IDPH said yesterday in a statement. The agency said it issued an alert to healthcare providers last month about reporting the condition. Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) first described the syndrome in 2014, the CDC has confirmed four previous AFM cases in Illinois.
The Washington State Department of Health (WSDH), meanwhile, and four local public health agencies are investigating reports of five children hospitalized for a sudden onset of paralysis of one or more limbs, the WSDH said yesterday in a news release. It is working with CDC neurologists to confirm AFM. All children are under 6 years old.
In related news, local media are reporting three cases in northern Texas and one each in New Jersey and New York. The New York case, in Buffalo, is suspected. Earlier this week officials in Minnesota and Pennsylvania reported AFM cases.
The CDC said on Oct 8 that it has confirmed 38 AFM cases in 16 states through September. In 2014 and 2016 the condition spiked, affecting 120 and 149 children, respectively. Many cases in the past have been linked to enteroviruses.
Oct 8 CIDRAP News story "States and CDC probe reports of rare poliolike symptoms in kids"
Saudi Arabia's health ministry today reported one new MERS-CoV case, involving a 41-year-old woman who from Taif region in the country's southwest who had contact with camels.
In a report for epidemiologic week 41, the ministry said the woman from the city of Almoai has been hospitalized for her MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) infection.
Also, the World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (WHO EMRO) posted a summary of 14 MERS-CoV cases reported in September, which includes 13 from Saudi Arabia and 1 imported illness detected in South Korea. Of Saudi Arabia's cases, 5 are classified as secondary, 2 were in household contacts, and 3 were healthcare-related. Of Saudi Arabia's 13 cases, 6 were fatal.
The WHO said recent cases don't show any changes in epidemiologic patterns. Bases on cases reported to the WHO through September, the global total is 2,260 cases from 27 countries, mostly from Saudi Arabia. So far at least 803 illnesses have been fatal.
An investigation by the Chicago Department of Health has identified a large cluster of residents colonized with Verona integron-encoded beta-lactamase-producing carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (VIM-CRPA) at several healthcare facilities in the city. The findings appear today in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
The outbreak centers around a single skilled nursing facility with ventilated residents (called "vSNF A" by the authors), where a November 2016 point prevalence survey identified 20 residents with VIM-CRPA colonization. VIM-CRPA are rare in the United States; a surveillance study conducted by the CDC at five US sites found only 2 carbapenemase-producing CRPA among 129 isolates.
To determine whether transmission was ongoing at that facility, the investigators conducted 10 additional point prevalence surveys from November 2016 to March 2018. Screening of 903 swabs from 209 residents identified an additional 18 residents colonized with VIM-CRPA, with one other resident identified by screening upon admission to an acute care hospital. Point prevalence surveys conducted at six other vSNFs and six long-term acute care facilities in Chicago identified 12 more VIM-CRPA–positive patients (at five vSNFs and one long-term acute care hospital).
Whole-genome sequencing of 26 isolates from five different facilities revealed that 25 belonged to multilocus sequence type (ST) 233, and clusters of highly related isolates indicated transmission at the index facility (vSNF A). The authors of the study say it's the largest healthcare-associated cluster of VIM-CRPA colonizing residents reported in the United States.
"Although centered in one vSNF, this investigation highlights the interconnectedness of health care facilities through patient sharing and how prolonged, undetected transmission can result in spread through a region," the authors write.
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0.999908 |
Have you been noticing less of white and more of red when you examine your eyes in the mirror? While the appearance of bloodshot eyes is often associated with heavy drinking or lack of sleep, here are some of the other possible causes.
It is contagious and is usually accompanied by symptoms like itchiness, discharge, and tearing. However, the Mayo Clinic notes that the condition rarely has any effect on your vision.
Make sure you follow care guidelines and avoid common mistakes when handling your lenses. For example, your eye redness could be the result of mixing fresh and used solution, increasing the risk of bacteria exposure even though you have "cleaned" your lenses.
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0.999261 |
I am in the process of creating a project that I would like to make open source for the community.
Ideally, I would like to restrict the use of my code to non-commercial use only. Is this possible?
If not, am I able to specify that if my source code is used for any commercial activities then I am entitled to receive a compensation or would that require I choose a dual-license?
No OSI- or FSF-approved software license allows you to restrict commercial use. There are some Creative Commons licenses with Non-Commercial clauses, but they are not suitable for software (no warrantee clauses).
So, yes, if that is a strict requirement of yours you will need to dual-license (I assume you mean pick a copyleft license and then dual-license).
Additionally, you will need to get contributors to sign a CLA giving you copyright of their contributions, so that you can relicense the whole codebase. This will most likely reduce your potential pool of contributors: some won't contribute for philosophical reasons, and there is simply a bigger barrier to entry.
One alternative is to skip the dual-licensing and just use a copyleft license. While these licenses allow commercial use, most companies avoid them because the requirement to release source code isn't compatible with their business model.
“Free software” does not mean “noncommercial”. A free program must be available for commercial use, commercial development, and commercial distribution.
Use a copy-left licence, such as GPL. This will force any distributor/modifier to pass on the same freedoms to their customers. So they can charge for copies, but must tell their customers of the freedoms that they have.
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0.999997 |
How much time did Alexis de Tocqueville spend in America before writing Democracy in America?
De Tocqueville based his work, Democracy in America, on a ten-month visit to study the American prison system for the French government, from May 1831 to February 1832.
A study of American social and political institutions, Democracy in America was published in two parts in 1835 and 1840.
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0.977359 |
How frustrating can it be for a gymnast to spend years of hard work and training (and mom and dad’s money), and suffer an injury right before an important competition? Even worse, a gymnast may be forced to quit the sport altogether and face a lifetime of problems due to injury. We all know that gymnasts need to train year round to be consistent, and injuries can be nagging interruptions to that training. Strength and conditioning cannot guarantee a skater will be injury free, yet it can significantly reduce the risk and chance of injury. With the proper strength training, a skater’s body learns to adapt to the forces caused by gymnastic elements by strengthening joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. Weakness and lack of flexibility invite an injury to happen. A stronger, healthier body can take a gymnast a long way, and allow much safer training!
What's more, strength and conditioning can help promote the correct alignment of your body. Many overuse injuries can be caused by biomechanical alignment problems, flexibility imbalances, and strength imbalances. Most common problems are knee patellofemoral pain, SI joint pain, rotator cuff tendonitis, ankle sprains, and numerous spinal conditions. By improving the balance of muscle flexibility and strength, as well as body mechanical alignment, a gymnast will have a greater chance of reducing the occurrence of these injuries, among others.
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0.999984 |
The government has invited bids from contractors to run canteens at all railway stations. Contractors will be allowed to bid for the catering contract at more than one station. However, to avoid monopolistic price-fixing, the government has declared that no contractor may bid for a pair of neighbouring stations.
The railway network has exactly one route between any pair of stations. Each station is directly connected by a railway line to at most 50 neighbouring stations.
To help contractors plan their bids, the government has provided data on the number of passengers who pass through each station each year. Contractors would like to bid for stations with a higher volume of passenger traffic to increase their turnover.
In this network, the best option for the contractor is to bid for stations 1, 2, 5 and 6, for a total passenger volume of 90.
Your task is to choose a set of stations that the contractor should bid for so that the total volume of traffic across all the stations in the bid is maximized.
The first line of the input contains one integer N indicating the number of railways stations in the network. The stations are numbered 1,2,...,N. This is followed by N lines of input, lines 2, 3,..., N+1, indicating the volume of traffic at each station. The volume of traffic at station i, 1 ≤ i ≤ N, is given by a single integer in line i+1. The next N-1 lines of input, lines N+2, N+3, ..., 2N, describe the railway network. Each of these lines contains two integers, denoting a pair of stations that are neighbours.
The output should be a single integer, corresponding to the total volume of traffic across the set of stations in the optimal bid made by the contractor.
You may assume N ≤ 100000. Recall that each railway station has at most 50 neighbours.
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0.999877 |
In a nutshell: The Microsoft Lumia 550 is an entry-level phone running the Windows Phone 10 operating system. Available for around �100 and on the cheapest Pay Monthly contracts, it offers the basic features required from a smartphone, but is limited by a slow processor and a lack of apps.
We recently reviewed our first Windows Phone 10 smartphone - the high-end Lumia 950 phone - and now we're taking a look at the much cheaper Lumia 550 phone. Priced at around £100, or available on the very cheapest contracts, this shares the same WP10 operating system, but is a very different style of phone.
Although there are similarities in design, the 550 looks and feels much more like a budget phone. Similar in appearance to the Lumia 640 phone, it's finished in shiny polycarbonate, and has very basic styling. It's slightly smaller than the 640, but thicker. In fact, with a thickness of 10mm and no effort to mitigate this with tapered edges, it's quite a stodgy little phone, although not particularly heavy.
The screen is a good size, with a diagonal of 4.7 inches giving plenty of room for the 3 column layout of the home screen, and is good for video and apps. It's a HD display, which is a relative rarity at this price point, but it's not a particularly bright or clear screen. Still, it's better than most other phones costing £100.
Like the Lumia 950, the 550 belongs to the first wave of phones to run Windows Phone 10. WP10 keeps much of what we liked best about WP8. Live Tiles are still here, and you can choose which apps appear on your home screen, and re-size and position them at will.
Apps like YouTube, OneNote, Outlook, Skype and Office are all included. Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and LinkedIn are pre-installed. The excellent MixRadio is still here, which is like Spotify but free, and without adverts.
There are some changes. Edge replaces Internet Explorer as the web browser. Instead of HERE Maps, Windows 10 comes with Windows Maps, which keeps all the features we liked, including offline maps, turn-by-turn directions for walking and driving, and public transport information.
The Lumia 550 misses out on the iris scanning security of the 950, relying on a PIN or password for device security. Neither does it have the Continuum feature, which lets you connect the Lumia 950 to a display dock.
In our review of the 950, we commented on the scarcity of 3rd-party apps for Windows Phone. This has always been the case, but it's becoming more of an issue as time goes by and little progress seems to be made by Microsoft. If you buy the Lumia 550, you'll just have to accept that many of the apps your iPhone- and Android-using friends have on their phones, just aren't available on yours.
The Lumia 550 is powered by a Snapdragon 210 processor. This is a quadcore CPU running at 1.1GHz, with just 1GB of RAM, and feels underpowered. The "correct" processor for this phone would be the Snapdragon 400 used by the Lumia 640. The Snapdragon 210 feels sluggish, with apps taking a long time to load.
Onboard memory is quite limited too, with just 8GB available. You can add a microSD card for extra data storage, and we'd recommend that you invest in one. The maximum size card accepted is a massive 200GB, but a 16GB or 32GB card will probably do for most users.
The Lumia 550 isn't the best or the worst £100 camera phone we've seen. It's about average.
The main camera at the rear has a 5 megapixel sensor, LED flash, autofocus and a digital zoom. It can record video at 720p HD resolution. It's a competent but unexceptional performer.
The front camera is OK, snapping selfies at 2 megapixel resolution, but it's hopeless for video, managing just a grainy VGA resolution.
4G connectivity is included with the Lumia 550, as well as support for 3G and 2G networks. It's Wi-Fi-enabled, and has Bluetooth and USB, plus a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Positioning services A-GPS, A-GLONASS and BeiDou are also supported.
Battery life is typical for a low-end smartphone, with around 7-10 hours of use possible from the 2,100 mAh battery.
The Microsoft Lumia 550 may come with the latest Windows Phone 10 operating system, but it doesn't have anything else to recommend it over the Lumia 640 running Windows Phone 8. To be honest, WP10 doesn't really bring anything new to the table either. The new features that WP10 offers, such as iris scanning, USB Type-C support and Continuum, aren't available on the Lumia 550.
Our recommendation? Spend a few quid extra and buy the excellent Lumia 640. The 640 has a faster processor, a much better camera and screen, a stronger battery, and NFC connectivity too.
I only want phone basically calls and texts is this any good for that?
Will my Lumia 550 work on WiFi to a blu ray player?
Is hd games playing comfortable on lumia 550?
Hd games and movies work fine on my Lumia 550, tho I want to know if blu ray can work from wifi on my Lumia 550.
Awful phone. Click and wait for it to work. Each app you click on wait at least 10 seconds before it opens. In this day and age it shouldn't be on the market.
It's is the worst phone in Microsoft.
You should give a reason for your opinion.
i recently brought this phone evry thing is ok but it doesnt hav dual sim n gud selfy camra.
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0.997625 |
Reserve extra space on thread stacks for use by critical sections, so that they can complete even when stack overflows occur.
Provide a mechanism to mitigate the risk of deadlocks caused by the corruption of critical data such as java.util.concurrent locks (such as ReentrantLock) caused by a StackOverflowError being thrown in a critical section.
The solution must be mostly JVM-based in order not to require modifications to java.util.concurrent algorithms or published interfaces, or existing library and application code.
The solution must not be limited to the ReentrantLock case, and should be applicable to any critical section in privileged code.
The solution doesn't aim to provide robustness against stack overflows to non-privileged code.
The solution doesn't aim to avoid StackOverflowErrors, but rather to mitigate the risk that a such an error is thrown inside a critical section and thereby corrupts some data structures.
The proposed solution is a trade-off between solving some well-known corruption cases while preserving performance, with reasonable resource cost and relatively low complexity.
StackOverflowError is an asynchronous exception that can be thrown by the Java Virtual Machine whenever the computation in a thread requires a larger stack than is permitted (JVM spec §2.5.2 and §2.5.6). The Java Language Specification permits a StackOverflowError to be thrown synchronously by method invocation (JLS §11.1.3). The HotSpot VM uses this property to implement a "stack-banging" mechanism on method entry.
The stack-banging mechanism is a clean way to report that a stack overflow has occurred while preserving the JVM's integrity, but it doesn't provide a safe way for the application to recover from this situation. A stack overflow could occur in the middle of a sequence of modifications which, if not complete, could leave a data structure in an inconsistent state.
The method tries to change the status word with an atomic operation. If the modification is successful then the owner is set by invoking a setter method, otherwise the slow path is invoked. The problem is that if a StackOverflowError is thrown after the status word has been changed and before the owner has been effectively set then the lock becomes unusable: Its status word indicates it is locked but no owner has been set, so no thread can unlock it. Because stack-size checks are performed at method-invocation time (in HotSpot, at least), a StackOverflowError can be thrown either when Thread.currentThread() is invoked or when setExclusiveOwnerThread() is invoked. In either case it leads to a corruption of the ReentrantLock instance, and all threads trying to acquire this lock will be blocked forever.
The implementation of the ConcurrentHashMap class was completely changed in June 2013. The new implementation uses synchronized statements rather than ReentrantLock instances, so JDK 8 and later releases are not subject to class-loading deadlock due to corrupted ReentrantLocks. However, any code using ReentrantLock can still be impacted and cause deadlock. Such issues have already been reported on the [email protected] mailing list.
The problem is not limited to the ReentrantLock class.
Java applications or libraries often rely on the consistency of data structures to work properly. Any modification of those data structures is a critical section: Before the execution of the critical section the data structures are consistent, and after its execution the data structures are consistent too. During its execution, however, the data structure could go through transient inconsistent states.
If a critical section is made of a single Java method containing no other method invocation, the current stack overflow mechanism works well: Either the available stack is sufficient and the method executes without trouble, or it is not sufficient and so a StackOverflowError is thrown before the first bytecode of the method is executed.
The problem occurs when a critical section is made of several methods, for instance a method A which invokes a method B. The available stack can be sufficient to let method A start its execution. Method A starts to modify a data structure and then invokes method B, but the remaining stack is not sufficient to execute B, causing a StackOverflowError to be thrown. Because method B and the remainder of method A have not been executed, the consistency of the data structure might have been compromised.
The main idea of the proposed solution is to reserve some space on the execution stack for critical sections, to allow them to complete their execution where regular code would have been interrupted by a stack overflow. The assumption is that critical sections are relatively small and do not require enormous space on the execution stack to complete successfully. The goal is not to rescue a faulty thread which hits its stack limit, but rather to preserve shared data structures that could be corrupted if the StackOverflowError is thrown in a critical section.
The main mechanism will be implemented in the JVM. The only modification required in the Java source code is the annotation that must be used to identify the critical sections. This annotation, currently named jdk.internal.vm.annotation.ReservedStackAccess, is a runtime method annotation that can be used by any class of privileged code (see paragraph below about the accessibility of this annotation).
In order to prevent the corruption of shared data structures, the JVM will try to delay the throwing of a StackOverflowError until the thread in question has exited all of its critical sections. Each Java thread has a new zone defined in its execution stack, called the reserved zone. This zone can be used only if the Java thread has a method annotated with jdk.internal.vm.annotation.ReservedStackAccess in its current call stack. When a stack overflow condition is detected by the JVM, and the thread has an annotated method in its call stack, the JVM grants temporary access to the reserved zone until no more annotated methods are present in the call stack. When access to the reserved zone is revoked, a delayed StackOverflowError is thrown. If the thread has no annotated method in its call stack when the stack overflow condition is detected then the StackOverflow is thrown immediately (this is current JVM behavior).
Note that the reserved stack space is usable by annotated methods but also by methods invoked, directly or transitively, from them. The nesting of annotated methods is naturally supported, but there's a single shared reserved zone per thread; that is, the invocation of an annotated method does not add a new reserved zone. The sizing of the reserved zone must be done according to the worst case of all annotated critical sections.
By default, the jdk.internal.vm.annotation.ReservedStackAccess annotation is applicable only to privileged code (code loaded by the bootstrap or the extension class loader). Both privileged code and non-privileged code can be annotated with this annotation but by default the JVM will ignore it for non-privileged code. The rationale behind this default policy is that the reserved stack space for critical sections is a shared resource among all critical sections. If any arbitrary code is able to use this space then it is not a reserved space anymore, and this would defeat the whole solution. A JVM flag is available, even in product builds, to relax this policy and allow any code to be able to benefit from this feature.
In the HotSpot VM, each Java thread has two zones defined at the end of its execution stack: the yellow zone and the red zone. Both memory areas are protected against all accesses.
If, during its execution, a thread tries to use the memory in the yellow zone, a protection fault is triggered, the protection of the yellow zone is temporarily removed, and a StackOverflowError is created and thrown. Before unwinding the thread execution stack to propagate the StackOverflowError, the protection of the yellow zone is restored.
If the thread tries to use the memory in its red zone, the JVM immediately branches to JVM error-reporting code, leading to the generation of an error report and a crash dump of the JVM process.
The new zone defined by the proposed solution is placed just before the yellow zone. This reserved zone will behave like regular stack space if the thread has a ReservedStackAccess-annotated method in its call stack, and like the yellow zone otherwise.
If the address of the fault is in the red zone, generate a JVM error report and a crash dump.
If the address of the fault is in the yellow zone, create and throw a StackOverflowError.
If the address of the fault is in the reserved zone, perform a stack walk to check if there's a method annotated with jdk.internal.vm.annotation.ReservedStackAccess on the call stack. If not, create and throw a StackOverflowError. If an annotated method is found, remove the protection of the critical zone and store in the C++ Thread object the stack pointer of the outermost activation (frame) related to an annotated method.
If the protection of the reserved zone has been removed to allow a critical section to complete its execution, the protection must be restored and the delayed StackOverflowError thrown as soon as the thread exits the critical section. The HotSpot interpreter has been modified to check if the registered outermost annotated method is being exited. The check is performed on every frame-activation removal by comparing the value of the stack pointer being restored with the value stored in the C++ Thread object. If the restored stack pointer is above the stored value (stacks grow downward), a call to the runtime is performed to change the memory protection and reset the stack pointer value in the Thread object before jumping to the StackOverflowError generation code. The two compilers have been modified to perform the same check on method exit, but only for ReservedStackAccess annotated methods or methods with annotated methods in-lined in their compiled code.
When an exception is thrown, the control flow doesn't go through the regular method-exit code, so there's a possibility that the protection of the reserved zone will not be restored correctly if the exception is propagated above the annotated method. To prevent this situation, the protection of the reserved zone is restored and the stack pointer value stored in the C++ Thread object is reset each time an exception starts being propagated. In this scenario, the delayed StackOverflowError is not thrown. The rationale is that the thrown exception is more important than the delayed StackOverflowError because it indicates a cause and a point where normal execution has been interrupted.
Throwing a StackOverflowError is the Java way to notify the application that a thread reached its stack limits. However, exceptions and errors are sometime caught by Java code and the notification is lost or not handled correctly, which can make the investigation of the issue really hard. To ease troubleshooting of stack overflow errors in presence of a reserved stack area, the JVM provides two other notifications when access to the reserved stack area is granted: One is a warning printed by the JVM (on the same stream as all other JVM messages), and the second is a JFR event. Note that even if the delayed StackOverflowError is not thrown because another exception has been thrown in a critical section, the JVM warning and the JFR event are generated and are available for troubleshooting.
The reserved-stack feature is controlled by two JVM flags, one to configure the size of the reserved zone (all threads use the same size), and one to allow non-privileged code to use the feature. Setting the size of the reserved zone to zero disables the feature entirely. When disabled, interpreted code and compiled code do not perform the check on method exit.
Memory cost of this solution: For each thread the cost is the virtual memory of its reserved zone, as part of its stack space. The option to implement the reserved zone in a different memory area, as an alternate stack, has been considered. It would, however, significantly increase the complexity of any stack-walking code, so this option has been rejected.
Performance cost: measurements done with JSR-166 tests on ReentrantLocks didn't show any significant impact on performance on x86 platforms.
Here's how this solution could impact performance.
This code is for the x86_64 platform. In fast cases (no need to re-enable protection of the reserved zone) it adds two instructions including a small jump. The version for x86_32 is bigger because it doesn't have the address of the Thread object always available in a register. The feature is also implemented for Solaris/SPARC.
The default size of the reserved zone is still an open issue. This size will depend on the longest critical zone in JDK code that uses the ReservedStackAccess annotation and will also depend on the platform architecture. We could also consider different defaults depending upon whether the JVM is running on a high-end server or in a virtual-memory-constrained environment.
To mitigate the sizing issue a debug/troubleshooting feature has been added. This feature is enabled by default on debug builds and available as a diagnostic JVM option in product builds. When activated, it is run when the JVM is about to throw a StackOverflowError: It walks the call stack and if one or more methods annotated with the ReservedStackAccess annotation are found, their names are printed with a warning message on the JVM standard output. The name of the JVM flag controlling this feature is PrintReservedStackAccessOnStackOverflow.
The default size of the reserved area is one page (4K) and experiments have shown that this is sufficient to cover the critical sections of java.util.concurrent locks that have been annotated so far.
The reserved stack area is not fully supported on Windows platforms. During the development of the feature on Windows, a bug was found in the way the stack's special zones are controlled (JDK-8067946). This bug prevents the JVM from granting access to the reserved stack area. As a consequence, when a stack overflow condition is detected on Windows, and an annotated method is on the call stack, the JVM warning is printed, the JFR event is fired, and a StackOverflowError is thrown immediately. There's no change in the behavior of the JVM for the application. However, the JVM warning and the JFR event can help troubleshooting, indicating that a potentially-harmful situation occurred.
Several alternative approaches have been considered and some of them have been implemented and tested. Here's a list of those approaches.
try/catch/finally constructs: They don't solve anything, since there's no guarantee that the finally clause will not trigger a stack overflow too.
This construct might require significant work in javac and the JVM, and its usage is likely to have high impact on performance compared to the reserved stack area, even when not run in a stack-overflow condition.
Avoid method calls (because stack overflow checks are performed at method invocation time) by forcing the JIT to inline all called methods: Inlining could require the loading and initialization of classes not used by the application, forcing inlining could conflict with compiler rules (code size, inlining depth), and inlining is not applicable to all code patterns (e.g., reflection).
Code refactoring to avoid method calls at source level: Refactoring would require the modification of already-complex code (java.util.concurrent), and this kind of refactoring would break encapsulation.
Extended stack banging: Bang the stack further before entering a critical section: This solution has a performance cost, even when not in a stack-overflow condition, and it is hard to maintain with nested critical sections.
Extensible stacks: Build stacks from several non-contiguous memory chunks, adding a new chunk when a stack overflow is detected: This solution adds significant complexity to the JVM to manage non-contiguous stacks (including all the logic currently based on pointer comparisons in stack management); it could also require us to copy/move some section of the stack, and it puts more pressure on the memory-allocation backend due to fragmentation issues.
