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By Tom Morrow
More and more the security services of the United Kingdom’s MI-5 and MI-6 monikers are mentioned in news reports, but what do they mean.
MI-5 (Military Intelligence, Section 5), is the United Kingdom’s domestic counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service (MI-6). The service is directed to protect British parliamentary democracy and economic interests, and counter terrorism and espionage within the UK. MI-5 … like the FBI does in the U.S.
The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI-6 (Military Intelligence, Section 6), is the foreign intelligence agency of the British government … a counterpart to our CIA. Think “James Bond.” Author and Bond creator Ian Fleming was a member of MI-6 during World War II. The existence of MI-6 was not officially acknowledged until 1994. It forms a part of the UK’s intelligence machinery alongside MI-5 and Defense Intelligence.
During the Second World War the human intelligence work of MI-6 was overshadowed by several other efforts: the cryptanalytic effort undertaken by the Government Code and Cypher School, the bureau responsible for interception and decryption of foreign communications at Bletchley Park where the infamous German “Enigma” machine’s code was broken; the extensive “double-cross” system run by MI-5 to feed misleading domestic intelligence to German spies; and imagery intelligence activities conducted by the RAF Photographic Reconnaissance Unit.
Ironically, leading up to World War II, MI-6 assisted the Nazi Gestapo secret police, via “the exchange of information about Communism”; as late as October 1937, well into the Nazi era.
In 1940, the second member of the “Cambridge Spy Ring,” journalist and Soviet agent Kim Philby applied for a vacancy in Section D of SIS, and was vetted by his friend and fellow Soviet agent Guy Burgess. When Section D was absorbed by Special Operations Executive (SOE) in summer of 1940, Philby was appointed as an instructor in the arts of “black propaganda.”
In early 1944 MI-6 re-established Section IX, and Philby took a position there where he was able to alert the NKVD, the Russian secret service, about all British intelligence on the Soviets … including what the American OSS (forerunner of the CIA) had shared with the British about the Soviets.
Severe damage was done by Philby in August 1945, when NKVD intelligence officer Konstantin Volkov tried to defect to the UK, offering the names of all Soviet agents working inside British intelligence services. Philby received the memo on Volkov’s offer, and alerted the Soviets so they could arrest him. The Russian agent never made it to England.
MI-6 operations against the USSR were extensively compromised by the fact the post-war Counter-Espionage Section, R5, was headed for two years by Philby. Although Philby’s continued damage was mitigated for several years by his transfer as Head of Station in Turkey, he later was assigned as the MI-6 intelligence liaison officer at the British Embassy in Washington D.C. In that capacity he compromised a program of joint U.S.-UK paramilitary operations.
As MI-6 investigators closed in on him, Philby escaped to Moscow in 1953, following his friends and fellow members of the “Cambridge Spy Ring,” Donald Maclean and Guy Burgess.
During the Global War on Terror, MI-6 has exchanged information with the CIA. In the run-up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, it is alleged, although not confirmed, that MI-6 conducted Operation Mass Appeal which was a campaign to plant stories about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the media. Evidently it worked. The U.S. attack on Iraq was for fear of WMDs.
In November 2011, MI-6 helped capture Libyan leader Col. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi. The top-secret mission, dubbed Operation X to disguise its purpose, used modern electronic intelligence (ELINT) technologies to bug the Libyan leader along with his friends and family.
Today, both MI-5 and MI-6 work closely with the FBI and CIA and are heavily involved in tracking down and capturing ISIS-influenced jihadists who have attacked and killed dozens of Brits and Americans through acts of domestic terror both in the UK and U.S.
To Learn More about Tom Morrow, the author click here. | https://www.osidenews.com/2017/03/26/historically-speaking-meaning-british-letters-numbers-mi-5-mi-6/ |
Raft Wars Multiplayer is a multiplayer version of the original Raft Wars game. The game provides nice, colorful graphics and a true online multiplayer experience against all players around the world. Your objective in the game is to shoot down the three members of your enemy team from a long distance. The teams are located on boats in the sea and shoot each other in turns. The first team to eliminate all members of the other team gets to win. After winning rounds, you get the chance to upgrade your weaponry and defense structures. You can also upgrade the characters beginning with a kid all the way to a medieval knight. As you play, you must check the Daily Quest tab to see what accomplishments you can pursue. Fulfilling those will give you extra coins you can use to make upgrades
How to play Raft Wars Multiplayer?
Use mouse to drag, aim and shoot. Also, use your mouse to perform other logistical actions. | https://tanktrouble247.com/raft-wars-2/ |
Free essay example:
Determination relative atomic mass of lithium
Evaluation
Identify calculated error
Any experiment can not in 100% accurate. Some errors are known and I can be calculated (e.g. the accuracy of the apparatus we use).
Calculated errors for my experiment are listed below:
Pipette: ±0.06ml
0.06/25=0.0024=0.24%
Burette: ±0.05ml
0.05/42.50=0.00283=0.12%
Balance: ±0.005g
0.005/0.13=3.8%
Measuring cylinder (250ml): ±2ml
2/206.70=0.9%
Measuring cylinder (100ml):±1ml
1/100.00=1%
Identify way to improve my calculated errors
From calculated errors above we can see that the measuring cylinder (100ml) was a relatively big error in calculated error. Its percentage error is 4 times larger than the error on pipette and 8.3 times larger than the burette this could be improved my using a more accurate volumetric flask (±0.06ml). This could dramatically minimize my most significant error from 1% to 0.06% according to my calculation below.
Volumetric flask: ±0.06ml
0.06/100=0.06%
Also the measuring cylinder (250ml) I have used to collect hydrogen was also a significant error. I could use a more accurate gas syringe instead, but we do not have gas syringe which capable of collecting 206.70cm3 gas. Therefore it is not practical.
Identify the most significant calculated error and ways to improve
The balance I used was the most significant error. It is 3.8%, it is 15.8 times greater than the calculated error on pipette and 31.6 times greater than the error on burette This could be improved by using a more accurate balance. E.g. a balance that’s accurate to 3 decimal places. This could decrease my error margin dramatically from 3.8% to 0.38%according the calculations below:
Balance: ±0.0005g
0.0005/0.13=0.38%
The other way of minimize the error is to use a larger quantity of lithium. (E.g. use 1.3 grams of lithium)This could decrease my error margin dramatically from 3.8% to 0.16% according the calculations below:
Balance: ±0.005g
0.005/1.3=0.16%
But if 1.3g of lithium was used there will be 1.3/6.9=0.188mole of lithium, according to ‘1 mole of any gas at room temperature and pressure occupies 24dm3’(from book ‘Calculation for chemistry’), there will be 4512cm3 of hydrogen will be produced, and we have no measuring equipment to measure this vast amount of gas therefore this method is not practical.
Identify Procedure errors and ways to improve
I have used the displacement of water to measure the amount of Hydrogen produced. I have noticed that it is almost impossible to fill up the measuring cylinder completely, there is always about 1cm3 of gas left in the gas cylinder. This was one of my most significant errors in my procedure. Also the measuring cylinder is only accurate at 20 degrees, but the temperature of the class room is impossible to control, therefore I could not be sure if the measuring cylinder is at its most accurate states. Both of the problems could be resolved by using a gas syringe.
When I was collecting the gas produced I need to put the lithium in before I seal it, there is about half of a second when the gas is not collected. the way I can minimize the time duration when gas is not collected is to hold the rubber bung as close to the top of the conical flask and to get another person to drop in the lithium metal into the flask and then place the bung in position as quickly as possible.
Lithium is a reactive metal it reacts when in contact with air (oxygen), therefore it needs to be stored In oil. I need to remove all the oil before I can weigh it in order to weigh it out accurately. I can not removing the oil completely by using the procedures stated in the planning (wipe oil off using paper). I can improve this by dipping the lithium in alcohol in order to remove the oil completely. But If I remove the oil, as I was transferring the lithium from the balance into the conical flask it forms an oxidised layer this could also cause an incomplete reaction with water. The best way to do it is to complete this whole weighing out and transfer of lithium process in an inert atmosphere, this could prevent the formation of the oxidise layer.
Reliability of my result
Determine the relative atomic mass of lithium was done by two methods. First it is done by measuring the gas produced. I do not think my results from this part of the experiment are reliable, because of all the procedure errors and in accurate measuring cylinder mentioned above. Also I have only done it once, therefore I have to other result to compare it with, and it could even be an anomalies value. The second method was titration. This method was more reliable than the first method because I have completed the experiment three times and all my result agrees with in 1d.p.
Further investigation
In the future I would also like to try using different method such as measuring the gas produced.
This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our AS and A Level War Poetry section. | http://www.markedbyteachers.com/as-and-a-level/english/relative-atomic-mass-of-litium.html |
Project Summary Pertrubed affective processing is a defining symptom of a host of psychiatric disorders, such as depression where it is a primary symptom, and disorders where affective disturbances are secondary symptoms, for example, schizophrenia. Studies of healthy individuals and those with depressed mood implicate a network of areas centering on ventral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and amygdala in the control of long-term changes in affect. Despite this understanding, the neural mechanisms that generate and regulate affective experiences are unclear. One reason for this lack of clarity stems from the fact that studies of affect in animals typically only assess instantaneous and short-lived behavioral and neural responses to discrete aversive or positive stimuli. These stimuli typically last less than a second and generally belonging to a small class (e.g., juice) that are not particularly ecologically relevant. To date, no studies in non-human primates have probed the neural basis of affective states that extend over minutes or hours, durations typical of mood states in humans. Such studies would form the foundation for understanding how mood is controlled at the level of brain circuits and single neurons. The objective of this proposal is to determine how the circuit connecting ventral ACC and amygdala functions before, during, and after the induction of either negative or positive affective states in non-human primates. We hypothesize that negative and positive temporally extended affective states will be associated with unique patterns of local and circuit-level neural activity within ventral ACC and amygdala during affect induction and the selection (or regulation) of affective state. We will test our hypothesis by first determining how local and circuit level activity within ventral ACC and amygdala encodes the valence of dynamic, ecologically relevant stimuli that generate unique affective states (Aim 1). We will record both single neurons and local field potentials in both ventral ACC and amygdala and analyze the timing of the neural responses and LFP coherence among these areas to gain circuit-level understanding. Then, using a translationally- relevant affect induction technique that mirrors affect induction paradigms used in humans, we will establish how affect-related neural activity within the ventral ACC-amygdala circuit is altered when temporally extended changes in affective state, both positive and negative, are induced (Aim 2). The induction of affective state will be confirmed using both behavioral (i.e., response selection) and cardiac correlates of parasympathetic and sympathetic activity, measures of affective state that are well validated in humans. Once the neural mechanisms, the specific patterns of neural activity within the ventral ACC-amygdala circuit that control affective states are known, we anticipate being able to either increase or decrease activity in this circuit to influence affective states. This project marks a significant departure from standard approaches to studying affective non-human primates and has the potential to provide vital knowledge for treating mood disorders.
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Diabetic neuropathy is a condition that develops in up to 70% of all diabetics. It is a nerve disease that causes a number of symptoms that may not even be felt until later stages. Diabetic neuropathy is indirectly responsible for most cases of wounds and amputations in diabetics. This condition is a form of peripheral neuropathy, which is a disease of nerve tissue and nerve tissue function in the part of the nervous system away from the brain and spinal cord.
The actual cause of diabetic neuropathy is still debated, and in fact there may be several causes. Some theories add that poor microscopic circulation to the nerve tissue itself found in diabetes causes the disease, and other theories suggest that heightened blood sugar creates chemical changes in the nerve tissue, affecting its function. Regardless of the actual cause, diabetic neuropathy seems to develop in diabetics with poorly controlled blood sugar levels, and in those with good control but are diabetic for many years.
The symptoms of this condition start out as a subtle numbness that may not necessarily be noticed by one self, but can be seen on exam in a physician’s office. The ability of one to properly feel sharpness, temperature, and even very light touch can be decreased. As the condition evolves, the feeling of numbness can also develop, leading to a feeling that the foot is padded, puffy, or full. Abnormal sensations can also develop, which may include burning pain, tingling, clamping pain or tightness, as well as sharp electrical pains. These symptoms can appear at random, and often at night. In later stages of diabetic neuropathy, the part of the nerves that control muscle function can become affected, leading to cramping and possibly even weakness. Diabetic neuropathy more commonly affects only the feet, but the hands can be involved as well.
The danger of diabetic neuropathy lies in how it changes the ability one has to feel excessive pressure and skin injury in the foot. As the body adjusts to its position on the ground, it changes where pressure is applied to the foot based on feedback from nerve sensors in the skin. When neuropathy is present, this feedback is disrupted and the foot position is not changed. As the pressure increases, the skin becomes damaged. Areas that already receive pressure, such as areas where the skin is callused from normal pressure related to one’s foot structure, develop increased damage. Eventually the skin underneath can begin to erode and die, resulting in a wound. When this is under a callus, it can be hard to notice and the wound may progress and become infected long before it develops external symptoms. These types of sores are normally very painful, but the lack of sensation due to neuropathy can mask the pain, leading to significant worsening before they are usually noticed and treatment begun. Even seemingly minimal pressure like the contact of a shoe on the toes can lead to such sores.
Diabetic neuropathy, due to its effect on proper foot sensation, directly places diabetics at increased risk for developing wounds and skin sores. These wounds and sores have a much higher chance of becoming infected due to diabetes' effect on the immune system, and in turn there is a higher risk for that infection to travel deeper into the foot, leading to gangrene and the potential need for amputation. It is vitally important for all diabetics to protect their feet from harm by assuming one has neuropathy, instead of waiting for later symptoms like numbness and tingling to develop. This protection includes always wearing shoes, even in the home, to protect the foot skin from unfelt puncture wounds, as well as performing a daily visual inspection of one's foot, to look for areas of abnormal pressure and wounds. Once these problem areas are identified, if they can be treated promptly, the more harmful consequences of chronic wounds and foot infections can be prevented. | https://www.inpodiatrygroup.com/library/diabetic-neuropathy-our-doctors-explain-what-you-need-to-know.cfm |
t ■ A HE LAY FIGURE.
" Surely if a thing be entirely good,
you had better imitate it reverently than
endeavour to replace it by some thing
quite different! " It was the Professor who spoke,
and as he is usually paid for speaking, and rarely
wastes an idea upon us, everybody listened.
"Yet if art is nature seen through a tempera-
ment," said the Lay Figure, quoting Zola, " I
take it that it is through your own temperament
you must see, and not through that of others."
" But if others are infinitely greater, why not
sink your individual weakness, and rely on their
strength ? " the Professor replied.
" Because I fancy all imitations lose just that
vital quality which at its best is genius, or at least
personality," the Lay Figure retorted. " Who cares
for imitation Shakespeare, or imitation Rudyard
Kipling? Depend upon it, the revelation of his
own individuality, unwittingly perhaps, but still
without reservation, is what makes for art, sup-
posing, of course, technical facility, good taste, and
a hundred other qualities are present also."
" The whole question is obedience to precedent,
—wilful reliance on oneself," said the Man with
a Clay Pipe. " It sounds very modest and reverent
to abjure one's own efforts, and seek to follow a
master; but if the said master had acted in this way,
where would he have been ? "
" But how dare you expect to be a master ?"
said the Professor, sternly, " that is the conceit of
the day."
" Pardon me," the Man with a Clay Pipe replied,
in a tone of simple dignity, " I believe that no
other human being lives, or did live, an exact
replica of myself. By physical tests, such as the
French police use to identify criminals, it is proved
that no two people are precisely alike, and if the
mere body is always an unique edition, surely the
much more complex personality is likely to be
unique also."
" That is true to some extent," said the Professor,
as he thought of the matchless arguments of his
own lectures, and realised, or thought he did, how
little they owed to predecessors. " Even the least
of us has something to say that has not been said
exactly in the same way."
" Then surely it is not conceit to recognise this
simple fact," the Man with a Clay Pipe observed.
" With all respect to the masters dead and alive,
one feels that art, or beauty, or whatever term you
prefer to express the indefinable, is much more
complex than any one man, any hundred men, could
206
ever express fully. It seems to me while composers
can make an endless number of new melodies out
of twelve notes, so one may hope to evolve new
harmonies of colour, new devices in pattern, new
combinations of material; and unless we do so, we
stultify the whole purpose of our lives."
" Then you would have a man say, Let me be
original at any cost," the Professor broke in testily.
" Certainly not," said the Man with a Clay Pipe.
" Indeed, I go farther and believe that real
originality is quite unconscious. The artist merely
does a thing in a certain way because it pleases
him best, and if he is always eager to criticise his
work, and strives to be original at any price,
eccentricity, quaintness, and ugliness, are far more
likely to be his portion than is originality."
" I do not think your argument is a specimen of
originality, or peculiarly individual," the Professor
said in a contemptuous tone. " It seems to me
the commonest of failings to believe that one's
original shortcomings are preferable to virtues based
on precedent."
" Everything original is not new; original sin,
for instance," said the Man with a Clay Pipe, "but
look around and see whose work has survived of
the past fifty years. Certainly not the dutiful
scholars, who sank their own ideas in those of their
teachers. Look at Rossetti, Burne-Jones, Whistler ;
pick any of them, and you will see how little he
owes to his predecessors."
" I quite disagree with that," said the Professor.
" I grant that each of the artists you mention have
failings that we call their own, but their greatest
works owe all that is best in them to precedent."
" It is a man's failings that endear him to me,"
was the reply. " In him I recognise a brother."
" But if you are right, what of the noble academic
brotherhood who never tried to be other than
derivations ; where will you find your reverent and
loyal masters ? " said the Lay Figure.
" Of course you would not acknowledge them to
be great, if I quoted names," the Professor re-
torted ; " but I still maintain that originality is the
lure of the evil one."
" Let us be thankful then, how many escape it,"
said the Lay Figure, " and if fame escapes them
at the same time, why, that is also in obedience
to the best established precedent."
" I think while we all affect to prize originality,
it is mere novelty we really crave," said the Man
with a Clay Pipe. "For every old folly finds a ready
welcome when a man of taste revives it. It is the
real innovator who rarely obtains applause at first."
The Lay Figure. | https://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/diglit/studio1897a/0214 |
Description JOB SUMMARY:
Performs onsite evaluation of confirmed moves to determine the necessary business course of action for a successful customer moves to include military personnel. Produce accurate and detailed information for all origin services to generate an effective move plan and facilitate accurate estimates/billing.
Meets the expectations of operations by providing accurate and detailed information regarding the transferee’s needs and expectations to ensure a successful move.
Ensures all Bekins NW/Olympic Moving and Storage move processes are upheld to the highest standard.
Must be able to clear JBLM Background requirements in order to gain access to the base.
PRINCIPAL/ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Obtain knowledge of customers’ circumstances and expectations from the sales and move coordination team prior to conducting the in-home survey to instill confidence in the organization and Bekins NW/Olympic Moving and Storage process.
- Conducts in-home surveys upon receipt of confirmed order allowing adequate time for preparation and processing prior to load date. Utilizes resources such as cube sheet to ensure accurate account of customer inventory. Communicate clearly with customer to ensure accurate understanding of customer needs and expectations.
- Obtain necessary customer signatures. Refer customer questions regarding dates and authorizations to the Sales Staff /Move Coordinator.
- Effectively communicates customer move plan through proper completion of required move paperwork as well as verbal conversation and/or written documentation with the move coordinator. Special circumstances are consistently highlighted and brought to the attention of operations management.
- Performs other related essential duties as assigned or requested.
JOB SPECIFICATION:
Education: Associates Degree in Sales is preferred or equivalent relevant experience.
Knowledge/Experience: One year experience within the sales industry. Experience within the Transportation and Logistics industry is preferred. 2 years Customer Service, Sales, or Operational experience is preferred as well.
Skills and Abilities: Experience in Microsoft Office Products including Word, Excel, and Outlook. Ability to multi-task and respond to high stress situations.
**Although marijuana is legal in the State of Washington, Bekins NW / Olympic Moving and Storage is a Drug Free CompanyFollow Us For More Updates! | http://www.olympicbekinsnw.com/household-moving-surveyor/ |
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Recent Questions
Question #25876
Sci16128187
Recent Question/Assignment
Models in Environmental Science
Assessment
Course paper requirements
Environmental system modelling draws upon a wide range of quite distinct approaches and there are many different ways of modelling a given set of processes, depending on the perspective and goal of the modeller. One of the challenges in modelling is to be able to make a sensible choice of modelling approach, to justify this with reference to the nature of the problem and the available data. It is also important to be able to articulate the pros and cons of a particular modeling approach in a way that is easily understood by users - who will often not be expert modellers.
Within this context, there is need for a critical review of a given modelling approach and some of the environmental or climate change science problems to which it can be usefully applied.
Choose one model from the list of 3 suitable classes of model below
• Empirical transfer function models useful Web of Science
search options: [-Transfer function- environmental] or [-Transfer function- paleoecology] –
but do experiment a little here!)
• Causal Loop Analysis Useful Web of Science search options: [-Causal Loop- Model Analysis],
[-System dynamics- model modeling] etc. to narrow the field a little, though this field is
narrow than the others anyway)
• Box models (simplified versions of complex systems, which reduce them to boxes (or
reservoirs) linked by fluxes; Useful Web of
Science search options: [err, well … try -Box model- ], and then refine the field to
something like ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES ECOLOGY or METEOROLOGY
ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES. You will then get around 1,000 hits rather than 10,000!
Reviews should have a title of the form
‘Empirical transfer function models in climate [environmental] science: a critical review
Your review should include:
1. An introduction to the origins of the approach (perhaps including some early applications, possibly in other fields) and its recent environmental/climate science applications. It might also be appropriate to give some indication of how the chosen model class fits into a wider spectrum of approaches.
2. A summary of basic assumptions / foundations of the chosen approach, with an indication of application areas. You might narrow the focus to a selected field here given that, fluid dynamics models, for example, are very widely applied indeed.
3. Some illustrative case study applications – say, 2 or 3 good papers that nicely illustrate the model development / application process. A good review will not just describe these one after the other but will highlight details that illustrate particular aspects / variations of the approach.
4. A critical discussion to sum up some of the pros and cons, including areas where the chosen model type offers the best approach, and some where it is less applicable. You might also identify areas where research is onoing or some challenges for the future in terms of improving our modelling capability.
5. References
Presentation guidelines
Reviews should be word processed in a consistent font (Arial is a good choice; do not use font sizes less than 10 please). Please include page numbers (this makes it easier for us to provide feedback on specific points).
Figures or tables may be used where appropriate. Useful guidance on the design of these can be found in the DEFRA/EA guidelines for the reporting of research.
All references should be cited in the text and detailed in full in a list of references, formatted in a consistent style.
Word limit
No more than 3000 words in length (excluding references and figure captions, tables etc).
Criteria
Presentation (including style of academic writing; layout)
Scope (extent of independent scholarship and use of literature
Accuracy of synthesis (classification of models; correct use of technical terms; critical assessment)
Accuracy of referencing
Deadline: 20 December 2016
Guidance
The following paper provides a model for a critical review of a specific modelling approach:
Bach PM et al., 2014. A critical review of integrated urban water modelling - Urban drainage and beyond. Environmental Modelling & Software 54, 88-107.
Obviously you will not be able to quite match the scope and scholarship in a 3000 word course paper, but it does at least provide some academic style pointers.
You probably won't need to create too many original figures but guidance on the preparation of figures and tables can be obtained from this useful Defra/EA Report Production Guide. Note guidance on captions and the placement and citation of figures and tables within the text etc.
Looking for answers ?
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Style is your own and not guided by fashion really. While fashion pertains only to clothing and accessories, style is not dependent upon clothing and can be associated with anything that makes you look stylish. So style is something that is one’s own while fashion is adapting to what is in at the moment.What do words mean fashion?
Some common synonyms of fashion are craze, fad, mode, rage, style, and vogue. While all these words mean "the usage accepted by those who want to be up-to-date," fashion is the most general term and applies to any way of dressing, behaving, writing, or performing that is favored at any one time or place.What is your definition of fashion?
Definition of fashion. 1 a (1) : the prevailing style (as in dress) during a particular time The spring fashions are now on display. | https://www.au-e.com/search/fashion-definition |
With his three-game Chilton North American Open final win Monday evening alongside partner Ben Gould over Jonny Smith & Greg Park, Damien Mudge has broken Gary Waite’s record of ten North American Open titles with his eleventh in the seventy-fourth iteration of one of the most storied events on the Squash Doubles Association (SDA) tour.
Together, Waite & Mudge won six consecutive North American Opens from 2000-2006. Of Waite’s other four titles, three took place from 1997-1999 with Mark Talbott with his first in 1994 with Scott Dulmage.
Building on his six titles with Waite, the thirty-seven-year-old Australian picked up his seventh and eighth titles—shifting to the left wall from the right—with Viktor Berg in 2008 and 2010 before notching his ninth and tenth on the left wall with current partner Gould in 2011 and 2012.
“Gary was a great doubles player and friend who taught me a lot on and off court, and someone whom I looked up to,” Mudge said. “I’m grateful to have the opportunity to beat his record, which I didn’t think would happen. It was a special moment.”
Although pleased with their seventh title of the season, Mudge & Gould’s run was anything but easy as the joint No. 1’s were stretched to close four-game matches against Fred Reid & Raj Nanda in the quarterfinals 15-10, 15-10, 11-15, 15-10, and against seasoned veterans Chris Walker & Clive Leach in the semifinals 15-9, 15-14, 13-15, 15-10.
“We both struggled at certain times this weekend and I didn’t feel either of us were near our best at any stage during the tournament,” Gould said. “But, the one thing we do better than other teams is keep our heads, acknowledge what is not working, adapt and work out ways to win while not playing well. It’s so important to have a supportive partner like Damien during those moments.”
The bottom half of the draw included a number of significant upsets culminating in world No. 12 and 13 Jonny Smith & Greg Park reaching their first final of the season as a tandem.
Smith & Park upset world No. 9 and 10 Imran Khan & Mark Chaloner in a three-game quarterfinal before dispatching the surprise of the tournament, Baset Chaudhry & Michael Ferreira, 15-7, 10-15, 15-11, 11-15, 15-13 in the semifinals.
In their first competitive appearance as partners, qualifiers Chaudhry & Ferreira won just as many matches as Mudge & Gould having won two, three-game qualifying matches, knocking out two seeds and joint world No. 5’s Manek Mathur & Yvain Badan in three games, then eliminating higher-ranked Shaun Johnstone & Jacques Swanepoel in the quarterfinals.
Tour focus now shifts to the $40,000 David Johnson Memorial at Heights Casino in Brooklyn, New York, after an eighth successful tri-club hosted Chilton North American Open doubles and Harrow Greenwich Open singles at the Field Club of Greenwich, Greenwich Country Club, and Round Hill Club.
The tour is once again grateful for the squash-hotbed that is Greenwich, Connecticut. | https://www.sdaprotour.com/2014/01/mudge-breaks-waites-north-american-open-title-record/ |
Mayor Boris Johnson,
Lord Mayor Susie Burbridge,
Mr. Chu Ting Tang,
Mr. Stanley Tse,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,
I extend very warm Chinese New Year greetings to you all on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in the UK.
The Chinese New Year or Spring Festival has been the most important time in the Chinese calendar for over two thousand years.
In the past decade the celebration of Spring Festival has spread far beyond China’s borders.
This means that what matters so much to the Chinese people is gaining wider popularity around the world.
That is happening as the Chinese values of Spring Festival have universal appeal:
· Spring Festival is when we reunite with our families.
· It is in our nature to mark the end of one year and the beginning of another.
· From the cold and dark of winter it is natural to anticipate the light, warmth and blooming of spring.
· It is a time to look to the future with joy and optimism.
· For us Chinese people it is also a time when our culture celebrates the harmony between man and nature.
· And for all people of the world there is a strong eagerness for a happy celebration and for great personal fortune in the New Year.
With these shared values of Spring Festival, it is my strong wish that this will help the British people gain deeper understanding of China, its people and its culture.
Across Britain there are many Spring Festival celebrations like this one here in Trafalgar Square.
Today, this is the 11th year that Spring Festival is coming to Trafalgar Square.
This year I am delighted we are joined by performers from the Chinese Culture Ensemble and the Happy Spring Festival Ensemble. They have come all the way from China.
Together with Chinese artists from Britain they will entertain us with a brilliant performance shortly.
2012 will be a memorable year in the history of China and Britain relations:
· Together, our two countries will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the full diplomatic relations.
· London will follow Beijing and host the Olympic Games.
This gathering in London today is a symbol of our shared will to deepen exchanges and understanding.
Our meeting today is made possible by the Greater London Authority. Also key to this event is the City of Westminster and the London Chinatown Chinese Association. I want to thank them all most warmly for their 11 years of commitment and support to this event and to relations between China and the UK.
2012 is the Year of the Dragon. In China, the dragon is a symbol of bumper harvest.
The word ‘dragon’ in Chinese is pronounced ‘龙’, which is similar to the English word ‘LONG’. Coincidently, ‘dragon’ also carries the positive meaning of longevity and harmony.
Therefore, may I wish all of you good health and every success in the Year of the Dragon!
May China and Britain enjoy greater prosperity and our people a better life!
May China-UK relations enjoy dynamic growth and our people a long-lasting friendship!
Thank you! | https://thechinatimes.com/online/2012/01/2050.html |
Governance of the Trust is the responsibility of the Trustees. This role is to provide an oversight of the financial dealings and stability of the organisation.
The Board offers guidance and support to management and the staff and provides an assurance of stability and continuity to the stakeholders.
Individual Board members / Trustees may come and go, however the Board as an entity exists independent of individuals so long as the organisation and its’ rationale continues to exist.
The Trustees are committed to maintaining a ‘well balanced’ Board in the context of skills, community roles, age, gender and the inclusion of a parent / family representative.
The Board is responsible for determining which specific skills and areas of expertise will best fulfill its governance responsibilities and thus regularly plans for renewal within the Trustee group.
The policies and procedures of A Supported Life provide a framework for the consistent delivery of good practice and excellence in service delivery.
Where residents are approved by the NASC (Needs Assessment and Service Coordination) for inclusion at A Supported Life the Ministry of Health, in the context of a contract between provider and funding agency pay a Support Subsidy for each individual debited directly to A Supported Life.
The Kotuku Trust, which oversees the work of A Supported Life and two4nine is a registered charitable trust and has a board of Trustees made of committed members of the community including family representation who manage the governance of the organisation. | http://www.asupportedlife.co.nz/about-us/governance/ |
The relevance of traditional rulers in contemporary Nigeria’s governance has been a subject of great controversy. The discourse led to different opinions among Nigerians. In some quarters, they argued that traditional institutions are archaic, particularist and anti-democratic while some Nigerians believed that the institutions of traditional rulership should be preserved and allowed to co-exist with the democratic governance in vogue. It is in an attempt to resolve this argument that this academic exercise was necessitated. In this endeavour, the study utilizes relevant literatures and as well collected raw data through the use of the Likert Scale questionnaire and oral interview in surveying the opinion of the people in Ozoro Kingdom on what should be the position of our Royal Fathers in the emerging Nigerian Political order.
The study revealed that before the advent of colonialism, traditional rulers were the custodian of the people’s culture and tradition but the situation changed when their powers were eroded through colonialism, military dictatorship, constitutional review and self inflicted attitudes of the Royal Fathers. It is conspicuous that the unholy marriage of the traditional rulers co-existing with elected representative in the Nigerian Democratic order is anomalous. However, due to primordial sentiments and legitimacy which the traditional rulers still enjoy among populace, it would be better to disallow them from active party politics and cloth them with honours pending on when Nigeria would be able to modernize her political system.
Table of Contents
- Title Page
- Certification
- Dedication
- Acknowledgement
- Abstract
- Table of Contents
Chapter One
Introduction
- 1.1 Background of Study
- 1.2 Statement of Problem
- 1.3 Objectives of Study
- 1.4 Research Question
- 1.5 Propositions
- 1.6 Limitation
- 1.7 Significance of the study
- 1.8 Literature Review
- 1.9 Methodology
- 1.10 Definition of Terms
Chapter Two
The Role of Traditional Rulers in Pre-Colonial and Colonial Nigeria
- 2.1 Traditional Rulers in Pre-Colonial era
- 2.2 Traditional Rulers and Colonialism
- 2.3 Traditional Rulers in the Modernizing era of Nigeria’s Government
- 2.4 Factors that led to the Decline of the Roles of Traditional Rulers in Nigeria.
- 2.5 The role of Traditional Rulers in the 1976 Local Government Reforms
- 2.6 Constitutional Development and the Role of Traditional Rulers in Nigeria.
Chapter Three
The Ozoro Kingdom in Historical Perspective
- 3.1 Origin of Ozoro
- 3.2 The Economic Life of Ozoro
- 3.3 Religious activities
- 3.4 Socio-Political Organization
- 3.5 Quarter Council
- 3.6 The Town Council
- 3.7 The Otota of the Kingdom
- 3.8 The Odion-Ologbo
- 3.9 The Oletu-Ologbo
- 3.10 The Ovie
- 3.11 The Emergence of Ovieship in Ozoro
- 3.12 Method of Selection and Ascension of the Ovie
- 3.13 The Struggle for dominance by Odion-Ologbo and the Ovie in Ozoro Politics
- 3.14 The Ovie’s Contributions to the economic and socio-political development of Ozoro Kingodm
Chapter Four
The Ozoros and their Kingdom: A Contemporary Perspective
- 4.1 Introduction
- 4.2 Rating of Returned Questionnaire
- 4.3 Demographic Data Analysis (Section A)
- 4.4 Data Analysis for Section B
Chapter Five
Conclusion: Rethinking the Role of Traditional Rulers in Nigeria
- 5.1 Introduction
- 5.2 Major Findings
- 5.3 Conclusion
- 5.4 Recommendations
- Bibliography
- Appendix
Chapter One
Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Prior to 1861 when Britain annexed Lagos, governance in what is known as Nigeria revolved around Traditional rulers. There is no doubt that traditional rulers in Nigeria have witnessed the erosion of their powers. This political scenario had elicited so many arguments among stakeholders and traditional rulers on their role and relevance in the emerging political arrangement. It is on this note that this research may be timely and necessary to re-examine the relevance of traditional rulers in the Local government administration with particular reference to the Ozoro Kingdom in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State.
Traditional Institutions and their rulers have suffered extensively from the imposition of colonial rule, revolution, wars and post independence political development in Nigeria.
As earlier noted, before the advent of colonialism, traditional rulers were both the political, social, cultural and economic administrators of their various localities. They were parts of the immutable African culture which ensured harmony and stability in the society. However, the situation changed when colonial rule was imposed on African societies which Nigeria is an integral part. It was at this period that Traditional Rulers, were subordinated and became instrumental for the realization of the objectives of the indirect rule system.
It is pertinent therefore to know who a traditional ruler is. Many views have been given over the years. It is the intention of the researcher to offer few definitions. According to Orewa ( 1978) a traditional ruler is:
an Oba, Emir, Obi or Paramount Chief who before the advent of the colonial government in Nigeria had complete sovereignty over his territory and was not subject to any other higher authority within or outside his domain (Orewa, 1978 :151).
In the same way, the Oba of Benin in a conference held at Ibadan on the 11th September, 1984, defined a traditional ruler as:
The traditional head of an ethnic community whose stool conferred the highest traditional authority on the incumbent since the time before the beginning of British rule. (Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Erediawa, 1984).
The law of the former Western Region also applicable in Delta State defines traditional rulers as:
the traditional head of an ethnic group or clan who is the holder of the indigenous polity or who has been appointed to the position in accordance with the customs and tradition of the area concerned by instrument or order of the state government and whose title is recognized as traditional ruler by the government of the state (Tonwe and Ola, 2005:156).
Having attempted a conceptualization of Traditional Rulers, it would be imperative to give a brief record of power configuration and regional bases of traditional rulers and their localities that gave birth to the modern Nigerian State. It should be borne in mind that every region and locality has its unique power structure.
In the Ibo pre-colonial society of the present day Nigeria, Robert Ola observed that “these traditional rulers or authorities were considered by their people as repositories of religious, executive, legislative as well as judicial functions” (Robert Ola, 1984:23). In addition, the autonomous local community according to Ogunna (Ogunna, 1987:363) the Ibo traditional political system was a federation of villages each village was composed of kindred units. Local government under the Ibo pre-colonial political system was therefore carried out by the village elders (Idichie) and kindred units head. In such areas where traditional rulers did not exist the elders or family heads meet at the village square to decide issues as they affect the generality of the people.
The Northern regional base has the Emirs as the repository of religious, legislative, executive and judicial functions.
The Yoruba speaking society also has their own power configured around the Obas. However, the Obas were not absolute king when compared to the Hausa-Fulani counterparts.
The Ozoro Kingdom situated in the defunct Mid-western region which later metamorphosed into Delta State has Ovie as its paramount ruler. Like his counterpart in other parts of the country, the Ovie performs executive legislative and judicial functions (Oyolo, 2007:23). He also performs religious function in collaboration with the high priest “Opara” ( Akegwure, N.D.: 9).
The uniqueness of these various kingdoms, empires, and emirates are indications that traditional rulers were the nucleus of governance in their various territories. It further shows that the geographical spheres of these authorities were localized. It therefore means that no traditional ruler had jurisdiction over the entire geographical area which later became Nigeria.
The emergence of Traditional Rulership into the Nigerian polity could be traceable to the Lugardian administration when he said thus:
Our aim…. Is to rule through the existing Chiefs to enlist them on our side in the work and progress of good governance… (our) is that we may make of these born rulers…. Type of British officials working for the good of their subjects in accordance with the ideals of the British empire (Whitetaker, C.S. Jr., 1970:16).
The enlistment of traditional rulers into the indirect rule system further consolidated the powers of these natural rulers. They became more recognized when the native courts were integrated into the English Legal system. While the evolving state drifted towards independence. However, things began to change when it seems as if these born rulers had reached their apogee with the introduction of democratic values and agitation by nationalists struggle. The situation became worsened when the military took over government from the elected leaders at the early years of Nigeria’s independence. The final blow came when the 1979 constitution refused to grant any executive role to traditional rulers in the local government level.(Federal Republic of Nigeria : 1979). Many Nigerians became critical on what role traditional rulers should play in the emerging political order . Gbong Gwon of Jos, a traditional ruler on the Nigerian Television Authority’s National News Broadcast of 8th July, 2009 was reported to have opposed constitutional role for traditional rulers contrary to Senator David Mark’s opinion of finding a specific role for them in the 2009 constitution following the review of the 1999 constitution.
These two views best capture contemporary thinking on the issue, an acknowledgement that there is a problem and a situation involving our Royal Fathers and that something needs to be done. The delema however remains finding the best way forward in order not to compromise the ancient institutions that traditional rulers represent, which is that of acting as custodians of native customs, traditions, culture and as spiritual fathers of members of their immediate communities. The most surprising issue is that this vital institution of traditional rulers that controlled their locality in the pre-colonial society up till the later part of colonialism has been questioned, should these traditional institutions be abolished?
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Traditional rulers over the years from the pre-colonial society were the custodian of the people’s culture and tradition. They were also involved in the western government as introduced then from colonial days. In short, records had it that some traditional rulers were members of the house of Chiefs in the Northern part of the country during the period of 1944 –1951. Again, the Macpherson Constitution allowed traditional rulers in the north and western regions to make direct input into the selection of the members of Regional House of Assembly.
Traditional Rulers also legislated along side with the Regional Houses of Assembly.
The situation gradually changed as independence approached. It was worsened after independence. It became confusing that many issues were raised after the enactment of the 1979, 1989 and the 1999 constitutions. Some of the envisaged problems facing the traditional institutions are:
- Whether Traditional rulers are well fitted for contemporary governance arguing that traditional institutions are archaic.
- The constitution of Nigeria made little or no provision for traditional rulers.
- Traditional rulers in the country are not well funded.
- Whether Political and military government’s interference in traditional affairs has been a threat to their relevance in contemporary governance.
- Corruption among traditional rulers had weakened their powers.
- Many traditional rulers are easily manipulated by political and military leaders for their selfish purposes.
- Many traditional rulers only reign and not rule.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The research is aimed at unveiling the roles of the traditional rulers, their impact in government and how they can contribute to a more viable united Nigeria.
In this effort, the researcher shall delve into the past and shall critically examine the present to enable him project into the future.
To be concise, these objectives are:
- To examine carefully the roles of traditional rulers in the present democratic governance.
- To evaluate their roles and effectiveness over the years to the present democratic government.
- To examine if they have become more or less relevant and determine why they are so as the case may be.
- To make recommendations where appropriate to the local government and other levels of government towards the enhancement of the Nigerian polity.
1.4 Research Questions
In order to have a thorough grasp of the understanding of this research, certain questions need to be asked. These are:
- What are their roles in contemporary government?
- How has the constitution enhanced the roles of traditional rulers in the country?
- What are their problems in contemporary governance?
- How have they lost their votes in contemporary governance?
- How have they performed in their responsibility ?
- What precipitated the weakness of traditional rulers in contemporary governance?
- What makes traditional rulers to reign without ruling?
1.5 Proposition
- Peace and harmony in governance is the bedrock of national unity.
- Traditional rulers are the custodian of custom and tradition.
- Good governance with respect to the Nigerian democracy cannot be achieved without the grassroots mobilization.
- National development and progress shall be elusive without the support of traditional rulers.
1.6 Limitation
The study is carried out within the purview of traditional rulers and the modern governance in the present day Nigeria.
However, data shall be collected from the Ozoro Kingdom in Isoko-North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The reason is that the Researcher believes that he might not be able to access the state council of chiefs at the Federal level and Council of states.
It was in consonant with the 1999 constitution that the Researcher chooses to study the roles of traditional rulers in the traditional council at the Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State with particular reference to the Ozoro Kingdom.
1.7 Significance of the Study
The research work is directed at contributing to knowledge of the Nigerian politics. These are:
- It is aimed at knowing the relevance of the traditional institution, roles and contribution to the contemporary Nigeria democracy.
- It is also significant in knowing the extent of involvement of traditional rulers in this democratic dispensation.
- The study is also of great importance since it shall reveal the connectivity or relationship that exists among traditional rulers and democratic government.
- It shall also indicate the area of weakness so that improvement and adjustment can be made so as to improve the Nigerian state.
1.8 Literature Review
The debate over the relevance of traditional rulers in contemporary Nigeria’s governance is highly controversial.
The reason for this confusion is due to the fact that before colonialism as well as a substantial part of the colonial era that predates Nigeria’s independence, traditional rulers played active roles in the governance and development of the country’s polity.
It is therefore surprising that the essence of these vital institution and traditional elites are being questioned in the emerging political order.
There are divergent views and opinions in this controversy. Egwurube as cited by Tonwe and Ola (Tonwe, and Ola 2005:169) Identified three schools of thoughts. According to him (Egwurube) there exists the Retentionist school, the Abolitionist school and the Political enhancement school of thoughts.
The Abolitionist school of thought contended that the marriage between traditional rulers and the democratically elected elites in Nigerian politics is unholy and should be divorced. They argued further that the Traditional Rulers in the modernizing Nigerian democracy is an anachronism. The protagonists of this school of thought contended the constitutional provision of the 1979, 1989 and 1999 constitutions which guarantees local government elected officials and traditional rulers working side by side as anomalous (Aghayere, 1997:185).
They also opined that traditional institutions are ascriptive while the contemporary state is democratic. In other words, the era of hereditary leadership or natural rulers as envisaged in 1914 by Lord Lugard is archaic.
In the views of Uche Nwora (2007), partisanship in politics, defecation of traditional values, lack of integrity by some money – for chieftancy policies, in-fighting and “Igweship”, “Ezeship”, “Obaship”, “Ovieship” tussles have eroded their values and should be abolished.
There is no doubt that many traditional rulers are educated and as such can adapt modern thoughts and ideology but the exigency of politics and the easy manner in which some of the traditional rulers succumb to manipulations leaves much to be desired. The “political mannerism” of the Late General Sanni Abacha where some traditional rulers were shown to have towed the path of the military head of state remained fresh in the memories of Nigerians.
Another indication which corroborates with Uche Nworah’s perception is the proliferation of chieftancy titles or honorary chiefs without potfolios or roles in the society. Many thieves and public robbers including criminalized politicians are given chieftancy titles. Such recognition by traditional rulers has created a society with false values and negative role models (Uche Nworah, 2007).
The agitation for republicanism or the desire of people to decide their affairs rather than having a supreme human Lording it over them made this school of thought to condemn the traditional rulers and their institutions in its entirety and strongly advocated its abolition (Ibid).
Another argument in support of their position is that the existence of traditional rulers amidst of democratic governance creates dual loyalty among the Nigerian populace (Ibid). The incidence that took place between Group Captain Anthony Oyerugbelen, a one time military Governor of Edo State and the Oba of Benin, Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Erediauwa, when the said Governor suspended the Monarch from the Council of Chiefs created a great controversy among the people of Edo State. Many Edos do not know who should be blamed or obeyed. In some quarters, the Oba was seen as the owner of the land (Edo) while others saw the military Governor as the primus interperis and should be obeyed. This unwholesome political debacle can be avoided when a single form of governance is adopted in the state.
The second school of thought is the political enhancement school. This school of thought believed that traditional rulers are citizens of the country and as such should be allowed to contribute meaningfully towards National development (Aghayere, 1997:185) In their views, their removal from politics as stated in the 1999 constitution, where the clause affirmed that nothing should be misconstrued as confirming any executive function on the traditional rulers is an abuse of their franchise.
In the past they were custodian of the people at their different localities but things had gradually changed and their powers had been eroded. They argued that such phenomenal changes is unfair.
In a forum organized by the Diasporan stakeholders on the 15th November, 2007, Uche Nworah (Uche Nworah, 2007) remarked that distinguished traditional rulers like the Alafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Igwe Osita Agwuna, Igwe of Umunri and Eze, Enugwu – Ukwu among others should not be allowed to idle away. He added that these traditional rulers are sound and first-class individuals. In other words, these highly talented materials should be allowed to participate politically for national development.
The third and final school of thought is the retentionist school. It could also be seen as the middle-path school of thought in the continuum of the Abolitionists and the political enhancement school of thoughts. The protagonist of this school held that traditional authorities should be retained and enhanced for national development. According to Egwurube Joseph, (Egurube, 1985:223) the retentionist school will not only ensure stability and continuity of the emergent political order but also would at the same time tap the strength of traditional authorities in the sphere of citizens mobilization for national development at grass-root level.
It is obvious that traditional rulers had firm grip of power before colonialism and as such it will be incongruous to eliminate these elites simply because of their weaknesses due to pressure from the politically elected class of the public.
There is no gainsaying that most traditional rulers are adaptable to modern philosophies. Records had it that most of them are well educated, the Sultan of Sokoto, the Emir of Gwandu, the Etsu Nupe and the Emir of Zuru were generals in the Nigerian Army. The Oba of Lagos was a Police Deputy Inspector-General, the Emir of Kazaraure had Ph.D. in Law, just as the Asagba of Asaba is a Professor, the Ovie of Ozoro had Masters in Law and most chiefs and Emirs were also in the public service and diplomat such as the Emir of Kano (Uche , 2007)
Perhaps, due to the plight and dwindling prestige of traditional rules in the present democratic government of Nigeria that made the Senate President, Senator David Mark during a condolence visit at the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Mustapha Umaru El Kanemi, on the passing away of the Waziri of Borno, Alhaji Ahmed was quoted in Guardian Newspaper of July 17th, 2007 to have remarked thus:
We will continue to assist our traditional rulers and leaders who are responsible for unity, peace in order to further strengthen their roles. We shall find specific roles for them in the constitution when we finally review the 1999 constitution. (Guardian, 17 July, 2007).
Taking a clue from the Senate President’s speech, traditional rulers have been responsible for peace, unity and good governance in the country.
Again, flowing from the statement quoted above, it became obvious that traditional rulers have given full support and ensured maintenance of law and order in the corporate existence of their locality. Hence, he advocated a re-definition of the roles of the traditional rulers in the Nigerian politics in the 2009 constitution which shall take care of the inadequacies of the 1999 constitution.
But the irony is that the existence and survival of the contemporary governance in Nigeria does not adopt a Monarch as the central figure of Administration.
The vision of the Senate President, Senator David Mark was equally shared by General Badamosi Babangida during his military administration as the president of the country when he craftly made the constitution drafting committee to find a place for the traditional rulers in the Nigerian presidential system of government.
Apart from the military regimes in Nigeria, the civilian regimes of the Second Republic and Fourth Republic endeavoured to keep traditional rulers afloat in the country’s politics.
It is an indisputable fact that the civilian head of state in the second republic headed by Alhaji Shehu Shagari recognized the involvement of traditional rulers in his administration when he appointed Chiefs and traditional rulers to the position of chancellors and Chairmen of cultural councils and universities governing councils.
Similarly, the recent Obasanjo civilian regime of 1999 – 2007 and the current Yar A’dua’s administration of 2007 till date appointed traditional rulers to offices of chancellors of universities with the University of Benin as a good example.
The position of the retentionist school of thought corroborate with Ali Mazru’s popular quotation where he said “Bashikolshi Shikoloshi” which can be interpreted as “He who knows the way, let him lead the way”. Akin to this is the popular aforison of Abraham Lincoln where he was said to have quoted thus: “He who knows what to do and fail to do it shall have the hottest part of Hell fire”. It was in realization of the relevant role that the Traditional Rulers played in the pre-colonial and subsequent years that made the traditional rulers critical of their roles in the emerging political order. It was on this ground that the Oni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade II in July 1988 on his return from Cuba where he was said to have visited Fidel Castro announced at the Ikeja Airport that traditional rulers all over the country would soon meet to put their heads together to brainstorm on the future role of traditional rulers in the government of the country. Consequent upon the meeting of traditional rulers on August 1988, the Oba of Benin noted with disappointment the acceptance of the Bureau’s recommendation that no specific role has been given to traditional rulers. Inspite of the genuine interest and confidence expressed by traditional rulers to contribute to the development of their fatherland, the defunct Armed Forces Ruling Council in 1989 took a bold step by adopting the decision and recommendation of the Bureau that the traditional rulers be insulated from politics.
Following this development, the Oba of Benin in a national conference of Traditional Rulers in Ife consoled themselves when he positioned that the function of traditional rulers are already and clearly laid down in their community’s customs and traditions and urged them to perform them without fear or favour as fathers of the people.
The constitutional and political development that preceded Nigeria’s independence has weakened the powers of traditional rulers. The situation is confusing that scholars and stakeholders holds contrary views on the relevance of this institution. It is on this realization that this study has been necessitated to lay such argument to rest.
1.9 Methodology
This encompasses how the researcher intends to carry out the study. It is divided into sources of data collection and data analysis.
Sources of Data: Data shall be collected from primary and secondary sources.
In the case of the former, the researcher shall randomly distribute 100 questionnaires to people in Ozoro Kingdom, the seat of the Local Government headquarters. Twenty questions shall be asked and the questionnaire shall be collected the same day.
In addition, oral interview shall be applied. Here, the researcher shall adopt a simple random sampling by asking some dignitaries in the Local Government Secretariat and the Ovie’s palace questions.
However, this interview shall be unstructured since the situation and respondents can be dynamic.
Finally, existing records and documents shall be cross-examined as they relate to the role of the traditional institution in the locality.
Data Analysis: The data collected shall be presented orderly for analysis. It is the intention of the researcher to use simple percentage in the analysis.
Each question shall be analyzed by the responses of the people across the board. Finally a deduction shall be made from the respondents opinions and a conclusion shall be drawn to that effect.
1.10 Definition of Terms
Ahe:
A cotton tree used for the burial of the Ovie in Ozoro kingdom.
Aka:
The name of the Benin Kingdom as used by the Ozoro people. It denotes the distant land of their migration.
Ala:
The name of a place which is the centre point of the Ozoro kingdom.
Dwindling:
The waning or reduction in value of a thing.
Emir:
The traditional head of an emirate. It is the title for the traditional ruler in the Northern part of the country.
Emaha:
The children or an age grade in the Ozoro Kingdom.
Evragwa:
The youth age-grade of the Ozoro kingdom.
Edion:
The elders council of the Ozoro socio-political systems.
Egweya:
The women council of the Ozoro traditional political system.
Local Government:
The government at the grassroots level in a Federal system like Nigeria and headed by a democratically elected chairman or sole administrator appointed by the governor of the state.
Local Administration:
This is the system of administration controlled by chiefs, obas, ovies, emirs, etc.
Ovieship:
This is the kingship as used in the Niger Delta region especially among the Isokos and the Urhobos.
Ovie:
The head or king of kingdoms in the Isoko and Urhobo axis of Delta State.
Oba:
The title of the traditional head in the Yorubas and Benin kingdoms.
Relevance:
The importance or necessity, usefulness, etc. It could be operationalised as power or vote, etc.
Traditional Ruler:
Any head or representative of a traditional institution. It could also mean the paramount ruler of a kingdom, emirate or locality.
Usu:
Plint or charmed sword used by the Founder of the Ozoro kingdom.
Votes of Traditional Rulers:
The power and influence of traditional rulers.
Renaissance:
The re-birth of the Nigerian democracy.
Nigerian Project:
The government aimed at improving the lots of the Nigerian people.
Chapter Five
Conclusion: Re-Thinking The Role Of Traditional Rulers In Nigeria
5.1 Introduction
There is a contemporary thinking that something is wrong in the situation involving our royal fathers especially in resolving the argument on the relevance of traditional rulers in the emerging political order.
This controversy emanated from the political development that rocked the indigenous political system of the African society at the advent of colonialism. Honestly speaking, traditional rulers across the length and breadth of the Nigerian society prior to colonialism had full control of their indigenous polity. They had executive, legislative, judicial and religious power.
These powers declined over the years due to some extraneous factors as well as self inflicted factors. It was this situation that motivated the study to make a passionate contribution to the Nigerian Democratic Project which has begun to gain ground since May 1999.
In this academic exercise, the study was targeted at knowing whether traditional rulers are well fitted for the Nigerian democracy.
It tries to look at the level of funding of traditional rulers as a causative factor for performance.
The study also endeavoured to know whether these natural rulers are easily manipulated by political leaders for selfish purposes.
The study wanted to know whether traditional rulers reign or rule in democratic government.
Finally, the study was aimed at examining if traditional rulers have become more or less relevant and determine why they are so as the case may be.
In this scholarly endeavour, the researcher chooses to study the Ozoro Kingdom in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The study was based on primary and secondary data collected from the Ozoro Kingdom. All documents and literatures dealing with the subject matter was well examined.
Oral interview was also conducted at random where some dignitaries in the society (Ozoro) were interviewed.
In addition, questionnaires were also administered to sample the public opinion about the relevance of the traditional rulers in the emerging political development.
The data collected were analyzed with simple percentage and presented for a simplistic understanding.
5.2 Major Findings
An objective and pragmatic decipherability of the surveyed data and statistical analysis revealed that:
- The 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which is the existing, working and binding document of the Union had placed traditional rulers on a disadvantageous position. It conspicuously excluded them from active politics.
- The placement of traditional rulers under the Local Government Councils whereby their salaries and other welfare services are provided by the Local Government Councils make traditional rulers to be subjected to elected political and public office holders. This confirms the popular saying that “He who pays the pipers determine the tune”. No wonder many traditional rulers can be easily manipulated by elected political office holders.
- The traditional rulers only reign and not rule. In the words of Honourable John A. Itoje, the secretary of People’s Democratic Party, Isoko North Chapter, the Ovie takes decision based on the consultation with his chiefs representing all the sectors of the kingdom. Similarly, in the words of S.K. Oyibororo, “the major interplay that brings development does not necessarily come from the Ovie but the government”. It goes to show that the position of traditional rulers in Nigerian Democracy is more or less honorific..
- There is a nexus between the traditional rulers in the country and the elected representatives at different levels of Government, i.e. there is always an over-lapping authority structure in the traditional councils and the Local Government Councils nation-wide.
- Traditional rulers contribute to peace and national stability in the country. In the words of S.K. Oyibororo, the Chief Administrative Officer, Isoko North Local Government Area, “Peace and security are better attained when nipped in the bud”. This view he maintained because the people had respect for their traditional rulers.
- Traditional rulers act as advisers to democratically elected leaders in the country. In the view of Honourable John A. Itoje, a former Supervisory Chancellor for Agriculture, Isoko North Local Government Council and Secretary to People’s Democratic Party, Isoko North Chapter, the Chairman invites the Ovie, for peace talks and advice which can lead to development in the Local Government Area.
5.3 Conclusion
The political trend of governance in contemporary times where Traditional Rulers co-exist with elected representatives is anomalous. The situation corroborates with Fred Riggs theory of Prismatic society which portends an admixture of traditional and modern political systems. This uniqueness of the Nigerian society inhibits development of democratic values. The situation resulted from the impact of colonialism which super-impose Western Values on African values thereby creating some incompatibility and struggle for dominance among the traditional elites and the political elites. Despite this internal contradiction, the traditional rulers enjoy a high degree of acceptance by majority of the citizenry particularly in the rural areas who see them as the royal fathers of the land.
The fatherly role accorded them over the years can be operationalized through the provision of advice that will help accelerate peace, progress and national stability in the Nigerian project.
5.4 Recommendations
As earlier enunciated in the objectives of this study, the research is aimed at making recommendations where appropriate to the Local Governments and other levels of Government towards the enhancement of the Nigerian polity. It is on this grounds that the researcher makes this recommendations to help ameliorate the situation of the contemporary Nigeria’s governance.
These recommendations are as follows:
- Traditional rulers should be kept neutral from politics. The Nigerian Government will do better when traditional rulers are non-partisan to promote unity and national stability. Again, political neutrality will enable traditional rulers to earn more respect and credibility among the Nigerian people.
- Traditional rulers should provide advice to those at various levels of governance. As fathers of the land, their wealth of experience should be brought to bear.
