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The Thomas Viaduct, built in 1835 over the Patapsco River, was the largest bridge in the United States at that time. It still carries the Capital Subdivision today and is the world's oldest multiple arched stone railroad bridge.
The northeast end of the line is at Halethorpe, Maryland, just north of the historic Thomas Viaduct, where it meets the Baltimore Terminal Subdivision and the Old Main Line Subdivision. Its southwest end is at the yard north of Union Station, at a junction with the Metropolitan Subdivision and Amtrak's Northeast Corridor.
Between Elkridge and Laurel, the Capital Subdivision's rail alignment forms the border between Howard and Anne Arundel counties, having been built before Howard County was created from western Anne Arundel County in 1844.
MARC Train's Camden Line provides passenger service over the entire length of the main line.
The Alexandria Extension runs south 7.2 miles (11.6 km) from a junction at Hyattsville, Maryland to the Anacostia Railroad Bridge and the RF&P Subdivision in Southeast D.C. This busy route is used by freight trains to Virginia. It runs past Benning Yard and interchanges with the Landover Subdivision.
Union Station in Washington, D.C.
The first B&O passenger station (1835–1851) was located west of the Capitol, at 2nd Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. In 1851 the New Jersey Avenue Station was built at a point slightly north of the Capitol, on New Jersey Avenue NW, in the area now called Union Station Plaza. Trains reached that location via the current location of West Virginia Avenue, street-running trackage on I Street NE and Delaware Avenue, and private right-of-way just south of the current location of Louisiana Avenue. When the Washington Terminal Company opened the new Union Station in 1907, that alignment was changed to the current routing, partially using the former location of Delaware Avenue.
The Alexandria Extension, originally called the Alexandria Branch, was built in 1874 and ran 12.5 miles (20.1 km) to Shepherds Landing along the eastern shore of the Potomac River, to provide a connection to Virginia. The B&O had lost access to the Long Bridge across the river in 1870 due to political maneuvering by the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad (B&P)(controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR)). In order to efficiently route its trains to points south of Washington, the B&O set up a car float operation at Shepherds Landing, which carried freight cars across the river to Alexandria, Virginia. The ferry operation was discontinued in 1906 when the B&O obtained trackage rights from PRR. The B&O built a connecting track from the Alexandria Extension to the B&P's Anacostia Railroad Bridge, which provided access to PRR tracks in southwest D.C. (now called the CSX RF&P Subdivision) and the Long Bridge.
During World War II, the B&O re-activated the Shepherds Landing crossing at the request of the U.S. Army. The Army had requested an additional Potomac River crossing for troop movements to supplement those on the Long Bridge, and the Corps of Engineers built a temporary bridge across the river in 1942. Both B&O and PRR trains traveled over the 3,360 foot (1,020 m) bridge. Train operations on the bridge ceased in 1945 at the end of the war, and the bridge was demolished in 1947.
For many years the junction at Hyattsville, called Alexandria Junction, was controlled by JD Tower. B&O built its first interlocking tower building at the site in 1894, and rebuilt the tower in 1912 and again in 1917. CSX closed this tower in 1992, and demolished it in 1994 after a fire.
The original track from the junction at Anacostia Bridge to Shepherds Landing became known as the Shepherd Branch. This spur served several industries, including Bolling Air Force Base and the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant. (Shown as "Shepherd Industrial Track" on the diagram.) The Blue Plains plant was the only customer on the branch when rail service ended in 2001.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway acquired control of the B&O in 1962, and the B&O and C&O both became a subsidiaries of the Chessie System in 1973. In 1980 the Chessie System merged with the Seaboard System to form CSX Corporation. In 1987 the CSX Corporation merged the B&O into the C&O, then, later that same year, merged the C&O into CSX Transportation (CSXT), which now owns the line.
^ Chapter 158 of the 1830 Session Laws of Maryland, February 22, 1831.
^ a b Dilts, James D. (1996). The Great Road: The Building of the Baltimore and Ohio, the Nation's First Railroad, 1828-1853. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press. ISBN 978-0-8047-2629-0.
^ Note: the present-day Bollman Truss Railroad Bridge, located on a railroad spur in Savage, was originally built for an unknown location on the Old Main Line, and relocated to Savage in 1877.
^ a b Schaller, Mike (2001). "The History of Baltimore & Ohio's Shepherd Branch". Classic Trains.
^ National Railway Historical Society, Washington, D.C. Chapter. "Timeline of Washington, D.C. Railroad History." Accessed 2010-08-21.
^ JDTower.org Archived July 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 2009-12-24.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Capital Subdivision.
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0.898732 |
What is the importance of this text?
Gaudium et Spes is (along with the texts on religious liberty and the world religions) a revision of the Syllabus of Pius IX, a sort of counter-Syllabus. […] This text plays the role of a counter-Syllabus insofar as it represents an attempt at officially reconciling the Church with the world as it has become since 1789 2.
What is the fundamental error of this text?
The fundamental error of this text, which is that of Vatican II and in a general way that of the Conciliar Church, is having attempted this “official reconciliation of the Church with the world such as it has become since 1789,” whereas Pope Pius IX solemnly condemned in advance such an attitude in the last proposition of the Syllabus: “The Roman Pontiff can, and ought to, reconcile himself, and come to terms with progress, liberalism and modern civilization.” (condemned proposition).
The Sovereign Pontiff neither can nor should reconcile himself with these three things 4 because they tend to ruin the tutelary authority of the Church, degrade man, and render him wretched5.
The proof is established by the facts; after Vatican II the ruin of the authority of the Church and the degradation and the miserable state of men have only accelerated.
Is there a Freemasonic influence in this text?
Masonic doctrine appears clearly in this text, as it does in the text on religious liberty. Also, these two documents are the only ones that Archbishop Lefebvre refused to approve at the Council.
Where does the Masonic doctrine of gnosis appear?
In several places, in particular when the text affirms that “the Godlike seed…has been sown in” (§ 3, 2) man, and that “by His incarnation the Son of God has united Himself in some fashion with every man” (§ 22, 2).
GS affirms it of every man; it can only be understood in the perspective of the gnosis according to which there is in the depths of man a spark of divinity, and that man should regain consciousness of his dignity, without having need of the faith or baptism.
Let us note that in § 22, 2 we find the expression “in some fashion” which allows for stating a heresy without clearly affirming it. But afterwards, “in some fashion” will be suppressed and the heresy of universal redemption will be clearly taught, notably by John-Paul II6.
Where does the Masonic doctrine of humanism appear?
Masonic humanism is a consequence of its gnosis; because man is “Godlike“, one should affirm his dignity and even make him the center of the universe. GS insists much on the “dignity” of man7.
The entire chapter 1 of GS is related to the dignity of man, notably that of his conscience, independently of whether he follows the moral law or not: “Conscience frequently errs from invincible ignorance without losing its dignity.” (§ 16, 1).
The dignity of man is not lost, even if he adheres to error: “it is necessary to distinguish between error, which always merits repudiation, and the person in error, who never loses the dignity of being a person” (§ 28, 2).
This dignity was even increased, for all men, by the Incarnation: “Since human nature as He assumed it was not annulled, by that very fact it has been raised up to a divine dignity in our respect too. For by His incarnation the Son of God has united Himself in some fashion with every man.” (§ 22, 2).
This dignity is equal in all men (§ 29, 3); private and public institutions are at its service (§ 29, 4); it establishes the relationship between the Church and the world (§ 40, 1); better than all others, the Church ensures its respect (§ 41); it is necessary to honor and promote it also in social and economic life; consciousness of this dignity has increased in our time (§ 26 and 72), etc.
“According to the almost unanimous opinion of believers and unbelievers alike, all things on earth should be related to man as their center and crown.” (§ 12).
Msgr. Tissier de Mallerais judges that “this conciliar passage is the expression of an anthropocentrism that verges on blasphemy” 8.
Where does the Masonic doctrine of the rights of man appear?
The text frequently speaks about them (three times more frequently than the duties of man), saying that the Church, in virtue of the Gospel that was confided to it, proclaims them (§ 41, 3), that it asks that they be developed in all regimes that recognize them (§ 41, 3), that these rights are universal and inviolable (§ 26, 2), that it is necessary to respect them (§ 65, 66, 75), protect them (§ 26, 2), where it is affirmed that this is one of the advantages of “socialization“, (§ 29), promote them (including the rights “to express one’s own opinion and to profess one’s religion both publicly and privately“, § 73), and defend them (including, if needs be, by strikes—although in certain civilized countries striking is justly forbidden by the law, e.g. in certain Swiss cantons).
It is known that the doctrine of the Rights of Man, issuing from the masonic lodges, was proclaimed by the French Revolution (afterwards by the United States) and condemned by the Church as the expression of a new right that is not based on the natural law and on the Gospel, but on general will 9.
Subsequently, the more recent popes have sought to proclaim a correct doctrine of “fundamental rights” of the human person in the face of totalitarianism 10. Whatever the success of such an enterprise is, the text of GS favors the Masonic interpretation of the doctrine of the Rights of Man, even if only because it does not mention any of the condemnations of the novel right 11.
Does GS speak of laicism?
No, not more than the other texts of the Council, whereas a pastoral council should have spoken of this, “the plague which now infects society12“, which consists in denying the rights of Our Lord Jesus Christ over society. Certainly GS asks Catholics to conduct themselves thus within the framework of public life (§ 43, 1), but it specifies that it is “the function of their well-formed Christian conscience to see that the divine law is inscribed in the life of the earthly city” (§ 43, 2). This detour to “conscience” suffices to annul the objective and obligatory character of the submission of society to Christ the King. Laicism is very dear to Freemasons, and it is undoubtedly why the Council would not attack it.
Where does the realization of the goal of Freemasonry appear?
The aim of Freemasonry is the “reconstruction of the Temple“, i.e., the reunification of humanity dispersed after the episode of the Tower of Babel. This Masonic “great work” is performed under the guidance of the Great Architect of the Universe, which is none other than Lucifer seeking to be adored in the place of God and who also prepares the coming of the Antichrist. He will lead the world government when the aim is implemented13.
And in its conclusion, GS returns to the matter, affirming that this is the aim of the constitution and that this “brotherhood of all men” includes all men, believers and unbelievers.
Could you please identify some other errors taught or favored by GS?
The text suggests the inversion of the ends of marriage14 and the condemnation of the Catholic doctrine of just war (§ 82), favors conscientious objection (§ 78 and 79), promotes democracy to the detriment of other legitimate forms of government (notably § 31, 3 and 7515), etc.
One can even indicate the scandalous silence of GS, a pastoral constitution devoted to the problems of our time, on communism which savagely persecuted Christians then, despite a request from more than 450 bishops. But this silence was the result of a secret Rome-Moscow pact.
See the reviews of the works by the professor Johannes Dörmann, L’Étrange théologie de Jean-Paul II et l’esprit d’Assise (The strange theology of John-Paul II and the spirit of Assisi) in Le Sel de la terre 5, p. 185; 16, p. 186; 33, p. 218; 46, p. 191.
In reality, there is no longer “dignity of man” after original sin; there is only dignity of man regenerated by grace, i.e., of a Christian.
Fideliter, no. 94, p. 7. Compare GS 12 with the second part of the “principle and foundation” of Saint Ignatius (Spiritual Exercises, no. 23B).
On the question of the rights of men, see abbé Guillaume Devillers, « L’idéologie des droits de l’homme » in Le Sel de la terre 30 (autumn 1999), p. 56-61; text republished and improved in his book Politique chrétienne available from Éditions du Sel.
“…the plague which now infects society. We refer to the plague of anti-clericalism, its errors and impious activities.” (Pius XI, Quas Primas, 11 December 1925).
The Book of the Apocalypse (Ap 13) predicts that the “Beast of the earth“, a pseudo-Church, will serve the “Beast of the sea“, i.e., the satanic world government. See Josef Pieper, De la Fin des temps, Éditions Ad Solem, 2013, p. 96-97; Fr. R-Th. Calmel O.P., « de l’Antéchrist » in Itinéraires 111, March 1967, p. 156.
In the table of contents of the editions of Centurion, at the word “democracy”, one reads: “The word is not employed in the conciliar documents, but one does find there the affirmation of its exigencies.” See above, p. 10, with the note.
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0.999843 |
Have you ever imagined holding a job that pays you to see the world? This can be accomplished in any number of ways, including joining the trucking industry. Companies offer enticing incentives for both new and experienced drivers, and some even offer the opportunity to become independent contractors and increase your earning potential.
Needless to say, purchasing a truck outright may be out of reach for the average worker. While financing or saving enough money to make the purchase are viable options, there are several lease to own trucking companies that provide alternative solutions. In these situations, a company will hire you to work for them while you lease your truck. At the end of the predetermined time period, you can opt to purchase the truck outright or upgrade to a new truck. Those who decide to purchase their trucks gain the ability to be independent contractors, which opens up the possibility for additional earning potential. Be sure to understand which expenses you are responsible for during the lease period, including gas and tolls, as these are important factors in choosing the right trucking company to work with.
Once that lease is paid off and you own that truck, it is important to prepare for the inevitable expenses that come with vehicle ownership. Like standard cars, trucks require regular maintenance, constantly need gas and oil, and will occasionally break down. Additionally, insurance, permits, and road tolls are expenses that can add up quickly. It is important to have a clear understanding of all the often overlooked expenses associated with truck ownership to ensure you set yourself up with a profitable business model.
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0.999717 |
Why does centering in linear regression reduces multicollinearity?
Centering in linear regression is one of those things that we learn almost as a ritual whenever we are dealing with interactions. We are taught time and time again that centering is done because it decreases multicollinearity and multicollinearity is something bad in itself. In my opinion, centering plays an important role in the interpretation of OLS multiple regression results when interactions are present, but I dunno about the multicollinearity issue. The thing is that high intercorrelations among your predictors (your “Xs” so to speak) makes it difficult to find the inverse of , which is the essential part of getting the correlation coefficients. But that was a thing like YEARS ago! Nowadays you can find the inverse of a matrix pretty much anywhere, even online! However, we still emphasize centering as a way to deal with multicollinearity and not so much as an interpretational device (which is how I think it should be taught).
This last expression is very similar to what appears in page #264 of the Cohen et.al. blue regression textbook. It is not exactly the same though because they started their derivation from another place. But you can see how I could transform mine into theirs (for instance, there is a from which I could get a version for but my point here is not to reproduce the formulas from the textbook. The point here is to show that, under centering, which leaves . The reason as for why I am making explicit the product is to show that whatever correlation is left between the product and its constituent terms depends exclusively on the 3rd moment of the distributions. For any symmetric distribution (like the normal distribution) this moment is zero and then the whole covariance between the interaction and its main effects is zero as well.
Notice that, by construction, and are each independent, standard normal variables so we can express the product as because is really just some generic standard normal variable that is being raised to the cubic power.
So now you know what centering does to the correlation between variables and why under normality (or really under any symmetric distribution) you would expect the correlation to be 0.
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0.990617 |
Can a sinus infection cause a toothache?
Answer From Alan Carr, D.M.D.
Yes, a sinus infection (sinusitis) or inflammation can cause a toothache — specifically in the upper rear teeth, which are close to the sinuses. In fact, pain in the upper teeth is a fairly common symptom with sinus conditions.
If you have a persistent toothache, first consult your dentist for an exam. He or she will consider possible dental causes for the toothache, such as periodontal disease, tooth grinding, cavities or dental abscesses.
If your dentist rules out a dental cause for the toothache, consult your doctor. He or she will consider whether a sinus condition or other underlying medical problem is contributing to the toothache.
Longo DL, et al., eds. Sore throat, earache, and upper respiratory symptoms. In: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 19th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Education; 2015. http://accessmedicine.com. Accessed Jan. 8, 2016.
Stone CK. Emergency disorders of the ear, nose, sinuses, oropharynx, and mouth. In: Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Emergency Medicine. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com. Accessed Jan. 8, 2016.
Toothache and infection. Merck Manual Professional Version. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/dental-disorders/symptoms-of-dental-and-oral-disorders/toothache-and-infection. Accessed Jan. 8, 2016.
Hwang PH, et al. Acute sinusitis and rhinosinusitis in adults: Clinical manifestations and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Jan. 8, 2016.
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0.949649 |
Anyone join sports group and concentrate on hobby to recover?
For me it's vital to keep pursuing various interests to keep my mind focused elsewhere besides withdrawal. There can be too many interests. The pressure to do too much has kind me to experienced more waves that I could have otherwise avoided.
One hobby that continues to sustain me is gardening. This was key for me during my concussion recovery, and now through withdrawal.
The chance to plant seeds and see them grow, to grow food for yourself, and to be delighted by the outdoors. It's all been very fulfilling. I notice birds outside, see that squirrels bury fruit in the soil, and nurture worms with compost.
I am interested in also learning to knit as many of my withdrawal symptoms keep me more physically limited. Knitting would be a way to keep my mind humming along and occupy my hands In a productive way.
I love your take on gardening, composter.
My hobby, although it might be hard to call it a hobby, is playing video games! It really put me in a state of peace, because every time I achieved something it showed me that I can still accomplish things with my brain.
Besides that, I really enjoy the music and background images and special abilities of the main characters. The fact that it is fake, but at the same time it is displayed so realistically using electronic technology makes it magical on another level. The "fakeness" is all the content in the game, achievements, and superpowers and such but the "realness" is the fact that storymakers made such an amazing story, engineers were able to make it display and work, and musicians made such stunning soundtracks that go with it. It gives me the feeling that "if something so fake is so amazing, and I am real, maybe my life will one day be that amazing or better"
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0.931446 |
Why is this drug prescribed: Acular relieves the itchy eyes brought on by seasonal allergies. Doctors also prescribe it to reduce inflammation after cataracts have been removed from the eyes. A preservative-free formulation (Acular PF) is used to reduce pain and light-sensitivity following operations to correct vision. Acular belongs to the class of medications called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Most important fact about this drug: Acular sometimes causes an inflammation of the cornea (the clear tissue over the pupil of the eye). This can lead to a sight-threatening breakdown of the cornea. Warning signs may include sensitivity to light and a sensation like a foreign body in the eye. If you develop these problems, see your doctor immediately. Acular may have to be discontinued.
How should you take this medication: Do not administer Acular while wearing contact lenses. If you are using Acular PF, open a new single-use vial for each dose and discard any unused contents after administering the drop. To prevent contamination and possible infections, avoid touching the eyedropper or single-use vial to the eye or any other surface. --If you miss a dose... Apply the forgotten dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the one you missed and return to your regular schedule. Do not apply two doses at once. --Storage information... Store at room temperature. Protect from light.
Why should this drug not be prescribed: If you've ever had an allergic reaction to the active ingredient ketorolac (found in the painkiller Toradol), you should not use Acular.
Special warnings about this medication: A history of reactions to other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including aspirin, makes a reaction to Acular more likely. Tell the doctor about any drug reactions you've experienced. Drugs such as Acular may make the blood slower to clot, leading to increased bleeding after eye surgery. Use Acular with caution if you tend to bleed easily or are taking a blood thinning medication. Acular may also delay healing. Problems in the cornea are more likely after complicated or repeated eye operations, or if you use Acular for more than 1 day prior to surgery or more than 14 days afterwards. The risk of such problems is also greater if you have diabetes, arthritis, dry eyes, or pre-existing corneal defects. Acular is not recommended for children under 3 years of age.
Possible food and drug interactions when taking this medication: No interactions with Acular have been reported.
Special information if you are pregnant or breastfeeding: Avoid Acular late in pregnancy; the drug could have harmful effects on the developing baby. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, inform your doctor immediately. Use Acular with caution while nursing a baby.
Recommended dosage: ACULAR: Itchy Eyes The usual dose is 1 drop 4 times a day. After Cataract Surgery The usual dose is 1 drop 4 times a day, beginning 24 hours after the operation and continuing for the first 2 weeks post surgery. ACULAR PF: After Corrective Surgery The usual dose is 1 drop 4 times a day for up to 3 days after the operation.
Overdosage: There is no information on Acular overdose. However, any medication taken in excess can have serious consequences. If you suspect an overdose, seek medical attention immediately.
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0.954098 |
Jaws is a 1975 American thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's 1974 novel of the same name. The prototypical summer blockbuster, its release is regarded as a watershed moment in motion picture history. In the story, a giant man-eating great white shark attacks beachgoers on Amity Island, a fictional New England summer resort town, prompting the local police chief to hunt it with the help of a marine biologist and a professional shark hunter. The film stars Roy Scheider as police chief Martin Brody, Richard Dreyfuss as oceanographer Matt Hooper, Robert Shaw as shark hunter Quint, Murray Hamilton as Larry Vaughn, the mayor of Amity Island, and Lorraine Gary as Brody's wife, Ellen. The screenplay is credited to both Benchley, who wrote the first drafts, and actor-writer Carl Gottlieb, who rewrote the script during principal photography.
Shot mostly on location on Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, the film had a troubled production, going over budget and past schedule. As the art department's mechanical sharks suffered many malfunctions, Spielberg decided to mostly suggest the animal's presence, employing an ominous, minimalistic theme created by composer John Williams to indicate the shark's impending appearances. Spielberg and others have compared this suggestive approach to that of classic thriller director Alfred Hitchcock. Universal Pictures gave the film what was then an exceptionally wide release for a major studio picture, over 450 screens, accompanied by an extensive marketing campaign with a heavy emphasis on television spots and tie-in merchandise.
Generally well received by critics, Jaws became the highest-grossing film of all time until Star Wars. It won several awards for its soundtrack and editing. Along with Star Wars, Jaws was pivotal in establishing the modern Hollywood business model, which revolves around high box-office returns from action and adventure pictures with simple "high-concept" premises that are released during the summer in thousands of theaters and supported by heavy advertising. It was followed by three sequels, none with the participation of Spielberg or Benchley, and many imitative thrillers. In 2001, Jaws was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry, being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
On Amity Island, Chrissie Watkins (Susan Backlinie) leaves a late-night beach party to go skinny dipping in the ocean. Something violently grabs and pulls her underwater. The next day, Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) and Deputy Hendricks (Jeffrey Kramer) find her remains washed up on shore. The medical examiner initially determines the cause of death was a shark attack. Brody orders the beaches closed, but Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) overrules him, fearing news of a shark attack will ruin the summer tourist season, the town's primary revenue source. He rationalizes that there have been no prior shark problems in the area, and theorizes the girl was killed in a boating accident. The coroner concurs and Brody reluctantly accepts their conclusion.
A young boy is killed in another attack shortly after, and his mother offers a $3,000 bounty on the shark. Amid an amateur shark-hunting frenzy, local professional shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) offers his services for $10,000. Meanwhile, Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), a consulting oceanographer, arrives and examines the first victim's remains and declares it was a shark attack.
When a large tiger shark is caught, Hooper disputes it being the same predator, confirming this after finding no human remains inside its stomach. While Hooper and Brody search the local waters at night, they discover local fisherman Ben Gardner's half-sunken boat. Hooper examines the vessel underwater and retrieves a sizable great white shark's tooth embedded in the hull. Startled by finding Gardner's partial remains, Hooper drops the tooth. Brody and Hooper inform Vaughn that a great white shark is responsible, but he discounts their claims and refuses to close the beaches, allowing only added safety precautions. On the Fourth of July weekend, the beaches are packed with tourists. Following a false alarm, the shark enters a nearby estuary and kills a boater. Brody coerces a devastated Vaughn to hire Quint.
Quint, Brody, and Hooper set out on Quint's boat, the Orca, to hunt the shark. While Brody lays down a chum line, Quint waits for an opportunity to hook the shark. Without warning, it appears behind the boat. Quint, estimating its length at 25', harpoons it with a line attached to a flotation barrel, but the shark pulls the barrel underwater and disappears.
By nightfall, the men retire to the boat's cabin where Quint and Hooper compare scars and share how they received them. Quint recounts how he survived the shark attacks that followed the sinking of the warship USS Indianapolis during the War in the Pacific in 1945. The great white returns, ramming the boat's hull and killing the power. The men work through the night repairing the engine. In the morning, Brody attempts to call the Coast Guard, but Quint smashes the radio, enraging Brody. After a long chase, Quint harpoons another barrel into the shark. The men tie the line to the stern, but the shark drags the boat backwards, swamping the deck and flooding the engine compartment with seawater. Fearing the boat's transom will be ripped out, Quint cuts the line. He then heads toward shore to draw his quarry into shallow waters and suffocate it, but overtaxes and stalls the damaged engine.
With the boat immobilized, the trio attempt a riskier approach: Hooper dons scuba gear and enters the water in a shark-proof cage, intending to lethally inject the shark with strychnine using a hypodermic spear. The shark demolishes the cage, causing Hooper to drop the spear before escaping to the seabed. The shark attacks the boat directly, killing Quint. Brody, trapped on the sinking vessel, shoves a pressurized scuba tank into the shark's mouth, and, climbing the mast, shoots the tank with a rifle. The resulting explosion obliterates the shark. Hooper surfaces, and, clinging to boat wreckage, the two men paddle to Amity Island.
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0.932078 |
Do you believe in aliens? not like Alicia Keys who joked about the existence of UFOs and confesses that he would like to take a trip into space: “I believe in aliens, I saw them, UFOs are among us.” I do not know if I would go into space with an alien. Should I feel that kind of vibe emanates: I am a caring person that transmit energy to the people. If it was ET, I would go. There should be the right atmosphere between me and him.
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0.981596 |
How did Mark propose? The story of our engagement requires a funny background story about my 21st Birthday. Around 5 years ago, I was a junior in college in Philadelphia and Mark was working as an investment banker in New York. His hours were brutal; he was working twenty hours a day and hardly getting any sleep. Somehow my 21st Birthday was unfortunately overlooked from inside Mark’s office.
Flash forward to October 2012. Mark and I were in Paris and we had just finished lunch at Angelina’s a cafe next to our hotel on the Rue de Rivoli. It had just started raining, so Mark suggested we quickly go back to our hotel room to grab an umbrella. I opened the door and my heart skipped a beat as I saw a trail of beautiful white rose petals leading me through the room. I followed the petals to a table in the middle of the room, and on the table lay a pot of dirt containing a beautiful diamond engagement ring.
Honeymoon Location: We went to Tanzania and the Maldives.
One piece of advice that you could give to other couples: Try to stay together as much as possible so you have the same memories of the night. Make sure to take a moment together to soak it all in – go to the back of the room and just watch the party. It is really incredible to see your friends and family all together, dancing, partying, and celebrating all because of you.
Wedding Dress: Monique Lhullier – Monique Lhuillier on 71st St.
Bridesmaids’ Gift and Groomsmen’ Gift: The bridesmaids received monogrammed robes and makeup cases, and infinity bracelets by Alex Mika Jewelry. The groomsman got personalized bobble heads.
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0.999856 |
We recently worked with a financial services partner to develop a model to predict the future stock market performance of public companies in categories where they invest. The goal was to use select text narrative sections from publicly available earnings release documents to predict and alert their analysts to investment opportunities and risks. We developed a deep learning model using a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (a 1D CNN) based on text extracted from public financial statements from these companies to make these predictions. We used Azure Machine Learning Workbench to explore the data and develop the model. We modeled our solution using the Keras deep learning Python framework with a Theano backend. Our results demonstrate how a deep learning model trained on text in earnings releases and other sources could provide a valuable signal to an investment decision maker.
When reviewing investment decisions, a firm needs to utilize all possible information, starting with publicly available documents like 10-K reports. However, reviewing public earnings release documents is time-intensive and the resulting analysis can be subjective. Moreover, the written sections of an earnings release require the most review time and are often the most subjective to interpretation. A thorough analysis of the investment opportunity of a business would also include a review of other companies in the industry to understand relative performance. Our challenge was to build a predictive model that could do a preliminary review of these documents more consistently and economically, allowing investment analysts to focus their follow-up analysis time more efficiently and resulting in better investment decisions.
For this project, we sought to prototype a predictive model to render consistent judgments on a company’s future prospects, based on the written textual sections of public earnings releases extracted from 10k releases and actual stock market performance. We leveraged natural language processing (NLP) pre-processing and deep learning against this source text. In the end, we sought a model that was easy to operationalize, use and maintain over time. While there are broader potential applications of processing public earnings release narratives to predict future stock value, for the purposes of this project we focused just on generating predictions that could better inform further human analysis by our partner.
We began our work in Python with Azure Machine Learning Workbench, exploring our data with the aid of the integrated Jupyter Notebook. We used the base AML Workbench Python libraries, including NLTK, and added some additional packages and NLP tools including the Gensim library. All scripts and sample data are available in this GitHub repo, including Jupyter Notebooks for each of the steps, from filtering source data to pre-processing, running and evaluating the model. To make things easier, you’ll find a list of the Python packages and utilities to install on top of the base Azure Machine Learning Workbench Python installation listed in the readme.
As input, we gathered a text corpus of two years of earnings release information for thousands of public companies worldwide. We extracted as source the sections 1, 1A, 7 and 7A from each company’s 10k — the business discussion, management overview, and disclosure of risks and market risks. We also gathered the stock price of each of the companies on the day of the earnings release and the stock price four weeks later. We categorized the public companies by industry category.
We pre-processed the text, converting to UTF-8, removing punctuation, stop words, and any character strings less than 2 characters. The pre-processing Jupyter Notebooks are on GitHub (Source Text Filtering and Text Cleaning). Many of the techniques we used are described in detail in the NLTK in Python book. Below is an example of cleaned text, which in this case is a sample of a management overview from one earnings release. A number of text document samples are available on GitHub.
An important consideration in our approach was our limited data sample of less than 35,000 individual text document samples across industries, with much smaller sample sizes within an industry. Within biotechnology, we had 943 text document samples. As a result of the sample limitations, our project results should be viewed as simply a proof of concept to be validated and improved with additional samples.
Another factor was the large amounts of industry-specific vocabularies contained in each of the text documents. To better understand the variation within the corpus, we cleaned the text the help of NLP methods and libraries including NLTK and Gensim. When inspecting the source text from public company releases with an LDA topic model analysis, we found that there was a large amount of vocabulary variation between industry vocabularies, and much less variability within industries. This finding led us to prototype our performance classification model based on single industries, rather than across them, in order to reduce the amount of less meaningful variation noise. The Jupyter Notebook details the initial text exploration in the Jupyter Notebooks folder.
In order to take advantage of NLP deep learning, we needed to obtain numerical representation for our text. Specifically, we needed vector representations for each of our documents. Natural language, by its nature, has localized spatial correlations between words. For example, if you find the word ‘sunny’, you may be more likely to find the word ‘weather’ in the same sentence than another less closely related word. Word vector models represent these relationships numerically. In particular, word embedding is a technique wherein word pairs can be represented based on the Euclidian distance between them which can encode the semantic differences and similarities. These distances can be represented by vector differences.
There were two options for creating word embeddings. We could create custom embeddings based on our corpus of source texts, or we could leverage a pre-trained model based on a much larger corpus of text. Given the limited size of our sample, we looked to leveraged pre-trained word vectors. In our case, we used GloVe pre-trained models. These pre-trained models were trained on aggregate global word-word co-occurrence from a variety of very large datasets. The result is a vector that represents the linear substructure of the word vector space. We used the GloVe pre-trained model of all of Wikipedia’s 2014 data, a six billion token, 400,000-word vocabulary vector model, chosen for its broad domain coverage and less colloquial nature. This pre-trained set of word vectors allowed us to vectorize our document set and prepare it for deep learning toolkits.
Although this pre-trained model has a vast 400,000-word vocabulary, it still has limitations as it relates to our text corpus. For example, in technology-driven industries, there is a highly specialized, domain-specific vocabulary which may not be represented in the pre-trained word model. These vocabulary terms might be predictive of performance, but when we used these pre-trained word models, out-of-vocabulary words would all get the same word vector values which reduce their predictive value. For some industries, this vocabulary changes over time as new technologies, compounds or products are developed. As a result, the word vector of these changing words might need to be different at different periods of time. The presence of the newest technology vocabulary might also have predictive value. In addition, the corporate earnings release statements are rendered with a particular subtle patois not fully reflected in the Glove model pre-trained on Wikipedia articles.
Research is emerging on new methods for dealing with out of vocabulary words for small vocabularies, and the temporal dimension of vocabulary words. This post sums up important recent NLP research which promises to solve these issues in the future.
We created three equally sized classification bins of high, medium and low performance based on the performance of the stock between the date of the release and four weeks later. The performance was calculated as the percentage change in the stock value in that time and applied some normalization for overall stock market changes. These low, medium and high 4-week performance classifications were the labels in our model. We modeled our prototype on just one industry, the biotechnology industry, which had the most abundant within-industry sample. Our project goal was to discern whether we could outperform chance accuracy of 33.33%.
With our documents represented by a series of embeddings, we were able to take advantage of a convolutional neural network (CNN) model to learn the classifications. CNNs can be well suited to document modeling, as they can find small (and then large) syntactic structures across the training set through convolutional and max pooling steps, building a fuller model of the source corpus (read more about CNNs with NLP). Below is a depiction of a one layer CNN. With our limited sample of source documents and very limited timespan of our data points, we chose the simpler 1D CNN, rather than using an LSTM model for this project.
We used a 1D CNN in Keras using our custom word embeddings. See this excellent Keras example for a 1D CNN architecture using custom word embeddings, like those pre-trained Glove model word vectors. In our model design, we started from the Keras reference as our architectural base and refined from there.
We chose a 10,000-word sequence as the maximum. For those documents with more than 10,000 words, we truncated the remaining text. For those documents with fewer than 10,000 words, we padded the sequence at the end with zeroes. We mapped each of our words in each sequence to one of the Glove embedding vocabulary items and used its 300 value numerical representation. For each document sample, we had a 10,000 x 300 sequence representation. Below is an excerpt of building the embedding matrix from this script.
For the model itself, we employed the ADAM optimizer, the Lecun initializer, and we used exponential linear unit (‘elu’) activation function. We applied dropout in training (15% to inner layers, and 45% to the final layer), and the Keras early stopping feature to prevent over-fitting. Also, we stepped down the learning rate from the initial model to improve the test results to .00011. We discovered the model was very sensitive to initializer choices, with the Lecun model offering much better learning than other all other initializers available in Keras. After testing all the optimizer options in Keras, we found that both ADAM and RMSprop optimizers performed much better than other optimizers, with ADAM performing slightly better. When we used the ‘elu’ function, the model trained less erratically than with the Relu, Prelu or Leaky Relu activation functions, and reached higher accuracy. We stepped down batch size to a modest size of 33 to improve learning.
In order to improve the model, we augmented the data in the original text with the title of the section from the 10-K report. We appended this text to the start of the document sample. Thesaurus-based data augmentation in NLP is discussed in more depth in this forum discussion.
Some of the hyperparameter choices and the model architecture are detailed below. Also, see the complete Jupyter Notebook and this practical guide to troubleshooting and tuning your neural network.
Our prototype model results, while modest, suggest there is a useful signal available on future performance classification in at least the biotechnology industry based on the target text from the 10-K. The resulting statistics are listed below, including the statistics by class. For our model, ‘0’ represents low performance, ‘1’ represents middle performance and ‘2’ represents high performance (see model evaluation notebook).
The confusion matrix below details the prediction comparing the true class of the sample, and the predicted class. The true label is on the vertical axis, and the predicted label coming from our model is on the horizontal axis. The top grid is the absolute count, and the bottom grid is the percentage. The visualization shows that our model performs best at predicting the true label of the low performing stocks, in the upper left.
For investment firms, predicting likely under-performers may be the most valuable prediction of all, allowing them to avoid losses on investments that will not fare well. Chance would have given us a 33.3% accuracy for any one classification. In this model, we are seeing 62% accuracy for predicting the under-performing company based on the sample 10-K text.
The history of model training and testing is below, trained for 24 epochs.
This initial result suggests that that deep learning models trained on text in earnings releases and other sources could prove a viable mechanism to improve the quality of the information available to those making investment decisions, particularly in avoiding investment losses. While the model needs to be improved with more samples, refinements of domain-specific vocabulary, and text augmentation, it suggests that providing this signal as another decision input for investment analyst would improve the efficiency of the firm’s analysis work.
Our partner will look to improve the model with more samples and to augment them with additional information taken from the earnings releases and additional publications and a larger sample of companies. They will also explore alternative model architectures including LSTM to better understand the sequential nature of the publication and performance information. In addition, they will look to replicate this model for different industries and operationalize the model with Azure Machine Learning Workbench, allowing auto-scaling and custom model management for many clients.
Overall, this prototype validated additional investment by our partner in natural language based deep learning to improve efficiency, consistency, and effectiveness of human reviews of textual reports and information. Please feel free to reach out in comments below or directly via Twitter @SingingData.
You may want to double check your hypothesis test for acc>NIR. Since your test data is very nearly balanced, your no-information accuracy rate should be 0.33. This is well outside the [0.43,0.58] 95% confidence interval that you provide for your accuracy, and should therefore result in a p-value of less than 0.05, not the stated value of 0.13. I think you may have run your test with the rows and columns transposed, such that the predicted values were used as the class prevalence, inflating the NIR. If not that, then some other aspect of the summary report might be off, since it appears to contradict itself.
Its a wonderful effort to help investors to minimise losses and have access to technology based solutions .
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Understand the D'Alembert betting system and the Contra D'Alembert betting system before beginning play.
The D'Alembert betting system is a negative progression betting system that is fairly simple to understand and implement. In order to understand the D'Alembert betting system, it is necessary to understand what a negative progression betting system is. In a negative progression betting system, bets are raised when a round is lost, and lowered when a round is won.
Every time a player loses a round, the player will raise their bets by one unit. A unit is the amount of money used for placing a bet. The player will decide what the unit is. For example, one unit could equal $10. Therefore, if the player had bet one unit on the first round, and they lost the round, they will then bet $20 on the next round.
Every time a player wins a round, the player will lower their bet by only one unit. The D'Alembert Betting System can be played as an insurance system. This is done by putting aside the units that have just been taken off after a win, and keeping them aside! When you decreas the size of your bet when you win, especially if it follows a higher bet beforehand, you are keeping aside some of the profit from your winning round.
In order to play the D'Alembert betting system, the player needs a fairly large bankroll. Without having a large bankroll, the losses made may not be able to be recouped and the player could have rather large losses. This system helps to ensure (or should we say insure) a win after a losing streak.
Basically explained, this system leads to many smaller wins and less chance of bigger losses.
Many betting systems can be played the way they were originally set out to be played, or they can be played exactly opposite to their original plans. The "opposite" system for D'Alembert is sometimes referred to as the Contra D'Alembert system. When playing this system, the player will increase their bet after winning a round, and decrease it after losing a round. This translates into less big wins, and more small losses. The risk with this system is that even after a run of wins, one loss can lose most of the hard-earned winnings that were accumulated.
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The international outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in 2002–2003 highlighted the need to develop pretested human vaccine vectors that can be used in a rapid response against newly emerging pathogens. We evaluated Newcastle disease virus (NDV), an avian paramyxovirus that is highly attenuated in primates, as a topical respiratory vaccine vector with SARS-CoV as a test pathogen. Complete recombinant NDV was engineered to express the SARS-CoV spike S glycoprotein, the viral neutralization and major protective antigen, from an added transcriptional unit. African green monkeys immunized through the respiratory tract with two doses of the vaccine developed a titer of SARS-CoV-neutralizing antibodies comparable with the robust secondary response observed in animals that have been immunized with a different experimental SARS-CoV vaccine and challenged with SARS-CoV. When animals immunized with NDV expressing S were challenged with a high dose of SARS-CoV, direct viral assay of lung tissues taken by necropsy at the peak of viral replication demonstrated a 236- or 1,102-fold (depending on the NDV vector construct) mean reduction in pulmonary SARS-CoV titer compared with control animals. NDV has the potential for further development as a pretested, highly attenuated, intranasal vector to be available for expedited vaccine development for humans, who generally lack preexisting immunity against NDV.
The severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) emerged as a human pathogen in Southern China in 2002 and spread internationally, resulting in 8,096 infections and 774 deaths between November 1, 2002, and July 31, 2003, as well as considerable alarm and economic loss (1). There is a clear need for a safe and effective vaccine should an outbreak of a SARS-like virus reoccur in humans. In addition, the SARS experience highlighted the importance of having pretested, safe, and effective vectors on hand that can be used to accelerate initial steps of vaccine development should other new pathogenic agents emerge.
Inactivated whole-virus preparations of SARS-CoV have been shown to induce protective immunity in small-animal models (2–5) and primates (6, 7). However, large-scale growth of a highly pathogenic agent introduces the risk of laboratory infection, which indeed has occurred (8). Furthermore, incomplete inactivation can leave residual infectivity in such vaccines, posing further risk to vaccinees (9, 10). The SARS-CoV spike S glycoprotein is the viral neutralization and major protective antigen (11). Full-length or fragments of recombinant purified S have been shown to be immunogenic in small-animal models, but their safety and efficacy have not yet been evaluated in primates. Furthermore, inactivated whole-virus or protein subunit vaccines are not necessarily safe and effective: in the case of measles and respiratory syncytial virus, they induced altered immune responses, resulting in immune-mediated enhancement of disease upon subsequent exposure to the pathogen (12, 13).
Vectored vaccines offer a live-vaccine approach that does not involve the complete pathogen. A number of vectored vaccines against SARS-CoV have been described. A recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) expressing the SARS-CoV S protein was protective in mice (14) but has not been tested in primates, and the safety of VSV in humans remains to be established. Recombinant modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) virus expressing SARS-CoV S protein was immunogenic and protective in rodent and primate models (15–17); however, one group found that the MVA/SARS-CoV S-immunized ferrets developed hepatitis upon challenge with SARS-CoV (17). Vaccine constructs based on replication defective human adenovirus type 5 expressing a partial or full-length SARS-CoV S protein have been evaluated for immunogenicity in rats and monkeys (18, 19), but immunization depends on a high vaccine dose, and safety and protective efficacy remain to be demonstrated. We previously used an attenuated version of human parainfluenza virus type 3, a common pediatric respiratory pathogen, to express the SARS-CoV S protein and showed that a single intranasal (i.n.) and intratracheal (i.t.) inoculation was immunogenic and protective against SARS-CoV challenge in hamsters and African green monkeys (AGM) (20). This vector has a natural tropism for the respiratory tract and does not significantly spread beyond that site, properties desirable for use as a safe, restricted, topical respiratory tract vaccine. However, a concern that exists with any vector based on a common pathogen is that the adult population has significant immunity from prior exposure that will restrict infection and replication of the viral vector and reduce its immunogenicity. Indeed, comparisons of the immunogenicity of vaccinia virus-vectored and human adenovirus type 5-vectored vaccines in rodents, non-human primates, and humans demonstrated that preexisting immunity to the vector greatly reduced the immunogenicity of these vaccines (21–23).
An additional limitation of previous studies of vectored and inactivated SARS-CoV vaccines in non-human primates, the model that is most similar to humans, is that protective efficacy was measured by quantitation of challenge SARS-CoV shed in respiratory secretions (6, 7, 16, 20). It is now known that the virus replication in nasal and lung tissues occurs at a much higher level than previously appreciated and is poorly represented by shed virus (24). Also, in two of the above-mentioned studies (6, 7), protective efficacy of SARS-CoV vaccine candidates was evaluated by analysis of lung tissues collected by biopsy or necropsy on days 12 or 15 after the challenge; however, the virus is normally cleared by this time (24). Thus, evaluation of vaccine efficacy necessitates direct quantitative virological analysis of infected tissues at the peak of viral replication.
The present work involves Newcastle disease virus (NDV) as a potential vaccine vector against SARS-CoV. Like human parainfluenza virus type 3, NDV is a nonsegmented negative strand RNA virus of the Paramyxoviridae family. However, its natural host is birds, and it is antigenically distinct from common human pathogens. The severity of avian disease depends on the pathotype of the NDV strain: so-called lentogenic strains cause mild or asymptomatic infections that are restricted to the respiratory tract; mesogenic strains are of intermediate severity; and velogenic strains can cause systemic infections with high mortality (25). Lentogenic and, in some cases, mesogenic strains are used as live NDV vaccines for poultry (26). Pertinent to the present report, a major determinant of NDV virulence in birds is activation of the viral fusion F glycoprotein, which occurs by a cleavage event mediated by a cellular endoprotease. In velogenic and some mesogenic strains, the cleavage site of F is rich in basic amino acids and is readily cleaved by ubiquitous intracellular proteases such as furin, thus permitting replication in a variety of tissues. With lentogenic and some mesogenic strains, the site contains fewer basic residues and depends on a secreted protease found primarily in the lung for cleavage, thus restricting replication to the epithelial surface where the secretory protease is found (27).
Intranasal inoculation of mice with recombinant NDVs expressing influenza virus hemagglutinin or respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein resulted in an induction of antibody responses against the viruses and complete or partial protection against challenge (28–30). However, the level of host range restriction and immunogenicity of an NDV vector in mice is not necessarily predictive of its properties in primates. Intranasal and i.t. inoculation of AGM and rhesus monkeys with lentogenic and mesogenic strains of NDV resulted in low-level, scattered replication of the virus in the respiratory tract without any disease signs and with little or no virus shedding (31). The virus appeared to be restricted to the respiratory tract: virus was not detected in other organs or blood harvested at the peak of viral replication, and virus replication was not detected after parenteral inoculation (A.B., B.R.M., P.L.C., unpublished observations). In humans, infection by NDV appears to be limited and benign based on both anecdotal observations with bird handlers (32) and clinical studies using the virus as an oncolytic agent (33).
In the present study, we evaluated NDV as a topical respiratory vaccine vector with SARS-CoV as the target pathogen. Importantly, protective efficacy against SARS-CoV challenge was evaluated by direct analysis of nasal and lung tissues collected by necropsy at the peak of SARS-CoV replication (24).
Design of the Vaccine Constructs.
Two NDV vectors were evaluated. One was a recombinant copy of the mesogenic Beaudette C strain (NDV-BC) that was previously shown to be highly attenuated in non-human primates (31). The second was a recombinant copy of the lentogenic LaSota strain [which also is highly attenuated in primates (see ref. 31)] that was modified so that the cleavage sequence of its F protein was replaced with that of NDV-BC, resulting in the virus NDV-VF. In chickens, the imported cleavage site rendered NDV-VF capable of replication beyond the respiratory tract, resulting in a virus that is intermediate in virulence in birds compared with its lentogenic and mesogenic parents (27). The NDV-BC and NDV-VF vectors were used to construct vaccine viruses expressing the full-length 1,255-aa SARS-CoV S protein, resulting in viruses NDV-BC/S and NDV-VF/S (Fig. 1). Because insertion of foreign genes into genomes of nonsegmented negative strand viruses such as NDV can confer attenuation that increases with insert size (34), we also made a separate NDV-BC-vectored vaccine construct expressing the N-terminal 762-aa S1 domain (NDV-BC/S1). The S1 domain has been reported to contain the receptor-binding site of S as well as major neutralizing epitopes (35). The various vaccine viruses were readily recovered and amplified, achieving peak titers of ≈107.5 to 108.0 pfu/ml in DF-1 cells and 108.5 to 109.0 in embryonated chicken eggs (data not shown). These values were similar to the peak titers obtained with the parental NDV-BC and NDV-LS(VF) viruses.
