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0.99999 | name = "example" description = """ A really long description that needs multiple lines. This is a sample project to illustrate why JSON is not a \ good configuration format. This description is pretty long, \ but it doesn't have any way to go onto multiple lines.""" version = "0.0.1" main = "index.js" # This is a comment keywords = ["example", "config"] [bugs] url = "https://example.com/bugs" [scripts] test = "./test.sh" do_stuff = "./do_stuff.sh" [[contributors]] name = "John Doe" email = "[email protected]" [[contributors]] name = "Ivy Lane" url = "https://example.com/ivylane" [dependencies] dep1 = "^1.0.0" # Why we depend on dep2 dep2 = "3.40" dep3 = "6.7"
A really long description that needs multiple lines.
but it doesn't have any way to go onto multiple lines."""
name: example description: > A really long description that needs multiple lines. This is a sample project to illustrate why JSON is not a good configuration format. This description is pretty long, but it doesn't have any way to go onto multiple lines. version: 0.0.1 main: index.js # this is a comment keywords: - example - config scripts: test: ./test.sh do_stuff: ./do_stuff.sh bugs: url: "https://example.com/bugs" contributors: - name: John Doe email: [email protected] - name: Ivy Lane url: "https://example.com/ivylange" dependencies: dep1: ^1.0.0 # Why we depend on dep2 dep2: "3.40" dep3: "6.7"
doesn't have any way to go onto multiple lines. | 2019-04-24T04:29:52 | http://www.mobabel.net/%E8%BD%AC%E4%B8%BA%E4%BB%80%E4%B9%88%E8%AF%B4json%E4%B8%8D%E9%80%82%E5%90%88%E5%81%9A%E9%85%8D%E7%BD%AE%E6%96%87%E4%BB%B6%EF%BC%9F/ |
0.999997 | Atmospheric pressure can be measured by a simple barometer.
A thick glass tube (at least 1m long) is filled with mercury completely.
The open end of the tube is covered with a finger and inverted in a trough of mercury.
The height of the mercury is proportional to the atmospheric pressure.
Q: Barometer is usually made up of mercury. Explain why is it not practical to have a water barometer?
The atmospheric pressure is about 10 meter water, which means it can push the water up to 10 meter height.
Therefore a water barometer must be at least 10 meter long.
This is not practical because the glass tube of the barometer may be broken or topple easily. It is also difficult to keep or move such a long tube. | 2019-04-24T14:31:55 | http://spmphysics.onlinetuition.com.my/2013/06/simple-mercury-barometer.html |
0.999999 | How to find an acne medicine?
If you have acne, you probably fight a battle: how to find good acne medicines? It is common opinion: as if fighting acne wasn't hard enough, finding a proper acne medicine is another battle itself.
With all the options available on the market - both over-the-counter and prescribed - choosing a good medicine can be very difficult. That's why it's so important for you to talk to your doctor before any choice is made. Your doctor can guide you through this search and help you with the treatment.
Acne medicines are always something difficult to choose, because you only will know if they work for your case if you try it. Even if the medicine is prescribed by a doctor you can assure it will fit in your case until you try it.
In addition to that, some concepts about acne medicines are important for you to choose he right one to your case, specially if you have the mild type of acne, which usually doesn't need a medical orientation.
-The best acne medicines are those ones that treat acne from inside out. Since acne is not only a simple skin condition, it is important to treat it from inside. In general, acne is related to some dysfunction of the organism - hormonal unbalances are the most common causes - and for this reason it is meaningless treating only the skin when the real problem lies on the inside. When acne occurs, it is a sign that something is going wrong.
- The side effects that usually are caused by acne medicines must be taken into account when you decide going under a treatment. The side effects related to acne medicines are the most varied: from a simple headache to the serious liver or kidneys problems. Besides, pregnant women must stop the treatment as soon as she find out she is pregnant and all the women before going under a treatment must take a pregnancy test in order to confirm she is not pregnant. All this care is extremely necessary since some acne medicines can lead to miscarriage and birth defects. However, these care is for people who is under synthetic medicines. The alternative treatments, based on natural medicines, don't require so many care.
- There are, still, mainly two options for acne medicines. | 2019-04-21T07:14:22 | http://www.josephadetulafoundation.org/health_articles/how-to-find-an-acne-medicine.php |
0.993412 | President Obama may believe that paving $50 billion worth of new highways is a recipe for recession-ending, but it's a far cry from the innovative transportation thinking expected of the visionary president.
NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Vice President Joe Biden's chief economist made an interesting comment trying to defend President Obama's plan to jump-start the stalled U.S. economy by paving $50 billion worth of roads. "The car ... is finally moving in the right direction, but it needs to go a lot faster," wrote Jared Bernstein, chief economic adviser to Vice President Joe Biden, in a White House blog post arguing in favor of Stimulus: the Sequel.
What's interesting about Bernstein's comment is the metaphor chosen to defend the economic stimulus package: the car. Indeed, the metaphor is enough to give a guy road rage.
I recently took a road trip from Milwaukee to Chicago where I was able to get a firsthand view of the original stimulus package: lines and lines of cars burning up their gas tanks while backed up in traffic bottlenecks caused by all the construction started after Obama's first attempt to rescue the U.S. economy with a New Deal-esque works projects. I've never spent so much time looking at the Chicago skyline, and not enjoying it. By the way, and maybe not by coincidence, where did Obama make the formal announcement about the infrastructure spending plan? Milwaukee.
It's not the traffic in the Midwest intensified by the current road-building that can really rally a traveler against the new stimulus. There are plenty of legitimate arguments, arguments that don't circle around to construction-triggered road rage, to make against the latest bid by the White House to show its hands -- to use its own metaphor -- firmly on the steering wheel of the U.S. economy.
The new stimulus plan is a not so subtle pleading for positive headlines from the newspapers during a mid-term election fight. For a president who came into office with an aura of innovation, invoking the New Deal doesn't exactly indicate that Obama's vision is unique. It's more like the latest attempt to use a well-worn presidential trope to lull the American public into awestruck acceptance. FDR ... New Deal ... Who can argue with that? The Republicans of course see the $50 billion as the latest example of a federal government and democratic administration run amok and wastefully burning greenbacks. Burning gas is more like it.
In any event, none of this is what really gets our cranky motor running.
It's the fact that the President who came into office with an aura of innovation opening up the federal wallet to build more and more roads (so White House blogger Bernstein's car can keep moving in the right direction) does nothing to get this economy headed in the right direction when it comes to a comprehensive plan to overhaul our transportation infrastructure for a greener future.
The debate over comprehensive energy legislation is almost none existent in the current fight over Obama's stimulus plan and the Bush-era tax cuts which are so dear to Republicans, and so important to Obama's rhetorical aim of showing that Republicans aren't fighting on behalf of all Americans.
If Americans care more about whether or not Bush-era tax cuts for those making over $250,000 are extending than they do about the future of energy policy in the U.S. it wouldn't really be any surprise, as that's just the type of short-term thinking that has always handicapped broad energy policy in Washington D.C. The latest polls show Americans close to evenly split over the issue of the Bush-era tax cuts, but new analysis also indicates that all the fuss may be much ado about nothing. Against Republican claims that the Bush-era tax cuts are vital to economic growth, a new study indicates that when Americans get more tax relief it doesn't go to spending and kick-start the economy, but heads straight into savings accounts.
Whether it's kick-starting the economy or jump-starting the car referenced by Vice President Biden's economist, the White House metaphor is counter-intuitive to the urgent need for a cleaner and greener transportation future. It makes a mockery of the need for new thinking in Washington D.C. in regards to energy and transportation legislation that has so far, gone nowhere. The White House metaphor, unwittingly, invokes the stale 1950s America ruled by highways and cars. That might have worked for Eisenhower, as the New Deals works programs worked for FDR, but it shouldn't work in 2010. Isn't it about time Washington D.C. tried to impress the masses with a comprehensive new transportation infrastructure?
President Obama has made all the right stops on the green energy tour, and his handlers have gotten him into all the right photo-ops -- whether it's at a wind turbine manufacturing plant of Siemens or the solar company Solydra's assembly line.
There were bits and pieces in the infrastructure spending plan that hint at some progress on transportation, too. Some of the money is intended for rail systems that will connect the country coast to coast. The plans also intends to fund itself by cutting off oil and gas industry tax breaks. That should play well in Peoria, as will the part of the infrastructure spending plan aimed at improving runways so that there are fewer air travel delays. That will play well just about anywhere.
And yet, energy legislation introduced earlier this year to enact modest reforms of the energy status quo and including the beginnings of a real federal push to build a nationwide network of natural gas vehicles and fueling stations failed miserably.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D. Nev. ) blamed the failure of narrow energy reform on Republicans. Reid's critics countered that his narrow energy bill was never even intended to pass, but was put forth simply so Reid could later say that Republicans were responsible for killing it. Who cares about the blame game under the Capitol Dome anyway? The White House metaphor-making may not inform the public that the Senate's engine is far more often choked than it is chugging along, but the fact remains that whoever in the Senate failed to get behind energy and green transportation legislation, they are all to blame for the failure.
The White House may have seem some of the backlash against building more roads coming. Lo and behold, just as President Obama announced the $50 infrastructure stimulus, Harry Reid began talking about the energy legislation for the first time since its August stall. Last Tuesday, speaking at a renewable energy conference in Las Vegas, Reid said that he plans to introduce a new energy package before the year-end, and it may even include a renewable electricity standard.
Was this news? It made for some green headlines to set again the asphalt-hued road building block letters all over the papers last Tuesday, however, Reid had said as much when he gave up on energy legislation the first time around. Talk of a renewable energy standard was new, as the previous effort left that controversial issue off the table, but critics are already saying that the political will to enact any renewable energy standard at the national level remains limited. What's more, the Senate will have roughly four weeks at best after the elections to enact legislation this year, and the makeup of the Senate and House may look somewhat different, making any potential negotiations over energy policy anyone's guess at this point.
The former Clinton administration adviser John Podesta, president of the Center for American Progress, said at the same conference that untapped potential in the sustainable energy market could revive the stalled economy and end the recession. "The focus now has got to be on getting these worlds and mechanisms together to finance innovative, renewable technology," Podesta said.
Reid, taking his turn at metaphor-making in place of actual legislation, said of renewable energy, "We need to take that little spark and turn it into a wildfire." Meanwhile, all that's burning is more gas, and more dollars from the federal government to burn more and more gas on highways, as I did sitting in traffic between Milwaukee and Chicago while watching the Stimulus 1 construction projects.
It's fitting that last Wednesday, the latest Ernst & Young's latest Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Indices showed that China had finally surpassed the U.S. as the best country in which to pursue renewable energy projects.
It's also not surprising that the Chinese green energy lead coincides with a petition filed by the United Steelworkers Union arguing that China is providing support to its green energy companies that violate trade laws. The powerful steelworkers union may be red hot over Red China's support for green energy, but at a larger level, does the U.S. really have China to blame for falling behind on green energy?
China has steadily moved up the ranks since it entered the renewable energy ranking in 2004, and last year was tied with the U.S. Ernst & Young cited among the reasons for the Chinese eclipse of the U.S. the failure this summer to enact a federal renewable energy standard.
We've already got Stimulus: the Sequel, but as far as renewable technology, it's not in the White House equation. Will Reid ultimately provide us with a sequel to the stalled energy legislation that at least gives us some reason to believe that the future of America's transportation doesn't simply lay in paving more and more lanes of highway? | 2019-04-25T22:34:16 | https://www.thestreet.com/story/10854417/1/todays-outrage-obamas-50-billion-is-paving-a-road-to-the-past.html |
0.999227 | A short, printable worksheet quiz about deserts. Magnesium can substitute freely for iron in olivine and several other minerals because they have similar charges +2 and similar ionic radii. What are the two categories into which it is divided? West Nile virus is carried by birds and is transmitted to humans by certain species of mosquitoes. Slope is important because it will affect the degree to which materials will be eroded. During the Pleistocene glaciation British Columbia was pushed down by glacial ice and mantle rock flowed slowly out beneath the ocean floor.
Spectra for the sun and two galaxies. Calcium-rich plagioclase forms early on in the cooling process of a magma, but as the temperature drops, a more sodium-rich variety forms around the existing crystals. Relatively cool summers are more important because that controls how much snow will melt in the summer. Unconsolidated sediments, especially if they are saturated with water, can lose strength when subjected to earthquake shaking. Beyond the gas giant planets are the ice giant planets, which are next largest. What is some of the modern evidence for plate tectonics hint: what types of maps did you look at for the plate tectonics lab? Draw a very simple sketch of the three types of plate boundaries.
What characteristic of the silicate minerals in a gabbro make it so much darker in color than a granite? A mineral has a specific chemical composition and lattice structure. Composite volcanoes can produce rocks with a wide range of textures, including 1 aphanitic or porphyritic rock from lava flows, 2 pyroclastic rock with textures ranging from fine ash to coarse fragments from explosive eruptions, and 3 sedimentary rock from lahars. Temperature increases quite rapidly with depth in the crust, but much less so in the mantle, and this implies mantle convection. The other three incorrect options are also varieties of quartz. That means C is the Sun. Cations and anions attract each other to form molecules with ionic bonding.
P-wave velocity decreases at the core-mantle boundary because the outer core is liquid. Why was continental drift rejected? Helens columnar basalts were formed by a flow of mafic lava. The carbon in sea-floor methane hydrates is derived from the bacterial breakdown of organic matter at greater depth in the sediment pile. However, the process is very slow indeed and therefore, you would be looking at hundreds of years to produce an inch of soil - and 1,000 years+ to get two or more inches. Prior to 1920, ocean depths were measured by dropping a weighted line over the side of ship. This may happen where the gradient drops suddenly, or where there is a dramatic increase in the amount of sediment available e.
Pyroxene is made up of single chains of tetrahedra while amphibole is made up of double chains. The definition is simply a deep, narrow steep-sided valley, but the minimum depth is not absolute. Medium-grade regional metamorphism Amphibolite A rock enriched in ferromagnesian minerals, such as basalt. Geology involves integration of various different sciences chemistry, physics, and biology for example , but also requires an understanding of the importance of billions of years of geological time. A mantle plume beneath a continent can cause the crust to form a dome which might eventually split open. The first fish lineages are considered to belong to the Jawless fish such as the Haikouichthys. Igneous rocks are created when melted material crystallizes, e.
Terrestrial depositional environments: rivers, lakes, deltas, deserts, glaciers. The eel-like jawless fish that was referred to as the conodonts and ostracoderms were the first fish to appear. Even the article we are directing you to could, in principle, change without notice on sites we do not control. A short, printable worksheet about the student's favorite book, movie, video game, and board game. The magma produced moves upward into cracks in the crust and is extruded onto the sea floor. Last updated Feb 06 2019. The isostatic relationship between the crust and the mantle is dependent on the plastic nature of the mantle.
In warmer regions it only happens consistently during the winter. This site will tell you about the required qualification, various training courses and institutions that will help you to take up a Geology job. Marine depositional environments: continental shelves, continental slopes, deep ocean. However, minerals are identified as well as being economic are reserves! Give at least two examples of each. On this worksheet, the student writes about the coldest and hottest things they can think of, and the best and worst things about very hot and very cold days.
If stress is applied quickly, the rock is more likely to break than if it is applied slowly. Permeability is an expression of the ease with which water will flow through that material. The heated water leads to the conversion of ferromagnesian minerals e. The accumulation of sediment at a passive ocean-continent boundary will lead to the depression of the lithosphere and could eventually result in the separation of the oceanic and continental parts of the plate and the beginning of subduction. The mineral pyrite is most likely to be responsible for acid rock drainage. The rupture surface is the surface over which there is displacement of rock during an earthquake. | 2019-04-24T04:06:11 | http://busanlottedfs.com/geology-short-answer-questions.html |
0.997953 | New York's Sen. Schumer has appeared in our pages as Charles 30 times and Chuck 15 times in a three-month period. What should it be? We go with the person's preference, and in the case of Congress people, we try to use the official online Congressional Directory at www.Congress.org, which lists Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.). Never mind that his recent book "Positively American" is by Chuck Schumer.
Boeing Co.'s chairman and chief executive officer has let it be known that he prefers to be called Jim McNerney, rather than his formal name W. James McNerney. So shall it be.
Mr. McNerney thus follows in the tradition of Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and scores of others who have publicly suppressed their given names in favor of nicknames.
While we are on the subject, we are correcting the stylebook's misspelling of the name of Edwin Eugene "Buzz" Aldrin (not Aldren), the former astronaut.
Incidentally, when people like Mr. McNerney have several titles, it's permissible to give just the superior title instead of the multi titles in casual mentions: Chief Executive Jim McNerney, or the chief executive officer, Jim McNerney.
"That Pottery Barn Look Isn't So Unique Anymore," said the headline, resurrecting the age-old conundrum of whether there can be degrees of uniqueness. The short answer is "not on our watch."
Because unique means one of a kind, we should say such things are so rare or so unusual, but not so unique.
Journal alumnus Bob Muller was unique in pointing out the problem with the headline. He added that "another absolute was killed off" in the first paragraph, which said that Pottery Barn's casual chairs and sofas have become so ubiquitous that the look appeared on a popular television show. Well, ubiquitous does mean appearing everywhere, but we would argue that everywhere and ubiquity are such abstractions that so ubiquitous is uniquely acceptable.
What on earth is an RBOB? Well, it is reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygen blending, which is a futures contract that is showing up in our commodities coverage.
"While we at first thought we could just change it to 'gasoline futures,' that's not quite accurate," says Bill Power. "Conventional gasoline futures, in fact, are not currently trading -- but may return."
So, while it is acceptable to use the word gasoline as a section header in a discussion of this futures product, within stories we should refer to it as the reformulated-gasoline blendstock futures contract known as RBOB. The product is considered a near-gasoline, because it must be blended with ethanol to become gasoline.
People of a certain age may recall a popular nonsense song "Hey Babariba." No relation to RBOB, apparently.
Quick, what does FEC stand for in our stories? Right, the Federal Election Commission. FEC is an acceptable second-reference term, but as with all abbreviations and acronyms, the first use in a story should be near the full name. In a recent political story, FEC first appeared seven paragraphs later, which is too far away to be much help to the hurried and harried reader.
Effective June 1, we are adding Baghdad to the list of cities that stand alone in datelines, without the country (or state) designation. The Associated Press has made the style change as well. Fix your copy of the stylebook.
In the February issue we noted, among a rash of homonym errors in the paper, the misuse of the adjective plumb (meaning perfectly vertical) for plum (perfectly desirable). A new mix-up involves the verb to plumb, or to carefully examine.
Applicants vetted by a hiring manager's coach should plum [read plumb] the nature of that relationship.
Without the comfort of knowing all is well at home, Mr. Wade, 50, says he couldn't relax at the lake. "It gives us, more than anything, piece [read peace] of mind.
In an answer to a quiz item in March, we indicated that the Fort Worth Star-Telegram hyphenated Fort Worth in its name. News Editor Lynn Lunsford knew better, and he has helped get Factiva to correct the misinformation in its Web entries from the paper.
An item about the Labour Party, also in March, indicated that otherwise the British labour is rendered as the American labor, including references to the Ministry of Labor. A correspondent subsequently noted that the British agency long ago became the Department for Work and Pensions. That's even more labourious.
Before you hire someone, look into that person's credentials, including educational background and whether they have had any specialized tax training.
Thailand still could choose to import generic drugs, just as it is now using generic versions of Efavirenz, despite Merck's own move to lower prices.
Florida coach Billy Donovan, going for his second straight national championship, was a former Pitino player and assistant.
Currently, Utah is believed to be the only two states that allow faculty and students over age 21 who have permits to have guns on campus.
When the car carrying Mr. Glisan arrived at Bastrop, it turned into the prison.
Kaiser refutes Mr. Deal's assessment of its custom software system, developed by Epic Systems Corp.
On the other side is Ms. Atkins and Alexis Mersentes, a Palm Beach socialite who opposing lawyers call an "opportunist skilled in the art of seduction" and who recently married Ms. Atkins in a quiet ceremony.
While some of the cancer decline is likely attributable to a drop-off in hormones, one big culprit may be the fact that fewer women are getting screened.
Democratic fund-raiser Mike Medavoy and his wife Irena have installed two televisions in their bedroom.
At Incanto restaurant in San Francisco, every meal begins with a free gift from the restaurant's kitchen.
He doubts the big Web sites have anything to worry about from for-free competitors.
Someone and that person are not a they. He or she is a he or she.
The AIDS drug efavirenz, a generic, should be lowercased, just as acetaminophen is the lowercase generic version of Tylenol.
He is a former one even now.
Utah apparently is in a class of their own.
Miraculous. But we suspect the car really turned in to the prison grounds.
If it's refuted, or proved wrong, there's no story. We meant rebutted or disputed.
On the other side are Ms. Atkins and Alexis Mersentes, a Palm Beach socialite whom opposing lawyers call an "opportunist skilled in the art of seduction" and who recently married Ms. Atkins. Ah, so the socialite Alexis is a man, right (although Alexis and socialites are often women)? And Alexis is the husband, not the presiding preacher, right? The reader needed a helpline.
There's a culprit in the decline of cancer? We meant the decline in diagnoses (i.e., fewer screenings could be a culprit impeding early diagnosis). And dropoff was in the use of hormones.
It's Mike Medavoy and his wife, Irena, unless he has several wives.
It isn't a gift if it isn't free. Stamp out free gifts.
No-charge competitors, perhaps? Fumigate for free in all its forms.
Email questions to Paul Martin. | 2019-04-23T10:49:00 | https://blogs.wsj.com/styleandsubstance/2007/05/24/vol-20-no-5/ |
0.995573 | اللّهُـمَّ اجْعَـلْ في قَلْبـي نورا ، وَفي لِسـاني نورا، وَاجْعَـلْ في سَمْعي نورا، وَاجْعَـلْ في بَصَري نورا، وَاجْعَـلْ مِنْ خَلْفي نورا، وَمِنْ أَمامـي نورا، وَاجْعَـلْ مِنْ فَوْقـي نورا ، وَمِن تَحْتـي نورا .اللّهُـمَّ أَعْطِنـي نورا .
Allahummaj- 'al fee qal-bee noora, wa-fee lisa-nee noora, waj-'al fee sam-'ee noora, waj-'al fee ba-sa-ree noora, waj-'al min khalf-fee noora, wa-min a-ma-mee noora ,waj-'al min faw-qee noora, wa-min tah-tee noora, Allahumma a'-tinee noora.
Recitation of short Makkan Surah (last juzu' of the Qur'an - as arranged in 'Baghdady muqoddam'), commonly memorized and used for recitation in daily Swolah.
Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb's ( كرّم الله وجْهه ) Mathematical Brilliance : "Whole number, not fraction"
One Day a Jewish person came to Imam Ali ( كرّم الله وجْهه ), thinking that "since Imam Ali thinks he is too smart, I'll ask him such a tough question that he won't be able to answer it and I'll have the chance to embarrass him in front of all the Arabs."
He asked Imam Ali, "Tell me a number, that if we divide it by any number from 1-10 the answer will always come in the form of a whole number and not as a fraction."
Imam Ali ( كرّم الله وجْهه ) looked back at him and said, "Take the number of days in a year and multiply it with the number of days in a week and you will have your answer."
The Jewish person was astonished, but as he was an unbeliever (Mushrik), he still didn't believe Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib ( كرّم الله وجْهه ).
So he calculated to check the answer Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib ( كرّم الله وجْهه ) gave him.
Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb's ( كرّم الله وجْهه ) Mathematical Brilliance : "Five Loaves of Bread"
Two travelers sat together on the way to their destination to have a meal.
One had five loaves of bread. The other had three.
A third traveler was passing by and at the request of the two joined in the meal.
The travelers cut each of the loaf of bread in three equal parts.
Each of the travelers ate eight broken pieces of the loaf.
At the time of leaving the third traveler took out eight dirhams and gave to the first two men who had offered him the meal, and went away.
On receiving the money the two travelers started quarrelling as to who should have how much of the money.
The five-loaf-man demanded five dirhams.
The three-loaf-man insisted on dividing the money in two equal parts.
The dispute was brought to Imam Ali ( كرّم الله وجْهه ) (the Caliph of the time in Arabia) to be adjudicate.
Imam Ali ( كرّم الله وجْهه ) requested the three-loaf-man to accept three dirhams, because he said : "five-loaf-man has been more than fair to you."
The three-loaf-man refused and said that he would take only four dirhams.
At this Imam Ali ( كرّم الله وجْهه ) replied, "You can have only one dirham."
"You had eight loaves between yourselves. Each loaf was broken in three parts.
Therefore, you had 24 equal parts.
Your three loaves made nine parts out of which you have eaten eight portions, leaving just one to the third traveler.
Your friend had five loaves which divided into three made fifteen pieces.
He ate eight pieces and gave seven pieces to the guest.
As such the guest shared one part from your loaves and seven from those of your friend.
So you should get one dirham and your friend should receive seven dirhams."
Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb's ( كرّم الله وجْهه ) Mathematical Brilliance : "Dividing 17 Camels"
"I have 17 Camels, and I have three sons.
Divide my Camels in such a way that my eldest son gets half of them, the second one gets 1/3rd of the total and my youngest son gets 1/9th of the total number of Camels."
So they all came to the door of Imam 'Ali ibn Abi Taleb ( كرّم الله وجْهه ) and put forward their problem.
Imam 'Ali ibn Abi Taleb ( كرّم الله وجْهه ) said, "Ok, I will divide the camels as per the man's will."
Imam 'Ali ibn Abi Taleb ( كرّم الله وجْهه ) said, "I will lend one of my camels to the total which makes it 18 (17+1=18), now lets divide as per his will."
Then Imam 'Ali ibn Abi Taleb ( كرّم الله وجْهه ) said, "Now I will take my Camel back."
"O Allah! Bless us with the Qur'an, make it for us as leader (IMAM), as enlightenment(NUR), as guidance(HUDA) and as Mercy(RAHMA); O Allah make us to remember that which we've forgotten, and teach us that which we are ignorant of; and grant us ability to recite it night and day; and make it for us, as Proof to support us(HUJJATAN) - O Lord of the worlds!"
"WIRD AL-LATIFF" of Imam 'Abdullah al-Haddad rhm.
"WIRD OF IMAM AN-NAWAWI RHM."
TO SEE TEXT OF "WIRD-AL-LATIF"
"HIZB AL-BAHR" of Imam Sheikh Abul Hassan ash-Shadzli rhm.
STORIES OF THE COMPANIONS OF THE PROPHET S.A.W.
ZERO.NET LINK - "don't hate, educate !" | 2019-04-23T16:04:23 | http://muqaddam-nurul.blogspot.com/ |
0.999525 | "This would be great for parties or for just snacking love the ingredients looks so wholesome and I am sure delicious thanks for sharring this"
"Oh I think I have fallen in love with a recipe that just makes my mouth water. This is certainly an easy recipe and looks so appealing. This would be something everyone would love and so easy to make"
Cook and shred chicken according to package instructions. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
Toss cooked and shredded chicken with hot sauce; set aside.
Melt 2 tbsp butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add flour and stir for 3 minutes or until browned. Whisk in the milk, a splash at a time, until very smooth.
Cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until thick enough coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. Whisk in the shredded cheese, a bit at a time, until melted.
Toss the sauce with the cooked macaroni, Buffalo chicken and cubed pepper jack cheese. Divide evenly between the muffin cups.
Melt the remaining butter and toss with the fresh breadcrumbs and green onion. Sprinkle over each muffin cup. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.
TIP: Use whole grain macaroni to add fiber to this recipe. Bake in an 8-inch baking dish to serve 4 people as an entree. | 2019-04-23T20:56:29 | https://www.perdue.com/recipes/bite-sized-buffalo-chicken-mac-n'-cheese/2165/s/ |
0.698055 | If you’ve ever needed an X-ray or an MRI, you know that getting a glimpse inside the human body can be uncomfortable, time consuming, and expensive. However, one researcher at the Research Institute for Aging has developed a way to make some of that monitoring much easier.
“You can infer so much of your health status through how your heart and how your blood is working throughout these systems,” he said. According to Amelard, being able to monitor the entire body at once provides more useful information than single point monitoring with a finger clip. Similarly, he explained that since CHIS relies on light, it also poses no risk to the patient.
Amelard explained that one of the major functions he foresees for this device is improving health care for seniors. Falls due to dizziness can be very serious, so the device, upon noticing decreased bloodflow to the head, could send an advance warning that the patient is at risk.
In addition to helping seniors, it may be valuable for monitoring patients where the familiar finger clip monitors are a problem, such as burn victims and premature infants. These special cases aside, Amelard said the device is useful for any patient undergoing long-term monitoring.
“If we were to wear a finger clip … for an extended period of time, it’s going to be cutting off circulation. If you have delicate skin it might be causing some rashes or abrasions,” Amelard said. According to him, since CHIS is touchless, “you don’t have to be worrying about elongated stresses” that contact-based devices cause.
“I think that our healthcare system is top notch in terms of treatment plans. It’s just that acute care, treating a [blood vessel] blockage after it’s already blocked, it’s very expensive, it’s very timely, [and] the recuperation period is often quite lengthy. The big question then is can we be mitigating these, or preventing these in the first place?” he asked. | 2019-04-20T21:05:08 | http://uwimprint.ca/article/shining-a-light-on-blood-flow-research/ |
0.99998 | Where is Josep Miquel Arenas Beltrán?
The rapper, who performs as Valtonyc, convicted for his lyrics, has fled Spanish territory to avoid going to prison and to work from Europe in defence of freedom of expression, according to a number of sources El Nacional has spoken too. The rapper has gone into exile, probably to Switzerland or Belgium.
This Thursday will see the end of the ten-day period he has to present himself at prison. He could choose from any he wanted in Spain, but has decided to not go to any. He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison by Spain's Supreme Court for his lyrics on charges of glorifying terrorism, humiliating victims, insulting king Juan Carlos I and threatening Jorge Campos of the right-wing political party Actúa Baleares.
Although he had 10 days to go to prison, the musician was otherwise free to travel as he wished, and wasn't to have been monitored. Nonetheless, it's believed that police put together a surveillance and tracking team to prevent him catching a flight or leaving the island of Mallorca where he lives. If so, they appear to have lost his trail.
Valtonyc has left before. He's left the island whilst police were preparing a team precisely to avoid him doing so. Hundreds of his fans bought plane tickets in his name with different destinations in a campaign designed to throw off Spain's security forces. The rapper left Mallorca more than 10 days ago without raising any sort of suspicion.
In fact, the large-scale buying of tickets in his name started after he had already left Spanish territory. The request was from 15th to 24th May.
The police started warning this Tuesday that they didn't know where he was. In fact, it's been days since the musician has appeared in public; the only news about him has been on social media.
Valtonyc planned, as has now become public, to not present himself voluntarily to prison, which would mean a legal warrant being issued and him being arrested at home to be taken by force into custody. As such, if he doesn't turn up by himself, police will go to his house to find him. But the rapper has already hinted on Twitter that they won't find anyone there.
Translation: Tomorrow is the day. Tomorrow, they're going to knock down the door of my house to put me in prison. For some songs. Tomorrow, Spain is going to make a fool of itself, once again. I'm not going to make it so easy for them, disobeying is legitimate and an obligation in the face of this fascist state. Here nobody surrenders.
Meanwhile, his lawyer, Juan Manuel Olarieta, has already appealed to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. He's presented an appeal calling for the two sentences to be overturned. In the appeal, they argue that the rapper's basic rights have been violated. The lawyer asked Strasbourg to suspend his entry to prison whilst the appeal is considered. | 2019-04-22T20:27:16 | https://www.elnacional.cat/en/news/spanish-rapper-valtonyc-flees-europe-prison_271152_102.html |
0.999988 | I will discuss some paradoxes that arise when trying to understand entropy from a purely classical viewpoint, as is appropriate when dealing with colloidal particles in suspension. One concerns the fact that colloids are not indistinguishable; however, because we choose not to distinguish them when making measurements, they behave as though they were. Another is that the relative abundance of colloidal clusters of different shapes looks like it should depend on their moments of inertia. This seems extremely strange in an overdamped system and would lead to some peculiar "isotope effects" in mixtures of colloids of identical chemistry but different masses (such as core-shell particles with different cores). Fortunately, all isotope effects vanish when calculations are done correctly. A more general conclusion is that to explain the behaviour of colloids, it is not merely useful, but obligatory, to adopt an informatic rather than dynamical definition of entropy. This introduces an element of subjectivity which, though unsurprising to followers of Gibbs, can still traumatize some people, such as a referee who wrote: "Do the authors try to convince readers that the amount of heat somebody measures in experiment may depend on somebody's subjective feeling?". So long as the word "feeling" is replaced by "information", the answer is yes: the amount of heat flowing depends on what else you do and do not choose to measure in an experiment. | 2019-04-21T01:27:09 | https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/events/2015/75211-defining-entropy-classically-lessons-from-colloidal-experiments |
0.997624 | Things you need: 8 eggs 10-12 chopped mushrooms 1 medium size red capsicum(finely chopped) 1 cup of blanched sprouts (mixed or otherwise, your choice) 4 tablespoons of oil 2 onions (chopped) 4 green chilies (finely chopped) Salt to taste Directions: 1) Break the eggs into a bowl, beat them well. Add salt. 2) Heat a tbsp of oil in a flat non-stick pan. Add to it 1/4 of chopped onions, green chilies and for a minute saute them. 3) Then add to it the … Continue reading "Mushroom, Capsicum & Sprouts Omelette"
It has been observed from long time that proper diet and regular exercise are keys for a fit and healthy body. It also keeps your weight balanced with your age and height. To become a doctor of your body you need to know what to eat and how much of it. Skipping food does not … Continue reading "Start Dieting With A Right Diet Plan" | 2019-04-19T07:04:29 | https://www.idietitian.in/tag/potency-diet-foods-plan/ |
0.990558 | PTO can be earned or awarded, depending on the employment contract.
Though most companies do offer vacation time to employees, there is no federal law that states that you must provide it. This means that it's up to your company to create its own vacation policy. You'll have a lot of choices to make, but you should try to offer policies that are similar to other companies in your area. An insufficient vacation policy could send your best employees looking for jobs elsewhere.
You'll need to establish a policy about whether you'll pay for time off or not and when you'll pay for it. Some companies offer separate "vacation" and "sick" days that employees can use throughout the year. Others offer "paid time off," which applies to both sick and vacation days. Most companies will pay for a certain number of vacation days and some may even allow employees to take more days off without pay.
If you've decided to offer paid vacation days, you need to decide how many days you will offer employees. Typically, this works on a tenure system, with employees who have worked at the company receiving more vacation time than those who have just started. A typical vacation plan may look like two weeks the first year, three weeks after the third year and four weeks after five years.
Some companies institute a waiting period--usually 6 to 12 months--before the employee can start to use his vacation time. For example, if you have a 1-year waiting period, the employee will technically accrue his 2 weeks vacation time during the first year, but he cannot take a vacation until his 1-year anniversary. After that, he receives the full 2 weeks and starts to accrue his vacation time every paycheck.
Consider whether you want to allow employees to "roll over" their vacation time. This would allow employees to save up their vacation days in order to take a longer vacation. For example, instead of taking two 1-week vacations during the first year, an employee might decide to take a 3-week vacation halfway through her second year.
You should set a requirement for how much notice your employees must give before they can take a vacation. For example, you might require an employee to submit a request for vacation time at least a month in advance. Vacation time should be awarded on a first-come-first-served basis. If another employee has already requested the time off, you may have to deny the request to the second employee to ensure adequate coverage.
You can also set a policy regarding whether you'll "pay out" vacation time or whether you have a "use it or lose it" policy. When an employee leaves the company, for example, she may have accrued a significant amount of vacation time. You can offer to pay this out as money that she's earned.
McCormick, Maggie. "Policies on Vacation Days." Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/policies-vacation-days-3556.html. Accessed 21 April 2019. | 2019-04-22T22:17:57 | https://smallbusiness.chron.com/policies-vacation-days-3556.html |
0.999954 | How far BNP will go with this leadership?
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has faced the third consecutive defeat to Awami League in the general elections. The party leaders have been defeated both in their movement and the battle of ballots under the current leadership. In such circumstances, the question is: How far the party will go with the same leadership?
This has become the talk of the town. Not only the leaders and activists of the party but also the common people are now seen asking the same question.
After the conviction of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, her elder son Tarique Zia took the helm as the acting chairman of the party. But the main question is: Whether Tarique will be able to gain the acceptance from the global community in absence of his mother.
Especially, many well-wishers of the BNP think that party's defeat in the 11th Parliamentary polls would not be so humiliating if Tarique had got the blessings of India.
BNP secured only 32 seats out of 300 during the general elections in 2008. Later in 2014, the party boycotted the January 5 election which has been estimated as their one of the biggest political mistakes.
Experts think although the party participated in the last national polls, the party policymakers failed to assess the thoughts of the international community. Party insiders said Tarique Rahman could not gain the faith and confidence of the global leaders despite political lobbying and efforts.
A large part of the party thinks that Tarique's direct involvement in nominating the party candidates through Skype has cast an adverse effect in the national polls.
He also attracted criticism within the party by nominating some of his close aides, said party insiders.
Moreover, it had been estimating that if BNP wins in the poll, Tarique Rahman would be the head of the government. Even, he could be invited to lead the new government as prime minister. The foreign diplomats were also concerned over the issue and during a meeting with Jatiya Oikyafront leaders they asked the question. But, they failed to get any satisfactory answer and that could be a reason behind BNP's defeat in the polls.
Wishing anonymity, some leaders said two of the BNP Standing Committee members have already placed the proposal of changing the leadership. Two top BNP leaders--Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Moudud Ahmed--while addressing a programme on the occasion of party founder Ziaur Rahman's birth anniversary, also spoke on the issue.
According to experts, Tarique Rahman could create a positive image by withdrawing him from the direct political activities before the election. Rather, he could maintain the role of an indirect policymaker. Especially, he could assure the global community that he will not be prime minister of the new government in order to create a positive atmosphere.
One of the top leaders of Oikyafront and also the Founder of Gono Shasthaya Kendra, Dr Zafarullah Chowdhury, told Kalerkantho that Tarique Zia should take a formal break in order to gain the support of international community.
"He [Tarique] must understand the situation otherwise nothing can be done. One of the senior leaders of BNP can take the helm of the party until Khaleda Zia is released from the jail. She will lead the party again after her release as she is well accepted by all," he added.
Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary, SHUJAN: Citizens for Good Governance, said: "BNP is suffering from leadership crisis. In order to get out of it, BNP must select a new leader and also must work for restoring people's faith."
According to political expert Dr Tarique Shamsur Rahman, BNP cannot move further under the current leadership. Eligible and acceptable leaders should be included in the Standing Committee of the party.
Two senior BNP leaders wished not to be mentioned said BNP should not allow Jamaat-e-Islami leaders to contest in the poll with BNP's electoral symbol. It was a mistake which was also not accepted by the international community.
Although BNP is the major political ally in the Jatiya Oikyafront, Tarique Rahman is not considered the top leader of the alliance. Rather, Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain is performing the role of the key leader.
LDP Chairman Oli Ahmed, on the other hand, has been made the chief coordinator of the 20-party alliance. Consequently, in fact, Tarique Rahman's direct influence on the alliance is now scarcer. But after formation of the four-party coalition in 1999 and after the formation of the 20-party alliance, BNP chief Khaleda Zia was called “Jotenetri”.
Senior Vice-chairman Tarique Rahman took the responsibility of the acting chairman of BNP, staying in London after his mother BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was sentenced to jail in a corruption case in February last year.
According to the sub-section 2 of Section 8 (Ga/C) of the constitution of the party, in absence of the chairman, senior vice-chairman will act as acting chairman of the party. Under sub-section 3 of the same section, it has been said that senior vice-chairman will be appointed as the chairman during the remaining period when chief's post fell vacant.
BNP insiders said that according to the party constitution, there is no scope for anyone to lead the party keeping Tarique Rahman away from the party position. The constitution of the party is needed to be amended to pick another leader.
And in a bid to bring such amendment, the party must hold its National Council. However, some BNP benevolent suggested that someone from the party can be made an executive president to make the party a 'functional' one.
A member of the BNP Standing Committee has recently placed three proposals for making the party a well-designed one soon at a party meeting held on January 15.
One of these is holding the National Council in March or April this year. But before the expected council, he also proposes holding the meeting of the executive committee of the party and a meeting of the BNP nominated candidates participated in the December 30’s election.
This has become the talk of the town.
Not only the leaders and activists of the party but also the common people are now seen asking the same question. | 2019-04-21T11:00:34 | http://english.kalerkantho.com/online/special/2019/01/25/18704 |
0.998804 | Rather than rely on established designs, Audio-Technica have used some genuinely innovative thinking to come up with this unusual, multi-diaphragm vocal mic. How does it perform?
However, I've been fortunate enough to have been loaned a review model, with a rather unusual serial number: SN0000! By the time this review hits the printing presses the news will be out, but at the moment I feel rather honoured to be among the few that have seen and heard the real thing.
So what is the AT5040? Well, for starters, it is a relatively large and heavy vocal microphone, its all-aluminium body measuring 165.3mm (6.5 inches) in length by 57mm (2.5 inches) in diameter, and weighing in at 582g (20.5oz). It has a fixed cardioid polar pattern, derived from a very unusual 'large diaphragm' back-electret capsule — of which more in a moment. The top 85mm of the mic comprises a large dual-layer, fused-mesh brass grille, while the bottom 65mm of the body is painted in a low-reflectivity matte-grey finish, with the Audio-Technica logo identifying the front of the cardioid pattern. The usual XLR output connector is recessed into the base of the mic, and the brand new and ingenious AT8480 shockmount, supplied with the AT5040, clips around the base (see 'Shockmount' box). The mic ships in a custom hard-shell carrying case, padded with die-cut foam compartments for the microphone and shockmount, and apparently every AT5040 is hand-assembled and fully tested and inspected for quality control.
What's so unusual about the diaphragm, then? Well, despite the popular myth that the technology of capacitor microphones was perfected in the 1960s, there are, in fact, still many areas in which their performance can be improved, starting with the capsule itself!
In this respect, the AT5040 differs from most conventional capacitor microphones by employing four small, closely mounted rectangular diaphragms instead of a single, large circular one. This kind of arrangement is not entirely new: I've come across a few microphones that combine multiple capsules, such as the Line Audio Design ST, SM and QM mics, which use three small, circular diaphragms in a triangular configuration. However, this multi-capsule approach is fairly rare, because of the inherent cost and complexity.
Thankfully, the boffins at AT relish a challenge and thrive on coming up with clever and innovative solutions. For the AT5040 they wanted to combine the familiar benefits associated with a large-diaphragm design — which include high sensitivity and very low self-noise — with those of a small-diaphragm mic, such as the better high-frequency extension and precision, greater ruggedness, and better temperature stability. Moreover, by using small rectangular diaphragms, the relatively low single resonant frequency of a large circular diaphragm is replaced with two higher and weaker resonant frequencies, thanks to the dissimilar length and width dimensions of a rectangle.
The innovative quad-element capsule employed in the AT5040 is actually the largest the company has ever made, being roughly 60mm high and about 35mm wide. Since each diaphragm has a surface area of 254.4 square millimetres, the combination produces a total surface area of 1017.6 square millimetres. To achieve the same diaphragm area with a conventional circular design would require a capsule nearly 1.5 inches across, which would be completely impractical, if not impossible, to build! The clever A-T arrangement solves that problem very elegantly, and Audio-Technica claim that this configuration of rectangular elements also provides a smoother 5kHz to 20kHz off-axis frequency response than would be possible using a conventional circular capsule.
Each capsule's diaphragm is two microns thick, with a vapour-deposited gold conductive layer. They are all 'pre-aged', so that their characteristics remain consistent over the mic's lifetime. The diaphragm is also moulded with a patented double-wave 'honeycomb' surface pattern, which increases the effective diaphragm area slightly while enhancing its stability and rigidity. These are electret capsules, of course, which store a static electric charge on the inside of the backplate, and their manufacture involves another pre-ageing process to ensure that the charge remains stable and linear. The four individual electret elements used to construct each complete capsule are precisely matched to one another, and the entire assembly is supported on a floating internal shockmount.
The AT8480 shockmount, as viewed from above and in the 'open' position. When the mic is pushed into the mount, the C-shaped brackets close around it and are held in place with magnets.
Many people assume that traditional DC-biased capsules are inherently better than electret designs, but that's a long outdated fallacy. Many manufacturers produce world-class electret microphones now (DPA being one of the more familiar standard-bearers, of course), and in recent years, several companies have developed large-diaphragm electret microphones that outperform traditional DC-biased designs quite comprehensively.
Audio-Technica have considerable experience in manufacturing extremely high-quality and consistent electret capsules, and this design approach offers some very worthwhile benefits that might not be immediately obvious. Traditional DC-biased capsules need a DC bias voltage — usually something in excess of 60V — and that requires some form of DC-DC converter to raise the phantom-power voltage to the required level. However, DC-DC converters consume power to work, and can generate unwanted electronic noise and other artifacts. Since an electret capsule doesn't require the DC-DC converter, more power is available from the phantom supply to drive the microphone's output circuitry, which allows a greater maximum SPL capability. There is no risk of unwanted noise and other artifacts from the DC-DC converter to degrade the signal quality.
The impedance-converter electronics in the AT5040 are also supported on a floating shockmount, and are constructed entirely from discrete components. The relatively minimalist design, without filter or pad switches, is as advanced as the capsule, with the four elements' outputs being combined in a most ingenious (patent-pending) arrangement that delivers a fully balanced output with minimal noise. In simple terms, the four capsules are wired as two pairs, with the elements in each pair being connected in series. One pair is used to provide the 'hot' side of the balanced output, while the other pair provides the 'cold' side of the output — a configuration that quadruples the microphone's sensitivity but only doubles the self-noise. Genius!
The AT5040 is, first and foremost, loud. Recording relatively gentle vocals at a distance of about eight inches, with peaks to around -10dBFS in the DAW, required no more than 35dB of gain from the preamp — I'd normally expect 40-45 dB with other common capacitor vocal mics, and more with dynamics.
Moving on to the quality of the vocal sound when the mic is used as intended, the AT5040 has a very clearly defined sweet spot, and the vocalist has to remain well centred to achieve the excellent sound quality of which this mic is capable. This isn't a mic that would easily cope with a pair of vocalists in close proximity — they'd both sound off-axis before you started! The AT5040 is definitely a one-customer-at-a-time model, but there's nothing wrong with that as long as you know!
As you might expect with such a tall capsule, vertical displacement of the microphone relative to the source produces a very rapid and obvious reduction in high-frequency response, as does moving off-axis laterally. So if the mic is mounted low, for example, and the singer moves in and out, they could easily end up, in effect, singing over the top of the capsule and sounding well off-axis. I would suggest a vocalist would have to exhibit a fair bit of discipline to maintain their position in the sweet spot to sound good all the time.
However, with the vocalist centred on-axis, the sound from the AT5040 certainly grabs the attention. It is full-bodied at the bottom, but also very clean and airy at the top, with a superbly detailed mid-range and an effortless sense of presence and vitality. There is a pretty strong proximity effect that becomes very obvious if you move closer than about eight inches, but even with this enhanced low end the sound never loses its focus and clarity.
The AT5040 sounded great on a couple of different male vocalists I placed before it — but then, most vocal mics cope well with male vocals anyway. The real test is female vocals, since some capacitor mics sound fantastic and others utterly horrible with one voice, and the complete reverse with another! It's all about the way in which the mic's presence peaks and resonances lie in relation to the formants and harmonics of individual voices. The AT5040 has an almost negligible presence boost and, as a result, I found it worked nicely on most female voices. That makes this a more versatile vocal mic than many, which helps to justify its pretty high price.
In addition to its very high output level (which could easily overdrive preamps without a pad, given a singer who likes to belt it out!), I was astonished by the huge subsonic output that occurs when any mechanical vibration reaches the mic, or air blasts hit the diaphragms. As part of my initial tests I was hand-holding the mic so that I could easily hear how it sounded on- and off-axis, but even quite gentle movement and handling generated a massive output level below about 25Hz. This was so large that it completely overwhelmed, let alone overloaded, several different preamps I tried with the microphone.
Unfortunately, the high-pass filters of most studio preamps come after the initial input gain stage, and so are of no help in preventing LF input overload. This issue is well known in film and TV audio circles, where waving microphones about on the ends of long 'fishpoles' can also generate fearsome levels of unwanted subsonics. So, I rummaged about in my old sound recordist's box of useful gizmos and found an in-line high-pass filter, which cured the problem nicely, as did using a 20dB in-line attenuator — both proving that it is the mic's inherently high output level, combined with very large amounts of untamed capsule LF, that was causing the problem.
To be fair to the AT5040, when mounted in its bespoke shockmount from an isolated stand, and with a protective pop-screen in front of the capsule, I had no further ultra-low frequency overload problems during conventional recordings (although the some careful high-pass filtering applied in the DAW was always helpful). In light of that, I wonder if perhaps Audio-Technica should look at tailoring the mic's low-frequency response a little more, or maybe even revisit the idea of having a high-pass filter switch on the mic. In the meantime, the shockmount supplied with the AT5040 is brillantly designed, and with the mic stand is positioned well away from tapping feet there shouldn't really be any problems.
Given the mic's very neutral tonality when placed outside the proximity effect zone, the AT5040 would potentially make a useful all-rounder of a microphone if you always worked with solo sources located perfectly on axis. However, the heavy off-axis high-frequency attenuation of the mic makes it rather less useful in more practical situations where off-axis spill is likely to be an issue.
Aside from my reservations about the extreme LF response of the microphone and its ability to overload mic-preamp input stages, the AT5040 is an impressive microphone, both in terms of its innovative design and its gloriously smooth and detailed sound character. I look forward to further spin-offs of this exciting technology in more affordable models in future.
The UK list price enters the AT5040 into the same playground as mics like Brauner's VMX and VM1 models, Josephson's C715, and Neumann's M149 — all seriously high-end mics frequently employed for vocal duties.
