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0.951733 | PS2J 196 History - God of War - Duration: 1 hour, 5 minutes.
PS2J 190 History - Indie Games - Duration: 55 minutes.
PS2J 185 History - Virtua Fighter - Duration: 32 minutes.
PS2J 176 History - Super Mario - Duration: 1 hour, 8 minutes.
PS2J 168 History - Silent Hill: Part Two - Duration: 44 minutes.
PS2J 162 History - Silent Hill: Part One - Duration: 45 minutes.
PS2J 155 History - Tetris - Duration: 25 minutes.
PS2J 149 History - Arcade Machines - Duration: 36 minutes.
PS2J 139 History - Mortal Kombat - Duration: 1 hour, 27 minutes.
PS2J 131 History - Final Fantasy - Duration: 1 hour, 13 minutes.
PS2J 123 History - Blizzard - Duration: 1 hour, 6 minutes.
PS2J 115 History - Pokemon - Duration: 1 hour.
PS2J 229 News - Same Combination As My Luggage! - Duration: 32 minutes.
PS2J 228 Special - 2018 in Review - Duration: 1 hour, 10 minutes.
Ninja cyborgs, free-blade mode, nanomachines son... What could go wrong?
Metal Gear Rising: Revengance EP 1 - Julienne Cyborgs - Duration: 15 minutes.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengance EP 2 - Codename: Dumpster - Duration: 15 minutes.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengance EP 3 - Toro! - Duration: 13 minutes.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengance EP 4 - Ninja Pizza Cyborg - Duration: 13 minutes.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengance EP 5 - The Sleepiest Helicopter - Duration: 11 minutes.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengance EP 6 - The Gekko says: Moo! - Duration: 10 minutes.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengance EP 7 - Queen of the Arms - Duration: 14 minutes.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengance EP 8 - Vestigial T-Rex Arms - Duration: 18 minutes.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengance EP 9 - Box Waddling - Duration: 12 minutes.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengance EP 10 - Fresh Artisinal Locally-Sourced Cyborgs - Duration: 11 minutes.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengance EP 11 - Brain Box, Interrupted - Duration: 12 minutes.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengance EP 12 - HOW?! - Duration: 13 minutes.
Lucha Libre body slam for great justice!
Guacamelee EP 1 - Heavy Breathing - Duration: 15 minutes.
Guacamelee EP 2 - DODGE! - Duration: 11 minutes.
Guacamelee EP 3 - Seriously Heavy Petting - Duration: 11 minutes.
Guacamelee EP 4 - Multiple Entendre! - Duration: 15 minutes.
Guacamelee EP 5 - Aggressive Parkour - Duration: 12 minutes.
Guacamelee EP 6 - Axolotl Facts - Duration: 13 minutes.
Guacamelee EP 7 - Frog Slam For Great Justice! - Duration: 13 minutes.
Guacamelee EP 8 - It’s a Donkey Kong! - Duration: 12 minutes.
Guacamelee EP 9 - Orphaned Cabbage - Duration: 16 minutes.
Guacamelee EP 10 - Double Dead - Duration: 14 minutes.
Guacamelee EP 11 - CHICKEN MAN - Duration: 5 minutes, 10 seconds.
Guacamelee EP 12 - MORE PUZZLES! - Duration: 12 minutes.
Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul - LIVE and BLIND - Duration: 2 hours, 24 minutes.
Earth Defense Force 4.1 LIVE - Extra Life Practice Stream - Duration: 3 hours, 27 minutes.
Rare Replay LIVE - Extra Life Practice Stream - Duration: 3 hours, 34 minutes.
Yoshi's Woolly World LIVE - Extra Life Practice Stream - Duration: 3 hours, 48 minutes. |
0.999841 | Given three String variables that have been declared and given values, firstName, middleName, and lastName, write an expression whose value is the initials of the three names: the first letter of each, joined together. So if firstName, middleName, and lastName, had the values “John”, “Fitzgerald”, and “Kennedy”, the expression ‘s value would be JFK”. Alternatively, if firstName, middleName, and lastName, had the values “Franklin”, “Delano”, and “Roosevelt”, the expression’s value would be “FDR”. |
0.943589 | Can I put a stop payment order on a cashier's check?
Can the bank pay a check after I place a stop payment on it?
A cashier's check is drawn directly on the bank that issues the check, not on your account. Generally, a bank must honor a cashier's check when it is presented for payment.
However, a stop payment can be placed in the event of a lost or fraudulent cashier's check.
Yes. You may stop payment of a preauthorized withdrawal (recurring monthly payments to a third party such as a life insurance company). You can do this by notifying the bank within 3 business days before the transfer is scheduled to be made.
You can notify the bank orally or in writing. However, if you notify the bank orally, the bank may require that you then provide written confirmation within 14 days. If you fail to provide written notice by the deadline, the oral stop payment order will no longer be effective.
Generally, national banks honor a stop payment request. If you properly record a stop payment order and the bank cashes the check, the bank may be liable for the cashed check.
you fail to provide sufficient noticeto implement the stop payment order.
In addition, a written stop payment order often expires after 6 months. It can be renewed for another 6 months.
If you issue a stop payment order orally and do not confirm it in writing, it lapses after 14 calendar days. |
0.999951 | Sebastian Vettel is known to have a fiery personality that you can see on track and hear on the team radio come Grand Prix Sundays. His intensity and competitiveness switch on when he hits the grid, and he doesn't let up for anyone, even his own high-skill teammates. He has proved this in the past with Mark Webber at Red Bull and once again at Ferrari with Kimi Raikkonen. However, Vettel claims that his current teammate in Maranello is his favorite ever, and it all boils down to his apolitical demeanor.
In an interview with Motorsport.com, Vettel explained that out of all his relationships with past teammates, Kimi remains the best.
“Obviously it makes it a lot easier if you have somebody who you are working with that you feel the respect," Vettel explained. "You know, many times people tend to make things much more complicated than they are, especially in Formula 1, so it’s good if you can work with somebody where there are no politics or no confusions or anything.
“In this regard, Kimi is probably the best teammate that I had. He is pretty straightforward, but I also got along well with Daniel [Ricciardo]."
Kimi's no-nonsense persona helps the Ferrari duo to worry about one thing only–winning races. Seb has brought up in the past that there have never been any issues regarding team orders between the two saying, "I can't speak for other people, but Kimi and myself were racing each other the whole year."
Vettel explained that these past three seasons at Ferrari have been some of the best of his career despite not having won championships like he did at Red Bull. It boils down to the significance that Ferrari has in Grand Prix racing, making driving for the team a feat in its own.
The 30-year-old four-time champion plans on staying in red.
Will he be able to close out a 1-2 finish for Mercedes in the Drivers' Championship?
Will teammate Sebastian Vettel follow suit?
The Finn hasn't won a race since 2013. |
0.948918 | What is the name of the antioxidant that the brain loses as it gets older? There was a clinical trial being done to prevent the progression of Alzheimer's and they were using high levels of B 12 and fish oil plus an antioxidant but I do not know the university doing the trial.
I think it is glutathione. But since glutathione is destroyed when taken orally, they use N-acetyl cysteine, which is a precursor for glutathione synthesis. |
0.979186 | There is a Compendium for this document: GSTR 2001/8EC .
1. This Ruling explains how you can identify whether a supply includes taxable and non-taxable parts under the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 (the GST Act).
2. This Ruling describes the characteristics of a supply that contains taxable and non-taxable parts. It refers to such a supply as a 'mixed supply'. This Ruling also describes the characteristics of a supply that appears to have more than one part but is essentially a supply of one thing. This type of supply is referred to as a 'composite supply'.
3. This Ruling provides methods and examples that you may use to help you work out how to apportion the consideration for a supply that contains separately identifiable taxable and non-taxable parts. This means that you can identify the consideration for the taxable part of the supply. The Ruling explains that you do not need to apportion the consideration for a composite supply.
4. The Ruling also discusses how you can work out the value of the taxable part of a mixed supply under sections 9-75 and 9-80 of the GST Act.
5. This Ruling also applies to the valuation of the separate parts of a mixed supply that includes food. Goods and Services Tax Determination GSTD 2000/6 explains the circumstances where a supply of food packaging is GST-free. If both the rule stated in paragraph 7 of Goods and Services Tax Determination GSTD 2000/6 and the approach given in paragraph 21 of this Ruling apply to a supply that you make, then you may choose either approach.
5A. This Ruling does not deal with the question of whether, when more than one thing is supplied in a single transaction, the transaction should be characterised as a single supply or multiple supplies.
6. This Ruling does not deal with the apportionment of input tax credits. Goods and Services Tax Ruling GSTR 2006/4 is about determining the extent of creditable purpose for claiming input tax credits and for making adjustments in the extent of creditable purpose. It also explains several possible methods for determining the extent of creditable purpose.
7. Unless otherwise stated, all legislative references in this Ruling are to the GST Act.
8. This Ruling applies both before and after its date of issue. However, this Ruling will not apply to taxpayers to the extent that it conflicts with the terms of a settlement of a dispute agreed to before the date of issue of this Ruling (see paragraphs 75 and 76 of Taxation Ruling TR 2006/10).
it does not meet the taxable supply requirements of paragraphs 9-5(a) to (d).
In this Ruling, we refer to a supply (or part of a supply) that is not taxable as being non-taxable.
10. It may be necessary to characterise what is supplied to determine whether it wholly or partly meets the requirements of section 9-5 or a provision that makes it non-taxable.
11. Where you make a supply that is identifiable as having more than one part and each part is taxable, you do not need to apportion the consideration for the supply. This is because GST is payable on the whole supply. Similarly, if all of the parts of a supply are identifiable as being non-taxable, GST is not payable on any part of the supply.
12. However, where you make a supply that is a combination of separately identifiable taxable and non-taxable parts, you need to identify the taxable part of the supply. Then you can apportion the consideration for the supply and work out the GST payable on the taxable part of the supply.
13. A supply that may at first appear to be one thing may contain taxable and non-taxable parts on closer analysis. For example, a supply by way of a lease of goods, or a supply of rights or services used or consumed partly in Australia (taxable) and partly outside Australia (GST-free) may be regarded as having more than one part.
14. On the other hand, a supply that may at first appear to be a combination of taxable and non-taxable parts is not such a combination if it is given a specific treatment under the GST Act. For example, a supply consisting of a combination of foods that comes within paragraph 38-3(1)(c) is not a mixed supply (that is, a combination of taxable and GST-free parts) because the whole supply is treated as food that is not GST-free.
15. This ruling uses the terms 'mixed supply' and 'composite supply' which are not found in the GST Act. However, these terms are used to identify whether a supply has taxable and non-taxable components which, in turn, informs the extent to which a supply may be a taxable supply.
16. In this Ruling the term 'mixed supply' is used to describe a supply that has to be separated or unbundled as it contains separately identifiable taxable and non-taxable parts that need to be individually recognised.
16A Paragraphs 45 to 54C of this Ruling explain how to identify whether a supply has separately identifiable parts.
17. In this Ruling, the term 'composite supply' is used to describe a supply that contains a dominant part and includes something that is integral, ancillary or incidental to that part. You treat a composite supply as a supply of a single thing. Paragraphs 55 to 63 explain what are integral, ancillary or incidental parts.
18. A composite supply is either taxable or non-taxable. It may also be a part of a larger mixed supply.
18A. You need to consider all of the circumstances of a supply to work out whether the supply is mixed or composite. GST is only payable on the taxable part of a mixed supply. If a composite supply is taxable, then GST is payable on the whole supply. If a composite supply is non-taxable, then no GST is payable on the supply.
19. Where a transaction comprises a bundle of features and acts, it may be necessary to characterise what is supplied to determine whether a particular provision applies in whole or in part. The characterisation should be undertaken in a manner that is consistent with the object of the particular statutory provision in issue. For example, if a provision specifically requires different treatment of two components of a transaction, this will mean that the two components must necessarily be separately recognised. However, that does not mean that the two components need to be separately recognised for all purposes of the GST Act.
19B. Having regard to the essential character and with regard to the statutory provision in issue, you can then determine whether the transaction is a mixed supply because it has separately identifiable parts that the GST Act treats as taxable and non-taxable, or whether it is a composite supply because one part of the supply should be regarded as being the dominant part, with the other parts being integral, ancillary or incidental to that dominant part.
20. The distinction between parts that are separately identifiable and things that are integral, ancillary or incidental, is a question of fact and degree. In deciding whether a supply consists of more than one part we take the view that you adopt a commonsense approach.
20% of the consideration for the total supply.
22. If you choose not to apply this approach, then you need to make an objective assessment about whether the thing is integral, ancillary or incidental.
23. You cannot use this approach where a provision of the GST Act specifically requires you to treat a part of a supply in a particular way, regardless of its scale or connection with the supply. For example, the supply of food as part of an excursion or field trip may otherwise be considered to be integral, ancillary or incidental to the supply of the excursion or field trip, but paragraph 38-90(2)(b) specifies that such food will not be GST-free. This means that the consideration for the field trip requires apportionment.
24. A part of a supply may, on an objective assessment, be something that forms an integral, ancillary or incidental part of the supply even if the consideration for it would exceed the lesser of $3.00 or 20% of the consideration for the total supply.
25. GST is payable on a mixed supply that you make, but only to the extent that the supply is taxable. You need to apportion the consideration for a mixed supply between the taxable and non-taxable parts to find the consideration for the taxable part.
26. Apportionment must be undertaken as a matter of practical commonsense. You can use any reasonable basis to apportion the consideration. Depending on the facts and circumstances of the supply, a direct or indirect method may be an appropriate basis upon which to apportion the consideration and ascertain the value of the taxable part of the supply. The basis you choose must be supportable in the particular circumstances.
27. You should keep records that explain the basis used to apportion the consideration between the taxable and non-taxable parts of a supply.
28. The amount of GST payable on a taxable supply is 10% of the value of the taxable supply. The application of sections 9-70, 9-75 and 9-80 to a mixed supply gives an amount of GST payable of 10% of the value of the taxable part of the mixed supply.
29. To work out the value of the taxable part of a supply you identify the parts of the supply and apportion the consideration to each of the parts on some reasonable basis. The value of the taxable part of a supply that does not have GST-free or input taxed parts is determined under section 9-75. The value of the taxable part of the supply is 10/11 of the consideration for the taxable part, and the GST payable is equivalent to 1/11 of that consideration.
30. In the case of a mixed supply that has non-taxable parts that are GST-free or input taxed, the value of the taxable part is determined in accordance with section 9-80. To determine the value of the taxable part it is necessary to calculate the taxable proportion, that is, the proportion of the value of the actual supply that the taxable part represents.
30A. Following the Full Federal Court decision in Commissioner of Taxation v Luxottica Retail Australia Pty Ltd FCAFC 20; 2011 ATC 20-243; (2011) 79 ATR 768 (Luxottica) that proportion is calculated by the decision maker drawing a conclusion on the facts as to the value of the taxable part and the relationship that value has with the price of the actual supply.
30B. Paragraphs 114 to 118 of this Ruling explain how you calculate the GST payable on the taxable part of a mixed supply, and illustrate that, once the GST-exclusive value of the taxable part of the supply is determined, the GST payable is simply 10% of that value. Alternatively the GST payable on the taxable part is 1/11 of the GST-inclusive value of the taxable part of the supply.
31. GST is structured around the concept of supply. An analysis of the character of a supply may be necessary to determine how a particular provision of the Act applies to the supply.
31A. In Commissioner of Taxation v. Qantas Airways Limited (Qantas) HCA 41, S 47 2012, the High Court considered whether there could only be a 'supply for consideration' within the meaning of sub-section 9-5(a) of the GST Act in circumstances where the 'essence or purpose' of the transaction was fulfilled (paragraphs and ). The majority implicitly rejected such a proposition (paragraphs and ).
31B. While the decision of the High Court in Qantas does not disturb the approach to mixed and composite supplies established by prior court decisions, it illustrates that it is not necessary to always characterise a supply on the basis of the 'mixed' or 'composite' analysis. Rather, the mixed/composite analysis is only relevant where it is necessary to determine whether (and to what extent) the supply meets the description in a particular statutory provision that may be in issue. Even then, the High Court decision illustrates the importance of undertaking the mixed/composite analysis in a manner that is consistent with the object and purpose of the provision.
32. The scheme of the GST Act depends on a clear distinction being made between taxable and non-taxable supplies. The GST Act provides that a taxable supply comes within its ambit, but not to the extent that it contains any non-taxable parts. Parts may be non-taxable if they are GST-free, input taxed, otherwise made non-taxable by a provision of the GST Act, or if they do not meet the requirements of paragraphs 9-5(a) to (d).
you are registered, or required to be registered.
34. Also, the meaning of taxable supply is affected by other provisions of the GST Act. Appendix A includes things that the GST Act specifies are not a taxable supply or are to be treated as if they were not a taxable supply. This means that a supply that might otherwise meet the criteria required of a taxable supply will not be taxable.
35. Subdivision 9-C states how you work out the GST payable on a taxable supply. The amount of GST is 10% of the value of the taxable supply. You work out the value of a taxable supply from the price of the supply. Where the consideration for the supply is expressed as an amount of money, the price is the amount payable on the supply. If the consideration (or part of it) is not expressed as an amount of money, the price is (or includes) the GST inclusive market value of the consideration.
36. Section 9-80 deals with supplies that are partly taxable, and partly GST-free or input taxed. It describes how you work out the value of the part of such a supply that is a taxable supply.
37. If all of the parts in a supply have the same GST treatment, then there is no requirement to separately identify each part. That is, if all of the parts are taxable, then apportionment of the consideration is not necessary as GST is payable on the total value of the supply. Similarly, if all of the parts are non-taxable, then no GST is payable on the supply and apportionment is not necessary.
39. However, other supplies are more complex and contain (or may appear to contain) more than one part. In these cases, you need to further analyse the supply to determine its character and GST treatment.
40. Where a transaction comprises a bundle of features and acts, it may be necessary to characterise what is supplied to determine whether a particular provision applies in whole or in part. The characterisation should be undertaken in a manner that is consistent with the object of the particular statutory provision in issue. For example, if a provision specifically requires different treatment of two components of a transaction, this will mean that the two components must necessarily be separately recognised. However, that does not mean that the two components need to be separately recognised for all purposes of the GST Act.
40A. An identification of the essential character of what is supplied may inform whether a particular transaction falls within the terms of a specific statutory provision, and whether it does so wholly or only to some extent. You must consider all of the circumstances of the transaction to ascertain its essential character. However, that does not mean that an economic substance over legal form approach is endorsed for working out the essential character of what is supplied. For more guidance on how to characterise a supply, go to paragraphs 222 to 246 of Goods and Services Tax Ruling GSTR 2006/9.
41. By having regard to the essential character or features of the transaction it can be ascertained whether a supply contains separately identifiable taxable and non-taxable parts or is a composite supply of one thing. It is a composite supply of one thing if one part of the supply should be regarded as being the dominant part, with the other parts being integral, ancillary or incidental to that dominant part.
42. In this Ruling, we use the words integral, ancillary and incidental to assist in determining whether or not a part of a supply needs to be individually recognised or separately identified.
43. A mixed supply is a single supply made up of separately identifiable parts, where one or more of the parts is taxable and one or more of the parts is non-taxable, and these parts are not integral, ancillary or incidental in relation to a dominant part of the supply. On the other hand, a composite supply is a single supply made up of one dominant part and other parts that are not treated as having a separate identity as they are integral, ancillary or incidental to the dominant part of the supply.
44. In working out whether you are making a mixed or composite supply, the key question is whether the supply should be regarded as having more than one separately identifiable part, or whether it is essentially a supply of one dominant part with one or more integral, ancillary or incidental parts.
44A. In Saga Holidays v Commissioner of Taxation (Saga Holidays),[20A] Stone J focussed on the 'social and economic reality' of the supply and found that the accommodation component that included a number of components in addition to the right to occupy a room is a single supply which is properly characterised as a supply of real property. This is an example of a composite supply.
44B. In Westley Nominees Pty Ltd v Coles Supermarkets Pty Ltd (Westley Nominees)[20B] Ryan, Heerey and Edmonds JJ made an assessment of what the expenditure was calculated to effect from a practical and business point of view. In so doing it was concluded that there was a single supply of a lease and the other benefits were ancillary to that supply.
44C. In Luxottica, taking a commonsense and practical approach, the supply was characterised as the supply of one thing, namely spectacles. However, the supply was a mixed supply because of the effect of a particular provision of the GST Act. The supply of lenses for prescription spectacles is GST-free under section 38-45 and Item 155 of Schedule 3.
45A. In Re Food Supplier and Commissioner of Taxation (Food Supplier),[21A] promotional items packaged with food had intrinsic value, would not be consumed with the food and were mostly unconnected with the food. This was so even when, for example, the main item was a jar of coffee and the promotional item was a mug in which coffee might be served. In these circumstances the Tribunal found that the supply of the promotional items packaged with the food items was a mixed supply. [21B] In such a case, it could not be said that the food component was the dominant part of the supply and the promotional item was ancillary or incidental to the supply of the food.
45B. Various overseas cases have considered whether the elements of a transaction are separately identifiable or ancillary, integral or incidental to a dominant part of the transaction. Some of these cases are discussed below to illustrate that the question is one of fact and degree. However, while illustrative, it is important to recognise the different legislative context. [21C] Under the United Kingdom and European VAT systems, this question is asked in determining whether there is a single supply or multiple supplies. The concept of a single supply with separately identifiable taxable and non-taxable parts is not found in the United Kingdom or European VAT law. In particular, there is no equivalent to Australia's mixed supply and section 9-80.
45C. In the United Kingdom case of Sea Containers Ltd v. Customs and Excise Commissioners (Sea Containers), day train excursions were provided together with elaborate 'fine wining and dining'. [21D] Advertising for the excursions placed significant emphasis on the food, wine and attentive service provided.
47. Sea Containers can be contrasted with British Airways plc v. Customs and Excise Commissioners (British Airways), another United Kingdom case. In this case, the question was whether British Airways was to be taken as making supplies of air transport and of catering services, or a single supply of air transport with the catering services being merely integral or ancillary (a composite supply).
49. The Court was also influenced by the fact that no separate charge was made for the in-flight catering, and the price of the air ticket did not vary, regardless of the type of meal provided or whether or not meals were provided. It was not part of the contractual obligation of the airline to supply meals, even if meals were expected as part of the service. Customers could not obtain a refund if a meal was not served on their flight.
50. Sea Containers and British Airways show that different conclusions may be reached after taking into account the relevant facts of cases that are similar.
Millett LJ also found that courts need to ask whether one part is connected with the other, or whether the two parts are 'physically and economically dissociable'.
52. The Commissioner's view is that a supply has separately identifiable parts where the parts require individual recognition and retention as separate parts, due to their relative significance in the supply. This view applies where the supply is comprised of a mix of separate things, such as various combinations of goods and services, including the provision of advice.
54. Any of the separately identifiable parts that comprise a mixed supply may themselves be composite, being comprised of a dominant part and an integral, ancillary or incidental part. Example 8 in paragraph 76 is a mixed supply with composite parts.
54A. Further, separately identifiable parts of a supply may not be individually recognised because of the effect of a specific provision of the GST Act. For example, a supply to an eligible disabled person of a car part and labour services in fitting that part may be considered to have separately identifiable parts due to their relative significance in the supply. However, in subsections 38-505(4) and 38-510(4), the expression a 'supply of car parts' includes the labour services in fitting the car parts to the car of an eligible disabled person. There is a single GST-free 'supply of car parts'.
54B. The inclusion of labour services gives effect to the legislative purpose, as identified by reference to Subdivision 38-P and section 38-45, that a functioning car for suitable transportation is to be supplied to an eligible disabled person GST-free.
54C. A supply is GST-free under subsections 38-505(4) and 38-510(4) only if the supply is a 'supply of car parts'. Car parts supplied as an integral, ancillary or incidental component of a car service are not a supply of car parts under either of those subsections. For example, spark plugs supplied in the course of a routine service of a car are not a supply of car parts. Those car parts are only an incidental part of a supply that is properly regarded as a supply of services, not a supply of car parts.
55. Some supplies include parts that do not need to be separately recognised for GST purposes. We refer to these parts of a supply as being integral, ancillary or incidental. In a composite supply, the dominant part of the supply has subordinate parts that complement the dominant part. If such a supply is analysed in a commonsense way, it can be seen that the supply is essentially the provision of one thing. It need not be broken down, unbundled or dissected any further. For this reason, a composite supply may appear, at first, to have more than one part, but is treated as if it is the supply of one thing.
55B. In Saga Holidays Stone J focussed on the 'social and economic reality' of the supply and found that there was a single supply of accommodation and the adjuncts to that supply (including the use of the furniture and facilities within each room, cleaning and linen services, access to common areas and facilities such as pools and gymnasiums and various other hotel services such as porterage and concierge) were incidental and ancillary to the accommodation part of the supply.
55C. In Westley Nominees the Full Federal Court considered what the expenditure was calculated to effect from a practical and business point of view in characterising the supply as a single supply.
58. You will need to consider all of the facts to determine whether the supply that you make has any parts that are integral, ancillary or incidental.
it contributes to the proper performance of the contract to supply the dominant part.
59A. The factors listed in paragraph 59 of this Ruling are not necessarily the only ones that may be taken into account in properly characterising a supply. In any given case there may be other particular circumstances that are relevant. It may also be necessary to weigh up those factors which may point to part of a supply being integral, ancillary or incidental against the relative significance of the parts in the supply and therefore consider whether the parts should be recognised as separate parts. It is a question of fact and degree whether a supply is mixed or composite.
20% of the consideration of the total supply.
61. You may use this approach to treat a supply as a composite supply, although it might otherwise be considered as a mixed supply. However, if the consideration for a part exceeds the lesser of $3.00 or 20% of the consideration for the total supply, it does not necessarily mean that the part is not integral, ancillary or incidental.
62. Smartwheat supplies a packet of cereal that contains a sheet of 4 stickers, for $4.20. Of this consideration, 20 cents is for the set of stickers and $4.00 is for the cereal. Because the consideration for the stickers is less than $3.00 and is also less than 20% of the total consideration, Smartwheat may treat the stickers as being incidental. The supply is treated as being a supply of GST-free cereal.
63. However, in some cases, no matter how insignificant a part may be, that part is recognised as being a part in its own right where a provision of the GST Act specifically requires you to recognise it, regardless of its scale and connection with the supply. For example, certain education excursions or field trips are GST-free under section 38-90. However, paragraph 38-90(2)(b) specifically provides that the supply of food as part of the excursion or field trip is not GST-free under this provision. Therefore, a supply of food cannot be regarded as an incidental part of the supply of the excursion or field trip.
64. Many transactions consist of a variety of things packaged for a single consideration. Particularly in a promotional package, the supply of one part often depends in some way on the supply of the other parts. The parts do not have to be physically packaged together to constitute a package deal.
65. For example, goods are often offered together in one promotion for a single price, such as buy one and get one free, buy two for the price of one, or buy three for the price of two.
66. Whether you characterise a package deal as being mixed or composite depends on the factors discussed at paragraphs 40 to 63 of this Ruling. The package deal may be a composite or a mixed supply, depending on all of the circumstances.
67. An example of a package deal that is a composite supply is where you supply a 250 millilitre bottle of sunscreen (GST-free) with a 10 gram bonus sachet of moisturiser (taxable). The consideration is not apportioned as the whole of the supply is GST-free.
a coffee plunger (taxable) and a 200 gram jar of premium coffee (GST-free) that are sold together at a single discount price.
69. The terms of a promotion and their relevance to determining the value of the taxable part of the supply are discussed further at paragraphs 81U to 81ZG of this Ruling.
70. Roberto owns a building comprising both residential and commercial premises. He leases the building to Lawrence who operates a small recruitment agency from the commercial premises and lives in the residential part. The supply of the residential part is input taxed. The supply of the commercial part is taxable. Roberto is making a mixed supply that is partly taxable and partly input taxed.
71. A natural therapies college allows students to select four individual units from both GST-free and taxable courses. Students with good grades are permitted to undertake a fifth unit for no extra charge. Barbara takes advantage of this offer and selects both taxable and GST-free units. Barbara's packaged course is a mixed supply. The part of the consideration that is for the taxable parts needs to be worked out, with the fees charged to be apportioned between the five units.
72. Rory is a student who lodges in a university's residential college. The college provides full board by way of a furnished room and meals. The college charges an all-inclusive fee for the board. The furnishing merely forms part of the amenity of the room and is integral to its supply. However, neither the room nor meals are integral, ancillary or incidental to each other. This is a mixed supply of input taxed residential premises and meals that are taxable. The college needs to work out its liability for the taxable part of the supply by apportioning the fee between the room and the meals.
73. Terrence supplies a promotional pack that consists of 'Toff's Tea' and a china cup and saucer. The tea is GST-free, and the cup and saucer are taxable. Each part of the supply has significant value. This is a mixed supply because the tea, and the cup and saucer are separately identifiable, and each would not be considered merely incidental or ancillary to the other.
74. A private health fund offers six months gym membership with every purchase of its premium cover package. Both the health cover and the gym membership are, in this case, each of significant value when viewed as a part of the total package, such that it can not be said that the essential character of the supply is of one part and not the other part of the supply. This is a mixed supply.
75. Harry sells assorted hampers. The 'Deluxe Picnic Hamper' includes food and beverage items (bread rolls, cheese, fruit, chocolate and fruit juice), and a silver handled knife which are packaged with a wooden bread board. The supply of the chocolate, knife and bread board is taxable. The other items are GST-free. Each of the parts of the supply are significant. The sale of the 'Deluxe Picnic Hamper' is a mixed supply and Harry needs to apportion the consideration for the hamper.
76. An Australian research company grants an Australian resident the right to manufacture and sell a new product that the Australian research company has designed. The agreement is made in Australia. The right is for use in Australia and Pacific rim countries. The right will enable the resident to generate significant sales in Australia and other countries. As part of the agreement, the Australian research company will also provide insignificant technical support for the manufacturing process. The technical support is integral, ancillary or incidental to the grant of the right and is not regarded as a separate part. The supply is a mixed supply because it is comprised of a taxable part (the right to the extent it is for use in Australia) and a GST-free part (the right to the extent it is for use outside Australia).
77. A customer of 'Net-it-out' places an order for GST-free food through the internet. Net-it-out supplies the goods to the customer's doorstep for the price listed on its internet site. In this case, Net-it-out is making a supply of delivered GST-free goods, and has no liability to account for GST on the delivery of them. In this case, delivery is an integral, ancillary or incidental part of a supply as the supply is of delivered goods.
78. The Restless Traveller Hotel supplies guests with a picnic box that consists of bread rolls, tomatoes, a packet of cheese slices and bananas. All of these items are GST-free and are packed in a disposable cardboard box. Also included in the picnic box are some paper serviettes and a plastic knife, that are ordinarily taxable, but in this case they are insignificant in terms of scale and connection with the food. The serviettes and knife merely contribute to the better enjoyment of the dominant parts of the supply (the food). They are integral, ancillary or incidental to the supply. The consideration for the picnic box does not need to be apportioned.
79. The Heart Hospital provides GST-free hospital treatment. During hospital stays, patients are provided with the use of newspapers and television sets. No extra charges are made for the provision of these goods. They are merely incidental and ancillary to the composite supply of hospital treatment.
80. A hearing aid is supplied with a small brush that is used as an accessory to clean the hearing aid so that it performs properly. Compared to the value of the hearing aid, the brush represents a small proportion of the value of the total package. In this case, from a commonsense and objective approach, a customer who purchases the package is acquiring a hearing aid. The supply of the brush is not regarded as a part, but is merely ancillary to the supply of the hearing aid. This is a composite supply.
81. Justine sells tyres for a price that includes fitting and balancing. The GST Act makes no relevant distinction between the provision of the goods, being tyres, and the service, being the fitting and balancing. Accordingly, it is unnecessary to characterise the supply to determine whether it is a mixed or composite supply.
81A. For supplies that are partly taxable and partly GST-free or input taxed the value of the taxable part is calculated under section 9-80. That section requires an apportionment. It is necessary to determine the proportion of the value of the actual supply that the taxable part represents.
81B. Subsection 9-80(1) defines the value of the taxable part of the supply upon which GST is payable. The value of the taxable part is defined s the proportion of the value of the actual supply that the taxable supply represents.
81E. In Luxottica the Full Federal Court found that the proportion in section 9-80 could not be determined in accordance with the formula in subsection 9-80(2) because the method for calculation prescribed in that section involved 2 unknowns, the value of the actual supply and the proportion.
81G. Luxottica Retail Australia Pty Ltd (Luxottica) ran various promotions the terms of which were that spectacle frames were offered at a discount from the normal selling price (and the discounts took various forms such as 25% off or $100 off the normal selling price of the frames) but on condition that the customers purchased a complete pair of spectacles. What was held out to a customer who wished to take advantage of one of these promotions was that the frame was being sold to the customer at a discount, the lenses were sold without any discount, and the price of the complete pair of spectacles was the aggregate of these two amounts.
81H. Frames had increasingly become fashion accessories and not just the means of holding lenses in place. The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (the Tribunal) at first instance found as fact that this commercial significance provided context for Luxottica's sales approach to frames, as opposed to lenses, including the giving of discounts on frames. Customers returned to buy new frames even though their prescription needs had not altered.
there was nothing contrived or artificial about the pricing methodology adopted by the Applicant in its promotional arrangements.
81J. The proportion was the fraction that the discounted selling price of the taxable frames (less GST) bore to the actual selling price of the spectacles (less GST).
81K. The Tribunal added that the fact that the discounted price was conditional on the purchase of the lenses 'does not undermine the reasonableness of te calculation of the taxable proportion in this way'.
81L. The Full Federal Court considered that the above showed that the Tribunal made a considered decision as to the value of the taxable supply based on findings of fact that it was entitled to make.
81M. To work out the taxable proportion following the Full Federal Court decision, the value of the taxable part of the supply has to be determined by having regard to the facts and circumstances and taking a practical, commonsense approach. The question to be answered is what is a fair and reasonable measure of the value of the taxable part?
81N. The value of the taxable part of a supply may be >synonymous with the selling price of that part as in Luxottica or, as in Food Supplier, where there was no market for the taxable promotion item, it may be necessary to consider other practical, commonsense means of fixing value such as cost plus a margin.
81O. Once that value is determined the proportion is the fraction that value (excluding GST) bears to the consideration for the actual supply (excluding GST).
81P. Examples illustrating the calculation of the taxable proportion under section 9-80 are found at paragraphs 97A to 108A of this Ruling.
81Q Depending on the facts and circumstances in any particular case a direct or indirect method may be appropriate to determine the value of the taxable part for the purposes of calculating the taxable proportion. This is discussed at paragraphs 97 to 111 of this Ruling.
81R At paragraphs 92 to 113 of this Ruling guidance is provided as to what is a fair and reasonable measure of value of the taxable part of the supply in different factual situations.
81S. The value should be based on a consideration of all the facts and circumstances including the relationship that component of the supply has with the price of the actual supply and not because it gives you a particular result (see paragraph 95 of this Ruling).
81U. In Food Supplier the applicant sold GST-free food products like instant coffee. Sometimes the food product was packaged with a non-food product such as a mug, alarm clock, radio or cricket ball and the package was sold for a single consideration. The promotional items were described on the package as 'free'.
The promotion items could only be acquired in packages with the food products. The taxpayer would not supply them free of charge alone. That suggests to me that there was consideration for the supply of the packaged product as a whole, including the promotion item. The consideration for the supply of the two items was the single price paid for the two of them. The purchaser makes a payment 'in connection with' the supply as a whole (s 9-15(1)(a)). Words such as 'in connection with' have a wide meaning HP Mercantile Pty Limited v Commissioner of Taxation 2005 ATC 4571; (2005) 143 FCR 553 at 563). Alternatively, payment is made 'in response to or for the inducement of' the supply (s 9-15(1)(b)).
81X. There is a view that the decision in Food Supplier is inconsistent with this statement. It is said that the terms of the promotion in Food Supplier were that the promotional item was supplied 'free' and therefore the value of that item must be zero. However, the decision in Luxottica does not stand for the proposition that the terms of a promotion are always determinative of the value of the taxable part of the supply. In Luxottica, other factors were taken into account in determining the value of the taxable frames.
81Y. Critical to the decision in Food Supplier was the finding as a matter of fact that the consideration was paid for the package comprising both the food and promotional items. That is, the consideration was an undissected price[44G] in connection with all parts of the package. In the circumstances of the case, the Tribunal found that some part of the consideration must be apportioned to the taxable item. This requires a conclusion regarding the value of the taxable item.
In Food Supplier there were two items sold for one composite price. The distinction between Food Supplier and this case is that in this case there were two items or components and in respect of each of those components there was an agreed price which was in no way artificial or contrived. By contrast, in Food Supplier there was one undissected price in respect of the supply of two items. It follows that Food Supplier is distinguishable.
81ZB. The Commissioner takes the view that Food Supplier and Luxottica are distinguishable. The Commissioner also takes the view that Food Supplier and Luxottica were each determined based on their own specific facts and circumstances, and neither case is determinative of every possible situation. While the Full Federal Court said in Luxottica that how a promotion is structured is a matter for the commercial judgment of the seller, it is still necessary to determine the connection between the consideration and the things supplied.
81ZC. For example, consider a situation where the taxable part of a mixed supply is reduced by a dollar discount amount to nil consideration. If, on the facts, the consideration for the actual supply is properly found to be only in connection with the GST-free part of the supply, section 9-80 does not apply. There is only a GST-free supply for consideration.
81ZD. However, if on a proper consideration of the terms and the surrounding circumstances apportionment of the discount wholly to the taxable component is merely a contrivance to reduce the GST otherwise payable, and does not reflect the true commercial position, that would not be a practical, commonsense basis of apportionment. In those circumstances, it would not be accepted that the value of the taxable item is zero. That value would not be a fair and reasonable measure of the value of the taxable part. Section 9-80 applies to determine the value of the taxable part of the supply.
During the course of the hearing mention was made of 'loss leading'. Assume by way of example that a store has an excess of clocks of a certain make. It advertises that it will sell those clocks at a substantial discount (compared to its previously advertised price) to anyone who will purchase other goods costing not less than $100. We can see no reason why, absent tax avoidance or sham, the price for the other goods and also the price for the clock is not for GST purposes the discounted price for the clock and the list prices for the other items purchased.
81ZF. This reasoning could in particular circumstances extend to cases where something was given away for free as part of a promotional package, perhaps as a genuine loss leader or goodwill promotional gesture.
81ZG. A shop owner has a surplus of a particular type of confectionery which normally sells for $7 per block but which is nearing its 'use-by' date. Rather than have the goods lose their value, he advertises, as a 'one-off' promotion, that he will give away blocks of this confectionery to the first 100 customers that buy at least $30 worth of other food items. For the sales in question, the business owner apportions all the consideration to the other food items, and nil consideration to the confectionery. In the particular circumstances, this may be considered a reasonable apportionment of the consideration. There are sound commercial reasons for this one-off promotion and no evidence to suggest that it is contrived to reduce the GST otherwise payable.
During the hearing there was considerable discussion of an example posed by the Tribunal. Assume that a car supplier supplies a car which in the ordinary way will cost $40,000 but advertises that it will sell the car for $5 if the customer buys a bottle of water for $39,995. In the opinion of the Tribunal such a transaction will quite clearly be contrived and will not be given credence by a court.
81ZI. Felicity is a registered medical practitioner who provides cosmetic medical procedures using certain drugs. She provides a cosmetic procedure using a drug that is GST-free but the supply of the medical service is taxable. The procedure usually takes between 15 and 30 minutes to carry out. Felicity invoices the patient but only applies consideration to the GST-free supply of the drug. The medical service is not considered to be incidental to the supply of the drug because it is an important part of the cosmetic procedure and it has considerable value because of the level of professional skill and time involved. The supply by Felicity is a mixed supply and the consideration is in respect of both parts. It is unreasonable in these circumstances that no consideration relates to the medical service. There is no commercial reason for Felicity to not apply any of the consideration to the taxable medical supply.
81ZJ. Section 9-80 only prescribes a statutory method for calculating the value of a taxable supply that is part of an actual supply that has GST-free or input taxed parts. For other kinds of mixed supplies[44K] the calculation of the value of the taxable part must be made under section 9-75.
81ZL. Subsection 9-75(1) provides that the price is the sum of the monetary consideration[44L] and the non monetary consideration.[44M] Price is therefore the total consideration for the supply. The value of the taxable supply is the consideration less GST.
82. The GST Act includes a number of specific provisions which state that certain supplies are not a taxable supply. For example, subsection 66-45(1) provides that, in some circumstances, a supply of goods that were part of an acquisition of second-hand goods divided for re-supply, is not a taxable supply. This means that these supplies are not taxable supplies, regardless of whether they meet the requirements of paragraphs 9-5(a) to (d). Similarly, any other supply that does not meet the requirements of paragraphs 9-5(a) to (d) is not a taxable supply. In other cases, it may be argued that the statutory context allows a particular provision to be read as requiring apportionment.
83. Where non-taxable supplies are made separately, no further issue arises. However, where there are non-taxable parts of a mixed supply that also contains taxable parts, the value of which is determined under section 9-75 (and not section 9-80), the question arises whether the GST Act requires you to apportion the consideration for the supply in the absence of a specific apportionment rule.
84. The establishment of a sufficient nexus between a supply and the monetary (and non-monetary) payment received for that supply is central and essential to the proper operation of the GST Act. Establishment of this nexus indicates that there is consideration for the supply.
85. Apportionment also enables the proper operation of the GST Act, that is, to tax only that which is taxable. This would be prevented if the consideration for a supply that includes a non-taxable part could not be apportioned in the same manner as if the supplies had been made separately.
86. This point is demonstrated by a simple example. A registered sole trader supplies two cars for a single price. One car (a 'business' car) has been used exclusively in the sole trader's enterprise and the other (a 'private' car) exclusively for private purposes. If each car is supplied separately, then GST is correctly payable only on the supply of the business car. The supply of the private car attracts no GST. It would be anomalous if either GST was payable on the whole amount (including the supply of the private car), or not payable at all, simply because the two cars are sold together for the one price.
87. Furthermore, it would not be logical or equitable to deny an input tax credit to a registered recipient of a mixed supply that includes a non-taxable part, merely for the reason that no part of the payment for the supply can be apportioned to the taxable part.
the exclusion from a taxable supply to the extent that the supply is GST-free or input taxed in section 9-5, does not contain words which similarly exclude other non-taxable supplies (but things that the GST Act specifically states are not a taxable supply and things that do not meet one or more of paragraphs 9-5(a) to (d) do not need such legislative treatment).
91. We are of the view that the GST Act inherently requires that the parts of a mixed supply be identified and that the consideration be apportioned where a sufficient nexus between the supply and its consideration is established. This approach gives practical effect to the intention of the GST Act and is consistent with a commonsense and equitable outcome.
93. What is a reasonable method of apportioning the consideration for a mixed supply depends on the circumstances of each case. In some cases, there will be only one reasonable method you may use.
94. Depending on your circumstances, you may use a direct or indirect method when apportioning the consideration for a mixed supply.
95. The method you choose should be based on a consideration of all the circumstances and not because it gives you a particular result. You may need to use different methods, or a combination of methods, for different supplies to ensure the appropriate amount of GST is payable. You need to keep records that explain all transactions and other acts you engage in that are relevant to supplies you make, including supplies that are GST-free and input taxed.
96. Where consideration is apportioned in a manner that cannot be justified in terms of reasonableness, the general anti-avoidance provisions of the GST Act may have application.
the relative floor area in a supply of property (see paragraphs 106 to 108 of this Ruling).
97A. Depending on the facts and circumstances of a mixed supply, the price allocated to the taxable component may be regarded as the most appropriate measure of value of the taxable part of the supply.
97B. Eye Specs sells prescription spectacles. Harry purchases a particular brand of frames for $165 and prescription lenses for $89.
97C. The price of the frames is a reasonable measure of value upon which to determine the taxable proportion. The price of the frames is their ordinary selling price and the price of the lenses is determined by the complexity of the optical prescription.
97D. The price of the spectacles is the aggregate of the price of the frames and the price of the lenses.
97E. The selling price of the frames is $165 and of the spectacles is $254. The GST payable is $15.
97F. Ocean Parks and Vans sells memberships which offer discounts for short term stays at their caravan parks. They offer a membership gift package which includes a 1 year membership and a $100 voucher for short term stays. The package is sold for $155. A 1 year membership normally sells for $55.
97H. The value of the taxable supply is calculated under section 9-75. The value of the taxable part is $50 (that is, the price of the membership, $55 x 10/11). The GST payable is $5.
97I. In many cases, you may make a mixed supply that involves a discount promotion. The value of the taxable part must be determined as a matter of practical commonsense having regard to the relevant facts and circumstances of the supply and the relationship that the value of the taxable part has with the price of the actual supply.
97J. Melissa sells prescription spectacles. She normally sells a particular brand of frames for $160 and prescription lenses for $89. The frames are an old style and not selling well so Melissa runs a promotion offering an aggregate price of $199 for the frames and lenses. The $50 discount is applied to these particular frames but only if they are purchased with a pair of prescription lenses to be fitted into the frames. The discount was not available if frames only were purchased.
97K. The discounted price of the frames is a reasonable measure of value upon which to determine the taxable proportion. There are sound commercial reasons for discounting the frames (older style of frames that were not selling well). The frames were a key part of the promotion and this was the offer made to and accepted by the customer.
97L. The price of the spectacles is the aggregate of the discounted price of the frames and the undiscounted price of the lenses.
97M. The selling price of the frames and lenses is $199. The taxable proportion is 52.9% (the GST-exclusive price of the frames (that is, $100) divided by the GST-exclusive selling price of the spectacles (that is, $189)). The GST payable is $10.
98. Where it is possible to determine the price for which each part would have been supplied if it was supplied separately (for example, the general retail market price for which the goods are sold), then an apportionment on this basis may be reasonable. If you use this basis, the GST you pay is the same as if you supplied the taxable parts separately in the same market.
98A. A teapot is sold together with 100g of tea for $25. The teapot is also sold separately for $15 and the tea for $10. It is reasonable in this case to apportion the $25 based on the normal selling price of the teapot.
98B. The value of the teapot (the taxable component) is commensurate with its normal selling price of $15. The GST payable is $1.36.
99. Where you cannot establish an appropriate market price for which particular goods are sold, then it may be reasonable for you to use a relevant market price for a similar supply (or an industry standard), to determine the appropriate price of the particular goods.
100. In many cases, you may make a mixed supply for a package price. The package price for the mixed supply may involve a discount promotion. Apportionment of the consideration must be undertaken as a matter of practical commonsense. This is illustrated in the following examples.
100A. Example 13C can be contrasted with the following examples.
101. Michael sells prescription spectacles. He runs a promotion offering $100 off the price of full priced spectacles. John selects a pair of frames that are priced at $230 and has prescription lenses fitted which cost $320. The total price of the spectacles after the discount is $450.
101A. Michael apportions the discount on a proportionate basis resulting in a price of $188 ($230 divided by $550 multiplied by $450) for the frames and $262 ($320 divided by $550 multiplied by $450) for the lenses. The GST payable is one-eleventh of $188 or $17.10.
102. Pierre signs up for a college course at a discounted package price. There are four units in Pierre's course - two that are GST-free and two that are taxable. The college usually charges $500 for each of the GST-free units and $825 for each of the taxable units. Pierre would normally pay $2,650 for the course, but after a discount of 20%, he pays $2,120.
103. To reasonably apportion the consideration for the course, the college discounts each of the units by 20%. The consideration for each of the GST-free units is $400 (that is, $500 less 20%), and for each of the taxable units, the consideration is $660 (that is, $825 less 20%).
103A. The value of the taxable part is commensurate with the discounted price of each course, that is, $600 (excluding GST. The GST payable is $120.
103B. If in example 14, the teapot and the tea are sold for a single discounted price of $20, it would, in the absence of any other more appropriate measure of value, be reasonable to apportion the $20 based on the normal selling price of the teapot.
103C. To work out the taxable proportion the discount of $5 is apportioned on a proportionate basis resulting in a price of $12 for the teapot and $8 for the tea.
103D. The GST payable is $1.09.
103E. Sometimes it may be appropriate to ascertain the value of a taxable part of the supply having regard to rental returns.
103F. Hilary is registered for GST. She sells a property that consists of commercial premises and residential premises. The property is on a single title and is currently untenanted, although the commercial part was recently rented for $1,000 per week and the residential part for $500 per week.[55A] Hilary may reasonably apportion two thirds of the consideration for the sale (the same proportion the rent for the commercial premises bears to the total rent of $1500) to the commercial part and one third to the residential part to ascertain the value of the taxable part.
104. Where you supply services and charge them out on a time basis (for example, at an hourly rate), it may be reasonable to apportion the consideration for a mixed supply based on the time taken to perform the relevant taxable and non-taxable parts of the supply. This method may be suitable where you make mixed supplies of professional or trade services.
105. Under direction from a doctor, Gilda provides home care to a privately funded client in the client's own home.[55B] She charges a flat hourly rate for her services that include helping to feed and dress her client. These services are GST-free under section 38-30. Gilda also tidies her client's house and garden. These latter services are taxable. Gilda apportions the consideration for her services on the number of hours it takes for her to perform the services. This is a reasonable method of apportionment to ascertain the value of the taxable part of the supply.
106. In some cases, it is reasonable for you to allocate the consideration for a mixed supply by reference to the relative floor area of the property being supplied. To make an allocation on this basis, you also need to consider the relative price of different types of floor space (for example, floor space in residential, retail and industrial property are often priced differently). That is, you may simply work out the proportionate floor area if the value per square metre does not vary. However, if the value per square metre is variable, then you can reasonably apportion on a basis of each area and its relative value. You may also need to take into account external features, such as the value of recreational areas.
107. Warren rents out a property to Josef for $2,000 per month. The property is comprised of residential and commercial premises. The floor area of the residential part is 160 square metres and the commercial part is 80 square metres. In the locality, the rental of commercial space is worth twice as much as residential space.
108. It would be reasonable for Warren to base the taxable proportion of the supply on the floor area of the commercial part as a proportion of the combined floor area of the commercial and residential parts. However, he also needs to take into account the difference in the relative value of the commercial and residential floor space. Warren may reasonably apportion the consideration equally between the commercial and the residential parts.
108A. The taxable proportion is therefore 50%. Applying the formula in section 9-80, the taxable value of the actual supply is calculated as ($2000 x 10)/(10 + 0.5). The value of the taxable part is $952.38 and the GST payable is $95.23.
109. You may decide that it is appropriate that you use an indirect method to apportion the consideration for a mixed supply you make. For example, you may use a reasonable method that includes the addition of an appropriate mark-up to reflect your profit margin relative to the market you supply.
