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0.923665 |
Is energy from onshore wind competitive? The industry claims it is on the basis of 5 common assertions. If these assertions are wildly over-optimistic, to the point of misleading, then wind power fails, because offshore wind will never be able to compete.
Conclusion No 1: This assertion is 25% (a) over-optimistic.
Conclusion No 2: On average, once every 3½ days, only negligible power was delivered from the available 1600 MW average capacity.
Conclusion No 3: On average, once every 6.38 days, for a period of 4.93 hours, only negligible power was delivered from the available 1600 MW average capacity.
Conclusion No 4: At each of the four highest peak demands of 2010 wind output was low being respectively 4.72%, 5.51%, 2.59% and 2.51% of capacity at peak demand.
Conclusion No 5: The entire pumped storage hydro capacity in the UK can provide up to 2788MW for only 5 hours then it drops to 1060MW, and finally runs out of water after 22 hours.
Onshore wind power technology fails miserably on all 5 assertions, which underpin the claims of the industry and its supporters.
What is the point of building anymore onshore wind farms when such dismal levels of generation punctuate their actual performance so frequently? Nuclear power, the only other zero-emissions form of generation, cannot correct the problem, so it's left to carbon-emitting technologies to do so.
Wind power is inextricably linked to the extra cost of duplicating its capacity with fossil-fuel burning technologies, to provide our electricity, when the wind doesn't blow. It's that simple!
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0.942584 |
What are the ground rules for divorce in New Jersey? Does fault matter anymore?
Fault matters when you’re coming down to dollars and cents, but the majority of divorces are filed under irreconcilable differences.
In order to have a complaint based on irreconcilable differences, those differences have to have existed for at least six months and caused the demise of the marriage; you and your spouse must have no chance of reconciling or getting back together. New Jersey’s no-fault is the most popular means of filing a divorce complaint. No-fault can also be filed after 18 months separation, which means you and your spouse have lived separate and apart for a period of 18 months.
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0.991022 |
In food processor coarsely chop cranberries and stir in grap halves, spice, vanilla, sugar substitute and pecans.# Mix well.# Chill until ready to use, up to 24 hours.
Fill a large skillet with some water, adding enough to be just shy of the rim of the pan by 1 inch.# Place over high heat and bring up to boil; add a big pinch of salt and the green beans.# Cook for about 5 minutes, the beans, should still be crisp.# Drain the beans and then run them under some cold water to stop them from cooking.# Reserve the beans while you start the onions.
Return the skillet you cooked the beans in to the cook top over medium heat.# Add the almonds and toast stirring every now and then until golden, about 3-5 minutes.# Remove the almonds from the skillet and reserve.# Return the skillet to the heat and add the butter and olive oil and heat until butter has melted.# Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook stirring frequently until the onions caramelize, 20=25 minutes.# Add thyme and cook for another 5 minutes.# Add the cooked green beans and almonds, and stir well to combine.# Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cut oranges in have and sqeeze over small bowl to loosen centers and extract juice.# Place orange halves on a baking sheet.# Set juice aside.
Mix potatoes, SPLENDA, ginger and 1 tsp of the orange juice together in a medium size bowl until well blended.# Stir in chopped apples and raisins.# Spoon the potato mixture into the orange halves.# Top with mini marshmellows.
Place filled oranges on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the marshmellows are lightly brown and the center is warm.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 3 quart casserole dish.
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan, and saute the celery and onion for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender.
In a large bowl, combine the cornbread, stuffing mix, parsley, ginger, and salt. Mix in the celery and onion mixture, chopped apple, chopped pecans, apple juice, and beaten eggs. Spoon dressing into prepared casserole dish.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until heated through, and lightly browned on top.
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0.999821 |
A fantastic opportunity for a Principal Geoenvironmental Engineer to join a worldwide industry leading consultancy based in Hemel Hempstead. The successful candidate will be leading a multi-disciplinary team of environmental engineers, working on a variety of high-profile projects within the commercial, energy, healthcare, retail and education sector.
The successful applicant will get a salary of between £40,000 - £46,000, dependant on experience.
What happens next: Our dedicated Geo-Environmental recruiter, Kate Waltham, will contact you to discuss this opportunity in further detail.
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0.945844 |
There are various "reporter transgenes" that respond to Wnt signals in intact animals and therefore, as far as one can know, reflect endogenous Wnt signaling (reviewed in Barolo, 2006). These reporters are based on a multimerized TCF binding site, driving expression of LacZ or GFP. Other lines allow for lineage tracing of Wnt responding cells, using the Cre/ERT2 gene inserted into Wnt target genes.
LEF-EGFP TCF sites, EGFP Currier et al, (2010).
In response to the often-asked question "what is the best Wnt reporter", there is no simple answer. In our experience, Axin2/Conductin is widely expressed in areas where one would expect it, and might be an optimal reporter for many tissues. However, there are cells (in the lung for example) that are positive for the TOP-GAL reporter and negative for Axin2-based reporters (Al Alam et al, 2011). The problem of reliably detecting Wnt signaling in vivo is compounded by difficulties in assessing Wnt gene expression itself (which is best done by in situ hybridization as antibodies are rarely good enough), or in finding other independent hallmarks of Wnt signaling (see Barolo, 2006 and Al Alam et al, 2011).
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0.999077 |
Opened in 1981, The Humber Bridge was the longest single span suspension bridge. It has a 2,220-metre single span.
Staying close by for the weekend, I took the opportunity to get some shots as the sun went down. Though I was on the wrong side of the bridge for a full-on sunset. It costs £1.50 each way, so stayed on the north side this time.
Also tried some longer exposures here to try and smooth out the water.
A weekend in Hull!? Opened in 1981, The Humber Bridge was the longest single span suspension bridge. It has a 2,220-metre single span.
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0.948127 |
How can I fully remove Ubuntu 12.04 from my MacBook Pro?
I want to remove Ubuntu 12.04 from my MacBook Pro. It's a trial boot system, with MacOS in the first partition, Windows 7 in the second one, and Ubuntu in the last. Now, I want to format this last one, in order to expand the Windows partition.
I tried to do this from MacOS, but I could not.
There are 2 ways to accomplish this. The easiest way is to boot from your Ubuntu Live CD or USB device.
Once the Ubuntu desktop has loaded, start Disk Utility (gparted).
Next, find your Ubuntu partion(s) and format them all as free space. Next, resize your Windows partition (NTFS) to consume the rest of the disk. Accept the operations and wait for a few moments.
You could try to format it with an Ubuntu live CD.
Ok, I solved. The problem was that I tried with a live CD of Ubuntu 10.04. After a lot of workarounds (for instance, I can boot from the live distro only if there are both CD and USB plugged in!), I solved using the Ubuntu 12.04 live CD, and gParted.
Thank you to everyone who wanted to help me!
OS-Uninstaller is a small graphical tool to perform a clean and quick uninstall of any operating system (Windows, OS X, MacOS, Ubuntu, other Linux distributions...) from your computer.
It supports removing only selected OS boot list entries in the GRUB.
Or completely remove the GRUB and replace it with the original MBR (master boot record) that was there before installing Ubuntu.
It also automatically reformats the partition of the OS that you just removed into NTFS (default) or ext4, depending on the OS that was there before.
Change the GRUB menu’s display timeout.
Backup the partition table and the boot sectors (just in case).
It also lets you manually change the MBR and its installed location of hard disk and the partition it’s linking for booting. But for most users, you don't have to tweak any of these.
Download Boot-Repair-Disk. Then create a live USB flash drive of it.
In order to make a Boot-Repair live USB, use UNetbootin. The flash drive you use should be 1GB or larger and formatted to FAT32. The formatting procedure will delete all of the files that are already on the flash drive.
In UNetbootin click the Diskimage radio button and then click the ... button.
Select the boot-repair-disk ISO file that you downloaded and click the Open button.
It is very important to verify that the device that you are installing the boot-repair-disk ISO to is indeed your flash drive, so that you don't overwrite any of your system or personal files which may make your operating system unbootable. In OS X you can find the device name of the USB flash drive using Disk Utility.
Insert the USB drive into an available USB port.
Reboot or turn on the Mac.
Immediately after the startup chime, press the Option key (sometimes marked Alt).
Select the USB drive from which to boot by using the left and right arrow and Enter keys.
Boot from the Boot Repair live USB. A window (Boot-Repair) will appear, close it. Then launch OS-Uninstaller from the bottom left menu.
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged 12.04 partitioning macbook mac dual-boot or ask your own question.
How to delete Linux Ubuntu from a macbook?
How to install ubuntu on macbook pro as a single os?
Boot from disc using Ubuntu on 2009 MacBook Pro?
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0.999988 |
What is the science behind the aeration of wine? What does air do to a wine? Why is it if a wine is closed and then you put air though it (via a funnel of some type) that it can release the aromas and flavors of the wine?
Exposing wine to air does two things: it triggers oxidation and evaporation. Oxidation is what makes an apple turn brown after its skin is broken, and evaporation is the process of liquid turning into vapor. Wine is made up of hundreds of compounds, and with aeration, usually the volatile undesirable compounds will evaporate faster than the desirable, aromatic and flavorful ones.
There are a few particular compounds that are reduced with aeration, such as sulfites, which are added to wine to prevent oxidation and microbial activity but can smell like burnt matchsticks, and sulfides, which are naturally occurring but can remind you of rotten eggs or onionskins. Ethanol is also a highly volatile compound, and a wine that smells too much like rubbing alcohol when you first open it might lose the ethanol note and become more expressive with some aeration.
You mention funnels as a way to aerate wine, but just opening a bottle and pouring a glass will also provide aeration, as will swirling your glass of wine. For more extreme aeration, decanting a wine works well too. After a while, aerated wines begin to oxidize, and the flavors and aromas will flatten out. The more dense and concentrated a wine is, the more it will benefit from aeration and the longer it can go before beginning to fade. On the other hand, you probably don’t want to aerate delicate older wines for long, as you can miss out on their unique aromas, but they’re often decanted to remove sediment.
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0.78369 |
IN MID-1991, SUDAN was ruled by a military government that exercised its authority through the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation (RCC-NS). The chairman of the fifteenmember RCC-NS and head of state was Lieutenant General Umar Hassan Ahmad al Bashir, who also served as prime minister, minister of defense, and commander in chief of the armed forces. The RCC-NS had come to power at the end of June 1989 as a result of a coup d'état that overthrew the democratically elected civilian government of Sadiq al Mahdi. Although the RCC-NS initially stressed that its rule was a transitional stage necessary to prepare the country for genuine democracy, it banned all political party activity, arrested numerous dissidents, and shut down most newspapers. Subsequently, members of the RCC-NS claimed that Western-style democracy was too divisive for Sudan. In place of parliament, the RCC-NS appointed committees to advise the government in specialized areas, such as one concerning the legal system to bring legislation into conformity with the sharia, or Islamic law.
The factors that provoked the military coup, primarily the closely intertwined issues of Islamic law and of the civil war in the south, remained unresolved in 1991. The September 1983 implementation of the sharia throughout the country had been controversial and provoked widespread resistance in the predominantly non-Muslim south. The Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and its military arm, the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA), were formed in mid-1983. They became increasingly active in the wake of President Jaafar an Nimeiri's abolition of the largely autonomous Southern Regional Assembly and redivision of the south, and as his program of Islamization became more threatening. Opposition to the sharia, especially to the application of hudud (sing., hadd), or Islamic penalties, such as the public amputation of hands for theft, was not confined to the south and had been a principal factor leading to the popular uprising of April 1985 that overthrew the government of Jaafar an Nimeiri. Although implementation of the sharia remained suspended for the next four years, northern politicians were reluctant to abolish Islamic law outright, whereas southern leaders hesitated to abandon armed struggle unless the legal system were secularized. The continuing conflict in the south prevented progress on economic development projects and eventually compelled the Sadiq al Mahdi government in the spring of 1989 to consider concessions on the applicability of sharia law as demanded by the SPLM.
On the eve of an historic government-SPLM conference to discuss the future status of Islamic law in Sudan, a group of military officers carried out a coup in the name of the newly constituted RCC-NS. Their intervention in the political process halted further steps toward a possible cancellation of the suspended but still valid sharia. Although the RCC-NS initially announced that the sharia would remain frozen, the government encouraged courts, at least in the north, to base decisions on Islamic law. SPLM leaders charged that the government was unduly influenced by Islamic political groups and announced that the SPLA would not lay down its arms and discuss political grievances until the government abrogated the sharia. Because neither the RCC-NS nor its southern opponents were prepared to compromise on the sharia, the military conflict continued in the south, where the government's authority was limited to the larger towns and the SPLA or other militia controlled most of the secondary towns and rural areas.
Although the RCC-NS banned all political parties following the 1989 coup, members of this ruling body have not concealed their personal and ideological ties to the National Islamic Front (NIF), the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood. RCC-NS policy decisions on many social, as well as political and economic issues, reflected strong NIF influence. For example, the RCC-NS purged hundreds of army personnel, senior civil servants, and teachers perceived as being insufficiently Islamic, decreed that men and women must sit in separate sections on public buses, and forbade any Sudanese female to leave the country without the written consent of her father or legal male guardian. Finally, on New Year's Eve 1990-91, the government announced that the sharia would be applied in the north.
The RCC-NS policies aroused antagonism in the north as well as the south, and consequently political instability has continued to dominate Sudan. During 1990, for example, the Bashir government announced that at least two alleged coup attempts within the military had been foiled. In addition, there were several instances of antigovernment demonstrations being violently suppressed. Opposition politicians, international organizations, and foreign governments all accused the government of systematic human rights abuses in its efforts to quell dissent. Opposition to the Bashir government induced exiled leaders of banned political parties in the north and SPLA leaders in the south to meet on a number of occasions to work out a joint strategy for confronting the regime. Consequently, in mid-1991 the regime's stability seemed fragile and its political future uncertain.
Further clouding the regime's prospects for stability was the threat of famine in many parts of the vast country as a result of the drought, which had been sporadic throughout the 1980s and particularly severe since 1990, and of the continuing civil war. The Bashir government was preoccupied with the political ramifications of food shortages because it was acutely aware that riots by hungry Sudanese were one of the factors that had brought down the Nimeiri regime in 1985. Nevertheless, the government was determined that any food aid the country received not reach SPLAcontrolled areas. The efforts to mix politics and humanitarian assistance angered foreign aid donors and international agencies, resulting in food shipment suspensions that have aggravated the food shortages.
For more recent information about the government, see Facts about Sudan.
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0.998664 |
Critically acclaimed hard roots rock reggae outfit.
Critically-acclaimed hard roots rock reggae outfit Natty Nation is a collective of spiritual warriors. For over twenty years, the Madison, Wisconsin-based group has purely and fearlessly followed its inner artistic continuum. Along the way, Natty Nation has burst through genres while retaining a distinct roots reggae core. Through it all—whether it's onstage conducting its shamanistic live show, or in the studio pushing the scope of its musicality while honing its sharp songcraft—Natty Nation has remained dedicated to one mission: spreading light. Natty Nation's unique pedigree of a Midwest home base and artistic openness has helped the posse foster a signature sound. The group describes themselves as hard roots rock reggae because in addition to their honest and authentic roots reggae foundation, their embrace of soul, rock, and funk is undeniable. Natty Nation is also influenced by such diverse geniuses as Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, Living Colour, Earth Wind and Fire, Fishbone, and Bad Brains. Since its inception Natty Nation has issued five uncompromising studio albums along with a string of epiphanic live albums.
The Isthmus named their 1998 release Earth Citizen one of the "top 25 Madison pop albums of all time," writing that "Natty Nation's mix of hard roots rock and reggae proved unique and gained a following that remains today." The group has received a Wisconsin Area Music Industry award for best world artist, and to date Natty Nation has earned 31 Madison Area Music Association awards, including artist of the year, ensemble vocals, world album, and for nine years running world performer of the year. One of the most profound components of Natty Nation’s artistry is its live show. In this context, the band truly thrives, and all the years as a unit, the collective’s telepathic band interplay and colorful palette of music influences make for a fresh freewheeling reggae focused experience.
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0.933983 |
Why is the data storage industry locked in by hardware?
The data storage industry revolves around the coupling of storage hardware and software. Will it evolve to allow for the separation of the two?
When you stop and think about it, the storage systems we use are all made to a pretty simple formula. The SAN, the NAS, the disk backup and data deduplication hardware -- from the lowliest desktop NAS to the enterprise Fibre Channel behemoths, they are all made from two ingredients.
The first key ingredient is the thing that actually effects data storage: the hard drive, of which there are relatively few variations that are almost completely interchangeable. The second key ingredient is the controlling software, the operating system. This is the bit that enables storage vendors to make billions of dollars and to lock customers into their product eco-systems.
There are some hugely wealthy empires built on this structure, which in some senses appears quite fragile. After all, it isn't the hardware in a storage system that is unique but merely the software; it's literally a set of ideas about how systems should operate set down in coded form. It's a wonder that software-only products and, in particular, open source software have not taken off in storage to a greater extent than they have.
We've seen the revolutionary effect of a separation between hardware and software elsewhere in IT. In the world of servers, open source, specifically in the form of Linux, shook up a large chunk of the industry over the past decade or so. Look back to the turn of the millennium and the server scene wasn't dissimilar to what you'll find among the giants of storage today. There were several large players in the Unix server market, each with its own flavour of Unix that ran only on its specific version of the RISC processor: HP with HPUX, IBM with AIX, Sun with Solaris, Compaq with Tru64 and so on.
That world collapsed as Linux became a viable alternative as a server operating system for the type of jobs formerly the preserve of Unix and that, crucially, were able to run on commodity x86 servers. Suddenly, the existing in-built lock-ins of the Unix world evaporated, and Linux became an economic option for core enterprise apps such as SAP and database serving.
This separation of hardware and operating software by open source, and in particular its Linux manifestation, brought some huge changes in the IT landscape, but it didn't conquer the world. The desktop, for example, remained stubbornly resistant to Linux except among a tiny number of nerdy enthusiasts and was certainly never on the cards for the enterprise. The key lack of traction here was not only a result of the poor evolution of Linux as a desktop OS, but simply because there was no need to sidestep the processor/OS lock-in that existed with Unix servers.
Storage subsystems are, however, almost as far as you can get from the commodity nature of an organisation's desktop estate. SAN and NAS systems are often bought in pairs or clusters of multiple devices and are the biggest ticket items in the data centre. They also manifest a clear hardware/software lock-in. So, are they vulnerable to the type of wedge that open source drove into the server market?
Well, there is a small but significant current of open source storage available.
Sun's ZFS, for example, is a file system that is fully featured and scalable and, although not on general release, can be incorporated into Linux and the Free BSD operating systems and unified storage systems built from it using commodity hardware. Some small vendors, such as GreenBytes and Nexenta, have done precisely this, but it's a project theoretically within reach of an in-house IT department.
Meanwhile, Red Hat Enterprise Linux Advanced Platform provides shared-storage access, including support for CIFS, NFS, iSCSI, Fibre Channel and FCoE. And FreeNAS, which is built on FreeBSD Unix, supports CIFS, NFS, FTP, iSCSI, Rsync and AFP (Apple File Protocol).
So, the idea of an open source storage revolution, with an operating system and file system built into commodity hardware, isn't too great a stretch of the imagination. Illustrative of this is the fact that EMC, for example, uses versions of Linux in its Rainfinity, Data Domain, RecoverPoint, VPlex and Avamar appliances, albeit with code bases customised to those implementations.
And the potential separation of storage hardware and software is not restricted to the use of open source OSes. Vendors such as LeftHand and DataCore, for example, already offer their SAN products as software, while the likes of Nasuni and TwinStrata sell virtual NAS devices that only exist as software too.
Logic seems to suggest that one day it will be common for customers in businesses of all sizes to buy storage operating systems, processing power and disk hardware separately. But when that day will come is open to speculation. All kinds of commercial interests and practical challenges lie between here and there, and that is a subject for reflection in a future editorial.
Great article. Fibre Channel has some pretty solid architecture for data transmission. Have you looked at cloud hardware providers such as http://www.savageio.com/ ? Most people don't consider the specialized servers required for enterprise data storage needs.
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0.990455 |
Bulgaria has marked on Wednesday, July 27, 2016, the 1,100th year since the dormintion of St. Kliment Ohridski (St. Clement of Ohrid) (840 – ca. 916), the disciple of St. Cyril and St. Methodius who allegedly invented the Bulgarian (Cyrillic) alphabet.
The anniversary has been marked with a formal ceremony and a religious service which took place in Pliska in Northeast Bulgaria, the city which was the capital of the First Bulgarian Empire (632/680 – 1018) between 680 and 893.
The ceremony took place in the “The Yard of the Cyrillic Alphabet”, a private open-air museum in Pliska set up in 2015 by Armenian Bulgarian businessman Karen Aleksanyan which features a 12-meter-tall cross, sculptures of the Bulgarian (Cyrillic) letters, and a monument of St. Cyril and St. Methodius, the Byzantine diplomats and scholars who created the first Bulgarian and Slavic alphabet, the Glagolithic.
It also featured a reenactment of the arrival of the disciples of St. Cyril and St. Methodius in Pliska back in 886 (learn more below), the press service of the Targovishte District in Northeast Bulgaria has announced.
The 1,100th year since the dormition of St. Klement Ohridski has also been marked all over Bulgaria with religious services, lectures, and other types of events.
As early as November 2015, Sofia University, which is named after St. Kliment Ohridski, was presented by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church with a piece of the saint’s holy relics.
St. Kliment Ohridski is oftentimes credited with inventing the Bulgarian (Cyrillic) alphabet by modifying the work of his teachers St. Cyril and St. Methodius, the earlier Glagolithic alphabet. Whether he himself invented the Bulgarian alphabet or not, he was one of the top scholars of medieval Bulgaria who trained 3,500 students in the Ohrid Literary School to write in Old Bulgarian, and translated and authored numerous works.
In 893, at the initiative of Tsar Simeon I the Great (r. 893-927), Kliment was ordained archbishop of Drembica, in the Kutmichevitsa region of the First Bulgarian Empire. Upon his death in 916, he was buried in his monastery, the Saint Panteleimon, in Ohrid.
Summarizing the history of the Glagolitic and the Cyrillic as “two Bulgarian alphabets" Institute for Bulgarian Language of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences notes that there is no consensus among historians whether the first Bulgarian alphabet, the Glagolitic, was invented in 855 AD or in 862 AD.
In addition to honoring each of the seven apostles, St. Cyril and St. Methodius, and their five disciples, individually for their work and spiritual and literary achievements, every year on May 24, Bulgaria and Bulgarians around the world celebrate the Day of St. Cyril and St. Methodius, i.e. the Day of the Bulgarian Alphabet and Bulgarian Culture, one of the country’s official national holidays.
On May 24, 2016, Bulgaria marked the 165th anniversary since the first celebration of the Day of St. Cyril and St. Methodius (held in Plovdiv in 1851), a tradition from its National Revival period.
On May 2, 2015, and on May 2, 2016, Bulgaria celebrated, respectively, the 150th and the 151st anniversaries since its adoption of Christianity.
The Bulgarian Alphabet (the Cyrillic, as it is more known internationally), was developed at the end of the 9th century AD for the Old Bulgarian language, also known today as Church Slavonic, possibly at the Preslav Literary School and/or the Ohrid Literary School in the First Bulgarian Empire by St. Kliment Ohridski and St. Naum Preslavski. St. Kliment Ohridski (St. Clement of Ohrid) and St. Naum Preslavski are two of the five major disciples of St. Cyril and St. Methodius, the Byzantine diplomats and civil servants of Slavic (i.e. Bulgarian) origin who invented the first Slavic alphabet, the Glagolitic, in 855 AD or 862 AD). Among other reasons connected with the foreign policy goals of the Byzantine Empire, St. Cyril and St. Methodius invented the Glagolitic to help convert Slavs all over Eastern Europe to Christianity.
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0.931687 |
The Judæo-Arabic languages are a collection of Arabic dialects spoken by Jews living or formerly living in the Arab world; the term also refers to more or less classical Arabic written in the Hebrew script, particularly in the Middle Ages. Just as with the rest of the Arab world, Arabic-speaking Jews had different dialects depending on where they lived. This phenomenon may be compared to cases such as different forms of Yiddish (Judæo-German) such as Western Yiddish and Eastern Yiddish, or forms of Ladino (Judæo-Spanish) in areas such as the Balkans, Thessaloníki/Istanbul, Morocco, etc.
The Arabic spoken by Jewish communities in the Arab world differed slightly from the Arabic of their Arab neighbours. These differences were partly due to the incorporation of some words from Hebrew and other languages and partly geographical, in a way that may reflect a history of migration. For example, the Judeo-Arabic of Egypt, including in the Cairo community, resembled the dialect of Alexandria rather than that of Cairo (Blau). Similarly the Jewish Iraqi Arabic of Baghdad was found reminiscent of the dialect of Mosul. Many Jews in Arab countries were bilingual in Judeo-Arabic and the dialect of the Arab majority.
Like other Jewish languages and dialects, Judeo-Arabic languages contain borrowings from Hebrew and Aramaic. This feature is less marked in the traditional Judeo-Arabic translations of the Bible, as the authors clearly took the view that the business of a translator is to translate.
Jews in Arab countries wrote—sometimes in their dialects, sometimes in a more classical style—in a mildly adapted Hebrew script (rather than using Arabic script), often including consonant dots from the Arabic alphabet to accommodate phonemes that did not exist in the Hebrew alphabet.
Maimonides' Commentary on the Mishnah, Sefer ha-Mitzvot, Guide to the Perplexed, and many of his letters and shorter essays.
Most communities also had a traditional translation of the Bible into Judeo-Arabic, known as a sharħ (meaning): for more detail, see Bible translations (Arabic). The term sharħ sometimes came to mean "Judeo-Arabic" as such, in the same way that "Targum" was sometimes used to mean Aramaic.
In the years following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, most Mizrahi and Sephardi Jews in Arab countries became Jewish refugees, fleeing mainly to France and Israel. Their dialects of Arabic did not thrive in either country, and most of their descendants now speak French or Modern Hebrew; as a result, the Judæo-Arabic dialects are now considered endangered languages.
^ For example, "I said" is qeltu in the speech of Baghdadi Jews and Christians, as well as in Mosul and Syria, as against Muslim Baghdadi gilit. This however may reflect not southward migration from Mosul on the part of the Jews, but rather the influence of Gulf Arabic on the dialect of the Muslims.
Judeo-Arabic languages are a collection of Arabic language dialects spoken by Jews living or formerly living in Arabic-speaking countries. Just as with the rest of the Arab world, Arabic-speaking Jews had different dialects for the different regions where they lived. Most Judæo-Arabic dialects were written in modified forms of the Hebrew alphabet, often including consonant dots from the Arabic alphabet to accommodate phonemes that did not exist in the Hebrew alphabet.
In retaliation for 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Jews in Arab countries became subject to increasingly insufferable discrimination and violence, causing virtually all of them to flee en masse to Israel. Their dialects of Arabic did not thrive in Israel, and most became extinct, replaced by the Modern Hebrew language.
In the Middle Ages, Jews in the Islamic diaspora spoke a dialect of Arabic, which they wrote in a mildly adapted Hebrew script (rather than using Arabic script).
This phenomenon is called Judaeo-Arabic and may be compared to both Ladino (Judaeo-Spanish) and Yiddish (Judaeo-German).
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0.999994 |
Imagine you are a young woman. You are about to leave your family and your home and embark on a long voyage to a strange country to settle with your fiancé, who you have not seen for five years. This is Lina Cesarin’s story.
Lina Cesarin came from a small town in Casarsa in the province of Pordenone, Italy. Her father sailed to the USA in search of work, leaving her mother to raise Lina and her siblings. When Lina was 17 years old, she met Rizzieri Cesarin. After a brief courtship, they were engaged for a year before Rizzieri was invited to sail to Australia in search of ‘la bella vita’ (the good life).
In 1951, Lina farewelled her beloved Rizzieri, who had made a promise to send for her when he was well established in Australia. Rizzieri paid for his ticket on SS Surriento and arrived in Sydney on 18 June 1951. After working in Sydney for a couple of months, Rizzieri moved to Cooma in southern New South Wales, where he helped establish base camps for workers on the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme. During this time, the couple wrote letters to each other and Rizzieri described the challenges of working in Cooma and his hopes for establishing a comfortable home for his bride.
In 1956, the time finally came for Lina to leave her home for Australia. After a heartbreaking farewell to her mother, Lina boarded SS Neptunia, alone, with no friends or relatives on board. On 9 July 1956, Lina arrived in Sydney and was reunited with her fiancé. Just two days later, on a cool winter’s day, Lina made her way to a church in Leichhardt, wearing this beautiful ivory satin dress, with a white lace veil and a pair of gloves. Within a few hours, Lina and Rizzieri were married.
Lina’s experience was not unusual. During the late 1940s to the 1950s, Italian immigration to Australia peaked following the devastating economic impact of World War II. Unlike Lina, some brides came to Australia to meet their husbands for the first time. They were proxy brides, who had participated in a marriage ceremony back in their hometowns with an elected relative, acting as a ‘stand-in’ groom for their absent fiancés. These proxy marriages were arranged based on a few key factors. A young man would write to his family back in Italy, expressing a wish to marry a ‘respectable’ woman who came from a nearby village and most importantly, a ‘good family’. Letters were sent, photos exchanged and the ceremony conducted. When the bride embarked on the voyage to Australia, her husband would be waiting to greet her at the port and they would be introduced for the first time as husband and wife. This process may seem archaic today; however, it must be seen in light of the strong sense of duty held by these women and men. The concept of ‘mia famiglia’ (my family) remained a pervasive and central force within Italian communities, and it motivated migrants to send for a bride with common expectations and values from their homeland, to start a new life in Australia.
This dress is a treasured symbol of the many Italian brides who sailed to Australia, uncertain about how life would turn out in their new country and also, with their new husbands. Lina’s story and the experiences of the proxy brides are an important part of Australia’s migration history. They represent a time when ‘bride ships’ were welcomed to Australian shores by crowds of hopeful fiancés and husbands. These couples went on to establish vibrant social and cultural traditions that contributed significantly to Australia’s dynamic multicultural community.
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If you are selling your home with OR without a real estate agent you should get an appraisal before you decide on the selling price. An agent's market analysis will get you in the ballpark, but do you really want to stumble around in the dark with your hard earned equity? I remember a retired couple that set their selling price based on the agent's analysis. Their home sold in three days! When the appraisal came in it was $20,000 above the selling price. That was a terrible shame but it can be just as bad if you price it too high and it just sits on the market. An upfront appraisal will protect your equity and be well worth the cost.
1. Research the subject property as to size, bedrooms, baths, year built, lot size and square footage.
2. Gather data of recent sales in the neighborhood. The appraiser needs to locate at least 3 similar-sized homes that have sold in the neighborhood with in the last six months. The homes also need to be within one mile of the subject property. These homes are called the "Comparable Properties" or "Comps" for short.
3. The field inspection consists of two parts: a complete inspection of the subject property, and the exterior inspection of the comparable properties.
The subject property inspection consists of taking photos of the street scene, front of the home and rear of the home, which may include portions of the yard. The appraiser will make an interior inspection for condition, noting any items that would detract from or add to the value of your home. He will also draw a floor plan of the home while doing the inspection.
The inspection of the comparable properties is limited to an exterior inspection. For features that cannot be seen from the street, the appraiser uses: reports from Multiple Listing Services (MLS), California Market Data Cooperative (CMDC), county public records, and appraisal files to help determine the condition.
4. After the field inspection has been completed, the appraiser must determine which comparable properties most resemble the subject. Then he/she makes slight adjustments in value for any differences. After making the required adjustments, the appraiser must go through a reconciliation process with the three comparable properties to determine a final estimated value of the subject property. This method is called the "Direct Sales Comparison Approach to Value", and it accounts for nearly all of the considerations in determining value of a single-family property.
It is important to remember that the appraiser will be taking photos of the street scene and the front and back of the home. The street scene gives the lenders some kind of idea as to the type of neighborhood in which the home is located. The photo of the front of the home gives the lender an idea of its condition and its curb appeal. Lastly, the photo of the back of the home and part of the rear yard is another indicator to the lender of the home's care and maintenance.
In most cases, (over 90% of the time) what you see in the condition of an exterior home will be repeated almost exactly in the interior. So one of the most important things you can do to enhance the value or perceived value is to improve the curb appeal of your home, ... and don't forget to clean up the back yard.
An appraiser will call in advance to set up an appointment to inspect your home. At that time offer to supply any information about the home size, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, pool, enclosed patio, etc. The more that is known about the property prior to inspection, the better the appraiser can focus on researching the most similar comparable. Doing your homework will maximize your chances of having a good appraisal.
While your home is being inspected don't follow the appraiser from room to room causing distraction. Instead, allow the inspection to go smoothly. In case the appraiser has any questions, be close by to answer them. The time to mention the things you think are important is either before or just after the inspection.
In conclusion, the best thing you can do to increase the perceived value of your home is to get it ready before the appraisal. Clean it, put fresh paint where needed, and clear the clutter inside and out. You should also make any minor repairs needed and be sure to manicure the front and back yards!
• What is an Owner-Builder, Really?
• Are you Open to Identity Theft?
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When you think of hockey, do you ever imagine a swimming pool? There is a sport called underwater hockey and, while it has only been around for a short time, it is growing in popularity all over the world. Also called Octopush, the sport was started in the 50’s as a means of helping scuba divers fit in the off season in the United Kingdom and since then it has gained recognition. Underwater hockey involves two teams that are challenged to score goals by pushing a heavy weighted puck along the bottom of the pool. The game adheres to a strict no contact rule and involves a competitive level of fitness and strategy. Teams are outfitted in snorkeling gear such as masks and fins, with short, blunt sticks and work in conjunction with 5 other team members to score in the opposing net. Additionally, the uniform requires protective head gear and rubberized gloves used for both protection and control. It’s a rapid action sport and requires frequent surfacing for breathing purposes so players must react quickly and rely on other team members to step on to complete plays.
With play happening on the bottom of the pool, players are required to build on skills of underwater volition, quick diving abilities and practiced breathing control. There are also the competitive aspects of the game involved to control and transport the puck, strategize against the opposing team’s defense and maneuver to stop the other team’s offense as the game does not include attending goalies.
The area of play measures 15 metres wide by 25 metres long and is best played at a depth of over 2 metres. Play begins with an audible signal mobilizing the traditional face off with the puck stationary on the pool bottom in the designated play area and teams race from the opposite walls of the pool in an attempt to take possession of the puck, somewhat different from the traditional hockey face off. Each team has a goal comprised of a metal trough measuring approximately 3 metres wide. Team members are furnished with a heavy wooden or polymer stick, about a foot in length, coated in a tough durable plastic. With bevelled edges to create a slight scoop and a curved handle to improve control, it resembles an arched paddle and enables players to push, rather than shoot, the puck around.
To score in underwater hockey, players must work as a team as it is virtually impossible for a single player to complete a play due to breathing requirements. Plays must be strategized by members in advance and modes of non-verbal communication between team members are essential in advancing in the game. Underwater hockey encourages limited contact with players.
As can be assumed, the sport is not the best game for spectators. Unless the pool that is housing the game has an under surface viewing area, it is rather difficult to watch from the edge of pool and thus a live fan base is seldom engaged. At this point in time, filming of the games is also somewhat limited but with technology continuously making dramatic strides, methods for capturing the sport for viewing enjoyment is improving and will soon be more widely available.
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I agree completely that the semantic web is the future of web technology. However, as to the future of the internet as a whole, it is more prudent to talk about how it will be used, and what it will mean, rather than its technical structure. A semantic web will allow for computers to handle much of the day-to-day data analysis, bureaucracy and trade that is currently carried out laboriously by humans. This will lead to huge efficiencies in many areas of life, making everyone wealthier, and making any tasks involving processing or sifting through data extremely fast and simple. It also will make possible semi-intelligent computers with access to and understanding of the whole internet.
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Premier Gladys Berejiklian has rebuffed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's calls for NSW to open areas of the state to gas production that are currently off-limits, declaring the state's policy "will not change".
A day after Mr Turnbull renewed his attack on NSW and Victoria over restrictions on gas mining, Ms Berejiklian said the Commonwealth "can say what it likes, but we need a national approach".
Ms Berejiklian said the state government had clearly identified areas where gas exploration can and cannot occur, following a review by the NSW Chief Scientist and "community consultation".
"We are not changing our policy," she said. "I want to make that clear. Our policy stands, our policy is solid."
The comments come as the NSW government prepares to fight byelections in Cootamundra and Murray on October 14, including against the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party, which defeated it at last year's Orange byelection.
On Thursday former Nationals leader Troy Grant – who lost his position after the byelection defeat – attacked the Shooters over the gas issue, accusing it of having an "open-slather" policy.
Mr Grant, who is Police Minister, challenged the party to "come clean with the farming community that you allegedly represent. You want an open-slather policy for coal seam gas".
But Shooters MLC Robert Borsak accused Mr Grant of being "full of hot air".
He said the party's policy had not changed for years and included supporting the ban on coal seam gas exploration on prime agricultural land and in areas that threaten the water supply or water table.
Asked on what basis Mr Grant believed the party had an "open-slather policy", a spokeswoman said he had no further comment.
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I'd like to share the latest resources on many issues surrounding Medical Professionalism from the Institute on Medicine as a Profession at Columbia University.
The Institute has recently updated their Conflict of Interest Policy Database. The database collects conflict of interest policies at the nation's 125 medical schools, broken down by specific areas such as gifts, vendor access, ghostwriting, pharmaceutical samples and more. From this information, the Institute has developed a number of Resources on Conflict of Interest that offer recommendations for how health care organizations can build effective policies to curb undue influences on patient care.
The Institute has also recently expanded its Advocacy Education Program, offering grants to physicians who wish to train to become effective advocates in addressing the broader social determinants in health.
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La Historia de la literatura romana de Michael von Albrecht es la primera edición española de la monumental Geschichte der römischen Literatur, en su segunda edición ampliada, revisada y actualizada tanto en los contenidos como en la abundante bibliografía. Se trata de una obra imprescindible para comprender no sólo las obras literarias, sino también el carácter y el espíritu de una civilización que ha influido en las literaturas europeas hasta nuestros días. La presente obra se dirige a los estudiantes y a los profesores de lenguas antiguas y modernas, literatura cristiana y patrística, así como a todos los interesados en la literatura y la historia del pensamiento. Concebida como complementaria a la Historia de la Literatura Griega de Albin Lesky, la Historia de la Literatura Romana considera también escritores menos conocidos y aborda continuamente la teoría de la literatura antigua, el lenguaje y el estilo, la historia de la tradición y de las influencias posteriores. La literatura antigua no sólo comprende la poesía y la narrativa, sino también la oratoria y los escritos históricos y filosóficos: la prosa de arte, por tanto, en el sentido más amplio de la palabra. Además estudia las obras de carácter práctico, es decir, las que tratan de agricultura, derecho, arte militar, arquitectura, etc. La estructura homogénea de todos los capítulos facilita con originalidad la lectura en secciones y cortes longitudinales, permitiendo una consulta rápida y la vez pormenorizada. Las cuatro secciones sobre épocas presentan un corte transversal completo de la vida literaria de un periodo, y tratan detalladamente la poesía y la prosa, por géneros literarios y autores.
que la filología latina ha presentado hasta ahora.""
The History of Roman Literature by Michael Albrecht is the first Spanish edition of the monumental Geschichte der römischen Literatur as it appears in its updated and revised second edition, which has been extended both in its content and in its abundant bibliography. This is an essential work for the understanding of Roman literature and, also, of the character and spirit of the society which produced it; a society that has had a great influence on European literature to our day. This work is aimed as much at students and teachers of ancient and modern languages as at anybody who has an interest in writing and the history of human thought. The History of Roman Literature was conceived as being complementary to Albion Leskys´ The History of Greek Literature, but differs from it in that it also examines lesser known writers and pays close attention to the theory of ancient literature, language, style, tradition and the role of later influences. By "roman literature" von Albrecht means that produced in Latin in antiquity, but the term "literature" is different in many ways to our modern understanding of that term. Ancient literature did not just take in poetry and narrative, but also encompassed oratory and texts about history and philosophy: artistic prose in the widest sense. Works of a practical nature are also considered, in other words: those that deal with agriculture, law, military science, architecture, etc. The success of given authors does not constitute the one and only yardstick of greatness in this scheme of things.
An essential characteristic of Latin literature, one that confirms it as the mother of all European literature, is its capacity for reinvention. This was first seen in the Latin literature of the Christian era of antiquity, a time that cannot be overlooked in the history of that literature. Since the conflict between paganism and Christianity was a crucial aspect of the later imperial era, an analysis that did not take it into account would fall short in methodology and historical accuracy. The homogenous structure of the chapters facilitates the reading process, and the pattern of columns running from top to bottom makes reference quick and detailed. The four sections dealing with different eras provide a complete cross section of the literary life of a period and treat its poetry and prose in detail, dividing them by genres and authors. Analysis of different authors is also made easier by the division of each section into categories such as: biography, chronology, sources, models, genres, technique, language and style, universal vision and legacy.
The History of Roman Literature by Michael von Albrecht (Geschichte der römischen Literatur, München, K. G. Saur Verlag, 2nd ed. 1994) has also been published in English and Italian.