Rather less typical, however, is the very low equivalent self-noise figure of just 5dB(A) SPL, which, when combined with the maximum sound pressure level of 142dB SPL (for one percent THD), suggests a dynamic range of 137dB. That is a very impressive and quite unusual achievement, theoretically requiring a full 23 bits to convert faithfully — which would be a challenge for most A-D converters! The mic's sensitivity is also unusually high, at 56.2mV/Pa — almost high enough to forego a mic preamp altogether if you have a powerful vocalist!
The review microphone's frequency plot indicates a pretty flat response, lying within about 2dB across the full bandwidth. There is a slight +2dB bass bloom below 80Hz, quite possibly due to the proximity effect (although the plot was measured at a distance of 12 inches, apparently), and a presence lift of a similar amount between 1-5 kHz, along with a second, smaller peak centred around 10kHz.
Looking at the polar pattern plot reveals a rather less uniform response, although perhaps that is to be expected. Fundamentally, the AT5040 has the familiar traits associated with all large-diaphragm capsules, in that the polar pattern is a tidy, standard cardioid at 1kHz, but narrows considerably as the frequency rises, tending towards a hyper-cardioid pattern by 5kHz, and a narrow super-cardioid by 8kHz. Conversely, the polar response opens out considerably at low frequencies, reaching a sub-cardioid pattern at 200Hz and becoming progressively more omnidirectional below that. In practice, this means that off-axis sources will tend to sound relatively dull and coloured compared to on-axis sources — but that's nothing new with large-diaphragm mics, and is probably of little significance in a microphone specifically designed as a studio vocal mic.
The way the outputs of the diaphragms are summed together yields a quadrupling of output level, while only doubling the capsule's self-noise.
Audio-Technica's innovations haven't been restricted to the AT5040 microphone: the brand new AT8480 purpose-designed shockmount is an engineering joy to behold, too. The basic design is a variation on the familiar 'cat's cradle' idea, in which the inner mount (which holds the mic) is suspended from one very large elastic loop that zig-zags between three posts above and below the inner cradle, and four corresponding anchor points on the top and bottom of the outer cradle.
It's a very nicely engineered accessory, with the elastic cord tension in each suspension link being fixed by locking screws in each of the inner cradle mounting posts, to stop the elastic from slipping back and forth. However, I imagine this arrangement also means a return to the dealer when a new elastic loop is required, as it is threaded through the posts rather than just hooking into them, and thus has to be 'installed' rather than simply replaced!
One very neat part of the design is the use of a magnetically latched inner clamp arrangement. The inner cradle incorporates two semi-circular 'cup' brackets, each pivoted from the outer edge of the inner cradle and fitted with rubber 'O' rings to cushion the microphone and prevent any body resonances. The 'inside' ends of these two rotating cups are fitted with strong embedded magnets that mate with corresponding magnets in the static frame.
As the microphone is introduced into these cup brackets, they rotate with the pressure so that the outside edges close around the sides of the mic just forward of the half-way point. This grips the microphone very securely, and the inside edges simultaneously move back into the inner cradle until the magnets snap everything into position. In this condition, the mic can be pulled out and removed, if required, but it needs a reasonable effort and the mic is very unlikely to fall out accidentally even if inverted and shaken. For complete security, though, there is a manually operated and spring-loaded locking pin that fixes the cups in the closed position.
The whole design is very elegant and attractive, works well in providing vibration isolation, and still allows the mic to be installed and removed quickly and easily.
Huge subsonic output from vibration.
An innovative microphone that combines the best attributes of both large- and small-diaphragm capsules, offered complete with an ingenious shockmount that helps to justify the cost! | 2019-04-19T20:25:03 | https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/audio-technica-at5040 |
0.999963 | An ESD protection circuit is provided. The circuit includes a discharging component, a diode, and an ESD detection circuit. The discharging component is coupled between an input/output pad and a first power line of an IC. The diode is coupled between the input/output pad and a second power line of the IC in a forward direction toward the second power line. The ESD detection circuit includes a capacitor, a resistor, and a triggering component. The capacitor and the resistor are formed in series and coupled between the first power line and the second power line. The triggering component has a positive power end coupled to the input/output pad and a negative power end coupled to the first power line. An input of the triggering component is coupled to a node between the capacitor and the resistor.
1. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit, comprising:a discharging component, coupled between an input/output pad and a first power line of an IC;a diode coupled between the input/output pad and a second power line of the IC in a forward direction toward the second power line; andan ESD detection circuit, comprising:a capacitor and a resistor formed in series and coupled between the first power line and the second power line; anda triggering component, having a positive power end coupled to the input/output pad and a negative power end coupled to the first power line; an input of the triggering component being coupled to a node between the capacitor and the resistor;wherein the discharging component is turned off during normal power operations, and triggered by a output of the triggering component in an ESD event.
2. The ESD protection circuit of claim 1, wherein the discharging component is a gate-driven NMOS, a gate-grounded NMOS, an NMOS with its gate terminal coupled to a pre-buffer, an NPN BJT, or a P-type substrate-triggered SCR.
3. The ESD protection circuit of claim 1, wherein the triggering component is an inverter, an M-input NAND with all inputs coupled together, or an N-input NOR with all inputs coupled together; M and N are positive integers larger than 1, respectively.
4. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit, comprising:a discharging component, coupled between an input/output pad and a first power line of an IC;a diode coupled between the input/output pad and a second power line of the IC in a forward direction toward the input/output pad; andan ESD detection circuit, comprising:a capacitor and a resistor formed in series and coupled between the first power line and the second power line; anda triggering component, having a positive power end coupled to the first power line and a negative power end coupled to the input/output pad; an input of the triggering component being coupled to a node between the capacitor and the resistor;wherein the discharging component is turned off during normal power operations and triggered by an output of the triggering component in an ESD event.
5. The ESD protection circuit of claim 4, wherein the discharging component is a gate-driven PMOS, a gate-VDD PMOS, a PMOS with its gate terminal coupled to a pre-buffer, a PNP BJT, or a N-type substrate-triggered SCR.
6. The ESD protection circuit of claim 4, wherein the triggering component comprises one selected from the group consisting of: two inverters coupled in series, an M-input NAND coupled in series with an N-input NAND, and an M-input NOR coupled in series with an N-input NOR, or an M-input NAND coupled in series with an N-input NOR, wherein the M inputs are coupled with each other, the N inputs are coupled with each other, M and N are positive integers larger than 1, respectively.
7. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit, comprising:a first discharging component, coupled between an input/output pad and a first power line of an IC;a second discharging component, coupled between the input/output pad and a second power line of the IC;an ESD detection circuit, comprising:a capacitor and a resistor formed in series and coupled between the first power line and the second power line;a first triggering component, having a first positive power end coupled to the input/output pad and a first negative power end coupled to the first power line; a first input of the first triggering component being coupled to a node between the capacitor and the resistor, anda second triggering component, having a second positive power end coupled to the second power line and a second negative power end coupled to the input/output pad; a second input of the second triggering component being coupled to the node between the capacitor and the resistor;wherein the first and the second discharging components are turned off during normal power operations; the first discharging component is triggered by a first output of the first triggering component in a first ESD event, and the second discharging component is triggered by a second output of the second triggering component in a second ESD event.
8. The ESD protection circuit of claim 7, wherein the first discharging component is a gate-driven NMOS, a gate-grounded NMOS, an NMOS with its gate terminal coupled to a pre-buffer, an NPN BJT, or a P-type substrate-triggered SCR.
9. The ESD protection circuit of claim 7, wherein the second discharging component is a gate-driven PMOS, a gate-VDD PMOS, a PMOS with its gate terminal coupled to a pre-buffer, a PNP BJT, or a N-type substrate-triggered SCR.
10. The ESD protection circuit of claim 7, wherein the first triggering component is an inverter, an M-input NAND with all inputs coupled together, or an N-input NOR with all inputs coupled together, M and N are positive integers larger than 1, respectively.
11. The ESD protection circuit of claim 7, wherein the second triggering component comprises one selected from the group consisting of: two inverters coupled in series, an M-input NAND coupled in series with an N-input NAND, and an M-input NOR coupled in series with an N-input NOR, an M-input NAND coupled in series with an N-input NOR, wherein the M inputs are coupled with each other, the N inputs are coupled with each other, M and N are positive integers larger than 1, respectively.
12. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit, comprising:a discharging component, coupled between an input/output pad and a first power line of an IC;a first diode coupled between the input/output pad and an ESD bus in a forward direction toward the ESD bus;a second diode coupled between the ESD bus and a second power line of the IC in a forward direction toward the ESD bus; andan ESD detection circuit, comprising:a capacitor and a resistor formed in series and coupled between the first power line and the second power line; anda triggering component, having a positive power end coupled to the ESD bus and a negative power end coupled to the first power line; an input of the triggering component being coupled to a node between the capacitor and the resistor;wherein the discharging component is turned off during normal power operations, and triggered by a output of the triggering component in an ESD event.
13. The ESD protection circuit of claim 12, wherein the discharging component is a gate-driven NMOS, a gate-grounded NMOS, an NMOS with its gate terminal coupled to a pre-buffer, an NPN BJT, or a P-type substrate-triggered SCR.
14. The ESD protection circuit of claim 12, wherein the triggering component is an inverter, an M-input NAND with all inputs coupled together, or an N-input NOR with all inputs coupled together, M and N are positive integers larger than 1, respectively.
15. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit, comprising:a discharging component, coupled between an input/output pad and a first power line of an IC;a first diode coupled between the input/output pad and an ESD bus in a forward direction toward the input/output pad;a second diode coupled between the ESD bus and a second power line of the IC in a forward direction toward the second power line; andan ESD detection circuit, comprising:a capacitor and a resistor formed in series and coupled between the first power line and the second power line; anda triggering component, having a positive power end coupled to the first power line and a negative power end coupled to the ESD bus, an input of the triggering component being coupled to a node between the capacitor and the resistor;wherein the discharging component is turned off during normal power operations and triggered by a output of the triggering component in an ESD event.
16. The ESD protection circuit of claim 15, wherein the discharging component is a gate-driven PMOS, a gate-VDD PMOS, a PMOS with its gate terminal coupled to a pre-buffer, a PNP BJT, or a N-type substrate-triggered SCR.
17. The ESD protection circuit of claim 15, wherein the triggering component comprises one selected from the group consisting of: two inverters coupled in series, an M-input NAND coupled in series with an N-input NAND, and an M-input NOR coupled in series with an N-input NOR, an M-input NAND coupled in series with an N-input NOR, wherein the M inputs are coupled with each other, the N inputs are coupled with each other, M and N are positive integers larger than 1, respectively.
18. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit, comprising:a first discharging component, coupled between an input/output pad and a first power line of an IC;a second discharging component, coupled between the input/output pad and a second power line of the IC;a first diode coupled between the input/output pad and a first ESD bus in a forward direction toward the first ESD bus;a second diode coupled between the first ESD bus and the second power line in a forward direction toward the first ESD bus;a third diode coupled between the input/output pad and a second ESD bus in a forward direction toward the input/output pad;a fourth diode coupled between the second ESD bus and the second power line in a forward direction toward the second power line; andan ESD detection circuit, comprising:a capacitor and a resistor formed in series, and coupled between the first power line and the second power line;a first triggering component, having a first positive power end coupled to the first ESD bus and a first negative power end coupled to the first power line; a first input of the first triggering component being coupled to a node between the capacitor and the resistor; anda second triggering component, having a second positive power end coupled to the second power line and a second negative power end coupled to the second ESD bus, a second input of the second triggering component being coupled to the node between the capacitor and the resistor;wherein the first and the second discharging components are turned off during normal power operations; the first discharging component is triggered by a first output of the first triggering component in a first ESD event, and the second discharging component is triggered by a second output of the second triggering component in a second ESD event.
19. The ESD protection circuit of claim 18, wherein the first discharging component is a gate-driven NMOS, a gate-grounded NMOS, an NMOS with its gate terminal coupled to a pre-buffer, an NPN BJT, or a P-type substrate-triggered SCR.
20. The ESD protection circuit of claim 18, wherein the second discharging component is a gate-driven PMOS, a gate-VDD PMOS, a PMOS with its gate terminal coupled to a pre-buffer, a PNP BJT, or a N-type substrate-triggered SCR.
21. The ESD protection circuit of claim 18, wherein the first triggering component is an inverter, an M-input NAND with all inputs coupled together, or an N-input NOR with all inputs coupled together, M and N are positive integers larger than 1, respectively.
22. The ESD protection circuit of claim 18, wherein the second triggering component comprises one selected from the group consisting of: two inverters coupled in series, an M-input NAND coupled in series with an N-input NAND, and an M-input NOR coupled in series with an N-input NOR, an M-input NAND coupled in series with an N-input NOR, wherein the M inputs are coupled with each other, the N inputs are coupled with each other, M and N are positive integers larger than 1, respectively.
The present invention relates to an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit. In particular, the present invention relates to an ESD protection circuit suitable for applying in an integrated circuit (IC).
As the scale of devices in ICs has become smaller, the devices have become more vulnerable to Electrostatic discharge (ESD). Hence, ESD has been one of the most important reliability issues for IC products and must be taken into consideration in the design phase of all ICs.
Besides an ESD clamp device, an ESD detection circuit is another critical component in on-chip ESD protection circuits because it highly relates to the ESD protection capability of an on-chip ESD protection circuit. The ESD detection circuit is designed to provide trigger currents to turn on the ESD clamp device when the IC product is under ESD stresses.
A variety of ESD detection circuits were proposed. FIG. 1 illustrates an ESD protection circuit for input pads proposed in the patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,465,768. Generally, ESD occurs when one pin of an IC is grounded and another pin of the IC contacts an electrostatically pre-charged object. For instance, under positive-to-VSS (PS-mode) ESD stresses, a positive ESD zapping is applied to the input pad in FIG. 1 while the VSS power rail is grounded and the VDD power rail is floating.
Under PS-mode ESD stresses, the positive ESD voltage pulse at the input pad is coupled through the capacitor 102 to the gate terminal 106 of the NMOS 104. When the coupled voltage at the gate terminal 106 of NMOS 104 is greater than the threshold voltage of NMOS 104, NMOS 104 is turned on to conduct some ESD currents from the stressed input pad to the base terminal of the parasitic NPN BJT 114 in NMOS 112, which is formed by the N+ diffusion, P-well region, and N+ diffusion.
With the trigger current injected to the base terminal of the parasitic NPN BJT 114 in NMOS 212, NMOS 212 is turned on to discharge ESD current from the input pad to VSS power rail, and the internal circuit 100 can be protected from being damaged by ESD currents.
Under negative-to-VDD (ND-mode) ESD stresses, the negative ESD zapping is applied to the input pad while the VDD power rail is grounded and the VSS power rail is floating. Under ND-mode ESD stresses, the negative ESD voltage pulse at the input pad is coupled through the capacitor 122 to the gate terminal 126 of the PMOS 124. With the coupled voltage at the gate terminal 126 of PMOS 124, PMOS 124 is turned on to conduct some ESD current from the stressed input pad to the base terminal of the parasitic PNP BJT 134 in PMOS 132, which is formed by the P+ diffusion, N-well region, and P+ diffusion. With the trigger current injected to the base terminal of the parasitic PNP BJT 134 in PMOS 132, PMOS 132 is turned on to discharge ESD current from the input pad to VDD power rail.
Under positive-to-VDD (PD-mode) ESD stresses, the positive ESD zapping is applied to the input pad while the VDD power rail is grounded and the VSS power rail is floating. Under PD-mode ESD stresses, the parasitic diode formed by the P+ drain diffusion and N-well in PMOS 132 is forward-biased to discharge ESD currents from the input pad to VDD power rail.
Under negative-to-VSS (NS-mode) ESD stresses, the negative ESD zapping is applied to the input pad while the VSS power rail is grounded and the VDD power rail is floating. Under NS-mode ESD stresses, the parasitic diode formed by the N+ drain diffusion and P-well in NMOS 112 is forward-biased to discharge ESD currents from the input pad to VSS power rail.
The same concept can be applied to ESD protection design for an output pad, which is shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 1, the gate terminals of PMOS 132 and NMOS 112 are connected to VDD and VSS, respectively. However, the gate terminals of PMOS 232 and NMOS 212 are connected to the pre-driving circuit 221 in FIG. 2.
FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 illustrate another ESD protection design proposed in "ESD protection design in a 0.18-μm salicide CMOS technology by using substrate-triggered technique" reported by M.-D. Ker, T.-Y. Chen, and C.-Y. Wu in Proc. IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), 2001, pp. 754-757.
The ESD protection circuit for an input pad is shown in FIG. 3. Under PS-mode ESD stresses, a positive ESD voltage is coupled from the input pad to the floating VDD power rail. Since the capacitor C2 is connected to the grounded VSS power rail, the gate voltage of PMOS Mp2 is initially low enough to turn on Mp2. With the drain current of Mp2 injected into the P-well region of NMOS Mn1, the parasitic NPN BJT (formed by N+ drain diffusion, P-well region, and N+ source diffusion) in Mn1 is turned on to discharge ESD current from the input pad to the VSS power rail. On the other side, under NS-mode ESD stresses, the diode formed by the P-well and N+ drain diffusion in Mn1 is forward-biased to provide ESD protection.
The ESD protection circuit for an output pad is shown in FIG. 4. The gate terminals of ESD clamp devices Mp3 and Mn3 can be driven by a pre-driving circuit. Thus, Mp3 and Mn3 can simultaneously act as an output driver and ESD protection devices. Under PS-mode ESD stresses, a positive ESD voltage is coupled from the output pad to the floating VDD power rail. Since the capacitor C3 is connected to grounded VSS power rail, the gate voltage of PMOS Mp4 is initially low enough to turn on Mp4. With the drain current of Mp4 injected into the P-well region of NMOS Mn3, the parasitic NPN BJT (formed by N+ drain diffusion, P-well region, and N+ source diffusion) in Mn3 is turned on to discharge ESD current from the output pad to the VSS power rail. On the other side, under NS-mode ESD stresses, the diode formed by the P-well and N+ drain diffusion in Mn3 is forward-biased to provide ESD protection.
With the trigger circuits for both PMOS and NMOS transistors, another ESD protection circuit for an input pad proposed in the patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,715 is shown in FIG. 5. The ESD detection circuit 52 is designed to provide trigger current to turn on the parasitic NPN BJT in Mn1 under PS-mode ESD stresses. Similarly, the ESD detection circuit 54 is designed to provide trigger current to turn on the parasitic PNP BJT in Mp1 under ND-mode ESD stresses.
The ESD protection design for an output pad with ESD detection circuits including both PMOS and NMOS transistors is shown in FIG. 6. The ESD detection circuit 80 is designed to provide trigger current to turn on the parasitic BJT in Mn3 under PS-mode ESD stresses. The ESD detection circuit 82 is designed to provide trigger current to turn on the parasitic BJT in Mp3 under ND-mode ESD stresses.
The invention provides several new ESD protection circuits. The first embodiment according to the invention is an ESD protection circuit including a discharging component, a diode, and an ESD detection circuit. The discharging component is coupled between an input/output pad and a first power line of an IC. The diode is coupled between the input/output pad and a second power line of the IC in a forward direction toward the second power line.
The ESD detection circuit includes a capacitor, a resistor, and a triggering component. The capacitor and the resistor are formed in series between the first power line and the second power line. The triggering component has a positive power end coupled to the input/output pad and a negative power end coupled to the first power line. An input of the triggering component is coupled to a node between the capacitor and the resistor. The discharging component is turned off during normal power operations and triggered by an output of the triggering component in an ESD event.
The second embodiment according to the invention is an ESD protection circuit including a discharging component, a diode, and an ESD detection circuit. The discharging component is coupled between an input/output pad and a first power line of an IC. The diode is coupled between the input/output pad and a second power line of the IC in a forward direction toward the input/output pad.
The ESD detection circuit includes a capacitor, a resistor, and a triggering component. The capacitor and the resistor are formed in series between the first power line and the second power line. The triggering component has a positive power end coupled to the first power line and a negative power end coupled to the input/output pad. An input of the triggering component is coupled to a node between the capacitor and the resistor. The discharging component is turned off during normal power operations and triggered by an output of the triggering component in an ESD event.
The third embodiment according to the invention is an ESD protection circuit including a first discharging component, a second discharging component, and an ESD detection circuit. The first discharging component is coupled between an input/output pad and a first power line of an IC. The second discharging component is coupled between the input/output pad and a second power line of the IC.
The ESD detection circuit includes a capacitor, a resistor, a first triggering component, and a second triggering component. The capacitor and the resistor are formed in series between the first power line and the second power line. The first triggering component has a first positive power end coupled to the input/output pad and a first negative power end coupled to the first power line. A first input of the first triggering component is coupled to a node between the capacitor and the resistor. The second triggering component has a second positive power end coupled to the second power line and a second negative power end coupled to the input/output pad. A second input of the second triggering component is coupled to the node between the capacitor and the resistor.
The first and the second discharging components are turned off during normal power operations. The first discharging component is triggered by a first output of the first triggering component during a first ESD event, and the second discharging component is triggered by a second output of the second triggering component during a second ESD event.
The fourth embodiment according to the invention is an ESD protection circuit including a discharging component, a first diode, a second diode, and an ESD detection circuit. The discharging component is coupled between an input/output pad and a first power line of an IC. The first diode is coupled between the input/output pad and an ESD bus in a forward direction toward the ESD bus. The second diode is coupled between the ESD bus and a second power line of the IC in a forward direction toward the ESD bus.
The ESD detection circuit includes a capacitor, a resistor, and a triggering component. The capacitor and the resistor are formed in series between the first power line and the second power line. The triggering component has a positive power end coupled to the ESD bus and a negative power end coupled to the first power line. An input of the triggering component is coupled to a node between the capacitor and the resistor. The discharging component is turned off during normal power operations, and triggered by an output of the triggering component in an ESD event.
The fifth embodiment according to the invention is an ESD protection circuit including a discharging component, a first diode, a second diode, and an ESD detection circuit. The discharging component is coupled between an input/output pad and a first power line of an IC. The first diode is coupled between the input/output pad and an ESD bus in a forward direction toward the input/output pad. The second diode is coupled between the ESD bus and a second power line of the IC in a forward direction toward the second power line.
The ESD detection circuit includes a capacitor, a resistor, and a triggering component. The capacitor and the resistor are formed in series between the first power line and the second power line. The triggering component has a positive power end coupled to the first power line and a negative power end coupled to the ESD bus. An input of the triggering component is coupled to a node between the capacitor and the resistor. The discharging component is turned off during normal power operations, and triggered by an output of the triggering component in an ESD event.
The sixth embodiment according to the invention is an ESD protection circuit including a first discharging component, a second discharging component, a first diode, a second diode, a third diode, a fourth diode, and an ESD detection circuit.
The first discharging component is coupled between an input/output pad and a first power line of an IC. The second discharging component is coupled between the input/output pad and a second power line of the IC. The first diode is coupled between the input/output pad and a first ESD bus in a forward direction toward the first ESD bus. The second diode is coupled between the first ESD bus and the second power line in a forward direction toward the first ESD bus. The third diode is coupled between the input/output pad and a second ESD bus in a forward direction toward the input/output pad. The fourth diode is coupled between the second ESD bus and the second power line in a forward direction toward the second power line.
The ESD detection circuit includes a capacitor, a resistor, a first triggering component, and a second triggering component. The first triggering component has a first positive power end coupled to the first ESD bus and a first negative power end coupled to the first power line. A first input of the first triggering component is coupled to a node between the capacitor and the resistor. The second triggering component has a second positive power end coupled to the second power line and a second negative power end coupled to the second ESD bus. A second input of the second triggering component is coupled to the node between the capacitor and the resistor.
The first and the second discharging components are turned off during normal power operations. The first discharging component is triggered by a first output of the first triggering component during a first ESD event, and the second discharging component is triggered by a second output of the second triggering component in a second ESD event.
FIG. 1 through FIG. 6 show several traditional circuits disclosed in prior arts.
FIG. 7 illustrates the ESD protection circuit in the first embodiment according to the invention.
FIG. 8 illustrates the ESD protection circuit in the second embodiment according to the invention.
FIG. 9 illustrates several applicable examples of the discharging component coupled between an I/O pad and the VDD power rail.
FIG. 10 illustrates several applicable examples of the discharging component coupled between an I/O pad and the VSS power rail.
FIG. 11 illustrates the ESD protection circuit in the third embodiment according to the invention.
FIG. 12 illustrates the ESD protection circuit in the fourth embodiment according to the invention.
FIG. 13 illustrates the ESD protection circuit in the fifth embodiment according to the invention.
FIG. 14 illustrates the ESD protection circuit in the sixth embodiment according to the invention.
Please refer to FIG. 7, which illustrates the ESD protection circuit in the first embodiment according to the invention. This ESD protection circuit 70 includes a discharging component 72, a diode D1, and an ESD detection circuit 74. The discharging component 72 is coupled between an input/output pad and a first power line (VSS) of the IC in which the ESD protection circuit 70 is set. The diode D1 is coupled between the input/output pad and a second power line (VDD) of the IC in a forward direction toward the second power line.
The ESD detection circuit 74 includes a resistor R1, a capacitor C1, and a triggering component. In this embodiment, the triggering component is an inverter labeled as INV_1. The resistor R1 and the capacitor C1 are formed in series and coupled between the first power line and the second power line. As shown in FIG. 7, the inverter INV_1 has a positive power end coupled to the input/output pad and a negative power end coupled to the first power line. The input of the inverter INV_1 is coupled to the node between the capacitor C1 and the resistor R1. The output of the inverter INV_1 is coupled to the discharging component 72.
FIG. 9 illustrates several applicable examples of the discharging component 72. In actual applications, the discharging component 72 can be a gate-driven NMOS in FIG. 9(A), an NPN BJT in FIG. 9(B), a gate-grounded NMOS in FIG. 9(C), a P-type substrate-triggered SCR in FIG. 9(D), or an NMOS with its gate terminal coupled to a pre-buffer in FIG. 9(E).
During normal power operations of the internal circuits 100, the discharging component 72 is turned off. Under PD-mode ESD stresses, the diode D1 is forward-biased to discharge ESD currents from the input/output pad to the second power line. Under PS-mode ESD stresses, the RC-delay caused by R1 and C1 turns on the PMOS in the inverter INV_1. Thus, the discharging component 72 can be turned on by the output current of output voltage of INV_1. Thereby, the ESD current is discharged from the input/output pad to the first power line, and the internal circuit 100 can be protected from being damaged by ESD.
In actual applications, the triggering component can also be an M-input NAND with all inputs coupled together or an N-input NOR with all inputs coupled together, wherein M and N are both positive integers larger than 1, respectively.
Please refer to FIG. 8, which illustrates the ESD protection circuit in the second embodiment according to the invention. This ESD protection circuit 80 includes a discharging component 82, a diode, and an ESD detection circuit 84. The discharging component 82 is coupled between an input/output pad and a first power line (VDD) of an IC. The diode is coupled between the input/output pad and a second power line (VSS) of the IC in a forward direction toward the input/output pad.
The ESD detection circuit 84 includes a capacitor C1, a resistor R1, and a triggering component. In this embodiment, the triggering component is composed of two inverters, INV_2 and INV_3, coupled in series. The capacitor C1 and resistor R1 are formed in series between the first power line and the second power line. As shown in FIG. 8, the inverters respectively have a positive power end coupled to the first power line and a negative power end coupled to the input/output pad. Besides, the input of the inverter INV_3 is coupled to the node between the capacitor C1 and resistor R1.
FIG. 10 illustrates several applicable examples of the discharging component 82. In actual applications, the discharging component 82 can be a gate-driven PMOS in FIG. 10(A), a PNP BJT in FIG. 10(B), a gate-VDD PMOS in FIG. 10(C), a N-type substrate-triggered SCR in FIG. 10(D), or a PMOS with its gate terminal coupled to a pre-buffer in FIG. 10(E).
During normal power operations of the internal circuits 100, the discharging component 82 is turned off. Under NS-mode ESD stresses, the diode D1 is forward-biased to discharge ESD currents from the second power line to the input/output pad. On the other side, under ND-mode ESD stresses, the RC-delay of R1 and C1 turns on the PMOS of the inverter INV_3 and the NMOS of the inverter INV_2. Therefore, the discharging component 82 between the first power line and the input/output pad can be turned on by the output current or output voltage of the inverter INV_2.
In actual applications, the two inverters, INV_2 and INV_3, can be replaced by an M-input NAND plus an N-input NAND, an M-input NOR plus an N-input NOR, or an M-input NAND plus an N-input NOR. M and N are both positive integers larger than 1, respectively. According to the invention, the M or N inputs of the devices are coupled with each other.
Please refer to FIG. 11, which illustrates the ESD protection circuit in the third embodiment according to the invention. In this embodiment, the circuits in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are combined to cope with all ESD conditions (PD-mode, PS-mode, ND-mode, and NS-mode).
As shown in FIG. 11, the ESD protection circuit 110 includes a first discharging component 92, a second discharging component 94, and an ESD detection circuit 96. The first discharging component 92 is coupled between an input/output pad and a first power line (VSS) of an IC. The second discharging component 94 is coupled between the input/output pad and a second power line (VDD) of the IC.
The ESD detection circuit 96 includes a capacitor C1, a resistor R1, and three inverters. The first inverter INV_1 has a first positive power end coupled to the input/output pad and a first negative power end coupled to the first power line. The input of the first inverter INV_1 is coupled to the node between the capacitor and the resistor. The second inverter INV_2 and the third inverter INV_3 respectively have a positive power end coupled to the second power line and a negative power end coupled to the input/output pad.
The first discharging component 92 can be one of the devices shown in FIG. 9; the second discharging component 94 can be one of the devices shown in FIG. 10. During normal power operations of the internal circuits 100, the first discharging component 92 and the second discharging component 94 are turned off. As described in the aforementioned embodiments, the three inverters are used for turning on the discharging components 92 and 94 in the ESD events.
Under PS-mode ESD stresses, the RC-delay of R1 and C1 turns on the PMOS in inverter INV_1 to turn on the first discharging component 92. Under ND-mode ESD stresses, the RC-delay of R1 and C1 turns on the PMOS in inverter INV_3 and the NMOS in inverter INV_2 to turn on the second discharging component 94. Under PD-mode ESD stresses, ESD currents can be conducted through the diode formed by the second discharging component 94. Under NS-mode ESD stresses, ESD currents can be conducted through the diode formed by the first discharging component 92.
For ESD protection of an output pad, the gate terminals of the MOSs in the inverters can be connected to a pre-buffer and act as a part of the output buffer. Besides, each inverter in this embodiment can be replaced by NAND or NOR with all inputs connected together.
FIG. 12 illustrates the ESD protection circuit in the fourth embodiment according to the invention. In this embodiment, an ESD bus (ESD_Bus_1) is added between the VDD power rail and the input/output pad. With ESD_Bus_1, the coupling effects at VDD can be reduced when there is overshoot at the input/output pad. Further, in this embodiment, the power ends of the inverter INV_1 is connected to ESD_Bus_1 and VSS, so the parasitic effects of INV_1 are not contributed to the input/output pad. Thus, with ESD_Bus_1, this design is more suitable for analog or high-frequency applications.
As shown in FIG. 12, a diode D2 is coupled between ESD_Bus_1 and the VDD power rail in a forward direction toward ESD_Bus_1. The function of this diode is to prevent coupling from ESD_Bus_1 to VDD. The operations of the inverter INV_1, the discharging component 12A, the diode D1, the capacitor C1, and the resistor R1 are similar to those in the first embodiment above and not described again herein.
FIG. 13 illustrates the ESD protection circuit in the fifth embodiment according to the invention. In this embodiment, an ESD bus (ESD Bus 2) is added between the VSS power rail and the input/output pad. With ESD_Bus_2, the coupling effects at VSS can be reduced when there is undershoot at the input/output pad. Besides, the inverters, INV_2 and INV_3, are connected between VDD and ESD_Bus_2, so the parasitic effects of the inverters are not contributed to the input/output pad.
As shown in FIG. 13, a diode D3 is coupled between ESD_Bus_2 and the VSS power rail in a forward direction toward ESD_Bus_2. The function of this diode is to prevent coupling from ESD_Bus_2 to VSS. The operations of the inverters, the discharging component 13A, the diode D2, the capacitor C1, and the resistor R1 are similar to those in the second embodiment above and not described again herein.
FIG. 14 illustrates the ESD protection circuit in the sixth embodiment according to the invention. In this embodiment, an ESD bus (ESD_Bus_1) is added between the VDD power rail and the input/output pad, and another ESD bus (ESD_Bus_2) is added between the VSS power rail and the input/output pad. With the two buses, the coupling effects induced by overshoot or undershoot at the I/O pad are reduced.
The operations of the inverters (INV_1˜INV_3), the discharging components (14A and 14B), the diodes (D1˜D4), the capacitor C1, and the resistor R1 are similar to those in the embodiments above and not described again herein. Similarly, each of the inverters in FIG. 12˜FIG. 14 can respectively be replaced by NAND or NOR with all inputs connected together.
In this invention, several new ESD detection circuits are proposed. The circuits can effectively provide trigger current to turn on discharging components when an integrated circuit is under ESD stresses. Furthermore, the proposed ESD bus in this invention can reduce the coupling effects between input/output pads and VDD or VSS power rails when there is overshoot or undershoot at input/output pads. | 2019-04-24T06:20:12 | http://www.patentsencyclopedia.com/app/20090021872 |
0.95103 | The Indian government has tried to count the number of "illegal Bangladeshi immigrants' and failed. Most Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam and Bengal have a history going back to the 1860s.
The "illegal Bangladeshi immigrant" is a major part of the cycle of violence and politics in Assam and is threatening to engulf West Bengal too. But just who is the "illegal Bangladeshi immigrant"?
There are no focused studies and no reliable data. That is why hypothetical figures and random estimates are easily deployed as fact in the service of politics and ethnic violence. How and when did the figure of the "illegal Bangladeshi immigrant" come to prevail in the popular imagination as a threat to national security and integration of the country?
1826: The history of Bengali-speaking Muslim migrants into the North East from East Bengal – which later became East Pakistan and then Bangladesh – is an old one. After the Treaty of Yandaboo in 1826, colonial officers viewed annexed Assam as a “dreary and desolate wilderness” and decided that “four millions immigrants should be received and settled in the province” to further the old colonial goal of maximising revenues. Special officers were appointed just to oversee this migration of labour.
1871: The migrations radically altered the demography of the region as people from densely populated East Bengal districts such as Myamansingh, Dhaka, Pabna were settled in Assam. The 1871 census recorded major changes in Assam districts such as Goalpara, Nowgong, Darrang and Kamrup.
1930s: Migration subsequently intensified the competition for resources among different ethnic groups. Before 1947, provincial governments headed by Sayeed Mohammed Saadullah and Gopinath Bordoloi attempted to protect tribal land using the Line System, which drew an imaginary line between the lands of tribals and immigrants. The All India Muslim League pressed for its abolition. In 1939, the Saadulah government opened up grazing reserves to settle immigrants under a “grow more food” campaign (which Viceroy of India Lord Wavell said meant "Grow More Muslims"). The British policy of divide and rule was in full play.
1947: Serious changes in the area's demographic composition and the threat to tribal land was acknowledged when in 1947 tribal belts were created by an amendment of The Assam Land and Revenues Regulation of 1886. The Gopinath Bordoloi established 46 tribal blocks, covering an area of 16,75,946 hectares. The rules also allowed the government to resettle people displaced by natural disasters like floods and earthquakes and land acquisition. Muslim cultivators who had settled in the "char", or river islands, and "chaporis" (low-lying flood-prone areas) were the biggest beneficiaries of this provision.
1951: The 1951 census estimated the number of migrants from East Bengal at around one million to 1.5 million – between one-tenth to one-sixth of the total population of the state. Of the 1.1 million acres of wasteland inhabited by migrants in Assam, nearly half a million acres was being farmed by East Bengal settlers. These immigrants, and their descendents, are neither illegal nor Bangladeshi.
1948-1961: According to the Indian Home Ministry, about 3.1 million persons, mainly Hindus, migrated from East Pakistan from 1948 to 1961. The chief minister of Assam of that time, BP Chaliha, spoke about the influx of nearly 1,80,000 refugees from East Pakistan to Assam between January, 1964 and January, 1965.
1971: In Assam, Tripura and West Bengal, the flow of Bengali migration continued after Partition. The population flow into North East India during the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war complicated the binaries of "migrant" and "refugee" because the majority of Bengali Muslims entered India to avoid political persecution by the Pakistani forces, not to find jobs. The Assam Accord of 1985 between the central government and Assamese agitators fixed 1971 as the cut-off year to detect and deport illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.
As opposed to this complex history outlined above, let us see what politicians say.
1) Indrajit Gupta, the Home Minister of India, said in the Parliament in 1997, in the first official statement of this kind, that there were 10 million illegal migrants in India. Quoting a Home Ministry source, India Today magazine the next year provided a statewise breakdown: West Bengal 5.4 million, Assam 4 million, Tripura 8 million, Bihar 0.5 million, Maharashtra 0.5 million, Rajasthan 0.5 million and Delhi 0.3 million, making a total of 10.83 million.
2) In the same year, Assam Governor, Lieutenant General (Retd) SK Sinha, warned in a report to the President that the illegal Bangladeshi influx "poses a grave threat both to the identity of the Assamese people and to our national security” and that “large-scale illegal migration from East Pakistan/Bangladesh over several decades has been altering the demographic complexion of this State." However, the report was candid in admitting that “no census has been carried out to determine the number of these illegal migrants. Precise and authentic figures are not available but on the basis of estimates, extrapolations and various indicators, their number runs into millions."
3) In 2001, a report by the Task Force on Border Management headed by Madhav Godbole put the figure of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants at 15 million, with 300,000 entering India illegally every month. In January 2003, deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani issued a national directive to all states to take "immediate step to identify irregular Bangladeshis, locate them, and throw them out". Minister of State for Home Affairs Prakash Jaiswal in 2004 told the Rajya Sabha that there were 1,20,53,950 illegal Bangladeshis in India. According to these figures, the number for Assam was 5 million, West Bengal 5.7 million, followed by Bihar at 4.7 million and Delhi at 3.75 million.
4) If one were to go by the Home Ministry estimates, the increase in the number of illegal Bangladeshi migrants is much lower than the previous figures. This report also explicitly states that “the reported figures were not based on any comprehensive or sample study but were based on hearsay and that too from interested parties. Therefore, no realistic figures can be given for illegal Bangladeshis in Assam. In the case of West Bengal also, the figures are based on unreliable estimates and are incorrect.” This admission is symptomatic of most official statements on the issue of illegal immigration.
5) It was admitted in Rajya Sabha in 2007 that “according to available reports”, Bangladeshi nationals have been using the porous Indo-Bangladesh border to enter into India illegally but it has also been clarified that it is difficult to make a realistic estimate about the number of such illegal Bangladeshi immigrants “because they enter surreptitiously and are able to mingle easily with the local population due to ethnic and linguistic similarities”.
6) A white paper on the issue of illegal immigration in October 2012 published by the Assam Government states that various tribunals have since 1985 declared 61,774 persons as foreigners. Of them, 32,537 persons are, as per the Assam Accord, to be gradually registered as Indian citizens.
These difficulties of state and central governments in identifying and quantifying "illegal Bangladeshi immigrants", when seen against the long history of Bengali-speaking Muslims migrating from what was once a part of India to another part of India, suggests that the "illegal Bangladeshi immigrant" is more a political bogey than a serious large-scale threat to India. | 2019-04-24T00:33:32 | https://scroll.in/article/664077/bengali-muslims-who-migrated-to-assam-in-1871-are-not-illegal-bangladeshis |
0.999987 | Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA.
Did climate change shape human evolution? This question has old, deep roots (1, 2), but in recent decades, the fossil record of hominin evolution and behavior has improved, although it remains incomplete, and great progress has been made in the quality and number of African paleoclimate records from land and ocean sediments (3). A recent National Research Council (NRC) report (4) examines emerging faunal and paleoclimate evidence underlying the hypothesis that past climate changes may have influenced our evolution.
The basic premise is that large-scale shifts in climate alter the ecological structure and resource availability of a given setting, which leads to selection pressures (3, 5). Indeed, some of the larger climate shifts in Earth history were accompanied by unusually high rates of faunal turnover—bursts of biotic extinction, speciation, and innovation (6–8). For example, a large turnover event occurred near 34 million years ago (Ma) when Earth cooled abruptly and large glaciers first expanded upon Antarctica (8, 9). Many of the taxa that appeared after 34 Ma were better adapted to the new environments that emerged, which included cooler polar regions, greater seasonality, and arid grasslands.
Notable hominin extinction, speciation, and behavioral events appear to be associated with changes in African climate in the past 5 million years. First appearance and extinction events, as well as key behavioral milestones, cluster between 2.9 and 2.6 Ma and again between 1.9 and 1.6 Ma (see the figure, panel A). In the earlier group, these events include the extinction of Australopithecus afarensis (“Lucy”) near 2.9 Ma; the emergence of the robust australopiths (Paranthropus spp.), with large jaws and grinding teeth, near 2.7 Ma; and the emergence of the larger-brained Homo lineage sometime after 2.6 Ma, near the time when the first evidence for Oldowan stone tool manufacture, use, and transport appears (10).
Important evolutionary developments between 1.9 and 1.6 Ma (4) included the first appearance of Homo erectus—the first hominin species to resemble modern humans, with large brains, similar dentition, and a lithe frame—near 1.9 Ma. By 1.6 Ma, the more developed and refined Acheulean stone tool industry appears, including bifacial hand axes. This period also includes the first hominin exodus out of Africa and into Europe and South Asia.
For any given time period, the number and diversity of hominin fossils is low relative to most other taxa. Paleontologists have turned to another mammalian group that shared the African landscape with our ancestors, the bovids, for evidence of climate influences. These even-toed ungulates, such as antelopes, represent roughly one-third of African fossils [hominin fossils constitute <1% (11)]. An all-Africa analysis of bovid evolution spanning the past 6 million years revealed several turnover events where rates of speciation and extinction were well above background levels (5). The two largest of these events occurred near 2.8 Ma and 1.8 Ma (5), and the nature of the faunal changes implicates aridification and grassland expansion as a likely cause; for example, many new grazing bovid species appeared with specialized dentition (hypsodont molars) for processing the abrasive, grassy diet (12).
African climate changes during the past 5 million years bear the signatures of two separate processes (13). Orbital precession forcing (with a period of ∼20,000 years) acted as a “monsoonal pacemaker” that switched between wet and dry conditions. A long-term trend toward increasing drier and more variable conditions is superimposed on these wet-dry cycles, commencing after ∼3 Ma and peaking near 1.8 to 1.6 Ma.
A snapshot of African evolutionary and paleoclimate changes.
(A) Summary diagram of human evolution spanning the past 4.6 million years [no phylogenetic relations are indicated; compiled from (4, 10)]. First appearances and approximate durations of Mode 1 (Oldowan) and Mode 2 (Acheulean) stone tools are indicated (11). (B) Occurrences of Mediterranean sapropel deposits compiled from marine and land sediment sequences (15). (C) Compilation of sedimentary evidence indicating deep lake conditions recorded in several East African paleolake basins (16, 17). (D) Carbon isotopic analyses of plant-wax biomarker compounds measured at Site 231 in the Gulf of Aden, currently the most proximal ocean drilling site to hominin fossil localities (18). The shift to higher values after 3 Ma indicates a greater proportions of C4 vegetation, or savannah grasslands. (E) Carbon isotopic values of soil carbonate nodules compiled from several studies (19, 20), also indicating grassland expansion after ∼3 Ma, peaking between 1.8 and 1.6 Ma. (F) Relative abundance of African mammals indicative of seasonally arid grasslands in the lower Omo Valley (Ethiopia), showing an initial increase in grassland-adapted mammals after 2.5 Ma with peak values after 1.8 Ma (12).
The African wet-dry cycles are impressive: From 15,000 to 5000 years ago, the modern Saharan Desert was nearly completely vegetated, with large, permanent lakes and abundant fauna (14). Precessional increases in summer radiation invigorated the monsoon, delivering more rainfall deeper into Africa, and enhanced Nile river runoff flooded into the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The resulting freshwater stratification created anoxic conditions and led to deposition of organic-rich sediments (sapropels) on the seafloor. Stratigraphic sections representing many millions of years contain hundreds of these sapropel layers (15), and these layers are commonly bundled into 100,000- and 412,000-year packages associated with the modulation of orbital precession monsoon cycles with the eccentricity of Earth's orbit (see the figure, panel B). Many East African rift valley lakes in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania were high during a few, but not all, of these high-eccentricity intervals (see the figure, panel C) (16, 17).
The long-term drying trend is documented by increases in African wind-borne dust after 2.8 Ma, with peak values near 1.8 to 1.6 Ma off East Africa (13). Carbon isotopic analyses of plant wax biomarker compounds from a drill site in the Gulf of Aden (18) (see the figure, panel D) and analyses of soil carbonate nodules near hominin fossil localities (19, 20) (see the figure, panel E) indicate that East African savannah grasslands expanded at these times. Increased numbers of grazing bovid species parallel the grassland expansion (see the figure, panel F) (12).
Hypotheses linking African climate and faunal change are constrained by these new observations. Faunal lineages typically persisted throughout dozens of wet-dry climate cycles, so it is unlikely that the orbital-scale variability alone was a selection agent. Similarly, early hypotheses emphasizing only the unidirectional development of open vegetation do not capture the now-evident complexity of African climate variability. An emerging view is that African fauna, including our forebears, may have been shaped by changes in climate variability itself. These views posit that increasing climate variability led to climate and ecological shifts that were progressively larger in amplitude (3, 21, 22).
One strategy articulated in the NRC report (4) is to investigate the key evolutionary milestone events as natural history experiments. The grand challenge will be to develop coordinated sets of observations to test proposed links between African climate and faunal change. The foremost task will be to improve the fossil and paleoclimate records, especially for those intervals where available evidence is most suggestive of climatic forcing of adaptive evolutinary change.
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Climate change and its effects on African ecosystems may have played a key role in human evolution. | 2019-04-19T22:20:17 | https://science.sciencemag.org/content/331/6017/540?ijkey=b292b70b80013d73d09c9c1d6a578b095a72f107&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha |
0.998873 | I recently spoke at the iTechLaw conference on a panel on software patents, questioning the need for patenting of software.
This blog post is based on a presentation made at the [iTechLaw conference] held on February 5, 2010. The audience consisted of lawyers from various corporations and corporate law firms. As is their wont, most lawyers when dealing with software patents get straight to an analysis of law governing the patenting of computer programmes in India and elsewhere, and seeing whether any loopholes exist and can be exploited to patent software. It was refreshing to see at least some lawyers actually going into questions of the need for patents to cover computer programs. In my presentation, I made a multi-pronged case against software patents: (1) philosophical justification against software patents based on the nature of software; (2) legal case against software patents; (3) practical reasons against software patents.
Through these arguments, it is sought to be shown that patentability of software is not some arcane, technical question of law, but is a real issue that affect the continued production of new software and the everyday life of the coder/hacker/software programmer/engineer as well as consumers of software (which is, I may remind you, everywhere from your pacemaker to your phone). A preamble to the arguments would note that the main question to ask is: **why should we allow for patenting of software**? Answering this question will lead us to ask: **who benefits from patenting of software**. The conclusion that I come to is that patenting of software helps three categories of people: (1) those large software corporations that already have a large number of software patents; (2) those corporations that do not create software, but only trade in patents / sue on the basis of patents ("patent trolls"); (3) patent lawyers. How they don't help small and medium enterprises nor society at large (since they deter, rather than further invention) will be borne out by the rest of these arguments, especially the section on practical reasons against software patents.
Patents are a twenty-year monopoly granted by the State on any invention. An invention has to have at least four characteristics: (0) patentable subject matter; (1) novelty (it has to be new); (2) inventive step / non-obviousness (even if new, it should not be obvious); (3) application to industry. A monopoly over that invention, thus means that if person X has invented something, then I may not use the core parts of that invention ("the essential claims") in my own invention. This prohibition applies even if I have come upon my invention without having known about X's invention. (Thus, independent creation is not a defence to patent infringement. This distinguishes it, for instance, from copyright law in which two people who created the same work independently of each other can both assert copyright.) Patents cover non-abstract ideas/functionality while copyright covers specific expressions of ideas. To clarify: imagine I make a drawing of a particular machine and describe the procedure of making it. Under patent law, no one else can make that particular machine, while under copyright law, no one can copy that drawing.
Even without going into the case against patents _per se_ (lack of independent creation as a defence; lack of 'harm' as a criterion leading to internalization of all positive externalities; lack of effective disclosure and publication; etc.), which has been done much more ably by others like [Bessen & Meurer] (especially in their book [Patent Failure]) and [Boldrin & Levine] (in their book [Against Intellectual Monopoly], the full text of which is available online).
But there is one essentially philosophical argument against software as subject matter of a patent. Software/computer programs ("instructions for a computer"), as any software engineer would tell you, are merely [algorithms] ("an effective method for solving a problem using a finite sequence of instructions") that are meant to be understood by a computer or a human who knows how to read that code.
Algorithms are not patentable subject matter, as they are mere expressions of abstract ideas, and not inventions in themselves. Computer programs, similarly, are abstract ideas. They only stop being abstract ideas when embodied in a machine or a process in which it is the machine/process that is the essential claim and not the software. That machine or process being patented would not grant protection to the software itself, but to the whole machine or process. Thus the abstract part of that machine/process (i.e., the computer program) could be used in any other machine/process, as it it is not the subject matter of the patent. Importantly, just because software is required to operate some machine would then not mean that the machine itself is not patentable, just that the software cannot be patented in guise of patenting a machine.
> (3) The following are not inventions within the meaning of this Act: (k) a mathematical or business method or computer programme (_sic_) _per se_ or algorithms.