110. Another example is where an arm's length wholesaler or manufacturer makes a mixed supply to you of things that have been packaged in the form in which you will market them. In this case, you may adopt the apportionment ratio worked out by your supplier. On the other hand, if your supplier characterises a supply to you as a composite supply, you will not necessarily be able to adopt the same characterisation. This is because your supplier may have used the approach provided at paragraph 21 which may not be applicable to your particular circumstances because of your profit mark-up.
111. Byron manufactures cosmetics including perfume, shampoo and SPF 30+ sunscreen. Perfume and shampoo are taxable, and the sunscreen is GST-free. Byron supplies one bottle of each item in a clear plastic package to wholesalers. He chooses to use an indirect method based on the cost and usual profit margin of each item to apportion the consideration for the supply. This method is reasonable in the circumstances.
112. Some methods may not result in a reasonable basis of apportionment of the consideration for a mixed supply. For example, in some cases, it may not be reasonable to apportion the consideration solely on the basis of the cost of the supply to you. This would be the case if your mark-up varies from part to part. Variations in mark-ups prevent this method from being a reasonable apportionment of the consideration for the supply.
113. Also, in some circumstances it may not be reasonable to apportion consideration using 'historical cost' and 'residual value' methods. These amounts often are used for accounting purposes and may not reflect an appropriate apportionment of the consideration for a supply.
114. GST is calculated as 10% of the value of the taxable supply. Section 9-75 links the value of the taxable supply to its price so that the value of a supply is 10/11 of its price. This also means that the GST payable on a taxable supply is equivalent to 1/11 of the price (or consideration) of the supply.
115. The value of a taxable supply has the meaning given by section 9-75 and 9-80.[57A] Section 9-75 links the value of the taxable supply to its price so that the value of a supply is 10/11 of its price (or consideration). This also means that the GST payable on a taxable supply is equivalent to 1/11 of the price (or consideration) of the supply. In section 9-80 the value of the taxable supply is a proportion of the value of the actual supply which is similarly linked to the price of the actual supply. However, as the actual supply includes GST-free or input taxed parts the value of the actual supply is not 10/11 of its price. The denominator must be greater than 10 but less than 11.
1/11 of the price (or consideration) for the taxable part.
117. Section 9-80 provides the method for working out the value of the taxable part of a mixed supply that consists only of taxable and GST-free or input taxed parts. The section refers to such a supply as the actual supply.
1/11 of the GST inclusive value for the taxable part.
119. Section 9-75 applies to work out the value of the taxable part of a supply consisting of taxable and non-taxable parts that are either dealt with in specific provisions of the GST Act or do not meet the requirements of paragraphs 9-5(a) to (d). The consideration that is allocated to the taxable part is the price of the taxable part referred to in section 9-75. The value of that part is simply calculated as 10/11 of its price (or consideration).
120. Subsection 29-70(1) specifies the information to be contained in a tax invoice.
the amount of GST payable.
122. If you use a simplified accounting method to account for GST on your Business Activity Statement, you may still have to issue a tax invoice within 28 days of a request by the recipient of the supply.
this section only applies to GST payable on a *taxable importation made, by a member of the GST group other than the *representative member, if the GST on the importation is payable at a time when GST on *taxable supplies is normally payable by the representative member.
[Subsection 49-30(1)] A supply that a *member of a *GST religious group makes to another member of the same GST religious group is treated as if it were not a *taxable supply.
the participant acquired the thing supplied for consumption, use or supply in the course of activities for which the joint venture was entered into.
your *total Subdivision 66-B GST amount.
Note: This section will not apply unless the record keeping requirements of section 66-55 are met.
[Subsection 78-25(1)] A supply that an insurer makes in settlement of a claim under an *insurance policy is not a *taxable supply.
[Subsection 78-60(1)] A supply of goods is not a *taxable supply if it is solely a supply made under an *insurance policy to an insurer in the course of settling a claim under the policy.
it is not treated as *consideration for a supply made to the operator by the entity to whom the supply was made; to the extent that the supply is a *CTP compensation or ancillary payment or supply.
[Subsection 79-85(1)] A supply of goods is not a *taxable supply if it is solely a supply made under a *compulsory third party scheme to an *operator of the scheme in the course of settling a claim for compensation made under the scheme.
becoming a party to a deed created by or under a *State law or a *Territory law establishing a *compulsory third party scheme, that provides for an insurance policy settlement sharing arrangement.
becoming a party to a deed created by or under a *State law or a *Territory law establishing a compulsory third party scheme, that provides for a nominal defendant settlement sharing arrangement to which this Subdivision applies.
[Subsection 90-5(1)] A supply made by an *amalgamating company to an *amalgamated company in the course of *amalgamation is not a *taxable supply if, immediately after the amalgamation, the amalgamated company is *registered or *required to be registered.
the *consideration for supply of the voucher does not exceed the stated monetary value of the voucher.
[Subsection 100-18(2)] If, under the arrangement, the supplier pays, or is liable to pay, an amount, as a commission or similar payment, to the other entity for the other entity's supply, the supply by the other entity to the supplier, to which the supplier's payment or liability relates, is treated as if it were not a *taxable supply.
if you cannot obtain such a notice - you believe on the basis of reasonable information that the supply would not be a taxable supply if the debtor were to make it.
the transfer of a *net capital loss in accordance with Subdivision 170-B of the ITAA 1997.
Part 3-90 of the Income Tax (Transitional Provisions) Act 1997.
[Subsection 110-20(2)] The supply is not a *taxable supply to the extent that it relates to the fact that the agreement satisfies those requirements.
Example: The obligation could be a contractual obligation created by the agreement under which the contribution amount was determined.
the TSA contributing member has, for the purposes of subsection 721-30(3) of the *ITAA 1997, left the group clear of the group liability.
Note: See section 721-35 of the ITAA 1997 for when a TSA contributing member has left a group clear of the group liability.
[Subsection 110-30(2)] The supply is not a *taxable supply to the extent that it relates to the fact that the agreement deals with the distribution mentioned in paragraph (1)(b).
the acquisition, by that entity, of what you supply under the arrangement would be a *creditable acquisition (and not *partly creditable) if the supply were a *taxable supply.
Paragraph 7 of Goods and Services Tax Determination GSTD 2000/6 provides a rule to use so that where GST-free food is contained in packaging that might not otherwise be normal and necessary, the packaging may be treated as if it were normal and necessary and, therefore, GST-free. This rule only applies to packaging. It does not apply to promotional items accompanying the food and packaging or to items that are usually supplied separately.
Subsection 7-1(1) and section 9-40.
Section 9-5 gives effect to subsection 9-30(1) and Division 38 to the extent that a supply is GST-free.
Section 9-5 gives effect to subsection 9-30(2) and Division 40 to the extent that a supply is input taxed.
See Appendix A for examples.
Paragraph 9-10(2)(h) provides that a supply may include a combination of things.
See section 38-187 and subsection 38-190(1).
It may be that the transaction is properly characterised as involving a number of separate supplies, rather than a single supply (whether mixed or composite). As mentioned at paragraph 5A, this Ruling does not directly consider that question.
Paragraph 382-5(1)(a) in Schedule 1 to the Taxation Administration Act 1953.
Subsection 9-75(1) provides that the value of a taxable supply is 10/11 of the price of the supply.
Section 195-1 states that taxable supply has the meaning given by sections 9-5, 78-50, 84-5 and 105-5. Note: This meaning is also affected by sections 49-30, 66-45, 72-5, 78-25, 78-60, 78-65, 78-70, 79-60, 79-85,80-10, 80-50, 81-10, 90-5, 100-5, 100-18, 110-5, 110-15, 110-20, 110-25, 110-30 and 113-5.
Commissioner of Taxation v. Luxottica Retail Australia Pty Ltd (2011) 79 ATR 768; 2011 ATC 20,243 at .
For example, the supply of spectacles may appear to be the supply of one thing, but in fact, it is comprised of a taxable part (the frames) and a GST-free part (lenses) as a result of a provision of the GST Act that treats lenses for prescription spectacles as GST-free (section 38-45(1)). Examples 2 to 8 and 13A to 18 provide further instances of mixed supplies. Examples 9 to 13 provide instances of composite supplies.
Again, it may be that such a transaction is properly characterised as involving a number of separate supplies, rather than a single supply (whether mixed or composite). However, this Ruling does not consider that question.
See Card Protection Plan Ltd v. Customs and Excise Commissioners BVC 155 at 177.
The word 'incidental' has a specific meaning when used with 'financial supplies'. See A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Regulations 1999, regulation 40-5.10. However, in this Ruling we use the term 'incidental' in its ordinary sense, in the same way as used in the overseas cases.
Saga Holidays v. Commissioner of Taxation 2006 ATC 4841; (2006) 64 ATR 602.
Westley Nominees Pty Ltd v. Coles Supermarkets Pty Ltd FCAFC 115; 2006 ATC 4363; (2006) 62 ATR 682.
Re Food Supplier and Commissioner of Taxation AATA 1550; 2007 ATC 157; (2007) 66 ATR 938.
Food Supplier at paragraph .
Sea Containers Ltd v. Customs and Excise Commissioners BVC 60.
Under British VAT legislation, transport is 'zero-rated' and catering is 'standard-rated'.
Sea Containers Ltd v. Customs and Excise Commissioners BVC 60 at 67.
British Airways plc v. Customs and Excise Commissioners (1990) 5 BVC 97.
British Airways plc v. Customs and Excise Commissioners (1990) 5 BVC 97 at 102-103.
Customs and Excise Commissioners v. Wellington Private Hospital Ltd BVC 251 at 266.
Section 38-187 provides that a supply of goods by way of lease is GST free if the goods are used outside Australia. Where the goods are used partly in Australia and partly outside Australia, section 9-5 applies to ensure that the supply is taxable, but only to the extent that the goods are used in Australia. Similarly a supply, other than a supply of goods or real property, for consumption outside Australia will have more than one part where section 38-190 applies to some extent.
Paragraph 18 states that a composite supply can be a part of a mixed supply.
Customs and Excise Commissioners v. Madgett & Anor (t/a Howden Court Hotel) BVC 458 at 464.
Customs and Excise Commissioners v. British Telecommunications plc BVC 306 at 312.
See Lord Hope of Craighead in Customs and Excise Commissioners v. British Telecommunications plc BVC 306 at 314.
Paragraphs 92 to 111 explain the methods you may use to reasonably apportion the consideration for the parts of a mixed supply.
The breakfast cereal in this example is GST-free under section 38-2. It does not fit any of the categories of food that is not GST-free under section 38-3.
The food may, however, be GST-free under section 38-2.
Whether you make a supply for a single consideration will depend on the facts.
Section 40-35. Paragraph 5.164 of the Explanatory Memorandum to the GST Act refers to a similar example. See Goods and Services Tax Ruling GSTR 2012/5 Goods and services tax: residential premises at paragraphs 40 to 45.
Under section 38-250, a supply of the accommodation and/or meals may be GST-free if provided by a charitable institution, a gift deductible entity or a government school.
The hamper in this example is not a combination of foods under paragraph 38-3(1)(c).
Item 4 of subsection 38-190(1) provides that in this case the supply of rights for use outside Australia is GST-free. Section 9-5 ensures that the supply is not taxable, to the extent that it is GST-free.
See where the Court came to a similar conclusion in Customs and Excise Commissioners v. British Telecommunications plc BVC 306. In other cases the facts may indicate that a delivery charge is a separately identifiable part of a supply.
The picnic box in this example is not a supply of food for consumption on the premises under paragraphs 38-3(1)(a).
This is in contrast to Example 7 where the knife and bread board are regarded as significant even though they contribute to the better enjoyment of the food.
In contrast, the balancing of previously fitted tyres is a supply in its own right.
As explained by the Full Federal Court in Luxottica 'it is necessary to ensure that the non taxable supplies of the bundled supply do not contribute to the value [of the actual supply]. It is for this purpose that the concept of Proportion is utilised.' The Court commented that section 9-80 as originally enacted failed to differentiate between the taxable element of the actual supply and the non taxable elements and stripped out the GST from the total consideration for the actual supply (that is, the price of the actual supply). This of course distorted the value of the actual supply.
IAC (Finance) Pty Limited v. Courtenay (1963) 110 CLR 550.
Paragraph 382-5(1)(a) in Schedule 1 to the Taxation Administration Act 1953 provides rules for keeping records of indirect tax transactions.
See also the decision of the Tribunal in Luxottica Retail Australia Pty Ltd v. FC of T AATA 22; (2010) 75 ATR 169; 2010 ATC 10,119, at , reproduced at paragraph 81ZA of this Ruling.
Re Food Supplier and Commissioner of Taxation AATA 1550; 2007 ATC 157; (2007) 66 ATR 938 at .
Luxottica Retail Australia Pty Ltd v. FC of T AATA 22; (2010) 75 ATR 169; (2010) 2010 ATC 10,119.
For example, a supply may have a taxable part and a non taxable part that is not GST free or input taxed. This may be because a specific provision of the GST Act applies to make the non taxable part not a taxable supply (see Appendix A for a list of relevant provisions), or the non taxable part may not meet any of the requirements of paragraphs 9-5(a) to 9-5(d).
Consideration expressed as an amount of money' is consideration that finds expression in money. The distinction between paragraphs 9-75(1)(a) and 9-75(1)(b) is essentially between monetary consideration and what can be broadly described as 'in kind' consideration. See paragraph 32 of GSTR 2001/6.
However, in some limited instances, determining the GST inclusive market value of the supply may be an acceptable method for working out the GST inclusive market value of the consideration. Refer to paragraphs 138 to 158 of GSTR 2001/6 for a discussion of this issue.
For a discussion of examples of such provisions, see Goods and Services Tax Ruling GSTR 2000/31, which is about supplies connected with Australia.
Given that the conditions of Division 11 are met.
Allsop v. Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1965) 113 CLR 341; McLaurin v. Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1961) 104 CLR 381; National Mutual Life Association of Australasia v. Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1959) 102 CLR 29; and Commissioner of Taxation v. CSR Ltd FCA 1513.
McLaurin v. Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1961) 104 CLR 381 at 391.
For example, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Canada.
The principles of reasonableness used in Goods and Services Tax Ruling GSTR 2000/15, which is about determining the extent of creditable purpose for claiming input tax credits and for making adjustments for changes in the extent of creditable purpose, also apply in this Ruling.
The supply of the voucher is not a taxable supply under section 105-5.
The sale of commercial premises is taxable. The sale of residential premises is input taxed under section 40-65.
Gilda's client is not a participant in the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Therefore the supplies made by Gilda to the client are not GST-free under section 38-38.
In Goods and Services Tax Ruling GSTR 2001/6, Goods and services tax: non-monetary consideration, we also state that 'historical cost' or 'residual value' may not be acceptable methods for determining the market value of consideration.
The Commissioner has published a booklet titled 'Simplified GST Accounting Methods for Food Retailers'. This information is available from the ATO website at www.ato.gov.au. |
0.713712 | In June of 1921, F. W. Woolworth Company opened a new 5, 10, and 15 cent store on the corner of E. Houston and Alamo Streets, where the Maverick Bank Building once stood. The $225,000 building had been designed by Adams and Adams. This local architectural firm went on to design other noteworthy structures, including Jefferson High School, the Hall of State for the Texas Centennial in Dallas, and the Alamo Cenotaph, featuring Pompeo Coppini's sculptures.
Woolworth's, a popular national discounter, first came to San Antonio in 1912. As the "oldest Woolworth store in Texas," it prospered enough to erect a new three-story building "on San Antonio's most prominent corner." The newspaper ad announcing Woolworth's formal opening boasted that, "We have added a number of features to our service – but the one which you will appreciate most is our soda fountain and lunch counter." This lunch counter, touted by the local manager as the largest in the city, later catapulted San Antonio into civil rights history.
On March 16, 1960, Woolworth's became one of six local stores that peacefully desegregated their lunch counters. No sit-in demonstrations were held, thanks to the cooperation of church leaders, store managers, and members of the NAACP, who orchestrated the policy change behind the scenes. The Express-News photographed history in the making at the Woolworth's cafeteria on Alamo Plaza, where the store's equal service policy helped San Antonio acquire the distinction of being "the first city in the South to receive publicity for the desegregation of its lunch counters." Woolworth's, by virtue of its size, location, and company prominence, played a key role in elevating San Antonio to the national stage of civil rights history as a positive example in race relations. Jackie Robinson, the African American baseball star who helped integrate the major leagues, declared the event a story that "should be told around the world."
The Woolworth Building became part of the Alamo Plaza National Register Historic District in 1977. Inclusion in the city's local landmark district followed in 1978. The State of Texas purchased this building, along with the adjacent Palace Theater and Crockett Block, in December 2015. Two months later, Preservation Texas added Woolworth's to its 2016 Most Endangered Places list, reflecting the uncertainty of the building's fate during the Alamo master planning process.
The Alamo Master Plan approved by City Council in 2017 endorsed the reuse of the Woolworth Building, along with the Crockett Block and Palace Theater, as part of a planned Alamo Museum. During the interpretive planning of 2018, Mayor Ron Nirenberg, District 1 Councilman Roberto Treviño, City Manager Sheryl Sculley, and County Judge Nelson Wolff went on the record supporting preservation of the three historic buildings. However, the 2018 interpretive plan approved by the Alamo Citizen Advisory Committee contradicted the earlier master plan by keeping the option open for the demolition of the Palace and Woolworth Buildings.
Too many sites with historic ties to the African-American experience have been lost or marginalized, marked only by a plaque, if at all. One hundred and twenty-four years after William Travis' slave, Joe, survived his master at the Battle of the Alamo, African-Americans walked through the doors of the Woolworth's on Alamo Plaza to be served as equals without incident. The continuum of history on Alamo Plaza - the "Cradle of Texas Liberty"- must be honored and preserved. Liberty was not won, once and for all, in 1836. |
0.998958 | After filling in one of my major cultural blindspots by finally reading Hamlet, I have decided to start a recurring series on the blog in which I watch and discuss different cinematic interpretations of arguably Shakespeare's greatest, most fascinating play. To kick things off, I have decided to watch the 1948 version, starring and directed by Laurence Olivier.
Hamlet, both the play and the character, looms so large over Western culture that it's amazing to think that anyone would dare to take it on. Fascinating and infuriating in equal measure, Hamlet is a character who can be interpreted differently by pretty much any actor, and as such is a daunting role for anyone to undertake: there can be no definitive take on Hamlet because his nature is so fractured and ambiguous that he can be whatever the actor and audience want him to be. It's for that same reason that every generation gets its own Hamlet, whether he is played by Laurence Olivier, Kenneth Branagh or Mel Gibson, and why the character remains so vital and relevant no matter how many times he is revisited: you can take Hamlet and place him in any context but his essence will always shine through.
In 1948, Laurence Olivier directed and starred in the first English-language film version of Hamlet ever produced. (Though the play had been brought to the screen in a number of silent versions, and there was one sound film that pre-dated Olivier's: an Indian version produced in Urdu some years before.) Having already brought one Shakespeare play to the big screen in the form of Henry V, for which he was given an Honorary Oscar, Olivier turned his attention to The Dane, and was duly rewarded for his efforts with an Oscar for Best Actor, whilst the film itself won Best Picture despite being up against The Red Shoes and The Treasure of The Sierra Madre. Considering its importance within the canon of Shakespeare on film, does Olivier's Hamlet still hold up as a rendition of a classic work, or has time rendered it a period piece in more than just its setting?
The first thing that surprised me about Olivier's film is just how genuinely cinematic it is, at least in comparison to what I was expecting going in. I'm loathe to trust sweeping generalisations in film criticism because I find them horrible reductive and stultifying, but one of the few that I tend to subscribe to is that great actors make for pretty poor directors. There are obvious exceptions to this rule: one of the greatest films ever made, The Night of the Hunter, was directed by Charles Laughton, a phenomenal actor who had never directed before and never would again, and recent films like Paddy Considine's Tyrannosaur and Ralph Fiennes' Coriolanus demonstrated that just because someone is best known for being in front of the camera doesn't mean that they can't be a wiz behind it. However, most of the time when an actor decides to direct, their work tends to be visually flat, favouring performance over other considerations.
Whilst Olivier's film is very focused on its performances - how could an adaptation of a Shakespeare play not be? - it also displays some incredibly striking visuals and set design that really take the play out of the realm of theatre and into that of cinema. The castle of Claudius (Basil Sidney) does not resemble a castle so much as a colossal labyrinth, and from its opening shots, Hamlet establishes that this place is not necessarily real, but a metaphorical representation of Hamlet's mind. The use of deep shadows and stark black and white photography, as well as an oppressive, ever-present fog, recalls the murky, rain-soaked streets of many a film noir, and the high-ceilinged rooms and endless, winding staircases owe a clear debt to German Expressionism. Olivier does not merely mirror the works of his contemporaries, but also seems to point towards the future as well. His camera glides around the castle like a restless spectre, and his astonishing tracking shots display a craft and sophistication that predicts the great work that Stanley Kubrick would do on Paths of Glory. It's a film that feels like a film, rather than just a filmed play.
The other aspect of the film that surprised me was the sensuality of it, and the way that Olivier chose to play up the Oedipal aspects of the play by casting Eileen Herlie as Gertrude, Hamlet's mother, despite her being 13 years younger than Olivier. There's an unnerving frisson between Hamlet and Gertrude that adds a real edge to the story, and casts Hamlet's reaction to Claudius marrying his mother in a very different light. It would be considered pretty brave for a version of Hamlet made now to take this overtly sexual approach to the mother-son relationship, so for Olivier to take that approach in 1948 must have been nothing short of shocking.
And what of Hamlet himself? What does Olivier bring to one of most frustrating and compelling figures in all of Western literature? Whilst his performance does capture many of the different facets of the character - his sadness, his cruelty, his moments of fancy - and he delivers the key moments with aplomb (his rendition of the "To Be or Not To Be" soliloquy is pretty hard to beat), his take on the character winds up being a touch dull. He approaches Hamlet from a largely heroic viewpoint, and his decision to excise the political subtext of the play - there is no mention of the fact that Hamlet's father had brought the country to the brink of war with a neighbouring nation or that Claudius is trying to broker peace - takes away a lot of the ambiguity from Claudius' character. He is no longer a man who committed a terrible act for potentially good reasons, but one who committed it for reasons of pride and greed. In that context, Hamlet can only be a hero, even though he is also spiteful and destructive. It's not an approach to the character that is without merit, but it is a touch too easy, and seems to work against the darkness - both literal and figurative - of the film itself.
Despite the rather cut-and-dried approach to Hamlet himself, and a few moments of technical awkwardness brought on by the limitations of technology at the time, Olivier's Hamlet is a marvellous realisation of the play. The atmosphere and mood of the piece are sublime, perfectly capturing the anxious mood of its hero and expressing his psychology through the physical world, rather than relying solely on performance. Even more than six decades later, it remains a vibrant and exciting work befitting both its source and its director, who displays his singular understanding of Shakespeare's work by taking it out of the theatre and on to the screen in glorious fashion. |
0.520501 | HTC formally declares the HTC 10. Will the HTC 10 be the success that HTC wants it to be? Amazon declares the Kindle Oasis, a premium Kindle reader. |
0.987566 | Recent years have seen an increasing interest in understanding how the use of commercial products for hygiene and other purposes affects the human body.
Some research in this area has examined variations in bacterial communities (microbiome) present in various body structures, such as the saliva, the skin, and the digestive tract. While variations in bacteria exist naturally from one individual to another, scientists are interested in understanding how those variations may be increased, decreased, or otherwise influenced by the presence of products we use every day.
In one recent study, researchers looked at how armpit bacteria are affected by the use of antiperspirant and deodorant. The study compared armpit bacteria among three groups of individuals: those who typically use only antiperspirant, those who use only deodorant, and those who normally use no products at all. Samples of armpit bacteria were taken from all three groups. Participants who normally used antiperspirant and deodorant were then asked to stop using any products for a period of eight days, during which time samples were again taken. Sample collection was also done for a short period after participants resumed use of their chosen products.
Upon resuming product use, bacterial quantities for antiperspirant users again declined dramatically.
Researchers believe that the different effects of antiperspirant versus deodorant on quantity of bacteria are explained by two key differences between the products: (1) many deodorants are ethanol-based and likely more water soluble, thus easier to wash away than antiperspirants; and (2) antiperspirants contain aluminum-based salts that physically block sweat glands, thus reducing resources necessary for the growth of bacterial communities.
The wider variety of bacteria present in antiperspirant users after ceasing use is suspected to result because antiperspirant dramatically reduces quantities of the dominant bacterial species, thereby creating more opportunities for rare species to become established. Researchers had expected to observe this effect with deodorant users as well, but in fact found that deodorant users actually had fewer species of bacteria in their armpits compared to participants who used no product. |
0.937387 | Why are German Shepherds sometimes called Alsatians?
After World War I and II, German things were not looked upon too kindly by the Americans and British. To avoid using the word German, the name Alsatian was given to the German Shepherd, after the region of Alsace-Lorraine.
What is the German name? What do the Germans call their breed?
Deutsche Shaferhund, pronounced DOY-cha SHAY-fer-hoond. Deutsche means German. Shafer means shepherd. Hund means dog.
Males stand about 24-26 inches at the shoulder and weigh 75-100 pounds. Females stand about 22-24 inches and weigh 60-80 pounds. Some breeders, though, deliberately produce oversized "giant" German Shepherds that reach 28 or 30 inches at the shoulder and 140 pounds. Some of these dogs are ponderous - a far cry from the athletic, agile build the breed is supposed to have.
The German Shepherd was developed to be a police dog, right?
Actually he was developed to herd sheep - hence the name shepherd. But during World War I, his intelligence, trainability, and protective instincts were put to use as a messenger dog, rescue dog, and sentry dog, and eventually he became the world's leading guardian, police and military dog, search and rescue dog, bomb and narcotics detection dog, and guide dogs for the blind.
Today, because so many temperament and health problems have become embedded in the breed's gene pool, it's difficult to consistently find or breed healthy, stable German Shepherds for working purposes. Today, breeds like the Belgian Malinois and Labrador Retriever are overtaking the German Shepherd in fields where the German Shepherd used to predominate.
What kind of temperament and personality does the German Shepherd have?
To get an idea of what a breed might be like, always look at what he was developed to do (see the question above). Many of the German Shepherd's characteristics - his powerful body, intelligence, trainability, loyalty, and enthusiasm for working - are hardwired into his genes because they helped him excel at his work.
Saddleback pattern, where the black overlays the dog's back and both sides of his body (like a saddle). The rest of the dog is tan, red, cream, or silver. Usually there is a black mask on the face.
Blanketback pattern, where the black extends further down the shoulders and hips.
Bicolor pattern, like a Doberman, where the dog is virtually all black with the markings confined to his face, throat, chest, and legs.
Even less common are two colors that are frowned upon by German Shepherd purists - blue and liver. Blue dogs and liver dogs have inherited a color-modifying gene that changes their black pigment to smoky gray (many blue dogs look like they've been dusted with flour) or brown (any shade from light brown to dark brown). All of their black pigment is affected, including their nose and the pads of their feet. Even their eyes are hazel or yellowish.
Blue or liver can occur in any of the patterns described above, i.e. if a German Shepherd would have been a black and tan saddleback, his blue modifying gene makes him a BLUE and tan saddleback. If he would have been a red sable, his liver gene makes him a liver sable, with the normally black-tipped hairs becoming brown-tipped. If he would have been solid black, his blue or liver gene make him solid blue or brown instead.
Blue and liver are considered "faults" by the official German Shepherd clubs and breeders who show their dogs in the conformation ring. But you can still register these dogs and compete with them in activities such as obedience and agility.
Finally, German Shepherds can be solid black or solid white.
I heard that white isn't an accepted color in German Shepherds.
It depends on what you mean by accepted. As with blue and liver, you can register a white German Shepherd with the AKC and show him in competitive activities such as obedience and agility. But the official clubs and show-dog breeders assert that white is a disqualified color for showing and breeding purposes. White dogs, they say, are too visible to make effective guard dogs and too camouflaged against sheep and snow to make effective herding dogs.
White Shepherd enthusiasts aren't deterred, however. They've formed their own club, which holds its own conformation shows. Because most breeders of whites don't breed their dogs for protection work, white German Shepherds tend to have a softer, milder temperament that fits well into many families.
What kinds of coats do German Shepherds come in? They can be longhaired, right?
Yes, German Shepherds can have short hair or long hair. Both coats are the same breed. But short hair is much more common. In some countries, longcoated German Shepherds are considered fine for showing and breeding, but in the U.S., long coats are frowned upon by the official clubs and show-dog breeders. Only the short coats are considered "correct."
Actually, to be completely accurate, there are FOUR kinds of coats in German Shepherds, not just two.
The short coat, you see, can be very short, or it can be a little longer and thicker and then it's called (informally) a plush coat. Show-dog purists prefer these plush coats. Either way, short coats are always double coats, consisting of a short outer coat (harsh to the touch), plus a woolly undercoat (for insulation).
The long coat also comes in two types - with an undercoat, and without an undercoat. The long coat without an undercoat is considered the worst coat of all because German Shepherds are really supposed to have an insulating undercoat to help them in cold-weather work. Some longcoated German Shepherds have exceptionally long hair, which requires a lot of grooming to avoid mats and tangles. Other longcoated German Shepherds are barely worthy of the name - they have a short body coat that looks similar to a regular shorthaired German Shepherd, except for tufts of feathering around their ears, on the backs of their legs, and on their hindquarters and tail.
Some breeders focus on breeding only Long Coated German Shepherds, and since they don't breed their dogs for protection work, longhaired German Shepherds tend to have a softer, milder temperament that fits well into many families.
Oh, my. They shed a lot. An awful lot. A great deal! German Shepherds, in fact, are one of the "worst" shedding breeds in all of dogdom. They shed constantly, you see. Most breeds shed a few hairs here and there throughout the year, with the bulk of their shedding occurring twice a year, for three weeks in the spring as their winter coat switches over to a cooler summer coat, and three weeks in the fall as their summer coat switches over to a thicker winter coat.
Not German Shepherds. They shed moderately 365 days a year. Plus they shed a TON during those three-week spring and fall coat-switching seasons.
Are there different builds in German Shepherds? My brother has a German Shepherd from show lines, which looks different than the German Shepherd the police department uses. |
0.953393 | For many people across the world, eating habits are closely associated with their daily lifestyles. For instance, some people cannot eat while doing other activities like reading. Many people also eat in response to certain external and internal stimuli such as loneliness, boredom, anxiety, anger, or fatigue. Bad eating habits are very difficult to break, and the only sure way to overcome them is coming up with new eating habits through consistency.
Pulling out such behaviors and completing resisting a habit that that had become part of your day-to-day life is extremely difficult. However, with consistency and determination, you can easily develop new good eating habits. Especially, if you are looking forward to dropping some of your body weight, it is very important that you practice good eating habits.
The following tips and strategies can really help you overcome the heavy burden of bad eating habits.
1. Make sure that you eat at least 4 meals in a day __ which should be spaced about four to three hours apart. This is very important as it keeps your general body metabolism high. You must also cease from the habit of skipping breakfast. In addition, make sure that you eat an equal amount of food or make sure that you decrease you progressively decrease the portion of the food each time you eat.
2. Eat slowly and be sure to put down your fork and spoon when chewing food __ Also, ensure that that you chew the food at least ten times and then swallow it before picking up the fork and the spoon.
3. Settle in very cool place at home or in the office and enjoy all your food from there until you are satisfied __ This is very important; as it will help, you avoid mindless eating in the kitchen and snacking. Avoid eating while walking as it is not healthy.
4. Eat mindfully __ If you are eating, it is very important that you avoid doing other activities such as working, talking, watching television, or conversing over the phone. When you talk as you eat, you can easily be chocked with food. Just concentrate on the food you are eating alone.
5. Do not store your food anywhere in the house if not in the kitchen __ Keeping food in easily accessible places encourages snacking and mindless eating. Therefore, always make sure that you do not store your food on the counters and other places that you can easily access. For instance, put them away in the cupboards.
6. Before buying any type of food, make sure that you have a plan to guide you throughout your shopping __ But most importantly, make sure that you stick to the shopping plan. In addition, keep off from buying junk foods, instead, buy healthy foods that can keep you fit all through, and foster weight loss.
7. It is very important to keep the serving dishes away in the kitchen especially when you are eating a family meal __ Do not place the dishes in the middle of the table as they might encourage unnecessary overeating, which is not healthy for your general body fitness and weight loss.
8. Some people are conditioned to using big plates when eating , which is not good as it encourages overeating __ Instead of using big plates, use smaller plates. Research shows that when a small portion of food is served in a small plate, it appears bigger and can easily help in avoiding overeating.
9. Make sure that you do not clear everything on the plate when eating. Some are used to eating until they see their plates clear __ Try as much as possible to leave a small quantity of food on the plate every time you have a meal. By doing this you can easily curb overeating.
10. If you find it hard to change your bad eating habits, it is important that you seek help from other people who possess good eating qualities __ Try as much you can to find a friend or a relative who is willing to correct you each time you go wrong. For instance, you can ask your friend to pinch you each time you clear all the food on the plate. With time, you will find yourself doing these things on your own.
Breaking from bad eating habits will take you time, but you need to be determined and focused in everything that you do, if you must come out successful. |
0.999991 | Read the information and answer the questions that follow.
The Eiffel Tower is one of the most successful tourist attractions in France.
Paris has increased security around its most popular attractions following recent terrorist attacks in the city.
Currently the Eiffel Tower has metal barriers around its base as a security measure to prevent further terrorist attacks. The metal barriers do not look attractive in the photographs taken by tourists.
French authorities are planning to remove the metal barriers at the front of the Eiffel Tower and replace it with permanent bulletproof glass walls. The rest of the metal barriers will be replaced with more attractive fencing.
Give ONE reason why the French authorities want to replace the existing metal barriers at the Eiffel Tower with bulletproof glass walls.
Predict what could happen if management relaxes the existing safety measures at the Tower.
Identify ONE other criterion that will ensure the continued success of the icon, apart from ensuring safety at the Eiffel Tower.
The bullet-proof glass will give better protection to tourists in the event of future terror attacks.
• To upgrade and improve safety at the attraction.
• To get rid of the metal barriers that obscures the view of the tower to get better photo opportunities.
• The tower is one of the iconic structures in France that attracts many tourists and needs extra protection.
The Eiffel Tower, being one of the most popular tourist attractions in Paris, could become the target for large-scale terror attacks with huge loss of life.
• Destruction of an iconic structure symbolising engineering abilities of the time.
• Fewer visitors to the attraction because tourists will not feel safe.
• The absence of visible policing may increase criminal activities.
The continuous international marketing of the icon.
• General upkeep of the tower and the area around the tower.
• Making the tower accessible to people with special needs (universal accessibility).
• Allow opportunities for entrepreneurship around the tower.
• Professional image of the staff.
• Keeping the tower sustainable through good environmental management plans.
• When visitors leave the tower with a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction. |
0.878257 | To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-09712 by Shona Robison on 26 June 2017, on what date in July 2017 the cabinet secretary will visit the ward, and whether it will confirm the date that this was (a) agreed with the hospital and (b) entered in the cabinet secretary's diary.
The Cabinet Secretary visited Ward 15 at the Royal Alexandra Hospital on Thursday, 6 July. This date was agreed with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde on 29 June and confirmed in the Cabinet Secretary's diary the same day. |
0.996672 | Money kept in a savings account for emergencies could be used in the event of job loss or medical issues.
Some people put their spare change in a container to be used for later emergencies.
An emergency fund is a savings account that is intended to be used only in case of emergency, such as an unexpected job loss or high medical bills. Financial advisers often recommend that individuals and families set up emergency funds just in case, and the amount on the account should be based on one's monthly income in comparison to monthly bills. It can take time to set up an emergency fund, but it is an important step to financial security.
In general, experts recommend an emergency fund that would pay the bills for between six and eight months without any income coming in; if a job was lost, for instance. To determine this amount, begin by making a list of all the bills that are absolute necessities, and their amounts for each month. This includes items such as the mortgage, groceries, a car payment or gas for the car, electricity, and heating bills, among others. Non-necessities might include things such as cable television bills or the amount spent going out to restaurants.
Once the monthly bill for necessities has been determined, multiply it by six or eight to determine how much would need to be saved in order to live for that amount of time. It may be a good idea to open a separate savings account to use just for the emergency fund, so the money is out of sight and out of mind. In addition, a savings account will allow the money to earn some interest, whereas a checking account will not.
It is generally not a good idea to use cash as an emergency fund, nor is it advisable to use a retirement account or any other account that cannot be accessed quickly and without tax penalties being assessed. Investments and retirement funds are important as well, but should be separate from an emergency fund. One excellent way to add to an emergency savings account is to set up an automatic withdrawal at a bank; for example, the automatic withdrawal might occur every two weeks after a paycheck is deposited, for a set amount.
This way, the money will automatically go into a savings account, and will not risk being spent. The method in which one chooses to pay off debts such as student loans, credit cards, and car loans is ultimately one's own decision, but some financial advisers recommend paying loans while simultaneously creating a savings account for emergencies. This way, if one's employment is lost, there will at least be a small amount of money to fall back on.
How Do I save Emergency Money?
What Are the Best Tips for Building Financial Security?
How do I Choose the Best Business Savings Account?
What is a Cash Flow Budget? |
0.91879 | Anyone experienced 'old nick lately?
I thought you were an Irish cactus trapped in a bananas body?
I'm so confused.Are pentagrams really a bad symbol or what?
In my opinion no, Pentagrams are just a shape that have certain meanings associated with them - like the Nazi Sawstika and the Coca Cola logo. On their own they mean nothing, they have no real power other than what power people think they have to cause fear.
The pentagram is used for protection against evil in the upright position but when inverted it is meant to be used for the darker side . Up until medieval times it was meant to represent the five wounds of christ as a christian symbol used readily before the cross which is used today , the church of today in christianity show this symbol to be evil as they are now disregarding it and trying to come away from there paganistic roots .
in witch craft it is the symbol of Gardnerian second degree initiation, representing the need of the witch to learn to face the darkness within so that it may not later rise up to take control. |
0.949743 | The Nuclear Age began when physicist Enrico Fermi created the first controlled chain reaction in 1942, borrowing a little of the power that fuels the sun. Since the mid-twentieth century, when many scientists believed that nuclear technology would someday provide the world with endless amounts of practically free electricity, we have faced its potential power and consequences.
Today more than 100 commercial nuclear reactors are operating in the US and supply almost 20% of the country's power and more than 30% of nuclear generation of electricity in the world. While there are advantages to nuclear energy, several factors, including the dangers of working with the radioactive materials that are the basis of nuclear technology and the problem of what to do with nuclear waste, have led to hard questions about how--and whether--to harness such a powerful and potentially hazardous technology.
Nuclear energy can be created through two processes: fission (splitting the nucleus, or the core, of an atom to release energy) and fusion (combining the nuclei of two atoms to release energy). At this time, all nuclear reactors (power plants) make electricity through fission. Scientists have been working for decades to harness the power of fusion, which releases much more energy than fission, but because of the immense amount of energy needed to trigger the reaction, no models for the peaceful use of fusion technology exist on Earth today. (However, fusion is employed in thermonuclear, or hydrogen, bombs.) The sun is one example of a fusion reactor.
The way that a nuclear reactor works is as follows and is not all that different from other types of generators. These reactors heat water to produce steam, which in turn turns turbines to turn the generators that produce electricity. The difference lies in the fact that nuclear reactors use nuclear fission to release the energy inside of atoms. Here is the chain reaction that releases the energy needed to make heat: Neutrons smash into the nucleus of the atoms contained in the reactors' "fuel," which are rods of Uranium, and these split atoms release energy in the form of heat. From here on in, the reactors work in a similar fashion to other steam-based energy sources, such as those that burn fossil fuels.
Coal-, gas-, and nuclear-powered power plants all use steam pressure to turn turbine blades, and then the mechanical energy of the turning blades is converted into electrical energy for consumption. Nuclear plants employ fission to produce steam: Uranium atoms are bombarded by neutrons, which split the atoms' nuclei into smaller nuclei, releasing energy in the form of heat and freeing more neutrons, which in turn collide with and split more uranium nuclei, creating a chain reaction. The heat released by the reaction boils water in the reactor's core and creates steam to power the turbine.
Because one ton of uranium can generate more than 40 million kilowatt-hours of electricity--equal to 16,000 tons of coal or 80,000 barrels of oil--nuclear energy is often considered more resource-efficient than traditional forms of fuel. We will probably continue to have uranium reserves after we have exhausted available coal and oil resources. In addition, because nuclear reactors do not produce greenhouse gases, they don't contribute to global warming and climate change.
But nuclear energy also presents us with many problems and dangers. The radioactivity that makes uranium a suitable fuel can damage living organisms' cellular structure. While we are surrounded by low levels of radiation all the time, emitted by everything from the appliances we use every day to the cosmos itself, very high levels of radiation can cause death immediately, and lower levels can cause burns, cellular mutation, and cancer. The process of generating nuclear energy releases environmentally hazardous radiation at every stage, from mining and enriching uranium ore to the radioactive by-products and waste that need to be disposed of.
A typical reactor produces about 20-30 tons of high-level radioactive waste each year, and many more tons of low-level waste. Depleted uranium is used for commercial and military purposes; while it is only weakly radioactive, it can be extremely toxic if inhaled. Plutonium, another nuclear by-product, is vulnerable to theft and use for weapons. At this time, power plants are storing their waste in temporary cooling pools and containers until a long-term solution is determined. Yucca Mountain, Nevada, was selected to be the permanent holding site for the nation's high-level nuclear waste, but critics note that the already accumulated waste alone will come close to filling the facility, and that transporting waste from across the country could lead to dangerous accidents. There is also the potential for radiation leakage from the site. In part because of these issues, development of Yucca Mountain has been repeatedly delayed.
Another great challenge to achieving safe nuclear technologies is the possibility that, in an operating power plant, the uranium fuel rods could become so hot that they shatter or melt through the reactor's core, causing widespread contamination throughout the environment. In 1979, the worst nuclear incident in US history occurred at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island power plant and caused a full-scale evacuation of the surrounding communities. In 1986, one reactor in the Chernobyl power plant in present-day Ukraine exploded. Thirty people died instantly, and thousands of deaths have been attributed to the radioactive dust that blanketed the area and spread as far as the Eastern United States.
In the next several years, many of the nuclear power plants currently operating in the US will reach the end of their lifespans. We face a dilemma: What will we do when these reactors are taken offline? Utilities and the federal government are creating plans to build a series of "Generation IV" nuclear power plants, pointing to the need to meet consumers' ever-increasing demands for electricity. Renewable energies, such as solar, wind, and tide, can supply some of the demand, but not all. Coal and oil produce greenhouse gases. Perhaps the better answer lies in examining our demand for energy and asking if we are willing to risk our health and that of our environment, or whether we can instead make the choice to live in ways that demand less electricity. |
0.95132 | How can I figure out what size header I need?
Emily, when deciding what size header to install above your new French doors, you must first consider the size of the load being supported by the header and wall framing. For example, if you are installing the doors in an exterior bearing wall that is directly supporting the weight of the roof and possibly a second floor, then double 2 x 10s would be the bare minimum for a 96-inch opening. However, if that same size opening were in a non-weight bearing interior wall, or possibly even a non-weight bearing gable end wall with roof trusses above, then perhaps double 2 x 8s would be adequate. Of course, if there is a concentrated point load bearing directly on this header, such as an intersecting floor beam, then the opening may require a header made from double 2 x 12s or a engineered Glulam or a LVL beam.
If you are unable to positively identify the size of the load being supported by the new header, then you should hire an experienced carpenter or a structural engineer to determine the size of the header for you. After all, better to be safe then sorry when altering the structural integrity of your home's wall framing.
Because your new French doors will be installed inside an existing window opening, you may be able to gather some valuable information by examining the existing header, which will have to be removed to accommodate the taller dimensions of the new French doors. Perhaps your project is best accomplished by first removing the Sheetrock around the window opening and exposing the existing wall framing. This way you will be able to see what size the original header is and you can measure how much room there is below the wall's double top plate for the new header.
Another aspect of your project that bears serious consideration is how you will temporarily support the load above the existing header once that header is removed and the new header is installed. This challenge may be beyond your DIY skills and could require the help of an experienced carpenter. Don't assume that the load above the old window header will stay in place while you install the new door header!
If you need to familiarize yourself with simple header construction, then you should check out this diagram, which shows the main parts of a standard door header. You may also be able to gather some useful information at a local lumber yard that sells engineered wood products. Oftentimes the salesperson at the contractor's desk will be able to recommend a header size for you based on the species and quality of wood that they sell. Good luck with your project, and take it slow so you get it right the first time. |
0.999997 | Prepare a 4-6 page report that covers one of the following two topics.
A. Identify and describe a current demographic trend that provides opportunities for innovation.
B. Identify and describe a current cultural change in perception, mood or meaning that may provide opportunities for innovation.
• What is the trend?
• What is the evidence for it? (You should document your claims with reference to census or other data).
• What entrepreneurial opportunities does the trend provide?
• How could you take advantage of the opportunity, assuming no new breakthroughs in technology or social conditions? |
0.967652 | There is a rabbit on the floor of the stairs. Stairs have 3 steps, Rabbit can jump 1 or 2 steps. What is the probability of going to third step from the floor without visiting second step ?
floor -> 1 -> 3 ( This is the case we want).
So the answer must be .
Ok everything seems right. But if we represent this problem as a graph , In first step we must choose between 1 or 2 so the probability to go 1 is equal to . In second step we must choose between 2 or 3 so the probability to go 3 is equal to . So the overall the probability is equal to . Second solution have some differences from the first solution but I couldn't figure out what it is.
That's because the probabilities for cases 1, 2 and 3 aren't necessarily equal. Look at case 3. You can notice that the probability is actually 1/2 and not 1/3. Cases 1 and 2 are symmetric so both will have 1/4 probability.
I think ekkreamy's comment seems true. If you think that is wrong. Can you please explain ?
Imagine at a given moment you are at 2. Is there a difference between jumping 1 step or 2 steps?
No. So the probability to get from 2 to 3 with visiting 2 is 1.
Obviously the probability to get from 3 to 3 with visiting 2 is 0.
Now imagine we are at 1. The probability to get to 3 with visiting 2 is (1/2 * (probability from 2 to 3) + 1/2 * (probability from 3 to 3)) = 1/2 * 1 + 1/2 * 0 = 1/2.
Finally let's look at the moment when we are at the floor. We have 2 options. Go to 1 or go to 2.
Then the probability to visit 2 will be 1/2 * (probability from 1 to 3) + 1/2 * (probability from 2 to 3). This means that this probability is 1/2 * 1/2 + 1/2 * 1 = 3/4.
Then the probability to not visit 2 is 1 — 3/4 = 1/4.
Then the probability to visit 2 will be (probability from 1 to 3) + (probability from 2 to 3). You are wrong in this sentence because the first and second steps are not identical. Rabbit can go to the second step from the first step but it cannot do the reverse action of this action so this is why the probability of going to first step in the first jump is not it is .
That's not how probabilities work.
I still think that , because of this. We choose one of this options so choosing the first step in the first jump is as you can see.
Your problem is not properly defined. What does the rabbit randomly choose? The path or the next step?
Considering the rabbit randomly chooses the next step from the current step, your second solution is correct. In your first solution, the probability distribution of the 3 paths is not the same. You cannot directly say 1/3 by choosing 1 out of the 3 paths.
Experimental probability is the true solution to this problem. Calculating the probability via experiment: We have 3 options for going the third step from the floor. So we have 3 probabilities for the first jump. Two of them are the first step, one of them is the second step. We do not want to go to the second step so going the first step at the first jump has a probability of . Using the same method, the second jump must be the third step which has a probability of . Multiplying this two jumps gives us the answer .
Yeah your idea seems right.
No, just because you have three possible outcomes doesn't mean each has probability one in three (aka the probability of winning the lottery is not one in two just because you either win it or you don't). In this case, in 2 you have only one option and will always go to 3. In 0 and 1 you can make two choices, I'm assuming that we select one uniformly. So the first two sequences above have probability , and the third one probability . So the answer is .
Second step and the first step are dependent so that's why we cannot say that going to the first step in the first jump is not .
MrTEK I think we can relate it to the problem of finding the probability of reaching a particular leaf in a tree from the root. According to your first idea it should be 1 / (total leaves), hence all leaves are equiprobable, but it is wrong.
Server time: Apr/26/2019 17:50:29 (e3). |
0.992012 | What is the difference between an RPM and a tarball?
An RPM file contains precompiled binaries, made for a specific operating system. For example, the Apache web server package for an Intel-based Red Hat 7.2 system might be called "apache-1.3.14-3.i386.rpm".
A tarball with a .tar.gz extension usually contains source code which can be used on a variety of Unix-like operating systems. For example, a single "apache-1.3.14.tar.gz" file can be used to install Apache on Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, etc. The installation method is determined by the software vendor, but it usually looks like this.
An SRPM file contains the source tarball, along with the instructions needed to compile and install the package on a specific operating system.
Debian packages are similar to RPMs. Their filenames end with .deb and the dpkg program is used instead of the rpm program.
Packages which have been precompiled for BSD systems (like OpenBSD and FreeBSD) have .tgz or .tbz extensions. BSD packages are similar to RPMs.
BSD systems use a different approach to installing software from source. The ports collection comes with the operating system. It includes the OS-specific instructions for thousands of software packages -- including instructions for downloading the source tarballs. |
0.988283 | Starting a family is an exciting prospect, and definitely something we can be eager to just start already! But before the stork arrives, it’s a good idea to try and do all the things you soon won’t be able to do. I sat down and thought about what some of those things might be. Here are a few of my suggestions!
1. Go to bed as late as you want. Wake up as late as you want. Generally throw caution to the wind when it comes to your sleeping habits, because reckless ones will soon be a thing of the past.
2. When sick, enjoy being able to wallow in your self-pity without still having to put someone else first.
3. Watch R-rated movies in the daytime.
4. Wear delicate clothes and jewelry without worrying about curious little hands grabbing/ruining it.
6. Go out for expensive dinners at adult restaurants.
7. Have friends over a LOT. Socialize as much as possible. Have loud parties.
8. Complain about your own, possibly insignificant, problems.
10. Get to know your partner/husband while there are no kids around to get in the way. Do things together, enjoy things together, and bond together. Strengthen your relationship as much as possible.
11. Travel. Whether it’s to another state or another continent, go out and see places you’ll struggle to visit once children arrive.
12. If you’re into angry rap, perhaps think about developing some newer music tastes for the sake of your future little ones.
13. Treat yourself! Whether it’s a movie/manicure night with girlfriends, a day of doing absolutely nothing productive for a day, or an extravagant winter boots purchase, do something nice for yourself. Enjoy having less financial responsibility than you’ll probably have post-baby.
14. Stock up on food you currently think is delicious, and enjoy eating it before you start getting morning sickness and/or food aversions!
15. Get into the habit of exercising. While pregnant, it’s safe to exercise in the same way you did before, so get your body in shape so you can stay fit and healthy while pregnant.