Michael von Albrecht (Stuttgart 1933) is professor of Classical Philology at the University of Heidelberg. He is a musicologist and a doctor of Latin, Greek and Indian studies. He has been a visiting professor at Amsterdam, The Institute of Advanced Study of Princeton University, and at the universities of Gainesville, Florida and Austin.
The History of Roman Literature is remarkable for the abundance of observations running through the text that are as original as they are convincing; many of these observations take on the character of short essays. Overall, the astounding erudition of the work reflects a vast and varied reading. Through countless testimonies and references the scope and influence of Latin literature are recognized to a much greater extent than ever before. In the chapters dedicated to later trends von Albrecht demonstrates a literary knowledge comparable to that of Ernst Robert Curtius. Besides showing admirable familiarity with Latin authors and writers of the medieval and modern ages, von Albrecht also takes into account the social and technological developments that shaped the societies in which the literature was produced.
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Sister moving to the neighborhood I saw my sister buying a room near my house. Having a dream vision of seeing your sister moving to live closer to you and if you felt bothered by this fact, it could serve as a prediction of upcoming period in your life which could be inundated with challenges, difficulties or inability to solve emerging issues. The same dream could portend betrayal or acts of deception originating from people whom you used to care about a lot. Sometimes, dreams of this nature mean that your sister has a tendency to pry into you private life or tell you what to do, which could bother you a great deal.
Having children who do not exist and neglecting them Frequently dream that I suddenly remember that I have 1 or 2 other kids besides my son, but that I have neglected them, their whole lives. Sometimes in the dream I realize that I never really liked them either. I feel bad about it in the dream and endeavor to be more attentive to them. Dreaming about children you did not know you have symbolizes people around you who normally support and help you, like your parents or close friends. While this seems like a positive sign, the realization that you do not like or necessarily want the children in your vision may indicate that you feel these helpful people are overstepping boundaries or putting too much pressure on you. Feeling bad in the dream is likely a reflection of your feelings in real life: You know they mean well, but you have your own life to live and do not need to be coddled.
Being naked and not ashamed My mother said she dreamed about me naked, and I was not ashamed. Seeing someone naked in a dream vision usually points to having a close relationship with said person. In this case, because you are parent and child, this indicates that your mother deeply cares for you and feels that the love is reciprocated. This can be understood more clearly through your mother perceiving that you were unashamed. Her dream vision is, therefore, reflective of the strong bond you two share.
Relatives in a forest My dream was about my grandfather and my two girl cousins were in a forest. My two cousins came out my grandfather never did. This vision contains two opposing symbols which are of great interest. On one hand, you have your two cousins entering and exiting a forest, which indicates successfully completing tasks or moving forward with your life. On the other hand, your grandfather enters the forest but does not emerge for the rest of the dream, which represents a large, insurmountable problem. This vision seems to suggest that someone in your life is going through a troubling time (not necessarily your grandfather), but their other friends and family either do not see their suffering or are too busy to help. Because you see their pain, you should probably offer them whatever support you can during this time. They may return the favor someday.
A family meeting with furniture around Me waiting in an upstairs lobby for my family to arrive for a play. The chairs are facing sideways and not the stage. Bed sheets are sloppily draped on the chairs. at the further end of this upstairs area a friend is very busy serving food from his canteen though there are not many people. He lives on the ground floor with his family. People begin filling in the seats and there aren't enough left when my family gets there. The stage performance doesn't happen but I find myself walking outside in the heat and looking for a rubbish bin for wrappers from the food I have just eaten. This vision is a bit complicated, but there are some important points which should be noted. The image of waiting alone usually represents feelings of being separated or different from others. This is further supported by your family not having seats when they arrive, indicating that they are possibly losing their place in your life due to differences in opinion or beliefs. The interior of this building is also very interesting. The image of the chairs facing each other and not the performance about to take place suggests waiting for someone you see eye to eye with or who shares a certain passion or hobby with you. This may be a want of romance but can represent friendship as well. Additionally, the messiness of the room reflects feelings of confusion or indecisiveness, possibly because you are unsure what to do or who to turn to.
Getting to know girlfriend better and kissing My mom met my girlfriend and her parents and me and my girlfriend almost kissed. She has never met my parents in real yet and we never kissed yet. What does it mean? Dreaming about your girlfriend meeting your mother can mean one of two things. On one hand, it may indicate you are currently experiencing some stress in connection with your relationship. On the other hand, it may represent the feelings of anticipation for this event (meeting each other's parents) in the future. It's not clear whether you and your girlfriend almost kissed in front of you mother or not, but, in general, this sign represents your feelings for her and your hesitation to rush things in the relationship. You may have some fears about scaring her away or getting in over your head.
Grandmother and a baby I pull my grandmother and a baby who isn't mine out of the bath and wrap them in towels, nan sits in her chair and has this injured bird which she is looking after and drip feeding. The baby you saw in your dream could represent fulfilling goals you have set out for yourself in the near future. These goals may be work-related, such as getting a promotion or asking for and receiving a raise, or they may be about your personal life, such as getting into a steady relationship or meeting some financial goals. Wrapping the baby and your grandmother in towels suggests you have been taking great care with these plans, indicating their importance to you. This means the reward you reap is likely to be especially sweet and appreciated. Finally, seeing your grandmother nursing a bird back to health is also a positive sign reflecting kindness and a nurturing nature.
Performing and father missing it In my dream I was on a stage acting and afterwards my dead father comes to me wraps his arms around me crying saying he is sorry he missed it. He wished he could have been there. Then I wake up. Acting on a stage suggests an internal desire to be recognized and admired. This may be through having a high-profile profession, like an actor, singer, or writer, or more local fame, like a community leader or a specialist in your school or company. In either case, the image of your father showing up suddenly and holding you close suggests he has a message for you from beyond the grave. If your interaction with him occurred on the stage in front of everyone, it may mean that he supports your moving into the spotlight and wishes he was there to see it. However, if this embrace took place somewhere off-stage, it more likely means he wishes to discourage you from getting too far ahead of yourself lest things turn out poorly.
An image disappearing from the picture My cousin had a dream about my sister, mum and me. I was looking down on a pic of me, my sister and my mum... The image of me faded from the picture. She thinks maybe I am feeling distant? Or I find that you are doing things for myself these days? Is something going on with my sister? She seemed very distant as well in the dream. Traditional dream interpretation sources reveal that looking at a picture of someone important in the dreamer's life means that he or she is seriously concerned about the person in question. You are correct when you point out that your cousin could be sensing some strong signals of growing distance or losing touch between you and other family members. To your cousin, as a side observer, these signs could be much more visible and apparent, possibly because she is not as immersed in more subtle family interactions happening on the inside as much as you, your mom and you sister are, individually and collectively.
Walking while holding hands and babysitting I was waking down a road, holding hands with a man that I have feel in love with. I was also holding hands with my husband and he was also holding hands with his wife! Later I dream I was at his mother's home. Keeping his grandchildren, while everyone was at a funeral. When everyone returned, his mother very rudely said to me it was time for me to leave and thanked me for babysitting. This is a rather complicated vision with multiple symbols, but a few major points stand out. You do not mention if your feelings for this other man persist in real life, but feeling love for someone other than your husband and who is already married suggests you are not as passionate about something in your life as you used to be. This might be a relationship, such as with your husband, but it could also be a hobby or a charitable cause. In addition, envisioning someone you love in a dream, whether it was your husband or the other man, indicates some concerns related to your family. This is also supported by the mother who acted rudely towards you, representing some internal fears about how your recent actions (or lack thereof) are perceived by other people you are close to. This dream does not end on a bad note, however. Both the children you take care of and the funeral imagery predict that luck and fate are on your side in the long run. You may experience some difficulty in regaining your interests or finding other appropriate ways to spend your time, but the eventual results are likely to satisfy you greatly.
Having to leave to flee and losing relatives My mother had a dream that my brother came into her house where she once lived years ago. He told both my mother and grandmother that they had to quickly pack their bags, that they had to go. Once at the bus or train station, my mother could no longer see my brother or her mother, yet she could hear her. She was left all alone at the station. If your mother dreamed about a house that was once familiar to her, it is a sign that she is currently in a comfortable place in her life. Having someone urge her to run away from that comforting place, however, indicates that there are troubles on the horizon. Specifically, leaving a house in a hurry portends sudden financial distress, possibly due to the loss of income or an unexpected expense. Arriving at a station, be it a bus or a train station, indicates going on a journey or through some major change, most likely due to the new financial situation your mother is about to find herself in. Finally, being left alone at the end of the vision represents feelings of isolation in her new position, either because no one is there to help or because she is too proud to reach out for help.
Son with green eyes I had a dream that my son had green eyes. Dream visions about your son having eyes of unusual color is an auspicious sign of some positive changes and transformations soon to take place in his life. He, or both of you, may soon receive a very lucrative offer or proposal which could significantly improve his life. At the same time, if you were unpleasantly surprised or even shocked by his appearance in this same dream, it could also mean he could be hiding some important information or news from you, that is if he is old enough to be able to so.
Being treated nicely by family members I was dreaming about my sister of aunt and that in this dream she acts good to me and we played together a truck game and then my neighbors came over and we had a party. Dreaming about being around or communicating with your close-knit family and being happy is a sign of good health and acquiring something special you always wanted to receive, either from the people you were interacting with in this dream or from other relatives. Similarly, being together with and happily coexisting with your family members is symbolic of peace and balance in your life, mainly due to loving atmosphere and support you receive from them. Quite likely, these visions are evoked by your anticipation of the next family gathering or celebration, such as Christmas holidays.
Having different kids from different fathers Dreamt of having a couple of children, but someone explaining that the beautiful ones are with a new different father. It was a segment, part of a long dream, but that was the only part about having children and the feeling that it was with a different person that mattered more than having children by itself. Someone had to explain to me that those are from a new father, than those old ones, but they all seem to get along. I don't have children in real life nor romantic partners and it was a bit odd to have this dream. In the context of this dream vision, the children you have symbolize your everyday small achievements and routines you have to go through. However, you could be feeling that they could be more meaningful and you would feel more accomplished if you had a person or people to share your aspirations with or simply be appreciated and valued for what you do. In general, children in dreams represent going through changes or making positive transformations in your waking life. You could be considering welcoming new people and experiences that come with that, and taking small steps to make it happen, with or without trying to make it a top priority.
Father having more children than in waking life My aunt had a dream that her brother (my father) was introducing her to his three sons. The dream is particularly weird because my father only has two children, my sister and myself (his only son). Envisioning unfamiliar male children is a negative sign associated with someone that you know and love acting in an unusual and disturbing manner. Because the focus of your aunt's dream is your father, it is likely related to him. She may subconsciously be picking up some small changes in his personality that are growing day by day. This could be related to a mid-life crisis or some other major event that is taking place in his life and may uproot his usual routines. You should be on the lookout for more serious differences in his behavior and, if things start getting worse, try to help him get through this difficult time.
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Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African American civil rights movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. King is often presented as a heroic leader in the history of modern American liberalism. A Baptist minister, King became a civil rights activist early in his career. He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957, serving as its first president. King's efforts led to the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. There, he expanded American values to include the vision of a color blind society, and established his reputation as one of the greatest orators in American history. In 1964, King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and racial discrimination through civil disobedience and other nonviolent means. By the time of his death in 1968, he had refocused his efforts on ending poverty and stopping the Vietnam War. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 and Congressional Gold Medal in 2004; Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established as a U.S. national holiday in 1986.
Commemorates the births of George Washington (22.2.1732) and Abraham Lincoln (12.2.1809). The memory of America’s first president, George Washington, was once celebrated on his birthday, February 22nd. The date was changed to the third Monday in February to create a three-day weekend.
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 31 in 2010). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. soldiers who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War – it was extended after World War I to honor Americans who have died in all wars. In the United States, Memorial Day marks the start of the summer vacation season, and Labor Day marks its end. Begun as a ritual of remembrance and reconciliation after the Civil War, by the early 20th century, Memorial Day was an occasion for more general expressions of memory, as ordinary people visited the graves of their deceased relatives, whether they had served in the military or not. It also became a long weekend increasingly devoted to shopping, family get-togethers, fireworks, trips to the beach, and national media events such as the Indianapolis 500 auto race, held since 1911 on Memorial Day.
Veterans Day is an annual United States holiday honoring military veterans. A federal holiday, it is observed on November 11. It is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world, falling on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. (Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.) The holiday is commonly printed as Veteran's Day or Veterans' Day in calendars and advertisements. While these spellings are grammatically acceptable, the United States government has declared that the attributive (no apostrophe) rather than the possessive case is the official spelling.
Official languages: No official language nationwide, English is the de facto official language.
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British pickpocket and highway robber who formed her own gang . Name variations: Moll Cutpurse; Molly Cutpurse; Mary Markham; Molly Frith. Born in London, England, around 1584; died in 1659; daughter of a shoemaker.
One of Britain's most infamous and powerful outlaws, Mary Frith started down the wrong path early in life, defying her parents and teachers. A homely girl by conventional standards and scorned by her female peers, Frith took to competing with the boys in her neighborhood, often winning her way with her fists. While still in her early teens, she abandoned dresses for breeches and a doublet, the costume she wore until her dying day.
Frith worked unsuccessfully as a domestic servant and fortuneteller before coming to the attention of the Society of Divers, who, noting her long middle finger, pegged her as a natural pickpocket. Finding her niche, she excelled in her new profession, flaunting her success by obtaining the finest men's wardrobe available, smoking a pipe, and frequenting the local pubs. Around 1605, she took to the stage of London's Fortune Theater, belting out bawdy songs and making lewd speeches. Her performances gained her dubious acclaim as the first professional actress in England and also brought her to the attention of Elizabethan playwrights Thomas Dekker and Thomas Middleton, who made her a character in their 1907 drama, The Roaring Girl. Five years later, dramatist Nathan Field also immortalized Frith as a despicable character in his play Amends of Ladies.
tradespeople in England, which she obtained through high-placed government contacts.
During her long career, Frith also dabbled in procurement and blackmail. Aside from her single incarceration, she avoided further confrontations with the law until early in February 1612, when she was arrested, not for any of her serious crimes, but for wearing male attire in public. Tried and convicted, she was sentenced to do public penance by standing in the square at St. Paul's Cathedral during a morning sermon and proclaiming her remorse. Not only did Frith perform her penance (supposedly drinking herself into oblivion so as to appear properly contrite), but arranged to have her best pickpockets present in the square to loot the pockets of the onlookers. For the next two decades, she reigned supreme among London criminals, adding to her already great fortune. At the time of her death at age 73, however, she had gone through most of her money and left what little there was to three maids in her employ. At her request, she was buried face downward in her grave, because, she said, "I am unworthy to look upwards, and that as I have in my life been preposterous, so I may be in my death."
"Frith, Mary (c. 1584–1659)." Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. . Encyclopedia.com. 22 Apr. 2019 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.
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Week 7: Vikings at Giants (video) The Arkansas Association of High School Officials gets it. The NFL does not. If you are an official at any level, may I suggest you print this tweet, cut it out, and laminate it: 1. Clock status 2. Downs 3. Penalty enforcement 4. Whistle control 5.
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0.977904 |
How do you convert polygons to multiple rasters in model builder?
I am attempting to build a process model in model builder and keep getting stuck at a point where I need to convert vector data to raster. Model builder wants to take all of my overlapping polygons and create a single grid. I thought I would be able to use an iterative process in Model Builder to cycle the process through each of the 100+ records (polygons) in my original feature class, but have not been able to do this.
How do I convert a set of polygons to multiple raster files where each polygon results in a single raster?
How can I systematically process only one record at a time?
I would add a field to the polygon feature class and populate in with an incremental number 0 to whatever. Then use either the "Select" or "Select Layer by Attribute" tool as your first process to select the feature whose number is equal to variable %n% which represents the number of iterations that your model is going through (keep in mind %n% starts at 0 not 1).
I have to same issue and I'm not sure until now you can find the solution or not. If you know how to solve this problem, could you please share with me?
Vannareth, this is FAR easier in ModelBuilder at 10x/Pro, which supports iterator tools.
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William McCulloch (1832-1909), businessman, pastoralist and politician, was born on 22 October 1832 in Wigtonshire, Scotland, eldest son of Samuel McCulloch, laird of Chippermore, and his wife Helen, née McWhinnie. In 1852 he migrated to Victoria to try his luck at the Mount Alexander goldfields. He soon turned to store-keeping and later travelled for McEwan & Co., one of the largest importers in Melbourne. The slow growth of railways prompted him to become a carrier and forwarding agent and to found the firm which became the largest of its kind in Australia. In 1860 he went to Europe and in 1861 married Catherine Vance Agnew, younger daughter of Colin Christison of Barglass, Scotland.
McCulloch returned to Victoria and opened a carrying business at Woodend but soon moved the headquarters of the McCulloch Carrying Co. to Melbourne. Within fifteen years the company had twenty branch offices throughout Victoria, Riverina and South Australia, owned five Murray riverboats and was agent for about ten more and negotiated contracts with graziers on the Murray, Murrumbidgee and Darling Rivers. The Riverina trade was funnelled into Echuca, the company's biggest branch office, to be forwarded by rail to Melbourne. McCulloch was also a founder and director of the Moama-Deniliquin railway, opened in 1876. Railways later threatened to undermine his business and he relinquished leadership of the company in 1886. His younger brother James helped to direct the company until it merged with (F. A.) Wright, Heaton & Co. in 1898.
From 1870 William successively owned three properties close to Melbourne and invested heavily in stud cattle, sheep and horses imported from Europe. He specialized in Clydesdale horses, and his foundation stock of Shorthorns consisted of a dozen cows from the best herds in England. Later purchases were Pink 11th, one of whose calves brought 590 guineas, the bull Rapid bought from Lady Pigot for 1000 guineas in England, and Grand Duchess of Oxford bought for 2100 guineas in 1878. That year McCulloch spent £30,000 in England on prize and blood stock for seventeen animals. He claimed to have spent fully two years in 'a critical examination of the leading herds, and in attending every Shorthorn sale of importance'. In the 1880s he became interested in sheep and acquired Mertoun Park, a property near Colac. In 1886 he bought Warbreccan, 63,000 acres (25,495 ha) near Deniliquin, and in 1889 Woodlands, nearly 56,000 acres (22,662 ha) near Ararat and 'one of the most imposing country homes in Victoria', built in 1869 by John Wilson. A prominent supporter of coursing, he won the Victorian Waterloo Cup in 1874 with Royal Water. Ten years later he owned Monsoon, the runner-up, and Cumloden which won many matches. A great patron of the turf, he imported the best strains of English blood, amongst them Caiman and Pilgrim's Progress, sire of the Caulfield Cup winner, Lieutenant Bill, in 1902.
McCulloch represented Lonsdale Ward in the Melbourne City Council in 1872-76. Though pressed to accept the office of mayor, he declined since he wanted to visit Europe for health and business reasons. In 1880-1903 he represented Eastern (Gippsland) Province in the Legislative Council. He made few speeches but when debating argued quietly, briefly and yet diplomatically. He spoke his mind, was not afraid to make clear and positive recommendations and was especially knowledgeable about sheep, cattle, rabbits, railways, horse-racing, betting and women's suffrage. He was pro-Federation. A moderate in most issues, he was willing to listen cautiously to all sides but adamant when sure of his ground. In 1890 he was a prominent founder of the Pastoralists' Union in Victoria.
In 1895 McCulloch was appointed minister of defence in George Turner's first administration and as a cabinet member spoke more often, shepherding his share of bills through the chamber. When the Boer war broke out he organized and dispatched the first Victorian contingent. His loyal enthusiasm overrode all opposition. His transport work so impressed the governments of Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia that they transferred all the transit arrangements of their contingents to the Victorian government. In 1901 he chaired the celebrations committee for the Duke of York who opened the Federal parliament. He was minister of defence and health in the second Turner administration, and minister of public works and health in A. J. Peacock's cabinet until June 1902, when he was appointed to represent Victoria at Edward VII's coronation and to reorganize the office of the Victorian agent-general in London. In that year he was appointed C.M.G. He resigned from the Legislative Council in 1903 to run for the federal Senate but lost and retired to Woodlands, where he died on 4 April 1909. Predeceased by his wife in 1894, he was survived by three sons and three daughters.
Although delicate as a youth, McCulloch was tall and handsome, with very blue eyes and a well-clipped beard. Described in the press as accessible, genial and warm-hearted, he 'was always associated with integrity, honesty and probity' and 'charitable to a fault'. A staunch member of the Australian Church, he was one of the guarantors for its debt and Dr Strong preached at his funeral.
McCulloch Carrying Co. papers (State Library of Victoria).
Samuel Clyde McCulloch, 'McCulloch, William (1832–1909)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcculloch-william-4077/text6507, published first in hardcopy 1974, accessed online 19 April 2019.
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Why is humidified air good for you and your home?
Coincidentally, some of the side effects caused by dry air are also common symptoms of medical ailments that can strike you at anytime during the year including the common cold, the flu, upper respiratory infections, and sinus infections. According to the National Institutes of Health, increasing the humidity in your home when you're battling a cold, the flu, or a sinus infection helps moisturize your nasal and throat passages. This helps drain excess mucus so you can breathe more clearly.
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HOW many times per day!?
Pet owners tend to feed their beloved cats just twice a day, but now it looks like our poor moggies might need to eat much more regularly than we ever realised.
As The Metro reports, two animal welfare experts have revealed that your furry BFF may actually need a whopping five meals a day.
Through their work with International Cat Care for Birmingham-based science event The Big Bang Fair, veterinary experts Dr Sarah Ellis and Dr Lizzie Rowe have suggested that we should give our cats five smaller meals per day, rather than two larger bowls.
They believe this feeding plan more closely resembles a feline's natural eating patterns in the wild, where they would spend most of their time hunting for small prey, such as mice.
The experts believe our tendency to offer cats two large bowls of food could make them overeat and gain too much weight, so 'little and often' may be the best approach when it comes to feeding them.
Doctors Ellis and Rowe believe that cats eating five small meals a day tend to experience lower levels of stress, reduced anxiety and aggression, as well as weight loss.
Additionally, they'll be less likely to engage in attention-seeking behaviour – good news for your sofa if your pet is always scratching it!
Dr Ellis says: 'The way we feed our cats generally does not match the lifestyle they were designed for.
'Cats have undergone little in the way of selective breeding during the domestication process and therefore have an instinctive need to hunt.
'This modern lifestyle could be dangerous to pets, but by making a few simple changes to the way we feed them, we can help our cats to live longer, healthier and happier lives.
They also recommend turning meal times into a bit of a game forcats to mimic the natural hunting process and keep them entertained.
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My 15 months toddler still waken 2 or 3 times at night. What we could do?
slowly wean your child from the bed you and your spouse sleep in like for instence tonight when you put her in your bed ddon't take her out do this for another 2 weeks and then start putting her in your bed til she is really sleepy and then put her in her crib do thisvfor 2 weeks and then so on and so on!I wish you tons of luck!
This may seem very hard but there is a way to help your DD and yourself get some much needed sleep! When my daughter was little I had this problem and my doctor gave me some great advice which I've used for my DS one year old. When she wakes up do NOT pick her up. Lay her back down and cover her up. Give her a kiss and say "night night Mommy loves you" then leave the room. Let her cry for a few minutes and then go in and repeat what you just did. Leave again and let her cry for a little longer then go back in and repeat step one. Keep doing this increasing the amount of time you are out of the room by a little more each time. In a few nights you'll have her sleeping like an angel all night long! It may be hard at first but soooo worth it!
I am having sudden issues with my 22 months son who used to be the best sleeper. What's happening to you can probably be that's she's gotten used to mommy helpng her go back to sleep, you have to help her lear that skill so don't wait until she's completele asleep to put her back on her crib or try soothing her while she's laying on her crib. I tried that and it worked at that age... not anymore! I tried what mackstraff explained in her post and it completely backfired on me. The kid cried for 5 hrs and I kept going in the room and going back out at no avail. I'm changing the technique now. Good luck!
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How do I download an XPI without Firefox trying to install it?
Mail Redirect, a TB addon, recently switched to Sourceforge because MozDev was shutting down or something. However, attempting to download the latest XPI from Sourceforge (http://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/mailredirect/mailredirect-0.7.7-sm%2Btb.xpi?r=http%3A%2F%2Fsourceforge.net%2Fprojects%2Fmailredirect%2F%3Fsource%3Ddirectory&ts=1370301869&use_mirror=iweb) fails, because Firefox assumes the download is supposed to be an install of a Firefox addon, and Mail Redirect's metadata is set to be incompatible with Firefox.
There is no way to override this and force an actual download; clicking "Direct Link" on the page does the same thing, and dragging either of the links to the Downloads window (Ctrl-J) downloads an HTML document with a .XPI extension, which is obviously useless. What's more, Thunderbird has no convenient way of opening arbitrary webpages.
I finally caved and used IE to download it. It took about 30 seconds.
Mail Redirect, a TB addon, recently switched to Sourceforge because MozDev was shutting down or something. However, attempting to download the latest XPI from Sourceforge (http://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/mailredirect/mailredirect-0.7.7-sm%2Btb.xpi?r=http%3A%2F%2Fsourceforge.net%2Fprojects%2Fmailredirect%2F%3Fsource%3Ddirectory&ts=1370301869&use_mirror=iweb) fails, because Firefox assumes the download is supposed to be an install of a Firefox addon, and Mail Redirect's metadata is set to be incompatible with Firefox. There is no way to override this and force an actual download; clicking "Direct Link" on the page does the same thing, and dragging either of the links to the Downloads window (Ctrl-J) downloads an HTML document with a .XPI extension, which is obviously useless. What's more, Thunderbird has no convenient way of opening arbitrary webpages. I finally caved and used IE to download it. It took about 30 seconds.
You will have to right-click such a link to save the file (you now have such a link above).
Alternatively you can set the Boolean pref browser.altClickSave to true on the about:config page.
Then you can hold down the Alt key and left-click a link.
security.crl.autoupdate.errDetail.VeriSign Trust Network: Download of the CRL failed due to Network problems.
security.crl.autoupdate.errDetail.VeriSign Trust Network SGC: Download of the CRL failed due to Network problems.
How to disable firefox asking if I really want to launch .msi file?
You will have to right-click such a link to save the file (you now have such a link above). Alternatively you can set the Boolean pref <b>browser.altClickSave</b> to <i>true</i> on the <b>about:config</b> page.<br /> Then you can hold down the Alt key and left-click a link.
Right-click the direct link and Save Link As instead of Left-click.
Right-click the '''direct link''' and Save Link As instead of Left-click.
Well, don't I just feel stupid. I should have tried that earlier, but somehow I didn't?
Ah well. Humility is good for the soul or something.
Well, don't I just feel stupid. I should have tried that earlier, but somehow I didn't? Ah well. Humility is good for the soul or something.
Hmm. Sure enough; not sure why the README is inserted at the bottom, but I guess that's SF's fault.
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The charts below show the percentage of Irish students at one university who spoke an additional language to English from 2000 to 2010.
The pie charts illustrate the percentage of Irish students who were able to speak languages other than English at a particular university over a ten year period.
Overall, the proportion of students speaking a foreign language had increased by 2010, especially those of European languages closer to Ireland.
In 2000, seventy percent of all students were bilingual with Spanish, French and Celtic accounting for over half of all languages spoken by students. While Spanish was certainly the most popular second language (30%), ten percent of students reported speaking three languages that year. Speakers of only one language or another language accounted for 20% and 15% respectively.
Ten years later, three in four students spoke a second language at the expense of mono language speakers who declined by half. Spanish remained the most popular second language overall increasing by 5%, meanwhile, the number of trilingual students rose slightly to 15%. Although French decreased slightly, the number of Celtic speakers stayed the same and those who spoke another language recorded a slight rise.
This paragraph paraphrases the question using different terms for “an additional language” and stated time.
The languages that increased were Spanish and French which are nearest to Ireland.
In general, people knowing more than one language had become more numerous by 2010, though single language speakers had declined.
Describe each pie chart segment. Group Spanish, French and Celtic together to give the total number of bilingual students and state a general trend for your first sentence. Give details in following sentences.
Use comparative language to relate 2010 to 2000.
Give the least significant information last.
The pie charts illustration the percentage Irish students who were able to speak languages other than English at particular university over ten year period.
Overall, the proportion of students speaking a foreign language have increased 2010, especially those of European language closer to Ireland.
In 2000, seventy percent of all students were bilingual with Spanish, French and Celtic accounting over half of all languages spoken by students. While Spanish is certainly most popular second language (30%), ten percent of students report speaking three language that year. Speakers of only one language or another language accounted 20% and 15% respectively.
Ten years later, three in four students speaking a second language at the expense of mono language speakers who declined half, Spanish remained the most popular second language overall increasing by 5%, meanwhile, the number of trilingual students rose slightly 15%. Although French decreases slightly, the number of Celtic speaker stayed the same and those who speaking another language record a slight rise.
Ten years later, three in four students spoke a second language at the expense of mono language speakers who declined by half, Spanish remained the most popular second language overall increasing by 5%, meanwhile, the number of trilingual students rose slightly to 15%. Although French decreased slightly, the number of Celtic speakers stayed the same and those who spoke another language recorded a slight rise.
How many speakers were bilingual in 2000? What was the most/least popular tongue spoken in addition to English? What about three languages? Can you think of any other words for language? What about people who can speak one, two or even three languages?
What were the changes per segment by 2010? Use the grouping of bilingual and trilingual to make comparing the two charts easier. What trends do you notice by 2010?
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Ancient race trait not giving 10% per each relic?
So I am in a new game. I have the ancient ability as a custom race. I am not getting 10% per relic. I am only getting 10% <once> as a global empire wide ability. I also have 'clever' at +1 which also give 10%. I have TWO relics yet only have a grand total of 10% not 20% like it 'used' to be.
Is this how ancient is supposed to be working? If Ancient was changed I would love to know. I will upload a save and screen shots for a ticket.
And last here is a research planet. I have Ancient as a race ability and Clever +1 which is 10% to research.
Ok, I just picked up another type of relic and it appears to be giving 10% research. I can live with it not giving 10% on top of a research one.
Research relics always only gave 10%, they didn't give extra. Which, strangely enough, made research relics the crappiest ones overall if you have the Ancient trait.
Be aware that the Ancient trait got an extra nerf lately and went from -25% research to -50% research. It provides a pretty heavy hit in early research. It takes 5 non-research relics before you even out nerf vs. bonus. I had been using it for a while when it quietly changed. It is a good balance change, but ooh, does it hurt.
What nerf are you talking about? I do not see any penalty to my research at all. Why was there a penalty built in at all and where can I see it?
This sounds like a bug more than a data problem, I will make sure, and get it looked at by someone if I can’t fix it myself.
I have -50% research "Civilization Ability" listed in the research breakdown on each planet, along with the +10 percent for each relic module.
The -25% or -50% reduction in research speed is from the research speed selected before the game starts. "Slow" is - 25%, "Very Slow" is -50%, I don't think it's a bug.
Been a long time, but I haven't play 1.7 yet.
Seabrook is correct. The -50% is the game pace setting 'slow or very slow' I noticed this as well. If you look at the above pic on my research planet I am playing on normal pacing. I do not have the -50% that Erischild is referring to, but I have seen it in games where I wanted a slower game.
I would ask, if we change game pacing such as slower tech or over all pacing slower does it also affect all the ai? Will they also be slower?
Well, you.re right! I am not surprised that you are right, but I am surprised by how wrong I was. I will claim innocence by way of a misleading label. It's a thin excuse, but it's all I got.
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Types of Embroidery Machines: When shopping for embroidery machines, remember that there are different types of equipments that can be classified under embroidery machines, based on function, size and use. The most common types are those that need manual operation to create designs on fabrics and other materials, and are mainly used for fiber art and quilting projects. These are: 1. Embroidery only Machine: This unit is meant only for embroidery and can be a great accompaniment for sewing machines, and for creating simple embellishments of existing items. Portable, so best for homeowners who love to embroider. 2.
Combination Embroidery Machine: This equipment combines sewing and embroidery features into one unit. Great for tailors or sewers who want to embroider too. 3. Commercial Embroidery Machine: Has multiple needles. Several colors can be threaded before starting work on the design so a lot of time is saved.
Units can be large, so best for commercial and heavy use. Computerized Embroidery Machines: Computerized Embroidery Machines, though a little more expensive than conventional embroidery machines, are most convenient for hobbyists and professionals alike. These units are capable of automatically creating designs from pre-made patterns that are fed into them through CDs, floppy disks, or flash cards. They can also be connected to a computer to create custom designs. The average Computerized Embroidery Machine costs around 500-600 dollars, along with the digitizing software program. Additional embroidery patterns can be bought from manufacturers, and other companies dealing with these kinds of embroidery accessories. However, many people prefer to create their own patterns by attaching the machine to a computer loaded with digitizing programs capable of resizing, editing and creating patterns. Embroidery machine software programs can be divided into Commercial software– for custom designs, Machine-specific software – That can be downloaded for personal use, Independent-vendor software - An add-on for converting formats, Independent-designers software – which requires brand-specific hardware and software. Important Features to Look for: After you’ve made a decision to buy an embroidery machine that you like, don’t forget to double check if the equipment incorporates any of these important features: 1. Mirror-image capability - enables symmetry and balance in the pattern-creating process.
2. Cutaway Backing – enables cutting the excess with a pair of scissors. 3. Tearaway Backing – enables the excess to be torn away after fabric is embroidered. 4. Automatic needle threaders. 5. Bobbin: The spool that holds the thread. The stitches on the underside of the garment are formed by the Bobbin thread. 6.
Presser foot - a tool that is used to hold the fabric steady and provides support and stability to the garment being embroidered. 7. Hoop – another embroidery tool to hold the fabric steady. 8. Embroidery Scanner - can scan custom designs and convert them into stitches. Popular Embroidery Machines: Some of the more popular Embroidery Machines that you might want to consider before buying one include those manufactured by Tajima and Melco such as Bernina, Pfaff, Babylock and Brother; and other brands like White and Simplicity.
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0.947158 |
Although the recent progress is substantial, deep learning methods can be vulnerable to the maliciously generated adversarial examples. In this paper, we present a novel training procedure and a thresholding test strategy, towards robust detection of adversarial examples. In training, we propose to minimize the reverse cross-entropy (RCE), which encourages a deep network to learn latent representations that better distinguish adversarial examples from normal ones. In testing, we propose to use a thresholding strategy as the detector to filter out adversarial examples for reliable predictions. Our method is simple to implement using standard algorithms, with little extra training cost compared to the common cross-entropy minimization. We apply our method to defend various attacking methods on the widely used MNIST and CIFAR-10 datasets, and achieve significant improvements on robust predictions under all the threat models in the adversarial setting.
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What does it mean to represent? We believe it means that we all need to represent the best of what each of us can be. We believe that young people observe what we do, and emulate it. We believe we should all strive to represent the positive behaviors that we want to see in others. We believe that it is our responsibility to create a safe and secure environment for the children in our community.
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Article: Are workspaces of today designed to fuel aspirations?
Are workspaces of today designed to fuel aspirations?
A survey report by The Office Group (TOG) reveals that about 80% of employees feel more productive in co-working spaces than in their previous offices.
Co-working spaces have grown as an asset to companies, by harnessing the drive to creativity and productivity. Today, companies thrive, not just to achieve financial profitability, but productivity enhancement too. Workspaces could be a great inspiration to outstanding performance and an influence to leading a motivational work life. Bright colours, quirky patterns and lively ambience are a great stress-buster and help nourish one’s creative thought-process. More than sharing just office spaces, co-working has evolved further into an environment where different minds function under one roof. New-age technology, flexibility, structure and design thinking – have together facilitated the co-creation of an all new community. This transformation from traditional offices with cabins and glass doors to sharing work bays and lunch boxes with friends from different companies definitely does hold a different meaning to the employees.
Enhancing the productivity of employees begins from the environment. In fact, a survey report by The Office Group (TOG) reveals that about 80% of employees feel more productive in co-working spaces than in their previous offices. Aspects such as company branding within premises, refreshments and breaks taken care, access to facilities and the overall ambience, not only speak of company values in terms of managing resources, but are also found to be feasible at shared spaces than own offices.
How different are workspaces of today?
Stroll through the city, and one can find umpteen number of co-working spaces in almost every corner, these days. Each co-working space definitely has something to offer. Walls painted with abstracts and quirky colours, bar stools replacing mobile chairs - these are ideally what define co-working spaces. So, what does this mean to the employees? Workplace plays a major role in setting the right tone of the surrounding and the brand, as a whole. A culture that began thriving for economy in operations has now gone far beyond, touching the need points of networking, flexibility and creativity. Networking allows access to wider perspectives, which in turn helps spark better conversations within the workspace.
Although the rise in need for co-working spaces is attributed to start-ups, today, even large corporate are looking to move to shared workspaces. Given that multiple industries such as IT, real estate, technology, arts etc, these days prefer to work out of co-working spaces, customisation is now the key trend in the industry. Start-ups, for instance, are flexible in terms of work timings, and the way they work - quirky backgrounds, fun while working, play around with pets etc, thereby creating a positive impact in the physical and mental health of the employees around. A corporate, on the other side, may want an ambience that resonates with the company's brand and values; companies with female employees who are mothers, want a day-care centre - needs vary with different types of audience. Rapid technological developments such as AI have been assisting companies with services such as reception desk, visitor tracking, food orders and even attendance management.
Keeping the spirit of competitiveness up, co-working space providers are now looking to expand operations to a wide variety of services, mainly to cater to the employee-community than the company as a whole. This change in attitude and expectations of employees towards contemporary culture definitely does raise a question in our minds - 'Are workspaces of today really designed to fuel aspirations?' Employees now have begun to seek motivation in perks other than remunerations, as against a trend which didn't exist earlier. With ambience having come to play a major role in triggering creativity in the performance of employees, the level of expectations have also begun to rise. Employees these days, prefer flexible working, creative backgrounds, programmes to keep them entertained and motivated while at work, and 24*7 assistance for services. The co-working culture, as popular as it is among the youth, has not only influenced the working population of today, but job seekers too. Candidates now give equal importance to the look and feel of the office as much as the work profiles.
Meghna Agarwal, Co-founder, and COO of IndiQube.
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0.969707 |
How to make a character (Person) in Unity 3?
Hey, I'm making a small game to learn how everything works.
Basically though, I can't really find anything on how to make a character?
I have the Unity 3, and it comes with the construction worker, and it doesn't say how to configure everything to work.
I use 3ds Max (I would like to use this, I can get Maya through the school too, but I perfer 3ds Max).
I went through what is available, and it helped a little, but a written tutorial would be perfect.
Well, What I'm thinking, tell me if I'm right or wrong, But, you make the character in 3ds Max, you then make the animations in 3ds Max like you would normally, Then you import it to Unity, and then you can use the Animation Splitting?
Is that how it is done? And if so, does it have to be .fbx or can it be the direct saved file?
The characters will be created actually in 3ds Max, so you're going to want to look for tutorials on that more so than in Unity. Once you've created and animated them, you should be able to import them into Unity.
Also check Autodesk's website, they have a ton of info on that for getting started.
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0.999999 |
Tibetan Buddhism encompasses a wide range of Buddhist perspectives, including Hinayana (renunciation focused), Mahayana (focused on compassion and the Bodhisattava vow to aid all beings), and Vajrayana (the tantric practices focused on transforming negative states and energies into positive ones.) Like other forms of Buddhism, it has had a strong dialogue with Western psychology, psychotherapy, and counselling practices. In particular, many Tibetan Buddhist approaches share similarities with cognitive therapy in which unhelpful or unrealistic beliefs are challenged. The visualisation practices in Tantric Tibetan Buddhism have had a strong influence on the use of visualisation in Western transpersonal psychotherapy.
What are the benefits of connecting Tibetan Buddhism and psychotherapy?
Tibetan Buddhism has a well developed psychology of the mind, and can be psychologically beneficial in it's emphasis on the cultivation of open hearted warmth, generosity, devotion, and compassion. However, like other forms of Buddhism, Western practitioners tend to bring their own biases and psychological issues to the way they understand and practice the teachings.
One example is that practitioners who are not deeply grounded in their body, their identity, and their relationships may subtly dissociate from every day tangible reality, or from robust and direct interpersonal communication through a misunderstanding of the more otherworldly aspects of Tibetan Buddhism. For these practitioners psychotherapy can help reduce this split, and help bring them back to a fruitful path of spiritual development.
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[Winnie] Stachelberg said those working on the passage of ENDA “ought to learn” from the strategy of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal campaign, which made those aggrieved by the status quo the public faces of the repeal effort.
She noted that gay service members outed under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” were visible in the campaign and said it was “terribly important” in the effort.
“From Mike Almy, to [Victor] Fehrenbach, to [Anthony] Woods, to Stacey [Vasquez] to all the members of the military who suffered this discrimination coming forward telling their stories — it’s essential that our community tell the story of LGBT workplace discrimination in an equally powerful way,” she said.
I agree, and page one of the book which tells that tale should be the degree to which her former employer – the Rhode Island Avenue Cesspool – as well as almost all gay rights organizations discriminate against trans people, particularly trans women.
Gay Americans from outside Washington should demand that they stop sacrificing progress to further their personal political careers.
Who is Richard Grenell, “Longest serving U.S. Spokesman in the history of the United Nations” (?), talking about?
