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0.998804 | De la misma forma que el verbo "to be" tiene auxiliares para estructurar oraciones (am, is, are) el tiempo pasado también los presenta pero en este tiempo se utilizan solamente dos: "was" y "were".
Oraciones afirmativas de pasado del verbo "to be"
Notese que el auxiliar en pasado "was" se usa únicamente con aquellos pronombres singulares, es decir, que hacen referencia a una sola persona, en cambio el auxiliar "were" es usado con pronombres en plural (You es tomado de esta forma porque además de "Tú o Usted" también refiere a "Ustedes").
En el caso de oraciones negativas se sigue la misma gramática añadiendo únicamente "not".
Oraciones negativas de pasado del verbo "to be"
Usualmente para expresar oraciones negativas al hablar / escribir se emplean las contracciones indicadas "wasn't" y "weren't".
Ejemplos de oraciones negativas de pasado "to be"
Oraciones interrogativas de pasado del verbo "to be"
- Were you a football player at the school?
- Was she a model?
- Were they your friends?
- Was Richard your boyfriend?
- Were we on a test?
- I was at the bank.
- Where were Fernando and his girlfriend this morning?
- Who was that person?
- He was my father.
- That was a thunder.
- When was Mary at the store?
- She was at the store in the afternoon.
Pre: I am a teacher.
Pas: I was a teacher.
Pre: She is at the movies.
Pas: She was at the movies.
Pre: They are not professionals.
Pas: They were not professionals.
Pre: Music is boring at the party.
Pas: Music was boring at the party.
Tengo una duda ¿was es de ser y were es de estar o solo es un ejemplo?
Muchas gracias ,tengo prueba justo mañana sobre esto y no tenia idea de nada. Luego de la prueba voy a entrar para comunicarte cuento me saque, no creo que sea de mucho interes , pero quizá le sirva para saber como se expresa. Nuevamente muchas gracias.
Estaré esperando vuestro comentario para saber como te ha ido en el examen. Un saludo.
gracias. esta bien claro .
ME AYUDARON UN MONTON ESTA PAGINA Y LA OTRA.
Es la plantilla de digi_guru en Blogger. Saludos!
Son lo máximo!!! muchas gracias por el aporte!!!
Explícame con detalles en que te puedo ayudar.
Sadly, my last vacation was more than a year ago — a vacation with my family to Hilton Head Island. We stayed in a beautiful place about a five minute walk to the beach, which was wonderful. I went out with my cousins one night for karaoke; we had a nice dinner and were treated like family. Every day I got up early to see the sunrise and had fun relaxing on the beach. We ate a lot of fresh seafood. I spent a lot of time with my family. I hope to be able to take another vacation again. | 2019-04-25T18:35:35 | https://www.ingenierogeek.com/2013/11/curso-ingles-medio-pasado-verbo-to-be-oraciones-ejemplos-was-were.html |
0.999985 | Raqqa or Deir Ezzor: Where will Islamic States' last stand be?
After seven months of operations aimed at encircling and isolating the city, the morning of Tuesday June 6 marked the beginning of the US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces' (SDF) assault against Islamic State (ISIS) in Raqqa. An ISIS defeat in the city, coupled with its impending total defeat in Mosul, will doubtlessly be a mortal blow to the group.
But will their last stand be in their de-facto Syrian capital?
It's no secret that outside of Raqqa province ISIS controls vast swaths of the eastern Syrian province of Deir Ezzor. In the region's provincial capital of the same name where they have besieged a Syrian Army garrison holed up in the airport and surrounding areas for years now. Syrian regime forces, whose manpower is being heavily supplemented by Iranian-backed militias and supported by Russian air power, are advancing eastwards, where their likely aim is to link-up with the isolated garrison and force the militants out.
As is the case with Raqqa the SDF set up a 1,700-member military council to administer Deir Ezzor in anticipation of a possible operation to rout the militants from that region.
A successful Raqqa operation for the SDF could cost many fighters and take months. It took the group three months to capture Manbij, which was a relatively peripheral city in ISIS's self-styled caliphate. The SDF hope to incorporate Raqqa into their unrecognized northeast federal region. US officials do not want to see the city returned to the control of the regime following its capture – although they have not endorsed the SDF taking full post-battle control over it. Such incorporation could lead to tensions between the SDF and Damascus.
Possible tensions over Raqqa's post-ISIS status would pale in comparison to tensions brought on by an SDF advance on, and capture of, Deir Ezzor. A Syrian regime recapture of Deir Ezzor will enable it to link-up with Iranian-backed groups in the Iraqi Shiite-majority Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitaries, which reached the Iraqi border with Syria in the Shingal region on May 29.
The SDF recently announced they would deny the Iraqi Shiite-majority Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitaries from entering their territories.
A US seeking to contain, and rollback, a greater Iranian proxy presence in the Middle East is unlikely to welcome such an outcome.
Forcibly preventing Hashd forces from linking up with allied forces in Syria, however, would entail the US and SDF effectively seizing control over swaths of eastern Syrian border territory and directly challenging the regime there, and possibly increasing the risk of clashing with the regime's Russian backer in the process.
The Americans have already acknowledged the importance of working with the Russians in any future operation in Deir Ezzor.
US Major-General Joseph Dunford told a news conference in May that they have already “talked about that [Deir Ezzor] as a specific area that requires” coordination with the Russians.
“My sense is that the Russians are as enthusiastic as we are to de-conflict operations and ensure that we continue to take the campaign to ISIS and ensure the safety of our personnel,” Dunford said.
Russia has aircraft and a few thousand troops in Syria which it has used against various groups since intervening in the conflict on the side of the regime in September 2015. The US has special forces in the Kurdish territories of northeast Syria and supports SDF operations with airstrikes from Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, along with other bases and aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf region. The US presence on the ground in the northeast has reportedly forced Iran to alter the route of its purported corridor from its own territory through Iraq across northern Syria to the Mediterranean Sea.
Additionally, in the southeast 150 US soldiers and other coalition countries are reportedly based at the Al-Tanf base near the frontiers of Iraq and Jordan. There they have, along with the British, been training Jaysh Maghawir al-Thawra, formerly known as the New Syrian Army (NSyA), anti-ISIS fighters. The group could potentially assist a future SDF assault from the north into Raqqa by assaulting ISIS in Deir Ezzor from the south.
US warplanes bombed pro-regime forces as they established positions near al-Tanf, one of the “deconfliction zones” in Syria, on two separate occasions: June 6 and May 18. While Russia joined Syria in condemning the May 18 attack it reportedly tried to discourage those forces from establishing positions in that area just before the attack.
Supporting continued and drawn out regime and militia engagements against various factions across Syria is not in Russia's interests. It wants to bring the conflict to an end through political negotiations now that the regime has the upper hand, following its victory in Aleppo last December, and is no longer at risk of being toppled, as it was shortly before Moscow intervened. ISIS is excluded from all negotiated ceasefires as well as any potential resolution to the conflict and its elimination is something both Moscow and Washington recognize is essential.
The SDF are unlikely to endure more heavy casualties to capture Deir Ezzor, in addition to Raqqa, if they are expected to hand it back to Damascus the day after they do all the dirty work of removing ISIS. Consequently, ISIS's last stand in Syria might be in Deir Ezzor against regime and Shiite militia forces backed by Russian air power with American assent.
Working with Russia to neutralize the ISIS threat and pressure Damascus to curtail the cross border linking-up of Iranian-backed paramilitary elements will therefore likely prove the most feasible long-term goal for the Americans to pursue in eastern Syria. | 2019-04-25T14:58:20 | http://www.rudaw.net/english/analysis/08062017 |
0.999999 | How to determine the diameter of a rod using thread an meter scale?
You are given a sufficiently long piece of thread, a meter stick and a thin round shape iron rod. Explain how would you measure the diameter of iron rod by using given thread and meter stick.
Wind the thread over the rod closely a number of times say 20 and mark the end point. Now unwind it and measure the length of the thread used to wind over the rod.
This length = n x 2πr, where n is the no. of windings and r is the radius of the rod. | 2019-04-23T05:06:03 | http://www.askphysics.com/tag/radius/ |
0.999961 | John Wells’s phonetic blog: progressive assimilation?
I have been doing some online research about it, but didn't manage to find anything about it. I also asked around, but it was denied that there existed such assimilation. Your dictionary also states that there [is] only regressive assimilation.
No, I haven’t. My immediate reaction was that this type of assimilation simply doesn’t happen. That’s why Ernesto can’t prove that it does, and also why he can find no reference to it in his on-line search.
Collect some evidence, and see what you find.
The phonetic context we are interested in is by no means unusual. Plenty of possible examples come to mind.
Does anyone know of any research into the phonetics of such ʃs sequences?
Introspecting, I feel pretty confident in saying that full-blown progressive (= perseverative) assimilation, thus ˈbrɪtɪʃ ˈsɪtɪzn̩ → ˈbrɪtɪʃ ˈʃɪtɪzn̩, just doesn’t happen. Nor does full-blown regressive assimilation, thus ˈbrɪtɪs ˈsɪtɪzn̩. However some kind of intermediate allophonic regressive assimilation, perhaps ˈbrɪtɪɕ ˈsɪtɪzn̩ or somethinɡ similar, seems possible.
(ii) assimilation of syllabic n̩ to the place of a preceding obstruent, as in ribbon (ˈrɪbən →) ˈrɪbn̩ → ˈrɪbm̩.
I think Ernesto’s phonetics teacher was wrong. In English phonology, features typically spread leftwards, not rightwards.
What about palatalisation of t, d, s, z before j, giving tʃ, dʒ, ʃ, ʒ?
For example, the eye-dialect spelling gotcha for got you represents ['gɒtʃə] from /gɒt jə/. Or the word issue, which can be pronounced either 'ɪsju: or 'ɪʃu:.
It's not full assimilation of the sort your correspondent's interested in, more a place-of-articulation assimilation. But it's definitely progressive.
'gɒtʃə from gɒt jə also includes an assimilation of voice.
We usually categorize that as COALESCENT assimilation ("yod coalescence", LPD p. 52).
Surely 'newspaper', 'fivepence' (and also 'has to' etc) show regressive/anticipatory assimilation, not progressive?
And how do you call a change from ɔə to ɔː? Is that smoothing? How can one know whether both a diphthong and a single vowel are acceptable, correct pronunciation? Also, has the change from ˈlɑːndri to ˈlɔːndri and ˈkʌmptən toˈkɒmptən been named and documented?
(Off-topic:) "ˈlɑːndri to ˈlɔːndri and ˈkʌmptən toˈkɒmptən" - known, documented and filed and "spelling pronunciation", I should think.
The æb- variant has been marked as regional in LPD, with an § (so-called section sign). And -z is nowhere to be found.
Oh, spelling pronunciation... Wow. Never would have said. LPD says "a pronunciation that, unlike the traditional pronunciation..." – wait a minute: isn't ɑː more traditional, older and waning?
I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic. The older pronunciation lɑːndrɪ is counterintuitive, as a written au usually corresponds to ɔː.
j.house - you're right, of course, Jill. Silly me.
on The Guardian's website and, clearly, the man says people traditionally used to say ˈlɑːndri and ˈlɑːnʧ for laundry and launch. Perhaps it's intuitive to you to say ɔː because you were taught to say it that way, but those people from the past had a different view of what's intuitive, no? Perhaps once, some hundreds of years ago people said bloːd for blood.
Those in the know - am I imagining that some people have progressive assimilation in absurd instead of the unassimilated or regressively assimilated versions?
And progressive/perseverative assimilation of place and manner before voiced dental fricatives?
e.g. all they /ɔːl leɪ/, and they /ən neɪ/.
I have given thaut to this matter and over very many years ’ve been in the habit of observing many diff·rent forecasters reading the early-morning BBC shipping bulletin, watching out especially for, amongst other things, the use of the term "Irish Sea". I cert·nly have a few times he·rd 'Iris Sea' but only so rarely out of hundreds of tokens, that I've never consider·d it worth noting the name of the speaker. Such a level of occurrence I shdnt be inclined to classify as better than that of tongue-slip, so I think these observations help to bear out those of JCW.
I can well believe that. Even though I have a retroflex ʃ, I'm not sure I can guarantee I wouldn't say ˈbrɪtɪɕ ˈsɪtɪzn̩ myself.
Even if this [ʃʧɻeɪn] alternates with [sʧɻeɪn] (unlikely) or [streɪn] in their speech, don't you think [ʃʧɻeɪn] is that much more likely in 'British strain' and [ʃʧɻæpt] in 'cash-strapped'?
And I don't know whether it's because that establishes the allophone ʃ in st- in one context, making it more available in another, but I'm pretty damn sure I've heard I've heard it in expressions like "bookish style" too. The initial cluster seems to make it more prone to progressive assimilation than initial sV in your other examples.
Does nobody remember that when Janet Street-Porter first appeared on the scene many years ago, she was pretty soon lampooned as "Janet Shtrai'-Paw'uh"?
But Dinora, I was totally incredulous that in LPD that -ˈzɜːd variant "is nowhere to be found". And rightly so: it comes immediately after the non-RP variant you mention.
So Lipman, you are certainly not "imagining that some people have progressive assimilation in absurd instead of the unassimilated or regressively assimilated versions".
You seem to be another member of the post-before-you-read fraternity. John said that at the start.
/lɑːndrɪ/ isn't "older" than /lɔːndrɪ/, and /lɔːndrɪ/ isn't a spelling pronunciation. Dobson actually claims the reverse: that the spelling of such words with "au" or "a" is derived from the predominant pronounciation. (The one exception is "aunt", which we might expect to be spelled "ant", on account of its being in the BATH set).
Generally, the class of BATH, PALM and THOUGHT words where the stressed vowel precedes a nasal derives from words with variation in Middle English between /au/ and /a/. In some styles of speech the /au/ pronunciation took its regular development into the THOUGHT vowel: in others it had the less regular development into the PALM vowel (as in the word "palm" itself). The Middle English /a/ variant explains the pronunciations with the TRAP vowel in flat-BATH varieties of English.
Is it possible that the use of /ʒ/ by some speakers, rather than the historically expected /ʃ/, in words such as "version" and "incursion" is due to progressive assimilation from /r/? (This could apply synchronically only to rhotic speakers, obviously).
Yes. As I said, it's more complex.
It's probably not progressive assimilation, but rather palatalization (or regressive assimilation) of /s/'s place to /t/.
We've all heard /st/ clusters pronounced as [ʃt], right?
Doesn't Sean Connery do something like this?
Oops. Of course æbˈzɜːd exists. My mistake. Plus the Guardian link is not the right one.
The only given example I can actually see this happening with is "cash-strapped shoppers". It may not be with everybody, but I find it a waste of energy to try and say /kæʃ stʃræpt/, and I wind up naturally eliding the word to /kæʃ tʃræpt/.
For some reason, [bʊkɪʃ ʃtaɪl] doesn't sound *that* weird to me, even if I can't specifically remember anyone doing something like that. On the other hand, if there was no /t/ after the /s/ it would sound a whole lotta weirder.
@Dinora: I guess a-underline-schwa would be ire as in Ireland or sapphire, the “fuller form” being bisyllabic PRICE + LETTER. I guess dictionaries don't bother with that distinction because for most speakers today higher and hire have the same range of possible realizations.
I'm actually finding it hard to pronounce 'bookish style' with [ʃs] - whenever I try it comes out as [ʃʃ] unless I concentrate. Of the other ones, it only seems to happen in 'cash some cheques' and 'cash-strapped', but it's definitely happening. Maybe it only happens before consonants or unstressed vowels? The others seem to end up with something like [ɕs] as you suggested. I dunno, it just seems a bit presumptuous to say that this would never happen in English.
Anyway, I'm from Edinburgh, if that helps.
Also, this blogger comment form is an absolute nightmare to use - I've had to go back and rewrite the entire thing because I wasn't logged in to my wordpress account and it got deleted when I went back to this page.
«Even if this [ʃʧɻeɪn] alternates with [sʧɻeɪn] (unlikely) or [streɪn] in their speech, don't you think [ʃʧɻeɪn] is that much more likely in 'British strain' and [ʃʧɻæpt] in 'cash-strapped'?
Thanks for the confirmations of those observations, if not the reasons behind their predictability. But that would involve reading my post, and nobody reads anything much on here.
Note that I said "more prone to progressive assimilation than initial sV in your other examples". I do see what prompted the original question about progressive assimilation, and I am now drawing attention to the "more".
Ryan's "fish sticks" corroborates my hypothesis, but even the sV "fish soup" is not immune: compare it with "fish pie". With people who do the progressive assimilation, I hear the ʃ as perceptibly vastly longer in "fish soup" than in "fish pie", and the s as vastly shorter than it should be in an unadorned (non-cluster) onset, and although pace JWL I have admitted to the possibility of ˈbrɪtɪɕ ˈsɪtɪzn̩ in my own speech, I would not admit to the possibility of fiɕ sʊu̯p. I think I'm more likely to have the partial progressive assimilation fɪʃ ʃ͡sʊu̯p that I have described for that. I don't know why that is, but I'm betting on it being because the tɪɕ of ˈbrɪtɪɕ has no stress at all.
For absurd, I note that the pronunciation with -z- was unknown to the editors of the 13th and 14th editions of the 'Daniel Jones' dictionary, but became the primary pronunciation in the 15th edition. LPD's poll found 23% of British speakers using it. Was there a Madhur Jaffrey effect - a single TV personality using an odd pronunciation which caused that form to become established almost overnight among a section of the population?
Alternatively, we might consider German influence, or perhaps cross-contamination from the word observe.
I agree that a likely alternative explanation for the new pronunciation of absurd is analogy. See the OED, s.v. "S": "Between vowels, and when phonetically final, a single s is mostly /z/ . But there are many anomalies and uncertainties, especially in classical derivatives: cf., e.g., absurd /æbˈsɜːd/ , observe /əbz-/ ; with regard to some words usage is divided, as in absolve /æbs-/ , /æbz-/ [...]"
Er, on the other hand there's the word absolve, in which the -z- pronunciation predominates. Taking absV- words as a whole, and ignoring absurd itself, one would say that -z- occurs in stressed syllables and -s- in unstressed, a situation which parallels the ex- prefix (compare exit ˈɛksɪt vs. exist ɪgˈzɪst).
Thanks for that: I hadn't seen your post when I posted my own last one (http://phonetic-blog.blogspot.com/2011/04/progressive-assimilation.html?showComment=1301953233815#c9041369307986419484).
> "[...]cf., e.g., absurd /æbˈsɜːd/ , observe /əbz-/ ; with regard to some words usage is divided, as in absolve /æbs-/ , /æbz-/ [...]"
On the (off-topic) subject of the quality of the initial vowel: note that æ in these quotes from the OED corresponds to æ̆ in the original (NED aka OED1), which should have been translated into IPA ə in OED2 (but apparently wasn't).
«And progressive/perseverative assimilation of place and manner before voiced dental fricatives?
Does it seem to you that cases like that are more likely to be further reduced to single l and n than say 'all the'?
That wasn't you, but someone who posted as plain "Paul". This post has disappeared without trace, so I'm afraid you may have thought it was you I was accusing of being of the post-before-you-read persuasion. Please forgive any such impression I gave.
I still haven't made it clear. In the first part of his post, which I didn't copy, it was obvious that this other Paul thought he was introducing the progressive assimilation producing s and t in the plural and past tense morphemes for the first time, so he wasn't just appending to John's remarks the tendentious specification that the forms in question were "basically voiced".
Perhaps I should explain that that was a further annoyance to me, because although I understand why people argue that sort of thing from the z and d in forms like 'ties' and 'tied', it's quite arbitrary to say those are the default forms. No allomorph is basically anything. All forms are equally context-determined phonological forms of higher-order entities.
Going back to Dr. Wells' motive for the blog post in question, I might say that I found only one reference to such assimilation type. Finch and Ortiz Lira (1982, p. 82) give the same example (bookish style) as a case of progressive assimilation. I think that this type of adjustment may only be possible when a word ends in /ʃ/ and the next word starts with a consonant cluster such as /st/ and problably with /sp/ too, as the title of the book these authors wrote some 30 years ago: A course in English Phonetics for Spanish Speakers. So, in my view and from my experience as an Non-native English (speaker-)listener, this kind of assimilation is possible but not in every context.
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0.999999 | The Bible and experience make clear the Christian life is not easy. Someone summed it up this way: "Living above with saints we love, 0' that will be glory. Living below with saints we know - well, that's quite another story." It was another story at 1st century Corinth where, according to chapters 8 and 10, the church was divided up in to meat-eaters and non-meat-eaters! The issue was not whether one should be a vegetarian or if it was ethically and nutritionally okay to eat meat The issue was whether or not Christians could or should eat meat/food left over from an offering to idols in any of Corinth's many pagan temples. The apostle Paul skillfully handled the problem in chapters 8 and 10 of 1st Corinthians. Ina nutshell Paul argues that meat is meat A Christian can eat a steak sold in the marketplace even if it had been used in pagan worship. He/she has the freedom/right/liberty to do so without fearing that it would contaminate his/her relationship with God. But he goes on to argue that the fact that they can eat the meat does not automatically mean in every circumstance that they should eat the meat! The crux of the matter is found in (1 Corinthians 10: 23-24 NKJ) where Paul writes, "All things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being." Paul makes clear that while eating the meat would not harm the meat-eater's own relationship with God, it may indeed do harm to other Christians who had a conscience problem eating the meat. Therefore, the Christ-like thing to do would be not to eat the meat, at least not in the presence of the Christian whose conscience continued to be bothered by the practice.
Among other things, these passages teach there are times when sin may not be in an action we take but in the attitude and choice we make in a matter! Meat-eating was not forbidden by God - and yet Paul admonishes the meat-eaters to "Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God" (1 Corinthians 10: 32 NKJ). The take-home point from the passage is that being a Christian is not just about "me" - it is also about "we," as the following story suggests. The Lone Ranger looked up at the hills to the west and said to Tonto, "There's a big war party of Sioux on the top of that hill." Tonto said, "We will go to the east" The Lone Ranger said, "There are Pawnees approaching from the east" Tonto replied, "We will go south, Kemo Sabe." The Lone Ranger responded, "Apaches are in the south." Tonto frowned and said, "North?" The Lone Ranger replied, "It looks like two million Blackfeet to the north, Tonto. What are we going to do?" Tonto started to mount up saying, "What do you mean `we,' white man?" Loving hie Christ means looking out for and sticking by others, even when doing so is not easy. The cross of Christ continues to remind us we should seek others' well-being, not just our own. | 2019-04-19T14:40:30 | http://smithvillechurch.org/html/to_eat_or_not_to_eat.html |
0.999591 | You're looking for an electric toothbrush. Smart, because electric toothbrushes improve your mouth's health considerably. Electric toothbrushes come in different varieties and they work in different ways. How exactly? I'll tell you.
Rotating toothbrushes are oscillating. This means that the brush head rotates at high speed, and in many cases also pulses. If the brush head only rotates, we call that 2D technology. When the brush head rotates and pulses, we call it a 3D brush. Toothbrushes by Oral-B have this brushing technique.
Sonic toothbrushes have an oval brush head. This brush head pulsates at a high speed. The moment the bristles touch the tooth surface, they form soft micro bubbles. These are then pushed through your mouth with high pulsations. Toothbrushes by Philips have this brushing technique.
A thorough cleaning for daily use.
An extra gentle, mild cleaning to polish even on the most sensitive areas.
A brushing mode where the brush head polishes the tooth surface and removes discoloration.
A brushing mode that gently massages the gums, stimulates blood circulation, and helps to heal inflamed gums.
An intensive cleaning where the brush heads cleans your teeth thoroughly. Useful if you haven't brushed them for a long time, or after a party.
On some toothbrushes, you can set the brush intensity yourself. You can not only choose a brushing mode, but you also decide with how much force the toothbrush rotates or pulses. Go for a low intensity if you have sensitive teeth or a high intensity if you want to brush thoroughly.
Brushing too hard is very bad for your gums. It can get damaged or recede. You can prevent this with a pressure sensor. This gives you a signal when you move your toothbrush through your mouth too hard. There are different types of brush pressure sensors. Some sensors give a sound or light signal, and other sensors stop the toothbrush from working as soon as you brush too hard.
Smart toothbrushes have Bluetooth connectivity, and can connect to your smartphone. On your smartphone, you can then read information about your brushing behavior and know exactly how you can brush better. Some toothbrushes even provide information directly by analyzing your brush through the camera in your smartphone.
A toothbrush will only clean thoroughly if you replace the brush head in time. You do this every 3 months. There are different types of brush heads, and each suit a different need.
Which brush head do I need?
Electric ater flossers push small water drops between your teeth and molars. You can clean your teeth thoroughly like that. Electric water flossers often use the power grid and are relatively large. You can floss longer thanks to the large water reservoir, though. Electric flossers by Waterpik work like this.
Some electric flossers floss with a combination of water and air bubbles. These microbursts are pushed between your teeth and alongside your gums at a high speed. You can remove plaque in a very effective way like this. These electric flossers are often battery-poeweren and can be used wirelessly. Philips Airfloss has this technique.
How do I choose an electric toothbrush? | 2019-04-25T10:07:34 | https://www.coolblue.nl/en/advice/toothbrushes.html |
0.999612 | https://www.exltech.in/software-testing-course.html 1) Alpha Test It is the most common type of Tests used in the software industry. The objective of this test is to identify all possible problems or defects before it is released to the market or to the user. 2) Ad-hoc Tests The name itself suggests that this test is carried out on an ad hoc basis, i.e. without reference to the test case, and also without a plan or documentation for such kind of Tests. The purpose of this check is to find the defects and to break the application by running an application flow or random functionality. 3) Beta Test Beta testing is a formal type of software testing performed by the customer. It is carried out in the real environment before the product is put on the market for the actual final consumer. 4) component testing It is usually performed by developers after completion of unit Tests. Component testing involves testing multiple functionalities as a single code, and your goal is to determine whether there is a defect after connecting these multiple functionalities together.
5) Functional Testing This type of testing ignores the internal parts and focuses only on the output to check whether it is according to the requirement or not. It is a Black-box type testing geared to functional requirements of an application. 6) integration testing Testing all integrated modules to verify the combined functionality after integration is called Integration Test. Modules are typically code modules, individual applications, client and server applications in a network, etc. This type of testing is especially relevant to client / server and distributed systems. 7) Non-Functional Testing It is a type of Tests for which each organization has a separate team, usually called a Non-Functional Test (NFT) team or Performance team. 8) Regression Tests Testing an application as a whole for modification in a module or functionality is called regression testing. It is difficult to cover the entire system in regression tests, so automation testing tools are typically used for these types of Tests. 9) security testing It is a kind of Tests that are carried out by a special Team of testers. A system can be penetrated by any hacking way. | 2019-04-20T19:22:22 | https://issuu.com/mishakapoor3/docs/types_of_software_tests_832098fb36cef6 |
0.999996 | Will the real Taliban please stand up?
Afghan officials said US special forces units were on the ground helping to coordinate air strikes and ground operations as reports emerged that more than 300 killed on both sides, including over 100 government forces and 20 civilians.
Afghan security forces backed by US advisers and air strikes fought on Monday to drive Taliban fighters out of the embattled city of Ghazni, where hundreds of people have been killed or wounded during four days of fighting.
The Taliban attack on the eastern city, a strategic centre on the main highway linking the capital Kabul with southern Afghanistan, is a blow to President Ashraf Ghani weeks before parliamentary elections are due and dampens hopes of a start to peace talks.
The insurgents seized control of the districts of Khawaja Omari, north of Ghazni city and Ajrestan, in the west, with officials saying dozens of Afghan security forces had either been killed or were missing. It was a major show of force by the Taliban, who infiltrated deep into this strategic city barely 120 kilometres (75 miles) from the capital, Kabul.
Providing the first official figures, defence minister General Tareq Shah Bahrami said100 Afghan policemen and soldiers and at least 20 civilians have been killed as yet. Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak said nearly 70 policemen were among those killed.
Bahrami said about 1,000 additional troops have been sent to Ghazni and helped prevent the city from falling into Taliban hands. He also said 194 insurgents, including 12 leaders, were killed — with Pakistani, Chechen and Arabs foreign fighters among the dead.
Journalist Sultan Faizy speaks to TRT World.
Diplomats in Kabul said the government had admitted being taken by surprise by the attack and after 72 hours with minimal public comment from the presidential palace, Ghani announced on Twitter that reinforcements would be sent to the city urgently.
Afghan officials said US special forces units were on the ground helping to coordinate air strikes and ground operations and the US military said American aircraft had launched two dozen air strikes since Friday.
"US advisers are assisting the Afghan forces and US airpower has delivered decisive blows to the Taliban, killing more than 140 since August 10," said Lt Col Martin O'Donnell, the spokesman for US Forces-Afghanistan.
The Afghan government controls Ghazni, he said, adding there was no threat of collapse from "isolated and disparate" Taliban forces in the city with Highway 1, the main route from Kabul, open.
"That said, clearing operations are ongoing and sporadic clashes with the Taliban, particularly outside the city, continue," he added.
The Ghazni fighting adds to an increasingly fevered political atmosphere ahead of parliamentary elections in October, which have faced widespread concerns over potential security threats from both the Taliban and other armed groups.
As troops were battling Taliban fighters in Ghazni, a suicide bomber in Kabul exploded near the office of the independent election commission, where dozens of protesters had gathered, killing at least one police officer and wounding another, said a security official who sought anonymity.
U.S. Forces responded with close-air support this morning in #Ghazni. Afghan forces held their ground and maintain control of all govt. centers. Another failed attempt by Taliban to seize terrain, while creating strategically inconsequential headlines.
The protesters had turned out in support of a parliamentary candidate disqualified by electoral officials over suspected links with illegal armed groups, as barred lawmakers encourage protests to disrupt the panel's activities.
News from Ghazni remains patchy and incomplete four days after the insurgents launched an assault in the early hours of Friday, with communications badly hit after fighting destroyed most of the city's telecoms masts.
But people escaping the city have described widespread destruction and bloodshed and Afghanistan's largest television station, Tolo News, broadcast shaky phone footage showing fires apparently raging across the blacked-out centre.
More than 45 wounded Afghan soldiers were airlifted out in the last two days.
"Medication at the main hospital is reportedly becoming scarce and people are unable to safely bring casualties for treatment," Dr Rik Peeperkorn, the acting UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, said in a statement.
The attack on Ghazni, the heaviest blow struck by the Taliban since they came close to overrunning the western city of Farah in May, has hit hopes of peace that sprouted after a surprise three-day truce during June's Eid al Fitr holiday.
"Clearly the Taliban have paid no heed to the Afghan people's calls for them to reconcile and join the peace process," O'Donnell said.
Officials said Taliban fighters in residential areas knocked down walls to ease movement and make security forces' task of targeting them harder.
"The militants know our forces will not attack civilians so they are using young men as human shields to walk around the city and set buildings on fire," said one official in Kabul. | 2019-04-22T16:13:22 | https://www.trtworld.com/asia/fight-for-afghan-city-rages-despite-kabul-s-claim-of-upper-hand-19545 |
0.998717 | Story: The second film in the two-part "Kill Bill" series, the first being Kill Bill: Volume 1. Uma Thurman is going to "Kill Bill," in Quentin Tarantino's latest film about a former assassin betrayed by her boss, Bill (Carradine). Four years after surviving a bullet in the head, the bride (Thurman) emerges from a coma and swears revenge on her former master and his deadly squad of international assassins, played by Lucy Liu, Daryl Hannah, Vivica A. Fox and Michael Madsen. | 2019-04-21T18:38:08 | http://unimovies.uow.edu.au/movies/Archive/killbill2.html |
0.999198 | Can anyone recommend a decent electronics glossary of terms or dictionary?
I am new to programming and need some advice on which assembly code is better to start out on. What book (or books) should I get?
#1 If you’re new to programming, there are two types of programming to choose from. The first is procedural (which includes assembly); the second is object orientated. Object Orientated Programming (OOP) can easily be learned by downloading Express Editions of Visual Studio (for free) from Microsoft; along with numerous code samples and support information (from MSDN, also free); there are a lot of beginning programming books available for this platform. OOP has the advantage that it is the standard for corporate development.
The primary reason to learn assembly is for speed and absolute access to the physical hardware. If you don’t need both of these, learning a language like C might work out better for you. C is almost as fast as assembly and has the advantage that you can use it across various platforms. There are a lot of very good books for beginners for it, as well.
If you’re still set on learning assembly; the first thing you need to pick is your processor. Unless you already have a platform in mind, I would suggest picking one of these three: Microchip PIC microcontrollers; Atmel ARM microcontrollers; and TI MSP microcontrollers.
My personal recommendation is the TI product; the development environment is only $20, which includes a USB programmer, Flash-based processor board, and all the development software. In addition, the assembly language itself is very robust and easy to understand, and the kit includes a wealth of code examples. Once you’ve learned one assembly language, learning a second is much easier since you only have to learn how the mnemonics are different.
off the Internet (like Apple Win) and a 6502 assembly language tutor book from Amazon. These books are very education focused, plus, you can play classic Apple games while learning.
#2 You didn't mention which particular processor or microcontroller for which you would like to learn assembly. I will assume that you would be interested in the PIC microcontrollers manufactured by Microchip.
The first resource you will want to consider is the manufacturer's website, www.microchip.com. Here, you will find a wealth of knowledge in the form of reference manuals, device datasheets, and application notes. Also, be sure to download the MPLAB Integrated Development Environment. This free software package includes a simulator which allows you to single-step through each line of code and examine the results. This can be a very valuable tool in understanding how a particular microcontroller works.
I have an antique tractor that has a 6 VDC electrical system. Because this tractor is not used like the daily workhorse it once was, I have to charge the battery every month or so. I can find 12 VDC float chargers; and, in fact, use these $15 gems to maintain most of my lead-acid batteries. Can you provide me a circuit that will maintain the voltage of 6 VDC lead-acid batteries? The circuit would stay plugged into the 110 VAC mains and monitor the battery voltage.
#1 I have an Enerwatt 612-900 that would do what you ask. It looks like a larger-than-normal wall-wart, and comes with clamps and ring terminals.
It charges 6 or 12 volt lead-acid batteries with three stage charging and is designed to be left on the battery indefinitely.
I paid about $35 (Canadian) for it, and it’s available from Prairie Battery ( www.prairiebattery.ca).
has wire leads and can be bolted to the chassis or perf board. The parts were chosen to be able to be mounted on perf board or a RadioShack project board. The red LED is just to show that power is on. | 2019-04-20T06:54:32 | http://nutsvolts.texterity.com/nutsvolts/200704/?pg=94 |
0.998719 | I think that identity politics is the most radical and revolutionary act.
When society is criticised from the perspective of the most marginalised in society it offers an indictment that is uniquely all encompassing as it comes from the very bottom.
I think that dismissing identity politics as self serving and ultimately politically ineffective is inaccurate.
Identity Politics by oppressed and marginalised groups is inherently revolutionary and radical.
Like it or not, the Palestinian LGBTQ movement is part of the political cause, even if it did not actively participate in the fight against the symbols of colonialism and occupation -which do not distinguish between gay and straight. Its cause and name have become hostages of political games. The biggest example to that is how the Israeli government uses LGBTQs rights and tarnishes Palestinian LGBTQs’ image to pinkwash its crimes against the Palestinian people.
Is this to be the brave new gay world? A world in which the public face of the queer community -- the gay, the white, the cisgender and the wealthy -- take their place among society's elite, leaving the transgender, the non-white, the poor and the homeless to fend for themselves?
On the evening of June 28, two very different celebrations took place to mark the most historic New York City Pride week in decades.
The flashier of these celebrations was the iconic Dance on the Pier. As the Pride Parade came to a drizzly end, an exuberant crowd of young, gay and mostly white men made their way to Hudson River Park's Pier 26, where Ariana Grande headlined a big-budget outdoor mega-party. Complete with laser lights, multiple jumbotrons, fireworks and a legion of half-naked go-go dancers, the event was a brazen testament to the newfound trendiness of urban gaydom. Admission started at $80, but that didn't stop 10,000 enthusiastic fans from snatching up tickets to what organizers billed as one of the world's top-tier LGBT events.
If any of those 10,000 attendees had taken a break from the dancing and glanced across the Hudson to the north, they may have seen the outline of the Christopher Street Piers, where a celebration of a very different kind was taking place. Here, a motley crowd of queer homeless youths -- who definitely could not afford admission to Dance on the Pier -- decided to throw an impromptu party of their own. With the bass from the Ariana Grande concert pulsing in the background, the youths -- male, female, cisgender, transgender, gay, lesbian, bisexual, black and Latino -- drank, smoked, sang, vogued and played cards under the dim light of the street lamps.
Both parties paid homage to a common past by celebrating Pride and the decades of struggle it commemorates. Both parties acknowledged a common present by sharing space on the Hudson River Piers, the heart of New York's LGBT community. But the extravagant Ariana Grande concert and its upscale audience could not have seemed more out of place among the piers that have served as a safe haven for the queer community's most marginalized -- mostly queer homeless youth of color -- for decades.
And this growing rift between mainstream and marginalized LGBT people makes me fear that our community won't have a common future.
While the gay rights movement in the United States has achieved a remarkable string of successes over the past several years, including the invalidation of the Defense of Marriage Act and the legalization of gay marriage, not everyone within the LGBT community is equally positioned to take advantage of these successes.
After all, although marriage is a declaration of love, in many ways it is also an expression of interpersonal stability, economic security and social respectability -- attributes that many marginalized LGBT people do not have. So while love may have won for middle and upper class gays, many transgender people, queer people of color and queer homeless youths instead find themselves left behind by a community that has become increasingly defined by the interests of its white, cisgender, middle and upper class members.
Over a decade ago, this powerful subsection of the LGBT community decided that the fight for marriage equality would be the modern cornerstone of the gay rights movement -- and for good reason. Marriage is an institution of respectability. The fight for gay marriage suggested that the gay community had grown up, left its radical past behind and was ready to join mainstream society as a reputable partner. It dismantled the hypersexual, flamboyant gay stereotype and replaced it with a more wholesome image that mainstream America found more palatable.
It was also an assertion that the gay rights movement had reached an important milestone, transcending basic issues of health, safety, economic security and social stability.
But the problem is, it hadn't. Over 20 percent of all LGBT youth are homeless, and 40 percent of all homeless youth are LGBT. 58 percent of queer homeless youth have been sexually assaulted. 64 percent of transgender people make less than $25,000 per year. 41 percent of transgender people and 62 percent of queer homeless youth have attempted suicide. And 10 transgender women have been murdered in the U.S. so far this year.
And yet, as middle and upper class gays poured time and money into the fight for gay marriage, these and other less marketable LGBT issues were largely forgotten. The number of queer youths on the streets rose. Violence against transgender people increased. And the gap between the 'mainstream' queer community and its fringes grew. As one gay, black and homeless youth on Pier 45 told me, "It's like once they had marriage equality it's like, 'Nah, we don't feel your pain any more, sorry.'"
Is this to be the brave new gay world?
A world in which the public face of the queer community -- the gay, the white, the cisgender and the wealthy -- take their place among society's elite, leaving the transgender, the non-white, the poor and the homeless to fend for themselves?
A world where queer youths are disowned and thrown out on the street by their families, only to find that they are also considered second-class citizens in the community they reach out to for love and acceptance?
A world of partition, indifference, neglect and self-interest?
Unfortunately, this dystopia has already started to become reality. As 'mainstream' white gay culture has become not only socially accepted, but also widely marketed and commercialized, middle and upper class gay interests have become inseparably intertwined with the gentrification of historically gay spaces and the criminalization of poor, non-white, transgender and homeless individuals within these spaces.
For example, Greenwich Village -- long a refuge for queer youths fleeing rejection and persecution -- has become a shining showcase for the gay community's newfound prosperity, complete with organic juice bars, small dog boutiques and seemingly hundreds of overpriced coffee shops. And as the gay elite have become increasingly integrated into the power structure of society, many have used their newfound influence not to alleviate the inequalities within the queer community, but instead to cement their position at the pinnacle of an expanding LGBT hierarchy.
Instead of collaborating with queer homeless youth to recreate the old Village's culture of diversity and acceptance, many residents of this new Greenwich Village -- many of them gay and lesbian -- have sought to "clean" their streets of the "Bloods and Crips", "gangs of unruly youths" and "gay youth of African-American and Hispanic origin" - all seemingly references to queer homeless youth of color.
Instead of proudly embracing the Christopher Street Piers' rich history as a haven for disowned queer homeless youths, some residents have tried to eject the youths from the piers altogether, arguing that times have changed and queer youth no longer need safe spaces.
And instead of protecting queer homeless youths from harassment, the Christopher Street Patrol has increasingly hounded them for petty quality of life infractions, a strategy eerily similar to that of the anti-gay vigilantes the patrol was in part founded to combat. As one black transgender youth put it, "The damage comes from our own community. You'd think we'd be safe on our own piers."
But the worst part about this trend is that because the discrimination is perpetrated at least in part by our own community, it is given a sense of legitimacy. After all, it can't be homophobic if it's queers versus queers, right?!
With the stunning advances in gay rights and growing prosperity of America's LGB community over the past decade, it's easy to forget that the very groups we are now marginalizing are the ones who launched the queer rights movement at a time when being gay was still a crime.
If queer homeless youths, black drag queens, transgender women and gay hustlers had not risen up against oppression at Compton's Cafeteria and Stonewall over 45 years ago, we would not have gay marriage today. Our movement was built on the back of our community's margins. So as long as LGBT youths sleep on the street, transgender people fear for their lives, and queer people of color live in poverty, my new right to marry will be diminished.
The LGBT movement still has a long way to go; I just hope the next big battle for queer rights isn't against the queer community itself.
Neoliberals hijacked them. Best to listen to Adolph Reed.
I think that identity politics is the most radical and revolutionary act. When society is criticised from the perspective of the most marginalised in society it offers an indictment that is uniquely all encompassing as it comes from the very bottom.
Agree. Identity Politics is just another rebranding of an old struggle, the struggle for human rights. It isn't going away, it's never going away. Just because some people don't like that and are using the name as some sort of bludgeon to shame us into not grouping together over like issues is not even a thing in the first place. I guess everyone who wants to achieve equality should all stay separate while the people who are against it band together. Give me a break.
Those who use the term derisively practice identity politics because they perfected identity politics.
With the Southern Strategy, the Right drew identity politics' bright line of "us" v. "them." They did so by not so much specifically identifying the "us", but villainizing the "them." Blacks, browns, immigrants, social progressives, feminists, "intellectuals" and "elites" were and remain their targets.
The coalitions you're talking about were built not just out of affinity, but also in the interests of self-preservation.
Yes, that is true. But we are a little tired of always hearing about the Southern Strategy. It's an old saw, and another way Northerners think they are more egalitarian - they're really not - or they wouldn't be constantly referring to the Southern Strategy. There are far more People Of Color living in "The South" than in "The North", then and now. Let's just start there.
Also "The South" includes such diverse states as Maryland, Virgina, Kentucky, Texas, Arkansas and Florida, in addition to the usual suspects - not to mention if Washington DC were a state. JFK's famous quote is Washington is a city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm. It's a joke, by the way, for those who are overly literal. The Gulf (Dirty) Coast is an area all it's own with unique markers, accents and people even though it spans Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida - 5 states. That was the highway to the area, along with the rivers, long before roads were built.
Let's not forget that Robert E Lee graduated from West Point in New York AND was appointed Superintendent there in 1852, a position he loathed to take calling it a "snake pit" - but he obeyed the War Department. His grandfather was a Revolutionary War officer.
I also used to generalize about "The South" before I actually lived here, I was born in Ohio. It's so much different than many in "The North" think it is - in multiple and diverse ways. The problems can be more in your face, but in many ways people get along better because they have to, at least where I live.
Even thought this is an older book review article, it still gives SOME nuance to what people in "The South" are really like. They are just like people in "The North" for the most part. The gist of it is that even with all the racial aspects of the Southern Strategy, people still voted their pocketbooks when it came down to it.
Last night Little Wayne performed the Saints half-time show. He and his people are from a neighborhood called Hollygrove which was part of the McCarty (an Irishman) Plantation way back in the day. People tend to stay-put in New Orleans. One of the reasons the diaspora of Katrina was such a hardship. My neighbor's great-grandfather built the house she still lives in, in 1873, after the Civil War when POC could buy land. He was quite a successful businessman of his time.
Anyway, Little Wayne's last name is Carter. Guessing it's from from McCarty although I don't know his geneology. Suffice it to say he is far more famous and wealthy than McCarty ever was, or could ever dream of being.
Poppy, Many people of colour can’t vote though.
If they did it would not only mean that republicans would be out of business, but that Democrats would probably be forced to go left.
Poppy, Many people of colour can’t vote though. If they did it would probably not only mean that republicans would be out of business, but Democrats would be forced go left. Alow people of colour to vote. No one one should speak for them.
What does anything I have said mean I am not allowing people of color to vote? I know what you are saying. I am old and have spent my life reaching across that gap. You are preaching to the choir, baby. You are young and idealistic, I get that, but you will never force things the way you think in the bolded sentence above. Many people of color (and white people too) who CAN vote, DON'T vote. Do you understand that? There are SO many reasons why.
I live in a city that is 65% African-American with an extremely organized voter base. People who could not live in their homes after Katrina were bussed in by various groups so as not to lose their voting status. We now have our first FEMALE mayor. She is also black, which is not a first. You read all your books and materials, that's fine. I'm trying to expand your knowledge of the reality of 2018 beyond what you read on the internet from ouside this country.
The struggle for equal voting rights is ongoing, beyond our lifetimes. There are many ways to thwart voters besides with laws, and I have written about them right here in the org P&R. Yet you continue with the same hammer, the same way. Some of us are VERY aware of what is going on and participate actively to change it. You need to expand your dogma at the very least, that's what real activism and progress is about. It is a living thing.
And now I have to get to work, but I'll check back in.
Many people who can vote do not.
If they did, you are right, it would be a very different political conversation.
I don’t disagree with you here.
1. I am a lifelong Southerner. I'm well aware of the complexities of my region.
2. The Southern Strategy is a national one, not a regional one. It was employed to build a coalition of voters across the country, and was employed to great effect to build national coalitions for Republicans for 50 years. Trump is employing it right now to great effect. We may tire of hearing it, but it's with us still.
I am very sorry to say that, after more than 15 years of the so-called war on terror by US-NATO forces and their spending of tens of billions of dollars, the news from Afghanistan is disastrous.
Today, the men and women in my country are not liberated at all: we still suffer from the fascism of fundamentalism of different brands and an occupation by the US and NATO forces.
I have said in the past, again and again, that the root cause of the problems of my country is occupation and fundamentalism. What I have said in the past has all come true.
Sadly, our country still tops the list as drug producing, corrupt, illiterate, unhappy and misogynist and war-affected. The genocide in our country is no less brutal now than it was during the horror of the Taliban era. The occupation has only added to our problems.
There is no need for me to describe the condition of Afghanistan in detail, except to say that the wave of asylum seekers to Europe and other countries are mostly young people who take big risks. They then arrive and have to face more terrible political, economic and social conditions.
Millions of Afghans suffer from insecurity, poverty, joblessness, addiction, oppression and tyranny. More than 85% suffer from some sort of depression and mental disorders. More than 3 million from a total population of 30 million are addicted to drugs. The number is growing every day.
Western governments are clearly responsible for Afghanistan’s catastrophe: the wave of terrorism and the millions of asylum seekers are the outcome of these past 15 years of wrongdoing in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen and elsewhere.
As more than 60% of Afghans are jobless and destitute, they either join the Taliban, ISIS or other terrorist groups who pay up to US$600 per month to their fighters. Those who are deported from the West get addicted or join the ranks of the terrorists to survive.
I strongly condemn the Western governments’ anti-asylum seeker policies. Human rights values, international conventions and, most importantly, the major role they played in this crisis, oblige them to help those in need. They must follow international laws governing refugees.
The so-called war on terror is the biggest lie of the century.
In Afghanistan, we see how the US and NATO still directly and indirectly support and arm the most dangerous terrorists.
“Anti-terrorism” is still a strategic weapon in the hands of the White House; it is being used to destabilise Asia and block the economic and military progress of Russia, China and other potential US rivals.
Many of you may have heard about the so-called Mother of All Bombs (MOAB), the biggest non-nuclear US bomb that was recently dropped in Achin district of Nangarhar.
The claim that the target of this bomb was ISIS is a big lie because I don’t believe the US wants to destroy the Taliban, ISIS and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. Rather, it has contributed to nurturing this deadly virus in our country all these years.
The MOAB was dropped to test the most deadly weapon on our society and send a message to Russia, Iran, China and other rivals that the US has its most destructive bombs in its bases in Afghanistan, and can use them whenever it wishes.
The bombs and arms used by the US and NATO over the 16 years of occupation have contained radioactive elements. These have contaminated our environment and led to a terrifying rise in the rates of birth defects among children in the war-torn areas. In many areas, agriculture has also suffered.
The US has dropped bombs containing white phosphorous and depleted uranium on our people and it has also led to terrible environmental destruction.
The puppet government of Kabul gave the Pentagon a green light for committing these crimes and carrying out such tests when it signed the shameful strategic agreement with the US. In reality, our country has become the laboratory of the US-NATO war machine, and once again the site of conflict between the superpowers.
We are worried that Afghanistan will become the site of the superpowers’ arms race and sink deeper into war, destruction and misfortune.
As long as our country is occupied by the US and NATO, we will not have security and stability.
What Martin Luther King said 50 years ago remains true: the current US system is the biggest purveyor of violence and terrorism in history.
Over the decades of war, progressive forces and individuals in Afghanistan have resisted occupation and struggled against fundamentalism. This is our hope for the future of Afghanistan. Your solidarity and support always gave me more hope and courage to continue with this struggle.
Unfortunately, the US-NATO war and military invasions have turned the world into a bloodbath and we can even expect World War III if they are not stopped.
Stopping these savage wars and brutalities and establishing world peace is the moral responsibility of every conscious citizen of the world.
I feel it needs to be emphasized as national when speaking of it, that's what my post was about. Maybe you're hip to the complexities, being a lifelong Southerner. For many people, all they hear is the word Southern and think that doesn't involve them as it IS a regional and/or directional title.
I have had the experience of living in quite a few places in the States, and the Caribbean, which is a whole 'nother story and quite unlike the US. As far as I know, everything a person writes here is their two cents. | 2019-04-24T19:52:13 | http://prince.org/msg/105/456770 |
0.999995 | Please not that recruitment for these projects is now closed.
Experiment: This study aims to investigate how people behave when questioned at security checkpoints using virtual reality technology Participants will be wearing a head-mounted display (HMD) to immerse themselves in the virtual reality environment. Body movement will be measured via a wireless motion-tracking suit and verbal responses will be recorded. Please do not wear loose fitting clothes or thick jumpers.
Participant Requirements: Native/fluent English speakers. Please do not sign-up if you have a history of feeling sick/dizzy during VR.
Experiment: The main aim of the research project is to examine how people reason and the different types of learning strategies that people with dyslexia use.
First you will be asked to do some matching of visual patterns, and then a paper and pencil problem solving task. In this task you will be asked to determine the conclusion from information presented in two sentences about logical relations. This will be followed by a short training session, in the form of a booklet that demonstrates a particular method for problem solving. Then you will try again to solve some problems similar to those you have previously seen.
Participation in this study is confidential; all data will be analysed and stored anonymously, therefore no one will be individually identifiable.
Participants will be paid £10.50 for participation.
Experiment: This is a cross-cultural study conducted in collaboration with Franklin & Marshall College (USA). For this study you will complete a brief 10-minute questionnaire. To thank you for participating, you will have the option of entering a lottery to win a £50 gift card.
Participant Requirements: Over 18 years of age.
Location: This study can be completed online from any quiet location.
Dates: Recruiting until 30th June 2018.
Experiment: This is a cross-cultural study conducted in collaboration with Franklin & Marshall College (USA). For this study, you will be asked to complete a short questionnaire regarding your perceived safety. Prior to the questionnaire you will read a short article. To thank you for participating, you will have the option of entering a lottery to win a £50 gift card.
Contact details: A link to the online questionnaire is here: https://fandm.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_beo2wVs2xZKt6Nn Questions about the research can be directed to Stylianos Syropoulos ([email protected]) or Dr Nicola Power ([email protected]).
Experiment: You are invited to participate in a study that focusses on self-disclosure in security vetting scenarios. At this moment, we are organising a participant pool for this study. Your involvement is confidential and information you provide will be protected. Once you've contacted the researcher, she will send you an information form and demographic form to fill out. We will then contact you about an upcoming study, which will occur in the next 6-12 months. The study will entail an audio recorded interview in which you will be asked personal questions akin to those asked in security vetting procedures, and may include topics such as your involvement in criminal activity. Our study will be cleared in advance by relevant university ethics boards, which ensure the research won't put anyone at risk. Given the nature of this type of study, your confidentiality and privacy are of utmost importance. For these reasons, you will be asked not to share your name or identifying information during the study. The participant pool is voluntary and you are free to withdraw your interest or participation at any time. You will be paid for your participation in the study.
Participant Requirements: To be determined.