16. Dance as wildly as you want! Maybe it’s just me who enjoys out-of-control interpretive dancing, but I believe there are others. Pregnant bellies will hold you back for a while.
18. Learn how to cook. Cereal and fast food might have served you well for years, but your future children will thank you for diversifying your skills a little.
19. Spend hours getting ready. Having children usually reduces the time you’re able to spend on yourself, so take the time to get glammed up once in a while!
What things would you/did you put on your “pre-baby bucket list?” Is there anything you regret not doing before getting pregnant or that you miss doing since having children?
Is Trying to Have a Baby Limiting Your Personal and Couple Time?
I am still pretty much able to do a majority of the items above but a few I would add would be to have waited longer to become pregnant with my first and have had a better bond with my friends since I became pregnant all their parents said that I was a bad influence… but yet they were doing much horrible things than I was. Another thing Id like to add is a helpful hint I wish I was taught is to begin putting a few extra dollars on your bills now while you can because a baby will brake you…lol… its true plus it helps a lot for the winter months!!!
Wow I still do this stuff and I have a kid. She sleeps and I made it 11am one day. I’m lucky.
Done mostly in the checklist 🙂 I terribly miss my dance class! |
0.988475 | Learning to program is like learning to read and write any foreign language. Lots of time will be spent looking at symbols that make little sense and hearing people speak about the language in terms that are, while familiar, carrying less meaning than perhaps they should. Lots of time will be spent reading references without context, then looking at language in context, then back and forth again. Except, unlike spoken language, there are no translations to some language you already know.
Good Code Works Is easy to understand Is easy to change Is fun to work with Reference: https://robots.thoughtbot.com/what-is-good-code In fairness, this view is valid too: https://xkcd.com/844/ With the existing code bases we work on and the code bases we create, I am going to work tirelessly to improve the first case and contribute the later. |
0.999962 | Choose a CORRECT r-controlled word to make a proper sentence.
Jerry built a big ______ for his cows.
Little Tracy was feeding the ______. |
0.995556 | I have a devious confession to make...I'm actually NOT a Potterhead..I've never read any of the books and I'm dying to get the series because everybody knows everything about this saga and I'm a blank slate.
Here is a brief summary of the series. Harry Potter is raised until age eleven by his aunt and uncle who despise him. Just before he turns eleven he receives a letter (multiple letters actually) informing him that he is a wizard and has been accepted into Hogwarts, the wizarding school of England. Once in the wizarding community, he is greeted as a celebrity. He is surprised as in the Muggle, or non magic community, he is a nobody. He learns that when he was a baby, his parents were murdered by the greatest Dark wizard of their age: Lord Voldemort, or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Lord Voldemort attempted to kill Harry as well, but was unsuccessful, making Harry the only person in history to ever survive the killing curse. At Hogwarts, Harry is sorted in to the house of Gryffindor, where those whose factoring qualities are bravery and courage come together at Hogwarts. He there meets his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and over the years they go through trials of courage and suffer deep losses, as well as going through puberty and friendship, romance, and skill. They stick together through it all and aim to, once and for all, defeat Lord Voldemort.
It's not fun to me because I have no idea what you just said. |
0.993912 | By now, the term practical psychoanalysis has become an oxymoron. The way psychoanalytic treatment is generally conducted, it is extremely impractical: it doesn't serve the needs of the vast majority of potential patients. Understandably, people who seek the help of mental health caregivers want a therapy that will provide maximum relief from emotional distress as quickly as possible. Most clinical psychoanalysts offer instead a lengthy journey of self-discovery during which too much concern with symptom relief is considered counterproductive. "Self-awareness" is the main goal; symptom relief is of secondary importance and is expected to arrive, if at all, only after a while.
No surprise, then, that psychoanalysis has come to be regarded by the public at large as an esoteric practice which promotes a self-involved escape from real life, rather than a treatment method that helps the patient live real life more happily. No surprise, either, that all over the world fewer and fewer patients seek psychoanalytic treatment, and that those who do are for the most part people who want to become psychoanalysts themselves or fellow travelers who have an intellectual interest in the field. Clinical psychoanalysis has become, deservedly, the stuff of New Yorker cartoons.
This unfortunate state of affairs is ironic, considering that psychoanalysis got its start on the basis of its therapeutic efficacy. In the course of their researches, Breuer and Freud stumbled upon a method for relieving notoriously difficult to treat hysterical symptoms. Though Freud was a fascinating and imaginative writer who developed far-reaching ideas about culture and society, as well as about individual psychology, the world originally paid attention to him because of the extraordinary cures he and Breuer achieved—and achieved very rapidly, too, in contrast to the expectations of contemporary psychoanalysts.
Over the years, psychoanalysis drifted away from its original orientation toward symptom relief as the desired outcome of treatment and became increasingly preoccupied with a special, specifically psychoanalytic goal: the achievement of "insight" for its own sake. In the process, psychoanalysts not only made themselves irrelevant to most peoples' needs, but, as many critics have pointed out, also compromised clinical psychoanalysis as a scientific investigative tool. How can the validity of insight be assessed? Insights reached by analyst and patient together about the latter's psychology are inevitably influenced by the former's theory. Therefore, unless insights are validated by correlation with symptom relief (an outcome criterion that is not theory driven) a closed system is set up in which successful clinical analysis consists of analyst and patient discovering what the analyst assumed a priori to exist. Impractical psychoanalysis is also unscientific psychoanalysis.
Clinical psychoanalysis has become impractical, but it does not have to be impractical. In order to offer patients practical psychoanalysis, however, clinicians cannot conduct treatment on the basis of received wisdom. To begin with, psychoanalysts cannot assume the virtue of any particular set of procedures—use of the couch, frequency of sessions, even the method of free association. These are techniques, and in the progressive development of any scientifically based clinical practice, techniques will alter, even alter dramatically, as empirical evidence accumulates; some prove valuable and are retained, others are discarded. Only two hundred years ago, for example, the best available medical science indicated that bleeding the patient through use of leeches or by venicotomy was part of the responsible standard of care for most illnesses. Almost every patient who consulted a physician was bled. We now know that this technique, which was practiced as state of the art by the best physicians for centuries, was useless in almost all cases and dangerously detrimental in many.
Similarly, we have every reason to expect that the techniques of a scientifically based clinical psychoanalysis will alter over time. Therefore, it makes no sense to define clinical psychoanalysis as a particular set of techniques. Nor does it make sense to define clinical psychoanalysis as a particular set of theories, for these, too, will alter as science progresses. Even the most fundamental psychoanalytic concepts and principles should be critically reviewed at every turn, and we can anticipate that most will eventually be found obsolete. That's what happens in science. Practical psychoanalysis means remaining open-minded with regard to theory, holding nothing as axiomatic; and it means retaining an experimental approach to technique—i.e., searching for whatever way of working together with a given patient seems to make progress toward the desired goals of treatment.
If practical psychoanalysis cannot be defined in terms of any particular theory or technique, how can it be defined? The sensible way to define practical psychoanalysis is in terms of its area of study and its objectives. Sciences are usually defined in terms of their subject areas and applied sciences in terms of their objectives (e.g., chemistry is the study of compounds and pharmaceutics is the creation of useful drugs by applying chemical knowledge). Psychoanalysis is a scientific study of the mind, and clinical psychoanalysis an application of psychoanalytic science to therapy.
Practical clinical psychoanalysis is a treatment that aims to help the patient feel less distress and more satisfaction in daily life through improved understanding of how his or her mind works.
Practical clinical psychoanalysis is a treatment that aims to help the patient feel less distress and more satisfaction in daily life through improved understanding of how his or her mind works. Another way to put this is to say that in a successful practical analysis the patient is able to revise various aspects of the way he or she constructs reality, with the result that the patient feels better.
We might even take a traditional view, following Freud, and add that practical analysis brings the unconscious into consciousness. However, if we want to continue to use that conception, we must be prepared to update our definition of "the unconscious." It was Freud's idea that clinical psychoanalysis brings into conscious awareness certain thoughts that are available to consciousness but remain unconscious because the patient is motivated not to be aware of them—what Freud termed repressed thoughts or the dynamic unconscious. And it is true that successful practical analysis usually does, to a certain extent, involve the patient identifying ideas, feelings, memories, etc. that he or she has been holding out of conscious awareness for one reason or another. But it is also true that a very significant part of what happens in practical analysis consists of the patient becoming conscious of thoughts that have never been repressed, thoughts that the patient simply never had the opportunity to think before. These thoughts arise from novel perspectives provided by the analyst—explicitly or implicitly, intentionally or unintentionally—in the course of an intimate, mutually engaged exploration with the patient of his or her difficulties.
In every professional community, there are some psychoanalysts who treat patients practically. These clinicians help their patients achieve therapeutic benefits as rapidly as possible. The patients feel better, the quality of their lives improves, and their friends and families can see it. For that reason, practical psychoanalysts, contrary to the general trend, have more referrals than they can handle—and their practices are filled with patients who are neither analysts in training, nor hapless souls who are encouraged to remain for many years in treatments that produce no significant symptom relief.
Unfortunately, practical psychoanalysts tend not to publicize what they do with patients; instead, they quietly set many traditional psychoanalytic theories and techniques aside and go about doing what works. Good for practical psychoanalysts and for their patients! But not good for the field. There are many clinicians who would like to learn more about how to conduct a practical psychoanalytic treatment, and many patients who would like to know how to recognize one. This book is addressed to readers in both categories.
In the chapters that follow, I will discuss what I have found to be basic principles of practical psychoanalytic treatment. I will use a casebook format, presenting concepts via illustrative clinical examples. I do that for two reasons: first, because I find that abstract formulations about psychoanalytic theory and technique, by themselves, are difficult to understand, let alone apply on the line in work with patients; and second, because my recommendations are not based upon findings from systematic, controlled empirical research (nobody's recommendations are, in psychoanalysis, since adequate research methods have not yet been developed) and I want to share with readers, as best I can, the clinical experiences that have led me to reach my conclusions.
This is not intended as a scholarly volume. I haven't presented a survey of the literature, noting whose ideas have been the same or similar to mine and whose have been different. No background in psychoanalysis is required to understand what I have written. When I speak of an "analyst," I do not refer to someone who has attended an official psychoanalytic training program; I only mean a psychoanalytically informed psychotherapist—and since most of Freud's important ideas have long since percolated into the cultural surround, any contemporary psychotherapist who is at all eclectic in his or her orientation will inevitably be psychoanalytically informed. My aim is to discuss in a down-to-earth way what, in my experience, can be useful for both analyst and patient to keep in mind when collaborating in an effort to help the latter feel better; and I think the best way for me to do that is to offer a collection of anecdotes, together with my thoughts about them.
Excerpted and adapted from Practical Psychoanalysis for Therapists and Patients by Owen Renik, MD. Published on Psychotherapy.net with written permission from the author.
Also see An Interview With Owen Renik, MD.
Copyright © 2006 Other Press. All rights reserved.
Owen Renik, MD, is currently a Training and Supervising Analyst at the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Society. He was Editor in Chief of the Psychoanalytic Quarterly for ten years, Program Chair of the American Psychoanalytic Association for two terms, and served as Director of Training and Associate Chief of the Department of Psychiatry at Mount Zion Hospital, San Francisco. He maintains a private practice in San Francisco. In his book, Practical Psychoanalysis for Therapists and Patients, Renik makes use of clinical anecdotes to describe how to begin treatment, how to end it, and how to deal with the in-betweens in an engaging, practical, and down-to-earth style that will be valuable to therapists of any orientation. |
0.977745 | How do you make a piping-hot grilled cheese sandwich even better? If you're The Lobster Press, you add the meat of an entire lobster to the mix. Created by celebrated chef Marc Forgione, this sandwich is in a league of its own. They start by drenching bread in melted garlic butter, top it with giant chunks of fresh lobster, layer on plenty of Gruyère cheese, then heat it all up in a sandwich press before serving it alongside a sweet and spicy Singapore-style chili sauce. Grab a side of pickles, gather up plenty of napkins, and enjoy! |
0.941206 | Why not break out the guitar and sing a few songs together?
If you have visions of singing a good ol' campfire tune, you're definitely on the right track. But don't stop there. Whistle while you gather firewood, hum as you hike or belt out a show tune during dinner. It doesn't really matter what you sing. What matters is that you're modeling a love for music to your children. Researchers have discovered all kinds of good things music does for the body and mind. Depending on tempo, music has the ability to capture attention or to slow heart rates. And when it comes to camping, it can offer a lot of entertainment.
If you know how to play the acoustic guitar, strum along as the children sing. Or take advantage of a quiet environment away from distractions and learn to play. Most campfire songs are structured around just a few simple cords, anyway. If you'd rather sing a cappella, no worries. There are plenty of catchy campfire tunes like "Do Your Ears Hang Low?" or "The Ants Go Marching." If you can't remember the lyrics, a quick YouTube search before you leave home should prompt your memory. |
0.965907 | Can Windows 10 save Windows Phone?
The future of Windows Phone is hanging in the balance: If the launch of Windows 10 doesn't improve the struggling mobile operating system's fortunes significantly then Microsoft may have no choice but to abandon it.
I'm a two-smartphone kind of guy. My current smartphones of choice: The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Apple iPhone 6.
I'm a two-smartphone kind of guy. My current smartphones of choice: The Apple iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4. |
0.999984 | I am a self-taught photographer and as of recently, I'm engaging with videography as well. Give me a detailed description so I know what is it you are looking for.
I see that you require drone photography, and I have the necessary experience to process your drone photographs, I have the tools and I can show you more of my work.
i think i can do best work for you. basically i am a professional photographer and videographer. wso i think i can fulfill your ned. |
0.958076 | Nestl considers a Swiss exit if executive salary is capped | City A.M.
NESTLÉ, the world’s biggest food company, has warned that it could pull out of its home base in Switzerland if the government’s proposal to cap top salaries is approved.<br /><br />Group chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe yesterday said: “It would be the beginning of an end,” and said that if the move succeeded: “We must ask ourselves whether Switzerland is still the right location for us.” Brabeck-Letmathe received a 13.9m Sw Fr (£8.06m) total salary, including bonuses, for 2008. <br /><br />The global economic crisis and mounting public uproar against excessive pay for executives has meant the Swiss Federal Council, has been studying measures to cap “abusive” pay. <br /><br />But Brabeck-Letmathe said that to cave to “populist pressure” would be “damaging for the location”. “Switzerland was once known for not ceding to such demands.” A recent landmark settlement with USauthorities saw Swiss bank UBS agree to name the identities of 4,450 US clients. Many feel it means the end of Swiss banking secrecy.<br /><br />A Nestlé spokesman told City A.M. that the group would be considering all options. |
0.999922 | tastybunns had the most liked content!
PUSH! Series 2 here we come! Awesome 3-0 win to beat Tampa completely out. Ehem I mean Syracuse. But ranting about the attendance: I can't help but feel a lack of dedication from the audience though. The arena was only half full. Maybe because its Thursday night, or maybe because people don't like risking buying tickets for TBD games. Not really sure how that works ticket return wise, but I kind of wish the Monsters were branded a little better in Cleveland. We're a hockey town and nobody even references the monsters as a pro team in Cleveland. People always mention how good and bad the Indians, Cavs, and Browns are doing. Nobody mentions the Monsters. Brand it appropriately! The only reception it gets is from young players, Youth and High School alike, but there's a real lackluster of adult attendance which I believe is a more desirable environment than feeling like you're at the circus. The amount of screeching children there outweigh the adults and it's not very pleasing to hear, nor is it even that loud, it's just outright annoying. Please make the Monsters like the Jackets. Perfectly balanced audience, with a loud audience that can rival NFL stadiums. I went to a Blue Jackets game in Columbus, and it was like nobody even recognized that I was wearing a Monsters Jersey. Somebody who was rooting for the Jackets that night came up to me and said nice Canucks jersey. I was astonished, because I got so many glares that night. Apparently I didn't represent the Jackets, rather some team foreign to even CBJ fans. The monsters aren't even branded down there either, and there's no reason they shouldn't be. With an affiliate in a 71 drive north, you would think that there would be some sort of a correlation, but nobody knows who the Monsters are. And there's the problem. Nobody knows we exist. Give us more media attention! End Rant TL;DR (The Monsters having a very lackluster audience for the playoffs is cause of horrible branding & marketing. A franchised affiliate so close they don't know we exist. People need to pay more attention. Support our playoff teams.) Go Jackets, Go Monsters! Square up Round 2!
I'm sorry, in the time that I haven't been in Cleveland because i'm in the Air Force; but what in gods name was the deciding factor in the re-brand? Was it you Mayor Jackspoon, was it you Danny Boy, or was it "Quicken Owns your life" trying to upscale a satellite company? Either way we're going to end up not calling it by what it is... Why don't you just Rocket my mortgage into crippling depression? Stop trying so hard.
I was just touring around another website that was found not too long ago by another user on this website, but we may have a future look on what this development may look like. With different stain of course. This is the Mjøstårnet. It is the tallest timber building in the world, just recently finished and built in Brumunddal, Norway. It reminded me of the Market Square building we'll be constructing. Not as tall, but definitely makes it up in street presence & darker a e s t h e t i c s. Found this on https://skyrisecities.com/ It has plenty of news, projects under construction, concepts, and finished projects all around the world. A big thing about this website shows the approach of other cities approach to architecture, their construction methods, and final outcomes of such megastructures. The only problem is that Cleveland doesn't have much of an image on this website yet. The only major thing I've noticed about Cleveland on the website is the praise we get for our RTA system. It needs to be way more than that. We need to show them what we're building and none of it's on there yet.
It's already being done. Well the neighborhood aspect. And as a mistake as placing the stadium there really is, there is no way there will be another stadium on the lakefront.
No way with the amount of capital the browns have, will they ever team up with a startup to build another stadium. I know there is a slight push to build another elsewhere, but considering its relatively young in age there is just no logic in tearing down fresh steel. Besides, remember that the county used the sin tax accumulation for the Q's new facade. $140 million just for a facade re-up ain't cheap. It's way more expensive to build new foundations for an NFL stadium. Also remember Atlanta's $1.6 BILLION stadium. They ain't cheap! The Raiders are building a freaking prison under the stadium, making the project cost just over $1.8 BILLION. I'll just say that tearing down a useful structure that is about as old as I am is a rubbish idea, although they didn't think it forward enough to leave the lakefront, FES lives on. There is no money for it.
Looks to be just about two weeks. But based on the current floor because it houses the amenities like the pool, additional cement & support is needed, so extra time allotted. We should be seeing beacon speed which was about a floor every week and half to two weeks.
also @KJP there is no alteration, the random colors create a gradient effect with like hues. It's basically going through a color wheel of browns.
NEEDco. from LEEDco. LETS GO!
Back on topic? Cant this go into a gentrification thread for controversial sake?
I'm sure the Halle parking is Art-Deco / Beaux-Arts. Also seems like lunch break for the workers.
What do you mean we don't care about how a parking garage looks? The one in Playhouse Square right behind the Crowne Plaza, just looks like any other Art-Deco style building. You may have not even noticed it was a parking garage because its well hidden. Also 515 Pre-Beacon had glass panels cascade the facade, and the garage for the casino at tower city doesn't look like hot garbage because it's got a very minimalist look. Geometric, and two toned. That's literally all we even ask for. Just make concrete not look like concrete.
I have in the past with the previous version of NuCLEus, but I have yet to update it with the newer version. |
0.999999 | I've spent the last couple of months working an internship for The Linux Foundation, doing research on new developments and adoption trends in the open source industry. If you have spent any amount of time reading about open source over the last year, you have probably heard about Docker; a lot of people are talking about it these days and the impact it's going to have on virtualization and DevOps.
In a nutshell, Docker is an extension of Linux Containers (LXC): a unique kind of lightweight, application-centric virtualization that drastically reduces overhead and makes it easier to deploy software on servers. Solomon Hykes, the founder of Docker, explains this functionality well with his analogy of using standardized shipping containers to ship diverse goods around the globe. Docker allows systems administrators and developers to build applications that can be run on any Linux distribution or hardware in a virtualized sandbox without the need to make custom builds for different environments. These features are attracting a lot of big names and have turned Docker into one of the most successful open source projects of the last year. It seems Docker is here to stay, so what does this mean for Linux?
Red Hat has been at the forefront of Docker adoption and development, with Paul Cormier being one of the biggest advocates for its use. The company has been working closely with Docker since September of last year, and has focused on improving the functionality of Docker on the OpenShift platform. The overall focus has been on using Docker as a tooling mechanism to improve resource management, process isolation, and security in application virtualization. These efforts have culminated with the launch of Project Atomic, a lightweight Linux host specifically tailored to run Linux containers. The focus of this project is to make containers easy to deploy, update, and roll back in an environment that requires far fewer resources than a typical Linux host.
Another major focal point for Docker use is in the DevOps community. Docker has been designed in a way that it can be incorporated into most DevOps applications, including Puppet, Chef, Vagrant, and Ansible, or it can be used on its own to manage development environments. The primary selling point is that it simplifies many of the tasks typically done by these other applications. Specifically, Docker makes it possible to set up local development environments that are exactly like a live server, run multiple development environments from the same host that each have unique software, operating systems, and configurations, test projects on new or different servers, and allow anyone to work on the same project with the exact same settings, regardless of the local host environment. Finally, Docker can eliminate the need for a development team to have the same versions of everything installed on their local machine.
Spotify is working on incorporating Docker into their development work flow. The repeatable nature of Docker images makes it easier for them to standardize their production code and configurations. Their work has led to the creation of Helios, an application that manages Docker deployments across multiple servers and that alerts them when a server isn't running the correct version of a container.
eBay has focused on incorporating Docker into their continuous integration process to standardize deployment across a distributed network of servers that run as a single cluster. They isolate application dependencies inside containers to address the issue of each server having different software versions, application dependencies, and special hardware. This means the host OS does not need to be the same as the container OS, and their end-goal is to have different hardware and software systems running as a single Mesos cluster.
Remote Interview develops software for recruiters to test the development skills of job candidates. They released CompileBox, a Docker-based sandbox that can run untrusted code and return the output without risking the host on which the software is running. During the development of CompileBox, the team at Remote Interview considered using Chroot jails, Ideone, and traditional virtual machines, but Docker was selected as the best option. Chroot does not provide the needed level of security, Ideone can quickly become cost-prohibitive, and virtual machines take an exceptionally long time to reboot after they are compromised. Docker was the obvious choice for this application because malicious code that attempts to destroy the system would be limited to the container and containers can be created and destroyed quickly as needed.
A number of companies and organizations are coming together to bring Docker to desktop applications, a feat that could have wide-ranging impacts on end-users. Microsoft is even jumping on board by bringing Docker to their Azure platform, a development that could potentially make integration of Linux applications with Microsoft products easier than ever before.
Docker 1.0 was released on June 9th, during the first day of Dockercon, and it is considered the first release of Docker stable enough for enterprise use. Along with this launch, a new partnership was announced between Docker and the companies behind libcontainer, creating a unified effort toward making libcontainers the default standard for Linux-based containers. The growth of Docker and Linux containers shows no sign of slowing, and with new businesses jumping on the bandwagon on a regular basis, I expect to see a wealth of new developments over the coming year. |
0.999703 | Calculate the absolute value element-wise.
An ndarray containing the absolute value of each element in x. For complex input, a + ib, the absolute value is . |
0.999989 | A: Neurofeedback is a specific type of biofeedback procedure directed toward the renormalization of the brain and central nervous system. It utilizes the very tiny EEG (electroencephalogram) signals obtained from sensors on the scalp, to monitor the brainwaves and provide a corresponding signal (feedback) to the brain. In short, Neurofeedback is brainwave training, a tool for the brain to directly learn flexibility, mental control and increased stability. |
0.999715 | How I contributed: This project’s focus is designed to support the field staff of the Cornell Cooperative Extension C.C.E. The CCE has collaborated with Cornell’s CEA unit to conduct workshops to promote the development of a sustainable Hydroponic Production Systems for Strawberry Production in the New York State. I was assigned to the Dr. Timmons’ Aquaculture Lab group of Cornell’s Biological and Environmental Engineering as an agricultural technical consulting intern in the greenhouse agriculture production and market space. I was tasked to conduct a research, analyze current trends, provide feedback and report on the findings, then recommend a conceptual design for the end-user dashboard with components essential to developing a final product. The end users are farmers in the NYS area. One key element this dashboard needs to be simple but essential to these end-users.
What I felt most challenged by: With no room to be micro-managed, I had to hit the ground running. I realized creating technical designs for a large agricultural project that needs to be kept simple for the end-user was a big challenge. A technical consultant must have patience when starting from scratch and has a quick turn-around time. I had to research, collate and decipher academic literature for my assignments. My PI was very supportive and helped me to be productive. Additionally, the end-user and the people that your project will be supporting needs results and quality deliverables. I was able to interact with plant scientists, technical personnel and researchers who were very helpful in giving me advice. Fundamentally, I was forced to think outside of the box and experienced the challenges faced by consultants.
What I enjoyed most: I really enjoyed the fact that I was given the freedom to create my own ideas and bring them to the discussion table. I was given full support in conceptualizing, and even the Professors were readily available to try new ideas I presented them. I am grateful I had the experience to see how it was to work as a member of a large team. Everyone had their own assignments, and each played an essential role in solving a big problem. Although this internship was done on Cornell’s campus I had the chance to be part of a major research project at an Ivy League University. I've traveled to India, Costa Rica, and the Caribbean, but an Internship in the United States is a unique experience because it’s so fast-paced. Overall, contributing my inputs to the group felt rewarding and appreciated.
Would I recommend this experience: Yes, I would recommend interning at the Cornell CEA and Dr. Timmonds lab group to other students especially those with a strong interdisciplinary background even though not necessary. The group has different areas for supporting students interests. Just be dedicated and be ready to work. IOT is not just a key component in agriculture but is being used in many development projects especially areas of environmental sustainability and data analysis. The entire staff and support group at the CEA/BEE was very welcoming and it is a great place to conduct interdisciplinary research. I am glad that my efforts will contribute to the farmers and CCE field staff. It’s a great place to meet people, learn about plants, greenhouses, technology and also develop the needed skill set for your portfolio.
How I contributed: I prepared literature reviews and write ups for my supervisor that mainly worked toward developing WRI's knowledge products in partnership with the GIZ and the Green Climate Fund.
What I felt most challenged by: The most challenging aspect was getting used to having a set routine everyday and the working environment in general. Going to a city where I knew almost no one and having the autonomy to eat what I want and do what I want was a challenge in itself because I wanted to push myself to be more proactive.
What I enjoyed most: Being in DC was awesome and meeting new colleagues at WRI was a great experience. There's a lot to see in the city with events happening every weekend so the city was never boring. At WRI, they had a annual summer internship program, which made it easy to meet new people and make friends.
Would I recommend this experience: I would definitely recommend a summer internship at WRI because it truly is a thorough learning experience of both the work environment and the development field as they have programs that encompass almost all aspects of development. Gaining exposure to not only professionals but also the kind of work they do was crucial to learning what kind of work I would want to do for the future. Thus, this experience is definitely recommended.
How I contributed: I was asked to do a lot of research on policy dialogues and other international organizations globally in order to determine a more effective way of eradicating hunger and aiding developing countries. I also met with a lot of other interns and employees at IFPRI to expand my knowledge of the organization's familial community. All in all, I contributed to a working paper for the "Development, Strategy and Government" division for building partnerships with other organizations worldwide.
What I felt most challenged by: I think the most challenging aspect of being an intern in an international organization was being able to keep up with some of the professional language and writing style being used and expected of. Being my first experience with work, working at IFPRI truly pushed my boundaries in terms of being more outgoing and attempting to meet more people while also putting my skills as a researching and writer.
What I enjoyed most: The working environment at IFPRI is extremely welcoming and friendly which made going to work such a good experience. I was able to talk to a lot of other people about their paths and why they were working in this field which made me feel more inspired to pursue my dreams and this major. I had a nice office shared with two other interns (for half my time there) and was able to meet good friends and amazing mentors who I feel like I can definitely talk to when need be.
Would I recommend this experience: I definitely would recommend interning at IFPRI to other students because I think it's always a great opportunity to be working with such a credible organization but that also is extremely welcoming to new interns and employees. As it is a research institute, IFPRI is a great place to meet people in this field who are specialized and have some of the highest degrees of education; ultimately to be inspired and to get advice as well.
What I felt most challenged by: My supervisor asked me to identify patterns which might lead to higher than average invoice disputes with customers. Having some experience in data mining from my previous internship at Princeton Computational Biology summer program, I applied my knowledge of R into analysis financial data. I felt challenged using R for financial data analysis, as I only used this programming language with biological data. Having spent some time adjusting, I was able to implement the language with my financial data sets.
What I enjoyed most: During last few weeks of my internship, I utilized my knowledge of Russian and Azerbaijani languages to reach out to Halliburton customers who are located in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where only a minimal percent of invoicing is done electronically. It was a pleasant experience to put my bilingual abilities to use.
Would I recommend this experience: I really enjoyed the corporate culture within Halliburton. They took a great care of their interns. They placed me in a hotel near the company headquarters at no charge, paid my round-trip flight from New York to Houston and the pay was great. As a part of our internship, we had weekly presentations from different departments at Halliburton, which helped us to understand company culture in broader terms. Also, we had many field trips to different campuses of Halliburton. |
0.99637 | Detoxification Details Article - What is Detoxification?
Detoxification comes in many forms and refers to many different programs that cleanse the body of toxins. Today, our environment is toxic and the foods we eat, even the air we breathe and the water we drink is laden with chemicals foreign to our system.
Therefore, everyone is undergoing some type of detoxification to maintain life and health. Although basic detoxification begins with diet, detox programs may include nutritional fortification for the liver, lungs, kidneys, bowels and blood.
We will soon see why these organs are so important in detoxification. Detoxification for the body may refer to the cleansing of the bowels, kidneys, lungs, the liver or the blood, since these are the organs involved in detoxification of chemicals and toxins from the body.
The liver acts as an "in-line" filter for the removal of foreign substances and wastes from the blood. The kidneys filter wastes from the blood into the urine, while the lungs remove volatile gases as we breathe.
Our body is designed to utilize natural substances, which includes foods, herbs and phytochemicals. Any foreign substance will serve as a stimulus to our immune system, which has the function of removing these substances.
Although the toxicity of a chemical may vary, it is the job of the liver to reduce toxins into compounds that the body can safely handle and eliminate through the kidneys (as urine), skin (as sweat), lungs (as expelled air) and bowels (as feces).
Maintaining these eliminative organs in good working order is essential for one's good health to continue.
While there are many detoxification programs available, they differ in their actions and their intent. Some detoxification programs (DP) work only with the bowels, others may cleanse the liver or the blood, and others may aid the kidneys or the skin in their functions.
By combining these detox programs into a total health program, one can effectively restore their health to an optimal level and look younger in the process. When the body can eliminate toxins, then health is restored and energy and vigor are revitalized.
Many different approaches to detoxification and wellness will work, even though they attack the problem at different levels. Any program that augments detoxification will improve health.
Other factors must be considered in detoxification, like nutrition, water, and exercise, rest, sunshine, and fresh air.
Detoxification diets help the body to eliminate toxins in many ways. First, natural vegetarian diets include the fiber needed for stimulating good bowel eliminate.
They also contain the proper amounts of vitamins that feed and nourish the bowels and the liver, as well as other eliminative organs. They also include a valuable source of enzymes since most vegetarian diets are eaten raw.
The elimination of meat from the diet for a short period enhances detoxification because meat is so difficult to digest and requires many enzymes for its digestion. Therefore, vegetarian diets are cleansing diets and aid the body in elimination of toxins.
Of course, changing diets and lifestyle is easier said than done for some people. Many people want health and will go to any length to improve their health, including dietary changes. But there are others who do not want to change their life style for anything.
These people will be difficult to motivate and will not stick with the detox programs for one day. They may not want to give up their sodas, or their cigarettes, their beer or their coffee.
They may make a few changes, like drinking more water, or they may give up completely in a very short notice. Our way of eating has been cultivated over many years and will not change over night.
But to those who do want better health and do not want to rely on pills/drugs for their existence, nutritional changes will be welcomed, especially when they start feeling better and having more energy.
Diets are very important and are usually the basis for any detox program, whether it is herbs, cleansing or other detox programs.Detox diets will generally eliminate trigger foods, which may cause many problems with digestion and elimination.
Foods like wheat (glutens) and dairy (milk, cheese) are often the cause of allergies. Sugar is eliminated because of its "empty calories" and tendency to produce hypoglycemia. Meats are eliminated because they may contain hormones, antibiotics and are difficult to digest.
Caffeine is wise to avoid, since it has many ill effects on the body's digestion. Refined, processed and junk foods are also out for any detox program to work.
Generic diets for detoxification are good, but may not stimulate the liver, lungs or the kidneys as much as one would like. Therefore, herbal cleanses are indicated when we want to hone our cleanse to a "sharp edge" and be organ specific.
Of course, herbs are foods too and provide one with vitamins, minerals and enzymes for excellent nutrition. Herbs are powerful, because they may be combined together to fortify those herbs that aid specific organs.
For example, herbal combinations that aid the liver may be found in many organic food stores. The list below shows how herbal combinations help the various organs.
While herbs may be taken at any time, they are best for detoxification purposes when they are used with a good diet also. It does not make any sense to take herbs to cleanse the liver if the bowels are clogged with junk or refined foods, since the liver dumps its toxins into the bowels.
And while detoxification diets are effective by themselves, they may be reinforced and speeded up with herbs, which stimulate the eliminative organs.
Herbs may be used as teas, powders or extracts. Powders are usually encapsulated for easier swallowing, but are best when taken with meals and digestive enzymes. Extracts may be used when specific herbs are needed, but may be extracted with alcohol, which we need to avoid.
Herbal teas are easily made and easily taken all throughout the day. They are mild and gentle and sometimes refreshing and sometimes bitter.
Experimentation may be in order until one develops the right tea to drink. Herbal teas is a topic in itself, since there are so many and different ways to make them.
Drink a glass of water with psyllium husk powder (follow with another glass of water).
Note: Following a good diet is mandatory for herbs to work optimally. See section on diets for detox.
Detoxification should include some type of skin cleansing, because our skin it one of our best eliminative organs. Heavy metals are actually released through the skin's pores when we sweat.
Sauna baths and steam rooms are great for removing toxins from the skin and regenerating one's health and energy. It has been documented that our skin's sweat glands when combined can perform as much detoxification as one (or both) kidneys.
Therefore, it is very important to support our skin for detoxification to be maximal. If our kidneys are damaged, then helping the skin will help the kidneys ... indirectly, but effectively.
Good skin care is in order, if one's health is to benefit, also. Using chemicalized skin care products is not wise, even though they are cheaper. These chemicals may be absorbed into our circulation and provide more "toxins" for our liver to deal with.
We are not made out of cast iron, and even the chemicals in our soaps and shampoos will make a difference with our health. Most people do not "see" the ill effects of these subtle chemicals, because their liver is able to metabolize them.
But, individuals who are environmentally toxic will see a great change in their health when using natural soaps and shampoos. We should take their advice and use only natural skin care products also.
Cleansing our skin is rather simple. First, we need to bathe daily using natural soaps. Then we need to care for the skin by using only natural oils and products of natural origin. Even the clothes we wear can make a big difference in our health. Synthetic fibers do not absorb sweat (toxins), while natural fibers, like cotton, will absorb toxins.
Dry skin brushing helps in removing the outer dead skin layers and keeps the pores open. Another good method of skin brushing is with vigorous toweling off after bathing. Towel roughly until the skin is slightly red. Change towels often because they will contain toxins.
Good skin care also requires good nutrition.[ii] Since our skin is mainly fat, we need high quality fats and oil from natural sources to give our skin health. Butter and olive oil are two excellent natural oils, which keep the skin in good condition. As always, the fats/oils should be natural ... only.
Use 1/2 cup of baking soda or use 1/2 cup of Epsom salt or use 1/2 cup of sea salt. Soak for 15-20 minutes and then scrub the skin gently with soap on a natural fiber.
Within a few minutes the water will turn murky and "dirty." The darkness to the water is heavy metals coming out of the skin (aluminum and mercury). Do this once a week during detox and once a month for maintenance.
Fasting with vegetable juices can be another excellent way to develop good health and cleanse the body of toxins. Juices, minus their pulp (fiber), contain an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and enzymes.
When the pulp is not added, one is able to drink more juice than they are able to eat. For example, one can easily consume the juice of several heads of lettuce in one sitting, but may not be able to eat the lettuce whole.
This allows the body to get an abundance of nutrients with minimal processing (digestion). Fasting on mono-juices also allows the body proper time to process these juices and helps to preserve our valuable digestive enzymes.
With some juicers, the pulp is discarded, but it may be saved and added back for fiber (not too much). Juices contain good sources of antioxidants and enzymes, both of which are needed for cleansing and eliminating toxins. Juices are also easy to digest and help those with digestive problems.
Our bowel flora is also important for detoxification and normal health. Probiotics is the term given to the normal bowel flora, which are taken as supplements.
It has been found that these normal flora actually defend our body from the pathogenic species of bacteria and perform many vital functions, such as detoxification of toxic chemicals and making valuable vitamins (mainly the B vitamins).
When our normal flora are present they secrete mediators in which the pathogenic forms cannot grow. But the reverse is also true, that when the pathogenic forms take over, they will exclude the normal flora with their toxins.
Many scientists feel that it is the toxins secreted from the pathogens and not the pathogens themselves that create disease. The ability of all bacteria to change and grow under specific conditions of their immediate environment is called pleiomorphism.
Cell wall deficient forms are "bacteria" which lack a defined cell wall, yet have all the specifications of being bacterial-like. Even viruses have been found to exhibit morphological forms, which resemble bacteria and fungus.
While this is not widely accepted by modern medical scientists, it has been proven beyond a shadow of doubt by eminent scientists, like Virginia Livingston Wheeler, Irene Diller, and Royal Rife.
Their microscopic studies have revealed that bacteria and viruses and fungus may be all different forms of the same organism, differing only by the environment in which they are grown.
Antibiotics kill off the good bacteria as well as the bad and allow the bad to repopulate and develop antibiotic resistance. Natural forms of antibiotics are better, since they do not kill off the good bacteria with the bad and do not allow drug" resistance to take place.
Garlic, for example, is perhaps, 200 times more effective against pathogens than most antibiotics today. And it does not produce antibiotic resistance forms, which is a danger to all our health. As antibiotics become more widely used, more antibiotic resistant forms will be encountered.
Herbal antiseptics and antibacterial tonics are far better and less dangerous to our over-all health, because they do not kill of the good bacteria with the bad.
Replacing our natural flora is a good step for preventing disease and keeping our bowels healthy and populated with normal flora. Taking probiotics containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidus can help us in our detox program and also in repopulating the gut after a cleanse.
Our normal healthy flora should be a part of any detoxification program.
The use of antioxidants, like vitamins A, E, and especially C, are very essential for detoxification since they are involved with the detoxification of toxins. Antioxidants are involved with helping cells to neutralize free radicals that can cause mutations and cellular damage.
As these free radicals are neutralized, the antioxidant vitamins will be used and exhibit low levels. Vitamin A and E are fat soluble and will be found in our fat tissues/stores, but vitamin C is water soluble and will be found mainly in our skin (between the cells according to Reams).
Vitamin C is also involved with many other important bodily functions, like collagen formation, wound healing, energy production and fighting off colds (viruses).
The function of antioxidants is so important that any deficiency of them will be seen as catastrophic to one's health. When our antioxidants are low, energy is not available and detoxification cannot take place in a normal fashion.
Therefore, toxins accumulate or are stored until they can be processed. The liver and many other organs are compromised in their functions when antioxidants are low.
Just the lack of energy is enough to cause the body to have compromised or poor health, because it is energy that is required for the removal of toxins and wastes.
Vitamin C should be taken with bioflavinoids to ensure that all the components of the vitamin C complex are taken together, since they work together. Pure ascorbic acid is called vitamin C, but does little by itself.
We tend to think that ascorbic acid as vitamin C, but it is only part of the vitamin C complex. Vitamin C is very essential to any detoxification program, because that is what the body uses for energy to process and eliminate these toxic waste Vitamin C can be taken in very high doses until the bowel tolerance level [BTL] is achieved.
This BTL is different for different people. Some persons reach tolerance at 4-5 grams (4,000-5,000 mg), while others may not reach tolerance until 10-15 grams (10,000-15,000 mg).
Cancer patients notoriously can take 20-30 grams (20,000-30,000 mg) of vitamin C before tolerance is reached ... meaning that they needed more vitamin C than most people.
By taking vitamin C to its tolerance level we find out 1) what our BTL is and 2) how saturated our body is with Vitamin C. Vitamin C was found by Linus Pauling and Ewan Cameron to be very effective in helping many patients to over come that killer disease, called cancer.
Perhaps, this was because vitamin C was needed for detoxification of toxins, which "caused" the cancer in the first place. Although Pauling and Cameron were greatly criticized for their work with vitamin C, they were able to help many people overcome cancer and without compromising their health with toxic drugs.
The use of enzymes in detoxification is important, because the body needs an adequate supply of enzymes, not only for digestion, for also for detoxification.
Enzymes are best obtained from fresh raw fruits and vegetables, but may be taken daily with meals as nutritional supplements of multi-digestive enzymes.
Enzymes in our food helps us to digest that food, but many foods today are processed, refined, heated (cooked), radiated and stored, which destroys enzymes and leaves it non-vital.[iv] Foods with enzymes destroyed will have a longer shelf life, but will not give one health when it is eaten.
Fresh raw fruits and vegetables are the best source for enzymes and help to give one vibrant health. Enzymes are also used by the body in detoxification of toxic substances.
The liver is the source of most detoxification enzymes, which it must make, or store. To aid the body in removing and eliminating wastes and toxins, enzymes are best taken in between meals.
This way they do not get involved with digestion, but go to the liver and to the blood for detoxification.
Many therapies have utilized enzymes for improving health and enzymes have long been the key to many detoxification therapies which have helped many to over come that dreaded disease, cancer.
Kelley, Gerson, Moerman, and Neiper used alternative nutritional therapies with enzymes for curing cancer. The famous Wobe Mugos enzymes from Europe were utilized with Laetrile therapies for cancer.
Never was Laetrile give alone, but was used with vitamins, diet and enzymes. This made the Laetrile therapy very successful in the 1970s.
If cancer is a toxic condition, which many feel that it is, then taking enzymes will help it. And it does.
The use of raw foods in many detoxification diets are using the enzymes found naturally in those foods. Additionally, these raw foods provide fiber and, with proper food combining, will not waste the body enzymes reserves.
Preserving enzymes is the key to over coming disease and living to ripe old age and remaining healthy. Yes, vitamins and minerals are important, but vitamins are enzyme co-factors and many minerals are use to activate enzymes.
Therefore, the vitamins and minerals themselves are only augmenting the role of the enzymes which are detoxifying toxins and supporting metabolism.
Enzymes also help the bowels in cleansing, because they liquefy the bowel content, which makes transit much easier. The role of enzymes in digestion is to break down foods for digestion and absorption.
When foods are broken down they become more liquid and the bowels move much easier and faster. Transit time is decreased and our health is increased when toxins are removed and eliminated.
Perhaps, this is a link to breaking the "constipation chain." Enzymes are the key to health. Preserve our enzymes and we will be healthy for a long time.
This is why one hears a lot about the bowels, and bowel cleansing. In severe cases, enemas and colonics may be needed to breakup and washout long-standing bowel encrustations. Diet may do the same thing as an enema or colonic, it will just take longer.
Also, one should be very diligent in repopulating after a total washout of the normal flora and probiotics will be necessary to restore that balance.
Constipation is a national pastime and slow bowels are more common today than years previous. For one thing, people not only ate better 100 years ago, they were more active and got out doors more.
When the bowels slow down, toxins are not eliminated and are reabsorbed and carried back to the liver for recycling and elimination. Reabsorbed bile salts have been linked to increased cholesterol levels; therefore, cholesterol is a major indicator of constipation.
Also, when the bowels get slow and toxin levels increase, the pathogenic microorganisms grow to out-number the normal flora causing dysbiosis. Although flora is needed to correct this, it is the clogged bowels that are the major problem. When the bowels move again, everything else will fall into order.
Our endocrine glands that control metabolism are also involved; since it is our thyroid that controls metabolism and metabolism affects how our bowels are functioning. In this way, constipation can be seen as a symptom of hypothyroidism.
Low body temperatures (a symptom of hypothyroidism) are very common today ...although they are not "normal" ... as many authors have reported.
One major factor in low body temperatures is the suppression of thyroid function by heavy metals, like mercury, which binds to our thyroid hormones and renders them inactive. Eliminate the mercury and the body temperature is likely to return to normal.
The easiest way to get the bowels moving is by using a high fiber diet consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables. Sometimes, one may add extra fiber during the day by drinking a glass of water (juice) with psyllium husk powder.
The extra fiber adds to the bulk of the stool and decreases the bowel transit time, which means better toxin elimination and better health. It makes sense that if one can eliminate toxins their health will improve.
One of the best ways to improve the bowel function is with herbal remedies that act as bowel stimulants or laxatives. These products range from the very mild - slippery elm - to the stimulant - cascara sagrada- to the very harsh - aloes and senna.
Everyone may react differently to these products, so they should be taken cautiously at first. Some persons may take two aloes with no effect (meaning they are heavily blocked), while others may take a mild herbal and get a much greater effect than most.
Herbal bowel combination formulas are excellent because they not only stimulate the bowels to move, but give the bowels the nourishment it needs to move on its own.
Herbal formulas should not preclude a wholesome natural diet, since diet comes first in matters of health. One should not become overly dependent on herbal laxatives, since they deplete potassium and may be "addicting" as some authors claim.
Yet, herbal products play a key role in getting the body to eliminate toxins by stimulating the eliminative organs like nothing else can and, therefore, cannot be ignored.
The Herxheimer Reaction occurs when the body is detoxifying too rapidly and toxins are being released faster than the body can eliminate them.
When this occurs, one will suffer from headaches, nausea, vomiting, and malaise. Even though this is but a short period of the health program, it can be severe and deter one from reaching their intended goals.
Also, the person may not know what they are experiencing and think that they are regressing.
If the Herxheimer reaction occurs, cut back on your health detoxification program. Reduce the dose of herbs and follow the above outline to reduce the symptoms of toxin elimination.
The more toxins there are to eliminate, the sicker one is when they come out. Generally, one will feel better when all is over and health is restored again. Just remember, don't give up.
Detoxification may produce symptoms of headaches, nausea, malaise and vomiting due to the toxins being released [Herxheimer Reaction]. If this occurs, one should back off the program and proceed slowly.
Proceeding to fast with detoxification can have disastrous results when toxins are released into the circulation. Our body should be primed and ready to eliminate toxins before they are released.
We do this by getting the bowels working, keeping the skin clean and getting the kidneys and lungs operating. Only by having all organs of elimination in proper operating order can our body begin to dump toxins efficiently and maximally.
Keeping the skin clean and healthy is of prime importance also.
Detoxification is essential for good health to exist. Our body must eliminate toxins daily or we would die immediately. Since our environment is more toxic today, our livers are over stressed with environmental toxins to deal with daily.
Processing other toxins, when the liver is stressed, may be delayed. Detoxification is also a lifestyle change. For it is by the way we live that determines our health and how our liver processes toxins.
Detoxification is easy if we eat a wholesome natural organic diet and live life in a natural way. But for those who want their cake and eat it too, detoxification may be compromised.
A change your lifestyle may be needed and detoxification will be forthcoming. Nature has afforded us the chance to live in a toxic environment and not be affected by it.
Of course, we have to live right to get that chance. Without detoxification we may not get a second chance.
Good health is within our reach, but first we must cleanse this "temple" and eat a wholesome natural diet that provides us with maximal nutrients and fiber. Herbs can help us stimulate the liver, lungs, kidneys and bowels when needed, but diet is the first priority in any detoxification program. Don't become overly dependent on herbal laxatives.
When toxins are released one may feel bad for a day or two, but when our good health is restored we will have renewed energy and will "soar on the wings of an eagle". Many people living today have never known what good health "feels" like.
They survive with an abundance of toxins and an existence less than healthy.
Good health is not hard to find, but does require diligence and life style changes which are compatible with toxin elimination. Sir Jason Winters Says, "Death begins in the colon."
With good toxin elimination through natural detoxification programs our health and energy are restored.
[i]. "The Best Way to Detox," Jill Ruttenberg, Natural Health, Oct 1999, p 88-92, 152.
SITE DISCLAIMER: Do these products “cure” anything? Of course not… but it stands to reason that if you cleanse your body and feed it the finest nutrition available, giving it everything it needs in balance, on a daily basis, that your body will do what nature intended, and give you the best possible chance to fend off sickness and disease. This detoxification details article is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The detoxification details article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any detoxification details article questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.
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0.879719 | Musculoskeletal pain and injury continue to be prevalent sources of disability for thousands of workers in the U.S. every year. Proactive approaches to the reduction of this incidence attempt to prevent the injury by effecting task design so that human capabilities and limitations are driving factors in the task design and analysis process. Knowledge about the posture and kinematics that might be employed by an individual in performing a task is an important element of these proactive approaches to task design and analysis, especially for manual materials handling (i.e., lifting) exertions. In turn, accurate models that predict posture and kinematics can reduce the need for empirical postural and kinematic data in this task development process. Artificial neural networks were used in this investigation to achieve these predictions. As input, these networks received information about lift characteristics (e.g. target location, movement duration) and returned a predicted set of joint angles. Two types of networks were created, one to predict static posture based on target position, the second to predict the time histories of several joint angles (i.e., kinematics) as an object is lifted or lowered. Initial networks were created for sagittally symmetric lifts (two dimensions), but the final set of networks was expanded to make predictions for symmetric and asymmetric lifts in three dimensions. Networks were trained and verified with an empirical set of non-cyclic lifting motions. Notably, the within-subject variability in these motions was similar in magnitude to the associated between-subjects variability. In general, the networks were able to assimilate the data relatively well, especially in predicting kinematics, where root mean square errors were typically smaller than 20 degrees. These errors were similar in magnitude to the levels of within-subject variability observed in the dataset. Network performance also compared favorably to other existing models, typically resulting in smaller prediction errors than these other approaches. In addition, the internal connections of trained networks were examined to infer hypothetical motor control strategies. Results of this examination showed that feedback was an important component in providing kinematic predictions, whereas posture prediction benefited greatly from knowledge about individual anthropometry. Finally, potential improvements to increase prediction accuracy are discussed. Overall, these results support the use of artificial neural network models to predict posture and kinematics for lifting tasks. |
0.980181 | Guacamole is a sauce that is primarily avocado-based. It originated in Mexico, with the Aztec tribe. The following section mentions some easy guacamole recipes made from avocado.
At times, you may feel like eating something different for a change, but may not know how to cook it. The following guacamole recipes are easy to prepare, tasty, and will be a nice change from everyday snacks.
