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“The lightning lord is everywhere and nowhere, skinny squirrel.”
Synopsis: Arya and the Merry Men go looking for Robin Hood.
SPOILER WARNING: This chapter analysis, and all following, will contain spoilers for all Song of Ice and Fire novels and Game of Thrones episodes. Caveat lector.
Political Analysis:
For my money, Arya IV is where Arya’s time with the Brotherhood Without Banners really starts to pay off. There is a richness and depth to the worldbuilding of the Brotherhood’s place in the Riverlands that isn’t quite there in Arya III, and the connection between their story and the themes of Arya’s own story works just a bit better here than it does in previous chapters. This helpfully lends itself to the organization of this essay, which will analyze the Brotherhood in the first half and then devote the second half to Arya’s character specifically.
“The Guerrilla Must Move Amongst The People As A Fish Swims In The Sea.”
The chapter opens with Arya’s party making a rest stop at the keep of Lord Lychester, who is ultimately less important in and of himself (although there are some thematic resonances here as I’ll talk about later) than how the encounter reveals more about the full extent of the Brotherhood’s network in the Riverlands:
The small square keep was half a ruin, and so too the great grey knight who lived there. He was so old he did not understand their questions…the maester who cared for him was a young man, thankfully.
In previous chapters, all we’ve seen of the Brotherhood’s supporters was a morally ambiguous family of innkeepers. Here, we see that the Brotherhood Without Banners have support at other levels of society (although not always on the up-and-up). Lord Lychester might not be aware enough to voluntarily support them, but his young maester, who occupies a social rank a bit below his master but above the peasantry, is clearly an active supporter and a highly useful one at that. As the de-facto ruler of Lychester, he can provide refuge and shelter, and as a maester, he can provide access to the ravenry network and other sources of information.
Following up on the maester’s advice to “[ask] the Lady of Leaves” the group moves on from Lychester Keep to meet someone from a very different rung of society:
…Three days later, as they rode through a yellow wood, Jack-Be-Lucky unslung his horn and blew a signal, a different one than before. The sounds had scarcely died away when rope ladders unrolled from the limbs of trees. “Hobble the horses and up we go,” said Tom, half singing the words. They climbed to a hidden village in the upper branches, a maze of rope walkways and little moss-covered houses concealed behind walls of red and gold, and were taken to the Lady of the Leaves, a stick-thin white-haired woman dressed in roughspun. “We cannot stay here much longer, with autumn on us,” she told them.
For all that GRRM gets lauded as a deconstructionist, this hidden village is a High Fantasy trope, alongside Robin Hood’s forest hideout, the Inn of the Last Home from Dragonlance, Hidden Elf Village from Zelda games, or Tolkein’s Lothlorien. Which is something of an issue, given GRRM’s usual eye for class, because this particular trope doesn’t fit very well within the usual structures of medieval society. The Lady is clearly the leader but she’s not highborn, and it’s pretty clear that this hidden community of smallfolk aren’t really under the rule of any lord, which makes them something of an anomaly. (Were they outlaws before the Brotherhood showed up? Maybe smugglers or squatters?)
From there, it’s on to Sallydance, where we see that the Brotherhood Without Banner’s support crosses not just class lines but religious ones too:
The next night they found shelter beneath the scorched shell of a sept, in a burned village called Sallydance Only shards remained of its windows of leaded glass, and the aged septon who greeted them said the looters had even made off with the Mother’s costly robes, the Crone’s gilded lantern, and the silver crown the Father had worn…there were a dozen men living in the vault beneath the sept, amongst cobwebs and roots and broken wine casks….
I’ll get into the important thematic strands of the ransacked sept later, but what initially caught my eye is that the Brotherhood’s men are hidden and protected by a septon, despite the fact that the Brotherhood is openly R’hlloric in their faith, even at the cost of the destruction of his house of worship and the loss of its sacred relics. This suggests that there is a degree of faith in the Brotherhood as protectors that goes beyond sectarian boundaries, or possibly an ecumenical understanding that the Brotherhood are the only force in the RIverlands actively trying to prevent or punish attacks on septs. (More on that in Arya VII…) This incident also speaks to the revolutionary discipline of the Brotherhood, that they were able to keep quiet in the vault despite the sept being ransacked above their heads, which sounds like a scene out of a WWII Resistance movie like Flame & Citron or Anthropoid.
And then finally, this chapter ends with the group’s stay at Acorn Hall, where we meet:
It was a long day’s ride, but as dusk was settling they forded a brook and came up on Acorn Hall, with its stone curtain walls and great oaken keep. Its master was away fighting in the retinue of his master, Lord Vance, the castle gates closed and barred in his absence. But his lady wife was an old friend of Tom Sevenstrings, and Anguy said they’d once been lovers. Lady Smallwood welcomed the outlaws kindly enough, though she gave them a tongue lashing for dragging a young girl through the war. She became even more wroth when Lem let slip that Arya was highborn.
Lady Smallwood is clearly the highest social class supporter of the Brotherhood without Banners that we’ve seen to date. Her actions, in sharp contrast to those of Lord Mooton, suggests that the nobility of the Riverlands have not entirely abandoned their people.
The Many Deaths of Beric Dondarrion
As part of their journey through the southern Riverlands, Arya’s group go through a repeated exchange where they are told that Beric Dondarrion has died and they either deny the story outright or downplay the story’s import to the teller:
“I fear you seek a ghost. We have a bird, ages ago, half a year at least. The Lannisters caugh Lord Beric near the Gods Eye. He was hanged.” “Aye, hanged he was, but Thoros cut him down before he died…his lordship’s a hard man to kill, he is.”
There’s a lot going on here, so it’s worth taking a second to break it down. To begin with, because GRRM is a lapsed Catholic, I can’t help but notice a resemblance between these denials and Peter’s three denials of Jesus Christ, especially since Beric Dondarrion is very much a dying-rebirth martyr-figure. On a literary level, though, it’s clearly also part of GRRM’s threefold revelations strategy: first, GRRM subtly hinted something was up in Arya VII of ACOK, now he’s laying it on more thickly, and then in Arya VI of this book he’ll show it outright.
However, it’s also clear from this chapter that there is a morale purpose to these denials:
“He’s dead.” The woman sounded sick. “The Mountain caught him, and drove a dagger through his eye. A begging brother told us. He had it from the lips of a man who saw it happen. “That’s an old stale tale, and false,” said Lem. “The lightning lord’s not so easy to kill. Ser Gregor might have put his eye out, but a man don’t die o’ that. Jack could tell you.” “Well, I never did,” said one-eyed Jack-Be-Lucky. “My father got himself good and hanged by Lord Piper’s bailiff, my brother Wat got sent to the Wall, and the Lannisters killed my other brothers. An eye, that’s nothing.” “You swear he’s not dead?” The woman clutched Lem’s arm. “Bless you, Lem, that’s the best tidings we’ve had in half a year. May the Warrior defend him, and the red priest too.”
Because of what happens to the Brotherhood Without Banners in AFFC (more on this when I get to Book vs. Show), it’s absolutely crucial at this juncture to show that Beric and the Brotherhood mean so much to the smallfolk that the mere fact of his survival brings hope to them, that the Lannisters who have killed so many of their own cannot kill him, that their oppressors cannot take away their last hero. And Beric himself clearly sees his lives and deaths as a way to inspire the smallfolk of the Riverlands: his first death at the Mummer’s Ford was undertaken to bring the king’s justice to Gregor Clegane (more on this later); his second death was a deliberate strategy to lure Ser Burton Crakehall and his column into an ambush; the hanging described above was a deliberate self-sacrifice to try to save a beekeeper and his wife from Ser Amory Lorch’s noose; and his loss of an eye at the hands of Gregor Clegane and the arrow he took in a skirmish with the Bloody Mummers speak to his ongoing efforts to fight the reavers regardless of whether they fight for the Lannisters or the Boltons.
I’m also wondering whether the Brotherhood’s denials are either covering up the resurrection – although you’d think the “good word” that Beric Dondarrion literally came back from the dead would be incredibly powerful – or whether they’re in denial, given how increasingly implausible their cover stories get (from a lucky escape from a slow hanging to surviving a dirk stuck in your eye). (On a sidenote, I’d also note a religious syncretism at work here that follows on from the septon at Sallydance, with the Lady of Leaves invoking the Warrior to bless a priest of R’hllor.)
“I’m Beric Dondarrion!”
At the same time, GRRM does a neat trick of misdirecting the audience (a key part of how he often gets away with his threefold revelation strategy) by putting the discussion of Beric’s deaths in the larger context of an exploration of guerilla strategy:
…they had no word of Beric Dondarrion either. Not even their leader, who wore soot-blackened armor and a crude lightning bolt on his cloak. When Greenbeard saw Arya staring at him, he laughed and said, “the lighning lord is everywhere and nowhere, skinny squirrel.”
While a re-reader knows the truth, for a first timer, this can’t help but introduce doubt: are the multiple reports the result of an ingenious strategy of outfitting various members of the Brotherhood as imposter Dondarrions – a cross between Spartacus and V for Vendetta – thus creating the appearance that Ser Beric is everywhere and nowhere and can die repeatedly and come back from the grave? Are they improbable escapes from death or miraculous healing? Or are they something more?
Beyond theatrical costumery, this charpter goes further into detail as to how the Brotherhood operates as a guerilla movement in order to explain why Arya and company have to make this extended trek:
“If you’re their men, why do they hide from you?” Tom Sevenstrings rolled his eyes at that, but Harwin gave her an answer. “I wouldn’t call it hiding, milady, but it’s true, Lord Beric moves about a lot, and seldom lets on what his plans are. That way no one can betray him. By now there must be hundreds of us sworn to him, maybe thousands, but it wouldn’t do for us all to trail along behind him. We’d eat the country bare, or get butchered in a battle by some bigger host. The way we’re scattered in little bands, we can strike in a dozen places at once, and be off somewhere else before they know. And when one of us is caught and put to the question, well, we can’t tell them where to find Lord Beric no matter what they do to us.”
As I will explain in greater detail in the Historical Analysis section below, these methods are absolutely in keeping with real-world guerrilla forces. Incidentally, this also answers a question about how the Red Wedding 2.0 will take place: there’s actually many more Brotherhood Without Banners members than we’ve seen in any one place, and when they come together à la the Tet Offensive, they may well have enough manpower to overwhelm the unsuspecting defenders of Riverrun and accomplish Lady Stoneheart’s bloody work (although probably incurring Tet Offensive levels of casualties in the process, I’m sad to say).
But in the process, Arya’s group (and the reader) gets an explanation for why they have to spend so many chapters looking for Beric Dondarrion before they get to the Big Event:
“What matters is, we have the scent now. You’ll soon be seeing Thoros and the lighning lord, I’ll wager.” …Greenbeard lowered his voice to ask if her ladyship had word of the lightning lord. “Word?” She smiled. “They were here not a fortnight past. Them and a dozen more, driving sheep. I could scarcely believe my eyes. Thoros gave me three as thanks. You’ve eaten one tonight.” “…Did his lordship say where he was bound, milady?” asked Harwin. “Lord Beric never shares his plans, but there’s hunger down near Stoney Sept and the Threepenny Wood. I should look for him there.”
Speaking of needing to show the Brotherhood as a positive force in the Riverlands, it’s worth noting that a big part of how Arya’s group finds Beric’s “scent” is that Beric and Thoros have been driving sheep across the Riverlands and giving food away to hungry people. Not only is this proof that their good intentions are reflected in their actions, but it’s also a strategy employed by insurgent movements out of enlightened self-interest whether we’re talking about Marxist guerilla armies in various parts of Latin America in the 20th and 21st centuries, the Black Panther Party’s free breakfast programs (which Hoover and the FBI considered to be their most dangerous activity because it was helping to build a political constituency in the black community), or…Robin Hood taking from the rich to give to the poor.
The Ghost of High Heart
However, only part of the scent that Arya’s group picks up on is due to Beric and Thoros’ altruism, just as only part of the Brotherhood’s story belongs to the secular/mundane “game of thrones;” the other half belongs to the magical meta-plot, and thus requires magic to locate. Hence why Arya’s group takes this time to visit a highly significant location:
The next day they rode to a place called High Heart, a hill so lofty that from atop it Arya felt as though she could see half the world. Around its brow stood a ring of huge pale stumps, all that remained of a circle of once-mighty weirwoods. Arya and Gendry walked around the hill to count them. There were thirty-one, some so wide that she could have used them for a bed. High Heart had been sacred to the children of the forest, Tom Sevenstrings told her, and some of their magic lingered here still. “No harm can ever come to those as sleep here,” the singer said. Arya thought that must be true; the hill was so high and the surrounding lands so flat that no enemy could approach unseen. The smallfolk hereabouts shunned the place, Tom told her; it was said to be haunted by the ghosts of the children of the forest who had died here when the Andal king named Erreg the Kinslayer had cut down their grove. Arya knew about the children of the forest, and about the Andals too, but ghosts did not frighten her…
While I love the description of High Heart, I have to admit that I think this section probably doesn’t belong in what’s already a rather overstuffed chapter, and it might have worked better to combine this encounter with the one from Arya VIII. (It probably would also reduce a bit of the meandering in Arya’s storyline if the hollow hill and High Heart were the same place – with the roots of the murdered trees above forming the roof of the cave below – given that they’re pretty much in the same area, they’re both hills, and they’re both associated with weirwood trees.) However, one can’t argue with the way that the passage evokes High Heart as a place of dubious safety – after all, the magic of the Children of the Forest didn’t exactly protect them from Erreg the Kinslayer – a place of ghosts and tragic loss, and a place of mystery and magic. And tied to all these things is the chief Ghost herself:
Beside the embers of their campfire, she saw Tom, Lem, and Greenbeard talking to a tiny little woman, a foot shorter than Arya and older than Old Nan, all stooped and wrinkled and leaning on a gnarled black cane. Her white hair was so long it came almost to the ground. When the wind gusted it blew about her head in a fine cloud. Her flesh was whiter, the color of milk, and it seemed to Arya that her eyes were red, though it was hard to tell from the bushes. “The old gods stir and will not let me sleep,” she heard the woman say. “I dreamt I saw a shadow with a burning heart butchering a golden stag, aye. I dreamt of a man without a face, waiting on a bridge that swayed and swung. On his shoulder perched a drowned crow with seaweed hanging from his wings. I dreamt of a roaring river and a woman that was a fish. Dead she drifted, with red tears on her cheeks, but when her eyes did open, oh, I woke from terror. All this I dreamt, and more. Do you have gifts for me, to pay me for my dreams?”
This is a great example of how GRRM does prophecy: you have the correct prediction of a past event the audience will recognize (in this case, the death of Renly), then there’s the present/near-future prediction which is something of a misdirect (not that the prophecy is wrong, only that Balon’s death is largely tangential to the Brotherhood and Arya’s story, it’s not connected to R’hllor in the same way that the other two prophecies are, etc.), and then the third prophecy (the birth of Lady Stoneheart) is the really important part which bears directly and profoundly on the future of both the Brotherhood and Arya Stark.
As to who the Ghost of High Heart is, I’ll leave that mystery to Arya VIII. In the mean time, Arya doesn’t quite hear (and we don’t see) the Ghost of High Heart give the Brotherhood a clue as to where to head next, because it’s immediately after this that Tom Sevenstrings talks about getting Beric and Thoros’ location.
Tom Sevenstrings: Dirtbag Romantic
Before I move on to discuss Arya’s story, we get a bit more about the personalities of some of the main members of the Brotherhood Without Banners, in part because Arya’s still got another four chapters to go with them in this book, and in part because we’re going to see them again in AFFC and GRRM wants the audience to remember them when they come back. We start with someone we’ve already been spending some time with, Tom Sevenstrings:
“One good song, and we’d know who Ser Maynard used to be and why he wanted to cross this bridge so bad. Poor old Lychester might be as far famed as the Dragonknight if he’d only had sense enough to keep a singer.” “Lord Lychester’s sons died in Robert’s Rebellion,” grumbled Lem. “Some on one side, some t’other. He’s not been right in the head since. No bloody song’s like to help any o’ that.”
As we sort of already knew, Tom is an idealist, a capital-R Romantic, and very much a capital-A Artist. And here I think we see the two halves of GRRM’s mind in conflict here: on the one hand, GRRM is very much a Romantic himself and absolutely believes that songs bring a form of transcendant immortality (hence why it’s a song of ice and fire). On the other hand, he’s also very aware that there is an often brutal reality often ignored by the fantasy genre, a cost paid for every just war, every righteous rebellion. Indeed, one could argue that Tom is something of a critique of an excessive attitude to the priority of Art over the real concerns of life:
“And that son of his…a man who hates music can’t be trusted, I always say.” “It’s not music he hates,” said Lem. “It’s you, fool.” “Well, he has no cause. The wench was willing to make a man of him, is it my fault he drank too much to do the deed?” Lem snorted through his broken nose. “Was it you who made a song of it, or some other bloody arse in love with his own voice?” “I only sang it the once,” Tom complained. “And who’s to say the song was about him? ‘Twas a song about a fish.”
Here we see Tom not exactly enjoying or being willing to accept the consequences of satire (a rather familiar debate on the internet); the problem is that the artist cannot control how people will react to their work, especially the people whom the work is about. And just as it’s almost always bullshit when an artist reacts to criticism by saying that their work isn’t actually about real world issues, or isn’t actually trying to make any political statement and isn’t trying to say anything (in which case, why bother?), his complaint that the floppy fish song isn’t about Edmure Tully’s whiskey dick is clearly a lie. Moreover, it’s completely unreasonable for Tom to say that Edmure “has no cause” to be mad at him, when Tom damaged his reputation on a deeply, embarrasingly personal level for no cause. The Celts, who believed that song could literally remake the world as magic, had higher standards for their bards – satire was supposed to be used to bring down tyrants, not drunk teenagers.
At the same time, this passage is an amazing cross between a Brick Joke and a Chekov’s Gun, because without this clue, you wouldn’t know that Tom Sevenstrings was the singer brought in by Jaime Lannister (aping his father rather unimaginatively) to play the “Rains of Castamere” for Edmure Tully. Going back to my theories about the Red Wedding 2.0 above, since Tom Sevenstrings is sticking around at Riverrun to be the castle’s singer, it’s quite possible that he’s transmitted instructions from the Brotherhood (and/or “your sister”) to Edmure to set up the ambush from the inside, and if Tom becomes the castle’s singer it’s quite possible he’ll play an Abel role in the affair.
Finally, it also shows a continuing association between Tom Sevenstrings and the Rabelaisian world of lust and drink:
“Someone could make a rare fine song of that.” Tom plucked a string on his woodharp. Lady Smallwood gave him a withering look. “Someone who doesn’t rhyme carry on with Dondarrion, perhaps. Or play ‘Oh, Lay My Sweet Lass Down in the Grass’ to every milkmaid in the shire and leave two of them with big bellies…men will be calling you Tom Sevensons before much longer.”
Given how little of Tom’s bullshit she’s willing to put up with, while it’s clear that the “lady wife was an old friend of Tom Sevenstrings,” I’m less sure that “they’d once been lovers,” or if they had it’s pretty clear that she tired of him pretty damn quickly. It also suggests that, while Tom has pretensions of being a True Artist, he’s a bit of a hack who goes for the obvious rhyme (although to be fair, Dondarrion is a tough one) and who’s more interested in the groupies than the work itself.
Thoros Karamazov
After Tom, the next personality we get introduced to is actually we’ve met before, way back in AGOT but only as a mere background character (not that unlike his compatriot Beric Dondarrion), Thoros of Myr:
“Thoros herding sheep?” Anguy laughed aloud. “I grant you it was an odd sight, but Thoros claimed that as a priest he knew how to tend a flock.” “Aye, and shear them too.”
GRRM is doing an multilayered bit of misdirection here. While quietly suggesting that Thoros has become more assiduous in his pastoral duties, he hides that behind a portrait of a cheerfully corrupt man of the cloth, more interested in the world of the flesh:
“This Thoros,” Gendry said as they walked past the kennels, “is he the same Thoros who lived in the castle at King’s Landing? A red priest, fat, with a shaved head?…My master always scolded him about his flaming swords. It was no way to treat good steel, he’d say, but this Thoros never used good steel. He’d just dip some cheap sword in wildfire and set it alight. It was only an alchemist’s trick, my master said, but it scared the horses and some of the greener knights….He liked feasts and tourneys, that was why King Robert was so fond of him. And this Thoros was brave. When the walls of Pyke crashed down, he was the first through the breach. He fought with one of his flaming swords, setting ironmen afire with every slash….it’s only a trick.”
This is the bigger misdirect. Unbeknownst to the reader, this portrait of Thoros of Myr as Robert Baratheon’s Rabelaisian drinking budy whose magic was “only a trick” was accurate until fairly recently. Off-page, however, he’s experienced a profound spiritual awakening that has transformed the faithless mountebank into a righteous warrior of god, the trick into a genuine miracle. (It also works as yet another misdirect for Beric Dondarrion’s resurrection discussed above; a first-time reader is doubly unlikely to believe that he’s coming back from the dead if the only magic worker near him is a fraud.) It’s also interesting that this isn’t the first off-page transformation Thoros will experience; between the Epilogue of ASOS and his reappearance in Brienne VIII of AFFC, he’ll lose all of his hard-won faith.
Arya’s Story: on Torture and Justice
Now that we have exhaustively covered the Brotherhood Without Banners, we move on to what all of this means to Arya. The thematic parallels come thick and fast, in no small part because Arya’s story and the Brotherhood’s have been orbiting around eachother ever since she left King’s Landing:
He hesitated. “You know what it means, to be put to the question?” Arya nodded. “Tickling, they called it. Polliver and Raff and all.” She told them about the village by the Gods Eye where she and Gendry had been caught, and the questions that the Tickler had asked…Just thinking of it, she could hear the shrieks again, and smell the stench of blood and shit and burning flesh. “He always asked the same questions,” she told the outlaws solemnly, “but he changed the tickling every day.” “No child should be made to suffer that,” Harwin said when she was done. “The Mountain lost half his men at the Stone Mill, we hear. Might be this Tickler’s floating down the Red Fork even now, with fish biting at his face. If not, well, it’s one more crime they’ll answer for. I’ve heard his lordship say this war began when the Hand sent him out to bring the king’s justice to Gregor Clegane, and that’s how he means for it to end.”
The first and most obvious connection between Arya and the Brotherhood is that way that Arya has been a witness to (and victim of) the evils done by the Lannisters in their hunt for the Brotherhood. And just as much as her quest for vengeance was started by the murder of her father, from her list alone we know just as much of it was driven by what she saw in the Riverlands. And thus, Arya and the Brotherhood have many enemies in common: the Lannisters, Gregor Clegane and his men, and of course, the Hound.
However, the Brotherhood also introduces an interesting tension between vengeance and justice. While Beric will give the more high-falutin’ version in a couple chapters, if there is a higher purpose to the Brotherhood Without Banners, it’s in Harwin’s horrified insistence that “no child should be made to suffer.” This idea, that violence should be serve a higher purpose than blood for blood makes the Brotherhood something of a challenge to Arya’s worldview, and I wonder whether this will affect how Arya reacts to LSH when she gets back to the Riverlands…
The Wolves of War
Speaking of the costs of vengeance, one of the running threads that affects Arya deeply in this chapter is the repeated appearance (first at the treetop village and second at Sallydance) of the Karstarks off on their suicide run:
“A dozen wolves went down the Hayford road nine days past, hunting. If they’d chanced to look up they might have seen us.” “…Whose work was this?” said Lem Lemoncloak. “Mummers?” “No, the old man said. “Northmen, they were. Savages who worship trees. They wanted the Kingslayer, they said.” Arya heard him, and chewed her lip. She could feel Gendry looking at her. It made her angry and ashamed.
Lest anyone be deceived as to how virtuous Rickard Karstark’s quest for revenge was, note that the first thing these men do is to sack a sept, a sept that belongs not to their Lannister enemies but to the Riverlander allies they abandoned. Neverthless, this hits Arya hard – so much of her identity is tied up in being a “wolf” and now the wolves have become evil. Hence her feeling of intense shame, which will only become more profound and more intensely personal.
When she gets to Acorn Hall, however, we see a different side of Arya’s attitude to the Karstark men:
“You’d best know, I’ve had less pleasant callers as well. A pack of wolves came howling around my gates, thinking I might have Jaime Lannister in here.” Tom stopped his plucking. “Then it’s true, the Kingslayer is loose again?” Lady Smallwood gave him a scornful look. “I hardly think they’d be hunting him if he was chained up under Riverrun.” “What did m’lady tell them?” asked Jack-Be-Lucky. “Why, that I had Ser Jaime naked in my bed, but I’d left him much too exhausted to come down. One of them had the effrontery to call me a liar, so we saw them off with a few quarrels. I believe they made for Blackbottom Bend.” Arya squirmed restlessly in her seat. “What northmen was it, who came looking after the Kingslayer?” Lady Smallwood seemed surprised that she’d spoken. “They did not give their names, child, but they wore black, with the badge of a white sun on the breast.” A white sun on black was the sigil of Lord Karstark, Arya thought. Those were Robb’s men. She wondered if they were still close. If she could give the outlaws the slip and find them, maybe they would take her to her mother at Riverrun…
I love this sequence for a couple reasons, not the least of which is Lady Smallwood combining a brave stand (after all, we’ve just seen what the Karstark men are capable of) with a much-needed bit of comic relief (which ties back to the former, since the comedy is reminiscent of a Lysistrata-style affirmation of sexuality over violence). It also does a great job of tying in with Jaime III (and reminding us how close these POV characters actually are and how the disparate plots are actually interacting with one another all the time), as these doomed idiots don’t even realize that their prize has slipped through their fingers because they’re too busy hassling civilians.
Arya’s moment where she has second thoughts about running away despite having given her word to Harwin is proof that Arya still hasn’t had all of their childishness burned away with, but it’s also necessary to bring Catelyn front and center:
“Did they say how Lannister came to escape?” Lem asked. “They did,” said Lady Smallwood. “Not that I believe a word of it. They claimed that Lady Catelyn set him free.” That startled Tom so badly he snapped a string. “Go on with you,” he said. “That’s madness.” It’s not true, thought Arya. It couldn’t be true.
Catelyn’s involvement in Jaime’s release makes all of the built-up shame intensely personal – the figure who represents safety more than anyone else in the world, the one she so desperately wants to get back to that she’s willing forswear herself and run away to join up with marauding Karstarks, is the one responsible for the Karstarks’ marauding in the first place. Her mother, the oldest remaining member of House Stark, has betrayed House Stark (unbeknownst to Arya, to rescue her, which would only make matters worse had she known). This reaction is critical for understanding Arya’s behavior later in the chapter.
Ransom and Self Worth
Fairly early on in the chapter, we get a sense of how everything that Arya’s experienced throughout all of her travails in ACOK has affected her state of mind when the topic of ransoms comes up. Initially, it’s a source of tension between her and the Brotherhood:
Lem and Gendry played tiles with their hosts that night, while Tom Sevenstrings sang a silly song about Big Belly Ben and the High Septon’s goose. Anguy let Arya try his longbow, but no matter how hard she bit her lip she could not draw it. “You need a lighter bow, milady,” the freckled bowman said. “If there’s seasoned wood at Riverrun, might be I’ll make you one.” Tom overheard him, and broke off his song. “You’re a young fool, Archer. If we go to Riverrun it will only be to collect her ransom, won’t be no time for you to sit about making bows. Be thankful if you get out with your hide. Lord Hoster was hanging outlaws before you were shaving…”
Everything that should make the Brotherhood and Arya get along – their common enemies, their admiration for her spirit, Anguy’s guileless friendliness – is constrained by the simple fact that the Brotherhood are outlaws who are holding Arya for ransom (while at the same time recognizing that Arya’s family are noblemen who would see it as their duty, as part of upholding law and order, to hang them). As much as someone like Anguy would like to treat Arya like a person, the “Cause” requires the Brotherhood to treat her as a bargaining chip:
“What did he mean about ransom?” “We have sore need of horses, milady. Armor as well. Swords, shields, spears. All the things coin can buy. Aye, and seed for planting. Winter is coming, remember?” He touched her under the chin. “You will not be the first highborn captive we’ve ransomed. Nor the last, I’d hope.” That much was true, Arya knew. Knights were captured and ransomed all the time, and sometimes women were too. But what if Robb won’t pay their price? She wasn’t a famous knight, and kings were supposed to put the realm before their sisters. And her lady mother, what would she say? Would she still want her back, after all the things she’d done? Arya chewed her lip and wondered.
What’s interesting about Arya’s psychology in this moment is that Arya doesn’t actually resent Harwin for putting the good of the Brotherhood – their need for war materiel to allow them to fight on more even terms with the occupiers, as well as their redistribution of agricultural goods to starving peasants for whom one more harvest will mean the difference between life and death. Rather, her disquiet comes from a lack of self-worth, that she doesn’t believe that her mother would “still want her back” because of “all the things she’s done,” a clear sign of the lasting damage that trauma has done to her psyche. (Incidentally, Arya’s statement that “kings were supposed to put the realm before their sisters” is a nice counter to the argument that Robb was slighting his sisters in his negotiations with the Lannisters.)
And connected to Arya’s self-image is the tricky issue of gender.
Acorn Hall and Femininity
While Acorn Hall has its relevance for the Brotherhood, its major thematic importance for Arya’s story is that it’s the first really female space she’s been in since Winterfell, and Lady Smallwood is the closest thing to a mother figure to appear in any of Arya’s POV chapters:
“Who dressed the poor child in those Bolton rags?” she demanded of them. “That badge…there’s many a man who would hang her in half a heartbeat for wearing a flayed man on her breast.” Arya promptly found herself marched upstairs, forced into a tub, and doused with scalding hot water. Lady Smallwood’s maidservants scrubbed her so hard it felt like they were flaying her themselves. They even dumped in some stinky-sweet stuff that smelled like flowers. And afterward, they insisted she dress herself in girl’s things, brown woolen stockings and a light linen shift, and over that a light green gown with acorns embroidered all over the bodice in brown thread, and more acorns bordering the hem. “My great-aunt is a septa at a motherhouse in Oldtown,” Lady Smallwood said as the women laced the gown up Arya’s back. “I sent my daughter there when the war began. She’ll have outgrown these things by the time she returns, no doubt. Are you fond of dancing, child? My Carellen’s a lovely dancer. She sings beautifully as well. What do you like to do?”
Arya’s discomfort with all of this comes from a far more complicated place than Benioff and Weiss’ “most girls are idiots” line. Yes, Arya has strong “tomboyish” leanings but they’re also linked into generally childish leanings – she lilkes running around outside and getting dirty, she doesn’t like taking baths, and she doesn’t like sitting still. Moreover, her feelings towards femininity as a concept aren’t simple rejection:
She scuffed a toe amongst the rushes. “Needlework.” “Very restful, isn’t it?” “Well,” said Arya, “not the way I do it.” “No? I have always found it so. The gods give each of us our little gifts and talents, and it is meant for us to use them, my aunt always says. Any act can be a prayer, if done as well as we are able. Isn’t that a lovely thought? Remember that the next time you do your needlework. Do you work at it every day?”
The scuffing of the toe, the evasive dialogue – these are signs of embarrassment and uncertainty, because Arya is insecure about her femininity as she knows she’s bad at performing it. Instead, Arya looks to other identities – she knows or thinks that she can’t be “a proper young lady” so she tries to be “a wolf” instead. (Notably, this line of thinking falls away when Arya gets to Braavos, where she gets a lot better at performing in general.)
At the same time, Lady Smallwood’s reaction, which is about as close as we get to GRRM’s feelings on the matter that we get in this chapter, is more complicated than either approving or rejecting Arya’s position. The idea that “the gods give each of us our little gifts and talents, and it is meant for us to use them” at the very least implies that some people are good at traditional feminine handicrafts (needlework as Lady Smallwood understands it) and other people have other gifts (needlework as Arya means it) and that both paths are equally valid, that “any act can be a prayer.” (Incidentally, there’s some interesting echoesthere of Arya’s future tenure at the House of Black and White, where all kinds of violent actions are considered prayers.)
However, Arya’s encounter with femininity in this chapter is somewhat unsettling for her because in this chapter (and even more so in the next Arya chapter when we get to “The Peach”) it’s associated with puberty* and how that will change her relationships with men:
*(I’m not going to go down the well-trodden road of discussing how GRRM’s writing on this topic is problematic – only to note that this section would work a lot better if, following the show’s aging up of its main characters, Arya was 12 going on 13 in this chapter instead of 10 years old.)
“You look different now. Like a proper little girl.” “I look like an oak tree, with all these stupid acorns.” “Nice, though. A nice oak tree.” He stepped closer, and sniffed at her. “You even smell nice for a change.” “You don’t. You stink.”
While Gendry has known intellectually that Arya was a girl for a long time, now that she’s actually wearing women’s clothing for the first time since AGOT he’s starting to treat her differently. And all of the guilt and shame about the Karstark raiders and Catelyn freeing Jaime Lannister, and all of her discomfort with her situation and the way that Gendry is treating her differently, comes pouring out of her and the two of them have a scuffle, which for a moment restores their previous mode of interaction. Unfortunately for Arya, this doesn’t get to last:
Harwin took one look at them and burst out laughing, and Anguy smiled one of his stupid freckly smiles and said, “Are we certain this one is a highborn lady?” But Lem Lemoncloak gave Gendry a clout alongside the head. “You want to fight, fight with me! She’s a girl, and half your age! You keep your hands off o’ her, you hear me?”
This way of thinking, that turns something innocent and child-like into something forbidden because of Arya’s gender, is also part of what Arya rails against – and well she should. But even here, GRRM doesn’t end the note on a straightforward note:
Lady Smallwood gave her breeches, belt, and tunic to wear, and a brown doeskin jerkin dotted with iron studs. “They were my son’s things,” she said. “He died when he was seven.” “I’m sorry, my lady.” Arya suddenly felt bad for her, and ashamed. “I’m sorry I tore the acorn dress too. It was pretty.” “Yes, child. And so are you. Be brave.”
Rather than being unmitigatedly happy about no longer having to wear girls’ clothes and getting a new set of boys’ clothes, Arya experiences a moment of sympathy and shame by coming to understand what it meant for Lady Smallwood to give her her children’s clothes, that the clothes have personal meaning beyond gender signifiers. The common ground of shared loss provides a synthesis similar to what we’ve seen above: Arya has a moment of appreciating the feminine, and Lady Smallwood suggests that one can be both “pretty” and “brave.”
Historical Analysis:
As I discussed briefly above, the Brotherhood’s organizational model – dispersing manpower into small groups rather than one main force, having those cells operate independently of one another, carefully controlling information so that groups can’t betray one another or the leadership – these are common real-world strategies of insurgent movements. For example, see this scene from Battle of Algiers (1966), one of the best films on the subject ever made:
http://www.criticalcommons.org/Members/nmirzoeff/clips/Battle%20of%20Algiers.m4v/embed_view
And there’s a reason so why this model is so common: it works. There have been other models, most notably the revolutionary secret society that flourished in Europe after the French Revolution. The Italian Carbonari who pushed for Italian unification in a number of revolutions are the most famous of these, but there were similar groups in France, in Germany, in Spain and Portugal, and in Russia operating throughout the 19th century. The problem that the secret societies ran into was that, as they attempted to grow from a nucleus of committed radicals to a mass movement, they inevitably found themselves infiltrated by government agents and informers who cared less about the binding nature of their oaths to preserve the secrecy of the organization, leading to their exposure and destruction.
Food is another common element of resistance movements. Because so much of political, economic, and social conflict in Latin America revolved around the unequal ownership of land and the direction of land use towards export commodities, food has been a central concern for guerrilla movements. In addition to political demands for redistribution of land and rhetorical calls for lower food prices, guerrilla armies have frequently seized and redistributed food as a way to gain support in rural areas.
Similarly, European resistance movements during WWII focused intensely on food, because war-time economic dislocations and German looting of food supplies lead to severe shortages of food in France, in Greece, and in Yugoslavia. Resistance groups responded by establishing food committees to redistribute food to the people, by raiding rationing offices and stealing ration coupon books (which also disrupted the mechanisms of state control and surveillance), and of course by operating in the black market which also allowed for the smuggling of information, radios, guns, and munitions as well as foodstuffs and luxury goods.
And of course, peaceful resistance movements also focus on food as a means of organizing. While the Black Panther Party gained more headlines by carrying guns in public, it was their free breakfast program that really won them support in black neighborhoods; indeed, J. Edgar Hoover of the FBI (the most inveterate enemy of the Black Panthers) stated that the breakfast program “represents the best and most influential activity going for the BPP and, as such, is potentially the greatest threat to efforts by authorities.”
What If?
There’s not a good opportunity for hypotheticals in this particular chapter, because there aren’t a lot of choices that Arya makes. We may have to wait for Arya VI and the duel under the hollow hill…
Book vs. Show:
This is going to repeat somewhat what I said about Arya II and Arya III, but this chapter is an excellent example of why Benioff and Weiss’ habit of over-anticipating character change is a huge problem. Unless we’ve seen the Brotherhood Without Banners in the beginning and what they meant to the smallfolk of the Riverlands, their fall from grace has no context and thus has no impact. |
---
abstract: 'Applying the theory of Gröbner basis to the Schubert presentation for the cohomology of Grassmannians \[DZ$_{1}$\], we extend the homology rigidity results known for the classical Grassmanians to the exceptional cases.'
author:
- |
Fang Li\
Department of Mathematics, Jilin University
- |
Haibao Duan[^1]\
Institute of Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
date:
title: |
Homology rigidity of Grassmannians\
[Dedicated to Professor Wenjun Wu on his 90th birthday]{}
---
*2000 Mathematics subject classification: 55S37*
*Key words and phrases:* Grassmannians; cohomology;
Introduction
============
Let $G$ be a compact connected Lie group with Lie algebra $L(G)$, exponential map $\exp :L(G)\rightarrow G$, a maximal torus $T$, and a set $%
\Omega =\{\omega _{{1}},\cdots ,\omega _{{n}}\}\subset L(T)$ of *fundamental dominant weights* of $G$ (cf.** **\[Hu\]). For a weight $%
\omega \in \Omega $ let $H$ be the centralizer of the $1$–parameter subgroup $\{\exp (t\omega )\in G\mid t\in \mathbb{R}\}$. The homogeneous $%
G/H $ is a *flag variety*, called *the Grassmannian* *of* $G $* corresponding to* $\omega $.
If $G$ is simple with rank $n$, we assume that the set $\Omega =\{\omega _{{1%
}},\cdots ,\omega _{{n}}\}$ is so ordered as the root–vertices in the Dynkin diagram of $G$ pictured in \[Hu, p.58\]. With this convention we specify, in the table below, eight Grassmanianns $X=G/H$ associated to the exceptional Lie groups.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$G$ $F_{4}$ $F_{4}$ $E_{6}$ $E_{6}$ $E_{7}$ $E_{7}$ $E_{7}$ $%
E_{8}$
----------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- ------------------- -------------------- -------------------- --------------- --------------------
$\omega $ $\omega _{1}$ $\omega _{4}$ $\omega _{2}$ $\omega _{6}$ $% $\omega _{7}$ $\omega _{2}$ $\omega _{8}$
\omega _{1}$
$H$ $C_{3}\cdot S^{1}$ $B_{3}\cdot S^{1}$ $A_{6}\cdot S^{1}$ $% $D_{6}\cdot S^{1}$ $E_{6}\cdot S^{1}$ $A_{7}\cdot $E_{7}\cdot S^{1}$
D_{5}\cdot S^{1}$ S^{1}$
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\
For a topological space $X$ let $[X,X]$ be the set of homotopy classes of self-maps of $X$, and let $End(H^{\ast }(X))$ be the set of endomorphisms of the integral cohomology ring $H^{\ast }(X)$. It is known since 1970’s that if $X$ is a flag variety, the correspondence
$[X,X]\rightarrow End(H^{\ast }(X))$
assigning a map $f$ with its induced endomorphism $f^{\ast }$ is nearly faithful in the sense that it has finite kernel and finite cokernel with respect to the obvious monoid structure on both sets (cf. \[GH\]). Therefore, the problem of finding $%
End(H^{\ast }(X))$ for a flag manifold $X$ is a crucial step toward understanding all self-maps of $X$.
In this paper, we determine $End(H^{\ast }(X))$ for the eight Grassmannians tabulated above. Before stating our result, it is worthwhile to mention two earlier results on this topic.
It is known that, if $X$ is a Grassmannian, then
1. $H^{r}(X)$ is torsion free and vanishes for odd $r$;
2. $H^{2}(X)=\mathbb{Z}$ is generated by the Kaehlerian class $%
\alpha _{X}$ of $X$.
We note that, in view of (1.2), any endomorphism of $H^{\ast }(X)$ must map $\alpha _{X}$ to a multiple of itself.
Let $A=\underset{r\geq 0}{\oplus }A^{2r}$ be a graded ring which vanishes in odd degrees (as being indicated), and let $p$ be an integer. The element $%
\psi ^{p}\in End(A)$ defined by
> $\psi ^{p}(x)=p^{r}x$, $x\in A^{2r}$
is called the **Adams operator** on $A$ with order $p$.
**Theorem 1 (Hoffmann \[H, 1984\])**. *Let* $X$*be the Grassmannian* $G_{n,k}$* of* $k$*-dimensional linear subspaces in* $\mathbb{C}^{n}$*, and let* $h\in End(H^{\ast }(X))$* with* $h(\alpha _{X})=p\alpha _{X},$* *$p\neq 0$*. Then*
*i) if* $n\neq 2k$*,* $h=\psi ^{p}$*;*
*ii) if* $n=2k$*, there is the additional possibility* $h=\psi
^{p}\circ \tau $*, where* $\tau $* is the involution on* $%
G_{2k,k}$* that sends a* $k$*-dimensional linear subspaces* $%
L\subset C^{n}$* to its othogonal complement* $L^{\perp }$*.*$%
\square $
T**heorem 2 (Duan, \[D, 2003\]).** *Let* $X$* be the Grassmannian* $\mathbb{C}S_{n}$* of complex structures on* $%
R^{2n}$* and let* $h\in End(H^{\ast }(X))$* with* $\
h(\alpha _{X})=p\alpha _{X}, $* *$p\neq 0$*. Then* $h=\psi
^{p}$*.*$\square $
Hoffmann conjectured that Theorem 1 holds for the case $p=0$. In comparison it was shown in \[D\] that Theorem 2 is not true for $p=0$.
Turning to the exceptional Grassmannians under consideration, the case $%
X=E_{6}/A_{6}\cdot S^{1}$ will be of particular interest. Fix a maximal torus $T$ in $E_{6}$. Then
> a\) the Dynkind diagram of $E_{6}$ has the symmetry $\varphi $ given by reflection in the edge joinning the $2^{nd}$ and $4^{th}$ vertices \[Hu, p.58\], hence determines an automorphism $\varphi ^{\ast }$ on $H^{\ast
> }(E_{6}/T)$ by \[P\];
>
> b\) the induced ring map $p^{\ast }:$ $H^{\ast }(E_{6}/A_{6}\cdot
> S^{1})\rightarrow H^{\ast }(E_{6}/T)$ of the fibration $p:E_{6}/T\rightarrow
> E_{6}/A_{6}\cdot S^{1}$ (corresponding to the inclusion $T\subset A_{6}\cdot
> S^{1}$) is injective, hence identify $H^{\ast }(E_{6}/A_{6}\cdot S^{1})$ as a subring of $H^{\ast }(E_{6}/T)$.
The main result of this paper is
**Theorem 3**. *Let* $X$* be one of the Grassmanians specified in the Table, and let* $h\in End(H^{\ast }(X))$ *with* $h(\alpha _{X})=p\alpha _{X}$*. Then*
*i)* *if* $X\neq E_{6}/A_{6}\cdot S^{1},$* *$h=\psi
^{p}$*;*
*ii)* *if* $X=E_{6}/A_{6}\cdot S^{1}$*, there is the additional possibility* $h=\psi ^{p}\circ \tau $*, where* $\tau $* is the restriction of* $\varphi ^{\ast }\in Aut(H^{\ast
}(E_{6}/T)) $ *to the subring* $H^{\ast }(E_{6}/A_{6}\cdot S^{1})$*.*
By establishing Theorem 3, we wish to demonstrate how the theory of Gröbner basis is used in extending the stricking rigidity property to Grassmannianns associated to the exceptional Lie groups.
The authors would like to thank Xu-an Zhao for clearifying the additional case ii) in Theorem 3, which first occurs to us from the calulation in Case 3 of §4.
The ring $H^{\ast}(X;\mathbb{Q})$ for a Grassmannian $X$
========================================================
If $X$ is a Grassmannian, the inclusion $\mathbb{Z}\rightarrow\mathbb{Q}$ of coefficients induces an injective ring map $H^{\ast}(X)\rightarrow H^{\ast
}(X;\mathbb{Q})$ by (2.1). Therefore, it suffices to establish the Theorem for cohomology with rational coefficients (instead of integers).
In the classical approaches to $End(H^{\ast }(X;\mathbb{Q}))$ for $X=G_{n,k%
\text{ }}$, $\mathbb{C}S_{n}$ (i.e. Theorems 1 and 2), the authors based their calculation on the existing presentations of $H^{\ast }(X;\mathbb{Q})$ in the form of a quotient of a free polynomial ring
1. $H^{\ast }(X;\mathbb{Q})=\mathbb{Q}[y_{1},\cdots
,y_{n}]/\left\langle g_{1},\cdots ,g_{m}\right\rangle $,
where $g_{1},\cdots ,g_{m}\in $ $\mathbb{Q}[y_{1},\cdots ,y_{n}]$, and where $\left\langle g_{1},\cdots ,g_{m}\right\rangle $ is the ideal generated by $g_{1},\cdots ,g_{m}$. In \[DZ$_{1}$\], a unified method computing the rings $H^{\ast }(X)$ for all Grassmannians $X$ has been developed. In particular, for those Grassmannians $X$ concerned by the Theorem, presentations of $H^{\ast }(X;\mathbb{Q})$ in the form of (2.1) can be deduced directly from \[DZ$_{1}$, Theorems 1–7\] and \[DZ$_{2}$; (2.9)\]. We present these results in (2.2)–(2.9) below, where the subscripts for the generators $y_{i}$’s and relations $g_{j}$’s are adopted to indicate their degrees in the fashion
> $\deg y_{i}=2i$, $\deg g_{j}=2j$;
and where $y_{1}$ is in the place of the Kaehlerian class $\alpha
_{X}$ on $X$ (see (1.2)).
1. $H^{\ast}(F_{4}/C_{3}\cdot S^{1};\mathbb{Q})=\mathbb{Q}%
[y_{1},y_{4}]/\left\langle g_{8},g_{12}\right\rangle $, where
$g_{8}=24y_{4}^{2}+y_{1}^{8}-12y_{1}^{4}y_{4};~~$
$g_{12}=y_{1}^{12}-24y_{1}^{8}y_{4}+144y_{1}^{4}y_{4}^{2}-64y_{4}^{3}.$
2. $H^{\ast}(F_{4}/B_{3}\cdot S^{1};\mathbb{Q})=\mathbb{Q}%
[y_{1},y_{4}]/\left\langle g_{8},g_{12}\right\rangle $, where
$g_{8}=3y_{4}^{2}-y_{1}^{8};~~$
$g_{12}=26y_{4}^{3}-5y_{1}^{12}.$
3. $H^{\ast}(E_{6}/A_{6}\cdot S^{1};\mathbb{Q})=\mathbb{Q}%
[y_{1},y_{3},y_{4}]/\left\langle g_{8},g_{9},g_{12}\right\rangle $, where
$%
g_{8}=6y_{4}^{2}-12y_{1}y_{3}y_{4}+9y_{1}^{2}y_{3}^{2}+3y_{1}^{4}y_{4}-6y_{1}^{5}y_{3}+y_{1}^{8};
$
$%
g_{9}=-2y_{3}^{3}+6y_{3}y_{1}^{2}y_{4}-3y_{1}^{3}y_{3}^{2}+4y_{3}y_{1}^{6}-3y_{1}^{5}y_{4}-y_{1}^{9};
$
$%
g_{12}=4y_{4}^{3}-y_{3}^{4}+6y_{3}^{2}y_{1}^{2}y_{4}-4y_{3}^{3}y_{1}^{3}-2y_{3}^{2}y_{1}^{6}-9y_{1}^{4}y_{4}^{2}+12y_{1}^{5}y_{4}y_{3}
$
$\qquad -6y_{1}^{8}y_{4}+4y_{1}^{9}y_{3}-y_{1}^{12}.$
4. $H^{\ast }(E_{6}/D_{5}\cdot S^{1};\mathbb{Q})=\mathbb{Q}%
[y_{1},y_{4}]/\left\langle g_{9},g_{12}\right\rangle $, where
$g_{9}=2y_{1}^{9}+3y_{1}y_{4}^{2}-6y_{1}^{5}y_{4};$
$g_{12}=y_{4}^{3}-6y_{1}^{4}y_{4}^{2}+y_{1}^{12}.$
5. $H^{\ast }(E_{7}/E_{6}\cdot S^{1};\mathbb{Q})=\mathbb{Q}%
[y_{1},y_{5},y_{9}]/\left\langle g_{10},g_{14},g_{18}\right\rangle $, where
$g_{10}=y_{5}^{2}-2y_{1}y_{9};$
$g_{14}=2y_{5}y_{9}-9y_{1}^{4}y_{5}^{2}+6y_{1}^{9}y_{5}-y_{1}^{14};$
$g_{18}=y_{9}^{2}+10y_{1}^{3}y_{5}^{3}-9y_{1}^{8}y_{5}^{2}+2y_{1}^{13}y_{5}.$
6. $H^{\ast }(E_{7}/D_{6}\cdot S^{1};\mathbb{Q})=\mathbb{Q}%
[y_{1},y_{4},y_{6}]/\left\langle g_{12},g_{14},g_{18}\right\rangle $, where
$%
g_{12}=3y_{6}^{2}-y_{4}^{3}-3y_{1}^{4}y_{4}^{2}-2y_{1}^{6}y_{6}+2y_{1}^{8}y_{4};
$
$%
g_{14}=3y_{4}^{2}y_{6}+3y_{1}^{2}y_{6}^{2}+6y_{1}^{2}y_{4}^{3}+6y_{1}^{4}y_{4}y_{6}-3y_{1}^{6}y_{4}^{2}-4y_{1}^{8}y_{6}-2y_{1}^{10}y_{4}+y_{1}^{14};
$
$%
g_{18}=45y_{4}^{4}y_{1}^{2}+120y_{4}^{2}y_{1}^{4}y_{6}+60y_{4}^{3}y_{1}^{6}-52y_{4}^{2}y_{1}^{10}-16y_{1}^{6}y_{6}^{2}+80y_{1}^{8}y_{6}y_{4}
$
$\qquad
-96y_{1}^{12}y_{6}-48y_{1}^{14}y_{4}+28y_{1}^{18}+116y_{6}^{3}+180y_{1}^{2}y_{4}y_{6}^{2}.