The entrenched gay leaders in Washington, DC, have spent the last two years blaming Republicans for the fact that they themselves have struck out on Capitol Hill and will end the 111th Congress with nothing to show for their multimillion-dollar fundraising efforts. If this were a public company, the Board or the shareholders would have run these leaders out of town a long time ago.
Despite campaigning for decades to put Democrats in control of all of Washington, their dream ticket of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Barack Obama failed to deliver what the gay leaders themselves promised the movement. Led by Joe Solmonese of Human <sic> Right Campaign and Aubrey Sarvis of the Servicemen’s Legal Defense Network, gay leaders have been tripping over themselves to protect President Obama from blame for not making the promised progress on gay equality. Solmonese and Sarvis are the faces of the most expensive failed gay campaign in history. Other gay leaders in Washington also have turned their comfortable and high-paying perches into a safe haven free from the consequences of job performance evaluations.
It’s time we found some young gay leaders who will work for equality and not be concerned about pleasing the Democratic Party.
I am not suggesting we dismiss the GOP sins of advocating for small government policies while practicing intrusive, big government tactics. But Republicans who advocate laissez-faire principles can be great allies, just as liberal Southern Democrats can be strong opponents working against us. But Solmonese and Sarvis have never seen it this way. For them, it’s all a process to help the Democratic Party win more seats. And for this failed strategy, they should be judged harshly.The partisan leaders of the gay and lesbian movement in Washington have spent endless political capital telling us that we would be better off if all of our elected officials were Democrats. They have spent millions of dollars trying to convince us that we will be taken care of by a partisan Democratic America.
It IS neo-Log Cabin Crap.
We could literally set up a guillotine on Rhode Island Avenue and force every employee and board member of the Scampaign to, um…, get jiggy with it.
The christianist psychosis – masquerading as ‘common sense’ economic populism – that has altered the DNA of the Republican Party officeholding elite?
Real people know what the answers are to those – and real people know that the fully-genetically-mutated Republican Party of 2010 is only slightly less likely to support the substantive legislative changes that real, living LGBT people need than was the proto-mutation version of 1995….
It is painfully obvious that the national gay leaders have promoted their own partisan agendas and careers within the Democratic Party instead of working to ensure passage of civil rights.
I can agree with this sentence – but I feel obligated to point out that this was obvious to trans people fifteen years ago.
And its not as if we kept our opinions to ourselves.
Of course, the fact that we didn’t keep our opinions to ourselves allowed the incestuous gay elite to refuse to hire any of us and then engage in a circle-jerk of rationalization for fifteen years.
The real tragedy is that gay leaders in Washington don’t have enough moxy to move their own political party — the party that controls the White House, the Senate and the House. It is a sign that they either don’t have the skills to make political progress or are too close to the Democratic leadership and therefore unwilling to make the necessary push.
Again – he’s presuming that any of them actually had accomplishing anything as a goal. It has long been clear that the non-trans-specific systemic disease pulsing through the veins of the Rhode Island Avenue Riviera is not an inability to accomplish what non-DC LGBTs want, it is not actually having what non-DC LGBTs want as any goal whatsoever.
We can do better and we should start by demanding for Somonese’s and [SLDN’s Aubrey] Sarvis’ resignations.
Sounds like a typical Obama Administration ‘compromise everything away from the start’ maneuver.
We should start by demanding that HRC shut itself down, open its books to the people it has claimed to speak for (as well as to the civil and criminal authorities), and liquidate its assets for distribution to the state and local organizations that actually have done work over the last three decades.
To our good and loyal members and donors: After pondering deeply the general trends of the world and the actual conditions obtaining in D.C. today, we have decided to effect a settlement of the present situation by resorting to an extraordinary measure.
We have ordered our P.R. people to communicate to you that our Board acknowledges the attitude of disgruntlement currently festering among those for whom we have arrogated the right to speak.
To strive for the common prosperity and happiness of all gays and lesbians well as the security and well-being of our allies is the solemn obligation which has been handed down by our predecessors and which we lay close to the heart.
Indeed, we worked as we did for the past several years out of our sincere desire to insure the self-preservation of gay people and the stabilization of our rights, it being far from our thought either to infringe upon the goals of our allies or to embark upon personal financial aggrandizement.
But now the current leadership of our organization has lasted for nearly six years. Despite the best that has been done by everyone – the gallant lobbying of our lobbyists, the diligence and assiduity of those who attend our Black-Tie galas and the devoted service of our many millions of members – all of whose existence are thoroughly documented, trust us – the DC political situation has developed not necessarily to the advantage of gays and lesbians, while the general trends of the nation have all turned against their interest.
What won’t be spelled out is that Solmonese will get a seven-figure severance. What will be further stated is that either Winnie Stachelberg, Hilary Rosen or Ken Mehlman will be the next HRC E.D.
…and the torch is passed, and another champagne cork poppeth.
And trans people are who really don’t get it.
We’ll get nothing from anything that that toxic HRC-radiation-emitting piece of garbage has any hand in crafting.
Ironically, its looking like gays and lesbians won’t either.
followed by a ‘but’ that consisted of the entirety of the Incrementalism-oid’s Guide to the Homosexually Pure Galaxy. I quote the last two lines of it and then, never panicking, I unleash the one weapon that Incrementalism-oids have no defense against: Reality.
541 words of toxic historical revisionism from one who will benefit from the spread of the disease of ‘gay-first compromise’.
You are everyone and every organization that ejected transsexuals and other trans people from the gay rights movement and/or actively or passivily worked to create the third-class status we stagnate in today.
You and people like you are not going to run away, gay-only ENDA in hand, from the reality of what has been done TO us by Gay, Inc., over the last 30+ years and pollute the historical record with your cries that ‘incremental progress’ was a neo-manifest destiny of the homoesexually pure.
Gee – if only a segment of the LGBT community had stood up and warned everyone else about what sort of diseased chicanery that Winnie Stachelberg is capable of.
I think it was the T.
More specifically, it was that portion of the T that actually wants to see substantive progress.
I know, the term “substantive progress” should be a redundancy. But, the term “Human Rights Campaign” shouldn’t be a self-contained lie.
John Aravosis of Americablog yesterday called out the liberal Center for American Progress (CAP).
As he notes, CAP has been on a rather public campaign to take credit for the entire Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell compromise that has much of the gay community in an uproar.
That compromise puts the power to nullify DADT into the hands of military leaders and the president six months or a year from now. It appears to be wildly unpopular in the gay community at large.
The Gay City News reported that the compromise had been drafted by CAP and circulated among legislators starting roughly two months ago, quoting Winnie Stachelberg.
Winnie Stachelberg, a former HRC employee and senior official at CAP, was instrumental in the “incrementalist” strategy that left transgender people out of ENDA for years, and stripped them out in 2007 once they managed to get in.
I note that Mr. Aravosis himself was fully in favor of incrementalism when it came to transgender people and ENDA in 2007.
So now we find out that Ms. Stachelberg, the ENDA incrementalist, left HRC, went to CAP, where she promptly applied her incrementalist strategies to DADT repeal.
The incrementalism shoe is on the other foot.
You remember Winnie the Shoe, don’t you? I do now – because I did then.
Another transphobic hack with a history of ties to HRC comes out in favor of ‘incremental progress’.
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, H.R. 3685, introduced by Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), would make it illegal to fire, refuse to hire, or fail to promote employees simply based on sexual orientation. Protections for the LGBT community exist in a patchwork of states due to the hard work of the LGBT community, but there are surprisingly no federal prohibitions on discriminating against individuals based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Yes, its a shame – but a surprise?
Well, its also no surprise that someone who spent a good bit of time shilling directly for HRC would continue to party like its 1999. You can take the hack out of HRC, but you can’t take the HRC out of the hack it would seem.
The first step was, depending on your chronological scope, either (a) all of the transphobic, gay-only ENDAs from 1975-2006, or (b) 2007 HR 2015.
You have heard of that, Winnie?
[I]t is wrong to fire someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. But right now the votes to pass an inclusive bill are just not there.
The trans-inclusive ENDA, which, if there actually were not the votes for it, should not have been introduced in the first place?
But, it was introduced, no?
I believe we can and should make progress—one step, and one inch, at a time.
But, of course, she gets all 2.54 centimeters.
We get to continue competing for employment in situations in which someone like her can get to decide whether a trans person is actually the best candidate for the job.
What do you trust more? Her well-funded sincerity? Or trans activists’ hungry analysis of how ‘incremental progress’ is a lie?
Those of us who live in reality have always known that, ultimately, Aravosisism is as empty as NCTE’s concern for the lives of trans women not named Keisling. And some of us have been pointing out for years what those who could would never admit: that ‘incremental progress’ was even more of a lie than the Republicans’ mid-1990s ‘principled’ drive for term limits. After all, there were at least one or two Republican elected officials who voluntarily limited themselves to 12 years in Congress because they genuinely desired to limit themselves to the constructs of mid-1990s ‘term limits’ theory (even though we all knew then, and some Republicans have since admitted, that there was no ‘principle’ behind term limits; it was just a scam to force popular Democrats out of office.) But there never really seemed as though there would be the opportunity to show, via controlled experiment, precisely to what degree ENDA-related ‘incremental progress’ was a lie and to what degree those who were pushing its virtures were liars – or worse.
Strangely, if the reports of Winnie the Shoe’s involvement in the emptiness of the DADT ‘compromise’ are true, at least she’s maintaining some consistency – even while simply having shifted from one fraud to another.
Now, as for those actually defending the ‘compromise’….
You say you really believe that DADT – the policy itself, not the 1993 Congressional act which the ‘compromise’ targets – is going to go away? Put your money (yours, not a pile from some HRC slush fund) where your mouth is. There’ s bound to be a Las Vegas betting line on it.
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White County was organized from Gallatin County in 1815, and was named after Captain Leonard White (some accounts say Captain Isaac White), a Gallatin County legislator who is credited with the idea of extending the Illinois-Wisconsin border a few miles north of the southern tip of Lake Michigan and was also in charge of the salt works at Equality. He was killed in 1811 at the Battle of Tippecanoe. The county seat, Carmi, was founded in 1814, and incorporated in 1816. The first courthouse was in the log cabin of John Craw.
The first white settlers came to White County between 1807 and 1809. The first settlements were near the Little Wabash River and Big Prairie, one of the numerous prairies in the county. These families—Hanna, Land, Hay, Williams, Calvert, Ratcliff, Holderby, Robinson, Stewart, among others—typically had spent time in the Carolinas, Kentucky or Tennessee before moving into Illinois, and most were of Scots-Irish descent. Many came through the land office at Shawneetown, Illinois, which was a port for flatboats which traveled the Ohio River.
Other early settlements were Grayville, located at the mouth of Bonpas Creek and the Wabash River, settled by the Gray family around 1810; Phillipstown, on the bluffs above the Wabash and Fox River floodplain; and New Haven (mostly in Gallatin County), which was home to a brother of Daniel Boone around 1818. Old Sharon Church (Presbyterian), located near the later village of Sacramento, was organized around 1816, and the village of Seven Mile Prairie was established a few miles north of the church in the 1830s. The parents of longtime Abraham Lincoln girlfriend Ann Rutledge were part of this group, along with families named McArthy, Miller, McClellan, Pollard, Storey, Fields, and Johnson.
About 1839, a group of Irish immigrants began moving into the extreme western part of Enfield Township, led by Patrick Dolan, as well as members of the Mitchell and Dunn clans. Dolan was auctioneer in 1853 when the village of Enfield was platted, as Seven Mile moved west in anticipation of a railroad line, which was not built until 1872. German families moved into the middle portion of the county in the 1840s and onward, especially from the Baden region, and included the family names of Rebstock, Dartt, Brown, Sailer, Stanley, and Drone.
The second half of the 19th century saw the establishment of the towns of Norris City, Springerton, Mill Shoals (once the home of a thriving barrel-making industry which depleted the nearby virgin forests), Epworth, Herald, Burnt Prairie (previously known as "Liberty"), Crossville, Phillipstown, Concord (also known as Emma), Maunie and Rising Sun (commonly called Dogtown)--the latter two villages are located on the Wabash and attracted several African-American families. A number of villages which no longer exist were also formed: Trumbull, Roland, Middle Point, Stokes Station, Gossett, Bungay, Calvin, Iron, and Dolan Settlement.
In 1925, White County was devastated by the Tri-State Tornado, the deadliest tornado in U.S. history. A good proportion of the 127 killed in Hamilton and White counties were in White County itself. The main town affected was Carmi.
Agriculture was the primary industry of White County until the summer of 1939, when oil was discovered in the Storms and Stinson fields in the Wabash River Bottoms. The population of Carmi doubled within two years, from 2,700 to 5,400, with corresponding increases at Crossville and Grayville—in 1940 it was said one could walk between these two towns by simply walking from rig to rig. Many of these workers migrated from previous oil booms in Texas and Oklahoma. As of 2013, fracking is underway near Carmi.
The current population of White County is a little over 17,000, with 6,500 in the county seat of Carmi. There is a high number of retired people, and many citizens work in the factories of Evansville or Mount Vernon, Indiana, located 45 and 25 miles to the east, respectively. Besides oil and agriculture, industries include auto parts manufacturing, plastics, a convenience store distribution center and underground coal mining.
White County, Illinois was also the site of the ill-fated Erie Canal Soda Pop Festival also known as the Bull Island Fest in 1972. Three county sheriffs were the only police force present at the festival.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 502 square miles (1,300 km2), of which 495 square miles (1,280 km2) is land and 7.1 square miles (18 km2) (1.4%) is water.
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Carmi have ranged from a low of 22 °F (−6 °C) in January to a high of 89 °F (32 °C) in July, although a record low of −20 °F (−29 °C) was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 103 °F (39 °C) was recorded in August 2007. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.61 inches (66 mm) in October to 5.00 inches (127 mm) in May.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 14,665 people, 6,313 households, and 4,142 families residing in the county. The population density was 29.6 inhabitants per square mile (11.4/km2). There were 7,181 housing units at an average density of 14.5 per square mile (5.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.1% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.3% American Indian, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 25.5% were German, 15.8% were Irish, 14.0% were American, and 11.8% were English.
Of the 6,313 households, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.4% were non-families, and 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.78. The median age was 45.2 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,728 and the median income for a family was $48,666. Males had a median income of $41,712 versus $26,168 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,081. About 10.1% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.7% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
^ Webber, Tammy. "Illinois high-volume 'fracking' underway". The Associated Press. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
^ a b "Monthly Averages for Carmi, Illinois". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 2011-01-27.
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During the last two decades, a huge leap in terms of data formats, data modalities, and storage capabilities has been made. As a consequence, dozens of storage techniques have been studied and developed. Today, it is possible to store cluster-wide data easily while choosing a storage technique that suits our application needs, rather than the opposite. If different data stores are interlinked and queried together, their data can generate valuable knowledge and insights. In this study, we present a unified architecture, which uses Semantic Web standards to query heterogeneous Big Data stored in a Data Lake in a unified manner. In a nutshell, our approach consists of equipping original heterogeneous data with mappings and offering a middleware able to aggregate the intermediate results in a distributed manner. Additionally, we devise an implementation, named Squerall,that uses both Apache Spark and Presto as an underlying query engines. Finally, we conduct experiments to demonstrate the feasibility, efficiency and solubility of Squerall in querying five popular data sources.
The submission presents an architecture for querying data stored in a Semantic Data Lake, which is similar to the virtual ontology-based data access. The second contribution is a description of an implementation (Squerall) and its evaluation on a modified BSBM benchmark (why does the abstract mention 5 popular data sources?). These contributions fit the Knowledge Graphs 2018 special issue call for papers.
First of all, the notion of the Semantic Data Lake is a bit unclear - how is it different from the ontology-based data integration (OBDI)? Note that although the focus in OBDI has mostly been on relational data sources, the OBDI framework does not restrict the type of data sources in any way. Also, the novelty of the Semantic Data Lake architecture is unclear - the general architecture is presented in Section 2.2 but the authors, however, claim that they introduced the term in . So, what is new in the submission?
Second, the solution presented in the main Section 3 for "enabling data joinability" can hardly be considered satisfactory: every time a pair of variables deemed to contain URIs from different datasources but referring to the same objects, the user has to add a special TRANSFORM clause to the SPARQL query that would describe the modifications of the URIs before they are "matched". This means, in particular, that if the same objects come from, for example, 3 different sources, then the user has a choice of specifying transformations between any of the three pairs of the datasources (that is, s1-s2 & s2-s3 or s1-s3 or s2-s3 or s1-s2 & s1-s3) or transformation between all three pairs (that is, s1-s2 & s2-s3 & s1-s3). In the latter case, the user can only pray that the transformations are compositional. What makes the whole approach truly cumbersome and error-prone is that those transformation would have to be repeated in *each* query to the datasources. Would this "matching" not be better placed at the level of mappings? Something like canonical URIs might also be an option.
Third, the submission is quite poorly written, with lots of omissions and hidden assumptions.
page 1, right column, line 49: The authors mention "local-as-view", but I strongly suspect they actually mean "global-as-view", when the terms of the global schema are defined as views (that is, queries) over local schemas. Would the authors check the definitions?
page 2, left column, line 26: It is not clear who "we" in "we have previously introduced in " are - the list of authors is not exactly the same (not even a subset).
page 2, right column, line 3: The emphasis on "declaratively" is unclear - this aspect has not been properly explained.
page 2, right column, line 16: Is the ontology really a taxonomy? Or is it just a vocabulary? In fact, the ontology is not described in the submission (apart from a short paragraph in Section 5.1).
page 2, right column, line 40: Cassandra appears out of nowhere - does the reader need to know what that is? Is it the most canonical example of relational DB?
page 2, right column: ParSet is too much of a jargon term and POZ is not properly explained - the meaning of "ParSets live and evolve" is unclear. Also, "data source is any source of data" is obvious and thus redundant.
page 3, left column, line 39: What are "mapping ontologies"?
page 3, left column, lines 46-50: It is not clear why a Query Catalyst would decompose BGPs into stars - what is the purpose? Also, the notion of stars is not defined. And why is it called Query Catalyst? What is so catalytic about decomposing BGPs?
page 4, right column, lines 30-43: The meaning of the paragraph escapes me - the example has different variable names, and the snippet of code should be explained in more detail (what is 12? what is the effect of toInt?).
page 5, left column, lines 37-51: Why not use the same example as in Fig 2?
page 5, Figure 4: The meaning of the diagram is unclear (and the explanation is not satisfactory). What is a and b? Are they values or sets?
page 5, right column, lines 26-29: I do not understand the formula - on the one hand, s_1 and s_2 are parameters of Join and so, one assumes they are given along with pred, for example; on the other hand, s_1 and s_2 also occur under the existential quantifier in the braces. So, what are they? And why are there braces at all? Is the result a set of joins of stars?
page 6, right column, line 18: "interface to the outside" is unclear - what is "outside"?
page 6, right column, line 30: What is the meaning of "We do not intend t generate RDF triples, neither physically nor *virtually*"? Virtually generating means not generating, does it not?
page 7, left column, lines 49-51: The sentence is too long and complex, and it takes a couple of attempts to link the two sides of the "the compromise" (and no : is needed).
page 8, left column, Table 1: Is it really 2.6M persons for 5M tuples? It looks like a 3-fold increase from 26K to 77K, but a 30-fold increase from 77K to 2.6M.
page 8, left column, line 42: Why is ACID important here? Did the authors run updates in parallel?
page 10, left column, line 5: The authors mention ontology-based data access, but I could not find anything related to ontologies in the submission - the only exception is the vocabulary used to describe mappings (which can hardly be called ontology-based data access).
page 10, right column, line 24: The authors claim that the source code of the Optique Platform is not publicly available. However, Ontop, the query transformation system of the Optique Platform, is publicly available (including the source code).
pages 12-14: Appendix A should really be available only online (most of it is standard).
page 1, left column, line 45: "to dis-adhere" is a newly invented word - perhaps, "not to adhere"
page 2, left column: DFS in HDFS stands for the distributed file system, and so there is no need to repeat it - perhaps, "Hadoop distributed file system, HDFS"
page 2: "join-able" is not a word - why not joinable?
page 4, left column, lines 47-48: strange grammar in "... would yield ..., or yields ... " - why "would"?
page 6, left column, line 5: remove the space before "line 9"
page 6, right column, line 16: a space is needed after "Spark"
page 7, left column, line 29: ".e.g.," -> "e.g.,"
page 7, right column, line 22: why Spar*K*?
page 11, left column: is the URL in official?
pages 11-12: are the URL in , , , and others useful at all?
This paper presents relevant work towards making data from a data lake available using an ontology-based data access approach, so as to produce what the authors name as a semantic data lake. This is one of the first approaches in the state of the art into this direction, since so far only individual access mechanisms for different types of data sources had been proposed in the literature (e.g., for NoSQL databases).
While relevant, and while there is an early implementation available for the architecture and approach that is presented, the paper (and work presented) is not sufficiently strong, in my opinion, for a journal publication. I would encourage the authors to continue working on it until a more robust, well-designed and well-tested approach is available. I really appreciate the effort on trying to make a wider range of data sources and formats available through OBDA, and providing an implementation that tries to take advantage of existing Big Data architectures (I have myself worked on this as well, with Flink), but there are relevant shortcomings in the current version of the work that suggest that more work should be done before the paper can be accepted for a journal publication.
I will try to summarise next the main aspects that I consider that are still a bit weak in the current contribution, with the aim of helping the authors improve further versions of this paper (and of the underlying implementation).
- There is no clear explanation of why the authors have selected such a simple SPARQL fragment, and the implications of adding other primitives from SPARQL. It is well known that the OPTIONAL clause is very relevant in distributed data querying scenarios, and its usage would have important implications on the design of the join tables, for instance. So I have the feeling that this is needed for a journal paper on this area. Same happens for UNION. Besides, in relationship to the SPARQL fragment used, it is unclear why you have LIMIT but do not allow for result paging. It is also unclear why you do not allow variables in the property part of the triples, or why you only allow for very simple filters, when this may be probably already well implemented by the underlying technologies.
- It is unclear how data source selection is being performed in this architecture. There is no clear mention to the algorithm used for this purpose, although clearly the used RML mappings may be used for this task.
- The paper is not clear about why we need ad-hoc transformations to be specified in the queries. The idea of using declarative mappings in OBDA approaches is precisely to ease maintenance and avoid those users generating queries to worry about the underlying data sources. By adding the transformations as part of the SPARQL queries you are tying the queries to the data sources, specifically, and hence your queries stop being general enough. For instance, it would not be possible to add easily more data sources to be considered without adding more queries, and if several data sources can provide results, then combinatorial combinations of those would need to be specified in the queries, what seems to be wrong and a bit against the usual mediator and mapping-based architectures that have been traditionally used in OBDA approaches. Furthermore, some of these transformations may be specified in RML extensions that have been presented in the state of the art.
- The choice for nested-loop joins and deep-left evaluation is not sufficiently discussed. Why not other options that may exploit better the potential parallelisation of the architectures that you are using? I would have expected more work into discussing optimisations taking into account the underlying infrastructure that you are using.
- There is a discussion in section 5.1 about the usage of RML for physical vs virtual data access. I cannot see the point that the authors are trying to make there, since RML can be used as well for virtual data access, and not only for RDF generation. Other approaches also do the same (e.g., the morph suite or ontop). Indeed, in order to justify this comment even more, clear algorithms should be presented in the paper on how query translation is being performed.
- Finally, it is not clear at all how the system works, after reading carefully section 5. The authors seem to suggest that users should take care of loading data into the Spark DataFrame structure. How is this to be done? Why is this step needed? Isn’t it handled by the system? What about those data structures that are not easily translatable to relational data models?
- Dataset distribution across different types of underlying systems. I think that there is a need for more heterogeneity in how data is represented. Having one technology per type of entity may generate biases on the evaluation that you have not considered. This is mostly showing the feasibility of your approach, but no further conclusions should be extracted from this type of distribution, I think.
- On the query side, you are discarding some important aspects of BSBM queries because of the limitations of the SPARQL query fragment that you make use of. I think that this should be improved.
- In accuracy, you make some claims based on the comparison of results between two of your implementations when the results are large. I do not think that this is enough to claim accuracy of your results, even though it seems that your design and implementation is correct.
- It is not clear what you are trying to evaluate with your experiments on performance. I understand that you cannot compare easily with other approaches, but you may have wanted to test your approach against a native implementation of the same queries, as BSBM does with SQL, given the fact that you are doing several transformations that may include penalties in query evaluation. You may also evaluate size of intermediate results being generated, throughput, etc. The part of the evaluation of TRANSFORM is also very unclear to me.
Finally, there is a point that may summarise clearly why there is a need to work more in this area for a journal article. It is in section 8, where the authors say that as future work they will explore how the semantics of the query languages of each underlying data sources will impact on the SPARQL query fragment that can be supported. In any OBDA approach, this is extremely relevant in order to understand whether the query translation semantics are correct, and this should normally come before an actual implementation (this has not been always the case in literature, but it is extremely important).
- In page 1 you claim that semantic technologies have been used for two decades for providing local-as-view support. This is not entirely correct, since many approaches have focused on providing a global-as-view approach.
- There are a few pieces of work that are presented as part of the contributions in this paper, but seem to be a bit out of scope. Namely the NoSQL ontology and the query generator. These are not evaluated either, nor their quality discussed appropriately in the paper, so I suggest that they should not be included and only added in a discussion section.
- When you discuss the data mapping part in section 4, I would suggest introducing the fact that you use RML upfront, since for some time I was making annotations myself in the paper about why you were not using this or R2RML, and only I realised that you were using them when you went into the implementation section.
- It would be good to add a bibliographic reference to RML when you first name it, instead of only providing a URL.
- In section 6.2 you talk about user interfaces but do not evaluate them. I would suggest removing that section.
- In the related work there is a lot of discussion on how to access NoSQL data sources, but too little on approaches for ontology-based data access. From Optique, you claim that the source code is not available, although the main OBDA implementation (ontop) is actually available as open source.
- “can not” —> “cannot"
- “Section 5” —> “In section 5"
- “section section 3” —> “section 3"
The submitted manuscript describes the system Squerall for query answering over heterogeneous data sources. The system adopted the virtual ontology-based data access approach, which rewrites the user SPARQL queries to queries over the underlying the data sources. Since there are heterogeneous sources involved, a federation engine, e.g., Presto or SPARK, is needed for the query execution. The system has been evaluated using a modified version of the BSBM benchmark.
The topic discussed in this paper is timely and important. The system also shows its potentials in practice. However, there are also many places in the paper a bit sloppy, and further details need to be clarified. In particular, in OBDA, there are ontology language, mapping language, query language to be chosen, and also the language used for the source data source. These are not sufficiently discussed in the paper.
1. Ontology language. The paper stays silent about which ontology language it supports. Only in Section 4, the paper starts to mention "hierarchies between classes". The ontology language must be clarified. Then, the paper should have a corresponding part about how to handle this ontology language.
2. Mapping language. The mapping language is also unclear. In the introduction, the authors mentioned "local-as-view" (LAV) approach and it seems that the paper adopted the LAV approach. However, this is not true. W3C R2RML mapping language and also RML mapping are basically "global-as-view" mapping language. Only in Sec 5, the paper started to say it uses RML. However, it still did not say which fragment of RML is supported.
FILTER ( skip(toInt(replc( ?book, "id", "1")), 12) = ?author) ? What is the fundamental difference between TRANSFORM and FILTER in this case?
b) Also, the expressivity of the TRANSFORM seems to be limited. The fragment ([leftJoinVar][rightJoinVar].[l|r] suggests that only one variable can be modified. If we need to modify both the values of both variables. When they have different prefixes, what should we do?
4. Databases. The paper is dealing with heterogeneous datasources. Different datasources have different expressiveness in their query language. For instance, MongoDB stores JSON documents, which has a nested structure. Are we using/Can we these features in Squerall? Is there dedicated optimization techniques for each kind of supported database?
- Section 2.1. Preliminaries. This part is not sufficient. The authors should explain the OBDA framework, and discuss the ontology/mapping/query language, and the features of databases.
- ParSet should be better explained. What are the operators for ParSets?
- Query catalyst. Query catalyst is critical in the system, but not sufficiently discussed. In particular, what is the outcome of the query catalyst? Is it a SPARQL query, or a SQL query?
- Either use 'rdf:type' or 'a'. Please stick to one.
- p5. Joining ParSets. The definition of the join is ill-defined. What is the result? What are s1 and s2? Why we have pred on the left, and pred1 and pred2 on the right?
- p5. "ParSet pairs of each identified join, with their join variables: ((parset1,join_variable1) -> (parset2,join_variable2))." This needs to be better explained.
- p6. In Sec 5.1 Data Mapping. The authors should make it clear which fragment of RML is supported.
- "We do not intend to generate RDF triples, neither physically nor virtually. We rather use them to map entities, and use these mappings to query relevant data given a SPARQL query. " This sentence is particularly confusing. By definition, the semantics of mapping language is declared the relationship between the datasource and triples. Whether generating triples or not is an implementation detail. The authors are mixing these two aspects.
- How the NoSQL ontology is used in the implementation?
- The availability of the source code (Github) and license (Apache 2) should be made explicit in Sec 5.
- I believe Sec 6.2 User interface should not be part of the evaluation. Instead, It should be in Section 5.
- Evaluation. Is it possible to compare the performance with existing systems? For instance, Can we compare Squerall with SPARQL federation engines?
- For OBDA, in addition to , a recent survey [a] should be mentioned.
- There are a set of existing OBDA systems, e.g., Mastro, Ontop, Ultrawrap, Morph, which should also be mentioned. See the citations in [a].
- For Ontology-based data integration, [b] may be mentioned as well.
- For benchmarking and data generation, the work of VIG [c] is also relevant.
- For OBDA over NoSQL datasources, check [d] as well.
- "For ontology-based access, the Optique Platform emphasizes the velocity aspect of Big Data by supporting streams in addition to dynamic data." This is not correct: velocity is only one aspect of the Optique platform.
- Linking to dblp in the references is not needed.
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0.998571 |
Unlike plant-manufactured building materials, the installation of spray foam material is the manufacturing process, and that process occurs on the construction site. For spray foam, manufacturing the final product consists of the reaction of two chemicals, under controlled pressures and temperatures; like any manufacturing process, it is crucial that the quality of the product be monitored.
Just like with plant-manufactured products, spray foam manufacturers are responsible for their finished product – in this case the installed foam. Without an SQAP program, the manufacturer has little or no information about the manufacturing process (installation), or their compliance with the application requirements in the code (e.g., National Building Code of Canada 2015, Sentence 9.25.2.5.(1), requiring installations of medium density spray foam to comply with the CAN/ULC-S705.2 application standard).
Site quality assurance is therefore a necessary and important part of the manufacturing process, for demonstrating and maintaining code compliance, and for providing visibility from raw materials to finished product. It is important for the spray foam manufacturer, for authorities making approval decisions, and for users who expect a code compliant product to be installed in their building.
finished product quality assurance (e.g., daily work records to check installed foam density and adhesion).
With site quality assurance being such an important part of the manufacturing of spray foam products, it is our goal that manufacturers, authorities, and users of spray foam will consider the information presented in this bulletin when making decisions about the sale, installation, approval and use of spray foams in Canadian construction.
CCMC has been involved with the Canadian spray foam industry since its inception, working with manufacturers, developing research-based technical criteria, and supporting the industry’s implementation of site quality assurance. Many site manufactured products have advantages in their performance (e.g., air leakage control, reduction of thermal bridging, etc.), and when installed correctly, with the correct measure of site quality assurance, can become an integral part of the modern built environment.
This bulletin is to inform Canadian authorities having jurisdiction that CCMC evaluations have been developed over decades, in consultation with the Canadian spray foam industry, to confirm code compliance and protect the health and safety of Canadians.
At the request of the Provinces and Territories, the regulators of construction across Canada, CCMC was created as Canada’s official evaluation service for building officials and the construction industry in 1988. Formalizing this relationship was a Memorandum of Understanding between Canada’s Federal Government and Provincial and Territorial Governments (PTs). Also at the request of the PTs, CCMC was centralized at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) a federal government organization, in Ottawa, working closely with Codes Canada and research expertise. CCMC’s mandate is to provide a technical opinion that a product or system complies with the requirements of Canada’s Building Codes as an ‘alternative solution’ and to provide verification that a product conforms to a recognized product or material standard. As a Federal Government organization and part of the NRC, CCMC’s due diligence on all evaluations is impartial, neutral and science-evidence based, intended to protect the health and safety of Canadians first and foremost. CCMC applies the same objective, factual and rigorous process on all evaluations and provides an expert, unbiased opinion on Code and Standard compliance without commercial interest in the products evaluated. Also as a federal government entity, CCMC stands behind all of its technical evaluations.
For further information, questions, or inquiries, please contact CCMC at [email protected] or (613) 993-6189.
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0.941675 |
I use a dictionary to look up the _________ of new words.
My parents always valued the importance of a good _________.
At this time of year the government sends _________ to check the levels of quality in the local schools.
I think that Alice in Wonderland is the most _________ book I have ever read.
Her presentation was very _________ and her boss was delighted with it.
My favourite _________ of classical music is Beethoven.
1） a， 2） c， 3） b， 4） a， 5） a， 6） c.
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0.992429 |
What equipment do I need to shoot bands successfully?
The most important thing to consider for any photographer shooting live music is the speed of the lenses used and the low light performance of the camera body. On the other hand, the most important thing to consider for a photographer shooting studio-portraiture is probably the pixel count on the camera sensor along with the type of lighting used. Lens choice too is important for the studio photographer as depth of field becomes more important in the creative sense.
The D700 extends Nikon’s range of FX format SLRs, incorporating groundbreaking technologies and performance into a discreetly-sized body. The highly sensitive 12.1 megapixel CMOS sensor provides an (extendable) ISO range of 200 to 6400 and features a self-cleaning dust-reduction unit. Its EXPEED image processing engine enables the capture of images with superb detail and tonal gradation at up to 5 fps (8 fps with the optional MB-D10 battery pack and EN-EL4a battery). The advanced Scene Recognition System delivers superior exposures and is supported by Nikon’s acclaimed 51-point AF system, which offers outstanding tracking accuracy even in low light. The selectable Picture Controls streamline in-camera image processing, saving time in post-production, and a high definition 3-inch LCD screen supports two Live View modes plus an HDMI video output. Protected by a tough, environmentally-sealed magnesium alloy body, the D700 is a perfectly-balanced DSLR that can handle the unexpected, wherever your photography takes you.
The D300 defines a new class of compact professional SLR, incorporating groundbreaking technologies and performance of the D3 into a compact DX format body. The 12.3 megapixel CMOS sensor features a self-cleaning dust removal unit and delivers resolution suitable for commercial and stock photography. The EXPEED image processing engine supports a class-leading 6fps at up to 3200 ISO, and delivers superb tonal gradation. Its advanced Scene Recognition System produces superior exposures and is complimented by Nikon’s next-generation 51-point AF system, which offers broad coverage and high sensitivity in low light. Selectable Picture Controls streamline in-camera image processing, saving time in post-production, and the high definition 3-inch LCD screen supports two Live View modes plus a HDMI video output. Responsive, rugged and light, the D300 offers new levels of performance for pros on a budget..
The Nikon 14-24mm F2.8G ED AF-S lens is an extreme wideangle, fast aperture lens with a revolutionary optical design. This remarkable professional lens features a Nano Crystal coating to reduce the effects of ghost and flare, and delivers edge-to-corner sharpness that can surpass that of equivalent fixed focal-length lenses.
14-24mm zoom range features SWM (Silent Wave Motor) for whisper quiet and fast autofocus combined with ED glass to minimize chromatic aberration.
The lens has a rubber mount seal to cope in all weathers and has instant manual focus override for those moments where you have to take control (M/A or M switching).
ED glass to minimize chromatic aberration. Closest focusing distance is 0.38 m (at 50 mm). The lens has a rubber mount seal to cope in all weathers and has instant manual focus override for those moments where you have to take control (M/A or M switching).
The Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR lens is a compact, lightweight G-type fast telephoto zoom lens with the added benefit of Nikon Vibration Reduction (VR). It features built-in SWM for ultra-fast ultra-quiet AF operation. Nikon VR operation offers the equivalent of using a shutter speed 3 stops (eight times) faster than non-VR mode.
Two VR modes are available…Normal and Active. This lens is constructed using five ED glass elements and is a triumph of engineering excellence.
The Nikon SB-900 Speedlight is a professional i-TTL Speedlight compatible with Nikon FX and DX format SLRs. It is part of the Nikon Creative Lighting System which means it can be triggered remotely and controlled wirelessly from the camera body. This powerful Speedlight offers photographers extensive creative opportunities for their flash photography. Three illumination patterns – Centre-weighted, Even and Standard – provide total control over flash coverage and it covers a class-leading auto zoom range of 17-200mm in just 1.2 seconds. Advanced features include a booster circuit that enables high-speed recycling using four AA-type batteries and a built-in thermal protection system to warn of excessive heat build up. The SB-900 can automatically detect the presence of a fluorescent or incandescent color filter and transmit this information to the attached camera’s white balance setting, and its firmware can be upgraded via the camera body.
The Nikon SB-600 Speedlight is a mid range flash compatible with the Nikon Creative Lighting System. Featuring Nikon’s latest i-TTL monitor pre-flash metering technology, the SB-600 offers a powerful but attractively priced main flash for general photography. The SB-600 also offers fully automatic exposure control when used in groups with other Speedlights, controlled either by a Master SB-900 or the ‘Commander’ function of compatible Nikon camera bodies. This sppedlight features simplified buttons for ease of use and it’s packed with practical functions to meet the lighting needs of the most creative digital photographers. It has a Guide Number of 30/98 [ISO100,m/ft], 42/138[ISO200,m/ft] (at 35mm zoom) with auto zoom of 24 to 85mm. It features the same wide area AF Assist Illuminator as the popular SB-800.
The Dell™UltraSharp™ Flat Panel LCD Monitor redefines the performance of LCD displays with its stylish design and advanced functionality. The monitor offers resolution of up to 1680×1050 pixels and also provides an ultra fast response time to enable crisp clear images when using the display for fast motion video. It also offers high contrast ratio of up to 800:1 that generates sharper, crisper lines and images while, the wider viewing angle allows you to view the screen from various positions without compromising image quality.
Wacom is the most widely-known pen tablet manufacturer, and have an excellent reputation which is well-deserved. In 1989, Wacom introduced the first cordless, battery-free, pressure-sensitive pen, and their Intuos3 is the third generation of Wacom’s professional line of graphics tablets. Intuos3 supports tilt control and 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity).
Every MacBook Pro starts its life as a single block of aluminum. Each block is precisely machined into the basic unibody design. The top case is completely seamless. And it’s surprisingly thin and light. With an edge-to-edge glass overlay, the new LED-backlit display is instantly bright and incredibly thin. Its 60 percent greater color gamut means you benefit from richer, more vibrant colors. An ambient light sensor activates the illuminated keyboard in low-light conditions. It also controls the brightness of the display. The glass Multi-Touch trackpad feels as good as it functions. From the smallest detail to the biggest engineering breakthrough, the new MacBook Pro truly is the next generation of notebooks.
The Sekonic L-358 light-meter has been designed to meet the challenges and demands of today’s film and digital photographers. It offers versatile functions, to accommodate the most critical and precise photographic shooting conditions without sacrificing ease of use and affordability. It offers superior performance with new, redefined standards for precise, multi-function exposure and analyzing controls. The L-358 measures exposure accurate down to a tenth-of-a-stop for both ambient and electronic flash light readings (in full-stop mode). The meter can also display shutter-speeds and apertures in half or third-stop increments to mirror the exposure settings on your camera.
Compact, sturdy and highly functional: The new mobile Photo-PC JOBO GIGA Vu extreme is the successor to the award-winning GIGA Vu PRO evolution, and offers some new functions. In addition to the card slot for CF, also included is an adapter for SD/SDHC for fast image and data transmission. GIGA Vu extreme is available with disk capacity from 80 GB to 160 GB and is compatible with the new JOBO photoGPS.
GIGA Vu extreme is a compact alternative to a notebook for large quantities of photos, videos, audio and other files. Transfer speeds of up to 1GB in 2 minutes from the camera memory card to the device is assured. A bright (280 cd/m2) and large (3.7″) VGA display allows an extremely comfortable assessment and viewing of pictures without a PC, with excellent quality.
The LowePro SlingShot 350 AW is perfect for the photojournalist who wants a sling-style camera bag that allows easy access while wearing, plus room for a notebook. The ergonomic sling strap evenly adjusts weight and easily rotates from back to front—making it simple to work out of the bag. The roomy main compartment is outfitted with adjustable, padded dividers to customize up to a pro-sized camera kit. Additional features include: padded waist belt, mesh back pad, All Weather Cover™, built-in memory card pouch and microfiber LCD cloth, silent zipper pulls, Hypalon® SlipLock™ attachment loops, plus accessory pockets for easy access to personal items. A padded compartment fits most 15.4″ notebooks.
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0.944491 |
A jealous restaurant worker was convicted of trying to murder his ex-girlfriend's new partner by stabbing him 17 times after seeing the couple's first kiss streamed on Facebook Live.
Ashley Luff, 32, ambushed Chantelle Price's new boyfriend Nathan Birch as he left work in Fareham, Hampshire, having become enraged after seeing the video of the pair's first kiss on the social media site.