As one can see, computer programs are place in the same category as "mathematical methods", "algorithms", and "business methods", hence giving legal validity to the idea propounded in the previous section that computer programs are a kind of algorithms (just as algorithms are a kind of mathematical method).
> (3) The following are not inventions within the meaning of this Act: (k) a computer programme _per se_ other than its technical application to industry or a combination with hardware; (ka) a mathematical method or a business method or algorithms.
Thus, it is clear that the interpretation that "computer programme _per se_" excludes "a computer programme that has technical application to industry" and "a computer programme in combination with hardware" is wrong. By rejecting the 2004 Ordinance wording, Parliament has clearly shown that "technical application to industry" and "combination with hardware" do not make a computer programme patentable subject matter.
Indeed, what exactly is "technical application to industry"? ["Technical"][technical] has various definitions, and a perusal through those definitions would show that barely any computer program can be said not to relate to a technique, not involve "specialized knowledge of applied arts and sciences" (it is code, after all; not everyone can write good algorithms), or not relate to "a practical subject that is organized according to scientific principles" or is "technological". Similarly, all software is, [by definition][software-def], meant to be used in combination with hardware. Thus, it being used in combination with hardware must not, as argued above, give rise to patentability of otherwise unpatentable subject matter category.
In 2008, the Patent Office published a new 'Draft Manual Of Patent Practice And Procedure' in which it sought to allow patenting of certain method claims for software inventions (while earlier the Patent Office objected to method claims, allowing only device claims with hardware components). This Draft Manual was withdrawn from circulation, with Shri N.N. Prasad (then Joint Secretary of DIPP, the department administering the Patent Office) noting that the parts of the Manual on sections 3(d) and 3(k) had generated a lot of controversy, and were _ultra vires_ the scope of the Manual (which could not override the Patent Act). He promised that those parts would be dropped and the Manual would be re-written. A revised draft of the Manual has not yet been released. Thus the interpretation provided in the Draft Manual (which was based heavily on the interpretation of the U.K. courts) cannot not be relied upon as a basis for arguments in favour of the patentability of software in India.
In October 2008, CIS helped organize a [National Public Meeting on Software Patents][npmsp] in which Indian academics, industry, scientists, and FOSS enthusiasts all came to the conclusion that software patents are harmful for [both the industry as well as consumers][sp-article].
This is going to be an attempt at distilling and simplifying some of the main practical arguments against patenting of software.
There are traditionally [four incentives that the patent system caters to][incentives]: (1) incentive to invent; (2) incentive to disclose; (3) incentive to commercialize; and (4) incentive to invent substitutes. Apart from the last, patenting of software does not really aid any of them. Even the last is not achieved when patent gridlocks form, as will be seen below.
Given that computer programs are algorithms, having monopolies over such abstract ideas is detrimental to innovation. Just the metaphors say a lot about software patents: landmines (they cannot be seen/predicted); submarines (they surface out of the blue); gridlocks (because there are so many software patents around the same area of computing, they prevent further innovation in that area, since no program can be written without violating one patent or the other).
Imagine the madness that would have ensued had patents been granted when computer programming was in its infancy. Imagine different methods of sorting (quick sort, bubble sort) that are part of Computer Science 101 had been patented. While those particular instances aren't, similar algorithms, such as data compression algorithms (including the infamous [LZW compression method][lzw]), have been granted patents. Most importantly, even if one codes certain functionality into software independently of the patent holder, that is still violative of the patent. Computer programs being granted patents makes it extremely difficult to create other computer programs that are based on the same abstract ideas. Thus incentives # (1) and (3) are not fulfilled, and indeed, they are harmed. There is no incentive to invent, as one would always be violating one patent or the other. Given that, there is no incentive to commercialize what one has invented, because of fear of patent infringement suits.
Indeed, even the most diligent companies cannot guard themselves against software patents. FFII estimates that a very simple online shopping website [would violate twenty different patents at the very least][webshop]. Microsoft recently lost a case against i4i when i4i surfaced with a patent covering custom XML as implemented in MS Office 2003 and MS Office 2007. As a result Microsoft had to ship patches to its millions of customers, to disable the functionality and bypass that patent. The manufacturers of BlackBerry, the Canadian company Research in Motion, had to shell out [USD 617 million as settlement][RIM-NTP] to NTP over wireless push e-mail, as it was otherwise faced with the possibility of the court shutting down the BlackBerry service in the U.S. This happened despite there being a well-known method of doing so pre-dating the NTP patents. NTP has also filed cases against AT&T, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and Palm Inc. [Microsoft was also hit by Visto Corporation][visto] over those same NTP patents, which had been licensed to Visto (a startup).
* ####Don't These Cases Show How Software Patents Help Small Companies?
The astute reader might be tempted to ask: are not all of these examples of small companies getting their dues from larger companies? Doesn't all of this show that software patents actually help small and medium enterprises (SMEs)? The answer to that is: no. To see why, we need to note the common thread binding i4i, NTP, and Visto. None of them were, at the time of their lawsuits, actually creating new software, and NTP was an out-and-out "non-practising entity"/"patent holding company" AKA, patent troll. i4i was in the process of closing shop, and Visto had just started up. None of these were actually practising the patent. None of these were producing any other software. Thus, none of these companies had anything to lose by going after big companies. In other words, the likes of Microsoft, RIM, Verizon, AT&T, etc., could not file counter-suits of patent infringement, which is normally what happens when SMEs try to assert patent rights against larger corporations. For every patent that the large corporation violates of the smaller corporation, the smaler corporation would be violating at least ten of the larger corporation's. Software patents are more helpful for software companies as a tool for cross-licensing rather than as a way of earning royalties. Even this does not work as a strategy against patent trolls.
Thus, the assertion that was made at the beginning is borne out: software patents help only patent trolls, large corporations that already have large software patent portfolios, and the lawyers who draft these patents and later argue them out in court.
Twenty years of monopoly rights is outright ludicrous in an industry where the rate of turnover of technology is much faster -- anywhere between two years and five months.
In India, software patents have never been asserted in courts (even though many have been [illegally granted][illegal-sp]), yet the software industry in India is growing in leaps and bounds. Similarly, most of the big (American) giants of the software industry today grew to their stature by using copyright to "protect" their software, and not patents.
As noted above, the code/expression of any software is internationally protected by copyright law. There is no reason to protect the ideas/functionality of that software as well.
When ordinary computer programmers cannot understand what a particular software patent covers (which is the overwhelming case), then the patent is of no use. One of the main incentives of the patent system is to encourage gifted inventors to share their genius with the world. It is not about gifted inventors paying equally gifted lawyers to obfuscate their inventions into gobbledygook so that other gifted inventors can at best hazard a guess as to precisely what is and is not covered by that patent. Thus, this incentive (#2) is not fulfilled by the current system of patents either -- not unless there is a major overhaul of the system. This ties in with the impossibility of ensuring that one is not violating a software patent. If a reasonably smart software developer (who are often working as individuals, and as part of SMEs) cannot quickly ascertain whether one is violating patents, then there is a huge disincentive against developing software in that area at all.
Software patents hinder the development of software and FOSS licences, as the licensee is not allowed to restrict the rights of the sub-licensees over and above the restrictions that the licensee has to observe. Thus, all patent clearances obtained by the licensee must be passed on to the sub-licensees. Thus, patented software, though most countries around the world do not recognize them, are generally not included in the default builds of many FOSS operating systems. This inhabits the general adoption of FOSS, since many of the software patents, even though not enforceable in India, are paid heed to by the software that Indians download, and the MP3 and DivX formats are not enabled by default in standard installations of a Linux OS such as Ubuntu.
Currently, the U.S. patent system is being reviewed at the administrative level, the legislative level, as well as the judicial level. At the judicial level, the question of business method patents (and, by extension, software patents) is before the Supreme Court of the United States of America in the form of [_Bilski v. Kappos_][bilski]. Judge Mayer of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC, which heard _In re Bilksi_) noted that "the patent system has run amok". The Free Software Foundation submitted a most extensive [_amicus curiae_ brief][fsf-amicus] to the U.S. Supreme Court, filled with brilliant analysis of software patents and arguments against the patentability of software that is well worth a read. | 2019-04-21T22:03:54 | http://blog.narendrasisodiya.com/2010/02/cis-view-arguments-against-software.html |
0.999994 | As evidence of this phenomenon, consider the findings of Hujoel (1999).
This study selected a test population of 288 six-year old children that was divided up into different subgroups, one of which chewed xylitol gum on a daily basis over a two year time frame. At the end of this period the children's exposure to xylitol was terminated.
Over the course of the next five years (a time period that began at that point when the use of xylitol gum had been ceased), the children were periodically evaluated by dentists for tooth decay. Their findings were that the children who had had the xylitol exposure experience a 59% reduction in their tooth decay rate, as compared to the group of children who received no xylitol.
We want to make this point clear. The children who received this anti-cavity effect had chewed xylitol gum regularly for a two-year period and then stopped this activity totally.
Then, over the course of the next five years, a time frame when these children received absolutely no additional exposure to xylitol at all, there was a residual effect from having had their original exposure that provided a 59% reduction in cavities. Pretty astounding wouldn't you say?
The story continues, various teeth benefited differently.
When these researchers evaluated their data more closely, they noticed that the level of long-term residual protection varied for different teeth. And, in regard to this fact, it was the timing of the xylitol use that turned out to be the critical factor in determining the amount of protection that was afforded.
This study's findings revealed the following.
Residual long-term cavity protection effect provided for teeth that had already erupted prior to the use of xylitol. = None.
Residual long-term cavity protection effect provided for teeth that didn't erupt until one full year of xylitol consumption had been completed. = A 93% reduction in cavities.
Residual long-term cavity protection effect provided for teeth that erupted after two years of xylitol use. = An 88% reduction in tooth decay.
Let's recap this information too.
1) Amazingly, the simple act of regularly chewing xylitol-sweetened gum is capable of providing anti-cavity protection for children's teeth, even for several years after they have quit using it.
2) Mysteriously, this effect is only bestowed upon certain teeth, specifically those that don't erupt until at least one year after xylitol usage has been begun (including those teeth that erupt long after the use of xylitol has been ceased).
3) And, curiously, this same xylitol exposure does not provide this long-term tooth decay prevention for teeth that erupt before the first year of xylitol usage has been completed.
These mystical anti-cavity effects are easily explained in light of the following theory.
Research studies have determined that the initial bacterial colonization of a tooth's surface takes place at that time when it first erupts (first comes through the gums and is exposed to the oral environment). Once this initial colonization has taken place, these bacteria become the dominant inhabitants of the tooth's surface (such as in a tooth groove or pit) for the remainder of the person's life.
This means that the type of bacteria that initially colonize a tooth plays an important role in determining the life-long risk that tooth has for experiencing decay. Grooves and pits initially colonized by non-cariogenic bacteria (types of bacteria that can't cause cavities) typically will not be replaced by cariogenic bacteria later on.
Since the long-term use of xylitol is detrimental to the population of cariogenic bacterial living in a person's mouth, its use helps to insure that those bacteria that initially colonize a tooth's surface will be more likely to be non-harmful types.
After reading points 1,2 &3 I am wondering if regular use of xylitol by adults has much benefit. I don't have children that I would be concerned about passing my bacteria onto. Would regular use by adults reduce caries since their teeth are already colonized? Reduce the amount of plaque?
"Point #1 Research studies have determined that the initial bacterial colonization of a tooth's surface takes place at that time when it first erupts (first comes through the gums and is exposed to the oral environment). Once this initial colonization has taken place, these bacteria become the dominant inhabitants of the tooth's surface (such as in a tooth groove or pit) for the remainder of the person's life.
Since the long-term use of xylitol is detrimental to the population of cariogenic bacterial living in a person's mouth, its use helps to insure that those bacteria that initially colonize a tooth's surface will be more likely to be non-harmful types."
We'll refer you to a different page.
This page is focused on providing an explanation about why some studies have found a long-term effect of having consumed xylitol that extends long past when its usage has been ceased (an event that at face value would not be expected to exist). And yes, this benefit is created for people who were exposed to xylitol usage as children.
This page explains the general benefits of consuming xylitol (for anyone of any age) and how it creates this effect. | 2019-04-26T12:12:38 | https://www.xylitolpreventscavities.com/cavity-prevention/xylitol-long-term-effect.html |
0.999981 | "We're just a little bit behind," said head coach Bob Witman, entering his 22nd year leading Country Day. "There's still a lot of question marks. We're trying to get a look at these kids to see who's going to fill the spots of the kids we graduated last year."
One question that seems to be answered is at quarterback. Junior Michael Radford (6-foot-2, 175 pounds) will start this year after the graduation of two-year starter Morgan Roberts, now at Clemson.
Roberts was a dual-threat last year, rushing for 706 yards and 14 touchdowns and passing for 1,968 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Radford also proved at times last year that he can tuck the ball and run, getting 19 carries for 62 yards and two touchdowns.
"Mike Radford's a great athlete. He's got a strong arm, he just needs experience, and missing that scrimmage is going to hurt," said Witman.
Three players are competing to replace running back Thomas Passenant, who rushed for 1,021 yards and 14 touchdowns. Seniors Tyler Byrd (5-foot-10, 170) and Will Roberts (5-foot-10, 165) were the backups last year, and sophomore Michael Shields (5-foot-11, 175) also saw time in the backfield.
The lone returning starter at wide receiver is senior Bryan Erb. He, with juniors Jimmy Kleitches, Royce Turnbull and Tripp Mulligan, will try to make up for the graduation of all-state wide-out Wake Hamilton and receivers Lee Harrison and Brandon Santiago.
With the seniors gone, Witman isn't sure this year's offense will have the same explosiveness and quickness.
"We don't have the team speed we had last year, so that's a little bit of a concern because I don't see that changing a whole lot," he said.
The line is the most experienced part of the offense, with three returning starters, but it lost an important piece in all-state right guard Ward Showalter. Senior tackles Brian Duncan (6-foot-5, 225) and Marcel Souffrant (6-foot-2, 230) return with senior guard James Howe.
Many of those names will be on the defensive line this year, led by Howe (6-foot-1, 220 pounds) returning as an all-state defensive end. Duncan will fill the other end spot, and senior Martin Comer (5-foot-8, 195) will play tackle.
The only returning linebacker for the Bucs is junior Robert Engel (5-foot-7, 170), who will be joined by juniors Jack Hamrick and Pete Showalter. The secondary is more experienced, with Erb and Mulligan playing safety and senior Mac Clark and junior Scott Phillips at corner.
After winning the school's first football championship since 2004, Witman knows there's pressure to repeat.
"There's high expectations, like there should be," he said. "I think the kids realize that there's a lot of pressure on them to perform this year. There's high expectations, but we've got a lot of work to do. We're behind."
Luckily for the Bucs, they don't play any conference opponents until the last three games of the season, giving them plenty of time to get in position for the playoffs.
But there is one nonconference game every player and coach is thinking about: the Cook Cup game against Charlotte Catholic on Sept. 2.
"Every year, there's two goals the kids have had for the last umpteen years. Number one, win the Cook Cup, beating Catholic; and number two, win a state championship," said Witman. "That's obviously always going to be our goal. That is not out of the question to do that, and I think it's going to be an uphill struggle. If we can stay healthy and really execute like we're able to, I think we'll have a shot at it." | 2019-04-23T00:18:40 | https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/community/south-charlotte/article9065951.html |
0.938697 | A Nebraskan family reunion couldn't seem more backwards to a gay Californian teenager. If Ryder had his way, he'd choose a moment just like this to come out, the bigger the scene the better. For his mother's sake however, Ryder agrees to keep quiet, save parading around the picnic in his most audacious pair of short-shorts. Ryder's antics raise dubious eyebrows from his hardened cowboy relatives, but 9-year-old Molly can't get enough. She follows her cool California cousin everywhere. After lunch, they walk to the barn to look for a bird's nest in the rafters. Their strange encounter, and whatever happened while the two escaped their family's watchful eyes, makes Ryder the sudden target of suspicion, and places him at the center of a long buried family secret. Anchored by a breakthrough performance by Logan Miller as Ryder and rich, dramatic turns by Robin Weigert and Josh Hamilton, TAKE ME TO THE RIVER constantly forces one to question any given character's culpability until the film's finale. The film, woven together by an omnipresent sense of dread, is the masterful debut from writer/director Matt Sobel.
With its lyrical approach to a deliberate pace, the movie develops a hypnotic effect even when deceptively little happens.
Matt Sobel transforms a nightmare he once had into an evocative, original drama.
Is it me, or is the big climactic reveal not really worth all the hubbub?
Sobel evokes more terror from a shot of a field of sunflowers, or a weathered barn, than can be found in the last dozen found-footage films combined.
Sobel is clearly trying to hit on something more original than a family-secrets drama, but in doing so, he pulls most of his punches.
The movie pivots from what I expected it to be: a family drama about an outsider, as the opening conversation suggests. Instead, it becomes an eerie mood piece about secrets buried deep in a family's fabric.
While shot like a slice of life narrative, the film pushes the comfort-zone of the viewer to the edge like not many films, let alone small budget independent ones, can.
[Matt Sobel] illuminates blurry lines in a fascinating way, but what those lines mean, how they've been crossed, and where things go from there are beyond the scope of the film.
Even though the dialogue occasionally feels calculated, there is an undeniably compelling air of menace and secrecy generated, making it hard to guess what might happen next.
All-too-familiar familial battleground, well-known from decades of low-budget indie drama.
You'll have to see for yourself what a slender plot line, well-chosen parts, and skillful directing can achieve with a handful of rich characters and a deceptively peaceful setting.
Yet another dysfunctional family drama indie film, writer-director Matt Sobel's Take Me to the River has its flaws. But on the whole, this is an impressive feature debut.
The more things change, the more things stay the same. That is supposed to be the message of this unique Sundance Film Festival winner, however any message the film intended to share was lost by it's sheer disturbing nature. Ryder (Logan Miller) is a Gay California teenager who is going with his parents to a family reunion in Kansas. Knowing that her rural family will never understand, Ryder's mother has kept that little detail from the rest of the family, much to Ryder's chagrin. Ryder rebels in his own way by wearing an outrageous outfit and keeping to himself at the family outing, only spending time with his young cousin, Molly (Ursula Parker) who wants to play in the barn. When Molly comes running back from the barn with an unusual bloodstain, Ryder earns the ire of the rest of his family and wants to tell them he's gay, but apparently being thought of as something else is even better than that. If this film displays one thing, it's that homophobia is alive and well, and that should have been more the focus of this film. While I think everyone pretty much suspected Ryder was gay, the whole situation with Molly made them think he was something else too and the focus was on that. The families reaction to it was what was even more disturbing as it ranged from what you'd expect to sheer ridiculousness. I honestly can't believe some of the things that happened in this film, as they were both disturbing and seemingly without much of a purpose. Logan Miller stars and now that I've seen him in a few other things, I can honestly say that he's the kind of actor who has to fit the role. He has this kind of whiny, emo boy personality that just doesn't fit with everything. In a film like this, if anything I'd expect him to be more outraged, emotional to the point of being over the top but he really wasn't, it was as if he didn't grasp what he was being accused of. Take Me To The River focused on a single event and just didn't let go, everything else became irrelevant. The film was disturbing, the acting was sub-par, and a lot of what happened just didn't seem to make a whole lot of sense. | 2019-04-19T14:25:31 | https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/take_me_to_the_river_2016/ |
0.999997 | Write a letter to a rental agency asking for information about available rental accommodation. -describe yourself and your family. -what kind and size of accommodation do you need? -what area would you like to live in?
Task 1:Write a letter to apply for a part-time job in a football club. *introduce yourself. *explain your experiences and skills. *tell when you can join.
You have bought a new laptop computer and in a few days of purchase discovered a major flaw. Write a letter to the company. In your letter - introduce yourself - explain the situation - say what action you would like to company to take.
You would like to participate in a work-related seminar in another country. Task: Write a letter to the person in charge of the seminar and ask for detailed information regarding the dates, program, accommodation and cost.
You visit a changing room in the sports centre, and you are not happy with the condition of that room. Write a letter to the management and tell them why you did not like it and give them some suggestions.
You travelled by plane last week and your suitcase was lost.You have still heard nothing from the airline company.Write to the airline and explain what happened. Describe your suitcase and tell them what was in it. Find out what they are going to do about it.
Large tree grows just near your house, producing troubles for you. Write a letter to local authority explaining this problem, discuss the ways of its resolution and make enquiries about financial aspect.
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. You are planning to apply for a scholarship but you do not have enough information. Write a letter to inquire for further details. You should write at least 150 words.
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. You have just seen a cleaning job advertisement. Write a letter to the manager to apply for that position. You should write at least 150 words. | 2019-04-20T04:33:38 | http://ielts.studyhorror.com/ielts-writing-letter-samples |
0.995376 | At my critique group, we often talk about dialogue tags. Why are these tags so often a topic of conversation? Because they cause so many of us fiction writers huge problems. I also have seen this topic mentioned again and again in writers' handbooks, so it must be a problem for more than just the six of us at my critique group.
Here are some of the points we touch on.
1. You can just use "said." One of the writers in our group doesn't believe this, but it really is true. Your characters don't need to exclaim or shout or cry or any of those things that characters did in classic novels. Today, it is okay to just use said. I don't know if this next fact has been scientifically proven, but supposedly, the reader's eyes just glance over the word said and don't notice the repetition. So, Bill said, "Your house is on fire!" I hear him shouting in my head, do you? Wait, I didn't even see that said. . .
2. You don't always need a dialogue tag. Now, the younger the reader, the more dialogue tags you probably need. This isn't saying anything about the intelligence of the reader. We all know that there are some genius fourth-grade readers out there. But as a general rule, if you are writing an early chapter book, you probably want to provide a dialogue tag almost every time. If you are writing for adults, you only need them to set a scene or occasionally for the reader to keep track of who is talking, so he or she can stay in the story and not have to figure out who is talking.
Martha took a drink of her coffee before she answered his question. She hated these new eco-friendly cups because they always were too hot to pick up. What happened to the good old days before they had to recycle every damn thing? "I know, Bill, that you think you know better than me what I should do with my own money when I die, but that's where you are wrong."
"But Mother, I'm just trying to help." After Bill rubbed his head for the hundredth time that afternoon, he excused himself and walked over to the coffee bar to add some more sugar to his coffee.
So, hopefully with that small example above, you have learned a couple of things about Martha and Bill and the setting through their dialogue tags. If I was to continue to write this conversation, I would not put long dialogue tags each time they said something. I might not put any tag on a couple of the lines or just use said and so on.
Dialogue tags are a gift to writers--we can use them to our advantage in so many ways. Be creative, but watch out for words other than said. Makes perfect sense, doesn't it?
Enjoyed this post. Dialogue tags sometimes distract from the conversation when they are used repeatedly. They interrupt the flow, the back and forth, of the communication. Good lesson here. | 2019-04-25T18:12:50 | http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/2008/09/dasterdly-dialogue-tags.html |
0.998952 | The new President of the House Energy and Trade Committee requests an emergency communication from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding its mobile wireless industry oversight following a report on how mobile operators share their users' location data. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. Frank Joseph PalloneDems hit the GOP on healthcare with additional ObamaCare trial vote Democrats seeking early victories on drug prices Democrats demanding response to Trump's short-term insurance plans MORE (DN.J.) Wrote to FCC President Ajit Pai who said that briefing was necessary as soon as possible, even though the agency is not operating due to the end of the government.
"This briefing explains why the Federal Communications Commission has not yet completed wireless carriers' unauthorized disclosure of consumer real-time placement and what actions the FCC has taken to address this problem to date," Pallone wrote in his letter.
"An emergency information form is needed for public security and national security and therefore cannot wait for President Trump Donald John TrumpAnalyst says Trump's base will support him if he backs off wall funding demand & # 39; Green Book & # 39; s author apologizes for me slamophobic tweet: & # 39; I'll do better & # 39; poll finds Trump's 44 percent approval rating mid-term MORE decides to reopen government. "
The request comes after tech news outlet Motherboard released this week a report detailing how easy it is for precise location data from particular carriers to be purchased and sold.
The site provided $ 300 and a bounty hunter phone number, which could then track the location of a T-Mobile user within a few hundred meters.
Bounty Hunter did so by purchasing the location data from a company called Microbilt, which had been obtained from a third-party placement aggregator, which in turn had received it from T-Mobile.
T-Mobile responded by promising to close all data transfer to Microbilt from third party, Zumigo, and reiterated its promise to terminate all such data exchange agreements by March.
AT & T also promised this week to close such partnerships, and Sprint said it was cut off data access to Zumigo and Microbilt.
Verizon says it has terminated all third-party placement aggregation agreements apart from a handful of road assistance companies.
But on Friday, Pallone said "the public can no longer rely on their voluntary promises to protect this highly sensitive information," especially after the industry went through a similar scandal last year.
"The FCC must take immediate action to ensure that no wireless operators allow for the violent disclosure of real-time location data and take enforcement action against airlines that violated the Commission's rules and their customers' trust."
The FCC has not responded to pressures due to shutdown. | 2019-04-24T04:45:06 | https://infodol.com/top-house-requesting-fcc-orientation-emergency-information-for-wireless-provider-data-sharing/ |
0.999615 | Who is Jussie Smollett, the actor charged with building his own attack?
Home https://server7.kproxy.com/servlet/redirect.srv/sruj/smyrwpoii/p2/ Entertainment https://server7.kproxy.com/servlet/redirect.srv/sruj/smyrwpoii/p2/ Who is Jussie Smollett, the actor charged with building his own attack?
Star Jussie Smollett, who was accused on Wednesday of a racist and homophobic attack on herself in Chicago last month, has been in the light of recent weeks – but perhaps not for reasons why a career actor and singer would prefer.
Mr. Smollett, who is black and blatantly gay, reported in January that he was the victim of an attack during which masked men poured chemicals on him and put a string around his neck, giving rise to the release of support from fans, activists and politicians. In a big twist, mr. Smollett, who is in the mid-30's, accused Wednesday of a crime number of disorderly behavior associated with the episode.
Herr. Smollett is best known for his play in "Empire", a hip-hop drama on Fox, where he plays a son who gives way to the throne of his father's musical riches.
Grows up with five siblings who pursue careers in acting, modeling and music, mr. Smollett appeared for the first time on the big screen in 1992. He has been supporting roles in several other film and television shows since he also started a career as an R&B song.
"Empire", which completed its fifth season last year, follows a former drug dealer converted into hip-hop mogul Lucious Lyon, whose three sons are competing to run their multimillion-dollar company. Mr. Smollett's character, Jamal Lyon, is a gay singer-songwriter who starts the series from his father because of his sexuality. Mr. Smollett sings in and has written for the series soundtrack.
As a child, Mr. Smollett a role in the family comedy film "The Mighty Ducks" about a lawyer who will train a youth hockey team after he was sentenced to community service. Two years later, Smollett noticed five of his brothers and sisters in an ABC sitcom called "On Our Own" about siblings who are orphans after their parents die in a car accident.
Mr. Smollett's younger sister, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, has grown up to make her mark also in the real world. She is one of the leaders in "Underground", a WGN America show about a group of slaves trying to escape from their Georgia plantation. Mr. Smollett is a guest star on the show.
In 2017 Mr. Smollett in the science-fiction thriller "Alien: Covenant". That year, he also played Langston Hughes in the movie "Marshall", a biopic about Thurgood Marshall, the justice of the first African-American Supreme Court.
Mr. Smollett and his siblings have been pronounced politically and devoted to causes such as H.I.V./AIDS prevention and racist justice. Mr. Smollett sits on the board of four charities, including the Trayvon Martin Foundation and the Black AIDS Institute, according to his website.
Mr. Smollett also has a singing career separate from "Empire." In March, he released a 10-layer R&B album. Days after he reported the attack, Mr Smollett performed for a sold out crowd in West Hollywood, California, told his fans that he would not let his attackers win and that he "should be here tonight."
Mr. Smollett told police in January that, while he was in Chicago, he had been faced with masked white men who directed homophobic and racist slurs on him and announced it was "MAGA country", a reference to President Trump's campaign word.
When Mr Smollett asked whether his hate crime report was truthful, he continued to insist that the incident occurred as he reported.
In a statement published by Fox on Wednesday before the Chicago police noticed Mr. Smollett is a suspect in the case, the network said that his character was not written out by "empire" in response to the police's announcement that the investigation path had changed in contrast to reports from several news stores. Fox later refused to comment after Mr Smollett was accused.
On Wednesday night after his accusation, his lawyers said in a statement: "Like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, especially when there has been an investigation like this, where information, both true and false, has been repeated repeatedly. times. " | 2019-04-24T10:10:56 | https://infodol.com/who-is-jussie-smollett-the-actor-charged-with-building-his-own-attack/ |
0.998837 | To create a new action, click the Add Action icon in the Actions List. Use the Options panel on the right side of the Action List to edit actions you've created.
1. Click Select in the Trigger section.
2. Click the Object Selection button to select the trigger object.
3. Select the trigger object from the object list.
4. Click the Event Selection button to select the trigger event.
5. Select the trigger event from the event list.
1. Click Select in the Response section.
2. Click the Object Selection button to select the response object.
3. Select the response object from the object list.
4. Click the Event Selection button to select the response event.
5. Select the response event from the event list.
Alternatively, select the object on the page that you want to act as the trigger for the action, and then use the object menu to create the action. | 2019-04-26T07:45:45 | http://help.smartbuilder.com/node/100 |
0.999877 | A famed compound that is 89% nitrogen and 100% feared. But does it live up to the hype? I take on a few years of chemistry experiments to try and find out. Synthesis Video (Second Channel): https://youtu.be/uNhVK-2mh6w Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ExplosionsandFire Discord: https://discord.gg/VR6Fz9g Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ExplosionsAndFire/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Explosions_Fire oh also check out my band on Spotify, we just put out a new Single a few days ago! (not a joke lol, fuccin listen to it ok): https://open.spotify.com/artist/3mpSF8RDzaTvalpWQIL1pC?si=p9YuUNCRQVCaj_z1WvQ7xw or watch on youtube: https://youtu.be/fe6fr9ydw-M References: 2011 German paper: https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201100300 Same authors, more detail: https://doi.org/10.1002/asia.201100632 Paper showing open form doesn't exist at room temp: https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201209170 I didn't mention it, but a lot of the tetrazole stuff was established by a Russian called Engager, published onto the Sciencemadness forums. It is truly an incredible body of work he established. Here is a huge list of names of some of the people who made this video possible. Thanks for sponsoring my trips to the hardware store: Elric Craig M. Roger -Dot- Lee John Doe Oliver Toth Daniel Coleman Dan Kaplan John Libal mirgp... Azide Fox! (I remembered your request hell yeah look at those memory skills) The Gayest Person on Patreon Isaac Paciga Gabriel J. emuwarvet Luke McGoggan Luke McGoggan Grant Trent Michael Kavulich Oz Sabina killroy225 Corrosion ChalkyChalkson Zachary Chapin Leon Schutte Thomas Abbott Mortlet Aussie Chemist Gregory Wong Nile Red Christopher Stillson Jacob Tierney AllChemystery sorry the audio is so bad. I spent money on a good mic and then talked into it from behind rather than the proper way and the audio was all clipped ehh I should write more nonsense in the description like I used to do. but maybe the nonsense (read: shitposting) is now in the video rather than being in the description?? ok nah, that's just a lame excuse. I've just got no bonus content for people to ignore this time.
Vojtěch Pešl : Is this the sharpest compound in your shed ?
Maxxi Reave : This video is a beautiful blend of everything I love: Science, and punchy memes. Thank you for this. I crave more.
New To The World : I have a feeling you have a biproduct of the synthesis that is not azidoazide azide but actually the more stable tautomer which links the nitrogens in the azide to the tetrazole side leading to a nitrogenous polymer called azido-polyazidazole which has been made amd tested in the 80's. Sorry to burst your bubble but if this was the pure monomer your synthesis wouldve ended 1 step before completion. Also the actual explosive is far too polar to form stable crystals in water so what youve made is the hydroxonium catalyzed polymer.
Sarkazeoh : You know it's scary when it's slightly yellow.
Rasta Jeff : Seeing that you've uploaded seriously makes my day. Love you man. Never stop doing you. Nohomo. Promise.
TM Fan : If 1 of the C in C2N14 cyclicizes into tetrazole why wont the other?
pyromen321 : Could I get a link to your mixtape? Edit: I didn't see it in the description till now. Can I get a link to succ you off?
mattroski007 : You need more subs, these were some epic memes.
SunTzun : It's indeed much more complicated than extraction of Iodine or a bang of Fulminate. Really like compound like this.
r u : NICE ..... now I am subscribing.
Kenny Strawn : If you thought the nickname that Derek Lowe gave C2N14 (it was he who first coined the “azidoazide azide” nickname) was difficult to pronounce, try pronouncing the IUPAC name: *1-diazidocarbamoyl-5-azidotetrazole* That said, it does very accurately describe the structure.
I need a better username : Hey, triaminoguanidine could be made by reacting nitroguanidine with excess hydrazine, then reducing the nitro group.
Darian Ballard : Good videos. I Didn't try to make its because of its reputation.
Spaztika : I requested a video about this compound on some other YouTuber's channel recently, and now Explosions&Fire has taken up the challenge! Sweet.
rasm244c : Damn amazing work!
Robert Szasz : If it could just be turned down a notch or two it seems like it would be a great, moderately eco friendly, nitrogen generator. Sensitive but not crazily so. No heavy metals to deal with. Small crystals in a solgel then drying to a xerogel to lower the energy density?
Dumb Turtle : How are you not dead yet?
Eddie Van Horn : no. I read the title, clicked on the video, and wrote this comment. no.
MysteriusBhoice : dorneir's tetrazolyhexadiene was way more powerful than azido azide azide!
Felixkeeg : You think you could get some of those crystals on a diffractometer?
Bryan Watrous : Should make some TNP/picric acid.. | 2019-04-24T14:42:23 | http://www.popularyoutube.com/video/-Sz4d7RQB6Y/Man-tests-the-supposedly-most-explosive-substance-known-to-ma-n-in-his-shed/ |
0.999983 | I followed the instructions in the user guide and could not get my computer to detect my camera. Finally when I figured out how to do so, I realized that the user guide was designed for the user who doesn't encrypt his wireless router and does wireless surfing using the most open mode that you can possibly imagine. Hence, I decided to write this little article for the benefit of those who would be struggling like I did to set up the wireless camera in the home.
1 You are using a Linksys Wireless G Internet Video Camera WVC54G with a Linksys Wireless Router WRT54GS.
2 My wireless home network is WEP 128-bit encrypted.
3 You are familiar with configuring the wireless router settings.
4 You are somewhat technically competent or inclined.
5 You understand what I'm writing about.
1 Do not plug the camera power plug to the power socket. Do not plug the network cable for the camera to anything yet.
3 The camera has a default IP address 192.168.1.115. Plug the camera network cable into the computer network (LAN) socket. Then plug in the power plug of the camera into a power socket. The camera LED lights will come on and stop blinking.
4 Using your computer, open up your Internet Explorer web browser and type in the URL http://192.168.1.115. You should be presented with the camera's admin screen. Click on the "Setup" link and a password box is prompted. The default username / password is admin / admin.
a Camera Name: Give your camera a name, e.g. MyWebCam.
b Date, Time, Timezone: Put in the settings accordingly.
c Configuration Type: For convenience, select "Fixed IP Address"
i If your wireless router has WEP encryption, then you need to set the same WEP settings on your camera for SSID, Network Type, and Security Settings. Click on the Enable radio button for Security.
ii If your wireless router has no encryption, then you only need to set SSID, Network Type, and Channel No (optional) to be the same as your wireless router.
6 Click on the [Apply] button to save your settings.
7 For the other settings, like image quality, admin password change and access control for limited users, it would be good if you visit the other pages and change the settings according to your preference. It is important however to change your camera admin password to prevent unauthorized entry.
8 Under the Setup pages, there is a link called "Options". Click that link and change the settings for email alerts if you want. What is important is right at the bottom of the page - a setting called "Alternate Port". Some ISPs block the default http port 80 for some reasons and hence you need to put a setting here at "Alternate Port" so that you can still access your camera remotely from a computer outside your home. Put a number like 8001 or something. Then click the [Apply] button to save the settings.
9 Remove your static IP settings in your computer's network settings and connect it to your router again.
10 Using your Internet Explorer browser, login to your router admin page.
11 Click on the link "Applications & Gaming". You will see the "Port Range Forward" link.
e IP Address: Put in the IP Address of your camera. In the above example, it would be 192.168.1.199.
f Enable: Click on it to check the checkbox.
13 Open your Internet Explorer browser again, you should type in your camera's IP address followed by the alternate port number (e.g. http://192.168.1.199:8001) , and see the camera's home page. If you had set user access control on your camera, you may be prompted for a username/password dialog box when you click on the "View Video" or "Setup" link. If you can see the home page, the connection works.
14 Install the viewer software ( filename: recorder.exe ) that comes with your camera in the set CD.
15 Open your Internet Explorer browser, and type in your camera's IP address followed by the alternate port number (e.g. http://192.168.1.199:8001), and see the camera's home page. If you had set user access control on your camera, you may be prompted for a username/password dialog box when you click on the "View Video" or "Setup" link. If you can see the home page, the connection works.
16 If you want to be able to remember your camera address easily, you can sign up for a free DDNS account at http://www.dyndns.org/ and configure your wireless router to recognize your DDNS domain name.
17 After you have registered an account at DYNDNS, you can configure, in your account, a DDNS domain name and the corresponding WAN IP address of your wireless router.
18 In your Linksys wireless router admin page, click on the link "Setup", followed by "DDNS".
20 To test your connection, open a new browser window and type in your domain name in full including the port number ( e.g. http://mywebcam.dyndns.org:8001 ). If you see the home page of your camera server, then the connection works. | 2019-04-24T04:13:58 | https://www.discovervalue.com/wireless_camera_setup |
0.999788 | Idea: Outputs - Splitting up files with new filter+output Block?
I have a dataset which has a country field in it (about 50 countries). I basically filter my dataset (about 1m rows) per country and then create an IOK file for each country based upon a template. I use the batch block output in DataManager out had an idea for a new output block. It would basically combine a record filter and an output block. You would select one column to split the data by and it would create an one output file for as many items in that category that was split and create a file name based upon a mask (similar to the timestamp mask) and then append the split name to the end of the mask.
This would have less functionality than the batch output but would enable much quicker splitting of data files into multiple files. | 2019-04-20T02:53:23 | http://archives.visokio.com/forums/forums.visokio.com/discussion/2274/idea-outputs-splitting-up-files-with-new-filter-output-blocks.html |
0.998501 | Ever since Uber popped out of nowhere and completely transformed how people get from point A to point B, I have been asking: What will be the Uber of higher education? What disruptive technology will come along and do to colleges and universities what Uber did to taxis?
My thinking on this has recently evolved. Rather than one single Uber disruption, I fear the 'Uber of higher education' will be the perception that college is irrelevant, coupled with the confluence of many disruptive Ubers, all competing for students' attention and interests � and all leading potential students away from higher education entirely.
In light of this threat, I believe it is imperative for those working in higher education, especially those senior technologists who are the decision makers on campus � and who can bring new technologies directly into the hands of students, faculty and staff � to be knowledgeable of the critical role they play in communicating that the college experience in its best forms is relevant and essential to today's students. Those students, and even the faculty and staff now working with them, have grown up in a media- and technology-rich environment that often makes the college classroom seem staid and boring by comparison.
Although challenging, the need to project relevance through a media- and technology-rich user experience on campus is one of the most critical functions for technologists working to support higher education.
Colleges and universities are at a critical juncture to make the case for their relevancy to a population who likely doesn't subscribe to their parents' nostalgia for the college experience � and for whom many viable options to career without college exist like never before.
For much of higher education's history, the dominant narrative for why people should go to college has been predicated on prosperity. Higher education was seen as an engine of opportunity for high school graduates to advance their social class, acquire knowledge and skills, and learn what they value and how those values could improve their communities, as well as themselves. People went to college to 'get a better job' and 'have a better life' � even if the link between a college experience and that better life was sometimes opaque. Having a college degree meant something to graduates, their parent, and future employers and it is what drove undergraduate enrollment and allowed higher education to flourish.
The calculus for that equation is changing and changing rapidly. According to NPR, undergraduate enrollment in the U.S. for the 2018-2019 academic year is down for the sixth straight year. Colleges and universities are competing against a multitude of interests to keep students' attention and persuade them that a college degree, and the enormous personal cost associated with that degree, isn't worth the return on investment.
To that end, colleges and universities must convince potential students (customers, if we're being honest) that a college education is still relevant and, as importantly, that colleges and universities remain key to a better career and a better quality of life for individuals and communities.
The modern college student lives in a media- and technology-rich environment that is endlessly changing and which demands constant attention. In a persistently stimulating environment, people ask themselves: Is this worth my attention? What are you trying to tell me, get me to look at, push me to read or watch or buy or do? Why should I pay attention to you? What is the next shiny object for me to look at?
Today's media landscape has shaped all of us to be less tolerant of delayed gratification and the ambiguity of the message, whatever that message might be. Past generations might have been more likely to accept vague answers to questions of why things were done in school in a particular way. That has changed with the proliferation of options and competing messages. The pressure to change with the times is more pressing than ever.
I worry for the future of higher education when students ask (rightfully in many cases): What's the point of this? Why am I here when I could get a good job without all of this debt and time wasting?
I think those questions are often asked subconsciously, but I fear that collectively it points to the need for colleges and universities to do a better job mirroring the world outside of campus life to appear relevant to students; and then deliver an important educational experience that imparts the learning and development we know are important for creating good humans.
For colleges and universities to thrive in the future, they must convince students (and parents) that what they offer is unique, important, and relevant to a student's development and future success, usually in a career, but also for 'a better life'.
As smart homes, smart cars, and smart public spaces continue to develop, it is inevitable that university students, faculty, and staff are going to demand smarter campuses and a better user experience that parallels their experience of media and technology away from campus.
Planning for the future has already begun and the user experience of a brave new world is here. People in modern society, and certainly traditional-aged college students, are navigating their social spaces and deciding what those social spaces could and should look like. Classrooms, hallways, common areas, and living spaces are just a few of the many places on contemporary campuses poised to undergo a transformation when AI, AR, VR and wearables become more common and are woven into the day-to-day experience of higher education.
As designers and planners envision the next generation of smart, connected, intelligent buildings and campuses, they must consider the human behavior and user expectations (both individually and collectively) that will interface in their design. To do anything less threatens to confirm that higher education is irrelevant, and to starve future generations of the vital learning opportunities and communities that are key to better employment and enriched lives for all of us. | 2019-04-20T18:13:19 | https://realcomm.com/advisory/900/1/2030-and-beyond-campus-of-the-future-higher-education |
0.999999 | Decaffeinated coffee: good or bad?
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world.
Many people enjoy drinking coffee, but for some reason they want to limit their caffeine intake.
For these people, decaffeinated coffee is an excellent alternative.
Decaffeinated coffee is the same as regular coffee, except that caffeine has been eliminated.
This article analyzes in detail the decaffeinated coffee and its effects on health, both good and bad.
What is decaffeinated coffee and how is it made?
Decaffeinated is the abbreviation of decaffeinated coffee.
It is coffee beans that have been removed at least 97% of their caffeine.
There are many ways to eliminate caffeine from coffee beans. Most of them include water, organic solvents or carbon dioxide (1).
The coffee beans are washed in the solvent until the caffeine is extracted, then the solvent is removed.
The beans are decaffeinated before being roasted and ground. The nutritional value of decaffeinated coffee should be almost identical to regular coffee, apart from the caffeine content.
However, the taste and odor may become a little softer and the color may change, depending on the method used (1).
This can make decaffeinated coffee more pleasant for those who are sensitive to the bitter taste and smell of regular coffee.
Bottom line: Decaffeinated coffee beans are washed with solvents to remove 97% of the caffeine content before roasting. Apart from caffeine, the nutritional value of decaffeinated coffee should be almost identical to that of regular coffee.
How much caffeine is in decaffeinated coffee?
Decaffeinated coffee is do not Completely free of caffeine.
In fact, it contains varying amounts of caffeine, usually around 3 mg per cup (2).
One study found that each cup (6 oz or 180 ml) of decaffeinated coffee contained 0-7 mg of caffeine (3).
On the other hand, an average cup of regular coffee contains approximately 70-140 mg of caffeine, depending on the type of coffee, the method of preparation and the size of the cup (4).
Therefore, even if decaffeination is not completely free of caffeine, the amount of caffeine is usually very small.
Bottom line: Decaffeinated coffee does not contain caffeine, since each cup contains approximately 0 to 7 mg. However, this is much less than the amount found in regular coffee.
Coffee is not the devil that has been made to be.
In fact, it is the largest source of antioxidants in the Western diet (5, 6, 7).
Decaffeinated generally contains similar amounts of antioxidants as regular coffee, although they can be up to 15% lower (8, 9, 10, 11).
This difference is probably caused by a small loss of antioxidants during the decaffeination process.
The main antioxidants in regular and decaffeinated coffee are hydrocinnamic acids and polyphenols (1, 12).
Antioxidants are very effective in neutralizing reactive compounds called free radicals.
This reduces oxidative damage and can help prevent diseases such as heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes (13, 14, 15, 16).
In addition to antioxidants, decaffeination also contains small amounts of some nutrients.
A cup of decaffeinated coffee prepared provides 2.4% of the recommended daily intake of magnesium, 4.8% of potassium and 2.5% of niacin or vitamin B3 (1).
This may not seem like a lot of nutrients, but the amounts accumulate quickly if you drink 2-3 cups (or more) of coffee per day.
Bottom line: Decaffeinated coffee contains similar amounts of antioxidants like regular coffee. These mainly include chlorogenic acid and other polyphenols. Decaffeinated coffee also contains small amounts of various nutrients.
Despite having been demonized in the past, the truth is that coffee is good for you.
It is linked to numerous health benefits, which are attributed mainly to its content of antioxidants and other active substances.
However, the specific health effects of decaffeinated coffee can be difficult to determine.
This is because most studies evaluate coffee intake without distinguishing between regular and decaffeinated coffee, and some do not even include decaffeinated coffee.
In addition, most of these studies are observational. They can not prove that coffee caused The benefits, only that drinking coffee is associated with them.
Drinking coffee, both regular and decaffeinated, has been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Each daily cup can reduce the risk up to 7% (17, 18, 19, 20, 21).
This suggests that other elements other than caffeine may be responsible for these protective effects (22).
The effects of decaffeinated coffee on liver function are not as studied as those of regular coffee. However, a large observational study linked decaffeinated coffee with reduced levels of liver enzymes, suggesting a protective effect (23).
Drinking decaffeinated coffee has also been linked to a small but significant reduction in the risk of premature death, as well as death from stroke or heart disease (24).
Bottom line: Decaffeinated coffee can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. It can also reduce the risk of premature death.
Both regular and decaffeinated coffee seem to have positive effects on mental deterioration related to age (25).
Studies in human cells also show that decaffeinated coffee can protect neurons in the brain. This could help prevent the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's (26, 27).
One study suggests that this may be due to chlorogenic acid in coffee, rather than to caffeine. However, caffeine itself has also been linked to a reduced risk of dementia and neurodegenerative diseases (26, 28, 29, 30).
Many studies show that people who drink regular coffee have a lower risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, but more studies on decaffeination are needed specifically.
Bottom line: Decaffeinated coffee can protect against mental deterioration related to age. It can also reduce the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
A common side effect of drinking coffee is heartburn or acid reflux.
Many people experience this, and drinking decaffeinated coffee can alleviate this uncomfortable side effect. It has been shown that decaffeinated coffee causes significantly less acid reflux than regular coffee (31, 32).
Drinking two or more cups of decaffeinated coffee per day has also been linked to a 48% lower risk of developing rectal cancer (22, 33, 34).
Bottom line: Decaffeinated coffee causes significantly less acid reflux than regular coffee. Drinking more than two cups a day can also reduce the risk of rectal cancer.
Coffee is probably best known for its stimulant effects.
Increases alertness and reduces feelings of tiredness.
These effects are directly related to caffeine, which is found naturally in coffee.
Some of the beneficial effects of regular coffee are attributed directly to caffeine, so decaffeination should not have these effects.
Improves mood, reaction time, memory and mental function (35, 36, 37).
Increase in metabolic rate and fat burning (38, 39, 40).
Improved athletic performance (41, 42, 43, 44).
Reduction of the risk of mild depression and suicidal thoughts in women (45, 46).
Much lower risk of liver cirrhosis or end-stage liver damage (47, 48, 49).
However, it is worth mentioning again that research on regular coffee is much more extensive than that available for decaffeination.
Bottom line: Regular coffee provides many health benefits that do not apply to decaffeination. These include better mental health, an increase in metabolic rate, better sports performance and a lower risk of liver damage.
Who should choose decaffeinated coffee in regular coffee?
There is a lot of individual variability when it comes to tolerance to caffeine.
For some people, one cup of coffee may be excessive, while for others it may be six or more cups.
Excess caffeine can overwhelm the central nervous system, cause restlessness, anxiety, digestive problems, cardiac arrhythmia or trouble sleeping in sensitive people.
People who are very sensitive to caffeine may want to limit their consumption of regular coffee, or switch to decaffeinated coffee or tea.
Those with certain medical conditions may also require diets with caffeine restriction. This includes patients who take prescription medications that may interact with caffeine (3).
In addition, pregnant and lactating women are advised to limit their caffeine intake. It is also recommended to children, adolescents and individuals suffering from anxiety or difficulty sleeping (50).
Bottom line: Decaffeinated can be a good alternative to regular coffee for people who are sensitive to caffeine. Pregnant women, adolescents, and people who take certain medications can also choose to decaffeinate instead of regular.
Coffee is one of the healthiest drinks on the planet.
It is loaded with antioxidants and is linked to the reduced risk of all types of serious diseases.
However, not everyone can drink coffee, because caffeine can cause problems in some people.
For these people, decaffeination is an excellent way to enjoy coffee, except without the side effects of too much caffeine.
Decaffeinated has most of the same health benefits, but none of the side effects.