Ingredients: 2 ripe avocados, 1 small onion, 1 clove of garlic, 1 small tomato, 1½ tablespoon lime juice, salt, and pepper.
First, peel the avocados and remove the pits.
Next, peel the garlic and onion, and finely chop both.
Chop the tomato into small pieces.
Mash the avocado and add the remaining ingredients to it. Stir the mixture well.
This dish can be served cold with tortillas.
Ingredients: For each avocado, you will require ¼ teaspoon of salt, 2 teaspoons of salsa, ¾ teaspoon of garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon of lime juice. You will also need chopped cilantro and chopped onion.
Chop the avocado in two parts and squeeze it till the pit pops out. Scoop it into the bowl.
Add a bit of salt, salsa, and garlic powder.
Add cilantro and onion, and stir it well.
Ingredients: 2 ripe avocados, 1 small container of fresh pico de gallo, ½ lime, salt, and pepper.
Peel the skin of the avocado and remove the seed. Mash it and add 2-3 teaspoons of pico de gallo.
Finally, add lime, pepper, and salt for taste.
Ingredients: 3 large avocados, 1 large tomato, ½ bowl finely chopped onion, cilantro leaves, ½ tablespoon of salt and pepper, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, 1 habanero or jalapeno chili pepper, and ½ teaspoon of chili powder.
Cut the avocado to remove the meat and pit. For removing the meat, you can carve it out with a spoon by scraping the skin from inside. Put the meat in a bowl and mash it till it becomes smooth and creamy.
Cut the tomato and chop ½ a cup of onion. Mix this with the mashed avocado and stir well. Also add a few leaves of cilantro.
Add salt, pepper, lime juice, and chili powder to this mixture, and stir gently with a spoon.
If you want to make it spicy, you can add either jalapeno or habanero pepper. However, habanero is spicier than jalapeno, so use it judiciously.
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh cilantro, 2 tablespoons of finely chopped yellow onions, 2 tablespoons of serrano chilies, salt, 2 large ripe avocados--peeled and seeded, 2 tablespoons of finely chopped tomatoes, and 2 teaspoons of fresh lime juice.
Mash 1 teaspoon of onion with 1 teaspoon of chili and 1 tablespoon of cilantro. Add salt to this mixture.
Next, add the avocados and mash with a fork till they becomes smooth and chunky.
Add the cilantro, onion, and chili to it.
Finally, add tomato and lime juice to the mixture and stir it well.
These dishes do not take more than a few minutes to prepare, and are also healthy to eat. |
0.998973 | Lawyer to the suspect: Is there any witness who knows that you have not murdered this person?
Suspect : Yes Sir, someone knows it.
Lawyer: Common tell me who it is.
Suspect: The person who has died knows it. |
0.999999 | Will you join me on a spooky adventure?
Join Hans in a fantasy world and experience a unique adventure, full of surprises and challenges. Get hooked on an immersive tale, where every decision counts and every clue is a piece to solve the puzzle and get the treasure. Unravel the sordid secrets of the castle, meet colourful characters, and remember: horror always lurks beneath the surface. With a retro, halfway-between-8-and-16-bit style and inspired by classic games like The Legend of Zelda, Yume Nikki, Silent Hill or Dark Souls, among others, The Count Lucanor is an amazing mystery and horror adventure set in a fairytale world. The game features important choices, alternative endings, secrets and different ways to solve puzzles. The title is in development for PC, Mac and Linux.
Exploration: Walk the Tenebre Castle and place candles on the ground to light up your path.
Conversation: Talk to NPCs to get important clues and unravel the mystery of the Count Lucanor.
Choices: Your actions change the course of the story, with five different endings and several subplots.
Stealth: Hide under tables and behind curtains to go undetected.
Puzzles: Use the items you found wisely in order to progress.
Skill: Avoid traps and enemies in the castle by anticipating them. |
0.993027 | Place clues thoughtfully in public places to ensure they're not prematurely discovered.
Whether you're throwing an adolescent's birthday party, or spending an afternoon teaching your children about their town's history, scavenger hunts are an enjoyable way to reward a child or celebrate a milestone. If you're planning a city-wide scavenger hunt, it's important to thoughtfully hide the clues to ensure they're not disturbed, stolen or in another citizen's way. There are several ways to cleverly hide scavenger hunt clues in almost any public spot to ensure they won't be in anyone's way, but still relatively easy to find.
Scout the potential public locations you're using in the scavenger hunt beforehand. Look for places to hide the clues that are out-of-the-way, yet easy to uncover. For example, if your clue involves a public fountain, consider adhering the riddle's answer to a statue or other decorative element's underside.
Create a map indicating where the clues are hidden. This is especially important if you're hiding multiple clues. Use the map as a reference if the kids are stuck on a clue, or you cannot remember where you hid it yourself.
Write down all the clues on index cards. Avoid using derogatory or potentially offensive language, just in case the clue is found by a stranger or child. Place the clues inside clear plastic baggies to protect them against any precipitation.
Hide the clues a few minutes or hours before the party. Holding off as long as possible cuts down on the possibility of the clues being found by strangers. Once again, try to hide the clues in an inconspicuous area, but avoid making it overly difficult to locate them.
Station parents or friends at the public location. Instruct them to stay out of sight and monitor the clue. If they notice a stranger grabbing the clue, instruct them to politely explain that it's for a scavenger hunt and ask them to please leave it alone.
Consider posting friends and family members as public places and use them as the clue. For example, if the scavenger hunt leads your kids to a shopping mall, instruct the adult to stand in the corner of the food court and provide them with the next clue. |
0.966122 | Today’s Text: Psalm 119:159 (NIV) See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your love.
When I was a child, I remember thinking that three-way light bulbs were pretty cool. I can’t find any reference on the internet to when the first 3-way bulb was introduced, but it seemed like they were fairly new when I was a kid. Any of you that are older than me remember having them?
I was fascinated by the way you could change how much light came out of one bulb just by turning the switch. I remember the two 3-way lamps in the living room of our house, and how my dad would constantly ask if we really needed the light to be that bright. He loved saving money. I liked playing with the lamps.
Now they have dimmer switches for everything with infinite possibilities, but somehow it’s just not the same for me. You see, with dimmer switches, it’s too easy to just leave it on full and forget we actually have the ability to change the brightness. But with three-way switches, we have to go through all of the levels to get back to off, thus reminding us with each and every use of the opportunity for cost savings and mood creation.
156 Your compassion is great, O LORD; preserve my life according to your laws.
159 See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your love.
Each time the Psalmist asks God to preserve his life, it is for a different reason, and each request reveals a brighter intensity of the relationship.
Preserve my life because you promised to.
Preserve my life because you are just.
Preserve my life because you love me.
A thorough reading of verses 153 through 160 reveals that the Psalmist is in trouble. He is suffering at the hands of enemies who are persecuting him. He asks for deliverance and redemption. He asks for his life to be restored to a place of security. In the darkness of the day he remembers that there is a light that will surround him with safety if he will just turn it on. He reaches for the switch, and turns it on.
Preserve my life because you promised to, and you cannot break a promise.
After spending a few moments letting his eyes adjust to the light that now brings hope to his heart based on the remembrance of God’s promises, he turns the switch one more time.
Preserve my life because you are just, and everything is happening according to your laws. Those who break your laws are guaranteed to be held accountable to you, and those who live in righteous obedience to your laws will be rewarded.
He confesses those areas of personal failure to obey God’s laws, and the compassion and forgiveness that sweep over his soul restore his faith in God and His justice. The light shines brighter in his heart as he gives thanks for God’s grace and releases his plans for vengeance to the One who is the final Judge. He turns the switch once more.
Preserve my life because you love me, and I love you. Everything that has happened has been approved by your love for me to bring me to a place of rest in your arms.
The light can shine no brighter than this. If we are not content with the love of God, and turn the switch again, all will become dark. The promises of God bring some light. The grace and forgiveness of God bring more light. But the love of God is the full expression of His light to us. Jesus is the Light of the world, and when the Light of God’s love shines fully in our hearts, we need nothing more. |
0.999869 | 1. Facebook Homeschool Groups - There are Facebook groups out there where you can sell and swap curriculum. This is a great way to get books and bundles that are harder to find somewhere else.
2. Ebay--For years I would find my usually expensive curriculum way cheaper at Ebay. Teachers guides/textbooks and answer keys are also a wonderful find here!
3. Craigslist--Check out their book, garage sale, and free section.
4. Amazon--Amazon has great items at often rock bottom prices that you can find used. Click here for homeschool curriculum and school supplies.
5. Garage Sales--Several times I have found other homeschooling families who have had sales in my area who were getting rid of some of their books. I was able to purchase whole boxes of items--what a steal! Be sure to go when teachers are having sales too, you can find all kinds of great teaching supplies.
6. Homeschool Support Group--Moms in your support group are great for selling off their unneeded books. If you have a homeschool support group or circle of homeschooling mom friends you could also do a book swap and/or ask them to let your borrow some books for a year.
7. Online Groups--I am part of a Homeschool trading and selling group and there is so much available at such low prices!
8. Homeschool Used Curriculum Book Sales--Find out when these are in your area and save the date. Come prepared with list in hand of what you need and be ready to make a killing.
9. Homeschool Conferences--There are booths set up at these conferences that sell used curriculum and they also usually have a table for moms to sell their used curriculum. Be sure to check it all out and compare. Sometimes they will even have FREE boxes.
10. Library--Of course it is a great place to check out all kinds of items you need from books, audio and video--but also don't forget to find out when their used book sales are on. We have purchased loads of books and readers this way, all no more than a quarter each and sometimes less than that. At my library we have access to several other local libraries in the area and can request items from all of them.
11. Design Your Own--With the availability of the internet today, many ambitious moms are taking on the task of designing their own curriculum with low or no cost. Here is a book that I recommend which talks a bit about that: Homeschooling on a Shoe String.
12. Free Websites--There are free websites like Ambleside Online one that help you teach your children through the years. There are also tons of free sites that offer free printables for all kinds of subjects from handwriting to unit studies.
13. Thrift Stores-I have heard of mothers finding workbooks, classics, art supplies and all kinds of other things here. One mother had found a math workbook for just 20 cents for her fifth grader!
14. Sell Your Books--List your unneeded homeschool items on websites to make back some extra money to buy new books/supplies for the following year. I would also hold a garage sale in the summer for this very purpose.
15. Think Outside the Box--Don't feel pressured to just use what you see in the glossy homeschool catalogs. Be creative--there is always more than one way to skin a cat! Are there books already available in your home to teach a subject? Are there resources online you could use to teach a concept? I have heard of one mom who fell on hard times and used her older childrens old workbooks for her younger children by typing the lesson for the day on her computer and printing them out as new. Smart!
16. Buy with the Future in Mind - If you are buying for several children (like we are with 9 children) you might want to buy hardcover books that can be used over and over again. Passing down books have saved us a ton especially when they are durable quality hardcover type of books.
17. Share with Friends or Family - If you have homeschooling friends or family that homeschools why not ask them to borrow curriculum they are not using? I've let several friends borrow mine and was glad to be able to offer it. I really like this concept of helping each other and I like to do it frequently. This past year a sweet friend actually gifted us with curriculum that was worth $200 that we were wanting to use this year--what a blessing!
And might I also add that the most important thing that you should also do before anything here on the list is to PRAY!
many a homeschooling mothers prayers and needs.
This book has lots of great ideas and you can get a used copy for as low as a penny! |
0.955781 | In its heyday this building was a community icon, and still maintains the original neon on the exterior! What's the potential now? It features over 18,000 square foot of space overall. 10,000 square foot is to the rear of the building, a wide open area for possible retail or warehousing opportunity, with its own separate entrance. Approximately 2,500 square feet are nestled away in an upstairs bar, also with its own separate entrance. The remainder of the building (previously rented for $1200 per month) is set up as a bar/restaurant, again with its own separate entrance. The potential is three independent businesses in one convenient location, on a corner lot, with ample parking. This neighborhood is currently in a revitalization stage, with new business ownership just across the street infusing new energy into the area. This building is ready for you to bring it back to life. |
0.999999 | What were the 10 best films of 2016?
2016 had some great movies and the most popular which were released in the UK include epics like "Rogue One" and "The Revenant." We chose those we feel were some of the best films of 2016.
The latest Film off the "Star Wars" conveyor belt is one of the finest. Gareth Edwards picks up the mantle from the safe - but enjoyable - '"The Force Awakens," and raises the bar with a thrilling and surprisingly dark take on the "Star Wars" universe (you can read my in-depth review here).
"Room" is an absorbing and pensive story that flawlessly hits every intended emotional beat.
A great deal of the film hinges on the performances of Brie Larsson and child actor Jacob Tremblay - and the duo deliver in extraordinarily moving fashion." - quote from my January review.
Andrea Arnold's film follows an outcast group of youngsters, who travel across America selling magazines for a living. The breathtaking cinematography of Robbie Ryan is coupled with an excellently selected soundtrack to make this one of the most aesthetically arousing films of 2016.
"American Honey" is unashamedly grungy, unruly and misunderstood, but it is alive in a way that many films can only envy.
"Paterson" is an enchanting ode to the intricacies of life. Adam Driver plays a bus driver in the city of 'Paterson', whose love for his partner, his city and its people fuel his passion for poetry. Golshifteh Farahani also deserves a mention for one of the most delightful performances of 2016.
"Mustang" tells the story of five young girls struggling against the pressures of enforced gender roles and norms in rural Turkey. Deniz Gamze Erguven keeps a fine balance between charm and gravity, whilst bringing out excellent performances from his young cast. "Mustang"'s message is delivered with endearing authenticity and irrepressible spirit.
Finally, Leonardo DiCaprio got his Oscar. But this American epic owes much to the expert work of Alejandro G. Inarritu. He produces a series of unbelievable sequences and awe-inspiring visuals that make this an enthralling watch. Beyond the brilliance of Inarritu, Tom Hardy gives one of the best villainous performances of 2016.
This pulsating night out in Berlin is a one-take work of technical brilliance from Sebastian Schipper. "Victoria" effortlessly shifts through the gears from complete euphoria to deep contemplation, to utter despair. The result is a riveting and transformative night to remember.
Laszlo Nemes' debut feature undertakes the daunting task of representing the horrors of the Holocaust. Remarkably, he managed to produce one of the most visceral portrayals of a Nazi death camp put on the big screen. "Son of Saul" is a bone-chilling and devastating piece of cinema.
"The Arriva" gives an inventive and thoughtful take on the stagnant alien invasion genre. Amy Adams' performance as a linguist expert who must find a way to communicate with the visitors from outer-space is simply sublime.
Her remarkable display befits a film that is visionary and mesmerising throughout. Denis Villeneuve's tonally perfect film is only enhanced by Max Richter's beautiful music.
Charlie Kaufman's stop-motion animation masterpiece takes us into the mind of a self-destructive middle-aged man whose life begins to unravel on a lonely night in a hotel.
There are the expected Kaufman-isms of complex thought, tinged with an honest humour that trickles through the myriad of profundity. But it is the animation that gives Kaufman the freedom to play with voices and images in ways that, perhaps, missed the mark with audiences in 'Synecdoche, New York'.
Simply put, "Anomalisa is an indelible cinematic experience. |
0.994783 | How can milk get into the airway? What can go wrong?
Always remember the three key points to ensure safe tube feeding: 1) Pass the tube gently, this means the tube will safely and easily pass into the oesophagus, not the airway 2) Pass the tube far enough so the tip is positioned well beyond the airway entrance, ensure it stays there throughout fluid flow 3) Ensure the calf’s head AND neck remain above stomach level throughout feeding.
The tube is not passed far enough beyond the windpipe/airway opening – Antahi tubers provide a size markings to indicate when you have reached the safe zone. If in doubt, pass the tube further, always use the size guides as a minimum.
The tube comes out of the oesophagus during flow – ensure the tube is not pulled out.
The head OR neck is lower than the stomach resulting in gravity back flow. Remember the oesophagus sit very low in the neck so it is essential the lower neck is higher than the stomach.
The tube is pulled out too early – wait until all liquid has exited the tube and passed down the oesophagus before removing.
The calf is overfed resulting in overflow of fluid from the stomach and up the oesophagus – monitor your calf throughout feeding to ensure any discomfort, bloating, or change in behaviour is noticed. If your calf becomes uncomfortably full then stop flow by lowering the bottle.
The calf is sick and the stomach is not working properly resulting in backflow of fluid up the oesophagus.
The tube has entered the airway – see note.
The tube is punctured or damaged resulting in fluid leaking behind the tube tip.
If at any point you suspect something is wrong, immediately lower the bottle to stop fluid flow. Split feeds into smaller volumes if uncertain about how much liquid the calf has already consumed.
Handle the calf gently and pass the tube gently. The calf will swallow easily when it is comfortable. Do not turn the calf’s nose up of force the tube downward when passing the tube, this creates a more direct line toward the airway. Remember the oesophagus is ABOVE the airway (and slightly to the left) so imagine the tube needing to curve over the airway entrance NOT down.
Pre-soften the tube in very cold weather, this will help the tube flex around the airway.
If you feel resistance when passing the tube, withdraw the tube, direct the tube tip to the left side of the throat, ensure the calf is comfortable, and repass the tube (do not force). Entering the airway requires force – despite what some people say, feeling a ‘pop’ is not a good indication of appropriate tube placement as a) this could be confused with airway entry or b) you are damaging delicate tissue surrounding the airway.
Double check tube position. Learn to look or feel for the tube in the oesophagus in the left neck groove.
We understand some calves wriggle more than others. When you have a wriggly calf it is recommended that you wait for a few moments for the calf to settle, rather than tube feeding a highly stressed animal. Check the calf position – is it comfortable? Are you using a back stop or corner of the pen to relax the calf and reduce necessary head restraint? If the calf has moved from a standing to a sitting position this is fine provided the calf is still comfortable. Check the tube position in the oesophagus. Check the tube has not pulled out of position. Pass the tube further down to increase wiggle room (consider the size markers a minimum, you are safe to pass the tube further without causing damage). Then allow the liquid to flow.
Please see our calf handling tips and read our safe-use guide to help optimise the experience for both you and your calf. We have a great anatomy video available on our videos page.
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0.999914 | How do airlines get crew back to planned pairings in a timely manner?
AIRPORT CODES -Airport codes. tsa. travel acronyms. airports. airlines. ground transportation. travel acronyms. airport codes. ground transportation. tsa. airports. airlines. $100. $100. $100. $100. $ 100. $100. $200. |
0.944151 | Using 3 chickens to make stock. Can I repurpose the boiled birds (save/freeze shredded meat for chicken salad or croquetas or... ) ?
I love the method in the Zuni Cafe cookbook, which I just made this weekend: cut the breast meat off the whole chicken (and use for another purpose) BEFORE simmering the stock for 4 hours.
i put a pot to boil, add the chickens and when the water boils again. turn off the heat, cover and let sit for one hour. remove the chicken and strip the meat (saving for another purpose) add the bones back to the water with a mixture of vegetables, salt, pepper, etc and cook for 2 to 3 hours on low for a delicious stock. removing all the solids, of course, before canning or freezing. been doing this for years and its my 'first step' recipe for all others sauces and soups. the chicken meat can be used for any salad, cooked recipe, soup or what have you.
I genrally roast a chicken and make stock from the carcass. I like a good reduction that intensifies the chicken flavor. I would rather get 3 cups of really rich stock, than 7 cups of watery tasteless stock. Sam's method sounds great, too.
I agree with Sam; if you want to make use of some the meat, poach the chicken for a bit, take off the meat, and put the bones back in the pot. If you want a really rich stock, leave all the meat on--but it will be totally tasteless and not of use at the end of 4 or more hours.
I also don't like the taste of stock made from rotisserie chicken; there's flavorings in the skin, etc.,that I don't think lend themselves to stock.
FWIW: whenever I roast a chicken, I save and freeze the carcass. After I have about five carcasses in the freezer, I make stock (I also save the giblets and neck for stock, as well as skin and bones that I may have removed if I decided to cut up the chicken myself and use the skinless breasts for a separate meal). After I've simmered all the flavor out of the bones, skin and meat (takes hours on very low heat), I strain and have stock. The flavor depth entirely depends on the reduction level. Believe me, these previously roasted chicken bones still have lots of flavor to impart. I'm always surprised at the end at how much meat is still on the carcasses, and how totally flavorless it is. I wouldn't use it for anything (well, the dog likes it but that's another story...and, of course, if giving to pets, be very careful to make sure all the bones -- even some of those very tiny ones -- are removed first).
When I make poached chicken, I use the Chinese method. Use a large stock pot, season the water with celery, onions, carrot, salt. Bay leaf. Enough water to cover the bird about 1-2 inches. Remove the bird bring to a boil.
Put the bird back in wait until it boils again. Shut off the heat, cover the pot...and Walk Away! 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
The results is perfectly cooked poached very moist chicken; not dry at all.
Then go at the bird to remove the meat to store with a bit of the broth. Reduce the poaching liquid while you're doing this. Add back in the bones and some of the skin, and some more aromatics to finish up a stock. It's going to be very light unless you roast the bones and veggie and discard some of the liquid. Then I cool it and chill it and lift off the fat disk and store.
That's my preferred method for when I want to use the chicken. When I want a concentrated stock like Ina's I'll discard the spent chicken, or give it to the dogs. Chicken that has all the flavor and juice cooked out of it isn't good for much. And I'm not one of those who care too much for stock made with roast chickens. Don't know why.
It's so economical and simple too. You'll have lots of chicken meat to use in salads, tacos, stir fries..etc..etc.
I too hate a poached chicken that's been cooked to death to dry tasteless bits. This is also why the Crock Pot was first rarely used under counter dwellers to go to the thrift store.
thanks for this -- will try this, too, down the line.
Exactly, exactly what this dude said. It would be a sin to waste all of that chicken, and this method makes perfect chicken meat for use in other dishes.
Btw if you want a "concentrated" stock, put the bones back in after you take the meat off. Reduce it just below simmer for a couple of hours.
I make my stock exactly like lorigoldsby and always have excellent results. After a roast chicken dinner I always have enough meat left on the carcass to use in a soup. Zero waste this way!
When making stock, I use a roasted chicken and remove the meat, saving the skin into the stockpot with the carcass. (Add pan drippings-that with the bones and the skin are really what flavor your broth). Add your veggies and aromatics, i use fresh bay leaf, thyme and 5 or 6 peppercorns....simmer slowly for hours. House smells great and the chicken isn't waterlogged for your other uses.
bless you, kimw! the barefoot contessa recipe i am following suggests that all the solids should be tossed...but that seems so wasteful, at least where the chicken's concerned. thanks! |
0.925032 | Locate a Drug Rehab Facility near me in Hinton, WV.
Drug & Alcohol Treatment Programs in Hinton, WV.
Someone who is fighting addiction might want help, but denial along with other things such as the fact that they'll have to accept responsibility for their actions sometimes makes having the initiative to enter alcohol and drug treatment in Hinton more of a challenge. The guilt that people have is often times what prevents them from getting help, and it is an issue which can throw them even deeper into their addiction. Sometimes, it will take the love and concern of family and friends to get someone out of this before the individual suffers from the worst consequence of their substance abuse, and many individuals who don't get help pay the ultimate price of their lives whenever they don't. To stop such tragedies, an intervention can be something that family members can use to turn things around in the right direction and without needing the guilt trip method to help get an individual right into a quality drug treatment program in Hinton before it is too late. An intervention may be successfully held now, so don't delay until someone has progressed to a point where their addiction has put them at "rock bottom". This is a common misconception that has caused people to experience more consequences than necessary.
A quality alcohol and drug rehabilitation facility in Hinton is one which not just provides effective rehabilitation, but does so in a program that allows the person to have plenty of time to handle anything within their lives that could make them fall back to their old bad habits. This could take a lot of time, and it is best accomplished with an extreme change of environment that may only be offered at inpatient and residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs. These facilities are often covered through private health insurance, and when not offer financial aid for clients who need it.
Household and Income Statistics in: Hinton, WV.
Located at 198 Pleasant Street Hinton, WV. 25951. The phone number is 304-466-3899. |
0.963766 | Is the ECB capable of saving the Euro?
For the third time in three years, the European Central Bank (ECB) deployed heavy artillery to lift the Eurozone out of the doldrums. Mario Draghi, President of the ECB, continues to find new monetary recipes to save the political currency. But southern Europe is cracking under the austerity policies, while France is in the grip of anti-EU sentiment. Political turmoil is threatening Europe and there is nothing the ECB can do about it.
Without the ECB, the euro would no longer exist, but can the currency union survive only thanks to the ECB? The answer is no. At the end of 2011, monetary union was on the verge of collapse and European leaders were powerless. Draghi stepped in and pumped €1.1 trillion into the banking sector. Banks got loans for a period of three years at a low interest rate and without asking a lot of questions about collateral. This 'revolutionary action' helped for several months. In the summer of 2012 Draghi was again taking the lead as interest rates on Italian and Spanish government bonds were skyrocketing. To save the euro, he said he would do "whatever it takes". Lenders could count on Draghi to speed up the printing press if necessary. They were temporarily reassured.
The rise of Eurosceptic parties in the European Parliament, on both the left and right, does not threaten the numerical balance of power in Brussels, but it does bring about political upheavals. Britain is closer to the exit; France closer to the abyss. More and more power goes to the EU, while the EU is in trouble, and is increasingly powerless. The European elections have made divergent forces stronger.
The greatest source of uncertainty is France. Marine Le Pen, leader of the Front National, dealt the Parisian elite a slap in the face. Her next goal is the French presidential election of 2017. President Hollande is no longer taken seriously; for the French, he is a buffoon. The economy is stagnating and the centre-right opposition is fighting an internal power struggle. Marine Le Pen is now in a strong position for 2017. French political leaders in the second economy of the euro-zone are uncertain, unpredictable and scared. Le Pen puts the political class under pressure, and in Strasbourg, she'll get an influential forum as ringleader of a nationalist group.
Le Pen will do what Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, has been doing for years: use the European parliament as a platform for the home crowd. Ukip won the European elections, not only at the expense of the Conservatives. Labour saw its voters defect to Ukip, even in the North of England and Scotland where Ukip was considered hopeless. Ukip is driving Britain to the exit and Prime Minister Cameron has promised a referendum in 2017, with the question: 'in or out of the EU'. The British Liberal Democrats of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg tried to put themselves on the map as resolutely pro-European. They were wiped off the map. Britain and France are two large countries with a rebellious home. They will bring the storm to Brussels.
Last month I was in the U.S. Congress to give a briefing on the situation in Ukraine. The audience consisted of Republican congressmen and their staffers. Suddenly, Republican Representative Dana Rohrabacher, former employee of President Reagan, took the floor: "Why all this criticism of Putin?" he asked. "Putin is our ally in the fight against political Islam." Then he took off, leaving behind him a heated discussion. The confusion in conservative America has grown after columnist Pat Buchanan (former employee of Presidents Nixon, Ford and Reagan) wrote last year: "In the cultural battle for the future of humanity, Putin might be one of us."
Also in Europe there is a remarkable understanding for Putin. Earlier this month, a group of 200 German intellectuals sent a public endorsement to Putin. They lay all the blame for tensions in Ukraine on the U.S., led by President Obama, once so applauded in Berlin. Three former German chancellors (Schröder , Schmidt and Kohl) expressed their understanding for the annexation of Crimea. A majority of the German population thinks Germany shouldn't stand on the side of the West, but in between the West and Russia. British eurosceptic Nigel Farage expressed his admiration for Putin and Marine Le Pen, leader of the French National Front, visited the President of the Russian Parliament in Moscow. Other of the PVV's far-right allies in Europe, such as the Austrian FPÖ and the Italian Lega Nord, admire Putin.
The source of these endorsements is the Putin doctrine that aims to restore Russia's status as a great power, flanked by political, social and cultural themes that are also present in the public debate in Europe and the U.S. What does the Putin-doctrine consist of?
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, visited the French city of Bordeaux last year and treated his counterpart Alain Juppé to some British humour: "Did you know I have more Frenchmen in London than you do in Bordeaux?" There are around 350,000 Frenchmen in London. French people who want to run a business can't do that in a stagnant France. If the current trend continues, the volume of Dutch exports next year will be higher than the French. The popularity of President Hollande has fallen to 18%. The French political elite fears a beating in the European elections of 25 May by a triumphant Marine Le Pen, the standard-bearer of the Front National.
The political weight of France, the second largest economy in the Eurozone, has fallen dramatically in a short time. France and Germany used to be at the same level politically, though the French economy could never match the German. The EU could not take decisions against France. Paris always knew how to form a blocking coalition and, if necessary, they could morally blackmail the Germans. The French decline is worrying. The Dutch might be tempted to gloat, but that attitude is wrong because in the end, the French Thalys was the only company that managed to link Amsterdam and Brussels by train last year. It is also unwise. A weak and insecure France is a greater threat to Europe than the confident display of flags of 'la grande nation' which, like French women, contains a lot of charm. Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy were a European political couple; President Hollande seems pathetic.
John Kerry , the U.S. Secretary of State , recently said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is using 19th century methods in the 21st century. Kerry is behaving as if Putin was impolite during a state banquet and burped at the table. But Putin's mind-set is largely rooted in the 19th century. Politics is about power, not about law. The West, accustomed to diplomatic conferences on noble UN objectives, has trouble with cynical realpolitik.
Modern political leaders know more about public relations than about history, let alone the 19th century. Kerry is no Kissinger. The former US foreign minister obtained a PHD with the thesis 'A World Restored', on the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815). Henry Kissinger wrote in the Washington Post: "Far too often the Ukrainian issue is posed as a showdown: whether Ukraine joins the East or the West. But if Ukraine is to survive and thrive, it must not be either side’s outpost against the other — it should function as a bridge between them."
What can we expect from Putin with his 19th Century methods? He used the chaos in Ukraine to annex Crimea, home to the Russian Black Sea Fleet and where 60% of the population is Russian. He received massive support from the Russian people for whom Crimea has always been part of the Russian demos. Ukraine cannot do anything, and the West is both shocked and helpless. For Putin, there was little risk. |
0.95652 | How can I measure Dynamic Range with an APx instrument?
Dynamic range is the ratio between the full scale output of a device and the spurious noise products created when the device is producing a very low level signal. It is a commonly made measurement for DAC's, ADC's, and other digital audio devices.
Dynamic range is usually measured by stimulating a device with a full scale sine wave and measuring its output level, then stimulating the device with a sine wave that is -60 dB below full scale and measuring the level of the noise and distortion products that remain after the fundamental is removed from the output of the device with a notch filter. The dynamic range is the ratio of the two, usually expressed in dB.
First, configure the connections to the device under test using Signal Path Setup. The APx515, 525, 526, 585, and 586 can work with any combination of digital or analog, input or output devices.
If the device has a digital input, stimulate the device with a 0 dBFS signal and set the input reference dBrA to the device's output level. If the device has adjustable gain, you would normally adjust the gain until the output is just below clipping. You can find this level using the "Scope" or time domain signal monitor view.
If the device has an analog input, adjust the generator level until the output clips, or (for digital outputs) reaches 0 dBFS. Now set the generator reference dBrG to the generator level and the input reference dBrA to the device's output level.
If the device has a digital input, set the generator to -60 dBFS. If the device has an analog input, set the generator to -60 dBrG.
If desired select a low pass bandwidth limiting filter (20 kHz is the default) and a THD+N weighting or high pass filter.
Set the units in the THD+N level result to dBrA.
Turn the generator on. The absolute value of the measurement is the Dynamic Range of the device. For example, if the measured result is -90 dBrA, you would report a Dynamic Range of 90 dB. |
0.970454 | what is the best coca cola product??? in ur and ur tastebuds opinion???
For me, the best is Coke and I like the taste of it. I would prefer a Coke. And I like the taste of Coke because it has a strong taste rather than Pepsi. I like the taste of Coke Diet or Coke Light and because it less sugar.
I usally pick either a regular coke or cherry coke or sprite.
My favorite is cherry coke. I never seem to get tired of it and it makes a really great ice cream float with vanilla ice cream. |
0.966454 | Luis Vicente Garcia is a 10X Best-selling author, International Speaker, Business Performance Coach and Trainer and Entrepreneur. Luis Vicente works with entrepreneurs and business Owners and their TEAMS to achieve higher levels of performance. After a 27 year career in the finance/management corporate field, in March 2013 Luis Vicente decided to focus his professional activity towards helping entrepreneurs and managers all through the Americas. Luis is an International Ambassador of the National Association of Experts, Writers and Speakers, the Executive Producer of the documentary 'Armonia: A Mission for Good' and the Emmy (r) award winning documetary 'Return to Esperanza'. Luis is also a member of the Book Review and Editorial Board of the Best-selling Authors International Organization.
Luis Vicente has co-authored several best-selling books, including "Are You The Missing Piece" (2017), "The Prosperity Factor (2016) with Joe Vitale, "My Creative Ideas" (2016), "A Voyage to Your Vision" (2016); "SuccessOnomics" (2015) with Steve Forbes; "Ready, Aim, Inspire" with Joe Vitale (2014); "Dare to Succeed" (2014) with Jack Canfield; "Ready, Aim, Influence" (2013) with Carlos Slim; and "The Ultimate Success Guide" (2013) with Brian Tracy. He has also published two franchising books in Spanish, "Motivando al Futuro Franquiciado" (2011) which received the Publication of the Year award from the Venezuelan Franchise Chamber and "101 Preguntas y Respuestas sobre las Franquicias" (2013, available on Amazon Kindle), which reached #2 in Small Enterprise/Franchises on Amazon.
His articles can be read at www.entrepreneurperformance.com and www.motivandoelfuturo.com. Luis Vicente is a member of the International Best-selling Authors Organization, the National Academy of Best-selling Authors, and the National Association of Experts, Writers, and Speakers and the International Academy of Filmmakers. Luis has received three QUILLY Awards, two EXPY Award, and six EIPPY Awards for his book publishing.
Luis Vicente García es autor de libros best-sellers, conferencista internacional, coach y consultor empresarial, dedicado a ayudar a dueños de empresas y altos gerentes de organizaciones a alcanzar niveles más altos de rendimiento. Después de una exitosa carrera de 27 años en el campo de finanzas y gerencia corporativas, en marzo 2013 Luis Vicente se convirtió en un Business Performance Coach.
Luis Vicente es co-autor de los libros best-sellers internacionales "A Voyage to Your Vision"; "SuccessOnomics" con Steve Forbes; "Ready, Aim, Inspire" con Joe Vitale; "Dare to Succeed" con Jack Canfield; "Ready, Aim, Influence" con Carlos Slim; y "The Ultimate Success Guide" con Brian Tracy. Ha publicado además dos libros propios de franquicias en español, "Motivando al Futuro Franquiciado", galardonado como Publicación del Año 2013 por la Cámara Venezolana de Franquicias y "101 Preguntas y Respuestas Sobre las Franquicias" en noviembre de 2013, que alcanzó el puesto #2 en Small Business/Franchises en Amazon.com.
También escribe en los blogs www.entrepreneurperformance.com, www.motivandoelfuturo.com y es un colaborador en www.inspirulina.com. Luis Vicente es miembro de la National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, la International Best-selling Authors Organization y la National Association of Experts, Writers, and Speakers.
Your ABC's to Be 'POSITVE' in 2017!
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Be Positive... during this Holiday Season!
FocalPoint Coaching: Training week 2015! |
0.999895 | ❶Finally, since each stratum is treated as an independent population, different sampling approaches can be applied to different strata, potentially enabling researchers to use the approach best suited or most cost-effective for each identified subgroup within the population.
Some of the types of sampling are 1 simple random sampling. Mostly used for the type of population which is homogeneous. The purpose of all the sampling techniques is to give the equal chance of any item to be selected without bias. Sampling refers to the statistical process of selecting and studying the characteristics of a relatively small number of items from a relatively large population of such items,, to draw statistically valid inferences about the characteristics about the entire population.
There are two broad methods of sampling used by researchers, nonrandom or judgment sampling and random or probability sampling. In judgement sampling the researcher selects items to be drawn from the population based on his or her judgement about how well these items represent the whole population. The sample is thus based on someones knowledge about the population and the characteristics of individual items within it. The chance of an item being included in the sample are influenced by the characteristic of the item as judged by an expert selecting the item.
A judgement sampling system is simple and less expensive to use. Also when there is very little known about the population under study a pilot study based on judgement sample is carried out to permit design of a more rigorous sampling system for a detailed study.
In random sampling, individual judgement plays no part in selection of sample. Each item in the sample stands equal chance of being included in the sample. In case of random sampling, the researcher is required to use specific statistical processes to ensure this equal probability of every item in the population. Researchers will also need to consider the margin of error , the reliability that the data collected is generally accurate; and the confidence level , the probability that your margin of error is accurate.
Finally, researchers must take into account the standard deviation they expect to see in the data. Standard deviation measures how much individual pieces of data vary from the average data measured. For instance, soil samples from one park will likely have a much smaller standard deviation in their nitrogen content than soils collected from across a whole county. Large sample sizes are needed for a statistic to be accurate and reliable, especially if its findings are to be extrapolated to a larger population or group of data.
Say you were conducting a survey about exercise and interviewed five people, two of whom said they run a marathon annually. If you take this survey to represent the population of the country as a whole, then according to your research, 40 percent of people run at least one marathon annually -- an unexpectedly high percentage.
The smaller your sample size, the more likely outliers -- unusual pieces of data -- are to skew your findings. The sample size of a statistical survey is also directly related to the survey's margin of error.
Margin of error is a percentage that expresses the probability that the data received is accurate. Cluster sampling is commonly implemented as multistage sampling. This is a complex form of cluster sampling in which two or more levels of units are embedded one in the other. The first stage consists of constructing the clusters that will be used to sample from. In the second stage, a sample of primary units is randomly selected from each cluster rather than using all units contained in all selected clusters.
In following stages, in each of those selected clusters, additional samples of units are selected, and so on. All ultimate units individuals, for instance selected at the last step of this procedure are then surveyed. This technique, thus, is essentially the process of taking random subsamples of preceding random samples. Multistage sampling can substantially reduce sampling costs, where the complete population list would need to be constructed before other sampling methods could be applied.
By eliminating the work involved in describing clusters that are not selected, multistage sampling can reduce the large costs associated with traditional cluster sampling. In quota sampling , the population is first segmented into mutually exclusive sub-groups, just as in stratified sampling. Then judgement is used to select the subjects or units from each segment based on a specified proportion.
For example, an interviewer may be told to sample females and males between the age of 45 and It is this second step which makes the technique one of non-probability sampling. In quota sampling the selection of the sample is non- random. For example, interviewers might be tempted to interview those who look most helpful. The problem is that these samples may be biased because not everyone gets a chance of selection. This random element is its greatest weakness and quota versus probability has been a matter of controversy for several years.
In imbalanced datasets, where the sampling ratio does not follow the population statistics, one can resample the dataset in a conservative manner called minimax sampling. The minimax sampling has its origin in Anderson minimax ratio whose value is proved to be 0.
This ratio can be proved to be minimax ratio only under the assumption of LDA classifier with Gaussian distributions. The notion of minimax sampling is recently developed for a general class of classification rules, called class-wise smart classifiers.
In this case, the sampling ratio of classes is selected so that the worst case classifier error over all the possible population statistics for class prior probabilities, would be the. Accidental sampling sometimes known as grab , convenience or opportunity sampling is a type of nonprobability sampling which involves the sample being drawn from that part of the population which is close to hand. That is, a population is selected because it is readily available and convenient.
It may be through meeting the person or including a person in the sample when one meets them or chosen by finding them through technological means such as the internet or through phone.
The researcher using such a sample cannot scientifically make generalizations about the total population from this sample because it would not be representative enough. This type of sampling is most useful for pilot testing. Several important considerations for researchers using convenience samples include:.
In social science research, snowball sampling is a similar technique, where existing study subjects are used to recruit more subjects into the sample. Some variants of snowball sampling, such as respondent driven sampling, allow calculation of selection probabilities and are probability sampling methods under certain conditions. The voluntary sampling method is a type of non-probability sampling.
A voluntary sample is made up of people who self-select into the survey. Often, these subjects have a strong interest in the main topic of the survey. Volunteers may be invited through advertisements on Social Media Sites . This method is suitable for a research which can be done through filling a questionnaire. The target population for advertisements can be selected by characteristics like demography, age, gender, income, occupation, education level or interests using advertising tools provided by the social media sites.
The advertisement may include a message about the research and will link to a web survey. After voluntary following the link and submitting the web based questionnaire, the respondent will be included in the sample population.
This method can reach a global population and limited by the advertisement budget. This method may permit volunteers outside the reference population to volunteer and get included in the sample. It is difficult to make generalizations about the total population from this sample because it would not be representative enough. Line-intercept sampling is a method of sampling elements in a region whereby an element is sampled if a chosen line segment, called a "transect", intersects the element.
Panel sampling is the method of first selecting a group of participants through a random sampling method and then asking that group for potentially the same information several times over a period of time. Therefore, each participant is interviewed at two or more time points; each period of data collection is called a "wave". The method was developed by sociologist Paul Lazarsfeld in as a means of studying political campaigns.
Panel sampling can also be used to inform researchers about within-person health changes due to age or to help explain changes in continuous dependent variables such as spousal interaction. Snowball sampling involves finding a small group of initial respondents and using them to recruit more respondents.
It is particularly useful in cases where the population is hidden or difficult to enumerate. Theoretical sampling occurs when samples are selected on the basis of the results of the data collected so far with a goal of developing a deeper understanding of the area or develop theories. Sampling schemes may be without replacement 'WOR'—no element can be selected more than once in the same sample or with replacement 'WR'—an element may appear multiple times in the one sample.
For example, if we catch fish, measure them, and immediately return them to the water before continuing with the sample, this is a WR design, because we might end up catching and measuring the same fish more than once. However, if we do not return the fish to the water, this becomes a WOR design.
If we tag and release the fish we caught, we can see whether we have caught a particular fish before. Sampling enables the selection of right data points from within the larger data set to estimate the characteristics of the whole population. For example, there are about million tweets produced every day.
It is not necessary to look at all of them to determine the topics that are discussed during the day, nor is it necessary to look at all the tweets to determine the sentiment on each of the topics. A theoretical formulation for sampling Twitter data has been developed. In manufacturing different types of sensory data such as acoustics, vibration, pressure, current, voltage and controller data are available at short time intervals.
To predict down-time it may not be necessary to look at all the data but a sample may be sufficient. Survey results are typically subject to some error. Total errors can be classified into sampling errors and non-sampling errors.
The term "error" here includes systematic biases as well as random errors. Non-sampling errors are other errors which can impact the final survey estimates, caused by problems in data collection, processing, or sample design. After sampling, a review should be held of the exact process followed in sampling, rather than that intended, in order to study any effects that any divergences might have on subsequent analysis. A particular problem is that of non-response.
Two major types of non-response exist: In this case, there is a risk of differences, between respondents and nonrespondents, leading to biased estimates of population parameters. This is often addressed by improving survey design, offering incentives, and conducting follow-up studies which make a repeated attempt to contact the unresponsive and to characterize their similarities and differences with the rest of the frame.
Nonresponse is particularly a problem in internet sampling. Reasons for this problem include improperly designed surveys, over-surveying or survey fatigue , and the fact that potential participants hold multiple e-mail addresses, which they don't use anymore or don't check regularly.
In many situations the sample fraction may be varied by stratum and data will have to be weighted to correctly represent the population. Thus for example, a simple random sample of individuals in the United Kingdom might include some in remote Scottish islands who would be inordinately expensive to sample.
A cheaper method would be to use a stratified sample with urban and rural strata. The rural sample could be under-represented in the sample, but weighted up appropriately in the analysis to compensate. More generally, data should usually be weighted if the sample design does not give each individual an equal chance of being selected.
For instance, when households have equal selection probabilities but one person is interviewed from within each household, this gives people from large households a smaller chance of being interviewed. This can be accounted for using survey weights. Similarly, households with more than one telephone line have a greater chance of being selected in a random digit dialing sample, and weights can adjust for this.
Random sampling by using lots is an old idea, mentioned several times in the Bible. In Pierre Simon Laplace estimated the population of France by using a sample, along with ratio estimator.
He also computed probabilistic estimates of the error. His estimates used Bayes' theorem with a uniform prior probability and assumed that his sample was random.
Alexander Ivanovich Chuprov introduced sample surveys to Imperial Russia in the s. In the USA the Literary Digest prediction of a Republican win in the presidential election went badly awry, due to severe bias . More than two million people responded to the study with their names obtained through magazine subscription lists and telephone directories.
It was not appreciated that these lists were heavily biased towards Republicans and the resulting sample, though very large, was deeply flawed.
The textbook by Groves et alia provides an overview of survey methodology, including recent literature on questionnaire development informed by cognitive psychology:.
Video: What is Sampling in Research? - Definition, Methods & Importance - Definition, Methods & Importance The sample of a study can have a profound impact on the outcome of a study.
Sampling is the process of selecting units (e.g., people, organizations) from a population of interest so that by studying the sample we may fairly generalize our results back to . In research, a sample is a subset of a population that is used to represent the entire group. Learn more about why sampling is used.
It will be useful for PHD and master students quantitative and qualitative method. It consist sample definition, purpose of sampling, stages in the selection of a sample, types of sampling in quantitative researches, types of sampling in qualitative researches, and ethical Considerations in Data Collection. RESEARCH METHOD - SAMPLING 1. Sample size is a count the of individual samples or observations in any statistical setting, such as a scientific experiment or a public opinion survey. Too small a sample yields unreliable results, while an overly large sample demands a good deal of time and resources. |
0.999463 | Imagine that you are in a glider, soaring over the Grand Canyon. You see layers of rock, red and yellow, brown and black. You see a deep gorge, as if someone has cut a trench a mile deep out of the layers of rock. Some places the cut is narrow, the walls steep, and some places the canyon widens out so that the walls stretch wide apart. And at the bottom, through the 277 miles of the canyon, runs the Colorado River.
Mostly, the river looks rather calm and quiet from above, oozing along the bottom of the great channel. But it's not quite right to think of the canyon as being the route that the river follows. In fact, the river is what carved the canyon.
Hundreds of millions of years ago, changes in the earth's climate brought changes to the environment where the Grand Canyon is now. At different times, deserts, swamps, and inland seas covered the area, alternately, for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of years apiece.
With each new environment a new layer of sediment was deposited on top of the previous one. The weight from each new layer pressed and compacted the ones below, cementing each layer into rock.
Tectonic plates, blocks of the Earth's crust, shifted these layers of rock around. When the Kula and Farallon plates slid under the North American plate 75 million years ago the movement forced the land to push up, creating the mountains we now call the Rocky Mountain range. A similar movement 60 million years later formed the flat rise of land we call the Colorado Plateau.
The first uplift created the path of the Colorado River. And as the river ran through the layered rock, the water began to erode the relatively soft sandstone. As the river flowed along, bits of rock moved along with it, carried to the river's end at the Gulf of Mexico. The second uplift increased the Colorado's already steep slope, causing the river to flow faster and erode the rock more quickly. But it wasn't until the Ice Ages, a little more than 2 million years ago, that the Colorado River did most of its work. During this period of the Earth's history the Colorado ran high from snow and rain, carrying more rock and soil than ever before. Boulders as big as trucks went crashing down the river's length, as the power of the water cut the canyon deeper and deeper.
There's a dam across the Colorado River now, and the river flows more slowly. But still, gradually, the Grand Canyon continues to be carved deeper and deeper. So you might want to ask yourself this: Which is stronger, rock or water? If you pour water on a rock, the water will flow away, while the rock stands firm. But given enough time (lots and lots of time!) it is the power of water that carved the Grand Canyon out of the rock. |
0.942836 | Samuel Lewis Francis was an American painter and printmaker. Sam Francis was born in San Mateo, the son of Katherine Lewis Francis and Samuel Augustus Francis, Sr. The 1935 death of his mother, who had encouraged his interest in music affected him deeply, Francis served in the United States Air Force during World War II before being injured during test flight maneuvers. He was in the hospital for years, and it was while there, after being visited by artist David Park in 1945. Once out of the hospital he returned to Berkeley, this time to study art and he received both his BA degree and MA degree from University of California, where he studied botany and psychology. Francis was initially influenced by the work of abstract expressionists such as Mark Rothko, Arshile Gorky and he spent the 1950s in Paris, having his first exhibition there at the Galerie Nina Dausset in 1952. While in Paris he became associated with Tachisme, and had his work championed by art critics Michel Tapié, between 1950 and 1958 Francis spent time and painted in Paris, the south of France, Mexico City and New York.
His artistic development was affected by his exposure to French modern painting, Asian culture, after his 1953 painting Big Red was included in the 1956 exhibition Twelve Artists at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, Francis began a rapid rise to international prominence. Francis painted large murals for the Kunsthalle, Basel in 1956-8 and for the Chase Manhattan Bank, between 1960 and 1963 he created several series of works, including the Blue Balls series. Consisting of biomorphic predominantly blue forms and drips, these works referenced the pain that resulted from the tuberculosis that he suffered in 1961. Francis returned to California during the 1960s and continued painting, mainly in Los Angeles, in 1965 Francis started a series of paintings that featured large areas of open canvas, minimal color and strong line. His work evolved further after he began intensive Jungian analysis with Dr. James Kirsch in 1971 and began paying attention to his dreams. Francis works of the early 1970s have been referred to as Fresh Air pictures, created by adding pools and splatters of color to wet bands of paint applied with a roller, these works re-asserted the artists interest in color.
John Dwyer McLaughlin was a highly pivotal and significant American abstract painter. Based primarily in California, he was a pioneer in minimalism and he aimed to create paintings devoid of any object hood including but not limited to a gestures, figuration, and so on. This led him to the rectangle, leveraging a technique of layering rectangular bars on adjacent planes, McLaughlin creates works that provoke introspection and, consequently, a greater understanding of one’s relationship to nature. Christopher Knight affirms McLaughlin is among the most profound avant-garde painters to work in the United States in the aftermath of the cataclysm that was World War II, in the wake of the Holocaust and Hiroshima, those artists stared straight into the void. Void is not an abyss of social and spiritual terror in which interior narratives of worldly experience can be told, his is the negative space that allows consciousness to blossom and manifest itself. Their art is about inviting us into their deep perception, while his is about inviting us into our own, mcLaughlin’s void is ma, the poetic space and interval between things that animate Japanese art.
John McLaughlin was born in Sharon and his father was a Massachusetts Superior Court judge and he had six siblings. His parents instilled in him an interest in art, most specifically Asian art, McLaughlin served in both World Wars. His service in the United States Navy during World War I spanned from 1917 to 1921, in 1928 he married Florence Emerson, a grandniece of Ralph Waldo Emerson. In 1935 they moved to Japan, where McLaughlin studied the art, when they returned to Boston in 1938, they opened The Tokaido, Inc. an art gallery which specialized in Japanese prints and other Asian items. After studying Japanese at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, he served the United States Marine Corps in World War II as a translator, in the war, he worked in U. S. Army Intelligence as a translator in Japan, India and Burma. In 1945 he was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service, McLaughlin had begun painting during the 1930s, relatively late in life. He was self-taught, without receiving formal artistic training and his fondness for Asian art and his travels in that part of the world influenced his artistic style.