$
7. $H^{\ast }(E_{8}/E_{7}\cdot S^{1};\mathbb{Q})=\mathbb{Q}%
[y_{1},y_{6},y_{10}]/\left\langle g_{20},g_{24},g_{30}\right\rangle ,$ where
$%
g_{20}=3y_{10}^{2}+10y_{1}^{2}y_{6}^{3}+18y_{1}^{4}y_{6}y_{10}-12y_{1}^{10}y_{10}-18y_{1}^{8}y_{6}^{2}+9y_{1}^{14}y_{6}-y_{1}^{20};
$
$%
g_{24}=5y_{6}^{4}+30y_{1}^{2}y_{6}^{2}y_{10}+15y_{1}^{4}y_{10}^{2}-15y_{1}^{14}y_{10}-15y_{1}^{12}y_{6}^{2}+10y_{1}^{18}y_{6}-y_{1}^{24};
$
$%
g_{30}=12y_{1}^{4}y_{6}y_{10}^{2}+24y_{1}^{14}y_{6}y_{10}+56y_{1}^{24}y_{6}-36y_{1}^{10}y_{10}^{2}-32y_{10}^{3}+4y_{6}^{5}-9y_{1}^{30}
$
$%
\qquad-48y_{1}^{20}y_{10}+60y_{1}^{6}y_{6}^{4}-64y_{1}^{18}y_{6}^{2}+96y_{1}^{8}y_{10}y_{6}^{2}-44y_{1}^{12}y_{6}^{3}.
$
8. $H^{\ast}(E_{7}/A_{7}\cdot S^{1},\mathbb{Q})=\mathbb{Q}%
[y_{1},y_{3},y_{4},y_{5},y_{7}]/\left\langle
g_{8},g_{10},g_{12},g_{14},g_{18}\right\rangle $, where
$%
g_{8}=6y_{4}^{2}-4y_{3}y_{5}+4y_{1}y_{7}-12y_{1}y_{3}y_{4}+9y_{1}^{2}y_{3}^{2}+2y_{1}^{3}y_{5}+3y_{1}^{4}y_{4}-6y_{1}^{5}y_{3}+y_{1}^{8};
$
$g_{10}=y_{5}^{2}-2y_{3}y_{7}+y_{1}^{3}y_{7};$
$%
g_{12}=-4y_{4}^{3}-2y_{3}^{2}y_{1}^{6}+9y_{1}^{4}y_{4}^{2}+6y_{1}^{8}y_{4}-4y_{1}^{9}y_{3}-24y_{1}y_{4}y_{7}-12y_{1}^{5}y_{4}y_{3}+8y_{5}y_{7}
$
$%
\qquad+4y_{3}y_{1}y_{4}^{2}-18y_{3}^{2}y_{1}^{2}y_{4}+12y_{3}y_{1}^{2}y_{7}-3y_{3}^{4}+y_{1}^{12}+16y_{3}^{3}y_{1}^{3};
$
$%
g_{14}=y_{7}^{2}+3y_{4}y_{5}^{2}+y_{5}y_{3}^{3}+3y_{5}y_{3}y_{1}^{2}y_{4}-3y_{5}y_{1}^{3}y_{3}^{2}+y_{5}y_{3}y_{1}^{6}-y_{5}y_{1}y_{4}^{2}-3\,y_{5}y_{1}^{2}y_{7};
$
$%
g_{18}=-8y_{4}^{3}y_{5}y_{1}-4y_{5}y_{7}y_{3}^{2}-2y_{3}y_{1}^{7}y_{4}^{2}+y_{3}^{6}-6y_{3}y_{1}^{8}y_{7}+18y_{1}^{5}y_{3}^{2}y_{7}+15y_{3}^{2}y_{1}^{4}y_{4}^{2}
$
$%
\qquad-6y_{3}y_{1}^{3}y_{4}^{3}+8y_{4}y_{5}y_{3}y_{1}^{6}-12y_{1}y_{5}^{2}y_{7}+y_{1}^{2}y_{4}^{4}+12y_{4}^{2}y_{5}^{2}+y_{3}^{2}y_{1}^{12}-6y_{1}^{9}y_{3}^{3}
$
$%
\qquad+11y_{3}^{4}y_{1}^{6}+8y_{4}y_{5}y_{3}^{3}+24y_{4}^{2}y_{5}y_{3}y_{1}^{2}+8y_{3}y_{5}^{3}-18y_{3}^{3}y_{1}^{5}y_{4}-2y_{3}^{3}y_{1}y_{4}^{2}
$
$%
\qquad+4y_{5}y_{7}y_{1}^{6}+6y_{3}^{4}y_{1}^{2}y_{4}-6y_{3}^{5}y_{1}^{3}+6y_{1}^{3}y_{4}^{2}y_{7}-18y_{3}y_{1}^{4}y_{4}y_{7}-6y_{3}^{3}y_{1}^{2}y_{7}
$
$%
\qquad+6y_{3}^{2}y_{1}^{8}y_{4}-4y_{4}y_{7}^{2}+9y_{1}^{4}y_{7}^{2}-24y_{4}y_{5}y_{1}^{3}y_{3}^{2}-8y_{5}y_{7}y_{1}^{3}y_{3}-12y_{4}y_{5}y_{1}^{2}y_{7}.
$
**Remark.** In (2.2)–(2.9), every generator $y_{i}$ is in fact a Schubert class of degree $i$ on the corresponding $X$ \[DZ$_{1}$\].
The algorithm
==============
As one can see from (2.2)–(2.9) that the rings $H^{\ast }(X;\mathbb{Q})$ vary considerably with respect to the Grassmannians $X$. However, with their common feature (2.1) in mind we may create some notations useful in a unified approach to $End(H^{\ast }(X;\mathbb{Q}))$.
For a polynomial ring $\mathbb{Q}[y_{{1}},\cdots,y_{{n}}]$ graded by $\deg
y_{{i}}>0$, its subspace of the homogeneous elements of degree $r$ has a canonical basis
1. $B^{r}=\{y^{\alpha}=y_{{1}}^{b_{{1}}}\cdots,y_{{n}}^{b{n}%
}\mid\alpha=(b_{{1}},\cdots,b_{{n}})\in\mathbb{N}^{n},\deg y^{\alpha}=r\}$,
called the *monomial basis* of $\mathbb{Q}[y_{{1}},\cdots
,y_{{n}}]$ in degree $r$, where $\mathbb{N}^{n}$ is the set of all $n$–tuples $\alpha =(b_{{1}},\cdots ,b_{{n}})$ of non–negative integers, considered as an ordered set with respect to the lexicographical order on $%
\mathbb{N}^{n}$.
For a subset $\{g_{1},\cdots,g_{m}\}\subset$ $\mathbb{Q}[y_{1},\cdots,y_{n}]$ let $\mathcal{G}$ be the Gröbner basis of the ideal $\left\langle
g_{1},\cdots,g_{m}\right\rangle $ \[E\]. The package “*Gbasis*” in MAPLE \[E\] has the function
> *In:* A subset $\{g_{1},\cdots,g_{m}\}\subset$ $\mathbb{Q}%
> [y_{1},\cdots,y_{n}]$;
>
> *Out:* the Gröbner basis $\mathcal{G}$ of $\left\langle
> g_{1},\cdots,g_{m}\right\rangle $,
whose importance is shown in the next result.
**Lemma 1.** Each polynomial $f\in\mathbb{Q}[y_{{1}},\cdots,y_{%
{n}}] $ determines a unique element $h\in\mathbb{Q}[y_{{1}},\cdots,y_{{n}}]$, called *the residue of* $f$* module* $\left\langle
g_{1},\cdots,g_{m}\right\rangle $, that satisfies
> i\) $f\equiv h$ $\func{mod}$ $\mathcal{G}$;
>
> ii\) $f\in \left\langle g_{1},\cdots ,g_{m}\right\rangle $ if and only if $%
> h=0 $.
Moreover, the package “*Normal*” in MAPLE \[E\] has the function to implement $h$ from $f$.$\square $
We may now clarify the algorithm by which Theorem 3 is established. An endomorphism $f$ of the ring (2.1) can be regarded as an endomorphism of the free polynomial ring $\mathbb{Q}[y_{1},\cdots ,y_{n}]$ which preserves the ideal $\left\langle g_{1},\cdots ,g_{m}\right\rangle $. Based on this observation we can assume that $f$ is given by
1. $f(y_{i})=\sum\limits_{y^{\alpha}\in
B^{s_{i}}}c_{\alpha}^{i}\cdot y^{\alpha},~s_{i}=\deg y_{i},~c_{\alpha}^{i}\in%
\mathbb{Q},~i=1,\cdots,n$,
that are subject to the restrictions
1. $f(g_{j}(y_{1},\cdots,y_{n}))=g_{j}(f(y_{1}),\cdots,f(y_{n}))%
\in\left\langle g_{1},\cdots,g_{m}\right\rangle $, $~j=1,\cdots,m$,
where the equality in (3.3) comes from the fact that $f$ is a ring map. Assume that the residue of $g_{j}(f(y_{1}),\cdots,f(y_{n}))$ module $%
\left\langle g_{1},\cdots,g_{m}\right\rangle $ is
1. $h_{j}=\sum\limits_{y^{\alpha}\in B^{t_{j}}}b_{\alpha}^{j}\cdot
y^{\alpha}$, $t_{j}=\deg g_{j}$,
where $b_{\alpha}^{j}$ are certain polynomials in the $c_{\alpha
}^{i}$’s in (3.2). Then (3.3) is equivalent to the system
1. $\mathcal{S}:\{b_{\alpha}^{j}=0\mid1\leq j\leq m,$ $%
y^{\alpha}\in B^{t_{j}}\}$
by the Lemma. In other word, (3.5) constitutes all the constraints that the $c_{\alpha }^{i}$’s in (3.2) must satisfy. Finally, we remark that the package “*Solve*” or “*Gsolve*” in MAPLE \[E\] has the function to produce all the solutions to the system (3.5).
Proof of the Theorem
====================
**Case 1.** $X=F_{4}/C_{3}\cdot S^{1}$ (see (2.2)). In accordance with the order $y_{1}>y_{4}$, the Gröbner basis of the ideal $%
\left\langle g_{8},g_{12}\right\rangle $ is:
> $\mathcal{G}=\left\{
> 24y_{4}^{2}+y_{1}^{8}-12y_{1}^{4}y_{4},~3y_{1}^{4}y_{4}^{2}-28y_{4}^{3},y_{4}^{4}\right\}
> $.
Assume that $f\in End(H^{\ast}(X;\mathbb{Q}))$ is given by
> $f(y_{1})=ky_{1},~~f(y_{4})=ay_{1}^{4}+by_{4},~~~k,a,b\in\mathbb{Q}$.
Then the residues of $f(g_{i}),$ $i=8,12$, module $\left\langle
g_{8},g_{12}\right\rangle $ are (Lemma 1)
> $h_{8}=12(24a^{2}+k^{8}-12k^{4}a+4ba-k^{4}b)y_{1}^{4}y_{4}$
>
> $\qquad+12(-48a^{2}+24k^{4}a-2k^{8}+2b^{2})y_{4}^{2}$
>
> $h_{12}=-(-1344k^{4}{b}^{2}+1792b^{2}a-832k^{12}+53248a^{3}-25344k^{4}ba$
>
> $%
> \qquad+64b^{3}-119808k^{4}a^{2}+19968k^{8}a+2112k^{8}b+16896ba^{2})y_{4}^{3}
> $.
Applying *Solve* to the corresponding system (3.5) yields that
> $a=0,b=k^{4},k=k$.
**Case 2.** $X=F_{4}/B_{3}\cdot S^{1}$ (see (2.3)). In accordance with the order $y_{1}>y_{4}$, the Gröbner basis of the ideal $%
\left\langle g_{8},g_{12}\right\rangle $ is:
> $\mathcal{G}=\left\{
> y_{1}^{8}-3y_{4}^{2},~15y_{4}^{2}y_{1}^{4}-26y_{4}^{3},~y_{4}^{4}\right\} $.
Assume that $f\in End(H^{\ast}(X;\mathbb{Q}))$ is given by
> $f(y_{1})=ky_{1},~~f(y_{4})=ay_{1}^{4}+by_{4},~~~k,a,b\in\mathbb{Q}$.
Then the residues of $f(g_{i}),$ $i=8,12$, module $\left\langle
g_{8},g_{12}\right\rangle $ are (Lemma 1)
> $h_{8}=3(3a^{2}-k^{8}+b^{2})y_{4}^{2}+6aby_{1}^{4}y_{4};$
>
> $h_{12}=\frac{1}{5}%
> (676a^{3}-130k^{12}+676ab^{2}+1170a^{2}b+130b^{3})y_{4}^{3}$
Applying *Solve* to the corresponding system (3.5) yields that
> $a=0,b=k^{4},k=k$.
**Case 3.** $X=E_{6}/A_{6}\cdot S^{1}$ (see (2.4)). In accordance with the order $y_{1}>y_{3}>y_{4}$, the Gröbner basis of the ideal $\left\langle g_{8},g_{9},g_{12}\right\rangle $ is
> $\mathcal{G}%
> =\{6y_{4}^{2}-12y_{1}y_{3}y_{4}+9y_{1}^{2}y_{3}^{2}+3y_{1}^{4}y_{4}-6y_{1}^{5}y_{3};
> $
>
> $\qquad
> y_{3}y_{1}^{6}-3y_{1}^{3}y_{3}^{2}+3y_{3}y_{1}^{2}y_{4}+y_{3}^{3}-3y_{4}^{2}y_{1};~
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad3y_{3}^{2}y_{1}^{5}-8y_{3}^{3}y_{1}^{2}-3y_{4}^{2}y_{1}^{3}+12y_{4}y_{3}^{2}y_{1}-6y_{4}^{2}y_{3};
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad2y_{3}^{4}-30y_{3}^{2}y_{1}^{2}y_{4}+33y_{4}^{2}y_{3}y_{1}-y_{3}^{3}y_{1}^{3}-22y_{4}^{3}+12y_{1}^{5}y_{4}y_{3};\cdots\}
> $,
where we have omitted the elements in $\mathcal{G}$ with degree $%
>\max\{\deg g_{i}\}$ since they play no further role in the process. Assume that $f\in End(H^{\ast}(X;\mathbb{Q}))$ is given by
> $%
> f(y_{1})=ky_{1},~~f(y_{3})=a_{1}y_{1}^{3}+a_{2}y_{3},~~f(y_{4})=b_{1}y_{1}^{4}+b_{2}y_{1}y_{3}+b_{3}y_{4},
> $
where $k,a_{1},a_{2},b_{1},b_{2},b_{3}\in \mathbb{Q}$. Then the residues of $f(g_{i}),$ $i=8,9$, module $\left\langle
g_{8},g_{9},g_{12}\right\rangle $ are (Lemma 1)
> $%
> h_{8}=3(4b_{2}b_{3}+24b_{1}^{2}+36k^{2}a_{1}^{2}-48ka_{1}b_{1}+12k^{4}b_{1}-24k^{5}a_{1}+4k^{8}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad-4ka_{2}b_{3})y_{1}y_{3}y_{4}+3(12b_{1}^{2}+2k^{8}-24ka_{1}b_{1}+18k^{2}a_{1}^{2}+6k^{4}b_{1}
> $
>
> $\qquad-12k^{5}a_{1}+4b_{1}b_{2}+{k}%
> ^{4}b_{2}-2k^{5}a_{2}-4ka_{1}b_{2}-4ka_{2}b_{1}+6k^{2}a_{1}a_{2})y_{1}^{5}y_{3}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad+3(3k^{2}a_{2}^{2}-18b_{1}^{2}-4ka_{2}b_{2}-9k^{4}b_{1}-27k^{2}a_{1}^{2}+2b_{2}^{2}+36ka_{1}b_{1}-3k^{8}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad+18k^{5}a_{1})y_{1}^{2}y_{3}^{2}+3(12k^{5}a_{1}-2k^{8}-6k^{4}b_{1}+2b_{3}^{2}-12b_{1}^{2}+24ka_{1}b_{1}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad-18k^{2}a_{1}^{2})y_{4}^{2}+3(k^{4}b_{3}-k^{8}+6k^{5}a_{1}-3k^{4}b_{1}-4ka_{1}b_{3}-6b_{1}^{2}+4b_{1}b_{3}
> $
>
> $\qquad+12ka_{1}b_{1}-9k^{2}a_{1}^{2})y_{1}^{4}y_{4};$
>
> $%
> h_{9}=-18a_{1}^{2}a_{2}+12k^{6}a_{2}+72k^{2}a_{1}b_{1}-24a_{1}^{3}-12k^{9}-36k^{3}a_{1}^{2}+48k^{6}a_{1}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad-36k^{5}b_{1}+18k^{2}a_{1}b_{2}+18k^{2}a_{2}b_{1}-18k^{3}a_{1}a_{2}-9k^{5}b_{2})y_{4}^{2}y_{1}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad+(36k^{6}a_{1}-27k^{5}b_{1}-9k^{9}-27k^{3}a_{1}^{2}-18a_{1}^{2}a_{2}+12k^{6}a_{2}-9k^{5}b_{2}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad-6a_{1}a_{2}^{2}+18k^{2}a_{1}b_{2}+18k^{2}a_{2}b_{1}-18k^{3}a_{1}a_{2}+54k^{2}a_{1}b_{1}-18a_{1}^{3}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad+6k^{2}a_{2}b_{2}-3k^{3}a_{2}^{2})y_{1}^{3}y_{3}^{2}+(9k^{5}b_{1}+6a_{1}^{3}+3k^{9}+9k^{3}a_{1}^{2}-12k^{6}a_{1}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad-18k^{2}a_{1}b_{1}+6k^{2}a_{1}b_{3}-3k^{5}b_{3})y_{1}^{5}y_{4}+(-24k^{6}a_{1}+18k^{5}b_{1}+6a_{1}^{2}a_{2}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad-4k^{6}a_{2}+3k^{5}b_{2}+6k^{9}-36k^{2}a_{1}b_{1}-6k^{2}a_{1}b_{2}-6k^{2}a_{2}b_{1}+6k^{3}a_{1}a_{2}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad+12a_{1}^{3}+18k^{3}a_{1}^{2}-2a_{2}^{3})y_{3}^{3}+(6k^{9}+12a_{1}^{3}+18a_{1}^{2}a_{2}-18k^{2}a_{1}b_{2}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad-18k^{2}a_{2}b_{1}+18k^{3}a_{1}a_{2}-12k^{6}a_{2}+9k^{5}b_{2}+18k^{3}a_{1}^{2}-24k^{6}a_{1}
> $
>
> $\qquad+18k^{5}b_{1}-36k^{2}a_{1}b_{1}+6k^{2}a_{2}b_{3})y_{3}y_{1}^{2}y_{4}$.
With $k,a_{1},a_{2},b_{1},b_{2},b_{3}\in\mathbb{Q}$ the corresponding system (3.5) has two solutions
> $\{a_{1}=k^{3},a_{2}=-k^{3},b_{1}=k^{4},b_{2}=-2k^{4},b_{3}=k^{4}\},$
>
> $\{a_{1}=0,a_{2}=k^{3},b_{1}=0,b_{2}=0,b_{3}=k^{4}\}$,
and with respect to the first solution, the residue $h_{12}$ of $%
f(g_{12})$ is trivial. This establish the Theorem for the current situation.
**Case 4.** $X=E_{6}/D_{5}\cdot S^{1}$ (see (2.5)). In accordance with the order $y_{1}>y_{4}$, the Gröbner basis of the ideal $%
\left\langle g_{9},g_{12}\right\rangle $ is:
> $\mathcal{G}%
> =\{2y_{1}^{9}+3y_{1}y_{4}^{2}-6y_{1}^{5}y_{4},~6y_{4}y_{1}^{8}-15y_{1}^{4}y_{4}^{2}+2y_{4}^{3},
> $ $3y_{4}^{2}y_{1}^{5}-7y_{4}^{3}y_{1},$
>
> $\qquad y_{4}^{3}y_{1}^{4}-2y_{4}^{4},~y_{4}^{4}y_{1},~y_{4}^{5}\}$.
Assume that $f\in End(H^{\ast}(X;\mathbb{Q}))$ is given by
> $f(y_{1})=ky_{1},~~f(y_{4})=ay_{1}^{4}+by_{4},~~~k,a,b\in\mathbb{Q}$.
Then the residues of $f(g_{i}),$ $i=9,12$, module $\left\langle
g_{9},g_{12}\right\rangle $ are (Lemma 1)
> $h_{9}=\frac{3}{2}(-2k^{8}+6k^{4}a-3a^{2}+2b^{2})ky_{1}y_{4}^{2}+\frac{3}{2}%
> (4k^{8}-12k^{4}a+6a^{2}$
>
> $\qquad-4k^{4}b+4ab)ky_{1}^{5}y_{4};$
>
> $h_{12}=\frac{1}{2}%
> (-2a^{3}-2k^{12}+12k^{4}a^{2}-2a^{2}b+2b^{3}+8k^{4}ab)y_{4}^{3}+\frac{1}{2}%
> (12a^{3}$
>
> $%
> \qquad+12k^{12}-60k^{4}ab+6ab^{2}-12k^{4}b^{2}-72k^{4}a^{2}+15a^{2}b)y_{1}^{4}y_{4}^{2}
> $.
Applying *Solve* to the corresponding system (3.5) yields that
> $a=0,b=k^{4},k=k$.
**Case 5.** $X=E_{7}/E_{6}\cdot S^{1}$ (see (2.6)). In accordance with the order $y_{1}>y_{4}>y_{9}$, the Gröbner basis of the ideal $\left\langle g_{10},g_{14},g_{18}\right\rangle $ is:
> $\mathcal{G}=\{-2y_{5}y_{9}+9y_{1}^{4}y_{5}^{2}-6y_{1}^{9}y_{5}+y_{1}^{14}$, $y_{9}^{2}+10y_{1}^{3}y_{5}^{3}-9y_{1}^{8}y_{5}^{2}+2y_{1}^{13}y_{5},$
>
> $\qquad-y_{5}^{2}+2y_{1}y_{9},\cdots\}$,
where the elements in $\mathcal{G}$ with degree $>\max\{\deg
g_{i}\}$ has been omitted because they play no role in the latter course. Assume that $f\in End(H^{\ast}(X;\mathbb{Q}))$ is given by
$\qquad
f(y_{1})=ky_{1},~f(y_{5})=a_{1}y_{1}^{5}+a_{2}y_{5},~f(y_{9})=b_{1}y_{1}^{9}+b_{2}y_{1}^{4}y_{5}+b_{3}y_{9},
$
where $k,a_{1},a_{2},b_{1},b_{2},b_{3}\in \mathbb{Q}$. Then the residues of $f(g_{i}),$ $i=10,14,18$, module $\left\langle
g_{10},g_{14},g_{18}\right\rangle $ are (Lemma 1)
> $%
> h_{10}=(2a_{2}^{2}-2kb_{3})y_{1}y_{9}+(2a_{1}a_{2}-2kb_{2})y_{1}^{5}y_{5}+(a_{1}^{2}-2kb_{1})y_{1}^{10};
> $
>
> $%
> h_{14}=2(81k^{4}a_{1}^{2}+2a_{2}b_{2}-9k^{4}a_{2}^{2}-18a_{1}b_{1}-54k^{9}a_{1}+9k^{14}+a_{1}b_{3})y_{9}y_{1}^{5}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad+2(a_{1}b_{2}+a_{2}b_{1}+3k^{9}a_{2}+6a_{1}b_{1}-27k^{4}a_{1}^{2}+18k^{9}a_{1}-9k^{4}a_{1}a_{2}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad-3k^{14})y_{1}^{9}y_{5}+2(a_{2}b_{3}-k^{14}+2a_{1}b_{1}-9k^{4}a_{1}^{2}+6k^{9}a_{1})y_{5}y_{9};
> $
>
> $%
> h_{18}=(2b_{1}b_{3}+270k^{3}a_{1}^{2}a_{2}-162k^{8}a_{1}a_{2}+72k^{13}a_{1}+18b_{1}b_{2}+18k^{13}a_{2}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad-18k^{8}a_{2}^{2}+360k^{3}a_{1}^{3}-324k^{8}a_{1}^{2}+60k^{3}a_{1}a_{2}^{2}+2b_{2}^{2}+36b_{1}^{2})y_{9}y_{1}^{9}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad+(522k^{8}a_{1}^{2}-580k^{3}a_{1}^{3}+2b_{2}b_{3}-300k^{3}a_{1}^{2}a_{2}-58b_{1}^{2}-116k^{13}a_{1}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad+180k^{8}a_{1}a_{2}-20b_{1}b_{2}-20k^{13}a_{2}+20k^{3}a_{2}^{3})y_{9}y_{5}y_{1}^{4}+(b_{3}^{2}-15k^{3}a_{1}^{2}a_{2}
> $
>
> $%
> \qquad+9k^{8}a_{1}a_{2}-3b_{1}^{2}-k^{13}a_{2}-30k^{3}a_{1}^{3}+27k^{8}a_{1}^{2}-6k^{13}a_{1}-b_{1}b_{2})y_{9}^{2}
> $.
Applying *Solve* to the corresponding system (3.5) yields that
> $a_{1}=b_{1}=b_{2}=0,a_{2}=k^{5},b=k^{9},k=k$.
**Case 6.** $X=E_{7}/D_{6}\cdot S^{1}$, $E_{8}/E_{7}\cdot
S^{1}$ or $E_{7}/A_{7}\cdot S^{1}$. Procedure the same as the above establish Theorem 3 for these cases. Only the expressions of the corresponding $h_{i}$’s are very lengthy, and the package “*Gsolve*” in MAPLE appears more effective than the “*Solve*” when implementing the corresponding system (3.5). We omit the details and refer to the thesis \[L\] of the first author for thorough discussions on these cases.
**References**
1. H. Duan, Self-maps of the Grassmannian of complex structures, Compositio Math., 132 (2002), 159-175.
2. H. Duan and Xuezhi Zhao, The Chow rings of generalized Grassmannians, arXiv: math.AG/0511332.
3. H. Duan and Xuezhi Zhao, The integral cohomology of complete flag manifolds, arXiv: math.AT/0801.2444.
4. K. Ernic, *A Guide To Maple*, Springer Verlag, 1999.
5. H. Glover and W. Homer, Self-maps of flag manifolds, Trans. AMS 267(1981), 423-434.
6. M. Hoffman, Endomorphisms of the cohomology of complex Grassmannians, Trans, AMS 281 (1984), 745-740.
7. M. Hoffman, On fixed point free maps of the complex flag manifold, Indiana Math. J., 33(1984), 249-255.
8. J. E. Humphreys, *Introduction to Lie algebras and representation theory,* Graduated Texts in Math. 9, Springer-Verlag New York, 1972.
9. F. Li, Endomorphisms of the cohomology ring of a generalized Grassmannian, Thesis, Jilin University.
10. S. Papadima, Rigidity properties of compact Lie groups modulo maximal tori, Math. Ann. 275(1987), 637–652.
[^1]: Supported by NSFC
|
Predictors of psychological adjustment after bereavement.
The impact of spousal bereavement on mental health varies among the widowed. More information is needed on factors influencing bereavement outcome. We conducted a cross-sectional study on a sample of 216 widowed individuals. Initial non-response was high, with only 8% of all approached persons participating in the study. The influence of demographic and psychosocial predictors on four general outcome measures (depression, anxiety, somatization, and quality of life) and one loss-related outcome (complicated grief) was studied by means of backward linear regression analysis. Further analyses were performed to explore the possibility of a buffer effect. Depressive symptomatology was best predicted by: age, duration of widowhood, perceived non-supportiveness, physical disorders, and mastery. The other outcome measures were predicted by the same predictors supplemented by gender and education. Mastery interacted with the number of physical disorders while perceived social support interacted with duration of widowhood and age. Enhancement of mastery should probably be one of the components of effective support for widowed individuals most vulnerable to psychiatric complications. The widowed could furthermore benefit from social support. Obviously, these suggestions need to be further examined in longitudinal research with more representative samples. |
Q:
Predict() with sklearn LogisticRegression and RandomForest models always predict minority class (1)
I'm building a Logistic Regression model to predict if a transaction is valid (1) or not (0) with a dataset of just 150 observations. My data is distributed as follows between the two classes:
106 observations are 0 (not valid)
44 observations are 1 (valid)
I am using two predictors (both numerical). Despite the data being mostly 0's, my classifier only predicts 1's for every transaction in my test set even though most of them should be 0. The classifier never outputs a 0 for any observation.
Here is my entire code:
# Logistic Regression
import numpy as np
import pandas as pd
from pandas import Series, DataFrame
import scipy
from scipy.stats import spearmanr
from pylab import rcParams
import seaborn as sb
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import sklearn
from sklearn.preprocessing import scale
from sklearn.linear_model import LogisticRegression
from sklearn.model_selection import train_test_split
from sklearn import metrics
from sklearn import preprocessing
address = "dummy_csv-150.csv"
trades = pd.read_csv(address)
trades.columns=['location','app','el','rp','rule1','rule2','rule3','validity','transactions']
trades.head()
trade_data = trades.ix[:,(1,8)].values
trade_data_names = ['app','transactions']
# set dependent/response variable
y = trades.ix[:,7].values
# center around the data mean
X= scale(trade_data)
LogReg = LogisticRegression()
LogReg.fit(X,y)
print(LogReg.score(X,y))
y_pred = LogReg.predict(X)
from sklearn.metrics import classification_report
print(classification_report(y,y_pred))
log_prediction = LogReg.predict_log_proba(
[
[2, 14],[3,1], [1, 503],[1, 122],[1, 101],[1, 610],[1, 2120],[3, 85],[3, 91],[2, 167],[2, 553],[2, 144]
])
prediction = LogReg.predict([[2, 14],[3,1], [1, 503],[1, 122],[1, 101],[1, 610],[1, 2120],[3, 85],[3, 91],[2, 167],[2, 553],[2, 144]])
My model is defined as:
LogReg = LogisticRegression()
LogReg.fit(X,y)
where X looks like this :
X = array([[1, 345],
[1, 222],
[1, 500],
[2, 120]]....)
and Y is just 0 or 1 for each observation.
Normalized X that gets passed to the model is this:
[[-1.67177659 0.14396503]
[-1.67177659 -0.14538932]
[-1.67177659 0.50859856]
[-1.67177659 -0.3853417 ]
[-1.67177659 -0.43239119]
[-1.67177659 0.743846 ]
[-1.67177659 4.32195953]
[ 0.95657805 -0.46062089]
[ 0.95657805 -0.45591594]
[ 0.95657805 -0.37828428]
[ 0.95657805 -0.52884264]
[ 0.95657805 -0.20420118]
[ 0.95657805 -0.63705646]
[ 0.95657805 -0.65587626]
[ 0.95657805 -0.66763863]
[-0.35759927 -0.25125067]
[-0.35759927 0.60975496]
[-0.35759927 -0.33358727]
[-0.35759927 -0.20420118]
[-0.35759927 1.37195666]
[-0.35759927 0.27805607]
[-0.35759927 0.09456307]
[-0.35759927 0.03810368]
[-0.35759927 -0.41121892]
[-0.35759927 -0.64411389]
[-0.35759927 -0.69586832]
[ 0.95657805 -0.57353966]
[ 0.95657805 -0.57353966]
[ 0.95657805 -0.53825254]
[ 0.95657805 -0.53354759]
[ 0.95657805 -0.52413769]
[ 0.95657805 -0.57589213]
[ 0.95657805 0.03810368]
[ 0.95657805 -0.66293368]
[ 0.95657805 2.86107294]
[-1.67177659 0.14396503]
[-1.67177659 -0.14538932]
[-1.67177659 0.50859856]
[-1.67177659 -0.3853417 ]
[-1.67177659 -0.43239119]
[-1.67177659 0.743846 ]
[-1.67177659 4.32195953]
[ 0.95657805 -0.46062089]
[ 0.95657805 -0.45591594]
[ 0.95657805 -0.37828428]
[ 0.95657805 -0.52884264]
[ 0.95657805 -0.20420118]
[ 0.95657805 -0.63705646]
[ 0.95657805 -0.65587626]
[ 0.95657805 -0.66763863]
[-0.35759927 -0.25125067]
[-0.35759927 0.60975496]
[-0.35759927 -0.33358727]
[-0.35759927 -0.20420118]
[-0.35759927 1.37195666]
[-0.35759927 0.27805607]
[-0.35759927 0.09456307]
[-0.35759927 0.03810368]
[-0.35759927 -0.41121892]
[-0.35759927 -0.64411389]
[-0.35759927 -0.69586832]
[ 0.95657805 -0.57353966]
[ 0.95657805 -0.57353966]
[ 0.95657805 -0.53825254]
[ 0.95657805 -0.53354759]
[ 0.95657805 -0.52413769]
[ 0.95657805 -0.57589213]
[ 0.95657805 0.03810368]
[ 0.95657805 -0.66293368]
[ 0.95657805 2.86107294]
[-1.67177659 0.14396503]
[-1.67177659 -0.14538932]
[-1.67177659 0.50859856]
[-1.67177659 -0.3853417 ]
[-1.67177659 -0.43239119]
[-1.67177659 0.743846 ]
[-1.67177659 4.32195953]
[ 0.95657805 -0.46062089]
[ 0.95657805 -0.45591594]
[ 0.95657805 -0.37828428]
[ 0.95657805 -0.52884264]
[ 0.95657805 -0.20420118]
[ 0.95657805 -0.63705646]
[ 0.95657805 -0.65587626]
[ 0.95657805 -0.66763863]
[-0.35759927 -0.25125067]
[-0.35759927 0.60975496]
[-0.35759927 -0.33358727]
[-0.35759927 -0.20420118]
[-0.35759927 1.37195666]
[-0.35759927 0.27805607]
[-0.35759927 0.09456307]
[-0.35759927 0.03810368]
[-0.35759927 -0.41121892]
[-0.35759927 -0.64411389]
[-0.35759927 -0.69586832]
[ 0.95657805 -0.57353966]
[ 0.95657805 -0.57353966]
[ 0.95657805 -0.53825254]
[ 0.95657805 -0.53354759]
[ 0.95657805 -0.52413769]
[ 0.95657805 -0.57589213]
[ 0.95657805 0.03810368]
[ 0.95657805 -0.66293368]
[ 0.95657805 2.86107294]
[-1.67177659 0.14396503]
[-1.67177659 -0.14538932]
[-1.67177659 0.50859856]
[-1.67177659 -0.3853417 ]
[-1.67177659 -0.43239119]
[-1.67177659 0.743846 ]
[-1.67177659 4.32195953]
[ 0.95657805 -0.46062089]
[ 0.95657805 -0.45591594]
[ 0.95657805 -0.37828428]
[ 0.95657805 -0.52884264]
[ 0.95657805 -0.20420118]
[ 0.95657805 -0.63705646]
[ 0.95657805 -0.65587626]
[ 0.95657805 -0.66763863]
[-0.35759927 -0.25125067]
[-0.35759927 0.60975496]
[-0.35759927 -0.33358727]
[-0.35759927 -0.20420118]
[-0.35759927 1.37195666]
[-0.35759927 0.27805607]
[-0.35759927 0.09456307]
[-0.35759927 0.03810368]
[-0.35759927 -0.41121892]
[-0.35759927 -0.64411389]
[-0.35759927 -0.69586832]
[ 0.95657805 -0.57353966]
[ 0.95657805 -0.57353966]
[ 0.95657805 -0.53825254]
[ 0.95657805 -0.53354759]
[ 0.95657805 -0.52413769]
[ 0.95657805 -0.57589213]
[ 0.95657805 0.03810368]
[ 0.95657805 -0.66293368]
[ 0.95657805 2.86107294]
[-0.35759927 0.60975496]
[-0.35759927 -0.33358727]
[-0.35759927 -0.20420118]
[-0.35759927 1.37195666]
[-0.35759927 0.27805607]
[-0.35759927 0.09456307]
[-0.35759927 0.03810368]]
and Y is:
[0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0
0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0]
The model metrics are:
precision recall f1-score support
0 0.78 1.00 0.88 98
1 1.00 0.43 0.60 49
avg / total 0.85 0.81 0.78 147
with a Score of 0.80
When I run model.predict_log_proba(test_data) I get probability intervals that look like this:
array([[ -1.10164032e+01, -1.64301095e-05],
[ -2.06326947e+00, -1.35863187e-01],
[ -inf, 0.00000000e+00],
[ -inf, 0.00000000e+00],
[ -inf, 0.00000000e+00],
[ -inf, 0.00000000e+00],
[ -inf, 0.00000000e+00],
[ -inf, 0.00000000e+00],
[ -inf, 0.00000000e+00],
[ -inf, 0.00000000e+00],
[ -inf, 0.00000000e+00],
[ -inf, 0.00000000e+00]])
My test set is and all but 2 should be 0 but they're all classified as 1. This happens for every test set, even ones that have values the model trained on.
[2, 14],[3,1], [1, 503],[1, 122],[1, 101],[1, 610],[1, 2120],[3, 85],[3, 91],[2, 167],[2, 553],[2, 144]
I found a similar question here: https://stats.stackexchange.com/questions/168929/logistic-regression-is-predicting-all-1-and-no-0 but in this question, the problem seemed to be that the data was mostly 1's so it made sense the model would ouput 1s. My case is the opposite because the train data is mostly 0's but for some reason my model always outputs 1's for everything even though 1's are relatively few. I also tried a Random Forest Classifier to see if the model was wrong but the same thing happened. Perhaps it is my data but I don't know what's wrong with it since it meets all assumptions.
What could be wrong? The data meets all assumptions for the logistic model (both predictors are independent, output is binary, no missing data points). Any advice is appreciated.
A:
You are not scaling your test data. You are correct to be scaling your train data when you do this:
X= scale(trade_data)
After you train your model you do not do the same with the test data:
log_prediction = LogReg.predict_log_proba(
[
[2, 14],[3,1], [1, 503],[1, 122],[1, 101],[1, 610],[1, 2120],[3, 85],[3, 91],[2, 167],[2, 553],[2, 144]
])
The coefficients for your model were built expecting normalized inputs. Your test data is not normalized. Any positive coefficient of the model will be multiplied by a huge number since your data isn't scaled likely driving your predicted values to all be 1.
A general rule is whatever transformations you do on your training set should likewise be done on your testing set. You should also apply the same transformation on your training set with your test set. Instead of:
X = scale(trade_data)
You should create a scaler from your training data like this:
scaler = StandardScaler().fit(trade_date)
X = scaler.transform(trade_data)
Then later apply that scaler to your test data:
scaled_test = scaler.transform(test_x)
|
One arrested after Madrasa teacher thrown off train in Kolkata for not chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’
A madrasa teacher in Kolkata has alleged that he was thrown off a moving train at Park Circus station after he refused to chant Jai Shri Ram. According to media reports, 26-year-old Hafeez Mohammad Sahrukh Haldar was travelling in a Canning-Sealdah local train when a group of Hindutva hooligans allegedly asked him to chant Jai Shri Ram. After he refused, he was thrown off the train at Park Circus station.
“I was travelling to Hooghly when a group of people were chanting Jai Shri Ram inside the compartment.They asked me to chant the same. When I refused, they started to beat me, nobody came to my rescue. The incident took place while the train was between Dhakuria and Park Circus stations. They pushed me off the train at Park Circus station. Some locals helped me,” Indian Express quoted Haldar as saying.
A railway police official said that Haldar had sustained ‘minor injuries’ and was taken to the nearby government-run Chittaranjan Hospital. One person has been arrested in connection with the violence.
A case was filed against unknown people at Ballygunge railway station under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several persons) of the Indian Penal Code. Unidentified police officials in Kolkata said they were verifying Haldar’s claims.
The development took place just days after a mob killed 24-year-old Tabrez Ansari with the video of the Muslim man being forced to chant Jai Shri Ram going viral. On Wednesday, netizens took it upon themselves to trend hashtag #NoToJaiShriRam on Twitter.
Jantakareporter.com is an independent news website covering the latest trends from India and around the world. Our team of hard-working and dedicated journalists gather news, verify their authenticity before showcasing them on our website for your consumption. The purpose of launching Jantakareporter.com, a 24×7 multimedia website is to revolutionize the way we gather news. |
The hexadecimal color code #014381 is a medium dark shade of cyan-blue. In the RGB color model #014381 is comprised of 0.39% red, 26.27% green and 50.59% blue. In the HSL color space #014381 has a hue of 209.06 degrees, 98.46% saturation and 25.49% lightness. This color has an approximate wavelength of 488 nm.
Colors from Paint Charts / Paint Brands & Suppliers
The matching paint colors are listed in order of relevancy to the #014381 hex color code. Relevancy is determined by the average visual similarity of the top 4 related paints of each paint brand to the hex color #014381. |
Q:
Как узнать список пользователей в mysql?
Установил mysql. А имя пользователя установить при установке не предлагалось. Только пароль. Я слышал, что можно узнать логин или вовсе добавить юзера как админа и решить эту проблему. Но не могу нагуглить. Подскажите, пожалуйста, как мне решить данную проблему. С root без пароля тоже не логинится.
По ответу Grigoriy Sandu reset root passwd
SELECT User, Host, Password FROM mysql.user;
Тоже не получается. Переустановил. И опять мне пароля не предложил. И опять не могу никак войти.
A:
Reset root passwd : https://support.rackspace.com/how-to/mysql-resetting-a-lost-mysql-root-password/
SELECT User, Host, Password FROM mysql.user;
|
News and information about transportation, including roads, transit, hiker-biker trails and pedestrian safety.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
During First Year, Montgomery County Bikeshare Exceeds Participation Estimates
Montgomery County’s Bikeshare program celebrated its first year of operation in fall 2014 and exceeded participation projections with about 35,000 Bikeshare trips taken. The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) launched its Capital Bikeshare network in October 2013 with 14 stations. Over the following months, the program ramped up to install a total of 51 stations in three geographic areas: Bethesda/Friendship Heights along the east leg of the Metrorail Red Line; Silver Spring/Takoma Park along the west leg of the Metrorail Red Line; and Rockville/Shady Grove/Life Sciences Center. Read more. |
Every year there are new pens that come out that get me really excited, and I’m feeling in a really reflective mood as we’re closing out 2017 here. This list is one that my team and I put together as 10 of our hottest pens, using a rather subjective and unscientific means of choosing what is here. It mostly boils down to my opinion, and is limited to pens we’ve carried here at Goulet so it’s not exhaustive to all fountain pens that existed in 2017.
Looking back, this year was the year of special editions and really exciting colors. But that doesn’t mean they’ve all been really expensive! I have pens ranging here from the sub $30 range to almost $800, really something for everybody. Due to the special edition nature of many of these, they may not even be available as this video publishes, but that’s just how it’s gone this year. Without further ado, here’s my list in no particular order…
Had big shoes to fill from Dark Lilac last yer
Kept with the matte theme, all the ink was going in under an hour
Black trim was a hit
Wasn’t as anticipated as DL, but still has been an incredibly popular pen
We had a hard time keeping Premieres in stock this year, partly because of Edison’s capacity and downed machines this summer
Delphinium is my personal favorite color that we’ve ever done
Blue and purple with white swirls, such a bold and dramatic color, I love it!
We couldn’t make enough, literally, and they’re not available anymore
Stipula Etruria Rainbow Prisma 88
I’d been wanting to sell a Stipula Etruria for years, but they don’t make them regularly and it just never worked out for us
Rainbow pens have typically been pretty hot for us, and this one was a stunner
Layers resins to give an blended rainbow effect, very cool, demonstrator look
Titanium nib, piston filler
Nice size, very comfortable writer
Only 88 pieces and we got a bunch of them, and they just flew faster than we could have anticipated
More will be coming in other colors in 2018, and in greater quantity
TWSBI Special Editions
SO many colorful TWSBI’s!
All special editions, none of them hung around for us, they all flew
Mini AL Blue- March
580 AL Turquoise- June
Eco Turquoise- August
Classic in White- Sept
Classic in Turquoise- Sept
Mini AL Gold- Oct
Eco-T Blue- Nov
580 AL Rose- Dec
Oh, and the Vac700R was in there too
Pilot comes out with a limited edition VP every year, and this year was sweet
Same ombre effect that Twilight had in 2015
Crimson Sunrise only lasted a few hours, and it was gone
Pilot’s hitting their 100th anniversary and while I don’t know if there’s anything special with the VP for that, I’m hoping there is
Visconti Opera Master Luna
Visconti to me has always been a special brand because we pursued them for 4 years before really getting on their radar
We carried a limited edition Opera Master in Crimson Tide very soon after carrying the brand, and we had never really carried pens at that price before so it was a gamble for us
We had 40 pens total then, and we haven’t had an opportunity for an LE Opera Master until the Luna
The opportunity came about because this gorgeous blue sparkly material just SCREAMED Goulet, and the stars aligned
We had some say in how many pens we could have made for us, Visconti loves the number 8 and they like to end their series in 8’s
188 is ambitious for us and we will likely have these pens for a bit, and that’s okay
We are so thrilled to have such a beautiful pen as an exclusive
Double-reservoir power filler, ink window
Blue demonstrator with sparkle in it
Rhodium trim, large palladium nib
I debated about putting this pen on the list because it only released a couple of weeks ago and still have to kind of prove itself as a “hot pen”
I felt it was important to include it because it’s significant when Lamy releases a new pen model
Lamy spent 3 years designing this pen with famous UK designer Jasper Morrison
It’s a heavier and more robust pen than their Safari and Al-Star, LX and even Studio
There was so much anticipation for the release of this pen, the US distributor changed during the buildup towards the launch, so I think it’ll actually pick up steam and become more relevant in 2018
Pelikan M805 Ocean Swirl
Pelikan was really on a roll this year with their special editions
They had a number of white and brown pens, which is great but not my flavor
The Ocean Swirl though, it was love at first sight for me
I’m pretty much a sucker for every Pelikan swirl pen, and this one got me
They also lowered the price on this from past SE’s
They don’t always come out with m800 series pens, they’re slightly larger and not as universally appealing as the 400’s and 600’s, but dang, it’s big and beautiful!
I never would have predicted this time last year that I would have two Stipula pens on this list, because I hadn’t sold a single Stipula pen in several years!
This pen was so divisive amongst our team, we ALMOST didn’t even carry it! That’s sometimes tough with new pen styles, you just don’t know
Something clearly resonated with this pen, because we sold out of our first shipment in hours, we couldn’t believe it
It’s a cool pen though! piston filler, hot orange ink window, heavy iron body, it’s unique!
Limited-edition pen with only 351 pieces, I’m hoping we see this pen in other colors next year
Sometimes mistakes can turn into something beautiful…this pen was never supposed to exist!
Conklin was intending to come out with the Duragraph in Purple Nights and in Red Nights
This color was supposed to be the red, but ended up being too close to the purple and Conklin didn’t feel comfortable with it
They asked us about them, we negotiated a price break to take the whole batch, and passed on that price break to our customers
We named the pen Merlot because it was a wine color, and we thought for sure we’d have the pens for months
There was a logistical issue because they were backordered on fine nibs! So we launched with just the mediums and stubs, and they ALL FLEW
It would have been post-holidays to get fine nibs, so we just had them put stubs on the rest, and they sold out immediately
We were dumbfounded, couldn’t believe how fast they went
Purple Nights then came out and also started flying, but will be an ongoing edition
Red Nights will come later into 2018, as a regular edition
There have been a number of inks worth mentioning this year, some of the hottest that deserve an honorable mention:
What’s been your favorite this year? Leave us a comment!
Write On,
Brian Goulet |
Watch live: #Sona2018 debate gets underway in parliament [video]
Last Friday, Cyril Ramaphosa delivered his first State of the Nation address as President of South Africa. While the speech didn’t tell us too much that we haven’t heard already, it’s now set to be debated in the house by members of parliament. High on the agenda list will be the matter of a cabinet […]
“Ministers like David Mahlobo, Mosebenzi Zwane, Bathabile Dlamini and all these other ministers need to be relieved off their duties, not because there’s an agenda that’s behind pursuing their interests but what we’re trying to do is to rehabilitate the image of the ANC.”
You can watch the Sona debate below
The live stream has now been added, refresh or restart your browser if you do not see it. |
J-S21008-18
NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
: PENNSYLVANIA
:
v. :
:
:
WESLEY TARU CONNOR :
:
Appellant : No. 466 WDA 2017
Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence February 23, 2017
In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County
Criminal Division at No(s): CP-02-CR-0003254-2016
BEFORE: OLSON, J., MURRAY, J., and FORD ELLIOTT, P.J.E.
MEMORANDUM BY OLSON, J.: FILED JULY 05, 2018
Appellant, Wesley Taru Connor, appeals from the judgment of sentence
entered on November 8, 2016, as made final by the denial of his post-sentence
motion on February 23, 2017. We affirm.
The factual background of this case is as follows. In the early morning
hours of February 29, 2016, Appellant and his girlfriend, Shalawn Morgan
(“Victim”), left a bar and walked towards Victim’s home. When outside of
Victim’s apartment, Appellant and Victim engaged in a verbal altercation.
Appellant then punched Victim in the face which caused her to fall to the
ground. Once inside Victim’s apartment, Appellant struck Victim at least two
more times.
The procedural history of this case is as follows. On May 2, 2016 the
Commonwealth charged Appellant via criminal information with simple
J-S21008-18
assault.1 Immediately prior to trial, the information was amended to charge
Appellant with harassment2 and disorderly conduct3 and to withdraw the
charge of simple assault. As the new charges were both summary offenses,
the case proceeded to a bench trial. The trial court found Appellant guilty of
both charges. On November 8, 2016, the trial court sentenced Appellant to
an aggregate term of 90 days’ probation. On February 23, 2017, the trial
court denied Appellant’s post-sentence motion. This timely appeal followed.4
Appellant presents two issues for our review.
1. Was the evidence insufficient as a matter of law to convict
[Appellant] of disorderly conduct . . . ?
2. Did the trial court violate [Appellant’s] federal and state
constitutional rights to confrontation and a fair trial by restricting
the scope of his cross-examination of [Victim] . . . ?
Appellant’s Brief at 5 (complete capitalization omitted).
____________________________________________
1 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 2701(a)(1).
2 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 2709(a)(1).
3 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 5503(a)(1).
4 On March 29, 2017, the trial court ordered Appellant to file a concise
statement of errors complained of on appeal (“concise statement”). See
Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b). On May 22, 2017, Appellant filed his concise statement.
On July 25, 2017, the trial court issued its Rule 1925(a) opinion. Both of
Appellant’s issues were included in his concise statement.