This change comes with a reliable unit test able to reproduce the java.util.concurrent.lock.ReentrantLock corruption caused by a stack overflow.
The reserved stack area relies on the "yellow pages" mechanism. This mechanism is currently partly broken on Windows JDK-8067946, so the reserved stack area is not fully supported in this platform.
JDK-8172144 AArch64: Implement "JEP 270: Reserved Stack Areas for Critical Sections"
JDK-8152675 ReservedStackTest.java fails with "ReentrantLock looks corrupted"
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0.96835 |
I hear a lot about white flies, aphids and spider mites. What attracts them? What are the signs to look for? And how do I solve the problem?
You have named three of the most prolific and perennial pests of greenhouses and production areas. All of the ones you have named feed on the sap of leaves, so they are all considered “sucking” insects as opposed to “chewing” insects, which have movable jaws.
If it looks like your leaves are being chewed on, the pests you are asking about are not the culprits. If you notice speckled, mottled, curled or puckered leaves and fine webbing, then you likely have one of these pest infestations.
Whiteflies are most often, as their name implies, white in appearance and about an eighth of an inch long. They are found, like aphids and mites, on the undersides of leaves. With heavy infestations, you can gently shake the plant and be greeted with a cloud of whiteflies.
Whiteflies love Solanaceous plants such as tomatoes, eggplants and peppers, and are a common pest of tropical plants as well. The key to controlling whiteflies is in the frequency of your chosen remedy, not so much your choice of application. There is no pesticide that I am aware of that will kill all of the life stages of whiteflies, meaning repeated applications will be necessary since you will not kill their eggs even if you kill all of the adults.
Aphids are the largest of the three pests you mentioned and are the easiest to spot. They feed on almost any kind of plant. Their damage is usually found on new growth, and their feeding distorts leaves, causing them to pucker or curl.
Aphids are fairly easy to control, but thorough applications must be applied. These little suckers are born pregnant, so if you miss a few, a few days later you will have hundreds or thousands show up again. Aphids can be controlled by a strong stream of water, insecticidal soaps, any insecticide containing pyrethrins, or by releasing predatory lady bugs.
Spider mites, which are not actually insects, cannot be controlled with insecticides. They are arachnids, and their biology is completely different than aphids or whiteflies. Spider mites tend to favor outdoor evergreens, but if you find them indoors, they will feed on almost anything. They are best controlled with suffocants, such as horticultural oils.
If you catch them early enough, hosing your plants down may suffice, but mites multiply quickly and can cause a lot of damage in short order. If you see a small spider where you suspect spider mites, leave it alone. It is probably eating some of the mites that are too small to be seen without the aid of magnification.
To see if you have mites, take a white sheet of paper and tap the suspicious-looking leaves or needles over top of it. The sight of tiny, moving specks will validate your suspicions.
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0.999662 |
One word summary for the book- Threshold.
Positivity introduces the idea of a threshold that occurs when you have at least 3 Positive Emotions for each negative emotion.
The concept reminds me of when you hit that pivotal point of boiling water- that one degree that takes it from 211 degrees to 212 degrees – boiling or not boiling. A transformation from a liquid to a gas, just due to one small extra push.
Barbara shows us how to reach that 3:1 threshold in easy to understand, and to use, ideas. An excellent book that looks at 10 types of Positivity, your own Test for Positivity, the Upward Spiral that creates even more Positivity for you, tips on how to adjust your thinking in a day to day scenario, challenges you may face, and overall just a great reminder of where we all should, and could be. This is a hands on, HOW TO book- Thanks Barbara.
and most importantly – it feels good!
What else needs to be said, except WHY WOULDN’T you want to follow her advice to feel more Positive?
Give yourself, your life and those around you a great big smile. Gather any uptight, ugly and un-happy caterpillars you know, share this book with them, and watch them soon fly out as butterflies.
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0.901122 |
What are the best romantic things to say to your boyfriend at night?
1. Talk about his Kisses… for example say….Whenever I kiss you, you turn my night into a bright day…: You should that love is deep especially when expressing to your boyfriend since it goes beyond the heart of every man. Intimacy and affection is vital in any relationship especially when talking to your boyfriend at night. Saying these kinds of words will definitely enhance the romance to a new level at night.
2. Be open to him …for example say…When the whole day passes without uttering a single word, I feel like that was the best conversation that we have ever had since the first time I met you….:You should know that most males are not as romantic as females. Saying such kinds of words will definitely blow his mind away at the same time keeping the flame of romance burning.
3. Talk about his muscles…for example say… I never knew the warmth of muscles until every time you embraced me…: This statement speaks to your boyfriend ego at the same time showing love. This will definitely enhance your romance especially if your boyfriend is emotionally weak.
4. Talk about love…for example say… I am browning in your love and I really do not anybody to rescue me…: This will tell him that you are comfortable about being in love him and at no single day, you will regret being engaged in the relationship.
5. Talk about the day… for instance say…The day might be long but one thing that I am sure that you will sum it up when the sun sleeps…: This will amazing way to romantic things to say to your boyfriend at night.
With the above 5 romantic things to say to your boyfriend at night, you will always sooth the soul of your boyfriend at night.
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0.925574 |
Footage has emerged from deep inside the mysterious crater that has suddenly appeared in Siberia.
The crater on the Yamal Peninsula - known as the 'end of the world' to locals - was caused by aliens, a meteorite, a stray missile, or an explosive gas cocktail released due to global warming, according to theories last week.
Russian scientists recently returned from the first expedition to look inside the giant hole which was previously spotted by helicopter.
Their footage highlights a darkening around the rim which was earlier seen as evidence of heat possibly from an explosion during the crater's creation.
'They found the crater - around up to 300ft (70 metres) deep - has an icy lake at its bottom, and water is cascading down its eroding permafrost walls,' said The Siberian Times.
'The crater has more of an oval than a circular shape, it makes it harder to calculate the exact diameter,' he said.
'As of now our estimates is about 98ft (30 metres). If we try to measure diameter together with soil emission, the so-called parapet, then the diameter is up to 197ft (60 metres).
Dr Plekhanov added the hole was most likely the result of a 'build-up of excessive pressure' underground, due to the region's changing temperatures.
He said 80 per cent of the crater appeared to be made up of ice and that there were no traces of an explosion.
research to answer this question,' said Dr Plekhanov.
After the hole was discovered, there was speculation online about the crater indicating 'the arrival of a UFO craft'.
Ruling out extra-terrestrial intervention, Dr Plekhanov said: 'We can say for sure that under the influence of internal processes there was an ejection in the permafrost.
The latest expedition organised by the Yamal authorities included experts from Russia's Centre for the Study of the Arctic, and also the Cryosphere Institute of the Academy of Sciences.
They took samples of soil, air and water from the scene and were accompanied by a specialist from Russia's Emergencies Ministry.
Global warming may have caused an 'alarming' melt in the under-soil ice, released gas and causing an effect like the popping of a Champagne bottle cork, Ms Kurchatova suggests.
This maybe 'repeating nowadays', he said. 'If this theory is confirmed, we can say that we have witnessed a unique natural process that formed the unusual landscape of Yamal peninsula.
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0.926235 |
The Romanian 2nd Army's success at Marasti forced the Central Powers to revise their plans. The offensive planned in the Namoloasa area was abandoned and the bulk of the forces were moved in the Focsani area. The new offensive was going to be launched west of the Siret River, on the Focsani � Marasesti � Adjud direction, with the German 9th Army (general Johannes von Eben) and on the Oituz Valley with the Austro-Hungarian 1st Army (Archduke Joseph). The objective was to encircle and destroy the 2nd Army.
On the other side, the Romanian General Headquarters decided to cancel its attack in the Namoloasa area. The Russian 4th Army had to be pulled out from the front in southern Moldavia and moved north, where it could threaten the flank of the Austro-German forces advancing in Galicia. The Romanian 1st Army was going to replace the Russian troops departing the area.
For the offensive, the German 9th Army was strengthened with units brought from the French (the Alpine Corps, which arrived on 6 August) or Italian fronts. General von Eben decided to deliver the main blow with the German 1st Corps (6 divisions), while to its left the German 18th Reserve Corps (3 divisions) had to pin down the Entente troops opposite it. The right wing of the 9th Army was manned by the Ramnic Group (2 divisions). The reserve was made up of one German and one Austro-Hungarian divisions and the Alpine Corps, which arrived in the area during the first day of the battle. The German forces in the attack sector were 102 infantry battalions, 10 cavalry squadrons, 24 pioneer companies, 2 armored cars, 1,135 machine-guns, 356 mortars, 223 field guns and 122 heavy guns and howitzers.
Opposite the German 1st Corps was the Russian 4th Army, which had in contact with the enemy only two corps: on the right the 8th (3 divisions) and on the left the 7th (2 divisions). The reserve was made up of one infantry and one cavalry divisions. These totaled 84 infantry battalions, 52 cavalry squadrons, 280 field guns and 36 heavy guns. The bulk of the Romanian 1st Army was at Tecuci and was getting to cross the Siret River and replace the Russians.
The German 9th Army's offensive was preceded by a powerful artillery preparation, which began at 0430 hours on 6 August 1917. At 0730 hours the 1st Corps (general Kurt von Morgen) started the attack, with the 12th Bavarian, 76th and 89th Infantry Divisions in the first line and with another two divisions in the second echelon. The front defended by the Russian 13th and 34th Infantry Divisions was broken and 10 km breach was created. The Russians started a disorderly retreat east of the Siret River. At the request of the Russian command, general Constantin Christescu, CO of the 1st Army, ordered maj. general Eremia Grigorescu, CO of the Romanian 6th Corps, to intervene west of the Siret with the 5th Infantry Division and with the 9th Infantry Division to defend the river's eastern bank. The 32nd Dorobanti Regiment Mircea and the 8th Dorobanti Regiment Buzau counterattacked and stopped the Central Powers offensive on the line Moara Alba � Doaga � Furceni.
Seeing that the chances to force the crossing over the river are minimal, in the morning of 7 August, the German command redirected the offensive to the north, with four divisions. The effort was concentrated against the Romanian 5th Infantry Division, but the assault was repulsed. However, a bulge was created at the junction with the Russian troops, but the situation was saved by the counterattack of two battalions from the division's reserve. At noon, after a short artillery preparation, the enemy renewed the attack enjoying a 3 to 1 numerical superiority. The 3rd Vanatori Regiment held out in the Doaga village against an entire German division. The same thing happened in the sector of the 32nd Dorobanti Regiment Mircea. The soldiers in this unit made several bayonet charges only in their shirts, because of the suffocating heat, managing to push back the Germans to their positions. In the evening, the 1st Corps attacked and broke through the front of the Russian division on the right flank of the Romanian 5th Division. Threatened with the encirclement, the 32nd Regiment retreated to the Cosmesti Bridge. To fill the gap created, the Romanian 9th Infantry Division was introduced west of the Siret River. It was continuously attacked. In the evening of 7 August, under the cover of darkness, a German group approached and assaulted the 9th Division's flank, engaging into hand-to-hand fights. The Romanians abandoned Doaga and retreated to the outskirts of the Prisaca Forest, where a new defensive line was established. That day the 5th Division lost 44 officers and 1,770 soldiers (dead, wounded and missing). The front moved back 2-3 km.
On 8 August, general von Eben changed the attack sector to the west, on the front held by Russian units. In the evening, during the second assault, they were forced to retreat. A Russian regiment was almost completely destroyed. The Romanian front was bombarded and the attack on the 5th and 9th Infantry Divisions resumed the following day. On 9 August 1917, the German effort was increased. The assault started at 1900 hours, after a powerful artillery preparation, which caused many casualties to the 9th Division. Its troops were only able to dig foxholes, because the ground was very dry and hard to dig. The Germans again took heavy casualties because of the Romanian and Russian artillery situated on the eastern bank of the Siret River, which was firing directing into the attackers' flank. However, the first line of the Romanian defense was pierced in several spots, but reserves intervened and repulsed them after some very violent fighting. The 34th Regiment, which faced the 12th Bavarian Division, held out against three consecutive assaults. Only the 2nd Battalion, under the command of Major Gheorghe Mihail, the future Chief of the General Staff in 1940 and 1944, remained in the first line. It counterattacked and captured 62 prisoners and two machine-guns. The unit's battle flag was decorated later with Mihai Viteazul Order 3rd class. The same award was bestowed upon the regiment's CO, colonel Virgiliu Dumbrava, as well the 2nd Battalion's CO. But the casualties were heavy: 35 officers and 1,551 soldiers. The 36th Regiment lost 36 officers and 954 soldiers. Also, the 7th and 32nd Dorobanti Regiments suffered many casualties. During the night, at 0200 hours, another assault took place and the Germans managed to push back for several hundred meters the 9th Division and the right wing of the 5th Division. The neighboring Russian division was also forced to retreat, but the Russian 4th Army counterattacked and captured 2,500 prisoners and recovered the lost ground.
The last failures had weakened the German 9th Army. Thus, general von Eben strengthened the 1st Corps with a new division and the 18th Reserve Corps with the Alpine Corps.
On 10 August, it was the Entente's turn to attack. General Christescu and general Ragoza, the CO of the Russian 4th Army, decided to strike each with a corps of two divisions the bulge in the German line. During the morning, the 9th Army attacked the Russian sector, but gained little ground. At 1700 hours, the allied infantry started the assault, after a long artillery preparation. The 9th Infantry Division took the first German trenches, but because of the losses it had to abandon them. Reinforced with a regiment form the Romanian 13th Infantry Division, it resumed the attack, but again without success. The 5th Infantry Division and a regiment of the 14th Infantry Division managed to get inside the German positions, but could keep them. The 8th Dorobanti and 3rd Vanatori Regiments managed to enter the Doaga village, but were repulsed. The situation was similar in the sector of the Russian 4th Army. However the offensive had reduced the combat potential of the German 76th, 89th and 115th Infantry Divisions, which had suffered the brunt of the assault. These were already exhausted after several days of failed attacks. The report of general von Eben to the Army Group CO, marshal von Mackensen, mentions the fact that the 216th Infantry Division had suffered many casualties because of the flank bombardment of the Romanian artillery yon the eastern bank of the Siret.
For the following day, general Christescu imposed a limited objective to the 6th Corps: the Doaga � Susita Valley. The Russian 4th Army had decided to remain on the defensive. The Germans attacked in its sector at 1600 hours, after a three hour artillery preparation, and again forced the Russian troops to retreat. At 1630 hours, the Romanian 9th Infantry Division began the assault without knowing the situation in the neighboring sector. After the Russian retreat the flank was exposed. The division's CO sent a battalion to extend the line. The Germans were advancing on Marasesti and the situation became extremely dangerous for the Entente. The 9th Vanatori Regiment, which was in the division's reserve, was quickly brought in and set up positions in the factory north of the town. It managed to stop the German troops that were threatening to encircle the 9th Infantry Division. For this action, lt. col. Gheorghe Rasoviceanu, the regiment's CO, was awarded the Mihai Viteazul Order 3rd class. A regiment of the 13th Infantry Division, from the 6th Crops' reserve, established the link with the Russians. The 5th Infantry Division attacked in the Doaga area, but the 7th and 8th Dorobanti Regiments failed to enter the village. The same day, maj. general Eremia Grigorescu was named at the command of the 1st Army.
Noticing that the troops of the German 1st Corps were exhausted, general von Eben decided to assign the main strike to the 18th Reserve Corps of maj. gen. Kurt von Wenniger, which had suffered fewer losses and was less tired. Thus, on 12 August, the 9th German Army attacked with small forces the 5th Infantry Division, in order to pin it down, and concentrated its forces against the Russian 4th Army, taking Panciu. Following this failure, general Ragoza wanted to retreat the Russian-Romanian front north of Marasesti., but abandoned the idea at maj. gen. Eremia Grigorescu's pleas. Lt. gen. Constantin Prezan, the Chief of the General Staff, decided to replace the Russian 7th Corps with the Romanian 5th Corps (10th and 13th Infantry Divisions) and to put the Russian 8th Corps under the command of the Romanian 1st Army. The staff of the Russian 4th Army was retreated to Bacau from where it was reassigned to another front.
On 13 August, the 18th Reserve Corps attacked the Russian troops north of Panciu, but failed to make any breakthrough. The following day, general von Eben ordered the 1st Corps to eliminate the Romanian bulge in the area of the Prisaca Forest and take the bridge over the Siret River at Cozmesti. In the same time, the 18th Reserve Corps had to attack on the Zabraut Valley. After powerful artillery preparation commenced the assault on the Russian 8th Corps' positions. Brig. gen. Henri Cihoski, CO of the 10th Infantry Division, sent the 10th Vanatori Regiment as help. It surprised the Alpine Corps and caused it important casualties, some in vicious hand-to-hand combat. The vanatori managed to take Hill 334, but were forced to retreat following a powerful artillery bombardment. The 38th Infantry Regiment Neagoe Basarab also intervened and its CO, col. Gheorghe Cornescu, received the Mihai Viteazul Order 3rd class for the counterattack that stopped the German offensive, which threatened to penetrate in the Susita Valley, behind the Romanian 2nd Army. The Russian 8th Corps was forced to pull back north of Iresti and Straoani.
The 5th Infantry Division, at the other end of the front, had been reduced to one third of its initial size during the last days of fighting. The positions in the Prisaca Forest were heavily bombarded by German artillery. At 1700 hours the assault began with two divisions and forced the Romanian troops to retreat. The division's reserves, as well as a regiment form the 14th Infantry Division, in the army's reserve, intervened and stopped the German advance north of the Prisaca Forest. The bridge at Cozmesti was blown up, as the Romanian engineers had built another two to the north. The exhausted 5th Infantry Division was pulled out of the first line.
On 15 August, the 18th Reserve Corps continued the offensive and managed to create a breach at the junction between the 10th Infantry Division and the Russian division to its right. The 10th Vanatori Regiment, supported by 10 Romanian and 3 Russian batteries, counterattacked and reestablished the situation. However, with its left wing, the 18th Corps took Muncel, forcing theRussians to pull back. Thus the link between the two Romanian armies was threatened. The 2ndArmy attacked with the "Colonel Alexiu" Detachment made up of 2 vanatori battalions, 2 infantry battalions and 3 artillery batteries, which, together with a Russian cavalry division, retook control of the village. The following day, the Germans occupiued half of Muncel, but were again forced to retreat after the assault of col. Alexandru Alexiu's men.
The days of 17 and 18 August were calm. The losses suffered by both sides, forced the commanders to reorganize their units. Maj. gen. Eremia Grigorescu replaced the 14th Infantry Division, which was deployed east of the Siret River, with the 1st and 6th Rosiori Brigades and the hard pressed 5th Infantry Division with the 2nd Cavalry Division. The latter and the two brigades formed the Cavalry Corps. The 14th Infantry Division was moved on the northern bank of the Siret River in the Cozmestii de Vale area. Also, the army's heavy artillery was redeployed so that it could better cover the sector of the 5th Corps (10th, 13th and 9th Infantry Divisions). The 1st Army's reserve was made up of the 15th Infantry Division and of the 5th Infantry Division, under reorganization. On the other side, at the intervention of marshal von Mackensen, general von Eben grouped 7 infantry divisions under the command of the German 1st Corps and subordinated almost all the heavy artillery of the 9th Army to it. These forces totalized 55 battalions and 95 batteries.
On 19 August, the Germans resumed the offensive, attacking with the 1st Corps towards Marasesti and with 18th Reserve Corps on the Panciu-Muncel direction. The main effort was concentrated in the sector between Marasesti and the Razoare Forest, defended by the Romanian 9th and 13th Infantry Divisions, the latter being assaulted by three enemy divisions. The artillery preparation started at 0630 hours in the area of the trenches of the 47/72nd, 51/52nd and 50/64th Infantry Regiments, from the first line of the 13th Infantry Division, and at the western outskirts of Marasesti, where the 9th Vanatori Regiment of the 9th Infantry Division was located. It lasted for two hours and was the most violent artillery bombardment of the entire battle. At 0900 hours the first assaults small scale began and were easily repulsed. After 1100 hours a very powerful attack started. The main blow was delivered north of the Razoare Forest, at the junction of the 13th and 10th Infantry Divisions. The 10th Infantry Division was attacked by the 13th Austro-Hungarian Division, which failed to breakthrough the Romanian lines.
The 13th Infantry Division, commanded by brig. gen. Ioan Popescu, was the Romanian unit that saw the most action that day. It occupied a front 6 km wide, with the 47/72nd Infantry Regiment at the south-western edge of the Razoare Forest, the 50/64th Infantry Regiment in the Negroponte Vineyards and the 51/52nd Infantry Regiment in the middle. The reserve was made up of one battalion of the 50/64th Regiment and the 48/49th Regiment. 15 Romanian and 15 Russian batteries provided artillery support.
The attack started at 0900 hours. In the sector of the 47/72nd Infantry Regiment, the German assaults failed one after another. The 1st Battalion was situated on the left wing, south of the Razoare Forest. It was attacked by the 28th Bavarian Infantry Regiment (from the 12th Bavarian Division) and by units of the German 89th and 115th Divisions. The 2nd Battalion, on the right wing, was assaulted by the Austro-Hungarian 13th Infantry Division. The 3rd Battalion was kept in reserve. The regiment's CO, lt. col. Radu Rosetti, the former chief of the Operations Bureau of the General Staff in 1916, was wounded at a leg during the fighting. At the center, the 51/52nd Regiment was situated in an open position ands was also powerfully attacked. It had to pull back. The Germans tried to use the momentum and infiltrate behind the positions of the two regiments on the flanks of the Romanian 13th Infantry Division. The 3rd Battalion/47/72nd Infantry Regiment, under the command of maj. Draganescu counterattacked and stopped their advance. The reserves of the 51/52nd Regiment joined the fight directed by the unit's CO, lt. col. Ioan Cristofor, buying time for the reinforcements sent by the division to arrive. The 1st Machine-gun Company commanded by cpt. Grigore Ignat, stubbornly held its position, being almost totally destroyed. Its CO was posthumously awarded the Mihai Viteazul Order 3rd class. However, the Germans advanced towards Hill 100, behind which the allied artillery was situated. The 50/64th Regiment had to pull back its right wing, because of the enemy advance in the sector of the 51/52nd Regiment. Lt. col. Diamandi Genuneanu, the 50/64th Regiment's CO, organized the defense south of Hill 100 and managed to hold out against two Bavarian regiments for two hours.
General Popescu organized the counterattack against the German forces closing in on Hill 100. The 2 battalions in reserve, together with the 3rd Battalion/47/72nd Regiment and other units attacked from several different directions the German 115th Infantry Division, which had infiltrated between the Razoare Forest and the Negroponte Vineyards. The artillery of the 10th Infantry Division also intervened in the fighting at that moment, at the orders of the army's CO. The 1st Battalion/50/64th Regiment, commanded by cpt. Nicolae Miclescu, emerged from the Negroponte Vineyards and surprised the German infantry in the area and pushed it back to towards the Razoare Forest. Cpt. Miclescu was wounded during the action. He was later awarded the Mihai Viteazul Order 3rd class. The 3rd Battalion/47/72nd Infantry Regiment and the 2nd Battalion/48/49th Infantry Regiment joined the battle. The resistance at the edge of the Razoare Forest was broken following a violent bayonet charge. The Germans started a disorderly retreat. The entire 47/72nd Infantry Regiment started a counterattack, followed soon by the 39th Infantry Regiment (from 10th Infantry Division). The German troops retreated towards the Susita Valley, dragging along the units of the Austro-Hungarian 13th Division. The Romanians captured the first line of the enemy positions, but the advanced was stopped by maj. general Eremia Grigorescu, because von Eben had already started to deploy his reserves.
The 10th Division and, especially, the 13th Division had achieved a great victory. The commanders of the two divisions, as well as the commanders of the 47/72nd, 50/64th and 51/52nd Regiments were awarded the Mihai Viteazul Order 3rd class. Another 7 officers received this high distinction for the fighting on 19 August. The 39th Infantry Regiment Petru Rares captured 376 POWs and 7 machine-guns and advanced 500 m on a 4 km wide front. The 47/72nd Infantry Regiment took 209 POWs and 4 machine-guns. But the losses were high. The same regiment lost 880 men (99 killed, 300 wounded and 481 missing). The regiment's flag, as well as those of the other hard pressed units on 19 August were also decorated with the Mihai Viteazul Order 3rd class.