Armed with a knife and wearing gloves, Luff lay in wait, punching 24-year-old Mr Birch off his bicycle as he left work before repeatedly plunging the blade into him in a frenzied attack.
Now Mr Birch and Miss Price, 24, have spoken about the horrific attack - but revealed it has 'made them stronger' as they are now engaged.
Chef Mr Birch also said the attempted murder has had a serious impact on his mental health as he must now take sleeping pills as he 'wakes up every hour' and is 'always looking over his shoulder' at work.
TGI Fridays worker Mr Birch suffered three wounds to his chest, one of which was 'directly over the heart', as well as wounds to his neck, back and arms and a punctured lung.
Jurors at Portsmouth Crown Court, Hants, yesterday convicted Luff of attempting to murder Mr Birch after a week-long trial. He grinned and nodded as he heard the verdict.
Speaking outside the court, Mr Birch said: 'It's made us stronger to go through that sort of thing.
'Chantelle has been great all the way through with everything. We got engaged on New Year's Eve, it felt right.
'Now this is out of the way and I don't have to worry about it, it has pushed me [and I want] to get married even more and start to live my life.
'Once it happened and I came out of hospital and started going back to work, obviously I was always looking over my shoulder.
'I know he's been locked up but I never knew what was going to happen or whether someone else was going to come after me.
Opening the case, prosecutor Simon Jones said just two weeks before the attack on August 19, last year, Luff saw a video of Miss Price and Mr Birch sharing their first kiss on Facebook.
The court heard Luff then called Mr Birch's workplace at TGI Friday's in Fareham, Hants, to ask when he would be working, before launching his 'deliberate and carefully planned' attack.
Mr Jones said: 'The defendant suddenly appeared in front of Nathan.
'The defendant embarked upon a violent, frenzied attack, punching him to his body and although Nathan Birch tried to defend himself he was overpowered - it was no use.
Terrified Miss Price became concerned for her boyfriend's safety after he phoned her upon leaving work and was then attacked.
During the trial, she said she could hear her ex-boyfriend Luff in the background before he fled the scene, leaving Mr Birch severely wounded.
However, Luff tried to claim he had never intended to seriously hurt Mr Birch, but was in fact just trying to steal his bike and had ended up acting in self-defence.
Despite being brutally attacked, Mr Birch escaped when Luff fell as he tried to kick his victim into the ditch.
When paramedics arrived at TGI Fridays, where Mr Birch worked, they had to re-inflate his collapsed lung and rush him to hospital.
Gloves found in a nearby silver BMW were soaked in Mr Birch's blood.. Police also found the blood-coated knife in a nearby drain.
Judge Roger Hetherington told Luff, who has convictions for attempted robbery and common assault, he would sentence him on May 17.
The judge remanded the ASK Italian restaurant worker in custody.
Speaking after the conviction, prosecutor Mr Jones added: 'Ashley Luff pre-armed himself with a knife and waited for Nathan Birch, who was riding his bike on his way home.
'There is no doubt that Nathan Birch could have died from his injuries, had he had not managed to escape and seek medical help.
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0.978197 |
A good friend who has had type 2 diabetes for many years called and said, "My doctor told me I have to go on insulin." As soon as she said it, she began to cry. When I asked why, she said, "It means that I have failed, that I have let down my family." As I tried to assure her this wasn't necessarily true, she blurted out, "It means my diabetes is getting much worse, and I am afraid I am going to suffer and die." When I asked her why she believed this, she said that almost everyone she knew with type 2 diabetes who started insulin developed terrible complications and died soon after they began using it.
This conversation bothered me on several levels. I think it reflects a legacy of health care providers threatening type 2 patients with insulin as a means of improving compliance to diabetes therapy. All too often I have heard of physicians using insulin as a threat: "If you don't take your pills and watch your diet, I will have to put you on the needle!" In this context, it is not surprising that my friend saw the need for insulin as a failure to follow the doctor's orders.
Her comments about insulin and dying also concerned me and, unfortunately, reflect a view that many type 2 patients have about insulin. This is no surprise. For many people with type 2 diabetes, insulin is introduced only after all oral medications have been tried and failed; in essence, it becomes a drug of last resort. In many of these cases, the oral agents have not been effective for some time before insulin is considered. Thus, the patient has already developed many of the secondary complications that plague diabetes, including cardiac-related conditions that are the main cause of death in people with type 2. So, it's likely that my friend saw others placed on insulin after their health was significantly impaired and the chance of death was greater.
I believe that we should view insulin as one of many drugs to treat type 2 diabetes, not as the drug of last resort. Many providers argue that patients are unwilling to use insulin. Increasing research shows, however, that this is less true than many physicians believe. With proper education and discussion of their situation, many people would be willing to try insulin if recommended to do so by their doctor.
The fact is that type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease in which the insulin-producing beta cells may eventually lose their ability to respond to oral medications effectively. Indeed, it is estimated that 30 to 40 percent of people with type 2 diabetes will eventually need insulin. Needing insulin does not mean you have failed. Rather, it means that your body is changing and needs a different therapy.
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0.948821 |
What is the best place to live in the United States? I get asked that question all the time. My answer can be summed up in two words: it depends. The truth is that the answer is going to be different for each person. All of us have different goals and different needs. If you have a very strong network of family and friends where you live right now, you might want to think twice before moving hundreds or thousands of miles away. If you have a great job where you live right now, you might want to hold on to it. You should not just assume that you are going to be able to pick up and move to another part of the country and be able to get a similar job right away. The United States is in the midst of a very serious economic decline right now, and wherever you live you are going to have to provide for your family. Just because you move somewhere new does not mean that you are going to leave your problems behind. In fact, you might find that they moved right along with you. With all that being said, the reality is that there are some places in the U.S. that are going to be much more desirable than others when the economy totally falls apart. For example, during a total economic collapse it will not be good to be living in a large city or in a densely populated area. Just think about what happened in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. If the entire nation is going through something like that, you don’t want to have hundreds of thousands of close neighbors at that point. So when thinking about where you want to be when everything falls apart, population density should be a major factor. But there are other factors as well and no area of the United States is perfect.
The Upper Midwest was once one of the great manufacturing regions of the world, but now much of it is known as the “rust belt“.
Also, the West Coast lies along the “Ring of Fire“. Considering what just happened in Japan and what has been happening in other areas along the Ring of Fire lately, the West Coast is not an area that a lot of people are recommending.
But once again, there is no “right answer“. There are areas of just about every U.S. state that could potentially work well during a major economic collapse.
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0.913339 |
Burnet County (/ˈbɜːrnᵻt/ bur-nit) is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 42,750. Its county seat is Burnet. The county was founded in 1852 and later organized in 1854. It is named for David Gouverneur Burnet, the first (provisional) president of the Republic of Texas. The name of the county is pronounced with the emphasis or accent on the first syllable, just as its namesake David Burnet.
As of the census of 2000, there were 34,147 people, 13,133 households, and 9,665 families residing in the county. The population density was 34 people per square mile (13/km²). There were 15,933 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.64% White, 1.52% Black or African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 6.24% from other races, and 1.58% from two or more races. 14.77% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 13,133 households out of which 30.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.50% were married couples living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.40% were non-families. 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county, the population was spread out with 24.50% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 17.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,921, and the median income for a family was $43,871. Males had a median income of $30,255 versus $20,908 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,850. About 7.90% of families and 10.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.50% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.
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0.94114 |
What can I do with cheesecloth?
WRAP! Wrap your cheeses or poultry.
STUFF! Use cheesecloth for your stuffing.
CRAFT! Perfect for arts and crafts.
SPICE! Bundle your herbs and make your own spice sachets.
STRAIN! Strain your stocks, jams, sauces and yogurt.
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0.999967 |
Could you give me some information about how to get to your hotel?
I will arrive at your hotel late in the evening due to flight schedule.
I’d like to cancel my reservation.
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0.921256 |
Treatment for hypersomnia should be individualized and linked to symptoms and underlying causes of the disorder. Treatment options can include medication, therapy or a combination of both. If a co-occurring condition is present, both disorders should be addressed and treated at the same time.
Hypersomnia is a condition where people sleep excessively, have trouble waking up after a complete night of sleep and are abnormally tired throughout the day. The excessive sleepiness can often cause people to fall asleep at inopportune times during the day, such as at work or school. There are treatments for hypersomnia to help people achieve optimal levels of sleep at night and avoid struggles with daytime drowsiness. Treatment for hypersomnia when joined by another mental illness and substance use disorder can be personalized and generally linked to the main cause of the disorder.
A combination of medication and behavioral interventions often result in the best outcomes. A sleep diary is a behavioral intervention that is used to help people better understand their sleep patterns. Other behavioral techniques can include limiting naps, staying away from heavy meals, avoiding alcohol, and exercising to promote alertness and quality sleep. Keeping a regular sleep schedule, going to bed and rising at consistent times, and using stress-reduction and relaxation techniques can promote healthy sleep behaviors.
The frequent awakenings associated with sleep apnea prevent people from getting a healthy amount of sleep each night. Hypersomnia generally occurs when an individual does not obtain restorative sleep. CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure, is a treatment for obstructive sleep apnea where the air is continually released into a person’s nostrils. The pressure from the steady air flow allows a person’s airways to stay open during sleep. This method addresses pauses in breathing that are linked to sleep apnea and the treatment approach can lessen hypersomnia symptoms.
Medications are generally the first-line treatment option for many of the hypersomnia disorders. It is important to consider the benefits and potential side effects when contemplating beginning medication. There are three classes of hypersomnia medications used to treat the disorder, including non-stimulant wake-promoting medications, stimulant medications and sodium oxybate.
Non-stimulant wake-promoting medications, such as Modafinil and Nuvigil, can be used to induce wakefulness by impacting brain chemistry and increasing dopamine. Stimulants, or derivatives of amphetamines, may be used to increase alertness but can have potentially harmful side effects, including building a tolerance and becoming addicted to the substance.
Sodium oxybate is a medication taken before the person goes to sleep and during the night to help them enter deep sleep. The restorative sleep can address symptoms of hypersomnia by reducing excessive fatigue during the day.
Most anti-depressants have not been found to be effective in treating hypersomnia. However, bupropion has been shown to have wake-promoting properties and is sometimes prescribed for hypersomnia. Bupropion elevates levels of norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain.
There are several stimulant medications for hypersomnia that are approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), including methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine. Stimulant medications used to treat hypersomnia are derivatives of amphetamines and can encourage daytime wakefulness. Stimulants encourage dopamine release in the brain and are believed to be the key component for wake-promotion.
Stimulants are effective in lessening sleepiness in the short term but are not usually effective in the long term. Stimulants treat a person’s symptoms but not the core problem. Also, individuals tend to become resistant to a stimulant’s effects as time goes on. Stimulants may have unpleasant and detrimental side effects, such as dependence, insomnia, cardiac issues and violent or physically harmful behavior.
People who have hypersomnia commonly have co-occurring mental health conditions, other sleep disorders and substance use disorders. Depression and mood disorders are frequently associated with hypersomnia. Other sleep disorders, such as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, circadian rhythm disorders and restless legs syndrome, also frequently co-occur with hypersomnia disorder.
Stimulants are the first-line treatment for hypersomnia and carry the risk of dependence, which can be problematic for an individual with hypersomnia and a history of substance abuse. Treatment options for a person with co-occurring hypersomnia and a substance use disorder would depend on the nature of the substances the person abuses.
Despite the type of co-occurring conditions, it is always important to use an integrated treatment model to manage the symptoms of both conditions at the same time. If a person has hypersomnia and depression, treating depression will often help sleeping issues while treating sleeping issues may also have a positive impact on the mood disturbance.
As hypersomnia is often treated with stimulant medications, it is important to tailor treatment based on a person’s specific substance use disorder. Treatment should address an individual’s hypersomnia and addiction simultaneously to effectively manage both conditions.
Hypersomnia disorder can present differently in various people. Treatment for hypersomnia should be individualized and linked to symptoms and underlying causes of the disorder. Treatment options can include medication, therapy or a combination of both. If a co-occurring condition is present, both disorders should be addressed and treated at the same time.
If you have a substance use disorder and a co-occurring mental health disorder that has caused insomnia, consider contacting The Recovery Village, a network of rehab facilities with trained mental health professionals that can assist you in treating both your sleep disorder and substance use disorder at the same time.
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When the lazy slackarses can be bothered to brave the weather, I probably get two or three plastic sacks pushed through my letterbox every week. Working independently of one another, these charities that want my family's second hand clothes fail to realise we don't have an endless stream of clothing we no longer wear, and so their bags are used instead to clean out the cat's litter try.
£50 per tonne sounds suspiciously low, reckons David, and in fact it is. According to the Children's Society, the same amount of clothing would make between £500 and £800 in net profit in a charity shop, while the international price for good quality second-hand clothes is up to £1,000 per tonne. The reason these bag-pushing charities have become so prevalent is because the price for second-hand textiles has exploded in the past few years - it's more profitable for manufacturers to recycle clothes than produce them from new.
Hence these private companies have cropped up to sell your clothes to textiles manufacturers, throwing a few quid at a heartfelt cause and creaming off the profit along the way. In the case of SOS Clothes Limited, you'll find plenty of online chatter about this outfit; their website states there is an "internal investigation is in progress due to unlicensed and illegal door to door clothing collections".
Of course this isn't a new problem - there have been and still are dozens of scam companies that don't even bother making a donation to charity. That's not to say you say you should distrust every charity asking for a sack of crap from the back of the wardrobe, but as easy as it is to dump a bag on your doostep and let somebody else deal with it, you'll do far more good for charities if you drop it off at one of their three dozen shops on the high street.
I got one yesterday from DoNotDelay.org... they all go straight in the bin.
This is a very good article. Thanks. Bitterwallet is actually getting a lot better.
Yeah, I wasn't aware of this... I can see this escalating.
What I don't understand is, why don't main-street charities like Oxfam and MacMillan do their own door-to-door collections instead of moaning about the cowboys? Most people giving away clothes like this, if you tell them the 'charities' involved are fake, merely shrug and say, 'Better than putting them in the bin' which, in a way, it is. High street parking is so hideously expensive and difficult these days anyway, it's not surprising people opt for collection instead of dropping off. If the price for used textiles has gone up so much, surely the legit charities would still make a profit if they sent around their own vans? OK maybe I should tell that to the charities... but I would have thought it was obvious. Anyhow you missed out the real scam hidden in that leaflet: yeah they give £2k a month to the charity 'Tree Of Hope'. But who runs 'Tree of Hope?' And how much do they give to charity - or does most of their income go in 'operating costs' ie buying the directors BMWs?
Loads of these are companies rather than charities. I find them useful for bin bags. Sometimes they even take away your rubbish if you box it first, then put it into their bag, then some old textiles on top.
I use the bags for rubbish.
I like to get the local chavs to throw stones at the vans (instead of at fire crews). They soon piss off after a few half house bricks bounce off the side of the van.
I too use these for car rubbish! I find 3 or 4 of them inside of each other make great rubble bags too.
Wow, how long has this been going on for? 5+ years, the OFT have done sod all, so have the police, one thing that you failed to note is that these collection companies will also collect the bags left out for legit charities and claim them as their own. The moral of the story is that if you want to give to a charity drop your items INTO the shop, not outside, we've all seen the pikey scum ransacking the bags on the pavement, drop them IN the shop. Sorry, the missus works for a charity and it gets my goat.
I got one that said the clothes are sold cheaply in shops in 3rd world countries!!! Thats really helping!!
I save all the bags up until I have enough to put inside one of them, and then leave them all out for one 'lucky' charity to collect.
We get at least 3-4 a week. We take our donation to the local shop or the clothes bank at local ASDA Or Tescos.
Whenever people on my street actually fill these bags up they are rarely ever taken. Even ones from the big official names just get left in the streets, getting wet, covered in snow and no sign of anyone picking them up.
just recieved a do not delay flyer in , did a check and found an article by Wigan council its worth a look. have just contacted local police to see if they will ckeck out same.
I am absolutely fed up of getting these plastic donation bags through my letterbox. We are told we should use our own bags at supermarkets to cut down on the use of plastic. I go to the supermarket once a week & would normally get three or four plastic bags there. Compared with that I am getting at least ten a week through my letterbox, on one day alone i received four. Why does the government do nothing to stop this wasteful practice? Do these charities (if that is what they are though I suspect some are not) think we have an endless supply of clothes to give them? Any thing I do want to get rid of goes directly to the local charity shop direct. I know then that it has gone to a genuine charity of my choice.
I am absolutely fed up of getting these plastic donation bags through my letterbox. We are told we should use our own bags at supermarkets to cut down on the use of plastic. I go to the supermarket once a week & would normally get three or four plastic bags there. Compared with that I am getting at least ten a week through my letterbox, on one day alone I received four. Why does the government do nothing to stop this wasteful practice? Do these charities (if that is what they are though I suspect some are not) think we have an endless supply of clothes to give them? Any thing I do want to get rid of I take directly to the local charity shop. I know then that it has gone to a genuine charity of my choice.
hi there, I work for a charity and we are planning on doing one of these said clothing sack donations, ie posting bags for people to hopefully give some clothing and we pick up. having read this, I guess its probably not the best idea? the thing is, weve allready had an absolutely amazing response with furninture, electrical items, household items and alot of clothing and stuff allready, and that was just posting leaflets through doors.
I'm writing to every charity that send me a plastic bag , to let them know I'm boycotting them until this ridiculous practise is stopped. I've sent a donation to a local charity who don't send plastic bags, and I'll donate to them regularly until the others stop.
I agree, very, very, very annoying. Just so you are aware, Oxfam does NOT do a national door to door collection, nor do they use outside companies to collect. if you recieve an Oxfam bag through your door, it has been put there by a volunteer from a local shop and would be collected by a volunteer.
i've had ANOTHER one today, already aware of the small print, professing to support tree of hope and emblazoned with the charities logos etc., really from ALRA clothing ltd. reg. no. 7157890?????
I left a bag out for Kids'n'Cancer a few days ago, only to find today that the bag had gone and a 'Tree of Hope' sack pushed through my door! The charity needs to consider another, more scrupulous collection company as I don't think that they would want to be seen in competition with other charities.
all these charities, registered or bogus, no matter which one, makes a big profit, exploitating mostly distributors from easterneuropa. You can be self employed businessman, just by these bags from charity company, pay them 70 pounds from each tone you sold for 750 pounds - thats your profit. All these clothes goes to easterneorope countries and will be sold with great profit. This is MAFIA not charity.
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So what is 501c3 anyway?
It indicates that the organization or corporation is tax-exempt.
The organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, and no part of a section 501(c)(3) organization's net earnings may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. If the organization engages in an excess benefit transaction with a person having substantial influence over the organization, an excise tax may be imposed on the person and any organization managers agreeing to the transaction.
Section 501(c)(3) organizations are restricted in how much political and legislative (lobbying) activities they may conduct. For a detailed discussion, see Political and Lobbying Activities. For more information about lobbying activities by charities, see the article Lobbying Issues; for more information about political activities of charities, see the FY-2002 CPE topic Election Year Issues.
Give me the short answer!
Donations made to the Los Angeles Racing Dragons Foundation can be tax deductible (please discuss this with your tax preparer to determine if it applies to you).
We spent almost two years gathering together materials and filling out documentation to become a non-profit organization. None of us had any experience with the size and complexity of the documentation required to become a non-profit organization and it took several committees to determine what was needed to make this all happen.
We applied for our non-profit status on Nov 27, 2002 and while many may look at this as a financial restructuring -- which it was -- its impact was actually more dramatic structurally.
When we all decided that this was the direction we wanted to go, we needed to vote in a board of directors, take minutes, have agendas and structure. While we had meetings before, the new procedures that were put into place to ensure compliance forever changed the face of the team from one of a group of friends into an actual corporation where we discussed the team as an entity itself, which it now was legally.
The first board of directors were Leon Cheng, Wileen Wong, Kenny Kim, Laura Messerschmitt.
While there were many individuals who toiled quietly to make this happen, we owe a lot to the generous assistance of the Bay Area Dragons who guided us through this transition. It was also necessitated the renaming of the team to the more officious, Los Angeles Racing Dragons Foundation (personally, I still prefer teamLARD).
As your fellow team members, Diane and Wileen have contributed incredible and incomparable amounts of time, energy, and dedication; without either of their help, the team would be in the exact same position three year’s ago when we discussed, as officers, that non-profit is something we would like to pursue. Other indispensable help with the application process and additional input came from Kenny K, Laura, Scott, Vi, and Lisa (if I am missing anyone, apologies).
Finally, a huge debt and all our gratitude goes out to Brett Byers, who has taken on the task of legal guide and consul, pro bono. He has taken us step by step through the entire process; all while being based in San Francisco.
This represents some changes in our team structure and organization, as you can tell starting from the contents of the website. But keep in mind that the core values and foundation of our team are entirely intact – that we paddle for fun and for each other, meeting new friends, and competing. The team was founded as a family and will always remain so.
The next step is to complete our sponsorship package. Discussions at the next officer’s meeting will include this package and also distribution of responsibilities that have been added from this approval (to offload an excessive workload on both Diane and Wileen). For team members, start thinking about who we may approach for future sponsorship! With the 501c3 approval, all contributions to the team are now tax deductible!
Thanks, and welcome to a new chapter for teamLARD!
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For the most recent period cooler than present but without significant glaciation, see Little Ice Age.
"The Ice Age" redirects here. For the generic geological period of temperature reduction, see Ice age.
The last glacial period, popularly known as the Ice Age, was the most recent glacial period within the Quaternary glaciation occurring during the last 100,000 years of the Pleistocene, from approximately 110,000 to 12,000 years ago. Scientists consider this "ice age" to be merely the latest glaciation event in a much larger ice age, one that dates back over two million years and has seen multiple glaciations.
During this period, there were several changes between glacier advance and retreat. The Last Glacial Maximum, the maximum extent of glaciation within the last glacial period, was approximately 22,000 years ago. While the general pattern of global cooling and glacier advance was similar, local differences in the development of glacier advance and retreat make it difficult to compare the details from continent to continent (see picture of ice core data below for differences).
An artist's impression of the last glacial period at glacial maximum.
The last glacial period is sometimes colloquially referred to as the "last ice age", though this use is incorrect because an ice age is a longer period of cold temperature in which ice sheets cover large parts of the Earth, such as Antarctica. Glacials, on the other hand, refer to colder phases within an ice age that separate interglacials. Thus, the end of the last glacial period is not the end of the last ice age. The end of the last glacial period was about 10,500 BCE, while the end of the last ice age has not yet come.
Over the past few million years the glacial-interglacial cycle has been "paced" by periodic variations in the Earth's orbit via Milankovitch cycles which are thus the "cause" of ice ages.
The last glacial period is the best-known part of the current ice age, and has been intensively studied in North America, northern Eurasia, the Himalaya and other formerly glaciated regions around the world. The glaciations that occurred during this glacial period covered many areas, mainly in the Northern Hemisphere and to a lesser extent in the Southern Hemisphere. They have different names, historically developed and depending on their geographic distributions: Fraser (in the Pacific Cordillera of North America), Pinedale (in the Central Rocky Mountains), Wisconsinan or Wisconsin (in central North America), Devensian (in the British Isles), Midlandian (in Ireland), Würm (in the Alps), Mérida (in Venezuela), Weichselian or Vistulian (in Northern Europe and northern Central Europe), Valdai in Eastern Europe and Zyryanka in Siberia, Llanquihue in Chile, and Otira in New Zealand. The geochronological Late Pleistocene comprises the late glacial (Weichselian) and the immediately preceding penultimate interglacial (Eemian) preiond.
The last glaciation centered on the huge ice sheets of North America and Eurasia. Considerable areas in the Alps, the Himalaya and the Andes were ice-covered, and Antarctica remained glaciated.
Canada was nearly completely covered by ice, as well as the northern part of the United States, both blanketed by the huge Laurentide ice sheet. Alaska remained mostly ice free due to arid climate conditions. Local glaciations existed in the Rocky Mountains and the Cordilleran ice sheet and as ice fields and ice caps in the Sierra Nevada in northern California. In Britain, mainland Europe, and northwestern Asia, the Scandinavian ice sheet once again reached the northern parts of the British Isles, Germany, Poland, and Russia, extending as far east as the Taimyr Peninsula in western Siberia. The maximum extent of western Siberian glaciation was reached approximately 16,000 to 15,000 BCE and thus later than in Europe (20,000–16,000 BCE). Northeastern Siberia was not covered by a continental-scale ice sheet. Instead, large, but restricted, icefield complexes covered mountain ranges within northeast Siberia, including the Kamchatka-Koryak Mountains.
Outside the main ice sheets, widespread glaciation occurred on the Alps-Himalaya mountain chain. In contrast to the earlier glacial stages, the Würm glaciation was composed of smaller ice caps and mostly confined to valley glaciers, sending glacial lobes into the Alpine foreland. To the east the Caucasus and the mountains of Turkey and Iran were capped by local ice fields or small ice sheets. In the Himalaya and the Tibetan Plateau, glaciers advanced considerably, particularly between 45,000–25,000 BCE, but these datings are controversial. The formation of a contiguous ice sheet on the Tibetan Plateau is controversial.
Other areas of the Northern Hemisphere did not bear extensive ice sheets, but local glaciers in high areas. Parts of Taiwan, for example, were repeatedly glaciated between 42,250 and 8,680 BCE as well as the Japanese Alps. In both areas maximum glacier advance occurred between 58,000 and 28,000 BCE (starting roughly during the Toba catastrophe). To a still lesser extent glaciers existed in Africa, for example in the High Atlas, the mountains of Morocco, the Mount Atakor massif in southern Algeria, and several mountains in Ethiopia. In the Southern Hemisphere, an ice cap of several hundred square kilometers was present on the east African mountains in the Kilimanjaro Massif, Mount Kenya and the Ruwenzori Mountains, still bearing remnants of glaciers today.
Glaciation of the Southern Hemisphere was less extensive because of current configuration of continents. Ice sheets existed in the Andes (Patagonian Ice Sheet), where six glacier advances between 31,500 and 11,900 BCE in the Chilean Andes have been reported. Antarctica was entirely glaciated, much like today, but the ice sheet left no uncovered area. In mainland Australia only a very small area in the vicinity of Mount Kosciuszko was glaciated, whereas in Tasmania glaciation was more widespread. An ice sheet formed in New Zealand, covering all of the Southern Alps, where at least three glacial advances can be distinguished. Local ice caps existed in Irian Jaya, Indonesia, where in three ice areas remnants of the Pleistocene glaciers are still preserved today.
The name Devensian glaciation is used by British geologists and archaeologists and refers to what is often popularly meant by the latest Ice Age. Irish geologists, geographers, and archaeologists refer to the Midlandian glaciation as its effects in Ireland are largely visible in the Irish Midlands. The name Devensian is derived from the Latin Dēvenses, people living by the Dee (Dēva in Latin), a river on the Welsh border near which deposits from the period are particularly well represented.
The effects of this glaciation can be seen in many geological features of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Its deposits have been found overlying material from the preceding Ipswichian Stage and lying beneath those from the following Flandrian stage of the Holocene.
The latter part of the Devensian includes Pollen zones I-IV, the Allerød and Bølling Oscillations, and the Older and Younger Dryas climatic stages.
Alternative names include: Weichsel glaciation or Vistulian glaciation (referring to the Polish river Vistula or its German name Weichsel). Evidence suggests that the ice sheets were at their maximum size for only a short period, between 25,000 to 13,000 BP. Eight interstadials have been recognized in the Weichselian, including: the Oerel, Glinde, Moershoofd, Hengelo and Denekamp; however correlation with isotope stages is still in process. During the glacial maximum in Scandinavia, only the western parts of Jutland were ice-free, and a large part of what is today the North Sea was dry land connecting Jutland with Britain (see Doggerland). It is also in Denmark that the only Scandinavian ice-age animals older than 13,000 BC are found.
The Baltic Sea, with its unique brackish water, is a result of meltwater from the Weichsel glaciation combining with saltwater from the North Sea when the straits between Sweden and Denmark opened. Initially, when the ice began melting about 10,300 BP, seawater filled the isostatically depressed area, a temporary marine incursion that geologists dub the Yoldia Sea. Then, as post-glacial isostatic rebound lifted the region about 9500 BP, the deepest basin of the Baltic became a freshwater lake, in palaeological contexts referred to as Ancylus Lake, which is identifiable in the freshwater fauna found in sediment cores. The lake was filled by glacial runoff, but as worldwide sea level continued rising, saltwater again breached the sill about 8000 BP, forming a marine Littorina Sea which was followed by another freshwater phase before the present brackish marine system was established. "At its present state of development, the marine life of the Baltic Sea is less than about 4000 years old," Drs. Thulin and Andrushaitis remarked when reviewing these sequences in 2003.
The term Würm is derived from a river in the Alpine foreland, approximately marking the maximum glacier advance of this particular glacial period. The Alps were where the first systematic scientific research on ice ages was conducted by Louis Agassiz at the beginning of the 19th century. Here the Würm glaciation of the last glacial period was intensively studied. Pollen analysis, the statistical analyses of microfossilized plant pollens found in geological deposits, chronicled the dramatic changes in the European environment during the Würm glaciation. During the height of Würm glaciation, c. 24,000–10,000 BP, most of western and central Europe and Eurasia was open steppe-tundra, while the Alps presented solid ice fields and montane glaciers. Scandinavia and much of Britain were under ice.
In its retreat, the Wisconsin Episode glaciation left terminal moraines that form Long Island, Block Island, Cape Cod, Nomans Land, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Sable Island and the Oak Ridges Moraine in south central Ontario, Canada. In Wisconsin itself, it left the Kettle Moraine. The drumlins and eskers formed at its melting edge are landmarks of the Lower Connecticut River Valley.
The extent of the glaciers in Venezuelan Andes area during the last glacial period.
The name Mérida Glaciation is proposed to designate the alpine glaciation which affected the central Venezuelan Andes during the Late Pleistocene. Two main moraine levels have been recognized: one between 2600 and 2700 m, and another between 3000 and 3500 m elevation. The snow line during the last glacial advance was lowered approximately 1200 m below the present snow line (3700 m). The glaciated area in the Cordillera de Mérida was approximately 600 km2; this included the following high areas from southwest to northeast: Páramo de Tamá, Páramo Batallón, Páramo Los Conejos, Páramo Piedras Blancas, and Teta de Niquitao. Approximately 200 km2 of the total glaciated area was in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida, and of that amount, the largest concentration, 50 km2, was in the areas of Pico Bolívar, Pico Humboldt (4,942 m), and Pico Bonpland (4,893 m). Radiocarbon dating indicates that the moraines are older than 10,000 years B.P., and probably older than 13,000 years B.P. The lower moraine level probably corresponds to the main Wisconsin glacial advance. The upper level probably represents the last glacial advance (Late Wisconsin).
The Llanquihue glaciation takes its name from Llanquihue Lake in southern Chile which is a fan-shaped piedmont glacial lake. On the lake's western shores there are large moraine systems of which the innermost belong to the last glacial period. Llanquihue Lake's varves are a node point in southern Chile's varve geochronology. During the last glacial maximum the Patagonian Ice Sheet extended over the Andes from about 35°S to Tierra del Fuego at 55°S. The western part appears to have been very active, with wet basal conditions, while the eastern part was cold based. Cryogenic features like ice wedges, patterned ground, pingos, rock glaciers, palsas, soil cryoturbation, solifluction deposits developed in unglaciated extra-Andean Patagonia during the Last Glaciation. However not all these reported features have been verified. The area west of Llanquihue Lake was ice-free during the LGM, and had sparsely distributed vegetation dominated by Nothofagus. Valdivian temperate rainforest was reduced to scattered remnants in the western side of the Andes.
↑ Kuhle, M., Kuhle, S. (2010): Review on Dating methods: Numerical Dating in the Quaternary of High Asia. In: Journal of Mountain Science (2010) 7: 105-122.
This page was last modified on 11 January 2016, at 14:21.
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Driving a car is a complex task requiring coordinated functioning of distributed brain regions. Controlled and safe driving depends on the integrity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), a brain region, which has been shown to mature in late adolescence.
In this study, driving performance of twenty-four male participants was tested in a high-end driving simulator before and after the application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for 15 minutes over the left or right DLPFC.
We show that external modulation of both, the left and the right, DLPFC directly influences driving behavior. Excitation of the DLPFC (by applying anodal tDCS) leads to a more careful driving style in virtual scenarios without the participants noticing changes in their behavior.
This study is one of the first to prove that external stimulation of a specific brain area can influence a multi-part behavior in a very complex and everyday-life situation, therefore breaking new ground for therapy at a neural level.
Standardized so-called "gambling tasks" in which participants can win or loose money by drawing cards from different decks have become an established tool for the investigation of "risk behavior" in psychological and neurophysiological research [Iowa Gambling Task:. , Cambridge Gambling Task: [2, 3]]. Typically, riskier behavior in these tasks leads to higher gains but also to higher losses. The standardization of such gambling tasks is crucial when considering their clinical application; e.g. in the diagnosis of patients having problems with impulsiveness or planning and decision-making.
At a neural level, risk-taking behavior, decision-making and impulsiveness share similar neural networks in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) . Patients with lesions in the DLPFC (especially in the right hemisphere) show riskier behavior than a healthy control group . By contrast, lesions in the ventro-medial prefrontal cortex lead to "myopia" for the future, that is, insensitivity for future consequences of present behavior . Interestingly, recent studies have shown that external stimulation of the DLPFC with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) can influence risk-taking behavior.
The DLPFC is a brain region that matures through to late adolescence , and even during the second decade of life . The late myelination of the DLPFC may serve as one possible explanation why adolescent behavior is often characterized by motivational difficulties, addiction and impulsivity . The fact that driving accidents are the main cause of death for adolescents and young adults is a problem of paramount importance, also from a political perspective . Different studies reported that risky driving behavior is more prominent among young drivers . The frequency of substance abuse and the degree of aggressiveness are (besides gender and social factors) the main predictors for risky driving . Furthermore, children diagnosed with ADHD have been shown to have an elevated risk for driving-related problems in adulthood . In view of the preceding, we can assume that the DLPFC is importantly involved in modulating risky driving behavior. Results from the standardized "Risk-" and "Gambling-Tasks" are consistent with the findings about the neurodevelopment of the DLPFC, but the generalization of findings to everyday life situations is hampered by the high specificity of these paradigms.
The aim of this study was to examine the role of the DLPFC in a situation more closely associated with risk taking in everyday life. We hypothesized that excitation of the DLPFC causes stronger executive control and less risky driving behavior. In order to test this hypothesis, we modulated neural excitability of the participants' DLPFC before measuring their performance in a driving simulator. As mentioned above, several studies have reported differential involvement of the right and left DLPFC in the control of risk behavior . Therefore, we also tested for such laterality effects expecting stronger effects after modulation of the right PFC.
In contrast to an earlier study on the modulation of risk behavior by external brain stimulation , we used tDCS instead of TMS. tDCS has the advantage that the participants barely notice the stimulation. Furthermore, depending on the direction of the current flow, neural excitability can be either enhanced or decreased.
Twenty-four male subjects participated in the study. Twenty-one of them were students. All participants were between 20 and 30 years old (mean age: 24.1; SD: 2.7). Male subjects were chosen because in pilot experiments men were found to have a lower probability of experiencing nausea in the driving simulator. All of the participants were right-handed, had no history of neurological or psychiatric diseases and were in the possession of a driver's license for at least 2 years. The experiment was approved by the local ethic committee (ethic committee of the canton of Zurich, specialized subcommittee for psychiatry, neurology and neurosurgery, Oetwil am See, Switzerland).
Every subject was tested on two different days within a week. On the first day, after a theoretical instruction about the driving simulator and the tDCS procedure, all subjects gave their written informed consent for participation in the experiment and filled in a questionnaire about their driving behavior (frequency of driving and years in possession of driver's license), education and health. Before the actual experiment, participants had the opportunity to drive a sample course ("circuit") in the driving simulator in order to get used to the simulation.
For the actual experiment, a course called "Mountain Course" was chosen (see below for details). Every participant drove this course once without any tDCS influence. After this "baseline-drive", tDCS was applied over the DLPFC for 15 min (see below for details). In half of the subjects stimulation was applied to the right hemisphere, while in the other half the left hemisphere was stimulated. After the stimulation, the tDCS equipment was removed and the subjects drove the same course under the after-effect of the stimulation without cables on their heads. This protocol (testing performance after the application of tDCS) was used to increase external validity of the driving situation and relies on the long-lasting after-effects of tDCS (on the motor cortex until 90 min) . To our knowledge, there are no studies that investigated after-effects of tDCS on prefrontal cortical areas. Therefore, we assume similar temporal characteristics as reported for the motor cortex. During the stimulation with tDCS, the participants sat outside the driving simulator on a chair and filled in the handedness and health questionnaires . To assess subjective involvement in the virtual environment, an adapted version of the MEC-SQ (spatial presence questionnaire) was filled in by the participants after each driving session. The possible impact of the tDCS stimulation on the emotional state was assessed using the Self-Assessment-Manikin before and after stimulation. On the second day, the same procedure was applied but the stimulation electrodes were switched resulting in a stimulation condition (anodal or cathodal stimulation) different from that applied during the first experimental day. The order of the stimulation conditions was counterbalanced. The questionnaires about health and handedness were not filled in on this second day. This difference in procedure on the second day, however, is unproblematic since the conditions were counterbalanced across subjects.
The "DC-Stimulator" distributed by neuroConn© was used for transcranial direct current stimulation. The constant current was applied through two saline-soaked electrodes with a surface of 35 cm2. Based on earlier studies modulating DLPFC excitability , stimulation electrodes were placed at the F3 or F4 position (international EEG 10–20-system), respectively for left and right-hemispheric stimulation. For DLPFC excitation, the anode was positioned on F3 (or F4) and the cathode was mounted on the ipsilateral mastoid. For DLPFC inhibition, the two electrodes were switched (cathode over F3/F4, anode over ipsilateral mastoid). The subjects were randomly divided into two equally sized groups. One group was stimulated on the left, the other on the right hemisphere. tDCS was applied for 15 minutes with a constant current intensity of 1mA. As a precaution measure, the "DC-Stimulator" automatically turns off when electrical resistance is too high.
Dependent variables reflecting driving performance under the influence of tDCS were compared with the performance during the baseline-drive (before tDCS application) using repeated-measures ANOVAs with 'time' (2 levels; pre- vs. post-simulation) and 'stimulation condition' (2 levels; anodal vs. cathodal) as within-subject factors and 'side of stimulation' as between-subject factor. For each dependent variable ("distance to driver ahead", "driving speed", "speed violations" and "revolutions per minute") an individual ANOVA model was set up. Post-hoc t-tests (based on the Bonferroni-Holm procedure) were calculated to further explore the effects of the ANOVA.
Prior to the statistical analyses, behavioral data of three participants were excluded (right-hemispheric stimulation group: 1, left-hemispheric stimulation group: 2) because these subjects demonstrated extremely high or low values for the parameter "distance to driver ahead" before tDCS stimulation. The remaining data were subjected to repeated-measure ANOVAs with 'time' and 'stimulation condition' as within-subject factors and 'side of stimulation' as between-subject factor. As displayed in figure 1, the analyses revealed 'time × condition' interactions for "distance to driver ahead" [F(1,19) = 4.25, p = 0.05] and "number of speed violations in built-up areas" [F(1,19) = 5.97, p = 0.02]. The same trend was evident for "driving speed" [F(1,32) = 2.83, p = 0.1] and "revolutions per minute" [F(1,32) = 3.21, p = 0.09]. There was no main effect of 'side of stimulation' or an interaction of this between-subject factor with the variables of interest (time, condition) for any of the four variables.
Differences between anodal and cathodal tDCS. Depicted are differences and standard errors (SE) between pre- and post-stimulation driving behavior (POST minus PRE) pooled across the two experimental groups (left DLPFC and right DLPFC stimulation). The p-values indicate the significances of the 'time × condition' interactions for each of the four behavioral variables.
Post-hoc paired t-tests revealed that anodal tDCS induced an increase of the "distance to driver ahead" [right-hemisphere tDCS: T(10) = -1.77, p = .05; left-hemisphere tDCS: T(9) = -1.84, p = .05] and declines in "number of speed violations" [right-hemisphere tDCS: T(10) = 3.26, p = .005; left-hemisphere tDCS: T(9) = 1.54, p = .08], "driving speed" [right-hemisphere tDCS: T(10) = 1.64, p = .07; left-hemisphere tDCS: T(9) = 1.56, p = .08], and "revolutions per minute" [right-hemisphere tDCS: T(10) = -1.51, p = .08; left-hemisphere tDCS: T(9) = 3.10, p = .006]. All four variables indicate a more cautious driving behavior when DLPFC activity is enhanced. For cathodal tDCS, on the other hand, only one trend was registered (decrease of "driving speed" in the left-hemisphere stimulation group; p = .08). Hence, learning effects induced merely by the repeated exposure to the task cannot explain the effects found.
To compare the two groups, post-stimulation performance was related to the individual pre-stimulation performance for each participant (a posttraining value of 100% means no change from pre- to posttraining). The corresponding values are depicted in figure 2. Since, in case of cathodal stimulation, the resulting values did not differ significantly from the reference value (100%), we refrain from comparing between-group differences. With respect to anodal tDCS, two-sample t-tests comparing the performance changes between the two groups resulted in p-values > 0.4 for all behavioral variables.