-2-
J-S21008-18
In his first issue, Appellant argues that the evidence was insufficient to
convict him of disorderly conduct.5 “The determination of whether sufficient
evidence exists to support the verdict is a question of law; accordingly, our
standard of review is de novo and our scope of review is plenary.”
Commonwealth v. Edwards, 177 A.3d 963, 969 (Pa. Super. 2018) (citation
omitted). In assessing Appellant’s sufficiency challenge, we must determine
“whether viewing all the evidence admitted at trial in the light most favorable
to the [Commonwealth], there is sufficient evidence to enable the fact-finder
to find every element of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Commonwealth v. Sweitzer, 177 A.3d 253, 257 (Pa. Super. 2017) (citation
omitted). “[T]he facts and circumstances established by the Commonwealth
need not preclude every possibility of innocence. . . . [T]he finder of fact, while
passing upon the credibility of witnesses and the weight of the evidence
produced, is free to believe all, part, or none of the evidence.”
Commonwealth v. Davison, 177 A.3d 955, 957 (Pa. Super. 2018) (cleaned
up).
____________________________________________
5 We note the unique procedural posture of this case with respect to
Appellant’s sufficiency challenge. In its opinion denying Appellant’s post-
sentence motion, the trial court agreed that the evidence was insufficient to
convict him of disorderly conduct. Nonetheless, the trial court declined to
grant relief because it (incorrectly) believed that Appellant’s post-sentence
motion lacked an adequate prayer for relief. As noted above, we review a
sufficiency challenge de novo. Thus, we owe no deference to the trial court’s
procedural ruling or its conclusion that the evidence was insufficient to convict
Appellant of disorderly conduct.
-3-
J-S21008-18
In order to convict a defendant of disorderly conduct, the
Commonwealth must prove that he or she “with intent to cause public
inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof,
engaged in certain enumerated activity. Relevant to the instant case, one
such activity is engaging in fighting or threatening, or in violent or tumultuous
behavior.” Commonwealth. v. Norley, 55 A.3d 526, 528 (Pa. Super. 2012)
(cleaned up). Appellant concedes that he engaged in violent behavior. He
argues, however, that he did not do so with the intent to cause public
inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm nor did he recklessly create a risk thereof.
Appellant’s argument that he did not recklessly create a risk of public
alarm is without merit. The Crimes Code defines “public” for purposes of the
disorderly conduct statute as “affecting or likely to affect persons in a place to
which the public or a substantial group has access; among the places included
are highways, transport facilities, schools, prisons, apartment houses, places
of business or amusement, any neighborhood, or any premises which are open
to the public.” 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 5503(c). Victim testified that Appellant punched
her while standing outside of her apartment. N.T., 10/25/16, at 10-11. The
plain language of section 5503(c) provides that apartment buildings are public
places for purposes of the disorderly conduct statute. Moreover, it is axiomatic
that public streets and sidewalks are public. Hence, the lack of evidence
regarding exactly where outside of Victim’s apartment she was punched is
immaterial when determining if Appellant recklessly caused a risk of public
-4-
J-S21008-18
alarm. The punch created a risk of public alarm either in an apartment
building, a public place under the statute, or on a public street or sidewalk.
Under either scenario, Appellant’s punch recklessly created a risk of public
alarm.
Contrary to Appellant’s argument, his conduct did not just cause a risk
of inconvenience for Victim. See Appellant’s Brief at 25. Any member of the
public outside of Victim’s apartment, late at night, would have been alarmed
at the sight of a male striking a female. Appellant grossly deviated from the
standard for conduct a reasonable person would observe in Appellant’s
situation. See 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 302(b)(3) (defining reckless conduct). Thus,
even if Appellant’s conduct were only directed at Victim, it still constituted
disorderly conduct. See Commonwealth v. Fedorek, 946 A.2d 93, 100 (Pa.
2008) (citation omitted) (conduct directed at a single individual can constitute
disorderly conduct).
Appellant’s reliance on several cases in which this Court held that the
evidence was insufficient to sustain a disorderly conduct conviction is
misplaced. In those cases, the defendants verbally confronted other persons.
This Court determined that those brief, verbal outbursts were insufficient to
risk public inconvenience or alarm. See generally Commonwealth v.
Forrey, 108 A.3d 895 (Pa. Super. 2015); Commonwealth v. Maerz, 879
A.2d 126 (Pa. Super. 2005); Commonwealth v. Gilbert, 674 A.2d 284 (Pa.
Super. 1996). In this case, Appellant did not simply confront Victim verbally.
-5-
J-S21008-18
Instead, he physically attacked her. A physical attack on a female early in the
morning is much more likely to cause public alarm than mere verbal sparring.
Although we agree with Appellant and the trial court that proceeding
with the original simple assault charge may have been the more prudent
action, that does not mean that Appellant was not also guilty of disorderly
conduct. The evidence presented at trial, viewed in the light most favorable
to the Commonwealth, was sufficient to sustain Appellant’s disorderly conduct
conviction. Accordingly, Appellant is not entitled to relief on his sufficiency
challenge.
In his second issue, Appellant argues that his Confrontation Clause
rights were violated when the trial court limited his cross-examination of
Victim.6 Whether Appellant's confrontation rights were violated is a question
of law; therefore, our standard of review is de novo and our scope of review
is plenary.7 Commonwealth v. Yohe, 79 A.3d 520, 530 (Pa. 2013). As this
Court has explained, “the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution
provides that, ‘In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right
____________________________________________
6 The Commonwealth argues, consistent with the trial court’s determination,
that Appellant waived this issue. We conclude that Appellant properly
preserved the issue and thus proceed to consider the merits of Appellant’s
argument.
7 Although we review a trial court’s ruling sustaining an objection to testimony
for an abuse of discretion, an error of law is an abuse of discretion. Hence,
we ultimately employ a de novo standard of review because Appellant only
raises a constitutional claim regarding the trial court’s ruling.
-6-
J-S21008-18
to be confronted with the witnesses against him.’ U.S. Const. amend. VI. This
protection has been incorporated into the Fourteenth Amendment and thus is
applicable in state court prosecutions.” Commonwealth v. Brown, 139 A.3d
208, 212 (Pa. Super. 2016), aff’d, 2018 WL 2452643 (Pa. June 1, 2018)
(cleaned up).
This Court has explained that a defendant’s right to confrontation
means more than being allowed to confront the witness physically.
Indeed, the main and essential purpose of confrontation is to
secure for the opponent the opportunity of cross-examination. Of
particular relevance here, the Supreme Court of the United States
has recognized that the exposure of a witness’ motivation in
testifying is a proper and important function of the constitutionally
protected right of cross-examination. It does not follow, of
course, that the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment
prevents a trial judge from imposing any limits on defense
counsel’s inquiry into the potential bias of a prosecution witness.
On the contrary, trial judges retain wide latitude insofar as the
Confrontation Clause is concerned to impose reasonable limits on
such cross-examination based on concerns about, among other
things, harassment, and prejudice, confusion of the issues, the
witness’ safety, or interrogation that is repetitive or only
marginally relevant. The Confrontation Clause guarantees an
opportunity for effective cross-examination, not cross-
examination that is effective in whatever way, and to whatever
extent, the defense might wish.
Commonwealth v. Akrie, 159 A.3d 982, 988 (Pa. Super. 2017) (cleaned
up).
Appellant’s Confrontation Clause claim focuses on a series of evidentiary
rulings made by the trial court with respect to the permitted scope of Victim’s
testimony. During cross-examination, Appellant’s counsel asked Victim, “You
had another altercation with [Appellant] yesterday; correct?” N.T., 10/25/16,
-7-
J-S21008-18
at 26. The Commonwealth objected and the trial court sustained the
objection. Id. On redirect examination, the Commonwealth inquired as to
why Victim’s trial testimony differed substantially from her preliminary hearing
testimony. Id. at 30-31. Appellant objected to this line of questioning and
the trial court overruled that objection. See id. On recross-examination,
Appellant’s counsel again inquired into the confrontation between Victim and
Appellant that occurred the day before trial. Id. at 31-33. The trial court
permitted Victim to testify to the fact that she was involved in two altercations
with Appellant between the preliminary hearing and trial; however, the trial
court again sustained the Commonwealth’s objection to testimony detailing
the specifics of the second alteration. See id.
Appellant argues that Commonwealth v. Evans, 512 A.2d 626 (Pa.
1986) establishes that the trial court violated his Confrontation Clause rights
by sustaining the Commonwealth’s objections. Evans, however, is
distinguishable from the case at bar. In that case, our Supreme Court
explained that a Commonwealth witness’ pending charges must be made
known to the fact-finder. Id. at 631. It reasoned that:
Even if the prosecutor has made no promises, either on the
present case or on other pending criminal matters, the witness
may hope for favorable treatment from the prosecutor if the
witness presently testifies in a way that is helpful to the
prosecution. And if that possibility exists, the fact-finder should
know about it.
Id. at 631-632.
-8-
J-S21008-18
In this case, Victim was not facing charges for the confrontation that
occurred the day before trial. Appellant did file a police report; however, the
record is devoid of any indication that formal charges were instituted by the
Commonwealth. Furthermore, Victim’s testimony was not “helpful” to the
prosecution. To the contrary, Victim testified in a manner inconsistent with
her preliminary hearing testimony. This raised serious questions regarding
Victim’s credibility and it forced the prosecutor to inform Victim of her right to
the assistance of counsel because of potential perjury charges resulting from
her inconsistent testimony. Thus, the possibility of Victim currying favor with
the Commonwealth did not exist in this case.
More importantly, Appellant’s counsel was permitted to question Victim
regarding her bias in the case. The trial court permitted Appellant’s counsel
to elicit testimony that Victim had two confrontations with Appellant between
the preliminary hearing and trial. The Commonwealth conceded this fact even
prior to Victim testimony,8 notifying the trial court of the impending
inconsistent testimony and placing on the record notice to Victim that she had
the right to be represented by an attorney during trial. Appellant’s counsel
was similarly permitted to argue that Victim changed her story as a result of
these confrontations and not for the reasons she explained during redirect
examination.
____________________________________________
8 As the trial court acted as fact-finder in this case, it learned of the
inconsistent testimony on multiple occasions.
-9-
J-S21008-18
The trial court only prohibited Appellant’s counsel from asking Victim
about the details of the confrontation, which were of marginal relevance. This
evidence was also cumulative with respect to Victim’s alleged bias against
Appellant. Victim’s inconsistent testimony and the fact that she engaged in
two confrontations with Appellant between the preliminary hearing and trial
formed the core of Appellant’s bias claim. Based on our review of the certified
record, we are convinced that Appellant had ample opportunity to develop
these aspects of his defense. Hence, we conclude that the trial court did not
violate Appellant’s Confrontation Clause rights by limiting counsel’s cross-
examination of Victim.
Judgment of sentence affirmed.
Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 7/5/2018
- 10 -
|
Texas EquuSearch Mounted Search and Recovery Team started in August 2000 with the purpose to provide Volunteer Horse Mounted Search and Recovery for Lost and Missing persons. The Team was started in the North Galveston County area because of the high incidence of missing persons in the largely undeveloped area of South Harris and North Galveston Counties. With this in mind, the team’s existence and purpose is dedicated to the memory of Laura Miller, the daughter of our founding director, Tim Miller. Laura was abducted and murdered in north Galveston County in 1984. Our team is composed of volunteers of various experiences, with many being experienced horse owners.
We currently have approximately 1,000+ members and are growing rapidly. We are currently available to conduct searches nation and worldwide. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which is funded solely by donations.
You will find our organization to be compassionate, dedicated and professional. We believe that we can better ourselves by working together to help the community and people in need. Many of our members are trained in various rescue and life saving skills such as CPR, advanced lifesaving skills and field craft. Our members come from all walks of life, consisting of business owners, medics, firefighters, housewives, electricians, students, former FBI and law enforcement, current law enforcement, former and current U.S. Marshall, Coast Guard and all walks of military, former and current, on our team. Our resources range from horse and rider teams to foot searchers and ATVs. We conduct water searches using boats, divers and sonar equipment. Additionally, we perform air searches using planes, helicopters and small drone airplanes with highly sophisticated cameras. We have also utilized infrared and night vision cameras, along with ground penetration units in some of our searches. Texas EquuSearch has more resources than most law enforcement agencies, which allows law enforcement to conduct their investigation, while Texas EquuSearch conducts organized searches. This has worked out to be a great working relationship between law enforcement and Texas EquuSearch. This has also resulted in Texas EquuSearch being contacted by law enforcement agencies across the nation to assist them in their missing person cases.
Texas EquuSearch has been involved in 1,860+ searches in approximately 42 states in the United States, Aruba, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. Our efforts have proven successful with returning over 400 missing people home to their families safely, many of which would have been deceased. Texas EquuSearch is responsible for recovering the remains of 238 missing loved ones, bringing closure to many families. Many of the 238 cases have resulted in criminal cases. At no time during any of the searches was evidence compromised by Texas EquuSearch. Therefore, the suspect(s) were brought to justice resulting in convictions. Additionally, Mr. Miller has been involved in several murder trials.
Our director, Tim Miller, has been featured on CourtTV’s Crime Library “A Profile of Tim Miller and Texas EquuSearch” by Dr. Katherine Ramsland. Dr. Ramsland has published twenty-seven books and currently teaches forensic psychology at DeSales University in Pennsylvania.
Dr. Katherine Ramsland has written a truly tremendous and comprehensive article on Tim Miller and Texas EquuSearch in addition to a detailed account of Tim, the volunteers and the searches for missing persons in an attempt to provide closure for the many grieving families. Closure is so very important so at least the healing process can begin.
Additionally, Larry King Live, Fox News National, Greta Van Susteren, CBS 48 Hours Mystery, CNN, HLN, Nancy Grace, Glenn Beck, People Magazine, News Week, Evidence Technology, Dateline, 20/20, Texas Horse Talk and all the local news stations have all featured the works of Texas EquuSearch and Tim Miller’s experiences in the searches of lost loved ones.
Tim Miller is also the recipient of the “Point of Light” award by George W. Bush. He received the Jefferson award from the City of Houston, the foundation for the improvement of justice in Atlanta, Georgia. Additionally, the Texas Daughters of the American Revolution Community Service Award, the National Daughters of the American Revolution Community Service Award, Crime Stoppers of Houston and countless other awards from all over the nation. Mr. Miller was invited by George H.W. Bush, Jr., and attended, the first conference for the National Missing and Exploited Children in Washington, D.C., and also the signing of the National Amber Alert in Washington, D.C. He has also been the keynote speaker for the national conference for Parents of Murdered Children, along with being a keynote speaker for many law enforcement conferences across the country. Mr. Miller has received countless other awards from across the nation. |
Dark Side Finds Loons
Hot Rods snap Great Lakes' five-game winning streak in series opener
7 Tre Todd
(Alex Seder / Great Lakes Loons)
By
Matt DeVries
August 10, 2019
MIDLAND, Mich. -- In front of a sellout crowd of 5,211 on Star Wars Night, the Great Lakes Loons couldn't find the force needed to overcome a late deficit, falling 4-3 to the Bowling Green Hot Rods on Saturday at Dow Diamond.The visitors jumped out to an early 3-0 lead
MIDLAND, Mich. -- In front of a sellout crowd of 5,211 on Star Wars Night, the Great Lakes Loons couldn't find the force needed to overcome a late deficit, falling 4-3 to the Bowling Green Hot Rods on Saturday at Dow Diamond.The visitors jumped out to an early 3-0 lead thanks to a pair of home runs from Seaver Whalen and Ford Proctor, along with an RBI-ground out by Jonathan Aranda. Other than those blemishes, Loons starter Stephen Kolek limited the damage over five innings to give Great Lakes a puncher's chance.That's when reinforcements arrived as Justin Yurchak, who couldn't wait for the bases to be loaded in the Miller Lite Grand Slam Inning, settled for a two-run blast to pull the Loons within a run.One inning later in the 7th, Dan Robinson was able to scamper home on a dropped third strike to tie the game at 3-3 heading into crunch time.Bowling Green then elected to play small ball in the 9th to push across the go-ahead run. Osmy Gregorio singled to begin the inning, followed by Proctor getting hit by a pitch. Whalen laid down a sacrifice bunt to put two runners in scoring position. A pitch from Aaron Ochsenbein (L, 1-1) got away from catcher Tre Todd and the Hot Rods took the lead for good.Yurchak and Kody Hoese each finished with two-hit nights as the Loons totaled nine as a team, including four extra-base hits. The Loons were not able to capitalize on three Bowling Green errors and the Hot Rods going an abysmal 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position.The Loons still own the best record in the Midwest League at 72-43.Aug 11: Kids Club Takeover feat. FREE Sundaes for club membersAug 12:Summer Camp Kids DayAug 17:Fairy Tale Kingdom NightAug 18:Back to School Lunch Box GiveawayAug 19:Postgame Veterans Run the BasesAug 20:Two-fer TuesdayThe Great Lakes Loons have been the Single-A partner of the Los Angeles Dodgers since the team's inception in 2007. Dow Diamond serves as the team's home and also houses the Michigan Baseball Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, and ESPN 100.9-FM. For tickets or information about the Loons, call 989-837-BALL or visit Loons.com. |
import type * as d from '../../../../declarations';
import { getNodeModuleFetchUrl, getStencilModuleUrl, getStencilRootUrl, skipFilePathFetch } from '../fetch-utils';
import { createSystem } from '../../stencil-sys';
describe('fetch module', () => {
let compilerExe: string;
beforeEach(() => {
compilerExe = 'http://localhost:3333/@stencil/core/compiler/stencil.js';
});
it('getStencilRootUrl', () => {
expect(getStencilRootUrl(compilerExe)).toBe('http://localhost:3333/@stencil/core/');
compilerExe = 'https://cdn.stenciljs.com/npm/@stencil/core@1.2.3/compiler/stencil.js';
expect(getStencilRootUrl(compilerExe)).toBe('https://cdn.stenciljs.com/npm/@stencil/core@1.2.3/');
});
describe('getStencilModulePath', () => {
it('cdn w/ version w/out node_module prefix', () => {
compilerExe = 'https://cdn.stenciljs.com/npm/@stencil/core@1.2.3/compiler/stencil.js';
const p = 'internal/client/index.mjs';
const m = getStencilModuleUrl(compilerExe, p);
expect(m).toBe('https://cdn.stenciljs.com/npm/@stencil/core@1.2.3/internal/client/index.mjs');
});
it('cdn w/ version', () => {
compilerExe = 'https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@stencil/core@1.2.3/compiler/stencil.js';
const p = '/some/path/node_modules/@stencil/core/package.json';
const m = getStencilModuleUrl(compilerExe, p);
expect(m).toBe('https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@stencil/core@1.2.3/package.json');
});
it('cdn w/out version', () => {
compilerExe = 'https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@stencil/core/compiler/stencil.js';
const p = '/node_modules/@stencil/core/internal/client/index.mjs';
const m = getStencilModuleUrl(compilerExe, p);
expect(m).toBe('https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@stencil/core/internal/client/index.mjs');
});
it('local w/out version w/out node_module prefix', () => {
const p = 'package.json';
const m = getStencilModuleUrl(compilerExe, p);
expect(m).toBe('http://localhost:3333/@stencil/core/package.json');
});
it('local w/out version', () => {
const p = '/node_modules/@stencil/core/package.json';
const m = getStencilModuleUrl(compilerExe, p);
expect(m).toBe('http://localhost:3333/@stencil/core/package.json');
});
});
});
describe('getNodeModuleFetchUrl', () => {
const pkgVersions = new Map<string, string>();
const config: d.Config = {
rootDir: '/my-app/',
sys: createSystem(),
};
const sys = config.sys;
beforeEach(() => {
sys.getCompilerExecutingPath = null;
pkgVersions.clear();
});
it('cdn @stencil/core', () => {
const filePath = '/node_modules/@stencil/core/internal/hydrate/index.mjs';
sys.getCompilerExecutingPath = () => 'http://localhost/stencil/core/compiler/stencil.js';
const url = getNodeModuleFetchUrl(sys, pkgVersions, filePath);
expect(url).toBe('http://localhost/stencil/core/internal/hydrate/index.mjs');
});
it('local @stencil/core', () => {
const filePath = '/node_modules/@stencil/core/package.json';
sys.getCompilerExecutingPath = () => 'http://cdn.stenciljs.com/npm/@stencil/core@1.2.3/compiler/stencil.js';
const url = getNodeModuleFetchUrl(sys, pkgVersions, filePath);
expect(url).toBe('http://cdn.stenciljs.com/npm/@stencil/core@1.2.3/package.json');
});
it('local @stencil/core, root dir', () => {
const filePath = '/some/dir/node_modules/@stencil/core/package.json';
sys.getCompilerExecutingPath = () => 'https://cdn.stenciljs.com/@stencil/core@1.2.3/compiler/stencil.js';
const url = getNodeModuleFetchUrl(sys, pkgVersions, filePath);
expect(url).toBe('https://cdn.stenciljs.com/@stencil/core@1.2.3/package.json');
});
it('w/ version number', () => {
pkgVersions.set('lodash', '1.2.3');
const filePath = '/node_modules/lodash/package.json';
const url = getNodeModuleFetchUrl(sys, pkgVersions, filePath);
expect(url).toBe('https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/lodash@1.2.3/package.json');
});
it('w/ version number, root dir', () => {
pkgVersions.set('lodash', '1.2.3');
const filePath = '/some/dir/node_modules/lodash/package.json';
const url = getNodeModuleFetchUrl(sys, pkgVersions, filePath);
expect(url).toBe('https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/lodash@1.2.3/package.json');
});
it('w/out version number', () => {
const filePath = '/node_modules/lodash/package.json';
const url = getNodeModuleFetchUrl(sys, pkgVersions, filePath);
expect(url).toBe('https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/lodash/package.json');
});
it('w/out version number, root dir', () => {
const filePath = 'some/path/node_modules/lodash/package.json';
const url = getNodeModuleFetchUrl(sys, pkgVersions, filePath);
expect(url).toBe('https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/lodash/package.json');
});
it('w/ scoped package', () => {
const filePath = '/node_modules/@ionic/core/package.json';
const url = getNodeModuleFetchUrl(sys, pkgVersions, filePath);
expect(url).toBe('https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@ionic/core/package.json');
});
it('w/ scoped package, rootdir', () => {
const filePath = '/some/dir/node_modules/@ionic/core/package.json';
const url = getNodeModuleFetchUrl(sys, pkgVersions, filePath);
expect(url).toBe('https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@ionic/core/package.json');
});
it('version w/ scoped package', () => {
pkgVersions.set('@ionic/core', '1.2.3');
const filePath = '/node_modules/@ionic/core/package.json';
const url = getNodeModuleFetchUrl(sys, pkgVersions, filePath);
expect(url).toBe('https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@ionic/core@1.2.3/package.json');
});
it('version w/ scoped package, rootdir', () => {
pkgVersions.set('@ionic/core', '1.2.3');
const filePath = '/some/path/node_modules/@ionic/core/package.json';
const url = getNodeModuleFetchUrl(sys, pkgVersions, filePath);
expect(url).toBe('https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@ionic/core@1.2.3/package.json');
});
});
describe('skipFilePathFetch', () => {
it('skip for known bogus node_module paths', () => {
expect(skipFilePathFetch('/node_modules/index.mjs')).toBe(true);
expect(skipFilePathFetch('/node_modules/lodash.js')).toBe(true);
expect(skipFilePathFetch('/node_modules/lodash.md')).toBe(true);
expect(skipFilePathFetch('/node_modules/lodash.json')).toBe(true);
expect(skipFilePathFetch('/asdf/gadsf/aessd/gaes/node_modules/lodash.js')).toBe(true);
expect(skipFilePathFetch('/asdf/node_modules/whatever/lodash.js')).toBe(false);
});
it('skip for ts and tsx', () => {
expect(skipFilePathFetch('whatever.ts')).toBe(true);
expect(skipFilePathFetch('whatever.tsx')).toBe(true);
});
});
|
<?php
return [
'cms_object' => [
'invalid_file' => 'Nom de fichier invalide : :name. Les noms de fichiers ne peuvent contenir que des caractères alphanumériques, des tirets bas, des tirets et des points. Voici des exemples de noms de fichiers valides : page.htm, ma-page, sous_repertoire/nouvelle.page',
'invalid_property' => 'L’attribut ":name" ne peut pas être défini',
'file_already_exists' => 'Le fichier ":name" existe déjà.',
'error_saving' => 'Erreur lors de l’enregistrement du fichier ":name". Veuillez vérifier les permissions en écriture.',
'error_creating_directory' => 'Erreur lors de la création du répertoire :name. Veuillez vérifier les permissions en écriture.',
'invalid_file_extension' => 'Extension de fichier invalide : :invalid. Les extensions autorisées sont : :allowed.',
'error_deleting' => 'Erreur lors de la suppression du modèle ":name". Veuillez vérifier les permissions en écriture.',
'delete_success' => 'Les modèles ont été supprimés avec succès : :count.',
'file_name_required' => 'Le nom du fichier est requis.',
'safe_mode_enabled' => 'Le mode protégé est activé.',
],
'dashboard' => [
'active_theme' => [
'widget_title_default' => 'Site Web',
'online' => 'En ligne',
'maintenance' => 'En cours de maintenance',
'manage_themes' => 'Gestion des thèmes',
'customize_theme' => 'Personnaliser le thème',
]
],
'theme' => [
'not_found_name' => 'Le thème ":name" n’a pas été trouvé.',
'by_author' => 'Par :name',
'active' => [
'not_set' => 'Aucun thème n’est activé.',
'not_found' => 'Le thème activé est introuvable.',
],
'edit' => [
'not_set' => 'Le thème à modifier n’est pas activé.',
'not_found' => 'Le thème à modifier est introuvable.',
'not_match' => 'L’objet auquel vous souhaitez accéder n’appartient pas au thème en cours de modification. Veuillez recharger la page.'
],
'settings_menu' => 'Thème frontal',
'settings_menu_description' => 'Aperçu des thèmes installés et sélection du thème actif.',
'default_tab' => 'Propriétés',
'name_label' => 'Nom',
'name_create_placeholder' => 'Nom du nouveau thème',
'author_label' => 'Auteur',
'author_placeholder' => 'Nom de la personne ou de la compagnie',
'description_label' => 'Description',
'description_placeholder' => 'Description du thème',
'homepage_label' => 'Page d’accueil',
'homepage_placeholder' => 'Adresse URL du site Web',
'code_label' => 'Code',
'code_placeholder' => 'Un nom de code unique pour la distribution de ce thème',
'preview_image_label' => 'Aperçu',
'preview_image_placeholder' => 'Chemin de l’aperçu.',
'dir_name_label' => 'Nom du répertoire',
'dir_name_create_label' => 'Le répertoire de destination du thème',
'theme_label' => 'Thème',
'theme_title' => 'Thèmes',
'activate_button' => 'Activer',
'active_button' => 'Activer',
'customize_theme' => 'Personnaliser le thème',
'customize_button' => 'Personnaliser',
'duplicate_button' => 'Dupliquer',
'duplicate_title' => 'Dupliquer le thème',
'duplicate_theme_success' => 'Duplication réalisée avec succès !',
'manage_button' => 'Gérer',
'manage_title' => 'Gérer le thème',
'edit_properties_title' => 'Thème',
'edit_properties_button' => 'Modifier les propriétés',
'save_properties' => 'Enregistrer les propriétés',
'import_button' => 'Importer',
'import_title' => 'Importer le thème',
'import_theme_success' => 'Thème importé avec succès !',
'import_uploaded_file' => 'Fichier archive du thème',
'import_overwrite_label' => 'Écraser les fichiers existants',
'import_overwrite_comment' => 'Décocher cette case pour importer uniquement les nouveaux fichiers',
'import_folders_label' => 'Répertoires',
'import_folders_comment' => 'Sélectionner les répertoires du thème à importer',
'export_button' => 'Exporter',
'export_title' => 'Exporter le thème',
'export_folders_label' => 'Répertoire',
'export_folders_comment' => 'Sélectionner les répertoires du thème à exporter',
'delete_button' => 'Supprimer',
'delete_confirm' => 'Confirmer la suppression de ce thème ? Cette action est irréversible !',
'delete_active_theme_failed' => 'Impossible de supprimer le thème actif, merci d’activer une autre thème au préalable.',
'delete_theme_success' => 'Thème supprimé avec succès !',
'create_title' => 'Créer un thème',
'create_button' => 'Créer',
'create_new_blank_theme' => 'Créer un nouveau thème vierge',
'create_theme_success' => 'Thème créé avec succès !',
'create_theme_required_name' => 'Saisir un nom pour ce thème.',
'new_directory_name_label' => 'Répertoire du thème',
'new_directory_name_comment' => 'Indiquer un nouveau nom de répertoire pour le thème en dupliqué.',
'dir_name_invalid' => 'Le nom doit contenir uniquement des chiffres, des symboles latins et les symboles suivants : _-',
'dir_name_taken' => 'Le nom du répertoire indiqué existe déjà.',
'find_more_themes' => 'Trouver davantage de thèmes sur le site du CMS October.',
'saving' => 'Enregistrement du thème en cours…',
'return' => 'Retourner à la liste des thèmes',
],
'maintenance' => [
'settings_menu' => 'Maintenance',
'settings_menu_description' => 'Configurer la page de maintenance et ajuster ses options.',
'is_enabled' => 'Activer la maintenance',
'is_enabled_comment' => 'Si activé, la page choisie ci-dessous sera affichée pour les visiteurs du site Web.',
'hint' => 'Le mode maintenance affichera la page de maintenance pour les visiteurs qui ne sont pas authentifiés dans l’interface d’administration.'
],
'page' => [
'not_found_name' => 'La page ":name" est introuvable',
'not_found' => [
'label' => 'La page est introuvable',
'help' => 'La page demandée est introuvable.',
],
'custom_error' => [
'label' => 'Erreur sur la page',
'help' => 'Nous sommes désolés, un problème est survenu et la page ne peut être affichée.',
],
'menu_label' => 'Pages',
'unsaved_label' => 'Page(s) non enregistrée(s)',
'no_list_records' => 'Aucune page n’a été trouvée',
'new' => 'Nouvelle page',
'invalid_url' => 'Format d’adresse URL invalide. L’adresse URL doit commencer par un / et peut contenir des chiffres, des lettres et les symboles suivants : ._-[]:?|/+*^$',
'delete_confirm_multiple' => 'Confirmer la suppression des pages sélectionnées ?',
'delete_confirm_single' => 'Confirmer la suppression de cette page ?',
'no_layout' => '-- aucune maquette --',
'cms_page' => 'Page CMS',
'title' => 'Titre de la page',
'url' => 'URL de la page',
'file_name' => 'Nom du fichier de la page'
],
'layout' => [
'not_found_name' => 'La maquette ":name" est introuvable',
'menu_label' => 'Maquettes',
'unsaved_label' => 'Maquette(s) non enregistrée(s)',
'no_list_records' => 'Aucune maquette n’a été trouvée',
'new' => 'Nouvelle maquette',
'delete_confirm_multiple' => 'Confirmer la suppression des maquettes sélectionnées ?',
'delete_confirm_single' => 'Confirmer la suppression de cette maquette ?'
],
'partial' => [
'not_found_name' => 'Le modèle partiel ":name" est introuvable.',
'invalid_name' => 'Nom du modèle partiel invalide : :name.',
'menu_label' => ' Modèles partiels',
'unsaved_label' => 'Modèle(s) partiel(s) non enregistré(s)',
'no_list_records' => 'Aucun modèle partiel n’a été trouvé',
'delete_confirm_multiple' => 'Confirmer la suppression des modèles partiels sélectionnés ?',
'delete_confirm_single' => 'Confirmer la suppression de ce modèle partiel ?',
'new' => 'Nouveau modèle partiel'
],
'content' => [
'not_found_name' => 'Le fichier de contenu ":name" est introuvable.',
'menu_label' => 'Contenu',
'unsaved_label' => 'Contenu non enregistré',
'no_list_records' => 'Aucun fichier de contenu n’a été trouvé',
'delete_confirm_multiple' => 'Confirmer la suppression des fichiers de contenu ou répertoires sélectionnés ?',
'delete_confirm_single' => 'Confirmer la suppression de ce fichier de contenu ?',
'new' => 'Nouveau fichier de contenu'
],
'ajax_handler' => [
'invalid_name' => 'Nom du gestionnaire AJAX invalide : :name.',
'not_found' => 'Le gestionnaire AJAX ":name" est introuvable.',
],
'cms' => [
'menu_label' => 'CMS'
],
'sidebar' => [
'add' => 'Ajouter',
'search' => 'Rechercher…'
],
'editor' => [
'settings' => 'Configuration',
'title' => 'Titre',
'new_title' => 'Nouveau titre de la page',
'url' => 'Adresse URL',
'filename' => 'Nom du fichier',
'layout' => 'Maquette',
'description' => 'Description',
'preview' => 'Aperçu',
'meta' => 'Meta',
'meta_title' => 'Meta Titre',
'meta_description' => 'Meta Description',
'markup' => 'Balisage',
'code' => 'Code',
'content' => 'Contenu',
'hidden' => 'Caché',
'hidden_comment' => 'Les pages cachées sont seulement accessibles aux administrateurs connectés.',
'enter_fullscreen' => 'Activer le mode plein écran',
'exit_fullscreen' => 'Annuler le mode plein écran',
'open_searchbox' => 'Ouvrir la boîte de dialogue Rechercher',
'close_searchbox' => 'Fermer la boîte de dialogue Rechercher',
'open_replacebox' => 'Ouvrir la boîte de dialogue Remplacer',
'close_replacebox' => 'Fermer la boîte de dialogue Remplacer',
'commit' => 'Envoyer',
'reset' => 'Rétablir',
'commit_confirm' => 'Êtes-vous sûr de vouloir envoyer vos changements apportés à ce fichier au système de fichier? Cela écrasera le fichier existant sur le système de fichier',
'reset_confirm' => 'Êtes-vous sûr de vouloir rétablir ce fichier depuis la version présente sur le système de fichier? Cela le remplacera totalement par la version présente sur le système de fichier',
'committing' => 'Envoi',
'resetting' => 'Rétablissement',
'commit_success' => 'Le :type a été envoyé au système de fichier',
'reset_success' => 'Le :type a été rétabli depuis la verison du système de fichier',
],
'asset' => [
'menu_label' => 'Assets',
'unsaved_label' => 'Asset(s) non sauvegardé(s)',
'drop_down_add_title' => 'Ajouter…',
'drop_down_operation_title' => 'Action…',
'upload_files' => 'Déposer des fichiers',
'create_file' => 'Créer un fichier',
'create_directory' => 'Créer un répertoire',
'directory_popup_title' => 'Nouveau répertoire',
'directory_name' => 'Nom du répertoire',
'rename' => 'Renommer',
'delete' => 'Supprimer',
'move' => 'Déplacer',
'select' => 'Sélectionner',
'new' => 'Nouveau fichier',
'rename_popup_title' => 'Renommer',
'rename_new_name' => 'Nouveau nom',
'invalid_path' => 'Le chemin doit contenir uniquement des chiffres, des lettres, des espaces et les symboles suivants : ._-/',
'error_deleting_file' => 'Erreur lors de la suppression du fichier :name.',
'error_deleting_dir_not_empty' => 'Erreur lors de la suppression du répertoire :name. Le répertoire n’est pas vide.',
'error_deleting_dir' => 'Erreur lors de la suppression du répertoire :name.',
'invalid_name' => 'Le nom doit contenir uniquement des chiffres, des lettres, des espaces et les symboles suivants : ._-',
'original_not_found' => 'Le fichier original ou son répertoire est introuvable',
'already_exists' => 'Un fichier ou un répertoire avec le même nom existe déjà',
'error_renaming' => 'Erreur lors du renommage du fichier ou du répertoire',
'name_cant_be_empty' => 'Le nom ne peut être vide',
'too_large' => 'Le fichier téléchargé est trop volumineux. La taille maximum autorisée est de :max_size',
'type_not_allowed' => 'Les types de fichiers autorisés sont les suivants : :allowed_types',
'file_not_valid' => 'Fichier invalide',
'error_uploading_file' => 'Erreur lors du dépôt du fichier ":name" : :error',
'move_please_select' => 'Faire une sélection',
'move_destination' => 'Répertoire de destination',
'move_popup_title' => 'Déplacer les assets',
'move_button' => 'Déplacer',
'selected_files_not_found' => 'Les fichiers sélectionnés sont introuvables',
'select_destination_dir' => 'Veuillez sélectionner un répertoire de destination',
'destination_not_found' => 'Le répertoire de destination est introuvable',
'error_moving_file' => 'Erreur lors du déplacement du fichier :file',
'error_moving_directory' => 'Erreur lors du déplacement du répertoire :dir',
'error_deleting_directory' => 'Erreur lors de la suppression du répertoire d’origine :dir',
'no_list_records' => 'Aucun fichier trouvé',
'delete_confirm' => 'Supprimer les fichiers ou répertoires sélectionnés ?',
'path' => 'Chemin'
],
'component' => [
'menu_label' => 'Composants',
'unnamed' => 'Sans nom',
'no_description' => 'Aucune description n’a été fournie',
'alias' => 'Alias',
'alias_description' => 'Nom unique fourni lors de l’utilisation du composant sur une page ou une maquette.',
'validation_message' => 'Les alias du composant sont requis et doivent contenir uniquement des symboles latins, des chiffres et des tirets bas. Les alias doivent commencer par un symbole latin.',
'invalid_request' => 'Le modèle ne peut être enregistré car les données d’un composant ne sont pas valides.',
'no_records' => 'Aucun composant n’a été trouvé',
'not_found' => 'Le composant ":name" est introuvable.',
'no_default_partial' => 'Ce composant n’as aucun partiel par défaut',
'method_not_found' => 'Le composant ":name" ne contient pas de méthode ":method".',
'soft_component' => 'Composant Soft',
'soft_component_description' => 'Ce composant est manquant mais facultatif.',
],
'template' => [
'invalid_type' => 'Type de modèle inconnu.',
'not_found' => 'Le modèle est introuvable.',
'saved'=> 'Le modèle a été sauvegardé avec succès.',
'no_list_records' => 'Aucun enregistrement trouvé',
'delete_confirm' => 'Supprimer les modèles sélectionnés ?',
'order_by' =>'Trier par'
],
'permissions' => [
'name' => 'CMS',
'manage_content' => 'Gérer le contenu du site web',
'manage_assets' => 'Gérer les assets site web - images, fichiers JavaScript et CSS',
'manage_pages' => 'Créer, modifier et supprimer des pages du site web',
'manage_layouts' => 'Créer, modifier et supprimer des maquettes du CMS',
'manage_partials' => 'Créer, modifier et supprimer des modèles partiels du CMS',
'manage_themes' => 'Activer, désactiver et configurer les thèmes',
'manage_theme_options' => 'Gérer les options de personnalisation du thème actif',
],
'theme_log' => [
'hint' => 'Ce journal affiche tous les changements fait sur le thème actif par les administrateurs via le panneau d’administration.',
'menu_label' => 'Journal du thème',
'menu_description' => 'Affiche la liste des modifications apportées au thème actif.',
'empty_link' => 'Purger le journal du thème',
'empty_loading' => 'Purge du journal du thème...',
'empty_success' => 'Journal du thème purgé avec succès',
'return_link' => 'Retourner au journal du thème',
'id' => 'ID',
'id_label' => 'ID du journal',
'created_at' => 'Date & Heure',
'user' => 'Utilisateur',
'type' => 'Type',
'type_create' => 'Créer',
'type_update' => 'Modifier',
'type_delete' => 'Supprimer',
'theme_name' => 'Thème',
'theme_code' => 'Code du thème',
'old_template' => 'Modèle (Ancien)',
'new_template' => 'Modèle (Nouveau)',
'template' => 'Modèle',
'diff' => 'Changements',
'old_value' => 'Ancienne valeur',
'new_value' => 'Nouvelle valeur',
'preview_title' => 'Changement du odèle',
'template_updated' => 'Le modèle a été modifié',
'template_created' => 'Le modèle a été créé',
'template_deleted' => 'Le modèle a été supprimé',
],
];
|
Q:
How to control ExecuteNonQuery
I mean hypothetically is it possible to control query execution?
For example I got a big query and it does a lot of things but suddenly it gets an error, but I don't want to stop its execution, I just wanna skip that step and continue further.
Or I want to let the user know what's going on, what's actually is happening on the server right now.
Can I have some feedback from Sql server? Like "Just deleted the trigger successfully" or "I just Screwed with table alternation... So-n-so"
A:
You could try breaking your stored procedure up into several smaller pieces and wrapping them all in a transaction.
|
Human olfactory receptor neurons contain OMP mRNA in their dendritic and axonal processes.
The cellular expression of olfactory marker protein (OMP) mRNA and protein was investigated in the olfactory mucosa of humans ranging in age from 26 weeks of gestation to 85 years using in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry. OMP mRNA and protein were most abundant in the somas of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). The hybridization signal over the ORN somal layer was greater in older subjects than in younger ones, reflecting either a higher neuronal density or more OMP mRNA per cell. In contrast, it was significantly lower in subjects with Alzheimer's disease when compared with an age-matched control. Characteristics of older subjects were patchiness in the distribution of OMP-expressing ORNs and the occurrence of subepithelial invaginations containing OMP-positive neurons. In addition, a significant hybridization signal was detected in the apical olfactory epithelium containing the dendrites, dendritic knobs, and cilia of ORNS, and over olfactory nerve bundles in the lamina propria, indicating the occurrence of OMP mRNA in dendritic and axonal domains. |
3. Actually they tried 'rebranding' last time. 'We are now the Tea Party'.....
it didn't really work all that well. But after Bush and the blows to GOP public image, the 'Tea Party' ploy was an attempt to engage in Republican politics under a name that was not 'Republican'. Of course the 'Tea Party' never even tried to be a real Party, they were always just a subset of the Republican Party, the subset that tried to get others involved by pretending they were not part of the mainstream Party of GW Bush.
They tried rebranding, and it backfired on them. |
Weatherproof Girls' Outerwear from L.L.Bean. Trust L.L.Bean for versatile Girls' outerwear that's designed to keep her warm, all season long. We've got colorful styles with all the features she needs on the slopes, 3-in-1 Girls' outerwear with multiseason versatility and lightweight Girls' outerwear, too. We design our Girls' outerwear for easy movement, and use premium insulation like goose down and Thinsulate for warmth in the harshest winter conditions. Details count, too, so our Girls' outerwear features tuck-away hoods, tough zippers, carefully placed pockets and reinforced knees. Keep her warm from playground to ski slope all year long, with reliable Girls' outerwear from L.L.Bean. |
Negative interest rates will be needed in the next major recession or financial crisis, and central banks should do more to prepare the ground for such policies, according to leading economist Kenneth Rogoff.
Quantitative easing is not as effective a tonic as cutting rates to below zero, he believes. Central banks around the world turned to money creation in the credit crunch to stimulate the economy when interest rates were already at rock bottom.
In a new paper published in the Journal of Economic Perspectives the professor of economics at Harvard University argues that central banks should start preparing now to find ways to cut rates to below zero so they are not caught out when the next recession strikes. |
Personally, while I almost always am an advocate of trading down, I'd rather not gamble on missing out on Tannehill and Weeden which I think is possible in this scenario. If the staff feels strongly about either player, I think it would be wiser to take one at 8 regardless of how much it might be a "reach." I would be a fan of that draft though.
Totally agree with everything you said. I think 8 is the spot for Taneyhill. If he is gone, you look to move down unless somehow one of the "big six" drops to 8.. May not have a partner though. If thats the case, I think DeCastro would be the BPA.. That being said, I don't think there is a chance in hell Ireland takes him due to the backlash... Starting to smell like Coples at 8 if they do not move and Taneyhill is gone..
I have added another draft scenario. One where we miss on Tannehill and trade down. There will be other trade down chances but this one has a chance. They are posted here. Let me know what you think of scenario 2.
I am torn because I feel like Tannehill will eventually be a great QB but not right out of the gate. So I feel like if he's there we need to take him at 8. If someone moves up or the Browns take him then we need to change focus and try to move down.
And on another note I love Mercilus, Toon and Sanu. I imagine Mercilus and Wake on opposite sides rushing the QB. Then Sanu, Toon Gates and Bess on our 4 WR set.
I've been going over the Miami depth chart trying to get a feel for who we've signed and if there are glaring holes. The 2 holes I see besides needing a franchise QB are at WR and OG. I would say the needs are in order of QB, WR and G tied, then pass rusher.
With that said, IMO if we draft Tannehill 1st, then in looking at how the draft may fall there will be Sanu, Randle, Curry, McClellin and OG Zietler may be there at our spot in the 2nd. Who do you take given the depth chart holes?
I really like McClellin but feel the fins may go after WR Sanu or Randle here but it may be a toss up. They could get AJ Jenkins and Nick Toon in the 3rd and grab McClellin at 42. I keep thinking I would love to see Toon and Sanu in Dolphins uniform so I am hoping we grab Sanu at 42 and then Toon at 72. At 73 since we passed up pass rusher I hope Bruce Irvin is vailable.
I want a QB and a WR with our first two picks. I feel like those are the two biggest needs. Ideally, for me, it would be Ryan Tannehill in the 1st and Rueben Randle in the 2nd. That would be incredible!!
I'd be happy with the draft if we came out of it with Tannehill or Weeden honestly. Anything after that would be icing on the cake haha. I have faith in this staff's ability to make mold OL and WRs and get more production out of them than their natural abilities might suggest. That being said, if I were scripting this draft it would be QB, pass rusher, WR, and OL with our four top 100 picks.
I know this may be an unpopular position on the board, but I am rooting for and am very confident in Jeff Ireland for this draft.. I think the more and more info being put out there leads me to believe that this guy really is a good evaluator and may be getting his bearings into becoming a good GM. Unfortunately, he is in a bad spot this yr. The world expects him to get a QB no matter what. The problem is that there is no way in hell Tannehill is worth the #3 overall pick. I would be furious if he paid a heavy price to go get a guy who will have to sit at least 1 yr and probably 2.. At most, if they had to trade one of their 3's to move up a couple spots, I would consider it..
In my mind, he has a few choices:
1. Wait til #8. I think if he does wait, he will have the opportunity to get Tannehill there. IMO, he has to take him at #8 if he is there. My personal opinion is Weeden will be better, but I think he will get lynched if Tannehill makes it to 8 and does not take him.
2. Trade down and try to get him a little lower. I think that in most yrs, they are in a great trading zone.. Jax and Miami are great spots for people to come up and get the next wave of players after the "big 6". Coples, Cox, Barron & Ingram are going to be sought after by teams in the teens.. If they were confident that Tannehill would get through KC and Sea, they could take a shot and see if they can pick up some extra choices and still nab him closer to where he really belongs.. Dream scenario would be to move to 15 with Philly, pick up a #2 and still get Tannehill at #15.. Don't think this is going to happen, but I can dream..
3. Take the defensive player. He could get ready for the bullets to fly with this one if Tannehill is still there, but he could just take Coples or another defensive player with the pick and try to grab a qb in rd 2 or moving back up in rd 1. If they were to get Weeden as the QB in this scenario, I would be fine. But, I am not in on Osweiler or Cousins. Neither one does anything for me, especially Osweiler...
I think at this point, these are the possibilities. The scenarios that have Miami taking a WR or Ol in rd 1 don't make sense to me. Unless you are drafting a Calvin or Andre Johnson type, wrs are not worth spending top 10 choices on.. And they just cannot allocate another high pick and salary cap $$ to the OL unless they planned on Jake Long being sent packing (which is not happening)
Ireland said during his PC today that he wants the 8th pick to be a guy who can come in and make an impact right away. Now that could be a whole lotta something or just a whole lotta nothing but if its true, I dont really see Tannehill being the guy.
This board is completely dead. Where is everyone? Draft day is here. Lets get on here and do this!! Everyone and their mother has Tannehill going to us at 8 and while its not a perfect scenario, I really think that he has a chance to be a pretty good player and is not as big a reach as everyone says. Remember, Philip Rivers sat for 2 yrs in SD and he went 4th...
I'm really hoping for one of the WRs with our first pick. I know everybody and their dog has us taking Tannehill, I think there's better QBs next year and we'd be better off taking a weapon so that whoever we grab next year has somebody to throw to.
I want Tannehill honestly. I'm not overly high on all the QBs for next years draft plus I think we'll be in a similar position next year where we win enough games to be out of the elite QB range but not good enough to make the playoffs. The only WR I'd be okay with at 8 is Blackmon but I don't think he'll make it that far. I honestly don't know that there is any player other than Tannehill and Blackmon that would excite me at 8. I'm totally braced for us to come up on the board with Tannehill and Blackmon available and we turn around and draft Mark Barron.
I'm happy. I think we NEEDED Tannehill. No question he has the ability of a top ten pick. I'd sit him this ENTIRE year, then give him the reins after that. I'm very hopeful. We finally took a chance and didn't play it safe. No doubt I'm getting a Ryan Tannehill jersey baby!!
I like the Tannehill pick. He was probably my favorite prospect in the draft. So much was made of his performance last year but A&M receivers dropped a huge percentage of his passes. His upside is right up there with Griffin (who was really hyped up IMO). He has experience in a pro-style offense and his physical and mental attributes are top notch. In previous years it would have been considered a real reach but after last year everyone realizes the position is at a premium. He is better than Ponder/Gabbert and is almost on par with Locker who went 8 last year I believe.
Having Matt Moore/Garrard in front of him will insulate him from being forced into action to soon. This will give him more time to develop and build the team up around him.
Really hoping for Vinny Curry today in rd 2. Focus on WR and OL in round 3 and 4. Would not mind a Courtney Upshaw either. Hoping no on Andre Branch. Think he is another Merling.... Would not even mind going BPA and taking a guy like Boykin or dare i say, Janoris Jenkins if the pass rushers are gone..
Fan of the Tannehill and Martin pick. Hope that we FINALLY found ourselves a franchise QB. Really like his potential. Just hope the coaches dont screw up and put him in too early.
Kinda scratching my head on the 3rd round picks. Can anybody tell me the goods on Vernon? Doesnt seem much of a pass rusher threat that we need opposite of Wake. And I was kinda surprised with the Egnew pick. I thought we already had our mismatch/seam threat TE in Clay. Was thinking more in the later rounds when we would take a TE. Certainly not that early.
Day 3 we NEED to attack the WR's in the draft. Know its a deep class but damn. Was hoping we would draft a WR atleast by in the 2nd-3rd round. |
Q:
How can I run a Windows application before a user has logged in?
Possible Duplicate:
How can a WPF application be launched before I logon to Windows?
I have written a application in C#. I want to run my application before logging into Windows OS (after Windows OS pre-loading).
How can I do that?
A:
The only way to do this is to create a Windows Service instead of an application. Since services are not user-mode applications, they are allowed to run even when no user is logged in.