NDV vaccine constructs. The SARS-CoV S or S1 ORF was cloned by using XbaI sites (italicized) into NDV-BC or NDV-VF antigenomic cDNA under the control of a set of NDV gene-start (GS) and gene-end (GE) transcription signals that direct its expression as a separate mRNA. NDV genes are shown as gray boxes and the SARS-CoV S gene as black boxes. The nucleotide sequence spanning the inserted expression cassette was identical in both NDV vectors and is shown at the top of the figure in the DNA-positive sense. The intergenic nucleotide between each gene is indicated by an arrow.
In Vitro Characterization of the Vaccine Constructs.
To detect expression of the foreign gene inserts, DF-1 cell monolayers were infected with NDV-BC, NDV-BC/S, or NDV-BC/S1 and incubated for 24 h. Cell lysates were analyzed by Western blotting with NDV- and SARS-CoV S-specific antibodies. NDV-BC-based constructs produced high levels of S or S1 protein [see supporting information (SI) Fig. 4], with similarly high levels of S produced by the NDV-VF-based construct (data not shown). In some cases, expression of foreign viral transmembrane glycoproteins by recombinant nonsegmented negative strand viruses results in the incorporation of these proteins into virus particles (for review, see ref. 34). Therefore, we purified NDV particles from the medium of infected cells and assayed them for the presence of the expressed proteins. This assay showed that a distinct but faint SARS-CoV S-specific band could be seen in virions expressing the S full-length protein but not in virions expressing the S1 protein (SI Fig. 4), which suggests that the S protein was incorporated into the NDV virion and that incorporation required the presence of the transmembrane domain located at the C terminus. In some instances, incorporation of foreign surface glycoproteins by nonsegmented negative-strand viruses rendered the vector sensitive to neutralization by antibodies specific to the foreign protein and even allowed the particle to escape neutralization by vector-specific neutralizing antibodies (34). However, that was not observed here: the NDV vectors expressing the SARS-CoV S or S1 protein were fully sensitive to NDV-neutralizing antibodies but were not sensitive to SARS-CoV-neutralizing antibodies (data not shown). Comparison of the multi step growth kinetics of the viruses demonstrated that expression of SARS-CoV S protein did not alter viral replication in DF-1 chicken embryo fibroblasts but was associated with up to an ≈10-fold (NDV-BC backbone) or 100-fold (NDV-VF backbone) reduction in viral yield in Vero monkey kidney cells and in A549 human alveolar epithelial cells (data not shown). To evaluate whether incorporation of the S protein affects the pathogenicity of NDV for birds, we determined the mean embryo death time of NDV-BC and NDV-BC/S in 9-day-old embryonated eggs, as described previously (36). The mean embryo death time for the two viruses was found to be 60 and 61 h, respectively, suggesting that pathogenicity of NDV-BC/S is not increased compared with its NDV-BC parent.
Groups of AGM were immunized as shown in Table 1. Sera were collected on days 0, 28, and 56 and analyzed by a SARS-CoV-neutralization assay. After one dose of either vaccine construct, the titers of S-specific antibodies were low; however, a strong increase in the viral titers was achieved after the second dose was administered. For NDV-BC/S and NDV-VF/S, the mean neutralization titers after the second dose were 1:97 and 1:630, respectively. Surprisingly, the latter titer was greater than the average titer of SARS-CoV-specific neutralizing antibodies in serum samples of four monkeys immunized against SARS-CoV and challenged with SARS-CoV in a previous study (1:363) (20), which were used as positive control sera in the present study (see the second footnote for Table 1). The development of a vector-specific serum antibody response, as evaluated by NDV hemagglutination inhibition (HAI), generally paralleled the SARS-CoV-specific response: a low-level response was detected after one dose followed by a substantial increase after two doses (Table 1).
We also evaluated cellular responses against the S protein in the peripheral blood of immunized animals on days 10, 38 (10 days after the second dose), and 56 (28 days after the second dose). Only live, CD3-positive cells were included for analysis, and values were calculated as percentages of total CD8 or CD4 cells positive for IFN-γ or TNF-α. There was an increase in the mean numbers (horizontal bars) of IFN-γ-positive and TNF-α-positive CD8 T cells in animals after the second dose of the vaccine constructs; however, the increase was not statistically significant because of high variability between the individual animals (Fig. 2). We did not observe a similar increase in the number of CD4 T cells positive for TNF-α or IFN-γ (data not shown). There were no significant positive populations in the absence of stimulation, whereas nonspecific stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin resulted in percentages of total CD8 cells positive for IFN-γ and TNF-α of 35.5% and 39.6%, respectively, and CD4 cells positive for IFN-γ and TNF-α of 5.1% and 33.2%, respectively (data not shown), thus confirming the general responsiveness of the cells. The low numbers of SARS-CoV-specific T cells after immunization through the respiratory tract was expected because the numbers of T cells specific to common respiratory pathogens is much lower in human peripheral blood than in lung tissue (37). The design of the present study precluded sampling of lung tissues for isolation of pulmonary T cells.
Quantitation of SARS-CoV S-specific CD8+ T cells in the peripheral blood of AGM immunized with the NDV vaccine constructs. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were stimulated with peptides specific to the S protein, stained, and analyzed by flow cytometry. Cells positive for either IFN-γ or TNF-α were plotted as a percentage of total CD8+ cells. The individual values and the mean values (horizontal bars) were plotted for each group of animals; each group contained four animals except that the empty NDV-BC vector control group contained two animals. The arrows indicate the timing of the first and second doses (days 0 and 28).
Protective Efficacy Against SARS-CoV Challenge.
AGM were immunized as described above with two doses of NDV-BC/S, NDV-VF/S, or NDV-BC/S1 and 28 days after the second dose, they were challenged by the i.n. and i.t. routes with SARS-CoV at a tissue culture 50% infectious dose (TCID50) of 106 per site. The animals were killed on day 2 after the challenge, which is the peak of viral replication in this species (24), and samples of respiratory tract tissues were collected by necropsy and analyzed for virus titer by titration on Vero cell monolayers (Fig. 3). In the control animals immunized with the empty NDV-BC vector, mean SARS-CoV titers reached 104.1 TCID50 per cm3 in the nasal turbinates and 106.3 TCID50 per cm3 in the trachea. In various parts of the lung, mean viral titers ranged from 104.9 TCID50 per cm3 in the upper lobe of the left lung to as high as 106.9 TCID50 per cm3 in the hilar region of the right lung. Of the vaccine constructs tested here, only NDV-BC/S1 was relatively ineffective against SARS-CoV challenge, although there were minimal reductions in mean SARS-CoV titer relative to the vector-immunized animals in all tissues except for the lower lobe of the right lung. Both NDV-VF/S and NDV-BC/S were effective at inducing protective immunity. Immunization with NDV-VF/S resulted in a 5-fold and 61-fold reduction in nasal turbinate and tracheal SARS-CoV titers, respectively, compared with the control animals. More importantly, this construct resulted in a 236-fold reduction of viral titer in the lung (average reduction from all seven lung tissue sections). The NDV-BC/S construct was even more effective, with average reductions in viral titer of 13-fold, 276-fold, and 1,102-fold in the nasal turbinate, trachea, and lung, respectively. To confirm the reduction in viral load seen in immunized animals, we also performed SARS-CoV N gene-specific quantitative RT-PCR on RNA extracted from three representative low-titer tissue samples and three representative high-titer tissue samples. Samples with a SARS-CoV titer between 102 and 103 TCID50 per cm3 tissue (i.e., protected animals) had a threshold cycle (CT ) that was 24–29 cycles later than the CT for samples with a titer between 106 and 107 TCID50 per cm3 tissue (i.e., unprotected animals) (data not shown). These results indicate that the observed differences in viral titer are caused by a true reduction of viral titer in vivo, and not because of in vitro neutralization after tissue homogenization.
SARS-CoV replication in the upper and lower respiratory tract of AGM after challenge. Animals were immunized by the i.n. and i.t. routes (107 pfu per site) with the indicated NDV recombinant on days 0 and 28, and they were challenged on day 56 by the i.n. and i.t. sites with 106 TCID50 of SARS-CoV per site. Two days later, the animals were killed, and duplicate samples were taken from the nasal turbinates, the trachea, and the indicated lung regions. The replicate tissue specimens were each titrated in quadruplicate on separate days to measure infectious SARS-CoV. The reported value for each organ is the average of 8 log-transformed titers for each group (i.e., two samples per organ taken from each of four animals). The lower limit of detection was 10 TCID50 per ml. The average ± SE of the log-transformed TCID50 per ml values are shown. P values were calculated by using a two-tailed Student's t test. ∗, P < 0.05; ∗∗, P < 0.01; ∗∗∗, P < 0.001.
Inoculation of the upper respiratory tract of AGM with recombinant NDV expressing the SARS-CoV S protein was immunogenic and protective against a high challenge dose of SARS-CoV. Immunization with two doses of the NDV-VF/S or NDV-BC/S vaccine candidate resulted in a titer of serum SARS-CoV-neutralizing antibodies that equaled or exceeded that achieved in animals that had received a protective immunization with a parainfluenza virus type 3 vector expressing the S protein followed by i.n. challenge with a high dose of SARS-CoV (i.e., animals whose serum neutralizing titers were reflective of secondary exposure to SARS-CoV). Based on this strict standard, the NDV vectors seemed to be very immunogenic despite their high level of attenuation, which resulted in a 236-fold or 1,102-fold (depending on the NDV vector) reduction in pulmonary SARS-CoV challenge virus, a reduction that likely would be sufficient to prevent mortality and reduce morbidity associated with SARS-CoV infection. Because respiratory viruses typically induce a strong mucosal response in the respiratory tract, the NDV vaccine constructs should be particularly effective in reducing virus shedding from the respiratory tract and thus reducing transmission.
A single dose of the NDV vaccine candidates was weakly immunogenic for the SARS-CoV S insert protein while being moderately immunogenic for the NDV vector protective antigens. We did not evaluate protective efficacy after one dose, and it is not known whether this weak primary immunization would confer a significant amount of protection against SARS-CoV. The second dose of the NDV vaccine constructs was immunogenic despite the presence of HAI antibodies against the NDV vector induced by the primary immunization, indicating that the second vaccine dose replicated sufficiently well to provide a boost. Administration of two vaccine doses would be readily accomplished for preepidemic immunization. In the setting of an outbreak, it would be preferable to have a single immunization. One possibility is that this topical vaccine could be combined with a parenteral immunization by using another SARS-CoV vaccine to augment protection from a single immunization.
Unexpectedly, the NDV-BC/S1 construct, expressing the N-terminal 60% of the S protein, failed to induce significant protection against SARS-CoV challenge. We had evaluated expression of this smaller fragment as an alternative strategy in case expression of the complete protein proved to overattenuate the vector. The lack of significant immunogenicity of NDV-expressed S1 might be explained by its lack of incorporation into the NDV particle, which was likely because of the absence of the transmembrane domain. Past studies have demonstrated that incorporation of a foreign protein into virion particles significantly increased its immunogenicity (38). Alternatively, the reduced immunogenicity of NDV-BC/S1 might mean that the S2 domain of the S protein contains or contributes to one or more important neutralizing epitopes (39).
We evaluated two different NDV vectors, namely the mesogenic NDV-BC strain and NDV-VF, a version of the lentogenic LaSota strain that had been modified to possess the F cleavage site of the mesogenic virus. The introduction of this more easily cleaved sequence was done primarily for a practical reason: the parental LaSota strain depends on added trypsin for activation of infectivity during in vitro growth, a requirement that was eliminated by the change in cleavage sequence. Thus, both vectors have an F protein that is readily cleaved without extracellular protease and thus have the potential for replication in a wide range of tissues. Even so, NDV-BC and NDV-VF resembled the previously evaluated LaSota strain (31) in being highly restricted and limited to replication in the respiratory tract, which suggests that the host range restriction of NDV in primates is severe and is based largely on factors other than activation of the F protein. Differences between avian and primate cells with regard to sialic acid receptors for viral attachment comprise one possible factor in the host range restriction. It also might be that NDV is less able to block the type I IFN response in primate cells, as suggested by previous studies (40). In the case of the host range restriction of bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 in primates, each gene appeared to make a contribution (41). Regardless of the mechanism, it is clear that NDV is very highly restricted for replication in primates, and the level of restriction appears to be similar for the mesogenic and lentogenic pathotypes based on this work and that performed previously (31).
The use of NDV as a vaccine vector offers a number of advantages over alternative strategies mentioned above. NDV is antigenically distinct from common human pathogens and vaccines and therefore should be infectious and immunogenic in the general human population. NDV has had considerable use as an oncolytic agent (www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/NDV/healthprofessional), demonstrating that it is safe when administered parenterally to humans (33). An outbreak of NDV in poultry workers, as subsequently documented by their seroconversion, was characterized by a transient conjunctivitis that, in most cases, lasted 3–4 days with a lack of systemic symptoms (32). A high degree of attenuation also has been demonstrated in non-human primates, where i.n. and i.t. inoculation of 107 pfu resulted in only scattered, low-level replication that was restricted to the lungs, with no apparent adverse clinical effects (31). The restriction of NDV replication to the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract allows for stimulation of local and systemic immunity while reducing safety concerns that would be associated with viremia and viral spread to secondary sites. In the present work, we used a combined i.n. and i.t. route of immunization. In clinical studies, the i.n. route alone would be appropriate. We are currently testing the efficiency of vaccine delivery by the i.n. route alone. Should that be insufficiently immunogenic, alternative methods of delivery will be developed. The needle-free inoculation also offers a practical benefit in that untrained personnel would be able to administer the vaccine, which would be a considerable advantage in developing countries. We found that all of the NDV constructs replicated to acceptably high titers in Vero cells qualified for the production of vaccines for human use. It also is noteworthy that infection of non-human primates with NDV resulted in only low-level virus shedding into respiratory secretions (31) and hence into the environment. Furthermore, genetic exchange involving nonsegmented negative-strand RNA viruses such as NDV is insignificant. This consideration essentially eliminates the concern of recombination with circulating viruses, which is particularly relevant for live vaccines against coronaviruses and influenza viruses.
A hypothetical concern in SARS-CoV vaccine development is the possibility of immune-mediated disease enhancement upon exposure to the authentic virus. It was found previously that antibodies to feline infectious peritonitis coronavirus, acquired by immunization or by passive immunization, led to enhanced disease in felines after exposure to the virus (42). However, differences in the biology of that virus compared with SARS-CoV make the relevance of this precedent unclear. The only potential evidence of a similar phenomenon for SARS-CoV was the finding that MVA expressing the S protein may have led to hepatitis in ferrets after challenge with SARS-CoV (17); however, it is unclear how this hepatitis occurred or whether it has any relevance to immune-enhanced disease. We did not see any evidence of enhanced clinical disease on day 2 after infection with SARS-CoV; however, the present study was not designed to address the possibility of enhanced disease at later time points. Another potential concern is that the vaccine construct might spread to birds and cause disease. However, as already noted, lentogenic and, occasionally, mesogenic strains have widespread use as live NDV vaccines for poultry (26). In the present work, although the foreign S protein was incorporated into the vector particle, the virus was not susceptible to neutralization by antibodies specific to the S protein and did not lose sensitivity to NDV-specific antibodies. Moreover, presence of the S insert did not increase pathogenicity of the virus in birds, as evaluated by the mean embryo death time. In recent studies, the insertion of foreign genes, including that encoding the hemagglutinin protein of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, into the genomes of lentogenic or mesogenic strains of NDV resulted in reduced rather than increased pathogenicity in birds, even when the foreign glycoprotein was from a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus and was incorporated into the vector particle (38, 43). Taken together, these data suggest that the vaccine constructs present no environmental or agricultural risk, although this possibility will continue to be carefully monitored.
In summary, we have evaluated two promising vaccine candidates, NDV-BC/S and NDV-VF/S, and demonstrated a substantial level of immunogenicity and protective efficacy against SARS-CoV challenge in a primate model by direct analysis of respiratory tract tissues at the peak of the challenge virus replication. These topical respiratory vaccine candidates are very highly restricted in non-human primates, do not shed significantly, should be further evaluated in clinical studies, and may provide a new vector suitable for use against SARS-CoV or other emerging viruses.
The full-length (1,255-aa) SARS-CoV S ORF (GenBank accession number AAP13441.1) or the S1 subunit (the first 762 codons) was amplified by PCR using the full-length SARS-CoV S cDNA as a template (20). The primers were designed to add flanking XbaI sites and an NDV gene junction while maintaining the genome length as a multiple of six nucleotides (44) (Fig. 1). Each PCR product was subcloned into an XbaI site that had been inserted into the P–M junction of a full-length cloned cDNA of the NDV antigenome (27, 31). NDV recombinants were recovered as described previously (43), passaged twice on HEp-2 cells, twice on chicken embryo DF-1 cells, and once in embryonated chicken eggs. The integrity of the inserts was confirmed by RT-PCR of viral RNA and sequence analysis. NDV titers (pfu/ml) were determined by plaque titration on monolayers of DF-1 cells in 24-well plates.
SARS-CoV (Urbani strain) was provided by L. Anderson and T. Ksiazek of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta, GA) and propagated in Vero cells (24). All experiments involving infectious SARS-CoV were done under biosafety level 3 conditions. SARS-CoV titers (TCID50 per ml) were determined by limiting dilution on monolayers of Vero cells in 96-well plates.
Immunization and Challenge of AGM.
Juvenile AGM (Cercopithecus aethiops), seronegative for NDV by HAI with turkey erythrocytes, were immunized i.n. and i.t. as described previously (20) with 107 pfu of NDV per site on days 0 and 28 or on day 0 only for animals receiving one dose (Table 1). Serum samples were taken at days 0, 28, and 56 to determine antibody titers. Blood samples were taken on days 0, 10, 38, and 56 for isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In addition, blood samples were taken at days 2 and 4 (after the first immunization) and days 30 and 32 (days 2 and 4 after the second immunization) and evaluated for the presence of NDV by titration on DF-1 cells. They were found to be negative (data not shown). Animals were observed for any signs of clinical symptoms throughout the course of the work.
To assess the protective efficacy, a separate group of animals was immunized as described above and challenged on day 56 by the combined i.n. and i.t. routes with 106 TCID50 of SARS-CoV per site. Two days after challenge, animals were killed, and duplicate 1-cm3 samples were taken from the nasal turbinates, the trachea, and from seven regions of the lung: the left hilar region, the left upper and lower lobes, the right hilar region, and the right upper, middle, and lower lobes. Tissue samples were homogenized, and SARS-CoV titers were determined by titration in Vero cells. As an independent assessment of viral load in the tissue samples, RNA was extracted, and viral genomes were quantified by using a quantitative RT-PCR assay as described previously (45). A complete set of serum samples was not available from the challenged monkeys, precluding evaluation of the antibody response in these animals. All primate experiments were performed at Bioqual, Inc. (Rockville, MD), a site approved by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Care International with a protocol approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.
SARS-CoV S-Specific Cellular Immune Responses in AGM.
PBMCs from whole blood were banded by centrifugation over lymphocyte separation medium (Cellgro, Herndon, VA), washed, and resuspended in RPMI medium 1640 (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA) containing 10% FBS and 10% dimethyl sulfoxide. PBMC samples were incubated overnight in medium containing GolgiStop (BD Biosciences, Franklin Lakes, NJ) and either phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate/ionomycin (nonspecific stimulation) or 2.5 μg/ml of a pool of 169 17- to 19-mer peptides encompassing the entire SARS S protein. The samples were then washed and stained with FITC-conjugated mouse anti-human CD8α, peridinin chlorophyll-conjugated mouse anti-human CD4, and R-phycoerythrin-conjugated mouse anti-human CD3. The cells were washed, fixed, and permeabilized with Cytofix/Cytoperm solution (BD Biosciences) and stained with allophycocyanin (APC)-conjugated mouse anti-human IFN-γ or APC-conjugated mouse anti-human TNF-α (all from BD Biosciences). Flow cytometric analysis (FACSCalibur; BD Biosciences) involved 30,000 events per sample.
We thank B. Finneyfrock for performing the manipulations with AGM, E. Williams and F. Davoodi for performing NDV HAI assays, G. Nabel [Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health (NIAID/NIH)] for providing the SARS S peptide pool, and K. Subbarao for helpful and expert advice. This work was funded as part of the NIAID/NIH Intramural Program.
Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Drive, Room 6505, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Author contributions: J.M.D., B.R.M., S.K.S., P.L.C., and A.B. designed research; J.M.D., A.K., L.Y., S.E., S.K.S., and A.B. performed research; S.K.S. contributed new reagents/analytic tools; J.M.D., B.R.M., S.K.S., P.L.C., and A.B. analyzed data; and J.M.D., B.R.M., P.L.C., and A.B. wrote the paper.
This article contains supporting information online at www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/0703584104/DC1.
tissue culture 50% infectious dose.
(2004) DNA Cell Biol 23:391–394.
(2005) Emerg Infect Dis 11:1312–1314.
(2006) J Gen Virol 87:641–650.
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(2004) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101:9804–9809.
(1969) Am J Epidemiol 89:405–421.
(2004) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101:6641–6646.
(2001) J Gen Virol 82:2215–2223.
(2006) Hum Gene Ther 17:500–506.
(1978) in Diseases of Poultry, eds Hofstad B , Calnek BW , Helmboldt CF , Reid WM , Yoder HW (Iowa State Univ Press, Ames), pp 513–536.
(2000) Rev Sci Tech 19:443–462.
(1952) Am J Public Health 42:672–678.
(2003) Curr Opin Mol Ther 5:618–624.
(2004) J Clin Microbiol 42:1570–1576.
(1989) in A Laboratory Manual for the Isolation and Identification of Avian Pathogens, eds Purchase HG , Arp LH , Domermuth CH , Pearson JE (American Association for Avian Pathologists, Kennett Square, PA), pp 114–120.
(2005) J Exp Med 202:1433–1442.
(2006) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103:8203–8208.
What Are the Risks--Hypothetical and Observed--of Recombination Involving Live Vaccines and Vaccine Vectors Based on Nonsegmented Negative-Strain RNA Viruses?
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0.9665 |
Dr. Kweifio-Okai was employed as a Senior Lecturer in Anatomy and Physiology by RMIT University. His contract of employment included a condition that he would be ‘based at the Bundoora Campus but may be required to work at other campuses’.
Between 1990 and 1996, Dr. Kweifio-Okai sent a series of letters and memoranda to other Bundoora campus staff, resulting in a significant breakdown of the working relationships between him and the staff. Following an investigation, the University directed Dr. Kweifio-Okai to relocate to the city campus. When he refused to do so, the University terminated his employment.
Dr. Kweifio-Okai took the view that he had been unfairly dismissed and commenced proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia under the then Industrial Relations Act 1988. This legislation was the precursor to the Workplace Relations Act 1996, which subsequently became the Fair Work Act 2009.
Dr. Kweifio-Okai contended that he had a contractual right to be ‘based’ at Bundoora, and that the University – by ordering him to work elsewhere – had breached his contract of employment.
The majority of the Full Federal Court ruled against Dr. Kweifio-Okai, holding that it was reasonable in the circumstances for the University to relocate him to the city campus. His subsequent failure to obey the reasonable command of his employer was a valid reason for his dismissal.
Marshall J. in dissent concluded that the contract did not permit the University to unilaterally require Dr. Kweifio-Okai to relocate to the city campus, and accordingly his failure to co-operate with the University’s decision was not a ‘sound, defensible or well-founded’ reason to terminate his employment.
This decision of the Court was made in the context of the previous Workplace Relations Act 1996. That legislation then, as now, requires there to be a “valid reason” for termination of one’s employment. This has been interpreted by the courts to mean “sound, defensible, well founded”.
However, most senior executives will not be able to avail themselves of unfair dismissal legislation where the concept of “a valid reason” is entrenched. For executives who fall outside the reach of this legislation, the question will come down to what does the contract provide?
There are many factors to be taken into account in determining whether a request to relocate is reasonable in the circumstances. A court will consider express or implied contractual terms relating to variation of workplace, the type of employment, distances involved, as well as other specific circumstances such as a breakdown of working relationships.
Executives should seriously consider taking legal advice before refusing an employer’s directive to relocate. Failure to comply with a lawful and reasonable instruction may provide the employer with grounds for termination. This is particularly the case if the request to relocate is sanctioned by the contract.
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0.976546 |
user warning: Table './active5_foxes/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: SELECT data, created, headers, expire, serialized FROM cache_filter WHERE cid = '2:785c0ffdc8f1d2143b3dffd8dbc8661c' in /home/active5/public_html/drupal6_multisite/includes/cache.inc on line 25.
user warning: Table './active5_foxes/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = '<p class=\"rtecenter\"><img alt=\"\" src=\"http://www.catchingfoxes.com/sites/www.catchingfoxes.com/files/resize/blog/IMG_4258-350x467.jpg\" style=\"width: 350px; height: 467px; border-width: 5px; border-style: solid; margin: 10px;\" title=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"467\" /></p>\n<p>I hit publish on my last blog post Monday afternoon knowing we would be headed to the hospital that evening. I like to write while Nathaniel naps and getting the blog post finished was a challenge because Nathaniel's oxygen levels were hovering in the high eighties for most of his nap. Oxygen levels below ninety-two require intervention. Repositioning and suctioning are the tools I have available to help clear his airway immediately and bring his level back into the nineties. It is a delicate dance to reposition a sleeping toddler into an uncomfortable, but open-airway position, and keep him sleeping. Even more tedious to turn on a suction machine, stick a catheter into his body, draw up secretions, and keep him sleeping. Repeating the process multiple times in a two hour nap ruins all hopes of writing. It also signals something more serious is going on.</p>\n<p>Nathaniel had increased secretions on Saturday and Sunday. Monday morning his nurse told me that his secretions were thick. To the point of creating a mucus plug. Later that morning they were discolored. Nathaniel was cuddly all day. He feel asleep Monday night in my arms shortly after we started his dinner g-tube feeding. Rich and I checked his heart rate. 157. Too high. We checked for a fever. 99.7. While Rich continued to rock sleeping Nathaniel, I took a shower and started packing for a hospital stay. We checked his fever again and it was 101.5. He was laboring to breath, drawing in his belly and his ribs with every breath. Time to get help.</p>\n<p>We are now almost forty-eight hours into our hospital stay. That hour count is significant because while the lab runs preliminary tests on a trach aspirate culture, it is at the forty-eight hour mark that doctors look for some definitive answers. Nathaniel is growing five bacteria. Sounds horrible and a slight bit disgusting, but life with an open airway gets bugs. Bugs even take up residence. The ones that live there all the time do not usually make Nathaniel clinically sick. Hooray for dependable tenets! New ones cause the problems. At the almost forty-eight hour mark we see indications that Nathaniel has a new bacteria in his culture that has never grown before. Bingo. Probably the reason for his clinical symptoms. Nathaniel has responded well to the two general antibiotics he's been receiving through IV. His heart and respiratory rates are coming down. His need for supplemental oxygen is decreasing. Now that we might have identified a specific bacteria, we can identify the needed antibiotic, come up with a care plan, and get this little one home.</p>\n<p>I once told someone that as a parent these hospitalizations are like conducting an orchestra. Like the instrumental sections of a symphony, there are vast number of resources at a teaching Children's Hospital. Talking with pulmonology one hour, ENT the next, and therapy services the third hour makes me feel I am the conductor waving my hands at the flutes, the French horns, and the percussion. Sometimes I wave really big at one particular section "I need you to be louder NOW!" This hospital visit, those big waves were directed at ENT.</p>\n<p>I needed ENT to process the news of Nathaniel aspirating with me in a significant way.</p>\n<p>Last week in x-ray when the speech therapist talked to me about the swallow study test results, I realized immediately that aspirating in the way Nathaniel is aspirating was a huge game changer. Not just for how we feed Nathaniel, but possibly for how we look at trachea reconstruction. I cried late into the night on Rich's shoulder because when I thought through all I knew about Nathaniel specifically, all the conversations I have had with his medical team, and all the research I have done personally, I questioned if reconstruction surgery would still be the best decision for Nathaniel. </p>\n<p>Nathaniel's ENT took a few hours at crib side to talk with Rich and I this evening. She was patient. Listened well. Spoke softly. Thought hard. Presented gently. She helped make music. It is odd that beautiful things like music and symphonies is what comes to mind, because this doctor really delivered devastating news. Because of the aspirating, we may have some very hard decisions to make as parents regarding Nathaniel's airway. Decisions that might include Nathaniel keeping a tracheostomy his whole life.</p>\n<p>Rich and I will have a lot of emotion to sort through in the future as decisions are needed. I can only assume there will be plenty of nights that we cry together about Nathaniel's conditions and suffering. But like sitting in the back row of the balcony and taking in the entire splendor of a night at the symphony, today's conversation with ENT gave a fuller understanding of Nathaniel. And that boarder perspective gave peace. Reconstructing his trachea or getting him to talk or getting him off the g-tube feedings are all good goals. Those things might happen. It will be fantastic if they do. But our original goal in adopting Nathaniel, that he be surrounded by a family and loved well through his medical conditions and suffering, can still be our most important goal.</p>\n', created = 1555822480, expire = 1555908880, headers = '', serialized = 0 WHERE cid = '2:785c0ffdc8f1d2143b3dffd8dbc8661c' in /home/active5/public_html/drupal6_multisite/includes/cache.inc on line 108.
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user warning: Table './active5_foxes/cache_filter' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: UPDATE cache_filter SET data = '<p><strong>Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom. </strong><br /><em>Song of Solomon 2:15 NIV</em></p>\n<p>Metaphorically, the "foxes" are the damaging attitudes and actions that can creep in and threaten the love relationship of a couple and a home. Catching Foxes is committed to being a resource as you guard against the things that might injure and destroy the harvest you are striving to grow in your home.</p>\n', created = 1555822481, expire = 1555908881, headers = '', serialized = 0 WHERE cid = '2:132a8457abcc78748ef29251eaa8f1d7' in /home/active5/public_html/drupal6_multisite/includes/cache.inc on line 108.
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I hit publish on my last blog post Monday afternoon knowing we would be headed to the hospital that evening. I like to write while Nathaniel naps and getting the blog post finished was a challenge because Nathaniel's oxygen levels were hovering in the high eighties for most of his nap. Oxygen levels below ninety-two require intervention. Repositioning and suctioning are the tools I have available to help clear his airway immediately and bring his level back into the nineties. It is a delicate dance to reposition a sleeping toddler into an uncomfortable, but open-airway position, and keep him sleeping. Even more tedious to turn on a suction machine, stick a catheter into his body, draw up secretions, and keep him sleeping. Repeating the process multiple times in a two hour nap ruins all hopes of writing. It also signals something more serious is going on.
Nathaniel had increased secretions on Saturday and Sunday. Monday morning his nurse told me that his secretions were thick. To the point of creating a mucus plug. Later that morning they were discolored. Nathaniel was cuddly all day. He feel asleep Monday night in my arms shortly after we started his dinner g-tube feeding. Rich and I checked his heart rate. 157. Too high. We checked for a fever. 99.7. While Rich continued to rock sleeping Nathaniel, I took a shower and started packing for a hospital stay. We checked his fever again and it was 101.5. He was laboring to breath, drawing in his belly and his ribs with every breath. Time to get help.
We are now almost forty-eight hours into our hospital stay. That hour count is significant because while the lab runs preliminary tests on a trach aspirate culture, it is at the forty-eight hour mark that doctors look for some definitive answers. Nathaniel is growing five bacteria. Sounds horrible and a slight bit disgusting, but life with an open airway gets bugs. Bugs even take up residence. The ones that live there all the time do not usually make Nathaniel clinically sick. Hooray for dependable tenets! New ones cause the problems. At the almost forty-eight hour mark we see indications that Nathaniel has a new bacteria in his culture that has never grown before. Bingo. Probably the reason for his clinical symptoms. Nathaniel has responded well to the two general antibiotics he's been receiving through IV. His heart and respiratory rates are coming down. His need for supplemental oxygen is decreasing. Now that we might have identified a specific bacteria, we can identify the needed antibiotic, come up with a care plan, and get this little one home.
I once told someone that as a parent these hospitalizations are like conducting an orchestra. Like the instrumental sections of a symphony, there are vast number of resources at a teaching Children's Hospital. Talking with pulmonology one hour, ENT the next, and therapy services the third hour makes me feel I am the conductor waving my hands at the flutes, the French horns, and the percussion. Sometimes I wave really big at one particular section "I need you to be louder NOW!" This hospital visit, those big waves were directed at ENT.
I needed ENT to process the news of Nathaniel aspirating with me in a significant way.
Last week in x-ray when the speech therapist talked to me about the swallow study test results, I realized immediately that aspirating in the way Nathaniel is aspirating was a huge game changer. Not just for how we feed Nathaniel, but possibly for how we look at trachea reconstruction. I cried late into the night on Rich's shoulder because when I thought through all I knew about Nathaniel specifically, all the conversations I have had with his medical team, and all the research I have done personally, I questioned if reconstruction surgery would still be the best decision for Nathaniel.
Nathaniel's ENT took a few hours at crib side to talk with Rich and I this evening. She was patient. Listened well. Spoke softly. Thought hard. Presented gently. She helped make music. It is odd that beautiful things like music and symphonies is what comes to mind, because this doctor really delivered devastating news. Because of the aspirating, we may have some very hard decisions to make as parents regarding Nathaniel's airway. Decisions that might include Nathaniel keeping a tracheostomy his whole life.
Rich and I will have a lot of emotion to sort through in the future as decisions are needed. I can only assume there will be plenty of nights that we cry together about Nathaniel's conditions and suffering. But like sitting in the back row of the balcony and taking in the entire splendor of a night at the symphony, today's conversation with ENT gave a fuller understanding of Nathaniel. And that boarder perspective gave peace. Reconstructing his trachea or getting him to talk or getting him off the g-tube feedings are all good goals. Those things might happen. It will be fantastic if they do. But our original goal in adopting Nathaniel, that he be surrounded by a family and loved well through his medical conditions and suffering, can still be our most important goal.
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0.917876 |
I have started taking chromium to help control my blood sugar levels for the day. Im also hoping it will help prevent sugar cravings. Can chromium make me put on weight or will it help with control my cravings and loose weight.
Research has shown that chromium can assist with regulating your blood sugar levels and in reducing weight. So do use the chromium for at least 3 months as it can take this long for the full effect to become evident. Also don't exceed the recommended dose of 200 micrograms a day - research indicated that taking more does not improve the effect, and as chromium is one of the heavy metals, one should not take it in excess.
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0.999997 |
Computer, tell me about galaxies. High above the Earth, on board the International Space Station, astronaut Tom Andrews has just finished installing a new telescope. With the aid of his voice-activated computer assistant, Tom explores the amazing properties of spiral galaxies.
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0.995297 |
How do you find the range and interquartile range for 37, 19, 13, 11, 10?
Range is ##27## and interquartile range is ##17 1/2##.
First quartile ##Q_1## is ##((n+1)/4)^(th)=(1 1/2)^(th)## term and third quartile ##Q_3## is ##3((n+1)/4)^(th)=(4 1/2)^(th)## term.
Hence, we can take ##Q_1## as ##(10+11)/2=10 1/2## and ##Q_3## as ##(19+37)/2=28##.
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0.97099 |
Get access to World of Warcraft and all six expansions to date simply by subscribing.
World of Warcraft's seventh expansion, Battle for Azeroth, is nearly here. In addition to rolling out a big pre-patch that implements new features and sets the stage for the upcoming expansion, Blizzard has lowered the barrier of entry for players interested in just jumping in to the long-running MMO.
The publisher has announced that World of Warcraft and all of its current six expansions are now included in the game's monthly subscription fee. Previously, players had to at least purchase the base game and subscribe in order to play, but now they'll get access to all of the game's content through the 2016 Legion expansion simply by paying WoW's $15 per month subscription.
For players who have yet to take the plunge or have since fallen out of WoW but are interested in its upcoming expansion, this is a good opportunity to catch up on the game before Battle for Azeroth arrives. However, those who'd like to play the upcoming expansion will still need to purchase it when it releases. The standard edition of Battle for Azeroth costs $50, while the Digital Deluxe edition runs for $70 and includes two mounts, a pet, and WoW-themed content for other Blizzard games such as Overwatch, Hearthstone, and Heroes of the Storm.
Battle for Azeroth launches on August 14. It adds a variety of new content and areas to explore to the long-running MMO, including two continents--Kul Tiras and Zandalar--as well as several new islands. It also raises the game's level cap to 120 and introduces a number of new dungeons and raids to undertake.
Ahead of Battle for Azeroth's release, Blizzard recently rolled out a big pre-expansion patch for the game. Most notably, the patch implemented the new War Mode system, which allows players to toggle PvP on or off from Orgrimmar or Stormwind, and reworks the PvP talent system. New events have also recently kicked off and will continue until the expansion launches.
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0.941348 |
Is the exercise of a stock option reportable as compensation?
Taxpayer Says: The stock option was not transferred in connection with the performance of services. It’s not compensation and is not includable in income.
Internal Revenue Service Says: Either the stock option is compensation and includable on the individual income tax return of the taxpayer, or it is not compensation and is not deductible on the corporate tax return of the issuing company.
From Internal Revenue Code Section 83(a): When property is transferred in connection with the performance of past, present or future services, a taxpayer must include in gross income the excess of the property’s fair market value over the amount paid for the property.
From Internal Revenue Code Section 83(e)(3) and (4): In the case of options without a readily ascertainable fair market value, section 83 applies to the stock received upon exercise of the options rather than at the time of receipt.
From Federal Tax Regulation 1.83-7(b)(2)(i): If an option is not traded on an established market, the option’s value is not readily ascertainable when the option is non-transferable.
From Centel Commc’ns Co. v. Commissioner, 92 T.C. 612, 627 (1989), affd. 920 F.2d 1335 (7th Cir. 1990): Whether property was transferred in connection with the performance of services is a question of fact.
From MacNaughton v. United States, 888 F.2d 418, 421 (6th Cir. 1989); Alves v. Commissioner, 734 F.2d 478, 481-482 (9th Cir. 1984), affg. 79 T.C. 864 (1982): Property does not necessarily have to be transferred as “compensation” to trigger section 83.
From Alves v. Commissioner, 79 T.C. 864 (1982), affd. 734 F.2d 478 (9th Cir. 1984): The statute applies as long as there is some relationship between the services performed and the property transferred, even if additional reasons for the transfer (e.g., to give an employee a stake in the business) are present.
In general, when you receive property, such as stock, in exchange for services, you have income. The amount you include in income is calculated by subtracting the amount you paid (which could be zero) from the fair market value of the property you received.
The dispute in this case is whether stock was received in exchange for services.
The taxpayer was a shareholder in a family owned company. When he and his wife divorced, she claimed one-half of his shares in the company. He threatened to leave the company because of this reduction in his ownership interest. In addition to causing family strife, his leaving would have jeopardized the company’s ability to meet certain financing restrictions. To keep those events from happening, the company came up with a stock option plan.
Under the plan, the taxpayer transferred his shares to his ex-wife, subject to an option that would let him repurchase the shares for $16 million. After the transfer, the company bought the shares from the taxpayer’s ex-wife. The company added a provision to the option, giving the taxpayer the right to accept fewer shares instead of paying the $16 million.
The taxpayer exercised the revised option, paid no cash, and received the reduced number of shares. He did not include the value of the shares on his tax return, saying it was not compensation. His argument: The stock was not transferred to him in connection with the performance of services. The transfer was made to alleviate family stress and facilitate the divorce proceedings. Additionally, the option did not, in form, appear to have been granted in connection with the performance of services.
The company says the stock was transferred in connection with the taxpayer’s performance of services because the option was granted with the intention of securing his participation in day-to-day management. The taxpayer threatened to leave the company, which would have caused default of financing agreements. In addition, the option contained a provision that required written notification of a section 83(b) election. That election allows a person who performs services in connection with the transfer of property to elect to treat the property as compensation in the year it is received. If the stock transfer was not compensation, there would be no need to mention section 83(b).
The company treated the value of the shares as compensation to the taxpayer and took a tax deduction.
The IRS says this is a “whipsaw” situation because of the lopsided treatment – the taxpayer claimed no income and the company received a deduction. If exercising the option resulted in compensation, it’s reportable on the taxpayer’s return and deductible (within the limits of reasonable compensation) by the company. If the exercise of the option is not compensation, it’s not deductible to the company.
The IRS position on the taxpayer’s claim is that he received taxable income in the form of compensation from the exercise of the stock option, and he owes $13.7 million in tax.
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0.934241 |
What is ventilation and why is it important, especially in the construction of new homes?
In short, ventilation is the process of removing polluted, stale, moisture-laden indoor air and replacing it with fresh outdoor (often dryer) air. Ventilation improves air quality.
Over the past several decades there has been a trend in the residential building industry to make houses more energy efficient during construction. In fact, in the early nineties, the national building code was changed to include the requirement for a continuous air barrier (that’s essentially a big sheet of plastic) to be installed around a buildings thermal envelope. A thermal envelope is the surface between the heated and unheated spaces of a building (i.e. an exterior wall or the upper floor ceiling of a home).
There have been many advances in construction techniques to make building envelopes more airtight; however, this has been at the cost of often escalating the problem of poor air quality (polluted, stale, moisture laden air) in houses. The solution for this problem has been to install mechanical ventilation equipment in houses, in conjunction with the continuous air barrier, to simultaneously keep indoor pollutant levels down and maintain high energy efficiency.
There are several of ways to discuss and some debate regarding how much ventilation is “ideal” for a home. In residential construction, an ideal amount of ventilation has generally been accepted to be on the order of 0.3 air changes per hour. In other words, the indoor air is completely replaced with outdoor air approximately once every three hours. This level of ventilation is achieved by two types of ventilation; natural ventilation and mechanical ventilation, both of which are described below.
What is natural ventilation and how is it measured?
In spite of all the efforts to make the building envelope more air tight, some air still leaks through the building’s thermal envelope; this leakage is called natural ventilation. There are several key factors that effect natural ventilation, including how well a building’s thermal envelope was sealed during construction; stack effect (which is a pressure effect caused by temperature differences between the outside and inside of the house, and that is most pronounced in the winter); and wind. The amount of natural ventilation that occurs is completely specific to each house, and is commonly measured by completing a blower door test on a home.
The blower door test includes setting up a large fan at an exterior doorway of a home and operating the fan to depressurize the house. Depending on the air flow through the fan and pressure differences measured between the inside and outside of the house during the test, the amount of natural ventilation through the buildings thermal envelope can be calculated.
What are the different types of mechanical ventilation equipment that are available and when should they be installed?
Exhaust-only equipment includes bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans. This type of equipment is commonly installed in homes that have a forced air heating system and have natural ventilation rates of 0.2 to 0.3 air changes per hour. The installation and proper use of a principal exhaust fan, which usually doubles as a bathroom exhaust fan, is often sufficient to meet the 0.3 air changes per hour that is recommended.
A common example of supply-only equipment includes a direct connected outdoor air duct to the return air plenum of the furnace. Every time the furnace fan turns on, outside air is brought into the home. These systems tend to slightly pressurize the home and can reduce infiltration of soil gases into the home.
When blower door tests are completed on new houses with extremely well sealed thermal envelopes, and a result of less than 0.2 air changes per hour is calculated, or where there is no duct work installed in association with the heating system (i.e. electric baseboard or hydronic heating systems are installed), balanced ventilation equipment is often recommended for installation. These systems draw in fresh air from the exterior and discharge stale air from the interior in equal amounts. In order to achieve the goal of 0.3 air changes per hour, balanced ventilation equipment such as a heat recovery ventilation system (HRVS) are installed. In cases where humidity control is also a concern, energy recovery ventilation systems (ERVS) are installed.
Experiencing a home ventilation issue? Connect with Verified by eRenovate™ HVAC Contractors by using the eRenovate Post My Project tool or the eRenovate App.
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0.959383 |
Which one among the following statements is correct?
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India company’s army on 10th May, 1857, in the town of Meerut and soon escalated into other mutiny and civilian rebellion largely in the upper Genetic plain and Central India, with the major hostalities confined to present day Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Northern Madhya Pradehs and Delhi region.
‘Unhappy India’ was written by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
The Sepoy Mutiny started on 10 May 1857 and continued till 1858. Lord Canning (28 February 1856-I November 1958) was the Governor General then.
When was the University of Bombay established?
University of Bombay, now the University of Mumbai was established in 1857 after a petition from the Bombay Association to the then British government of India according to 'Wood's despatch', drafted by Sir Charles Wood in 1854. It was modelled on the universities in Great Britain, specifically University of London. The name of the University has been changed from 'University of Bombay' to 'University of Mumbai' as per a gazette of the Government of Maharashtra dated September 4, 1996.
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0.995011 |
Why is it that Manchester United in 2 of their final 3 games have completed a comeback from 2–0 down? Because they’ve the attacking ability alongside different factors to completely flip the game around. For instance, towards league leaders Manchester Metropolis, Manchester United’s 2nd half performance sturdy highlights their attacking capacity when trailing. Because at that stage of the match, Manchester United had to be more attacking of their method, this meant that they had more gamers going forward and creating possibilities, as seen with Paul Pogba’s 2 goals. Typically in football, it’s not just motivation & willpower but additionally possessing attacking talent.
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0.999266 |
Does working out ruin your frugal living lifestyle? Like you have to buy certain types of food to maintain energy etc?
I work out regularly. I own a small set of cast iron weights.
No reason to eat anything different than usual. Exercise actually tends to improve energy level. If you are doing lots of serious endurance stuff (I used to ride 250 miles a week, back in my 20s) you will want and need more carbohydrates, which your body will tell you.
No matter your level of exercise intensity, you should not try to save money by eating crummy food. The last place to cut back is on the quality of your food. I don't mean expensive prepared stuff or restaurant meals, I mean high quality fresh fruits and vegetables, a small amount of high quality meat (if you're not vegetarian), and high quality breads, pastas, etc.
If people are the sort to work out, they are going to work out whether or not they are frugal. They might find a way to get identical workout without paying thousands to belong to the local country club.
Many frugal people are pinching pennies so that they can buy the best quality food for their family, and often get it for a lower price than the non-frugal pay.
Eating cheap crappy food is not frugal. That can lead to very expensive doctor's visits.
Not working out is not frugal either, for the same reason.
My monthly gym fees are worth every penny.
Don't need to pay a gym fee to work out. Just need some weights, something for aerobic exercise when the weather is bad (I use my bike on a stand), and a bench you can put together yourself from 1 x 8s and brackets. If you added some rubber surgical tubing you could probably do all the rest of the exercises.
Or, alternately, you could build actual useful muscles as opposed to the pretty but nonfunctional ones, by doing actual work (splitting logs, tilling the garden by hand, using a push mower, etc.