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles is a contemporary art museum with three locations in greater Los Angeles, California. The main branch is located on Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, MOCAs original space, initially intended as a temporary exhibit space while the main facility was built, is now known as the Geffen Contemporary, in the Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles. The Pacific Design Center facility is in West Hollywood, the museums exhibits consist primarily of American and European contemporary art created after 1940. Since the museums inception, MOCAs programming has been defined by its approach to contemporary art. Throughout the evening, Weisman passionately discussed the citys need for an art museum. In the following weeks, the Mayors Museum Advisory Committee was organized, the committee, led by William A. Norris, set about creating a museum from scratch, including locating funds, directors, curators, a gallery, and most importantly an art collection. The following year, the fledgling Museum of Contemporary Art was operating out of an office on Boyd Street, many of MOCAs initial donors were young and supporting the arts for the first time, a substantial number joined up at the $10,000 founder minimum.
Making up well over 90% of the works, gifts from several major private collectors form the cornerstones of MOCAs permanent collection of nearly 6,000 works. Much of it has come from members who donated or bequeathed key works or entire collections. In 1985, the museum accepted Michael Heizers earthwork Double Negative in Nevada desert, in 1991, Hollywood screenwriter Scott Spiegel donated works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Mark Innerst, Robert Longo, Susan Rothenberg, David Salle, among others. Over the years, major donations of art collections have come from the Lannan Foundation, in 2000, MOCA received gifts from artists themselves, including major pieces by sculptor and performance artist Paul McCarthy, video artist Doug Aitken and photographer Andreas Gursky. Los Angeles-based artist Ed Moses made a gift of his work to the museum in 1995. As the Los Angeles Times declared, There isn’t a city in America—not New York, not Chicago, not Houston, not San Francisco—where a more impressive museum collection of contemporary art can be seen. |
0.963072 | In today's society carrying excess weight is becoming the norm rather than the exception. Lifestyles are increasingly sedentary, our diet is becoming increasingly processed and fatty and our food contains more and more calories, additives and preservatives. Children prefer television over playing with their friends, which is perhaps a direct reflection of their parents, who prefer television over socializing or even making time for their children. This only scratches the surface of the social move towards a sedentary and unhealthy society which is making more and more people fat.
Yoga is a discipline designed to make the body strong and flexible and enhance the overall health of the digestive system as well as the hormonal and circulatory systems. It also assists us in controlling mental stress and achieving peace and clarity of mind. Yoga also has strong spiritual benefits which will see you becoming more content with yourself and more comfortable with who you are, all aspects which will lead to emotional stability. This mental component is often neglected in a physical approach to weight loss, but it is critical and should not be overlooked. So called "Comfort food" is a frequent problem for people who yo-yo diet(rapidly lose and gain weight) and the ability to be happy with your health and who you are reduces the need for this.
Yoga is based on deep and controlled breathing which is a method for enhancing our oxygen intake. This allows oxygen to travel to the fat cells in our body and assist in their processing. One has to ask given the benefits why more people don't practice Yoga?
Many people think of Yoga as a passive or mystical discipline - something for hippies - not them. This is a shame as Yoga improves the physical body as well as our mental health. While it is practiced by a great many people in Eastern Populations only about 2% of the population in the United States has clicked on to the many benefits.
Yoga considers all the aspects that contribute to obesity - not just the physical but also the mental and spiritual reasons behind them. regular Yoga is not only relaxing but it does bring the body back towards it's ideal weight and at the same time enhance strength, flexibility and stamina. Yoga nuts tend to end up slim, agile and efficient in everything they do and what's more it is suitable for people of all ages.
Yoga can also be used to resist the temptation of snacking between meals. techniques learned from yoga can be used to suppress impulses such as that we think of as hunger between meals(if you eat proper meals you cannot be hungry between them - merely bored or restless). |
0.959569 | What was Beethoven's day to day life like when he lived in Vienna?
Ignaz Seyfried: "...to which he looked forward to with pleasure every Thursday (the bread soup). Together with it, 10 sizable eggs had to be presented to him on a plate. Before they were stirred into the soup, he first separated and tested them by holding them against the light, then decapitated them with his own hand and anxiously sniffed them to see whether they were fresh. When fate decreed that some among them "scented their straw", so to speak, the storm broke. In a voice of thunder the housekeeper was cited "to court"."
"They found their host in a short evening jacket, a stately nightcap on his bristly shock of hair, and his loins girded with a blue kitchen apron, very busily engaged at the hearth. After waiting patiently for an hour and a half, while the turbulent demands of their stomachs were with increasing difficulty assuaged by cordial dialogue, the dinner was finally served. The soup recalled those charitable leavings distributed to beggars in the taverns; the beef was but half-done and calculated to gratify only an ostrich; the vegetables floated in a mixture of water and grease; and the roast seemed to have been smoked in the chimney. Nevertheless the giver of the feast did full justice to every dish. And the applause which he anticipated put him in so rosy a humor that he called himself "Cook Mehlschoberl" after a character in the burlesque "The Merry Nuptials"...(his guests) found it barely possible to choke down a few morsels, and stuck to good bread, fresh fruit, sweet pastry and the unadulterated juice of the grape."
As for coffee Beethoven had a glass coffee "contraption" to which he hand-counted 60 coffee beans per cup before brewing. Actually his coffee was considered pretty good.
"Beethoven rose at daybreak, no matter what season, and went at once to his work-table. There he worked until two or three o' clock, when he took his midday meal. In the interim he usually ran out into the open two or three times, where he also "worked while walking." Such excursions seldom exceeded a full hour's time, and resembled the swarming out of the bee to gather honey. They never varied with the seasons and neither cold nor heat were noticed.
The afternoons were dedicated to regular promenades; and at a later hour Beethoven was wont to hunt up some favorite beer-house, in order to read the news of the day, if he had not already satisfied this need at some cafe. At the time when the English parliament was sitting, however, the Allgemeine Zeitung was regularly read at home for the sake of the debates. It will be easily understood that our politico was arrayed on the side of the Opposition. Nor was his great predilection for Lord Brougham, Hume, and other Opposition orators necessary to this end.
Beethoven always spent his winter evenings at home, and devoted them to serious reading. It was but seldom that one saw him busy with music-paper in the evening, since writing music was too taxing for his eyes. In former years this may not have been the case; yet it is quite certain that at no time did he employ the evening hours for composition (creation). At ten o' clock at the latest he went to bed."
So Beethoven was a smoker....not a good role model, kids. The composing part is OK though.
Interesting that 300 years later the perfect shot of coffee is considered to be 7 grams that would equal 60 beans. |
0.999894 | Explain MVC application life cycle?
C# Design pattern interview questions with answers: - How Singleton is different from Static class?
What is the difference between Stored Procedures and Function (SQL Server interview question with answers)?
C# Entity framework interview questions with answers: - What is the difference between POCO, code first and simple EF approach?
WCF Interview questions and answers: -What is the difference between WCF fault exceptions and normal .NET exceptions?
C# and .NET interview question: - Define Named and Optional Arguments?
MVC vs ASP.NET ( MVC Interview question with answers )?
C# WPF interview questions::- What are dependency properties ?
.NET interview experience in Capgemini Mumbai for senior software engineer position.
WCF interview questions with answers :- What is DataContractSerializer and how it's different from XmlSerializer ?
.NET interview questions: - Can you elaborate project life cycle?
C# threading interview questions: - What is the difference between "AutoResetEvent" and "ManualResetEvent"?
ASP.NET MVC Interview questions: - What is WebAPI in MVC ? |
0.995634 | From the 2001 Soundtrack: "How High"...(Click "show more" for artist info).. Method Man & Redman (also referred to as Meth & Red, Red & Mef, John Blaze and Funk Doc or Funk Doctor Spock and Johnny Blaze) are an American hip hop duo, composed of East Coast rappers Method Man (of Wu-Tang Clan) and Redman (of Def Squad). They are signed to Def Jam Recordings both as solo artists and as a duo. While they had been collaborating since 1994, it was not until 1999 that they released a full-length collaborative effort, Blackout!. The follow-up album, Blackout! 2, was released in 2009. Method Man often gives a shout out to Redman on tracks that do not feature Redman; this usually comes in the form of "What up, Doc!" referring to Redman's alias "Funk Doctor Spock". In 2001, they starred alongside each other in the stoner film How High. In 2004, the duo also starred in a short-lived Fox sitcom, titled Method & Red, however they later disowned the series due to lack of creative control. The duo have known each other long before signing with Def Jam. While at Def Jam, they reunited in 1994 on tour and met again in 1995 in the recording studio of West Coast hip hop act Tupac "2Pac" Shakur. They recorded "Got My Mind Made Up" for Shakur's multi-platinum album All Eyez on Me (1996). After this they had friendly battles freestyling with each other on Yo! MTV Raps, which ultimately led to their collaborative debut single "How High". In 1999, the two rappers appeared together on "Rap Phenomenon" from The Notorious B.I.G. posthumous album Born Again. On May 7, 2009, in promotion for their second studio album, Method Man & Redman released a mixtape titled Lights Out, which was hosted by DJ Green Lantern. In 2013, Method Man and Redman previewed a new track called "Lookin’ Fly Too" featuring Ehikmostz. Method Man: Clifford Smith (born April 1, 1971), better known by his stage name Method Man, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. He is known as a member of the East Coast hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He is also one half of the hip hop duo Method Man & Redman. He took his stage name from the 1979 film Method Man. In 1996, he won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, for "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By", with American R&B singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige. Clifford has appeared in films such as Belly, How High, Garden State, The Wackness, Venom, Red Tails, Keanu and The Cobbler. On television, he and frequent collaborator, fellow East Coast rapper Redman, co-starred on the short-lived Fox sitcom Method & Red. He has also had recurring roles in three HBO series, as Tug Daniels in Oz, Melvin "Cheese" Wagstaff in The Wire, and Rodney in The Deuce. In 2016, he had a cameo role in Luke Cage which aired on Netflix. In 2012, The Source placed him on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time. Redman: Reginald "Reggie" Noble (born April 17, 1970), better known by his stage name Redman, is an American rapper, DJ, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame in the early 1990s as an artist on the Def Jam label. He is also well known for his collaborations with his close friend Method Man, as one-half of the rap duo Method Man & Redman, including their starring roles in films and sitcoms. He was also a member of the Def Squad in the late 1990s. In 1987, Redman was expelled from Montclair State University his freshman year due to poor academic performance at age 16. Having no other options, Redman then went back home to live with his mother, Darlene Noble, who eventually kicked him out of her house for selling cocaine. Two years later, at age 18, Redman was a young DJ-MC who went by the name "DJ Kut-Killa". He freestyled over funk and hip hop instrumental tracks on vinyl records in various parks and house parties around New York and New Jersey. Redman was eventually discovered by Erick Sermon of EPMD while he was a DJ for Lords of the Underground. Erick Sermon said when he met Redman for the first time, "I knew there was something spectacular about him. Right off the bat. The next day, we talked. And within the next two or three months, he moved to Long Island, to my crib. He moved right in to my apartment." After moving in with Erick Sermon, Redman went out on tour with EPMD. While on tour with the group he did everything from carrying the group's bags to coming out on stage and doing rap freestyles. In 1990 at a EPMD show in New York, Redman was invited onstage by Erick Sermon where he delivered a rap freestyle that changed his life. He freestyled a song describing himself as rapper using every letter in the alphabet from A to Z. After this, Redman was an official rap artist and began production with Erick Sermon on his first major label album, Whut? Thee Album.
The greatest man to have ver walked on this planet is Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). Educated individuals from all over the world and from all religions have acknowledged this fact!
T.S by Elizabeth Raum from "Men I Have Known"
Watch me flirt with unsuspecting freshmen in classical voice seminar.
Views: 38 Mast Hai !
1984/1986 (Here is another mid-1980's single by Shirley Bassey titled, 'To All The Men I've Loved Before'. This song was originally written as 'To All The Girls I've Loved Before, and it was a hit for Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson. This song was recorded before digital CD format came into existence, and because Towerbell Records went out of business, this song along with all Shirley's 1980's Towerbell recordings are only available via second hand outlets in vinyl format. It took many attempts to move this track from my record player to a MP3 file trying to obtain the best sound possible, and I think it plays well. I kept trying to clean the record to remove the embedded dust, then it would only play the left side....then it would only play the right side. Finally....success! I can't believe that was how we used to listen to music! ABOUT this song: "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" is a song originally sung by Albert Hammond, but more famous for a 1984 cover by singers Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson, which appeared on Iglesias's album 1100 Bel Air Place. A breakthrough for Iglesias in the English language market, the song peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the RPM Top Singles. "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" went to number one on the country chart, and was one of two entries on the country chart for Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson as duo (the second was "Spanish Eyes", which peaked at #8 in late 1988). It was Iglesias' biggest hit in the United States and Canada, and Nelson's biggest European hit. The record also appeared on Australian, New Zealand and South African charts. The song has become Iglesias's signature English-language tune, prominently performed at his concerts since the single's release. Thanks to this song, 1100 Bel Air Place became Iglesias' world-wide best selling album. In 1984, Nelson and Iglesias were also named "Duo of the year" by the Country Music Association, and "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" was named single of the year by the Academy of Country Music. LYRICS: To all the men I've loved before Who travelled in and out my door I'm glad they came along I dedicate this song To all the men I've loved before To all the men I once caressed And may I say I've held the best For helping me to grow I owe a lot I know To all the men I've loved before The winds of change are always blowing And every time I try to stay The winds of change continue blowing And they just carry me away To all the men who shared my life Who wanted me to be their wife I'm glad they came along I dedicate this song To all the men I've loved before To all the men who cared for me Who filled my nights with ecstasy They live within my heart I'll always be a part Of all the men I've loved before Special Thanks to Pieter, Astrid and others from the Shirley Bassey blog, Tal from the Diamond Bassey website, and all those who have contributed wonderful pictures of Shirley!
Eileen Younghusband lists some of the men she has known. Men I Have Known by Candy Jar Books.
Roy Noble interviews Eileen Younghusband at the Cowbridge Book Festival July 4th 2013.
This is a song that I wrote for/about my Grandpa (Gene Webb) just prior to his passing in July of 2003. I wrote it to honor him and to be a reminder for myself over the years of exactly what he meant to me and all the things he did for me to help me become the man I am today. I hope you guys like it and that it reminds you of someone special in your life. Thank you.
Most VENOMOUS Animals Known To Man!
Check out the most venomous animals known to man! These creatures such as snakes, jellyfish and spiders are some of the most dangerous animals around the world that we know of today! Subscribe For New Videos! http://goo.gl/UIzLeB Watch our "DANGEROUS Animals In Australia!" video here: https://youtu.be/NKFzu0Gw8kY Watch our "Most DANGEROUS Bugs Around The World!" video here: https://youtu.be/ka-lajm3xbk Watch our "Most TERRIFYING Extinct Creatures Ever!" video here: https://youtu.be/ZQ2duvyaqfw 12. Platypus Adorable and goofy looking, the duck-billed platypus looks like it would be more at home in a cartoon rather than real life. However, this waddling chimera of animals has a rather painful surprise: the males of the species have venomous spurs on their hind legs. Deciding how venomous an animal is isn’t an exact science. However, scientists do use a standard known as LD50. LD50 refers to how much venom is needed to kill 50 percent of a test population of lab mice. The platypus’ poison glands are located in their thighs and they use spurs near their heels to inject the poison. While not fatal to humans, the toxins create excruciating pain that can last for weeks, and causes swelling and increased temperature. The pain, though, really is the worst part because no painkillers, not even morphine, can touch it. Why would such an adorable creature need poison glands? Scientists aren’t actually sure, although it’s most likely used to defend their burrows and their young. 11. Brown Recluse Also called violin spiders or fiddleback spiders, the brown recluse carries venom that can cause serious injury and death. These spiders are mainly found in the Southeastern and Midwestern states of the United States, but they can be accidentally transported inside boxes and packages. This is a rare phenomenon and there have only been 10 confirmed cases of brown recluses being found outside their native habitats. Most sightings are due to these spiders being confused with similar looking cousins. The venom of the brown recluse is hemotoxic, meaning that it affects red blood cells. The bite of a recluse causes nausea, vomiting, necrosis, muscle and joint pain, the bursting of red blood cells, organ damage, and death. Death, however, only occurs in young children or the elderly with weak immune systems. Luckily, these spiders are not aggressive and only bite when disturbed. There is no antivenom for the brown recluse bite. Medical treatment is often slow and carries physical complications. Many times, the term “venomous” and “poisonous” are used interchangeably. Technically they aren’t the same. In a poisonous animal, the toxin is deployed passively like the toxins excreted by the poison dart frog. An animal that injects you with toxin, like the brown recluse, is venomous. 10. Gila Monster One of the most venomous lizards to humans, the Gila monster is a member of an exclusive club. Out of over 4,600 species of lizards, only a handful are venomous. In 1952, the Gila monster became the first venomous animal in North America to be granted legal protection. Getting bitten by a Gila monster is nasty business. It makes its venom in a row of glands in its lower jaw. When the lizard bites, small grooves in the teeth deliver the toxin into the wounds. Gila monsters bite and chew their victims and can take up to fifteen minutes before releasing it. While extremely painful, the venom of the Gila monster is not fatal in healthy humans. Victims can experience swelling, nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure, weakness, faintness, excessive perspiration, chills and fever. There have also been cases of severe reactions resulting in breathing difficulties. Most reported bites occur on the hands, suggesting the lizard defended itself after being handled or prodded. There is a good side to Gila monster venom. In the early 1990s, John Eng, an endocrinologist, discovered the venom contained a peptide that increased the production of insulin. Humans release a similar hormone but this peptide is longer lasting. Eng used his discovery to create a medication for those with Type 2 diabetes. 9. Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake The eastern diamondback is not only the largest rattlesnake in North America, but it is also the most venomous. It can inject between 400 to 1,000 mg of venom in one bite. To give that some perspective, it only takes 100 to 105 mg to be lethal to humans. They can also strike up to one-third of their body length and their fangs can grow to over an inch long. Found in the Southeastern US, the diamondback rattlesnake is not as aggressive as portrayed. In fact, they actively avoid humans. Like the brown recluse, their venom is hemotoxic, causing tissue damage and killing red blood cells. Origins Explained is the place to be to find all the answers to your questions, from mysterious events and unsolved mysteries to everything there is to know about the world and its amazing animals!
Hamish experiences an Amazon tribes' coming-of-age ritual: Bullet Ant gloves! Where the toxins released by the ants generates the worst pain a human is capable of experiencing. |
0.993533 | Trafalgar Square was laid out in the 1820s onwards as part of John Nash's redevelopment of the West End. It stands on the former site of the King's Mews and was designed to enhance the setting of the new National Gallery and to connect the Strand with the West End. Dominated by Nelson's Column, it became a focal point for the commemoration of imperial heroes and as the favoured rallying place for momentous social and political events.
Rail:Charing Cross.Tube:Charing Cross (Northern,Bakerloo)/Embankment (Bakerloo,Northern,District,Circle). Bus: 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 23, 24, 53, 77A, 88, 91, 139, 159, 176, 453.
Trafalgar Square is London's largest and most formal public space, laid out in the 1820s onwards as part of John Nash's redevelopment of the West End. It stands on the former site of the King's Mews and was designed to enhance the setting of the new National Gallery, built in 1832-38 by William Wilkins, and to connect the Strand with the West End. Dominated by Nelson's Column, it became a focal point for the commemoration of imperial heroes and as the favoured rallying place for momentous social and political events. The site of Trafalgar Square was formerly occupied by the Great Mews of the Crown Stables, a large rectangular enclosure surrounded by stables and coach houses to the north of Charing Cross. The building of new stabling behind Buckingham Palace rendered the mews redundant. The area was an important one, forming the essential link between Nash's new processional route of Regent Street, and The Strand, which connected the City with Westminster. It thus forms part of Nash's grand scheme of Metropolitan Improvements that transformed the capital. Nash was asked to prepare a design for the area, which obtained parliamentary sanction through the Charing Cross Act of 1826. This included a new square to the south of the proposed National Gallery, containing a new building in its midst intended for the Royal Academy. The square was duly connected by Nash to Pall Mall through the construction of Pall Mall East, and to The Strand by the West Strand development, and stood at the head of Charing Cross and Whitehall. A proposed avenue leading to the British Museum was not carried out, and it was not until the formation of the Charing Cross Road by the Metropolitan Board of Works in the 1880s that the square obtained a northern entrance of any significance. It received the name Trafalgar Square in 1830.
William Wilkins' National Gallery was built in 1832-38 and defined the northern perimeter of the square; Sir Robert Smirke's Union Club House and College of Physicians (now Canada House) was built on the west side in 1822-27 while the east side (now occupied by Sir Herbert Baker's South Africa House of 1935) was occupied by Morley's Hotel, designed by George Ledwell Taylor in 1830.
Wilkins' death in 1839 saw responsibility for the design of the square pass to Sir Charles Barry. Between 1840 and 1845 he oversaw the levelling of the sloping site and the design of the northern terrace, the stairs and retaining walls, and central fountains set within lobed quatrefoil basins. The principal feature of the square, The Nelson Column, was erected in 1840-43 to the designs of William Railton. It resulted from a body of subscribers to a Nelson monument who had petitioned the government in 1838 that the site be made available for this purpose, and two competitions were duly held. The 145ft high Corinthian column is built of grey Foggintor granite from Dartmoor, with a bronze capital. The statue of Nelson, 16 ft-high and carved from Craigleith stone, is by E.H. Baily and was placed in position on 3 November 1843. The pedestal sports four giant bronze reliefs, cast from captured cannon, depicting episodes from Nelson's victories at St Vincent, the Nile, Copenhagen and Trafalgar. The reliefs, by M.L. Watson, W.F. Woodington, J. Ternouth and J.E. Carew respectively, which were affixed in 1852.
The celebrated lions, which were designed by Sir Edwin Landseer and modelled by Baron Marochetti, were not put into position until 1868. The square is celebrated for its statuary. The finest piece is deemed to be the equestrian statue of George IV by Sir Francis Chantrey, erected upon the north-east pedestal in 1844 but originally intended for Nash's Marble Arch. There has been much speculation as to the filling of its long-vacant pair at the north-west corner, now commonly referred to as the Fourth Plinth. Two granite plinths flank the northernmost pair of guardian lions: the eastern bears a bronze statue of Major general Sir Henry Havelock (d.1857), hero of the Indian Mutiny, by Edward Behnes, 1861; its western counterpart commemorates General Sir Charles Napier (d.1853), commander during the Afghan and Indian Wars, by G.G. Adams, 1855. A statue commemorating General Kitchener (d.1885), by Hamo Thornycroft and unveiled in 1888, formerly stood between the fountain basins. It was removed in 1943 to make way for an Avro Lancaster bomber during National Savings Wings for Victory week, was temporarily reinstated, but then relocated to Victoria Embankment Gardens.
Sir Edwin Lutyens was responsible for the remodelling of the square's fountains in 1937-39, when larger fountains containing elaborate mermen and mermaids by Charles Wheeler and W. McMillan were installed as memorials to Admirals Beatty and Jellicoe, thereby continuing the theme of naval commemoration. Sir Philip Sassoon, First Commissioner of Works, was largely responsible for pushing this concept of a 'naval piazza'. Bronze busts of these admirals by Wheeler and McMillan, set against the northern terrace wall, were installed in 1948 and they have subsequently been joined by that of Admiral Cunningham. Between the busts, set into the ground, the Imperial Standards of Length, bronze measures indicating yards, chains, perches and poles, were placed here in 1876 by the Board of Trade. When the new central staircase was added in 2003, the measures were relocated, and information about them remains outside the new café.
The paving of Trafalgar Square has undergone changes over the years, and the original surface was asphalted, supplied by Bastinne Bitumen Company. This was renewed in 1863 and in 1926 the asphalt was replaced with very large flagstones, which were extensively overhauled by Donald Insall and Associates in 1987. The chequered paving of the upper terrace consists of Portland and Mansfield sandstone and appears to be original.
The prominence, central location, and paved floor of the square made it an ideal location for public meetings. A Chartist rally was held in 1848 which led to a ban on public assemblies. The most notorious assembly occurred on November 13th 1877, when a Radical demonstration was broken up by soldiers and the police; three men died and over 200 injured, and the day became known as 'Bloody Sunday'. Numerous political rallies were held here, culminating in the CND rallies of the 1960s. Trafalgar Square has become well known for its New Year's Eve celebrations, and since 1947 a Christmas tree has been erected here, given to the people of London by the people of Norway in gratitude for Britain's support of Norway during WWII. The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree is usually a Norwegian spruce (Picea abies) over 20 metres high and 50-60 years old. It is selected from the forests surrounding Oslo with great care several months, even years, in advance. The Norwegian foresters who look after it describe it fondly as 'the queen of the forest'. The tree is felled in November during a ceremony in which the Lord Mayor of Westminster, the British ambassador to Norway and the Mayor of Oslo participate. It is brought to the UK by sea, then completes its journey by lorry. A specialist rigging team erects it in the square using a hydraulic crane. It is decorated in traditional Norwegian fashion, with vertical strings of lights, now using energy-efficient light bulbs. It remains in Trafalgar Square until just before the Twelfth Night of Christmas, when it is taken down for recycling, chipped and composted, to make mulch. Other regular festivals celebrated in the Square include Chinese New Year, St Patrick's Day, St George's Day, the Sikh New Year festival of Vaisakhi, Muslim festival of Eid ul-fitr and Diwali.
Management responsibility transferred from DCMS to the Greater London Authority (GLA) in February 2002 under the Greater London Authority Act 1999. In July 2003 Trafalgar Square was formally re-opened following completion of the 18-month improvement project that was undertaken as part of the World Squares for All initiative. The scheme included re-routing traffic from the north side of the square, which was pedestrianised to create a large terrace at the top of the square. A central staircase linking the Square with the National Gallery, a café, lifts and public toilets were also part of the changes.
The 'empty plinth' has been used in recent years as a site for temporary installation of commissions by internationally-recognised contemporary artists, commencing with a programme organised through the RSA that saw works by Rachel Whiteread, Bill Woodrow and Mark Wallinger. Since 2002, the new programme of temporary projects has been undertaken by GLA, commencing with Marc Quinn's 'Alison Lapper Pregnant'. |
0.911643 | Integrate accounting software with project management software to improve decision-making.
Advancing technology in the workplace is a wonderful thing. However, the ubiquity of applications and their many uses often brings one potential pitfall: a failure to integrate. With all of the business apps available, you end up “app flipping” to check on critical business functions that keep your processes moving. Wouldn’t it be transformative to have one app that does everything? This article focuses on two critical areas of the construction firm that have been technologically isolated and the advantages of integrating your accounting platform with your project management platform.
You have a very robust accounting platform. It does everything you need and your office staff loves it. You also have a game-changing project management solution that your field crew loves. Problem is these two separate programs lack integration. Most subcontractors agree that improved communication between the financial and operational sides of their businesses is critical for better decision-making and greater efficiency both in the office and on the jobsite, and will yield higher profits.
However, the software systems used by their office and field crews are not built to handle communications between the two, or many attempts have failed. Non-integrated programs can quickly become cumbersome to manage and create issues, such as duplicate entry, data reconciliation, data accuracy and siloed information. The results are with significant delays in project and financial reporting across the organization.
Siloed information can quickly turn a profitable project into an expensive nightmare. Ensuring your projects are profitable is the backbone of any successful construction firm. Tight management and controls include a tight grip on work in progress (WIP), visibility of project costs, accurate forecasts and management of revenue and cash. But when you are running disparate accounting and project management systems, your control becomes nonexistent.
For example, field personnel are working with one set of figures and are likely reporting very different numbers or results compared to what accounting sees. Unfortunately, discrepancies in costs are often discovered when it is too late, and the project results in a loss rather than a profit.
As competition grows within the construction industry, companies running disparate software are at a serious disadvantage because it fails to effectively help minimize project risk. To remedy the situation, companies are moving toward construction-specific software that integrates transactions, processes and workflows across the organization and is accessible to all staff on any device at any time.
Every company starts out with the best intentions when purchasing their first software package. Typically, this is a generic, one-size-fits-all accounting platform that was not designed for the construction industry. While this solution may work for a while, eventually the company is going to grow, and various other systems are implemented to support different business functions. Picture this: your payroll department implements a stand-alone system; one project team uses a complex set of formulaic spreadsheets; another project team uses their own templates. All of these different documents are permeated throughout the organization—and most of the time they are out of date. This creates chaos and a management nightmare.
In contrast, a fully integrated system contains all project, operational and financial information across the organization in one system—creating one version of the truth. This allows businesses to be confident in their information to make business decisions.
If your business is running multiple systems, chances are the same information is being entered multiple times by different people into different systems. For example, your field foreman enters information into a standalone payroll system. That same labor cost is booked against a job in the job costing system by another person. Then, that same labor cost is journaled into the accounting system. Three different people entered the same information into three different systems. Imagine how much time would have been saved if the systems were integrated. There would only be a single entry by a single person into a single source, guaranteeing no duplication of effort and only one version of the truth.
The ability to make timely business decisions is essential to every successful company. This is stymied by the time wasted on reconciling accounting and project data, plus the time it takes to get accurate reports. With the implementation of an integrated system, companies are forced to adopt more efficient workflows. Data is only entered once, complying with standards, validations and data security that is enforced and controlled, thereby creating efficient operational processes.
Data integrity is crucial for any company in any industry. Using the payroll example above, running disparate systems compromises the data integrity, which ultimately leads to business decisions being made using inaccurate and outdated information. Project forecasting is crucial and end-of-month project forecasting is generally the norm. Project managers want to make their projects look profitable, and this sometimes leads to data manipulation, which understates the forecasted final cost. Needless to say, this can have severe consequences on the profitability of the project and the company’s bottom line. By implementing an integrated accounting and project management system, there is no room for data manipulation, as an understated cost becomes evident immediately.
A construction firm’s success rests on the shoulders of its people making better decisions. An integrated accounting and project management solution maximizes business results on every project. Running disparate systems is a thing of the past and will only slow down a firm’s growth. More and more firms are moving towards the integrated approach and are reaping the benefits of having a single source of truth to facilitate their decision-making. |
0.999998 | Load up on crowd-pleasing recipes for main and side dishes using a favorite good-for-you vegetable: spaghetti squash.
With its spaghetti-like strands, this squash can sub in for a classic, comforting side that's traditionally made with pasta. Best of all, it's remarkably simple: Use a fork to scrape roasted spaghetti squash flesh into strings, then toss with Parmesan and butter.
Have to feed a crowd? Craving something comforting? Looking for a recipe that freezes beautifully? This lasagna checks all the boxes.
Katie's 5-star recipe proves spaghetti squash is made for the twice-baked treatment (it's not just for potatoes!). The squash gets roasted, blanketed in a creamy sauce with chicken and broccoli, and topped with cheese before taking a turn under the broiler for a golden brown crust.
This might be the easiest way to cook spaghetti squash — pierce a whole squash all over with a fork, then cook it in a pressure cooker until perfectly tender. It cooks in a fraction of the time it would take in the oven, and there's no need to struggle with cutting the sturdy squash beforehand.
As much as we love a pasta sub, spaghetti squash doesn't always have to be the main affair. Keep things simple and add it to your plate as a side for pork scallopini.
Cut down on carbs by switching pasta out for spaghetti squash in this flavorful, pancetta-laced Alfredo dish.
Pack the flavors of a sausage and white bean soup into a tender roasted spaghetti squash for a hearty all-in-one meal.
No waiting for water to boil here: Spaghetti squash proves (once again) that it can sub out pasta. It's perfect in this pancetta and egg-enriched cream sauce.
Here's a twist on Cincinnati "five-way" chili: spaghetti squash and chili, plus cheddar cheese, onion and kidney beans.
Mix kale-subbed pesto and squash-subbed pasta for a fun and tasty way to eat your veggies.
It's a vegetable — and a pasta! Strands of spaghetti squash make a noodle-like base for a simple sauce and some crumbled feta.
This recipe takes classic creamy potato gratin to a new level. Spaghetti squash adds amazing texture and great flavor — giving you yet another reason to buy the versatile veggie!
Top crunchy toasted corn tortillas with tender spaghetti squash, plus hearty black beans and roasted cherry tomatoes instead of meat.
For an extra-easy side, cook spaghetti squash in the microwave until tender, scrape it into strands with a fork, and add garlic, herbs and pickled cherry peppers.
Spaghetti squash subs don't have to be limited to pasta — it works just as well in noodle dishes! In this recipe, spaghetti squash is flavored with a sweet and tangy peanut sauce for an easy meal or side that's ready in 25 minutes.
There's no need to preheat the oven, or even use pots and pans for this recipe! A fresh, no-cook sauce and microwave squash prep help bring this flavorful and healthy side to the table in under 30 minutes.
Add Mediterranean flair to buttery squash with sweet shrimp, salty feta and briny olives. It's a dish that's great hot, but also delicious at room temperature.
In this twist on a classic Southern dish, the noodle-like strands of crisp-tender squash find their way into a creamy chicken and vegetable casserole.
Skip pasta and serve shredded spaghetti squash with hot Italian sausage.
A little bit of truffle oil and a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano go a long way in flavoring Guy's 5-ingredient spaghetti squash.
As fancy as it might sound, DIY compound butter is a cinch! In her recipe, Katie adds curry, lemon zest, shallots and cilantro to room-temperature butter to add major flavor to roasted spaghetti squash. Tip: Make an extra batch of butter and keep on hand for flavoring fish, rice and everything nice.
The mild flavor of spaghetti squash makes it the perfect base to mix with Asian-style soy and ginger sauce in this 20-minute side dish.
Who needs meat to make a delicious slider? These vegetarian squash sliders are sweet, tangy and messy. If you can't find mini slider buns, slice hot dog buns into thirds.
A side of tender, subtly sweet spaghetti squash is the perfect healthy sidekick for steamed striped bass fillets, served with a traditional Italian sweet-and-sour sauce. |
0.970914 | Anyone's doctors rx-ing for weight gain?
I have read a few articles about ways to mitigate weight gain from psychoactive drugs with other prescription drugs -- including glucophage when it's related to metabolic changes -- but I've never seen anyone here post anything about their doctors addressing that particular side effect with anything besides behavioral modification (and that seems to have been limited to advising patients to eat less and exercise more, without a real feeling that the doctor has really believed that the drugs were involved in the gain), so I wondered if anyone had had a doctor address the weight gain in a practical or even just a helpful way?
While I'm very interested in hearing about anything that was helpful to anyone, I'm especially interested in any stories involving a doctor addressing any side effect directly with an additional med, and in how the side effects of the second med added or subtracted from the side effects of the initial drug? |
0.999988 | Possessing few natural resources upon its newly-granted independence in 1863, Singapore remained economically _______ until an influx of industrialization and foreign investment took hold there.
From the clues in this sentence, you know that Singapore’s independence was newlygranted and that industrialization and foreign investment had not yet taken root. You need a word that means something like unstable or weak for the blank. Choices (A), (B), and (C) all go in the opposite direction of what you’re looking for, so eliminate them. Fortuitous doesn’t fit in the context of your clues, making dubious the best answer. |
0.999956 | Please explain what is Photodiode, light emitting Diode and Zener Diode?
, is sufficient to break a valence bond. When such light falls on the junction, new hole - electron pairs are created. The number of charge carriers increases and hence the conductivity of the junction increases. If the junction is connected in some circuit, the current in the circuit is controlled by the intensity of the incident light.
When a conduction electron makes a transition to the valence band to fill up a hole in a p-n junction, the extra energy may be emitted as a photon. If the wavelenght of this photon is in the visible range( 380 nm - 780 nm), one can see the emitted light. Such a p-n junction is known as light emitting diode abbreviated as LED. For silicon or germanium, the wavelength falls in the infrared region. LED's may be made from semiconducting compounds like gallium arsenide or indium phosphide. LED's are very commonly used in electronic gadgets as indicator lights.
If the reverse - bias voltage across a p-n junction diode is increased, at a particular voltage the reverse current suddenly increases to a large value. This phenomenon is called breakdown of the diode and the voltage at which it occurs is called the breakdown voltage. At this voltage, the rate of creation of hole - electronpairs is increased lending to the increased current.
Tehre are two main processes by which breakdown may occur. The holes in the n - side and the conduction electrons in the p - side are accelerated due to the reverse - bias voltage. If these minority carriers acquire sufficient kinetic energy from the electric field and collide with a valence electron, the bond will be broken and the valence electron will be taken to the conduction band. |
0.999279 | Is Hammock Camping Really That Environmentally Friendly?
One question that comes up often is whether or not there is a difference between tent and hammock camping when it comes to being able to leave no trace when you're finished. The answer is yes and no, and it ultimately depends on how mindful you are of your surroundings and what site you choose. While it is true that a hammock is less-invasive than setting up a tent and maintaining a site, there are still steps that we can take to minimize the impact that our presence has on the area.
The most important thing to consider, aside from using best practices while on-site, is to take care not to damage trees when setting up or using your hammock. Keep in mind that certain species of trees are susceptible to infections, rotting, drying out and the impact of opportunistic insects and other critters if wide-swaths of bark is removed.
Good camping hammocks usually come with straps that are designed to be as gentle on trees as possible. You can also purchase these straps if your hammock didn't come with them. These straps are less-likely to dig into bark and cause abrasion that will leave behind large bare spots. In all seriousness, thousands of trees are damaged, some irreversibly, every year due to careless campers or hikers.
You also want to choose the right kind of trees. Look for ones that are mature, appear healthy and have a nice, thick and consistent layer of bark. If a tree seems marginal, consider erring on the side of caution and choosing another instead.
Aside from damage to trees, other environmental impacts generally involve trash people leave behind or damage caused from cutting wood for fires. However, if given the choice, hammock camping by nature will leave less of a footprint on the site itself. In fact, you really don't need to choose a specific campsite at all, since you don't have to worry about finding areas of flat, open land. You also don't have to be limited to using sites that are well-worn and over-used by throngs of other campers or hikers.
Consequently, those who are concerned about the impact of hammock camping shouldn't worry, as it makes it easier to live with the environment in a less-invasive way. However, it's equally-important to minimize the impact that our camping habits in general have on the environment, as these are the things that tend to leave their mark long after we've gone. |
0.999995 | These days there are countless materials available for kitchen countertops. But instead of giving you the pros and cons of each material, I’m going to break down six popular color styles so you can achieve the look you want with the material that suits your needs.
One of the most common and coveted countertop finishes is a stone or manufactured slab material, such as quartz, in a white or off-white shade with a light multitonal fleck or grain to give it subtle natural richness.
This snowy, sparkling look works well in many situations since it is very neutral but also contemporary and fresh. The pale tone brings a sense of cleanness and lightness to the space with a twist of subtle sophistication.
In more traditional kitchens, this is usually a better choice than a true minimalist white countertop, which can be too severe and fight with the elegance of other elements such as knotty woods, Shaker cabinets or lantern pendant lights.
Softly flecked or grainy whites also work well paired with brass accents, such as these contemporary lights. Again, the subtle richness holds its own without fighting for attention and keeps the countertop from feeling too austere — great for a dining island where you want people to actually feel comfortable dining.
– You have a traditional or transitional interior.
– You want the space to look big and light without feeling clinical.
– You want white countertops but don’t want every crumb and speck of dust to show.
Pure white countertops, generally only available in manufactured materials such as Corian or Caesarstone, bring a contemporary, minimalist freshness that no natural stone can match. Luckily, these materials resist stains well, so they can stay a crisp white for years with just a little care.
This stark look works well in contemporary spaces. As mentioned, the severity of a true white can fight a traditional decor, but in a modern space it feels appropriately crisp. It’s especially effective in small spaces, such as compact condo kitchens, paired with minimalist white cabinets to give the illusion of a bigger space.
Here is another use for white countertops: Spaces that already have a great deal of bold character in the other finishes, such as grainy wood cabinets, can benefit from a super simple counter as a visual break.
This is especially true for modern flat-front cabinets in a wood finish with a yellow-orange undertone. A pure white counter will keep the look feeling fresh and contemporary instead of retro.
Lastly, white and blue is a classic nautical combination, so while off-white would also work, a pure white counter looks beautiful paired with blue-painted cabinetry. Despite both being chilly colors, the two together feel welcoming and always stylish.
– You love crisp, modern style.
– You have a small space that you want to look as big as possible.
– You want to break up modern wood cabinets or other bold finishes.
– You love a nautical white-and-blue scheme.
Warm wood, with its inviting air and natural richness, is a great choice for infusing a cool, breezy kitchen with some approachable character. Crisp white kitchens feel a little more “homey” and a little less austere with a wood countertop. It makes a popular choice for transitional kitchens that balance traditional and contemporary elements, especially since classic wood fits into both categories.
Wood counters, naturally, also work well in spaces that already feature wood cabinets — that is, if you’re a true wood lover and don’t mind it dominating the palette.
Notice in several of these examples how wood only dresses the island counters. Wood in general is an excellent material to use for an accent counter (often on an island or a small “chopping zone” in butcher block), contrasting with nearby stone or solid-surface counters in a pleasing way.
Lighter woods tend to have more of a casual or rustic feel compared with darker-stained options. Light-stained or unstained woods can have a cottage-inspired feel or a Scandinavian vibe depending on whether you pair them with traditional or modern accouterments. In either case, a traditional runner rug makes an excellent complement.
Darker woods come off a little more formal and polished than lighter tones. They lend a certain gravity to a space, which can work well in areas that are already bright and breezy with lots of windows.
When mixing wood counters with other wood finishes, it’s often best to stick to either warm or cool tones across the board. Red-brown woods are more traditional, while ashy gray tones have been a popular modern trend in recent years. Whichever tones you prefer, they will be less likely to clash if you stick to one family or the other.
– You want an accent countertop to contrast with other surfaces.
– Your white cabinets need a little warming up.
– You want your space to feel more approachable and intimate.
– You enjoy a dash of rustic charm.
– You can’t get enough wood.
Dark counters, in tones such as black or charcoal, can appear very gothic in some situations and perfectly harmonious in others. If you have dark cabinetry, dark floors or other rich and weighty finishes, a dark countertop will fit right in. In this example, you can see that the white counter is the one that pops, compared with the island counter, which almost blends into the deep wood drawer fronts.
If you’re going for a dark-on-dark palette, it helps to have lots of light sources, natural or added (or both). This will keep the space feeling cozy and sophisticated instead of just cave-like.
Because white can sometimes absorb and dampen nearby colors, a rich, dark countertop can actually be the better choice to bring out subtle colors in painted cabinets.
Choosing a dark gray rather than pure black will soften the look, so it’s usually preferable to stop at charcoal in most situations.
Here’s a situation where dark countertops are nearly a must. When you’re using a tinted mirror backsplash to subtly open up the space visually, a dark counter will echo the deep, moody surface for a perfect complement.
In this kitchen, the counter picks up on the black elements of the appliances, the dark legs of the furniture and the rich and complex parquet floors, so it feels integrated into the design rather than being a single exclamation point.
Lastly, sometimes you just want that classic black-and-white look. If you have a kitchen with crisp white cabinets and little actual color, or you have just a few small areas of counter, a dark or black stone brings some instant drama.
Again, it’s never wise to have just one large black element in your design, as it may stand out like a sore thumb, so you’ll want to introduce other sprinklings of black such as elegantly simple black cabinet knobs and pulls.
– You have dark cabinets and want the counters to blend in with them.
– You have colorful, fun cabinets, and you want the hue to really shine.
– You have a smoky mirrored backsplash, a trendy favorite in condos and modern homes.
– You want to connect to other black elements in the space.
– You’re aiming to achieve a classic black-and-white scheme.
Soft gray countertops and other midtone shades, such as beiges or rich creams, are the most neutral counter options. In this kitchen, with creamy off-white cabinets and golden yellow undertones in the backsplash and wood, the dreamy, creamy counters add to a harmonious, peaceful look, perfect for friendly family breakfasts.
Softly flecked gray stone has a look similar to concrete, and it works perfectly in contemporary spaces with a bit of an architectural bent. It has the advantage of hiding the occasional spot while still looking clean and tidy and not too dark or busy. It’s great if you don’t always have a perfectly organized space but still want a put-together look.
Because gray is the most neutral color around, it makes another excellent choice to pair with colorful cabinets, especially in a space with different cabinet finishes, as it can help tie light and dark cabinets together.
If you have a black-and-white scheme, or espresso woods with white walls, and you want to soften the whole look a little, a midtone counter will bridge the very dark and very light elements so they meet in the middle.
Gray is also a beautiful tone to pair with warm metallic accents. If you love a brassy faucet or sink, a gray counter will bring out those warm tones so they really shine.
– You want a soft, friendly vibe with muted tones harmonizing.
– You have colorful cabinetry or multiple tones of cabinets mixed together.
– You have a black-and-white scheme that could use a little softening.
– You love warm metallic accents and want to show them off.
Boldly veined stone countertops can either make you stop and gaze in admiration or have the opposite effect and overwhelm your eyes.
In general, the bolder the veining on your counters, the less drama you’ll want to add elsewhere. This waterfall counter (with the material wrapped down the sides) is relatively muted, but the large gray veins still bring enough character without any daring colors or other statement features.
The size of your space will be a factor in determining just how dramatic a bold stone looks once it’s installed.
This isn’t to say you can’t use a bold stone in a compact kitchen, just that it will feel even more dramatic in scale, meaning you probably will want to keep the other finishes very sedate. Notice how many of these spaces use the same dramatic stone for the counter and the backsplash, making for a truly singular statement.
A dark, richly veined stone can actually feel less dramatic when paired with dark cabinets. Whether you use espresso wood or a modern painted gray coordinating a base tone in the stone with one of a similar darkness or lightness in the cabinets will help the two connect.
Ultimately, the only way to tell how a richly veined stone will look with your other elements is to bring home the largest sample you can or take samples of your other elements to the dealer to see what tones are strongest in the stone.
– You have a large kitchen.
– You want the counters to be the primary statement.
– You have dark cabinets to offset a dark, moody stone.
– You can’t get enough visual drama. |
0.988416 | Internalization of β-adrenergic receptors (βARs) occurs by the sequential binding of β-arrestin, the clathrin adaptor AP-2, and clathrin. D-3 phosphoinositides, generated by the action of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) may regulate the endocytic process; however, the precise molecular mechanism is unknown. Here we demonstrate that βARKinase1 directly interacts with the PIK domain of PI3K to form a cytosolic complex. Overexpression of the PIK domain displaces endogenous PI3K from βARK1 and prevents βARK1-mediated translocation of PI3K to activated β2ARs. Furthermore, disruption of the βARK1/PI3K interaction inhibits agonist-stimulated AP-2 adaptor protein recruitment to the β2AR and receptor endocytosis without affecting the internalization of other clathrin dependent processes such as internalization of the transferrin receptor. In contrast, AP-2 recruitment is enhanced in the presence of D-3 phospholipids, and receptor internalization is blocked in presence of the specific phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate lipid phosphatase PTEN. These findings provide a molecular mechanism for the agonist-dependent recruitment of PI3K to βARs, and support a role for the localized generation of D-3 phosphoinositides in regulating the recruitment of the receptor/cargo to clathrin-coated pits.
β-Adrenergic receptors (βARs)* are a member of the large family of G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) (Johnson, 1998; Rockman et al., 2002). In the heart, ligand activation of βARs results in the dissociation of the cognate heterotrimeric GTP binding protein (G-protein) into Gα and Gβγ subunits, leading to stimulation of the effector adenylyl cyclase and subsequent physiologic response (Koch et al., 2000). Exposure to agonist also promotes the rapid desensitization of βARs, that not only leads to the attenuation of signaling, but also targets the activated receptor to clathrin-coated pits for internalization (Ferguson et al., 1996; Goodman et al., 1996). An early step in this process involves the rapid phosphorylation of agonist-occupied receptors by a G protein–coupled receptor kinase (GRK, commonly known as the β-adrenergic receptor kinase or βARK) (Lefkowitz, 1998). The phosphorylation of activated βARs by βARK1 requires translocation of the primarily cytosolic βARK to the plasma membrane, a process facilitated by the liberated Gβγ subunits and membrane phospholipids (Pitcher et al., 1998). The second step involves binding of the protein β-arrestin to the phosphorylated receptor resulting in termination of the signal (Lefkowitz, 1998). The binding of β-arrestin serves to target phosphorylated βARs for internalization, through the recruitment of the AP-2 adaptor protein and clathrin to the receptor complex (Laporte et al., 2000). There is increasing evidence that phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) phospholipids are important molecules in endocytosis of membrane proteins (Czech, 2000). Because a key enzyme for the generation of phospholipids is phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), it suggests a possible role for PI3K in the internalization of GPCRs. Thus, although the endocytic process is a multistep event involving the coordinate interaction between proteins and as well as the control of lipid modification, the precise molecular mechanisms for this interaction are not well understood.
PI3Ks are a conserved family of lipid kinases that catalyze the addition of phosphate on the third position of the inositol ring (Rameh and Cantley, 1999). Stimulation of a variety of receptor tyrosine kinases and GPCRs results in the activation of PI3K and leads to an increase in the level of D-3 PtdIns, which in turn are potent signaling molecules that modulate a number of diverse cellular effects including: cell proliferation, cell survival, cytoskeletal rearrangements, and receptor endocytosis (Martin, 1998; Sato et al., 2001). In this context, GPCR stimulation leads to the activation of the IB subclass of PI3Ks mediated by the Gβγ subunits of G-proteins (Stoyanov et al., 1995). Studies have suggested a role of phosphoinositides in the process of receptor internalization. For example, deletion of the phosphoinositide binding site from β-arrestin impairs GPCR endocytosis (Gaidarov et al., 1999a), and the binding of PtdIns (3,4,5) P3 and PtdIns (4,5) P2 to AP-2 promotes targeting of the receptor-arrestin complex to clathrin-coated pits (Gaidarov and Keen, 1999).
Recently we have shown a possible involvement of PI3K in the regulation of βAR internalization (Naga Prasad et al., 2001). Considering the potential important role of D-3 phosphoinositides in βAR internalization, we sought to determine: (a) whether there was a direct physical interaction between βARK1 and PI3K, and if so, identify the structural domain responsible for this interaction; (b) whether the interaction of PI3K with βARK1 regulates the translocation PI3K to the agonist-occupied βAR; and (c) whether the lipid products of PI3K modulate the internalization of βARs.
We postulated that the PIK domain of PI3K (Vanhaesebroeck et al., 2001), which is characterized by five pairs of antiparallel helices, might be an important domain to support protein–protein interactions (Walker et al., 1999). To investigate whether there is a direct physical interaction between βARK1 and PI3K, we created PI3K mutants that contained only the PIK domain (FLAG tagged) or had a deletion of the PIK domain PI3KΔPIK (HA tagged) (Fig. 1 a).