Experiment: This study looks at understanding the every day lives of those with chronic respiratory conditions, their care journeys and scoping the possibility of using technology to help them manage their condition. We are interested in speaking with those who have a chronic respiratory condition or somebody who cares for someone who does (such as family members, friends, paid carers, or other). If you agree to take part in this study, the researcher will meet you in a location that you are most comfortable and conduct a face to face interview with you to ask you about the topics outlined above. There are no monetary incentives for participating.
Participants: We are looking to speak with those who have a chronic respiratory condition (such as COPD) or somebody who has or has cared for someone with a chronic respiratory condition in the past. A carer may be a family member, a friend, a paid carer or similar.
Location: The location will be decided between the researcher and participant, but it will be somewhere that the participant feels most comfortable (for example a public library, coffee shop, etc). The researcher will travel to the participant.
Dates: Recruiting until December 10th 2018.
Experiment: If you click on this link: https://lancasteruni.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3Cv7W2EIhEvuPzL, your device will take you to a website called Qualtrics, which will ask you the questions. The questions are about how often you lie to other people. It will also show you 9 different scenarios and ask you whether you would lie in these scenarios and how you would feel in that situation. Your participation is completely anonymous: I will not be able to see who took part.
Participant requirement: You're happy take part and able to give informed consent.
Duration: It will take 15 to 30 minutes to answer all the questions.
Step, Two, Three, Four! How Well Can You Remember a Set of Actions?
Experiment: This study is investigating how we remember actions. It is part of a wider project that aims to understand how different concepts are represented and formed in our minds. You will be asked to watch an instructional video of someone making a small model. You will then be asked to make the same model from memory. You will be video recorded doing this so that we can later analyse how well you remembered the instructions. You will be paid £3.50 for your time.
Participant Requirements: Due to the nature of the study, you must be a native English speaker, with normal or corrected-to-normal vision, and able to carry out a simple manual task such as assembling a toy (i.e. have full upper body mobility).
Location: Whewell Building, Lancaster University.
Dates: Recruiting until end of December 2018.
Contact details: Please email Dr Briony Banks ([email protected]) for further information or to take part.
Experiment: The Goshna mobile application aims to help people who are deaf or hard of hearing more easily navigate airports. This is done by providing users of the application information and notifications about their flights (such as gate number and boarding time) which is typically available on screens or verbally announced in an airport. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, then in many airports you are limited to constantly checking the screens. Our intention is to provide greater independence to people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
If you decide to take part, we would like you to participate in a one-to-one interview or focus group (group interviews with about five people), where we will ask about your experience of navigating airports, how being deaf or hard of hearing has impacted your experience of airports, and your experience with the mobile application we are developing. You will be given the opportunity to use our prototype and give feedback on it as part of the study.
The interview will last about an hour and will be performed face-to-face, allowing adequate time to use the application, discuss your experiences in airports, and using the application. All interviews are audio recorded and transcribed. Your responses will be anonymised and if used in academic publications will not identify you. Data is stored securely and only named researchers will have access to it.
Participant Requirements: Hearing impairment (deaf or hard of hearing), and has travelled at least once through an airport. | 2019-04-24T14:52:23 | https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/research/participate-in-research/closed-projects/ |
0.999957 | How do I send a fax using RingCentral FaxOut in my Box account?
RingCentral allows you to send a file from your Box account through FaxOut.
Selecting an Available Document/Folder inside your Box account.
Uploading a Document/Folder from your computer.
Go to https://www.box.com/. Log in to your Box account.
Alternatively, you may log in using your Google account.
The sign in link is at the bottom part of the page.
There are 3 ways to search for the files you want to attach to your fax message. Click any of the following methods below, to see how you can select a document.
Type the name of the file, a certain word or phrase within a file. Click the magnifying glass or press enter to start the search.
NOTE: Box supports the use of "AND" and the use of quotation marks to narrow down your search results.
Click All Files to view all the files you have uploaded on your Box account. You will see all the folders and files you have uploaded. Click on a folder you want to expand or look at. You may also type the name of the folder you want to view.
After selecting the file you want to attach, click the More Options button which is located at the right side of the screen.
Hover the mouse over More Actions. Click RingCentral FaxOut.
Enter your RingCentral account details, as well as the fax number of the recipient. Click Okay.
NOTE: You can send a fax message to up to 50 recipients. Use commas to separate each number.
You will see a message confirmation that your fax has been processed.
You can also upload a document to your Box account by choosing the file from the local computer's storage. Uploading files can be done either inside the All Files view or inside a specific folder.
When uploading inside the All Files view.
Inside the Upload Files window, you can verify the files you have uploaded, remove files, add files, and specify the folder where you want the files to be uploaded.
Click Upload once everything has been finalized.
You will see a progress bar at the bottom part of the screen.
A notification appears once the file upload is finished.
When uploading inside a specific folder.
Go to the specific folder where you want to upload the file.
NOTE: You can either drag a file from your desktop to upload a file or just click file browser.
Select the file that you want to upload, then click Open or just double click the file.
Click the More Options button which is at the right side of the file you want to fax. | 2019-04-18T14:19:22 | https://success.ringcentral.co.uk/articles/RC_Knowledge_Article/5378 |
0.998607 | Was Darth Vader Not Originally Luke Skywalker’s Father in Empire Strikes Back?
MOVIE URBAN LEGEND: Darth Vader was not originally Luke Skywalker’s father in The Empire Strikes Back.
The reason that that plot point did not exactly make sense was because originally Anakin Skywalker was not Darth Vader. It is fairly well known among even casual Star Wars fans that George Lucas’ original plans for “The Star Wars” were drastically different from what made it into the first film. This is the basis for Dark Horse Comics’ current mini-series The Star Wars, which is based on George Lucas’ original draft of the Star Wars story. However, as it turns out, there were still drastic changes to be made in Lucas’ plans for the films even after the first film, all the way up through the original screenplay for The Empire Strikes Back.
Read on to learn how the tragic death of a Sci-Fi legend might have re-shaped the Star Wars universe forever!
While I am sure there are other couples who could challenge them, Edmond Hamilton and Leigh Brackett are likely the most accomplished married couple in the world of science fiction literature. Hamilton was one of the earliest adopters of the science fiction genre in the pulps during the 1920s and 1930s. He popularized the famous pulp fiction science hero Captain Future (although he did not actually create the character) and also worked on a number of notable comic books later in his life, including being the primary developer of Jerry Siegel’s creation, the Legion of Super-Heroes. Brackett started working in science fiction during the 1940s (she married Hamilton in 1946) and after taking a break to become a Hollywood screenwriter during the mid-1940s (her most famous work from this time was the complicated crime thriller The Big Sleep – a film so complicated that there is even an urban legend about Brackett and her fellow screenwriters not understanding the plot of the film themselves) she returned to science fiction full-time in 1949. She would still work on films after 1949 (including such notable works as 1959’s Rio Bravo, 1967’s El Dorado, 1970’s Rio Lobo – all three for Howard Hawks, who directed The Big Sleep. She also wrote 1973’s The Long Goodbye). But she devoted herself primarily to writing science fiction short stories and novels.
Oddly enough, then, before George Lucas commissioned her to write the screenplay for the sequel to Star Wars in 1977, Brackett had never actually written a science fiction film. As I discussed in a Movie Legends Revealed about whether the Wampa attack in Empire Strikes Back was written into the film to address Mark Hamill’s facial injuries, Lucas had a general plot outline for the Star Wars sequel in 1977. He discussed it with Brackett and then she went off and wrote her first draft of the screenplay for the film. She delivered it to Lucas in February of 1978. Tragically, it was the last piece of work Brackett ever did, as she was dying of cancer while working on the film and she succumbed to her illness soon after turning the first draft in to Lucas.
Brackett’s first draft is essentially the basic plot of Empire Strikes Back – the Battle of Hoth, Luke going off to train with an old Jedi master (although the Jedi master is named Minch in Brackett’s screenplay), Han and Leia meeting up with Lando Calrissian, who then betrays them to Darth Vader, who wants them as bait to draw in Luke Skywalker.
The major changes to Brackett’s plot are that Han is not captured in Brackett’s screenplay, Luke doesn’t lose a hand, Luke does have a twin sister, but it might not be Leia and most importantly, not only is Vader not revealed to be Luke’s father but Luke actually gets to meet his father, or at least a spirit of him, during his training at Dagobah (called Bog World in Brackett’s screenplay).
Skywalker: You’ve grown well, Luke, I’m proud of you. Did your uncle ever speak to you about your sister?
Luke: My sister? I have a sister? But why didn’t Uncle Owen?
S: It was my request. When I saw the Empire closing in, I sent you both away for your own safety, far apart from each other.
L: Where is she? What’s her name?
Luke. Will you take, from me, the oath of a Jedi knight?
Luke then takes the oath. The confrontation at the end of the film between Luke and Vader then becomes more of what we eventually see in Return of the Jedi, with Luke attacking Vader so savagely that he begins to lose control and tap into the Dark Side of the Force. Vader does want Luke to join him, but not as a son with his father, but just as his ally.
Darth: You’re in love with Leia. You don’t want to lose her to Han Solo…but you will, if you lack the courage to use the strength that’s in you. A strength as great as mine, Luke. If you join with me, nothing can stand against us.
Luke: What about the Empire?
D: The Empire is a passing phase. We would rule instead. You and I. The Emperor is a harsh master. You would not be. You could restore the peace, put a stop to the killing. How much good you could do, Luke! Don’t be afraid. Reach out, grasp the stars. They’re yours for the taking.
You don’t stand a chance against me…No more than your Father did, anyway.
So Luke find the strength to not only not kill Vader but also to manage to escape without Vader killing him. Still, he knows that the Dark Side is there inside of him. As the film ends, Luke is a changed man but one ready for the next adventure.
Lucas had a lot of problems with Brackett’s screenplay, as it seems like her style and Lucas’ just clashed in general. He wanted the ending to be a lot darker and for the heroes to be in a lot more danger at the end of the film. But in addition, he wanted to go over the idea of Vader and Luke’s father with Brackett. However, as noted earlier, Brackett tragically died a month after handing in the screenplay, so Lucas was never able to have Brackett revise the screenplay (that is if he was ever even going to go that route – I could easily see him replacing her on the project period) and instead Lucas had to come up with the new plot elements for the story himself. After revising the screenplay, Lucas then hired Lawrence Kasdan to polish up Lucas’ revised draft (oddly enough, only Brackett and Kasdan are credited for the screenplay during the film and not Lucas).
This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 19th, 2014 at 12:50 am and is filed under Movie Urban Legends Revealed. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
I was wondering the exact same thing. It’s been over a month; nothing new. I looked forward to this every Friday.
I’m going to guess he’s given up doing this. Since there have been no updates on over a month, I’m going to discontinue stopping by to see if anything new has been added. Too bad; it was fun and something to look forward to.
Michael Schur lifted that line from somewhere. It was either Family Guy or Robot Chicken.
I like this version better methinks.
Gary Kurtz has confirmed in interviews that 1)Luke’s sister was not originally going to be Leia, and that we would probably never have met her.
Thanks for the extra confirmation, percane!
I presume that first “Luke” was supposed to be Han. Otherwise Darth used Luke as bait to capture Luke.
Thanks, Logan! Fixed that typo.
A correction is needed here. The Long Goodbye is NOT a remake of the Big Sleep. It was a film adaptation of another Raymond Chandler novel of Philip Marlowe, called The Long Goodbye.
Thanks, Thomas! I thought I had fixed that already, but I see that I have not. It’s fixed now!
What’s interesting is that Lucas DID know there was something about Luke’s father and/or Darth Vader that he wanted hidden. Obi-Wan is clearly lying (all-too-obvious eye-shift and such) in Ep4 when he says Vader betrayed and murdered Anakin.
Given how much things evolved in the writing of Ep5 and that Guiness is no longer around to explain himself (and that Lucas sometimes doesn’t keep his own stories straight), we may never know what they were thinking at the time that scene was shot.
That’s a good idea for a future legend. Off the top of my head, though, I think he always planned on re-visiting the whole Obi-Wan/Anakin/Darth story someday.
This is not entirely correct (and another of your posts including the claim that Lucas didn’t come up with the notion of Vader as Luke’s father until ’78 is even more misleading).
It is fair to say that Brackett’s script doesn’t have the I Am Your Father bombshell but that is because it had not been decided on -it wasn’t set in stone.
Lucas has stated that he ‘planned it all along’. While that’s perhaps an exaggeration it is fair to say that it was an idea he had from early on.
The 3rd draft of the script for Star Wars stringly hints at Vader being Luke’s father.
The fact that this script is the one that also sees Vader promoted from being a mere henchman of the main baddie as he had been in earlier drafts to being the big bad himself suggests that Lucas may well have clocked the possibilities of the name in Dutch.
So it’s fair to say that a draft of Empire went in a different direction and that it wasn’t set in stone but it is most certainly not proven that this wasn’t a long standing idea that had been conceived far earlier. | 2019-04-20T06:45:39 | http://legendsrevealed.com/entertainment/2014/02/19/was-darth-vader-not-originally-luke-skywalkers-father-in-empire-strikes-back/ |
0.999332 | Hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") is a technology employed in the production of oil and gas from unconventional shale formations. Over the last decade, tens of thousands of fracking wells have been drilled worldwide. Fracking often takes place in relatively populated areas, thus posing an array of risks to public health such as water contamination and induced seismicity. In addition to inspecting and monitoring these risks, regulators now face the challenge of keeping the public well informed about their extent.
In order to shed light on how to address this challenge, we recently published a report on "The Effectiveness of Fracking Disclosure Regimes in Canada." Our research was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada as part of its Imagining Canada's Future Initiative. We evaluated information disclosure regulations in the four provinces where fracking currently takes place: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. As a point of comparison, the provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Quebec have various regulatory prohibitions on fracking. Overall, we found that while oil and gas companies are required to disclose a variety of information to provincial regulators, there are almost no regulations requiring this information to be disclosed to the public. In fact, we found only two regulations requiring a regulator to disclose information of any kind to the public, both in British Columbia.
Based on a conceptual model that we developed in order to assess the effectiveness of public disclosure, we concluded our report by recommending that regulators be more proactive in disclosing data they are already collecting. This would entail very little additional effort or cost, and could dramatically increase transparency. We also suggested that regulators adopt a more precautionary stance, and report on a wider array of environmental and health indicators, even if certainty about the effects of fracking on these indicators requires further scientific study.
Looking beyond fracking specifically, we believe that our model for assessing public disclosure effectiveness may be easily applicable to other contexts (1). The model is comprised of four main criteria, which are exemplified next by comparing the information provided by the main fracking disclosure websites (FracFocus.org in the United States and FracFocus.ca in Canada) to the information provided by the World Air Quality Index project (WAQI).
The first criterion is "Accessibility": How easy is it for the end-user to access the information? WAQI users can view data for a location by clicking on a visual representation of the world map. By contrast, FracFocus asks its users for specific geographic information to access desired local data.
Comprehensibility: How understandable are the data to the average user? WAQI data are provided in terms of simple one-word adjectives (e.g., "Unhealthy," "Moderate," "Good") accompanied by an intuitively matching color-scheme (e.g., red, yellow and green, respectively). Fracking data are provided in professional jargon from which it is hard to derive implications related to public health (e.g., contains 2-Amino-2-methyl-1-propanol 0.00019% concentration by mass).
Granularity: At what spatial and temporal resolutions are the data provided? The WAQI index enables city- and neighborhood-based granularity, which is highly useful for the public. In contrast, the fracking data are provided per drilling well, thereby requiring users to compile information from multiple sources. A family might have 10 wells in their backyard and 100 more in their town, but FracFocus provides no way to aggregate these impacts, let alone understand their consequences.
Timeliness: How quickly are data provided? WAQI information reflects real-time measurements, whereas fracking information is based on the last periodical report provided by the operator. By design, it does not provide data on timely critical events such as water contamination, fracking-induced seismicity and so forth.
We believe our model is potentially applicable to other settings where information is transmitted to the public, whether in environmental contexts (such as public disclosure of factory toxic releases in the United States), commercial contexts (such as financial planning information provided to banking customers), or on a day-to-day basis (such as information regarding urban traffic). Assessing current disclosure practices in each of these contexts using our framework may reveal useful insights both for information providers and their audiences. In addition, the model presented here may be further developed using a behavioral perspective, which examines how people make decisions when confronted with information formatted in different ways.
(1) Our model extends previous work by Weil, Fung, Graham and Fagotto (2006).
Miron Avidan is a doctoral student at McGill University. Dror Etzion is associate professor of strategy at McGill University's Desautels Faculty of Management. Joel Gehman is assistant professor of strategic management and organization in the Alberta School of Business at the University of Alberta. | 2019-04-22T00:43:44 | https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-makes-public-disclos_b_10742576 |
0.999999 | Your job is to identify all the abnormalities in this panel, and suggest the sequence of events most likely to result in these numbers. What other information do you want?
Three respondents did a great job describing the acid-base disorder.
1) The anion gap equals 32, thereby by definition the patient has an increased anion gap metabolic acidosis.
2) The delta gap equals 21, thereby the revealed bicarbonate is 42, supporting an underlying metabolic alkalosis.
3) These two metabolic problems fit the story perfectly. The patient had both positive ketones and a mildly elevated lactic acid level. We expected a metabolic alkalosis with persistent vomiting. The hypokalemia fits the clinical picture perfectly.
4) Using the Winter's equation, one also finds a respiratory alkalosis. Clinically, we felt that the respiratory alkalosis resulted from the hypotension and alcohol withdrawal.
5) All the acid-base abnormalities resolved over the next few days.
Now the electrolytes are really the point of this presentation. The patient has hyponatremia, likely secondary to volume contraction. Her serum osm = 259 with urine osm = 411.
We also checked Mg, normal at 2.5 and PO4, which was very low at 0.7.
What are the risks of the severe hypophosphatemia, and how would that abnormality impact your treatment plan? Also speculate why her initial PO4 was so low. | 2019-04-24T04:34:37 | http://blog.acpinternist.org/2012/05/dangerous-electrolytes-part-2.html |
0.999575 | HIV/AIDS advocates in Milwaukee County, Wis., yesterday during the 13th annual AIDS Walk Wisconsin "blasted" a proposal by a county official to reduce funding by $230,000 for an HIV/AIDS prevention program, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. In proposing the cut to the county's HIV/AIDS prevention program last week, County Executive Scott Walker said that he did not believe HIV/AIDS prevention to be "a core function of the county" and that it should instead be handled by "the city or the state health department." Walker said he was particularly concerned about the county program because of its support of needle exchange for injection drug users in an attempt to prevent the spread of HIV. County funds do not go directly toward purchasing needles, but they do cover the cost of staffing the program, which supplies clean needles to injection drug users. Walker said last week that he is opposed to spending "tax dollars to support illegal activity" and that the "only reason" that the county had supported the program at its inception in 2000 was because "politically at the time, there was the least resistance to the needle program at the county level because not many people paid too much attention to what the county was doing." He added that officials "didn't hear from any masses of people saying, 'Don't cut this particular program'" during seven recent hearings on his budget proposal. But yesterday at the Milwaukee staging of AIDS Walk Wisconsin, activists spoke out against the cuts. "How can he say he's for reducing taxes and then cut needle exchange, which will increase the tax burden by millions of dollars as the number of HIV patients on county medical care skyrockets?" Doug Nelson, director of the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, said, noting that the annual number of new HIV cases attributable to injection drug use has declined from 80 to 26 since Wisconsin legalized needle-exchange programs in 1994. Nelson said that the first step to HIV prevention is to get drug users to use clean needles, then to move them into treatment and counseling. The county program "has a mission to get these people off of drugs, but it's a very hard thing to do. You have to be patient. ... The problem will only be solved by working with the drug users day in and day out," he added (Sussman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , 9/29). Yesterday's AIDS Walk Wisconsin, which was two walks held simultaneously in Milwaukee and Madison, drew about 5,000 participants and raised $522,107, compared to $621,000 last year, Bob Schwoch, a walk spokesperson said (AP/Minneapolis Star Tribune , 9/30). | 2019-04-24T08:49:08 | https://khn.org/morning-breakout/dr00013743/ |
0.998608 | Will using pre trained embeddings speed up model training?
I have a text classification model that passes word embeddings through a GRU and the output of that GRU is passed fed into an ANN that gives one class as an output.
The dataset is huge(1.4 million lines) and I am training it on Google Colab. It takes 15 mins to just go through 500 lines of the dataset.
So to speed up training, I decided to use pre-trained Glove vectors instead of the random embeddings that Pytorch provides. How do I implement that?
And any idea abou what should I do about missing words that are not in the Glove vectors? How will they be embedded?
Any other ideas about speeding it up will be appreciated. | 2019-04-25T16:37:10 | https://discuss.pytorch.org/t/will-using-pre-trained-embeddings-speed-up-model-training/42338 |
0.999743 | Q. How do I share a Lynda video with Manchester Metropolitan staff/students?
You can share a Lynda course with other current Manchester Metropolitan staff and students. Lynda helps you to do this by offering a link that makes it easier for them to log in and use the course.
Log in to Lynda and go to the page for course you'd like to share.
If you have not created a personal profile with Lynda, it may ask you to do so at this point.
There should be three buttons, just above the video itself, called Playlist, Exercise files and Share.
Select the button called Share.
There are two tabs on the Share menu, Email and Link.
Your email will contain the name of the course and offer a log in through the University eresources log in page.
Select Link to get a link to the course that you can copy and paste in an email to send out to Manchester Met staff or students, add to an Manchester Met website or add to a reading list or Moodle area.
The other option, called Copy link for anyone else will not include the University log in page. Non-Manchester Met users will not be able to view the course unless they or their institution has a subscription to Lynda. | 2019-04-18T13:12:22 | https://libanswers.mmu.ac.uk/faq/80022 |
0.999996 | and me compete, and compute the numbers of our [respective] tribes. So do you go and fetch every member of your tribe, and make them all lie in a row across from this island to Cape Keta. Then I will tread on them, and count them as I run across. Hereby shall we know whether it or my tribe is the larger.' Upon my speaking thus, they were deceived and lay down in a row, and I trod on them and counted them as I came across, and was just about to get on land, when I said: 'You have been deceived by me.' As soon as I had finished speaking, the crocodile who lay the last of all seized me and stripped off all my clothing. As I was weeping and lamenting for this reason, the eighty Deities who went by before [thee] commanded and exhorted me, saying: 'Bathe in the salt water, and lie down exposed to the wind.' So, on my doing as they had instructed me, my whole body was hurt." Thereupon the Deity Great-Name-Possessor instructed the hare, saying: "Go quickly now to the river-mouth, wash thy body with the fresh water, then take the pollen of the sedges [growing] at the river-mouth, spread it about, and roll about upon it, whereupon thy body will certainly be restored to its original state." 6 So [the hare] did as it was instructed, and its body became as it had been originally. This was the White Hare of Inaba. 7 It is now called the Hare Deity. So the hare said to the Deity Great-Name-Possessor: "These eighty Deities shall certainly not get the Princess of Yakami. Though thou bearest the bag, Thine Augustness shall obtain her."
81:1 p. 82 Yakami-hime. The etymology is uncertain.
81:2 The name of a province not far from that of Idzumo. The word may possibly, as Motowori suggests, be derived from ina-ba, "rice-leaves."
81:3 p. 83 Kita-no-saki. The etymology of the name seems uncertain. The meaning of the word keta is "the beams of a roof, the yards of a sail." But perhaps Keta and keta may be nothing more than homonyms of independent origin.
81:4 Not far from the coast of Idzumo and of Inaba.
81:5 See Translator's Introduction, p. xxxiii, Note 41.
82:6 Literally "to its original skin"; that is to say that its skin would again be covered with fur.
82:7 Motowori and Moribe agree in considering that the word "white" means "bare" in this place, and the latter in his Critique of the former's Commentary quotes examples which show that their view is probably correct. | 2019-04-24T17:48:46 | http://www.sacred-texts.com/shi/kj/kj028.htm |
0.998821 | So Theresa May thinks that having a cabinet reshuffle will help her in 2018, does she? This cabinet reshuffle has seen cabinet ministers like Education Secretary Justine Greening depart and some stay in their position like Health Minister Jeremy Hunt. Under fire, Jeremy Hunt has now been given the brief of social care as well as his NHS job. Let's see what a hash he makes of this brief as he has with the NHS under his watch. Justine Greening apparently has never seen eye to eye with Mrs May and apparently departed swiftly after her job of Education Secretary was taken away from her. Meanwhile, the Foreign Secretary who would be Winston Churchill (at least in his mind) has stayed in position Boris Johnson. Last year was an awful year for the Prime Minister where she just about clung to power following last years general election. She had hoped that calling a snap election would give her a huge mandate when it came to Brexit and implementing her policies. However, the electorate deserted her in their droves seemingly to prefer the message of Jeremy Corbyn. Mrs May in this cabinet reshuffle for 2018 thinks that because she is promoting more women and ethnic minorities to her cabinet this will give her team a new look. Well, I have news for you Mrs May it is not the ethnic makeup or gender makeup of your cabinet that ordinary people are concerned with. Those on benefits or low paid jobs want something fresh for this country instead of austerity which is why many turned to Jeremy Corbyn in last years general election. Brexit is bogging down the government like an obsession (whichever way you voted) and this will dominate Mrs Mays term in office until we leave in 2019 and even then it will not be over. It would seem come hell or high water Theresa May lame duck Prime Minister that she is and despite all that befalls her is prepared to limp on dragging us with her to God knows where!
So Theresa May thinks that having a cabinet reshuffle will help her in 2018, does she? This cabinet reshuffle has seen cabinet ministers like Education Secretary Justine Greening depart and some stay in their position like Health Minister Jeremy Hunt. Under fire, Jeremy Hunt has now been given the brief of social care as well as his NHS job. Let's see what a hash he makes of this brief as he has with the NHS under his watch.
Justine Greening apparently has never seen eye to eye with Mrs May and apparently departed swiftly after her job of Education Secretary was taken away from her. Meanwhile, the Foreign Secretary who would be Winston Churchill (at least in his mind) has stayed in position Boris Johnson.
Last year was an awful year for the Prime Minister where she just about clung to power following last years general election. She had hoped that calling a snap election would give her a huge mandate when it came to Brexit and implementing her policies. However, the electorate deserted her in their droves seemingly to prefer the message of Jeremy Corbyn.
Mrs May in this cabinet reshuffle for 2018 thinks that because she is promoting more women and ethnic minorities to her cabinet this will give her team a new look. Well, I have news for you Mrs May it is not the ethnic makeup or gender makeup of your cabinet that ordinary people are concerned with. Those on benefits or low paid jobs want something fresh for this country instead of austerity which is why many turned to Jeremy Corbyn in last years general election. Brexit is bogging down the government like an obsession (whichever way you voted) and this will dominate Mrs Mays term in office until we leave in 2019 and even then it will not be over.
It would seem come hell or high water Theresa May lame duck Prime Minister that she is and despite all that befalls her is prepared to limp on dragging us with her to God knows where! | 2019-04-20T17:19:35 | https://tuetego.net/article/theresa-may-and-her-cabinet-re-shuffle |
0.996312 | How To Make Easy And Delicious Sambhar? Very Easy. I make this Sambhar with Toor and masoor daal, and consume it with rice for the main meal of the day. It is one of the most wholesome and popular South Indian breakfast recipe that you can’t miss trying out.
The aromatic flavours of this conventional South Indian dish are certainly impossible to resist. The speciality of this sambhar is that it is made with minimum oil and loads of greens which enhance its nutritive value. When served hot with Nutritious stuffed Idlis, it makes a meal which is very tough to resist. As a substitute, occasionally I relish this sambhar with steamed rice to make a healthy and wholesome meal.
You can use Everest Sambhar Masala or make your own Sambhar Masala (my favourite) and enjoy the aromatic sambhar.
This recipe isn’t tough in any way – simply assemble all of the required ingredients before setting out to prepare dinner, and take one step at a time. Sambhar masala can be acquired from an Indian grocer, or you can make your very own masala (a great deal greater fun!).
This recipe isn't tough in any way - simply assemble all of the required ingredients before setting out to prepare dinner, and take one step at a time. Sambhar masala can be acquired from an Indian grocer, or you can make your very own masala (a great deal greater fun!).
Clean, wash and soak the toovar dal and masoor dal.
Pressure cook the dal, onion, brinjals(optional), lauki (bottle gourd), pumpkin, French beans, drumstick and potato with 2 cups of water.
Fry the orcas till cooked and add to the pressure cooked dal with veggies.
Prepare the tempering by heating the oil in a non-stick pan and frying the mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida until the mustard seeds crackle.
Add onions and curry leaves and sauté till lightly golden.
Then add the tomato, tamarind pulp, sambhar masala powder and salt. Add to the sambhar and simmer for 10 minutes.
Description: This recipe isn't tough in any way - simply assemble all of the required ingredients before setting out to prepare dinner, and take one step at a time. Sambhar masala can be acquired from an Indian grocer, or you can make your very own masala (a great deal greater fun!).
Recipe Instructions: Pressure cook the dal, onion, brinjals(optional), lauki (bottle gourd), pumpkin, French beans, drumstick and potato with 2 cups of water. Fry the orcas till cooked and add to the pressure cooked dal with veggies. Prepare the tempering by heating the oil in a non-stick pan and frying the mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida until the mustard seeds crackle. Add onions and curry leaves and sauté till lightly golden. Then add the tomato, tamarind pulp, sambhar masala powder and salt. Add to the sambhar and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve hot.
You can add as many vegetables to this recipe as you want. It is a nutritious dish and can be served with, appam, idli, dosa, uttapam or plain basmati rice.
Do not store in the fridge for more than one days. It’ll lose all the aroma and nutritive value. | 2019-04-25T16:11:59 | https://foodalltime.com/how-to-make-easy-and-delicious-sambhar/ |
0.998808 | As my third season as a recreational soccer coach is wrapping up, I am starting to prepare for the next season. It is time to record what I provide and what I expect as a coach, so parents can read it in advance.
I am a volunteer. I am not paid by the association, nor do I get any discount. As a parent I pay as much as every other parent does.
I do this, because I want my kid to advance in the game. We spend a lot of time practicing one-on-one, but soccer is a team sport. A player should ultimately practice as part of a team competing against another team. Furthermore, the better a team is, the more individual players are challenged, and the more they advance. That is why I want to build a good team.
I teach. And I am serious about it. I value our time together. I do not waste my time trying to entertain kids who are not motivated. I teach kids who want to learn.
I teach both individual skills and team tactics with roughly equal emphasis. I also promote physical fitness and proper warming practices. The first half of each practice consist of a warm up and drills, and the second half – of a short game. If a kid is late for practice, he may skip a drill, but he will not skip the warm up. Running is not a punishment – it is a prerequisite.
Lastly, I set the number of practices to the maximum allowed by the association in order to maximize the value for kids.
My expectations are not from the kids I coach, but from their parents.
I expect parents to be interested in the advancement of their own kid, and to actively participate in the practices. I greatly appreciate help.
I expect parents to bring their kids on time for practice and especially on game days. Please allocate at least 10-15 minutes for warming up before games.
I expect parents to tie their kid’s shoes before practices and games. I understand this is the age when we teach our kids to tie their shows, but there are occasions when we have to make exceptions.
I expect parents to bring their kid’s ball to practices. If you bring your kid without a ball, you are not leaving me too many options how to keep him busy.
A roster has twice as many kids as there may be on the filed at the same time. The association has a rule that each kid is entitled to 50% of the game. I interpret that rule as: each kid is entitled to 50% of the game while the kid is present at the field. That means if a kid shows up for the second half, he will still play 50% of that second half, not the entire half.
I let kids play in the order of their arrival at the field. If you want your kid to start, come early.
Games are more intense then practices. Therefore kids need to warm up both physically and technically. Allocate 10-15 minutes for that and bring their ball.
My observation is that the kids whose parents commit time to play with them, advance most. You need not have played soccer in order to help your kid make progress. Even taking your kid to the park to watch a live game between older kids or adult amateurs will inspire him to learn. Try it. | 2019-04-26T06:50:46 | http://zlatko.michailov.org/2010/10/meet-coach.html |
0.998596 | Study free online Ux courses and MOOCs from top universities and colleges. Read reviews to decide if a class is right for you.
UX Design: From Concept to Prototype via Coursera 3-4 hours a week , 6 weeks long 3-4 hours a week , 6 weeks long 22nd Apr, 2019 No reviews yet.
UX (User Experience) Capstone via Coursera 9 hours a week , 6 weeks long 9 hours a week , 6 weeks long 22nd Apr, 2019 No reviews yet.
UX Research at Scale: Surveys, Analytics, Online Testing via Coursera 9 hours a week , 8 weeks long 9 hours a week , 8 weeks long 22nd Apr, 2019 No reviews yet.
UX / UI: Fundamentos para o design de interface via Coursera 15 hours worth of material , 6 weeks long 15 hours worth of material , 6 weeks long 29th Apr, 2019 No reviews yet.
Introduction to User Experience Design via Coursera 5 weeks long 5 weeks long 29th Apr, 2019 No reviews yet.
Mobile Design and Usability for Android via Udacity 2 weeks long 2 weeks long Self paced No reviews yet.
Design Thinking: UX and Advanced Topics via edX 5-6 hours a week , 4 weeks long 5-6 hours a week , 4 weeks long Self paced No reviews yet.
Software Design for Non-Designers via openSAP 3-4 hours a week , 6 weeks long 3-4 hours a week , 6 weeks long Self paced No reviews yet.
Understanding User Needs via Coursera 4-8 hours a week , 5 weeks long 4-8 hours a week , 5 weeks long 15th Apr, 2019 No reviews yet.
Web Design: Wireframes to Prototypes via Coursera 4-10 hours a week , 4 weeks long 4-10 hours a week , 4 weeks long 15th Apr, 2019 No reviews yet.
Web Design: Strategy and Information Architecture via Coursera 2-5 hours a week , 4 weeks long 2-5 hours a week , 4 weeks long 15th Apr, 2019 No reviews yet.
Input and Interaction via Coursera 3 weeks long 3 weeks long 15th Apr, 2019 No reviews yet.
Introduction to User Experience Principles and Processes via Coursera 2-4 hours a week , 6 weeks long 2-4 hours a week , 6 weeks long 15th Apr, 2019 No reviews yet.
Evaluating Designs with Users via Coursera 4 weeks long 4 weeks long 15th Apr, 2019 No reviews yet.
Architecture de l'information via France Université Numerique 1-3 hours a week , 6 weeks long 1-3 hours a week , 6 weeks long 18th Jan, 2017 No reviews yet.
Прототипирование и тестирование интерфейса via Coursera 6-8 hours a week , 4 weeks long 6-8 hours a week , 4 weeks long 11th Dec, 2017 No reviews yet.
25th Feb, 2019 No reviews yet. | 2019-04-20T20:23:20 | https://www.classcentral.com/tag/ux |
0.999998 | The term "locavore" gets serious when one filmmaker builds a garden into the back of his 1986 Dodge pickup truck. Organic Connections, the magazine for Natural Vitality finds out what happens when a Dodge learns new tricks.
What do crepes, tacos, coffee, kebabs, and local farms have in common? They are among the newest crop of New York City food trucks that have sprouted in the past several years—evidence of the growing urban agriculture trend.
How does the garden work? A six-inch topping of nutrient-rich soil, root barrier, erosion blanket, drainage mat, Styrofoam, gel, and clay comprise the system to ensure proper drainage for the fledgling arugula, basil, parsley, tomatoes, lavender, peppers, and sweet peas planted there. In the film, notable food dignitaries such as Marion Nestle and Chef Dan Barber are depicted praising the project’s mission; and applauding it's efforts.
Indeed, Truck Farm is not only a motivational film to expand the notion of where food can grow, but also a call for creativity, innovation, and community development.
Can local, organic food be affordable to all? Hardwick, Vermont, works to find out. | 2019-04-19T06:42:30 | https://www.newhope.com/sustainability/truck-farm-documents-mobile-garden |
0.996587 | What is the weight of the trigger pull on the 2260 and is it adjustable?
The weight is generally in the range of 3-4 pounds. The trigger is not adjustable. | 2019-04-25T22:19:27 | https://support.crosman.com/hc/en-us/articles/202947574-What-is-the-weight-of-the-trigger-pull-on-the-2260-and-is-it-adjustable- |
0.999959 | ABC OPEN: How am I running, when I can't walk?
Imagine waking up one day to find that you can't move. This happened to 24-year-old Miranda Licence from Pittsworth, near Toowoomba.
Miranda went running that day and returned for a nap. When she awoke later, she discovered she couldn't move her arms or legs.
With the aid of her boyfriend Sam, she was taken to the Toowoomba Base Hospital where she was deemed a mystery case.
For the next seven weeks, with the help of physiotherapists and doctors in Toowoomba and Brisbane, Miranda began to learn to walk again.
She was just starting an exciting new chapter in her life when all this occurred: she had just moved in with her new boyfriend, started her first teaching job, joined a Toowoomba hockey team and won the lead role in the local Pittsworth musical.
Eventually Miranda's movement returned, but it was uncoordinated and erratic, her arms and legs wobbling about like a new- born foal.
When Rajesh Singh, a physiotherapist at the Royal Brisbane Hospital encouraged Miranda onto a treadmill and began increasing the speed, Miranda discovered to her amazement that she could run.
"My big problem was that I could go quickly, but not slowly. We didn't discover that until he put me onto the treadmill. My mum was filming at the time and she though it was just crazy," Miranda recalls.
Rajesh explained: "I realised she loved sports so I took up the challenge of putting her on the treadmill. When you put on something automatic, the brain doesn't have to think and the attention is diverted to that second task."
With the help of Raj and an incredible amount of determination and family support, Miranda finally got back on her feet again, running and using her hockey skills as a way to re-learn the act of moving naturally.
And yet, despite being able to run and thread a hockey ball through cones at speed, Miranda still couldn't walk normally.
Two months into this ordeal, Miranda was out with Sam in Brisbane, picking up cakes. They were deep in conversation as they got out of the car and only realised when they were half way down the street that Miranda was walking normally.
"My biggest fear then was to stop walking. I just kept walking, because I was like, 'If I just sit down and stop, what if I can't walk again?'"
Eventually Miranda was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), a broad diagnosis meaning that the pathways in her brain aren't connecting properly. No particular reason for the sudden onset or disappearance of FND was revealed.
Nine months later, Miranda is back teaching full-time and playing hockey again. She was able to perform in the Pittsworth musical production, standing on tables and singing her heart out.
"It's taught me that I'm a lot stronger than I thought I was, that strength is not always a physical thing — determination is really critical as well."
Miranda has also returned to running.
"I still love running but now there are some days where I will walk, because walking makes me feel a lot stronger than running does now."
For more information on Functional Neurological Disorder, Dr Jon Stone's website (based in Edinburgh Scotland) is considered one of the leaders in this field.
Miranda Licence is the niece of the filmmaker, Jeff Licence.
This video wouldn't have been possible (or as powerful) without the footage provided by David, Leah and Grace Licence and Sam Robinson recorded throughout Miranda's experience.
yes some times it just happens that way, you are in the right place at the right time to get the treatment you need. Even with all the research and finding the names of the medical professionals who we feel can help does not always give us access to this life saving treatment. There is a lengthy wait to see any movement disorder specialist. I am so happy for Miranda and others who have managed to receive this care.... My son was diagnosed with Acute Spasmodic Torticollis two months ago we are still waiting to see a specialist. Three trips to hospital to no avail. He is bed ridden due to the pain of spasms. Miranda thank you for showing us there is hope. We just need more specialists following Dr Lehns recovery program.
Fantastic story Miranda, you are an encouragement for all those out there who think they will never walk again.
Great story and fantastic filming. Well done Jeff and well done Miranda for being positive. Many of us forget the simple act of walking but your story has mademe apprecite it even more. Keep up the short films Jeff.
Prepare for the TV program, the book and the movie of this extraordinary story of resilience and determination! Totally inspirational. Thanks!
I just loved this video. What amazing determination. It is so scary to think that any of us could wake up just like one day just like Miranda and not be able to walk. Good on you Miranda and just keep walking...Is she a relative of yours Jeff? Thanks for sharing this. | 2019-04-26T10:54:36 | https://open.abc.net.au/explore/114378 |
0.998233 | Finance is a broad term that describes two related activities: the study of how money is managed and the actual process of acquiring needed funds. Because individuals, businesses and government entities all need funding to operate, the field is often separated into three sub-categories: personal finance, corporate finance and public finance. All three categories are concerned with activities such as pursuing sound investments, obtaining low-cost credit, allocating funds for liabilities, and banking. Yet each has its own specific considerations. For example, individuals need to provision for retirement expenses, which means investing enough money during their working years and ensuring that their asset allocation fits their long-term plans. A large company, on the other hand, may have to decide whether to raise additional funds through a bond issue or stock offering. Investment banks may advise the firm on such considerations and help them market the securities. As for public finance, in addition to managing money for its day-to-day operations, a government body also has larger social responsibilities. Its goals include attaining an equitable distribution of income for its citizens and enacting policies that lead to a stable economy.
Task 1: Make a thorough research on the above company. Identify and briefly explain the sources of finance available for the expansion in the distribution of its line of products and highlight the implications of such sources of finance.
One of the most important issues facing all businesses, whether a business in the start-up phase or well-established, is the obtaining of appropriate levels of financing. Whether it is needed for investing in land, buildings or equipment, hiring new employees, investing in inventory or moving into new markets, obtaining sufficient financing to accomplish these goals is a dilemma nearly all business owners face. This law letter will provide a general overview of various sources of financing available to businesses both large and small. A listing of all the different possible avenues for raising funds to finance your business is beyond the scope of this law letter. The objective is to provide you with a basic working knowledge of various types of financing and things to watch out for with each. The most common sources of business financing which will be discussed in this letter are as follows: personal savings/"love money", conventional debt financing (banks/credit unions), government assistance, business partners/strategic alliances, venture capital and "going public".
Melaleuca Refugee Centre provides an environment for resettlement and healing of refugee survivors of torture and trauma, their families and communities through confidential, high quality, holistic services. In 2002, it expanded to include IHSS services and became known as the Melaleuca Refugee Centre Torture Trauma Survivors Service of the NT Incorporated (Melaleuca Refugee Centre).
The Toyota Foundation makes international grants for research and applied projects, mainly in Asia. The Foundation supports work in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Themes include connections between culture and environment; traditional agriculture in Asia; community-based conservation; and indigenous communities and natural resources. Among the Foundation's grant-making programs, the two of principal relevance in the Terra Viva Grants Directory are Research Grants Program and Asian Neighbors Program.
Melaleuca is the most problematic invasive plant species in Florida because of its wide distribution range, prolific seed production and potential impact on human health (Fuller 2005). Melaleuca threatens the preservation of critical wildlife habitat in southern Florida including in the Florida Everglades National Park. Despite control efforts melaleuca still occurred in around 170 000 hectares of southern Florida in 1997, representing 6% of the total region (Bodle & Van 1999, in Rayamajhi et al. 2007; Laroche 1999). Ecosystem Change: Melaleuca threatens the integrity of subtropical freshwater ecosystem processes in Florida (Dray & Center 1994, in Lopez-Zamora Comerford & Muchovej 2004) by altering soil chemistry, reducing de-composition rates and modifying hydrology and fire regime. Melaleuca also reduces species biodiversity and alters species composition. Reduction in Native Biodiversity: Melaleuca forests provide limited food and habitat value for native wildlife and can reduce indices of native species in Florida wetlands by as much as 80% (Dray et al 2006; Bodle et al., 1994, O'Hare & Dalrymple, 1997, in Dray et al. 2009; Porazinska Pratt & Giblin-Davis 2007). Decreases in diversity of native plant biodiversity have also been linked with melaleuca in the Bahamas. Habitat Alteration: Melaleuca is contributing to significant habitat loss in the Everglades National Park by converting fire-maintained sawgrass communities into Melaleuca forest (Turner et al. 1998, in Munger 2005). Displacement: Melaleuca displaces pond cypress (Taxodium ascendens) (Myers 1975 1983, Ewel 1986, in Rayamajhi et al. 2008b), slash pine (Pinus elliottii) and sawgrass (Cladium jamaicensis) (Bodle et al., 1994, in Tipping et al. 2008). Competition: Melaleuca is competitively superior to most native vegetation occurring in the Florida Everglades (Turner et al. 1998, in Pratt et al. 2005b). It is fire-adapted, herbivore-adapted and produces seeds and roots prolifically. Inhibits the Growth of Other Species: Allelochemicals present in roots can have a detrimental effect on the soil biota (Porazinska Pratt & Giblin-Davis 2007). Economic:Balciunas and Center (1991, in Serbesoff-King 2003) reported that by the year 2010, close to $2 billion would be lost due to the melaleuca invasion in southern Florida. Financial losses included $1 billion in tourism to the Everglades NP, $250 million in tourism to the rest of south Florida, $250 million in recreation, $250 million due to fires, $1 million in control efforts, $10 million due to loss of endangered species and $1 million to nursery growers. Agricultural: In one study 18 economic arthropod pests were collected from M. quinquenervia (Costello et al. 2008). Human Health: As melaleuca populations expand in southern Florida and the human population increases the risk of fire and loss of human life and property increases (Laroche 1999). Modification of Hydrology: A stand of melaleuca may transpire more water than the sawgrass communities it replaces (Hofstetter 1991a, in Laroche 1999). Modification of Fire Regime: Ground fires, high temperatures, rapid spread rates and abundant smoke, all present in burning melaleuca stands, present new risks for wildlife in the Everglades wetlands (Flowers 1991, in Laroche 1999). Modification of Nutrient Regime: The rate of decomposition of melaleuca litter is slower than that of native plants (Van & Rayamajhi, Unpub. Data, in Rayamajhi et al. 2006b).
Both the ratio for the years 2011 and 2012 also to 1, which means that if there is 1$ of total assets, then there will be 0.49$ and 0.36$ of surplus to common shareholders for the years 2011 and 2012 respectively. The return on assets in year 2011 is higher than the year 2012 due to the total asset in year 2011 is lower than the total assets in year 2012.
Both the ratio for the years 2011 and 2012 also to 1, which means that if there is 1$ of equity, then there will be 0.8$ and 0.5$ of surplus to common shareholders. The surplus difference between both years is 0.3$ due to the great difference of equity for the both years.
From Table 2 on above, can be seen that there is both the ratio for the years 2011 and 2012 also to 1, which means that if there is 1$ of current liabilities, then there will be 2.56$ and 3.74$ of current assets for two respective years. It can be show that the current ration of the year 2012 is higher than year 2011. This may cause by the current liabilities of the year 2012 is much higher than the year 2011.
Melaleuca have successfully reached and implemented a new Enterprise Agreement with staff and their union, which the overwhelming majority of staff supported. This was approved by Fair Work Australia in February 2012.The Manager also engaged an external and independent consultant to review the structure and operations of the organization. The manager has also approved the consultant's recommendations, and a new operational structure that better suits the current needs of the organization was implemented in July 2012. As part of this restructure, they created a new position of Deputy Director to better support executive management in Melaleuca. Mary Taylor (current Deputy Director) joined Melaleuca at a challenging time during the restructure. Manager members participated in a governance training workshop in February 2012 to expand our knowledge on the legal obligations of committee member and good governance practices. The Manager is currently working in collaboration with key stakeholders and staff on the next strategic plan for the organization to help organization set its direction for the short to medium term. In the background to all this activity, government policies on refugees and asylum seekers continue to evolve.
The Committee of Management and staff of Melaleuca have a legal and moral responsibility to manage Melaleuca in the best interests of the community it serves. Committee of Management and staff demonstrate professional ethical behaviour at all times in their responsibilities to the organization in their professional relationships with each other, and in their professional service to the community. Staff numbers at Melaleuca vary in relation to the centre's program cycles. However, for the day-to-day program implementation 40 staff members are employed. Ali Nur has been the Director of the Melaleuca Refugee Centre since early December 2009. He studied Medicine in Somalia and has a Masters degree in Public Health from the University of Sydney. He worked with refugees from eastern Ethiopia from 1979 to 1982 and came to Australia on a scholarship sponsored by Community Aid Abroad. In 1983 he returned to Australia on a humanitarian visa. He trained health workers in remote Aboriginal communities and worked with the NT Health Department. He also worked in Timor with Oxfam, in Indonesia doing earthquake relief, in Sri Lanka after the tsunami and in Vietnam with various international aid agencies. To read the NT News interview about our director (with authorization from NT News) Melaleuca Refugee Centre has a community-based Committee of Management (COM), which appoints the Director to manage the day-to-day operations of the organisation. The role of the Committee of Management is to meet regularly to monitor the performance and management of the organisation. The COM is elected from and by Associate Members of the organisation and is responsible for setting strategic directions. The COM meets at least 8 times a year.
The counseling team at Melaleuca Refugee Centre provides support, counseling and advocacy services to individuals and their families from refugee background. People who have experienced torture and trauma before coming to Australia might continue to suffer from effects of the prolonged exposure to human rights abuses, violence, war and physical hardship. Settling into a foreign country can be a very traumatizing experience. Melaleuca recognizes that people's pre-migration experiences and the process of resettlement are important to psychosocial well-being. Melaleuca offers initial counseling upon arrival and long term counseling for those individuals or families in need.
Melaleuca's youth program provides a multi-function program, offering a holistic, timely and culturally appropriate service to young people of refugee and migration background aged 12 to 21 years. The youth program under RECONNECT supports young people who are at risk of homelessness and enhances refugee youth engagement with family, education, training and community. The youth team collaborates with other agencies to facilitate new networks for young people and provide them with important social connections and extra support.
Melaleuca delivers a range of community development programs underpinned by the key principles and values of Community Development: education, participation, democracy, advocacy and strategies of community empowerment and strengthening that build social capital and community capacity. In the case of survivors of torture and trauma, community development rebuilds resilience which may have been eroded by past experiences. Community Development accepts that the impact of torture and state-sanctioned violence may result in distrust and conflict, and aims to build social cohesion and strength. It identifies and builds on individual and community assets. It links the community with others in collaborative partnerships, and empowers individuals and communities who are particularly disadvantaged within the resettlement country.
As a conclusion, the objective of financial statements analysis is to show how to rearrange information from financial statements into financial ratios that provide information about five areas of financial performance which are short-term solvency, activity, financial leverage, profitability and value. Accounting statements provide important information about the value of the firm. Financial analysis learns how to rearrange financial statements to squeeze out the maximum amount of information. While removal of Melaleuca is a mandate for public agencies, one of the remaining obstacles is that private landowners have generally not implemented control practices. While it is technically illegal for private individuals to possess Melaleuca, very little is actually being done to force them to remove it from their property, with the exception of a few proactive municipalities. Thus, while infestations of Melaleuca have declined on public lands, they are flourishing on private lands. These stands on private property may lead to new infestations or infestation in areas already treated, thus undermining public control efforts. A comprehensive strategy that includes private landowner incentives and enforcement is needed for inducing these landowners to adopt recommended control practices for Melaleuca. | 2019-04-21T07:06:16 | https://samples.edusson.com/what-security-if-any-can-be-provided-finance-essay/ |
0.998863 | What does R Regt C stand for?
The same can be said for many honorary colonels who appear on regimental occasions suitably adorned (including Conrad Black, who proudly sported traditional dress including frock-coat as honorary colonel of The Royal Regiment of Canada, while TV personality Wayne Rostad was one of the few "blue jobs" I encountered who wore his wedge cap correctly).
Among the other fifteen regiments were the Regiment de Maisonneuve (RdM), the only other almost exclusively French-Canadian and Catholic regiment within the Division, and fourteen mainly English-Canadian and religiously diverse regiments, including the Cameron Highlanders and the Royal Regiment of Canada.
Among the other fifteen regiments were the R6giment de Maisonneuve (RdM), the only other almost exclusively French-Canadian and Catholic regiment within the Division, and fourteen mainly English-Canadian and religiously diverse regiments, including the Cameron Highlanders and the Royal Regiment of Canada.
In recognition of his commitment to the military, Goldring was named Honorary Colonel of The Royal Regiment of Canada in 2006.
The Royal Regiment of Canada lost three killed and 25 wounded on 8 August, the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry only one killed and 14 wounded, the Essex Scottish three killed and 17 wounded.
First at Puys, where the Royal Regiment of Canada and three platoons of the Black Watch were mistakenly landed in broad daylight, sheer cliffs overlook their small landing area, itself blocked by a 12-foot seawall that, on that tragic day, was completely covered by machine-gun nests.
Steven Chand spent less than four years in the Royal Regiment of Canada, a Toronto military unit where he completed his basic training as a rifleman.
Prince Charles wears his in recognition of the colonelcy-in-chief of the Royal Regiment of Canada.
BEACHES COVERED WITH DEAD The raid started at dawn when the Royal Regiment of Canada landed at Puys. | 2019-04-24T10:02:12 | https://www.acronymfinder.com/Royal-Regiment-of-Canada-(R%20Regt%20C).html |
0.993791 | In A hard fought campaign where many waited until the last minute before deciding which way to vote, the world of football provided the words to capture the drama of the choice facing French voters.
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, who might consider himself team captain of the constitution, invoked the people's game when warning the electorate that a No would be an "own goal" for France.
The pro-treaty newspaper Le Figaro highlighted his observation as one of the soundbites of the campaign, giving the former president encouragement to pursue the theme. Drawing on last week's upset when Liverpool came back from 3-0 down at half time to win, he conjured up an image of Liverpool as the plucky Oui fighting back against the odds to overcome Milan's cocky Non.