Left- vs. right-hemispheric DLPFC stimulation. Depicted are performance changes from pre- to post-stimulation measurements in percent ((POST*100)/PRE) and standard errors (SE) separately for two experimental groups (left DLPFC and right DLPFC stimulation).
Subjects did not indicate different degrees of presence in the virtual scene in the different conditions, and there were no differences in emotion either, as reported with the Self-Assessment Manikin. None of the subjects reported nausea during driving simulation. The years in possession of a driver's license were not associated with different effects of tDCS.
The present study aimed to examine effects of tDCS, and hence, of the induced manipulation of DLPFC activity on driving behavior in a customary driving simulator. As a main result, we found that anodal tDCS evoked less risky driving behavior while cathodal tDCS did not significantly influence the driving style. With respect to anodal stimulation, behavioral differences were found in four variables ("driving speed", "distance to driver ahead", "number of speed violations", "revolutions per minute") measuring different aspects of driving behavior. While the "distance to driver ahead" was larger after anodal tDCS as compared to the baseline measurement, the "number of speed violations", the "driving speed" and the "revolutions per minute" were reduced. These strong behavioral changes are evident despite the fact that the participants were not aware of their change in behavior.
The crucial association between functions mediated by the prefrontal cortex and risk-taking driving behavior found in this study is in line with previous findings about the prefrontal cortex . It is remarkable that a complex behavior such as driving a car can be directly influenced by an external modulation of the cortical excitability. Our main result is consistent with earlier research focusing on the external modulation of DLPFC activity and its effects on risk-taking behavior in situations less closely related to risk-taking in everyday life [5, 22, 23]. Knoch et al., for example, showed that low-frequency rTMS applied over the DLPFC evoked more risky behavioral choices in a standard gambling paradigm . The authors did not, however, study the effect of DLPFC excitation (as evoked by high-frequency rTMS) in their study, which would have induced similar effects in the stimulated tissue as anodal tDCS. Furthermore, Fecteau et al. reported a reduction of risk-taking behavior in different task paradigms following tDCS applied over the DLPFC [6, 24]. In their studies, the two electrodes were mounted to overly the left and right DLPFC areas – an electrode configuration that allowed the simultaneous stimulation of both hemispheres. Depending on the task, behavioral effects were evident only after right anodal/left cathodal stimulation or after both, right anodal/left cathodal and left anodal/right cathodal DLPFC stimulation . Using EEG combined with the estimation of intracerebral sources of brain activation, a recent study of our group uncovered less activation in the right-sided DLPFC during speeded and impulsive driving . This finding is in close correspondence with the study by Clark et al. reporting the same lateralization effects in patients with brain lesions in the context of risk behavior and with the later study of Fecteau et al. . The present study, however, did not replicate this lateralization effect and, thus, rather supports the earlier study of Fecteau et al. . Considering the data currently available, we have to conclude that the issue of functional DLPFC lateralization in the context of risk-taking behavior is not entirely understood – studies comparing simultaneous stimulation protocols as used by Fecteau et al. with stimulation protocols where the reference electrode is positioned on a functionally ineffective position would contribute to clarify this issue.
The propensity of risk-taking behavior has been assumed being linked to the openness to drug experiences and the general vulnerability for pathological addictive behavior. Several previous studies demonstrated that noninvasive stimulation of the frontal cortex lessens the craving for typical drugs such as nicotine [26, 27] or cocaine , hence suppressing the need to initiate reward-related behavior. In a broader sense, this effect corresponds to a more deliberate style of behavior and is consistent with the main result of the present study.
One may argue that the lowering of the driving speed can be explained by a stimulation-induced decline of attention. However, since anodal tDCS stimulation is known to enhance neural excitability in cortical regions underlying the stimulation electrode, it seems unlikely to us that anodal stimulation reduces attentional capacities (if anodal tDCS should modulate attention we would anticipate increased and not decreased attentional functionality). It can be further speculated about general effects of boredom or tiredness after the stimulation break; however, this effect should be the same after anodal and cathodal stimulation and can therefore not explain the observed difference between stimulation conditions. In addition, the increased carefulness of driving that we observed following anodal tDCS was not only characterized by a generally slower driving speed but also by a reduced number of speed violations, by reduced revolutions per minute and by an enlarged distance to the car driving ahead. In our opinion this combination of effects points to a more careful driving style rather than to enhanced tiredness.
Cathodal stimulation did not lead to a significant alteration of driving behavior. The reasons for this lacking effect are difficult to explain, thus we can only offer more or less speculative explanations. Given that functional lateralization of the DLPFC is an unsolved issue, it may well be that the unilaterally evoked hyperpolarization is simply not strong enough to induce a clear behavioral effect. The hemisphere not stimulated may be equipped to solely prevent the individual from showing more risky behavior – a mechanism that would be reasonable from an evolutionary perspective. Alternatively, it may be argued that the mere notice of receiving electrical stimulation (perceived as a slight itching at the beginning of the stimulation) leads to more careful driving that is independent of the stimulation condition. This effect may have counteracted a potential enhancement of a risky driving style induced by cathodal stimulation and on the other hand it may have facilitated the behavioral effect of anodal tDCS.
There is one methodological limitation of the tDCS technique that should be addressed. Given the electrode size of 35 cm2, it is obvious that the spatial resolution is low. Furthermore, when using this technique, one has to deal with remote effects. Since the brain is a heavily wired system, current spread from the stimulated region to neighboring and interconnected regions is most likely. Remote effects have been proven in studies combining transcranial brain stimulation (TMS, tDCS) with PET or fMRI [29, 30]. With respect to the present study, it may be that the stimulation of the DLPFC triggered a co-activation of other regions in the frontal lobe such as the ventromedial or orbitofrontal cortex, which may have influenced task performance after stimulation. Since we do not know the real extent of the tDCS effect, we cannot disentangle precisely the neurophysiological underpinnings and the associated psychological processes. Although several methodological problems of tDCS are unsolved so far, there are several studies available supporting the precision and usability of tDCS [31, 32]. Uy and Ridding, for example, showed a specific increase of cortical excitability for the First Dorsal Interosseous (FDI) muscle after anodal tDCS while the Abductor Digiti Minimi (ADM) and the Flexor Carpi Ulnaris (FCU) were not affected. However, it was not in the scope of this study to clarify the exact neuroanatomical source of the effect. Further studies combining tDCS with neuroimaging methods are needed to address this issue properly.
It is important to highlight the significance of the present findings for the explanation of aggressive and risky driving behavior, especially in adolescents. The stimulation of the DLPFC influenced driving behavior. Exactly this site of the brain matures late in adolescents and might be the cause of deviant driving styles. Regardless of the high behavioral complexity in this paradigm, we found striking results with high external validity and direct transferability in everyday life. Moreover, the feasibility of external manipulation of the brain, even on complex behaviors, opens different possibilities for neural rehabilitation.
This work is funded under the European Union FET project PRESENCCIA Contract Number 27731.
GB participated in the design of the study, performed parts of the statistical analysis and drafted the manuscript. KG participated in the design, carried out the experiments and performed the statistical analysis. SK participated in the design. LJ participated in the design, the statistical analysis and helped drafting the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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0.999997 |
The inflation rate in France between 1993 and today has been 44.55%, which translates into a total increase of €44.55. This means that 100 euro in 1993 are equivalent to 144.55 euro in 2019. In other words, the purchasing power of €100 in 1993 equals €144.55 today. The average annual inflation rate has been 1.37%.
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0.999987 |
How long will it take $200,000 to amount to half a million dollars if the simple interest rate is 8.25% per annum?
Remember that he /she says "simple interest rate of 8.25%"
$500, 000 - $200,000 = $300,000 Simple interest that must be earned.
$200,000 x 0.0825 = $16,500 simple interest earned per year.
$300,000 / $16,500 = 18.18 years for $200,000 to become $500,000.
It would take a little less then 12 years.
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0.979169 |
If I have a master’s degree in civil engineering and an engineer-in-training (EIT) certification, will my resume go straight to the top of the pile during the job hunt?
In my opinion, the answer to this question is no. Well, it may be yes in certain situations, but it really depends on your discipline and what else you have on your resume.
When trying to get hired as a civil engineer, regardless of experience level, I think there are several things that are expected, and then once you go beyond those, every additional item you possess can give you a notch up above the competition.
For example, let’s say you are a civil engineering student applying for jobs. I think we can agree that an undergraduate degree in civil engineering would, in most cases, be required.
An EIT certification, while maybe not required by a hiring firm, would definitely give you an advantage over civil engineers that don’t have an EIT.
That being said, in my engineering-career-coaching experience, I am finding that today the EIT is fairly common among young civil engineers and graduating civil engineering students. Therefore, while this credential is critical and should be obtained, it probably won’t fast-track your job application to the top of the pile.
If you obtain a master’s degree in civil engineering, you may separate yourself from many other young civil engineers who don’t have one. However, I can’t say that this gives you a strong advantage in the corporate job search process. This would depend on the job you are seeking and the prospective employer’s preferences.
I have seen master’s degrees help greatly in the structural engineering discipline, where most firms require one in order to hire a young structural engineer. This is why for civil engineers, with the exception of structural engineers, I often recommend doing a master’s degree while you are working.
This allows you to confirm that the degree is needed in your discipline and possibly deflect some of the cost should you find a civil engineering company that will assist you financially with obtaining your degree.
Lastly, I believe that the great differentiator in job applications for civil engineers can be summarized in one word: experience.
Many civil engineering students underestimate the value of an internship or any other civil engineering work experience that they can obtain while in school. You could make a case – again, depending on your discipline – that work experience as a college student might be more valuable than anything else on your resume during the job application process.
In my own case, I graduated from a good engineering college with a civil engineering degree and an EIT, but no master’s degree, and I had multiple job offers from which to choose. I did also have an engineering internship every year during school, and I should mention that the company I worked for hired me.
So, when it comes to deciding what credentials or achievements will help you stand out from the rest of the pool of civil engineering graduate applicants, remember that your work experience can make all the difference.
Think about it: Companies can support you in obtaining your EIT or your master’s degree, but they can’t go back in time and give you work experience.
I believe a MSCE is a huge career advantage. An undergraduate CE degree is very broad and you may only get a couple courses in the field you want to enter. With an MSCE you get an additional half dozen courses in your area of specialization and are much better prepared to enter the workforce.
Ed do you have an MSCE — if so what field and how has it helped? Thanks for sharing.
Give me experience over a masters degree or other advanced degree any day. I never considered going any higher than my BSCE and determined to apply myself to the task at hand. I worked summers on projects and the experience served me better than some of my college classes. I saw many engineers with advanced degrees that had the common sense of a turnip. All they knew was the book learnin’ and nothing else. Give them a real world situation and a short time frame and they were lost. I worked on projects that required more common sense approaches than what the book said to do. In school, we took 3 days to run a soil test that in the field took 7 minutes. The grad student assistant had never heard of the device used in the field. I have often been told that my practical approach and application of engineering knowledge is what is needed more than going by the book.
Anthony, thank you for this insightful article. Perhaps a future article could include suggestions for getting a career back on track. In my case, I graduated in 2012 from a top 20 engineering college, completed my EIT, and had an uneventful internship, but due to the economy had to settle for a non-engineering design job with a less-than-forthright fire sprinkler contracting company. Unfortunately, without 3 – 5 years of civil engineering-specific work, I find myself locked out of most “entry-level” CE job openings. Do you have some advice to get back on track for becoming a PE design engineer? Thank you.
I strongly agree with you about rating work experience as better than mater’s degree or EIT certification. However, that also brings another question to the table: what if that experience is as graduate teaching and/or research assistant? Would that be experience taken into account when applying for jobs afterwards?
Gabriel — what kind of job? I think it would be a case-by-case basis. Of course if research related work would benefit the job — then yes!
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0.961724 |
I just ordered an SSD, and I just want to know how to move Windows 8.1 from HDD to new SSD with EaseUS Todo Backup. Does it back up and restore the Windows 8.1 OS and the data on your HDD and SSD?
Yes, this software is capable of moving the entire system partition on another HDD or a newly purchased SSD.
To initiate the procedure, go to CLONE, select the source partition with the operating system, then choose the target (eg. SSD) and tick the option called Optimize for SSD. Wait for the process to complete. When it's finished, reboot the PC, access BIOS and set the SSD as primary boot device and the operating system will boot normally and that's it.
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0.949279 |
Упркос чињеници да је велики број становника Београда у периоду између два светска рата живео у рентијерским становима, ретки су текстови који обрађују ову тему. Стамбена архитектура Београда тог периода углавном је приказивана кроз архитектонске и стилске карактеристике зграда, вила и станова док су услови становања, питање власништва и однос закупаца и рентијера махом били изван истраживачког фокуса. Циљ овог рада је да прикаже станове које су изнајмљивали сиромашни Београђани у међуратном периоду. Анализирани су карактеристични примери и резимиране заједничке одлике рентијерских станова и зграда, те су приказани услови становања сиромашних закупаца у контексту урбаног развоја града и друштвених односа. Главни методи којима је обезбеђена грађа за анализу били су изучавање архивске грађе, оригиналне пројектне и сродне документације, проучавање текстова и чланака из периодике и огласа о издавању станова, који су објављивани у дневним листовима, затим анализа фотографија, геодетских пла...нова града из 1921. и 1932. године, као и теренски рад и разговори са данашњим станарима.
In the period between the two world wars, a large number of the citizens of Belgrade lived in rented apartments. Rental apartments for the poor tenants were built and leased in all parts of the town. In the central parts of town, the poor rented apartments in unhygienic and dilapidated apartment buildings remaining from the 19th century and units located in courtyards of detached houses or in smaller enclaves. In the suburbs and near – suburbs, they rented substandard apartments in single story dwellings in deep and narrow courtyards that housed several kitchen-room type units. Being a rentier was an occupation that was profitable and provided social status and power. Big rentiers were the owners of luxurious apartments available to a small circle of better off citizens, but they also owned dilapidated buildings and apartments that they leased to the poor citizens of Belgrade. Not so rich rentiers mostly had the latter tenants. There was also a number of “landladies” and “landlords” w...ho were not rentiers by occupation, but who increased their modest profits by leasing a small apartment in the courtyard, basement or shed. One form of poor people's “rentier business” was subleasing a part of the apartment, most often a room. The tenants of small and substandard, but expensive apartments and rooms, were poor families and singles, junior civil servants, pensioners, craftsmen, workers and many others. There were also pre-war citizens of Belgrade, those who were looking for employment in the capital city of the newly formed Kingdom, migrant workers, Russian refugees and foreigners, together with a large number of half - literate, unqualified and poor village population newly arrived to Belgrade. The apartments were small in size and had insufficient cubic capacity of air per room. They were overcrowded, often consisting of a kitchen and a room, or one room. They were damp, badly lit and without sunlight, cold and with no fresh air, negatively affecting the tenants health. Even today, these courtyard buildings that housed the poorbetween the two world wars can be found in the streets of Dorćol, Savamala, Čubura, Voždovac, Zvezdara, Lekino Brdo or Bulbulder.
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0.995349 |
deliberate decision on buying a franchise business should be made considering all the pros and cons of the deal. The greatest advantage of franchising for the owner is the ability to bring independent retailers together through using one and the same brand name, model, and business concept. Buying a franchise business means participating in distributing products or services through retailing channels owned by independent operators. Franchising makes it possible for the franchisor to growth the business while minimizing investment activities.
Right definition and understanding of procurement teams and their responsibilities is vital to project managers who want to provide their projects with necessary items. The definition of procurement team needs to be described in order to help people involved in supply chain management to build a liaison between contractors and customers.
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0.920694 |
What it is: AR technology superimposes a computer-generated composite image on a user’s view of the real world. Typically, augmented reality is experienced through a smartphone, tablet, or similar device.
What it can do for you: Augmented reality apps allow you to enhance physical locations and tourist attractions. All you need to do is point your smartphone at a building or landmark, and you’ll learn more about it, in real-time.
What it is: Virtual reality typically involves the use of a headset, which immerses you in a digital world through the use of images, sounds and other physical sensations.
What it can do for you: You can have a virtual travel experience, whether you take a virtual tour of your hotel before you arrive, or experience a local tourist attraction or activity.
What it is: The Internet of Things (IoT) involves internet-based inter-connectivity between everyday devices, allowing them to both send and receive data. These devices can be controlled or monitored remotely and can perform actions automatically.
What it can do for you: IoT technology can be used in your hotel room. Using a device that connects to everything from the lights, to the heaters and air conditioning, allowing you to control them from one convenient place. Additionally, using an electronic key card which the hotel has sent to your smartphone, you’re automatically checked in without ever having to stop at the front desk.
What it is: Recognition technology includes fingerprint recognition, facial recognition, retina scanning and various other biometric identifiers.
What it can do for you: Some of the ways the travel industry can make use of facial recognition technology is to improve personalisation, thereby allowing service providers to tailor their offerings to each traveller. Furthermore, such technology is already being used in some hotels to allow access to rooms via fingerprints or to allow for semi-contactless check-outs. In the future, there’s talk that this technology may enable customers to pay for meals in the hotel restaurant by merely walking through the exit.
What it is: Artificial intelligence, or AI, refers to computers or machines performing tasks that would typically require human intelligence to carry out.
What it can do for you: For the travel industry, AI is already providing online assistance to customers through the use of chatbots. However, one of the more exciting emerging trends is for the technology to be used for face-to-face customer service interactions too. An example is the AI robot deployed by Hilton. ‘Connie’ uses artificial intelligence and speech recognition to provide tourist information to guests who speak to it. Each human interaction also helps to teach the robot, improving the quality of all future communications.
What it is: Voice control is a technology that allows devices to understand human speech and respond to simple voice commands appropriately.
What it can do for you: In the past, you would have had to rely on hotel information desks to provide you with information, such as the number for a taxi, or directions to a nearby attraction. Voice control technology means that travel and tourism information can be obtained merely by asking your smartphone a question, getting up-to-date information in real-time, based on location.
What it is: Blockchain is a list of public transactions between parties. Each record or ‘block’ is secured using cryptography. Data is decentralised and blocks – which contain transaction information and time stamps – are permanent.
What it can do for you: With so many entities passing information between one another, from travel agents to airlines, hotels and more, blockchain can make accessing and storing this information easier, more reliable and more secure (which is essential when dealing with overseas payments).
Want to know more about how we use technology to ensure seamless business travel and assist in a greener travel experience? Contact Thompsons Travel today and let’s talk about leveraging the right travel management technology for your business in 2019.
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0.999435 |
Do cicadas spend seven years underground before emerging?
I just found the first cicada larvae emerged from the ground a couple of days ago here in New Mexico (the first one I've seen this year), and now I hear them buzzing in the trees. I'm wondering if the stories I've always heard about them are true. Do they really spend seven years underground as larvae, just to emerge and get one season to fly and buzz and mate? Kind of a bummer. Anyway, I'm wondering if this is true of all cicadas, or just the ones found in the east?
It sounds like someone gave you a bum steer, if they said 7 years, because the most infamous cicadas are the “periodical cicadas” (the genus Magicicada), those with a 17-year or 13-year life cycle. That’s not to say there aren’t some with a 7-year life cycle (there are dozens of cicadas in the US with life cycles from 2-9 years or so, varying with species and with environmental conditions), but they’re wimps compared to the Magicicada species. There are six Magicicada, three that are mostly northeastern (with 17-year cycles), and three that are mostly southeastern (with 13-year cycles), and what you have there in New Mexico is another type altogether, probably an Okanagana species.
Regardless of species, all cicadas feed as nymphs buried underground on tree roots (meaning their diet is almost pure water, which is one big reason they develop so slowly), and then have a very brief non-feeding adult stage that survives at most a few weeks, only to reproduce (inserting eggs into twigs; the nymphs drop to the ground after they hatch) and die. The males sing their songs to attract females, by clattering a pair of plates over the openings to a resonant air chamber in the abdomen. Each species sings a different song, which is useful considering that you normally will find 2-3 species that overlap in a given area.
At any rate, it may be a bummer to spend 13 or 17 years sucking on a tree root, only to die after a week or two of freedom at the end, but other organisms like century plants and many salmon have that same sort of reproductive strategy (called “semelparity”) and it works — you saturate your potential predators so that they can’t possibly eat every one of you before you’ve had a chance to pass on the ol’ genome and start the whole thing all over again.
Good answer! But you didn’t say how long New Mexico Okanagana cicadas stay underground (by the way, I like the Magicicada name much better)? When we found that first larvae, I took my daughter outside and had her listen to how silent it was outside in the early evening. We took the grub inside and watched it transform into a cicada over the next few hours. The next evening, the air was buzzing outside with adult cicadas! I told her that the one we found would lay eggs and the babies wouldn’t emerge from the ground until she was fifteen. So how old will she really be?
I haven’t heard of any research on the life cycle of Okanagana — and there are two or three other genera that could be in your area, also probably unknown. Tell your daughter the truth about how science works — there are lots of things about the natural world, especially regarding insects, that no one knows because no one thinks it’s important enough to pay someone to figure it out. It’s amazing how much of the field of entomology is stuff learned just because someone pursued their own curiosity at their own time and expense, rather than being paid to do it.
Well, I do, Doug. And I am going to find out.
Jill, you think it’s important enough to pay someone to find out?
No, dammit. I saw a cicada egg fall to the ground, I saw where the larvae burrowed into the lawn, and I ain’t moving till it comes out. So I’ll see you all in either 2002 or 2016. Somebody‘s gotta do it.
Do ultrasonic bug repellers keep away cockroaches and crickets?
How do we know the cockroach is 250 million years old?
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0.999999 |
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a shallow pan large enough to hold all the tomatoes.
Slice off tops of tomatoes; using a teaspoon, hollow out and turn them upside down to drain on paper towels. Reserve some of the tomato flash (about 1/2 to 2/3 cups) and keep it in a strainer over a bowl.
Sauté mushrooms and the white part of the scallions in butter in a skillet over medium heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until tender and golden brown; add garlic and cook stirring for a little longer. Set aside.
Combine sour cream, flour, cheese and Sherry in a saucepan and cook constantly stirring over low heat until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Add the mushroom – scallion and garlic mixture; then add the reserved tomato flash, salt, pepper and herbs. Stir until well combined.
Stuff tomatoes, arrange them in the prepared pan and bake for about 15 minutes until tomatoes are just tender, but still hold their shape. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnish with reserved green tops of the scallions.
There is a typo in step 2. The correct way is: Reserve some of the tomato flash (about 1/2 to 2/3 cups) and keep it in a strainer over a bowl.
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0.969562 |
We the under-developed countries call ourselves as independent sovereign states but even today we are forced to play in the hands of world powers and international financial institutions because of our economic crises. Our governments are run through remote control strategies as they have tagged our national affairs with their indispensable financial supports particularly to South Asian countries. We know wars bring destruction and miseries for the nations as their infrastructure is destroyed, death tolls rise and economy is paralysed. The world has seen miseries and irreversible losses experienced from World War-1 to World War-ll and Hiroshima until today has not gone out of the memories of the WW-II. Nuclear weapons have grown by leaps and bounds endangering the world by every passing day.
USA has suffered from every war including world wars, Vietnam, Iraq and Syria and now continuous suffering in Afghanistan but it still continues to pursue its geo-politics and other world agendas. India and Pakistan have equally suffered badly in 1965 and 1971 wars but the tension between both the countries continues even till today. Although India suffered equally but it has not created any mechanism to contain war mongering by its leaders including current Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We, under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam, won our movement to get our independence both from British imperialism and the Hindu hegemony to safeguard our political and social rights as an independent nation. The world will continue to experience wars and tension because of the greed to grab the resources as well as by putting civilisations at the course of clash through their ill-conceived environments. Pakistan has always stood for peace and not war.
The question is as to whether South Asian countries are really independent? I ask all leaders of South Asian countries if we are really independent in handling our affairs as sovereign states/nations or we have been crippled by the powerful ones, through their financial might, making us helpless. We have witnessed the invasions of the countries under different pretexts either under fear of terror or economic assaults.
We witnessed in recent history as to how erstwhile USSR forced its troops to Afghanistan in 1979, which ignited war between USA and USSR. We have seen how Afghanistan became a battlefield and it is still suffering endlessly with continued internal and external wars. This war has destroyed its economy and brought horrible level of social injustice. Not only Afghanistan, but this war also affected adversely the entire South Asia. It is important to note that most troubled region continued to be Middle East and South Asia where we see the presence of USA in different roles to promote its geo-politics with the assistance and help of India.
Similarly, Syrian economy has been devastated because of sanctions, destruction and dislocation associated with the Civil War duly created by the West. In 2018, the World Bank estimated that about one-third of Syria’s housing stock and one half of its health and education facilities had been destroyed by the conflict. According to the World Bank, a cumulative total of $226 billion in GDP was lost due to the conflict from 2011 to 2016. Besides, there has been $14 billion loss of infrastructure and economy of Yemen due to civil war till now. These three wars in Iraq, Syria and Yemen have almost destroyed the economy of that region. The combination of Arab Spring followed by these wars basically created regional instability creating room for western arms sale.
What I am trying to press is that world powers take the first step in order to instigate tension within a country or bordering countries and internal insurgency followed by planned border escalations and then proper war by using air strikes & insurgency created through various militants groups. The use of arms increases in the long drawn war and it helps to increase the sale of defence production. If there is no war there can be no sale of weapons. The increasing world powers influence in South Asia is, in fact, destabilising the regional peace and India is aspiring to emerge as police officer of the this region.
The instability and anarchy in the said countries do not end with sale of arms but goes beyond arms where the nations lose their infrastructure and economy as well. At this very moment, international financial institutions jump in as part of the pre-planned mandate by their masters and offer loans putting the nations under heavy debts forcing them to take dictation, which is, in fact, a first step to control the country through management of economy. Pakistan can be considered as one of the top victims of this model of Control by the world powers and international financial institutions.
The war of borders is now becoming obsolete and war of economy & war of space via drone are the modern tools to control and invade the required countries. It is not only Pakistan but also entire South Asia & Middle East countries are suffering through same processes.
This new trend of war through economic tools and space war technology has been created by the world powers where the powerful countries fight to protect their economic interests through alliances with each other and the world has seen these alliances of military might in Afghanistan and Iraq. It looks that now the war is gradually transforming into fights of “Economic and space war technology Zones”. The war is going to be of targets from space to space and space to ground. The countries with Arial target capabilities will dominate the third world, in future, through fear. South Asia including China is, therefore, at risk.
We the South Asian countries got independence and now mistakenly thinking that we can decide our economic and administrative policies as free sovereign states but it is not true in the presence of IMF and the World Bank acting as our rulers. These rulers have the towering ability to summon the elected PMs & presidents and dictate the future of the countries as per their own terms. In reality we are still the salves of IMF duly controlled by world powers.
Countries in South Asia need to think as to how they can protect themselves in the future. We look independent but we are tied hard with the economic debacles. We suffer under heavy loans and continued to get suffocated in the hands of world powers.
Saarc was created to make South Asia a block of nations to work for more regional cooperation and to create more harmony within the member states but it failed to perform as per its defined charter. India has crippled its function because of its effective hold on Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Bangladesh. All these countries need to rise above the Indian influence and work for “No war pact within the Saarc countries,” which is the need of the time to gain more confidence within the member states. Saarc needs to have its own Economic Support Programme as an alternate to IMF & World Bank enabling the member states to reduce the reliance on these two institutions.
I hope that we may wake Saarc up in a bid to play some lead role to make an independent block fighting our poverty and social injustice.
The writer is Chairman of Think Tank “Global Eye” & former interior minister of Pakistan.
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0.985208 |
In order to achieve the best performance possible from text ads, which is a best practice that should be followed?
Use at least five keywords from the ad group directly in the ad text.
Use account statistics and reports to monitor ad performance.
Include words like “find” and “searchA” in the ad text.
Include no more than one ad text per ad group.
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0.999999 |
How to plan for the festive season throughout the year?
I am sure many of you will agree that every year we have to plan a budget to make plans for the holiday season. Is there any way to plan it over the year, If yes, how?
Very good question. I think it's better to plan throughout the year for the festive season.
For example, if you plan to spend $1000, then you can set aside $100 every month and you'll save the amount in 10 months. Thus, you can enjoy the holiday season and won't have to fall into debt.
However, if you're planning a vacation, then it's better to set aside a specific amount separately, since it'll cost you more.
Also, try to shop for the gifts beforehand so that you can take advantage of various discounts over the year.
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0.999921 |
1. The dress: Grace Kelly-esque bride Kate Middleton wore an ivory and white satin dress with lace sleeves and shoulders, designed by Sarah Burton of the Alexander McQueen fashion house, according to CNN. Her thigh-length veil was held in place by a Cartier diamond tiara, and her train measured 2.7 meters (almost 9 feet) according to the Sydney Morning Herald of Australia.
2. The titles: Prince William and Princess Catherine are now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, reported CNN and E! Online.
3. The crowd: About a half million people were expected to watch the event on giant screens at Hyde Park in central London. Cheers from crowds outside could be heard inside Westminster Abbey after key points during the ceremony, such as the vows. About a million people lined the streets of London, cheering as the couple and guests arrived at the abbey. It's estimated that 2 billion people watched the ceremony on TV around the world, according to Forbes.
4. The ceremony: The traditional, solemn service was full of pomp and circumstance, choirs and hymns. Prince Harry served as best man, and Middleton's sister Pippa was maid of honor. Middleton's father walked her down the aisle and stood up with her during the ceremony, and brother James gave a reading. The prince greeted his bride with a "You look beautiful" at the altar. The service lasted about an hour.
5. Afterward: As the couple left the abbey, bells pealed, crowds cheered, flags waved and confetti was launched. The couple, beaming and chatting, proceeded around London in an open-air carriage.
What's next for the royal couple? A honeymoon, a visit to Canada, the prince's continued duty in the Royal Air Force and, quite possibly, children, reports the UK's Evening Standard.
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0.947839 |
Recall the Arabian proverb that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend"? That is certainly true in politics as practiced by Democrats. Democrat-linked groups are pouring money into Florida to help the candidate they would prefer run against Barack Obama: Newt Gingrich.
Complicating matters for Romney, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees union has launched a $1 million ad campaign in Florida attacking him on the theme of "corporate greed.'' Nearly $100,000 of the buy is on the Internet. Meanwhile, the Service Employees International Union and the pro-Obama super PAC Priorities USA Action intend to spend more than $100,000 on Spanish-language radio ads accusing Romney of having "two faces'' when it comes to the Latino community.
"The last thing that President Obama and his cronies want is Mitt Romney as an opponent -- which explains their 'all hands on deck' approach for their strategy to 'kill Romney,' the same way they engaged in a campaign of personal destruction against Hillary Clinton,'' Andrea Saul, a Romney campaign spokeswoman, said.
Democratic allies are making such early and big buys for one reason -- and it has nothing to do with the general election in November. Their campaign is focused on interfering with the GOP primary. I have written about this before.
The Obama campaign has a dream candidate -- aside from Obama himself. That would be Newt Gingrich.
Is there a message here for Republicans? Is there a message that some of America's most dedicated conservatives (Ann Coulter among them) are warning that Newt Gingrich is a disaster waiting to happen for the entire conservative movement; that he will not just be one more Sharron Angle and Christine O'Donnell going down in flames, but that he will drag down conservatives all over the nation and gives us not just four more years of Obama but a Democratic Congress that will provide no firewall to restrain his worst impulses.
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Sir James Hall of Dunglass, 4th Baronet FRS FRSE (17 January 1761 – 23 June 1832) was a Scottish geologist and geophysicist. He was a Member of Parliament for St. Michael's borough (Mitchell, Cornwall) 1807–1812.
Hall was born at Dunglass, East Lothian, to Magdalen (died 1763) ,daughter of Sir Robert Pringle, 3rd Baronet, of Stichill, Roxburghshire and Sir John Hall, 3rd Baronet (died 1776). He studied at Christ's College, Cambridge, and the University of Edinburgh. As an Edinburgh student during the early 1780s, Hall studied chemistry under Joseph Black and natural history under John Walker. Though mineralogy was frequent taught in medical courses, Walker was one of the first professors to offer systematic lectures on the new field of geology. While attending Walker's popular course, Hall was taught how to use the chemical composition of minerals to determine relative age of strata. Walker also emphasised the geological relevance of chemists like William Cullen, Joseph Black, Johann Pott, Torbern Bergman, Johann Wallerius and Axel Cronstedt. After his studies, Hall travelled to continental Europe where he actively sought out book dealers who could sell him works on chemistry, mineralogy and geology. He eventually travelled to France and met Lavoisier. He returned to Scotland to promote the new French chemical nomenclature.
Hall was fascinated by James Hutton's Theory of the Earth during the late 1780s and 1790s. Hutton's theory suggested that the strata of the earth were continually being worn down or melted, thereby making the earth one giant system of materials' circulation. In the spring 1788 Hall was with Hutton and John Playfair on the boat trip east from his home at Dunglass along the Berwickshire coast to Siccar Point where they found the famous rock formation now known as Hutton's Unconformity. At this point Hall was still sceptical of the chemical viability of Hutton's theory, however, he soon reconciled these doubts and ended up publishing several papers on the chemical composition of strata. He carried out research on granite that showed that it was possible for molten rock to form conformities. He melted basalt in an iron furnace, and demonstrated that it returned to its original form when cooled. He melted limestone in a retort made from a gun barrel, to show that it did not decompose when melted under pressure. His results were published in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and were well received by those like John Playfair who wanted to use Hutton's theory to promote a more mathematical approach to geology. He also carried out the first analogue modelling to investigate the formation of folds, work published in 1815.
Hall travelled extensively in Europe to examine geological formations of the Alps and Mount Etna, and noted the similarity of lava flows in Italy to locations in Scotland.
Sir James Hall was President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and author of various works on architecture and the sciences.
He married Helen Douglas (d. 1837), daughter of Dunbar Douglas, 4th Earl of Selkirk and sister of the 5th Earl of Selkirk. They had three daughters and three sons.
Hall died at home at 132 George Street in the New Town in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard in central Edinburgh. The grave lies against the western wall of the original churchyard, backing onto George Heriots School.
He was succeeded by his son and heir, Sir John Hall, 5th Baronet, FRS. Another son, Basil Hall, was a noted traveller and writer; his daughter Eliza was mother of Houston Stewart Chamberlain. His daughter Magdalene Hall (1793-1822) married firstly 1815 Colonel Sir William Howe De Lancey and secondly Captain Henry Harvey; she was author of A Week at Waterloo (first privately published) and died in childbirth with her third child. By De Lancey, her first husband, Magdalene had no issue.
^ "Hall, Sir James, Bart. (HL777J)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
^ "Hutton's Journeys to Prove his Theory". Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2008.
^ Schellart, Wouter P.; Strak, Vincent (2016). "A review of analogue modelling of geodynamic processes: Approaches, scaling, materials and quantification, with an application to subduction experiments". Journal of Geodynamics. 100: 7–32. doi:10.1016/j.jog.2016.03.009. ISSN 0264-3707.
^ "Edinburgh Post Office annual directory, 1832-1833". National Library of Scotland. p. 80. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
^ Ruth Fuller-Sessions. "Unseen for 100 years, the sad love story of a wife and the final days with her husband who died at Waterloo" Daily Mail 18 June 2008. Fuller-Sessions is descended from one of Magdalene de Lancey's brothers: "Magdalene was my great-great-great-grandfather’s sister."
^ "HALL, Sir James, 4th Bt. (1761-1832), of Dunglass, Haddington". www.historyofparliamentonline.org. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
^ McGowan, Dale (7 September 2012). Voices of Unbelief: Documents from Atheists and Agnostics: Documents from Atheists and Agnostics. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9781598849790.
M. D. Eddy, 'Geology, Mineralogy and Time in John Walker's University of Edinburgh Natural History Lectures', History of Science, 39 (2001), 95-119.
M. D. Eddy, 'The University of Edinburgh Natural History Class Lists', Archives of Natural History, 30 (2003), 97-117.
M. D. Eddy, The Language of Mineralogy: John Walker, Chemistry and the Edinburgh Medical School, Aldershot : Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2008, ISBN 978-0-7546-6332-4 [Hall is discussed throughout the book, especially in the introduction and conclusion].
The Royal Families of England, Scotland, and Wales, with their Descendants, etc., by Messrs, John and John Bernard Burke, London, 1848: vol.1, pedigree CXXVI.
Ten Parishes of the County of Haddington, by John Martine, edited by E.J.Wilson, Haddington, 1894, p. 214.
Wikisource has the text of a 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article about Sir James Hall, 4th Baronet.
Boulger, George Simonds (1890). "Hall, James (1761-1832)" . Dictionary of National Biography. 24.
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0.998863 |
Review Summary: The first - and, in this reviewer's opinion, only worthwhile - album from British artist Leo Sayer.
Few people know that before Leo Sayer became the white-fro sporting King of Disco, he was an artist. It's a real shame, too, because Sayer's first release, "Silverbird" showed promise.
"Silverbird" is very dark and depressing at its heart. It's a concept album, in that the themes of isolation and sadness weave each of the songs together. The compositions (music written by David Courtney) are fairly simple, but effective, made all the stronger by Sayer's lyrics.
The album starts with "innocent Bystander", a song about chasing dreams and never fulfilling them. Then we dive right into "Goodnight Old Friend", which could either be about the loss of a relationship through death or separation, or about a person putting away their personal demons. Sayer displays a wide-vocal range, which can jump from a sweet and thin tenor to a gravelly, harsh rock voice within one song.
The break-out song on this album is "The Show Must Go On," which was made famous to US listeners by the glorified cover-band Three Dog Night. Sayer's version, however, is in my opinion much stronger. When I listen to it, it sounds to me like a circus clown singing shortly before offing everyone around him. It's a song about being trapped by one's own mistakes, and about the deadly world of show business. We then get to "The Dancer," a creepy, atmospheric piano piece, featuring Sayer's angelic falsetto, about a Dancer who takes a nasty fall from the high wire.
For all of the album's strengths, a few lame, generic songs bar it from becoming a pure classic. "Tomorrow" and "Oh What A Life" are poor attempts at rockers, and come off as forced and insincere. "Don't Tell Me That It's Over" is an alright ballad, but nothing special, and the subject matter of a lost love is definitely well-trodden ground.
I would give this album a 4 out of 5. This is a side of Sayer we only see briefly in his follow up album "Just A Boy," and then it dies, replaced by a bad disco singer who sold out. Trivia: if Roger Daltrey's first solo album wasn't rocky enough, blame Sayer - he and David Courtney wrote it!
Before you write anymore, I think you should know that it's generally against site etiquette to have multiple review on the front page at a time. It's fine to have two occasionally, but three is a bit much.
Ok, thank-you for informing me. I was unaware. It will not happen again.
I unironically have always wondered if there was a good Leo Sayer album.
Haha, I was surprised as well.
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0.99924 |
How can you tell if a pilot is likely to be involved in an airplane crash? According to researchers at Johns Hopkins University, it could be as simple as determining if that pilot has a previous conviction for driving while intoxicated. According to a recently completed study, a pilot with a DWI in his or her past is 43% more likely to have an aviation accident than a pilot who has never had a DWI.
The study, funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, followed more than 300,000 pilots with Class III medical certificates over a seven-year period.
The researchers found that a DWI history was most common among male pilots between the ages of 25 and 44. Researchers suggested that behavioral factors, such as poor decision-making skills, that can lead to driving while intoxicated might carry over into the flying world.
Since 1990, pilot applicants in the United States have been required to undergo a background check to determine their DWI history. Pilots who are convicted of DWI are required by law to report the conviction to the FAA within 60 days.
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0.987211 |
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell this week reiterating Palestinian reform efforts while urging him to pressure Israel to take reciprocal steps, a State Department official said Friday.
Arafat lists in the lengthy letter a variety of steps already under way to bring about reform, including announcing elections.
In return, Arafat called on Powell to use U.S. clout to "pressure Israel" to take reciprocal steps, such as releasing Palestinian tax revenue, withdrawing from Palestinian territory and easing closures, officials said.
While the officials were not sure if Powell plans to respond to Arafat's letter, they said there "wasn't much of a chance" in light of President Bush's speech last month calling for a change in Palestinian leadership.
One official said it was "not wise" for Arafat to make demands of Israel considering that Bush put the onus on Arafat to make significant reforms.
Powell is scheduled to travel on Tuesday to New York to hold a meeting with the so-called Madrid Quartet -- made up of the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia -- and the foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan plans to hold a dinner for all the participants Tuesday night.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the meeting is intended to advance Bush's vision of two states living side by side in peace with recognized borders, and to help the Palestinians implement reforms, including reform of the Palestinian economy and its political structure.
U.S. officials privately admit Powell will still have a tough job persuading members of the quartet to support the U.S. call for new Palestinian leadership without Arafat.
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0.994641 |
What is the market capitalization of the U.S. new home market?
That allows us to arrive at the new home market's equivalent of the stock market's market capitalization!
Initially, it only took an additional 1,400-1,500 new home sales each month to launch the bubble.
After holding steady for several months, the quantity of new home sales then escalated rapidly in the period from November 2012 through January 2013, peaking in January 2013, dropping dramatically in February 2013, and recovering somewhat in March 2013.