βARK1 directly interacts with the PIK domain of PI3K. (a) Schematic representation of full-length PI3Kp110γ and mutants. ABR adaptor binding region, RBD-ras binding domain, C2 similar to PLCδ, which is involved in Ca2+-dependent or -independent phospholipid binding, PIK domain thought to be involved in protein–protein interactions, HA, hemagglutinin tag, FLAG, flag peptide tag. (b) HEK 293 cells cotransfected with plasmids containing βARK1 and FLAG-PIK or PI3KΔPIK cDNAs. FLAG-PIK and PI3KΔPIK were immunoprecipitated from cells, fractionated by SDS-PAGE, and analyzed by immunoblotting with βARK1 monoclonal antibody. βARK1 protein coimmunoprecipitates with FLAG-PIK and not with PI3KΔPIK. (c) GST–PIK fusion protein containing amino acid residues 535–732 of PI3Kγ was produced, which includes the entire PIK domain and flanking upstream 10 amino acids and downstream 7 amino acids. Beads with bound GST alone or GST fusion proteins were incubated with purified βARK1. Beads were washed and bound material was run on SDS-PAGE and immunoblotted with βARK1 monoclonal antibody. Purified βARK1 was found to bind to the GST–PIK fusion protein, whereas no binding was seen with GST alone. (d) PIK domain does not interact with Gβγ subunits of G-protein. Beads with bound GST–PIK fusion protein or βARK1 protein were incubated with purified Gβγ subunits of G-protein. Beads were washed, spun down, and bound material separated by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis followed by immunodetection of Gβ. No interaction between Gβγ and the PIK fusion protein was found, whereas robust interaction between Gβγ and βARK1 purified protein was observed. Purified Gβγ was loaded as a positive control.
HEK 293 cells were transfected with plasmids containing the FLAG-PIK and PI3KΔPIK-HA cDNAs. PIK and PI3KΔPIK proteins were immunoprecipitated from cell extracts using monoclonal FLAG and HA antibodies, respectively. After the addition of purified βARK1 protein to the immune complexes, the presence of βARK1 was assessed by immunoblotting for βARK1. βARK1 was found to associate with the PIK domain protein and not to full-length PI3K lacking this domain (PI3KΔPIK) (Fig. 1 b). Levels of expression of PIK and PI3KΔPIK proteins were similar (Fig. 1 b, bottom). These data suggest that PI3K and βARK1 form a macromolecular complex within the cell.
To investigate whether there was a direct physical interaction between the PIK domain of PI3K and βARK1, GST–PIK fusion protein was immobilized on sepharose beads and incubated with purified βARK1. Purified βARK1 bound specifically to GST–PIK immobilized beads and not to GST alone (Fig. 1 c). No difference in the level of GST and GST–PIK was found (Fig. 1 c, bottom).
Because PI3Kγ interacts with the βγ subunits of G-proteins, we tested whether the PIK domain might directly interact with Gβγ, and thus would compete with βARK1 for these subunits. Purified βARK1 and GST–PIK fusion protein immobilized on Sepharose beads were incubated with purified Gβγ. The beads were washed and recovered proteins were analyzed by SDS-PAGE followed by immunoblotting with a Gβ polyclonal antibody. Whereas a strong association of Gβγ with βARK1 was found, no appreciable association of Gβγ with the PIK domain was detected (Fig. 1 d). Densitometric quantification showed an 11.5 ± 1.1-fold greater binding ability of βARK1 to Gβγ purified proteins compared with the PIK domain.
To test whether overexpression of the PIK domain could displace βARK1 associated PI3K activity in living cells, experiments were performed in HEK 293 cells cotransfected with plasmids containing the βARK1 cDNA (2 μg) and increasing concentrations of the PIK domain cDNA (ranging from 0 to 6 μg). Cell lysates were immunoprecipitated using the βARK1 monoclonal antibody 48 h after transfection and βARK1 associated PI3K activity was assayed. A robust βARK1 associated PI3K activity was found in the absence of PIK domain protein, but this association could be effectively competed away by increasing the concentration of PIK cDNA (Fig. 2 a). The maximal reduction of βARK1 associated PI3K activity occurred when cells were cotransfected with 4 μg of PIK cDNA (Fig. 2 b). Furthermore, we could coimmunoprecipitate FLAG-tagged PIK protein with βARK1 monoclonal antibodies in the cotransfected HEK 293 cells (data not depicted).
Overexpression of the 197 amino acid PIK domain of PI3K competes for endogenous PI3K binding to βARK1. (a) HEK 293 cells were cotransfected with βARK1 and increasing concentrations of PIK domain encoding cDNAs. βARK1 was immunoprecipitated using βARK1 monoclonal antibody and the associated PI3K activity was measured. The lipids were extracted and run on thin layer chromatography plates. Shown is representative autoradiograph of formation of PIP ( PtdIns-monophosphate). Ori, Origin. Mock cells were transfected with vector alone. Increasing the quantity of PIK cDNA used for expression leads to displacement of PI3K activity from βARK1 suggesting PIK protein competes out PI3K from βARK1. Bottom panel shows immunoblotting for βARK1 and PIK in cell lysates. (b) Summary results of n = 5 experiments. *P < 0.0005. The data was normalized to βARK1 associated PI3K activity in cells transfected with βARK1 only. (c) HEK 293 cells were transfected with βARK1 or βARK1 and PIK or βARK1 and PI3KΔPIK encoding cDNAs. βARK1 was immunoprecipitated using βARK1 monoclonal antibody and the associated endogenous PI3K activity was assayed. Extracted lipids were run on TLC plates and a representative autoradiograph showing the formation of PIP is shown here. Mock cells are transfected with vector alone. PIK overexpression lead to displacement of endogenous PI3K activity, whereas PI3KΔPIK overexpression did not alter βARK1 associated PI3K activity. Bottom panels show immunoblotting for βARK1, PI3KΔPIK and PIK in cell lysates. (d) Summary results of n = 4 experiments. *P < 0.001. The data was normalized to βARK1 associated PI3K activity in cells transfected with βARK1 only. (e) HEK 293 cells were transfected with βARK1 or βARK1 and PIK encoding cDNAs. βARK1 was immunoprecipitated using βARK1 monoclonal antibody and the associated endogenous PI3K activity was assayed using PIP2 (PtdIns-4,5-bisphosphate) as a substrate. Extracted lipids were run on TLC plates and the autoradiograph showing the formation of PIP3 (PtdIns-3,4,5-triphosphate) is presented. βARK1 transfected cells were treated with wortmannin (Wort) (50 nM) for 15 min before lysis of cells. Mock cells were transfected with vector alone. Bottom panel shows immunoblotting for βARK1 and PIK from cell lysates. Overexpression of PIK domain or wortmannin treatment led to significant inhibition in the formation of PIP3.
We next tested whether absence of the PIK domain in an otherwise intact PI3K molecule would affect the association of βARK1 with endogenous PI3K in cells. HEK 293 cells were cotransfected with plasmids containing cDNAs for βARK1 (2 μg), βARK1 plus PIK (4 μg), and βARK1 plus PI3KΔPIK (4 μg). Cell lysates were immunoprecipitated with a βARK1 monoclonal antibody and assayed for the associated PI3K activity. Expression of PI3KΔPIK had no effect on the endogenous βARK1/PI3K interaction, whereas overexpression of PIK disrupted this interaction. Treatment with the selective PI3K inhibitor wortmannin (50 nM), abolished this βARK associated PI3K activity (Fig. 2, c and d).
Because the PIK domain is shared by all members of the PI3K family, we wanted to confirm that the βARK1-associated endogenous PI3K activity was contributed by Class I PI3K. To test this, HEK 293 cells were transfected with plasmids containing cDNAs for βARK1 (2 μg) or βARK1 plus PIK (4 μg). Cell lysates were immunoprecipitated with a βARK1 monoclonal antibody and assayed for the associated PI3K activity. However, in this experiment PtdIns-4,5-P2 was used as the substrate instead of PtdIns, as in vitro, PtdIns-4,5-P2 can be phosphorylated only by Class I PI3K (Fruman et al., 1998) and not by either the Class II or Class III PI3K enzymes. As shown in Fig. 2 e, robust generation of PtdIns-3,4,5-P3, the product of Class I PI3K catalytic activity, was seen associated with βARK1 and the coexpression of PIK completely displaced the βARK1 associated PI3K activity (Fig. 2 e). Additionally, treatment of cells with wortmannin (50 nM) prior to cell lysis also inhibited the PI3K activity that was coimmunoprecipitated along with βARK1 (Fig. 2 e). Taken together, these data demonstrate that overexpression of the PIK domain can disrupt the interaction between βARK1 and PI3K, and that the lipid kinase activity belongs to the Class I PI3K family.
Our results suggest that overexpression of the PIK domain should block the βARK1-mediated translocation of PI3K to the membrane. In order to test this hypothesis, HEK 293 cells were cotransfected with the βARK1 (2 μg), βARK1, and PIK domain (4 μg) containing plasmids, and endogenous βARs were stimulated with 10 μM isoproterenol for 2 min. Cytosolic and membrane fractions were prepared and analyzed for βARK1 associated PI3K activity. After isoproterenol stimulation, robust βARK1-associated PI3K activity that was wortmannin (50 nM) sensitive could be seen in the membrane fraction (Fig. 3 a). In contrast, overexpression of the PIK domain effectively abolished the agonist-induced translocation of PI3K to the membrane by disrupting the βARK1/PI3K interaction. No change in βARK1 associated PI3K activity was found in cytosolic fractions after isoproterenol stimulation (data not depicted).
Overexpression of PIK domain blocks βARK1 mediated translocation of PI3K to the membrane and to the β2AR. (a) HEK 293 cells were transfected with βARK1 or βARK1 and PIK encoding cDNAs. βARK1 was immunoprecipitated using βARK1 monoclonal antibody from the membrane fraction of unstimulated and stimulated (10 μM isoproterenol for 2 min) cells. βARK1 associated PI3K activity was assayed from these membranes and extracted lipids were separated by thin layer chromatography. The significant increase in βARK1 associated PI3K activity found in the membrane fraction after agonist was completely abolished in presence of PIK domain peptide and with wortmannin (50 nM) treatment of βARK1 transfected cells (Wort). (b) Membrane fraction of cells transfected with βARK1 or βARK1 and PIK encoding cDNAs were immunoprecipitated with a βARK1 monoclonal antibody and immunoblotted for βARK1. Overexpression of PIK did not inhibit βARK1 translocation to the membrane after isoproterenol stimulation. (c) HEK 293 cells were transfected with β2AR or β2AR and PIK encoding cDNAs. The transfected cells were split into separate dishes and individually treated with 10 μM isoproterenol for indicated times. Before isoproterenol treatment, a set of β2AR-transfected cells were treated with wortmannin (Wort) (50 nM). At indicated time points FLAG-β2AR was immunoprecipitated and the associated PI3K activity was measured. Shown is a representative autoradiograph of the thin layer chromatography plate showing the formation of PIP. Lower panel, level of expression of β2AR and PIK domain protein in cell lysates as assessed by immunoblotting.
To investigate whether βARK1 recruitment to the membrane would be inhibited in presence of PIK domain protein, membrane fractions were prepared from the HEK293 cells cotransfected with the βARK1 (2 μg), βARK1, and PIK domain (4 μg) containing plasmids. As shown in Fig. 3 b, overexpression of PIK had no effect on the membrane recruitment of βARK1 after isoproterenol (10 μM) stimulation. These data show that the overexpression of PIK domain protein interrupts the βARK1/PI3K interaction and does not affect agonist-dependent βARK1 translocation to the membrane.
To test whether disruption of the βARK1/PI3K interaction would prevent the recruitment of PI3K to activated βARs, HEK 293 cells were transfected with plasmids containing cDNAs encoding FLAG epitope–tagged β2AR (FLAG-β2AR, 2 μg) or FLAG-β2AR (2 μg) and PIK domain (4 μg), and assayed for β2AR associated PI3K activity after stimulation with 10 μM isoproterenol. HEK 293 cells are known to contain adequate levels of βARK1 to support agonist-induced translocation and receptor phosphorylation (Menard et al., 1997). FLAG-tagged β2ARs were immunoprecipitated from cell extracts and associated endogenous PI3K activity measured. Significant FLAG-β2AR–associated PI3K activity was observed as early as 2 min after agonist stimulation, with a decline by 5 min in the cells transfected with β2AR alone (Fig. 3 c). In contrast, no FLAG-β2AR–associated PI3K activity was found when either the PIK domain was overexpressed or the transfected cells were treated with wortmannin before isoproterenol stimulation (Fig. 3 c). These data indicate that overexpresssion of PIK domain displaces PI3K from βARK1 complex, thereby preventing its recruitment to the agonist-occupied receptor complex.
Previous studies have suggested a role for PI3K in β2AR internalization (Naga Prasad et al., 2001). We postulated that disruption of the endogenous βARK1/PI3K interaction by the PIK protein would attenuate β2AR endocytosis. To test this, agonist-dependent sequestration was studied by [125I]-cyanopindolol binding in HEK 293 cells cotransfected with plasmids containing either the FLAG-β2AR cDNA, or FLAG-β2AR and FLAG-PIK cDNAs. A significant (>60%) attenuation in the rate of β2AR sequestration occurred when the PIK domain protein was overexpressed (Fig. 4 a). Interestingly, overexpression of PIK domain protein was effective in attenuating the early processes of β2AR sequestration as the initial phase (0–5 min) was significantly impaired.
Attenuation of β2AR sequestration upon coexpression of PIK. (a) Agonist-promoted (1 μM isoproterenol) β2AR sequestration by [125I]-CYP binding was performed in HEK 293 cells transfected with β2AR and either the empty vector (▪) or PIK (□) encoding cDNAs over a time course of 0–30 min. Receptor expression (fmol/mg of whole-cell protein) was: β2AR + vector, 330 ± 80; β2AR + PIK, 303 ± 51. n = 5, P < 0.0001 versus β2AR. Inset shows expression of PIK protein. (b) Endocytosis of β2AR-YFP in live cells was monitored for 10 min after isoproterenol (10 μM) stimulation in the absence or presence of PIK domain protein coexpression using confocal microscopy. Panels on the left represent cells transfected with the β2AR-YFP alone (panels 1–3 show the same cell monitored at 0, 5, and 10 min after stimulation. Panel 7 is an example of another cell after 10 min of isoproterenol). Panels on the right represent cell transfected with β2AR-YFP and PIK (panels 4–6 show the same cell monitored as above). Panel 8 is an example of another cell after 10 min of isoproterenol). In the absence of PIK, isoproterenol causes the internalization β2ARs as shown by the formation of distinct cytoplasmic aggregates (arrowheads) and complete loss of membrane fluorescence. In contrast, in the presence of PIK domain protein, there is no redistribution of β2AR-YFP after agonist stimulation, indicating that the process of receptor endocytosis is completely inhibited. (c) Dual staining was performed in cells transfected with plasmids containing HA-β2AR and GFP-PIK cDNAs. After 10 min of 10 μM isoproterenol, cells were fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde, stained for HA-β2AR receptor with Texas red, and PIK was visualized by GFP fluorescence. Panel 1 shows two cells, one with only membrane distribution of HA-β2AR, and another cell with complete redistribution of β2ARs into aggregates (arrowheads). Panel 2, shows that the cell with GFP fluorescence (i.e., PIK domain expression) failed to undergo β2AR internalization, whereas the cell not expressing GFP-PIK showed HA-β2AR aggregates. Panel 3 is an overlay of panels 1 and 2.
We further evaluated β2AR endocytosis using confocal microscopy in transfected cells using β2AR tagged with the YFP (β2AR-YFP) in the presence and absence of PIK. β2AR internalization was followed in the same cell after agonist stimulation. Before agonist, the distribution of β2AR-YFP was found distinctly at the plasma membrane (Fig. 4 b, panel 1). After agonist treatment, there was redistribution of the β2AR-YFP into membrane puncta consistent with entry into clathrin coated pits (Fig. 4 b, panel 2) (Laporte et al., 1999). With time, this was followed by the formation of cytoplasmic aggregates (Fig. 4 b, panel 3), and then with the complete loss of membrane fluorescence (Fig. 4 b, panels 3 and 7, arrowheads). In marked contrast, coexpression with the PIK domain completely prevented redistribution of β2AR-YFP fluorescence into membrane puncta and blocked the formation of intracellular aggregates after isoproterenol stimulation (Fig. 4 b, panels 6 and 8).
To definitively show that only those cells that contained the PIK domain protein failed to undergo agonist-stimulated βAR internalization, dual labeling experiments were performed after cotransfection with plasmids encoding HA tagged β2AR (HA-β2AR) and PIK–GFP. After isoproterenol stimulation, cells were fixed and HA-β2AR was visualized by Texas red staining and PIK was visualized by GFP fluorescence. Cells that showed restricted distribution of Texas red staining (HA-β2AR expression) to the membrane (Fig. 4 c, panel 1), also had GFP fluorescence indicating PIK protein expression (Fig. 4 c, panel 2). In contrast, cells that lacked GFP fluorescence (i.e., PIK protein expression), showed marked agonist-induced β2AR internalization (Fig. 4 c, panel 1 and 2, arrowheads) as clearly seen in the overlay (Fig. 4 c, panel 3, arrowheads).
To test whether PI3K activity was necessary for the recruitment of β-arrestin to the receptor complex, and whether overexpression of the PIK protein alters agonist-induced receptor phosphorylation, we used a HEK 293 cell line with stable expression of both β2AR-HA and β-arrestin2–GFP proteins. Double stably expressing cells were transfected with the plasmid containing FLAG-PIK cDNA and then split in separate dishes. Confocal microscopy was used to visualize fluorescence in cells with 10 μM isoproterenol and subsequently fixed. All cells show β-arrestin2–GFP fluorescence, whereas a smaller percentage shows Texas red staining of the FLAG epitope (Fig. 5 a, panels 1 and 2). In the absence of isoproterenol (Fig. 5 a, panels 1 and 2) cells have a cytosolic distribution of PIK as well as β-arrestin2-GFP. With isoproterenol, there was marked redistribution of GFP fluorescence to the membrane, indicating recruitment of β-arrestin to the membrane (Fig. 5 a, panel 3). Importantly, cells that contained PIK proteins did not affect the membrane recruitment of β-arrestin (Fig. 5 a, panels 3 and 4, arrowheads), suggesting that D-3 phosphoinositide molecules are not necessary for arrestin recruitment to activated receptors.
Overexpression of PIK neither inhibits β-arrestin2 recruitment to the receptor complex, transferrin uptake, or downstream PI3K signaling. (a) Confocal microscopy was used to visualize fluorescence in HEK 293 double stably expressing (HA-β2AR-HA and β-arrestin 2-GFP) cells transfected with the FLAG-PIK plasmid. After stimulation with 10 μM isoproterenol for 10 min, cells were fixed and stained with Texas red. All cells show β-arrestin2–GFP (βarr2-GFP) fluorescence whereas a smaller percentage show Texas red staining of the FLAG epitope. Panels 1 and 2 show that in the absence of isoproterenol, both PIK and β-arrestin2–GFP were distributed in the cytoplasm. Panels 3 and 4, after the addition of isoproterenol, the presence of PIK domain protein had no effect on the marked redistribution of β-arrestin–GFP fluorescence to the membrane (arrowheads). (b) HEK 293 cells were transfected with GFP–PIK (4 μg) and plated on to glass-bottom petri dishes. Serum-starved cells were incubated with Transferrin (Tf) conjugated to Texas red for 30 min at 37°C. The cells were thoroughly washed with PBS and fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde. Fixed cells were visualized using laser scanning confocal microscope. Panel 1 shows PIK domain expression in cells as visualized by GFP fluorescence, whereas panel 2 shows the same set of cells that took up Transferrin (Tf) as visualized by Texas red. Cells that overexpressed the PIK domain also had robust Transferrin (Tf) uptake. (c) HEK 293 cells or cells stably expressing PIK were transfected with β2AR encoding cDNA and treated with various agonists. Clarified lysates (50 μg) were immunoblotted for phospho-PKB. MOCK, treated with ascorbic acid; IGF, treated with insulin growth factor (10 nM); Car, treated with carbachol (1 mM); ISO, treated with isoproterenol dissolved in ascorbic acid (10 μM); Cont, positive control for phospho-PKB. (d) Summary results of densitometric analysis of phospho-PKB after stimulation by various agonists (n = 3–5). The data is represented as fold over basal (MOCK).
To determine whether the overexpression of the PIK domain in cells nonspecifically affect other clathrin-mediated processes, we assessed the ability of transferrin to undergo endocytosis. Transferrin receptors are known to constitutively localize and internalize via clathrin-coated vesicles (van Dam and Stoorvogel, 2002). HEK 293 cells were transfected with plasmids encoding PIK–GFP. Transfected cells were incubated with Transferrin–Texas red conjugate at 37°C for 30 min and then fixed. As shown in Fig. 5 b, transferrin uptake was unaffected by the presence of PIK–GFP (Fig. 5 b, panels 1 and 2), indicating that overexpression of PIK domain does not inhibit other clathrin mediated processes.
To investigate whether overexpression of PIK domain protein in cells would alter downstream PI3K signaling, PKB activation was measured in HEK 293 cells stably expressing the PIK domain protein. Cells stably expressing PIK and wild-type HEK 293 cells were transfected with the plasmid containing cDNA for the FLAG-β2AR, and stimulated with various GPCR or growth factor agonists. Agonist stimulation in the absence of PIK resulted in a significant increase of pPKB over mock treatment (Fig. 5, c and d). Importantly, there was robust PKB activation in the cell line overexpressing the PIK domain protein (Fig. 5, c and d). These data show that overexpression of the PIK domain in cells does not interfere with cellular signaling downstream of PI3K.
Since overexpression of PIK leads to attenuation of β2AR endocytosis, we wanted to determine whether the βARK1-mediated localization of PI3K within the activated receptor complex is responsible for the generation of D-3 phosphorylated phosphoinositides that promote recruitment of AP-2 to the agonist-occupied receptor. To test this hypothesis, HEK 293 cells were transfected with FLAG-β2AR or FLAG-β2AR, and PIK plasmids and then stimulated with isoproterenol. The FLAG-epitope was immunoprecipitated from cell extracts and blotted for the associated AP-2 adaptin and clathrin proteins. There was a significant increase in the association of AP-2 adaptin to the agonist-stimulated receptor within 2–5 min, which returned to basal levels by 10 min (Fig. 6 a). In contrast, overexpression of the PIK peptide completely abolished the recruitment of adaptin to the agonist-stimulated β2AR complex (Fig. 6 a). Although the levels of clathrin that coimmunoprecipitated with the receptor showed only modest changes after agonist, this effect appeared to be attenuated in the presence of the PIK peptide (Fig. 6 a). Similar levels of adaptin, clathrin, β2AR, and PIK were observed in the appropriately transfected cells (Fig. 6 a, bottom).
Generation of D-3 PtdIns are necessary for the efficient recruitment of adaptin to the β2AR complex. (a) HEK 293 cells were transfected with FLAG-β2AR, or FLAG-β2AR and PIK encoding cDNAs. Transfected cells were treated with isoproterenol (10 μM) for 0, 2, 5, and 10 min β2AR was immunoprecipitated using the FLAG epitope from the cells lysates and immunoblotted with antibodies for AP-2 adaptin protein and clathrin. Presence of PIK domain protein inhibits AP-2 adaptin association with the β2AR complex. Bottom panels show expression of β2AR and PIK protein in transfected cells and equal quantities of adaptin and clathrin loading. IgG, represents heavy chain of the antibody. C, positive control for clathrin and AP2 adaptin proteins. (b) FLAG-β2AR expressing stable cells were treated with LY294002 (a selective PI3K inhibitor) for 15 min before isoproterenol stimulation. The cells were stimulated for 0, 2, 5, and 10 min and β2AR was immunoprecipitated using a FLAG epitope. Lysates were immunoblotted for AP-2 adaptin protein. Presence of LY294002 inhibited adaptin recruitment to the receptor complex. –LY, untreated cells, +LY cells treated with LY294002. (c) Summary results of densitometric analysis of adaptin recruitment to β2AR in presence and absence of LY294002 (n = 7). The data is represented as fold over basal. (d) FLAG-β2AR expressing stable cells were treated with the permeablizing reagent saponin and the phospholipids as shown, followed by isoproterenol for 5 min. FLAG epitope was immunoprecipitated from the cell lysates and blotted with adaptin antibodies. The upper panel shows cells treated with phosphatidyinositol-4,5-P2, while lower panel were treated with PtdIns-3,4,5-P3. IgG, heavy chain of antibody. (e) Summary results of densitometric analysis of adaptin recruitment to β2AR complex in presence of phosphatidyinositol-4,5-P2 (PIP2) or PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 (PIP3) (n = 7). Data is represented as fold over basal.
To directly demonstrate that the generation of D-3 PtdIns phospholipids are important for the recruitment of AP-2 adaptor proteins to the agonist-occupied receptor complex, the same HEK 293 cells stably expressing FLAG-β2AR were permeabilized with saponin (Jones et al., 1999) and then incubated with increasing concentrations of the phosphorylated lipids, PtdIns-4,5-P2 and PtdIns-3,4,5-P3. After stimulation with isoproterenol, FLAG-β2AR was immunoprecipitated and the immune complexes immunoblotted for the presence of adaptin. The efficiency of recruitment of adaptin to the receptor was significantly enhanced in the presence of PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 compared with a similar concentration of PtdIns-4,5-P2 (Figs. 6, d and e). At high concentrations of PtdIns-4,5-P2, the preferential effect of PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 was lost consistent with previous studies showing that the AP-2 adaptor protein has a higher affinity for PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 compared to other phosphoinositides (Gaidarov et al., 1996).
To directly test whether the local production of PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 is required for receptor internalization, we utilized the lipid phosphatase PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10) (Vanhaesebroeck et al., 2001). PTEN is known to use PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 as its primary substrate converting it to PtdIns-4,5-P2, thus depleting PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 from the membrane (Vanhaesebroeck et al., 2001). HEK 293 cells were transfected with plasmids containing cDNAs with either β2AR-YFP or β2AR-YFP plus PTEN, and β2AR endocytosis was evaluated using laser scanning confocal microscopy. β2AR internalization was followed in the same cell after agonist stimulation. Before agonist, the distribution of β2AR-YFP was found distinctly at the plasma membrane (Fig. 7 a, panel 1). After agonist stimulation, there was a progressive redistribution of the β2AR-YFP into membrane puncta, followed by the formation of cytoplasmic aggregates and complete loss of membrane fluorescence by 10 min (Fig. 4 b, panels 2 and 3). In contrast, coexpression of β2ARs with the PTEN completely prevented the agonist induced redistribution of β2AR-YFP fluorescence into membrane puncta and intracellular aggregates (Fig. 7, panels 4–6).
Depletion of D-3 phosphatidylinositols leads to attenuation in β2AR receptor internalization. (a) Endocytosis of β2AR-YFP in live cells was monitored for 10 min after isoproterenol (10 μM) stimulation in the absence or presence of PTEN protein coexpression using confocal microscopy. Panels on the left represent cells transfected with the β2AR-YFP alone (panels 1–3 show the same cell monitored at 0, 5, and 10 min after stimulation). Panels on the right represent cell transfected with β2AR-YFP and PTEN (panels 4–6 show the same cell monitored as above). In the absence of PTEN, isoproterenol causes the internalization β2ARs as shown by the formation of distinct cytoplasmic aggregates (arrowheads) and complete loss of membrane fluorescence. In contrast, in the presence of PTEN protein, there is no redistribution of β2AR-YFP after agonist stimulation, indicating that the process of receptor endocytosis is completely inhibited. (b) Dual staining was performed in cells transfected with plasmids β2AR-YFP and PTEN cDNAs. After 10 min of 10 μM isoproterenol, cells were fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde, stained for PTEN using Texas red and β2AR was visualized by GFP fluorescence. Panel 1 (a and b) shows the same cell with intact membrane β2AR visualized by GFP fluorescence (panel 1 a) and PTEN Texas red fluorescence (panel 1 b). Panel 2 (a and b) shows the cell with complete redistribution of β2ARs into aggregrates (arrowheads) visualized by GFP fluorescence and very little PTEN expression as visualized by Texas red fluorescence (panel 2 b). Cells from panels 1 and 2 are from the same petri dish but from different fields of view.
To show that only those cells that contained the PTEN failed to undergo agonist-stimulated βAR internalization, dual labeling experiments were performed in cells co-transfected with plasmids containing β2AR-YFP and PTEN. After isoproterenol stimulation cells were fixed and β2AR was visualized by GFP fluorescence and PTEN expression was visualized by Texas red staining. Cells that had the restricted membrane distribution of GFP fluorescence (β2AR) also had the Texas red staining (Fig. 7 b, panel 1, a and b). In contrast, cells that showed β2AR internalization lacked Texas red staining (PTEN expression) (Fig. 7 b, panel 2, a and b, arrowheads).
In the present investigation, we provide evidence for a direct protein–protein interaction between PI3K and βARK1, and show that the region of the PI3K molecule that provides the necessary structure for this interaction is the PIK domain. Moreover, we show that the interaction between PI3K and βARK1 is not dependent on Gβγ and that overexpression of PIK domain competitively displaces PI3K from the βARK1/PI3K complex leading to a loss in βARK1 associated PI3K activity. Although overexpression of PIK domain protein disrupts the βARK1/PI3K interaction, it does not inhibit the Gβγ mediated translocation of βARK1 to agonist-occupied receptors or alter other Gβγ-dependent cellular processes. Finally, these experiments demonstrate that overexpression of the PIK domain markedly attenuates β2AR endocytosis in the early phase after agonist stimulation, and suggest that impairing the local production of PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 lipid molecules within the agonist-occupied receptor complex affects the recruitment of critical molecules necessary for efficient receptor endocytosis. Furthermore, we show that overexpression of PTEN, which uses PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 as a substrate, leads to complete inhibition of β2AR internalization, providing strong evidence that the local production D-3 phosphoinositides by PI3K within the agonist-occupied receptor complex is required for endocytosis.
Agonist-occupied βARs are phosphorylated by βARK1 after translocation of βARK1 to the membrane (Lefkowitz, 1998). Subsequently, the phosphorylated receptor can bind with high affinity to β-arrestin (Ferguson et al., 1996), which then recruits AP-2 adaptor molecules and clathrin; two required components in the formation of the endocytic vesicle (Goodman et al., 1996; Laporte et al., 1999, 2000). Previous studies have shown that the association of adaptor proteins with clathrin are critical to the formation of the clathrin lattice complex (Schmid, 1997; Brodsky et al., 2001). Because the recruitment of AP-2 adaptor proteins are at least in part regulated by D-3–phosphorylated phosphoinositides (Gaidarov and Keen, 1999), the generation of these lipids not only play an important role in targeting of the agonist-stimulated receptor to the clathrin coated pit, but are likely important in the initiation/nucleation of the clathrin lattices at sites of endocytosis. This is consistent with data from in vitro studies showing that AP-2 in the assembled coat structure (which is very similar to clathrin-coated pit), binds PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 with greater affinity compared with other phosphoinositides including PtdIns-4,5-P2 (Gaidarov et al., 1996).
Whether the recruitment of AP-2 to agonist-stimulated receptor initiates the nucleation of a new clathrin-coated pit or targets the receptor to a preexisting pit, remains controversial. For example, AP180, a neuronal specific clathrin adaptor protein needs to bind clathrin and phosphoinositides simultaneously to initiate nucleation (Ford et al., 2001), and the assembled receptor/β-arrestin/AP-2 complex may subserve this role and initiate nucleation of the clathrin-coated pit (Laporte et al., 2000). In contrast, studies in living cells have suggested that the targeting of activated GPCRs is to preexisting clathrin-coated pits (Scott et al., 2002). Furthermore, studies using a clathrin–green fluorescent fusion protein suggest that clathrin-coated pits form repeatedly at defined sites and the mobility of these pits is limited by the actin cytoskeleton (Gaidarov et al., 1999b). Studies using receptor tail like synthetic peptides (crosslinked to UV photoreactive molecules) showed enhanced binding to the μ2 subunit of the AP-2 complex in presence of D-3 phosphoinositides, suggesting that phospholipids may provide a mechanism for increasing the specificity in sorting and clathrin coat assembly (Rapoport et al., 1997).
In this study we show that expression of PIK does not block β-arrestin recruitment to the receptor, nor does it impair the ability of βARK to phosphorylate activated receptors, as β-arrestin is only recruited to GRK phosphorylated receptors (Ferguson et al., 1996). Previous studies have shown that deletion of the phosphoinositide binding domain on β-arrestin impairs the formation of clathrin coated pits, but that this process is not altered by wortmannin treatment (Gaidarov et al., 1999a). This suggests that β-arrestin can bind PtdIns-4,5-P2, which is present on the plasma membrane in much greater concentration than PtdIns-3,4,5-P3. Consistent with these findings is our observation showing that even in the absence of receptor-associated PI3K activity, membrane PtdIns-4,5-P2 is sufficient to recruit β-arrestin in an agonist-dependent manner.
Importantly, overexpression of the PIK domain does not block transferrin uptake, whose receptor constitutively localized within clathrin coated vesicles (van Dam and Stoorvogel, 2002). This suggests that recruitment of PI3K by βARK1 to the agonist occupied receptor is a βARK1 specific process. Furthermore, overexpression of the PIK domain did not affect activation of PKB suggesting a specific role in displacement of PI3K from βARK1. Thus, agonist dependent phosphorylation of PKB in PIK expressing cells may enable signaling either by direct receptor stimulation or through transactivation of receptor tyrosine kinases, as shown for other GPCRs (Kowalski-Chauvel et al., 1996; Saward and Zahradka, 1997).
To test the hypothesis that the local generation of PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 is a necessary step for β2AR endocytosis, we performed experiments in cells that had overexpression of PTEN, a PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 lipid phosphatase. Because PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 generated by PI3K within the receptor complex would be immediately hydrolyzed by PTEN we could determine the importance for PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 in supporting the internalization process. The presence of PTEN resulted in significant inhibition of β2AR endocytosis showing the requirement for PI3K activity within the receptor complex for effective agonist-induced endocytosis. We postulate that inhibition of PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 production within the receptor complex prevents the effective interaction of various components needed for receptor endocytosis particularly, adaptin leading to an impairment in receptor endocytosis.
The crystal structure of PI3Kγ shows the PIK domain to be centrally positioned with a solvent exposed surface suitable for protein-protein interactions (Walker et al., 1999). Therefore, it is possible that other molecules containing a PIK domain, such as enzymes belonging to the family of PI3K (all the classes of PI3K), can potentially interact with βARK1 depending up the tissue and the abundance of the various isoforms. This is consistent with our previous data where we have shown in HEK 293 cells that βARK1 could also interact with the PI3Kα isoform when overexpressed (Naga Prasad et al., 2001). Interestingly, it has recently been shown that another PI3K, the class II PI3K C2α, interacts with clathrin and regulates clathrin-mediated membrane trafficking particularly in the process of vesicle uncoating (Gaidarov et al., 2001). This suggests possible redundancy for the production of phosphoinositides within the receptor complex, a finding not surprising considering that receptor sequestration is a multistep process, highly regulated by many molecules at different stages (Brodsky et al., 2001).
Taken together, these data show that overexpression of the PIK domain displaces endogenous PI3K from βARK1 leading to impairment of PI3K translocation to the receptor after agonist stimulation. The loss in receptor associated PI3K activity impairs the ability of the agonist-occupied receptor/PI3K complex to generate D-3 phospholipid molecules. We propose that the products of PI3K play a critical role in determining the dynamics of receptor endocytosis. Agonist-induced recruitment of class I PI3Ks by βARK1 to the receptor complex functions to increase the production of D-3 phospholipid molecules, that in turn regulates the recruitment of AP-2 and cargo (i.e., receptor/β-arrestin complex) to clathrin-coated pits on the membrane. The generation of PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 by PI3K within the activated receptor complex promotes more efficient recruitment of AP-2 and receptor sequestration. The rise in the local concentration of PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 within the receptor complex, which enhances the recruitment of AP-2 to the complex, likely plays a significant role in the initiation/nucleation of new clathrin-coated pits. The efficiency of clathrin coated pit formation will depend on the association of the various critical components that, in part, are regulated by their affinity to bind newly generated D-3 phospholipids.
HEK 293 cells were maintained and transfected as previously described (Naga Prasad et al., 2001). Cells were harvested 24 h after transfection, replated in triplicate, allowed to grow overnight, and serum starved either overnight or 2–4 h before agonist stimulation. FLAG-PIK domain expressing permanent HEK 293 cell line was prepared by selecting cells against Geneticin (Life Technolgies) as described earlier (Laporte et al., 2000). All cells with stable FLAG-PIK expression showed both diffuse cytoplasmic distribution of PIK and inhibition of β2AR-YFP internalization as visualized by confocal microscopy (unpublished data). HA-β2AR and β-arrestin double stable cell lines were prepared by selecting the cells against two different antibiotics (Menard et al., 1997). Cell lines with stable expression of FLAG-β2AR, a gift from Dr. Robert Lefkowitz (Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC) and HA-β2AR were used for the confocal experiments.
PIK and PI3KΔPIK mutants of PI3K were prepared by PCR amplification using the full-length p110γ cDNA as template (Fig. 1 a). The PIK domain was amplified using Pfu platinum turbo Taq high fidelity enzyme (STRATAGENE) with the 5′ primer (5′-TCTCGAGGATCCGCCGCCATGGACTACA AGGACGACGATGATAAGCACCCGATAGCCCTGCCT-3′) containing XhoI and BamHI sites for subcloning, followed by Kozak consensus sequence and a FLAG epitope tag and the 3′ primer (5′-GTCGACCTAGTCGTGCAGCATGGC-3′) containing consensus stop codon with a SalI site for subcloning. The PCR product was subcloned in zero-blunt TOPO vector (Invitrogen) and sequence verified for authenticity. After digestion with the restriction enzymes BamHI and SalI, the PIK domain fragment was subcloned into the following expression plasmids: the pRK5 mammalian expression vector, the pGEX-4T1 bacterial expression vector to generate GST fusion proteins, and the EGFP vector pEGFP-C1.
PI3KΔPIK was constructed using two PCR reactions that selectively amplified upstream and downstream from the PIK domain (Fig. 1 a). PI3K upstream from PIK was amplified using the forward primer (5′-TGCGGATCCGCCACCATGGAGCTGGAGAACTATAAACAG-3′) containing a BamHI site and Kozak consensus sequence, and the reverse primer (5′-TTCTGCTCGACCGCGGTCCCCTTCCGG-3′) containing a SacI site. The region of PI3K downstream of the PIK domain was amplified using the forward primer (5′-CTGAGGGGCCGCGGCACAGCCATG-3′) containing a SacI site and the reverse primer (5′-ACCCGGGATCCTTAAGCGTAGTCTGGTACGT-3′) containing a BamHI site and a consensus stop codon. The upstream and downstream regions of PI3K were separately subcloned in the zero-blunt TOPO vector and sequence was verified by dideoxy sequencing. After digestion with the restriction enzymes BamHI/SacI, a three-fragment ligation was carried with the mammalian expression vector pRK5, to generate the plasmid containing the PI3KΔPIK cDNA (Fig. 1 a). The catalytic activity of PI3KΔPIK was indistinguishable from wild-type PI3K (unpublished data). The plasmids containing cDNAs encoding βARK1, FLAG-β2AR, HA-β2AR, and p110γ have been described previously (Naga Prasad et al., 2001). The PTEN plasmid was gift from Dr. Christopher Kontos (Duke University Medical Center).
Plasmid DNAs were transformed in Escherichia coli BL21 cells. Overnight cultures were grown in LB medium supplemented with ampicillin (100 μg/ml), diluted to an A600 of 0.2 in the same medium, and grown for another 1 h at 37°C. Cultured cells were then induced with 0.1 mM isopropyl-1-thio-β-D-galactopyranoside for 2 h. Cells were then pelleted, washed once with PBS, and resuspended in PBS containing 1 mM PMSF, 2 mg/ml lysozyme, and incubated for 15 min on ice. Cells were lysed by adding Triton X-100 1%. Solublized cells were incubated with DNase (300 units) for 15 min on ice and centrifuged at 13,000 rpm for 10 min. Glutathione-Sepharose beads were added to the supernatant and gently agitated at 4°C for 2 h. Beads were washed three times with ice-cold PBS containing 1% Triton X-100 followed by three washes with cold PBS without detergent. Protein concentration was determined using a DC protein assay kit (Bio-Rad Laboratories), and the integrity of the fusion protein was analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Coomassie staining.
GST fusion proteins (1–1.5 μg) on beads were incubated in 0.5 ml of binding buffer (10 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, 5 mM EDTA, 0.2% Triton X-100) for 2 h at 25°C together with purified βARK1 protein (5 μg). The beads were spun and washed three times with binding buffer followed by three washes with binding buffer without detergent. The beads were resuspended in SDS gel loading buffer and resolved by gel electrophoresis, immunoblotting and detection was carried out as described later.
Immobilized purified βARK1 protein was prepared by incubating βARK1 monoclonal antibodies with protein G agarose beads for 1 h at 4°C, followed by the addition of purified βARK1 protein. Subsequently, 10 μg of purified Gβγ was added to either βARK1 immobilized beads (5 μg), or the GST–PIK fusion protein beads (5 μg), and gently rocked for 45 min at room temperature. Beads were spun down, washed in binding buffer ×2, and resolved by gel electrophoresis. The presence of Gβγ was detected by immunoblotting with an antibody directed against the Gβ subunit. Purified Gβγ and βARK1 were gifts from Dr. Robert Lefkowitz.
Membrane fractions were prepared as previously described (Naga Prasad et al., 2001). Briefly, cells were scraped in 1 ml of buffer containing 25 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 5 mM EDTA, 5 mM EGTA, 1 mM PMSF, 2 μg/ml each leupeptin and aprotinin, and disrupted by using Dounce homogenizer. Intact cells and nuclei were removed by centrifugation at 1,000 g for 5 min. The supernatant was subjected to centrifugation at 38,000 g for 25 min. The pellet was resuspended in lysis buffer (1% Nonidet P-40, 10% glycerol, 137 mM NaCl, 20 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, 1 mM sodium orthvanadate, and 2 μg/ml each leupeptin and aprotinin) and used as membrane fraction.
PI3K assays were carried out as previously described (Naga Prasad et al., 2001). Briefly, cells were lysed in lysis buffer in presence of protease inhibitors and membrane and cytosolic fraction was prepared as described above. 500 μg of membrane or cytosolic fraction was used for immunoprecipitation with either the C5/1 monoclonal antibody directed against βARK1 (Choi et al., 1997) or the anti-FLAG M2 monoclonal antibody (Sigma-Aldrich) in presence of 35 μl of protein G-agarose (Life technologies). The samples were centrifuged at 10,000 rpm for 1 min and sedimented beads were washed once with lysis buffer, thrice with PBS containing 1% NP40 and 100 μM sodium-orthovanadate, three times with 100 mM Tris.Cl, pH 7.4, containing 5 mM LiCl and 100 μM sodium-orthovanadate, twice with TNE (10 mM Tris.Cl, pH 7.4, 150 mM NaCl, 5 mM EDTA, and 100 μM sodium-orthovandate). The last traces of buffer were completely removed using the insulin syringe and the pelleted beads were resuspended in 50 μl fresh TNE. To the resuspended pellet 10 μl of 100 mM MgCl2 and 10 μl of 2 mg/ml PtdIns (20 μg) sonicated in TE (10 mM Tris.Cl, pH 7.4, and 1 mM EDTA) were added. The reactions were started by adding 10 μl of 440 μM ATP, 10 μCi 32p γ ATP, and were incubated at 23°C for 10 min with continuous agitation. The reactions were stopped with 20 μl 6N HCl. Extraction of the lipids were done by adding 160 μl of chloroform:methanol (1:1) and the samples were vortexed and centrifuged at room temperature to separate the phases. 30 μl of the lower organic phase was spotted on to the 200-μ silica-coated flexi-TLC plates (Selecto-flexible; Fischer Scientific) precoated with 1% potassium oxalate. The spots were allowed to dry and resolved chromatographically with 2N glacial acetic acid:1-propanol (1:1.87). The plates were dried after resolution, exposed, and the autoradiographic signals were quantitated using Bio-Rad PhosphoImager. Lipid Preparation: PtdIns (Sigma-Aldrich or Avanti) or PtdIns-4,5-P2 (Echelon) was dissolved in chloroform at a concentration of 10 mg/ml. 50 μl of this stock was dried down in a stream of air in a 1.5-ml Eppendorf tube. 250 μl of TE was added to the Eppendorf to bring the concentration to 2 mg/ml. The lipids were suspended by sonicating them in an ice bath for 5–10 min. Sonicated lipids were then added to each reaction. PtdIns(4)P (Sigma-Aldrich) or PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 (Echelon) was used as a standard. The lipid standards were run as a separate lane on the TLC plate to identify the migration of PIP or PIP3 (Renkonen and Luukkonen, 1976). TLC plates were stained with iodine to identify the formation lipids products (Renkonen and Luukkonen, 1976).
Immunoblotting and detection of βARK1, FLAG-PIK, PI3KΔPIK-HA, FLAG-β2AR, HA-β2AR, β-adaptin, and clathrin were blotted as described previously (Laporte et al., 1999, 2000). Immunoprecipitating antibodies were added to 500 μg of cell lysate and the immune complexes were washed and resuspended in gel-loading buffer. Blots were incubated with antibodies recognizing β-adaptin, clathrin heavy chain (BD Transduction Laboratories), HA (Roche Molecular Biochemicals), and FLAG (Sigma-Aldrich) at a 1:2,000 dilution and the βARK1 monoclonal antibody at a 1:10,000 dilution. 50 μg of cell lysates were resolved by a 10% SDS-PAGE gel and transferred to PVDF membrane, phospho-PKB primary antibody was used at 1:1,000 dilution. Detection was carried out using enhanced chemiluminescence (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech). Densitometric analysis was carried out using Bio-Rad Flouro-S Multiimage software.
β2AR sequestration was performed as previously described (Naga Prasad et al., 2001). HEK 293 cells were transfected with plasmids containing β2AR (250 ng) or β2AR (250 ng) and PIK domain (4 μg) cDNAs. Total binding was determined in the presence of 175 pM [125I]-cyanopindolol (CYP) alone, 175 pM [125I]-CYP plus 100 nM CGP12177 was used to determine internalized receptors and nonspecific binding was determined using 175 pM [125I]-CYP plus 1 μM propranolol (Menard et al., 1997). Sequestration was calculated as the ratio of (specific receptor binding of [125I]-CYP in the presence of CGP12177 and/or specific receptor binding of [125I]-CYP in the absence of CGP12177).
Confocal microscopy was carried out as previously described (Naga Prasad et al., 2001). HEK 293 cells were transfected with the plasmids containing cDNAs encoding either the β2AR-YFP (2 μg) or β2AR-YFP (2 μg) and PIK domain (4 μg) or β2AR-YFP (2 μg) and PTEN (2 μg). Cells were plated onto glass-bottom dishes for observation in the confocal microscope. Live cells were treated with isoproterenol (10 μM) and images were collected sequentially over a time course of 0–10 min. For dual staining of β2AR-HA or FLAG-PIK, cells were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde in PBS for 30 min after 10 min of 10 μM isoproterenol stimulation. Cells were permeabilized with 0.1% Triton X-100 in PBS for 20 min, incubated in 1% BSA in PBS for 1 h. Cells were washed with PBS and incubated with anti-HA or anti-FLAG monoclonal antibody (1:250) with 1% BSA in PBS for 1 h. Cells were washed and incubated with goat anti–mouse IgG conjugated with Texas red (1:500; Molecular Probes) for 1 h. Samples were visualized using single sequential line excitation filters at 488 and 568 nm and emission filter sets at 505–550 nm for GFP detection and 585 for Texas red detection.
Modification of a previously described method was used to vary the concentration of D-3 phospholipids in living cells (Jones et al., 1999). Briefly, one of the synthetic phospholipids DiC16 PtdIns-3-P, DiC16 PtdIns-4,5-P2, or DiCPtdIns-3,4,5-P3 (AVANTI), was mixed with phosphatidylcholine and phosphoinositol (Sigma-Aldrich) at a 1:100:100 ratio and dried under N2. Phospholipids were then re-suspended in 10 mM Hepes, pH 7.4, containing 1 mM EDTA and sonicated. Cells were treated with Saponin (0.04 mg/ml) in serum-free medium along with the vesicles containing the phospholipids at given concentration of PtdIns-3-P or PtdIns-4,5-P2 or PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 for 10 min at 25°C. Cells were then treated with isoproterenol (10 μM) for 5 min at 37°C, then lysed for immunoprecipitation experiments with a buffer containing 0.8% Triton X-100, 20 mM tris-HCl, pH 7.4, 300 mM NaCl, 1 mM EDTA, 20% glycerol, 0.1 PMSF, 10 μg/ml leupeptin and aprotinin.
Transferrin uptake was carried out as described previously (van Dam and Stoorvogel, 2002). Briefly, HEK 293 cells were transfected with GFP-PIK (4 μg). 24 h after transfection, the cells were split into six glass-bottom petri dishes (Mat Tek Corporation). The following day the cells were serum starved for 1 h before transferrin treatment. Transferrin–Texas red conjugate was added to the cells at a final concentration of 33 μg/ml and incubated at 37°C for 30 min. After 30 min the cells were washed with PBS and fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde. Confocal microscopy was carried out on these cells as described earlier above.
Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. Statistical comparisons were performed using an unpaired Student's t test and analysis of variance where appropriate. Results for the β2AR sequestration by CYP binding was analyzed using Graph-pad prism.
This work was supported in part by National Institutes of Health grants HL56687 and HL61558 (H.A. Rockman), the Burroughs Wellcome Fund (H.A. Rockman), and an AHA Postdoctoral fellowship form the American Heart Association, Mid-Atlantic Affiliate (S.V. Naga Prasad). H.A. Rockman is a recipient of a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Clinical Scientist Award in Translational Research. M.G. Caron is an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
↵* Abbreviations used in this paper: βAR, β-adrenergic receptor; CYP, cyanopindolol; GPCR, G protein–coupled receptor; PI3K, phosphoinositide 3-kinase; PtdIns, phosphatidylinositol(s).
Stéphane A. Laporte's present address is Department of Medicine, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3A 1A1.
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0.962221 | Blue/green deployments provide near zero-downtime release and rollback capabilities.
Blue environment represents the current application version serving production traffic.
In parallel, the green environment is staged running a different version of your application.
After the green environment is ready and tested, production traffic is redirected from blue to green.
If any problems are identified, you can roll back by reverting traffic back to the blue environment.