"Until five or 10 minutes before the end of the game, Milan were winning," he said, betraying an imperfect grasp of the timetable of Liverpool's comeback.
"But it was Liverpool who won. The opinion polls say 'Milan will win' but for me, it's the Liverpool vote that's going to do it."
Mr Giscard also hinted at a possible replay - or second referendum - in case the French declined his advice at the first time of asking. He was not alone in allowing his thoughts to stray to the football field.
Peter Sain ley Berry, writing on the Brussels-based website EUObserver, developed the Giscard argument further.
"At half time Liverpool were losing by three goals to nil, which in footballing terms is as good an indicator of defeat as being an average of eight points down in a referendum campaign for two or three months," he said.
Opponents of the constitution have had their say, too. "A famous player once said the sport was played by 11 on each side in which the aim was to score goals and Germany always wins," said Daniel Ferro, a trade unionist adapting words once uttered by the pundit and former England striker Gary Lineker.
"It's a little bit the same with Europe: a game played by 25 where liberalism always wins." In the French lexicon "liberalism" means the red-blooded British and American style of captialism, a bogeyman for all trade unionists.
Even when football has not actually been mentioned, analysis of the campaign has resonated with its themes.
For the Left-wing daily newspaper Libération, the campaign produced not the threat of one own goal, as identified by Mr Giscard, but eight - the number of serious blunders it calculated were committed by the Yes campaign.
Libération opted to leave readers to make up their own minds on how to vote, although most of its writers are known to have favoured the Yes camp.
Unable to hide its exasperation at the error-strewn case for the treaty's approval, however, the newspaper cited the "arrogance" of champions of the Yes, from politicians whose moralising tone spurred on the No camp, to broadcasting pundits disproportionately in favour of approving the text.
It also referred to failures to separate the 2005 poll from the presidential elections due in 2007, and the Socialist Party's unimpressive efforts to distinguish between support for the treaty and disdain for a lacklustre government.
But one of the most decisive of Mr Chirac's own shortcomings, it found, was his inability to counter the mantra that the constitution was "ultraliberal".
Others saw Mr Chirac's crucial error as his choice of playing field for deciding the issue. He had no need to call a referendum at all but could have left the decision to parliament in the reasonably safe knowledge that MPs would vote to ratify.
When the campaign began, the Yes camp still seemed on course for a comfortable victory. But the No campaign quickly took off and chalked up 23 successive opinion poll success.
The graph lines of voting intentions were to criss-cross twice more, when the Yes made up ground first to edge ahead again a month ago, then to achieve neck-and-neck placing with the No early in May. In each case, the recovery was short-lived and No supporters ended the campaign consistently in the lead, according to the polls. | 2019-04-24T12:56:34 | https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/1491056/Giscard-expounds-on-a-campaign-of-two-halves.html |
0.999819 | While neuromyelitis optica (NMO) immunoglobulin (Ig) G is considered the hallmark serologic marker of NMO, its association is not absolute, as NMO IgG is not detected in approximately one-fourth of the patients diagnosed with NMO spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Thus, the recent discovery that antibodies to myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) are detected in some NMO IgG-seronegative patients manifesting clinical and neuroimaging signs of NMO or NMOSD has created tremendous excitement. However, it may be premature to classify this subgroup as NMOSD. NMO is considered an autoimmune astrocytopathy, and aquaporin-4 (AQP4), expressed on astrocytes, is recognized as the target autoantigen of NMO IgG. As its name denotes, MOG is produced by oligodendrocytes, CNS myelin-producing cells, and MOG is well-recognized as one of the candidate autoantigens in multiple sclerosis (MS) and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). Thus, is it possible that the clinical NMOSD-like phenotype associated with MOG-specific antibodies represents a variant of opticospinal MS or ADEM but not AQP4 autoimmunity or NMOSD? Whether this MOG-Ig positive AQP4-seronegative phenotype should be classified as NMOSD, opticospinal MS, or a unique entity is not simply a theoretical question but rather has practical implications for patients, their physicians, insurance carriers, and clinical investigators conducting NMO treatment trials.
Despite the use of sensitive assays, aquaporin-4 (AQP4)-specific antibodies are not detected in 10%–40% of patients diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) or NMO spectrum disorder (NMOSD).1 It is also recognized that AQP4 immunoglobulin (Ig) G+ NMO patients frequently produce other autoantibodies, including antibodies that target nuclear and cytoplasmic antigens identified in certain systemic rheumatologic diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren syndrome.2 Together, these observations raise the possibility that antibodies in some patients with NMO or NMOSD might also target another CNS autoantigen(s). In this regard, anti–myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibodies (MOG Ig+) have been identified in some patients diagnosed with NMO or NMOSD.3,–,8 When 3 separate groups evaluated antibodies to both MOG and AQP4 in patients with NMOSD,3,4,8 they observed that NMO IgG was only rarely detectable in MOG Ig+ patients, and conversely, anti-MOG Ig was not observed in nearly all NMO IgG-seropositive NMO patients. Thus, excluding potential issues regarding the sensitivity of the assays, reactivity to these CNS autoantigens was essentially mutually exclusive. Despite differences in ethnicity in the patient populations studied, these 3 investigations identified similar clinical features in this MOG Ig+ patient subpopulation, including a higher proportion of males, fewer relapses, and better recovery than AQP4-seropositive NMO. MOG Ig+ AQP4-seronegative opticospinal disease therefore manifests with clinical features that are distinct from classical AQP4-seropositive NMO.
From a clinical perspective, there are compelling reasons to include this MOG Ig+ subgroup of patients under the umbrella of NMOSD. Physicians and their patients rely on appropriate diagnosis when initiating therapeutic intervention. As AQP4-specific antibodies cannot be demonstrated in some individuals suspected of having NMO, identification of subgroups of AQP4-seronegative patients that produce antibodies to other target CNS autoantigens could facilitate its diagnosis. Optic nerves and spinal cord, the 2 anatomic sites affected most frequently in NMO, are not safely accessible for biopsy. Thus, diagnosis of NMO or NMOSD is ideally based on clinical manifestations, neuroimaging, and serology. Lastly, a diagnosis of NMOSD may be advantageous when patients are attempting to secure insurance coverage for costly NMO treatments. Nevertheless, there may be other clinical concerns in applying the term MOG Ig+ AQP4-seronegative NMO. For example, interferon β and natalizumab, 2 medications approved for treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), may exacerbate AQP4-seropositive NMO.9,–,12 One can imagine that treatment decisions may become more complex if the pathology of this MOG Ig+ opticospinal inflammatory condition is different from AQP4-seropositive NMOSD.
The limited knowledge of the mechanisms responsible for the pathogenesis further highlights the issues in currently applying the term NMOSD to MOG Ig+ opticospinal inflammatory disorder. Serum antibodies against MOG are most well-recognized in acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM),13 especially in pediatric patients,13,–,19 and have now been identified in children diagnosed with NMO7 or with clinical presentations resembling NMO, i.e., longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis19 or recurrent optic neuritis.18 The immunology, pathology, and genetics of MOG Ig-associated opticospinal disease and NMOSD might be quite distinct. Since the discovery of NMO IgG in 2004,20 the presence of these antibodies in patients has provided diagnostic confirmation and served to distinguish NMO from MS or other forms of CNS demyelinating disease.21 AQP4, the most abundant CNS water channel protein, is highly expressed on astrocyte foot processes at the blood-brain barrier,22 and pathologic studies of NMO lesions demonstrate injury to astrocytes associated with deposition of Ig and complement, providing further support for a humoral immune pathogenesis (see the figure). In contrast to MS, in NMO there is relative sparing of myelin, considered the primary immune target in MS. The presence of antibodies is a hallmark feature of type 2 MS pathologic lesions.23 Furthermore, anti-MOG antibodies have been identified in MS lesions, in particular those associated with vesicular demyelination.24 The MOG Ig+ NMOSD-like clinical phenotype might therefore represent an opticospinal type 2 MS variant. Whereas lymphocytes are characteristic of newly forming MS lesions,25 the cellular composition of NMO lesions is marked by the presence of neutrophils and eosinophils,22 2 leukocyte subtypes not normally detected in MS. Of interest, mice containing T cells specific for MOG develop optic neuritis,26 and when both T cells and B cells target MOG, they spontaneously develop an opticospinal form of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) that is characterized by lymphocytic infiltrates.27,–,29 It should also be beneficial to determine whether there are genetic associations with this unique phenotype. MS is associated with human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR2 (DRB1*1501), and NMO has been associated with HLA-DR17 (DRB1*0301).30 Antibody responses may be associated with HLA subtypes (i.e., major histocompatibility complex [MHC] restriction). Although serum anti-MOG antibodies are not a characteristic feature of MS31 and data indicate anti-MOG antibodies in pediatric ADEM are not related to specific MHC II (i.e., HLA-D) genes,32 it is important to determine whether MOG Ig+ AQP4-seronegative opticospinal inflammatory disease is associated with either HLA-DR2 or HLA-DR17.
Nonetheless, certain immunologic features of NMO are shared with this novel MOG Ig-associated opticospinal inflammatory disease. Whereas oligoclonal IgG bands (OBs) are identified in the CSF of most patients with MS, they are detected in only a minority of patients with NMO.33 As in NMO, OBs were rarely detected in patients with MOG Ig-associated opticospinal inflammatory disease.3 It is recognized that NMO IgG is mostly produced outside the CNS, as studies have demonstrated that its concentration in serum is many times higher than in CSF.34 Thus, both the identification of MOG-specific antibodies in the serum and the relative absence of CSF OBs suggest that, like in NMO, the MOG-specific humoral immune process occurs predominantly outside the CNS in these patients. Of interest, histologic analysis of NMO lesions in experimental animal studies suggests that the unique cellular composition of NMO lesions may reflect the complement-fixing properties of NMO IgG, an IgG1 subtype.35 While presumably targeting oligodendrocytes and not astrocytes, one could imagine that serum-derived MOG-specific Ig, whose isotype has yet to be characterized, could promote accumulation of cell types typically detected in NMO in AQP4-seronegative patients. Then again, this possibility seems unlikely because it is well-known that transfer of MOG-specific antibodies in several MOG-induced EAE models in different species promotes demyelinating lesions that resemble MS.24,36,–,38 Also, systemic administration of MOG-specific antibodies alone, like NMO IgG or AQP4-specific antibodies, is not considered pathogenic in the absence of CNS cellular inflammation.37,39,40 AQP4-specific T cells are detected in AQP4-seropositive NMO patients41,42 and exhibit Th17 polarization.41 It has been observed that Th17-polarized myelin protein-specific T cells expanded in vitro can induce atypical or opticospinal forms of EAE that are associated with CNS recruitment of neutrophils,43,–,45 so it is conceivable that MOG-specific T cells, which likely direct the peripheral humoral anti-MOG antibody response (see the figure), could promote CNS accumulation of neutrophils in MOG Ig+ AQP4-seronegative patients. Regardless, without pathologic examination of affected CNS tissue from MOG Ig+ AQP4-seronegative patients, such views are only speculative.
If this opticospinal inflammatory disorder associated with MOG-specific Ig is an NMOSD, one should recognize that it represents just one subset of AQP4-seronegative NMOSD.3,4 Although the sample sizes were small, in 1 of the 3 reports, antibody tests to MOG or AQP4 were repeated after recovery from the acute exacerbation in patients who had previously demonstrated antibodies to MOG or AQP4, respectively.3 Of interest, they could no longer detect MOG-specific antibodies in more than 50% of the original MOG Ig+ patients or AQP4-specific antibodies in 15% of the patients who initially had detectable antibodies to AQP4. Thus, MOG Ig seropositivity may not be a stable serologic phenotype. One might therefore question whether generation of MOG-specific antibodies in these individuals could also reflect “acute phase” collateral injury to oligodendrocytes, innocent bystanders from an immune attack primarily targeting astrocytes. Consequently, the MOG-specific antibodies in NMOSD might represent an example of both “intercellular” and “intermolecular” epitope spreading. Yet if response to oligodendrocytes occurs secondarily, one would anticipate detection of both AQP4-specific and MOG-specific antibodies simultaneously in some patients. However, when antibodies to AQP4 or MOG were present, they were detected to only 1 of these 2 CNS autoantigens in nearly all of the patients described. Further, in a recent case report46 of a patient who experienced a severe exacerbation and also fulfilled diagnostic criteria for NMO but was AQP4-seronegative, serum anti-MOG antibodies corresponded to an elevation in CSF myelin basic protein (MBP), indicative of acute injury to myelin. However, there was no elevation in CSF glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a marker of astrocyte damage that is elevated during exacerbations in AQP4-seropositive NMO patients.47 Clinical improvement in this patient was associated with reduction in both serum levels of anti-MOG antibodies and CSF MBP. Clearly, more longitudinal studies evaluating anti-MOG antibodies, as well as surrogate markers of myelin or astrocyte damage (e.g., CSF MBP and GFAP, respectively), should be conducted in both AQP4-seronegative and AQP4-seropositive patients.
Identification of this unique MOG Ig+ phenotype of opticospinal inflammatory disease creates an additional variable to consider when conducting clinical treatment trials in NMOSD. Clinical investigators are already familiar with heterogeneity, as approximately one-fourth of the patients diagnosed with NMOSD are AQP4-seronegative.1 Because the natural history of MOG Ig+ patients is distinct and recovery without relapse could be the norm, including all AQP4-seronegative NMOSD patients together without consideration of MOG antibody status could compromise the capability of detecting a true benefit of a candidate therapeutic. However, because NMO is a rare condition and there are currently no approved therapies, there may be a desire to include such patients in clinical treatment trials. Thus, when designing NMO clinical trials, it would be advantageous to consider these subgroups when calculating sample sizes for adequate statistical power and to plan prospectively to analyze data obtained from them separately.
Identifying a problem is easier than solving it. The criteria for diagnosing MS and classifying its subtypes have been refined and improved with multiple iterations.48 Similarly, criteria for diagnosing NMO have certainly advanced in the 10 years since the discovery of NMO IgG.21 As our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of NMO increases, one can anticipate further refinements in its diagnostic criteria. However, the term MOG Ig+ AQP4-seronegative NMOSD represents a fundamental disconnect with our current understanding of NMO as an astrocytopathy. Thus, one should exercise caution in applying the term NMOSD to MOG IgG+ patients. While one may consider categorization according to antigen specificity, e.g., AQP4 autoimmunity (“aquaporinopathy”) and MOG autoimmunity (“MOG-opathy”), this may not accurately reflect the AQP4-seronegative astrocytopathy, currently classified as NMOSD. Because the majority of NMOSD is AQP4-seropositive and a minority of AQP4-seronegative NMOSD is MOG Ig+, pathologic examination of sufficient numbers of AQP4-seronegative, MOG Ig-seronegative NMOSD cases is particularly important. Ultimately, neuropathologic examination of several AQP4-seronegative and MOG Ig+ cases may dictate whether opticospinal inflammatory disease associated with MOG-specific antibodies is classified as a member of NMOSD, as opticospinal MS, or as a unique condition. In our view, until that time, the MOG Ig+ opticospinal phenotype should be separated from NMOSD.
Scott S. Zamvil: drafting/revising manuscript, study concept or design, analysis or interpretation of data. Anthony J. Slavin: drafting/revising the manuscript.
S.S. Zamvil has received honoraria for serving on data safety monitoring boards for MS trials conducted by BioMS, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Eli Lilly and Co.; is deputy editor for Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation; is an associate editor for Journal of the Neurological Sciences; holds a patent for aquaporin-4 peptides and methods for using same; received honoraria from Biogen-Idec, Teva Neuroscience, and Genzyme; has consulted for Biogen-Idec, Teva Neuroscience, and Genzyme; is on the speakers' bureau for Advanced Health Media and Biogen; and has received research support from NIH, NMSS, Guthy Jackson Charitable Foundation, and Maisin Foundation. A.J. Slavin is an employee of Abbvie Bioresearch Center and was formerly an employee of Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals. Go to Neurology.org/nn for full disclosures.
The authors thank Drs. Wolfgang Brück, Klaus Lehmann-Horn, Patricia Nelson, and Michel Varrin-Doyer for helpful discussions and review of the manuscript.
Accepted in final form December 1, 2014.
. AQP4 antibodies in neuromyelitis optica: diagnostic and pathogenetic relevance. Nat Rev Neurol 2010;6:383–392.
. Antibodies to MOG and AQP4 in adults with neuromyelitis optica and suspected limited forms of the disease. Mult Scler Epub 2014 Oct 24.
. Development of extensive brain lesions following interferon beta therapy in relapsing neuromyelitis optica and longitudinally extensive myelitis. J Neurol 2008;255:305–307.
. Interferon Beta treatment in neuromyelitis optica: increase in relapses and aquaporin 4 antibody titers. Arch Neurol 2010;67:1016–1017.
. Massive astrocyte destruction in neuromyelitis optica despite natalizumab therapy. Mult Scler 2012;18:108–112.
. Catastrophic brain relapse in seronegative NMO after a single dose of natalizumab. J Neurol Sci 2014;339:223–225.
. Age-dependent B cell autoimmunity to a myelin surface antigen in pediatric multiple sclerosis. J Immunol 2009;183:4067–4076.
. Antibodies to MOG are transient in childhood acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. Neurology 2011;77:580–588.
. Temporal dynamics of anti-MOG antibodies in CNS demyelinating diseases. Clin Immunol 2011;138:247–254.
. Clinical and neuroradiological differences of paediatric acute disseminating encephalomyelitis with and without antibodies to the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry Epub 2014 Aug 13.
. Identification of autoantibodies associated with myelin damage in multiple sclerosis. Nat Med 1999;5:170–175.
. The immunopathology of multiple sclerosis: an overview. Brain Pathol 2007;17:210–218.
. Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-specific T cell receptor transgenic mice develop spontaneous autoimmune optic neuritis. J Exp Med 2003;197:1073–1081.
. Spontaneous opticospinal encephalomyelitis in a double-transgenic mouse model of autoimmune T cell/B cell cooperation. J Clin Invest 2006;116:2385–2392.
. Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-specific T and B cells cooperate to induce a Devic-like disease in mice. J Clin Invest 2006;116:2393–2402.
. HLA-DRB association in neuromyelitis optica is different from that observed in multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler 2010;16:21–29.
. Antibody response to myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein and myelin basic protein depend on familial background and are partially associated with human leukocyte antigen alleles in multiplex families and sporadic multiple sclerosis. J Neuroimmunol 2002;131:201–207.
. Cerebrospinal fluid findings in aquaporin-4 antibody positive neuromyelitis optica: results from 211 lumbar punctures. J Neurol Sci 2011;306:82–90.
. Cerebrospinal fluid antibodies to aquaporin-4 in neuromyelitis optica and related disorders: frequency, origin, and diagnostic relevance. J Neuroinflammation 2010;7:52.
. Neutrophil protease inhibition reduces neuromyelitis optica-immunoglobulin G-induced damage in mouse brain. Ann Neurol 2012;71:323–333.
. Augmentation of demyelination in rat acute allergic encephalomyelitis by circulating mouse monoclonal antibodies directed against a myelin/oligodendrocyte glycoprotein. Am J Pathol 1988;130:443–454.
. B lymphocytes producing demyelinating autoantibodies: development and function in gene-targeted transgenic mice. J Exp Med 1998;188:169–180.
. Intrathecal pathogenic anti-aquaporin-4 antibodies in early neuromyelitis optica. Ann Neurol 2009;66:617–629.
. T-cell reactivity against AQP4 in neuromyelitis optica. Neurology 2012;79:945–946.
. Differential regulation of central nervous system autoimmunity by T(H)1 and T(H)17 cells. Nat Med 2008;14:337–342.
. IL-12- and IL-23-modulated T cells induce distinct types of EAE based on histology, CNS chemokine profile, and response to cytokine inhibition. J Exp Med 2008;205:1535–1541.
. Protective effect of an elastase inhibitor in a neuromyelitis optica-like disease driven by a peptide of myelin oligodendroglial glycoprotein. Mult Scler 2012;18:398–408.
. Severe demyelination but no astrocytopathy in clinically definite neuromyelitis optica with anti-myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody. Mult Scler Epub 2014 Sep 25.
. Astrocytic damage is far more severe than demyelination in NMO: a clinical CSF biomarker study. Neurology 2010;75:208–216.
. Follicular helper CD4 T cells (TFH). Annu Rev Immunol 2011;29:621–663.
. Immunodominant T-cell epitopes of MOG reside in its transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains in EAE. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm 2014;1:e22. doi: 10.1212/NXI.0000000000000022.
. MOG transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains contain highly stimulatory T-cell epitopes in MS. Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm 2014;1:e20. doi: 10.1212/NXI.0000000000000020.
. Requirement for endocytic antigen processing and influence of invariant chain and H-2M deficiencies in CNS autoimmunity. J Clin Invest 2001;108:1133–1139. | 2019-04-20T02:27:27 | https://nn.neurology.org/content/2/1/e62 |
0.998877 | What's a Milan Lucic milestone without interesting postgame attire? After recording his 30th goal of the season Tuesday night, Lucic entered the dressing room in an old, faded (and old) Bruins windbreaker from what appeared to be the early 1990s. Lucic conducted his entire session with reporters without making mention of it, but explained the fashion choice afterward. "Andrew Ference found it, and he wanted to kind of pass it on between the guys," Lucic said, "so I guess I'm the model for it." "It's Cam [Neely]'s era," Lucic said of the style with a laugh. "His team track suits." Devotees will remember that Lucic was sporting a fedora following his Nov. 18 hat trick. He said after that game that each player to pick up a hat trick would wear the fedora following the game. Since then, both Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara have celebrated hat tricks -- sans headwear. "I guess I'm the model of the team," Lucic said of the fact that he starts trends that his teammates may or, more commonly, may not follow. "I have to fashion off all the new stuff." The jacket was entertaining, but it certainly wasn't "new stuff." It was old. | 2019-04-24T11:55:50 | https://weei.radio.com/blogs/dj-bean/milan-lucic-once-again-celebrates-milestone-style |
0.999999 | Is it possible that a two letter word can make any difference? There has been a movement in recent times which has been rekindling an interest in the church and more specifically finding new ways to express that life in a modern world. This has found expression in alternative gatherings or missional communities. When this is discussed the phrase 'do church' or 'doing church' is used, but does the word do mean anything? Is it in anyway significant that we talk of doing church rather than being church?
Surely this talk should be of being church not doing. When we come to Christ we are his and we are brought into His church. We can recall the words of 1 Peter 2v9-10 where we read 'we are', this is about being not doing. We are called in Christ to be the church where we are. That means we are to be the church in our communities.
These two small words do make a difference. At best it is poor grammar. How can we do what we are, doing being? We can be the church well or be the church poorly, but at the end we can no more do church than we can do human.
But at its worst it brings to the church the consumer ideology. If we can do church it becomes a matter of choice, if I choose not to I can leave any area of the churches life or even walk away completely because I can do church my way. To talk of doing church is to put the emphasis on me rather than on Christ and His work to binds us together. It becomes my choice, my decision, my interests, rather than discerning what it means to be part of the church and working at the practical reality of being united through Christ.
With this comes a great encouragement. We belong to and are part of the church, not by our own merit or what we can bring and do, but because we a chosen and loved. Being part of the church is part of the act of grace. We are loved, special and chosen not as just individuals but as the body of Christ that we entered with the price of His sacrifice.
If being brings encouragement it also brings a challenge. That is not only in our commitment to the church but our commitment to the unity of the church. To be the church where God has placed us is not easy and as our faith takes perseverance so does our commitment to the church. So lets commit to being the Church God wants us to be.
What has happened to the Christian tradition of non-violent action?
A retired CofE vicar in Bristol recently wrote in the local paper about the unacceptable divide between the richest and poorest parts of the city. He makes the usual points about the main causes - low wages, the bedroom tax, benefit cuts etc. Yet when he addresses what his solution to all this is, he meekly proclaims that we should all try to live more simply.
Now I'm sure most Christians, and indeed many non Christians, would heartily concur with this (where they are not already doing so out of poverty!) but can we as Christians continue to simply carry on just dealing with symptoms or tinkering at the margins? Is it enough to just offer foodbanks, more debt advice centres, more conferences on poverty, or indeed yet more verbal criticisms of political policy but in reality do nothing which may disturb the status quo seriously?
When was the last time the churches took part officially en masse in an anti-austerity demonstration? Where is the moral and practical support for workers striking for better wages or defending their conditions of work? Where are we defending families against bedroom tax related evictions, standing shoulder to shoulder with them in court or against the bailiffs?
In short what has happened to the tradition of non-violent direct action when all else has clearly failed to move those who hold power? We have left the field of action almost entirely to the far left who at least have the courage to try and defend those who are suffering most. Where are the modern day Ghandis and Mandelas in our churches?
Why do the Baptist Ministers thing? If you are called then stay. Stay and do whatever you have to do to make the call of God a reality. If you have to get a job and volunteer your time to the church until circumstances change. I am sure you are aware Paul made tents to fund the call of God on his life. Bless you for having the heart and conviction to follow God's call on your life into not so glamorous area but if you leave now how will it ever change. Some areas are still facing Exile, buck the trend.
While I obviously can't (and wouldn't) disagree with Allan's comment, I am saddened if this is the really only way forward that is open for Michael.
It strikes me that we have got into a situation (a) where larger churches in more prosperous areas often have few links with those in less salubrious places and are, in some cases, multiplying their own staff; (b) where small churches are regarded as "failures" or are "not being blessed by God" and thus ignored (how demeaning such talk is!). This means that people like Michael will, at best, have to do ministry in their "spare time" when the situation calls for the full-time involvement of more than one person.
I accept that many larger churches contribute generously to Home Mission; I also know that they tend to receive many demands for help and money, many of them deserving. Nevertheless I am disheartened that the churches in the Plymouth area do not see their way to aiding what sounds to be a crucial mission opportunity. For if they do not rally round their Baptist brothers and sisters, who will?
Re: What kind of ministers do we need?
My first response to this is an instinctive dislike of the expression "ministerial formation," used to refer to the formal process of preparing someone to be a minister. Whatever happened to "training?" After all, we're happy to talk about "ministers in training" when they're out in their church placements, so why not in college??Whatever else is happening in our colleges, people certainly AREN'T being "formed!" That's a lifelong process, done by the Holy Spirit with the co-operation of the individual, not done by a college "to" an individual.?
As for "What kind of ministers do we need" etc, the question assumes that there's a fixed Job Description for "Minister," which is different from that of "Church Member." Increasingly, that won't be the case (if it ever truly was).?I suspect that, with pension and other employment issues, we're approaching a time when large churches will still have teams of ministers, but even those of between 40 & 100 members will increasingly rely on the bi-vocational model - people with a variety of gifts earning a living in the secular world, but giving what time they can to the local church's life and mission.?
Many of those with less than about 40 might revert to a much more informal way of being church, since they won't have the skills or resources to cope with the increasing bureaucracy of "charity law."?If all this sounds depressing and defeatist, I see it quite the opposite way.
Jesus gives us no indication that He ever intended to found an "organisation." He talks about relationships, not rules and structures. As the 21st Century unfolds, we may find it presents us with a wonderful opportunity to recapture what "church" REALLY meant, to Jesus and His first followers, shorn of all the administration, management and empire-building which even Baptists have bogged it down with!?
I loved the Girls’ Brigade. Unfortunately by the time my own girls were ready to go to it we didn't have a company in our church. They went to rainbows brownies and guides which they benefited from. I think it is important we do encourage these organisations.
As I'm sure you are aware, Lent begins in early March this year. For many Christians this is a time of fasting and abstinence that traditionally included not eating meat. Coincidentally, March is also National Veggie Month and this year Animal Aid is urging people to take part in the Big Veg Pledge, a project where people promise to go meat-free for the whole of March whilst receiving all the help, support and information they need to do so.
If any of your readers would like to revive the Christian tradition of abstaining from meat during Lent, and save the lives of animals by doing so, they may wish to sign up for the Big Veg Pledge at www.veggiemonth.com or by calling 01732 364546 ext 227.
Gabriel, praise God for the candour with which you have written this article. Can I suggest you download/purchase a powerful little book called 'WORDS' by Kenneth Hagin. I believe it will bless you and your family. I will be praying for you all. God bless you.
I received a supply of the Baptists Together magazine for Spring 2014, and was reading it on the train on my journey to the mid-week meeting of the Baptist Church where I am one of the contacts. Transform 036, the Yellow Pages pull-out supplement, has some very valuable information.
However, given the lectio divina material in this article, there is absolutely no way that I can distribute this magazine to the general membership at my Church, unless I can first produce an article to include as a supplement, about the true nature of this type of "spirituality".
In my Church, we are trying to present a fully Bible-based message in our preaching. We are blessed in having a number of preachers who come and preach the Bible most faithfully. Sadly, the varieties of eastern mysticism, primarily hinduism, which leaven practices like lectio divina are an influence we do not need. There are many books, such as "Deceived On Purpose" by former new-ager Warren Smith, as well as articles available on the internet, which reveal some of the spiritual issues involved in my distrust of lectio divina and simlar practices. | 2019-04-18T22:48:03 | https://baptisttimes.co.uk/Articles/390520/January_2014.aspx |
0.999212 | I research motivated support for the status quo and inequality, focusing on the broad question: Why do people defend social systems that are unfair, or endorse beliefs and ideologies that put them at a personal disadvantage? In one line of research I investigate how existential motivations in individuals, such as needs for order and control, shape beliefs about how broader social groups (e.g., companies, governments, societies) should be organized. I also investigate how subtle cues, such as systematic biases in language or stereotypes, reinforce the status quo in male-dominated occupations. In other research, I have found that unfalsifiable or untestable beliefs allow people to defend their cherished political and religious views, and express those views with more zeal. More recently, I have been using eye-tracking to investigate how visual gaze differs when viewing someone from another race, and how top-down motivations, such as needs to trust or connect with people, influence those processes. I also have a SSHRC grant, also using eye-tracking methods, to study how people process their physical environments in order to determine belonging and fit within those spaces.
Of course, all of this work has been done in collaboration with others and full citations are listed below.
Friesen, J. P., Kawakami, K., Vingilis-Jaremko, L., Caprara, R., Sidhu D. M. et al. (2018). Perceiving happiness in an intergroup context: The role of race and attention to the eyes in differentiating between true and false smiles. In press, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Friesen, J. P., Laurin, K., Shepherd, S., Gaucher, D., & Kay, A. C. (2018). System justification: Experimental evidence, its contextual nature, and implications for social change. In press, British Journal of Social Psychology.
Kawakami, K., Friesen, J. P., & Vingilis-Jaremko, L. (2018). Visual attention to members of own and other groups: preferences, determinants, and consequences. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 2(3), e12380.
Gaucher, D., Friesen, J. P., Neufeld, K. H. S., & Esses, V. M. (2018). Changes in the positivity of migrant stereotype content: How system-sanctioned pro-migrant ideology can affect public opinions of migrants. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 9, 223-233.
Friesen, J. P., Campbell, T. H., & Kay, A. C. (2015). The psychological advantage of unfalsifiability: The appeal of untestable political and religious ideologies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108, 515-529.
Friesen, J. P., Kay, A. C., Eibach, R. P., & Galinsky, A. D. (2014). Seeking structure in social organization: Compensatory control and the psychological advantages of hierarchy. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 106, 590-609.
Kay, A.C., & Friesen, J. (2011). On social change and social stability: Understanding when system justification does and does not occur. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 20, 360-364.
Gaucher, D., Friesen, J., & Kay, A. C. (2011). Evidence that gendered wording in job advertisements exists and sustains gender inequality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101, 109-128.
Friesen, J., & Sinclair, L. (2011). Distrust and simultaneous activation of multiple categories. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 2, 112-119.
Kay, A. C., Gaucher, D., Peach, J. M., Laurin, K., Friesen, J., Zanna, M. P., & Spencer, S. J. (2009). The power of the status quo: Direct evidence for a motivation to see the way things are as the way they should be. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 97, 421-434. | 2019-04-26T16:29:33 | http://miilab.ca/research/ |
0.998829 | There is also the Museum of Natural History and the science museum where you can see important artefacts of some of the greatest scientific discoveries of our time. One piece on display is a little wooden box. It doesn't look like anything special but this little box is in fact a radio that Guglielmo Marconi used in his famous public demonstration of wireless radio in London's Toynbee Hall in 1896. The audience were astounded to hear a bell ring in the box every time Marconi pressed a button on the stage.
Just half an hour away from Oxford by bus is the charming village of Woodstock which is also the home of Blenheim Palace - the home of the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough. The palace and it's garden - a typical example of the English landscape garden - are well worth a visit.
Of course, England is an Island too and some of the best beaches in the world are in the English county of Cornwall in the South of the country. You will have a great time in on Cornwall's 320 miles of beaches and coastline with fantastic waves for surfing and glistening golden sands as well as spectacular countryside views.
Cornwall is also famous for it's ice-cream and seafood. We wouldn't recommended combining them but food lovers will also love this county - just be careful in pubs as many may promote food 'prepared on the premises' but this might mean they simply put it in the microwave!
Okay, okay, last but not least London. London may be extremely popular with tourists but there are good reasons. The London Eye, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Oxford Street, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square and, if you go in June or July, Wimbledon where Federer and the Williams sisters please excited tennis fans and you can snack on strawberries and cream. Just be sure to reserve early and don't worry if you can't get on to the bigger courts or they are too pricey. You can still get the full Wimbledon experience with a ticket to the minor courts and if you go early on in the tournament, there is still a good chance that you'll see a famous name - maybe the new tennis sensation Andy Murray. Just don't forget he is Scottish not English - that is unless he wins in which case he is a national hero no matter where he comes from!
Tower Bridge in London - Note it is not London Bridge!
Just don't forget he is Scottish not English - that is unless he wins in which case he is a national hero no matter where he comes from!
In conclusion, England really is a great place to visit and if you've already seen London, or even if you haven't, why not try visiting somewhere else. You might find you actually enjoy it a whole lot more than London. And of course the best way to truly explore is with your own car. So, what are you waiting for? Book your ferry to England today.
Excellent value for money. Hassle free ticket purchase and check in. Extremely polite and friendly staff. The premium lounge is better now than it has been for several years. I never travel cross-channel with anyone else. | 2019-04-21T04:56:22 | https://www.aferry.co.uk/ferry-to-england-uk-ferries-uk.htm |
0.999508 | As of yesterday, we have officially begun rehearsals for the staged reading of "Pride & Prejudice." Unlike most staged readings, we do not have a narrator reading the stage directions. We have 6 rehearsals instead of 1. And parts of our reading will not be 'read' at all--the actors will be on their feet, fully memorized, ready to go.
Then again, we hope that in some ways, we're not like most theater companies.
Because of the nature of this piece, and the type of work we are creating (ensemble-based, movement-driven), I felt it was necessary that our staged "reading" go beyond the script, just a little bit, to showcase the atmosphere of the piece. It also gives the actors a chance to dig in and sink their teeth into the material.
Last night I was honored to sit and listen and watch while a group of people (most of whom I had never met before the audition!) made this text I'd been working with for two years, come to life. How does that happen? How does the formation of an idea in my head bring a group together that perhaps would never have been together otherwise? I wrote those words at a table in Starbucks, the guy sitting next to me giving me strange looks as I silently mouthed the phrase I'd just written, giggling to myself and tapping the table in rhythm (for the Netherfield Ball scene, the actors create a poem of sorts that generates the atmosphere of the dance). And now my characters were real people, laughing and chatting and fighting and loving.
...that wouldn't satisfy the craving. We are always wanting more love, more reassurance, more validation that what we're doing is meaningful. So I try as best I can to let that voice be there but I try not to attach myself to it. I take small satisfactions from our 15-year old playing Lydia, who has a moment during rehearsal when something clicks and she gets it, and there's this beautiful "ah ha" look on her face as she frantically scribbles notes in her script. Or the way the energy in the room perks up and closes in when our Elizabeth and Darcy are going at each other--our first "ensemble" moment. I remind myself that THOSE are the moments that matter, because those are the moments that turn into real, tangible connection on stage, felt by the actors and audience alike.
I forget sometimes that this is a process, and that it is not going to be perfect. I am not going to be perfect. And that's okay.
The ancient Romans believed in an entity called "The Genius." Creativity did not come from a person, it came from an unknowable, divine source. Michelangelo was not "a genius," he had a "Genius" that lived in the walls of his studio and would invisibly assist him with his work. (there's a point to all this, I promise, stay with me.) Because everyone accepted this idea, no one person could take full credit for their work. If your work was awesome, you didn't carry the full responsibility for that, because everyone knew you had help from your Genius. And if your work bombed, well, then everyone knew that your Genius just sort of sucked that day, so it wasn't all on your shoulders. This created a protective barrier for artists from the results of their work.
Then the Renaissance came, and rationalism, and divine spirits were pushed aside in favor of man being at the center of all things. And we lost that protective barrier.
I try to remember this idea when I get caught up in my "perfectionist" cycle. It eases the burden and reminds me I am not the sole creator and puppeteer of my work--there are so many forces at work in this universe that I just do not have control of. All I can do is show up and give my best. If my Genius wants to join me today, great. If not, at least I can say that I was there and I gave it my all.
Today is our second day of rehearsal. Let the record show that I will be there, Genius or no.
P.S. You can find out more about the concept of the Genius by watching Elizabeth Gilbert's TED talk here. | 2019-04-25T18:40:38 | http://www.ensotheatre.com/blog/and-so-it-begins |
0.99923 | generate revenue from gambling by setting and operating casinos on board paddlewheel boats, as these were cruising international waters and could thus circumvent local limitations forced by the law.
Where can we find riverboat casinos in the US?
Such casinos can be found in several states across the US, but mainly on the Missouri, Mississippi and Ohio Rivers (in Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi and Missouri), or along the Gulf Coast. The first legal riverboat casinos were opened in the late 20th century, when the states didn’t permit gaming on land. Iowa was the state where the first legal riverboat casino opened its doors in 1989, followed by Illinois and Louisiana in 1991.
After the emergence of the railroads as a transportation means, paddlewheel riverboats were only used for excursions and entertainment, and besides live music and dancing, cruisers could also enjoy some card games and slot machines. At the peak of this gambling type, riverboat casinos were offering Las Vegas-style entertainment – Slots, Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat and Craps – and were seeing a quite high customer traffic. However, the type of games allowed on ships varies by jurisdiction.
To make an idea of how big this industry had become, know that after gambling on riverboats became legal, over 10,000 new jobs were created in Illinois with a yearly payroll of $250 million.
Initially, in a series of locations, gambling was only allowed on paddlewheel riverboats when these were actually sailing. Over time, though, authorities began to loosen up legislation and gaming casinos could be built on stilts placed over navigable water.
Mississippi riverboat casinos are different from those in other states as the legislation here requires them to be permanently docked. Basically, shipboard casinos are built on stationary barges, and gangplanks are used to connect them to land. Another difference for the Mississippi area consists of the fact that the state doesn’t limit the number of riverboat casinos that receive licensing.
In Louisiana, on the other hand, gambling can only take place on fully operational ships that boast the appearance of the nineteenth-century paddleboats, can host at least 600 passengers and conduct regular runs.
Meanwhile, in Indiana, gambling activities are allowed on cruising riverboats, so ships must cruise for around four hours so that the passengers can enjoy some table games or slot machines.
Finally, in Missouri, gambling activities can be conducted on both modern and historical riverboats, but there are strict limitations when it comes to the type of games of chance that are allowed, As such, only games where winnings do not depend primarily on luck are allowed, such as blackjack and poker which also require some skill. So no slot machines or other table games allowed here. | 2019-04-21T12:23:42 | http://cycadsg.org/what-are-riverboat-casinos/ |
0.999999 | "I was told this was an indica dominant strain when I bought it, so when I looked it up and found it was sativa dominant I was nervous. Sativa strains usually make me really anxious and paranoid. We're about 10 minutes into this smoke, and so far I'm feeling totally fine. This flower is beautiful. Like fluffy little trichome covered clouds. You would think that would have tipped me off to this being a sativa but I a..."
"Chernobyl a hybrid that emanates a strong, pungent, aromatic scent of lime - with a slight hint of cherry. It sharply affects your sense of smell as you inhale it's green, provocative odor. This assault on your senses is just a foreshadowing of what is in store for you whether you smoke or vape this beautiful Sativa dominant hybrid. Large, bright, frosty green buds can not be mistaken- to be any other strain I hav..."
"I've tried this strain a couple of times before. My current sample is the best I've had with a light green color mixed with light orange hairs and covered in trichromes. The buds are of loose density and are sticky with resin. Vaping produced a thick vapor but didn't make me cough. The taste is pleasant and extremely unusual. There is a slight lime undertone but it's not profound. The effect hit almost immediately wi..."
"Trainwreck X Trinity X Jack the Ripper......need i say more! A subcool best. Cherry Limeade flavor uplifting high that lasts through the day... Take this girl to 9 weeks and find deep lavanders along with huge trichome production starting early. The high hits like a mule kicks yet she will not take you over the edge without over consumption...."
"Genetics: Jack The Ripper x Trainwreck - or any of the Jack family strain x Trainwreck - Chernobyl is about as interesting as it gets and provides a super awesome high, enough to quick jump start your day instead of coffee or an energy drink. Highly recommended for people feeling mentally fatigued or tired, groggy-ness Not recommended for people that have negative affects to stimulants."
"Hello there avid review reader. TL;DR = Slymer smells great, has a beautiful sativa high that is high energy, taste is decent lime citrus and fruit with mild pine. The Slymer phenotype of this strain is wonderful and that's what I'm reviewing. It's an aesthetically pleasing dark green. Smells amazing, like mint limeaid with some floral notes. Woke up this morning and took a single decent pull from a chillum and wa..."
"this is my newest and most favorite strain , because of what it has done for not just one but multiple problems , first it was suggested that I try this strain for its ability to calm me from my anxiety, but then I noticed that my headaches ,and diabetes were under control as well as minor aches and pains . the smoke is like a thick yet mellow drift of pine wood burning and a smell that triggers you memory centre an..."
"This is one if the more unique strains I've had in a long time. I would describe this as a "patient" and complex flower. Upon inhalation there was a light release and expansion in my lungs, whereas the taste (as well as smell) was VERY distinctive of lime/lemon. I wasn't expecting the buds to be both lightly dense and yet subtly "airy". Covered in crystals this strain produced PLENTY of keif for later which tasted ..." | 2019-04-18T23:19:40 | https://www.leafly.com/hybrid/chernobyl/reviews |
0.998115 | The Mexican drug cartels battling viciously to expand and survive have a powerful financial incentive: Across the border to the north is a market for illegal drugs unsurpassed for its wealth, diversity and voraciousness.
Homeless heroin addicts in big cities, "meth heads" in Midwest trailer parks, pop culture and sports stars, teens smoking marijuana with their Baby Boomer parents in Vermont - in all, 46 percent of Americans 12 and older have indulged in the often destructive national pastime of illicit drug use.
"The damage done by our insatiable demand for drugs is truly astounding," said Lloyd Johnston, a University of Michigan researcher who oversees annual drug-use surveys.
The latest federal figures show that 114 million Americans have used illegal drugs at some point - and 20 million are current users.
"It's a drug dealer's dream - sell it in a place where he can make the most money for the risk taken," said Dr. H. Westley Clark, director of the federal Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.
"There's a tremendous amount of denial until you're face to face with it," Clark added. "A substance abuser can be anybody. Everybody is at risk."
For now, the Mexican government is fighting the cartels and working with U.S. authorities who have promised to stop the southbound flow of weapons and cash - but all parties are aware of the role played by the U.S. market.
"When the U.S. government turns up the pressure a lot, then is when you see a return to the old formula of saying (to Americans), 'You also have corruption, you consume the drugs, you're the biggest drug consumer in the world,' " said Jose Luis Pineyro, a sociologist at Mexico's Autonomous Metropolitan University.
Gil Kerlikowske, a former Seattle police chief recently appointed by President Obama to be U.S. drug czar, said the Mexicans "make an excellent point."
"Our drug abuse causes problems elsewhere - our per capita consumption is very high," said Kerlikowske, who argues that reducing demand through education and treatment is as vital as border interdictions in quelling Mexico's drug violence.
Country of origin didn't matter much to David Hart. Hart, 49, said he started using drugs at 14 and didn't stop until he entered a one-year recovery program in January at the Springs Rescue Mission in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The son of an alcoholic father, Hart moved from Arizona to Colorado in 1993. A promised construction job didn't materialize, and since then he's mixed part-time work with stints of homelessness, panhandling to pay for hits of crack, marijuana and speed.
"When you're depressed about your lot in life, and angry about the way you've been treated, drugs are a perfect way out. You smoke that crack and your problems just go away. You know they're going to come back, but for that brief moment you don't have to deal with it."
He's grateful to his supporters at the recovery program, but unsure what lies ahead.
"It's been a part of my life for so long," he said. "It's going to be a challenge for the rest of my life to stay clean."
The Rescue Mission's CEO, the Rev. Joe Vazquez, said Hart is part of a wave of drug-abusing transients who've settled into the netherworld of an outwardly prosperous region.
"There's this whole segment of our community living well below what their creator created them for - these men coming with a toolbelt and backpack, living in little rundown motels, struggling with addiction," Vazquez said.
Federal surveys reveal cyclical trends in drug abuse - but the number of lifetime users keeps growing. Overall abuse rates were highest in the 1970s, declined through the early '90s, went back up and now seem to have stabilized over the past six years.
Studies of youth drug use in Western Europe show a few countries with serious problems, but overall a far lower portion of young people there are abusing drugs than in America. Elsewhere around the world, drug use also is widespread, though data is generally not as thorough as in the United States.
"There's no escaping the fact that we have the highest drug rates in the world," said Craig Reinarman, a sociologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
There was no similar recent drop-off of drug abuse among the biggest demographic category - young adults aged 18-25. Illicit drug use also has surged among those aged 55 to 59 - baby boomers whose young adulthood coincided with the drug culture's heyday. And there is deep concern about increasing abuse of prescription medicines among all age groups.
Survey after survey shows the vast scope of illegal drug use - deep-rooted in all regions, among all races and socio-economic groups. Big cities indeed have severe problems, but the states with the highest overall abuse rates include Rhode Island, Vermont, Montana and Alaska.
"There's this assumption that drug abuse is more common in racial minorities, especially blacks," said Dr. Wilson Compton, a division director at the National Institute on Drug Abuse. "It's not true. Either the rates are lower or at least no higher."
Reinarman reflected on the recent methamphetamine outbreak across the American heartland - Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and elsewhere.
"Here they live in crummy little houses, in towns that are dying ... and along comes a drug that provides a great rush," he said. "You can't separate drug problems from the broader matrix of social and personal problems. You can't have a drug policy that works unless it's part of a much broader social policy."
For those concerned about marijuana, Vermont is an active front line, with the nation's highest rates of pot usage. It's one of several regions where joints may now be more prevalent among teens than cigarettes.
"People say, 'It's easier for me to get pot than to buy a beer,' " said Barbara Cimaglio, deputy commissioner of the state Health Department's Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs.
"They just get high all the time," she said. "They never learned how to have fun without smoking pot, never learned how to deal with conflict, how to focus on anything."
"It's become the cultural norm for these families, where drug use is absolutely no big deal," she said. "The kids smoke with their parents, or know their parents use other drugs."
"When I was in school in New York, people stood on the corner selling drugs - no one gave a damn," Morales said. "The consequences of that era has the younger generation a little more scared. I don't see them doing the hard drugs like we were. They're more informed - there's more wariness about trying different stuff." | 2019-04-22T18:19:14 | https://drugs-forum.com/ams/u-s-appetite-for-illegal-drugs-is-insatiable.7774/ |
0.999793 | Who cares about some cricket match or score on the board when a hot cheerleader is around. Cricket laws describe certain rules and some of them cover players' behavior. However there is nothing about kissing within those rules nor does it say that it is forbidden. Players must, above all, respect the fair play, avoid time wasting or anything that might cause injury to other participants. In this game, the task is for the player to kiss the girl as long as possible within a limited time span. The problem is the fact that the stadium is full, and cameras are occasionally paying attention even to things outside the field. If camera 'catches' you, the entire stadium will see you... That kind of publicity might jeopardize your carrier, so it is in your best interest to keep the kissing discreet and hidden from the public eye.
Other cricket kissing games are 'Kissing Game' and 'Cricket Paparazzi' . | 2019-04-25T09:52:44 | https://www.cricketgames247.com/game/cricket-player-kiss.html |
0.998538 | Happy/ Friendly Post Graduate!Happy/ Friendly Post Graduate!Happy/ Friendly Post Graduate!Happy/ Friendly Post Graduate!
I am a 19 year old from Hawaii. New to LA, but extensive experience with house duties and caring for animals.I am a 19 year old from Hawaii. New to LA, but extensive experience with house duties and caring for animals.I am a 19 year old from Hawaii. New to LA, but extensive experience with house duties and caring for animals.
Responsible, honest animal lover available for part-time work in Los Angeles. I live on the west side but am happy to travel!Responsible, honest animal lover available for part-time work in Los Angeles. I live on the west side but am happy to travel!Responsible, honest animal lover available for part-time work in Los Angeles. I live on the west side but am happy to travel! | 2019-04-23T18:48:28 | https://housesitter.com/house-sitters/playa-vista,los-angeles,california |
0.997584 | Make dressing: Drain yogurt in a large sieve lined with double thickness of cheesecloth. Chill for at least 8 hours. Stir drained yogurt with garlic, mint and salt to taste.
Make salad: Preheat oven 425 degrees F. Wrap beets in foil and roast in the middle of the oven for 75 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Cool beets. Peel beets and jicamas and cut into1/4-inch dice. Toss with sugar, zest, orange juice, vinegar, oil, fennel and salt to taste. Stir lemon juice into a large bowl of cold water. Cut ends from endives and separated into leaves. Soak in lemon water 10 minutes to keep endive from discoloring. Drain and spin dry. Spread some dressing on each leaf and spoon beet salad over it.
The fresh flavors of this salad are great on their own. For those who must have dressing, try a drizzle of olive oil. The crispy prosciutto is a nice contrast with the soft buttery texture of avocado.
Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Cut the prosciutto in 1-inch pieces. Add to the skillet and fry until crisp. Remove from the skillet and set aside. Divide the mixed greens among four salad plates. Arrange onions and olives on the greens.
Top each salad with avocado slices and sprinkle with cilantro leaves and black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil if desired.
Prepare the brioche croutons and mustard vinaigrette; set aside. In a large frying pan over medium heat, fry the sliced bacon lardons unil crispy. Remove bacon pieces and place into a microwavable bowl. Set aside.
For eggs, poach according to general instructions for poached eggs. Adjust the time up or down for runnier or firmer yolks. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, dpending on firmness desired. Lift each perfectly poached egg from the water with a slotted spoon, but hold it over the skillet briefly to let any water clinging to the egg drain off. Drain well before serving. Keep the poached eggs warm by covering with aluminum foil or a plate.To serve, divide the salad greens among four individual serving plates. Sprinkle with chopped onion.
In the microwave, reheat the lardons for a few seconds. Remove from microwave and divide over the top each individual salad. Place the brioche croutons over the top of each salad. Lay a poached egg on top of the salad and croutons and drizzle a little mustard vinaigrette over the top. Decorate with slices of tomatoes and serve with fresh crusty bread.
Preheat oven to 325 degree F. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add the garlic and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until it begins to color lightly; remove the garlic and discard. Remove from heat. Brush the garlic oil on both sides of the bread slices. Cut the bread slices into large cubes. Arrange brioche cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add additional vinegar or mustard depending on taste. Whisk in a little hot water. Add the parsley; set aside.
Tender, ripe and bright red in color, raspberries add a sweet, juicy and aromatic flavor to this unique salad. Adapt this recipe to your own taste and add the amounts that you like.
Place the baby lettuce on plates and top with shrimp, mango, celery, onion sliced avocado and fresh raspberries.
To make the vinaigrette, blend raspberries with balsamic vinegar, honey and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
Rinse the lettuce and shake dry.
Cut each head in half and place each half on a serving plate.Cut the large shrimp into 1 inch chunks (small bay shrimp would also work well). Trim the ribs and stem from the roasted red peppers, and cut into large strips. Cut the cooked green beans into 1 inch pieces. (In a pinch frozen green beans can substitute). Cut the ripe tomatoes into 1 inch chunks.
Toss the shrimp, roasted red peppers, green beans and ripe tomatoes in Sly’s sherry vinaigrette dressing. Pour equal portions of the vinaigrette over your four salads.
Crumble the Roquefort cheese in large chunks. Cut the ripe Haas avocado in 1 inch chunks. Warm cooked strips of bacon, and then cut into 1 inch pieces. Divide equally on top of the four salads. Toss with the chopped parsley to taste.
Cook finely chopped shallots in the olive oil until golden brown. Let cool. Whisk in remaining ingredients. Finish with salt and pepper to taste. | 2019-04-24T03:01:23 | https://fruitritionfacts.com/vegetable-salad |
0.99801 | What are limited edition books, and numbered and lettered editions?
What are slipcases and traycases?
It seems the lettered edition comes out months after the numbered or trade edition. Why?!