The same day, the Germans attacked the sector of the 9th Infantry Division, situated south of the 13th Division. It had been reduced to 4,500 men in the previous days of hard fighting. In the first line were the 9th Vanatori Regiment on the right wing and the 40th Infantry Regiment Calugareni on the left wing. After a powerful artillery preparation, two German infantry divisions started their attack. Following some heavy fighting in the ruins of the factory north of Marasesti, the 9th Vanatori Regiment was forced to fall back towards the city. The 40th Infantry Regiment also abandoned its first positions. The 9th Division reformed the front on the line south Negroponte Vineyards � Marasesti Railroad Station � south Marasesti, which it held against the enemy assaults, with the help of the artillery of the 14th Infantry Division from the eastern bank of the Siret River, firing directly in the German flank.
Because of the failure of its army to take the objectives on 19 August, general von Eben decided that the continuation of the offensive was no longer possible. A week of pause followed, which both sides used for reorganizing. The 9th Army again changed the attack sector. The 18th Reserve Corps was strengthened with 3 divisions and the entire heavy artillery at the army's disposal. The Romanian 1st Army received the 11th Infantry Divison. Maj. general Eremia Grigorescu redeployed his forces. Thus, the Russian 8th Corps formed the army's right wing in the Muncelul area. It had two divisions in the first line and another two reforming in the back. The Romanian 5th Corps (10th and 15th Infantry Divisions) held the front all the way to Marasesti Railroad Station, where it linked up with the 3rd Corps (14th Infantry Division), situated between Marasesti and the Siret River. East of the river was the Cavalry Corps (1st and 6th Rosiori Brigades, 2nd Cavalry Division and one brigade of the 5th Infantry Division). The army's reserve was made up of the 9th, 11th and 13th Infantry Divisions and the other brigade of the 5th Division.
The offensive of the 18th Corps started in the sector of the Russian 8th Corps on 28 August. At 0900 hours the German troops infiltrated between the two Russian divisions and forced them to retreat. Two regiments of the Romanian 3rd Infantry Division from the 2nd Army intervened and managed to stop the German advance together with the Russian reserves. The following day, general Grigorescu prepared an attack in the Muncelul area, aimed at eliminating the bulge created by the Germans. He put at the disposal of the Russian 8th Corps another Russian division, as well as the Romanian 9th Infantry Division, a regiment from the 13th and another from the 15th Division. The two regiments from the 2nd Army were also supposed to participate in this action.
The assault started at 0800 hours, from the north and west, but found the Germans ready for an attack of their own and it was repulsed. The second one, around 1700 hours, was also repulsed. The Germans forced the right wing of the Russian 124th Division to pull back. Two battalions from the 2nd Army intervened and managed to stop the enemy advance during the night. The 11th and 13th Infantry Divisions were brought behind the threatened areas. The 5th Division crossed to on the western bank of the Siret River. On 30 August, the German 18th Reserve Corps resumed the attack and its troops managed to get between the 18th Dorobanti Regiment Gorj and the 2nd Vanatori Regiment of the 2nd Army. The 34th Infantry Regiment Constanta, belonging to the 9th Division from the 1st Army, counterattacked and plucked in the breach.
The Russian 8th Corps was strengthened with the 13th Infantry Division on 31 August, when, because of the weather, there was no fighting. General Eremia Grigorescu subordinated the 9th Infantry Division and a Russian division to the CO of the 13th Division, brig. general Ioan Popescu. This group attacked on 1 September. The artillery preparation started at 0600 hours, with all the artillery available to the group, as well as with the artillery of the other two Russian divisions and the army's heavy artillery. After one hour, the 9th and 13th Divisions attacked from the west and the 3rd Infantry Division (belonging to the 2nd Army), commanded by brig. general Alexandru Margineanu, from the north. After some heavy fighting, the 13th Division advanced up t o200 m of Muncelul. The 18th Corps counterattacked in the sector of the 3rd Infantry Division, but was repulsed. The following day, the same 3rd Division suffered the brunt of the 9th Army's strike. The main objective was the Porcului Hill, defended by the 30th Dorobanti Regiment Muscel. It lost the positions, but they were retaken following the counterattack of the division's reserves and of a Russian regiment. It was the last major operation of the German 9th Army in the Marasesti sector.
The offensive of the 1st Army in the Muncelul area was resumed on 3 September. The 11th Infantry Division was subordinated to the General Popescu Group, entering the first line beside the 9th and 13th Divisions. The Russian division and the regiments of the 2nd Army formed the reserve. The plan was to attack frontally with the 9th Division and a brigade of the 11th, while the 13th Division and the other brigade of the 11th Division were going to attack the Muncelul village, threatening the enemy flank. The artillery preparation started at 0630 hours and at 0800 hours the 13th Infantry Division started the assault, but could not make any progress. The same happened in the sector of the 9th Division. A second artillery preparation, which lasted for an hour and a half, and some violent hand-to-hand fighting were necessary for the 13th Infantry Division to occupy the eastern edge of the Muncelul village. But the Romanian losses that day were heavy: about 2,700 men.
This was the last day of the battle of Marasesti, both sides deciding to adopt a defensive attitude on the entire front. The Romanian 1st Army had lost 610 officers and 26,800 NCOs and soldiers, while the German 9th Army had lost about 47,000. Forty Mihai Viteazul Orders 3rd class were awarded for deeds accomplished during the fighting around Marasesti. Maj. general Eremia Grigorescu received the Mihai Viteazul 2nd class. Also, the flags of no less than 9 regiments were decorated with the Mihai Viteazul 3rd class.
The fighting continued with little intensity the following days, with local attacks and counterattacks. In one of these clashes, on the Secuiului Hill on 5 September, the volunteer Ecaterina Teodoroiu was killed by machine-gun fire, while leading her platoon. On the other side, on 8 September, maj. general Kurt von Wenniger, CO of the German 18th Reserve Corps, was killed by an artillery shell in the Muncelul area.
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How do states advance their interests in the world? One common, but largely overlooked, strategy is military capacity building. To reduce costs and wield greater power than one alone can generate, states frequently turn to partners to undertake part, or sometimes all, of the burden of employing military power to defend territory, deter aggression, compel policy concessions and fight wars. To increase the military effectiveness of these partners delegating states often provide them with armaments and military training.
What makes this military capacity building puzzling is that it is incredibly risky because of the problem of misuse: partners can use transferred capability to advance their own priorities, which may or may not include the delegated objective. Given the risk and costs of misuse, when do delegating states build the coercive capacity of their partners?
I argue that at the core of capacity building is an agency problem. Delegating states must create incentives for their partners to use their military power in particular ways. Making sense of patterns of capacity building, then, requires understanding how delegating states prevent misuse.
I develop theory and evidence for two sets of arguments.
First, I argue that carrots and sticks -- the strategy that states are traditionally thought to use to shape behavior -- is less of a panacea than believed because typical features of international and domestic politics generate moral hazard that can make carrots and sticks prohibitively expensive or impossible for delegating states to implement. This moral hazard arises not only when hidden action makes it hard to recognize partner behavior (this is the traditionally story) but also in two, previously overlooked situations that prevent delegating states from sanctioning misuse by their partners. The first arises when domestic or bureaucratic actors with a vested interest in the status-quo relationship with the partner erect political roadblocks to sanctioning misuse. For example, because arms transfers generally create jobs, generate income for domestic defense industries and improve bilateral cooperation, politicians and diplomats may take steps to prevent the delegating state from punishing the partner even when misuse is unambiguous. The second constraint on punishment arises when a partner government is so vulnerable to internal or external threats that sanctioning misuse threatens to hasten its downfall and empower an unfriendly actor in its place.
Second, I argue that delegating states frequently turn to three alternative strategies of manipulation to prevent their partners from redirecting transferred military capability against other adversaries: (1) withholding capabilities that could be efficiently misused (I call this tailoring); (2) transferring arms to the partner's adversaries in order to maintain an equilibrium balance of power between the partner and its adversaries (I call this counterbalancing); and (3) mitigating political conflict between the partner and its adversaries. These strategies prevent misuse by preemptively manipulating the threats and opportunities that partners face and, thereby, undermining the inherent reasons the partner has to redirect transferred military capability against other adversaries.
I offer two types of evidence. First, I show that strategies of manipulation are empirically important solutions to the problem of misuse. Through an examination of historical cases and quantitative data, I provide evidence that states purposefully tailor, counterbalance and mitigate conflict in order to prevent misuse. Second, I show that variation in the ability of delegating states to implement strategies to prevent misuse can help explain broad patterns of capacity building. Using panel data from post-World War II arms transfers and military training, I show that capacity-building decreases under circumstances plausibly associated with an increased risk of misuse. But that this mitigating effect is conditional on whether states face circumstances plausibly associated with the ability to efficiently implement strategies of carrots and sticks, tailoring or counterbalancing to prevent misuse. My empirical strategy leverages generalized difference-in-difference-in-differences (three-way fixed effects) analysis to control for a wide variety of confounding factors and historical examinations of statistically influential cases to validate the quantitative results.
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What’s the outlook on network slicing for 5G?
5G boils down to three primary use cases: enhanced mobile broadband, massive support for the internet of things and mission critical communications that require ultra-low-latency and multi-gigabit-per-second throughput.
A welcome technology for mobile operators that provides the network flexibility and service agility that is the foundation for a variety of new business, economic and service models for upcoming 5G networks as well as today’s 4G networks.
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BlizzCon® tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable, and Blizzard Entertainment reserves the right to deny admission to anyone who violates the terms of the BlizzCon Ticket Agreement.
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In order to ensure the event provides a safe, enjoyable, and welcoming environment for everyone, Blizzard reserves the right to remove from BlizzCon any person whose conduct is deemed to be disorderly or unbecoming, or who uses vulgar or abusive language.
Electronics: Desktop computers, laptops, storage devices, professional video and audio recording equipment, cameras with interchangeable lenses longer than 6” or with an external flash, action sports cameras, (e.g. GoPro, Google Glass), selfie sticks, monopods, tripods, drones, and two-way radios are strictly prohibited. Personal equipment may not be connected to any computer at BlizzCon for any reason at any time.
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Any attendee found to have violated the prohibited items list may be removed from BlizzCon.
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Frederick Loewe (/ˈloʊ/, originally German Friedrich (Fritz) Löwe Template:IPA-de; June 10, 1901 – February 14, 1988), was an Austrian-American composer. He collaborated with lyricist Alan Jay Lerner on a series of Broadway musicals, including the long-running My Fair Lady and Camelot, both of which were made into films.
Loewe was born in Berlin, Germany, to Viennese parents Edmond and Rosa Loewe. His father was a noted Jewish operetta star who performed throughout Europe and in North and South America; he starred as Count Danilo in the 1906 Berlin production of The Merry Widow.
Frederick Loewe grew up in Berlin and attended a Prussian cadet school from the age of five until he was thirteen. At an early age Loewe learned to play piano by ear and helped his father rehearse, and he began composing songs at age seven. He eventually attended a music conservatory in Berlin, one year behind virtuoso Claudio Arrau, and studied with Ferruccio Busoni and Eugene d'Albert. He won the coveted Hollander Medal awarded by the school and gave performances as a concert pianist while still in Germany. At 13, he was the youngest piano soloist ever to appear with the Berlin Philharmonic.
In 1924, his father received an offer to appear in New York City, and Loewe traveled there with him, determined to write for Broadway. This proved to be difficult, and he took other odd jobs, including cattle punching, gold mining and prize fighting. He eventually found work playing piano in German clubs in Yorkville and in movie theaters as the accompanist for silent films.
Loewe began to visit the Lambs Club, a hangout for theater performers, producers, managers, and directors. There, he met Alan Jay Lerner in 1942. Their first collaboration was a musical adaptation of Barry Connor's farce The Patsy, called Life of the Party, for a Detroit stock company. It enjoyed a nine-week run and encouraged the duo to join forces with Arthur Pierson for What's Up?, which opened on Broadway in 1943. It ran for 63 performances and was followed two years later by The Day Before Spring.
Their first hit was Brigadoon (1947), a romantic fantasy set in a mystical Scottish village, directed by Robert Lewis. It was followed in 1951 by the less successful Gold Rush story Paint Your Wagon.
In 1956, Lerner and Loewe's My Fair Lady first appeared. Their adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, with the leads, Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle, being played originally by Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews, was a huge hit in New York and London. The partnership won the Tony Award for Best Musical. MGM took notice and commissioned them to write the film musical Gigi (1958), which won nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Their next Broadway production was Camelot. The production starred Richard Burton, Julie Andrews and Robert Goulet.The trio appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and sang a few numbers from the musical, along with an appearance by Lerner and Loewe. The following morning the box office was swamped with requests, and Camelot became another hit.
Loewe then decided to retire to Palm Springs, California, not writing anything until he was approached by Lerner to augment the Gigi film score with additional tunes for a 1973 stage adaptation, which won him his second Tony, this time for Best Original Score. The following year they collaborated on a musical film version of The Little Prince, based on the classic children's tale by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. This film was a critical and box office failure, but the soundtrack recording and the film itself are back in print on CD and DVD.
Loewe was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972. He remained in Palm Springs, California until his death, and had a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars dedicated to him in 1995. He was buried in the Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California.
↑ 3.0 3.1 Palm Springs Cemetery District, "Interments of Interest"
↑ Lees, Gene (1 July 2005). The Musical Worlds of Lerner and Loewe. U of Nebraska Press. pp. 12–3. ISBN 978-0-8032-8040-3. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
↑ Brooks, Patricia; Brooks, Jonathan (2006). "Chapter 8: East L.A. and the Desert". Laid to Rest in California: a guide to the cemeteries and grave sites of the rich and famous. Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot Press. p. 239. ISBN 978-0762741014. OCLC 70284362.
John "J-Cat" Griffith (January 1, 2001). "Frederick Loewe". Composer. Find a Grave. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
"Wouldn't It Be Loverly? "
"With a Little Bit of Luck"
"Get Me to the Church on Time"
"I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face"
"One If by Clam, Two If by Sea"
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While many associate gambling with the landmarks such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City stateside, and international destinations including Singapore and even the various internet gambling sites, gambling has been referred to as the “second oldest profession,” with dice being a common inclusion in the tombs of the ancient burial sites in both Mesopotamia and Egypt (Schwartz, 2006). However, even though gambling was taking place, it does not mean that the rulers of the past approved of such a practice. If individuals were caught gambling, in the locations that disapproved of the past time, the guilty members could be fined, arrested, or even subject to death, with their property and other belongings seized.
As time progressed into the early 1900s, some of the more popular areas in America to engage in gambling included New York, Washington, San Francisco, and on riverboats based out of New Orleans and other waterfront locations throughout the country. As the evolution of gambling and casinos continued, new gambling lingo emerged, including the terms “sucker,” “gaming,” and “addicts,” with the latter being traced as far back as the mid 1800s. Additionally, the term “splendid hells,” or “first class” were developed to describe the best casinos in the area, often located on lavishly outfitted gambling resorts (Asbury, 2003).
One of the oldest forms of gambling in America is the now extinct game known as faro, which was as popular as the video poker machines that have become the mainstays in current day casinos. At one point, faro was so popular, it was deemed the leading cause of bankruptcy in America (Turner, Howard, & Spence, 2006). Faro, which originated in France, was a card game, similar to the present day poker, in which one deck of 52 cards is dealt clockwise, and is played between a “banker,” and a few individual players, who win or lose based on the cards being dealt matching the cards that are already exposed. The ease of the game and the quickness of the rounds (10-15 minutes per hand), contributed to the popularity and, in turn, the growing amount of money left on the tables by the players.
By the early 1900s, bans on gambling games, including faro, began spreading west from New York and reaching Arizona in 1907, thus outlawing most forms of gambling. However, the ban did not necessarily remove the popularity of gambling, but rather the practice went “underground,” appearing in basements and private residence, since many considered the game more as an opportunity for social interaction rather than strictly a money-based hobby. As the Legislature moved to make most types of gambling illegal, with lynching of professional gamblers occurring in the mid-1800s, proponents of gambling were determined to bring about change to the staunch prohibition. Individual states struck back against the bans, starting with Nevada, who legalized gambling in 1869, spreading the movement to California in the early 1900s.
While there has been an ebb and flow of the legal standing of various gambling outlets, after the crash in the stock market in 1929, government realized that legalized gambling was a way to stimulate the economy. Today, gambling can be found in corner liquor stores and church bingo halls, in addition to the numerous casinos located throughout the country. From slot machines and poker tables, to horse tracks and sporting events, gambling can be found in a variety of modalities and locations. However, there are unique characteristics to each, which should be examined and mastered prior to engaging in the games, which can help to increase the likelihood of a positive experience, not to mention increased financial gains.
One form of popular gambling occurs usually at work or between friends, and is referred to as a betting pool (or office pool if conducted in the workplace). Usually, the item involved in the betting consists of a sporting event, such as football or basketball. The pool is made of the money put in by each of the gamblers, with players choosing a particular outcome, such as a sports team winning or a precise score of the game. While the process sounds rather straightforward, there are strategies to increasing the likelihood of achieving a more positive and rewarding outcome.
According to research, participant behavior appears to play a pivotal role in optimal strategy planning when it comes to betting pools. It is suggested that teams that are more popular, such as home teams, usually gain a larger share of the entries, which can mean a lower total amount of winnings earned, as the amount of money in the pool is spread over a greater number of individuals, compared to the “underdog” of the game in question (Clair & Letscher, 2007). By assessing the score and the expected return, it has been posited that betting on underdogs in large betting pools can actually increase the chances of increasing the return on the initial bet (Clair & Letscher, 2007). As the competition for the pot increases through more participants, the likelihood of winning a large sum based on the popular choice decreases.
When it comes to sports betting pools, there are a few different ways they can be designed. Smaller box pools are suggested for Super Bowl parties or instances where about a dozen people are involved, as the likelihood of participants purchasing more than one square is higher. When it comes to the squares, there are a variety of options. Drawing numbers and predicting a score are two of the more popular designs. In the drawing numbers option, participants take turns drawing slips of paper on which the numbers 0 through 9 are written on each piece. The person who has the number corresponding to the last digit of the combined scores is the winner. The drawing numbers option can be used at the end of a quarter or at the end of the game.
A more challenging option involves predicting the score, which involves a bit of skill and research. The concept involves participants selecting the winning team and the number of points the team leads by at either the end of a quarter or the end of the game. For those who wish to play a longer betting period, some football pools can span the entire season, sometimes predicting winners for up to 16 games in the future, with the winners being named after the end of the season by determining which participant has predicted the greater number of winners for the season. Either method can create a fun environment among sports enthusiasts. However, by being aware of betting behavior, specifically the fact that participants have been known to overbet favorite teams (Clair & Letscher, 2007), by picking the less popular team in a larger pool of betting participants, avoiding the crowd of popularity can reap bigger rewards when it comes to bet payouts.
Betting pools are not relegated merely to sports, as there are topics such as deaths and births which people have been known to bet on. Death pools usually involve well-known individuals, such as celebrities and sports figures, which the participants predict will die within the year, with more points being attached to individuals who are under the age of 80 years or appear to be in generally good health. Birth pools, similarly to death pools, involve individuals picking specific dates in which someone, can be either a celebrity or friend, gives birth.
In addition to betting pools, there is another betting design, known as spread betting. Instead of participants predicting the outcome based on the winning team or number of points a team wins by at the end, spread betting in sports is a little more complex in nature. Research has found that when analyzing the results of NFL team bets, it appears that specific betting strategies can be used to successfully (and profitably) exploit the NFL betting market (Kuester & Sanders, 2011). Spread betting, in simple terms, involves individuals betting upon whether a specific team will win by at least a given margin, or number of points, which is referred to as the point spread. However, when determining the winning team, participants can be better prepared and more likely to achieve a rewarding experience by taking into account outside variables, such as weather, location, and the number of participants who are likely to choose the same team and point spread. Research has suggested that some teams who are from arid regions travel to a more humid region, or vice versa, that the non-acclimated team may be at a disadvantage, regardless of their previous record in games played in similar regions as their home field (Kuester & Sanders, 2011). In fact, the same study found that when teams from dry regions win against the spread (cover the spread when they are the favored team), over half of the time when they host a team that is from a more humid location. Additional research into the external variables which can influence the point spread likelihood of a specific team winning has revealed that the human circadian rhythm can also bring about different levels of team performance (Chin, 2011). Knowing about the influence the time of day a game is played can help bettors to be aware of the fact that sometimes sports book makers can use the information to lure or bait bettors, which can lead to placing a losing wager on the team who is at a disadvantage due to changes in time zones.
By paying attention to the extraneous variables, such as weather and time of day, those who are betting using a point spread can be better prepared when it comes to obtaining a favorable outcome. Additionally, by avoiding the favorite-longshot bias, where the expected returns on bets placed at shorter odds which exceed bets placed at the longer odds, and not betting with one’s favorited team but rather with the team that has been shown to be better when playing in a specific weather condition and time of day, the likelihood of arriving at a positive outcome are increased (Paton & Williams, 2005).
While gambling and placing wagers on sports teams can be fun, it can also be profitable, particularly when foregoing favorite teams, in favor of betting smart. By considering the external variables, individuals can not only enjoy the sporting environment, but also a more rewarding experience. Being aware of the different types of betting, such as pools and spreads, and the odds involved in both, can in essence, give individuals an advantage in the betting world.
As with any other events which involve risk, it is important to consider the possibilities of loss, not wagering more than one is able to lose. Knowing one’s limits is an essential part to placing bets and ensuring a positive outcome, regardless of winning or losing the bet wagered.
Asbury, H. (2003). Sucker’s progress: An informal history of gambling in America. New York: Thunder’s Mouth Press.
Chin, D. M. (2011). A test of unbiasedness and sports book profits in the NFL point spread betting market using circadian advantage. Journal of Gambling Business & Economics,5(3), 15-26.
Kuester, D. D., & Sanders, S. (2011). Regional information and market efficiency: The case of spread betting in United States college football. Journal of Economics and Finance,35(1), 116-122.
Schwartz, D. G. (2006). Roll the bones: The history of gambling. New York: Gotham Books.
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Recently, I have been digging into the latest and greatest developments over in the React world. A lot has changed with the release of Hooks and the looming release of Concurrent Mode.
A lot of these new developments make me think about how we want to approach optimizing our apps using the latest React features and ClojureScript.
In years far gone, immutability was a term that was thrown around a lot when talking about optimizing React applications. The React community mind share had landed on the idea that if you used immutable data structures in your app, your app would be faster.
This is a little curious at first glance. Typically, immutable data structures come with all sorts of performance penalties; you are necessarily paying a cost by copying certain information anew instead of just mutating the reference you have in your hand. Clojure does a lot to mitigate this performance hit, so much so that we use immutable data for almost all of our daily programming, but it is still a factor when weighing raw performance against mutable data.
However, once we dig into the details of what people were saying we can start to see why immutability might be buying us some extra cycles.
Typically, the most costly part of a React application is rendering. That is not flushing to the DOM - that's called the commit phase and what React tries to optimize the hardest - but actually executing the render method / function body of your component and then diffing it with the previous output.
The primary way we can optimize the render phase of our components is by telling React to not even bother running it. React exposes a number of tools for us to tell it that nothing will change if it renders our function, so it should just skip it.
For class components, shouldComponentUpdate is the primary lever for optimizing renders. shouldComponentUpdate is a method that receives the new props and state, and should return true if React should call the render method.
New in React 16.6 is React.memo, a way of applying the same kind of optimization to components defined as functions.
So the question then becomes: given the old state and props and the new state and props, how can we answer whether we should re-render as fast as possible?
If we can assume that a component should only ever re-render if it's state or props have changed, then that boils the question down to: How can we answer whether two values are different as fast as possible?
Comparing two primitives is something that we can all agree is probably fast. Telling whether 1 is equal to 2 is never going to be a bottleneck for our application, and is easy enough to write.
However, nested data structures like we often use to maintain state or configure components with can be quite costly to test. It might mean that we have to walk the entire data structure and compare each node between the two structures.
This is where our knowledge of immutable data structures kicks in. When we perform an operation on a data structure, we know that we will always receive a new object reference that contains the update data. It leaves the old object alone.
This leads us to our answer: if a value is always computed from the previous value, then we can simply do a reference equality check between the old value and the new value. If the references are different, then we can assume that the data has changed and we should re-render our component.