The spike in prices in January 2013 is a direct result of the fiscal cliff crisis, which ran from November 2012 into early January 2013. The surge in sales during these months represents a portion of the massive amount of money that left the stock market in the form of the capital gains and dividends that successfully avoided the higher tax rates taking effect in 2013.
The market cap of the U.S. new home market averaged about $8.2 billion per month in the first six months of 2012. It averaged $9.2 billion per month in the second half of 2012 with the onset of the second U.S. housing bubble.
Coincidentally, a large amount of money leaving the stock market was the spark for igniting the first U.S. housing bubble.
But the actions of investors seeking to avoid the higher tax rates taking effect in 2013 only explains why new home sales spiked during the final months of 2012 and the first months of 2013, as money flowed out of one market and into the other. It doesn't explain what caused the second U.S. housing bubble to begin to inflate back in July 2012, as we had previously speculated.
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Biometric recognition (also known as biometrics) refers to the automated recognition of individuals based on their biological and behavioral traits (ISO/IEC JTC1 SC37). Examples of biometric traits include fingerprint, face, iris, palmprint, retina, hand geometry, voice, signature and gait.
Personal identity refers to a set of attributes (e.g., name, social security number, etc.) that are associated with a person. Identity management is the process of creating (linking the attributes to a physical person), maintaining and destroying identities of individuals in a population. One of the critical tasks in identity management is person authentication, where the goal is to either determine the previously established identity of an individual or verify an individual's identity claim. This can be accomplished by three methods (Jain et al., 2007). The two conventional methods of authentication are based on a person’s exclusive possession of a token (e.g., ID card or key) or knowledge of a secret (e.g., password). The third method, called biometric recognition, authenticates a person based on his biological and behavioral (biometric) traits.
Biometric recognition forms a strong link between a person and his identity because biometric traits cannot be easily shared, lost, or duplicated. Hence, biometric recognition is intrinsically superior and more resistant to social engineering attacks (e.g., phishing) than the two conventional methods of recognition, namely, passwords and tokens. Since biometric recognition requires the user to be present at the time of authentication, it can also deter users from making false repudiation claims. Moreover, only biometrics can provide negative identification functionality where the goal is to establish whether a certain individual is indeed enrolled in a system although the individual might deny it. Due to these characteristics, biometric recognition has been widely hailed as a natural, reliable, and irreplaceable component of any identity management system. Biometrics is being increasingly incorporated in various authentication and security applications that require accurate and reliable answers to the following questions: (i) “Is he the person who he claims to be?”, (ii) “Who is this person?”, and (iii) "Is this person someone on a watch list?". Note that in answering the above questions, it is assumed that a person's identity has already been created or established; biometric recognition links the person to his/her previously established identity through automated means.
We routinely use body characteristics such as face, voice, gait, etc. to recognize each other. The discovery of the distinctive nature of fingerprints in the late 19th century by Faulds, Herschel and Galton (Faulds, 1880, Herschel, 1880, Galton 1888) has enabled almost all the law enforcement agencies in the world to rely on fingerprints for criminal and forensic identification. A number of other biometric traits (see Figure 1) such as iris (Daugman, 2006) and face (Li and Jain, 2005) are in use in various applications that deal with access control, checking for multiple enrollments (e.g. duplicate driver license), international border crossing and secure identification document (e.g. passport). Each biometric trait has its strengths and weaknesses, and the choice of a specific trait depends upon the requirements of the application. No single biometric trait is able to effectively meet the requirements of recognition accuracy, resource requirements, reliability and cost in all the applications (Prabhakar et al., 2003).
Figure 1: Examples of biometric characteristics that are commonly used: (a) face, (b) fingerprint, (c) hand geometry, (d) iris, (e) signature, and (f) voice.
A biometric system is a computer system that implements biometric recognition algorithms. A typical biometric system consists of sensing, feature extraction, and matching modules. Biometric sensors (e.g., fingerprint sensor, digital camera for face) capture or scan the biometric trait of an individual to produce its digital representation. A quality check is generally performed to ensure that the acquired biometric sample can be reliably processed by the subsequent feature extraction and matching modules. The feature extraction module discards the unnecessary and extraneous information from the acquired samples, and extracts salient and discriminatory information called features that are generally used for matching. During matching, the query biometric sample is matched with the reference information stored in the database to establish the identity associated with the query.
Generally, a biometric system has two stages of operation: enrollment and recognition. Enrollment refers to the stage in which the system stores some biometric reference information about the person in a database. This reference information may be in the form of a template (features extracted from the biometric sample or parameters of a mathematical model that best characterizes the extracted features) or the biometric sample itself (e.g., face or fingerprint image). In many applications, some identity attributes about the person (name, ID number, etc.) is also stored along with the biometric reference. When no personal identity information is available (e.g., unknown latent prints lifted from a crime scene, anonymous authentication applications, etc.), the reference is usually tagged with a system-generated ID for future recognition. In the recognition stage, the system scans the user’s biometric trait, extracts features, and matches them against the reference biometric information stored in the database. A high similarity score between the query and the reference data results in the user being authenticated or identified.
The example of fingerprint matching (Maltoni et al., 2003) illustrates how a biometric system operates. Minutiae are the most commonly used fingerprint features. These are defined as points of (i) ridge ending and (ii) ridge bifurcation in a fingerprint image. A minutia is represented in terms of a triplet (x,y,θ), where (x, y) represents its position and θ represents the local orientation of the ridge at that minutia. Typically, a fingerprint image may contain between 20 to 70 minutiae depending on the fingerprint sensor characteristics (e.g., sensor area) and the position of the user’s finger on the sensor.
Given two (query and reference) fingerprints, represented in terms of their minutiae, the matching module determines whether the prints are impressions of the same finger or not. Figure 2 illustrates the matching process. Due to variations in finger placement and pressure on the sensor, the numbers of minutiae in the two fingerprints may not be the same; furthermore, the fingerprints need to be aligned (or registered). After aligning the two fingerprints, the number of matching (or corresponding) minutiae is determined and a similarity, or match score, is defined in terms of the number of corresponding minutiae. Even in ideal finger imaging situations, not all minutiae from query and template prints from the same finger can be matched. As a result, the matcher uses a system parameter, called the threshold, to decide whether a given pair of minutiae patterns belongs to the same finger or not. If the match score exceeds the threshold, the two prints are declared to come from the same finger.
(a) Verification (“Is this the person who he claims to be?”). For example, a person claims that he is John Doe and offers his fingerprint; the system then either accepts or rejects the claim based on comparing the offered pattern (query or input) and the enrolled pattern (reference) associated with the claimed (John Doe) identity. Many commercial applications such as physical (e.g., entrance to a building) or logical (e.g., computer login) access control, transactions at a bank ATM, credit card purchases, and medical records management are examples of verification applications.
(b) Identification (“Is this person in the database?”). Given an input biometric sample, the system determines if this pattern is associated with any one of a usually large number (e.g., millions) of enrolled identities. There are two types of identification scenarios. In positive identification, the person asserts that the biometric system knows him. In negative identification, the person asserts that the biometric system does not know him. In both scenarios, the system confirms or refutes the person's assertion by acquiring his biometric sample and comparing it against all templates in the database. "PIN-less" access control systems and welfare disbursement schemes are examples of positive identification systems, while driver license issuance and watch-list surveillance are examples of negative identification systems.
Although biometrics appears to be the obvious technology for robust person authentication, and has been successfully deployed in several niche markets, it is not yet a foolproof method of automatic human recognition. With the availability of inexpensive and compact biometric sensors and fast processing chips, it is becoming increasingly clear that a broader use of biometric technology would require better solutions to three fundamental barriers: (i) Recognition performance: How to effectively represent and recognize biometric patterns (e.g., how to recognize a person with 99.999% accuracy), (ii) System security: How to guarantee that the biometric systems are not vulnerable to sabotage (e.g., can we ensure that fraudsters cannot infiltrate the system?), and (iii) Privacy issues: How to make sure that the biometric system is being exclusively used for the expressed purpose (e.g., how to prevent trusted system administrators from abusing the system).
The critical promise of biometric recognition is that when a biometric sample is presented to the system, it will offer the correct decision. However, a practical biometric system can make two basic types of errors (Ross et al., 2006): (i) False Match: the system incorrectly declares a successful match between the input pattern and a non-matching template in the database (in the case of identification) or a template associated with an incorrectly claimed identity (in the case of verification). (ii) False Non-match: the biometric system incorrectly declares failure of match between the input pattern and a matching pattern in the database (identification) or the pattern associated with the correctly claimed identity (verification).
Table 1 shows state-of-the-art error rates for four of the most commonly used biometric traits, namely, fingerprints, iris, face, and voice. These error rates were reported in third party evaluations conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It is easy to note that these error rates are far from being zero and so there is a large scope for improvement in the accuracy of current biometric systems. However, these error rates do not reflect a fair technology comparison because of the large variations in the test conditions. A more reasonable comparison of these technologies in operationally commensurate environments was reported in (Mansfield et al., 2001).
“State-of-the-art” error rates (False Match Rate (FMR) and False Non-match Rate (FNMR)) associated with fingerprint, face, voice and iris biometric systems. Note that the accuracy estimates of biometric systems are dependent on a number of test conditions, including sensor characteristics, number of subjects in the database, characteristics of the population from which subjects are drawn, chosen operating points, etc. Hence, the error rates presented in this table is just for illustrative purposes and should not be considered as a fair technology comparison.
A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve is a comprehensive way to analyze the performance of a biometric system; it depicts the dependence of false match rate with the false non-match rate as the system threshold on match score is changed. Figure 3 shows the ROC curves corresponding to various commercial fingerprint matchers reported in FpVTE 2003 (Wilson et al., 2004). Another tool for analyzing the performance of a biometric system, especially when it is operated in the identification mode, is the cumulative match characteristic (CMC) curve. A CMC curve, as shown in figure 4, depicts the increase in the identification rate of the system with increase in the rank before which a correct match is obtained (Wilson et al., 2004).
Figure 3: ROC curves showing performance of various commercial fingerprint matchers on a medium scale dataset (Wilson et al. 2004).
Figure 4: CMC curve showing performance of the commercial fingerprint matchers on a medium scale dataset (Wilson et al. 2004).
There are three main reasons for the non-zero error rate of a biometric system: (i) intrinsic similarity of biometric patterns of two different individuals, often referred to as “small inter-class variability”, (ii) poor image quality or non-ideal interaction of the user with the sensor, resulting in large variations in the biometric pattern of a trait from the same user (“large intra-class variability”), and (iii) change in the biometric trait from enrollment to verification stage (e.g., due to facial aging) (see Figure 5).
Figure 5: : Some of the sources of error in a biometric system: (a) large inter class similarity (identical twins cannot be very easily distinguished based on face biometric), (b) user interaction with sensor (facial matching is difficult when enrolled and query images differ in a person’s pose in front of the camera), (c) poor image quality (large number of spurious minutiae are identified while several genuine minutiae are missed), and (d) large intra class variability (two fingerprints of the same finger that are difficult to match correctly due to distortion between the two prints).
Research is still underway to improve the performance of various biometric recognition systems by using better feature representation techniques and matching algorithms. Multibiometrics (Ross et al., 2006) is another technique to improve the biometric recognition performance by combining multiple biometric traits (e.g., fingerprint, iris, etc.). A multibiometric system aims to effectively fuse the salient information among the individual biometric traits which translates into better recognition performance.
The security of biometric systems, i.e., assuring that the input biometric sample was indeed presented by its legitimate owner, and the system indeed matched the input pattern with genuinely enrolled pattern samples, is crucial (Jain et al., 2008). While there are a number of ways a perpetrator may attack a biometric system (Prabhakar et al., 2003), there are usually two very serious criticisms against biometric technology that have not been addressed satisfactorily: (i) biometrics are not secrets and (ii) enrolled biometric templates are not revocable. The first fact implies that the attacker has a ready access to the legitimate biometric trait (e.g., facial image of an enrolled user of the biometric system) and, therefore, could fraudulently inject it into the biometric system to gain access. The second fact implies that when a biometric trait has been “compromised”, the legitimate user has no recourse to revoking the trait. Researchers are addressing both of these issues.
First, the knowledge of biometric trait(s) does not necessarily imply the ability of the attacker to inject it into the system. The challenge then is to design a secure biometric system that will accept only the legitimate presentation of the biometric traits without being fooled by the doctored or spoofed measurements injected into the system. One could attempt various strategies to thwart fraudulent insertion of spoofed measurements into the system. For example, liveness detection schemes (Antonelli et al., 2006, Rowe, 2005) make sure that input measurements are not originating from an inanimate object. The other strategy to consider is multi-biometrics (Ross et al., 2006) - data from multiple and independent biometric identifiers are fused; reinforcing the identity of a person offers increasingly irrefutable proof that the biometric data is being presented by its legitimate owner and not being fraudulently presented by an impostor. On the other hand, even if the system is less effective in discriminating between a real and a spoofed trait, the biometric template should be designed in such a way that it reveals little about the actual biometric sample (Jain et al., 2008). Given such a template design, it should be possible to generate a large number of distinct templates for a specific biometric trait of a single user so that a compromised template can be replaced with another.
A reliable biometric system provides an irrefutable proof of identity of the person. Consequently, the users of biometric systems have two concerns: Will the undeniable proof of biometrics-based access be used to track the person in a manner that may infringe upon his right to privacy? Will the biometric data be abused for an unintended purpose, e.g., will the fingerprints provided for access control be matched against the fingerprints in a criminal database? How would one ensure and assure the users that the biometric system is being used only for the intended purpose and none other? Perhaps, one needs to devise a system that meticulously records authentication decisions and the people who accessed the logged decisions using a biometric-based access control system. Such a system would be able to detect any abnormality in the access to specific segments of the system and would warn the affected users of any potential compromise. At present, there are no satisfactory solutions on the horizon for either addressing the entire spectrum of privacy issues or how exactly these privacy issues needed to be traded against the corresponding security issues (Prabhakar et al., 2003). This topic needs to be resolved by appropriate public discussion and policy-making.
Antonelli, A., Cappelli, R., Maio, D. & Maltoni, D., 2006. Fake finger detection by skin distortion analysis. IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security, 1(3) p. 360-373.
Bolle, R. M., Connell, J. H., Pankanti, S. Ratha, N. K., & Senior, A. W., 2003. Guide to biometrics. Springer.
Daugman, J., 2006. Probing the uniqueness and randomness of iriscodes: results from 200 billion iris code comparisons. Proceedings of IEEE, 94(11), p. 1927-1935.
Faulds, H, 1880. On the Skin-Furrows of the Hand. Nature, 22, pp. 605.
Herschel, W, 1880. Skin Furrows of the Hand. Nature, 23, pp. 76.
Galton, F, 1888. Personal identification and description. Nature, 38, p. 201-202.
Jain, A. K. Ross, A. & Prabhakar, S., 2004. An introduction to biometric recognition. IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology, Special Issue on Image- and Video-Based Biometrics, 14(1), p. 4-20.
Jain, A. K., Nandakumar, K., & Nagar, A., 2008. Biometric Template Security, EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing, vol. 2008, Article ID 579416.
Li, S. Z. & Jain, A. K. eds., 2005. Handbook of face recognition. Springer.
Maltoni, D., Maio, D., Jain, A. K., and Prabhakar, S., 2003. Handbook of fingerprint recognition. Springer-Verlag.
Mansfield, T., Kelly, G., Chandler, D., and Kane, J., 2001. Biometric Product Testing Final Report. Technical report, Centre for Mathematics and Scientific Computing, National Physical Laboratory.
Phillips, P. J., Scruggs, W. T., OToole, A. J., Flynn, P. J., Bowyer, K. W., Schott, C. L, & Sharpe, M., 2007. FRVT 2006 and ICE 2006 large-scale results. Technical Report NISTIR 7408, NIST. Available online accessed 3 April, 2008.
Prabhakar, S. Pankanti, S., & Jain, A. K., 2003. Biometric recognition: security & privacy concerns. IEEE Security & Privacy Magazine, 1(2) p. 33-42.
Przybocki, M., & Martin, A., 2004. NIST speaker recognition evaluation chronicles. In Odyssey: The Speaker and Language Recognition Workshop, p. 12-22, Toledo, Spain, May 2004.
Ross, A., Nandakumar, K., & Jain, A.K., 2006. Handbook of multibiometrics. Springer.
Rowe, R. K., 2005. A multispectral sensor for fingerprint spoof detection. Sensors, 22(1), p. 1-4.
Wayman, J., Jain, A. K., Maltoni, D.,& Maio, D. eds., 2005. Biometric systems: technology, design and performance evaluation, Springer.
Wilson, C., Hicklin, A. R., Bone, M., Korves, H., Grother, P., Ulery, B., Micheals, R., Zoep, M., Otto, S., & Watson, C., 2004. Fingerprint vendor technology evaluation 2003: summary of results and analysis report. Technical Report NISTIR 7123, NIST. Available online accessed 3 April, 2008.
"Harmonized Biometric Vocabulary," ISO/IEC JTC1 SC37, standing document 2, version 8, 2007. Available online accessed 3 June, 2008.
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0.888231 |
Knowing that lich Sandro left to fight the King of Hell, Erathian commanders decided to take advantage of his absence and take over the Dark Fortress. An army of crusaders led by Catherine Ironfist set out from Steadwick. On the same day an army of elven snipers led by Gelu set out from the forests of AvLee. The commanders realize that infantry is vulnerable to liches, and the elven arrows are ineffective against the skeletons, hence the two armies should unite and attack the Fortress simultaneously. As Sandro may return any moment, the Fortress should be attacked as soon as possible. As a court cartographer, you are to calculate the number of days required to implement this plan.
Erathia is divided into square regions. Some of them are passable, some of them are not. On one day, each army can move to one of the adjacent (sharing a vertex with a current region) passable regions. Some of the Erathian passable regions have a teleport of one of 26 types inside. A type of a teleport is indicated by a capital Latin letter. If an army is located in a region with a teleport, it can move to any region with a teleport of the same type instantly. When two armies are located in the same region, they unite and then start to move as a single army. No army can attack the Fortress (that is, make a move to the region the Fortress is located in) before the union.
'A'…'Z' indicates a teleport of type corresponding to that letter.
It is guaranteed that the characters '*', '$', '!' are encountered exactly once on the whole map.
Output a single integer — the number of days that should pass before the united army can attack the Fortress. If the Fortress can't be attacked, output “Impossible”.
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0.999988 |
What made him decide to quit?
Lehmann made his decision after watching Smith and Bancroft deliver emotional, tear-filled apologies at news conferences earlier on March 29.
Speaking after Cricket Australia slapped one-year bans on Smith and Warner and a 9-month ban on the 25-year-old opener Bancroft for their involvement in ball tampering, Lehmann said that he feared for the health of the players.
While admitting that the players made a grave mistake, Lehmann said that he hoped that the Australian public will find it in their hearts to forgive them and give them a second chance.
• The fourth test, which will be played at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, will see a hastily reshuffled Australian team led by their new captain Tim Paine.
• The wicketkeeper will be leading a side which will also see middle-order batsman Glenn Maxwell along with openers Joe Burns and Matt Renshaw, who have replaced Smith, Warner and Bancroft.
• For coach Lehmann, it would be his last match, bringing an end to his 5-year stint with the team.
• Lehmann was appointed the head coach in 2013, losing his first Ashes series in England 3-0 before regaining the momentum with a 5-0 win five months later.
• The team also won the 2015 World Cup under his leadership and dealt with the death of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes in November 2014, who died after being hit by a bouncer on the neck during a domestic match in Sidney.
• Lehmann also oversaw the recent defeat of England in the Ashes by 4-0.
• Lehmann’s contract was to run until the end of the 2019 Ashes series in England.
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0.998877 |
Would you clarify something for me? How do I know for sure I am hosting an image, do you mean save the image as a file on my computer and then repost it from the computer file?
Good question, Erin - it was something that confused me a bit at first and my web designer had to walk me through it several times until I got it.
...do you mean save the image as a file on my computer and then repost it from the computer file?
Yes, that's exactly what you do, Erin - from the way you've phrased the question it sounds like you may know how to do that already but I'll run through the exact steps just in case other people are a bit unsure about it.
I do this by left-clicking on the image, holding down the mouse button and dragging the image until it's off the browser and onto my desktop. You can also do it by hitting the right mouse button and clicking on 'copy image' but I think dragging and dropping is quicker. Make sure that you're dragging a reasonably sized image and not a thumbnail.
The image file is now on my computer. If it's too large and I need to make it smaller I can edit the size in Photoshop but I usually don't need to do this.
In WordPress there's an upload section just beneath the text box where you write posts. Hit the 'browse' button, locate the image on your desktop and click on it to select it, write the artist's name and the title of the work where it says 'title' (this is optional but I always do it), then hit upload. After a few moments a thumbnail of the image will appear in the 'Browse All' page - the file is now loaded onto your server. You can put the image in a post by selecting 'show fullsize', followed by 'link to file' and then hitting 'send to editor'. You'll see that a bunch of html appears in your post, this is the image file, it'll become an image when you publish the post.
If you're using Blogger you do the following: Go into dashboard and select new post. Now hit the little image button on your blogger toolbar - this is the 6th button along or the second from last. This will bring up an image page. You'll see that it says 'add an image from your computer' on the left, hit the browse button next to it and select the image from your desktop by clicking on it. Now choose the size and layout you want and then hit the 'upload image' button at the bottom of the page. Your image or the image html should now appear in your blogger editing software. This article from Blogger give more details on uploading images, including where the images are stored and how you can check how much room you've got.
The only thing left to do is to add the artists name and the title of the work - oh, and write the rest of the post, of course!
Posted in Blog, Succeed online. Tags: business, Series: Artists Online on September 20, 2007 by Kirsty.
I'm glad it was helpful, Erin.
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0.999781 |
Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) is a school district based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1891, APS is the largest of 89 public school districts in the state of New Mexico. In 2010 it had a total of 139 schools with some 95,000 students, making it one of the largest school districts in the United States. APS operates 89 elementary, 27 middle, and 13 high schools, as well as 10 alternative schools. They also own the radio station KANW and co-own the TV stations KNME-TV and KNMD-TV along with the University of New Mexico.
Albuquerque Public Schools was founded in 1891, shortly after the New Mexico Territorial Legislature passed a new public education law authorizing municipalities to establish school boards and sell municipal bonds for school construction. The district acquired its first school by taking over the former Albuquerque Academy at Central and Edith, and classes began that fall. Primary schools were established in each of the city's four political wards in the early 1890s, and a new Central School for the upper grades opened in 1900. In 1911, the district appointed superintendent John Milne, who oversaw the school system until 1956 and was credited with much of its success.
With the city continuing to grow rapidly, a new high school building was constructed in 1914. Critics complained that the school was too large and would never reach its capacity of 500 students, but this proved not to be the case as a second building was required just 13 years later and the campus had grown to five buildings by 1940. In 1923 the district added two junior high schools, Washington and Lincoln, and two elementary schools at the expanding fringes of the city, John Marshall in the south and University Heights in the east. The outdated old ward schools were phased out between 1927 and 1937, to be replaced by Longfellow, Eugene Field, Coronado, and Lew Wallace elementary schools, respectively. The district continued to expand with the city's growth to the east, adding Monte Vista Elementary in 1931, Jefferson Junior High in 1938, and Bandelier Elementary in 1939.
Albuquerque's population exploded in the postwar era, and APS had to add new schools continuously to keep up, including the city's second high school, Highland, in 1949. APS also took over the Bernalillo County public school system that same year, bringing in schools in the older rural communities along the Rio Grande valley and in the mountains. In 1956 the district boasted 39,000 students and 67 schools, the two most distant of which were 52 miles (84 km) apart. Declining enrollments saw several inner-city schools closed in the 1970s, and Albuquerque High moved to a new location farther from Downtown. Nevertheless, the district as a whole continued to grow, and more recent demographic shifts have seen Coronado and Lew Wallace elementary schools reopen. In 1994, the Rio Rancho schools were spun off as a separate school district. In 2010, APS recorded nearly 100,000 students.
As of 2017, APS operates 88 elementary schools (grades K–5), 27 middle schools (grades 6–8) and 13 high schools (grades 9–12). The following list is adapted from the APS website.
^ "Table 104. Enrollment, poverty, and federal funds for the 100 largest school districts, by enrollment size in 2010: Fall 2010, 2009-10, and federal fiscal year 2012". Digest of Education Statistics 2013. U.S. Department of Education: Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. January 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
^ "U.S. Territorial Education, 1846–1912". Albuquerque Historical Society. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
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^ a b c d e "39,000 Children Count Days Again Until School Opens". Albuquerque Journal. August 19, 1956. p. 19. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "School Directory". Albuquerque Public Schools. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
^ a b c d "A new 20-classroom elementary school". Albuquerque Journal. August 21, 1964. p. G10. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "New City School to be Inspected". Albuquerque Journal. September 27, 1962. p. B4. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "County School System to Open Its First Junior High Next Fall". Albuquerque Journal. April 16, 1948. p. 9. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "County schools office 'dies' tonight with merger in effect". June 30, 1949. p. 1. Retrieved April 4, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Opening Today For City's First Combined School". Albuquerque Journal. March 2, 1962. p. A6. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b "School Dedication Sunday". Albuquerque Journal. April 4, 1968. p. C1. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Anatasio Montoya School at Tijeras inspires pride in pupils and faculty". Albuquerque Journal. February 25, 1949. p. B1. Retrieved April 4, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b c d e f g Montoya, A. (1924). "The Consolidated Schools of Bernalillo County New Mexico". Rural School Leaflet. U.S. Department of the Interior. 22. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
^ a b "County Schools to Eliminate Railroad Crossings by Buses Next Fall". Albuquerque Journal. April 20, 1948. p. 2. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Old Armijo School" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
^ a b "School Plans Open House". Albuquerque Journal. March 14, 1975. p. B10. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Atrisco School's Annex Dedicated; Donors Honored". Albuquerque Journal. September 25, 1936. p. 4. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b c "Public School Zones Undergo Some Changes". Albuquerque Journal. August 28, 1952. p. 4. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b "APS Officials Plan To Inspect Addition". Albuquerque Journal. September 28, 1966. p. C3. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Coronado School" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
^ Davis, Mary P. (2010). Corrales. Charleston, SC: Arcadia. p. 92.
^ "Work on New San Jose School". Albuquerque Citizen. March 13, 1908. p. 7. Retrieved August 12, 2015 – via Library of Congress.
^ "New City Grade School Named for Emerson". Albuquerque Journal. September 7, 1952. p. 24. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b "Officials to See New Elementary Schools Today". Albuquerque Journal. March 26, 1954. p. 34. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Bids on Moving Buildings Opened". Albuquerque Journal. September 22, 1956. p. 2. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b "Before/After". Albuquerque Journal. August 14, 1958. p. 30. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "NE School Roof Falls; Classes Out for Week". Albuquerque Journal. February 8, 1968. p. A16. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Old Armijo Anniversary". Albuquerque Journal. May 5, 1954. p. 9. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b "MacArthur School Will Open Soon". Albuquerque Journal. March 30, 1948. p. 11. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b "City schools have largest staff in history". Albuquerque Journal. September 3, 1948. p. 11. Retrieved April 6, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b "La Mesa Presbyterian Church: History". Retrieved July 20, 2015.
^ "Lavaland School to Open Monday". Albuquerque Journal. January 2, 1946. p. 6. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Schoellkopf, Andrea (April 22, 2005). "Downtown School Celebrates Past, Future". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
^ "Los Padillas School Ready". Albuquerque Journal. April 1, 1965. p. D3. Retrieved August 12, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Chavez, Helen. "Early History of the Mountain View School" (PDF). Albuquerque Public Schools. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-23. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
^ Schoellkopf, Andrea (September 25, 2010). "CNM Celebration". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
^ "Creditable Act". Albuquerque Citizen. August 27, 1904. Retrieved July 20, 2015 – via Library of Congress.
^ "New Schools Are Needed". Albuquerque Journal. February 6, 1955. p. 30. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b "School Enrollment Shows 13 Per Cent Increase Over '48". Albuquerque Journal. August 31, 1949. Retrieved January 2, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b c d "Fire and School Officials Decry Use of Barracks". Albuquerque Journal. August 7, 1958. p. 2. Retrieved August 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Burgess, Kim (August 5, 2016). "Merger of two schools hailed as a success". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
^ a b Dodge, William A. (2013). "A Survey of Albuquerque's Mid-Century Modernist Architectural Resources" (PDF). City of Albuquerque. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
^ "Facts Being Distorted". Albuquerque Journal. June 4, 1975. p. A4. Retrieved August 10, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Enrollment Up 3749 This Year". Albuquerque Journal. September 3, 1955. p. 9. Retrieved August 10, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Local Paragraphs". Albuquerque Daily Citizen. September 5, 1900. p. 4. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
^ "Directors Oppose Donating School Land For Auditorium". Albuquerque Journal. January 20, 1937. p. 5. Retrieved August 10, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b Piper, Ann (2014). Education in Albuquerque. Charleston, SC: Arcadia.
^ a b c d "Parents busing to school". Albuquerque Journal. March 26, 1972. p. F10. Retrieved April 4, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b c d e "APS in action". Albuquerque Journal. Supplement to the Albuquerque Journal and Tribune. May 26, 1982. Retrieved December 5, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b c d e f "Boundary Changes Mark Start of Long-Range Plan". Albuquerque Journal. August 12, 1973. p. E14. Retrieved August 10, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "School Profile: Ernest Stapleton Elementary". Rio Rancho Public Schools. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
^ "Five Points School Enrollment is 206; New Room Is Added". Albuquerque Journal. September 12, 1931. p. 2. Retrieved August 10, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "John Marshall School". Henry C. Trost Historical Organization. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
^ "Marshall Center Opening Is Today". Albuquerque Journal. August 9, 1975. p. A10. Retrieved August 10, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "School Profile: Lincoln Middle School". Rio Rancho Public Schools. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
^ "School Profile: Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary". Rio Rancho Public Schools. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
^ "For Old Times' Sake". Albuquerque Journal. August 17, 1988.
^ Nguyen, Jeannie (October 18, 2016). "Former Montgomery Elementary students dig up 1968 time capsule". KRQE News. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
^ "Cost operating county schools to be $192,200". Albuquerque Journal. May 9, 1928. p. 7. Retrieved April 6, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "About Us". St. Thomas Aquinas School. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
^ "School Profile: Puesta del Sol Elementary". Rio Rancho Public Schools. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
^ "School Profile: Rio Rancho Elementary". Rio Rancho Public Schools. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
^ "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Santa Barbara School" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
^ "Physical school change on agenda". Albuquerque Journal. April 27, 1975. p. E10. Retrieved April 4, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Santa Barbara School" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
^ Sabatini, Joe (2011). "History of the Near North Valley". Near North Valley Neighborhood Association. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
^ Burks, Susanne (May 31, 1975). "Disposal of Schools Approved". Albuquerque Journal. p. A7. Retrieved August 10, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Schoellkopf, Andrea (May 8, 2009). "APS Demolishing, Rebuilding". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
^ "Ideas Given For Moving City School". Albuquerque Journal. February 28, 1969. p. A4. Retrieved August 10, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "U.S. Statehood Education, 1912-1945". Albuquerque Historical Society. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
^ "University Heights School Will Close". Albuquerque Journal. March 28, 1962. p. A2. Retrieved August 10, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
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This page was last edited on 2 January 2019, at 15:27 (UTC).
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0.997392 |
Juliana Redding, a young model and aspiring actress grew up in Tucson, Arizona, where she attended Catholic school, participated in the drama club and played varsity golf. In 2005, Juliana moved to the Los Angeles area to pursue a modeling and acting career.
At 18, Juliana landed a small part in the comedy Kathy T. In 2007 she received a lot of attention when she appeared in the men's magazine, Maxim.
She lived in a small apartment in Santa Monica, loved her little dog, worked part time at a local bistro and was taking classes at Santa Monica College. She was close to her family and spoke to them on a daily basis. Juliana was good friends with many of her coworkers at the restaurant. The restaurant was a place where many of her friends came to meet, have a meal and hang out.
She was stunningly beautiful; talented. She had opportunities and a full life ahead of her. Tragically, Juliana was found beaten and strangled to death in her apartment on March 16, 2008.
Juliana Redding, taken hours before her death.
Juliana's murder went unsolved for over two years until Kelly Soo Park (an associate of Juliana's former boyfriend, Munir Uwaydah), was arrested for her murder. Uwaydah had bragged to Juliana's father, Greg Redding that he had a "female James Bond" in his employ. Kelly Soo Park's fingerprint and a drop of her blood was found on a dinner plate in Redding's kitchen sink. Park's DNA was found around Juliana's neck, on the t-shirt she was wearing, her cell phone and on the kitchen stove.
Park went on trial in May 2013 and was found not guilty of Redding's murder on June 4, 2013.
A happy moment at Juliana's 21'st birthday party.
We all know who murdered her, don't we.
There was strong DNA evidence against the defendant and she was acquitted.
I will forever not have *any* understanding of how this jury could ignore all the DNA evidence and other compelling evidence that proved Kelly Soo Park's guilt.
It's been a while since I've read the defense closing arguments, but I will try my best to summarize their main points as I remember them almost 2 years later.
There were two key witnesses to the defense closing arguments, argued to the jury.
One was the interior designer, the other was Juliana's friend who helped her move out of Uwaydah's home.
Additionally, the state's DNA experts testified that you cannot 'date' when DNA gets on an item. They also testified that there is no way to determine if DNA got on an item (Juliana) via secondary transfer. I recommend reading up on secondary transfer of DNA.
The interior designer testified that she saw Park and Juliana in the Uwaydah home where Juliana lived for a short time, at the same time. This potentially puts Park's DNA on items in this home.
Juliana's friend testified that she helped Juliana move her things out of the Uwaydah home.
The defense argued that Park's fingerprint and drop of blood, could have gotten on the dinner plate, at the Uwaydah house.
The defense argued that Park's DNA could have been left on towels Juliana may have taken from the Uwaydah home. The real killer, could have used those items to clean up the scene, and left Park's DNA behind.
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0.971511 |
I am a newbie to Zigbee. Someone told me that Zigbee devices of different manufacturers are not compatible. Does that mean, that all devices in one Zigbee network must use the same chip from a manufacturer?
I have searched the answer in internet for a long time but could not get the correct description.
They supposed to be compatible, but certification process ensures that they are compatible only against reference device (Golden Unit), but not with each other. So occasionally you may face minor incompatibilities.
In regular ZigBee implementations most of incompatibilities are already eliminated, but there are a lot of them in newer features, like new profiles or security schemes.
How can I know if my Zigbee devices with Atmega128RFA1 are compatible with others in advance?
So far as I understand there is no standardized application layer for Zigbee. Is it correct? OK, the added profiles such as Home Automation belong to application layer.
You don't until you try.
There is no application layer. ZigBee "guarantees" compliance on a network layer. When profiles are added on top of the stack they should be compatible, but profiles are relatively new and some of them utilize very complex security schemes (Smart Energy for example), so it does not always work as expected between multiple vendors.
I am a newbie to Zigbee. Someone told me that Zigbee devices of different manufacturers are not compatible.
Just checking to confirm you know: ZigBee is not a synonym of IEEE 802.15.4. Just like IP is not a synonym of IEEE 802.3 or 802.11. Network layer.
802.15.4 assures interoperability of chips (MAC and PHY) if both use the same IEEE defined options. ZigBee and 6LoWPAN and ISA100.11 and others try to assure interoperability at the network layer atop 802.15.4.
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Royal Charter 1808–1814 Constitutional monarchy Bicameral parliament with semi-elective lower house. Peninsular War lost by Joseph I. Not recognized by the Spanish patriots during the war. Most of its contents were to be enacted through the 1810s, so it did not actually work.
1836–1837 Constitutional monarchy Elected parliament. Ferdinand VII reinstated absolutism in 1814 and again in 1823. Superseded in 1837. The Crown was granted wide-ranging veto powers, which Ferdinand VII used to prevent the liberal governments from functioning.
Royal Charter 1834–1836 Constitutional monarchy Bicameral parliament with elected lower house and appointed Senate. Regent forced to reinstate the 1812 Constitution after a military pronunciamiento. Granted by Maria Christina in order to get support from the liberals in the First Carlist War.
Constitution of 1837 1837–1845 Constitutional monarchy Superseded. Partially suspended by Baldomero Espartero to rule by decree between 1840 and 1843.
Constitution of 1856 Not enacted Constitutional monarchy Parliament elected by censitary suffrage. Scrapped by the new government. Passed by the Parliament but not enacted by Isabella II as moderate liberals returned to power.
Constitution of 1873 Not enacted Federal republic Unicameral parliament elected by universal male suffrage. Arsenio Martínez Campos led a successful pronunciamiento restoring the Bourbon monarchy. Republic collapsed before even passing the Constitution, mainly due to wide disagreement over the federalism vs centralism issue.
Constitution of 1876 1876–1931 Constitutional monarchy Parliament elected, firstly by censitary, then universal male suffrage from the 1890s. Republic instated after Alphonse XIII fled Spain. While theoretically democratic, elections were routinely rigged by the governing party, and in practice power was shared by two alternating parties (the turno system). During Primo de Rivera's dictatorship (1923–1930) many of its articles were suspended in a de facto dictatorship.
Constitution of 1931 1931–1939 Parliamentary republic Unicameral parliament, firstly with universal male suffrage, then female suffrage from 1933. Civil War lost by the Republican side. During the Civil War (1936–1939) it was abolished by the Nationalists and widely disregarded in the Republican zone.
Fundamental Laws of the Realm 1938–1978 Military dictatorship Partially elected unicameral parliament with little powers of its own. Superseded when Parliament adopted the Constitution of 1978. A set of laws enacted by the caudillo Francisco Franco in order to shape his political regime and adapt it to changes. The individual laws passed under Franco are: Fuero del Trabajo (1938), Ley Constitutiva de las Cortes (1942), Fuero de los Españoles (1945), Ley del Referéndum Nacional (1945), Ley de Sucesión en la Jefatura del Estado (1945), Ley de Principios del Movimiento Nacional (1958), and Ley Orgánica del Estado (1967).
The Law for Political Reform (Ley de Reforma Política) of 1977, last of the Fundamental Laws and passed after Franco's death, started the Spanish transition to democracy.
Constitution of 1978 1978–present Constitutional monarchy Parliamentary democracy with bicameral, elective parliament. Currently in force. First in Spanish constitutional history not to grant any emergency power (i.e. sacking the PM, dissolving the Cortes) to the Head of State.
This page was last edited on 21 December 2018, at 18:59 (UTC).
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Former Princess of a certain planet who was picked up by Marvelous in space. Has "Geniality" and "Grace" that doesn't suit a pirate, making her quite different from her four shipmates. As she is new to pirating, she usually comes off clumsy, and she usually tries to solve conflicts pacifically. If a person is in distress, she can't help but want to help them. However, because she is always looking for someone to save, she can be a pain in the neck for her teammates. Also, she loves tea. The fourth member to join Captain Marvelous, she was the princess of the planet Famille before Zatsurigu of the Zangyack Imperial Guard destroyed her home world and killed her parents for not accepting annexation as threatened to. She came across the pirates by chance while on the run, asking to join their crew so that she can fight the Zangyack forces and inspire hope to any other survivors from her home world and any other planet the Zangyack wiped out.
Unlike the rest of her crewmates, she was practically useless when she first started out as a pirate due to having no unique utilitarian abilities, having zero martial prowess, constantly making a mess out of chores with her clumsiness, and very slow to catch up to anything. But unlike most of her more trigger-happy and rude teammates or the otherwise spineless Doc, she usually tries to solve conflicts peacefully. She is the most fascinated with Earth culture as, being raised in royalty, she has very little understanding of life outside of her high society lifestyle. In Episode 13, she helps a man who initially kidnaps her until he finds out who she is. The team cares a lot about her, if she is tiring herself too much or when they thought she was kidnapped, they took it very personally. In Episode 7, she took on Jyuken training to be better at fighting. Her bounty is initially set at Z=500,000 but is later raised to Z=1,000,000 and then Z=2,000,000. After the death of Warz Gill, her bounty increases to Z=4,000,000. Ahim eventually confronts Zatsurigu and finally avenges her family and every other victim out there with the crew's help.
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Ted Wood's manager at AA Shreveport in 1990 noted a marked improvement that year for the outfielder and traced it to off-season work Wood did with a weight training and conditioning expert, according to The Tulsa World.
The World noted Wood had six home runs by late June after hitting no home runs the previous year, his first as a pro.
"His added strength has had a positive effect on every aspect of his game," manager Bill Evers told The World after a 3-1 win over Tulsa fueled by Wood's bat.
Wood went on to use his added strength to make the majors over three seasons with the Giants and the Expos. He'd used what strength he had previously to help the United States to the 1988 Olympic baseball gold medal.
Wood's pro career began in 1989, having been taken the previous year by the Giants in the first round of the draft out of the University of New Orleans.
At New Orleans, Wood made the 1987 U.S. Pan-American Games team that won silver. Wood helped the U.S. into the medal round with an 11th-inning home run against Puerto Rico.
"When I hit the homer, it was a great feeling," Wood told The Associated Press after the Puerto Rico win. "It was a long game and we just wanted to get out of here."