How can I submit a manuscript or art for publication consideration?
Who is the publisher behind all this?
Limited edition books have a specific, stated print run - a print run much smaller than industry standards (almost always no higher than 1000 copies). They often have a limitation page, or tip sheet, signed by the author and/or contributors and bearing a statement of limitation. Numbered and lettered editions are types of limited editions. A numbered edition means that each book will be individually numbered from 1 to the maximum number; for example, books from a numbered edition of 500 copies will be numbered 1, 2, 3... 499, 500. Likewise, books from a lettered edition are each assigned a unique letter; some publishers go beyond 26 copies to 52 lettered copies, so books are lettered A through ZZ. Earthling will most likely never go beyond 26 copies, as lettered editions are supposed to be the smallest, most collectible state of a book, and we believe going beyond 26 copies somewhat defeats the purpose of making a book collectible. All Earthling books are hand numbered or lettered.
A chapbook is a booklet consisting of sheets of letter-sized (8.5x11 inch) paper, folded in half and stapled, with a heavier cover. Chapbooks are perfect to house shorter tales. Furthermore, because they are less expensive than trade softcovers or hardcovers to produce and ultimately to buy, they are a great way to experience fiction (particularly for an author the reader is unfamiliar with) while picking up a signed collectible at the same time. Some chapbooks have become very collectible, such as Dan Simmons's chapbook BANISHED DREAMS, which now fetches around $200, and Stephen King's THE NEW LIEUTENANT'S RAP, which goes for at least $1000!
Both are specialized boxes to house books. Slipcases contain a book on all sides except for the book spine, while traycases completely enclose the book.
A galley (advance reading copy) of a title is produced for early review and promotion prior to the actual book publication. Galleys are often produced from uncorrected manuscripts that have been laid out and partially designed, and often bound as trade paperbacks with or without cover art. They are not for sale by publishers but collected on the secondhand market because some folks view galleys as the true first editions of books (I don't), and because their production is usually limited, which makes them scarce collectibles.
The most often reason for this delay is that the finished book needs to be in hand before the slipcases or traycases can be built. Some presses produce "dummy" books that approximate the final, published dimensions can be created and given to the slip/traycase builder, so that while the book is at the printers, the cases can be made. Earthling prefers to wait and have exact dimensions so that the book fits perfectly in the case, rather than take what amounts to a best guess and risk having cases that aren't a perfect fit for the book. Also, some books are specially handbound (handsewn), which adds time, too. Add onto that the unpredictability of many bookbinders schedules (who often operate out of very small shops) and you'll begin to appreciate what many small presses go through before the lettered edition is finally finished.
Regretfully, I am not reading unsolicited manuscripts. If this changes, I will post about it here on this page. Artwork is still invited, preferably by referring me to your website.
Yes, dealer discounts are offered on all of our books. Please contact Earthling for details.
I (Paul Miller) have been an avid reader, particularly of the horror genre, all my life. I started collecting first editions and small press limited editions in the mid 1990s, so I suppose getting into publishing grew out of these earlier interests. I currently do everything at Earthling including book layout, marketing, and shipping. Working with authors and artists whose work I've admired has been a thrill. I have a Bachelor's degree in psychology and a Master's degree in neuroscience, and my day job is medical writing and communications in the pharmaceutical industry.
Earthling has received the Horror Writers Association's Specialty Press Award. | 2019-04-24T00:36:38 | http://earthlingpub.com/faqs.htm |
0.999385 | "America is the friend of all Iraqi people." This was the sign put up at Abu Ghraib prison - one that replaced Saddam's portrait when the US took it over as part of the war on terror.
It was Abu Ghraib prison that introduced the world to the violent infrastructure of torture in the war on terror. In 2004, when photos emerged documenting extensive torture ranging from prisoners on leashes to bodies piled atop each other in pyramid structure to prisoners standing in crucifixion like postures, there were global shockwaves at the displays of brutality.
The prison, which was the site of massive torture, also housed a largely innocent population - approximately 70-90 percent of the prisoners were mistakenly detained, according to the Red Cross in a 2004 report .
With no end to the war on terror, the legacy of Abu Ghraib prison remains as important as ever, especially where a lack of accountability continues to permeate all operations in Iraq.
In 2004, when the Abu Ghraib scandal first emerged, former President Bush responded saying that, "Under the dictator, prisons like Abu Ghraib were symbols of death and torture. That same prison became a symbol of disgraceful conduct by a few American troops who dishonoured our country and disregarded our values …"
Bush's statement unveils a particular logic of the war on terror that continues to justify abuses to the present - moral equivalencies, and in particular, the US's perceived moral superiority of itself in the way it fights war. That's why prisoner abuse under Saddam was torture, but under the US it is simply "disgraceful conduct". That's also why Bush can talk about "our values", despite knowing that a series of torture memos essentially provided the rationale to abuse prisoners - that anything short of organ failure or death would, according to his administration's new definition of torture, fall short of it.
Though former President Bush appeared "shocked" when the Abu Ghraib scandal first broke, Eric Fair, a former CACI contractor, in an interview with Democracy Now, on the unveiling of his book, "Consequence: A Memoir" on his time at Abu Ghraib stated that he was "shocked that the American people were so shocked and that they had this kind of idea or that they were so ignorant about what was going on".
There are different ways to understand the role of shock when it comes to Abu Ghraib. On the one hand, "shock" at abuses underscores the false American narrative of the protection of human rights and "our values" in how we engage in conflict with others. On the other hand, shock at not knowing about abuses can perhaps be attributed to the documentary role of the Abu Ghraib scandal in participatory humiliation - in this case, humiliation of Muslim prisoners provoked by Islamophobia that allows the American public to engage in their torture vicariously as a collective act of vengeance for the 9/11 attacks. Described another way, as Dora Apel writes "the viewer is meant to identify with the proud torturers in the context of the defence of a political and cultural hierarchy."
Analysing the shock spectacle is important when it comes to understanding the US's true intention to hold torturers accountable. To date, Abu Ghraib prisoners have seen little, if any, justice for the torture they endured. What, therefore does accountability mean for Abu Ghraib's former prisoners?
For the United States in the war on terror, accountability has meant little other than prosecuting the so-called "bad apples" who conduct torture and/or murder in order to make the point that they are an aberration, not a product of a system-wide policy of sanctioned abuse in the war on terror. That's why in the case of Abu Ghraib, "justice" has largely perceived to have been done over a decade ago, after 11 military personnel were convicted of various crimes including conspiracy, dereliction of duty, and maltreatment of detainees. But that has translated into little for the victims of Abu Ghraib's torture.
On September 22, the question of justice for the at least some of Abu Ghraib's victims and holding military contractors from CACI accountable was revived in a Virginia courtroom in the case of Al-Shimari v CACI et al where the Centre for Constitutional Rights was challenging CACI's motion to dismiss the case for their role in torture at Abu Ghraib.
This is of particular importance as CACI has largely evaded accountability for their direct role in the torture of Abu Ghraib prisoners. Highlighting this point, CCR lawyer Katherine Gallagher noted that, "there remains an accountability gap: military officers were court-martialed for their misconduct, but the private contractors walked away with large payments, and they continue to be awarded millions of dollars in government contracts. This case hopefully will narrow that accountability gap."
CACI's involvement in Iraq began in 2003 after the US military asked them to provide intelligence assistance. Within two years of operating in Iraq, they were involved as defendants in lawsuits accusing them of ordering and overseeing torture. Despite this fact, and prior to concluding investigations on the torture scandal at Abu Ghraib, the US government offered CACI an extension of their contract in the amount of 23 million dollars - accountability for torture, after all, is limited, conditional, and sometimes rewarded for making bolder, the discourse and infrastructure that sustains abuse in the war on terror.
Charles Graner and Ivan Frederick, the two military police members who were convicted of charges related to the abuse of Abu Ghraib prisoners specifically named CACI contractors Daniel Johnson and Steven Stefanowicz as ordering various types of abuse of prisoners.
Despite these allegations, CACI whose tagline is ironically, "ever vigilant," claimed not to know who exactly among their contractors were stationed at Abu Ghraib at the time of the infamous scandal and had done nothing in the way of uncovering this information. However, CCR argued - and the judge agreed, that only a handful of contractors - those working at Abu Ghraib's "hard site" at the time of the plaintiffs' abuse, needed to be questioned.
While underscoring CACI's role in torture was key to this case, so too was the designation of the acts of abuse as torture - something CACI denies. In their motion to dismiss the case, CACI conceded that the treatment of prisoners was "deplorable", and "undoubtedly humiliating", but resisted the label of torture.
Though their obvious interest is in absolving themselves of responsibility, their narrative has become all too familiar in the course of the war on terror and in the treatment of Muslim prisoners. Torture is allowed to thrive not only because it is directed at Muslims, but because it must rise to the most egregious levels of abuse to be considered as such.
The Centre for Constitutional Rights, rejected CACI's argument on torture - not only dismissing their discussion that individual tactics of abuse cannot constitute torture, but also critiquing the notion that what the plaintiffs endured - among other things being punched, slapped, kicked, doused with hot water, forced into stress position for hours, threatened with dogs, stepped on, etc over protracted periods of time, did not have a cumulative impact amounting to torture and subsequent trauma.
"This is the first time a court has effectively conceded that there's sufficient evidence that these Abu Ghraib detainees endured torture or cruel, degrading and inhumane treatment," CCR lawyer Baher Azmy stated after the hearing Friday and Judge Brinkema's decision to allow the case to proceed.
This case paves a promising path for addressing and challenging torture of Muslim prisoners in the war on terror. However, what we must continue to remember is that torture has and continues to be sanctioned by the US government. A positive ruling in subsequent hearings will not change this fact.
This is especially the case when the public narrative continues to be mired with discourse suggesting that torture works as Trump stated earlier this year or his condoning of torture in response to the Brussels attack back in 2016. In other words, the US has not reckoned with torture and far from that - continues to find ways to justify its insidious and overt legal re-entry. However, this case as Azmy noted, sent "an important message that there can be accountability for torture, a vital step for our clients who have yet to see justice. This is a crucial ruling in a political climate where Trump has called for bringing back widely denounced torture techniques like waterboarding."
Abu Ghraib prison was closed in 2014 due to security concerns. But its horrendous legacy lives on. This case brings us one step closer to the possibility of closing the chapter on abuses at Abu Ghraib - but this relies on the full execution of justice that is not limited simply to prosecuting perpetrators of torture, but which extends to survivors of torture such that they are able to finally, albeit incompletely, move on with their lives. Without this, justice is a mere public performance to reclaim our sense moral ground, not a real, intentional commitment to restoring the lives of those we've harmed. But perhaps this is what American justice is really all about.
Maha Hilal is the inaugural Michael Ratner Middle East fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC, and a coprincipal investigator of Tulane University's Torture Trauma Initiative. | 2019-04-20T21:25:57 | http://newageislam.com/war-on-terror/abu-ghraib--the-legacy-of-torture-in-the-war-on-terror/d/112728 |
0.999999 | As Diablo III draws near, those new to the series may be asking: “What, exactly, are these ugly loot pinatas I'm slaughtering in droves for gold and shiny new weapons?” The Diablo universe has a long and detailed history, and if you're an unrepentant lore hound like I am, you already know how deep it goes. But Diablo II was released 12 years ago , so there's no shame in brushing up. This is the short version, for those who want more context on the game's world and story in a neat blood-soaked package.
Short on time? Look for the "too long; didn't read" summaries at the end of each section.
Naturally, Tathamet picked a fight with Anu. After millennia, they finally killed one another, setting off an explosion that created the universe. Anu's body rose to become the High Heavens, and the Angels spawned from its latent energies. Tathamet's corpse took a tumble down to become the Burning Hells. Each of his seven severed heads became a Lord of Hell, creating the septet that would rule over the demons born from his rotting flesh.
tl;dr: Omnipotent dragon split himself into good and bad halves, forming Heaven and Hell.
Unsurprisingly, the angels and the demons didn't get along well at all, and waged constant wars over the Worldstone. Believed to be the eye of Anu himself, the Worldstone held the power to spawn entire worlds. Eventually, some on both sides got sick of the fighting. They hid the Worldstone from both Heaven and Hell, and used it one last time to create the hidden world of Sanctuary. During the housewarming party, some angels and demons had a little too much to drink and ended up populating the new realm with the cross-breed Nephalem -- the ancestors of all Sanctuary's mortal races.
tl;dr: Humans came from a cross-breed of rogue Angels and Demons, hidden away from Heaven and Hell in a world called Sanctuary, which was created with the super-powerful Worldstone.
It was clear to the renegade angels and demons that the Nephalem held vast potential. When the demoness Lilith tried to turn them into an army, the angel Inarius -- one of the only creatures privy to the Worldstone's hiding place -- used the Eye of Anu's power to curse his children. From then on, each generation of Nephalem grew less powerful, leading to the relatively weak mortals of the present day.
The three-way war between the Prophet, the Triune, and Uldyssian -- a mortal who discovered how to unlock the Nepahlem powers in himself and his followers -- is known as the Sin War. It concluded when Uldyssian sacrificed himself to strip his soldiers of their power so that Heaven would not see humanity as a threat that needed to be destroyed. It had already been proven, though, that the potential still existed in the Nephalem's descendants.
tl;dr: The Prime Evils, Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal, tried to corrupt humanity, but a guy named Uldyssian proved that mortals can unlock the powers of their ancestors. Then killed himself so no one would get all uppity about it. | 2019-04-21T10:32:36 | https://www.pcgamer.com/diablo-3-the-story-so-far/ |
0.999999 | This article is about the reign of King Edward VII in the 20th century. For use of the term Edwardian in medieval English history, see Edward I of England.
The Edwardian era or Edwardian period of British history covers the brief reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910, and is sometimes extended in both directions to capture long term trends from the 1890s to the First World War. The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 marked the end of the Victorian era. The new king Edward VII was already the leader of a fashionable elite that set a style influenced by the art and fashions of Continental Europe. Samuel Hynes described the Edwardian Era as a "leisurely time when women wore picture hats and did not vote, when the rich were not ashamed to live conspicuously, and the sun really never set on the British flag'".
Below the upper class, the era was marked by significant shifts in politics among sections of society that had been largely excluded from wielding power in the past, such as common labourers. Women became increasingly politicised.
The Edwardian period is sometimes imagined as a romantic golden age of long summer afternoons and garden parties, basking in a sun that never sets on the British Empire. This perception was created in the 1920s and later by those who remembered the Edwardian age with nostalgia, looking back to their childhoods across the abyss of the Great War. The Edwardian age was also seen as a mediocre period of pleasure between the great achievements of the preceding Victorian age and the catastrophe of the following war. Recent assessments emphasise the great differences between the wealthy and the poor during the Edwardian era and describe the age as heralding great changes in political and social life. Robert Tressell's popular novel The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists is a strong example of the era's social critique.
Despite this, this type of perception has been challenged more recently by modern historians. The British historian Lawrence James has argued that, during the early 20th century, the British felt increasingly threatened by rival powers such as Germany, Russia, and the United States.
There was a growing political awareness of the working class, leading to a rise in trade unions, the Labour movement and demands for better working conditions. The aristocracy remained in control of top government offices.
The government entered the Second Boer War with great confidence, little expecting that the two small rural Boer republics in southern Africa with a combined white population less than London would hold off the concentrated power of the British Empire for two and half years, and take 400,000 Imperial troops to secure victory.
At first the war split Britain into anti- and pro-war factions. Great orators, such as the Liberal David Lloyd George, who spoke against the war, became increasingly influential. Nevertheless pro-war politicians, such as Unionist Joseph Chamberlain, maintained their hold on power. When Kitchener took command in 1900, he initiated a scorched earth policy in order to interdict Boer guerilla tactics. This resulted in the relocation of thousands of Boer families to internment camps. As prisoners of war were transported overseas to other British possessions, the majority of internees were women and children. Conditions in the camps were poor, due to overcrowding and bad sanitation. Supplies were unreliable, partly because of the constant disruption of communication lines by the Boers. The food rations were meager and there was inadequate shelter, contagious diseases such as measles, typhoid and dysentery were endemic. Many of the internees died. Emily Hobhouse visited the camps and brought the conditions to the attention of the British public. Public outcry resulted in the Fawcett Commission which corroborated Hobhouses's report and eventually led to improved conditions.
In 1901 the six British self-governing colonies of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia united to form the Commonwealth of Australia, with almost complete control of its internal affairs, but with foreign policy and defense handled by London.
The Unionists proposed Tariff Reform (a form of protectionism with high tariffs on imports) to make the British Empire an economic unit; the Liberals claimed this would make food more expensive, and, in the general election of 1906, the Liberals won a landslide. The Liberal government was unable to proceed with all of its radical programme without the support of the House of Lords, which was largely Conservative. Conflict between the two Houses of Parliament over Lloyd George's 1909 People's Budget eventually resulted in a reduction in the power of the peers in the Parliament Act 1911. The general election in January 1910 returned a "hung parliament" with the balance of power held by Labour and Irish Nationalist members.
The Edwardian era stands out as a time of peace and plenty. There were no severe depressions, and prosperity was widespread. Britain's growth rate, manufacturing output and GDP (but not GDP per capita) fell behind its rivals, the United States and Germany, but the nation still led the world in trade, finance and shipping, and had strong bases in manufacturing and mining. The industrial sector was slow to adjust to global changes, and there was a striking preference for leisure over entrepreneurship among the elite. However, major achievements should be underlined. London was the financial centre of the world—far more efficient and wide-ranging than New York, Paris or Berlin. Britain had built up a vast reserve of overseas credits in its formal Empire, as well as in its informal empire in Latin America and other nations. It had huge financial holdings in the United States, especially in railways. These assets proved vital in paying for supplies in the first years of the World War. The amenities, especially in urban life, were accumulating—prosperity was highly visible. The working classes were beginning to protest politically for a greater voice in government, but the level of industrial unrest on economic issues was not high until about 1908.
By the late 1880s, the Industrial Revolution had created new technologies that changed the way people lived. The growth of industry shifts in manufacturing factories, special-purpose machinery and technological innovations, which led to increased productivity. Gender roles shifted as women made use of the new technology to upgrade their lifestyle and their career opportunities.
For housewives, sewing machines enabled the production of ready made clothing and made it easier for women to sew their own clothes; more generally, argues Barbara Burman, "home dressmaking was sustained as an important aid for women negotiating wider social shifts and tensions in their lives." An increased literacy in the middle class gave women wider access to information and ideas. Numerous new magazines appealed to her tastes and help define femininity.
The inventions of the typewriter, telephone, and new filing systems offered middle class women increased employment opportunities. So too did the rapid expansion of the school system, and the emergence of the new profession of nursing. Education and status led to demands for female roles in the rapidly expanding world of sports.
As middle class women rose in status they increasingly supported demands for a political voice.
In 1903 Emmeline Pankhurst founded the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), a suffrage advocacy organization. 1907 saw the Mud March, the first large procession organised by the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS). More than 3,000 women trudged through the wet, cold and muddy streets of London from Hyde Park to Exeter Hall to advocate for women's suffrage.
Although abortion was illegal, it was nevertheless the most widespread form of birth control in use. Used predominantly by working-class women, the procedure was used not only as a means of terminating pregnancy, but also to prevent poverty and unemployment. Those who transported contraceptives could be legally punished. Contraceptives became more expensive over time and had a high failure rate. Unlike contraceptives, abortion did not need any prior planning and was less expensive. Newspaper advertisements were used to promote and sell abortifacients indirectly.
Not all of society was accepting of contraceptives or abortion, and the opposition viewed both as part of one and the same sin. Abortion was much more common among the middle classes than among those living in rural areas, where the procedure was not readily available. Women were often tricked into purchasing ineffective pills. In addition to fearing legal reprimands, many physicians did not condone abortion because they viewed it as an immoral procedure potentially endangering a woman's life. Because abortion was illegal and physicians refused to perform the procedure, local women acted as abortionists, often using crochet hooks or similar instruments.
Feminists of the era focused on educating and finding jobs for women, leaving aside the controversial issues of contraceptives and abortion, which in popular opinion were often related to promiscuity and prostitution. The Church condemned abortion as immoral and a form of rebellion against the child-bearing role women were expected to assume. Many considered abortion to be a selfish act that allowed a woman to avoid personal responsibility, contributing to a decline in moral values. Abortion was often a solution for women who already had children and did not want more. Consequently, the size of families decreased drastically.
The 1834 Poor Law defined who could receive monetary relief. The act reflected and perpetuated prevailing gender conditions. In Edwardian society, men were the source of wealth. The law restricted relief for unemployed, able-bodied male workers, due to the prevailing view that they would find work in the absence of financial assistance. However, women were treated differently. After the Poor Law was passed, women and children received most of the aid. The law did not recognise single independent women, and lumped women and children into the same category. If a man was physically disabled, his wife was also treated as disabled under the law. Unmarried mothers were sent to the workhouse, receiving unfair social treatment such as being restricted from attending church on Sundays. During marriage disputes women often lost the rights to their children, even if their husbands were abusive.
At the time, single mothers were the poorest sector in society, disadvantaged for at least four reasons. First, women had longer lifespans, often leaving them widowed with children. Second, women's work opportunities were few, and when they did find work, their wages were lower than male workers' wages. Third, women were often less likely to marry or remarry after being widowed, leaving them as the main providers for the remaining family members. Finally, poor women had deficient diets, because their husbands and children received disproportionately large shares of food. Many women were malnourished and had limited access to health care.
Edwardian Britain had large numbers of male and female domestic servants, in both urban and rural areas. Men relied on working class women to run their homes smoothly, and employers often looked to these working class women for sexual partners. Servants were provided with food, clothing, housing, and a small wage, and lived in a self-enclosed social system inside the mansion. The number of domestic servants fell in the Edwardian era due to a declining number of young people willing to be employed in this area.
The upper classes embraced leisure sports, which resulted in rapid developments in fashion, as more mobile and flexible clothing styles were needed. During the Edwardian era, women wore a very tight corset, or bodice, and dressed in long skirts. The Edwardian era was the last time women wore corsets in everyday life. According to Arthur Marwick, the most striking change of all the developments that occurred during the Great War was the modification in women's dress, "for, however far politicians were to put the clocks back in other steeples in the years after the war, no one ever put the lost inches back on the hems of women's skirts".
The Edwardians developed new styles in clothing design. The bustle and heavy fabrics of the previous century disappeared. A new concept of tight fitting skirts and dresses made of lightweight fabrics were introduced for a more active lifestyle.
The 2 pieces dress came into vogue. Skirts hung tight at the hips and flared at the hem, creating a trupet of lily-like shape.
Tailored jackets, first introduced in 1880, increased in popularity and by 1900, tailored suits became popular.
By 1904, skirts became fuller and less clingy.
In 1905, skirts fell in soft folds that curved in, then flared out near the hemlines.
From 1905 - 1907, waistlines rose.
In 1901, the hobble skirt was introduced; a tight fitting skirt that restricted a woman's stride.
The Edwardian era corresponds to the French Belle Époque period. Despite its brief pre-eminence, the period is characterised by its own unique architectural style, fashion, and lifestyle. Art Nouveau had a particularly strong influence. Artists were influenced by the development of the automobile and electricity, and a greater awareness of human rights.
In November 1910, Roger Fry organised the exhibition Manet and the Post-Impressionists at the Grafton Galleries, London. This exhibition was the first to prominently feature Gauguin, Manet, Matisse, and Van Gogh in England and brought their art to the public. He followed it up with the Second Post-Impressionist Exhibition in 1912.
George Frampton’s statue of Peter Pan, "erected in Hyde Park in 1912 ... immediately became a source of contention, sparking debate about the role of public statuary and its role in spaces of recreation."
In fiction, some of the best-known names are J. M. Barrie, Arnold Bennett, G. K. Chesterton, Joseph Conrad, E. M. Forster, John Galsworthy, Kenneth Grahame, M. R. James, Rudyard Kipling, James Joyce, D. H. Lawrence, Edith Nesbit, Beatrix Potter, Saki, George Bernard Shaw, H. G. Wells, and P. G. Wodehouse. Apart from these famous writers, this was a period when a great number of novels and short stories were being published, and a significant distinction between "highbrow" literature and popular fiction emerged. Among the most famous works of literary criticism was A. C. Bradley's Shakespearean Tragedy (1904). Mass audience newspapers, controlled by press tycoons such as the Harmsworth brothers, Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe and Harold Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere, became increasingly important.
The available recordings of music, such as wax cylinders played on phonographs, were poor in quality by modern standards. Live performances, both amateur and professional, were popular. Henry Wood, Edward Elgar, Gustav Holst, Arnold Bax, George Butterworth, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Thomas Beecham were all active. Military and brass bands often played outside in parks during the summer.
Cinema was primitive and audiences preferred live performances to picture shows. Music hall was very popular and widespread; influential performers included male impersonator Vesta Tilley and comic Little Tich.
The most successful playwright of the era was W. Somerset Maugham. In 1908, he had four plays running simultaneously in London, and Punch published a cartoon of Shakespeare biting his fingernails nervously as he looked at the billboards. Maugham's plays, like his novels, usually had a conventional plot structure, but the decade also saw the rise of the so-called New Drama, represented in plays by George Bernard Shaw, Harley Granville Barker, and Continental imports by Henrik Ibsen and Gerhardt Hauptmann. The actor/manager system, as managed by Sir Henry Irving, Sir George Alexander, and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, was in decline.
Notable architects included Edwin Lutyens, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and Giles Gilbert Scott. In spite of the popularity of Art Nouveau in Europe, the Edwardian Baroque style of architecture was widely favoured for public structures and was a revival of Christopher Wren–inspired designs of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The change or reversal in taste from the Victorian eclectic styles corresponded with the historical revivals of the period, most prominently earlier Georgian and Neoclassical styles of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
White City Stadium for the 1908 Summer Olympics was the first Olympic Stadium in the UK. Built on the site of the Franco-British Exhibition, it had a seating capacity of 68,000 was opened by King Edward VII on 27 April 1908. It was the largest structure of its type in the world, and was designed to be awesome and enhance the love of large-scale spectacle that characterised Edwardian London.
Filmmakers Mitchell and Kenyon documented many scenes from Britain, Ireland and Scotland from 1900-1907, sports, parades, factory exits, parks, city streets, boating and the like. Their films have fortunately survived in very good quality restored from the original negatives.
The period featured many innovations. Ernest Rutherford published his studies on radioactivity. The first transatlantic wireless signals were sent by Guglielmo Marconi, and the Wright brothers flew for the first time.
By the end of the era, Louis Blériot had crossed the English Channel by air; the largest ship in the world, RMS Olympic, had sailed on its maiden voyage and her sister RMS Titanic soon to follow; automobiles were common; and the South Pole was reached for the first time by Roald Amundsen's and then Robert Falcon Scott's teams.
The 1908 Summer Olympic Games were held in London. Popularity of sports tended to conform to class divisions, with tennis and yachting popular among the very wealthy and football (soccer) favoured by the working class.
Aston Villa maintained their position as the pre-eminent football team of the era, winning the FA Cup for the fourth time in 1905 and their sixth League title in 1909–10. The club colours of claret and sky blue were adopted by Burnley as a tribute to their success in 1910. Sunderland achieved their fourth league title in 1901–02. The era also saw Liverpool (1900–01, 1905–06), Newcastle United (1904–05, 1906–07, 1908–09) and Manchester United (1907–08) winning their first league titles.
1 2 Hattersley, Roy (2004). The Edwardians. London: Little, Brown. ISBN 0-316-72537-4.
↑ Priestley (1970), pp. 55–56, 288–290.
↑ Battiscombe, Georgina (1969). Queen Alexandra. London: Constable. p. 217. ISBN 0-09-456560-0.
↑ James, Lawrence (1994). The Rise and Fall of the British Empire. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 978-0-349-10667-0.
↑ David Brooks, The age of upheaval: Edwardian politics, 1899-1914 (Manchester University Press, 1995).
↑ G.R. Searle, A new England?: peace and war, 1886-1918 (Oxford UP, 20040 pp 275-307.
↑ Dorothy Porter, "'Enemies of the race': biologism, environmentalism, and public health in Edwardian England." Victorian Studies 34#2 (1991): 159-178.
↑ Ian Packer, Liberal government and politics, 1905-15 (Palgrave Macmillan, 2006).
↑ Margaret Beetham, A magazine of her own?: domesticity and desire in the woman's magazine, 1800-1914 (Routledge, 2003).
↑ Guerriero R. Wilson, "Women's work in offices and the preservation of men's ‘breadwinning’jobs in early twentieth-century Glasgow." Women's History Review 10#3 (2001): 463-482.
↑ Gregory Anderson, The white-blouse revolution: female office workers since 1870 (1988).
↑ Carol Dyhouse, Girls growing up in late Victorian and Edwardian England (Routledge, 2012).
↑ Cartriona M. Parratt, "Athletic 'Womanhood': Exploring sources for female sport in Victorian and Edwardian England." Journal of Sport History 16#2 (1989): 140-157.
↑ Martin Pugh, Women's suffrage in Britain, 1867-1928 (1980).
↑ Melanie Phillips, The Ascent of Woman: A History of the Suffragette Movement and the Ideas behind it (Abacus, 2004).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Knight, Patricia (1977). "Women and Abortion in Victorian and Edwardian England". History Workshop. 4: 57–68. doi:10.1093/hwj/4.1.57.
1 2 3 McLaren, Angus (1977). "Abortion in England 1890–1914". Victorian Studies: 379–400.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Thane, Pat (1978). "Women and the Poor Law in Victorian and Edwardian England". History Workshop: 29–51.
1 2 Benson, John (2007). "One Man and His Woman: Domestic Service in Edwardian England". Labour History Review. 72 (3): 203–214.
↑ Davidoff, Lenore (1973). "Mastered for Life: Servant and Wife in Victorian and Edwardian England". Society for the Study of Labour History. 73 (27): 23–24.
↑ Pooley, Sian (2008). "Domestic Servants and Their Urban Employers: A Case Study of Lancaster 1880–1914". The Economic History Review. 62 (2): 405–429. doi:10.1111/j.1468-0289.2008.00459.x.
↑ Marilyn Constanzo, "'One Can't Shake Off the Women': Images of Sport and Gender in Punch, 1901-10." The International journal of the history of sport 19#1 (2002): 31-56.
↑ Sarah Cosbey, Mary Lynn Damhorst, and Jane Farrell-Beck. "Diversity of daytime clothing styles as a reflection of women’s social role ambivalence from 1873 through 1912." Clothing and Textiles Research Journal 21#3 (2003): 101-119.
↑ Marwick, Arthur (1991). The Deluge. British Society and the First World War (Second ed.). Basingstoke: Macmillan. p. 151. ISBN 0-333-54846-9.
↑ Olian, JoAnne (1998). Victorian and Edwardian fashions from "La Mode Illustrée". New York: Dover Publications. ISBN 9780486297118.
↑ Ann Beth Presley, "Fifty years of change: Societal attitudes and women's fashions, 1900–1950." Historian 60#2 (1998): 307-324.
↑ Kristina Harris, Victorian & Edwardian Fashions for Women, 1840 to 1919 (Schiffer Publishing, 1995).
↑ Sarah Edwards, "‘Clad in Robes of Virgin White’: The Sexual Politics of the ‘Lingerie’Dress in Novel and Film Versions of The Go-Between." Adaptation 5#1 (2012): 18-34.
↑ Priestley, J. B. (1970). The Edwardians. London: Heinemann. pp. 176–178. ISBN 0-434-60332-5.
↑ Priestley (1970), pp. 132–139.
↑ Priestley (1970), pp. 172–176.
↑ A.S. Gray, Edwardian Architecture: A Biographical Dictionary (1985).
↑ David Littlefield, "White City: The Art of Erasure and Forgetting the Olympic Games." Architectural Design 82#1 (2012): 70-77.
↑ James Anthony Mangan, ed. A sport-loving society: Victorian and Edwardian middle-class England at play (Routledge, 2004).
↑ Tony Mason, "'Our Stephen and our Harold’: Edwardian footballers as local heroes." The International Journal of the History of Sport 13#1 (1996): 71-85.
Gray, Anne (2004). The Edwardians: Secrets and Desires. National Gallery of Australia. ISBN 978-0642541499.
Gutzke, David W. "W. Waters Butler and the Making of a Progressive Brewer in Britain, 1890-1922." Histoire sociale/Social history 47#96 (2015): 137-160.
Hughes, Michael. "Archbishop Davidson, the 'Edwardian Crisis,' and the Defense of the National Church." Journal of Church and State 57#2 (2015): 217-242.
Sutherland, Gillian. "Self-education, class and gender in Edwardian Britain: women in lower middle class families." Oxford Review of Education 41#4 (2015): 518-533.
Trumble, Angus, and Andrea Wolk Rager, eds. Edwardian Opulence: British Art at the Dawn of the Twentieth Century (2012).
Thompson, Paul Richard (1992). The Edwardians: The Remaking of British Society. Routledge. ISBN 0-203-41320-2. | 2019-04-19T22:39:11 | https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/Edwardian_Era.html |
0.998642 | What other names is Magnolia known by?
Beaver Tree, Bourgeon Floral de Magnolia, Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis, Flos Magnoliae, Ho-No-Ki, Holly Bay, Hou Po, Indian Bark, Japanese whitebark magnolia, Magnolia Bark, Magnolia biondii, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia emargenata, Magnolia fargesii, Magnolia Flower Bud, Magnolia glauca, Magnolia heptaperta, Magnolia hypoleuca, Magnolia officinalis, Magnolia Rouge, Magnolia salicifolia, Magnolia sargentiana, Magnolia sprengeri, Magnolia wilsonii, Red Bay, Red Magnolia, Swamp Laurel, Swamp Sassafras, Sweet Bay, White Bay, White Laurel, Xin Ye Hua, Xin Yi Hua.
Magnolia is used for weight loss, problems with digestion, constipation, inflammation, anxiety, stress, depression, fever, headache, stroke, and asthma.
Magnolia flower bud is used for stuffy nose, runny nose, common cold, sinus pain, hay fever, headache, and facial dark spots.
Some people apply magnolia flower bud directly to the gums for toothaches.
In rub-on skin care products, magnolia flower bud extract is used as a skin whitener and to minimize or counteract skin irritation caused by the other ingredients.
In traditional Chinese and Japanese (Kampo) medicine, magnolia bark is an ingredient in Hange-koboku-to, which is composed of 5 plant extracts, and in Saiboku-to, which is composed of 10 plant extracts. These extracts are used to decrease anxiety and nervous tension and to improve sleep. Some researchers believe honokiol, a chemical in magnolia bark, is what makes these medicines work.
Weight loss. So far, there isn't much evidence that magnolia causes weight loss. There is some research showing that overweight women who take a specific product containing a combination of extracts of magnolia plus phellodendron (Relora, Next Pharmaceuticals) don't gain as much weight as other women. They seem to eat fewer calories, possibly because the magnolia reduces their stress-related eating. However, there is no reliable evidence that taking this product actually causes weight loss.
Some other weight loss products include magnolia bark with claims that it reduces cortisol levels. However, there is no evidence that magnolia bark causes weight loss or reduces cortisol levels. In fact, it appears to increase levels of corticosterone, a chemical similar to cortisol.
Magnolia seems to have anxiety-reducing activity in animals. It might also increase steroid production by the body to treat asthma. All research on magnolia has been in laboratories.
Magnolia is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when used short-term. The safety of magnolia use for more than 6 weeks is unknown. In one study, one person experienced heartburn, shaking hands, sexual problems, and thyroid problems. Another person experienced extreme tiredness and headache. But it is not known if these side effects were caused by magnolia or some other factor.
Not enough is known to rate the safety of magnolia when applied to the skin.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Taking magnolia flower bud by mouth is UNSAFE during pregnancy. There are reports that magnolia can cause the uterus to contract and that might cause a miscarriage.
Magnolia might slow blood clotting. Taking magnolia along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.
Magnolia bark might cause sleepiness and drowsiness. Medications that cause sleepiness are called sedatives. Taking magnolia bark along with sedative medications might cause too much sleepiness.
Magnolia bark might cause sleepiness and drowsiness. Drugs that cause sleepiness and drowsiness are called sedative medications. Taking magnolia bark along with sedative medications might cause too much sleepiness. Do not take magnolia bark if you are taking sedative medications.
The appropriate dose of magnolia depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for magnolia. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using. | 2019-04-24T10:17:48 | https://www.medicinenet.com/magnolia/supplements-vitamins.htm |
0.619207 | Will America's Economic Tower Topple in 2011?
I’ve just received the 3-paragraph obligatory, year-end email from my friend John. A friend of four decades going back to graduate school, John is now a retired professor from a major Northeastern school where he has taught Real Estate Economics for more than thirty years. And our friendship has unfortunately compressed to this annual, short communication which I call “disobituary,” just reminding each other we are still around.
When I read that paragraph, the first thing that came to mind was that same saying, then as reference point in Jeremiah Wright’s 9/11 sermon… an inconvenient truth that Americans refuse to accept – forcing Barack Obama, then candidate to the presidency, to repudiate his former spiritual adviser. John’s prediction, however, is not a sermon, but a conclusion he has reached as a man of knowledge and the evidence he sees.
One need not be a latter-day Nostradamus to predict a collapse of the American economy… as that economic future meteorically descends towards us. What needs to be asked is “when will it happen,” for unlike a meteorite following a prescribed trajectory, the route and timing of an economic collapse is often manipulated by politicians and their economists-consiglieri, always clouding the time of impact by adding on to an existing insurmountable debt, our legacy to generations of unborn Americans.
Public outcry and fear inflicted by Osama bin Laden (Al-Qaeda) and his 9/11 signature date, whether he was the true inflictor or just a US government tool, will likely descend to a secondary role. This economic unraveling which is likely to occur in 2011, will be, consequentially, a thousand-fold more damaging, finally force-educating – although too late – much of the American public: that 80 percent of the population that has been kept ignorant, and in a state of servitude, by that other 20 percent of their fellow citizens – and not just the mythical 2 percent – who kept them in chains thanks to a government eager to provide shelter to unregulated, predatory capitalism of the worst kind.
Sometime in 2011, possibly in the third quarter, close to the one decade anniversary of that 9/11 event, America’s economic chickens will come home to roost… I agree with my friend John. Our economy, far from being recovered from a real estate crisis, where residential and commercial properties are still overvalued by 2 to 3 trillion dollars, will be confronting two new bubbles that will serve as coup de grâce: State/Municipal Debt and Student Loans. Not just by virtue of their size, close to a trillion dollars each, but by getting close to home for most Americans, in the amount and quality of government services they will get.
Perhaps from these economic ashes, a moral phoenix will rise that will humanize America; a grass-roots backlash to an errant foreign policy that had to be enforced, particularly in the Middle East and Afghanistan, via a bellicose American military. All at a cost of trillions of dollars that purchased for the United States nothing but ill-will!
Obama’s administration, and its subservient Fed, will try to put the fire out adding one or two trillion dollars more to the existing 14 trillion National Debt… but China, now fully grown, will have none of that; like it or not, our problems will be our own and economic growth elsewhere in the world will be minimally affected by this nation being bankrupt.
Our economic fate is really tied, totally dependent, to the economic growth in the emerging nations which at this point affects more than half of the world’s population. And this dependency is almost inversely proportional in how it affects us, since there is relatively little we produce, and that includes high technology, that we can sell to the world. So, in this finite world in which we live, other nations’ demand for commodities, or finished products, will make the price we have to pay for them dearer and dearer… sinking our living standards as other nations raise theirs.
America is no longer the economic clearinghouse, whether in commodities, technology or finance, that it once was, no matter what leftover delusions of grandeur we still have. Our economic-financial ivory tower has toppled, not by a single act of terrorism – such as the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center back in 9/11 – but by economic erosion caused by the unregulated globalization that American governments have adopted for the last three decades.
It’s been a while since much of the world got wise to America’s lack of a plenipotentiary role in the economic affairs of the world. But Americans would not believe it, or accept it. Finally, Americans are going to see the emperor, themselves, not wearing any clothes. And that’s what John and I mean when we say… “The economic chickens have finally come home to roost.” Welcome to 20/11! | 2019-04-23T16:14:46 | http://www.aljazeerah.info/Opinion%20Editorials/2011/January/3%20o/Economic%20Implosion,%20Will%20America's%20Economic%20Tower%20Topple%20in%202011%20By%20Ben%20Tanosborn.htm |
0.998387 | "The [official TYPE O NEGATIVE] forums have been re-opened. Please play nice and expect statements from the band and family later today.
"Thank you for your understanding and support."
As previously reported, TYPE O NEGATIVE keyboardist Josh Silver confirmed to BLABBERMOUTH.NET that Peter Steele passed away yesterday (Wednesday, April 14) at the age of 48. No official cause of death has yet been released, but it is believed that Steele died of heart failure.
According to unconfirmed reports, Steele had been ill for days leading up to his death.
Steele was born Petrus T. Ratajczyk on January 4, 1962 in Brooklyn, New York. He stood 6' 7" (201 cm) tall, and had a low, bass-heavy voice, which was one of the most recognizable features in TYPE O NEGATIVE's music.
Before forming TYPE O NEGATIVE, Steele played for the metal group FALLOUT and the thrash band CARNIVORE. | 2019-04-23T06:47:39 | http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/type-o-negative-to-issue-statement-regarding-peter-steele-s-death-later-today/ |
0.996747 | Moments after the touchdown, the phone at the IL began ringing like a 1202 Program Alarm. NASA was calling and wanted to know what went wrong, demanding an explanation and a fix before the LM lifted off the surface in a few hours. The IL engineers understood that their computer was not operating at full capacity, but they did not understand why.
They went to their simulators, in ''a frantic session,'' trying to recreate the problem. ''We worked all night and time was running short.'' Fred Martin recalled, ''Our NASA buddies called us every 15-30 minutes anticipating, demanding a solution. We had to find it. We re-covered old ground, new ground, brainstorms, crazy ideas, anything.''17 Finally, George Silver, an IL engineer with a great deal of experience in the LM simulators, arrived at the lab. He had monitored the landing at home, heard the alarms, and rushed into work to point out that he'd seen this problem caused by the rendezvous radar during a simulation when the radar was on during a landing and in the ''AUTO'' position.
Fred Martin ran upstairs and pored through the telemetry data with his engineers— sure enough, the radar was on during the landing, though the IL thought it should have been off. It had to have been turned on by an astronaut, but why would he do that? The rendezvous radar was not used during landing. Checking the procedures, it turned out that the astronauts were indeed following the procedure—it was in their instructions (actually, Aldrin had put the switch in SLEW position, when it should have been in AUTO, but this would have made no difference to the problem). They had learned to do it this way in the procedures trainer. But in that simulator the switch was just a dummy, not connected to anything. In the real vehicle, it had different effects.
By now Armstrong and Aldrin had explored the moon for a few hours, and their ascent countdown was already underway. The IL phoned NASA and asked them to call the LM and ask for the rendezvous radar switch to be placed in the LGC position before liftoff. The problem was solved and the program alarms did not recur.
Why did the procedures specify the rendezvous radar, used in the ascent from the moon, to be turned on during descent? Some time before landing Aldrin asked the IL engineers if he could leave the rendezvous radar on during the landing, so that it would already be running if there was an abort and they needed to return to the CSM. IL engineer Larsen approved this step and changed the checklist. Aldrin, of course, was a rendezvous expert and he wanted to be prepared in case of an abort.
But hidden in the computer's interface to the rendezvous radar lay a problem.18 The radar had three modes: SLEW, AUTO, and LGC. In the first two modes, the crew operated the antenna. In SLEW, they could manually direct it, and then switch to AUTO to automatically track the signal on the CSM during rendezvous. These modes operated separately from the guidance computer and displayed their data on the cockpit displays. In LGC mode, the data was provided to the software, which incorporated range and range rate as well as antenna angles into the calculations for the rendezvous guidance. Crew procedures called for the switch to be in the AUTO position during the landings, which would hold it still. Neither mode should have had any impact on the computer.
The trouble was that the rendezvous radar and the rest of the guidance system had different electrical power supplies. They both ran on alternating current (AC) of the same frequency, but had different phases (i.e., their alternating sine waves were out of sync). When the change in the switch procedure was tested in the lab, technicians connected both to the same power supply, which caused them to run in phase, even though they would be out of phase in the spacecraft. According to George Silver via Don Eyles, the problem had been recognized early on but never corrected.
The computer had been designed with 15 percent ''overhead'' in processing power. That is, with all the processes running full blast, the computer would be at 85 percent capacity. But the rendezvous radar was generating so much spurious data that it ate up more than this 15 percent, causing the computer to overload.
Fortunately, the computer had a graceful way of responding to this situation. What the computer did next was not a bug in the program, but a manifestation of robustness in the software design. IL engineers were very proud of their ''asynchronous executive,'' and when the overloads came up, this feature allowed the computer to drop low-priority tasks, meaning that basic housekeeping tasks and the DSKY display were the first to go. Indeed, Aldrin's request for Noun 68 (DELTAH) was dropped by the computer and the display returned to P63. The display froze up for short periods as well. Still, the mission-critical items—guidance equations, throttle control, attitude servos—kept running, which was why Armstrong could still feel the machine responding to his inputs.
In response to these overflows, not only was the computer generating alarms, but it was also restarting. Fortunately, these were not the cumbersome reboots required by today's desktop computers. Rather, ''restart protection,'' the difficult new requirement imposed on the software team in 1968, was allowing the computer to restart nearly instantaneously. When the 1201 and 1202 alarms came up, the computer called a BAILOUT subroutine (ironic for a craft without parachutes), and simply restarted itself. Because of its restart protection, the computer could flush incomplete and lower-priority jobs and pick up right where it had left off. Armstrong could not even feel the hiccups.
When the computer shifted into P64 as the LM pitched over, the computer's capacity margin became even more critical, and hence the alarms continued and even increased in frequency. When Armstrong switched into P66 and took over manual control, the computing load lightened, because the computer was no longer calculating the landing point, and the alarms disappeared.
These explanations all developed in analysis after the landing. How, then, did the ground crews know to make their snap decision not to call an abort?
In the months before the Apollo 11 mission, the crew had rehearsed the landing process from the LM simulator, in contact with the flight controllers and numerous other aspects of the network. As the basic scripts were perfected, engineers began inserting a series of unlikely events to test reactions. Jack Garman, a young engineer on the ground, helped develop computer errors that would probably never happen. These included a program alarm reflecting an overload on the LM computer.
PGNCS condition unknown, DKSY may be locked up, duty cycle may be up to point of missing some functions (nav. last to die) switch to AGS (follow ERR needles) may help (reduces PGNCS duty cycle signif.). | 2019-04-26T05:39:53 | https://www.astronomyclub.xyz/lunar-landing/chasing-the-problem.html |
0.997887 | What are the elements of a home that foster a sense of belonging for its members? During the past seven weeks working at Ākāśa Innovation, I have explored the elements that make this new not-for-profit enterprise a welcoming home to its community of sensemakers and changemakers. As one of Ākāśa Innovation’s first interns, I have had the opportunity of working in a small team of people with skills and interests different from mine. Yet it has been astonishing to see how effortlessly we have been able to understand each other, collaborate and form a close-knit group.
I hoped to discover this ineffable, binding element when I interviewed Olivia, a fellow intern and student, three weeks ago. During the interview, Olivia’s vision of Ākāśa Innovation, its elements and values, struck me. Everything she said regarding her experience with Ākāśa Innovation was very similar to what I would have said except for one detail: for Olivia, authenticity – the acceptance of one’s true self – lay at the heart of Ākāśa Innovation, whilst I saw empathy as the all-encompassing, transcendent element. I consider empathy and care the key elements to being mindful, hopeful, authentic and grateful towards oneself, others and the planet.
This brief moment of stubborn resistance to a differing opinion led me to reflect upon the structure of Ākāśa Innovation itself. In the past seven weeks, I have witnessed how our organisation and our work are able to draw people together and foster a community and a sense of belonging which emerge from the interconnectivity of all five elements. None of the people I met throughout my internship at Ākāśa Innovation, whether experts in the field of sustainability and education, writers, psychologists, volunteers or young people, are attracted to our social enterprise simply for our Young Pioneers Programme, our events or EARTHtalks. They all find an element of their personality, their work or studies that matches with Ākāśa Innovation and makes them feel included.
For me, that element was care. When choosing and applying for my internship, I felt drawn to Ākāśa Innovation because of its empathetic approach to its members, partners and community; as a graduate, I needed to find an organisation within which I could express this side of my personality and feel at home. For Olivia, it was the desire to be authentic and act according to her values, knowing that in doing so she would be accepted and supported.
Unsurprisingly, care, acceptance and support are the main elements of a home in my mind. When I am at home, I know that I will be looked after and I will cherish providing support to my family and friends. At home I can be myself in everything I do and be accepted for who I am without being judged. But this feeling does not translate into most of my daily life. I find that there is an acute distinction between what is appropriate to and accepted in my private, make-up free life and what I subscribe to in my public, mask-wearing activities. How can we, as a community, feel at home, and be authentic and caring if we are worried that someone will huff and glare if we take too long to “move down inside the carriage”?
Ākāśa Innovation is able to transpose the private into the public. It creates a home beyond one’s family unit for the members of its community, which allows each and every one of us to be caring and cared for, to be authentic and feel accepted. Our personal interactions with Ākāśa Innovation’s elements provide us with a safe space to explore who we are and who we might become. Some of us may want to shape our mindsets or our relationship towards the local community; others may need an extra motivational push towards becoming environmental activists.
Care isn’t the special, all-encompassing element, which differentiates Ākāśa Innovation from other organisations and in relation to which all the other values make sense. But it is what I needed to find within the organisation to feel at ease and at home during the past seven weeks. And this is precisely the meaning of the word Ākāśa. Ākāśa brings together all these interconnected elements and creates something bigger than the sum of their parts, something in which we can find a piece of ourselves.
For me, this post describes the essence of Ākāśa Innovation so beautifully! Though I am currently not directly involved with Ākāśa Innovation’s work, its founders became my family away from home too. I know very well what it feels like to belong to a strong community. Embracing difference has opened that space for cooperation has been able to take place where you really can be authentic and feel included, Ākāśa Innovation has been able to accomplish this by translating difference into union and building a community based on empathy and the integration of many to form a one that will bring change to the world. | 2019-04-24T21:50:36 | http://akashainnovation.org/the-akasa-element/ |
0.999974 | Converting proof to percentage is helpful if you want to know how much alcohol is in a tumbler of vodka or a glass of wine. The term stretches back to the 18th century, when workers proofed liquor at a distillery by adding some gunpowder to it and then setting it alight. Liquor that didn't react was deemed too weak, and liquor that burned yellow was too strong, and liquor that burned blue was just the right proof. You can perform a simple calculation to determine the alcoholic content of your beverage based on its proof.
Write down the proof of your alcoholic beverage.
Divide the number by two.
Write down the answer, which is the alcoholic percentage of your beverage. | 2019-04-23T02:00:00 | https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-to-convert-proof-to-percentage/ |
0.999999 | What is a CT scan of the spine?
Computed tomography is an imaging test that uses X-rays and a computer to make detailed images of the body. A CT scan shows details of the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. CT scans are more detailed than standard X-rays.
In standard X-rays, a beam of energy is aimed at the body part being studied. A plate behind the body part captures the variations of the energy beam after it passes through skin, bone, muscle, and other tissue. While healthcare providers can get much information from a standard X-ray, it does not give a lot of detail about internal organs and other structures.
In a CT scan, an X-ray beam moves in a circle around the body. This allows many different views of the same organ or structure. The X-ray information is sent to a computer that interprets the X-ray data and displays it in a 2-D form on a monitor.
CT scans may be done with or without "contrast." Contrast refers to a substance taken by mouth or injected into an IV (intravenous) line that causes the particular organ or tissue under study to show up more clearly on the scan.
CT scans of the spine can provide more detailed information about the bones of the spine (vertebrae), the disks between the vertebrae, and other spinal structures and tissues than standard X-rays of the spine. CT scans can give healthcare providers more information related to injuries or diseases of the spine.
Why might I need a CT scan of the spine?
A CT scan may be done when another type of exam such as an X-ray, MRI, or physical exam doesn't give enough information.
A CT of the spine may also be used to assess the effects of treatment of the spine, such as surgery or other therapy.
There may be other reasons for your healthcare provider to recommend a CT scan of the spine.
What are the risks of a CT scan of the spine?
You may want to ask your healthcare provider about the amount of radiation used during the CT scan and the risks related to your particular situation. Radiation from CT scans varies, but it may be up to 100 times greater than a normal chest X-ray. It's a good idea to keep a record of your radiation exposure, such as previous CT scans and other types of X-rays, so that you can tell your healthcare provider. Risks linked to radiation exposure may be related to the number of X-ray exams or treatments over a long period.
Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or think you may be. Radiation exposure during pregnancy may lead to birth defects. If you need to have a CT of the spine, special precautions will be taken to reduce the radiation exposure to the fetus.
If you are breastfeeding, talk with your provider about delaying breastfeeding after getting contrast. There are conflicting recommendations on this topic.
If contrast dye is used, there is a risk for allergic reaction to the dye. Tell your healthcare provider if you are allergic to or sensitive to medicines, contrast, or iodine. Most people won't have any problems from contrast dye. But tell your provider if you have ever had a reaction to any contrast dye, or any kidney problems. Having a seafood allergy won't stop you from getting contrast.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any kidney problems. In some cases, the contrast dye can cause kidney failure. People with kidney disease are more likely to have kidney damage after contrast exposure.