- Traditional rulers should be involved in ceremonial capacity. This involvement will reduce to a bearable minimum all acrimonies between Local Government officials and traditional authorities.
- Seminars should be organised by the Government periodically to educate traditional rulers on the bounds and limits of their operations.
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When you leave the Ellis Island ferry, the main immigration building consumes your entire view. Red brick walls with tan trim, a terra cotta roof, and teal chimneys, and large, floor-to-ceiling windows with green frames reflect the architectural styles of the nineteenth century. A red iron and glass portico lines the path to the entryway to the main building. Hordes of tourists and visitors from different countries and cultures, myself among them, walk up to this main entrance. The architectural style is consistent across the many buildings on the island. These other structures are located to the west of the main building. They include a hospital with infectious and contagious diseases wards, an asylum for the mental ill, a kitchen and a laundry room, to name a few. These buildings, however, are in different stages of decay. Unlike the pristine, freshly painted main building, here windows are shattered, where there are windows at all. Walls near the waters of the harbor have crumbled, exposing the insides to further damage from the elements. Doors hang off frames. Tiles are cracked and missing. Neglect, sea air, Mother Nature, and time have begun to wage war on them.
Yet these dismantled structures were once the landing spot and processing center for immigrants coming to the United States. Out of the thousands who walked the halls of these buildings seeking the opportunity for a better life, the very first was an Irishwoman named Annie Moore on January 1, 1892. Her ship departed Ireland on December 20, 1891, so she spent the Christmas holidays aboard the ship. Upon landing in New York, she is said to have anxiously and excitedly run into the immigration depot. She was ushered into the processing hall where immigration officials asked questions to verify her identity. Eventually, she was allowed entrance into the U.S. and was reunited with her parents who already lived here. In honor of her history here on Ellis Island, there is a statue commemorating her as the first immigrant registered. Annie’s immigration experience has also been immortalized in the song “Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears.”
Although Annie had a successful entry free of complications, this was not always the case for other immigrants to New York City. Upon entering the main building, immigrants were led up two flights of stairs. While they climbed the stairs, doctors would look over the railings and do a quick once-over of every applicant. Those with obvious ailments or thought to be sick were marked on the back with chalk. One of these markings was “P” for pulmonary symptoms. Another was an encircled “X” for mental derangement (History.com). Doctors were especially concerned with the eye disease trachoma. Although simply treated and cured today with antibiotics, in the 1900s, trachoma was incurable and highly contagious. These immigrants, often children, were forced to remain on Ellis Island to undergo treatment before being allowed entry into the country.
The hard times of immigrant families is a common theme in the writing of Sui Sin Far, the first Asian-American to publish English-language fiction in the United States. Sui Sin Far’s short story “In the Land of the Free” is centered in another port city (San Francisco, CA) but tells of the same checkpoints, sceneries, and emotions that immigrants faced on Ellis Island. Due to the Chinese Exclusion Act, passed in 1882, there was great stringency for immigrants of Asian descent who wanted to come to America. In Far’s story, Lae Choo, a Chinese woman whose husband lives in San Francisco, is not able to bring her infant child into the United States after returning home to China to give birth. Instead, the child is detained by social services until such a time when, with proper documentation, the family can be reunited. The cruel separation of the infant and his mother is what gives the story its ironic title about the so-called land of the free.
Ellis Island, so famous today, began as nothing more than a sandy island in New York Harbor. It obtains its name from Samuel Ellis, who purchased the land and built a tavern upon it catering to local fisherman (History.com). In 1808, the State of New York purchased the land from Ellis’s estate and used it to build military fortifications in preparation for the war of 1812. After the Civil War (1861-1865), immigration policies were turned over to the Federal government and money was allocated for the construction of the main immigration building in 1890. The building opened its doors on January 1, 1892. With the boom in immigration, more space was needed to process immigrants. In 1906, landfill was used to enlarge the island. The buildings for the hospitals, contagious diseases wards, and the psychiatric ward were built on this landfill. Due to changed immigration policies, the island became less important in subsequent years. According to History.com, “The Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1952, combined with a liberalized detention policy, caused the number of detainees on the island to plummet to less than 30.” Ellis Island finally closed its doors as an immigration depot in November 1954.
When I visited the island in October, against a clear cloudless blue backdrop, the horizon showed the New York City skyline in its entire splendor. The Freedom Tower rose above all the rest. The Statue of Liberty, in its magnificent grandeur, smiled in acceptance of all of us onboard the ferry. These symbols, old and new, represent a continued promise of liberty and freedom, both synonymous with New York. It was funny how, in that very moment, the past and the present collided for me into a singularly transcendent moment when I realized that thousands before me had gazed upon the buildings I saw. Thousands had teetered on the edge of their seats in anxiety, waiting for what was coming next, anxious to get off the boat and onto land, just as we were. We tensed in anticipation at having finally arrived on Ellis Island, anxious to relive the past. Ellis Island, though now closed, was, and continues to be, a symbol of hope and freedom.
America can only live up to this legacy by treating today’s immigrants to this country with respect and dignity. Given the recent election, the tense political climate, and its devastating aftermath on minorities in this country, many would do well to revisit our immigration history. America was founded and built on the backbone of immigrants. It is of utmost importance to remember how far we as Americans have come so that we may continue to progress and honor our legacy as “The Land of the Free.”
Works Cited
“Annie Moore: First Immigrant Through Ellis Island.” Annie Moore – The Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2016.
“Before Ebola, Ellis Island’s terrifying medical inspections.” PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2016.
“Ellis Island History.” Ellis Island History – The Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2016.
“Ellis Island.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 21 Dec. 2016.
“Ellis Island Medical Inspection.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2016.
Far, Sui Sin. “In the Land of the Free.” The Norton anthology of American literature. By Ronald Gottesman, Laurence Bedwell Holland, Hershel Parker, David Kalstone, Francis Murphy, and William H. Pritchard. New York: Norton, 1979. 1720-727. Print.
History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 21 Dec. 2016. | https://amlit.commons.gc.cuny.edu/archives/1158 |
New students receive a full day of orientation on the first day of the semester. The orientation provides students with important introductory information about the course and familiarises them with the campus before classes commence. The orientation incudes presentations from the Department Heads, Student Association, Counsellor, Curator, Level 1 Coordinator, and Student Liaison Officer. New students also receive a Library induction, safety and security briefing, tour of the School facilities, and lunch with students and lecturers.
Academic and Enrolment Guidance
The Student Liaison Officer is available by appointment to discuss queries and concerns relating to enrolment, subject choices, workload etc. and to provide general study advice and guidance.
Essay Writing and Research Support
The Student Liaison Officer provides essay writing support through group workshops and individual meetings. Students are referred for these services by a lecturer or may also self-refer, in which case the Student Liaison Officer will assess their support requirements. The Librarian also provides research support and delivers workshops throughout the year.
Peer Learning
The Peer Learning Program is designed to provide information, guidance and advice for students to help them navigate the demands of the BVA. The current Peer Learning Program includes IT workshops and a weekly Study Club. More info here.
Academic counselling
Students who are experiencing ongoing or significant issues relating to academic progress and/or attendance are required to attend an academic counselling meeting with the Academic Administration Manager and the lecturer of the relevant unit. This is an early intervention process aimed at supporting a student’s academic progress.
Individual academic support
In certain cases, the School approves one-on-one academic support from lecturers for students. This may include a set number of hours over the term or a once off session. Circumstances in which individual academic support may be approved include when a student has a study support plan in place, is transitioning from secondary school directly into the BVA, or has experienced a disruption to their studies as a result of unforeseen and extenuating circumstances. | https://www.acsa.sa.edu.au/student-resources/academic-support-services/ |
Editor’s Note: This is a guest post written by Angela Nino – Training Manager at Versitas – instructor-led, onsite or online business skills classes delivered exclusively to your team or company. Her opinions are her own.
Hiring and retaining new talent can be a struggle for any organization. Often budget constraints will force your company to scale back on orientation and development, leaving your new hires to fend for themselves and navigate the waters without any tools at all.
Over 50 percent of the graduates in the latest Accenture Great Expectations survey said that they received no formal training at their first job. The study looked at the responses of the 2014 graduates compared with the follow-up survey of the 2012 and 2013 graduates. Only 48% of the 2012/2013 graduates reported that they had formal training for their initial job position. 80% of the 2014 graduates expected a structured orientation and development program for their first job.
What does this mean for our entry-level talent?
Most likely, our turnover will be higher than we would like, if we are not using every tool available to us to help create a meaningful on-boarding experience as part of our talent management programs.
In the Tower Watson study of 2014 global workforce and talent management, 48% of employers reported that they were involved in more hiring activity compared to the previous year. Over 1/3 of the companies reported higher turnover, too.
If four out of five of the 2014 graduates are expecting formal training, hiring managers will need to employ the resources to develop new hires in ways that will not only retain them but will assist them in becoming top-performers.
Here are some on-boarding tips to help retain your best talent.
1. Communication is key
When potential employees are job searching, communication is key. Job postings need to be clear and consistent. Interviewers need to be well-versed in the company vision and culture stories to be able to give prospective new hires an idea of what it is like to work for the company. As part of the interview process, consider including a video from one or more of the company executives to help introduce the potential new hires to the company and to see what the personalities/culture are like in your organization.
2. Look past the resumé
Focus on hiring for attitude and potential versus just finding a certain skill/experience set. Skills and processes can be taught. An enthusiastic worker that desires to learn can be very valuable in the long-run.
3. Reduce the paper shuffle
Automating paperwork (online, if possible) to reduce application, scheduling, and new hire form headaches is an amazing way to show that your company cares about “getting it right”. Start the process off in a way that encourages new employees to keep up that practice when they are hired. Do as much of the administrative paperwork as possible before the new employee’s first day of work.
4. Integrate “culture” into your learning management
Not only do your recruiters need to be well versed in the company vision and culture, but so do your training professionals. The formal training process needs to include time for various corporate leaders to tell their story. What kind of impact would it make in the orientation for a new employee to be able to hear a few fun stories told (in person) by someone with clout in your organization? The fact that the busy executive took the time to reach out to new hires is priceless.
5. Provide social rules and norms
One of the things that is so frustrating to many of us when we first start a new job is how to learn all the ‘unwritten rules’ without actually breaking one. Giving a new employee the chance to learn some of the unwritten rules from the veterans that know the ropes is very important. There is no substitute for helping a newbie to navigate the waters. Reaching out will make them more likely to help future new employees.
6. Incorporate times to build friendships
Create a new hire network that can provide opportunities to build friendships. Match new employees up with other new employees as well as with more experienced workers. Take them around and introduce them to other workers. The mentoring and coaching received can help productivity and improve morale. Don’t expect that friendships will naturally develop outside of work hours. This social time needs to be part of the work day.
7. Have everything ready on day one
It is incredibly frustrating for a new employee to walk in on their first day at a new job and not be able to work because they don’t have a network login or even a place to sit. Make sure that you have everything ready for them on day one. This includes a computer station, desk supplies, logins, and business cards. Develop an internal web page with links to helpful internal and external information for new employees, especially for benefits.
8. Smile
The best thing you can give a potential or a new hire is completely free. It is a smile! A smile may also encourage the new hire to ask questions, which can clear up and prevent misunderstandings. This may sound trite, but it is amazing what a simple friendly, welcoming smile can do to improve the on-boarding experience.
Angela Nino is a training manager at Versitas – instructor-led, onsite or online business skills classes delivered exclusively to your team or company, including free web based reporting of student performance and ROI stats delivered to your desktop. Angela also manages the Versitas blog. | https://blog.recruitloop.com/8-on-boarding-tips-to-ensure-you-keep-your-best-talent/ |
Researchers and practitioners examined efforts to fund the abatement of biodiversity loss at the Cornell ESG Investing Research Conference.
- Better Business Chronicles
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New Research Theme to Solidify SC Johnson College as a Leader in Sustainability
The Business of Sustainability research theme will facilitate collaboration, program coordination, and curriculum across the college’s three schools.
- Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise
- Centers and Institutes
- Faculty
- Parker Center for Investment Research
- Research With Impact
Cornell SC Johnson College of Business Hosts ESG Investing Conference
The conference is timely given that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has two new proposed rules targeting ESG investing.
Solving the Climate Crisis is About Preserving Human Dignity
Ina Gjika, MS ’22, reflects on Aspen Ideas: Climate, a conference she attended with support from CSGE and the Cornell Energy Club.
From Nature to Technology, Making an Impact
Mariana Flores Aguilar, MBA ’22, writes about her experience as an intern on the Technology for Social Impact team at Microsoft.
Education and Green Technology Offer Southern Tier Renewal Opportunities
Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Binghamton University, and Center for International Business Advancement collaborate on green tech and jobs.
Sustainability in Management Consulting Internship with EY-Parthenon
Benjamin Goulet, MBA ’22, describes his experience as a consulting intern for EY-Parthenon, including access to leaders of sustainability initiatives.
Business Impact Symposium Explores the Need for Climate Finance
Investments need to focus not only on climate change mitigation measures but also on adaptation issues communities worldwide are facing.
Preparing for the Greener Future of Electric Garbage Trucks
Yimi Zhao, MBA ’22, made the business case for electric garbage trucks in an internship enabled by Johnson’s Social Impact Internship Fund. | https://business.cornell.edu/hub/category/center-for-sustainable-global-enterprise/ |
The Workplace Safety and Insurance Act provides:
s.121
The WSIB may reconsider any decision made by it and may confirm, amend or revoke the decision. The WSIB may do so at any time if the WSIB considers it advisable to do so.
s.131(4)
The Board or the Appeals Tribunal, as the case may be, shall promptly notify the parties of record of its decision in writing and the reasons for the decision. The Appeals Tribunal shall also notify the Board of the decision.
Policy
The WSIB may reconsider any decision, and confirm, amend, or reverse it.
The individual making the reconsideration decision is responsible for advising the worker and the employer of the decision.
NOTE
In this document, references to workers also include survivors.
Guidelines
Who can reconsider decisions?
- The original decision-makers
- Decision-makers in the Appeals Branch
- Decision-makers’ managers
- The managers’ managers
- Decision-makers in Regulatory Services
Management of claim/file
Reconsiderations in operating area
If a manager reconsiders a decision, the manager does not assume responsibility for the management of the claim or employer file. This responsibility remains with the original decision-maker.
Reconsiderations in Regulatory Services
When a decision-maker in Regulatory Services proposes to make a reconsideration, responsibility for the management of the claim or employer file may be removed from the operating area and/or Appeals Branch until a final decision is made.
When a decision-maker in Regulatory Services proposes to reconsider a previous decision, the relevant parties are given notice and invited to participate in a reconsideration process. Participants may obtain access (see 21-02-01, Access to Claim File Information- Issue in Dispute), provide submissions and give sworn testimony at a Reconsideration Hearing.
The Regulatory Services decision-maker considers the response(s) received, if any, and confirms, amends or revokes entitlement. The time for resolution will depend upon the complexity and circumstances of each case. This is considered the WSIB’s final decision.
Communicating decisions
If a decision-maker confirms, amends, or reverses a previous decision, a letter is sent to the relevant workplace parties:
- stating the decision
- explaining the rationale, including any applicable legislation and policy
- outlining the information used to make the decision, and
- advising both parties of their right to object.
Objecting to reconsiderations
Reconsiderations do not replace the right of workplace parties to object to a decision, and should not be viewed as an alternative to launching a formal objection.
Reconsiderations in operating area
The WSIB requires workers and employers who disagree with the outcome of a reconsideration to call the decision-maker and discuss their concerns. This should help to clear up any misunderstandings that may exist, and avoid unnecessary objections.
Workers and employers may object to any reconsideration made by the decision-maker. If the decision-maker cannot resolve the objection, they refer the objection to the Appeals Branch.
Reconsiderations in Regulatory Services
If a Regulatory Services decision-maker amends or revokes a previous decision, this determination is considered the WSIB’s final decision. Objections must be directed to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal (WSIAT).
Application date
This policy applies to all reconsiderations of decisions made on or after December 1, 2001, for all accidents.
Document History
This document replaces 11-01-14 dated December 14, 2001.
This document was previously published as:
01-01-07 dated August 27, 1997. | https://www.wsib.ca/en/operational-policy-manual/reconsiderations-decisions |
- Absolute Shakespeare's BiographyShakespeare Biography describes all that is known about Shakespeare's life from available documentation including court and church records, marriage certificates and criticisms by Shakespeare's rivals.
Elizabethan Theatre
- Shakespeare's TheatreFind out about the first public playhouses in London, and the companies and actors that used them. British Library
- Elizabethan TheatresFind out about individual theatres in Shakespeare's time and the companies that played in them.
- Outdoor PlayhousesFind out about the outdoor theatres and inns where plays were regularly performed in Shakespeare’s London.
- Indoor TheatresDifferent from outdoor theatres, who acted in them and what were they like?
The Globe Theatre
Subject Guide
Links: | http://esmhs.esmschools.libguides.com/feulner |
The Tunisian Second Action PlanAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen... faced implementation challenges due to resource constraints and unclear cross-government coordination in some cases. The creation of Authority of Access to Information (AAI) was a key milestone and a major step in improving government practice to guarantee access to information.
|Table 1: At a Glance|
|Mid-term||End of term|
|Number of Commitments||15|
|Level of CompletionImplementers must follow through on their commitments for them to achieve impact. For each commitment, OGP’s Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) evaluates the degree to which the activities outlin...|
|Completed||2||3|
|Substantial||1||3|
|Limited||8||9|
|Not Started||4||0|
|Number of Commitments with…|
|Clear RelevanceAccording to the OGP Articles of Governance, OGP commitments should include a clear open government lens. Specifically, they should advance at least one of the OGP values: transparency, citizen partic... to OGP Values||12||12|
|Transformative Potential Impact||1||1|
|Substantial or Complete Implementation||3||6|
|All Three (✪)||0||0|
|Did It Open Government?|
|Major||1|
|Outstanding||0|
|Moving Forward|
|Number of Commitments Carried Over to Next Action Plan||2|
The Open Government PartnershipThe Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving government transparency, ensuring opportunities for citizen participation in public matters, and strengthen... More (OGP) is a voluntary international initiative that aims to secure commitments from governments to their citizenry to promote transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance. The Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM)The Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) is OGP’s accountability arm and the main means of tracking progress in participating countries. The IRM provides independent, evidence-based, and objective ... carries out a review of the activities of each OGP-participating country. This report summarizes the results of the second year of implementation through August 2018 and includes some relevant developments up to October 2018.
At the time this report was prepared, the E-GovernmentGovernments are working to increase access to and quality of government services, improve transparency, and create opportunities for participation by using information and communications technologies ... and Open DataBy opening up data and making it sharable and reusable, governments can enable informed debate, better decision making, and the development of innovative new services. Technical specifications: Polici... Unit under the Prime Minister’s office led the process of public consultations and coordinated the implementation of OGP activities. The multi-stakeholder committee includes representatives of government, civil society, private sectorGovernments are working to open private sector practices as well — including through beneficial ownership transparency, open contracting, and regulating environmental standards. Technical specificat..., and academia and oversees development and implementation of the OGP action plan.
It is worth noting that during the span of the action plan implementation there were multiple changes in government. Since the submission of the action plan, the E-Government and Open Data Unit merged under the Prime Ministry. In November 2017 additional government restructuring occurred. Several ministries including Finance, Local Affairs, and Environment that were responsible for carrying out commitments, merged together or their leadership changed.
The multi-stakeholder committee was composed of eight representatives from government, six representatives from civil society, one member from the private sector, one member from academia, and two member-observers of the parliament. All ministries and public agencies were invited to consult on development of the action plan, though the OGP process was mainly driven by executive agencies and several independent agencies. The government completed three commitments from the 2016-2018, two of which were completed during the first year of implementation. Altogether, six commitments were substantially complete at the end of term. The government published its self-assessment report for public review in September 2018 and submitted it the following month to OGP.
The third Tunisian action plan was submitted on 9 November 2018 to the OGP, with two commitments to be carried forward from the 2016-2018 action plan: The first is joining the EITI (CommitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action... 1 in the 2016-2018 action plan, and Commitment 6 in the 2018-2020 action plan). The second commitment carried forward is Commitment 11 in the 2016-2018 action plan. The third action plan continues work on youthRecognizing that investing in youth means investing in a better future, OGP participating governments are creating meaningful opportunities for youth to participate in government processes. Technical ... participation under Commitment 10.
Consultation with Civil Society during Implementation
Countries participating in OGP follow a process for consultation during development and implementation of their action plan.
The multi-stakeholder steering committeeThe Steering Committee is OGP’s executive decision-making body. Its role is to develop, promote and safeguard OGP’s values, principles and interests; establish OGP’s core ideas, policies, and ru... meets monthly to review progress on OGP commitments. These meetings have taken place since January 2017. The official announcement of the action plan was made in November 2016. The multi-stakeholder steering committee’s meetings were held in person and at the E-Government and Open Data Unit headquarters in Tunis. Most of the CSOs participating in the committee are Tunis-based.
CSOs actively attend the steering committee meetings as witnessed by the IRM researcher. During the meetings, CSOs pose questions to the representatives of the government and other implementers, share findings from their monitoring report, and make recommendations regarding the implementation of the commitments. The CSO monitoring report records the attendance of officials and CSOs to the steering committee. It also summarizes the discussions on commitments.[iii] The report is produced by the CSOs’ representatives on monthly bases. According to Asma Cherifi, an active member of the steering committee, a similar report was developed during the preparation of the action plan.[iv]
The meetings of the steering committee are open to observers. The CSOs’ participation at the meetings remained constant. However, the participation of government officials was not as regular as that of CSOs. Additionally, some government focal points were unable to explain the delays on commitments’ delivery when asked by the CSOs.
Minutes of the meetings are available online on the OGP’s government website in the administrative language[v] and in English since 3 October 2018. No rules enforcing genderOGP participating governments are bringing gender perspectives to popular policy areas, ensuring diversity in participatory processes, and specifically targeting gender gaps in policies to address gov... or age in the multi-stakeholder meetings were applied, however, the meetings were female dominated. No rules of exclusion or replacement of absentees were in place.
Table 2: Consultation during Implementation
|Regular Multistakeholder Forum||Midterm||End of Term|
|1. Did a forum exist?||Yes||Yes|
|2. Did it meet regularly?||Yes||Yes|
Table 3: Level of Public Influence during Implementation
The IRM has adapted the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) “Spectrum of Participation” to apply to OGP. This spectrum shows the potential level of public influence on the contents of the action plan. In the spirit of OGP, most countries should aspire for “collaborative.”
|Level of Public Influence during Implementation of Action Plan||Midterm||End of Term|
|Empower||The government handed decision-making power to members of the public.|
|Collaborate||There was iterative dialogue AND the public helped set the agenda.||✔||✔|
|Involve||The government gave feedback on how public inputs were considered.|
|Consult||The public could give inputs.|
|Inform||The government provided the public with information on the action plan.|
|No Consultation||No consultation|
IAP2’s Public Participation Spectrum, http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.iap2.org/resource/resmgr/foundations_course/IAP2_P2_Spectrum_FINAL.pdf
Al Jazeera English, Tunisia’s Youssef Chahed names new cabinet, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/09/tunisia-youssef-chahed-names-cabinet-170906173802326.html
Ibid.
Interview with Asma Cherifi, member of the Tunisian OGP steering committee, interview by IRM researcher, 14 September 2018 and 2 February 2019.
Ibid. | https://www.opengovpartnership.org/documents/tunisia-end-of-term-report-2016-2018/ |
Top Story
Democratic National Convention Committee CEO Joe Solmonese told an audience of journalists in Milwaukee recently that the Democratic Party aims to correct the errors that led to President Trump’s win in 2016.
DeForest educators look to use assessments data to inform instruction
Educators in the DeForest Area School District are taking an in-depth look at its assessment system with an eye toward improving students’ performance on standardized tests.
A presentation of their findings was made at the Monday, Jan. 13, school board meeting. Some of the revelations were eye-opening and a bit puzzling.
“Assessments in the district are very purposeful,” said Pete Wilson, the district’s director of administrative services. “Everything is purposeful and everything is connected in a variety of ways.”
Going hand in hand, assessment and curriculum are tied together. School officials have been poring through data to help with instruction in an effort to build teacher collaboration through the district’s professional learning community (PLC).
The data is used to inform decision-making and instruction, as teachers then use assessments from the PLC to meet student needs.
In grades K-8, assessment is linked to standards for different subjects, including math. The i-Ready diagnostic is an assessment tool used with students in five-year-old kindergarten through fourth grade.
According to Kathy Williams, an instructional coach at Yahara Elementary School, officials in the DeForest district spent a lot of time looking at data from Forward testing this summer. A heat map showed where students were falling short.
“We started to see specific standards that even higher-scoring kids weren’t hitting,” said Williams.
One involving rulers and third graders was particularly “difficult to understand,” said Williams. The standard calls for students to “generate measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch.”
It was a skill that even strong math students in third grade were finding difficult to master. Going through the data history, school officials found it was something students were consistently having trouble with going back to the 2017-18 and 2018-19 terms.
In checking for consistency between the Forward testing data and the i-Ready assessment, it was revealed that 49 of 85 students, or 57.6 percent, did not meet that standard on the spring 2019 Forward exam.
Those results were compared to the September 2019 i-Ready math assessment which showed that 38 of 49 students, or 78 percent, did not meet the standard, with 11 partially meeting it. None of those students demonstrated mastery of it. Additionally, only 17 of the 49, or 37.4 percent, met a related second-grade standard.
District officials are already taking steps to address the issue. After checking on 52 students who had not met the standard, instructional responses to the results included adjusting online math lessons to build skills where needed, giving some students small group math intervention either daily or every other day and administering the i-Ready math assessment again in January to check on how students are doing.
Along with all that, Williams said that during PLC meetings, teachers were asking questions, such as, “What is the standard?” Also, “If we’re saying that it is met, what do we mean by that?” They also wanted to know what mastery looks like.
“It led to a great conversation about instruction,” said Williams, who feels that having all of this meaningful information at educators’ disposal is “really powerful.”
There are also efforts to make sure kids are less scared about taking such assessments.
Jill Bandli, a second grade teacher at Yahara Elementary, talked about developments in the area of English Language Arts (ELA). She discussed looking at what to do with all of the i-Ready information and how to make it accessible to teachers.
“I don’t think we’ve really been this diagnostic about it,” said Bandli.
Next steps for struggling students include: identifying students’ mastery of skills per i-Ready; place all students in groups based on their needs; monitor progress and hold weekly discussions through PLCs; finding materials to instruct students in different formats than they were originally taught; make instructional or grouping changes as need to keep groups fluid to meet student needs; and compare i-Ready results from fall to winter and then winter to spring.
Getting information out to parents to show growth is important, according to Bandli, as is talking about how this all helps kids.
Greg Gorres, an eighth grade math teacher at DeForest Area Middle School, talked about finding something interesting while looking at questions related to the standards on Forward testing. A heat map helped with that, as there were six math standards where students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades got 20 percent or fewer questions correct.
“What we realized is that a lot of that stuff came at the end of our books,” said Gorres.
In fact, Gorres said that 27.5 percent of the seventh grade test was made up of material that came from one chapter of a math textbook classes in DeForest hadn’t gotten to until after the Forward testing was completed.
Possible solutions included moving up instruction on one of the chapters during the school year.
School Board Vice President Steve Tenpas had reservations.
“I’d hate to see a disruption in the regular flow [of the curriculum] just so we do well on tests,” said Tenpas.
Another idea was to sprinkle in related mini lessons throughout the year.
Also, Gorres said that if something on the testing had been covered and there were still low scores on that material, educators would look at school assessments to determine if they were appropriate for that grade level.
Gorres also talked about a disconnect between student performance teachers had seen in class with certain standards and how it translated to low test scores.
There is an action plan to help boost math test performance among students in grades 5-8. Help from trainers to get teachers to stick with the program is one component. A stronger focus on engagement strategies is another, as is moving up units in the pacing of the curriculum. Assessment work with instructional coaches is also part of the plan.
At the high school level, assessment is connected to college and career readiness, according to Wilson, as officials seek both student achievement and growth. They are looking across content areas for opportunities to enrich learning.
Colleen Kollasch is a high school social studies teacher. She discussed how there’s more of an emphasis on writing in social studies classes as a way of also helping development ELA skills among their students. She said it was apparent that there were some struggles with the writing component of the ACT college entrance exam, so high school teachers are going over sample questions from the test with their students as practice in their preparation for the ACT environment.
Wilson stressed the importance of this data awareness analysis.
“The work is complex, it is messy, but we’re excited about where we’re going,” said Wilson.
School Board Director Spencer Statz was also intrigued.
“As a parent of younger children, this is pretty exciting,” said Statz.
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Authors: Wanzek, Jeanne.,& Vaughn, Sharon.
Article: Response to Varying Amounts of Time in Reading Intervention for Students With Low Response to Intervention.
Publication: Journal of Learning Disabilities (Sage Journals). Volume: 41 issue: 2, page(s): 126-142 2008 | DOI: 10.1177/0022219407313426
Abstract
Two studies examined response to varying amounts of time in reading intervention for two cohorts of first-grade students demonstrating low levels of reading after previous intervention. Students were assigned to one of three groups that received (a) a single dose of intervention, (b) a double dose of intervention, or (c) no intervention. Examination of individual student response to intervention indicated that more students in the treatment groups demonstrated accelerated learning over time than students in the comparison condition. Students’ responses to the single-dose and double-dose interventions were similar over time. Students in all conditions demonstrated particular difficulties with gains in reading fluency. Implications for future research and practice within response to intervention models are provided.
Quotes from Full Text
Perhaps the most consistent finding for students in this study as well as other intervention studies is the relatively low outcomes for fluency (e.g., Lovett, Steinbach, & Frijters, 2000; McMaster et al., 2005; Torgesen et al., 2001). The participants in both our single- and double-dose treatments had particular difficulties making gains in fluency. End-of-the-year scores for the large majority of treatment students were well below the expected benchmark of 40 words per minute. Though this difficulty in affecting fluency outcomes for struggling readers is consistent with previous research, we think that future research might investigate factors to further explain consistently low fluency.
In other words, interventions that have demonstrated effectiveness for “most” students at risk for reading difficulties may be inadequate for the
specific group of students who do not respond initially to these interventions. Students demonstrating initial insufficient response may need a different intervention.
This study suggests that more of the same intervention was not beneficial for these students who demonstrated previous low response to intervention. To this end, further examination of instructional techniques specifically for these students is needed….
Another type of approach is the individualized approach. When individualized intervention is used, emphasis is placed on designing an intervention in response to the differentiated needs of students. The emphasis of instruction may change frequently throughout the intervention period to match changes in individual student needs. Although this individualized approach has been used in practice (e.g., Ikeda, Tilly, Stumme, Volmer, & Allison, 1996; Marston, Muyskens, Lau, & Canter, 2003) and is often referred to conceptually in the field of special education, little data are available to support many of the implementations (Fuchs, Mock,
Morgan, & Young, 2003). | https://www.dyslexia.com/reference/wanzek-vaugn-2008/ |
A round character is one, as the name implies, whom we can walk around and see from different angles, as if he or she is a real person. A round character expresses their themselves so that we know what such a character is thinking and feeling. A round character, like...
A round character is one, as the name implies, whom we can walk around and see from different angles, as if he or she is a real person. A round character expresses their themselves so that we know what such a character is thinking and feeling. A round character, like a person, is a mixture of complex shadings, with both strong and weak points.
A flat character, in contrast, is based on a type and is not fully articulated or developed. Flat characters seem two-dimensional, like a cardboard cutout of a person, and we often don't learn much, if anything, about what they are thinking or what motivates them.
Part of the the strength of To Kill A Mockingbird is the number of round characters in the novel. In addition to Scout and Jem, Calpurnia becomes a rounded character as we see her in own setting in First Purchase Church, and Scout experiences a side of her housekeeper that she has never seen. Scout begins to understand how Calpurnia functions differently in two different cultures, even to the point of changing her speech patterns, and how important her black culture is to Calpurnia. Calpurnia, too, is a mix of traits: she is overall quite a positive character and a good role model for Scout, but can also be harsh and unyielding with her.
Mrs. Dubose gains dimensionality as Jem and Scout get to know her better. She moves from being the stereotypical neighborhood witch who does nothing but insult the children and their father to a person of courage and strength as the children read to her and come to understand that she is shaking off a morphine addiction before she dies.
Mayella is also treated as a rounded character. She is not simply white trash or a young woman who falsely accuses an innocent black man of rape. Lee portrays her sympathetically as a person caught in a lonely, abusive home situation who tries to keep clean, plants flowers, and is reaching out in friendship to Tom when events go awry.
A round character is defined as a character that has a complex personality with emotional depth, typically develops throughout the narrative, and is a character that the audience can sympathize with. In Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout, Jem, and Atticus are round characters. Scout and Jem are considered round characters because they have emotional depth and experience an inner change as they mature into morally upright individuals. At the beginning of the novel, both Scout and Jem fear their reclusive neighbor and do not fully comprehend the prejudiced nature of their community. As the novel progresses, both siblings realize that Boo Radley is not a "malevolent phantom" and lose their childhood innocence after witnessing racial injustice firsthand. They also develop perspective and learn valuable life lessons from their father. By the end of the novel, Jem and Scout have matured into sympathetic, compassionate children, who truly understand the makeup of Maycomb's community. They are able to identify hypocrisy and prejudice in their community and develop sympathy for innocent, defenseless beings (symbolic mockingbirds).
Atticus is also considered a round character because the audience sympathizes with him and he is depicted as a relatively complex man. As a just lawyer and father, Atticus struggles to defend Tom Robinson from the prejudiced community members while simultaneously raising his children to be morally upright citizens with integrity. Atticus experiences conflict because of his decision to defend Tom Robinson and struggles to protect his children from sharing the same views as their prejudiced neighbors. Atticus's depth of character and response to the community's negative reactions make him a round character. Other than Jem, Scout, and Atticus, the minor characters in the novel could be considered flat characters because they lack a comparable emotional depth and experience of inner change.
Further Reading
In order to identify a round character in a text, one must first understand what a round character is. A round character is one which is fully defined by the author (fully defined means the character is described physically and mentally). This characterization can be through a direct characterization (meaning readers are told directly about a character) or through indirect characterization (where the reader must infer what the author is trying to say about the character). Regardless of the use of direct or indirect characterization, a round character is one with whom the reader can relate to, sympathize with, and seem as real as a person who they know in "real life."
In regards to Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, many characters can be considered as round.
Scout is the most prominent character for most readers. She is fully defined both physically and mentally. The way that Scout reacts to certain things can almost be known prior to her actions in the book given readers relate to/know her so well.
Jem is another round character in the novel. Although not as much is divulged about Jem, the characterization provided is enough to allow readers to create a picture of him in their heads.
The last character one could consider a round character is Atticus. As the novel moves forward, readers and his children alike, learn about the man Atticus is. There is no question in the mind of the reader what Atticus stands for, or the extent he will go to in order to do what is right in life. | https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/kill-mockingbird-who-round-character-why-307001 |
Offering a bird’s eye view of the tradition of contemporary glass, this exhibition is a moment of reflection on more recent glass production, completing the historical visit of the permanent collection of the Murano Glass Museum.
However, the exhibition also wants to pay homage to the work and life of Egidio Costantini on the centennial of his birth (1912-2012), as one of the most representative figures on the scene of Muranese craftsmanship par excellence.
With the outstanding creativity and genial intuition that made this great figure one of his kind, over thirty pieces of his work are on display on the ground and first floor of the museum; these were the fruit of his collaboration with the most renowned artists of the 1900s – such as Jean Arp, Jean Cocteau, Marc Chagall, Max Ernst, Oskar Kokoschka, Lucio Fontana, Pablo Picasso and Reuven Rubin – all of whom were assiduous visitors of his Fucina degli Angeli, the creations of which were ‘translated’ with exceptional skill into true masterpieces of glass work.
Curated by Chiara Squarcina and organised chronologically, this important contemporary addition also helps the visitor understand the effect that this highly successful collaboration between Muranese glass factories and great architects and artists had, and still has, on the outstanding quality of the finished product, not only from a formal and artistic but also from a technical point of view.
The outstanding innovation that characterises Costantini’s works – ‘the Master of Masters’ – lies in the fact that he understood how glass was able to communicate with artistic expressions and thus enhance it in an innovative, unique fashion.
Indeed, in his hands a glass object became both a ‘work of art’ and the ‘conceptual concretisation’ of the highest level.
This is therefore the perfect way to remember an outstanding historical period during which a new creative phase began on the whole island of Murano, leading to the development of new intuitions that always focussed on the enhancement of glass art and the infinite artistic combinations that would represent a constructive basis for the creative dynamics of the future.
The new number of the series Schegge di vetro (Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia, 2012) has been published on the occasion of this exhibition. | https://museovetro.visitmuve.it/en/mostre-en/archivio-mostre-en/vetro-contemporaneo-il-futuro-oltre-la-trasparenza-omaggio-ad-egidio-costantini-mostre-in-corso-en/2012/02/4974/progetto-4/ |
30 March is celebrated as Rajasthan Diwas all over the state. This day marks the orgination of the state. On this occasion, the capital city, Jaipur greeted the tourists with free entry at monuments and palaces of the city. They were welcomed with flowers and Tilak at Jantar Mantar and Amer Fort and were offered free entry by the Rajasthan tourism department on Saturday.
The tourists visiting monuments, including Hawa Mahal, Albert Hall, Jantar Mantar, City Palace, and all the forts and palaces. Special programs were held at monuments and different tourist spots that proliferate the cultural heritage of the city. The tourists were entertained with traditional dance and music programs like shehnai vandan, kacchi ghodi dance show, and Kalbelia dance.
PM Narendra Modi, CM Ashok Gehlot and several people, including politicians, parliamentary members congratulated and wished Rajasthan Diwas and extended their warm greetings.
‘My dear sisters and brothers of Rajasthan, On Rajasthan Diwas my greetings to all of you”, tweeted PM Modi.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot tweeted, ‘My heartiest greetings on the occasion of #RajasthanDiwas. It is a day to commemorate the valor, strong will power, and sacrifice of the people of #Rajasthan. Let us resolve to make our State a haven of happiness, fulfilling aspirations of one and all’.
The land of Kings, Rajasthan was merged into the Dominion of India on March 30, 1949. This day, the kingdoms of Jodhpur, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, and Bikaner were accessed together to form a state. Jaipur is the largest and capital city of Rajasthan and Rajasthan is the largest state in India. | https://www.jaipurstuff.com/jaipur-celebrates-its-glorious-past-on-rajasthan-diwas/ |
The Chemistry curriculum is designed to function as an integral part of the liberal arts program of the College. The courses taken in normal sequence bring the student from general principles through advanced theories to the practical applications of research and industry. Science and non-science majors thus begin together and proceed to a level appropriate for their chosen program.
An open letter from the faculty and staff of the Chemistry Department:
November 6, 2020
The Department of Chemistry at Gustavus Adolphus College recognizes and condemns the long history of violence and oppression that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) have suffered. Among other forms of systemic racism, scientists have been complicit in creating a system that advantages white people in STEM disciplines and in health care. The very land our department uses was stolen by force and by broken treaty from the original caretakers, the people of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ nations. We acknowledge that our department has not always lived up to our goals related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we have often been slow to respond to an unfair and often hostile environment for BIPOC and other minoritized people. We must and will do better. We must strive to dismantle the oppressive structures of racism and other forms of injustice, both within our department and more broadly.
Guided by the Gustavus mission statement, the Chemistry department strives to provide a supportive and open learning environment. We need to address issues affecting students from underrepresented and marginalized racial and ethnic groups, and also students from other marginalized groups based upon socioeconomic status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, dis/ability, place of origin, citizen status, veteran status, age, and/or status as a first-generation college student. We commit to respect the dignity, individuality and freedom of each community member while providing a place where individuals and groups learn from each other. We aim to create an environment for learning, teaching, and conducting research in which all people are treated with respect and dignity and no person is discriminated against or harassed. Our goal is to support each of our students in their pursuit of achieving excellence.
While it is important to support our students with a letter such as this, if our words are not followed by changes in department actions, then we have failed. To that end, the Chemistry Department has committed to a strategic review and planning process in which we first identify and examine our biggest challenges. In this process, we will gather data and feedback from all stakeholders, especially past and current chemistry students. We will set specific goals and take specific actions that make our department more inclusive for students, faculty, and staff. Although that strategic planning process will take time, we commit to the following near-term actions:
- To work with the administration to continue the implicit bias training for student employees that was launched in Spring 2020.
- To seek increased professional development for faculty and staff on DEI issues. This includes, for example, discussing and implementing ideas from research on inclusive teaching practices and attending trainings, workshops, and conferences on issues related to inclusive excellence.
- To highlight the scientific contributions of BIPOC and other minoritized groups in the field of chemistry.
- To promote racial justice in our broader scientific communities. While serving on grant review boards and participating in professional societies, for example, we will leverage our leadership roles and professional networks to foster the inclusion of scientists from minoritized groups.
- To create open and welcoming spaces where we can listen to students whose voices are frequently unheard. One example will be the establishment of open office hours for students, faculty, and staff to identify, discuss, or report challenges related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, or any other areas of concern.
- To create a means for regular communication with students about our progress on these goals.
If you wish to share feedback you may email your comments to the Chemistry Department co-chairs: Dr. Scott Bur ([email protected]) and/or Dr. Brandy Russell ([email protected]). | https://gustavus.edu/chemistry/ |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
TECHNICAL FIELD
BACKGROUND
SUMMARY
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2014/077990, filed on May 21, 2014, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to the field of wireless network communications technologies, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for processing network protocol stack data.
Currently, a concept of an SDN (Software Defined Network) is quite popular. A main feature of the SDN is that a control plane is separated from a data plane, and control planes of different devices are centralized, and are centrally controlled by using a centralized control device, so as to achieve an objective of improving overall resource utilization by means of centralized control. Further, a capability is further exposed to an upper level (for example, a content provider). Currently, an SDN technology is mainly applied to an IP transmission network, and is reflected as centralized control on data packet routes in the IP transmission network. According to data statistics, bandwidth utilization of a data center may be efficiently improved from originally 30% to 90% by means of centralized control.
In an LTE (Long Term Evolution) wireless network, a user plane protocol stack that is on an air interface side and that is between an eNB and UE includes three sub-layers: a PDCP (Packet Data Convergence Protocol) layer, an RLC (Radio Link control) layer, and a MAC (Medium Access Control) layer. In the foregoing user plane protocol stack, the RLC layer is mainly responsible for reliability of data packet transmission on the air interface side, and has functions such as reordering out-of-order data packets, and the PDCP layer has functions such as performing security encryption/decryption and header compressing on the data packets.
On the air interface side, all user plane data packets need to undergo the same protocol stack processing by the eNB and the UE, that is, all the user plane data packets need to be processed on a PDCP layer, an RLC layer, and a MAC layer.
During study of the prior art, the inventor of the present disclosure finds that: In some applications, data packets on a user plane feature a small data volume, for example, data packets in an M2M application. However, in the prior art, a waste of resources is relatively severe in a process of transmitting these small data packets.
In view of this, the present disclosure provides a method and apparatus for processing network protocol stack data, so as to resolve a problem that too many transmission resources are consumed for user plane data packets of some types of applications in the prior art. Specific solutions are as follows:
According to a first possible implementation manner of a first aspect of the present application, the present application provides a method for processing network protocol stack data, where the method includes:
extracting, from a to-be-processed data packet, an identifier used to indicate a data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs;
detecting whether a pre-generated rule matching table includes the identifier; and
when the rule matching table includes the identifier, processing, according to a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, the to-be-processed data packet on a target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy.
According to a first possible implementation manner of a second aspect of the present application, the present application provides an apparatus for processing network protocol stack data, where the apparatus includes:
an extraction unit, configured to extract, from a to-be-processed data packet, an identifier used to indicate a data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs;
a detection unit, configured to detect whether a pre-generated rule matching table includes the identifier; and
a processing unit, configured to: when the rule matching table includes the identifier, process, according to a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, the to-be-processed data packet on a target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy.
It may be learned from the foregoing technical solution that, according to a method and apparatus for processing network protocol stack data in the present application, an identifier used to indicate a data flow to which a to-be-processed data packet belongs is extracted from the to-be-processed data packet, and when a pre-generated rule matching table includes the identifier, processing is performed, according to a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, on the to-be-processed data packet on a target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy, so that unnecessary processing may not be performed on some data packets that do not need to be processed on all protocol-stack layers, so as to reduce or even avoid unnecessary consumption of computing resources and transmission resources.
To make the disclosure objectives, features, and advantages of the present disclosure clearer and more comprehensible, the following clearly and completely describes technical solutions in embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Apparently, the embodiments described in the following are merely some but not all of the embodiments of the present disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present disclosure without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.
Terms such as “a first”, “a second”, “a third”, “a fourth”, and the like (if any) in the specification, claims, and the foregoing accompanying drawings of the present disclosure are used to distinguish between similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific sequence or order. It should be understood that the data termed in such a way are interchangeable in proper circumstances so that the embodiments of the present disclosure described herein can be implemented in orders except the order illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms “include” and “have” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, a method, a system, a product, or a device that includes a series of steps and units, is not necessarily limited to expressly listing the steps or units, but may include other steps or units that are not expressly listed or that are inherent to such process, method, product, or device.
In the prior art, for user plane data packets of some types of applications, the data packets feature a small data volume, and if a PDCP layer and an RLC layer that are of a protocol stack are used to process the data packet, no gain may be generated, instead, computing resources may be consumed, and in addition, the added packet headers of the two layers may inevitably consume transmission resources. For this reason, an implementation manner of the present application discloses a method and apparatus for processing network protocol stack data. An identifier used to indicate a data flow to which a to-be-processed data packet belongs is extracted from the to-be-processed data packet, and when a pre-generated rule matching table includes the identifier, multiple protocol-stack layers are jumped according to a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, and processing is directly performed on the to-be-processed data packet on a target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy, so that unnecessary processing may not be performed on some data packets that do not need to be processed on all protocol-stack layers, so as to reduce or even avoid unnecessary consumption of computing resources and transmission resources.
FIG. 1
FIG. 1
FIG. 1
Referring to , is a flowchart of Embodiment 1 of a method for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application. The method is applicable to both a terminal and a wireless access point. The terminal has functions of all protocol-stack layers in a communications network, that is, the functions of all the protocol-stack layers from a transmission layer to a physical layer, or have only functions of a simple protocol stack that includes an application layer, a MAC layer, and a physical layer. The wireless access point may be a base station. As shown in , the method may include the following steps:
101
S. Extract, from a to-be-processed data packet, an identifier used to indicate a data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs.
A data flow includes multiple to-be-processed data packets, and a data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs may be determined according to an identifier extracted from the to-be-processed data packet.
It should be noted that the foregoing to-be-processed data packet may be an uplink data packet to be transmitted on a terminal side, or a downlink data packet to be transmitted on a wireless access point side, or an uplink data packet received on a wireless access point side, or a downlink data packet received on a terminal side.
102
S. Detect whether a pre-generated rule matching table includes the identifier.
The pre-generated rule matching table includes the identifier used to indicate the data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs and a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy corresponding to the identifier. It should be noted that the pre-generated rule matching table can be classified into an uplink type and a downlink type, that is, rule matching tables separately used when the terminal side and the wireless access point act as receive ends may be different, and rule matching tables separately used when the terminal and the wireless access point act as transmit ends may be different. Data packets that belong to different data flows can be distinguished according to the pre-generated rule matching table, and further different protocol-stack layer jump processing policies can be used to process the data packets.
103
S. When the rule matching table includes the identifier, process, according to a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, the to-be-processed data packet on a target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy.
It should be noted that, for the terminal or the wireless access point that has the functions of all the protocol-stack layers in the communications network, when the rule matching table includes the identifier, multiple protocol-stack layers are jumped according to the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, and processing is directly performed on the to-be-processed data packet on the target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy.
Further, it should be noted that when the rule matching table does not include the identifier, no protocol-stack layer is jumped, and the to-be-processed data packet is processed on all the protocol-stack layers that the terminal or the wireless access point has.
This embodiment discloses a method for processing network protocol stack data. An identifier used to indicate a data flow to which a to-be-processed data packet belongs is extracted from the to-be-processed data packet, and when a pre-generated rule matching table includes the identifier, multiple protocol-stack layers are jumped according to a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, and processing is directly performed on the to-be-processed data packet on a target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy, so that unnecessary processing may not be performed on some data packets that do not need to be processed on all protocol-stack layers, so as to reduce or even avoid unnecessary consumption of computing resources and transmission resources.
FIG. 2
FIG. 2
FIG. 3
To better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, refer to . is a flowchart of Embodiment 2 of a method for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application. The method is applicable to a terminal that has functions of all protocol-stack layers. All the protocol-stack layers of the terminal are shown in , where a to-be-processed data packet is an uplink data packet to be transmitted on a terminal side. In the prior art, when the terminal acts as a transmit end of a data packet, the data packet is processed in a top-bottom sequence of protocol-stack layers, that is, the data packet to be transmitted needs to be sequentially processed on an APP layer, a UDP/TCP layer, an IP layer, a PDCP layer, an RLC layer, a MAC layer, and a PHY layer, and neither out-of-order processing nor layer jump is allowed. That is, if the data packet is being processed on the IP layer, it indicates that the data packet has been processed on the APP layer and UDP/TCP layer, and has not been processed on the PDCP layer, the RLC layer, the MAC layer, or the PHY layer.
FIG. 2
In the embodiment shown in , the method may include the following steps:
201
S. Extract an identifier from an uplink data packet to be transmitted on a terminal side.
It should be noted that the identifier is used to indicate a data flow to which the uplink data packet to be transmitted on the terminal side belongs. The uplink data packet to be transmitted on the terminal side is a data packet that has been processed on an IP layer; or to make data transmitted on an air interface side simpler, the uplink data packet to be transmitted on the terminal side may also be a data packet that has been processed on an APP layer.
202
S. Detect whether a pre-generated rule matching table includes the identifier.
It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the pre-generated rule matching table is a rule matching table used when the uplink data packet to be transmitted is processed on the terminal side. The identifier includes but is not limited to any one or any combination of multiple identifiers of the following: a radio bearer identifier, a tunnel endpoint identifier on a general data transfer platform, and an IP 5-tuple, and a logical channel identifier, where the IP 5-tuple includes a source IP address, a source port, a destination IP address, a destination port, and a transmission layer protocol number.
Further, it should be noted that all rule matching tables may be pre-generated in the following two manners:
Manner 1: The identifier used to indicate the data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs and a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy corresponding to the identifier are received, where the identifier and the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy are sent by a centralized controller; and the rule matching table is generated according to the identifier and the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy corresponding to the identifier, where the rule matching table includes an identifier field and a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy field, the identifier field includes the identifier used to indicate a data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs, and the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy field includes the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy corresponding to the identifier.
Manner 2: The rule matching table sent by a centralized controller is received, where the rule matching table includes an identifier field and a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy field, the identifier field includes the identifier used to indicate a data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs, and the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy field includes the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy corresponding to the identifier.
In this embodiment, a specific form of the rule matching table is not limited, and for persons skilled in the art, no matter what manner is used and what rule matching table is generated, the rule matching table is within the protection scope of the present application, provided that the rule matching table has the identifier used to indicate the data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs and the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy corresponding to the identifier.
203
S. When the rule matching table includes the identifier, process, according to a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, the to-be-processed data packet on a MAC layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy.
It should be noted that, in this embodiment, when the rule matching table includes the identifier, the to-be-processed data packet does not need to be sequentially processed on the APP layer, a UDP/TCP layer, the IP layer, a PDCP layer, an RLC layer, the MAC layer, and a PHY layer; instead, multiple protocol-stack layers are jumped according to the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, and processing is directly performed on the to-be-processed data packet on the MAC layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy.
Specifically, when the to-be-processed data packet is the uplink data packet that has been processed on the IP layer and that is to be transmitted on the terminal side, the PDCP layer and RLC layer are sequentially jumped and the to-be-processed data packet is put into a queue of the MAC layer.
When the to-be-processed data packet is an uplink data packet that has been processed on the APP layer and that is to be transmitted on the terminal side, the UDP layer, the IP layer, the PDCP layer, and the RLC layer are sequentially jumped, and the to-be-processed data packet is put into a queue of the MAC layer; or the TCP layer, the IP layer, the PDCP layer, and the RLC layer are sequentially jumped, and the to-be-processed data packet is put into a queue of the MAC layer.
FIG. 4
FIG. 4
FIG. 5
To better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, refer to . is a flowchart of Embodiment 3 of a method for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application. The method is applicable to a wireless access point. All protocol-stack layers of the wireless access point are shown in , where a to-be-processed data packet is a downlink data packet to be transmitted on a wireless access point side. In the prior art, when the wireless access point acts as a transmit end of the downlink data packet, the data packet is processed in a top-bottom sequence of protocol-stack layers, that is, a received IP data packet is sequentially processed on a PDCP layer, an RLC layer, a MAC layer, and a PHY layer, and neither out-of-order processing nor layer jump is allowed. That is, if a data packet is received on an IP layer, it indicates that the data packet has not been processed on the PDCP layer, the RLC layer, the MAC layer, or the PHY layer.
FIG. 4
As shown in , the method may include the following steps:
301
S. Extract an identifier from a downlink data packet to be transmitted on a wireless access point side.
It should be noted that the identifier is used to indicate a data flow to which the downlink data packet to be transmitted on the wireless access point side belongs. The downlink data packet to be transmitted on the wireless access point side is a data packet that has been processed on an IP layer.
It should be noted that the data packet that has been processed on the IP layer may be processed by the wireless access point, or may be processed by another network element, which is not limited in the present application.
302
S. Detect whether a pre-generated rule matching table includes the identifier.
202
It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the pre-generated rule matching table is a rule matching table used when the downlink data packet to be transmitted is processed on the wireless access point side. For related description about the rule matching table, refer to related description in step S in the method Embodiment 2, and details are not described in this embodiment again.
303
S. When the rule matching table includes the identifier, process, according to a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, the to-be-processed data packet on a MAC layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy.
It should be noted that, in this embodiment, when the rule matching table includes the identifier, the to-be-processed data packet does not need to be sequentially processed on a PDCP layer, an RLC layer, the MAC layer, and a PHY layer; instead, multiple protocol-stack layers are jumped according to the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, and processing is directly performed on the to-be-processed data packet on the MAC layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy.
Specifically, when the to-be-processed data packet is the downlink data packet that has been processed on the IP layer and that is to be transmitted on the wireless access point side, the PDCP layer and RLC layer are sequentially jumped and the to-be-processed data packet is put into a queue of the MAC layer. The downlink data packet that has been processed on the IP layer is a downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header are not removed, or a downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header are not removed, or a downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header have been removed, or a downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header have been removed.
It should be noted that when an uplink data packet transmitted on a terminal side is a data packet for which processing on the PDCP layer and the RLC layer is jumped, a corresponding downlink data packet transmitted on the wireless access point side is a downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header are not removed, or a downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header are not removed; when an uplink data packet transmitted on a terminal side is a data packet for which processing on a TCP/UDP layer, the IP layer, the PDCP layer, and the RLC layer is jumped, a corresponding downlink data packet transmitted on the wireless access point side is a downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header have been removed, or a downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header have been removed. Certainly, when the data flow exists only in a downlink direction, whether the downlink data packet that has been processed on the IP layer and that is to be transmitted on the access point is the downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header are removed or the downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header are removed depends on the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy corresponding to the identifier.
Further, it should be noted that the downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header have been removed or the downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header have been removed is obtained in the following manners:
Manner 1: The downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header are not removed, or the downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header are not removed is received on the wireless access point side, and then the IP packet header and the UDP packet header of the downlink data packet, or the IP packet header and the TCP packet header of the downlink data packet are removed according to an indication of the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, so as to obtain the downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header have been removed or the downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header have been removed.
Manner 2: The downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header have been removed by another network element is directly received on the wireless access point side, or the downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header have been removed by another network element is directly received on the wireless access point side.
FIG. 5
FIG. 5
It should be noted that, for a protocol stack that is of the wireless access point and that is shown in , in an actual network, the protocol stack of the wireless access point may not have a function of the highest layer, that is, the IP layer, but a downlink data packet that is received by the wireless access point from another network element device such as a gateway and that is to be sent is in an IP format. In the present disclosure, to show a meaning of layer jump more clearly, an IP layer is added to the diagram that is of all protocol-stack layers of the wireless access point and that is shown in , but it does not mean that the wireless access point is required to have the function of IP layer processing. Certainly, the downlink data packet that is received by the wireless access point from a gateway/router device and that is to be sent may not be an IP packet, but a data packet in another protocol format; in this case, a processing process of the wireless access point does not have a difference; therefore, in the present patent, only a situation of the IP data packet is used for description. A situation in which the downlink data packet is in another format is not described.
FIG. 6
FIG. 6
FIG. 7
To better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, refer to . is a flowchart of Embodiment 4 of a method for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application. The method is applicable to a wireless access point. All protocol-stack layers of the wireless access point are shown in , where a to-be-processed data packet is an uplink data packet received on a wireless access point side. In the prior art, when the wireless access point acts as a receive end of the uplink data packet, the data packet is processed in a bottom-top sequence of protocol-stack layers, that is, the received data packet is sequentially processed by the access point on a PHY layer, a MAC layer, an RLC layer, and a PDCP layer, and finally is sent to a gateway/router device in an IP packet format, and neither out-of-order processing nor layer jump is allowed. For example, if the data packet has been processed on the MAC layer, it indicates that the data packet has also been processed on the PHY layer, but has not been processed on the RLC layer or the PDCP layer.