I have seen plenty of gym rats, lookin' great, be outworked easily once they get out in the hot sun next to a middle aged guy with a bit of a gut.
You don't need special food or supplements to be in good shape and work out. It's just marketing aimed at making your wallet lighter. I don't need a gym either. Outside is free and I do own a rowing machine I can use in the house as well.
My workout for today will be bathing 3 big dogs and moving a couple tons of small rocks in the yard. And that's plenty!
Yea I workout and I pay extra money for "healthier food" even thought I am naturally frugal but at this stage in life my health and weight loss journey is more important.
I do brisk walking and some weight lifting. Both cost very little.
As far as food goes, eat less red meat and more fish, poultry, fruits and vegetables and you're good to go.
I refuse to pay for a gym membership. But I try to eat decent quality food, and I ride the exercise bike at home, walk most days over my lunch, and am a member of some hiking clubs.
At $20 per month saved, for more than 20 years -- it starts to add up after a while.
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0.999984 |
Dr Heinz Freisling, lead study author and scientist at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC-WHO), said: "Our findings show that both BMI and where body fat is carried on the body can be good indicators of obesity-related cancer risk. Specifically, fat carried around the waist may be important for certain cancers, but requires further investigation."
"To better reflect the underlying biology at play, we think it's important to study more than just BMI when looking at cancer risk. And our research adds further understanding to how people's body shape could increase their risk."
Dr Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK's head of health information, said: "This study further highlights that however you measure it, being overweight or obese can increase the risk of developing certain cancers, including breast and bowel.
"It's important that people are informed about ways to reduce their risk of cancer. And while there are no guarantees against the disease, keeping a healthy weight can help you stack the odds in your favour and has lots of other benefits too. Making small changes in eating, drinking and keeping physically active that you can stick with in the long term can help you get to a healthy weight - and stay there."
Article: Comparison of general obesity and measures of body fat distribution in older adults in relation to cancer risk: meta-analysis of individual participant data of seven prospective cohorts in Europe, Heinz Freisling et al., British Journal of Cancer, doi: 10.1038/bjc.2017.106, published online 25 April 2017.
1. This included people diagnosed with: postmenopausal female breast, colorectal, lower oesophagus, upper stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreatic, womb, ovary, and kidney.
2.The study presents obesity-related cancer risk as the change in risk per standardised unit (standard deviation) in BMI or waist circumference, which allows direct comparisons between these obesity-related cancer risk estimates. Cancer Research UK have used the population estimates of actual BMI and waist circumference presented in the paper to approximate how these changes in obesity-related cancer risk translate to actual BMI and waist circumference.
3. Body mass index is calculated with the weight and height of an individual and expressed in units of kg/m2. Healthy weight: 18.5 to 24.9, overweight: 25 to 29.9, obese: over 30.
UK, Cancer Research. "Where body fat is carried can predict cancer risk." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 24 May. 2017. Web.
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To meet Nukapedia's quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. Please help by improving the article.
The Slog is a location and potential settlement in the Commonwealth in 2287.
Before the Great War, the Slog was a public outdoor swimming pool and recreation area.
Following the exile of all ghouls by order of Mayor McDonough, one former resident, Wiseman, instead of heading to Goodneighbor with the majority of the ghoul populace, decided to found a settlement that would act as a safe haven for persecuted ghouls. Founding the community in the abandoned swimming pool, Wiseman and a group of former Diamond City ghouls began to produce tarberries by utilizing the swimming pool for farming. As word spread about the settlement, various pre-War ghouls began taking up residence within the establishment, including famous inventor Arlen Glass.
As the community grew, the settlement was still without a name. When a trader decided to take refuge there following a long journey, they described the trip as a "slog," but still thought the entire trek was worth the effort. Upon the eventual departure of the trader, Wiseman decided to name his small residency "The Slog," a metaphor to describe how living at the settlement would always be a challenge, but the endeavor would be worth it in the end.
The Slog eventually became one of the sole producers of tarberries in the Commonwealth. Due to the good reputation this garnered, Wiseman decided that maybe his community could become more than just a refuge for outcast ghouls. He believed it could become an example of how cooperation and an interest towards a common goal can achieve great things, and help ameliorate the misconceptions about and alienation of ghouls around the Commonwealth.
The concrete building consists of a main room with two entrances, as well as two parallel shower rooms containing several beds and chairs on either side of the entrance. The ghoul inhabitants grow tarberries in the swimming pool outside, along with a cornfield nearby where the workers produce their own food. A children's playground is located beyond a fence near the settlement.
Snack bar note - On the counter inside the Advanced locked snack bar in the northeast.
Giddyup 'n Go - Arlen Glass offers a quest to retrieve some toy parts from the Wilson Atomatoys factory in exchange for caps.
Holly - Arlen Glass can be given Marlene's holotape, a pre-War recording of his daughter and his wife who both died when the bombs hit more than two centuries ago. It can be found in Wilson Atomatoys Corporate HQ on his terminal from before the war.
The Slog is the only location in Fallout 4 where tarberries are being cultivated.
Even though the Slog is a ghoul-only settlement, Wiseman will sometimes assign the Ghoul Problem quest, due to them causing problems with traders.
Despite all the settlers being ghouls, and thus immune to the harmful effects of radiation, the Slog still requires purified water sources like any other settlement.
Despite being a fairly small and shallow body of water, the swimming pool where the tarberries are being cultivated can support water purifiers up to industrial scale.
Arlen Glass is not counted in the settlement's population count.
Because the Saugus Ironworks factory is very close to this settlement, fast traveling here can sometimes cause the Forged to start attacking your settlers and vice versa. If you place turrets on an elevated platform on the south end of town, they can also open fire on the Forged bandits who wander too close to your town.
If a fight is triggered between the settlers and the Forged in Saugus Ironworks, Gunners in Hub City Auto Wreckers may also pick the fight if either settlers or Forged get too close, especially from the elevated bridge, where lies a Gunner commander and some other low-level Gunners. This could result in a large scale, and very hard to control, battle between the three parties.
During settlement attacks, enemies forces may attempt to reach the Slog by passing through Saugus Ironworks, resulting in a fight between them and the Forged.
The bridge immediately southeast of the Slog is a random encounter location; random encounter characters may spawn on the bridge and may be drawn into combat with either the Slog inhabitants or the nearby Forged at Saugus Ironworks.
Dierdre tends to bug as a vendor after the first time she is traded with. She will show no caps, and no inventory, and the player character will also show no inventory to trade.
There will most likely be a leveled deathclaw across the river lying down.
The bodies of the ghoul settlers and Arlen will not disappear if they are killed.
The Slog only appears in Fallout 4.
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0.972816 |
What are all these dates? Official calendar holidays in the United States. Each one is a special commemorative day for some individual or group of Americans to remember their contributions, life, and legacy. Every so often, someone wants to come up with another holiday, adding another person to the list; Reagan day, Kennedy day, etc.
We've already condensed Washington and Lincoln birthdays into one day: President's day. I think we should extend that to all the different days. Instead of adding a day every time someone really popular or significant dies, we should collapse them all into Americans Day. Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, whoever, just set up a single day to remember them all. Sure that might mean fewer mandatory days off for banks, mailmen, and federal workers, but I'm sure they could work that out.
It just seems foolish to keep adding more and more people into the list. Even the Roman Catholic Church had to thin out their list of saints. They had so many saints that several days had multiple saints connected with them. Some saints were decided to not be that saintly after all (st Christopher got the boot, for example). So they cut back. If we keep going the way we are now, America will some day end up the same way.
That way, the process of giving someone a holiday wouldn't have to be as contentious and difficult a process; if there's one day, nobody is getting extra time off. Just add them to the list; hello Babe Ruth day, hello Elvis day, hello George Washington Carver day. If some guy gets added that shouldn't be in your opinion (say, Cesar Chavez or Abraham Lincoln) you can just ignore them, and consider the rest. Or, like most people, just take the day off and ignore the significance of it.
Even days like Memorial day could be added into this list, or Grandparent's day, or Secretary's day.
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0.999999 |
Five bridesmaids threw a shower for their bride. Each brought a gift and made a favorite food of the bride. They all arrived at different times, and during the wedding each was wearing a different color of her choice. Determine the gift and food each bridesmaid brought, the time she arrived, and what color she chose for her dress.
1. The bridesmaid with the painting had trouble getting it in her car, and the bridesmaid with the potato salad got lost on the way, so they were the last two to arrive.
2. Amanda hated the color green and potato salad.
3. Kourtney and Selena did not wear the blue dress and did not bring the turkey sandwiches.
4. Stacie arrived before the bridesmaid with the painting, but after the bridesmaid who brought the sheets, and the bridesmaid who made the cheese dip.
5. The bridesmaid with a blue dress arrived 10 minutes before the bridesmaid who brought the sandwiches.
6. The bridesmaid with the veggie tray arrived 25 minutes after the bridesmaid who brought flatware, but before the bridesmaid who would be wearing a blue dress.
7. The five bridesmaids arrived in the following order: The one who baked the cake, Amanda, the one who would be wearing a yellow dress, the one with a toaster for a gift, and the one who arrived last.
8. Selena brought a cake with green frosting, the same color as her dress.
9. Amanda brought pink sheets as a gift to the bride, but she did not like pink for herself.
There are two villages separated with a river. Each day, four people cross the river through a bridge to work on the other side and earn for their families. On one night when they were returning from work, they noticed that the bridge was about to collapse. Now all of them wanted to cross the bridge before it collapsed as no one wanted to be stuck on that end without their families.
They had just one torch with them and since it was the night time, they could not see without it. The bridge had become weak and it could only accommodate two people at a time. It was going to collapse in just 17 minutes.
The four people took different times to cross the bridge. First one took only a minute, second one took 2 minutes, third one took 5 minutes and the last one took 10 minutes.
How would all of them have managed to cross the bridge in time?
Let us denote the four people with A, B, C and D.
A takes 1 minute to cross, B takes 2, C takes 5 and D takes 10.
A and B cross first spending 2 minutes.
A comes back with torch taking 1 minute.
C and D cross taking 10 minutes.
B comes back with torch taking 2 minutes.
Finally, A and B cross the bridge taking 2 minutes.
Thus, this is the way they all managed to cross that bridge that night.
There is a small town on the East Coast that has 2 barbershops each with a single barber, and on opposite sides of town. The barbershop in the good part of town is immaculate. The floors and windows are washed and the air is fresh. The barber is very friendly, always smiling, he has shined shoes, a nice head of hair, and a clean dress shirt. The barbershop in the bad part of town is a mess. The entire barbershop is covered with a layer of dirt, and the air smells of trash. The barber always has a frown on his face. His skin is oily, his hair is ragged, and there are always stains visible on his shirt.
The clean-cut barber must have his hair cut by the dirty barber and the dirty barber by the clean-cut barber. So its obvious that the dirty barber gives a better haircut.
None! He doesn't own a PLUM tree... he owns a PEAR trear!
Can you come up with a cool, funny or clever Big Riddles of your own? Post it below (without the answer) to see if you can stump our users.
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0.999989 |
想先請問作者文中的"西方國家"究竟是指哪國? 還是西方國家可以統稱為一個國家來論述? 今天是件發生在法國, 光是法國與他隔壁兩個鄰居(西班牙, 德國)的國情民情就有很大的不同了, 要怎麼一言必之? 還有你所認知的西方國家定義的言論自由就等於法國定義的言論自由嗎?
關於移民問題, 請你試著去調查歐洲國家對移民政策的寬鬆度, 我可以直接跟你說法國絕對世寬鬆度榜上有名的國家, 而且福利政策是一視同仁, 連沒有繳稅外國學生都可以申請住房補助, 繳跟本國人一樣的低廉學費(在英美澳外國學生要繳本國學生3-4倍的學費), 法國是法律規定不能有一夫多妻的國家, 但也是有移民帶著一家10口不只一妻這樣搬去基本上在啃補助的, 法國也是爭一隻眼閉一隻眼, 更不用說那些以露營車集體行動占地為王吉普賽人, 基於人道立場政府基本上沒有強制驅離過, 這樣是壓榨移民?
最後事件的主角查理周報, 該報並不是針對伊斯蘭教跟穆斯林, 也不是針對宗教, 他針對的是"時事"! 法國的政治圈媒體圈宗教圈都被嘲諷過, 報社也被告過恐嚇過無數次, 但就像主編charb說的, 他寧願站著死也不要跪著活, 他說選擇用幽默的方式點出該被正視及思考的問題, 因為他記不是記者也不是評論家, 如果你看得懂他的漫畫你就會發現這些人真的很厲害, 不只點出問題, 且用幽默的方式呈現, 不過"幽默"這東西是很主觀的, 他受到教育文化及個人經歷的影響, 主編覺得幽默並不代表所有人都覺得幽默, 這也就是為什麼查理周報在法國並不是個人人為之風靡的報紙, 甚至數次面臨倒閉的命運, 你可以選擇拒買, 抗議, 或控告他, 但沒有資格殺光全報社的的人, 可蘭經也明確指出阿拉並沒有授予任何人殺人的權力, 所以也沒有任何人應該被殺!
On Wednesday's Daily Show, Jon Stewart tackled France's free-speech balancing act following last week's attacks in Paris with the arrest Wednesday of controversial anti-Semitic comedian Dieudonné M'bala M'bala for sympathizing with one of the gunmen on Facebook.
"Arresting someone for saying something days after a rally supporting the right of free expression," Stewart said. "It's a little weird!"
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0.999972 |
The tables below provide an overview of Gimnasia stats and form this season in Argentina Primera Division.
Gimnasia have conceded an average of 1.28 goals per game since the beginning of the season. The team's average number of goals conceded per game in the last 8 matches is 0.88, which is 31.3% lower than their current season's average.
1-0 D. Cvitanich (11) pen.
2-0 L. Díaz (14) pen.
4-1 M. Matos (54) pen.
1-0 J. Sand (36) pen.
Matches played at home have accounted for 79% of Gimnasia's total points and 71% of the goals they have scored so far this season in Argentina - Primera Division.
Gimnasia have scored an average of 0.84 goals per match so far this season, which is lower than the average number of 1.11 goals scored by each team per match this season in the league, all teams combined in Argentina - Primera Division.
A majority of Gimnasia's wins have been obtained with a 1-goal margin (6 wins), while 2 of their wins had a margin of 2 goals or more.
A majority of Gimnasia's defeats had a margin of 2 goals or more (7 defeats), while 5 of their defeats had a 1-goal margin.
In this example, Gimnasia have been in the lead for an average duration of 17.1 minutes per match (based on a 90-minute match duration), which is lower than the average duration of 28.1 minutes per match during which their opponents were in the lead in those matches.
Gimnasia have taken the lead 12 times and have conceded an equalizer on 4 occasions, corresponding to a lead-defending rate of 67% (for an opponents' equalizing rate of 33%).
Of the 15 times that Gimnasia's opponents have taken the lead, Gimnasia have managed to score an equalizer on 3 occasions, corresponding to an equalizing rate of 20%.
In this example, Gimnasia have been in the lead for an average duration of 25.2 minutes per match played at home (based on a 90-minute match duration), which is longer than the average duration of 17.0 minutes per match during which their opponents were in the lead in those matches.
In home matches, Gimnasia have taken the lead 9 times and have conceded an equalizer on 2 occasions, corresponding to a home lead-defending rate of 78% (for an opponents' equalizing rate of 22%).
Of the 7 times that Gimnasia's opponents have taken the lead when Gimnasia were playing at home, Gimnasia have managed to score an equalizer on 3 occasions, corresponding to a home equalizing rate of 43%.
In this example, Gimnasia have been in the lead for an average duration of 8.3 minutes per match played away (based on a 90-minute match duration), which is lower than the average duration of 40.2 minutes per match during which their opponents were in the lead in those matches.
In away matches, Gimnasia have taken the lead 3 times and have conceded an equalizer on 2 occasions, corresponding to an away lead-defending rate of 33% (for an opponents' equalizing rate of 67%).
Of the 8 times that Gimnasia's opponents have taken the lead when Gimnasia were playing away, Gimnasia have managed to score an equalizer on 0 occasions, corresponding to an away equalizing rate of 0%.
72% of Gimnasia's matches had under 2.5 goals in total. 79% of Gimnasia's points have been earned at home. Gimnasia have scored 71% of their goals at home. Gimnasia have lost 67% of their away matches. Gimnasia have failed to win in their last 9 away matches.
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Can I help you make better food choices from Fast Food Restaurants?
Here is a list of foods served in fast food restaurants with High Fructose Corn Syrup as part of their ingredients list. I personally refer to most of these foods as Frankenfoods.
What are Frankenfoods? Definition: "food" which is derived from genetically modified organisms(GMO) plants and animals. There is a strong concern that foods produced through this technique DOES pose a danger to human health and the environment.
This list is not complete - or - meant to be an indictment of HFCS. We'll wait until more tests have been announced to make our determination on the guilt or lack thereof of HFCS on obesity and other health issues.
How Does High Fructose Corn Syrup Damage Your Body?
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So, my one year blogging birthday came around on October 8. And due to a family emergency and my laziness, I kind of just did nothing to celebrate...... Well, now I'm going to celebrate!
Last year, I decided I needed a better tracking system for the books I was reading. I also wanted a way to remember if I liked the book or not. And that's how this blog started. While my reviews aren't the best, they're definitely better than they were before. I'm one who likes shorter reviews because I tend to read the first and last sentence of most reviews. So I aim for short and simple (although that's not always the case).
For the next year, I'm not planning anything too grand. I'm hoping to have my blog redesigned by a professional instead of just silly-old-me. And I'm hoping to find more time for reading. At the beginning of the year, I was reviewing two to three books a week. Now, I'm lucky to get in just one book. But that's okay because I am blogging for myself not others. If others happen to like it, then I've found some friends.
Now onto the good part: the giveaway!
There will be 2 winners who will win a book of choice. This book of choice has a $15 dollar limit (although I am flexible if the book you really want is barely over) and will be purchased from Amazon or Book Depository (depending on the cheapest option).
Giveaway ends on Saturday, December 29.
Leave a comment on this post. Answer the following question: What kind of posts do you like to read on book blogs?
I like seeing reviews of "older" books that the blogger loved in the past and is rediscovering now--or "retro" reads that the blogger is discovering for the first time. (Classics, too! Why not?) That is, I'm tired of yet another review of the same book everyone else has been reading just because it happens to be "hot." I hope this helps!
Happly Blogoversary! And thanks for the giveaway!
or those posts about the most beautiful covers or best characters !
I love all sorts of posts. I liek reviews. cover reveals. comparisons, author interviews and i also like random blogger thoughts on everyday things.
I like to read reviews and author interviews the most!
Book haul/In My Mailbox and Teasers are my favorites !
Giveaways and reviews on books that other blogs aren't talking about.
I also wish more book blogs covered graphic novels.
I most like to read honest reviews and about uupcoming book releases!
I like to read posts about new and upcoming releases, books to movies news, posts about news about my favorite authors. I also like reading graphic novels and manga reviews, I wish there were more blogs that post about them.
I love seeing reviews on upcoming books, especially books that I plan on reading, and seeing new releases and cover reveals!
I like reading reviews. Thanks for the giveaway!
Book reviews and lists of upcoming titles.
I like book lists. Like Best Books of the Month or Best Paranormal Books of this Year. Really helpful for someone who is book hunting.
Cover wars. like, try, why post. top 10 books.
I really love blogger book hauls. I do get jealous but still learn about great books.
Reviews and Teaser Tuesdays! I'm always looking for new book ideas!
Cover wars, teasers, reviews and author interviews!!
I recently say a few bloggers doing this "if you like this, try this" after their reviews and recommending similar books.
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Non-profit entities pursue a fundamentally different mission than their for-profit relatives, which is characterized as a providing a socially beneficial service to society. There are no shareholders and any surplus in funding must be reinvested into the organization’s core mission. Despite these traits, it is still crucial for non-profits to maintain highly controlled accounting policies and ensure that safe financial management policies are followed at all times. The following essay will compare and contrast the effects of the following topics on nonprofit organizations: ethics, capital budgeting, strategic planning, financial ratios, EFN, and cash flow statements. As an example, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) will be used to demonstrate the importance of financial topics for a well-known non-profit organization.
The primary purpose of a non-profit organization is to provide a beneficial service to society. In order to achieve a socially responsible goal, it is crucial that the organization places a high importance on the topic of ethics. In many cases, non-profits receive a large portion of their financing from 3rd party donors that wish to support the organization’s mission. Managers of the organization have the responsibility to ensure that donations are used in a highly ethical manner. The mission of the ASPCA is stated as “to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States” (ASPCA 2014). The organization leaders are obligated to use donated funds to support this mission the most effective way possible. Using this funding for excessive management salaries or unnecessary discretionary projects would be a violation of accepted ethical standards. Following high ethical standards is of utmost importance in a non-profit because the mission is often centered on making social progress.
Both nonprofits and for-profit firms can take a similar approach to capital budgeting. They each use measurements like NPV, IRR, and discounted cash flow to measure the viability of a certain project. However, nonprofits have the luxury of being able to select projects with lower returns because they do not need to generate returns for shareholders. They also receive preferential tax breaks and special debt financing programs that significantly reduce the weighted average cost of capital. Another key difference in capital budgeting for nonprofit firms is restricted assets. Donors have the ability to place contractual restrictions on the use of certain assets to ensure they are used for the intended project. For example, a donor may provide $1 million for the construction of a new ASPCA facility, but restricts this donation to solely this project. This will provide the nonprofit with additional cash, but it must receive special accounting treatment and could change capital budgeting outcomes.
Nonprofits must contend with a variety of risks and environmental factors that could affect their pursuit of the stated purpose. Unlike for-profit firms, a strategic goal will never be related to profit maximization. Instead, a nonprofit is likely to pursue strategic goals related to the growth of donations, human resources, asset acquisitions, etc. In order to plan for these goals, it is common for nonprofits to use tools like a SWOTT analysis or balanced scorecard (Friskics 2011). The ASPCA could use these tactics to identify its strengths and weaknesses to develop strategies that complement its mission. If the organization experiences a trend of declining donations, it may be financially beneficial to spend on television advertisements that inspire new donors to participate. Overall, the use of the strategic planning tools can be applied to nonprofits with equal effectiveness to that of for-profit firms.
Financial ratios play an important role in the financial management tactics of nonprofits, which must remain solvent and financially viable to pursue their goals. Perhaps the most important financial ratios are those dealing with liquidity and cash flow. If a non-profit is unable to maintain positive working capital, meaning current assets exceeding current liabilities, it runs the risk of becoming insolvent. Nonprofits in this situation may be forced close their doors and liquidate assets to pay creditors. Monitoring the current ratio and acid test ratio can help organizations determine their relative liquidity and risk of becoming insolvent. An important difference, however, is that restricted assets must be treated differently. Having a large amount of restricted cash will not necessarily be able to save an organization from liquidity issues. “The stronger the restrictions on a grant, or the greater the fixity of assets acquired with that grant or loan, the higher the risk to the organization” (Miller 2003). Having a larger amount of restricted assets on the books presents a higher risk to potential donors and lenders.
Operational costs can eat away at the assets of a nonprofit firm, which requires the use of external financing to continue working towards the primary mission. The ASPCA has a great deal of overhead to run the facilities that provide services to prevent the suffering of animals. Debt financing can be used to ensure that these facilities remain operational even during times of lower cash flow. Nonprofits can look at total receipts from operations and total donations to determine cash inflow. This amount can be compared to the growth in assets and liabilities on the statement if financial position to calculate the need for external financing. In the context of nonprofits, debt financing is usually not ideal because donated funds do not require repayment of any financial return. Therefore, debt financing is typically used as a safety net to ensure working capital needs are covered.
Positive cash flow is essential for the long-term survival of a nonprofit organization. This becomes especially true where there are significant overhead costs to cover each period; such is the case with the ASPCA. The purpose of the statement of cash flow is to show which activities are producing cash inflows and cash outflows. This gives managers an effective tool to determine the most effective ways to limit cash expenditures and grow cash receipts. In addition, it allows donors to see how the organization’s cash is being managed and decided if it is acceptable based on their personal standards. For example, some ASCPA donors may want to see their donations being used on marketing and promotion, while other donors may want to see cash being used to create new facilities for housing orphaned animals. Any perceived cash flow imbalances can be used as a decision making tool for users of financial statements. Although it is not required by law to be released publically, many non-profits voluntarily cash flow statements to the general public.
In the big picture, nonprofits face very similar financial issues to for-profit companies. Both types of entities must set high ethical standards, maintain positive cash flow, and engage in strategic planning. The key difference is that the primary stakeholders have contrasting requirements. For-profit firms are required to generate financial returns for owners, while non-profits are required to pursue their stated purpose and effectively manage donated funds. The ASCPA highlights these differences by working towards a mission that is not profit-driven, but rather driven by the social demands of society. In summary, the nonprofits serve an important role in American society by working to improve many underserved community issues.
ASPCA. (2014). ASPCA Policy and Position Statements.
Friskics, K. (2011). SWOT Analysis of Friends of the Orphans.
Miller, M. (2003) Hidden in Plain Sight: Understanding Nonprofit Capital Structure.
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Why started in certain places: In this article, we have tried to answer: Why did the ancient India civilization start in certain places? What was its significance?
The Indus Valley Civilization or IVC as it is commonly referred to as an ancient civilization thriving along the lower Indus River and the Ghaggar River-Hakra River which is in the present day and western India from the 28th century B.C.E. to the 18th century B.C.E.
Another name for this civilization is the Harappan Civilization of the Indus Valley, in reference to its first excavated city of Harappa.
The Indus Valley Civilization stands as one of the great early civilizations, alongside ancient Egypt and Sumerian Civilization, as a place where human settlements organized into cities, invented a system of writing and supported an advanced culture.
Hinduism and the culture of the Indian people can be regarded as having roots in the life and practices of this civilization. This was a flourishing culture, with artistic and technological development, and no sign of slavery or exploitation of people. The civilization appears to have been stable and its demise was probably due to climatic change.
The Indus civilization was predated by the first farming cultures in South Asia, which emerged in the hills of what is now called Balochistan, Pakistan, to the west of the Indus Valley. The best-known site of this culture is Mehrgarh, established around the 7th century B.C.E. to be precise 6500B.C.E. These early farmers domesticated wheat and a variety of animals, including cattle.
Pottery was in use by around sixth millennium B.C.E. around 5500 B.C.E. The Indus civilization grew out of this culture’s technological base, as well as its geographic expansion into the alluvial plains of what are now the provinces of Sindh and Punjab in contemporary Pakistan.
By 4000 B.C.E., a distinctive, regional culture, called pre-Harappan, had emerged in this area. Trade networks linked this culture with related regional cultures and distant sources of raw materials, including lapis lazuli and other materials for bead-making.
Villagers had, by this time, domesticated numerous crops, including peas, sesame seeds, dates, and cotton, as well as a wide range of domestic animals, including the water buffalo, an animal that remains essential to intensive agricultural production throughout Asia today.
Indus Valley was discovered in 1920 by R.D. Banerjee. By the 26th century B.C.E., some pre-Harappan settlements grew into cities containing thousands of people who were not primarily engaged in agriculture.
Subsequently, a unified culture emerged throughout the area, bringing into conformity settlements that were separated by as much as 1,000 km and muting regional differences. So sudden was this culture’s emergence that early scholars thought that it must have resulted from external conquest or human migration.
Yet archaeologists have demonstrated that this culture did, in fact, arise from its pre-Harappan predecessor. The culture’s sudden appearance appears to have been the result of planned, deliberate effort.
Like for instance, some settlements appear to have been deliberately rearranged to conform to a conscious, well-developed plan. For this reason, the Indus civilization is recognized to be the first to develop urban planning.
One of the scholars, Dr. Var’s work is extremely significant since it challenges the idea that the Indus Valley Civilization was pre-Aryan and that the Aryans invaded or migrated from the European zone.
In the view of some Indian historians, such as N.S. Rajaram, no such invasion took place and the Aryans were indigenous to India.
This alternative view to the “Aryan invasion” theory has been called the “cultural transformation hypothesis.” The distinction and idea of mutual antipathy between the darker-skinned Dravidians and the lighter-skinned Aryans were, according to Rajaram, a European invention to help legitimate their own rule, since they too were Aryans.
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: : What does "I should be so lucky" mean ? Could you please give me examples of situation when you could use this phrase. Thanks.
: My next door neighbor just won a million dollars in Lotto.
: I should be so lucky.
Can also be rueful or sardonic, ir express chagrin. "Hey, you look different. Did you lose some weight?" "I should be so lucky!" Or: "I haven't seen your ex-wife lately. Did she leave town?" "I should be so lucky." Or: "Was that you I saw out with that hot new chick from the office?" "I should be so lucky." Or: "Hey, you look pretty gloomy. In fact, you look as though you had recently died." "I should be so lucky."
The expression means, more or less sarcastically: "As though I could be that lucky! But obviously I can't."
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GNUsocial is the most demanding services I run, by far. The strain on the database from all of the different GNUsocial, Friendica, etc. instances retrieving their subscribed users' feeds is more than I anticipated. Luckily, this story has a happy ending!
TL;DR: Install php5-memcached and memcached, enjoy fame and fortune.
For months, resource usage on my VPS has been creeping up. This month it finally broke 100%, or one whole CPU busy on average, which was a little scary. There are people (including myself) who depend on my VPS for their business, and that meant something needed to be done.
I scheduled an upgrade of GNUsocial, and started looking into possible solutions. Since the load was mostly DB-related, I started cleaning out old subscriptions (more on that later), and looked into caching. A cached query is one less query, right?
I'd heard about memcache, but never used it. A quick install later, and it was running (woo Debian). I learned that there are two PHP libraries for memcache; the "php5-memcache" library and "php5-memcached", which uses an external library and is generally preferred on unix-y systems.
I enabled the memcached plugin, installed php5-memcached, restarted php-fpm, and found that things were running much faster! Overjoyed, I posted a notice that maintenance was complete, and refreshed my timeline... which did not refresh. It seems like the memcached froze my timeline, which was not ideal.
I enabled the memcache plugin, and it caused an infinite loop of redirects. Also not the greatest.
After a check this morning, my CPU usage is hovering around 30%. Apparently, if you have a memcache server running, GNUsocial just uses it! Fantastic!
I'll be monitoring it closely for the next few days, but I think that has solved my performance issues. Thanks, GNUsocial!
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This is an ever-changing world and there are many things in it that we would like to protect our children from. The last thing any parent wants to see is their child violated, hurt or in pain.
As parents, we do our best to provide our children with safety equipment, expose them to lessons that will give them the tools to protect themselves and be there for them when they need us. Unfortunately, we cannot be with our children 24-7, especially as they grow and venture into the world towards independence.
Despite our role as protector, we can only control so much of what will happen to our children BUT we can equip them with the most powerful weapon of all - knowledge and information.
A parent's worst nightmares are many and having your child fall victim to sexual abuse is maybe one of the worst among them. Is it possible to make a child abuse-proof and resistant to the enticements of a perpetrator?
In addition to all the quick and easy stranger danger tips and the important information found in books and on websites - the message that their body belongs to them, encouraging them never to keep secrets, telling them to say NO - what more can a parent do?
There is a lot a parent can do in order to protect their children from this heinous crime even if a child is on the Autism spectrum and they can begin at a very early age. True protection goes beyond telling your socially challenged child not to talk to strangers - true protection lies in creating a child that is internally resistant, a child whose inner strength will make them less vulnerable to the crafty approaches of a child molester.
1 - Strive to enhance your child's assertiveness skills: Learning how to be appropriately assertive rather than aggressive or passive is one of the best gifts we can give our children. Individuals who seek out children for their own distorted purposes are counting on them to be passive and will not spend time grooming a child who is likely to speak up for herself. We can begin this process at the early age of two or before when our little cherubs take their first step towards assertion by discovering the word "no". This simple word contains much power and could be the one thing that keeps them safe.
Simply encouraging your child to look at the color of a person's eyes when talking to them will make them appear confident and self-assured. This may be a difficult task for most kids with Autism but it is doable if practiced persistently. The trick is to teach your child the right balance between assertiveness and aggression and still remain respectful. This is why good social skill training is important.
2 - Help your child acquire a capable sense of self. Children who appear capable are less likely to be targeted by individuals who prey upon children. These individuals are searching for those who are vulnerable, those who seem helpless. Helping your child become independent is your job and the sooner you nurture appropriate independence the better.
As you teach your children to do things for themselves rather than do it for them, their confidence grows. Don't ever hesitate to help your child learn and master a new task if you think they are ready because the feeling of "I can do it myself" is powerful and will serve as one more layer of protection from the hands of a perpetrator.
3 - Make sure your child knows what a healthy relationship is: Your child must have an accurate sense of what constitutes a healthy relationship in order to have proper instinctual knowledge - a gut feeling - of what is normal. Perpetrators spend a lot of their time trying to convince their intended victim that "this is what people do when they care about each another". Their success lies in their attempts to normalize the invasive behaviors they use to set up their potential victims.
Be very specific and make sure your child knows that a healthy relationship does NOT require keeping secrets, uncomfortable touches and insidious remarks. This will ensure that these messages fall on deaf ears. They will know that "normal" does not mean constant enticement with gifts, atypical attention, special favors or uninvited physical contact.
Your job must go beyond role modeling healthy relationships to talking about it with your children, honestly, specifically and often, until they fly from your nest. When your children are grounded in what a healthy relationship looks like, sounds like and feels like, you are not only providing them with strong armor that will shield them from possible harm but important knowledge that will reap many positive benefits in all aspects of their life for years to come.
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Is it a minivan or a sport-utility vehicle? Chrysler calls the crossover Pacificaa "sport-tourer," and while it's not particularly sporty to drive, it does offer minivan features in a sleeker-looking package with a car-like ride height. Its six-passenger seating includes back rows that can fold flat or be removed to expand cargo capabilities. The Pacificacomes powered by a 250-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 engine that drives either the front or all four wheels via a four-speed Autostick automatic transmission. Side-curtain head airbags that cover all three rows of seating, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, and traction control are all standard, along with power adjustable pedals, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a tire pressure monitor. Few changes are in the works for 2005.
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Minecraft is a sandbox video game originally created by Swedish programmer Markus "Notch" Persson and later developed and published by Mojang. The creative and building aspects of Minecraft enable players to build constructions out of textured cubes in a 3D procedurally generated world. Other activities in the game include exploration, resource gathering, crafting, and combat. Multiple gameplay modes are available, including survival mode where the player must acquire resources to build the world and maintain health, a creative mode where players have unlimited resources to build with and the ability to fly, an adventure mode where players play custom maps created by other players, and a spectator mode where players can fly around and clip through blocks, but cannot place or destroy any. The PC version of the game is renowned for its third-party mods, which add various new items, characters, worlds, and quests to the game.
Here are current specs for pre-built machines capable of handling Minecraft.
Ready-to-Order Smartphones Meeting these Specs Prices range from ∼ US$625 to US$1004, accessories included.
The following Smartphones meet the minimal system requirements set by Minecraft's developers. So it should run the game, but you might need to lower visual quality for an enjoyable experience.
Offering impressive performance, the iPhone 8 is a great choice if you run a lot of apps of your phone and enjoy having a lot of accessorizing options.
With nearly all the bells and whistles and an outstanding camera, the Galaxy S9 embodies the best one can expect from an Android smartphone in 2018.
The results above are the 9 systems offering the best bang-for-the-buck among the cheapest catalogued systems capable of running Minecraft at the specified level of performance or better.
Know someone on the market for a Minecraft machine?
The systems above meet Minecraft's minimum requirements. It might run a little slow in some areas, and you might need to disable or lower some options for an enjoyable experience.
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I would like to receive email from AdelaideX and learn about other offerings related to Computational Thinking and Big Data.
Identify the components of RStudio; Identify the subjects and types of variables in R; Summarise and visualise univariate data, including histograms and box plots.
Produce plots in ggplot2 in R to illustrate the relationship between pairs of variables; Understand which type of plot to use for different variables; Identify methods to deal with large datasets.
Organise different data types, including strings, dates and times; Filter subjects in a data frame, select individual variables, group data by variables and calculate summary statistics; Join separate dataframes into a single dataframe; Learn how to implement these methods in mapReduce.
Transform data so that it is more appropriate for modelling; Use various methods to transform variables, including q-q plots and Box-Cox transformation, so that they are distributed normally Reduce the number of variables using PCA; Learn how to implement these techniques into modelling data with linear models.
Estimate model parameters, both point and interval estimates; Differentiate between the statistical concepts or parameters and statistics; Use statistical summaries to infer population characteristics; Utilise strings; Learn about k-mers in genomics and their relationship to perfect hash functions as an example of text manipulation.
Use complex data structures; Implement your own data structures to organise data; Explain the differences between classes and objects; Motivate object-orientation.
Encode directed and undirected graphs in different data structures, such as matrices and adjacency lists; Execute basic algorithms, such as depth-first search and breadth-first search.
Determine the probability of events occurring when the probability distribution is discrete; How to approximate.
Apply hash functions on basic data structures in Java; Implement your own hash functions and execute, these as well as built-in ones; Differentiate good from bad hash functions based on the concept of collisions.
Understand the context of big data in programming.
Question: This course is self-paced, but is there a course end date?
Answer: Yes. The first course release started on May 15, 2017 and ended on December 1, 2018.
The second release of the course started on December 1, 2018 and ends on December 1, 2020.
The third release of the course starts on March 1, 2019 and ends on December 1, 2020.
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What is the name of the Doctor in Gallifrey?
The Doctor's real name has never been revealed on screen. There is a never-filmed version of the closing scene from "A Good Man Goes to War" that suggests the High Gallifreyan lettering on the Doctor's cot spells out his name, however as this scene was never filmed and no subsequent episode has ever returned to this, it doesn't count. The non-narrative book The Making of Doctor Who by Terrance Dicks and Malcolm Hulke, in its 1976 second edition from Target Books, rendered the Doctor's name in random mathematical symbols.
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The Civil War battle at New Bern occurred on 14 Mar. 1862 between the Union forces of Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside and Confederate troops under Brig. Gen. Lawrence O. Branch. In February 1862 Burnside had swept across the northeastern sound region of the North Carolina coast with a powerful amphibious force of about 13,000 soldiers on transports, supported by army and navy gunboats, in a campaign that has become known as the "Burnside Expedition." On 12 March his fleet advanced up the Neuse River, carrying about 11,000 soldiers, with the intention of capturing New Bern, an important coastal trade center and the second largest town in North Carolina.
On 13 March Burnside's troops landed on the riverbank at Slocum's Creek, near Havelock, and began their advance. At New Bern, General Branch had no more than 4,000 soldiers at his disposal to man a series of prepared defenses. The town's river defenses included lines of river obstructions and a chain of forts (Lane, Ellis, Allen, Thompson, and Dixie) on the west bank of the Neuse extending six miles below the town. Two lines of entrenchments protected the land approaches along the west bank: the Croatan Works and the Thompson Works. Branch concentrated his limited forces at the Thompson Works, the least exposed of the two. This strong entrenched line was anchored on the river bank by Fort Thompson (mounting 13 guns) and extended west one mile to the Atlantic & North Carolina Railroad. However, the Confederates were unable to fill a 150-yard gap in the line before the Union attack.
Branch placed in the trenches between Fort Thompson and the railroad, from left to right, the 27th, 37th, 7th, and 35th North Carolina Regiments and a local militia battalion-all supported by two field batteries. The 26th North Carolina extended the line westward beyond the railroad, and the 33rd North Carolina was held in reserve.
At about 7:30 a.m. on 14 March, Burnside's advancing Union forces, supported by gunboats on the river, moved in front of the Confederate lines to begin the battle. Burnside placed his First Brigade on the right between the river and the railroad, the Second Brigade west of the railroad, and the Third Brigade in reserve behind the two. The First and Second Brigades made little progress against the Confederate works, but part of the Second Brigade soon found the gap in the Confederate line and promptly broke through east of the railroad into the rear of the Confederate trenches, surprising the green battalion of North Carolina militia. The militia men broke in confusion, taking with them the next regiment, the 35th North Carolina.
As Federals charged down behind the Confederate trenches, the next Confederate regiment, the 7th North Carolina, recoiled and counterattacked with a portion of the 37th North Carolina. This force drove out the Union troops and briefly reestablished the Confederate line. Meanwhile, Burnside's Third Brigade had formed for battle. Its attack broke through the same gap in the Confederate line just recently reestablished. The assault of these fresh troops overwhelmed the Confederates, who abandoned the works and retreated toward New Bern, evacuating the river forts as they went. Unaware of the retreat, the 26th and 33rd North Carolina were almost cut off. They only escaped by crossing the swamps to the west, leaving a portion of the 33rd North Carolina and its commander in Federal hands.
New Bern was evacuated, and the pursuing Union forces took possession. Union losses were 90 killed, 380 wounded, and 1 missing, whereas the Confederates lost 64 killed, 101 wounded, and 413 captured or missing. Held by the Union for the remainder of the war, New Bern became the largest Federal stronghold in eastern North Carolina. Confederate forces made three unsuccessful attempts to retake the town.
All images part of a spread in Harper's Weekly, 1862 titled: "The Burnside Expedition- The Storming of Fort Thompson at New Bern, North Carolina, March 14, 1862." Courtesy of Son of South, available from http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1862/april/newbern-battle.htm (accessed May 16, 2012).
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As we get close to wrapping up the first month in 2015, it is clear that Internet security and privacy will continue to be front and center this year. As technology continues to play a central role in our personal and business lives--security, transparency, and respect for privacy is only growing more critical.
I know I'm biased in thinking that APIs will continue to take a central role in this conversation, but I feel it is true. Many of the existing conversations around security about platforms like Snapchat, and MoonPig, are directly related to APIs, while other security scope at companies like Sony, JP Morgan Chase, and beyond could easily be reduced with a sensible API strategy.
Companies are increasingly operating online, but do not act like any of information lives in an online environment. Adopting an API approach to defining company resources, helps map out this surface area, acknowledging it is available over the Internet, and works to define, secure, and monitor this surface in a healthier way.
Mobile users need access to their data, and by applying an API centric approach, providing account management, data portability, and access and identity controls using oAuth, you can increase transparency, while also strengthening overall security. If your company operations is centered around customer and end-user data transactions, you should be making all data points available via an API, accompanied by a well oiled oAuth layer to help end-users manage their resources, playing a significant role in their own privacy and security.
I'm not delusional in thinking that APIs provide a perfect solution for all our security and privacy woes, it doesn't, but it does set a tone for a more healthy conversation about how companies are doing business on the open Internet, and how we can better secure the online web, mobile, and device-based applications we are increasingly depending on in this new world we have created.
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For the 2018 tournament, see 2018 Memorial Cup.
The Memorial Cup (Coupe Memorial in French) is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round-robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and Western Hockey League (WHL). Sixty teams are eligible to compete for the Memorial Cup, representing nine provinces and four American states. The Acadie–Bathurst Titan are the current champions, winning in the final game against the host team, the Regina Pats of the WHL. The Memorial Cup is known as one of the toughest sporting trophies to win, due to 60 teams participating and the age limit only being 16-21.
The trophy was originally known as the OHA Memorial Cup and was donated by the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) in 1919 to be awarded to the junior champion of Canada. From its inception until 1971, the Memorial Cup was open to all Junior A teams in the country and was awarded following a series of league, provincial and regional playoffs culminating in an east-west championship. The three-league tournament format began in 1972, a season after Canadian Amateur Hockey Association divided the Junior A rank into two tiers, naming the Memorial Cup as the championship of the Major Junior level.
The Memorial Cup was established by Captain James T. Sutherland to honour those men who gave their lives during World War I. It was rededicated during the 2010 tournament to honour all soldiers who died fighting for Canada in any conflict.
Capt. Sutherland, who was serving overseas, was President of the Ontario Hockey Association and he brought forward the idea to present a trophy to honour all the young Canadian hockey players who died in battle and have it awarded to the best junior hockey team in Canada. The Ontario Hockey Association's annual meeting was unanimous that a fitting memorial be established to members of the OHA who had fallen on the field of war.
"Past President Capt. J. T. Sutherland, now in France, spoke of the splendid work done by Canadian boys in France and suggested the erection of a suitable memorial to hockey players who have fallen."—The Globe, Toronto, Ontario, Dec. 9, 1918.
"The (Memorial) cup, coveted prize of Canadian junior hockey, was the brainchild of Capt. Jim (Sutherland) when he was overseas in the Great War (1914–18) and at the time, President of the Ontario Hockey Association (1915–17). He wrote suggesting the trophy in memory of the boys who were killed in the war and no doubt a big part of the idea was instigated by his devotion to his beloved (Alan) Scotty Davidson*, who fell (June 6, 1915) with many other hockey players in the world conflict (including Capt. George T. Richardson*, who died in France, Feb. 9, 1916. (*Both are members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.) --William J. Walshe, Comments on Sport, The Kingston Whig-Standard, Jan. 6, 1939.
It started as an East-versus-West format, where the George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions from the East would play the Abbott Cup champions from the West.
From 1919 to 1928, the Memorial Cup Final was a two-game total goals affair between a champion from Eastern Canada and a champion from Western Canada, both of which were determined through a series of playdowns under the auspices of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. In 1929, the Memorial Cup Final became a best-of-three series.
In 1934, when the junior hockey teams were further divided between Junior 'A' and Junior 'B', the Memorial Cup served as the Junior 'A' championship trophy, and the Sutherland Cup became the Junior 'B' trophy. From 1937 the Memorial Cup was a best-of-five series, and in 1943 reverted to a best-of-seven series.
For the 1970–1971 season, the Junior 'A' rank was further split into the Major Junior rank and a second-tier rank (referred nowadays as Junior 'A'), with the Memorial Cup serving as the Major Junior championship trophy, and the Manitoba Centennial Trophy, and later the Royal Bank Cup, serving as the second tier championship trophy.
In 1972, the Memorial Cup was contested between three teams: the champions of the three leagues of the Canadian Hockey League: the Ed Chynoweth Cup Champs (WHL), J. Ross Robertson Cup Champs (OHL), and the President's Cup Champs (QMJHL). From 1972 to 1973 these three teams played a single round-robin (two games each), with the top two teams advancing to a single-game final. A semi-final game was added in 1974. In 1977 the tournament was expanded to a double round-robin (four games each), with no semi-final. The tournament was held at a pre-determined site which was rotated among the three leagues.
The 1983 Memorial Cup tournament saw the inclusion of a fourth team, the team hosting the event, which was done to boost tournament attendance. The first tournament under this format was held in Portland, Oregon, and marked the first time that an American city hosted the Memorial Cup. The host Winter Hawks also won the Cup that year, becoming the first American team to win the Memorial Cup, as well as becoming the first host team to win it. The four teams played a single round-robin (three games each). If two teams are tied for third place, then a tie-breaker game is played on Thursday, followed by a semi-final game between the second and third-place teams and a final between the first-place team and the semi-final winner. This format continues to be used to this day, with the honour of hosting the tournament rotated amongst the CHL's three member leagues.