This is what I am going to refer to as a "fast yes" (props to @orestis for the term). Given the assumptions, we can be reasonably certain the two data structures are different and should trigger a re-render without doing a deep comparison. This is why being able to guarantee immutability of state and props when using React can be an optimization superpower.
How does OtherComponent know that the props passed to it are the same? Because we have written them out literally, Clojure(Script) will actually construct a new hash map each render of SomeComponent. Because we reconstruct the props each render, we cannot rely on reference equality to know that we are receiving the same props.
If we want to optimize OtherComponent to not re-render in this instance, then we need to do a fully deep equality on the props map in order to ensure none of the data has actually changed. That's what we were trying to avoid in the first place!
Hence, this is the "slow no": in this case we take the slowest strategy to ensure that the data structures have not, in fact, changed. Immutability does not give us any speed advantages here.
This is where, as the author of our application, we have to pause and take stock of the situation. How costly is re-rendering OtherComponent actually? How might that weigh against doing a deep equality on the props passed into it every time SomeComponent is rendered?
We might also ask ourselves: why is SomeComponent being re-rendered repeatedly? Perhaps there is somewhere else up the component tree (e.g. some state or props change) that could be optimized using a "fast yes", which would make optimizing OtherComponent far less important.
However, this ensures that every time OtherComponent is called in a render, it will do a deep traversal of all of the props in order to determine equality. This is probably undesired except in certain situations, situations that the caller of OtherComponent should be in control of.
As the author of a React wrapper for ClojureScript, I am not in any position to know if any given component should be memoized, which is why I have not wrapped every defnc component in React.memo.
It's tempting to try and prevent re-renders unless absolutely needed for everyone, however it's difficult to do this generally. Instead, it might be better to optimize it inside of SomeComponent if we find that it's causing performance problems.
We might also realize that SomeComponent probably doesn't need to be rendered often, so we can instead optimize wherever SomeComponent is called. It's better to move up the UI tree and optimize where things are rendered. This way we can avoid overzealously applying "optimizations" that actually slow down our application!
Immutability is fast whenever we can compare two references and know that if they are different, then the data is different (a "fast yes"). Using immutable data is not any faster when we can not be reasonably certain that two references won't be equivalent values.
When it comes to optimizing applications, we should focus on optimizing hot paths in our UI tree and not go crazy trying to memoize every single component. At best we won't see much of a difference in most cases, and at worst it could actually end up causing a performance bottleneck.
If you're interested in exploring all of React's new features like useMemo with me, check out hx - a wrapper library for React that gives you easy access to the entire React ecosystem, React Hooks, Suspense, as well as a host of helpful tools.
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There are many quotes about electronic music industry pioneer Gerald Belanger. He's been called a "mad scientist," "Toronto's keeper of the electronic music flame," and an inciter of "dance frenzies." One recurring topic when Belanger's name is brought..
There are many quotes about electronic music industry pioneer Gerald Belanger. He's been called a "mad scientist," "Toronto's keeper of the electronic music flame," and an inciter of "dance frenzies." One recurring topic when Belanger's name is brought up is "the future," and how he seems to have his finger on its pulse and "cleverly predicts the healthy future of music.” Through his many activites with record labels, recording acts, radio stations, and music think tanks Gerald Belanger has proved himself an electronic music soothsayer, one whose next move is always fascinating and worth following.
Belanger's beginnings as radio DJ and contributing editor to the beloved music magazine Option easily prepared him for his first label venture, DOVentertainment (Death Of Vinyl). This company acted not only as a label, releasing 37 titles before 1995, but also as one of the first North American distributors of electronic music, working with classic labels like Tresor and NinjaTune. The success of this operation lead to DOV branches in Germany and the UK, the latter even going against its namesake by pressing vinyl 12" releases. Not content with all this activity, Belanger found the time to open Modulations, the first retail store in Toronto to focus on techno and electronic music. The store soon developed into an online record shop, one of the first in existence and, again, showing Belanger's knack for getting the jump on future trends.
By 1996 the always-in-motion Gerald Belanger focused his attention on a new endeavor, a recording studio and post-production facility named nice+smooth. A primary activity in this studio was recording with close friends Christopher Drost and Heiki Sillaste under the band name Kinder Atom. This project, as well as the music of other acts being recorded at nice+smooth, reignited the label bug within Belanger, inspiring the creation of his nice+smooth ultramedia imprint. By 2001 the label had released sixteen CDs and records through an arrangement with Los Angeles' Hypnotic (at the time the US home to Kraftwerk and Future Sound Of London) before becoming a fully independent label. nice+smooth also became an outlet for Belanger to once again predict the future, as the label started offering sales of its releases on MP3 through its site in 1999. It was one of the first labels to do so, even predating the introduction of the iPod by two years. nice+smooth ultramedia has proven extremely successful and is still releasing music to this day, presently working with a diverse range of artists such as Roy Davis Jr. ,, SolaZul, ICR, Stephane Vera and many more.
Meanwhile, Kinder Atom went from strength to strength with six album releases to date and a number of accolades and acclaimed singles. The group's biggest success was their track "Illegal," a collaboration with Grammy award winning reggae vocalist Michael Rose. This song became an international success, and was licensed to Germany's Basswerk Records with a remix by The Green Man which was also a global hit. It was this version of "Illegal" that ended up featured in an episode of CSI:Miami. Kinder Atom have also collaborated with Jamaican via London singer Musical Sniper (from UB40 ‘s Oracabessa Records) and chanteuse Genvieve Marchessau (formerly with BMG). They've co-written and produced groundbreaking 'chill-out' albums with Vancouver's Dead Voices On Air and England's Rapoon. Further displaying their diversity, Kinder Atom also remixed the track "Boom Boom Boogie" for Canadian rap star Snow which was released by Warner Bros. in the United States and Japan, topping many dance charts.
Gerald Belanger's solo activities have also been noteworthy. As a DJ, he held a spot on Toronto's CKLN 88.1 FM since 1990 with his influential radio show Unfortunate Sonic Casualties. This program lasted for 21 years, finally ending when the station unfortunately ceased its operations. Belanger has also DJ'ed at clubs and festivals worldwide, touching down throughout North America, Europe, and Japan. His DJ sound is eclecitc and unique, a beguiling mash of futuristic house, bass, and eclectic freestyle grooves all touched upon by an experimental mischievousness. Finally, as a proponent of all things futuristic, it's natural that Belanger draws upon his experience and opinions to speak at numerous seminars and serve on various think tanks. He's been a guest speaker at the Amsterdam Dance Conference and the Oberlin College Independent Media conference, a panelist at the Toronto Urban Music Conference Independent Labels Seminar, and a consultant for the highly influential Marshall McLuhan Centre On Global Communications think tank. Belanger also had the honor of programming and curating the Canadian Music Week electronic music showcase for three straight years.
Ready to approach the brave new world of this decade's music industry at full throttle, nice+smooth ultramedia is now a digital-only label ready to issue a steady and exciting flow of releases which Belanger refers to as "bizarre and lovely." Belanger is also back in the studio recording with Kinder Atom and a new musical project christened Star Safari. After producing, compiling, licensing, and overseeing nearly 200 releases in the electronic music world it's no surprise that Belanger continues to be a major force on the scene, almost 25 years on down the line. After all this predicting, influencing, and dreaming, Gerald Belanger will undoubtedly continue to play a part in what the future has in store.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention measures the impact of hearing loss on quality of life using a measurement labeled disability-adjusted years. In other words, they measure how many fewer quality years come with this condition. They estimate that a person loses 2.5 healthy years with each year of hearing impairment.
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Can Eastern and Western magickal systems be merged? The magickal order, the Ordo Sunyata Vajra, successfully did so by eliminating the cultural trappings and unnecessary mystery surrounding Hindu and Buddhist Tantric magick and filtering it through the Western Thelemic tradition. This book reveals their secrets, providing exercises for integrating mind and body with the universal energy of the cosmos. It culminates with instructions for their ultimate magickal ritual, the Diamond Sapphire Gem of Radiant Light. Unlike traditional methods where years of study and practice are required before learning such advanced material, these practices are immediately accessible to students of all levels. Also used is a more universal Thelema that transcends the Crowley-centric view, resulting in a New Aeon of magickal possibility and potential for all spiritual seekers.
Gregory Peters (Stanford, CA) has contributed scholarly articles on Freemasonry and Thelema in local and international publications. He has been a student and teacher of esoteric systems of self-discovery for twenty years, and has held offices in Western esoteric orders. A close student of Phyllis Seckler (Soror Meral) and a senior member of Crowley's magical fraternity the A∴A∴, Peters founded the Ordo Sunyata Vajra in 1999. He lives and works in the San Francisco Bay area.
There was a lot of terminology in this book that made this book so hard to read. There were a lot of things in this book that I had to look up in order to understand the book. I think that there were a lot of issues with this book.
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During the medieval period or the Middle Ages from roughly 500 A.D. to approximately 1400, is when musical notation began as well as the birth of polyphony when multiples sounds came together and formed separate melody and harmony lines.
Church (liturgical or sacred) music dominated the scene although some secular, folk music heralded by troubadours were found throughout France, Spain, Italy, and Germany.
Gregorian chants, a monophonic vocal line sung by monks, as well as choral music for a group of singers, were among the main types of music.
590—604 During this time the Gregorian chant was developed. It is also known as plainchant or plainsong and named after Pope St. Gregory the Great. This pope was credited with bringing it to the West.
The organum was developed. It is an early form of counterpoint, which eventually led to polyphony. This type of song had a plainchant melody with at least one added voice to enhance the harmony. There is no real independent second voice, so, it is not yet considered polyphony.
1000—1100 During this time of liturgical musical drama unfolds throughout Europe. Also, the music of the troubadour and trouvère, a vernacular tradition of monophonic, secular song is accompanied by instruments and singers. Guillaume d'Aquitaine was one of the well-known troubadours with most themes centered around chivalry and courtly love.
1030 It was around this time when a new method to teach singing was invented by a Benedictine monk and choirmaster named Guido de Arezzo. He is regarded as the inventor of modern musical notation.
1098—1179 The lifetime of Hildegard von Bingen, a highly regarded abbess who was conferred the title of "doctor of the church" by Pope Benedict XVI. One of her works as a composer, the "Ordo Virtutum," is an early example of liturgical drama and arguably the oldest surviving morality play.
1100—1200 This period is the age of the Goliards. The Goliards were a group of clergy who wrote satirical Latin poetry to mock the church. Some known Goliards were Peter of Blois and Walter of Chatillon.
1100—1300 This period was the birth of minnesang, which were lyrics and songs writing in Germany much like the troubadour tradition of France. Minnesingers mainly sang of courtly love and some known minnesingers were Henric van Veldeke, Wolfram von Eschenbach, and Hartmann von Aue.
1200s The spread of geisslerlieder or flagellant songs. The practice of flagellation was practiced by people whipping themselves with various instruments as a way to repent to God with hopes of ending the disease and wars of the time. Geisslerlieder music was simple and closely related to folk songs.
1150—1250 The Notre Dame school of polyphony firmly takes root. Rhythmic notation first appears during this period. Also known as the ars antiqua; it is during this time when the motet (a short, sacred, choral song) initially developed.
1300s The period of ars nova, or "new art," coined by Philippe de Vitry. During this period, secular music acquired polyphonic sophistication. The most notable practitioner of this style was Guillaume de Machaut.
1375—1475 Known composers during this time were Leonel Power, John Dunstable, Gilles Binchois, and Guillaume Dufay. Dunstable is credited with the contenance angloise, or "English manner," which was his stylistic trait of using full triadic harmony. It is a distinctive style of polyphony.
How Did Ars Antiqua and Ars Nova Contribute to Music Development?
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Abraham-Louis Breguet (10 January 1747 – 17 September 1823), born in Neuchâtel, then a Prussian principality, was a horologist who made many innovations in the course of a career in watchmaking in France. In his lifetime he was considered the leading watchmaker of his day, and he built up a clientele that included many leading public figures and members of the European nobility.
Alongside his friend and contemporary John Arnold, Breguet is now widely acknowledged as one of the greatest horologists of all time. One of his famous ancestors was Jean Breguet (who died in 1593) a Protestant pastor in Neuchâtel very much influenced by the ideas of John Calvin.
He is the founder of the Breguet company, which is now the luxury watch division of the Swiss Swatch Group.
Breguet was born in Neuchâtel to Jonas-Louis Breguet and Suzanne-Marguerite Bollein. Breguet's father died in 1758, when he was ten, and his formal schooling ended when he was 12. Breguet's mother remarried to Joseph Tattet, who came from a family of watchmakers. Tattet had a showroom in Paris; the family tried for some time to entice the young Breguet into the trade, to no avail, but he eventually took to it with great interest and in 1762, aged 15, he was sent to be apprenticed to an unknown Versailles master watchmaker. At this time the Court had a great influence on the trade and the best watchmakers established themselves around Versailles.
The young Breguet soon "astonished" his master with his aptitude and intelligence, and to further his education he took evening classes in mathematics at the Collège Mazarin under Abbé Marie, who became a friend and mentor to the young watchmaker. Through his role as tutor to the dukes of Angoulême and de Berri, Abbé Marie was able to arrange for Breguet to be introduced to King Louis XVI of France, and the king's interest in mechanics led to many royal commissions for the rising watchmaker, including a perpetuelle (self-winding watch), with which the king was especially pleased. Unfortunately, Marie met a tragic end, either through murder or suicide, and soon after Breguet lost both his mother and his step-father, leaving him to support himself and his younger sister. How he managed this in the period between his parents' deaths and the establishment of his business is unknown.
Breguet was allowed to marry in 1775 after finishing his apprenticeship. He and his bride, Cécile Marie-Louise L'Huillier, set up their home and the Breguet watchmaking company; its first known address was at 51, quai de l'Horloge in the Île de la Cité in Paris (by the 1920s this location was designated as #39). Ca. 1812 the firm's address was 79, quai de l'Horloge du Palais, although Salomons speculated that this might have been merely a change of number and name, not of actual location. By the year of Breguet's death in 1823 the firm also had a shop at 4, place de la Bourse, which is known because both addresses appear on the label of watch #4004. The firm later moved to Rue de la Paix and in the early 20th century to 2, rue Édouard-VII.
Breguet invented innovative escapements, including the tourbillon, automatic winding mechanisms, and the overcoil (an improvement of the balance spring with a raised outer coil). Within ten years Breguet had commissions from the aristocratic families of France and even the French queen, Marie-Antoinette. Cécile died in 1780. He met Abraham-Louis Perrelet in Switzerland and became a Master Clockmaker in 1784. In 1787 Abraham-Louis established a partnership with Xavier Gide, which lasted until 1791.
Ca. 1792 the Duke of Orléans went to England and met John Arnold, Europe's leading watch and clockmaker. The Duke showed Arnold a clock made by Breguet, who was so impressed that he immediately travelled to Paris and asked Breguet to accept his son as an apprentice.
As Breguet's fame gradually increased he became friendly with revolutionary leader Jean-Paul Marat, who also hailed from Neuchâtel. Salomons' biography records that Marat and Breguet were at the house of a mutual friend one day when an angry crowd gathered outside, shouting "Down with Marat!", but Breguet contrived their escape by disguising Marat as an old woman, and they left the house arm in arm, unmolested. In 1793 Marat discovered that Breguet was marked for the guillotine, possibly because of his friendship with Abbé Marie (and/or his association with the royal court); in return for his own earlier rescue, Marat arranged for a safe-pass that enabled Breguet to escape to Switzerland, from where he travelled to England. He remained there for two years, during which time he worked for King George III. When the political scene in France stabilised, Breguet returned to Paris.
In 1795 Breguet returned to Paris with many ideas for innovations in watch and clock making. He set up business again in Quai de l'Horloge and quickly established a reputation among the new wealthy classes in the Empire. Breguet did not staff his workshops in the traditional way, with unskilled apprentices, but instead sought out the finest available watchmakers in Paris, whom he employed to make watches to his own designs. At the 1798 Exposition des produits de l'industrie française Breguet was given an honorable distinction, the highest award, for "a free escapement with constant force, applicable to the improvement of both astronomical clocks and longitude clocks. This clock has the very singular effect of resetting the time in a watch."
Circa 1807 Breguet brought in his son, Antoine-Louis (born 1776) as a business partner, and from this point the firm became known as Breguet et Fils Breguet had previously sent his son to London to study with the great English chronometer maker, John Arnold, and such was the mutual friendship and respect between the two men that Arnold, in turn, sent his son, John Roger, to spend time with Breguet. Breguet met another watchmaker Louis Moinet, recognised his worth at once, and the two men worked closely together. From 1811 on, Moinet became Breguet's personal adviser.
Breguet became a member of the Bureau des Longitudes in 1814 and the following year gained an official appointment as chronometer-maker to the French Navy. He entered the French Academy of Sciences in 1816 as a full member, and received the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour from the hands of Louis XVIII in 1819. Breguet's name is one of the 72 names inscribed on the Eiffel Tower.
According to Salomons' biography, Breguet was known for his kindness and good humour. It is recorded that if a workman came to Breguet with a finished piece of work and an invoice for payment, and Breguet was satisfied with the work, then if the invoice ended in a zero, Breguet would add a tail to the zero to make it a '9', thereby enabling the workman to be paid nine francs more than he had asked for. He was also known for his encouragement of his young apprentices, often advising them "Do not be discouraged, or allow failure to dishearten you."
The business grew from strength to strength, and when Abraham-Louis Breguet died in 1823 it was carried on by Louis-Antoine. After Antoine-Louis retired in 1833 (he died in 1858) the business continued under Abraham-Louis' grandson Louis François Clément Breguet (1804–1883); his great-grandson Louis Antoine (1851–1882) was the last of the Breguet family to run the business. Although he had two sons and a daughter, they did not enter the business, so he took on noted English watchmaker Edward Brown of Clerkenwell to look after the Paris factory. Brown eventually became his partner and, after Breguet's death, the owner and head of the company. His sons Edward and Henry Brown headed the firm into the 20th century and after Edward retired in the early 1900s, Henry became the sole proprietor.
Breguet made three series of watches, and the highest numbering of the three reached 5120, so in all it is estimated that the firm produced around 17,000 timepieces during Breguet's life. Because of his minute attention to detail and his constant experimentation, no two Breguet pieces are exactly alike. Following his introduction to the court, Queen Marie-Antoinette developed a fascination for Breguet's unique self-winding watch and Louis XVI of France bought several pieces. His achievements soon attracted a wealthy and influential clientele that comprised a veritable "Who's Who" of the period: Louis XVI and his Queen Marie-Antoinette, Napoleon Bonaparte, Joséphine de Beauharnais, Louis XVIII, Alexander I of Russia, George IV of the United Kingdom, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington.
Legend has it that it was the ill-fated French queen herself who commissioned Breguet's masterpiece, the "Marie Antoinette" (No. 160), which is now widely regarded as one of the most important and valuable timepieces ever made. In fact, it was commissioned in 1783 by a member of the Marie-Antoinette Guards, possibly as a gift for the queen, and it took almost twenty years to complete—work stopped for around seven years (1789–1795) during the period of Breguet's exile—and it was not finished until around 1802. Even by the standards of the day it was an astronomically expensive piece; the commission specifically called for every watch function and complication known at that time and the use of the most valuable materials (including gold, platinum, rubies and sapphires), with no limit placed on time or cost. Breguet company records indicate that the factory costs eventually came to the colossal sum of 30,000 francs – more than six times the cost of Breguet's other major work, (No. 92), which was sold to the Duc De Preslin for 4800 francs. The "Marie Antoinette" remained in the possession of the Breguet company until it was sold to Sir Spencer Brunton in 1887, eventually finding its way into the collection of Breguet expert David Lionel Goldsmid-Stern-Salomons in the 1920s.
Breguet's most remarkable piece anticipated the wristwatch by a century; he designed this, together with his friend John Arnold, for Caroline Bonaparte, Queen of Naples, in 1810. Many honours recognised his enormous contribution to horology. Each watch from his workshops demonstrated the latest horological improvements in an original movement, mostly fitted with lever or ruby-cylinder escapements that he perfected. Breguet took refuge in Switzerland from the excesses of the French Revolution. He returned to Paris overflowing with the ideas that produced the Breguet balance-spring, his first carriage clock (sold to House of Bonaparte), the sympathique clock and its dependent watch, the tact watch, and finally the tourbillon, patented in 1801.
Although Breguet is probably best known for his luxury watches and carriage clocks, he also made a number of important scientific clocks. In 1818 Lieutenant-General Thomas Brisbane, a keen amateur astronomer, purchased a Breguet mean-time regulator clock (No. 3180, 1815–1820). It is thought that Breguet originally made the clock for the French Commission of Longitude, but sold it to Brisbane for use in his observatory at Largs in Scotland. It cost Brisbane the considerable sum of 2,500 francs, and the fact he chose to buy French rather British, even in the nationalistic political climate of the early nineteenth century, gives some idea of how well regarded Breguet was internationally. Brisbane brought the clock to Australia in 1821 and it was installed in Australia's first astronomical observatory at Parramatta. The New South Wales government purchased the clock from Brisbane when he returned to England in 1825 and it remained in use there until the Parramatta observatory closed in 1847. It was put into storage for a decade before being reinstalled in the new government observatory at The Rocks, and was one of the few instruments that the new Government Astronomer, Rev. W. Scott, felt was good enough to use in the new observatory. It remained in use there for another 70 years, until it was replaced in 1912. The clock is now part of the collection of the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.
British philanthropist, scientist and MP Sir David Lionel Goldsmid-Stern-Salomons (1851–1925) developed a lifelong passion for horology and he became one of the leading authorities on Breguet and his timepieces. In 1921 he published the seminal volume, Breguet 1747–1823, the first major book on the subject, which included a biography, an analysis of Breguet's key inventions, listings of major pieces, and a detailed timeline of production, using examples from his own unique collection for illustrations.
Over his lifetime, Salomons amassed the world's largest private Breguet collection, which ultimately grew to 124 pieces, including what are considered to be the two greatest examples of Breguet's watchmaking work – the "Marie Antionette" and the double-faced "Duc de Praslin" watches. In 1924 Salomons donated the "Duc de Praslin" (pictured at left) to the Musée des Techniques du Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers in Paris, but it was subsequently stolen. Fortunately, after three months of tinkering with the watch, the thief was apprehended when he took it to a renowned Parisian watch specialist for repair.
Breguet watch No. 92 (1785), bought by the Duc de Choiseul-Praslin. Musée des Arts et Métiers.
After Salomons' death in 1925, his daughter Vera donated 57 of his best Breguet pieces, including the "Marie Antoinette" and a "Sympathiques" clock to the L.A. Mayer Institute for Islamic Art in Jerusalem, which was founded by her brother. Salomons left the remainder of the collection to his wife, who eventually sold them at auction, although according to one account, she was initially rebuffed when she approached Sotheby's, because the staffer with whom she dealt could not believe that someone "off the street" could possibly have amassed such a collection. In 1980, British master horologist George Daniels (widely regarded as the most important watchmaker since Breguet) catalogued the Breguet watches and clocks in the museum, and published a study on them.
Three years later, on the night of 15 April 1983, the Mayer Institute was burgled and 106 rare timepieces, including the entire Salomons collection, were stolen. The audacious multimillion-dollar theft was Israel's largest-ever robbery – by this time, the "Marie Antoinette" alone was valued at US$30 million. There was a substantial insurance payout, but the case remained unsolved until August 2006, when the perpetrator was revealed as Namaan Diller, a notorious Israeli burglar who had fled to the USA after the break-in.
Just before he died in 2004, Diller had confessed his crime to his wife, Nili Shamrat, and in August 2006 she attempted to sell a batch of the stolen items (including the "Marie Antoinette" watch and a Breguet "Sympathique" clock) back to the museum, although her initial asking price of $2 million was eventually cut down to just US$35,000. When police searched the couple's Los Angeles home, more of the missing items were found, and documents recovered led them to safes and storage units in France, the Netherlands and Israel; by 2008 all but ten of the items Diller stole from the Mayer Museum had been recovered.
In 2011 a member of the public brought in a pocket watch to be assessed by the experts of the BBC TV series Antiques Roadshow at Blair Castle in Perthshire, Scotland. Roadshow expert Richard Price stated that the timepiece was an early Breguet montre à tact ("tactile watch"), dating from 1801.