FIG. 6
As shown in , the method may include the following steps:
401
S. Extract an identifier from an uplink data packet received on a wireless access point side.
It should be noted that the identifier is used to indicate a data flow to which the uplink data packet received on the wireless access point side belongs. The uplink data packet received on the wireless access point side is a data packet that has been processed on a MAC layer.
402
S. Detect whether a pre-generated rule matching table includes the identifier.
202
It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the pre-generated rule matching table is a rule matching table used when the received uplink data packet is processed on the wireless access point side. For related description about the rule matching table, refer to related description in step S in the method Embodiment 2, and details are not described in this embodiment again.
403
S. When the rule matching table includes the identifier, process, according to a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, the to-be-processed data packet on an IP layer or an APP layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy.
It should be noted that, in this embodiment, when the rule matching table includes the identifier, the to-be-processed data packet does not need to be sequentially processed on a PHY layer, the MAC layer, an RLC layer, and a PDCP layer; instead, multiple protocol-stack layers are jumped according to the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, and processing is directly performed on the to-be-processed data packet on the IP layer or APP layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy.
Specifically, when the to-be-processed data packet is the uplink data packet that has been processed on the MAC layer and that is received on the wireless access point side, and the target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy is the IP layer, the RLC layer and PDCP layer are sequentially jumped, and the to-be-processed data packet is sent in an IP manner.
When the to-be-processed data packet is an uplink data packet that has been processed on the MAC layer and that is received on the wireless access point side, and the target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy is the APP layer, the RLC layer and PDCP layer are sequentially jumped, and a UDP packet header and an IP packet header are added to the to-be-processed data packet and then the packet is sent, or a TCP packet header and an IP packet header are added to the to-be-processed data packet and then the packet is sent; or the RLC layer and PDCP layer are sequentially jumped, and the to-be-processed data packet is sent to another network element, so that the another network element adds a UDP packet header and an IP packet header to the to-be-processed data packet and then sends the packet, or the another network element adds a TCP packet header and an IP packet header to the to-be-processed data packet and then sends the packet.
It should be noted that if the uplink data packet received on the wireless access point side is a data packet obtained after processing on the PDCP layer and RLC layer is jumped on a terminal side, the UDP packet header and the IP packet header do not need to be added, or the TCP packet header and the IP packet header do not need to be added; if the uplink data packet received on the wireless access point side is a data packet obtained after being processed on a UDP/TCP layer, the IP layer, the PDCP layer, and the RLC layer on a terminal and but not processed on the IP layer on the terminal side, the UDP packet header and the IP packet header need to be added or the TCP packet header and the IP packet header need to be added.
Further, it should be noted that the wireless access point side performs communication interaction with a server on the IP layer; therefore, the target APP layer indicated by the foregoing protocol-stack layer jump processing policy only indicates that the UDP packet header and the IP packet header need to be added, or indicates that the TCP packet header and the IP packet header need to be added.
FIG. 7
FIG. 7
It should be further noted that, for a protocol stack that is of the wireless access point and that is shown in , in an actual network, the protocol stack of the wireless access point may not have a function of the highest layer, that is, the IP layer, but an uplink data packet that is received by the wireless access point from the terminal and that needs to be transmitted to another network element is in an IP format. In the present disclosure, to show a meaning of layer jump more clearly, an IP layer is added to the diagram that is of all protocol-stack layers of the wireless access point and that is shown in , but it does not mean that the wireless access point is required to have the function of IP layer processing. Certainly, the uplink data packet that is received by the wireless access point from the terminal and that needs to be transmitted to the another network element may not be an IP packet, but a data packet in another protocol format; in this case, a processing process of the wireless access point does not have a difference; therefore, in the present patent, only a situation of the IP data packet is used for description. A situation in which the uplink data packet is in another format is not described.
FIG. 8
FIG. 8
FIG. 9
To better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, refer to . is a flowchart of Embodiment 5 of a method for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application. The method is applicable to a terminal that has functions of all protocol-stack layers. All the protocol-stack layers of the terminal are shown in , where a to-be-processed data packet is a downlink data packet received on a terminal side. In the prior art, when the terminal acts as a receive end of the downlink data packet, the data packet is processed in a bottom-top sequence of protocol-stack layers, that is, the terminal sequentially processes the received data packet on a PHY layer, a MAC layer, an RLC layer, a PDCP layer, an IP layer, a UDP/TCP layer, and an APP layer, and neither out-of-order processing nor layer jump is allowed. For example, if the downlink data packet received on the terminal side has been processed on the MAC layer, it indicates that the data packet has also been processed on the PHY layer, but has not been processed on the RLC layer, the PDCP layer, the IP layer, the UDP/TCP layer, or the APP layer.
FIG. 8
As shown in , the method may include the following steps:
501
S. Extract an identifier from a downlink data packet received on a terminal side.
It should be noted that the identifier is used to indicate a data flow to which the downlink data packet received on the terminal side belongs. The downlink data packet received on the terminal side is a data packet that has been processed on a MAC layer.
502
S. Detect whether a pre-generated rule matching table includes the identifier.
202
It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the pre-generated rule matching table is a rule matching table used when the received downlink data packet is processed on the terminal side. For related description about the rule matching table, refer to related description in step S in the method Embodiment 2, and details are not described in this embodiment again.
503
S. When the rule matching table includes the identifier, process, according to a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, the to-be-processed data packet on an IP layer or an APP layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy.
It should be noted that, in this embodiment, when the rule matching table includes the identifier, the to-be-processed data packet does not need to be sequentially processed on a PHY layer, the MAC layer, an RLC layer, a PDCP layer, the IP layer, a UDP/TCP layer, and the APP layer; instead, multiple protocol-stack layers are jumped according to the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, and processing is directly performed on the to-be-processed data packet on the IP layer or APP layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy.
It should be noted that when the to-be-processed data packet is the downlink data packet that has been processed on the MAC layer and that is received on the terminal side and when the target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy is the IP layer, the RLC layer and the PDCP layer are sequentially jumped, and the to-be-processed data packet is put into a queue of the IP layer.
When the to-be-processed data packet is a downlink data packet that has been processed on the MAC layer and that is received on the terminal side, and when the target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy is the APP layer, the RLC layer, the PDCP layer, the IP layer, and the TCP layer are sequentially jumped, and the to-be-processed data packet is put into a queue of the APP layer, or the RLC layer, the PDCP layer, the IP layer, and the UDP layer are sequentially jumped, and the to-be-processed data packet is put into a queue of the APP layer.
FIG. 10
To better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the present application further provides Embodiment 6 of a method for processing network protocol stack data. The method is applicable to a system with a terminal and a wireless access point that have a simplified protocol stack each, where the simplified protocol stack includes an APP layer, a MAC layer, and a wireless access control PHY layer, which are specifically shown in .
Based on the foregoing terminal that has the simplified protocol stack, when the to-be-processed data packet is an uplink data packet that has been processed on an APP layer and that is to be transmitted on a terminal side, the to-be-processed data packet is put into a queue of a MAC layer.
When the to-be-processed data packet is an uplink data packet that has been processed on the MAC layer and that is received on a wireless access point side, an RLC layer and a PDCP layer are sequentially jumped, and a UDP packet header and an IP packet header are added to the to-be-processed data packet and then the packet is sent, or a TCP packet header and an IP packet header are added to the to-be-processed data packet and then the packet is sent; or the to-be-processed data packet is sent to another network element, so that the another network element adds a UDP packet header and an IP packet header to the to-be-processed data packet and then sends the packet, or the another network element adds a TCP packet header and an IP packet header to the to-be-processed data packet and then sends the packet.
When the to-be-processed data packet is a downlink data packet that has been processed on an IP layer and that is to be transmitted on the wireless access point side, the PDCP layer and the RLC layer are sequentially jumped, and the to-be-processed data packet is then put into a queue of the MAC layer. The downlink data packet that has been processed on the IP layer is a downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header have been removed, or a downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header have been removed.
It should be noted that the data packet that has been processed on the IP layer may be processed by the wireless access point, or may be processed by another network element, which is not limited in the present application.
303
It should be noted that manners of obtaining the downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header have been removed or the downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header have been removed are the same as those in step S, and details are not described herein again.
The to-be-processed data packet is put into a queue of the APP layer when the to-be-processed data packet is a downlink data packet that has been processed on the MAC layer and that is received on the terminal side.
The method embodiments 2 to 6 separately introduce in detail how a terminal and a wireless access point side jump, according to a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to an identifier of a to-be-processed data packet and that is in a preset rule matching table, multiple protocol-stack layers and directly process a to-be-processed data packet on a target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy; in this way, unnecessary processing may not be performed on some data packets that do not need to be processed on all protocol-stack layers, so as to reduce or even avoid unnecessary consumption of computing resources and transmission resources.
In addition, an embodiment of the present application further provides an apparatus for processing network protocol stack data, which is described in detail in the following by using the following embodiments.
FIG. 11
FIG. 11
FIG. 11
Referring to , is a structural diagram of Embodiment 1 of an apparatus for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application. The apparatus may be a terminal, may be a wireless access point, or may be a terminal that has a simplified protocol stack. As shown in , the apparatus may include:
11
an extraction unit , configured to extract, from a to-be-processed data packet, an identifier used to indicate a data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs;
12
a detection unit , configured to detect whether a pre-generated rule matching table includes the identifier; and
13
a processing unit , configured to: when the rule matching table includes the identifier, process, according to a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, the to-be-processed data packet on a target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy.
It should be noted that implementation of specific functions of the foregoing units has been described in detail in the method embodiments; for specific description, refer to related description in the method embodiments, and details are not described in this embodiment again.
FIG. 12
FIG. 12
FIG. 12
21
22
23
24
To better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, refer to . is a structural diagram of Embodiment 2 of an apparatus for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application. The apparatus may be a terminal that has functions of all protocol-stack layers. As shown in , the apparatus may include an extraction unit , a detection unit , a processing unit , and a second processing unit .
21
The extraction unit is configured to extract, from a to-be-processed data packet, an identifier used to indicate a data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs.
22
The detection unit is configured to detect whether a pre-generated rule matching table includes the identifier.
The rule matching table is pre-generated in the following manner:
The identifier used to indicate the data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs and a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy corresponding to the identifier are received, where the identifier and the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy are sent by a centralized controller; and
the rule matching table is generated according to the identifier and the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy corresponding to the identifier, where the rule matching table includes an identifier field and a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy field, the identifier field includes the identifier used to indicate a data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs, and the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy field includes the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy corresponding to the identifier;
or,
the rule matching table sent by a centralized controller is received, where the rule matching table includes an identifier field and a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy field, the identifier field includes the identifier used to indicate a data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs, and the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy field includes the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy corresponding to the identifier.
The identifier used to indicate a data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs is any one or any combination of multiple identifiers of the following: a radio bearer identifier, a tunnel endpoint identifier on a general data transfer platform, an IP 5-tuple, and a logical channel identifier, where the IP 5-tuple includes a source IP address, a source port, a destination IP address, a destination port, and a transmission layer protocol number.
23
The processing unit is configured to: when the rule matching table includes the identifier, process, according to the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, the to-be-processed data packet on a target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy.
23
It should be noted that when the to-be-processed data packet is an uplink data packet to be transmitted on a terminal side, the to-be-processed data packet is a data packet that has been processed on an IP layer or an application APP layer, and the target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy is a medium access control MAC layer, and the processing unit is specifically configured to:
when the to-be-processed data packet is the uplink data packet that has been processed on the IP layer and that is to be transmitted on the terminal side, sequentially jump a Packet Data Convergence Protocol PDCP layer and a Radio Link Control RLC layer, and put the to-be-processed data packet into a queue of the MAC layer; or
when the to-be-processed data packet is the uplink data packet that has been processed on the APP layer and that is to be transmitted on the terminal side, sequentially jump a User Datagram Protocol UDP layer, the IP layer, a PDCP layer, and an RLC layer, and put the to-be-processed data packet into a queue of the MAC layer, or sequentially jump a Transmission Control Protocol TCP layer, the IP layer, a PDCP layer, and an RLC layer, and put the to-be-processed data packet into a queue of the MAC layer.
When the to-be-processed data packet is a downlink data packet received on the terminal side, the to-be-processed data packet is a data packet that has been processed on the wireless access control MAC layer, and the target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy is the IP layer or the APP layer, and the processing unit is specifically configured to:
when the to-be-processed data packet is the downlink data packet that has been processed on the MAC layer and that is received on the terminal side, and when the target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy is the IP layer, sequentially jump the RLC layer and PDCP layer, and put the to-be-processed data packet into a queue of the IP layer; or
when the to-be-processed data packet is the downlink data packet that has been processed on the MAC layer and that is received on the terminal side, and when the target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy is the APP layer, sequentially jump the RLC layer, the PDCP layer, the IP layer, and the TCP layer, and put the to-be-processed data packet into a queue of the APP layer, or sequentially jump the RLC layer, the PDCP layer, the IP layer, and the UDP layer, and put the to-be-processed data packet into a queue of the APP layer.
24
The second processing unit is configured to: when the rule matching table does not include the identifier, process, without jumping protocol-stack layers, the to-be-processed data packet on all protocol-stack layers of the terminal.
FIG. 13
FIG. 13
FIG. 13
31
32
33
34
To better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, refer to . is a structural diagram of Embodiment 3 of an apparatus for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application. The apparatus may be a wireless access point. As shown in , the apparatus may include: an extraction unit , a detection unit , a processing unit , and a second processing unity .
31
The extraction unit is configured to extract, from a to-be-processed data packet, an identifier used to indicate a data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs.
32
The detection unit is configured to detect whether a pre-generated rule matching table includes the identifier.
33
The processing unit is configured to: when the rule matching table includes the identifier, process, according to a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, the to-be-processed data packet on a target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy.
33
It should be noted that when the to-be-processed data packet is a downlink data packet to be transmitted on a wireless access point side, the to-be-processed data packet is a data packet that has been processed on an IP layer, and the target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy is a medium access control MAC layer, and the processing unit is specifically configured to:
when the to-be-processed data packet is the downlink data packet that has been processed on the IP layer and that is to be transmitted on the wireless access point side, sequentially jump a Packet Data Convergence Protocol PDCP layer and a Radio Link Control RLC layer, and put the to-be-processed data packet into a queue of the MAC layer, where the downlink data packet that has been processed on the IP layer is a downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header are not removed, or a downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header are not removed, or a downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header have been removed, or a downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header have been removed.
The downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header have been removed or the downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header have been removed is obtained in the following manner:
The downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header are not removed, or the downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header are not removed is received on the wireless access point side, and then the IP packet header and the UDP packet header of the downlink data packet, or the IP packet header and the TCP packet header of the downlink data packet are removed according to an indication of the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, so as to obtain the downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header have been removed or the downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header have been removed; or
the downlink data packet whose IP packet header and UDP packet header have been removed by another network element is directly received on the wireless access point side, or the downlink data packet whose IP packet header and TCP packet header have been removed by another network element is directly received on the wireless access point side.
When the to-be-processed data packet is an uplink data packet received on the wireless access point side, the to-be-processed data packet is a data packet that has been processed on the wireless access control MAC layer, and the target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy is the IP layer or an APP layer, and the processing unit is specifically configured to:
when the to-be-processed data packet is the uplink data packet that has been processed on the MAC layer and that is received on the wireless access point side, and when the target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy is the IP layer, sequentially jump the RLC layer and PDCP layer, and send the to-be-processed data packet in an IP manner; or
when the to-be-processed data packet is the uplink data packet that has been processed on the MAC layer and that is received on the wireless access point side, and the target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy is the APP layer, sequentially jump the RLC layer and PDCP layer, and add a UDP packet header and an IP packet header to the to-be-processed data packet and then send the packet, or add a TCP packet header and an IP packet header to the to-be-processed data packet and then send the packet; or sequentially jump the RLC layer and PDCP layer, and send the to-be-processed data packet to another network element, so that the another network element adds a UDP packet header and an IP packet header to the to-be-processed data packet and then sends the packet, or the another network element adds a TCP packet header and an IP packet header to the to-be-processed data packet and then sends the packet.
34
The second processing unit is configured to: when the rule matching table does not include the identifier, process, without jumping protocol-stack layers, the to-be-processed data packet according to all protocol-stack layers of the wireless access point.
FIG. 14
FIG. 14
FIG. 14
41
42
43
44
To better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, refer to . is a structural diagram of Embodiment 4 of an apparatus for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application. The apparatus may be a terminal that has a simplified protocol stack, where the simplified protocol stack includes an APP layer, a MAC layer, and a wireless access control PHY layer. As shown in , the apparatus may include: an extraction unit , a detection unit , a processing unit , and a second processing unit .
41
The extraction unit is configured to extract, from a to-be-processed data packet, an identifier used to indicate a data flow to which the to-be-processed data packet belongs.
42
The detection unit is configured to detect whether a pre-generated rule matching table includes the identifier.
43
The processing unit is configured to: when the rule matching table includes the identifier, process, according to a protocol-stack layer jump processing policy that is corresponding to the identifier and that is in the rule matching table, the to-be-processed data packet on a target layer indicated by the protocol-stack layer jump processing policy.
43
The processing unit is specifically configured to:
put the to-be-processed data packet into a queue of the MAC layer when the to-be-processed data packet is an uplink data packet that has been processed on the APP layer and that is to be transmitted on a terminal side; or
put the to-be-processed data packet into a queue of the APP layer when the to-be-processed data packet is a downlink data packet that has been processed on the MAC layer and that is received on a terminal side.
44
The second processing unit is configured to: when the rule matching table does not include the identifier, process, without jumping protocol-stack layers, the to-be-processed data packet according to all protocol-stack layers of the terminal.
It should be noted that implementation of specific functions of the foregoing units in the apparatus embodiment has been described in detail in the method embodiments; for specific description, refer to related description in the method embodiments, and details are not described in this embodiment again.
In addition, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computing node, where the computing node may be a host server that has a computing capability, a personal computer PC, a portable computer or terminal, or the like. A specific embodiment of the present application constitutes no limitation on specific implementation of the computing node.
FIG. 15
FIG. 15
700
is a structural diagram of a computing node according to the present application. The computing node may execute the methods for processing network protocol stack data disclosed in the method embodiments 1 to 6. As shown in , the computing node includes:
710
720
730
740
a processor (processor) , a communications interface (Communications Interface) , a memory (memory) , and a bus .
710
720
730
740
The processor , the communications interface , and the memory complete mutual communication by using the bus .
710
732
The processor is configured to execute a program .
732
Specifically, the program may include program code, where the program code includes a computer operation instruction. The instruction is used to indicate completion of a method for processing network protocol stack data disclosed in any embodiment in the method embodiments 1 to 6.
710
The processor may be a central processing unit CPU, or an application specific integrated circuit ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or one or more integrated circuits configured to implement this embodiment of the present application.
730
732
730
The memory is configured to store the program . The memory may include a high-speed RAM memory, and may further include a non-volatile memory (non-volatile memory), such as at least one disk memory.
The embodiments in this specification are all described in a progressive manner, for same or similar parts in the embodiments, reference may be made to these embodiments, and each embodiment focuses on a difference from other embodiments. The apparatus disclosed in the embodiment is basically similar to the method disclosed in the embodiment, and therefore is described briefly; for related parts, reference may be made to partial descriptions of the method.
Persons of ordinary skill in the art may be aware that, in combination with the examples described in the embodiments disclosed in this specification, units and algorithm steps may be implemented by electronic hardware or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. To clearly describe the interchangeability between the hardware and the software, the foregoing has generally described compositions and steps of each example according to functions. Whether the functions are performed by hardware or a combination of software and hardware depends on particular applications and design constraint conditions of the technical solutions. Persons skilled in the art may use different methods to implement the described functions for each particular application, but it should not be considered that the implementation goes beyond the scope of the present disclosure.
In combination with the embodiments disclosed in this specification, method or algorithm steps may be directly implemented by hardware, a software module executed by a processor, or a combination thereof. The software module may be configured in a random access memory (RAM), a memory, a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically programmable ROM, an electrically erasable programmable ROM, a register, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or a storage medium in any other forms well-known in the art.
The embodiments disclosed are described in the foregoing to enable persons skilled in the art to implement or use the present disclosure. Various modifications to the embodiments are obvious to the person skilled in the art, and general principles defined in this specification may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure will not be limited to the embodiments described in this specification but extends to the widest scope that complies with the principles and novelty disclosed in this specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
To describe technical solutions in embodiments of the present disclosure or in the prior art more clearly, the following briefly describes accompanying drawings required for describing the embodiments or the prior art. Apparently, the accompanying drawings in the following description show merely some embodiments of the present disclosure, and persons of ordinary skill in the art may still derive other drawings from these accompanying drawings without creative efforts.
FIG. 1
is a flowchart of Embodiment 1 of a method for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application;
FIG. 2
is a flowchart of Embodiment 2 of a method for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application;
FIG. 3
is a schematic diagram of a terminal protocol stack of Embodiment 2 of a method for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application;
FIG. 4
is a flowchart of Embodiment 3 of a method for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application;
FIG. 5
is a schematic diagram of a wireless access point protocol stack of Embodiment 3 of a method for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application;
FIG. 6
is a flowchart of Embodiment 4 of a method for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application;
FIG. 7
is a schematic diagram of a wireless access point protocol stack of Embodiment 4 of a method for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application;
FIG. 8
is a flowchart of Embodiment 5 of a method for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application;
FIG. 9
is a schematic diagram of a terminal protocol stack of Embodiment 5 of a method for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application;
FIG. 10
is a schematic diagram of a terminal protocol stack of Embodiment 6 of a method for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application;
FIG. 11
is a structural diagram of Embodiment 1 of an apparatus for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application;
FIG. 12
is a structural diagram of Embodiment 2 of an apparatus for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application;
FIG. 13
is a structural diagram of Embodiment 3 of an apparatus for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application;
FIG. 14
is a structural diagram of Embodiment 4 of an apparatus for processing network protocol stack data according to the present application; and
FIG. 15
is a structural diagram of a computing node according to the present application. | |
Q. Do I need the caller's permission to put a call on the speakerphone? Sometimes I want others in the office to hear, or I need the speakerphone in order to have freedom of movement yet others are present.
A. This is a classic "opt in, opt out" question: Is it my responsibility to avoid broadcasting the call unless the caller "opts in" to have the message heard? Or is it the caller's responsibility to "opt out" and specify that the call is private?
The answer of Jewish tradition is clear: in matters relating to privacy and modesty, we need to adopt an "opt in" policy: you shouldn't allow others to hear the call without informing the caller.
The Talmud states: When someone mentions something to a friend, the rule is "Don't tell" until he tells you, "Tell." We learn this principle from God Himself, Who carefully specified to Moshe which prophecies should be transmitted to the people and which ones were intended for only Moshe to hear.
Even if the subject of the conversation seems perfectly harmless and something that the caller wouldn't seem to mind others hearing, we should respect his or her privacy. First of all, even if something is quite harmless a person might want out of modesty or embarrassment to keep it private. Just as important, a person might have very good reasons to fear that publicizing the conversation could work to his detriment.
Another important thing to remember is that a private conversation is not merely an exchange of information. It is a way of creating and strengthening personal contact. For this reason the Talmud tells us that we should avoid intruding on the privacy of a married couple even when we are sure they are not discussing "intimate" matters. True intimacy between husband and wife means openness and communication even in matters that are quite mundane, and the same holds true to a lesser extent among friends and colleagues.
Even if the caller knows that the speakerphone is on, if he or she starts to talk about something private, you should make a delicate reminder that others are present.
Jewish tradition teaches us to carefully respect the privacy of others and the intimacy of personal communications. In this way people are enabled to develop their selves and their friendships far from the spotlight of scrutiny.
SOURCES: Babylonian Talmud Yoma 4b, Eiruvin 63b. "Chafetz Chaim" I:1 note 14.
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A new study just released by the World Economic Forum warns that the global costs of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), dubbed a “tsunami of the 21st Century,” will total USD $47 trillion by 2030.
The staggering cost will deliver a wake-up call at the first-ever high level United Nations meeting on NCDs, where world leaders will sign a declaration recognizing the global epidemic and calling for international plans to combat it.
The declaration highlights four leading chronic diseases: diabetes, heart disease, cancer and chronic respiratory disease. These NCDs cause more than 60% of deaths worldwide every year, killing 36 million people in both developed and developing nations.
NGOs like Project HOPE are warning people in China, India, South Africa and the Americas that NCDs can be prevented – and even controlled – by adopting healthier diets, increasing physical activity and curbing intake of tobacco and alcohol.
The new study also shows that “families, countries and economies are losing people in their most productive years” and NCDs “have the potential to not only bankrupt health but to also put a brake on the global economy.”
In China, for example, there are 300 million smokers and 30 per cent of people are overweight or obese – figures projected to more than double over the next two decades.
India is the world’s diabetes capital: over 50 million people have diabetes as the nation’s drive for economic growth has produced sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets and a massive strain on the public health system.
Civil society groups are calling for strategies that will mobilize the public, as everyone in the world is affected by NCDs – either directly or indirectly. | https://www.projecthope.org/ncds-could-bankrupt-health-world-economic-forum/09/2011/ |
Nutrition assessment tools
Up-to-date and precise information on food intakes, dietary patterns and nutritional status of people are required by countries and global partners for the formulation of effective nutrition policies and implementation of intervention programmes. FAO supports member countries to formulate policies and create action plans to eradicate hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition by using evidence-based, timely, high quality and comprehensive information. Such high quality food security and nutrition information collected in the country is useful for target setting, surveillance, monitoring and impact evaluation, as well as advocacy.
The Nutrition and Food Systems Division of FAO advocates the use of validated simple food-based assessment tools in countries with limited capacity and resources in order to collect food-based information for supporting decision making on better nutrition.
Dietary Diversity Indicators
Quantitative surveys for dietary intake in individuals can be expensive and time consuming to conduct. Dietary diversity tools have been developed and validated as simple proxies for dietary intake. At household level, the proxy “Household Dietary Diversity Score” (HDDS), developed in 2010 is a measure of access to food. At individual level, the “Minimum Dietary diversity-Women (MDD-W)", developed in 2014 has been validated by secondary analysis as a proxy for assessing diet quality and the adequacy of micronutrient intakes in women of reproductive age.
Information generated from the dietary diversity tools is particularly useful to develop effective food security and nutrition policies and programmes to supply more nutritious foods and to promote healthy diets. Furthermore, the tools are quick and simple to use and can be integrated easily into most impact evaluation protocols and large-scale surveys. | http://www.fao.org/nutrition/evaluacion-nutricional/instrumentos/es/ |
Flowers in the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras could mean lots of things, some of them quite complex. Many portraits from these periods depicted sitters holding or wearing fresh flowers and plants, and/or wearing clothing that was decorated with floral designs. Some scholars have looked at their meanings and interpretations, and the way that the imagery of flowers generally, and even of specific species of plant, can relate to the sitter. If we apply these ideas to the embroidered plants that decorate the bodice in the ‘Rainbow’ Portrait of Elizabeth I, a wealth of possible interpretations spring up. These ideas can be expanded on with the additional information we can gather about this style of embroidery by examining the Bacton Altar Cloth, an amazing surviving embroidery from the same time, which shows a design of flowers and plants very similar in layout and in composition to the embroidery of the bodice in the painting.
Pansies, for example, also known as ‘heartsease’, or ‘love-in-idleness’, were well known in the 16th and 17th centuries, not just for their romantic connotations but for their curative properties. The name ‘heartsease’ itself suggests their use in easing pains of the heart; perhaps in this case representing the many broken hearts Elizabeth has left in her wake as the impenetrable eternal virgin. Shakespeare certainly made reference to this connection with his description of the plant in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which was written and first performed around the same time that the ‘Rainbow’ Portrait is thought to have been painted (c. 1600):
‘…I saw…Cupid all armed: a certain aim he took,
At a fair vestal, throned by the west,’ [We may take the ‘fair vestal’ to be a cloaked reference to Elizabeth I]
‘And loos’d his love-shaft smartly from his bow
As it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts.
But I might see young Cupid’s fiery shaft
Quench’d in the chaste beams of the watery moon;
And the imperial vot’ress passed on,
In maiden meditation, fancy-free.
Yet mark’d I where the bolt of Cupid fell:
It fell upon a little western flower,
Before milk-white, now purple with love’s wound:
And maidens call it ‘love-in-idleness’.
Fetch me that flower; the herb I show’d thee once.
The juice of it, on sleeping eyelids laid,
Will make or man or woman madly dote
Upon the next live creature that it sees.’
In this speech it is suggested that Cupid’s arrow, aimed at the heart of the queen, which cannot be pierced, has passed her by and struck the pansy instead: which now by virtue of this mishap holds magical properties. It has been transformed, in fact, into a love drug. This is of course a poetic fantasy, but one which is rooted in scientific understanding of the time. According to John Gerard’s Herbal, a popular reference book of the era, violets (a close relative of the heartsease) could provide a good medicinal remedy that ‘comforteth the heart and other inward parts’. Heartsease itself is particularly recommended against fever, light-headedness, inflammations of the chest, and as a cure to ease the pains of syphilis: a particularly unpleasant and literal example of a ‘love’ related malady.
Shakespeare, through the mouth of Oberon, also goes on to mention more of the plants which decorate both Elizabeth’s gown in the ‘Rainbow’ Portrait and the Bacton Altar Cloth:
‘I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips [cowslips] and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, [honeysuckle]
With sweet musk-roses, and with eglantine’.
This describes the idyllic bower where Titania, Queen of the Fairies takes her repose. Shakespeare’s vivid portrayal of the fairy’s boudoir, decked in flowers and medicinal herbs, suggests a potential link between these kinds of plants and notions of etherealness, or otherworldly forces; or perhaps the potency and transformative properties of nature in general. It is tempting to attribute a similar connection to the flowers in the ‘Rainbow’ Portrait. The ‘queen of the fairies’, or ‘the fairy queen’ is another poetic alter-ego of Elizabeth’s: most famously expressed by Edmund Spenser in his work of the same name. It would make sense for Elizabeth, in her role as ethereal queen of the natural world, to be shown dressed in a potent, transformative, magical bounty of curative herbs and flowers. And she is: every species shown on the bodice in the ‘Rainbow’ Portrait has a recognised curative property featured in the various herbal texts of the period.
However, the precise meanings for each flower intended by the author of the portrait are hard to determine, given the wealth of possible connotations for each. Lilies, for example, as well as standing for ‘purity’, could also help to heal pustules on the ‘privy parts’, and ease delivery during childbirth. Roses, rather beautifully, were good for ‘strengthening the heart, and refreshing of the spirits, and likewise for all things that require a little cooling’. However, they could also ‘moove to the stoole’ and provide an effective laxative. Perhaps the key to understanding this, then, is not in attributing the correct bio-medical significance to each flower, but in simply recognising that they did have this significance. What is being presented here is a plethora of properties; but also, therefore, a plethora of knowledge. And knowledge, scientific knowledge, was something that a contemporary audience certainly would have placed great importance on. In her examination of the Bacton Altar Cloth in 2018, Eleri Lynn noted that ‘botanical motifs’ like those featured on this textile and also in the ‘Rainbow’ Portrait, ‘were considered fashionable not only for their beauty but also as symbols of learning and knowledge, and a greater understanding of the natural world’. This, then, might be the real significance of the great variety of plants and flowers decorating the queen’s bodice, and also the even wider variety we can see on the Bacton Altar Cloth.
Darlena Ciraulo, in 2014, discussed the complicated relationship between the flower imagery in literature and art during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and the developments in botanical knowledge and scientific illustration that occurred during this period. Particularly interesting to this discussion, she noted the increase of ‘the practise of illustrating the life cycle of flowers’, with ‘newfound enthusiasm’ during the mid- to late-sixteenth century, accompanying a ‘movement towards illustrative realism in botanical illustration’. This movement expressed itself in the desire to produce ‘complete’ or ‘perfect’ illustrations of plants; which documented every part of them. The naturalist Leonhart Fuchs, for example, wrote of his desire to make each illustrated plant ‘“as complete as possible” by including its roots, stems, leaves, flowers, seeds and fruits’. He maintained that a ‘complete’ diagram was the best method of representation. However, this meant that what was often created was a rather fantastical representation of the living plant as if seen at all stages of its reproductive cycle all at the same time. Some even included examples of different colour or species iterations branching from the same stem. Thus, many illustrations found in botanical texts of the sixteenth century, just like many of the embroidered plants we may observe on the bodice in the ‘Rainbow’ Portrait and on the Bacton Altar Cloth, are shown not just with a blooming flower, but also a flower bud, leaves and leaf buds, and a wilting flower or flower going to seed, and/or fruit. This importantly showed not just the beauty of the flowering plant, but also its functional purpose, and all the scientific data about the life cycle that may be offered by such an inclusive depiction. This also offers us a potential reason for this depiction of the floral life cycle in the ‘Rainbow’ Portrait. In Ciraulo’s examination of flower imagery and references to health in Romeo and Juliet she discussed Shakespeare’s many analogies of the female body with the various moments of the flower’s life cycle. This will make perfect sense to a modern reader as well as a Shakespearean one, as many such analogies still exist today. The ‘budding’ maiden, for example, or the ‘blossoming’ young woman, the ‘deflowered’ virgin and the ‘withered’ crone who has ‘lost her bloom’. It is possible that something like this is happening in the ‘Rainbow’ Portrait: a celebration of the eternal rhythms of life perhaps, or of Elizabeth’s own timeless beauty in juxtaposition with the living and dying blooms on her apparel.
Another way to interpret the floral imagery in the Rainbow Portrait is to look at emblems. Images from emblem books of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries frequently show human figures, as anthropomorphised embodiments of the various concepts and qualities being visualised. This is particularly true of the Iconologia, Cesare Ripa’s popular ‘Guide to Emblems’: a source in which many of the other emblematic themes in the portrait can be found. Elizabeth wears a serpent on her left sleeve, just as the figure of ‘Intelligenza’ does in Ripa’s description, which would seem to indicate ideas or themes of ‘intelligence’ in the ‘Rainbow’ Portrait. (Please see Figure ). This has been noted by many other scholars in the past. What has not been mentioned so frequently, however, is the fact that, wearing the serpent in the same manner, in the same place, and even in the same proportions shown in the woodcut illustration which featured in the 1603 edition of this book, it appears that Elizabeth is represented here not merely as having intelligence – many other paintings have done that – but as actually being ‘Intelligence’: i.e., embodying the emblematic figure of ‘Intelligenza’. This distinction may seem slight, but if we allow Elizabeth to be not merely connected to such a figure, but to step into the frame herself and actually become her, then this opens up a new wardrobe of goddess guises for her to try on. Perhaps, with her serpent sleeve, she becomes ‘Intelligenza’, spirit of wisdom; or perhaps, dressed in her cloak covered with eyes and ears, she is ‘Ragione di Stato’, the spirit of the art of government. And perhaps, with her young, plump-cheeked face, her cheeky smile, the loose flowing locks of the maiden, and her white gown covered in flowers and leaves, she could become, not Astraea, but instead the figure described here:
‘Giovanetta…sara vestita bianco, e desto vestimento dipinto
di verdi fronde, e fiori rossi e gialli.’
or:
‘A young woman…dressed in white, her gown painted
with green fronds, and red and yellow flowers.’
This is ‘Allegrezza’: the spirit or personification of laughter, joyfulness, or glee; and in this description flowers feature again and again. ‘Allegrezza’ is dressed in flowers, crowned in flowers, and to be found in meadows filled with them. In fact, as Ripa explains: ‘The flowers themselves mean Allegrezza [joyfulness/glee], and it is said, that meadows laugh, when they are covered with flowers’.
The individual plant species that feature in the Rainbow Portrait and the Bacton Altar cloth champion each of their medicinal virtues. The sheer quantity and variety of plants shown also reference the achievements of the proto-botanists who compiled the popular herbals and plant catalogues of the period. The flowers may also point, like the flowers in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, to Elizabeth’s own ethereal qualities. And they suggest her representation in the guise of ‘Allegrezza’, the bold and joyful goddess of mirth. Combined, all these themes show that the symbolism of the flowers and plants in the ‘Rainbow’ Portrait and the Bacton Altar Cloth can present many layers. They may show knowledge, health, and pleasure, and even power – the power of mankind over the natural world, and of a sovereign over the wealth and bounty produced under her reign.
By Natalie Bramwell-Booth
Content for this article was taken from Speaking Stitches, Laughing Flowers: An Emblematic Reinterpretation of the Rainbow Portrait of Elizabeth I, an MA by Research dissertation by Natalie Bramwell-Booth. If you would like to read the whole dissertation you can download a PDF by clicking the link below: | https://seventeenthcenturyfashion.com/2021/02/20/plant-symbolism-in-the-rainbow-portrait-and-the-bacton-altar-cloth/ |
This is my oral presentation and slideshow for my working research project that I began in my Honors 110 class at the beginning of the fall 2020 semester at George Mason University. My project is about the effect human-animal interaction has on mammals within accredited United States zoos. The presentation includes the methodologies from the studies used in the project. As well as, the findings from each study, and what could be concluded from the results. The presentation closed with the identification of a research gap, and a proposal that could yield answers to fill the gap. This presentation was created for my Honors 110 Research and Inquiry class, and has been further worked on and edited for the OSCAR Virtual Celebration and Scholarship that is done at the end of the semester.
Hi, my name is Lydia Bradshaw, I’m a Freshman in Mason’s Honors College, and I will be presenting my working research project that I began in my Honors 110 class at the start of the fall 2020 semester. So, my research question is: “What effect does human-animal interaction have on mammals within accredited U.S. zoos?” I am going to bet that a majority of my audience has visited a zoo at least once in their lifetime. But would I assume that? Well, “it has been estimated by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) that over 600 million people visit zoos each year!” And even 600 million people could be an underestimation. When we visit a zoo, it is typical for us to look at the animals from our own perspective. However, have we ever considered how the animals perceive us? In order to study how mammals in zoos view us, there are three common approaches researchers follow. There is observational, epidemiological, and historical. Observational methods are frequently performed to watch the behaviors and activity of mammals within zoos. The observational approach tends to yield qualitative data, which is not always as reliable due to the fact that what we see with our eyes can be deceiving. However, there have been times where observational study was done, but then was taken and coded into quantitative data. The study used to yield more quantitative data and incorporates observational study is the epidemiological approach. The epidemiological approach focuses on both the mammals’ behaviors and welfare. This type of study involves approaches such as recording videos and coding the animals’ activity into statistics, and collecting the fecal matter of the mammals. Lastly, the historical method, which are typically reviews and historical analyses done to provide context on the existence of zoos in human societies, and how they have either improved or downgraded since past years. There were four studies I used for my research project, and all four included the observational and epidemiological approach. As well as, they all used the same human-animal interaction, which was human visitation and observance. There was one case study that was on two jaguars. And then the rest were multi-institutional studies, which one was on polar bears, one was on clouded leopards, and then one was on elephants. So… what were my findings? From these studies I found that the jaguars and clouded leopards experienced negative behaviors and welfare when there was an increase in zoo visitation. Both the jaguars and clouded leopards studied were reported performing stereotypic behavior. The jaguars were also much more aggressive to each other, and or hid a lot when there was an abundance of people at their exhibit. The clouded leopards showed unhealthy behaviors such as harming themselves by gnawing on their tails and even pulling out their own fur when visitor density was high. These studies clearly show the negative effect human-interaction can have on zoo animals. However, the study on elephants and polar bears showed that neither mammal minded a large number of visitors, and instead other factors effected their welfare and behavior. Elephants are very altruistic animals, with emotions quite similar to humans. They actually found enjoyment in seeing humans outside their exhibits, and their welfare and behavior was only affected by the management care and lack of socialization. Polar bears, too, need more socialization. They also are not naturally used to seeing humans, and thus do not mind when there are many visitors. However, they do tend to pace more often because they cannot see outside their exhibit as far as they would like, and need a larger space. This data was found through the decoding of videography and the testing of fecal matter. The graph on the left shows the fecal corticoids of four different clouded leopards. Fecal corticoids are when a researcher collects the fecal matter of the animal and tests their samples to convert into quantitative data of both their adrenaline and stress levels. So, the graph displays the amount of stress and adrenaline each clouded leopard had in a span of 43 days, to then use to compare to visitor intensity on those days. The graph on the right shows the results from videography that was taken of the polar bears and converted to quantitative data. This allowed for the researchers to calculate the percent of visible time of the polar bears, and what behavior they performed during the times they were visible. So, this shows that the polar bears’ stereotypic pacing was lower than they had hypothesized. So… what did I conclude from all this research? From these four studies and their findings I was able to conclude that humans have both negative and positive effects on mammals within U.S. accredited zoos. However, there a many other factors that contribute to the poor behavior and welfare of mammals, not just the visitors. But, in the end there is so much more humans can do to improve the lives of the animals within zoos, and to continue improving and bettering for the future of zoos. All the studies and findings used in my research included human-animal interaction, but none of the studies I found that were relevant to my topic specifically focused on the effect of visitors. Which is why I would like to propose using the visitor effect approach for further research to receive much more concise results on whether visitors truly play a large part in mammal welfare and behavior in zoos. This method would allow for better understanding on how to move forward with zoos or if we need to begin changing them to be like wildlife preserves and sanctuaries. As Steve Irwin once said, “if we can teach people about wildlife, they will be touched. Share my wildlife with me. Because humans want to save things that they love”. And of course, my citations for my references, because you should always cite! A shout out to all of those who helped me with this project, and I hope you all enjoyed this presentation. Thank you! | https://celebration.oscar.gmu.edu/the-effects-of-human-animal-interaction-on-mammals/ |
The Institute of Cancer Research recently published a report entitled ‘From patent to patient — analysing access to innovative cancer drugs’. The EU is making big strides in research and innovation by testing new medication and potential vaccines for cancer. That said, the report confirms that it is currently taking longer for new treatments to reach cancer patients than it did one decade ago.
It is crucial that the latest advances in cancer treatment are offered to EU patients as quickly as possible.
What is the Commission doing to protect EU citizens’ right of access to preventive healthcare and medical treatment, and what is it doing to guarantee that patients have equal access to the latest generation of cancer vaccines and medicines under the most favourable conditions?
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World NewsPublished: Less than an hour agoLast Updated: Less than an hour ago
The Big Maple Leaf coin was stolen from the Bode Museum in Berlin in March 2017.
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The coin
Berlin police have raided homes and jewellery shops on suspicion they could be connected to the theft of a huge 100kg (220lb) Canadian gold coin from a museum in the German capital.
The coin, dubbed the Big Maple Leaf and with an estimated value of 3.75 million euro (£3.36 million), was stolen from Bode Museum in Berlin in 2017 and has not yet been recovered.
The morning raids were focused on eight suspects, aged between 14 and 51, and of various nationalities, police said.
They are alleged to have been part of a ring that obtained stolen gold to melt it down and forge collector coins, then sell them as genuine through jewellery stores operated by them or their relatives.
Some of the counterfeits are already circulating, police said.
The searches led to the discovery of counterfeit coins, forgery tools and a “five-digit” sum of cash, police said.
“The evaluation of the evidence is ongoing,” police said.
“Among other things, a possible connection to the theft of the gold coin from the Bode Museum is being be examined.”
Berlin prosecutors said there were no arrests but the investigation is continuing.
The searches came just two days after the arrest of a key suspect in the spectacular theft of 18th-century jewels from a Dresden museum last year, who is from a family linked to the Canadian gold coin theft.
Mohamed Remmo, 21, was arrested by Berlin authorities in a car in the Neukoelln district of the city on Monday evening.
His twin brother, Abdul Majed Remmo, remains a fugitive of the law.
Police and prosecutors would not comment on whether there was a connection between the arrest and the searches.
Members of the same family were convicted earlier this year for the Canadian gold coin theft.
Cousins Ahmed Remmo and Wissam Remmo, along with a friend who worked as a security guard at the museum, were all convicted and sentenced to several years in prison. | |
Frédéric Chopin (Polish: Fryderyk (Franciszek) Chopin, sometimes Szopen; French: Frédéric (François) Chopin; English surname pronunciation: Template:IPAEng or Template:IPA; March 1, 1810, Żelazowa Wola – October 17, 1849, Paris) was a Polish piano composer of the Romantic period. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers for piano of all time.
Chopin was born in the village of Żelazowa Wola, Duchy of Warsaw, to a Polish mother and French-expatriate father. Hailed in his homeland as a child prodigy, at age twenty Chopin left for Paris. There he made a career as performer, teacher and composer, and adopted the French version of his given names, "Frédéric-François." From 1837 to 1847 he had a turbulent relationship with the French writer George Sand (Aurore Dudevant). The couple were very close friends of French painter Delacroix, who painted a portrait of them. Always in frail health, at 39 he succumbed to pulmonary tuberculosis.
All of Chopin's extant work includes the piano in some role (predominantly as a solo instrument), and his compositions are widely considered to be among the pinnacles of the piano's repertoire. Although his music is among the most technically demanding for the instrument, Chopin's style emphasizes nuance and expressive depth rather than mere technical display. He invented some musical forms, such as the ballade, but his most significant innovations were within existing structures such as the piano sonata, waltz, nocturne, étude, impromptu and prelude. His works are often cited as being among the mainstays of Romanticism in 19th-century classical music. Additionally, Chopin was the first western classical composer to imbue Slavic elements into his music; to this day his mazurkas and polonaises are the cornerstone of Polish nationalistic classical music.
LifeEdit
Chopin was born in Żelazowa Wola, near Sochaczew in the Masovia region, which was part of the Duchy of Warsaw. He was born to Mikołaj (Nicolas) Chopin, a Frenchman of distant Polish ancestry from Lorraine who had adopted Poland as his homeland when he moved there in 1787. Nicolas had married a woman from an upper-class but impoverished Polish family, Tekla Justyna Krzyżanowska.
According to the composer's family, Chopin was born March 1, 1810. There is no known birth certificate. His baptismal certificate lists his birthdate as February 22, 1810, but this was most likely an error on the part of the priest.
Formative yearsEdit
In October 1810, when Frédéric was seven months old, the family moved to Warsaw, where the father took a position as teacher of French language at a school housed in the Saxon Palace. The family lived on the palace grounds.
Young Chopin received his first piano lessons from his older sister Ludwika ("Louise" in English), and was subsequently taught by his mother. His musical talent was early apparent, and he gained a reputation in Warsaw as a "second Mozart." At age seven he was already the author of two polonaises (G minor and B flat major), the first being published in the engraving workshop of Father Cybulski, director of a School of Organists and one of the few music publishers in Poland.
The prodigy was featured in the Warsaw newspapers, and "little Chopin" became an attraction at receptions given in the capital's aristocratic salons. He also began giving public charity concerts. He is said to once have been asked what he thought the audience liked best; seven-year-old Chopin replied, "My shirt collar." He first appeared publicly as a pianist when he was eight.
Chopin received his first professional piano lessons, in 1816–22, from Wojciech Żywny. Chopin later spoke highly of Żywny, although the youngster's skills soon surpassed those of his teacher. The further development of Chopin's talent was supervised by Wilhelm Würfel. This renowned pianist, a professor at the Warsaw Conservatory, gave Chopin valuable though irregular lessons in playing the organ, and possibly also the piano. From 1823 to 1826 Chopin attended the Warsaw Lyceum, the school where his father taught.
In the autumn of 1826, Chopin began studying music theory, figured bass and composition with the composer Józef Elsner at the Warsaw Conservatory. Chopin's contact with Elsner may date to as early as 1822, and it is certain that Elsner was giving Chopin informal guidance by 1823. Chopin completed a normal three-year course at the conservatory in 1829.
That same year in Warsaw, Chopin heard Niccolò Paganini play, and he also met the German pianist and composer Johann Nepomuk Hummel. It was also in 1829 that Chopin met his first love, a singing student named Konstancja Gładkowska. This inspired Chopin to put the melody of the human voice into his works.
In August 1829, three weeks after leaving the Warsaw Conservatory, Chopin made a brilliant debut in Vienna. He gave two piano performances and received many very favorable reviews, along with others that criticized the small tone that he produced from the piano.
In Warsaw in December 1829 he performed the premiere of his Piano Concerto in F minor at the Merchants' Club. He gave the first performance of his other piano concerto, in E minor, at the National Theater on March 17, 1830.
On November 2, 1830, Chopin left Warsaw to give concerts in Western Europe, never to return to Poland. At month's end the November 1830 Uprising broke out, and his traveling companion Titus Woyciechowski went home to take part. Chopin stayed in Vienna, tortured by anxiety for his loved ones, then visited Munich and Stuttgart (where he learned of Poland's occupation by the Russian army; see Congress Poland) and arrived in Paris by September 1831. He had already composed a body of important compositions, including his two piano concertos and some of his Études Op. 10.
ParisEdit
In Paris, Chopin was welcomed by eminent Polish exiles and by leading artists such as Heinrich Heine, Alfred de Vigny and Eugène Delacroix. He was introduced to some of the foremost pianists of the day, including Friedrich Kalkbrenner, Ferdinand Hiller and Franz Liszt, and he formed personal friendships with composers Hector Berlioz, Felix Mendelssohn, Charles-Valentin Alkan and Vincenzo Bellini (beside whom he is buried in the Père Lachaise Cemetery). Chopin's music was already admired by many of his composer contemporaries, among them Robert Schumann who, in his review of the Variations on "La ci darem la mano" (from Mozart's opera Don Giovanni), Op. 2, wrote: "Hats off, gentlemen! A genius."
During his years in Paris, Chopin participated in a number of concerts. The programs provide some idea of the richness of Parisian artistic life during this period, such as the concert on March 23, 1833, in which Chopin, Liszt and Hiller played the solo parts in a performance of Johann Sebastian Bach's concerto for three harpsichords, and the concert on March 3, 1838, when Chopin, Alkan, Alkan's teacher Pierre Joseph Zimmerman and Chopin's pupil Adolphe Gutman played Alkan's 8-hand arrangement of Beethoven's 7th symphony. He was also involved with the composition of Hexaméron (1837), because the sixth (and last) variation on the Bellini's theme is his.
A distinguished English amateur described seeing Chopin at a salon:Template:Fact
From Paris, Chopin made various visits and tours. In 1834, with Hiller, he visited a Rhenish Music Festival at Aachen organized by Ferdinand Ries. Here Chopin and Hiller met up with Mendelssohn, and the three went on to visit Düsseldorf, Koblenz and Cologne, enjoying each other's company and learning and playing music together.
In 1835 Chopin arranged to meet his family in Karlsbad. While there he made the acquaintance of Count Franz von Thun-Hohenstein, whose daughters Chopin had taught in Paris. The Count invited Chopin and his parents to stay at his family castle on the Elbe at Děčín. Afterwards Chopin saw his parents off back to Warsaw; he would never see them again. He returned to Paris via Dresden, where he stayed for some weeks, and then Leipzig where he met up with Mendelssohn, Schumann and Clara Wieck. However, on the return journey he had a severe bronchial attack that was so serious he was reported dead in some Polish newspapers.
In 1836 Chopin became engaged to a seventeen-year-old Polish girl, Maria Wodzińska, whose mother insisted that the engagement be kept secret. The following year the engagement was called off by her family.
Chopin and SandEdit
In 1836, at a party hosted by Countess Marie d'Agoult, mistress of fellow-composer Franz Liszt, Chopin met Amandine-Aurore-Lucile Dupin, Baroness Dudevant, better known by her pseudonym, George Sand. She was a French Romantic writer noted for her numerous love affairs with Prosper Mérimée, Alfred de Musset (1833–34), her secretary Alexandre Manceau (1849–65) and others, possibly including the actress Marie Dorval.
Chopin initially did not find her attractive. "Something about her repels me," he told his family. Sand, however, in an extraordinary June 1837 letter to her friend Count Wojciech Grzymała, debated whether to let Chopin go with his fiancée Maria Wodzińska or to abandon another affair in order to begin a relationship with Chopin. Sand had strong feelings for Chopin and pursued him until a relationship developed.
A notable episode in their time together was a turbulent and miserable winter on Mallorca (1838–1839), where they had problems finding habitable accommodation and ended up lodging in the scenic but stark and cold Valldemossa monastery. Chopin also had problems having his Pleyel piano sent to him. It arrived from Paris after a great delay, to be stuck at Spanish customs, which demanded a large import duty. He could use it for little more than three weeks; the rest of the time he had to compose on a rickety rented piano to complete his Preludes (Op. 28).
During the winter, the bad weather had such a serious effect on Chopin's health and his chronic lung disease that – to save his life – he, George Sand and her two children were compelled to return first to the Spanish mainland where they reached Barcelona, and then to Marseille where they stayed for a few months to recover. Although his health improved, he never completely recovered from this bout. He complained, with his habitual wit, about the incompetence of the doctors in Mallorca: "The first said I was going to die; the second said I had breathed my last; and the third said I was already dead."
Chopin spent the summers of 1839 until 1843 at Sand's estate in Nohant. These were quiet but productive days during which Chopin composed many works. They included his great Polonaise in A-flat major, Op.53 "Heroic," still one of his most famous pieces. On Chopin's return to Paris in 1839, he met the pianist and composer Ignaz Moscheles.
In 1845 a serious problem emerged in Chopin's relationship with Sand at the same time as a further deterioration occurred in his health. Their relationship was further soured in 1846 by family problems; this was the year in which Sand published Lucrezia Floriani, which is quite unfavorable to Chopin. The story is about a rich actress and a prince with weak health, and it is possible to interpret the main characters as Sand and Chopin. In 1847 the family problems finally brought to an end the relationship between them that had lasted ten years, since 1837.
Death and funeralEdit
In 1848 Chopin gave his last concert in Paris, and visited England and Scotland with his student and admirer Jane Stirling. They reached London in November, and although Chopin managed to give some concerts and salon performances, he was severely ill. He returned to Paris, where in 1849 he became unable to teach or perform. His sister Ludwika, who had given him his first piano lessons, nursed him in his apartment at Place Vendôme, 12, where he died in the small hours of October 17. Later that morning, a death mask and a cast of Chopin's hands were made by the young sculptor, Jean Baptiste Clesinger.
Before Chopin's funeral, pursuant to his dying wish, his heart was removed (he dreaded being buried alive), to be taken by his sister in an urn to Warsaw, where it remains sealed within a pillar of the Holy Cross Church (Kościół Świętego Krzyża) on Krakowskie Przedmieście.Chopin had requested that Mozart's Requiem be sung at his funeral. The Requiem has major parts for female singers, but the chosen church, the Church of the Madeleine, had never permitted female singers in its choir. The funeral was delayed for almost two weeks, until the church finally relented and granted Chopin's final wish, provided the female singers remained behind a black velvet curtain. The funeral was held on 30 October and was attended by nearly three thousand people. The soloists in the Requiem included the bass Luigi Lablache, who had sung the same work at the funeral of Beethoven and also sang at the funeral of Bellini. Preludes No. 4 in E minor and No. 6 in B minor were also played. He was buried at the Père Lachaise Cemetery, also at his own request. At the graveside, the Funeral March from the Sonata Op. 35 was played, in Napoléon Henri Reber's instrumentation. Later, some of Chopin's Polish friends journeyed to Paris with a jar of earth from their native land and scattered it over his grave, so that Chopin would lie under Polish soil. His grave attracts numerous visitors and is invariably festooned with flowers, even in the dead of winter.
MusicEdit
Chopin's music for the piano combined a unique rhythmic sense (particularly his use of rubato), frequent use of chromaticism, and counterpoint. This mixture produces a particularly fragile sound in the melody and the harmony, which are nonetheless underpinned by solid and interesting harmonic techniques. He took the new salon genre of the nocturne, invented by Irish composer John Field, to a deeper level of sophistication. Three of his twenty-one nocturnes were only published after his death in 1849, contrary to his wishes. He also endowed popular dance forms, such as the Polish mazurka and the waltz, Viennese Waltz, with a greater range of melody and expression. Chopin was the first to write ballades and scherzi as individual pieces. Chopin also took the example of Bach's preludes and fugues, transforming the genre in his own preludes.
Several of Chopin's pieces have become very well known — for instance the Revolutionary Étude (Op. 10, No. 12), the Minute Waltz (Op. 64, No. 1), and the third movement of his Funeral March sonata (Op. 35), which is often used as an iconic representation of grief. (It is to be noted that Chopin himself never named an instrumental work beyond genre and number, leaving all potential extramusical association to the listener. The expressive or atmospheric names by which we know many of them today have all been invented by others.) The Revolutionary Étude was not written with the failed Polish uprising against Russia in mind; it merely appeared at that time. The Funeral March was written before the rest of the sonata within which it is contained, but the exact occasion is not known; it appears not to have been inspired by any specific personal bereavement. Other melodies have been used as the basis of popular songs, such as the slow section of the Fantaisie-Impromptu (Op. 66) and the first section of the Étude Op. 10 No. 3. These pieces often rely on an intense and personalised chromaticism, as well as a melodic curve that resembles the operas of Chopin's day — the operas of Gioachino Rossini, Gaetano Donizetti, and especially Bellini. Chopin used the piano to re-create the gracefulness of the singing voice, and talked and wrote constantly about singers.
Chopin's style and gifts became increasingly influential. Robert Schumann was a huge admirer of Chopin's music — although the feeling was not reciprocated — and he took melodies from Chopin and even named a piece from his suite Carnaval after Chopin.
Franz Liszt, another great admirer and personal friend of the composer, transcribed for piano six of Chopin's Polish songs. However, one myth about Liszt's admiration for Chopin should be dispelled. In 1853, Liszt published a piano suite called Harmonies Poétiques et Religieuses. The seventh movement, Funérailles, is subtitled "October 1849". That this was the month of Chopin's death, and that the middle section seems to be modelled upon the famous octave trio section of Chopin's Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53, have led many to presume that Liszt wrote the piece in memory of Chopin. However, Liszt denied this, saying the piece had been inspired by the deaths of three of his Hungarian compatriots in the same month.