That was Decaffeinated coffee: good or bad?
That Was Decaffeinated coffee: good or bad?, Hopefully it's useful and you like it. | 2019-04-24T03:50:01 | https://meinaustauschblog.blogspot.com/2018/09/decaffeinated-coffee-good-or-bad.html |
0.999686 | While the last decade or two has brought it more recognition, cremation services in Fairmount(MD) are still somewhat of an uncommon entity. However, it is fast becoming a more economical means of final disposition for deceased loved ones. Do you know how to go about planning for Fairmount(MD) cremation services when someone close to you dies? There is a certain sequence of events that must occur in order for this option to come into play.
Cremation Services in Fairmount(MD)- What to Do When Death Occurs?
When your loved one dies, medical authorities such as the attending physician or a medical examiner must verify the death as well as the cause. In the event death occurs after a long illness, the nursing home, hospital or personal physician in attendance calls the death. An unexpected or accidental death may require calling 911 which leads to a medical examiner handling the deceased. Before Fairmount(MD) cremation services commence, once one of the above scenarios is carried out, the funeral establishment of your choice handles the transportation of the body to the crematory. You must make a formal identification of your deceased loved one's body in the presence of the funeral director.
Once your loved one is transported to the funeral establishment of your choice and identified formally in the presence of the director, there are certain pieces of information you will need to bring with you in order to set the plans for cremation services in Fairmount(MD) in motion. You will need to provide your deceased loved one's full legal name, last address, marital status, date and place of birth, social security number, parent names, occupation and a list of next of kin. If the deceased was in the military at one time, their service dates and serial number are needed too. All of this information is required in order to complete the death certificate which the funeral establishment handles. Before Fairmount(MD) cremation services are started, this paperwork must be filled out with medical data and signed by the deceased's physician and then filed with the Division of Vital Records.
There are no state laws that implicitly require embalming. There are a few circumstances when it might be suggested though. For instance, if the deceased's body has to be shipped to or from another state, embalming may be required. If you choose to have a public viewing or wake before Fairmount(MD) cremation services, embalming might be mandated by the funeral establishment.
Embalming helps keep a deceased loved one's body from decomposing too quickly. While there is only a twelve hour waiting period after death before cremation services in Fairmount(MD) can happen, more time is often required in order to complete the planning and paperwork involved. Embalming essentially buys you the time needed to set things into motion. If you are choosing a direct cremation route with no public viewing before a memorial or funeral service, embalming is not needed, even if you wish to visit with the deceased before Fairmount(MD) cremation services commence.
When your deceased loved one is received by the crematory, they have an identification tag placed with them. This ensures that the cremated remains you receive afterward are indeed your deceased loved one. The tag is removed only when the deceased is placed into the cremation chamber. Because only one body at a time can undergo cremation services in Fairmount(MD) within the chamber, there is little to no chance of a mix-up. Once the cremated remains are removed from the chamber and cooled, the identification tag is placed with them for the remainder of the process.
Choosing an Urn - Is It Necessary for Fairmount(MD) Cremation Services?
If you are planning to scatter your loved one's ashes after cremation, you don't necessarily need an urn to house the remains. The crematory, as a default, places the ashes in a temporary container that is leak-proof. If a scattering ceremony does not happen right away after cremation services in Fairmount(MD), you can hold onto the filled temporary container.
However, if the cremated remains are to be buried in a memorial garden or cemetery plot, a decorative urn of some sort is required. There are many styles to choose from including simple wooden boxes to elaborate cloisonn� containers. An urn would also be necessary if you plan to hold onto the ashes after Fairmount(MD) cremation services and display them in an honored spot in your home or even store them in a columbarium.
There is no right or wrong choices in regards to funeral or memorial services. You could have a public viewing before cremation services in Fairmount(MD) along with a funeral service. Or, you could choose direct cremation and hold a memorial ceremony, displaying the urn of cremated remains, at a later date. You choose what is best for family and friends as well as your finances. Contact a funeral specialist to help you with Fairmount(MD) cremation services so that there is a smoother transition from death to memorialization. | 2019-04-19T01:13:03 | https://www.heritagecremationprovider.com/cremation-services-costs/maryland/fairmount |
0.999996 | What Is the Malthusian Theory of Population?
What do you think will happen to the human population in the future? Since about 1980, demographic transition theory has been criticized on a number of grounds, including its assumption that the demographic experience of non-Western societies will inevitably follow that of the West; its failure to consider cultural. Scholars of such school of. I don't believe that's strictly evolutionary theory. Because of which, the economic production system of the society has able to transformed the likely arithmetical nature of supply enabling them to cope up with the demands of the exponential increasing population making the basis of the Malthusian theory to be imperfect. But, this is not wholly true, because an increase in population causes an increase in labour supply, and that may lead to an increased production and a greater prosperity. More people means demand is high while supply is dependent on the resources available at any given time.
A preventive check is a conscious decision to delay marriage or abstain from procreation based on a lack of resources. Preventive checks are those checks which are applied by man. But it is not applicable to the under populated countries. It states that population increases faster than food supply and if unchecked leads to vice or misery. Population tends to become stationary because people refuse to lower their standard of living.
The attitude started changing subsequently, as evidenced by the effort made by the British medical professionals in 1921 to appeal to the Anglican Church to reconsider their position on birth control in the light of existing medical knowledge. When designing his predictions, Thomas Malthus did not foresee how much the world would change in a short period of time and how advances in technology would influence human population growth. A big sticking point with a lot of Malthus's critics is his religious beliefs and how they were incorporated into his theory. Statistics show that the population of the world is increasing at fairly high rate. Malthus believed that the human population exhibits exponential growth, which is when the increase is proportional to the amount already present.
In 1940 it was 2245 million and in 1970 it was 3632 million. Malthusian theory In 1798 Malthus published anonymously the first edition of. Any theory, by definition, that opposes the conclusions found by Malthus in his theory of population growth is an anti-Malthusian theory. Population history has shown that in many Western nations the rate of population growth had been declining since the later part of the 19th century. As a result, countries like England on the continent of Europe have been provided with abundant supplies of cheap food.
Thus the Malthusian theory is fully applicable to under-developed countries. Compare exponential growth to a logistic growth curve and explain how these might apply to human population growth. Having been a clergy, Malthus validated his theory on moral grounds that suffering was a way of making human beings realize the virtues of hard work and moral behavior. Malthus also did not predict that when the population started to increase, people would migrate to areas that were previously not settled, such as the Americas and Australia. For example in the case of India, Malthusian theory of population became real as its population almost doubled between 1940 and 1970. If these lands do not face the problems of over-population and misery, it is all due to the bogey and pessimism of Malthusianism. In the time it took me to quickly smoke a cigarette 1,00 people were increased on this planet.
This theory is applicable to the third world countries where population growth has been alarming and distressing. Have you ever thought what will happen with us in our nearest future? Thus starting from 1, population in successive periods of 25 years will be 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256 after 200 years. The high growth rate of population keeps the per capita income at a low level. By the end of this stage, fertility has begun to decline as well. He observed that population tends to increase at a geometrical progression where food production of a country increases in arithmetical progression. So sooner or later there will be imbalance between the two and this is a symptom of overpopulation.
Positive Checks: Positive checks exercise their influence on the growth of population by increasing the death rate. In other words size of population is determine by the availability of food. Positive checks like floods, wars, droughts, disuses, etc. Therefore, they preferred not to have more children than they could attend to properly. This is the basis of the optimum theory of population. The problem lay in the lack of equal distribution, with the bourgeois and the propertied class unwilling to give up the large share of resources under their control. Malthus was of the opinion that increase in the means of subsistence leads to increase in population.
Nature effectively culls populations but our science has over-ridden nature's natural ability to maintain our population. Few economists have had such controversial ideas, and generated a debate on such a scale as Thomas Malthus. Thinkers from the field of social sciences have criticized Malthus for his belief that the human society could never be made perfect. The foundation of Malthus' theory relies on two assumptions that hFew economists have had such controversial ideas, and generated a debate on such a scale as Thomas Malthus. Thomas Malthus first suggested in 1798, and then expanded upon his thoughts in 1803, that human populations will grow exponentially when food production grows at an arithmetic rate.
But he could not visualise that human beings would invent contraceptives and other family planning devices for birth control. One- third of the population is below the poverty line and unemployment and disguised unemployment are widespread due to over-population. In this theory, food production is limited by many factors including the land available, which is also consumed by the exponential increase in the population thus, it is naturally unable to cope up with the increasing demand for resources of the population growth. Consequently, the food supply has increased much faster than in arithmetical progression. Positive checks like floods, wars, droughts, earthquakes, epidemics, etc. Even 200 million is nothing compared to 7. | 2019-04-19T01:19:32 | http://rftp.com/the-malthusian-theory-of-population.html |
0.999999 | Consider the following headline: "Man Sues Over Mouse in His Energy Drink Can." Gross? Most definitely. Suspicious? Maybe. Bizarre? At the very least.
For the uninitiated, the case in question is that of Washington teenager Vitaliy Sulzhik who has recently garnered national attention for taking legal action against the maker of Monster Energy Drink. Sulzhik claims he had been drinking from the can when, nearing the bottom, he got a mouthful of mouse tail and (not surprisingly) immediately lost his lunch. The company has responded publicly by saying that the suit is "nothing more than a shakedown" given that the beverage was left unattended for several hours during which time the critter could have found its way into the can. That, and if the mouse had been bottled, it would have already deteriorated by the time Sulzhik opened the can (um, comforting). We'll leave it to the professionals to stomach the evidence and make a fair judgment.
Of course, you hate to be skeptical of a kid who knows what a rodent-seasoned energy drink tastes like. But then again, this far from the first time a beverage has been at the center of a ridiculous-sounding legal battle. Who could forget Stella Liebeck, the New Mexico woman who infamously sued McDonald's (and won millions) for damage caused from spilling their too-hot coffee on her lap?
If you're thirsty for more bizarre beverage lawsuits, check out the following six cases — some of them certainly don't suffer for lack of amusement.
Click for the 6 Bizarre Beverage Lawsuits Slideshow. | 2019-04-25T20:06:50 | https://www.thedailymeal.com/6-bizarre-beverage-lawsuits |
0.999223 | Inspired by the dramatic mountainous backdrop and ancient beech forests of Paradise – Glenorchy in New Zealand, Dawn Thomson orchestrated a styled shoot that is full of whimsy and winter wonder. The bride and groom look perfectly serene in their surrounds, soaking up the wildness and tranquillity of the outdoors.
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Image 31 - Paradise found in Styled Shoots. | 2019-04-19T14:30:17 | https://whitemag.com/blog/paradise-found/?q=%2Fblog%2Fparadise-found%2F&v=322b26af01d5 |
0.999979 | What time did the clock show 20 minutes ago?
See the table above to answer the following question.
Order the group of numbers from the largest to the smallest.
Troy is standing in a bus line. His position is 29th in the line. Alexy is standing ahead of him and there are two people standing between Troy and Alexy. What position does Alexy have in the line?
Second grade students voted for their favorite place for summer vacation. Their votes are shown in the tally table.
How many fewer number of students did choose Paris than Orlando?
Tim went to his friend's house at 4:30 p.m. His mom asked him to be back after 45 minutes. What time is Tim supposed to be back?
What number comes next in the pattern?
Lee goes to the soccer practice every other Friday. He went to the practice on July 8th. On what date will he go to his next practice?
Which one is a cylindrical shape? | 2019-04-20T21:02:27 | http://mytestbook.com/worksheet.aspx?test_id=131&subject=Math&grade=2 |
0.999931 | Planning a trip to Tajikistan?
Tajikistan is the poorest Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country and one of the poorest countries in the world. Foreign revenue is precariously dependent upon exports of cotton and aluminum, and on remittances from Tajik migrant workers abroad, mainly in Russia. The economy is highly vulnerable to external shocks. Despite this, Tajikistan managed modest growth during the height of the recent economic crisis, and growth picked up again in 2010.
Tajikistan has great hydropower potential, and has focused on attracting investment for projects for internal use and electricity exports. Meanwhile, the country faces severe electricity shortages, particularly during the winter and beyond, when most of Tajikistan's inhabitants receive little or no electricity for weeks at a time. The government sees the construction of the massive Roghun hydroelectric dam as the solution to the country’s chronic energy woes, but the dam has been a source of increasing friction with Uzbekistan.
Tajikistan has followed a relatively strict fiscal and monetary policy, which has resulted in macroeconomic stability. However, government interference in the economy and massive corruption stifle economic growth and private investment. The government has attracted state-led investment for major infrastructure projects, particularly from China, rather than implementing the necessary economic reforms to attract private investors. Two-thirds of the workforce of Tajikistan is in agriculture, where wages are abysmally low, and sometimes non-existent. Tajikistan struggles to implement agricultural reforms that would allow many farmers to grow the crop of their choice, rather than being forced to grow cotton, as has been the practice from Soviet times. Income from narcotics trafficking, while difficult to quantify, has an increasingly visible impact on the Tajik economy.
Nominal GDP: $5.64 billion (2010); $6.83 billion (2011 est.).
Nominal per capita GDP (2010): $752.
Per capita GDP (purchasing power parity, 2009): $2,104.
GDP real growth rate: 6.5% (2010); 5.8% (2011 est.).
Headline CPI inflation rate (end-of-year): 9.8% (2010); 12.6% (2011 est.).
Work force (2010, CIA World Factbook): The official work force is 2.1 million. The actual number of working age citizens is closer to 4 million. As many as half of all working age males, and an increasing number of females, seek jobs outside of the country, primarily in Russia.
Official unemployment rate (2009, CIA World Factbook): 2.2%. The official rate is estimated based on the number of registered unemployment benefit recipients; it does not take into account the significant number of people who seek work abroad. According to the State Statistics Agency, 11.5% of the working age population is unemployed. Underemployment also is very high--possibly as high as 40% of the work force; 53% live below the poverty line according to the World Bank.
Agriculture: Products--cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats.
Industry: Types--aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, textiles, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers.
Trade (World Bank data): Imports (2009)--$2.8 billion: aluminum, electricity, cotton, gold, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles. Main import partners include Russia, China, Iran, Uzbekistan. Exports (2009)--$1.2 billion: electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and equipment, foodstuffs. Export partners include Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, China, Ukraine, and Turkmenistan.
Total public and publicly guaranteed external debt: $1.941 billion (2010); $2.261 billion (2011 projection).
Debt/GDP ratio: 33.4% (2010 est.); 33.1% (2011 est.).
At 36'40' northern latitude and 41'14' eastern longitude, Tajikistan is nestled between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to the north and west, China to the east, and Afghanistan to the south. Tajikistan is home to some of the highest mountains in the world, including the Pamir and Alay ranges. Ninety-three percent of Tajikistan is mountainous with altitudes ranging from 1,000 feet to 27,000 feet, with nearly 50% of Tajikistan's territory above 10,000 feet. Earthquakes are of varying degrees and are frequent. The massive mountain ranges are cut by hundreds of canyons and gorges at the bottom of which run streams which flow into larger river valleys where the majority of the country's population lives and works. The principal rivers of Central Asia, the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya, both flow through Tajikistan, fed by melting snow from mountains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Flooding and landslides sometimes occur during the annual Spring thaw. Official Name: Republic of Tajikistan Area: 143,100 sq. km. Capital: Dushanbe. Terrain: Pamir and Alay mountains dominate landscape; western Ferghana valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest. Climate: Mid-latitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir mountains.
The Republic of Tajikistan gained its independence during the breakup of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) on September 9, 1991 and soon fell into a civil war. From 1992 to 1997 internal fighting ensued between old-guard regionally based ruling elites and disenfranchised regions, democratic liberal reformists, and Islamists loosely organized in a United Tajik Opposition (UTO). Other combatants and armed bands that flourished in this civil chaos simply reflected the breakdown of central authority rather than loyalty to a political faction. The height of hostilities occurred between 1992 and 1993. By 1997, the predominantly Kulyabi-led Tajik Government and the UTO had negotiated a power-sharing peace accord and implemented it by 2000. Once guaranteed 30% of government positions, former oppositionists have almost entirely been removed from government as President Rahmon has consolidated power.
The last Russian border guards protecting Tajikistan's 1,344 km border with Afghanistan completed their withdrawal in July 2005. Russia maintains its military presence in Tajikistan with the basing of the Russian 201st Motorized Rifle Division that never left Tajikistan when it became independent. Most of these Russian-led forces, however, are local Tajik noncommissioned officers and soldiers.
Tajikistan's most recent parliamentary elections in 2010 and its 2006 presidential election were considered to be flawed and unfair but peaceful. The parliamentary elections, in which the ruling party secured 55 of the 63 seats, failed to meet many key Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) standards on democratic elections, and some observers saw them as even worse than the flawed 2005 elections. In June 2003, Tajikistan held a flawed referendum to enact a package of constitutional changes, including a provision to allow President Rahmon the possibility of re-election to up to two additional 7-year terms after his term expired in 2006.
Lack of transparency in the legislative process and significant concerns regarding due process demonstrate the weakness of civil society in the country. Corruption is pervasive, and numerous observers have noted that power has been consolidated into the hands of a relatively small number of individuals.
Tajikistan established an embassy in Washington, DC in temporary offices in February 2003, and formally opened its first permanent chancery building in March 2004. Tajikistan's embassy in the United States is at 1005 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20037 (tel.: 202-233-6090; fax: 202-223-6091).
Independence: September 9, 1991 (from Soviet Union).
Branches: Executive--chief of state: President Emomali RAHMON since November 6, 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly Chairman since November 19, 1992; head of government (appointed by the president): Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV since January 20, 1999; Oqilov has reached mandatory retirement age, but has not yet been replaced. Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme Assembly. Elections: president elected by popular vote for a 7-year term; election last held November 6, 2006. Election results: Emomali RAHMON 79.3%, Olimjon BOBOYEV 6.2%, Amir QARAQULOV 5.3%, Ismoil TALBAKOV 5.1%, Abduhalim GHAFFOROV 2.8%. Legislative--bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the Assembly of Representatives or Majlisi Namoyanandagon (lower chamber; 63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms) and the National Assembly or Majlisi Milli (upper chamber; 34 seats; members are indirectly elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms, 25 selected by local deputies, 8 appointed by the president, plus former presidents of Tajikistan--currently there is one; all serve 5-year terms). Elections: last held February 27, 2005 for the Assembly of Representatives. Election results: percent of vote by party--People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan 74.9%, Communist Party 13.64%, Islamic Revival 8.94%, other 2.5%. Judicial--Supreme Court; judges are appointed by the president.
Political parties and leaders: People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMON]; Islamic Revival Party or IRPT [Muhiddin KABIRI]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]; Democratic Party or DPT [Masud Sobirov heads government-recognized faction; Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV, currently serving 23-year prison term, is chairman of original DPT; Rahmatullo VALIYEV is deputy)]; Social Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOYIROV]; Socialist Party of Tajikistan or SPT [Abdukhalim GAFFOROV; Murhuseyn NARZIEV heads the original SPT party that is currently unrecognized by the government]; Agrarian Party or APT [Amir Birievich QARAQULOV]; Party of Economic Reform or PERT [Olimjon BOBOYEV].
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal.
Defense (2003 est.): Military manpower (availability)--1,273,700.
The current Tajik Republic hearkens back to the Samanid Empire (A.D. 875-999), which ruled what is now Tajikistan as well as territory to the south and west, as its role model and name for its currency. During their reign, the Samanids supported the revival of the written Persian language in the wake of the Arab Islamic conquest in the early 8th century and played an important role in preserving the culture of the pre-Islamic Persian-speaking world. They were the last Persian-speaking empire to rule Central Asia. The expanding Russian Empire encompassed the territory that is now Tajikistan, along with most of the rest of Central Asia during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Russian rule collapsed briefly after the Russian Revolution of 1917, as the Bolsheviks consolidated their power and were embroiled in a civil war in other regions of the former Russian Empire. As the Bolsheviks attempted to regain Central Asia in the 1920s, an indigenous Central Asian resistance movement based in the Ferghana Valley, the "Basmachi movement," resisted but was largely eliminated by 1925. Tajikistan became fully established under Soviet control with the creation of Tajikistan as an autonomous Soviet socialist republic within Uzbekistan in 1924, and as an independent Soviet socialist republic in 1929. The northern Sughd region, previously part of the Uzbek republic, was added to the Tajik republic at this time.
Contemporary Tajiks are the descendants of various ancient Iranian inhabitants of Central Asia, in particular the Soghdians and the Bactrians, and possibly other groups, with an admixture of Mongols and Turkic peoples. The largely Shi’a inhabitants of the Pamir mountains speak a number of mutually unintelligible eastern Iranian dialects quite distinct from the Tajik spoken in the rest of the country. Until the 20th century, people in the region tended to identify themselves more by way of life--nomadic versus sedentary--and place of residence than by ethnic group. The distinction between ethnic Tajiks and Uzbeks was not always precise, and people in the region often used--and continue to use--each other's languages. The Soviets tended to reify ethnicity, and drew Central Asian republican boundaries so that they balanced ethnic representation in fertile areas such as the Ferghana Valley while also making large-scale ethnic mobilization difficult.
Population (July 2010 estimate): 7,627,200.
Population growth rate (2010 estimate): 1.846%.
Ethnic groups: Tajik 80%, Uzbek 15%, Russian and others 5%.
Religion (2010 Embassy est.): Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%, other 10%.
Language: Tajik (the official state language as of 1994, with followup legislation in 2009); Russian is widely used in government and business; 74% of the population lives in rural communities where mostly Tajik is spoken.
Education: Literacy--99.5%. The Tajik education system has been struggling through a period of decline since independence, however, and some evidence suggests functional literacy is much lower.
Health (2010 est.): Life expectancy--62.97 years men; 69.25 years women. Infant mortality rate--38.54 deaths/1,000 live births. | 2019-04-23T14:58:42 | https://www.traveldocs.com/world-atlas/Tajikistan-atlas218 |
0.998252 | Term entries in the full glossary matching "content"
The content associated with an element in the source document; not all elements have content in which case they are called empty. The content of an element may include text, and it may include a number of sub-elements, in which case the element is called the parent of those sub-elements.
In this specification, the noun "content" is used in three ways: It is used to mean the document object as a whole or in parts.It is used to mean the content of an HTML or XML element, in the sense employed by the XML 1.0 specification ([XML], section 3.1): "The text between the start-tag and end-tag is called the element's content." Context should indicate that the term content is being used in this sense.It is used in the terms non-text content and text content.Empty content (which may be conditional content) is either a null value or an empty string (i.e., one that is zero characters long). For instance, in HTML, alt="" sets the value of the alt attribute to the empty string. In some markup languages, an element may have empty content (e.g., the HR element in HTML).
The final part of a computed constructor is an expression enclosed in braces, called the content expression of the constructor, that generates the content of the node.
For the purpose of this specification, "content generation" refers to generating content appropriate to the user agent profile of the request by using the user agent profile as input to a dynamic content generation engine. The XSL and style sheets of the document are used to tailor the document to the user agent profile of the request.
The mechanism for selecting the appropriate representation when servicing a request. The representation of entities in any response can be negotiated (including error responses).
The mechanism for selecting the appropriate HTTP representation when servicing a request. The HTTP representation of entities in any response can be negotiated (including error responses).
This term was developed from that in Hypertext Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.1.
The practice of providing multiple representations available via the same URI. Which representation is served depends on negotiation between the requesting agent and the agent serving the representations.
A server that originates content in response to a request.
For the purpose of this specification, "content selection" refers to selecting an appropriate document from a list of possible choices or variants by matching the document profile with the user agent profile of the request.
Content element having only PCDATA, sep and presentation expressions as content. Represents either an identifier (ci) or a number (cn).
The content of a document refers to what it says to the user through natural language, images, sounds, movies, animations, etc. The structure of a document is how it is organized logically (e.g., by chapter, with an introduction and table of contents, etc.). An element (e.g., P, STRONG, BLOCKQUOTE in HTML) that specifies document structure is called a structural element. The presentation of a document is how the document is rendered (e.g., as print, as a two-dimensional graphical presentation, as an text-only presentation, as synthesized speech, as braille, etc.) An element that specifies document presentation (e.g., B, FONT, CENTER) is called a presentation element.Consider a document header, for example. The content of the header is what the header says (e.g., "Sailboats"). In HTML, the header is a structural element marked up with, for example, an H2 element. Finally, the presentation of the header might be a bold block text in the margin, a centered line of text, a title spoken with a certain voice style (like an aural font), etc. | 2019-04-25T18:35:06 | http://www.w3.org/2003/glossary/keyword/All/content.html |
0.999996 | Do you remember the opinion splitting article I wrote on "Earthquakes and Fracking" or "What the frack?". In that piece I humbly had the opinion, that although many environmentalists use fracking as an evil method, that creates earthquakes, therefore it should be banned, the truth is that earthquakes happen so deep underground, that fracking has nothing to do with it. Particularly I used the La Cienega oil field as an example since I live so close to it in Culver City. Long and behold, there were a couple of earthquakes, albeit relatively small, on April 12 exactly under this oil field.
Did I put my foot in the mouth? Should I just shut up and be quiet since I don't know anything about earthquakes? Maybe, but I've read a small article in the Los Angeles Times after this earthquake with a title: "QUAKE NOT LINKED TO OIL DRILLING"
In this article the author Veronica Rocha writes, that the magnitude 3.5 earthquake that rattled parts of Southern California on Sunday night occurred right under this La Cienega oil field, where extensive fracking is going on, near the Newport - Inglewood Fault and I quote: "Lucy Jones, a U.S. Geological Survey seismologist, wrote on Twitter that oil drilling, or fracking, was unlikely to be responsible for the quake because it occurred at a depth `way below the oil fields` under the epicenter. Instead, the scientist said the shaking appeared to be caused by movement in the Newport - Inglewood Faults"
Do I feel vindicated by this article? Not at all. Earthquakes are very complex natural phenomenon and only continuous research and studying of past events can lead to understand them and maybe someday to predict them. | 2019-04-23T08:08:47 | http://blog.erdelyi.com/2015/05/culver-city-earthquake.html |
0.999356 | Continuity mistake: Five white teenage girls burst in on Hercules & Phil & run toward the camera. In the following shot, the girl in blue has changed into a black girl.
Continuity mistake: During Hades' meeting with the Fates, he walks to a table to explain his plan. Between shots the things on the table change.
Deliberate mistake: In Thebes, Phil beats up the guy and he gets a black eye, but seconds later the black eye is gone.
Continuity mistake: When the gods are walking down Mt. Olympus in chains, Hephaestus is in front of Aphrodite. But after Hercules cuts the chains with his sword and frees the gods, Hermes is in front of Aphrodite, and Hephaestus is nowhere to be seen.
Continuity mistake: When Phil falls off Pegasus, he hits a pillar and gets knocked out. A few minutes later, after recovering, his position is different and the pillar is gone.
Continuity mistake: In the shot of the gods after Hades makes his joke about moussaka, Dionyssus is close to Aphrodite and Athena's owl is on her left hand. Then as Hades asks "Is this an audience or a mosaic?", Aphrodite is further from Dionyssus, and Athena's owl is on her right hand.
Continuity mistake: When Hercules opens the case, all that falls out are two pots, two bowling pins, a helmet, a sword, and two pairs of armor. A purple cape, two shields, many other pots, a sandal, a trophy, and a white ball with a blue stripe are among many of the additional items that appear out of thin air in the very next shot.
Continuity mistake: As the Fates cut their first victim's string of life, between shots they move further away from the nearby window.
Continuity mistake: Five girls run in to mob Hercules, but only four run out.
Continuity mistake: The amount of vines on the case Phil pulls out of the bushes changes between shots.
Continuity mistake: When Hercules is on his knees in the temple of Zeus, in some shots he is on bare stone, but in other shots he is on the ceramic design.
Continuity mistake: When Hades says "Here I am kind of river guardian-less" you can see a chess piece of a centaur on the board near to a lot of other pieces. The when Meg flicks the centaur off the board, the other pieces are gone.
Continuity mistake: The pile of chains and other items change after Hercules throws Phil into it.
Continuity mistake: At night-time, Phil is standing on Pegasus' head in front of a "head-light". The head-light disappears from Pegasus' head after the above shot.
Continuity mistake: In Thebes, when a vendor opens his cloak and asks if he wants on sundial, his fingers go from being underneath the cloak to over it.
Continuity mistake: In the first scene involving the Fates, the hands of the green one are perfectly fine, and it is not until Hades places the eyeball in her hand that all the disgusting brown spots and hairs appear. | 2019-04-26T12:03:55 | https://www.moviemistakes.com/film605 |
0.999102 | The owner of the truck is really scared while he's talking to Andy. Why he can't tell him the whole story at that moment? Actually, he asks Andy to get out of there. Maybe is he waiting for someone? Richard Horne?
Yeah, that was really strange, especially when we saw the house with the door open. I wonder why.
Well, the truck owner's acting and body language clearly implied (to me, at least) that he was afraid that someone could arrive or even just pass by and see him talking with a cop - so I assumed he was either scared of Richard Horne or some of his associates or both.
When he is late at the appointment with Andy and the camera I made the same assumption: either someone went in and attacked/killed the guy or, anyway, something bad happened (the shot is clearly edited to be ominous).
As far as I am concerned, it's pretty clear cut visual storytelling: "guy is afraid something bad may happen --> something bad happens".
I'm pretty sure that there is something about the "whole story" that we don't know yet.
Yeah it has to do with Richard or Red at least..
The truck looked like the same truck Richard Horne was driving when he killed the young boy. That's what I believe Andy was questioning him about. "Who was driving that vehicle?" As to why the man was afraid? I believe it probably has something to do with Richard Horne and Red. I'd probably be afraid of those two sociopaths as well.
Also, does anyone else think that the house in that scene looks similar to Dead Dog Farm?
The truck looked like the same truck Richard Horne was driving when he killed the young boy.
It was the same truck; that lady who is a huge fan of the RR Diner (or any of the other dozens of onlookers) probably caught the license plate of the truck as it passed and reported it, and that's why Andy was there.
The fact that the truck belonged to the guy Andy was questioning, and not Richard, is interesting. Makes me wonder if he's working for Richard (given Richard's a Horne and therefore probably also rich), and that's why he's trying so desperately to shoo Andy away. Richard was using the truck to get illegal drugs as well, which also indicates that Richard's underlings (if this guy is one) are expendable to him.
I'm thinking that the scared guy was an informant.
I assumed that the guy asked Andy for two hours so that he could bolt out of town. When I saw the open door I took that as confirmation of it. It would be really, really dumb for a law enforcement officer not to detain the owner of a vehicle that was involved in a hit and run fatality, for exactly that reason.
It was the truck that Richard killed the boy with. The cops are investigating him for a murder, and will eventually stumble upon the drug ring he's also involved with. Of course he's nervous.
He doesn't show up for his meeting with Andy. I wonder if Red killed him.
I totally thought that place looked like Dead Dog Farm. It has the same feeling of unease at the very least. Andy also seems much more confident and knowledgeable in this scene than ever before. | 2019-04-18T20:53:30 | https://welcometotwinpeaks.com/discuss/twin-peaks-part-7/why-is-so-scared-the-owner-of-the-truck/ |
0.998768 | FACT CHECK: Is Obama like Ike on spending?
WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama likes Ike.
Twice in his barnburner campaign speech this week, Obama likened his administration to Republican Dwight Eisenhower's in asserting that he's got domestic spending on a path to be the lowest, as a share of the economy, since Ike was president.
Can this be? More or less, yes. That's if it can be assumed that a president's budget assumptions for years ahead will become reality, always a dubious proposition.
— "I've ... put annual domestic spending on a path to become the smallest share of the economy since Dwight Eisenhower held this office, since before I was born."
— "As a percentage of our GDP, our discretionary spending — all the things that the Republicans are proposing cutting — is actually lower than it's been since Dwight Eisenhower."
THE FACTS: Obama hasn't achieved that yet, but he has at least proposed putting the nation on such a path with the hope of reaching that goal by the end of his presidency if he is re-elected.
Obama is talking about non-defense discretionary spending, the category of domestic spending that Congress can control year to year by deciding on priorities. It excludes entitlement spending, interest payments and other spending that is essentially locked in. His aim was to show that today's record trillion-dollar deficits were made necessary by the recession and unemployment, not by any wish by him to spend prolifically.
The administration's Office of Management and Budget projects that non-defense domestic spending will drop to 2.9 percent of the gross domestic product in the 2015 budget year and 2.8 percent in 2016, from an estimated 3.9 percent this year. That would be the lowest since Congress achieved 2.2 percent at the end of Eisenhower's presidency.
Whether that's really in the cards remains to be seen. Projections three or four years ahead don't carry much weight.
Moreover, as the fact-checking organization PolitiFact pointed out when Obama compared himself to Eisenhower in February, the ledger is somewhat skewed because $54 billion in surface transportation money has been shifted from the discretionary spending column to mandatory spending, improving the bottom line on paper if not in reality. | 2019-04-19T02:34:40 | https://www.newsday.com/elections/fact-check-is-obama-like-ike-on-spending-1.3652239 |
0.999999 | What is the most important information I should know about acarbose?
You should not use acarbose if you have inflammatory bowel disease, an ulcer or blockage in your intestines, or cirrhosis of the liver. Do not use acarbose if you are in a state of diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment with insulin).
Acarbose is used together with diet and exercise to treat type 2 diabetes. Acarbose is sometimes used in combination with insulin or other diabetes medications you take by mouth.
Acarbose may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking acarbose?
It is not known whether acarbose passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while you are using acarbose.
Acarbose is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.
How should I take acarbose?
Take acarbose with the first bite of a main meal, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
If you take acarbose with insulin or other diabetes medications, your blood sugar could get too low.
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can happen to everyone who has diabetes. Symptoms include headache, hunger, sweating, confusion, irritability, dizziness, or feeling shaky. Always keep a source of dextrose (D-glucose) with you in case you have low blood sugar. When taking acarbose, dextrose will work better than cane sugar or table sugar in treating hypoglycemia. Sources of dextrose include honey, dates, raisins, plums, dried prunes, grapes, or glucose tablets. Be sure your family and close friends know how to help you in an emergency.
Acarbose is only part of a complete treatment program that may also include diet, exercise, weight control, regular blood sugar testing, and special medical care. Follow your doctor's instructions very closely.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember (be sure to take it with a meal). If it has been longer than 15 minutes since you started your meal, you may still take acarbose but it may be less effective than taking it with the first bite of the meal. Do not take acarbose between meals, and do not take extra medicine to make up a missed dose.
What should I avoid while taking acarbose?
What are the possible side effects of acarbose?
What other drugs will affect acarbose?
thyroid medicine (Synthroid and others).
This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with acarbose, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.
Your pharmacist can provide more information about acarbose.
Copyright 1996-2018 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 9.01. Revision date: 9/10/2015. | 2019-04-25T17:44:50 | https://www.uncrockingham.org/health-library/document-viewer/?id=d03846a1 |
0.998681 | In a nutshell: Dinnerly delivers affordable, family-friendly meals to your doorstep, that cost just $5 per portion. Each week, customers can choose among six new menu options. Although their service doesn’t cater to many dietary restrictions, the menu has meal favorites that the whole family can enjoy.
Owned by Marley Spoon, Dinnerly provides an easy, affordable option for cooking fresh meals throughout the week. Rather than focusing on fancy, foodie meals, Dinnerly tries to appeal to a wider base of customers by offering family-friendly meals at just $5 per serving. It's perfect for busy parents or those on a budget.
Because Dinnerly caters to a broader customer base, their meals don’t specialize in dietary restrictions or preferences like vegan, gluten-free, and so on. Although Dinnerly doesn’t have as much of a wide selection as other meal delivery services, customers can still get fairly priced, easy-to-make meals that even kids will enjoy.
Dinnerly takes a step away from the foodie-focused meal delivery services. Their menu appeals to a wider base of customers and consists of more approachable meals that the whole family can enjoy. That includes favorites like chicken alfredo, burgers, roast chicken, grilled cheese, soups, enchiladas, spaghetti and meatballs, and so on. Their menu doesn’t really cater to specific dietary restrictions like gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and so forth. Although the company does have vegetarian meals at times, you may only find one option every few weeks.
Each week customers can choose from six new dinner recipe options. Their menu includes a mix of different kinds of foods such as one-pot meals, poultry-focused, 30-minute meal prep, low calorie, and so on. However, with just six menu choices each week, Dinnerly can’t guarantee to have enough meals to meet dietary restrictions. In addition, Dinnerly currently doesn’t offer breakfasts, lunches, or desserts.
As a meal delivery service, customers subscribe to receive a certain number of recipes each week. From the website, customers can choose from the weekly menu options. Dinnerly will ship the meal kits to your home which come with all the ingredients necessary. Insulated boxes with ice packs ensure that ingredients arrive fresh.
Keep in mind that Dinnerly doesn’t deliver nationwide. However, currently, the company ships to most parts of California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Texas, Illinois, Texas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Georgia, Colorado, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, New York, Maryland, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, and Florida.
Whereas many meal delivery kits will cost $10 or more per serving, Dinnerly cuts that price in half. Customers enjoy home delivered meal kits for just $5 per person. Dinnerly has two plans available. The two-person plan includes two portions per recipe and three recipes per week. This includes $5 per portion plus $8.99 in shipping costs totaling $38.99 per week. Dinnerly also has a four-person meal plan. This comes with four portions per recipe and three recipes per week. Portions also cost $5 per serving plus $8.99 in shipping, totaling $68.99 per week.
Overall, customers will find it easy to sign up and manage their account. The Dinnerly website makes it easy for subscribers to update their account settings or delivery options right online. Customers can get in touch with support directly by email or phone. Their active social media pages like Facebook and Twitter keep customers updated on the latest recipes. For more information, the online FAQ has answers to basic questions. | 2019-04-21T06:08:24 | https://www.thetop10sites.com/meal-delivery-plans/dinnerly/ |
0.999096 | A self-generating source of content, the comment section is an excellent way for publishers to increase audience engagement. It allows for a multitude of opinions to co-exist, hence supplementing the report with many perspectives. Readers can add on to the main report with real time updates. Comment sections can also be extremely helpful in gauging public sentiment. What your audience is thinking about, what they are interested in, what questions they have for you, it all comes across in their comments.
People can share their own experiences and ideas which in turn makes the original report more well-rounded. This not only adds value to the original report but also improves the overall ranking of your content, as having relevant comments on your posts will help you get more organic traffic.
By giving your users a safe and conducive environment to engage in intelligent conversations, you earn the loyalty of these users as they will be encouraged to keep sharing relevant content and opinions.
As online audiences grew, so did the pain of moderating conversations on the web. Toxic comments, spam bots and trolls overtook most comment threads, making it impossible for netizens to have fruitful debates and discussions. Anonymity allowed people to post hateful, racist and denigrating comments against journalists, fellow commenters and popular figures without the fear of any consequences. 22% of Internet users who participated in a 2014 Pew Research Center report said that they were harassed online in comment sections.
As meteoric as its rise, from 2012 onwards, most major news publishers suspended comment sections from their websites despite being desperate for user engagement. For instance, in 2013, Popular Science became one of the first major publications to ditch its comments feature, citing studies that found that blog comments can have a profound effect on readers' perceptions of science. Within the next two years, publications like Reuters, The Huffington Post, CNN, Vice Motherboard and Bloomberg, either re-designed their websites without the comments section or made provisions for a gated comments section.
Most of these news websites deferred comments to their social media platforms from their websites.
Dan Colarusso, Reuter’s executive editor.
Dan Colarusso wrote in the company's announcement on dropping the comments section and shifting discussions to social media platforms.
One of the principle elements of journalism is that it must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise. News organizations have realized that they should treat reader comments with the same level of consideration they treat their own stories. They should become a driving force for better online public discourse. Delegating the job to Facebook and Twitter is not the way to do it.
Taking these concerns into consideration, news organizations are now looking for innovative ways to reintroduce the comments section. Leading news publishers are using machine learning to moderate comments. These tools filter new comments by referring to a record of decisions made by human moderators and help in controlling the toxicity of the comments.
Metype by Quintype is a platform for increasing user engagement. It can be embedded within any web page or mobile app. There are several components of Metype that can be integrated into your site to increase your user engagement. These features help you manage and target users and monetize.
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The Metype commenting solution is a safe and innovative way for content producers to kickstart and sustain meaningful online conversations which will help them build loyalty and more engagement on their website. You can now get all of Metype’s features for free! | 2019-04-19T06:17:40 | https://blog.quintype.com/product/metype-fostering-highly-engaging-online-communities |
0.99863 | Splitting 5-4, the US Supreme Court held that automobile service advisors are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act, and thus are not entitled to overtime payments. Encino Motorcars v. Navarro (US Supreme Court 04/02/2018) [PDF].
Perhaps the most important takeaway from this decision is the point that the Court rejects the principle that that FLSA exemptions should be construed narrowly. Instead, the exemptions should be given their "fair meaning."
The FLSA exempts from the overtime pay requirement "any salesman, partsman, or mechanic primarily engaged in selling or servicing automobiles" at a covered dealership.
The case was at the US Supreme Court in 2016 - Encino Motorcars, LLC v. Navarro (US Supreme Court 06/20/2016) [PDF]. Then the big question was whether to defer to the Department of Labor's most recent flip-flop on the issue. The Court (all eight Justices) agreed that no deference was warranted as to the Department of Labor's most recent iteration of an interpretation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. But rather than giving us its interpretation of the statute, the Court (6-2) sent the case back to the 9th Circuit to do that work. The 9th Circuit again found the service advisors are non-exempt, and the case once again went to the Supreme Court.
"Under the best reading of the text, service advisors are 'salesm[e]n,' and they are 'primarily engaged in . . . servicing automobiles.'"
"A service advisor is obviously a 'salesman.' * * * The ordinary meaning of 'salesman' is someone who sells goods or services."
"Service advisors are also 'primarily engaged in . . . servicing automobiles.' * * * The word 'servicing' in this context can mean either 'the action of maintaining or repairing a motor vehicle' or '[t]he action of providing a service.' * * * Service advisors satisfy both definitions."
"Service advisors, such as respondents, neither sell automobiles nor service (i.e., repair or maintain) vehicles. Rather, they 'meet and greet [car] owners'; 'solicit and sugges[t]' repair services 'to remedy the [owner’s] complaints'; 'solicit and suggest . . . supplemental [vehicle] service[s]'; and provide owners with cost estimates." | 2019-04-18T11:17:57 | https://www.rossrunkelreport.com/blog/scotus-flsa-exemption-for-auto-service-advisors |
0.998627 | What do the other "creditor" states think of debt-pooling? It seems unlikely that Finland, Austria, and the Netherlands would go for it.
The Dutch PM has stated publicly that he will veto it even if Germany does a 180. The Finns will demand collateral for the risk they take. So summarised you can take that as a no.
What the media largely miss is that this is about paying and everyone has to agree with it. No majorities, even qualified ones, simply unanimity. It is hardly important seen from that angle what Italy and Spain as biggies think as they are de facto not payers (but receivers).
Another point is that Merkel has simply no room. Highly likely it is simply unconstitutional in Germany.
She also will not risk a referendum on it. Seen the polls that would most likely simply kill Merkel politically as well as the complete Euro rescue. With 80% against and only 10-20% pro it is hard to see how Merkel could survive that and how any German government could credibly still go for bail outs.
This all was simply a complete failed strategy. Totally unlikely to have any effect only a waist time. Sp, Fr simply didnot have a clue about the priorities of the people on the other side of the table (while reading a German newspaper could have given them that). Simply sloppy negotiating/preperation.
Another point: come together only with the biggies before the meeting and expect Holland, Finland, Austria to come up with several Billions is also unbelievably stupid to say it friendly (Sarko made that mistake earlier as well but saw it lateron and changed it and paid much more attention to the small AAAs). The new French guy is simply repeating this early mistake (so looks more like a blunder now).
Your message (the last two paragraphs in particular) leaves me kind of speechless.
To me it seems that the people in charge are a bunch of morons if they expect the smaller AAA countries (and Slovakia) to foot the bill without even talking to them BEFORE the summits and without any sense about was is going on in these countries when it comes to the Euro.
ps: Is Open Europe going to cover the upcoming elections in the Netherlands?
This debt pooling is a joke. For a start, Germany already has a national debt similar to ours in proportion, but much bigger: 2 Trillion. But all these efsf and esm 'funds' do not exist. All the indebted nations promise to chip in, to reduce other undebted nations with lower interest rates, but have to borrow to do so at higher rates. Go to your bank and ask for a loan: when they ask for security, ask them for a further loan to secure it, Hahaha.
b) the real money has to come from the smaller AAAs.
My mother always says you catch flies better with honey than with vinegar. You should simply give them the impression that they are important and their ideas count.
Merkel/Germany have frequent pre-summit meetings with the smaller AAAs, and especially Holland. Last Wednesday for instance), when it was made clear that Merkel's definition of political union was a completely different one from the one most Anglo-Saxon /International media are giving of it.
Dutch election (I think Open Europe will cover it especially when it could become interesting) Open Europe usually covers the main events. And much better than nearly all other media give a lot of attention where attention should be paid. A lot of other media give a new idea of Barroso a lot of coverage (while it is likely to be dumped) while developments with the real decisionmakes are neglected (mainly because they are not in English). Look at Rompuy's plans all over the papers, while Merkel's remarks and the German parliamentary discussion had hardly coverage although considerably more important. It is at the end simply:'Who pays the piper...'.
In Holland anti-Euro (and very Euro-sceptic)parties are now at roughly 40% in the polls and the trend is rising.
Also the main government party (VVD) has to move more to the anti-Euro block, because the party that is likely to pick a lot of its usual votes is simply anti-Europe and campaigning on it, (Wilders).
Same story but in a lighter form on the left.
The middle block however is stil pro bail out. And likely to win the majority. However it consists out of 6 parties I believe , from the right liberals on one side to the Greens and rather old fashioned socialists on the other. No natural coalition-partners.
In my idea the next bunch of measures likely will be approved by a new Dutch government. But it is difficult to see something like Eurobonds or massive bankguarantees being approved a considerable majority is against and spread over all major mainstream parties but 1 or 2 (and Holland has probably more than 10 in parliament).
Rik, thanks a lot for your answer.
I totally agree, that mainstream mediae even here in Germany have been doing a pretty bad job since the debt crisis hit center stage. To me this seems to be pretty symbolic for the lack of an european public society.
Thanks again and I'm looking forward on your take on the results (or the lack of) of the EU summit. | 2019-04-24T16:36:48 | http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/merkel-comes-out-swinging-against-debt.html |
0.999999 | Can an outspoken female CFO with no aerospace background put Boeing back on course?
It's not every day that a new CFO flatly contradicts the boss in front of a reporter. Boeing Co. president and chief operating officer Harry Stonecipher had railed against the venerable program-accounting system for airliners. "You have to know the cost of the airplane as you go along the production line: what the wing costs, what every piece of the airplane costs," Stonecipher insisted with obvious frustration. "You cannot reduce the cost of a wing if you don't know where you're starting."
Asked her view, though, Deborah Hopkins disagreed. It's one of the "myths that need to be dispelled" at Boeing, the just-installed senior vice president and finance chief contended. "There's a natural tendency for people to say, 'The problem here is that employees have no idea what an airplane costs,'" she allowed. But well into what she calls "a very deep dive on the issue... I'd say that [program accounting] is not the problem."
As if that assertion weren't brash enough, the 44-year-old newcomer to the aerospace industry--just 17 days into the job--professed in a Wall Street Journal story that she'd like to replace 57-year-old chairman and CEO Phil Condit when he retires. She thereby threw her hat in the ring with those of a dozen or more others who, like all previous chief executives at this bastion of the military-industrial complex, have risen through the ranks and have, of course, been male.
Such chutzpah may sound like a formula for the brand-new Boeing CFO to crash and burn. On the other hand, Debby Hopkins may be just what the company needs. Certainly Condit and Stonecipher, who have run things as a team since the August 1997 acquisition of McDonnell Douglas Corp., say Boeing now requires such bold leadership in a CFO. The job, after all, is to provide the tools so that the legendarily stodgy legion of Boeing managers, for whom finance has always been a remote and mysterious science, can straighten up and fly right.
When Condit introduced Hopkins last December, he said she was chosen for her "successful track record as an agent of change"--not a term used lightly at Boeing--while at Unisys Corp. and later at General Motors Corp.
The stakes at the 83-year-old company have rarely been higher. For the first time ever, Boeing isn't profiting strongly from the upward curve of an airliner delivery cycle. Its $1.1 billion profit last year (all from defense and space operations) represented a total margin of only 2 percent, and followed a shocking 1997 net loss of $178 million. Europe's Airbus Industrie has turned into a formidable competitor. And takeover rumors are even starting to swirl around Boeing.
"It seems that the company has been running out of feet in which to shoot itself," says Bill Sweetman, an expert in military aviation.
"Boeing is ready" for a CFO like Hopkins, says Stonecipher, "because Boeing has a new vision and a new thrust." He sees himself as "a good enforcer" for Condit, as the CEO tries to wrench the company out of the old ways that prevailed when Boeing had no serious rivals.
Stonecipher, the former McDonnell CEO, has been a major critic of the finance department since he joined Boeing, believing that useful information was kept locked away from production-line executives. If finance did sometimes help with requested data, "they helped only after they'd said no four or five times." In Stonecipher's own case, he promised operating managers shortly after he arrived that "you're going to have all the data you need." But when he turned to then-CFO Boyd Givan to supply it, "the data wasn't there," Stonecipher says. Givan took early retirement last September, at age 62, after 32 years at Boeing, leaving Stonecipher as acting CFO until Hopkins came on board.
The 63-year-old Stonecipher, who still publicly describes the old Boeing manner as "arrogant," jokes to his managers that Hopkins will soon become as "tough" as he is, and "you will come to see me as a protective grandfather."