However, this has other caveats. Most developers learn only the above and think that they need to write a Windows Service. This is incorrect: in reality, it is quite rare that you ever actually need to write one of these. As mentioned above, they are not user-mode applications and therefore cannot show any type of user interface. They are designed only to run in the background and for instances where the user does not need to interact with them in any way, other than [rarely] stopping and starting them.
If you already have a regular application with a user interface, then creating a Windows Service is not an option for you. Your application will not port to a service, and you'll be back asking half a dozen questions about seemingly unexplained behavior, system crashes, and the inability to do various things. A service is not a replacement for an application: it's an entirely different product that requires a completely different design methodology.
So what are your options? Well, basically nothing. Windows is a multi-user operating system. There is no way to run a user-mode application without a user logged in. The best thing that you can do is to add your application to the "Startup" folder shared by all user accounts, and then configure the machine to automatically log in a particular user when it starts up. That way, there will never be a time that the computer is running without a user logged in, and therefore without your application running as well.
In order to do this, you'll need to configure Group Policies on the computers, which will require you to have administrative access to them and will not work on computers which you do not own (such as machines that belong to customers). That's actually a good thing, because this is extremely poor design for an application intended for general use.
Ask more questions about setting up Group Policies over on our sister site designed for system administrators, Server Fault.
A:
It would have to be a Service to run before login.
|
/*
* Copyright (c) 2000-2002,2005 Silicon Graphics, Inc.
* All Rights Reserved.
*
* This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
* modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
* published by the Free Software Foundation.
*
* This program is distributed in the hope that it would be useful,
* but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
* GNU General Public License for more details.
*
* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
* along with this program; if not, write the Free Software Foundation,
* Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
*/
#include "xfs.h"
#include "xfs_fs.h"
#include "xfs_shared.h"
#include "xfs_format.h"
#include "xfs_log_format.h"
#include "xfs_trans_resv.h"
#include "xfs_mount.h"
#include "xfs_inode.h"
#include "xfs_trans.h"
#include "xfs_buf_item.h"
#include "xfs_trans_priv.h"
#include "xfs_error.h"
#include "xfs_trace.h"
/*
* Check to see if a buffer matching the given parameters is already
* a part of the given transaction.
*/
STATIC struct xfs_buf *
xfs_trans_buf_item_match(
struct xfs_trans *tp,
struct xfs_buftarg *target,
struct xfs_buf_map *map,
int nmaps)
{
struct xfs_log_item_desc *lidp;
struct xfs_buf_log_item *blip;
int len = 0;
int i;
for (i = 0; i < nmaps; i++)
len += map[i].bm_len;
list_for_each_entry(lidp, &tp->t_items, lid_trans) {
blip = (struct xfs_buf_log_item *)lidp->lid_item;
if (blip->bli_item.li_type == XFS_LI_BUF &&
blip->bli_buf->b_target == target &&
XFS_BUF_ADDR(blip->bli_buf) == map[0].bm_bn &&
blip->bli_buf->b_length == len) {
ASSERT(blip->bli_buf->b_map_count == nmaps);
return blip->bli_buf;
}
}
return NULL;
}
/*
* Add the locked buffer to the transaction.
*
* The buffer must be locked, and it cannot be associated with any
* transaction.
*
* If the buffer does not yet have a buf log item associated with it,
* then allocate one for it. Then add the buf item to the transaction.
*/
STATIC void
_xfs_trans_bjoin(
struct xfs_trans *tp,
struct xfs_buf *bp,
int reset_recur)
{
struct xfs_buf_log_item *bip;
ASSERT(bp->b_transp == NULL);
/*
* The xfs_buf_log_item pointer is stored in b_fsprivate. If
* it doesn't have one yet, then allocate one and initialize it.
* The checks to see if one is there are in xfs_buf_item_init().
*/
xfs_buf_item_init(bp, tp->t_mountp);
bip = bp->b_fspriv;
ASSERT(!(bip->bli_flags & XFS_BLI_STALE));
ASSERT(!(bip->__bli_format.blf_flags & XFS_BLF_CANCEL));
ASSERT(!(bip->bli_flags & XFS_BLI_LOGGED));
if (reset_recur)
bip->bli_recur = 0;
/*
* Take a reference for this transaction on the buf item.
*/
atomic_inc(&bip->bli_refcount);
/*
* Get a log_item_desc to point at the new item.
*/
xfs_trans_add_item(tp, &bip->bli_item);
/*
* Initialize b_fsprivate2 so we can find it with incore_match()
* in xfs_trans_get_buf() and friends above.
*/
bp->b_transp = tp;
}
void
xfs_trans_bjoin(
struct xfs_trans *tp,
struct xfs_buf *bp)
{
_xfs_trans_bjoin(tp, bp, 0);
trace_xfs_trans_bjoin(bp->b_fspriv);
}
/*
* Get and lock the buffer for the caller if it is not already
* locked within the given transaction. If it is already locked
* within the transaction, just increment its lock recursion count
* and return a pointer to it.
*
* If the transaction pointer is NULL, make this just a normal
* get_buf() call.
*/
struct xfs_buf *
xfs_trans_get_buf_map(
struct xfs_trans *tp,
struct xfs_buftarg *target,
struct xfs_buf_map *map,
int nmaps,
xfs_buf_flags_t flags)
{
xfs_buf_t *bp;
xfs_buf_log_item_t *bip;
if (!tp)
return xfs_buf_get_map(target, map, nmaps, flags);
/*
* If we find the buffer in the cache with this transaction
* pointer in its b_fsprivate2 field, then we know we already
* have it locked. In this case we just increment the lock
* recursion count and return the buffer to the caller.
*/
bp = xfs_trans_buf_item_match(tp, target, map, nmaps);
if (bp != NULL) {
ASSERT(xfs_buf_islocked(bp));
if (XFS_FORCED_SHUTDOWN(tp->t_mountp)) {
xfs_buf_stale(bp);
XFS_BUF_DONE(bp);
}
ASSERT(bp->b_transp == tp);
bip = bp->b_fspriv;
ASSERT(bip != NULL);
ASSERT(atomic_read(&bip->bli_refcount) > 0);
bip->bli_recur++;
trace_xfs_trans_get_buf_recur(bip);
return bp;
}
bp = xfs_buf_get_map(target, map, nmaps, flags);
if (bp == NULL) {
return NULL;
}
ASSERT(!bp->b_error);
_xfs_trans_bjoin(tp, bp, 1);
trace_xfs_trans_get_buf(bp->b_fspriv);
return bp;
}
/*
* Get and lock the superblock buffer of this file system for the
* given transaction.
*
* We don't need to use incore_match() here, because the superblock
* buffer is a private buffer which we keep a pointer to in the
* mount structure.
*/
xfs_buf_t *
xfs_trans_getsb(xfs_trans_t *tp,
struct xfs_mount *mp,
int flags)
{
xfs_buf_t *bp;
xfs_buf_log_item_t *bip;
/*
* Default to just trying to lock the superblock buffer
* if tp is NULL.
*/
if (tp == NULL)
return xfs_getsb(mp, flags);
/*
* If the superblock buffer already has this transaction
* pointer in its b_fsprivate2 field, then we know we already
* have it locked. In this case we just increment the lock
* recursion count and return the buffer to the caller.
*/
bp = mp->m_sb_bp;
if (bp->b_transp == tp) {
bip = bp->b_fspriv;
ASSERT(bip != NULL);
ASSERT(atomic_read(&bip->bli_refcount) > 0);
bip->bli_recur++;
trace_xfs_trans_getsb_recur(bip);
return bp;
}
bp = xfs_getsb(mp, flags);
if (bp == NULL)
return NULL;
_xfs_trans_bjoin(tp, bp, 1);
trace_xfs_trans_getsb(bp->b_fspriv);
return bp;
}
/*
* Get and lock the buffer for the caller if it is not already
* locked within the given transaction. If it has not yet been
* read in, read it from disk. If it is already locked
* within the transaction and already read in, just increment its
* lock recursion count and return a pointer to it.
*
* If the transaction pointer is NULL, make this just a normal
* read_buf() call.
*/
int
xfs_trans_read_buf_map(
struct xfs_mount *mp,
struct xfs_trans *tp,
struct xfs_buftarg *target,
struct xfs_buf_map *map,
int nmaps,
xfs_buf_flags_t flags,
struct xfs_buf **bpp,
const struct xfs_buf_ops *ops)
{
struct xfs_buf *bp = NULL;
struct xfs_buf_log_item *bip;
int error;
*bpp = NULL;
/*
* If we find the buffer in the cache with this transaction
* pointer in its b_fsprivate2 field, then we know we already
* have it locked. If it is already read in we just increment
* the lock recursion count and return the buffer to the caller.
* If the buffer is not yet read in, then we read it in, increment
* the lock recursion count, and return it to the caller.
*/
if (tp)
bp = xfs_trans_buf_item_match(tp, target, map, nmaps);
if (bp) {
ASSERT(xfs_buf_islocked(bp));
ASSERT(bp->b_transp == tp);
ASSERT(bp->b_fspriv != NULL);
ASSERT(!bp->b_error);
ASSERT(bp->b_flags & XBF_DONE);
/*
* We never locked this buf ourselves, so we shouldn't
* brelse it either. Just get out.
*/
if (XFS_FORCED_SHUTDOWN(mp)) {
trace_xfs_trans_read_buf_shut(bp, _RET_IP_);
return -EIO;
}
bip = bp->b_fspriv;
bip->bli_recur++;
ASSERT(atomic_read(&bip->bli_refcount) > 0);
trace_xfs_trans_read_buf_recur(bip);
*bpp = bp;
return 0;
}
bp = xfs_buf_read_map(target, map, nmaps, flags, ops);
if (!bp) {
if (!(flags & XBF_TRYLOCK))
return -ENOMEM;
return tp ? 0 : -EAGAIN;
}
/*
* If we've had a read error, then the contents of the buffer are
* invalid and should not be used. To ensure that a followup read tries
* to pull the buffer from disk again, we clear the XBF_DONE flag and
* mark the buffer stale. This ensures that anyone who has a current
* reference to the buffer will interpret it's contents correctly and
* future cache lookups will also treat it as an empty, uninitialised
* buffer.
*/
if (bp->b_error) {
error = bp->b_error;
if (!XFS_FORCED_SHUTDOWN(mp))
xfs_buf_ioerror_alert(bp, __func__);
bp->b_flags &= ~XBF_DONE;
xfs_buf_stale(bp);
if (tp && (tp->t_flags & XFS_TRANS_DIRTY))
xfs_force_shutdown(tp->t_mountp, SHUTDOWN_META_IO_ERROR);
xfs_buf_relse(bp);
/* bad CRC means corrupted metadata */
if (error == -EFSBADCRC)
error = -EFSCORRUPTED;
return error;
}
if (XFS_FORCED_SHUTDOWN(mp)) {
xfs_buf_relse(bp);
trace_xfs_trans_read_buf_shut(bp, _RET_IP_);
return -EIO;
}
if (tp) {
_xfs_trans_bjoin(tp, bp, 1);
trace_xfs_trans_read_buf(bp->b_fspriv);
}
*bpp = bp;
return 0;
}
/*
* Release the buffer bp which was previously acquired with one of the
* xfs_trans_... buffer allocation routines if the buffer has not
* been modified within this transaction. If the buffer is modified
* within this transaction, do decrement the recursion count but do
* not release the buffer even if the count goes to 0. If the buffer is not
* modified within the transaction, decrement the recursion count and
* release the buffer if the recursion count goes to 0.
*
* If the buffer is to be released and it was not modified before
* this transaction began, then free the buf_log_item associated with it.
*
* If the transaction pointer is NULL, make this just a normal
* brelse() call.
*/
void
xfs_trans_brelse(xfs_trans_t *tp,
xfs_buf_t *bp)
{
xfs_buf_log_item_t *bip;
/*
* Default to a normal brelse() call if the tp is NULL.
*/
if (tp == NULL) {
ASSERT(bp->b_transp == NULL);
xfs_buf_relse(bp);
return;
}
ASSERT(bp->b_transp == tp);
bip = bp->b_fspriv;
ASSERT(bip->bli_item.li_type == XFS_LI_BUF);
ASSERT(!(bip->bli_flags & XFS_BLI_STALE));
ASSERT(!(bip->__bli_format.blf_flags & XFS_BLF_CANCEL));
ASSERT(atomic_read(&bip->bli_refcount) > 0);
trace_xfs_trans_brelse(bip);
/*
* If the release is just for a recursive lock,
* then decrement the count and return.
*/
if (bip->bli_recur > 0) {
bip->bli_recur--;
return;
}
/*
* If the buffer is dirty within this transaction, we can't
* release it until we commit.
*/
if (bip->bli_item.li_desc->lid_flags & XFS_LID_DIRTY)
return;
/*
* If the buffer has been invalidated, then we can't release
* it until the transaction commits to disk unless it is re-dirtied
* as part of this transaction. This prevents us from pulling
* the item from the AIL before we should.
*/
if (bip->bli_flags & XFS_BLI_STALE)
return;
ASSERT(!(bip->bli_flags & XFS_BLI_LOGGED));
/*
* Free up the log item descriptor tracking the released item.
*/
xfs_trans_del_item(&bip->bli_item);
/*
* Clear the hold flag in the buf log item if it is set.
* We wouldn't want the next user of the buffer to
* get confused.
*/
if (bip->bli_flags & XFS_BLI_HOLD) {
bip->bli_flags &= ~XFS_BLI_HOLD;
}
/*
* Drop our reference to the buf log item.
*/
atomic_dec(&bip->bli_refcount);
/*
* If the buf item is not tracking data in the log, then
* we must free it before releasing the buffer back to the
* free pool. Before releasing the buffer to the free pool,
* clear the transaction pointer in b_fsprivate2 to dissolve
* its relation to this transaction.
*/
if (!xfs_buf_item_dirty(bip)) {
/***
ASSERT(bp->b_pincount == 0);
***/
ASSERT(atomic_read(&bip->bli_refcount) == 0);
ASSERT(!(bip->bli_item.li_flags & XFS_LI_IN_AIL));
ASSERT(!(bip->bli_flags & XFS_BLI_INODE_ALLOC_BUF));
xfs_buf_item_relse(bp);
}
bp->b_transp = NULL;
xfs_buf_relse(bp);
}
/*
* Mark the buffer as not needing to be unlocked when the buf item's
* iop_unlock() routine is called. The buffer must already be locked
* and associated with the given transaction.
*/
/* ARGSUSED */
void
xfs_trans_bhold(xfs_trans_t *tp,
xfs_buf_t *bp)
{
xfs_buf_log_item_t *bip = bp->b_fspriv;
ASSERT(bp->b_transp == tp);
ASSERT(bip != NULL);
ASSERT(!(bip->bli_flags & XFS_BLI_STALE));
ASSERT(!(bip->__bli_format.blf_flags & XFS_BLF_CANCEL));
ASSERT(atomic_read(&bip->bli_refcount) > 0);
bip->bli_flags |= XFS_BLI_HOLD;
trace_xfs_trans_bhold(bip);
}
/*
* Cancel the previous buffer hold request made on this buffer
* for this transaction.
*/
void
xfs_trans_bhold_release(xfs_trans_t *tp,
xfs_buf_t *bp)
{
xfs_buf_log_item_t *bip = bp->b_fspriv;
ASSERT(bp->b_transp == tp);
ASSERT(bip != NULL);
ASSERT(!(bip->bli_flags & XFS_BLI_STALE));
ASSERT(!(bip->__bli_format.blf_flags & XFS_BLF_CANCEL));
ASSERT(atomic_read(&bip->bli_refcount) > 0);
ASSERT(bip->bli_flags & XFS_BLI_HOLD);
bip->bli_flags &= ~XFS_BLI_HOLD;
trace_xfs_trans_bhold_release(bip);
}
/*
* This is called to mark bytes first through last inclusive of the given
* buffer as needing to be logged when the transaction is committed.
* The buffer must already be associated with the given transaction.
*
* First and last are numbers relative to the beginning of this buffer,
* so the first byte in the buffer is numbered 0 regardless of the
* value of b_blkno.
*/
void
xfs_trans_log_buf(xfs_trans_t *tp,
xfs_buf_t *bp,
uint first,
uint last)
{
xfs_buf_log_item_t *bip = bp->b_fspriv;
ASSERT(bp->b_transp == tp);
ASSERT(bip != NULL);
ASSERT(first <= last && last < BBTOB(bp->b_length));
ASSERT(bp->b_iodone == NULL ||
bp->b_iodone == xfs_buf_iodone_callbacks);
/*
* Mark the buffer as needing to be written out eventually,
* and set its iodone function to remove the buffer's buf log
* item from the AIL and free it when the buffer is flushed
* to disk. See xfs_buf_attach_iodone() for more details
* on li_cb and xfs_buf_iodone_callbacks().
* If we end up aborting this transaction, we trap this buffer
* inside the b_bdstrat callback so that this won't get written to
* disk.
*/
XFS_BUF_DONE(bp);
ASSERT(atomic_read(&bip->bli_refcount) > 0);
bp->b_iodone = xfs_buf_iodone_callbacks;
bip->bli_item.li_cb = xfs_buf_iodone;
trace_xfs_trans_log_buf(bip);
/*
* If we invalidated the buffer within this transaction, then
* cancel the invalidation now that we're dirtying the buffer
* again. There are no races with the code in xfs_buf_item_unpin(),
* because we have a reference to the buffer this entire time.
*/
if (bip->bli_flags & XFS_BLI_STALE) {
bip->bli_flags &= ~XFS_BLI_STALE;
ASSERT(XFS_BUF_ISSTALE(bp));
XFS_BUF_UNSTALE(bp);
bip->__bli_format.blf_flags &= ~XFS_BLF_CANCEL;
}
tp->t_flags |= XFS_TRANS_DIRTY;
bip->bli_item.li_desc->lid_flags |= XFS_LID_DIRTY;
/*
* If we have an ordered buffer we are not logging any dirty range but
* it still needs to be marked dirty and that it has been logged.
*/
bip->bli_flags |= XFS_BLI_DIRTY | XFS_BLI_LOGGED;
if (!(bip->bli_flags & XFS_BLI_ORDERED))
xfs_buf_item_log(bip, first, last);
}
/*
* Invalidate a buffer that is being used within a transaction.
*
* Typically this is because the blocks in the buffer are being freed, so we
* need to prevent it from being written out when we're done. Allowing it
* to be written again might overwrite data in the free blocks if they are
* reallocated to a file.
*
* We prevent the buffer from being written out by marking it stale. We can't
* get rid of the buf log item at this point because the buffer may still be
* pinned by another transaction. If that is the case, then we'll wait until
* the buffer is committed to disk for the last time (we can tell by the ref
* count) and free it in xfs_buf_item_unpin(). Until that happens we will
* keep the buffer locked so that the buffer and buf log item are not reused.
*
* We also set the XFS_BLF_CANCEL flag in the buf log format structure and log
* the buf item. This will be used at recovery time to determine that copies
* of the buffer in the log before this should not be replayed.
*
* We mark the item descriptor and the transaction dirty so that we'll hold
* the buffer until after the commit.
*
* Since we're invalidating the buffer, we also clear the state about which
* parts of the buffer have been logged. We also clear the flag indicating
* that this is an inode buffer since the data in the buffer will no longer
* be valid.
*
* We set the stale bit in the buffer as well since we're getting rid of it.
*/
void
xfs_trans_binval(
xfs_trans_t *tp,
xfs_buf_t *bp)
{
xfs_buf_log_item_t *bip = bp->b_fspriv;
int i;
ASSERT(bp->b_transp == tp);
ASSERT(bip != NULL);
ASSERT(atomic_read(&bip->bli_refcount) > 0);
trace_xfs_trans_binval(bip);
if (bip->bli_flags & XFS_BLI_STALE) {
/*
* If the buffer is already invalidated, then
* just return.
*/
ASSERT(XFS_BUF_ISSTALE(bp));
ASSERT(!(bip->bli_flags & (XFS_BLI_LOGGED | XFS_BLI_DIRTY)));
ASSERT(!(bip->__bli_format.blf_flags & XFS_BLF_INODE_BUF));
ASSERT(!(bip->__bli_format.blf_flags & XFS_BLFT_MASK));
ASSERT(bip->__bli_format.blf_flags & XFS_BLF_CANCEL);
ASSERT(bip->bli_item.li_desc->lid_flags & XFS_LID_DIRTY);
ASSERT(tp->t_flags & XFS_TRANS_DIRTY);
return;
}
xfs_buf_stale(bp);
bip->bli_flags |= XFS_BLI_STALE;
bip->bli_flags &= ~(XFS_BLI_INODE_BUF | XFS_BLI_LOGGED | XFS_BLI_DIRTY);
bip->__bli_format.blf_flags &= ~XFS_BLF_INODE_BUF;
bip->__bli_format.blf_flags |= XFS_BLF_CANCEL;
bip->__bli_format.blf_flags &= ~XFS_BLFT_MASK;
for (i = 0; i < bip->bli_format_count; i++) {
memset(bip->bli_formats[i].blf_data_map, 0,
(bip->bli_formats[i].blf_map_size * sizeof(uint)));
}
bip->bli_item.li_desc->lid_flags |= XFS_LID_DIRTY;
tp->t_flags |= XFS_TRANS_DIRTY;
}
/*
* This call is used to indicate that the buffer contains on-disk inodes which
* must be handled specially during recovery. They require special handling
* because only the di_next_unlinked from the inodes in the buffer should be
* recovered. The rest of the data in the buffer is logged via the inodes
* themselves.
*
* All we do is set the XFS_BLI_INODE_BUF flag in the items flags so it can be
* transferred to the buffer's log format structure so that we'll know what to
* do at recovery time.
*/
void
xfs_trans_inode_buf(
xfs_trans_t *tp,
xfs_buf_t *bp)
{
xfs_buf_log_item_t *bip = bp->b_fspriv;
ASSERT(bp->b_transp == tp);
ASSERT(bip != NULL);
ASSERT(atomic_read(&bip->bli_refcount) > 0);
bip->bli_flags |= XFS_BLI_INODE_BUF;
xfs_trans_buf_set_type(tp, bp, XFS_BLFT_DINO_BUF);
}
/*
* This call is used to indicate that the buffer is going to
* be staled and was an inode buffer. This means it gets
* special processing during unpin - where any inodes
* associated with the buffer should be removed from ail.
* There is also special processing during recovery,
* any replay of the inodes in the buffer needs to be
* prevented as the buffer may have been reused.
*/
void
xfs_trans_stale_inode_buf(
xfs_trans_t *tp,
xfs_buf_t *bp)
{
xfs_buf_log_item_t *bip = bp->b_fspriv;
ASSERT(bp->b_transp == tp);
ASSERT(bip != NULL);
ASSERT(atomic_read(&bip->bli_refcount) > 0);
bip->bli_flags |= XFS_BLI_STALE_INODE;
bip->bli_item.li_cb = xfs_buf_iodone;
xfs_trans_buf_set_type(tp, bp, XFS_BLFT_DINO_BUF);
}
/*
* Mark the buffer as being one which contains newly allocated
* inodes. We need to make sure that even if this buffer is
* relogged as an 'inode buf' we still recover all of the inode
* images in the face of a crash. This works in coordination with
* xfs_buf_item_committed() to ensure that the buffer remains in the
* AIL at its original location even after it has been relogged.
*/
/* ARGSUSED */
void
xfs_trans_inode_alloc_buf(
xfs_trans_t *tp,
xfs_buf_t *bp)
{
xfs_buf_log_item_t *bip = bp->b_fspriv;
ASSERT(bp->b_transp == tp);
ASSERT(bip != NULL);
ASSERT(atomic_read(&bip->bli_refcount) > 0);
bip->bli_flags |= XFS_BLI_INODE_ALLOC_BUF;
xfs_trans_buf_set_type(tp, bp, XFS_BLFT_DINO_BUF);
}
/*
* Mark the buffer as ordered for this transaction. This means
* that the contents of the buffer are not recorded in the transaction
* but it is tracked in the AIL as though it was. This allows us
* to record logical changes in transactions rather than the physical
* changes we make to the buffer without changing writeback ordering
* constraints of metadata buffers.
*/
void
xfs_trans_ordered_buf(
struct xfs_trans *tp,
struct xfs_buf *bp)
{
struct xfs_buf_log_item *bip = bp->b_fspriv;
ASSERT(bp->b_transp == tp);
ASSERT(bip != NULL);
ASSERT(atomic_read(&bip->bli_refcount) > 0);
bip->bli_flags |= XFS_BLI_ORDERED;
trace_xfs_buf_item_ordered(bip);
}
/*
* Set the type of the buffer for log recovery so that it can correctly identify
* and hence attach the correct buffer ops to the buffer after replay.
*/
void
xfs_trans_buf_set_type(
struct xfs_trans *tp,
struct xfs_buf *bp,
enum xfs_blft type)
{
struct xfs_buf_log_item *bip = bp->b_fspriv;
if (!tp)
return;
ASSERT(bp->b_transp == tp);
ASSERT(bip != NULL);
ASSERT(atomic_read(&bip->bli_refcount) > 0);
xfs_blft_to_flags(&bip->__bli_format, type);
}
void
xfs_trans_buf_copy_type(
struct xfs_buf *dst_bp,
struct xfs_buf *src_bp)
{
struct xfs_buf_log_item *sbip = src_bp->b_fspriv;
struct xfs_buf_log_item *dbip = dst_bp->b_fspriv;
enum xfs_blft type;
type = xfs_blft_from_flags(&sbip->__bli_format);
xfs_blft_to_flags(&dbip->__bli_format, type);
}
/*
* Similar to xfs_trans_inode_buf(), this marks the buffer as a cluster of
* dquots. However, unlike in inode buffer recovery, dquot buffers get
* recovered in their entirety. (Hence, no XFS_BLI_DQUOT_ALLOC_BUF flag).
* The only thing that makes dquot buffers different from regular
* buffers is that we must not replay dquot bufs when recovering
* if a _corresponding_ quotaoff has happened. We also have to distinguish
* between usr dquot bufs and grp dquot bufs, because usr and grp quotas
* can be turned off independently.
*/
/* ARGSUSED */
void
xfs_trans_dquot_buf(
xfs_trans_t *tp,
xfs_buf_t *bp,
uint type)
{
struct xfs_buf_log_item *bip = bp->b_fspriv;
ASSERT(type == XFS_BLF_UDQUOT_BUF ||
type == XFS_BLF_PDQUOT_BUF ||
type == XFS_BLF_GDQUOT_BUF);
bip->__bli_format.blf_flags |= type;
switch (type) {
case XFS_BLF_UDQUOT_BUF:
type = XFS_BLFT_UDQUOT_BUF;
break;
case XFS_BLF_PDQUOT_BUF:
type = XFS_BLFT_PDQUOT_BUF;
break;
case XFS_BLF_GDQUOT_BUF:
type = XFS_BLFT_GDQUOT_BUF;
break;
default:
type = XFS_BLFT_UNKNOWN_BUF;
break;
}
xfs_trans_buf_set_type(tp, bp, type);
}
|
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Windows.Controls;
namespace ClojureExtension.Repl
{
public partial class ReplTab : TabItem
{
public ReplTab()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
}
}
|
"""
Test script for the 'cmd' module
Original by Michael Schneider
"""
import cmd
import sys
import re
import unittest
import io
from test import support
class samplecmdclass(cmd.Cmd):
"""
Instance the sampleclass:
>>> mycmd = samplecmdclass()
Test for the function parseline():
>>> mycmd.parseline("")
(None, None, '')
>>> mycmd.parseline("?")
('help', '', 'help ')
>>> mycmd.parseline("?help")
('help', 'help', 'help help')
>>> mycmd.parseline("!")
('shell', '', 'shell ')
>>> mycmd.parseline("!command")
('shell', 'command', 'shell command')
>>> mycmd.parseline("func")
('func', '', 'func')
>>> mycmd.parseline("func arg1")
('func', 'arg1', 'func arg1')
Test for the function onecmd():
>>> mycmd.onecmd("")
>>> mycmd.onecmd("add 4 5")
9
>>> mycmd.onecmd("")
9
>>> mycmd.onecmd("test")
*** Unknown syntax: test
Test for the function emptyline():
>>> mycmd.emptyline()
*** Unknown syntax: test
Test for the function default():
>>> mycmd.default("default")
*** Unknown syntax: default
Test for the function completedefault():
>>> mycmd.completedefault()
This is the completedefault methode
>>> mycmd.completenames("a")
['add']
Test for the function completenames():
>>> mycmd.completenames("12")
[]
>>> mycmd.completenames("help")
['help']
Test for the function complete_help():
>>> mycmd.complete_help("a")
['add']
>>> mycmd.complete_help("he")
['help']
>>> mycmd.complete_help("12")
[]
>>> sorted(mycmd.complete_help(""))
['add', 'exit', 'help', 'shell']
Test for the function do_help():
>>> mycmd.do_help("testet")
*** No help on testet
>>> mycmd.do_help("add")
help text for add
>>> mycmd.onecmd("help add")
help text for add
>>> mycmd.do_help("")
<BLANKLINE>
Documented commands (type help <topic>):
========================================
add help
<BLANKLINE>
Undocumented commands:
======================
exit shell
<BLANKLINE>
Test for the function print_topics():
>>> mycmd.print_topics("header", ["command1", "command2"], 2 ,10)
header
======
command1
command2
<BLANKLINE>
Test for the function columnize():
>>> mycmd.columnize([str(i) for i in range(20)])
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
>>> mycmd.columnize([str(i) for i in range(20)], 10)
0 7 14
1 8 15
2 9 16
3 10 17
4 11 18
5 12 19
6 13
This is an interactive test, put some commands in the cmdqueue attribute
and let it execute
This test includes the preloop(), postloop(), default(), emptyline(),
parseline(), do_help() functions
>>> mycmd.use_rawinput=0
>>> mycmd.cmdqueue=["", "add", "add 4 5", "help", "help add","exit"]
>>> mycmd.cmdloop()
Hello from preloop
help text for add
*** invalid number of arguments
9
<BLANKLINE>
Documented commands (type help <topic>):
========================================
add help
<BLANKLINE>
Undocumented commands:
======================
exit shell
<BLANKLINE>
help text for add
Hello from postloop
"""
def preloop(self):
print("Hello from preloop")
def postloop(self):
print("Hello from postloop")
def completedefault(self, *ignored):
print("This is the completedefault methode")
def complete_command(self):
print("complete command")
def do_shell(self, s):
pass
def do_add(self, s):
l = s.split()
if len(l) != 2:
print("*** invalid number of arguments")
return
try:
l = [int(i) for i in l]
except ValueError:
print("*** arguments should be numbers")
return
print(l[0]+l[1])
def help_add(self):
print("help text for add")
return
def do_exit(self, arg):
return True
class TestAlternateInput(unittest.TestCase):
class simplecmd(cmd.Cmd):
def do_print(self, args):
print(args, file=self.stdout)
def do_EOF(self, args):
return True
class simplecmd2(simplecmd):
def do_EOF(self, args):
print('*** Unknown syntax: EOF', file=self.stdout)
return True
def test_file_with_missing_final_nl(self):
input = io.StringIO("print test\nprint test2")
output = io.StringIO()
cmd = self.simplecmd(stdin=input, stdout=output)
cmd.use_rawinput = False
cmd.cmdloop()
self.assertMultiLineEqual(output.getvalue(),
("(Cmd) test\n"
"(Cmd) test2\n"
"(Cmd) "))
def test_input_reset_at_EOF(self):
input = io.StringIO("print test\nprint test2")
output = io.StringIO()
cmd = self.simplecmd2(stdin=input, stdout=output)
cmd.use_rawinput = False
cmd.cmdloop()
self.assertMultiLineEqual(output.getvalue(),
("(Cmd) test\n"
"(Cmd) test2\n"
"(Cmd) *** Unknown syntax: EOF\n"))
input = io.StringIO("print \n\n")
output = io.StringIO()
cmd.stdin = input
cmd.stdout = output
cmd.cmdloop()
self.assertMultiLineEqual(output.getvalue(),
("(Cmd) \n"
"(Cmd) \n"
"(Cmd) *** Unknown syntax: EOF\n"))
def test_main(verbose=None):
from test import test_cmd
support.run_doctest(test_cmd, verbose)
support.run_unittest(TestAlternateInput)
def test_coverage(coverdir):
trace = support.import_module('trace')
tracer=trace.Trace(ignoredirs=[sys.base_prefix, sys.base_exec_prefix,],
trace=0, count=1)
tracer.run('import importlib; importlib.reload(cmd); test_main()')
r=tracer.results()
print("Writing coverage results...")
r.write_results(show_missing=True, summary=True, coverdir=coverdir)
if __name__ == "__main__":
if "-c" in sys.argv:
test_coverage('/tmp/cmd.cover')
elif "-i" in sys.argv:
samplecmdclass().cmdloop()
else:
test_main()
|
China reiterated plans to create a uniform tax system for domestic and overseas companies, as it seeks to encourage the growth of local enterprises and to reduce its $177.5 billion trade surplus. "Reform is urgently needed,'' State Administration of Taxation deputy tax commissioner Wang Li said at press conference in Beijing on Wednesday. The current system "isn't conducive to creating a level playing field'' for local enterprises.
Overseas-owned companies often pay taxes at a rate less than half that of Chinese companies as they benefit from investment incentives.
A uniform system may help local enterprises compete, as well as discouraging investments from overseas companies, which account for more than half of China's exports, according to Macquarie Securities Ltd. economist Paul Cavey.
"Because the trade surplus is monumentally large, they don't really care if they deter some foreign investment,'' said Cavey. "The trade surplus is now their biggest issue.'' China's legislature is scheduled to pass a law in March to create a uniform tax system, said Wang.
The law will also cut the corporate income tax rate to 25 % from 33 %. Overseas companies often pay less than 15 %, as they operate in special economic zones designed to attract investment. Still, the uniform tax rate may hurt manufacturers in general, rather than just overseas businesses, as they mostly pay a tax rate of less than 25%, said Cavey. This would add to pressure on manufacturers in the country, which are already facing rising land and labor costs, he added. The changes could cut the government's fiscal revenue by 2.5%, based on 2006's total, said William Hess, a Beijing- based analyst at Global Insight, an economic consulting firm. China collected 554.9 billion yuan in corporate taxes last year, 27% more than a year earlier. |
Q:
Table header left alignment with Siunitx package (long column name)
I am trying to produce a table with the Siunitx package, and to make the text in the header to be left aligned and to start where the numbers begin (see the red line in the attached screenshot).
I got an answer for a similar question (see Original question), but in the original question the column name was short.
MWE:
%:Class
\documentclass[12pt,a4paper]{article}
\usepackage{siunitx}
%:begin
\begin{document}
\begin{table}[htbp]\centering
\caption{Descriptive Statistics}
\begin{tabular}{l|s[table-text-alignment = left]*{4}{|S[table-number-alignment = left]}}
& {Observations}& {Mean}& {S.D.}& {Min}& {Max}\\
A& 95,703& 0.522& 0.500& 0& 1\\
B& 94,826& 0.062& 0.241& 0& 1\\
C& 94,301& 3.080& 1.435& 1& 6\\
D& 90,049& 0.332& 0.471& 0& 1\\
E& 94,860& 0.065& 0.960& -5.27& 3.49\\
\end{tabular}
\end{table}
\end{document}
A:
With the appropriate siunitx options and under the assumption that the , in the first column are thousands-separators:
\documentclass[12pt,a4paper]{article}
\usepackage{siunitx}
%:begin
\begin{document}
\begin{table}[htbp]\centering
\sisetup{input-ignore={,},
input-decimal-markers = {.},
group-separator={,},
table-text-alignment = left}
\caption{Descriptive Statistics}
\begin{tabular}{l|S*{2}{|S[table-format=1.3]}|S[table-format=-1.2]|S[table-format=1.2]}
& {Observations}& {Mean} & {S.D.} & {Min} & {Max} \\
A& 95,703 & 0.522 & 0.500 & 0 & 1 \\
B& 94,826 & 0.062 & 0.241 & 0 & 1 \\
C& 94,301 & 3.080 & 1.435 & 1 & 6 \\
D& 90,049 & 0.332 & 0.471 & 0 & 1 \\
E& 94,860 & 0.065 & 0.960 & -5.27 & 3.49 \\
\end{tabular}
\end{table}
\end{document}
|
Acciardo S, Mignion L, Lacomblez E, et al. Metabolic imaging using hyperpolarized ^13^C‐pyruvate to assess sensitivity to the B‐Raf inhibitor vemurafenib in melanoma cells and xenografts. J Cell Mol Med. 2020;24:1934--1944. 10.1111/jcmm.14890
1. INTRODUCTION {#jcmm14890-sec-0001}
===============
Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer, with increasing incidence rates and poor prognosis in the presence of metastasis.[1](#jcmm14890-bib-0001){ref-type="ref"} More than half of melanomas harbour a mutation in the BRAF gene, which consists in most cases in a substitution of valine to glutamic acid in position 600 (V600E mutation).[2](#jcmm14890-bib-0002){ref-type="ref"} Two main treatment options are available for advanced melanoma patients harbouring a BRAF mutation: targeted therapies, consisting of BRAFi and MEKi, and immunotherapies. Immunotherapies have displayed long‐term effect on a subset of patients but, to date, there are no tools to identify those patients that will benefit from immunotherapies. On the other hand, targeted therapies have immediate effect in term of tumour shrinkage, but the benefit is short‐term as resistance occurs after few months in almost every case. As a further matter, some patients do not respond at all to BRAF inhibition because of intrinsic resistance to the treatment. The addition of a MEK inhibitor to the regimen was initially identified as a promising approach to overcome BRAFi‐resistance, and hence the combination of BRAFi/MEKi has been approved.[4](#jcmm14890-bib-0004){ref-type="ref"}, [5](#jcmm14890-bib-0005){ref-type="ref"}, [6](#jcmm14890-bib-0006){ref-type="ref"} However, in numerous cases the BRAFi/MEKi combination just delays the emergence of resistance as observed when we compare the median progression‐free survival of patients receiving the monotherapy (7.3 months) vs the combination (14.9 months).[3](#jcmm14890-bib-0003){ref-type="ref"}
More recently, re‐challenging non‐responding tumour after a drug holiday period has been suggested as an alternative therapeutic strategy in BRAF‐mutated melanomas[8](#jcmm14890-bib-0008){ref-type="ref"}, [9](#jcmm14890-bib-0009){ref-type="ref"} and it has been shown to be beneficial in a subset of patients.[10](#jcmm14890-bib-0010){ref-type="ref"}, [11](#jcmm14890-bib-0011){ref-type="ref"}, [12](#jcmm14890-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, [13](#jcmm14890-bib-0013){ref-type="ref"}, [14](#jcmm14890-bib-0014){ref-type="ref"}, [15](#jcmm14890-bib-0015){ref-type="ref"} However, safe longitudinal biomarkers to identify the patients who may benefit from the intermittent treatment, or to establish the optimal drug holiday duration, are missing.
Several studies have recently helped deciphering the interplay between oncogenic MAPK signalling, melanoma metabolism and BRAFi‐resistance. Apart from a small subset of melanomas, BRAF mutations are associated with increased glycolysis and attenuated oxidative phosphorylation, and such balance is reversed upon treatment with BRAFi.[16](#jcmm14890-bib-0016){ref-type="ref"}, [17](#jcmm14890-bib-0017){ref-type="ref"}, [18](#jcmm14890-bib-0018){ref-type="ref"}, [19](#jcmm14890-bib-0019){ref-type="ref"}, [20](#jcmm14890-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"} Resistance to BRAFi seems to be accompanied by precise metabolic changes as well: higher reliance on oxidative phosphorylation,[21](#jcmm14890-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [22](#jcmm14890-bib-0022){ref-type="ref"}, [23](#jcmm14890-bib-0023){ref-type="ref"}, [24](#jcmm14890-bib-0024){ref-type="ref"} glutamine dependency[21](#jcmm14890-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [25](#jcmm14890-bib-0025){ref-type="ref"}, [26](#jcmm14890-bib-0026){ref-type="ref"} and up‐regulated serine metabolism.[26](#jcmm14890-bib-0026){ref-type="ref"}, [27](#jcmm14890-bib-0027){ref-type="ref"}
Besides suggesting novel targetable metabolic vulnerabilities, the fast‐increasing knowledge in tumour metabolism will hopefully help identifying candidate biomarkers of clinical utility. To date, the lack of validated markers exploiting the aforementioned metabolic alterations to discriminate responding and non‐responding melanomas in patients still hinders the long‐term effectiveness of current treatment options and represents a barrier to the advancement of personalized medicine.
Metabolic markers such as ^13^C magnetic resonance spectroscopy of hyperpolarized substrate may bridge this gap, as they allow to assess crucial metabolic fluxes whose alteration is indicative of treatment response or tumour progression. Notably, hyperpolarization of ^13^C‐enriched metabolites increases ^13^C magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MR) sensitivity by a factor of 10 000, allowing in vivo real‐time assessment of metabolic fluxes. In particular, \[1‐^13^C\] pyruvate is reduced to \[1‐^13^C\] lactate via the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). This process results in an altered chemical shift that HP MRI can image at uniquely high‐temporal resolution. Hyperpolarized \[1‐^13^C\] pyruvate has been safely administered in patients, and its conversion into \[1‐^13^C\] lactate was higher in prostate tumours compared with healthy tissue, which was in agreement with previous preclinical studies.[28](#jcmm14890-bib-0028){ref-type="ref"} The use of hyperpolarized \[1‐^13^C\] pyruvate for metabolic imaging of prostate, breast, brain and cervical cancer and other diseases is currently being evaluated in several clinical trials.[29](#jcmm14890-bib-0029){ref-type="ref"} In addition to pyruvate, several other ^13^C enriched substrates have been hyperpolarized, with their conversion being successfully observed in vivo.[29](#jcmm14890-bib-0029){ref-type="ref"}
The aim of this study is to evaluate whether magnetic resonance spectroscopy of hyperpolarized \[1‐^13^C\] pyruvate can discriminate between responding and resistant BRAF^V600E^ melanoma cells and xenografts, by exploiting the effect of BRAFi on tumour metabolism.
2. METHODS {#jcmm14890-sec-0002}
==========
2.1. Cell culture {#jcmm14890-sec-0003}
-----------------
Sensitive (A375) and resistant (A375R) melanoma cells were treated for 24 hours with 2 µmol/L of the BRAFi vemurafenib or DMSO. The resistant cell line was generated via exposure to increasing concentration of the drug.[30](#jcmm14890-bib-0030){ref-type="ref"} Cells were cultured at 37°C in a humidified atmosphere with 5% CO~2~ and maintained in Dulbecco\'s modified Eagle\'s medium (DMEM, Thermo Fisher Scientific) supplemented with 10% heat‐inactivated FBS (Thermo Fisher Scientific).
2.2. Animal studies {#jcmm14890-sec-0004}
-------------------
Experiments involving animals were undertaken in accordance with the Belgian law concerning the protection and welfare of the animals and were approved by the UCLouvain ethical committee (agreement reference: UCL/2014/MD/026). All investigators performing in vivo studies successfully completed FELASA C training.
2.3. Tumour xenografts {#jcmm14890-sec-0005}
----------------------
2 × 10^6^ A375 cells in 100 μL of PBS were subcutaneously injected in the right hind paw of 6‐week‐old female nude NMRI mice (Janvier). During inoculation, mice were kept under inhalational anaesthesia with 2.5% isoflurane in 2 L/min airflow. Mice were treated with daily intraperitoneal injection of vemurafenib (50 mg/kg, Active Biochem) or vehicle (DMSO, Sigma‐Aldrich).
2.4. Hyperpolarized ^13^C‐MRS {#jcmm14890-sec-0006}
-----------------------------
For hyperpolarization experiments, 10 or 40 µL of \[1‐^13^C\] pyruvic acid (Sigma‐Aldrich) solution containing 15 mmol/L of trityl radical OX63 and 2 mmol/L gadolinium were hyperpolarized by an Oxford Dynamic Nuclear Polarizer (HyperSense) for about an hour at 1.4 K and 3.35 T. The polarized solution was rapidly dissolved in 3 mL of a heated buffer containing 100 mg/l EDTA, 40 mmol/L HEPES, 30 mmol/L NaCl, 80 mmol/L NaOH, 30 mmol/L of non‐HP, unlabelled lactate. 10 µL of the starting pyruvic acid solution was used for in vitro experiments and 40 µL for in vivo studies.
^13^C spectra acquisition and infusion of HP \[1‐^13^C\] pyruvate (into the cell suspension or in the animal tail vein) were started simultaneously. Spectra were acquired at 37°C every 3 seconds for 210 seconds. ^13^C label exchange between HP \[1‐^13^C\] pyruvate and \[1‐^13^C\] lactate was measured as the ratio between the corresponding areas under the curve (AUC), via a homebuilt Matlab routine (The MathWorks Inc).
Following HP experiments, melanoma xenografts were collected and processed for further analysis (immunohistochemistry, WB, qRT‐PCR).
2.5. ^13^C‐MRS {#jcmm14890-sec-0007}
--------------
For ^13^C‐glucose flux experiments, cells were incubated in DMEM containing 2 mmol/L glutamine, 10 mmol/L of \[U‐^13^C\]glucose and either the BRAFi vemurafenib (2 µmol/L) or DMSO. Cell growth media was collected after 24 hours and intracellular metabolites were extracted with a methanol:chloroform:water extraction method. ^13^C spectra of the aqueous fraction of cell extracts and cell growth medium were acquired using a Bruker Ascend 600 MHz NMR system equipped with a broadband cryoprobe. The acquisition time was 0.8 seconds with 1024 repetitions and 10 seconds of interpulse delay (1D sequence with inverse gated decoupling using 30° flip angle). Data were processed using MestRenova (Mestrelab Research SL): metabolites were quantified by peak integration relative to internal standards and corrected for protein amount per sample.
2.6. In vitro EPR spectroscopy {#jcmm14890-sec-0008}
------------------------------
The effect of BRAFi on the oxygen consumption rate was evaluated on A375 and A375R cells via an X‐band EPR spectrometer operating at 9 GHz (Bruker EMXplus). Cells were incubated with 2 µmol/L of BRAFi for 24 hours; after trypsinization, cells were resuspended in cell growth medium at a concentration of 9 × 10^6^ cells/mL and 100 µL of cell suspension was mixed with 100 µL of 20% w/v of dextran in 0.9% NaCl solution and 8 µL of 0.2 mmol/L ^15^N‐PDT, which served as oxygen sensor. A 75 µL‐glass capillary tube (Hirschmann Labogeräte) was filled with the cell suspension, sealed and inserted into a quartz tube, then placed into the EPR cavity. The cavity was continuously flushed with a gas mixture (400 L/h) at 37°C throughout the spectra acquisition. EPR spectra were acquired every 60 seconds, and pO~2~ values were obtained by measuring the peak‐to‐peak EPR signal linewidths, which was then converted into pO~2~ by means of a calibration curve. Oxygen consumption rate (OCR) was then calculated as the slope of pO~2~ over time curve.
2.7. In vivo EPR spectroscopy {#jcmm14890-sec-0009}
-----------------------------
For in vivo EPR experiments, when the shortest tumour diameter reached 5 mm, 50 µL of charcoal suspension (100 mg/mL in 0.9% NaCl containing 3% Arabic gum) was injected intratumorally. The day after charcoal injection, mice were randomized into two groups (BRAFi‐treated or control) and longitudinal EPR measurements were started. Spectra were acquired on a 1.15‐GHz EPR spectrometer (ClinEPR). Typical acquisition parameters were as follows: modulation of amplitude 0.4 G, modulation of frequency 21 kHz. During EPR experiments, animals were kept under inhalational anaesthesia with isoflurane (2.5% during anaesthesia induction and 1.2% during maintenance) in 2 L/min airflow. Acquisition was started 5 minutes after setting isoflurane to 1.2%. Tumour pO~2~ values were obtained by measuring the peak‐to‐peak EPR signal linewidth, which was then converted into pO~2~ by means of a calibration curve.
2.8. qRT‐PCR {#jcmm14890-sec-0010}
------------
Total RNA was extracted from cells and tumour tissue powder using the TriPure Isolation Reagent (Roche) according to the manufacturer\'s instructions. The concentration and quality were determined using a NanoDrop Spectrophotometer. 1 μg of total mRNA was reverse‐transcribed into cDNA using the GoScript Reverse Transcriptase System (Promega). Quantitative real‐time PCR was performed using a StepOnePlus Real‐Time PCR System (Thermo Fisher Scientific) using Mastermix Plus for SYBR Assay (Eurogentec). Data were analysed using the 2^−ΔΔCT^ method. Glyceraldehyde 3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) was used as housekeeping gene. Primers for GLUT1, HK2, MCT1, MCT4, LDHA, ALT2, PDK1, MPC1 and c‐MYC are listed in Appendix [S1](#jcmm14890-sup-0001){ref-type="supplementary-material"}.
2.9. Western blot {#jcmm14890-sec-0011}
-----------------
Adherent A375 and A375R cells were lysed in RIPA buffer (Thermo Scientific) supplemented with 1% protease and phosphatase inhibitors (Thermo Scientific). Protein amount in whole cell lysates was measured with a Pierce™ BCA Protein Assay Kit (Thermo Scientific). Equal amounts of protein were loaded onto 4%‐15% Mini‐PROTEAN^®^ TGX™ Precast Gels (Bio‐Rad). Following electrophoresis in 1× Tris/glycine/SDS running buffer (Bio‐Rad), proteins were transferred to PVDF membranes using the Trans‐Blot^®^ Turbo™ RTA Mini PVDF Transfer Kit (Bio‐Rad) according to the vendor\'s instructions. Non‐specific binding was blocked by soaking the membranes in 5% BSA in tTBS (1× Tris‐Buffered Saline, 0.1% Tween 20, Bio‐Rad) at room temperature for 1 hour.
Membranes were incubated with primary anti‐HSP90, anti‐LDHA, anti--β‐actin, anti‐HSP90, anti--c‐MYC, (Cell Signaling), anti‐MCT1, anti‐MCT4, anti‐GLUT1 (Abcam) antibodies in tTBS‐BSA 5% at 4°C overnight, followed by incubation with anti‐rabbit or anti‐mouse secondary antibodies (Jackson IR) in tTBS‐BSA 1% at room temperature for 1 hour. Detection was performed using the SuperSignal™ West Pico Plus kit (Thermo Scientific) and an ImageQuant LAS 500 camera (GE Healthcare). Quantification was performed on ImageJ by measuring the integral of the optical density profile of the band of the expected molecular weight. No background correction was performed.
2.10. Immunohistochemistry {#jcmm14890-sec-0012}
--------------------------
Melanoma xenografts were fixed in 4% formaldehyde and embedded in paraffin. After rehydration, 5 µm sections were submitted to antigen retrieval using citrate buffer. Sections were then incubated in BSA 5% in TBS/Triton 0,05% to block non‐specific binding, then overnight at 4°C with primary antibodies for CD31 (Cell Signaling Technology). Envision anti‐rabbit secondary polymer antibody was used (Dako). Stained slides were then digitalized using a SCN400 slide scanner (Leica Biosystems) at 20× magnification and analysed using TissueIA software (Leica Biosystems). The quantification algorithm was run in the non‐necrotic part of the tissues.