Chopin performed his own works in concert halls but most often in his salon for friends. Only later in life, as his disease progressed, did Chopin give up public performance altogether.
Chopin's technical innovations also became influential. His Préludes (Op. 28) and Études (Opp. 10 and 25) rapidly became standard works, and inspired both Liszt's Transcendental Études and Schumann's Symphonic Études. Alexander Scriabin was also strongly influenced by Chopin; for example, his 24 Preludes, Op. 11 are inspired by Chopin's Op. 28.
Jeremy Siepmann, in his biography of the composer, named a list of pianists he believed to have made recordings of works by Chopin generally acknowledged to be among the greatest Chopin performances ever preserved: Vladimir de Pachmann, Raoul Pugno, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Moriz Rosenthal, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Alfred Cortot, Ignaz Friedman, Raoul Koczalski, Arthur Rubinstein, Mieczysław Horszowski, Claudio Arrau, Vlado Perlemuter, Vladimir Horowitz, Dinu Lipatti, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Martha Argerich, Maurizio Pollini, Murray Perahia, Krystian Zimerman, Evgeny Kissin.
Rubinstein said the following about Chopin's music and its universality: Template:Cquote
StyleEdit
Although Chopin lived in the 1800s, he was educated in the tradition of Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart and Clementi; he even used Clementi's piano method with his own students. He was also influenced by Hummel's development of virtuoso, yet Mozartian, piano technique. One of his students, Friederike Muller, wrote the following in her diary about Chopin's playing style:
Chopin's polonaises brought the musical form to a higher level than anyone had envisioned the musical style to be capable of. The series of seven polonaises published in his lifetime (another nine were published posthumously), beginning with the Op. 26 pair, set a whole new standard for composing and playing the music and were rooted in a passion by Chopin to write something to celebrate Polish culture — after the country had fallen back into the Russian grip. The A major polonaise Op. 40 No. 1, "Military," and the polonaise in A flat major Op. 53, "Heroic," are among Chopin's most beloved and played works.
RomanticismEdit
Chopin regarded most of his contemporaries with some indifference, although he had many acquaintances with those associated with romanticism in music, literature and the arts (many of them via his liaison with George Sand). Chopin's music is, however, considered by many to be a peak of the Romantic style. The relative classical purity and discretion in his music, with little extravagant exhibitionism, partly reflects his reverence for Bach and Mozart. (Chopin based the sequence of his Preludes on Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier). Chopin also never indulged in explicit "scene painting" in his music, or used programmatic titles, castigating publishers who renamed his pieces in this way.
WorksEdit
Template:Main All Chopin's works involve the piano, solo or accompanied. They are predominantly for solo piano, but include a small number of piano ensembles with instruments, including a second piano, violin, cello, voice or orchestra.
Over 230 of Chopin's works survive. Various manuscripts and pieces from early childhood have been lost.
MediaEdit
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Chopin posthumously Edit
Chopin's popularity, and the esteem in which he is held, have prompted many commemorations. For example, a statue of Chopin was erected before World War II in Warsaw's Łazienki Park. At its base, on summer Sundays, free piano recitals of Chopin's compositions are performed. The stylized tree over Chopin's figure echoes a pianist's hand and fingers. A tribute of a different type is the naming of the asteroid 3784 Chopin after the composer.
The International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition is held every five years in Warsaw, and the Grand prix du disque de F.Chopin is awarded periodically for notable Chopin recordings, both remastered and newly-recorded work.
Warsaw has a Frederic Chopin International Airport.
Chopin's life and his relationship with George Sand has been fictionalised in film, notably in the 1945 biopic, A Song to Remember, which earned Cornel Wilde an Academy Award nomination as Best Actor for his portrayal of the composer. Other film treatments include Impromptu (1991), which starred Hugh Grant as Chopin, La note bleue (1991), and Chopin: Desire for Love (2002).
See alsoEdit
NotesEdit
- ↑ Some sources give February 22; please see Life for details.
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Scholes, Percy (1938), The Oxford Companion to Music. Article Ballade.
- ↑
- ↑ Letter of 12 December 1853 from Camille Pleyel to Chopin's sister, Louise Jedrzejewicz, cited in Chopin — Nocturnes, with note by Ewald Zimmermann, winter 1979/1980, published by G. Henle Verlag (ISM N M-2018-0185-8).
- ↑ Kornel Michałowski, Grove
- ↑ See e.g. Charles Rosen, The Romantic Generation, chapters 5-7, Harvard University Press 1995. ISBN 9780674779334
ReferencesEdit
- Template:Nl icon Template:Cite book
- Eigeldinger, Jean-Jacques, "Chopin vu par ses élèves" (Chopin as seen by his pupils), ed. A LA BACONNIERE
- Michałowski, Kornel/Samson, Jim: "Chopin, Fryderyk Franciszek", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (Accessed October 31 2006), (subscription access)
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:De icon Template:Cite book
External linksEdit
Template:LinkfarmTemplate:Wikiquote
- Chopin: the poet of the piano - A favorite Chopin place since 1999 with biography, images, music files, work list and analysis, quizzes and contests, noted interpreters...
- Artanhime - Chopin's mp3 Collection.
- Online biography of Chopin
- University of Michigan Chopin Project
- Internet Chopin Information Centre, Chopin portal including calendar, catalogues, other information about Chopin, Chopin on the Web, and pianists' biographical notes.
- Chopin Music - Website and forum dedicated to the music of Chopin, including recordings, sheet music and image galleries.
- Brief Chopin essay at Classical Music Pages
- The Frederick Chopin Society in Warsaw. Contains a biography, an outline of Chopin's works and musical style and pictures of original manuscripts.
- Fryderyk Chopin: Poet of the Piano
- Valldemossa, Majorca where Chopin lived with George Sand in 1838-39.
- Biographies (Project Gutenberg e-texts):
- International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition
- Template:Musicbrainz artist
- The International Foundation Can Mossenya - Friends of Jorge Luis Borges
- Free Chopin Downloads (MP3 and WMV)
Music scores Edit
- Chopin Piano Sheet Music (out of copyright)
- Template:IMSLP
- Chopin scores from Mutopia Project
- Template:IckingArchive
- Chopin Early Editions, a collection of over 400 first and early printed editions of musical compositions by Frédéric Chopin published before 1881. | https://musicality.fandom.com/wiki/Frederic_Chopin |
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Mourning (Persian: سوگواری) is a ritual that takes place at the death of the deceased. Mourning has a long history and since ancient times, it has been held in memory of relatives or religious figures.
Based on historical sources, the history of mourning in Islam goes back to the time of the Prophet (s). Since then, it has been held in different forms in Islamic countries; such as funeral ceremony, the third day after funeral and fortieth day after the person’s demise.
Shia jurists consider it permissible to mourn, cry and lament for the dead; but, according to the fatwa of Sunni jurists, one can only cry silently when mourning the loss of his loved ones. Some Sunni jurists do not consider it permissible to cry loudly or shout for the dead.
Most Shiite mourning ceremonies are religious; i.e., they are held to commemorate religious leaders, including the Prophet (s) and Imams (a) and especially Imam al-Husayn (a). Some Sunni scholars consider this kind of mourning an unlawful innovation and thus forbidden. But, since the past until now, some Sunnis participate in Shia mourning.
Mourning, commemoration of the deceased ones
Mourning is a ceremony held in sadness for the demise of someone. Mourning ceremonies are held to express sadness for the loss of loved ones or religious figures.
The background of mourning
Mourning has long been common in different cultures. It is said that it was also common in pre-Zoroastrian Iran and there are examples of it in Shahnameh. In the Bible, there are reports about the mourning of Bani Israel in mourning for their lost ones.
According to historical reports, the history of mourning in Islam goes back to the time of the Prophet of Islam (s). For example, Ibn Kathir, a historian of the 8th/14th century, wrote that after the battle of Uhud, the women of Medina mourned their dead. Seeing this scene, the Prophet (s) grieved why there was no one to mourn for Hamza (who was martyred in the battle of Uhud). So, the women also mourned for Hamza b. 'Abd al-Muttalib.
Mourning in different cultures
Mourning ceremonies for the deceased have different forms in different cultures: in Iran, ceremonies such as Majlis-i Khatm (after burial), the 3rd night (after decease), the 7th night (after decease), the 40th day (after decease), and the anniversary (of decease) are held. In some countries, such as Tajikistan, mourning ceremonies are held on the 20th, 40th days and the anniversary. On the third day after funeral, Indian Muslims hold a ceremony over the tomb of the deceased. Other countries such as Egypt, Azerbaijan and Iraq also have special rituals for mourning.
Religious ruling of mourning for the deceased
According to the fatwa of Shia jurists, it is permissible to cry and lament for the deceased. Muhammad Hasan al-Najafi the author of Jawahir al-kalam (d. 1266/1850) wrote that there are many hadiths that acknowledge crying and mourning for the dead as permissible; among which, there are narrations that report the crying of the Prophet (s) in the mourning of his uncle Hamza and his son Ibrahim, and also the narrations about the lamentation of Lady Fatima al-Zahra (a) upon the demise of the Prophet (s).
The Sunnites’ point of view
According to Egyptian jurist 'Abd al-Rahman Jaziri, based on Sunni jurisprudence, it is not permissible to recite laments for the dead; but, it has no problem to cry for him, if it is done silently. Regarding crying out loud, there is a difference of views among Sunni schools of jurisprudence: Malikis and Hanafis consider it forbidden; but, it is permissible according to the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools.
Religious mourning
Some mourning ceremonies have religious aspect. Shiites pay special attention to this type of mourning and hold mourning ceremonies for religious leaders such as the Prophet (s), Lady Fatima al-Zahra (a) and Imams (a), especially in Muharram for Imam al-Husayn (a).
Shia religious mourning for Imam al-Husayn (a) is held in different ways, including narration of his martyrdom accounts, reciting lamentations, crying, reciting elegies, Chest-beating, and hitting oneself with chains.
Shia scholars have written numerous books and treatises in defense of mourning and explaining its lawfulness; an example of which is Sayyid Muhsin Amin’s Iqna' al-la'im 'ala iqamat al-matam.
Sunni scholars, especially the Hanbalis, consider mourning an unlawful innovation and forbidden. However, according to historical reports, in Iran, some Sunni followers, especially Shafi'is, and even Sunni scholars, including some Hanafi and Shafi'i scholars, have participated in Shia mourning ceremonies.
References
- The material for this article is mainly taken from سوگواری in Farsi WikiShia. | https://en.wikishia.net/view/Mourning |
Day of national mourning on Friday for 13 killed by Madeira oakBy TPN/Lusa, in News · 18-08-2017 12:13:00 · 0 Comments
Portugal's government has decreed a day of national mourning for Friday "for the irreparable loss of human lives" when a tree fell onto a crowd of pilgrims in Madeira on Tuesday, killing 13 people.
The announcement came on Thursday after the day's regular weekly cabinet meeting in Lisbon.
"The National Mourning coincides with the funeral ceremonies of the victims of the accident as a way of [expressing the] sorrow and solidarity of the whole country," the government said in a statement on Thursday after the meeting.
A spokesman told Lusa that the government would be represented at the funeral in Madeira by the cabinet office minister, Maria Manuel Leitão Marques.
A large, 200-year-old oak tree fell to the ground in the Largo do Monte, in Funchal, amid Assumption Day celebrations that were attended by hundreds of people, as the crowd awaited the arrival of the procession. It killed 13 people and injured 49; seven were still in hospital on Thursday.
Among the dead was a one-year-old and the others aged between 28 and 59. One French woman and a Hungarian man were the only two foreigners killed.
The results of an expert study into why the tree feel are to be released on Friday, the mayor of Funchal, Paulo Cafôfo, said on Thursday. | http://www.theportugalnews.com/news/day-of-national-mourning-on-friday-for-13-killed-by-madeira-oak/42910 |
What is a Multitasking Operating System?
A multitasking operating system is any type of system that is capable of running more than one program at a time. Most modern operating systems are configured to handle multiple programs simultaneously, with the exception of some privately developed systems that are designed for use in specific business settings.
With older examples of the multitasking operating system, managing two or more tasks normally involved switching system resources back and forth between the two running processes. The system would execute tasks for one, freeze that program for a few seconds, and then execute tasks for the other program. While this approach did create a short time lag for the operator, this lag was usually no more than a few seconds, and still offered considerable more efficiency than the older single-task operating system.
Over time, popular incarnations of the multitasking operating system were developed that used a different approach to allocating resources for each active program. This created a situation where virtually no time lag occurred at all, assuming that the equipment driving the system had adequate resources. For the end user, this meant the ability to perform several tasks simultaneously without any waiting for the system to release or redirect resources as each task completed in turn.
The typical multiple operating system requires more resources than the simple operating systems that were common for desktop computers in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Newer systems require platforms with a considerable amount of random access memory (RAM) as well as other type of virtual memory. If the resources are not available to drive the various applications that are open and being executed, the system may slow to a crawl, or possibly even shut down an application or two if that is the way the system is configured to prevent overload.
Today, most desktop, laptop, and netbook operating systems function with some type of multitasking operating system. Even equipment such as automatic teller machines or ATMs still make use of some type of multitasking system, using a series of programs to check balances and execute the requests made by users. There are also examples of movie ticket stub systems that are able to perform several tasks at once, including posting receipts for tickets purchased, even as the system generates and dispenses the purchased tickets.
Discussion Comments
@everetra - I think the real threat to Microsoft’s market dominance of operating systems will come from the Google operating system. This is already a work in progress as Google has done a lot of work towards releasing open source applications for the “cloud,” that is, over the Internet.
I’ve used Google Docs for example and it’s a great alternative to Microsoft Word. I’ve also played with other Google applications that can be accessed online and they are comparable to Microsoft applications. Right now these applications are web-based but the moment Google releases a desktop operating system (and they have the money to do so) for Windows, Microsoft will have to watch out.
From what I understand Google already has an operating system called Chrome for Linux, but it will be the Windows port that will be the game changer. It will be interesting to watch whether Google or Microsoft wins in the end.
@Mammmood - Yeah, the Android operating system is modeled after Linux too from what I understand. Google now owns them and there are hundreds of thousands of applications for Android devices.
I own an Android phone and I have a Java compiler that I use to write free applications for the operating system. I could write programs that I could charge money for I suppose but I mainly use it for personal things like keeping track of my contacts and so forth.
It wouldn’t be too hard to sell my own apps on Android however. Unlike IPhone, there are fewer hoops that you have to jump through to make your application available on the Android operating system.
@everetra - I agree that Windows has led the pack for many years, but now multi tasking is part of the kernel of every operating system on the market, from desktop computers to PDAs.
Even the Linux operating system has its own graphical user interface which allows flipping back and forth between different applications.
The most well-known multitasking operating system, Windows, has led the charge for many years in multi-tasking. I remember the debut of Windows in the early 1980s. While it was not a totally new technology – Xerox had something similar and Bill Gates was accused of stealing the concept from them – it was still new to the personal computer mass market.
Prior to Windows, I had to run programs in MS-DOS, which only let you run one program at a time. I could switch between different tasks in the same program using a menu system, but still it was one and the same program.
Windows changed all that and made it possible to switch back and forth between applications like Word and Excel, multiplying my productivity. I think Windows more than anything made personal computers popular. Otherwise, computers would be nothing more than dummy terminals dedicated to one program at a time. | https://images.easytechjunkie.com/what-is-a-multitasking-operating-system.htm |
A Lindenmeyer system, or L-system, involves a recursive procedure applied to a string of symbols, where each symbol in the string is simultaneously replaced with a string, dependent on that symbol. For example, one of my favourite examples involves Easter eggs and rabbits, with the following rewrite rules:
"E" --> "R" (Easter egg hatches into a rabbit.) "R" --> "ER" (Rabbit lays an Easter egg.)
Beginning with a single egg, the following growth pattern is observed:
"E" --> "R" --> "ER" --> "RER" --> "ERRER" --> ...
It’s trivial to show that the number of symbols in a particular iteration is given by the Fibonacci sequence. Indeed, for any L-system, we can obtain a recurrence relation for the number of characters, which can then be turned into a closed form involving powers of a particular ‘transition matrix’, which can be converted into an even more closed form by diagonalising the matrix. In this case, the closed form is Binet’s formula:
where φ and ψ are the roots of the equation x² − x − 1 = 0.
Audioactive decay
The lengths of strings produced by an L-system follow a basic linear recurrence relation, so they’re quite easy to calculate. A less obvious growth is that undertaken by Conway’s audioactive decay sequence. This begins with a single ‘1’, which is repeatedly run-length encoded:
1
11
21
1211
111221
312211
…
For example, the third string 111221 contains 3 ‘1’s, followed by 2 ‘2’s and 1 ‘1’, so the next term is 312211. Since adjacent digits can interact, the behaviour is less predictable than that of an L-system. It transpires, however, that after 24 iterations any string will ‘decay’ into a disjoint union of non-interacting ‘elements’, of which there are 92. Treating these elements as individual ‘symbols’, the audioactive decay rule is just a complicated L-system! The dominant eigenvalue is Conway’s constant, the positive real root of a particular degree-71 polynomial:
Doron Zeilberger and his pet computer Shalosh B. Ekhad proved this in their paper on the subject. He mentions how it’s a posteriori trivial, since it takes no effort to write a computer program to verify that strings eventually decay into a meta-L-system, but not a priori trivial — similar rulesets (certain Post-Tag systems) can have no computable closed form, in which case the computer program would run forever and fail to find a proof.
Double-exponential growth and bangbangs
If a character can be replaced with the previous string, we can have double-exponential growth. For instance, the following rules:
X --> $ O --> O
(where $ indicates the entirety of the previous string) applied to the initial string XOX gives the following sequence:
XOX --> XOXOXOX --> XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX --> ...
where each term has 2^2^n ‘X’s.
Of course, this is not a particularly interesting example, since it just creates alternating strings of one-dimensional noughts and crosses. A far more exciting sequence, sent to me by Volker Grabsch, arises when one experiments with the recursive functionality of Unix/Linux, which has a ‘repeat previous instruction’ command, known as a bangbang and represented by two adjacent exclamation marks.
Shadab Ahmed discovered that the resulting behaviour is quite complicated, since single quotes and double quotes can interchange roles as being string delimiters and string contents, and they have a non-trivial effect on which bangbangs are expressed at any time. Volker Grabsch wrote an algorithm to emulate this process, calculating further terms in the sequence and creating an OEIS entry for the number of bangbangs in the nth iteration. Robin Houston then ingeniously used polynomials with exponents in the symmetric group to contain the information in the strings, yielding a simple recurrence relation and an efficient way to compute further terms.
What’s remarkable is that all of this collaborative research, from initial contemplation of the problem to final recurrence relation, took place just two days ago.
Tetrational growth
In a previous article, I mentioned the finite stages of the von Neumann universe, and wondered how many pairs of braces appear in each stage. It is trivial to see that it each term is an asymptotically exponential function of the previous term, and not too difficult (by considering how many braces an average subset contains) to derive a straightforward recurrence relation.
Interestingly, this was already on the OEIS under a different definition (based on rooted trees). I decided to add the next term to the b-file, even though they don’t generally like 20000-digit entries…
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We help healthcare providers to offer affordable healthcare at affordable cost to improve patient outcomes, through to;
- Adopt healthcare value-enhancing innovations.
- Improve health outcomes by designing and implementing integrated care solutions.
- Improve their organizational health structure to meet good performance.
- Transform their clinical operations to improve the quality of staff through training, engaging and inspiring hospital staff. Implement strategies, operating models, and organizational enhancements that sustain improvements in quality of care and boost cost-effectiveness.
- Contribute to the development of National plan, policy, and strategies by sharing our expertise and health data with them
- We help healthcare organizations use technology to enhance the analytic capability, increase operational transparency, and improve healthcare delivery.
- Establishing networks and connections with the international healthcare providers in delivering pharmaceutical and medical equipment
We also help healthcare beneficiaries to receive quality healthcare at an affordable price to improve their wellbeing by:
- Helping them find the appropriate hospital and the best specialist suited for their medical concern,
- Assisting them in facilitating their healthcare needs overseas by offering them advices on several things including the best hospitals to go, visa recommendations and quotations of their medical costs.
- Provide our clients with free counseling through the use of our technological capabilities to address seasonal public health issues.
- Making sure to respect hospital staff and allow doing their job, without abuse. | https://jaleelhc.com/?stm_service=counseling |
We are an interactive, hands-on science museum committed to inspiring people of all ages with a life-long love of learning and an appreciation for the world and our place in it.
Our non-profit is located in downtown Springfield and in 2006 completed a LEED gold certified expansion, bringing our current total exhibit space to 50,000 square feet. Discovery Center is a major attraction for the Springfield area and an educational resource for parents and schools throughout the region.
To aide supervisor and CZ staff in the following areas:.
Join our creative Exhibit Technician to develop exhibits and repair current displays. The intern should expect to learn all facets of developing science center exhibits from brainstorming initial plans to the completed on-floor exhibit. Interns are expected to have excellent interpersonal skills. Interns should possess good verbal communications skills and close attention to detail. It is important for all applicants to have an interest in informal education and some experience working with children or with a wide range of ages.
Improve productivity by performing ergonomic evaluations, time studies, simulation, and line balancing on current exhibits.
Ideal candidate will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and be enthusiastic about working with children and families in group and individual settings. Knowledge of basic science is helpful.
Support visitor experiences throughout the Center by exhibit interpretation, facilitating interactive learning, aiding hands-on learning experiences, and assisting in large group presentations.
The Center’s informal learning environment provides experiences, largely self-directed, that are enhanced by staff abilities to stimulate interest and help facilitate engagement in active science exploration using gallery exhibits, tabletop activities and demonstrations. Inquiry-based interaction is a key visitor contact strategy.
This internship will give the intern valuable real-world experience in print and web design.
Assist in designing ads for various publications, signage for exhibits, designs for fundraising events, etc.
This intern should be prepared to work in a fast-paced team environment, and will finish the internship having gained broad experience in various aspects of marketing. Must be cordial and have a strong customer-service orientation. Poised and well-groomed, professional appearance and demeanor. Self-directed, well-developed interpersonal skills, organized, willing to assume leadership role on projects, dependable, possess excellent telephone skills, proficient computer skills including Microsoft Office Suite, pay close attention to detail and have advanced writing skills.
Assist with Public Relations opportunities – may require accompanying guests to television and radio media appearances, assisting at onsite media and promotional events, staffing onsite film and exhibition previews, etc.
Manage and update the current list for sales and content contacts at local papers, journals, TV stations, etc.
Must possess an understanding of physical and/or life science, be a self-starter capable of researching and working independently, be able to work cooperatively with other staff members, be organized, and be creative. Must be enthusiastic and possess excellent interpersonal skills and be capable of attracting and engaging an audience for a large-scale demonstration.
Strong knowledge and understanding of the digital media landscape, including various social media websites is required. | https://www.discoverycenter.org/about-us/internships/ |
In the autumn of 2018 a diverse group of Scottish Citizens gathered over three days to make recommendations on shared decision-making in health and social care.
24 people shared ideas, opinions and experiences and questioned outside ‘experts’ before attempting to reach some consensus. The Citizens Jury was facilitated by Peter Bryant and Jez Hall of Shared Future CIC.
The Our Voice Citizens’ Jury on Shared Decision-making: Interim Report documents the process followed and lists, in the participants’ own words, their recommendations.
The Citizens’ Jury presented their 13 recommendations to Dr Catherine Calderwood, Chief Medical Officer and other key stakeholders in health and social care at an event in Dundee on 6 February 2019. These stakeholders discussed the implication of the recommendations, and the outputs of the event will be incorporated into a final report on improving Shared Decision Making, due within just a few months.
The question the Jury was asked to consider was:
‘What should shared decision making look like and what needs to be done for this to happen?’
On Wednesday 6th February the Scottish Health Council and Chief Medical Officer’s Realistic Medicine Team launched the Recommendations from Scotland’s Citizens Jury on Shared Decision Making
At this event, held in the Steeple Centre, Dundee participants explained the recommendations and the rationale behind them. Conversations began to look at how the recommendations could be taken forward by changing how services are delivered or to inform policies that encourage people to take an active part in maintaining their health. Thereby contributing towards both preventing and treating illness.
Watch Dr Catherine Calderwood’s YouTube statement about the launch.
The Scottish Government made the following clear commitment:
‘The Scottish Government is committed to carefully consider each of the jury’s recommendations and reply to them all, either with a commitment to action or an explanation as to why that recommendation cannot be taken forward’
‘We have done the task we were set and now rely on you to take our recommendations further’ were Citizens Jury member Brian’s final words. | https://sharedfuturecic.org.uk/realistic-medicine-recommendations-from-scotlands-citizens-jury-on-shared-decision-making/ |
With access to more than 18 million digitized facsimile pages spanning more than 400 years, Gale Historical Newspapers offers an unparalleled window to the past around the world.
Picture Post: All images © Getty Images; The Illustrated London News: All images © The Illustrated London News Ltd.
Gale Historical Newspapers supports in-depth scholarly research as a fully cross-searchable and cross-browseable portfolio of global historical newspapers and periodicals, providing access to more than 2,000 titles — from a single interface.
This collection contains 47 regional and local newspapers that illuminate diverse and distinct regional attitudes, cultures, and vernaculars, providing an alternative viewpoint to the London-centric national press.
This collection contains 22 regional and local newspapers that widen the geographic and political range of the British Library Newspapers series.
Part III adds even more regional and local depth to the British Library Newspaper series, encompassing powerful provincial news journals, local interest publications, and specialist titles.
Part of the most comprehensive range of regional and local newspapers published in Britain between the mid-eighteenth and mid-twentieth centuries ever made available in a digital collection, British Library Newspapers, Part IV: 1732-1950 provides 23 publications (nearly 1.4 million pages) from across the United Kingdom and Ireland to reflect the social, political, and cultural events of the times.
Part V: 1746-1950 adds even more regional and local depth to the British Library Newspaper series, featuring regional and local viewpoints especially from the northern part of the United Kingdom.
This collection offers access to more than 100 years of this major UK national newspaper, viewable in full digital facsimile form, with copious advertisements, news stories, and images that capture twentieth-century culture and society, providing an important alternative perspective to other newspapers such as the Times (London).
The Financial Times Historical Archive, 1888-2010 is an essential, comprehensive, and unbiased research tool for those studying public affairs and economic and financial history from the late nineteenth century to the early twenty-first century.
When first launched in 1842, the Illustrated London News marked a revolution in journalism and news reporting. It provided an unprecedented visual tour of the triumphs, tragedies, daily life, and monumental events of the world and the modern British Empire. The Illustrated London News Historical Archive, 1842-2003 is an invaluable asset to students and researchers of subjects including social history, fashion, drama, media, literature, advertising, graphic design, and politics, as well as the general public, particularly those interested in genealogy.
Liberty, a weekly illustrated magazine, charted the course of middle America from 1924 to 1950 with art, stories, and feature articles from some of the twentieth century's greatest authors, celebrities, artists, and politicians. This digital archive features the complete run of the magazine, including more than 17,000 stories and articles ranging from mystery and suspense to autobiography and humor, revealing the attitudes, lifestyles, fads, and desires of America in the first half of the twentieth century.
The Picture Post Historical Archive, 1938-1957 consists of the complete, fully searchable facsimile archive of the Picture Post, the iconic newspaper published in Britain from 1938 to 1957 that defined the style of photojournalism in the twentieth century. Picture Post Historical Archive provides students and researchers with online access to a unique visual record of the 1930s to 1950s, from the humorous and lighthearted snapshots of daily life to the serious and history-defining moments of domestic and international affairs.
The fully text-searchable online archive of Punch -- Punch Historical Archive, 1841-1992 -- is available for scholars, students, and the general researcher to explore. The archive is an unrivaled resource for researching and teaching nineteenth- and twentieth-century political and social history on key themes such as World War I and World War II; colonialism, imperialism and End of Empire; impact of new technology and modernity; public health, conservation and environmentalism; social change; and the role of women.
Since 1822, the Sunday Times has provided thoughtful analysis and commentary on the week's global news and society at large. World famous for its cutting-edge investigative journalism, the newspaper broke many of the key stories of the twentieth century. In more than 600,000 full-text searchable pages, this digital collection is a gateway to the greatest crimes, careers, and culture of the last 180 years.
The Economist is the definitive source for business and policy leaders, opinion shapers, and decision makers. Accordingly, this collection proves the ideal historical resource for researching cutting-edge ideas in a convenient format. Gale's digital technology delivers fully searchable news, supplements, advertisements, and letters that let researchers compare political and economic trends across continents and conduct credible research into the great events of the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries.
The Independent Digital Archive, 1986-2012 covers the full run of the newspaper from its very first issue until 2016. Through an intuitive interface and multiple search paths, users can search, retrieve, and browse every article, page, and edition of the newspaper, gaining insight into this crucial period of twentieth- and twenty-first-century culture and society and how the media represented it.
During the peak of the radio age, the BBC set a global standard in reporting and commentary. The network published transcripts of its broadcasts in an innovative weekly called the Listener. This magazine expanded upon the intellectual coverage of the week and offered original content that shed light on timely political and cultural issues. This collection provides rare access to the content of many early broadcasts and the BBC's perspective on the twentieth century.
The Telegraph Historical Archive, 1855-2000 is the fully-searchable digital archive of what was once the world's largest-selling newspaper. Researchers and students can full-text search across 1 million pages of the newspaper's backfile from its first issue to the end of 2000, including issues of the Sunday Telegraph from 1961.
Since 1902, the Times Literary Supplement has forged a reputation for fine writing, literary discoveries, and insightful debate. The TLS has attracted the contributions of the world's most influential writers and critics, from T.S. Eliot and Virginia Woolf in the 1920s and 1930s to A.N. Wilson and Christopher Hitchens in the 1990s and 2000s. The complete run of the TLS from 1902 to 2011 is now available online as The Times Literary Supplement Historical Archive.
The U.S. City Bureaus Collection offers access to records from the AP's domestic bureaus, dating from 1931 to 2004.
This collection provides access to Associated Press (AP) records documenting the administrations of eleven US presidents (1938-2009), including an extensive assortment of wire copy covering press conferences, travel, speeches, campaigns, and messages to Congress.
This collection covers significant news reporting on the key issues, individuals, and events in the history of World War I and the post-war period in America and abroad. | https://www.gale.com/primary-sources/historical-newspapers |
This article examines the public domain by looking at the gulf between what authors really do and the way the law perceives them. Part I outlines the basics of copyright as a species of property and introduces the public domain's place within the copyright scheme. Copyright grants authors" ' rights modeled on real property in order to encourage authorship by providing authors with markets in which they can seek compensation for their creations. Because parcels of authorship are intangible, however, the law faces *problems in determining the ownership and boundaries of its property grants. In particular, the concept of "originality ... | https://network.bepress.com/explore/law/?facet=publication_facet%3A%22Articles%22&facet=discipline%3A%22Legal+History%22&facet=subject_facet%3A%221976+Copyright+Act%22&facet=publication_year%3A%221990%22 |
How does the motion of Earth around the Sun cause the seasons to occur?
Some people mistakenly think that the seasons are caused by Earth being farther from the Sun in winter and closer to the Sun in summer. This is incorrect; Earth’s elliptical orbit is close enough to a perfect circle that distance is not the reason. In fact, Earth is closest to the Sun in early January and farthest in early July, which is exactly the opposite of our summer and winter seasons. The reason for the seasons has to do with the angle at which sunlight strikes any particular place on Earth at any given time of year. The angle changes throughout the year because the tilt of Earth’s axis differs from the ecliptic. Since the Earth is tilted 23.5 degrees, the Sun’s rays hit the northern and southern hemispheres unequally. When the Sun’s rays hit one hemisphere directly, the other hemisphere receives diffused rays. The hemisphere that receives the direct rays of the Sun experiences summer; the hemisphere that receives the diffused rays experiences winter. Thus, when it is summer in North America, it is winter in most of South America, and vice versa. | https://www.papertrell.com/apps/preview/The-Handy-Weather-Answer-Book/Handy%20Answer%20book/How-does-the-motion-of-Earth-around-the-Sun-cause-the-season/001137016/content/SC/52caff0f82fad14abfa5c2e0_Default.html |
At the end of the show, there will be a meeting with Mimmo Cuticchio, Virgilio Sieni and Vito Di Bernardi, author of the book “Ossatura. Mimmo Cuticchio e Virgilio Sieni: marionette e danza in Nudità”, Bulzoni Editore.
The show is an encounter between two worlds and two visions.
On stage together, Mimmo Cuticchio (winner of the lifetime achievement award at UBU Prize 2019) and Virgilio Sieni invent forms of interaction between body and puppet, between listening and tactility. The bodies of the dancer and the marionette are made to dialogue in an encounter of fundamental elements of everyday being: walking, sitting, falling, turning, touching.
The relationship between Dance and Marionette Works is a new element and a primary model that exploring the transfiguration of man and the nature of the gesture. Body and marionette, transmission and tactility, jointed body and gravity are the elements of this journey through the gesture – a representation of how humanity emerges from the various fragilities of the body and the puppet in interaction.
The two artists have been studying the anatomy of the marionette and the possibilities for the dancer’s body to appropriate techniques and artistic actions superficially considered “non-human.”
With the art of the marionette, the natural laws of the world come into crystal-clear view in the zone between suspension/horizontality and gravity/verticality, continuously reminding us of the “resonance” that is the source of our movements and posture as inhabitants of our planet.
The stories told here seek to reveal, in the meanders of the encounter between the two men, the game of transmission that “breaks down” their mastery.
Compagnia Virgilio Sieni, biography
Compagnia Virgilio Sieni
Founded in 1992, the Compagnia Virgilio Sieni constructs, through a progression of thematic cycles, a choreographic language characterized by the comprehensive exploration of the body and its movements. It is a language in continuous evolution, both in terms of composition and relations with audiences and the public, alternating stage performances and other, new formats for itinerant spectators in unconventional places, from woods to museums. The exploration of Greek tragedy, peregrinations in the landscapes of fairy tales and the probing of Lucretian philosophical notions with the dramaturgical participation of Giorgio Agamben are just a few of the stops along an itinerary that traverses anthropological and mythological realms, in continuous discourse with the present, in pursuit of a lost humanism. | https://www.viefestival.com/vie2020/en/spettacoli/nudita/ |
What is a Migraine anyway?
What is a Migraine? Why do they hurt so much? And, how do I make it stop?
Well, they don't really know what causes migraines or why they hurt so much unfortunately. In fact, they aren't even sure exactly how to treat each patient since everyone's condition is so unique. Migraine has no cure, but I hope you can find some relief techniques through this community.
It is now believed that migraine is a neurological disorder involving nerve pathways and brain chemicals. Traditionally, it was believed that it was due to the expansion and contraction of blood vessels.
Migraine often runs in families. However, genetics aren't the only factor, environment also plays a role.
Migraine an overwhelming collection of neurological symptoms that usually includes a severe throbbing recurring pain on one side of the head. However, 30% of migraine attacks, both sides are affected. Attacks last between 4 hours or longer and are often accompanied by one or more of the following disabling symptoms: visual disturbances, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, extreme sensitivity to sound, light, touch and smell, and tingling or numbness in the extremities or face. | https://migraine.savvity.net/articles/5a5fc8d01d41c80cb606c948-what-is-a-migraine-anyway |
Double Taxation Agreement Between Canada And South Africa
There probably won`t be any implications. This is due to the double taxation treaty between Canada and South Africa. If you need to decide in which country you want to pay taxes, you should first look at the terms of the contract to determine in which country you reside. The rules of the treaty take precedence over the national laws of both countries, so that even if South Africa changes one of its own laws, it does not affect the treaty. The problem will arise when they change the treaty, which they do not intend to do at the moment, as far as I know. Therefore, if, in accordance with the treaty, you are considered a resident of Canada and South Africa, you are considered a resident of Canada only if you have a permanent domicile in Canada and not in South Africa, for the purposes of the treaty. This means that you have to pay taxes only in Canada. Regardless of whether SA considers you a resident, if you have a home in Canada and not in SA, you are only considered a resident of Canada if you decide where to pay taxes. If you are only resident in Canada, you only pay taxes in Canada. There are a few exceptions, for example.
B for other types of taxes, so it may be worth reading and making sure that you are not affected in one way or another if you get other types of income such as royalties in SA, renting real estate in SA, etc. An inhabitant of a country for tax purposes is totally separated from your status as a “citizen”, “tourist”, “permanent resident”, etc. So you can be a citizen of SA, but not a taxpayer, and a tax resident in Canada, but not a citizen, etc. Huge difference between an expat and a permanent resident. Expats eventually return home – PRs end up becoming citizens in the new country that will become their new home. South Africa has an extensive network of double taxation treaties. Under certain conditions, the south African tax exemption generally applies where the natural person is established for tax purposes in the other country or jurisdiction for contractual purposes and must reside in South Africa for a reference period of 12 months of less than 183 days, as specified in the relevant double taxation convention. However, where the employee is paid by an established South African company (or is provided by local services) or his remuneration costs come into force to a South African company or are attributable to a South African permanent establishment (PE), this facilitation generally does not apply to that remuneration. Canada has double taxation agreements (SAAs) with the following countries: the Agreement between Canada and the Federal Republic of Germany, signed on July 17, 1981. – Return – Protocol amending the Agreement between Canada and Switzerland as signed on October 22, 2010. I don`t know if this has ever been posted, but here`s an article that describes the situation with the new expat tax law and the double deal in the same way that my own research has shown. | https://2019.stickprimo.com/2021/09/17/double-taxation-agreement-between-canada-and-south-africa/ |
# 1985 Algarrobo earthquake
An earthquake measuring 8.0 Mw struck Santiago Chile on 3 March 1985, and ended up killing 177 people and injuring about 2,575 others. This earthquake was being felt between the northern Antofagasta Region and the southern Los Lagos Region. It was felt with a maximum intensity of VIII on the Mercalli intensity scale.
## Damage and effects
The quake left 177 people dead, 2,575 injured, 85,358 houses damaged or destroyed and about a million people homeless. Many landslides were registered too, pavement breaks with the destruction of the Pan-American Highway in several points, broken-down bridges and considerable damage in affected town's infrastructure, with a long interruption on basic services. The damage was valued in more than 1 billion US dollars.
Reports by local residents in the coastal area from Matanzas to several kilometers north of Algarrobo indicated unusually low tides for a period of 3 to 5 days following the earthquake. After this, the tides reportedly returned to normal. This suggests that there was earthquake-related uplift along parts of the coast which was recovered in 3 to 5 days after the earthquake. Near Algarrobo, an estimate of the change is about 20 cm uplift.
## Tectonic setting
Chile lies on the boundary between the Nazca Plate of the South Pacific continental plate. This results in Chile being one of the most seismically active regions in the world. On average, a magnitude 8 earthquake or greater occurs in the region about once every 25 years. Meaning that there is an expectation that a similar earthquake will happen in Chile in the future every 25 years. The main shock was actually made up of at least two shocks, with the initial motion beginning at approximately 11:00 PM followed by a greater event soon after. The magnitudes of the first and second shocks were calculated to be 5.2 and 6.9 respectively. The calculated proportion of energy released as aftershocks vs the main shock was relatively high, most likely due to the 7.2 aftershock on 9 April.
## Scientific understanding
The earthquake was seen as particularly powerful, garnering the attention of the United States. They sent a team of geologists to study its effects because the overall information that could be gained from studying the earthquake could give better understandings overall of these powerful earthquakes. This earthquake in particular was considered extremely important in the understanding of earthquakes as "it was very significant as a geophysical event and that the scientific and engineering study of this major shock would be of great value in improving our understanding of plate margin earthquakes, the distribution of strong ground motion, resulting building damage and geologic effects such as soil liquefaction and landsliding". The 1985 Algarrobo earthquake shows a clear example of how these types of natural phenomenon can be studied and be used to better help humanity in the future in order to minimize the damages to both infrastructure and human lives. The precautions that Chile takes now in order to mitigate future risks is to educate its citizens in drills on how to react, having better building codes, and studying seismic data. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_Algarrobo_Earthquake |
NSF Grant "The Genomic Basis of Electric Signal Diversity" is Funded!
Jason Gallant, assistant professor of Zoology received a $699,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to investigate the genomic basis of electric signal diversity in mormyrid electric fish. Electric fish, such as mormyrids, produce weak electric fields for the purposes of communication and navigation through their environments. As part of this three-year research project starting in May 2015, Gallant will leverage his recent discovery of a ‘hybrid zone’ between populations of electric fish with distinct electric signals to identify genes responsible for differences in electric signals. The project will draw on next-generation genomic sequencing technologies, as well the development of new transgenic techniques in electric fish. This research is important because electric discharges are a critical component in the speciation of mormyrid electric fish. Identifying genes responsible for behavioral differences within species will ultimately help biologists understand how changes in behavior can facilitate, or perhaps cause, one species to become multiple species. In connection with the work, Gallant’s laboratory will bring a new educational outreach program, focusing on “forms of energy”, to middle school students in Olivet, MI. | https://efish.integrativebiology.msu.edu/2015/01/15/nsf-grant-the-genomic-basis-of-electric-signal-diversity-is-funded.html |
Right to water
The human right to water is a right (Re)sources has defended and advocated since 2005 as a fundamental right for human development.
The right to water: a global history
The right to water had explicitly belonged to two international conventions in force: the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the 1998 Convention on the Rights of the Child.
In 2000, the United Nations General Assembly stated that the “right to water is a fundamental human right”. Since 2002, the right to water has implicitly belonged to this covenant (1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, ICESCR). The right to water is internationally recognized as a basic right (article 11 of the Covenant, General Comment No. 15). The comment gives an official interpretation of the covenant, yet this interpretation is not formally binding for the States Parties.
The Johannesburg Declaration adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 extends this basic water right to a right to sanitation.
The Right to Water finally recognized in 2010
The Right to Water finally was recognized at the international level by the United Nations General Assembly on July 28th 2010. The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution stating that the right to a safe drinking water is a “fundamental human right essential to the full enjoyment of life and all other human rights”.
The resolution calls all upon States and international organizations to “provide financial resources, help capacity-building and technology transfer, through international assistance and cooperation, in particular developing countries, in order to scale up efforts to provide safe, clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for all.”
On November 21st 2013, the resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly sent another strong political signal supporting the Right to Water. There now exists a legal act recognizing the Human Right to Water and Sanitation at the international level.
Yet this is just a first step to the Right to Water, especially in developing countries. Implementing the Right to Water is first and foremost the responsibility of public authorities to define at the national level the rights and financial mechanisms underlying this basic right, and to carry out at the local level the implementation of investments and services. The challenge remains substantial due to the multi-faceted nature of the issues at stake: geographic and financial accessibility, equity, quantitative availability in space and time, or even drinkability of the water.
(Re)sources' recommendations
Since the establishment of its network, (Re)sources tirelessly supported the Right to Water by: | http://www.thinktank-resources.com/en/themes/access-to-water/right-to-water |
A method of preparing a cohesive product having a density of from 250 kg/m3 to 900 kg/m3 from a low density feedstock, such as a milled thermoset resin foam, includes the steps of providing the feedstock in the form of substantially dry finely divided particles or fibres, mixing the feedstock with a suitable amount of a thermosetting resin in finely divided dry powder form and a suitable amount of a hydraulic binder in finely divided dry powder form, to give a dry starting material having a compression ratio of at least 2:1, and forming the starting material into a mat and pressing the mat at suitable conditions of temperature and pressure to compress the mat and to cause the thermosetting resin to set to form the cohesive product. Thereafter, there may be provided to the cohesive product water in an amount sufficient for the hydration of the hydraulic binder so that the hydraulic binder sets to form a finished product. | |
If we are to correctly assess the root causes of terrorism and successfully address the threat, we must think more like economists do....
After the end of the Cold War, liberalism emerged as the world's dominant political-economic ideology, and economic liberalism seemed to have achieved global hegemony. In Liberalism in Illiberal States, Mark...
Modern societies develop very quickly. However, along with rapid economic growth, comes risk to the economic system. That is why there is a need for study of the institutional base on which modern society is...
An International Bestseller
"Accessible, provocative, and highly readable." —Alan Cowell, New York Times
In this crucial expansion and update of his landmark bestseller, renowned economist and Nobel Prize...
This title was first published in 2002. This convenient reference brings together notable contributions examining all aspects of the liability for environmental accidents. Articles included in the Part I of...
Basics First introduces an innovative way of thinking about money. Sema and Manu Dube argue that we do away with regulations, allow people to travel wherever they want and trade freely. Simple enough, but trade...
After decades of economic integration and EU enlargement, the economic geography of Europe has shifted, with new peripheries emerging and the core showing signs of fragmentation. This book examines the paths...
Finance & Development, December 2017
The prolonged political uncertainty has taken a toll on economic growth, with investment suffering because of weak sentiment. With the formation of the new government, policies should now focus on rebuilding...
Selected Issues
Continued low energy prices and three years of recession have significantly widened fiscal deficits. Absent consolidation, fiscal balances and public debt are projected to be on an unsustainable medium-term...
Lingering effects of the Ebola epidemic and the commodity price decline and the withdrawal of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) are delaying the economic recovery. Growth is below expectations, while...
Sweden's economy continues to perform well, yet wage rises and inflation remain low. Growth of just over 3 percent is expected in 2017, with job creation running at over 2 percent, and underlying inflation around...
Nonperforming loans (NPLs) have risen and private sector credit growth has turned negative, due to the severe pressures of 2015-16. The pressures included slower economic growth, sharply lower copper prices,...
Selected Issues
This paper suggests that the environmental and commercial features of shale gas extraction do not warrant a significantly different fiscal regime than recommended for conventional gas. Fiscal policies may have...
This paper studies the transmission of bank capital shocks to loan supply in Indonesia. A series of theoretically founded dynamic panel data models are estimated and find nonlinear effects of capital on loan...
This paper assesses external trade statistics in Lao PDR by looking at mirror statistics, and with reference to international experience in compilation and dissemination of external trade data. We find that...
All types of recessions, on average, not just those associated with financial and political crises (as in Cerra and Saxena, AER 2008), lead to permanent output losses. These findings have far-reaching conceptual...
This papers explores the effects of real exchange rate depreciations on growth across sectors, identifying export, cost, and import-penetration channels. It tests the existence and magnitude of these channels... | http://www.feedbooks.com/store/recent?category=FBBUS069020 |
Dine on Wine
Calling all wine lovers! From reds and whites to rosé, it's undeniable that wine is a girl's best friend. “A glass a day keeps the doctor away”.. so we say! We can’t have enough of this delicious drink so why not incorporate it into our second favorite thing -- food!
Here’s a couple wine infused recipes from across the web perfect for all you wine lovers out there!
Drunken Cheesy Bread from Real Simple
Ingredients:
Butter for the pan
1/2 baguette, cut into 2-inch slices
1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/8 pound thinly sliced cooked ham
3/4 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon
1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere
Directions
1. Heat oven to 400° F. Place the bread in a buttered ovenproof skillet, a 9-inch square baking dish, or a casserole.
2. Scatter the onion and ham over the bread. Pour the wine over the onion and ham and sprinkle with the pepper and Gruyère.
3. Bake until the cheese has melted and begun to brown at the edges, about 20 minutes. Spoon onto individual plates.
Flat Iron Steak With Cabernet Sauce from Sandra Lee on the Food Network
Ingredients:
1 (1 1/2-pound) flat iron steak
1 cup beef broth
1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon (recommended: BV Napa Cabernet)
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
1 shallot, diced
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. In a small pot over high heat, add the broth and wine and simmer until reduced by half
2. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it is very hot.
3. Season the steak with the grill seasoning and put it in the skillet.
4. Cook about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare.
5. Remove it from the pan, cover it with foil, and let it rest for 5 minutes
6. Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium and add the shallots.
7. Cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
8. Add the reduced broth and wine mixture and cook until thickened
9. Stir in the butter and cook until the butter is melted and incorporated into the sauce
10. Slice the steak against the grain into thin slices, arrange them on a serving platter and serve with the sauce on the side or poured over top.
Drunken Pasta from The Italian Dish
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, cut into 3 pieces
1/2 teaspoon red hot chili pepper
1-1/2 cups red wine
8 ounces spaghetti
pinch of salt
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Directions
1. Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil, garlic and chili pepper on low heat. Gently cook about 5 minutes, being careful not to let the garlic burn.
3. Remove the garlic and add the red wine. Increase the heat to medium.
4. Add pasta to boiling water and cook for only about 3 minutes.
5. Drain well and add to the skillet, tossing in the wine with tongs until wine is absorbed and pasta is cooked, about 2 more minutes.
6. Test pasta for doneness. Taste for salt and add what you feel it needs.
7. Toss with the cheese and parsley and serve.
Merlot Hot Fudge Sauce from EatLiveRun
Ingredients:
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup light corn syrup
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp good quality cocoa
¼ tsp sea salt
3 tbsp Barefoot Merlot
Directions
1. Finely chop the chocolate and place in a medium sized sauce pot.
2. Add all other ingredients except for the wine. Bring to a boil then simmer for one minute, stirring constantly.
3. Remove sauce from the heat and stir in the Merlot.
4. Let sauce stand for ten minutes and then serve warm over ice cream, brownies or fruit.
Which of these will you be treating yourself to? Let us know in the comments below! | https://www.influenster.com/article/dine-on-wine |
Abstract: This research is applied in private HEIs to study and evaluate the level of satisfaction, and to estimate the level of participation and engagement of students and academic staff. Two surveys for students and academic staff were used and administrated in 40 HEIs. The sample was drawn from the target population and divided into sub-stratified random samples for each HEI. Student and academic staff satisfaction and student and academic staff participation and engagement were estimated and provided significant signs to HEIs. The demographic variables of participants (students and academic staff) in this project were studied and demonstrated. In order to check the precision and robustness of the final results of this paper, several statistical tests were applied. Conclusions, recommendations, limitations and future research directions were discussed. | http://www.ijqr.net/paper.php?id=613 |
There is huge potential to improve humanitarian response if the international community can maximize the use of new technology, such as branchless banking and mobile cash transfers.
This is according to a new report that encourages the humanitarian community to strengthen its links with the information and communication technology sector. The report suggests establishing a new agency to oversee this relationship. The agency would also be responsible for moderating technological development for aid, promote the adoption of e-payment standards and develop guidelines for cash transfers, the report says.
In addition to creating an agency, the report urges the humanitarian community to collaborate with service providers to improve existing mobile networks and branchless banking systems. There is no need to develop new solutions if existing ones can be scaled up and improved, it argues. The report also warns against introducing new technologies in disaster-hit areas with limited infrastructure to begin with.
Further, the report stresses the need to develop the aid community’s capacity to use new technology during humanitarian disasters.
As for donors, the report says they should offer incentives to encourage the private sector to develop platforms for humanitarian uses and to support aid agencies’ adoption of such platforms and related technology.
Read more:
Read more development aid news online, and subscribe to The Development Newswire to receive top international development headlines from the world’s leading donors, news sources and opinion leaders — emailed to you FREE every business day. | https://www.devex.com/news/how-can-the-humanitarian-community-maximize-use-of-new-technologies-78004 |
Each year the American Diabetes Association (ADA) updates its evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes. The current version of the guidelines is published each January as a supplement to the journal Diabetes Care and an abridged version for primary care in the journal Clinical Diabetes. The Standards (over 200 published pages) have 16 sections and even the abridged version for primary care is over 25 pages. The ADA has free online resources explaining the Standards, including a slide deck, apps for online and mobile use, and a half-hour CE webcast on the key updates and highlights from the 2021 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes by ADA’s Chief Scientific and Medical Officer, Robert Gabbay, MD, PhD. The ADA had an annual CME program “Diabetes Is Primary” designed to update primary care practitioners on the Standards but there were no presentations in 2020, and there is currently no posting of upcoming presentations.
Detection and optimal management of diabetes is particularly important now because diabetes not only substantially increases the risk of morbidity and mortality from Coronavirus SARS2 infection, but infection is associated with an increased incidence of new diabetes of both Types 1 and 2.
The intention of this article is not to summarize the entire Standards but review the annual update with emphasis on those changes most relevant to primary care practice.
- Improving Care and Promoting Health in Populations
Social determinants of health may have a greater influence on outcomes in diabetes than medical interventions. Involving agencies outside the treatment team may prevent “cost-related medication non-adherence”.
- Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes
Routine screening for diabetes and pre-diabetes should begin at age 45 and be repeated at 3-year intervals unless there are risk factors including obesity, hypertension, pregnancy, HIV, family history, or the use of chronic medications that affect glucose tolerance that warrant earlier screening.
- Prevention or Delay of Type 2 Diabetes
Individuals with pre-diabetes may need at least 7% body weight loss and 150 minutes of exercise per week to prevent progression to diabetes. Obese adolescents should get an hour of exercise including both strength training and aerobics.
- Comprehensive Medical Evaluation and Assessment of Comorbidities
Because of the pandemic, there is increased emphasis on keeping all vaccines current, careful evaluation for complications and comorbidities, and discussion with documentation of an advanced care plan including designation of surrogates for medical decisions.
- Facilitating Behavior Change and Well-Being to Improve Health Outcomes
Providers should facilitate participation in diabetes self-management and education systems (DSMES) and medical nutrition therapy (MNT). Providers should encourage physical activity tailored to any microvascular complications, smoking cessation, and “mindful self-compassion”.
- Glycemic Targets
A1C targets and frequency of measurement are unchanged, but there is increased emphasis on “diabetes technology” including interpretation of several indices from continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices. Primary care providers will increasingly see standardized ambulatory glucose profile (AGP) reports from these devices including not just average glucose and glucose variability but now targeted “glucose management indicators” (GMI) and “time in range” (TIR).
- Diabetes Technology
Because of the proliferation of CGM technology and the increased reliability of transcutaneous sensors, the trend in data gathering is shifting from self-monitored blood glucose (SMBG) reporting to “professional” CGM where a patient gets a device from the provider’s office (like arrhythmia monitoring), wears it for 14 days, and returns it with professional interpretation of the results against the glycemic targets mentioned above. CGM is increasingly used in patients with multiple daily injections or those with insulin pumps (especially during pregnancy).
- Obesity Management for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes
Providers are cautioned to use “patient-centered non-judgmental language” to foster collaboration and to measure BMI at least annually to guide therapy. Behavioral counseling, nutritional counseling, and physical activity coaching require frequent visits to be most effective.
- Pharmacologic Approaches to Glycemic Treatment
For both T1 and T2DM, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) reduce mortality and progression of both congestive heart failure (CHF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). For patients without CHF or CKD but with increased cardiovascular risk, either glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) or SGLT2i with proven cardiovascular benefit is recommended. For T2DM, if injectable therapy is needed, GLP-1RA is preferred over insulin if the patient can afford it.
- CVD and Risk Management
Lifestyle modification focusing on weight loss (if indicated); application of a Mediterranean style or DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating pattern; reduction of saturated fat and trans fat; increase of dietary n-3 fatty acids, viscous fiber, and plant stanols/sterols intake; and increased physical activity should be recommended to improve the lipid profile and reduce the risk of developing ASCVD in patients with diabetes. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) are preferred for treatment of hypertension. Statins with at least moderate low density lipoprotein reducing capability are preferred for prevention of hyperlipidemia. Aspirin (75-162mg/d) is recommended for high risk or established atherosclerotic disease but not for primary prevention.
- Microvascular Complications and Foot Care
Spot urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio, screening for peripheral neuropathy, dilated retinal examination, and foot examinations should be done annually in patients with T2DM.
- Older Adults
Annual screening for neurocognitive functioning, depression, vision, fall risk, incontinence, and polypharmacy is recommended. Older adults on medications for diabetes should be asked about symptoms of hypoglycemia at every visit.
- Children and Adolescents
Treatment of youth-onset type 2 diabetes should include lifestyle management, diabetes self-management education, and pharmacologic treatment by a multidisciplinary team. Current pharmacologic treatment options for youth-onset type 2 diabetes are limited to three approved drugs: insulin, metformin, and liraglutide.
- Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy
Insulin is the preferred medication for treating hyperglycemia in gestational diabetes. Women with preexisting diabetes who are planning a pregnancy should ideally be managed beginning in preconception in a multidisciplinary clinic including an endocrinologist, maternal-fetal medicine specialist, RD/RDN, and CDCES, when available.
- Diabetes Care in the Hospital
Use of only a sliding-scale insulin regimen in the inpatient hospital setting is strongly discouraged. If oral medications are held in the hospital, there should be a protocol for resuming them 1–2 days before discharge.
- Diabetes Advocacy
ADA has many public position statements and advocacy groups including a group petitioning pharmaceutical manufacturers to improve insulin access and affordability. | https://primarycarenetwork.org/2021/03/23/ada-standards-of-medical-care-in-diabetes-2021-update/ |
---
abstract: 'Supernova remnants (SNRs) are complex, three-dimensional objects; properly accounting for this complexity when modeling the resulting X-ray emission presents quite a challenge and makes it difficult to accurately characterize the properties of the full SNR volume. We apply for the first time a novel analysis method, Smoothed Particle Inference, that can be used to study and characterize the structure, dynamics, morphology, and abundances of the entire remnant with a single analysis. We apply the method to the Type Ia supernova remnant DEM L71. We present histograms and maps showing global properties of the remnant, including temperature, abundances of various elements, abundance ratios, and ionization age. Our analysis confirms the high abundance of Fe within the ejecta of the supernova, which has led to it being typed as a Ia. We demonstrate that the results obtained via this method are consistent with results derived from numerical simulations carried out by us, as well as with previous analyses in the literature. At the same time, we show that despite its regular appearance, the temperature and other parameter maps exhibit highly irregular substructure which is not captured with typical X-ray analysis methods.'
author:
- 'Kari A. Frank'
- Vikram Dwarkadas
- Aldo Panfichi
- Ryan Matthew Crum
- 'David N. Burrows'
bibliography:
- 'deml71\_paper.bib'
title: Smoothed Particle Inference Analysis of SNR DEM L71
---
Introduction {#section:intro}
============
Supernova remnants (SNRs) are invaluable tools for studying stellar evolution, supernovae, and the interstellar medium. As a SNR expands into the interstellar medium (ISM), the shock probes the ambient medium. Heavy elements produced by nucleosynthesis in the progenitor star, and in the explosion, are carried out by the shock wave. The outgoing fast shock reaches velocities of thousands of kilometers per second, with the resulting post-shock temperatures exceeding millions of degrees. As a result, the best wavelength range to probe the bulk of the remnant is X-rays. However, SNRs have complex morphology, in 3 dimensions. They also have correspondingly complex spectral properties, typically with significant variation across the face of the remnant, as well as along the line-of-sight. Relative to this spatial and spectral complexity, X-ray observations of SNRs typically provide very few photons. These factors combine to make accurately measuring the physical conditions throughout the entire SNR volume a very challenging endeavor.