There may be other risks depending on your specific health condition. Discuss any concerns with your healthcare provider before the test.
How do I get ready for a CT scan of the spine?
The CT technologist will explain the test and you can ask questions.
If your CT scan involves the use of contrast dye, you will be asked to sign a consent form that gives permission to do the procedure. Read the form carefully and ask questions if anything is unclear.
Tell the technologist if you have ever had a reaction to any contrast dye, or if you are allergic to iodine.
You don't usually need to fast before a CT scan, unless a contrast dye is to be used. Your healthcare provider will give you special instructions ahead of time if contrast is to be used and you need to fast.
Tell your healthcare provider about all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, and vitamins, herbs, and supplements you are taking.
Tell your healthcare provider about an recent illnesses or other health conditions you have such as heart disease, kidney disease, asthma, diabetes, or thyroid problems. These can increase the risk for problems.
Tell the technologist if you are pregnant or think you may be.
Tell the technologist if you have any body piercings on your chest or stomach.
If you are claustrophobic, discuss taking medicine before the test with your healthcare provider.
Your healthcare provider may have other instructions on how to get ready.
What happens during a CT scan of the spine?
CT scans can be done on an outpatient basis or as part of your hospital stay. Steps may vary depending on your condition and your healthcare provider’s practices.
You will be asked to remove any clothing, jewelry, or other objects that may interfere with the test, such as eyeglasses, hairpins, dentures, and possibly hearing aids.
If you are to have a scan done with contrast, a healthcare professional will start an intravenous (IV) line in your hand or arm for injection of the contrast dye.
You will lie on a narrow table that slides into a large, circular opening of the ring-shaped scanning machine. Pillows and straps may be used to help prevent movement during the scan.
The technologist will be in another room where the scanner controls are located. But you will be in constant sight of the technologist through a window. Speakers inside the scanner will allow the technologist to talk to you and hear you. You will have a call button so that you can let the technologist know if you have any problems during the scan. The technologist will be watching you at all times and will be in constant communication.
The scanner will start to rotate around you and X-rays will pass through your body for short amounts of time. You will hear clicking and whirring sounds, which are normal.
The X-rays absorbed by the body's tissues will be detected by the scanner and transmitted to the computer. The computer will transform the information into an image to be interpreted by the radiologist.
It will be important for you to stay very still during the scan. You may be asked to hold your breath for a short time at various times during the scan.
If contrast dye is used, you will be removed from the scanner after the first set of scans has been completed. A second set of scans will be taken after the contrast dye has been given.
If contrast dye is used, you may feel some effects when the dye is injected into the IV line. These effects include a warm flushing sensation, a salty or metallic taste in the mouth, a brief headache, or nausea. These effects usually only last for a few moments.
Tell the technologist if you feel any breathing difficulties, sweating, numbness, or heart palpitations.
When the test has been completed, you will be removed from the scanner.
If an IV line was inserted, it will be removed.
You may be asked to wait for a short time while the radiologist examines the scans to make sure they are clear.
While the CT test itself causes no pain, having to lie still for the length of the test might be uncomfortable, particularly if you’ve recently been injured or had surgery. The technologist will use all possible comfort measures and complete the test as quickly as possible to minimize any discomfort or pain.
What happens after a CT scan of the spine?
If contrast dye was used, you may be watched for a period for any side effects or reactions to the contrast dye, such as itching, swelling, rash, or trouble breathing. Tell the radiologist or your healthcare provider right away if you notice any of these symptoms.
If you notice any pain, redness, or swelling at the IV site after you go home, tell your healthcare provider as this could be a sign of infection or other type of reaction.
Otherwise, there is no special type of care needed after a CT scan of the spine. You may go back to your usual diet and activities unless your healthcare provider tells you differently.
Your healthcare provider may give you other instructions after the test, depending on your situation. | 2019-04-26T14:46:55 | http://healthlibrary.osfhealthcare.org/Search/92,P07648 |
0.999988 | I regularly deliver workshops and lectures for organizations, industry meetings, and general audiences. Contact me if you would like more information on the workshops/lectures I summarize below.
Workshop 1: What is Success?
* How do I define success in my life?
* What are my strengths and weaknesses in terms of success-oriented practices?
The event includes a personalized, interactive profiler to help participants discover their current success beliefs and a story-filled presentation on what modern social science research teaches about key components of success, including such things as happiness, achievement, excellence, and meaningful work.
I am the founder of the negotiation program at the Wharton School and this workshop draws on my decades of experience in this field. The workshop is based on my global best-seller, Bargaining for Advantage: Negotiation Strategies for Reasonable People, which has been translated into fourteen languages. The workshop can be tailored to focus on negotiation issues related to sales, purchase and procurement, negotiations within organizations, leadership, specific companies and industries, and specific issues relating to negotiations. This program provides participants with practical tools they can use immediately to improve negotiation outcomes. My negotiation workshops teach participants a systematic process for approaching any kind of negotiation situation. Longer programs feature hands-on negotiation exercises that let participants experiment with new negotiating approaches. Shorter ones feature entertaining film clips to illustrate lecture points. All of my workshops utilize a personality-based, bargaining styles assessment each participant takes to help individualize their insights.
Persuasion and influence inside organizations is a core skill for everyone who has to get things done in a complex work environment. It is also crucial if you selling to or buying from a large company or government unit. I have hands-on, detailed professional experience in this area that I bring to my workshops and lectures. Nobody ever gets too skilled at influencing those around them so that the right things get done more often and more efficiently. This workshop and lecture is based on my book (co-authored with Mario Moussa) The Art of Woo: Using Strategic Persuasion to Sell Your Ideas.
If you or your organization is trying to win support for important initiatives, achieve organizational alignment, or implement complex business strategies, the insights from this program will pay immediate dividends. Through a series of interactive discussions and role-plays, you will answer four key questions: What is my communication style? What is my organizational culture? What is the optimal way to achieve buy-in for my ideas? How can I generate lasting commitment? After this training session, participants experience enhanced self-awareness, including emotional intelligence, and can better learn to utilize heightened organizational intelligence, including the skills needed to assemble winning coalitions. | 2019-04-18T16:18:04 | https://www.grichardshell.com/speaking-training/ |
0.998155 | How many times do you need to explain the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?
When my little angel (LA) was first diagnosed, I didn't know the difference but soon got frustrated by peoples ignorance. I have to keep reminding myself that it is not something that everyone knows about - in fact, due to both charity and government education programs and advertising in Australia, the initial instinct of most people is "type 2" and "what did your daughter eat/ was she very overweight?".
That said, last week I had a really rough few days with just stupid and insensitive questions which left me stumped as to how to reply. The first was when a man asked me if I had smoked and drank when pregnant with my daughter, thus causing her diabetes. I was so shocked it took me a moment to reply, and he had walked off before I did (oh but the comebacks I came up with in bed that night!). The other was a seemingly innocent question around how my life has changed since my now 2 yr olds was diagnosed diabetes. I explained that I no longer worked, and was her full time carer... before explaining how excited I was that I had found a child care centre that has trained a number of staff in diabetes management and my LA had just started 2 days a week... the response "well it will be nice to be able to go back to work a few days a week and give your life more purpose". Hmm, because ensuring my daughter is healthy and alive on a daily basis serves little purpose? Working for a big corporation increasing the profits of shareholders gives your life purpose? No, no, I know, doing something that you understand on a daily basis (i.e. working in an office) means that my life has purpose? No, I didn't say any of these things, but REALLY.... in reality, I don't think my life has been any healthier or in better balance than the last 6 months or so. I have two healthy, happy (most of the time) children and a fantastic husband (again... most of the time...). I have created a routine for myself that keeps me very busy and creates a great social and active life for us all and I feel that I have the most important role of my career. The funny thing is that maybe 2 years ago, I could have been that insensitive person asking the question about a purposeful career.
There was definitely a period when my LA was first diagnosed that I felt lost. I had no hesitation in taking on the role of full time carer (which was what the senior hospital staff recommended), however I did wonder whether this was going to be hard on my ego (which had been boosted by my success in my career). In some ways I was lucky with the timing, as I was still on maternity leave when LA was diagnosed (she was only 11mths old). I have a great circle of friends and they circled tighter. My mum was a godsend, learning quickly how to check LA's blood glucose levels and give needles, giving my husband and I some time to spend on our own (and me time to spend exercising). The person who I worry about most (other than LA) is my darling son (DS). He is 4 and very much notices the attention that LA gets. He has had to have fewer treats (a good thing of course) and take a step back around mealtimes, when we have to test and give needles to LA. Of course there are the impacts of LA's moods when she is high or low... but luckily that is rare. I know he doesn't get the same amount of attention he used to and it is one of the things I hope to focus on this year with LA in child care. I am hoping to get up to his school to volunteer reading with the class, working in the tuckshop and helping on sports days.
Overall, life as a carer is good. The two days a week that I "have off" have only been 4 in total so far - so we will see what I end up doing on a regular basis. I love my LA and whilst I would take her diabetes from her in a second, I would not change her in any way. My life is full of purpose, with wonderful, supportive family and friends. There are just a few roadbumps to educate on the way! | 2019-04-22T16:31:36 | http://mumbuzz.blogspot.com/2011/01/type-1-life-changes.html |
0.998677 | Hallador Energy Co. through its subsidiaries engages in the mining, production, and sale of steam coal for the electric power generation industry. The company holds interest in the following properties: the Carlisle underground coal mine; Ace in the Hole mine; Oaktown 1 and Oaktown 2 mines; and Bulldog underground mines. It also involves in oil and gas exploration activities. The company was founded in 1951 and is headquartered in Denver, CO.
Hallador Energy Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the mining, production, and sale of steam coal for the electric power generation industry in the United States. The company holds interests in the Oaktown 1 underground mine located in Knox County, Indiana; the Oaktown 2 mine located in Knox County, Indiana and Lawrence County, Illinois; Carlisle underground coal mine located near the town of Carlisle, Indiana; Ace in the Hole mine located near Clay City, Indiana; and Bulldog underground mine located in Vermillion County, Illinois. It is also involved in oil and gas exploration activities in Michigan and Indiana. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. | 2019-04-25T01:58:17 | http://www.priceseries.com/company/HNRG.html |
0.998289 | How would you like to select your new mover mailing list?
Select a list selection method.
I would like to select addresses based on a street map.
I would like to select addresses surrounding a specific location (radius search).
I would like to select addresses based on Zip Code(s).
I would like to select addresses based on streets.
Select this option if you would like to select by ZIP Code(s).
A link to USPS ZIP lookup will be available if you are unsure of the ZIP Code(s).
Select this option if you would like to select addresses on the same street(s).
You will be asked to enter the ZIP Code for the streets to be selected.
Select this option if you would like to find the closest homes surrounding a target address.
A link to USPS ZIP lookup will be provided if you are unsure of the ZIP+4.
Select this option if you would like to select records based on a street map.
You will be asked to enter an address for the area you want to search.
By using the map you can select where you want to mail to.
Select this option if you would like to select records based on a Countys.
You will be asked to select a State and Counties for the area you want to search. | 2019-04-19T16:32:01 | https://prospectservice.lifewaystores.com/Products/ConsumerList/SelectNewMoverList.aspx |
0.994017 | "If I was back in the same place, with the same information I would take the same decision – that's the decision I believe was right."
Tony Blair has said he accepts "full responsibility" for mistakes made in the run-up and during the Iraq War – but has strongly defended his decision to invade the country given the information that was available at the time.
The former prime minister said he felt "more sorrow and regret and apology than you may ever know or can believe" about the Iraq war and its aftermath, at a press conference called at short notice following the publication of Sir John Chilcot's damning report into his actions during the Iraq war.
But he mounted a defiant defence of the invasion during a long and emotional press conference in Whitehall on Wednesday, making clear that his apology was for mistakes in planning and preparation, not for the decision to take the UK to war itself.
He said he was haunted by the decision to invade Iraq, understood if people hated him, and said mistakes had been made – but he pleaded with the British public to accept that he didn't lie and he authorised the war because he felt it was the correct decision for the country.
"If I was back in the same place, with the same information I would take the same decision – that's the decision I believe was right," Blair told reporters.
After delivering a lengthy statement in Westminster with his voice croaking and surrounded by a substantial security presence, Blair said the decision to invade the country "was the hardest, most momentous, most agonising decision I took in ten years as British prime minister".
"For that decision today I accept full responsibility, without exception and without excuse. I recognise the division felt by many in our country over the war and in particular I feel deeply and sincerely – in a way that no words can properly convey – the grief and suffering of those who lost ones they loved in Iraq, whether the members of our armed forces, the armed forces of other nations, or Iraqis.
He accepted serious mistakes were made before, during, and after the conflict: "The intelligence assessments made at the time of going to war turned out to be wrong. The aftermath turned out to be more hostile, protracted and bloody than ever we imagined. The coalition planned for one set of ground facts and encountered another, and a nation whose people we wanted to set free and secure from the evil of Saddam, became instead victim to sectarian terrorism. For all of this I express more sorrow, regret and apology than you may ever know or can believe."
However, he went on to defend the decision to invade Iraq given the context and what was known at the time and the intelligence failings.
"As the report makes clear, there were no lies," said Blair. "Parliament and the cabinet were not misled."
"The decision was made in good faith," he added.
Blair has previously said his decision to invade Iraq would be judged by history. Asked by BuzzFeed News whether he now felt history would judge him well, the former prime minister was defiant: "Iraq under Saddam had no chance. Iraq today has a chance. So what history ends up deciding about Iraq is going to decide on what happens in the future.
"When you come back to the basic decision I believe that history will take a different view."
The former Labour prime minister said he was motivated into removing Saddam Hussein by a desire to protect the UK following the 9/11 attacks on American: "Your primary responsibility as prime minister is protect your country."
Blair said he disagreed with the inquiry's conclusion that the UK went to war before all peaceful options had been explored. Instead he said there was no "middle option" and he had hit a point where troops were waiting to be deployed and he had a binary choice between invading or pulling out of the region: "I didn't have the option of that delay. I took this decision with the heaviest of hearts."
"I accept that the report makes serious criticisms of the way decisions were taken. And again, I accept full responsibility for these points of criticism even where I do not fully agree with them."
But he said he "profoundly disagreed" with the idea that Saddam Hussein should have been allowed to remain in power.
Blair spoke for two hours straight in a press conference, reading a lengthy pre-prepared statement. He then purposefully took a question from every single journalist in the room and answered them all at length as he put forward a defence of his decision to invade Iraq.
The event took place in London's Admiralty House, a government building, with three different security checks for those present. In a sign of the risks posed to the former prime minister, the event was announced at just ten minutes' notice in an attempt to avoid protesters gathering outside.
Blair also said that although the legal advice could have been clearer the report does "alter the legal conclusion" about going to war.
Instead, he insisted his decision was still correct and he would do it again in the same circumstances.
"In the uncertain and dangerous world we live in, all decisions are difficult. The only thing a decision-maker can do is take those decisions on what they genuinely believe to be right and that's what I did."
"What I cannot do and will not do is say we took the wrong decision. I believe I made the right decision and the world is better and safer for it."
"At that time in March 2003 was that the right decision? Would it have been better if we'd taken the opposite decisions and what would have been the consequences fo that opposite decision?"
"I simply ask that people respect my point of view, and the judgment I took on the facts I had at the time."
He said he could not accept that the British soldiers "died in vain" because they were part of the global battle against terrorism.
But Blair suggested he was still haunted by the decision.
"There will not be a day of my life where I do not relive and rethink what happened." | 2019-04-20T17:02:18 | https://www.buzzfeed.com/jimwaterson/tony-blair-insists-he-was-right?utm_term=.tibE8NNXA |
0.999599 | Single Black Man Seeks LTR. Single Black Woman? Not So Much : Code Switch A new poll of African-Americans found one bit of data that raised some eyebrows: Single black men were much more interested in long-term relationships than single black women.
In a new poll, just a quarter of single black women said they were looking for a long-term relationship, while nearly half of black men said they were.
The numbers go like this: Very few single black women — just a quarter of those surveyed — said they were looking for long-term relationships, or LTRs. But on the flip side, nearly 43 percent of single black men said they're looking for a long-term partner.
That's according to a new poll of nearly 1,100 African-Americans out today from NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health. The survey asked questions about a wide range of topics, including communities, finance and dating. Respondents between 18 and 49 years old who were divorced, widowed or never married were asked whether they were currently seeking a long-term romantic commitment, and therein lay the gender skew.
It's important to note that the majority of both sexes — 57 percent — said they were not looking for long-term relationships.
When that data on dating is shared with Kristin McDonald, she is incredulous. "Shut the front door!" she says. McDonald is gathered with her black women's book club at a popular eatery in Brooklyn. Like McDonald, the members are all in their 30s and mostly single.
McDonald and the other women in the group say that they interpreted the term "long-term relationship" as meaning a prelude to marriage.
"I think that a lot of men think that they want to get married," she says. "Men see it as a sense of accomplishment. 'Once I get married, I can check something off the list in the things I want to accomplish in my life.' "
But why are so few women looking? McDonald says a lot of her girlfriends were raised by single moms; marriage wasn't modeled in their homes, and today it seems unlikely.
"Who wants to say they want something that they don't feel like they could ever achieve? It just makes you feel like, 'Damn!' you know?" McDonald says.
Dannette Hargraves says she wants to go the distance with someone. "Some people give up on marriage, like, 'I'm never going to find a guy who has a job, makes as much as I do, who's cute, that I can't pick up and spin around!' " she says.
According to Robert Blendon, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health who co-directed the survey, economic considerations might explain part of the gap. He says African-Americans are more likely than whites to want financial security in their long-term partners.
"The African-American community that we interviewed report a lot of financial insecurity about things that could go wrong in the future — losing jobs, not being able to pay medical bills, etc.," he says. "It's been reported a number of times: On the average, African-American women are staying in school longer than men. That also affects the choice for long-term partner."
And Blendon says these figures could have some real implications for the future of black families. "As generations move forward in African-American communities, there are going to be less LTRs, and it will shape what communities look like for the next few decades if people don't develop long-term partnerships here."
So what do men think of these numbers? A few neighborhoods over in Crown Heights, a group of guys — all 30-somethings — are sitting at a pub.
Milton Appling is single and looking for something long-term. But, he insists, it depends on what you mean by "long term."
"If 'long-term relationship' means headed to marriage as a final step, as opposed to X years and we'll see what happens, then that's very different," he says. "Men in general, when they hear that term, do not necessarily mean 'marriage.' Marriage is marriage."
Brook Stephenson, who is also single and looking, says he feels that most men don't have a good opinion of marriage but are still looking forward to long-term relationships.
"They may just not have found a woman they feel that strongly about," he says. "They want to be with her, but no one said anything about marriage. They just want to be with her. For however long that rocks, you know?"
But Serge Negri says he's on the path to a long-term relationship; he's found someone he really likes and things are getting pretty serious. "So I'm trying something new," he says. "I'm enjoying it, but it's not easy. It's been six months, so one milestone. So, no more questions about long-term relationships!"
But the guys keep talking about long-term relationships for more than an hour. | 2019-04-19T21:31:54 | https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/06/12/188643185/for-black-singles-a-big-gender-split-on-views-of-long-term-relationships |
0.998351 | Factual error: When Griet is introduced to the camera obscura, far too much light is projected onto Vermeer's and Griet's faces. Camera obscuras don't make their own light; rather the image produced on the viewing screen is always dull.
When Griet is introduced to the camera obscura, far too much light is projected onto Vermeer's and Griet's faces. Camera obscuras don't make their own light; rather the image produced on the viewing screen is always dull. | 2019-04-24T19:49:54 | https://www.moviemistakes.com/film3940/factual |
0.999999 | How should I start building a social network site?
Early I asked a question about starting a social network company. Thanks for people who answered my question.
I learned that I might implement the ideas first then start a company.
But how exactly should I implement the ideas from the very beginning? Should I make a plan first? Since I don't know how to program. I need to find a technical co-founder, but what kind of technical guy should I choose to work with?
If I found one who can work with me then what's the next step? What does it take to make a great social network site?
I know it's no easy to do that. But I believe a great company can be started with simple ideas and simple things to do. Like facebook was by Mark alone coded for few weeks at very beginning.
So a good start is very important for me. I want to hear you guys' ideas for how to take the very first step!
What does it take to make a great social network site?
If you don't know the answer to that question, or don't have a vision of a product that will draw in the crowds, then you need to come up with that. You won't get the answers here I'm afraid.
Instead of trying to form a company, can you hire a web developer to prototype your ideas so you have something to showcase your concept? If you struggle to come up with a prototype having hired a contract developer for a couple of months, then it's time to re-assess whether this is what you want to do.
If your motivation is based on wanting to setup "a social networking website"... but with no concrete (or even vague) idea of what that website might be, sorry, but I don't think this is going to work. Nobody is going to tell you how to come up with the next killer social app.
I think its unrealistic to compare any social networking site to Facebook. FB served a need that nobody realized was there. Mark Zuckerberg capitalized on it. He's said in an interview once that 8-10 weeks into FB he seriously considered moving to the next project.
This wasn't his first project, rather the first that really took off. The key is to keep at it. When it comes to social networks, if you build it - nobody cares. A couple years ago a few friends and I undertook the same challenge, to create a social network that kept people returning. To say it was difficult is an understatement. Marketing and driving traffic gets exponentially harder the fewer funds you have allocated towards it. If you're bootstrapping, be prepared for many setbacks.
I'm not saying it isn't possible, just difficult. It only stands to reason that FB will fall one day and another shall take its place. Where you may have a much higher degree of success is with niche markets. If your social network is catered to a niche market, interest level and participation drastically increases.
1) Do the market research - You need to know what you're getting into. If you don't know your market, any direction you take will be a roll of the dice.
2) Create a business plan - Some may disagree with me here since a business plan is sometimes seen as a formality. However, if done correctly, your business plan is your map and will always keep you on the right track. Your business plan should be revisited often and revised accordingly. 3) Create a marketing plan - Marketing will be your X factor. It will either make or break your social networking site.
Its the 1st stage in creating any venture that makes you realise specific things about the idea and allows you to see alot of Pros and Cons, without a Business Plan you can't even begin to comprehend, let alone layout your thoughts in the correct direction.
Social Engine - to name a few depending on your needs some offer more and others offer less. No developer skills needed just the time and persaverence. | 2019-04-22T02:44:28 | http://www.brightjourney.com/q/start-building-social-network-site |
0.999999 | "What's the food like?" is a question that tourists like to ask. Who would want to take a holiday in a country where the meals are regarded as "terrible" or "tasteless"?
Indian foodstuffs, I'm pleased to say, made a big impression in March with an appetising array of meals, snacks and spices at the biennial 4-day International Food & Drink show in London, held in the same sprawling venue where the World Travel Market featuring India is staged every year.
In my book, holidays and food go hand in hand. If you like the food, you want to visit the country concerned and give your tastebuds an even bigger treat.
Proudly exhibiting Indian food and drink, alongside 1,200 of the world's top as well as rising organisations, were APEDA (which stands for Agricultural and Processed Food Export Development Authority), reprsenting a range of Indian firms seeking fresh markets across the globe. These included the All India Rice Exporters Association, Beez India Natural Products, Haldiram Exports, Khushi Foods, Om Mangoes, Lion Fruits and Vegetables, Ravi Foods, Shri Lal Mahal and various others.
The Tea Board of India was also eagerly promoting several different brands ranging from Nilgiri to Darjeeling and Assam Tea.
Everywhere one looked, India's food influences were evident, competing strongly with products of other countries, all there to increase market share in a friendly but businesslike atmosphere.
I spotted stands exhibiting Amira Foods of New Delhi, a large, privately-owned company which exports products such as Basmati rice and fresh vegetables to more than 30 countries with ambitions to expand even further afield. Anila's Authentic Sauces, a UK-based firm, specialising in "home-cooked flavours and tastes" free of dairy, gluten, sugar, onion and garlic, was there too. I also saw Exotic Fruits of Mumbai which exports tropical fruit purees and concentrates in canned and frozen packaging.
There was G.S. Limited of Shahjahanpur with its BuzyWoman range of ready-to-cook vegetarian dishes which can be turned out in five minutes. Spice in the Box, a UK firm, offers spice kits of "pure herbs and spices" to make traditional meals by with easy-to-follow recipes printed on each sachet. Other exhibitors included In2Spice (correct) Ltd, Mumtaz Ventures, The British Curry Company, and many more, attracting hundreds of potential clients while inevitably projecting India as a holiday destination with food as a hook to draw people in.
Jalpur Millers, a UK-based firm, displayed its range of flours spices, pulses and pickles. Masala Masala, (correct) another UK-based firm, showed its "100 per cent natural, Indian fresh sauce range made with the finest ingredients". New York Delhi, producers of snacks including the ever-popular Bombay Mix, say their spicy flavours "have not been watered down for Western tastes". They weren't kidding, as I found out, after sampling a mouthful of their fiery chewra.
Many of the foreign exhibitors I spoke to said they "love India" and several have combined a break in Kerala with a holiday in other parts of India, usually places like Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and elsewhere, happily indulging in all the subcontinent's delightful cuisines.
Indeed there is a UK magazine called "Food and Travel" which earlier this year devoted ten pages to a culinary tour of Puducherry, the former French colony in South India, undertaken by top Indian chef Manju Malhi, seeking out mouth-watering dishes that blended French and Indian cooking techniques.
I look forward to the day when India's Ministry of Tourism displays India's staggering array of dishes under the Incredible !ndia banner at these frequent food fairs, so uniting Indian tourism and its lip-smacking food as one irresistibly spicy package. | 2019-04-24T13:04:48 | http://tourismindiaonline.com/detail/index.php?cnws=262&crnpg=othernews |
0.999997 | The purpose of this task is to identify the required projects and develop a preliminary implementation order for the projects.
· complete any additional initiatives required to realize the implementation plan (e.g., Change Management initiatives, Business Process Engineering (BPE) projects, proof-of-concept projects for new technology, data modelling projects, SDE projects, training projects).
Order projects with regard to natural precedence as determined from analysis of data and applications architectures. Cluster projects with mutual affinity.
· training must be completed prior to the deployment of the new application or technology. | 2019-04-20T23:44:50 | https://it.toolbox.com/blogs/craigborysowich/identifying-projects-and-developing-the-preliminary-order-of-projects-090909 |
0.995452 | On his latest single "Breath" featuring Jaztino and released on Tuesday, South Korean rap artist Kisper has created his first great hip-hop beat.
what is it that makes K-pop girl group T-ara's 2009 single "Like The First Time" worth talking about after all these years? In a word, it's the songwriting.
On their 2014 song "Luna," electronic rock band HEO shows how unusual uses of noise and rhythm can make all the difference.
On his latest single "Empty Space," released on April 15, South Korean electronic producer Graye unites disparate worlds into one satisfying natural universe.
More than just the highlight of Risso's "Tra La La," a solid album in its entirety, "5 Hours" is a song worth adding to any summer playlist for it's fresh sound and funky vibe.
The K-pop world may still be buzzing about EXO's last single "Love Me Right," but for this reviewer, it is the final track on the "EXODUS" repackage, "Promise (EXO 2014)," that steals the show.
On "Touch," released on Thursday, Anda has once again taken her sound to new and exhilarating places, throwing in influences as varied as Boyz II Men, Beyoncé and even The Beach Boys.
On their latest single, "Blossom," from the album "Flashpoint," released on Jan. 20, Seoul-based electronic rock band LudiSTELO use the fluid hand of time to their advantage.
EXO's latest single "Love Me Right," released on Wednesday, is a song to move to, an upbeat song that is perfect for dancing to during the warm months of the year.
K-pop boy band SPEED's new single "What U," released on Monday, offers the best of the type of blending of eclectic styles that K-pop is known for.
On the latest Big Bang singles 'Bang Bang Bang,' released on Monday.
With this flurry of new Big Bang material, it is easy to take for granted what a phenomenal song "Bae Bae," released on May 1 as part of the first installment of the "MADE" series of singles, really is.
Released on Feb. 17 by Seoul-based electro artist Kirara, "ct14091" reveals an artist who places musical integrity above all else.
Though they are barely two years old as a group, the five-member boy band History has already shown a profound ability to create music that makes you want to move; their new song "Mind Game" clinches it.
With San E, Lucky J, illinit and i11evn each bringing their A game, "I Deserve It" is easily the standout track on San E's "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" album, released on April 23.
SISTAR's 2012 hit "Alone" still sounds as fresh as the day it was released, another master class from producer Brave Brothers on how to use familiar sounds to create something strikingly new.
On Windy City frontman Kim Ban Jang's new single "No More Sad-Mistake," released on Friday, the best minimalist production of the 1990s is sprinkled with distinctly Korean styles and sounds.
On their latest single "Tiramisu Cake," released on April 29, the reformed rockers of We Are The Night capture the bright sound of the future.
DAB19's "The Dream Is Not Different," would surely sound best with a burger in one hand and the cold beverage of your choice in the other.
The spirit of early electronic innovation is embodied in South Korean solo artist BoA's new single "Kiss My Lips," released on Tuesday. | 2019-04-18T16:40:33 | https://www.kpopstarz.com/news/reviews/page15.htm |
0.992811 | This is the second part of my philosophical treatise. It continues where the first part left off and explores the realm of ethics, building upon the established metaphysical and epistemological foundations. As with the previous instalment, this one coincides with the philosophy of Objectivism.
Ethics is the third major branch of philosophy which studies the nature and purpose of human action. For what end should one live? By what fundamental principle should one act in order to achieve this end? Who should benefit from one's actions? These are the questions which the branch of ethics answers.
The previous section moved from metaphysics to epistemology and concluded that human beings are volitional and rational beings. Based on their knowledge of the world they must make decisions on how to act. A human being is it's own sovereign, free to decide his or her own destiny within the scope of reality. This section is about ethics, which basically answers the question of what to do with this free-will i.e. what courses of action are good and which are evil.
Life and existence are separate. Living is merely a state that living beings have, it is not a prerequisite for existence, but rather, existence is a prerequisite for life. Therefore neither life, nor death, can be called "necessities". They are not "necessary" for existence. Life may be necessary for conscious existence, but then why is this "necessary"? Life doesn't imply a purpose i.e. "a living thing must live", it implies a state, i.e. "a living thing does live". Life is a variable which something may or may not have, nothing more. It is not a need, it is not a requirement. This neutrality may imply to some that there is an "is ought problem" in terms of transitioning from facts to morality, however this ceases to be problematic once one considers the nature of life and its status as a prerequesite for all other actions and values.
So, objectively, life and death are just neutral elements. They are just part of reality. Non-human organisms don't even have a choice, their natures are automatically self-preservational. A plant automatically grows in the direction of the most light which it needs for photosynthesis. Bacteria automatically multiply. Dogs automatically (instinctively) look for food if they are hungry. Morality is not applicable to such organisms. For humans, this is not the case; human beings have no automatic knowledge of how to survive, nor do they automatically choose to live. Human beings do not follow an automatic course of action as the organisms described above do, and they need a moral code of values to follow which will guide their actions.
This is how the "is ought problem" is reconciled: Although life and death are neutral, life has prerequesites (and death does not - death is the default, brought about simply by non-action). Since life is the prerequesite of all other action, it must be regarded as one's ultimate value and also as the standard of value by which all other values are judged. "Ought" implies an end or a goal, and the fundamental goal for which action is required (as opposed to non-action) is life. Any and all action requires life regardless of whether the actor recognises this or not.
The preservation of life requires action, this is a metaphysical fact determined by a living being's nature. Non-human organisms carry out the actions required to sustain their lives automatically. Human beings on the other hand have to discover how to sustain their lives. Human beings have to acquire knowledge of themselves and of reality, in order to survive. The automatic functions of the human body are not enough to keep it alive. A person has to think by choice, and action has to be taken by choice. A human being must learn that it is alive, and that its life is conditional. A human being must learn what is of value to its own life - a human being must learn and conceptualise what is required to sustain its life, and this must be done objectively, in strict reference to reality, to be valid.
A value is something which one strives to gain or keep. "Value" is only meaningful in reference to something that is conditional, and life is such a conditional factor. It can only be sustained by continuous action. Life is the root of all value because it is the fundamental condition upon which all other values depend. The alternative of existence or non-existence, of life or death, is the precondition of all values. An invincible, immortal being would have no need of values, since its existence would not be conditional. Thus, by the very nature of "value", any code of values must hold life as the ultimate value. If life is not held as the ultimate value, then the only alternative is death (the non-existence of life), which thereby extinguishes all derivative values.
Values derived from life as the standard are things which will benefit one's life by making it sustained, longer, easier, more comfortable, more fulfilling etc. These values are hierarchical and objectively so. For example if a person is starving and was going to die very soon without food, food would be very high in that person's hierarchy of values, whether the person accepts this fact or not. Food would be a higher value than say, a car. A person who does not hold life as the root of all his/her values may disagree, but if a person in the situation placed cars above food (i.e. cars above life), then that person would simply die, and any values would be lost. Additionally, life as the root of all value means life as something (since everything has identity) - and regarding human beings it means life as a human being. This refers to the fact that a human has specific needs which must be met in order to sustain its life, and these needs differ from those of other living entities.
Humans are thus faced with the constant and ongoing choice between holding life as a value and acting to preserve one's life, or the opposite; acting to destroy one's life (which includes doing nothing at all). All other values must be based upon this initial value judgement. All subsequent value judgements are therefore objective - some things sustain and contribute positively to one's life (increasing health, vitality and efficacy), whilst other things diminish and destroy one's life (leading to sickness, impairment and ultimately death). Values (such as objects and actions) are good to humans and for the sake of reaching specific goals, the most fundamental of which is the sustenance of an individual's own life. It is only by the use of objectivity, logic, reason, that one can discern what is truly of value and what isn't.
Life is not taken as the root of all value in the absolute sense of being alive vs being dead, but rather as a gradient between the two, and meaning life as a human being. With life as the standard of value, and having life as the ultimate value, this includes living for as long as possible, and therefore as healthily as possible, and therefore as comfortably as possible, and therefore as happily as possible. Happiness as a result of successful living will be discussed later.
Reason is the basic means of human survival and is therefore the primary value required to sustain one's life. Rationality is the acceptance of this fact; the acceptance that reason is an absolute principle of human survival. Anyone practicing rationality will not tolerate blanking out facts of reality (i.e. evasion). Rationality is therefore the primary virtue, as the acceptance and use of the faculty of reason is the primary action to sustain one's life.
The initial choice between life and death is not subject to morality. In most cases life is automatic. A new life lives, that is its nature, and it will live until it no longer meets the requirements for life. A new-born child is dependent on its parents to survive in the early stages; it has no choice, nor concept of life and death. Morality is only applicable when life is chosen, and it is meaningless to try and judge this choice in terms of ethics. It is a pre-moral choice. Life being the basis of all value means that values are simply not applicable without the initial, ultimate value of one's own life. All value, all actions and all thoughts require life, and therefore any thoughts or actions imply life as their ultimate objective (even if the actions are irrational and destructive). Non-value of life means actions or thoughts are no longer relevant or consequential, so to think or act without holding one's life as the ultimate value is a contradiction. Even a suicidal person who no longer wants to live is only doing so because that person is unable to live life to a standard that is reasonable or acceptable to them - e.g. they may be experiencing intolerable pain due to an illness. A person who no longer values life would be someone who shuts down completely.
The decision to continue living is also influenced by one's metaphysical nature. In most cases, any action which leads to death will cause a negative, unpleasant biological reaction: Pain. Aversion to pain is not a moral issue in this instance, but a purely biological one. Pain can be supressed and ignored however, and there are also life destroying actions which do not cause pain, so the choice does still remain between life and death, but our metaphysical natures support life on a basic biological level. It should be noted that pain does become a moral issue when life is chosen - it is immoral (in most cases) to seek pain because it is a signal that life is being threatened or destroyed. However in some cases pain may be necessary when considering life long-term. For example it would be rational to accept the small amount of pain caused by an injection of some form of medicine or vaccine since a greater long-term value is achieved.
An individual's primary moral obligation is to him/herself, this being a corollary of one's life as being the standard by which value is judged. Life is a characteristic of the individual, just as reason is. There is no collective life, just as there is no collective consciousness. This view rejects the doctrine of altruism - the idea that one's primary moral obligation is to serve someone or something other than one's self (e.g. "society", race, tribe or God), at the expense of one's own welfare. Objectivst egoism advocates rational long-term self interest. This should not be confused with subjective egoism however, which advocates short-term, irrational self-interest in the form of hedonism, irresponsibility, context-dropping, and whim-worship. A person cannot survive by acting on the range of the moment and it is only through choosing lifelong goals, values, and courses of action that a person can live successfully.
One might suggest that force and violence could be seen as a rational course of action, however this is not the case. Force is the opposite of reason, and it requires the surrender of one's mind and the disintegration of one's principles. A principled ethical approach requires that one integrates all possibilities and circumstances, rather than taking every situation as it comes. One cannot live successfully if one disintegrates and evaluates every single variable as an isolated fragment, human beings simply do not have the mental capacity to do that, therefore principles are what one uses to consolidate the immense complexity of day-to-day decisions into a unified whole. Reason, being the basic tool of a human being's survival, is fundamental to long-term survival. Force, which is the negation of reason, is therefore a an unprincipled substitution (essentially of somebody else's reason).
It might be pointed out that evil men throughout history have been better off using coercion than they would have been had they not: This is pragmatism and it does not follow that coercion is a rational course of action, any more than gambling is rational just because a small number of people win at it. Force is necessarily dependent on faith rather than reason: One cannot know how any individual will react to force being used against them at any given moment, as one cannot peer into another person's mind. Since force is inherently destructive to any person whom it is used against, the rational response to it is retaliation, which could be potentially very harmful to the aggressor. One can learn about reality, and produce things by the use of reason, however one cannot rationally depend on the weakness (or compliance) of others for sustenance (something which Ayn Rand called being a "second hander") because it is not simply the unknown, but the unknowable. This is especially incompatible with the long-term self interest that rational egoism stands for, and means that force simply cannot be part of a principled code of rational egoistic action.
Evil only survives as much as the good feeds it, the evil creates nothing, the dependent creates nothing and is always living on borrowed time. By definition, a looter must depend on the work of others and needs their "loot" since they are choosing not to produce their own. So, the looter is dependent on others in a specific way; depending on others' weakness (if he conquers them) or stupidity/naivete/ignorance (if he defrauds them) or wrong moral views (if his victim is a willing slave). Contrast the dependence of a looter with the independence of a producer. A producer's primary frame of reference is not on the weaknesses of his fellow men, but ultimately on theirs and his grasp of reality. If he chooses to properly and accurately identify the nature of reality, he is able to create his means of sustenance and trade with those who have done the same. His means of survival fundamentally is within his control, whereas the looter's means of survival fundamentally is not within his control. The producer, if he rationally appraises the opportunities reality provides him, creates his means of sustenance. In contrast, the looter is entirely dependent on the availability of victims. What if there are no victims, or the victims rebel, or they shrug? Then the looter has no means of survival. The loot is gone.
Followers of Objectivist egoism seek to produce and trade freely with others in all areas of life including food, clothing, education, knowledge, friendship, love, etc. Such rational self-interest also includes helping individuals who are of value such as partners, children, friends, perhaps even strangers, but not necessarily those who are of no known value, and certainly not those who are of disvalue such as beggars, criminals and one's enemies. Deliberate self-sacrifice (altruism) is the opposite of rational self-interest (egoism).
Selfishness is a requirement of the human mind and of human life. An individual has to be the beneficiary of his or her own actions. The opposite of this is altruism, this being the doctrine of self-destruction. The more consistently one tries to practice altruism, the closer to death one gets. Altruism is the surrendering of a greater value for a lesser one, and ultimately, one cannot hope to survive in this way.
A virtue is an action required to gain and/or keep a value. Rationality is the virtue that is required to gain or keep reason. It is the conscious, chosen act of using reason to guide one's subsequent actions. This will lead to the values of happiness and self-esteem which are derivatives of the value of life. Both are the result of living successfully. The person with self-esteem and pride rejects the concept of self-sacrifice. Man must live for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself.
So, with the identification of rationality as the primary virtue, Objectivism identifies six interconnected virtues required to practice overall rationality. These are independence, integrity, honesty, justice, productiveness and pride. These are practical principles, and Objectivism rejects the idea of a dichotomy between morality and practicality. Independence is reponsibility for one's self and one's actions. Honesty is the non-rejection of reality, i.e. never faking or blanking out what is. Integrity is the non-sacrifice of one's own convictions and values to the opinions and wishes of others. Justice is never granting the undeserved or unearned. Productiveness is the means by which one achieves one's values, it is the adjustment of the environment to suit one's own needs and requirements; it is creativity, innovation and alteration carried out for a specific rational purpose - ultimately to sustain one's life. Pride is really an emotional response to the achieviement or keeping a value, but the acceptance and acknowledgement of the response is a virtue in itself, so long as the emotion is founded upon a rational value system.
Rejecting the idea that any good can come of sacrifice, Objectivism holds that the principle of trade is the only rational, ethical principle for all human relationships of any kind. Dealing with one another as traders is to give value for value. This is equivalent to the principle of justice. Traders do not treat men as masters or slaves. Only free, voluntary, unforced, uncoerced exchanges which benefit both parties by their own independent judgments are permitted. A trader values achievements, not faults; virtues, not weaknesses.
Happiness is a state that a person achieves by achieveing their values. Happiness is in fact a necessary part of human life as it gives one purpose. Happiness is a result of living successfully, it is not separable from the act of living successfully. If you are not living successfully, you can't be happy, as living unsuccessfully is not living at all, it's dying. If you can no longer be happy (which can happen) then you cannot live successfully. Consciousness has identity just like everything else. Your mind requires happiness in order to function and you require a functioning mind in order to survive. Rational happiness (this being the only kind of happiness Objectivism acknowledges as existing) is the highest moral purpose, as it is an emotional measure of how successfully one is living and a reflection on one's knowledge and values. In this respect, a happy life is what one should strive for, rather than simple "morgue avoidance".
• The choice between life and death precedes morality.
• One's life is the standard of morality for all who choose to live.
• Life requires conscious thought and action.
• Choosing life and acting self-destructively is immoral.
• Reason is used to judge and evaluate values.
• Rational values are objectively life-enhancing.
• Rational ethics are based on egiosm not altruism.
• Happiness is the result of living successfully.
Rand, A. (1957). Atlas Shrugged. New York: Signet.
Rand, A. (1964). The Virtue Of Selfishness. New York: Signet.
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0.999999 | President Trump's announcement from the White House Rose Garden Thursday that the U.S. is backing out of the Paris climate change agreement sparked outrage from his critics, and accolades from his supporters.
President Trump: Claims "absolutely tremendous economic progress since Election Day," adding "more than a million private-sector jobs."
True with a big caveat: While it's true that over a million private-sector jobs have been created since Mr. Trump was elected, he was not yet president on Election Day -- so Obama gets the credit for November, December and most of January, since Mr. Trump was inaugurated on Jan. 20 -- so around 500,000 jobs were created while Obama was president. And private-sector job creation from October through April (171,000 private-sector jobs a month) lags just slightly behind the pace of job creation for the previous six months (172,000), entirely under President Barack Obama.
Mr. Trump: "Even if the Paris Agreement were implemented in full, with total compliance from all nations, it is estimated it would only produce a two-tenths of one degree -- think of that; this much -- Celsius reduction in global temperature by the year 2100. Tiny, tiny amount."
False: Mr. Trump is lowballing the number, which the White House said was based on a Massachusetts Institute of Technology study. The co-founder of the MIT program on climate change, Jake Jacoby, says the Trump administration is citing an outdated report, taken out of context. Jacoby said the actual global impact of meeting targets under the Paris accord would be to curb rising temperatures by 1 degree Celsius, or 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit.
"They found a number that made the point they want to make," Jacoby said. "It's kind of a debate trick."
One degree may not sound like much, but Stefan Rahmstorf, a climate scientist at the Potsdam Institute in Germany, says, "Every tenth of a degree increases the number of unprecedented extreme weather events considerably."
Mr. Trump: "The cost to the economy at this time would be close to $3 trillion in lost GDP and 6.5 million industrial jobs."
This statement was based on a study by NERA Consulting that found that meeting the Obama administration's requirements in the Paris accord would cost the U.S. economy nearly $3 trillion over the next several decades. "By 2040, our economy would lose 6.5 million industrial sector jobs - including 3.1 million manufacturing sector jobs," according to NERA.
Not knowable: This study was paid for by two groups that have long opposed environmental regulation, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Council for Capital Formation. Both get financial backing from those who profit from the continued burning of fossil fuels. The latter group has received money from foundations controlled by the Koch brothers, whose company owns refineries and more than 4,000 miles of oil and gas pipelines.
The study makes worst-case assumptions that may inflate the cost of meeting U.S. targets under the Paris accord while largely ignoring the economic benefits to U.S. businesses from building and operating renewable energy projects.
Factcheck.org points out that under the worst-case scenario, the average annual reduction in GDP would be 6.8 percent from 2034-2040. But the study had a few different scenarios and, under one hybrid scenario, the average yearly reduction was 2.2 percent over that time period.
Academic studies have found that increased environmental regulation doesn't actually have much impact on employment. Jobs lost at polluting companies tend to be offset by new jobs in green technology.
Are China and India the world's leading polluters?
President Trump: "I cannot in good conscience support a deal that punishes the United States -- which is what it does -- the world's leader in environmental protection, while imposing no meaningful obligations on the world's leading polluters.... For example, under the agreement, China will be able to increase these emissions by a staggering number of years, 13. They can do whatever they want for 13 years. Not us.
"India will be allowed to double its coal production by 2020. Think of it: India can double their coal production. There are many other examples. But the bottom line is that the Paris accord is very unfair at the highest level to the United States."
Under the Paris accord, India would still be increasing its overall emissions through 2030, but it aims to reduce its emissions intensity. India's target is to reduce its emissions intensity of GDP by 33 to 35 percent by 2030 below 2005 levels, according to the Climate Action Tracker.
There are a few things wrong with this. On a pure carbon emissions number, yes, China emits more pollution than the U.S., but India lags the U.S. However, the more fair way to look at this is probably per-capita. On a per-capita basis, "the U.S. pumped out more CO2 than China and India combined in 2015," according to Factcheck.org. | 2019-04-20T08:40:50 | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-paris-climate-agreement-speech-fact-check/ |
0.999759 | Below is a description of the parallel disk IO subsystem that I used in my Wide-Finder 2 entry, however the solution is pretty general and highlights the main principles. The task is to read and process 45GB webserver logfile (218 million lines). The machine is Sun Fire T2000 with UltraSPARC T1 processor (32 hardware threads) and 32GB RAM running Solaris 10U4. IO subsystem is 4 "pretty fast disks" with single ZFS filesystem.
First of all, we need to determine what is the most efficient OS mechanism for disk IO, it will significantly affect programming model as well. I've considered plain blocking read(), mmap() and aio. In singlethreaded mode aio gives the best results (not surprisingly, because it allows to interleave IO and processing). However, in multithreaded mode plain old blocking read() (pread64()) turned to be the fastest. Memory mapped IO is slower in both cases (there are other people who case to the same conclusion: here and here).
In order to mitigate some drawbacks some contestants create small fixed number of IO threads (8-12, requires manual tuning), however it leads to significantly suboptimal processing if a file is cached.
So, I am going to combine both approaches and take everything under manual control to prevent all kinds of undesirable things. But first things first. and first we need to determine external factors we want to account for, and what are good/bad things we want to encourage/prevent.
- Prefer processing over IO - final stages of processing should be preferred over initial one, because final stages produce useful work and relieve the system, while initial stages senselessly feed the system without producing any useful work. That is, initial stages are only the means to feed final stages. | 2019-04-23T08:17:34 | http://www.1024cores.net/home/scalable-architecture/parallel-disk-io |
0.998816 | The tweet talked about a file named security.txt. I went on reading his post to understand what exactly is security.txt and what problem does it solves.
No organization wants to be caught on a wrong foot when it comes to security. A data or security breach could lead to financial and reputation loss of a company. When a security researcher finds a potential breach or security vulnerability in an organization website/ application, he/she tries to contact the organization to “responsibly disclose” the issue. The disclosure is confidential in nature and allows the organization time to take appropriate action against the issue.
But, who does the security researcher reach out to? Usually, in scenarios like this, they would not prefer to reach out to the organization via a general “contact us” page on the website or emailing/ calling a customer care of the organization. They would rather like to reach out to someone in the organization who can take immediate action, someone with authority.
The organizations can add security.txt to their website to provide information of how or who security researchers can reach out to when they come across a security vulnerability on their website.
The website also provides an easy way to generate the security.txt file. The file needs to be added to the path /.well-known/security.txt. | 2019-04-18T20:37:01 | https://ankitvijay.net/2018/02/04/add-security-txt-to-your-web-app/ |
0.998947 | Browse the article Why is Mesopotamia called the cradle of civilization?
The Mesopotamians placed a lot of importance on religion. This carving is actually a nail used in one of the great temples in Mesopotamia.
To understand why Mesopotamia is considered the cradle of civilization, it's important have understand exactly what civilization is. This is more difficult than you might think. Scholars still debate exactly what must be present in a culture for it to be considered a civilization.
For the most part, a group of people who live together in a single place, and have social, political, economic and religious structure qualifies as a civilization. The setting is usually a city, and the people there use technology to carry out economic activity. The fruits of this labor are divided among the population by a ruling class, which may be religious in nature, political or both. The division of goods isn't necessarily even, which leads to social classes -- the haves, the have-nots and those in the middle.
Civilization, then, is the organization of all of the systems people use to interact with one another -- whether that's to the benefit of all, as in the protection of an organized army, or to the detriment of the people, for example when a few are able to exploit the work of the masses to grow more powerful. "If culture is behavior, civilization is structure," explains scholar Matthias Tomczak.
By this definition, Mesopotamia was indeed a true civilization. Beginning around 4000 B.C., cities began to pop up between the Tigris and Euphrates. Agriculture drew the earliest people to the banks of Mesopotamia's rivers. But as they figured out how to reroute some of the water through canals, they were able to irrigate fields farther away. With a food supply capable of sustaining large numbers of people, cities began to develop.
We might imagine these early city dwellers were visionaries. But the truth is much less dramatic. Mesopotamia became a civilized powerhouse largely out of necessity. Take, for example, their writing. The Sumerians produced some of the earliest writing discovered, on baked clay tablets. These tablets captured the more mundane aspects of life, such as accounting and tax records.
This writing eventually led to phonetic writing, which uses symbols to represent sounds rather than objects. "With a phonetic system, scribes could now represent words for which there were no images … thus making possible the written expression of abstract ideas," writes historian Steven Kreis.
This is a good example of how the civilization of Mesopotamia developed. Necessity bore invention, which after refinement, lead to the organized integration of these creations -- civilization.
So now we know that the Sumerians and other Mesopotamians developed writing and literature. But not everything civilization brings to the world helps humanity. Read about more innovations -- good and bad -- on the next page.
Is Mesopotamia the Real Cradle of Civilization?
Civilization also spawned war, as is depicted in this 7th c. B.C. carving of an Assyrian invasion.
With a sedentary lifestyle based on agriculture, spiritual practices that once were spread out became more centralized and refined, leading to organized religion. People built huge temples, and a priestly ruling class took its place high up in the power structure. After all, these were the people who knew the intentions of gods like Enlil (wind) and Utu (sun).
Organized religion also produced moral codes of conduct, which gave birth to formal laws. Legal concepts like restitution, retaliation and punishment for false accusations were streamlined.
Freedom from the necessity of foraging for food also allowed early agricultural societies to engage in other pursuits with less tangible rewards. Chief among these is science. The Babylonians are believed to be the first civilization to document time. They created minutes and seconds, and produced a calendar. This breakthrough provided the foundation for astronomy and math [Britannica].
But Mesopotamian civilization is also credited with negative innovations, like expansionism, empires, slavery and war. In 2300 B.C., the independent cities of Sumer were brought together under a single ruler. The capitol city, Ur, was invaded and leveled by another Mesopotamian group, the Elamites, just a few hundred years later. And epidemics and plagues were now viable, since, with so many people living together in a small area, they could be transmitted easily from person to person. Prior to cities and agriculture, epidemics couldn’t take hold among the hunter-gatherer bands that lived spread out and far apart.
For all the positive and negative contributions of Mesopotamian civilization, some archaeologists believe there are other groups in contention for the title of cradle of civilization.
Read about these ancient groups on the next page.
If Mesopotamia wasn't the beginnings of civilization, then what was? There are several candidates.
Gonur-depe, a vast city of about 1,000 square miles located in present-day Turkmenistan, has re-emerged from a forgotten past. These people farmed, built irrigation canals and palaces, and are believed to have traded with people as far away as Egypt [source: Eurasianet].
Catal Huyuk in southern Turkey is another city that some archaeologists think may have been the true origin of civilization. This city was home to about 10,000 people who raised livestock and farmed here about 7000 B.C. They also built shrines for worship and created art [source: Stockton]. But there is no evidence of a hierarchy or a social stratification, which, unfortunately, is necessary for a civilization to exist.