If the host team also wins its respective league championship, the Memorial Cup berth reserved for the league champion is instead awarded to that league's runner-up. This was the case in 2006, when the Quebec Remparts lost to the Moncton Wildcats in the QMJHL Finals. However, since Moncton was hosting the Memorial Cup that year, Quebec was awarded the QMJHL berth to the Memorial Cup tournament. The Remparts went on to win the Memorial Cup that season, the first time that a team has won the tournament without qualifying as the tournament host or as the champions of their respective league.
In the history of the cup, there have been two major mishaps with the cup itself. At the 2008 tournament, a replica trophy, which is the one teams are presented with on the ice after the game, broke apart as captain Chris Bruton of the victorious Spokane Chiefs tried to hand it off to a teammate after being presented the cup on the ice. The crowd started heckling after the replica cup broke apart, while the Spokane Chiefs took apart the trophy and shared it around with teammates.
The official cup is typically kept at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Starting in 1972, the Memorial Cup committee has awarded honours for play at the Memorial Cup tournament. There are now five annual awards presented.
^ a b "Sutherland, Capt. John T. — Biography". Legends of Hockey. Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2017-12-24.
^ "History – Awards". Mastercard Memorial Cup. Canadian Hockey League. Retrieved 2017-12-24.
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Phase Alternating Line (PAL) is a color encoding system for analogue television used in broadcast television systems in most countries broadcasting at 625-line / 50 field (25 frame) per second (576i). Other common colour encoding systems are NTSC and SECAM.
In the 1950s, the Western European countries started planning to introduce colour television, and were faced with the problem that the NTSC standard demonstrated several weaknesses, including colour tone shifting under poor transmission conditions, which became a major issue considering Europe's geographical and weather-related particularities. To overcome NTSC's shortcomings, alternative standards were devised, resulting in the development of the PAL and SECAM standards. The goal was to provide a colour TV standard for the European picture frequency of 50 fields per second (50 hertz), and finding a way to eliminate the problems with NTSC.
PAL was developed by Walter Bruch at Telefunken in Hanover, Germany, with important input from Dr. Kruse and . The format was patented by Telefunken in 1962, citing Bruch as inventor, and unveiled to members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) on 3 January 1963. When asked, why the system was named "PAL" and not "Bruch" the inventor answered that a "Bruch system" would probably not have sold very well ("Bruch" lit. means "break"). The first broadcasts began in the United Kingdom in June 1967, followed by West Germany late that year. The one BBC channel initially using the broadcast standard was BBC2, which had been the first UK TV service to introduce "625-lines" in 1964. Telefunken PALcolor 708T was the first PAL commercial TV set. It was followed by Loewe-Farbfernseher S 920 & F 900.
The term PAL was often used informally and somewhat imprecisely to refer to the 625-line/50 Hz (576i) television system in general, to differentiate from the 525-line/60 Hz (480i) system generally used with NTSC. Accordingly, DVDs were labelled as PAL or NTSC (referring to the line count and frame rate) even though technically the discs carry neither PAL nor NTSC encoded signal. CCIR 625/50 and EIA 525/60 are the proper names for these (line count and field rate) standards; PAL and NTSC on the other hand are methods of encoding color information in the signal.
PAL usually has 576 visible lines compared with 480 lines with NTSC, meaning that PAL has a 20% higher resolution, in fact it even has a higher resolution than Enhanced Definition standard (854x480). Most TV output for PAL and NTSC use interlaced frames meaning that even lines update on one field and odd lines update on the next field. Interlacing frames gives a smoother motion with half the frame rate. NTSC is used with a frame rate of 60i or 30p whereas PAL generally uses 50i or 25p; both use a high enough frame rate to give the illusion of fluid motion. This is due to the fact that NTSC is generally used in countries with a utility frequency of 60 Hz and PAL in countries with 50 Hz, although there are many exceptions. Both PAL and NTSC have a higher frame rate than film which uses 24 frames per second. PAL has a closer frame rate to that of film, so most films are sped up 4% to play on PAL systems, shortening the runtime of the film and, without adjustment, slightly raising the pitch of the audio track. Film conversions for NTSC instead use 3:2 pull down to spread the 24 frames of film across 60 interlaced fields. This maintains the runtime of the film and preserves the original audio, but may cause worse interlacing artifacts during fast motion.
The SECAM patents predate those of PAL by several years (1956 vs 1962). Its creator, Henri de France, in search of a response to known NTSC hue problems, came up with ideas that were to become fundamental to both European systems, namely:1) colour information on two successive TV lines is very similar and vertical resolution can be halved without serious impact on perceived visual quality2) more robust colour transmission can be achieved by spreading information on two TV lines instead of just one3) information from the two TV lines can be recombined using a delay line.
There were initial specifications to use color with the French 819 line format (system E). However, "SECAM E" only ever existed in development phases. Actual deployment used the 625 line format. This made for easy interchange and conversion between PAL and SECAM in Europe. Conversion was often not even needed, as more and more receivers and VCRs became compliant with both standards, helped in this by the common decoding steps and components. And furthermore, when the SCART plug became standard, it could take RGB as an input, effectively bypassing all the color coding formats' peculiarities.
After 0.9 µs a colorburst of cycles is sent. Most rise/fall times are in range. Amplitude is 100% for white level, 30% for black, and 0% for sync. The CVBS electrical amplitude is Vpp and impedance of 75 Ω.
See main article: PAL-M. In Brazil, PAL is used in conjunction with the 525 line, 59.94 field/s system M, using (very nearly) the NTSC colour subcarrier frequency. Exact colour subcarrier frequency of PAL-M is 3.575611 MHz. Almost all other countries using system M use NTSC.
Some special VHS video recorders are available which can allow viewers the flexibility of enjoying PAL-N recordings using a standard PAL (625/50 Hz) colour TV, or even through multi-system TV sets. Video recorders like Panasonic NV-W1E (AG-W1 for the US), AG-W2, AG-W3, NV-J700AM, Aiwa HV-M110S, HV-M1U, Samsung SV-4000W and SV-7000W feature a digital TV system conversion circuitry.
Multisystem PAL support and "PAL 60"
Recently manufactured PAL television receivers can typically decode all of these systems except, in some cases, PAL-M and PAL-N. Many of receivers can also receive Eastern European and Middle Eastern SECAM, though rarely French-broadcast SECAM (because France used a quasi-unique positive video modulation, system L) unless they are manufactured for the French market. They will correctly display plain CVBS or S-video SECAM signals. Many can also accept baseband NTSC-M, such as from a VCR or game console, and RF modulated NTSC with a PAL standard audio subcarrier (i.e., from a modulator), though not usually broadcast NTSC (as its 4.5 MHz audio subcarrier is not supported). Many sets also support NTSC with a 4.43 MHz subcarrier.
Many 1990s-onwards video recorders sold in Europe can play back NTSC tapes. When operating in this mode most of them do not output a true (625/25) PAL signal, but rather a hybrid consisting of the original NTSC line standard (525/30), but with colour converted to PAL 4.43 MHz—this is known as "PAL 60" (also "quasi-PAL" or "pseudo PAL") with "60" standing for 60 Hz (for 525/30), instead of 50 Hz (for 625/25). Some video game consoles also output a signal in this mode. Most newer television sets can display such a signal correctly, but some will only do so (if at all) in black and white and/or with flickering/foldover at the bottom of the picture, or picture rolling (however, many old TV sets can display the picture properly by means of adjusting the V-Hold and V-Height knobs—assuming they have them). Some TV tuner cards or video capture cards will support this mode (although software/driver modification can be required and the manufacturers' specs may be unclear). A "PAL 60" signal is similar to an NTSC (525/30) signal, but with the usual PAL chrominance subcarrier at 4.43 MHz (instead of 3.58 as with NTSC and South American PAL variants) and with the PAL-specific phase alternation of the red colour difference signal between the lines.
See main article: PAL region.
(simulcast with digital format in ISDB-Tb, also called SBTVD), an update to ISDB-T, started in December 2007. PAL broadcasting continues until 2023.
Web site: Vertical Blanking Interval of 625-Line Standard (PAL Colour). 2015-09-03. yes. https://web.archive.org/web/20160428234231/http://www.pembers.freeserve.co.uk/World-TV-Standards/VBI-625-PAL.pdf. 28 April 2016. dmy-all.
Web site: Changes to the terrestrial television systems in Central and East European countries. EBU. 11 September 2010.
Book: Michael Hegarty. Anne Phelan. Lisa Kilbride. Classrooms for Distance Teaching and Learning: A Blueprint. 1 January 1998. Leuven University Press. 978-90-6186-867-5. 260–.
Web site: Archived copy. 2017-12-09. yes. https://web.archive.org/web/20160221173323/http://shop.sandbag.uk.com/OneGiantLeap/PALNTSCInfo.html. 21 February 2016. dmy-all.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "PAL".
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The following are the names of the Chief Minister of Haryana who have been into governance since the state inception. Till date the state of Haryana has been served by 10 leaders varying from one political party to another.
1. Bhagwat Dayal Sharma: – Bhagwat Dayal Sharma was the 1st Chief Minister of Haryana. He was CM of Haryana from 1 November 1966 to 23 March 1967. He belonged to the Indian National Congress.
2. Rao Birender Singh: – Singh was the 2nd Chief Minister of Haryana. Former Cabinet Minister, Singh was also the first Speaker of Haryana State Assembly. He was CM from 24 March 1967 to 2 November 1967. He belonged to the Vishal Haryana Party.
3. Bansi Lal: – Bansi Lal was the 3rd Chief Minister of Haryana. One of the most powerful politicians in Haryana, Lal had served as CM of Haryana thrice.He is considered to be the Architect of the modern Haryana. He served from 22 May 1968 to 30 November 1975; from 5 July 1985 to 19 June 1987; again from 11 May 1996 to 23 July 1999.Lal is one of the longest serving CM of Haryana. He belonged to the Indian National Congress.
4. Banarsi Das Gupta: – Banarsi Das Guptawas the 4th CM of Haryana. He is a renowned freedom fighter who was elected thrice to the Haryana Legislative Assembly. Once a Cabinet Minister of Haryana, Gupta has also served twice as CM of Haryana. Gupta had his term as CM from 1 December 1975 to 30 April 1977 and from 22 May 1990 to 12 July 1990. He belonged to Janata Dal.
5. Chaudhary Devi Lal: – Devi Lal was the CM of Haryana and has also been appointed as the 6thDeputy Prime Minister of India. Devi Lal has served as CM of Haryana for separate two terms. From 21 June 1977 to 28 June 1979 and from 17 July 1987 to 2 December 1989. He belonged to the Janata Party.
6. Bhajan Lal: – Bhajan Lal was the 6th Chief Minister of Haryana. One of the most famous political leaders, Bhajan Lal has served three separate terms as Haryana Chief Minister. He has served from 29 June 1979 to 22 January 1980; 22 January 1980 to 5 July 1985, again from 23 July 1991 to 9 May 1996. He belonged to the Indian National Congress.
7. Om Prakash Chautala: – Chautala is the 8th Chief Minister of Haryana. One of the most popular politicians in Haryana, Chautala has served four times as the CM of Haryana. He has served from 2 December 1989 to 22 May 1990, 12 July 1990 to 17 July 1990, 22 March 1991 to 6 April 1991 and 24 July 1999 to 4 March 2005. He belonged to Indian National Lok Dal.
8. Hukam Singh: – Hukam Singh a Subedar in the Indian Army has served as the Haryana Chief Minister from 17 July 1990 to 21 March 1991. He belonged to the Janata Dal.
9. Bhupinder Singh Hooda: – Hooda was the 9th Chief Minister of Haryana. He has served from 5 March 2005 to 19 October 2014. One of the most powerful political leaders in Haryana, Hooda was also the Member of Parliament. He belonged to the Indian National Congress.
10. Manohar Lal Khattar: – Khattar is the 10th and the current Chief Minister of Haryana. He is a former RSS pracharak. He belonged to the Bharatiya Janata Party. Khattar 26 October 2014 till present.
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How to recognise early symptoms of menopause or perimenopause?
When the menstrual cycle starts to change, it can go in all kinds of different directions ( cycle shorter or longer, shorter periods or longer , stronger or weaker bleeding ... ) and a wide variety of symptoms may accompany these changes.
Many of the symptoms being found in menopause may also accompany PMS so blood tests measuring hormone levels are the best way to know exactly where you are. Making hormone tests as early as you can, also helps to see the evolution of menopause with more precision .
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Please share your thoughts or comments on this article: Licenses are renewed every five years. Prior toall ages renewed every four years. Since side effects are often worse for the first few days of a new medication, people should avoid driving until they know exactly how a new drug affects them.
Licenses are renewed every four years, with no special provisions for any age. Are cited for a traffic violation. Inmore than 24 million people in the United States were over 70 years of age.
In addition, health professionals and others who work with older populations could administer the tests. Physical disabilities, mental illness, medications, loss of vision, or frailty can end anyone's driving career prematurely.
In raising the age, the state cited data showing crash rates began increasing when drivers reached A legislative committee considered older driver safety in and decided not to recommend any changes, saying young drivers cause far more accidents.
Instead, it recommended some changes to how medically at-risk drivers are reported, such as requiring more health providers to get involved, he said. A woman almost plowed into my two young children and I at the library, and in fact did hit my leg. At age 70, renewal can no longer be done by mail.
Dan Polisano All drivers over the age of 70 should be required to take a driving test in order to renew their licenses. Copyright Associated Press. At age 81, drivers must renew every two years instead of every four — and at age 87, they must start renewing annually.
A doctor can evaluate whether medications are interfering with alertness or response times and need to be adjusted.
Dad seems confused at intersections. AgeQuest, a specialty firm addressing the training needs of professionals in the field of aging, older adults, and family caregivers, suggests in its publication "Supporting the Mature Driver" that the decline of skills necessary for safe driving sometimes occurs suddenly or subtly.
This is important safety consideration for both the elderly driver and other individuals who are behind the wheel. At age 75, drivers must renew a license every three years compared with every six years for younger drivers. Licenses can last up to eight years for everyone, with no older age requirements.
However, there is an option for seniors on fixed budgets to seek a cheaper two-year license. Some physicians, however, are reluctant to jeopardize their relationship with a patient by making such a referral. Are you looking for an article on a specific topic? Again, stress the fact to your dad that you want to make sure that he can continue driving safely for as long as possible.
Starting at age 75, drivers must renew their licenses every two years instead of every five.
Make the necessary corrections to keep those dollars in your wallet. Starting at 70, drivers must renew in person, taking a written test and eye exam. Everyone else just jumped out of the way as she tore on through.
Peripheral vision narrows and the retina becomes less sensitive to light. Many senior citizens know their own limitations and make the proper adjustments. Anyone can write the Department of Public Safety to report a potentially unsafe driver. Last year, a state senator proposed annual driving tests beginning at age 85, but the bill never made it out of committee.
Unexpected and sudden situations can also cause pedal confusion, such as pressing the gas pedal instead of the brake pedal. Americans rely upon their cars to get to work, go to the doctor, go shopping, and visit their friends and relatives. These are clear signs that it is time for an eye exam.
If any medication causes sleepiness or disorientation, someone else should do the driving. They lose the ability to focus quickly.
People 72 and older must renew their license every two years, compared with the standard eight years. Doctors are required to report certain health conditions to the licensing agency, but other people also can report possibly unsafe drivers of any age for a review.The report should be made in writing, giving the full name, date of birth, address and a description of the alleged physical or mental disability that could affect the driving ability of any person over 15 years of age.
State by State Look at Driving Rules for Older Drivers. doctor and then report for a driving test. of the discriminatory attitude toward senior drivers starting at. Yes seniors should have to take an annual drivers test. By requiring seniors to take an annual driving test, you reduce the risk of having car crashes or mishaps that might occur because their vision is going or their minds are going blank.
It is not to upset the seniors, but would be a good choice in order to help keep the roads safer. Permit Drivers Test Questions from local DMV. Our Online Driving Test covers DMV Learners Permit Test, DMV Renewal Test and DMV Test for Seniors.
No need to Study the CA Handbook/5(K). Which of the following was the most important intervention the nurse should have implemented to prevent this event? a.
The nurse will be educating a group of senior citizens on adaptations for safer driving. Which adaptation(s) should the nurse include?
Geriatric Nursing 2 terms. Geriatric Nursing. 2 terms. Geriatric Nursing. Oct 08, · When Should Seniors Hang Up The Car Keys?: Shots - Health News Most elderly drivers give up the keys only when their child or grandchild intervenes.
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If you’re moving or just want to get rid of some extra things around your home, here are six tips to help you make the most of the online marketplace at www.craigslist.org: 1. Look at the “wanted” section to see if anyone wants what you’re selling. You may sell your item before creating an ad! 2. Research competition to see if your price is right. Search for similar items to set a competitive price, but leave room to negotiate. 3. Use your ad’s title to bring traffic. Be specific and state the price to get more people to click on your ad. “Nice brown couch” is not as good as “Lightly used Brown 60 inch Crate & Barrel couch $500.” Research similar products advertised and be more descriptive to make your ad stand out. 4. Include pictures or people may skip your ad. You don’t need a lot of pictures, but use at least one. Also, give specific details in the description (dimensions, attachments, etc.) to encourage serious buyers to contact you. And, specify “cash only,” “pick up only,” “all sales final,” “price is firm” or “OBO” (Or Best Offer). 5. Respond quickly by phone or email. Buyers have a lot of options and may move on to the next seller in the same day. 6. Keep your ad near the top. Every time you post an ad it appears at the top of the page, pushing other ads down. Check again tomorrow and it’s far down the page. Repost the ad every other day, or at least weekly, to increase the chance it gets noticed.
How to maintain strong bones?
First, while bone weakness is evident in older Americans, strong bones begin in childhood. Here are four steps you can take today to prevent osteoporosis and maintain strong, healthy bones: 1. Get the recommended amount of daily calcium by drinking milk and eating green leafy vegetables, soybeans, yogurt, and cheese. (1,000 mg of calcium per day). 2. Exercise 30 minutes per day for adults; 60 minutes a day for children. This can be walking, running, or any weight-baring exercise. 3. Get Vitamin D (200 IU), which is produced in the skin by exposure to the sun. It’s also found in fortified milk and cereals 4. Your doctor can order a bone density test (DEXA), which measures bone density at the spine, hip, and wrist where most fractures occur. For more information on osteoporosis, call 1-866-718-BONE, or go to www.surgeongeneral.gov.
We all want our kids to do well in life...and not make some of the mistakes we might have made. Here are seven important money strategies to teach your kids that will serve them well throughout their lives: 1) Don’t carry debt. Avoid credit card debt. It’s expensive money! In fact, about 30% of college graduates will enter the workforce with $10,000 to $25,000 in credit card debt and other loans. 2) Pay yourself first. Have your children open an investment account and regularly have them put away money for goals and emergencies. 3) Set up a budget and track your expenses. Help your children set up their own budget, and teach them how to track their income (from allowances, gifts, money earned) and expenses. 4) Don’t compare yourself with others. A friend may drive a fancy car and wear expensive clothing, but they actually may be deeply in debt. 5) Don’t trust anyone with your money. No one cares as much about your money as you do. 6) Invest in a Roth IRA, and/or a market index when you start earning money. To reach long-term goals investing is a must. 7) Money doesn’t buy happiness. Money can make life easier when you don’t have to struggle financially to make ends meet. But money can’t buy love or happiness.
Time for A Simple Blood Test?
How many episodes of ER have you watched and wondered...what exactly does the CBC tell these actors turned doctors? A CBC (complete blood count) can reveal a lot about your health. The CBC measures your hemoglobin (a protein that allows red blood cells to transport oxygen and gives blood its red color). Low hemoglobin indicates anemia. A hematocrit measures the volume that red blood cells take up in the blood. Elevated numbers may indicate dehydration, or it may be an early sign of cancer or kidney disease. Low numbers indicate anemia. Your white blood cells (WBC) fight infection and promote healing. A high WBC count indicates a bacterial infection. Very low numbers may indicate exposure to toxic drugs or environmental toxins, or other diseases. Your platelet count indicates your body’s ability to initiate blood clotting. A high number may indicate anemia, inflammation or a more serious condition. A low number may indicate an autoimmune disorder, allergic drug reaction, or an enlarged spleen. Your physician may order additional tests if your blood measurements don’t fall in the normal range. If you any questions about your CBC, be sure to ask your physician to explain the ranges and results to you.
Employees focus on bonuses, incentives, and time off, while HR specialists may be more willing to talk about flex schedules and relocation costs. (The survey indicated employees may have more negotiating power on non-salary issues.) Here are six valuable tips you can use for better negotiating on your job: • Make sure to show your enthusiasm for the job at hand. • Know your strengths and skills and explain why you’re the best person for the new job or raise. • Use the right words and cite facts, “I’ve done the research, and the market reflects this salary.” • Ask for what you want, and explain why you deserve it. • Be open to what is presented and remain objective. • Avoid talking about specific salary figures until the end the interview process; otherwise you may limit your options.
Aviation is still the safest form of transportation. The International Air Transport Association says the 2012 global accident rate for Western-built jet aircraft was one accident for every 1.4 million flights. If you were to take a flight daily, you could go 3,859 years without an accident!
Fast Sale? Higher Price? Focus on Landscaping!
Good landscaping can increase your home’s resale value by 14 percent, according to the Associated Landscape Contractors of America. Better curb appeal may speed up the sale by as much as six weeks. Professionals recommend that you invest 10 percent of your home’s value in landscaping. More than just plantings, this includes structural features such as lighting, outdoor rooms, fences and pools. Here are some helpful tips: • Determine what you need. Are you landscaping to sell your home or to enjoy the property yourself for the longer term. • Get professional guidance. Depending on the scope of your project and budget, consider hiring an arborist, a landscape designer or a certified landscape architect. Ask friends for recommendations or search web sites such as the one for The American Society of Landscape Architects. • Develop a plan. Set your priorities ─ what needs to be done (have you solved that drainage problem?) versus what you’d like to do (put in an outdoor entertainment area). If you take a piecemeal approach, the result will look disorganized and cost you more money in the long run.
Do you feel like you’re always working to keep up, but don’t really get anything done, especially around holidays? In his best-selling book Getting Things Done, David Allen gives you an effective time management system to help you organize your stuff, your work activities and your personal life. Allen’s key idea is to start with a “mind sweep” ─ get everything out of your head and down on paper (or other written form). Once your mind is cleared, your productivity goes up and you can focus on creative action. His five basic stages of mastering your personal or professional “workflow” are: 1) Collect. Capture anything and everything that is on your mind. 2) Process. Decide what each thing means. Is it something you should do? Do it now or later? Can you delegate it (and track on a “Waiting For” list)? 3) Organize. Place the items in categories, such as Projects, Calendar, Next Actions and Waiting For, and sub-categories of your choice. (To help you visualize this, he includes a diagram for navigating through the processing and organizing phases of your workflow.) 4) Review. Go over Calendar and Action lists daily and do a weekly customized review to get clean and current. 5) Do. Make choices about your actions based on what you can do, how much time and energy you have and your priorities. Another one of his most popular methods is the “two minute rule.” If any task can be completed in less than two minutes (for example, a quick email response), do it immediately. Stop putting those little things off.
• Disinfect countertops and cutting boards. • Pour a little over your toothbrush after every use. • Mix 1 oz in 1 quart of water and water your plants. It adds oxygen to the soil and helps roots grow.
Yes, you can, says, D.A. Benton, author of Executive Charisma. Here are five skills you can practice to improve your charisma quotient. 1. Be confident. When introducing yourself say your name and then tell something about yourself. This helps to draw a question from the other person, and can lead the person into a conversation with you. 2. Walk with purpose. Pause before entering a room and project confidence as you walk into the room. 3. Use the double hand shake. When you shake someone’s hand, use the two-handed grasp. While shaking with right hand, your left hand grasps the person’s arm at or below the elbow. 4. Focus on your goal. Charismatic people know what they want and are passionate about it. Focus on what you want and how to get there. 5. Be a good listener. Listen when other people talk. Value their opinions and make eye contact.
Salmon is great for you but here are other fish that may also help your heart: Rainbow trout – a 3 oz serving has 20 grams of protein and almost 1,000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids. Catfish – provides 100% of the daily requirement for vitamin B12. Mackerel – one of best sources of vitamin D (good for bone health). Pollock – a serving provides 73% of the daily requirement of selenium, which may lower your risk of diabetes.
Have you reviewed your phone situation lately? Consider one or all of these options to save hundreds of dollars a year: Eliminate your landline. First, study your phone bill to see if you’re paying for extras (like caller ID) you may not need. If you decide to ditch your landline because you have a cell phone, make sure you have excellent cell coverage at home. Another option is to switch to VOIP (voice over internet protocol) like Vonage, Skype, Ooma and even MagicJack. Unlimited local and long distance calls can range from $5 to $20 a month, that can save you over $100 per year. Bundle your services. You can save $20 or more per month if you get your cable, Internet, and landline from the same provider. There’s an extra $240 each year in your pocket for the same services. Ask your cell phone provider for a cheaper plan. If you talk to the same people daily, a “favorites” plan may better suit your needs. If you’re sending more text messages, go to an unlimited texting plan. Or, consider a pre-paid cell phone where you only pay for minutes you use. Depending on your talking time, that could save you up to $500 a year.
1. Keep your home dry. Check for external and internal leaks in roofing and plumbing. Moisture invites mold, which can cause serious problems. 2. Keep it clean. Clean surfaces frequently to control allergy-causing dust. 3. Keep it safe. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Have fire extinguishers available on each floor. 4. Keep it well-ventilated. Increase the amount of fresh air, which improves respiratory health. 5. Keep it pest free. Seal cracks and openings to keep the critters out and store all food securely. 6. Keep it contaminant free. Check for deteriorating lead-based paint in homes built before 1978. Have your home tested for radon. 7. Keep it well maintained. Routinely inspect your home and make repairs. Better to fix small problems before they become bigger ones.
You’re anxious to rebuild your nest egg but want to make sure you invest wisely. Here are some of the top products and practices you should avoid, according to the North American Securities Administrators Association: Foreign Exchange Trading Schemes. Beware of salesmen who claim to have algorithms or propriety software programs that allow them to beat the market. State regulators have found situations where there are no trades; the money is simply stolen. “Green” schemes. New energy-efficient technologies are popular, but be wary of those exploiting headlines related to the Gulf oil spill clean-up and “clean” innovations, such as wind energies or carbon credits. Oil & Gas schemes. These investments tend to be unsuitable for smaller investors who can’t afford the risk. While ventures can be legitimate, some promoters structure their “general partnerships” to avoid securities regulation. Affinity fraud. Scam artists like to prey on groups, such as church members and professional groups. Seek further information from an unbiased, independent source. Undisclosed conflicts of interest. Demand that anyone giving advice or recommendations disclose how they are compensated. Private or special deals. Although properly used by many legitimate issuers, private offerings have become an attractive option for con artists who steal money by promoting special deals. “Off the Books” deals. Be cautious if your broker offers an investment on the side instead of one sold through his or her employer. Unsolicited online pitches. Fraudulent investment scammers are now using social media (Facebook, Twitter, Craigslist, YouTube) to solicit unsuspecting investors. Approach any unsolicited investment opportunity with suspicion. How do you avoid getting taken? Do your homework, be skeptical and only do business with licensed brokers and advisers. Check out any adviser before you invest at a site such as www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. Report any suspicion of fraud to your state or provincial securities regulator.
Do you even know all the things that are in your wallet or purse right now? Here are five items to look for and remove to limit your risk of identity theft if your wallet is lost or stolen: • Multiple credit cards. Carry just one card or possibly a debit card. Don’t carry specific credit cards (like a department store) or gift cards unless you’re going on a shopping trip. Thieves often use them without having to show identification. Good idea: Do a wallet inventory and photocopy all the cards you own so you can report their loss and replace them if necessary. • Your social security number. With this most important key to your identity and your name, thieves can do everything from opening new accounts to filing false tax returns. Good idea: Memorize your number. If you have a Medicare card, copy your card and black out the numbers except for the final four. • Your passport. If you’re going overseas you must travel with it, but that doesn’t mean you have to keep carrying it around. Good idea: Carry a photocopy and leave the original in your hotel lockbox. • Checks. Your checks show your bank routing and account numbers, and thieves often sign them and get away with it. Good idea: If you must carry checks, take just what you might need for that day. Also try online banking to pay your bills. • Password list. No one can remember all of them, I know. Good idea: Use an encrypted tool to store your password like the SplashID mobile app or LastPass.com for your computer.
What are some remodeling trends for 2014?
According to a poll of builders and developers for CBS Moneywatch by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, the overall trend is to take on small projects while you wait to do the really big ones. Here are some specific trends to watch for if you’re remodeling or selling soon: • Updating bathrooms. It’s cheaper than doing a kitchen but you need to keep a close eye on your budget. • Warming up the house with earth tones and metallic features, such as aged bronze or distressed hardware. • Opening up rooms. More people are taking down interior walls and opening up spaces in older homes. • Going green. The focus is on energy-efficient upgrades. • Paying in cash. Instead of taking out a loan, people are picking and choosing what they can do with the cash they have. • Hiring good contractors. Asking questions and being more diligent about choosing quality contractors is on the rise. • Spending time outside. The trend is to fix up outdoor spaces with a deck and landscaping.
Many (if not most!) of the things in our lives run on batteries. You’ll get a charge out of these battery basics. Cheapest won’t save you money. The old zinc-carbon batteries run out of juice and may leak acid into whatever device you buy them for. Chances are these came with that toy you bought so replace them with brand-name alkaline batteries. They have a shelf-life. Don’t buy huge quantities at a time and don’t pick out the package with all the dust on it! You can prolong their life by keeping them cool (in the refrigerator is not necessary), not mixing old and new batteries, removing them when you don’t expect to use the device for several months, and buying a battery tester. Rechargeables last longer but you should charge them every 6-9 months. Recycling is critical. Duracell says alkaline batteries can safely go in the trash (secure the ends with masking tape), but you’re better off recycling all your batteries (in California it’s mandatory). Stores like Best Buy and Office Max will take them or use a mail-in recycling program.
The next time you’re negotiating to buy almost anything, remember these top negotiating tips: Empower yourself. You have the right to negotiate. Most sellers are open to giving you a discount if it means keeping you as a customer. Do your homework. Ten percent is a good discount (20 is great) for manufactured goods (electronics). With household goods (furniture, appliances) try for another 10 percent. The deepest discounts come on services (hotels, lawn care), where you may get up to 40 percent if you pay cash, bundle services, and/or commit long term. Ask for something you don’t necessarily want along with the things you do want. If you’re buying a dishwasher, car or TV, ask for an extended warranty, preferred financing or free delivery. When the seller counters, you have something to “give on” to make the seller feel like you’re meeting him/her part way in getting to an agreed upon price.
The process of getting older is unavoidable, but feeling old is optional. Here’s what you can do to feel young and alive. Appreciate your age: Whatever you regret from the past is over. Let it go. Literally re-program the way you think about the past and the concept of growing older. Setting new goals can give you more life now and help you live longer. According to a Yale study, people who had a positive mindset about growing older lived about seven years longer than those who grumbled about their age. Don’t retire from being useful: Sure, you may have earned the right to slow down and work less, but feeling that you still make a difference is invigorating. Keep both the mind and body moving by getting involved in volunteer activities and exercise clubs.
Save money by cleaning out your storage unit, 1 in 10 Americans pay for storage. Don’t keep stuff “in case you need it.” You might as well make extra money by selling some of those items on eBay or Craigslist. If you don’t have time to clean it out yourself, hire a professional organizer. It’ll cost you less in the long run. If you must rent a unit, make sure it’s temporary. Many companies offer the first month’s rent free because they know you may stay indefinitely. Know what you’re storing and make sure you only keep the unit for a few months at most.
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Research for this article began with the thought to answer this question: How much money is spent on the web every day? As it turns out, web payments across all kinds of commerce measure in the billions of dollars. Yes, that’s billions with a B. Undertaking math using those kinds of numbers is no small feat. How many zeros is that again? With the help of some old school pen and paper (just to get the number of zeros right), the numbers were calculated down to the hour. For the sake of being consistent, the numbers cited are from 2016. Let’s take a look.
The numbers are staggering. You may be envisioning that scene in DuckTales which opens with the uncle diving into the giant room of gold coins. Perhaps the key stakeholders in these businesses do feel like that from time to time. But what does this all mean and how do web payments affect every day business, specifically for you?
First, eCommerce continues to grow by double digits year over year (23 percent). Not surprising considering that 51 percent of Americans prefer to shop online. If more than half of Americans prefer to shop online, is your business meeting that desire, tapping that opportunity? If not, should you be. Well, recent research shows us the passion consumers have to support small businesses. That answers our question with a resounding, yes—especially if your business is in a category (think decorative arts, handcrafts, jewelry, even order-ahead functionality for restaurants, cafes etc.) that could benefit from even a modest online presence. What’s your next step? Consider the benefits of providing consumers the option to purchase online.
You probably spent months, or perhaps years, preparing to open your doors, every detail in place and the marketing plan ready for execution. Perhaps you knew how much time you would end up spending at your business (much more than 40 hours per week), but passion propelled your dream forward. Mark Cuban from Shark Tank frequently says, “Entrepreneurs are the only people who will work 80 hours a week to avoid working 40”. If building your website was on the list to get to “later”, and hasn’t materialized yet, you are missing out on revenue. It’s time to correct that.
How can online, and web payments too, work for your business?
Social media is among the things that have made our world smaller. Consumers share their favorite photos and recommendations of businesses quite frequently—among friends, family, co-workers and across a slew of web experiences. Their network of contacts frequently expands well beyond their local area. What happens if they share a swoon worthy photo of your retail shop and a friend in a different state would like to make a purchase? They are going to look for your business online. It’s important that they can locate your website and that you have online payments set up that are easy to use. Social media and the human experience make it possible to sell to consumers in places that you’ve never even thought of, or have no intention of, marketing.
From consumers near or far, the beauty of online payments is that customers can make purchases when your brick and mortar doors are closed. That means extra revenue for your business. And who doesn’t like to make a little extra money while they are sleeping or spending time with family?
Be prepared for the time investment it takes to build your website. Or have a plan for which online commerce players can help you build an online presence quickly—often with things like payments baked right in. Going online may feel like you’re building an entirely new business from the ground up, and in some ways you are. If you are just starting out, there are a few key highlights to make the web experience a good one. If you already have your site live, it never hurts to take another look and evaluate if there are improvements to be made.
View the website as a buyer. Can you easily find what you looking for?
Invest in SEO. You are investing the time and money to build a site so make sure others can find it by searching.
Make web payments easy. Consumers like easy check out. Ensure that site indicates secure payments and allows for as few steps as necessary.
Consider the dollar and human resources you have available to build, manage and grow an online presence. Remember, today, there are a number of paths to building a path to online payments that can be rolled out affordably and sensibly, and with most of the support and value-adding services that you need, such as payments, built right in.
Are online payments actually easy?
The short answer is yes. There are a number of ways to implement online payments right into the web platform you are already using—and in many instances; popular commerce platforms let you choose from among already-integrated payments. If you happen to be more of a novice at technology, the payment provider who helped you implement in-store credit card acceptance is a great resource to getting your online payments set up. Consult with them in the web building process as well. They may be able to provide some specifications and key pointers in the build stage or even connect you with available partners to bring you online.
While making billions may be a dream that is never realized, growing your business to a healthy, repeatable revenue stream is certainly a worthy goal. Incorporating web payments into an already existing sales experience will get you on the right track. Don’t be among the 50% of small business owners who don’t have a website. Learn more about how to get started.
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Why are there more and more obese people in the world?
Obesity is the abnormal buildup of fat in the body.
In 2016, a scientific study showed that obesity affects 13% of the world’s population, that’s 650 million adults. Between 1980 and 2016, obesity has more than doubled: so much so that it has become an epidemic!
The fast food chain McDonald’s sells 2 billion hamburgers around the world every year; that’s 58 hamburgers per second! In Europe, it’s the British that eat the most hamburgers. It’s also the British that have a problem with excess weight both in children and in adults. Obesity is a serious illness that can lead to cardiovascular problems and also diabetes or cancer. To stop this plague, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends at least one hour of sport a day. And to eat healthy food, especially fruit, vegetables and leguminous plants. If obesity continues to grow at the present rate, the WHO has calculated that about 20% of the world population could be obese by 2025.
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This is the horrific moment a teenager was hurled 70ft in the air by a hit-and-run driver racing another car on the wrong side of the road.
Megan Heaps, who was on a zebra crossing at the time of impact, was carried on the bonnet of the speeding Vauxhall Astra before being thrown into the road by the car.
Shocking CCTV footage captured the terrifying moment and now the teenager is hoping it will help the public to name the maniac behind the wheel.
Amazingly, she escaped with just a dislocated shoulder, cuts and bruises.
Megan was on the crossing in Reddish Road, Reddish, Stockport at 9.45pm on Monday, March 12 when she was hit by the silver car, which is thought to have been racing a blue Volkswagen Polo. Both cars were on the wrong side of the road.
Speaking from her hospital bed Megan said: 'I just remember being on the road trying to cross the zebra crossing.
Megan, a physical science student at Stockport College, said: 'I’m in pain all down the left side of my body.
Megan was hit near the junction of Broadstone Hall Road South.
The cars sped off towards Gorton Road. A third car slowed down but then carried on.
Other drivers raced to help Megan, who was taken to Stepping Hill Hospital.
Pc Steven Wright, from the Road Policing Unit, said: 'I am certain that the driver would have known that they were involved in a collision so for them to then drive off at speed and leave a young girl injured in the road is astonishing.
Police believe the Astra would have had front end and windscreen damage.
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What good is success if you're not healthy enough to enjoy it?
It takes a lot of dedication to build a successful business. You have to be willing to work harder than everyone else -- to push yourself to your limits. There are downsides to living this lifestyle, and many entrepreneurs tend to overlook the importance of health.
The demanding schedule of an entrepreneur essentially never has a break, which can have a negative impact on one’s health. Below are five tips for a healthier entrepreneurial lifestyle. After all, what good is success if your health doesn’t allow you to enjoy it?
1. Make exercise part of your daily routine.
Working out daily keeps your mind fresh and makes us happier. Maintaining a positive mindset and outlook is a major key to success. With all the obstacles and challenges we entrepreneurs face daily, any edge should be welcomed with open arms.
It doesn’t matter if you exercise in the morning, afternoon or evening -- find the time to do it and make it a priority.
2. Eat as healthy as possible.
Eating healthy is one of the easiest ways to live a healthier life, and even the smallest changes can make a huge difference. For example, giving up soda and replacing it with water is one of the fastest ways to reduce your sugar intake and lose weight.
Rather than eat out or order in at lunch, bring a nutritious meal to the office. You can still take time to unwind during your break, but you can do it with nutrient-dense superfoods, such as kale, rather than cheeseburgers and fries.
3. Take time to unplug from your business and relax.
Running a business is stressful -- there is no denying that. If you don’t take the time to relax and unplug once in a while, you will suffer an extreme case of burnout. Many entrepreneurs think they have to work nonstop and put in grueling hours. That's true, but you have to know when it's time to relax and recharge.
Carve out time in your weekly schedule to devote to a hobby. Hit the golf course, go fishing, watch a movie or do anything else that relaxes you. Family time is also a great way to escape and unplug. Also, don’t be afraid to take a vacation once in a while. The time away can be very beneficial -- some of my best ideas came to me on vacation.
4. Find a routine that works for you and stick to it.
Keeping a regular schedule is great for staying on track and holding yourself accountable, as I learned from getting up at 5 a.m. every morning. When your day is mapped out and you know exactly what needs to get done, you will see yourself completing tasks quicker and crossing tasks off your to-do list at a rapid pace.
The hardest part is just doing it – after a while, your body becomes accustomed to your routine, making it easier as time passes. My days start at 5 a.m. now without an alarm clock -- my body is used to the routine.
5. Learn to manage your stress.
Stress is almost impossible to avoid as an entrepreneur, but it can be managed. It’s important that you learn how to control how you let it impact your mindset and decision making process. Not only is stress bad for your personal health, but it can also negatively impact your business if you let it.
“Stress can ruin relationships clients, both current and potential, if you let it. Stress is the last thing your business needs, so learn to manage it and keep it at bay during important times,” suggests Brian Greenberg, founder of True Blue Life Insurance.
Stress doesn’t diminish with more success, as many would like to think. In fact, it's often the opposite, and it’s never going to disappear entirely, so learn how to manage it as best as possible.
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What do you expect when AMZN reports earnings?
Where is AMZN's stock price going from here?
Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be the world's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they may want to buy online. The company lists unique items in categories such as books, music, DVDs, videos, consumer electronics, toys, camera and photo items, software, computer and video games, tools and hardware, lawn and patio items, kitchen products, and wireless products.
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I've discovered that I like to create scenarios in series instead of just one at a time, so that the first scenario begins in the morning, let's say, and the second continues with the same player engine handling other tasks in the afternoon. The problem is that placing a new Standard Scenario marker wipes out all rolling stock and scenario specific assets. I've found a way around this, however.
When I create the first scenario. I include all of the scenario specific assets and rolling stock I intend to use in both scenarios. As I place rolling stock, I save consists. Once I'm satisfied with the first scenario, I exit RW and use RW_Tools to clone it with a generic name, such as FollowUp. Then I start RW again and open the cloned scenario for editing. When it opens, I go to its properties box (the one associated with its marker), give it its real name, set the time of day, and perhaps the weather. Then I move the marker to the origin point of the new scenario (which is usually different from the origin point of the first one). This can be tricky, because the only way to do it is to use the two arrows above the marker to "fly" it to the new origin point. Patience is required, but it can be done.
The next step is to delete the player engine or train left over from the first scenario, or at least its driver disc. After this is done, the engine or train for the second scenario can be placed at its origin point and given a driver and final destination. Before assigning additional instruction discs to the new player engine, I delete all of the old scenario's AI traffic and move or delete and reposition all rolling stock that was moved during the first scenario.
These steps require quite a bit of flying around, but I simplify that by using the drivers list or the CTRL-click 2-D map trick. The only warning I'll offer is that this process places the new scenario's marker precisely where the old marker is, so at times separating the new one to move it can be tricky. If I'm not absolutely certain which marker to move, I click where the markers are located and raise one of them well up above the ground. Then I save the new scenario, close it, and reopen it for editing (this often requires shutting down RW and restarting it). Clicking on each of the markers in turn will then reveal which one I want to move.
Yes, that one way of doing it, but do not forget that changing a scenario's start time will cause all it's AI services to have the wrong start time and will have to be altered manually, unless RW_Tools has a function to do it for you ?
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If you were considering driving to an unfamiliar destination, what is the first thing you would do? You would probably consult a map to chart the best way to reach it. When getting the word out about your book, a marketing plan is your map, describing your journey from where you are now as an author to where you want to be. It sets your direction, guides your thinking, and lists the actions you will take to get there.
Marketing planning is simply deciding what you want to accomplish with your book, setting an objective to keep you on target, and then asking yourself a few questions about what you need to do to reach your goal. Organize these questions and your answers to them in two parts. Part one sets your direction, during which you’ll ask the following questions: What do you want to accomplish by writing your book? Who will buy it? What’s in it for you? Part two answers the following questions: What information do people want that is not already available? Where will you sell your book? At what price? How will you let people know that it exists? What Should be in a Marketing Plan?
Your initial marketing plan is a wish list of what you would do if you had sufficient resources. You might consider developing this list in a creative brainstorming session with a group of people, which could include friends, family members, or fellow writers, to name a few. Initially, focus on quantity of ideas, not quality, and include some that may at first seem illogical. Such big ideas may stimulate better ones as you get started with your marketing. So, wait until later to apply judgment and eliminate any programs you determine are not currently feasible.
Begin your marketing plan with a sentence stating your overall objective for the upcoming period. Next, make a list of your strategies that outline your general game plan. Finally, describe your tactics that are the specific actions you will take to fulfill your go to market strategy and achieve your objective.
Before planning your specific marketing actions, think about your product, potential readers, goals, and objectives for the next year.
he information below provides ideas, examples, and instructions that will help you create a quick, practical marketing plan for a business book. This plan is meant to get you started, but effective marketing requires flexibility. If something is not working for you after you have given it a concerted effort, try another tactic to reach the realistic goals you establish.
Part One: Before planning your specific marketing actions, think about your product, potential readers, goals, and objectives for the next year.
The entire marketing process is based on having a good book to sell. Was it well written and properly edited? Does the cover and page layout look professionally designed? Will you make it available as a printed book, an eBook, or both? Before you price your book or begin distributing or promoting it, describe what your book is about in 100 words or less. Think of it from your readers’ points of view. How can your information help them become more successful, make money, or start a new business?
As an author, you are also selling yourself as a product, so it is important to start making the right brand impressions early. Think of who you know, and also about your background in terms of how it can help you sell more books. What makes you the expert on this topic? Where did you go to school? In what clubs and associations are you (or could you be) a member? What are you good (or not good) at doing, and what do you like (or dislike) doing? Who are your current and previous employers? Your answers will give you ideas for how to target and present yourself to potential readers.
You cannot market to everybody, so think about who will buy your books. Who is the typical reader you had in mind when you wrote your book? Is the person male or female? In what age group would you categorize your reader? For example, if you are writing a book about preparing people for retirement, your target reader description might include people in these categories: Employed males and females, age 50 – 65, and middle to upper-middle income bracket. Give consideration to increasing the font size in the page layout a point or two to help people with poor eyesight see it better.
Write a specific statement of what you want to accomplish in the next year. Some of your goals may be hard to quantify, but do so where you can. Do you want more reviews? How many more? Do you want more media attention? How many print articles and broadcast appearances will you seek? How many books do you want to sell? How much money do you want to make? Be realistic in your estimation.
Given your descriptions in Part One, what specific things must you do to reach your objectives? It is helpful to group these activities under three major topics: 1) How you will price your book, 2) Where you will sell it, and 3) How you will promote it. The sections below include examples to help you get started. Your actions will vary according to your own content and target readers.
1. Pricing Your Book. The price at which you will sell your book could determine your sales, profits, and opportunities for long-term growth. Your final choice will be determined by your costs, distribution method, and competitive prices. Be strategic in your decisions.
Choose a lower-than-average price if you 1) intend to sell directly to corporate buyers rather than through a distribution network to retailers, 2) plan to limit your promotional expenditures, 3) want to make your book more competitive against other market options, or 4) seek a long-term profit potential. You might choose a higher-than-average price if your content will be quickly outdated or is highly specialized, or if you have little competition. Another consideration is the format in which you deliver your content. For example, eBooks are typically priced lower than printed books because of the lower production and distribution costs. Lower-priced eBooks also tend to attract more potential buyers.
1) Ask where your typical reader will shop for business books; that is where you will want to sell it. For instance, CreateSpace offers wide distribution on Amazon.com, your own eStore, and through the Expanded Distribution Channel, as well as a Kindle file conversion service to provide you with Kindle-ready eBook files. You may also want to consider sales opportunities to non-retail buyers, such as corporations or schools, for your book. Approach local, independent retail stores to see if they’d be interested in stocking a title by a local author.