The SPIES (Smoothed Particle Inference Exploration of Supernova remnants) project aims to address this challenge by applying a fundamentally different approach to analyzing X-ray observations of SNRs. Smoothed Particle Inference (SPI) was developed specifically for [[*XMM-Newton*]{}]{} [@Peterson2007] and it simultaneously takes advantage of both the spatial and spectral information available in the data. SPI is a Bayesian modeling process that fits a population of gas blobs (“smoothed particles") such that their superposed emission reproduces the observed spatial and spectral distribution of photons. The results of this completely independent approach can be compared with results from numerical simulations as well as results derived from more traditional analysis techniques. Here we demonstrate the unique capabilities of SPI and compare it to more traditional X-ray analysis methods by applying SPI to the Type Ia supernova remnant [DEM L71]{}.
[DEM L71]{} was first identified as an optical SNR in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) more than 40 years ago by @daviesetal76. It was detected in X-rays in an [*Einstein*]{} survey by @longetal81. Since then, it has been further observed in X-rays using [*ASCA*]{} [@hughesetal98], [[*Chandra*]{}]{} [@hughesetal03; @rakowskietal03 hereafter [H03]{} and [R03]{}], and [[*XMM-Newton*]{}]{} [@vanderheydenetal03; @Maggi2016 hereafter [vdH03]{} and [M16]{}].
The X-ray morphology is remarkably regular, with a bright outer rim and a faint, diffuse center, usually interpreted as the forward shock and reverse-shocked ejecta, respectively. Most previous analyses have therefore characterized the physical conditions in [DEM L71]{} with two sets of spectral parameters: one for the outer rim, and one for the center emission. [[*ASCA*]{}]{} observations had indicated that the remnant ejecta were enhanced in Fe [@hughesetal98], which was further confirmed by subsequent high-resolution observations with [[*Chandra*]{}]{} ([H03]{}, [R03]{}) and [[*XMM-Newton*]{}]{} ([vdH03]{}). These observations, along with associated Fe ejecta mass estimates of $\sim$1.4[M$_{\odot}$]{}([H03]{}, [vdH03]{}), suggest that the progenitor of [DEM L71]{} was a Type Ia supernova (SN), which are expected to have high Fe abundances. Optical observations of the Balmer-dominated shock velocities by @ghavamianetal03 [hereafter [G03]{}] yield an age estimate of $\sim$4400 years. Throughout this work, we assume a distance to the LMC and [DEM L71]{} of 50 kpc.
Numerical Hydrodynamic Simulations {#section:simulations}
==================================
In order to better interpret the results of the SPI analysis, we have carried out spherically symmetric one and two-dimensional numerical hydrodynamic simulations of the evolution of [DEM L71]{}. Analytical approximations can help to understand the overall evolution of the remnant, but are unable to capture the complex dynamics and kinematics. Numerical simulations are necessary to investigate the detailed morphology, deviations from symmetry, and hydrodynamical instabilities. They can be used to study the temperature, density, and velocity profiles, and the small-scale structure within the remnant, and to provide an adequate theoretical framework to analyze our SPI results. Results from the these simulations can be used to determine distinguishing properties of the different components of the SNR, such as the contact discontinuity and the ejecta, which can then be used to identify these components in our SPI results.
The explosion of a star to form a supernova (SN) gives rise to a forward shock that propagates outwards into the medium with a high velocity, and a reverse shock that moves back into the ejecta in a Lagrangian sense. The two are separated by a contact discontinuity (CD) that separates the shocked ejecta from the shocked circumstellar medium (CSM). The decelerating contact discontinuity is subject to Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instabilities that can result in some mixing of shocked ejecta into shocked CSM. The density profile of the ejecta and of the CSM are essential to deciphering the shock structure, and kinematics and dynamics of the evolution [see, for instance, @vvd11 and references within].
Observations around the rim of the remnant have detected a wide variation in the expansion velocity of the remnant, ranging from around 400 to about 1250 km s$^{-1}$ [@rakowskietal03; @Rakowski2009]. These suggest an asymmetry in the expansion. Our spherically symmetric simulations are not designed to reproduce such an asymmetry; therefore we have not attempted to match all the parameters. Rather, our goal was to carry out simulations that allow us to adequately understand the histograms and maps generated from the SPI analysis, and provide a framework to interpret the output from the SPI analysis. Our simulations were run using the VH-1 code, a 1, 2, and 3-dimensional finite-difference numerical hydrodynamics code, based on the Piecewise Parabolic Method of @cw84. The initial setup is very similar to that used in @dc98 and @vvd00. Description of the code is available in these papers.
[H03]{} identify the contact discontinuity in [DEM L71]{} as the edge of an inner region of harder X-ray emission, and find that it has a mean radius of 4.3 pc, which is about halfway out to the forward shock. The reverse shock will be at a much lower radius. Since the ejecta are expanding homologously, their density decreases as t$^{-3}$, which means that the density has decreased substantially, given the estimated age of the remnant. The reverse shock expanding into this low density would have moved back into the ejecta, suggesting that much of the ejecta has been recently shocked and the reverse shock has recently reached, or is close to, the center of the explosion.
@dc98 have shown that the ejecta density in a Type Ia SN explosion is best represented by an exponential profile. We used this profile to describe the SN ejecta expanding into a constant density medium with a density $\sim$$0.5$ cm$^{-3}$, as suggested by [G03]{}. Our simulations used an expanding grid, such that the grid expands outwards with the flow; this is extremely useful in cases like this where the remnant size grows by 4 orders of magnitude over the simulation time. The main constraints are the radius of the remnant, which is somewhere between 8.6 – 10 pc, and the forward shock velocities, which are of order a few hundred km s$^{-1}$.
We first carried out simulations assuming canonical parameters such as a standard energy of 10$^{51}$ erg, and a mass of 1.4[M$_{\odot}$]{}. However, at the remnant radius of even 10pc, we find that the velocities are higher than the highest observed velocities, at an age of about 3600 years. This implies either a much higher density, or a lower explosion energy. Following the results of [G03]{}, we lowered the energy to 0.4 $\times 10^{51}$ erg, and reran the simulations. These provide much better agreement with the available data.
In Figure \[fig:den\] we show the pressure and density profile within the remnant at an age of 3987 years from our simulation. The age and the shock velocity are consistent with the results of [H03]{}, which is not very surprising since they used a similar model in their calculations.
![The pressure (green) and density (red) profiles within the remnant, from the simulation outlined in the text. Time in years is given at the top. Density scale is on the left axis, pressure scale on the right axis. Number density is calculated by assuming a mean molecular weight of $\approx$ 1.35. []{data-label="fig:den"}](f1.pdf){width="50.00000%"}
The forward shock of the remnant is at about 8.5pc. In our expanding grid simulation, the reverse shock has crossed inward of the inner boundary, and presumably reached the center or is very close to it. The solution in a few zones near the inner boundary reflects that and should be ignored. At around 4.3pc lies the contact discontinuity (CD), which separates the shocked ejecta from the shocked circumstellar medium (CSM). Everything inward of the CD is ejecta, thus showing that even at this late stage the (shocked) ejecta are clearly visible. Everything outside the CD is the shocked CSM. We note that the maximum density is immediately behind the circumstellar shock. The density decreases inwards till it reaches the CD, where it increases again, before decreasing towards the center. The majority of the CSM can be seen to have a higher density than most of the ejecta. The pressure drops somewhat behind the outer shock but is then mostly constant throughout the remnant. The temperature structure will then be essentially the inverse of the density structure.
In Figure \[fig:temp\] we show the gas temperature within the remnant. It must be emphasized that this is the fluid temperature, and is obtained by assuming a constant value of the mean molecular weight throughout the remnant. One would expect that the ejecta would generally be higher in metals than the CSM and therefore the mean molecular weight would be different. More importantly, this does not reflect the electron temperature, which may be lower if electron-ion equilibration has not been established, as is most likely the case. However, it provides us some idea of the temperature profile throughout the remnant, and indicates that on average the ejecta have a higher temperature than the CSM. There will be a small region of shocked circumstellar material with a much higher temperature than the ejecta, but the mass there is very small compared to the total CSM mass.
![The gas temperature within the remnant at an age of about 4000 years, from the simulation outlined in the text.[]{data-label="fig:temp"}](f2.pdf){width="50.00000%"}
It is clear that the material nearest to both the shocks forms the most recently shocked material. This material will consequently have the lowest ionization age $n_e t$. However, the low ionization age material behind the outer shock will have essentially the highest density, whereas the low ionization age material near the reverse shock, closer to the center of the remnant, will have the lowest density. Since the ejecta generally have a lower density, they will have on average lower ionization age than the CSM. Similarly, we expect that the ejecta, if this is truly a Type Ia remnant as emphasized by many of the above papers, should display higher metallicity, and specifically high abundances of Fe and Si as expected from Type Ia SNe. These distinguishing characteristics can be used to separate the ejecta from the CSM during the SPI analysis.
In the spherically symmetric simulations, the CD is a sharp surface that cleanly separates the shocked ejecta from the shocked CSM. In reality however the decelerating CD is unstable to the Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability [@cbe92], leading to the growth of R-T ‘fingers’ extending out from the shocked ejecta into the shocked CSM. Shearing between the fingers and the surrounding fluid gives rise to the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, and ‘mushroom caps’ can be seen atop the R-T fingers. The growth of R-T instability in SNRs of Type Ia was studied by @vvd00 for an exponential ejecta profile. In order to study the multi-dimensional evolution and kinematics, we have run a two-dimensional (2D) simulation using approximately the same parameters as the 1-dimensional run. The simulation was run with 500 radial and 500 angular zones on an expanding grid. As expected, the CD was found to be unstable to the growth of R-T instability. In Figure \[fig:temp2d\] we show a frame from the 2D simulation at approximately the same time as the 1D run above. The image shows the temperature distribution across the grid. The temperature profile follows more or less the 1D profile in Figure \[fig:temp\], except at the contact discontinuity, where the turbulence due to the R-T and K-H instabilities results in considerable temperature variation around the CD, due to the presence of the R-T fingers that mix shocked ejecta with the shocked CSM. The effect of the temperature (and density) variations is to effectively widen the CD, which is now no longer a sharp spherical surface but has a width of around 10-15% of the remnant radius (0.9- 1.4pc), centered at about 4.5 pc.
![A filled contour plot of the gas temperature (in keV) within the remnant at an age of 3988.6 years, from the 2-dimensional simulation described in the text. The contact discontinuity (CD) is found to be unstable, and R-T fingers topped by K-H caps are clearly seen around the CD. The effect of the instability is to spread the CD over a wide region, over 10% of the remnant radius. It leads to a considerable variation of temperatures in the region of the CD, as shown.[]{data-label="fig:temp2d"}](f3.pdf){width="50.00000%"}
SPI Analysis {#section:analysis}
============
Observations and Data Reduction {#section:observationsreduction}
-------------------------------
We use the [[*XMM*]{}]{} EPIC observation 0201840101 from 2003 December, the longest available observation of [DEM L71]{}. The exposure-corrected image is shown in Figure \[fig:xmmimage\]. Our SPI analysis requires only a filtered photon event list and exposure map for each detector (MOS1, MOS2, and pn). These were created using SAS 16.0, primarily the tasks [*emchain*]{} and [*epchain*]{}. To exclude non-X-ray events, the event lists were filtered to include only photon event patterns 0-12. They were filtered further to exclude events with energies outside of the 0.2-10 keV range. Periods affected by soft proton flares were removed. The resulting number of events and exposure for each detector are shown in Table \[table:obs\]. For the SPI analysis, only events within a $150''\times150''$ box centered on [DEM L71]{} were included. [DEM L71]{} is approximately circular with a radius of $\sim$45$''$.
![Combined EPIC-pn and MOS exposure-corrected image in the 0.2-8.0 keV band.[]{data-label="fig:xmmimage"}](f4.pdf){width="40.00000%"}
Detector Events Net Exposure (ks)
---------- --------- -------------------
MOS1 175100 58.1
MOS2 357621 58.3
pn 1034574 58.3
: XMM-EPIC Observation 0201840101[]{data-label="table:obs"}
Smoothed Particle Inference {#section:SPI}
---------------------------
Smoothed Particle Inference [@Peterson2007] owes its flexibility to its modeling of the gas as a collection of independent ‘smoothed particles,’ or [blobs]{} of gas. Emission from all blobs is combined to represent the net X-ray emission from the SNR. Each blob has its own spectral and spatial model, typically including the gas temperature, abundances, spectral normalization, Gaussian width, and spatial position. Multiple [blobs]{} can occupy the same line of sight, or even the same space, providing the ability to model a multiphase gas. While the [blobs]{} themselves are spherically symmetric, no particular morphology or symmetry is assumed in their arrangement. The size and position of each [blob]{} can be adjusted independently, which allows the multi-blob model to reproduce any arbitrary distribution (within limits imposed by the quality of the X-ray observation). This method is quite powerful, as it becomes a relatively straightforward task to characterize the distributions of any number of gas properties from the posterior distributions of the relevant blob parameters. SPI was specifically developed for the analysis of [[*XMM-Newton*]{}]{} RGS and EPIC observations [@Peterson2007], and has been previously applied to observations of galaxy clusters [@Andersson2007; @Andersson2009; @Frank2013].
Fitting Procedure
-----------------
SPI uses a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) process to forward-fold the blob model and predict detector positions and energies for each photon. In this way SPI utilizes all available spectral and spatial information without imposing artificial restrictions on either the spatial or spectral distribution of the gas emission. A set of emitted photons is simulated for each blob, according to each blob’s spectral and spatial model. These are then propagated through the instrument’s response functions, including mirrors, gratings, and detector responses as necessary. Given the energy and location of each of these model photons, the probability of its detection is calculated for the given instrument response, as is its predicted location on the detector and the measured energy. The result is a set of model X-ray events which is compared to the observed events by binning both on the same three-dimensional grid (two spatial dimensions and energy). The two are then compared by calculating a two-sample likelihood statistic that quantifies the difference between the model and observed datasets. A modified Metropolis-Hastings algorithm [@Metropolis1953; @Hastings1970] is used to choose a new set of blob parameters and the process is repeated. For more details of the SPI implementation, see @Peterson2007. After a number of iterations, the MCMC chain converges and the posterior parameter distributions become stable. After convergence, the fit typically has reduced $\chi^2$ values of 1.0-1.5. From this point onwards, each iteration returns a model that is statistically consistent with the data.
The number of [blobs]{} is fixed and chosen based on the spectral and spatial complexity of the emission, as well as the number of photons available in the data. Previous work with galaxy clusters has suggested that the optimal number of [blobs]{} is such that the number of model photons per [blob]{} should be at least $10^4$ [@Frank2013]; this number can be increased (and computation time decreased) by reducing the number of [blobs]{}. However, this criterion must be balanced with the need to have enough [blobs]{} to adequately fit the more complex emission of SNRs. For our [DEM L71]{} analysis, 50 [blobs]{} are used, resulting in $\sim$$3\times10^4$ photons per [blob]{}.
{width="\textwidth"}
![Observed spectrum (black) and SPI model spectrum (blue).[]{data-label="fig:spectrum"}](f6.pdf){width="50.00000%"}
The SPI fit of [DEM L71]{} results in a reduced $\chi^2=1.15$. We ensure that 50 [blobs]{} provides sufficient accuracy by also testing with 100 [blobs]{} and comparing the posterior distributions. Examples for temperature, absorbing column density, and ionization age are shown in Figure \[fig:numblobcomparison\]. It is expected that the posteriors will not be identical, but they are extremely similar, indicating no improvement or significant change in the overall results when going from 50 to 100 [blobs]{}. The reduced $\chi^2$ is also $\sim$1.15 for both the 50 and 100 blob models, and the medians, modes, and standard deviations of the parameter posteriors are nearly identical. The model spectrum also reproduces all the main features of the observed spectrum (Figure \[fig:spectrum\]).
Model {#section:model}
-----
With SPI, a combination of spectral and spatial models may be chosen to suit the particular astrophysical context, in this case an absorbed thermal plasma which is likely not in ionizational equilibrium. We also include model components to simultaneously fit the X-ray background. The model components are described in more detail below. The model is applied independently to each [blob]{}; however some model parameters may be global (the same for all [blobs]{}) and some are frozen. The spectral normalizations of each model component are always free parameters. All prior distributions are flat. The end points of the priors are chosen via an iterative process; initial guesses are made based on typical physical conditions in SNRs and anything known from previous X-ray analyses. We then test the model by performing an SPI fit and investigating the posterior distributions. The priors are adjusted if necessary and the MCMC restarted, to ensure that the priors span the entire relevant parameter space. For example, if the fit places an excess of [blobs]{} at the upper limit of the prior (the largest allowed values), this upper limit is increased to allow exploration of higher values. Similarly, the limits are decreased if it is clear the parameter space spanned by the prior is unnecessarily wide, as this improves the efficiency of the MCMC.
### Thermal Supernova Remnant Emission {#section:thermalmodel}
The X-ray emission from [DEM L71]{} results from shocked plasma. In the case of DEML71, the emission is known to be thermal (H03, vdH03). However the gas may not necessarily be in ionization equilibrium, meaning that the ionization state of the gas may not be consistent with the post-shock temperature. Therefore we use the thermal, non-equilibrium ionization (NEI) plasma model [*vpshock*]{} [@Borkowski2001]. The free spectral parameters for each [blob]{}, summarized in Table \[table:thermalpriors\], include temperature and ionization age (n$_e$t), as well as the abundances of O, Ne, Mg, Si, S, and Fe [relative to solar abundances from @Anders1989]. All other abundances are fixed at typical LMC values of 0.5 solar [@Russell1992]. Free parameters may be different for every [blob]{}, unless marked as global in Table \[table:thermalpriors\]. Note that temperature and ionization age are chosen from a logarithmically uniform prior. Volume emission measures can be easily derived directly from the spectral normalization of each [blob]{}. Galactic absorption is included via the [*phabs*]{} absorption model, and is fixed to the @Dickey1990 value of n$_H=5.7\times10^{20}$[$\mbox{cm}^{-2}$]{}, as it is not expected to vary substantially across such a small object. Absorbing material within the LMC is accounted for with a [*zvphabs*]{} model, with abundances set to average LMC values of 0.5 solar. This column density is tied for all model components, but is allowed to vary from [blob]{} to [blob]{}, to allow for the possibility of small spatial variations. Several of the background components also include Galactic and LMC absorption. The column densities for these components are tied to those associated with the [*vpshock*]{} component. Spatially, the [*vpshock*]{} emission is modeled as coming from a spherical Gaussian distribution (the ‘blob’). The central coordinates in the plane of the sky are allowed to vary independently for each blob anywhere within the $150''\times 150''$ box centered on [DEM L71]{} while the logarithmic prior for the Gaussian width of each blob is ln 25$ <\sigma< $ ln $ 75''$ (thus the minimum diameter is $\sim5''$).
Parameter Minimum Maximum Global
--------------------------------------------- ----------- -------------------- --------
log kT (keV) 0.08 7.0 No
n$_{H,LMC}$ (10$^{20}$[$\mbox{cm}^{-2}$]{}) 1.0 10.0 Yes
log n$_e$t (cm$^{-3}$s) 10$^{10}$ 5$\times$10$^{12}$ No
O/O$_{\odot}$ 0.01 1.0 No
Ne/Ne$_{\odot}$ 0.1 1.5 No
Mg/Mg$_{\odot}$ 0.1 1.5 No
Si/Si$_{\odot}$ 0.01 3.0 No
S/S$_{\odot}$ 0.01 3.0 No
Fe/Fe$_{\odot}$ 0.01 3.0 No
: Model Priors[]{data-label="table:thermalpriors"}
### X-ray Background {#section:backgroundmodel}
The X-ray background is a result of several sources of emission, including instrumental, cosmic, and Galactic. Each is accounted for with an additional model component. Background model components are fixed and the same for all [blobs]{} except the spectral normalizations.
The EPIC instrumental background consists of soft protons, internal line emission, and electronic noise, and is accounted for with a custom model which includes all three components, as used in @Frank2013. The model is described in detail in @Andersson2007.
The Galactic X-ray background is soft, with energies $\lesssim1$ keV, and consists of several thermal components with $kT<0.5$ keV [@Lumb2002; @Kuntz2000; @Snowden2008]. We use two model components, one to account for the Local Hot Bubble (LHB) and one for slightly warmer emission from the Galactic Halo. Both employ thermal MEKAL spectral models, uniform across the field of view. The temperatures of the LHB and Halo are set to kT$=0.1$ keV and $0.25$ keV, respectively [@Snowden2008]. The LHB is unabsorbed, while Galactic absorption is applied to the Halo emission.
The final background component results from unresolved cosmic sources, mainly AGN, and contributes primarily at energies $\gtrsim1$ keV. These are modeled as a powerlaw, with $\Gamma=1.47$, that is spatially uniform. The powerlaw is absorbed by both Galactic absorption and absorption within the LMC.
Post-SPI Analysis {#section:postprocessing}
-----------------
After a successful SPI fit, information about the SNR can be derived directly from the posterior parameter distributions, which include all [blobs]{} from every iteration after convergence. Summary statistics, such as the medians and standard deviations, are the simplest to derive. Medians are similar to the averages that are measured with more traditional methods which extract a single spectrum from the entire SNR, or from several lines of sight through the SNR, and fit to a simple model. Standard deviations of each parameter can also be calculated, and are one of the advantages in using SPI, as they provide a straightforward measurement of how homogeneous the gas conditions are.
Taking a step further, it can be even more informative to investigate the parameter distributions directly. SPI allows the construction of continuous parameter distributions (the posteriors), the shapes of which contain useful information on the gas composition and state. Distributions can be constructed from the set of [blobs]{} by essentially creating histograms of the parameters of interest.
In addition, because each [blob]{} has a location and size, it is possible to create maps of any of the parameters. Maps are created by selecting a region containing the SNR and dividing it into spatial bins of a specified size (typically 1 to 5 arcsec). For each spatial bin, the contributions of each [blob]{} are combined to determine the value. A number of different methods can be used to combine the [blobs]{} within a spatial bin, depending on the purpose. The most common is to take the median value (e.g. the median of the blob temperatures), but it is also possible to use other quantities, including the maximum, minimum, sum, or standard deviation. The standard deviation is of particular interest, as it provides a means of mapping the level of homogeneity across the remnant. Note that these maps are all fundamentally different from X-ray images (including narrow-band images) or equivalent width images, which show only the intensity of related emission rather than measured values of the parameter. Narrow band and equivalent width images are fast methods for mapping the location of different elements or relative temperatures but do not measure the differences in abundances or other properties across the remnant.
Associated statistical uncertainties can also be derived, as the probability density for each parameter is represented by the collection of models from all individual iterations. The uncertainty of a value $F$, $\delta_F$, can thus be characterized as the standard deviation of the distribution of $F$ over converged iterations, $$\label{eqn:uncertainty}
\delta_F = \frac{1}{N_i}\sum_{i}^{N_i}[F_i-\overline{F}]^2,$$ where $N_i$ is the number of iterations after convergence, the sum is over these iterations, and $F$ is the measurement of interest, a function of the [blob]{} parameters, for example the overall median or mean temperature. Systematic uncertainties are much more difficult to estimate. The shape of the posterior distributions can provide some information. The posterior shape is influenced by a several factors in addition to the true parameter distribution. First is the shape of the prior; the prior distributions are all uniform, and thus the further the posterior deviates from uniform, the more confident we can be that the SPI fitting has successfully constrained the distribution. The converse, however, is not true; a uniform posterior may be the result of the true distribution also being uniform, and in this case it is not distinguishable from the prior. Second, there is some broadening of the posterior distribution due to the imperfect quality of the data and the inherently incomplete spectroscopic information about the gas properties that can be derived from atomic transitions. This broadening will be smaller for higher quality data and can be minimized by choosing an optimal number of blobs [@Frank2013]. Because of the difficulty in assessing the details of these systematic uncertainties, small scale features of the distributions should be interpreted with caution, but the basic shape of the distributions are sufficiently robust to be informative.
The raw summary statistics, distributions, and maps, for which all blobs are treated equally, are useful for exploring the results and identifying minor but important components of the SNR gas. However, it is usually more meaningful to first weight each [blob]{} by its emission measure (EM), to account for the different sizes and densities and thus better represent the true contribution of each [blob]{} to the overall SNR.
----------------------------------- --------------- --------------- -------------------- -- -- --
Median Mode Standard Deviation
n$_{H,LMC}$ ($10^{20}$ cm$^{-2}$) 6.7$\pm$0.9 9.0$\pm$1.7 2.4$\pm$0.3
kT (keV) 0.24$\pm$0.04 0.15$\pm$0.02 0.43$\pm$0.07
log $n_et$ (cm$^{-3}s$) 12.4$\pm$0.1 12.7$\pm$0.2 0.6$\pm$0.1
O/O$_{\odot}$ 0.19$\pm$0.04 0.02$\pm$0.08 0.27$\pm$0.02
Ne/Ne$_{\odot}$ 0.45$\pm$0.12 0.11$\pm$0.30 0.35$\pm$0.05
Mg/Mg$_{\odot}$ 0.75$\pm$0.14 0.95$\pm$0.36 0.37$\pm$0.05
Si/Si$_{\odot}$ 1.19$\pm$0.30 0.40$\pm$0.77 0.79$\pm$ 0.10
S/S$_{\odot}$ 1.43$\pm$0.27 1.54$\pm$0.74 0.77$\pm$0.09
Fe/Fe$_{\odot}$ 0.74$\pm$0.31 0.16$\pm$0.85 0.83$\pm$0.12
----------------------------------- --------------- --------------- -------------------- -- -- --
SPI also provides the capability to explore any subset of the parameter space by selecting a set of [blobs]{} based on any combination of parameters and investigating the summary statistics, distributions, and maps of only that subset. For example, it is possible to select only [blobs]{} in a particular temperature or ionization age range (or both) and then investigate the corresponding abundance distributions or maps. Filtering in this way has huge advantages for isolating and measuring the properties of specific physical components in the SNR, as it eliminates confusion from unrelated material that may be along the same line of site. This is one of the most powerful and unique capabilities of SPI.
Application of SPI to DEM L71 {#section:results}
=============================
We detail here the results of the application of the SPI analysis, as outlined in Section \[section:analysis\], to the SNR [DEM L71]{}.
Summary Statistics {#section:stats}
------------------
The EM-weighted summary statistics are shown in Table \[table:emstats\]. The volume emission measure for the entire remnant is $EM = 5.53 (\pm0.59) \times10^{59}$ cm$^{-3}$. These simple quantities provide a very limited view of the actual parameter distributions, shown in Figure \[fig:dists2\], but they are useful for comparison with more standard spectral fitting methods.
In most cases, large standard deviations and/or substantial differences between the median and mode indicate the distribution is complex enough that a simple mean or median is a poor descriptor. For example, the median EM-weighted temperature is 0.54 keV, but a very different mode (0.22 keV) indicates the actual distribution is more complicated. Similarly, O, Ne, Mg, and Fe EM-weighted median abundances are all roughly similar to typical LMC values ($\sim$0.5 solar), while Si and S are higher. If this was the only information available, it might be concluded that O, Ne, Mg, and Fe are all from shocked CSM, while the Si and S is shocked ejecta. However, in the cases of O, Ne, and Fe, the other summary statistics suggest the situation is not so simple; the modes are all very low, implying there are regions with [DEM L71]{} that are largely devoid of O, Ne, or Fe, and the standard deviation of Fe is large enough to indicate the presence of not only gas with very low Fe, but also very high Fe. The Si mode of 0.40 is more indicative of shocked CSM than ejecta.
Parameter Distributions {#section:distributions}
-----------------------
{width="\textwidth"}
Emission-measure-weighted posterior distributions are shown in Figure \[fig:dists2\]. Typically some [blobs]{} are present throughout the entire allowed parameter space. The temperature distribution reveals most gas has temperatures $\lesssim$$1$ keV, but some does exist at higher temperatures with substantially lower EM. Ionization age tends to be above 10$^{12}$, indicating much, but not all, of the gas is in ionization equilibrium[^1]. O shows a clear peak at $\lesssim$0.3, in line with the existence of some O-deficient gas, while the majority of O emission comes from the shocked CSM. The Ne distribution is similar, but with a more gradual decline at higher values. Mg peaks near typical LMC values of $\sim1$ and drops off sharply above solar. Si also tends to have abundances $\lesssim1$, but with a substantial contribution from higher abundance material. S has a rather wide distribution, and likely is not well-constrained, but the distribution suggests that S abundances $>2.5$ are unlikely. Most gas in [DEM L71]{} clearly has low Fe, $\lesssim1$, but some exists with higher Fe abundances as well, up to $\sim$$2.5$.
Maps {#section:maps}
----
EM-weighted parameter maps are shown in Figures \[fig:maps1\] and \[fig:maps2\]. Overall, the center of [DEM L71]{} is hotter, with lower EM, and larger Fe, Ne, and O. Apart from these general trends, the maps are all highly irregular. The outer rim is particularly clumpy, with azimuthal variations of at least a factor of two in all parameters.
{width="\textwidth"}
{width="75.00000%"}
Identifying Ejecta Emission {#section:subsets}
---------------------------
![Unweighted maps of kT (keV, left) and Fe (right). Values are set to zero where the EM was less than 0.05% of the mean, to avoid noise due to poor statistics on the outer edges. Spatial bins are 1 arcsec$^2$. Solid contours are taken from the emission measure map (Figure \[fig:maps1\], left). Dashed contours representing kT=0.6 keV on the kT map (left) are shown on both maps, demarcating the clearly warmer and higher Fe gas in the core.[]{data-label="fig:unweightedmaps"}](f10.pdf){width="\columnwidth"}
The substantially higher EM of the clumps in the outer rim implies that the EM-weighted distributions and maps (Figures \[fig:dists2\]-\[fig:maps2\]) are dominated by the outer rim material. However, the parameter distributions (Figure \[fig:dists2\]) clearly show the presence of of some lower EM gas. Maps which are not weighted by EM, and therefore give equal weight to both high and low EM [blobs]{}, can provide some insight on the properties of the lower EM gas. Unweighted temperature and Fe maps (Figure \[fig:unweightedmaps\]) indicate that the lower EM core gas has both higher temperatures and high Fe. As demonstrated in the simulations (Figure \[fig:temp\]), this is expected for emission from the shocked ejecta, which is also expected to have lower density and lower $n_et$. Therefore to investigate the core gas, we selected only [blobs]{} with kT$>1$ keV and Fe$>$1, a combination which produces a clearly centralized spatial distribution (Figure \[fig:ejectamaps\], left). Selecting [blobs]{} with particular characteristics to measure properties of the ejecta dramatically reduces contamination in these measurements from overlying CSM material. Reducing either the temperature or Fe thresholds results in the inclusion of significant amounts of the high EM gas in the outer rim, and thus will not represent the core emission, while the maps and parameter distributions with higher thresholds look nearly identical to those with kT$>1$ keV and Fe$>$1. In addition to being warmer with higher Fe, the core emission has distinctly lower ionization ages, $\lesssim 10^{12}$, and higher O, as can be seen in the associated parameter distributions (Figure \[fig:ejectadists\]). The temperature and ionization age maps both show a gradient, with the hottest gas and highest ionization ages in the southeast and lowest in the west (temperature) and northeast (ionization age).
{width="75.00000%"}
{width="\textwidth"}
Our 2D simulations illustrate that the unstable CD, which is spread over a wide region due to R-T instabilities, has the largest temperature variations (Figure \[fig:temp2d\]). Using SPI, we can measure and map the temperature variations, as seen in Figure \[fig:maps1\] (center right). This is a map of the standard deviation of the temperature within each spatial bin, and clearly shows a wide hook-shaped structure in the outer core where the variations are largest. Both the width of this region, $\sim$1.7pc, and its distance from the center, $\sim$4.5pc, agree very well with the location and width of the CD from the simulations (Figure \[fig:temp2d\]). Although the widths from the SPI map and the 2D simulations are both upper limits, and the hook shape itself cannot be reproduced in our spherically symmetric simulations, the agreement on the size and location of this region with maximum temperature variations allows it to be identified as the location of the CD and lends further support for the core emission inside this region to be arising from the SN ejecta.
It is also clear from the simulations that the temperature in this region will be higher than in the rest of the ejecta, and indeed both the overall (Figure \[fig:maps1\]) and ejecta (Figure \[fig:ejectamaps\]) maps indicate that the highest temperatures are found there. [M16]{} used two temperature components to fit the ejecta, while [vdH03]{} used a shell like structure for the core region. Although the above discussion provides some understanding of the basis for these assumptions, we emphasize that neither of them is required when using the SPI technique. Any asymmetry in the shape of the CD region in SPI will be due to asymmetries in the ejecta or the medium into which the remnant was expanding, or due to projection effects, and are not captured in our simulations.
Discussion {#section:discussion}
==========
Previous measurements of the physical properties of [DEM L71]{} rely on extracting X-ray spectra from a specified regions and fitting a NEI spectral model, with one to three components to represent the CSM and ejecta contributions. Ejecta properties are measured by designating one or more of the spectral components to be ejecta (e.g. by allowing higher abundances). [H03]{}, [R03]{}, [vdH03]{}, and [M16]{} all take this approach using [[*XMM-Newton*]{}]{} ([vdH03]{} and [M16]{}) and [[*Chandra*]{}]{} ([H03]{} and [R03]{}) observations. Both [M16]{} and [vdH03]{} extract and fit an EPIC-pn spectrum from the entire source region. To investigate CSM vs ejecta properties, [vdH03]{} also extract and fit separate spectra for two regions, an outer annulus and a core region, while [M16]{} instead use a three-component model to fit their single spectrum (one CSM component and two ejecta). Rather than fit spectra that encompass the entirety of [DEM L71]{}, [H03]{} and [R03]{} take advantage of the higher resolution of [[*Chandra*]{}]{} to extract spectra from several small regions. [H03]{} choose 4 small regions in the southeast to represent the inner and outer CSM and the inner and outer ejecta, fitting the spectra from each independently. [R03]{} extract spectra from regions in the bright outer shell with 5 different azimuthal positions, representing the CSM, and carry out a joint fit to determine abundances. Together, these works represent the most common approaches to X-ray analysis of SNRs, and thus make a useful basis for comparison to assess the efficacy of SPI.
All of these analyses result in discrete measurements of the properties of interest. The SPI equivalents to these measurements are the EM-weighted medians as in Table \[table:emstats\]. We therefore expect that these values should be similar to those reported by other authors, and indeed we find this is generally true. Figures \[fig:litcomparisons1\] and \[fig:litcomparisons2\] compare our medians with the equivalents reported in other works, both for the ejecta and for the CSM. In addition to the simple medians, we show shaded gray bars representing the EM-weighted posterior distributions as in Figure \[fig:ejectadists\]. The overall picture is consistent: a bright shell of CSM surrounding a warmer core. The high EM shell is cool, kT $\sim0.3-0.5$ keV, with ionization ages of at least a few times $10^{11}$cm$^{-3}$s and subsolar O, Ne, Mg, and Fe abundances that suggest shocked CSM. The core has significantly lower EM and is warmer (kT $\sim1-2$ keV) with lower ionization ages and enhanced abundances. However, there are a number of differences between previously reported results and the results reported here that are informative.
{width="\textwidth"}
{width="\textwidth"}
[M16]{}, [vdH03]{}, and this work all use [[*XMM-Newton*]{}]{} EPIC-pn observations. The total emission measure obtained from our SPI analysis is 5.53($\pm0.59)\times$10$^{59}$cm$^{-3}$. This matches that from [M16]{}, 5.68$^{+0.07}_{-2.90}\times$10$^{59}$cm$^{-3}$. For their fit to the full EPIC-pn spectrum, [vdH03]{} find a total emission measure of 3.54($\pm1.05)\times$10$^{59}$cm$^{-3}$, which is somewhat smaller but still reasonably close. Separating the CSM and ejecta emission, the total EM of the ejecta found in this work agrees with that of [vdH03]{}, but the EM of the CSM is substantially lower in [vdH03]{} (see Figure \[fig:litcomparisons1\]). The combined EM from their separate CSM and ejecta spectral fits is only 1.13$^{+0.23}_{-0.04}\times$10$^{59}$cm$^{-3}$, substantially lower than the total from their fit to the integrated spectrum. It is clear that such a model, where all the X-ray emission comes from two shells, ignores a substantial fraction of the remnant emission (everything outside the individual regions). [M16]{} report a similar CSM EM, but much higher ejecta EM than either [vdH03]{} or this work. These differences are most likely due to the very different assumptions made during the spectral fits, both in the number of components and the abundances. . All of these measurements of the total EM are based on spectra from the same instrument (EPIC-pn) extracted from the same region (all of [DEM L71]{}). The differences found here illustrate the inherent uncertainties involved when assumptions are made about the spectral state of the emitting gas, especially when only a small fraction of the gas is being considered, something that is largely avoided with SPI.
The majority of the X-ray emission is from the low temperature gas in the CSM, but there is clearly some contribution from gas with temperatures above 2 keV, as can be seen in the temperature distribution (Figure \[fig:dists2\]). Our maps show this hot gas is mostly located in the core (Figures \[fig:maps1\], \[fig:unweightedmaps\], and \[fig:ejectamaps\]). However, simple fits miss this low emission measure gas. This is a byproduct of only being able to measure discrete values that are similar to a weighted average over a region. While the low EM gas may influence these measured averages, resulting in the higher reported temperatures of the ejecta for example, the properties of this gas cannot generally be determined by standard spectral fitting methods, since it is very difficult to separate the emission from the more dominant (high EM) gas. Temperature is the clearest example, but the same effect applies to all parameters. Extremely deep observations can help, but our results clearly demonstrate that the physical state of the gas is very complex. Standard spectral analyses require a discrete number of spectral components, but observations which are of high enough quality to explore the full complexity of the gas cannot be adequately fit with a manageable number of these components.
While the [[*XMM-Newton*]{}]{} analyses use large spatial regions, resulting in averaging over any variations, the [[*Chandra*]{}]{} studies take the opposite approach, with a few small regions chosen for spectral analysis. This has the advantage of a simpler spectrum, as a smaller region will be more physically homogeneous and is therefore easier to fit, although the spectrum is still integrated along the line of sight.
[H03]{} provide the only other measurement of Ne in the ejecta, and find a very high abundance (Figure \[fig:litcomparisons2\]) compared to the CSM: 1.7 and 2.3 times solar for the inner and outer ejecta, respectively. We do not find this to be the case, instead finding LMC-like values that are similar to those in the CSM. The Ne distribution (Figure \[fig:ejectadists\]) does indicate a very small amount of gas with Ne $>$ 1 in the ejecta, and Ne is highest in the region used by [H03]{} in the southeast (Figure \[fig:maps2\]), but in neither case do we find a substantial amount of Ne gas with such a high abundance as indicated by [H03]{}. However, note that the uncertainties on the reported high Ne are large, likely a consequence of choosing a small region; there are relatively few counts in the spectrum.
In contrast to Ne, we find higher Fe in the CSM than either [H03]{} or [R03]{}. This can be explained by the choice of the spectral extraction regions. As with all parameters, we find that Fe varies irregularly across [DEM L71]{} (Figure \[fig:maps2\]). In choosing only a few small regions, [H03]{} and [R03]{} are sampling different parts of this spatial distribution, and thus measure Fe values for the CSM that are different from both each other and this work. The region used by [H03]{}, in the southeast, is among the lowest Fe regions in [DEM L71]{}, and our Fe distribution (Figure \[fig:dists2\]) does peak at very low Fe (the asymmetric shape is what causes the median to be higher). [R03]{}, on the other hand, combines several regions from around the bright CSM shell and correspondingly measures a higher value for Fe, similar to the median Fe we report here. While this better matches our median Fe, it does not encompass the low Fe gas indicated by both our results and that of [H03]{}. These differences in abundance measurements highlight the selection effects resulting from the practice of choosing discrete regions. Because physical conditions vary widely and irregularly across the entire source, the results are highly dependent on choice of region and are unlikely to be representative of the object as a whole.
Conclusions {#section:conclusions}
===========
SPI analysis of [DEM L71]{} reveals a more comprehensive and complicated picture than previously known, with irregular distributions of temperature, ionization age, and other properties. The cool outer shell of shocked CSM has a median temperature of $0.24$ keV but includes gas with temperatures that range from $\sim0.2$ to $\sim0.45$ keV. Ionization age of the CSM material varies widely around the outer rim but is high on average, indicating much of the CSM is in ionizational equilibrium. The CSM exhibits subsolar LMC-like abundances. The inner core is warmer with enhanced Fe (greater than solar), which supports a Type Ia origin for [DEM L71]{}. The core also reveals a somewhat higher, but still subsolar, abundance of O and Ne. We use the enhanced Fe and warmer temperatures to isolate the ejecta from the CSM and examine it in more detail. We find that in addition to typical temperatures of $\sim1-3$ keV, the ionization age of the core material is much lower than that of the CSM. Both the warmer temperatures and lower ionization age of the ejecta are in agreement with expectations from our simulations. We also independently identify the contact discontinuity that separates the shocked CSM from the ejecta via a distinctive hook-shaped region where temperature variations are at a maximum, matching the R-T unstable region predicted BY our 2D simulations.
Overall, we find median values that generally agree well with what other studies have found; however, these are broad averages that do not reflect the distribution of properties over the whole remnant that SPI is able to realize. Even for a case which looks relatively ‘clean’ such as [DEM L71]{}, SPI reveals substantial and irregular variation in all properties across the remnant. We show that this introduces biases for analyses which choose specific regions and assume they are spectrally homogeneous. Small regions cannot be assumed to be representative of the SNR as a whole, and larger regions average over the variations and miss small features.
Relatively simple traditional approaches provide only very limited or no information about the wide range of physical conditions throughout the entire SNR. The most common approach of fitting the spectrum with a multi-component model will not reproduce the true variations (both spatial and spectral) of gas properties, unless an inordinately large number of components are used. Analyzing spectra of small regions covering the entire remnant is an alternative that is sometimes used [e.g. @Yang2008; @Lopez2013]; however, this requires extremely deep observations and still requires simple spectral models for each region. SPI does not require exceptionally deep observations, and allows for arbitrarily complex spectral models. It also removes any need to make assumptions about the spatial or spectral distribution of physical properties (e.g. spherical symmetry or number of different temperatures) while providing a way to measure more than simple ‘average’ quantities. It can be used to make maps and distributions of any of the parameters present in the spectral models. SPI can therefore provide much more globally accurate conclusions about physical properties or the evolutionary state of a SNR, as compared to standard methods of X-ray analysis.
The nature of SPI makes it possible, and comparatively easy, to separate and study the properties of low EM gas, or to identify and isolate any subset of gas with given properties. Simple 1D simulations can enhance this capability by providing guidance on which parameters are most informative for a given SNR and by aiding the identification of different gas components, e.g. shocked ejecta, by considering the evolution of the SNR. In the case of [DEM L71]{}, we are able to separate emission from the ejecta based not on visual identification of surface brightness features, but rather on measured temperature and Fe abundances. This allows us to map and construct distributions of the ejecta temperature, ionization age, and other properties. We find, as expected from the 1D simulations, that this gas has lower ionization ages than the bulk of the SNR gas, as well as flatter O, Ne, and Fe distributions. For other SNRs, a similar procedure can be used to isolate and study components of interest.
SPI also offers a unique method for identifying the CD without relying on surface brightness features. 2D simulations clearly predict a shell-like region of R-T instabilities at the CD and provide an estimate of its location and width. The largest variations in temperature are expected in this region. With SPI, it is possible to visualize such variations by mapping the standard deviation of the temperature distribution within each spatial bin. We find the largest temperature variations in a distinct hook-shaped feature that matches the expected size and location of the R-T unstable CD region. This demonstrates the power of SPI and its potential for extracting new physical insights from existing X-ray observations of SNRs.
Standard approaches are very valuable because the methods and uncertainties are generally very well understood, which is not yet the case for SPI. They are also very fast compared to SPI, which is resource-intensive and slow. However, SPI can provide unique and valuable insight, and is a good complement to traditional methods of X-ray analysis of SNRs. In future papers we will apply the SPI technique to several more SNRs for which observations with [*XMM-Newton*]{} exist in the database.
\
This work was supported by NASA ADAP grant NNX15AH70G to Pennsylvania State University, with subcontracts to the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. Based on observations obtained with XMM-Newton, an ESA science mission with instruments and contributions directly funded by ESA Member States and NASA.
[^1]: Ordinarily the fact that the ionization age peaks at the highest allowed values would suggest the prior should be extended. However, in this case all higher values would be in ionization equilibrium, and thus increasing the range is not justified.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays an increasingly important role in advancing human brain research, given the continually growing number of academic research articles in the last decade. Meanwhile, human brain research can provide opportunities for the development of innovative AI techniques. Exploring and tracking patterns of the scientific articles of human brain research using AI can provide a comprehensive overview of the interdisciplinary field. Thus, this paper presents a bibliometric analysis to identify research status and development trend of the field between 2009 and 2018. Specifically, we analyze annual distributions of articles and their citations, identify prolific journals and affiliations, and visualize characteristics of scientific collaboration. Furthermore, research topics are analyzed and revealed. The obtained findings benefit scholars in the field, to understand the current status of research as well as monitoring scientific and technological activities. | https://scholars.ln.edu.hk/en/publications/trends-and-features-of-human-brain-research-using-artificial-inte |
Strategic planning is the procedure of laying out a game plan, or even path, of an organization, and afterwards making decisions concerning exactly how to allot its own information towards this program. It is where top priorities are actually established. It can easily likewise go even more, to define control devices to assist the application of the game plan. It may result in a far better premium of output and a much more helpful usage of opportunity and also funds if it is actually properly dealt with.
It may be referred to as a contract between various companies to obtain different purposes with coordinated activity. These objectives could be obtained by the cooperation of different organizations, via various types of coordinated activity. This belongs to a general organisation tactic, which includes the advancement of exterior as well as internal plans to accomplish the company’s calculated purposes. It is actually the total approach to obtaining these purposes.
The key goal of this method is to set out the calculated purposes of an organisation. This permits the company to establish out and also accomplish its critical goals, with a scenery to satisfying its own necessities and needs, and also accomplishing those of various other organisations.
Strategic web link planning could be performed by individuals, teams or even teams, or even it could be embarked on by an organization as a whole. The objective of any sort of approach is to lay out and after that accomplish the organization’s calculated goals. It is an incorporated technique to accomplishing these purposes, as well as features the review of methods as well as policies connected to the organization’s service, together with the progression of a strategy to accomplish the purposes as well as ensure that they are actually being met.
Any sort of modifications in scenarios that need to become born in mind to achieve the tactical purposes of an organisation should be taken into consideration. The preparing process involves ensuring that the information is interacted to all stakeholders, consisting of personnel and also outside third parties, so that these factors could be determined and the necessary adjustments and also adjustments made as required.
Planning is not a simple task and requires a great deal of research and analysis. It is actually necessary to the achievement of the goals of a company to make sure that it is set out in a necessary means, as well as in such a way as to develop the appropriate disorders to accomplish the objectives. It is likewise a substantial portion of the overall control of the company.
Preparing could be carried out within an organization, through a solitary person, or it could be taken on by an organisation as a whole. The technique taken relies on the nature of the purposes to become achieved. The goals can be to enhance efficiency and also performance, to reduce expenses, to enhance customer care and minimize refuse or even minimize the impact of change.
When embarking on tactical preparing, the goal is actually to generate a thorough planning, which will resolve all parts of the objectives, in a sensible and also organized fashion. The tactic needs to feature information connecting to: the critical goals, the devices, techniques and also procedures used to satisfy the goals and also the information required to evaluate progression towards the objectives.
The objectives are set out to achieve details, measurable, quantitative end results. These are laid out to give instructions to the company as well as find out the activities called for to accomplish all of them. These are at that point prioritised to provide path to the management of the organization, as well as permitting it to determine the functionality of the methods as well as approaches made use of to comply with the objectives.
A crucial element of tactical organizing is actually that it provides a framework for the accomplishment of the strategic purposes. Through setting out the purposes, it makes certain that the organizing method will definitely be actually completed in a well-timed and also organized way, as well as the preparation will definitely pay attention to the best ideal method for accomplishing the goals.
By making sure that the objectives are determined as well as activity measures have been actually needed to achieve them, important preparation is a crucial part of successful monitoring. The preparation procedure is utilized in a number of companies and also has a vital job to play in the accomplishment of the purposes as well as the achievement of the important targets of an organization.
Strategic preparation is actually a procedure by which business develop their methods to attain a specified target. Its objective is to identify chances, determine threats, think about changes, build an approach, and also examine the influence of that technique on vital service methods. Strategic planning additionally includes choosing on just how to allot sources to apply the tactic along with preparing goals as well as recognizing the potential for potential growth.
Strategic organizing could be specified as a business procedure of choosing on just how to implement your strategic plan, or even strategy itself. It is actually listed here where concerns are actually set up. It can likewise consist of control devices for directing the execution of your game plan. The reason of important planning is actually to ensure that the purposes of your business are achieved with cautious organizing.
Strategic preparation must be actually created through a company along with a general vision of exactly how it desires its own organization to appear ten years coming from currently. The key objectives and goals of the institution should be accurately defined. The program will definitely be actually built nevertheless sources have actually been determined, and also it must be based on relevant information the company has actually collected awaited as well as about present market styles, client actions, the marketplace, competitive analysis, and other elements.
The purposes need to be actually plainly specified and also include a comprehensive program. If the company’s objectives are actually unclear and well described, it might lead to a lack of emphasis, and in turn a lack of performance. The organizing method also consists of identifying the proper sources for the reason of accomplishing the goals. Funds should be actually alloted so that they can easily obtain the objectives.
An efficient plan must be actually applied to ensure that it fulfills the targets of the institution. The approach might not comply with the reason of the company if a particular organisation method is not featured in the strategy. Furthermore, the plan should resolve exactly how the process will be actually transformed to ensure it complies with the goals. | http://www.chateau-le-scipionnet.com/2020/08/01/ten-questions-regarding-strategic-planning-you-need-to-address-genuinely/ |
FDIC Law, Regulations, Related Acts
4000 - Advisory Opinions
The FDIC has received several inquiries regarding the insured
status of Bank A.
It appears that your bank is using this trade name to transmit
information to and do business with customers over the Internet.
The FDIC and the other Federal banking regulators are very concerned
about the use of differing trade names by insured depository
institutions. Even though in certain cases there may be valid business
reasons for doing so, this practice has the potential for confusing
depositors regarding their deposit insurance coverage.
As a result of our concerns, the Federal banking regulators have
issued the
"Interagency
Statement on Branch Names" (FIL 46--98) dated May 1, 1998,
(the "Interagency Statement") a copy of which is enclosed. The
Interagency Statement was developed to help prevent customer confusion
when a bank or thrift operates its offices, branches or other outlets
for delivering services under a trade name. It urges banks and thrifts
that intend to use a different name for a branch or other outlet to
take reasonable steps to ensure that customers will not incorrectly
assume that the branch or outlet is a separate institution, or that
deposits in the different facilities are separately insured.
We have reviewed the Bank A world wide web site and are concerned
that the site is likely to mislead customers into believing that the
Bank A is a separate entity from Bank B and that deposits in each are
separately insured. For example, although the Bank A site discloses
that it is a division of Bank B, the web site never clarifies that Bank
A is part of the same bank as Bank B. Also, the listing of certain bank
employees as President, CEO, CFO, and Chief Operating Officer is
similarly misleading. There are numerous other statements that suggest
that Bank A is a separate entity. Indeed, the potential for confusion
is evidenced by the many inquiries the FDIC has received concerning
Bank A.
In light of our concerns, we respectively request that you inform us
as to the additional measures that Bank B has taken or will take to
ensure that customers are not mislead into believing that Bank A is a
separate entity from Bank B and that deposits in each are separately
insured.
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retirement age of teachers to 70 years from 65.
The set of new regulations which has already been sent to
the Union Health Ministry also recommend decreasing the land
sealing for setting up of a medical college and hospital to 10
acres from the existing 25 acres.
In any city for a unitary hospital and college campus,
the sealing would be 10 acres and the distance between the two
can be upto five km, S K Sarin, Chairperson of the MCI told
reporters here.
For hilly and difficult areas, the distance between the
medical college and its hospital can be upto 10 km, he said.
Sarin further said established medical colleges can now
take upto 250 students and the student to bed ratio has also
been increased from the existing 1:8 to 1:5.
Thus for 100 students now the number of beds can be 500,
for 150- 700 and for 250- 1100.
In order to retain experienced and talented teachers, the
MCI has recommended increasing the retirement age of the
teacher to 70 years from the existing 65 years.
"Many more incentives are also being planned," he added.
Earlier, Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had also
favoured relaxing the norms for medical colleges in order
to produce more doctors.
According to the MCI, India faces a shortage of 7.5 lakh
doctors.
MCI member Devi Prasad Shetty, said if these relaxed
norms are cleared by the government, then the country can
produce 8,000 to 10,000 more doctors each year and have 50,000
more doctors by 2012. | http://zeenews.india.com/news/delhi/mci-for-relaxation-of-norms-for-setting-up-medical-colleges_656030.html |
Past Event or Opportunity
This opportunity has concluded. This page’s content may be out-of-date.
This is a meetup to welcome new members into the Remake Learning Network. We know what it can feel like to be the “newbie” and have to build new connections. Join us during this virtual meeting to meet other Remake Learning Members, share relevant updates and information and to learn more about Remake Learning. All members are welcome to join.
This meetup will be held virtually. A Zoom link will be sent after you register via email.
Remake Learning is a free, peer network for educators in the greater Pittsburgh region. We help connect people, projects, and organizations, making it easier for them to share best practices, collaborate on new ideas, and find funding and professional learning focused on engaging, relevant, and equitable learning. Visit remakelearning.org for more. | https://remakelearning.org/opportunity/2022/02/23/new-member-virtual-meetup/ |
Publisher’s Summary:
Sam and Dave are on a mission. A mission to find something spectacular. So they dig a hole. And they keep digging. And they find . . . nothing. Yet the day turns out to be pretty spectacular after all. Attentive readers will be rewarded with a rare treasure in this witty story of looking for the extraordinary–and finding it in a manner you’d never expect.
Primary Source Pairing:
Sam and Dave dig a hole and shockingly miss each and every spectacular gem. The gems in this book often spark the interest of readers. Pair Sam and Dave Dig a Hole with nonfiction books about gems and crystals.
For the primary source pairing, introduce students to the Mohs scale of mineral hardness created by German geologist and mineralogist Friedrich Mohs in 1812. This scale ranks the hardness of minerals by their ability to be scratched by another mineral. For more information visit the Wikipedia page about the Mohs scale.
Speaking of gems, there is also a gem of an opportunity in this book to be slow viewers of the text and compare the differences in the illustrations before and after the boys fall through their hole. Invite students to be slow viewers of the images and find how the world has changed, ever so slightly. And keep your eyes on that cat! (pages: title page and second to last two-page spread)
Questions for Discussion:
- Describe what you see.
- What do you notice first?
- How is the text and other information arranged on the page?
- What was the purpose of this text?
- Who do you think is the audience for this text?
Credits: | https://primarysourcepairings.com/sam-and-dave-dig-a-hole/ |
Calculating Life-Cycle Emissions from Electricity Consumption
To the Department of Energy on the Clean Hydrogen Production Standard.
1. Introduction
The Department of Energy has proposed a Clean Hydrogen Production Standard of 4 kg CO2e/kg H2. This standard is the same as the highest amount of life-cycle emissions allowed to receive the 45V tax credit for hydrogen production. In contrast to the definition of clean hydrogen in the IIJA, which looks at emissions produced at the site of hydrogen production, this standard involves a life-cycle calculation of the emissions associated with hydrogen production. In these comments, we will explore the choices that one must make in calculating life-cycle emissions from electricity consumption. This standard can only be met if the emissions associated with the consumed electricity are extremely low. For a polymer electrolyte membrane with an electricity consumption of 55 kWh/kg H2, we calculate an implied grid intensity of 0.07 kg CO2e/kWh. For reference, the carbon intensity of the grid (not including upstream emissions from natural gas and coal production) is roughly 0.4 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour. In other words, the electricity consumed must have emissions that fall short of the current grid average by more than 80 percent to achieve this standard.
In these comments, we will focus on the question of electricity emissions. However, there are other important decisions when determining life-cycle emissions. For example, one must choose:
- Which global warming potential to use for each greenhouse gas emitted, given that global warming potentials vary depending on timescale and as our understanding of the science progresses?
- How to account for the fact that hydrogen itself is an indirect greenhouse gas and what value one should use for its GWP?