She may already be as tough as he is. Take Hopkins's final interview for the Boeing job last September in Zurich. "It was starting to feel like [Seattle] is really where I'm supposed to go," she says. Then, "I get this call at 11 at night, the night before I'm going to meet Harry Stonecipher." Her 18-year-old son, Patrick, staying with his grandmother in Detroit, had been hit by a car and seriously hurt, although he was out of immediate danger, Hopkins was told. With the next Detroit flight not until mid-morning, and even a corporate plane unable to get her there much quicker, she and Stonecipher agreed that keeping the breakfast appointment would "keep my mind busy" until she could fly to Patrick's bedside.
A Milwaukee native, Debby Hopkins had only a bachelor's degree from Walsh College, in Troy, Michigan, when she took her first finance positions at First National Bank of Detroit and Ford Motor Co. She credits her mother with instilling confidence in her ability to take on any job.
The defining moment of Hopkins's career was her creation of a survival plan for Unisys during its 1991 financial crisis. The then-36-year-old assistant controller was charged with quickly devising an approach that would win over the bankers. "It was a gut-wrenching experience," she says. "These workout bankers get paid to put you under." The experience taught her some lessons. "You realize there's so much potential in us, and you get to trust your instincts," she says.
James Unruh, who was Unisys CEO and Hopkins's mentor during much of her 13-year career there, believes that many finance executives "fall into the trap of focusing too tightly on the narrow definition of the financial role." The best of them, he says, "understand the dynamics of the business," and Hopkins "always embodied that."
Her grasp of business dynamics served her well as Unisys sought to solve its corporate-culture problem, transforming itself from a mainframe maker into a services business that provides systems integration. "There is no more difficult problem in business than cultural change," Unruh says, noting that Boeing has its own massive problems in that regard from acquisitions of McDonnell Douglas and the aerospace unit of Rockwell International Corp.
At Unisys, the entire product was replaced, challenging a workforce accustomed to hardware buyers with the headaches of marketing products to clients bent on negotiating each element of the service contract. Hopkins was, he says, "very quick to understand the difference."
Unruh rewarded her with several operations jobs before she stepped back into finance as corporate controller. She seemed prepared for the CFO slot, and possibly for Unruh's own CEO position. "I was clearly the lady-in-waiting" at 41, she says--when she decided to jump to GM.
The move left a bitter aftertaste for Unruh, now retired from Unisys and a founding principal of Alerion Capital Group LLC, in Scottsdale, Arizona. For one thing, "the timing was bad." For another, Unruh had invested heavily in preparing her for greater things, and "I didn't see GM as offering the same opportunities for growth. I'm not sure anger is the right word," he says, "but I was extremely disappointed."
"He yelled at me; he was just mad," says Hopkins of Unruh's reaction--until he reviewed her reasoning, and later apologized. She agrees that the job she accepted, as GM's general auditor, might have seemed a strange move. "Most people do not aspire to be the general auditor," she observes.
But GM's board members were all global captains of industry, and "in what other role do you get to sit one-on-one with the board members?" Plus, GM had a great track record of moving finance people into operating jobs, which she had desperately wanted. And the job brought her to Detroit, where she could be close to her ailing father.
As it turned out, the auditor job allowed her to deal intimately with a $400 million fraud case, and a host of problems at Adam Opel AG, the German unit of GM. A promotion in 1997 to CFO of European operations gave her insight into GM's most profitable auto business. It was designed as a prelude to an operating role back in the United States, she says. But then along came the Boeing opportunity last fall.
In judging a job's appeal, Hopkins applies what sounds almost like a personal risk-management formula. "You weigh the opportunities and risks," she says, "and what skills you bring to mitigate those risks." While she understood that Boeing was going through difficult times, the GM executive was impressed by Condit's and Stonecipher's willingness to let finance play a pivotal role in the turnaround effort.
The incentives were appealing, too. In addition to a $750,000 signing bonus, she gets a guaranteed $810,000 in salary and bonus her first year, with payments of over $2 million more possible if stock-price and other targets are reached. If she stays until age 62, Hopkins will also have 13 years of additional service tacked on to her retirement plan.
Mainly, though, she was wowed by Boeing itself. "When a company goes through tough times--and for Boeing, there have not been a ton of these--the employees usually start getting demoralized," she says. But here, a strong pro-company feeling continually boosts morale. "There is great pride; they say, 'We build such great products.' And we do."
The best approach, she says, is to build on Boeing's areas of strength. She notes that the C-17 military transport, once a seriously troubled program, won a Malcolm Baldridge quality award last year. "We've got examples of this all over the company," she says. "The challenge is that it's not across the board." But "I can feel the value bulging at the seams in this place, and we haven't found a way to tap into it."
With characteristic fearlessness, Debby Hopkins has used her first months in Seattle to address the profit-starved aerospace giant's problems with deep dives--a favorite expression of hers--even if that means surfacing with some proposals foreign to her bosses. "We used to be able to walk behind and report the results of the business," says Hopkins of the way Boeing's finance department has done business. "Now we must be out in front, identifying the risks."
The centerpiece of her effort: an evaluation of economic profit for every Boeing program. So far, this analysis shows a stunning 25 percent of the company's $13 billion in product-line investments to be value-destroying or break-even. Hopkins calls the estimates of the units' future cash flows, less cost of capital, a "launch-off point" for teaching managers about the concept of shareholder value. Hardly a radical idea--except at Boeing, where "creating a common language, a common methodology, and an idea of what goodness is," as she puts it, qualifies as revolutionary. Before, it was assumed at Boeing that "we can't really benchmark performance," she notes. "Baloney; the shareholders are doing it."
Hopkins has recognized that communicating the new profit discipline is as important as implementing it. Where her predecessors almost never granted media interviews, Hopkins has become a frank and colorful spokesperson for the company, telling analysts and journalists, for example, that any Boeing program would be "fixed or eliminated" if its economic-profit numbers slipped off the screen for long. "This isn't a flavor-of-the-month club," she said as she and Condit conducted a recent telephone press conference. "This has to do with the way we're going to run the business forever."
In another novel gesture for a Boeing CFO, Hopkins is visiting the company's airline customers around the globe. Her mission: to explain to them why Boeing must adhere to a stricter pricing policy. She believes customers need to understand that Boeing's sound fiscal health is in their best interests also. "You can't give them value and go out of business," she says.
Hopkins knows that firming up prices will take work, as air carriers play hardball with Airbus and Boeing. "I promise you," she says, "that finance will have the intestinal fortitude to say no." In fact, last year Boeing lost a big deal with British Airways to Airbus rather than back down on pricing.
On the issue of program accounting--the subject of the disagreement with Stonecipher--Hopkins has found a middle ground. Boeing will keep program accounting, but break out and explain for managers the program-accounting numbers embedded in the airliner unit's financials. It will also provide "discrete" segment cost data that managers can use to keep better track of their progress.
That approach, Hopkins says, emerged from a recent finance-staff brainstorming session. She kicked off the session by saying, "I know we're better than this. People think we're obfuscating the numbers. Give me an idea." When she saw senior manager Kevin Murphy's "eyes light up," she invited his thoughts. He came up with the idea of offering managers both accounting explanations, a suggestion she embraced. Murphy, promoted to director of general accounting since the session, says that Hopkins's leadership offers "a chance to have finance really step up and be part of the solution by helping to add value."
Of course, such innovations are necessary but not sufficient. Hopkins must also take on more-traditional challenges, like increasing the company's conservative 27 percent debt-to-capitalization ratio toward 40 percent. Other finance challenges she sees ahead involve slashing the time it takes to close Boeing's books each quarter from 13 days to 3. She is also trying to make sense of the hodgepodge of information systems at the company. "Having grown up in the information systems business is an advantage for me," she says, noting that the problems are only partly a legacy of Boeing's recent mergers. Some say the Baan enterprise resource planning software has caused difficulties because it is ill-suited to the aerospace business. But Hopkins doubts the IT issue is as simple as the conventional wisdom that "we simply have not designed the right system," she says.
"Drinking from a Fire Hose"
The establishment of the single economic-profit metric will allow managers "to walk into a Boeing facility...know exactly what those charts are going to look like, and read our performance levels." Hopkins doesn't mince words about her disdain for Stern Stewart & Co.'s economic-value-added version of economic profit. "I hate EVA," she says, because it seems designed to let "finance people demonstrate how smart they are. Our goal is to take the magic out of it."
The new CFO relishes the challenge of explaining the metric to the troops herself. A tutorial on return on net assets that she delivered at one managers' meeting won her some early raves, although she was shocked to find how little basic finance the executives understood.
Securities analysts, who had once given up on getting detailed operating information from the secretive company, are likely to be pleased as well, as they were late last year when Boeing began breaking out detailed segment data, and even forecasting future operating profit for units. Says Stonecipher, who was instrumental in revising the financial reports, "There were not 25 people in this company that had seen this data before."
The Boeing president, a long-time engineer and manager for General Electric Co.'s aircraft-engine unit, got his CFO model from GE. "The CFO is your confidant and counselor," he says, adding that he has found Hopkins to fill that role admirably. For her part, she sees herself as a "foil," who helps Stonecipher develop ideas for his chief operating officer role.
Some analysts are cautious about how much she can do for Boeing. "She shows no fear, which is very important, whether you're on the other side of a negotiating table or on the factory floor," says Howard Rubel, of Goldman, Sachs & Co. And she "has the support of all the senior executives at the company to push the collective agenda." Still, he adds, "one has to be careful about deifying anybody, because we're all human."
A Boeing finance-department veteran who asks not to be named notes that Hopkins has been "drinking out of a fire hose" to get up to speed on the aerospace business. But this person is impressed with how quickly Hopkins has won over the finance staff to her mission.
It is by making finance a player in operations that she sees the greatest chance of helping Boeing. There is hardly a corner of the vast company she doesn't want to explore, from additional revenue streams to making the company more visible in Europe through alliances and joint ventures.
"What distinguishes people like Debby is the speed with which they can grasp business problems and take hold of the levers to make things work," says her old mentor, James Unruh. But there is a flip side that may lead to trouble. "I suspect that Debby's biggest challenge will be finding that balance of a healthy level of impatience," he says.
Take her willingness to comment about the CEO job. "You have to be careful what you say, even if you believe it yourself," Unruh says. Other Boeing veterans who might think themselves in line "aren't going to be thrilled by someone who has barely found [her] way to the ladies' room wanting to take over. It would probably have been better not to have said it."
Hopkins makes no apology for her ambition, and says her remark provoked only laughter in chats with Condit and Stonecipher. "I'm this younger-ish woman in a relatively visible spot," she says, "and I'm having fun with it."
Besides, she suggests that a certain controlled impatience can be a positive. It was another lesson learned in her rush to assemble a plan to bring Unisys back from the brink, and it applies at Boeing, too. "You can study yourself into a hole," Hopkins says. "We need to get it pretty close to right, and we can engineer along the way."
Roy Harris is a senior editor at CFO.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Congratulations, GE-Stylea After 27 years at General Electric Co., Harry Stonecipher was prepared to apply some lessons from that finance powerhouse when he became Boeing Co.'s acting CFO last fall. Lesson No. 1: Expect some ribbing from your old compatriots.
"Now I have seen everything!" GE's then-CFO, Dennis Dammerman, said in a note. "Let me know if I can help in the search--as long as it is not for one of our guys!" Dammerman recently became GE vice chairman, and CEO of its GE Capital Services unit.
A former McDonnell Douglas Corp. CEO who came to Boeing as president after their 1997 merger, Stonecipher never held a finance post during his GE years. A physicist by training, he helped develop engines, and headed the huge aircraft-engine business for GE from 1984 to 1987.
Wrote GE chairman Jack Welch in his note to Stonecipher: "CFO??? Question: 2 + 2 = ?" -- R.H.
Selling a record number of jetliners is no fun when margins are paper-thin.
This year at Boeing Co., an historic four-year aircraft production cycle will peak--traditionally, a time when revenues and profits soar. The record 620 Boeing planes to be shipped are three times the number delivered in the "trough" year of 1995. They will gross the company $38 billion.But few in Seattle are cheering. This time around, the profits didn't materialize to go with the land-office business the salespeople produced. Production problems ballooned the cost side of the equation during the ramp-up--actually closing down the 747 and 737 lines completely for a month in 1997--while sharp price competition with Airbus Industrie sapped revenues.
And the economic crisis in the enormous Asian market, the largest for the extremely profitable 747 jumbo jet, has made the slide down the other side of the peak look precipitous indeed. Boeing's expected deliveries of the $170 million planes next year: less than one-third of the previous two years' orders. On top of that come the layoffs, as many as 48,000 of them by the end of the year 2000--once again casting a pall over the Puget Sound area.
Airliners represent 60 percent of Boeing, even after the McDonnell Douglas Corp. acquisition made Boeing the world's largest aerospace company, and buying businesses from Rockwell International Corp. turned it into America's biggest NASA contractor. But 1997's airliner losses dragged Boeing into the red, and last year's paltry $63 million in operating earnings on the commercial business was nearly as embarrassing. Boeing, now much more open about forecasting profit, doesn't have much to forecast. It envisions minuscule margins of between 1 percent and 3 percent this year and next.
What happened to the once-prolific airliner earnings machine? And did CFO Boyd Givan, who was ushered into early retirement last year, have anything to do with it? "It's easy to point a finger," says Charles W. L. Hill, chair of the department of management and organization at the University of Washington's business school, "but what really happened is that they planned for one world, and they got another."
He interprets Boeing's problems in the 1990s as a convergence of global challenges to the old jetliner markets it once dominated, compounded by monumental bad timing. Boeing went through a downsizing cycle in the early 1990s. At the same time, it launched an efficiency-oriented program to reduce its supplier base, and rolled out its all-new 777 jetliner. It also began initiating an ambitious series of information-technology programs throughout the corporation--including the introduction of its Baan enterprise resource planning software--which, together, led to confusion and waste in the early stages.
"Then, all of a sudden," says Hill, "the orders began coming in much faster than anyone had expected," creating "the mother of all ramp-ups" on the production lines. Wooing back those fired employees and lost suppliers was difficult and extremely expensive. But Boeing's ambition seemed unbounded. And when the opportunity to buy McDonnell and the space operations of Rockwell presented itself, Boeing felt it had to jump. And digesting such major operations--especially those of McDonnell, which has never overcome the culture clash from combining the straitlaced St. Louis military-airplane business with the more-entrepreneurial California Douglas airliner business--took its toll.
Meanwhile, Airbus Industrie was coming of age, learning to control costs and steal markets away for a growing family of Airbus products aimed directly at the weak spots in Boeing's own family. Where once Boeing's price set the standard rivals had to match, now airline customers found Airbus offering bargains--and pushed Boeing to match them, sometimes unprofitably. Dealing with McDonnell Douglas's struggling MD-11 program didn't help; Boeing last year decided to phase out the wide-body model.
Hill believes that trying to protect its "God-given 60 percent of the market" led Boeing astray. "If it had held the line on pricing and given up market share," he says, "it would probably be a Wall Street darling right now."
As for the role of ex-CFO Givan, and a Boeing finance department that rarely got involved in strategic thinking, one finance executive says that had always been Boeing's culture. Sharing financial data across the company simply wasn't done, and there was no thought to using data "to give people a line of sight on what they were doing for the company." Adds new CFO Debby Hopkins: "For a long time, Boeing kept making its numbers," even though its line managers lacked the basic financial data by which to measure their performance. Then, when competition forced the managers to boost their units' performance, they found the numbers weren't available, and in any case weren't understood.
"We created a business model," says Hopkins, "where people said, 'I guess that's not my business.'" -- R.H.
How program accounting and discrete costing compare.
Program-accounting numbers are based on an "initial quantity" that allows reasonable cost and revenue averaging assumptions and that reflects Boeing's projections of the existing market for a plane. ( For the 777 aircraft, the quantity was 400.) R&D is expensed as incurred; tooling costs are amortized and absorbed in the cost of sales over the initial quantity.
Elements of both accounting methods will now be reported more widely to production managers, and in external financial statements, under a plan drawn up by CFO Debby Hopkins. --R.H. | 2019-04-21T18:13:40 | https://channels.theinnovationenterprise.com/articles/fearless-in-seattle |
0.979869 | Human beings have made great progress in understanding nature with the power of intelligence. Right from the beginning, mankind has tried to invent innovative equipment. Consistent research and analysis have resulted in advanced technological development making lives easier than ever before. The speed of scientific and technological development has been increasing day by day and the impact of all this has gone beyond the comfort of our lives. As per the law of nature and over the history of mankind, we have witnessed that powerful countries have ruled captured many weaker regions using their strength and intelligence. Treasures have been robbed. Some strong countries started using infinite amount of natural resources. Today, vast majority of people in the world look forward to enjoying the life survival which the economically powerful nations enjoy. The unsolved equation of limited natural resources and increased imbalance in nature are two global problems.
By deploying constant research and development in field of science, man has created nuclear weapons. These weapons determine strength and indicate mightiness of countries. However, these mighty countries are imposing restrictions on other countries’ ability to create nuclear weapons. These countries have avoided the responsibility of their own global nuclear disarmament. This imbalance has become a constant headache for the world. The situation is so bad that it could blow up in a dangerous way.
Has science played any role in this regard? The answer to this question is yes! Strong countries are becoming stronger with the help of science and technology. Using Science as a tool, innovative features are being created with available naturals materials. There is a proverb, ‘knowledge is power’. Science has created new facilities as well as strengths. Those who used science as a tool made progress. They got control over the world. Those who could not utilise the power of science were left behind. The situation is so volatile that experts predict the last century of human existence on Earth has started. Advancement in science empowered humans, however, they have failed to use this power wisely.
It depends on human evolution and the values they follow. The world has much to learn from Indian culture in this regard. Today, youth appears to be increasingly self- centered which is not good for the development of a healthy society. All should have empathy and sympathy for the weaker sections. knowledge, science, culture, society, and entrepreneurship are very important factors in our education system. You are expected to produce sensitive and capable humans.
Technology has brought ease to our daily life but it has also created many issues which should be discussed here. Although human capacity increases with technology, it creates other problems. overdependence on machines encourages unemployment. Men are replaced by machines. Information and communication advancement are connecting people around the world and as this happens strangers are coming closer< but the fear that cordiality with familiar people will start diminishing is on the rise. Although everyone in a democracy is required to create and express their opinions, it is also necessary to take of democracy.
Our constant efforts are towards creating good environment for youth and children. It is important to take care that it is unpolluted by the ease of technology available. The teachings of being the good citizen and community bonding should also be imbibed on the minds of young generation.
This expedition of science and technology will increase with each passing day. It is a sign of a well – cultured society when knowledge continues to expand and fluctuate. We must ensure that new knowledge and technology comes rapidly, should be useful and should not be misused. We must take care personally, socially and globally. Due to increasing speed of new technology, it will be difficult to establish regulation process in time. guidance on personal and social ethics and knowledge institutions will gain immense importance in coming times. Therefore, our responsibility is maintaining and preserving healthy ethics and high- quality institutions. If we can fulfill this, science will always be boon. Let’s hope that human needs won’t create hazard to natural surroundings and powerful machines that humans created engage in creative work. | 2019-04-20T18:12:11 | https://kalnirnay.com/blog/english-articles/science-development-or-destunction/ |
0.999808 | Sample closing remarks for class reunion - answers.com, A sample of something that one could say at the closing of a class reunion would be something about how nice it was to see everyone and how it would be nice to do it again more often.. Is there is a sample closing remarks for class alumni, Answer (1 of 2): this is very much left up to personal preference as there is no 'standard' way of closing a class alumni reunion. it should be closed in the same way as any other event; by thanking those who have attended and wishing them a safe trip home. example:"i would just like to take this opportunity to thank a few people before this fabulous night has to come to an end.. Sample letter announcing a 25th class reunion - letterspro.com, Sample letter announcing a 25th class reunion. announcement letters to friends. guide, letter example, grammar checker, 8000+ letter samples.
Class reunion announcement sample letter, Class reunion announcement letter. send this letter when you would like to announce that your class is having a reunion. this could be your high school or college class, or any other class. be sure to include pertinent information, such as reunion dates and location. tailor the letter's content according to your specific needs.. Sample of closing remarks - answers.com, Sample closing remarks for class reunion? a sample of something that one could say at the closing of a classreunion would be something about how nice it was to see everyoneand how it would be nice. How to make closing remarks | synonym, It's the moment when you've come to the end of the main body of your presentation or speech. well-crafted closing remarks start off with a nod to the audience that you're wrapping up your impressive.
Wrapping up your reunion - reunions magazine, When your reunion is over, it’s still not over with reunion season almost over, evaluations, closing the books and collecting ideas are essential to complete your reunion. wrap-up is the last stage of your reunion. write thank you notes. ask for feedback. you always want new ideas for your next reunion. hometown newspapers often includeread more. What are some examples of closing remarks in a speech, In many cases, the way a speaker finishes his remarks is what an audience remembers, and such strategies as taking the audience back to a story that the speaker used at the beginning, bringing that story to its conclusion or incorporating a quotation from a famous person are just two ways to give a speech a memorable closing.. Announce a class reunion - free sample letter templates, Sample letter #1. copied! it's time to play "remember when" at our doe high class of '81 reunion next july, and the organizing committee is in high gear! we'll get started with an informal reception at the doe house friday evening, july 14, from 7:00 to 11:00. on saturday, those interested may sign up for an afternoon of golf or tennis before. | 2019-04-23T03:01:07 | http://justbcause.com/2012/12/29/sample-class-reunion-closing-message/ |
0.998389 | Obama and Congress couldn't reach a deal to avert $85 billion in automatic spending cuts. Here's what that means.
It's really going to happen.
When President Obama kicked off his press conference late Friday morning by saying, "The good news is the American people are strong and they're resilient," you knew he was grasping at straws. The upshot is that some time Friday -- legally, it must happen by 11:59 p.m. -- Obama must sign an order putting automatic spending cuts into effect. How little chance is there for a deal? Well, the political Twittersphere is currently absorbed with this bizarre, disturbing story instead of even bothering to talk about it.
Here are all the questions you need answered about what happens next.
Weren't there Senate votes yesterday? And some sort of meeting today at the White House?
There were, and they all failed. Here's what happened. First, the Senate voted on a GOP plan that would have kept the first round of cuts, worth $85 billion, in place, but given Obama discretion on how to implement them, rather than using the across-the-board, blunt-object approach mandated by the original legislation. There were political risks and upsides to it: On the one hand, it would have meant cuts that were less "dumb," and the GOP could have attacked Obama's choice of cuts. On the other, it would have been an abdication of responsibility to the president, plus defense hawks feared Obama would mostly use it to cut Pentagon funding. In any case, it was defeated 38-62.
A Democratic bill that would have cut spending by $55 billion in defense and agricultural subsidies and raised $55 billion through tax increases garnered a majority but -- welcome to the new normal! -- didn't get the 60 votes needed to proceed. The White House meeting Friday morning also failed. House Speaker John Boehner won't agree to any package that increases revenue, and Obama won't agree to any package that doesn't include revenue.
So does the world end tomorrow?
Oh. Then why are we worried?
To be sure, bad stuff will start happening, just gradually. The cuts come half from the defense budget and half from a mix of mandatory programs like Social Security and Medicaid or discretionary funding. A few programs, like Medicare, are exempt. (Here's a 300-word explanation of which cuts go where; here's an exhaustive one.) There are two problems with this. One, specific things are going to be bad for specific people: The administration says as many as 750,000 jobs could be lost. Federal workers will be furloughed, which could affect any number of services -- though the most commonly mentioned ones are the prospect of longer airport security lines or reduced air-traffic control coverage. Of course, we'll really have to wait and see. Fiscal conservatives have accused the White House of fear-mongering in their description of how the cuts might affect individual Americans.
But economists agree about what the cuts will do in aggregate. They expect that spending reductions will harm the economic recovery, slowing growth by an estimated half of a percentage point in 2013.
And there's nothing we can do about this?
Theoretically, both sides could still reach a deal at any point and forestall whatever cuts haven't yet taken effect. But there's not much optimism about that right now. As demonstrated already, both sides have drawn lines in the sand that they swear they won't cross. Keep in mind, it's not a question of how many revenue cuts vs. how many spending cuts either side has to swallow; Republicans have ruled out any revenue cuts at all. As a result, it will take serious incentives -- either catastrophic repercussions of cuts, or else tremendous political pressure -- for one or both sides to give in. Polls already show Republicans losing on this issue, but some GOP lawmakers refuse on principle to raise more revenue. Others face tremendous pressure from interest groups or potential primary voters. They're hoping the politics change to favor them over time.
If you're going to be furloughed, you'll receive a notice. Those notices started going out Friday. But agencies are being cagey about when exactly the impact will come.
What if I'm not a federal employee?
My colleague Matt O'Brien has more details on the states that will be worst hit by military cuts. Hawaii, Alaska, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland lead the list.
Beyond that, there will be the reductions described above, which all citizens may encounter. The White House released detailed estimates of how the sequester will affect every state, which the Washington Post put in an excellent interactive form here.
I'm trying to look on the bright side. If Obama and Congress can reach a deal, we'll be in the clear, right?
Your optimism is impressive but futile. As Molly Ball predicted way back in early January, these crises will continue to define Obama's term. Later this month, Congress has to pass a continuing resolution to keep the government funded. If they don't, the government shuts down. And there's a pretty good chance that will happen -- at the very least, the negotiation is likely to go down to the wire. And then in May, the nation's likely to hit the debt ceiling again, which will probably result in frantic eleventh-hour negotiations.
Can't you give me anything to be happy about?
It's only one month until Opening Day, for what it's worth. | 2019-04-22T06:35:10 | https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/03/what-to-expect-when-youre-sequestering-a-guide-to-the-next-steps/273647/ |
0.999958 | Oracle America vs. Google - Software Patents on Trial?
In what seems like a normal day at the trough for large companies and their patent lawyers, Oracle America (nee Sun Microsystems, now a subsidiary of Oracle) has issued a lawsuit against Google for violation of seven patents and some copyrights (PDFs of the complaint document are available in many places on the Web). At its core, the fight is over Google's Dalvik virtual machine used in Android.
Whilst Dalvik implements the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), it is not a licenced product, it is a "clean room" implementation. Of course, clean room is not a defence against patents, if you use something on which there is a patent, you are liable to pay royalties to the patent holder, even if you didn't know about the patent. Oracle, via its purchase of Sun, now owns patents it thinks applies, and it wants to collect.
Somewhat predictably, the initial knee-jerk reaction of large swathes of the JVM using community on the various mailing lists is one of being up in arms against Oracle, complaining that Oracle are attacking Java, and that this is the beginning of the end for Java. Later on in the various threads, the voices of reason begin to appear. But this article is not about whether Oracle is trying to cause the demise of Java and the Java community, that is really rather unlikely given the importance of Java middleware to Oracle's core income stream. This article is about the instruments being used in this case.
Oracle has purchased a collection of patents, many of them software patents, as part of its purchase of Sun. Many of these patents relate to techniques used in the Sun implementation of the JVM, pure software patents. Patent documents, at least in the USA, often start "A method and apparatus to . . .", the interesting (!) thing about all software patents is there is no apparatus, there is just a method realized as an algorithm encoded in source code. It is a pity that patents do not get rejected for lying when using the standard language.
I have skimmed over the PDFs of six of the seven patents that are the focus of this case (6,125,447; 6,192,476; 5,966,702; 7,426,720; RE38,104; 6,910,205; and 6,061,520), and it seems clear that these are all pure software patents revolving around various techniques used in the JVM, but which are actually so broad that they are techniques used in many other varieties of virtual machine. So this case could be seen as the beginning of a programme to extract royalties from any and all purveyors of virtual machines.
In the end, Oracle have purchased a company with assets and they are trying to create a return on investment from those assets. Natural business activity. The problem is the nature of some of those assets, and in particular software patents. Moreover it isn't just the seven patents listed in this case. Each of those seven make reference to many other patents of similar type, all part of the portfolio. There is therefore a whole pool of patents in play here, and the "long play" may well be to validate all of these patents in court so that they can then be used as mechanisms for extracting more royalty revenues from more companies, and in the end create an effective monopoly on the whole concept of a virtual machine.
Thus one could imagine that Microsoft with its CLR, IBM's implementation of the JVM, possibly VMWare, Parallels, all hypervisors and virtual machines are being lined up. Could they perhaps even go after the Python, Ruby and Perl virtual machines as well? Here lies the seeds of paranoia, but it indicates how dangerous a legally validated software patent might be, at least in the jurisdiction of that patent. Here we see another indication of why the UK and EU must not allow these sorts of patent. They destroy competition and innovation.
From a strategy perspective, it is interesting that Oracle have targeted a big player first, rather than starting with a small player, as is usual in these quasi-extortion rackets. Little players often have to fold for lack of resource, so there is a build up of apparent validity to the patent caused by wining cases, albeit out of court. The problem though is no actual case law has been created, so there is still the risk that when you finally start with the big players, you have to go the full distance anyway, having already paid out a lot to deal with the small fry. Perhaps then the strategy here is to have the big game first, go the whole distance to a judgement, and by doing so immediately create case law. All other players, big or little, then have to fall in line; it is then a simple sweeping up operation, money for old rope.
Over the next few weeks there will be a lot of mud thrown at Oracle, much of it unreasonable, some of it reasonable. Google will try and appear like the FOSS (free and open source software) world's white night, when in fact they are just as grey a player as any other big company (after all they tried to leverage the JVM without paying their dues). The real culprit here is the USA patent system and its penchant for issuing software patents willy-nilly, and indeed at all. Patents are tools for big players to stifle little players, and as noted above competition and innovation. Any pretence that patents are tools for the little guy to get remuneration from their ideas has surely been seen through long ago.
There is though another count in the lawsuit which is potentially far more important in many ways than the software patents ones, and that is the breach of copyright claim (Count VIII). Currently it is not totally clear from the documents available what the claim really is. There are issues of timing and exact claim that introduce uncertainty. One interpretation is that Google simply reused in Dalvik Sun JVM code from a time prior to that code being released as open source under the GPL licence, even though they were claiming Dalvik to be a clean-room implementation. If so this would seem to be a straightforward violation of Sun's copyrights. Another interpretation is that Google have relicenced GPL licenced code under the ASL licence without permission - the ASL is a more permissive open source licence than the GPL, and in order to relicence GPL code under ASL you have to have the permission of the copyright holder. Under this interpretation Oracle is the white knight and Google the enemy of FOSS. This is so against all (prejudiced?) expectation that it is immediate to doubt this is the case, yet it might be. If it turns out that this is, in fact, the case then everyone currently saying Oracle are no longer to be trusted as the owners of Java and the JVM, may have to reassess their position. On the other hand this is all speculation until more details are available: Paragraphs 37 to 46 of the complaint document are not specific enough to do anything other than speculate on the actual claim.
This case is going to be one to watch. Hopefully Groklaw will take this one up. There is _The Oracle-Google Mess: A Question - Are Any of the Patents Tied to a Specific Machine?_, so possibly yes.
In breaking news: Oracle have jumped into the Evil Empires League straight at number 3, forcing Dell, The EU Patent Office, The USA Patent System, Amazon, and even Google, down one place. We conclude that there may be a direct relationship between position in the table and the extent to which bully boy tactics and the patent system is used to extort monies. | 2019-04-23T10:36:43 | https://www.russel.org.uk/posts/archive/2010-08-14-10-41.html |
0.999997 | This Chicken, Cauliflower and Pasta dish can be served straight from the pot in about 30 minutes or as a pasta bake.
Heat the olive oil in a fry pan and add the sliced leek; sauté until softened then add the chicken pieces and stir well and continue to sauce gently.
Make the sauce by mixing all the ingredients except the yoghurt.
Cook the pasta according to instructions. Add the cauliflower to the pasta cooking pot so that pasta is cooked and cauliflower is al dente.
Coat the chicken and leek with the sauce and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes as the pasta is cooking. | 2019-04-22T22:26:30 | http://www.albanyfarmersmarket.com.au/recipe.aspx?Recipe=39 |
0.999999 | Article published in Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmacognosy Research 7(1): 31-46, 2019.
1Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Habana, Calle 25 # 455 e/ J e I, Vedado, CP 14 000, La Habana, Cuba.
2Departamento de Alimentos e Nutrição Experimental, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes # 580, Bloco 14, CEP 05508-900, São Paulo-SP, Brasil.
3Laboratorio de Virologia, Instituto Butantã, Ave Vital Brasil # 1500, Butantã, CEP 05503-900, São Paulo, Brasil.
Context: Seaweeds are seen as a traditional food and folk medicine by different coastal countries. The red seaweed Bryothamnion triquetrum is a widely distributed species that grows in shallow waters, and different authors have demonstrated a possible application of the seaweeds as a source of natural antioxidants and relative diseases.
Aims: To evaluate the hepatoprotective properties on CCl4-induced oxidative stress in rats that were associated with the antioxidant activity from the polyphenol-rich fractions of the red seaweed Bryothamnion triquetrum.
Methods: Polyphenols were determined by Folin-Cioacalteu. Antioxidant activity from phenolic compounds-rich fractions was measured by different assays (DPPH, Reducing power, β-Carotene/linoleic acid assay and Inhibition of lipoperoxidation). Aqueous extract from B. triquetrum was administered during 20 days to rats and submitted CCl4-Induced oxidative damage. The peroxidation and hepatic damage (TBARS, ASAT and ALAT), antioxidant metabolite and enzymes (glutathione, catalase and superoxide dismutase) were evaluated. Also, it was evaluated the expression of antioxidant enzymes by RT-PCR.
Results: The antioxidant activity determined by different assays with polyphenolic fractions. Free Phenolic Acid was more active: DPPH, 20 µg 87%; Reducing power OD = 0.490, 20 µg ; β-carotene/linoleic acid 1 µg 53%, and inhibition of lipid peroxidation 0.250 µg 100%. Rats treated displayed lower liver TBARS, ASAT and ALAT than CCl4-treated group and catalase activity was increased. It was demonstrated expression of catalase.
Conclusions: Data suggest that Bryothamnion triquetrum protects the liver against oxidative stress by modulating its antioxidant enzymes and oxidative status with potential use as phytodrug or functional food.
Esta entrada fue publicada el 22 de enero de 2019 por JPPRes Blog en Antioxidants, Biochemistry, hepatoprotection, Oxidative stress, Rats. | 2019-04-24T10:00:46 | https://jppres.wordpress.com/2019/01/22/hepatoprotection-of-bryothamnion-triquetrum-in-rats/ |
0.999992 | What do I need to know about cardiac thrombolysis?
Cardiac thrombolysis is a procedure to dissolve or break up a blood clot near your heart. The clot may be removed with a device during the procedure. A clot that forms in the arteries or chambers of the heart can cause a heart attack. The clot can cause a stroke if it breaks off and travels to your brain. Thrombolysis needs to be done as quickly as possible to prevent heart damage or a stroke.
Your healthcare provider will tell you how to prepare for your procedure. He may tell you not to eat or drink anything after midnight on the day of your procedure. He will tell you what medicines to take or not take on the day of your procedure. Arrange to have someone drive you home when you leave the hospital.
You may be given contrast liquid before or during the procedure to help the clot show up in pictures. Tell the healthcare provider if you have ever had an allergic reaction to contrast liquid. You may need blood tests and a stress test before your procedure. Talk to your healthcare provider about these or other tests you may need.
You may be given an antibiotic to help prevent an infection caused by bacteria. You may be given local anesthesia to numb the procedure site. Your healthcare provider may choose a vein or artery in your leg, arm, elbow, groin, or neck. With local anesthesia, you may still feel pressure or pushing, but you should not feel any pain. You may instead be given general anesthesia to keep you asleep and free from pain. Your healthcare provider will inject medicine into your IV that will help dissolve or break up the clot. It is most often given into a vein, but it may be given into an artery. If the medicine is given into an artery, a catheter is guided by x-ray so it is near the blood clot.
Your heart rate and blood pressure will be monitored. If you have local anesthesia, healthcare providers may also frequently check your neurological (neuro) status. Your neuro status will be checked to see how well your brain is working. Healthcare providers may check your eyes, your memory, and your hand grasp.
Healthcare providers will apply pressure on the procedure site to stop any bleeding. You will be monitored closely for any problems. Do not get out of bed until your healthcare provider says it is okay. You will then be taken to your hospital room.
You will need to walk around the same day of your procedure, or the day after. Movement will help prevent blood clots. You may also be given exercises to do in bed. Do not get out of bed on your own until your healthcare provider says you can. Ask before you get up the first time. You may need help to stand up safely. When you are able to get up on your own, sit or lie down right away if you feel weak or dizzy. Then press the call button to let someone know you need help.
Anticoagulants are a type of blood thinner medicine that helps prevent clots. Anticoagulants may cause you to bleed or bruise more easily.
Antiplatelets help prevent blood clots. This medicine makes it more likely for you to bleed or bruise.
What are the risks of cardiac thrombolysis?
Thrombolysis increases your risk for bleeding. You may have increased nosebleeds or bleeding from your gums. You may also have bleeding in your stomach or brain. Bleeding can become severe and life-threatening. If the clot is removed, the device used may cause an irregular heartbeat. You may also have an allergic reaction to the contrast liquid or to the medicine used to break up the clot. | 2019-04-22T14:26:18 | https://www.drugs.com/cg/cardiac-thrombolysis.html |
0.999999 | The output from the above code is "The number is 123". Shown below is code passing the parameter 16 to convert the number from decimal to hexadecimal.
The output from the above code is "The number is 7b". Shown below is code passing the parameter 2 to convert the number from decimal to binary. | 2019-04-22T23:53:24 | http://bucarotechelp.com/design/jsref/80101501.asp |
0.999286 | <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> has not been in a war of any kind since 1815. It has not been in an official foreign war since 1515. This would be astounding, even miraculous, for any nation. But <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> borders <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Germany</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> . And <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> France</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> . And <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Italy</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> . And <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Austria</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> . And <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Liechtenstein</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> . Now the Prince of Liechtenstein has rarely lashed out in Blitzkrieg in a desperate bid to reign uber alles, but ALL of <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> 's other neighbors have devoted a lot of effort to invading other countries.
In addition to the encircling foreign marauders, <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> itself is composed of several different ethnic groups that get along as well as, e.g., Germans and French. But they haven’t ethnically cleansed each other for two centuries, either.
You would think that peacekeeping performance of this kind would make <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> an object of study in every political science and civics course worldwide. "WHY Didn't They Attack <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> ?" should be the title of many a textbook. This is not the case. Very few political scientists study <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> .
<st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> is of no interest to politicians, because the features of the Swiss system that keep the peace are the same features that make Swiss politicians unimportant. Do you know the name of the Swiss President now serving out his nonrenewable one-year term? No, you do not (it’s Samuel Schmid, but you won’t remember tomorrow). His name doesn't matter, and he doesn't matter to the defense of <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> . There is no central location of Swiss defense, no Pentagon or NORAD into which you can crash a 757 or a black-market Kazakh nuclear weapon. The defense of <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> is the entire people of <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> itself.
As a final defense, the Swiss have rigged the vaults of their banks for demolition. Any dictator attacking <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> will find the gold in his numbered bank account buried in rubble hundreds of meters under a mountain. It is known that Hitler had a numbered account.
<st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> has also provided for defense of the lives of its civilian population against nuclear terrorism. Realizing after World War Two that nuclear weapons in the hands of power-mad idiots posed a public health threat, the Swiss started a nationwide shelter-building program in 1960. By 1991, there was enough shelter space in <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> to protect everyone in their home or apartment, and also enough at their workplace and school. A Swiss citizen is generally never more than a few minutes from a fallout shelter with an air filter.
The entire Swiss shelter program was accomplished for somewhere on the order of $35 (1990 dollars) per year per capita. The <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> US</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> spends vastly more every year to achieve a military only capable of intervening in <st1 lace> Third World</st1 lace> nations that don’t have WMDs. The combined <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> US</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> armed forces are incapable of shooting down a single ballistic missile, or even intercepting low-flying propeller planes. Nor are there bunkers with filtered air supplies for the inhabitants of our glass cities or crackerbox suburbs. The only civil defense in the <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> US</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> is for the President and the bureaucrats under <st1 lace> <st1 lacename> Iron</st1 lacename> <st1 lacetype> Mountain</st1 lacetype> </st1 lace> . Everyone else is nuclear fodder, except for those provident few (such as the Mormons) who build their own shelters to protect their families.
<st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> does not send troops to intervene in other nations. <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> does not spend tens of billions of dollars yearly to fund dictators around the world, nor did <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> donate hundreds of billions of dollars to the Warsaw Pact through bank "loans." <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> does not send billions of dollars worth of weaponry every year to the warring tribes in the <st1 lace> Middle East</st1 lace> . <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> has no enemies. Yet the Swiss are armed to the teeth and dug into every hill and under every building.
<st1:country-region> <st1 lace> US</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> policy is the evil-parallel-universe inverse of the Swiss. The <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> US</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> intervenes everywhere, spies on everyone, supports every faction in every dispute. We have as many enemies as there are disputatious people in the world. Yet we spend more effort on disarming our own airline pilots and other law-abiding citizens than on providing shelters for our children against nuclear, chemical, or biological attack. We have an expensive conventional army, and quite a few aging offensive nuclear weapons. But no defense for our children.
1. The US kleptocracy, which has reaped such vast increases in power from terrorism and war. “War is the health of the State,” and terrorism drives citizen support for war.
5. Every emerging power on Earth. The more the <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> US</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> sinks into the <st1 lace> Mideast</st1 lace> quagmire, the more chance for new powers to rise to dominance.
6. Citizens of nations ruled by US-backed dictators and oligarchs, who are victims of our Aid To Dependent Dictators programs.
7. FOX News, always looking for higher ratings.
This would have been more concise if I had listed the groups that would NOT benefit from anonymous WMD attacks on the <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> US</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> , to wit, the world’s libertarians, capitalists, and peace lovers of all stripes. Unfortunately, the “non-aggression principle” won’t prevent anyone from being killed by terrorism and/or anti-terrorism. So, we must all determine the best risk management strategies within our budgets.
There are two basic categories of attacks. One type is the Jerry Bruckheimer Movie attack, typified by 9-11. Spectacular attacks that kill only a few thousand people are great for raising the Homeland Security budget, but they don’t raise the individual’s risk level that much. For most people, it would be more worthwhile to put some effort into avoiding heart disease and cancer than to try to avoid random, low-level terrorism. However, it is prudent to avoid targets with high cinematic value, like the Statue of Liberty, the <st1 lace> <st1 lacename> Golden Gate</st1 lacename> <st1 lacetype> Bridge</st1 lacetype> </st1 lace> , Arnold Schwarzenegger, etc.
The second category of attack is the “anonymous warfare” strike, intended to seriously damage the <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> US</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> . While it might be hard for a minor power to inflict crippling physical damage on the <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> US</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> , anonymous attacks can rely on a high “Homeland Security Multiplier Effect.” For every dollar of damage done by the 9-11 attack, post-attack “security” measures have done ten more. And a nuclear attack would make the post-9-11 hysteria look orderly and rational by comparison. One anonymous strike could paralyze the <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> US</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> for decades.
Or budget terrorism could be launched with poison gas, germs, or even conventional explosives planted in vulnerable areas such as dams, gasoline storage tanks, chemical transport trains, etc. etc. etc.
One might think that a Homeland Security budget of over $40 billion would provide a little bit of protection for US citizens. Governments are never efficient, but some of them at least spend some tax money on its putative purpose. Swiss, Israeli, and many other nations’ civil defense programs distribute gas masks, radiation meters, financial aid for constructing shelters, etc. However, US Homeland security has provided us with: free advice from <st1 lace> <st1 lacename> Tom</st1 lacename> <st1 lacename> Ridge</st1 lacename> </st1 lace> . According to Tom, all a <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> US</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> citizen needs for protection against WMD is some duct tape and enough food for three days. Personally, I don’t think that this advice, even in full-page ads, was worth $40 billion. In any case, American families will receive no help from Homeland Security’s new director, either. <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> US</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> civil defense is strictly DIY.
A DIY civil defense program is limited by the fact that the majority of our discretionary income has already been allocated to other uses by federal, state, and local tax authorities. Most of us can’t afford to protect our families and ourselves properly, because that money is in <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Iraq</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> and a hundred other foreign-aid regimes.
Still, most of us can do better than duct tape. Contrary to media “wisdom,” one or even a thousand nuclear bombs won’t kill everyone. Nuclear fallout radiation intensity falls by a factor of a thousand over two weeks, so if you can hide in a well-stocked basement with a crude air filter for that long, you would probably survive . . . IF you knew what you were doing and had made some preparations. Germs and gas have their own limitations, and terrorists probably won’t have the biggest and best of anything. Of course the terrorists still have an advantage, because most Americans aren’t even up to <st1 lace> <st1 lacename> Tom</st1 lacename> <st1 lacename> Ridge</st1 lacename> </st1 lace> ’s suggested level of preparation.
The best location is: not in the <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> US</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> . If your work can be done in <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Costa Rica</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> , <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> , or some other nation that hasn’t attacked anyone for decades, you could move. Unfortunately, most of us have sentimental or economic ties to <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> US</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> target zones.
Within the <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> US</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> : if you live downstream from one of those high dams in <st1:state> <st1 lace> California</st1 lace> </st1:state> , just stop reading this and get in the car. What were you thinking anyway?
Other places require trade-offs; small towns are safer in most scenarios, but may not have lucrative jobs. If you live in a smaller city, you’re likely to get some warning of fallout or disease outbreak. The safest locations are rural, but not everyone can afford to live well in the country. The general rule is to avoid large cities if you can, and especially <st1 lace> <st1:city> Washington</st1:city> , <st1:state> DC</st1:state> </st1 lace> and <st1:state> <st1 lace> New York</st1 lace> </st1:state> . These cities are self-terrorizing anyway, between the draconian victim disarmament laws and the crime.
9-11 was our warning. Homeland Security has given us hundreds of useless “warnings” since then, but it would be sheer coincidence if any of these actually preceded an attack. The “Emergency Broadcasting System” isn’t going to know about a terrorist nuclear attack until after they see it on CNN. Warnings of biological threats may be subtler; sudden outbreaks of “flu-like” symptoms in odd patterns might be signs of biowarfare . . . or they might be signs of flu, which might kill you anyway since the FDA seems to be protecting us very efficiently from flu vaccine. Again, the best way to have warning is not to be in the immediate target area.
Minimum: A small water and food stockpile (if you don’t have to leave your house for a month, you’ll make it through plague or fallout a lot more easily).
A HEPA filter in the living room would make <st1 lace> <st1 lacename> Tom</st1 lacename> <st1 lacename> Ridge</st1 lacename> </st1 lace> ’s “seal up your bedroom with duct tape” idea work much better . . . as long as the power stayed on. Ideally, you should be able to seal up your house and use a hand-cranked blower to provide filtered air, but now we’re getting into the “protective construction” area.
And yes, some duct tape is always a good thing (those two weeks in the fallout shelter might get boring otherwise).
Optimally, everyone desiring to opt out of the ill effects of war and terrorism could live in a concrete dome, such as those produced by the good folks of <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Italy</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> , <st1:state> <st1 lace> Texas</st1 lace></st1:state> .
100 psi blast waves just slide off a concrete dome (especially if it’s partially buried), as do tornadoes, hurricanes, drive-by shootings, and blast waves from asteroid impacts. Other forms of underground (or hillside, like Bilbo Baggins’) construction can also be inherently attack-resistant. Anyone who is living in a probable target city for economic reasons should at least consider hobbit-style construction instead of Styrofoam and 2 x 4s . . . of course local building codes often practically forbid underground construction.
If you have a basement, only relatively little work is needed to make it into an effective fallout shelter. Terrorist bombs might well be more on the scale of 15-kiloton Hiroshima-killers than the 25-megaton Cold War monsters. A 15-kiloton bomb from an old tactical artillery shell or rocket warhead would have a lethal blast radius much smaller than even a small <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> US</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> city, but fallout could be lethal for 20 miles or more downwind.
The basement is usually easier to seal against chemicals and germs, too. Just remember that Swiss basements have hand-cranked filtered air blowers; if you succeed in sealing up a basement tight enough to keep out VX aerosols, you’re going to need an air supply. Don’t forget to invite <st1 lace> <st1 lacename> Tom</st1 lacename> <st1 lacename> Ridge</st1 lacename> </st1 lace> along to crank it for you; he’s not busy changing threat level colors anymore.
The whole subject of Civil Defense is about preparing for the failure of the normal system of economic specialization. But the more normal social ties that we can preserve, the more effective protective measures can be and the quicker civil society can recover. On a personal level, if all of your friends believe that “the best thing to do in a nuclear attack is go outside and die quickly,” then you should probably try to add a few acquaintances of a more practical bent.
The Swiss have avoided war for 200 years by being mentally and physically prepared for it. Even if <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> were attacked by nuclear terrorists, their mental preparation (and their courage, another essential commodity that Americans have failed to stockpile) would save them from hysterically scrapping their Constitution and civil liberties.
We Americans have been at war throughout most of the same decades that <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> Switzerland</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> has been at peace. Now that <st1:country-region> <st1 lace> America</st1 lace> </st1:country-region> has mutated from Republic to Empire, we are at perpetual war with every nation that wants to be independent of the whims of the POTUS. At the very least, we must all recognize the fact, and be prepared for the shocks to come. Civil society can recover from a lot of destruction; it can’t recover from cowardice and refusal to prepare for trouble until chaos is already upon us. | 2019-04-24T06:52:11 | https://www.survivalmonkey.com/threads/they-didnt-attack-switzerland.4898/ |
0.999998 | How should I clean my chain?
Q. I keep getting conflicting information about bike maintenance. I've been told by one dealer that I shouldn't clean my chain, just spray fresh lube over the old muck, but another said I should clean it with a solvent before applying new lube each week, which is correct?
A. There are two types of chain used on bikes. Off-roaders and commuter bikes up to 125cc use chains made of metal only, other road bikes use O-ring chains. O-ring chains have small rubber seals between the rollers and the sideplates to slow down wear.
O-ring chains should be washed with a light oil or degreaser and then wiped down before lubricating. Avoid paraffin and petrol as they are too thin and will get past the seals.
If the lube you are using dries to a film, make sure you apply it at least 12 hours before you ride if you want to keep your wheels clean.