2.11. Statistical analysis {#jcmm14890-sec-0013}
--------------------------
Unpaired *t* tests and two‐way ANOVA analysis followed by Sidak or Dunnett multiple comparisons test were performed via Graphpad Prism 7 (GraphPad Software), with *P* ≤ .05 considered significant. Data normality and variance homogeneity were verified both informally (boxplot and histogram of sample data) and formally via Shapiro‐Wilk test in RStudio (RStudio Inc, v. 1.1.456). Non‐normal data were log‐transformed prior PCA in RStudio. Results are represented as mean ± SEM.
3. RESULTS {#jcmm14890-sec-0014}
==========
3.1. Hyperpolarized ^13^C MRS detects metabolic changes induced by BRAFi in vivo {#jcmm14890-sec-0015}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Following intravenous injection of hyperpolarized (HP) \[1‐^13^C\] pyruvate in mice bearing A375 xenografts, we observed ^13^C signal from \[1‐^13^C\] pyruvate hydrate, \[1‐^13^C\] lactate and \[1‐^13^C\] alanine (Figure [1](#jcmm14890-fig-0001){ref-type="fig"}A). ^13^C signal arising from alanine was only observed in four mice (33%). The ^13^C label exchange between HP pyruvate and lactate increased 24 hours after treatment with vemurafenib (*P* = .3839 in controls and *P* = .0171 in BRAFi‐treated mice) (Figure [1](#jcmm14890-fig-0001){ref-type="fig"}B). This effect occurred before any significant change in tumour volume. The tumour size of control melanoma xenografts became significantly larger 3 days after the start of the experiment (*P* = .3892 at day 1, *P* \< .0001 at day 3 and 5), whereas the growth of treated melanoma xenografts was initially stabilized by the treatment, and significant tumour shrinkage occurred after 5 days (*P* = .4395 at day 1, *P* = .0567 at day 3 and *P* = .0005 at day 5) (Figure [1](#jcmm14890-fig-0001){ref-type="fig"}C). To explain the increase in the HP lactate/pyruvate ratio, we have measured protein and mRNA levels of key glycolytic enzymes and transporters in tumour xenografts collected right after the hyperpolarization experiments. Of note, the HP pyruvate‐to‐lactate conversion was increased in all but one animals after treatment, compared with baseline, but the two groups did not significantly differ at 24 hours (*P* = .3078 in controls versus treated mice at baseline and *P* = .2050 at 24 hours). This highlights the importance of longitudinal, individual monitoring compared with the measurement of averages in groups. This approach, however, is not always feasible when quantifying proteins or mRNA levels in tissues. Therefore, for the ex vivo analysis, we have compared the two groups at 24 hours after treatment with BRAFi or vehicle.
![HP pyruvate is an early marker of response to BRAF inhibition. A, Representative spectra of the ^13^C signal time course, obtained from a mouse at baseline (top) and 24 h after a single injection of vemurafenib (bottom). B, ^13^C label exchange between HP pyruvate and lactate (measured as the ratio AUC of \[1‐ C\] lactate/AUC of \[1‐ C\] pyruvate) in melanoma xenografts prior treatment and 24 h after injection of the BRAFi vemurafenib (50 mg/kg) or DMSO (two‐way ANOVA, Sidak multiple comparisons test, \**P* \< .05, ns: non‐significant) (n = 6). C, Tumour growth curves obtained from BRAFi‐sensitive melanoma xenografts treated with daily intraperitoneal injection of vemurafenib (50 mg/kg) or DMSO (two‐way ANOVA, Dunnett\'s multiple comparisons test, \*\**P* \< .01, \*\**P* \< .0001) (n = 7). Lac, lactate; pyr, pyruvate](JCMM-24-1934-g001){#jcmm14890-fig-0001}
In treated xenografts, the glucose transporter GLUT1 was significantly lower both at the mRNA (*P* = .0010) and protein (*P* = .0440) level, when compared to control xenografts (Figure [2](#jcmm14890-fig-0002){ref-type="fig"}A‐C). Treated xenografts also showed lower mRNA levels of HK2, PDK1 (*P* = .0037 and *P* = .0046, respectively) and a significant reduction in c‐MYC protein levels (*P* = .0018) (Figure [2](#jcmm14890-fig-0002){ref-type="fig"}A‐C).
{#jcmm14890-fig-0002}
3.2. BRAFi impairs glycolysis and oxygen consumption in BRAFi‐sensitive, but not in BRAFi‐resistant, melanoma cells {#jcmm14890-sec-0016}
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BRAF inhibition resulted in a decrease of ^13^C label exchange between HP pyruvate and lactate in A375 in vitro, but not in A375R cells (*P* = .0075 and *P* = .8898, respectively) (Figure [3](#jcmm14890-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"}A,B). ^13^C signal arising from alanine was observed in all but one sample. The label distribution between alanine and lactate was also significantly modified by BRAFi in A375, but not in A375R cells (*P* = .0333 and *P* = .8397) (Figure [S1](#jcmm14890-sup-0001){ref-type="supplementary-material"}A).
{#jcmm14890-fig-0003}
Next, we measured the intracellular and extracellular water‐soluble metabolites in melanoma cells incubated with \[U‐^13^C\] glucose. We observed a reduction in extracellular lactate in both sensitive and resistant melanoma cells treated with BRAFi, when compared to their untreated counterpart (*P* = .0002 and *P* \< .0001, respectively). Extracellular glucose was significantly higher in BRAFi‐treated A375 cells (*P* \< .0001), thus suggesting that treatment affected glucose uptake, as later confirmed via qRT‐PCR and Western blot analysis of GLUT1 (Figure [3](#jcmm14890-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"}C).
In regard to the intracellular metabolites, lactate pool was decreased both in A375 and A375R cells upon inhibition of BRAF (*P* \< .0001 for both A375 and A375R compared with their own controls). Resistant A375R cells; however, had a significantly higher amount of intracellular lactate at baseline (*P* \< .0001) (Figure [3](#jcmm14890-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"}C).
The glycolytic efficiency, calculated as the ratio of extracellular lactate over consumed glucose, decreased following BRAFi in sensitive A375 cells (*P* = .0062), but not in A375R cells (*P* = .4765) (Figure [3](#jcmm14890-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"}D). In sensitive cells, the intracellular alanine/lactate ratio was significantly modified after treatment as well (*P* = .0146 for A375 and *P* = .4765 for A375R) (Figure [S1](#jcmm14890-sup-0001){ref-type="supplementary-material"}B).
The decrease in glycolysis was accompanied by an increase in the oxygen consumption rate in sensitive cells treated with the BRAFi, as demonstrated by in vitro EPR spectroscopy (Figure [3](#jcmm14890-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"}E).
3.3. BRAFi affects the transcription of key glycolytic enzymes and transporters in sensitive melanoma cells {#jcmm14890-sec-0017}
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our qRT‐PCR data showed a significant decrease in the mRNA levels of HK2, c‐MYC and MCT1 in BRAFi‐treated A375 cells, compared with untreated controls (*P* = .0046, *P* = .0279 and *P* = .0076, respectively), but neither of them was affected by the treatment in resistant A375R cells. ALT2 and MPC1 mRNA levels were not modified by treatment neither in A375 nor in A375R cells. However, ALT2 levels were higher at baseline in resistant cells (*P* = .0490) (Figure [4](#jcmm14890-fig-0004){ref-type="fig"}A).
{#jcmm14890-fig-0004}
Regarding MCT4, LDHA, GLUT1 and PDK1, BRAF inhibition had similar effects on sensitive and resistant cells, even though such effects were of smaller entity in resistant cells, compared with the parental ones. (MCT4: *P* \< .0001 for A375 and *P* = .0066 for A375R; LDHA: *P* \< .0001 for both A375 and A375R; GLUT1: *P* = .0029 for A375 and *P* = .0064 for A375R; PDK1: *P* \< .0001 for both A375 and A375R) (Figure [4](#jcmm14890-fig-0004){ref-type="fig"}A).
Principal component analysis of qRT‐PCR data showed that BRAFi‐treated A375 cells were strongly discriminated by A375R (both treated and control) and untreated A375 by one pattern of mRNA levels (PC1, accounting for 86.6% of the total variation); whereas the second principal component (PC2, accounting for 8.03% of the total variation) helped to discriminate among the other populations (untreated A375, untreated A375R, treated A375R) (Figure [4](#jcmm14890-fig-0004){ref-type="fig"}B).
Western blot analysis of whole cell lysates confirmed the observed reduction in c‐MYC, GLUT1 and HK2 in sensitive melanoma cells (Figure [4](#jcmm14890-fig-0004){ref-type="fig"}C). Despite the reduction at the mRNA level observed for LDHA, HK2 and MCT1, their protein levels were not significantly modified by BRAFi. This could be due to the long half‐life of many glycolytic enzymes, when compared with the much shorter half‐life of c‐MYC.[31](#jcmm14890-bib-0031){ref-type="ref"}, [32](#jcmm14890-bib-0032){ref-type="ref"}
3.4. BRAFi reduces hypoxia in vivo, as assessed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) oximetry {#jcmm14890-sec-0018}
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our in vitro results confirmed that BRAFi reduced the glycolytic activity of sensitive melanoma cells, thus resulting in a decrease ^13^C label exchange between pyruvate and lactate. Therefore, we ought to understand whether the increased label exchange observed in vivo was due to treatment‐induced hypoxia.
EPR oximetry indicated that melanoma xenografts were highly hypoxic (pO~2~ \< 1.5 mm Hg). BRAFi led to an increase in the oxygen partial pressure (pO~2~) of treated tumours, as measured by the peak‐to‐peak signal linewidth of the oxygen sensor (Figure [5](#jcmm14890-fig-0005){ref-type="fig"}A). Such effect occurred after 3 days of treatment, and it was still present after 5 days of treatment (*P* = .0002 at day 3 and at day 5) (Figure [5](#jcmm14890-fig-0005){ref-type="fig"}B).
{#jcmm14890-fig-0005}
Immunohistochemical analysis of tumour xenografts collected at baseline and after 1 or 5 days of treatment did not show any significant variation in the angiogenesis marker CD31 (Figure [5](#jcmm14890-fig-0005){ref-type="fig"}D,E). These results suggest that the increased pO~2~ observed via in vivo EPR experiments may be due to a reduced oxygen consumption in vivo, contrarily to what was observed in vitro. A reduction in the cell density caused by BRAFi could have caused a decrease in oxygen demand and hence, an increase in tumour pO~2~. Another possible explanation is that BRAFi has improved oxygenation without affecting blood vessel density.
4. DISCUSSION {#jcmm14890-sec-0019}
=============
Inhibition of BRAF led to a significant increase in the HP pyruvate‐to‐lactate label exchange as soon as 24 hours after treatment administration, before any significant tumour shrinkage.
This effect was paradoxical, as BRAFi is known to inhibit glycolysis in BRAF‐mutated melanomas.[17](#jcmm14890-bib-0017){ref-type="ref"}, [18](#jcmm14890-bib-0018){ref-type="ref"}, [33](#jcmm14890-bib-0033){ref-type="ref"}, [34](#jcmm14890-bib-0034){ref-type="ref"} Accordingly, our ex vivo analysis of sensitive melanoma xenografts showed significantly lower mRNA levels of GLUT1, HK2 and PDK1 in the treated group, as well as lower C‐MYC and GLUT1 protein levels. Of note, we did not observe any significant effect of BRAFi on LDHA and MCT1/4, the most important factors that influence the ^13^C label exchange between hyperpolarized pyruvate and lactate.[17](#jcmm14890-bib-0017){ref-type="ref"}, [35](#jcmm14890-bib-0035){ref-type="ref"}, [36](#jcmm14890-bib-0036){ref-type="ref"}, [37](#jcmm14890-bib-0037){ref-type="ref"}
To explain the paradoxical increase in HP pyruvate‐to‐lactate conversion observed in vivo, we assessed hyperpolarized pyruvate in melanoma cells in vitro, thereby excluding the contribution of tumour microenvironment. Contrarily to what was observed in vivo, BRAFi induced a decrease in HP pyruvate‐to‐lactate conversion by sensitive melanoma cells. The impairment of glycolysis was accompanied by an increase in oxygen consumption rate, consistent with BRAFi‐mediated stimulation of mitochondrial metabolism.[16](#jcmm14890-bib-0016){ref-type="ref"} Our in vitro hyperpolarization results confirm and extend the work of Beloueche‐Babari and colleagues: they observed a BRAFi‐mediated drop in the HP pyruvate‐to‐lactate exchange in the BRAF‐mutated cell line WM266.4, but not in cells harbouring wild‐type BRAF, therefore, intrinsically resistant to BRAFi.[17](#jcmm14890-bib-0017){ref-type="ref"} By using a BRAFi‐resistant clone derived from the parental cell line,[30](#jcmm14890-bib-0030){ref-type="ref"} we have shown that the effect in term of reduced glycolysis and label exchange is specific to sensitive cells and may not be present in BRAF‐mutated cells with acquired resistance due to previous exposure to the drug. In line with a reduction of glycolytic activity, following BRAFi in vitro we observed a reduction in mRNA and protein levels of glycolytic enzymes, as well as a decrease in cell glycolytic efficiency, as measured by steady‐state levels of polar metabolites.
We next asked whether the increase pyruvate‐to‐lactate conversion observed in vivo originated from hypoxia. Therefore, we performed immunohistochemical analysis of CD31 and in vivo EPR oximetry, to evaluate changes in tumour vasculature and pO~2~, respectively. We did not observe any significant change in tumour vasculature, nor in tumour pO~2~ 24 hours after treatment, thereby suggesting that the increased pyruvate‐to‐lactate ^13^C label exchange was not caused by a reduced oxygenation. On the contrary, pO~2~ increased at later time‐points, in line with a previous study showing a BRAFi‐mediated relief of tumour hypoxia.[38](#jcmm14890-bib-0038){ref-type="ref"} Of note, in our study, the relief of tumour hypoxia was not associated with increased angiogenesis. Moreover, we showed that melanoma cells consume more oxygen after inhibition of BRAF, thus suggesting that the effect was not due to reduced oxygen consumption by melanoma cells either. Several other factors may presumably have modified the in vivo pO~2~: vasodilation, reduced oxygen consumption by stromal cells and reduced number of melanoma cells among other. Besides changes in pO~2~, an increase in the triose compartment of glycolysis in vivo could also have enhanced the conversion of pyruvate into lactate. We have measured only selected enzymes or transporters that are known to be the main factors influencing the fate of hyperpolarized \[1‐^13^C\] pyruvate, but it would be interesting to evaluate other enzymes in the second phase of glycolysis.
Further studies are needed (a) to identify the factor, or combination of factors, that reduced hypoxia in vivo and (b) to explain the discrepancy in terms of pyruvate‐to‐lactate label exchange between the in vitro and in vivo settings. Regarding the latter, undoubtedly tumour stroma plays a central role in the metabolism of HP pyruvate. It is known that tumours may cope with extremely high lactate levels. As cancer cells do, also fibroblasts and immune cells produce and release lactate in the tumour microenvironment. Metabolic interactions between oxidative/oxygenated and hypoxic/glycolytic tumour cells or between tumour cells and surrounding stroma have been described in several cancer types; however, they have not completely been investigated in melanoma.[39](#jcmm14890-bib-0039){ref-type="ref"}, [40](#jcmm14890-bib-0040){ref-type="ref"}, [41](#jcmm14890-bib-0041){ref-type="ref"}, [42](#jcmm14890-bib-0042){ref-type="ref"}, [43](#jcmm14890-bib-0043){ref-type="ref"} Interestingly, it has been shown that inhibition of the MAPK cascade in melanoma leads to increased macrophage infiltration within the tumour, both in patients and in mouse xenografts[44](#jcmm14890-bib-0044){ref-type="ref"} and both macrophage infiltration and activation can influence the conversion of HP pyruvate into lactate in the myocardium.[45](#jcmm14890-bib-0045){ref-type="ref"} Future studies are needed to elucidate the eventual role played by infiltrating macrophages or other stromal cells in the metabolism of hyperpolarized pyruvate in melanoma xenografts.
Within the scope, immunocompetent mice would allow to obtain a more thorough picture of the cross‐talk between cancer cells and immune cells. This is all the more important in immunogenic tumours such as melanoma.
Our study points out some aspects that may be taken into account in future research.
The opposite effect of BRAFi in melanoma cells versus xenografts herein observed corroborates recent literature highlighting the importance of animal studies, with the twofold objective of better understanding the links between oncogenic signals and metabolism, while taking into account tumour heterogeneity, and fostering the clinical translation of newly developed hyperpolarized probes.[29](#jcmm14890-bib-0029){ref-type="ref"}, [41](#jcmm14890-bib-0041){ref-type="ref"}
Finally, discrepancies between the tumour metabolism of HP probes and steady‐state levels of the same metabolites are possible. In fact, contrarily to what happens in physiological conditions, in hyperpolarization experiments the cell metabolism is challenged via the injection of a supra‐physiological dose of the hyperpolarized probe.[46](#jcmm14890-bib-0046){ref-type="ref"} The conversion of a hyperpolarization probe and the measurements of steady‐state metabolite levels therefore provide different and complementary information. In our in vitro study, the two approaches provided strikingly similar results, thus suggesting that in this particular model the label exchange between hyperpolarized pyruvate and lactate faithfully described the physiological pyruvate‐to‐lactate conversion.
5. CONCLUSION {#jcmm14890-sec-0020}
=============
Following BRAFi, the HP pyruvate‐to‐lactate conversion was significantly increased in human melanoma xenografts. This effect preceded both changes in tumour volume and in tumour oxygenation, thus indicating that the HP lactate/pyruvate ratio may serve as an early marker of response to BRAFi in melanoma. Contrarily to the in vivo settings, BRAFi significantly decreased the HP lactate/pyruvate ratio in vitro, suggesting that such conversion is highly influenced by tumour microenvironment. Future studies are needed to elucidate the precise contribution of stromal cells on the metabolism of HP pyruvate in vivo.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST {#jcmm14890-sec-0022}
====================
There is no conflict of interest to declare.
AUTHORS CONTRIBUTION {#jcmm14890-sec-0023}
====================
SA performed the experiments, analysed the data and drafted the manuscript; LM and EL performed experiments; CS and NJ assisted with MRS experiments; FG assisted with qRT‐PCR and WB experiments; CB, JFB, and BG made critical revision to manuscript; BFJ supervised the study, contributed to study design and critical revision. All the authors approved the manuscript for submission.
Supporting information
======================
######
######
Click here for additional data file.
This study was supported by grants from the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (FNRS), the "Actions de Recherches Concertées‐Communauté Française de Belgique‐ARC 09/14‐020." BFJ is Research Director of the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research (FRS‐FNRS). SA is a Televie researcher and FG is a FRIA grant holder. We thank Michèle de Beukelaer from the 2IP imaging platform of UCLouvain for technical assistance.
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT {#jcmm14890-sec-0025}
===========================
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.
|
Scientists in Argentina are bracing for hard times next year. Later this month, the country’s senate is expected to approve a 2017 budget that would deal a crippling blow to research. Researchers and students have been staging protests in the capital, Buenos Aires, and in other cities since news of the pending cuts broke last month.
“The message is clear: Science is not a priority to this government,” says Cecilia Kramar, an Argentinian postdoc studying neuroscience at the University of Western Ontario in London. “There won’t be new science in Argentina because there won’t be new scientists to do it.”
When Argentine President Mauricio Macri took office in December 2015, he vowed to double the share of spending on science and technology in the government’s budget from 0.7% to 1.5%. But that promise has collided with an economic downturn that is driving up the nation’s debt. As part of its plan for balancing its books, the government intends to cut the science and technology budget by $198 million, to $2.1 billion in 2017—an 8.5% decrease.
Belt-tightening will be felt especially severely at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), which will have to devote 96% of its $655 million budget next year to salaries for researchers and scholars. That leaves a mere $26 million for research projects, lab equipment, and scholarships. (In 2014, CONICET spent $77 million—31% of its budget that year—on items other than salaries.) Argentina’s young Ph.D. scientists and postdocs rely on CONICET stipends as a bridge to tenure-track positions in academia or other career paths. Young researchers now on stipends are expected to be OK. But “it is not clear whether [CONICET] will have the sufficient funds to open new positions,” warns Jorge Aliaga, a physicist and former dean of the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires. That could cast many young researchers adrift.
For that reason, Aliaga and others worry that the expected cuts will spark an exodus of young scientific talent. Argentina has experienced brain drains before—most recently in the early 2000s, when the country’s economy was in a severe recession. “Whole packs of young people just left,” Aliaga says.
Echoing that concern is Franco Bonafé, a Ph.D, student who is studying quantum dynamics at the National University of Córdoba. In 2013, he turned down a chance to enroll in a Ph.D. program at the University of Texas in Austin. “I said, ‘I’ll take a chance here in Argentina,’” he recalls. But the cuts have cast a shadow over his future. If the outlook for science here remains bleak, he says, “I will have no chance whatsoever to become the chemist that I want to be.”
Kramar, meanwhile, is one of almost 7000 Argentinian scientists now living outside of the country, according to the science ministry. It has always been her plan to return to Argentina. “I’m not changing my mind,” she says. “But even if I shout and kick, [the government] will be shutting the doors on me. I won’t be able to return home.” |
Paperhouse 3D Gymnastics Stickers
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Turn your crafts into a fun-filled project for all! When you need a set of awesome toppers, look no further than these amazing 3D Stickers from Paperhouse!
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Q:
How do you control a range for type safety?
Imagine you have a function that converts ints to roman string:
public String roman(int)
Only numbers from 1 to 3999 (inclusive) are valid for conversion.
So what do you do if someone passes 4000 in any OO language?
raise an exception
return “” or some other special string
write an assert
…
A:
Number 1: raise an exception. That's what ArgumentOutOfRangeException is for (at least in .NET):
if (intToConvert >= 4000)
{
throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException("intToConvert ", "Only numbers 1-3000 are valid for conversion.");
}
|
Acute intravenous injection toxicity study of MIBG in mice.
Metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) is an analog of norepinephrine. I-131-labeled MIBG has been thought to be safe and effective in the evaluation of neuroendocrine tumors, mainly in neuroblastoma and pheochromocytoma. This article describes the acute toxicity of MIBG in imprinting control region (ICR) mice. Treated mice were administered with MIBG at dose levels of 75, 150, and 300ng/kg with dose volumes of 20mL/kg. The control mice were administered 20mL/kg of vehicle control. The mice were observed for 14 days. Observations included general demeanor, clinical signs, mortality, body weights/total body-weight gains, and gross necropsy findings. None of the animals died during the 14-day study period. There was no difference in body weights among all treated and control mice. |
Every 68 seconds, someone in America becomes diagnosed with dementia, Dr. Shellie N. Williams, of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, told physicians and medical professionals Wednesday during her lecture “Dementia and Advance Care Planning.” As part of the Hospice and Palliative Care Symposium at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Williams encouraged physicians to discuss advance care planning more often with their seriously ill patients to ensure that their end of life wishes are followed.
Dementia, a serious and life-threatening illness, currently affects more than five million Americans; nearly one-in-five American seniors will die of complications associated with the disease. By 2050, someone will be diagnosed with the chronic and progressive disease every 33 seconds. “Dementia is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. right now, and every time I put up a slide showing this people are surprised,” Williams said. “We think a little dementia is something that goes along with aging, but dementia is not a natural consequence of aging.”
Planning for dementia can be more difficult than planning around other life-threatening diseases, because dementia affects patients’ judgement and wishes over time. Crying, mood swings and hallucinations are common among individuals with moderate to severe symptoms. Often, Williams said, seniors wait too long to have such conversations until it is too late. Only 36-60 percent of individuals with dementia had completed some form of advance care plan in 2008.
Dementia is also more common among African-Americans and Hispanics than among other ethnic groups, Williams said. She cited an article published
by Alzheimer’s and Dementia in which researchers found 63 percent of Hispanics and 59 percent of African-Americans over age 85 were likely to develop the disease. These numbers are starkly different than the rate among whites- 30 percent. Almost 9 percent of African-Americans and 8 percent of Hispanics between 65 and 74 will develop some form of dementia, opposed to just 3 percent of whites. Williams pointed out that hypertension and diabetes are more prevalent within these populations, and they may contribute to the increase.
Research shows minorities are much more distrustful of the medical establishment than whites– partially due to their history of inadequate care and language barriers– and that skepticism often leads them to opt for more aggressive end of life treatments. |
A vesicle-trafficking protein commandeers Kv channel voltage sensors for voltage-dependent secretion.
Growth in plants depends on ion transport for osmotic solute uptake and secretory membrane trafficking to deliver material for wall remodelling and cell expansion. The coordination of these processes lies at the heart of the question, unresolved for more than a century, of how plants regulate cell volume and turgor. Here we report that the SNARE protein SYP121 (SYR1/PEN1), which mediates vesicle fusion at the Arabidopsis plasma membrane, binds the voltage sensor domains (VSDs) of K(+) channels to confer a voltage dependence on secretory traffic in parallel with K(+) uptake. VSD binding enhances secretion in vivo subject to voltage, and mutations affecting VSD conformation alter binding and secretion in parallel with channel gating, net K(+) concentration, osmotic content and growth. These results demonstrate a new and unexpected mechanism for secretory control, in which a subset of plant SNAREs commandeer K(+) channel VSDs to coordinate membrane trafficking with K(+) uptake for growth. |
Woodbridge High School student Abby Steinberg, center, and fellow students who support her effort on the nationwide demonstration series to protest for gun control at Woodbridge High School in Irvine on Tuesday, February 20, 2018. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
They call themselves the “mass shooting generation,” but that’s a moniker many teens are determined to lose.
From the shores of California to Washington, D.C., students are rising up, protesting and planning a series of national demonstrations demanding gun control legislation for one simple reason.
They want to live.
“Every day I have a sense that something might happen, that we’re just waiting for it,” says Abigail Steinberg, a 17-year-old senior at Woodbridge High in Irvine. “It’s like we’re sitting ducks.”
Woodbridge High School student Abby Steinberg, who will join the nationwide protest for gun control, at Woodbridge High School in Irvine on Tuesday, February 20, 2018. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Marco Vargas is an 18-year-old senior at Nava Preparatory Academy in East Los Angeles and says, “As a city kid and a public school student, gunshots have become normalized.
“I think about it happening at my school.”
The first national movement will take place March 14 and asks students to leave classes for 17 minutes, one minute for each person killed last week in Florida. The second is March 24 and calls for marches in local communities and at the nation’s capital. The third is April 20 and has high school students walking out on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine shooting.
Along with other students across America, Steinberg and Vargas have reason to be scared.
There have been at least an additional eight shooting incidents at schools in which there were no injuries, but guns were fired.
At Salvador B. Castro Middle School in Los Angeles on Feb. 1, four children were injured by gunfire. Two children suffered minor injuries. A 15-year-old girl was shot in the wrist. A 15-year-old boy was shot in the head. The boy is expected to be OK.
“I was on campus last night and joined many of you who sheltered in place for a long period,” University President Tomás D. Morales said Jan. 11. “While inconvenient, our top priority will always be the safety of each member of the campus community.”
No university president or school principal should ever have to make such a statement. But they are.
Far too often.
In the last five years, Moms Demand Action has documented nearly 300 school shootings, and the number of shootings this year are double the same time last year.
“I think we’ve hit a breaking point,” says Steinberg, who plans to attend college next year. “Sandy Hook (in Newtown, Conn., where six staff members and 20 youngsters were killed Dec. 14, 2012) was the first one I remember.
“We feel so under pressure.”
Vargas recalls there was a drive-by at the tennis courts near his school. “Everybody was screaming.
“It sucks that we don’t take time to step back and examine that this is our reality.”
Political winds change quickly
The Florida slaughter appears to be both tipping point and sea change.
Additionally, President Donald Trump this week moved from anger to action.
First, Trump infuriated students on Monday by mixing politics and tragedy with a tweet, “Very sad that the FBI missed all of the many signals sent out by the Florida school shooter. This is not acceptable.
“They are spending too much time trying to prove Russian collusion with the Trump campaign — there is no collusion.”
Very sad that the FBI missed all of the many signals sent out by the Florida school shooter. This is not acceptable. They are spending too much time trying to prove Russian collusion with the Trump campaign – there is no collusion. Get back to the basics and make us all proud!
While it is a long journey to become law, the president’s bump stock move risks alienating his base and appears as bold as it is significant.
Consider that for a brief period after the Las Vegas horror in October, it appeared that Congress would take actual action on outlawing bump stocks.
Even the National Rifle Association indicated support. Later, however, the NRA opposed the ban and nothing happened.
But now, instead of bullets a political wind is at the students’ backs.
This week, the president’s press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, went so far as to say the administration had not “closed the door” on supporting a ban on assault-style rifles.
Consider that in Trump’s 2015 book, “Crippled America,” he defended what even police call “assault-style rifles.”
But political winds shift quickly. On Thursday, Trump gave sugar to NRA leaders, tweeting they are “great people and great patriots!”
What many people don’t understand, or don’t want to understand, is that Wayne, Chris and the folks who work so hard at the @NRA are Great People and Great American Patriots. They love our Country and will do the right thing. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
The president went on to tweet that arming at least 20 percent of teachers “would also serve as a deterrent to the cowards that do this.”
In for the long haul
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence states that more than one in five teenagers has witnessed a shooting. The nonprofit adds that, on average, seven children and teens die from gunfire every day.
But are three national demonstrations in a two-month period overkill?
Vargas explains he has a different focus than some students. Instead of walking out, he will register people to vote.
Mass shootings are a national crisis, Vargas explains. In his neighborhood “everyone has experience with gun violence.”
Steinberg allows that her realistic goal isn’t to ban all firearms, but at least to ban assault rifles such as AR-15s.
“I don’t want to alienate people,” Steinberg allows. “We have to come to a middle ground.
“It’s not going to happen overnight and it’s not about marching on one day,” the high school senior declares. “I’ll march until something is changed.”
David Whiting is the award-winning Metro Columnist at The Orange County Register. He also can be heard on radio, has served as a television news anchor and speaks frequently at organizations and universities. He previously was an assistant managing editor and has received Columbia University’s Race and Ethnicity Award, National Headliner awards and Sigma Delta Chi’s Public Service Award. He recently was invited to participate in an exchange program with Chinese journalists. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and his master’s from Columbia University’s Graduate School for Journalism. He is a two-time Ironman, a two-time Boston marathoner and has climbed the highest mountains in Africa and North and South America.
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Hi, Cyril my betta is really really sick and worried its Dropsy. His scales look slightly raised but not 100% sure. He doesn't have a bloated stomach.
About a week ago he suddenly became lethargic and started lying on the tank floor. He still swam to the surface for air and ate fine (gave him frozen blood worms). He hasn't shown any sign of scratching against anything or bumping into anything. He is just still on the bottom.
Maybe 2 days ago, he started gasping for air.
Today he has stopped eating at all.
Checked his water perameters when first noticed he'd changed. Ammonia was slightly high but still less than 0.25. Nitrites and Nitrates were 0. (I use the liquid kit, not the strips).
I did a 50% water change on day one and have been doing a 20% water change daily since.
I tried treating with Wonder Tonic (as that is what brought him back last time he was sick with velvet and he made a full recovery) but hasn't worked this time.
He is just laying on the floor with his head pointed upwards gasping for air. He is still swimming to the top for air though, and will swim away quickly if I put my finger near him.
I have just put an air stone in now.
He is the only fish in a 5G tank with filter and heater set at 80degrees. I've had him for 18 months and he's always been in this tank.
Unfortunately when they start to pine cone, its usually too late. I've seen it happen before to my favourite betta who passed away a couple of months ago. Wonder Tonic will not do anything for dropsy. You could try Kanaplex by Seachem to see if that helps him, but like I said, its a slim chance. The pine coning of his scales that you're seeing means he's going into organ failure. I would lower the water level to help him, keep his temperature up, lights low, and just overall do whatever you can to make him most comfortable.
It is very visible pine coning from the pictures, yes. And I'm sorry. :( I know what it feels like to watch this happen to a fish... It really all depends on the root cause of the organ failure. Some cases can have a rebound and the fish can recover if its treated fast enough, but in some cases it can't. In my case, it was a very vicious case of septicemia that caused dropsy and caused death within 48 hours.
There are medications for raised scales and dropsy, but I haven't heard of a fish recovering.
If he's not eating, put it a food stone (Like the ones you put in when you go on vacation) so he can choose when he wants to eat.
Raising the temperature may accelerate his condition, however use your judgement.
Cleaning the water will help prevent other sicknesses from attacking his now weakened immune system, but be prepared, as he might contract other diseases.
When my brother's fish had dropsy, aside from giving him medication to treat dropsy, I gave him a salt bath, which dramatically improved his attitude.
However, it did not stop his death.
I have read of people buying very small needles, sedating their fish with clove oil, and removing the fluid that causes the swelling, then treating the wound with concentrated salt water.
This is a temporary solution, and although the fish's health improves, I have again never heard of a fish surviving for very long.
So sorry to hear that your fish is going through this, and I hope he gets through it okay. |
Donald Trump has said that facing impeachment would be “a very unfair thing” as he has done nothing wrong.
A number of Democratic politicians support the policy of impeaching Mr Trump, including Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Senate Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi has refused to try and remove the president from office, despite the debate raging in her caucus over the issue.
And in wide-ranging interview with NBC News, the president gave a rambling answer during which he said he believed impeachment would only help him politically.
“I think I win the election easier,” he said, when asked what would happen if the Democrats tried to open proceedings.
“But, you know, I’m not sure that I like having it. Look, I did nothing wrong. I was spied on. What they did to me was illegal. It was illegal on the other side,” he said, apparently referring to the Mueller investigation.
“I did nothing wrong. So impeachment’s a very unfair thing because nothing that I did was wrong.
“And if you look at the Mueller report, there was no collusion. This was all about collusion,” he added.
Chuck Todd, who was interviewing Mr Trump, attempted to explain that the Mueller report did not exonerate him.
“Nobody mentions Russia anymore,” Mr Trump said, talking over his interviewer. “And it was about Russia. It was a hoax.”
He also said he did not know if Donald Trump Jr, his son, had sat for an interview with Robert Mueller’s team.
Although Democratic leaders oppose trying to impeach Mr Trump, an increasing number of their subordinates disagree.
“This president needs to be impeached,” said Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday.
Impeachment articles have repeatedly been tabled by Democrats in the House of Representatives, despite criticisms from the party leadership.
Al Green and Brad Sherman tabled legislation last year and Rashida Tlaib did so again in March 2019.
But with party leaders still opposed to attempting the process, it remains unlikely that Mr Trump will be removed from office by Congress.
Story continues
The NBC interview was filmed on Friday, just hours after the US president abruptly cancelled military strikes against Iran.
The strikes were planned as retaliation for Iran destroying an unmanned US drone but the president said he halted them after being told they would kill 150 people.
“I said, ‘You know what? They shot down an unmanned drone, plane, whatever you want to call it,” Mr Trump said during the interview.
“And here we are sitting with 150 dead people that would have taken place probably within a half an hour after I said go ahead.’ And I didn’t like it. I didn’t think it was, I didn’t think it was proportionate. “
But the president later said that if Iran “do something else, it’ll be double.”
The 73-year-old also claimed that Barack Obama, his predecessor. “had a lousy economy”.
Mr Todd then showed the president charts comparing the economy during his presidency to Mr Obama’s.
The interviewer said: “This recovery started and in the 28 months that you’ve been president and the last 28 months of Obama’s presidency, he averaged more new jobs than your first 28 --”
The president then cut Mr Todd off with protests.
“You have to understand, nobody was working,” he claimed.
“The whole place was a disaster. And I don’t-- I’d never take that away.” |
High Dilution Principle
In organic chemistry, the High Dilution Principle is a strategy for some macrocyclization reactions, i.e. the synthesis of macrocycles. Unlike the synthesis of 5- and 6-membered rings, the preparation of larger rings competes unfavorably with polymerization reactions. Polymers arise from coupling of long chain precursors. Such reactions are disfavored when the acyclic compounds are dilute. Although high dilution reactions can be conducted in a batch reactor with large volumes of solvent, a more practical implementation entails slow addition of reactants, under conditions that the reactants are more rapidly consumed than the rate of addition. Typically, additions use one or more syringe pumps. Illustrative is the synthesis of thiacyclopentadecane from 1,14-dibromotetradecane and sodium sulfide in 45% yield:
BrCH2(CH2)12CH2Br + Na2S → (CH2)14S + 2 NaBr
References
Category:Carbon-carbon bond forming reactions |
Polish rabbit
The Polish rabbit is not a dwarf breed of domestic rabbit since they lack the dwarf gene, most often bred by fanciers (as opposed to hobbyists) and commonly exhibited in rabbit shows. Despite its name, the Polish rabbit likely originated in England, not Poland. The breed known in the UK as Polish is the breed known in the US as Britannia Petite. The breed known in the US as Polish is unknown in the UK.
Appearance
Today, the Polish rabbit in the US is used as a fancy exhibition breed and as a pet. Polish rabbits are small, with short ears that touch each other all the way from the base to the tip. This breed has a short head with full cheeks and bold eyes. Due to its small size, the Polish rabbit is often confused with the Netherland Dwarf, although the Polish is a little larger and its head is not rounded. There are many other differences between the two breeds, such as coat structure, body type and colors. The accepted weight a 6-months-or-older Polish rabbit in the US is 2½ to 3½ pounds, with the ideal weight being 2½ pounds.
Until the 1950s, most Polish rabbits in the US were white with either red eyes or blue eyes. The ruby-eyed white is a true albino. The blue-eyed white has the Vienna breed's white gene and is not a true albino. Since the 1950s, colored Polish varieties have been recognized by rabbit clubs. In 1957, the American Rabbit Breeders' Association recognized a black as well as a chocolate color in Polish rabbits. In 1982, the blue variety was recognized, and in 1998 the broken variety was approved.
Personality and care
Despite their small size, Polish rabbits need space in cage and barn facilities. They need to be out about 5-6 hours a day. Cage bottoms should not be slippery, as this can cause hip injuries and splay leg.
Cage bottoms should never be wired as this causes bruises and their feet to become damaged.
The American Polish rabbit is generally calm and friendly, especially the bucks. Does can be territorial if not spayed. Children should always be supervised when handling rabbits, to ensure that the rabbit is not inadvertently injured.
Rabbits can be easily trained to use a litter box and to accept a harness with leash when out of their cage. Rabbit-proofing a room where a rabbit is roaming freely is critical. Rabbits will chew on carpets, baseboard and especially electrical cords.
Feeding
Polish rabbits should be fed about 1/4 cups of pelleted feed every other day depending on the activity level of the rabbit.
It is vital that rabbits have access to unlimited fresh hay to ensure good dental health, gastrointestinal health, urinary tract health, weight control and for environmental enrichment.
Treats such as fruit and carrot should be fed sparingly; typically a portion no larger than the tip of the thumb. Carrots are high in sugar so best to avoid it. Fresh young dandelion leaves, parsley and spinach are nutritious choices for treats. Vegetables in the cabbage family and high-sugar foods such as corn should be avoided, as these can cause gastroenteritis. Seed should never be given to rabbits. Iceberg lettuce is has no nutritional value. Remember the darker the lettuce the healthier.
A healthy rabbit should be well fleshed but not flabby. This is tested by running one's hand over the rabbits back. A firm layer of flesh over the ribs and spine together with the ribs and spine should be felt, indicating proper nutrition. A prominent spine indicates under nutrition and is corrected by increasing the feed. Inability to feel the spine indicates over nutrition and likewise, the amount of feed is decreased.
Health concerns
As with other rabbits, Polish rabbits do not do well in high temperatures, but can withstand low temperatures if they are kept dry and out of drafts. They are prone to hairball obstructions and matted coats if not cared for properly. Other health concerns include ear mites, Pasturella, respiratory disease, dental problems, urinary bladder stones and fractured backs. Be quick to notice any changes in diet or litter box habits and contact a rabbit veterinarian immediately.
The average life span of a breeding Polish rabbit is 5 to 6 years and 8-10 with being spayed or neutered.
See also
Rabbit
Domestic rabbit
List of rabbit breeds
References
External links
American Rabbit Breeder's Association
American Polish Rabbit club
Polish Rabbit Breed History
Breeds of Rabbits Chart
Category:Rabbit breeds
Category:Rabbits as pets
Category:Rabbit breeds originating in England |
Subashree was on her two-wheeler when an illegal hoarding knocked her down.
Tamil Nadu-based AIADMK and its main opposition party, the DMK, today made an appeal to its party workers to stop erecting banners and hoardings, day after a 23-year-old woman was killed in Chennai after an illegal hoarding fell on her.
Subashree, who worked in an IT firm, was on her way back from office on her two-wheeler when an unauthorised life-size hoarding knocked her down. In seconds, a tanker hit her scooter, injuring her on head.
The woman was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, eyewitnesses said.
The hoardings, which had pictures of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy, his deputy O Panneerselvam and former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, were put by a local leader of the ruling AIADMK without obtaining permission from Corporation authorities. C Jeyagopal had got the hoardings put up for a family wedding which was attended by Mr Panneerselvam or OPS.
Subashree's death has led to an outrage against the political parties. People claim the banners cause inconvenience and pose a threat to people's safety.
"We are pained at acts that people are affected. Avoid erecting banners and hoardings inconveniencing public in all circumstances," the AIADMK said today without referring to the incident.
Subashree was her way back home from her office when she met with the accident.
DMK President MK Stalin, meanwhile, warned his party workers that he will not participate in any function if banners or hoardings are put up. He also said strict action will be taken by the party against those who put up hoardings and banners, inconveniencing the public and hindering traffic flow.
"Illegal hoarding placed due to government apathy, irresponsibility of authorities and the police's incompetence has taken away Subashree's life. How many lives are to be sacrificed for these atrocities due to the arrogance of power," DMK chief MK Stalin tweeted in Tamil.
He said one or two party banners could be installed where the party's public meetings and functions are held after getting due permission.
The Madras High Court also came down heavily on the Tamil Nadu government over the incident and wondered "how many more litres of blood the state government needs to paint the roads with" before it takes action.
"There is zero respect for lives. Life lost due to irresponsibility by bureaucrats. Chief Minister and all political parties ought to call to end banners and hoardings. Do political parties have extra constitutional powers," it observed.
Subashree's death has led to an outrage against illegal hoardings being put by political parties despite them causing inconvenience and posing a threat to people's safety.
Following its complaint, police have registered a case against the AIADMK functionary and action will be taken as per law, the Chennai Corporation said adding the printing unit which printed the hoarding that fell on Subashri has been sealed. |
Q:
Runnable jar in AWS EC2
I have a requirement to run a runnable jar from AWS lambda. One option is to create a docker and use ECS to achieve the desired result.
I am looking for an alternative approach using EC2. Is it possible to deploy a runnable jar in EC2 and then invoke it from AWS Lambda?
A:
Yes it's possible using EC2 Run Commands. You could use your favorite AWS SDK flavor (Java, Python, etc) to run a command on your EC2 instance from your Lambda function. Here's a good tutorial: http://docs.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/latest/userguide/run-command.html
|
The substrate is, for example, a semiconductor component. The semiconductor component is, for example, a conversion LED. A conversion LED may comprise an LED (light-emitting diode), on whose surface, which may thus constitute the abovementioned substrate surface, a converter layer is applied. There is a layer structure composed of the semiconductor component and the converter layer. The converter layer comprises, for example, a ceramic phosphor powder. A phosphor of the phosphor powder has the task of converting the electromagnetic primary radiation which is emitted by the LED to electromagnetic secondary radiation.
To produce the layer structure, proceeding from a semiconductor substrate which may have a multitude of LEDs (wafer), the converter layer is applied to a semiconductor surface of the semiconductor substrate. However, it may be possible that not all LEDs of the semiconductor substrate are suitable for conversion LEDs. The converter layer should be removable again in a simple manner from the surface thereof. |
Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sameh Shoukry, discussed over phone with his Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, boosting bilateral relations on Wednesday. The two ministers addressed also issues of mutual interest.
According to a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Hafez, the two ministers agreed to hold the Egyptian-Armenian joint committee soon to increase cooperation on the economic level.
Shoukry stressed the importance of finalising the current negotiations to establish the free trade zone between Egypt and the Eurasian Economic Union.
On the other hand, Shoukry also phoned his Irish counterpart Simon Coveney to discuss means of boosting bilateral relation.
Shoukry and Coveney addressed several regional and international issues, including the peace process between Palestine and Israel.
The two ministers stressed the importance of pushing the peace process in order to establish the independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with Eastern Jerusalem as its capital, according to Hafez.
In February, Shoukry visited the Irish capital Dublin during the celebration of the 40th anniversary of opening the Egyptian embassy in Ireland. He praised the strength of Egypt-Ireland ties.
“Egypt is the largest country in the Arab world, and plays a pivotal role in a region where Ireland has a deep interest. I am committed to broadening and deepening Ireland’s relationship with Egypt, in the interests of the citizens of both countries. I look forward to Ireland engaging further with Egypt across the full spectrum of issues, including trade, regional security and consular affairs,” said Coveney during the celebration. |
Sterilization/disinfection: correcting common misconceptions in the office setting.
Nurses in office surgical facilities are often responsible for the processing of instruments and supplies for intraoperative use. Decontamination, preparation and packaging, sterilization, monitoring of the sterilization process, and storage are all key elements in infection control. Practices should be continually updated based on the latest research to enable the office surgical facility to provide the patient with the highest quality of care. |
In this bizarrely colorful world that I stand testimony to, camera in hand and a pair of wheels at feet, one fine day, it dawned on me - I could not let life in this cornucopia of dreams, pass me by - unrecorded. With the proclivity of an explorer, hence began a renaissance of beauty, that found its way into my enamored heart, through my faithful lense and into the windows of your wakeful souls. Come, walk with me...
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Yes, actually it is. It's more than 365 days I'm gazing towards this National Capital's City Scape from 40 meters above the ground level of UP state's urban land AND 'm yet to be BORED.
Everyday whenever I stare there I got to see something interesting, something new and it forces me to rush and get the Camera out of the bag. But when the lazy bum dominates, then the staring process continues for long.
Today at around 7.15 in the evening I was again amazed with the unreal color of the Sky. And not to mention about the Glamor glittered city sharing the lower part of the frame and under the romancing 'Moon' and 'Evening Star'.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Damn, my mind was completely in a different state today. Today I was missing all my riding days especially on Himalayan Range and even my everyday commute to office. Am I getting a nerd day by day!!! 'Noway, it is just another phase of life', this was what I heard somewhere from the core of my heart. So was time to dig my hard-drive deeper and deeper. The first folder to hit my eyes was 'Ladakh July '09'. A very well spent two hours and I was happy again and enough to pump the adrenaline to hit the road for 'SPITI'. Just hope to do is soon :)
Saturday, May 01, 2010
'Indus Valley', a familiar name among the few ancient civilizations is truly a Beauty as a place.
This photograph was captured on the Sixth day of my last year Leh Yatra.The lonely windy road equally dividing the valley, surrounded by lovely mountains and a pure blue sky as roof are something which may attract you to visit this place again and again. |
AUDIENCE SCORE
Musta jää (Black Ice) Photos
Movie Info
Upon discovering that her husband is having an affair, a Helsinki gynecologist attempts to gather more knowledge about her rival and, in the process, becomes hopelessly entangled in the other woman's life - partially on purpose but primarily out of happenstance. Saara is pretty, elegant, liberal, and friendly to a fault. Yet while surface appearances would suggest that Saara is something of an open book, the truth is that lately no one has looked deeper enough to notice otherwise. Driven by jealousy to find out why her husband Leo has grown distant as of late, the sleuthing wife soon discovers that her spouse has recently entered into an affair with a young student and part-time martial arts instructor named Tulli. Her desire to learn more about Tulli growing with each passing hour, Saara eventually signs up as a student in one of the woman's self-defense classes. Eventually, Saara integrates herself into Tulli's life by blending fact and fiction to create a new persona. While Saara's crafty bid to find out more about Tulli without revealing her true identity is indeed successful, her deceptions start to snowball after she creates a fictitious lover in order to mislead her husband. The satisfaction of turning the tables on her husband gradually begins to dissipate, however, when the complex web of deceit becomes too unwieldy to maintain, plunging everyone involved into a hopeless cycle of despair and revenge.
Excellent performances and assured direction serve to keep the story engaging and dramatic in Petri Kotwica's third feature, which won five Finnish Jussi (film industry) awards including Best Film, Best Director, Best Script %u2013 and Best Actress for Ou
A showcase for Finnish acting talent and a significant step forward for Kotwica, though the closing reels of Musta Jää dilute its power as a psychological thriller in favour of plot twists more at home in a soap opera.
Audience Reviews for Musta jää (Black Ice)
½
A tense psychological thriller that grows gripping and suffocating as we follow a cheated woman carrying a twisted plan of revenge till the last consequences - and it is brilliantly directed, paying great attention to details, and with two amazing performances by the lead actresses.
Carlos Magalhães
Super Reviewer
½
An average psychological drama about love and betrayal. Unfortunately, they didn't focus enough on exploring emotions to its brink and developing chemistry between the characters. It rather swayed through the portions. There are some engaging moments, but they're few and far between. The performances were okay, but not great enough to make up for the movie's flaws. Besides, I thought maybe there's something in store for the ending, but that too turned out to be a a bummer. Yet, all in all, the movie falls under the "watch and forget" category.
It's not bad, in fact, had they put in a bit more of effort, it had the potential to bag an Oscar............... JK.
familiar stranger
Super Reviewer
Psychological and very sexy thriller in a game of cat and mouse. What Black Ice tends to focus on is honor and honesty more than actual love. The partners are together, but it's never clear as to why. In one instance we find out that the marriage at the center of the movie has had all of its big moments marked by an affair. Maenpaa gives a fantastic performance as a woman investigating her husband's affair. She wants answers, but doesn't resort to petty violence or making a scene. Towards the end she does begin to crack. A more malicious character is shown, but at the same time we understand where the aggression came from. People justify their actions, but more people end up getting hurt. It's never terribly shocking, but the way the director handles conflict is very imaginative. The non-violent martial arts lessons, showing a restrained form of anger where all the punches are being thrown by the looks in the eyes. Stunning cinematography that captures the frozen landscapes, and a haunting and chilling score also provide extra atmosphere.
Luke Baldock
Super Reviewer
This Finnish film contains affairs, friendship, jealousy and revenge between a Helsinki gynecologist (wife) and young martial arts intructor (lover) who fell in love with their same guy - really entertaining, cleverly and magnificent drama story.