- How can a consumer of natural gas demonstrate that their leakage rate is lower than the national average as part of their life-cycle calculation?
With respect to electricity, we focus on two related questions. The first is, what emissions are associated with consuming energy from the grid? This determination is not as straightforward as one might think. The second is, how can a consumer demonstrate that they are consuming electricity that’s cleaner than the grid average? Both of these questions are fundamental to the definition of life-cycle emissions.
2. What Emissions Are Associated with Electricity from the Grid?
Various public and private organizations have undertaken major efforts to estimate the carbon intensity of electricity consumption at different times and places. See, for example, https://www.rff.org/publications/reports/options-for-eia-to-publish-co2-emissions-rates-for-electricity/. This topic has been the subject of years of discussion, including in the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Protocols for Scope 2 Emissions. In fact, the grid’s carbon intensity varies from instant to instant given the real-time nature of electricity delivery, which makes grid intensity exceedingly difficult to measure with confidence.
In addition, the average carbon intensity of a grid is distinct from the grid’s marginal intensity. The average carbon intensity is the simpler concept, equally attributing electricity emissions to all consumers at a given place and time based on their consumption. Average emissions rates typically are used for greenhouse gas accounting, but they do not represent how much emissions would be caused by an incremental amount of electricity consumption. This latter concept is known as the marginal emissions rate. For example, if an increase in consumption is served by a natural gas generator that increases its output, the gas generator’s emissions intensity is the relevant marginal metric. Alternatively, if electricity from renewable energy that might not be otherwise consumed (e.g., “curtailed electricity”) is used to generate hydrogen, then the marginal emissions rate would be zero, and the hydrogen might be thought of as carbon free.
With both metrics, one has to decide which timescale to apply (given that the metrics vary with time) and what regional scale to use. In addition, if one uses the marginal rate, it will be challenging to define and estimate that rate precisely. The US Energy Information Administration has been tasked by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to collect and report data on the average and marginal emissions intensity of the US grid at geographically and temporally granular levels. If and when the Energy Information Administration delivers on this ambitious goal, one could use that data to quantify the emissions intensity of electrolysis, which otherwise cannot be estimated. However, to date, no data set on marginal emissions rates has been endorsed officially by the US government.
Although the Energy Information Administration recently has released hourly estimates of national average emissions rates, this information alone is unlikely to be useful for these purposes for several reasons. One such reason is that, in the four years during which the data has been reported (2018 to present), the national average emissions rate has not fallen below the most lax threshold in Table 1 for even a single hour.
3. How Can a Consumer Demonstrate Their Consumption of Clean Electricity?
One might assume that reducing carbon intensity could be possible through direct consumption of carbon-free energy, in lieu of consuming power directly from the grid. In practice, the situation is not so straightforward. Due to the physics of electricity, one cannot ascribe electricity consumed at one point on the grid to any particular generator. As a result, the only way to physically demonstrate the consumption of clean electricity is to establish a direct connection between the generator and consumer, in the absence of any connection to the rest of the grid.
Establishing such direct connections will not be practicable for consumers in general; instead, several approaches have been developed to demonstrate the consumption of clean electricity. The first is a power purchase agreement, in which a consumer purchases clean power directly from a generator, with both consumer and generator on the same grid. With a power purchase agreement, the consumer counts the consumption of clean power only during the hours when the generator is generating, which may be a limited number of hours due to the low capacity factor for renewable generation. Some providers are exploring contracts that combine the output from many clean generators and storage into a composite product that yields clean energy with a high capacity factor. So-called “virtual” or “synthetic” power purchase agreements also are available, which do not involve the physical delivery of electricity to a consumer. Despite their name, these contracts mainly involve hedging price risk, and the purchaser is not in fact consuming clean electricity in these settings.
Another method that some argue can demonstrate the consumption of clean power is through a renewable energy credit (REC)—or, more generally, a clean energy credit—which represents the clean attributes of the power generated and which can be traded. Such instruments exist and are used by US states to comply with renewable portfolio standards (RPSs). By “retiring” these “compliance RECs” so that they cannot be used for compliance with any other policy, additional clean energy must be generated to meet the RPS (if the RPS is binding), which thereby increases the overall amount of clean energy on the grid.
“Voluntary RECs” also exist, in which the credit cannot be used to comply with any state policy. Widespread skepticism exists over whether acquiring and retiring these voluntary RECs has any substantive impact on clean energy generation. Some REC registries have begun to move to new instruments, known as Time-based Energy Attribute Certificates, which can be used to attribute the supply of clean power to the location and hour of production. These new instruments may improve the situation, but more work needs to be done to demonstrate the associated impact on clean energy generation.
Even with compliance RECs, the effect on carbon emissions is not straightforward. For example, retiring a compliance REC does not guarantee that any additional clean energy will be contributed to the grid if the grid already contains more renewable energy than policy requires. Furthermore, many different definitions exist for what qualifies as “renewable energy” for a REC depending on the state, and some states offer more than one REC per unit of generation for specific types of generation. Many states also have alternative compliance payments, meaning that RECs can effectively be created by paying a fee instead of generating renewable electricity. As such, understanding how to translate RECs into carbon abatement is challenging, with any rigorous connection likely requiring more research.
4. Conclusions
Defining life-cycle emissions from electricity consumption is a difficult challenge, and the choices one makes when doing so will have far-reaching consequences for a potential hydrogen economy and subsequent emissions impacts, both of which may be large. An inevitable trade-off will arise in these considerations, between simplicity and accuracy, and each choice offers a different degree of rigor with respect to the real-world emissions that result from electricity consumption. We do not pretend that an optimal solution is easy to identify, and we continue to explore further research to inform these important questions. We hope that the Department of Energy and other executive branch agencies will seek out the best information available and that the department will ensure a rigorous evaluation of the trade-offs as it navigates this complex area.
Authors
Brian C. Prest
Fellow; Director, Social Cost of Carbon Initiative
Brian Prest is an economist and Fellow at Resources for the Future specializing in climate change, oil and gas, and energy economics.
Karen Palmer
Senior Fellow
Karen Palmer is a Senior Fellow at Resources for the Future and an expert on the economics of environmental, climate and public utility regulation of the electric power sector. She also serves as the director of the Future of Power Initiative.
Related Content
Testimony and Public Comments — Dec 1, 2022
Comments to Treasury on Clean Hydrogen Credits
To the Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service on the 45V clean hydrogen tax credit.
Common Resources — Dec 1, 2022
What Do Hydrogen-Hub Developers and Producers Want? Is the US Department of Energy Meeting Their Needs?
Earlier this year, the US Department of Energy requested feedback on its hydrogen hubs program. In its recent funding opportunity announcement, the agency partly addressed comments that were contributed by hydrogen-hub developers and producers.
Press Release — Nov 23, 2022
Research Team Rolls Out Data Tool to Explore Proposed Clean Hydrogen Hub Projects
Scholars at Resources for the Future have created an interactive map that details project proposals vying for a share of the $8 billion of public funding available under the Department of Energy’s hydrogen hubs program. | https://www.rff.org/publications/testimony-and-public-comments/calculating-life-cycle-emissions-from-electricity-consumption/ |
in modern world conceptions?
what place for wounded healers?
psychologist Carl Jung describes
archetypal dynamic wounded healers
their place in contemporary societies
modern research reveals
interesting data on caregivers
belief stimulus of doctors nurses
even modern healers
have collective stimulus
to heal illness afflictions
modern healers nurture patients
seek cures for pain suffering distress
treat physical affects of wounds
medical experts
recent study results
73.9% of counsellors
and psychotherapists
experienced wounding experiences
one or more times
exact causes
suffered wounds
multiple diverse
variations
but usually wounds
were stimulus
main categories
predominant abuse
identified types
as a child in families
mental ill-health as individuals
social family life adults
mental ill-health in others
physical ill-health as individuals
physical ill-health in others
bereavement issues
life threatening conditions
as wounding experiences
approximately 75% of care givers
modern fit shaman wounded healers
criteria in stimulus healing desires
Copyright © Terence George Craddock
Poet's Notes about The Poem
Comments about Chapters Of Life Read In Earth Life Cycles by Terence George Craddock (Spectral Images and Images Of Light)
Read this poem in other languages
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet. | https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/chapters-of-life-read-in-earth-life-cycles/ |
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By
ABTBluebird,
February 9, 2004 in About Professional Dancers & Companies
Osipova!
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Aug 8
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Apr 17
Clara 76
10 posts
silvy
6 posts
Milfordman
4 posts
gasguzzler
3 posts
Sep 4 2007
5 posts
Aug 8 2006
4 posts
Mar 3 2005
Apr 17 2008
I keep discovering more and more dancers that I admire--yay for Youtube!!! I must add Marianela Nunez to my list...her artistry is spectacular, and her technique is amazing. It is especially her artistry that I admire...she dances with her whole body and conveys emotion and meaning with every movement.
My favorite dancers are Marianela Nunez and Tamara Rojo.
Uliana Lopatkina and Alina Cojocaru are my top favourites
I REALLY like Maria Kochetkova. The fact that she is so small, only 5', but dances so big is just amazing. I also love Tiler Peck; she inspires me because she joined NYCB at only 15. And Evgenia Obratzova, Katharine Precourt, Melissa Hough, Sara Webb, Alina Somova, and more.
Basically I'm saying that I'm obsessed with every dancer out there.
Marianela Nunez!!!! I like that she is not only dancing the steps, but conveys the emotions through eyes etc brilliantly.
Am especially in LOOOOVE with her Odile
I love Misty Copeland, Julie Kent, Miko Fogarty, and Sara Mearns.
This is such a long thread that I don't know if I have already mentioned this, but I saw Ekaterina Maximova as Tatiana in Cranko's Onegin with the ENB in London. She was 50 at the time, but danced like a young girl and her acting was just goose-bumpy! She was totally plausible as Tatiana and altogether gave an incredible performance - one that I will always remember. It was truly one of those special experiences that you lock away in a box in your mind and never forget............ Svetlana Beriosova and Baryshnikov are still my absolute favourites though.
Misty Copeland! She is my inspiration, she only started ballet when she was 12, and is now a professional at ABT!
I personally love Gillian Murphy, and also (if you've seen that dance movie 'Center Stage') Ethan Stiefel- now an artistic director, who also happens to be Gillians fiance!
Svetlana Zakharova and Misty Copeland. They are both beautiful and inspiring!
I'd like Darcy Bussell and Anna Pavlova the best. Especially Darcey Bussell.
Posting for my under-13 DD: Yuan Yuan Tan.
Mine is definitely Svetlana Zakharova. She is flexible, beautiful, and knows how to express herself onstage! Look her up!
I think I could write a book about how many dancers I admire/have made me cry. As a huge (and that's an understatement) Nutcracker lover....Baryshnikov and Kirkland.
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You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. | https://dancers.invisionzone.com/topic/16256-who-is-your-favorite-ballet-dancer/page/18/ |
Build your career plan
WHY A CAREER PLAN?
A career plan is a roadmap that will help you identify the career that suits you best and work methodically towards getting there.To develop an effective career plan, you first need to take stock of your educational background, professional experience and interests, and work out which sectors you want to target. Then you will be able to explore different options on the job market.
Once you have established your objective, you will be better prepared to choose a Master’s programme or specialisation courses. You will also be able to target the employers that interest you, the most useful internships and the non-professional experiences to attain that objective.
1. COMPLETE A SELF-ASSESSMENT
Describe yourself
For your career plan, it is important to think about:
-
Your fundamental values
i.e. the values that guide you, that are essential to your equilibrium and personal and professional fulfilment.
E.g.: professional success, family, solidarity, creativity, independence, team spirit, security, stability, adventure, etc.
See the list of values
-
Your strengths / weaknesses
draw on feedback from your friends and family, or from employers (internship evaluation form) and faculty.
See the list of positive / negative qualities
Inventory your competencies
This step involves listing your aptitudes and taking stock of all you have learned through your experiences in:
- education: courses, team projects, study trips, etc.
- employment: internships, student jobs, etc.
- personal interests: clubs, volunteer work, etc.
List your professional goals, interests and aspirations
This step calls for you to envisage your professional future
-
Where will you be in two years, five years or 20 years?
Taking a long-term perspective allows you to set intermediate objectives
E.g.: Do you want to become a diplomat? Plan to do an internship at an embassy.
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Do you want to work in the public, private or non-profit sector?
Work environments, values and roles vary from one sector to another.
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What industries interest you and why?
Example: Banking Finance / Audit Consulting / Public Administration / Heavy Industry, Transport, Energy, Environment / Publishing, Media, Communication / Luxury Retail / Culture, etc.
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Where would you like to work?
- In which country?
- In a big city? A rural environment?
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How would you like to work?
- Do you envisage an active or sedentary job? With travel or without?
- Would you rather work alone or in a team?
- Would you be willing to work long hours, including evenings and weekends?
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What size organisation would suit you best?
- Startup, SME or large company?
- Head office of an international organisation or a local branch?
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What type of role would you like?
- Advising local authorities on their digital transformation?
- Running a humanitarian/development programme?
- Helping develop a startup?
Tip: get inspiration from roles described in current and past job listings
-
How much do you hope to earn?
Pay levels can vary between industries. What standard of living do you aspire to? For example, the non-profit sector offers lower-paying jobs than the banking/finance/insurance sector.
See List your professional goals, interests and aspirations
2. Analyse the market
You are now ready to move on to the next stage: Link to Research your market
3. do a summary
You have reviewed your goals, needs, interests and skills, and analysed the market or markets that seem to suit and/or attract you. Now it is time to compare the results so you can identify concrete leads to explore for your internship or job search.
You can use the summary table to identify the roles and sectors that suit your aspirations, and then begin to search actively for an internship or job.
> See the summary table
to learn more
- Building a personal career plan (Openclassroom)
- Read Sciences Po graduate employability survey
- Get to know yourself using the STRONG and MBTI tests
- Inventory your competencies
- Work on your job search methodology
- Do a job survey
- Job search tools and resources
- Build your network
- Write your CV
- Attend career fairs and events
- View jobs and internships openings on careers website
Calendar
Job offers
- 11.04.2019Recruit our talents! Take part in Sciences Po Careers Fair 2019Sciences Po Careers Fair 2019 will be held on Friday 27 September from 10AM to 5PM in Parc Expo Paris Versailles (Paris). This annual information and recruitment fair is a unique opportunity for you to meet with 1600 Sciences Po students and graduates.
- 12.03.2019L'alternance : une transition douce avec le monde du travailLouis Gaucher effectue sa deuxième année de master Stratégies Territoriales et Urbaines en apprentissage. Depuis juin 2018, il alterne entre ses cours à Sciences Po et la préparation (urbaine) des Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques au sein de la Société de livraison des équipements olympiques et paralympiques (SOLIDEO). Entretien.
- 08.03.2019
- 07.03.2019
- 01.03.2019
- 29.01.2019United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and Sciences Po: a cooperation that makes senseIn 2018, out of 25 internships offered worldwide for their Summer programme, 15 Sciences Po students had the great opportunity to travel the world and work for the WFP. In January 2019, a new WFP Summer internship programme is launched: will you be part of it?
- 07.11.2018World Food Programme in Ethiopia: how collaborative work can serve the most vulnerable populations to achieve zero hunger.Rim Melake is a Dual Degree Student at Sciences Po and Bocconi University. In Paris, she studies International Development with the concentrations in Agriculture and Global Health - in Milan, Economics and Management of Governments and International Organisations. At the end of her M1, she was offered to return a second time in Ethiopia to work as an intern for the WFP Relief and the Refugee team in Addis Ababa. | https://carrieres.sciencespo.fr/index.php/en/article/435/435-fr-construire-son-projet-professionnel |
Team Kelowna returns from International Children’s Games
Eighteen young athletes have returned to Kelowna with a taste of international competition.
Team Kelowna was welcomed back home this week after the their performances at the 2019 International Children’s Summer Games in Ufa, Russia. Two members of the Okanagan Athletic Club recorded personal bests at the games, but the overall experience of the international games were celebrated by the entire team.
“Our young athletes represented Kelowna with outstanding sportsmanship and friendship in the spirit of the games,” said Lance Macdonald, representative to the games for Team Kelowna.
READ MORE: Okanagan Sun shine with season-opener win
This was the 14th time Kelowna has participated in the games, which brings together over 1,500 young athletes from around the world in friendly competitions in nine different sports. The games are one of the largest multi-sport youth competitions in the world and are sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee.
Team Kelowna had teams represented in soccer, beach volleyball, long jump and shot put. Team members Brianna Breau and Elise Drake set personal bests in their respective competitions. Breau recorded a 4.02-metre long jump while Drake achieved a 10.23m shot put and advanced to the finals.
The boy’s soccer team went winless in their competition, but two Team Kelowna members were selected to play in the cross-city fun match that concluded the tournament.
READ MORE: Rockets’ star impresses at World Junior showcase
“Congratulations to the entire team of athletes, coaches and parent supporters for making these games another great success for Kelowna,” said Macdonald. | |
Like every year gone before us let us take a moment in in time to recognize those who have left us and to thank those who have retired and wish them a safe, rewarding and successful journey on their new path and to pray for those who have left us an gone to what I know to be a better place.
It is also that time of the year when I specially recognize individuals for outstanding work or achievements under the Chairman’s award portfolio. These are individuals who have come to my attention as having gone the extra mile and exhibit a work ethic worthy of being singled out. This category of recognition is available to all and in a short while I will make the presentations for this year
As in every message that I have delivered over the years I always select a theme this years it is based on two subjects the word loyalty, and customer satisfaction.
Under loyalty I want to put my own twist to the word and its use which is so very often used by us, with the hope of provoking thoughts towards aiding change
What real is loyalty? Your feelings of support or duty towards someone or something so
- Is it an entitlement? Or it is something that you give back or earn
- Should loyalty be allowed to substitute for efficiency?
- Can loyalty destroy?
- Can Loyalty be grey surely not but rather be black and white? You're either loyal completely, or not loyal at all.
- The strength of this family lies with the loyalty it can generate , like the strength of an army, it’s in the loyalty to each other and the organization
- The whole point of loyalty was not to limit change or stick with those who stuck with you but to help you build and provide support when needed
I know some of you may be confused at this time or that you may not have fully absorbed the context of what I have presented but when you dialoged among yourselves, it should come true to you ,that what I have presented would stimulate the change that I see needed at this time in our continued journey towards the end of the 21 century.
And as we continue to pride ourselves as the leader in our industry regionally with so many accolades recently awarded to us .This did not come as a result of building a successful business but rather building people who build the successful organization.
The second item customer satisfaction I am hoping for a rejuvenated effort towards the customer Experience which I am declaring as being our next competitive battle ground. As most of you should know the benchmark to measure success of any organization is undoubtedly "Customers", but customers are not enough, they need to be a satisfied, loyal, repeat set of customers who would like to associate with your organization time & time again. So what makes our organization "The Chosen One" among the stiff competition that exists and is increasing day by day?
It is going to be the combination of packaged products, services, or solutions we deliver to customers in the most efficient manner. To this end I have identified four pointers that I feel are must haves if our organization is to accomplish this initiative successfully.
- We need to have “Technology Evangelists or Experts" these are the people who should be always upgrading themselves with the best knowledge regarding the portfolios that they are currently handling.
- Our timely responsiveness to our customers needs? And the need to be proactive enough to make the first call and take down their requirements, they like to be updated on what's happening! So we need to make sure that we are staying in touch with them. And when I speak about customers I am also talking about our internal people as well.
- Doing the Extra Mile: Now this one can be tricky at times! Our customers would always expect you to walk that extra mile to match their requirements, whether it is pricing, delivery of service or building applications/deployments and infinite other reasons. You would have to be able to make decisions which are ethical and would align the best of our organization's & client's interests. Remember both are important.
- Building Relationships: you have to know where your customers is and what he or she is doing. You have to be connected with them on social/professional networks? Among other methods and at the same time remembering not everyone likes to be constantly followed everywhere. You need to "Keep in Touch" with customers after you have made a sale or delivered on a service. Let them know how much you value them, because the golden rule is to make your customers happy. If we follow these four principles and adapt this battle will be won. | https://assl.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=776&catid=172&Itemid=101 |
Minimum 5 years of experience in senior level.
Apply Before (Deadline)
21st May 2021
Job Description:
- Directs sales forecasting activities and sets performance goals accordingly.
- Meeting with key clients, assisting sales representative with maintaining relationships and negotiating and closing deals.
- Achieves satisfactory profit/loss ratio and market share in relation to preset standards and industry and economic trends.
- Directs market channel development activity and coordinates sales distribution by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals.
- Ensures effective control of marketing results, and takes corrective action to guarantee that achievement of marketing objectives falls within designated budgets.
- Oversees and evaluates market research and adjusts marketing strategy to meet changing market and competitive conditions.
- Establishes and maintains a consistent corporate image throughout all product lines, promotional materials, and events.
Job Specification:
- Experience in strategic planning and execution. Knowledge of contracting, negotiating, and change management. Knowledge of structuring sales quota goals and revenue expectations. Experience in planning marketing strategies, advertising campaigns, and successful public relations efforts.
- Work requires professional written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to motivate teams to produce quality materials within tight timeframes and simultaneously manage several projects. Ability to participate in and facilitate group meetings. | http://49.236.212.74/jobs/detail/chief-sales-and-marketing-officer-252 |
What has happened?
- Even as the country is battling with the Covid-19 pandemic, another outbreak of a deadly disease has put the authorities on high alert.
- Mucormycosis, a rare but deadly fungal disease, has been affecting an increasing number of people across India.
- After being reported in Delhi and Mumbai, the killer disease has now affected Ahmedabad with 44 people already being hospitalised for the illness..
Fungal disease
- An infection occurs when a microorganism enters a person’s body and causes harm.
- The microorganism uses that person’s body to sustain itself, reproduce, and colonize. These infectious microscopic organisms are known as pathogens like:
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- Fungi
- Fungal diseases are often very common in the environment.
- Most fungi are not dangerous, but some types can be harmful to health.
- Mild fungal skin diseases can look like a rash and are very common.
- Fungal diseases in the lungs are often similar to other illnesses such as the flu or tuberculosis.
What is mucormycosis?
- Previously called zygomycosis, mucormycosis is a serious and rare fungal infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes.
- These molds live throughout the environment.
- While a quick diagnosis and treatment can cure the patient, left untreated, it can prove fatal.
- The infection usually starts from the nose and spreads to eyes.
- As the infection spreads, it paralyses muscles around the pupils of the eye, leading to blindness.
- If the fungal infection spreads to the brain, the patient can get
- This alarming affliction, although rare, is not new.
- Black Fungus or mucormycosis has been a cause of disease and death of patients in transplants, and ICU since long.
- However, it is the rapid increase in the numbers seen in unsuspected recovering COVID-19 patients that is causing the grave concern.
How it is linked to COVID-19?
- Fungal infection triggered most in the patients who have recovered from COVID-19.
- Mucormycosis mainly affects people who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness.
- This puts people recovering from Covid-19 or post-Covid issues at high risk.
- According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
- Mostly, the disease affects the people who have prior health problems or
- Take medicines that lower the body’s ability to tackle germs and illness.
- People with diabetes and health problems are also at high risk.
- In Ahmedabad, the majority of patients who have come to the civil hospital with mucormycosis had diabetes and were recovering from Covid-19.
- If you have swelling or pain in your nose and/or blurred eyesight, you should go to the doctor immediately.
Treatment
- Most patients require both anti-fungal medication as well as surgical debridement.
- This is because they already suffered significant tissue damage by the time the diagnosis is made.
Q) Excessive bleeding during an injury is a deficiency of? | https://www.studyiq.com/articles/mucormycosis-deadly-disease-outbreak-india-free-pdf/ |
Under the theme “Smart production for sustainable food systems”, the regional summit addresses the challenges of sustainable food production facing farmers from South-East Asia and, in particular, Thailand. The AGRITECHNICA ASIA and HORTI ASIA Regional Summit, which is being organised by DLG (German Agricultural Society) and VNU Asia Pacific, will take place on 16 and 17 November in Nakhon Ratchasima, in the heart of the rice, cassava and sugarcane producing region in Thailand. Complementing the in-person event in Thailand, DLG’s online platform will connect on-site and online international providers, experts and attendees. The summit is being co-hosted by the Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.
The conference, with over 50 speakers from Thailand and worldwide, will focus on a wide range of topics, including efficient and sustainable sugarcane, cassava, rice and maize production; precision and smart farming; plant protection; water management and cluster farming as well as new market segments such as vertical farming and the bioeconomy.
“We are collaborating with quality conference partners – leading specialist organisations such as the International Rice Research Institute and the Thai Society of Sugarcane Technologists. The combination of experts from the Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and the private sector sharing information on the latest innovations as well as practitioners demonstrating best practices from the field will create a unique platform for the exchange of knowledge and networking,” explained DLG’s Project Manager Katharina Staske at a preview event in mid-October in Bangkok. | https://www.rural21.com/english/news/detail/article/dlg-agritechnica-asia-horti-asia-regional-summit.html |
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➤Early morning arrival in Kazan, transfer to the hotel and guaranteed early check-in
➤Time for breakfast and rest
➤Full day Kazan guided tour: the Kremlin of Kazan, Kul Sharif Mosque, Syumbike tower, Chak-Chak museum and the old Tatar village
➤Tatar cuisine cooking class and Tatar lunch
The white-stone legendary Kazan Kremlin has heard almost all the languages of the world during its thousand year history. From the latter half of the 13th Century to the first half of the 15th Century, the Kremlin was the center of the Kazan principality as part of the Golden Horde. Kazan was conquered by Ivan the Terrible in 1552. The legendary building of the Kremlin is the famous Suyumbike Tower, one of the few «falling» buildings in the world. Kazan Kremlin is the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Have lunch with delicious Tatar meals and learn the secrets of local cuisine at cooking master-class. After lunch, we continue the day with a city tour, Chak-Chak museum (the funniest museum you've ever been to) and a visit to a local cultural village. Evening is free at leisure. | https://discoveryrussia.com/tour/287/day_from_city/1494/ |
Lowest terms 2
The expression 4/12 can be expressed in its lowest term as 1/3. What is 3/15 expressed in its lowest term?
Your answer:
Your answer:
Did you find an error or inaccuracy? Feel free to write us. Thank you!
Thank you for submitting an example text correction or rephasing. We will review the example in a short time and work on the publish it.
Tips to related online calculators
Need help to calculate sum, simplify or multiply fractions? Try our fraction calculator. | https://www.hackmath.net/en/math-problem/54191 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention relates to the coupling together of two or more springs in series and more particularly to the coupling of such springs in connection with the take-up and supply reels of a web system.
In the prior art, negator springs have been used to supply the differential motion between supply and take-up reels of a capstan driven web system. Since the number of turns such springs provide is limited, it has been necessary to couple such springs together in order to increase the number of spring turns available to provide sufficient tension for long tape lengths. In the prior art, such springs have been coupled together by means of gearing, belts or chains. However, these prior art techniques prove disadvantageous because the added complexity of gears, belts or chains results in decreased reliability and increased cost and weight of the web system. Since such web systems are typically used in space applications, reliability, cost and weight are highly important factors.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide a means for serially coupling springs without the use of gears, belts or chains.
Another object of this invention is to provide a means for creating web tension in a capstan driven reel system wherein negator springs are serially coupled together without the use of gears, belts or chains.
Another object of this invention is to provide improved means for creating web tension in a capstan driven reel system which is capable of smoothing surge changes in tape tension to avoid "looping" when subjected to rapid changes in tape speed.
It is another object of the invention to provide a simplified method for increasing the tape storing capacity of a capstan driven reel system.
These objects and the general purpose of this invention are accomplished as follows. Each of at least one pair of torsional springs is attached at one end to an orbital spring storage drum. The other end of each spring in a pair is attached to wind on a different one of two reel hubs. When relative rotation in one direction occurs between the different reel hubs, the springs wind up on the reel hubs. Rotation in the opposite direction causes the springs to wind up on the storage drums. By thusly coupling two springs in series, the available turns for winding the web on the reels is doubled. By adding additional springs, web tension is increased.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The single FIGURE of the drawing is an isometric view of a web transport apparatus illustrating the spring coupling of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A web system incorporating the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing. The web apparatus includes a supply reel 11 and a take-up reel 13. Each reel 11, 13 has a hub 17, 18 and rotates freely on a central shaft 15. The reel hubs 17, 18 are disposed inwardly, facing each other. A capstan 19 draws tape 20 off a supply reel 11 around a guide roller 21. In order to maintain tension on the tape 20 and drive the supply reel 11, a spring coupling apparatus 23 embodying the preferred embodiment of the invention is located between the hubs 17, 18 of the supply and take-up reels 11, 13.
This coupling apparatus 23 employs a coupling arm 25 rotatably carried intermediate its ends on central shaft 15 through bearing 28. This bearing 28 permits the coupling arm 25 to rotate freely with respect to the central shaft 15. One end of the coupling arm 25 mounts a pair of spring storage shafts 27, 29 while the other end of the coupling arm 25 mounts a second pair of spring storage shafts 31, 33.
Each of the four storage shafts 27, 29, 31, 33 carries a drum 50, 51, 52, 53 on which one end of a negator spring 35, 37, 39, 41 is attached thereto. Drums 50, 51, 52 and 53 are free to rotate on its shaft. Thus, negator springs 35, 37 are mounted about the hub 17 of supply reel 11, and negator 41, 39 are mounted about the hub 18 of the take-up reel 13. Negator springs 35, 41 make up one spring pair and negator springs 37, 39 make up the other spring pair in spring coupling apparatus 23 representing the preferred embodiment. The free ends of negator springs 35, 37 are attached to the hub of the supply reel 11 such that relative motion of the hub 17 with respect to the storage shafts 27, 31 in an unwind (supply) direction causes the springs 35, 37 to wind onto the hub 17. Negator springs 41, 39 are similarly attached to the hub 18 of the take-up reel 13 such that motion of the take-up reel 13 in a take-up direction relative to the spring storage shafts 29, 33 causes the springs 39, 41 to wind onto hub 18. As well known in the art, negator springs are springs designed to apply a constant spring force or tension as they wind or unwind.
As thus connected, the coupling apparatus 23 operates to provide the requisite differential motion of the tape reels as tape is wound from one reel to another and effectively doubles the available turns for winding the tape web on the reels. The use of two pairs of springs 35, 41 and 37, 39 effectively doubles the torque applied to the reel hubs 17, 18. Initially the take-up reel 13 must rotate at a higher velocity than the supply reel 11. This differential motion is provided while maintaining essentially constant tape tension as springs 39, 41 unwind from the take- up reel hub 18 while springs 35, 37 unwind from the supply reel hub 17. As the tape diameter on each reel nears equality, the unwinding of the springs 35, 37, 39, 41 slows. At the center of the tape, there is no winding of any of the springs 35, 37, 39, 41. Past the center of the tape, the supply reel 11 begins to rotate faster than the take-up reel. When this occurs, springs 35, 37, 39, 41 rewind onto reel hubs 17, 18. When the tape direction is reversed, the same process occurs in the reverse direction as the springs unwind from their respective storage drums 50, 51, 52, 53.
By mounting spring storage drums 50, 51, 52, 53 on arm 25 through shafts 27, 29, 31, 33 and allowing the arm to rotate freely about central shaft 15, springs 35, 41 and 37, 39 constitute two pairs of series coupled springs wherein the two springs in a pair share the differential motion of the reels to double the available spring turns for winding the web on the reels, thus increasing the tape storage capacity of the web system. By using two pairs of springs rather than only one pair, web tension is doubled.
An additional benefit flowing from the series coupling of the negator springs through arm 25 is that the web system will, due to inertia effects, maintain a more constant tape tension in the presence of tape speed variations than will a conventional system where the spring or springs are directly coupled between reels.
As may be apparent, numerous modifications are possible in the just described preferred embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, two or more springs may be employed in combinations other than the two series pairs shown, and the spacing between the assembly of parts along central shaft 15, as well as the physical dimensions and relative proportions of the parts themselves, may be changed to meet particular design requirements. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described above. | |
How to Harvest Mustard Spinach So They Will Continue Growing
Mustard spinach (Brassica rapa), also called tendergreen mustard or komatsuna, is an Asian green that is neither a mustard nor a spinach. It grows best during cool weather, making it well suited to fall, winter and spring gardens in mild climates. It doesn't bolt easily in hot weather, so you can often continue to grow it into summer. The leafy greens are used both cooked and fresh, making it a flavorful replacement for other garden greens. Proper harvesting allows you to collect more than one crop from the plants.
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1.
Thin the mustard spinach when the plants are 2 to 3 inches tall so that the remaining plants are spaced 12 inches apart. Carefully pull up the plants you wish to remove to avoid disturbing the roots of those left in place. Trim the roots from the thinned plants with shears and use them in salads.
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2.
Cut off the outer leaves on each plant once the plant grows to a 12-inch height. Remove the foliage at the base of the plant, but leave the young inner foliage in place to continue growing. Continue to harvest weekly from the outside of the plant as new leaves are produced in the interior.
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3.
Water the mustard spinach once weekly with enough water to moisten the top 6 inches of soil, which encourages new growth after harvest.
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4.
Mix 1 tablespoon of a high-nitrogen fertilizer, such as a 24-8-16 soluble blend, with 1 gallon of water. Water every 10 square feet of the mustard spinach bed after harvest or at two-week intervals to provides nutrients for further leaf production.
References
Tips
- Harvest the entire plant by cutting it back to within 2 inches of the ground after it grows to a 12-inch height instead of just cutting off the outer leaves. Mustard spinach may grow back for a second crop when harvested in this manner.
Warnings
- Some varieties of Brassica rapa can become invasive and self-seed or overtake other garden plants. Always verify that the variety you plant is not a risk in your area.
Writer Bio
Jenny Harrington has been a freelance writer since 2006. Her published articles have appeared in various print and online publications. Previously, she owned her own business, selling handmade items online, wholesale and at crafts fairs. Harrington's specialties include small business information, crafting, decorating and gardening. | https://homeguides.sfgate.com/harvest-mustard-spinach-continue-growing-75835.html |
BIGFORK — A popular Northwest Montana summertime event won't be taking place this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Bigfork Area Chamber of Commerce has announced that the 9th annual Montana Dragon Boat Festival -- which was set for Bigfork Bay on Sept. 12 and Sept. 13 -- has been postponed.
Organizers note that registration -- which generally opens in early spring -- was delayed due to COVID-19 and travel restrictions. There was also the uncertainty that the event, which requires teams of 20 to sit in a narrow boat for extended periods, would be able to meet whatever the state guidelines may be in September, according to a news release.
The event committee also looked at whether or not teams would be willing and able to attend. The event’s sponsors have also been financially impacted due to coronavirus closures.
“We know that many of them would still have been happy to sponsor the Dragon Boat Festival, but we did not feel this was the year to ask our business community for money," Bigfork Area Chamber director Rebekah King explained.
The event also requires the services of Elemental Dragon Boats, a professional dragon boat race directing team from Canada. The border between the US and Canada is currently closed.
“It became a question of when the border will reopen and if the members of the Elemental crew would be comfortable coming down. The decision to cancel made itself when the uncertainty of Elemental's involvement came up. The event relies heavily on their presence and professionalism,” said King.
Organizers and local teams are still looking for a way to mark the now postponed September event. There have been discussions of the Flathead Dragonflies hosting a clinic that weekend, possible virtual races, or a one-day practice event to bring paddlers together, according to a news release.
“It is important to keep interest in the festival and the sport of dragon boat racing growing in the Flathead Valley,” said Alida Tinch with the Flathead Dragonflies.
The Flathead Dragonflies will begin practicing soon and invite anyone interested to join them. The team can be contacted via email [email protected] or look for announcements on their Facebook page.
Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. | |
One of the strongest voices in the Korean music scene – and sometimes very much underrated – is back after two years with an EP that is going to make you nod your head to the beat.
Consisting of six mid-tempo, almost bordering on slow, tracks, what stands out the most in this EP are the soft melodies accompanied by Gummy’s very husky and powerful voice. Every song is a very good companion to the one before, keeping the mood throughout the whole piece. Gummy keeps it soulful, she keeps it warm and mostly she keeps it mellow.
There is not much more you can say. If you love powerful vocals, great songs with an overall soft yet soothing feeling, listen to this. If you haven’t heard Gummy’s music before, listen to this. I guarantee that you will look for her previous releases. She is that good.
Rating: | https://www.yam-mag.com/reviews/music-reviews/gummy-loveless-ep/ |
We are looking for a high-calibre IT Project Manager to join our clients Project Delivery team and manage the finance change across the business. As a dynamic individual, you will bring a comprehensive commercial and finance competency,
Key Responsibilities:
To ensure that project objectives are clearly stated and fully bought into, the scope clearly defined and success criteria understood and agreed.
To lead and manage project teams including external contractors, internal resources and several third parties
Manage project timelines, budget, risks and dependencies effectively at all times
Responsible for managing all aspects of the end-to-end deployment of the project
To manage the sign off and closure of the project, including the return of the project team members back to their teams, closure of the project budget and post-implementation review
Knowledge, Skills & Experience Required: | http://www.opporecruitment.co.uk/jobs/project-manager-finance-fmcg-it-hemel-hemstead-874.htm |
At One Earth Future we believe that in order to be successful as an organization, we must strive for inclusive, collaborative, and stakeholder-driven approaches to our work. Considering the perspectives and needs of diverse groups is crucial to understanding the true nature of the problems we face in order to find effective, sustainable, and network-driven solutions. OEF acknowledges that in order to achieve our programmatic goals, we must be committed to building a culture of inclusivity and equality as part of our own operational values.
At OEF We Commit To:
1. OEF pays employees equally regardless of gender, and will publish aggregate pay information on its website.
The data below reflects salary information as of March 2019.
2. Each of OEF's programs will develop diversity and inclusion goals for their respective impact assessments, and will report progress on the OEF website.
OEF’s programs incorporate gender and inclusion into their work. Gender mainstreaming is a best practice, employed across inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations, that promotes gender equality and supports programmatic goals, from sustainable resource management to countering violent extremism.Here are some of the ways OEF programs incorporate gender:
Supporting female entrepreneurs in the Somali region through Shuraako
Enabling evidence-based policymaking on issues of Women, Peace & security
Understanding the role of women in fisheries in the Lake Victoria & Somali regions
Highlighting Women in Maritime
Understanding the Role of Women in Peacebuilding
Promoting Women’s Participation in Reintegration in Colombia
3. No OEF employee will speak on a panel or participate in a conference whose invited panelists and speakers do not represent the populations most affected by the topic, particularly as it relates to gender and nationality.
Exceptions can be made only after the panel
organizer is informed of OEF's policy, no
accommodation can be made, and the head of
OEF Human Resources, COO, or CEO signs off. | https://oneearthfuture.org/commit-to-inclusivity |
( Disponible en anglais seulement )
In Condominium Corporation No. 9312374 v Aviva Insurance Company of Canada, 2020 ABCA 166, the appellant condominium corporation (the “Corporation”), had engaged a contractor and an engineer to provide rehabilitation and maintenance work with respect to the parkade area in its condominium complex.
The scope of work specifically involved the repair and remediation of the parkade membrane, which required that the contractor and engineer cut into the membrane of the parkade surface. However, in carrying out the work the contractor and engineer cut too deeply into the parkade slab, causing damage to the parkade’s structural integrity.
The Corporation held a multi-peril policy of insurance with the respondent insurer, Aviva (the “Policy”), which contained a clause excluding coverage for “the cost of making good […] faulty or improper workmanship.” The exclusion clause also contained an exception which clarified, “This exclusion does not apply to loss or damage caused directly by a resultant peril not otherwise excluded in Coverage A of Section I.”
When the Corporation sought indemnification under the Policy for the repair of the structural damage, the insurer denied coverage on the basis of the faulty workmanship exclusion.
Lower Court Decisions
On the first hearing of the matter, a Master of the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench held that the damage to the structural integrity of the parkade was covered under the Policy. On appeal to a chambers judge, the Master’s decision was overturned and it was held that the damage to the structural integrity of the parking structure was not a “resultant peril” within the meaning of the exception to the exclusion. The trial judge’s decision was then appealed by the Corporation.
Court of Appeal Decision
The Alberta Court of Appeal overturned the trial judge’s decision and held that the structural damage to the parkade fell within the exception to the faulty workmanship exclusion, thereby bringing it within the coverage under the Policy.
A central aspect of the appeal was the applicability of the analytical framework set out in the Supreme Court of Canada’s 2016 decision in Ledcor Construction Ltd. v Northbridge Indemnity Insurance Co., 2016 SCC 37 (Ledcor). While the Corporation argued that Ledcor provided the operative interpretive framework in the matter before the Court, Aviva argued that Ledcor was distinguishable as it dealt with the interpretation of faulty workmanship exclusions in builders’ all-risk policies (as opposed to all-risk property policies), and that the language in the policy before the Court differed from that at issue in Ledcor.
The Court began by observing that the Ledcor framework need only apply if the provision in question is ambiguous. As the Policy provided no definition of the term “resultant peril,” the Court found both the exclusion and the exception contained the requisite ambiguity, which it sought to resolve by the application of the following principles of interpretation (as set out in the Supreme Court of Canada decision in Progressive Homes Ltd. v Lombard General Insurance Co. of Canada, 2010 SCC33, and adopted in Ledcor):
- The interpretation should be consistent with the reasonable expectations of the parties, so long as that interpretation is supported by the language of the policy;
- The interpretation should not create an unrealistic result; but rather a result consistent with the commercial reality existing;
- If ambiguity remains, contra proferentum can be employed to construe the policy against the insurer who drafted the policy;
- A corollary to the contra proferentum rule is that coverage provisions in insurance policies are to be interpreted broadly, and exclusions interpreted narrowly; and
- The insured has the onus of establishing that the loss or damage falls within the coverage provided by the policy. If there is coverage, the insurer has the onus of establishing that an exclusion applies. If the insurer is successful in doing so, the onus shifts back to the insured to show that the loss or damage falls within an exception to the exclusion.
Drawing from Ledcor, the Court noted that the purpose of a policy of insurance can inform the parties’ reasonable expectations thereunder, then observed that multi-peril or all-risk policies share a similar purpose with builders’ risk policies, that being to provide broad coverage for fortuitous loss or damage, as well as affording the insured certainty, stability and peace of mind.
In discussing the faulty workmanship exclusion, the Court pointed to the rationale underlying such exclusions generally being that while insurers may be prepared to insure risks relating to problems caused by faulty workmanship, they are not prepared to insure the quality of the workmanship itself.
The Court then observed that the cost of making good faulty or improper workmanship is informed by the scope of the work contracted for and, as a result, that the consideration of what constitutes faulty or improper workmanship is limited to the scope of the contract in question (in this case, that being remediation and repair work to the parkade membrane).
In addressing the wording of the exclusion clause and exception, the Court rejected Aviva’s interpretation that faulty workmanship having given rise to a resultant peril was insufficient to come within the coverage (instead suggesting that the faulty workmanship must cause a second, resultant peril which causes separate, distinct damage in order to come within the exception), which it construed as drawing a distinction between a peril and damage. The Court criticized this argument as an attempt to “parse certain words to ground [Aviva’s] argument that the correct interpretation of the exception in the policy […] must involve different occurrences.”
Instead, the Court looked to Black’s Law Dictionary to distill a meaning of the term “resultant peril,” and, in doing so, found the term to mean a “consequence that causes a risk of loss to person or property.” From this definition, the Court reasoned that the resultant peril in question was the loss of structural integrity of the parkade, or the risk of structural collapse.
This interpretation provided that the structural integrity damage, as a resultant peril, was captured by the exception and the Policy coverage as a result. The Court found that this conclusion was consistent with commercial reality as well as with other jurisprudence regarding the interpretation of faulty workmanship clauses in insurance contracts, while still providing that the cost of making good the faulty workmanship, a sum of some $500,000.00, fell under the exclusion clause and was not covered by the Policy.
Although it reached this conclusion without resort to the principle of contra proferentum, the Court did note that the result would have been the same had it done so.
Conclusion
The key takeaways from the Court of Appeal decision for insurers and insurance practitioners are threefold:
- The Court of Appeal’s approach to the matter confirms that the Ledcor framework is not confined in its application to faulty workmanship clauses in builders’ risk policies. On account of the parallels drawn by the Court, it may be expected that the analysis in Ledcor can be extended to multi-peril and all-risk policies of insurance as well.
- The Court of Appeal’s decision serves as a recent affirmation of the relevant principles which are to be applied in the resolution of ambiguous insurance contracts provisions.
- The result reached by the Court of Appeal also serves as an indication of courts’ inclination to limit the scope of faulty workmanship exclusion clauses. As a result, it may be expected that if an insurer intends to exclude coverage for faulty workmanship and any risk of loss which faulty workmanship creates, they would likely need to employ very clear policy language beyond that which was under consideration in this case in order to do so. | https://www.millerthomson.com/fr/blogues/blogue-droit-des-assurances/the-scope-and-interpretation-of-faulty-workmanship-exclusions-in-multi-peril-policies/ |
I will divide these remarks into three sections: 1. Situation at hand; 2. Causes; 3. Alternatives to the existing world order, and the extent to which these can conform to ethical principles.
First, the situation at hand.
The term “globality” has gained popularity within the English-speaking debate surrounding the Davos summit at the end of the last millennium. (“Responsible Globality” was the general theme of the World Economic Forum 1999.) The term suggests a state of worldwide unity determining the daily life of every human being and resulting from an increasingly complex economic interdependence across all national borders. This vision of one unified world of globality is primarily propagated by supposedly progressive thinkers of the Western world such as Thomas L. Friedman (with the bestseller ‘The World is Flat’) and Kishore Mahbubani (with the equally best-selling publication “The Great Convergence – Asia, the West, and the Logic of One World”). In fact, however, “globality” describes the consequences of man’s desire for profit, which has become limitless due to technological progress, and which is accompanied by an illusion of omnipotence nourished by the very same technical means.
The world continues to be a place of conflict
Since the era of “globality” has been proclaimed, history has rather developed in the opposite direction. It has not come to its end, as Francis Fukuyama, another “progressive thinker” of the Western world, and the apologists of “One World” under the auspices of the so-called liberal market economy reckoned. Once more, I believe, this reveals the problematic nature of all secular apocalyptic visions. Here and now, in 2019, the world is not – whatever one may personally think of it – one large network of universal interaction between all governmental, economic, and cultural areas, in which “freedom” – as it is understood in the West – would have triumphed. The world continues to be a place of conflict, a place of economic, social, and cultural antagonism and tension, in which the most powerful actors are fighting for supremacy.
Global peace is precarious. The key word here – because of time constraints, I cannot further elaborate – would be the Thucydides Trap1. It must be further noted that, in recent years and decades, the gap between rich and poor has widened in many parts of the world, including in industrialised countries. Finally, it can be observed that due to wars of aggression, but also due to the prosperity gap, migration flows have increased enormously, which has unsettled previously stable regions, and even turned them into areas of conflict.
Growing mistrust and alienation instead of a global consciousness
Succinctly put, this empirical finding shows that a global consciousness has not actually formed anywhere, however much the globalists prescribe it to all of us. In fact there is a growing mistrust between the still existing blocs and groups of states, the so-called international actors. There is also a growing alienation on the level of world views and civilisations, for instance in the relationship between the Islamic and the Western world.
Unfettered pursuit of profit and the reduction of trade barriers around the world
This brings me to the second part of my remarks, the question of causes.
The decisive event to have led to the state cursorily sketched above was the unleashing of a global pursuit of profit, as it occurred after the elimination of barriers that still existed in the era of bipolarity – that is, during the time of the East-West divide. It was the “victory” of the “liberal” economic system, as proclaimed by the Western world – although one would now have to diagnose this proclamation as premature. This alleged victory of one very specific economic model constituted the beginning of the problems we are facing at present. One must also see this development in close connection with the military power struggle in recent years and decades
Moreover, we can observe the reduction of trade barriers within the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which – from a Western perspective – also meant that former adversaries are gradually incorporated into the system.
The global, essentially ideological, claim to dominance of the liberal economic model is also relevant in this context. This becomes especially obvious if one attentively reads Mahbubani’s bestseller of 2013. Ultimately, the ideology of economic liberalism is not being challenged. The fact is, however, that the free reign of market forces, as it is being propagated under the name of “globality”, is tantamount to anarchy not only on a regional level, but also and especially on the global level. Right now, we are seeing this once again in the wake of trade conflicts – indeed trade wars –, which are erupting or resurfacing in various parts of the globe.
Tendencies against the universal claim to power
At the same time, we can observe that these developments, following the law of actio and reactio, strengthen the tendencies against the universal claim to power by a model that proclaims itself victorious. There are new regional and global alliances, or rather forms of cooperation, which can be interpreted as reaction to these developments. Examples are BRICS (a framework for the cooperation between Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), or, as of recently, the Eurasian Union.
The conflicts of interest and formation of blocs I am referring to here are no longer primarily military, but also economic and civilisational. They are also crucial additional factors contributing to the systematic instability and unpredictability of the geopolitical situation.
It must further be noted that the dynamic of actio and reactio has not only mobilised the forces of economic alliance. There is also a type of reaction against the ideological primacy – the universal claim of power – of the neo-liberal economic model. Recent developments in China and Russia demonstrate this most clearly.
Such a reaction can also be seen on the sociocultural – i.e. macrosocial – level. In spite of, or perhaps because of, the internet and the continuous bombardment of information and propaganda, a form of disassociation from economic liberalism is under way in various areas and many regions of the world. Increasingly and in a wide variety of cultures and regions, one can observe an assertion of identity through the emphasis on their respective tradition – indeed the pronounced return to this tradition. This is especially true for the developments in the Islamic world, but also in other major cultural regions outside of Europe, for instance in India.
“Return to one’s own”
Decades ago, in debates about international cooperation, I spoke of the dialectics of identity in the era of technical civilisation and made proposals for a system of peaceful coexistence. In this context, we can also see a growing resistance against the self-appointed global elites regarding social values, political correctness, and so forth. The “return to one’s own”, as this process could be called, i.e. the return to tradition, would not have occurred if globalist pressure and paternalism had not escalated.
The irrational belief in the self-regulating power of global markets simply cannot be maintained. The frequently invoked phrase of an alleged “win-win-situation” is, I believe, misleading when applied to global economic competition. In a large number of constellations, -profit on one side implies loss on the other. One example of this is the situation of manual workers in traditionally industrial countries, including Germany and Austria. Relatively long ago, when discussions on globalisation first began, the Austrian journalist Hans-Peter Martin already addressed this matter in his bestseller “The Global Trap: Globalisation and the Assault on Prosperity and Democracy”. It is superficial to promise that globalisation, if the individuals only resign themselves to the much-praised change, will ultimately benefit everyone. It appeals to a naive expectation of salvation, according to which all problems shall be solved once every border has been burst, once there is no form of restriction on economic and social interactions whatsoever, such that there will be only one unified, all-encompassing global framework.
Sanctions in order to enforce the claim to power
It appears to me that conflicts are now also breaking out openly inasmuch as unilateral sanctions increasingly provoke economic wars on an alarming scale. This has become most obvious in incidents involving the People’s Republic of China and the United States of America. The U.S. sanctions policy overlaps with the striving for political and military supremacy – and, incidentally, contradicts the ideology of globalisation which has, in many countries, acquired quasi official status. Evidently, this doctrine would – in line with the creed of the World Trade Organisation – imply the primacy of free global trade. In practice, however, it is the sanctions that serve the true aim of globalism, as they conserve the power of the bloc which, after the end of the Cold War, declared itself to be the international community. This is how the United States and their allies try to secure their claim to power globally and permanently.
This form of globality is, I repeat, a mirage. Ultimately it is totalitarian. It contradicts the self-determination of peoples, is thereby also anti-democratic, and is most of all, due to the increasing resistance it provokes in all regions of the world, unsustainable. One could think of it as a type of notional construct, which originates merely from the self-assertion of a privileged group of nations, and does not apply to the economic and social reality on this globe.
Today, challenges to the globalist pattern of thought are often discredited as “populism” – or even as an uproar of the losers or of objectors to modernisation. Yet as an independent and free thinking individual, one should not be intimidated by this.
Ethically justifiable alternatives to globalism
This brings me to the third and last part of my remarks: What are alternatives to the project of globalism, i.e. to a project which, as I argue, leads to a misunderstood global unity? And from which ethical principles can these alternatives be derived?
We may not always be aware of it in our everyday lives, but we are all members of – one and the same – humanity; in this sense, everyone is part of a greater whole. To use a somewhat poetic expression – or a philosophical one, in the sense of the German idealist tradition – one could speak of the universality of the human spirit. Every member of the human race partakes in this universality – in every culture, in every epoch, and completely independently from the economic circumstances one lives in. However, for the individual to see themselves as cosmopolitan, as part of a community including everyone else – keyword: Immanuel Kant – does not mean that they have to resign their identity as members of a people, a state, or a civilisation, and exclusively regard themselves as citizens of a world state that ultimately does not exist. This would be a totalitarian illusion, permitting no diversity. On my reading, cosmopolitanism, which I here oppose to the ideology of globalism, rather refers to the unity of all human beings as members of humanity (humanitas); a unity within the diversity of peoples and cultures, not disregarding their very specific, and economic interests. We could express this using a slogan propagated by the UN (albeit originally referring to cultures in the narrow sense of the word): “Unity in Diversity”
Accordingly, the objectives of the alternative considered here are:
I believe that peace on a global scale can only be imagined if these three objectives are aimed for consequentially and consistently (i.e. without contradiction) - and this means a truly stable peace instead of a situation dominated by increasingly brutal battles for a share of ever scarcer resources. This is also the great dilemma facing global environmental politics.
Reaching these objectives in an ethically responsible manner
The principles and guidelines necessary for realising these objectives in an ethically responsible manner – and this brings me to the end of my remarks – are actually already embedded in the statutes of the existing global organisations. I am primarily referring to the United Nations and its affiliated organisations. The United Nations Charter – its constitution – contains, among others, the principles of non-interference, of non-violence, and also of mutuality, implied by the term “sovereign equality”, which is to prevail among all states. At stake here are also principles which, even though they are frequently ignored for reasons of power politics, are laid down in the statute of the World Trade Organisation. I am mainly referring to the norm of non-discrimination in international trade relations.
The philosophy of a non-globalist alternative to the current world order is beautifully, even poetically phrased in the Preamble to the UN Charter. As is the case almost always and everywhere, it is the implementation that is lacking. The development of technical possibilities, which has made the entire world (one may call it, borrowing from McLuhan, the “global village”) a marketplace around the clock, has created a dynamic of economic activity that requires regulation in line with the above mentioned objectives. This is no call for dictatorial interference, but a reminder of the responsibility that every international economic agent has for the greater whole, the bonum commune of mankind. It is not about “government”, i.e. a global administration interfering with the affairs of sovereign states, but about “governance” in the sense of coordination among equals according to principles to be adhered to by all actors on the basis of mutuality.
Equal economic opportunities versus unchecked globalisation
To be more specific: A just world order in the above-described sense also refers to equal economic opportunities, and, in tangible terms, to the prevention of competitive distortions in the alleged free market economy, also and especially on an international level. To illustrate this, one can think of a particular dilemma of unchecked globalisation: There is a multitude of sovereign states with diverse social, economic, and legal systems. Some countries in Europe apply the system of “social market economy” – in Austria we also speak of “social partnership”. In other countries, the social rights of workers and employees are often defined quite differently. Compared to the Austrian or German model, for instance, social standards are lower in many countries.
In what way do these differences lead to distortions of competition? The sudden removal of all barriers, i.e. all limits, on economic activity may result in a form of unfair predatory competition in this “free market economy”. Under the pressure of profit-making, production will be relocated to where lower standards allow for lower prices. The negative consequences of this are two-fold: Firstly, unemployment or wage dumping in the industrial states will result also in lower standards of living. This development has been apparent for a long time.
No reduction of trade barriers without harmonisation of social standards
Secondly, we need to point out the following: Whereas the relocation of production creates additional income opportunities in poorer countries, these countries will also be under pressure to accept exploitative working conditions, as we can for instance see in Southeast Asia. It is argued that acquiescence is necessary to prevent the circus of production from moving on to countries where the same work is “even cheaper”. Therefore, from an ethical point of view, if trade barriers are to be reduced or even abolished altogether, social standards would need to be harmonised. If not, capitalism prevails in a Wild West manner. Under such circumstances, one should not be surprised about global migration flows and large migratory movements within some regions.
If social standards are not to be aligned, globalised “free” world trade is exploitative and unjust. This is where I believe a sovereign state must insist on its authority. To illustrate what this means in tangible terms, one can look at the structurally similar problems of the European Monetary Union. There is a single currency, the Euro, but there is no unified system of economic and financial policies, which results in the whole arrangemnent being dysfunctional and ultimately destined to fail. It is impossible to take a measure in one area while leaving all else as it was before. Furthermore, addressing the problems of distortions of competition, and fairness more generally, would require reforms in the statutes, especially in those of the WTO and of the ILO, the International Labour Organisation. These reforms could be discussed and initiated at the UN General Assembly. This year’s 100th anniversary of the ILO in Geneva would be a good occasion to think about fairness in the global world of employment. There is, by the way, also a moral responsibility for the religious communities in this matter.
In view of the considerable – in many cases still growing – difference between the alleged commitment to and the actual implementation of the aims I have briefly discussed here, I dare to draw a conclusion based on a common sense that has not yet been fully globalised: As long as there are no generally valid, universally enforceable social standards, economic liberty cannot and must not be “morally unchecked”, and every people – as community of responsible citizens – must be able to independently define and realise their identity, including the pursuit of their economic interests. More specifically: Globalism as the ideology of “one world” – which in fact does not exist anyway – must be put in its place, and precisely in the interest of freedom.