The watch was enclosed on both sides by discs covered with a blue translucent enamel over a Guilloché base machined in a chevron pattern. The front face was fitted with a single arrow-shaped hand in silver, encrusted with small diamonds, and the case was surrounded by twelve large diamonds enclosed by a wavy gold band, which was faced with lighter blue enamel. The enameled back hinged open to reveal a gold cover plate and a smaller two-handed watch face. The mechanism cover bore the engraved signature of Breguet and also bore the mark of Recordon, his London agent at the time (suggesting that it was originally made for an English client). The gold cover plate protected the mechanism, which bore another signature by Breguet, and the watch number.
Price then revealed that a similar watch, in much worse condition and with all the gems stripped from it, had recently sold for over UK₤20,000. He declared the newly discovered Breguet to be the greatest watch he had ever seen in his 28 years with the programme, and assessed its value as at least UK₤50,000, although it may be worth considerably more – another example sold for US$288,000, while a montre à tact of very similar design, commissioned by Napoleon's wife Joséphine de Beauharnais for her sister Hortense, was sold by Christie's in Geneva for US$1.3 million in 2007.
Breguet invented the montre à tact in 1799. Although these single-hand "tact" watches are sometimes called "blind man's watches", few blind people of that era could have afforded such luxury items, and these timepieces were designed for Breguet's wealthiest clients. The montre à tact (touch watch) enabled them to tell the time without removing the watch from their pocket because, in that period, it was considered highly impolite to consult one's watch during a social gathering.
The device also enabled owners to tell the time in the dark. This was done by turning the front disc clockwise until it went no further (because of the cam inside) and then feeling at which hour marker (indicated by the surrounding circle of jewels) the watch hand was positioned. In the case of the 2011 discovery, the 12 o'clock position was marked by the chain attachment. The watch was also fitted with a small internal dial with two normal hands so that the exact time could be read when the case was opened.
1775–1780 Improved the automatic winding mechanism – his perpetual watch.
1783 Invented the gong for repeater watches (bells were used until then).
1783 Designed the apple-shaped (aiguilles à pomme) hands, known as 'Breguet' hands. These hollow, eccentric "moon" tip hands are a variant of the hands first used by Jean-Antoine Lépine, the only difference is that Lépine's hands were not eccentric. Since their invention, Breguet hands have graced watch and clock dials alike until today.
1787 Adopted and improved the lever escapement. Abraham-Louis Breguet used it in its definitive form from 1814 (this form is still in use).
1793 Developed a small watch showing the equation of time.
1790 Invented the 'pare-chute' anti-shock device.
1794 Invented a retrograde display mechanism.
1795 Invented the Breguet spiral (flat spiral balance spring with overcoil).
1795 Invented the "Sympathique" ('sympathetic') clock, a master carriage clock which rewinds and sets to time a detachable pocket watch.
1799 Invented the montre a tact ("tact") watch that could be read by feel in the pocket or the dark.
1801 Patented the tourbillon escapement, developed circa 1795.
1802 Invented the echappement naturel, a double-escape wheeled chronometer escapement that needed no oil.
1821 Developed the "inking" chronograph, in partnership with Frédérick Louis Fatton.
Generally speaking, Abraham-Louis Breguet was distinguished by the highest attention paid to aesthetic watch design.
a superb Sympathique watch and clock set from the personal collection of Queen Elizabeth II.
^ Watkins, Richard. "The Origins of Self-Winding Watches, 1773 to 1779". Retrieved 23 November 2016. pages 110-121, 362-370.
^ "Abraham-Louis Breguet". British Museum. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
^ "THE BREGUET COLLECTIONS" (PDF). Breguet.
^ "History of Abraham-Louis Breguet". Official Breguet website. Archived from the original on 18 June 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
^ "The Great Breguet book". Archived from the original on 30 October 2011.
^ "Timeline of Abraham-Louis Breguet". Hautehorlogerie website. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Abraham-Louis Breguet.
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What dose plants need to live?
Plants need Water, Sunlight, and Photosynthesis.
And other plants don't need that much water like cacti plants.
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Why do the A-Senior, A-Youth, B and C courses have multiple meetings?
U.S. Soccer believes that allowing candidates time to apply what they learn from the course in their own environment, between meetings, and before being assessed, provides a more valuable educational experience. Separating the final assessment from the educational meetings encourages candidates to focus on development rather than testing.
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There has been an interesting rework of [easyazon_link asin=”B00BEZTMFY” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”superversivesf-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]The Hobbit[/easyazon_link] by Peter Jackson, with the 3 gargantuan episodes stripped of all of their extraneous material and cut down to a 4 hour movie that is more faithful to the original book. You can check it out at The Hobbit: The Tolkien Edit. I haven’t watached it yet, but it is on my list. I wonder what John C. Wright would make of it given his well know hatred for [easyazon_link asin=”B00ISJSPXY” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”superversivesf-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]The Desolation of Smaug[/easyazon_link] that he really took to task in [easyazon_link asin=”B00K4D7LO6″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”superversivesf-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]Transhuman and Subhuman: Essays on Science Fiction and Awful Truth[/easyazon_link].
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My Access database is now over 1.9 GB and the application does not seem to work normally. Is it to be expected and, if this is the case, what can I do?
Microsoft chose to limit, by design, the size of *.mdb files to 2,048 MB (2 GB). You may get various error messages for reasons explained in this other article: Access database: I receive various 'Invalid argument' error messages when attempting to import data or run any report.
You can try to compact your database using the File > Compact Database option in order to retrieve some space.
Another option is to clear old data that you may no longer need using the Tools > Purge Message Tracking Data and Tools > Purge IIS Data, see this article: How to manually purge data from your database.
If your database is already so full that you cannot even open it with Promodag Reports, use the Compact and Repair Database option of Microsoft Access.
2. Mid-term solution: You can regularly archive your databases once they have reached about 1.9 GB, and create new ones.
3. Long-term solution: You may consider using a SQL database. You will need to upgrade your license in order to use the Enterprise edition of Promodag Reports. It supports all 32 and 64-bit editions of SQL Server 2008 to 2017.
Note: SQL Server Express (2008 to 2017) may be used with Promodag Reports Enterprise edition; however, database size is limited depending on the version (10 GB for SQL Server 2008/2017 Express and 4 GB for SQL Server 2008 Express).
How to automate import operations, data purge or database compaction.
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San Diego is a coastal Southern California city located in the southwestern corner of the continental United States. As of 2006, the city has an estimated population of 1,256,951. It is the second largest city in California and the eighth largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of San Diego County and is the economic center of the San Diego–Carlsbad–San Marcos metropolitan area, the 17th-largest metro area in the U.S. with a population of 2.9 million as of 2006, and the 21st largest Metropolitan area in the Americas when including Tijuana (See San Diego-Tijuana Metro.).
For many years our country has struggled to keep drugs coming from Mexico from entering our borders. Drugs bought in the United States fund drug cartels as far away as Colombia. It is a multi-billion dollar industry that worsens every year. Authorities are at a loss for how to win the War on Drugs. San Diego is one the cities with the most drug trafficking problems. This is due to its location on the U.S. Mexico border. The National boundary is all that separates San Diego from Tijuana. It is one of the busiest border crossing sites in the country. It creates a bottleneck of traffic and over a million people cross through the border every day.
With this many people going in and out of the United States every day it is virtually impossible to check all of the vehicles and pedestrians as they are traveling. The drug cartels are using the shotgun approach. They know that some of there vehicles will get stopped and some people will get caught, but if they send enough through, the ones that make it will more than make up for a few losses. Due to it being the entry point for drug smugglers into the U. S., San Diego is a place where drugs can be bought for a much cheaper price than the rest of the Country. In the rest of the country, drugs have to be smuggled through many different points and the risk of getting caught is much higher which creates a price increase. Due to the low prices of drugs in San Diego, the problem of drugs is taking its toll on the people living there. Many drug dealers and their suppliers will travel to San Diego in order to get cheaper drugs and take them back to their home towns where they can sell them for a profit.
The United States government has done a lot to try and put a stop to the drug traffickers bringing so many drugs and making so many profits from the illegal activity. The government puts together many task forces on the national, state and city levels. Unfortunately there is no international task force with the purpose of tracking drug cartels and trans-international activity. The United States does not share information with the Mexican government due to the immense corruption of government officials. So much time, energy and resources are spent on combating the drug problem in America. We have 25 percent of the World’s prison population in America, and we have only 5 percent of the general population. This just shows how strict the laws are and how stiff the penalties are. San Diego is the front line in the War on Drugs.
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Imagine you have your own manicure salon and prove what a talented nail artist you can be by painting this girl's nails as cool as you can. First of all, choose the length you prefer for the nails, then pick up the nail polish color you like best and begin painting. Use multiple nail polish layers for a stronger color! When you finish painting, take the next two steps: dry the nails and then pick up some accessories. Enjoy!
Use the mouse to play this game: Click on the nail polish you want to use, then click on the nails to paint them. When you finish, click NEXT to dry the nails. When you finish drying, click NEXT again. Drag the accessories from their place and drop them on the fingers and nails.
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Essentially biological processes and their products - what is patentable?
A process is an EBP "if it consists entirely of natural phenomena such as crossing or selection" (Rule 26(5) EPC). EBPs do not, therefore, include genetic manipulation or the production of transgenic animals through chromosomal incorporation.
In consolidated cases Broccoli/PLANT BIOSCIENCE G 2/07 and Tomatoes/STATE OF ISRAEL G 1/08, the Enlarged Board holds EBPs within the meaning of Article 53(b) EPC to include a non-microbiological process for the production of plants which contains or consists of the steps of sexually crossing the whole genomes of plants and of subsequently selecting plants.
Such a process does not escape exclusion merely because it contains a step of a technical nature which serves to enable or assist the performance of the steps of sexually crossing the whole genomes of plants or of subsequently selecting plants.
On 3 November 2016, the European Commission adopted Notice 2016/C 411/03, relating to the Art 4 Biotechnology Directive, stating its view that animals and plants derived from EBPs should also not be patentable.
Previously, there had been differing views between the EPO and the EU on the interpretation of Articles 53(b) of the EPC, regarding the patentability of EBPs and their products. The EU had stated that both processes and products are not patentable and the Enlarged Board concluded in joined cases G2/12 (Tomatoes II, which concerned a method for breeding tomatoes having reduced water content, and the product of the method) and G2/13 (Broccoli II, which concerned a method for selective increase of the anticarcinogenic glucosinolates in brassica species), that the resultant animal or plants of an EBP may be patented even though the process may not.
Further to the Commission Notice, however, the EPO published its own notice on 29 June 2017 stating that, for patent applications filed on or after 1 July 2017, it would exclude from patentability applications for plants and animals exclusively obtained by an essentially biological breeding process. The EPO says in its notice that while the Biotechnology Directive excluded EBPs from patentability it did not provide for a clear exclusion for plants or animals obtained from such processes.
It was now clarified in the Commission Notice, the EPO explained, that the European legislator's intention is to exclude not only these processes but also the products obtained by them. As a result, Rule 28 EPC was amended by addition of paragraph (2) to clarify that the exclusion applies to plants or animals exclusively obtained by means of an essentially biological process.
Subsequently, however, in a further twist, the Technical Board of Appeal has held in T 1063/18 that Rule 28(2) is incompatible with Articles 53(b) EPC as interpreted by the Enlarged Board. The board saw no reason to deviate from that interpretation. The Technical Board concluded that the provisions of the EPC would prevail.
It remains to be seen whether further decisions of the Technical Boards of Appeal will follow the authority of G2/12 and G2/13, or the amended Rule 28. A decision of the Enlarged Board is now needed to settle the matter at the EPO, but it is also possible that a national court could refer the issue to the Court of Justice of the European Union if the opportunity arises. A conflict between EPC and European Union law could, therefore, continue.
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Summary: As of January 29, 2004, 9 Asian countries have reported highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), in an unprecedented spread of this disease in Asian poultry populations. Eight (8) countries have confirmed HPAI subtype H5N1: Cambodia , China including Hong Kong Special Administrative Region* (SAR), Indonesia , Japan , Laos , South Korea , Thailand , and Vietnam (Figure 1). Pakistan reported an outbreak of HPAI but of an H7 strain. Unofficial sources have reported poultry die-offs in Saudi Arabia and Myanmar .
There are close to 6 billion chickens and 843 million ducks in the countries of East and South-East Asia , representing 38% and 80% of world stocks, respectively. By far the primary poultry producer among these countries is China . The countries of South Asia account for 7% of the worlds chickens and 12% of the worlds ducks. The Asian countries of the former USSR and the Asian countries of the Near East have relatively small numbers of poultry.
The countries of East and South-East Asia exported 99 million live chickens and 8.8 million live ducks in 2002, accounting for 12% and 54% of world exports of these commodities. China and Malaysia are the primary exporters of live birds; the main destinations are Hong Kong and Singapore . Total exports of poultry meat and shell eggs from East and South-East Asia accounted for 18% and 20% of world exports, respectively. Malaysia was a significant exporter of shell eggs, and India exported 19% of the total world duck exports in 2002.
US poultry imports from East and South-East Asia are generally limited, with processed feathers being the most valuable imports. However, live birds other than poultry were imported in 2002-2003, primarily from Taiwan , Malaysia , and China . All l ive birds are quarantined in US ports prior to clearance for entry into the country, during which time testing for infectious diseases, including avian influenza, takes place. All other products received from East and South-East Asia in 2002 and through November 2003 were processed or cooked products with negligible risk of spreading avian influenza.
* Hong Kong , SAR: A single peregrine falcon was found dead and subsequently tested positive for HPAI, subtype H5N1 and reported on January 26, 2004 . HPAI, subtype H5N1 has not been isolated from commercial poultry.
What is the extent of the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Asia ?
As of January 29, 2004, 8 countries have officially confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza, subtype H5N1, in an unprecedented spread of this disease in Asian poultry populations. These countries include Cambodia , China including Hong Kong SAR**, Indonesia , Japan , Laos , South Korea , Thailand , and Vietnam (Figure 1). HPAI, subtype H7, has been confirmed in Pakistan . Unofficial sources have reported poultry die-offs in Saudi Arabia and Myanmar . HPAI was first officially reported from South Korea on December 12, 2003; however, the first reports of disease activity in some Asian countries occurred as early as August 2 003. The remaining countries have reported outbreaks during January 2004, beginning with Japan . Complicating the HPAI outbreak, several countries are reporting concurrent outbreaks of Newcastle disease, which is endemic to most countries in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
There are no reports of poultry die-offs from several countries adjacent to the outbreak area, including Philippines , Malaysia and North Korea .
Two countries, Vietnam and Thailand , have reported laboratory confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza, subtype H5N1. Eight cases have occurred in Vietnam (6 fatal); 3 in Thailand (2 fatal). The first known occurrence of human infection with avian influenza, subtype H5N1, occurred in Hong Kong in 1997, resulting in 18 human cases and 6 deaths. Extensive studies of that outbreak found that all patients had close contact with live infected poultry. Because influenza viruses can exchange genetic materials and shift, there is concern that avian and human influenza viruses concurrently infecting humans could shift into a novel subtype, resulting in a virus capable of being transmitted among humans and a subsequent influenza pandemic. To date, there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission in the current outbreak. Given these concerns, World Health Organization (WHO) team members have been sent to affected countries to provide diagnostic and investigative support.
Cambodia : HPAI was reported on January 24, 2004 in one layer farm of 7,500 birds in Phnom Penh. Information on the last reported occurrence of HPAI in Cambodia is not available.
China : China confirmed the presence of HPAI, subtype H5N1 on January 27, 2004 to the World Health Organization. HPAI was detected on a duck farm in the southern province of Guangxi, south of Hong Kong. Culling and quarantine is underway in the affected province and testing is being conducted in the adjacent provinces of Hunan and Hubei. Information on the last reported occurrence of HPAI in China is not available.
Figure 1. Map of the areas where HPAI has been confirmed or suspected. Dark grey = countries with confirmed HPAI, subtype H5N1 or H7 ( Pakistan only); light grey = unofficial reports of poultry die-offs, cause unknown; white = no known reports of HPAI or poultry die-offs.
** Hong Kong , SAR: A single peregrine falcon was found dead and subsequently tested positive for HPAI, subtype H5N1 and reported on January 26, 2004. HPAI, subtype H5N1 has not been isolated from commercial poultry. Hong Kong has an intensive HPAI surveillance system on poultry farms and wholesale and retail poultry markets, and conducts extensive wild bird influenza surveillance. The last reported occurrence of HPAI, subtype H5N1, was in 1997.
On January 26, the Indonesian Director General for the Development of Animal Husbandry confirmed outbreaks of avian influenza and Newcastle disease in Indonesia, occurring as early as November, 2003, as reported by the Jakarta Post. Media reports indicate that over 400 premises are infected and 4.7 million birds have been destroyed.
Japan : Japan reported the infection of one flock of 35,000 layer hens in Yamaguchi Prefecture on January 12, 2004. As of January 23, the flock had been destroyed. The last reported occurrence of HPAI in Japan was in 1925.
Laos : Laos reported HPAI, subtype H5 in a flock of 3,000 laying hens on January 27, 2004. Control measures underway include depopulation, quarantine, movement control, active surveillance and culling, and regional coordination with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The last reported occurrence of HPAI in Laos was 1999.
South Korea (Republic of Korea): On December 12, Korea reported HPAI on one premises in Chungcheong-buk province, in the central part of the country. A second infected premises was reported on December 19. Unofficial reports indicate a total of 24 million birds have been depopulated. This outbreak is the first reported occurrence of HPAI in South Korea .
Thailand : Three human cases (2 fatal) due to infection with avian influenza, subtype H5N1 have been reported from Thailand . Media reports indicate that 10.7 million birds have been destroyed. This outbreak is the first reported occurrence of HPAI in Thailand .
Vietnam : Eight human cases (6 fatal) due to infection with avian influenza, subtype H5N1 have been reported from Vietnam . A total of 28 out of 64 provinces have reported outbreaks in poultry and 3.7 million poultry have died or been destroyed. The disease has primarily occurred in northern Vietnam , but is moving south.
Saudi Arabia : There have been media reports of outbreaks of a poultry disease with 30 to 40 percent mortality in the Eastern Province. The last reported occurrence of HPAI was in 2001. Saudi Arabia is endemic for Newcastle disease.
Taiwan (Taipei , China ): Unofficial reports alleged HPAI, subtype H5N1 in 6 confiscated ducks in Taiwan , offshore of Quemoy Island; the ducks were destroyed. On January 20, Taiwan officially reported the occurrence of low pathogenic avian influenza, subtype H5N2 in Changhwa and Chiayi Prefectures involving table-egg laying hens and coloured-feather native chickens. A total of 55,000 birds were destroyed. HPAI had previously not been reported to occur on Taiwan .
What is the animal health infrastructure in the Asian countries?
The OIE collects information on numbers of veterinarians and animal health technical personnel from OIE member countries, giving an indication of the countrys veterinary infrastructure (Table 1).
Additional information regarding the veterinary infrastructure in China was found in a 2001 European Commission veterinary inspection report. The report indicated that there are 31 provincial veterinary stations, 407 regional and 3,117 county level regional stations. These stations are equipped for diagnosis and surveillance and each staff has avian influenza experts. These stations are also responsible for the prevention and quarantine of animal diseases. After the avian influenza outbreak in 1997 in Hong Kong, mainland China prohibited imports of poultry and poultry products from Hong Kong. However, poultry and poultry products transiting Hong Kong, are imported to the mainland as long as Chinese import protocols are followed in Hong Kong.
Source: EC Health & Consumer Protection Directorate-Genera, Report on a Mission Carried Out in China From 29 October to 5 November 2001 in Order to Assess the Monitoring Actions Undertaken by the Chinese Authorities with Regard to Avian Influenza.
What is the international market for poultry and poultry products in affected Asian countries?
Production and trade statistics are included for all of Asia, not just the affected countries, to give an overall perspective of the poultry industry in the Asian region.
There are close to 6 billion chickens and 843 million ducks in the countries of East and South-East Asia (see Appendix for country listing), representing 38% and 80% of world stocks, respectively (Table 2). These countries as a whole produced 27% of the worlds poultry meat in 2002 and 52% of the worlds egg production. By far the primary poultry producer among these countries is China (Appendix 1). Indonesia also has a significant number of chickens and ducks, with 5.5% and 2.8% of world stocks, respectively. Vietnam and Thailand both have substantial numbers of ducks, representing 5.6% and 2.7% of world stocks in 2002, respectively.
The countries of South Asia (see Appendix 1 for country groupings) account for 7.2% of the worlds chickens and 11.6% of the worlds ducks. Among this group of countries, India has the largest number of chickens and ducks, accounting for 5.2% and 10% of total world chicken and duck stocks, respectively. The Asian countries of the former USSR and the Asian countries of the Near East have relatively small numbers of poultry.
* East and South-East Asia includes Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, North Korea, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam; South Asia includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka; Asia/Former USSR includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; Asia/Near East includes Afghanistan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Gaza Strip, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tyrkey, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Yemen .
The countries of East and South-East Asia exported 99 million live chickens in 2002, accounting for 12% of world exports of live chickens (Table 3). China and Malaysia are the primary exporters of live birds; the main destinations are Hong Kong and Singapore (Appendix 2). Although exports of live ducks were fewer at 8.8 million head, this represented 54% of world exports of live ducks. Total exports of poultry meat and shell eggs accounted for 18% and 20% of world exports, respectively. Malaysia was also significant exporter of shell eggs in 2002.
Most of the other Asian countries had negligible exports of live poultry, poultry meat, or shell eggs. One exception is India , which exported 19% of the total world duck exports in 2002, and Oman , which exported 6% of total world duck exports (Appendix 2).
Sources: FAO; Reuters 1/24/04; Time Asia 2/18/2002.
What are the US imports of live birds or poultry products from affected countries?
Poultry imports from East and South East Asia are generally limited, with processed feathers being the most valuable imports (Table 4). However, live birds other than poultry were imported from Taiwan , Malaysia , Singapore and Japan in 2003. Taiwan exported 30 thousand birds to the US and nearly 15 thousand birds were received from Malaysia . Singapore also exported 6 thousand birds to the US and fewer than 30 birds were received from Japan in 2003. In 2002, 90 thousand birds were imported into the US from Taiwan and Malaysia and China also exported 18 thousand birds to the US . Japan exported 5 dozen hatching eggs to the US in 2003. All live birds are quarantined in US ports prior to clearance for entry into the country, during which time testing for infectious diseases, including avian influenza, takes place.
All other products, including processed feathers, received from East and South East Asia in 2002 and through November 2003 were processed or cooked products, are not a disease transmission risk and are legally imported products.
Very minor amounts of cooked poultry meat, feathers and albumin were imported from India or Bangladesh in 2002 and through November 2003 (Table 5). Those products imported as processed or cooked products, are not a disease transmission risk and are legally imported products.
The only countries exporting poultry products to the US from Asian Near-East countries in 2002 and 2003 were Israel and Saudi Arabia (Table 6). The US imported 617 thousand kilograms of cooked poultry meat from Israel in 2003. Imports of the same products from Israel in 2002 were approximately 900 thousand kilograms. Imported poultry meat from Israel was mostly goose livers as Israel has been a significant producer of goose liver for pate. Israel also exported 700 thousand dozen preserved or cooked eggs to the US in 2003. Saudi Arabian exports to the US were a minor amount of processed feathers in both 2002 and 2003.
What is the level of passenger traffic arriving in the United States from affected countries?
In 1999, 10.5 million passengers arrived in the US from East and South-East Asia on direct flights (Table 7). An additional 559 thousand passengers arrived on flights originating in other Asian countries. Some of these passengers would have been in transit and may not have originated their travel in the same country in which the flight originated.
As part of USDA, APHIS-PPQs Agricultural Quarantine Inspection Monitoring system, a total of 21,580 air passengers arriving in the US from the 14 East & South-East Asian countries in fiscal year 2002 were sampled for items of agriculture interest. Of these passengers, 30 were found to be carrying a total of 22 kg of chicken and/or eggs. One passenger that was carrying a poultry item reported plans to visit or work on a farm or ranch while in the US ; that passengers destination was Texas.
Only 6 of the passengers sampled by PPQ in FY 2002 from the other Asian countries were carrying poultry items. None of these passengers reported plans to visit or work on a farm or ranch while in the US .
Table 7. Airline passengers arriving in the US from Asia, 1999 and passengers with poultry products, 2002.