Elastic Load Balancing scales in response to incoming requests, performs health checking against Amazon EC2 resources, and naturally integrates with other AWS tools, such as Auto Scaling.
Auto Scaling allows different versions of launch configuration, which define templates used to launch EC2 instances, to be attached to an Auto Scaling group to enable blue/green deployment.
Termination policies in Auto Scaling groups to determine which EC2 instances to remove during a scaling action.
Elastic Beanstalk makes it easy to run multiple versions of the application and provides capabilities to swap the environment URLs, facilitating blue/green deployment.
Stacks are made of one or more layers with each layer represents a set of EC2 instances that serve a particular purpose, such as serving applications or hosting a database server.
OpsWorks simplifies cloning entire stacks when preparing for blue/green environments.
Route 53 can handle Public or Elastic IP address, Elastic Load Balancer, Elastic Beanstalk environment web tiers etc.
After a new launch configuration is in place, any new instances that are launched use the new launch configuration parameters, but existing instances are not affected.
To deploy the new version of the application in the green environment, update the Auto Scaling group with the new launch configuration, and then scale the Auto Scaling group to twice its original size.
Elastic Beanstalk provides several deployment policies, ranging from policies that perform an in-place update on existing instances, to immutable deployment using a set of new instances.
Elastic Beanstalk performs an in-place update when the application versions are updated, however application may become unavailable to users for a short period of time.
To perform a rollback, invoke Swap Environment URL again.
The ability to change server counts.
Updating a server after creation.
The inability to change server counts.
Migrate to use AWS Elastic Beanstalk. Use the established and well-tested Rolling Deployment setting AWS provides on the new Application Environment, publishing a zip bundle of the new code and adjusting the wait period to spread the deployment over time. Re-deploy the old code bundle to rollback if needed.
When thinking of AWS Elastic Beanstalk, the ‘Swap Environment URLs’ feature most directly aids in what?
You were just hired as a DevOps Engineer for a startup. Your startup uses AWS for 100% of their infrastructure. They currently have no automation at all for deployment, and they have had many failures while trying to deploy to production. The company has told you deployment process risk mitigation is the most important thing now, and you have a lot of budget for tools and AWS resources. Their stack: 2-tier API Data stored in DynamoDB or S3, depending on type, Compute layer is EC2 in Auto Scaling Groups, They use Route53 for DNS pointing to an ELB, An ELB balances load across the EC2 instances. The scaling group properly varies between 4 and 12 EC2 servers. Which of the following approaches, given this company’s stack and their priorities, best meets the company’s needs?
Model the stack in 3 CloudFormation templates: Data layer, compute layer, and networking layer. Write stack deployment and integration testing automation following Blue-Green methodologies.
You are building out a layer in a software stack on AWS that needs to be able to scale out to react to increased demand as fast as possible. You are running the code on EC2 instances in an Auto Scaling Group behind an ELB. Which application code deployment method should you use?
Specify the latest Amazon Linux AMI as a custom AMI at the stack level, terminate instances of the stack and let AWS OpsWorks launch new instances with the new AMI.
Thanks a lot for your blogs which helps me understood AWS services in detail. And complete my AWS solution architect certification. |
0.999998 | TL;DR: We studied 63 SaaS companies, comparing how connected their employees were to the financials and goals of the company and the company's growth rate. Companies with higher percentages of the team connected were growing at a much higher month-over-month rate.
When we work on SaaS pricing and revenue models for our customers, we’re often speaking with the C-Suite who will ultimately make the decisions on any pricing changes. But as much as a CEO or CMO tries, and no matter what their title might say, there’s more profit and pricing power in the hands of the sales or customer service person who’s in the trenches every day.
This power comes from the fact that these individuals are on the front lines, interacting the most with prospects and customers. Yet most companies we come across aren’t doing enough to create a culture of profit to inspire everyone to rally around the company’s bottom line, let alone keeping everyone aware of the company’s progress towards monthly and quarterly goals.
But why should your whole team be in on company goals? Simple: teams that are more connected to the company’s financial progress grow more quickly. Don’t believe me? We’ve got data to back it up.
Let’s walk through the data before discussing some ways that you can create a culture of profit in your company—and reap potentially huge benefits.
To test the hypothesis that teams that are connected to the company’s financial progress grow more quickly, we collected data from a large group of SaaS companies that we’ve either worked with on pricing or who are users of ProfitWell. We kept the survey pretty simple, just asking what percentage of their team are consistently aware of the company’s financial progress (through dashboards, emails, revenue reports, etc.) and then comparing that to their three-month blended growth rate.
What you’ll see in the output below is that there’s a clear correlation between the percentage of the team that’s connected and the company’s growth rate.
While more research would need to be done to definitively answer whether or not cluing the team into metrics yields more growth (our sample size here was just 63, and there’s no experimental manipulation here), we’re pretty satisfied that we’ve supported our hypothesis, at least preliminarily. But the real question to dig in on is, "Why is this happening?"
While we didn’t collect data that answers this question directly, our qualitative experiences and responses provide some insight that connected teams grow more quickly because there’s never a question of how the company is doing, consistently inspiring employees to act.
First, when everyone’s aware of how the company is doing, there’s never any ambiguity surrounding good and bad times. If only a few up the chain of command know how the company is doing, mixed messages are easily sent during down times, which cause the team to think everything’s ok and potentially not work as hard. On the flip side, during peak times, teams may burn themselves out.
As one ProfitWell customer recently expressed, “With the team connected to our monthly goals, when things are behind, everyone knows and is inspired to work that much harder. When we’re ahead, we know there’s a chance to celebrate a bit.” To put it plainly, reducing ambiguity forces everyone to beat to the same metric and know exactly the progress you’re making.
While everyone rallying around the same goal is important, connecting everyone also allows inspiration to be put into action. While we’d always like a customer support rep to find ways to potentially upsell individuals coming through the support line, the interconnectivity of goals provides a constant reminder that everyone has an opportunity to make small changes to improve the company’s bottom line. After all, these small changes by a few individuals can add up to major impacts, pushing a small company into a behemoth.
“Connecting everyone [to financials] allows inspiration to be put into action."
Great—so how do you create a culture of profit? Well, the short answer is that it needs to come from the top of the company. The longer answer is that there are some basic things you can easily implement to push your company towards a culture of profit.
We’ve seen daily goal reports work enormously well with our ProfitWell users. We designed these daily emails to keep everyone abreast of how the company is doing against the previous and current months’ goals. Surprisingly, we’ve found our open rates to be extremely high on these daily emails (60%+), supporting the notion that even the “rank and file” of the team are interested in how the company is doing.
You can sign up for ProfitWell here (it’s free), but you can certainly do this on your own or at the very least give revenue updates on a weekly basis if the data is hard to pull for you.
Similar to the daily progress reports, we’ve seen a lot of companies have success in putting up their metrics for everyone in the office to see. These constant reminders (potentially in the breakroom or in Slack/Hipchat if you’re a remote team) make sure that everyone’s at least tangentially aware of what’s going on.
The biggest issue here is making sure you keep your metrics and numbers focused, because dashboards or feeds that are just a litany of numbers and widgets are more confusing than helpful.
Finally—and this is the toughest of these ideas to implement—you need to trust your team and inspire them to make positive moves. Too many C-levels don’t give their teams enough agency to sell larger deals or upsell, especially when micromanaging different processes. If you trust you’re hiring the right people for the job, then you need to put up some guardrails, but not to the point of debilitation.
You’ll be surprised at how big of an impact you’ll find comes from the places you least expect innovation.
Creating a culture of profit is like any cultural consideration in your company—it’s a process. While we discussed a few mechanical moves you can make, there are plenty of different ways you can inspire your team around profit and your company’s goals. Just remember to be constantly testing and measuring different strategies, and, if you do nothing else, don’t keep your numbers a secret from the people who have the most influence on them: everyone. |
0.978316 | If you are trying to decide where to ride for your first European cycling vacation, do not go to Italy first because if you ride in Italy first you will not want to go anywhere else.
Italy takes first place for the ideal cycling vacation for several reasons.
Italy presents a tyranny of options for uphill riding. The biggest climbs are in the Alps and Dolomites, but there is plenty of climbing in the Apeninnes, the Ligurian coast, and of course Sicily. The rest of Italy has great riding too but for now I’m focusing on only the most hilly parts. |
0.979062 | Why Does Gregor Samsa Turn Into a Bug?
The reason Gregor Samsa turns into a bug in Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" is never explained in the story. The story begins with Samsa waking up to find that he has turned into an insect. The rest of the book deals with his attempts to reconcile the fact that he is a human in an insect's body.
"The Metamorphosis" was written by Kafka in 1912 and published in 1915. It is primarily set in the apartment that Samsa shares with his family. A major theme throughout the novella is alienation, as Samsa's family attempts to remove him. In the end, he dies alone after he is injured by his father. |
0.999774 | Context. The stellar metallicity gradients of disc galaxies provide information on disc assembly, star formation processes, and chemical evolution. They also might store information on dynamical processes that could affect the distribution of chemical elements in the gas phase and the stellar components. Understanding their joint effects within a hierarchical clustering scenario is of paramount importance. Aims. We studied the stellar metallicity gradients of simulated discs in a cosmological simulation. We explored the dependence of the stellar metallicity gradients on stellar age and on the size and mass of the stellar discs. Methods. We used a catalogue of galaxies with disc components selected from a cosmological hydrodynamical simulation performed including a physically motivated supernova feedback and chemical evolution. Disc components were defined based on angular momentum and binding energy criteria. The metallicity profiles were estimated for stars with different ages. We confront our numerical findings with results from the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area (CALIFA) Survey. Results. The simulated stellar discs are found to have metallicity profiles with slopes in global agreement with observations. Low stellar mass galaxies tend to have a larger variety of metallicity slopes. When normalized by the half-mass radius, the stellar metallicity gradients do not show any dependence and the dispersion increases significantly, regardless of the galaxy mass. Galaxies with stellar masses of around 10(10) M-circle dot show steeper negative metallicity gradients. The stellar metallicity gradients correlate with the half-mass radius. However, the correlation signal is not present when they are normalized by the half-mass radius. Stellar discs with positive age gradients are detected to have negative and positive metallicity gradients, depending on the relative importance of recent star formation activity in the central regions. Conclusions. Our results suggest that inside-out formation is the main process responsible for the metallicity and age profiles. The large dispersions in the metallicity gradients as a function of stellar mass could be ascribed to the effects of dynamical processes such as mergers, interactions and/or migration as well as those regulating the conversion of gas into stars. The fingerprints of the inside-out formation seem better preserved by the stellar metallicity gradients as a function of the half-mass radius. |
0.924431 | What Is Line Drive In Baseball?
A line drive in baseball is a hard-hit ball that travels fast through the air, but relatively low/close to the ground without bouncing. Line drives can be hard to field unless hit in a fielder's direction, and have a fairly high tendency to become successful hits. |
0.999864 | When Britain's Andy Murray faces Richard Gasquet next week in the tastiest first-round match of the French Open, it will be a meeting of two significant talents and, to some extent, a meeting of minds.
Few players can understand each other better, the two of them sharing a rare knowledge of what it is to be the great tennis hope in their nation, and the pressures that status can bring.
Fate has thrown them together once more after yesterday's French Open draw, which also handed rough match-ups to Britain's Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong and a more winnable assignment to Katie O'Brien.
For all his huffing and puffing, Murray has carried the burden of expectation more lightly than Gasquet, long identified as the wonderboy in a country where tennis is more deeply knitted into the sporting fabric than in Britain.
The 23-year-old, from Beziers, has never fulfilled the breathtaking potential he showed as a teenager, and last year his career appeared to be imploding when he was found to have cocaine in his system during a routine drugs test in Miami.
Yet Gasquet talked an appeal tribunal into accepting the highly original explanation that he ingested the substance unwittingly, when he kissed a woman in one of He returned to action last year after a four-month absence and struggled but, somewhat worryingly for Murray, he now appears to be returning to the kind of form that once placed him in the world's top 10.
Last week he won a Challenger level tournament on clay and last night he overcame Italy's Potito Starace to reach today's final of the Cote d'Azur Open in Nice, a performance which will push his ranking back the right side of 60.
Not that the Scot would underestimate him. The last time they met, two years ago, Murray pre-vailed in the fourth round of Wimbledon, one of those early evening classics in which the Scot fought back from two sets down to win in the gloaming.
This time Murray casts himself as the underdog. 'It's not a match I'm going into as favourite, which hasn't happened early in a Grand Slam for a few years,' he said.
'Richard had some problems last year but he's playing well again and he's a very, very talented player.
I'm sure the atmosphere is going to be great. I honestly don't know that much of the story with him last year but from what I know of Richard it didn't seem the sort of thing he'd do.
At Wimbledon, Murray exploited the mental brittleness that always undermined the artfulness of Gasquet, whose backhand is a thing of beauty.
This weakness between the ears is partly responsible for his relatively woeful record at Roland Garros, where he has never looked happy in front of a notoriously fickle home crowd.
Last year he pulled out in the wake of the cocaine revelations and the year before he withdrew hours before his first-round match with a mystery knee injury, a decision greeted with widespread suspicion.
So although this is the last opening match any of the top seeds would have wanted, it is one Murray is capable of winning, given that his own form has been improving since the early spring slump. If he gets through, a path could open up towards a quarter-final against another Frenchman, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and a semi-final against the defending champion, Roger Federer.
However, the Swiss's astonishing record of making the last four in the Grand Slams 23 consecutive times could be under threat in the fourth round if he comes up against Gael Monfils, who is probably the host nation's biggest hope.
Hot favourite Rafael Nadal's first serious challenge is likely to come in the quarter-finals, against either of his compatriots Fernando Verdasco or Nicolas Almagro. In the women's draw, much of the attention will be on the return of Belgium's four-times winner Justine Henin, who could take on world No 1 Serena Williams in the quarter-finals.
By then it is unlikely that there will be any British survivors, even though this is the first time since 1992 that three women from across the Channel have had direct acceptances into the main draw.
Baltacha takes on the eighth seed, Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland, and Anne Keothavong tackles Ital ian No 1 Flavia Pennetta.
Hull's Katie O'Brien has the best chance of victory as she takes on 35-year-old American Jill Craybas, the world No 92, who has never been past the second round at Roland Garros. |
0.922907 | What Are Appropriate Birthday Wishes for a Pastor?
An appropriate birthday wish for a pastor is "Some see a birthday as a reminder of one less year to live. Believers see a birthday as one year closer to eternity," as reported by Birthday Quote. A special Bible verse or personal anecdote may also be included.
Another birthday greeting for a pastor is "I am so happy that God led me to your church. I pray for the Lords continued blessings upon you. Happy birthday!," as stated by Brandon Gaille.
"I join with you in your birthday celebration. I hope you have a special time, and I pray you'll always know how special you are to me and to the Lord" is an excellent birthday wish to remind a pastor of how important he is in an individual's life. |
0.976542 | Place names found in the historic Denmark, as well as throughout Scandinavia, are different from other place names in most respects. Most of these place names are very old, and the River Ejder forms a natural and historical boundary between the Old Norse settlements and settlements of Keltic, German, Wendic, Frankish and Slavic origin further south. A few common Germanic place names can be found in the endings -ing, -sted(t) and -bæk (-bek, -bech etc.) but these are exceptions.
It is important to be cautious when trying to interpret a place name to find its origin and derivation. Most place names, for example Ravnstrup (meaning "Raven''s Thorp"), are easy to interpret correctly, whereas other place names have lost their original meaning due to forgotten personal names, changes in spelling or due to a weakening of the root word. Some of these are, for example, Holtug in Præstø County, which derives from ''Holthøiæ'', and Horsens in Skanderborg County, which derives from ''Hors Næs''. Furthermore, many ancient Danish place names in Schleswig have been substantially altered through Germanization of the area, but this is a completely different story. Local historical knowledge is therefore essential if the etymology of such names is to be interpreted correctly.
Description: Derives from Old Nordic ''akr'', and originally meaning pasture/grazing ground. English: acre.
Description: Derives from Old Danish ''balgh'', and means evenly rising terrain.
Description: In Denmark and other flat areas it refers to a rise or a hill.
Description: -bo derives from old Danish ''bõth'', meaning booth. Not to be confused with -bo, -boe in regional surnames.
Description: Derives from Old Danish ''burgh''. Such place names indicate that the settlement grew around a fortress or a castle. The same element is also found in Edinburgh and Luxembourg.
Meaning: settlement, village (or farmstead).
Description: In Denmark -by refers to larger villages or settlements, and only in rare cases single farmsteads.
Description: -bøl derives from old Danish ''bøli'', meaning a farmstead of a free peasant. -bølle seems to derive from a side form ''bølik'', meaning home or residence.
Description: In Denmark and other flat areas it refers to a low-lying area.Alternative spelling in old place names is -dahl.
Description: Direct translation is field, but in place names it means a cleared area; an area where trees have been cleared in order to grow crops etc.
Description: A city, town or village which grew around a port. -hafn is an older variation of the spelling.
Description: Derives from Old Norse ''heimr'', meaning home.
Description: Area, both small islands and peninsulas, surounded by wetlands, lakes or streams.
Description: This root word is also found in a weakened form in the place names Høvelte and Saunte.
Description: Direct translation is house, but it sometimes refer to a castle, e.g. Hammershus, Koldinghus and Skanderborghus.
Description: -gaarde refers to a group of farms from which a village grew.
Description: Derives from Old Danish ''ingi''. Such names refer to settlements named after the nature or personal names. -ing is mostly used in Jutland,and -inge on the islands. |
0.969604 | Describe the advantages and disadvantages of living in a large city.
Nowadays, large cities are becoming more and more inhabited. The majority of the population prefer living in a big town mainly because of the great advantages it has compared to living in the countryside. However, what are the benefits of this situation, and what are the drawbacks? In this essay, I will explore the pros and cons of living in a large city and try to draw some conclusions.
Let’s start looking at the advantages. One of the main positives of a big town is the large amount of shops available in every corner of the city. What I mean by this is that whenever you live, there are some useful stores like supermarkets, banks, tobacconists and clothing stores where you can easily buy everything you need without going to the city center. Secondly, living in a big town is a big challenge for evening parties. In London, for example, there are so many things to do in the evenings like going to the cinema, to the pub or to the park during the summer period.
Turning to the other side of the argument, traffic could be one of the major disadvantages of living in a big city. Many people take the car everyday and it has also been proved that the majority of the families have at least two cars. This means that you have to deal with rush-hour traffic on your way to work and on your way back. In addition, in a big town there is consequently a lot of smog and this can really affect people’s health.
To sum up, living in a big city has great advantages but also some significant negatives.You have to weigh up to the pros of enjoying evenings’ nights outside and the availability of many shops and the cons of cope with smog and traffic issues. Personally, I believe that the benefits of enjoying the city-life and the comfort of having shops at every corner, eventually overweigh the negatives.
Please comment on my essay about the advantages and disadvantages of living in a large city.
Your essay should fetch 5.5-6.0 band.
THERE ARE MANY AREAS OF INCOHERENCE AND FLOW.
A well- written essay with many brilliant points. However, you could write more advantages and disadvantages for it though. Overall, I found it quite useful. Thanks.
you can probably also give a solution for the disadvantages????!!!!!
No, you should not give solutions.
The essay specifically asks you to write about advantages and disadvantages.
If you start writing about solutions you will likely be marked down not addressing the task properly.
good essay, very useful for school compositions and good reasons given for the advantages and disadvantages of living in a city.
oh thank you so much it help me a lot. now i can share it to others!!
I think your writing is very useful for students who want to write the easy.
Wow what a wonderful essay. Anybody helped you?
The essay was great. It helped me a big deal with my home work but the essay was very short with one advantage only! So watch out! But I am afraid to say it was superb!
You must tell more uesful things to let them know how to live in the large city or something.
But that is pretty good.
Your essay can help for my exam.
This is such a huge honour.
The disadvantages were good and also the advantages.
Your essay has written in intermediate level. I have taken several ideas from your essay. Good luck! now I am writing an essay the same topic as yours.
I achieved a lot from it which helped me in my course. So thank u..
You did an excellent job. keep it up.I wish you will write more better than this. This helped me a lot my teachers were impressed by me.
I think you should write more about disadvantages because there are a lot more than that!!!!
Essay is well written. Easy to understand,but there are many more important points that could be written here. Like about pollution in city because of the industries.
it is a superb essay. After writing the essay I got the appreciation from my teachers. Thanks for the essay.
That was kind of embarrassing you should try a littler harder next time.
Good essay with good vocabulary i like that very much!
Good but maybe a little more facts. Still good though.
It is very good essay.
very good! helped a lot, thanks for everything !!
i just loved it.The last line or the conclusion was well thought and a wonderful essay was put up by you.
i think there are many cons rather than many pros.
Thanks that helped a lot for my debate at school.
The points in the essay were very good yet i have a major issue I found. In the first paragraph, I found the language quite chatty. Nonetheless, well done!
check again how many details, i.e advantages are there?. You need to put more zit to your work.
It was a good attempt though but keep trying.
Like what another user said (back in 2015 lol), you could have added more advantages/disadvantages of living in a city. Obviously by now, you would have improves a lot more, because it's 2018.
The way you written the essay is very nice, I like it and thanks for making this essay, it is very helpful for me and for anyone who read this, thanks. |
0.999998 | The M26 Pershing descended from a long series of medium and heavy tank prototypes, dating back from 1936. During the war, heavy tank development had been long delayed or given low priority since the US Army, USMC and Allied forces required a mass-built, good-all-around medium tank, which took the shape of the Medium M4 Sherman.
By 1944, the High Command was aware of the limitation of the M4 when facing German tanks. By mid-1944, both the British and US had undertaken upgrades in armor and guns on the Sherman, and developed tank-hunters instead of mass-producing a brand new model. However, by the fall of 1944, these stopgap measures proved insufficient, and the innovative M26 was eventually pushed forward for production. But it was a bit too late. The Pershing saw little combat and mostly soldiered during the Cold War, starting with Korea. At last, the crews had the ideal tank to deal with German armor, but historians and authors still debate about the causes of such delays. Could the Pershing have been a game changer if introduced earlier?
Development of the T20 Medium Tank started as an upgrade over the M4 in 1942. This new tank had common features with earlier models, notably the characteristic suspension (HVSS) bogies, roadwheels, return rollers, drive sprockets and idlers. By May 1942, a mock-up of the T20 had been already produced. U.S. Army Ordnance also ordered the development of the M6 heavy tank, which would prove a dead end. The main feature of the T20 was the lower silhouette and more compact hull, allowed by the availability of the new Ford GAN V-8 combined with a rear transmission and rear sprocket drive layout.
This engine was an early attempt to produce a V12 with similar layout and performances to the Rolls Royce Merlin, but development was stopped and the engine was turned into a smaller V8. Other improvements included a sturdier horizontal volute spring suspension (HVSS), a longer barrel version of the 75 mm (2.95 in) (M1A1), and 76.2 mm (3 in) front armor. The weight and width were very similar to the M4, allowing transportation in similar conditions. However, the T20 also pioneered the Torqmatic transmission, which proved highly problematic during trials.
Problems with the Torqmatic dictated a return to the M4 transmission, leading to the T22. Variants of this medium tank also tested an autoloader, thus reducing the turret crew to just two.
In 1943, the need to replace the M4 was not apparent, and the U.S. Army Ordnance decided to test several electrical systems on the next T23 Medium Tank, mainly the transmission. These entered service but, because of maintenance and supply problems, only operated on U.S. soil for the duration of the war, mainly for training purposes.
The T25 was a new design, up-armored and up-gunned. This was done as it was clear, after the first encounters with German upgraded Panzer IVs, Panthers and Tigers, that the M4 was less up to the task than previously thought. The debate was heated, but finally, a breach opened and clear-cut decisions were taken after the reports came from Normandy. Meanwhile, a series of T25s was built, inaugurating a new, far larger cast turret derived from the one on the T23, in order to accommodate a 90 mm (3.54 in) gun.
The T26 added upgraded armor to the mix, with a new 102 mm (4 in) thick glacis and reinforced hull. Their overall weight rose to 36 tonnes (40 short tons), up into the category of “heavy tanks”.
Performance decreased, and triggered reliability and maintenance issues, as their engine and transmission were not designed to cope with the additional stress. The T25 displayed VVSS suspensions while the T26 used the final torsion bar system retained on the M26. The T26E1 was the prototype upon which the upgraded production version T26E3 was based on. After a small pre-series, this was standardized as the M26.
Compared to the Sherman and previous models, the Pershing was revolutionary. The new Wright engine and short transmission gave it a low profile, as opposed to the Sherman. The glacis plate was one of the thickest ever fitted on an American tank to that point. The torsion bar system conferred a noticeably better ride and was leagues ahead of the tractor-based VVSS, as well as simpler than the HVSS. The large tracks fitted with soft steel shoes contributed to lowering the ground pressure and giving better grip on soft terrain. Above them, two wide mudguards mounted large storage bins for tooling, spares and equipment.
The drivetrain, modeled and tested on the T26, counted six pairs of rubberized roadwheels, each fitted on its own wheelarm. They were connected to the torsion bars by the way of an eclectic spindle, and each was also connected to a bumpstop, which limited the motion of the arm. Three out of the six received extra shock absorbers. There was also one idler (identical to the roadwheels) at the front and one sprocket at the rear, on each side.
The idlers could be precisely adjusted to the track thanks to a large notch. This meant that the idler could be displaced forward or backward and thus change the track tension. There were also five return rollers. The tracks were a new model, but rather classic in appearance, each link being articulated with wedge bolts and having a two-piece center guide. These were also rubberized.
Construction called for large cast sections, front and rear, attached to the hull sides and welded together. Another cast section went across the engine deck for better strength. There was an infantry telephone fitted on the back panel of the engine compartment, inside an armored box. Infantrymen could then communicate with the tank, for close support, even in the midst of battle.
The engine compartment was covered by eight armored grids, four openings total, only accessible when the turret was turned to the side. The two rearward ones granted access to the engine, while the two forward ones allowed access to the left and right fuel tanks, the right being shorter to make room for the auxiliary engine and electric generator. There was also a semi-automatic fire extinguishing system. Also on the engine deck was located the radiator filler cap and gun travel lock. The transmission had three speeds forward and one reverse. The differential operated three drumbrakes on each side.
The M26 commander’s cupola had a one piece hatch and six direct vision prisms made of thick bulletproof glass, inserted inside the cupola bulge. In practice, the hatch had the tendency to jump loose and a field experiment later passed into general practice consisted of drilling holes into it. The top of the hatch mounted a periscope and the entire structure moved freely around a fixed azimuth scale. When inside, the commander had a lever for traversing the turret left or right. Just behind him was mounted the SCR 5-28 radio set. Due to its lengthwise position, a mirror allowed the commander to use the commands at hand. The gunner had an M10 periscope, with x6 magnification, and to its left was an M71 auxiliary telescope with x4 magnification.
The M3 90 mm (3.54 in) gun was power traversed, with a joystick controlling elevation and a pump for manual traverse. The gun also had an elevation handle and, just behind it, a manual trigger, in case of failure of the electrical fire system. There was also a gear change lever, for choosing between the manual or hydraulic options for traverse. At a lower position was found the manual traverse lock, which was used when the turret was reversed and gun lowered and attached for transportation. The gun had a classic percussion fire system and manual breech. The loader also fired the cal.30 (7.62 mm) coaxial machine gun, and had his own vision system. Just left of him were the ready racks, storing ten rounds of various types for immediate use. Additional stowage inside six floor compartments was used. He also had a pistol port.
The driver and assistant driver both had sprung suspended seats and single-piece hatches. The driver had a rotatable periscope, immediate access to the semi-automatic fire extinguisher to his left and a brake release. The instrument panel counted (in order) five circuit breakers, a fuel gauge, a lever for fuel tank selector, electrical starter, electrical gauge, tachometer, personal heater, differential settings, fuel cut-off emergency button, panel light trigger, main lights, speedometer, oil pressure & engine temperature gauges, as well as several lamp indicators.
The two brake levers had no neutral positions. The turning radius was about 20 feet (6 m). The assistant driver was in charge of the bow machine-gun, a ball-mount cal.30 (7.62 mm), and had a complete set of driving levers if needed to replace the driver, and had a simple hatch periscope which allowed him to see his machine-gun tracers. The turret roof also housed, near to the commander cupola, a multi-purpose cal.50 (12.7 mm) heavy machine gun. Ammunition racks for it and the coaxial cal.30 were found inside the turret rear cast “basket”.
It is a known fact that the actual production of the T26E3 preseries, which was standardized in March as the M26, only began in November 1944 at the Fischer Tank Arsenal. Only ten were built this first month. Then it raised to 32 in December and gained momentum in January 1945, with 70 vehicles and 132 in February. Added to this, the Detroit Tank Arsenal also joined this effort, releasing some additional tanks in March 1945. From then, around 200 left both factories each month. In total about 2212 vehicles were built, some after WW2. Although months were needed to train crews and maintenance teams, the first real operations began in western Germany in February-March 1945.
-The development of tank destroyers alongside regular M4s and based on the same chassis (McNair himself developed and strongly supported this doctrine) or the introduction of improved M4s (the 1944 “76” versions).
-The need to have a streamlined and simplified line of supply. Most US tanks at that time were M4s or based on the M4 chassis, sharing the same components. Adding to this a brand new set of parts and a heavier, untested tank, would have imposed many changes and perhaps jeopardized such 3000 miles long (4800 km) supply lines, which became essential from D-Day on.
-A state of complacency after the introduction of the M4, as it was seen as superior to German tanks in 1942 and still a match in 1943. Many officers, including Patton himself, were quite happy with the high mobility and reliability of this model, and opposed the introduction of a new heavy type, which was seen as unnecessary. Even when the Tiger and Panther were encountered in limited numbers, the order to study a new model was not given, and instead time was “wasted” on studying a new electric transmission. Only after Normandy were some efforts made to develop a new tank from the T25.
-From Zaloga’s point of view, there was a clear opposition to the development of the T26, only lifted when General Marshall, supported by Eisenhower, overruled McNair in December 1943 and renewed the project, although it proceeded quite slowly. Hunnicut underlines the ordnance requested 500 vehicles of each model in development then, the T23, T25E1 and T26E1, because of contradictory wishes. The Army Ground Forces systematically objected to the 90 mm (3.54 in) armed new heavy tank, while the Armored Forces branch wanted the 90 mm (3.54 in) to be mounted on the Sherman.
The first combat experience showed that the M26 still fell short on firepower and protection when facing the formidable German Tiger II. Because of this, experiments were carried out with the longer and more powerful T15 gun. The first vehicle, based on the first T26E1-1 vehicle, was shipped to Europe, where it was uparmored and saw limited combat, being now commonly known as the “Super Pershing”. Another T26E4 prototype and 25 “serial” vehicles followed, with slight differences.
This modified version came into production after the war and most Pershings in service were upgraded to this standard. It replaced the M3 with the new M3A1 gun, characterized by a more efficient bore evacuator and single-baffle muzzle brake. The M26A1s were produced and modified at Grand Blanc Tank Arsenal (1190 M26A1s in all). They cost 81.324$ apiece. M26A1s saw action in Korea.
The Army Ground Forces wanted to delay full production until the new T26E3 was battle-proven. So the Zebra Mission was mounted by the Armored Forces Research and Development unit, led by General Gladeon Barnes in January 1945. Twenty vehicles of the first batch were sent in Western Europe, landing at the Belgian port of Antwerp. They would be the only Pershings to see combat in World War Two, spread between the 3rd and 9th Armored Divisions, part of the First Army, although some 310 would be shipped to Europe until V-day. They drew their first blood in late February 1945 in the Roer river sector. A famous duel took place in March at Köln (Cologne). Four T26E3s were also seen in action during the “mad dash” to the bridge at Remagen, providing support, but not crossing the fragile bridge for days. Instead, these heavyweights crossed the Rhine on barges.
After the war, M26s were grouped into the 1st Infantry Division, stationed in Europe as a reserve, following the events of the summer of 1947. The “Big Red One” counted 123 M26s in three regimental and one divisional tank battalions. In the summer of 1951, with the NATO reinforcement program, three more infantry divisions were stationed in West Germany, and accepted mostly battle-proven M26s retired from Korea. However, by 1952-53, these were phased out gradually in favor of the M47 Patton.
The Belgian army inherited the bulk of these, including many reconditioned M26A1s from USA, for a total of 423 Pershings, leased for free as part of the Mutual Defence Assistance Program. These served in three Régiments de Guides, three Régiments de Lanciers and three Batallions de Chars Lourds. These were also phased out and replaced by the M47 Patton, only two units retaining them by 1961. They were retired from service in 1969. By 1952-53, France and Italy also benefited from the same program and were given M26s. France swapped them soon after for M47s, while Italy retained them operationally until 1963.
While the heavy fighting at Okinawa raised concerns about the losses taken by M4s, it was eventually decided to send a shipment of 12 M26s, departing on May, 31. They landed at Naha beach on the 4th of August. However, they arrived too late as the island was nearly secured.
The bulk of the M26 (and M26A1) force saw action during the Korean war, from 1950 to 1953. The first units to be called were the four infantry division stationed in Japan, only counting a few M24 Chaffees and howitzer support models. The M24s were quickly found no match for the numerous T-34/85s fielded then by the North Koreans. However, three M26s were found in storage at the Tokyo US Army ordnance depot, and were quickly brought back in service with fortune-made fanbelts. They were formed into a provisional tank platoon by Lieutnant Samuel Fowler. They were deployed in mid-July, first seeing action when defending Chinju. However, their engines overheated and died out in the process. By the end of July 1950, more divisions were sent, but still counting mostly medium tanks, M4s of the latest types. Many M26s were hastily reconditioned and shipped. By the end of the year, some 305 Pershings managed to arrive in Korea.
After November 1950, however, most of the tank to tank battles were already spent, and North Korean T-34s became rarer. A 1954 survey showed that the M4A3s scored the highest kills (50% because of their large availability), followed by the Pershing (32%) and the M46 (only 10%). However, the kill/loss ratio was clearly favorable to the second and especially for the third, as the M26 found no difficulty getting through the T-34s armor at any ranges, well helped by the largely available HVAP ammunition, while its armor stood well against the T-34’s 85 mm (3.35 in) gun. In February 1951, Chinese forces deployed considerable numbers of T-34/85s, but these were widely spread between infantry divisions for close support. The same year the M46 Patton, the upgraded version of the M26, gradually replaced the Pershing, as it was found unable to display sufficient mobility on the mountainous terrain of Korea.
Too late for World War Two, but also not mobile enough for Korea, produced in small quantities related to other models from the same time frame, the Pershing seemed to have been a stopgap model, bound for history’s dark corners. However, it technically started a brand new generation of US Cold War tanks, sharing the same revolutionary suspension system, roomy turret and low-profile hull, better known collectively as the “Pattons”. A dynasty which lasted well into the 90s, when the last modernized M60s in service came to retirement. Many are still found in frontline units all around the world.
T25 prototype number 2, mid-1944. This was basically an upgraded T23E3 with HVSS suspensions, new 90 mm (3.54 in) gun and cast turret.
T26 prototype, mid-1944. The biggest changes were the new armor and new wheeltrain.
T26E3, named “Fireball”, with the 3rd Armored Division. It fought in the Ruhr river sector, was engaged and hit three times by a concealed Tiger on 25 February 1945, at Elsdorf. The Tiger was then discovered, tried to back away to escape, but ran into debris and was immobilized. It was eventually abandoned by its crew. The M26 was later salvaged, repaired, and returned to combat. Another one of the same company later engaged and destroyed a Tiger and two Panzer IVs.
Camouflaged T26E3 in Germany, May 1945. The pattern is purely fictional, as there is no clear evidence of them being camouflaged.
M26 of A Company, 1st USMC Battalion, Korea 1950.
M26 Pershing in winter camouflage, Korea, winter 1950.
M26 of A Company, 1st USMC Tank Battalion, Korea, 1950-51.
M26 of A Company, Naktong Bulge, 16 August 1952.
M26 of C Company, 1st Marine Tank Battalion, Pohang, January 1951.
M26A1 with its side skirts mounted, 1st USMC Tank Battalion, Chosin reservoir, 1950.
M26A1 “Irene” with uplifted side skirts, D Company, 1st USMC tank battalion, 1951.
M26A1 from the 1st USMC, Korea, 1950.
M26A1 near Hamburg, West Germany, 1950.
A M46 Patton in 1951 with the famous “tiger pattern”. This was an upgraded version of the Pershing, sometimes called M46 Pershing. The M46 was followed in development by the M47, the main battle tank of the US Forces and NATO for years.
Now that’s some American heavy metal!!!
Why are you even mentioning Belton Cooper or his book? Most of that book is filled with incorrect information and he cites no sources.
General Patton had absolutely no influence on tank development during the war.
In the 7th paragraph, you refer to the Pershing as having the “the new Wright engine.” This is obviously incorrect, and is contradicted by information contained elsewhere in this same article.
N.B. The information presented in the video is based on actual research of historical military archives that was carried out firsthand by the speaker himself.
The link above starts the video at the section specifically relevant to the Pershing (from 13m 31s), but the whole video is actually very informative and well worth watching.
Did the tank have a stabilizer on the main gun?
Correct me if im wrong but as I remmber R. P. Hunnicutt in his book Hunnicutt, R.P. (1971). Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series. Navato on page 201 suggest that the speed is 25 mph Medium tank M26 Pershing.
Sources seem to vary on this point, generally the stated speed is between 25-30mph (or the equivalent in metric) depending on the author. I would suspect that 30mph was the maximum tested speed (ie the fastest they got it to run under ideal circumstances during trials) while 25 was the maximum conventional speed.
Well absolutely agree with you thats why I was suprised that here is 22 mph. All the books I have seen so far are 25-30 mph. And sadly I cant test it.
Under the m26 design, at the start of the 6th paragraph it says the m36 commander’s cupola. Small error I’m guessing but thought i would mention it. |
0.966643 | Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York in an August 2014 photo.
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Sen. Charles Schumer sees an opening for a deal to limit corporate tax “inversions” after Congress comes back from the November elections, he told MarketWatch on Wednesday.
“I think we have a chance to get some kind of compromise not in the next two weeks, but in the lame duck session,” the New York Democrat said in a phone interview.
Schumer on Wednesday released the newest bill to combat so-called inversions, a recent wave of which has riled many congressional Democrats and President Barack Obama. The deals involve companies shifting their legal address overseas to take advantage of lower tax rates. Recent examples include Burger King’s US:BKW buying of Canadian doughnut chain Tim Hortons US:THI , and AbbVie Inc.’s ABBV, +0.31% purchase of Shire PLC US:SHPG .
Schumer’s bill targets what’s known as earnings stripping, which involves inverted companies loading their U.S. subsidiaries with debt. When the subsidiary repays the overseas parent, interest payments are then deductible from U.S. taxes. That allows the companies to avoid paying high U.S. taxes: the U.S. corporate rate of 35% is the world’s highest.
The bill would halve the amount of deduction companies may claim, among other measures. Schumer introduced the bill with Sen. Richard Durbin, an Illinois Democrat.
Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said Monday the Obama administration will decide in the “very near future” about how to address inversions. Schumer said he’s “all for” Lew doing whatever he can to address the issue, but that the secretary would “be the first to admit that it can’t be as effective” or workable as legislation.
Here is a condensed, edited transcript of MarketWatch’s interview with Schumer, who is a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee.
MarketWatch: What’s different about this inversion bill than the others we’ve seen so far, and is there a better chance of passage in this environment?
Schumer: What’s different in this bill is we focus on earnings strippings, which is the most egregious part of inversions because companies would be able to shield their U.S. earnings. That’s a little different than trying to get lower corporate rates on foreign stuff.
In terms of getting Republican support, I’ve talked to a few of my Republican colleagues about this, about saying, let this expire in 2017. In other words, eliminate the earnings stripping aspect of inversions until 2017. Let it expire as an impetus for broad tax reform. I think everybody agrees it is far preferable to do broad tax reform and lower rates than little, bit-by-bit pieces.
What this would do would say to the new Congress in 2017 and the new president, if you don’t do tax reform, these inversions are going to come back at you because this provision will expire. So it’s an impetus for tax reform in that way and in another way, because companies that aren’t allowed to invert will put more pressure on the system to do corporate tax reform.
If each company can choose its own little loophole then our corporate tax code will continue to be a Swiss cheese that favors some over others simply because of fortuitous circumstances.
MarketWatch: How did you decide to focus on this particular aspect? A lot of people haven’t heard of this.
Schumer: This was the most egregious aspect of corporate tax reform. And it would apply to many, many more companies. What got me started here was Walgreen’s US:WAG . Unlike say a pharmaceutical company which competes worldwide and has worldwide competitors who have much lower tax rates, Walgreen’s business was in the U.S. And they were going to use inversions, they were going to use income stripping, earnings stripping, to shield their U.S. taxes regardless of any foreign competition.
MarketWatch: Treasury Secretary Lew said the other day a decision is coming very soon on inversions. So barring any sort of congressional action, are you expecting them to do something decisive?
Schumer: Let me say two things: I think we have a chance to get some kind of compromise not in the next two weeks, but in the lame duck session. Number one, I think we might get something, particularly given the compromise I’ve proposed before, above.
But second, I’m all for Secretary Lew doing whatever he can administratively, but he’d be the first to admit that it can’t be as effective as comprehensive, as workable, as legislation. |
0.999579 | When a new patient comes in to my office for a visit, they generally have some kind of acute ailment such as chronic headaches that they want resolved. The manual treatment I provide will help ease or even completely relieve the pain. But it’s also important to ask: what is causing the recurrence of chronic pain?
This short mindfulness practice is meant to be sprinkled throughout the day to support you in becoming more present, reducing stress, and being more effective in everyday life. |
0.999644 | (CNN) -- At a Gaza hospital, doctors tried to revive a 12-year-old victim of the violence, but their efforts were in vain. Mahmoud died.
Just a short time earlier, Mashharawi had been filming other, less personal images of the war-- scenes like incoming missiles and the damage they do. Then, he got a phone call. Mashharawi was told the family home had been hit by a rocket.
The family had believed their house -- now pockmarked by shrapnel and splattered with blood -- was safe from the conflict. The family says the rocket was fired by a pilotless Israeli drone.
Mashharawi filmed the doctors' efforts to save his brother's life at the hospital; he also captured images of relatives cradling the boy wrapped in a white sheet after his death. Why? Because he said his family wanted the world to see the human toll of the conflict.
Just hours after play turned to death, Mahmoud was laid to rest.
Israel says it does not target civilians and it does all it can to avoid civilian casualties. Israel says it is unaware of the incident in this report. |
0.976154 | The teacher was asking Harold some math questions.
rabbits, how many rabbits do you have?
of pop do you have?
another two rabbits, how many rabbits do you have?
Harold: I've already got one rabbit at home. |
0.970742 | It began as a philosophical concept in ancient Greece and entered the scientific mainstream in the early 19th century when discoveries in the field of chemistry showed that matter did indeed behave as if it were made up of atoms. Today, we still know this to be mostly true. This began in 1800, when Dalton became a secretary of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. One of these is that of John Dalton … the other that of James Prescott Joule. There are countless scientists involved in the evolution of atomic theory, but less than 50 have majorly impacted the way we view atomic theory today.
What Is John Dalton's Atomic Model?
Later on you will learn that alpha particles are really just the nuclei of helium atoms. Math can do anything, it can put an elephant on s stick it can make the universe expand and collapse. But if one adds up the mass total amount of matter of all the protons and electrons in an atom, the total comes no where near the actual mass of an atom. The Bohr model of the atom, the theory that electrons travel in discrete orbits around the atom's nucleus. In the period between 1906 and 1908, English chemist and physicist Ernest Rutherford 1871—1937 studied the effects of bombarding thin gold foil with alpha particles.
Is matter, they asked, continuous or discontinuous? All atoms of the same element have identical weights, while atoms of different elements have different weights. He remained there till he was 34 at which point he resigned from the post due to financial difficulties faced by the academy. However, no one knows specifically how he reached most of his conclusions about atoms. Since then, chemists have shown the theory of Daltonian atomism to be a key factor underlying further advances in their field. However, no one knows specifically how he reached most of his conclusions about atoms. John Dalton was born on September 6th 1766 in Eaglesfeild, Cumberland, England.
Bohr suggested that the electrons must be orbiting the How did Bohr change Rutherford's model of the atom? He found this out while studying rays traveling between charged metal plates in a vacuum tube. This youthful venture was not successful, the amount he received in fees being only about five shillings a week, and after two years he took to farm work. His grandfather Jonathan Dalton was a shoemaker while his father Joseph Dalton was a weaver. He began his scientific career as a meteorologist, making several important contributions in the field, before becoming one of the most important chemists of all time. Developing the Atomic Theory The formulation of the atomic theory, Dalton's greatest achievement, was developed gradually, almost inadvertently, through a series of observations resulting from his preoccupation with gases. The second was the , first proven by the French chemist Joseph Louis Proust in 1799. In 1804 he was chosen to give a course of lectures on natural philosophy at the Royal Institution in London, where he delivered another course in 1809-1810.
The cemetery is now a playing field, but pictures of the original grave are in published materials. The antagonist Johnny Friendly requires complete loyalty from not only the longshoremen but also his henchmen, in order to maintain his power in the waterfront community, he does not allow any betrayal or even the idea of trying to testify against the mob run union is restricted. Dalton's theory can be called modern because it contained statements about atoms that could be tested experimentally. In one of them, read in 1814, he explains the principles of volumetric analysis, in which he was one of the earliest workers. He had just discovered electrons. There must then be something smaller than the atom subatomic particles of which atoms were composed. John Dalton was an important scientist that established the atomic theory.
In his theory of atomic structure and composition, Dalton presented the concept that all matter was composed of different combinations of atoms, which are the indivisible building blocks of matter. He himself attributed his success primarily to simple persistence. Many heretofore unexplained chemical phenomena were quickly explained by Dalton with his theory. Education and teaching career brought him in contact with amateur meteorologists B. It wasn't just a philosophical statement that there are atoms because there must be atoms. Never married, though there is evidence that he delighted in the society of women of education and refinement, he lived for more than a quarter of a century with his friend the Rev. Suppose, said Danish physicist Niels Bohr 1885—1962 , that places exist in the atom where electrons can travel without losing energy.
What does it look like? Berthollet supported the concept that elements could mix in any ratio. You would probably be just as surprised as Rutherford when he discovered the nucleus. Another work by him, Elements of English Grammar, was published in 1801. But the model has not been used by chemists themselves for many decades. All elements are made of tiny indivisible particles called atoms. Early History of the Atom Matter is composed of indivisible building blocks. Atom was derived from the greek word atomon or atomos meaning indestructible.
Aristotle was very convincing and did many experiments using the scientific method, so more people believed him. Synopsis Chemist John Dalton was born September 6, 1766, in Eaglesfield, England. See the unit Chemical Shorthand. Elements are made of tiny particles called atoms. These compounds are known as non-stoichometric compounds, and examples include ferrous oxide. Although Dalton had taught chemistry for several years, he had not yet performed actual research in this field. He never could learn to swim: on investigating this circumstance he found that his spec. |
0.999995 | In pre-colonial times, longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) forests covered nearly 60 million acres of land in the southeastern United States, from southeast Virginia to central Florida, and west to the Gulf region of Texas. Since European settlement the longleaf pine resource has steadily declined. In 1935, 20 million acres were found throughout the South (a 70% reduction), while in 1994 only 3.3 million acres remained (a 95% reduction; Barnett and Dennignton 1992; Boyer 1990; Haywood and Grelen 2000; Jose, Jokela, and Miller 2006; US Forest Service 1999).
The decline in the longleaf pine resource can be attributed to several factors. First, extensive harvesting, particularly between 1900 and 1930, greatly reduced the area occupied by mature longleaf pine (Brown and Nowak 2013) and, hence, the availability of seed sources. Therefore, natural regeneration was both scarce and unpredictable. Second, a lack of understanding of the biological requirements of this species and seedling predation from feral hogs (Wahlenberg 1946) led to the failure of many regeneration efforts. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, many sites were converted to other commercially valuable species (mainly loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. elliottii Engelm) or to other land uses such as agriculture (Haywood and Grelen 2000; Wahlenberg 1946).
As a result of this decline, much of the interest today in the restoration of Florida’s native ecosystems has focused on longleaf pine. Of the 17.3 million acres of forested land in Florida, there are 2.1 million confirmed acres of longleaf pine. In other words, approximately 12% of Florida’s forest area already includes a longleaf pine component (FDACS 2017), which can be beneficial for restoration efforts.
Longleaf pine forests today are managed for a variety of desired benefits including aesthetics, habitat diversity, and quality timber production. The longleaf pine forest is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, outside of the tropics. The high-quality timber produced in longleaf pine forests generally has a higher stemwood specific gravity than timber from either loblolly pine or slash pine. The timber from mature longleaf pine trees is strong, rot-resistant, and knot-free (Platt and Rathbun 1993; Schmidtling 1986). Longleaf pine may be a suitable alternative to loblolly pine and slash pine on difficult sites, such as excessively well-drained sandhill soils that do not support acceptable growth rates for these other southern pine species. In addition, longleaf pine is generally considered to be less susceptible (not immume) to southern fusiform rust and therefore a desirable species to plant on high rust hazard sites (Schmidtling and White 1989). However, as interest increases in restoring longleaf pine forests, region-wide screening of longleaf pine seed sources for genetic resistance and susceptibility to fusiform rust resistance and other pests has been advocated (Barnard and Mayfield 2009).
Non-industrial private landowners own approximately 817,000 acres (38%) of the longleaf pine forests in Florida (FDACS 2017), so their management strategies have a large impact on the status of the resource. For non-industrial private landowners whose main land management objective is something other than timber production (i.e., aesthetics, recreation, wildlife habitat, soil or watershed protection), alternative silvicultural systems provide an opportunity to create diversity on their property. The objective of this bulletin is to describe an alternative to even-aged management for longleaf pine in Florida. The alternative approach uses a modified group selection system to create an uneven-aged stand structure, which will provide income from periodic timber harvests, while maintaining continuous tree cover. A discussion of traditional and alternative longleaf pine management practices follows, as well as a description of the process of converting an even-aged stand of mature longleaf pine to an uneven-aged stand.
Longleaf pine has traditionally been managed using even-aged silvicultural systems that rely on either natural or artificial regeneration. With this approach, single age class stands are managed over a fixed period of time (rotation) using intermediate cutting techniques (e.g., thinnings) to regulate stand density, control species composition and improve stand vigor and health. Examples of even-aged silvicultural systems used with longleaf pine include the clearcut and shelterwood systems. In the clearcut reproduction system, all mature crop trees are harvested simultaneously at the end of the rotation. The site is then regenerated using either natural or artificial regeneration. The shelterwood reproduction system uses two partial harvests to reduce the basal area of the stand to about 30 ft2/acre (the density which maximizes seed production of longleaf pine). Seed from the remaining mature trees is used to naturally restock the site, assuming a mineral soil seedbed is provided. Once regeneration is established, the parent overstory trees are removed. Both the clearcut and the shelterwood systems have been shown to be effective even-aged systems for regenerating and managing longleaf pine (Croker 1979; Croker and Boyer 1976; Demers and Long 2000).