Before concluding, a ceterum censeo: I have not spoken in favour of “splendid isolation”, a romantic idealisation of the return to one’s own, or of a reclusive, autarkic existence. All that I have tried to sketch here is the idea of a genuine international community, in which every state realises its full potential – economically and culturally – in cooperation with all others, and on the basis of equality. Semantically, this is the meaning of “inter-national”, literally: “between-states”. It is not about a form of organisation that is above states (“supra-national”). Internationality means that there are rules that must be negotiated by entities acting independently of each other. Hence, it is not about the state as a standardised community subordinate to the alleged practical constraints of globalisation. It is not about a “globalised” state, but about a state that acts globally on the very basis of its sovereignty and, in doing so, takes up responsibility for the preservation of everyone’s livelihood, not just of its own citizens. To sum it up in a succinct imperative: Cosmopolitan responsibility instead of submission to a globalist dictate! •
* Lecture at the International Congress “Mut zur Ethik” (“Courage to Take a Moral Stance”) on the topic “Alternativen zu Globalismus und Globalisierung” (“Alternatives to Globalism and Globalisation”) on the 30 August 2019 in Switzerland.
1 In 2012, Harvard political scientist Graham Allison, in connection with the ever-growing global influence of the People’s Republic of China, developed the theory of Thucydides’s Trap. Allison takes up Thucydides’s thought that the Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.) was inevitable due to the rise of Athens and the apprehension this caused in Sparta. According to Allison, this theory could be applied to constellations in later epochs, where a previously hegemonic power was challenged by a newly emerging rival, which often resulted in military conflict. Allison believed that in the current constellation, China’s economic and military rise and the corresponding fears of the US could have the same fatal effect. In this context, mutually reinforcing defensive policies on both sides (e.g. within the framework of a tariff war) could potentially lead to a military conflict. [Editor’s note, according to Wikipedia]
(Translation Current Concerns)
New publication by Verlag Zeit-Fragen
Professor Dr phil. Dr h.c. mult. Hans Köchler (*1948) served as Chairman of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Innsbruck (Austria) from 1990 until 2008.
He is President of the International Progress Organization, which he co-founded in 1972. Since then Hans Köchler has been issuing numerous publications, undertaking journeys, delivering speeches and making contributions to various international organisations; this way he has been committed to the dialogue of cultures. He works in various committees and expert bodies dealing with issues of international democracy, human rights and development. Hans Köchler is a member of the University Council of the Berlin University for Digital Sciences (Berlin). Since 2018 he has been teaching at the Center for Cultural Diplomacy Studies in Berlin. Hans Köchler lives in Vienna.
“The just published book, Schweizer Vorträge – Texte zu Völkerrecht und Welt-ordnung, (July 2019, in German) includes a collection of articles published by Hans Köchler in the period from 2011–2018 in the Swiss magazine Zeit-Fragen (Current Concerns). The articles primarily include the edited transcripts of lectures delivered in Switzerland for the readership of Zeit-Fragen. In addition, there are analyses and interviews reflecting fundamental positions on current events.
Hans Köchler’s texts combine fundamental legal-philosophical analyses and reflections with current issues from international law and world order.
So it reads in one of his texts:
‘My philosophical-hermeneutic point of view is this: I can only understand myself completely if I am capable of establishing a relation to other identities. That is true for the individual as well as for the collective. […] If you realize that the knowledge about other cultures is a prerequisite for the possibility to get to know yourself, we will have a completely different basis for what we call peaceful coexistence, i.e. a peaceful living together of cultures and countries.’ (p. 27)
‘May the reading inspire us to deepen and make further fruitful the idea of mutually respecting cultures and people, the awareness of the productivity of exchange and diversity instead of violent power politics and the ‘necessity of understanding beyond ideological borders’”(p. 75).
(Excerpt from the foreword of the editors)
The book can be ordered from:
Zeit-Fragen. Redaktion und Verlag, PO Box, CH-8044 Zürich.
email: [email protected], [email protected];
www.zeit-fragen.ch CHF 30.– / EUR 25.– (plus postage)
If you want to prevent the setting of cookies (for example, Google Analytics), you can set this up by using this browser add-on. | https://www.zeit-fragen.ch/en/archives/2019/no-29-9-january-2020/questioning-globality-ethically-responsible-alternatives-to-the-global-economic-and-financial-system |
From clouds to rain and back again, the water cycle always amazed me. November is often a time of deep fog, grey cloudy days and heavy rain where I live. Even if I much prefer snow, I’ve come to really love the cloudy and rainy days. Seeing the streams of rain moving in the distance never fails to remind me of a countryside theater. They’re nothing better than a cup of hot tea and a little bit of knitting to enjoy the show from the outside elements.
Thanks to Andi Gallegos for knitting the sample socks!
Finished Foot Circumference 5 ¾ (6 ½, 7 ¼)” / 14.5 [16.5, 18.5] cm to fit foot circumference of 7 ½-8 ¼ (8 ¼-9, 9-9 ¾)” / 19-21 [21-23, 23-25] cm and an adjustable foot length.
Wooly Wonka Rhiannon Sock (75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon; 465 yards [425 meters]/100 grams): Color Forget-Me-Not, 1 (1, 1, 2) balls.
Thanks to Wooly Wonka for donating the yarn for Soaked to the Skin!
35 sts and 50 rows = 4” [10 cm] in St st after wet blocking.
40 sts and 50,5 rows = 4” [10 cm] in Clouds after wet blocking.
47 sts and 46 rows = 4” [10 cm] in Drops after wet blocking.
1/1 LC: Slip 1 stitch to cable needle and hold in front; k1; k1 from cable needle.
1/1 LPC: Slip 1 stitch to cable needle and hold in front; p1; k1 from cable needle.
1/1 RC: Slip 1 stitch to cable needle and hold in back; k1; k1 from cable needle.
1/1 RPC: Slip 1 stitch to cable needle and hold in back; k1; p1 from cable needle.
1/2 LPC: Slip 1 stitch to cable needle and hold in front; p2; k1 from cable needle.
1/2 RPC: Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in back; k1; p2 from cable needle.
This pattern is written to be worked using magic-loop but can be adapted to be knitted with double pointed needles or two circular needles.
All stitches are slipped purlwise unless otherwise noted.
For all stitch patterns, sizes M and L charts are combined into only one chart. For size M, only work the white stitches. For size L, work all stitches (pink and white stitches).
Download the Size Small Charts as a PDF.
Download the Size Medium/Large Charts as a PDF.
CO 58 (66, 74) sts with an elastic CO and join to work in the round.
The first half of the sts – 29 (33, 37) – will become the front sts of your sock and the second half of sts will be the back. The beginning of the round is located at the right edge of the back when looking at it with the right side (exterior) of the work facing you.
S size: Work 16 rounds in ribbing as follows: *(p1, k1) 3 times, p2, (k1, p1, k1, p2) 3 times, (k1, p1) 3 times; rep from * all around.
M & L sizes: Work 16 rounds in 1×1 ribbing as follows: *p1, k1; rep from * all around.
Work Clouds stitch pattern across all sts until you reach the end of the Clouds stitch pattern.
You will now be working flat, across the back sts, i.e. the last 29 (33, 37) sts of the round.
Row 1 (RS): Sl1, *sl1, k1; rep from * to last st.
Row 2 (WS): Sl1, p across all sts.
Repeat Rows 1-2 a total of 14 (16, 18) times, for a total of 28 (32, 36) rows.
Row 1(RS): Sl1, k15 [17, 19], ssk, k1, turn.
Row 2 (WS): Sl1, p4, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 3: Sl1, k until 1 st before the gap, ssk over the gap, k1, turn.
Row 4: Sl1, p until 1 st before the gap, p2tog over the gap, p1, turn.
Repeat Rows 3-4 for a total of 5 (6, 7) times. All stitches on each side have been worked. – 17 (19, 21) sts.
Row 5: Knit across all sts.
Your heel is now completed. You will now start to knit in the round again. Your working yarn is now located at the left edge of the back when looking at it with the right side (exterior) of the work facing you.
Your back stitches will become your sole stitches and the front stitches will become your instep stitches. From now on, they will be referred to as such.
Pick up and knit 14 (16, 18) stitches along the side edge of the heel flap (one in each slipped stitch). Pick up one extra stitch between the heel and the instep to prevent a gap forming. These picked up sts are included as part of your sole sts.
Work Drops stitch pattern across all instep stitches.
Place a marker for your new beginning of round and pick up one stitch between the instep and the heel to prevent a gap forming. Pick up and knit 14 (16, 18) stitches along the side edge of the heel flap (one in each slipped stitch). These picked up sts are included as part of your sole sts. – 47 (53, 59) sole sts & 29 (33, 37) instep sts.
Finish the current round by working R1 of Gusset decreases below, this counts as your first R1 of the Gusset decreases.
R1: sole = k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1; instep = work Drops stitch pattern across all sts.
R2: sole = k1, ssk, k to end; instep = work Drops stitch pattern across all sts.
Repeat R1-2 a total of 9 (10, 11) times. – 58 (66, 74) sts.
Work as established until you reach the end of the Drops stitch pattern or until the sock is approximately 1 ½ (2, 2 ¼)” / 4 [5, 5.5] cm shorter than desired foot length: sole = knit across all sts; instep = work Drops stitch pattern across all sts.
If your foot is longer than 7 (7 ½, 7 ¾)” / 18 [19, 19.5] cm, the sock is not yet long enough to start the toe decreases. Knit across all sts until the sock is 1 ½ (2, 2 ¼)” / 4 [5, 5.5] cm shorter than desired foot length.
Read the following instructions, then see Rounded Toes section below.
If you haven’t completed the Drops Stitch pattern yet, please do so while working the toes. If you have (and this will be the case for most of you), just work those stitches as knit stitches.
Each decrease will “eat” a stitch at both the beginning and end of the instep. Be careful to keep the Drops stitch pattern aligned with the rest of the sock at all times.
Plain Rnd: k all sts.
Work (1 decrease rnd, 1 plain rnd) 1 (1, 2) time(s).
Work (1 decrease rnd, 4 plain rnds) 0 (1, 1) time(s).
Work (1 decrease rnd, 3 plain rnds) 2 (1, 1) time(s).
Work (1 decrease rnd, 2 plain rnds) 1 (1, 1) time.
Work (1 decrease rnd, 1 plain rnd) 3 (4, 4) times.
Work decrease rnd 2 (3, 4) times. – 22 (22, 22) sts.
Graft the remaining sts using Kitchener stitch. Knit the second sock.
Chloé comes from a family of crafters and learned to embroider at a very early age. It developed her love for thread, fabric, and yarn, which has not left her since.
She rediscovered the joy of knitting in her studying years while she had to spend several hours on public transportation every day. She soon started designing her own patterns to play and experiment with colors and textures.
She focuses on original but simple patterns with a wow factor, as she believes every knitter can tackle any technique, if it’s properly explained. She is also a knitting teacher, helping knitters to conquer advanced techniques without headaches.
She can be found at tisserincoquet.fr, on Ravelry, or hiding unexpected new additions to her stash in her secret closet. | https://knotions.com/issues/december-2018/pattern-december-2018/soaked-to-the-skin-socks/ |
Scan Retouching Tutorial
Whenever a quality image is desired, a few more considerations are necessary than the effortless "scan and send" philosophy propagated by scanner hardware and software manufacturers. This tutorial shows some useful techniques to clean up an image scanned from a magazine and to make it web-ready. The tutorial describes the process for iGrafx Image (Micrografx Picture Publisher); most of it is applicable to Adobe Photoshop and Corel Photopaint too.
Notice You may notice that I made this tutorial based on the German language version of iGrafx Image, so some names of the tools and menus I translated back may not be the same as they are in the actual English version. If you find something that should be corrected, please contact me.
Some Notes on Scanning
Nominal and actual resolution
First of all, it may surprise that the true resolution of a scanned image, that is, the reproduction of image details, is generally not the same as, but lower than the so-called "optical resolution" of the scanner. Diffraction and aberration limits as well as the imperfection of the CCD pixel aperture usually don't allow more than 600ppi. This means that a very fine print or a photo with 600 black-and-white line pairs per inch will not be good, but just recognizable after scanning. The contrast will already be reduced to a degree that the original black becomes only a slightly darker gray than the original white. In this respect the pixel density of an image sensor is merely a measure of the spatial sampling rate of an image which has been blurred already before this sampling takes place. If, for instance, a line sensor with a pixel density of 1200ppi is used, the image will be two times oversampled if we assume a 600ppi optical resolution limit prior to sampling. While oversampling is useful to remove noise, it can't provide a better resolution. With a suited resampling/interpolation algorithm, the image oversampled at 1200ppi may be reduced to 600ppi (with only a fourth of the original memory required), and the smaller version won't show any less details. The other way round, the 600ppi image can be blown up to 1200ppi any time, which quite obviously doesn't improve the resolution either.
Appropriate ppi number*
The appropriate sampling rate to be chosen for the scanner depends on the quality and size of the original image, rather than on the desired resolution the final result is supposed to have, be it 600ppi for print or typically 800*600 pixels for publication in the web. There are some people who honestly claim that 75ppi or 100ppi should suffice when scanning images for the web. Agreed, depending on the original image size this may be just enough as a *final* size for web images, but it leaves virtually no possibility to improve the image quality after scanning. Such low-resolution images may be full of speckles, noise and a regular scanner pattern which can hardly be removed or toned down because it's not possible to reduce the size even more. The other extreme advice is oversampling images four or even more times (where oversampling refers to the above true resolution of 600ppi), especially if it's going to be printed. At some point the oversampling doesn't help any more, because the information gain useful to remove noise becomes marginal. In my experience 1200ppi is sufficient for almost any case. Considering that a 300ppi TIF RGB scan of a DIN-A4 or letter-size original is already about 25MB and may take up to a few minutes with a commercial scanner, higher resolutions of 600ppi or 1200ppi are only suited for smaller and better resolved original images like photos. 300ppi are sufficient for most magazine scans. If the image doesn't have too many details, I scan them at only 200ppi, so I can still reduce them to 100ppi at which they will appear in the web.
* ppi denotes the number of (true-) color pixels per inch whereas, strictly speaking, dpi refers to the black or white dots of print resolution.
Sharpness and contrast
Sharpness and contrast are two other image properties and have to be distinguished from resolution. They don't have to be perfect in the raw image as it comes from the scanner. After scanning, an existing image can be sharpened by enhancing high spatial frequencies and thereby making edges steeper. The contrast can be enhanced by steepening the gamma curve such that the grayscale range is narrowed - dark areas become darker and bright areas become brighter. Personally, I never use any special sharpening that come with the scanning software and are applied already while scanning, for I am sure I can better decide myself if and how strongly they should be applied afterwards. A filter to improve the contrast or to remove regular patterns (which actually blurs the image!) already while scanning may be useful, though. Anyway, sharpness and contrast enhancement, if deliberately and carefully applied, may improve the image quality while the resolution stays the same. As already mentioned, it is useful to scan an image with more pixels than the final image is supposed to have, especially if it's going to be published in the web. Aside from the nice effect that small speckles with low contrast will largely disappear in the resampled image, this may also blur some of the detrimental effects of sharpening and contrast enhancement which usually render parts of the image too rough.
Image alignment
There is one thing of utmost importance: I always turn the image or book on the scanner until horizontal and vertical lines are perfectly aligned to the borders of the scan area, at least when I'm scanning technical diagrams. This may seem a lot of work, but correcting this by turning the electronic image is even harder. Moreover, since the old, skewed pixels have to be re-calculated to new, upright pixels, this is always connected with a loss of resolution. Turning the image requires resampling, and this is about the same blurring effect as if two or more pixels in the original image would share their signals. Scanning a slightly sloped line may also lead to aliasing artifacts considering that it's not possible to catch it with a perfectly vertical pixel line. Finally, everyone who ever turned a 100MB image, at least on not-so-recent computers, will never try it again.
The Retouching Process
Original scan
The image as it comes from the scanner has several small defects. Areas of equal color are not as homogeneous as they should be. There may be a gray film in certain areas or throughout the image. There are often page folds or creases. Finally, the image may contain several comments that are not supposed to appear in the final version, such as those in the Star Trek Fact Files from which the following image is scanned.**
** You don't miss anything because most comments are like this: "This window allows visual inspection of the outside environment".
Removing lines and comments
This is already one of the tasks that requires the most precision and diligence, and I'm doing this first to save the easy work for last. Removing unwanted parts can all be done with the cloning tool. Basically, the cloning tool transfers a structure in the origin (the "x" in a circle) to a destination (the empty circle). So the "x" has to be moved to a suited undamaged area that shows exactly the structure (or a very similar one) to be reconstructed. It often requires several tries until the reconstruction is perfect, and unless it's only one edge, the "x" has to be moved several times. This is accomplished by holding down the "SHIFT" key in iGrafx Image, pressing the RMB in Corel Photopaint, and ALT+LMB in Adobe Photoshop (where it's called the pattern stamp). It is astonishing that the simple edge in the example image can be perfectly restored such that not the slightest transition is visible even in the original size image and even when looking very closely. It is obvious that more complex shapes can't be exactly restored, unless exactly these shapes appear somewhere else in the image which is never the case on a photo. A complete reconstruction of complex structures, however, is usually not necessary, since it's often sufficient to transfer something of similar colors and contrast. There is one reason why I always take iGrafx Image for technical diagrams: It's the only program that allows mirrored cloning, so if the right half of a partially symmetrical drawing is ruined, I can restore it by cloning it from the left half. The size of the cloning tool should be about eight pixels for a 200 or 300ppi scan. If the details are very small the size of the tool can be further decreased.
Retouching gray areas
Some scanners leave ugly gray areas on dark portions of the image because of their contrast correction. The gray film could be removed by masking the area and applying a filter, but even with smoothed edges the mask transitions would still be visible, and it takes some time to find the suited filter setting. I mostly use the cloning too instead. For this purpose I increase the size to 50 pixels or more, especially if parts of a star background are gray.
Restoring large areas
Sometimes the image is supposed to be larger than the scan area, or whole areas of the image have to be reconstructed. This is also the case on my Fact Files scans where there are large boxes with (mostly irrelevant) annotations I'd like to remove. Unless there is some important part of the image hidden beneath these boxes, I can easily apply the cloning tool and transfer the surrounding background to what was the box. It is important to change the direction of cloning very often. Otherwise the result would be a regular pattern which wouldn't look natural.
Removing small spots
Every scanned image has many small defects consisting of a pixel cluster (caused by dust or scratches on the glass) or of a single pixel (because of image capture or transmission errors). Each of them is usually removed in no time, using the cloning tool set to a width of about 6 pixels at 400% zoom. The hard thing is to find them all. I often spend several minutes inspecting the image at a zoom factor of 200%. If the spots are very small and have little contrast to the background, they may largely disappear when the image is resampled. On the other hand, if there is a remaining contrast, they may be visible again if the image is sharpened or if the contrast is corrected. This is why I remove as many as possible of them prior to resampling.
Intermediate result
This is what the image looks like after the background has been restored and most of the defects removed. While the important part of the image (namely the shuttle hull) is clean, the background still looks gray (albeit uniformly gray) and dirty, and there is an unnatural pattern in the areas that have been cloned.
Equalizing colored areas
The remaining dirt is especially disturbing on a uniformly dark background and has to be completely removed. This can be done with a much larger size of the cloning tool. In this example I made the tool is 80 pixels wide and used it at a zoom factor of 100%. I set the transparency to 50% so that the original part of the image is merged with the cloned part. This blurs and equalizes the background, and after a while the spots disappear. It is obvious that this procedure is only applicable to backgrounds which are largely, but not exactly uniform and which don't have a smooth color gradient or pattern that would be ruined this way.
Restoring diffuse structures
Restoring diffuse or blurred areas (like the nebula on the example image which I extended with the cloning tool) may be even harder than well-defined and sharp patterns. There is no standard setting for this task. I always try several different values for the transparency. Too little transparency will create ugly patterns like they were visible in the intermediate result. Too much transparency will blur the image too much and would be about the same as using a "smearing" brush.
Restored nebula
This is what the nebula looks like after a few minutes of treatment with the cloning tool.
Original gamma curve
Gamma correction is a method of changing the brightness and contrast within an image whilst the overall contrast stays the same. Gamma is visualized as a curve which is fixed at its darkest (black) and brightest (white) end and which can be modified in between***. Gamma correction can be performed for single colors of an RGB image which may be necessary in case the scanner or digital camera has falsified the colors, but in many case just the overall brightness needs to be corrected. The original image has gamma=1. Note that the dark background is dark gray, but would look much better if it were black (because open space is the darkest thing to exist and just has to be black unless we're dealing with lens reflections). The shuttle hull is a bit too bright and could need more contrast.
*** Here the the color range is plotted from white on the left to black on the right. This is accidental, I would usually make the curve go the other way round.
Reducing gamma
In most cases gamma has to be reduced after scanning. Reducing gamma to 0.8 is the first step to the overall improvement of the image. The contrast of the bright shuttle hull is better, and the gray areas are darker now - although not yet black. Making areas perfectly black, RGB (0,0,0), is not feasible with gamma correction, since the gamma curve will always have a certain minimum steepness that prevents gray areas from becoming black.
Applying an s-curve
A non-linear correction has to be applied to make the background black. For this purpose, I create a new point in the gamma curve near the black/black end and move it along the input axis (with the interactive preview enabled) until just the area in question and not more becomes black. In some cases other parts of the image which don't belong to the background are shaded and will become plain black too. In this case a mask has to be applied prior to color correction, or a compromise is necessary in that one has to be content with a dark gray background of RGB (2,2,2) or so. Basically the same procedure is necessary to render very bright areas plain white. This is why I routinely apply an s-shaped curve that enhances both the contrast to the upper and to the lower end of the grayscale range (which can be done together with the gamma correction in the preceding step).
Resampling the image
The image is now ready for resampling. Several resampling filters are available, but for most purposes the simple bilinear filter is the best. Depending on the reduction factor, several neighboring pixels are combined to one new pixel. It is worth mentioning that a reduction factor of exactly 50% usually yields a better result than an arbitrary factor. On the other hand, I reckoned that at exactly 50% there might be a problem with regular patterns from the scanner that persist in the smaller image, but I didn't notice something like that so far. The resampled image is smaller, of course, but there are two more differences to the original size. The smaller image is brighter and is less sharp, which are both consequences of the resampling. I deliberately corrected gamma already before resampling, but it was not sufficient in this case. As for the sharpness, this is an easy step to be performed at the very end of the process.
Sharpening
Sharpening is very easy if the right filter is chosen. I prefer "directional sharpen" in Corel Photopaint and "selective sharpen" in iGrafx Image. It is a matter of taste how strongly the image is sharpened. In any case the sharpening shouldn't go that far that tilted lines become stepped or that very colorful pixels become visible from an otherwise moderately colored edge transition.
JPG conversion
The image has to be converted to a JPG for the web which is always a tradeoff between quality and file size. I am very grateful that all recent programs have previews. Usually technical images need a lower compression rate, since the artifacts at the edges are the more annoying the more regular the rest is. In some cases, if there are few colors and large uniformly colored areas, GIF or PNG compression may have both a better quality and a smaller size, even when applied to a scanned image. Anyway, as long as the background is not perfectly homogeneous and the image is overall complex, JPG is the better choice. I took a compression factor of 8% for the image. | https://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/techsupport/scan-tutorial.htm |
Human history is very much about documenting challenges to the limits of the human body, mind and spirit. Few adventures are more grueling and gripping to the imagination that scaling Mount Everest, our planets highest peak. On May 29, 1953, Edmund Hillary and a Nepalese Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay, reached the summit of the 29,028-foot (8,848-metre) Mount Everest. The treacherous legacy and stories of those who tried, failed or perished attempting to reach the summit remains a poignant example of mankind’s continuous quest to tame and control nature. Hillary and Norgay achieved what had never been completed before, and inspired many explorers since to tackle the worlds natural wonders – on earth and beyond.
Edmund Hillary joined a British expedition to climb Everest in 1953, led by British mountaineer John Hunt and a team of 400 others. Hunt wanted the expedition to begin in May of 1953, in time to stay ahead of the monsoon snows which doomed many previous expeditions. Hillary and Norgay were not however the first among the expeditions team to attempt the climb. An earlier pair were forced to abort their climb only 300 feet short of the summit. That is when Hillary and a Norgay were chosen to try the ascent. Leaving the last camp at South Col in the freezing chill morning of May 29th 1953, Hillary and Norgay took only five hours (by 11:30am) to make their historic step onto the summit. Their lives changed forever. Hillary was only 33 years of age the year he reached the summit, while his Sherpa guide Norgay was only 38. Their achievement remains an incredible testament to human endurance and skill.
It is important to remember that Everest has claimed more that 250 lives. Hillary and Norgay’s story is one of genuine guts and glory in reaching our planet’s highest peak. The Everest of today is a very different place, and a very different adventure. Reaching the summit of Mount Everest now goes to the highest bidder, and the thrill of taking nature head-on is somewhat subdued by state of the art equipment worth tens of thousands of dollars ushering just about anyone to the top. While great adventures still lie ahead for humans as we venture to reach further and further into space and beyond, it is still the epic tale of human bravery and perseverance against all odds that inspire and fuel our dreams. Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, among the many others who made the first attempts at reaching the top of Mount Everest, remain a part of a legacy of true explorers.
For those interested, BBC has a wonderful video about the technology used in 1953 to reach the summit with some extraordinary footage: | https://e-storia.blog/2015/05/29/edmund-hillary-and-tenzing-norgay-reach-the-summit-of-everest-62-years-ago-today/ |
Our client is looking for a fast-paced creative individual to manage projects and introduce innovative strategies in a high performance environment.
The Snr. Digital Producer/Project Manager will be responsible for managing and defining detailed project plans for a variety of internal audiences, specifically for a large UX team .
This includes driving internal as well as external stakeholders to ensure all creative/digital executions are managed and completed appropriately while supporting business objectives.
Job Responsibilities:
- Act as the main point-person throughout the UX process for internal digital departments and executive leadership.
- Drive team by the use of SOW/estimates, tracking hours/budget, creating timelines, conducting meetings and keeping internal and vendor resources on the same page during the lifespan of projects
- Scheduling and acting as a subject matter expert on calls with the ability to articulate capabilities to a variety of audiences
- Making sure all parties remain on point in the process of creative development and contribution in order to ensure on time delivery of creative results.
Profile and Experience:
- 2-4 years of web/mobile UX experience in client facing and/or creative role
- Experience interfacing with clients and executive leadership on behalf of internal team
- Experience working in Microsoft Products, including MS Project to manage schedules, etc.
- Experience in managing 3rd party relationships, including vendors, and regional partners.
- Experience within an Agile envrionment
Daily Functions:
- Project manages the development of communications from inception to completion.
- Develop project work plans including schedule, cost estimates, and creative brief.
- Provides project direction to the digital services team.
- Collaborates with brand, marketing, product and creative teams and provides client support.
- Partners with Traffic, Product, and Design teams as appropriate.
- Coordinates with other Project managers and teams to ensure consistency of design and alignment of schedules
- Manages stakeholder engagement and approvals process
- Manages development support needs, including change requests from development, requests for additional detail or design principles, and design reviews. | https://aquent.com/our-expertise/job-description-library/Snr-UX-Producer--Digital-PM-99195 |
May 8, 2019 –
Startups typically follow a well-worn path when it comes to building their boards. Each time they raise money, they add someone from the firm leading the round as a director. Only in the run-up to a public offering do they add independent directors.
Some startups are now breaking from that mold. And I think it’s about time. In fact, I encourage the startups I work with to add independent board members early if it makes sense for their business. I also encourage them to emphasize diversity when they do.
In my experience of having served on boards of about 50 companies, the ones that have diverse boards end up performing better in the long run. The perspectives provided by board members with different backgrounds, experiences and networks help accelerate success of companies. For example, the board of one of my firm’s portfolio companies included a serial entrepreneur who served as a sounding board for its first-time CEO and pushed for a focus on customer success, which ended up being critical as the company successfully pivoted to find product-market fit. Another of its board members helped the CEO understand the software ecosystem and provided guidance and best practices on scaling the business, helping set the stage for the company’s acquisition later.
In my experience, founders make better decisions when they’re able to consult trusted outside board members with different backgrounds and experiences. I also think having independent and diverse board members sends valuable signals to employees and future investors.
One of the arguments against adding board members really early is the ability of a CEO to recruit world-class board members to dedicate their time. The CEO of one company I work with said he waited to add independent board members until his startup had product-market fit because he thought he’d attract higher-caliber candidates as a more proven company. He tapped a former mentor as his first independent board member. Even though they had worked together before, it took several months of getting to know the company before the mentor joined the board. It then was easier for the CEO to add his second independent board member.
Another company I work with provides a contrarian example. Its CEO and founder added independent board members shortly after raising its series A nearly three years ago. Its leader, a first-time CEO who is creating a consumer category, explained that his company needed all the expert help it could get so early in the process. The founder said their independent board members do a lot of work and have helped the company get product-market fit, among other things.
An independent board member can also provide a different perspective from financial investors. In addition to just adding non-investors, I think it’s important to add women and members of minority groups to boards.
Diversity is an easy idea to get behind. A recent PwC survey of corporate board members found that 94% said diversity brings unique perspectives to boards, and 84% said diversity enhances board performance. Yet that abstract appreciation doesn’t translate to action: Women hold just 22% of board seats at S&P-listed companies, according to that survey, and members of racial minority groups hold just 16% of Fortune 500 board seats, according to Deloitte.
One reason change has been slow is that founders and CEOs tend to find board members from their networks. That’s especially true at startups, which don’t often engage search firms that can help bring diversity. They also tend to over-index on former founders and people who have “done it before.” For a variety of reasons, these filters tend to reduce the number of women and minority candidates who receive consideration.
I believe this lens is too narrow and that founding experience is not the same as operating experience. There are plenty of talented people out there who have led marketing, growth and operations in highly complex industries who were never founders. These people could all bring valuable expertise to founders in areas of real need. Better yet, many of them are women or members of minority groups, who can bring different perspectives to problems.
Building diverse boards early in a company’s evolution should be a priority. Diverse boards not only provide different perspectives and networks, but also help enhance performance of the company. Further, adding women board members is critical for understanding the gender diversity of employees, customers and the broader ecosystem a company plays in.
Originally published on Forbes. | https://www.mayfield.com/why-startups-should-diversify-their-boards-early/ |
Researchers Investigate Early Solar System
Scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory are part of an international research team that is studying minerals formed during the early history of the solar system.
Their goal is to learn more about the chemical and physical processes that occurred during the formation of the solar system. Their research was published in the May 2006 issue of Meteoritics and Planetary Science where a figure from the paper was selected as the cover image.
The researchers studied serpentine minerals in a group of primitive meteorites called CM carbonaceous chondrites. The CM carbonaceous chondrites formed over 4.5 billion years ago in the solar nebula, the cloud of gas and dust from which our sun and planets formed.
Using a transmission electron microscope (TEM), the researchers imaged the three-dimensional structure of the serpentines and analyzed their compositions. A TEM is capable of imaging the atomic structure of a material, and the research team needed its resolving power to analyze the serpentines, which are small, on the order of 90 nanometers.
Serpentines form by chemical reaction of anhydrous silicates (minerals that do not contain hydrogen) and water. The research team's findings reveal that the formation of these minerals occurred under oxygen-rich conditions, and suggest that the parent asteroids of the meteorites contained active hydrothermal systems that were capable of driving chemical reactions. Such reactions were likely similar to those that occur on Earth, but transpired over 4.5 billion years ago in space.
Thomas Zega, who is the lead author on the paper, and Rhonda Stroud are researchers in NRL's Materials Science and Technology Division. The research team also includes members from Arizona State University, Eötvös L. University in Budapest, Hungary, and Utrecht University in The Netherlands. | https://phys.org/news/2006-08-early-solar.html |
Barton, Hannah and Horn, Christine (2011) Using student designed wikis as open access resources. [Conference Proceedings]Full text not available from this resource.
Abstract
This poster introduces a simple way to combine pedagogical and technological innovations to enable students to fully engage with course content. A wiki assignment was set in a second year module Personality and Psychometrics, which is currently being taught in the Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Dublin, Ireland. This active learning experience divides students into small, groups of between 5 and 7 students who design their own content from the readings during the class, and create Wikis, thus enabling the students to be the architects of their own knowledge of the course material.The benefits of enabling students to be the creators of their own knowledge compared to the traditional lecture format included increased cooperation among group members while creating the summaries. This innovative approach allowed students to manage their own learning and catered for the diverse learning styles of the students by allowing the material to be available in a multi sensory format through the wikis. Students reported better understanding and retention of the material. Students were granted access to each other’s wikis and were able to use the wikis for revision for exam purposes. Feedback about the creative element to the activity, which really engaged the students, will be presented as will issues of technical training and support. The benefit of being able to use the wikis as revision resources was cited by the students as the main advantage of participating in the assignment. Examples of the student wikis will be highlighted as open access learning resource repositories which be shown. | http://eprints.teachingandlearning.ie/1751/ |
The Art Building embraces our Exceptional Baobab (Adansonia digitata).
UH Mānoa Campus Plants
The University of Hawai‘i Mānoa campus has an amazing collection of plants. Our hope is that by providing tools to help people identify the plants, and making information about this collection more accessible, we can bring the flora from the background into the conscious life of the community, and together reimagine the university environment as a botanical garden, just as Joseph Rock conceived it to be when he planted trees here as the university was being established.
In the century since then, the collection has been augmented by horticulturalists, botanists, visiting scholars and dignitaries, and other plant enthusiasts, and now includes more than 6000 plants in over 700 species — some of which are represented by numerous distinct varieties. We are currently inventorying the collection, and making information about plants accessible though the online Campus Plants map. The map can be used to identify the plants around you, or to search for plants by name or characteristic, or by a number of special collections, for which we're currently developing more information.
Biogeography of the Campus Plants
One of the characteristics which people often want to know about is where plants are from — i.e. their biogeography. This is especially salient here in Hawai‘i because we have such an amazing native flora, and because we also have a set of important cultural plants. We can think of the plants in Hawai‘i as belonging to one of three groups, which are associated both with how and when they got here, and also with different ways of looking at the world and the plants in it, which shapes the ways we see the campus landscape.
Native plants
Everyone that's come to the Hawaiian Islands has had to cross vast ocean distances to do so. Without help from ships and planes this was much more difficult, although many of the ancestors of the native Hawaiian plants did fly here, carried by birds one way or another. Over the long evolutionary eons, it was much easier for ancestral plants to speciate into different niches than it was for new plants to get here, so most of the native Hawaiian species evolved here and are endemic to the islands (occurring nowhere else in the world). The ancestors that did arrive found a plants' paradise, with no large herbivorous mammals to eat their leaves or trample their roots, and in the process of natural selection most new species lost defensive mechanisms. As a consequence, they became quite vulnerable when mammals were later introduced by humans. Hawaiian plants are often rare, unique, and imperiled, which makes them important not only for the interest they hold, but also for their conservation.
Polynesian cultural heritage plants (canoe plants)
The next group of plants to arrive in Hawai‘i came with the first people who settled here, the Polynesian voyagers who became the Hawaiians. About thirty plants came with them, and were the ones chiefly used, for cordage, clothing, medicine, food, and more. Imagine having only thirty plants for everything you need! Fortunately this is an amazing group of plants, and many, such as the coconut, have multiple uses. In Hawaiian cosmology these plants are related to people through common ancestry, and through kinolau associations, as well as through the interactions of cultivation and use. Because Hawaiian culture is native to these islands, these are also often called native plants, which is inaccurate in a scientific sense, but reflects the popular understanding that these heritage plants have a greater time depth and a longer interrelationship with Hawaiian landscapes than more recent introductions.
Cosmopolitan plants
The third group of plants began arriving in the islands with the first ships that came from Europe. The period before this is often called "pre-contact" but this is a misnomer because Hawaiians were in contact with Southern Polynesia for several centuries. Likewise, calling the new species "European introductions" is inaccurate, since few species are from Europe (most are from the African, American, Asian or Oceanic tropics) and the people who brought them — sailors, traders, travelers, immigrants — were from all parts of the world. Introduction of new species was well underway by the beginning of the 19th century, with many experimental crops planted in Honolulu and in Mānoa. After the catastrophic population collapse of native Hawaiians (due to microscopic introduced species) and the economic division of the land into landscapes of production (for commodities like sugar and pineapple) and landscapes of consumption (for estates and houses), large shade trees and showy ornamental plants became particularly important. At the same time immigrant workers brought new sets of cultural heritage plants which became integrated into local culture. After introduced grazing animals devastated much of the native forest, early efforts at ecological restoration employed introduced tree species in the hopes that they would create new forests faster. The results can be seen by looking into the back of the formerly denuded Mānoa valley.
Landscape aesthetics
Each of these groups of plants are highly valued, but often by different people and for different reasons. People who value natives often feel a moral imperative to take care of the species, and assure their continued survival in the landscape. For native plant enthusiasts, it is only these plants that really convey a "Hawaiian sense of place," since they embody the unique ecological relationships that produced them, and without them, landscapes may seem generic and artificial.
The cultural heritage plants are usually valued in more personal, relational terms. They connect people with the land, and undermine a tendency to separate nature from culture. On campus the canoe plants help create the "Hawaiian place of learning" that is one of the University's key values. Landscapes without these plants can feel alienating and impersonal.
Cosmopolitan plants are by far the most commonly seen in urban Hawai‘i today, and their showy flowers and broad canopies fit the popular idea of Hawai‘i as a tropical paradise. The landscaping heritage of the estates depends on plants arranged to sensually please the viewer. This is sometimes called an "aesthetic" orientation, but it is important to note that all three of these ways of valuing landscapes are aesthetic, in that they are deeply felt by observers.
Its also worth noting that there is plenty crossover between these three aesthetics and the three groups of plants. While native plants are a conservation priority, we also have several cosmopolitan species on campus that are imperiled in their places of origin. Maintaining these plants supports a global ecological strategy, while other botanical gardens across the world help assure the survival of Hawaiian species. It is also important to conserve the agrobiodiversity of endemic varieties within the introduced canoe plants. For instance, although there were as many as 368-482 indigenous cultivars of taro around 1900, only 65-73 are still extant (Winter 2012) — and about 60 of these are maintained on campus at Ka Papa Lo‘i o Kānewai.
Relational aesthetics also embrace some of the introduced plants, particularly those which are cultural keystone species for the various groups that have settled in Hawai‘i, as well as those which have been incorporated into indigenous cultural practices such as la‘au lapa‘au. Some of these may be found in curricular gardens at the Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies and the College of Education.
And of course many (though not all) of the native and cultural plants also please the sensory aesthetic. So the association of plants and values isn't rigid, but seeing the general tendency may help in understanding different landscape values.
|Plants||Aesthetic||Ethic|
|Native plants||ecological||moral|
|Cultural Heritage plants||relational||political|
|Cosmopolitan plants||sensory||universalist|
Balancing Values
One of the tricky things in managing the campus landscape is balancing these three aesthetic perspectives! It can be easy for someone who is totally immersed in one system to dismiss the other values, or to believe they should be subordinated. What we hope to do in presenting more information about the campus plants is to make these values more visible, with the hope that the diversity of landscapes we have on campus can be better enjoyed.
The Kahua Kukui program visits the kalo (Colocasia esculenta) at Ka Papa Lo‘i o Kānewai
Campus collections
One of our current projects is to bring greater visibility to the special collections of plants that we have on campus. Some of these can now be found under a search menu on the plant map, including several education gardens, the Memorial Trees dedicated to notable people over the years, the Exceptional Trees recognized by the State designation, and the Joseph Rock palm collection. We're currently working on developing guides and interpretive materials for others. Last year at a conference on Botanical Gardens, we realized that while many gardens are deliberately planted to spatially segregate their various collections, our collections are all interwoven through our landscape, which seems both beautiful and fitting. After all, most botanical gardens don't have their public living and working on site(!), and assume they will come to the plants; here, however, the distribution of the collections throughout the campus brings the plants to the community. It also reminds us, once again, of how the various strands of nature and culture are connected in Hawai‘i.
We hope you enjoy the campus plants! We like to thank them for the ecological and historical memory they carry, and for all the myriad values they give us!
Content © David Strauch & Roxanne Adams (publication forthcoming)
Māmaki (Pipturus albidus) an endemic plant of the Nettle family without stinging defenses.
Used for tea and kapa, and favored by the endemic Kamehameha Butterfly. | https://manoa.hawaii.edu/landscaping/landscapingpage/plants.php |
The Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG) began life at the Minnesota Zoo in 1979 under the leadership of Dr. Ulysses S. Seal, who at the time was Chair of the Minnesota Zoo Board. As part of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world’s oldest and largest global conservation organization, CPSG assists zoos, governments, and other conservation organizations to develop plans to minimize the risk of extinction of the plants and animals with which we share the planet. We have guided the production of conservation plans for over 280 species in more than 75 countries. Highlights of our work can be found in our 2017 book, Second Nature.
Since the beginning, the Minnesota Zoo has been one of our biggest supporters. Not only have they provided us with a home for almost 40 years, they are also a loyal donor and long-time collaborators. Our work together spans decades, from conservation projects for species including tigers and Amur leopards in the early 1990s to the 2015 Poweshiek skipperlings and Dakota skippers project. Reintroductions of the Dakota skipper began in 2017, and the project has been so successful that it was recently selected as one of 20 projects to receive a Recovery of Species on the Brink of Extinction grant supported by National Geographic and the IUCN’s Species Survival Commission.
The core principles that Dr. Seal established – sound science, neutral facilitation, and a commitment to collaboration – continue to underpin all our work. We develop cutting-edge conservation tools, provide technical expertise, and conduct training courses and planning workshops all over the world. But arguably more important is our unique ability to bring people together and help them to overcome conflicts and reach agreement on what needs to be done to save a species from extinction.
So now the secret is out…thanks to the Minnesota Zoo – our host, donor, partner and friend – and other generous donors, CPSG brings about second chances for wildlife and a more hopeful future for the planet.
We hope you’ll want to learn more about CPSG. Please visit our website www.cpsg.org and follow us on Facebook or Twitter. | https://mnzoo.org/blog/planning-a-future-for-wildlife/ |
652 S.E.2d 624 (2007)
LOVE
v.
MOREHOUSE COLLEGE, INC.
No. A07A1260.
Court of Appeals of Georgia.
October 5, 2007.
*625 Delvin & Robinson, Rebecca C. Smith, for appellant.
Hawkins & Parnell, Michael J. Goldman, Atlanta, for appellee.
MILLER, Judge.
Gregory A. Love appeals from the trial court's order dismissing his complaint against Morehouse College, Inc. ("Morehouse") for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Finding that the trial court applied the incorrect legal standard in dismissing Love's complaint, we reverse.
We review a trial court's order dismissing a plaintiff's complaint de novo, Moore v. BellSouth Mobility, 243 Ga.App. 674, 675, 534 S.E.2d 133 (2000), and will affirm the same only where (i) the allegations of the complaint disclose with certainty that the plaintiff "would not be entitled to relief under any state of provable facts asserted" therein and (ii) the defendant establishes that the plaintiff "could not possibly introduce evidence sufficient to warrant a grant of the relief sought." (Citation and punctuation omitted.) TIG Specialty Ins. Co. v. Brown, 283 Ga.App. 445, 641 S.E.2d 684 (2007). In making this analysis, we view all of the plaintiff's well-pleaded material allegations as true, and view all denials by the defendant as false, noting that we are under no obligation to adopt a party's legal conclusions based on these facts. Southwest Health & Wellness, LLC v. Work, 282 Ga.App. 619, 623(2), 639 S.E.2d 570 (2006).
So viewed, the record shows that in November 2002, while a student at Morehouse, Love was beaten with a baseball bat in his dormitory shower, located on the Morehouse campus. Love's assailant, a fellow Morehouse student, allegedly perpetrated the attack because he believed that Love was homosexual, and that he had glanced at him in an inappropriate way.[1]
As a result of the attack, Love initiated the current action against Morehouse, asserting claims sounding in ordinary and gross negligence, premises liability, and negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Morehouse moved to dismiss Love's complaint, arguing that the allegations contained therein did not establish the existence of a legal duty owed by the college to Love. The trial court granted that motion, finding that while Morehouse owed Love a duty of reasonable care to protect him from injury on campus, Love had failed to "come forward *626 with any evidence that the injury he suffered was foreseeable."
This statement indicates that the trial court failed to apply the correct standard for determining a motion to dismiss. Under that standard, Love was not required to come forward with evidence of foreseeability, but instead was obligated only to allege facts that, if proven, could create a factual question for the jury as to whether the attack on him was foreseeable. We find that his complaint does allege such facts and that the trial court's ruling was therefore in error.
In deciding a motion to dismiss, we are cognizant of the fact that a "complaint is not required to set forth a cause of action, but need only set forth a claim for relief. If, within the framework of the complaint, evidence may be introduced which will sustain a grant of relief to the plaintiff, the complaint is sufficient." (Citations and punctuation omitted.) Gillis v. American Gen. Life etc. Ins. Co., 222 Ga.App. 891, 892, 476 S.E.2d 648 (1996).
To sustain the claims set forth in his complaint, Love's allegations must permit the introduction of evidence demonstrating a "legal duty to conform to a standard of conduct raised by the law for the protection of others against unreasonable risks of harm," and a breach of the same. Watson v. Gen. Mechanical Svcs., 276 Ga.App. 479, 481, 623 S.E.2d 679 (2005). Duty cannot be divorced from foreseeability, however, and thus "[i]t follows that, to establish a breach of the applicable standard of conduct to support a negligence action, there must be evidence that the act (or omission to act) alleged to be negligent created a foreseeable unreasonable risk of harm. [Cit.]" (Emphasis in original.) Id. at 481-482, 623 S.E.2d 679.
Georgia law recognizes that a college or university has a duty, as a landowner, to exercise ordinary and reasonable care for a student's safety and to take reasonable steps to protect against foreseeable acts of violence on its campus. See Agnes Scott College v. Clark, 273 Ga.App. 619, 616 S.E.2d 468 (2005). In Agnes Scott, this Court addressed the issue of foreseeability as it relates to criminal acts perpetrated by nonstudents, whose presence on the campus was unknown to the university, and found that for such a crime to be considered foreseeable,
it must be substantially similar to previous criminal activities occurring on or near the premises such that a reasonable person would take ordinary precautions to protect invitees from the risk posed by the criminal activity. . . . While the prior criminal activity must be substantially similar to the particular crime in question, that does not mean identical. What is required is that the prior incident be sufficient to attract the landowner's attention to the dangerous condition which resulted in the litigated incident.
(Citation and punctuation omitted.) Id. at 621-622(1), 616 S.E.2d 468.
While this case involves an assault perpetrated by one student against another, the relevant question with respect to foreseeability remains the same: Were there previous incidents that should have attracted Morehouse's attention to the danger that resulted in the incident at issue? In this regard, we note that
[w]ith reference to foreseeability of injury, the correct rule is that in order for a party to be held liable for negligence, it is not necessary that he should have been able to anticipate the particular consequences which ensued. It is sufficient if, in ordinary prudence, he might have foreseen that some injury would result from his act or omission, and that consequences of a generally injurious nature might result. [Cit.]
Freeman v. Wal-Mart Stores, 281 Ga.App. 132, 136(2), 635 S.E.2d 399 (2006). See also Razdan v. Parzen, 157 Ga.App. 848, 849, 278 S.E.2d 687 (1981) ("An event is not regarded as being foreseeable if it is one in the nature of an extraordinary coincidence, or a conjunction of circumstances or which would not occur save under exceptional circumstances. . . . ").
Here, Love alleged that prior to the assault on him, Morehouse had failed to address the harassment of students believed to be homosexual; had fostered an atmosphere of hatred and violence toward such students; *627 had "approved and ratified the disparate treatment" of those students; and had failed to take disciplinary action as to the students who perpetrated such behavior. Love's complaint also asserts that, at the time of the attack on him, Morehouse was aware of "several previous instances involving problems of homophobia and intolerance" toward Morehouse's homosexual students. These allegations are sufficient to survive a motion to dismiss. Although Love's complaint speaks of "harassment," he may be able to introduce evidence showing either that such harassment involved acts of violence or that it was reasonably foreseeable that such harassment could escalate into violence.
Applying the relevant law to these allegations, we cannot say with certainty that Love has failed to assert any cognizable claims against Morehouse and find that measuring the basis of those claims at this early stage of the proceedings is premature. See Gillis, supra, 222 Ga.App. at 892, 476 S.E.2d 648.
Judgment reversed.
BARNES, C.J., and SMITH, P.J., concur.
NOTES
[1] Love's assailant was subsequently convicted of aggravated assault and battery and, at the time the complaint was filed, was serving a prison sentence resulting from those convictions.
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However, offshore investment still carries a lot of risks, the majority of which originates due to differences and discrepancies in cultural norms and legal systems. It is important that investors seek local professional advice from real estate experts, lawyers and tax advisors. Investors should be clear on their investment strategy, target returns, investment horizon and understand potential future exit options. Often, more sophisticated developed markets are much more competitive and unless investors are well-prepared they will be at a significant disadvantage.
To achieve the successful investment in foreign markets, Ms. Minh suggested 3 tips for domestic real estate developers.
Firstly, conduct market research. Depending on the market, research should cover the trading practices of that particular market, consumer demand, market trends, future supply and how directly and indirectly competing projects affect the project. Market research must consider any delays in completing a transaction and obtaining an investment license for a new project in the host country. If investing in a residential project, when to begin selling is the most important factor, as project delays can expose the investor to significant cyclical risks. However, for commercial projects, controlling long-term cash flow from 7-10 years makes it easier for investors to choose a reasonable time to divest, increase investment returns and minimize risks.
Secondly, know the rules before deciding to invest. It is important to understand the process and methods of investing in the host country. Always seek advice from lawyers in the country of investment to ensure that there are no unnecessary legal risks. A clear understanding of legal requirements is imperative for all investors for any projects.
Thirdly, carefully consider the capital structure for the project, as low interest rates in many developed markets can significantly improve the investor’s return on equity if debt is utilized appropriately. | http://blogx3.com/vietnam-real-estate-companies-search-for-investment-opportunities-in-foreign-markets.html |
Does the space taken up by matter also expand as the universe expands?
1 Answer
No! Any region in space that is denser than a a certain critical value will decouple itself from expansion and will not expand anymore. Detailed explanation is given below.
Explanation:
The problem of what happens to mass distributions in an expanding Universe has been studied carefully for an ideal case of spherical distribution of matter in a flat - matter dominated expanding Universe (called Einstein-deSitter Universe ) by Gunn and Gott in 1971.
Reference:
Title : On the Infall of Matter Into Clusters of Galaxies and Some Effects on Their Evolution
Authors : Gunn, James E.; Gott, J. Richard, III
Publication : Astrophysical Journal, vol. 176, p.1
Summary of their Conclusion:
If matter is distributed uniformly in the Universe there will be no gravitational collapse but the expansion will lead to dilution of density with time.
If the matter is distributed non-uniformly in a static Universe then the regions that are over-dense will become denser assisted by gravitation. But in an expanding Universe gravity is not the only force. Caught in the background expansion, these over-dense regions expand slowly compared to the surrounding under-dense regions.
Their dynamics of expansion and their eventual fate is determined by a parameter called the over density amplitude,
Gunn and Gott showed that if the over density amplitude exceeds a critical value
This is how structures like galaxies, galaxy clusters etc form. Once a system collapses this way it totally decouples itself from the expansion and will not participate in it anymore. So structures like galaxies and local group of galaxies are stable and do not expand anymore. But some massive galaxy clusters may still be expanding but they too would eventually turn around and collapse, while the rest of the Universe expand. | https://socratic.org/questions/does-the-space-taken-up-by-matter-also-expand-as-the-universe-expands |
The serpent is one of the symbols of the Egyptian Set, and this can be understood without difficulty if the serpent be considered under its malefic aspect, that which is most commonly attributed to it. But it is almost always forgotten that the serpent has a benefic aspect which, moreover, is to be found also in the symbolism of ancient Egypt, in particular under the form of the royal serpent, the ‘uraeus’ or basilisk. Even in Christian iconography the serpent is sometimes the symbol of Christ, as well as the Biblical Seth who is often looked on as a ‘prefiguration’ of Christ.
It can be said that the two Seths, fundamentally, are not other than the two serpents of the Hermitic ‘caduceus’. It is, if one will, life and death, both produced by a power that is single in its essence but double in its manifestation.
The symbolism of the serpent is actually linked, before all else, to the very idea of life: in Arabic, the serpent is al-hayyah, and life al-hayah. This is linked to the symbolism of the ‘Tree of Life’, and thus enables one to glimpse a singular relationship between the serpent and Eve (Hawwa, ‘The living’).
In Chinese symbolism emperor Fo-hi and his sister Niu-Koua are sometimes represented with the body of a serpent and a human head, and in certain cases these two serpents are intertwined like those of the caduceus, no doubt thereby alluding to the complementarism of the yin-yang.
All this shows that the serpent has had, doubtless in very remote times, an importance which is no longer suspected today.
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In 2018 we were approached by the HR department to work with 10 key managers, at various levels of management to work on performance and capability issues that had been increasing over a 3 year period. The members of this team were chosen for both their positional and personal power, in an effort to create a core team of ‘champions for change’.
The team had experienced multiple changes in senior leadership, and had a culture of ‘us and them’ resulting in complex layers of conflict behaviour, including gossip, hearsay, and interpersonal conflict and mistrust. A 360 degree leadership diagnostic and employee engagement surveys revealed that wellbeing was a major issue with the team as difficult communication, burnout, mental health issues and engagement were all key themes.
We used the GLWS (Global Leadership Wellbeing Survey) to begin the process of supporting the team through change and difficulty and increase productivity and performance. The GLWS reports were used in individual coaching as well as the broader team cultural change initiative. Participants learned more about how they could build capacity in the areas of:
- Authentic relationships
- Meaning and purpose
- Resilience and equanimity
- Balance and boundaries
- Vitality and energy
- Intellectual engagement and flow
The participants felt supported and encouraged in their wellbeing and the organisation has a clear path of people development through the change process. An impact evaluation study revealed that participants reported improved ability and confidence in maintaining their individual wellbeing needs, as well as improved teamwork and relationships, communication and productivity. | https://lairdconsulting.com.au/us-and-them-case-study/ |
This is a continuation of the series involving ‘neglected’ plays.
MARY ELIZABETH BRADDON (1835-1915) was a popular Victorian novelist, her most acclaimed and successful work being the ‘sensation novel’ Lady Audley’s Secret (1862). Initially published in serial form, the novel proved so popular that it was almost immediately adapted for the stage. There were a number of adaption, however, the most lasting and performed one was by the comedian Colin Henry Hazelwood (1823-1875); an irony in itself.
It was subsequently produced many times throughout the 19th Century and well into the 20th Century – and then – disappeared from popular view. It was further adapted for ‘silent film’ in 1912, 1915, and 1920, Sadly, the 1915 version starring ‘the vamp’ Theda Bara, the most notorious and popular femme fatale of the early silent film era, has been lost. Perhaps the last big success it had in the theatre was in 1930 when Tyrone Guthrie directed it with Dame Flora Robson as Lady Audley.
There are a number of fascinating things about Lady Audley’s Secret, not least its theatrical history and influence but also a rather fine connection to Australian history. Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s elder brother, Edward Braddon (1829-1904), immigrated to Australia in 1845 and eventually became Premier of Tasmania from 1894-99, and was a Member of the First Australian Parliament. The suburb of Brandon in the Australian Capital Territory, and the Tasmanian electorate of Braddon are named after Sir Edward Braddon. However, our story lays with his sister and the ‘sensation’ of Lady Audley’s Secret.
Sensation fiction in novels and plays was the most popular genre in Victorian England in the 1860s and 1870s. The three novels that best represent this are Wilkie Collins’ The Woman in White (1859-60), Ellen Woods’ East Lynne (1861), and Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s Lady Audley’s Secret (1862). Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations (1860-61) and his unfinished The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870) also fall into this genre. Many of the sensation novels of this time were subsequently adapted for the theatre and later film, even musicals.
The definition of this genre is that the story involves the uncovering of a secret, and is a deliberate mixture of romance and realism often involving murder, adultery, greed, forgery, blackmail, corruption, revenge, and madness. They are works of sheer melodrama. This is not something that can easily be dismissed as not matter how sensational the secret and action may be, invariably they are set within a relatively domestic world. The question of personal and social identity rises to the front, questioning individual and the world’s morals, ethics and actions. Invariably a kind of moral universe eventually exerts itself, with good triumphing over evil. One of the best essays on sensation fiction is John Ruskin’s Fiction – Fair and Foul.
Furthermore, sensation drama, in theatre, film and television has been relatively and consistently present from the 1860s to today. Wonderful examples include Patrick Hamilton’s Rope (1929), as well as Alfred Hitchcock’s 1948 film of the same name, Emlyn Williams’ Night Must Fall (1935). Adding to these personal favourites, which are also now somewhat ‘neglected’ plays, is Reginald Denham’s and Edward Percy’s Ladies in Retirement (1940), which Charles Vidor turned into a film in 1941 with ida Lupino.
As with all the works cited in this series of ‘neglected’ plays, if you are seeking new acting scenes in which to work on you will find some pretty fabulous ones in these plays. The fact that we still love sensation drama can be seen in popular crime detective dramas, as well as in the modern musical versions The Mystery of Edwin Drood and The Woman in White.
Very often this type of drama is based on a real-life event, adding to the complexity of the ‘identity’ issue, almost as if we need the incident to be dramatised in order to understand it. This is exemplified by Rope, which was inspired by the real-life murderers Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, as well as Lady Audley’s Secret, which was inspired by the life of child murderer Constance Kent (1844-1944). Issues of gender and class division and madness played a significant role in the Constance Kent case, as they do in Lady Audley’s Secret. This is exemplified by the last lines spoken by Lady Audley in the play – ‘Aye – Aye (laughs wildly) Mad, mad, that is the word. I feel it here (Places her hands over her temples)’.