Source: US Department of Transportation, USDA APHIS-PPC Agricultural Quarantine Inspection database.
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The American Wirehair is a breed of domestic cat originating in upstate New York. As of 2003[update], though the breed is well-known, it is ranked as the most rare of the 41 Cat Fanciers' Association breeds, with only 22 registered, down from 39 in 2002.
The American Wirehair is a spontaneous mutation of the American Shorthair. It first occurred as a random mutation among a litter of five born to a pair of barn cats in 1966 in Vernon, in upstate New York. This single red-and-white male had wiry fur. The owner of the cats called a local breeder of Rex cats, Mrs. Joan O'Shea, to take a look at the kitten. She bought the kitten for $50, along with one of his normal-coated female littermates, to start a breeding program. The wirehaired male was named Council Rock Farms Adams of Hi-Fi ('Adam' for short), and the female Tip-Top.
Breeding between the two produced wirehaired kittens, many of which were sold off to other interested breeders. As the population grew, cats were exported to Canada, and Germany where they are especially popular. The breed did well, and in 1967 it was recognized by the CFA, and in 1978, it was accepted for championship competition. American Wirehairs have yet to make an appearance in Britain and Australia, among other countries.
American Wirehairs are similar to American Shorthairs, with the exception of a springy, wiry coat, including ear fur, and whiskers. This coat is similar to the wire coats of some dog breeds, such as terriers. Their fur requires little grooming, although lighter cats may require sunblock. Wirehairs are of a moderate, sturdy build, with round heads, high cheekbones, and a pronounced muzzle. Females are generally smaller than males. American Wirehairs display the full spectrum of possible cat coat colors, although Himalayan, Chocolate and Lilac are not accepted for competition. The Wirehair coat trait is dominant, so any breeding between a Wirehair and another cat can produce wired kittens. Wirehairs have golden eyes, except for some white ones that have blue or amber eyes.
The Wirehair has an even, balanced temperament which is essentially identical to that of its American Shorthair relative. Wirehairs are equally content to play or fall asleep in their owners' laps. They have been described as cute and somewhat humorous. They are gentle and quiet, but also playful and active. They have quiet voices. American Wirehairs generally prefer to stay indoors.
^ a b "Canadian Cat Association breed standard: American Wirehair" (PDF). Canadian Cat Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-12-07. Retrieved October 1, 2011.
^ a b c Geyer, Georgie Anne (2004). When Cats Reigned Like Kings: On the Trail of the Sacred Cats. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 174. ISBN 978-0-7407-4697-0.
^ "Cat Fancier's Association: About the American Wirehair".
^ a b Hampshire, Kristen; Iris Bass; Lori Paximadis (2011). Cat Lover's Daily Companion: 365 Days of Insight and Guidance for Living a Joyful Life with Your Cat. Quarry Books. p. 56. ISBN 978-1-61058-138-7.
^ a b c d Bessant, Claire (1999). Cat: The Complete Guide. Barnes & Noble Publishing. p. 200. ISBN 978-0-7607-1718-9.
^ Petruccio, Steven James (1997). Learning About Cats. Courier Dover Publications. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-486-29533-6.
Morris, Desmond (1996). Cat World, a Feline Encyclopaedia.
Look up american wirehair in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
This page was last edited on 2 November 2018, at 23:42 (UTC).
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This is a list of the reviewed anime sorted based on score.
The scores in parentheses have been calculated without the amount of cries.
5.375 - (5.714) - New Game!!
4.625 - (5.286) - Durarara!!
2.5 - (2.857) - Gamers!
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Everyone has a craving for something at specific times and that is natural and can enjoy anything that you feel is good for you. This is especially considering how the fast food industry is growing, giving you more surprises than you can imagine. It is possible that you enjoy Philly cheese steak because it is one of the best discoveries the fast food industry has ever had. Many people fear fast foods because they are known to be unhealthy, but the truth is, if you look at the ingredients used in making Philly cheese steak, you realize that they are very healthy and can benefit your health a lot, for example, there are products such as, sodium, onions, mushroom, there is olive oil, plus many others. It is very important for you to choose where you can buy Philly cheese steak and you will be amazed at how you will be needing it every time you have a craving. Given in this article are some tips to help you choose the best company for Philly cheesesteak.
The location of the company will always play a very important role in experience in the buying and enjoying Philly cheesesteak. This is because Philly cheese steak is widespread and finding the most important company can be a lot of work. The location of the company is important because you need convenience in buying. Choosing a company that is near you will give you a lot of flexibility because you can go and enjoy Philly cheese steak from there and therefore, choosing a company that can easily access.
Another alternative that you should look at when it comes to choosing Philly cheese steak company, is flexibility is that the offer. For example, if you are very busy many to work with a company that is very flexible to offer delivery services to you as the customer in delivering the product at the appointed time so that you cannot be inconvenienced. This is possible especially if they have an online platform where you can place an order, but also it will be delivered to you.
When it comes to Philly cheesesteak, there is a variety in you need to consider a company that can offer you such. This is because different companies prepare them differently and you need to buy the one that you feel comfortable to enjoy and also a variety that you can keep on changing so that you can have a great experience.
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Snacks are mini-meals which you take in between your main meals. Questions have been put forward as to whether snacking is a potential health risk or not. Well health-wise, the taking of snacks is one of many ways to acquire extra nutrients which are normally missing in your main dishes. Also, snacking can help keep you from overeating during main meals, hence cutting on your meal portions.
Healthy snacking is a behaviour that you should regularly practice because of innumerable benefits. According to snacking facts, healthy snacking should include adequacy in terms of nutrients and energy requirements to your body. It should also involve moderation so as to effectively control the calories intake. This has an overall effect of controlling your weight by limiting fat and sugar amounts. Healthy snacks also involve an element of balance and variety.
Generally, individuals may be opposed to the idea of snacks due to various reasons. Nonetheless, healthy snacking comes with benefits if exercised within the rules of balance, adequacy, calorie control and moderation. Also, it is advisable to brush your teeth especially after taking sugary snacks as this will help maintain your dental health hygiene.
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Governments wanting to impose pain and suffering on prisoners have an array of physical and psychological techniques at their disposal. In western democracies, the use of physical torture is hard to hide so creativity has been required to develop techniques that leave no marks; one of most well-known is ‘waterboarding’ – practised on prisoners at Guantanamo.
Pharmacological torture is another technique employed in Guantanamo. This involves the forced use of drugs to cause pain or sedate victims so they are more likely to talk. A variation on this theme involves taking medication away from prisoners who need it. This can also cause intense suffering and distress, especially if the medication is addictive. Forcing prisoners into rapid detoxification or to go ‘cold turkey’ is also a form of pharmacological torture.
The New Zealand Corrections Department employed this technique for 35 years by taking methadone off opiate addicts who committed crime and ended up in prison. The Department’s “Protocol for Methadone Treatment Programmes in Prisons” says they did this to “reduce and, or, eliminate the dependency on addictive drugs by people remanded in, or sentenced to prison.” It didn’t work. Forced withdrawal in prison is not a recognized treatment for drug addiction and most of these prisoners relapsed as soon as they were released.
The reality is that methadone programmes substantially reduce criminal offending by removing the need for addicts to commit crime to get their fix. It was not until 2008 that the Corrections Department crawled out of its pre-historic mind-set and allowed prisoners to stay on methadone for the duration of their sentence.
In response to an Official Information Act request, the Department advised that there is no list of suitable alternatives. This means that when prisoners are ill, or critically injured, and are in severe pain, the Department expects doctors to prescribe panadol. The Ombudsman identified the over prescribing of panadol in a report issued in 2005 titled: Investigation of the Department of Corrections in relation to the Provision, Access and Availability of Prisoner Health Services.
Denying opiate painkillers to prisoners in severe pain is tantamount to torture – and has contributed to a number of deaths in prison. Richard Barriball committed suicide in Otago prison within a week after the prison doctor took away three different pain medications he had been prescribed by specialists at Dunedin hospital. His story is described in a previous post on this website.
“Inmates prevented from accessing medication experienced extreme anxiety. Some of this anxiety was attributed to concern over ensuring one’s health care is maintained and the fact that discontinuation, even temporary, can be life threatening.
In other words, even though prisoners on methadone are now able to stay on it, other medications are often temporarily withdrawn or permanently discontinued. Prison doctors who comply with this practice and refuse, because of prison policy, to prescribe medications which are clinically justified are in breach of their medical ethics.
When the Corrections Department, on behalf of the New Zealand Government, coerces doctors to breach their medical ethics, primarily by acts of omission, this imposes inhuman and degrading treatment on prisoners. This is a form of psychological torture; and such practices produce the same rates of PTSD as physical torture.
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In the Mediterranean Basin, the first few decades of this century were characterized by a balance of power between the Greek Hellenistic kingdoms in the east, and the great mercantile power of Carthage in the west. This balance was shattered when conflict arose between ancient Carthage and the Roman Republic. In the following decades, the Carthaginian Republic was first humbled and then destroyed by the Romans in the First and Second Punic Wars. Following the Second Punic War, Rome became the most important power in the western Mediterranean.
In the eastern Mediterranean, the Seleucid Empire and Ptolemaic Kingdom, successor states to the empire of Alexander the Great, fought a series of Syrian Wars for control over the Levant. In mainland Greece, the short-lived Antipatrid dynasty of Macedon was overthrown and replaced by the Antigonid dynasty in 294 BC, a royal house that would dominate the affairs of Hellenistic Greece for roughly a century until the stalemate of the First Macedonian War against Rome. Macedon would also lose the Cretan War against the Greek city-state of Rhodes and its allies.
In India, Ashoka ruled the Maurya Empire. The Pandya, Chola and Chera dynasties of the classical age flourished in the ancient Tamil country.
The Warring States period in China drew to a close, with Qin Shi Huang conquering the six other nation-states and establishing the short-lived Qin dynasty, the first empire of China, which was followed in the same century by the long-lasting Han dynasty. However, a brief interregnum and civil war existed between the Qin and Han periods known as the Chu-Han contention, lasting until 202 BC with the ultimate victory of Liu Bang over Xiang Yu.
The Protohistoric Period began in the Korean peninsula. In the following century the Chinese Han dynasty would conquer the Gojoseon kingdom of northern Korea. The Xiongnu were at the height of their power in Mongolia. They defeated the Han Chinese at the Battle of Baideng in 200 BC, marking the beginning of the forced Heqin tributary agreement and marriage alliance that would last several decades.
298 BC: The Samnites defeat the Romans under Lucius Cornelius Scipio Barbatus in the Battle of Camerinum, the first battle of the Third Samnite War.
294 BC: Antipater II of Macedon is killed by Lysimachus, allowing Demetrius I to become king of Macedonia, thus ending the Antipatrid dynasty's control over Hellenistic Greece and ushering in a period of rule by the Antigonid dynasty.
Roman armies penetrate into the heart of the Samnite territory and then capture the Samnite cities of Taurasia, Bovianum Vetus and Aufidena.
Agathocles, king of Syracuse, Sicily, assists the Italian Greeks against the Bruttians.
Bindusara succeeds his father Chandragupta Maurya as emperor of the Mauryan Empire.
The Epi-Olmec culture forms as a successor civilization to the Olmecs in Mesoamerica.
285 BC: The Pharos of Alexandria is completed.
281 BC: Achaean League founded in Greece.
280 BC: King Pyrrhus of Epirus invades Italy in an attempt to subjugate the Romans and bring Italy under a new empire ruled by himself.
280 BC: Construction of the Colossus of Rhodes is completed.
279 BC: Singidunum and Taurunum, today's Belgrade and Zemun, are founded by Scordisci Celts.
After failing to decisively defeat the Romans, Pyrrhus of Epirus withdraws from Italy.
Gallic migration to Macedon, Thrace and Galatia. During the Gallic invasion of Greece, the Macedonian king Ptolemy Keraunos is killed in battle by the forces of the Celtic ruler Bolgios. However, both he and Brennus are driven out of Macedonian territory by Sosthenes of Macedon.
277 BC: in the Battle of Lysimachia, the invasion by Gauls is finally defeated by Antigonus II of Macedon.
274 BC: the First Syrian War erupts between Antiochus I Soter of the Seleucid dynasty and Ptolemy II Philadelphus of the Ptolemaic dynasty over control of Syria and southern Anatolia.
273 BC – 232 BC: Ashoka the Great ruled the Maurya Empire.
265 BC: Kalinga War takes place between Ashoka the Great and the kingdom of Kalinga.
260 BC: Ashoka inscribes the Edicts of Ashoka.
258 BC: An Dương Vương overthrows the Hồng Bàng Dynasty in Viet Nam.
257 BC: Thục Dynasty takes over Vietnam.
243 BC: Surprise attack on the Macedonian garrison at Corinth. Expansion of the Achaean League.
240 BC: On May 15, Chinese mathematicians observed and recorded the passage of the Halley's Comet.
230 BC: The Chinese Qin State conquers Han.
230 BC: Simuka declares independence from Mauryan rule and establishes the Satavahana Empire.
229 BC: The First Illyrian War ends with a Roman victory.
229 BC: Last tyrants on the Peloponnese abdicate, Argos joins the Achaean League, Athens liberated from Macedonian garrison.
227 BC: The attempted assassination of Ying Zheng (嬴政), king of Qin State, by Jing Ke (荊軻) from Yan failed.
225 BC: A large Gallic army is defeated by the Romans at the Battle of Telamon.
222 BC: Spartan defeat in the Battle of Sellasia ends the Cleomenean War.
221 BC: With the conquest of the State of Qi, Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇) unifies the whole of China into one empire that also included northern Vietnam, forming the Qin Dynasty.
220 BC: the Social War (220–217 BC) of Greece begins, pitting Macedonia and the Achaean League against Sparta and the Aetolian League, ultimately resulting in a Macedonian-Achaean victory with territorial gains for each.
218 BC: Second Punic War begins. Hannibal makes his famous Alpine crossing to invade Italy, the Roman heartland.
217 BC: Antiochus III invades the Levant in the Third Syrian War, but is defeated by Ptolemy IV at the Battle of Raphia.
214 BC: Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇) of the Chinese Qin Dynasty ordered construction of the Great Wall of China. In the Mediterranean, the First Macedonian War between Rome and Macedon begins, with Rome encouraging its Greek allies, such as Attalus I of Pergamon, to attack the forces of Philip V of Macedon.
208 BC: Zhao Tuo (Triệu Đà) defeats the Vietnamese king An Dương Vương.
207 BC: Triệu Dynasty of Viet Nam is inaugurated.
206 BC – 202 BC: Civil war of the Chu-Han contention in China after the fall of the Qin Dynasty.
205 BC: the Cretan War (205–200 BC) begins between Macedonia and its allies against the Greek polis of Rhodes and its allies, resulting in a Rhodian victory.
202 BC: Romans defeat Carthage, ending the Second Punic War. Carthage's territories are reduced to some of its North African holdings, and crippling reparations are demanded by Rome. In East Asia, the Chu-Han contention comes to a close, Xiang Yu commits suicide, and the Han Dynasty of China is founded (202 BC–220 AD) by Liu Bang.
200 BC: The Second Macedonian War between Rome and Macedon begins.
Indian traders regularly visit Arabia.
Scythians occupy Sogdiana, in modern-day Uzbekistan.
Eratosthenes accurately calculates Earth's circumference.
Weiqi well-established in China, and may date back to the 2nd millennium BC.
Canopus stele of Ptolemy III implements the leap year in Egypt. Leap year not formally recognized until Caesar in 55 BC.
First Roman sundial (293 BC).
Water screw invented by Archimedes.
Invention of the hydraulis (the precursor to the Pipe organ) by Ctesibius, a Greek engineer working in Alexandria.
Emperor Gaozu of Han China discovers an elaborate mechanical puppet theater in the treasury of the previous ruler Qin Shi Huang.
The enormous Du Jiang Yan Irrigation System of China is engineered and constructed by Li Bing (李冰) in 256 BC.
Great Stupa, Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh, India, Maurya period, is founded by King Chandragupta Maurya.
Silk is exported to Europe from China.
Armillary spheres, models of objects in the sky developed by the Greeks, are in use as teaching tools.
See: List of sovereign states in the 3rd century BC.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 3rd century BC.
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The Body Rider range of elliptical / exercise bike hybrids are manufactured by BodyFlex Sports. They provide a number of cross trainers that allow you to get the best of two fantastic cardio exercise machines in one device. BodyRider ellipticals are a low cost alternative that provide a high performance, sturdy and space saving workout option. In this article, we review the best Body Rider elliptical and then match it up against 3 alternatives.
The Body Rider Deluxe Flywheel Dual Trainer is a combination stationary bike and elliptical trainer. It provides a smooth nylon belt and a direct drive 15 pound flywheel that deliver a fluid and smooth exercise momentum. This also ensures that both riding and striding actions are completely impact free, saving your joints.
You get two sets of handles with the Body Rider Deluxe, one which is fixed and the other movable. This provides you with the versatility you need to achieve the ideal body positioning for each exercise. The seat is adjustable both vertically and horizontally to allow for a custom fit. You can adjust the tension to make the movement easier or harder by turning a centrally located dial.
The ProForm Hybrid Trainer is a very popular exercise bike / elliptical hybrid. With just a few quick adjustments, you can transition from a recumbent bike to an upright elliptical. The console on this unit is adjustable, allowing you to view if from multiple angles. This hybrid trainer delivers 16 workout apps to provide challenge and versatility to your workouts. The EKG pulse grip allows you to stay within your training heart zone.
There are 16 resistance levels on the ProForm Hybrid Trainer. iFit technology allows you train on any simulated terrain you choose and to have unlimited workout options on hand. The bike is recumbent, providing extra protection and comfort to the lower back. It has large format foot pedals to allow you to get the ideal positioning.
The GoPlus 2 in 1 Elliptical is a combination exercise bike and upper body elliptical that allows you to perform an elliptical upper body workout as you pedal. It does not allow for a standing elliptical action. It offers a chain drive fan resistance, which is smooth and fluid in its operation.
The top down, easy to use resistance system, with felt brake pads, ensures a quiet, jerk free action.
The fan mechanism on the GoPlus 2 in 1 provides a cooling effect as you are training. An LED display provides feedback on your training parameters, including speed, distance, time and calories. The max user weight on this compact, lightweight unit is 250 pounds. Your purchase comes with a comprehensive user guide.
The Akonza 2 in 1 Elliptical combines an exercise bike with an upright elliptical exerciser. Constructed from sturdy steel, you get a solid exercise base and quick transition between exercise modes. The resistance is provided by way of chain driven mechanism with fan resistance. This provides a smooth, jerk free motion on both exercises modes. The motion handlebars provide an effective upper and lower body workout.
The Akonza 2 in 1 Elliptical allows for custom fitting with a fully adjustable seat and secure foot straps. The feet of the unit are very stable, being fitted with end caps for extra rigidity. Transportation wheels allow for ease of maneuverability. This bike cross trainer combo has a maximum user weight of 250 pounds.
Know about the revolutionary iFit Technology through this video.
The Body Rider Deluxe Flywheel Dual Trainer is a budget friendly combination bike and upright elliptical which delivers a smooth, fluid operation from a sturdy, compact base at a good price. For a higher spec alternative, consider the ProForm Hybrid trainer, which offers 16 resistance levels. It has a 2 step adjustment and is iFit enabled. The GoPlus 2 in 1 elliptical provides a smooth chain drive mechanism with felt padded brakes for a very quiet operation.
Our final alternative to the Body Rider is the Akonza 2 in 1 elliptical, with its sturdy steel construction, fan based chain drive mechanism and 250 pound max user capacity.
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Rio de Janeiro ([ˈʁi.u dʒi ʒɐˈnejɾu]) is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil. It has the second largest economy of Brazil, with the largest being that of the state of São Paulo.
Rio de Janeiro has an area of 43,653 km2 (16,855 sq mi). Its capital is the city of Rio de Janeiro, which was the capital of the Portuguese Colony of Brazil from 1763 to 1815, of the following United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves from 1815 to 1822, and of later independent Brazil as a kingdom and republic from 1822 to 1960.
The state's 20 largest cities are Rio de Janeiro, São Gonçalo, Duque de Caxias, Nova Iguaçu, Niterói, Campos dos Goytacazes, Belford Roxo, São João de Meriti, Petrópolis, Volta Redonda, Magé, Macaé, Itaboraí, Cabo Frio, Angra dos Reis, Nova Friburgo, Barra Mansa, Teresópolis, Mesquita and Nilópolis.
Rio de Janeiro is the smallest state in the Southeast macroregion and one of the smallest in Brazil. It is, however, the third most populous Brazilian state, with a population of 16 million of people in 2011 (making it the most densely populated state in Brazil and has the third longest coastline in the country (after those of the states of Bahia and Maranhão).
The occasion of the last five days leading up to Lent is annually cause for a great explosion of joy in Rio – a round-the-clock party uniting emotions, creativity, plasticity, colours, sounds and much fantasy. It is the greatest popular party in the world, a unique record of the rich cultural melting pot typical of Brazil. In Rio, it is celebrated in various ways, most famously through the elaborate competition of samba schools comprising thousands of dancers in each school, each of which has composed a new "enredo de samba" (samba script) for the year that is released and popularized by the time Carnaval arrives, thus already recognizable for its lyrics, themes, and rhythms by the energized audience in the bleachers thronging to see the all-night competition of one samba school after another until dawn. Each samba school consists of 'alas' (wings) of samba dancers costumed to carry out one aspect of the theme of the song they all sing. This event began in the 1930s as a diversion for what politicians sought to assuage as an otherwise restive populace. It came to be held on the bleacher-lined Marques du Sapucai for decades until a covered Sambodromo was built in the 1980s.
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I'm looking for my life partner from anywhere in the world and eventually, in time, a new partner for life (no matter where from!). However, despite the fact that I melt for brown and deep green eyes, important is that you're polite, honest and capable of true feelings. We don�t have to share the same taste or all interests, but values and look upon other humans. You've got to have the ability, or at least the will, to show respect for your own and others integrity!
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Should I purchase a new juicer?
Should I buy a new juicer or keep my current one?
Often times, we get many people that are already juicing, and they see a report or article on a newer juicer and think that they want to buy a new one.
If you are generally satisfied with the juicer you are using now, and "tempted" by claims of higher yield, higher nutrition, "easy cleanup"... Please know that these claims come at a price.
I find that once a person has a juicer for a period of time, they get comfortable with that juicer, and how it works. The person is "conditioned" into the use of that juicer, and they actually "get to like" using it, and how it works. So when something new comes along, (as in they buy a new juicer), they have EVEN higher expectations than a person that is purchasing a juicer for the first time.
Today we live in a disposable society.. (I personally don't agree with this philosophy) Therefore I recommend keeping the juicer that you have, and not upgrading unless you are REALLY unhappy with it.
Of course, if the juicer you currently own is on its last legs, then you might want to upgrade. If so, I would recommend that you STICK with the STYLE of juicer you HAD if you were generally happy with it.
Sometimes a second juicer would make an EXCELLENT COMPLEMENT to your current unit. One excellent match would be a centrifugal ejection machine and a single auger or twin gear machine. The centrifugal is easy to use and clean, and juices most things well. The single auger/twin gear units are much, much better for juicing leafy greens and wheatgrass, plus provide multifunctions besides juicing.
+ Champion is multifunction machine..
- May "walk" on table due to unbalanced.
- housing is a bit "thinner"
Please note: Use this article as a GUIDE ONLY. I am only expressing my views, based on my experience as a person who juices daily, and who sells juicers. The best way to find out if you REALLY want to upgrade, is to borrow a friends juicer (who has the type you wish to purchase), and keep it for a week, and if you like it, upgrade!
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If you write an application that allows a user to edit data, you should consider what happens when multiple users attempt to edit the same data at the same time. If you don't, you are likely to end up with some unhappy users when they unexpectedly lose some of their data.
The approach described here can be applied to other situations, but here we focus on one particular kind of common application: a form-based web app that allows the user to edit a record in a database. In this kind of application, the user typically opens a record for editing, which downloads the data from an app server to his web browser (the client application), which displays it in an editable form. The user edits the data in the form as desired, then presses the Submit button. The web browser sends the form data back to the app server, which saves it to the database.
User A opens record X for editing.
User B opens record X for editing.
At this point both users see the same data on their screens.
User A submits his changes for record X.
User B submits his changes for record X.
How do these two submit operations interact?
There are a number of approaches typically taken to handle concurrent editing.