Simple chains on off-roaders can be power washed after use and then sprayed with a water dispersal agent like WD40 to stop it rusting between rides. Lubricate it with a light oil before you next ride. A light oil won't stick and turn itself into grinding paste as soon as it picks up some dirt.
If you plan on riding through sand the chain should be dry or it will grind itself away in minutes. | 2019-04-23T22:59:42 | https://www.motorcyclenews.com/new-rider/choosing-kit/2012/january/jan0312-how-should-i-clean-my-chain-/ |
0.999993 | Education and schooling is not a prominent theme in Adeline’s memoir, as her home and family is, but she does write about it briefly in some instances. From these passages we can decipher her opinion on her schooling and education as a whole. From Adeline’s memoir I could see a change in her attitudes towards her school life. She first describes school as: ‘A terrible place. It was the rule of the rod, and parents had no redress. It was supposed to be good for us. The lessons were very monotonous. Reading, writing and arithmetic’. Though her early memory of school is not positive, she goes on to become a pupil-teacher and then spends her adult life as a secondary school teacher. Her change of heart about education could be due to how her education really affected her and her understanding that education is actually very important for working class children.
Built in 1865, where Adeline would have first attended school.
Adeline’s parents have contrasting opinions on their children’s education. The memoir tells us that her father, ‘was no scholar.’ but, ‘He bitterly regretted this all his life and was determined that we should not be like him’. Her father did not attend school as his family could not afford it, and was not offered any other education opportunities. This shows the change over time and generations in schooling, and what was on offer for working class people in the late 1800’s. Adeline’s mother was less ‘determined’ for her children to be scholars, though not in a highly negative way. She had been raised to value domestic work more than school work and in Adeline’s mother we see a ‘teacher’ of a different kind. Adeline writes, ‘When you reached the top standard the boys got drawing and the girls sewing. A garment like a nightdress would be produced by each pupil and that was all. We learned all we ever knew about sewing and knitting from mother.’ She also reflects upon how educational ‘knowledge’ and her mother’s ‘wisdom’, which could be described as common sense, are valued differently. She writes, ‘she (mother) could read a letter but was otherwise no scholar, but we were all decent scholars yet she had more wisdom than we had’. I believe this is Adeline showing respect for her mother, though she was not ideologically ‘intelligent’, her wisdom of the home and domestic sphere is worth more than any education can provide. This representation portrays perfectly Adeline’s opinion of her education, whereas she knows it is valuable to her and her chosen profession, she continues to acknowledge that it does not define her life as a working class girl. | 2019-04-20T21:13:05 | http://www.writinglives.org/education-and-schooling/adeline-hodges-b-1899-education-schooling |
0.998631 | The average age of six persons in a group is 8 years. The average age of three persons of this group is 9 years. What is the average age of other three persons in the group?
The average weight of 45 boys in a school is 50 kg. If the weight of 5 girl’s student is added, the average is reduced by half a kilogram. What is the average weight of the girl students?
4. At what time between 4 O'clock and 5 O'clock, will the hands of a clock be together?
Direction (6-10): The following table shows production (in thousands) of two types (P and Q) of vehicles by a factory over the years 2009 to 2014.
The total production of Type P vehicles in the years 2009 and 2011 is what percent of total production of Type Q vehicles in years 2010 and 2014?
In how many of the given years, was the production of Type P vehicles of the company more than the average production of these type vehicles in the given years?
The production of Type Q vehicles in 2010 was approximately what percent of Type P vehicles in 2014 ?
1) The average age of six persons in a group is 8 years. The average age of three persons of this group is 9 years. What is the average age of other three persons in the group?
2) The average weight of 45 boys in a school is 50 kg. If the weight of 5 girl’s student is added, the average is reduced by half a kilogram. What is the average weight of the girl students?
4) At what time between 4 O’clock and 5 O’clock, will the hands of a clock be together?
6) The total production of Type P vehicles in the years 2009 and 2011 is what percent of total production of Type Q vehicles in years 2010 and 2014?
7) In how many of the given years, was the production of Type P vehicles of the company more than the average production of these type vehicles in the given years?
8) The production of Type Q vehicles in 2010 was approximately what percent of Type P vehicles in 2014 ? | 2019-04-18T12:32:06 | https://www.ibpsguide.com/ssc-cgl-aptitude-day-30 |
0.998908 | TORONTO (AP) With a visit to Cleveland to face LeBron James coming up on Saturday, Raptors coach Dwane Casey was worried his team might overlook the Milwaukee Bucks.
Turns out Casey had nothing to worry about. His team took care of the spanking, then added in some embarrassment, too.
Lou Williams scored a season-high 22 points, Jonas Valanciunas added 18 points and 12 rebounds, and the Raptors routed the Bucks 124-82 Friday night.
Toronto matched its largest margin of victory in franchise history, set in a 96-54 victory over Miami on March 19, 2008. On Saturday, the NBA announced an official scoring change, giving the Bucks' John Henson credit for a 2-point shot instead of a 3-pointer.
Milwaukee had won three straight and five of six coming in, but got buried by the Raptors.
Kyle Lowry scored 20 points and Terrence Ross had 13 as the Raptors wrapped up a franchise-record seven-game homestand at 6-1 and became the first Eastern Conference team to reach 10 wins.
Williams connected on five of Toronto's season-high 15 3-pointers, including one each at the end of the first and second quarters. When Williams hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds of the third quarter, it gave Toronto a 101-56 lead. At the time, the 45-point margin represented the biggest lead in franchise history.
The mark didn't last long. Raptors rookie Bruno Caboclo checked in to begin the fourth, the first action of his career, and made an alley-oop slam followed by a 3 that put the Raptors up 109-59. Caboclo's second 3 at 6:01 of the fourth put Toronto up by 52 - 116-64.
The Bucks' previous five defeats this season were by a combined 41 points.
Caboclo said he had ''butterflies in my stomach'' but his performance showed no sign of nerves, finishing with eight points on 3-for-6 shooting.
''That's definitely a memory he'll have forever,'' Toronto's DeMar DeRozan said.
Jabari Parker scored 15 points and Ersan Ilyasova had 14 for a Bucks team playing its third game in four nights, and coming off a triple-overtime win at Brooklyn on Wednesday.
''We didn't do anything but travel yesterday, so I don't think that was an issue,'' Bucks coach Jason Kidd said.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, who injured his right ankle in the win against the Nets, was not expected to play after testing the injury during pregame warmups. Minutes before tipoff, however, the Bucks said Antetokounmpo would be available. He came off the bench to replace Khris Middleton at 6:07 of the first and finished with seven points in 15 minutes.
Valanciunas had 12 points and five rebounds in the first, and Williams finished the quarter with a buzzer-beating 3 as Toronto led 37-27 after one.
Williams scored 11 more in the second quarter, including another buzzer-beating 3, as the Raptors led 71-45 at halftime. It was Toronto's highest scoring half of the season, eclipsing the 65 points they scored in the second half against Utah on Nov. 15.
Raptors fans chanted `We want Bruno' as the score got out of hand, roared with approval when the Brazilian rookie entered the game, then cheered his name at every opportunity the rest of the way. Williams mimicked the chants in the locker room after the game and used his cellphone to snap a photo of the media horde waiting at Caboclo's stall. ''Bruno is like Justin Bieber,'' said Nogueira, referring to the Canadian pop star.
Bucks: Milwaukee's previous worst loss this season was a 101-85 defeat at Orlando on Nov. 14. ... Milwaukee's only lead came on a 3 by Brandon Knight in the second minute of the opening quarter.
Raptors: Toronto missed its first four field goal attempts, then closed the first quarter by making 12 of its next 21 shots. ... Rookie C Lucas Nogueira made his NBA debut, picking up two fouls in his first 39 seconds. ... All 13 active players scored at least two points. ... F Tyler Hansbrough (right shoulder) was not available. ... F James Johnson (right ankle) missed his second straight game.
Bucks: Host Wizards on Saturday.
Raptors: At Cavaliers on Saturday. | 2019-04-18T20:25:27 | https://www.si.com/nba/2014/11/21/ap-bkn-bucks-raptors |
0.999801 | Clevertech is looking for a UX/UI Designer to join our global team. We are looking for team members to help us develop world class software products for the most exclusive organizations in the world. We have been at this for seventeen years, and continue to grow off our best asset, our people.
In this role you will have significant responsibility in one of our project development teams to ensure client satisfaction by executing on the deliverables.
Clevertech looks for craftsmen developers who take ownership of their designs. You can deliver quickly while being clever to avoid missteps. You have an effective positive attitude that shines as you show your care about client and colleague concerns. You are always learning and are a transparent communicator even when it is challenging. You thrive on challenging yourself daily and seek to surround yourself with like minded individuals.
You understand good UX and good UI and what that means and love to create successful designs (that delight customers) and you can successfully bring a whole concept from idea to wireframe, to mockup/prototype and have the deliverables to prove it. You have worked in significant mobile projects and have participated in the full design cycle to deliver world class, pixel perfect designs.
You’ll receive a health/wellness monthly stipend that goes towards covering medical insurance, dental insurance or joining a gym!
Want to learn more about Clevertech and the team? Check out why.clevertech.biz.
5+ years of full-stack development, or in a similar role.
You are experienced with modern JS development practices and frameworks including React / Redux and MobX. You’ve worked on JS projects at scale and feel confident solving complex problems.
You believe in writing thorough unit and integration tests and have at least tried TDD. You like owning the quality of the code you write — QA doesn’t mean throwing it over the wall for someone else to test.
You’ll receive a health/wellness stipend that can go towards covering medical insurance, dental insurance or joining a gym!
Extensive programming experience in Java, Cocoa Touch, & Objective-C and/or C++.
The role is a subject matter expert as it relates to the implementation of Quality Management Systems IBS products as a part of the Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) product portfolio.
He/she is expected to have a deep understanding of Manufacturing Operations Software and specifically the Siemens MOM portfolio with a deep understanding of Siemens Quality Management Systems.
The role requires a passion for helping customer achieve realized value, a vision for improving Siemen’s position in the Manufacturing Operations marketplace, a desire to increase our market share in industries that we serve, and a drive for continuously improving the processes that we use to achieve successful implementations and the willingness to travel globally.
This role will report directly to the Global Practice Lead for MOM Services. This Practice sits within the Global GSM&S organization known as Digital Realization Services and will work extensively with the Zone MOM Services Delivery teams.
Overall responsibility – This role is a Global Role related to the implementation of Quality Management Solutions. In this role the resource will be involved in complex, strategic programs that span across Zones and will be critical in enabling capacity.
Skilled with the architecture, configuration, and integration of Quality Management Solutions.
Strong customer and inter-personal skills, excellent English verbal and written communication abilities, the proven ability to gather and apply customer requirements, and the ability to quickly diagnose and troubleshoot issues.
Deine Kernaufgabe ist es manuelle Arbeit weg zu automatisieren.
Du evaluierst neue Themen, schätzt diese ein und machst sie reproduzierbar.
Du unterstützt Entwickler in allen Infrastrukturthemen und ermöglichst angenehmes Arbeiten (CI, CD).
Du nimmst unsere Admins mit auf die Reise und unterstützt sie durch gute Dokumentation bei dem Betrieb.
Mehrjährige Erfahrung in Entwicklung und Betrieb von Webapplikationen.
Faulheit – du solltest repetitive, langweilige Aufgaben lieber dem Computer übergeben, statt sie von Hand abzuarbeiten.
Ein tiefes Verständnis von den gebräuchlichen Protokollen und Transporten: IPv6, ICMP, UDP, TCP, HTTP, TLS, OSI-Modell.
Konkretes Wissen von Linux-Systemadministration setzten wir voraus.
Interesse an der Zusammenarbeit und der internen Beratung unserer Solution Architects sowie unseren Backendentwicklern.
Erfahrung mit Konfigurationsmanagement via Chef, Puppet, Ansible, Salt oder Bundlewrap.
Ausführliche Erfahrung mit IaaS-Diensten von Public-Cloud-Anbietern (Azure, AWS, GCP) und Interesse an Fortbildung in diesem Bereich.
Erfahrung mit OSPF und BGP sind von Vorteil.
At Carbon Black, you’ll have the chance to make an impact in the ever-evolving cybersecurity space. Our advanced technology tackles even the toughest challenges and stays ahead of the latest threats. If you want to join an agile company that’s building bleeding edge technology in the cloud, Carbon Black is the place for you. Driven by passionate people who are dedicated to making the world safer, it’s no wonder we’ve been named a “Top Place to Work” by the Boston Globe for four consecutive years. Join us!
We’re looking for a Cloud Operations Engineer who will perform operations and development support for our cloud product line. This individual will work with development and have responsibility for the health of our services.
Then you’re exactly the person we need. Join us in the battle to secure the world’s intellectual property.
Located either in Boulder, CO; Boston, MA; or Remote in USA.
At Carbon Black, you’ll have the chance to make an impact in the ever-evolving cybersecurity space. Our advanced technology tackles even the toughest challenges and stays ahead of the latest threats. If you want to join an agile company that’s building bleeding edge technology in the cloud, Carbon Black is the place for you. Driven by passionate people who are dedicated to making the world safer, it’s no wonder we’ve been named a “Top Place to Work” by the Boston Globe for four consecutive years. Join us!
Our Product Security team will coordinate our security efforts across our product, engineering and operations departments. This is an opportunity to join a security team that is supported by a strong internal security community. You will help to build an even more secure security product by which we build trust with our customers and deliver superior protection of their endpoints.
We are looking to talk to people just like you to get feedback on apps and websites. Earn up to â¬/$50 per hour for taking part in friendly user testing online. You can do these all from the comfort of your home.
You can earn up to â¬/$50 for testing apps and websites (or more in some cases!). We're looking for people from any country.
You donât need any occupation or any special skillsâjust be yourself!
You need is a stable internet connection, webcam and microphone. Youâll need to think aloud and share your opinion.
Be reliable and on-time. Otherâs will be waiting for you!
Paypal account to get paid.
You sign up on our website and complete your registrationâit should only take 2 minutes. The more details you share about yourself the more money you can earn.
Youâll receive an invitation and youâll need to respond to a few extra questions to schedule your paid user testing.
Once you completed your test online, youâll get paid in 7 days.
Please notice: this isn't a full-time or part-time job offer, we're looking for people who want to earn some money in their free time. | 2019-04-24T08:24:54 | https://mryd.freeflarum.com/d/141-mei-ri-yi-dan-hai-wai-no-4 |
0.992407 | The dictionary defines an atheist as "a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings." For the purpose of this article, let's narrow down our definition; "narrow down" in a way that makes it broader -- broader in that it encompases almost everyone on earth.
The atheist traditionally denies anything beyond the physical/material world. For them, science is divine revelation, "divine" referring to that which comes from the mind of man, "mind" referring to the result of chemical activity within the human brain.
We're all afraid of the dark, for when we close all the doors, shut all the blinds, pull the drapes, and turn off all the lights, our mind looks elsewhere for vision. And we are, often unknowingly, afraid to see anything with which we are not familiar.
The meditator attempts to face this fear, seeing their own journey into the unknown as a great adventure. Some might even seek out a completely dark, completely silent place which will allow them to plunge into the unknown with as little as possible to hold them back.
Those who have pursued such a practice, or any of many other related practices, for many years and with great dilligence, sometimes find themselves melting away, becoming one with what they believe to be God -- everything. There is no longer a "me" and "you," but there is "all." But what happens next? They think they have arrived. They then become enlightened atheists, in our "modified" definition of the word.
So this will make sense, let us define "atheist" as one who does not believe in God as he is, but accepts something else as God, or the "highest reality."
For the traditional atheist, reason is the roadmap, and the material world is the highest reality. Physical science then becomes their God.
For the one who has experienced oneness with the universe, that is their highest reality. They believe they have entered the place of all knowledge, all life, the source of all things -- God, by whatever name the ego may call it. This level of reality then becomes their God.
Others may worship something higher -- some ONE higher. They may call him by his name, and might reject anything below him as comparitively insignificant. But when confronted with something that is not in line with something they believe is true, they instantly reject it as absolutely false. In this way, when it comes to another aspect of God which isn't in line with their image of God, they become atheists as well -- the atheist as we have defined the word for this article -- someone who is afraid of what they cannot see.
And that brings us to a more specific definition of the word in this discussion: Atheist: Someone who, being afraid of what is dark to them, clings to their own perceived reality at the expense of anything potentially higher, or any potentially illuminating truth which does not conform with what they have accepted as the light of truth. In doing so, they reject God with or without knowing they are doing so. In this way, someone can be this kind of atheist while thinking they believe in God, or "a" god.
"There is nothing beyond the physical." People from all walks of life who believe in the supernatural or the soul see this as narrow-minded and false. But they fall into the same narrow ditch by believing "There is nothing beyond ______ (whatever they have experienced or believe)."
The Muslim rejects the blood sacrifice of Jesus (as do most other religions of the world). The New Ager rejects the God of the Bible altogether, asserting that we are God, since God is the universal mind that can be experienced during deep meditation. Christians reject certain aspects of God, whether it is his Holy Spirit's activities, his justice and judgement, his holiness, or his mercy and love.
That being said, the one whose sins are washed by the blood of the Lamb of God is infinitely better off than the one who has minimized his or her limits of truth but is still on heaven's death row.
The point I'd like for us to take away from this is that traditional atheism is only one form of the fear and denial that comes naturally to us all.
If you believe there is nothing beyond the physical world, you are, obvious to everyone else, an atheist.
If you believe there is nothing greater than the universal mind and the supernatural things people consider the spirit realm, you are a different kind of atheist -- one who thinks you believe in God, but who denies there is anything greater than a counterfeit or something bearing his image.
If you believe in the God who is higher than the oneness of all creation, then you are far better off, but you might be a partial atheist, denying the working of his Spirit, his power and willingness to heal, deliver, to work miracles in our lives, his holiness and his command that we draw close to him and be transformed, through trial and obedience, into his image, or his mercy and love for us all, even if we are still in our sins ("God demonstrates his own love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"), loving us too much to leave us there.
It's natural to be afraid of the dark. But let's recognize that fear and, instead of thinking we have it all figured out and worshiping the first scene-blocking idol of truth we encounter, let's always remember that there is always much, much more we don't know, and there is always an infinite horizon beyond what we can see, hear, and experience.
In the book of Revelation, we see the angels around the throne day and night saying, "Holy, holy, holy!" Are they like ghosts in haunted houses? Types of recordings that just keep playing over and over again? Did God not give them any other vocabulary, or enable them to do anything or go anywhere else? Or, instead, are they and will they forever be seeing another facet of God's holiness and beauty? Just maybe, even being face to face with God for all eternity, they have not and never will know it all.
We crave knowledge. This craving mixes with our fear of the dark, usually with our thinking we have only that craving rather than fear, and it causes us to latch on to what we think is ultimate truth, be it our religion, our experiences, or our science. But once we do so, a part of us starts to die. We even tend to turn a blind eye to evidence that we might be wrong, simply because it disagrees with what we've insisted is ultimate truth or highest reality.
Don't be an atheist unknown (or known, for that matter). Face your fear of the dark -- the unknown. Never be fooled into thinking you've seen the ultimate reality (the angels haven't even after thousands of years). And be willing to leave your assumptions and conclusions behind rather than letting them keep you in the dark. And always be moving toward the light that is God!
Lucid Dreaming Part 2 - The Dream Journal, or, "Dipping In."
If you've been looking into lucid dreaming very long, probably heard a lot about having a dream journal. Is it really that important? If so, why?
The answer is YES. In fact, some people start having lucid dreams just by using a dream journal. | 2019-04-21T09:16:40 | http://blog.meditatingchristians.com/2010/07/ |
0.998915 | Genre classification is common task in music data mining. However, classification of drum grooves is uncommon and little research has been done in this area. This paper describes an algorithm to model and classify drum grooves. The algorithm is based on music data mining research in areas other than genre classification, specifically musical melody information retrieval. The genre classification results achieved, while promising, are inconclusive and additional research is needed to validate this approach. However, the approach described shows great facility as a new method of drum groove search and retrieval. | 2019-04-22T10:03:21 | https://infoblazer.com/articles/genre-classification-of-drum-grooves/ |
0.9998 | what this skill waswhen you learned ithow you learned itand explain why you think it was important.
I learnt to cook various types of meals from my childhood. It was my mother who inspired me to learn and in fact, this is a real-life skill that everyone needs to know. Thank you for asking the question and I am also pleased to describe my skill here.
what the language iswhere it is spokenhow it will help youand explain why you want to learn this language.
Model Answer 1: English is an international language and it is a must to communicate in the fast-paced world. As a French national, I would like to learn English perfectly.
what it iswhere and when you learned ithow you use itAnd explain why you think this skill is so useful.
Model Answer 1: Typing on a keyboard without looking at that is a special skill and recently I have learnt to type by not looking at the keyboard.
what it is and what qualification or training is requiredwhy people pick it and what kind of people choose ithow it helps the countryAnd explain why this job is important in your country.
Model Answer 1: Jobs are the ways to earn livelihoods and to serve others and thus people are engaged in different professions. There are numerous types of jobs available in India but the most preferred one in the job of presenting news on television.
when and where you had the ideawhat was your ideawho you told about your ideaand explain why you thought your idea would make an improvement.
Model Answer 1: Ideas are immortal and could change lives within the twinkle of an eye. The idea of inventing wheels has brought a massive revolution in the entire world of communication. Distance is now not a major issue for the global population for the idea of wheels. In fact, ideas are used to improve the current situation.
what it iswhy you think it is importanthow you are going to learn itand explain what role it will play in your future life.
Model Answer 1: In the current age, communication is one of the most important ways to be successful and physical communication is more effective than virtual. But to be present physically somewhere, you need vehicles and driving is the most important issue to make the vehicle run. | 2019-04-25T19:45:15 | https://www.ieltscuecard.com/search/label/A%20skill |
0.999984 | At left, the assembly of a proof-of-concept breeder reactor EBR-1 , 1951. Not very big, is it?
The breeder reactor is a curious thing. Automajically, it is able to create more fissile material than it burns by bombarding a "blanket layer" of unreactive material and turning it into a fissile isotope able to fuel its own chain-reaction.
It's nuclear science. Alchemy on the atomic level. I won't endeavor to explain it here. Trust me on this one: it works.
Kim Jong-un is living proof.
Though, there is an odd bit of speculation that suggests the Nazi's might have been farther along than we public think with their nuclear science. I find this concept a little off but hey, when Bigfoot is on Letterman I'll look like an idiot then, too.
A reactor pile from Nazi Germany was found and disassembled. We know they had real trouble managing the criticality (keeping it working from a sustained reaction).
Of course, not everything one tries works the first time and the Germans were great at trying many different things in many different groups. Intellectual capital they had aplenty. Maybe we found the project that got a "D" that semester.
Submarine U-234 (now THAT is a confusing moniker in this context) surrendered to an American destroyer at the end of the war. She was a converted mine layer bound for Japan with a disassembled Me-262 jet fighter, a radio-controlled glide bomb (300KG warhead), what her captain said were fifty lead cubes labeled U-235, mercury, technical drawings and some special passengers. The navy reports listed 1200 pounds of unenriched U-238 as well.
Today, given these materials, a reasonably competent mad scientist could produce a fast breeder reactor, create sufficient fissile plutonium Pu-239 to fuel an atomic weapon, deploy such a weapon in a copy of the glider weapon, and kill a modern aircraft carrier.
This is possible with knowledge and the inventory of the submarine.
Did the Germans know of Plutonium and its uses as a fissile source? Unlikely. Did they master a fast breeder reactor (the mercury would be a moderator for such a reactor if one were desperate. A liquid metal reactor doesn't tend to blow up like steam-producing liquid cooled reactors do) ?
I seriously doubt the Germans mastered a way to generate plutonium or to master the design of a fast breeder reactor. I will qualify this assertion by saying a fast breeder with no power production requirement is a pretty simple beast to build. Got a used envelope? We can do the math on the back.
Do we know everything about the German atomic program? No. Unlike the Nazi Germany rocket program (aka , NASA for three decades), we didn't quite embrace "atoms for peace" with what we discovered about the axis technical prowess in nuclear engineering. There were lots of reasons for this policy.
Thanks to Uncle Harry and the Atomic Energy Act of 1946, we didn't share any of our knowledge of advanced nuclear design - civilian or military - with even our closest allies for years.
The Brits almost killed the countryside making plutonium at Windscale in 1957.
The help the Americans had extended before this accident was "don't put water on the graphite fire your're going to have one day ... it makes it worse" and , especially helpfully: "those graphite blocks you built the reactor out of that you think are inert ...well, they grow after you irradiate them for a bit - and they release heat energy oddly after you get them nice and glowing."
The Brits responded "thanks so much" and proceeded to cram the thing with every bit of radioactive matter they could find.
One day, during tea - it all went to hell. To their credit, they didn't catch the graphite on fire. They caught the uranium fuel in the reactor face on fire.
Milk from 500 sq KM of farmland downwind was poured in the Irish sea for the next month as the Iodine-131 took a while to decay. Really, that's a 20 x 25 km patch of land and that's not so bad. Made pudding a bit expensive for a while, though.
Anyway, speculative fiction is fun. It requires a little suspense of belief.
I would say that if you gave U-234 to me in 1945, I'd have sunk at least one battle group. I'd of at least dramatically lowered the price of real estate in Honolulu.
The question is, if you give U-234 to the Japanese in 1945, could they do anything with its cargo?
There's your novel. Go to it.
I'm off to write my novel.
Don't drink coffee near those pages you're working on. The electrons won't like it when the spill you have one day soaks into your motherboard and corrodes it.
I love stories that present alternate histories. They're really just so much fun to read. The nuclear history is pretty interesting, too...imagining ways to rewrite history.
All it takes is a little Wallace and Gromit and you're hooked on speculative fiction and alternate histories.
Must go use the mind-o-matic now. "I'm inventing mostly." | 2019-04-19T00:23:45 | http://mayhem.jackwelling.com/2014/04/good-breeding.html |
0.99994 | The main objective of this model is to build a predictive model which is able to distinguish between main retail product categories.
Data: The data is collected from Otto Group which contains a dataset with 93 features for more than 200,000 products. It has a training dataset which has ID, Features and Target Class and a testing dataset which has ID and Features. Model: Initially we are doing some preprocessing such as cleaning data and removing NAs like that. Then we are using Random Forest Classification Algorithm for classifying the products. There we used R Scripts for the Random Forest. We set the ntree as 100 for better classfication Output: The output will be the products with the classes which has to be there. The accuracy is 80%. | 2019-04-21T10:58:31 | https://gallery.azure.ai/Experiment/Retail-Product-Category-Classification-Based-on-Features-2 |
0.999999 | I Words: Most people hardly think that there is a difference between "weight" and "mass" and it wasn't until we started our exploration of space that is was possible for the average person to experience, even indirectly, what it must mean to be "weightless". Everyone has been confused over the difference between "weight" and "density". Which of us hasn't fallen for the old riddle: What weighs more, a pound of lead or a pound of feathers? Now that Astronauts regularly seem to be demonstrating "weightlessness", ( yet we know they still have all of the matter or mass they had when they were on earth,) more of us are beginning appreciate the weight - mass confusion. Like many confusing concepts, after they are finally understood, they are still difficult to explain to others who don't understand. We hope we can explain the difference between mass, weight and density so clearly that you will have no trouble explaining the difference to your students.
Weight: If you can finally accept the concept mass even if we have been unable to define it, weight is easy: The weight of a mass is the force that the earth pulls on the mass. We hope you have a feeling for what force means (and we will discuss it later). The entire idea of weight can be understood as the force of gravity on something. Usually we spend most of our time on Earth so our weight is the force that the earth pulls on us. If we get further away from the earth, the force the earth pulls on us is less and we weigh less. If you lived on Mars, the above definition would probably change to: "The weight of a mass is the force that Mars pulls on the mass." The whole idea of weight is related to the force of gravity (and we hate just to use the word "gravity" since it can bring up even more confusion). It would be correct to say, no matter where you might be in the universe that "the weight of a mass is the force of gravity on the mass." In the metric system force is measured in newtons hence weight is also measured in newtons. You will learn later that on the surface of the earth, a mass of 1 kilogram weighs 9.8 newtons. (You will probably never learn anywhere that on the surface of the earth, one slug weighs 32.2 pounds--don't worry about it, very few people know this!) The pound is the US unit of force hence the US unit of weight is also the pound. We will use newtons for the unit of force (and weight) almost always in the discussions that follow.
Density: There are two kinds of density, "weight density" and "mass density". We will only use mass density and when we say: "density", we will mean "mass density". Density is mass per volume. Lead is dense, Styrofoam is not. The metric system was designed so that water will have a density of one gram per cubic centimeter or 1000 kilograms per cubic meter. Lead is about 10 times as dense as water and Styrofoam is about one tenth as dense as water.
The purpose of this activity is to investigate the meaning of mass, weight and density by looking at how each might be measured.
It will be necessary to poke holes in the portion cups. Should you do this in advance or can your students do it? A small nail works well for this purpose. Probably time could be saved in class if the necessary strings were cut to length in advance (and perhaps even tied to the cups).
Building the "Weight Scale" requires some careful cutting of a straw that can be done with a good pair of scissors or a sharp knife. We think kids can do all of it but it will take time. You should build one prototype Weight Scale in advance so you can work out the details of construction and decide how much of the cutting should be done in advance.
Measuring mass: Mass is usually measured with a balance. The idea is to compare the unknown object with the mass of a known amount. Illustrated below is the device we will use to measure mass and we will call it "the Mass Balance".
Since everyone seems to have lots of pennies and all pennies are about the same mass, we will use the penny as our standard of mass. (It turns out that the average penny has a mass of about 2.6 grams and you can convert to grams if you wish but for now, we will simply determine mass in "pennies".) The mass measurement is accomplished simply by placing the unknown object in one cup of the Mass Balance and finding out how many pennies placed on the other side it takes to achieve balance. You should first check the Mass Balance with nothing in either cup to see if it is properly "zeroed". You should notice that the balance is most sensitive when the upper paper clip is in the center hole (in fact it is really too sensitive here) and it will be less sensitive when you use the higher holes. Slight errors in the zero reading can be corrected by using shorter or longer string sections on the appropriate side. Make sure all paper clips rotate freely in the drilled holes. The balance will not work properly if the paper clips hang up. The Mass Balance can be loaded with the cups on the table and pulling upward slightly on the support paper clip will test the balance condition. We suggest that students begin by matching pennies on the left with pennies on the right (and they should discover that all pennies aren't really the same--this is real!) After the students become familiar with the use of the balance, we suggest that nearly equal volumes of the assorted materials (sand, rice, metal shot, Styrofoam) be measured. If you are using the 1 oz Dixie portion cups, it is possible to draw a line on the cup 1.4 cm above the bottom and it will represent 10 cubic centimeters and a line 2.3 cm above the bottom of the cup will represent 20 cubic centimeters (or milliliters).
A very important question to consider now is: If you used this Mass Balance on the moon or on Mars, would the same amount of material on one side require the same number of pennies on the other side to balance it as it did on Earth? Naturally there is no easy way for us to perform such an experiment but, having your students think about this should help them to start understanding the difference between weight and mass. Mass or as Newton would say, the quantity of matter in an object, does not change when you change your location in space but, as we will see shortly, weight does change.
The students will calibrate this Weight Scale with pennies and mark the 3 X 5 card with a marking pen during the calibration exercise. Attaching the rubber band to the bail of the cup is easily accomplished with a slip knot but attaching the string to the rubber band is a slight problem--a suggested knot is shown with the illustration. The whole idea is to have the zero of the scale at the bottom of the card using the string-rubber band junction as the pointer. With about 25 pennies in the cup, the rubber band will stretch to about the top of the card. (You hold the scale with the string which has been passed through a small piece of straw taped to the card.) The students will carefully load the cup with pennies and mark the card at about 5 penny intervals.
A more detailed construction of the Weight Scale is shown "below." (Again, we suggest that you construct one in advance so you can evaluate how difficult it is to build.) Note that in the construction diagram "below", we show how the straw should be sectioned so that it can be attached to the 3 X 5 card. (In the final scale, naturally, the string and rubber band fit inside of the straw sections.) It is important that the lower length of the straw be made just long enough to extend from the top of the paper clip "bail" to the bottom of the card with the rubber band sticking out the top. You must be able to tie the rubber band to the string and have the junction of the two be on the lower end of the 3 X 5 with nothing in the cup.
This is the "below" referred to in the above paragraph. We decided it would take a large image to show the necessary details so, if you have the time, click here for Weight Scale Construction Details.
Measuring Density: Since density is mass per volume, the most straight forward way of measuring the density of something is to measure its mass, then measure its volume and divide the mass by the volume. We could do exactly that in this activity but at this point we have no good way to measure volume. If you have a graduated cylinder (they aren't expensive but most elementary schools don't have them) you could use it with some water to mark the small "portion cups" at specific volumes. (We have already suggested that the small 1 oz cups will hold 10 cubic centimeters when filled to a point 1.4 cm above the bottom and it will hold 20 cubic centimeters when filled to a point 2.3 centimeters above the bottom.) Rather than actually measuring the density, we feel it will be sufficient for the students to appreciate that the same volume can be a large mass or a small mass depending upon the material involved. Our plan is to have the same volume of several different materials and measure their mass with the Mass Balance. Hopefully this exercise will help the students to begin to see the relationship between mass, volume and density.
Mass, Weight and Density--how matter is measured, how it interacts with other matter and how it fills space.
Which is heavier, a pound of feathers or a pound of lead? If you have never heard this old trick question before--think about it. Now try this one: which takes up more space, a pound of feathers or a pound of lead? Finally, think about this one: which weighs more 100 pennies on the earth or 100 pennies on the moon? The answer to each of these questions requires that you understand the difference between mass, weight and density.
You will measure the mass of objects by comparing them to the mass of pennies with a thing we will call a "Mass Balance". Although mass is usually measured in kilograms or grams, we will measure mass in "pennies". The Mass Balance is shown below.
This balance measures mass in "penny" units.
Mass of material in "pennies"
Measuring weight in units of pennies.
Weight of material in "pennies"
Although your measurements are not perfect (no measurements ever are) you can use your calibrated Weight Scale to find the weight of assorted things and you could even use it to count pennies. Now comes a very important question: If you took your calibrated Weight Scale to the Moon, would it work the same way it did on Earth? If you filled it with the same amount of pennies, would the rubber band stretch to the same mark? Have your teacher discuss this with you and see if you can understand the difference between weight and mass.
Density tells us how much stuff has been packed into a certain amount of space. Lead is very dense, Styrofoam is not very dense at all. Density can be measured in grams per cubic centimeter. In our experiments, density could be measured in "pennies per cup". In your experiments with the Mass Balance, you always measured the mass of the same volume of material. Use the data you took to list the materials you measured in order of density with the most dense at the top of the list down to the least dense at the bottom of the list. You don't have to calculate the density in "pennies per cup" since you always measured the same volume of material--just look at your data to make the list.
After you have made your list of the densities of the materials, think about the following important question: How do you think the density of a substance would change if you measured it on the Moon rather than on the Earth?
1. You have an object and you want to know if it will float in water. To answer the question: "will it float?" do you need to know the objects mass, weight or density?
2. A student's mass on Earth is 50 kilograms. If this student went to the Moon, would her mass be more, less, or the same?
3. A student's weight on Earth is 100 pounds. If this student went to the Moon, would he weigh more, less, or the same? | 2019-04-25T18:17:50 | http://www.physics.ucla.edu/k-6connection/Mass,w,d.htm |
0.999999 | This article is about the local government area. For the suburb, see Hunters Hill, New South Wales.
The Municipality of Hunter's Hill is a local government area on the Lower North Shore and Northern suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The municipality was first proclaimed in 1861, which includes the suburbs of Hunters Hill, Woolwich, Huntleys Point, Tarban, Henley and part of Gladesville.
As at the 2016 census, the Municipality had an estimated population of 13,199. At 5.7 square kilometres (2.2 sq mi), the Municipality is, by area, the smallest local government area in New South Wales and its boundaries remain mostly unaltered since its proclamation in 1861. A 2015 review of local government boundaries by the NSW Government Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal recommended that the Municipality of Hunter's Hill merge with adjoining councils. The government proposed a merger of the Hunter's Hill, Lane Cove and Ryde Councils to form a new council with an area of 57 square kilometres (22 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 164,000. In July 2017, the Berejiklian government decided to abandon the forced merger of the Hunter's Hill, Lane Cove and Ryde local government areas along with several other proposed forced mergers.
The Mayor of Hunters Hill since 9 September 2017 is Clr. Mark Bennett, (a member of the Hunters Hill Liberal Party Main Branch) who stood as an independent politician.
At the 2016 census there were 13,199 people resident in the Hunter's Hill local government area, of these 49.9 per cent were male and 50.1 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 0.6 per cent of the population; significantly below the NSW and Australian averages of 2.9 and 2.8 per cent respectively. The median age of people in the Municipality of Hunter's Hill was 43 years; significantly higher than the national median of 38 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 19.0 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 21.6 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 52.7 per cent were married and 9.3 per cent were either divorced or separated.
Population growth in the Municipality of Hunter's Hill between the 2001 census and the 2006 census was 5.34 per cent and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census, population decreased by 0.20 per cent. At the 2016 census, the population in the Municipality decreased by 0.12 per cent. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same period, being 8.8 per cent, population growth in the Hunter's Hill local government area was significantly lower than the national average. The median weekly income for residents within the Municipality of Hunter's Hill was significantly higher than the national average.
^ a b c d e Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Hunters Hill (A)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
^ a b c "Hunter's Hill – Mayoral Contest". NSW Local Council Elections 2017. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
^ "Merger proposal: Hunter's Hill Council, Lane Cove Council, City of Ryde Council" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 8. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
^ "The Priory". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H01720. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
^ "Vienna". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H00459. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
^ "Milthorpe". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H00688. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
^ "Hestock". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H00092. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
^ "Garibaldi, The". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H00135. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
^ "Kellys Bush Park". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H01391. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
^ "Marika". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H00300. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
^ "The Chalet". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H01727. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Hunters Hill (A)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Hunters Hill (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Hunters Hill (A)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
^ a b "Hunter's Hill – North Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2017. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
^ a b "Hunter's Hill – South Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2017. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
^ "Your Councillors". Hunter's Hill Council. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
This page was last edited on 29 March 2019, at 10:36 (UTC). | 2019-04-20T17:54:02 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipality_of_Hunter's_Hill |
0.999827 | In a note to my last post, I observed that Liberty Street Economics, the blog of Federal Reserve Bank of New York, promised a follow-up to its post concerning the advantages of the Fed's interest payments on required reserves. The follow up would address the benefits of paying interest on banks' excess reserves and of thereby establishing a "reserve-abundant regime."
That follow-up post has since appeared, under the title "Why Pay Interest on Excess Reserve Balances?" As I'd anticipated, it answers the question it poses by outlining some supposed benefits of having banks sit on immense piles of cash, without so much as hinting at the existence of any countervailing costs. As soon as those costs are considered, the supposed benefits turn out to be largely, if not entirely, fictitious.
According to the post's authors, Laura Lipscomb and Heather Wiggins (Board of Governors) and Antoine Martin (FRBNY), a major advantage of paying interest on excess reserves (IOER) is that, by ensuring that banks possess "a relatively abundant supply of [excess] reserves," it "makes the U.S. payment system more efficient." Besides no longer having to rely "on intraday and overnight credit from the Fed," the authors explain, banks made flush with reserves "are more willing to relinquish reserves early and are therefore engaging in less economizing and hoarding of reserves, making the payment system more efficient."
"Less economizing and [less] hoarding"? Usually, when we speak of someone "economizing" on X, we mean that he or she makes do with less of X. To do less economizing of X is therefore to require more of X. So how can banks do "less economizing and hoarding of reserves"? They can't. They can either economize less and hoard more, or they can economize more and hoard less.
Nor can there be any doubt which of these alternatives IOER encourages. Before that policy was introduced, U.S. banks seldom held more than $2 billion in excess reserves collectively. Today they hold more than $2 trillion. If that isn't less economizing and more hoarding, I can't imagine what would qualify. Certainly to claim, as Lipscomb, Martin, and Wiggins do, that it marks an improvement in the efficiency of the payments system, seems on the face of it quite a stretch.
When reserves are scarce, banks are more reliant on the reserves they receive from other banks to make their own payments than when reserves are more abundant. So reserve scarcity exposes the payment system to a greater risk that a disruption at one bank could spill over and affect the system as a whole. Also, having a larger share of payments settled early reduces the potential consequences of a late day operational disruption.
the amount of intraday credit the Fed needs to extend to banks to cover daylight overdrafts … is much lower when the supply of reserves is high. … A large supply of reserves gives banks a sizable buffer to make payments throughout the day without needing to wait for the receipt of other payments or relying on daylight credit from the Fed or other counterparties.
In addition to needing less daylight credit, banks require less overnight credit in the form of discount window loans when reserves are abundant. The relatively abundant reserve environment means that fewer banks are caught short of balances at the end of the day, or at the end of a reserve maintenance period, which can lead to a scramble for funds, a spike in the federal funds rate, and banks occasionally accessing the discount window.
What's wrong with that? The terminology, for starters. In the absence of IOER, although excess reserves are certainly "scarce" in the sense of being valuable, and are therefore unlike salt water to a sailor or sand to a Bedouin, they are not usually "scarce" in the sense of being in short supply. The difference matters because, despite the impression conveyed in the above passages, the "scarcity" of reserves, properly understood, is not a problem with which bankers must cope, like so many farmers coping with a drought. Rather, the degree to which reserves are "scarce" is one normally chosen by the banks themselves. In econ lingo, it is itself the solution to an optimization problem, involving the weighing of private benefits and costs, including the costs of having to rely on occasional intraday and overnight loans.
For "prudential" read "excess," and never mind the typos. The point is that the mere fact that banks can avoid having to borrow if they hold more reserves hardly suffices to establish that getting them to do so makes either the banks themselves or the public better off.
Am I then claiming that, without IOER, the market for bank reserves would be perfectly efficient, with banks holding just the right amount of excess reserves? Not at all. Without IOER, the market for excess reserves might be inefficient for several reasons. It might be so because the Fed doesn't charge banks the right price for daylight overdrafts or overnight loans. And it might be so because the Fed doesn't reward them sufficiently for holding excess reserves.
Setting aside the problem of routinely mispriced Fed credit, which was once very serious but has since been somewhat rectified, many economists, myself included, have long understood that there's a case for reducing banks' opportunity cost of reserve holding by paying a positive return on reserves. But that hardly means that banks can't be overcompensated for their reserve holdings, or that they can't thereby be encouraged to hold inefficiently large quantities of excess reserves.
The well-known arguments for paying interest on bank reserves are in fact arguments for paying a rate of interest reflecting the true opportunity cost of reserve holding. That means a "Friedman rule" rate not much lower but also no higher than market rates on other liquid and risk-free assets.
Furthermore, because the Friedman rule applies to a hypothetical economy free of nominal rigidities and other frictions, even that rate is likely to be too high in practice. In their recently published study devoted to determining an optimal IOER rate in light of real-world frictions, Matthew Conzoneri, Robert Cumby, and Behzad Diba arrive at an optimal steady state tax on excess reserves of 20 to 40 basis points, implying an optimal IOER rate equal to the Friedman rate minus that optimal tax. Allowing for what the authors' refer to as a "bank lending externality" pushes the optimal IOER rate down even more, and can even make it negative.
Yet almost since IOER was first introduced, in October 2008, the Fed's practice has been to set its IOER rate above, if not substantially above, corresponding market rates, and to thereby encourage banks, not merely to fine-tune their reserve holdings to equate marginal (social) benefits and costs, but to pile-up as many reserves as the Fed sends their way.
In short, slice and dice it however you like, there is no way to make sense of Liberty Street Economics' claim that the Fed's interest payments on excess reserves serve to achieve an optimal quantity of bank reserves, or to otherwise make our payments system more efficient.
But hold on: can't the Fed produce reserves costlessly? And doesn't that mean that, even if there are more than enough of them, their presence can't possibly be wasteful?
As the chart below shows, in the good-old, pre-IOER days, when U.S. commercial banks hardly held any excess reserves, their total loans and leases amounted to about 100 percent of their deposits. Today, in contrast, banks hold excess reserves equal to about 20 percent of their deposits, and loans and leases equal to about 80 percent of their deposits. That change is a truer index of the cost of IOER.
None of this would matter if the Fed acted as an efficient savings-investment intermediary, as commercial banks are able to do, at least in principle. But the Fed isn't a commercial bank, and it doesn't employ funds at its disposal the way commercial banks do. It makes loans to other banks, but not to businesses or consumers. And its investments are typically confined to Treasury and some agency securities.
When central banks of less-developed countries impose high reserve requirements on their nations' banks, for the sake of steering more of their citizens' savings onto their own balance sheets, and thence to their governments' coffers, economists call it "financial repression." And they condemn it.
How come? Because ever since Adam Smith wrote his eloquent chapter (No. 2 of Book 2) on the subject, they've understood the crucial role bank lending plays in boosting economic productivity and otherwise spurring growth. In recent decades that understanding has been reinforced by a vast crop of writings on the topic, both theoretical and empirical.
When, on the other hand, the Federal Reserve gets banks to accumulate trillions of dollars in excess reserves, and to thereby fund its acquisition of an equivalent amount of government and mortgage-backed securities (where by "vast" I again refer not just to nominal but to real quantities), Federal Reserve economists call it "making the payments system more efficient"!
Call it what they will, the Fed's policy is also financially repressive. By diverting savings to the government and its agencies and to whatever endeavors they favor, it denies that much funding to other prospective borrowers, many of whom — and small business owners especially — would employ the funds in question more productively.
According to a recent working paper by Brian Chen, Samuel Hanson, and Jeremy Stein, all of Harvard, overall bank lending to small businesses has yet to fully recover the ground it lost in 2008, and has hardly recovered at all at the top 4 banks. The evidence suggests, furthermore, that this sustained decline, which may have played a part in "the weak productivity growth in the decade since the crises," reflects "a systematic and sustained supply-side shift." Although Chen, Hanson, and Stein don't investigate the cause of the shift, and don't mention IOER as a possible culprit, it is certainly a likely suspect. Among other things it's well-known that the biggest banks have also been among the chief accumulators of excess reserves.
But surely, you may be thinking, there's a difference between forcing banks to hold more reserves, as some less-enlightened central banks have done, and rewarding them for doing so. There is, but it doesn't make the Fed's policy much less financially repressive. The difference is that, instead of imposing a "reserve tax" on banks and their depositors, the Fed's above-market IOER rate grants them a subsidy proportional to the difference between the actual IOER rate and its optimal counterpart. Although the subsidy serves to somewhat enhance rather than to reduce the attractiveness of bank deposits, that slight gain is more than offset by the diversion of deposited savings to less productive uses.
ultimately falls on taxpayers, who serve as (conscripted) equity holders for any risky government investment. When the budget treats cash flows generated from a market risk premium as revenues but does not recognize an offsetting cost, it is arguably equivalent to levying a hidden tax that confiscates the risk premium to pay for additional spending.
In fairness to the authors of the Liberty Street Economics post, they never actually claim to be offering an objective assessment of the the Fed's practice of paying interest on banks' excess reserves. Instead, they propose to review some "potential benefits" of that practice. So perhaps it is unfair of me to suggest that their review is misleading.
But I don't think so. First of all, when economists refer to a policy's "benefits," they often mean its net benefits. So when that's not what they mean, they should be clear about it, by at least noting that the policy also has costs that they have chosen not to consider. They should also make it clear that, because they are considering only the benefit side of a full cost-beneft reckoning, their assessment should not be understood as implying that the policy is a good idea. Instead of taking such precautions, Lipscomb, Martin, and Wiggens make it all too easy for readers of their article to assume that the "benefits" it describes do in fact suffice to justify the Fed's IOER policy.
Yet all is not lost, for our authors can easily make up for any misunderstanding their post may have caused. To do so, they need only publish a companion piece, which they could call "Why Not Pay Interest on Excess Reserve Balances?," addressing all the disadvantages of paying interest on banks' excess reserves, and especially of paying it at above-market rates. The piece should of course address the drag on productive investments that comes from stuffing banks with reserves they don't need. But it needn't stop there. It could also point out how above-market IOER undermines monetary control, and how (by severing balance-sheet management from monetary control) it makes it all too easy for the Fed to play the part of a fiscal fairy godmother. Needless to say, the essay should studiously avoid even a whisper concerning any potential benefits to be expected from the policy.
I should think that a month would be more than enough time for three experts to prepare the essay in question. So let's give them a deadline November 1st. If they come through, we can all celebrate the general gain in understanding to which their two-part assessment is bound to contribute. And if not, we will still have learned something, to wit: that the Fed's own assessments of the merits of its policies are best taken with a grain of salt.
This entry was posted in Economic Thought, News, The Fed & Central Banks and tagged Interest on excess reserves, IOER, monetary policy, New York Fed. Bookmark the permalink. | 2019-04-23T12:35:12 | https://www.alt-m.org/2017/10/03/strange-official-economics-of-interest-on-excess-reserves/ |
0.999824 | On Twitter, Trump sought to dismiss George Papadopoulos, who has provided key evidence in the first criminal case connecting Trump’s team to alleged intermediaries for Russia’s government.
The following is a chronology of contacts, according to court documents unveiled on Monday, between former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, individuals claiming links to senior Moscow officials and top Trump campaign advisers.
Papadopoulos, a Chicago-based international energy lawyer, pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents about contacts with people who claimed to have ties to top Russian officials, in the first criminal charges alleging links between the campaign and Moscow, according to the court documents released on Monday.
The White House played down Papadopoulos' campaign role, saying it was "extremely limited" and that he was a volunteer.
Early March - Papadopoulos, who was living in London at the time, learns he would be an adviser to Republican Donald Trump's presidential campaign.
On or about March 6 - Papadopoulos, based on a conversation with a "Campaign Supervisor," learns that a principal foreign policy focus of the campaign was "an improved U.S. relationship with Russia."