If simply living in a city is the only criterion for civilization, then other groups may have the Mesopotamians beaten. But there's more to civilization than building cities, and until more evidence comes to light, Sumer, Assyria, Babylon and the other cities of Mesopotamia will stand as the groups who gave birth to civilized life.
It's difficult to say whether civilization would have developed without the work of the Mesopotamians and prior groups. Do we as humans have a natural urge to live together in large groups? It's interesting to note that people seemed to have experienced the same impulse to band together in cities around the same time in different places. But what do we make of the fact that for the first several million years of human existence, people lived together only in small wandering bands? Is civilization a natural process of human evolution? If so, what's our next step?
For more information on ancient history, the history of Asia, and other related topics, visit the next page. | 2019-04-21T02:37:24 | https://history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/mesopotamia-cradle-of-civilization.htm/printable |
0.998537 | Email Etiquette: What to Know Before You Hit "Send"
Solid communication is a necessary tenet for building good relationships with your clients. If one of your company's goals is to generate more positive responses from your email efforts, it may be time to examine exactly what you're sending them when you hit "send." Here are some ground rules for e-communicating you should be sure to follow, whether you are sending to 1 or 10,001. The right email can make all the difference, especially when they represent the integrity of your organization.
Don't wait until the body of your e-mail to try to grab a reader's attention! The subject line is your chance to draw your reader in, so keep this relevant and appealing. Don't forget that proper grammar and style are just as important (if not more so) in the subject line as in the body copy. Using all capital or lower-case letters, multiple exclamation points, or URLs in the subject line not only makes your email appear unprofessional, but may cause it to be categorized as spam by your client (or their spam filter, in which case they won't even receive your message).
Make your message loud and clear.
Whether it's to an existing or a potential client, your email should contain a concise and easily definable purpose. Don't overload an email with too much information; lots of white space will ensure a "skimmable" message, one that won't overwhelm your reader. The average consumer will only spend an average of 15 to 20 seconds reading your email, so keep every paragraph short, to the point, and highly engaging. If necessary, break text down into subsections using headers to allow your reader to quickly and easily access the information they want.
Clients bombarded with irrelevant emails from you may eventually form a negative image of your company. Ensure your audience is highly targeted—if you send out regular newsletters, for example, offer a "subscribe" button on your website, or keep a sign-up sheet in a visible location, such as by your cash register. Don't buy or rent email lists, which not only cause consumers frustration, but are also simply inaccurate for finding your target audience. Compiling your own email lists may take a little more time and effort, but the process allows you to build more personal relationships with clients, and to control your company's image and reputation.
You can maintain the privacy of your email databases simply by avoiding giving out lists of email addresses to third parties. It's also advisable to protect the privacy of your clients when sending an email to a group, easily done with the Blind Carbon Copy feature. All recipients of a message can view the addresses entered into the "To" and "CC" fields, but any address entered in the "BCC" field will remain hidden.
Sending email attachments might get your message the wrong kind of attention. Large files can potentially fill the recipient's inbox, and, depending on the user's internet service, consume a large amount of bandwidth or slow their connection. Instead, provide a link to the file hosted on your website or a file sharing site. This applies to mass or marketing emails as well: utilizing links rather than attachments will increase the chances that your message will be read, as it will load faster and appear more secure to both spam filters and recipients.
If you must send an attachment, consider the overall size of the email you'll be sending. In particular, for messages over 500KB, alert the receiver first and ask when would be the best time to send. Files of one megabyte or more should be linked to, rather than attached.
No matter what you're sending out, don't leave clients in the dark as to who you are and how to reach you. Your signature file, which should appear at the end of the message, is essentially an electronic version of your business card. It should contain your name and title as well as all relevant contact information—phone and fax numbers, mailing and email addresses, web site, and even your company's social media information, if applicable.
Need help sending out your company's message? There's never been a better time to contact Web Solutions to learn about our array of marketing services! | 2019-04-20T14:22:37 | https://www.websolutions.com/blog/email-etiquette-what-to-know-before-you-hit-send/ |
0.99961 | TAMPA, Fla. - It had been slowed from time to time, its progress impededonce in a great while. A punt here. A failed fourth down there. Nothing major.Nothing chronic. Stop Kentucky's high-octane offense? Good luck.
"We just hope we can slow them down a little," sly ol' Joe Paterno saidthis week.
And then yesterday at a packed Raymond James Stadium, the crafty old PennState coach and his trusty sidekick, wily defensive coordinator JerrySandusky, went out and did what they said couldn't be done: They stopped theunstoppable.
On UK's second possession, a scrambling Couch found Lance Mickelsen in theback of the end zone - "I'd gotten past the safety and we kind of made eyecontact," said Mickelsen. "I didn't know if I was going to have enough room."- for a 36-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Next possession, Couch engineered a five-play, 64-yard drive, hittingMickelsen for 30 yards to the 16, then Anthony White (who made a great move tojuke Derek Fox) for a 14-3 lead.
UK's next possessions included two interceptions, two punts, a missed fieldgoal, a failed fourth-and-14, and a failed fourth-and-1 from UK's own 35-yardline.
By that time, two plays into the fourth quarter, the Cats trailed 19-14.His offense sputtering, his defense growing noticeably weary, Mumme rolled thedice. But fullback Derek Homer was smothered for no gain.
"I don't regret going for it, but I do regret the call," Mumme said. "Itwas a poor call on my part."
Three snaps later, Penn State went for it on fourth-and-1 from the UK 26and made it, full back Mike Cerimele gaining 7 yards. Two snaps later, Fieldsnavigated 19 yards on an end- around to effectively ice the game.
UK outgained the Lions 441-420 for the game, but the Cats were outgained204-127 and outscored 13-0 in the second half. "I just don't think we wereever in sync the second half," Mumme said.
Penn State's defense, ranked 12th nationally coming in, was in sync andthen some.
"We got a good feel for how they were blocking us, and then we came afterthem harder," said the ultra-athletic Arrington.
"Once we settled down we knew what we had to do," said Scioli. "Once we gotinto our game, I think we controlled it."
Ol' Joe Pa has controlled a few bowl games before. Yesterday marked his19th bowl victory against just nine losses and one tie.
"They just made good adjustments," Mickelsen said. "Penn State's coacheshave been around a long time." | 2019-04-25T16:41:44 | https://www.kentucky.com/news/databases/article43969674.html |
0.998403 | Q: What are the dimensions (height, width, & depth) of these boxes?
A: The size is: Base 2-5/8" x 3-1/8", Top 3-5/8" x 4-1/8", Height 4-1/8"
A: Yes, it is 4" approximately on each side but the bottom of the box tapers in, perhaps you knew that though. 4" x 4" is at the top and is the height. | 2019-04-23T07:05:51 | https://www.mrtakeoutbags.com/product/FBOCHW26E.html |
0.999921 | Economics as a word comes from the Greek: oikos means 'family, household, or estate', and nomos stands for 'custom, law' etc, Thus, "household management? or management of scarce resources is the essential meaning of economics. Economics encompasses production, distribution, trade and consumption of goods and services. Economic logic is applied to any problem that involves choice under scarcity.
Initially/ economics focused on "wealth" and later "welfare". Still later, m recent years, it has given sufficient attention to the study of tradeoffs- giving up one to gain another: The focus on tradeoffs arises from the traditional assumption that resources are scarce and that it is necessary to choose between competing alternatives. Choosing one benefit impties forgoing another alternative the opportunity cost. (cost of foregoing an Opportunity).
Adam Smith, generally regarded as the Father of Economics, author of 'An Inquiry into the Nature' and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (generally known as The Wealth of Nations) defines econornics as "The science of wealth/' Smith offered another definition, "The Science relating to the laws of production, distribution and exchange.?
Definitions in terms of wealth emphasize production and, consumption, and. do not deal with the economic activities of those not significantly involved m. these two processes, for example/ children and old people. The belief is that non-productive activity is a cost on society,- It meant that man was relegated to the secondary position and wealth. Was placed above life.
Thus arose the shift in the focus to welfare economics study of man and of human welfare, not of money alone, Economics involves social action connected with the attainment of human well being.
Microeconomics which exarnin.es the economic behavior of individual actors such as consumers, businesses, households etc. to understand how decisions are made in the face of scarcity and what effects they have.
Macroeconomics, which studies the economy as a whole and its features like national income, employment /poverty balance of payments and inflation.
The two are linked closely as the behavior of a firm or consumer or household depends upon the state of the national and global economy.
'Mesoeconomics' studies the intermediate level of economic organization m between the micro and the macro economics like institutional arrangements etc.
There are broadly the following approaches in the mainstream economics. The basis of all the streams is the same: resources are scarce while wants are unlimited (often mentioned as the economic problem).
Keynesian macroeconomics based on the theories of twentieth-century British economist John Maynard Keynes. It says. That the state can stirnulate economic growth and restore stability in the economy through expansionary policies. For example- through massive programme of spending on infrastructure when the demand is low and growth is negative.
In the recessionary phase that the economies of the western world in particular and rest of the world in general, went through (some are still undergoing the recession) due to 2008 financial crisis, the relevance of Keynes is growing.
The intervention by State is only when the economic cycle turns down and growth slows down or is negative. In normal times, it is the market that drives growth through the force of supply and demand.
Indian government stepped up expenditure with three fiscal stimuli since December 2008 to revive growth. With growth spurting, the gradual and calibrated exit from the stimulus was begun in the 2010- 11 Union Budget.
Neo-liberalism refers to advocacy of policies such as individual liberty, tree markets, and free trade. Neo-liberalism. "proposes that human well being can best be advanced by liberating individual entrepreneurial freedoms and skills within an institutional framework characterized by strong private property rights, free markets and free trade".
In distinction to the above, there is the school of socialist economics based on public (State) ownership of means of production to achieve greater equality and give the workers greater control of the means of production, It establishes fully centrally planned economy which is also called command economy -" economy is at the command of the State. Private ownership of assets is not allowed, For example, erstwhile USSR, Cuba etc.
Development economics is a branch of economics which deals with economic aspects of the development process, mainly in low-income countries.
Its focus is not only promoting economic growth and structural change but also improving the well-being of the population as a whole through health and education and workplace Conditions, whether through public or private channels. The most prominent contemporary development economists are Nobel laureates Amartya Sen and Joseph Stiglitz.
Structural change of an economy refers to a long-term widespread change of a fundamental structure, rather than microscale or short-term change .For example a subsistence economy is transformed into a manufacturing ecomony, or a regulated mixed economy is liberalized. AN insulated and Protectionist economy becomes open and globalized. A current structural change in the world economy is globalization.
Green economics focuses on and supports the harmonious interaction between humans and nature and attemptes to reconcile the two.
Economic growth is the change- increase or decrease, in the value of goods and services produced by an economy. If It is positive, it means an increase in the output and the income of a country. It is generally shown as the increase m percentage terms of real gross domestic product (GDP adjusted to inflation) or real GDP.
Measures of national income and output are used in economics to estimate the value of goods and services produced in an economy. They use a system of national accounts or national accounting. Some of the common measures are Gross National Product (GNP) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
National income accounting refers to a set of rules and techniques that are used to I measure the national income of a country. GDP is defined as the total market value of all final goods and services produced within the country in a given period of time- usually a calendar year or financial year.
GDP can be real or nominal. Nominal GDP refers to the current year production of final goods and services valued at current year prices. Real GDP refers to the current year production of goods and service valued all base year prices. Base year prices are Constant prices.
In estimating GDP, only final marketable goods and services are considered. Only their values are added up and they pertain to a given period. When it is compared to the base year figure, the growth levels are Seen.
To explain further, gains from resale are excluded but the services provided by the agents are counted. Similarly, transfer payments (pensions, scholarships etc) are excluded as there is income received but no good or service produced m return. However, not all goods and services from productive activities enter into market transactions. Hence, imputations are made for these non-marketed but productive activities: for example, imputed rental for owner-occupied housing.
Market price refers to the actual transacted price and it includes indirect taxes- custom duty, excise duty, sales tax, service tax etc.
Factor cost refers to the actual cost of the Various factors of production includes government grants and subsidies but it excludes indirect taxes.
Relationship between market price and factor cost.
Factor costs are the actual production costs at which goods and services are produced by the firms and industries in an economy. They are really the costs of all the factors of production such as land, labour, capital, energy, raw materials like steel etc. that are used to produce & given quantity of output in an economy. They are also called factor gate costs (farm gate, firm gate and factory gate) since all the costs that are incurred to produce a given quantity of goods and services take place behind' the factory gate i.e. within the walls of the firms, plants etc in an economy.
Transfer payment refers to payments made by government to individuals for which there no economic activity is produced in return by these individuals. Examples of transfer are scholarship, pension.
There are three different ways of calculating GDP. The expenditure approach adds consumption, investment, government expenditure and net exports (exports minus imports).
On the other hand, the income approach adds what factors earn: wages, .profits, rents etc.
Output approach adds the market value of final goods and services.
The three methods must yield the same results because the total expenditures on goods and services must by definition be equal to the value of the goods and services produced (GNP) which must be equal to the total income paid to the factors that produced these goods and services.
In reality, there will be minor differences in the results obtained from the various methods due to changes in inventory levels. This is because goods in inventory have been produced (and therefore included in GDP), but not yet sold. Similar timing issues can also cause a slight discrepancy between the value of goods produced (GDP) and the payments to the factors that produced the goods, particularly if inputs are purchased on credit.
Final goods are goods that are ultimately consumed rather than used in the production of another good. For example, a car sold to a Consumer is a final good; the components such as tyres sold to the car manufacturer are not; they are intermediate goods used to make the final goods. The same tyres, if sold to a consumer, would be a final goods. Only final goods are included when measuring national income. If intermediate goods were included too, this would lead to double counting; for example, the value of tyres would be counted once when they are sold to the car manufacturer, and again when the car is sold to the consumer.
Only newly produced goods are counted. Transactions in existing goods, such as second-hand cars, are not included, as these do not involve the production of new goods.
GDP considers only marketed goods. If a cleaner is hired, their pay is included in GDP. If one does the work himself, it does not add to the GDP. Thus much of the work done by women at home- taking care of the children, aged; chores etc which is called care economy' is outside the GDP.
Gross means depreciation (wear and tear of machinery in their use) of capital stock is not subtracted. If depreciation is subtracted, it becomes net domestic product.
Calculating the real GDP growth - inflation adjusted GDP growth- allows us to determine if production increased or decreased, regardless of changes in the - inflation and purchasing power of the currency.
The two are related. The difference is that GNP includes net foreign income. GNP adds net foreign investment income compared to GDP. GDP shows how much is produced within the boundaries of the country by both the citizens and the foreigners. It is the market value of all the output produced in the territory of a nation in one year. GDP focuses on where the output is produced rather than who produced it. GDP measures all domestic production, disregarding the producing entities nationalities.
In contrast, GNP is a measure of the value of the output produced by the ?nationals" of a country- both within the geographical boundaries and outside. That is, all the output that the Indian citizens produce in a given year - both within India and all other countries.
For example, there are Indian and foreign firms operating in India. Together what they produce within the Indian geography is the GDP of India. The profits of foreign firms earned within India are included in India's GDP, but not in India?s GNP.
In other words, income is counted as part of GNP according to who owns the factors of production rather than where the production takes place. For example, in the case of a German-owned car factory operating in the US, the profits from the factory would be counted as part of German GNP rather than US GNP because the capital used in production (the factory, machinery, etc.) is German owned. The wages of the American workers would be part of US GDP, while the wages of any German workers on the site would be part of German GNP.
GDP is essentially about where production takes place. GNP is about who produces. If it is an open economy with great levels of foreign investment (FDl) and lesser levels of outbound FDI, its GDP is likely to be larger than GNP.
If it is an open economy but more of its nationals tend to move economic activity abroad or earn more from investing abroad compared with non-nationals doing business and earning incomes within its borders, its GNP will be larger than GDP.
If it is a closed economy where nobody leaves its shores, nobody invests abroad, nobody comes in and nobody invests in the country, its GDP will be equal to GNP.
Japan used to belong in the last category. Until the mid-1990s, the difference between Japan's GDP and GNP amounted to less than one percentage point of GDP. With only limited numbers of people doing business abroad, the GDP and GNP were essentially the same thing.
In the production process a country uses machines and equipment. When there is depreciation, we have to repair or replace the machinery. The expenses incurred for this are called the depreciation expenditure. Net National Product is calculated by deducting depreciation expense from gross national product.
National Income is calculated by deducting indirect taxes from Net National Product and adding subsidies. National Income (N1) is the NNP at factor cost.
Per Capita Income is per capita GDP: GDP divided by mid year population of the corresponding year.
The growth of GDP at constant price shows an annual real growth.
The real GDP per capita of an economy is often used as an indicator of the average standard of living of individuals in that country, and economic growth is therefore often seen as indicating an increase in the average standard of living.
· When growth is quantified, we can understand whether it is adequate or not for the given goals of the economy.
· We can understand its potential and accordingly set targets.
· We can adjust growth rates for their sustainability.
· We can prevent inflation or deflation to some extent if we see the performance of the economy in quantitative terms.
· We can balance the contributions of the three sectors of the economy and steer the direction of growth towards national goals- away from agriculture to manufacturing as m the case of India in recent years.
· Target appropriate levels of employment creation and poverty alleviation.
· Forecast tax revenues for governmental objectives.
· Corporates can plan their business investments.
The measurement of national income encounters many problems. The problem of double-counting. Though there are some corrective measures, it is difficult to eliminate double-counting altogether. And there are many such problems and the following are some of them.
Illegal activities like smuggling and unreported incomes due to tax evasion and corruption are outside the GDP estimates. Thus, parallel economy poses a serious hurdle to accurate GDP estimates. GDP does not take into account the 'parallel economy? as the transactions of black money are not registered.
In most of the rural economy, considerable portion of transactions Occurs informally and they are called as non-monetized economy- the barter economy. The presence of such non-monetary economy in developing countries keeps the GDP estimates at lower level than the actual.
In recent years, the service sector is growing faster than that of the agricultural and industrial sectors. Many new services like business process outsourcing (BPO) have come up. However, value addition in legal consultancy, health services, financial and business services and the service sector as a whole is not based on accurate reporting and hence underestimated in national income measures.
The national income accounts do not include the 'care economy'- domestic work and housekeeping. Most of such valuable work rendered by our women at home does not enter our national accounting.
It ignores voluntary and charitable work as it is unpaid.
National income estimation does not account for the environmental costs incurred in the production of goods. For example, the land and water degradation accompanying the Green revolution in India. Similarly, the climate change that i& caused by the use of fossil fuels. However, in recent years, green GDP is being calculated where the environmental costs are deducted from the GDP value and the Green GDP is arrived at.
GDP Deflator is a comprehensive measure of inflation, implicitly derived from national accounts data as a ratio of GDP at current prices to constant prices. While it encompasses the entire spectrum of economic activities including services, it is available on a quarterly basis with a lag of two months since 1996. Therefore, national income aggregates extensively use WPI for deflating nominal price estimates to derive real price estimates.
Dividing the nominal GDP by the GDP deflator and multiplying it by 100 would then give the figure for real GDP, hence deflating the nominal GDP into a real measure.
A price deflator of 200 means that the current-year price of this computing power is twice its base-year price - price inflation. A price deflator of 50 means that the current- year price is half the base year price ? price deflation.
Unlike some price indexes, the GDP deflator is not based on a fixed basket of goods and services. It covers the whole economy.
Specifically, for GDP, the "basket" in each year is the set of all goods that were produced domestically, weighted by the market value of the total consumption of each good. Therefore, new expenditure patterns are allowed to show up in the deflator as people respond to changing prices. The advantage of this approach is that the GDP deflator reflects up to date expenditure patterns.
The CSO uses the price indices to reach the base year figure from the current year one. In September 2010, for the first quarterly figure, it made a mistake while applying the deflator- for the GDP by output figure, it used one price index and for the GDP by expenditure number, it used another. It led to huge discrepancy.
Alternating periods of expansion and decline in economic activity is called business cycle. That is, the ups and downs of the economy. There are four stages in the business cycle: expansion, growth, slowdown and recession. Recession may not follow every time. When recession takes place, it may not be of the same intensity every times. For example, the 2008 global financial meltdown is the deepest since the WW2 and is called the Great Recession. If recession deepens, it is called depression and occurred only once in the last century in 1930's. All economies experience economic cycles. Explaining and preventing these fluctuations is one of the main focuses of macroeconomics.
i The first benefit of economic growth is wealth creation. It helps create jobs and increase incomes.
ii. It ensures an increase in the standard of living, even if it is not evenly distributed.
iv. rising demand encourages investment in new capital machinery which helps accelerate economic growth and create more employment.
i. violate the principles of fairness and equity thus setting off social conflicts.
ii. Environmental costs are another disadvantage.
· GDP does not value intangibles like leisure, quality of life etc. Quality of life is determined by many other things than economic goods.
· The impact of economic activity on the environment may be harmful- pollution, climate change, unsustainable growth, ecological refugees, life style diseases etc.
· Condition of poor is not indicated For example, Indian economy grew at 8.9% in the first half of 2010-2011 but the food inflation was over 14% and on a high base causing immiserization of the lower classes.
· Gender disparities are not indicated.
· It does not matter how the increase in wealth takes place- whether by civilian demand or war.
· GDP does not measure the sustainability of growth. A country may achieve a temporarily high GDP by over-exploiting natural resources.
The major advantages to using GDP per capita as an indicator of standard of living are that it is measured frequently, widely and consistently. Frequently in that most countries provide information on GDP on a quarterly basis, which allows a user to spot trends more quickly. Widely in that some measure of GDP is available for practically every country in the world, which allows crude comparisons between the standard of living in different countries. And consistently in that the technical definitions used within GDP are relatively consistent between countries, and so there can be confidence that the same thing is being measured in each country.
The major disadvantage of using GDP as an indicator of standard of living is that it is not, strictly speaking, a measure of standard of living. For instance, in an extreme example, a country which exported 100 per cent of its production would still have a high GDP, but a very poor standard of living.
The argument in favour of using GDP is not that it is a good indicator of standard of living, but rather that (all other things being equal) standard of living tends to increase when GDP per capita increases. This makes GDP a proxy for standard of living, rather than a direct measure of it.
Because of the limitations in the GDP concept, other measures of welfare such as the Human Development Index (HDI), Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare (ISEW), Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) and Sustainable National Income (SN1), Gross National Happiness (GNH), Green GDP, natural resource accounting have been suggested.
They are proposed in an attempt to give a more complete picture of the level of well- being and the position with reference to natural resource depletion, but there is no consensus as to which is a better measure than GDP. Some of the above defy quantification. GDP still remains by far the most often-used measure.
Some economists have attempted to create a replacements for GDP which attempt to address many of the above criticisms regarding GDP. Other nations such as Bhutan have advocated gross national happiness as a standard of living, claiming itself as the world's happiest nation.
The UN Human Development Index (HDI) is a standard means of measuring wellbeing. The index was developed in 1990 by the Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq, and has been used since 1993 by the United Nations Development Programme in its annual report.
· Knowledge, as measured by the adult literacy rate (with two-thirds weight) and the combined primary, secondary, and tertiary gross enrolment ratio (with one-third weight).
· A decent standard of living, as measured by gross, domestic product (GDP) per capita at purchasing power parity (PPP) m US Dollars.
Each year, UN member states are listed and ranked according to these measures.
India is ranked at 134 among 182 countries on the Human Development Index of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that was released in late 2010. The HDI goes beyond a nation's gross domestic product (GDP) to measure the general well-being of people under a host of parameters, such as poverty levels, literacy and gender-related issues.
An alternative measure, focusing on the amount of poverty in a country, is the Human Poverty Index. The Human Poverty Index is an indication of the standard of living in a country, developed by the United Nations.
? Relative poverty ('poverty with reference to the average per capita income).
The Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) is a concept in green economics and welfare economics that has been suggested as a replacement metric for gross domestic product (GDP) as a metric of economic growth. Unlike GDP it is claimed by its advocates to more reliably distinguish uneconomic growth - almost all advocates of a GDP would accept that some economic growth is very harmful.
A GPI is an attempt to measure whether or not a country's growth, increased production of goods, and expanding services have actually resulted in the improvement of the welfare (or well-being) of the people in the country.
Green Gross Domestic Product (Green GDP) is an index of economic growth with the environmental consequences of that growth factored in. From the final value of goods and services produced, the cost of ecological degradation is deducted to arrive at Green GDP.
In 2004, Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, announced that the green GDP index would replace the Chinese GDP index. But the effort was dropped in 2007 as it was seen that the conventional growth rates were decelerating.
The term was coined by Bhutans former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck in 1972 to indicate his commitment to building an economy that would serve Bhutan's unique culture based on Buddhist spiritual values. While conventional development models stress economic growth as the ultimate objective, the concept of GNH is based on the premise that true development takes place when material and spiritual development occur side by side to complement and reinforce each other. The four dimensions of GNH are the promotion of equitable and sustainable socio-economic development, preservation and promotion of cultural values, conservation of the natural environment, and establishment of good governance.
Natural resources are essential for production and consumption, maintenance of life-support systems, as well as having intrinsic value in existence for intergenerational and other reasons. It can be argued that natural capital should be treated m a similar manner to manmade capital in accounting terms, so that the ability to generate income in the future is sustained by using the stock of natural capital judiciously. By failing to account reductions in the stock of natural resources, standard measures of national income do not represent economic growth genuinely. Soil, water and biodiversity are the three basic natural resources.
National Biodiversity Action Plan published by Government of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2008 highlights as an action point the valuation of goods and services provided by biodiversity. More specifically, the Action Plan states: to assign appropriate market value to the goods and services provided by various ecosystems and strive to incorporate these costs into national accounting.
In the Nagoya (Japan) meet in 2010 on biodiversity protection, India declared that it will adopt natural resource accounting from 2012.
In the October 2010 UN biodiversity summit, it was said that the link between economic policy, natural capital and human wellbeing should be understood. There should be global partnership is to mainstream natural resources accounting into economic planning. India, Colombia and Mexico accepted it. This will plug deficiencies in traditional accounting systems. As mentioned above, India's national biodiversity action plan has already incorporated some of these concepts.
Ans. A market economy is an economic system in which goods and services are traded, with the price being determined by demand and supply.
Laissez-faire is a French phrase meaning "let do, let go, let pass" Its proponents make arguments against government interference with economy and trade. It is synonymous with free market economics. It is generally understood to be a doctrine opposing economic-interventionism by the state beyond the extent which is perceived to be necessary to maintain peace and property rights.
"By pursuing his own interest (an individual) frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it? (Wealth of Nation).
Adam Smith calls it the invisible hand- the force that combines the individual self-interest into a collective social interest. However, as we have seen in the melt down of the western economies since 2008 and as Nobel laueate Joseph Stiglitz commented, invisible hand may not exist.
There are a variety of critics of market as ari organizing principle of an economy. These critics range from those who reject markets entirely, in favor of a planned economy, such as that advocated by communism to those who wish to see them regulated to various degrees. One prominent practical objection is the environmental pollution generated. Another is the claim that through the creation of monopolies, markets sow the seeds of their own destruction.
Some proponents of market economies believe that government should intervene to prevent market failure while preserving the general character of a market economy.
It seeks an alternative economic system other than socialism and laissez-faire economy, combining private enterprise with measures of the state to establish fair competition, low inflation, low levels of unemployment, good working conditions, and social welfare.
Free market economists argue that planned economies and Welfare will not solve poverty problems but only make them worse. They believe that the only way to solve poverty is by creating new wealth. They believe that this is most efficiently achieved 'through low levels of government regulation and interference, free trade, and tax reform and reduction. Open economy, competition and innovation generate growth and employment.
Advocates of the third way ?social market solutions to poverty- believe that there is a legitimate role the government can 'play in fighting poverty. They believe this can be achieved through the creation of social safety nets such as social security and workers compensation.
Most modern industrialized nations today are not typically representative of Laissez-faire principles, as they usually involve significant amounts of government intervention in the economy. This intervention includes minimum wages to increase the standard of living, anti- monopoly regulation to prevent monopolies, progressive income taxes, welfare programs to provide a safety net for those without the capacity to find work, disability assistance, subsidy programs for businesses and agricultural products to stabilize prices - protect jobs within a country, government ownership of some industry, regulation of market. Competition to ensure fair standards and practices to protect the consumer and worker, and economic trade barriers m the form of protective tariffs - quotas on imports - or internal regulation favoring domestic industry.
The inability of an unregulated market to achieve allocative efficiency is known as market failure the main types of market failure are: monopoly, steep inequality, pollution etc. The western economic recession since 2008 is the result of market failure where excessive speculation and borrowings have disoriented the economies with huge human and economic cost.
Government failure is the public sector analogy to rnarket failure and occurs when government does not efficiently allocate goods and/or resources consumers. Just as with market failures, there are many different kinds of government failures. Inefficient use of resources, wastage and retarded economic growth due to government monopolies and regulation are the results of government failure. Often, the performance of the public sector in India is cited to exemplify government failure.
The three-sector hypothesis is an economic theory which divides economies into three sectors of activity: extraction of raw materials (primary), manufacturing (secondary), and services (tertiary).
According to the theory the main focus of an economy's activity shifts from the primary, through the secondary and finally to the tertiary sector. The increase in quality of life, social security, blossoming of education and culture and avoidance of unemployment with reduction of poverty are the effects of such transition.
Countries with a low per capita income are in an early state of development; the main part of their national income is achieved through production m the primary sector. Countries in a more advanced state of development, with a medium national income, generate their income mostly in the secondary sector. In highly developed countries with a high income, the tertiary sector dominates the total output of the economy.
The primary sector of the economy involves changing natural resources into primary products. Most products from this sector are considered raw materials for other industries. Major businesses in this sector include agriculture, fishing, forestry and all mining and quarrying industries.
Primary industry is a larger sector in developing countries; for instance, animal husbandry is more common m Africa than in Japan.
The secondary sector of the economy includes those economic sectors that create a finished, usable product: manufacturing and construction.
This sector generally takes the output of the primary sector and manufactures finished goods or where they are suitable for use by other businesses, for export, or sale to domestic consumers.
Light industry is usually less capital intensive than heavy industry, and is more consumer-oriented than business-oriented (i.e., most light industry products are produced for end users rather than as intermediates for use by other - industries). Examples of light industries include the manufacture of clothes, shoes, furniture and household items (e.g. consumer electronics).
Heavy industry means products which are either heavy in weight or m the processes leading to their production. Examples are heavy machinery, big factories, chemical plants, production of construction equipment such as cranes and bulldozers. Alternatively, heavy industry projects can be generalized as more capital intensive or as requiring greater or more advanced resources, facilities or management.
The tertiary sector of economy (also known as the service sector) is defined by exclusion of the two other sectors. Services are defined in conventional economic literature as "intangible or invisible goods?. The tertiary sector of economy involves the provision of services to businesses as well as final consumers.
The quaternary sector of the economy is an extension of the three-sector hypothesis. It principally concerns the intellectual services: information generation, information sharing, consultation and research and development. It is sometimes incorporated into the tertiary sector but many argue that intellectual services are distinct enough to warrant a separate sector.
The quaternary sector can be seen-as the sector in which companies invest in order to ensure further expansion. Research will be directed into cutting costs, tapping into markets, producing innovative ideas, new production methods and methods of manufacture, amongst others. To many industries, such as the pharmaceutical industry, the sector is the most valuable because it creates future branded products which the company will profit from. This sector evolves in well developed countries and requires a highly educated workforce.
Government industries not intended to make a profit. The quinary sector also includes domestic activities such as those performed by stay-at-home parents or homemakers.
These activities are not measured by monetary amounts but make a considerable contribution t6 the economy.
A developing country is a country that has not reached the Western-style standards of democratic governments, free market economies, industrialization, social programs, and human rights guarantees for their citizens.
Development entails a modem infrastructure (both physical and institutional), and a move away from low value added sectors such as agriculture and natural resource extraction. Developed countries, in comparison, usually have economic systems based on economic growth in the secondary, tertiary and quaternary sectors and high standards of living.
The category of newly industrialized country (NIC) is a socioeconomic classification applied to several Countries around the world.
NICs are countries whose economies have not yet reached first world status but have, in a macroeconomic sense, outpaced their developing counterparts Another characterization of NICs is that of nations undergoing rapid economic growth. Incipient or ongoing industrialization is an important indicator of a NIC. In many NICs, social upheaval can occur as primarily rural, agriculture populations migrate to the cities, where the growth of manufacturing concerns and factories can draw many thousands of laborers.
· A switch from agriculture to industrial economies, especially in the manufacturing sector.
· An increasingly open-market economy, allowing free trade with other nations in the world.
· Strong capital investment from foreign countries.
A High-income economy is defined by the World Bank as a country with a GDP per capita of $11,456 or more. While the term high income may be used interchangeably with 'First World" and "developed country,' the technical definitions of these terms differ. The term "first world" commonly refers to those prosperous countries that aligned themselves with the U.S. and NATO during the cold war. Several institutions, such as International Monetary Fund (IMF) take factors other than high per capita income into account when classifying countries as "developed" Of "advanced economies" According to the United Nations, for example, some high income countries may also be developing countries. The GCC (Persian Gulf States) Countries, for example, are classified as developing high income countries Thus, a high income Country may be classified as either developed or developing.
The term developed country, or advanced country, is used to categorize countries that have achieved a high level of industrialization in which the tertiary and quaternary sectors of industry dominate. Countries not fitting this definition may referred to as developing countries.
This level of economic development usually translates into a high income per capita and a high Human Development Index (HDI) rating. Countries with high gross domestic product (GDP) per capita often fit the above description of a developed economy. However, anomalies exist when- determining "developed" status by the factor GDP per capita alone.
· human resource weakness (based on indicators of nutrition, health, education and adult literacy) economic vulnerability (based on instability, of agricultural production, instability of exports of goods and services and the percentage of population displaced-by natural disasters).
The classification currently applies to 48 countries.
India aims to factor the use of natural resources in its economic growth estimates by 2015 as we seek to underscore the actions it is taking to fight global warming.
Government said the country would seek to make "green accounting" part of government policy on economic growth.
The alternative GDP (Gross Domestic Product) estimates account for the consumption of natural resources as well. This would help find out how much of a natural resource is being consumed in the course of economic growth, how much being degraded and how much being replenished.
It is expected that in future more and more economists are likely to focus their time and energies upon social investment accounting or green accounting ... so that GDP really becomes not gross domestic product but green domestic product.
Green gross domestic product, then or green GDP as outlined above, measures economic growth while factoring in the environmental consequences, or externalities how those outside a transaction are affected), of that growth. There are methodological concerns ? how do we monetize the loss of biodiversity? How can we measure the economic impacts of climate change due to greenhouse gas emission? While the green GDP has pot yet been perfected as a measure of environmental costs, many countries are working to strike a balance between - green GDP and the original GDP.
The Commission on the measurement of economic performance and social progress was set up at the beginning of 2008 on French government?s initiative.
Increasing concerns have been raised since a long time about the adequacy of current measures of economic performance, m particular those based on GDP figures. Moreover, there are broader concerns, about the relevance of these figures as measures of societal well-being, as well as measures of economic, environmental, and social sustainability.
Reflecting these concerns, the former President Sarkozy has decided to create this Commission, to look at the entire range of issues, Its aim is to identify the limits of GDP as an indicator of economic performance and social progress, to consider additional information required for the production of a more relevant picture etc: The Commission is chaired by Professor Joseph E. Stiglitz. Amartya Sen and Bina Agarwal are also associated with it. The commission gave its report in 2009.
The Stiglitz report recommends that economic indicators should stress well-being instead of production, and for non-market activities, such as domestic and charity work, to be taken into account, Indexes should integrate complex realities, such as crime, the environment and the efficiency of the health system, as well as income inequality. The report brings examples, such as traffic jams, to show that more production doesn't necessarily correspond with greater well- being.
?We're living in one of those epochs where certitudes have vanished.., we have to reinvent, to reconstruct everything,? Sarkozy said. ?The central issue is [to pick] the way of development, the model of society, the civilization we want to live in?.
Opportunities to improve our metrics.
The Government changed the base year for calculating national income to 2004-05 as against 1999-2000 earlier. The Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) made the changes m early 2010. | 2019-04-21T14:43:12 | https://studyadda.com/notes/upsc/economics/indian-economy/an-introduction/12747 |
0.998125 | Can You Certify Organic Water?
Various companies are selling water that's touted as organic, either as a claim on the label or in the product's name. But can water actually be certified organic? In most cases, the answer is no: water cannot be certified as organic.
In fact, there are U.S. regulations in place designed to prevent companies from making an "organic water" claim, except under some very specific circumstances.
Here's everything you need to know about whether water can be organic, and more specifically, whether it can be certified organic.
Under National Organic Program (NOP) policy, water cannot be certified as organic.
In fact, the rules go further than that: they state that processors and manufacturers of various organic products must exclude water when calculating the percentage of organically produced ingredients for labeling and certification reasons.
Therefore, plain old bottled water, may not be labeled as USDA organic. This applies even if the water is obtained from under soil on land that is certified organic.
As an example, say you have a certified organic farm. Even if you source water from beneath USDA certified organic farmland, that water is not eligible to be bottled and sold as "organic water." Other countries also have taken steps to reign in use of the terms "organic" and "certified organic" when it comes to water.
There's an exception to the water rule when it comes to flavored waters that contain fruit juice, herbs or other agricultural additives that do qualify for certification.
"Regardless of whether water is the main or primary ingredient, it’s only the herb that qualifies for organic certification. Therefore, the product could properly be labeled ‘organic’ if it met the requirements for organic crops and handling/processing."
Likewise, the companies AriZona Tea and Poland Springs previously offered tea-infused waters that carried the organic certification seal. To add to the possible confusion, some firms market certified organic coconut water (which of course comes from coconuts, and so qualifies for the certified organic seal).
Misleading labels on 'organic' water?
Despite the fact that the USDA doesn't allow companies to market water as organic, some firms have attempted to get around the labeling rules by incorporating the word "organic" into the product's name in some fashion.
For example, companies might state that the water "comes from springs below organic fields," or it may carry a brand name like "Organic Source." While these companies aren't technically making an organic claim or a certified organic claim for their water products, you can argue that they're implying it with these names and labels.
If you have specific questions about water as it relates to organic certification, your best source of information is the NOP Program Handbook or your local accredited certifying agent. | 2019-04-19T01:15:44 | https://www.thebalancesmb.com/can-you-certify-organic-water-2538311 |
0.999995 | Step 1 For saté: Combine first 5 ingredients in large glass baking dish, Stir until sugar dissolves. Add shrimp, chicken and beef; stir to coat.
Step 2 Remove shrimp, chicken and beef from marinade. Thread on separate skewers, using about 3 shrimp per skewer and 2 beef or chicken pieces per skewer.
Step 3 Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat) or preheat broiler. Grill skewered meats until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
Step 4 Line large platter with banana leaves. Place sauce in bowl in center of platter. Surround with skewers.
Step 5 Place peanut butter in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually mix in chicken broth. Add all remaining ingredients except lime peel.
Step 6 Stir over medium heat until smooth and thick, about 6 minutes. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Step 7 Before serving, stir over medium heat until hot, thinning with water if necessary.) Pour sauce into bowl and garnish with lime peel. | 2019-04-18T20:27:13 | http://recipedir.com/chicken-shrimp-and-beef-sates-with-peanut-sauce-recipe/ |
0.999997 | Wouldn't it be great if science discovered supplements that could prolong our life span? Perhaps that time is not far away. Perhaps that time is now. Perhaps melatonin is one of these supplements.
In my introduction, I discussed the experiment by Maestroni and colleagues, published in 1988, that found an average 20% increase in longevity in middle-aged, male mice when they were given melatonin in their nightly drinking water. The researchers state, "To our surprise, chronic, nightly administration of melatonin resulted in a progressive, striking improvement of the general state of the mice and, most important, in a remarkable prolongation of their life. In fact, starting at 5 months from the initiation of melatonin administration, the body weight of the untreated mice still surviving started to decrease rapidly, and also astonishing differences in the fur and in the general conditions of the 2 groups (vigor, activity, posture) became increasingly evident. Melatonin treatment preserved completely optimal pelage (fur) conditions."
A similar experiment on middle-aged, male mice, done in 1991 by Pierpaoli and colleagues, also found a 20% increase in life span.
What would melatonin do in the young? To find out, Pierpaoli and colleagues gave melatonin every night to young, female mice (strain C3H/He) starting at age 12 months until death. (There are various strains of laboratory mice and the effect of a particular substance may be different on each strain. That's why it's important to mention which one.) The average life span in this strain of mice is about 24 months. The age of 12 months (pre-menopause) would correspond roughly to age 35 in humans. To the surprise of everyone, melatonin shortened life span by 6%. A high rate of ovarian cancer occurred in these young mice. Apparently there are cells in the ovaries in this strain that overgrow when stimulated by melatonin, causing tumors. Another strain of young, female mice (NZB) was also given melatonin nightly starting at age 12 months, and they lived longer than the untreated group. A third group of NZB strain female mice was given melatonin at 5 months of age (Pierpaoli, 1994). They also lived longer than those not on melatonin. Obviously, different mouse strains respond to melatonin differently.
It is possible that if the mice who developed ovarian cancer had been given a lower dose of melatonin, they may have fared better. Based purely on a weight ratio, the amount of melatonin given the mice was many times the dose a human would normally use at night for sleep.
How did melatonin affect female mice who already had reached menopause? In one study, when 18 month old post-menopausal mice (strain C57BL/6) were given melatonin nightly, ovarian cancer was not detected. They lived 20% longer than those who were not given melatonin.
How can we interpret these animal studies in order to make practical recommendations for us humans? First, we have to realize that rodents and humans may respond differently to the same medicine. We have seen that even different strains of mice respond differently. We know by experience, however, in countless other studies and with various other medicines that there is often a similarity between the effects of a substance on rodents and that on humans. We should also consider the possibility that while one person may benefit from a medicine, another may be harmed. Just as there are differences in response between different strains of mice, there may be differences in response between different human beings. | 2019-04-24T20:02:40 | http://www.healthy.net/Health/Article/Melatonin_and_Longevity/1234 |
0.999629 | Anarchy- Lack of overarching international order.
Balance of Power- A system in which individual actors (or alliances) on the world stage work to maintain roughly equal power and prevent one actor from achieving dominance.
Colonialism- Practice of a foreign power settling into and occupying another territory.
Constructivism- Belief that the state of world politics has been structured by people. Therefore, the international system is fluid.
Democratic Peace Theory- Belief that democracies are less likely to go to war with each other because of the costs of war are ultimately placed on the citizenry; which can lead to elected officials facing scrutiny by voters.
Despotism- A system of government which a single leader holds supreme authority over its territory.
External Sovereignty- When a government completely controls its foreign affairs and is recognized internationally.
Failed State- A state whose government has disintegrated and no longer controls the majority of the territory it claims.
Globalization- Process of increased international interaction and cooperation.
Hegemonic Stability Theory- Belief that the international system needs a single, dominant power to ensure stability.
Hegemony- The power or control of one state over all others (can be applied globally or regionally).
Internal Sovereignty- When a government is recognized as legitimate by the governed and controls its internal affairs.
Multi nation state- A state that contains multiple nations within its borders e.g. Spain with the Spanish, Basques, and Catalan.
Mutually Assured Destruction- The idea that a nuclear strike carried out by a state against another nuclear capable state will result in a retaliatory nuclear strike and escalate into a nuclear war that leads to the complete destruction of both.
Nation- A group of people with a common history, culture, and language.
Realism- States are the central actors in international politics, seeking power and acting in their own self interest. The international political system is anarchic.
Realpolitik- Foreign policy based on calculations of power and the national interest of the state.
Security dilemma- A situation in which one state increases its means of defense in order to achieve a higher degree of security, which, however is interpreted by another state as an act of aggression which causes that state to increase its defenses, thus leading to armament spiral.
Soft power- Use of persuasion, rather than force to obtain a policy objective.
Is there anything not listed that you think should be a part of the TL;DR?
Email [email protected] with your suggestions. | 2019-04-20T08:40:57 | https://ircucf.com/tl%3Bdr |
0.99987 | Has La La Land been overhyped?
"Incredible!" "Glorious!" "Magnificent!" - The hype surrounding La La Land has been difficult to miss.
In addition to all the critical praise, the film is dominating awards season - equalling the all-time record held by Titanic and All About Eve for the most Oscar nominations.
But now many moviegoers are coming forward to say - or rather whisper - that they just didn't get it.
I was one such moviegoer who was desperate to see it - but left feeling somewhat disappointed.
I'm keen to stress I don't think La La Land is a bad movie. Far from it - the songs are catchy and it's beautifully filmed.
But after the acres of five-star reviews, I came away feeling it had been somewhat overhyped.
Judging by our inbox after the Oscar nominations on Tuesday - there are other film fans who felt the same way.
It's not unusual for the films which float around during awards season to be popular with critics, but less so with the general public.
Indeed, there is a school of thought popular with marketing researchers that it is actively necessary for a film to split opinion in order for it to be successful.
Oscar Wilde certainly believed that, famously stating: "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about."
Titanic seemed to prove this theory - despite having an effect on audiences similar to Marmite, it went on to become the highest-grossing film of all time (since beaten by Avatar) and scooped the Oscar for best picture in 1997.
The last musical to win best picture was 2002's Chicago - starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger.
I distinctly remember going to see it at the cinema and being bowled over by how good it was. The acting, the editing and the songs all blended together to make an almost-perfect film.
The subsequent success of movies such as Mamma Mia and Pitch Perfect prove that audiences are more than willing to go and see musicals on the big screen.
But while those films are fairly mainstream, feel-good box office fodder, La La Land has been criticised for not quite delivering what it advertises.
In the film's ubiquitous promotional image, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are seen dancing together against a purple skyline. The vibrant colours make it look young, appealing, glamorous.
Many of the film's reviews reinforce its image as a Hollywood love story. "A gorgeously romantic modern-day musical" is how the i paper described it.
But the film is actually far from romantic - lacking the traditional happy ending which would've seen Gosling and Stone's characters end up together.
Personally I thought not being predictable is actually one of La La Land's best qualities, I was pleasantly surprised that its ending took an unexpected route.
My issue was more that it simply didn't quite live up to the months of build-up and promotion and subsequent awards success - it has already broken the record for the most Golden Globe Awards in history.
Of course, a bit of a backlash is inevitable for any pop culture product once its success has gone stratospheric.
It is always difficult for any film, album, book or TV show to live up to expectations once it's been so highly praised.
If I had gone into the cinema with no expectations, I probably would have come away from it with a better opinion than I did having gone in with such high expectations.
When I saw Chicago, I was 15 years old and paid no attention to reviews or hype - and I enjoyed the film so much more as a result.
Some film fans have taken issue with the fact that a movie about jazz is fronted by two white actors, while others say the script is weak and that Gosling and Stone's singing talents are questionable.
The Spectator's Deborah Ross - one of the few critics to strike a slightly more dissenting note - said the songs had "lyrics I couldn't make out for the life of me" - but, as she and most other critics agree, the songs themselves are impossibly catchy.
It would be hard to argue La La Land is a bad film - it just doesn't quite do what it says on the tin.
My advice to those who haven't seen it would be to ignore the reviews, go in with a clear mind and just enjoy it as a perfectly nice but unspectacular film. | 2019-04-25T00:09:34 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-38744603 |
0.999993 | This is data from an experiment using an array of 22 QuSpin optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs) to record a somatosensory evoked response. There are however some data missing. The challenge is to fill in the gaps.
These data were recorded in a shielded room as the subject received an electrical median nerve stimulus approximately twice a second. The data were recorded using a scanner-cast (see Boto et al. 2017). This means the relative locations and orientations of the OPM sensors are known; and the location of the array with respect to the head is also known (to within the tolerance of the cast fit around 2-3mm).
There were 22 channels within the cast. The data were recorded simultaneously on all channels. There were originally 583 trials of data.� The data have already been filtered from 1-80Hz, reference noise cancelled (by regressing out the signal from 4 reference OPMs) and averaged.
The challenge has two questions.� Could you please provide both answers and some background on how you completed the tasks.
1. What was the original rotation of the cast ?
Figure 1. A schematic showing the geometrical information. A. OPM sensors (red) arranged above the right sensory cortex shown in native (original MRI) space. Also shown are the scalp surface (cyan) and inner-skull boundary (green) and cortex (dark blue). The thick arrow shows the ambiguity in the rotation of the OPM array. B. Sensor positions and channel names viewed in sensor-based orthogonalized space. Ambiguous rotation is around mean channel position around the vector pointing out of page (in z direction). Code to rotate the array in this space and transform back into native space (panel A) is given in example_reader.m.
Figure 1 shows the basic problem alongside the volume conductor information. The cast has been rotated about its axis (the axis approximately normal to the scalp). The precise axis and code to perform the rotation is provided in example_reader.m.� (where the rotation is animated in 4 degree steps.. although the true rotation may not be a multiple of 4 degrees).
2. Can you provide the data on the 2 missing channels ?
Below are the data from megdata.mat plotted by example_reader.m. Data in mystery channels AT and CS at indices 4 and 12 (in megdata.mat) respectively have been replaced by NaNs.
Figure 2. Averaged SEF evoked response for 20 of the 22 OPM sensors. �Different colours correspond to different OPM sensors. The dotted line is at 21ms where the first component of the SEF is visible. Note also the stimulus artefact at time zero. The task is to estimate the time-series for the two channels that have not been provided.
Figure 3. Field map of the evoked response at t=21ms. Channel names and positions in the x-y plane are overlaid.
Please run the matlab script example_reader.m to load in the data and illustrate the problem.
and we will keep everyone informed of any additional information.
Please provide the angle of rotation in degrees and a zipped matlab (.mat) file containing the 2 missing channels of data. (2 x478 double precision in order AT, CS).
Closing date August 1st 2018.
Please also provide a brief (max 5 slides) power-point presentation (.ppt) file summarizing your methods (you may be asked to present this at the conference).
Gareth Barnes, Matt Brookes, Richard Bowtell and the Nottingham/ UCL OPM teams.
Boto E, Meyer SS, Shah V, Alem O, Knappe S, Kruger P, Fromhold TM, Lim M, Glover PM, Morris PG, Bowtell R, Barnes GR, Brookes MJ. Neuroimage. 2017 Apr 1;149:404-414. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.01.034. Epub 2017 Jan 25. | 2019-04-25T08:34:15 | https://www.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/~gbarnes/ |
0.999952 | The state-based insurance guaranty association system provides a safety net to provide benefits, subject to statutory restrictions, to policyholders of impaired and insurance companies.
Few people are aware that most insurance companies in the United States are members of at least one guaranty association which provides a safety net for insurance policyholders if their insurance company becomes financially troubled.
Generally, insurance can be defined as a contract in which the insurance company promises, in exchange for the premium, to provide financial assistance to the policyholder in the event that the policyholder experiences some loss, such as a car accident, a medical emergency, or even a liability lawsuit.
Who protects the policyholder if an insurance company becomes financially impaired?
But what happens if an insurance company suffers loss? What if a significant amount of an insurer's financial investments take a negative hit because of a sudden economic downturn? What if an insurance company finds itself financially impaired, or even insolvent? Does that insurance company's promise to the policyholder ultimately become worthless? Who protects the policyholders from that kind of loss?
The answer to those questions is: the insurance guaranty association system. Each of the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, has one or more insurance guaranty associations that provide a safety net to protect policyholders in the event that their insurance company becomes impaired or insolvent.
State guaranty associations are made up of insurance companies doing business in that state.
Significantly, these state-based guaranty associations are generally made up of all the insurance companies doing business in each state, and each of these "member insurers" provides a reasonable level of protection for one another's policyholders in the event of an insurance company insolvency. While the guaranty associations are generally authorized, empowered and regulated by state law, most of them are much more comparable to private member-based organizations than true state agencies. In fact, many of the state laws that enable guaranty associations specifically provide that they are not state agencies and that their debts are not state debts.
This is important because it means that the assets that are used by a guaranty association to protect the policyholders of an impaired or insolvent insurer do not, generally, come from state coffers. Instead, guaranty associations and the policyholder protection they provide are funded by the member insurers – the insurance companies themselves.
In other words, with the authorization of and regulation by the state, the insurance companies that do business in each state come together to provide funds and resources to establish a safety net that provides protection for policyholders if their insurance company fails.
Put simply, guaranty funds provide an essential safety net for policyholders, one that meets the needs of those least able to deal with losses should their insurance company fail.
Insurance companies that experience financial difficulties are not treated like typical corporations or other businesses. Insurers have their own state-based financial solvency laws, regulations and even their own insolvency procedures. Rather than entering the federal bankruptcy system like most non-insurance companies, a financially failing insurer is directed by state insurance regulators into a state court insolvency proceeding under the laws of the state in which that insurer is domiciled.
When a state court, upon the motion of a state insurance regulator, issues an order stating that an insurance company is insolvent, generally the applicable state insurance guaranty system is "triggered" and steps forward to protect that insurer's policyholders.
Insurance guaranty associations provide protection to consumers; they do not provide rescue or “bailout” financing for financially troubled companies. The fundamental responsibility of an insurance guaranty association is to assure the provision of insurance protection to consumers, up to a statutorily established maximum level of guaranteed protection, once the duties of the guaranty association have been “triggered” by a judicial determination that an insurer is insolvent and should be liquidated.