The even-aged approach to management offers a variety of advantages. For example, even-aged management is easy to apply and intermediate cuttings and other cultural practices (i.e. herbicide application) can be applied uniformly across the entire stand (Barnett and Baker 1991). Even-aged systems produce trees that are fairly uniform in size, which simplifies harvesting operations. There are, however, some disadvantages to even-aged management. The uniform stand offers fewer aesthetic, recreational, and wildlife benefits and may not produce significant income for 15 to 20 years (Barnett and Baker 1991).
On public lands, however, there is an increasing interest in developing uneven-aged (multi-aged) stands of longleaf pine. In Florida, the US Forest Service is converting over 250,000 acres of even-aged longleaf pine and mixed longleaf pine-slash pine stands to an uneven-aged structure, using a modified group selection system. While even-aged management systems create stands with one age class of trees, and a diameter distribution that follows a smooth bell-shaped curve, uneven-aged management systems create stands that contain at least three distinct age classes. The diameter distribution of an uneven-aged stand follows a reverse J-shape (Figure 1).
Comparison of even-aged and uneven-aged diameter distributions (19, 39). DBH is the diameter of the trees at breast height. Age class one contains the oldest trees; age class three contains the youngest trees.
The canopy profile of an even-aged stand is fairly uniform, but the profile of an uneven-aged stand is varied, with trees representing the spectrum from tall canopy dominants to seedlings and saplings (Figure 2).
Stand profiles showing (a) even-aged stand structure and (b) balanced uneven-aged stand structure. The even-aged stand has one age class (i.e. the trees are approximately the same age). The uneven-aged stand, which in this example was developed using the group selection system, has three distinct age classes.
If the stand is a balanced uneven-aged stand, the ground area occupied by each age class is approximately equal.
Uneven-aged stands are created using the selection system. In the selection system, trees representing a range in size are harvested at fixed intervals (called the cutting cycle, which ranges from 10 to 25 years). Regeneration (either natural or artificial) occurs in the harvested openings. This management approach allows periodic harvests, while maintaining a continuous forest cover. Smaller, lower quality trees are also removed to improve the overall quality of the stand.
There are two main variations of the selection system. The first, referred to as the single tree selection system, involves removal of individual trees across the stand, creating small openings in which species can naturally regenerate (Figure 3).
An aerial view provides a stand level comparison of opening size and arrangement after harvest, and the trees removed during harvest using (a) the single-tree selection system and (b) the group selection system.
The second type of selection system is referred to as group selection. In this system, groups of trees are removed in patches (ranging from 0.2 acres to 5 acres in size) throughout the stand (Figure 3), allowing for potential regeneration of the more shade intolerant species such as longleaf pine (provided seedbed requirements are met; Brockway and Outcalt 1998; McGuire, Mitchell, Moser, et al. 2001; Marquis 1978; Matthews 1989). Canopy openings larger than 2 acres may also be referred to as patch clearcuts. However, for the purposes of this paper, they will be referred to as gaps. In both single tree and group selection, canopy openings can be regenerated using either natural or artificial means. These harvested groups mimic canopy gaps created by natural biotic and abiotic events (e.g. insects, windthrow, lightening). Generally, the group selection method has lower logging costs than the single-tree selection management system.
There are numerous advantages to uneven-aged management (using both the single-tree and group selection systems). Stands with a variety of age classes are less likely to suffer catastrophic damage from insect outbreaks, disease, or low intensity fire because, usually, only one age class of trees is susceptible to any one damaging agent. For example, longleaf pine seedlings are susceptible to brown spot needle blight, but saplings and mature trees are not. A brown spot needle blight outbreak in an uneven-aged stand may result in high seedling mortality, but trees in the other age classes will not be damaged. Another advantage of uneven-aged management is that periodic income can be obtained from high-valued products at relatively short intervals over time. Also, due to the continuous presence of large trees (i.e., the entire stand is never totally liquidated), the selection system creates stands with high aesthetic values and diverse wildlife habitat (Barnett and Baker 1991; Farrar and Boyer 1991), while providing excellent site protection. However, both single-tree and group selection systems may involve higher logging costs than even-aged systems, and are sometimes difficult to apply (Barnett and Baker 1991). Also, without careful attention, there is potential for substantial losses due to damage to the residual stand during harvesting operations.
Because longleaf pine is intolerant of both shade and competition from mature overstory trees, openings created in closed-canopy forests using the single tree selection system may not be large enough for adequate natural regeneration to become established, unless those openings are expanded over time. Seedlings in small openings (<1/3-acre) compete directly with adjacent mature trees for limited site resources (i.e., water, mineral nutrients; Farrar and Boyer 1991). Fine root competition from mature residual trees on good quality sites may extend 50 feet into openings, and may be even higher on poor sites (Boyer 1993). Any established longleaf pine regeneration in these small openings would have slow growth rates (Farrar and Boyer 1991), and may suffer higher mortality from periodic prescribed burning (Gagnon, Jokela, Moser, et al. 2003) than young trees in larger openings.
In spite of these difficulties, however, the single-tree selection system has been used successfully in some open-canopied longleaf pine forests. In fact, gaps as small as ¼ of an acre can be large enough for seedlings to reach maximum growth (Landers, Van Lear, and Boyer 1995), if the surrounding overstory is open enough to allow adequate light to reach the forest floor.
Selection silviculture methods may create an uneven-aged stand similar in structure to old-growth stands of longleaf pine, which are comprised of small, even-aged patches of trees. The diameter distribution of an old-growth longleaf pine forest is somewhat reverse J-shaped, with trees ranging from 3 to 500 years old (Palik, Mitchell, Houseal, et al. 1997).
The first step in developing a viable group selection management system for longleaf pine involves a review and understanding of the ecology of the species. Specifically, the management strategy must match the habitat, reproduction, germination, and growth requirements of the species. Table 1 summarizes the biological factors that are important for regenerating and managing longleaf pine.
These biological requirements can be met using a modified group selection system. With this modified system, a reverse J-shaped diameter distribution is created and maintained by creating at least three distinct age classes within the stand using area regulation. The following example describes the process of converting an even-aged longleaf pine stand into a balanced uneven-aged stand structure using a modified group selection system.
A hypothetical stand with the following characteristics will be used to illustrate the modified group selection system.
Mature longleaf pine that surround regenerated openings do not have adverse affects on growth and survival of seedlings within the openings.
Trees over 45 years old exhibit a minimal growth response to thinning.
Damage to the residual stand (i.e., scarring and soil compaction) from harvests and thinning operations will be minimal.
Planting of longleaf pine seedlings will be used to regenerate the created gap openings.
Group selection openings will be harvested on a 15-year cutting cycle (Figure 4). Using a 45-year rotation, this amounts to harvesting fifteen acres per cutting cycle.
A recently harvested group selection opening in a second-growth stand of longleaf pine in the Apalachicola National Forest.
The fifteen acres will be allocated among five 3-acre gaps within the stand (Figure 5).
Schematic of a hypothetical 60-year old second growth even-aged longleaf pine forest, managed under a modified group selection system (based on recommendations in 31). Note: The gaps do not need to be rectangular. Circular or irregular shapes will work as well. Not to scale.
Since the age of the current, naturally regenerated stand is 60 years old (the average age of longleaf pine stands in Florida), the ages of the trees harvested in the first three cutting cycles will be 60, 75, and 90 years old, respectively. Once the stand is fully regulated, the difference between the oldest and the youngest trees in the artificially regenerated gaps will be 45 years. The artificially regenerated trees planted in the created gaps will be harvested at age 45. The rotation age for the naturally regenerated and the artificially regenerated trees differs because naturally regenerated stands require longer rotations to produce volumes of sawtimber comparable to that of planted stands (Dennington 1990). For example, at age 60, a naturally regenerated stand would be expected to yield 16 thousand board feet of timber (MBF)/acre (Scribner), while at age 45, a planted stand would yield about 22 MBF/acre (Scribner) (US Forest Service 1929).
A 15-year cutting cycle allows for adequate growth between harvests, to ensure operable volumes, and it falls within the recommended range of cutting cycles for this species. Sawtimber revenues occurring at 15-year intervals may be preferable to pulpwood revenues occurring at 20–25 year intervals. The large (3-acre) gaps that are created with this management system should reduce detrimental edge effects that may impact seedling survival and growth within the openings (Farrar and Boyer 1991, Outcalt and Outcalt 1994). Skid trails should be oriented in the direction of the planted rows and be as wide and straight as possible to facilitate future harvesting and thinning operations, and to minimize damage to trees in the residual stand. The size and the location of the gaps, and the positioning of the skid trails parallel to the planted rows, simplify both marking and timber harvesting operations.
Site disturbance resulting from harvesting should sufficiently scarify the soil for planting. If there is excessive woody vegetation in the openings, a prescribed surface fire may be used to reduce competing vegetation. Some additional site preparation (i.e., herbicide application) may also be required prior to planting in areas with heavy understory competition or oak (Quercus spp.) encroachment (Brockway and Outcalt 2000; Grace and Platt 1995).
Although longleaf pine can be regenerated by both natural and artificial means, artificial regeneration by planting is recommended for this modified group selection system because of the sporadic nature of longleaf pine seed crops, the bare mineral soil requirement for natural germination, and the heavy seed predation pressures commonly found with this species (Table 1). These three factors make natural regeneration of longleaf pine somewhat unreliable. Artificial regeneration also helps to ensure prompt and uniform seedling establishment (US Forest Service 1999). Spacing and density can be manipulated to meet specifications for desired products. When relying upon natural regeneration for longleaf pine, canopy openings are limited to about 0.7 acres to ensure adequate seedfall throughout the created gap (effective seed dispersal distance of longleaf pine is about 100 ft). However, there is no biological limit to the size of openings when artificial regeneration is used.
Another advantage of artificial regeneration is that it provides an opportunity to use genetically improved seedlings. Improved longleaf pine seed is being developed, which has higher survival rates and earlier emergence from the grass stage than unimproved seed sources (Schmidtling 1986).
Artificial regeneration of longleaf pine can result from direct seeding or planting of bare-root or containerized seedlings. Containerized seedlings are more expensive, but usually have higher survival rates due to decreased transplant shock, which results in a greater ability for the seedlings to compete with understory vegetation. In general, containerized longleaf seedlings are easier to plant, have an extended planting season, and they initiate height growth earlier than direct seeded or bare-root seedlings (Barnett, Lauer, and Brissette 1989; Boyer 1984; Boyer 1988). The high survival and rapid growth rates of containerized seedlings result in better yields, which in turn offsets the higher initial planting costs associated with their use. Containerized longleaf pine seedlings (minimum root collar diameter 0.4 in.) (Barnett, Lauer, and Brissette 1989) can be planted (either by hand or machine) at a density ranging from about 450 to 700 trees per acre (e.g. approximately 8 x 12 to 6 x 10 ft spacing). Staggered spacing can be used to create a more natural appearance (Figure 6).
Schematic of a staggered 6 x 10 ft spacing, where X represents individual seedlings (not to scale).
Although containerized seedlings can be planted throughout the year, survival is best when they are planted under moderate weather conditions. The traditional planting season for longleaf pine in Florida occurs from November through February, although there has also been successful planting of containerized longleaf pine seedling in late summer. Additional information on planting Southern pines is available in a number of other extension publications (Croker and Boyer 1976; Dennington and Farrar 1983; Duryea 1998).
To provide more operable volumes and revenues, thinnings should be timed to coincide with group selection harvests. A low thinning (which removes smaller or poorly formed trees) beginning at about age 30 years is recommended for the remainder of the stand (residual basal area should be about 80 ft2/acre; Dennington (1990)).
Prescribed surface fires can be used on a two to three-year burning cycle to minimize fuel loads and to control understory and woody vegetation (Duryea 2000). Regular competition control is necessary to encourage growth and survival of longleaf pine seedlings. A three-year burn cycle is currently being used successfully on the National Forests in Florida to maintain longleaf pine-wiregrass (Aristida stricta Michx.) ecosystems (US Forest Service 1999). Although longleaf pine is fairly resistant to fire damage, the seedlings are susceptible to injury during the initial stages of active height growth. Therefore, fire should be postponed during this stage and not resumed until seedlings are over 3 feet in height. To minimize damage to longleaf pine seedlings, cool prescribed burns at this stage of development should occur during the winter months. When the trees are taller than 10 to 15 feet, low intensity burns could be prescribed in other seasons, assuming that fuel loads are low to moderate.
Using prescribed fire in the larger openings could be difficult in some cases. One of the primary fuels for prescribed fire is pine needles. Needle fall from surrounding trees may drop off significantly towards the center of the gaps. Depending on the type of understory vegetation, this could result in fire not carrying well across the opening. In these instances, chemical control of competing vegetation may be required.
The group selection system as described above would also have the same potential for landowners interested in converting loblolly or slash pine stands (natural or artificially regenerated) to longleaf pine (Franklin 2009; Hu, Knapp, Wang, et. al 2016). For example, rather than harvesting a mature slash pine stand all at one time and regenerating it to longleaf pine, a more gradual species conversion process could be prescribed using the group selection method in conjunction with planting longleaf pine in the group openings. An advantage of this approach would be that portions of the mature, overstory canopy would remain intact, thereby supporting other ecosystem benefits and services (e.g., mature stand structure attributes, aesthetics, wildlife habitat, understory community (Kirkman, Mitchell, Kaeser, et. al 2007), while also providing needle cast for fuel to carry prescribed fire through the area (Jack, Hiers, Mitchell, et. al 2010). More detailed information on this process can be found at: http://www.americaslongleaf.org/media/2625/converting_loblolly_to_longleaf.pdf (Franklin 2009).
There are many advantages associated with using a modified group selection system with longleaf pine. There are, however, a few potential problems with the system. The main disadvantage is that it has not been rigorously field-tested. Potential decreases in yields due to increased competition between the overstory and understory trees, as well as decreased volume production from periodic prescribed burning (Matthews 1989), may make this method less productive than even-aged management systems. Therefore, landowners primarily interested in commodity production may find this management approach less appealing than even-aged systems (McGuire, Mitchell, Moser, et al. 2001).
The group selection silvicultural system represents an uneven-aged management strategy useful for longleaf pine. Although traditional even-aged management systems will continue to be used with this species, the group selection system offers many additional potential advantages, including periodic income from high-quality timber, continuous presence of large trees on site, diverse wildlife habitat, soil and watershed protection, and high aesthetic and recreation values. The stands created using this system are based on sound biological principles and they can be used to develop diversity in forest structure at the landscape level, and restore a native ecosystem that once dominated much of the southeastern United States.
Barnard, E.L., and A.E. Mayfield III. 2009. Insect and diseases of longleaf pine in the context of longleaf pine ecosystem restoration. https://www.freshfromflorida.com/content/download/4582/29262/Insects%20and%20Diseases%20of%20Longleaf%20Pine.pdf.
Barnett, J.P., and J.B. Baker. 1991. Regeneration methods. In: M.L. Duryea and P.M. Dougherty (eds.) Forest Regeneration Manual. Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands.
Barnett, J.P. and R.W. Dennington. 1992. Return to longleaf. For. Farmer. 52:11–12.
Barnett, J.P., D.K. Lauer, and J.C. Brissette. 1989. Regenerating longleaf pine with artificial methods. In: Proc. Symposium on the Management of Longleaf Pine. U.S. For. Ser. Gen.Tech. Rep. SO-75.
Boyer, W.D. 1984. First-year survival of planted longleaf pine bare-root and containerized stock as affected by site preparation and release. In: Proc. 3rd Biennial South. Silvicultural Conference. U.S. For. Ser. Gen.Tech. Rep. SO-54.
Boyer, W.D. 1988. Effects of site preparation and release on the survival and growth of planted bare-root and container-grown longleaf pine. Georgia For. Res. Pap. No. 76.
Boyer, W.D. 1993. Long term development of regeneration under longleaf pine seedtree and shelterwood stands. South. J. Appl. For. 17:10–15.
Brockway, D.G., and K.W. Outcalt. 1998. Gap-phase regeneration in longleaf pine wiregrass ecosystems. For. Ecol. Manage. 106:125–139.
Brockway, D.G., and K.W. Outcalt. 2000. Restoring longleaf pine wiregrass ecosystems: hexazinone application enhances effects of prescribed fire. For. Ecol. and Manage. 137:121–138.
Brown, M.J., and J. Nowak. 2013. Florida, 2011 – Forest inventory and analysis fact sheet. E-Science update SRS-071, Asheville, NC: US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 5 p.
Croker,T.C., Jr. 1979. Longleaf pine: The longleaf pine story. J. For. History. 23:32–43.
Croker,T.C., Jr. and W.D. Boyer. 1976. Regenerating longleaf pine naturally. U.S. For. Ser. Res. Pap. SO-105.
Demers, C., and A. Long. 2000. Longleaf pine regeneration. IFAS, University of Florida, Cooperative Extension Service. SS-FOR-13.7p.
Dennington, R.W.1990. Regenerating longleaf pine with the shelterwood method. U.S. For. Ser. Mgmt. Bull. R8-MB 47.
Dennington, R.W., and R.M. Farrar, Jr. 1983. Longleaf pine management. U.S. For. Ser. For. Rep. R8-FR3.
Duryea, M. 1998 (Revised). Planting southern pines. Circular 767. 14p. Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Duryea, M.L. 2000. Forest regeneration methods: Natural regeneration, direct seeding and planting. Circular 759. 13p. Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Farrar, R.M. Jr. 1996. Fundamentals of uneven-aged management in southern pine. W.K. Moser and L.A. Brennan (eds). TTRS Misc. Pub. No 9.
Farrar, R.M. Jr., and W.D. Boyer. 1991. Managing longleaf pine under the selection system: Promises and problems. In: Proc. 6th Biennial Southern Silvicultural Research Conference. U.S. For. Ser. Gen. Tech. Rep. SE-70.
Gagnon, J.L, E.J. Jokela, W.K. Moser, and D.A. Huber. 2003. Dynamics of artificial regeneration in gaps within a longleaf pine flatwoods ecosystem. For. Ecol. Manage. 172: 133–144.
Grace, S.L., and W.J. Platt. 1995. Effects of adult tree density and fire on the demography of pregrass stage juvenile longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.). J. Ecol. 83, 75–86.
Haywood, J.D., and H.E. Grelen. 2000. Twenty years of prescribed burning influence the development of direct-seeded longleaf pine on a wet pine site in Louisiana. South. J. Appl. For. 24:86–92.
Jack, S.B., J.K. Hiers, R.J. Mitchell, and J.L. Gagnon. 2010. Fuel loading and fire intensity effects on longleaf pine seedling survival. In: Stanturf, J.A. (ed.). Proceedings of the 14th Biennial Southern Silvicultural Research Conference, pp. 275–279. USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station [General Technical Report SRS-121], Asheville, NC, US.
Jose, S., E.J. Jokela, and D.L. Miller. 2006. The Longleaf Pine Ecosystem – Ecology, Silviculture and Restoration. Springer. 438 p.
Kirkman, L.K., R.J. Mitchell, M.J. Kaeser, S.D. Pecot, and K.L Coffey. 2007. The perpetual forest: using undesireable species to bridge restoration. Journal of Applied Ecology. 44: 604-614.
Landers, J.L., D.H. Van Lear, and W.D. Boyer. 1995. The longleaf pine forests of the Southeast: Requiem or renaissance? J. For. 93: 39–44.
McGuire, J.P., R.J. Mitchell, B.E. Moser, S.D. Pecot, D.H. Gjerstad, and C.W. Hedman. 2001. Gaps in a gappy forest: plant resources, longleaf pine regeneration, and understory response to tree removal in longleaf pine savannas. Can. J. For. Res. 31:765–778.
Marquis, D.A. 1978. Application of uneven-aged silviculture and management on public and private lands. In: Uneven-aged silviculture and management in the United States. U.S. For. Ser.Timber Mgmt. Rsh. Washington D.C.
Matthews, J.D. 1989. Silvicultural systems. Clarendon press, Oxford. 284 p.
Palik, B.J., R.J. Mitchell, G. Houseal, and N. Pederson. 1997. Effects of canopy structure on resource availability and seedling responses in a longleaf pine ecosystem. Can. J. For. Res. 27:1458–1464.
Platt, W.J., and S.L. Rathbun. 1993. Dynamics of an old-growth longleaf pine population. In: Hermann, S.M. (ed). Proc. 18th Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference. TTRS.
Schmidtling, R.C.1986. Relative performance of longleaf compared to loblolly and slash pines under different levels of intensive culture. In: Proc. Fourth Biennial Southern Silvicultural Research Conference. U.S. For. Ser. Gen. Tech. Rep. SE-42.
Schmidtling, R.C., and T.L White. 1989. Genetics and tree improvement of longleaf pine. In: Proc. Symposium on the Management of Longleaf Pine. U.S. For. Ser. Gen. Tech. Rep. SO-75.
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Biological characteristics of longleaf pine important in developing a management plan. (Adapted from 3, 7, 8, 12, 14, 43).
Dominant and codominant trees with diameters at breast height > 10"
This document is CIR 1404, one of a series of the School of Forest Resources and Conservation Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date January 2002. Revised June 2017. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
Jennifer L. Gagnon, project associate, Virginia Tech; and Eric J. Jokela, professor, School of Forest Resources and Conservation; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611. |
0.998079 | We discuss the Joaquin Phoenix "Joker" news as well as give a spoiler-free review of Netflix's "Maniac"
These past few weeks have been pretty exciting in regards to geek news and at the top of that last for us has been the images and video released in regards to the new "Joker" film. We know that Joaquin Phoenix will be our new Joker and that he starts out as "Arthur". The film will be directed by Todd Phillips, the director of the Hangover Trilogy, but don't let that turn you off, lets give him the benefit of the doubt.
We end the show with our review of Netflix's "Maniac" which had every episode directed by Cary Fukunaga. This show stared Emma Stone and Jonah Hill and gave a very interesting (yet respectful) look into mental illness and the lengths people will go to find relief. |
0.950289 | Is a dog a carnivore or a omnivore?
Is a dog a carnivore or an omnivore?
This topic is a rather unpleasant but important one: assessing your dog's poop for signs of a health problem.
Myth: Raw-fed animals pose a significant health risk to humans.
Yes, there is bacteria in raw meat. Yes, this bacteria can harm you. Yes, this bacteria is sometimes shed in dogs' feces. So if a raw-fed dog licks you, are you going to get sick?
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Even the best quality diet will not provide optimal wellness if your dog or cat is not digesting and absorbing it properly. |
0.999994 | Give here is information about travel and tourism in Thekkady located in Kerala, India.
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The crisp and cool air will work wonders not just for your physical well being, but your soul too. All in all, it will be an experience that will have you transferred to Paradise every time you think of it. So get set to visit Thekkady, a place that will amaze you beyond belief. |
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0.94297 | Second, we discuss the difference between experimental and non-experimental research. Finally, we explain how variables can be characterised as either categorical or continuous. Finally, we explain how variables can be characterised as either categorical or continuous.... The scale is made up of equal temperature units, so that the difference between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit is equal to the difference between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. With an interval scale, you know not only whether different values are bigger or smaller, you also know how much bigger or smaller they are.
In this study the risk ratio was RR=2.18, but we can also compute an odds ratio and then use these data to illustrate how to compute a confidence interval for an odds ratio. Table - Association Between Hypertension (HTN) and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) how to get dried blood out of carpet The interval between values is not interpretable in an ordinal measure. In interval measurement the distance between attributes does have meaning. For example, when we measure temperature (in Fahrenheit), the distance from 30-40 is same as distance from 70-80.
Ratio data can be multiplied and divided because not only is the difference between 1 and 2 the same as between 3 and 4, but also that 4 is twice as much as 2. Interval and ratio data measure quantities and hence are quantitative . how to find marginal cost differentiation For example, the difference between 70 degrees and 80 degrees is 10, which is the same as the difference between 40 degrees and 50 degrees. Ratio scales are similar to interval scales but include an absolute 0 measurement, which signifies the point when the characteristic being measured vanishes.
However, the difference between ranks is not the same-the difference between the 1st rank and 2nd rank may be 20 units, but that between the 2nd and 3rd ranks may be 3 units. In addition, it is not possible to say that the 1st rank is x times better than the 2nd or 3rd rank purely on the basis of the ranks.
Explain the difference between interval and ratio data. One of the products that Company W makes is snack foods. The research and development department of Company W has developed a new formula for one type of snack food that is cheaper to make than the current formula.
This effect size can be the difference between two means or two proportions, the ratio of two means, an odds ratio, a relative risk ratio, or a hazard ratio, among others. The complete absence of any effect corresponds to a difference of 0, or a ratio of 1, so these are called the “no-effect” values.
As an extreme example of the difference between risk ratio and odds ratio, if action A carries a risk of a negative outcome of 99.9% while action B has a risk of 99.0% the relative risk is approximately 1 while the odds ratio between A and B is 10 (1% = 0.1% x 10), more than 10 times higher.
The interval level of measurement deals with data that can be ordered, and in which differences between the data does make sense. Data at this level does not have a starting point. Data at this level does not have a starting point. |
0.932838 | Under Nebraska and Federal laws, discriminating against individuals with disabilities is prohibited in the workplace. Columbus, Such laws provide equal opportunities for individuals in Columbus with disabilities to obtain employment and advance in their profession of choice. It also requires that employers provide reasonable accommodations to enable all persons to perform their job correctly.
Discrimination against disabled individuals is illegal under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), whether the employer is the government or a private agency. In Nebraska, any employer decisions to hire, assign a job position, or issue a promotion can not be based on a person's disability.
When do I need an Attorney in Columbus?
Nebraska has various employment law attorneys in Columbus who specialize in assisting persons with claims related to disabilities It can be helpful to consult with a lawyer who may be able to help guide you should difficulties come up. |
0.999931 | Consider the following statements about the revolt of 1857.
It was started from Lucknow.
It was started during the reign of Governor General Lord Canning.
The revolt also spread to South India.
The Government of India Act 1858 was passed as a reaction by the British government to the revolt.
The revolt of 1857 took place during the reign of Governor General Lord Canning. The immediate cause of the revolt of 1857 was that Mangal Pandey killed two British officers on parade at Barrackpore. The revolt began at Meerut, 58 km from Delhi, on May 10, 1857 and then, gathering force rapidly. This revolt spread in Lucknow, Ambala and Meerut cantonments.
The movement was confined to the Northern and Central India.
The Kuka Movement was founded in 1840 by Bhagat Jawahar Mal (also called Sian Saheb) in western Punjab. A major leader of the movement after him was Baba Ram Singh. (He founded the Namdhari Sikh sect.) After the British took Punjab, the movement got transformed from a religious purification campaign to a political campaign. Its basic tenets were abolition of caste and similar discriminations among Sikhs, discouraging the consumption of meat and alcohol and drugs, permission for intermarriages, widow remarriage, and encouraging women to step out of seclusion.
He described Sati system as a “murder according to every shastra”.
He defended the basic and universal principles of all religions.
Raja Rammohan Roy described Sati system as a “murder according to every shastra”. He considered different religions as national embodiments of universal theism. He defended the basic and universal principles of all religions—such as the monotheism of the Vedas and unitarianism of Christianity—while attacking the polytheism of Hinduism and trinitarianism of Christianity. Rammohan Roy believed in the modern scientific approach and principles of human dignity and social equality.
Upanishads to prove his conviction that ancient Hindu texts support monotheism.
(xi) against reduction in maximum age for appearing in Indian Civil Service; the Indian Association took up this question and organised an all-India agitation against it, popularly known as the Indian Civil Service agitation.
Which of the following act for the first time explicitly defined the constitutional position of the British territories in India.
The charter act of 1813, for the first time explicitly defined the constitutional position of the British territories in India. |
0.945313 | With a 20-year investment perspective, you are considered to be a long-term investor. Put your money in the stock market, directly or through mutual funds containing stocks; the value of your investment may fluctuate, but over a longer time span, your average return is higher than what safer options can offer.
Your stock or investment fund may be up 11% one year, down 6% the next, then rebound up 9% and so forth, so it's definitely a bumpier ride than safe and predictable options, such as a savings account or a certificate of deposit (CD). However, when the 20 years have passed, you are virtually guaranteed to come out ahead in terms of actual dollars in your account. Safety comes at a price, while risk gets you a premium. Since you don't have to lose sleep over a stock market crash in a particular year, you get to reap the premium while the long time span negates most of the risk.
Since you invest a set $100 a month, you are buying shares in good times as well as bad times. In good times, the value of your shares increase. For example, suppose you start buying shares in a stock fund that cost $20 per share. You get five shares for your $100. A year later, the fund has done well and the share price has risen to $25. Now you only get four shares for your $100, but you're happy anyway; the five shares from that first month a year ago has appreciated in value, 5 x $25 = $125, netting a $25 gain. The second month, the shares were $21, so that month you got 4.77 shares, netting you a $19 gain, and so forth. In good times, you get fewer shares, which reduces the future potential upside, but it also means you have a nice total gain on your investment.
Suppose the share price had dropped from $20 to $15 in that first year. You'd have made a loss of 5 x $5 = $25 on your first month's investment. The second month you bought shares at $19 apiece, meaning you got 5.26 shares. The loss from the second month then becomes 5.26 x $4 = $21, and so on.
While that loss certainly stings, you are getting bargain-priced shares for the monthly $100 investment. Since the share price is only $15, you can snap up 6.67 shares per month for as long as the slump lasts. When things brighten up six months later, you have purchased 6 x 6.67 = 40 shares at the bottom. Then, even with a modest rebound to $18 a share, you have now made a gain of 40 x $3 = $120 from those bargain shares alone. Meanwhile, the loss from the first month has shrunk to $10, the second month to just over $5 and so on, meaning you are already back in the black with a vengeance. When the share price returns to the original $20, the initial loss is completely wiped out, while the gain of the six months' bargain shares grows to 6 x $5 = $200.
If you keep your cool and stick with the plan even when the market is down, you get more shares for your money. These additional shares boost investment returns when the market rebounds. This is a big part of the reason why regular stock investors get a higher long-term return compared to safer investments despite the temporary ups and downs in the market.
Many stocks and funds also give dividends to investors. The dividends are essentially profits given to the owners (shareholders) providing a couple extra percent return on top of regular share price increases. Most mutual funds and stocks offer the option of automatically reinvesting the dividends. This is done in good times as well as bad times, meaning that you get dollar cost averaging on what is essentially an invisible boost to your regular investment schedule.
Assume that you have decided to invest in a mutual fund with an average annual return of 7%, including the dividend. For simplicity's sake, assume that compounding takes place once a year. After 20 years, you will have paid 20 x 12 x $100 = $24,000 into the fund. However, the compounding return will more than double your investment. The easy way to run the numbers is using a calculator, but you can do the math manually by adding the new year's contribution to the old total, and then multiply the new total by 1.07 for each year.
In reality, your annual statement won't be as tidy as any calculator can predict. For starters, the math is usually heavily simplified in that it does not take into account any of the fees, taxes and similar factors. There's also some wiggle room in how it calculates the averages going into the equation. Still, history shows consistently superior returns for regular investing in stocks or stock funds compared to other types of investments, making it the obvious choice for a long-term investor.
A small sum such as $100 leaves little choice besides mutual funds, at least in the beginning. Even discount brokers charge a $5 to $10 fee per transaction when buying stocks; unless you're dabbling in the risky penny stock barrel, that means you won't be able to diversify your portfolio. By contrast, mutual funds are premade portfolios of many different stocks with a clearly defined risk profile and built-in diversification.
However, the mutual fund charges an annual fee that can grow rather to a rather substantial size as your capital grows. If you are comfortable taking a more active role in selecting your investments, it may make sense to pull the money out of the fund after a few years and create your own diversified stock portfolio at a discount brokerage. |
0.98315 | Why Learn Excel 2007 Keyboard Shortcuts?
There are people who believe that Microsoft Office Excel is just for balancing your personal budget or your checkbook. While it's true that you can use Excel for those tasks, there are so many other things that Excel can do! The implications for storing meaningful data in an office setting are obvious. Any time you need to create a graph of sales numbers for last quarter, Excel is the first place you turn to, right?
However if you do some searching for novel Excel uses, you will turn up some very interesting results. How about using Excel to track your new diet? Maybe Excel is what you need to help you keep up your New Year's resolution this year?
At any rate, Excel 2007 can be a great tool for getting things done and it is the most popular spreadsheet application around. If you're dealing with numbers, dates, or any large amounts of data, Excel is the place to go.
As with one of my previous articles: 11 Best Keyboard Shortcuts for Outlook 2007, I am going to mention 13 of the most useful (and perhaps most under-utilized) keyboard shortcuts Excel 2007 has to offer.
Use them to keep both hands on the keyboard and navigate faster, creating charts, workbooks, and data groups with all the ease of some kind of super-calculating super-computer. Well, maybe not, but you can still make funny "beep boop" noises while you do it, right?
Mastering Excel 2007 Keyboard Shortcuts?
Without further ado, let's get on with the shortcuts, shall we?
ALT+F1 - This creates a chart out of the data in the current range (selected cells). This is the most well known feature of Excel, and now you know a new way to use it!
ALT+SHIFT+F1 - This inserts a new worksheet into the workbook.
F6 - This switches between the worksheet, Ribbon, task pane, and Zoom controls. This is probably the most useful shortcut of all. This cool shortcut is also the most beloved to the all anti-mouse users out there.
SHIFT+F6 - This does the reverse of the F6 shortcut.
CTRL+F6 - This switches to the next workbook window when multiple workbook windows are open.
CTRL+SHIFT+$ - This applies the currency format to the selected cells. Great for those times when dealing with monetary data.
CTRL+SHIFT+# - This applies the date format with a default order of day, month, and year.
CTRL+; - This enters the current date in the selected cells.
[email protected] - This applies the time format with the default value of hour, minute and AM/PM.
CTRL+SHIFT+: - This enters the current time in the selected cells.
CTRL+` - This alternates between showing the value of a cell and the formula in the worksheet. Great for complex worksheets.
CTRL+D - This uses the fill down command on the selected cells. Fill down copies the content and format of the topmost cell into the cells below.
CTRL+R - This uses the fill right command on the selected cells. Fill right copies the content and format of the leftmost cell to the cells to the right.
There you have it. Not quite a top-ten list, but since there are more than ten shortcuts listed here, consider the three extras as a bonus just for you! These shortcuts will have you well on your way to charting, calculating, and organizing your data like the pro that you are.
Hop to it, but don't forget to hop back here to TST for more Excel articles, coming real soon. And while you're here, why don't you tell me your favorite shortcut or feature in Excel 2007? Have you ever used it for novel purposes? Discuss in the comments.
... What's that you say? Didn't see a shortcut for the action you need to perform? Well you can click here to see Microsoft's official list of all the keyboard shortcuts in Excel 2007, and see if you can find it.
Want to master a great business tool? Check out our Microsoft Excel 2010 Training, and sign up for a 3-day free trial to access all of our courses!
Ready to test your skills in Excel? See how they stack up with this assessment from Smarterer, the newest addition to the Pluralsight family. Start this Excel test now.
(Network +) is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science. Bill writes how-to articles on a variety of topics and has written about his experiences with obtaining his CompTIA Network+ certification for which he used Train Signal’s Network+ course to study for the exam. |
0.981028 | Why is the humble apostrophe so regularly misused and why are hairdressers so often the culprits?
Apostrophes have two simple uses: contractions and possessives. Not plurals; the confusion always seems to centre around an ’s’.
The apostrophe is used to replace missing letters, e.g.
The apostrophe works together with an ’s’ to indicate ownership, e.g.
And for possessive plurals ending in ’s’, the additional ’s’ is not used, e.g.
There is one exception: the possessive ‘it’ is not punctuated, e.g.
There is the odd esoteric exception to the exception: stuff belonging to Jesus is usually said to be Jesus’.
Typographers, in their quest to aid the reader, use the apostrophe in situations where strict grammar would say otherwise, e.g.
As stated earlier apostrophes are not normally used to make plurals, but writing the plural of ‘do’ as ‘dos’ would only serve to confuse the pronunciation. Similarly apostrophes are often used to pluralize (is that a word?) acronyms, e.g.
Personally, I prefer ‘CDs’ but it depends on whether that is clear to the reader within the typesetting design.
Because ‘barber’s wives’ means something different to ‘barbers’ wives’ (the former implies that a single barber has many wives). Don’t leave it to your readers to work out what you meant; they’re busy enough as it is.
This is not an apostrophe: '. It is a check mark and is generally used as a shorthand unit of measure, meaning ‘feet’ or ‘minutes’.
This is an apostrophe: ’. It is best created in HTML by using the hexadecimal entity ’. See A List Apart for more typographical correctness.
No related posts. Browse the Blog archive. |
0.935575 | Q: Do I need a lawyer's help if I am accused of a crime? Even a relatively minor crime?
A: The simple answer is YES.It is in your best interest to consult a criminal defense attorney as early as possible if you suspect you will be facing the criminal justice system. Whether or not you believe you have been wrongfully accused, an attorney will fight for your legal and constitutional rights and monitor the proceedings for legality and fairness. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for a public defender.
A: If the police arrest you, immediately ask to call an attorney. Do not say anything to the police that could incriminate you. Even if you are innocent and were in no way involved in the crime for which you have been arrested, ask for an attorney and do not speak to the police without a criminal defense attorney present.
A: The grand jury decides whether there is sufficient evidence to indict a suspect and continue the criminal proceedings against him or her. The indictment is the formal process of charging a person with a crime. The grand jury reviews the evidence and may hear testimony in deciding whether to indict someone, but the grand jury makes no decision about guilt or innocence. All states use the grand jury system to some extent, though there may be differences in procedures and number of jurors.
A: The prosecutor is the attorney who represents the federal, state or local government in a case against a criminal defendant. The title of the prosecutor varies by jurisdiction, but some common titles include district attorney, county attorney, city attorney, United States attorney and state attorney. The prosecutor has the public duty to punish those committing crimes, balanced with the duty to fairly try such individuals.
A: Probation is a type of criminal sentence that allows a person to stay in the community rather than serve time in prison, as long as he or she complies with certain conditions, such as regularly reporting to a probation officer, refraining from alcohol and drugs and not committing further crimes. Parole is the supervised release of a prisoner from incarceration into the community before the end of his or her sentence. Conditions of parole are similar to those of probation.
A: Depending on the applicable federal or state laws, part of a criminal sentence may include the payment of restitution to the victim or victims for their related losses. Restitution may include compensation for property damage or loss, medical and rehabilitation expenses, lost income or funeral expenses. Part of the philosophy behind criminal restitution is to give the criminal offender a direct part in making things whole with his or her victim.
A: White collar crime refers generally to nonviolent financial crimes involving fraud or other dishonesty committed in business or commercial contexts. Examples include insider trading, embezzlement and tax evasion. White collar crime is sometimes described as "paper crime" or crime that is committed in white collar workplaces as opposed to jobs in blue collar industries.
A: A minor is prosecuted for criminal conduct in a separate juvenile court system. The philosophy of the juvenile justice system is that children should not be punished or stigmatized for criminal conduct because of their immature abilities to make proper choices and recognize right from wrong. Instead the role of the juvenile justice system is seen as rehabilitative and guiding. For particularly violent crimes, adolescents may be tried in the adult system.
Q: If I am convicted of a crime while I am in the United States legally on a work visa, can I be deported?
A: Yes, if a person who is not a citizen of the United States is convicted of a crime, he or she can be deported. This includes lawful permanent residents who are lawfully living and working in the United States. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, if a non-citizen is convicted of an aggravated felony, a crime of moral turpitude or any one of a number of listed crimes in a third category (such as violations of laws relating to domestic violence, controlled substances and possessing a firearm), he or she is at risk of deportation. In addition to deportation, a conviction may adversely affect a lawful permanent resident's ability to become a United States citizen. |
0.999988 | Follow me travelling through Chicago, the Windy City. The City of Chicago on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan in the United States of America is a multicultural city that thrives on the harmony and diversity of its neighborhoods. It embodies the values of America's heartland-integrity, hard work and community. It reflects the ideals in the social fabric of its 77 distinct neighborhoods - and it is recognized across the United States as a very passionate sports town. |
0.982271 | Modern 3D games under Linux used to be challenging even before the first round of play, with tricky settings in Wine or installation of its commercial version, Cedega. Crude hacks in the settings files required that gamers have a high level of experience with Linux. Numerous strange bugs kept appearing in the games, but the game providers didn't care because they occurred only on Linux, a strange niche operating system, instead of the officially supported Windows platform.
The year 2010 saw changes in this unpleasant state of affairs when some game developers started turning to Java as an operating-system-agnostic development language. Mojang's Minecraft enjoyed outstanding success as an independent title, running under Windows and Linux almost equally well – some even said it ran better under Linux. Around the same time, the game provider Valve decided to develop hardware in addition to its Steam platform . When deciding on an operating system for their Steam Box, a gaming console, Valve chose Debian Linux. One of the many reasons for this choice was probably that highly technical 3D games native to Linux already existed at the time. The ego shooter Sauerbraten has been demonstrating since 2003 that a gamer can manage to roam smoothly around 3D landscapes, fight, and die under Linux.
Additionally, the Valve managing director and co-founder Gabe Newell was deeply disappointed with Microsoft Windows 8. He described it as a catastrophe for the PC as an open system for gamers and issued urgent recommendations for a change to Linux . At the end of 2015, the search function for Steam reported that more than 1,500 games on the Steam platform officially ran under Linux (Figure 1). At the same time, development of native Linux games forged ahead, and some of these games are also available with a free license. I tried out two Steam offerings under Linux – Cities: Skyliness and ARK: Survival Evolved . I also tried 0 A.D. , which is a native real-time strategy game with a free license. The "Test Equipment" box details the hardware used in the tests.
I wanted to find out how modern video games work under Linux on computers that users would consider completely average. I used a Lenovo IdeaPad laptop with an Intel Core i5 CPU and 8GB of working memory. It was equipped with an Nvidia GT 620 graphics chip with 1GB of shared memory. The other machine was an Intel Core i5 desktop PC with 8GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 750Ti graphics card with its own 2GB of memory. Both computers are normally used as a standard PC with Ubuntu. The systems were optimized with the KXStudio extensions and the low-latency kernel from Ubuntu Studio for music production.
If you want to play Steam games, you have to register on the Steam website and then download and install the Steam client for Linux. Currently the program forces users of Ubuntu 16.04 to retrofit. (See the info box titled "Steam on Ubuntu 16.04.") The entire registration procedure comprises just a few steps and asks only for an email address, password, and username. Ideally, you can specify a telephone number that can be used in the event of problems to verify the account, although this is not needed most of the time. If you forget your password, Steam will send the data necessary for a reset to the registered email address, just as other providers do.
Reports about various problems with Steam have been mounting since Ubuntu officially became available in version 16.04 LTS in April. Most of these reports are related to the system libraries delivered by Steam. Steam delivers its own version of essential files, like libstdc++.so , and apparently some of the files do not work with the system environments of very current Linux versions. Users of other Linux distributions with current AMD graphics drivers report problems, and current Radeon drivers do not work with the library versions of the Steam run time. However, the solutions described here should be helpful even in these situations.
Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology is a mechanism that could more aptly be called Digital Restrictions Management. This technology assumes control over access by the user to files on their own computer and over various hardware interfaces, particularly those involved in transferring data to audio and video cards and the accompanying output devices. Proprietary kernel modules for Nvidia and AMD graphics chips support parts of this technology, and applications like Steam rely on it. This situation has led to increasingly strident criticism being leveled by the Linux world against the Steam manufacturer Valve.
It is only fair to add that Valve advised game providers early on to stay away from DRM. Connecting DRM files to the hardware of a system is done as a means of directly controlling loading and processing of the data, but it requires significant computing outlays. Instead of taking this approach, Steam's Custom Executable Generation (CEG) is based on a connection between the software and the user account. The advantage for users is that this technology does not reach into the system. It stays within the game software that Steam sells. It can only be called up when connected through a Steam account. This makes it both possible and permissible to install the software on multiple computers. However, the approach does not allow multiple simultaneous starts from different computers. Each time the user switches to a different computer, it becomes necessary to enter a security code that Steam has sent by email.
The final point to address is how the user plays when no Internet access is available. During testing, both of the games from Steam functioned normally without an Internet connection. Steam offers an offline mode, and the games I tested started as they were supposed to. With ARK, you can even start a local undedicated server; of course, there is only one visitor. Those looking for Steam games that have no copy restrictions whatsoever will find several titles that can be played without starting the Steam client. However the platform does not officially support for these games. On the other hand, they are not subject to the copy protection mechanism employed by Steam or the annoying DRM technology. The Wikia.com page devoted to Steam contains a list of these games. The caveat is that only about a third of the titles mentioned are suitable for Linux.
To purchase games sold for a fee you need a credit card or a PayPal account. Other payment alternatives include direct withdrawals from your bank account or prepaid cards that can be purchased in stores. There are also many store locations where the games, like products from Google Play and iTunes, can be purchased. The Steam client requires a login when called for the first time. Thereafter, the program starts without asking for a password.
Steam works well across platforms – which you'll notice in the fluid displays – even though it was built for Linux-based hardware. However, the program is not presented as a piece of software that is deeply embedded in the Linux desktop. For instance, it ignores system language settings and always loads in English. Steam activates an icon in the system tray that hides a menu you can access with a right-click. It contains an option for Settings where you can easily change languages. This right-click menu is also the only place to go to end Steam. Closing the main window only ends its own module, but the back end continues to run.
The Steam shop is convenient and free of clutter. The search function comes with a list that includes simple icons and short descriptions. One click in the list displays the page for the game together with a demo and useful information about the system requirements. Two clicks with the mouse suffice to buy a game (Figure 2). The game then appears in the profile, but only in the list of purchased items.
Figure 2: Steam gives detailed information about the fact that ARK is still under development. The "SteamPlay" log indicates official Linux support.
To download the game, click on the Install button, and it is installed in your home directory. If the procedure is cancelled, Steam will first check the size of available memory. If the partition fails with the home directory, Steam offers to install the game on a different data storage device. It can take a little while to complete installation. For example, ARK: Survival Evolved comprises 15GB of data.
This huge download is a promise of things to come. ARK is in its early access beta phase. Studio Wildcard has designed the game with fantastic attention to detail. Even the landscape looks remarkably genuine, and the 200 plus animal species that populate the landscape have been created with the standard of artistry found in epic movies like Jurassic Park. Their artificial intelligence has also been programmed with a love of detail that makes for an incredibly convincing experience of interactions that occur among the animals themselves and between the animals and the gamer (Figure 3).
Figure 3: Wilderness and wild animals make ARK a thrilling experience. An update released on the day before the publication deadline added considerably more dramatic weather attributes.
The only thing that jerks the gamer back into reality is the motion animation, which is sometimes bizarre. For instance, a Parasaurolophus stuck halfway under a boulder can go into a continuous loop of strange contortions. The mixture of survival, adventures, and sandboxes is nonetheless appealing. Those who proceed strategically and learn which animals can be hunted and which animals are better avoided advance quickly. Most of the animals can be tamed with a little experience. When one of the living fossils gets stunned and then fed, you get a non-player animal that transports, loads, and defends you against other monsters and takes you on a ride through the wilderness.
The original concept behind Cities: Skylines was that it was supposed to be a single-player game. The chief developer Mariina Hallikainen explained in an interview with PC Gamer magazine in 2015 that no multiplayer mode was in the works. It's very different with the other two candidates. The parties and alliances in 0 A.D. and the tribes in ARK emphasize a shared experience. Therefore both games were built from the beginning as server-client systems.
Hundreds of servers host ARK worlds. Most of these are found in the Nitrado network, a gaming platform on which official servers are centrally maintained by Studio Wildcard. As a result, this platform always has the most recent version of a game, which you need to install on the client side. The official servers use "The Island" map for the gaming environment, and for a short time now, "The Center," as well . Mods are not supported. Private servers often offer additional maps, and they allow mods. Studio Wildcard expressly supports the construction of independent servers.
The system requirements can be somewhat daunting. They include a 64-bit Linux system with 8GB of working memory and an Intel Core i5 quad-core processor, at the minimum. This weeds out the possibility of spending a nominal amount to rent a Vserver that suffices, for example, for five to six Minecraft gamers. To lower the entry barrier, Studio Wildcard offers to rent pre-configured servers. As a rule, these are less expensive than other servers that would be suitable for the game. Studio Wildcard also offers free, downloadable software packages for operating the servers. The packages are based, like ARK itself, on the Shooter Game Unreal gaming engine.
Even the basic ARK for home use, operating as a local undedicated server, offers the possibility of inviting additional players. During testing, it quickly became apparent that it is necessary to have a desktop computer. Tests on the laptop showed it was possible to generate a connection to the local server, but in the process of doing so, it used half of the 8GB of RAM. Moreover, the CPU indicator showed a load of around 150 percent with top , causing the fan to run at top speeds. Timeouts and the heavy load made it clear that a standard PC gamer is preferable for participants in these kinds of games.
Currently, 0 A.D. has no server infrastructure and no dedicated server version either. Instead, the server starts itself. For this to happen, you should call Multiplayer | Multiplayer Lobby from the menu (Figure 4). This is where you can host a game or join rounds with other players. The lobby is not full of visitors, but if you can wait around for a few minutes, other players will appear. The host player waits in a configuration view for other players who are waiting to begin rounds of single-player games.
The settings for network play are selected in exactly the same way as they are for single-player mode, which means the host can discuss the settings for the game in chat sessions and create alliances between players and their preferred team members. Multiplayer mode also exhibits the professionalism of the developers. The only issues that dim the luster a bit are small bugs in the game mechanics. All of the important elements work flawlessly – online, as well.
In PvP mode, human gamers play against one another either as individuals or in so called ARK "tribes." The idea is to see who can dominate the playing field. In PvE mode, gamers try to protect themselves against the elements either by working together or collaboratively. The elements include monsters and other dangers. Cooperation is permitted but gamers are supposed to avoid animosities.
ARK ran smoothly on the PC with GTX 750Ti graphics. When the settings are moderate, it has sophisticated textures and anti-aliasing. The game was just barely playable on the IdeaPad laptop, and then only with graphics settings that make a carefully designed game look like an experiment from the 1990s (Figure 5).
Figure 5: The textures appear flat and the horizon is small on a laptop with the GT 620 GPU; however, the low-resolution settings make it possible to play the game on slower systems.
Therefore, if you are on the go and want to see tame dinos eat, you can make do with a mobile system. However, the real fun comes with more power. The various modes and extensions also need a system with more vigor because they include multiple super monsters and entire maps. Since the middle of May, an especially detailed map,"The Center," has been available as an official ARK add-on. |
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