On or about March 14 - Papadopoulos meets in Italy with an unidentified foreign professor who shows little interest in him until Papadopoulos mentions he will be joining the Trump campaign. The professor then mentions that he has high-level Russian government connections.
On or about March 24 - Papadopoulos meets in London with the professor, who is accompanied by an unidentified Russian woman introduced as a relative of Russian President Vladimir Putin with connections to senior Russian officials. The woman, in fact, is no relation to Putin.
Papadopoulos emails an unidentified Trump campaign supervisor and several Trump foreign policy advisers to say that he had met with the professor, Putin's niece and the Russian ambassador to Britain (who was not actually present) to discuss a meeting with Russian leaders on U.S.-Russia ties under a Trump administration.
March 31 - Papadopoulos attends a national security policy meeting in Washington at which Trump and other top foreign policy advisers are present. Papadopoulos tells the session that he has connections that could help arrange a Trump-Putin meeting.
On or about April 10 - Papadopoulos emails the Russian woman, who responds the following day that she "would be very pleased to support your initiatives between our two countries." Papadopoulos, in an email copied to the professor, asks the Russian woman about setting up "a potential foreign policy trip to Russia."
On or about April 11 - The professor emails Papadopoulos that a trip to Russia "is already been agreed" and that he would be flying to Moscow on April 18 to attend a conference and meetings at the Russian parliament.
The Russian woman also replied, saying: "The Russian Federation would love to welcome him (Trump) once his candidature is officially announced."
On or about April 18 - The professor introduces Papadopoulos via email to an individual in Moscow who said he had connections to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or MFA. Papadopoulos and the individual have multiple conversations through Skype and emails over the next weeks about setting the "groundwork" for a possible meeting between the Trump campaign and Russian officials.
On or about April 22 - The Russian MFA connection emails Papadopoulos proposing to meet him in London or Moscow. Papadopoulos proposes a meeting in London that includes the Russian ambassador to Britain.
On or about April 25 - Papadopoulos emails an unnamed senior Trump campaign foreign policy adviser that the Russian government has offered an "open invitation" from Putin to Trump for a meeting.
On or about April 26 - The professor informs Papadopoulos at a breakfast in London that he had met with high-ranking Russian officials during a visit to Moscow and that the Russians had "dirt" on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in the form of "thousands of emails."
On or about April 27 - Papadopoulos informs the senior Trump campaign policy adviser by email that he had received "interesting messages" from Moscow "about a trip when the time is right." Papadopoulos also sends a similar email to an unnamed high-ranking Trump campaign official.
On or about May 4 - Papadopoulos forwards to the high-ranking Trump campaign official an email from the Russian MFA connection offering a meeting in Moscow to Papadopoulos with the Foreign Ministry's North America Desk. Papadopoulos asks: "What do you think?"
On or about May 13 - The professor emails Papadopoulos to say: "We will continue to liaise through you with the Russian counterparts in terms of what is needed for a high level meeting of Mr. Trump with the Russian Federation."
On or about May 14 - Papadopoulos emails the high-ranking Trump campaign official to say that the Russian government has "also relayed to me that they are interested in hosting Mr. Trump."
On or about May 21 - Papadopoulos sends an email to another unidentified high-ranking Trump campaign official containing the May 4 email from the Russian MFA connection and adding that "Russia has been eager to meet Mr. Trump for some time."
On or about June 1 - Papadopoulos emails the unnamed Trump campaign supervisor to ask "what message" he should pass to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the offer of a Trump-Putin meeting.
On or about June 19 - Papadopoulos informs the high-ranking Trump campaign official that the Russian MFA wanted to know if Papadopoulos or anyone else could come to Moscow if Trump could not. "I am willing to make the trip off the record," Papadopoulos writes.
On or about Aug. 15 - The campaign supervisor encourages Papadopoulos and another unidentified Trump campaign foreign policy adviser to "make the trip" if it is "feasible."
The proposed trip to Moscow by Papadopoulos did not take place.
Jan. 27 - Papadopoulos has an interview with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in which it was subsequently discovered that he made "material false statements and material omissions."
Feb. 16 - The FBI has another interview with Papadopoulos. The next day, he deactivates his Facebook account. A few days later, he stops using his cellphone number and begins using a new one.
July 27 - Papadopoulos is arrested on his arrival at Dulles International Airport outside Washington. | 2019-04-25T06:38:30 | https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/timeline-of-trump-campaign-adviser-papadopoulos-dealings-1.5461829 |
0.999997 | How sound is this hadeeth: “The ink of the scholar is more sacred than the blood of the martyr”?
From ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allah be pleased with him).
It was narrated by Abu Na‘eem in Akhbaar Asbahaan (1718) and ad-Daylami in Musnad al-Firdaws. Its isnaad also includes Ismaa‘eel ibn Abi Ziyaad, who is mentioned above.
It was also narrated by Ibn al-Jawzi in al-‘Ilal al-Mutanaahiyah (1/81) via another isnaad. He said: This is not saheeh. Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: Muhammad ibn Yazeed al-Waasiti did not narrate anything from ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Ziyaad. Ibn Hibbaan said: He narrates fabricated reports from trustworthy narrators.
It was narrated by ad-Daylami in Musnad al-Firdaws. Its isnaad includes Ishaaq ibn al-Qaasim and his father, who are not known.
It was also narrated by al-Khateeb in Tareekh Baghdaad (2/193) and via him by Ibn al-Jawzi in al-‘Ilal al-Mutanaahiyah (1/80). He said: This hadeeth is not soundly narrated from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). al-Khateeb said: Its men are all trustworthy apart from Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, and we think that it is something that he made up.
It was narrated by as-Sahami in Tareekh Jarjaan (p. 91, 222), and by Ibn al-Jazwi in al-‘Ilal al-Mutanaahiyah (1/81). He said: This is not saheeh. As for Haroon ibn ‘Antarah, Ibn Hibbaan said: It is not permissible to quote him as evidence; he narrated such odd (munkar) reports that one cannot help thinking that he is the one who fabricated them. And Ya‘qoob al-Qummi is da‘eef.
It was narrated by ar-Raafa‘i in Tareekh Qizween (3/481). Its isnaad includes ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Maslamah, who narrated odd (munkar) reports. It also includes ‘Abdullah ibn Luhay‘ah.
It was narrated by al-Marhabi in Fadl al-‘Ilm – as was narrated by as-Suyooti in ad-Durr al-Manthoor (3/423); it is also narrated in Juz’ Ibn ‘Amashleeq (p. 44) with the same isnaad, which includes Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Qaasim, the mu’adhdhin of Tarsoos, for whom I could not find any biography.
It was narrated by Ibn an-Najjaar from him, as was mentioned by as-Suyooti. It is also mentioned in Lisaan al-Mizaan (5/225) via Jarraab al-Kadhdhaab (the liar).
It was narrated in Juz’ Ibn ‘Amashleeq (p. 45) via al-Kalbi from Abu Saalih from Ibn ‘Abbaas; this is a waahin (flimsy) isnaad.
It was narrated by as-Sam‘aani in Adab al-Imla’ wa’l-Istimla’ (p. 181). Its isnaad includes al-Muzaffar ibn al-Husayn, the shaykh of as-Sam‘aani, for whom I could not find any biography.
To sum up, the hadeeth is not saheeh. Al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadi said concerning it: It is mawdoo‘ (fabricated). Imam adh-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Its text is fabricated. End quote from Mizaan al-I‘tidaal (3/517). Ash-Shawkaani mentioned it in al-Fawaa’id al-Majmoo‘ah (p. 17), and al-‘Aamiri mentioned it in al-Jadd al-Hatheeth fi Bayaan ma laysa bi Hadeeth (p. 203). Shaykh al-Albaani said in as-Silsilah ad-Da‘eefah (hadeeth no. 4832): This verdict (i.e., that it is fabricated) is what one feels comfortable with. End quote. Shaykh Muhammad Rasheed Rida said something similar in Majallat al-Manaar (3/698).
What appears to be the case is that what is narrated about the virtues of the blood of the martyr in and of itself has no parallel concerning the ink of the scholars. Rather we do not know of any saheeh hadeeth that speaks of the virtue of the ink of the scholars in and of itself, let alone about it being superior to the blood of the martyr. With regard to the blood of the martyr, it is proven that it will come on the Day of Resurrection with its colour the colour of blood and its fragrance the fragrance of musk, and the martyr is forgiven with the first drop of his blood that is shed… And other reports of that nature. But this is one thing, and the superiority of the martyr himself over the scholars is another matter.
As a matter of fact, what is narrated concerning the martyr and the special rewards he will attain, and the saheeh reports about the protection against punishment and forgiveness of shortcomings that he will be granted, have no parallel concerning the scholar merely for the knowledge he has. No one can definitively state that the same ruling applies to the scholar. However it is possible that one who attains a higher degree will attain a better reward.
With regard to the scholar, what should be taken into consideration is the scholar’s character, the impact of his knowledge and what responsibilities he had. We should also examine the character of the martyr, the consequences of his martyrdom and what responsibilities he had. So the comparison should be made on the basis of the deeds of each of them and the benefits of his actions. How often a martyr or scholar warded off or reduced the impact of turmoil and was the cause of relief at a time of hardship. Therefore it may be that one martyr is better than a group of scholars, or one scholar is better than a group of martyrs, each according to his situation and the impact or legacy of his knowledge and deeds. End quote.
This issue – the superiority of the ink of the scholars over the blood of the martyrs, or vice versa – is an issue that was the subject of a great deal of debate, in which those who favoured each view gave their evidence.
These three principles will explain the matter and help us to reach the right conclusion.
With regard to the different levels of virtue, there are four: Prophethood, siddeeqiyyah (see below), martyrdom and wilaayah (being a righteous close friend of Allah).
“And whoso obeys Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad SAW), then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace, of the Prophets, the Siddeeqoon (those followers of the Prophets who were first and foremost to believe in them, like Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq), the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!
The highest of these levels of virtue is Prophethood and Messengership, followed by siddeeqiyyah. The siddeeqs are the prominent leaders of the followers of the Messengers, and their status is the highest after Prophethood.
If the pen of the scholar wrote that which is connected to siddeeqiyyah, , then it is superior to the blood of the martyr who did not reach the same level.
But if the martyr had attained the level of siddeeqiyyah and the shedding of his blood was connected to that, then his blood is superior to the ink of the scholar who fell short of that. The better of the two is the one who is a siddeeq.
If they were equal in terms of being siddeeq, then they are equal in terms of status. And Allah knows best.
Siddeeqiyyah is when one attains the level of perfection of faith in what the Messenger brought in terms of knowledge, belief and implementation. This level is based on knowledge. Everyone who has greater knowledge of what the Messenger brought and more complete faith in it will be of a higher level of siddeeqiyyah. Siddeeqiyyah is like a tree: its roots are knowledge, its branches are belief and its fruits are action.
This is a comprehensive discussion of the issue of the scholar and the martyr, and which of them is superior.
This argument presented by Ibn al-Qayyim is, in our opinion, more sound and is better than being certain of the difference between the two as being two completely separate deeds, as it was discussed by many scholars. | 2019-04-18T14:54:04 | https://islamqa.info/en/answers/11920/hadeeths-that-differentiate-between-the-scholars-and-the-martyrs |
0.999823 | Each item below offers a choice, in a pull-down menu, of four conjunctive adverbs for expressing various logical relationships. For each numbered item, select the conjunctive adverb that best fits in the sentence or pair of sentences. After you select a conjunctive adverb, an answer box at the bottom of the page will give you feedback.
1. The plan was to take a Caribbean cruise. ';InsteadNextBesidesSubsequently , we ended up staying home.
Instead: CORRECT! The plan was to take a Caribbean cruise; INSTEAD, we ended up staying home.
2. I tried hard to convince her to stay. ';ThusMoreoverIn the endMeanwhile , I gave up.
In the end: CORRECT! I tried hard to convince her to stay. IN THE END, I gave up.
3. There's lots of choices on the menu. ';ThenOtherwiseFurthermoreFor example , you could try the lamb chops.
For example: CORRECT! There is lots of choices on the menu. FOR EXAMPLE, you could try the lamb chops.
4. He doesn't seem to be very nice to her. ';FinallyPlusAs a resultOtherwise , he is pretty ugly.
Plus: CORRECT! He doesnt seem to be very nice to her. PLUS, he is pretty ugly.
As a result: INCORRECT. TRY AGAIN.
5. I wish you hadn't taken down the trees. ';BeforeExampleThereforeAdditionaly , it was so much shadier.
Before: CORRECT! I wish you hadn't taken down the trees. BEFORE, it was so much shadier. | 2019-04-19T20:26:12 | https://www.ntid.rit.edu/sea/processes/relationships/practice/appropriateadverbs |
0.998479 | How to create custom roles inherited from parent folder?
Permissions inheritance is disabled on folder and enabled on documents.
User A and User B have access to Documents Folder. User A can only see document1.pdf in folder and User B can only see document2.pdf in folder.
I checked many configurations but results are the same. I was trying to not modify original permissionDefinitions.xml and three dots means that there is original configuration copied to my xml for cm:cmobject and cm:folder type.
Is it possible to do this by adding permissions to folder?
I think your best option is create a script that perform the role assignation and execute it in the folder using a rule in content creation or content update.
I know that it can be done using rules. But I wonder if it`s possible using permission definions without creating rules. Maybe someone tried that.
Does it impact on repository if permissions are configured on every document instead of parent folder?
I`ve found a thread about similar case: https://community.alfresco.com/thread/166670-customize-permissions-based-on-types Unfortunately a link with possible solution isn`t working. This thread shows a configuration with a Dummy role which was added in cm:cmobject, cm:content and cm:folder type.
I read the post and I see that its final conclusión is that is not not possible with configuration od permissions. I presume that the link explain a solution based on rules or behaviours.
If you wan't to use rules maybe you can implement a solution based on Behaviours (could try with onSetNodeType, onCreateNode or onUpdateNode). The develope could be more dificult but it save you the time of aplying the rules in the repository.
I think there is no impact in handling permissions in contens instead of folders, apart from the tedious administration if you have to do it manually.
thank you for the answer. I had hope that something has changed through last 10 years and someone found a solution. It looks like it should be done using rules / policies. | 2019-04-26T04:27:34 | https://community.alfresco.com/thread/241076-how-to-create-custom-roles-inherited-from-parent-folder |
0.996392 | The New Dr. Who? The BBC is reporting that Former Doctor Who Tom… - When pigs fly.
The BBC is reporting that Former Doctor Who Tom Baker says that Eddie Izzard is to be the next doctor for the TV show that starts 2005. Eddie is known for being a cross-dressing comedian in Britan.
My weekend began with some frustrating affairs: My plan for the trip to MLW (Mates Leather Weekend) involved NOT driving to P-town (to avoid the traffic getting there and back.) I was to take Boston Harbour Cruiseline's fast ferry (the same kind as they are planning to add to Rochester to Toronto next year, except this is passenger only.) After driving into Boston to the harbour and waiting almost forty-five minutes at the gate (the ferry was scheduled to leave at 2:00pm), I went to the main office for BHC and inquired where the boat was. The stunned receptionist told me that there was no 2 o'clock trip, it had been canceled.
What?!? As I pulled out my ticket that I purchased at their website to show to her. She took the ticket and got her supervisor. I was then told that the boat had broke down and was in dry dock. All persons that had tickets were called, except for those (as I) that purchased tickets with their website... Apparently they don't have access to the customer data from their own web site, so they had no telephone number to call! Well, I was fit to be tied. I did not want to drive there; that was the whole point! They were nice in the fact that they 1) refunded my $65, 2) gave me a free round-trip ticket for two on the fast ferry good for the next seven years, and 3) were going to pay for a bus trip to P-town, and provide return passage on the ferry as planned. The last part of this plan went south when we discovered, as it's off-season for visiting P-town, that there was only one bus, and it had left South Station at 1:00pm. I was left with no choice but to drive.
I fought the Friday afternoon traffic out of Boston down the I-93 heading for Rt. 3, which will take you to Cape Cod, and then to Rt. 6 which ends in Provincetown. I turned on the radio to listen to the traffic report to discover why I-93 was so packed, and heard that Rt. 3 had been closed due to an overturned cement truck and that 3-A (the alternative to Rt 3) was also backed up and hardly moving. My weekend was not off to a good start. To make a long story short, I took many, many back roads to get beyond the blockage and picked up Rt. 3 and continued to P-town unabated. The trip which normally takes about 2 hours took four ½ hours. I arrived at 6:30pm and checked into the bed & breakfast.
The rest of the weekend went well! Although chilly, the weather was nice. There were a lot of leathermen and bears from all over the east, including some friends I knew from New York City and Cleveland! Both evenings, I ate well! On Friday, I ate at The Mews and had a wonderful patê, filet mignon and all the trimmings! It was delicious! Saturday, I went back to the The Lobster Pot, where I had eaten before. As always, it was wonderful. The "First Mate Contest" was held outdoors under a huge tent, but it was so crowded that you could not see nor hear what was going on; so I just hung out by the fireplace in the bar with hundreds of other guys. Next year, they should consider using closed-circuit TV to broadcast the contest on all the screens in the bar! | 2019-04-24T20:12:40 | https://mc4bbs.livejournal.com/24175.html |
0.999999 | Will Sami Zayn accept the tag-team partner request?
Recently, Sami Zayn can be seen trying to make SmackDown LIVE the Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, or Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens show alongside his 'Best Friend' Kevin Owens. But an absent SmackDown LIVE Superstar has hinted that they would like to team up with Sami Zayn for the upcoming WWE Mixed Match Challenge.
The WWE has announced a new show that will air exclusively on Facebook Watch called the Mixed Match Challenge. It will feature mixed tag-teams made up of male and female wrestlers from both the RAW and SmackDown LIVE rosters, with the teams competing in a knockout style tournament.
Since its announcement, Finn Balor and Bayley have teased teaming up, as have Nia Jax and Braun Strowman. Samoa Joe has also caused controversy by calling whoever he teams up with - a 'towel attendant'. Now, a new pair is being teased.
Becky Lynch may have been off of WWE television nursing injuries sustained at the hands of the Riott Squad (or filming the new Marine film alongside The Miz) but she's still been keeping her finger on the WWE pulse and is very excited for the Mixed Match Challenge, but there's only one person she wants to team up with.
Becky mentions that The Miz has left the set of The Marine 6 early to get a head start on preparing for the Mixed Match Challenge because he know's he'll probably have to face Becky Lynch in the ring, however, Becky knows that she wants to team up with Sami Zayn.
"Many a great option, many a great option, but there's one person coming to mind and that is Sami Zayn. Now Sami you and I have been on very similar paths, we were on the independant circuit together, we were wrestling in front of crowds of eleven people in Italy when were just teenagers, we made our Wrestlemania debut together, but recently I have to say that I haven't been the greatest fan of your actions but I can still see the good in you Sami, and together we can be the Mixed Match Champions of the world, and wouldn't that be some straight fire."
I'm excited about the Mixed Match Challenge, but I'll be even more excited about it if Becky Lynch and Sami Zayn are made official. | 2019-04-22T08:43:15 | https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/wwe-news-wwe-superstar-teases-a-new-tag-team-partner-for-sami-zayn-on-twitter |
0.999369 | A waning gibbous moon sails over the eastern horizon in the hours between sunset and midnight. It's past full now... appearing less than full but more than half lighted.
What can I say about a waning gibbous moon? Only that it can surprise you if you happen to be out late in the evening. It rises eerily some hours after sunset, glowing redly like a full moon when it's near the horizon. Sometimes it looks like a misshapen clone of a full moon.
Because it comes up late at night, the waning gibbous moon prompts people to start asking, "Where is the moon? I looked for it last night and couldn't find it." It also initiates a rash of questions seeing the moon during the day. If it rises late at night, you know the waning gibbous moon must set after sunrise. In fact, in the few days after full moon, you'll often see the waning gibbous moon in the west in early morning, floating against the pale blue sky. | 2019-04-20T14:50:57 | https://www.alberobio.it/moon/phases |
0.999999 | I love this recipe and you can also use Turkey for the patties instead of Chicken which is just as tasty.
1. Mix the mince meat with the shallots, chilli and half the coriander into a bowl. Using your hands, shape the mixture into 2 patties.
2. Spray the pan with oil (lightly) and heat over medium heat. Add patties and cook for 5 minutes each side until cooked through. While you are doing this, cook the noodles following the instructions on the packet.
3. Cook the snow peas in a saucepan of boiling water for 1-2 minutes or till tender. Drain and rinse under cold water.
4. Combine the noodles, snow peas, cucumber, three quarters of the bean sprouts (if using) and remaining coriander leaves into a bowl.
5. Divide the noodle salad between the 2 people and top with patties and remaining sprouts (if using).
I absolutely love this recipe, full of flavour and easy to make. A great light meal to eat at night and before bed. | 2019-04-24T14:56:44 | https://www.quickstartfitness.com.au/chicken-patties-noodle/ |
0.999999 | Could the Skype deal be a landmark one for Microsoft?
On the face of it, Microsoft's purchase of Skype seems insane.
Skype's had a For Sale sign on its windscreen for ages, and both Facebook and Google had been spotted peering at the mileage, kicking the tyres and looking for dents.
It seems that Microsoft saw them, decided it wasn't going to be outbid, and started with an opening bid of "all the money in the world".
It's the biggest purchase Microsoft has ever made, eight and a bit billion dollars for a service eBay bought for two and a half billion and subsequently sold for two billion. Does Microsoft have more money than sense?
Microsoft isn't stupid, and it's not going to throw around eight billion dollars for a laugh. So what's it up to?
There's been some speculation that Microsoft wants to combine Skype with Kinect, but while the prospect of an unholy Xbox Chatroulette makes me laugh - and more sensibly, I can see the appeal of connecting Kinect users to Skype's enormous user base - anything Xbox is a sideshow here.
It's about two things. It's about phones, and it's about Facebook.
Phones first. Speech is moving to voice over IP - it's why Google has Google Voice, and it's why Apple has FaceTime - so buying Skype gives Microsoft a proven and popular VoIP service for consumers (it already has one, Lync, for businesses). Having Skype on every Windows Phone handset could help sell a lot of phones.
It's important for corporate phones too. Merging Skype and Lync could make Microsoft's offering more tempting for big enterprise customers, many of whom use Skype's conferencing features, and merging Skype and the enormously popular Windows Live Messenger system could be a good move in the consumer market.
And Facebook? Don't forget that Microsoft owns a stake in Zuckerberg's business. Integrating Skype with Facebook would be a win-win situation for Microsoft and Facebook alike, with the former gaining access to Facebook's massive user base and payment system and the latter getting a voice and video system without having to spend any money building it.
Assuming Microsoft doesn't mess it up - alienating key Skype engineers, offering to pay for the whole thing in Microsoft Points - a successful acquisition of Skype and integration between it, Windows Phone, Windows Live, Lync and maybe even Xbox Live could be very interesting indeed.
8 billion dollars is a lot of money, but if Microsoft gets it right it could prove to be one of the smartest - and most successful - investments the firm has ever made. | 2019-04-24T13:37:02 | https://www.techradar.com/au/news/world-of-tech/voip/phone-and-communications/why-microsoft-buying-skype-makes-total-sense-953985 |
0.999998 | My first job in film: What is a corporate film or video production company?
Corporate production companies create films which attach the boardroom to its staff, products to consumers and sponsors to charity campaigns. It's a specialised area of the business that can utilise any cinematic style to suit the tone of a films message.
Corporate films, or corporate videos, are used to connect the boardroom to its employees and convey the company's ethics and ethos to the consumer. Video content online has become increasingly popular for company websites alongside the written material. Video content stands an 80% higher chance of engagement as it requires less from the viewer and keeps their attention focused on the screen for longer. Production companies also create films for fundraising, awareness and promotional purposes. In the world of business, films are necessary communication tools that can create engagement and inform opinion.
Online Commercials. Freedom from the 30 seconds of screen time and significantly cheaper, commercials for online content are of a lower budget but have the opportunity to go viral if they have a great story behind them. Making shareable content is a way of organically promoting your company.
Training Videos. Staff training or first aid training videos can be a useful tool in the workplace, and save companies significant amounts of money when looking to induct employees.
Films for conference. The conference itself can be filmed, allowing viewers full access to the extended content from the day’s events. Films are also made for the conference, such as an address from the CEO if not in attendance.
Consumer testimonials. Connecting potential customers to previous customer experience whether on the website or within the online consumer marketplace.
Industrial. Films aimed at companies working within a specific industry, used for business to business marketing or at trade shows.
Internal communications. Films made to be placed on company intranets are a useful tool to connect senior staff with their employees.
Promotional or branded content. Promotional films are largely web or intranet based. They can come in the form of panel discussions designed to showcase products and create interaction.
Charity film. One of the most efficient ways for charities to reach out to their supporters and funders is via a film. A film detailing the work they carry out, who it affects and what you can do to make a difference is a major asset to fundraisers.
Who makes films for businesses?
Corporate communications companies specialise in making films for business, government organisations and charities. Producers working on corporate films need to be able to understand their client's business model which can be anything from an ammunitions to Royal Mail. Much like the commercials industry, corporate communications have their own awards events, with particular companies taking the lion's share of the larger multinational corporations work. Production companies come in all sizes, though, including smaller start-up companies.
How long does it take to make a corporate film?
Corporate films for big clients such as international brands or government organisations will need to submit a treatment and attach a director to the project, who will discuss the options with the clients. Corporate films utilise all forms of narrative storytelling, the style of the film can dictate the duration of the shoot. If the client chooses a script that is a drama, the production time can be weeks rather than days for filming. If the budget is high the more likely crew working on features and commercials will become involved with the shoot.
Corporate films can cross over into any genre from documentary to drama, as long as it serves the message a company wish to deliver. Drama can be anything from a training video or awareness campaign; the documentary format can be utilised when charting the work of a charity in remote locations. The crew can find themselves working on a day of back to back interviews with executives, filming a conference, high end branded content with high production value or an elongated version of a car commercial.
Depending on the budget you can find a full drama crew on the higher end of the corporate video spectrum, with a more select crew (camera, sound, camera assistant) on the more compact end. Typically a smaller crew is used for interviewing company executives.
HoDs are hired by the production managers, the rest of the crew are usually hired at the HoD’s recommendations. The production manager will be the one negotiating the rate and sending out a Purchase Order for your services.
how do i find a job at a corporate production company?
Many corporate companies do offer internships, so look at MFJF jobs board and the companies themselves to see if they run an existing internship programme. If you are at stage 2-3 of your career plan you should have made some connections within the industry, many of whom will no doubt be fitting in the odd corporate here and there. Much like commercials, corporate rates are usually higher than broadcast rates or low/micro budget films. Working practice, like a lunch hour, is often observed. If you wish to work within the company, whether on the account management side or the production side, having an awareness of the private and third sectors would be advantageous. | 2019-04-25T08:36:32 | https://www.myfirstjobinfilm.co.uk/corporate-film |
0.99873 | Will the Universe expand forever, or will it recollapse?
Is the Universe dominated by "dark matter" and if so what is it?
How and when did the first galaxies form? The first clusters of galaxies?
What were the initial seeds from which all the structure in the Universe arose?
Information about these topics is encoded in the Cosmic Microwave Background, thermal radiation from the hot plasma which filled the whole Universe when it was young. Measuring and understanding this radiation will allow us to address these key cosmological questions, and many other astrophysical issues as well.
The early Universe was very hot. For the first several hundred thousand years the Universe was hotter than the surface of the Sun. At those temperatures, electrons do not remain bound to nucleii in neutral atoms. The ionized plasma that they form is opaque, as is the interior of the Sun, and that plasma, like the Sun, was filled with trapped hot radiation. Roughly 300,000 years after the Big Bang the expanding Universe had cooled enough to form neutral hydrogen gas, which is transparent. The radiation which was present at that time has travelled freely through the Universe since then, and we see it today as the Cosmic Microwave Background. By observing this radiation today, we have a view of conditions in the very early Universe - because of the time it takes light to travel large distances, we see astrophysical objects as they were some time ago. For example, we see the Sun as it was eight minutes ago. Most of the Universe is transparent now, and in most directions we look through the recent Universe and see the primordial plasma, roughly 13 billion light years away, as it was almost 13 billion years ago, just after the time of the Big Bang.
There are precise and testable models of cosmology, consistent with General Relativity and with an expanding Universe, which predict how the Cosmic Microwave Background should look. In these models the shapes of large angular temperature variations depend on the precise initial conditions of the Big Bang. These itintial conditions laid down the seed fluctuations which grew to form all the objects we see today. Smaller angular scale variations just under one degree depend, among other things, on the expansion rate (Hubble's constant), the overall density, the density of baryons ("ordinary matter"), the cosmological constant and the characteristics of dark matter (if present). If these models are correct we can infer the values of these quantities with a precision of a few percent from the maps of the Cosmic Background which Planck will produce. This will be a very major step forward in understanding the Universe. If these models are not confirmed the results will be even more exciting!
In addition, Planck will detect the characteristic microwave signatures produced by hot gas in clusters of galaxies, allowing detailed studies of how and when galaxies clustered together. Planck will be sensitive enough to detect all of the clusters in the Universe which are hot enough to produce detectable X-ray flux. In addition an all-sky survey of bright galaxies at long wavelengths will be produced. Planck will also provide an incredible bank of data for investigating "foreground" material in our own galaxy, through the production of all-sky images of unparalleled accuracy and sensitivity at nine frequencies from 30 to 875 GHz. On top of that polarization of the sky will also be measured, providing additional cosmological information, and aiding in the understanding of galactic signals.
Planck consists of a passively cooled 1.5m gregorian telescope with exceptional rejection of stray light and diffracted contributions, coupled to actively cooled HEMT and bolometer based radiometers. In order to perform such delicate measurements, the mission must be run much more like an experiment than like a classical observatory. The telescope will spin at a constant rate, observing the brightness distribution on a large circle simultaneously in all channels. This circle traces out the whole sky each six months as the earth orbits the Sun. Stable operating conditions are crucial, and no dedicated pointing at specific objects in the sky is contemplated. A huge data analysis effort is required to turn this stream of data into useful maps of the sky with gain and pointing variations and foreground sources removed. Scientists participate in this mission by helping to design and build the instrument and by involvement in the overall analysis tasks, rather than via the conventional avenue of applying for observing time.
The top left hand image shows data from the COBE satellite (launched in 1989). Below that is a simulation of what a higher resolution experiment, such as Planck, might show. In both cases diffuse emission from the galactic plane is evident as a stripe across the equator. However, most of the variance away from the equator is due to intrinsic anisotropy of the Cosmic Background. The resolution of the lower map is too high to be apparent on the printed page. To illustrate the increase in resolution, the right hand pictures show maps of a part of Eastern Canada, one at COBE's resolution, and one at Planck's. The COBE resolution is sufficient to show the size and location of continents, whereas the Planck resolution and sensitivity would allow us to study individual mountains and measure the size and shape of river valleys. The expansion rate and overall curvature of the Universe, the total density, and the nature of the first clusters of galaxies to form are all features which can only be studied at high resolution. | 2019-04-21T21:13:18 | http://www.casca.ca/lrp/vol2/firstplanck/planck.html |
0.999999 | The guests who gathered in a blizzard for an Italian mountain vacation had no idea what was coming.
He was pinned in the darkness by the unseen weight of beams and walls, ice and earth. He lay on his stomach, unable to move. His mind was cloudy; his heart sped with a sudden terror. What happened? Where am I?
He gasped for air and grabbed at a fistful of snow, shoving it into his mouth. He coughed out the dirt and the glass.
He surveyed what he could: His left leg had been twisted and thrust forward at an impossible angle, so that his foot rested near his cheek. He could move his left arm, that was free, but his right arm and leg were crushed and wedged beneath something enormous. He wasn't entirely alone, he sensed, realizing with horror that his chin rested on the knee of a corpse. He tried to still the panic, to recall the half-forgotten moments before everything went dark.
He had been speaking to his wife. They were standing in a doorway. And then: the whistling gust of wind; the momentary loss of consciousness; the sense of tumbling through space; the sounds of coughing, moaning; and the horrifying silence that followed. Had it been an earthquake? Had everyone died? He called to his wife in the dark but heard no answer. He thought about their 5-year-old daughter in Rome, across the peninsula. Then he heard voices, faint at first but growing more distinct.
The hotel stood in splendid isolation, high among the mountains. All around was forest and far beyond was the sea, the Adriatic, which the guests could glimpse on a clear day from any number of the hotel's enormous windows. Nestled up here on the flanks of Italy's Apennine Mountains—above the medieval town of Farindola—the Hotel Rigopiano had never been easy to reach, but then, its isolation only added to its appeal.
So, too, did the resort's well-known spa, adorned with its Roman-style frescoes, shimmering marble floors, and burbling fountains. It had been enough, in recent years, to attract Italian pop stars and celebrities; George Clooney had even stayed there in 2009 while he was filming The American nearby. From all over Italy, well-heeled vacationers were drawn, paying as much as $1,200 a night to take in the views of the canyon below, to enjoy the mountains as if they were theirs alone.
In plenty of ways, it was. There were no other buildings for miles. There never had been. The resort stood just inside the Gran Sasso National Park, situated incongruously among ancient mountains still on the move—sandstone peaks that, for millions of years, have thrust upward from the earth's center. It was a location that was beautiful and unsettled at once, a spot where the rhythms of nature tended to be indifferent to those who ventured there.
Last January, snow began to fall across the Gran Sasso. For days it came down without letup, and the enormous drifts ringing the Rigopiano grew taller by the hour.
From his home in the suburbs of Rome—120 miles away—Giampaolo Matrone watched the weather with rising concern over the trip he'd been planning. It was supposed to be a treat for his wife, an overnight getaway to a spa that her friends had raved about.
But now, given the blizzard, he wondered if they should make the drive—and whether the mountain road leading to the hotel was even open. Matrone phoned the Rigopiano and reached its owner, Roberto Del Rosso. Del Rosso said not to worry. Matrone simply needed chains on his tires, he was told. “Tranquilo,” Del Rosso said over the phone.
What Del Rosso kept to himself was that things were growing bleak up on the mountain. Food and supplies at his hotel were already running low, and with only a single snowplow, officials in town were struggling to keep the road open.
Whether it was ignorance or avarice, it's hard to know exactly why Del Rosso downplayed the gathering storm and encouraged more guests up the mountain. Maybe it was optimism: hope that the weather would clear or that more plows might arrive. The fact is, things didn't get better, and by the time Matrone and his wife reached Farindola, they were battling a total whiteout.
Giampaolo Matrone endured 60 harrowing hours beneath the crumpled hotel.
At the base of the mountain, Matrone wrapped his chains around his tires and joined a line of cars inching along behind a small snowplow. An officer of the provincial police urged Matrone to head back down the mountain, but turning around on the skinny road was now nearly impossible, and besides, he had paid good money for the room.
When the guests in the convoy finally reached the hotel, they were cold and exhausted. They found logs aflame in the fireplaces and red candles burning in brass candelabras, throwing a mellow glow on the unfussy reception area. But the atmosphere wasn't entirely cozy. They could hear the storm strengthening outside in the dark.
“Don't be angry—start enjoying this,” Del Rosso said, announcing that he would keep the hotel's spa—the “beauty center”—open an extra hour to help the new arrivals unwind.
That night, as the cars outside the Rigopiano were cocooned in snow, only 12 of the hotel's 45 rooms were occupied. The inn may have had just 28 guests, but Del Rosso knew that it could have been worse. Business had always been brutal in the winter. In fact, since it had been built in 1958 as a modest hiker's hut, the Rigopiano had often closed up during the snowy months—even after it became a hotel in the 1970s. With no ski slopes nearby to attract visitors, the hotel was tough to sustain. Things got so bad in the 1990s that the hotel was actually abandoned and fell to ruin. “Vandals broke the windows, stole the plates and mattresses, sprayed graffiti,” says Massimiliano Giancaterino, the former mayor of Farindola.
So it had been something of a surprise when Del Rosso, the nephew of the original proprietor, re-opened the Rigopiano in 2007, pouring millions of euros into a dramatic expansion—the centerpiece of which was his beauty center, which he counted on to lure guests up the mountain year-round.
But the improbable resurrection had long borne a whiff of corruption. In 2012, prosecutors charged a handful of local officials and builders in a bribery scheme related to the project. After a drawn-out legal fight, the charges were dismissed for lack of evidence. Still, questions lingered about how Del Rosso had so quickly obtained a zoning variance for a major commercial expansion inside a national park.
Beyond those allegations of dodgy financial dealings, there were broader safety concerns—fears that some say should have kept the hotel shuttered forever. Pasquale Iannetti, an alpine guide who served on the town's avalanche commission, warned municipal officials in 1999 that the area—sitting in one of the most tectonically unstable corners of Europe—was susceptible to landslides and avalanches.
Geological experts spoke up, too, noting a fact that the builders of the old hiker's hut must have neglected 60 years ago: The structure, located at the base of a canyon, sat in the path of a natural conduit for snow cascading down from Monte Siella. In fact, aerial photography had shown evidence of an avalanche in 1956 on the exact spot where the hotel now stood.
As the guests awoke on Wednesday, they discovered that their predicament had worsened overnight. The cars in the lot were invisible. The phone and power lines were down. Cellular coverage, always spotty on the mountain, had gotten worse. Now the only form of reliable communication was Wi-Fi, running through a satellite antenna on the roof.
Faye Dame, a 42-year-old Senegalese immigrant who helped Del Rosso with maintenance work, was doing the best he could to clear a path in the driveway. It had been a few days since the hotel's last delivery of food and supplies, and employees in the kitchen were trying hard to manage what was left of the dwindling provisions. For breakfast, they put out a few microwaved croissants, some marmalade, and Nutella. It wasn't much.
After breakfast, Matrone and his wife returned to the spa and climbed into the Jacuzzi. Matrone sank beneath the surface. And then: The hotel began to wobble. The windows rattled and the water in the tub sloshed over the edges.
The couple leapt out of the Jacuzzi and wrapped themselves in towels. They didn't yet know exactly what had happened—that a quake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale had struck the mountain—but Matrone had had enough. “Let's get the baggage and get out of here,” he told his wife, dressing quickly. Others followed him out into the parking lot, where they began excavating their cars. Fifteen minutes after the first earthquake, another tremor hit, this one measuring 5.6.
• The Hotel Rigopiano’s spa was designed to lure visitors in winter. Before disaster struck last January, a blizzard had trapped 28 guests in the mountain resort.
They backtracked to the hotel, infuriated by the snow that choked the road beneath them but unaware of a larger threat developing far above them. High up on Monte Siella, the 6,650-foot peak looming over the Rigopiano, a soft bed of powder now some 500 yards wide had enlarged and grown precarious overnight.
Del Rosso assured his frustrated guests that the road would soon be plowed. In the meantime, his staff cobbled together lunch. Around 1:30 P.M., as the guests ate, their plates began to rattle with the dreadful shake of another tremor. Two hours later came a fourth quake. Del Rosso said there was nothing to fear. Authorities were working to help them all get off the mountain, he said.
Moments later, Del Rosso got an unhelpful reply from his nephew. Farindola's one turbine-style snowplow, the only machine powerful enough to clear the road, was out of commission, he was told. Nobody knew when a replacement would arrive. Del Rosso wasn't sure what to tell his guests; he confided in one of them, Sebastiano Di Carlo.
As the light outside faded, guests and workers alike tried to reach their families and searched for distraction. Adriana Vranceanu and her son huddled over a checkerboard in a playroom on the ground floor. She needed some aspirin and had sent her husband, Giampiero Parete, to the parking lot to find some in their car. Meanwhile, their daughter shot pool with two other children down the corridor in the billiard hall.
A handful of guests sat in white upholstered armchairs and sofas. Matrone paced the reception area, anxiously discussing options with his wife. Del Rosso was just around the corner, in the hotel's handsome library nook. Half a dozen of his employees milled about in the kitchen.
This was when the snow on Monte Siella began to slide. Maybe it had been that fourth earthquake—a tremor measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale—that had dislodged the frozen slab of snow from where it rested, upon a slippery sheet of older snow. Or perhaps the massive accumulation of fresh powder overnight had finally created enough weight and instability to bring the whole thing loose. Whatever the cause, the path the snow was about to take was far less of a mystery.
They heard the avalanche before they ever saw it. As the wall of snow and ice tumbled downward, it pushed at the air, compressing it into a terrible low whistle—a kind of grim, naturally occurring warning to anyone in the disaster's path. To anyone, in other words, stuck inside the Hotel Rigopiano. As it churned, the avalanche gathered speed and size, and also rocks and trees. It grabbed everything in its way, fashioned it all into chaos, and roared down the mountain.
With the force of 3,000 Mack trucks, the snow slammed into the hotel at 60 miles per hour. Walls buckled. The avalanche thundered through the kitchen, killing the workers there, including Linda Salzetta, the young waitress, and Faye Dame, the Senegalese handyman. It tore into the alcove where Del Rosso had been standing, and then it raced diagonally across the two rooms where guests sat sipping hot drinks. There, a choice of seats determined life or death. Stefano Feniello, celebrating his 28th birthday, died instantly. His girlfriend, Francesca Bronzi, somehow stayed alive. Another young couple on a romantic getaway, Vincenzo Forti and Giorgia Galassi, were spared as well.
The snow—and the weight of everything it had brought down the mountain with it—ripped the hotel from its foundation, collapsed it into a pile of rubble, and sent debris flying more than 100 yards. Those caught inside, the ones not yet killed, were taken up in the churn and, when the tossing and tumbling came to a final stop, were left buried in the icy heap of rock and ruin. All was now still; everything had gone dark.
Outside the hotel, Fabio Salzetta, the resort's jack-of-all-trades caretaker, had been working in the tiny boiler hut about 30 yards from the main building when he noticed an eerie silence. A few moments later, he tried to throw open the door, but it wouldn't budge. The little outbuilding was sealed in snow. So he pried away the window frame and wriggled outside. Standing there on an empty snowfield, he gazed at a trail of sheer destruction—as if a rake had been dragged down the mountain, toppling beech trees, crushing cars, chewing up everything caught in its path.
Salzetta felt numb. He trudged forward in the snow, sinking to his knees. Wait, where was the hotel?
Then he saw it—or what was left of it. The tip of the Rigopiano's roof poking out of a pyramid of ice-topped rubble. The entire building had been bulldozed down the hill. Billowing steam rose from the thermal pool.
Salzetta shouted for a pair of colleagues who'd been outside the hotel while he was in the boiler hut.
Parete, who didn't even have a coat, appeared disoriented, distraught. “My family is inside the hotel,” he wailed.
Parete was fumbling with his phone, desperately trying to call for help. But his touch screen, soaked from the snow, didn't work at first. Salzetta, keeping his composure, cleared the snow from the exhaust pipe of Parete's BMW X5, and the two climbed inside. Finding a cell signal seemed to take forever. At least 30 times they dialed the emergency number, only to lose the connection. At last, they reached a dispatcher and Parete blurted out what had happened, but the woman didn't seem to grasp what she was hearing.
As he awoke, he confronted anew his terrible reality. He was buried alive. Despair washed over him. Who is going to save us? How can they reach us?
“I have family inside!” Parete yelled. “I promise on the life of my son it was an avalanche.” But the emergency dispatcher, perhaps confusing Parete's report with an earlier call about a possible house collapse, was sure that he was exaggerating.
Getting nowhere, Parete hung up in frustration.
The boss jumped into action. Minutes later, Parete's phone rang. On the line was Antonio Crocetta, the chief of the region's alpine rescue team—a squad of highly trained volunteers.
“We're coming,” Crocetta promised, and asked Parete to stay calm.
“How long will it take?” Parete wanted to know.
That wasn't possible now, Crocetta explained, because of the heavy snow, high winds, and risk of more avalanches. Darkness had set in, and Parete and Salzetta sat alone and afraid inside the car, the motor running, the heat now blasting.
Down the mountain, at his base in the hillside village of Penne, Crocetta alerted the carabinieri, the military police, and mobilized his unit, a team of 14 men trained in rescue operations. Reaching the resort—or what might remain of it—would mean trekking six miles up the mountain, in the dark, through near-impossible drifts, while the blizzard still raged.
By 9 P.M., the squad—which included a surgeon, an anesthetist, a dog handler, and two veteran alpine guides—assembled in the dark, on the road just outside Farindola. They slipped on cross-country skis and strapped to each of them “seal skins”—nylon strips designed to let the skis slide forward but not backward. Each man carried a shovel and a sonda, a collapsible probe used to poke through snow and rubble to prod for bodies. They pulled on their masks and trained their headlamps into the storm. Then they started, single file, up the mountain, toward where they knew the Hotel Rigopiano once stood.
The snow was falling so hard, the wind blowing so strongly, that the men could see only a few feet ahead of themselves. Across their path, fallen trees blocked the way, half submerged by the growing drifts. When they could, the responders clambered over the downed logs. When they couldn't, they stopped to chop at the trees with saws and axes.
Fabio Prencipe was first in line. He was 26 and had served in the alpine rescue unit for seven years. He had dug through rubble and treated trauma victims after the terrible Amatrice quake in August 2016, which had killed nearly 300 people, but he had never encountered conditions as arduous as he did now. He bent low and plodded forward. After 100 yards, Prencipe had to stop. Exhausted, he gave up his position and moved to the rear, establishing a rotation that would continue as the men trudged upward. Even the unit's search dog, a German shepherd, struggled to advance against the howling, shifting wind.
About six hours after leaving Farindola, the unit turned a corner, and Prencipe noticed the first signs of the disaster: a wide snowfield strewn with toppled trees. He heard the hum of a generator and saw the distant lights of the resort's beauty center. Drawing closer, he could make out the twinkling yellow bulbs of a Christmas tree. There was no movement anywhere—no sound, just rubble. While others circled the destroyed hotel, Prencipe spotted two headlights, beaming through the blizzard. Two hundred yards away sat Salzetta and Parete in the BMW. Prencipe raced in their direction.
“How many people are in the hotel?” he asked.
The building was buried in a snow-covered heap, but Salzetta offered his best guesses. As Prencipe wrapped Parete—who still didn't have a coat—in a thermal blanket and took him down the mountain on a stretcher, other team members formed four-man lines and began probing the snow with their sondas. They found the first body after about an hour, buried under five feet of snow. It was Gabriele D'Angelo, Salzetta's colleague. He lay facedown, his arms wrapped tightly around the sack of pellets that he was carrying when the avalanche struck. Alessandro Giancaterino, who had worked as the maître d' of the hotel's restaurant, was found buried nearby. Later, Del Rosso's body would be discovered, too, pulled from beneath the rubble that crushed him as his hotel disintegrated.
As the alpine team probed for corpses and recovered the dead, Giampaolo Matrone lay in a coffin-sized pocket of air beneath 30 feet of snow, ice, and rubble.
He could hear nothing of what was happening at the surface. Shock had set in and he felt no pain, no hunger, no cold; compressed into his tiny space, his mind focused only on his need for movement and air. He began to view everything he was wearing as a hated encumbrance. A wool scarf had wrapped around his face. With his unobstructed left hand, he managed to remove it, then tore off his gold neck chain, adorned with a lucky eagle pendant from the Lazio soccer club. Although the temperature was well below freezing, he felt a powerful urge to shed everything that he was wearing. With great contortions, he wriggled free of his jacket and tore off his right shoe so that his naked foot lay against ice and snow.
Immobilized in the darkness, he soon began to drift in and out of consciousness. He lost all sense of time. Surreal imagery drifted through his mind. At one point, he was walking alongside his wife through the back alleys of Monterotondo, toward the bakery his family operated there, taking note of every shop, every street corner, each crack in the pavement. Later, he was locked in the bakery's refrigerator, banging on the heavy steel door; he was swigging bottles of ice water and splashing the bracing liquid on his face. He saw his brother appear outside the door, yank it open, and beckon him to freedom. The thoughts were strange and richly detailed. He imagined rescuers swooping in on magic carpets, dressed like Aladdin in The Arabian Nights. At one point he imagined sitting inside a theater, watching a search-and-rescue team leading children across a stage to safety. Matrone raised himself from his seat and tried to follow them. In another vision, his best friend, a bodybuilder, materialized on the mountain where Matrone lay, lifting tons of concrete with his hands and setting him free.
Each scene of entrapment was followed by liberation. Then he would wake and confront anew the terrible reality: He was buried alive. Despair washed over him. Who is going to save us? he asked himself. How can they reach us?
Lorenzo Botti and his dogs arrived on the mountain on Thursday morning, the day after the avalanche. A rescue specialist and expert canine trainer with the fire department, Botti had, with his dogs, dug out the dead in the Amatrice quake. Standing in the snow, looking at the remains of the hotel, he made a quick assessment: There's nothing to do—no chance of survivors.
By now helicopters were arriving, bringing firefighters who, like Botti, would begin picking through the rubble for the bodies. Police technicians had set up an antenna that allowed them to home in on buried cell phones. Wherever there were phones, there would be people—or, more likely, bodies. For many on the scene, the grim task ahead wasn't going to be a rescue mission but rather a retrieval operation.
Botti began by slithering into the beauty center—which seemed remarkably intact. He moved carefully past dangling concrete and rebar. At the spa's reception desk, he paused and flipped through the appointment book. It was blank for the afternoon of January 18, confirming his hunch that the spa had been empty when the avalanche struck.
He turned his attention to the 30-foot-tall mound, buried under snow, that constituted the main structure of the hotel. After studying a crude floor plan drawn for the rescuers by Salzetta, Botti and his men mounted the wreckage, shoveled through ten feet of snow, and, when they found the top of the building underfoot, began sawing into the roof.
Working in teams of three or four, the men—firefighters and members of the alpine rescue team—carefully lowered themselves through the apertures they'd cut. Lights fastened to their helmets shone in the darkness, illuminating the twisted debris. The space was so cramped, so cave-like, the rescuers had to crawl on their bellies, hunting for tunnels through the heap. For hours they called out for survivors as they moved along, feeling past broken concrete beams and shattered furniture.