2) Think about which retail outlets may consider stocking business books. Examples of retail outlets for business books would include bookstores (your book is listed with Ingram and Baker & Taylor through CreateSpace’s Expanded Distribution Channel), business stores (such as Staples through Select Media Services), airport stores (such as Hudson News Co.), warehouse clubs (Costco or BJs through Anderson Merchandisers), and college bookstores (through Follett).
a. What companies could use the information in your book? For example, for a book about sales techniques, you may want to reach out to sales managers, career coaches, and networks of sales representatives. Find names of companies and contact information at Manta.com.
b. What associations could use the information in your book? For example, for a book about how to communicate in writing, you may want to reach out to the International Association of Business Communicators. Find names of associations and contact information for each at Weddles.com.
c. Books on many business topics are popular in libraries and on military bases. You can reach libraries through Baker & Taylor and sell books through military exchanges such as AAFES.com.
d. What other organizations could use the information in your book? For example, if your book is targeted to executive women, you’d want to contact the National Association of Women Business Owners or the National Association of Female Executives. If you target small-business people, reach out to the International Council for Small Business.
3. Promotion Actions. How will you reach and tell your target buyers about your book so they can buy it? Use a variety of promotion tools as described below, and promote regularly. Prospective buyers may need to see or hear your message multiple times before it drives them to purchase your book. Also, choose the promotional techniques that are consistent with your personality. For example, if you are not comfortable performing on television, deliver your message through radio, print, or the internet.
There are promotional tools to fit any budget. Most public relations actions are free or low cost, while advertising, trade shows, and sending direct mail packages are more expensive. Finally, there are even some promotional actions for which you could be paid, such as public speaking or conducting webinars. Find the best combination of those listed below that fit your target audience and your goals, personality, and budget.
1) Write a one-page press release, focusing on what makes you and your book unique and important to readers. Begin your press release with a simple statement or question (your hook) that will get the attention of the reader. Your hook is the key concept that makes you or your book unique and beneficial to your audience. Your press release should fit on one page, be double-spaced and written in a way that is interesting and informative to the recipient. What can you say that will get the readers’ attention quickly, help them understand how your information can benefit them, and get them to take some action to buy your book at the designated sales outlet? For a free analysis of your press release, go to PressReleaseGrader.com.
2) On what TV and radio shows could you be a guest? Choose shows that people in your target audience will listen to or watch. For example, target shows such as The Dave Ramsey Show, The Ray Lucia Show, Business Talk Radio Network, or Your Money Matters! for a book about money or personal finances. Visit Radio-locator.com for a simple means of contacting radio stations. Check out Kidon Media Link for a list of TV outlets and other media. Keep in mind that your broadcast media opportunities will be greater for local, regional, or niche shows rather than those at a national level.
3) What newspapers could write about your book? What newspapers does your target reader read? For example, choose Financial Times, Barrons or The Wall Street Journal for books relating to finance. Visit Bizmove for a list of local newspapers.
4) What magazines could write about your book? For example, seek exposure in publications like Entrepreneur and Fast Company for a book about entrepreneurship. Remember, getting media coverage online is just as good, if not better, than coverage in print. Check for lists of national media organizations and magazines.
5) Who could review your book?
b. Media outlets and bloggers. For media reviewers, search Literary Marketplace and trade publications for those with an interest in your niche.
e. Seek niche reviewers for business books online, such as eSuccessBooks.com.
6) What award competitions would be right for your book? Considering a business book, some examples include Axiom Business Book Awards, Small Business Book Awards and the National Business Book Award. For more ideas, read the Resources article 2011 Competitions for Self-Published & Independently Published Books. Search online for award competitions for books on your topic.
7) Seek advance sales through corporate buyers or by conducting pre-publication promotion. Consider arranging a launch party.
8) Time the introduction of your book with special marketing periods (key dates, anniversaries, etc.) relevant to your title. Find examples of these at HolidayInsights.com.
9) Get testimonials and endorsements. Sometimes called “blurbs,” these are statements by people attesting to the quality of writing and the value of the content in your book. A site with free background information about celebrities you may want to target for your book is Who2.com.
10) Consider executive services that summarize business books such as Soundview Executive Book Summaries or Business Book Review.
3.2 Internet Actions. In today’s internet world, it’s important to market your book online to reach the widest possible audience. Websites, blogs, social media, and online forums are all important channels for promotion and building your brand.
1) Consider purchasing the website address with your name or book title and build a website. Search for websites that you like and then go to Web.com or WordPress for step-by-step instructions for creating your site. Or, you can have someone design it for you. Once created, for a free analysis of your website, go to WebsiteGrader.com.
2) Start blogging to build an audience and your personal brand. You can create your own blog for free at sites such as WordPress.com or Blogger.com. You may also want to make connections with other bloggers to see if you can write guests posts for them. Go to Blogtoplist.com to find appropriate blogs for your topic.
3) Create an author page on Amazon.com, Facebook and Twitter where you can highlight your current and future books and build your image as an expert. Also, join LinkedIn to network with like-minded people and prospects. Join groups relevant to your subject matter to start building awareness. Participate in the conversation, but don’t overtly promote your title.
4) Join other online websites and forums relevant to your title. You can find them by searching for those about your topic, such as Conservation Commons, Open Access of Economics, Open Access Health Informatics Community, or Men in Child Care.
5) Check out MeetUp.com to find relevant groups to network within your area.
6) Record a podcast or consider hosting a webinar on your topic. Visit BlogTalkRadio.com for instructions to do it yourself, or have them create it for you.
7) When internet users search for your book, you want your website to be the first one they find. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) helps the search engines, such as Google, Yahoo!, and Bing, recognize your relevance to specific keywords that people search for online. This process includes researching keywords, creating content, building links, and making sure your website is visible in search engines.
3.3 Personal Selling Actions. As an independent author, you aren’t just selling your book – you’re selling yourself. You might find in-person selling and networking beneficial for connecting with potential readers face-to-face.
1) In what bookstores or other retail outlets could you conduct an in-store event or book signing? Focus especially on local retailers and businesses, airport stores, high schools, and colleges.
2) Are there association meetings at which you could speak? Rotary clubs, Chambers of Commerce, business schools, corporate outings, trade shows, and meeting planners seek speakers for their events and meetings. Go to their websites and search for local chapter meetings.
3) Is your book appropriate for speaking events at educational institutions, or do you have the opportunity to provide training for a company’s employees?
5) Throw a launch party, inviting local media, friends, family, and people in your target market. Have copies of your book available to sign, as well as print materials with your website and social media information. Get the emails of attendees to start building out a targeted email list.
1) Send a postcard or letter and brochure to potential buyers. Visit DirectMail.com or InfoUSA.com for one-stop places to purchase a list or have them produce and mail your package for you.
2) Purchase the subscription list for magazines reaching your target buyers and mail to them. For example, if you want to reach home-based business owners, get the subscription list for Home Business Magazine.
3) Purchase opt-in email lists and send email blasts. For example, if you want to reach small business owners, purchase a list for a trade magazine targeted at small businesses.
4) Order bookmarks, stationery, and business cards to present a professional and consistent image among your target buyers.
3.5 Advertising Actions. Advertising can be costly, but some authors may choose to pay for ad placements in online and print channels relevant to their titles.
1) Advertise in local newspapers or on radio shows if appropriate. Offer to provide your content in exchange for free ad space. Contact the advertising departments of your target outlets directly to examine your options.
4. Evaluation. Every few months after you begin marketing your book, compare your actual sales results with your objectives. Are you on target to reach them? If not, what changes can you make to meet your goals?
For sales goals, create a simple Excel spreadsheet with your forecasted sales for any period in one column. Then, insert your actual sales figures and automatically calculate the difference. Have a line for retail sales, library sales, corporate sales, etc. to point out where your revenue may be below that which you projected.
Have a means to objectively evaluate progress toward all your goals. If you planned to get a certain number of reviews or media appearances, keep tack of your progress toward them. The important thing is to think about why you are above or below forecast, and make necessary changes in time to reach your annual objectives.
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In recent years, the business landscape has been changing faster: start-ups are favored over global conglomerates and our teams are becoming global and virtual as we're utilizing freelancers and remote workers in much greater numbers. Even the tools we're using have become micro-services packaged into tiny apps that you can plug-in to almost any device. There's one thing, however, that continues to increase at an alarming pace. which is "information".
How does your organization or team manage that information? It's bouncing from email to files in a cloud to messaging systems to productivity tools and to analytics software.
While every single one of these tools is designed to help make information more accessible and remove the barriers to effective communication, there's one major downside that seems to be ignored. And that's "knowledge".
We tend to assume that the more information we gather, the more knowledge we accumulate. Several years ago, I wrote a blog that underlined how difficult it is for organizations to properly gather, utilize, and disseminate knowledge at your fingertips.
Information is not always entered and kept up to date.
These apps manage the what, not the how.
They don't help us learn and grow from experience.
(1) : facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.
(2) : awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation.
The difference is slight, but it's there: information is gained from investigation or study, whereas knowledge is gained through experience or familiarity. The new tools that have emerged deal mostly with information, not knowledge.
Now, I'm not saying that these tools are useless. They provide a huge amount of value and make our lives much easier, especially with making decisions. However, in order for us to grow with information, we augment it with knowledge.
A key difference about knowledge is not what it is, but how it's acquired, understood, and act uppon. In order for knowledge to be transferred, it's best learned through experience. It's the action that makes the knowledge more powerful than information. What exactly does this mean?
Let's say you're an executive chef, managing a kitchen of about 10 people. It's your job to create new menu items. Thanks to your several years of experience, you've developed a process that allows you to create new dishes in record time. This process you've created has become instinctive and it's likely a combination of knowledge you picked up from years working with a renowned chef or from mistakes via trial and error.
The tips you learned might be written in a cookbook, but there are some nuances you couldn't have gotten from the books (like how to flick your wrist just so, in order to perfect the dispensing of a foam). These skills were gained or transferred to you through a process of doing and improving.
Look at a new product development scenario. Same applies. As we implement NPD projects, we run into issues, learn from mistakes, and improve our process. This is knowledge for the knowledge worker.
Companies and projects are successful when the teams are open, honest, and collaborative. They share their own experiences, ideas, and help others in need. This is how we make sure the critical tidbits of knowledge are continuously passed down and for the next person to learn, succeed, and grow.
So, when looking for apps to help us improve our access to information about what's happening, also look for visual process apps (such as PieMatrix) that are designed to capture and share knowledge, making it easier for team members to know how to make things happen and how to improve things over time.
Newer PostAre We Grabbing the Results Management Office (RMO)?
Older PostCan process lower the opioid crisis?
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Police say that the death on a Disney World roller coaster was natural - The police said that the death of a man at a roller coaster at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, United States happened because the man, named Jeffery Reed, had a disease, and not because the roller coaster was not working well.
Earthquake shakes New Zealand - A very strong earthquake shook, that is, made the ground move for a few seconds, a city called Gisborne, in the country of New Zealand. It made many buildings fall and made holes in the streets. No people were hurt badly.
Do you have an opinion about this news story? Write it!
Mike Thomas. "Deaths are not the attraction Disney needs". Orlando Sentinel. December 20, 2007.
"New Zealand rocked by huge quake". CNN. December 20, 2007.
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“Into the Silence”. was inspired by my surroundings and thoughts on any given day. In the silence of nature, many daily demands fall away and my thoughts enter into another universe. I find that places of solitude to be necessary for my being. The solitude and the beauty of nature encourage awakenings to occur when I enter into this holy place. This is an original print hand pulled by me. It involves 4 separate copper etched plates, each holding a single color that are then layered to create image.
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What is 2346 less than 1?
We are looking for a new number which is 2346 less than 1.
We will get the new number by subtracting 2346 from 1.
And finally the solution for: What number is 2346 less than 1?
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840, 168, 42, 14, 7, (........) ?
840, 168, 42, 14, 7, (……..) ?
Then, the next number will be 7.
Hence, the correct answer is option (c) 7.
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Has anyone used a Cannon EOS 550D for astro photography?
I found one at a reasonable price and wondered if anyone on here has had experience of using one.
Graeme1858 wrote: Has anyone used a Cannon EOS 550D for astro photography?
I haven't, but if you look on Astrobin, I think you can filter by camera type.
If it's well priced, I think everything above the 350D has Live View, and that's the basic minimum (as much as there's any minimum).
It can also be worth checking what Canon models are supported by APT software.
It has a live view function, It has it's own Wikipedia page! I wondered if it was a good Cannon model for connecting to a pc. I have a Sony Alpha A350 and it has an excellent sensor for it's age but it will only connect to a pc to download stored images, it can't output to the pc screen. And I don't want to mod it because I use it for day time photography.
Cannon has the EOS Backyard software and I've seen SharpCap recommended in videos. I'll look into the APT software and I'll go and have a look on Astrobin.
I have, and it works just fine, especially with the 'EOS 'Backyard' software. As always with these cameras, it contains internal filters which can reduce nebula light levels. Having said that, it isn't as bad as some people make out. You need at attachment to give a 1 1/4" or 2" 'nose' to put it in place of the eyepiece. It is advisable to get a power adaptor, as astronomical use of the camera soon depletes the battery.
I've read a bit about doing the mod on a DSLR to allow more of the red end of the spectrum through so I was planning on having it done. But then deep sky imaging light pollution can be reduced using an IR cut Neodymium filter. Why is this not a contradiction?
Graeme1858 wrote: Cheers for that Aratus.
The IR filter that is removed in Astro-modding normally blocks the Ha Line at about 656nm wavelength, which some astro photographers are keen to include in their images.
The Neodymium filters are selective, so they significantly cut the transmission of light around the 550-600nm waveband (which includes the orange glow from Sodium street lights), but still allow transmission of the Ha band.
Gfamily2 wrote: The IR filter that is removed in Astro-modding normally blocks the Ha Line at about 656nm wavelength, which some astro photographers are keen to include in their images.
A very useful coincidence for astronomers that neodymium has both these specific selective filtering properties!
Well the 550D had gone so I got a 600D which is a later model and the same spec except, strangely, the iso only goes to 64000 when the 550D goes up to 128000! It's not been on the telescope yet but I've had it connected to Backyard EOS to have a play.
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Entrepreneurship is more than just buying and selling products or services. It's about being able to innovate and impact lives positively. It's no coincidence that the most successful entrepreneurs in the world are those who are willing to think big and act upon their thoughts with a tremendous amount of actions. As examples of massive actions undertaken by entrepreneurs willing to think big, let's consider Elon Musk and Peter Thiel two members of what is so called the "PayPal Mafia."
Elon Musk was born in South Africa in 1971. Although he has spoken out about his troubled childhood, he found the strength to teach himself how to program on the computer he bought himself at just ten years old. At twelve, he had made his first software sale – Blastar, a video game he'd created from scratch. In 1989, he moved to Canada to attend Queens University and later the University of Pennsylvania, gaining two degrees. Later on, he moved to Stanford University to pursue a Ph.D, however dropped out after just two days. Why? To start his path towards entrepreneurship with the birth of his company Zip2, an online city guide. Zip2 was purchased in 1999 for over $300 million (USD) cash.
Later that year, Musk co-founded X.com, a site aimed at online finance and payments. This would later become what we know today as PayPal. Some of Elon Musk's other companies to date, include: SpaceX (Founder, CEO, CTO) Tesla Motors (Co-Founder, CEO, Product Architect) Solar City (Chairman) OpenAI (Co-Chairman).
Through his entrepreneurial journey, Musk has achieved a net worth of $12.4 billion dollars (USD) as of January 2016. His ideas have had a strong impact on the world, changing the way we use eCommerce, funding the possibilities of space travel and promoting use of the electric car to preserve the environment. To emphasize on the importance of the power of bold thinking, Musk may never have accomplished this if he hadn't had the confidence to travel the path least traveled by undertaking ventures that are way beyond the average ventures, teaching us that if you have an idea, never be afraid to take action, massive actions.
Peter Thiel moved to the United States at just one year old, growing up to attend Stanford University and later, Stanford Law School, graduating with a J.D. In 1992. After graduating, he worked in derivative trading before founding his own multi strategy fund in 1996 – Thiel Capital Management, which was his primary focus until 1998, when he co-founded PayPal.
Since PayPal's development, Thiel has been associated with a number of forward thinking companies, such as: Founders Fund (Managing Partner) Y Combinator (Part Time Partner) Clarium Capital (President) Palantir Technologies (Co-Founder and Chairman) Facebook (Financial Backer and Board Member). Thiel has openly discussed his view on the ways PayPal has impacted the world, and is especially proud of the way the system can liberate people from currency erosion caused by inflation.
Today, his net worth is $2.8 billion dollars (USD) . His ideas are amongst those who have had a strong impact on the world. Thiel may never have accomplished this if he hadn't had the confidence to undertake ventures that are way beyond the average ventures, teaching us that if you have an idea, never be afraid to take action, massive actions.
Of course, the other members of the "PayPal Mafia" have already found success with their ideas (some of the companies include: YouTube, Linkedin, Yelp and Reddit) , however that's not to say you can't take valuable inspiration from their work and achievements. As for where to start, consider the following: The two entrepreneurs overcame adversity in their lives before finding success in their respective career paths. This can serve as an important reminder that no matter what you're going through in life, there is a path that can be followed in order to over come it and achieve your goals. Without thinking big, Musk and Thiel would not have had the strive to meet their accomplishments. If they can do it, so can you. Secondly, not one of the PayPal mafia were unsure of their ideas. You may think the project you've come up with is a little out of the box, but that's positive not negative and does not mean people won't respond well to your idea. Remember, PayPal came at a time everyone relied on only their bank accounts and most purchases were made offline in brick and mortar stores, yet there was still a significant gap for their idea to fill. Through following and understanding their entrepreneurial accomplishments, you can rest assured knowing the key way to success is to think big, stay disciplined and back it up with a tremendous amount of actions. So work on your project, think outside the box and find success of your very own under the guidance of your entrepreneurial heroes.
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Is it possible to convert a button from using a rubber contact to using a microswitch? The intent I have in mind is to take the buttons on a GBA and make them more like those on the SP/DSi/3DS, but the idea could be applied to any instance of squishy rubber-contacts.
My best guess of how to go about this would be to trace the positive and negative leads into the switch on the circuitboard, then to somehow break that connection and reroute them into the microswitch by soldering wires to them. I need to go double-check the leads are available on the particular board I'm working with, and I wanted to test the general theory using a cheaper board like a TV remote.
You may need a resistor in series w new switch.
Generally your rubber switch sits on 2 copper contacts on the PCB and when pushed down a carbon pad bridges them. You could solder a suitable switch across the contacts. Making it look as good visually as the original may be more difficult.
You know, you do not have to break the connections to the conductive rubber button. You can just wire another switch in parallel with that one.
I mean, two, three, ... N open switches in parallel, looks like an open switch. Close any one of them to close the switch.
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Belle and Sebastian are an indie pop band from Glasgow, Scotland. They are often compared to some of their main influences, such as The Smiths, Nick Drake and Bob Dylan. They were named after a French children's book, by Cecile Aubry. The band originally released records on Jeepster Records before signing to Rough Trade Records in the UK and Matador Records in the United States.
Formation: Belle and Sebastian was originally formed by Stuart Murdoch and Stuart David and recorded some songs with Alan Rankine, Stow College's music professor. The demos found their way onto a compilation from college's own label, Electric Honey. The label then went on to release the band's debut album, Tigermilk, original copies of which now change hands for vastly inflated amounts of money.
Following the positive response received by the band, the two Stuarts decided to transform the band into a full-time project, adding Stevie Jackson (guitar & vocals), Isobel Campbell (cello & vocals), Chris Geddes (keyboards) and Richard Colburn (drums) to the line-up.
Rise to Fame: The second album from Belle and Sebastian was the critically-lauded If You're Feeling Sinister, which was released in November 1996, just a few months after the release of their debut. Sarah Martin joined the band on violin and vocals just before its release.
The band then released a series of EPs, including 'Dog on Wheels' and 'Lazy Line Painter Jane', which featured Monica Queen singing on the title track.
The third LP from Belle and Sebastian was entitled The Boy With the Arab Strap and was released in 1998, reaching number 12 in the UK charts. This was followed by another EP, This Is Just a Modern Rock Song.
In 1999, Belle and Sebastian beat Steps and 5ive to win the 'Best Newcomer' award at the BRIT awards, despite being on their third album. After hosting their own festival, the Bowlie Weekender, Belle and Sebastian went on to release their fourth studio album, Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like A Peasant. The band's slow burning popularity started to cross over into the mainstream and their song 'Seymour Stein' was featured on the soundtrack to High Fidelity (which starred John Cusack and Jack Black), as well as being featured in the film's script. Their music was also played over the end credits of the TV series Teachers.
Stuart David left the band and was replaced by Bobby Kildea and in 2002, the band worked on a soundtrack to the Todd Solondz film Storytelling, which starred Selma Blair and Leo Fitzpatrick. Later that year, Belle and Sebastian left Jeepster Recordings and signed to Rough Trade. Their first album for the cult underground label was Dear Catastrophe Waitress and was produced by Trevor Horn, who has produced a number of bands, such as Paul McCartney, Tina Turner and Mike Oldfield, as well as fronting his own band, Buggles. The success of the album led to Belle and Sebastian being nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2004, though they lost out to Franz Ferdinand. They were also nominated for an Ivor Novello award that same year.
A compilation of some of the band's Jeepster recordings was released in 2005, entitled Push Barman to Open Old Wounds.
Belle and Sebastian's seventh album, The Life Pursuit, was released in 2006. The band followed its release with an historic performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, accompanied by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. They were supported by The Shins. Later that year, some members of the band contributed to an album of children's songs, named Colours Are Brighter. The Flaming Lips and Franz Ferdinand also contributed. 2008 saw the band release The BBC Sessions.
Along with Kimya Dawson, Mott the Hoople and Cat Power, Belle and Sebastian were included on the soundtrack to the popular indie film Juno. The film starred Ellen Page, Michael Cera and Jason Bateman.
The eighth album from Belle and Sebastian was Belle & Sebastian Write About Love. It was released in 2010.
With August's festival calendar seemingly busier than any other month, those of us with a persuasion to stand in a field watching live music are spoilt for choice. While V Festival might be the most corporate and therefore populist, the more discerning fan of both music and the arts in general would probably be found elsewhere. Such as Green Man for instance. Situated on the Glanusk Park estate in Crickhowell to the eastern point of the Brecon Beacons, it prides itself on being one of the most unique festivals around. Having grown from a capacity of just 300 people when it started in 2003 to the 20,000 revellers here to party this weekend, it's become a festival season highlight even with such a saturated market.
What also sets it apart is the stellar line-up organisers Fiona Stewart and Ben Coleman regularly pull out of the bag, and this year's edition was no exception. With the "sold out" signs hoisted long before this weekend, its reputation for putting quality control first speaks for itself. While its picturesque setting and heavy focus on locally sourced organic produce also render it a cut above the standard festival fare of greasy burgers and warm Carling where daily nourishment is concerned.
Indeed, the only thing that cannot be guaranteed is the weather but then this is the British summer time, right? Right. So without further ado, having acquired our passes and pitched up, Contactmusic are immediately drawn to the impressive bill taking place on the Far Out Stage this Thursday evening. Flamingods experimental take on psychedelic world music and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard's full throttle sonic assault prove to be particular highlights. So much in fact that headliners Wild Beasts actually seem unsure about following either act on stage and play a surprisingly muted set of material mostly lifted from new record 'Boy King' instead.
More acts have been announced for the Wales festival.
All headliners for Wales' Festival No. 6 have now been announced, with Metronomy now heading the bill with Grace Jones and Belle & Sebastian. Further new acts have also been added to the line-up, while many more acts are yet to be announced.
British electronic collective Metronomy head the bill with Jamaican crooner Grace Jones and Glasgow pop group Belle & Sebastian as a host of other new bands are added to the festival line-up. The fourth instalment of this uniquely cultured festival is set to hit Portmeirion from September 3rd to 6th, bringing with it some fine artists such as Catfish & The Bottlemen, Jame Bay, Stornoway and Blossoms to name but a few.
Rather like Rennie Macintosh before them, The Glasgow School of Art he designed and the artistic and architectural movement he helped create, Belle And Sebastian have become one of the more unlikely Glaswegian institutions to have survived popular cultural changes. Few would have given the light and 'whimsical' band a longevity that marks its nineteenth anniversary this January, but survive, adapt and thrive they have.
'Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance' marks Belle And Sebastian's ninth studio album. With the longest gap yet between this and their last album, 'Belle & Sebastian Write About Love', you may be forgiven for thinking that creativity, commitment or enthusiasm are on the wane, but you'd be wrong. On the evidence of these twelve tracks the rest has been as good as the change it has introduced (to be fair, Stuart Murdoch has also been working hard on his other project 'God Help The Girl' in the interim years).
Nestled in between the very entertaining lyrical genius and left of centre harmonies are slices of Electro, Soul, Gospel (recorded in Atlanta, it's got to be a Gospel record according to the band), Funk, Disco, HiNRG, Glam and pure Pop. There is also a fresh sense of positivity that pervades the whole album despite, or perhaps even because of, some of its more interesting subject matter: "And if we live by the books and we live by hope does that make us targets for gunfire?" (Nobodies Empire).
From Steely Dan To Raekwon And Ghostface Killah: Who's Been Announced For Coachella 2015?
Coachella 2015 brings some fantastic artists - new and old - to Indio, California.
It's that time of year again as the full line-up announcement for Coachella 2015 arrives following some spectacular headliners: AC/DC, Jack White and Drake will all top the bills at the two-weekend event in April.
Well known for its diverse collection of rock, pop, electronic, hip hop and indie artists from around the world, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is yet again set to arrive at the Empire Polo Club fields in Indio, California. Kicking off with the first event from Friday April 10th - 12th, the festival will repeat the following week from April 17th - 19th.
Continue reading: From Steely Dan To Raekwon And Ghostface Killah: Who's Been Announced For Coachella 2015?
Stuart Murdoch brings his female-based musical project God Help The Girl to the big screen in movie starring Emily Browning.
Stuart Murdoch of Belle & Sebastian presents his directorial debut with music drama 'God Help The Girl', starring 'Pompeii' star Emily Browning as an emotionally complicated budding young singer-songwriter.
The film shares its name with Murdoch's current side-project, whose well-received self-titled album was unveiled back in 2009. After five years we're glad that the project has finally resurfaced - and especially in the form of a film. The movie stars Emily Browning as Eve, a girl who finds solace in songwriting while struggling to come to terms with some emotional issues for which she is being treated in hospital. She meets city musicians Cass (played by Game Of Thrones actress Hannah Murray) and James (Olly Alexander Years & Years frontman) and together they form a pop band, with Eve setting out on a journey of success, love and friendship.
Eve is a young woman living in Glasgow, Scotland struggling to cope with huge emotional stress and various personal problems in her life. She is in hospital to combat her mental anxieties, but finds that the only real treatment for her is songwriting. She finds solace in song but begins to realise that she'll never get anywhere with her dream without a backing band, and thus meets cityside musicians James and Cassie who are also looking to embark on their own musical passions. Do this newfound pop group have fame and fortune awaiting them at the end of the summer? And will Eve finally manage to learn to cope with her emotional problems?
Romance drama 'God Help The Girl' is the debut film project of writer and director Stuart Murdoch, the leader singer of Glasgow indie band Belle & Sebastian. The movie is linked in with his side-project of the same name and has been co-produced by double Oscar nominee Barry Mendel ('The Royal Tenenbaums', 'Rushmore', 'The Sixth Sense'). It won an Honors award at Newport Beach Film Festival and a Special Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival and is scheduled to be released in the UK on August 22nd 2014.
The Sundance Film Festival is the place to be for young, aspiring filmmakers hoping to crack into the hotly-contested business of the movies. By the end of the film festival, which this year runs from 16-26 January, there are always a selection of film titles that are revived for the following awards season, and this year people are so eager for the celluloid showcase that a number of early contenders for festival glory have been marked before their debut release.
In thirty years the film has discovered some of the most promising filmmakers out there and continues to deliver, from Roland Joffé’s The Killing Fields in the festival's opening year (1985) to last year's most notable success; Fruitvale Station, the debut feature length from Ryan Coogler. With another 120 films to get through this year it seems more than likely that at least one of the releases will be leaving Park City, Utah, with more than a few skiing lessons and a commemorative t-shirt.
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There is so much to see and do in Osaka, be it trying the local foods, seeing famous tourist spots, or hitting the major shopping centers, it can be a challenge deciding what to do. Here is a list of 30 things that you can do in Osaka, so open up that travel planner!
Osaka is Japan's second largest city after Tokyo, and is located in the Kansai Region, approximately 400km west of the capital. A shinkansen (bullet train) ride from Tokyo Station to Shin-Osaka Station takes around 2.5 hr, while a flight from Haneda Airport to Itami Airport (Osaka International Airport) is around 1 hr 20 min. There are also many international flights to Kansai International Airport. On a highway bus, it usually takes 8.5 to 9 hours to Osaka from Tokyo.
For the purposes of this article, the city of Osaka - where most of the tourist destinations are located - is organized into five areas. Recommended spots in the two major commercial districts of Kita and Minami, as well as in each of the other areas, will be introduced. The city is well connected with trains and subways, so it is easy to get to and from each area.
The area around Osaka Station and Umeda Station is a commercial district called Kita. It is an area with a more sophisticated and cosmopolitan feel than the Minami district. With large department stores and multipurpose commercial complexes selling the latest products, it attracts many shoppers from Osaka and beyond.
Umeda Sky Building Kuchu Teien Observatory is a popular spot 173m above ground with a panoramic view of the city of Osaka. The view during the day is great, but the nighttime view of the high-rises shimmering in the dark is particularly recommended. Go up to the rooftop corridor, Skywalk, from the observatory on the 40th floor for a 360° panoramic view of the lights that seem to go on forever.
Osaka Station City is one of the best shopping spots in Kita. It includes the fashion building Lucua Osaka, a haven for those who like to keep up to date with the latest fashion and trends, and the department store Daimaru Umeda, which contains many stores including UNIQLO.
The nearby Grand Front Osaka also houses a variety of stores selling fashion, lifestyle and beauty products, in addition to numerous gourmet food stores.
NU Chayamachi near Hankyu Railway's Umeda Station is another building of trendy shops selling everything from clothing and general goods to music and books. Take a break at one of the chic cafes and restaurants when you tire of shopping. KELLER KELLER on the 8th floor is a "beer dining" restaurant that offers food that goes well with beer, including wood-fired pizza (1,290 JPY and up (excl. tax)). There is a full menu of desserts (730 JPY and up (excl. tax) with a drink) during cafe hours, so it's a perfect pit stop for any time of the day.
Another highlight of the Kita area is HEP FIVE, a multi-purpose commercial building with a red ferris wheel. The ferris wheel entrance is on the 7th floor, and the gondolas go up to 106m above ground. One rotation on the ferris wheel is about 15 minutes, and affords a fantastic panoramic view of the city below. The mountains and the ocean surrounding Osaka can also be seen on a fine day.
Whity Umeda is an underground shopping center in Umeda, that is said to be one of the largest in Japan. It is a complex web of halls and passages, and many first timers have difficulty getting to their destinations. This huge underground shopping center that has approximately 400,000 people walking through it everyday is linked to a giant station where JR, Hanshin, Hankyu and subway lines crisscross. It is the largest underground shopping center in the Kita area, and has everything from restaurants, clothing and cosmetic stores to various service providers. It is connected to nearby facilities and seems almost like a maze, but once you've grasped its layout, it can be very convenient.
Take a short walk from Umeda to discover the Nakazaki-cho area with its traditional long houses, shops, apartments, and bathhouses. It is hard to believe that such buildings are in the center of a modern metropolis. The area also has many stores selling vintage goods and handmade items, as well as cafes situated in renovated old houses. This is a great area in which to take a leisurely stroll. Drop into any of the stores that catch your eye.
Tenjinbashi-suji Shotengai in the outskirts of the Kita area is also worth visiting. Measuring 2.6km in length, it is the longest shopping street in Japan. It has approximately 600 stores including those that sell general items and clothing at low-costs, as well as restaurants that offer great food at reasonable prices. It is a popular shopping street that the locals frequent, so you can get a glimpse of everyday life in Osaka.
If you are visiting Osaka in the summer, be sure to see Tenjin Matsuri, one of Japan’s three major festivals. It is the annual festival of Osaka Tenmangu Shrine, and is held on July 24 and 25 every year. Its highlights are the Rikutogyo and Funatogyo held on the main festival day of the 25th. Approximately 3,000 people parade around with portable shrines, and over 100 boats are rowed down the river nearby. The climax is the 3,000 fireworks. During the festival, numerous food and game stalls set up shop on the temple grounds, on Tenjinbashisuji Shotengai, and on the banks of Okawa River.
Minami is a commercial district centering on Dotonbori. It is the town of "kuidaore" (to ruin oneself by extravagance in food) with numerous restaurants serving cheap but tasty food, and is also a place where many youth trends originate. This is a supremely appealing area that is full of energy and represents many visitors' image of Osaka.
One thing everyone must do in Minami is to take a photo with the famous Glico logo of a man running with his arms spread wide. The best place to take a picture is from Ebisu Bridge over Dotonbori Canal. The Dotonbori area was once the center of Japanese theater with many tea houses that flourished serving the theater-goers. It still has many restaurants as well as theaters such as Shochikuza for kabuki and the entertainment hall, Kadoza. There is a path along the canal, so take a walk and take in the atmosphere of the town.
Hozenji Yokocho has a calm and mellow feel despite being in the commercial district of Minami. It becomes even more atmospheric in the evenings when the paper lanterns light up the stone-paved streets. The two streets that run east to west are approximately 3m wide and are lined with about 60 shops including long-established Japanese cuisine restaurants, bars, okonomiyaki (savory Japanese pancake) restaurants, and kushikatsu (deep-fried skewered ingredients) restaurants. Hozenji, the temple at its center, has a statue of Fudo Myoo (Acala), lovingly referred to as "Mizukake Fudo-san" ("mizukake" means to splash water, "Fudo-san" means unshakable). Make a wish and splash water over the statue for it to come true.
Americamura, which is the birthplace of youth culture of the Kansai Region, is a town that is irresistible to people who love fashion and trendy goods. Youngsters gather here day and night, where it is filled with shops selling the latest fashion, vintage clothing, miscellaneous goods, and records as well as live music clubs. It is an area that is fun just to walk around in, with lights in the shape of people, murals by artists, and the various styles of fashion adorned by the people.
Shinsaibashi-suji Shotengai is a popular area for shopping in Minami. It is an arcade that is about 580m long, south to north, from the south side of Nagahori-dori to Soemoncho-dori, with approximately 180 shops ranging from an established department store to shops selling the latest fashion items and cosmetics, and restaurants. It is visited by approximately 60,000 shoppers on weekdays and about 120,000 on weekends and holidays.
The Minami area has many restaurants serving takoyaki (small balls of cooked batter and octopus) and okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake). WANAKA, based in Sennichimae, is particularly popular for takoyaki. The batter that tastes of a kombu (kelp) and skipjack tuna stock is crunchy on the outside and soft and melty on the inside. As for garnishing, the shop's original sauce, with a fruity flavor, is the popular option (450 JPY and up).
The okonomiyaki restaurant chain, Chibo, is popular for okonomiyaki. Its original sauce is slightly sweet, light, and aromatic. Average budget is 1,500 JPY, and English menu is available.
Namba Yasaka Shrine is famous for a unique butai (stage where sacred dances are performed), which is in the shape of a Shishi lion head. The expression of the lion with its mouth wide open is definitely worth a photograph. Worshipers come from around the country to pay respects to this Shishi that invites victory, swallows up any ill will, and brings in success with its big mouth.
Anyone who wants to further experience the appeal of Osaka food should head to Kuromon Market. It is a large market that is often referred to as "Osaka's kitchen" and has more than 100 stores selling a wide selection of fresh food ranging from meats and seafood, to fruits and vegetables. The fact that the chefs of renowned Japanese restaurants procure their ingredients there is testament to its high quality. The market is also popular for trying various food, including sushi, rice bowl dish with seafood, and kushiyaki.
Nipponbashi in Osaka is a center of otaku (a young person who is enthusiastic about computers or particular aspects of popular culture) culture rivaling Tokyo's Akihabara district. It is one of Japan's leading areas for electronics, and has numerous specialty stores for PC and AV peripherals and electronics parts, as well as shops for model-making, figurines, and games. In particular, a street referred to as Ota Road is a treasure trove for any otaku. It is full of shops for people interested in Japan's subcultures, such as Animate, which sells anime merchandise, the comic book store Wonderland, and Super Potato, with a large selection of games. If you really want to experience the otaku culture, drop in at a maid cafe where the wait staff are dressed like maids.
This is the area centering on the iconic Osaka Castle. There is a verdant park on the former site of the castle, and around it, a traditional working class neighborhood with vestiges of the past. This is a great area to experience Osaka's history.
Osaka Castle is a popular historic spot in Osaka. The main Tenshukaku Tower, which has five layers with eight stories, has been reconstructed, and houses a museum with exhibits of valuable historic documents and art. There is also a panoramic view of the city of Osaka from the observatory on the 8th floor. The golden decorations, such as the Shachihoko carp on the roof and prostate tigers beneath the balustrade, are designated as tangible national properties.
The historic site of Osaka Castle is now a huge park with examples of castle architecture scattered around it. The Ote Gate, which is the main entrance, the watchtower, and inner mote all date back to the time of the castle's construction. The beauty of the stone walls, which are said to be the biggest in Japan, is also worth noting. MIRAIZA-OSAKA-JO, a multipurpose complex next to the Tenshukaku Tower, has shops selling ninja and warrior goods, and offers samurai culture experiences. The park is full of greenery and is a great place to stroll around to enjoy seasonal plants and flowers. There is a copse of plum trees to the east of the inner moat, with trees that blossom beautifully in early spring. There are also approximately 300 cherry trees in Nishinomaru Garden, and 3,000 in the entire park, that blossom between late March and early April every year, attracting large crowds annually.
Osaka is sometimes referred to as the City of Water, and a great way to see it is on the water bus, Aqua-Liner, which tours Oi River that runs through the middle of the city. Osaka Castle, and historical buildings on Nakanoshima, such as Osaka City Central Public Hall and Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library, can be seen from the water bus. The Aqua-Liner takes you on a 55-minute cruise connecting Osakajo Pier, Hachiken Yahama Pier, Yodoyabashi Pier, and OAP Pier.
Shinsekai, famous for Tsutenkaku, is a town with the feel of a traditional working class neighborhood. Nearby are commercial facilities, such as Japan's tallest building, ABENO HARUKAS, as well as a park with a zoo, museum and Japanese garden and old temples. This is an area with many diverse traits and appeals, both old and new.
Tsutenkaku, which is an icon of Shinsekai, is an observatory tower that is 103m tall. There are two indoor observatories with panoramic views of the city, and further up the stairs on the top floor, there is an open-air observation corridor that is 8.5m in diameter, from which the views are completely unobstructed. This is a great place to enjoy the views while basking in the seasonal breeze.
Janjan Yokocho Alley is an arcade with shops that spans approximately 180m south to north from Dobutsuen-mae Station on the subway to Tsutenkaku. Its official name is Nanyo-dori Shotengai, but it is known as Janjan Yokocho because the stores used to play shamisen (three-stringed traditional Japanese musical instrument), making "janjan" sounds to entice customers. One of the appeals of the alley is the haphazard atmosphere with a mixture of shops ranging from standing-room only bars, coffee shops, an entertainment hall with rifle shooting games, and a shogi (Japanese chess) hall, along the approximately 2.5m wide street. There are many restaurants serving great food at low prices, so try the Osaka specialty, kushikatsu while you're there.
ABENO HARUKAS is the tallest building in Japan. The 58th to 60th floors, at 300m above ground, are an observatory from which there are fantastic views of the city. On a clear day, you can see the mountains of Kyoto and Hyogo, along with Awaji Island and Kansai International Airport. The 60th floor, which is the top floor, is an indoor corridor with 360° floor-to-ceiling windows where you can feel as if you are walking on air.
Osaka Tennoji Zoo has a history going back over 100 years. It has approximately 200 species of animals on its vast grounds, and is loved by people as an urban oasis. It is popular for the "habitat environment exhibits", in which the animals' natural habitats are recreated as much as possible so that visitors can see them in their natural environment. There are also meal time and snack time events where you can see the animals being fed, as well as a variety of experiences that allows you to touch the animals.
Built in 593, Shitennoji Temple is Japan's first state-sponsored temple. It is a "washu" temple that people of all sects can worship at. The central temple is built in Japan's oldest architectural style, where the central gate, five-story pagoda, main hall, and lecture hall all line up, and are surrounded by a corridor. In the spring (late March to early April), approximately 140 cherry trees blossom, adding to the beauty of the temple grounds. On the 21st and 22nd of each month, there is a fair with more than 500 stalls selling antiques, daily necessities and food.
Sumiyoshi Taisha, which is well worth going out of your way from Shinsekai to visit, is a famous Shinto shrine that was built more than 1,800 years ago. It is the head shrine of approximately 2,300 Sumiyoshi shrines across the country, and is a shrine for safe sea travel, agriculture, and industry. The four main sanctuary buildings, which are national treasures, are built in the oldest style of shrine architecture. Their positioning is unusual, with the second and third buildings lined up behind the first building, and the fourth building next to the third. There are many more cultural properties, such as the Sorihashi Bridge, an arched bridge that is a symbol of the shrine, and a sacred tree that is more than 1,000 years old.
This is an area with some of Osaka's leading attractions, such as Universal Studio Japan (USJ) and Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. It is outside of central Osaka, but can easily be accessed on the subway, New Tram, and JR.
This aquarium, located on Mt. Tempo, is one of the largest aquariums in the world, and is popular for its signature tank that replicates the Pacific Ocean. The tank is 9m deep, 34m long at its longest, and has 5,400 tons of water with majestic whale sharks swimming in it. There is a total of 14 tanks, including ones that represent the Great Barrier Reef, Antarctica, and the rainforests of Ecuador. The tanks are organized in accordance with their position on the Pacific Rim.
Tempozan Harbor Village, a comprehensive leisure spot that includes Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, has one of the world's largest ferris wheels, measuring 112.5m in height and 100m in diameter. Views from the ferris wheel cars include not just the Bay Area, but the surrounding area of Osaka. There are even cars with see-through floors so you can enjoy the view from all angles. There is a special entrance for the see-through cars. The ferris wheel is also lit up at night with artistic representations of fireworks and gigantic kaleidoscopes.
Santa Maria is a sight-seeing ship that leaves from Tempozan Harbor Village. Sail around the port of Osaka on the ship modeled on the Santa Maria that Columbus crossed the Atlantic on in the 15th century, and take in the numerous sights of the Bay Area. There is a day cruise that takes about 45 minutes, as well as a 60-minute twilight cruise (reservations required) on which you can enjoy views of the setting sun.
Universal Studios Japan (USF) is a theme park based on American blockbuster movies. The park, where you can enjoy numerous attractions and shows featuring popular characters, is divided into nine areas, including the world's largest Minions Park and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. In the summer, shows and parades with splashing water are particularly popular, and the highlights of the Halloween season are experiences that will have you screaming in terror!
The Osaka Amazing Pass (2,500 JPY and up), with unlimited rides on private train lines, subways and buses, is a great way to get around Osaka if you're sightseeing. The pass also includes discounts at some of the places introduced above, so make sure to check it out!
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Essay topics: Many offenders commit more crimes after serving the first punishment. Why is this happening, and what measures can be taken to tackle this problem?
In the modern world, there are a number of crimes happen around the world. Which it has been committed by human. Consequently, They will be imprisoned in jail for a period. So, there have been recorded different cases. That people who committed crimes against human or other types of offensive conditions such race issue, killing, robbery. After realsing them, they will become more offensive. So here details and how it can be resolved.
First of all, criminals are everywhere in the world. It can not be tackled easily. As it takes time to decrease it. In addition, it needs to be studied carefully with hard work. We somtimes feel. That punishment is not a good technique to solve problems. As Criminals require a kind of support and cooperation to direct through the correct path, they need to be treated proffesionally with their cases. When they get prisoned for over a period with regards to their committed crimes, they may be mixed with other criminals who have bad thoughts about life. So the possibly of breaking rules would be increase, it means that Government did not solve any issues. Instead of correction, they might be destroyed. Hence, they will have mutual passive thoughts bewteen each other. For example, there is a study in Germany. It shows, while it was taken disciplinary action against like punishment for offenders, the percentage of building passive mentalities will increase dramatically due to experienced criminal who are in the prisoned.
However, government should use proper methods instead of punishment. They must deal ethically. As a restult they still human. On other words. For example, segregating as per crime rate. It can encourage to learn sorts of jobs, while they are at the prison. Furthermore, educating them with different courses. To be more specific, once they learn such a proffessional work, after they got released, they will look for job. So keeping them busy with thinking about work and how to learn new skills, it will take them away from doing bad deeds. Moreover, it can provide to put them on rehabilitation cells. So that they can spend years in it, while they are in it. They will have the ability to be taught other fields related to market jobs.
To conclude, crimes can be tackled, if we convert punishment to something positive. Offering for them opportunities to learn new skills. In addition, they can give them the chance to correct themselves instead of wasting years in jails. Besides, they can have benefits while they are out of prison. However, neglecting them will increase crimes in countries.
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We have all been told that carrots help you see better, but is it the truth? Optometrists say that the orange vegetable can't actually improve your vision. However, carrots do contain substantial amounts of beta-carotene, a vitamin that is beneficial for your eye health and therefore consuming carrots and other beta-carotene rich foods is clearly advised for maintaining eye health.
Beta-carotene is an orange pigment (carotenoid) that changes into vitamin A once digested in the body. Vitamin A helps to protect the surface of the eye (cornea) and has been shown to prevent certain eye diseases such as macular degeneration. Vitamin A, a group of antioxidant compounds, guards the surface of the eye to decrease the frequency of eye infections as well as other infectious diseases. Vitamin A is also known to be a successful solution for dry eyes as well as other eye disorders. A lack of this important vitamin (which tends to exist more in underdeveloped countries) is known to cause night blindness, corneal ulcers and retinal damage which can lead to complete blindness.
Two types of vitamin A exist, which depend upon the food source from which they come. Retinol is vitamin A derived from an animal origin such as beef, chicken liver, whole milk or cheese. Vitamin A that is produce-derived comes in the form of ''provitamin A'' carotenoids, which break down to retinol after the nutrients are absorbed. In addition to carrots, carotenoids are ingested when eating colorful produce particularly those that are bright orange or green in color.