The protection provided by the guaranty associations is not limitless.
The protection provided by the guaranty associations is limited by the maximum amounts of coverage established under state law. In other words, state law provides certain "caps" on the amount of benefits that a guaranty association can pay to any one policyholder and/or under any one policy. Other conditions apply, such as residency restrictions and other limitations.
1. The National Conference of Insurance Guaranty Funds: Supporting a System of Policyholder Protection, National Conference of Insurance Guaranty Funds, retrieved January 16, 2012.
2. The National Conference…, Id.
3. Testimony for the Record of the National Organization of Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations Before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Insurance Housing and Community Opportunity, Insurance Oversight and Legislative Proposals, November 16, 2011.
Insurance is very important for us all, because we do not know when a disaster or calamity came over to us. insurance is a tool that can assist you in dealing with risks that would happen. We all certainly do not want exposed to a disaster, but when disaster arrives we will not be able to resist. | 2019-04-26T15:54:17 | http://www.insreglaw.com/2012/01/insurance-guaranty-association-system.html |
0.998278 | New catering services. Sound engineering. Construction of sets. New sound stages. Trailers for sets. Porta-potties. All side businesses that claim to have prospered in Massachusetts ever since the state implemented a 25 percent tax credit on production costs and salaries plus a break on certain sales taxes to entice production companies to set up shop here. Film production spending has increased nearly fourfold ($86 million to more than $315 million since 2006.) Supporters of the film tax credit say that eliminating it could cost Massachusetts more than 10,000 direct jobs. And then, they add, there are the indirect jobs in restaurants, dry cleaning, florists and all the other sundries needed by people living on location for the duration of the production. But what has been the cost of having the tax credit? The different interpretations are mind-numbing and often misleading.
MassINC’s Commonwealth Magazine has covered the costs and benefits of the film tax credit since editor Bruce Mohl’s first piece in 2008. Relying heavily on state Revenue Department data, Mohl has charted how more than half the benefits go to out-of-state individuals. Than means subsidizing the enormous salaries of Hollywood stars. Other studies put just a third of the jobs as having gone to state residents. The state’s Inspector General has called for an end to the credit, which, he said, has cost the state $411 million but has generated just $261 million in new spending. Industry figures compute the analysis differently: saying every dollar in credits led to $10 of additional spending in Massachusetts.
There’s no doubt that some gossip columnists (think Gayle Fee of The Track in the Boston Herald and Meredith Goldstein and Mark Shanahan of the Globe’s Names column) would have to dig deeper for its “celebrity” spottings. But that is hardly enough reason to extend a sweetheart deal that isn’t delivering on its promise.
What’s really aggravating is that some film production companies actually sell their tax credits, and who’s buying them up? Banks and insurance companies wishing to reduce their tax liability. This is crazy.
I’ve seen figures that each job allegedly spurred by the tax credit costs the state between $108,000 and $118,000. Governor Charlie Baker’s budget took aim at the film tax credit. He wants to phase it out by 2017 and use the difference to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit for the working poor. That makes sense. Phasing it out would cushion the blow (if indeed there is one) for those small businesses that say they have benefited from the tax credit.
Somewhere between 35 and 40 states have similar tax incentive programs, and many of them are also having second thoughts. Some are scaling back. Deval Patrick tried to cap the outflow in credits to $40 million, but the Massachusetts House, in fealty to the Teamsters, would have none of that.
The state is having to pare away a budget deficit of around a billion dollars. So any questionable expenditure, including tax credits like this one, should be grounds for reassessment. And consider this. My husband and I spoke recently with an LA-based designer who has made several trips to Boston to work on major films. It was his considered opinion that film makers who discovered the city since the implementation of the tax credits have really come to like it here. Phasing out the credits, he mused, would probably not be as much of a deterrent to shooting here as some of the industry boosters and bean counters would have us think.
Changing it is worth a shot.
This entry was posted in Culture, Politics and tagged Bruce Mohl, Deval Patrick, Earned Income Tax Credit, Gayle Fee, Governor Charlie Baker's budget, House Speaker Bob DeLeo, Inspector General, Mark Shanahan, Mass. Film Bureau, Mass. Film Tax Credit, Meredith Goldstein, state budget gap, Teamsters Union. Bookmark the permalink. | 2019-04-19T05:23:44 | https://marjoriearonsbarron.com/2015/05/04/time-to-rewind-the-state-film-tax-credit/ |
0.999901 | Questions Remain After More Than 80 Killed In Greece Fire As Greek investigators probe the cause of the recent wildfire near Athens, tragic stories emerge about how the more than 80 victims died.
As Greek investigators probe the cause of the recent wildfire near Athens, tragic stories emerge about how the more than 80 victims died.
At least 88 people have now died after fires swept through towns just outside the Greek capital, Athens, less than a week ago. These are the worst fires to hit Greece in decades. The government is investigating arson. Joanna Kakissis reports from the village of Mati, which was largely destroyed.
JOANNA KAKISSIS, BYLINE: Survivors of the fire are angry. They want to know why more than 90 percent of their seaside village is gone. To hear the survivors recount their harrowing ordeal was crushing.
KAKISSIS: At 6 p.m. last Monday, Panagiotis Apalodeimas heard live TV coverage about fires breaking out. The 58-year-old professional driver ran to his balcony and saw the thick pine forest in flames.
PANAGIOTIS APALODEIMAS: (Through interpreter) My sons and I grabbed our IDs and our cell phones and, of course, our dog, Phoebe. We jumped into our car and tried to drive away.
KAKISSIS: But the one road out of town was backed up with cars. The family abandoned their car and ran toward the sea.
APALODEIMAS: (Through interpreter) The fire came at us so quickly. It sounded like a train - like this. I was trying to get to the cliff leading to the sea. There was a path there between some houses. It had steps that led to a beach where we'd go swimming.
KAKISSIS: He remembers 40 or 50 people running behind him chased by a giant, black cloud. He remembers choking on fumes. When the group reached the cliff, half of the people suddenly ran in another direction.
APALODEIMAS: (Through interpreter) I told them there was no path where they were going - just a huge drop from the cliff. They'd land on sharp rocks, or the fire would get them. But they couldn't hear me.
KAKISSIS: That group got stuck on the ledge. He heard their screams as he stumbled down the steps and into the sea.
APALODEIMAS: (Through interpreter) I saw the huge, black cloud covering everything. I couldn't see the land - only sea in all directions.
KAKISSIS: He treaded water for four hours next to his sons and Phoebe the dog. Phoebe died just before the family was rescued by fishermen.
KAKISSIS: "I thought my sons would die," he says, his voice breaking. "I don't know how we made it."
KAKISSIS: God must have helped. Those stuck on the ledge were found the next morning - 26 scorched bodies huddled together.
KAKISSIS: Medical examiner Ilias Bogiokas told reporters that, in many cases, rescue workers have only found wedding bands and crosses amid the ashes and bits of bone.
KAKISSIS: Survivors shouted down a government minister visiting the village after the fire, asking, why were we left to die? Natural disasters expert Costas Synolakis explains that the pine forest was highly combustible, especially in the hot, dry and windy summer.
COSTAS SYNOLAKIS: So it was a fire trap. People were not informed that they lived in a high-risk area. There were no hazard maps, no evacuation maps for the area. People didn't know what escape routes were available to them, so there was a lot of confusion.
KAKISSIS: Even if arson was behind the fires, as the government insists, Synolakis says evacuation plans are essential, especially as climate change makes summers hotter and drier.
KAKISSIS: The slice of paradise that was once Mati is now a scorched ghost town. The sea once filled with swimmers is now patrolled by Navy divers looking for those still missing.
For NPR News, I'm Joanna Kakissis in Mati, Greece. | 2019-04-26T08:56:55 | https://www.npr.org/2018/07/28/633461871/questions-remain-after-80-killed-in-greece-fire |
0.999999 | No Limit Sound Productions: Q. Is USB too slow for MIDI interfacing?
My question is about USB MIDI interfaces, which seem to be the only kind of MIDI interfaces people make now. I've just bought Tascam Gigastudio, and in the manual it says 'Note: Nemesys recommends ISA or PCI-based MIDI interfaces, as they are faster than USB or Parallel Port interfaces'. As well as being too slow, I've also read that USB is unsuitable for MIDI because USB MIDI has timing jitter that could smear the timing of dense MIDI passages. If software manufacturers think USB is so unsuitable that they discourage people from using USB MIDI interfaces, then why do hardware manufacturers make them, and to the exclusion of PCI MIDI interfaces ? Are there any multiple I/O PCI interfaces around any more?
PC music specialist Martin Walker replies: I'm not surprised that you're confused, since there's lots of conflicting information around, and much of it is out of date. Although you've presumably just bought Gigastudio 2.5, that quote is actually from an FAQ document dated October 2001, which also says that Gigastudio is compatible with Creative Labs' SB Live soundcard using Direct Sound drivers (which is no longer true, since Gigastudio no longer supports Direct Sound under Windows 2000 and XP), and that laptops are not recommended due to the lack of GSIF-compatible PCMCIA soundcards (no longer true either, thanks to Echo's excellent Indigo range).
However, the most obvious giveaway is the mention of ISA-based MIDI interfaces, since I don't know of any modern PC motherboard that still has any of the now extremely elderly ISA expansion slots that you'd need to plug one in — the last time I bought one was back in 1998!
You could complain that manufacturers' support documents should be updated more often, but there is nevertheless still a grain of truth in the recommendation of PCI over USB, as the results of my two-part investigation into 'The Truth About Latency' in SOS September and October 2002 proved. My PCI-based MIDI interface gave me around 3.6ms input latency when capturing a keyboard performance, with a latency jitter of just 0.2ms; a serial-port interface gave around 4.2ms with jitter of 1.2ms; and a USB interface gave about 4.8ms with jitter of up to 1.9ms, all running under Windows XP.
This should hopefully prove to your satisfaction that USB isn't too slow, since an increase of just 1.2ms over PCI is simply not discernible while playing — a MIDI Note On message will itself last nearly 1ms, and a six-note chord could therefore emerge spread over 6ms.
I personally doubt that an increased jitter of up to 2ms would be noticeable in most situations either — many musicians can apparently detect timing jitter when it exceeds about 5ms, but below this it's likely to go unnoticed. It is possible that during dense MIDI passages the situation could get worse, but I don't think you should worry too much. Moreover, when playing software synths in 'real time' via MIDI, their timing jitter can be two to three times that of the MIDI interface.
Sadly, nowadays, it's extremely rare to find a PCI-based multi-channel MIDI interface — nearly all are USB devices. But there are various things you can do to minimise timing jitter problems with a USB MIDI interface. It's important to plug it into a dedicated USB port rather than a USB hub (powered or otherwise) so that the interface isn't fighting for its share of the USB bandwidth with other devices. Always use the latest interface drivers, and try not to use too many USB devices simultaneously, even if they are plugged into separate ports. Also, I personally still think it's tempting providence to try to run separate USB audio and USB MIDI interfaces simultaneously, since their drivers may end up fighting for supremacy.
The bottom line is that loads of musicians (including me) are now running multi-channel USB MIDI interfaces with no obvious timing problems, while some of the problems that others run into aren't necessarily due to the interface, but to other issues with their computers. When Nemesys wrote that FAQ, USB MIDI was still in its early stages, and things have improved since then.
It's also important to remember that while the capturing of a MIDI performance may be subject to a couple of milliseconds of timing uncertainty, many of us are relying more and more on software synths, whose playback timing is always accurate. | 2019-04-18T12:34:46 | http://nolimitsoundproductions.blogspot.com/2018/05/q-is-usb-too-slow-for-midi-interfacing.html |
0.762846 | In Greek mythology, Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus, king of Thebes, and Jocasta. A faithful daughter and sister, Antigone was the main character in a tragedy by the Greek playwright Sophocles*. Euripides*, another dramatist of ancient Greece, presented a different, and happier, version of her life. In more recent times, Antigone has been the inspiration for several playwrights and composers.
Background to the Story. In Sophocles' earlier play, Oedipus Rex, Oedipus had unknowingly murdered his father and married his mother, Jocasta. When they discovered what they had done, Jocasta hanged herself and Oedipus blinded himself. His sons, Eteocles and Polynices, drove Oedipus from Thebes and took over the kingdom.
Antigone and her sister Ismene accompanied their blind father during his wanderings around Greece. Meanwhile, Eteocles broke his promise to share power with Polynices and drove him from the kingdom as well. Polynices decided to lead an army against Thebes to regain the throne.
Their uncle, Creon, supported Eteocles in the conflict with his brother. An oracle told Creon that whoever gave shelter to Oedipus would win the battle for Thebes. Creon therefore asked Oedipus, who had taken refuge in the city of Colonus, to return. When Oedipus refused, Creon sent soldiers to seize Antigone and Ismene to force their father to come back. Theseus*, king of Athens, rescued Antigone and Ismene, but soon afterward, Oedipus died and his daughters returned to Thebes.
The Story of Antigone. Polynices attacked Thebes, and in the battle that followed, the two brothers met in combat and killed each other. Creon became king. He gave Eteocles a hero's burial but refused to let anyone bury Polynices, whom he considered a traitor. Antigone, mindful of her duty to her brother, secretly crept out at night to bury Polynices. She was caught by Creon's soldiers and condemned to death for her disobedience. To avoid direct responsibility for her death, Creon ordered that Antigone be sealed alive in a cave with food and water. Creon's son Haemon, who was engaged to Antigone, pleaded in vain for her life.
A prophet then came to see Creon. He warned that the king had angered the gods by sealing up Antigone and refusing burial to Polynices. Creon immediately ordered that Polynices be buried and went to the cave to release Antigone. On opening the cave, however, he found that Antigone had hanged herself. Haemon was overcome with grief. He tried to kill his father and then stabbed himself to death. When Creon's wife, Eurydice, learned of her son's suicide, she took her own life.
Euripides' version of the story has a happier ending. In his play, Creon instructed Haemon to carry out Antigone's sentence. Haemon pretended to seal Antigone away as ordered but actually took her to the countryside. The couple stayed in hiding for many years, raising a son. After the son grew up, he went to Thebes to take part in an athletic event. There he stripped off his clothes to run in a race and revealed a birthmark that was found only on members of Antigone's family Creon recognized the mark and sentenced Haemon and Antigone to death for disobeying his orders. The god Dionysus (Bacchus)* pleaded with Creon to spare their lives (in some versions of the story, Hercules* is the one who pleaded for them). Creon agreed, and the lovers were formally married.
Sophocles used the story of Antigone to comment on the conflict between the laws of the state and the laws of the gods. Creon's decree against burying Polynices is shown to be unjust and against the gods' wishes. Antigone's decision to perform her religious duty to her brother wins the sympathy of the audience.
Literature and Art. Sophocles and Euripides were the first of many to create works of art based on the story of Antigone. Among those who wrote plays about her were the European play-wrights Jean Cocteau, Jean Anouilh, and Bertholt Brecht. An Italian translation of the Greek play was the basis for an opera of the 1700s called Antigono. More recently, German composer Carl Orff wrote a "tragic play with music" about Antigone in the 1940s.
See also Eurydice ; Greek Mythology ; Jocasta ; Oedipus .
The Italian operas by the name of Antigono have nothing to do with Antigone. They recount the story of a king of Macedonia of that name. | 2019-04-22T22:48:41 | http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Am-Ar/Antigone.html |
0.998609 | MILWAUKEE ALARM COMPANY, INC., PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT, v. FELMERS O. CHANEY, DEFENDANT-RESPONDENT.
NOTICE: [*1] UNPUBLISHED LIMITED PRECEDENT OPINION - REFER TO LOCAL RULE 809.23(1)(B)5, STATS.
PRIOR HISTORY: APPEAL from an order of the circuit court for Milwaukee County: FRANK T. CRIVELLO, Judge.
DISPOSITION: Affirmed and cause remanded with directions.
PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant alarm company sought review of the judgment from the Circuit Court for Milwaukee County (Wisconsin), which found that the alarm-service agreement of the company violated the Wisconsin Consumer Act, Wis. Stat. §§ 421 - 427, and granted summary judgment to appellee customer and awarded the customer damages, attorney's fees, costs, and expenses.
OVERVIEW: In seeking review the alarm company did not dispute the trial court's determination that the alarm-service agreement between it and the customer did not comply with the Wisconsin Consumer Act. Rather, the alarm company contested the trial court's conclusion that the agreement was one regulated by the Act, as well as the trial court's award of attorney's fees. On appeal, the court determined that the trial court correctly ruled that the alarm-service contract was an extension of credit under the Act. The court further concluded that the trial court properly ruled that the alarm-service contract was a "consumer approval transaction" under the Act. The court held that given the tenor and nature of the alarm company's response to the customer's submissions on fees, costs, and expenses, the trial court was wholly justified in deciding the fees, costs, and expenses issue on the customer's written submissions. The court found further that because the customer had prevailed on appeal, he was also entitled to reasonable attorney's fees, costs, and expenses incurred in defending the appeal.
OUTCOME: The court affirmed the judgment of the trial court, and remanded to the trial court for determination of the amount of the award of attorney's fees, costs, and expenses incurred by the customer in defending the appeal.
OPINION: FINE, J. This action was brought by Milwaukee Alarm Company in small claims court alleging that Felmers O. Chaney breached an alarm-service contract. A court commissioner granted judgment to Milwaukee Alarm, and Chaney, as was his right under § 799.207, STATS., demanded a trial before the circuit court. As part of his answer, Chaney counterclaimed against Milwaukee Alarm, alleging violations of the Wisconsin Consumer Act, Chapters 421-427, STATS. The trial court found that Milwaukee Alarm violated the Wisconsin Consumer Act, granted summary judgment to Chaney dismissing Milwaukee Alarm's complaint, and, on Chaney's counterclaim, awarded to Chaney damages, attorney's fees, costs, and expenses. Milwaukee Alarm does not dispute the trial court's determination that the alarm-service agreement between it and Chaney did not comply with the Wisconsin Consumer Act. Rather, Milwaukee [*2] Alarm contests on this appeal the trial court's conclusion that the agreement is one regulated by the Act, as well as the trial court's award of attorney's fees. We affirm and remand to the trial court with directions that it award to Chaney his reasonable attorney's fees, costs, and expenses in connection with this appeal.
"Credit" means the right granted by a creditor to a customer to defer payment of debt, to incur debt and defer its payment or to purchase goods, services or interests in land on a time price basis.
"Merchant" means a person who regularly advertises, distributes, offers, supplies or deals in real or personal property, services, money or credit in a manner which directly or indirectly results in or is intended or designed to result in, lead to or induce a consumer transaction. The term includes but is not limited to a seller, lessor, manufacturer, creditor, arranger of credit and any assignee of or successor to such person. The term also includes a person who by his or her occupation holds himself or herself out as having knowledge or skill peculiar to such practices or to whom such knowledge or skill may be attributed by his or her employment as an agent, broker or other intermediary.
n2 Chaney requested cancellation of the alarm-service contract in early January, 1992, less than three months after he signed it, and after he had already paid for three months. One-half of the service fees owing under the contract for the five-year period was thus $ 541.50 (57 months x $ 19 per month x .5).
There are no Wisconsin decisions on point, but the statute as applied to the facts of this case is clear. The alarm-service contract obligated Chaney to pay a declining balance over and above the contracted-for value of the services he received, unless he carried the alarm-service contract to full term. The alarm-service contract between Milwaukee Alarm and Chaney was, therefore, not a payment-for-services-as-rendered agreement, where the customer has no obligation to pay unless he or she receives those services. Rather, the moment Chaney signed the contract he owed money to Milwaukee Alarm that the agreement permitted him to pay over the term of the contract if the contract was carried to term, but which would be accelerated and become immediately due if the contract was terminated or cancelled prior to term. Stated in the words of § 421.301(14), STATS., Chaney "incurred debt" the moment he signed the contract (his liability to pay money to Milwaukee Alarm for services not yet provided, and, if he cancelled the contract, for services that would never be provided), and was permitted to "defer its payment" by carrying the contract to term. This distinguishes this case from those on [*6] which Milwaukee Alarm relies, where the customers were not liable for any payments beyond those for services they actually received. The trial court ruled correctly that the alarm-service contract was an extension of credit under the Wisconsin Consumer Act.
Definition. "Consumer approval transaction" means a consumer transaction other than a sale or lease or listing for sale of real property, a sale of goods at auction, the sale or lease of goods for an agricultural purpose or a loan made to finance the sale of goods at auction for an agricultural purpose 1) which is initiated by face-to-face solicitation away from a regular place of business of the merchant or by mail or telephone solicitation directed to the particular customer and 2) which is consummated or in which the customer's offer to contract or other writing evidencing the transaction is received by the merchant away from a regular place of business of the merchant and involves the extension of [*7] credit or is a cash transaction in which the amount the customer pays exceeds $ 25. "Consumer approval transaction" shall in no event include a catalog sale which is not accompanied by any other solicitation or a consumer loan conducted and consummated entirely by mail.
Milwaukee Alarm does not dispute that its president solicited Chaney both by telephone and face-to-face in Chaney's home. Given our conclusion in part 1, above, that the alarm-service-contract was an extension of credit, we do not have to discuss the dispute over whether Chaney paid to Milwaukee Alarm at least the requisite $ 25 when the agreement was signed. See Gross v. Hoffman, 227 Wis. 296, 300, 277 N.W. 663, 665 (1938) (only dispositive issue need be addressed). The trial court ruled correctly that the alarm-service contract was a "consumer approval transaction" under the Wisconsin Consumer Act.
Chaney's attorney submitted to the trial court two extensive affidavits recounting the hours and moneys spent representing Chaney in this matter, as well as his expertise and the expertise of an associate in his firm enlisted in that effort. Although contesting Chaney's entitlement to attorney's fees after May 1, 1996, because of Milwaukee Alarm's contention that it "offered to dismiss the case" on that date, Milwaukee Alarm did not seek an evidentiary hearing before the trial court on either Chaney's entitlement to those fees or their necessity or reasonableness. Given the tenor and nature of Milwaukee Alarm's response to Chaney's submissions on fees, costs, and expenses, the trial court was wholly justified in deciding the fees, costs, and expenses issue on the written submissions.
The amount of an award of attorney's fees, costs, and expenses under § 425.308, STATS., is within the trial court's discretion. Nicolaou, 113 Wis. 2d at 537, 335 N.W.2d at 396. Milwaukee Alarm has not demonstrated how, on this record and on our independent review, see ibid. [*9] , the trial court erroneously exercised its discretion, especially in light of Milwaukee Alarm's consistent refusal to settle before the expenditure of significant time, effort, and money to defend Chaney against Milwaukee Alarm's claim.
Chaney has prevailed on this appeal. He is thus entitled to reasonable attorney's fees, costs, and expenses incurred in defending this appeal. Id., 113 Wis. 2d at 541, 335 N.W.2d at 398. Accordingly, this matter is remanded to the trial court for a determination of those fees, costs, and expenses. Chaney shall submit to the trial court within fifteen days of the trial court's receipt of the remittitur a detailed affidavit of attorney's fees, costs and expenses incurred in the defense of this appeal. See § 808.08, STATS. (Further proceedings in trial court.). If Milwaukee Alarm desires an evidentiary hearing on those fees, costs, and expenses, it shall request such a hearing within five days of service upon it of the affidavit submitted to the trial court by Chaney. If Milwaukee Alarm does not request an evidentiary hearing within the five-day period, it may submit, within fifteen days of service upon it of the affidavit submitted to [*10] the trial court by Chaney, written arguments supported by whatever evidentiary material it deems appropriate, and the trial court shall make an award based on the written submissions. If Milwaukee Alarm timely notifies the trial court that it wants an evidentiary hearing, such a hearing shall be scheduled by the trial court forthwith.
By the Court.--Order affirmed and cause remanded with directions.
This opinion will not be published. See RULE 809.23(1)(b)4, STATS. | 2019-04-21T12:39:40 | https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/article/-milwaukee-alarm-company-inc-plaintiff-appellant-v-felmers-o-chaney-defendant-respondent-no-97-0866-court-of-appeals-of-wisconsin-district-one-217-wis-2d-290-577-nw2d-387-1998-wisc-app-lexis-161 |
0.999994 | * Situation - What was the situation you / your previous employer faced?
* Task - What tasks were involved in that situation?
* Action - What actions did you take?
* Results - What were the results of those actions?
Let's provide some context as to why interviewers like candidates to answer questions using the STAR method as a template.
If asked about this in an interview, the candidate might say, "WE increased sales by $10 million in a single year."
There's that word many interviewers hate... the dreaded "WE."
Amongst very seasoned interviewers, the first question that pops into mind is: "Who exactly is 'we' ?"
As an interviewer, I really don't care if "we" accomplished X. I want to know what YOU did. What was your role, your contribution to achieving X? That's the useful stuff.
When a candidate answers resume-based questions in the STAR format, it gets the interviewer the precise facts he or she needs to make a factually informed hiring decision. It significantly reduces the number of follow-up questions an interviewer would typically ask to get the same answers.
While the STAR method benefits the interviewer, it also benefits the candidate who actually has strong career experiences that on the surface seem similar to other candidates.
For example, let's assume we have two candidates - Candidate A and Candidate B.
Both candidates list on their resumes that they "grew sales by $10 million in 1 year."
On the surface, both candidates seem equal.
Without the STAR method, both candidates would verbally confirm that "we increased sales by $10M that year."
But with the STAR method, Candidate A might be forced to admit that he was part of a sales team that generated $10 million, and his role was to make sure everyone reported their daily sales statistics... and of course, this was generously translated into "we" growing sales by $10 million.
Meanwhile, perhaps Candidate B went out and landed 10 new accounts and generated $1 million in new revenue from each of those accounts. Now, he did have a sales support team to set up product demos and handle logistics and scheduling. So from his point of view, "we" generated $10 million in sales.
Notice how with the STAR method, it becomes much easier to tell who did what.
As a result, use of the STAR method favors two distinct audiences. It favors interviewers who want candidates to get to the point. It also favors very strong candidates because it allows one to communicate impressive accomplishments in a highly specific, and thus very believable, way.
The only downside of the STAR method is: if you're trying to "fake" your accomplishments and stretch the truth (beyond merely casting your experiences in a favorable light), it will be very hard to hide one's exaggerations using the STAR method.
Of course, this downside for the secretly weak candidate is an upside for the strong candidate.
An alternative to the STAR method is a way of answering resume questions that I developed called the PARADE method. I find the PARADE method, while a little harder to remember, is extremely thorough in eliciting the key facts behind a candidate's career accomplishments.
Between the STAR and PARADE methods, I strongly favor the PARADE method because it helps candidates stand out in a clearer way. | 2019-04-18T11:28:58 | https://www.caseinterview.com/star-method |
0.999978 | A key assumption underlying most present day physical thought is the idea that causation is bottom up all the way: particle physics underlies nuclear physics, nuclear physics underlies atomic physics, atomic physics underlies chemistry, and so on. Thus all the higher level subjects are at least in principle reducible to particle physics, which is therefore the only fundamental science; as famously claimed by Dirac, chemistry is just an application of quantum physics .
However there are many topics that one cannot understand by assuming this one-way flow of causation. The flourishing subject of social neuroscience makes clear how social influences act down on individual brain structure ; studies in physiology demonstrate that downward causation is necessary in understanding the heart, where this form of causation can be represented as the influences of initial and boundary conditions on the solutions of the differential equations used to represent the lower level processes ; epigenetic studies demonstrate that biological development is crucially shaped by the environment .
What about physics? In this essay I will make the case that top-down causation is also prevalent in physics, even though this is not often recognised as such. This does not occur by violating physical laws; on the contrary, it occurs through the laws of physics, by setting constraints on lower level interactions. Thus my theme is that the foundational assumption that all causation is bottom up is wrong, even in the case of physics . Some writers on this topic prefer to refer to “contextual effects” or “whole-part constraints”. These are perfectly acceptable terms, but I will make the case that the stronger term “top-down causation” is appropriate in many cases.
George Francis Rayner Ellis is the Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Complex Systems in the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics at the University of Cape Town in South Africa.
He co-authored The Large Scale Structure of Space-Time with University of Cambridge physicist Stephen Hawking, published in 1973, and is considered one of the world's leading theorists in cosmology. He is an active Quaker and in 2004 he won the Templeton Prize.
From 1989 to 1992 he served as President of the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation. He is a past President of the International Society for Science and Religion. He is an A-rated researcher with the NRF.
Ellis attended the University of Cape Town, where he graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics with distinction. He received a PhD in applied mathematics and theoretical physics at Cambridge University.
Uma Web Verde ou um relógio molecular mega-enviesado???
Key words: divergence dating, evolutionary radiations, geochronology, Gondwana, molecular clocks, paleobotany, Patagonia.
Evolutionary divergence-age estimates derived from molecular ‘clocks’ are frequently correlated with paleogeographic, paleoclimatic and extinction events. One prominent hypothesis based on molecular data states that the dominant pattern of Southern Hemisphere biogeography is post-Gondwanan clade origins and subsequent dispersal across the oceans in a metaphoric ‘Green Web’. We tested this idea against well-dated Patagonian fossils of 19 plant lineages, representing organisms that actually lived on Gondwana. Most of these occurrences are substantially older than their respective, often post-Gondwanan molecular dates. The Green Web interpretation probably results from directional bias in molecular results. Gondwanan history remains fundamental to understanding Southern Hemisphere plant radiations, and we urge significantly greater caution when using molecular dating to interpret the biological impacts of geological events.
We urge significantly greater caution when using molecular dates in the explicit context of geologic time and Earth history. The fossil record is always incomplete, but its exciting potential is only beginning to develop in many parts of the world. Future improvements in molecular dating seem very likely, but for now, fossils and geochronology provide the only rigorous, enduring temporal framework for evolutionary radiations.
Valores de apoio filogenético não são, necessariamente, informativos!!!
Molecular phylogenies are being published increasingly and many biologists rely on the most recent topologies. However, different phylogenetic trees often contain conflicting results and contradict significant background data. Not knowing how reliable traditional knowledge is, a crucial question concerns the quality of newly produced molecular data. The information content of DNA alignments is rarely discussed, as quality statements are mostly restricted to the statistical support of clades. Here we present a case study of a recently published mollusk phylogeny that contains surprising groupings, based on five genes and 108 species, and we apply new or rarely used tools for the analysis of the information content of alignments and for the filtering of noise (masking of random-like alignment regions, split decomposition, phylogenetic networks, quartet mapping).
The data are very fragmentary and contain contaminations. We show that that signal-like patterns in the data set are conflicting and partly not distinct and that the reported strong support for a "rather surprising result" (monoplacophorans and chitons form a monophylum Serialia) does not exist at the level of primary homologies. Split-decomposition, quartet mapping and neighbornet analyses reveal conflicting nucleotide patterns and lack of distinct phylogenetic signal for the deeper phylogeny of mollusks.
Even though currently a majority of molecular phylogenies are being justified with reference to the 'statistical' support of clades in tree topologies, this confidence seems to be unfounded. Contradictions between phylogenies based on different analyses are already a strong indication of unnoticed pitfalls. The use of tree-independent tools for exploratory analyses of data quality is highly recommended. Concerning the new mollusk phylogeny more convincing evidence is needed.
Stuart Kauffman is professor emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania. He was educated in philosophy, psychology and physiology at Dartmouth and Oxford, and obtained his medical degree from UCSF in 1968. He is an affiliate professor at the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle. His latest book is Humanity in a Creative Universe (2016).
We all sense something deeply deficient in our modern civilisation. Is it an absence of spirituality? Partly. A greedy materialism beyond what we really need? Yes, we are riding the tiger of late capitalism, where we make our living producing, selling and buying goods and services we often do not need on this finite planet. We cannot see ourselves, in part blinkered by unneeded scientism.
The central framework of current physics is that of entailing laws. The central image is the billiard table as boundary conditions and the set of all possible initial conditions of position and momenta of the balls on the table. Then, given Isaac Newton’s laws in differential form, we deduce the deterministic trajectories of the balls. Our model of how to do science is to deduce new consequences, test them, accept or reject the results by diverse criteria, then retain or modify our theories. Science proceeds as Aristotle might have wished, in part as deduction.
My aim is to begin to demolish this hegemony of reductive materialism and its grip on our scientific minds, and a far wider elicitation of a grossly misplaced scientism in modernity. Science is sciencia, knowledge. Being and becoming are more fundamental to all life and our humanity. We are, first of all, alive, and alive in a becoming biosphere. Despite bursts of extinction events and the fact that 99.9 per cent of all species that ever lived are gone, the biosphere flowers on. This flowering of the biosphere, more than a metaphor for human history, begins to suggest a mythic structure beyond that by which we currently live.
At the centre of my argument is a vexing question: since the Big Bang, why has the Universe become complex? I claim that at least part of the answer is that, as more complex things and linked processes are created, and can combine with one another to make yet more complex amalgams of things and processes, the space of possible things and linked processes becomes vastly larger, and the Universe has not had time to make all the possibilities.
Consider just carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulphur (CHNOPS), the atoms of organic chemistry. Now consider all possible molecules made of CHNOPS with, say, 100,000 atoms or fewer per molecule. (Coal is such a molecule, and the largest known coal molecule is about 1 × 2 × 1.5 miles somewhere in the United States, a single molecule made only of carbon, with far more than 100,000 carbon atoms.) We do not even know how to count the number of possible molecules containing CHNOPS with up to 100,000 atoms per molecule. But it is easy to see that the Universe cannot have had enough time to make them all.
A seleção natural não sabe distinguir entre mutações benéficas e aleatórias em um ambiente flutuante!
Evolution in variable environments depends crucially on the fates of new mutations in the face of fluctuating selection pressures. In constant environments, the relationship between the selective effect of a mutation and the probability that it will eventually fix or go extinct is well understood. However, our understanding of fixation probabilities in fluctuating environmental conditions is limited. Here, we show that temporal fluctuations in environmental conditions can have dramatic effects on the fate of each new mutation, reducing the efficiency of natural selection and increasing the fixation probability of all mutations, including those that are strongly deleterious on average. This makes it difficult for a population to maintain specialist adaptations, even if their benefits outweigh their costs.
Natural environments are never truly constant, but the evolutionary implications of temporally varying selection pressures remain poorly understood. Here we investigate how the fate of a new mutation in a fluctuating environment depends on the dynamics of environmental variation and on the selective pressures in each condition. We find that even when a mutation experiences many environmental epochs before fixing or going extinct, its fate is not necessarily determined by its time-averaged selective effect. Instead, environmental variability reduces the efficiency of selection across a broad parameter regime, rendering selection unable to distinguish between mutations that are substantially beneficial and substantially deleterious on average. Temporal fluctuations can also dramatically increase fixation probabilities, often making the details of these fluctuations more important than the average selection pressures acting on each new mutation. For example, mutations that result in a trade-off between conditions but are strongly deleterious on average can nevertheless be more likely to fix than mutations that are always neutral or beneficial. These effects can have important implications for patterns of molecular evolution in variable environments, and they suggest that it may often be difficult for populations to maintain specialist traits, even when their loss leads to a decline in time-averaged fitness.
* Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
In eukaryotic cells, RNAs are transcribed in the nucleus and exported to the cytoplasm through the nuclear pore complex. The RNA molecules that are exported from the nucleus into the cytoplasm include messenger RNAs (mRNAs), ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), transfer RNAs (tRNAs), small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs), micro RNAs (miRNAs), and viral mRNAs. Each RNA is transported by a specific nuclear export receptor. It is believed that most of the mRNAs are exported by Nxf1 (Mex67 in yeast), whereas rRNAs, snRNAs, and a certain subset of mRNAs are exported in a Crm1/Xpo1-dependent manner. tRNAs and miRNAs are exported by Xpot and Xpo5. However, multiple export receptors are involved in the export of some RNAs, such as 60S ribosomal subunit. In addition to these export receptors, some adapter proteins are required to export RNAs. The RNA export system of eukaryotic cells is also used by several types of RNA virus that depend on the machineries of the host cell in the nucleus for replication of their genome, therefore this review describes the RNA export system of two representative viruses. We also discuss the NPC anchoring-dependent mRNA export factors that directly recruit specific genes to the NPC.
Eukaryotic transcripts contain spliceosomal introns that need to be removed by pre-mRNA splicing. Although several models have been proposed to identify the mechanism of intron gain over the evolution of eukaryotes, they remain models due to a lack of experimental validation. We developed a reporter system to detect selected intron gain and loss events and captured two intron gain events in which the intron derived from the reporter was transposed into the chromosomal loci of RPL8B and ADH2. This is, to our knowledge, the first demonstration of intron gain via intron transposition in any organism, and we suggest that these events are likely to have occurred by a reversal of the pre-mRNA splicing reaction followed by homologous recombination.
The presence of intervening sequences, termed introns, is a defining characteristic of eukaryotic nuclear genomes. Once transcribed into pre-mRNA, these introns must be removed within the spliceosome before export of the processed mRNA to the cytoplasm, where it is translated into protein. Although intron loss has been demonstrated experimentally, several mysteries remain regarding the origin and propagation of introns. Indeed, documented evidence of gain of an intron has only been suggested by phylogenetic analyses. We report the use of a strategy that detects selected intron gain and loss events. We have experimentally verified, to our knowledge, the first demonstrations of intron transposition in any organism. From our screen, we detected two separate intron gain events characterized by the perfect transposition of a reporter intron into the yeast genes RPL8B and ADH2, respectively. We show that the newly acquired introns are able to be removed from their respective pre-mRNAs by the spliceosome. Additionally, the novel allele, RPL8Bint, is functional when overexpressed within the genome in a strain lacking the Rpl8 paralogue RPL8A, demonstrating that the gene targeted for intronogenesis is functional.
1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: [email protected].
Author contributions: S.W.S. designed research; S.L. performed research; S.L. and S.W.S. analyzed data; and S.L. and S.W.S. wrote the paper.
This article contains supporting information online at www.pnas.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1073/pnas.1605113113/-/DCSupplemental.
Professores, pesquisadores e alunos de universidades públicas e privadas com acesso ao Portal de Periódicos CAPES/MEC podem ler gratuitamente este artigo do PNAS e de mais 30.000 publicações científicas.
Ecological scaling laws are intensively studied for their predictive power and universal nature but often fail to unify biodiversity across domains of life. Using a global-scale compilation of microbial and macrobial data, we uncover relationships of commonness and rarity that scale with abundance at similar rates for microorganisms and macroscopic plants and animals. We then show a unified scaling law that predicts the abundance of dominant species across 30 orders of magnitude to the scale of all microorganisms on Earth. Using this scaling law combined with the lognormal model of biodiversity, we predict that Earth is home to as many as 1 trillion (1012) microbial species.
1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: [email protected] or [email protected].
Author contributions: K.J.L. and J.T.L. designed research; K.J.L. performed research; K.J.L. and J.T.L. analyzed data; and K.J.L. and J.T.L. wrote the paper.
This article contains supporting information online at www.pnas.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1073/pnas.1521291113/-/DCSupplemental.
A Royal Society anunciará mudança paradigmática em biologia evolucionária!
Finalmente a Royal Society vai anunciar a lista de convidados para o encontro "repensar a evolução"
O escritório de ciência da Royal Society diz que o suspense brevemente acabará. Dentro de duas semanas anunciará os nomes dos apresentadores/tópicos para a conferência — democraticamente, por e-mail, a todos que se registraram para assistir o encontro público. Além disso, eles adicionaram mais convidados na sua lista original. Os zoólogos talvez, finalmente, admitindo que os vírus fazem parte da tenda?
Alguém pode imaginar - mais política do que nas Nações Unidas.
“Superficial, boba, rasa, e auto-promocional. Eu e muitos outros consideramos isso como um completo embaraço para a área. Se alguém quer ampliar/estender algo em público, especialmente como um biólogo, alguém deve ter uma ideia muito boa do que está sendo ampliado/estendido”. Mais.
Não está parecendo como um lugar legal e quieto para dormir. Fiquem ligados.
De algum modo, eu venho percebendo uma mudança, em que eu percebo as pessoas abordando novos dados com muito menos acenos retóricos à autoridade do neodarwinismo.
Nota: Suzan Mazur é autora do livro Paradigm Shifters, acima destacado.
Vide também: O DNA "Lixo" de volta “com uma vingança”. Provavelmente não é um bom tempo de ser Dan Graur. Na verdade, um tempo melhor de ser Jonathan Wells.
Desde 1998 eu venho destacando para a Nomenklatura científica, Galera de meninos e meninas de Darwin, e às editorias de ciência da Grande Mídia Tupiniquim que uma iminente e eminente mudança paradigmática se fazia necessária em biologia evolucionária. Não se importaram, fizeram pouco caso deste "simples professorzinho do Ensino Médio", e outros epítetos demonizando este que a Royal Society agora vindica - VEM AÍ UMA MUDANÇA PARADIGMÁTICA EM BIOLOGIA EVOLUCIONÁRIA!
Fui, nem sei por que, rindo da cara dos que apostaram todas as suas fichas epistemológicas no pangaré de Darwin. Eu dobro a aposta na Teoria do Design Inteligente (e seu aspecto de informação complexa especificada) que se não for incorporada na Síntese Evolutiva Ampliada/Estendida, já é uma teoria científica natimorta, pois a biologia do século 21 é uma ciência de informação!
Mapeamento global das interações RNA-RNA: o retorno vingativo do DNA "lixo"!
Professores, pesquisadores e alunos de universidades públicas e privadas com acesso ao Portal de Periódicos CAPES/MEC podem ler gratuitamente este artigo da Molecular Cell e de mais 30.000 publicações científicas.
What used to be dismissed by many as "junk DNA" is back with a vengeance as growing data points to the importance of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) -- genome's messages that do not code for proteins -- in development and disease. But our progress in understanding these molecules has been slow because of the lack of technologies that allow the systematic mapping of their functions.
ncRNAs come in multiple flavours: there's rRNA, tRNA, snRNA, snoRNA, piRNA, miRNA, and lncRNA, to name a few, where prefixes reflect the RNA's place in the cell or some aspect of its function. But the truth is that no one really knows the extent to which these ncRNAs control what goes on in the cell, nor how they do this. The new technology developed by Blencowe's group has been able to pick up new interactions involving all classes of RNAs and has already revealed some unexpected findings.
But design is not a science stopper. Indeed, design can foster inquiry where traditional evolutionary approaches obstruct it. Consider the term "junk DNA." Implicit in this term is the view that because the genome of an organism has been cobbled together through a long, undirected evolutionary process, the genome is a patchwork of which only limited portions are essential to the organism. Thus on an evolutionary view we expect a lot of useless DNA. If, on the other hand, organisms are designed, we expect DNA, as much as possible, to exhibit function. And indeed, the most recent findings suggest that designating DNA as "junk" merely cloaks our current lack of knowledge about function. For instance, in a recent issue of the Journal of Theoretical Biology, John Bodnar describes how "non-coding DNA in eukaryotic genomes encodes a language which programs organismal growth and development." Design encourages scientists to look for function where evolution discourages it.
in "Intelligent Science and Design", First Things, Vol. 86:21-27 (October 1998).
Então, quem é que impede o avanço da ciência, cara-pálida? Os darwinistas ou a turma do Design Inteligente???
Submitted November 29, 2015. Revised February 17, 2016. Accepted February 17, 2016.
Evolution is a core concept of biology, and yet many college biology students do not accept evolution because of their religious beliefs. However, we do not currently know how instructors perceive their role in helping students accept evolution or how they address the perceived conflict between religion and evolution when they teach evolution. This study explores instructor practices and beliefs related to mitigating students’ perceived conflict between religion and evolution. Interviews with 32 instructors revealed that many instructors do not believe it is their goal to help students accept evolution and that most instructors do not address the perceived conflict between religion and evolution. Instructors cited many barriers to discussing religion in the context of evolution in their classes, most notably the instructors’ own personal beliefs that religion and evolution may be incompatible. These data are exploratory and are intended to stimulate a series of questions about how we as college biology instructors teach evolution.
↵*Address correspondence to: Sara E. Brownell ([email protected]).
Experimental results in epigenetics and related fields of biological research show that the Modern Synthesis (neo-Darwinist) theory of evolution requires either extension or replacement. This article examines the conceptual framework of neo-Darwinism, including the concepts of ‘gene’, ‘selfish’, ‘code’, ‘program’, ‘blueprint’, ‘book of life’, ‘replicator’ and ‘vehicle’. This form of representation is a barrier to extending or replacing existing theory as it confuses conceptual and empirical matters. These need to be clearly distinguished. In the case of the central concept of ‘gene’, the definition has moved all the way from describing a necessary cause (defined in terms of the inheritable phenotype itself) to an empirically testable hypothesis (in terms of causation by DNA sequences). Neo-Darwinism also privileges ‘genes’ in causation, whereas in multi-way networks of interactions there can be no privileged cause. An alternative conceptual framework is proposed that avoids these problems, and which is more favourable to an integrated systems view of evolution.
This paper represents the culmination of ideas previously developed in a book, The Music of Life (Noble, 2006), and four related articles (Noble, 2011b; Noble, 2012; Noble, 2013; Noble et al., 2014). Those publications raised many questions from readers in response to which the ‘Answers’ pages (http://musicoflife.co.uk/Answers-menu.html) of The Music of Life website were drafted. Those pages, in particular the page entitled The language of Neo-Darwinism, were written in preparation for the present article. The ideas have been extensively honed in response to further questions and comments.
O diagrama de ligação de um sistema olfativo glomerular: mero acaso, fortuita necessidade ou design inteligente?
The sense of smell enables animals to react to long-distance cues according to learned and innate valences. Here, we have mapped with electron microscopy the complete wiring diagram of the Drosophila larval antennal lobe, an olfactory neuropil similar to the vertebrate olfactory bulb. We found a canonical circuit with uniglomerular projection neurons (uPNs) relaying gain-controlled ORN activity to the mushroom body and the lateral horn. A second, parallel circuit with multiglomerular projection neurons (mPNs) and hierarchically connected local neurons (LNs) selectively integrates multiple ORN signals already at the first synapse. LN-LN synaptic connections putatively implement a bistable gain control mechanism that either computes odor saliency through panglomerular inhibition, or allows some glomeruli to respond to faint aversive odors in the presence of strong appetitive odors. This complete wiring diagram will support experimental and theoretical studies towards bridging the gap between circuits and behavior.
O que você quer dizer com epigenética? | 2019-04-21T06:07:41 | http://pos-darwinista.blogspot.com/2016/05/ |
0.998515 | Following is a case study of one spread from thumbnail to finished painting. I begin with quick thumbnails and character sketches. My initial crow was too friendly, so you'll see he becomes more intimidating as time goes on. There are a few color studies: I was playing around with tone and value. Should the crow be darker than the background or vice versa? I was very excited when I came up with the orange legs/feet. I think they are the perfect complement to the cool darkness in the rest of the painting. I think there were 2 or 3 more interim paintings before I arrived at the final piece (they must have been sacrificed to the 4-year old who likes to show me what I should have done with my paintings). | 2019-04-24T12:04:16 | http://www.aquapup.com/bethaniemurguia/2011/02/30-lessons-learned-19-you-cannot-bend.html |
0.999218 | A few weeks ago I purchased a Surface Pro 4. I returned it relatively disappointed. I really wanted to like this product. Now I've seen articles and Reddit posts discussing the superiority of the Surface Pro to the iPad. Quite frankly I have no idea why anyone would think this when it comes to, specifically, the concept of tablet computing; what it should or could be, and how we approach it from a UX point-of-view.
I prefer interoperability with iMessage across devices. For better or worse I'm trapped in the Apple ecosystem for this reason, though Android has had such interoperability features even before Apple did. MS has Skype, which is bloated and far from elegant. Attempting to plunk down cash and associate my phone number with send/receive features failed miserably.
iPad has considerably better battery life; objectively speaking, the user experience stops when the power does, so friendly warnings to plug in aside, the race for consistency of presence is being won by Apple and will be until wireless charging becomes ubiquitous and renders the issue moot. I don't even know if I'll be alive by then.
Windows apps are weak. I was surprised that even essential tablet apps like Facebook, eBay and Amazon were all mediocre compared to their iPad counterparts. I ended up using the websites for each of these services instead.
Surface defaults to Flash for video, and when turning Flash off in the Edge browser, shows a broken link icon instead of alternative video on most sites.
The Edge browser remains the best browser to use on Surface, but lacks touch support. To go back, for instance, one still cannot hold down the back button and get a list of the last few sites visited.
UX falls apart for touch as Windows software is generally mouse/keyboard optimized, some are also blurry due to the high-density display. Most Surface tablet apps are fine, but I ended up inevitably venturing into the desktop app space and it was a joke at best. I've often complained about the MacBook not having a touchscreen. But I realize now that it opens up a plethora of UX challenges. I think a limited touch screen system is still justified for MacBooks. Simply being able to scroll a page up and down with a finger would be great.
The Surface onscreen keyboard doesn't always appear when entering a text field, and doesn't have the microphone button for Cortana for quick voice input. Why invest in a voice recognition system and then make it inaccessible? I found myself exploring the voice recognition software built into Windows, which is clunky and requires a lengthy training session to start using.
I'm a huge gamer, and gaming was definitely a selling point for me. In fact, gaming is what I thought would redeem the Surface due to it's greater processing power. Touch gaming for serious PC games (XCom for instance) was fun, but not enough touch support gaming content is out there. I do also own an XBox and love it, but the XBox/Win 10 streaming feature is a novelty that I have yet to see the value of. The XBox SmartGlass app for iOS is absolutely outstanding and more than sufficient for my needs.
At $1300 plus tax (I purchased the 256 / i5 8 gig version), the price was too high to justify a tablet comparison. Or so said the MS sales reps. Microsoft marketing aims to compare the Surface to a Macbook, and for good reason, the touchscreen tablet experience is mediocre and feels very much like an afterthought. The tablet experience is clearly perceived as a "value-add".
Because of this implicit mentality of "desktop first" endemic to the product design, I started my experience without a keyboard but in the end, had to drop $100 for a "type cover" keyboard that only covered half of the product. As a laptop, the Surface also falls flat despite access to the file system and other thing that force me to revert back to traditional mouse/trackpad + keyboard computing. There simple wasn't anything that I couldn't do on the MacBook, and with generally fewer problems.
In the end, I'm emboldened to say that there is no Microsoft tablet. There's a touchscreen laptop and the tablet features are half-baked. One might say this is the downfall of the hybrid platform, though not endemic and not unfixable. The problem exists in the user experience, in software. Proper focus on the tablet paradigm could easily change this situation around. But MS seems to still need convincing on the value proposition of a pure tablet experience will little to no accessories to support it.
It's interesting to see that the tablet space isn't being taken as seriously as I feel it should. Rather than letting it fade away, for me it raises the question: "How do we make the most out of the tablet computing experience?"
Hint: It's unique. In the early days of the iPad, even Apple made the mistake of conceptualizing the application UX as a larger version of a phone app. There could be no greater misconception. The tablet experience is deeply ingrained in reading and casual, low-input media consumption lifestyle. At least up until now. touch simply doesn't allow for data entry at the speed and accuracy of the keyboard/mouse combination. But I don't believe the potential of what we can achieve using touch, exclusively, has been fully explored. | 2019-04-20T20:37:23 | http://blog.lahiristudios.com/2016_05_01_archive.html |
0.999995 | Given a string input, write a program to replace every appearance of the word “is” by “is not”.
If the word “is” is immediately preceded or followed by a letter no change should be made to the string.
Convert a string into the negative string in Java. | 2019-04-23T20:37:18 | http://codebun.com/write-java-program-convert-string-negative-string/ |
0.998171 | Dana White Expects Call From Brock Lesnar, Jon Jones Rips Daniel Cormier's Physique, UFC Embedded - Wrestling Inc.
- UFC has kicked off their Embedded series, featuring UFC 182's top stars preparing for battle this weekend.
In episode 1, which can be watched above, Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones both go through light warm ups and Myles Jury leaves his hometown for Vegas.
Episode 2 is also available and can be watched here. Wrestling Inc will have full live coverage of UFC 182 this Saturday night.
- Despite Brock Lesnar being under WWE contract and the company's Heavyweight Champion, UFC President Dana White is hopeful that he'll hear from the pay-per-view juggernaut.
"Brock Lesnar is under contract with the WWE, and I'm sure when his contract is up, he will call me," White said on Fox Sports Live this week.
As mentioned earlier this week, Bellator MMA is also hoping to land Lesnar.
- As their highly anticipated battle draws closer, Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier trade verbal barbs. Jones made headlines this week by offering a backhanded compliment in regards to Cormier's physique.
"I wouldn't necessarily say there's anything I like about him. I do respect that he's able to use his frame so successfully, being a short guy and thicker guy. When you look at him, his body type doesn't scream athlete. But he's been able to do some amazing things, both in the sport of wrestling and his MMA career," said Jones on a conference call this week.
The two will square off for the UFC Light Heavyweight title on Saturday. | 2019-04-24T19:03:45 | https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2014/12/dana-white-expects-call-from-brock-lesnar-588128/ |
0.999678 | When playing the game for the first time, you will be confronted with some of the basic rules which are explained below. For starters, each player is dealt two hole cards in Texas hold'em with the overall goal of making the best five-card hand.
Play moves clockwise around the table, starting with action to the left of the dealer button. Generally, the first two players to the immediate left of the button are required to post a small blind and a large blind to initiate the betting. From there, action occurs on multiple streets: Preflop, Flop, the Turn and the River.