Two Finnish actresses, Outi Mäenpää and Martti Suosalo are fantastic in this dark and cold love triangle. |
Communication problems with environment-related health disorders as illustrated by a multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) chatroom.
The problem of communication in treating multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) was analysed and evaluated using the documentation of an MCS chatroom which was set up in April 2001 following the TV programme Gesundheitsmagazin Praxis (Health Magazine: Practice). Approaches were developed for solving communication problems in the chatroom. A total of 490 cases were evaluated, most of which (355) were directly or indirectly affected, 76 came from self-help groups and 10 were from 4 guest experts invited by ZDF (Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen, Second German TV channel). Of these 4 experts, 2 were environmental medicine specialists, 1 psychosomatics expert and 1 psychiatrist. Fourty-nine of the cases included a petition for chatroom participants to join a class-action law. Aside from exchanging basic information on MCS, frequent topics of discussion on the air were the assessment of physicians, clinics, self-help groups and experts. The participants also expressed their views on problems with society, politics, the economy, science and social security. Another common topic was communication in the chatroom itself, which for the most part consisted of sarcasm and insults, which were cause for conflicts in the chatroom. These communication problems led to the conclusion that a chatroom is not the best medium for discussing MCS. If a chatroom is to be used profitably to this end, it is imperative to have a well-defined organisational framework which allows the exchange of current, scientifically accurate information while keeping discussions from escalating and degenerating into arguments. |
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Do you know how ridiculous it is to talk about true love to a female slave who was struggling for survival and constantly under threat of abuse? Of course it is not true love, but did she need true love? All she wanted was more and better food, a better shelter, no or less back-breaking work, less violent rape by her captors. If any master could give her that, she would be grateful to and grow to like that master. She would feel attached to and fear for being abandoned by that master, and may want to return favor with her body.
You guys are all making assumptions. There is only 2 things we know:
-She had a son by Cortez
-In the sources from around that time (both Indian and Spanish) she is depicted as someone important.
Now you can make a lot of assumptions about how the dynamics were, but we simply don't know. It may be that she was forced by Cortez, it may be that she genuinely loved him. It may be that Cortez fell in love and she only tolerated him, it may be that she hated the Aztecs and would do anything to take revenge, etc
Point of the matter is that for a supposedly mass-murdering, raping war criminal, it is a bit thin to only come up with "well, he may have raped La Malinche".
Further point of the matter is that it certainly wasn't Cortez that routinely sacrificed people and sometimes even ate them.
In the whole of south America, the Aztecs probably were the sickest ****s at that time.
You guys are all making assumptions. There is only 2 things we know:
-She had a son by Cortez
-In the sources from around that time (both Indian and Spanish) she is depicted as someone important.
In the whole of south America, the Aztecs probably were the sickest ****s at that time.
Yes, I agree. We know too little about their real relationship. It's better not to make too many assumptions. In my post I was just telling @TillyCaine that there are many things more important than true love for a female slave of that time, so @TillyCaine should not focus on true love.
Yes, I agree. We know too little about their real relationship. It's better not to make too many assumptions. In my post I was just telling @TillyCaine that there are many things more important than true love for a female slave of that time, so @TillyCaine should not focus on true love.
Did you know her? So you must be very very old.... Did you live in Technotichtlán when Cortes and Malinche appeared there or did you travel next Don Bernal? because you write as if you met them!!! "not true love"...love dear friend change with time! what you named "love" was invented by Walt Disney Production in 20th Century... well it is the Bourgois Love invented in 19 Century! not matched with love before Industrial Revolution.
"more and better food".. how do you know? "better shelter".. Did you know how was the Manliche´s shelter in 1507?
I was replying @TillyCaine, telling her that there are many things more important than true love for a female slave of that time. Maybe I shouldn't have made those assumptions, but that's what I imagine should be a slave's primary concerns. Maybe I should not be commenting in this thread because I am not familiar with North American history. I'd better go back to Asian history section.
I don't say the Aztec were savages. The entirety of history does. They sacrificed individuals in the tens of thousands just to dedicate a temple. They started wars where the only point was to capture prisoners to later sacrifice. They ate the bodies of those they sacrificed.
This was part of your earlier "woke" rant:
"In the case of Cortes, the Aztec Empire and other native American tribes had done nothing to them. They lived peacefully in North America for thousands of years before arrival of the European colonists."
This is a very ridiculous post. I can see how you might get a standing ovation for making it in a typical liberal arts college but its about the least historical statement you could have made without adding the Easter Bunny or aliens into it.
How in the world did you get it into your head that the Aztecs had lived peacefully with any of their neighbors? Ignorance of actual history? Or just ignoring it because the truth was less appealing than the version you wanted, which was "evil male capitalistic patriarchal imperialism!"
Was La Malinche a slave when she was given to Cortes? According to historical sources, yes. Who enslaved her. THE MAYAN. Was she a slave AFTER Cortes accepted her? No, historical sources show that he not only freed her, she became his most trusted adviser and his long time lover, given the honorific title of Dona/Lady, held in high esteem by Spanish and Mexican alike. There is zero evidence, beyond your imagination and bias, she was raped. Or that she was treated poorly. Or with disrespect.
The locals already practiced slavery. Spanish didn't enslave the population, they specifically had laws that forced them to look out for well being of the locals. Were they perfect? Nope, not by a long shot. After all, they were only there to reap the benefits to gain precious metals and other rare and expensive natural resources. But the Spanish were absolutely nothing in comparison to the previous regional power, the Aztecs.
I don't say the Aztec were savages. The entirety of history does. They sacrificed individuals in the tens of thousands just to dedicate a temple. They started wars where the only point was to capture prisoners to later sacrifice. They ate the bodies of those they sacrificed.
This was part of your earlier "woke" rant:
"In the case of Cortes, the Aztec Empire and other native American tribes had done nothing to them. They lived peacefully in North America for thousands of years before arrival of the European colonists."
This is a very ridiculous post. I can see how you might get a standing ovation for making it in a typical liberal arts college but its about the least historical statement you could have made without adding the Easter Bunny or aliens into it.
How in the world did you get it into your head that the Aztecs had lived peacefully with any of their neighbors? Ignorance of actual history? Or just ignoring it because the truth was less appealing than the version you wanted, which was "evil male capitalistic patriarchal imperialism!"
Was La Malinche a slave when she was given to Cortes? According to historical sources, yes. Who enslaved her. THE MAYAN. Was she a slave AFTER Cortes accepted her? No, historical sources show that he not only freed her, she became his most trusted adviser and his long time lover, given the honorific title of Dona/Lady, held in high esteem by Spanish and Mexican alike. There is zero evidence, beyond your imagination and bias, she was raped. Or that she was treated poorly. Or with disrespect.
The locals already practiced slavery. Spanish didn't enslave the population, they specifically had laws that forced them to look out for well being of the locals. Were they perfect? Nope, not by a long shot. After all, they were only there to reap the benefits to gain precious metals and other rare and expensive natural resources. But the Spanish were absolutely nothing in comparison to the previous regional power, the Aztecs.
You have no evidence of that. Its purely your opinion, completely without evidence. For all you know she could have earned her freedom simply by the goodwill of Cortes. Or by her intellect. Or after she was converted to Christianity. Either way, you assume she was raped. You assume she needed to gain her freedom using sex.
What is with you? You seriously think so little of the female sex that they cannot succeed in life without their genitalia being involved? You have some serious hangups about sex, and even more about the field of study known as history.
Historum
Founded in 2006, Historum is a history forum dedicated to history discussions and historical events. Our community welcomes everyone from around the world to discuss world history, historical periods, and themes in history - military history, archaeology, arts and culture, and history in books and movies. |
Healthcare workers on the front lines of the novel coronavirus pandemic are at the highest risk of becoming infected, especially in hospitals where the influx of coronavirus patients is exhausting the supply of face masks and other protective measures.
A hospital in New Jersey has become the first in the United States to use an emerging new solution called the NanoVapor BioTech Microbial Suppression System.
The system is FDA-approved, and it involves coating objects surfaces with a special disinfectant spray that kills viruses like the novel coronavirus on contact for 70 days or more.
Visit BGR’s homepage for more stories.
The novel coronavirus outbreak that began as a handful of mysterious viral infections in Wuhan, China has been getting progressively worse. It began moving west last month into Europe, which is now the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. There was hope in the early days of the new coronavirus’s spread to the United States that quick and dramatic action would limit the scope of the outbreak, but the White House instead chose to downplay the severity of the disease until it was too widespread to contain. Once it became glaringly obvious that we were in the midst of a national crisis, individual states began taking it upon themselves to enact measures to slow the spread of the deadly virus. Needless to say, it was far too late at that point, and the US is now on pace to eventually eclipse the COVID-19 death toll in China in the coming weeks and months. Vaccines are in development and treatments are being tested, but the outbreak will have peaked long before anything becomes widely available.
Now, the smartest thing we can do is to shelter in place and avoid leaving our homes unless it is absolutely necessary, and then practice social distancing and good hygiene. Of course, healthcare workers don’t have the luxury of staying home. They’re now tasked with staffing the nation’s hospitals and treating people suffering from COVID-19, putting themselves in harm’s way all the while.
There are obviously several measures that healthcare professionals take in order to protect themselves as well as they can. Medical-grade face masks help prevent them from becoming infected with COVID-19, as does regular use of disinfectant and hand-washing. But one New Jersey hospital is taking an exciting additional measure to protect its staff and patients, and it involves an intriguing new treatment for surfaces and objects in the hospital.
It’s called the NanoVapor BioTech Microbial Suppression System, or MSS. It’s a large-scale application system that uses a special sprayer to apply antimicrobial nanoparticles to surfaces and objects. NanoVapor’s solution doesn’t just disinfect, however. It’s a special biodegradable coating that continues to protect surfaces by killing bacteria, fungi, mold, and even viruses like the novel coronavirus for weeks or even months following its application.
In its tests, the company measured a 99.8% reduction in microbial count 70 days after application, and it remains effective for up to 90 days.
“The MSS system can distribute its microbial agent quickly and on a significant large scale in places like hospitals, shopping malls, municipal and office buildings, schools, houses of worship, airports and other public transportation hubs and vehicles,” said Chief of Surgery for Hudson Regional Hospital Dr. Maurizio Miglietta in a statement. Miglietta is also the Clinical Medical Director for NanoVapor BioTech, which explains why Hudson Regional is the first hospital to adopt the solution.
Miglietta’s colleague and Hudson Regional Hospital CEO Dr. Nizar Kifaieh added, “Without a current cure for COVID-19, the best strategy to flatten the curve is implementing preventative measures to keep our patients, clinicians, and practitioners safe. The NanoVapor BioTech system is a game-changer in preventing the spread of illness.”
Here’s how NanoVapor explains the solution on its website:
Our MSS (Microbial Suppression System) creates a submicroscopic molecular coating that eliminates the growth of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and molds on both hard and soft surfaces. This durable barrier continues to provide antimicrobial protection for months, even on high-touch areas. Unlike other methods, our patented MSS delivery units can quickly deliver protection for large-scale commercial and industrial applications, including airports and train stations. The MSS antimicrobial agent utilizes a non-toxic, water-based, biodegradable formula that is completely safe for humans and the environment. Its application will not harm electronics, keyboards, or touchscreens.
It seems almost too good to be true, but NanoVapor’s solution is FDA-approved. It has obviously never been tested before at this scale in such a high-risk environment, so we’ll be eager to see how Hudson Regional’s rate of healthcare worker infections compares to other hospitals in the months to come. |
Take Back Your Life: Signý Wilson
Posted on: May 1st 2015
Signý is a fiery, electrifying, and enthusiastic change-maker, coach and speaker. Her passion for people coupled with her survival of cancer, sparks her fiercely held perspective that every life is precious. An advocate for personal responsibility, Signý owns the message that your greatest signýficance comes from being fully you.Based on her perspective that participation is mandatory, she demands that you choose to live fully alive, starting now. Signý fearlessly calls you forth to your best self and life, waking you up to what your contribution is and keeping you focused on making the difference you want to make. www.signywilson.com
What events led up to you deciding to take back your life?
Before I was diagnosed with cancer (not that I would have known this was the case at that time) my life was feeling empty, meaningless and purposeless. I wanted something different, but I didn’t know what that was, so I couldn’t pursue it. I was just waiting. Waiting to find out, waiting for life to happen, waiting for something, anything to make it more meaningful and put it on the “right” track. I was abdicating my power to CHOOSE my own life. I wasn’t bringing all of me to life and I wasn’t expressing the truth of who I was.
Was there a significant event or moment that made you realize you needed to make a change? What was it?
Even after I had been diagnosed with cancer I was still looking outside of myself for validation, for how to do cancer “right”, etc.
Then there was this moment, when clear as a bell, I heard the goddess say to me: Be Signý Wilson or don’t be Signý Wilson. It doesn’t matter which one you choose. I love you either way. If you don’t want to be Signý Wilson we can roll the dice and start again, it’s not big deal. But you need to choose.
Boy was that a wake up call. And did it ever change EVERYTHING!
Was there a first step of action when you decided to take back your life? What was it?
My first clear action step that came out of this change of heart… was firing my surgeon.
I hated my first surgeon. But I was so scared that if I didn’t just suck it up and let her cut into my body that I might die. But I couldn’t be myself with her, and I couldn’t express myself around her, and all of that was a good sign that she was not the right surgeon for me. That and that I needed to change my life to one where I could be fully myself and be fully expressed…. and anything that didn’t support me in that needed to go.
Since you took back your life, how have things changed for you?
Now I get to bring all of me to all of my life. I notice when things are off and I take powerful steps to correct that. I honour my own self, my true heart as much as I can in any situation and I am REAL!
From that my life has meaning, feels full and on purpose. I am making the difference I was born to make, being the person I was born to be. Now that I have gotten out of my own way, that is.
And I need to keep choosing that every day. It is not like a thing on a list that I ticked off and now it is done forever and ever… oh no. I need to keep making myself a priority and keep honouring my truth (to the best of my ability in any moment).
What would you say to anyone who finds themselves in the situation you were in?
Take the time to slow down, even to stop, and get connected with yourself, with your true essence. Because in there are the answers that are for you, the answers that only you can know are right, for you. No one else can tell you what is best for you. No one. Find the way to honour yourself, as much as possible given the constraints of life, in every situation. And above all… start NOW!
What does ‘Fully Alive’ mean to you?
Fully Yourself + Fully Expressed = Fully Alive
Favourite Inspirational Quote
“Anyone or anything that doesn’t bring you alive is too small for you.” David Whyte
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Q:
JSTL Expression Language accessing object properties
I was following a tutorial today that had me scratching my head for an hour. Consider:
public class MyClass {
public int getTotal() {
amount = 100;
return amount;
}
}
and an excerpt from a JSP:
<p>Total: ${objectOfTypeMyClass.total}</p> //object instantiated elsewhere
Nowhere in the code was an instance variable named "total" ever declared or used. The only reference to the word "total" in the whole project (other than in the JSP) was the method getTotal().
So after some desperate last-ditch experimentation, it appears that Expression Language evaluates ${someObject.var} as "call the getVar() method of the someObject object.
I worked with this long tutorial for over a week thinking that ${someObject.var} was saying "directly fetch the saved instance variable "var" from someObject.
Did I have it wrong the whole time and is my observation correct that in order to reference any instance variable using EL, you have to provide a corresponding getter method named getVarname() where "Varname" is the name of the instance variable?
Also, EL seems to be case-insensitive in this regard. In my example above, "total" in ${objectOfTypeMyClass.total} is all lowercase where the method getTotal() has a capital "T".
And while we're at it, why don't we need to instantiate the variable "total"? I guess EL isn't actually referencing an instance variable...just a getter method?
What gives?
A:
Did I have it wrong the whole time and is my observation correct that in order to reference any instance variable using EL, you have to provide a corresponding getter method named getVarname() where "Varname" is the name of the instance variable?
That's correct. EL adheres the JavaBeans specification as described in the EL specification.
Also, EL seems to be case-insensitive in this regard. In my example above, "total" in ${objectOfTypeMyClass.total} is all lowercase where the method getTotal() has a capital "T".
No, it's certainly not case insensitive. It's specified behaviour. ${bean.Total} would not have worked.
And while we're at it, why don't we need to instantiate the variable "total"? I guess EL isn't actually referencing an instance variable...just a getter method?
It's because it's supposed to adhere the Javabean specification.
All with all, read the both specifications and everything will be clear :)
See also:
What are the advantages of Javabeans?
|
Alumnus Jeremy Denk receives glowing review in New York Times
Pianist Jeremy Denk, an alumnus and past faculty member of the Jacobs School, receives a glowing review of his recent concert at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, in which he performed six of Bach’s seven keyboard concertos at Alice Tully Hall.
“This program, which opened the society’s annual Baroque Festival, was Mr. Denk’s opportunity to put across his bracing approach to this music, which favored spontaneity, rhythmic élan and bold character over exacting execution.” — ANTHONY TOMMASINI |
Hertford British Hospital
The Hertford British Hospital was a British Hospital founded in Paris in 1871 for Britons abroad and other English-speaking patients, in 2008 it merged with a nearby French hospital and was renamed.
History
The hospital was founded in 1871 by Sir Richard Wallace, younger son of the Marquess of Hertford. In 1874, it opened its hospital at 3 rue Barbès in the Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret, near Neuilly-sur-Seine.
The site was taken over as a British military hospital and from 1957 to 1961 run by the War Office. This association ended in 1963, when the British Government arranged for the hospital to become financially independent.
In 2008, the Hertford British Hospital merged with the neighbouring Hôpital de Perpetuel Secours on Rue Kleber, to form the Institut Hospitalier Franco-Britannique.
The current Patron of the charity is the 9th Marquess of Hertford: his predecessor as Patron was Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
References
Category:Military hospitals |
In recent years, a technique is being developed rapidly for reducing in size and for improving in efficiency of an inverter and a motor which are employed in an air conditioner. But, improvement in performance of a converter is a necessary matter which acts as a power source of the inverter and the motor for improving performance of an entire system. Therefore, technical development of a converter having high performance is required to be performed in a hurry. In addition, trouble to a transmission system or other devices has become a social problem which trouble is due to harmonics in power sources which harmonics flow out from a power converter. In Europe, standard values in harmonics in power sources (IEC100-3-2) have already been established by IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) in the year of 1996. Further, in Japan, self-imposed control on harmonics currents (harmonics guide-lines for home electric devices and popular devices) has started from the year of 1996 under generalization of the resources and energy office.
A converter popularly employed from the past has an arrangement that a smoothing capacitor is connected between output terminals of a full-wave rectifier circuit through a reactor, as is illustrated in FIG. 1(a). When the converter having the arrangement is employed, enlarging effect in the conduction angle of an input current due to the reactor is expected, as is illustrated in FIG. 1(b). But, a great improvement effect in the power factor cannot be realized (the maximum power factor is about 80%) because delay in the phase of a fundamental wave is great. Further, the IEC standard (class A) cannot be satisfied in harmonics, as is illustrated in FIG. 1(c).
By taking the above problems into consideration, a converter which is called charge pump system, as is illustrated in FIG. 2(a), for improving power factor performance is employed as a converter which is especially employed in an air conditioner connected to a 200 V power system of a single phase. And, improvement performance in power factor exceeding 85% is realized. But, in this converter, a capacitor serially connected to a power source system and an inductance component of the power source system constitute a series resonance circuit. Therefore, an input current thereof greatly includes tenth through thirtieth harmonics, as is illustrated in FIG. 2(b), so that the converter becomes a power source which is not adapted to the harmonics guide-lines for home electric devices and popular devices, as is illustrated in FIG. 2(c). The IEC standard does not take system impedance into consideration, but it is not an adaptable level. Further, a DC voltage of a converter is nearly equal to a peak value of power source voltage (about 280 V for 200 V power source system) at its maximum (unloaded). The DC voltage is decreased following an increase in load due to the voltage drop caused by inserting the reactor. When the DC voltage is decreased, a current should be increased in inverse proportion to the DC voltage so that an increase in cost and increase in size of an inverter and motor are needed. Further, a driving frequency extent of a motor is practically determined based upon an application voltage so that lowering in DC voltage causes reduction in the driving frequency extent of a motor.
On the other hand, a converter of voltage doubler system is widely employed, as is illustrated in FIG. 3(a), as a converter of a 100 V power system of a single phase. It is known that an output voltage becomes a twice voltage of a power source voltage and that harmonics generation amount is suppressed to be a relatively low level when this system is employed. When this system is employed in a 200 V power system, the DC voltage is excessively raised when load is light and the DC voltage reaches twice voltage (560 V) of a peak value of the power voltage when load is opened (load is broken). Therefore, resisting voltages of parts should be increased which are connected downstream with respect to the converter. Especially, when a power converter or the like including switching elements such as an inverter is connected, a resisting voltage of the switching elements should be determined to be about a twice voltage. Consequently, the device is increased in size and is increased in cost greatly. Further, a voltage doubler current is greatly advanced in phase with respect to a power voltage phase basically, as is illustrated in FIG. 3(b). The converter of voltage doubler system employs a reactor of about 20% for maintaining a high power factor which converter is employed in an air conditioner which is input a 100 V power system. When a reactor having similar current smoothing power is realized in a 200 V power system, an inductance of the reactor becomes about four times inductance. Therefore, the reactor departs from a practical use level due to increase in size and increase in cost of a reactor.
In recent years, a power factor improving converter employing a boosting chopper is proposed, as is illustrated in FIG. 4(a), for solving problems of the above converters. This converter controls an ON-duty of the boosting chopper so as to control a DC voltage using control circuitry which is input an input voltage, input current, DC voltage, and DC voltage command value. A input power factor can be controlled to be about 1, as is illustrated in FIG. 4(b). Further, a DC current can freely be changed, and a voltage can be boosted to infinity in principal, so that this converter is an ideal converter.
Further, a converter having an arrangement that a reactor is connected between an output terminal of each phase of a three phase AC power source and each input terminal of three phase rectifier circuit and that a smoothing capacitor is connected between output terminals of the three phase rectifier circuit, is known as a converter which is connected to the three phase AC power source, as is illustrated in FIG. 19(a). When the converter having the above arrangement is employed, input power factor improvement effect and reducing effect, to some degree, reduce harmonics currents due to the reactors, as is illustrated in FIG. 19(b). But, it is difficult to satisfy the IEC standard class A, as is illustrated in FIG. 19(c) when DC power is supplied to a device of equal to or more than several kW.
For solving the problem, a PWM (pulse width modulation) converter may be employed which employs six switching elements, as is illustrated in FIG. 20(a). When this PWM converter is employed, input currents are controlled by high frequency switching so that the input currents can be controlled not to include harmonics components and are controlled to determine input power factor to be 1. Specifically, an equivalent circuit of each phase of this PWM converter becomes a circuit which is illustrated in FIG. 20(c). Therefore, no harmonic components are included in the input current iu when the input voltage vu of the converter is determined to have a sine waveform. That is, a voltage vector diagram becomes a diagram which is illustrated in FIG. 20(d). Therefore, reduction of harmonic components in the input currents is realized by generating PWM patterns of converter input voltages so as to determine the converter input voltages to have sine waveforms, the PWM patterns being generated by a method which is recited in "current controlling method which takes parameter change of a three phase PWM converter into consideration (sansou PWM konbata no parame-ta hendou wo kouryoshita denryuu seigyo hou)", Takaharu Takeshita, Makoto Iwasaki, Nobuyuki Matsui, Dengakuron D, Vol. 107, No. 11, Sho-62.
Further, multiplex system or multiplex stage system using transformers is employed in many cases in a large capacity device having a large capacity to some degree such as a converter for transmitting a DC power, a rectification device for a furnace or the like. For example, a three phase 12-pulses rectifier circuit system is employed which is recited in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette Tokukaihei 2-142357. The arrangement of this system is illustrated in FIG. 21. This system employs a transformer. The primary windings are connected in star connection, while the secondary windings are connected in a star connection and in a delta connection. Therefore, output voltage phases are shifted by .pi./6 from one another. The double system is realized by connecting a couple of three phase diode rectification circuits in parallel to one another to the secondary windings which are isolated from one another. In this system, the power voltage waveform of u-phase is a waveform which is illustrated in FIG. 22(a). The input currents of the three phase diode rectifier circuit are currents having a conduction width of 2 .pi./3, as are illustrated in FIG. 22(b), the three phase diode rectification circuit is connected to the star connection of the secondary windings of the transformer. The input currents of the three phase diode rectification circuit are currents which are in delay of phase by .pi./6 with respect to the input currents which are illustrated in FIG. 22(b), as are illustrated in FIG. 22(c), the three phase diode rectification circuit is connected to the delta connection of the secondary windings of the transformer. Therefore, the currents flowing in the primary windings of the transformer becomes currents {refer to FIG. 22(e)} which are obtained by adding the input currents illustrated in FIG. 22(b) and currents {refer to FIG. 22(d)} which are obtained by performing delta-star conversion to the input current illustrated in FIG. 22(c).
But, when the power factor improvement converter using a boosting chopper is employed, controlling of a switch becomes extremely complicated and a high-potency filter is necessary for working out a countermeasure for noises which flow out towards the power source system. Therefore, cost is increased greatly. Also, efficiency is lowered because losses are great which are due to high frequency components of a current which flows through the reactor.
Further, when the PWM converter having the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 20(a) is employed, efficiency is lowered following the high frequency switching, noises are increased, as the input current waveform and input voltage waveform are illustrated in FIG. 20(b), and the controlling becomes complicated, and the cost is increased.
Furthermore, when the three phase 12-pulses rectifier circuit system having the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 21 is employed, the transformer and a plurality of three phase diode rectification circuits are necessary. Therefore, the system is increased in size in its entirety, and the system is greatly increased in cost. |
At least one man is dead, two others are missing and nearly 900 people are inside temporary shelters amid the worst flooding in Nebraska in 50 years following a "bomb cyclone" storm that wreaked havoc across the Great Plains this week.
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and the the state's national guard on Friday surveyed the damage – including flooded farms, homes, bridges and highways – caused by what Ricketts called "devastating flooding" that's perhaps the worst in a half-century.
"This could last for quite some time,” he said, urging people to "watch the weather and waterways in their communities closely in the coming days, and be prepared for historic levels of flooding even if it has not hit their community yet."
Nebraska has been in a state of emergency since Tuesday due to heavy rainfall. The massive "bomb cyclone" battered the central United States this week with heavy snow, howling winds and several tornadoes. Flooding has forced evacuations in Wisconsin, South Dakota and Minnesota as well.
Stretches of interstates across Nebraska have been shut down. At least four bridges on state highways are washed out and damaged. The Nebraska National Guard on Saturday morning warned residents that it's still dangerous to travel despite the sun that finally appeared.
"We repeat: It is still dangerous to enter any flood waters, and roads continue to be closed across the state," the Nebraska National Guard tweeted. "DO NOT TRAVEL unless necessary, and NEVER drive through flood waters."
The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency has reported emergency declarations in 41 cities and 53 of Nebraska's 93 counties, largely in the northeast part of the state that includes the state's largest city Omaha.
But NEMA set out to dispel reports that a nuclear plant, the Cooper Nuclear Station Facility, near Brownsville, Nebraska, is a threat to flood.
"The photo below is FALSE NEWS — Cooper Nuclear Station Facility is operating at full power," NEMA tweeted. "They have 100% access via an alternate road."
The Omaha-World Herald has reported one fatality, a farmer in the town of Columbus. James Wilke drove his tractor out to assist flood victims despite the howling wind and rain. Two others are believed to be missing.
Wilke tried to cross a bridge, the newspaper reported, but it collapsed because of the tractor's weight, sending Wilkes into a rising creek underneath. His body was discovered around nine hours later near his farm.
"He was always the first to go help somebody,” the newspaper quoted his cousin, Paul Wilke, saying. “He was a person who wouldn’t just talk about making things better. He would do it."
Meanwhile, a levee breech in Fremont, about 50 miles northwest of Omaha, forced evacuations in some parts of the community to seek higher ground.
The Nebraska-SW Iowa Region of the Red Cross has set up several temporary shelters across Nebraska for people to seek refuge. Red Cross has said they've served 880 folks so far. |
Actually, cats do this to protect you from gnomes who come and steal your breath while you sleep. - John Dobbin
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Posted
by
samzenpus
on Monday September 23, 2013 @09:38AM
from the wild-ride dept.
schliz writes "A one percentage point increase in an inflation forecast brings about a 75% rise in laughter, according to an American University PhD student, who studied transcripts of the Federal Open Market Committee at the Federal Reserve. Laughter usually comes in response to witticisms during a meeting at the time of the inflation forecast, and has been shown to be a mechanism for coping with the stress of a perceived threat."
There is good inflation and bad inflation.Good inflation is when the cost of goods and services rise, to match in increase of income of the consumers.Bad inflation is when the cost of goods and services rise, at a faster rate then the increase of income of the customers.
We are having low inflation now... However income has dropped, so it is still bad, and it is worse then when we have high inflation and a strong growth of income.
Or any other type of economics that acknowledges the basic reality of the way economies and peoples' lives interact. Behavioralism makes no denial of this premise either. If your economic system requires you to specifically ignore one way things can turn out to be valid, that isn't a testament to its quality.
Good inflation is when the cost of goods and services rise, to match in increase of income of the consumers.
Bad inflation is when the cost of goods and services rise, at a faster rate then the increase of income of the customers.
In an economic sense, "inflation" is actually only the first, because inflation is where there is a general rise in the cost of all goods and services. But income to a consumer is a cost of good or service to an employer (labor cost). If more people realized that "inflation" doesn't mean that a gallon of milk costs more, it means that you will see a nominal rise in your paycheck, it wouldn't be such a boogeyman.
The source of the confusion was from the 1970's, when you had inflation combined with an oil su
If more people realized that "inflation" doesn't mean that a gallon of milk costs more, it means that you will see a nominal rise in your paycheck, it wouldn't be such a boogeyman.
It means both. However, whether you're talking about inflation or deflation, the change in your paycheck always trails the effect on the price of consumer goods, so a gallon of milk still costs more relative to your current paycheck. Under deflation it's just the opposite: sure, your paycheck is decreasing, but your expenses are decreasing even faster.
This is not to say that we'd be better off with forced deflation rather than inflation. As with any other commodity, the price of money is best left to the ma
No, you are still misunderstanding. Gross Domestic Income is equal to Gross Domestic Product by construction (definition). While the change in *my* paycheck may lag or lead changes in GDP, the aggregate income of everybody must exactly match those changes at the exact same time, by definition.
What you may be thinking of is that since the increases that I see in my paycheck are nominal, there is some portion of that change attributable to real growth in income and some portion attributable to inflation. B
While the change in *my* paycheck may lag or lead changes in GDP, the aggregate income of everybody must exactly match those changes at the exact same time, by definition.... If there is overall inflation, and I am not seeing an increase in my paycheck, then somebody else must be seeing that increase in their paycheck/wages/income, or else GDP != GDI which is not possible.
Indeed. I'm not disputing that. However, the distribution is not random; it favors those close to the source of the inflation. The people responsible for the inflation get a "raise" first. Assuming you're not among the politically well-connected, their spending has already bid up prices by the time the extra money makes it to your paycheck. The effect of supply-side inflation is to transfer wealth from the commoners to the political class.
However, the distribution is not random; it favors those close to the source of the inflation.
To the contrary, that happens only if the the change in prices is real, not inflationary. Let's say that the central bank decides to inflate by buying huge amounts of financial assets from banks. Assuming that the supply of those financial assets is large enough such that the central bank's purchases do not have an impact on the price of those securities (a good assumption for huge fixed income markets such as Treasuries and MBSs, not a good assumption for smaller markets like individual stocks, but I'll ad
I hope you realize that until the Fed was created, the US underwent a series of brutal recessions and crashes. The problem is that whatever happens, inflation, deflation, no change or whatever, it needs to be predictable so that companies, banks, and consumers can easily make long-term plans. Volatility makes such planning almost impossible, so as a result everyone is more conservative, no one spends money, and growth slows or you might even end up with a recession. So proper guidance is necessary to provid
You could make the same argument in favor of "stabilizing" the price of any other commodity, and it would be just as wrong there is it is concerning price controls on money. Life is change. Attempts to guarantee "stability" do nothing but ensure malinvestment as people respond to corrupted price signals, making things that much worse when the controls are inevitably discovered to be untenable.
There were recessions and crashes before the Federal Reserve, but they were the result of external shocks (or politi
It almost sounds like you had the same high school history teacher as I did, because that was definitely a lesson I had. And not to worry, populist low-information economics has somehow turned pro-gold standard in the past decade or so, because they imagine that somehow massive deflation would be a good thing in a society where the net debt burden has increased to unprecedented levels.
I don't get it, but magical economic panaceas are always nice to promise.
That is incorrect. Inflation is great for those who get to print it. The Fed and thus the banks are the ones that get first access to that money, and get to charge interest on it, interest that can mathematically be paid from no source except default. Default destroys resources. This monetary system thus forces destruction of resources through malinvestment.
Money is not wealth. Money is a CLAIM on wealth, which is composed of real things. Printing money does not create more wealth--it just dilutes it, and redistributes it to those who get first access to the printed money.
How is this being moded as insightful? The biggest risk that bankers face is inflation. It’s basic banking 101.
Read up on “Real Interest Rates” because that drives the “Spread” that determines their profitability. Raising inflation raises costs faster than revenue – see “Duration”. We know that inflation is a risk – otherwise the “Yield Curve” would be downward sloping.
I see you cannot into math. You see, there is this thing called a denominator. When the denominator gets larger, the answer gets smaller. Arbitraging the difference between systems with different denominators is what I am talking about here. If you can't understand that, then you probably have a PhD in economics from Princeton, and a masters in witch medicine from Monkey Money University (I hear it's a prestigious school).
I bet you are a firm believer in homeopathic medicine too. It is the same as t
It depends on which side of the transaction – one person’s debt is another person’s asset.
And by default we are not meaning “going into bankruptcy and restarting the debt.” Financial Repression would be a better word.
Let’s say I invest, save, or lend out $100. Inflation jumps unexpected by 100%. I still have $100 but it’s value is ½. If that is the case why should I bother to invest, save, or plan for the long term? Generally they don’t. Investment tends
We have had inflation long before either of those 2 reasons. The Fed choses to pursue a low inflation policy because1. It is theoretically impossible and in reality undesirable (see the history of price controls) to have zero inflation and2. Hyperinflation and deflation both tend to destroy the real economy.Other countries that try to use inflation to get rid of their debts tend to end up in worse shape. Governments win the first round but then investors wise up and win all other rounds.
2. Hyperinflation and deflation both tend to destroy the real economy.
The second part of this is a myth. The example always used here, the Great Depression, is basically the only known case where deflation was correlated with a recession or depression. This is because it was not simply a decrease in prices, but a gigantic credit contraction as people realized that most of the money they thought they had didn't really exist. The credit contraction—an inevitable result of fractional-reserve banking practices taken to extremes—caused both the depression and the defla
Well, we have basically had inflation and fiat money since the Great Depression so not a whole lot of time series to test. Well, there is also the panics of 1819, 1837,1857, 1907 and the recession of 1882. Just in the US. I can pull out more examples if you want to go globally - Tulip Bubble, South Sea Bubble, Japan since the 1990s, etc.
I would recommend Milton Friedman’s Monetary History of the United States, 1867-1960. It’s a good read. The US economy was growing around 5% a year while the m
You need to look at the difference between wage inflation and cost of living inflation. The 1970s external oil price shocks created a cost of living spike. But nowadays the conservatives controlling the economy are worried about wage inflation for some deeply mysterious reason, despite the fact that the wages for the majority of people have been in decline. (Cost of living hasn't increased as a direct effect of this, because people literally can't afford to pay more.)
Except that cost of living has continued to increase, though you wouldn't know that looking at the official numbers because the government rules out everything that gets more expensive as "too volatile" to include in the index, so the government's official cost of living numbers excludes everything that gets more expensive.
I would like to know your source. I don’t know of any conservative that is concerned today about wage inflation – or anybody for that matter. Wage inflation is going nowhere until unemployment and underemployment go down. Any rise in wages will result will be counteracted by this huge underutilized supply.
Now if you want to argue that conservatives are against a minimum wage (or a rise in it) – that would be true – but that is something different then wage inflation.
Wrong! The powerful want inflation because it widens the disparity of wealth. The rich can weather the storm, the poor can't. So the purchasing power of the rich is even greater regardless of the monetary worth of the dollar.
The powerful are fine with inflation. They hold a wide range of assets, some of which will be inflation proof.
While their net wealth might go down in a time of high inflation, it will go down more slowly than the vast majority of people and the powerful's income is likely to be somewhat inflation proof allowing them to buy up yet more assets as people are forced to sell the few things they own that are inflation proof in order to raise funds for day to day living.
The rich have a lot of monetary assets. For example, money in the bank, investment vehicles, etc etc. Their wealth goes down *faster* than the majority of people. Unless they leave the country, of course.
The poor have less monetary wealth - indeed, most of their monetary stuff are *debts*. For example, mortgages. Under inflation, the amount you owe under your mortgage stays fixed nominally, while the price of your house increases. Thus you are better off. Under inflation
Seriously, you are full of shit. The rich don't give a damn about inflation in one country or the next. What they DO care about is how to profit from the situation. There's always profit, if you're big enough.
Let's not forget super-leveraged investments that are so disconnected from the value of the currency they're priced in, that for simplicity's sake, banks often barter the interest rates of one security to another.
I don't know why people keep looking at it as rich people doing this. Inflation benefits borrowers by slowly (or rapidly) reduciing what they borrowed to chump change. If they can keep up the interest payments, as government does, then they never have to pay it back.
That they pay your money out like a fool paying a credit card, well, the government is getting close to having a balanced budget again...not counting the annual interest payment.
They are laughing with glee at meeting or exceeding the Fed's explicit target for inflation. It drives down the value of the federal debt and allows corporations to raise prices while optionally choosing whether or not to provide raises for their employees. The elite are largely insulated from the effects of inflation through various investment strategies such as gold or just plain betting on higher inflation using derivatives. Meanwhile, mom and pop get socked with higher grocery bills while the talking he
Like how destructive to everyone the "deflation" of the cost of technology over the last 30 years has been?
"Deflation" is a canard. It simply means that the actual value created by human innovation and efficiency increases, for a particular lucky domain, hasn't been siphoned off entirely by the financial system. The "goal" of 0% means nothing other than it's a number that the public has been hypnotized into thinking is optimal, for which the siphoners should be praised in acheiving. Quite the opposite.
The powerful can absorb the costs more. If you have $20m in cash and inflation reduces your currency's value by 50% that is a negligible loss for you in terms of being able to live comfortably. However, someone who had only $20k in cash savings has been effectively crippled because the loss to their savings has a much nearer term effect on their quality of life. That is to say, a millionaire can get by on inflated millions in savings and be fine until they die if they live a middle class life style, but a middle class person may have just much of their ability to survive unemployment wiped out or reduced from a year down to 3 or six months.
However, someone who had only $20k in cash savings has been effectively crippled because the loss to their savings has a much nearer term effect on their quality of life.
Not necessarily. Using some examples with 2% inflation and real dollars:- Your $20000 is now worth $19600, but your $90000 mortgage debt is now worth $88200, for a net gain of $1400. Especially if you have a fixed-rate mortgage, that means the bank assumed a certain level of inflation when determining your interest rate, and you are getting hurt if inflation is actually lower than that.
- Your $20000 is now worth $19600, but your boss gives you a corresponding raise from $25000 a year to $25500 a year, for a
"Waah, the last few dollars of my income are taxed at a slightly higher rate, and I'm deliberately ignoring, for the sake of making my argument not completely retarded, that the government does inflation adjust tax brackets quite frequently."
I realize everyone else reading/. is a successful professional, but after going 2 years without a raise (company freeze), when I finally got a COL raise the amount was less than the SNAP my family was receiving, but was enough to make us ineligible. The working poor are generally screwed by inflation.
It sounds like you were screwed all right, but not by inflation:(1) Your employer screwed you by freezing salaries. Were executive salaries frozen or cut during the same period? I doubt it.(2) The federal government screwed you by making people like you ineligible for SNAP. This was probably because as bad as your life was / is, they got hit by millions of families who are in even worse shape. And, if you didn't see the news, the Republicans in the House just passed a bill to cut SNAP even more, which could
That only makes sense in terms of how literally everything affects the rich less. But inflation tends to be less regressive. For the rich, the $20m in cash is also what generates most of your cashflow, as capital gains. Whereas someone with $20K in savings will only be seeing negligible interest payments from that. Instead, his daily life would be determined by his income from his job, which would scale automatically with inflation.
Deducting the value of a household's home (which scales with inflation) from
What? Are you honestly trying to say that inflation CAUSES technological advancement? Not only that but you are saying it increases the standard of living? Even as wages fail to keep pace? Are you NUTS!? Oh, I get it, you work for the Fed.
But interest rates on deposits and bonds go UP; and this is where most of these nabobs make most of their coin.
The late 70s and early 80s saw Tbills paying upwards of 16%, but that meant mortgage rates were 18+. Bad for the people who work for a living, but no problem for the folks who can pay cash for the new villa.
See, when the government and the banks inflate the money supply, where does that new money go first? Answer: the banks, the government, and Wall Street.
But it takes time for an inflated money supply to significantly affect prices. During that time, the banks, government, & Wall Street have already used that money... at full value. It isn't until later, by the time it gets into you
The powerful don't hold a significant portion of their wealth as cash in a bank account. Even stocks aremore resilient to inflation. Land is great for that, properties, some commodities... When you have that kind of wealth, protecting it from inflation is relatively trivial.
income, not equity. I don't care how many billions you have, if you have no income you will eat your way through them. If your income is larger than your expenses, you can fuck up as many times as you want, risk as much as you want, and you will always have more today than you had yesterday.
If you buy a chocolate bar with that dollar today and stash it under your mattress for a century, it will be inedible at best. Why should it retain value in paper form but not in chocolate form?
Or, more seriously, a negative inflation rate incentivizes mattressing your money rather than doing something useful with it, which is catastrophic on a large scale. Maintaining a precisely zero inflation rate is very difficult for obvious reasons, so every developed economy in the world attempts to maintain a slight
That's how other stores of value tend to work over the long term (gold, for example).
If one wants a "store of value" such as precious metal, then wouldn't purchasing a dollar's worth of gold be a better approach than complaining that the dollar itself wasn't up to the job?
If that's what one wants, shouldn't one do that? Then when society collapses or whatever he figures will happen to the rest of us over that 100 years, he can laugh at us. From the grave, at least -- since I doubt any particular financial philosophy is an elixir of life . . . but who knows? I don't personally think it's a
If one wants a "store of value" such as precious metal, then wouldn't purchasing a dollar's worth of gold be a better approach than complaining that the dollar itself wasn't up to the job?
Sure, except for a couple of minor issue. First, you're going to be taxed on the change in the nominal dollar price of the gold, even though the change is due to the dollar losing value, not the gold gaining value—never mind the extra paperwork involved. Second, all your internal accounting and external contracts are probably still denominated in dollars, which complicates any attempt at rational economic calculation. You can try to compensate, but calculating the right index is far from easy. (It's n
When inflation is above interest, or you store money in a way which doesn't get interest, then yes, it does act as a stimulus by allowing spending of money that is otherwise not being spent. Unfortunately, the main spending of the US federal government is on its war machine... so the problem is what is done with the debt+inflation tax, not the fact that it exists.
You do also need income to at least rise at the rate of the inflation, and then it only hits money not being spent, but neoliberal policies are ma
To pick a nit - To measure inflation you need to measures the value assigned by a person – which is ordinal not cardinal. i.e. it can be ranked but not measured. CPI estimates that value but there are known flaws – it is a approximation. And this is an imporant nit.
More importantly one should not even try. See the 1970s oil crisis. If oil quadruples in price overnight that increase will show up in inflation. The jump in inflation is telling you something – tha
Now this has worked well since historically 1. AWI has increased faster than inflation and 2. AWI has risen faster than the ratio between retired folks and working folds has risen. This may not be true in the future.
I'd laugh but I'm too busy crying. What we need to do is get these folks back to living inside of the circle of consequece instead of outside of it. Nobody else gets to vote themselves a raise, create their own health plan, retirement, etc. These guys should have to sleep in the same bed they've made for the rest of us.
Um, that's pretty much how C-level executives work at large companies. They are nominally under the control of the board, who is nominally the elected representatives of the shareholders, but like with our elected political representatives, in practice they have quite a bit of unrestrained control over things like voting each other raises and approving golden-parachute contracts (formally on behalf of the shareholders who voted the board in, of course).
The laughing you hear isn't because they're nervous about inflation. They're nervous that someday you might just figure out the scam. The scam that inflation is just a hidden government tax that they don't even have finite control over.
1. uncontrollable sobbing in the mens room may be attributable to the creation of a monster that no longer seems to respond to any economic theory past or present.
2. exhausted yawns and dosing are considered a sign that regulation is being proposed.
3. flatulence indicates carmimes deli has started using that half-mayo half-mustard topping on its deli subs again...
Or could it be that they're just assholes who have a better understanding of what a house of mirrored cards our debt based financial system is than most of the public, and (like those douches at Enron who laughed about old lady's power being shut off due to such high bills thanks to their profiteering/racketeering) think it's pretty damn funny that they kite a whole system the way a criminal kites a check.
The Keynesian School (along with some Monetarists), which controls The Fed, claims to not believe that printing money ("quantitative easing") can in, in fact, create price inflation (they contend it should get the economy roaring and the opposite should happen). Now Keynes himself didn't believe this, but his disciples think he was mistaken on that particular count.
Meanwhile, the Austrian School economists contend that the money creation is itself the monetary inflation (by definition...) and that price inflation is just an inevitable consequence of monetary inflation (more dollars in the pool means each dollar has less value).
The trouble is, the Austrians take that consequence to say that it means that ultimately the central banks are harmful to the economy, since they're constantly interfering in the transfer of information across the economy by interfering with pricing and interest signals. If you're a central banker, the idea that central bankers are harmful can't be true, so if anything happens that indicates the the Austrians might be right after all, it's going to be a a bit unsettling.
It's currently $84B per month, but if you look at the numbers Sen. Lahey's office uncovered, that pales in comparison to the $16T+ in new dollar creation that the Fed secretly engaged in.
If you mean prices, you can look here [shadowstats.com] for the pre-political CPI-U calculations (no basket substitutions, etc.) or you could look at any commodities index over the time period, or, heck, just go to the grocery store. If you buy food for a family, try pricing ground beef, peanut butter
Almost all outputs of human labor are perishable. Grain stored in a silo will rot or get infested. Cars break down. Computers become obsolete. Money should reduce in value too, since money is (or should be) foremost a mechanism for exchange of perishable goods or labor. If money increases in value in time, or even stays the same, this encourages hoarding, since money becomes a better investment than what it supposed to stand for. If you did me a favor ten years ago, it matters to me less than if you did one today, because time erases everything. Your money should also be worth somewhat less today. It's silly to think that the labor or goods of your ancestors should entitle you to goods today, but people think that way about money.
Surface atmospheric temperatures are only one aspect of global warming. Other indices have increased: glaciers are still melting, sealevels rise, insurance payments for weather induced catastrophes (an indicator for the number of exceptional weather events) are on the rise.
There is no fraud. There is just puzzlement why one indicator didn't rise in the last 15 years. |
Q:
How can I avoid redefinition of types while including multiple header files?
I'm working on recompiling a C project and I'm not sure how do I fix this problem in a right way.
Here is a situation -
a.h
#ifndef A_H
#define A_H
typedef int INT;
// other variables and function definition
#endif
b.h
#ifndef B_H
#define B_H
typedef int INT;
// other variables and function definition
#endif
main.c
#include "a.h"
#include "b.h"
int main()
{
INT i = 10;
return 0;
}
The error I get in Linux with gcc:
In file included from ./main.c,
./b.h:<linenumber>: error: redefinition of typedef ‘INT’
a.h.h:<linenumber>: note: previous declaration of ‘INT’ was here
I have to include both headers due to other variables and functions. I haven't written this code, but this seems to compile in my Solaris environment which is strange. What can I do to fix this ?
A:
Probably the native compiler on Solaris accepts that you can redefine a typedef (probably provided that the new typedef is identical to the previous one which is the case here).
I'd introduce another header file mytypes.h like this:
mytypes.h
#ifndef MYTYPES_H
#define MYTYPES_H
typedef int INT;
#endif
Include mtypes.h whereever INT is used, possibly even in main.c:
a.h
#ifndef A_H
#define A_H
#include "mytypes.h" // can be removed if INT is not used in a.h
// other variables and function definition
#endif
b.h
#ifndef B_H
#define B_H
#include "mytypes.h" // can be removed if INT is not used in b.h
// other variables and function definition
#endif
main.c
#include "a.h"
#include "b.h"
#include "mytypes.h" // not really necessary because it's already included
// via a.h and b.h, but still good practice
int main()
{
INT i = 10;
return 0;
}
|
Q:
which design pattern to use for easy addition of new algorithms?
I am trying to solve which design pattern I have to use for this problem:
I have classes Computer and Algorithm
1) There could be lot of instances of Computer
2) Every Computer can have exactly one instance of Algorithm
3) Algorithm is some kind of abstract, it should have one void "compute"
4) the concrete algorithm is in class ConcreteAlg1, ConcreteAlg2 etc. so there could be lot of different classes of concrete algorithm
My goal is to create an Computer instance where I create new ConcreteAlg235 instance without knowing that some class ConcreteAlg235 was added. So my goal is to easily create new algorithm classes and create its instances in instance of class Computer without editing code of class Computer.
Think about that like I want to do some proprietary software and give an opportunity to add new algorithms for users,and to have easy maintainability of source code for myself.
Thank you for any ideas
A:
Strategy
|
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Calf Butterfly Sandal
£ 705
Description
Details
The embodiment of ethereal beauty. This iteration of the gladiator sandal offers much more than simply meets the eye. The adjustable multi-straps and cross-strap detail offer secure comfort when walking. The unexpected patchwork detail on the back heel reveals the iconic butterfly. With leather sole and foot bed. |
Q:
Getting a list of applications and signers in Windows PowerShell
I'm trying to get a list of programs, their path in the file system, and their signatures. My current script returns the program and their path, but the signer field is left empty in all cases. What do I need to fix?
Script:
Get-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App
Paths\*" |
Where-Object {$_."(default)" -ne $null} |
Select-Object @{ expression={$_.PSChildName}; label='Program'} ,
@{expression={$q + $_."(default)" +$q}; label='Path'},
@{expression={Get-AuthenticodeSignature $_.("default") }; label='Signer'}
A:
For the Signer your parenthesis are on the wrong side of the quotes.
Use:
@{expression={Get-AuthenticodeSignature $_."(default)" }; label='Signer'}
You can also get more information on the certificate(such as the issuer) like this:
@{expression={$(Get-AuthenticodeSignature $_."(default)").SignerCertificate.Issuer }; label='Signer'}
|
/* -mlong-double-64 compatibility mode for <stdlib.h> functions.