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Carrier Wi-Fi Market size is growing at a fast rate due to the increasing adoption of IoT and 5G applications along with the rising advent of smart cities. Carrier Wi-Fi provides a better user experience to the end users by delivering an easy access to Wi-Fi with enhanced service quality. It also enables service providers to manage a large network of access points, supporting thousands of nodes. There is an increase in the amount of data generated from various electronic devices such as tablets, smartphones, and laptops in numerous developed and developing countries. The amount of mobile data generated in 2014 was around 2 exabytes and reached around 8 exabytes by 2017. Hence, the deployment of carrier Wi-Fi solutions assists operators to cope with the growing data by enabling them to offload traffic onto the fixed networks in high-traffic areas such as city areas or at major events. This method permits the operators to move the data transmission to a Wi-Fi-based network, reducing the traffic and increasing the efficiency.
Carrier Wi-Fi technology is also being used by the operators worldwide to enable cloud-based applications and meet the high bandwidth requirements driving the market growth. It delivers various features such as scalability, wide area mobility, network management, carrier-grade security, and fewer service interruptions, driving its adoption in the market. It is also considered as a cost-effective solution in deploying public hotspots in various restaurants, public places, and university campuses, accelerating the internet penetration rate in developing nations.
The emergence of LTE and 5G has resulted in the carrier Wi-Fi becoming an integral part of the network architecture. The industry is witnessing a huge shift in network planning and strategy with innovations in fiber-optics, IP-based core networks, and self-organizing & heterogeneous networks, driving the market demand. Various companies also anticipated to increase their carrier Wi-Fi investments by 2020, in terms of 5G network development, driving the market growth. Furthermore, security has always been a concern for the open Wi-Fi networks as unprotected Wi-Fis can hamper the user and organizational data, leading to huge loses. Carrier Wi-Fi delivers enhanced security by hardening the Wi-Fi network and in turn protecting it from security threats such as spam, spoofing, and viruses, motivating the demand for the carrier Wi-Fi market.
Despite the strong inclination of the operators toward the carrier Wi-Fi market, there are still certain issues, which may limit their growth. There are a set of crucial technologies such as enhanced tools for managing Wi-Fi hotspots that are considered as a key requirement for the high-volume deployments of this solutions. A shortage of these tools acts as a critical parameter, hampering the market growth.
The carrier Wi-Fi market has penetration into software such as network management, network monitoring & intrusion prevention, and network performance analytics. The network management software is projected to hold the highest market share as it offers various benefits to the mobile operators such as reduced power usage, service flexibility, and enhanced service environment including location-based & data analytics services, accelerating the market demand.
The carrier Wi-Fi market solutions are adopted in various application verticals including BFSI, IT & telecom, healthcare, energy, government, education, and transportation. The market is witnessing a huge adoption rate from the IT & telecom and financial service sectors due to a growth in the SIM-based Wi-Fi access points that provide a closer integration between the mobile network and Wi-Fi. Companies operating in these industries are also innovating advanced solutions to deliver an enhanced customer experience and gain a competitive edge in the market. For instance, in October 2017, Nokia introduced a new carrier Wi-Fi for in-home solutions. This new solution will provide gigabyte coverage to the entire home, eliminating the interfaces and dead zones.
Asia Pacific is considered the strongest region of growth in the carrier Wi-Fi market due to an increase in the number of mobile subscriptions in countries including India and China. There is also a rise in the demand for smartphones in this region, paving new growth opportunities for the telecom operators. The rate of requests for proposals from various mobile operators is increasing with countries including China, Indonesia, and India, driving the growth. Furthermore, the government has also taken strategic steps such as digitalization and smart cities initiative, which has a positive effect on the market growth. The U.S. is also projected to grow at a fast rate due to the growth in data and the fluctuating network traffic in this region.
The carrier Wi-Fi market is fragmented with the existence of a substantial number of players. Some of the major players present in the market are Airspan, Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco Systems, Aruba Networks, ADTRAN, BelAir Networks, Ericsson, Hewlett-Packard, Motorola Solutions, and Ruckus Wireless. These players are making huge investments in R&D and bringing about strategic business collaborations to expand their presence in the competitive carrier Wi-Fi market.
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Why aren't several deposits not accruing to the customers named? They show up in reports, but not in the transaction list in the customer entry itself.
I've got some help about this.
When you create a deposit, you can choose the Accounts Receivable account in the ACCOUNT field and enter the name of the customer in the NAME field. In this way, the transaction will show up in your customer's Transaction List as deposit.
If this is something that you need to enter as a retainer, just follow the steps in this article: How to record a retainer or deposit.
We're just around if you have more questions.
Re: Why aren't several deposits not accruing to the customers named? They show up in reports, but not in the transaction list in the customer entry itself.
The best thing to do is to create a Sales Receipt when the payments are received. Also you can setup items for each royalty payment type so that you have an item to choose within you Sales Receipts with each royalty payment received. These items are mapped to your income accounts. A sales receipt is like an invoice and payment in one. It was not good advice to use Accounts Receivable as your category as someone else advised, this is not proper accounting and such a transaction is only done when you are recording deposit/retainers.
A deposit is not a sale, so if the deposit was not matched to a customer invoice payment or customer sales receipt, it will not show up in the customer sales transactions.
Customer invoices and invoice payments OR sales receipts are created, and then matched to deposits.
Thanks for answering that. Another question: as a music publisher, we are sent royalty payments (such as the example above) -- sometimes monthly, sometimes quarterly, sometimes yearly -- from our distributor, from performance rights groups such as ASCAP and BMI. We have no way of knowing those amount ahead of time so these are neither "invoice payments" nor "sales receipts." Is there another device within QuickBooks that can both accommodate these kinds of remittances so that it accrues to a "customer?" -- thanks!
This is bad advice if there is no sales transaction, as the money received will not go to an income account on the profit and loss report. A transaction posted only to Accounts Receivable will be reflected on the balance sheet. An Accountant would not give this bad advice.
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How do I adjust the height of my swing bed if the rope has settled?
Please note that 1”-1.5" rope may settle and stretch more over time than 3/4" rope, meaning that you may need to adjust your swing bed periodically. To adjust your swing, simply lift up on both sides of the swing and place a 5-gallon bucket underneath the right side of the swing, and another 5-gallon bucket underneath the left side of the swing. You may also use a different sturdy prop underneath the base of the bed to release all weight from the ropes if 5-gallon buckets are not readily available. Once the swing's weight is fully supported by the buckets, and not the rope, un-tie each knot. After the knots are un-tied, pull the rope tight and re-tie each knot at a higher location than before. Once all 4 knots are re-tied, you can lift up on the swing and remove the buckets, letting the swing hang freely again. To tighten the knots further, press down on each side of the swing bed to level out both sides.
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A growing number of theaters and performing groups across the country are setting aside “tweet seats,” in-house seats for patrons to live-tweet during performances, including the Carolina Ballet in Raleigh, N.C., and the Dayton Opera in Dayton, Ohio.
Why? Reading between the lines of the piece there seem to be two reasons: 1) Performance companies, which tend to struggle in even the best economies, want to harness the power of social media and assume that hashtags translate into ticket sales 2) patrons who want to use their phones are going to use their phones anyway, so why not give them a space to call their own away from other patrons? When those sections get bigger, “tweet seats” become the norm, and humanity loses its ability to process art without pausing to boil down their reactions into 140-character thoughts, you can blame the Dayton Opera.
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A crown of sonnets or sonnet corona is a sequence of sonnets, usually addressed to one person, and/or concerned with a single theme. Each of the sonnets explores one aspect of the theme, and is linked to the preceding and succeeding sonnets by repeating the final line of the preceding sonnet as its first line. The first line of the first sonnet is repeated as the final line of the final sonnet, thereby bringing the sequence to a close.
An advanced form of crown of sonnets is also called a sonnet redoublé or heroic crown, comprising fifteen sonnets, in which the sonnets are linked as described above, but the final binding sonnet is made up of all the first lines of the preceding fourteen, in order. The fifteenth sonnet is called the Mastersonnet. This form was invented by the Siena Academy, which was formed in 1460, but there are no existing crowns of sonnets written by them. The form was first described by Giovanni Mario Crescimbeni in his work L'Istoria della volgar poesia (History of Vernacular Poetry), published in Venice, 1731 and later by P.G. Bisso in his Introduzione alla volgar poesia (Introduction to Vernacular Poetry), published in Venice, 1794. A variation on the form is sometimes used in which the binding sonnet is the first sonnet, and subsequent sonnets end with a line taken from it in order.
The format of crowns of sonnets crown was published in Brazil by the poet Paulo Camelo in 2002, whose title said of its content: "Coroas de uma coroa" (Crowns of a crown). In Europe, the first crown of sonnets of crowns of sonnets was published in the Netherlands in 2016: Een kruisweg van alledaags leed (ISBN 978-94-90855-15-4), edited by Bas Jongenelen and Martijn Neggers. 14 crowns made 14 Mastersonnets. These Mastersonnets are a crown on their own, generating another Mastersonnet, which is called the Grandmastersonnet.
A Wreath of Sonnets (Slovene: Sonetni venec) is a crown of sonnets by the Slovene Romantic poet France Prešeren. It was written in 1833 and was enriched with acrostic in the master sonnet. Prešeren's crown of sonnets was translated into Russian in 1889, which had great influence on many poets, including Valery Bryusov. Jaroslav Seifert wrote his sentimental Věnec sonetů (A Wreath of Sonnets) in this form about Prague, with an authorized translation by Jan Křesadlo, who also composed his own emigre riposte in the same format, as well as writing several other sonnet cycles. The Bulgarian poet Venko Markovski wrote and published more than 100 crowns of sonnets, which also contained acrostics dedicated to various historical figures. In 2007, the Russian poet Natalia Shamberova published "The Mists of August", a wreath of wreaths: 211 interlacing sonnets composed of 14 wreaths of sonnets to form the wreath of magistrals, and a final sonnet called the magistrals' magistral.
The children's book A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson also follows the form of a heroic crown of sonnets. Another well-known and frequent author of contemporary crowns of sonnets is Marilyn Hacker. "Intertidal", a collaborative crown of sonnets by contemporary poets Judith Barrington, Annie Finch, Julie Kane, Julia Lisella, D'Arcy Randall, Kathrine Varnes, and Lesley Wheeler, was organized through discussion on the Wom-Po listserv and published in 2007. Examples also include John Donne's "Corona" (Crown) and Lady Mary Wroth's "A Crown of Sonnets Dedicated to Love". Notable[clarification needed] crowns of sonnets have recently been published by Linda Bierds, Andrea Carter Brown, Robert Darling, Moira Egan, Jenny Factor, Andrei Krylov, Rachael Briggs, Julie Fay, Constance Merritt, Julie Sophia Paegle, Marie Ponsot, Patricia Smith, Marilyn Taylor, Natasha Trethewey, David Trinidad, John Murillo, John McDonough, Kathrine Varnes, Angela Alaimo O'Donnell, Laurie Ann Guerrero, and Robert Luis Rodriguez.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2019, at 20:28 (UTC).
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What is something that birds, bats, butterflies, and dragonflies all have in common?
Well, yes, they do fly. But something that doesn’t occur to the typical person not well-versed in these animal types is that all of these creatures migrate. Now that summer is done, the days are getting shorter, and the air is a bit cooler out there, we can expect to see these animals on the move soon.
This blog is the 4th part of a short series on migrating animals. The final topic: dragonflies!
Of all four topics I am covering in this series, scientists seem to understand dragonfly migration the least. This is likely because not much effort has been put into the subject: dragonflies are of not great economic importance, and the best known species that migrates, Common Green Darner, is widespread and abundant and so there is little concern about its future. In general, dragonflies are not very sensitive to water pollution, and can thrive in man-made or naturals wetlands. This is in contrast to some bat species and the Monarch butterfly, which are very specific in their over-wintering habitat selection.
Of the 326 species of dragonflies in North America, about 18 are regular migrants. Besides the Common Green Darner (Anax junius), other migrating dragonflies include the Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens), Spot-winged glider (Pantala hymenaea), Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata) and Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum).
Dragonflies are fascinating creatures, with strange mating, flying, and territorial behaviors. This complexity applies to migration as well, which certainly contributes to the sense that scientists have yet to unravel dragonfly migration.
For example, work done by entomologist R. Trottier in 1971 revealed Common Green Darner could adopt two distinct life-cycles. One group of darners had the standard dragonfly life-cycle: nymphs emerged as adults in June, laid eggs in the summer, and died by late August. The eggs would hatch into nymphs that would overwinter locally in the bottom of streams and ponds and then emerge again the next June. (Side note: Dragonflies spend 1-3 years in the nymph stage, depending on the species).
The other group of the darners did not emerge until late-August, and rapidly disappeared from local ponds and wetlands as they began a migration south. Their children would be the ones to return in early April and continue the generational cycle. In this population, migration is a normal part of the life cycle. In other words, just like the Monarch butterflies, dragonfly migration is a one-way ticket for any given individual. The first generation will travel south, reproduce and die, and the children will head north. They will reproduce and die and their children will go south.
However, not all dragonflies migrate, even within the same species. This is a complication that is not well understood.
Dragonfly swarming behavior. Photo copyright Steven Young and taken from http://www.flickr.com/photos/steven-young/2893876500/.
In 2006, researchers attached micro-radio transmitters to Green Darners and followed them along their migration for 12 days. On average, they traveled 30-40 miles in a 5-7 day period, eventually going an average of 400 miles. Another study recorded a maximum observed distance of 2200 miles.
Like the other animals we have studied, dragonflies rest for several days at a time while on the migration route, so the total migration time can last many weeks. From the Mid-West and Northeast United States, they are able to reach the Gulf Coast states and occasionally Mexico.
Cold nights seems to trigger dragonfly migration, just like with birds. Dragonflies will began their journey south in mid-August, and will continue through the end of October. The dragonflies use northerly winds that follow from cold fronts to speed them on their way, and can be seen traveling in swarms of hundreds of thousands, though they also travel as individuals and small groups.
Like birds and butterflies, it seems like they navigate using some type of internal magnetic compass and using topographic features like lakeshores and coastlines. Another interesting observation in the 2006 study is that dragonflies can alter their migration route considerably (in this case, by 120 degrees) in order to avoid flying over large bodies of water.
Check out this webpage: Migratory Dragonfly Partnership. This partnership is a collaborative effort between universities, dragonfly experts, the federal government, and nongovernmental programs with the goal of learning more about dragonfly migration.
The Partnership welcomes dragonfly observations from citizen scientists!
It has been great fun for me to research these migrations and learn about new things (for me) that I had been wondering about for some time. I hope you enjoyed the series too!
-Paul Steen, HRWC Aquatic Ecologist.
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0.941168 |
Berlin, Germany (CNN) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are proposing a Europe-wide prohibition of the controversial practice of "naked" short selling as a way to calm the markets, according to a joint letter addressed to the head of the European Commission.
"The severe turbulence observed on financial markets over recent months has ... led to considerable concern among member states of the European Union and all our fellow citizens," they wrote Tuesday to Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
They said such "high market volatility" raises questions about financial techniques including short-selling, in which institutions or traders bet that the price of an asset will go down. The sale becomes "naked" when the seller sells shares he doesn't own or hold, trusting that he will soon be able to buy them at a reduced price and "cover" himself that way.
Naked short-selling is controversial because it artificially drives a stock's price down to a level that doesn't reflect true supply and demand, said Sharyn O'Halloran, professor of political economy at Columbia University.
Germany banned naked short-selling on government debt and large financial firms last month as a way to stabilize what has been a very rocky bond market for Europe, as countries in the region try to finance their debt. The purpose was to make their financial markets more transparent and for prices to better reflect supply and demand, O'Halloran said.
"We believe that it is indispensable to reinforce the transparency of short positions on equities and bonds, especially sovereign bonds," Merkel and Sarkozy wrote. "The commission's work should encompass the possibility of an EU-wide prohibition of naked short selling of all or certain shares and sovereign bonds as well as of all or certain naked sovereign CDS (credit default swaps) and its conditions."
Throughout history, regulators have cracked down on short selling after a period of economic declines. In the United States, at the the height of the financial crisis in September 2008, the Securities and Exchange Commission temporarily banned investors from short-selling 799 financial companies.
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0.99899 |
Three people. One event. Three points of view. All three vary because, face it, each person keys in on certain sensory details that stand out or appeal to them. Each person brings past experiences to the situation and formulates an opinion or perspective based on those elements.
characters in one scene, each views the action and reacts, based on individual instincts and quirks created by an author.
While some stories thrive from different points of view (and sometimes, alternating P.O.V. is a wonderfully successful plot device), many tales flounder because the writer hasn't investigated which perspective best fits or advances the storytelling.
Is there a magical formula that helps writers determine which point of view is best?
But distinct advantages and disadvantages of first, second and third person storytelling do exist. Let's take a look at each viewpoint and weigh the pros and cons.
First Person: The I, me, my, we narrator. It's the participant viewpoint, although the narrative doesn't have to be from a major character.
It's natural. It's how we converse.
It focuses on the narrator's perspective.
It establishes a distinct internal voice, especially with main characters.
It only tells one point of view.
It doesn't show what other characters think or feel.
It forces the narrator to always be present.
Second Person: The you narrator. Honestly, it seldom works. In my editing experience, I've never read a story told from this P.O.V. that didn't fall flat. That's not to say it won't work, but it's complicated.
It's different. When the storytelling is spot on, it builds rapport with the reader.
It fails to establish a rhythm. And sometimes, it ends up sounding like a cluster of imperative sentences. Who wants to feel like they're being told what to do or believe?
Third Person: The she, he, they narrator. The most commonly used point of view, third person works so well because it feels like the reader and narrator share secrets. Readers become privy to information that the clueless characters don't understand. Now, you'll need to determine if an unlimited or limited presence works best.
Unlimited Omniscience uses any character to convey the story.
It lets multiple characters tell the story.
It (usually) hastens the pace of the story.
It can be confusing to the reader, especially if too many characters are involved in telling the story.
It can reduce the rhythm of prose.
Limited Omniscience shows the thoughts of only a few characters, and most often, one character's thoughts equal a single scene or chapter.
It allows several characters to tell the story.
It picks up the pace.
It lets the writer focus on one or two characters and delve into their motivation.
It eliminates problems of using unlimited omniscience for writers.
No matter what story a writer is telling, it's important that the point of view is consistent. Too many voices, too many shifts in thought, too many disadvantages = a piece of writing that's dead on paper.
P.O.V. is about the eye, not the I. And that's the magic of one, two or three.
by LuAnn Schindler. LuAnn is a freelance writer and columnist. Read more of her work at http://luannschindler.com/.
What an effective way to discuss the pros and cons of points of view in storytelling.
Nice post! Thanks for sharing quality information.
Really good points, nicely discussed. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages - in the end you have to opt for the one that gives the most involving story. I'm tweeting this.
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0.98721 |
After a long journey away from home, the little mouse is craving some tasty refreshments. It glows with delight when it sees bright yellow cubes of cheese along both sides of the river. However, it has to cross the rapid current in order to enjoy its treat. Your goal in the game is to help the little mouse to reach the other side of the river by jumping onto the boards which are floating in the water. You can click the little mouse at the lower left corner and move it onto a board in the water. Since the boards are floating in different directions, you need to move the little mouse to another board before it reaches the edge of the board, or it will fall into the water. A cat may appear on a board from time to time, and you must avoid it or the little mouse will be caught. Reach the cheese at the opposite bank, and you may start the next level. Beware of the rapid streams and the fast-moving boards as you advance in the game. Starting with 5 lives, the little mouse will lose one life if it has fallen into the water or when it is caught by the cat, and the game ends when all lives are gone. Avoid the obstacles and feed the little mouse until its stomach is full!
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0.991965 |
Do I Stay With The Serial Cheater?
Do I Go, or Do I Stay With The Serial Cheater?
We live together with our two month old son though we are yet to get married. My boyfriend is a serial cheater and this hurts me a lot. I am tired, frustrated, depressed, and want to walk out of the relationship. Please provide advice to me on this.
I feel for you and the pain that you must be going through. It appears you have invested a lot into this relationship and probably are a woman with a high capacity to love and to hope. These are excellent qualities to have, so pat yourself on the back for your perseverance.
Judging from your use of the word, "serial," it appears that possibly your boyfriend is not taking steps to correct the behavior. Possibly he does not view that it is wrong, or he does not feel that it merits the amount of effort to change it. If he is truly trying to change (i.e. seeking a counselor, finding an accountability method, etc.), then this would be a different story. However, I am operating from the assumption that there are no real efforts or desires to change the behavior and that is why you used the word, "serial."
It is clear that you want to leave, and all of the hope in the world is not enough to stop the serial cheating. The cheating is a behavior pattern that your boyfriend has and it is not likely to change any time soon. With any relationship, you would need to define those things that are called the "non-negotiables." Non-negotiables are those issues where you cannot budge. So, for example, if the toilet paper being on the roll a certain way is a non-negotiable for you, than it is fair to let your boyfriend know that it is non-negotiable. That way, when he wants to put the toilet paper on the other way, he realizes that this is not something that you can live with and he would need to decide which is more important, your relationship or which way the toilet paper is hanging. Ideally, we define those non-negotiables before entering into the serious phase of the relationship, however one wants to define "serious." But, as with most things, we find ourselves acquiring wisdom after we have had a few scrapes in life and very few of us have the foresight and knowledge to think of things like non-negotiables when we are in love.
Honestly, I hope that people can search hard and deep before choosing toilet paper roll position as a non-negotiable. However, it is fair to say that many people would say that cheating in a relationship is a non-negotiable. It sounds like it is a non-negotiable in your life, as well, but you simply haven't defined it as such. That's ok. If it is important to you, that your boyfriend is faithful to you, and to you alone, then you do not need anyone telling you to do it, or that it is right or wrong for you to make this decision or that decision. I think you have already made up your mind, and that shows strength of character, my friend.
Also, keep in mind, that you have a little wee one, your son. Even though he is tiny right now, he is taking in his surroundings. Do you want him to grow up to be a serial cheater? Chances are, if he sees the daddy doing it and mommy putting up with the behavior, he will believe that that behavior is ok and he may do this to your future daughter-in-law. Now, we are affecting two young lives and the lives of those wee ones that they may bring into this world. Sometimes there are exceptions to this, but I would not want to lay odds on it turning out well for your little boy, when exposing him to this behavior. It would also be different if the person responsible for the behavior were making strong efforts to change the behavior. You have the chance to make a difference in your son's life. Also, your little man deserves a happy mommy, which will help him to understand strength of character as well as happiness in his little life.
If you ask me? In my life, cheating is a non-negotiable.
How Do I Find An Adviser?
Is Dating an Optimization Problem?
What Is the Best Way to Spend Time With Your Significant Other?
Why Do Nice Guys Get Friend-Zoned?
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0.97779 |
I created topic "test" in kafka, and would like to configure flume to act as consumer to fetch data from this topic and save it to HDFS.
After starting the flume agent, there was no error message in flume and kafka log file.
However, there was nothing put into HDFS.
If the flume agent could fetch message from the topic, then the output of the above command should be empty.
The result indicated that the flume agent could not get any data from Kafka.
2017-10-18 17:01:49,908 INFO org.apache.flume.instrumentation.MonitoredCounterGroup: Monitored counter group for type: CHANNEL, name: channel1: Successfully registered new MBean.
2017-10-18 17:01:49,910 INFO org.apache.flume.instrumentation.MonitoredCounterGroup: Monitored counter group for type: SINK, name: sink1: Successfully registered new MBean.
use tier1.sources.kafkasource1.kafka.bootstrap.servers = bda03:9092, bda04:9092,bda05:9092.
I have been trying to ingest data from kafka source to flume. I am using cloudera quickstart vm 5.13.
2018-03-16 02:06:51,209 (conf-file-poller-0) [INFO - org.apache.flume.source.kafka.KafkaSource.doConfigure(KafkaSource.java:400)] Group ID was not specified. Using flume as the group id.
2018-03-16 02:06:51,586 (lifecycleSupervisor-1-0) [INFO - org.apache.flume.instrumentation.MonitoredCounterGroup.register(MonitoredCounterGroup.java:119)] Monitored counter group for type: CHANNEL, name: memory-channel: Successfully registered new MBean.
2018-03-16 02:06:51,589 (lifecycleSupervisor-1-1) [INFO - org.apache.flume.instrumentation.MonitoredCounterGroup.register(MonitoredCounterGroup.java:119)] Monitored counter group for type: SINK, name: hdfs-sink: Successfully registered new MBean.
2018-03-16 02:06:51,909 (lifecycleSupervisor-1-2) [WARN - org.apache.kafka.common.config.AbstractConfig.logUnused(AbstractConfig.java:179)] The configuration groupId = flume was supplied but isn't a known config.
2018-03-16 02:06:51,910 (lifecycleSupervisor-1-2) [WARN - org.apache.kafka.common.config.AbstractConfig.logUnused(AbstractConfig.java:179)] The configuration timeout.ms = 100 was supplied but isn't a known config.
There are no errors encountered , but no messages are being written to HDFS. Could someone help. I tried almost every different combination of solution available in the forum.
me too, I also met this situation.
Sadly I have no new info to provide insight into this issue...but also wanted to callout that we are seeing the same thing on our side. No errors, just no data movement on the kafka-source -> flume side.
You could also turn on log4j.logger.org.apache.kafka=DEBUG in the broker logging safety valve, and review the messages when flume tries to connect to kafka. A lot of "errors" are retryable, meaning they won't throw an exception, but you won't see any output.
Great, thank you. I'll take a look at both paths to see if we can narrow down where the issue is occurring.
I'm very confident it's a consumer config issue, but I thought the bare bones config examples on the web would just work, even if not efficiently.
Thanks again...I'll provide an update on how this goes.
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0.942325 |
White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett says President Obama has dramatically changed how the U.S. is seen.
Washington (CNN) -- The White House rejected criticism Sunday that President Obama has not delivered on his promise of "change" during his first year in office.
White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett said the president has brought about "enormous change."
"I think what we've seen is a dramatic difference in terms of how the United States is perceived around the world," Jarrett told NBC's "Meet the Press," on the final Sunday before the president's State of the Union address.
Obama's travels have established relationships with world leaders that "lay a foundation for keeping America safe and making us a partner around the world," she added.
Jarrett also credited the president with having "pulled back the economy from the brink of disaster."
"That's an enormous amount of change when you consider where we were a year ago right on the brink," she said. "And he's adding discipline in government to try to get control over our fiscal house. So I think that we've seen enormous change."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, on the same program, countered that "if you look at the first year of this administration, we haven't made much progress." He complained about the deficit in the president's budget and the health care reform package that Republicans oppose.
But McConnell, R-Kentucky, was also on the defensive about the GOP, which critics have been calling "the party of no."
Asked to characterize the performance of his own party this year, McConnell said, "What we did is try to operate on principle. The president decided to go hard left. That's why he doesn't have many of my members [supporting his agenda]. If he chooses to govern in the middle, he will have broader support."
Jarrett insisted the president never wavered from his promised bipartisan approach.
Discussing his health care initiative, Jarrett said Obama "has sat down with the leadership and members of the Republican Party, both the House and the Senate. In fact, bills in both the House and the Senate contain provisions that were suggested by the Republican Party -- so nothing's changed about the president's approach."
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0.801942 |
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a cricket field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard-long pitch with a wicket (a set of three wooden stumps) at each end. One team bats, attempting to score as many runs as possible, whilst their opponents field. Each phase of play is called an innings. After either ten batsmen have been dismissed or a fixed number of overs have been completed, the innings ends and the two teams then swap roles. The winning team is the one that scores the most runs, including any extras gained, during their innings.
At the start of each game, two batsmen and eleven fielders enter the field of play. The play begins when a member of the fielding team, known as the bowler, delivers the ball from one end of the pitch to the other, towards the wicket at that end, in front of which stands one of the batsmen, known as the striker. The striker "takes guard" on a crease drawn on the pitch four feet in front of the wicket. His role is to prevent the ball from hitting the stumps by use of his bat, and simultaneously to strike it well enough to score runs. The other batsman, known as the non-striker, waits at the opposite end of the pitch near the bowler. A dismissed batsman must leave the field, and a teammate replaces him. The bowler's objectives are to prevent the scoring of runs and to dismiss the batsman. An over is a set of six deliveries bowled by the same bowler. The next over is bowled from the other end of the pitch by a different bowler.
The most common forms of dismissal are bowled, when the bowler hits the stumps directly with the ball; leg before wicket, when the batsman prevents the ball from hitting the stumps with his body instead of his bat; and caught, when the batsman hits the ball into the air and it is intercepted by a fielder before touching the ground. Runs are scored by two main methods: either by hitting the ball hard enough for it to cross the boundary, or by the two batsmen swapping ends by each simultaneously running the length of the pitch in opposite directions whilst the fielders are retrieving the ball. If a fielder retrieves the ball quickly enough to put down the wicket with a batsman not having reached the crease at that end of the pitch, that batsman is dismissed (a run-out occurs). Adjudication is performed on the field by two umpires.
A number of words have been suggested as sources for the term "cricket". In the earliest definite reference to the sport in 1598 it is called creckett. One possible source for the name is the Old English cricc or cryce meaning a crutch or staff. In Samuel Johnson's Dictionary, he derived cricket from "cryce, Saxon, a stick". In Old French, the word criquet seems to have meant a kind of club or stick.
Given the strong medieval trade connections between south-east England and the County of Flanders when the latter belonged to the Duchy of Burgundy, the name may have been derived from the Middle Dutch (in use in Flanders at the time) krick(-e), meaning a stick (crook). Another possible source is the Middle Dutch word krickstoel, meaning a long low stool used for kneeling in church and which resembled the long low wicket with two stumps used in early cricket. According to Heiner Gillmeister, a European language expert of Bonn University, "cricket" derives from the Middle Dutch phrase for hockey, met de (krik ket)sen (i.e., "with the stick chase"). Dr Gillmeister believes that not only the name but the sport itself is of Flemish origin.
The inter-war years were dominated by one player: Australia's Don Bradman, statistically the greatest batsman of all time. Test cricket continued to expand during the 20th century with the addition of the West Indies, India and New Zealand before the Second World War and then Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in the post-war period. South Africa was banned from international cricket from 1970 to 1992 as part of the apartheid boycott.
While some English team games like hockey and football became international games, played all over the world, cricket remained a colonial game, limited to those countries that had once been a part of the British empire. The pre-industrial oddness of cricket made it a hard game to export. It took root only in countries that the British conquered and ruled. In these colonies cricket was established as a popular sport either by white settlers or by local elites who wanted to copy the habits of their colonial masters, as in India.
The only occasion where one bowler bowls consecutive overs is in the Super Over directly after the final over of a tied game of a limited-overs match.
Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar (second from right) is the only player to complete more than 30,000 runs in international cricket. Photo shows him making a shot to reach 14,000 runs in Tests. He was batting against Australia in 2010.
Amateur cricketers rarely play matches that last longer than a single day; these may loosely be divided into declaration matches, in which a specified maximum time or number of overs is assigned to the game in total and the teams swap roles only when the batting team is either completely dismissed or declares; and limited overs matches, in which a specified maximum number of overs is assigned for each team's innings individually. These will vary in length between 30 and 60 overs per side at the weekend and the ever-popular 20 over format during the evenings. Other forms of cricket, such as indoor cricket and garden cricket remain popular.
↑ "John Leach, From Lads to Lord's". Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2009. CS1 maint: Unfit url (link) <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles> quotes the precise date of the court case in Guildford as Monday, 17 January 1597 (Julian date), which is in the Gregorian year of 1598. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Birley, p. 3.
↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Altham, p. 21.
↑ MCC – Laws of Cricket: Law 1 March 2013/https://web.archive.org/web/20130311210212/http://www.lords.org/laws-and-spirit/laws-of-cricket/laws/ Archived March 11, 2013 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 25 July 2009.
↑ MCC – Laws of Cricket: Law 31 February 2006/https://web.archive.org/web/20060211223400/http://www.lords.org/laws-and-spirit/laws-of-cricket/laws/law-31-timed-out,57,AR.html Archived February 11, 2006 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
↑ MCC – Laws of Cricket: Preamble to the Laws November 2011/https://web.archive.org/web/20111106065059/http://www.lords.org/laws-and-spirit/laws-of-cricket/preamble-to-the-laws,475,AR.html Archived November 6, 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 8 September 2010.
↑ 56.0 56.1 56.2 Smart, Alastair (20 July 2013). "The art of cricket: Enough to leave you stumped", The Telegraph. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
This page was last modified on 5 May 2017, at 05:25.
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0.996264 |
What's next in music happens on SoundCloud first. As the world’s largest open audio platform, SoundCloud is powered by a connected community of creators, listeners and curators who share, discover and influence what’s new, now and next in music and audio.
We are looking for backend engineers to join our growing technology organisation!
As backend engineers at SoundCloud, we build the infrastructure for products that music listeners and creators love. Our work often involves large-scale distributed systems, parallel computing, and data science. We actively improve our tools and processes to support collaboration and productivity. We cultivate an environment where we can all learn and grow.
You have solid backend engineering skills and are motivated to work in these areas. You’re proactive and have experience collaborating closely with other teams. You enjoy crafting simple solutions to complex engineering problems and are able to communicate them to product managers. You’re an independent thinker, but thrive in a tight-knit team. You’re committed to the products you work on.
If this describes you, we’d love to chat!
Prior experience with microservices, JVM languages, automated testing, and continuous delivery are all highly valued. Scala is the main language we use, so you are either already proficient in it or excited to learn. Experience in technologies such as Hadoop, Spark, Kafka, and data processing pipelines is a plus.
We're currently hiring for multiple teams with different missions, technologies and challenges; and we will discuss potential teams with you to figure out the best fit together.
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform based in Berlin, Germany, that enables its users to upload, record, promote, and share their originally-created sounds.
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0.859258 |
How would we log a log for a non-employee when doing a road test prior to hiring?
You can add a temporary user to the database for the driver. If you decide to hire him, then you can complete the set up of the user to be an employee of your company and keep tracking Duty Status Logs under the same user. If not, you can always make the user historical. I would recommend annotating the logs in the latter case.
Another way to go about it is driving the vehicle without a driver assigned to it, and annotate all the unidentified driver logs created during the test drive. If the driver is hired, then you can create a user for him and re-assign all those logs to him. If the driver is not hired, then the logs will stay under unidentified driver but they will be properly annotated explaining the situation.
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0.997495 |
MoveHub based its assessment on a range of costs, such as the price of groceries, transport, bills, restaurants and how much renting somewhere to live is. These figures are then compiled into an index, using the notoriously expensive city of New York as a benchmark.
New York was given an index score of 100, and countries were then ranked based on this. So a country with a score higher than 100 is more expensive than New York, while below signals that it is cheaper.
As a reference point, the average score for the United Kingdom was 51.03, making it the 29th most expensive country in which to live.
T=20. Ghana — 53.89: Ghana is one of Africa's more prosperous nations, and this is reflected in the cost of living, which is higher than any other African nation, according to MoveHub.
T=20. Italy — 53.89: The cost of living in Italy is higher than in the eurozone's two largest economies, Germany and France.
19. Israel — 54.11: Israel is, comparatively speaking, pretty inexpensive compared to other states in the region like Kuwait and the UAE.
18. Kuwait — 57.31: Kuwait's currency, the Kuwaiti dinar, is one of the strongest currency units in the world, with a single dinar worth $3.27.
17. Japan — 57.62: Japan's economy may have stagnated somewhat in recent years, but it still remains one of the world's powerhouses, and that is reflected in the cost of living.
16. New Zealand — 58.26: As a country that has to import a large proportion of its goods, New Zealand is a pretty expensive place to live.
15. USA — 58.59: New York may be the benchmark for MoveHub's index, but the USA as a whole is a lot cheaper. Living in big cities like New York and Los Angeles may be costly, but in rural areas and smaller cities things are different.
14. Ireland — 59.56: Since the Brexit vote, Ireland has seen a huge surge in passport applications from Brits looking to leave the UK. Should they move across the Irish Sea however, they'll find a country more expensive than their own.
13. Denmark — 60.01: Denmark is the most heavily indebted country in Europe on a personal level, with average household debt equivalent to 265% of incomes, according to Eurostat. That may not be surprising given the cost of living in the country.
12. Australia — 62.39: Like its nearest neighbour New Zealand, much of what is consumed in Australia — besides its big exports such as iron ore — must be imported. This drives up the cost of living significantly.
11. US Virgin Islands — 62.56: The idyllic island nation may look beautiful, but it is a costly place to live, outstripping its parent state, the USA. Costs vary wildly on different islands in the nation, with expat site Expatistan noting that living on the island of St Thomas is much more expensive than the neighbouring Saint Croix.
10. Luxembourg — 64.18: Luxembourg consistently ranks close to the top of lists of the world's wealthiest nations, and it comes close to the top when it comes to the cost of living as well.
9. Qatar — 68.06: The country brings in highly-skilled workers from overseas at extremely competitive salaries, but much of that salary is often cancelled out by the cost of living.
8. United Arab Emirates — 68.39: Famed as a home for the rich and famous, cities in the UAE like Dubai and Abu Dhabi are notoriously expensive.
7. Bahamas — 73.63: The Caribbean state of the Bahamas faces the same problem as many island nations, that imports far outstrip exports, pushing up the price of goods.
6. Norway — 74.47: Scandinavian countries are notoriously expensive, and Norway is no exception. According to Numbeo, the average 1 bedroom apartment in the country costs around $1,150 per month to rent.
5. Singapore — 76.57: According to the blog Singapore Life News, the average cost of a pint of beer in the city-state is around $10.5.
4. Iceland — 80.47: Cut off from the rest of Europe and with very little fertile ground, Iceland is forced to import much of its food, pushing up costs.
3. Hong Kong — 81.93: Hong Kong is notoriously expensive, and with space at a premium in the incredibly crowded city, apartments are usually both tiny and pricey.
2. Switzerland — 90.68: Switzerland frequently tops lists of the best places on earth to live thanks to great infrastructure, healthcare and a clean environment. However, all this comes at a price and it is the most expensive place in Europe to live.
1. Bermuda — 126.34: The Atlantic Ocean tax haven of Bermuda is officially the most expensive nation on earth, with the country's capital Hamilton also the most expensive individual city on the planet.
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"Life is Wonderful" by Jason Mraz uses a form of repetition, called anadiplosis, to enhance the meaning of the song. Anadiplosis is the repetition of words at the end of a phrase that are used at the beginning of the next phrase. The song is meant to be inspirational, saying that life goes full circle, and everything happens for a reason. The speaker uses anadiiplosis in the first verse to further support his ideas. He sings, "it takes an egg to make a hen it takes a hen to make an egg" to provide an example for his philosophy that life goes full circle. The speaker uses some anaphora as well, repeating the phrase "it takes" at the beginning of most of the lines of the song. This use of anaphora illustrates the dependence one thing has on another in order to make something happen. Cranes are needed to make cranes, thoughts are needed to make words, and it takes some fears to make you trust. Every occurence in life happens because of another occurence, and everything happens full circle. This song uses repetition to enhance its message and meaning, and its meaning makes it optimisitc and inspirational.
There are many examples of anaphora in the song "Rock & Roll Dreams Come Through" by Meat Loaf. Anaphora is used in the song for emphasis, and enhances the song tremendously. One example of anaphora is used to connect to the listener, or who the song was written for. The speaker sings, "you want to shut out the night, you want to shut down the sun, you want to shut away the pieces of a broken heart". Repetition is used here by the speaker to tell the listener (or who the song was written for) that he understands what they are going through and knows what they want. Another example of anaphora is used to inspire the listener, and enhances the mood of optimism. The speaker sings, "there's always something magic, there always something new" and "the beat is yours forever, the beat is always true". They want to tell the listener not to give up hope, because they will always have music and past memories to inspire them. The speaker also uses anaphora to reflect upon past times and how things used to be. He sings, "once upon a time was a backbeat, once upon a time all the chords came to life" to sing of better times. This song is inspirational and optimistic, and the anaphora used helps the listener think optimistically.
"Crests of Waves" by Coldplay is a song that uses similes to emphasize how any certain situation could be worse than it actually is. The speaker begins the song by analyzing his situation and how it could be worse than it is. "It could be worse," he sings, and goes on further to say he could be alone, locked into this situation by himself. He thinks optimistically and assures himself that things aren't so bad and they could be worse. The speaker uses the similes, "like a stone that suddenly drops, it never stops" and "like a light lit upon a beach wear your heart on your sleeve" to inspire the listener. Wearing your heart on your sleeve means to make your emotions obvious to other people, much like a light lit upon a beach is obvious to people. After the first chorus, the speaker is speaking to another individual, encouraging them not to give up and to just hold on because things could be worse. He repeats, "never give in" to inspire the individual not to "stop before you begin", "sink when you know you could swim", or give up. The song ends with the inspiring line, "nothing matters except life and the love you make". The speaker is trying to deliver the message that no matter how hard things get, hold your head high and don't give up, because the only things that should matter are living life and loving others.
Do you know that your love is the sweetest sin?
The song "Hero/Heroine" is centered around one simile. The speaker sings "I feel like a hero", to a girl, and tells her that "you are my heroine" (a metaphor). This girl turned the speaker's life around, and changed him from a "jaded" man who had very negative views on love due to his past experiences to someone genuinely happy. She makes him feel alive and optimistic, and by "breaking him apart" from his rough past with lovers, she inspired him to be more open to love. She makes him feel strong and alive, like a "hero". There is another important simile in this song that describes the effect that the girl has on the speaker. He sings, "I feel like a newborn child every time I get a chance to see you smile". Everytime the girl smiles, the speaker feels alive and happy. With her love, the girl inspires the speaker to ditch his gloomy outlooks on love and replaces it with feelings of warmth and optimism. He views love in a much brighter way because of her.
Jason Mraz is known famously for his way with words (wordplay, as he calls it) and has earned himself the nickname “Mr. A-Z”. Mraz is known for his eccentricity; standing barefoot when playing live and almost always wearing one of his signature hats are just a few of his quirks. His song style is soft rock, and his gentle voice croons his cleverly phrased lyrics to listeners, taking them on a ride into his state of mind. Mraz is often acclaimed for having “feel-good”, eclectic music that can relate to almost anyone, and his clever wordplay is just one of the many reasons why he is such an interesting artist to look out for. “Live High” is a demonstration of Mraz’s clever wordplay skills that illustrate to the listener his unique way of thinking.
Jason Mraz uses the first verse of “Live High” to express his views on women in a unique, thoughtful way. He states that he tries to picture a girl “through a looking glass”, and examines her closely. Mraz views women as many things. Using similes, he says that he sees her as a “carbon atom” as well as “her own new world”. Essentially, every human being is made up of carbon atoms, so that is the simplest definition he can give. However, he also sees women as “[their] own new world”, meaning that they each live in a world of their own. He believes that women should be treated right and listened to; He tells the listener to “see her eyes and stare back at them”. Then Mraz describes the bigger picture. “Though a home is on the surface”, he begins. “She is still a universe”. Though everybody lives on the surface of the planet, each woman really is their own universe, because they are all different. They all see things differently and act differently, and just because everybody lives on one planet, each woman lives in their own world that they make and that should be embraced.
The second verse is used to delve into Mraz’s religious beliefs. Mraz begins it by saying, “Glory God, oh God is peeking through the blinds”. He expresses his views of God cleverly with imagery. He knows that God is watching him live his life and that he is always there when he needs him. He asks, “Are we all here standing naked, taking guesses at the actual date and time?” He wonders if everybody is just standing, clueless, wondering the meaning of life. Then he offers a piece of wisdom, inspired by his views of God, saying, “Justifying reasons why is an absolutely insane resolution to live by”. Mraz is trying to tell the listener that one shouldn’t sit and wonder why they are living or if they are living the right way. Instead, they should embrace the opportunity to live and not question why. God has put them all on Earth for a reason, and they shouldn’t question his methods.
Mraz mocks common hyperboles about men in the third verse, and explains that all men should not be judged by the negative connotation often associated with their gender. He tries to “picture the man to always have an open hand”, and uses simile to compare the man as a giving tree, as well as matter. These similes highlight Mraz’s optimistic outlook and open mind. He then addresses the negative connotations associated with men and assure the listener that the man is not a “beast” and “not the devil, either”. In fact, the man is “always a good deed doer”, and therefore not a bad person. Mraz ends the verse on a light note, saying that “its laughter that we’re making after all”. This is an attempt to get the listener to see things his way. According to Mraz, life can be negative if taken so, but it can also be great if one just realizes it and lives it so.
The chorus of the song preaches Mraz’s morals in a simple, effective way. He uses powerful adverbs to describe how he believes one should live their life. In his opinion, everybody should live “high”, “mighty”, and “righteously”. He believes that people should live their life to its fullest potential because it is a preciously powerful thing. The line “takin’ it easy” is supposed to ease the listeners mind and encourage them not to work too hard and forget what life is meant for, being happy.
The bridge of “Live High” highlights the whole meaning of this song and sums up how Mraz thinks and lives his life. The simple metaphor, “life is but a dream”, sums up Mraz’s entire outlook. The phrase “take it easy” is repeated, and this repetition effectively reiterates the moral of the song. Mraz urges the listener to “take it easy” because, after all, reality is “malleable” and can easily be turned around. He shares one last piece of wisdom to the listener that “nothing is ever as it seems”. This can be interpreted as saying life is beautiful and so easily changeable (malleable) that one shouldn’t worry about the logistics of it. Living high, mighty, and righteously is Mraz’s way of life, and “Live High” engulfs the listener into his world of optimism.
“Live High” fits into the theme of optimism and inspiration for many reasons. Mraz’s view on life is very optimistic and his ability to illustrate that to his listeners is very inspirational. His open-mindedness expressed in the song, whether it be seeing the girl as her own world or the boy as a giving tree, sparks optimism and illustrate to the listener Mraz’s unique way of thinking. The wordplay in this song is what makes it so appealing; without it the listener wouldn’t get the full essence of who Jason Mraz is. His eccentricity and wordplay is what makes him so interesting, and this song is a prime example of how he shows his listeners his way of thinking.
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Article: How long does it take for changes to be applied to my Hydrawise controller?
Any changes that you make in your Hydrawise portal will be updated to your Hydrawise controller within a few minutes.
There are two ways to check the status of your controller updates.
1. You can go to your Dashboard and hover over Status. This will give you an indication of when your controller last synced.
2. You can check on the physical controller by going to Status > Controller Status. From here, you can view your Server Status. It will either say Synced or Checking. Checking indicates the system is looking for changes made on your account and will re-sync to keep the controller and your dashboard synchronized.
Serial This is the serial number of your controller.
Success The rate of success your controller syncs with your Dashboard.
Uptime How long your controller has been on since it last reset or was powered on.
Important: If you have a low success rate for syncing, there may be a signal issue between your controller and your Wi-Fi network.
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I have an idea for a way that Congress, as an institution, can reverse the dismal confidence ratings that it currently is suffering: namely, do the people's business. It is not a novel idea and it is one that is directed in a bipartisan way to all 535 plus elected members and a good starting place would be the upcoming vote on something known as the Fast Track agreement to expedite consideration of a mammoth free trade agreement that will affect clearly 40 percent of the world's economy.