Last in wins: Each user is allowed to open the record for editing and sees the same data. When User A submits his changes, they are saved to the database. When User B submits his changes, they are saved to the database. Whatever data User B submitted will overwrite the values User A submitted for those fields, so User A's changes will be lost.
Pessimistic locking: When User A opens a record for editing, the server locks the record. When User B asks to open the same record for editing, the sever denies the request. When User A submits his changes, the server unlocks the record. User B can not edit that record until User A is done.
Optimistic locking (first in wins): Each user is allowed to open the record for editing and sees the same data. When User A submits his changes, they are saved to the database. When User B submits his changes, the request is denied because the record changed after User B first opened that record.
If you don't think about concurrent access, you will most likely end up with a last-in-wins system, although without an explicit review of the code for potential concurrent access problems and depending on the back end, you may also be vulnerable to data corruption as well as data loss.
The big disadvantage of this approach is pretty obvious: User A's changes are lost (referred to as a lost update), and nobody knows until later, when something else goes wrong. User A submitted his data, everything looked good, he might even have gone on to another step that used his changes, and he would have seen them in the database as long as he completed those tasks before User B pushed the Submit button.
A naive implementation of pessimistic locking is probably the simplest method of doing concurrent access control. You simply don't let two people open the same record for editing at the same time. When the first person opens the record for editing, you lock it. When the second person attempts to edit the same record, he gets an error message and is not allowed to edit. This is a typical solution, but it has some problems, especially for web apps. The problem arises when one person opens a record for editing, then takes a long time editing that record. During that long period, nobody else can update anything in that record. The epitome of this problem is when the user who is editing a record takes a break and walks away from his computer, gets sidetracked, and ends up going home (or out to dinner and a movie) without ever getting out of the editing screen for the locked record.
As an application designer, you have to decide how to handle this situation. Leaving the record locked as long as the user has it open is not a viable option. If the user not only went home but also went on vacation (or got sick), you could be waiting a very long time to unlock that record. So you have to break that lock at some point.
How do you decide how long to wait before breaking the lock? You could hold the lock until someone else wants to edit the record, then let the second person break the lock if it is older than some amount of time, but you still have to decide what that time limit should be. The longer you let the first person hold the lock, the more disruptive it is to other users who want to edit the same record, but if you break the lock too soon, what happens to User A when he finally does submit his changes? User A thinks he has a lock on the record, so should be able to submit, but if the lock has been broken you can't just let him submit his changes, or you are back to last-in-wins.
You have to decide what to do with User A after breaking the lock. The simplest thing to do is to reject the submit request from User A, but this is not a very pleasing solution to User A, especially if the reason it took so long to make the changes was because they were difficult to do.
There are things you can do to improve the situation when using pessimistic locking. You could add some code to try to detect when the user navigates away from the page, such as hooks on other pages of your web site that clear locks. You could have a client-side timer that warns the user shortly before his lock is about to expire and gives him the opportunity to reset the timeout, which would include sending a message back to the server with that request. You could notify the user when the lock has been broken, so that he can get annoyed right then rather than editing for another hour and getting even more annoyed when his submit is rejected. But every such change moves you further away from the simplicity that was one of the reasons for choosing pessimistic locking in the first place.
The bottom line is that pessimistic locking ends up being a lot more complicated than it might originally seem once you add everything you need to deal with the lock timeout problem.
"Optmistic Locking" is a bit of a misnomer, since it doesn't necessarily lock. It is more accurately called optimistic concurrency, but calling it optimistic locking helps to draw the functional parallel to pessimistic locking.
With optimistic locking, multiple users are allowed to edit a record at the same time. When the first user edits the record, the server says "OK". When the second user edits the record while the first user is still editing, the server says "OK" again. Whichever user submits first wins; when the other user submits, it will be denied by the server because of the first submitter's changes. With some optimistic systems, the server will at least inform the second user that someone else is already editing the record when he first opens it, so the second user has the option of canceling right away and trying again later. On the other hand, similar to how some people react to a yellow light, the second user might interpret that warning as an exhortation to edit quickly so as to get his changes in before the first user.
Optimistic locking is called that because the application is being optimistic that it can let both users have what they want. This is based on the assumption that at least one of the users will exit the editing screen without making any changes. Assuming that happens, there are no problems caused by allowing both users to edit the same record, because one of them does not actually edit it.
Some systems do not give the user the option to view a record except by opening the record for editing. In such a system, there is a good chance that a user who opens a record for editing will not actually edit the record, so optimistic locking may seem like a reasonable approach. On the other hand, it would not be that difficult to add a View screen that allows the user to see what is in the record without editing it. You could put an Edit button right on the View screen to put the user into the Edit screen, or even automatically switch the user into Edit mode if he changes any fields on the form.
If you have a system in which the user can express an intent to edit rather than view a record, then there is a high probability that a user who opens a record for editing will actually submit some changes. In such a system an optimistic locking strategy is likely to be overly optimistic.
As a user you can ask yourself: Would it be more annoying to try to edit a record and be told right away that you can't because it is locked (pessimistic locking), or to spend time putting in your data, only to be told when you submit that you are not allowed to edit that record and have to start again (optimistic locking)?
Some people use the term "optimistic locking" to refer to a mechanism more like what I describe below, including both the database's rejection of the update request and the following resolving step. My usage of the term above is more typical when applied specifically to transactional database updates, in which only the database request is considered. This is also sometimes called Optimistic Offline Locking.
User changes are never inadvertently lost.
Users are never locked out of editing a record.
Users are never required to throw away their edits.
None of the three methods described above satisfy all of these goals. Here's another approach. It's not Pessimistic Locking, and it's more than simple Optimistic Concurrency - let's call it Optimistic Resolving Concurrency. If you google for phrases like "optimistic concurrency" and "optimistic offline locking" and browse around, you will find a lot of descriptions that discuss in some detail the work of detecting update conflicts, after which they pretty much all punt on how those conflicts should be resolved, simply stating that it is the responsibility of your business logic to handle that. I describe in some detail one approach you can take in your business logic to do that.
Always allow a user to edit a file.
When a user submits changes, accept them if there are no conflicts with other changes.
If there are conflicts, provide the user with tools to resolve the conflicts and allow the user to resubmit the changes after the conflicts have been resolved.
When a client application (web browser) loads a record for the user to edit, the server sends all of the data for the record, but does not lock the record.
When the user pushes the submit button to save his changes, the client sends back to the server all of the original data along with the user's desired changes.
The server matches the original data sent back by the client against the current contents of the database for the record being edited. If there have been no other changes, then the user's desired changes are saved and the server returns an indication of success to the client.
If the record has been changed, as evidenced by a failure to match all of the original data returned by the client, then a resolving step must be undertaken. This is described in more detail below.
Without the resolving step, you could consider the above to be a description of optimistic concurrency. Personally, I consider the resolving step to be an integral part of the concurrency solution.
The code on the server side is relatively straightforward because we are pushing all of the work of resolving the differences to the client. But there is one interesting detail, and that is concerning how the server determines that the original record has not changed since the data for that record was sent to the client.
We need to check if the data currently in the database for the row submitted by the client still matches what the client was originally given, and only perform the update with the user's desired changes if there were no other intervening conflicting changes. The obvious way to do this is to use a transaction. Within the transaction, we SELECT all of the fields from the row in question using a FOR UPDATE modifier so that the row is locked for the duration of the transaction. We then compare that data to the original data returned to us by the client requesting an update. If there were no changes we execute a database UPDATE on the row and commit the transaction, otherwise we simply abort the transaction (or commit it, since we only did a read).
In most situations the above approach would be a perfectly satisfactory solution. Our app server, which is presumably a client to the database server, will be locking one row, but the operation should be very fast and there is nothing else it needs to wait on in order to complete the transaction (in particular, we are not waiting for any user actions at this point). But there is a small chance that our app server will, for whatever reason, hang during the transaction, which could leave the row locked for longer than expected. And besides, the title of this article does say "without locking".
There is a simple trick you can use in this situation so that you don't have to separately read the current data from the database in the app server in order to do the comparison against the client's original data. Instead of having the app server do that comparison, we make the database server do it. We do this by having our app server execute a single UPDATE statement for the row to be updated, and we include a WHERE clause that not only includes our row identifier, but also matches each column against the client's original values. If none of the fields in that row have been changed since the client received the original field data, then the WHERE clause in the UPDATE statement will be true and the update will be executed on our row (and only our row, since we include our row identifier in the WHERE clause). If any of the fields have changed, then the WHERE clause will be false for our row (as well as for all others), so no rows will be updated. We can read back the row count of updated rows for the operation and check to see if it is 0 or 1, which tells us whether our row was updated. If 1, then we return a success indicator to our client; if 0, the update failed, in which case we need to do a SELECT on the record to read the current contents of all the fields and return that to the client for use in the resolving process.
With the WHERE clause in our UPDATE statement, we no longer need to lock the record in our app server. How the database server handles the write is its business. Any locking done within the database server would still be better than locking in our app server, and in any case is outside our scope. I think it is fair to say this is an approach without locking.
Rather than using all of the data fields in the WHERE clause of the UPDATE, you could maintain a single extra field which is a version number or an update timestamp. As long as that field is changed to a new value (never used before) every time any field in that row is changed, it works just fine as a check to prevent an UPDATE when someone else has modified the row. But we want to have all of the old field data around anyway so we can use it in our resolve step described below, so we might as well just use that data in our WHERE clause rather than adding a surrogate change field.
The original value of the field as of when the client opened the record for editing.
The current value of the field in the database.
The desired new value of the field as submitted by the client.
If the client does not pass in a desired new value for a field, then we assume the desired value is the same as the original value.
If, for every field, we find ourselves in scenario 1 or 2, then we know no one else has made any changes, so we can save the desired new values without worrying about losing any data. If any field is in scenario 5, we know we have a conflict.
If scenario 3 arises, you might think it is no problem, since both users want the same change. On the other hand, you might want the second user to know that someone else modified the record, even if that modification was to put in the same data. If you choose to accept this scenario as a non-conflict, you can easily implement this in your WHERE-qualified UPDATE statement by modifying the WHERE clause so that each field can match either the original or the desired values.
Scenario 4 is a little bit trickier. It may be the case that two different people have edited the same record, each one changing a different field. If the fields are truly independent, then there should be no conflict. But if the fields are related, you may have a problem. For example, the two fields in question might be two different telephone numbers. Perhaps the data was originally entered incorrectly and the same phone number was put into both fields. Person A edits the record to correct it and updates the phone number in the first field, while person B concurrently edits the record and updates the phone number in the second field. If both changes go in, then both copies of the original phone number are lost. Thus the conservative approach is to treat this scenario as a conflict, the same as scenario 5. However, if you choose to treat this scenario as a non-conflict, you can easily do this by modifying the WHERE clause of the update to include only the fields in which the client submitted a new desired value.
When the app server determines that there is a conflict, it must tell the client which fields were in conflict and what their current values are. The client can then display that information to the user in a Resolve form that allows the user to determine how to resolve the conflict.
Cancel his change request, discarding all his changes.
Resolve the conflicts and resubmit the request.
Postpone resolving the conflicts but continue editing.
Recall that the client has two pieces of information that it maintains and sends back to the server for each field on a submit request: the original value and the desired value. If the user wants to resolve a field conflict immediately, he needs to select which value should become the new desired value. This is typically either the current value or the previous desired value. The client's original value that it is storing for the field should be updated to be the current value as returned by the app server, so that on the next submit it will match the current value in the database.
If, however, the user would like to postpone resolving the conflict for a field, that can be done by keeping the old original value for the field so that the next time he submits, that field will once again not match the current value in the database, so he will be reminded about that conflict and can take care of it then.
So for each field, the user should be able to specify whether to keep the old original value or update it to the current value, and whether to use the current value as the desired value or keep the previous desired value.
One possible way to display all of this information is to show a table with one row for each data field and five columns: the first three columns are the original, current and desired values at the time of the submit. These are all buttons. The fourth column is a column of check boxes labeled "Resolve Later". By default these boxes are unchecked. For any field with a box which is checked, the client keeps the old original value for that field. For the fields for which the user leaves the box in its default unchecked state, the client updates its original value to the current value. The fifth column is the new desired value. The user can click on one of the buttons in the first three columns to pick which value to use as the new desired value in the fifth column. The value in the fifth column could also be directly editable. The form would have three submit buttons: Cancel, Submit, and Continue Editing (which is the "resolve later" option).
Once the user has filled out all of the fields in the Resolve form, the client now has updated values for both the original and the desired values for each field, ready for either continued editing or submitting to the app server. Submitting the form goes through the same process as before: if there are any conflicts remaining, the user will be put back into the Resolve form to take care of them. If the user has resolved all conflicts, but someone else happens to have made more changes in the mean time, the submit will fail again and the user will have to resolve the conflicts. If the user chooses to continue editing, we just put him back into the regular editing form. In either case, once we leave the Resolve form we are back in the regular code flow, we don't have to remember that we were in the Resolve form.
Theoretically it is possible for the user never to be able to save because there is always someone else making new edits to the record. I suspect this is not a problem for most real-world situations. If it is, then you might have to resort to pessimistic locking. Better still, redesign your system so that you don't have so much contention for that one record.
When defining what constitutes a conflict, the simplest solution is to treat every field as an independent value, so that there is a conflict whenever the same field is changed by two concurrent clients, and there is no conflict if no common fields have been changed. However, as suggested above, a more sophisticated definition may be more appropriate.
In most databases there are implicit relationships between fields such that you might want to consider changes to any of those fields to be in conflict with changes to any other of those fields. Sets of phone numbers, email addresses or similar lists are a good example of this. Note that these data may not all be stored in one table or shown on one screen, even when submitted by the client in one update request. For example, if you are editing an order with a list of order items, chances are good that each order item is stored in a separate record; but all of the order items are related, and you probably want to treat a change to any order item as potentially conflicting with a change to any other order item, just as with the phone number example above.
Similarly, if your application reads data from one record and is using that data to modify another record or create a new record, you might want to ensure that the first record has not changed before writing the other record, even if you are not changing the first record. In this situation you might not be able to use the UPDATE ... WHERE trick, in which case you can fall back on using a transaction in which you read and validate the old data before updating or inserting the new data.
In the other direction, there may be cases where you want to allow certain changes to one field by two clients to be treated as no conflict. For example, you may be storing a text field, and you may decide that each line in the text field should be treated as an independent entity for the purpose of conflicts. If User A changes line 3 of field X and User B changes line 5 of field X, by this definition those changes do not conflict, so should be allowed. Of course this requires some extra coding: you need to check for this situation in that field, merge the changes if they don't conflict, and provide tools for the user to merge changes that do conflict.
If you are storing and updating blobs in a database that does not allow blobs to be used in comparisons in WHERE clauses, you will not be able to use the UPDATE ... WHERE trick. I mentioned earlier how you can use a version or update timestamp field in the record as a surrogate to know when any data has changed; you can use that technique here, or you can be a bit more precise and add a version or timestamp field associated with the blob field, updating that version or timestamp field only when the corresponding blob field is modified. You can then use that surrogate field in your WHERE clause. Alternatively, you can fall back on the approach of using a transaction within which you read the current database data and compare to the original data in the application.
When a client edits a record, send the data and do not lock the record.
When a client requests an update, use an UPDATE with a WHERE clause to make it an atomic update that succeeds only if there were no changes. If the update fails, load the current data from the record and send that back to the client.
Maintain the original value for each field as well as the desired value for changes. Send both to the app server on a submit of an update.
When the app server rejects an update, provide a Resolve form (with Cancel, Submit and Continue Editing buttons) allowing the user to choose, for each field in conflict, whether to accept the previous change or update with his desired value, and whether to keep the old original value for a later resolve or to update to the current value.
Microsoft's LINQ to SQL detects conflicts and provides some support for how to write the selected values once that decision has been made, but does not include the mechanism to allow the user to resolve conflicts.
Your description sounds pretty much like how optimistic landing has been handled in Microsoft Access since at least Access 2000 (I think Access 97 had this too), complete with form to help user resolve conflicts on a record that was changed after the time the user retrieved it.
whoops, I meant "optimistic locking" of course. . .
hs: I am not familiar with Access. I found some web pages that discuss conflict resolution in Access when handling a replicated database, and a form to be used by a sysadmin to resolve those conflicts, but I did not find anything about ordinary users resolving conflicts when they submit their changes. Can you point me to a web page describing that, or better still to one that includes screen shots of the resolving form?
Unless otherwise specified in individual blog entries, all source code in this blog is Copyright by Jim McBeath, as of the posting date, under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL), Version 3.
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The word "elegy" comes from the Greek word for lament. The historical form is a melancholy poem that meditates on death through themes of war, nature, or the loss of a person. The elegy originated in ancient Greece and Rome and was recognized by its alternating lines of hexameter and pentameter. In modern times an elegy can be written in any metrical form, but the content of the poem must reflect on death or sorrow. Some famous elegies are John Milton's "Lycidas," Thomas Gray's "Elegy in an Country Churchyard," W.H. Auden's "In Memory of W.B. Yeats," and Walt Whitman's "O Captain! My Captain!"
The English writer John Milton developed the elegy from its Greek and Roman origins to be a poem that intertwines nature with sorrow and loss. Milton's "Lycidas" in particular is considered one of the greatest examples of pastoral elegy. The pastoral elegy involves classical mythology's figures of harvest, abundance or agriculture, invokes the Muse and exalts rural life while reflecting on the natural cycle of life, death, and rebirth as it mourns the loss of a loved one.
John Donne interpreted the themes of sorrow and loss as an experience with love and so created a form known as the romantic elegy. In the Romantic era (1830s -1860s) of literature, nature was seen to soothe lost love or grief. Kenneth R. Johnston, emeritus professor at Indiana University writes of the Romantic elegy: "Elegies conventionally work with natural tropes to soothe personal pain." Many writers of the Romantic era used this form, including William Wordsworth in "Elegiac Stanzas Suggested by a Picture of Peele Castle in a Storm, Painted by Sir George Beaumont" and Walt Whitman in "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd."
Many famous elegies are about the death of a person, but unlike a eulogy, which catalogues and praises the fine qualities of the departed, an elegy reflects on the experience of death in a more general and metaphysical sense. For example, in Auden's "In Memory of W.B. Yeats," Auden writes, "William Yeats is laid to rest. / Let the Irish vessel lie / Emptied of its poetry. / In the nightmare of the dark / All the dogs of Europe bark." This is not listing each one of Yeats' great qualities, but is universalizing his death and reflecting on the state of the world.
The elegy as a poem that deals with loss, sorrow, and grieving is ubiquitous in contemporary poetry. As Jahan Ramazani of the University of Virginia writes, "... the call of elegy overrides differences in school, nationality, style, and technique." Modern poets from Thomas Hardy to Allan Ginsberg wrote elegiac poems, and poets Sharon Olds, Susan Howe, and Jorie Graham are among the many poets who bring death out of mortuaries and hospitals. And as Ramazani writes, such poets " ... have cultivated poetry as a death-steeped language of mourning."
Stier, JJ. "An Example of an Elegy in Literature." , https://penandthepad.com/example-elegy-literature-2271.html. Accessed 22 April 2019.
JJ Stier , who earned a EdM from Harvard and MA from the University of Oregon, teaches English in higher education and K-12. She is particularly attuned to issues in education and parenting. She has spent many years in community colleges and universities teaching preparatory and developmental reading and writing and has served on committees that shape college policy in developmental studies.
What Is the Setting of the Poem "She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways"?
What Are the Conventions of an Elegy?
What Type of Poetry Did John Donne Write?
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Although flour has not been a major food safety concern, illnesses and outbreaks have been associated with the consumption of raw flour. Food illness outbreaks associated with flour involved the pathogens Salmonella and Escherichia coli (E. coli).
Due to flour’s low moisture content and because it is typically exposed to heat during cooking, microbial and bacterial contamination of wheat flour has not been a major concern. However, if bacteria are present, growth can occur when the flour is further processed into a food product with a higher moisture content.
The FDA reported that General Mills announced a voluntary national recall of five-pound bags of its Gold Medal Unbleached Flour with a better if used by date of April 20, 2020. The recall is being issued for the potential presence of Salmonella which was discovered during sampling of the five-pound bag product. This recall is being issued out of an abundance of care as General Mills has not received any direct consumer reports of confirmed illnesses related to this product.
In 2016,, the CDC detailed an E. coli outbreak linked to flour that caused 63 cases of illness across 24 states – 17 of which were hospitalized. General Mills flour was first identified as the potential cause, and the company announced a nationwide recall of three of its brands: Gold Medal, Gold Medal Wondra and Signature Kitchens.
According to the CDC, in 2009, flour was the suspected contamination source in an outbreak involving the consumption of raw cookie dough. There were 77 illnesses associated with the outbreak. Approximately 3.5 million packages of cookie dough and reformulated products were recalled (Neil, et al., 2009). Over 10% of cases had consumed the cookie dough raw. This was the first outbreak in which flour was suspected as the vehicle of transmission of E. coli O157:H7.
In New Zealand, in 2008, 66 cases of Salmonella were associated with the consumption of raw baking mix containing flour (Eglezos, 2010). Another outbreak occurred in 2005 involving cake-batter ice cream served at Cold Stone Creameries in the United States. Twenty-six cases were directly linked to the cake-batter ice cream, which was subsequently found to be contaminated with Salmonella (Zhang, et al., 2007). The outbreak caused 5 hospitalizations but no deaths. These outbreaks suggested flour could be a route of contamination for humans when it is consumed raw. Salmonella was found in 1.3% of collected flour samples in Australia and North America (Gilbert, et al., 2010).
The best way to avoid a food illness from flour is to avoid consuming it before it’s cooked, but that isn’t always so easy. Below are five sources you should watch out for if you want to avoid a foodborne illness.
Raw dough and batters. Products meant to be eaten without cooking – cookie dough, pizza dough, and cake and pancake batters—are risky, so you should be careful not to eat them before they’re cooked.
Arts and crafts materials. Websites devoted to pantry-based projects offer recipes for modeling clay, playdough, spray glue, papier mâché, and ornaments with flour as the main ingredient. We recommend that you avoid making these mixtures with kids.
No-cook dishes. Some recipes for truffles, icing, and cookies call for flour but don’t involve heating or baking. If the recipe doesn’t require the dish to be thoroughly cooked, skip it.
Contaminated cooking and eating surfaces. Flour is light and powdery, and can easily fly everywhere in your kitchen if you aren’t careful. Even minuscule amounts of tainted flour can make you sick, so be sure that foods that will be eaten raw don’t come into contact with flour-dusted counters, cutting boards, plates, and the like.
Containers you use to store flour. When you purchase a new bag of flour, you might dump the new flour into a bin or canister that has old flour in it, which might be tainted. If you’re not sure whether the old flour has been recalled, throw it out. Make sure that you thoroughly clean the storage container before using it again.
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The United Way of Snohomish County recently adopted a policy to not fund groups that discriminate against any minority. Snohomish County by an overwhelming majority (15-2) voted against discrimination of minorities.
Duane Rhodes, scout executive with the Mount Baker Council (which includes Snohomish and Whatcom County) said the decision disappointed him. He defended the Boy Scouts discrimination by comparing it to the exclusion of men from the Battered Women's Task Force. There are constitutional prohibitions against sexual discrimination that includes men.
The law allows a group to exclude a protected class from participation if it has good cause. Almost all women who have been battered are seeking refuge from their male partners. They are mentally, emotionally and physically frightened of men and do not want to be housed in the same area where men are present. If men were housed in the same area as the victims of assault and battering then it would result in the constructive denial of the help these women need. The courts have ruled that the exclusion of men under these circumstances constitutes good cause.
Men have an alternative in that they can go to the Light House Mission, which excludes women.
Homosexuals are frequently accused of being child molesters. Yet every study that has ever been conducted has concluded that homosexuals are no more likely to molest children than heterosexual men. Does the Boy Scout policy of excluding homosexuals reinforce this stereotype? Consider, when I drove by the demonstration at the Boy Scout headquarters in Bellingham a man was carrying a sign that said "Would you want your kids to be alone in the woods with these guys". The Boy Scouts policy of excluding homosexuals does reinforce the concept of molestation of children and thereby encourages violence.
When our legislature passed the "law against discrimination" (LAD*) it did so because our elected officials felt "that such discrimination threatens not only the rights and proper privileges of its inhabitants but menaces the institutions and foundation of a free democratic state". Our legislature understood that when a society allows discrimination to go unchallenged then not only are the victims harmed but society is harmed as well.