Copyright (C) 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This file is part of the GNU C Library.
The GNU C Library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
The GNU C Library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU
Lesser General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
License along with the GNU C Library; if not, write to the Free
Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA
02111-1307 USA. */
#ifndef _STDLIB_H
# error "Never include <bits/stdlib-ldbl.h> directly; use <stdlib.h> instead."
#endif
#ifdef __USE_ISOC99
__BEGIN_NAMESPACE_C99
__LDBL_REDIR1_DECL (strtold, strtod)
__END_NAMESPACE_C99
#endif
#ifdef __USE_GNU
__LDBL_REDIR1_DECL (strtold_l, strtod_l)
#endif
#if defined __USE_SVID || defined __USE_XOPEN_EXTENDED
# ifdef __USE_MISC
__LDBL_REDIR1_DECL (qecvt, ecvt)
__LDBL_REDIR1_DECL (qfcvt, fcvt)
__LDBL_REDIR1_DECL (qgcvt, gcvt)
__LDBL_REDIR1_DECL (qecvt_r, ecvt_r)
__LDBL_REDIR1_DECL (qfcvt_r, fcvt_r)
# endif
#endif
|
Translational neonatology research: transformative encounters across species and disciplines.
This paper explores the laborious and intimate work of turning bodies of research animals into models of human patients. Based on ethnographic research in the interdisciplinary Danish research centre NEOMUNE, we investigate collaboration across species and disciplines, in research aiming at improving survival for preterm infants. NEOMUNE experimental studies on piglets evolved as a platform on which both basic and clinical scientists exercised professional authority. Guided by the field of multi-species research, we explore the social and material agency of research animals in the production of human health. Drawing on Anna Tsing's concept of "collaborative survival", we show that sharing the responsibility of the life and death of up to twenty-five preterm piglets fostered not only a collegial solidarity between basic and clinical scientists, but also a transformative cross-fertilization across species and disciplines-a productive "contamination"-facilitating the day-to-day survival of piglets, the academic survival of scientists and the promise of survival of preterm infants. Contamination spurred intertwined identity shifts that increased the porosity between the pig laboratory and the neonatal intensive care unit. Of particular significance was the ability of the research piglets to flexibly become animal-infant-patient hybrids in need of a united effort from basic and clinical researchers. However, 'hybrid pigs' also entailed a threat to the demarcation between humans and animals that consolidates the use of animals in biomedical research, and efforts were continuously done to keep contamination within spatial limits. We conclude that contamination facilitates transformative encounters, yet needs spatial containment to materialize bench-to-bedside translation. |
Trichostatin A, a critical factor in maintaining the functional differentiation of primary cultured rat hepatocytes.
Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDI) have been shown to increase differentiation-related gene expression in several tumor-derived cell lines by hyperacetylating core histones. Effects of HDI on primary cultured cells, however, have hardly been investigated. In the present study, the ability of trichostatin A (TSA), a prototype hydroxamate HDI, to counteract the loss of liver-specific functions in primary rat hepatocyte cultures has been investigated. Upon exposure to TSA, it was found that the cell viability of the cultured hepatocytes and their albumin secretion as a function of culture time were increased. TSA-treated hepatocytes also better maintained cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated phase I biotransformation capacity, whereas the activity of phase II glutathione S-transferases (GST) was not affected. Western blot and qRT-PCR analysis of CYP1A1, CYP2B1 and CYP3A11 protein and mRNA levels, respectively, further revealed that TSA acts at the transcriptional level. In addition, protein expression levels of the liver-enriched transcription factors (LETFs) hepatic nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4alpha) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha) were accordingly increased by TSA throughout culture time. In conclusion, these findings indicate that TSA plays a major role in the preservation of the differentiated hepatic phenotype in culture. It is suggested that the effects of TSA on CYP gene expression are mediated via controlling the expression of LETFs. |
// Testing main
class Main {
void Main() {
print("Hello world!\n");
}
}
// Hello world!
|
It was the watershed moment in a still-nascent global cannabis industry that finally made investors perk up to pot. One year ago today, alcohol giant Constellation Brands Inc. (STZ.N) announced it would make a $245-million investment for a 9.9 per cent stake in Canopy Growth Corp. (WEED.TO), the Smiths Falls, Ont.-based cannabis producer that many outside of Bay Street circles may not have heard about until then.
For Canopy Co-CEO and Chairman Bruce Linton, the deal marked the justification of a hustle that began about four years ago when he co-founded the firm with former Liberal Party chief financial officer Chuck Rifici. But as Linton describes it, it was his two-decades-long tenure as a tech executive that gave him the ability for Canopy to negotiate its initial agreement with Constellation, which ultimately led to its blockbuster deal for another $5-billion investment nine months later.
“Our main drive was to create good intellectual property,” Linton said in a recent phone interview with BNN Bloomberg. “We'd been spending a lot on lawyers and scientists for several years, so we thought we've created some good IP and that attracted Constellation. It wasn't a plan but it was an outcome.”
Linton has always described Canopy as a “tech company that produces cannabis,” and its ability to protect and copyright the various cannabis strains as well as the processes and ancillary services behind it helped convince Constellation to raise its investment to a 38 per cent stake, along with warrants that could give the Corona beer maker majority control of the pot firm. It also formed the foundation for other major players to jump into the once-stigmatized pot space – such as Molson Coors Brewing Co.’s joint venture with Hexo Corp. – and fueled meteoric rises in market valuations for rivals such as Tilray Inc. and Aurora Cannabis Inc.
Aside from Linton’s entrepreneurial zeal stemming from more than two decades of working in Ottawa’s technology scene, Canopy’s initial research into processing patents, medical trials and its work developing consumer products, such as beverages, that included cannabis as a central ingredient attracted Constellation Brands to connect with the company, Linton said.
“What [Constellation] wanted was their right to use what we were developing, but what they knew is that we needed a lot more cash so we could create a lot more of it,” Linton said. “That was a good driver of getting the deals done both on Constellation's side and ours.”
Steve Ottaway, managing director of investment banking at GMP Securities LP, has participated in many cannabis financing deals, but not the Canopy-Constellation deal. He said Constellation likely decided that if it wanted to be a player in the cannabis-infused drink market – part of a consumer cannabidiol (CBD) market that is estimated to grow to US$2.1 billion by 2020, according to the Hemp Business Journal – it had to put all its chips on the table.
“We were trying to finance Canopy at the same time but we didn’t know we were shadowboxing against someone else,” Ottaway said in a phone interview. “Bruce had to decide if he wanted to take money from the market or Constellation.
“At the end of the day, his decision to move ahead with Constellation was a game changer.”
Neil Selfe, chief executive officer at Infor Financial Group Inc., describes Linton as an “Energizer Bunny” who has been a frequent player in the Ottawa tech space. It was an impression that stuck with the Toronto-based financier who opted to provide Canopy with $5 million in early-stage financing at a time when dozens of Bay Street doors were being shut in Linton’s face.
“Bruce had a front row seat to the [dot-com] circus and I think from that he learnt that you always want to be number one,” Selfe told BNN Bloomberg in an interview at his Bay Street office. “You always want to be number one in a nascent space if you raise enough capital, and you build the capital in the right way. He was relentlessly focused on obtaining and retaining first mover advantage in his business and that includes technology, IP and financing.”
Constellation executives declined to be interviewed for this article.
Selfe said that just after the deal was announced, he hosted a group of 20 institutional investors at Infor’s offices for a pitch by Linton. Those same investors wouldn’t even pick up the phone prior to Constellation’s investment, Selfe noted.
The Constellation deal “was the seminal capital markets event in the space that saw large institutional investors begin to participate in cannabis,” Selfe said. “The deal took the sector from the fringes to one that was legitimate in the eyes of the financial community.”
As Linton reflects back on the deal, he notes that Canopy remains the only company thus far that has announced any multibillion dollar deals with investors from outside the traditional pot industry in the past year, despite ongoing speculation that other companies such as Diageo PLC, Altria Group Inc. and The Coca-Cola Co. are circling the sector.
“It really changed the shape, size and accent of the audience. Everyone who was looking at this space wasn't from Toronto or Vancouver anymore. It became global,” Linton said.
Cannabis Canada is BNN Bloomberg’s in-depth series exploring the stunning formation of the entirely new – and controversial – Canadian recreational marijuana industry. Read more from the special series here and subscribe to our Cannabis Canada newsletter to have the latest marijuana news delivered directly to your inbox every day. |
Social cognition in serious mental illness.
Social cognition represents a fundamental skill for effective social behavior. It is nowadays widely accepted that individuals suffering from serious mental illness are impaired in this domain. Studies published since June 2012 have been reviewed, with a particular focus on theory of mind, social perception, social knowledge, attributional bias, and emotion processing in patients suffering from schizophrenia and mood disorders. The reviewed literature supports previous studies on deficits in social cognition in schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, and underscores their relevance in the psychosocial context. |
Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ and Tuba Büyüküstün Come Together for Their New Turkish Drama
Kivanc Tatlitug and Tuba Buyukustun will be in the same Turkish Drama for the first time. Their new Turkish Drama Brave and Beautiful (Cesur ve Guzel) – firstly announced as Black White (Siyah Beyaz) – will be broadcasted in Star Tv in October. The screen writer of Brave and Beautiful is Ece Yörenc.
The shooting of the Turkish Drama has just been started. Kivanc and Tuba has come together for “Star Tv Launch Video for the New Season”.
Kivanc Tatlitug and Tuba Buyukustun have been seen as “Dream Couple” by most of the people. |
Q:
Count values of a column if value in other column >x and create new data frame
I have the following data structure (which was actually created by counting the occurences of "Result" with ddply):
Experiment Result Count
A 1 123
A 2 30
A 3 5
B 1 120
B 2 20
B 3 5
B 4 1
B 5 1
C 1 130
C 2 21
...
I want to create a similar data frame that groups (calculates sum) of all results that are greater than 2.
Expected outcome:
Experiment Result Count
A 1 123
A 2 30
A >2 5
B 1 120
B 2 20
B >2 7
C 1 130
C 2 21
...
Probably plyr can do this but I am new to R and have no idea how to use a custom condition (i.e. result 1,2,>2) and not just the distinct values of a column.
Note: I do not mind the name of the new bin (i.e., may be != '<2').
A:
data <- data.frame(Experiment = c("a","a","a","b","b","b"),
Result = c(1,2,3,1,4,5), Count = c(1,4,6,5,3,6))
part1 <- subset(data, Result<=2)
part2 <- cbind(ddply(data, .(Experiment), summarise,
Count = sum(Count[Result>2])), Result = ">2")
final <- rbind(part1,part2)
final[with(final, order(Experiment, rev(Result))),]
Experiment Result Count
1 a 1 1
2 a 2 4
41 a >2 6
4 b 1 5
5 b >2 9
data
Experiment Result Count
1 a 1 1
2 a 2 4
3 a 3 6
4 b 1 5
5 b 4 3
6 b 5 6
|
Adelaide Knight
Adelaide Knight, also known as Eliza Adelaide Knight, (1871–1950), was a British suffragette.
Biography
Born in Tower Hamlets in 1871, Eliza Adelaide ("Addy") Knight was a frail child, born with deformed thumbs, who suffered two accidents in childhood which led to her enduring poor health. Due to her childhood injuries, she used a stick or crutches.
Arrest
In 1906 suffragettes Knight, Annie Kenney, and Mrs. Jane Sbarborough were arrested along with Teresa Billington when they tried to obtain an audience with H. H. Asquith, a prominent member of the Liberals. Offered either six weeks in prison or giving up campaigning for one year, despite her poor health Knight chose prison, as did the other women. Annie Kenney, in her book autobiography, describes Knight as 'extraordinarily clever'.
Later life
In 1905 Knight joined the Women's Social and Political Union and worked as secretary for the organisation's first East London branch in Canning Town, established by Annie Kenney and Minnie Baldock. She was co-opted onto the Central Committee of the WSPU, but resigned from the organisation in 1907 due to its lack of democracy, and having witnessed a false claim made by Christabel Pankhurst in order to promote enfranchisement for propertied women only.
Following this, Knight joined the Adult Suffrage Society and became the branch secretary for Canning Town. She also served as a Poor Law Guardian for West Ham. She developed a friendship with Dora Montefiore with whom she travelled to France in 1908 to address meetings there. In March 1909 Knight resigned as branch secretary, due to illness through pregnancy, and received letters of thanks. She moved from Plaistow to Abbey Wood later that year with her family. In 1920 she joined the Communist Party of Great Britain as a foundation member with Dora Montefiore but declined an invitation to join a delegation to the Soviet Union due to poor health.
In Abbey Wood she joined the Women’s Cooperative Guild and, together with her husband, the Independent Labour Party and the Workers Educational Association.
Family
Adelaide and her husband, Donald Adolphus Brown, had four children between 1895 and 1901, three of whom died in a smallpox outbreak in 1902. Adelaide gave birth to another son in 1904 and a daughter in 1909. Brown (1874-1949) was a mixed-race sailor, the son of a Jamaican father and English mother, who eventually worked as a foreman at the Woolwich Arsenal, where he received a medal for bravery for tackling a fire there.
Adelaide Knight died in 1950; her husband died a year earlier. Her daughter, Winifred Langton, wrote a memoir of her parents edited by Addy's granddaughter, Fay Jacobsen, entitled, "Courage".
References
Category:1871 births
Category:1950 deaths
Category:British people with disabilities
Category:British suffragists
Category:English people with disabilities
Category:English suffragists
Category:Women's Social and Political Union |
Pages
Rouse's Supermarket - Lafayette
Rouse's Small, Oval, King Cake
A relative newcomer to the Lafayette scene, Rouse's roots run deep with Louisiana traditions and local foods. So, when it comes to king cake they're serving the same family recipe (one that incorporates their "exclusive gourmet" cinnamon dough) that they've been making since 1963. These dense, doughy cakes are baked fresh in the store and filled with a range of ingredients. It can be tough to scout out a double filled cake, but if you do find one you're on your way to a tasty treat.
You'll notice that these cakes are expertly prepared with a fine lining of cinnamon in each layer of dough. The icing is thick and the sugar is heavily applied. We wish the dough was a little less dense and that it was easier to find a double filled cake [though we know it is super easy to talk to the bakery folks and they'll hook you up with whatever filling(s) you might desire].
Prices range form $5.49 for a plain (who wants plain?) to $14 for a large filled cake. Fillings can include everything from coconut to cookies and cream! |
Q:
How can I find the max number of times the Euclidean Algorithm must be executed for a given starting remainder?
If each step of the Euclidean Algorithm reduces the remainder by at least 50%, how can I calculate the max number of steps it will take to find the greatest common denominator? If the initial remainder of two numbers is 1000, would log2(m) give me this value? If r ≤ m/2 for each step of the Euclidean Algorithm, could I just find m assuming that r = 1000 in the max case and substitute m in the previous logarithm to find the max number of steps?
A:
A brute force run shows that the maximum number of iterations is indicated by the ordinality of the first Fibonacci number greater than the larger number of the pair subjected to Euclid's Algorithm. For example, for the numbers $(1000,x)$, the next Fibonacci number is $1597$ and it is the $15^{th}$ or $16^{th}$ Fibonacci number depending on where you begin the series, so the maximum number of iterations is $15$ or $16$ assuming $x$ is smaller than $1000$.
(Note: If the larger number is entered second, the iteration count is one higher.) Here is a sample run in which the "count" and GCD numbers are displayed only when the current iteration count for a pair is greater than the previous "largest count". It took $\approx 3.2$ hours of CPU time using interpretive BASIC. I'm sure it would take less time with math-specific languages.
enter limit? 100000
iterations( 1 ) GCD( 2 , 1 ) = 1
iterations( 2 ) GCD( 3 , 2 ) = 1
iterations( 3 ) GCD( 5 , 3 ) = 1
iterations( 4 ) GCD( 8 , 5 ) = 1
iterations( 5 ) GCD( 13 , 8 ) = 1
iterations( 6 ) GCD( 21 , 13 ) = 1
iterations( 7 ) GCD( 34 , 21 ) = 1
iterations( 8 ) GCD( 55 , 34 ) = 1
iterations( 9 ) GCD( 89 , 55 ) = 1
iterations( 10 ) GCD( 144 , 89 ) = 1
iterations( 11 ) GCD( 233 , 144 ) = 1
iterations( 12 ) GCD( 377 , 233 ) = 1
iterations( 13 ) GCD( 610 , 377 ) = 1
iterations( 14 ) GCD( 987 , 610 ) = 1
iterations( 15 ) GCD( 1597 , 987 ) = 1
iterations( 16 ) GCD( 2584 , 1597 ) = 1
iterations( 17 ) GCD( 4181 , 2584 ) = 1
iterations( 18 ) GCD( 6765 , 4181 ) = 1
iterations( 19 ) GCD( 10946 , 6765 ) = 1
iterations( 20 ) GCD( 17711 , 10946 ) = 1
iterations( 21 ) GCD( 28657 , 17711 ) = 1
iterations( 22 ) GCD( 46368 , 28657 ) = 1
iterations( 23 ) GCD( 75025 , 46368 ) = 1
BASIC is considered unsophisticated these days but it is free and easier to learn that PYTHON and others. Here is the program that ran the test above.
100 print "enter limit";
110 input l1
120 c9 = 0
130 for i1 = 1 to l1
140 for i2 = 1 to i1-1
150 c1 = 0
160 x1 = i1
170 x2 = i2
180 r1 = x1 mod x2
190 c1 = c1+1
200 if r1 > 0
210 x1 = x2
220 x2 = r1
230 goto 180
240 endif
250 if c1 > c9
260 c9 = c1
270 print "iterations( " c1 ") ",;
280 print "GCD( " i1 ", " i2 ") = " x2
290 endif
300 next i2
310 next i1
|
Q:
search in a mongod database
Im trying to search in a database, But I don't get any results, and can't find the error,
I get a empty array in the console, but the database is full of element that includes "a" in this case.
if I try to find all in the database I see all the results, so its something in the $search or $text that breaks the scripts.
All help are really appreciated I've been sitting and tearing my hair for a couple of days!
app.use(bodyParser.json());
app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true }));
var db;
MongoClient.connect("mongodb://localhost:27017/insights", function(err, database) {
db = database;
db.collection("textstore", {}, function(err, coll) {
if (err != null) {
db.createCollection("textstore", function(err, result) {
assert.equal(null, err);
});
}
db.ensureIndex("textstore", {
document: "text"
}, function(err, indexname) {
assert.equal(null, err);
});
});
});
app.post("/search", function(req, res) {
db.collection('textstore').find({"$text": {"$search": 'a'}}).toArray(function(err, items) {
console.log(items)
})
});
A:
Searching a MongoDB text index is language aware, and the default language is English. Language awareness means that certain words which are very common but usually meaningless are ignored. The word a in the English language is such a word. Here is the relevant part from the documentation:
MongoDB supports text search for various languages. text indexes drop language-specific stop words (e.g. in English, “the”, “an”, “a”, “and”, etc.) and uses simple language-specific suffix stemming.
Either try searching for something more meaningful or disable the language-awareness during searching by explicitly setting the language to "none".
db.collection('textstore').find({"$text": {"$search": 'a', $language:"none"}})
By the way, you can also override the default language when you create the index and even override it on a document and sub-document level. For more information, check the documentation about specifying languages for text indexes.
|
Norwegian Refugee Council finds ‘mega disasters’ such as typhoons and hurricanes drove 22 million people from homes
This article is more than 6 years old
This article is more than 6 years old
Natural disasters displaced three times as many people as war last year – even as 2013 was a horrific year for conflict – with 22 million people driven out of their homes by floods, hurricanes and other hazards, a new study has found.
Twice as many people now lose their homes to disaster as in the 1970s, and more people move into harm’s way each year, the study by the Norwegian Refugee Council found.
“Basically, the combination of mega natural disasters and hundreds of smaller natural disasters massively displaces people in many more countries than the countries that have war and conflict,” said Jan Egeland, the secretary of the Norwegian refugee council.
He said he hoped the findings would prod leaders meeting at a United Nations climate summit next week to work to protect populations from more disaster-prone future under climate change.
Last year was in some ways an anomaly because so many people were driven out of their homes by war. In some years, 10 times as many people lose their homes to natural disasters. “Natural disasters are underestimated as a scourge that is hitting tens of millions of people every year,” Egeland said.
On average, 27 million people a year lost their homes to natural disasters over the last decade. In 2010, that number rose to 42 million.
While mega-disasters such as the devastating typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines attract international attention, the losses due to smaller-scale storms and flooding often go unrecorded.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest A storm surge from typhoon Haiyan was capable of destroying a home in seconds.
The global figure for those displaced by disasters could even be higher, Egeland said.
Those living in developing countries are most at risk. The study found more than 80% of those displaced over the last five years lived in Asia. That pattern held last year as well when nearly 19 million of the 22 million displaced lived in Asia.
In many instances, local people do not have time to recover from a disaster before a new one hits, the study found.
In the Philippines last year, some 5.8 million people lost their homes because of a constellation of disasters.
Typhoon Haiyan alone displaced some 4.1 million, with others forced out by typhoon Trami and an earthquake.
Africa also saw widespread displacement by rainy season flooding in Niger, Chad, Sudan and South Sudan.
America did not go unspared, with nearly 220,000 people losing their homes to tornadoes in Oklahoma.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest A tornado in Oklahoma in 2013, where more than 200,000 people lost homes.
The risk of such disasters is also rising, outpacing population growth and even rapid urbanisation. Global population has doubled since the 1970s, but the urban population has tripled since that time.
The mass migration from countryside to cities is putting more and more people at risk – especially in Asia’s mega-cities, which are the most disaster prone.
Africa, where populations are expected to double by 2050, also faces increasing risk.
“These vast urban areas become traps when a natural disaster hits,” Egeland said. “People are crammed together and there is no escape. They live in river deltas, they live on hurricane beaches, they live along river beds that are easily flooded, they live where there are mud slides, and so on.”
Scientists predict a rise in such extreme weather events in a future under climate change.
Better early warning systems in some countries, such as Bangladesh, have succeeded in keeping people safe during such storms. But they are still at risk of losing all they own.
“We are now better at saving lives, but we are not able to save their homes and their livelihoods so they become destitute,” he said. |
The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides, polynucleotides encoding same, transgenic plants expressing same and methods of using same. Specifically the present invention can be used to increase fertilizer use efficiency and stress resistance as well as biomass, vigor and yield of transgenic plants.
Fertilizers are the fuel behind the “green revolution”, directly responsible for the exceptional increase in crop yields during the last 40 years. The dramatic rise in crop yields could never have occurred without a parallel increase in fertilizer use. However, in recent years there has been a growing concern with the environmental impact of fertilizer use, particularly nitrogen fertilizers, on water and atmospheric pollution. Limits on fertilizer use have been legislated in several countries, and further restrictions are expected in the future. Greater use of fertilizers will be necessary in the future to support food and fiber production for rapid population growth on limited land resources.
Fertilizer is often mentioned as the number one overhead expense in agriculture. Of the three macronutrients provided as main fertilizers [Nitrogen (N), Phosphate (P) and Potassium (K)], nitrogen is the only one that usually needs to be replenished every year, particularly for cereals, which comprise more than half of the cultivated areas worldwide.
A common approach to promoting plant growth has been, and continues to be, the use of nutrients (fertilizers), natural as well as synthetic. Synthetic nutrients usually provide a macronutrient in a plant-usable form, such as urea for example, and/or inorganic nitrates, phosphates, or the like compounds. While such nutrients may be applied, more or less, at the convenience of the farmer, and may be applied as often as deemed desirable, the overuse of synthetic nutrients and the inefficient use of synthetic nutrients are major factors responsible for environmental problems such as eutrophication of groundwater, nitrate pollution, phosphate pollution, and the like.
Nitrogen is an essential macronutrient for the plant, responsible for biosynthesis of amino and nucleic acids, prosthetic groups, plant hormones, plant chemical defenses, etc. Nitrogen is often the rate-limiting element in plant growth and all field crops have a fundamental dependence on inorganic nitrogenous fertilizer. Since fertilizer is rapidly depleted from most soil types, it must be supplied to growing crops two or three times during the growing season. Nitrogenous fertilizer, which is usually supplied as ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, or urea, typically accounts for 40% of the costs associated with crops such as corn and wheat. It has been estimated that by 2050, more than 150 million tons of nitrogenous fertilizer will used worldwide annually. Increased use efficiency of nitrogen by plants should enable crops to be cultivated with lower fertilizer input, or alternatively on soils of poorer quality and would therefore have significant economic impact in both developed and developing agricultural systems. An overview of the undesirable effects of nitrogen fertilizer is presented by Byrnes, Fertilizer Research, 26, pp. 209-215 (1990). Although plants are able to take up organic nitrogen from the environment, the major part of the nitrogen utilized comes usually from the uptake of inorganic nitrogen in the form of ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3−) and its later conversion to organic nitrogen in a process known as assimilation.
The Nitrogen assimilation process begins with NO3− being converted to NH4+ sequentially by the enzymes Nitrate Reductase (NR) and Nitrite Reductase (NiR). The nitrogen is then incorporated into Glutamate (Glu) by Glutamine Synthase (GS) to obtain Glutamine (Gln). The major pathway of nitrogen assimilation is the GS/GOGAT cycle (Glutamine Synthase/Glutamate-Oxoglutarate Amine Transferase). The remaining amino acids are synthesized from Gln, Glu and Asn by transamination.
Nitrogen (as amino acids or in the form of nitrates) is translocated to the shoot, where it is stored in the leaves and stalk during the rapid step of plant development and up until flowering. In corn for example, plants accumulate the bulk of their organic nitrogen during the period of grain germination, and until flowering. Once fertilization of the plant has occurred, grains begin to form and become the main sink of plant Nitrogen. The stored Nitrogen can then be redistributed from the leaves and stalk that served as storage compartments until grain formation.
There are three main parameters of efficiency used to define plant Nitrogen metabolism:
Nitrogen-uptake efficiency: is the amount of N in above-ground biomass (gr Nt) divided by the amount of N applied (gr/hectare);
Nitrogen utilization efficiency: is the Grain Yield (gr/plant) divided by the amount of N in above-ground biomass (gr Nt); and
Nitrogen-use efficiency: is the Grain Yield (gr/plant) divided by the amount of N applied (gr/Ha).
The Nitrogen-uptake efficiency [the amount of N in above ground biomass (gr Nt)/N applied (gr/hectare)] is the total amount of nitrogen incorporated by the plant and is a function of the “uptake” (the plant's transport capacity), the metabolic efficiency of the assimilation process and the rate of plant size development, since the mass of stalk and leaves created during growth are the actual Nitrogen-storage organs. The fraction of the assimilated Nitrogen found in a shoot that is ultimately transferred to the grain (yield) is controlled enzymatically, and thus a potential site for transgenic manipulation. This parameter is, in effect, equal to the Nitrogen Utilization efficiency (NUE). Better grain-to-shoot N-partitioning most likely will improve yield and protein content of the grain.
Similarly, the same calculations of use and utilization efficiencies can be made for other macronutrients such as Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K), which have a direct correlation with yield and general plant tolerance.
The NUE for the main crops ranges from 30-70% only, having a direct negative impact on input expenses for the farmer, due to the excess fertilizer applied, which quickly becomes an ecological burden. Thus, nitrate-containing wastes represent an environmental problem of global significance. Nitrate seepage in water causes eutrophication of lakes, rivers and seas (waters endangered because of algae growth that leads to hypoxia and destruction of marine fauna). Nitrate contamination in drinking water can cause methemoglobinemia, which is especially detrimental to infants and nursing mothers. In fact, the Farming Industry is considered as the largest nitrate polluter of surface and coastal waters and drinking water supplies.
Genetic improvement of Fertilizer Use Efficiency (FUE) in plants can be generated either via traditional breeding or via genetic engineering. However, to date, neither transgenic products nor classically bred enhanced FUE material have been released for commercial use. Among the reasons for this, the most important is that breeders select their elite lines under the most favorable fertilizer conditions, thus overlooking improvements in FUE (yield being the main driver of sales and not reduction in the input costs). Attempts at transgenic solutions for improved FUE are being carried out by companies such as Monsanto (see, for example, US Patent Applications 20020046419 to Choo, et al.; U.S. Pat. Appl. 2005010879 to Edgerton et al.; and U.S. Pat. Appl. 2006 0179511 to Chomet et al), Arcadia Biosciences and Biogemma.
Recently, a review summarizing attempts to improve FUE by transgenic means that have been undertaken by academic laboratories was published (Good A G et al. Trends Plant Sci. 2004 December; 9(12):597-605). Encouraging results were reported by Yanagisawa and coworkers (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2004 May 18; 101(20):7833-8) who found that a genetically engineered increase in carbon skeleton production (2-Oxoglutarate, OG from the GS/GOGAT cycle) sustained growth of transgenic Arabidopsis under low nitrogen conditions. As many enzymes are involved in carbon skeleton production, the transgene was a key transcriptional factor (Dofl) that activated multiple genes involved in the pathway. Nitrogen content was higher in the Arabidopsis transgenic plants by approximately 30% under low nitrogen conditions. U.S. Pat. No. 6,084,153 to Good et al. discloses the use of a stress responsive promoter to control the expression of Alanine Amine Transferase (AlaAT). Good et al. further disclosed that transgenic canola plants improved drought and nitrogen deficiency tolerance when compared to control plants. However, neither the Dofl constructs of Yanagisawa et al, nor the drought-induced AlaAT constructs of Good et al. have been evaluated in commercial lines, under true field conditions. Hence the economic relevance of the results is yet to be proven.
There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly advantageous to identify polynucleotides and polypeptides which improve fertilizer use/uptake efficiency in transgenic plants expressing same, which are devoid of the above limitations. |
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Q:
Menu Bug in IE 7 - W
Does any one know how I can fix this menu in IE7-W? It also doesn't work in Firefox 3 and other old browsers... Do I need to bother fixing it for old browsers..?
Thank you,
Tara
A:
You have extra html open and closing tags in the document that appear to be messing things up -- they wrap around your "rightcol" div
Remove those and see if things get fixed.
<html> <!-- REMOVE THIS LINE -->
<div id="rightcol">
... [inner content]
</div>
</html> <!-- AND REMOVE THIS LINE TOO -->
|
/*
* SonarQube
* Copyright (C) 2009-2020 SonarSource SA
* mailto:info AT sonarsource DOT com
*
* This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
* modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
* License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
* version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
*
* This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
* but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU
* Lesser General Public License for more details.
*
* You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
* along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
* Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.
*/
import * as differenceInDays from 'date-fns/difference_in_days';
import { shallow } from 'enzyme';
import * as React from 'react';
import { InjectedIntlProps } from 'react-intl';
import { LeakPeriodLegend } from '../LeakPeriodLegend';
jest.mock('date-fns/difference_in_days', () => jest.fn().mockReturnValue(10));
const PROJECT = {
key: 'foo',
name: 'Foo',
qualifier: 'TRK'
};
const APP = {
key: 'bar',
name: 'Bar',
qualifier: 'APP'
};
const PERIOD: T.Period = {
date: '2017-05-16T13:50:02+0200',
index: 1,
mode: 'previous_version',
parameter: '6,4'
};
const PERIOD_DAYS: T.Period = {
date: '2017-05-16T13:50:02+0200',
index: 1,
mode: 'days',
parameter: '18'
};
it('should render correctly', () => {
expect(getWrapper(PROJECT, PERIOD)).toMatchSnapshot();
expect(getWrapper(PROJECT, PERIOD_DAYS)).toMatchSnapshot();
});
it('should render correctly for APP', () => {
expect(getWrapper(APP, PERIOD)).toMatchSnapshot();
});
it('should render a more precise date', () => {
(differenceInDays as jest.Mock<any>).mockReturnValueOnce(0);
expect(getWrapper(PROJECT, PERIOD)).toMatchSnapshot();
});
function getWrapper(component: T.ComponentMeasure, period: T.Period) {
return shallow(
<LeakPeriodLegend
component={component}
intl={{ formatDate: (x: any) => x } as InjectedIntlProps['intl']}
period={period}
/>
);
}
|
Menu
Specializing in made-to-measure tailored garments
Suits, dress suits, jackets and trousers, choose your own fabrics and styles from our vast and exclusive range. We also make custom made suits for weddings, bar mitzvahs and other special occasions.
Visit Clive Lauter and Martine Hesselberg at our Johannesburg showroom or arrange with Clive to have our consultant see you at your home or office in Johannesburg and with Paul to see you at your home or office in Cape Town.
Established since 1976 with more than 35 years of tailoring expertise
Peter Reso, one of SA’s long established made to measure custom made suits brand, offers a new sense of cutting edge design in its line of exclusively tailored bespoke men’s suits.
Its founder, the late, much admired Peter Reso, dressed many of the well- known and powerful and his clients included actors such as Sean Connery and Roger Moore, as well as Heads of State
The brand, which evolved by word of mouth, has become one of those must have items, that represent those who appreciate quality and who have truly arrived.
Apart from appealing to those who subscribe to “power dressing”, it also appeals to those who seek individually tailored garments, offering beauty and ease of movement, at a price far below what one would pay on Saville Row”
Blue is the latest black with regards to suits. It offers a more youthful trademark and enhances your style identity. It’s a versatile shading and can be worn on any event, whether for work, gatherings, weddings etc. Recognizing what to wear with a blue suit can be somewhat troublesome. Whether it’s picking the correct shirt to shoes et cetera. We’ve assembled a guide on the most proficient method to wear a blue suit.
When wearing a blue suit, there are a couple of guidelines which you ought to follow.
Shirts: With regards to choosing the shirt, a fresh white shirt would be perfect. It’s flexible and would look awesome with or without a tie. In any case, you can likewise go for a pale pink or blue shirt, which will add a touch of complexity to your overall look.
Accessories: With regards to accessories, picking a colour for your tie is limitless. So as to pick the right tie, consider the event and the shade of blue your suit is as you need something which compliments well. In case you’re deciding on a safer alternative a black or navy would function admirably. In case you’re feeling creative; a red, burgundy or a designed tie would look perfect. For a pocket square a plain version would be awesome for a designed suit. In case you’re wearing a plain suit, then the worlds your oyster as you can go for anything. However, remember your tie and pocket square shouldn’t match.
Footwear: A pair of black or brown will be the best colour choice, however you can likewise go for a tan pair. In case you’re hoping to go for a more casual and relaxed look, a pair of trainers will be the best choice.
Many men tend to wear suits every day or for exceptional events. In case you’re going for dinner with companions or family, we recommend choosing a smart casual look. This medium blue faux uni would look perfect collaborated with a dark crewneck with a white shirt underneath. While picking footwear, go for a pair of trainers in a simplistic design. This will add some dimension to your general look.
If you would like to find out more about our custom made suits , please contact us! |
Color Me Music Notes Paper
Choose your color! This 12"x12" paper is printed with a raised white design that will resist color. It's simple, all you do is add your color then wipe away the excess and you'll have a beautiful patterned paper in your...More Info »
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Choose your color! This 12"x12" paper is printed with a raised white design that will resist color. It's simple, all you do is add your color then wipe away the excess and you'll have a beautiful patterned paper in your choice of color. Cardmakers can cut one sheet into 4 pieces and make 4 different colored cards. And there's more, when heated the material acts like a glue for embossing powder, flock or glitter.
The possibilities are endless for this paper! You can color with inkpads, chalks, spray mists, smooch inks, walnut inks, markers, watercolors or pencils. Or re-heat and add embossing powder, flock or glitter to the pattern. Use one color or mix them to create an original paper all your own! It's all so easy and just what you want!
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Q:
C# Create xml from Scratch
I know this is probably an easy question, but im having trouble just creating an xml file that will only create its root
i Have the following code but it doesnt work
XDocument products = new XDocument(
new XDeclaration("1.0", "utf-8", ""),
new XElement("Users",
)
);
products.Save("hello.xml");
A:
You need to save some where in your disk:
XDocument products = new XDocument(
new XDeclaration("1.0", "utf-8", ""),
new XElement("Users"));
products.Save("c:\\hello.xml");
Edit:
To save in current directory:
var path = Path.Combine(AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory, "hello.xml");
products.Save(path);
|
Conventional practice with telephone equipment typically supports the shipment of phones to various countries by developing different models of the phone for each unique loss plan and each keyboard scanning requirement. As a result it becomes necessary to develop a large number of different models of a particular phone if world-wide distribution of the phone is to occur.
It can be appreciated that a desirable goal is the provision of a telephone which meets all of the safety agency requirements of all countries, and which also allows the unique, country-specific, parameters of the phone to be downloaded from a Private Automatic Branch Exchange, or PABX, to which the phone is coupled. Included among these unique parameters are a loss plan or plans, keyscanning requirements, feedback tone requirements and companding method (A-Law or u-Law).
It can also be appreciated that if it is desirable to download and store the telephone'loss plan then it would also be desirable to download and store other parameters that may be unique to a particular phone, such as the phone's programmable dialing sequences, class of service, and so on. This downloading of unique phone parameters would allow for an improved phone system. Additionally it may be desirable to locally store the phone's serial number in non-volatile memory and read back the serial number in order to assist in capital asset tracking and as an aid in identifying the phone, and possibly the user of the phone, if the phone is moved to a different location within a facility.
It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a telephone which allows these and other parameters to be downloaded to and stored within the telephone.
It is another object of the invention to provide a protocol which enables the downloading of parameters from a telephone switching apparatus to a telephone.
It is another object of the invention to provide a protocol which enables the downloading of information from a telephone switching apparatus to a telephone and the subsequent reading back by the telephone switching apparatus of the previously stored information.
It is one further object of the invention to provide apparatus for and a method of bidirectionally communicating between a telephone and a PABX which includes the local non-volatile storage of downloaded and other parameters within the telephone. |
WASHINGTON — A U.S. official said today that American fighter jets and drones have done nearly a dozen airstrikes in Iraq since Tuesday, even as Islamic State militants threatened to kill a second American captive in retribution for any continued strikes. The militants released a video Tuesday showing U.S. journalist James Foley being beheaded. The official says the airstrikes were in the area of the Mosul Dam and were aimed at helping Iraqi and Kurdish forces create a buffer zone at the key facility. The strikes have helped Iraqi and Kurdish troops reclaim the dam from the insurgents. The militants threatened to kill a second American journalist, Steven Sotloff, who is being held captive in case of airstrikes. Also, the The White House says President Barack Obama will deliver a statement today. The White House isn’t saying what topics Obama will address. But the statement comes as the White House is saying that U.S. intelligence officials have determined the video showing the execution of Foley is authentic. Obama will speak from Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, where he’s in the second week of his annual summer vacation. |
The trailer for Imoh Umoren’s ‘Lagos: Sex, Lies and Traffic’ is finally here and there’s a lot to unpack
I have been waiting on Imoh Umoren to release the trailer for Lagos: Sex, Lies and Traffic, merely because of the construction of the title. Besides, Umoren has been teasing the movie on Twitter and I had a few theories about what the story would be based on. Now that the trailer has been released, none of what I had in mind was depicted in the one-minute-plus footage. But there are familiar themes, and that indie Umoren style, weaved into a political plot which is continually making political movies hot right now.
The opener of the trailer is so plugged into the zeitgeist that it possibly couldn’t have been unintentional: ”Have you ever assaulted or raped a woman before?” William Benson‘s Dejo is interrogated by a panel in a dark room. That question, and the entire set up, feels like a fleeting satire of the harrowing Ford and Kavanaugh hearings. The conversation around sexual assault and rape is still ongoing and although it comes across as a little gimmicky in the trailer, I have to say that it worked in piquing my interest.
Dejo happens to be a political aspirant running for governor, and whose affair with another woman threatens to derail his campaign and marriage. His wife Tolu, played by Keira Hewatch, can be heard in a scene asking Dejo if he loves his mistress and in another, conspiratorially telling him that they have to kill her after they discover his mistress is pregnant. I’m amused that Tolu isn’t filing for divorce but instead, she’s helping her husband take care of the mess of his infidelity, even if it’s committing murder. The message here: women also aid and abet the selfish behaviours of trash men and shield them from accountability.
The scene with a man being mobbed and harassed by police/SARS was quite uncomfortable and triggering to watch, even though it was meant to be funny. The #EndSARS campaign on social media recently received fresh fire over the fatal shooting of Kolade Johnson, and there have massive calls to disband SARS, a toxic, murderous unit of the police. Also starring in Lagos: Sex,Lies and Traffic are Duke Elvis, Sunday Afolabi, Kiitan Faroun, Taiwo Gasper, MaryJane Ogu and Kelechi Udegbe. The scene between Ogu and Udegbe scooped out some laughs from me, a pre-sex moment where Udegbe’s character says he doesn’t want to live in Lekki because he doesn’t want his children to be carried away by floods.
Aside Lagos: Sex, Lies and Traffic, which a release date hasn’t been announced for, Umoren has Dear Bayoout this year. And there might be even more film and television content coming from the director, and hopefully they turn out good. |
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Search and Replace in whole database? (IPB)
I have no idea how to write SQL queries, that is why I am asking for help here. A user at one of my IPB forums wanted his account deleted but the problem is the quoted posts are not deleted with the accounts. So I need a query to replace his username with some other random string. Can any SQL guru cook something up? BTW the username is totally unique so it wouldn't affect any other fields.
Thanks |
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Conflict and Mediation Event Observations
Conflict and Mediation Event Observations (CAMEO) is a framework for coding event data (typically used for events that merit news coverage, and generally applied to the study of political news and violence). It is a more recent alternative to the WEIS coding system developed by Charles A. McClelland and the Conflict and Peace Data Bank (COPDAB) coding system developed by Edward Azar.
History
Work on CAMEO began in 2000 at Kansas University with financial support from the National Science Foundation. The first paper on the subject, by Deborah J. Gerner was written for the March 2002 Annual Meeting of the International Studies Association in New Orleans. In the paper, the authors noted that they worked on creating the new CAMEO system rather than continue using the existing WEIS coding system for a combination of reasons, including previously known weaknesses of WEIS and some difficulties that emerge when trying to automate the WEIS coding process. The coding software used for CAMEO, as well as for the automated WEIS implementation that CAMEO was compared with, was the Textual Analysis by Augmeted Replacement Instructions (TABARI) software developed by co-author Philip A. Schrodt in 2000, and was in turn based on the Kansas Event Data System (KEDS) developed in 1994.
The CAMEO manual describes the following key stages of the history of work on the project:
Initial development of verb and actor ontology: (2000-2003): Deborah J. Gerner, Omur Yilmaz, Philip A. Schrodt
Refinements of actor ontology (2004-2007): Dennis Hermrick, Baris Kesgin, Peter Picucci, Joseph Pull, Almas Sayeed, Sarah Stacey
Organized Religion (2009-2011): Matthias Heilke
Ethnic Groups (2011): Jay Yonamine, Benjamin Bagozzi
Alternatives
One of the alternatives to CAMEO is Integrated Data for Events Analysis (IDEA), an outgrowth of work by the PANDA project. Predecessors to CAMEO include the World Interaction/Event Survey (WEIS) coding system by Charles A. McClelland and the Conflict and Peace Data Bank (COPDAB) by Edward Azar.
Some key differences between CAMEO and IDEA are:
IDEA maintains backward compatibility with WEIS whereas CAMEO does not.
CAMEO is focused on inter-state behavior, whereas IDEA encompasses a substantially broader range of behavior.
The tertiary categories for IDEA are generally oriented towards the study of citizen direct action (for example strikes and protests), whereas the categories in CAMEO are oriented towards the study of third-party mediation in international and inter-ethnic conflict.
Reception
Academic reception
CAMEO has been the subject of a number of academic papers comparing it with other coding frameworks.
Datasets that use CAMEO coding
Integrated Conflict Early Warning System (ICEWS)
Global Database of Events, Language, and Tone (GDELT)
References
External links
CAMEO Event Data Codebook (describes CAMEO and its history, and links to main papers and versions of the codebook)
Category:Shorthand systems
Category:Data coding framework |
Assessment of breast cancer tumor size depends on method, histopathology and tumor size itself*.
Mammography (MG), breast (BU) and axillary ultrasound (AU), and clinical examination (CE) are commonly used for clinical staging. These different methods were compared in order to assess the accuracy of clinical tumor staging (cT). About 503 breast cancer (BC) patients were prospectively measured by MG, ultrasound and clinical examination. Pearson's correlation to pathological tumor size (pT) was tested and the deviation of MG, BU and CE to pT was analyzed in subgroups defined by pT, grading (G), estrogen receptor (ER), progesteron receptor (PR), proliferation (MIB-1) and HER2/neu. Association of AU to pN was examined by chi(2)-test. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) were used to test the prediction of a pT > 2 cm. Mammography correlated best with pT (r = 0.752). Mammography (mean (MG) = 2.17 cm) overestimated tumors in size (mean (pT) = 2.04 cm) rather than ultrasound (mean (BU) = 1.86 cm) and clinical examination (mean (cT) = 1.70 cm). pT of invasive ductal BC could be estimated significantly better than pT of invasive lobular BC. Smaller tumors were better to assess than larger ones. Tumors with a grading G1 were easier to estimate than tumors with G2/3. Best predictor of a pT > 2 cm was the mammography with an area under the curve of 0.876. The combination of all three modalities by linear regression performed even better with an AUC of 0.906. The dimension of invasive ductal carcinomas, small and low grading tumors is significantly better to estimate. Concerning treatment decisions, we propose a combination of all three modalities, as the best predictive value was seen for the complementary use of mammography, ultrasound and clinical examination. |
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
F()R THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
UNITED STATES OF AMER1CA
v. Criminal Acti0n No. 04-446-51 (TFH)
JUAN JOSE MARTINEZ VEGA,
Also known as “Chiguiro,"
Defendant.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
Pending before the Court are defendant Juan Jose Martinez Vega`s Motion For A New
Trial [Docket No. 27l] and Post-Trial Motion F or Judgement Of Acquittal [Docket No. 272].
For the reasons that follow, the Court will deny the motions. The defendant contends that he
entitled to a new trial pursuant to Rule 33(3) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure
"based on the combined effects of (1) the failure of the United States to correct the false
testimony provided by one of its agents, DEA Intelligence Research Specialist ("IRS")
Francisco Garrido, and (2) the United States having mislead the jury as to what was known
about other persons using the name Chiguiro." (Def.’s Mot. for New Trial 1.) The defendant
also insists that he is entitled to a judgment of acquittal based on the governrnent’s asserted
failure to prove - by either direct or circumstantial evidence - that the defendant knew that
any cocaine involved in the conspiracy was intended to be imported into the United States.
(Def.’s Mot. for J. of Acquittal 11 2.) For the reasons that follow, the Court will deny the
motions.
I. BACKGROUND
On March l, 2006, Juan Jose Martinez Vega, who is also known as "Chiguiro," was
indicted with 50 other individuals pursuant to a superseding indictment that charged them with
unlawfully, intentionally, and knowingly combining, conspiring, confederating and agreeing
with others known and unknown to violate the narcotics laws of the United States. (Indictment
l 1[ 1.) The objects of the alleged narcotics conspiracy were (1) to import into the United States
five kilograms and more of mixtures and substances containing detectable amounts of cocaine
l and (2) to manufacture and distribute five kilograms and more of mixtures, compounds and
j substances containing detectable amounts of cocaine, and coca leaves, intending and knowing
w
that these controlled substances would be unlawfully imported into the United States.
(Indictment 11 2.)
On April 21, 2008, the defendant was extradited from Colombia to the United States to
stand trial for the charged crimes. After the subsequent extradition and arraignment of two
other co-defendants, as well as protracted pretrial proceedings in this complex international
criminal case, the trial of the defendant and co-defendant Erminso Cuevas Cabrera began on
February 24, 2010.
The evidence at trial‘ established that Colombia became a leader in cocaine production
in the l990s, with production from the late 1990s into the early 2000s increasing from about
25% to 60% of the world’s coca. (Trial Tr. PM Session 21-22, Feb. 24, 2010.) Colombia
l The Court cautions that this summary of the trial evidence is by no means
exhaustive and, instead, is primarily an abstract of the witness testimony. In addition, both
Erminso Cuevas Cabrera and Juan Jose Martinez Vega filed post-trial motions seeking
judgments of acquittal or a new trial so, to the extent that trial evidence related to both
defendants, that evidence is summarized identically in this opinion and the opinion addressing
Martinez Vega’s motions.
__g__
produces between 500 and 600 metric tons of cocaine annually and is the "number-one coca
cultivator as well as the number-one producer of cocaine." (Trial Tr. PM Session 24, 30, 40,
Feb. 24, 20l0.) The United States is the world’s largest cocaine consumer and approximately
90% of the cocaine consumed in the United States comes from Colombia. (Trial Tr. PM
Session 31, 42, Feb. 24, 2010.) The United States also is the predominant destination for
cocaine leaving Venezuela, which borders Colombia and through which cocaine is smuggled
from Colombia. (Trial Tr. PM Session 45-46, 62, Feb. 24, 2010.)
Cocaine imported from Colombia arrives in the United States as a powder that is
formed into a kilogram-sized brick that is worth, on average, about $2,000 per kilogram when
ready for export in Colombia and about $30,000 in the United States. (Trial Tr. PM Session
24, 31, Feb. 24, 2010.) Colombian cocaine typically has been imported into the United States
via a secondary country because of transportation limitations and because narcotics traffickers
tend to seek areas of "weak law enforcement," with "porous borders" that create a "path of
least resistance" when compared to direct shipment to the United States. (Trial Tr. PM
Session 24, 27, Feb. 24, 2010.) About 90% of the cocaine imported from Colombia into the
United States travels through Central America and Mexico, with the remaining 10% traveling
through Caribbean countries. (Trial Tr. PM Session 25, 27, 29, Feb. 24, 2010.) Because it is
more profitable to sell cocaine in the United States versus Mexico, and the demand is greater,
the vast majority of cocaine transported to Mexico from Colombia ultimately is imported into
the United States. (Trial Tr. Feb. 24, 2010 PM Session 36.) Virtually every mode of
transportation is used to transport cocaine from Colombia to the United States. (Trial Tr. PM
Session 32-35, 50-53, Feb. 24, 20l0.)
__3__
The trial evidence also established that the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de
Colombia ("FARC") - a Marxist organization present almost everywhere in Colombia but
particularly in rural regions of the country - initially interjected itself into the cocaine trade by
extorting money from the farmers who grew coca and produced cocaine paste, as well as the
drug traffickers and operators of cocaine processing laboratories, each of whom had to pay a
tax to the FARC for the coca fields or for each kilogram of cocaine produced. (Trial Tr. PM
Session, 37-38, Feb. 24, 2010; Trial Tr. AM Session 21-22, Feb. 25, 2010; Trial Tr. PM
Session 45, Mar. 2, 2010; Trial Tr. AM Session 62, Mar. 4, 2010.) In the l990s, the FARC
began to purchase cocaine base itself and later set the price it was willing to pay. (Trial Tr.