The agreement, known as the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a secretly negotiated set of standards that cover 29 chapters, yet only five of those chapters actually deal with trade issues. It involves 12 nations, including the United States and there are so-called "docking" provisions that open the door to expanding membership to other nations. The negotiations are highly secretive, unless of course you happen to be one of the 600 corporate lobbyists who have special clearance from the U.S Trade Representative. These individuals have access not only to the negotiating texts but also to the negotiators.
Problematic to the Congress is that a large part of their low-approval ratings are due to the fact that the public has lost confidence in a system that places a premium on access and the perceived corruption of money influences upon our policymaking institutions. As one who spent over two decades working either in or with the Congress I can attest to the pervasive influence that special interests with political action committees and the temptation of large campaign contributions have on the institution. People are suspicious of what appears to be insider trading and feel that their interests are not well represented by the body as a whole, although they continue to believe that their representative is not the problem, it is all the others.
This perplexing dichotomy leads to still large incumbency re-election rates and the inability of our leaders to draw consensus among competing interests on contentious issues is further exacerbated by super-majority litmus tests, whether through abuse of the filibuster in the Senate or adherence to the "Hastert rule" in the House, which stipulates that votes must secure a majority of the majority before being considered. All told, the public is less concerned with these procedural machinations than they are with the fact that nothing appears to be getting done.
Now we are staring at the prospect of another procedural abomination that actually will grease the skids for the enactment of something that under normal circumstances would not have a snowball's chance in hell of passing. In order to push through a trade treaty that the Constitution specifically delegates to Congress through Article 1, Section 8 stipulating that Congress has the exclusive authority "to regulate commerce between nations", a Nixon-era procedural relic allows Congress to transfer that authority to the Executive Branch.
Under Fast Track authority debate is limited to 20 hours and there is no ability to amend the signed negotiation. Congress either votes up or down on the whole treaty. This has been employed 16 times in the history of our nation and was the pivotal maneuver that allowed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to pass in 1994. Since NAFTA has been in effect the U.S. Labor Department has certified that more than 2.5 million American jobs have either been destroyed by offshoring or displaced by imports.
At a time when jobs and the economy continue to be the highest priority of most American households and income inequality continues to widen and squeeze out the middle class here we are preparing to once again entertain an agreement that will similarly have the effects of offshoring more American jobs, and without the ability to even modify or amend secretly negotiated agreements with multinational corporate fingerprints all over them. What is most frustrating about this turn of events is that it would be self-inflicted. Congress will have done it to itself and the American people if they agree to allow this treaty to be fast-tracked.
It is difficult to focus people's attention on seemingly arcane procedural issues, particularly at a time when unemployment and underemployment are ravaging our economy. But the basic premise is simple: namely, Congress has the solemn responsibility and duty to analyze, investigate, debate, and modify public policies that affect the nation and its citizens. To hide behind fast track authority is an abrogation of that responsibility and we the workers will be left to pay the price.
Of course there is also the issue of whether or not we want a multinational corporatocracy, whose singular focus is on profits and competitive wages to shape and shift trade policies that will primarily feed their bottom lines? If we essentially delegate public policy making to the private sector one need seriously question the relevance of representative democracy as it is currently constituted. This, of course, is dangerous territory and I fear that confidence in our system of governance will continue to slip unless our elected representatives reassert their constitutional authority over this process.
So, Congress, you can avoid these pitfalls and attempt to rehabilitate your standing among the populace by denying fast track authority on the TPP and take the opportunity to scrutinize carefully the myriad chapters of this complicated treaty and fix those things that you may not agree with. This is a win-win proposition for you as an institution and for us as citizens.
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NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- President Trump's executive order on Obamacare Friday reaffirmed his commitment to dismantle the health reform law. But it could have little tangible impact on the law... at least initially.
The order directed the Health and Human Services secretary and the heads of other agencies to minimize the financial burden of Obamacare on Americans, states, insurers, health care providers and others to the maximum extent permitted by law.
Therein lies one of the main hurdles to quickly taking down the Affordable Care Act. Much of Obamacare is controlled by law or by a hefty slew of regulations that an executive order can't undo with the stroke of a pen.
What the Trump administration can do is tinker with the guidance that enables agencies, states, insurers and others to actually implement Obamacare. Also, the Health secretary can be more liberal with his use of waivers in order to loosen some provisions or allow states to tailor their implementation of certain aspects of the law, particularly Medicaid expansion.
"It's a mix of symbolic arm waving (lacking more specific and targeted details) and directional guidance to empower Trump administration officials to lean against more regulation on the margin," said Tom Miller, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, which has long opposed Obamacare. "What remains unclear is how far they can go before they bump up against clearer statutory requirements and existing final regulations."
Loosening guidance: The Health secretary -- Trump's pick Tom Price has yet to be confirmed -- could revise the guidance they've issued to carry out the Affordable Care Act's regulations.
Even more so than many other laws, Obamacare has largely been implemented through regulation and the Obama administration continued to make adjustments for years, delaying some provisions such as the mandate that employers provide affordable policies, tightening the rules on who can still sign up for coverage after open enrollment ends and revising the risk formula that governs how insurers are compensated if they have a large share of sicker and costly enrollees.
Trump appears to be taking aim at the individual mandate, which requires that nearly all Americans get insurance or face a penalty.
His administration might loosen the criteria for qualifying for a hardship exemption, which would allow more people to remain uninsured without paying a penalty.
However, experts said he cannot simply waive the mandate or penalty or broaden the exemption so much that it essentially nullifies it without facing lawsuits. Also, weakening the mandate too much could prompt healthy people to stop buying coverage, which could prompt insurers to pull out.
Under the order, officials could also opt not to impose penalties for certain infractions of Obamacare provisions. For example, some companies, particularly small businesses, used to provide workers with money to buy their own individual health insurance. Under Obamacare, those employers can be slapped with a penalty of $100 per day, per person. Trump could suggest to his new IRS commissioner that enforcing the rule is counterproductive and a waste of resources, especially when Congress plans to replace Obamacare.
Granting more waivers: Trump's executive order also directed agencies to provide greater flexibility to states to run their own health care programs.
Yet, another major obstacle to delivering swift blows to Obamacare is Trump and Congressional Republicans' repeated promises not to leave millions of Americans without insurance.
That vow limits the extent to which Trump can upend the law's provisions. Changing them too much or injecting too much uncertainty into the market could prompt health insurers to flee next year, which might leave some Americans without options and others forced to pay higher premiums. These are the very problems with the current law that Republicans criticize so they will be wary to take actions that exacerbate them.
The main lobbying organization for health insurers said only that it has been meeting with policymakers to offer its recommendations.
"There is no question the individual health care market has been challenged from the start. The president said he would take swift action, and he has," America's Health Insurance Plans wrote in a statement. "We look forward to working with the administration as well as members of Congress to ensure health care works to lower costs for all Americans."
While insurers are bound by contract to provide coverage in 2017, nothing requires them to continue next year. The carriers are in the final stages of determining their participation and rates for 2018, which they will file with state regulators this spring. They will be watching the administration's moves to make sure it doesn't do anything that leaves them with a pool of sicker and costlier consumers.
"The short of it is that the Trump administration, by trying to bring relief to some consumers, could just as easily further undermine the already shaky Obamacare risk pool," Robert Laszewski, an Obamacare opponent who runs Health Policy and Strategy Associates wrote in a blog post Sunday morning.
The real work of undoing Obamacare, however, will likely proceed along a two-track system -- through changing regulations at agencies and passing new laws in Congress. Both of those will take more time, especially considering Price has yet to be confirmed and Republican lawmakers remain divided on how to repeal and replace President Obama's landmark health reform law.
The Trump administration can make changes to Obamacare's regulations. But this requires an agency to publish the proposed changes, allow the public to comment and then write a final rule, a process which can take up to two years.
Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress are already on the path to repealing major provisions of Obamacare, though they have yet to decide how and when to come up with a replacement plan. Even after they pass a law changing Obamacare, it could take two or three years for the agencies to pass new regulations and then insurers to come up with new policies to offer consumers.
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As journalists experiment with developing immersive journalism—first-person, interactive experiences of news events—guidelines are needed to help bridge a disconnect between the requirements of journalism and the capabilities of emerging technologies. Many journalists need to better understand the fundamental concepts of immersion and the capabilities and limitations of common immersive technologies. Similarly, developers of immersive journalism works need to know the fundamentals that define journalistic professionalism and excellence and the key requirements of various types of journalistic stories. To address these gaps, we have developed a Framework for the Immersion-Journalism Intersection (FIJI). In FIJI, we have identified four domains of knowledge that intersect to define the key requirements of immersive journalism: the fundamentals of immersion, common immersive technologies, the fundamentals of journalism, and the major types of journalistic stories. Based on these key requirements, we have formally defined four types of immersive journalism that are appropriate for public dissemination. In this article, we discuss the history of immersive journalism, present the four domains and key intersection of FIJI, and provide a number of guidelines for journalists new to creating immersive experiences.
The concept of immersive journalism was introduced by de la Peña et al. (2010) as “the production of news in a form in which people can gain first-person experiences of the events or situation described in news stories.” To accomplish this, de la Peña et al. (2010) used virtual reality (VR) technologies, such as head-worn displays (HWDs; Cakmakci and Rolland, 2006), to allow people to enter virtual worlds and scenarios representing actual news stories. However, much before, in the 1990s, Biocca and Levy (1995) discussed the possibilities of employing VR devices for journalistic purposes. They believed VR would enable journalists to move steadily closer to fulfilling “the oldest dream of the journalist, to conquer time and space” by creating “a sense on the part of audiences of being present at distant, newsworthy locations and events.” This “dream”—to conquer time and space to transport an audience from the real world to the story world—is the heart of narrative in any form, including journalistic storytelling. It is also the primary view of narrative transportation theory, which proposes that an individual’s mental process, attitudes, and beliefs can change when the individual is “transported from the real world to a story world” through a narrative’s “integrative melding of attention, imagery, and feelings” (Green and Brock, 2000).
Although journalism currently is presented in many interactive formats, from interactive maps (Parasie and Dagiral, 2013) to news games (Bogost et al., 2012), de la Peña et al. (2010) differentiated between these “interactive journalism or low-level immersive journalism” forms and “deep immersive journalism,” in which the audience member “can feel that his or her actual location has been transformed to the location of the news story.” In practice, the most common approach to immersive journalism has been to use inexpensive HWDs, such as the Google Cardboard, and 360° videos to immerse the audience in the location of the news story. The New York Times was the first news organization to distribute Google Cardboard to its subscribers so they could experience 360° videos, such as The Displaced, one of The New York Times’ first immersive journalism mini-documentaries about three refugee children forced to leave their homes in Lebanon, South Sudan, and Ukraine (Sirkkunen et al., 2016). The New York Times now has a news channel, The Daily 360, to highlight its immersive journalism production.
However, in addition to immersing the audience in the visuals of the news story’s location, de la Peña et al. (2010) contended that it is even more important that the audience member’s “actual body has transformed, becoming a central part of the news story itself.” To accomplish this, they tracked the head rotations of the user and then applied those same rotations to the head of a virtual avatar resembling a Guantanamo Bay detainee, which could be seen from both a first-person perspective and a third-person perspective, thanks to a virtual mirror. They took this approach to invoke a sense of body ownership (see Common Immersive Technologies) of the virtual detainee’s avatar within the audience members.
The concept of body ownership has not been embraced by many journalists, however. Instead, audiences are often presented with immersive experiences that lack any visual representation of the viewer’s real or virtual body and low levels of interactivity. Such practices illustrate a major disconnect in the current state of immersive journalism production. Many journalists need to better understand the capabilities and limitations of immersive technologies for telling impactful stories, whereas developers need to better understand the requirements that govern journalism and the fundamental types of journalistic storytelling.
To address these gaps and help guide journalists and developers new to immersive journalism, we have created a Framework for the Immersion-Journalism Intersection (FIJI). As numerous journalism organizations begin experimenting with immersive technology, our theoretical framework is designed to take a step back and remind both journalists and developers to keep in mind the diverse foundational requirements that intersect during the process of creating immersive journalism. FIJI accounts for the fundamentals of immersion and how they affect various aspects of the user’s experience. Closely related are the capabilities and limitations of common immersive technologies that journalists could use currently, such as 360° videos, computer graphics (CG)-based mobile VR, room-scale VR, handheld augmented reality (AR), and head-worn AR. FIJI also carefully considers the fundamentals of journalism, including the requirements that define the journalism profession and govern journalistic excellence. FIJI identifies four types of journalistic stories—breaking news, public service, investigative reporting, and explanatory reporting—and their key journalistic requirements. Finally, we have used these four domains of knowledge and their intersection within FIJI to formally define four types of immersive journalism that are appropriate for public dissemination (Figure 1).
Figure 1. As a guide for journalists and developers, the Framework for the Immersion-Journalism Intersection integrates four domains of knowledge key to creating and defining requirements for four types of immersive journalism, based on their intersection.
In this article, we examine the theoretical, technological, professional, and practical considerations that are key to creating immersive journalism works. We start with a brief overview of related immersive journalism works and research. We then present the four foundational domains of knowledge and requirements that FIJI encapsulates: the fundamentals of immersion, common immersive technologies, the fundamentals of journalism, and the types of journalistic stories. We then use the intersection of these domains to formally define and discuss four types of immersive journalism works. We provide several design guidelines for both journalists and developers to follow to create better immersive journalism works and present four case studies that demonstrate the four types of immersive journalism.
In this section, we provide a brief historical account of notable immersive journalism pieces and research. This review is only intended to provide a perspective of the evolution of immersive journalism. It is not meant to serve as a complete historical record of immersive journalism.
While Biocca and Levy (1995) were perhaps the first to formally discuss the possibilities of using immersive technologies for journalistic purposes, Columbia University’s Center for New Media took the first major steps toward implementing those possibilities. Using one of the first omnidirectional cameras (Nayar, 1997), a team of nine students created a 360° video of the 1997 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York (Pérez Seijo, 2017). The immersive video captured members of the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization protesting for not being included in the parade and police arresting numerous demonstrators.
In addition to capturing 360° videos, Columbia University also pioneered the use of AR technologies for journalism purposes. Feiner et al. (1997) developed the “mobile journalist’s workstation,” a head-tracked, see-through HWD and handheld 2D display with stylus and trackpad, driven by a wireless computer, that was capable of presenting multimedia information about a prior event in the spatial location and context of that event. This technology was used to recreate the 1968 student revolt at the same location of the original event on Columbia University’s campus (Pérez Seijo, 2017) through images, audio recordings, and videos (Feiner et al., 1997).
Around the same time, de la Peña investigated using Second Life as an opportunity for interactive journalism. Her first Second Life journalism piece was Gone Gitmo, a virtual recreation of the Guantanamo Bay prison incident, in which the user is represented by an avatar that is unexpectedly detained and imprisoned in a cage in Camp X-Ray (de la Peña et al., 2010). The Second Life experience also confronted the audience with documentary footage from the US Department of Defense of the real-life detainees. Her next Second Life work was Cap and Trade, which explored the cap-and-trade markets by having users first select the aspect of their lives that they intended to change to offset their annual carbon emissions: their cars, a transcontinental plane flight, or heating their house for a year. The audience would then be presented with “virtual replicas of actual projects where human-rights consequences, financial waste, and questionable practices provide a glimpse behind an opaque system” (de la Peña et al., 2010). Users’ avatars were also followed by a personal carbon cloud to emphasize their individual responsibilities in the greater pollution problem.
Following her pursuits with Second Life, de la Peña spearheaded the use of immersive VR technologies and CG-rendered simulations in an effort to put the audience into first-person reproductions of real-life events. Her first notable work was an adaptation of Gone Gitmo that used a tracking system to match the head rotations of a Guantanamo Bay detainee avatar to the user’s physical head movements (de la Peña et al., 2010). It was through an exploration of this piece that de la Peña et al. (2010) determined that body ownership was an important aspect of immersive journalism.
Hunger in Los Angeles was de la Peña’s next piece of immersive CG journalism, which was presented at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Like the previous piece, each audience member would use an HWD to immersively view a CG-based simulation. However, in Hunger in Los Angeles, the simulation reproduced a real-life event involving a diabetic man having a seizure and falling into a coma at a food bank outside the First Unitarian Church in Los Angeles in August 2010 (Kavner, 2012). The immersive CG piece was so moving that many viewers were “coming out crying” (Kavner, 2012).
Continuing her success of using HWDs and CG-based simulations, de la Peña’s next major immersive journalism piece was Project Syria in 2014 (Pérez Seijo, 2017). Originally commissioned by the World Economic Forum, Project Syria was based on actual photographs, audio, and video taken from an event involving an explosion during Syria’s civil war. The immersive journalism piece focused on the plight of the children that made up more than half of Syria’s refugees. More recently, de la Peña presented Across the Line, a piece about antiabortion protestors, and Kiya, a piece about domestic violence, at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival (Robertson, 2016). Like her previous immersive CG works, Across the Line and Kiya are virtual reproductions of real-life events.
Aside from de la Peña, others are beginning to experiment in immersive CG journalism. In an early experiment produced in 2014, The Des Moines Register developed a mixed reality (MR) production called Harvest of Change, which blended 360° video and a CG virtual farm. The immersive, interactive experience accompanied a series of published articles examining the state of American farming (Jackson and Eller, 2014). In 2015, the Los Angeles Times’ Data and Data Visualization desks developed a CG experience allowing audiences to explore a virtual crater on Mars (Emamdjomeh, 2015). Kors et al. (2016) developed an immersive CG experience called A Breathtaking Journey, in which the user is placed “in the shoes of a refugee who is fleeing from a war-torn country, hiding in the back of a truck, to reach a safe haven.” However, Kors et al. (2016) extended beyond just immersive CG by incorporating several MR elements into their immersive piece, including placing the user in a wooden crate to simulate the cramped back of the truck, automatically dropping a pair of mandarins in the user’s lap when a virtual pair fall within the virtual environment, and providing a gasmask that emitted an olfactory stimulus for the mandarins and measured the user’s breathing. The Associated Press now has its AP Digital Products news channel, which includes a variety of immersive journalism experiences using CG presented in a 360° video format, such as a virtual journey inside the brain to explore scientific theories on changes that are believed to contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Remembering Pearl Harbor is an immersive journalism experience produced for the HTC Vive HWD by Deluxe VR and presented by TIME’s LIFE VR (Rothman, 2016). The immersive CG experience allows the audience member to experience the surprise Japanese aerial attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and its aftermath from the perspective of Lt. Jim Downing, one of the oldest living American veterans to have witnessed the attack. The piece was created from Downing’s memories of serving as the postmaster on the USS West Virginia and resources provided by the National WWII Museum and the Library of Congress.
Whereas interactive experiences using CG-based virtual environments are largely in the experimental stage, the proliferation of inexpensive HWDs and 360° video cameras gave rise to what is more commonly presented as immersive journalism. The first notable 360° video journalism piece was Clouds Over Sidra, the story of a 12-year-old girl named Sidra in Za’atari, a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan (Kool, 2016). The 360° video was created by Chris Milk, in collaboration with the United Nations and Samsung. It won the Interactive Award at the Sheffield International Documentary Festival in 2015.
In November 2015, The New York Times published its first 360° video, The Displaced (Sirkkunen et al., 2016). As described in the introduction, the mini-documentary focused on the stories of three children forced to leave their homes due to crisis in Lebanon, South Sudan, and Ukraine. Around the same time, The New York Times hired a street artist to create its magazine cover and published Walking New York, a 360° video showing the artist’s process (Sirkkunen et al., 2016). Since 2015, the New York Times has published more than one hundred 360° videos and launched its news channel, The Daily 360. Other news outlets have also started producing their own 360° videos, including ABC, BBC, Vice, and The Verge.
While the use of both immersive CG and 360° video continue to grow, it will be interesting to see whether both survive the near future. Both approaches have their benefits and limitations for immersive journalism. How effectively immersive journalists use them will ultimately decide which medium, if either, becomes the standard. The framework that we present in this article is intended to inform and help journalists take steps toward better immersive journalism practices.
As explained in the introduction, we developed FIJI to help journalists better understand the fundamentals of immersion and common immersive technologies and to help developers better understand the fundamentals of journalism and types of journalistic stories. By inspecting the intersection of these domains of knowledge, we have identified four types of immersive journalism that are appropriate for public dissemination (Figure 1). This section first describes the fundamentals of immersion and the common immersive technologies that are available to journalists. The section then presents the fundamentals of journalism and the types of journalistic stories that should be considered when developing immersive journalism works. Finally, the section details the four types of immersive journalism that we have identified—360° breaking videos, mobile public service, CG investigative reporting, and purposed explanatory reporting.
In this section, we discuss the fundamentals of immersion and how it affects various aspects of the user’s experience, including presence, body ownership, engagement, emotion, and cybersickness.
Slater and Wilbur (1997) explain that immersion is a description of “the extent to which the computer displays are capable of delivering an inclusive, extensive, surrounding and vivid illusion of reality to the senses of a human participant.” They further define inclusive as “the extent to which physical reality is shut out” (Slater and Wilbur, 1997). For example, most modern HWDs, such as the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, are inclusive by completely enclosing the user’s view with goggle-like form factors, as opposed to the visor-like form factors of some HWDs that permit the real world to be seen in the user’s periphery (Ma et al., 2016). Refer to Figure 2 for (a) an example of a completely inclusive HWD and (b) an example of a partially inclusive HWD.
Slater and Wilbur (1997) define extensive as indicating “the range of sensory modalities accommodated.” Many forms of multimedia provide visuals and audio; however, immersive experiences also afford proprioception, which is “a person’s sense of the position and orientation of his body and limbs” (Mine et al., 1997), by permitting users to physically look and move around the virtual world (Figure 3). Some immersive experiences provide additional sensory stimuli, such as tactile (Kim et al., 2013; Sodhi et al., 2013; Tang et al., 2014), olfactory (Dinh et al., 1999; Howell et al., 2016), vestibular (Brooks, 1999; Fung et al., 2004; Riecke et al., 2005), and gustatory cues (Nakamura and Miyashita, 2011; Narumi et al., 2011a,b).
Slater and Wilbur (1997) used the term surrounding to refer to the extent to which an immersive experience is panoramic. Nearly all modern HWDs provide a full 360° field of regard (FOR), which is the total size of the visual field surrounding the user (Bowman and McMahan, 2007), by leveraging inertial measurement units to track the orientation of the user’s head (LaValle et al., 2014). Within this full FOR, many modern HWDs provide approximately a 90° field of view (FOV), which is the size of the visual field that can be viewed instantaneously (Bowman and McMahan, 2007). Refer Figure 4 for a depiction of the relationship between a 360° FOR and a 90° FOV.
Figure 4. A depiction of the relationship between a 360° field of regard (FOR) and a 90° field of view (FOV). The red shape highlights the boundaries of the FOV while the unseen portions of the FOR are shown in gray.
Finally, Slater and Wilbur (1997) used the term vivid to indicate “the resolution, fidelity, and variety of energy simulated within a particularly modality.” This quality addresses a broad range of aspects, including display resolution (Ni et al., 2006), visual realism (Lee et al., 2013), visual complexity (Ragan et al., 2015), and many others. For more in-depth discussions of the components of immersion, and system fidelity in general, we recommend reading Bowman and McMahan (2007), McMahan (2011), Bowman et al. (2012), McMahan et al. (2012), Ragan et al. (2015), and McMahan and Herrera (2016).
The objective qualities of immersive VR systems mentioned previously have been repeatedly demonstrated to elicit visceral subjective responses, such as presence, body ownership, engagement, emotion, and cybersickness. We define and explain each of these subjective responses to immersion below. Additionally, we provide examples of how immersion influences such responses.
Presence is the term used to describe the psychological and phenomenological sense of being in a virtual environment and having a first-person experience of a computer-generated world or simulation. Presence is “a state of consciousness” experienced during the sense of “being there” in a virtual world (Slater and Wilbur, 1997). At its optimal communicative state, presence is a product of place illusion and plausibility. Place illusion is the feeling of a virtual embodied transformation into the VR experience, while plausibility illusion is the belief that events are really happening even though the user knows that the events are not real (Slater, 2009). Based on prior empirical evidence, Slater (2009) has argued that users will respond realistically to a VR experience when both place illusion and plausibility illusion occur. Hence, through place illusion and plausibility illusion, VR offers the possibility of achieving the journalist’s dream of transporting the audience from the real world to the news-story world.
Immersion has been demonstrated to affect presence in a number of ways. For example, Barfield et al. (1999) found that the introduction of stereoscopy—“the display of different images to each eye to provide an additional depth cue” (Bowman and McMahan, 2007)—resulted in increased levels of reported presence, despite not improving user performance for a 3D wire tracing task. Similarly, Freeman et al. (2000) and IJsselsteijn et al. (2001) found that stereoscopy caused increases in reported presence when viewing virtual scenes. Lin et al. (2002) used a three-screen driving simulator to control FOR and found that users reported greater presence with increasing degrees of FOR. Similarly, McMahan et al. (2012) used a six-sided CAVE (a room-sized display environment) and found that a 360° FOR yielded significantly greater presence than a 90° FOR. In the same study, McMahan et al. (2012) also found that a higher fidelity interaction metaphor resulted in significantly greater presence than a low-fidelity keyboard and mouse interaction technique. Tan et al. (2003) evaluated the effects of display size by controlling the FOV and display resolution of two displays located at different distances from the user and determined that the larger display afforded greater presence than the smaller display for a spatial orientation task. Meehan et al. (2002) evaluated the effects of frame rate on presence in a stressful virtual environment and found that presence significantly increased with faster frame rates and decreased latency.
From these results, we can see that several components of immersion affect presence, including stereoscopy, FOR, display size, and frame rate. These effects of immersion on presence are only a subset of those possible. Many more are reported throughout the literature, but such an extensive survey is beyond the scope of this article.
Body ownership is “the special perceptual status of one’s own body, which makes bodily sensations seem unique to oneself” (Tsakiris et al., 2006). Research indicates that body ownership may play a critical role in the somatosensory nervous system, which processes internal signals from the body (Tsakiris, 2010). However, researchers have demonstrated that immersive VR systems can be used to create body ownership illusions, in which “healthy subjects experience an artificial body as if it were their own physical body” (Maselli and Slater, 2013). In other words, users may unconsciously accept an avatar representation of themselves as their own body and respond to events involving their avatar, such as possible harm (González-Franco et al., 2014), uncontrolled movements (Pomes and Slater, 2013), expected social behaviors (Kilteni et al., 2013), and even time travel (Friedman et al., 2014). If immersive technologies can be used to induce such body ownership illusions, particularly time travel, they can clearly be used to place the audience within a news story.
Various aspects of immersion have been shown to influence the success of body ownership illusions. In their research, Petkova et al. (2011) found results that indicate a first-person perspective is needed for the body ownership illusion. Maselli and Slater (2013) later confirmed in one of their experiments that a first-person perspective was indeed a necessary condition for the body ownership illusion to occur. Maselli and Slater (2013) also demonstrated that seeing a realistic virtual body in the same location and posture as the physical body is sufficient enough to elicit the body ownership illusion, without the need for visual sensorimotor cues, such as moving one’s head to look around, or the need to have synchronous visuotactile cues (i.e., receiving a tactile stimulus at the same time as seeing the virtual body being touched by an object). Using HWDs, Petkova and Ehrsson (2008) demonstrated that the body ownership illusion could occur even when the appearance of the virtual body was overly simple like a mannequin or was even a different gender from the user. Other results indicate that the illusion can even occur with virtual bodies of different skin color (Kilteni et al., 2013) or even an unnatural appendage, such as a tail, when viewed from a third-person perspective (Steptoe et al., 2013). However, research by Maselli and Slater (2013) indicates that the body ownership is strongest when the virtual body closely resembles the user in terms of skin color and clothes.
There has been an explosion of research on the body ownership illusion within the past decade, including how immersion affects the success of the illusion. For those interested in more details, we recommend reading the articles cited above.
Like presence, engagement is a state of consciousness, but one in which the user’s attention is attracted to, involved with, and occupied by a user interface or piece of multimedia. Engagement is “a quality of user experience that depends on several factors, including the esthetic appeal, novelty, and usability of the system, the ability of the user to attend to and become involved in the experience, and the user’s overall evaluation of the salience of the experience” (O’Brien and Toms, 2013). As such, engagement is clearly important for immersive journalism. In order to “provide people with information they need” (Kovach and Rosenstiel, 2014), the news story and its presentation must attract, involve, and occupy the attention of the audience, otherwise the information will not be encoded and instead will be lost (Chun and Turk-Browne, 2007).
Due to the multifaceted nature of engagement, it depends on several variables, such as the interestingness of the content (Arapakis et al., 2014), the user’s gender (Chou and Tsai, 2007), the user’s motives for “selecting and engaging in activities” (Tan, 2008), and how well the skills of the user match the challenges presented by the activity (Sutcliffe, 2009). However, some qualities of immersion have been found to affect engagement. Freeman et al. (2000) found that stereoscopy increased users’ subjective ratings of involvement when viewing a virtual scene. Lugrin et al. (2013) compared a CAVE-based implementation of a first-person shooter, which used a six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) tracked device for 3D shooting and hand-directed steering, to a traditional desktop version that used keyboard and mouse. They found that the CAVE-based implementation yielded greater evidence of engagement than the desktop version. Similarly, McMahan et al. (2012) found that increased display fidelity (via increased FOR and added stereoscopy) resulted in greater reported engagement, as did increased interaction fidelity (via a 6-DOF tracked device, as opposed to a keyboard and mouse metaphor). Additionally, McMahan et al. (2012) found that increasing both display fidelity and interaction fidelity yielded the highest levels of reported engagement. For a more-thorough discussion of engagement and what affects it, we recommend reading Boyle et al. (2012).
According to Barrett et al. (2007), “experiences of emotion are content-rich events that emerge at the level of psychological description, but must be causally constituted by neurobiological processes.” As Shih and Liu (2007) point out, users are no longer satisfied with usability and usefulness, but also want “emotional satisfaction” from their systems. This is why design processes have recently focused much more on the emotional impact of systems (Hartson and Pyla, 2012). In addition to satisfaction, emotions are known to affect how users cognitively process information and events (Barrett et al., 2007). Hence, emotions will affect how each audience member understands a news story.
Like engagement, there are several processes and variables that influence emotional states (Barrett et al., 2007), including immersion. One of the early successful uses of immersive VR systems was inducing fear for phobia therapy treatments (Bowman and McMahan, 2007), including acrophobia (Rothbaum et al., 1995), arachnophobia (Garcia-Palacios et al., 2002), and glossophobia (Pertaub et al., 2002). Similarly, Chittaro et al. (2014) found that fear and skin conductance could be induced by providing high-fidelity portrayals of character harm (e.g., rendering of blood) during an aircraft evacuation simulation. However, Volonte et al. (2016) found that lower fidelity cartoon and sketch-based rendering algorithms elicited greater negative emotions (e.g., anger, fear, and guilt) than a high-fidelity rendering algorithm, when interacting with a deteriorating virtual patient.
In other research, Riva et al. (2007) demonstrated that the audiovisual features of a virtual environment could be manipulated to specifically elicit anxiety and relaxation. More recently, Naz et al. (2017) investigated how the visual aspects of a virtual environment influenced emotional qualities and found that color affected warmth, brightness affected spaciousness, and both color and brightness affected excitement. Additionally, Kruijff et al. (2016) have investigated how multisensory cues affect emotion in immersive systems and found that surprise could be elicited by low-frequency sounds and back vibrations while happiness could be elicited by wind and smells.
These are just a few of the examples of immersion influencing emotional states. For a more in-depth review of how VR impacts emotional reactions, we recommend reading Diemer et al. (2015).
Cybersickness is the feeling of physical discomfort brought on by the use of immersive technologies (LaViola et al., 2017). It is also often referred to as simulator sickness, or simply motion sickness (Stanney et al., 1997). The primary symptoms of cybersickness include disorientation, difficulty focusing, nausea, blurred vision, dizziness, vertigo, fatigue, headache, eye strain, increased salivation, sweating, stomach awareness, and burping (Kennedy et al., 1993). There are three prominent theories for what causes cybersickness—the poison theory, the postural instability theory, and the sensory conflict theory (LaViola, 2000). The poison theory stipulates that the body misreads the stimuli produced during the immersive experience as if it had ingested some type of toxic substance, which leads to “an emetic response” (LaViola, 2000). The postural instability theory is based on the idea that one of the primary behavioral goals of humans is to maintain postural stability, and therefore, prolonged postural instability results in motion sickness symptoms (Riccio and Stoffregen, 1991). Finally, “the most longstanding and popular explanation for cybersickness” is the sensory conflict theory (Davis et al., 2014), which is based on the premise that discrepancies among the senses regarding the body’s orientation and motion cause a perceptual conflict that the body does not know how to handle (LaViola, 2000).
While we may not know exactly why the body’s processes cause cybersickness when using immersive technologies, we do know that several factors can contribute to or induce cybersickness. Davis et al. (2014) identified three categories of factors that affect cybersickness—individual factors, device factors, and task factors. Individual factors include aspects specific to each user, such as age (Reason and Brand, 1975), gender (Biocca, 1992), preexisting illness (LaViola, 2000), and posture (Riccio and Stoffregen, 1991). Device factors include issues specific to the immersive hardware being used, including latency (Pausch et al., 1992), flicker (Harwood and Foley, 1987), interpupillary calibration (Davis et al., 2014), and ergonomics (McCauley and Sharkey, 1992). Finally, task factors include the level of control that the user has and the duration of the specific task that the user is performing (Davis et al., 2014). It is important to note that while immersive journalists have little control over individual factors and device factors, they can actively attempt to ensure that the audience’s task does not contribute to or induce cybersickness. For more details and discussion regarding cybersickness, we recommend reading LaViola (2000) and Davis et al. (2014).
In this section, we discuss common immersive technologies that most journalists could use currently. We have purposely excluded research-oriented technologies, such as full-body motion capture systems, special tactile feedback devices, and olfactory displays. As well, we note that, even with commonly available technologies, several factors limit the production and dissemination of immersive journalism experiences. First, in order to use such technologies, journalists will need to expand their skill sets and/or establish new relationships with researchers or developers capable of creating and using such technologies. Second, news organizations will need sufficient monetary resources to cover the currently high costs of development. Third, even though such unique technologies might afford more-realistic experiences that optimize the impact of journalistic storytelling, dissemination could be extremely limited to audiences that have the physical and financial capability to access the technologies. We view immersive journalism in its current state as a form of storytelling that can supplement or complement other forms of presentation and therefore focus on technologies that are more readily accessible now to both journalists and broader audiences.
As discussed previously, 360° videos are the most common technology currently being used to create immersive experiences. One reason why is because 360° videos do not require any CG rendering or 3D virtual objects to create the videos, unlike the rest of the technologies discuss below. CG effects are only needed for 360° videos if information or infographics are added during the post-processing stage (Owen et al., 2015).
There are a number of cameras for capturing 360° videos. Consumer 360°cameras usually cost less than $1,000 USD, and examples include the Samsung Gear 360, Nikon KeyMission 360, Nico360, Kodak Pixpro SP360, 360fly, and Ricoh Theta cameras. Professional 360°cameras support higher-resolution videos and usually provide stereoscopic capabilities. However, these professional cameras are expensive and usually involve complex processes for stitching multiple camera feeds into a single 360° video. Examples of professional 360°cameras include the Jump by Google, Nokia OZO, PanoCam3D, and the non-stereoscopic GoPro Omni. It is important to note here that The New York Times uses the Samsung Gear 360 for capturing its 360° videos, partially due to the simple stitching process that the camera supports.
Another advantage of using 360° videos is that they can be viewed through several means. Nearly any HWD, from the inexpensive Google Cardboard to the HTC Vive, can immerse the viewer in a 360° video. Using the same inertial tracking technology, 360° videos can also be viewed on nearly any smartphone by moving the device around like a window to the virtual world. Finally, 360° videos can also be viewed through most web browsers by dragging to change how the current FOV is mapped to the 360° FOR. This wide range of viewing options makes 360° videos the most accessible immersive technology for broad audience consumption.
In terms of subjective responses, 360° videos can afford relatively high levels of presence when viewed through an HWD. However, they afford less presence when viewed on smartphones (Rupp et al., 2016), and even less when viewed through a web browser, based on anecdotal evidence collected by the authors. As several results indicate a strong correlation between presence and emotion (Diemer et al., 2015), 360° videos are more likely to elicit emotions when viewed through an HWD.
Another limitation of 360° videos is the lack of interactivity. Because 360° videos are nothing more than 2D pixels wrapped around the viewer, the worlds seen in the videos cannot be changed (at least not without complex computer vision algorithms and advanced processes). Hence, users cannot grab or manipulate objects that they see in the news story world. Additionally, users cannot change their viewing position within the videos, as that is determined by camera’s position. Users can only change the direction of their view from the camera’s position by rotating their heads. Based on the work by McMahan et al. (2012), this lack of interactivity indicates that 360° videos cannot afford extremely high levels of engagement, as some other immersive technologies may be able to.
Finally, journalists must be careful how they capture 360° videos, as they can induce cybersickness, especially when viewed through an immersive HWD. As discussed in Section “Types of Immersive Journalism,” cybersickness is likely caused by discrepancies between the visual and vestibular senses. Such discrepancies occur with 360° videos when the camera is being moved, as the recorded visuals will indicate that the user’s body is moving while the viewer’s inner ear will indicate that the body is not moving from a vestibular sense. Hence, moving the camera while capturing a 360° video is very likely to induce cybersickness in the audience members, which we have observed anecdotally. This leads to our design guideline to not move the camera, even slowly, when capturing 360° video (see Design Guidelines for Immersive Journalism).
This category generally refers to any technology that uses a smartphone, a mobile HWD peripheral, and a CG-based simulation to provide an immersive experience. Examples of mobile VR devices include the Samsung Gear VR, Google Cardboard, and the Google Daydream HWDs. While 360° videos can also be viewed on these devices, the use of immersive CG is what sets CG-based mobile VR experiences apart. For example, Chernobyl VR Project is an immersive journalism piece that combines CG-based simulations with a documentary narrative approach to inform the audience about the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine.
Computer graphics-based mobile VR experiences afford relatively high levels of presence, similar to viewing a 360° video with an HWD. While some journalists may worry about how the CG-based simulations of mobile VR experiences impact the emotions of their audience, prior research indicates that emotions can not only be elicited with CG (Chittaro et al., 2014), but that lower fidelity visual realism may elicit more emotions than high-fidelity visual realism (Volonte et al., 2016). Also, CG-based mobile VR is more likely to induce the sense of body ownership than 360° videos because the viewer’s body can be easily represented in the virtual world. For example, though not a journalistic piece, Insurgent VR is a CG-based mobile VR experience that shows the viewer’s virtual body statically positioned in a chair. The experience even portrays robotic wires connecting to the virtual body in a Matrix-like fashion. However, the sense of body ownership is limited, as CG-based mobile VR devices only track the rotations of the user’s head and are incapable of tracking bodily movements like walking or grabbing objects.
Because CG-based mobile VR relies on CG-based simulations, it affords more interactivity than a 360° video does. The virtual world can be interacted with and changed according to the user’s actions. However, those actions are restricted by and based solely on the user’s head orientation, a few peripheral buttons, and possibly a joystick, if an additional game controller is used with the mobile VR device. Such interactions are extremely unnatural and likely to decrease the user’s sense of engagement (Bowman et al., 2012).
As with 360° videos, journalists must be careful not to induce cybersickness with their CG-based mobile VR applications. While CG-based simulations can allow users to travel in any direction at any time, immersive journalists and developers should avoid the temptation to provide steering via a game controller or to use simulated walking animations with mobile VR devices. Both of these approaches present the same visual-vestibular conflicts that 360° camera movements do. Instead, a teleporting approach should be used, in which the user selects the next position to view the virtual world from, and the simulation uses a fade-out-and-fade-in technique to change the user’s view without any visual-vestibular conflicts. Remembering Pearl Harbor employs such a technique.
Room-scale VR technologies are very similar to CG-based mobile VR technologies, except that room-scale technologies have more tracking capabilities. These additional capabilities allow users to walk around the physical room (hence, the term “room-scale”) and to naturally interact with virtual objects using handheld controllers, as opposed to an unnatural joystick or button technique. There are currently three room-scale VR systems commercially available: the Oculus Rift + Touch, the HTC Vive, and the PlayStation VR.
With the increased level of interactivity afforded by the additional sensing technologies, room-scale VR affords some of the most-convincing immersive experiences. Audience members are more likely to experience presence as a result of the increased interaction fidelity (McMahan et al., 2012). The sense of body ownership is more likely to be elicited, as inverse kinematics can be used to move a virtual avatar’s arms in the same manner that users move their arms (Maselli and Slater, 2013). With increased presence and body ownership, room-scale VR experiences are more likely to elicit emotion from the audience members (de la Peña et al., 2010). The increased interaction fidelity is also likely to elicit more engagement on the part of the audience (McMahan et al., 2012). Finally, due to the ability to walk around, room-scale VR systems are less likely to present the visual-vestibular conflicts that cause cybersickness for many users. It is important to note that a teleporting technique should still be used instead of steering or simulated walking when the user desires to move to a position beyond the physical tracking limits.
Another technology that has been used for immersive journalism is handheld AR, the same technology used by the once wildly popular Pokémon GO game. With handheld AR, a camera-equipped smartphone or tablet is pointed at a predefined 2D image and then a video or virtual 3D object is overlaid onto that image (Pavlik and Bridges, 2013). Essentially, the smartphone or tablet becomes a handheld window to a world comprised of the surrounding real world and virtual objects. For example, The New York Times used handheld AR to transform its masthead banner into a 3D animation of New York City (Pavlik and Bridges, 2013). Another example of handheld AR journalism is the CI-Spy application developed by Singh et al. (2015), in which users were introduced to the history of a local historic site.
Handheld AR can be used with nearly any smartphone or tablet, as the functionality is afforded by software, rather than hardware. This makes immersive journalism via handheld AR available to a wide audience, as many people have smartphones today. In order to create the necessary software, journalists and developers can use AR solutions, such as ARToolKit, Vuforia, Aurasma, and Layar.
The effect of handheld AR on a user’s sense of presence is questionable. In one regard, the user is already physically located in the news story world, so this would lead to the thought that the user must experience “being there.” However, if the virtual objects are intended to alter the story world, the user may not feel present in that alternate world. Additionally, handheld devices have been shown to afford less presence than immersive HWDs for 360° videos (Rupp et al., 2016). We believe determining the effects of handheld AR on presence to be an open research question. Likewise, we believe the effect of handheld AR on eliciting emotions is also currently unknown.
Because AR relies on the user’s physical surrounding environment, it affords high levels of interactivity with real objects as the user can interact with those objects as he or she normally would. Additionally, it should also provide a high sense of body ownership, as a virtual avatar is not even necessary, and the user can see their own body and limbs. However, with handheld AR, the user is required to hold the smartphone or tablet, which can impede the user’s ability to interact with the physical environment. Also, if the user is expected to interact with virtual objects, interactions such as swiping and pinching the touchscreen will likely be used instead of grasping and reaching. Hence, the user’s level of engagement may be impeded by such unnatural interactions. Finally, handheld AR has been demonstrated to not significantly impact cybersickness (Berning et al., 2014), though it may cause arm fatigue due to holding the smartphone or tablet (LaViola et al., 2017).
Another technology that may soon be adopted for immersive journalism is head-worn AR, in which the user wears a see-through HWD, and videos or virtual 3D objects are superimposed within the user’s view. Currently, examples of head-worn AR journalism are difficult to find. However, devices such as the Epson Moverio BT-300, Microsoft HoloLens, and upcoming Meta 2 could be used to produce immersive journalism pieces similar to the handheld AR examples above.
In terms of immersion and subjective responses, the biggest difference between handheld AR and head-worn AR is that the user wears a headset instead of holding a smartphone or tablet. The headset provides a stereoscopic display and head tracking, whereas handheld AR does not. This means that head-worn AR is likely to afford greater levels of presence (Steptoe et al., 2014). However, it also means that head-worn AR is more likely to induce cybersickness due to accommodation problems, latency, and poor headset ergonomics (Kaufmann and Dünser, 2007).
In Table 1, we provide a summary of the capabilities and limitations of the immersive technologies discussed above.
Table 1. Summary of the capabilities and limitations of common immersive technologies.
Journalism is essentially storytelling with the purpose “to provide people with information they need to understand the world” (Kovach and Rosenstiel, 2014). Defining professional journalism in its current practice is easily the subject of a large volume of research and therefore beyond the scope of this article. However, to present a concise discussion, we employ the framework proposed by Deuze (2005) that captures five key requirements of journalism—public service, fairness (originally objectivity), autonomy, immediacy, and ethics—all of which are commonly reflected in more extensive analyses of professional journalism, such as the one presented by Kovach and Rosenstiel (2014). These requirements not only define professional journalism throughout the reporting, editing, and presentation processes, but they are also barometers for measuring journalistic excellence. Numerous award competitions, such as The Pulitzer Prizes,2 recognizes the best journalism based on these measures of excellence, which we describe subsequently.
Journalistic stories are produced in many forms and cover wide ranges of topics. In this section, we discuss major types of hard news—news that is politically relevant, reports in a thematic way, focuses on the societal consequences of events, and is impersonal and unemotional in its style (Reinemann et al., 2012). In particular, we discuss four types of hard news based on the categories of The Pulitzer Prizes (see text footnote 2): breaking news, public service, investigative reporting, and explanatory reporting. The four Pulitzer Prize categories used here serve as a high-level umbrella for all subgenres of hard news, such as local, national, or international reporting.
Below, we examine each of the five journalistic requirements discussed in the previous section as they relate to the four hard-news story types. Although all five requirements are clearly important to any journalistic production, some requirements require greater emphasis based on the key characteristics of the story type. Table 2 summarizes these key journalism requirements, which allow us to discuss which immersive technologies are best suited for each type of story in the next section.
Table 2. Summary of the key journalism requirements for each type of journalistic story.
The Pulitzer website describes this category as the reporting of “breaking news that, as quickly as possible, captures events accurately as they occur, and, as time passes, illuminates, provides context and expands upon the initial coverage.” By its nature, news is new information, time-pressured by varying degrees, especially as events unfold and information changes rapidly. When considering the five requirements of journalism, the key requirement for breaking news is immediacy and providing the public with the best information available in an often-changing environment.
The Pulitzer website describes this category as “a distinguished example of meritorious public service by a newspaper or news site through the use of its journalistic resources.” Although this category can be immediate in nature, require investigative reporting, and use deep explanation, the primary requirement for public service stories is public service through the magnitude of the story’s impact on a broad audience. The core value guiding public service journalism is the deontological ethic that journalists and news organizations embrace as their “notion of duty” to serve democracy as a watchdog for public interest (Sanders, 2003; Kovach and Rosenstiel, 2014). This means disseminating information as widely and affordably as possible to broad audiences.