Wood then came back and made the U.S. Olympic team in 1988. He knocked two doubles in a win over Korea. He went into the gold medal game with a .467 average.
Wood then started with the Giants in 1989 at Shreveport. He hit .258 with no home runs. He then returned to Shreveport in 1990 to hit .265 and 17 home runs.
He made AAA Phoenix in 1991, hitting .311 with 11 home runs. That September, he made San Francisco. He got into 10 games, getting just three hits in 25 at bats. He struck out four times in one game against the Reds.
Wood got into another 24 games for the Giants in 1992, hitting .207. He broke his finger in August after being hit by a pitch, but he returned to play in September and hit his only major league home run.
Taken off waivers by the Expos in 1993, Wood returned to the majors for a third and final season that year. He got into 13 games, hitting just .192.
Wood returned to the minors, playing 1994 and 1995 at AAA Ottawa with the Expos. He played 1996 in Mexico. After not being credited as playing in three seasons, Wood returned to the field in Korea for Lotte. He hit .255 over 35 games, ending his career.
Wood has since settled in the Atlanta area, serving as a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley.
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Heidelberg (German pronunciation: [ˈhaɪ̯dl̩bɛɐ̯k] (listen), from a dialectal word for "goat" and the word "mountain") is a university town in Baden-Württemberg situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. In the 2016 census, its population was 159,914, with roughly a quarter of its population being students.
In November 1619, the royal crown of Bohemia was offered to the Elector, Frederick V. (He was married to Elizabeth, eldest daughter of James VI and I of Scotland and England, respectively.) Frederick became known as the "Winter King", as he reigned for only one winter before the Imperial House of Habsburg regained the crown by force. His overthrow in 1621 marked the beginning of the Thirty Years' War. In 1622, after a siege of two months, the armies of the Catholic League, commanded by Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly, captured the town. Tilly gave the famous Bibliotheca Palatina from the Church of the Holy Spirit to the Pope as a present. The Catholic Bavarian branch of the House of Wittelsbach gained control over the Palatinate and the title of Prince-Elector.
In late 1634, after the Swedish army had conquered Heidelberg, imperialist forces attempted to take back the city. They quickly took the city, but were unable to take the castle. As they prepared to blow up its fortifications with gunpowder the French army arrived, 30,000 men strong, led by Urbain de Maillé-Brézé, who had fought in many battles and participated in the Siege of La Rochelle (1627–1628), and Jacques-Nompar de Caumont, duc de La Force. They ended the siege and drove off the Catholic forces.
In 1648, at the end of the war, Frederick V's son Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine, was able to recover his titles and lands. To strengthen his dynasty, Charles I Louis arranged the marriage of his daughter Liselotte to Philip I, Duke of Orléans, brother of Louis XIV, king of France. In 1685, after the death of Charles Louis' son, Elector Charles II, Louis XIV laid claim to his sister-in-law's inheritance. The Germans rejected the claim, in part because of religious differences between local Protestants and the French Catholics, as the Protestant Reformation had divided the peoples of Europe. The War of the Grand Alliance ensued. In 1689, French troops took the town and castle, bringing nearly total destruction to the area in 1693. As a result of the destruction due to repeated French invasions related to the War of the Palatinate Succession coupled with severe winters, thousands of Protestant German Palatines emigrated from the lower Palatinate in the early 18th century. They fled to other European cities and especially to London (where the refugees were called "the poor Palatines"). In sympathy for the Protestants, in 1709–1710, Queen Anne's government arranged transport for nearly 6,000 Palatines to New York. Others were transported to Pennsylvania, and to South Carolina. They worked their passage and later settled in the English colonies there.
In 1720, after assigning a major church for exclusively Catholic use, religious conflicts with the mostly Protestant inhabitants of Heidelberg caused the Roman Catholic Prince-Elector Charles III Philip to transfer his residence to nearby Mannheim. The court remained there until the Elector Charles Theodore became Elector of Bavaria in 1777 and established his court in Munich. In 1742 Elector Charles Theodore began rebuilding the Palace. In 1764, a lightning bolt destroyed other palace buildings during reconstruction, causing the work to be discontinued.
In 1810 the French revolution refugee Count Charles Graimberg began to preserve the palace ruins and establish a historical collection. In 1815, the Emperor of Austria, the Emperor of Russia and the King of Prussia formed the "Holy Alliance" in Heidelberg. In 1848, the German National Assembly was held there. In 1849, during the Palatinate-Baden rebellion of the 1848 Revolutions, Heidelberg was the headquarters of a revolutionary army. It was defeated by a Prussian army near Waghaeusel. The city was occupied by Prussian troops until 1850. Between 1920 and 1933, Heidelberg University became a center of notable physicians Czerny, Erb, and Krehl; and humanists Rohde, Weber, and Gandolf.
In 1934 and 1935 the Reichsarbeitsdienst (State Labor Service) and Heidelberg University students built the huge Thingstätte amphitheatre on the Heiligenberg north of the town, for Nazi Party and SS events. A few months later, the inauguration of the huge Ehrenfriedhof memorial cemetery completed the second and last NSDAP project in Heidelberg. This cemetery is on the southern side of the old part of town, a little south of the Königstuhl hilltop, and faces west towards France. During World War II and after, Wehrmacht soldiers were buried there.
In 1945 the university was reopened relatively quickly on the initiative of a small group of professors, among whom were the anti-Nazi economist Alfred Weber and the philosopher Karl Jaspers. The surgeon Karl Heinrich Bauer was nominated rector.
After the election, the deputies of the Alliance 90/The Greens formed a coalition with generation.HD. In September 2011 two members of the GAL Group joined the Alliance 90/The Greens, so now with generation.HD, they form the largest group on the council.
The gymnasiums include the Kurfürst-Friedrich-Gymnasium, Bunsen-Gymnasium, Helmholtz-Gymnasium, Hölderlin-Gymnasium and Elisabeth-von-Thadden-Schule. Then there are seven Realschule, ten Hauptschule and nine vocational schools (the so-called Berufsschule). In addition, there are several folk high schools with different specialisations. Heidelberg International School serves the local expatriate community.
^ "Alle politisch selbständigen Gemeinden mit ausgewählten Merkmalen am 31.12.2018 (4. Quartal)". DESTATIS. Archived from the original on March 10, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
^ Albers, Jürgen. "Daten und Fakten – Studierende und Wissenschaftlicher Nachwuchs – Universität Heidelberg". www.uni-heidelberg.de. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
^ Its latest overall ranking positions range from 5th to 18th in Europe; the peer review scores, reflecting academic esteem, are usually higher. It was never ranked outside Europe's top 20 by any major university ranking. See rankings.
^ Stiefel, Catherine. "Non-University Research Institutions – Heidelberg University". www.uni-heidelberg.de. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
^ "Heidelberg-Rohrbach: Wein, Reben und Winzer". Hilfe-hd.de. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
^ "Heidelberg historic weather averages". Intellicast. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
^ "Deutscher Wetterdienst – weather and climate, 1981–2010". Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
^ Helfferich, Tryntje, The Thirty Years War: A Documentary History (Cambridge, 2009), pp. 289–90.
^ "Alfred Mombert". Badische Landesbibliothek (in German).
^ Fink, Oliver (2005). Kleine Heidelberger Stadtgeschichte. ISBN 978-3-7917-1971-9.
^ "Population of city of Heidelberg" (in German). Statistical office of the state of Baden-Württemberg. Archived from the original on December 7, 2008. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
^ "Ergebnis Gemeinderatswahl 2014". Stadt Heidelberg. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
^ "Schloss Heidelberg: Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten Baden-Württemberg". www.schloss-heidelberg.de. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
^ Heidelberg, Mannheim to close by 2015 Archived March 30, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, HeraldPost Vol. 35 No. 38, accessed: October 22, 2011.
^ "Internationales FilmFestival Mannheim-Heidelberg |". Mannheim-filmfestival.com. October 18, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
^ a b c d e f g h "Partnerstädte" (official website) (in German). Heidelberg, Germany: Stadt Heidelberg. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
"Heidelberg" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 13 (11th ed.). 1911.
The Diesel engine (also known as a compression-ignition or CI engine), named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber, is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to the mechanical compression (adiabatic compression). Diesel engines work by compressing only the air. This increases the air temperature inside the cylinder to such a high degree that atomised Diesel fuel injected into the combustion chamber ignites spontaneously. With the fuel being injected into the air just before combustion, the dispersion of the fuel is uneven; this is called a heterogenous air-fuel mixture. The process of mixing air and fuel happens almost entirely during combustion, the oxygen diffuses into the flame, which means that the Diesel engine operates with a diffusion flame. The torque a Diesel engine produces is controlled by manipulating the air ratio; this means, that instead of throttling the intake air, the Diesel engine relies on altering the amount of fuel that is injected, and the air ratio is usually high.
The Diesel engine has the highest thermal efficiency (engine efficiency) of any practical internal or external combustion engine due to its very high expansion ratio and inherent lean burn which enables heat dissipation by the excess air. A small efficiency loss is also avoided compared with two-stroke non-direct-injection gasoline engines since unburned fuel is not present at valve overlap and therefore no fuel goes directly from the intake/injection to the exhaust. Low-speed Diesel engines (as used in ships and other applications where overall engine weight is relatively unimportant) can reach effective efficiencies of up to 55%.Diesel engines may be designed as either two-stroke or four-stroke cycles. They were originally used as a more efficient replacement for stationary steam engines. Since the 1910s they have been used in submarines and ships. Use in locomotives, trucks, heavy equipment and electricity generation plants followed later. In the 1930s, they slowly began to be used in a few automobiles. Since the 1970s, the use of Diesel engines in larger on-road and off-road vehicles in the US has increased. According to Konrad Reif, the EU average for Diesel cars accounts for 50% of the total newly registered.The world's largest Diesel engines put in service are 14-cylinder, two-stroke watercraft Diesel engines; they produce a peak power of almost 100 MW each.
Dieter Nohlen (born 6 November 1939 in Oberhausen) is a German academic and political scientist. He currently holds the position of Emeritus Professor of Political Science in the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences of the University of Heidelberg. An expert on electoral systems and political development, he has published several books.
Heidelberg is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km north-east of Melbourne's central business district. Its local government area is the City of Banyule. In 2016, Heidelberg had a population of 6,225.Once a large town on Melbourne's outskirts, Heidelberg was absorbed into Melbourne as part of the latter's northward expansion after World War II. Heidelberg once had its own historic central business district including its own municipality in the former City of Heidelberg.
Heidelberg lends its name to the Heidelberg School, an impressionist art movement that developed in and around the town in the late 19th-century.
Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory (German: Landessternwarte Heidelberg-Königstuhl) is a historic astronomical observatory located near the summit of the Königstuhl hill in the city of Heidelberg in Germany. The predecessor of the current observatory was originally opened in 1774 in the nearby city of Mannheim but degradation of observational conditions there resulted in a relocation to the Königstuhl in 1898.The observatory forms part of the Center of Astronomy of the University of Heidelberg. The Max Planck Institute for Astronomy opened on an adjacent site in 1967. Prof. Dr. Andreas Quirrenbach is the observatory's director since 2005.
Heidelberg Castle (German: Heidelberger Schloss) is a ruin in Germany and landmark of Heidelberg. The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps.
The castle has only been partially rebuilt since its demolition in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is located 80 metres (260 ft) up the northern part of the Königstuhl hillside, and thereby dominates the view of the old downtown. It is served by an intermediate station on the Heidelberger Bergbahn funicular railway that runs from Heidelberg's Kornmarkt to the summit of the Königstuhl.
The earliest castle structure was built before 1214 and later expanded into two castles circa 1294; however, in 1537, a lightning bolt destroyed the upper castle. The present structures had been expanded by 1650, before damage by later wars and fires. In 1764, another lightning bolt caused a fire which destroyed some rebuilt sections.
The Heidelberg Catechism (1563), one of the Three Forms of Unity, is a Protestant confessional document taking the form of a series of questions and answers, for use in teaching Reformed Christian doctrine. It was written in 1563 in Heidelberg, present-day Germany. Its original title translates to Catechism, or Christian Instruction, according to the Usages of the Churches and Schools of the Electoral Palatinate. Commissioned by the prince-elector of the Electoral Palatinate, it is sometimes referred to as the "Palatinate Catechism." It has been translated into many languages and is regarded as one of the most influential of the Reformed catechisms.
The Heidelberg School was an Australian art movement of the late 19th century. The movement has latterly been described as Australian Impressionism.Melbourne art critic Sidney Dickinson coined the term in a July 1891 review of works by Arthur Streeton and Walter Withers. He noted that these and other local artists, who painted en plein air in Heidelberg on the city's outskirts, could be considered members of the "Heidelberg School". The term has since evolved to cover painters who worked together at "artists' camps" around Melbourne and Sydney in the 1880s and 1890s. Along with Streeton and Withers, Tom Roberts, Charles Conder and Frederick McCubbin are considered key figures of the movement. Drawing on naturalist and impressionist ideas, they sought to capture Australian life, the bush, and the harsh sunlight that typifies the country.
The works of these artists are notable, not only for their merits as compositions, but as part of Australia's cultural heritage. The period leading up to Federation in 1901 saw an upsurge in Australian nationalism, and is the setting for many classic stories of Australian folklore, made famous in the works of bush poets associated with the Bulletin School, such as Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson. The Heidelberg School's work provides a visual complement to these tales and their images have become icons of Australian art. The artists are well-represented in Australia's major public galleries, including the National Gallery of Australia, the National Gallery of Victoria and the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Heidelberg United Football Club (commonly referred to as Megas Alexandros, Alexander the Great, Warriors, or Bergers) is an association football club based in the northern Melbourne suburb of Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia. The team currently competes in the National Premier League Victoria. Heidelberg are one of six state league teams to have eliminated an A-League team in the FFA Cup, along with Blacktown City FC, Redlands United FC, Green Gully SC, APIA Leichhardt Tigers FC and Adelaide City FC.
Heidelberg University (German: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; Latin: Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386 on instruction of Pope Urban VI, Heidelberg is Germany's oldest university and one of the world's oldest surviving universities. It was the third university established in the Holy Roman Empire.Heidelberg has been a coeducational institution since 1899. The university consists of twelve faculties and offers degree programmes at undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral levels in some 100 disciplines. Heidelberg comprises three major campuses: the humanities are predominantly located in Heidelberg's Old Town, the natural sciences and medicine in the Neuenheimer Feld quarter, and the social sciences within the inner-city suburb Bergheim. The language of instruction is usually German, while a considerable number of graduate degrees are offered in English.As of 2017, 56 Nobel Prize winners have been affiliated with the university. Modern scientific psychiatry, psychopharmacology, psychiatric genetics, environmental physics, and modern sociology were introduced as scientific disciplines by Heidelberg faculty. Approximately 1,000 doctorates are completed every year, with more than one third of the doctoral students coming from abroad. International students from some 130 countries account for more than 20 percent of the entire student body.Internationally renowned and consistently ranked among Europe's top universities, Heidelberg is one of the most prestigious universities in the world, a German Excellence University, part of the U15, as well as a founding member of the League of European Research Universities and the Coimbra Group. The university's noted alumni include eleven domestic and foreign Heads of State or Heads of Government.
Heidelberg University is a private liberal arts college in Tiffin, Ohio. Founded in 1850, it was known as Heidelberg College until 1889 and from 1926 to 2009.
Homo heidelbergensis is an extinct species or subspecies of archaic humans in the genus Homo, which radiated in the Middle Pleistocene from about 700,000 to 300,000 years ago, known from fossils found in Southern Africa, East Africa and Europe. African H. heidelbergensis has several subspecies. The subspecies are Homo heidelbergensis heidelbergensis, Homo heidelbergensis daliensis, Homo rhodesiensis, and Homo heidelbergensis steinheimensi. The derivation of Homo sapiens from Homo rhodesiensis has often been proposed, but is obscured by a fossil gap from 400–260 kya. The species was originally named Homo heidelbergensis due to the skeleton's first discovery near Heidelberg, Germany.The first discovery—a mandible—was made in 1907 by Otto Schoetensack. The skulls of this species share features with both Homo erectus and the anatomically modern Homo sapiens; its brain was nearly as large as that of Homo sapiens. The Sima de los Huesos cave at Atapuerca in northern Spain holds particularly rich layers of deposits where excavations were still in progress as of 2018.H. heidelbergensis was dispersed throughout Eastern and Southern Africa (Ethiopia, Namibia, Southern Africa) as well as Europe (England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain). Its exact relation both to the earlier Homo antecessor and Homo ergaster, and to the later lineages of Neanderthals, Denisovans, and modern humans is unclear.Homo sapiens has been proposed as derived from H. heidelbergensis via Homo rhodesiensis, present in East and North Africa from around 400,000 years ago.
The correct assignment of many fossils to a particular chronospecies is difficult and often differences in opinion ensue among paleoanthropologists due to the absence of universally accepted dividing lines (autapomorphies) between Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis, Homo rhodesiensis and Neanderthals.
It is uncertain whether H. heidelbergensis is ancestral to Homo sapiens, as a fossil gap in Africa between 400,000 and 260,000 years ago obscures the presumed derivation of H. sapiens from H. rhodesiensis.
Genetic analysis of the Sima de los Huesos fossils (Meyer et al. 2016) seems to suggest that H. heidelbergensis in its entirety should be included in the Neanderthal lineage, as "pre-Neanderthal" or "archaic Neanderthal" or "early Neanderthal", while the divergence time between the Neanderthal and modern lineages has been pushed back to before the emergence of H. heidelbergensis, to about 600,000 to 800,000 years ago, the approximate time of disappearance of Homo antecessor.The delineation between early H. heidelbergensis and H. erectus is also unclear. Given the evidence, it means there is no direct evidence that suggest the Homo heidelbergensis is related to modern-day humans.
The Hurstbridge railway line is a commuter rail passenger train service in Melbourne, Australia. It shares tracks with the Mernda railway line until Clifton Hill, then heads in a north-east direction through the cities of Yarra, Darebin and Banyule, and the Shire of Nillumbik. It serves between Flinders Street in the Melbourne central business district through the northern suburbs including East Melbourne, Richmond, Abbotsford, Clifton Hill, Northcote, Fairfield, Alphington, Ivanhoe, Eaglemont, Heidelberg, Rosanna, Macleod, Watsonia, Greensborough, Montmorency, Eltham, Diamond Creek, Wattle Glen and Hurstbridge. The service is part of the Public Transport Victoria metropolitan rail network.
Lower Heidelberg Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,513 at the 2010 census.
North Heidelberg Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,214 at the 2010 census.
The Northern Football Netball League (formerly known as the Diamond Valley Football League) is an Australian rules football competition based in the Diamond Valley region of suburban Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
South Heidelberg Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,271 at the 2010 census.
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Who is OIG and how does OIG work with IHS and tribes?
MISSION: Office of Inspector General's (OIG) mission is to protect the integrity of Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) programs as well as the health and welfare of program beneficiaries.
WHO WE ARE: Since its 1976 establishment, OIG has been at the forefront of the Nation's efforts to fight waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare, Medicaid and more than 100 other HHS programs.
WHAT WE DO: We carry out our mission using a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach, with each of our six components playing a vital role. A nationwide network of audits, investigations, and evaluations results in timely information as well as cost-saving or policy recommendations for decision-makers and the public. That network also assists in the development of cases for criminal, civil and administrative enforcement. OIG develops and distributes resources to assist the health care industry in its efforts to comply with the Nation's fraud and abuse laws and to educate the public about fraudulent schemes so they can protect themselves and report suspicious activities.
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Identify two to three conflicts that could potentially arise with any one of the constituents and the strategies you would employ to resolve the conflicts.
For this assignment, you have to take on the role of a human services administrator charged by the Department of Health with the responsibility of communicating to various constituencies about the recent outbreak of a communicable disease within a specific community. You will now need to write three communication messages appropriate to the following groups—youths, parents, and medical staff—one communication message per group. Part A Part A: Analysis Plan •Explain what media and forms of communication (at least one of which will be verbal) you would employ to communicate with each group—youths, parents, and medical staff—that will be most effective with these audiences. •Identify two to three conflicts that could potentially arise with any one of the constituents and the strategies you would employ to resolve the conflicts. •Prioritize and explain the most pertinent aspects of the message to be conveyed to each group. Part B: Communication Memos •Compose in detail three different communication messages that appropriately match each group of recipients—youths, parents, and medical staff—regarding the recent outbreak of the communicable disease. One of the messages should be a script for a verbal communication. Consider the following aspects when composing your messages—the recipient, the context, the content, and delivery variables. Part C: Application of Theory •Explain which communication theories you applied to the situation that influenced your approach to handling this problem. Submission Details: •By the due date assigned, prepare a 7 page analysis paper. Your response should rely upon sources from professional literature. This may include the Argosy University online library resources, relevant textbooks, peer-reviewed journal articles, and websites created by professional organizations, agencies, or institutions (.edu, .org, or .gov). Write in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrate ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources (i.e., APA format); and use accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
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Peter Potterfield, author of "Classic Hikes of the World," answered your questions on hiking.
Peter Potterfield: Hello, this is adventure journalist Peter Potterfield, author of books and magazine pieces on hiking and backcountry travel. I'm ready to answer questions (or at least try to) on hikes, gear and adventure travel, so let's get started.
Peter Potterfield: Most people do this route in a day, and altitude is a common complaint. At more than 12,600 feet, this is Arizona's highest peak, and not one to be taken lightly. You'll need to be prepared for all weathers, even prepared to turn around if the weather turns serious. As for acclimatization, the best way to do that would be to camp above 5,000 feet for a couple of nights, allowing your body to adjust to the thinner air. The potential for serious altitude sickness is not great, however, on a day trip, as the idea is to get down to lower altitudes quickly before serious complications can set in. My advice: get an early start, pre-dawn, by headlight.
Sun Prairie, Wis.: In August of 2009 I'm planning a retirement trip with 10 or 20 of my closest friends. We are going to walk across England at Hadrian's Wall. Should we walk west to east or east to west?
Peter Potterfield: The 80 mile walk that follows the Roman fortification known as Hadrian's Wall is a terrific route, bisecting England from Newcastle to Solway Firth, near Carlisle. You can hike it in either direction, although the prevailing tendency seems to be west to east, ending in Newcastle. It comes down to personal preference, and the direction you support company takes. Most people on this route have their bags shuttled to the next accommodation by an operator; there are several good ones, some go west to east, some the opposite.
Prescott, Ariz.: My wife and I will be staying at park lodges in Yosemite and Sequoia in early fall. What 6 to 8 mile hikes would you recommend in both parks?
Peter Potterfield: In Yosemite, I think some of the best hikes are up in Tuolomne Meadows, a beautiful alpine environment, many in the six to eight mile range you are looking for. Elilzabeth Lake, under Unicorn Peak, or Evelyn Lake, or Cathedral Pass are all good hikes south of Highway 120, and Tuolomne Falls and Gaylor Lakes are good ones north of the highway. Yosemite is your best bet for shorter hikes, as some of the best routes in Sequoia are much longer and require more time.
Ponce Inlet, Fla.: I will be 50 and my girlfriend 60 03/09 when we hike the South Island of NZ. We are booked for the Milford Trek & to heli-hike Franz Joseph Glacier. We are both from FL and concerned about our fear of heights getting in the way. We are not phobic--she's just concerned about the swinging bridges over chasms & I'm mainly concerned about crevices on the glacier. Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Peter Potterfield: I think you'll do fine. The Milford is a beautiful but moderate route, and there's a guided option available. Consider that, as it gives you more comfortable lodges and attentive professional guides who know the trail like their own backyards. That takes any uncertainty out of this world famous walk. The trip up to the Franz Joseph should present no problems, either. The helicopter ride is half the fun, the Kiwis are nuts about helicopters, they use them all the time, sometimes just to blow the cold air off the fruit orchards in a freeze. The guides will make sure that you're safe while on the glacier, so it will be an experience you won't forget. The South Island has a number of great hikes, out of both Wanaka and Queenstown, and you'll find the New Zealanders to be friendly and relaxed, the food and wine top notch.
San Francisco, Calif.: I just signed up for a 10-hour day-long hike in the Grand Canyon in May. What are the best ways to prepare and train? And, what should I be sure to bring vs. what should I leave at home? I'm not camping, just staying at a hotel.
Peter Potterfield: For the long day hike you describe, training should not present a problem. Just start walking right now, right in your neighborhood, even just a half hour a day, and gradually work up to an hour or so a day. When you're able to hike two hours (try to work in some hills as you get stronger) you'll be in decent shape. Do the 2 hour walks twice a week for two weeks and you'll be well prepared for the 10 hour hike in the canyon. On the hike itself, bring plenty of water, and the right outerwear and rain gear in case the weather changes suddenly. But most important is to ensure you have comfortable, light-weight hiking boots—well broken in on your training walks.
North Bergen, N.J.: What recommendations do you have about hiking in Nepal?
Peter Potterfield: The hike to do in the Himalaya is the Everest Base Camp Trek. It's 35 miles through the greatest scenery on earth, a trip you'll never forget. Comfortable lodges now can be found along the route, and a competent Sherpa staff will make sure you are safe and comfortable during the trek, whether you're staying in the lodges or camping out higher up. Altitude is the primary consideration, but the pace is slow, only four to five hours walking a day to allow for acclimatization, so at worst most people suffer only mild headaches. If you find the altitude to be a real problem, and that can happen, you can stop and enjoy the scenery at a place like Thyangboche, at 12,000 feet, instead of going all the way to Base Camp at 17,500. But most people recover after a day or two of rest and are able to keep going. I recommend going with a competent, North America based guide service; I recommend several proven guide services in my book, Classic Hikes of the World. Experienced guides are crucial for novices on this hike as they know the difference between oridnary discomfort and dangerous altitude sickness.
Seattle, Wash.: My brother and I are avid hikers in the Pacific NW but haven't ventured much outside the area. Your book has inspired us to make plans. Which was your favorite hike and why? What hike would have been #24? Is there a second book coming out? And are you doing any speaking engagements this year?
Alexandria, Va.: For my sister's 60th birthday, I'm planning on a long (3 or 4-day) girls' weekend, in late spring or early summer 2008. Can you suggest any locations where we'd be able to take several scenic hikes of a few hours' duration during the weekend? The hikes would need to be somewhat easy, since my sister has had problems with the medial meniscous in one knee. I'd like a place where our accommodations would provide a bit of luxury for the birthday girl. We'd be flying or driving out of the Washington, D.C. area, so I'm open to suggestions anywhere in the continental US. Thanks!
Peter Potterfield: Quite close to the DC area itself you can find great easy day hikes in Shenandoah National Park, where Skyline Drive makes for easy access to the trail heads, and that makes it easier on the knees. For a luxury base, think of flying to Vancouver, BC, and making the short drive up to Whistler. This famous ski area has all the luxury you could ask for, and during summer, the surrounding mountains and meadows make for world class hiking. Or, consider the comfortable Ahwahnee hotel in Yosemite National Park. Right in Yosemite valley, the hotel makes a luxurious base from which to take easy day hikes around the meadows and trails allover the valley floor, or venture up to Yosemite Falls if the knees are holding up.
Bellbrook, Ohio: My husband and I would like to plan a week long vacation that would involve staying at a base town/city, with terrific day hikes within short driving distance. Would love to go to international locales.
Peter Potterfield: There are many great places to make a base from which to go on day hikes, and if you're open to international travel, all the better. One of my favorites is in Grindelwald, Switzerland, where there are great hotels and you are literally surrounded by stupendous Alpine hiking in every direction. One of my favorite hikes out of town is take the teleferique up to First and then hike up to Lake Bachal. Day hikes are a tradition in the Alps, endowed with some of the best mountain scenery anywhere, so you can't go wrong. Another international destination perfect for day hikes is the village of Chalten, in Argentine Patagonia, accessed via Calafate City. Wonderful day hikes radiate out from the village, many offering views of mountain peaks such as Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. The moraine below Cerro Torre is one of the most memorable day hikes in Patagonia. Finally, consider Queenstown, New Zealand, where you can enjoy the civilized lifestyle of the city and be a few minutes drive from a number of great walks, a few hours from classics such as the Milford Track.
Sebastopol, Calif.: My sister and I (ages 55 and 58) would like to go on a 10-14 day trek in the Himalayas. We are somewhat restricted as far as dates as she is a college professor and has off the summer and most of December. We are both in good shape and can deal with pretty rustic conditions. Money is somewhat of a consideration. Can you recommend a good location and/or company to work with? Thank you.
Peter Potterfield: This is similar to an earlier question, so I'll risk repeating myself: The hike to do in the Himalaya is the Everest Base Camp Trek. It's 35 miles through the greatest scenery on earth, a trip you'll never forget. Comfortable lodges now can be found along the route, and a competent Sherpa staff will make sure you are safe and comfortable during the trek, whether you're staying in the lodges or camping out higher up. Altitude is the primary consideration, but the pace is slow, only four to five hours walking a day to allow for acclimatization, so at worst most people suffer only mild headaches. If you find the altitude to be a real problem, and that can happen, you can stop and enjoy the scenery at a place like Thyangboche, at 12,000 feet, instead of going all the way to Base Camp at 17,500. But most people recover after a day or two of rest and are able to keep going. I recommend going with a competent, North America based guide service; I recommend several proven guide services in my book, Classic Hikes of the World. Experienced guides are crucial for novices on this hike as they know the difference between the usual discomfort and dangerous altitude sickness. If budget is a consideration, look for guide services that offer local guides and camp staff.
Peter Potterfield: Thanks for participating. If you more questions, or want to know more about my new book, Classic Hikes of the World, or my upcoming 20 city slide show tour of North America from Feb 5 to April 17, see classichikes.com.
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The best way to contact me is via email. My personal email is j e f f r e y - at - g m a i l - dot - c o m. Please remove the spaces and the symbol instructions to get the full address.
You can also reach me on Google Hangouts via the same address. Likewise for FaceTime.
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Singapore is a global hub for education, entertainment, finance, healthcare, human capital, innovation, logistics, manufacturing, technology, tourism, trade, and transport. The city ranks highly in numerous international rankings, and has been recognised as the most "technology-ready" nation (WEF), top International-meetings city (UIA), city with "best investment potential" (BERI), world's smartest city, world's safest country, second-most competitive country, third least-corrupt country, third-largest foreign exchange market, third-largest financial centre, third-largest oil refining and trading centre, fifth-most innovative country, and the second-busiest container port. The Economist has ranked Singapore as the most expensive city to live in, since 2013. It is identified as a tax haven. Singapore is the only country in Asia with an AAA sovereign rating from all major rating agencies, and one of 11 worldwide. Globally, the Port of Singapore and Changi Airport have held the titles of leading "Maritime Capital" and "Best Airport" respectively for consecutive years, while Singapore Airlines is the 2018 "World's Best Airline".Singapore ranks 9th on the UN Human Development Index with the 3rd highest GDP per capita. It is placed highly in key social indicators: education, healthcare, life expectancy, quality of life, personal safety and housing. Although income inequality is high, 90% of homes are owner-occupied. According to the Democracy Index, the country is described as a "flawed democracy".
Singapore is also referred to as the Garden City for its tree-lined streets and greening efforts since independence, and the Little Red Dot for how the island-nation is depicted on many maps of the world and Asia, as a red dot. Also referred to as the "Switzerland of Asia" in 2017 due to its neutrality on international and regional issues.
Raffles arrived in Singapore on 28 January 1819 and soon recognised the island as a natural choice for the new port. The island was then nominally ruled by Tengku Abdul Rahman, the Sultan of Johor, who was controlled by the Dutch and the Bugis. However, the Sultanate was weakened by factional division; the Temenggong (or Chief Minister) Tengku Abdu'r Rahman and his officials were loyal to Tengku Rahman's elder brother Tengku Long who was living in exile in Riau. With the Temenggong's help, Raffles managed to smuggle Tengku Long back into Singapore. He offered to recognise Tengku Long as the rightful Sultan of Johor, given the title of Sultan Hussein and provide him with a yearly payment of $5000 and $3000 to the Temenggong; in return, Sultan Hussein would grant the British the right to establish a trading post on Singapore. A formal treaty was signed on 6 February 1819 and modern Singapore was born.
The discussion of the cessation of hostilities between the British and the Japanese on 15 February 1942, after which the British willingly surrendered.
Indonesia, however, opposed the formation of Malaysia over its own claims of Borneo and launched konfrontasi (Confrontation in Indonesian). On 10 March 1965, a bomb planted by Indonesian saboteurs on a mezzanine floor of MacDonald House exploded, killing three people and injuring 33 others. It was the deadliest of at least 42 bomb incidents which occurred during Two members of the Indonesian Marine Corps, Osman bin Haji Mohamed Ali and Harun bin Said, were eventually convicted and executed for the crime. The explosion caused $250,000 in damage to MacDonald House.
Since self-governance n 1959, Singapore has had only three Prime Ministers.
In 2004, Lee Hsien Loong, the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, became the country's third Prime Minister. Lee Hsien Loong's tenure included the 2008 global financial crisis, the resolution of a dispute over Malayan railways land, and the introduction of integrated resorts. Despite the economy's exceptional growth, the People's Action Party (PAP) suffered its worst election results in 2011, winning 60% of votes, amidst hot-button issues of high influx of foreign workers and cost of living. On 23 March 2015 Lee Kuan Yew passed away, during the 50th year of independence, declaring a one-week period of public mourning. Subsequently, the PAP maintained its dominance in Parliament at the September general elections, receiving 69.9% of the popular vote, behind the 2001 tally of 75.3% and the 1968 tally of 86.7%.
Singapore has a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen: Af) with no distinctive seasons, uniform temperature and pressure, high humidity, and abundant rainfall. Temperatures usually range from 25 to 35 °C (77 to 95 °F). While temperature does not vary greatly throughout the year, there is a wetter monsoon season from November to January.
Singapore General Hospital Museum is housed in the Bowyer Block.
Stefanie Sun's wax figure was unveiled at Madame Tussauds Singapore in 2014.
An SSO Concert at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
The city-state has a burgeoning food scene ranging from hawker centres (open-air), food courts (air-conditioned), coffee shops (open-air with up to a dozen hawker stalls), cafes, fast food, simple kitchens, casual, celebrity and high-end restaurants. Every day, 2 new restaurants open daily in Singapore. Many international celebrity chef restaurants are located within the integrated resorts. Religious dietary strictures exist – Muslims do not eat pork and Hindus do not eat beef, and there is also a significant group of vegetarians. For most events, organisers will be mindful of them and cater food that is acceptable to all or provide choices for the ethnic minorities. The Singapore Food Festival which celebrates Singapore's cuisine is held in July annually.
Joseph Schooling is a gold medalist and Olympic record holder at the Rio 2016 Games – 100 m butterfly. Three swimmers including Michael Phelps were in a historic three-way tie for silver.
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Našli jsme další záznamy k osobě חנה גופמן.
חנה גופמן je pohřben(a) na hřbitově New Kiryat Shmona Cemetery v místě zobrazeném na níže uvedené mapě. Tyto informace o GPS jsou k dispozici POUZE na stránkách BillionGraves. Naše technologie vám pomůže najít umístění hrobu a také další členy rodiny, pohřbené poblíž.
חנה גופמן was 11 years old when World War II: Combat ends in the Pacific Theater: The Japanese Instrument of Surrender is signed by Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and accepted aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War, was the theater of World War II that was fought in the Pacific and Asia. It was fought over a vast area that included the Pacific Ocean and islands, the South West Pacific, South-East Asia, and in China.
חנה גופמן was 21 years old when Disneyland Hotel opens to the public in Anaheim, California. The Disneyland Hotel is a resort hotel located at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, owned by the Walt Disney Company and operated through its Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products division. Opened on October 5, 1955, as a motor inn owned and operated by Jack Wrather under an agreement with Walt Disney, the hotel was the first to officially bear the Disney name. Under Wrather's ownership, the hotel underwent several expansions and renovations over the years before being acquired by Disney in 1988. The hotel was downsized to its present capacity in 1999 as part of the Disneyland Resort expansion.
חנה גופמן was 29 years old when John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas, Texas; hours later, Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in aboard Air Force One as the 36th President of the United States. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, commonly referred to by his initials JFK, was an American politician who served as the 35th President of the United States from January 1961 until his assassination in November 1963. He served at the height of the Cold War, and the majority of his presidency dealt with managing relations with the Soviet Union. As a member of the Democratic Party, Kennedy represented the state of Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate prior to becoming president.
חנה גופמן was 44 years old when Jim Jones led more than 900 members of the Peoples Temple to mass murder/suicide in Jonestown, Guyana, hours after some of its members assassinated U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan (pictured). James Warren Jones was an American religious cult leader who initiated and was responsible for a mass suicide and mass murder in Jonestown, Guyana. He considered Jesus Christ as being in compliance with an overarching belief in socialism as the correct social order. Jones was ordained as a Disciples of Christ pastor, and he achieved notoriety as the founder and leader of the Peoples Temple cult.
חנה גופמן was 55 years old when Cold War: Fall of the Berlin Wall: East Germany opens checkpoints in the Berlin Wall, allowing its citizens to travel to West Berlin. The Berlin Wall was a guarded concrete barrier that physically and ideologically divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989. Constructed by the German Democratic Republic, starting on 13 August 1961, the Wall cut off West Berlin from virtually all of surrounding East Germany and East Berlin until government officials opened it in November 1989. Its demolition officially began on 13 June 1990 and finished in 1992. The barrier included guard towers placed along large concrete walls, accompanied by a wide area that contained anti-vehicle trenches, "fakir beds" and other defenses. The Eastern Bloc portrayed the Wall as protecting its population from fascist elements conspiring to prevent the "will of the people" in building a socialist state in East Germany.
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Read each sentence in sequence. Please don't skip any steps or the mathematics will be thrown off.
Take the following test mentally. Don't write down answers and don't shout them out.
1. Pick a number from 2 to 9. It can be 2 or 9, or any number in-between.
2. Take your number and multiply it by 9.
3. That should give you a 2 digit number. Take these 2 digits and add them together.
4. Take the resulting number and subtract 5 from it.
5. Take that number and correspond it to the alphabet, numbering the letters. A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4 and so on.
6. Take your letter, and think of a country that begins with that letter.
7. Take the last letter in the name of that country, and think of an animal that starts with this letter.
8. Now, take the last letter in the name of that animal, and think of a color that starts with this letter.
9. Oh, and one more thing . . . . .
There aren't any orange kangaroos in Denmark!
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Why does addiction occur in the young and beyond?
A sobering lecture was presented by Dr. Glen Hanson, who has doctorates in both dentistry, University of California at Los Angeles, and pharmacology at the University of Utah. He practiced dentistry for 10 years prior to his pharmacology degree. He is the former director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Utah. He is also the director of the Utah Addiction Center. Hanson has a long history of NIDA-funded research and has written 200 scientific research papers on drugs of abuse, in particular methamphetamine (meth) and other psychostimulants. He is studying the effects of these substances on brain chemistry and function. The doctor is a recognized expert and lecturer, both nationally and internationally, on drug abuse. He is the author of a widely recognized ninth edition text on drug abuse titled "Drugs and Society."
Drug abuse is fast becoming the No. 1 health issue in the United States. It is superseding cancer and heart disease in costs and deaths. Over 30,000 individuals die annually as a result of drug abuse and the cost is a roaring $100 billion annually. Prescription drugs account for some of the dependency and abuse. Also, we should note that alcoholism kills 100,000 individuals annually at a cost of $130 billion.
Drug addiction is defined as a "compelling drive to use drugs without attention to the negative consequences." The substances of choice are cocaine and meth; these are known as stimulants. Eventually, meth has numerous side effects such as tremors that are similar to Parkinson's disease. This indicates that there is damage to the brain. Addictive substances such as alcohol, valium, heroin, and narcotics used as pain medications, act as sedatives and hypnotics. Illicit drugs like marijuana, PCP, LSD, inhalants in the form of glue, and anabolic steroids are known as hallucinogens. It is important to note that there is a decrease in the pleasure system with cocaine, meth and alcohol, leading to more and more usage. Often, obesity promotes an increase in the use of these substances, as with food.
Hanson says, "It is a nightmare getting everyone on the same page." Drug abuse is an emotionally-charged problem, especially when it affects family and friends. Oftentimes children are turned away from their families because of the destruction they cause." These addicts appear to actually "fry or cook their brains," says the doctor. Now, there are more effective treatments coming along that are based on science. It is known that the brain is rewired during drug abuse behavior; thus the addictive behavior can occur.
We now know that drug addiction is a chronic disease; relapsing and remission occur. These addicts cannot help themselves. Hope and the will to stop do not work. Jail sentences do no good because there is usually no drug treatment available. Therefore, when the inmate is released, there is no change in the addictive behavior. Science and medication are now fast becoming the basis of treatment; eventually this treatment may become available in the nation's jails.
It is found that some individuals are more prone to be vulnerable to addiction. It is estimated that 10 percent of adolescents will become addicted. The challenge is identifying that 10 percent. Why are some more vulnerable than others? Hanson reports that adolescents, ages 15 to 20, are most likely to become addicted initially smoking marijuana. MRI technology has revealed that the pre-frontal cortex in the brain (containing the decision-making center of the brain) is underdeveloped in these adolescents. Decision making increases with age, and when individuals reach between 23 and 30, the pre-frontal cortex finally matures. comparing a 16-year-old pre-frontal cortex to a 23- to 30-year-old pre-frontal cortex, you will see the decision-making center, called the amygdalia, that suppresses some behaviors and activates others is larger in the older individual. The amygdalia controls impulsive and risky behaviors and is less developed in younger individuals. It is also reported that teenage girls have a faster development in the prefrontal cortex area of the brain than males at that age. This makes them less of a risk taker than their male counterparts.