Finally, at 11 A.M. on Friday, 30 hours after the search began, they heard something astonishing: It was a woman crying for help.
Adriana Vranceanu—whose husband had gone to fetch her aspirin from their car before the avalanche and then frantically phoned for help—was bleeding from a head wound when firefighters found her and her son squeezed together in a crawl space.
She didn't remember much and grilled her rescuers for details. “Tell me what happened,” she said. “There was an earthquake, then a strong roar.... Something collapsed on me. A landslide?” As Adriana and her son were led to safety, she was told about her husband, how he'd been found, shaken but unharmed, in the parking lot. He was safe, they said, evacuated by sled to a nearby hospital.
Finding the survivors electrified the rescuers, but what Adriana told them made an even bigger impact: “There are many other people inside the hotel.” The firefighters tunneled quickly toward the nearby billiard room. They cut a small hole in the roof and lowered a video probe. Gathered around a screen, the team could see the soft green felt of a pool table and then, shockingly, two small kids emerging from behind a sofa, drawn by the light from the hole cut in the roof. Somehow, the entire room appeared intact.
The firefighters broke through the wall and found three small children. Their eyes were wide and white. “Stay calm,” a rescuer said. “Get on your bellies, make like a centipede.” Carefully but quickly, the men ushered the children through the wall and out of the rubble.
The pile was frighteningly unstable. As they moved, the rescuers knew that the force of their digging and cutting-or another tremor-could bring it all down upon them.
Meanwhile, another squad of rescuers picked up on a cell-phone signal, coming from a crawl space. They sawed toward voices crying for help. Soon they found the young couple, Galassi and Forti, as well as Bronzi, the girlfriend of Stefano Feniello—and they pulled them by their feet to safety.
It was after midnight now, Saturday, January 21—a full 55 hours since the avalanche. The rescuers had been working nonstop for more than two days in teams that were out of touch with one another while inside the wreckage. The pile was frighteningly unstable. As they moved, the rescuers knew that the force of their digging and cutting—or another tremor—could bring it all down upon them.
Paolo Di Quinzio and three other members of the alpine rescue team burrowed on, breaking blade after blade on their circular saws, battling the wet masonry that stood between them and a faint cell signal detected deep in the ruins. Suddenly, they heard a voice. They silenced their saws and listened into the blackness: It was Matrone.
He could yell, but Matrone was still fading in and out of consciousness. When he grew quiet, he dreamed and saw in his mind a vision of his wife, Valentina Cicioni. She hovered over him, an angel of mercy, he thought. She assured him he would be okay.
Matrone was awake now. He could see nothing in the darkness, but as the voices and the buzzing of saws grew louder, he became more alert. “Be careful with the saw,” he admonished the rescuers. “Be careful, there is my wife, my daughter.” In his confusion, he had forgotten that his daughter had remained behind in Rome.
“We have put them in the car because it's cold,” Di Quinzio lied. He kept the conversation going, trying to keep Matrone conscious.
For several more hours, the squad punched through the tangled wreck. At last, around six in the morning, Di Quinzio's saw broke a hole through a final, thick layer of insulation. He pointed his light toward the opening and, peering in, spotted Matrone's back. There he was. For the first time, a bit of light filled the space where Matrone was trapped.
Di Quinzio could see how the angled concrete beams had created a small cocoon in the wreckage that prevented Matrone from being crushed to death. Those near him had not been so lucky: Squeezed in the space with him were the bodies of two women—one supporting his head, one curled beneath his left leg.
Reaching him finally, Di Quinzio wrapped a cloth around Matrone's head so he couldn't see the bodies. “We're covering your eyes because of the dust,” Di Quinzio told him. Matrone played along, knowing he had shared the space with at least one body. Rescuers slipped body bags around the two dead women and pulled them through the hole with ropes. Di Quinzio touched Matrone's trapped arm and legs.
“Can you feel that?” he asked.
As his eyes adjusted to the artificial light, Matrone studied for the first time his own pinned arm with horror. The wrist had swollen to four times its normal size, and most of the limb had turned black. The rescuers raised the concrete beams off Matrone's limbs with the hydraulic jack. “You are a badass guy, a superhero,” Di Quinzio said, as he reached beneath Matrone's armpits and gently lifted him out of his tomb.
Looking up, I saw the trail of shattered trees delineate the avalanche's course. The cruelty of nature, the awful consequences for those who defy it, was impossible to ignore.
For the first time since the avalanche, he now felt cold. Wrapped in a thermal blanket, he was placed in a helicopter and airlifted to a hospital in Pescara.
Gangrene had burrowed itself deep into his right arm. The nerves in his right ankle had practically been destroyed. When he awoke from the first of many surgeries, Matrone was told that had he been rescued even two hours later, his arm would certainly have been lost.
Five days after his rescue, as he began to make peace with what he had endured, Matrone was given the news that his wife had died—one of 29 people killed by the avalanche. Doctors had kept the information from him to protect his fragile psyche. Her body had been found, crushed by debris, next to where Matrone had been trapped. The angel who had appeared to him in his fitful dreams had, unbeknownst to him, never left his side.
Six weeks after the disaster, I drove from Pescara through rural Abruzzo to visit the ruins of the Hotel Rigopiano. The hotel was sotto sequestro—technically closed to all but the police, firefighters, and government officials, pending the provincial prosecutor's investigation into allegations of criminal negligence. The families of some who had died in the Rigopiano had hired a well-known trial lawyer in Rome to press for a re-investigation of the 2007 zoning variance and an inquiry into the authorities' failure to clear the road.
Despite the restricted access, my translator, the scion of an influential local family, had utilized his connections to get us to the site. As we neared Farindola, the massif came into view, its upper flanks covered by recent snow. Climbing up the mountain in our car, I spotted—among the felled trees—an overturned Jeep, which I was later told had belonged to Del Rosso, the owner of the hotel. The carabinieri allowed us through their checkpoint, and we drove toward what was left of the hotel.
The snow that had once covered the structure had been shoveled off, exposing a twisted mess, a giant freeze-frame of violence. Looking up the ravine, I saw the trail of shattered trees delineating the avalanche's course as it sped toward the hotel. The cruelty of nature, the awful consequences for those who defy it, was impossible to ignore.
Six uniformed firefighters arrived for an inspection, and we trailed them through the knee-deep snow to the beauty center. Neat rows of NordicTrack bicycles, StairMasters, and weight machines filled the exercise room—a mundane tableau frozen as it was in the moments before destruction. I ducked beneath chunks of concrete and rebar dangling from the ripped-open roof and stepped over piles of dirt, bricks, wooden planks, and chunks of Styrofoam. I plunged deeper into the ruins, following a dark corridor past the surreally frozen massage and hydrotherapy parlors, until my translator warned me that it was time to leave. “Another earthquake tremor could bring the whole place down,” he said.
As I walked back to the parking lot, I encountered Fabio Salzetta, the hotel employee who had met the rescue squads in the parking lot and shared his knowledge of the hotel's layout. I had interviewed him two nights earlier in a café, and he nodded in recognition. “Tutto bene?” he asked, shaking my hand. He had come with the carabinieri's permission to observe the scene of his sister's death, and to perhaps recover his car, missing since the disaster. It seemed hopelessly optimistic.
Moments later, a flatbed truck drove past, bearing his white Suzuki Vitara, crushed into a small square, as if processed by a trash compactor. It seemed hard, right then, to account for how Salzetta had himself been left unscathed—how, or why, the avalanche had spared any of the 11 who lived. Salzetta turned away and the truck disappeared slowly down the mountain.
Joshua Hammer wrote about the life and death of a child soldier in the January 2017 issue of GQ. | 2019-04-18T20:57:40 | https://www.gq.com/story/the-avalanche-that-ate-hotel-rigopiano |
0.997021 | Influenza or the flu is an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract caused by one of three strains of influenza virus – A, B, or C. Symptoms include fever, chills, body aches, headache, fatigue, dry cough, sore throat and congestion.
Pandemic influenza is a global outbreak of influenza to which people have little or no immunity and for which there is no vaccine. The infection spreads easily, causes serious disease and can spread world wide very quickly. Symptoms can include diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting as well as normal flu symptoms.
1. A new influenza virus needs to be introduced to which humans have little or no immunity.
2. The new virus must be able to replicate in humans and cause disease.
3. The new virus must be able to efficiently transmit itself from one human to another.
There are about 3 pandemics each century. The three pandemics in the 20th century occurred in 1918-19, 1957-58, and 1968-69.
1968-69 34,000+ deaths in U.S.
1957-58 70,000+ deaths in U.S.
1918-19 675,000+ deaths in U.S.
The number of deaths depended more on the virulence of the virus than on treatments available. More Americans died of the flu in 1918-19 than died in WWI. In fact, more Americans died of the 1918 flu than died in all the wars in the 20th century.
There are some facts about vaccines that should be understood when discussing pandemic influenza.
• Vaccines are virus specific. They are only effective against one form of one virus.
• They protect but are not 100% effective.
• They do not cure influenza.
• Yearly flu vaccines are developed based on informed predictions of which flu strain will be most predominant that year.
• A pandemic virus is unknown until it infects and it will take at least six months to develop a vaccine against it.
Why should I be concerned about pandemic flu?
• There is no sure way to stop a pandemic from occurring.
• We cannot predict when the next flu pandemic will occur BUT the longest period between pandemics has been 42 years. The last one occurred in 1969.
• We cannot prepare a vaccine until the flu begins infecting people.
• We cannot prevent the spread of influenza without very exacting measures; it is very contagious.
• We cannot cure influenza.
• We cannot cure viral pneumonia, a possible secondary infection to flu.
• Bacterial pneumonia, another possible secondary infection, has a 20-30% death rate even with antibiotics.
• Flu symptoms may be more severe during a pandemic and the flu may have more complications.
• Even healthy people are at increased risk for serious complications during a flu pandemic.
• The number of deaths could be high.
• We know little more than they did in 1918 about how to cure the flu or how to prevent it. We only know how to lessen the impact IF those measures are implemented.
How will a pandemic affect me?
• 50% of the population could become infected.
• Work absenteeism is expected to be about 40% which could result in disruption of normal utilities, banking, businesses, etc.
• A pandemic could last 12 to 24 months.
• Communities could be affected by several waves lasting 3 to 8 weeks each.
• Vaccines and antiviral drugs will be in short supply and vaccines will not be available until at least the second wave of flu.
• Available healthcare will be limited because of high demand.
• You will probably be on your own or have limited assistance.
The current (2007) concern of health officials is the H5N1 avian influenza. It is a particularly virulent virus in birds, causing widespread death in flocks in a short period of time. It spreads from wild birds to domestic birds and can be transmitted to mammals. It has spread to humans who have had close contact with infected domesticated birds. It has met 2 of the 3 prerequisites for a pandemic to occur. Currently, it has not spread from human to human but that is the fear because it continues to evolve. If that were to happen, we would have a pandemic. Officials are trying to keep the virus from spreading by trying to eliminate it from chicken populations through mass slaughter and vaccines. The H5N1 appears to have similarities to the virus which caused the 1918-19 pandemic, so we can look to that pandemic to learn how to treat and prepare for the next pandemic. | 2019-04-26T00:17:16 | http://simplyprepared.com/pandemic_influenza.htm |
0.999988 | Monday Morning Halfback: Who's the greatest?
Fans around the world have an obsession with labelling the greatest players in their chosen sport.
It is equally the most interesting and most pointless of debates that sport fans busy themselves with the world over.
From football's annual debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi (don't forget Pele), to basketball's debate about LeBron James and Michael Jordan (enter Stephen Curry), finding the 'GOAT' (greatest of all time) is one of our favourite pastimes.
With the advent of social media and an always-connected sport community, it has become the all-absorbing, time consuming cyclic debate at pubs, clubs and family barbecues across the country.
In cricket there is relatively no debate about the greatest of all time, disregarding India's passion for Sachin Tendulkar, in a heavily stat-based game, no one comes close to the Don. He's untouchable which ruins the fun.
That was simply unacceptable to cricket fans so they solved that problem with some clever syntax, another metric was needed: the "best since Bradman".
And so we move to the topical debate of the current rugby league landscape – a question that seemingly demands answering today. Is Johnathan Thurston the greatest to ever lace the boot?
Better than Andrew Johns, Darren Lockyer, Wally Lewis, Clive Churchill, Reg Gasnier, Bob Fulton, Graham Langlands, Johnny Raper, Norm Provan, Dally Messenger, Arthur Beetson, Ken Irvine, Bradley Clyde et al.?
The crowd is clamouring to rank 'JT' against the best since 1908 and they want instant gratification.
Each game that passes the conversation grows. Every time Thurston shows us something, the chatter builds. It started with hushed tones and whispers, but it has exploded into mainstream in the last few seasons.
How do you quantify it, where do you even start in a team sport played by many different shapes and sizes with completely different roles?
Provan won 10 Premierships in a row, he even captain-coached and was immortalised as one half of the NRL trophy renamed in his honour. There is no more famous image in rugby league.
Irvine scored 212 tries and no one has come remotely close since.
Churchill – heck 'The Little Master' has the grand final's best player award named after him!
Messenger – four of the awards hanging around Thurston's neck are named after him (Dally M medal). Tells you about the kind of player he was.
Lewis, he was simply dubbed 'The King'.
Johns, named halfback of the century, apparently a decent player to boot.
Thurston? Four Dally M medals, three Golden Boot awards, two Premierships, a Clive Churchill medal, a World Cup in 2013 including man-of-the-match awards in all four games he played and a seemingly endless number of State of Origin series wins for Queensland for good measure.
The most important thing? He's still going, still adding to his legend every time he takes the field.
It only matters in our minds, but as sport fans, we love the argument.
Let's go through that list again.
The greatest? There are so many 'what if' moments that go into a rugby league team and their chances of success. What if the Bulldogs had kept Thurston instead of Brent Sherwin at the end of 2004? What if Thurston had in fact decided to go to Penrith instead of changing his mind at the last minute to stay with the Cowboys? It is amazing to think what might have been.
The Cowboys would never have won the title without Thurston, in fact their 2015 season would have imploded after just four rounds. History would look very different and Thurston's place might have changed remarkably. Still, Thurston stayed and led the Cowboys to their first ever premiership, kicking a field goal to win the biggest game of the year in one of the greatest grand finals ever seen. It was the ultimate moment to immortalize one of the greatest ever.
It was the worst game the Broncos and Cowboys have played in their previous four encounters, but it will still go down as one of the best of the season and an absolute epic with the Cowboys fighting their way back from 18-6 to steal the game with a Thurston field goal. It added another thrilling chapter to one of rugby league's best rivalries. It is the first time since 1928 that two sides have played out three consecutive one-point games. At the moment, there isn't anything better in rugby league than watching these two champion Queensland sides duke it out.
Hopefully they'll meet again sometime in September or October.
When Rabbitoh Kirisome Auva'a stayed back in the in-goal to lift up fallen Dragon Gareth Widdop, it looked like a nice spot of sportsmanship in a brutal game, however, it ended with the Dragons immediately shifting the ball from the 20 metre tap and scoring down the flank Auva'a should have been. It is hard to fault Auva'a at all, but we bet next time he'll race back into position before thinking of lifting up an opponent.
Write it in your calendar, the Women's Interstate Challenge between Queensland and New South Wales will be held on July 23 at Cbus Super Stadium. The Maroons will be looking to retain the title for an incredible 18th year after being held to a draw for the first time in 2015. With participation in the women's game up 30 per cent year on year and historic new pathways introduced, this rivalry is only going to get bigger and better. | 2019-04-22T10:06:17 | https://www.nrl.com/news/2016/05/23/monday-morning-halfback-whos-the-greatest/ |
0.993036 | Swyer, W. Robert (1998) Teacher and student attitudes toward microcomputer-based laboratories (MBLs) in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.
The purpose of this thesis was to determine teacher and student attitudes toward Microcomputer-Based Laboratories (MBLs) in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. A sample consisting of 53 teachers and 59 students responded to survey instruments designed by the author. -- The teacher instrument consisted of three sections. Section A had 7 multiple-choice items and was used to determine the extent of MBL use by teachers. Section B was composed of 34 statements that teachers responded to using a 5-point Likert scale. Section C was used to collect personal information. -- The student instrument consisted of two sections. Section A was used to obtain some personal information from the students. Section B was composed of 30 statements that students responded to using a 5-point Likert scale. -- The following questions guided the research: 1. To what extent have teachers and students used MBLs? 2. What are teachers' and students' attitudes toward MBL equipment and software? 3. Do teachers and students believe that MBL techniques enhance student learning? 4. Do teachers and students believe that MBL techniques enhance their physics courses? 5. Do teachers and students think that MBL techniques have affected students' attitudes toward science and computers? 6. How do teachers and students think the MBL approach can be improved here in the province? 7. Have MBL techniques affected teacher attitude toward computers? -- The majority of teachers indicated that MBLs were used both by students and themselves to collect and analyze data. About 19% of teachers said that students used the MBL equipment and software on their own. A small percentage of teachers indicated that they only used MBLs in demonstrations with their classes. Most teachers used MBLs for 1/4 or less of the time they spent on labs. Approximately 21% of teachers were using MBLs between 1/4 and 1/2 of the time and about 17% of the teachers were using MBLs between 50% and 100% of the time they spent in the lab. Some teachers and students reported that MBLs have been used in other science courses. -- Results from teacher and student surveys on the 5-point Likert statements indicate that teachers and students alike have overall positive attitudes toward MBLs with respect to MBL equipment and software, enhancing student learning, enhancing their physics courses, and affecting students' attitudes toward science and computers. As well, teacher attitude toward computers was positively affected. Teachers and students share the opinions that more computers should be assigned specifically to science labs, and that additional MBL equipment should be provided for use in the science lab. Also, teachers and students believe that MBLs should be used at least four or five times a year, and students, in general, would like to see MBLs used more often. | 2019-04-22T17:56:39 | https://research.library.mun.ca/1344/ |
0.9991 | Have you made Allethea Wall's Brown Sugar-banana Pound Cake?
1. Preheat oven to 350 F Cream brown and white sugars with butter until very light and fluffy.
3. Stir in mashed bananas. Sift flour with baking powder and salt.
4. Mix milk and vanilla together. Add each to first mixture alternately.
5. Stir in the pecans. Pour into a 10\" well-greased tube pan.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 1-1/2 hours, or until firm.
7. Place upside down on a cake rack; when cool, invert and turn out onto rack. | 2019-04-19T21:01:58 | http://www.recipekey.com/therecipes/Allethea-Walls-Brown-Sugar-banana-Pound-Cake |
0.999857 | Predicting Products Multiple-choice exercise. Predict the products for each of the following sets of reactants. Assume that each reaction DOES occur. Show all questions <= => iron(II) hydroxide —> ? iron + hydrogen + oxygen ? iron(II) hydride + oxygen ? | 2019-04-23T11:40:06 | https://app-wiringdiagram.herokuapp.com/post/reaction-prediction-practice-answer-key |
0.998194 | We have put together a list of words that are similar to LAX.
1 a lax bandage; lax fiber.
2 Not strict or stringent; not exact; loose; weak; vague; equivocal.
3 Having a looseness of the bowels; diarrheal.
9 Lacking in rigor, strictness, or firmness. See Synonyms at negligent.
10 Not taut, firm, or compact; slack. See Synonyms at loose. | 2019-04-25T07:49:21 | http://www.topwordslike.com/similar-to/lax |
0.999992 | This is not a pure Italian translation issue, it looks, after investigation and discussion with Italian native speakers, a question more related of how professions are recorded in Calabria (or whole Italy?).
The question is related to a record from the 19th century located in Calabria. I do not know if the registers are in Italian or are in Calabrese (notice during that period Italian unification happened, so each country was having a different language/dialect).
I have noticed that several registers include Italian adjectives as professions, more concretely the professions "civile" and "legale" (which translates to civil and legal in English).
What do "civile" and "legale" mean exactly in English as professions?
How are professions recorded in Italian (Calabrian) records?
In 19th Century Italian documents, I've seen avvocato for lawyer, as well as legista. While legale translates as law, like you I've been unable to find a conclusive answer. However, if not lawyer as we understand the term today, it shows legal knowledge, perhaps one who gives legal counsel and, thus, a person in a higher position in society, as does civile. Civile translates as civilized, a middle class citizen, someone who was well off (and perhaps a landowner although other terms were used, such as possidente, one who owns, and proprietario, literally owner). I lack insight into Calabrian records, as my research has been confined to Campania.
In the archives of the Mezzogiorno we find civile used in different manners - as noted here already, at times we find it used more liberally to include the middle class but quite often it in fact denotes a more elevated class.
I have controlled records where nobles were listed as "civile" and even more often as "legale" which at times was used to denote an actual legal class that thanks to a real dispaccio di ferdinand iv, gave families that held that class for 3 generations and did not enter a more base line profession or marry a lower class family, they would potentially meet requirements to apply to become recognized as nobles (the third class of nobility, first being ancient feudal families - nobilta generosa, second class being the families that gained nobility from service to the crown - nobilta di Privilego, and the third being the families that are often listed as "legale""
1.3.) PRIMO CETO "FAMIGLIE NOBILI" - TERZA CATEGORIA "NOBILTA' LEGALE O CIVILE": comprenda quelli, [i]i quali facciano costare avere così essi (*), che il loro Padre, ed Avo vissuto in Città demaniale, e regia, escluse le baronali, sempre civilmente con decoro, e comodità, senza esercitare carica, e impiego basso, e popolare, e sono sempre stati riputati dal Pubblico Uomini onorati, e dabbene. Quella della terza equivalga alla seconda, e comprenda anche i Negozianti di Cambio, o sia di Ragione, i di cui Padre, ed Avo abbiano esercitato lo stesso impiego, e non altro d’inferior condizione. Con i Figli delli Ufiziali Subalterni si abilitano ancora quelli degli Uditori di Provincia, e di Governatori Regj: i primi all’età di 16 anni, i secondi in quella di anni 18. E finalmente i Figli de’ Mercanti di lana, e di seta, de’ quali il Padre, ed Avo abbiano fatto ugual negozio, possian essere aggraziati a servire da Cadetti solamente nell’età di anni 18.
For some further classification of possidente and propretario - in many cases we find possidente to mean someone not working and living off of a pension of some business or inheritance, whereas propretario often suggests the owner of the land/business is more directly involved in the management/trading of the operation. A possidente may have had someone to do this. Granted both are used interchangeably and alone don't qualify any family into any sort of class.
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Was there a Morascini (Morrasini) on Italian naval roster anywhere during 19th century? | 2019-04-26T02:03:27 | https://genealogy.stackexchange.com/questions/12016/understanding-meaning-of-professions-in-19th-century-calabria-italy |
0.999994 | Why do I need to be concerned about the current engine oils if I have a classic car or hot rod?
US government regulations (from the EPA), in an effort to make catalytic convertors in modern cars last longer, have forced the engine oil companies to seriously reduce the level of anti-wear protection additive in the current API SM/ILSAC GF-4 passenger car engine oils.
What could happen to my classic car or hot rod if I continue to use oil without enough anti wear protection?
The anti-wear chemistry, known as ZDDP, is in all engine oils to protect the camshaft lobes and lifters (known as flat tappet cams) from wear. For classic cars, ZDDP must be in the oil in a higher concentration than it is in current oils. Without ZDDP protection the cam and lifters will experience premature wear and eventual failure.
I am using a synthetic, I'm protected, right ?
Today's synthetic oils are marvels of engine oil engineering. However, all API SM/ILSAC GF-4 engine oils, regardless of whether they are synthetic or conventional, must conform to the exact same standard on ZDDP concentration. Therefore, current SM/GF-4 synthetics will not have enough ZDDP anti-wear protection for your classic car's flat tappet cam.
How soon after using current SM/GF-4 oil in my classic car could I have trouble occur?
The higher the valve spring pressure and the higher the engine rpm's, the higher the ZDDP concentration must be for proper protection of a flat tappet cam and lifters. If the thin surface layer of hardened metal on the cam lobes and lifter faces has been compromised, rapid wear of these parts follows. Big block engines (high valve spring pressures) have been reported to have had failures in as little as several hundred miles.
I've heard about this problem and I've heard that I can use diesel oil or racing oil to protect my flat tappet cam engine. Am I doing the right thing?
Diesel oils and racing oils have stepped in as a band-aid attempt to help classic car owners due to the lack of passenger car engine oils with the correct level of ZDDP anti-wear protection for their classic flat tappet cam engines. However, neither diesel oil nor racing oil is properly formulated for continued use in a street driven gasoline engine. Continued use of diesel oil or racing oil could result in other problems for your classic car engine. Please refer to the attached discussion "Why NOT diesel or racing oils?"
Cam-shield™ is a premium concentrated ZDDP anti-wear engine oil additive that you add to your favorite passenger car engine oil. Cam-shield™ restores ZDDP anti-wear protection in your favorite engine oil to the correct level for protection of your classic car cam and lifters.
Why do I need Cam-shield™?
Cam-shield™ is the only ZDDP product available that is concentrated enough to be used for either new cam break-in or running operation. Cam-shield™ was designed by a Senior Race Oil and Field Test Engineer from a major oil company. Cam-shield™ is designed to be highly concentrated so that you only need a very small amount to treat your oil - it is very important not to dilute your engine oil with "filler" used to make larger bottles of oil treatments as this will alter the performance integrity of your favorite engine oil. Cam-shield™ is designed with a proprietary blend of primary and secondary ZDDP for full temperature range coverage of your engine. Cam-shield™ is supplied in a unique bottle that lets the user treat their exact oil volume at oil change time or for top-ups.
How do I know if I have a flat tappet cam and that this problem affects me?
Virtually every American-made vehicle, and many foreign-built vehicles manufactured before 1975, has a flat tappet cam engine. The tappets are also known as lifters and can be either hydraulic or mechanical (solid). Flat tappet cam engines are also known as overhead valve engines. Modern engines with overhead cams or roller cams are not affected.
Why haven't I heard about this problem before now?
When cam failures started increasing dramatically right after the introduction of the current API SM/ILSAC GF-4 category, it became clear that the level of anti-wear had been lowered to a point of intolerability for the classic car flat tappet cam engines. There has been a lag in this information reaching the actual owners of these vehicles.
Where I can I learn more about the effects of insufficient ZDDP in classic car engines?
Many articles and technical bulletins on this issue are now available to read.
Note that the quality of information is still improving as people continue to learn the fine points of engine oils as they apply to anti-wear performance in flat tappet cam engines. In particular, the continued use of racing oil or diesel oil in a street driven classic car or hot rod with a flat tappet cam engine is not recommended. | 2019-04-20T16:19:28 | http://www.cam-shield.com/acatalog/FAQ.html |
0.999996 | University of Kentucky vs. University of Louisville -- Which college is safer?
According to the data provided, University of Louisville -- Main Campus is safer than University of Kentucky -- Main Campus. University of Louisville -- Main Campus beat University of Kentucky -- Main Campus in Woman's safety, Drug and Alcohol abuse, Weapons Crime.
University of Louisville is safer for women than University of Kentucky. University of Louisville had 12 total reported incidents in the last year of report compared to University of Kentucky having 71. Domestic Violence was highest on University of Louisville with 10.
University of Louisville is safer for Drug and Alcohol Abuse than University of Kentucky. University of Louisville had 384 total reported incidents in the last year of report compared to University of Kentucky having 1254. Liquor was highest on University of Louisville with 304.
University of Louisville is safer for Drug and Alcohol Abuse than University of Kentucky. University of Louisville had 1 total reported incidents in the last year of report compared to University of Kentucky having 3. Weapon was highest on University of Louisville with 1. | 2019-04-24T03:01:55 | https://www.colsafe.com/campus-compare-detail/university-of-kentucky-main-campus_157085001_vs_university-of-louisville-main-campus_157289001 |
0.998685 | This lecture presents some examples of Hypothesis testing, focusing on tests of hypothesis about the variance, that is, on using a sample to perform tests of hypothesis about the variance of an unknown distribution.
In this example we make the same assumptions we made in the example of set estimation of the variance entitled Normal IID samples - Known mean. The reader is strongly advised to read that example before reading this one.
The sample is made of independent draws from a normal distribution having known mean and unknown variance . Specifically, we observe realizations , ..., of independent random variables , ..., , all having a normal distribution with known mean and unknown variance . The sample is the -dimensional vector , which is a realization of the random vector .
The test statistic is This test statistic is often called Chi-square statistic (also written as -statistic) and a test of hypothesis based on this statistic is called Chi-square test (also written as -test).
Let and . We reject the null hypothesis if or if . In other words, the critical region is Thus, the critical values of the test are and .
The power function of the test is where is a Chi-square random variable with degrees of freedom and the notation is used to indicate the fact that the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis is computed under the hypothesis that the true variance is equal to .
The power function can be written as where we have defined As demonstrated in the lecture entitled Point estimation of the variance, the estimator has a Gamma distribution with parameters and , given the assumptions on the sample we made above. Multiplying a Gamma random variable with parameters and by one obtains a Chi-square random variable with degrees of freedom. Therefore, the variable has a Chi-square distribution with degrees of freedom.
When evaluated at the point , the power function is equal to the probability of committing a Type I error, i.e., the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis when the null hypothesis is true. This probability is called the size of the test and it is equal to where is a Chi-square random variable with degrees of freedom (this is trivially obtained by substituting with in the formula for the power function found above).
This example is similar to the previous one. The only difference is that we now relax the assumption that the mean of the distribution is known.
The power function of the test is where the notation is used to indicate the fact that the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis is computed under the hypothesis that the true variance is equal to and has a Chi-square distribution with degrees of freedom.
The power function can be written as where we have defined Given the assumptions on the sample we made above, the unadjusted sample variance has a Gamma distribution with parameters and (see Point estimation of the variance), so that the random variable has a Chi-square distribution with degrees of freedom.
The size of the test is equal to where has a Chi-square distribution with degrees of freedom (this is trivially obtained by substituting with in the formula for the power function found above).
Denote by the distribution function of a Chi-square random variable with degrees of freedom. Suppose you observe independent realizations of a normal random variable. What is the probability, expressed in terms of , that you will commit a Type I error if you run a Chi-square test of the null hypothesis that the variance is equal to , based on the observed realizations, and choosing and as the critical values?
Make the same assumptions of the previous exercise and denote by the inverse of . Change the critical value in such a way that the size of the test becomes exactly equal to .
Make the same assumptions of Exercise 1 above. If the unadjusted sample variance is equal to 0.9, is the null hypothesis rejected?
In order to carry out the test, we need to compute the test statistic where is the sample size, is the value of the variance under the null hypothesis, and is the unadjusted sample variance.
Thus, the value of the test statistic is Since and , we have that In other words, the test statistic does not exceed the critical values of the test. As a consequence, the null hypothesis is not rejected. | 2019-04-18T11:15:47 | https://statlect.com/fundamentals-of-statistics/hypothesis-testing-variance |
0.998053 | If the U.S. presidential election were resolved on social media, Barack Obama would be the clear winner this year over Republican challenger Mitt Romney.
The Obama campaign has embraced social media, with the president holding a huge lead in Facebook and Twitter followers, and the affiliated Democratic National Committee is using private social networking tools to communicate with some campaign operatives. There's also evidence that the Obama campaign has tapped into social media analytics to gauge voter sentiment and track the popularity of the campaign's messages.
Neither campaign, contacted to discuss their social media strategies, returned messages. But some groups working on social media for the Obama campaign did agree to talk.
Obama embraced Facebook and other social media during the 2008 campaign, and this year is no different. As of Thursday morning, he had 31.4 million followers, or likes, on Facebook, compared to 10.8 million likes for Romney. The Facebook race gets closer when adding in the vice presidential candidates: Republican Paul Ryan has 5.1 million likes on Facebook, while Vice President Joe Biden has just 485,000.
On Twitter, which was just two years old in 2008, Obama's lead is more pronounced. Obama has 21.3 million Twitter followers, while Romney has 1.6 million. Of course, Obama has had four years as president, plus the 2008 campaign, to build social media followers, noted Mike Gisondi, a consultant with Socialbakers, a social media analytics firm.
On both Facebook and Twitter, Romney's posts get circulated more frequently than Obama's do, but that's probably because Obama's campaign posts many more messages, Gisondi said. Obama's Twitter account generates nearly 15 tweets a day, compared to about one a day for Romney.
"Obama is much, much more active on social media than Romney is," Gisondi said. "Obama tweets an insane amount. We don't tweet 15 times a day, and that's what we do, we're a social media company."
Romney has posted larger percentage gains of followers than Obama in recent weeks, but he's starting from a smaller base.
Beyond the pure statistics, the Democratic National Committee is using a private social media network to communicate with leaders in the U.S. Hispanic community, said Giovanni Rodriguez, CEO and cofounder of SocialxDesign, a social media consulting firm. SocialxDesign helped the DNC set up a private social network to educate and communicate with Democratic leaders in the Hispanic community who speak for the Obama campaign, he said.
The private social network, using an enterprise social network tool, is set up similar to Facebook. The DNC is distributing content to the Hispanic leaders on a daily basis, and hearing back from Hispanic users about issues in their communities, Rodriguez said. "We're able to connect a lot more efficiently, a lot more effectively," he said.
In this election, it's not enough to count your number of Twitter followers or set up social networks, however. Companies like NetBase and Topsy are monitoring social networks to measure voter sentiment.
Topsy, a social media analytics firm, has partnered with Twitter to publisher the Twitter Political Index tracking sentiment about the two major presidential candidates, said Jamie de Guerre, the company's vice president of products.
Rodriguez pointed to NetBase as an analytics company doing cutting-edge work to determine whether a group of tweets or Facebook posts has a positive or negative reaction to a candidate or, outside of election season, a brand.
The Obama campaign is using social media analytics, and it's likely that Romney is as well, Rodriguez said.
NetBase is working with one of the presidential campaigns, said Lisa Joy Rosner, the company's chief marketing officer. She wouldn't confirm which campaign, however.
NetBase has compiled an election mood meter, which tracks Twitter sentiment about Obama, Biden, Romney and Ryan, and updates it every 10 seconds. The company also tracked Twitter sentiment during the recent presidential and vice presidential debates.
The company has 13 employees with doctorate degrees in computational linguistics, and its technology to gauge the sentiment of a social media post is correct 80 to 90 percent of the time, Rosner said. Coca-Cola and Kraft are among the company's clients, she said.
To gauge voter sentiment, the NetBase engine needs to understand nuance, sarcasm, intensity and emoticons, Rosner said. NetBase also can track geography and can generally tell if the Twitter user is male or female. "You can say that one of the candidates is sick, and in some cases you're going to mean they have the flu, and in some cases, it's going to mean that they're really awesome," she said.
It's not just presidential campaigns that are embracing social media analytics, but also candidates for governor and even city council, Rosner said. "This is the fastest way to get an instant read on how voters are reacting to what's happening," she said.
Campaigns can use social media analytics to track the popularity of their talking points, but social media is just one way campaigns should engage voters, she said. "The thing about social media that I think is really, really important -- that I don't think the whole market grasps -- is that it is just another data point," Rosner said. "It's real-time, it's fresh, and it's pretty raw, because people on Twitter are pretty blunt."
Social media analysis alone doesn't win campaigns, however, said SocialxDesign's Rodriguez. Ultimately, campaigns are about getting people to vote for a candidate, and social media is one tool among many, he said.
Getting people to vote involves "old-fashioned organizing that's augmented by social," Rodriguez said. "That might be what people forget. They think if the chorus of advocates is loud enough on Twitter, it'll make a difference. I'm not sure it does." | 2019-04-26T13:46:56 | https://www.cio.com.au/article/440130/obama_campaign_again_embraces_social_media/ |
0.999529 | Storyline : A woman seeks revenge against those who orchestrated a plane crash that killed her family.
Eon Productions’ ‘The Rhythm Section’ has recommenced filming in Ireland after production was forced to shut down earlier in the year following the injury of leading actress Blake Lively.
Blake Lively & Jude Law were spotted filming in Dublin on Sunday evening with director Reed Morano (‘The Handmaid’s Tale’).
Production was temporarily halted back in December after Lively sustained an injury to her hand while performing a stunt in Dublin.
It was unclear at the time when the production would return to Ireland as no date was made clear by the production team in its official statement about the incident. Local crew were also encouraged to seek other work while the American actress returned home to recover from her injury.
It was widely reported that surgery on the injured hand of Blake Lively did not go as planned and a further operation had been scheduled, causing a long-term delay to the return of the actress.
Production resumed elsewhere in June however as other production locations that included Spain and New York had been arrange to take place after the successful completion of filming in Ireland. Now the crew has return to wrap on principal photography with a February 2019 target for release still being held by Eon Productions.
‘The Rhythm Section’ is an adaptation of Mark Burnell’s spy thriller, which follows protagonist Stephanie Patrick (Blake Lively), seeking to uncover the truth behind a plane crash that killed her family, and that she herself was meant to be on. The Eon production (‘James Bond’ Franchise) is set to have a budget of $50 million, and is being produced by Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, with funding coming from Global Road.
"Ireland plays many different things in this movie. It shows you how versatile it is, that it can be many different places. We love being here; we love the Irish crew… It's just the people; it's the welcoming spirit of the people that's just so lovely."
"It's a great place to make movies. You've got great craftsmen and crews and a wonderful spirit here and beautiful locations and facilities. I guess we've been so busy travelling around the world [that] often you don't really notice what's on your own doorstep. Let's see, maybe we'll try and get Bond here at some point. I must say, having experienced it, I would love to come back."
An initial release date of February 22nd, 2019 was announced for ‘The Rhythm Section’ by Paramount Pictures who are handling worldwide distribution on the film. | 2019-04-18T17:20:41 | http://fullmovie4khd.com/therhythmsection/index.html |
0.998757 | I was talking to a friend who's about a decade older than I am. I don't remember exactly what prompted the subject, but I think the context was a discussion of fear. He said, "When I was a kid, we did 'duck and cover" drills in school."
I thought about it for a minute before responding. "We never did drills. I think we knew there was no point. If someone decided to push the button, we were just all going to die. Nothing we could do about it."
I wanted to laugh, but it would have been the wrong kind of laughter, and any kind of laughter at all was not what I wanted to be doing with Japanese tourists (no, really) in the museum. So I stopped a little past the diorama and turned to my husband and the friend taking the tour with us. We're all the same age group for this sort of thing. I told them about the months-old conversation.
They nodded. My husband said, "I checked on a map recently. We're not too bad off where we are now."
I looked at him. "If it were just one bomb, one warhead."
Another nod and a sour face. "Yeah."
The operable phrase when I was in school was "mutually assured destruction." Scads of nuclear weapons as a security blanket. I suppose it's not surprising we found that sort of comfort rather cold. Hey, there's this guy who calls ketchup a vegetable and names his best hope of defense against a nuclear attack after a fantasy with space trappings and on and on and on. We're supposed to trust him to understand the full consequences of his actions. Oh. Yay.
The first day of ninth grade social studies class, American government, my teacher announced to the class that it would be run as a democracy. No, he couldn't tell us how that was going to work because we were going to decide that. No, he couldn't even tell us the scope of the decisions we'd be making as we voted.
I don't do pass/fail scenarios with open-ended expectations.
I think he thought it was cute when I turned in my chair to face the wall. A protest! Ooh! Yay, democracy! I don't think it stayed cute for more than a couple of days, but cute wasn't my point. If I wasn't allowed to transfer into the other "advanced" civics class (the school cut us off after one or two people), he could find out how much of a pain democracy could be. Then he, I, and the school could decide what that was worth for a grade.
Very shortly after the year started, all of the ninth-grade classes participated in a nuclear simulation at the same time. Our class split up into nations. Each nation got a set of scenarios: pressure on the borders, powerful foes--internal and external--posed to pounce on any misstep. As a nation, each group decided on their response: pacific, aggressive, or something in between.
The one lesson I'll never forget from that class, however, is how easy it is to convince ourselves that we don't have any other "real" options. That could be because I've never stopped hearing that as a justification for political decisions, particularly for decisions I wouldn't have made.
I don't know what difference it made to me or my generation to know it was out of our hands whether we lived or died. It would be easy to claim that the materialism of Generation X stems from nuclear nihilism, but we were too young to set the tone of the 80s. It wasn't people my age buying DeLoreans, Rolexes, and coke in bulk.
I don't know that we even had the words to talk about it among ourselves before the situation became less stark. We don't talk about it now. Talking about our teenage years means talking about social pressures and pop culture. For all I know, it wasn't that big a deal to anyone else.
Except for that long, quiet trip through a museum and two instant nods. Those tell me I didn't live through that alone.
My roommates in the mid-late 80's and I often played a board game called Pente. In a 3-person game, there was a situation we called "mutually assured destruction." If one person B didn't do anything to counter person A's move, person C would allow person A to win in protest against having their move forced.
I recall that we often discussed questions about nuclear war, ethics, death, happiness, etc. Were we such an odd bunch? I guess not.
I remember my parents telling me that as kids they didn't really think the "duck and cover" strategy would protect them very well - it was just something to do as an alternative to panicking. It probably would be helpful to people who lived a number of miles away from the closest blasts, where the greatest immediate threat was flying debris.
The weird thing about Reagan is that people saw him as the president most likely to start a nuclear war, but in reality he loathed nuclear weapons and was terrified by the prospect of nuclear war. Some of his aides were convinced he would not launch nuclear weapons even if the USA was attacked first. The whole "Star Wars" thing was misguided because the technology didn't exist to make it work (it still doesn't), but his support of it seems to have come from a desperate desire to have something other than Mutual Assured Destruction to rely on.
The other thing we all "knew" in those days was which bits of landscape in our area were "known" to be primary targets. For me, it was the Watervleit Arsenal to the north, the Selkirk Train Yards and the Power Plant to the south, and the State Office Campuses, one to the east and one to the west. We was surrounded!
People of my generation and background experienced the flash. If you know what that is, then you know what that is. It was actually pretty horrible. | 2019-04-23T14:27:26 | http://almostdiamonds.blogspot.com/2011/03/duck-and-cover.html |
0.99797 | Very often I get asked if I can help someone to recover a suppressed memory because they think something traumatic has happened to them in the past. Technically the answer to that question is Yes I can take someone back to a suppressed memory using a technique called Regression, however there are contraindications that must be considered. As a professional, I work with my clients to achieve the best outcome for them and so I might not agree to help them recover the memory for the following reasons.
If you have an idea that something has happened to you, but are not clear on exactly what has happened or by whom, you will have run through possible scenarios in your mind. We have a natural tendency to ‘fill in the gaps’. These imagined scenarios are stored just like real memories and therefore can be retrieved, thus imitating a real memory, and you may not be able to distinguish fact from fiction.
Most of us have the experience of hearing a friend or relative tell a story about something that happened in the past, and as they tell the story it doesn’t match our own recollection of events. “No that’s not what happened” we say. Each time we access a memory we can change bits of it and put it back in a slightly different state, so the memory may not be completely true.
We naturally delete, distort and generalise information that we receive as it happens, based on our beliefs. If two people witness a car accident they are likely to give different accounts of what happened. e.g. one might generalise that because one driver was driving a particular car he must be at fault because in his opinion all people that drive that make of car are idiot drivers (generalisation), he will see only what fits his belief about that type of car driver (distortion), and will not see what doesn’t fit his beliefs (deletion).
If the memory is suppressed it is likely that your brain has suppressed it for a reason, because it was too traumatic for you. The last thing I would want to do to a client is re-traumatise them. Often if a memory of something that happened at a young age is recovered, the client will ‘associate’ into the younger them and so I will only use regression after careful consideration. As an example I once had a client with a terrible fear of needles, and the techniques and approach used in the first session did not remove the fear. When he returned for his second session I regressed him to the initial event in hypnosis. At that point he began sobbing. I asked him how old he was (4yrs), who he was with (his mother), and where he was (at the clinic). I then asked why he was crying an he told me “All the other children are crying”. He was frightened because he could hear other children crying and he was going to get his pre-school jabs. The part of his brain responsible for keeping him safe had linked the feeling of fear and upset with the injection, and now reminded him of this feeling whenever he was due to have an injection so that he would not put himself into ‘danger’. In this case just as I expected it was not a hugely traumatic incident and I got his adult self to reassure the younger self. Now imagine if the recovered memory was of abuse, you will not likely be able to reassure your younger self that abuse is OK, because it isn’t.
That does not mean that I can’t help you – just that I will help you in a different way. I tend to use safer techniques which have been specifically developed for things like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I have many very effective techniques to remove any emotion or feelings you might have from any fragments of memory; things you may have been told; or those parts of the ‘puzzle’ that have confused, or concerned you in some way. These techniques will render what may or may not have happened as completely insignificant (or about as significant as what you had for lunch three weeks ago on a Wednesday when it rained). Moreover the event cannot be used as supporting evidence for any limiting beliefs you hold about yourself. If someone is approaching me with this type of enquiry, they are likely doing so because they have a problematic symptom which has led them to contact me in the first place e.g.anxiety, low self-worth/confidence/self-esteem, depression, anger issues, relationship issues, addictive behaviours, sexual dysfunction etc. I would work with the person to change the beliefs caused by the event and change the offending behaviours, feelings. or thoughts it created. Law-courts would be unlikely to accept evidence recovered using hypnosis to convict someone of a crime for all of the above reasons. | 2019-04-26T08:17:33 | https://dawnrowleyhypnotherapy.com/2634-2/ |
0.999999 | The Math Section consists of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis. To attain a good score on the GRE math section, you need to be familiar with the types of questions and math concepts that appear on the exam. There are four types of math question: quantitative comparison, single-answer multiple choice, multiple choice with one or more answers, and numeric entry.
Arithmatic: integers, arithmetic operations, exponents & roots; & concepts such as estimation, percent, ratio, rate, absolute value, the number line, decimal representation & sequences of numbers.
Algebra: Operations with exponents; factoring & simplifying algebraic expressions; relations, functions, equations and inequalities; solving linear and quadratic equations & inequalities; solving simultaneous equations & inequalities; & coordinate geometry.
Geometry: Parallel & perpendicular lines, circles, triangles, quadrilaterals, other polygons, congruent & similar figures, three-dimensional figures, area, & perimeter, volume, the Pythagorean Theorem & angle measurement in degrees.
Data Analytics basic descriptive statistics, such as mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation, interquartile range, quartiles & percentiles; interpretation of data in tables and graphs, elementary probability, permutations & Venn diagrams. | 2019-04-20T10:24:50 | https://www.ieltsreview.com/course/gre-quants-classes-hyderabad/ |
0.999999 | Wondering about the title of this article? It's named "Still the one I dream of ..." because I've always enjoyed rosé. Those in the know - the French - always have. Rosé in France outsells both white and red wine (or so I'm told). Here in Sydney I've requested, insisted even, that my favourite eateries and watering holes offer a rosé by the glass. Friend, Stuart Knox of Fix St.James obliged. Australian rosé by the glass was waiting for me on the wine list at my local pub - the Hunters Hill Hotel. And I've always got a bottle in the 'fridge (ready for a glass) at home.
Perhaps my love of a beautiful crisp clean rosé springs from within my food core. While food and wine pairing is I believe an inherently personal experience, my fondness for rosé stems from the wine's versatility - it matches well with just about any food.
Late last year at a Veuve Clicquot function, I had an epiphany. Don't you just love that word. Even better don't you love it when you have one. My epiphany was pronounced. It was one of the most delightful food matches I have uncovered in recent times. The wine was a Rosé Champagne. The new delight sensation was in the match of Veuve Clicquot Vintage Rosé 2004 with pork crackling. Salt. Fat. Airy. Crunch. Crisp. Dry. Fruit. Bubbles. One thing leads to another and I've taken that discovery to another level - now with duck crackling.
The gentle low tannin and fruit of any fine rosé though is simply the best way to lazily sit back and enjoy the Australian summer - bubbles or not. Think summer and an Aussie BBQ is usually front of mind. From the plump moist sweetness of bar-b-qued Spencer Gulf king prawns to spicy marinated chicken satay skewers, rosé works well with all.
• Fish - try raw salmon slices lightly marinated in rosé for the ultimate ceviche, then drinking rosé also becomes a must on the side.
• Pork - it's not just the crackling that works ... drink with any and all cuts.
What's the last word on matching food with rosé? It's gotta be - Cheese.
For the last few years, Steve and I have been enamoured with premium Rosé and we are not alone. If you have ever been to the south of France, you’ll know what we mean and if not, trust us, they’re delicious!
The wines we are talking about are Rosés for grown ups – dry, savoury and gluggable. The variety doesn’t matter, it is all about style.
We feel that these wines suit the casual Australian lifestyle perfectly and go well with so many different foods. So there is an opportunity to spread the message about these delightful wines.
So what is the Rosé Revolution about?
It is about some like-minded Australian and international wineries joining forces to spread the word on dry, textural Rosé.
What better way than to have a big party to spread the word.
To kick off the Rosé Revolution celebrations and just in time for summer, there is a taste and tweet on the 10th November. With 20+ venues around Australia hosting their own events it is a good chance to jump right in and see what all the fuss is about.
Check out our website http://rosewinerevolution.com/events.html for events that may be happening in your area.
Most of the free Rosé tastings will take place from 5-7pm AEST and then Rose Soiree parties will kick off from about 7.00pm. Dress in pink if you like, and taste away…just don’t forget to use the hashtag #roserev when tweeting!
So, be bold and give Rosé a go, you could be very pleasantly surprised. | 2019-04-23T21:08:51 | http://rosewinerevolution.com/blognews.html |
0.998969 | For August 27: when did the UN ask to visit the site at Ghouta?
While the delay from Wednesday to Sunday (or Monday, when the team got out and said, if this YouTube video is not false, that they are not even looking at what type of munition was used in part because they didn't want to put it in their white UN 4 by 4) is now an element in the case for missile strikes, Syria says the UN didn't even ASK until Saturday.
Is that true? Even if the UK, for example, asked earlier, it is a UN team. So when did the UN make the request?
Saturday August 24 is when UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's High Representative on Disarmament Angela Kane re-arrived in Damascus. | 2019-04-19T22:48:32 | http://www.innercitypress.com/syria1unasked082713.html |
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