The term “investigative” typically is understood as journalism that exposes details of a subject of public interest that, for example, might be hidden from public view or dissemination, or a topic that becomes apparent only through reporting that aggregates data and connects disparate information into a cohesive narrative (Kovach and Rosenstiel, 2014). Although many forms of reporting can be considered investigative, in-depth investigative reporting has two hallmark characteristics according to the Investigative Reporters & Editors Awards6: “substantially the product of the reporter’s own initiative and effort” and “uncovers facts that someone or some agency may have tried to keep from public scrutiny.” These characteristics elevate the importance of autonomous, independent reporting that may be required to overcome legal, financial, or political pressures. A foundational value in journalism is that journalists “must maintain an independence from those that they cover” (Kovach and Rosenstiel, 2014), and this requirement takes on additional importance when reporters may have to resist influences of those that want to keep stories and facts hidden.
The Pulitzer website describes explanatory reporting as journalism that “illuminates a significant and complex subject, demonstrating mastery of the subject, lucid writing and clear presentation, using any available journalistic tool.” While providing thorough, contextual, and proportional information is critical for all types of journalism, we believe it is especially important to explanatory reporting, in which the primary objective is to illuminate a complex subject from all perspectives. Narrative structure serves to identify the most significant facts to present and in the interest of efficiency and understanding, eliminates or reduces others. However, the overarching goal of explanatory journalism is to broaden the narrative and to include more information, which might be left out of other types of news stories.
Now that we have described the four fundamental domains of knowledge of FIJI, we present four types of immersive journalism based on our analysis of the intersection of the fundamental domains. This intersection helps us identify which of the immersive technologies are best suited for each type of journalistic story, given its key journalism requirements. Additionally, we present examples of each type of immersive journalism. Table 3 provides a summary of the four types of immersive journalism, including their type of journalistic story, key journalism requirements, the immersive technologies that we recommend implementing them with, and the expected effects of immersion, given the recommended technologies.
Table 3. Summary of each type of immersive journalism.
The second type of immersive journalism that we have identified is mobile immersive public service pieces, which use affordable mobile technologies to widely disseminate public service news stories. As explained earlier, the primary focus of public service news stories is wide dissemination of important news that impacts broad audiences. This requirement therefore quickly eliminates some immersive technologies from being used for public service pieces. For example, the number of users that can currently experience a highly interactive public service news story in room-scale VR is limited. This is because room-scale VR technologies are new to consumers, with the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR all being released in 2016, and these technologies require expensive desktop computers with high-end graphics cards, which many consumers cannot afford. Similarly, head-worn AR technologies, such as the Microsoft HoloLens, are even more scarce and facilitate an even smaller audience. Hence, neither room-scale VR nor head-worn AR technologies are useful for immersive public service journalism.
To reach the broadest audience, a 360° video is the best current option for immersive public service. As discussed earlier, these videos can be consumed via web browsers, smartphones, and immersive HWDs, which facilitate a very large audience in a number of ways. CG-based mobile VR technologies can also be used to reach a fairly broad audience, as most people have smartphones, and HWD peripherals like the Google Cardboard are inexpensive. For similar reasons, handheld AR can also be used to widely disseminate immersive public service journalism. Interestingly, handheld AR can also be used to provide a public service news story within its spatial context to local audiences that have access to the real-world location.
An example of a mobile immersive public service piece is Still Living With Bottled Water in Flint, a 360° video published by The New York Times in January 2017. The immersive journalism piece depicts how Flint, MI, USA, residents are still facing issues due to poorly filtered water, despite officials stating that the water is safe. Because the piece is a 360° video, it can be easily experienced via a desktop web browser, a smartphone app, or with an immersive HWD.
The third type of immersive journalism that we have identified is CG-based immersive investigations, which use CG-based simulations to provide virtual access to key locations or events being exposed in an investigative reporting news story. As discussed earlier, the key requirement of investigative reporting is autonomy of the journalist, as there are often third parties that wish to keep information hidden. In many cases, it may be difficult or impossible for the journalist to access the physical real-world locations or events that are the subject of an investigative piece. Hence, it is unlikely that a 360° video can be used for an immersive investigation piece. Additionally, if the journalist is unable to access the real-world locations and events, it is improbable that the general public would be able to access them. Hence, handheld AR and head-worn AR technologies would not be effective for most immersive investigation pieces. CG-based mobile VR and room-scale VR simulations are the only way to provide the general public access to locations or events being exposed in investigative reports.
Many of de la Peña’s immersive journalism works have been CG-based immersive investigations that reproduce real-life events. Hunger in Los Angeles provides viewers virtual access to a real-life event in which a diabetic man seized and fell into a coma at a food bank in Los Angeles in August 2010 (Kavner, 2012). Project Syria portrays a bomb explosion that occurred on a busy street in Aleppo, Syria in November 2012 (Pérez Seijo, 2017). More recently, Kiya depicts the real-life events surrounding a domestic violence incident that resulted in a murder-suicide in North Charleston, SC, USA in June 2013 (Robertson, 2016). In order to produce these CG-based immersive investigations, de la Peña used actual photographs, audio, and video taken from the events to recreate them through CG-based simulation, which resonates the point of Kovach and Rosenstiel (2014) that investigative reporting aggregates data and connects disparate information into a cohesive narrative.
The fourth type of immersive journalism that we have identified is immersive explanatory reports, which can use any type of immersive technology to convey complex subjects through explanatory reporting. As discussed earlier, the key requirement of explanatory reporting is fairness by providing thorough, contextual, and proportional information. Immediacy, public service, and autonomy may still be important, but many explanatory stories are guided by the need to clearly present complex information “using any available journalistic tool,” as quoted from The Pulitzer website. Hence, immersive explanatory reports should use whichever of the common immersive technologies that best conveys the story’s information.
A 360° video example of an immersive explanatory report is How Garbage Becomes ‘Black Gold’, published by The New York Times in June 2017. The immersive journalism piece shows how New York City is collecting food waste to divert organic refuse from landfills and instead create compost and gas resources. A CG-based mobile VR example of an immersive explanatory report is Alzheimer’s Disease: Exploring The Brain published by AP Digital Products, which explains the latest scientific theories on changes in the brain that are believed to contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. A head-worn AR example of an immersive explanatory report is the early immersive documentary explaining the events of the 1968 Columbia University student revolt through images, audio recordings, and videos (Feiner et al., 1997).
Guideline: Do not move the camera when capturing a 360° video.
As explained in Section “360° Videos,” moving the camera when capturing a 360° video will create a visual-vestibular sensory conflict for viewers, especially for those consuming the video through an immersive HWD. Such sensory conflicts are believed to be the cause of most cybersickness cases and should be avoided (LaViola, 2000). Hence, journalists must be careful not to move the camera when capturing a 360° video. If the journalist desires to portray multiple locations, a separate 360° video should be created for each location. A fade-out-and-fade-in technique, like the one described in Section “CG-Based Mobile VR,” could be used to transition between the videos.
Guideline: Avoid virtual camera motion in CG-based mobile and room-scale VR.
Many mobile VR and room-scale VR developers provide steering or simulated walking techniques for traveling within their CG-based simulations. However, like 360°camera movements, these virtual camera-motion techniques create visual-vestibular conflicts for users. While cybersickness may be an acceptable side effect for some immersive experiences, such as VR-based videogames, it should be avoided at all costs for immersive journalism pieces, which are meant to broadly serve the general public. Hence, we recommend using a teleportation technique that allows the user to point to a new location and then uses a fade-out-and-fade-in animation to transition the user to the new location to eliminate sensory conflicts and avoid inducing cybersickness.
Guideline: Use 360° videos when immediacy is your primary journalistic requirement.
As discussed in Section “360° Breaking News Videos,” CG-based simulations are costly to produce in terms of time and resources. On the other hand, consumer 360° cameras can be used to quickly capture and produce immersive journalism pieces, even in real time for live events, such as the 2016 Olympics.
Guideline: Do not use room-scale VR or head-worn AR when public service is your primary journalistic requirement.
Currently, room-scale VR and head-worn AR technologies have not yet been adopted by a wide audience. As discussed in Section “Public Service,” public service pieces should target a wide audience for dissemination. Hence, neither room-scale VR nor head-worn AR should be used for immersive public service journalism.
Guideline: Use CG-based mobile VR or room-scale VR technologies when working on an investigative reporting piece involving restricted real-world locations or events.
As explained in Section “Investigative Reporting,” investigative reporting often involves third parties that do not want information disclosed. As a result, physical access to the real-world locations involved in the story may be limited or not available. Hence, 360° videos, handheld AR, and head-worn AR are less viable options for such immersive investigative reporting pieces, as discussed in Section “Computer Graphics-Based Immersive Investigation.” Therefore, CG-based mobile VR or room-scale VR technologies are recommended for such immersive stories.
This concludes our design guidelines for immersive journalists. For information on how to develop immersive journalism pieces, we recommend reading de la Peña et al. (2010) and Owen et al. (2015). In particular, Owen et al. (2015) discuss several design guidelines beyond the scope of this article.
In this section, we briefly discuss the most recent Pulitzer Prize winning entries as case studies to demonstrate how FIJI could be used to guide decisions about how to create immersive journalism experiences for each story type.
Numerous journalists from the East Bay Times in Oakland, California, were awarded this prize for coverage of an early morning warehouse fire that killed 36 people. The rapidly developing story was first reported at 3:45 a.m. on Saturday, December 3, 2016. As details unfolded, the news staff captured and disseminated information through text reports, photography, and video that was presented in print, on websites and blogs, and using social media. Immediacy was the driving journalism requirement; various technology and media platforms were used to present new information as quickly as possible to family members and concerned loved ones about potential fire victims. Within 18 h, the East Bay Times published seven major updates of the news story.
According to the Pulitzer website, Harry Harris was the first reporter from the East Bay Times on the scene and was initially limited to talking with firefighters still trying to extinguish the fire. If Harris had had access to a consumer 360° camera, he could have captured a 360° video of the entire scene, including the continuing blaze, the firefighters still fighting to extinguish it, and the crowd watching the events unfold near the corner of 31st Avenue and International Boulevard. Viewers would likely experience presence watching the 360° breaking news video and feel like they were there at the scene as the blaze continued out of control until morning.
The New York Daily News and Pro Publica collaborated to analyze public records and publish information over a 10-month period about how and against whom the city of New York was enforcing its nuisance abatement law to oust hundreds of people, most of them poor minorities, from their residences. The news organizations developed an interactive graphic that connected each nuisance abatement case to a mapped location of the residence. Stories, editorials, and graphics were presented through print and websites for wide dissemination to a larger audience—including those likely less affluent.
As per our framework, a mobile immersive public service piece would be the most suitable form of immersive journalism to ensure wide dissemination, especially to those potentially affected by the nuisance abatement law. One potential approach would be to use 360° videos to show those affected by the cases and their apartment homes and neighborhoods. Such videos would likely provide a sense of presence within the residences and evoke emotions while listening to the residents speak about being evicted from their homes. Another immersive journalism approach would be to create a CG-based mobile VR version of the interactive graphic connecting each case to a mapped location. Such a CG-based simulation could be created by integrating an external tool like Mapbox with information collected by the reporters (Figure 5 for a mockup). Finally, a handheld AR application could be developed by displaying similar information near the real-world residences, based on Global Positioning System data.
Figure 5. A mockup of what a computer graphics-based mobile virtual reality application might visualize for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for public service news story.
The 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting was awarded to Eric Eyre of the Charleston Gazette-Mail, in Charleston, West Virginia. Judges recognized Eyre “for courageous reporting, performed in the face of powerful opposition, to expose the flood of opioids” into West Virginia. This recognition highlights our framework’s guiding requirement for investigative journalism—autonomy. Large drug companies repeatedly fought the newspaper’s efforts to access the sealed court records that revealed massive shipments of opioids to the state. Print and online stories described the connection between the state’s high number of addictions and overdose deaths, and the millions of pain pills sent to local pharmacies.
Following our framework, a CG-based immersive investigation could be created for this news story, using either CG-based mobile VR or room-scale VR technology, to allow the general public to view simulations of the real-life events behind this story. For the less-interactive mobile VR technology, a CG-based simulation could allow the user to observe how a Raleigh County doctor lectured one woman about the benefits of vitamins but handed her prescriptions for OxyContin, which resulted in her addiction to pain pills. For the more-interactive room-scale VR technology, a CG-based simulation of Hurley Pharmacy, one of West Virginia’s “pill mills,” could allow the user to see, and even dispense, the 157,400 hydrocodone tablets that a drug wholesaler shipped to the pharmacy in January 2008. If implemented with an avatar, such a room-scale CG-based immersive investigation could afford body ownership, in addition to presence, engagement, and emotion.
This Pulitzer Prize was awarded to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, McClatchy and the Miami Herald for a series of stories exposing the hidden infrastructure and global scale of offshore tax havens. These stories were generated by a collaboration of more than 300 reporters on six continents, representative of what we identify in our framework as the preeminent journalism requirement of explanatory journalism—thoroughness in presenting complex subjects fairly and contextually. The stories are based on a “massive” leak of documents, which revealed offshore holdings of politicians and public officials around the world, and thus by their very nature were largely presented as written analyses of textual data. In several cases, multimedia presentations were used to help explain the complexity of offshore corporations and how they operate. The Miami Herald, for example, produced a graphic and short representational video titled “The Secret Shell Game” that helped illustrate how offshore companies work.
As indicated by our framework, there are a number of technologies that immersive explanatory reports can be developed for, as clearly presenting complex information using any tool available is the most important aspect of explanatory reporting. One potential approach would be to develop a CG-based simulation of how a single dollar (accompanied by many others) can be redirected to an offshore tax haven. For a real-life example, the simulation could follow a dollar in February 2011 as it and $200 million were loaned by Sandalwood Continental Ltd., a company in the British Virgin Islands, to Horwich Trading Ltd., a firm in Cyprus. The simulation could then follow the money and accompanying paperwork as Sandalwood assigned the rights to collect payments on the loan to Ove Financial Corp., another mysterious company in the British Virgin Islands, for a single $1. On the same day, Ove reassigned its rights to collect to International Media Overseas, a company in Panama, again, for a single $1. In summary, the simulation would depict how $200 million was shuffled among four companies, in three countries, in less than 24 h. This CG-based simulation could be experienced on mobile VR or room-scale VR technology.
We have presented a conceptual framework for better understanding the nuances of immersive journalism. Our framework—FIJI—considers immersive journalism as the intersection of the fundamentals of immersion, common immersive technologies, the fundamentals of journalism, and the various types of journalistic stories. It highlights four appropriate types of immersive journalism, including 360° breaking news videos, mobile immersive public service, CG-based immersive investigations, and immersive explanatory reports. We have also presented design guidelines for journalists and developers to consider when creating immersive news experiences. Finally, we have presented four case studies to demonstrate how immersive journalism works can be designed using our new framework.
GH and RM developed the framework together and both wrote and revised the article.
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Copyright: © 2017 Hardee and McMahan. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
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The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan were supposed to meet this week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
The meeting was agreed more than a week ago, raising hopes of movement towards a more cordial relationship between the two nuclear-armed foes, and possibly even fresh peace talks.
After all, the neighbours hadn't met at such a senior level since 2014.
But within 24 hours, the briefly open door was slammed shut when India called off the meeting. Pakistan's "evil agenda" had been exposed and "the true face" of new Prime Minister Imran Khan had been "revealed to the world", a spokesman said.
Why? Well, part of the reason was a set of stamps.
What do the stamps show?
The stamps carry 20 different images of what Pakistan calls "atrocities in Indian-occupied Kashmir".
They include images of victims of alleged chemical weapons, pellet guns, "fake police encounters" and "braid chopping", scenes of general abuse and pictures of Kashmiri protests.
One stamp carries a picture of Burhan Wani, a popular Kashmiri militant leader killed in 2016, and describes him as a "freedom icon".
Wani, who was linked to the Hizbul Mujahideen militant group, was killed in a gunfight with Indian forces in 2016.
His death sparked widespread protests in the region that still continue.
Another stamp shows a Kashmiri protester, Farooq Ahmed Dar, tied to the front bumper of a military jeep purportedly as a "human shield" against stone-throwing and gun-firing protesters.
A line in Urdu text running down the left side of the stamps reads: "Kashmir will become Pakistan."
This contrasts with a 1960 commemorative stamp which showed a Pakistani map, with Kashmir shown in a different colour and a more neutral text line saying: "Jammu & Kashmir; Final Status Not Yet Determined."
India and Pakistan have fought two wars over the Himalayan Muslim-majority territory, which both claim in full but control in part. India accuses Pakistan of harbouring and supporting cross-border militants who are active in Indian-administered Kashmir - an allegation Pakistan denies.
India cited the issue of stamps as one of two reasons why it called off the meeting at the UN.
The other was the killing of an Indian border guard and three Kashmiri policemen by suspected militants.
In a statement, a spokesman for India's Ministry of External Affairs said: "The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways."
Pakistan's Foreign Office responded on the same day, saying: "By falsely raising the canard of terrorism, India can neither hide its unspeakable crimes against the Kashmiri people nor can it delegitimise their indigenous struggle for their inalienable right to self determination."
The meeting was proposed by Pakistan's newly elected Prime Minister Imran Khan and was agreed to by India.
The "normalisation" process between the two countries, started in 2010, broke down in 2014 due to increased militant attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir.
A top official of Pakistan Post, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the BBC that anyone could propose a commemorative postal stamp.
"Once it is cleared by Pakistan Post, it needs to be approved by the communications ministry, and also by the foreign ministry if it has a bearing on Pakistan's foreign relations. The final approval is given by the prime minister's office."
But he was reluctant to identify the source of this particular idea.
Interestingly, though, as Pakistan Post officials admit, the idea was floated and implemented during the caretaker government, which took charge of day-to-day affairs of the state ahead of the election which Mr Khan's PTI party won.
The stamps were issued on 24 July, a day ahead of the general elections, and some 25 days before the new prime minister was sworn in. Observers speculate that the idea must have come from state institutions with a hawkish stand on relations with India.
The two elected governments since 2008 have both pushed for normalisation of ties with India. Both have come under pressure either directly from the military or from political groups suspected of having support from the military intelligence network.
The last government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif fell out with the military over its alleged support for militant networks operating in India and Afghanistan, as was revealed by a report in the Dawn newspaper. Sharif was ousted in what was seen by many as an unfair trial, described by some as part of a "creeping coup against democracy".
The military has also been blamed for "managing" the July elections. It denies all these accusations but critics say its huge business and financial interests hinge on painting India as a mortal enemy.
They say the stamps were issued at a time when the military dominated the political scene.
How have the stamps been selling?
Philatelists in Pakistan say the Kashmir commemoration postage stamps have sold well overseas, with one sheet of 20 stamps selling for nearly $6.
In Islamabad, a Pakistan Post official said they had sold more than 300 sheets in recent days at the official rate of about $1.30 apiece.
Only 20,000 sheets have been issued, most of which have already sold out, after the spat over the stamps hit the headlines.
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Recently Postgenomic hit the 10k mark. Ten thousand citations to papers and books have been tracked in science related blogs. In the post announcing the milestone, Euan asked if blog buzz could be an indication of impact of a paper. Can science bloggers help to highlight potentially interesting research ?
I decided to have a look at this and asked him to send in a list of papers published in 2003-2004 and mentioned in blog posts. For these I took from ISI Web of Science the number of citations in papers tracked by ISI (all years). There are 519 papers published in 170 journals in the period of 2003-2004 that were mentioned in blogs tracked by Postgenomic. Of these, 79 papers could not be found in ISI. Many of the papers not found in ISI were published in arXiv. These 79 were no longer considered for further analysis.
I ranked the journals according to the incoming blog citations. The top 5 are highlighted below, and apart from arXiv, that is not usually tracked as a journal (maybe it should), the other 4 are all known journals publishing in general science/biology. Comparing to impact factors there is a noted absence of review and medical journals. This measure of blog citations (instead of blog citations per article) will penalize low volume journals like the Annual Review series. Regarding the low blog impact of medical journals, maybe the current journal ranking by blog citations reflects a higher proportion of biology and physics blogs currently tracked by postgenomic.
The fact the bloggers tend to cite research published in high-impact journals could be just due to the higher visibility of these journals. To test this, I analyzed the average citation per article from papers published in 2003-2004 in any journal with more than 1,2 and 3 blog citations (see table below). I compared it to papers published in Science and Nature in the same period. It is possible to conclude that: 1) papers mentioned in blogs have a higher average citation than those published in these high impact journals: 2) papers with increasing blog citations have on average a higher number of literature citations.
I did not remove non-citable items (editorials, news and view, letters, etc) from the analysis. It would hard to come up with criteria for removing these from both the journals and from the papers tracked by postgenomic. In any case, I suspect that bloggers tend to blog a lot about of non-citable items because these are usually more engaging for discussions than research papers. Therefore if anything I suspect that the real measure of impact for blog cited items should be even higher.
In recent years science publishers have worked to adjust to publishing online. Most of them now offer RSS feeds for their content and some timidly started allowing readers to comment on their sites. With the exception of BioMed Central none of the publishers make of point of prominently showing these comments, making it harder to find out about interesting ongoing discussions. This has not stopped researchers from participating on what can be called a global distributed journal club. As Euan and others have nicely noted, scientists are using blogs to discuss research. It is a very diffuse discussion but it can be aggregated in way that it could never be possible if we kept to ourselves, in the usual conferences or in our institutes/universities.
I tried to show here that this aggregated discussion conveys information regarding the potential impact of published research. This is only the tip of the iceberg of the potential benefits of aggregating and analyzing science blogs. For example, it should be possible to look for related papers from the linking patterns of science bloggers; the dynamics of communication between different science disciplines; the trends in technology development, etc.
Some publishers might be thinking of ways to reproduce these discussions in their sites. One alternative would be for science publishers to get together in the development of the aggregation technology. There should be an independent site gathering all the ongoing comments from blog posts and from the publishers' websites. This could then be used by anyone interested in the information. It could be shown next to a pubmed abstract or directly in the publishers website. Right now this would likely be the single biggest incentive to online science discussions that science publishers could do.
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0.965824 |
Point forward is an unofficial playing position in basketball for those who share the attributes of both a point guard and a forward.
A point forward is usually described as a forward (either a small forward or a power forward) who possesses the ball handling skills and court vision to bring the ball up the court and to initiate the team's offense. Having the ball in the point forward's hands increases offensive mobility by allowing guards to move without the ball and create plays when they receive the ball. Point forwards also need to be competent ball handlers and passers. As such, the point forward is a particularly viable option for teams with offensively skilled shooting guards or combo guards playing on the court.
One of the first examples of an NBA point forward was John Johnson, who played the point forward role for the Seattle SuperSonics of the 1970s, alongside two guards who were more scoring-minded in Gus Williams and Dennis Johnson. Some other notable examples are Marques Johnson and Paul Pressey, who were both played that role while under Head Coach Don Nelson for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1980s. . Perhaps the most notable NBA point forwards are the 6'9" Earvin "Magic" Johnson, who orchestrated the Lakers' offense in the 1980s and was actually the team's point guard, which allowed his teams to have a dominant size advantage over opponents and allowed Johnson to play all five positions on the floor at various times in his career; the 6'8" Scottie Pippen, who played with the Chicago Bulls, Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets and ran the offense; the 6'9" Larry Bird, who while playing as a small forward or power forward often ran the offense for the great Boston Celtics teams of the 1980s; and the 6'8" LeBron James, who is also described as a cornerman and swingman. An example of a Euroleague point forward of this type is the 6'7" Greek player Theo Papaloukas, a player that brings the ball down the court, runs the offense and creates plays.
LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers is the most well known point forward in the current generation of NBA players. Other notable point forwards include: Rockets forward Tracy McGrady, Hedo Turkoglu, a Turkish player on the Toronto Raptors, the French player Boris Diaw, Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince, Thunder forward Kevin Durant, Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko, Lakers forward Lamar Odom and the Sixers forward Andre Iguodala. On top of that, many players can opt to run the offense through the post or from positions differing from the key--Tim Duncan and Detlef Schrempf were both known to do this at various points in their careers.
Alternatively, a point guard playing like a conventional forward can also be considered a point forward, although this usage of the term is uncommon. Guards playing as forwards, going for the rebound, scoring points, giving assists, able to post up guards and even with the ability to guard bigger wing players. Oscar Robertson (who had the size of many small forwards in his era) and Jason Kidd are examples of NBA players, who have averaged near career triple-doubles including both rebounds and assists. An example of this type of player from the Euroleague is the Greek player Dimitris Diamantidis.
At the high school level, since height can sometimes be an issue, a point forward is often used as a guard on offense and as a big man on defense. At this level of play, the typical size of the point forward would be very tall as well as skinny and lengthy. On some high school teams where size is an issue or they have a great player who is too big to be a guard, the player will trail behind the point guard and be a secondary playmaker. On defense the point forward may be asked to defend bigger guys such as the power forward. On offense and defense they will use their speed and length to their advantage.
^ "John Johnson: Point Forward". NBA .com. http://www.nba.com/sonics/history/johnjohnson.html. Retrieved 2008-04-23..
^ "Basketball U on Swingmen". NBA .com Canada. http://www.nba.com/canada/bu_swingmen.html. Retrieved 2007-09-06..
^ "Original point forward". hoopshype .com. http://hoopshype.com/articles/johnson_ferranti.htm. Retrieved 2008-08-23..
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0.918652 |
How do I create a properly formatted report, spanning multiple wiki pages?
As the name implies, the Wikibook Report element provides an XML-based representation of “reports” — that is, a document longer and with more structure than an article, but shorter and simpler than a book. In Wikipublisher, a report is typically used to typeset a trail page, through the (:typeset:) directive, or to typeset the results of a search. For example, to typeset the Tip of the Week collection as a single report, press the Typeset button on that page.
Text on the cover page can be printed flush left, centred, or flush right. Body copy is offset, with the outside margin wider than the inside. Each level 1 list item in the trail becomes a section, level 2 items become sub-sections, and so on. If the trail page contains headings, the first heading level detected is used to define section headings; first level list items become sub-sections. The text of each list item becomes the heading for the corresponding section.
More generally, when constructing a heading from the text of a list item, Wikipublisher ignores any text after an invisible stop. The second list item above illustrates this. Authors can also typeset “hidden trails”, by wrapping the list of trail stops in a >>comment<< block. This suppresses the trail display, but lets Wikipublisher use the list to build the report.
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0.999683 |
Ready Player One de Steven Spielberg ha elevado al director más allá de la marca de los 10 mil millones en la taquilla mundial, convirtiéndolo en el primer director en lograr esta hazaña. te presentamos a los 25 directores más taquilleros del mundo.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Jurassic Park, E.T. The Extraterrestrial, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Avatar, Titanic, Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (parte 1 y 2), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: The Dark Knight Rises, The Dark Knight, Inception.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Forrest Gump, Cast Away, Back to the Future.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: The Martian, Gladiator, Prometheus.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Home Alone.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Batman.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, Apollo 13.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Independence Day, 2012, The Day After Tomorrow.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Minions, Despicable Me 3, Despicable Me 2.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest, Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End, Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Trek: Into Darkness, Mission: Impossible III.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Star Wars: Episode I – The Panthom Menace, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Episode III – Attack of the Clones.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay –Parte 1, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay –Parte 2.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Spider-Man 3, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Man of Steel, Justice League.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: American Sniper, Gran Torino, Sully.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Rio 2.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Marvel’s The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Serenity.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: X-Men: Days of the Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, X2: X-Men United.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: Finding Dory, Finding Nemo, WALL-E.
Mayores éxitos cinematográficos: The Sixth Sense, Signs, The Last Airbender.
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0.946282 |
Is Classical Music my last resort to relieve my stress from work? I came across some violin bows online because I am considering learning how to play the violin. Its been my lifelong dream to learn and play any stringed instrument but failed miserably, like when I attempted to learn the guitar, even though I have short fingers to actually learn to play in advanced. I believe this time, that violin is my next new musical hobby, as it is relaxing listening to the music it makes, I bet it is also as relaxing to play this instrument.
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0.920288 |
While Turkey is situated in a notoriously "dangerous neighborhood" and is often mentioned as a possible proliferation domino should Iran acquire nuclear weapons, it has relied on the nuclear and conventional deterrence provided by U.S./NATO security guarantees for more than half a century. Turkey's dedication to the nonproliferation regime is further solidified by its commitment to the European Union accession process, as prospects for Turkish EU membership would be gravely diminished should Turkey choose to develop nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons. Thanks in part to decades of U.S. military aid and cooperation, Turkey has robust conventional defense capabilities, including short-range ballistic missiles. Ankara is also working to procure advanced ballistic missile defense capabilities.
As part of NATO's nuclear umbrella, Turkey continues to host approximately 60 to 70 U.S. tactical nuclear weapons on its territory at Incirlik Air Base. While there was some speculation in the Turkish press regarding possible conflict between Turkey's leaders and the United States should President Obama's commitment to "seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons" lead to the near-term withdrawal of U.S. nuclear weapons from Turkey, both the 2010 U.S. Nuclear Posture Review and the 2010 NATO Strategic Concept postponed a decision concerning the future of tactical nuclear weapons in Europe. While the Cold War-era B61 bombs serve little military purpose, they provide tangible evidence of a continued American commitment to Turkish security.
Turkey does not possess biological weapons, nor is it known to have ever undertaken a biological weapons program. Ankara is a party to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), having signed and ratified it in 1974, and is a member of the Australia Group to control trade in CBW relevant items.
As a member in good standing of the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (CWC), Turkey does not currently possess chemical weapons, and is not known to have ever possessed a chemical weapons program. Ankara signed the CWC in 1993, ratifying it in 1997, and is also a member of the Australia Group, an export control mechanism to control trade in CBW relevant items.
Turkey is a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC). Currently, Turkey has a limited ballistic missile arsenal.
In November 2012 Turkey requested that NATO supply PAC-3 batteries to defend against missiles and long-range artillery from Syria. The request was initiated over concerns that: 1) Syria's missiles and long range artillery are inaccurate and unreliable and one could potentially go off course and land in Turkey; 2) Syria could intentionally launch missiles and artillery at Turkey; and/or 3) Syrian fighter jets could threaten Turkish airspace.
"Turkey Hosts Proliferation Security Initiative Exercise," U.S. State Department, Bureau of International Information Programs, 24 May 2006, www.america.gov.
For example, see: Dangerous Neighborhood: Contemporary Issues in Turkey's Foreign Relations, ed. Michael S. Radu (London: Transaction Publishers, 2002).
For an analysis of why Turkey is unlikely to pursue nuclear weapons in the foreseeable future, heavily emphasizing domestic politics factors, see: Jessica C. Varnum, "Turkey in Transition: Toward or Away from Nuclear Weapons?" in Forecasting Nuclear Proliferation in the 21st Century: Volume 2, A Comparative Perspective, eds. William C. Potter and Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2010), pp. 229-254.
Sebnem Udum argues that "a nuclear Turkey would be suicidal to Turkey's EU membership bid." Sebnem Udum, "Turkey's Non-Nuclear Weapon Status-a Theoretical Assessment," in The 56th Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs: A Region in Transition: Peace and Reform in the Middle East (Cairo, Egypt, 2006), p. 5.
Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen, "U.S. Tactical Nuclear Weapons in Europe, 2011," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, January/February 2011, vol. 67, no. 1, p. 69.
Lale Sariibrahimoglu, "Turkey to face pressure over US nukes on its soil," Today's Zaman, May 4, 2009, www.todayszaman.com; "Active Engagement, Modern Defense," NATO Strategic Concept, Lisbon, November 19, 2010, www.nato.int; and U.S. Department of Defense, "Nuclear Posture Review Report," April 2010, www.defense.gov.
Mustafa Kibaroglu, 'Turkey and Shared Responsibilities," in Shared Responsibilities for Nuclear Disarmament, ed. Scott D. Sagan (Cambridge: American Academy of Arts & Sciences, 2010), p. 27.
Stein, Aaron, "Turkey's Airplane-less Nuclear Weapons," Turkey Wonk, 15 April 2014, http://turkeywonk.wordpress.com.
"JSF Press Release," Undersecretariat for Defence Industries, 20 May 2014, www.ssm.gov.tr.
"Turkey to Order First Two F35 Fighter Jets," Hurriyet Daily News, 7 May 2014, www.hurriyetdailynews.com.
Turkish researchers are familiar with the PUREX process for separating plutonium from spent fuel, however, as CNRTC possesses a small nuclear fuel fabrication pilot plant.
"Cekmece Nuclear Research and Training Center," Turkish Atomic Energy Authority, accessed 1 April 2015, www.taek.gov.tr.
Jessica C. Varnum, "Closing the Nuclear Trapdoor in the U.S.-Turkey ‘Model' Partnership," Turkey Project Policy Paper, The Brookings Institution, June 2013.
Nuclear Programmes in the Middle East: In the Shadow of Iran, ed. Mark Fitzpatrick, (London, UK: International Institute for Strategic Studies, 2008), p. 65; "New energy minister: No changes to nuclear policy," Today's Zaman, 7 May 2009; Jessica C. Varnum, "Closing the Nuclear Trapdoor in the U.S.-Turkey ‘Model' Partnership," Turkey Project Policy Paper, The Brookings Institute, June 2013.
Emrullah Uslu, "Turkish Government May Approve Construction of a Nuclear Power Plant in April," Eurasia Daily Monitor, 6, no. 53, The Jamestown Foundation, 19 March 2009, www.jamestown.org.
"UPDATE 1-Turkey wants nuclear project firms set up this month," Reuters Africa, 21 September 2010, af.reuters.com.
"Russia Delivers Funding for New Nuclear Plant in Turkey," Nuclear Street, 6 December 2012, www.nuclearstreet.com; Jessica C. Varnum, "Closing the Nuclear Trapdoor in the U.S.-Turkey ‘Model' Partnership," Turkey Project Policy Paper, The Brookings Institute, June 2013.
"Environmental Report for first nuclear power plant in Akkuyu yells out 'don't build it,'" Hurriyet News, 18 July 2014.
"Akkuyu NPP JSC," Akkuyu NGS AS, www.akkunpp.com; Jessica C. Varnum, "Closing the Nuclear Trapdoor in the U.S.-Turkey ‘Model' Partnership," Turkey Project Policy Paper, The Brookings Institute, June 2013.
Jessica C. Varnum, "Closing the Nuclear Trapdoor in the U.S.-Turkey ‘Model' Partnership," Turkey Project Policy Paper, The Brookings Institute, June 2013; "Turkey to Analyze Japan, S. Korea, and Canada for Construction of Nuclear Power Plant in Sinop," The Journal of Turkish Weekly, April 2012, www.turkishweekly.net; "China has advantage in bid for 2nd nuclear power plant," Hurriyet Daily News, 7 December 2012, www.hurriyetdailynews.com; "Turkey to Decide Which Country Builds Second Nuclear Power Plant," The Journal of Turkish Weekly, December 2012, www.turkishweekly.net.
"Town near Bulgaria may host Turkey's third nuclear plant," Hurriyet Daily News, 6 April 2011, www.hurriyetdailynews.com.
"Turkey Disproves Reports of Plans to Build Nuclear Plant on Bulgarian Border," 3 June 2011, www.andrey-kovatchev.eu.
"Tripartite agreement on third Turkish plant," World Nuclear News, 24 November 2015, www.world-nuclear-news.org.
"Turkey Targets 20 Nuclear Reactors by 2030-official," Reuters, 31 January 2011.
Erisa Dautaj Şenerdem, "Turkish Experts Split in Atomic Debate," Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review, 19 March 2011, www.hurriyetdailynews.com.
"Turkey to Heavily Invest in its Energy Sector," Andalou Agency, 2 May 2014, www.aa.com.tr; Demirtas Serkan, "Turkey Plans to Operate 3rd Nuclear Power Plant," Hurriyet Daily News, 28 May 2013, www.hurriyetdailynews.com.
"Akkuyu Nuclear Plant Will Create 20,000 Jobs," Daily Sabah, 27 April 2014, www.dailysabah.com.
Mustafa Kibaroglu, "Turkey's Sweet and Sour Policy Against NBC Weapons," Turkish Policy Quarterly, Summer 2004, www.turkishpolicy.com.
Jason Henson, "MGM-140/MGM-168 ATACMS and MGM-164 ATACMS II," Harpoon and Quarters, www.harpoondatabases.com; Andreas Parsch, "Lockheed Martin (LTV) MGM-140 ATACMS," Designation Systems, www.designation-systems.net.
Duncan Lennox, "B-611 (CSS-11) (China), Offensive Weapons," Jane's Intelligence, 3 August 2012, www.janes.com.
Stein, Aaron, "Turkey's Missile Defense Decision. Ankara will miss NATO Cueing Capabilities," Turkey Wonk Blog, 13 October 2013, http://turkeywonk.wordpress.com.
Lale Sariibrahimoglu, "Turkey issues RfP for long-range missiles," Jane's Defence Weekly, 15 May 2009, www.janes.com.
Ercan Yavuz, "Defense Giants Compete in Turkish Tender for Long-Range Missiles," Today's Zaman, 2 January 2011, www.todayszaman.com.
Giray Sadik, "Turkey Considers Several Missile Defense Systems," Eurasia Daily Monitor 5, no. 87, 7 May 2008, www.jamestown.org.
Sebnem Udum, "Missile Proliferation in the Middle East: Turkey and Missile Defense," Turkish Studies 4, no. 3 (Autumn 2003), p.86.
Sebnem Udum, "Missile Proliferation in the Middle East: Turkey and Missile Defense," Turkish Studies 4, no. 3 (Autumn 2003), pp. 87-89.
Ercan Yavuz, "Defense Giants Compete in Turkish Tender for Long-Range Missiles," Today's Zaman, 2 January 2011, www.todayszaman.com. In March 2013, Israel apologized for the incident; however, relations between Israel and Turkey remain tense and there has been no news on whether the two states will resume joint military exercises: Sara Sidner, Ivan Watson and Joe Sterling, "Israel to Turkey: We apologize for deadly raid on Gaza-bound flotilla," CNN, 24 March 2013.
Aaron Stein, "Turkey Wants Missiles Defenses and the Accompanying Design Info," Nukes of Hazard: A Project of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, 16 November 2012, www.nukesofhazardblog.com.
"US Congress Aims at Turkish Missile Deal, but project already imperiled," Today’s Zaman, 15 December 2013, www.todayszaman.com.
"Missile Tender to Conclude by August," Daily Sabah, 27 July 2014, www.dailysabah.com.
"Fact Sheet: Patriot Advanced Capability-3," Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Department of Defense, January 2009, www.mda.mil.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, "NATO Foreign Ministers' statement on Patriot deployment to Turkey," 4 December 2012, www.nato.int. For additional background on the politics of the NATO decision, see: Jessica C. Varnum, "Musings on Turkey," Arms Control Wonk, 17 November 2010, http://lewis.armscontrolwonk.com.
Piotr Zalewski, "Patriot Missiles Arrive in Turkey: How They Affect the Syria Equation," TIME Magazine, 1 February 2013.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, "NATO Foreign Ministers' statement on Patriot deployment to Turkey," 4 December 2012, www.nato.int.
Damien MacElroy, "Syria opposition demands protection from US missile shield; America must use Patriot missile systems in southern Turkey to prevent government attacks on civilians, the head of the Syrian opposition has said as he took over the country's Arab League seat," The Telegraph, 26 March 2013.
"Fact Sheet: Patriot Advanced Capability-3," Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Department of Defense, January 2009, www.mda.mil; "Patriot MIM-104 surface to air defense missile system," Army Recognition.com.
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0.974432 |
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses drug testing for gabapentin and what could cause a false-positive.
I tested positive for gabapentin but I haven't taken in 10 years or more. I am however taking Trileptal. Is it possible this drug along with others I am on (Celexa, Prilosec, Flonase, Celebrex, and albuterol) could have caused this reading?
Gabapentin (brand name Neurontin) is an antiepileptic drug but is most commonly used to treat neuropathic pain.
Gabapentin is not a controlled substance and isn't included on most standard urine drug screenings. Nevertheless, tests for it do exist.
Unfortunately, since it isn't commonly tested for, there is a notable lack of information regarding whether it can cause false-positive for other drugs or whether other drugs can cause a false-positive result for gabapentin.
It is not a controlled substance.
It does not belong to a class of medication known for abuse, such as amphetamines, opioids, and benzodiazepines.
It doesn't have a high likelihood of being abused.
Most studies suggest that gabapentin is highly unlikely to cause a 'false-positive' for any of the drugs being looked for on a standard 5-panel test due to its difference in structure and molecular composition.
Nevertheless, there are some studies that report that it may interfere with certain tests for amphetamines.
While gabapentin isn't commonly a drug that is tested for on drug screenings currently, this may change.
A number of studies are coming out reporting that it can be abused since it can cause euphoria at high doses and can increase the duration of a 'high' caused by opioids.
Since we may drug tests for gabapentin ordered more frequently, it would be prudent to have additional information on whether or not it can cause false-positive for other drugs or if other drugs can cause positive results for it.
Most urine drug tests are known as 'immunoassay' screenings since they utilize antibodies to bind to a particular drug substance in a sample. When an antibody binds to a compound (like gabapentin), it produces a reaction, which is then reported as a 'positive' result.
Immunoassay urine drug screenings have a well-known problem with 'cross-reactivity', which can cause erroneous results.
Sometimes, an antibody will bind to the wrong drug substance, and produce a reaction. While this would get recorded as a 'positive' result, it, in fact, is a 'false-positive'. Cross-reactivity most often occurs when drug compounds are similar in structure to the compound being tested for, but this isn't always the case.
What Can Cause A Gabapentin False-Positive?
There is currently no definitive information on other drugs causing a false-positive for gabapentin.
As mentioned above, most sources state that it would be unlikely for gabapentin to interfere with most drugs on the standard 5-panel drug test simply due to the differences in its molecular structure.
However, since most false-positives occur as a result of an antibody binding to a drug that has a similar structure, it makes sense that the risk of a false-positive gabapentin test is highest with other anti-epileptic drugs, or those similar to it.
Perhaps the most likely drug to cause a false-positive for gabapentin is Lyrica (pregabalin) since their molecular structures are very closely related.
In terms of the drugs that you are taking, you are on the antiepileptic drug, Trileptal (oxcarbazepine). There certainly is a chance that could cause a false-positive for gabapentin, but how likely this is isn't known.
Most studies discussing urine drug testing recommend that they should only be used as an initial screening since the incidence of false-positive results is high.
There are several other laboratory methods that can be used as a confirmatory test, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Drug tests using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry don't rely on antibodies and can accurately detect actual drug compounds in a given sample.
If you have the opportunity to request a confirmatory test to rule out your previous false-positive result, you should certainly do so!
Will CBD Oil Cause A Positive Marijuana Drug Test?
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0.998012 |
Oil and gas financial modelingWhat is Financial ModelingFinancial modeling is performed in Excel to forecast a company's financial performance. Overview of what is financial modeling, how & why to build a model. A 3 statement model links income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. More advanced types of financial models are built for valuation, plannnig, and is the practice of building a Net Asset Value (NAV)Private Equity vs Hedge FundCompare private equity vs hedge fund in terms of investors, risk, liquidity, time horizon, compensation structure, careers and more pros and cons of each. There are several important points to know about the similarities and differences of private equity vs hedge fund. model for an energy project or asset. The task is to forecast cash flow for each of a company’s major projects to estimate the value of an exploration and production (E&P) segment, which is referred to as the “upstreamProject Finance - A PrimerProject finance primer. Project finance is the financing of long-term infrastructure, industrial projects, and public services, based on a non-recourse or limited recourse financial structure, in which project debt and equity used to finance the project are paid back from the cash flow generated by the project” category of oil and gas businesses.
Finance professionals who wish to pursue careers in the oil and gas industry need to gain solid knowledge on how to develop, review, and analyze financial models. Certification is highly beneficial for finance professionals in the energy sector, as well as analysts and associates in investment banks.
The training usually covers topics such as financial statement modeling, sensitivity analysis, valuation, funding mechanics, M&A modeling, as well as operational and investment metrics.
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0.995206 |
What's the true solution of $f(x)=0$?
At each iteration, print the current guess and the error.
Do you have a hypothesis about the order of convergence?
# Doubles number of digits each iteration: probably quadratic.
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0.99974 |
Change 'Akiba' to a safe and peaceful town. Let's take the first step to resume the pedestrians' paradise.
34 units of street surveillance cameras have been introduced as a measure for the town's safety.
Two years has passed since the indiscriminate massacre occurred at Akihabara, Tokyo in June, 2008. Panasonic street surveillance camera system has been introduced into the electric town of Akihabara, surrounding the Central Street where the incident happened. During the movement to resume the pedestrians' paradise, camera installation, which had been promoted even before the incidence, has been achieved. That is contributing to the creation of the safe, peaceful and joyful town "Akiba".
In addition, other communities have an interest in the town's new attempt to protect the security while preserving the town's surrounding scenery by connecting each street surveillance camera via a secure wireless network.
34 units of i-PRO Megapixel Network Camera DG-NP304 have been installed around the streets and intersections which surround the Central Street located outside of the Electric Town Gate of JR Akihabara Station. Images are captured for 24 hours and recorded on the Network Disk Recorder DG-ND400, which has been installed in the data center in Tokyo.
In addition, cameras and recorders are connected via a secure wireless network, which can store the images on an SD memory card using the cameras' backup function even when the connections are interrupted due to the network instability.
The security can be securely protected while preserving the surrounding scenery.
34 units of Megapixel Network Camera DG-NP304 have been installed surrounding the Central Street. Connecting each camera via a wireless network can neatly preserve the town's surrounding scenery without power poles. In addition, images can be stored on an SD memory card using the camera's self-backup function even when the connection is interrupted due to the network instability and HDD recording becomes unavailable. Preparation for unexpected emergencies is possible.
Privacy can be given the highest priority. Cameras are operated based on thorough rules.
The captured images will be recorded for 24 hours and stored for a certain period on the Network Disk Recorder DG-ND400, which has been installed in the data center in Tokyo. People appearing in the high-definition images are so distinct that you can identify who they are, and you must take greater care of their privacy.
Therefore, the camera system operation contains strict rules which only allow restricted members to view the recorded images with appropriate reasons. In addition, the image data will be offered only when requested by the police. Camera system administrators are surely present on the occasion of the image playback.
Arrangement and operation of such delicate rules contribute to the creation of the safe and peaceful town.
The reason why Street Surveillance Camera Management & Operation Committee in the Akihabara District has introduced our i-PRO cameras is: "Their performances on the wireless network are better than any other cameras. The backup function, in case of the connection interruption due to the network instability, is reliable. High-definition image capturing, which makes people's faces distinct even during nighttime, is also appealing. In addition, future addition of cameras will be easier thanks to their wireless structure."
Not only limited to security, the committee is now considering to applying the system infrastructure to a wider range of use, which can serve the further development of Akihabara.
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