Is Lady Audley mad? Or is she simply a cold-blooded psychopath? Or is she a type of proto-feminist character, a lowly female member of the Working Class, battling for upward social mobility against domineering men? She has been seen as all of these in subsequent analysis and re-inventions of the novel, play, and story. She certainly prefigures the ‘woman-with-a-past’ characters in the subsequent ‘problem plays’ in the late 19th Century, exemplified by Pinero’s The Second Mrs Tanqueray (1893) [see previous article].
However, she also belongs to the much older theatrical heritage of the femme fatale character in drama, which stretches as far back to ancient times with Helen of Troy and her sister Clytemnestra, as well as Medea and Phaedra. Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth, Alexander Dumas’s Lady deWinter in The Three Musketeers , and Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler are femme fatales, and modern times the femme fatale has been wonderfully portrayed a number of times by Glenn Close, in Fatal Attraction (1987) and Dangerous Liasons (1988). Aspects of Lady Audley can also be seen in Barbara Stanwyck’s Phyllis Dietrichson in Billy Wilder’s brilliant Double Indemnity (1944) and Lana Turner’s Cora Smith in Tay Garnett’s terrific The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946). I’d even add Ann Downs in Joseph Kramm’s Pulitzer Prize winning play The Shrike (1952), and Shirley Stoller’s Martha Beck in Leonard Kastle’s ‘cult classic’ The Honeymoon Killers (1970), which Francois Truffaut called his ‘favourite American film’ (check it out), and, of course, Sharon Stone’s stunning Catherine Tramell in Paul Verhoeven’s Basic Instinct (1992).
One distinguishing characteristic of these characters, as well as Lady Audley, is that invariably they are ‘blondes’, or ‘redheads’. I have no idea why ‘blonde’ and ‘red-headed women have been associated with the femme fatale, but it stands as a rather curious essentially masculine construction and projection. Not only do you get the beautiful ‘Blonde Venus’ there is also the ‘Blonde Vampire’.
I’m actually not too sure where the femme fatale sits today. She and sensation drama is certainly still present, exemplified by the upcoming revival in London of the musical version of The Woman in White. It would seem that she primarily belongs in the world of gothic fantasy and horror, exemplified by Rachelle Lefevre’s Victoria Sutherland in the Twilight film series.
However, the modern femme fatale may not be the personification of pure evil that she once was, such as Barbara Stanwyck’s Phyllis Dietrichson in Double Indemnity and Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth. Feminism has largely had an influence in diluting and reducing the evil power and nature of the modern femme fatale. This is highly apparent in Disney’s Maleficent (2014) in which the classic evil witch, although wonderfully played by Angelina Jollie, is given a relatively predictable ‘back story’ that makes her subsequent actions ‘understandable’ due to be the victim of male domination. This romanticised reduction concerns me a little, as it does with male villains, such as the vampire, as it seems to suggest that real evil, real evil people, male and female, don’t really exists, and that everyone and all evil actions are relatively ‘understandable’ – they are actually ‘nice’ people underneath all this. Rubbish. Real evil, real evil people, male and female, do exits, and their actions rather than being ‘understandable’ are repugnant, destructive, and – well – evil – and should be denounced. The potential danger of hypocrisy, and the gullibility of accepting ‘wolves in sheep clothing’ is remarkably pronounced; not all people are ‘understandable’ or ‘nice’.
However, the above characters cited above are not really those that sit within the genre of sensation drama. As previously stated, and in reference to Lady Audley, sensation drama and the femme fatale really exists within a relatively domestic setting and not in the world of fantasy. This makes the modern femme fatale figure particularly dangerous. I am, however, hard put to find modern examples; although arguably Robin Wright’s Claire Underwood in the US TV series House of Cards (2013-2017) falls into the femme fatale archetype. As does Nurse Ratched in Dale Wasserman’s continuing popular play adaptation of Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1963). Furthermore, whilst Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth may remain the most ever-present femme fatale I doubt very much if we will ever see again Ann Downs in Leonard Kastle’s The Shrike, or Lady Audley in Lady Audley’s Secret. Nonetheless, you can always read and see these works, and the femme fatale remains, in various forms, a vital archetype in modern and classical drama – long may she reign. | https://allthepleasuresofthegarden.com/2017/09/26/theatre-mary-elizabeth-braddons-lady-audleys-secret-1862-sensation-drama-the-femme-fatale/ |
TECHNICAL FIELD
BACKGROUND ART
CITATION LIST
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
Solution to Problem
Advantageous Effects of Invention
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
The present invention relates to a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus that radiates simulated sunlight.
Solar batteries have been recognized as important as clean energy sources, and as such, have been in increasing demand. Solar batteries are used in a wide range of fields from power energy sources for large machinery to small-sized power sources for precision electronics. In order for solar batteries to be widely used in a variety of fields, it is necessary that the characteristics, in particular output characteristics, of the solar batteries be accurately measured. Unless the output characteristics are not accurately measured, there will be various inconveniences on the side of solar-battery users. Under such circumstances, there is a particular demand for a technology which can be used for inspections of, measurements of, and experiments on solar batteries and which can irradiate a large area with high-precision simulated sunlight.
Accordingly, a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus has recently been under development as an apparatus that can radiate simulated sunlight. In general, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus is used for measuring the output characteristics of a panel-shaped solar battery by irradiating a receiving surface of the solar battery with artificial light (simulated sunlight) of uniform illuminance.
A major requirement for simulated sunlight is getting closer in emission spectrum to reference sunlight (as defined by the Japanese Industrial Standards: JIS C8941). In other words, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus is required, in particular, to be high in spectral coincidence. The term “spectral coincidence” here means the proximity of simulated sunlight in spectrum to the reference sunlight. However, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus is only provided with light source lamps in the form of dots or lines (dot-like light sources or linear light sources). This problematically makes it extremely difficult to irradiate the whole (or entire) receiving surface, which is in the form of a plane, of a solar battery with simulated sunlight of uniform illuminance.
In order to solve this problem, Patent Literatures 1 and 2 each disclose a technology for correcting nonuniformity in illuminance of a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus (solar simulator) having a halogen lamp and a xenon lamp provided in separate chambers adjacent to each other. Specifically, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus has a dedicated optical filter provided in an open section above each of the lamps. This causes the receiving surface of a solar battery to be irradiated with simulated sunlight due to lighting of the lamps below. Furthermore, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus has a reflective plate in each of the chambers in which the respective lamps are provided. This makes it possible to correct nonuniformity in illuminance among the lamps.
Meanwhile, Patent Literature 2 discloses a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus (solar simulator) that has a light intensity adjustment member provided for each of those zones into which the receiving surface of a solar battery is imaginarily divided. Specifically, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus has three types of light intensity adjustment member having different light-blocking rates. The light intensity adjustment members have their light-blocking rates set so that with reference to the illuminance of the darkest zone of the receiving surface of a solar battery, the illuminances of the other zones are made the same as the illuminance of the darkest zone. This makes it possible to make the illuminance of the light sources in one zone of the receiving surface substantially the same as that in another zone of the receiving surface.
Patent Literature 1
Japanese Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No. 2002-048704 (Publication Date: Feb. 15, 2002)
Patent Literature 2
Japanese Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No. 2006-216619 (Publication Date: Aug. 17, 2006)
However, these conventional simulated sunlight irradiation apparatuses are problematically low in spectral coincidence.
Specifically, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus of Patent Literature 1 is configured such that a lamp that emits xenon light and a lamp that emits halogen light are located in different places. This undesirably causes a degree of mixture of the xenon light and the halogen light to slightly vary, for example, due to a direction in which light from each of the lamps travels. This results in a phenomenon in which simulated sunlight varies in irradiation spectrum from irradiated site to irradiated site. This makes it difficult to make spectral coincidence uniform over the entire irradiated surface, thus making it impossible to configure the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus to be high in spectral coincidence.
Further, Patent Literature 2 merely discloses simply providing a light intensity adjustment member in each of those zones into which the receiving surface is imaginarily divided. However, Patent Literature 2 is completely silent about an influence that is exerted on the spectral distribution by providing light intensity adjustment members having different transmittances. That is, in actuality, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus of Patent Literature undesirably varies in transmittance among various wavelength bands in each zone. This makes it impossible to radiate simulated sunlight with high spectral coincidence. As such, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus of Patent Literature 2 cannot be adapted to raise spectral coincidence, which requires adjustment of transmittance through control of transmittance for each wavelength band.
The present invention has been made in view of the conventional problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus that can radiate simulated sunlight with high spectral coincidence.
In order to solve the foregoing problems, a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus according to the present invention includes: a first light source which radiates a first ray of light; a second light source which radiates a second ray of light having a spectral distribution that is different from a spectral distribution of the first ray of light; a first optical filter which controls a transmittance of the first ray of light; a second optical filter which controls a transmittance of the second ray of light; a photoselection section which receives the first ray of light whose transmittance has been controlled by the first optical filter and the second ray of light whose transmittance has been controlled by the second optical filter, and which emits simulated sunlight by mixing together a ray of light selected from the first ray of light thus received and a ray of light selected from the second ray of light thus received; a light guide plate which receives the simulated sunlight emitted from the photoselection section; a light extraction section which takes out, to an irradiation surface of the light guide plate, the simulated sunlight received by the light guide plate; and a transmittance adjustment member which is located closer to the irradiation surface of the light guide plate than the light extraction section is, and which adjusts a transmittance of light in a portion of a wavelength band of simulated sunlight that is emitted from the irradiation surface of the light guide plate.
According to the foregoing invention, when the first ray of light emitted from the first light source enters the first optical filter, the transmittance of the first ray of light is controlled by the first optical filter. Similarly, when the second ray of light emitted from the second light source enters the second optical filter, the transmittance of the first ray of light is controlled by the first optical filter. Then, the rays of light, whose transmittances have been controlled by the first and second optical filters, respectively, enter the photoselection section. In this way, emission spectra of the first and second rays of light are adjusted by the first and second optical filters and the photoselection section. As a result, simulated sunlight that is proximate in emission spectrum to reference sunlight is emitted from the photoselection section. Therefore, simulated sunlight that is high in spectral coincidence enters the light guide plate.
Furthermore, according to the foregoing invention, the transmittance adjustment member, located at the side of the irradiation surface of the light guide plate, adjusts a transmittance of light in a portion of a wavelength band of simulated sunlight that is emitted from the irradiation surface of the light guide plate. In this way, the transmittance adjustment member brings about improvement in spectral coincidence of simulated sunlight. This makes it possible to provide a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus that can radiate simulated sunlight with high spectral coincidence.
Additional objects, features, and strengths of the present invention will be made clear by the description below. Further, the advantages of the present invention will be evident from the following explanation in reference to the drawings.
As described above, a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus according to the present invention is configured to include a transmittance adjustment member which is located closer to the irradiation surface of the light guide plate than the light extraction section is, and which adjusts a transmittance of light in a portion of a wavelength band of simulated sunlight that is emitted from the irradiation surface of the light guide plate. This brings about an effect of making it possible to provide a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus that can radiate simulated sunlight with high spectral coincidence.
100
(Configuration of a Simulated Sunlight Irradiation Apparatus )
FIG. 1
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An embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the drawings. is a diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
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The simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus includes a light guide plate , light introduction sections and , a light extraction section , a prism sheet , transmittance adjustment members and , and a protective plate . The simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus emits simulated sunlight (indicated by arrows in the drawing) through an irradiation surface (upper surface) of the light guide plate onto an object to be irradiated, such as a solar battery. The simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus is described in detail below. Let it be assumed throughout the following description that the irradiation surface of the light guide plate is an upper side and a (back) surface of the light guide plate opposite the irradiation surface is a lower side.
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The light guide plate is provided between the light introduction sections and placed opposite each other. The light guide plate radiates, through an irradiation surface (upper surface) of the light guide plate , simulated sunlight with which the light introduction sections and irradiate both side surfaces of the light guide plate .
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The light extraction section is provided on a lower surface (back surface) of the light guide plate . The light extraction section takes out, to the irradiation surface of the light guide plate , the simulated sunlight emitted from the light introduction sections and . Specifically, light (simulated sunlight) emitted from the light introduction sections and and having entered the light guide plate propagates through the light guide plate . In so doing, light having struck the light extraction section is directed toward the irradiation surface of the light guide plate . This makes it possible to uniformly radiate simulated sunlight through a wider irradiation surface. It should be noted that the light extraction section can be constituted, for example, by scatterers, which scatter simulated sunlight inside of the light guide plate so that the simulated sunlight can be guided toward the irradiation surface. Further, by changing the pattern of scatterers, nonuniformity in illuminance of the simulated sunlight can be corrected. This makes it possible to radiate uniform simulated sunlight with less nonuniformity in illuminance.
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The prism sheet , the transmittance adjustment members and , and the protective plate are placed in this order above the irradiation surface of the light guide plate. The prism sheet applies the effect of refraction of light to create a large number of components of irradiation light that is radiated in a direction perpendicular to the irradiation surface of the light guide plate . That is, the prism sheet is a member that causes the light extracted by the light extraction section from the light guide plate to be refracted in a direction perpendicular to the irradiation surface of the light guide plate . The transmittance adjustment members and cause a change in transmittance of light in a portion of a wavelength band of the simulated sunlight that is radiated from the irradiation surface of the light guide plate . The transmittance adjustment members and will be described in detail later. The protective plate covers the irradiation surface of the light guide plate so as to protect the light guide plate .
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The light introduction sections and are provided at both side surfaces of the light guide plate . In the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus , the light introduction sections and emit the simulated sunlight to to both edges of the light guide plate . This makes it possible to emit simulated sunlight of a higher light intensity (illuminance) from the irradiation surface. However, it is possible to provide only the light guide section at one edge of the light guide plate instead of providing the light introduction sections and at both edges of the light guide plate . That is, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus does not need to include the light introduction section . It should be noted that the light introduction section includes optical components identical to those which the light introduction section includes.
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Specifically, the light introduction section includes: a xenon light source (xenon lamp) (first light source); an elliptic mirror (first light-collecting element; directivity control section); a tapered coupler (tapered light guide member; directivity control section); a halogen light source (halogen lamp) (second light source); an elliptic mirror (second light-collecting element); a tapered coupler (tapered light guide member; directivity control section); a wavelength-mixing filter (photoselection section); optical filters and ; and reflective plates , , , and (directivity control section).
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The light introduction section generates simulated sunlight by using the wavelength-mixing filter to mix rays of light emitted from the xenon light source and the halogen light source , respectively, and irradiates an end face (incident face) of the light guide plate with the simulated sunlight.
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Specifically, the xenon light source and the halogen light source are light sources provided in the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus . The xenon light source and the halogen light source radiate rays of light having spectral distributions that are necessary for generating simulated sunlight. The rays of light radiated from the xenon light source and the halogen light source have different spectral distributions from each other. The xenon light source mostly radiates a short-wavelength component of light that is necessary for simulated sunlight. Meanwhile, the halogen light source mostly radiates a long-wavelength component of light that is necessary for simulated sunlight.
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The xenon light source is surrounded by the elliptic mirror (reflecting member) except on a side facing in a direction of emission toward the tapered coupler , and the halogen light source is surrounded by the elliptic mirror (reflecting member) except on a side facing in a direction of emission toward the tapered coupler . This causes rays of light emitted from the xenon light source and the halogen light source but not directed toward the tapered couplers and to be reflected by the elliptic mirrors and and emitted toward the tapered couplers and , respectively. That is, the elliptic mirrors and collect the rays of light outputted from the respective light sources and cause the rays of light to be emitted. As a result, the rays of light emitted directly from the xenon light source and the halogen light source and the rays of light reflected by the elliptic mirrors and are emitted toward the tapered couplers and , respectively. Therefore, the rays of output light from the xenon light source and the halogen light source are effectively utilized.
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The tapered couplers and are optical elements provided in the light introduction section . The tapered coupler is provided between the xenon light source and the wavelength-mixing filter , and the tapered coupler is provided between the halogen light source and the wavelength-mixing filter . One end of the tapered coupler is located in proximity to the xenon light source , and the other end of the tapered coupler is located in proximity to the wavelength-mixing filter . One end of the tapered coupler is located in proximity to the halogen light source , and the other end of the tapered coupler is located in proximity to the wavelength-mixing filter . The tapered couplers and are arranged so that a direction of emission of light from the tapered coupler (light from the xenon light source ) and a direction of emission of light from the tapered coupler (light from the halogen light source ) form an angle of 90 degrees.
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The light introduction section includes the optical filters and in order to cause simulated sunlight to approximate in emission spectrum to reference sunlight. The optical filters and are optical elements that adjust the spectra (control the transmittances) of the rays of light emitted from the xenon light source and the halogen light source (tapered couplers and ), respectively. The optical filters and are generally referred to as “air-mass filters (spectrum adjustment filters)”.
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Specifically, the optical filter is provided in proximity to an emitting face of the tapered coupler , which corresponds to the xenon light source . The optical filter adjusts the spectral distribution of xenon light emitted from the tapered coupler . Similarly, the optical filter is provided in proximity to an emitting face of the tapered coupler , which corresponds to the halogen light source . The optical filter adjusts the spectral distribution of halogen light emitted from the tapered coupler . This causes the rays of light whose spectra have been adjusted by the optical filters and , respectively, to enter the wavelength-mixing filter .
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The wavelength-mixing filter has a function of wavelength selection. That is, the wavelength-mixing filter selects (extracts) rays of light that are necessary for simulated sunlight from the rays of light radiated from the xenon light source and the halogen light source , and synthesizes simulated sunlight by mixing the rays of light thus selected. Specifically, the wavelength-mixing filter reflects light of a wavelength less than a predetermined wavelength (closer to the short-wavelength side than the predetermined wavelength) and transmits light of a wavelength equal to or greater than the predetermined wavelength (closer to the long-wavelength side than the predetermined wavelength). In other words, the wavelength-mixing filter has a function of transmitting light on the long-wavelength side that is necessary for simulated sunlight and reflecting light on the short-wavelength side, and synthesizes simulated sunlight by mixing the light on the long-wavelength side and the light on the short-wavelength side.
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Specifically, the wavelength-mixing filter receives a ray of output light (first rays of light) from the xenon light source and a ray of output light (second ray of light) from the halogen light source . Then, the wavelength-mixing filter selects necessary components (spectra) of light from the rays of output light thus received, and synthesizes simulated sunlight by mixing the components of light thus selected.
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More specifically, the ray of output light from the xenon light source mostly contains a component on the short-wavelength side that is necessary for simulated sunlight; meanwhile, the ray of output light from the halogen light source mostly contains a component on the long-wavelength side that is necessary for simulated sunlight. Since the wavelength-mixing filter has its boundary wavelength set within a range of 600 to 800 nm, the wavelength-mixing filter reflects light of a wavelength less than the boundary wavelength and transmits light of a wavelength equal to or greater than the boundary wavelength. That is, out of the ray of output light from the xenon light source , only light of a wavelength less than the boundary wavelength (component of light on the short-wavelength side) is reflected by the wavelength-mixing filter . Meanwhile, out of the ray of output light from the halogen light source , only light of a wavelength equal to or greater than the boundary wavelength (component of light on the long-wavelength side) is transmitted by the wavelength-mixing filter .
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For example, let it be assumed that a component of light from the xenon light source whose wavelength is less than 700 nm is used and a component of light from the halogen light source whose wavelength is 700 nm or greater is used. In this case, the wavelength-mixing filter has a boundary wavelength of 700 nm between reflection and transmission. That is, the wavelength-mixing filter has ability to reflect short-wavelength light having a wavelength of less than 700 nm and transmit long-wavelength light having a wavelength of 700 nm or greater. This allows only those components of light of wavelengths which are necessary for simulated sunlight to be selected by the wavelength-mixing filter . Then, the components of light are combined into simulated sunlight to be emitted. It should be noted that it is possible to set any boundary wavelength between light that the wavelength-mixing filter reflects and light that the wavelength-mixing filter transmits. Furthermore, the wavelength-mixing filter may be a wavelength-dependent mirror or filter, usable examples of which include a cold mirror, a hot mirror, etc.
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In this way, the wavelength-mixing filter generates simulated sunlight by extracting a short-wavelength component of light which is contained in the ray of output light from the xenon light source and which is necessary for the synthesis of simulated sunlight and a long-wavelength component of light which is contained in the ray of output light from the halogen light source and which is necessary for the synthesis of simulated sunlight. In so doing, the wavelength-mixing filter eliminates a long-wavelength component of light from the xenon light source whose spectrum has not been controlled and, similarly, eliminates a short-wavelength component of light from the halogen light source whose spectrum has not been controlled.
This makes it possible to cause the simulated sunlight to approximate in emission spectrum to the reference sunlight.
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The elliptic mirror is outfitted with the reflecting plates and , and the elliptic mirror is outfitted with the reflecting plates and . The reflecting plates and surround an incident face of the tapered coupler . Similarly, the reflecting plates and surround an incident face of the tapered coupler . This causes rays of light emitted from the xenon light source and the halogen light source toward the tapered couplers and but having not entered the incident faces to be reflected by the reflecting plates and and the reflecting plates and and emitted again toward the tapered couplers and , respectively. That is, the reflecting plates and and the reflecting plates and collect the rays of light outputted from the respective light sources and cause the rays of light to be emitted. As a result, the rays of light emitted directly from the xenon light source and the rays of light reflected by the reflecting plates and and the elliptic mirror are emitted toward the tapered coupler , and the rays of light emitted directly from the halogen light source and the rays of light reflected by the reflecting plates and and the elliptic mirror are emitted toward the tapered coupler . Therefore, the rays of output light from the xenon light source and the halogen light source are effectively utilized.
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(Directivity of the Simulated Sunlight Irradiation Apparatus )
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Since the xenon light source and the halogen light source are nondirectional light sources, the rays of output light from the respective light sources are rays of diffusion light that spread. For this reason, it is preferable that the directivity of the rays of output light from the respective light sources be controlled so that each of the rays of light enters the wavelength-mixing filter at a predetermined angle of incidence.
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In the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus , the ray of light emitted from the xenon light source has its radiation directivity controlled by the elliptic mirror . Furthermore, the ray of light emitted from the xenon light source also has its radiation directivity controlled by the tapered coupler . The ray light whose directivity has been controlled passes through the optical filter , which adjusts the emission spectrum, and then enters the wavelength-mixing filter . Out of the ray of light having entered the wavelength-mixing filter , light of a wavelength less than the boundary wavelength (closer to the short-wavelength side than the predetermined wavelength) is reflected by the wavelength-mixing filter .
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Meanwhile, the ray of light emitted from the halogen light source has its radiation directivity controlled by the elliptic mirror . Furthermore, the ray of light emitted from the halogen light source also has its radiation directivity controlled by the tapered coupler . The ray light whose directivity has been controlled passes through the optical filter , which adjusts the emission spectrum, and then enters the wavelength-mixing filter . Out of the ray of light having entered the wavelength-mixing filter , light of a wavelength equal to or greater than the boundary wavelength (closer to the long-wavelength side than the predetermined wavelength) is transmitted by the wavelength-mixing filter .
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The wavelength-mixing filter mixes together the ray of light emitted from the xenon light source and having its directivity controlled and the ray of light emitted from the halogen light source and having its directivity controlled. In the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus , the xenon light source and the halogen light source are used. The irradianace of the xenon light source on the short-wavelength side is comparatively close to the irradiance characteristics of the reference sunlight (as defined by the JIS), and the irradiance of the halogen light source in an infrared region (which ranges mainly from 700 nm to 1100 nm) is close to being substantially constant. This makes it possible to raise spectral coincidence (to Class MS as defined by the JIS) by using the xenon light source and the halogen light source . Moreover, the rays of light transmitted or reflected by the wavelength-mixing filter and directed toward the light guide plate have their spectral coincidence raised by the optical filters and . That is, their spectral distributions are close to that of the reference sunlight, so that their spectral coincidence, which indicates their deviations from the reference sunlight, is almost as high as ±5%. Therefore, the light guide plate receives simulated sunlight with high spectral coincidence. This allows the light guide plate to radiate light with good spectral coincidence.
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It should be noted that in the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus , the xenon light source and the halogen light source are used as light sources from which simulated sunlight is obtained. However, the types of light sources and the combination of the light sources are not to be so limited, but can be optionally selected so that the resulting simulated sunlight is proximate or identical to the reference sunlight. For example, it is possible to use rod-shaped light sources and the like instead of using the xenon light source and the halogen light source .
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Further, in the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus , the elliptic mirror is outfitted with the reflecting plates and , and the elliptic mirror is outfitted with the reflecting plates and . This causes rays of light having not entered the tapered couplers and to be reflected by the reflecting plates and and the reflecting plates and and then reflected again by the elliptic mirrors and to enter the tapered couplers and , respectively. This makes it possible to effectively utilize the rays of output light from the xenon light source and the halogen light source , thus making it possible to selectively take out highly directional light.
FIG. 2
FIG. 2
FIG. 1
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is a diagram showing part of the light introduction section of the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus . That is, is a top view of the light introduction section as seen from the direction of the arrow Z in .
FIG. 2
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As shown in , the tapered coupler of the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus is in a tapered shape (trapezoidal shape) having a pair of opposing faces that become closer to each other toward one end. The tapered coupler is also in the same shape. That is, each of the tapered couplers and gradually becomes larger in width (cross-sectional area) from the incident face toward the emitting face of that tapered coupler. Such a structure brings about improvement in directivity (angle of radiation) of the rays of light emitted from the xenon light source and the halogen light source , as they are repeatedly reflected by the side surfaces of the tapered couplers and , respectively. This causes rays of light of uniform directivity (having their angles of radiation controlled) to be emitted from the emitting faces of the tapered couplers and . It should be noted that the angles of radiation of the rays of light that are emitted from the tapered couplers and are controlled in accordance with the angles of inclination of the side surfaces of the tapered couplers and and the lengths along which the rays of light travels through the tapered couplers and , respectively.
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Further, use of the tapered couplers and causes all of the rays of light emitted from the xenon light source and the halogen light source to propagate through the tapered couplers and , respectively. Further, use of the tapered couplers and causes the rays of light emitted from the xenon light source and the halogen light source to be uniform in traveling direction (directivity), and causes the uniform rays of light to enter the wavelength-mixing filter with low loss. The tapered couplers and can be made, for example, of quartz etc.
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The advantage of making the rays of light uniform in directivity by using the tapered couplers and is associated with the structures of the optical filters and . Specifically, each of the optical filters and has a structure in which a plurality of thin films are joined on top of each other. For this reason, a greater shift in the angle of incidence on each of the optical filters and from normal incidence on that optical filter leads to a change in transmittance characteristic. That is, incident of a ray of light to each of the optical filters and with poor directivity leads to generation of simulated sunlight having a spectral distribution that is different from that of the reference sunlight. However, making the rays of light uniform in directivity by using the tapered couplers and makes it possible to generate simulated sunlight that is close in spectral distribution to the reference sunlight.
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Similarly, the wavelength-mixing filter also has a structure in which a plurality of thin films are joined on top of each other. For this reason, a difference between angles of incidence on the wavelength-mixing filter leads to a change in transmittance characteristic or reflectance characteristic. That is, incident of rays of light to the wavelength-mixing filter with poor directivity leads to generation of simulated sunlight having a spectral distribution that is different from that of the reference sunlight. However, by making the rays of light uniform in directivity by using the tapered couplers and , a change in transmission characteristic or reflection characteristic at the wavelength-mixing filter is suppressed. This makes it possible to generate simulated sunlight that is close in spectral distribution to the reference sunlight.
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Since the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus includes the tapered couplers and , the directivities of xenon light and halogen light are controlled so that the xenon light enters the optical filter at a predetermined angle of incidence and enters the wavelength-mixing filter at a predetermined angle of incidence and the halogen light enters the optical filter at a predetermined angle of incidence and enters the wavelength-mixing filter at a predetermined angle of incidence. This prevents the xenon light and the halogen light from losing their light intensity by the time they arrive at the wavelength-mixing filter . Furthermore, since the tapered couplers and make the rays of light uniform in directivity, it is possible to generate simulated sunlight that is close in spectral distribution to the reference sunlight. This makes it possible to irradiate an irradiated object with simulated sunlight that is closer in illuminance (light intensity) and emission spectrum to the reference sunlight. It should be noted that with just one of the couplers and , it is possible to control the directivity of xenon light or halogen light so that the light can enter the wavelength-mixing filter at a predetermined angle of incidence.
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It is preferable that the control of the directivities of rays of light by the tapered couplers and be carried out by causing the rays of light to propagate through the tapered couplers and , respectively, in such a manner that the maximum angle of radiation is 30 degrees or smaller. This causes each of the rays of light propagating through the tapered couplers and from the incident face to the emitting face to increase in proportion of a component that is emitted with a directivity of 0 degree (i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the emitting face of the tapered coupler or ). Similarly, it is also preferable that the directions of propagation of the rays of light be set so that the elliptic mirrors and collect the rays of light from the xenon light source and the halogen light source , respectively, in such a manner that the angle of radiation is 30 degrees or smaller with respect to the normal incidence (0-degree incidence) on the incident end of the tapered coupler or .
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(Features of the Simulated Sunlight Irradiation Apparatus )
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The simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus faces a problem in introducing simulated sunlight emitted from the wavelength-mixing filter into the light guide plate . Specifically, of the simulated sunlight that enters the light guide plate , light whose directivity is poor (whose angle of radiation is close to 30 degrees) increases in component that does not satisfy the total reflection condition for the light to propagate through the light guide plate , when after the light has entered the light guide plate there is a shift in propagation angle inside of the light guide plate at which the light propagates through the light guide plate . This makes it easy for the light to go out of the light guide plate . Further, the closer the angle of radiation is to 30 degrees, the more likely the wavelength-mixing filter is to reflect or transmit the light at a wavelength of 700 nm at a different transmittance than a design value. This causes the actual transmittance of light of 650 nm to 750 nm at the wavelength-mixing filter to be higher or lower than the design transmittance. Such a shift in transmittance is a result of an error in manufacture of the film structure of the wavelength-mixing filter .
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As a result, simulated sunlight that is radiated from the irradiation surface of the light guide plate in the vicinity of the incident face of the light guide plate (light that goes out of the light guide plate ) increases in proportion of light whose transmittance control has deviated from the design. In the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus , the transmittance of light of a wavelength of 650 nm to 750 nm in particular tends to deviate from the design value. For this reason, even when the spectral coincidence, which indicates proximity in spectrum to the reference sunlight, takes on a satisfactory value in the center of the light guide plate , it is not as good in the vicinity of the incident face (incident end) of the light guide plate .
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In order to overcome this problem, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus includes the transmittance adjustment members and . The transmittance adjustment members and are located closer to the irradiation surface of the light guide plate than the light extraction section is. Furthermore, the transmittance adjustment members and adjust the transmittance of light in a portion of a wavelength band of the simulated sunlight that is radiated from the irradiation surface, thereby bringing about improvement in spectral coincidence of the simulated sunlight. This makes it possible to radiate simulated sunlight that is high in spectral coincidence.
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The transmittance adjustment members and need only be located closer to the irradiation surface of the light guide plate than the light extraction section is. However, it is preferable that the transmittance adjustment members and be located in the vicinity of either incident face of the light guide plate where there are likely to be a change in transmittance (transmittance characteristic) and therefore a decrease in spectral coincidence. For example, it is preferable that the transmittance adjustment members and be provided above the irradiation surface (emitting face) of the light guide plate . Furthermore, it is preferable that the transmittance adjustment members and be set to adjust the transmittance of light in a wavelength band of 650 nm to 750 nm where there is likely to be a deviation from the design value. For example, the transmittance adjustment members and can each be formed from an optical multi-layer film having ability to reduce the light intensity of light in the wavelength band by 3 to 5% (3% or more and 5% or less). This allows the transmittance adjustment members and to adjust the transmittance to bring about improvement in spectral coincidence.
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FIG. 1
FIG. 3
FIG. 3
FIG. 3
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Incidentally, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus of includes, for each separate light source, the optical filters and each constituted by a single filter. However, the optical filters and may each be constituted by a plurality of filters. For example, is a diagram showing an example configuration of the optical filter of the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus . Such an optical filter as that shown in which is constituted by a plurality of optical filters (namely three optical filters , , and in ) makes it possible to adjust spectra in finer wavelength bands. This makes it possible to generate simulated sunlight that is more similar in spectral distribution to the reference sunlight.
TABLE 1
Optical filter 9a
Optical filter 9b
Optical filter 9c
Transmittance
750 nm to
900 nm to
700 nm to 1100 nm
adjustment
850 nm
1000 nm
wavelength
bands
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9
9
9
7
9
4
13
13
a
b
c
a
a
a
b
Further, Table 1 shows the transmission characteristics (transmittance adjustment wavelength bands) of the optical filters , , and . Here, the transmittance adjustment wavelength band of the optical filter ranges from 750 nm to 850 nm, which is close to the boundary wavelength of 700 nm of the wavelength-mixing filter . For this reason, due to the influence of a shift in optical characteristic of the optical filter , a spectral shift may occur in a wider portion of the wavelength band in which the halogen light source is used. In this case, there may be a change in transmittance in the wavelength range of 650 nm to 850 nm and therefore a decrease in spectral coincidence. As a result, the transmittance adjustment wavelength bands of the transmittance adjustment members and become wider than 650 nm to 750 nm, which makes it necessary to improve the spectral coincidence by adjusting the transmittance in the range of 650 nm to 750 nm.
FIG. 4
9
9
9
9
10
b
a
b
c
Meanwhile, is a graph showing a spectrum of the reference sunlight. The reference sunlight exhibits a great change (decrease) in irradiance near 950 nm. For this reason, as for the optical filter (whose transmittance adjustment wavelength band ranges from 900 nm to 1000 nm) among the optical filters , , and , the transmission characteristic varies greatly according to the angle of incidence in the vicinity of the incident face of the light guide plate . For this reason, there tends to be a great change in spectral coincidence in a wavelength band of around 950 nm.
13
13
7
a
b
Therefore, it is preferable that the transmittance adjustment members and adjust at least either a wavelength band including the boundary wavelength (which is here 700 nm) of the wavelength-mixing filter or a wavelength band including a wavelength of around 950 nm where there is a great decrease in irradiance of the reference sunlight. This makes it possible to improve the spectral coincidence in a wavelength band in which there is particularly likely to be a decrease in spectral coincidence.
100
13
13
10
10
10
a
In this way, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus uses the transmittance adjustment members and to control the transmittance of light after emission from the light guide plate . However, the directivity of light that is emitted from the light guide plate cannot be completely controlled simply by controlling the transmittance of the light after emission from the light guide plate . For this reason, it is difficult to control a spectrum of light after emission.
100
10
100
3
8
1
10
6
9
4
10
10
10
10
13
13
a
b
Therefore, it is preferable that the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus control the directivity of incoming light before it enters the light guide plate . That is, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus has the tapered coupler and the optical filter provided between the xenon light source and the light guide plate , and has the taper coupler and the optical filter provided between the halogen light source and the light guide plate . For this reason, a change in directivity of light entering the light guide plate is small even at the incident end of the light guide plate at which there is likely to be a change in directivity of light that is taken out from the light guide plate . This makes it possible to control the transmittance by providing the transmittance adjustment members and . Therefore, a spectrum of light after emission can be easily controlled.
7
13
13
10
10
10
10
a
b
Specifically, as mentioned above, light in a wavelength band of 650 nm to 750 nm around the boundary wavelength of the wavelength-mixing filter is likely to shift in spectrum from the design target. For this reason, the transmittance adjustment members and , which adjust (correct) a shift in transmittance of light in a wavelength band of 650 nm to 750 nm, are provided above the light guide plate near either incident end of the light guide plate . This makes it possible to easily adjust the transmittance of light, thus making it possible to control the spectrum even at the incident end of the light guide plate . Therefore, a region where the spectral coincidence is high can be extended up to the vicinity of the incident end of the light guide plate .
100
13
13
10
a
b
Further, it is preferable that the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus be designed so that the angle of incidence on the transmittance adjustment members and ranges from 0 degree (normal incidence) to 30 degrees. This causes the directivity of light that is emitted from the light guide plate to be controlled. Therefore, a spectrum of light after emission can be easily controlled.
100
13
13
12
13
13
10
13
13
14
10
a
b
a
b
a
b
It should be noted that in the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus , the transmittance adjustment members and are located above the prism sheet . However, the transmittance adjustment members and may be located in any other places as long as they are above the irradiation surface of the light guide plate . For example, the transmittance adjustment members and may be attached to a back surface of the protective plate , which is a member that protects the light guide plate .
12
10
8
9
Further, since the prism sheet applies the effect of refraction of light to create a large number of components of irradiation light that is radiated in a direction perpendicular to the irradiation surface of the light guide plate , it is possible to highly precisely adjust spectral distributions by using the optical filters and .
FIG. 5
FIG. 1
FIG. 5
12
13
13
100
12
12
10
13
13
13
13
a
b
a
b
a
b.
Furthermore, is a diagram showing how the prism sheet and each of the transmittance adjustment members and are provided in the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus of . It is preferable that the prism sheet be shaped as shown in so that each of its prism has a vertex angle of 60 degrees. This causes more of the light that is radiated from the prism sheet to be directed in a direction perpendicular to the irradiation surface of the light guide plate , thus causing more of the light incident on the transmittance adjustment members and to be normally incident. This also heightens the controllability of transmittance by the transmittance adjustment members and
10
9
13
13
13
13
7
13
13
23
23
100
23
b
a
b
a
b
a
b
a
b
a
FIG. 3
FIGS. 6 and 7
FIG. 6
FIG. 1
FIG. 7
FIG. 6
Meanwhile, in the case of a distribution in which most components of the light incident on the light guide plate have incident angle characteristics of around 30 degrees, there is a sudden change in transmittance of the aforementioned optical filter (Table 1, ). This increases the angle dependency of the transmittance by the transmittance adjustment members and . As a result, there is a great shift in transmittance at 30-degree incidence. In this case, it is preferable that the transmittance adjustment members and be able to adjust the transmittance near a wavelength of 950 nm in addition to adjusting the transmittance in a wavelength band (wavelength band of 650 nm to 750 nm) around the boundary wavelength of the wavelength-fixing filter . are diagrams each showing a configuration of such transmittance adjustment members and . That is, is a top view showing specific examples of transmittance adjustment members and of the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus of . is a set of cross-sectional views (a) and (b) each showing a configuration of the transmittance adjustment member of .
FIG. 6
FIG. 6
FIG. 7
23
21
21
10
23
21
23
21
21
22
21
21
23
23
22
22
23
23
23
23
23
23
a
a
b
b
c
a
a
b
a
b
a
b
a
b
a
b
a
b.
Specifically, as shown in , the transmittance adjustment member has regions (transmission characteristic regions for different wavelength bands) and provided in substantially identical positions in the vicinity of the light guide plate so as to adjust the transmittances of rays of light in different wavelength bands. Meanwhile, the transmittance adjustment member has a single transmission characteristic region configured to adjust the transmittances of rays of light in different wavelength bands. The transmittance adjustment member is formed such that the regions and , which have different transmittance adjustment wavelength ranges, are arranged in a staggered manner on a silicone sheet serving as a member on which the regions and are arranged. Furthermore, it is preferable that the transmittance adjustment members and be provided on the silicone sheet as shown in and (a) of . The silicone sheet is low in wavelength dependency of transmission characteristics, and has a viscous surface. This makes it possible to easily place the transmittance adjustment members and without losing the transmission characteristics (transmittance adjustment) of the transmittance adjustment members and , thus making it possible to improve convenience in setting up the transmittance adjustment members and
23
2
23
23
a
a
a
FIG. 7
Further, the transmittance adjustment member may be configured to be sandwiched between a pair of silicone sheets as shown in (b) of . By thus structuring the silicone sheets to cover the transmittance adjustment member , the transmittance adjustment member can be protected and given a function of transmittance adjustment (a function of adjusting light intensity).
100
13
13
23
23
10
13
13
23
23
100
100
a
b
a
b
a
b
a
b
In the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus , as described above, the transmittance adjustment members , , , and adjust the transmittance of light in a portion of a wavelength band of the simulated sunlight that is radiated from the irradiation surface of the light guide plate . This causes the spectral coincidence of the simulated sunlight to be improved by the transmittance adjustment members , , , and . This makes it possible to provide a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus that can radiate simulated sunlight with high spectral coincidence. Further, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus can irradiate a large-area object to be irradiated, such as a solar battery panel, with uniform simulated sunlight.
100
(Another Embodiment of the Simulated Sunlight Irradiation Apparatus )
100
100
100
FIGS. 8 through 10
Another embodiment of the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus is described below with reference to . In the following, differences from the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus are mainly explained, and members having the same functions and effects as those of the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus are given the same reference signs, and as such, are not described below.
FIG. 8
FIG. 9
FIG. 8
101
24
101
100
101
17
10
10
is a diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus . is a diagram showing how a transparent member is provided in the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus of . In addition to the components of the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus , the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus include a reflective plate (reflector) below the lower surface of the light guide plate . This makes it possible to further increase the light intensity (illuminance) of simulated sunlight that is radiated from the light guide plate .
101
17
10
17
17
10
10
17
11
101
Specifically, in the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus , the reflective plate is provided at the side of the light guide plate opposite the irradiation surface. The presence of the reflective plate causes light having entered the reflective plate to be reflected toward the irradiation surface of the light guide plate . That is, light emitting from the side of the light guide plate opposite the irradiation surface is reflected by the reflective plate , and can be returned toward the irradiation surface by the light extraction section . This makes it possible to increase the light intensity of the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus .
10
10
10
17
10
17
17
10
17
10
10
However, a light incident end of the light guide plate differs from other parts of the light guide plate in terms of the ratio between light coming in from the light guide plate and reflected by the reflective plate and light coming out directly from the light guide plate . This is because, in a case where the reflective plate is formed from a simple mirror-finished surface of a metal such as Al, the metal per se exhibits a wavelength-dependent reflectance. Mixing in of a wavelength-dependent reflected light results in a difference between the proportion in which the light reflected by the reflective plate returns to the irradiation surface near the center of the light guide plate and the proportion in which the light reflected by the reflective plate returns to the irradiation surface near either incident end of the light guide plate . This may cause a decrease in spectral coincidence at either incident end of the light guide plate .
17
13
13
a
b
Specifically, in the case of a reflective plate made of aluminum, the Al reflection characteristic changes around a wavelength of 750 nm. That is, since aluminum has a stable reflectance at a short wavelength (ranging from 300 nm to 700 nm), it is unlikely to suffer from a spectral shift; however, it suffers from a spectral shift at a long wavelength (ranging from 700 nm to 850 nm). In other words, the wavelength band in which the transmittance should be adjusted by the transmittance adjustment members and tends to range from 650 nm to 850 nm. Further, aluminum easily becomes lower in reflectance.
17
17
17
13
13
13
13
13
13
2
a
b
a
b
a
b
Therefore, it is preferable that the reflective plate have a surface coated with a protective film. For example, it is preferable that the surface of the reflective film is coated with SiOor the like so that wavelength dependency is reduced. For example, it is preferable that the reflective plate has a reflectance change of 5% or less in the wavelength band in which the transmittance is adjusted by the transmittance adjustment members and . This makes it possible to reduce the influence (spectral shift) of the change in reflectance by aluminum, thus making it possible to narrow the range of wavelengths in which the transmittance should be adjusted by the transmittance adjustment members and . That is, the control of transmittance by the transmittance adjustment members and can be carried out with finer adjustments. This makes it possible to generate simulated sunlight that is close in emission spectrum to the reference sunlight, without a change in spectral distribution of the simulated sunlight.
17
10
17
10
10
10
17
17
17
10
17
10
17
17
13
13
a
b.
Specifically, the proportion in which the reflective plate contributes to the amount of irradiation light from the irradiation surface of the light guide plate is approximately 30%, 5% of which is accounted for by a change in reflectance of the reflective plate . The proportion is approximately 30% because it is assumed that 50% of light having entered the light guide plate emits through the side of the light guide plate opposite the irradiation surface (side of an opposite surface of the light guide plate to the irradiation surface) and arrives at the reflective plate , that the light having arrived at the reflective plate is attenuated by approximately 10% due to absorption loss by the reflective plate , is further attenuated by approximately 10% by reflection loss when passing through the light guide plate again by being reflected by the reflective plate , and is kicked out of the irradiation surface by approximately 15%. In this case, the simulated sunlight that is radiated from the light guide plate accounts for approximately 1.5% of the influence on a spectrum change. For this reason, even when the spectral coincidence of the simulated sunlight comes close to a maximal performance level of ±5% (e.g., to Class MS as defined by the JIS), the influence of the reflective plate is acceptable as a vector error. Therefore, it is preferable that the reflective plate has a reflectance change of 5% or less in the wavelength band in which the transmittance is adjusted by the transmittance adjustment members and
17
13
13
17
13
13
10
2
a
b
a
b
In such a case where the surface of the reflective film is coated with a protective film made of SiOor the like, the transmittance adjustment members and can have their rates of transmittance adjustment smaller than in a case where the reflective plate is a mere metal film (not covered with a protective film). For this reason, it is only necessary to improve the spectral coincidence by forming the transmittance adjustment members and only in a part (near either incident end of the light guide plate ) where there occurs a decrease in spectral coincidence.
100
101
13
13
23
23
24
13
13
23
23
13
13
23
23
24
10
a
b
a
b
a
b
a
b
a
b
a
b
It should be noted that the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatuses and , provision of the transmittance adjustment members , , , and may cause a great decrease in transmittance of simulated sunlight in the places where they are located. Therefore, it is preferable that a transparent member for irradiance adjustment whose transmission characteristic is substantially uniform with respect to a change in wavelength be provided in a place other than the places where the transmittance adjustment members , , , and are provided. That is, the transmittance adjustment members and (and ) and the transparent member , which has a uniform transmission characteristic, are provided above the irradiation surface of the light guide plate . This makes it possible to inhibit a decrease in illuminance of simulated sunlight by the transmittance adjustment members, thus making it possible to reduce nonuniformity in illuminance of simulated sunlight.
FIG. 10
FIG. 8
FIG. 10
FIG. 10
FIGS. 1 and 8
102
102
40
40
10
100
101
40
40
35
35
36
36
40
40
31
34
31
34
20
20
a
h
a
h
a
h
a
h
a
h
a
a
h
h
a
is a diagram showing a component of a main part of a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus . The simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus includes a plurality of (eight in ) light guides to each of which is equivalent to the light guide plate of the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus or . Furthermore, the light guides to each have transmittance adjustment members to and to at both ends thereof, respectively. It should be noted that in , the light guides to are each provided with a plurality of (four in ) light introduction sections through to through , respectively, each of which is equivalent to the light introduction section or in shown in .
102
40
40
31
34
31
34
40
40
35
35
36
36
40
40
40
40
102
a
h
a
a
h
h
a
h
a
h
a
h
a
h
a
h
In the case of irradiation of a large area with simulated sunlight, there tends to be a variation in spectral coincidence due to the influence of difference among individual optical elements. In order to counteract this tendency, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus is configured to include identical combinations of the light guides to and the plurality of light introduction sections through to through , respectively. Even so, there may be a variation in irradiation spectrum in the vicinity of the incident ends of the light guides to . For this reason, it is preferable that the transmission characteristics of the transmittance adjustment members to and to , which are to be provided for each separate one of the light guides to , be each independently set. Of course, some of the transmission characteristics may be identical to each other. This brings about an increase in spectral coincidence at the incident ends of each of the light guides to . This makes it possible to increase the spectral coincidence even in the case of irradiation of a large area with simulated sunlight. In this way, the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus is configured to be effective in highly precisely irradiating a large area with simulated sunlight.
As described above, a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus according to the present invention includes: a first light source which radiates a first ray of light; a second light source which radiates a second ray of light having a spectral distribution that is different from a spectral distribution of the first ray of light; a first optical filter which controls a transmittance of the first ray of light; a second optical filter which controls a transmittance of the second ray of light; a photoselection section which receives the first ray of light whose transmittance has been controlled by the first optical filter and the second ray of light whose transmittance has been controlled by the second optical filter, and which emits simulated sunlight by mixing together a ray of light selected from the first ray of light thus received and a ray of light selected from the second ray of light thus received; a light guide plate which receives the simulated sunlight emitted from the photoselection section; a light extraction section which takes out, to an irradiation surface of the light guide plate, the simulated sunlight received by the light guide plate; and a transmittance adjustment member which is located closer to the irradiation surface of the light guide plate than the light extraction section is, and which adjusts a transmittance of light in a portion of a wavelength band of simulated sunlight that is emitted from the irradiation surface of the light guide plate.
According to the foregoing invention, when the first ray of light emitted from the first light source enters the first optical filter, the transmittance of the first ray of light is controlled by the first optical filter. Similarly, when the second ray of light emitted from the second light source enters the second optical filter, the transmittance of the first ray of light is controlled by the first optical filter. Then, the rays of light, whose transmittances have been controlled by the first and second optical filters, respectively, enter the photoselection section. In this way, emission spectra of the first and second rays of light are adjusted by the first and second optical filters and the photoselection section. As a result, simulated sunlight that is proximate in emission spectrum to reference sunlight is emitted from the photoselection section. Therefore, simulated sunlight that is high in spectral coincidence enters the light guide plate.
Furthermore, according to the foregoing invention, the transmittance adjustment member, located at the side of the irradiation surface of the light guide plate, adjusts a transmittance of light in a portion of a wavelength band of simulated sunlight that is emitted from the irradiation surface of the light guide plate. In this way, the transmittance adjustment member brings about improvement in spectral coincidence of simulated sunlight. This makes it possible to provide a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus that can radiate simulated sunlight with high spectral coincidence.
The simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus according to the present invention is preferably configured such that the transmittance adjustment member adjusts the transmittance in at least either a wavelength band including a boundary wavelength that is selected by the photoselection section or a wavelength band including a wavelength of 950 nm.
According to the foregoing configuration, the transmittance adjustment member adjusts the transmittance of light in a wavelength band in which there is likely to be a shift in spectral coincidence. This makes it possible to improve the spectral coincidence in a wavelength band in which there is particularly likely to be a decrease in spectral coincidence.
The simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus according to the present invention is preferably configured such that the transmittance adjustment member is provided in the vicinity of an incident face of the light guide plate on which the simulated sunlight is incident.
According to the present invention, the transmittance adjustment member is located in the vicinity of an incident face of the light guide plate where there are likely to be a change in transmittance and a decrease in spectral coincidence. This makes it possible to prevent a decrease in spectral coincidence at the incident face (introduction end) of the light guide plate.
The simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus according to the present invention is preferably configured to further include a directivity control section which controls a directivity of at least either the first ray of light or the second ray of light so that the at least either the first ray of light or the second ray of light enters the photoselection section at a predetermined angle of incidence.
According to the present invention, the directivity control section controls a directivity of at least either the first ray of light or the second ray of light. This causes a ray of light whose transmittance has been controlled to enter the photoselection section at a predetermined angle of incidence. This prevents the first ray of light or the second ray of light from losing its light intensity by the time it arrives at the photoselection section. Furthermore, since the tapered couplers make the ray of light uniform in directivity, it is possible to generate simulated sunlight that is close in spectral distribution to the reference sunlight. This makes it possible to irradiate an irradiated object with simulated sunlight that is close in illuminance (light intensity) and emission spectrum to the reference sunlight.
The simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus according to the present invention is preferably configured such that the directivity control section includes (a) a tapered light guide member which causes the at least either the first ray of light or the second ray of light to enter the photoselection section, and which gradually becomes larger in cross-sectional area from an incident face toward an emitting face and (b) a light-collecting element which causes the at least either the first ray of light or the second ray of light to enter the tapered light guide member.
According to the foregoing invention, the light-collecting element causes the at least either the first ray of light or the second ray of light to enter the tapered light guide member. Furthermore, upon entering the tapered light guide member, the at least either the first ray of light or the second ray of light improves in directivity as it is repeatedly reflected by the side surfaces of the tapered light guide member. This causes a ray of light of uniform directivity (having its angle of radiation controlled) to be emitted from the emitting face of the tapered light guide member. This makes it possible to further improve the directivity of the ray of light.
The simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus according to the present invention is preferably configured to further include a reflector which is provided at the side of an opposite surface of the light guide plate to the irradiation surface, and which reflects, toward the irradiation surface, simulated sunlight emitted from the opposite surface, wherein the reflector has a reflectance change of 5% or less in the wavelength band in which the transmittance is adjusted by the transmittance adjustment member.
According to the foregoing invention, the reflector reflects, toward the irradiation surface, simulated sunlight emitted from the opposite surface of the light guide plate to the irradiation surface. This allows the simulated sunlight to be emitted from the irradiation surface without being lost. Moreover, the reflector is low in wavelength dependency. Therefore, even in a case where the reflector is provided, simulated sunlight that is high in spectral coincidence can be radiated.
2
It should be noted that the reflectance change can be made 5% or less by coating the reflector with SiO, which is low in wavelength dependency.
The simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus according to the present invention is preferably configured such that the transmittance adjustment member has a plurality of regions which adjust transmittances of rays of light in different wavelength bands.
According to the foregoing invention, the transmittance adjustment member is provided with a plurality of regions which adjust different ranges of wavelengths. This makes it possible to more suitably adjust the transmittance, thus making it possible to further increase the spectral coincidence.
The simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus according to the present invention is preferably configured such that the transmittance adjustment member is provided on a silicone sheet.
According to the foregoing invention, the transmittance adjustment member is located on the silicone sheet, whose transmission characteristic is low in wavelength dependency. Further, the silicone sheet has a viscous surface. This makes it possible to easily place the transmittance adjustment member without losing the transmission characteristic of the transmittance adjustment member.
The simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus according to the present invention is preferably configured such that the transmittance adjustment member and a transparent member having a uniform transmission characteristic are provided above the irradiation surface of the light guide plate.
According to the foregoing invention, the transmittance adjustment member is provided above the irradiation surface of the light guide plate, and the transparent member is provided above a place on the irradiation surface where the transmittance adjustment member is not provided. This makes it possible to inhibit a decrease in illuminance of simulated sunlight by the transmittance adjustment member, thus making it possible to reduce nonuniformity in illuminance of simulated sunlight.
The simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus according to the present invention is preferably configured such that: the light guide plate includes a plurality of light guides; and the transmittance adjustment member comprises a plurality of transmittance adjustment member provided for each separate one of the light guides.
According to the foregoing invention, the light guide plate includes a plurality of light guides; and the transmittance adjustment member comprises a plurality of transmittance adjustment member provided for each separate one of the light guides. This causes simulated sunlight that is high spectral coincidence to be radiated from each of the light guides. This makes it possible to irradiate a large area with simulated sunlight that is high in spectral coincidence.
The present invention is not limited to the description of the embodiments above, but may be altered by a skilled person within the scope of the claims. An embodiment based on a proper combination of technical means disclosed in different embodiments is encompassed in the technical scope of the present invention. The embodiments and concrete examples of implementation discussed in the foregoing detailed explanation serve solely to illustrate the technical details of the present invention, which should not be narrowly interpreted within the limits of such embodiments and concrete examples, but rather may be applied in many variations within the spirit of the present invention, provided such variations do not exceed the scope of the patent claims set forth below.
The present invention can be used in inspections of, measurements of, and experiments on solar batteries. Further, the present invention can also be used for fading and light-resistance tests on cosmetics, paints, adhesives, and various materials. Furthermore, the present invention can also be used for inspections of and experiments on photocatalysts as well as other various experiments that require natural light.
1
Xenon light source (first light source)
2
Elliptic mirror (directivity control section, light-collecting element)
3
Tapered coupler (directivity control section)
4
Halogen light source (second light source)
5
5
Elliptic mirror (directivity control section, light-collecting element)
6
Tapered coupler (directivity control section)
7
Wavelength-mixing filter (photoselection section)
8
Optical filter (first optical filter)
9
Optical filter (second optical filter)
9
9
9
a
b
c
, , Optical filter (second optical filter)
10
Light guide plate
11
Light extraction section
12
Prism sheet
13
13
a
b
, Transmittance adjustment member
15
15
a
b
, Reflective plate (directivity control section)
16
16
a
b
, Reflective plate (directivity control section)
17
Reflective plate (reflector)
21
21
a
b
, Region (region where transmittance of light is adjusted)
21
c
Transmission characteristic region (region where transmittance of light is adjusted)
22
Silicone sheet
23
23
a
b
, Transmittance adjustment member
24
Transparent member
31
34
31
34
a
a
h
h
to , . . . to Light introduction section
35
35
a
h
to Transmittance adjustment member
36
36
a
h
to Transmittance adjustment member
40
40
a
h
to Light guide
100
Simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus
101
Simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus
102
Simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a side view showing a configuration of a main part of a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2
FIG. 1
is a diagram showing part of a light introduction section of the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus of .
FIG. 3
FIG. 1
is a diagram showing an example configuration of an optical filter of the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus of .
FIG. 4
is a graph showing a spectrum of reference sunlight.
FIG. 5
FIG. 1
is a diagram showing how a prism sheet and a transmittance adjustment member are provided in the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus of .
FIG. 6
FIG. 1
is a top view showing specific examples of transmittance adjustment members of the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus of .
FIG. 7
FIG. 6
is a set of cross-sectional views (a) and (b) each showing a configuration of a transmittance adjustment member of .
FIG. 8
is a diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9
FIG. 8
is a diagram showing how a transparent member is provided in the simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus of .
FIG. 10
is a diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a simulated sunlight irradiation apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present invention. |
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