The button determines which player at the table is the acting dealer. In Texas hold'em, the player on button, or last active player closest to the button, receives last action on all post-flop streets of play.
Before every new round, two players at the table are obligated to post blinds, or forced bets that begin the wagering. Without these blinds, the game would be very boring because no one would be required to put any money into the pot.
In Texas hold'em, every player receives two cards face down, called Hole cards. Every player keeps these cards to conceal until the end of all of the betting rounds, which is called the showdown. Texas hold'em is a game of community cards, where five cards are displayed in the middle of the table to be used in conjunction with a player's two hole cards in order to make the best five-card holding.
The five community cards are displayed in the middle of the table on the flop, the turn and the river. The flop consists of the first three community cards, the turn adds another and the river completes the board with one more. These five cards are visible for every player. Once all five cards are down, players have to make the best five-card combination from these seven cards. This can be done using both of your hole cards in combination with three community cards, one hole card in combination with four community cards or no hole cards and playing all five community cards as one's hand. The player with the best combination of cards wins the pot, which is the sum of all bets that have been placed during that hand.
The players who follow have the same three options: Call, Raise or Fold. In the case of raising, the minimum allotted amount for a raise must be equal to the original raise amount. For example, let's say the big blind in a game is $10 and the first player to act raises to $40 in a game of no-limit hold'em. The second player to act has the option to call for $40, fold and no longer play the hand, or raise to $70 as the first raise amount of $30, the difference between the wager placed and the original big blind.
Three community cards are dealt on the table and a new betting round begins.
The fourth community card is called the 'Turn' and again a new round of betting starts.
The fourth community card, called the turn, is dealt face-up following all betting action on the flop. Once this has been completed, another round of betting occurs, similar to that on the previous street of play. Again players have the options to bet, call, fold, raise and check.
The fifth community card, called the river, is dealt face-up following all betting action on the turn. Once this has been completed, another round of betting occurs, similar to that on the previous street of play. Again players have the options to bet, call, fold, raise and check. After all betting action has been completed, the remaining players in the hand with hole cards now expose their holdings to determine a winner. This is called the showdown.
The remaining players open their hole cards, and with the assistance of the dealer, a winning hand is determined. The player with the best combination cards winning the game.
Royal Flush: Royal flush is the best poker hand combination.
Consists of the Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten of the same suite.
In the event of a tie: The highest rank at the top of the sequence wins.
In the event of a tie: The highest rank of four-of-a-kind wins. In community card games where players have the same four-of-a-kind, the highest fifth card ('kicker') wins.
In the event of a tie: The highest three matching cards wins the pot. In community card games where players have the same three matching cards, the highest value of the two matching cards wins.
In the event of a tie: The player holding the highest ranked card wins. If necessary, the second-highest, third-highest, fourth-highest, and fifth-highest cards can be used to break the tie. If all five cards are the same ranks, the pot is split. In poker, the suit is not used to break a tie.
In the event of a tie: The highest ranking card at the top of the sequence wins.
In the event of a tie: The highest ranking three of a kind wins. In community card games where players have the same three of a kind, the highest side card, and if necessary, the second-highest side card wins.
In the event of a tie: The highest pair wins. If more than one player have the same highest pair, then player with second-highest pair wins. If both players have two identical pairs, then the highest side card wins.
In the event of a tie: The highest pair wins. If players have the same pair, then the player with the highest side card wins, and if it’s necessary, the second-highest and third-highest side card can be used to break the tie.
In the event of a tie: The highest card wins, and if necessary, the second-highest, third-highest, fourth-highest and smallest card can be used to break the tie.
This tutorial will teach you the basic of 99 domino, counting the cards, rules and all you need to become 99 domino player.
Count the total dots of all cards to determine the value.
In Domino QQ game each player get 4 of domino cards divided by 2 sections and call the two cards on the left are 'Left Side” and two cards on the right are “Right Side”.
In this game your card values are on the Left Side and on the Right Side. See example below for details, the numbers in circle represent the value of two card on the left and the right side.
You don’t have to count each dots of the card while playing in the game, the left side value and the right side value will display automatically on the game. The left side value will be bigger than the right side value, or both sides with the same value In 99 Domino 4 cards game has 5 special mixed card beside normal card value.
These special cards displayed are the best card in domino game, these special cards also apply for jackpot winning, players who have one of these special cards will get the jackpot depends on the buying jackpot and the prize, see the rules and jackpot prize from the jackpot menu.
The highest in special cards. If you have these cards, you definitely win the game because no other players will get these cards.
The second place in special cards. If you have four of these cards, no other player could get another twin cards.
So, you will win the round, except if another player had 6666 cards.
player had 6666 or Twin Series. Like the given example below, the total dots are 41, so this series consider as Pure Big Card.
The fourth place in special cards, If you have total dots between 6 to 9 then you card is a Pure Small Card, no other player can ever get small cards like this and you will win the game, except if other player had 6666, Twin Series or Pure Big.
The last special card is Double 9 or QQ which is the total value of two cards on the left and the right side is 9, so you get 99 cards, the highest value in normal cards. Other players may have the same 9 cards, if do so the winning pot will be split.
Now you can start playing! Good luck and have fun!!
This tutorial will explain the gameplay of Domino Dealer or in south east asia is called CEME, because you can be a player or a dealer. This game almost the same as Domino QQ . The different is Domino QQ use 4 Domino's card, but in Ceme the gameplay just use 2 Domino's card.
Ceme game is played by 2 to 8 players (black chair) and one player will take the role as the dealer (Red Chair). If no one takes the dealer role, then the game will not start until someone does.
Once the player is given two cards, then the player is given a chance to peep cards they get. After the peeps time over, players must show the cards at the table.
After all the player and dealer card shown on the table, the calculation will be done between the dealer's card and the player’s card. higher values card will win the game.
To know the counting in this game is just count the total dots on each card on the left and sum it with the total dots on the right side.
If the value of player’s card is greater than the dealer’s, then the dealer will pay the amount of player’s bets.
When the value of dealer’s card is greater than the player’s, then the dealer will take the player’s bet money.
Dealer will always win if the dealer gets the same value as the player.
If the player/ players get cards with the value of 9, the dealer has to pay double amount of the player/ player’s bet.
If the dealer gets cards with the value of 9, dealer takes all player bets even if the player has the highest number.
Special cards in ceme only applies for the Jackpot. Since the special card has to be 4 cards in order to win the jackpot, the winning cards will be; the dealer’s cards combined with the player’s cards.
If you are the dealer and you want to get the jackpot, you have to buy the jackpot for each player on the table(including yourself). Giving you more chances to win more than one Jackpot.
If you are a player you just need to buy the Jackpot for yourself.
Note : if the merging cards between player and dealer match one of these special cards below, than the jackpot will be given to the player or dealer who bought the jackpot on that round.
Only 4 out of all 28 domino cards has the amount of six dots in it. Player and dealer have to have this combination of cards.
Upper and lower side has the same amount of dot(s) including empty dot. Player and dealer have to have this combination of cards.
Pure Big Card, no other player will have same big cards. Player and dealer have to have this combination of cards.
Fourth place in special cards, If you have total dots between 5 to 9 then you card is a Pure Small Card, no other player will have same small cards like this. Player and dealer have to have this combination of cards.
If you want to sit as a Dealer, then click the top seat as in the figure. If you already click and sit, just stay there waiting for player / other players to join in your table, and the game will be started.
Click the 'Ready' button when you have finished arranging your cards, or click 'Reset' button to cancel the arrangement and rearrange.
If you want to exit or finish a game, click the 'Stand Up' button to stand up from a chair.
If you want to play as a player (not a dealer), select and click an empty / available chair and please wait until the game starts to place your bet.
Your minimum bet must comply with the minimum bet on table that you entered. If you have placed your bet, then the game will start immediately and the card will be distributed.
Click 'Ready' button when you have finished composing the card, or click the 'Reset' button to cancel the arrangement and rearrange your cards.
Click to see our cards in accordance with same symbol/suit.
Dragon Cards is the highest Hand in the CAPSA game.
If the player or the dealer has dragon cards (Capsa), the payment will be 2.5 times the total bet.
Royal Flush is the 2nd highest combination.
If players get a Royal Flush, payment will be 2 times the total bet.
If two players have the same ranked Royal flush, the winner will be determined by the higher suit. Suit ranking (highest to lowest): Spade, Heart, Club, and Diamond.
Straight Flush is the 3rd highest combination.
If players get a Straight Flush, payment will be 2 times the total bet.
If two players have the same ranked straight flush, the winner will be determined by the higher suit. Suit ranking (highest to lowest): Spade, Heart, Club, and Diamond.
Four of a Kind is the 4th highest combination.
If the player has a Four of Kind, payment will be 1.5 times the total bet.
Full House is the 5th highest combination.
Full Houses will be ranked by comparing the Three of a kind of each hand to determine the winner.
Player will win because player has Full House Ace.
Flush is the 6th highest combination.
If two players have a Flush, the player with the higher ranked suit will win, but if the suit is the same, then the rank of the cards will be compared.
Player will win because dealer has a Heart Flush while the Player has a Spade Flush.
Straight is the 7th highest combination.
If player and dealer have Straights on the same level, then, Straight will be ranked by comparing the highest card of each Hand.
Dealer will win because Dealer has a straight To 9 while Player has a straight to 5.
If player and dealer have a same highest card then, the winner will be determine by the higher suit of the highest hand.
Dealer will win because Dealer’s suit is Club, which is the higher rank than Diamond.
Three of a kind is the 8th highest combination.
Dealer will win the match because dealer Three of a Kind 7s.
Two Pair is the 9th highest combination.
If both player and dealer have two pairs, determining the winner is by comparing the higher rank.
Dealer will win the match because dealer has the higher pair with Ks.
If player or dealer have a same Two Pairs the winner will be determine by the suites of the higher Kicker.
Player will win because of higher Kicker, which is Ace.
Pair Card is the 10th highest combination.
If both player and dealer have a pair, determining the winner is by comparing the higher rank.
Player will win because player has a pair of Ace.
If both player and dealer have the High Card Hand, the rank of the highest cards will determine the winner. In case of a tie, the rank of the next highest card will determine the winner.
Player will win the match because player has high card Ace continued with 10 and 6.
If both player's and dealer's High Cards have the same rank the winner will be determined by the suite of the highest ranked card.
The dealer will win because Dealer's card is Heart, which is the higher rank compared to the Club.
Super10 is a simple game inspired by Samgong game or Three Pictures. The difference is that we play Super10 among players while Samgong is played with a dealer.
At the beginning of the game, every players will get 2 (two) cards and 1 (one) additional card will be given so each player will have 3 (three) cards in a total.
Before the game starts, all players must place a bet (Ante) to build the pot prize to make the game more interesting.
The objective of this game is to get a high value from hand cards. The highest value is 10. The value of the cards are shown below.
The game will move clockwise, starting from the left side of the dealer button (previous winner). Before the game starts, all players must put their Ante (Ante is the required bet from all players before the game starts) according to the value that has been decided on the table list.
In this game, every player will receive 2 cards in the beginning and will receive another 1 card after that. Every player will have 3 cards in their hand and the player who has the highest card value wins the game.
Combination of 3 cards with the total values of 20 or 30. Q, J and K card is counted as 10.
If the total value of the cards has 2 digits (ex. 17), then the last number (ex. 7) will be set as the value. Each J, Q and K card will be counted as 10.
If there are 2 players or more having the same highest value, the winner will be decided according to the highest hand (K - A). If players also have the same hand cards, the winner will be decided according to the highest suit (1. Spades 2.Hearts 3. Clubs 4.Diamonds).
Pot Limit Omaha is an action-packed game derived from Texas Hold’em Poker. Players are given 4 cards (hole cards) after which betting rounds and 5 community cards will happen. Players must now have the best 5 card poker hand using exactly 2 cards from their hand and exactly 3 cards from the community cards.
The button determines which player at the table is the acting dealer. In Pot Limit Omaha the player on button, or last active player closest to the button, receives last action on all post-flop streets of play.
Before every new round, two players at the table are obligated to post blinds or forced bets that begin the wagering. Without these blinds, the game would be very boring because no one would be required to put any money into the pot.
Pot Limit Omaha will have Antes, this is a small amount which all the players seated on the table will put into the Pot before the hands starts. Antes are posted before the Blinds.
Minimum raise:The raise amount must be at least as much as the previous bet/raise in the same round.
Example:Player1 bet 2000, and the total pot is 3000. Now, Player2 can raise to a maximum of 9000 (3000 + 2000 + (2 x 2000)).
Four Hole Cards (private cards) are dealt to each Player.
The 1st Betting Round starts from the player next the Dealer button going clock-wise.
The “Flop” comes out, these are three community cards dealt in the middle of the table.
2nd Betting round starts. Starting from the active player after the Dealer button.
The “Turn” is dealt after the Flop.
The “River” is dealt after the Turn card.
4th and Final Betting round starts.
Check:Take no action and let the next player take his turn. This action can only be taken if there is NO bet/raise to call.
Call:match the amount bet/raised by another player.
Bet/Raise:increase the bet within the specific limits of the game.
Fold:Discard your hole cards and surrender any claim to the Pot.
After the last Betting Round All players still in contest for the pot will compare Hands, the cards of the player with the best hand will be displayed.
The winner will be the player with the Best 5-card Poker Hand, using exactly 2 cards from the players hole cards and exactly 3 cards from the Community cards.
5-Card Poker Hands: Starting from Highest Valued hand to the Lowest Hand Combination.
1. Royal Flush: Royal flush is the best poker hand combination.
2. Straight Flush: Five cards in numerical order, all of identical suits.
In the event of a tie: Highest rank at the top of the sequence wins. The best possible straight flush is known as a royal flush, which consists of the ace, king, queen, jack and ten of a suit. A royal flush is an unbeatable hand.
3. Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank, and one side card or ‘kicker’.
In the event of a tie: Highest four of a kind will win.
4. Full House: Three cards of the same rank, and two cards of a different, matching rank.
5. Flush: Five cards of the same suit.
In the event of a tie: The player holding the highest ranked card wins. If necessary, the second-highest, third-highest, fourth-highest, and fifth-highest cards can be used to break the tie. The suit itself is never used to break a tie in poker.
6. Straight: Five cards in sequence.
In the event of a tie: Highest ranking card at the top of the sequence wins. Note: The Ace may be used at the highest or lowest of the ranks and is the only card which can act in this manner. A,K,Q,J,T is the highest (Ace high) straight; 5,4,3,2,A is the lowest (Five high) straight.
7. Three of a kind: Three cards of the same rank, and two unrelated side cards.
In the event of a tie: Highest ranking three of a kind will win. In community card games where players have the same three of a kind, the highest side card, and if necessary, the second-highest side card wins.
8. Two pair: Two cards of a matching rank, another two cards of a different matching rank, and one side card.
9. One pair: Two cards of a matching rank, and three unrelated side cards.
10. High card: A hand that does not qualify under any category listed above.
1. Click on the Tournament Tab to go to the Tournament Section.
2. Select the Tournament you want to join.
3. Click the Register button on the right side of the page.
5. And click on the Go to Table button and Start playing!
6. Once registered you may unregister (refund) anytime before the tournament starts if needed.
If you are registered but coming late to the tournament, you will have to pay the ante and the blinds every time your turn comes.
Players may still register and unregister for this Tournament.
Players may only register & play in one tournament at a time.
The Tournament has started but still allow players to register.
The Tournament is ongoing and will not accept any more entries.
The tournament didn't start at all. It was canceled due to some requirements are not met.
3. Buy In: The amount to join the tournament (Prize contribution + entry fee).
4. Players: Indicates the current number of players registered for the Tournament.
5. Prize: Indicates the current amount of prize in the Prize Pool.
6. Register: You join the Tournament and play by paying the Buy In. May only be done during Registration and Late Registration period.
7. Unregister: To refund the Buy-in and get removed from the Tournament registrant. It can only be done before the tournament starting time.
8. Starting Chips: Indicates the chip amount given to each player to start the tournament.
9. Min/Max Players: Minimum and Maximum number of players that can register for the Tournament. If the minimum number of players is not reached the Tournament will be cancelled.
The Prize is awarded into your account wallet automatically when you get eliminated from the Tournament.
Real-time list of players, ranked according to current chip possession. Also, it shows the Prize payout for each rank.
12. Largest Stack: The chip count of the player with the most chips in the Tournament.
13. Average Stack: The average chip stack size considering the amount of players remaining in the Tournament and the total number of chips in play.
14. Small Stack: The chip count of the player with the lowest chip stack.
More important is that the total of your chip is at least 25 times the current Big Blind!
15. Table List: Shows the tables in the tournament and how many players are in each table.
16. Table Details: Select a table from the Table List to see the usernames of the players on the table, their rank and chip stack count.
17. Blind Structure: Shows how much the Small Blind/Big Blind, Ante and duration of each Level for the whole tournament.
18. Award Structure: The list of the Percentage from the Total Prize pool and amount that will be awarded to the winning players according to the Rank/Place.
1. There are no re-buys, once you lose all your chips you are out of the tournament. So play your best!
2. The Buy-in is your payment for joining the Tournament; The more players join the bigger the Prize will be!!
3. You may register and unregister for a Tournament during the registration period, but when the Tournament starts, players cannot unregister anymore.
5. The tournament will end if the player is only one left.
6. If the tournament has started and you have not logged on, your chips will be blinded out until you log on and sit on your table.
7. You may not quit or leave the tournament as long as the you still have chips. If you did, then you will have to pay the blinds and antes, and your Hands will be automatically set to fold.
8. To win a cash prize, you must get eliminated in those ranks with a cash prize. It depends on the Prize Structure of the Tournament. The more registered players, the more ranks that have cash-prize will be.
9. The Blinds will increase every level.
10. There will be scheduled breaks during the Tournament.
11. If you fail to select an action until the timer runs out, by default, the action will be a check or a fold. Then, your account will be sat out. You may sit-In at any time so you may play the next upcoming Hand.
12. You may “sit in” by clicking the “Sit In” button located at the center of the player HUD.
Tutorial : What are Tcoins(TC)?
Answer : Tcoins is short for Tournament Coins, these coins are earned by players from playing at any of our games. Your Tcoins balance is displayed on the Main Lobby right below your wallet balance.
These Tcoins can be used to join our Tcoins exclusive Tournament Freerolls. Players may only join this Tournament Freeroll using Tcoins.
Tcoins have no monetary Value.
Tcoin Freerolls can be found at our Tournament Lobby.
Earning Tcoins is now capped at a maximum of 1.2Milllion Tcoins balance. If your current balance is over 1.2 Million you will not earn Tcoins until your balance is below the cap(1.2M Tcoins). | 2019-04-22T04:40:55 | http://lobby1.lobbygame88.com/misc/tutorial.php |
0.999999 | What do the most successful CRM implementations have in common? In a global survey designed to find out, IBM Business Consulting Services (BCS) learned that the factors that most impact a project's success are not necessarily the obvious, big-ticket items.
IBM's Institute for Business Value, a unit of IBM's Business Consulting Services, in partnership with the Economist Intelligence Unit, a publisher of country and regional intelligence, conducted the survey.
The survey identified the 16 most critical drivers of successful CRM implementations. Of the more than 370 respondents, about half were in senior management positions. About one-third of those questioned were from the Americas; with the rest fairly evenly divided among Eastern and Western Europe and the Asian-Pacific markets.
While technology systems and data integration are important, key pieces on the softer side of CRM implementations seem to make the most difference.
At a glance, the survey could be viewed as a rather bleak report on CRM: Only 14 percent of companies surveyed said they "fully use" their CRM systems; in over 35 percent of companies, senior management actually impedes the success of CRM because it considers CRM "useful, but not critical" to the company's success; and in nearly 75 percent of companies, ownership of CRM is in the "wrong" place.
IBM BCS says ownership belongs in the corporate tier; whereas in most companies, ownership resides with marketing, sales, customer service or IT.
By understanding the key ingredients of good CRM implementations, the authors of the study said companies can significantly improve the likelihood of CRM success.
What are the key ingredients in the "secret sauce" of successful CRM implementations? In boiled-down form, here's what they start with: Change management is critical; also, decisions throughout the implementation process should be tested against a strong value proposition; and corporate -- not IT, not sales, not marketing nor even customer service -- should own the CRM project.
That an IBM study on anything finds "technology implementation" so near to the bottom of the list of "critical" factors may surprise some. But Craig Froehle, assistant professor of operations management at the University of Cincinnati isn't one of them. In fact, he said the findings align perfectly with what he tells his students.
"Technology is an enabler, but it rarely makes a sustainable strategic advantage by itself. CRM, as a customer-facing technology, is much more about empowering the organization to adopt a new customer-centric philosophy than merely data-mining its customer transactions," Froehle told CRM Buyer.
"Customers don't do business with a company because they have a particular CRM system. They do business with a particular organization because they receive great products and services," LaValle told CRM Buyer.
"Done right, CRM programs enable companies to deliver better offers to their customers and better experience...and in turn, this equals higher profitability."
Froehle said it's clear that the tools firms use to help make decisions on customer segmentation will continue to get more sophisticated. "But, unless that software tool, or its use, is proprietary somehow, it is unlikely that such a tool would give any one firm in an industry a sustainable advantage over its competitors," he said.
While companies in the American, Asian and European markets varied in how they weighted different factors, "Process Change" was cited as most important by 15-to-20 percent of those surveyed worldwide.
For his part, LaValle said the most important piece of "process change" may be involving employees in the process of designing and changing the way they do their jobs, making sure they are aligned with the company's value proposition.
One of the surprising -- some would say, surprisingly logical -- findings: Companies who aligned their CRM strategies to tune in first to their employees, then to customers, were more successful than those who purely followed the old "customer comes first" axiom.
Kelly Bost, vice president, business development group, Manulife Wood Logan, understands that. Bost described the company's decision in 2001 to replace a legacy system with a new CRM solution featuring IBM On demand or Siebel eFinance 7 Accelerator for Wealth Management, as "more pain-based than need-based."
As happy as some employees were to see the old system go, they didn't automatically love the new system. "We had very high expectations," Bost said in an interview with CRM Buyer, adding that some employees might have been overwhelmed with the new system's robustness.
"It's like driving an old clunker for years and then upgrading to a Maserati," she continued. To learn to handle -- rather than be run over by -- the new system's power, Manulife invested significantly in internal training.
"We knew going in [that internal training was important], but we really felt it as we went through certain stages of the launch," Bost said. That's when Bost, and many others in the company, learned firsthand how important it is to involve employees.
"Five to six months into the life of the system, we put together an advisory committee," Bost said. The committee consists of about 12 employees Bost calls "super users." Most are front-end users who are utilizing the system effectively.
"They get together and talk about the best practices," Bost said. The CRM manager also participates in the committee.
According to Bost, the committee "developed organically...we didn't go into the implementation saying, 'at some point we'll develop a committee.' It just made sense."
In general, LaValle said, business-to-business adoption is trailing business-to-consumer adoption.
"Trend-wise, many high-volume [business-to-consumer] companies get CRM -- it's standard fare for them," he said.
Although the survey seemed to indicate patterns of adoption -- or lack of it -- in certain industries, LaValle said there aren't obvious trends that are industry-specific. Rather, companies are adopting as they are ready to adopt. That the aerospace-defense industry seems to be lagging behind other industries in adopting CRM, for example, is more indicative of the industry's financial state than it is of the industry's business model. | 2019-04-25T21:54:58 | https://www.crmbuyer.com/story/34863.html |
0.998171 | EDM number 720 in 2017-19, proposed by Robert Halfon on 20/12/2017.
Categorised under the topic of Buses.
That this House has considered the important role that Community Transport Organisations (CTOs) play in towns across the UK; notes that community transport schemes help social inclusion; recognises that these schemes are primarily used by people who otherwise would not be able to travel; notes the increasing cost pressures on community transport schemes in recent years; further notes the increasing pressure on CTOs to run bus services where commercial public transport providers do not; and therefore urges the Government to limit regulation and resulting cost increases to ensure CTOs can stay in operation. | 2019-04-25T20:39:45 | http://www.edms.org.uk/2017-19/720.htm |
0.998625 | Endangered, extinct and other exotice species.
There are 26 quizzes and 265 trivia questions in this category.
Some questions on endangered species in the United States- both on the species themselves and on causes of endangerment.
While many species of animals waver over the lines of endangerment, some fall too far past saving and ultimately find themselves extinct. See what you know about these animals that cease to exist on our planet. Good luck!
"Lazarus species" is what they are called. Animals thought to be extinct until rediscovered years, decades, and sometimes centuries later.
Your first thoughts on hearing "endangered species" are probably: precious, protect, preserve. History, however, is rife with examples to the contrary.
These animals went extinct less than 500 years ago, and in general, looked different enough that the average person could tell something unusual was being lost forever. Why did we let these go?
Here are ten different animals that lost the challenge to stay alive. Most became extinct through the sheer stupidity and ignorance of humans. These animals will never be seen again except in the artwork that some of us were smart enough create.
Zoologists use to call them 'living fossils' but in fact they proved to be the most adaptable creatures in the animal kingdom. Let's just hope our human kind will last as much as any of these species.
Extinction is a natural occurrence on our planet. Unfortunately, human beings have been responsible either directly or indirectly for extinctions skyrocketing in the past 200 years. Let's explore some unique animals that will grace this planet no more.
Thelma Thylacine has been recruited to invite some endangered Australian animals to become members of a virtual zoo, so that they will not be forgotten should the worst happen to them. Can you identify the recipient of each invitation?
In 2012, Sir David Attenborough hosted a television documentary about ten animals he would most like to see saved from extinction. He focused on some of the less well-known endangered species, with which you may or may not be familiar.
I've decided to be daring; and chose a random category in every quiz category. I plan on writing a quiz in every category based on the category randomly chosen for me. This quiz is about endangered animals, extinct in the wild.
This is a quiz on ten mammals that once lived on our planet. How many of them will you know?
A quiz on the last sightings of animals that have recently gone extinct. The last specimens of many of these animals may have been the last but they were definitely not the least. There are photographs of all of these animals available on the web.
Here are ten photos of animals that are now extinct or very close to it. While some are gone forever, some are Lazarus species and have been rediscovered after being declared extinct. Will you ever get to see one of these animals? Probably not.
In our current age, the risk of species becoming extinct is one that frequently comes to public attention. Here are a few species that lost the battle - some well before it became a contentious issue, and some despite every effort.
There are many species whose continued existence is endangered due to poaching, yet for now they manage to survive somehow. This quiz is about some of those animals.
As we tour the beautiful country of China, I would like to draw your attention to the incredible variety of wildlife that we will encounter along the way. I will point out a few rare gems that you should take note of... can you name them all?
These animals are low in numbers and are in danger of becoming extinct. They need protection and YOUR HELP.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, more the forty-eight different species of animals have been officially declared completely extinct. Let's see how much you know about some of them.
It is a sad fact that many beautiful animals are becoming extinct for a variety of reasons. Here is a quiz about just a few of them who are on the WWF endangered list.
A quiz on endangered species from around the world.
This is a quiz on animals that have gone extinct in the past 200 years. They were all unique and they will be missed.
This is a quiz about extinct birds. There are many of them. What do you know about these birds?
The giant ground sloth went extinct later than many of the megafauna. Let's take a look at this massive hamster.
Can you correctly identify the endangered animals?
Species of animals, previously unknown to science, are being discovered each year. This is a quiz about some of them. | 2019-04-26T00:53:56 | http://www.funtrivia.com/quizzes/animals/miscellaneous_animal_trivia/endangered_species.html |
0.999832 | So! with regard to English counties, Where does Mersyside come into it. Male or female?
I would treat it as a feminine region (the "-shires" being exceptions to the rule): Je viens de la Mersyside. Je vais en Mersyside. -- Chris (not a native speaker).
Hi Ron, Thanks for your help, but I'm still confused. Are we saying then that all English counties are masculine?
Hi Ron, Thanks for taking the time to help me.I will take your advice and ask Aurélie. Merci encore et passez une bonne journée. Ian.
Yes, of course the -shires are masculine. If you reread my original post that's what I said: they are the exception to the rule that all regions ending on e are feminine. I apologize if I haven't been clear on that. -- Chris.
This got me wondering whether all English counties are actually considered as masculine in French (regardless of their ending), so I went around to check.
- Cornwall, which in French is translated as la or les Cornouailles.
- Isle of Wight, which is a special case due to the term "île" : l'île de Wight.
J'habite (sur) l'île de Wight.
I hope that's helpful to you too! | 2019-04-21T08:05:10 | https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/questions/view/so-with-regard-to-english-counties-where-does-mersyside-come-into-it-male-or-female |
0.998246 | As I write this article, Humanity is experiencing an influx of very powerful Light from the Celestial Realms. New, 5th-Dimensional particles and waves are bathing the planet during the period between the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse, which took place on August 28, 2007, and the New Moon Solar Eclipse on September 11, 2007.
In the midst of this dramatic influx of Divine Light, we are also experiencing the rare numerological frequencies of September 9, 2007 = 999. The powerful blessings of 999 will flood the planet on September 18th and September 27th, as well.
Illumined astrologers all over the globe are heralding the magnitude of this rare moment. Every persons I AM Presence is striving to reveal, within each Ones Heart Flame, the opportunity at hand. It is a time of completion. It is time to let go. It is time to surrender to the Light. It is time to joyfully do what we came to this planet to do. It is a time for New Beginnings.
Because of miracles that have taken place over the past several months, the Earth and all Life evolving upon her are vibrating at higher frequencies than ever before. For this reason, the eclipse energies and the numerological energies from 999 are having an extremely amplified effect in all of our lives. This is true regardless of how aware of or how oblivious we have been to what is happening to us.
These energies are prodding us out of our comfort zones and pushing us forward into the next level of our service to the Light. For many, this will be a quantum leap into uncharted waters. We are being motivated in unprecedented ways to release all resistance and all interference from the past that has been blocking our bliss. This may involve people, places, conditions or things. It is time for us to move forward in the Light on the wings of joy and gratitude. Through the Grace of God, the entire Company of Heaven is standing by to assist us to do just that. All we have to do is ask.
The amazing events that were God Victoriously accomplished at the 21st Annual World Congress on Illumination, which was held August 11-16, 2007, have contributed greatly to this moment. During those wondrous days, Lightworkers all over the world joined in consciousness with the Lightworkers gathered within the Portal of Healing Through the Power of Infinite Transmutation and Transfiguring Divine Love in Tucson, Arizona.
In addition to the Lightworkers who were physically present in Tucson, hundreds of thousands of people all over the world tuned in with us in consciousness during that sacred week and wove their powerful Light into this facet of the unfolding Divine Plan.
During the Opening Ceremonies on August 11, the physical, etheric, mental and emotional bodies of the Lightworkers were raised up in energy, vibration and consciousness the maximum that Cosmic Law would allow. This activity of Light completed the final stage of preparation to allow each One to be the most powerful Instrument of God and the most effective transmitter of Divine Light possible.
On August 12, our omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent Father-Mother God invoked the Mighty Elohim, who are the Builders of Form, and the Directors of the Elements, who guide and direct the Divine Intelligence within the Elemental Kingdom. The Elemental Kingdom consists of the Gnomes and Nature Spirits associated with the Earth Element, the Undines of the Water Element, the Salamanders of the Fire Element, the Sylphs of the Air Element and the Devas and Deva Rajas of the Ether Element.
Under the direction of our Father-Mother God, these majestic Beings were empowered to utilize the full-gathered momentum of the Flame of Healing Through the Power of Infinite Transmutation to purify the earth, air, fire, water and ether elements within Humanitys Earthly bodies and the bodies of Mother Earth.
The Elohim and the Directors of the Elements projected this Sacred Fire through the unified Heart Flames of the Lightworkers gathered in Tucson and those tuning in from around the world. Then the I AM Presence of each Lightworker absorbed the Flame of Healing Through the Power of Infinite Transmutation and breathed it into the center of the Earth on the Holy Breath. As this exquisite Flame of Healing merged with the core of purity in the Heart of Mother Earth, it expanded out through her Crystal Grid System. For 24 hours this Sacred Flame blazed in, through and around every facet of Life within the physical, etheric, mental and emotional strata of the planet.
On August 13, we were told by the Legions of Light in the Realms of Truth that the purification was God Victorious. In fact, the Beings of Light said the purification was successful beyond the greatest expectations of Heaven.
Our Father-Mother God then revealed that the influx of Healing Light that bathed the Earth through the collective cup of Humanitys consciousness during the global Live Earth event on July 7 and the global Fire the Grid meditation on July 17, had paved the way for an activity of Light that had been in the works for millennia. This activity involved a Baptism of the Holy Spirit that would catapult Humanity into previously unknown frequencies of Christ Consciousness.
In deep humility and gratitude the Lightworkers at the World Congress on Illumination consecrated our hearts and minds to be the Open Door for this gift from our Mother God. With that heartfelt covenant our Mother God, and the Feminine Aspects of our Mother God throughout the whole of Creation, projected their luminous Presence into the atmosphere of Earth. After each One had taken her strategic position, the I AM Presence of every man, woman and child was invoked. Each persons I AM Presence responded and joyously assumed position to receive the greatest Baptism of the Holy Spirit the world has ever known.
As the Divine Ceremony began, a Cosmic Tone from the Heart of All That Is reverberated through the Universe, alerting the Legions of Light from Suns beyond Suns and Galaxies beyond Galaxies that a miracle was taking place on Planet Earth.
When all was in readiness, our Mother God and the Feminine Aspects of God throughout Infinity breathed into their Heart Flames the unfathomable power of the Flame of Transfiguring Divine Love. This Sacred Fire, from frequencies within the Core of Creation beyond anything Humanity has ever experienced, was then breathed into the Heart Flame of every awaiting Lightworker.
Gently and lovingly, with a Divine Power beyond the comprehension of our finite minds, a Baptism of the Holy Spirit began flowing through the Lightworkers into the Heart Flames of every soul evolving on Earth. Each persons I AM Presence took supreme authority of this Baptism by Sacred Fire, and permanently imprinted previously unknown levels of Christ Consciousness into the genetic codings of each Ones Divine Potential. This miracle was victoriously accomplished in perfect alignment with each persons Divine Plan and highest good.
Now pulsating within the RNA/DNA structures of every person on Earth is a new level of Divine Consciousness, which is filtering into the heart and conscious mind of every soul. This Divine Consciousness is reminding Humanity of the Oneness of ALL Life and empowering us with the Truth of our Divine Birthright as Beloved Sons and Daughters of God.
This Baptism of the Holy Spirit created a quantum shift that brought the Divine Masculine and the Divine Feminine within every Heart Flame into higher frequencies of balance than Humanity has experienced since our fall from Grace aeons ago.
On August 14, the Spiritual Hierarchy informed us that the success of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit had paved the way for a healing within the Masculine Polarity of God that pulsates in every Heart Flame.
Our Mother God was forced to withdraw from the Earth when we closed our Heart Chakras aeons ago. This tragic act was done in a futile attempt to prevent ourselves from feeling the painful effects of our misqualified thoughts, words, actions and feelings.
Since that time, the power of the Masculine Polarity of God has been abused or suppressed in one way or another by our human egos. For millions of years, the absence of our Mother God has prevented Humanitys masculine power from being balanced with feminine love. At long last, the stage was set for that imbalance to be healed.
Through various Divine Ceremonies that took place on that sacred and holy day, Lightworkers joined forces with the entire Company of Heaven to transmute the outer-world effects of Humanitys abuse of power. Every recalcitrant soul who was resisting the return of our Mother God and her momentum of Divine Love, and every soul who was still abusing the Power and Divine Will of our Father God was brought into the embrace of our collective Heart Flames.
When all was in readiness, our Father God and the Masculine Aspects of our Father God throughout the whole of Creation projected their luminous Presence into the atmosphere of Earth and took their strategic positions around the planet. For a 24-hour period, these powerful Beings of Gods First Cause of Perfection bathed the Earth with the Divine Will, Power and Authority of our Father God. This activity of Light created the sacred space for the Divine Masculine within every Heart Flame to reclaim its rightful place and for the fallen frequencies of Humanitys abuse of power to be transmuted into the Light to be loved free.
On August 15, we were blessed with another Divine Opportunity. On that day, which is dedicated in the outer world to the Ascension of Beloved Mother Mary, we were told by the Beings of Light that it was possible for the Light of our Father Gods Divine Power now balanced with the Light of our Mother Gods Divine Love, to be successfully infused into every person and every position of power on Earth.
Responding to the clarion call of our Father-Mother God, the Elohim, Archangels and Ascended Beings associated with Gods First Cause of Perfection entered the atmosphere of Earth. These august Beings were accompanied by Legions of Angels from their Regal Courts.
Under the direction of the Elohim, Archangels and Ascended Beings, the Legions of Angels traversed the Earth, north, south, east and west. These selfless servants of God infused the newly balanced frequencies of Divine Power and Love into every position of power.
This awesome activity of Light began within the halls of power in the United States of America and expanded into the halls of power in every country in the world. Within these foci of power, the balanced Light of Divine Power and Love was secured in the core of purity in every atomic and subatomic particle and wave of Life.
The Angels infused this powerful Light into every governmental facility, every corporation, every focus associated with the military and the medical, health, pharmaceutical, financial and housing industries. They infused the balance of Divine Love and Power into the criminal and judicial systems, the energy, transportation, food and water industries, the media, the educational, religious and family institutions and every other focus of power in the world.
Once this activity of Light was victoriously accomplished, we were advised by the Spiritual Hierarchy that Humanity was ready for the next phase of the Divine Plan.
The Lightworkers at the World Congress on Illumination were aware that the goal of this gathering was to create the sacred space for the I AM Presence of every recalcitrant soul on Earth to integrate further into his or her Earthly Bodies and to begin the integration of the Solar Light Bodies. The Divine Intent of this mission was to prepare every last soul on the planet for his or her eventual Ascension into the 5th Dimensional Realms of Infinite Perfection. Gods Will in this mission is for no soul to be left behind.
On August 16, the Company of Heaven informed the Lightworkers at the World Congress on Illumination that the monumental success of the events of the week had prepared Humanity for the integration of our I AM Presence and our Solar Light Bodies in ways they never dreamed possible.
In an awe-inspiring Cosmic Moment, the Legions of Light throughout Infinity joined with the I AM Presence of every man, woman and child on Earth. When all was in place, our Father-Mother God sounded the Keynote, and every soul on Earth was lifted into the embrace of his or her I AM Presence and Solar Light Bodies.
This miraculous event was victoriously accomplished in the Realms of Cause and will now daily and hourly manifest for each of us in the world of effects.
Once something is victoriously accomplished in the Realms of Cause nothing can prevent it from manifesting in the world of effects. The only variable is how long it will take, and that depends on how quickly Humanity integrates these changes into our daily lives through our thoughts, words, actions and feelings.
After that wondrous event, our Father-Mother God revealed that the unified efforts of Lightworkers around the world had reached a critical mass of Divine Power and Love. They announced that this milestone allowed the Earth and ALL her Life to Ascend up the Spiral of Evolution into the initial impulse of the 5th Dimension. Our Father-Mother God confirmed that this miracle has occurred far ahead of schedule.
For a while now, we have been able to experience the beginning frequencies of the 5th Dimension. This can occur when we reach up in consciousness or whenever we go within to the Divinity of our hearts. Millions of Lightworkers all over the world have gotten glimpses of the bliss contained within these frequencies of Light, but now it will be different.
Now the Earth and all her Life have crossed the threshold on our initial Ascent into the 5th Dimension. This means that we have the ability to stay permanently in this Realm of Bliss while we continue our Earthly sojourn. It means that if we deliberately and consciously focus on the perfection of Heaven on Earth, we will be able to tangibly experience it in our daily lives as never before.
Where our attention is, there we are. Now with the integration of our I AM Presence and our Solar Light Bodies victoriously accomplished in the Realms of Cause, we have the ability to hold our attention on and experience the perfection of Heaven on Earth right here and right now.
Lets all make a conscious effort to be the Peace Commanding Presence we are capable of being. Lets truly BE the Light of the World and the Open Door that no one can shut.
After all, that is the covenant we made with our Father-Mother God when we were given permission to embody on Earth during this auspicious time.
Lets fulfill that promise. I assure you, it will be the most glorious and rewarding thing you ever do.
God Bless you for the Light you are adding to the world.
Patricia also shares information from the Beings of Light on her radio show every week. These celestial sharings are being given to Humanity at this time to give Humanity greater clarity and understanding about the events occurring on Earth.
The radio program airs Online every Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time or 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the website www.7thWaveNetwork.com . This is a powerful opportunity for all of us to add to the Light of the world. Once the program has aired, it is available anytime, day or night, in the Content Library on Patricia's link on the 7th Wave Network website.
As you listen to this on-line radio broadcast, know that you are joining in consciousness with Lightworkers all over the world who are listening to this program with you. Together, through our collective consciousness, we are cocreating a Chalice of Light that serves as an Open Door through which the Light of God is flowing to bless Humanity and all Life on this sweet Earth.
You are subscribed to patticr as [email protected]. | 2019-04-25T06:28:08 | http://themessenger.me.uk/article/070913_4.htm |
0.999726 | Hydraulic Terms A speaks to hydraulic words A and hydraulic phrases A that designers, manufacturers, suppliers, sales and service people use in the hydraulics industry.
Absolute Pressure The gage is used to measure pressure and begins at the point where there is a complete absence of pressure. The units of measurement can be either psi or mm hg.
Accumulators This is a device used to apply a pressure to a confined liquid consisted of a movable piston on which the force is applied and a cylinder body to confine the liquid. An accumulator may store hydraulic pressure which is potential energy and this pressure can turn to working energy (flow and pressure).
Accumulator Bladder Type A bladder type accumulator consists of a synthetic rubber bladder inside a metal shell as the bladder contains the gas. As fluid enters the shell, the gas in the bladder is compressed. Gas pressure decreases as fluid flows from the shell. When all liquid has been discharged, gas pressure attempts to push the bladder through the outlet. As the bladder contacts the poppet valve at the outlet, flow from the shell is automatically shut off.
Accumulator Diaphragm Type A diaphragm type accumulator consists of two metal hemispheres which are bolted together, but whose interior volume is separated by a synthetic rubber, gas occupies the space. As fluid enters the other chamber, gas is compressed. Once all liquid has been discharged, the diaphragm covers the outlet retaining the gas within the accumulator. The diaphragm will not be pushed through the thickness of the diaphragm.
Accumulator Hydro Pneumatic A hydro pneumatic accumulator is the most commonly used in industrial hydraulic systems. This type accumulator applies a force to a liquid by using compressed air. There are two types, diaphragm and bladder. The name of each type indicates the device separating gas from liquid.
Accumulator Piston Type A piston type accumulator consists of a cylinder body and movable piston with resilient seals. Gas occupies the volume above the piston and is compressed as the cylinder body is charged with fluid. As fluid flows from the accumulator, gas pressure drops. When all liquid has been discharged, the piston has reached the end of its stroke and it covers the outlet keeping the gas within the accumulator.
Accumulator Spring Loaded A spring loaded accumulator applies a force to its stored liquid by means of a spring acting on a piston.
Actuator, pneumatic/hydraulic A device in which power is transferred from one pressurized medium to another without intensification.
Additive A chemical added to a fluid to impart new properties or to enhance those which already exist.
Air Bleeder A device for the removal of air.
Air Breather A device permitting air movement between atmosphere and the component in which it is installed.
Air Cooler In an air cooler, fluid is pumped through tubes to which fins are attached. To dissipate heat, air is blown over the tubes and fins by a fan. The operation is exactly like an automobile radiator. Air coolers are generally used where water is not readily available or is too expensive.
Air Gap Solenoid This solenoid is basically an electromagnet made up of a T plunger and frame around the coil, this is sometimes called a CT solenoid. This the older kind of solenoid.
Antifoam Additives These are antifoam additives added to hydraulic oil to prevent foaming. These additives work by combining small air bubbles into large bubbles which rise to a fluid surface and burst. With other additives these function by interfering with air release which action reduces foaming but increases the amount of air bubbles in the system.
Antiwear Additives Antiwear (AW) also known Wear resistant (WR) additives are available in 3 types. Type one, is known as an oiliness or lubricity agent, is a chemical made up of molecules that attach themselves vertically to metal surfaces, and this creates a chemical film which acts as a solid when an attempt is made at penetration.
Type two, chemically combines with a metal surface to form a protective film. This film forms as low frictional heat is generated between contacting points of moving surfaces which serve to smooth out or polish surfaces so that friction is reduces. Type 3. Is an antiwear agent, known as an extreme pressure (EP) additive which forms a film on a metal surface as high frictional heat is generated. | 2019-04-18T17:03:11 | http://www.what-is-hvac.com/hydraulic-terms-A.html |
0.998074 | "Personal information" means information that identifies you or could be used to identify you and which is submitted to and/or collected by AbbVie Web Sites. Examples of personal information include your name, your postal address, your e-mail address and your telephone number.
How does AbbVie collect information online?
AbbVie collects personal information that you enter into data fields on AbbVie Web Sites. For example, you may submit your name, postal address, e-mail address, and/or other information in order to receive information about various subjects, register for AbbVie programs, contact AbbVie customer service, or respond to AbbVie surveys. To protect your privacy, you should not provide AbbVie with any information that is not specifically requested.
AbbVie Web Sites may collect information about your visits to AbbVie Web Sites without you actively submitting such information. Unidentifiable information may be collected using various technologies, such as cookies, and web beacons. Cookies are small text files that are transferred to your computer's hard disk by a Web site. Web beacons (also referred to as GIF files, pixels or Internet tags) help AbbVie recognize a unique cookie on your browser. Your Internet browser automatically transmits to AbbVie Web Sites some of this unidentifiable information, such as the URL of the Web site you just visited and the browser version your computer is operating. Passive information collection technologies can make your use of AbbVie Web Sites easier by allowing AbbVie to provide better service, customize AbbVie Web Sites based on consumer preferences, compile statistics, analyze trends, and otherwise administer and improve AbbVie Web Sites. Certain features of AbbVie Web Sites may not work without use of passive information collection technologies. Information collected by these technologies cannot be used to identify you without additional identifiable information and AbbVie will not connect additional identifiable information with information collected through the use of such tracking technologies. With respect to limiting or disabling tracking technology please see below "What choices do I have about how AbbVie collects and uses personal information about me?".
In what circumstances and for what purposes might AbbVie collect and use personal information?
AbbVie will use the personal information you provide through AbbVie Web Sites to respond to your questions and to provide you with efficient customer service. After you have entered personal information into a form or data field on an AbbVie Web Site, AbbVie may use certain identifying technologies to allow that AbbVie Web Site to "remember" your personal preferences, such as sections of that AbbVie Web Site that you visit frequently and, if you choose, your user ID. We will only use your personal information for other business purposes, such as to offer you the opportunity to receive notices regarding AbbVie's products or services, to invite you to participate in surveys about our products, or to notify you about special promotions if you provided us with your prior opt-in consent for such purposes.
Does AbbVie consolidate personal information?
AbbVie may consolidate the personal information of customers who use AbbVie Web Sites. In addition, we may consolidate information in a non-identifiable form (aggregate/anonymous data) to help us better design AbbVie Web Sites and AbbVie products, to enhance our research activities, and to facilitate other business functions. AbbVie may share aggregated anonymous information about customers who use the AbbVie Web Sites with its affiliates, partners and other third parties.
You may always limit the amount and type of personal information that AbbVie receives about you by choosing not to enter any personal information into forms or data fields on AbbVie Web Sites. Some of our online services can only be provided to you if you provide us with appropriate personal information. Other parts of AbbVie Web Sites may ask whether you wish to opt into our contact lists for offers, promotions and additional services that may be of interest to you.
You may also be provided with preference questions or preference boxes allowing you to indicate that you do not want AbbVie Web Sites to use tracking technologies, such as cookies, to "remember" your personal information, such as user IDs or mailing addresses, on return visits. However, AbbVie Web Sites that use tracking technologies to collect unidentifiable information do not generally provide you with the ability to opt out of the tracking technologies. Some Internet browsers allow you to limit or disable the use of tracking technologies that collect unidentifiable information.
Personal information can be accessed by a restricted number of AbbVie employees, by certain companies with which AbbVie may conduct joint programs, and by third parties with whom AbbVie contracts to carry out business activities for AbbVie. We train our employees about the importance of privacy and how to handle and manage customer data appropriately and securely. Also, it is AbbVie's practice to seek your consent where required by applicable law if you are registering for a program which is conducted in conjunction with another company that may require access to your personal information. In addition, AbbVie's practice is to require its contractors to keep your personal information confidential and to use your personal information only to perform functions for AbbVie.
AbbVie may transfer your personal information to a country other than your own. Personal information stored in another jurisdiction is subject to the laws of that country and these laws may not provide the same protections as the country where you reside. For example, personal information that is transferred to and stored in the U.S. may be available to the U.S. government or its agencies under a lawful order made in that country.
Except as otherwise stated in this section, AbbVie will not transfer your personal information to third parties unless you have been provided with an opportunity to opt into this disclosure. AbbVie may disclose your personal information without your opt-in to third party service providers which assist us with our business activities. It is AbbVie's practice to require such third party service providers to keep your personal information confidential and to use your personal information only to perform functions for AbbVie and in accordance with AbbVie's instructions. AbbVie further reserves the right to disclose your personal information to respond to authorized information requests from government authorities or when otherwise required by law. In the event AbbVie sells one of its product lines or divisions, AbbVie will only transfer your personal information to the buyer subject to your consent where required by applicable law so that the buyer can continue to provide you with information and services.
Please remember that if you post any of your personal information in public areas of AbbVie Web Sites, such as an online forum or chat room, this information may be collected and used by others over whom AbbVie has no control. Use caution when posting personal information in these public forums. AbbVie is not responsible for the use made by third parties of information you post or otherwise make available in public areas of any AbbVie Web Site.
AbbVie does not knowingly collect or use any personal information from children (we define "children" as minors younger than 18) on AbbVie Web Sites. We do not knowingly allow children to order our products, communicate with us, or use any of our online services. If you are a parent and become aware that your child has provided us with information, please contact us using one of the methods specified below, and we will work with you to address this issue.
You may request access to your personal information which is held by AbbVie at any time. With your support, AbbVie will keep personal information accurate and up-to-date. You may request to remove, amend or correct your personal information. Please notify us of your wishes by contacting us in one of the ways specified below.
How long will AbbVie store personal information?
In general, AbbVie will only store your personal information for as long as it is needed to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, subject to applicable data retention periods imposed upon AbbVie by applicable law.
In all communications to AbbVie, please include the e-mail address used for registration (if applicable), the AbbVie Web Site address on which you provided any personal information about which you have questions or concerns (e.g. AbbVie.com etc.), and a detailed explanation of your request. If you would like to delete, amend or correct your personal information and are contacting us by e-mail, please put "Deletion Request" or "Amendment/Correction Request", as applicable, in the subject line of the e-mail. We will do our best to respond to all reasonable requests in a timely manner. | 2019-04-20T19:01:52 | https://www.patientsatheart.com/privacy-policy |
0.999999 | For me, cinematically speaking, 1977 was a big year. There was Star Wars, sure -- but more important, it was the year that my beloved "Rescuers" books made their transition to the big screen. Written by Margery Sharp and illustrated by Garth Williams (the Little House books), the series detailed the adventures of a little white mouse who could save the world and boss around her devoted beau Bernard, all while wearing a delicate silver chain and living in a porcelain pagoda. Miss Bianca was a have-it-all feminist long before those goofy Enjoli commercials.
The Disney adaptation only borrowed from the series, and while the animated version isn't necessarily true to any text, it is true to the original spirit of Sharp's books. A kidnapped orphan, Penny, sends a message for help, which is intercepted by agents for the Rescue Aid Society. Miss Bianca and the noble Rescue Aid Society janitor, Bernard, volunteer to take on the assignment. As voiced by Eva Gabor and Bob Newhart, Miss Bianca and Bernard conjure up the sort of 1970s celebrities that popped up on The Merv Griffin Show and Hollywood Squares.
That's not the only way The Rescuers is delightfully anachronistic. The title sequence unfolds against a typical 1970s montage of vivid pastel-on-canvas seascapes, set to a particularly Judy Collins-esque number ("Who Will Rescue Me?") Also, the Rescue Aid Society sits in the basement of the United Nations, and how refreshing to see the U.N. depicted as it often was during the Carter administration, with its snappy column of international flags all waving in optimistic importance.
The Rescuers is one of Disney's more somber films. The villain, Madame Medusa, is a horrific pastiche of aging femininity with her false eyelashes and lumpy figure. Apparently, she graduated from the Cruella de Vil Driving School. But she's a good foil for the truly sad plight of Penny, an unnoticed orphan who continually runs away from her captors in order to get back to the orphanage so she can be adopted.
But while The Rescuers may have its disturbing moments, it's also one of Disney's more innocent efforts. There are few in-jokes for the adults, the animation is at times downright Winnie-the-Pooh-esque, and how nice, after more than a decade of Barbie-shaped princesses, to see that there were real little girl heroines in Disney before Lilo & amp; Stitch. | 2019-04-19T06:34:02 | https://www.inlander.com/spokane/dvd-review/Content?oid=2175972 |
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