Addiction appears to cluster in some families, giving rise to the genetic predisposition theory when it comes to alcoholism, smoking and drug abuse. It is hypothesized that the cause of 50 percent of substance abuse is related to the family environment. Scientists now know that there are 20 to 30 genes identified that are connected to addictive behaviors. These genes are inherited. Parental guidance and environment also play a role, of course.
Brain scans have been used to look at the brains of laboratory monkeys. The pre-frontal cortex was stimulated with drugs to determine the effect on behaviors. In the study there were dominant monkeys and subordinate ones. It was found that the subordinate monkeys had a low-level, non-working, pleasure center and repeatedly took the drugs offered to raise their pleasure. The monkeys who had a well-developed pleasure center interacted with the environment and rejected the drugs offered to stimulate them. This finding is applicable to humans.
Often individuals who exhibit mental illness may have an underlying mental disorder that makes them vulnerable to drug abuse. Some of these behavioral disorders listed are attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), drug abuse and mood anxiety psychosis. It is interesting that 90 percent of these individuals are prone to addictive behaviors such as smoking. Half of substance abuse is associated with a mental disorder. We know now that changes can occur in the brain when drugs are taken. There may also be a decrease in metabolism.
The research on drug abuse has been ongoing since the 1970s, when animal studies were undertaken to explore meth damage in the brain. Some researchers are using the stroke model. This model restores function by transferring to other systems in the body to perform certain motor skills lost because of a stroke. An addict can recover after three to five months, but treatment must begin immediately as the brain adjusts and is trained to suppress the addiction. Heroin addicts are usually treated with methadone that must be continued for the rest of their lives.
Hanson says that we simply cannot throw addicts out the door; we must try again and again. The tough-love model may get the addict into treatment, but jail time just doesn't solve the problem. Detoxification should be the first step. It usually takes five months to rid the body of the drug or drugs. Treatment must diagnose the damage to the brain and include psychiatric treatment. This is a new concept. What we have been doing previously just doesn't work.
Prevention strategies work with people who have ADHD; they usually have decreased function in the cortex of the brain. The difficult problem in drug abuse is that there are very few drug programs that are integrated. This impacts many aspects of public policy. Some programs try to use education to stem drug use, but these are not that helpful. Hanson says "What is necessary is making good decisions."
Education programs that are geared to the 90 percent of individuals who do not have a predisposition to drug abuse are not helpful. The focus should be on the 10 percent of the population most vulnerable to drug abuse and addiction. Therefore, we need to have a list of the genetic issues and behaviors of those who might be vulnerable and treat them, not the mainstream population. Changes in the study of addiction are on the horizon because of the fortitude of those like Hanson who don't give up, and who is engaged in the research and science of the dread scourge that is threatening our society. Maybe in the future, we will be able to intervene and save those who cannot cure themselves.
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Not all things said about Diabetes is true. Here are some diabetes myths and the truths behind them.
Truth: If caught early enough, Type 2 diabetes can be managed with healthy lifestyle choices like diet and exercise.
If more advanced, multiple oral medications exist that can control blood glucose levels.
If you have diabetes, you may never need to be on insulin shots.
2. Myth: If your blood sugar levels are elevated, you will feel it in your body.
Truth: Diabetes can usually go undetected until your blood sugars are painfully high.
Subtle signs may include more carbohydrate or sugar cravings, or feeling fatigued or lack of energy even after having a good night’s sleep.
Truth: You can have diabetes for many years without knowing it. The average person diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes actually had it for seven years prior to diagnosis!
4. Myth: Since I now know that I have diabetes, it feels like a death sentence.
Truth: Type 2 diabetes is extremely controllable with lifestyle and medications. It is not a death sentence by any stretch, and if managed daily can keep your life in balance.
Truth: Managing your blood sugars and diabetes means you have a balance of enough protein, moderate amounts of carbohydrate and good fat at your meals and snacks. Small amounts of sugar like in dark chocolate have minimal effects on your glucose levels if consumed in moderate quantities.
Truth: Controlling your blood sugars means eating a balanced diet with fewer processed and starchy foods. Having a visit with a registered dietician is important to set up a plan that works for your lifestyle.
Truth: Controlling your blood sugars means having little to no risk of health issues such as eye disease or having to undergo amputations. A blood test known as glycosylated hemoglobin A1C shows what your blood glucose values are averaging over a three-month period. Keeping that number in close to normal range dramatically lowers the risk of medical complications.
The Manna Blood Sugar Support supplement can be taken with each meal to control blood sugar, suppress appetite and control cravings. This product can also help to prevent type 2 diabetes.
Maintain even blood sugar levels, keeping you more satisfied after a meal, which means that the same meal can take you much further and cause you to eat less, which can help with natural weight loss.
Keep energy levels constant, giving you energy to do your day to day tasks even when on a diet.
When taken with food, Manna Blood Sugar Support gels with the food in the stomach to reduce the glycemic index of the food and drink you consume by up to 43% and therefore helps to prevent blood sugar levels from rising too high.
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I used to take glucophage xr at 1000mls in the mornings and 1000 at night. After using Manna Blood Sugar Support, my levels are between 6 and 7. Great product! Thanks Manna!
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0.956233 |
What is it that I want to tell skeptics to about religion? It is something essential to the human condition, such as what William James offers at the end of his Study in Human Nature.
First, is there, under all the discrepancies of the creeds, a common nucleus to which they bear their testimony unanimously?
And second, ought we to consider the testimony true?
The uneasiness, reduced to its simplest terms, is a sense that there is something wrong about us as we naturally stand.
The solution is a sense that we are saved from the wrongness by making proper connection with the higher powers.
His answer to the second question is more involved, in part, because this philosopher has already stated: [pg. 455] “In all sad sincerity I think we must conclude that the attempt to demonstrate by purely intellectual processes the truth of the deliverances of direct religious experience is absolutely hopeless”.
Disregarding the over-beliefs, and confining ourselves to what is common and generic, we have in the fact that the conscious person is continuous with a wider self through which saving experiences come, a positive content of religious experience which, it seems to me, is literally and objectively true as far as it goes.
James is laying out what he thinks is objectively true. He is putting aside, for the moment, the unique mystical or religious experiences that have been the subject of the entire book. He is also laying aside “over-beliefs”, by which he means propositions for which there is insufficient evidence, but which can be accepted anyway through leaps of faith. James is speaking to the skeptic examining the human condition. Based on those common experiences that all humans share, James asserts a simple fact: the consciousness of a person is part of something larger. Further, it is by developing awareness of this larger self, this higher power, that we are relieved from that uneasiness, that sense of wrongness, that is part of the human condition.
If I now proceed to state my own hypothesis about the farther limits of this extension of our personality, I shall be offering my own over-belief — though I know it will appear a sorry under-belief to some of you — for which I can only bespeak the same indulgence which in a converse case I should accord to yours.
God is the natural appellation, for us Christians at least, for the supreme reality so I will call this higher part of the universe by the name of God. We and God have business with each other; and in opening ourselves to his influence our deepest destiny is fulfilled. The universe, at those parts of it which our personal being constitutes, takes a turn genuinely for the worse or for the better in proportion as each one of us fulfills or evades God’s demands. As far as this goes, I probably have you with me, for I only translate into schematic language what I may call the instinctive belief of mankind: God is real since he produces real effects.
I believe the pragmatic way of taking religion to be the deeper way. It gives it body as well as soul, it makes it claim, as everything real must claim, some characteristic realm of fact as its very own. What the more characteristically divine facts are, apart from the actual inflow of energy in the faith state and the prayer state, I know not. But the over-belief on which I am ready to make my personal venture is that they exist….By being faithful in my poor measure to this over-belief, I seem to myself to keep more sane and true. I can, of course, put myself into the sectarian scientist’s attitude and imagine vividly that the world of sensations and of scientific laws and objects may be all. But whenever I do this, I hear that inward monitor of which WK Clifford once wrote, whispering the word bosh. Humbug is humbug even though it bear the scientific name, and the total expression of human experience, as I view it, objectively, invincibly urges me beyond the narrow scientific bounds. Assuredly the real world is of a different temperament, — more intricately built than physical science allows. So my objective and my subjective conscience both hold me to the over-belief which I express. Who knows whether the faithfulness of individuals here below to their own poor over-beliefs may not actually help God in turn to be more effectively faithful to his own greater tasks.
Thus, William James, the rational pragmatist, finds pure reason insufficient. He does not attempt to refute atheism or agnosticism, he rejects them. Human experience is too rich, too multi-faceted, to be fully guided by rational skepticism. For his own life, he chooses to embrace an over-belief, to make a leap of faith, because it enables him to live more abundantly.
To use an old Quaker phrase, this speaks to my condition.
Policing in a democracy is difficult.
It is easier in a society where people share a common religion, a common culture, and a respect for those in authority. There are places in rural and small town America where people think that their community is like that. Here, the police are respected, admired and welcome. However, even in these places, there is usually a neighborhood, perhaps on the other side of the tracks, where the police are viewed with suspicion, more feared than welcome. In this neighborhood, people realize that they are a part of a multi-cultural society, and they are fully aware of which group is in power.
In America, the problem often comes down to race. Despite the real progress in civil rights over the last century, despite the prominence of African Americans in government, sports, and the media, most black people still feel the legacy, the stigma, of slavery, particularly in their interactions with the police. Take, for example, the war on drugs. Although the plague of drugs is a national problem affecting all areas of the society, the war falls most heavily on blacks. So many young black men are being incarcerated that it is bound to have an impact on the community. Meanwhile, the popular culture lionizes gangsters, the only ones with money who continue to live in the poor communities. Young, rebellious adolescent boys adopt the dress, the swagger, and sometimes the criminal behavior of the alluring, powerful men around them. This leads to a vicious cycle, in which police, and indeed the general public, see blacks as likely perpetrators of crime, and blacks see police as a source of harassment, intimidation and repression.
Recently, several deaths of black men at the hand of white police have become the focus of controversy. Looking at the same facts, different groups of Americans come to starkly different conclusions. One group, mostly white and “conservative”, sees these as isolated incidents where good, brave policemen faced difficult situations. Though these people usually acknowledge the tragedy of the unnecessary death, they emphasize that things could have been much worse, with policemen killed. These people are satisfied with the investigations that followed and trust the ultimate conclusions that the police’s actions were justifiable in each case. Others, particularly blacks, see these incidents as the tip of an iceberg of police harassment and intimidation. These deaths are cases where the police bullying got out of control. They want the perpetrators to be punished and the bullying to stop.
Today, things are escalating. People are protesting, and the protests occasionally descend into riots. Each time another young black man dies at the hands of police somewhere in America, the information gets splashed across the internet, providing fresh fuel for both the protest and the police reaction.
How can we break this cycle? Can we maintain oder and enforce the law in a way that is fair to black Americans?
I have good news: the answer is embedded what that radical, Jesus, preached so long ago: “love thy neighbor as thyself”. For those of us who are more moderate, for whom this seems an impossibly high ideal, simply start from the premise that we are in this together and that we should treat each other with respect. Rather than intimidating people, partner with them. Involve the community in providing order, and more order will follow. Enable the community to hold the police accountable for their actions, just as the police require the community members to live within the law. Police in a way that honors our democratic ideals.
This might sound like impractical religious idealism from a peacenik with no experience in policing, but it comes from Jeffrey Blackwell, the Chief of Police in Cincinnati, in a talk given to MARCC (Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati) on December 10. What he sometimes refers to as “Constitutional Policing” comes out of the collaborative agreement that Cincinnati Police, the ACLU and the Cincinnati Black United Front reached after the protests that followed the police killing of an unarmed teenager in 2001. At first, the police did not like the change in their procedures, the additional paper work, or the intrusion of outsiders looking over their shoulder. However, with time, they adapted to the changes. As this new approach proved successful, the police embraced these changes. Now, even after the agreement is no longer binding, they are continuing most of the practices. They use evidence, including input from the community, to determine how to deploy their resources. Under the leadership of Blackwell, they are expanding their involvement in the community, with tutoring programs, summer basketball programs, and other activities to embed the police into the community. Thus, there has been a major cultural shift in the police department since 2001. And it is working.
Of course, there are still tragic incidents. This August, white cops killed a black man in an incident that began with something petty. The victim’s name was Donyale Rowe; he was a passenger in a car pulled over for a minor traffic violation. Although this is superficially similar to the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, in fact, it wasn’t. To begin with, the Cincinnati Police Department hid nothing. They quickly named the officers involved. They released the video from the squad car to the public. Because of the history with the collaborative agreement, the police department had a working relationship with independent people who were trusted by the black community; these people reviewed the evidence and concluded that the police had acted appropriately. Donyale Rowe had a gun and intended to use it. Although this death is tragic and Donyale Rowe’s life mattered, nobody protested. There was nothing to protest.
Thus, in almost every detail, this incident was entirely different from the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson. Rather than list all of the things that ham-handed Ferguson police did wrong, which was pretty much everything, I want to point to the larger picture. There was no possibility that the Ferguson police could have handled the Michael Brown killing as smoothly as the Cincinnati police could handle a similar incident, because the Ferguson police have done nothing to establish trust with the community. The difference is not just in how the one incident was handled, but in the entire approach that the police take toward their job. In Ferguson, they adopt the antiquated approach that Blackwell calls “Big Me, Little You”, where the police intimidate people rather than listen to them. In Cincinnati, the police engage with the community to solve their problems together.
In his talk to MARCC, Blackwell described the problem faced by towns like Ferguson. Poor people live where the rent is low. As the inner city gets revitalized and gentrified, the poor move out to suburban towns where they can afford to live. In Ferguson, the once dominant group is being displaced. Soon, the police force finds itself in charge of a different community, one it has neither the training or cultural background to serve. Disasters like the Michael Brown shooting naturally result.
Unfortunately, things in Ferguson are going to remain bad for a while. Even now, the government is planning to make up for a budget shortfall by increased police ticketing. In other words, rather than focusing on maintaining order, the police are raising money. When combined with their archaic policing practices, this is a prescription for more resentment and conflict between the police and the black community. Worse, Ferguson officials are ignoring the sometimes devastating effect these petty fines have on the lives of people struggling to get by. Evidently, these officials have learned nothing from the protests. Though they may give lip service to government for all, their actions show little concern for the lives of people outside their power base.
Because the new residents have not been showing up at the polls, the old group is still in power in Ferguson. However, it’s very hard to suppress the majority for long in a democracy. Soon, the majority black population will start to vote, and Ferguson will have a new government. Let us hope they do not simply express their resentment by saying “Now it is our turn,” providing government that is no better, just with a different group in charge.
Rather, let us hope that they implement the successful model of policing that we have in Cincinnati, “Constitutional Policing”, that can make things better for all. Damon Lynch III, former president of the Cincinnati Black United Front, has visited Ferguson “to share Cincinnati’s story of struggle and success.” In addition, similar approaches to policing have been put in place in Los Angeles and other major cities, and the president has appointed a new task force to promote community oriented policing. Thus, there is reason to hope that in the long run, Cincinnati’s success will be replicated in Ferguson, and across the nation.
Sunday evening, my wife and I encountered a corner of the Cincinnati’s cultural life that was new to us: the Belly Up to the Bar Belly Dance Extravaganza, at Leapin Lizard Lounge in Covington. We were invited by my son’s partner, who was planning to dance.
The women who danced were of all sizes and shapes. Some were young; some were grandmothers. Some were fat; some were thin. One was very pregnant. In an age where so many women are concerned about how their body compares to the impossible Barbie Doll norm, it was refreshing to see these women joyfully celebrating bodies of all shapes, sizes, and color.
Soon after we got there, a woman who I thought quite overweight danced a solo. As she briefly danced on one leg, doing moves not too dissimilar from some Yoga asanas that I struggle to get to, much less move through with grace, I thought maybe I should acknowledge that I need to get over some stereotypes.
Some of the dancers perhaps see belly dancing is a living part of their ethnic heritage. However, most were of Northern European or African descent. Regardless of ethnicity, all were enjoying an art imported to America, taking either a strictly traditional or loose approach, as suited their abilities and personal inclinations.
Some danced with ease, confidence, and in a few cases, with professional mastery; others danced with the studied concentration of adult novices trying to get it right. The choreography varied wildly: there were traditional dances, serious pieces close to modern dance, and comedy. One dance was inspired by 1920s flappers, with only a small nod to belly dancing techniques. There were several groups, often made up of less accomplished dancers led by one who was more comfortable and confident with the choreography. Several groups were of mixed race. The spirit was supportive, non-competitive. Everybody was cheered and encouraged.
People danced to recorded music, except during the intermission when the hand drummers took the stage. Some of the drummers were quite skilled. Several people, including one enthusiastic child, accepted the open invitation to dance to the drums.
The most remarkable dance was a solo performed by a pregnant woman, an obviously accomplished dancer who modified the choreography to accommodate what her changing body was able to do. Her dance was an extraordinary celebration of the beauty of the female form great with child.
Belly dancing is visceral, and many of the women clearly enjoyed expressing their sexuality. However, unlike so much of our commercial pop culture, it was never sleazy. Little kids were there, probably watching their moms, or perhaps even grandmas, and I was at no time uncomfortable with their presence in the room.
There was a buffet: the food was good. As you would expect from the title, people were drinking alcohol, but nobody was drunk. It was the kind of healthy social event that builds strong communities. Here was the American melting pot in action: honoring the core of a imported tradition, but freely combining it with other influences to make something new. As one concerned with building the peace, I was pleased to see something cross the cultural and ethnic divides so common elsewhere in our society. However, building peace sounds too much like work: people were having fun.
I hope to modify this post in the future, adding pictures as I get access to them and permission to use them. I post the text now to allow people to see what it was that they might be associating their image with.
The morning after the Ferguson grand jury decision was announced, I heard about the demonstration planned for that evening in downtown Cincinnati. Though I don’t like these events, I thought I should add my support to the people trying to effect positive change. I took the bus, which encountered, besides the usual rush hour traffic, a long truck full of groceries, perpendicular to street, blocking traffic while it maneuvered back and forth, trying to back into a tiny inner city parking lot. By the time I arrived at the Federal Building, the proceedings had already begun. I crossed the street and joined the hundred or so people standing around and listening to someone speaking into the microphone.
I was soon reminded why I don’t like these events. A few yards away from the main speaker was another man with a bull horn, saying that the people in charge weren’t interested in hearing what he had to say, but he was going to make himself heard anyway. To tell the truth, I couldn’t really understand much of what he said. He seemed angry, and he succeeded in making enough noise that I really couldn’t understand the main speaker either.
Just behind my left me ear was a man who was even angrier, with an impressive set of lungs. In the beginning, he would yell “All you’re doin’ is jus’ talkin’ ”, or later, when someone lead the us in the Lord’s prayer, “This is jus’ brainwashin’ ”. I had the feeling that he wasn’t going to be happy unless he could inflict some pain. Soon he was joined by a young man with a scull on his shirt and a bull horn, adding to the “Listen to me” cacophony.
At one point, I thought a fight was going to break out. There was some shoving, but the two young men who were not really interested in fighting. I didn’t hear the full exchange of words, but one said, “But not when your bull horn is pointed directly at my ear.” Earlier, my ear had gotten a piece of that bull horn in my ear, and I could imagine that anyone who received the full blast suffered real pain.
A few people wore Guy Fawkes masks, which I think were recently popularized by Anonymous, the hacktivist group. I have some sympathies with some of what Anonymous does, but I was at the demonstration to be seen, to be recognized, to take personal responsibility for my role in the community. These masks, which obscure personal identity, seem more appropriate for someone engaged in criminal activity, someone who wants to escape personal accountability. These masks run counter to the spirit of a peaceful demonstration.
Eventually, the rabble calmed down enough that I could hear a little of the substance of what was being said. The best speaker, in my opinion, was Alecia Reece, my state representative. There have been two police killings in Ohio recently where the victims (black of course) were handling toy guns. Reece has responded with a bill, named for one of the victims, requiring toys sold in Ohio to be easily distinguished from deadly firearms. She spoke briefly, in a clear voice tinged with fire. (The heckler with the loud voice yelled, “We don’t need no laws!”).
Damon Lynch III gave the most substantive speech. He said that he was not surprised by the grand jury decision or the violence that followed, just disappointed. He also spoke about the collaborative agreement that emerged in response to the Cincinnati riots in 2001. He said “Cincinnati is far from perfect, but it is a lot better than many other cities in this country.” In my opinion, this agreement should serve as a model for what to do in Ferguson, and Lynch is doing quite a bit to help make that happen.
Our master of ceremonies, Bishop Bobby Hilton with the Cincinnati Chapter of the National Action Network, also spoke about the persecution of Tracy Hunter, a judge who was recently indicted on a half dozen counts, and convicted on one. I was not happy to have this added to the list of grievances covered by the protest. Blacks have suffered injustices, but I do not think the prosecution of Tracy Hunter is one them. I am glad that she is off the bench.
Others were introduced to the microphone: Cecil Thomas, the state senator whom I had canvassed for; a white guy, booed before he began, whose introduction I did not hear, but turned out to be the mayor; a hispanic man expressing solidarity with people of color.
Occasionally, someone would lead a call and response: “Hands up!: Don’t shoot!” or “What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!”. It was not a venue for thoughtful exposition.
I realized that I was in a particularly noisy wing of the group. I made my way over to my right along the edge the crowd, and settled down, standing beside a black man about my age with a bemused look on his face. It was much more pleasant.
Toward the end, Hilton harped more and more on what was to him the most important message: “We are having a peaceful demonstration.” He then repeated the words “a peaceful demonstration” over and over, in the same way he had earlier led some of the chants. Then he thanked us and wished us a safe journey home.
The rabble rousers were having none of that. They started walking in the middle of main street, blocking traffic. Most of the crowd followed. So we walked a couple of blocks north, turned West for a couple of blocks. Some people started north on Vine, but the bulk of the crowd decided to go south. I heard a policeman speaking into his radio, “headed south on Vine! I repeat, south on Vine!” Then we headed back east, and then north again. Which ever way we wandered, the police were in front of us, blocking traffic, allowing us to have the street. When we were headed against the traffic, some drivers showed support by honking their horns in rhythm to the chant, or reaching their hand out the window for a high five.
The chants were the same we had been shouting when gathered across from the Federal Building. I enjoyed them. They give a rhythm to the walk and a sense of togetherness to the crowd. One was I was reluctant to join: “No justice! No peace!” I hope for peace in any case, and think peace is the shortest route to justice. However, when a young kid was leading this chant, I was happy to join in support of his enthusiasm, regardless of my reservations about the message. Unlike the dreary gathering standing around listening to speeches, I was enjoying the event.
At one point, I saw some people lying down in an intersection. However, most of us wanted to keep moving, and we knew that lying down was going to force hand of the police.
Someone with a bull horn suggested we head to Washington Park, which seemed to me to be a good destination. I think he was pastor of a church near there, with food for visitors. Washington Park is in front of Music Hall, and near the drop in center. Having been recently renovated, it is symbolic of what is happening to that neighborhood: the improvements are loved by those who want to see the area revitalized, but not by the poor and homeless being displaced. However, we did not go to Washington Park.
We did not turn west until we reached Liberty, which is several blocks north of the park, and we didn’t turn back south until Central Ave. Somebody was saying that we were going to City Hall; another was asking “Why are y’all going to the police station?”. When we got to Ezzard Charles, some tried to continue south toward City Hall, but people instead gathered in front of the Police Station. When nobody seemed to pay attention to their “Go This Way” cries, these self appointed leaders joined the crowd in front of the police station and soon headed on down Ezzard Charles toward Museum Center in the old train station, an iconic Cincinnati building, a picturesque place to conclude the march. However, the museum center was closed and out of the way, so nobody really wanted to go there.
Instead, their goal I-75, the major North South corridor though the city. The police were again way ahead of us. When we got to the intersection with the access road, the police, as usual had traffic blocked off. Then I noticed that they had the entrance ramp to the highway (I75 North) blocked off, and that beyond that, there was no traffic! The police had cleared the throughway before we arrived. At this point, I had to see what was happening. Police cars about a half mile south of us were stopped, blocking a highway full of traffic. Going south, the traffic, as it often is, was slowed by the bridge and was going about 5 miles an hour. Many of us walked onto the highway. Some knelt down, or laid down in the middle of the empty northbound lanes. Some crossed over into the south bound traffic, and managed to bring that to a halt. The police decided that they needed to act. They warned us to get off the highway or be arrested. Rather suddenly, lots of police appeared. They might have been wearing vests under their uniforms, but there was no riot gear and no tear gas. They seemed to be engaged in a normal police action to uphold minor violations of the law. Most of us left the highway. Only about half a dozen were arrested.
As we left, one young man said, “It’s not over yet!” I suspect that he was one of those who went across town to I71 to try to shut that down. Several more were arrested there. It was quite evident that they were going to continue doing stuff until the police arrested them. However, the crowd had dwindled. It lost all sense of cohesion. I was done.
After she left, I shook his hand and thanked him for the professional way that the police had handled the entire affair. He was still a little hot about what the woman had said to him.
I answered, “You don’t look black to me.” He smiled. In fact, he is a very dark skinned man, one for whom the word ‘black’ might actually be descriptive.
This brings me to a less public aspect of the rally. After we had walked a little ways, I realized that I had a new smart phone that could take pictures. So I pulled out my new smart phone, which I am obviously clumsy with, and took some pictures, perhaps to use in this blog. In a little while, a young man came to me and asked to borrow my phone to call his grandmother. I let him do this, but was wary, keeping him between me and the crowd. He did not get his grandmother. So we walked on together, up to Liberty, around the police station, and all the way to the highway. “This is crazy!” he said as we walked onto the highway. As we walked back, I gave him a couple dollars to catch the bus, and he tried his grandmother a couple more times. I called my wife. We were walking back to the bus stop, and there was no more crowd. I let him try his call again, and he ran off with my phone. Stupid me. At that point, we had spent an hour together, him playing me for a mark the whole time. I walked back to the police station and filled out a report. When I got home, instead of talking pleasantly with my wife, or writing this up, I was changing passwords, and checking status of my digital items that could conceivably have been compromised.
The Cincinnati demonstration was peaceful. Those of us who participated were just part of that peace. The other part was the police, who did everything they could to make it likely that the demonstration succeeded in remaining peaceful. They consistently treated us with respect. They protected us from any crazies who might have been driving in the blocked traffic. They allowed us to make our point, only acting to arrest people when it was clearly called for. When they came out in force, there was no sign of riot gear or military style weaponry. As we left, several thanked us for remaining peaceful. From the planning that evidently occurred before the rally began until the end of the evening, from every interaction between the police and the public that I witnessed, the Cincinnati Police proved itself to be a professional, civilian police force, dedicated to maintaining the peace and protecting all of its citizens.
Unfortunately, real peacemaking is not stuff of headlines.
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(1) Arizona Diamondbacks (Western Division champions, 90–72) vs. (3) Chicago Cubs (Central Division champions, 85–77): Diamondbacks win series, 3–0.
(2) Philadelphia Phillies (Eastern Division champions, 89–73) vs. (4) Colorado Rockies (Wild Card qualifier, 90–73): Rockies win series, 3–0.
Colorado earned the wild card after winning a one-game playoff with San Diego. Although the division winner with the best record normally plays the wild card team, the Diamondbacks played the Cubs, rather than the wild card Rockies, because the league did not pair teams from the same division against each other in the division series.
Both series represented the first time the opponents had met in the postseason, and the Rockies' victory was their first in any postseason series. The Diamondbacks and the Rockies met in the NL Championship Series, with the Rockies becoming the National League champion and going on to face the American League champion in the 2007 World Series. This was the first time under the expanded playoffs format first used in 1995 that two teams from the National League's Western Division had played against one another in the NLCS.
Arizona won the series, 3–0.
Colorado won the series, 3–0.
Eighteen-game winners Carlos Zambrano and Brandon Webb matched each other pitch for pitch in the opening game of the series. The Diamondbacks struck first on Stephen Drew's fourth-inning home run. The Cubs loaded the bases in the sixth on two walks and a hit with two outs, but only scored once on Ryan Theriot's RBI single that tied the game. Unfortunately for Chicago, that would be all their offense as Carlos Mármol would take the loss in relief of Zambrano, allowing a lead off home run to Mark Reynolds in the seventh, then one out later walking Chris Snyder, who moved to third on Augie Ojeda's double and scored on and a sacrifice fly to Conor Jackson. José Valverde threw a hitless ninth inning to save the game for Arizona.
The Cubs struck first in Game 2 when Matt Murton singled to lead off the second off of Doug Davis before Geovany Soto's home run put them up 2–0, but starter Ted Lilly in the bottom of the inning allowed a leadoff single to Chris Snyder, then walked Justin Upton before Chris Young's three-run home run two outs later put them up 3—2. Stephen Drew then singled and scored on Eric Byrnes's triple to make it 4–2 Arizona. In the fourth, Lilly allowed a leadoff single to Augie Ojeda, then walked Chris Young one out later before Drew's triple made it 6–2 Arizona and knocked him out of the game. Kevin Hart walked two with one out next inning before being relieved by Scott Eyre, who allowed an RBI single to Ojeda that put Upton at third. Michael Wuertz relieved Eyre and Davis's fielder choice scored another run for Arizona. In the seventh, Davis walked two with two outs before being relieved by Juan Cruz, who allowed a two-run double to pinch hitter Daryle Ward that made it 8–4 Arizona. However, neither team would score for the rest of the game, so the Diamondbacks went up 2–0 in the series heading to Chicago.
Chris Young's home run on the first pitch of the game off of Rich Hill gave Arizona a quick 1–0 lead. Stephen Drew then doubled to right field and after two strikeouts and a walk, scored on Justin Upton's single. Hill would leave the game in the fourth after allowing a lead-off walk and single. Michael Wuertz in relief walked Young to load the bases, then struck out Drew before Eric Byrnes hits into a forceout at second that scored Miguel Montero. The Cubs cut Arizona's lead to 3–1 in the bottom of the inning off of Liván Hernández when Mark DeRosa hit a leadoff single, moved to third on Jacque Jones's double, and scored on Jason Kendall's groundout. However, Hernandez would only allow three other hits in six innings. Solo home runs by Brynes in the sixth off of Carlos Marmol and Drew in the eighth off of Kerry Wood capped the scoring as the Diamondbacks' 5–1 win completed a sweep of the Cubs, who hit into four double plays.
Seventeen and fifteen-game winners Jeff Francis and Cole Hamels began the 2007 postseason by retiring the side in order. The face of the game quickly changed in the second inning when Todd Helton tripled to center field in his first career postseason plate appearance. He would score on Garrett Atkins's double. After Brad Hawpe struck out and Ryan Spilborghs walked, Yorvit Torrealba's singled scored Atkins. A two-out walk to Kaz Matsui loaded the bases before another walk to rookie Troy Tulowitzki gave the Rockies a 3–0 lead they never relinquished. Matt Holliday homered off of Tom Gordon in the eighth inning to provide insurance after consecutive home runs by Aaron Rowand and Pat Burrell led off the Phillies' half of the fifth. The Phillies wasted an ultimately solid effort from Hamels, who walked four in 6 2⁄3 frames but did not allow a hit after the decisive second inning. Manny Corpas picked up the save for Colorado.
Troy Tulowitzki and Matt Holliday hit consecutive one-out home runs in the first inning off Phillies rookie starter Kyle Kendrick, but his team responded with Jimmy Rollins' lead-off home run in the bottom of the inning off of Rockies starter Franklin Morales, coming off his own rookie season. Rollins' two-run triple next inning gave the Phillies a 3–2 lead. That lead then vanished two innings later when Kaz Matsui hit a two-out grand slam off Phillies reliever Kyle Lohse. Jose Mesa walked two to lead off the sixth, then Yorvit Torrealba's two-run double put the Rockies up 8–3. After Josh Fogg bunted out, Clay Condrey relieved Mesa and allowed an RBI triple to Matsui. Tulowitzki struck out before Holliday's RBI single made it 10–3 Rockies. Ryan Howard hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the inning off of Jeremy Affeldt. In the sevehth, Shane Victorino singled with one out off of Ryan Speier, advanced to third on a stole base attempt and Torrealba's throwing error, and scored on Rollins's groundout. Philadelphia loaded the bases in the eighth inning, but Manny Corpas earned a four-out save in stranding all three runners, sealing the Rockies' 10–5 victory. Matsui was a single short of hitting for the cycle.
The Rockies struck first in the fifth off of starter Jamie Moyer when Yorvit Torrealba singled with one out, moved to second on Ubaldo Jimenez's sacrifice bunt, and scored on Kazuo Matsui's triple. Shane Victorino's solo home run to right in the top of the seventh tied the game. After being released mid-season by the Red Sox, J. C. Romero became one of the most reliable bullpen arms for the Phillies down the stretch by not giving up a single run in 15 2⁄3 innings pitched in September. Unfortunately for Philadelphia in Game 3, Romero faltered and surrendered three straight two-out singles, the last of which to Jeff Baker scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth. Manny Corpas came on to nail down his third consecutive save in the ninth, sealing the series sweep. Brian Fuentes earned the win with a 1-2-3 eighth. The last time Philadelphia was swept in a postseason series is 1976 NLCS, in which Cincinnati beat them, 3–0.
↑ "2007 NLDS - Chicago Cubs vs. Arizona Diamondbacks - Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
↑ "2007 NLDS - Chicago Cubs vs. Arizona Diamondbacks - Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
↑ "2007 NLDS - Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Chicago Cubs - Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
↑ "2007 NLDS - Colorado Rockies vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
↑ "2007 NLDS - Colorado Rockies vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
↑ "2007 NLDS - Philadelphia Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies - Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
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An overview of two proposed sites for the Obama Presidential Library - one in Chicago's Washington Park neighborhood, the other in Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood. Both options would include the use of parkland and would provide opportunities for investment in parks and infrastructure, as well as economic development of nearby communities.
An area map showing two proposed sites for the Obama Presidential Library - one in Chicago's Washington Park neighborhood, the other in Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood.
The Barack Obama Foundation is considering two sites on the South Side of Chicago for the Barack Obama Presidential Center in the Washington Park and Woodlawn neighborhoods. Locating the presidential center in either Washington Park or Woodlawn would drive major investment on the South Side, creating new businesses and resources for residents and visitors. The presidential center offers a rare chance to reinvigorate the economy of nearby communities and make improvements for the area’s infrastructure and parks.
One potential site includes the western edge of Washington Park. The portion of the site in parkland would be bordered by Martin Luther King Jr. Drive on the west, Ellsworth Drive on the east, Garfield Boulevard on the south, and 51st Street on the north. In addition to this section of the park, the proposed site would encompass a block of land across MLK Drive currently owned by the University of Chicago, the City of Chicago and the Chicago Transit Authority.
The Washington Park site represents an outstanding opportunity to spur economic development. Real estate in the Washington Park neighborhood provides abundant opportunities for new and expanded commercial, retail, residential, and hospitality facilities without displacing existing residents. There could be additional development on MLK Drive as well as increased residential development throughout the neighborhood.
The other potential site is located in Jackson Park along Stony Island Avenue, part of the Woodlawn neighborhood. The site would be bordered by Stony Island Avenue on the west, Cornell Avenue on the east, 60th Street on the north, and 63rd Street on the South.
The Woodlawn neighborhood also has the potential for an economic boom. The presidential center could catalyze this development and support a range of opportunities, including commercial investment and new educational facilities along Stony Island Avenue and 63rd Street.
The collaborative process that led to selection of these sites included meetings with dozens of local organizations, elected officials, city agency representatives, and preliminary conversations with the Barack Obama Foundation. Out of numerous potential sites, the University’s collaborators and the foundation indicated that locations including South Side parkland offered the best chance to fulfill important goals for the presidential center. The sites would not displace local residents and would be highly accessible for Chicagoans and visitors from all over the world. The project sought communities that could receive transformative benefits from the library as an economic engine.
Many community residents said using parkland for the project offers a chance to catalyze new investments for underutilized South Side parks. The improvements include enhanced access for pedestrians and cyclists, renovation or replacement of aging facilities, and other attractions such as urban farms.
In January Mayor Emanuel introduced an ordinance at City Council co-sponsored by 42 aldermen to transfer parkland to the City for the Library. On February 11 the Chicago Park District board voted unanimously to transfer the land in either Jackson Park or Washington Park to the City, which would then lease it to the Obama Foundation if either site is chosen by the President and First Lady for the presidential center. On March 18, the City Council voted unanimously to approve the land transfer of the parkland to the City.
The University of Chicago recommends that the final plan for the presidential center should be park-positive—in other words, the community should gain access to more usable parkland from this process than the presidential library would occupy. Mayor Emanuel has committed to replacing with new public green space the five or so acres of park on which the library building would sit.
The proposed sites would consist mostly of open space. In all, the sites would comprise about 21 acres in Jackson Park and 22 acres in Washington Park, with 11 additional acres owned by the University of Chicago and city entities near the Washington Park site. This would create a relatively small footprint for a presidential library. America's last three presidential libraries have an average of 50 acres each.
A study by Anderson Economic Group, commissioned by the University of Chicago, found that the library would be an “economic boon” for the area. The library’s estimated annual impact would be at least $220 million, including about 1,900 permanent jobs and 3,280 construction jobs. The report estimated that the library would attract about 800,000 visitors annually and that these visitors would spend $31 million annually in the neighborhood near the site, supporting 41 new restaurants and retail outlets. The impact will extend beyond the neighborhood surrounding the library, enhancing the entire mid-South Side through new resources, deeper transit and pedestrian connections, and area-wide programming for residents.
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Philosophy, et cetera: Are Sophisticated Consequentialists Irrational?
The Railtonian 'sophisticated consequentialist' (SC) acquires, maintains, and acts upon whatever first-order desire set would be (expectably) best. So, if a bias towards one's own family is a fortunate disposition to have, SC will possess this and hence be biased towards his own family, rather than impartial like a direct utilitarian. My question: is SC rational?
The mere fact that a disposition is expectably fortunate (hence rational to acquire and maintain) does not entail that the disposition is rational (in the sense of manifesting 'sensitivity to reasons' or 'an orientation towards the good') or that it disposes you towards rational actions. As seen in Parfit's case of transparent "threat-fulfillers" and "threat-ignorers", it can be rational to make ourselves irrational. So, we may wonder, is SC like Parfit's threat-ignorer: someone who is now rationally impaired - aiming at the 'wrong' things, or unresponsive to certain reasons - though their past self did the right thing in bringing about this impairment (given its fortunate consequences)?
Perhaps so. The main reason to conclude that SC is irrational is that his dispositions are desirable for reasons other than the actions they produce. (Otherwise there would be no need for such 'sophistication' -- he could just be a straightforward act consequentialist with 'rationality-enhancing' dispositions, as described here.) And the possession of dispositions whose value depends on their external (non-act) effects is, we may think, the sign of fortunate irrationality. In this respect, SC is like the pure threat-ignorer.
(1) 'Rational irrationality' typically requires self-manipulation (e.g. by pill or brainwashing), whereas the 'sophisticated' psychology is meant to be acquirable by "natural" psychological processes. Railton gives the example of a competitive tennis player who learns that he would play better if he were less focused on winning, and more focused on enjoying the game for its own sake. It seems that his aim of winning can guide the development of this new intrinsic (but contingent) desire. This may in part be due to the fact that the content of the new desire (viz. to play and appreciate the game) is consonant with the overarching aim of winning the game. If the player had to acquire a desire to lose in order to better win, that does not seem possible without external manipulation.
So, there are at least important constraints on the Sophisticated Consequentialist psychology. SC cannot acquire just any old fortunate dispositions: even if a malicious desire would somehow prove fortunate, the cognitive dissonance would be too great to maintain this in virtue of its fortunate character. (He could take a pill to make himself just plain malicious, but that is to make himself no longer a consequentialist, just like the threat-ignorer.) But so long as SC only acquires the sorts of motivations that can be naturally maintained consistently with his overarching consequentialist aim -- so, perhaps, special motivations to attend particularly to certain goods, such as the welfare of his friends and family -- then we may think that he is at least free of any gross irrationality. It's not like he ever aims at the bad. At worst, he fails to aim at every good to the precise degree that is warranted. But this is a fairly modest rational failing, and one that needn't require any kind of self-deception (again, unlike the threat-ignorer).
(2) The second, and much more straightforward difference, is that SC continues to regulate his dispositions in a way that the threat-ignorer (TI) does not. In a world where dispositions are transparent, threat-ignoring initially has high expected utility, since the threat-fulfillers should realize there's no point in even trying to threaten the ignorers. TI can expect to remain safe. But now consider what happens when a threat-fulfiller slips up and stupidly threatens to blow up the world unless TI shines his shoes. At this point, the expected value of TI's disposition is extremely low. Since he maintains his disposition unconditionally, he ignores the threat, and -- predictably enough -- the world blows up. Disaster.
The Sophisticated Consequentialist would never bring about disaster in this way. He acts on the dispositions that are (expectably) best to have. But if circumstances change, then so do his dispositions. In this sense, SC as an agent remains rational (responsive to reasons), even if his particular actions aren't so much.
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