If the United Way agrees with the Boy Scouts that their discrimination is not harmful then it should adopt a policy that allows funding of any group regardless of who is discriminated against. However, if the United Way agrees with the legislature that discrimination is harmful to the victims and to society then a policy of funding only organizations that do not discriminate should be passed.
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In the United States, Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on Jul. 4, 1776 (243 years ago), declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States.
Adams' prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on Jul. 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on Jul. 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.
One of the most enduring myths about Independence Day is that Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on Jul. 4, 1776 (243 years ago). The myth had become so firmly established that, decades after the event and nearing the end of their lives, even the elderly Thomas Jefferson and John Adams had come to believe that they and the other delegates had signed the Declaration on the fourth. Most delegates actually signed the Declaration on Aug. 2, 1776 (243 years ago). In a remarkable series of coincidences, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two founding fathers of the United States and the only two men who signed the Declaration of Independence to become president, died on the same day: Jul. 4, 1826 (193 years ago), which was the United States' 50th anniversary. President James Monroe died exactly five years later, on Jul. 4, 1831 (188 years ago), but he was not a signatory to the Declaration of Independence.
Patriotic trailer shown in theaters prior to the 4th of July, 1940 (79 years ago).Independence Day is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays. Similar to other summer-themed events, Independence Day celebrations often take place outdoors. Independence Day is a federal holiday, so all non-essential federal institutions (like the postal service and federal courts) are closed on that day. Many politicians make it a point on this day to appear at a public event to praise the nation's heritage, laws, history, society, and people.
Families often celebrate Independence Day by hosting or attending a picnic or barbecue and take advantage of the day off and, in some years, long weekend to gather with relatives. Decorations (e.g., streamers, balloons, and clothing) are generally colored red, white, and blue, the colors of the American flag. Parades often are in the morning, while fireworks displays occur in the evening at such places as parks, fairgrounds, or town squares.
Independence Day fireworks are often accompanied by patriotic songs such as the national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner", "God Bless America", "America the Beautiful", "My Country, 'Tis of Thee", "This Land Is Your Land", "Stars and Stripes Forever", and, regionally, "Yankee Doodle" in northeastern states and "Dixie" in southern states. Some of the lyrics recall images (wallpaper) of the Revolutionary War or the War of 1812 (207 years ago).
Firework shows are held in many states, and many fireworks are sold for personal use or as an alternative to a public show. Safety concerns have led some states to ban fireworks or limit the sizes and types allowed. Illicit traffic transfers many fireworks from less restrictive states.
A salute of one gun for each state in the United States, called a “salute to the union,� is fired on Independence Day at noon by any capable military base.
Major displays are held in New York on the East River or Hudson River, in Chicago on Lake Michigan, in San Diego over Mission Bay, in Boston on the Charles River, in St. Louis on the Mississippi River, and on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. During the annual Windsor-Detroit International Freedom Festival, Detroit, Michigan, host one of the world's largest fireworks displays, over the Detroit River, to celebrate Independence Day.
While the official observance always falls on Jul. 4th, participation levels may vary according to which day of the week the 4th falls on. If the holiday falls in the middle of the week, some fireworks displays and celebrations may take place during the weekend for convenience, again, varying by region.
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Extremely rare and superbly build Senator pen set, which bares many special nuances for the era in which was made and by the company that made it. Conceived in the mid 70s and launched later that decade, these pens were meant to celebrate the greatest European nation collaboration at the time, building the supersonic passenger jet the Concord (or the Concorde as the French would call it). It seems there was a race between all European manufacturers to make a pen that would bare the Concord jet name. There were Waterman's, Parkers, Pelikans, Reforms and almost everyone else. This pen was made in West Germany, few years before the fall of the Berlin wall and the reunification, and what's more, it bares a Reform nib and this is not a replacement nib it is the original one. We have seen such Reform nibs installed originally on many Senator fountain pens, and sometimes even vice-versa. Something like this is almost unimaginable these days, where two brands won't mind sharing a single product but it was common in those days. The pens are made out of high grade steel, and are nearly mirror brilliant polished chrome finished, with gold plated trimmings. These are extremely reliable Senator pens, super easy to clean, maintain and use, where the gospel of the design was "form follows function and function dictates all quality requirements", these are nearly indestructible pens! The fountain pen is very convenient to use, i can use standard or double size ink cartridges, or any standard piston converter, however it also comes with its original one. The pens are very heavy and well balanced, providing great writing experience and feel in the hand, they feel solid and strong. Fountain pen features a gold plated Extra fine nib with Iridium tip. Iridium is one of the strongest materials, so the tip won't wear off even after decades of use. The nib writes with a thin precise constant EF line, perfect for precise work or small letters notebook writing where precision and mess/ink free is needed. However it does not feel stiff as some steel nibs; even though the tines do not come apart, they are still flexing, so it feels nice and soft. There's the ballpoint pen which is a nice smooth and precise twist upper body on/off mechanism and comes with a new refill. The pens are in absolute mint never used condition, a time capsule of another era when writing mattered as much as the Concord once did.
Ask a question about Rare NOS 1970s Senator Concorde 500 Brilliant Chrome & Gold Fountain & Ballpoint Pen Set in Box with Original Converter & Reform EF Nib.
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Average thickness of the annual rings in cm.
The thickness of the annual rings indicate what type of environmental situation was occurring at the time of its development. A thin ring, usually indicates a rough period of development. Lack of water, forest fires, or a major insect infestation. On the other hand, a thick ring indicates just the opposite.
What was the average thickness of the annual rings of 40 year old trees in Forest A?
Based on this data, what can you conclude about Forest A and Forest B?
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So far in 2015, the Chinese Economy has struggled to keep up with the GDP growth projections of 7%, falling behind in Q1, with weak indicators for the months ahead. Many officials are calling Q2 a critical quarter for achieving the growth goals, and with that they have launched several stimulus actions in lending, and launched government programs aimed at promoting and improving Chinese businesses.
The questions is, are these actions working? China Daily did a great article getting the perspective of the Chief Economists at 6 major world banks on the state of business in China. If you need to know what's going on I encourage you to read it. Here is my quick summary. The Chinese manufacturing sector is suffering from over-capacity and should bottom out in Q2. This overcapacity is a result of aggressive capital expansion, followed by slow demand increases. In response to this, future capital expenditure budgets are being reduced. The government needs to reduce lending rates further to allow factories to ease the burden of paying short term debt, and covert it to longer term debt to free up cash flow. This situation is putting pressure on wages, as factories reduce staff and expenses, which is slowing consumer consumption. Also, the anti-corruption efforts are cutting out, even legitimate, business spending which is contributing to the overall slowing. Most of the economists see the government continuing these lending adjustments which will cause a pick-up of activity in the second half of the year. In addition, the government projects aimed at improving factory performance should stimulate manufacturing activity and device sales.
From my perspective, in the high tech manufacturing sector, those companies that take advantage of the lending environment and aggressively pursue technology advancements, pushing R&D into product ready solutions, can create differentiation and gain a significant lead on competition.
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What has Guangxi achieved economically in 60 years?
The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China has made major leaps in terms of economic development over the 60 years since its establishment in 1958, statistics from the provincial government showed.
In 2017, Guangxi's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) hit two trillion yuan, expanding 832 times compared with that in 1958, and its fiscal revenue also saw remarkable growth from 466 million yuan in 1958 to 260 billion yuan in 2018, according to Chen Wu, the deputy party chief of the autonomous region.
In 1958, there were few industries in Guangxi. Now, the region owns 10 industries with a scale exceeding 100 billion yuan, including food, automobile, metallurgy, petrochemical, machinery, construction materials, electricity generation, non-ferrous metals, paper and wood processing, and electronics.
Another highlight is its leapfrog development in infrastructure. In 2017, Guangxi's fixed asset investment also exceeded two trillion yuan, 12.5 times more than that in 1958, and its urbanization rate reached 49.2 percent.
Now, the region has high-speed trains reaching 15 capital cities across China, and inside the region, highways have connected 89 percent of the counties.
Notably, all the achievements have not come at the cost of the environment. With its forest coverage exceeding 62 percent, Guangxi's ecological environment ranks among the top in China.
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A question ? A quote ?
ARDOP Industrie, formerly known as ARDOP, founded in 2002 by its founder Mathias Le-Pennec, has always been profitable and profitable. ARDOP Industrie has accelerated its development and growth since its arrival at the Cité de la Photonique in the Aquitaine region. With its distribution activity, it offers innovative solutions at the cutting edge of technology in optical components and optical instrumentation. Since 2013, the company ARDOP has opened an engineering Business Unit that designs, develops and markets high energy laser transport lines and the integration of photonic solutions according to the specifications of our customers.
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Sauerkraut is a German word meaning "sour cabbage," and this fermented food has a long and rich history of use around the world for both preservation and medicinal purposes.1 The FDA's Food Inspection Decision 196 defines sauerkraut as "the product, of characteristic acid flavor, obtained by the full fermentation, chiefly lactic, of properly prepared and shredded cabbage in the presence of not less than 2% nor more than 3% of salt. It contains, upon completion of the fermentation, not less than 1.5% of acid, expressed as lactic acid."2 Historically, claims of health benefits attributed to sauerkraut abound, but is there any evidence to back up these claims?
Since the start of the 21st century, there has been a sort of fermentation revival sweeping the country as more research reveals the potential health benefits of fermented foods.
Fermentation has been used since ancient times as a method of food preservation; the process enhances the nutritive value and flavors and reduces the toxicity of many foods.8 When making sauerkraut, the starter is the normal mixed biota of the cabbage. Adding salt inhibits the growth of gram-negative bacteria while favoring the lactic bacteria, which convert sugar into lactic acid. Fermentation will naturally stop when the maximum acidity has been reached.9 Alex Lewin, a fermentation advocate and author of two books on the subject, Real Food Fermentation: Preserving Whole Fresh Food With Live Cultures in Your Home Kitchen and Kombucha, Kefir, and Beyond: A Fun & Flavorful Guide to Fermenting Your Own Probiotic Beverages at Home, notes that sauerkraut can be stored safely at room temperature for weeks, months, or even years because it's so acidic; most harmful bacteria won't grow at a pH level below 4.6.10 Lewin says it's important to be sure that the cabbage stays submerged in the brine to prevent surface molds from forming.
Research into the health benefits of fermented foods, including sauerkraut, is fairly new. One area of interest is fermented foods' potential probiotic properties. Some of the beneficial bacteria involved in the fermentation process may still be alive at the time of consumption in "raw" fermented foods that haven't been heat treated. Consuming these "good" bacteria may help improve the balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria in the gut.13 Consuming different strains of probiotic bacteria may have an even greater benefit, as different strains have different effects. One study found 28 different strains of lactic acid bacteria present in commercially prepared sauerkraut.14 These beneficial bacteria also produce enzymes that may make fermented foods easier to digest than unfermented foods.15 If clients want to ensure they're getting probiotics in their sauerkraut, they should choose refrigerated varieties instead of pasteurized sauerkrauts off the shelf. Varieties that say, "Contains live and active cultures" on the label also should contain probiotics.
In Germany, sauerkraut often is served with bratwurst or alongside schupfnudel, a gnocchi-like potato dumpling. In Poland, bigos, a traditional stew, features meat cooked with vegetables and sauerkraut, and sauerkraut is one of the most popular fillings for Polish pierogi.18 Jota, a Slovenian soup, traditionally contains beans, potatoes, and sauerkraut. The French put their own spin on choucroute (the French word for sauerkraut) by adding potatoes, and it's often served with various meats and charcuterie. Visit New York and you might have a New York-style hot dog topped with spicy brown mustard and sauerkraut, or a Reuben sandwich filled with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing.
Today, proponents of sauerkraut as a health food are suggesting better-for-you applications. Nussinow says she eats sauerkraut on top of whole grains and vegetables, and Katz suggests an elegant appetizer made by wrapping fermented cabbage leaves into rolls filled with crumbled feta or goat cheese.18 Clients can use the recipe on this page to try their hand at homemade sauerkraut, and RDs can encourage healthful applications of this popular fermented food.
— Jessica Ivey, RDN, LDN, is a dietitian and chef with a passion for teaching people to eat healthfully for a happy and delicious life. Ivey offers approachable healthful living tips, from fast recipes to meal prep guides and ways to enjoy exercise on her website, JessicaIveyRDN.com.
1. Farnworth ER, ed. Handbook of Fermented Functional Foods. 2nd ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 2008:20-21.
2. CPG Sec. 585.750 sauerkraut — definition; adulteration by thrips. US Food and Drug Administration website. https://www.fda.gov/ICECI/ComplianceManuals/CompliancePolicyGuidanceManual/ucm074636.htm. Updated November 29, 2005. Accessed August 17, 2018.
3. O'Brien J, Climenhage RJ. Fresh & Fermented: 85 Delicious Ways to Make Fermented Carrots, Kraut, and Kimchi Part of Every Meal. Seattle, WA: Sasquatch Books; 2014:10.
4. Toussaint-Samat M. A History of Food. New York, NY: Barnes & Noble Books; 1998:693-694.
5. Pederson CS, Albury MN. Bulletin: Number 824: The Sauerkraut Fermentation. Geneva, NY: New York State Agricultural Experiment Station; 1969.
6. Hess AF. Scurvy, Past and Present. Philadelphia, PA: J. B. Lippincott Company; 1920:8-9.
7. Sauerkraut may be liberty cabbage. The New York Times. April 25, 1918. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/04/25/96864971.pdf. Accessed August 23, 2018.
8. Swain MR, Anandharaj M, Ray RC, Rani RP. Fermented fruits and vegetables of Asia: a potential source of probiotics. Biotechnol Res Int. 2014;2014:250424.
9. Jay JM, Loessner MJ, Golden DA. Modern Food Microbiology. 7th ed. New York, NY: Springer Science & Business Media; 2005:180.
10. US Food and Drug Administration. Science and our food supply: food safety A to Z reference guide. https://www.fda.gov/downloads/food/foodscienceresearch/toolsmaterials/ucm430363.pdf. Published 2014. Accessed August 23, 2018.
11. Katz S. Vegetable fermentation further simplified. Wild Fermentation website. https://www.wildfermentation.com/category/sauerkrautrecipes/. Updated April 27, 2012. Accessed August 23, 2018.
12. US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. USDA food composition databases. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/. Updated April 2018. Accessed August 23, 2018.
13. Fermented foods can add depth to your diet. Harvard Health Publishing website. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/fermented-foods-can-add-depth-to-your-diet. Published July 2018. Accessed August 23, 2018.
14. Lu Z, Breidt F, Plengvidhya V, Fleming HP. Bacteriophage ecology in commercial sauerkraut fermentations. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2003;69(6):3192-3202.
15. Battcock M, Azam-Ali S; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Fermented Fruits and Vegetables: A Global Perspective. Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; 1998.
16. Ren JS, Kamangar F, Forman D, Islami F. Pickled food and risk of gastric cancer — a systematic review and meta-analysis of English and Chinese literature. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2012;21(6):905-915.
17. Islami F, Ren JS, Taylor PR, Kamangar F. Pickled vegetables and the risk of oesophageal cancer: a meta-analysis. Br J Cancer. 2009;101(9):1641-1647.
18. Katz SE. Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods. 2nd ed. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing; 2016:81.
2. Add cabbage and salt to mixing bowl, and squeeze aggressively with hands until very juicy.
3. Stuff cabbage mixture tightly into jar with its liquid until liquid rises above top of cabbage.
4. Close jar. Label contents and date with tape and marker.
5. Leave jar at room temperature (55° to 85° F), preferably in plain sight.
6. Once a day for the first few days, open lid slowly just until gas escapes (if any), then close immediately.
7. After two weeks (or more or less depending on ambient temperature), eat, refrigerate, or leave on counter if more sourness is desired.
1. Use the best salt you can. Ideally, it should not be explicitly iodized, it should not contain "anticaking agents," and it should contain trace minerals. Sea salt and Himalayan salt are ideal.
2. Do not wash your hands, your utensils, or anything else with antibacterial soap.
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As an educator, I believe it is important to have a teaching philosophy to use as a framework throughout my teaching career. My teaching philosophy grows and changes as I become a more experienced educator, but my core beliefs remain constant.
I believe that classrooms should be student-centered. Teachers should encourage students to learn through experiencing the world around them. Teachers should plan differentiated, hands-on lessons to meet the needs of individual learners. Teachers should also have high expectations for every learner in the classroom and encourage each student to meet his/her potential.
I believe that all children are entitled to a positive and safe classroom environment where individual differences are respected and celebrated. Teachers should take great care in helping to build the character of each student. At the beginning of each school year, teachers should work to create a sense of community within their classroom. Once this sense of community is cultivated, teachers should maintain it through weekly class meetings where students can share issues and ideas with others.
I believe that parents play an important role in the academic success and emotional development of their children. I believe it to be the teacher's responsibility to maintain open lines of communication with parents through regular contact. Parents should feel welcome to participate and volunteer within their child's school and classroom.
I believe that teachers have a responsibility to continue learning so that they are able to provide the best educational environment for their students. Teachers should participate in professional development regularly and keep abreast of the latest educational research. Teachers should plan to continue to grow and change throughout their teaching career.
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0.999914 |
What's good in downtown Houston?
I'm going to a conference, staying at the convention center. I'll be in Houston Sunday-Wednesday, looking for food recommendations (vegetarian/pescatarian, ethnic) and also a pie-in-the-sky spa desire, within.
I live in a mid-sized city myself, so I get my fill of standard issue city things on the daily. But going to a new city I always like to see if there's something it has that mine doesn't.
One thing that my city criminally does not have is the type of spa I desire. Basically my perfect spa is like the one at the Bedford Springs resort: it's got a big room of various temperature plunges, pools, showers and saunas, and it also has a separate lounge area with chaises and blankets and fluffy robes and herbal teas and magazines where one is encouraged to just chill for however long you want. They also offer spa services but quite honestly I only get the massage so I have an excuse to use all the other stuff.
Does Houston have such a thing?
And also the food thing. I like food. I have a per diem allowance. Feed me.
So I can't give you specific restaurant recommendations but maybe this will guide your search: Houston (in addition to tex-mex) has a sizeable Vietnamese community and my friends who live there are always raving about excellent Vietnamese food.
Houston has really good food trucks, and if your conference is big enough for the convention center an assortment will flock to the nearby blocks to feed folks that don't want the overpriced crap available within. There's also a vacant lot a few blocks away where they gather on weekends to serve the convention trade (weekdays, it's parking) but I can't remember exactly where it's located. Take a break, get outside, wander around to check out the options, and enjoy!
I'm not aware of such a spa downtown, but the Houstonian is a dream.
Downtown ethnic food central is Phoenicia, they also have events/live music. Dude, they have everything and you can walk from the convention center.
Vegan Pho from Simply Pho a bit south in midtown, or, if you want walking distance, Huynh is pretty great.
Coastal Mexican seafood from La Fisheria. Kind of a walk from the Convention Center, but do-able or train-able.
Speaking of needing a break (can you tell I hate being inside convention centers?), there are two nice outdoor spaces pretty much adjacent to the convention center. Root Square is basically northwest, but the one I enjoyed more for people watching is just off the CC's southwest tip. It had a basketball court where a really outstanding pickup game was happening basically non-stop and, in the classic manner, featured monuments to historic buildings torn down to develop the district.
Les Givrals in midtown has the best bahn mi(tofu included). Don't miss it.
On the more casual side of things, you might check out Conservatory, an excellent little downstairs brew-room that has four restaurant stands in it. It can be a little noisy, but if you and a colleague want to take it easy in the evenings, this place is your spot. Of significant interest to you will be the Jian Bing from Melange Creperie. So so so so good. Worth a lil' trip to Main St. And for your other options, Myth Kafe (a Greek Spot there!), lovely ramen from Samurai Noodle, and a decent-enough BBQ joint.
Check out Huynh Restaurant on the other side of 59 from you. I love our Vietnamese restaurants here in town. No exception here. This one's a gem, and I wish that I got over to this side of town more for this restaurant because it's totally worth my time. Over East there, too, oh my gosh, if you'd like some ethnic food, do I have a rec for you. Worth the trip!!! I mean it. Andes Cafe. Venezuelan, Peruvian, Columbian. It's a little hard to find, so message me if it sounds good, and I can give you some pointers on spotting it, but I think you'll adore their selection. Authentic eclecticism, a little bit upscale, just lovely staff. Great for brunch as well as a tapas meal during happy-hour pricing times. Let me know if you want to get out and explore Houston... there's a few places like Blue Nile Ethiopian Restaurant that are off your grid but are An Experience. Ethnic for us is often outside downtown.
Everyone raves about the Houstonian, but I haven't personally been there yet. Check 'em out though, I think you'll be pleased.
There are many great seafood restaurants in Houston. My personal favorite is Pappadeaux, where the cooking is mostly Cajun-Creole. I also like Pappas Seafood (same owners, different style) and Goode Company Seafood (do not confuse with Goode Company Barbecue), but there are literally hundreds of others.
The aforementioned Huynh is indeed specTACular, but Houston is also a cornucopia of treasures on the food and drink front, no kidding.
As for downtown spas, I know nothing, but the Houstonian is indeed renowned -- just not that close to downtown. There is, however, a Four Seasons on the eastern side of downtown that might have such things; I really just don't know.
Most of the really great food is actually outside downtown, but the downtown area DOES include the Conservatory (1010 Prairie), home to several smaller purveyors including a really great crepe maker (Melange Creperie) and a fine selection of beers on tap.
If I wanted to make a great impression on you about Houston food, I'd find a way to get you to UNDERBELLY over in Montrose. It can be downright spendy or merely slightly expensive, depending on what you order, but the food is out of sight.
It shares a building with a fantastic beer bar called Hay Merchant, which you might want to check out if you like beer. Across the sidestreet from those two is a wonderful coffeeshop called Blacksmith that owns my heart.
Had to swing back through and second uberchet's recs. Underbelly: Holy moly, what a time. It's near-universally esteemed by my friends as being the place worth spending 'a little extra' money on. I think there's menus online. Go for it. Hay Merchant: Check that $3 happy hour pricing (some really great pints and tulips). Pairs very nicely post- Museum of Fine Arts Houston trip.
There's the original Ninfa's on Navigation, though I think El Tiempo (also on Navigation) is better. It's been 2 years since I moved away from Houston, and I so miss the food.
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0.933638 |
How many styles of clam chowder are there? First, you've got to draw the line between Manhattan and New England. But if you choose New England, you have to decide how thick it's going to be. I've had clam chowder that was thin broth with square chunks of potato, and I've had it a the other extreme as well.
And when I say extreme, I mean extreme. My husband's all-time favorite clam chowder is thick. Massively thick. It could be mistaken for lumpy mashed potatoes. Okay, maybe not quite that thick. But almost. Pretty close.
I had a 28-ounce can of baby clams on hand, and figured it was time to make clam chowder. I'd made it before, but it's been a while, so I started looking at recipes. And hmmmm.... I found a few that used flour as a thickener. Interesting.
Many recipes call for salt pork or bacon, but I didn't have any of either, so I went porkless.
So .. I started with 4 large Idaho potatoes, which I peeled, cut into chunks, and cooked in salted water until they were done. I poured the water off until it was just below the level of the potatoes, then added a quart of milk and cooked the potatoes more, encouraging them to break up to thicken the liquid.
I melted 2 tablespoons of butter to a small frying pan and added 1/2 of a medium onion, diced finely. When the onions were softened, I added a couple tablespoons of flour to make a roux. I stirred and cooked, then added some of the liquid from the potatoes to the onion pan an let that cook and thicken. Then I emptied the contents of the frying pan into the soup stirred it around and let it cook and thicken.
I tasted it to make sure the raw flour taste was gone, then added a bottle of clam juice and about half the clams from that can. I'll be making something else with the rest of those clams. I let the soup cook to warm up the clams, then tasted and added salt and pepper. I didn't add salt sooner because I figured that the clam juice and clams might add some salt of their own.
Soup is supposed to mound up in the bowl, right?
And that was it. Super-thick clam chowder.
On day 2, the soup was even thicker after an overnight rest in the refrigerator.
I like this "bare bones" recipe. I've never heard of clam chowder being made this way, but it sounds so easy. I do prefer chowder a lot thinner than this, but I think it's all about how you grow up.
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