AM Session 32, Mar. 2, 2010; Trial Tr. PM Session 63, Mar. 4, 2010.) As the FARC began
to appreciate the revenues generated by the cocaine trade and learned how to process cocaine it
expanded its involvement to become a cocaine supplier, an operator of cocaine laboratories,
and to otherwise engage in typical cocaine trafficking activities that previously were the
domain of major cartels like the Medellin and Cali cartels. (Trial Tr. PM Session 38, Feb.
24, 2010; Trial Tr. AM Session 30-31, Mar. 2, 2010; Trial Tr. AM Session 64-65, Mar. 4,
20l0.)
The trial evidence also established that the FARC is a hierarchical organization
governed by a Secretariat and the Estado Mayor. (Trial Tr. AM Session 24-25, Feb. 25,
2010; Trial Tr. PM Session 42-44, Feb. 25, 2010.) The FARC is divided into seven Blocks,
which are designated geographically with the Eastern and Southern Blocks being the most
significant in terms of the production of illegal coca crops.z (Trial Tr. AM Session 27, 33,
2 The other Blocks consist of the Caribbean, Magdalena, and José Maria Cordova
Blocks, plus the Eastem Joint Command and the Central Joint Command. (Trial Tr. AM Session
__4__
Feb. 25, 2010.) Most Colombian cocaine is produced in the eastern or southern regions of the
country. (Trial Tr. PM Session 34, 37, Feb. 24, 2010.) The Blocks are further divided into
Fronts, which are the military units in each Colombian department. (Trial Tr. AM Session
24-25, 27, Feb. 25, 2010.) The FARC also consists of Mobile Columns that engage in
military actions against the Colombian government and Urban Fronts that operate in cities.
(Trial Tr. AM Session 25-26, Feb. 25, 2010.)
Within a Front there are Finance Officer’s who are responsible for managing drug
trafficking and the Front’s money by collecting the cocaine taxes, resources, and coca base to
deliver to FARC superiors. (Trial Tr. AM Session 25, 28, Mar. 2, 2010; Trial Tr. AM
Session, 60, Mar. 4, 2010.) The Finance Officer would buy or collect cocaine base from the
farms where coca was cultivated and cocaine paste manufactured, weigh the cocaine base, and
then pay the farmer if the farm was independently owned or simply collect it from the farms
operated by the FARC. (Trial Tr. AM Session 28-29, Mar. 2, 2010.) The FARC would set
the price for cocaine base and then buy it at that price from farmers. (Trial Tr. AM Session
32, Mar. 2, 2010.)
The FARC reached a pinnacle with respect to its expansion and the size of its
membership during the relevant period of the conspiracy charged in the indictment, namely
1998 to 2004, which also coincided with the designation of a demilitarized zone ("DMZ") for
peace talks from 1998 to 2002. (Trial Tr. AM Session 31-32, Feb. 25, 2010; Trial Tr. AM
Session 28, Mar. l, 2010.) All the FARC Fronts were active in the DMZ. (Trial Tr. AM
Session 28, Mar. l, 2010.) During that time the FARC’s membership peaked at about 16,000
27, 30-31, Feb. 25, 2010.)
__5__
people. (Trial Tr. AM Session Zl, Feb. 25, 2010.) The FARC’s warfare ammunition,
training, and food for personnel was funded by narcotics trafficking. (Trial Tr. AM Session
38, Mar. l, 2010.)
The evidence revealed that it was “something normal" to hear members of the FARC
commenting "that the coke was coming to the United States because it said that it is the
country that most consumes it." (Trial Tr. PM Session 21, Mar. 10, 2010.) Eastern Bloc
leader Mono JoJoy said during a meeting at a FARC training school "that the cocaine was all
coming to the United States." (Trial Tr. PM Session 23, Mar. 10, 2010.) Mono JoyJoy also
said "[t]hat the drug was going to the United States to make them go crazy, because that is the
policy, that is the image that is portrayed in the FARC." (Trial Tr. PM Session 24, Mar. 10,
2010.)
Colonel Javier Mauricio Alvarez Ochoa from the Colombian National Police testified
as an expert about the production of cocaine base and cocaine hydrochloride and the history
and organization of the FARC. (Trial Tr. AM Session 20, Feb. 25, 2010.) Colonel Alvarez
explained the equipment needed to construct a cocaine base laboratory and the process to
manufacture cocaine base as well as the process to manufacture cocaine hydrochloride and the
higher costs involved in equipping a cocaine hydrochloride laboratory as compared to cocaine
base laboratories, (Trial Tr. AM Session 42-57, Feb. 25, 2010.) He also testified that he
conducted anti-narcotic operations in the FARC’S 16th and 14th Fronts and, during those
operations, discovered coca crops, cocaine laboratories, illegal airstrips and cocaine
complexes. (Trial Tr. AM Session 59-62, Feb. 25, 2010; Trial Tr. PM Session 9, Feb. 25,
2010.) According to Colonel Alvarez, "[t]his is a very large area where we have the illegal
__6__
crops and base cocaine labs and cocaine hydrochloride labs." (Trial Tr. AM Session 61-62,
Feb. 25, 2010.)
Colonel Alvarez discussed several operations during which he raided FARC cocaine
laboratories. He testified that, in 200l, he conducted an operation in the 16th Front "to
combat the production of illegal crops in the area of Vichada" and found a cocaine laboratory
that had "all of the standard products used in the production of cocaine hydrochloride.” (Trial
Tr. AM Session 69-72, Feb. 25, 2010.) Colonel Alvarez also discussed a videotape of an
operation he commanded in 2002 in the former demilitarized zone. (Trial Tr. PM Session 9-
ll, Feb. 25, 2010.) While the jury viewed the videotape, Colonel Alvarez recounted the
operation, which entailed the raid of what Colonel Alvarez described as "the largest lab I have
seen in my life after Tranquilandia . . . (Trial Tr. PM Session 10, l4, Feb. 25, 2010.)
Seven tons of cocaine base and seven tons of cocaine hydrochloride were discovered at that
laboratory. (Trial Tr. PM Session 15, l7, Feb. 25, 2010.)
Witness Viviana Ortiz testified that she joined the FARC when she was 14 years old
and was a former member of the FARC’s 16th Front under the leadership of Negro Acacio.3
(Trial Tr. PM Session 61-62, Mar. l, 2010.) Rafael Ceppillo was a mobile column
commander for the 16th Front at that time and Guillermo Cochornea was the Finance Officer
who "was the one who collected coca base for the front.”" (Trial Tr. PM Session 75, Mar. l,
3 The spelling of "Negro Acacio" varies throughout the transcripts of the trial. F or
consistency the Court will use the spelling first documented in the transcripts, which is "Acacio"
rather than "Acascio" or "Acasio;" however, quotations from the transcripts will not be altered.
4 Ortiz stated that nearly every day Guillerrno Cochomea would go to farms along
the rivers, some which belonged to the FARC and others were independent, meet with the
owners or people in charge, get cocaine base, weigh the cocaine base and then make payment or
simply collect it. (Trial Tr. AM Session 28-29, Mar. 2, 2010.) The cocaine base was
__7__
2010; Trial Tr. AM Session, Mar. 2, 2010.) Ortiz said she worked directly under Ceppillo
and was Guillermo Cochornea’s radio operator.§ (Trial Tr. PM Session 75, Mar. l, 2010.)
Ortiz testified that she demobilized from the FARC in 2008 and entered Colombia’s
reintegration program, which offers assistance so former guerillas can be educated and
integrated into Colombian society. (Trial Tr. PM Session 68, Mar. l, 2010; Trial Tr. AM
Session 63, Mar. 2, 2010.)
Ortiz identified the defendant and said he was "one of the people that would bring
weapons into the front and take away cocaine base." (Trial Tr. PM Session 64, Mar. l,
2010.) Ortiz stated that she first met the defendant in 2003 when she was on a mission with
Ceppillo to provide security for the defendant. (Trial Tr. PM Session 77, Mar. l, 2010.)
Ceppillo told Ortiz “that we were going to be providing [the defendant] security because he
was going to be coming through with weapons." (Trial Tr. PM Session 80-81, Mar. l, 2010.)
Ortiz explained that such security was provided “in case there was an attack by the Army to
take the weapons." (Trial Tr. PM Session 81, Mar. l, 2010.) Ortiz said that after they
arrived at the location the defendant passed by with trucks and other vehicles. (Trial Tr. PM
Session 8l, Mar. l, 2010.) The defendant stopped and got out to speak to Ceppillo, greeted
everyone and then left. (Trial Tr. PM Session 8l, Mar. l, 2010.) Ortiz was told that the
defendant was " going to the front, the area of the front to deliver the weapons." (Trial Tr.
PM Session 82, Mar. l, 2010.) Ortiz remained at that location and the defendant passed by
packaged in plastic and put into burlap sacks. (Trial Tr. AM Session 29-31, Mar. 2, 2010.)
5
Ortiz testified that, as Guillerrno Cochomea’s radio operator she was responsible
for reporting to Negro Acacio at scheduled times and spoke over the radio using codes to avoid
interception. (Trial Tr. AM Session 33, Mar. 2, 2010.)
__g__
again later in the afternoon with "cocaine base in the trucks" in many burlap bags that each
could hold up to 40 kilograms. (Trial Tr. PM Session 82-83, Mar. l, 2010.) When the
prosecutor asked who was in charge of the defendant’s group, Ortiz responded "[h]e was,
Chiguiro." (Trial Tr. AM Session 23, Mar. 2, 2010.)
Ortiz next saw the defendant when she accompanied Ceppillo to the defendant’s house
in Vichada, where they had lunch. (Trial Tr. AM Session 23, Mar. 2, 2010.) Ceppillo met
with the defendant while Ortiz had lunch on the patio and then Ortiz and Ceppillo left. (Trial
Tr. AM Session 24, Mar. 2, 2010.)
Ortiz later saw the defendant again when she was working as Guillermo Cochornea’s
radio operator. (Trial Tr. AM Session 35, Mar. 2, 2010.) The defendant arrived by boat at a
camp where there were stash houses, spoke to Guillermo Cochornea and "then went on his
way to Negro Acacio.” (Trial Tr. AM Session 35, Mar. 2, 2010.) The defendant returned in
the afternoon and Guillermo Cochornea " gave him some cocaine base." (Trial Tr. AM
Session 36, Mar. 2, 2010.)
Ortiz also reviewed Government’s Exhibit 802, which was a videotape showing
"guerillas . . . crossing a river with Chiguiro" and she identified both the defendant and
Guillermo Cochornea on the videotape. (Trial Tr. AM Session 39, Mar. 2, 2010.) When the
prosecutor asked whether the defendant appeared to be carrying a weapon in the video, Ortiz
responded "[y]es, sir, he would always carry a pistol." (Trial Tr. AM Session 39, Mar. 2,
2010.) Ortiz further stated that no civilians in the 16th Front carried weapons because
weapons "belonged to the FARC." (Trial Tr. AM Session 39, Mar. 2, 2010.)
Ortiz testified that the last time she saw the defendant she was a member of Negro
Acacio’s special guard located at another camp on a riverbank. (Trial Tr. AM Session 40, 41,
__9__
Mar. 2, 2010.) The defendant arrived by speedboat one day to deliver long and short rifles to
Negro Acacio. (Trial Tr. AM Session 42, Mar. 2, 2010.) The defendant spoke to Negro
Acacio and then the defendant was given cocaine base in several sacks. (Trial Tr. AM Session
43, Mar. 2, 2010.) The defendant then departed by speedboat on the river. (Trial Tr. AM
Session 44, Mar. 2, 2010.)
Ortiz related that, on the day the defendant was arrested in Venezuela, Negro Acacio
"brought us all together and told us what was going on in the front, and that [the defendant]
had been arrested on the Venezuelan border with a load." (Trial Tr. AM Session 45, Mar. 2,
2010.) Ortiz further stated that "[h]e did not explain what it was. But we knew the load had
to have been either coca, cocaine base, or weapons." (Trial Tr. AM Session 45, Mar. 2,
2010.)
Before Ortiz left the FARC she was seriously injured during an aerial bombing of her
camp during which Negro Acacio was killed. (Trial Tr. AM Session 46-47, Mar. 2, 2010.)
Guillermo Cochornea became the 16th Front’s leader after Negro Acacio was killed. (Trial
Tr. AM Session 49, Mar. 2, 2010.)
On redirect, Ortiz testified that, at one point in time, she saw a lot of United States
currency that had gotten wet and was being dried in a field. (Trial Tr. PM Session 35, Mar.
2, 2010.) She also testified that, with the exception of Colombian pesos, she never saw any
other currencies while she was in Colombia. (Trial Tr. PM Session 35, Mar. 2, 2010.) Ortiz
concluded by confirming that, with the exception of the defendant, she never heard anyone
else in the 16th Front referred to as "Chiguiro." (Trial Tr. PM Session 50, Mar. 2, 2010.)
Witness Mauricio Parra Diaz testified that he joined the FARC in 1990 when he was
20 years old and remained a member of the FARC’s 16th Front for 17 years. (Trial Tr. PM
Session 38-39, 42, Mar. 3, 2010; Trial Tr. AM Session 54, Mar. 4, 2010.) He stated that
--1()__
Negro Acacio was a commander of the 16th Front, which was part of the Eastern Block.
(Trial Tr. AM Session 53-54, 55-56, Mar. 4, 2010.) He also stated that the lst Front and the
16th Front were the "most important" Fronts for the Eastern Block. (Trial Tr. AM Session
56, Mar. 4, 2010.) Parra Diaz explained that:
These two fronts were most important because they had the most strategic
corridors in the area - in that area. And when l say strategic corridor, what I’m
referring to is that it bordered with Venezuela and Brazil, which is where they
would move all of their drug trafficking. That is why it was the most important
for the FARC, to have that close just to the borders.
(Trial Tr. AM Session 56-57, Mar. 4, 2010.)
Parra Diaz testified that Guillermo Cochornea and Rafael Ceppillo took over finances
for the 16th Front after the prior Finance Officer deserted and, at that time, Negro Acacio
became the leader of the 16th Front. (Trial Tr. AM Session 60, 61, 62, Mar. 4, 2010.)
According to Parra Diaz, Cepillo "was in charge of the weapons for the front, and Guillermo
Cochornea was in charge of the drug trafficking." (Trial Tr. AM Session 62, Mar. 4, 2010.)
Parra Diaz said that, initially, the FARC did not buy drugs but simply collected a tax from the
laboratories and Guillermo Cochornea received the collected tax. (Trial Tr. AM Session 63,
Mar. 4, 2010.) He said that the largest amount of cocaine tax money that he saw collected at
one time was based on "[a]bout three, four, five tons" of cocaine. (Trial Tr. AM Session 64,
Mar. 4, 2010.)
Parra Diaz said that, around 1997, the FARC gathered intelligence and learned how
cocaine was processed so they took over the management of the cocaine kitchens and
laboratories. (Trial Tr. AM Session 64-65, Mar. 4, 2010.) Parra Diaz stated that Negro
Acacio sent him to work surreptitiously for one of the cocaine laboratories to uncover a
suspected infiltrator. (Trial Tr. AM Session 65-66, Mar. 4, 2010.) The laboratory processed
cocaine base into cocaine powder and then the cocaine powder would be stashed, which
__11__
involved burying the cocaine in plastic drums. (Trial Tr. AM Session 67-68, Mar. 4, 2010.)
Parra Diaz said that he had guarded stashes. (Trial Tr. AM Session 67, Mar. 4, 2010.)
Parra Diaz identified the defendant and stated that he knew him only by the name
"Chiguiro." (Trial Tr. AM Session 57, Mar. 4, 2010.) Parra Diaz said the first time he saw
the defendant was in 2005 in Vichada when Parra Diaz was accompanying Guillermo
Cochornea from camp to a town in El Placer where "Chiguiro came out to the corner and met
us . . . (Trial Tr. AM Session 71, Mar. 4, 2010.) The second time Parra Diaz saw the
defendant was during a mission with Ceppillo and two other FARC guerillas - they met with
the defendant who joined them along with two "members of his troop." (Trial Tr. AM
Session 72-73, Mar. 4, 2010.) The group went to a farm that belonged to a man who owned
cocaine laboratories and they were told that the mission was to kill a husband and wife who
were employees of the laboratory. (Trial Tr. AM Session 73-74, Mar. 4, 2010.) Parra Diaz
said the wife was a cook and the husband "was a trusted man who worked at the lab" handling
the radio and guarding the stash. (Trial Tr. AM Session 72-73, Mar. 4, 2010.) The
defendant told them that the husband and wife “ were informants for the paramilitaries, and
that they had infiltrated the lab and were going to rob the lab." (Trial Tr. AM Session 74,
Mar. 4, 2010.) The wife served the group breakfast, after which the husband was brought
before them and beaten by the farm’s owner. (Trial Tr. AM Session 73-74, Mar. 4, 2010.)
The group then tied up the wife and husband, put them in a vehicle, and drove into the jungle
where a hole was dug. (Trial Tr. AM Session 74, Mar. 4, 2010.) The defendant killed the
husband with a "765" pistol and Parra Diaz killed the wife with the same pistol. (Trial Tr.
AM Session 75, Mar. 4, 2010.) Afterward, the defendant "took his men and moved the
merchandise to a different stash area." (Trial Tr. AM Session 75, Mar. 4, 2010.) Parra Diaz
said he thought there was about one ton of cocaine at the laboratory that day. (Trial Tr. AM
__12__
Session 76, Mar. 4, 2010.) Parra Diaz said he could not recall exactly how the defendant was
dressed that day but that the defendant typically wore civilian clothing and carried a pistol.
(Trial Tr. AM Session 76, Mar. 4, 2010.)
The next time Parra Diaz saw the defendant was later that same year when he was
traveling with Guillermo Cochornea to a farm on the outskirts of Santa Rita. (Trial Tr. AM
Session 77, Mar. 4, 2010.) The defendant was with them and Parra Diaz saw the defendant
and Guillermo Cochornea talking to "some colonels from the Venezuelan army" in Santa Rita.
(Trial Tr. AM Session 77, Mar. 4, 2010.) Parra Diaz testified that he "was really scared” by
the Venezuelans "because I did not know that the guerillas and the Venezuelan army were
speaking, and my thought was that we were under attack, that we were being assaulted."
(Trial Tr. AM Session 78, Mar. 4, 2010.) After Guillermo Cochornea spoke to the
Venezuelans, however, the group left and spent the night at a small farm where "we all stayed
. . all of us, with Chiguiro’s guards, and we just talked, visited all night." (Trial Tr. AM
Session 78, Mar. 4, 2010.) The defendant, Guillermo Cochornea and a third party left for
Venezuela early the next morning. (Trial Tr. AM Session 78, Mar. 4, 2010.)
Parra Diaz was shown portions of Government’s Exhibit 802, which was the same
videotape that was shown during witness Viviana Ortiz’s testimony. (Trial Tr. AM Session
39, Mar. 2, 2010; Trial Tr. AM Session 78, Mar. 4, 2010.) As stated previously, the
videotape showed the defendant and other individuals transporting a vehicle across a river
from Colombia to Venezuela, including Guillermo Cochornea. (Trial Tr. AM Session 39,
Mar. 2, 2010.) Parra Diaz identified Guillermo Cochornea on the videotape. (Trial Tr. AM
Session 83, Mar. 4, 2010.) When asked whether civilians were allowed to carry pistols in that
region of Colombia, Parra Diaz indicated that only guerillas and drug traffickers we permitted
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to bear weapons, although civilians could carry shotguns. (Trial Tr. AM Session 84, Mar. 4,
2010.)
Parra Diaz said that he saw the defendant again in 2002 when Negro Acacio gave Parra
Diaz an order to get ready for "an important mission." (Trial Tr. AM Session 84-85, Mar. 4,
2010.) The order was in writing and commanded Parra Diaz and three drivers to go to La
Placina "to receive cargo from Chiguiro." (Trial Tr. AM Session 85, Mar. 4, 2010.)
According to Parra Diaz, “the letter continued and said, in case of there is helicopters, or in
case the enemy is about, you are order to sink it [sic]. The cargo cannot be seized, because if
it is seized, you will be court-martialed." (Trial Tr. AM Session 85, Mar. 4, 2010.) Parra
Diaz said he followed the order and the defendant was waiting "with his people" at La
Placina, along with Ceppillo. (Trial Tr. AM Session 85, Mar. 4, 2010.) Parra Diaz told
Ceppillo he was reporting for a mission but Ceppillo told him "no, no, no. The thing is with
Chiguiro. I have nothing to do with that." (Trial Tr. AM Session 85, Mar. 4, 2010.) Parra
Diaz said he reported to the defendant who told Parra Diaz to get the cargo, which was in
cars. (Trial Tr. AM Session 86, Mar. 4, 2010.) Parra Diaz said the cargo was loaded into
canoes and consisted of "Venezuelan military uniforms, rifles, explosives and ammunitions."
(Trial Tr. AM Session 86, Mar. 4, 2010.) Para Diaz testified that the cargo filled three large
canoes and one small one and "must have been eight tons." (Trial Tr. AM Session 86, Mar.
4, 2010.) Cepillo and the defendant then accompanied Parra Diaz and the cargo for the return
to camp. (Trial Tr. AM Session 86, Mar. 4, 2010.) The next morning Parra Diaz saw the
defendant "handing over to Negro Acacio the cargo that he had brought along." (Trial Tr.
AM Session 87, Mar. 4, 2010.) Later in the day, Parra Diaz saw the defendant and Negro
Acacio sitting at a table where they "were doing some kind of business" and “settling
accounts," as demonstrated by the cocaine and money that was there. (Trial Tr. AM Session
__14-_
87, Mar. 4, 2010.) Parra Diaz said there were "100 kilos if not more" of cocaine there that l
day on top of the table, near where the defendant was sitting, and below where he was sitting.
(Trial Tr. AM session 87-38, Mar. 4, 2010.) l
Parra Diaz further testified that he was at the camp with Negro Acacio the day the
defendant was captured in Venezuela and Acacio said "[h]e was concerned about the cargo,
the load. So he told us to pay attention to what was being said about Chiguiro to know
whether he had been arrested with the cargo or without." (Trial Tr. AM Session 88-89, Mar.
4, 2010.) Parra Diaz said Negro Acacio talked about “the coke that Chiguiro had, whether it
had been stashed or not." (Trial Tr. AM Session 89, Mar. 4, 2010.)
Parra Diaz stated that a narcotics trafficker named Fernandino, who the 16th Front
dealt with, told him that the Front’s cocaine was going to the United States. (Trial Tr. AM
Session 93, 94, Mar. 4, 2010.)
Intelligence Research Specialist ("IRS") Francisco Garrido testified that he took
custody of the defendant on April 18, 2008, in Colombia for the purpose of extraditing him to
the United States. (Trial Tr. AM Session 26, Mar. 8, 2010.) During the flight to the United
States, the defendant told IRS Garrido that his nickname was Chiguiro and he described his
background and early activities as a boat operator. (Trial Tr. AM Session 31-34, Mar. 8,
2010.) The defendant told IRS Garrido that, during the 1990s, "he became a transporter for
the FARC’s 16th Front." (Trial Tr. AM Session 34, Mar. 8, 2010.) The defendant also said
that " from 1999 to 2001 he moved 1.5 tons of cocaine every 4 to 6 months for the FARC, and \
in addition to that he also supplied them with logistical support, you know, uniforms, things j
li like that, and weapons." (Trial Tr. AM Session 35, Mar. 8, 2010.) IRS Garrido testified
that, based on these amounts, he estimated the defendant transported 11,000 kilograms of l
ll cocaine for the FARC. (Trial Tr. AM Session 35, Mar. 8, 2010.) The defendant also
__15__
admitted to IRS Garrido that "on two or three occasions only he moved rif`les" for the FARC.
(Trial Tr. AM Session 35, Mar. 8, 2010.) The defendant told IRS Garrido that around 2002
he left the Vichada region in fear because the Colombian military "began making a presence"
in that area and "[h]e had to stop supplying the FARC supplies and moving cocaine loads, and
he left to Venezuela." (Trial Tr. AM Session 36, Mar. 8, 2010.)
Witness Carlos Gonzalez Jaramillo testified that he was a Colonel in the Colombian
Army at the Military Intelligence Central of Colombia. (Trial Tr. AM Session 51, Mar. 8,
2010.) He identified the defendant and said he met the defendant during an interview at a
detention center in Venezuela where Colonel Gonzalez was sent "at the request of the
Venezuelan authorities who wanted cooperation in the real identification of a.k.a. Chiguiro.”
(Trial Tr. AM Session 51, 52, Mar. 8, 2010.) Colonel Gonzales testified that he went to the
detention center and met with the defendant along with Venezuelan authorities. (Trial Tr. AM
Session 52, Mar. 8, 2010.) Part of the interview was videotaped but the rest was not. (Trial
Tr. AM Session 56, 57, Mar. 8, 2010.) The videotape and a translation were admitted into
evidence as Government’s Exhibits 3 and 3T, respectively. (Trial Tr. AM Session 58, Mar.
8, 2010.)
During the interview the defendant told Colonel Gonzales that he was connected to the
FARC and "he belonged to the logistics area, and that he also had dealings with the drug
trade, and that he was also in charge of selling the FARC’s drugs, and fulfilled leadership
roles as a FARC leader as in committing crimes in the eastern border of Colombia with
Venezuela." (Trial Tr. AM Session 54, Mar. 8, 2010; Trial Tr. PM Session 56-57, Mar. 8,
2010.) The defendant said he "fulfilled orders given to him by the leaders of the FARC" and
"he was in charge of selling the FARC drugs to buyers, to look for buyers, and in exchange
for that he would receive in payment logistics issues such as weapons, ammunition." (Trial
-_16__
Tr. AM Session 54-55, Mar. 8, 2010.) Colonel Gonzalez said he spoke to the defendant about
cocaine and the defendant also talked about receiving orders from Ceppillo and Negro Acacio.
(Trial Tr. AM Session 55, Mar. 8, 2010.) The defendant also admitted that he was known as
Chiguiro within the FARC. (Trial Tr. AM Session 55, 61, Mar. 8, 2010.) None of these
statements were recorded by videotape "because [the defendant] asked for it not to be
recorded, that he would not speak if there was any recording going on.” (Trial Tr. AM
Session 56, Mar. 8, 2010.)
With respect to his capture in Venezuela, the defendant told Colonel Gonzalez that "he
had something to do with the drugs that had been seized by the Venezuelan authorities" and
that "those drugs belong to FARC and he was awaiting instructions from FARC to sell them."
(Trial Tr. AM Session 62, Mar. 8, 2010; Trial Tr. PM Session 47, 49, 57, Mar. 8, 2010.)
Colonel Gonzalez testified that he talked to the defendant about "him being the one that was in
charge of selling FARC drugs in Venezuela" but they otherwise did not discuss drug quantities
other than the drugs seized in Venezuela, which was 600 kilograms. (Trial Tr. AM Session
62, 64, Mar. 8, 2010.) Colonel Gonzalez said "the control of the drugs and a final decision
that had to be made whether a deal was good or not was in the hands of the FARC leaders.
And the representative of those leaders was Mr. Chiguiro." (Trial Tr. PM Session 48, Mar.
8, 2010.)
Colonel Gonzalez testified that he saw the defendant again when he was ordered to " go
to Venezuelan territory [sic] so that l could bring back to Colombia the gentleman known as
alias Chiguiro." (Trial Tr. AM Session 68, Mar. 8, 2010.) Colonel Gonzalez escorted the
defendant on a flight from Venezuela back to Colombia. (Trial Tr. AM Session 68, Mar. 8,
2010.)
Upon his arrival in Colombia, the defendant was interviewed by Major Guillermo
Rios, who was the chief of analysis to the 16th Front for the Intelligence Directorate of the
Military. (Trial Tr. AM Session 18, 20-21, Mar. 9, 2010.) Major Rios said the defendant
initially was nervous about the interview but, after being confronted with photographs and
other information, “he started volunteering information and telling us a more complete
account of his activity with the FARC." (Trial Tr. AM Session 22, 60-61, Mar. 9, 2010.)
Major Rios stated:
He recounted everything. The first contacts he had with FARC, what his role, his
job had been, and that with time he had gone up in the ranks in his work, and that
he ended up being in charge of the weapons, the ammunitions, the explosives of
the trafficking with Venezuela and other nationalities, and in exchange for this he
would receive either coke - either coca or money.
(Trial Tr. AM Session 23, Mar. 9, 2010.) The defendant also told Major Rios that "[o]f what
he remembered, his rough calculations, was that he had done approximately 250 tons in
combined ammunitions, weapons and explosives" in exchange for cocaine. (Trial Tr. AM
Session 23, Mar. 9, 2010.) During one specific deal in 2003, the defendant "brought in 18
tons of munitions, explosives and arms.” (Trial Tr. AM Session 23, 64-65, Mar. 9, 2010.)
The defendant told Major Rios that "[h]e brought in materials every 20 days . . .
AM Session 65, Mar. 9, 2010.)
The defendant told Major Rios that Negro Acacio commanded the 16th Front and gave
direct orders to Guillermo Cochornea, Ceppillo and Christian, who then gave orders to the
defendant. (Trial Tr. AM Session 24, Mar. 9, 2010.) The defendant said that he would meet
with Guillermo Cochornea or Ceppillo at locations on the border of Venezuela or along the
Orinoco, Tuparro and Vichada rivers. (Trial Tr. AM Session 24, Mar. 9, 2010.) Major Rios
recalled that "bringing in the military material" involved Guillermo Cochornea, Ceppillo or
Christian and they would give the defendant "the cocaine or the money" and the defendant
__1 g__
." (Trial Tr.
would give them “the ammunition or the explosives." (Trial Tr. AM Session 66, Mar. 9,
2010.) The defendant told Major Rios that "when there was a lack of money in the 16th
[F]ront, then [the defendant] received cocaine in exchange for the weapons." (Trial Tr. AM
Session 66, Mar. 9, 2010.) Major Rios said that the defendant "knew that in that area of the
jungle there was not a whole lot of money. Things were often traded with coke. He told me -
that’s what he told me." (Trial Tr. AM Session 67, Mar. 9, 2010.) Major Rios also testified
that the defendant " received cocaine from individuals that l mentioned earlier, the members of
the 16th Front." (Trial Tr. AM Session 68, Mar. 9, 2010.)
Major Rios testified that he never came across any information that someone other than
the defendant was known as "Chiguiro" during the time that he was analyzing the 16th Front.é
(Trial Tr. AM Session 26, Mar. 9, 2010.) Major Rios also confirmed that the media in
Colombia never reported about the capture of anyone else who was identified as "Chiguiro”
but was not the defendant. (Trial Tr. AM Session 28, Mar. 9, 2010.) Major Rios stated that
his files about the defendant showed that he was known as "Chiguiro," “Cheeky," and "Gentil
Alvis Patino." (Trial Tr. AM Session 53, Mar. 9, 2010.) Indeed, Major Rios said that his
agency held meetings with other Colombian intelligence agencies and during "one of those
meetings we discussed Mr. Martinez Vega, and we agreed then that we all had two names
under which we had him. lt was Gentil Alvis Patino and Jose Martinez Vega, a.k.a.,
Chiguiro." (Trial Tr. AM Session 58, Mar. 9, 2010.)
" The transcript reflects that the prosecutor asked Major Rios about "the time that
you worked on the 16th Front," which, out of context, might appear to indicate that Major Rios
was a member of the 16th Front. Accordingly, the Court has paraphrased to indicate that Major
Rios was "analyzing" the 16th Front rather than "working on" the 16th Front, which is consistent
with his testimony that his position at that time was "chief of analysis to the 16th Front of the
FARC." (Trial Tr. AM Session 18, Mar. 9, 2010.)
__19__
Witness Luis Restrepo testified that he joined the FARC when he was thirteen years
old and was part of the Bolivarian militia, which was engaged in intelligence work. (Trial Tr.
PM Session 7, Mar. 9, 2010.) Restrepo said that he had heard of the defendant and saw him
in town before getting to know him and interacting with him during a FARC military training
course. (Trial Tr. PM Session 7-8, Mar. 9, 2010.) After completing the course, Negro
Acacio sent Restrepo and seven others to El Placer to work with the defendant, who sent them
to other places. (Trial Tr. PM Session 8, Mar. 9, 2010; Trial Tr. AM Session 10-11, Mar.
10, 2010.) Negro Acacio told Restrepo and the others that their "responsibility was to
investigate any enemy coming into the area, the going in and out of the area, to make sure the
enemy didn’t come in, whether the Army or other people coming into our area" and then the
defendant assigned them to different areas. (Trial Tr. PM Session 8-9, Mar. 9, 2010.)
Restrepo testified that the defendant also told them that they should monitor what was
happening in town, whether the enemy would be coming, and "[w]e were to tell him because
he was in charge of us. He was our - like the commander, like our immediate commander, so
we had to tell him as our commander, we as the militia members." (Trial Tr. PM Session 9,
Mar. 9, 2010.) Restrepo said the defendant “ was our boss" but that Negro Acacio gave each
person his own mission so he only spoke to the defendant as a group once during his tenure
working for the defendant, although he otherwise spoke to the defendant two or three times.
(Trial Tr. PM Session 54, Mar. 9, 2010; Trial Tr. AM Session 15, Mar. 10, 2010.) Restrepo
said that, specifically, they were supposed to report to the defendant "[a]ny information
gathered from the enemy or about people who were harvesting coca without authorization."
(Trial Tr. PM Session 10, Mar. 9, 2010.) Restrepo also said "there was a general instruction
that if anybody saw anybody taking cocaine without any authorization, we were to report it" to
the defendant. (Trial Tr. PM Session 7, Mar. 9, 2010.) Restrepo explained that they were to
___9_()__
report unauthorized cocaine trade to the defendant "because he was the one that had direct
communication with the commander, Negro Acascio.” (Trial Tr. PM Session 10, Mar. 9,
2010.)
Restrepo said that the townspeople and farmers in El Placer called the defendant
"Chiguiro" and he never heard anyone call the defendant by his true name. (Trial Tr. AM
Session 14, Mar. 10, 2010.) He said the defendant was well known in the town. (Trial Tr.
AM Session 14, Mar. 10, 2010.)
After working with the defendant for five or six months, Restrepo joined the FARC’s
rank and file. (Trial Tr. PM Session 11, Mar. 9, 2010.) Restrepo said he saw the defendant
three times after that, (Trial Tr. PM Session 12, Mar. 9, 2010.) The first time Restrepo saw
the defendant the defendant was talking to Negro Acacio at a camp in the 16th Front. (Trial
Tr. PM Session l2, Mar. 9, 2010.) Restrepo testified that the defendant brought weapons -
long rifles and different caliber weapons - and "was taking them to Negro [Acacio] for the
front." (Trial Tr. PM Session 13, Mar. 9, 2010.) Restrepo said Negro Acacio gave the
defendant coca7 in return in two or three sacks that could hold about 50 to 60 kilograms.
(Trial Tr. PM Session 13, Mar. 9, 2010.) On another occasion Restrepo saw "the same
thing" - the defendant brought 30 to 40 arms to Negro Acacio in exchange for coca.g (Trial
Tr. PM Session 13-14, 17, Mar. 9, 2010.) Restrepo said that he saw cocaine in the 16th Front
on several occasions "when they were preparing the cocaine, preparing bricks of cocaine" and
7 Restrepo clarified on cross examination that when he referred to "coca" he meant
"[c]rystal cocaine." (Trial Tr. AM Session 16, Mar. 10, 2010.) He explained that he knew
the difference and that "crystal cocaine is in little bars, in little shapes and very good order.
The base cocaine is very voluminous, and it is not in any particular order." (Trial Tr. AM
Session 16-17, Mar. 10, 2010.)
8 See n.5, supra.
__21__
"when they were making the cocaine." (Trial Tr. PM Session 14, Mar. 9, 2010.) Restrepo
stated that "[t]hey would process it in the laboratories and prepare it to transport it to other
countries." (Trial Tr. PM Session 14, Mar. 9, 2010.) He said "[t]hey would process there a
thousand kilos" approximately "[e]very week, every two weeks." (Trial Tr. PM Session 7,
Mar. 9, 2010.) Restrepo said that the cocaine would be stored at the laboratory “or they
would have other warehouses, stashing places where they were safer." (Trial Tr. PM Session
15 , Mar. 9, 2010.) Restrepo described what such a warehouse looked like and said that he
worked at one where there was "[c]oca, munitions, weapons, materials for uniforms." (Trial
Tr. PM Session 15, Mar. 9, 2010.) He said the warehouse he worked at had 200 to 300
weapons because a large shipment had arrived from East Asia. (Trial Tr. PM Session 15-16,
Mar. 9, 2010.) He also said the warehouse stored between one to three tons of cocaine and
the defendant was one of the people to whom the cocaine was to be delivered. (Trial Tr. PM
Session 16-17, Mar. 9, 2010.)
The last time Restrepo saw the defendant was in 2001 when a group of guerillas
including Restrepo were traveling through Santa Rita to the Chiparro River and they ran into
the defendant, who said he was going to meet with Negro Acacio. (Trial Tr. PM Session 18,
Mar. 9, 2010.) Restrepo said "we just greeted each other and we exchanged a few words just
to say hi. Then he was going in his car, and we went away in our car." (Trial Tr. PM
Session 18, Mar. 9, 2010.)
Restrepo said that, based on his observations as a member of the FARC, the
defendant’s role was "finances" and that "[h]e would finance the FARC with weapons, [and]
automobiles" and they would be paid for "with drugs." (Trial Tr. PM Session 27-28, Mar. 9,
2010.)
__22__
Restrepo testified that, after 2002 or 2003, there was a point in time when he worked
for Guillermo Cochornea, who “ financed the front with money, food, weapons, uniforms,
everything," which "[h]e managed to get . . . with drugs, with coca in various places." (Trial
Tr. PM Session 18-19, Mar. 9, 2010.) During that time the defendant also was working with
Guillermo Cochornea and Restrepo heard them "talking over satellite" and he overheard
Cochornea telling his radio operator that he was going to talk to the defendant. (Trial Tr. PM
Session 20, Mar. 9, 2010; Trial Tr. AM Session 19, Mar. 10, 2010.)
Restrepo also commented that, when Negro Acacio "was happy, he would say it, yeah,
the coke goes to the United States. That’s the place where we get the most benefit from, the
most money from." (Trial Tr. PM Session 28, Mar. 9, 2010.) When the prosecutor asked
Restrepo whether he ever heard Guillermo Cochornea say where the cocaine was going,
Restrepo responded by saying "[s]ometimes they would have meetings in which they would
speak about it, and they would say that, yeah, the coca was going to the United States." (Trial
Tr. PM Session 28, Mar. 9, 2010.) Restrepo further stated that the defendant was working for
both Negro Acacio and Guillermo Cochornea during the time when Restrepo heard them
saying that the drugs were going to the United States. (Trial Tr. PM Session 28, Mar. 9,
2010.) On redirect, Restrepo stated again that the FARC though they could get the most
money for selling their cocaine in the United States. (Trial Tr. AM Session 36, Mar. 10,
2010.)
Restrepo said he transported cocaine while working for Guillermo Cochornea, such as
one time when Cochornea sent Restrepo to sell a ton of cocaineg to members of the AUC at
° Restrepo confirmed during cross examination that the cocaine was "crystal
cocaine." (Trial Tr. AM Session 17, Mar. 10, 2010.)
__23__
Barranco Colorado in Guaviare. (Trial Tr. PM Session 20-21, Mar. 9, 2010.) Mono Joloym
also sent Restrepo with about six billion pesos to get two tons of cocaine“ from Guillermo
Cochornea and transport it back to Mono JoJoy. (Trial Tr. PM Session 22-23, Mar. 9, 2010.)
Restrepo also described the demilitarized zone and said it was "lawless," there was
"[n]o public authority," guerillas were there, and "[t]here were representatives of the FARC at
the national level." (Trial Tr. PM Session 23, Mar. 9, 2010.) He said the FARC "did
courses there" and "training," and that he saw guerillas from different Fronts bringing cocaine
there. (Trial Tr. PM Session 24, Mar. 9, 2010.)
Restrepo said he left the FARC "[b]ecause l noticed - l realized that for a long while,
that organization no longer had the ideals it had when l joined." (Trial Tr. PM Session 25,
Mar. 9, 2010.) Restrepo explained:
[W]hat l mean is that when l joined, they had some positive thoughts about doing
work for - that favored the people. And then, l mean, everything started becoming
related to cocaine. lt was all cocaine, cocaine here, cocaine there, and this was not
the case before.
(Trial Tr. PM Session 25, Mar. 9, 2010.) Restrepo said that, after 13 years in the FARC, he
deserted with five other men and joined Colombia’s demobilization program. (Trial Tr. PM
Session 25, Mar. 9, 2010.)
Major Angela Beatriz Bolivar testified that she was a member of the Colombian
military who worked for the Technical Intelligence Main Office of the Army, which is referred
to as "C-TEC." (Trial Tr. AM Session 42, Mar. 10, 2010.) She said C-TEC "listen[s] to all
the communications that are being said over radio frequencies " to "monitor to see if there is an
10 The commander of the FARC’s Eastem Block, although Restrepo identified him
as "the commander ofthe FARC." (Trial Tr. PM Session 21, Mar. 9, 2010.)
“ Restrepo confirmed during cross examination that the cocaine was "crystal
cocaine." (Trial Tr. AM Session 18, Mar. 10, 2010.)
__24-_
event going on that could be causing a risk to national security." (Trial Tr. AM Session 43,
Mar. 10, 2010.) Major Beatriz said she is a speech therapist and does voice identification.
(Trial Tr. AM Session 44, Mar. 10, 2010.) She testified that she is the one who controls all
information about the communications in the country and she reviewed C-TEC’s records l
regarding communications that related to individuals identified as "Chiguiro." (Trial Tr. AM
Session 44, Mar. 10, 2010.) She said that, based on her review, C-TEC has no records of
individuals using the name "Chiguiro" after February 2005.12 (Trial Tr. AM Session 45, Mar.
10, 2010.)
Witness Julio Cesar Gomez testified that he was a Sergeant“ in the Intelligence l
Division of the Colombian National Police. (Trial Tr. PM Session 14, Mar. 17, 2010.) He said l
he worked for a radio listening unit and began monitoring communications in the 16th Front in l
"‘98, ‘99, part of 2000 and from 2003 to 2005.” (Trial Tr. PM Session 15, Mar. l7, 2010.) He
said the purpose of listening to the 16th Front’s communications was "to learn about the armed l
activities . . . and also the cocaine trafficking activities and weapons trafficking activities of l
this guerilla front." (Trial Tr. PM Session 15, Mar. 17, 2010.) Sergeant Gomez said that during
the course of monitoring he was able to identify, among others, the voices of Negro Acacio,
Guillernio Cochomea and the defendant, who he referred to as "Alias Chiguiro, Cheeky." (Trial
Tr. PM Session 16, Mar. 17, 2010.) Sergeant Gomez described how he was able to identify
individual voices over radio communications and said that FARC leaders used to communicate
directly over radios and would identify themselves and others by announcing their names over the l
l ‘ The defendant was arrested in Venezuela in early 2005. j
'3 He actually testified that he was an "intendente," which he said was "equal to the
ll rank of sergeant." (Trial Tr. PM Session 14, Mar. l7, 2010.) For convenience, the Court will
refer to him as Sergeant Gomez. f
‘l --25-- l
l
radio. (Trial Tr. PM Session l7, Mar. l7, 2010.) From 2001 to the present, liowever, there was a
transition away from that practice in favor of using radio operators to communicate. (Trial Tr.
PM Session 17, Mar. l7, 2010.)
Sergeant Gomez said that, during the time he monitored the 16th Front, he heard
Negro Acacio communicating by radio with Guillermo Cochornea and the defendant, as well
as a third party. With respect to the defendant, Sergeant Gomez testified that "because he was
very active in his calls, this led me to identify the - establish the illicit activities that he was
participating in, the cocaine trafficking, the weapons trafficking that he was carrying out for
the 16th front in his role as a main collaborator with Negro Acacio." (Trial Tr. PM Session
25, Mar. 17, 2010.) Sergeant Gomez went on to explain how he identified the name associated
with the defendant`s voice and said that "[i]nitially, Negro Acacio or Negro Acacio and his radio
operator would call out on the air, ‘Chiguiro, Cheeky, Cheeky, Cheeky,’ calling him, and this
person would come up on the air and begin to participate in the calls." (Trial Tr. PM Session 25-
26, 34, 38-39, 41-42, 43, Mar. 17, 2010.) He said that the voice he heard being referenced as
Chiguiro was the same voice he heard in a series of calls that comprised Government’s Exhibit
508T. He also said that during the time he monitored radio communications connected to the
FARC he never heard anyone other than the defendant referred to as "Chiguiro." (Trial Tr. PM
Session 26, Mar. 17, 2010.) Sergeant Gomez said that even if there had been two people using
the same nickname in the 16th Front, he still " would have known which one was this
Chiguiro." (Trial Tr. PM Session 43, Mar. l7, 2010.)
Sergeant Gomez also testified that the FARC used code words for their security during
calls. (Trial Tr. PM Session 45, Mar. l7, 2010.) He explained that "[s]o, for cocaine or
weapons, which you would not hear in the calls, for example, in the case of cocaine, they call
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that cattle." (Trial Tr. PM Session 45, Mar. 17, 2010.) Likewise, "[Hor cocaine base, that
would be called heifers or calves. Weapons would be called tools. Ammunition, candy." (Trial
Tr. PM Session 46, Mar. l7, 2010.) He testified that in radio interceptions that were part of the
prosecution evidence, "what we do have is dulces, candy; dulce dia, candy store; 300,000
cartridges of the - cases or cartridges of the candy store; 50,000 verdura, vegetables. And that’s
- what they were talking about there were dollars or money, that’s what they needed to buy a
property." (Trial Tr. PM Session 47, Mar. 17, 2010.)
Witness Eugenio Vargas Perdomo testified that he was known as "Carlos Bolas"“ and
first met the defendant in the 1980s while picking coca leaves. (Trial Tr. AM Session 11, 19,
Mar. 18, 2010; Trial Tr. AM Session 12, Mar. 22, 2010.) Vargas said that in the years that he has
known the defendant they "did many things along the Colombia/Venezuela border" such as
buying "uniforms, weapons, bullets for the 16th front, as well as cars." (Trial Tr. AM Session
ll, Mar. 18, 2010.) He also said they were involved in cocaine trafficking, (Trial Tr. AM
Session 11, Mar. 18, 2010.)
Vargas testified that he was a member of the FARC for about three years until he was
injured and "could no longer really be part of the rank and file . . . (Trial Tr. AM Session
19-20, Mar. 18, 2010.) After leaving the FARC, Vargas "became just a run-of-the-mill
citizen" and then worked in a billiards hall. (Trial Tr. AM Session 20-21, Mar. 18, 2010.)
Vargas said he saw the defendant again in the early 1990s when Vargas went to visit
his father, who lived on a farm near the defendant’s farm. (Trial Tr. AM Session 21, Mar. 18,
2010.) Vargas said he and the defendant talked about problems the defendant was having with
14 When asked during cross examination how he preferred to be addressed, the
witness responded that he preferred to be addressed as "Vargas." (Trial Tr. AM Session 11, Mar.
22, 2010.)
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the 16th Front "because he was doing some things that the guerillas did not like. They were
blaming him for what he was doing, and so he was having problems with the guerillas." (Trial
Tr. AM Session 22, Mar. 18, 2010.) After Vargas advised him to do so, the defendant spoke to
John 40, who was the commander of the 16th Front at that time, and resolved the matter so that
he was able to continue working for the FARC. (Trial Tr. AM Session 22-23, 29, Mar. 18,
2010.) Vargas said he knew this had occurred because the defendant told him about it and
Vargas "had contact with the 16th - the people from the FARC." (Trial Tr. AM Session 22, Mar.
18, 2010.)
Vargas said that for "[a]bout a year or more" after that he and the defendant lived together
and "saw each other every day" working together on the border of Venezuela and "buying
uniforrns, ammunition, weapons, pistols, [and] that sort of thing" for the 16th Front. (Trial Tr.
AM Session 20-21, 25-26, 29, Mar. 18, 2010.) Vargas said he knew the defendant only by the
names "Ruben" and "Chiguiro" and explained that a chiguiro is an animal in Colombia that
"is really good at diving" and the defendant was called "Chiguiro" because “he was a really
good swimmer." (Trial Tr. AM Session 26-27, Mar. 18, 2010.) Vargas said he also heard
other people call the defendant "Gargantilla" or "Choker, because of a scar that he has on his
neck, or sometime [sic] he was called Animal, because his nickname was Chiguiro, and that’s
an animal, and so they called him animal." (Trial Tr. AM Session 27-28, Mar. 18, 2010.) He
also relayed an experience when the defendant was hospitalized with a broken leg and needed
money to get out of the hospital, so Vargas "paid" to help the defendant. (Trial Tr. AM Session
20-21, Mar. 18, 2010.)
Vargas said he stopped working with the defendant around 1992 or early 1993 when l ohn
40 told Vargas that he was needed in another town to "to take charge of some communications
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with contacts they had in Bogota . . . (Trial Tr. AM Session 29, Mar. 18, 2010.) John 40
told Vargas at that time that the defendant "would stay in charge - he would remain and be in
charge of what it was that l had been doing, and he would continue on with the radio and the
communications via radio, and he would come out on the radio three times a day as had always
been done." (Trial Tr. AM Session 30, Mar. 18, 2010.) Vargas clarified that the defendant
would "keep purchasing uniforms, bullets, whatever it was that came up, that if there were any
kind of problems to make a call regarding those problems, and if anybody needed to
communicate with the FARC to call.” (Trial Tr. AM Session 30, Mar. 18, 2010.)
Vargas said he and the defendant "spoke on the radio frequently" during the years 1994
and 1995. He also testified that he saw the defendant at a meeting with John 40 during which
the defendant and John 40 discussed "a general inventory of how things were going, what he
was doing, what they wanted him to do, you know, if they needed anything from him. In
general, sort of how his deals were going, and what kinds of problems that he was having."
(Trial Tr. AM Session 31-32, Mar. 18, 2010.) Vargas said the discussions between John 40 and
the defendant involved weapons and narcotics, "but more especially about weapons and
ammunitions." (Trial Tr. AM Session 32, Mar. 18, 2010.)
From 1996 to 2001, however, Vargas spoke to the defendant only rarely by radio. (Trial
Tr. AM Session 37, Mar. 18, 2010.) When they did talk, they "would never talk directly about
anything on the radio, because we would know that many people are listening in." (Trial Tr.
AM Session 37, Mar. 18, 2010.) As a result, they would "always use certain codes, or
different dialects with different names.” (Trial Tr. AM Session 37, Mar. 18, 2010.) Vargas
gave several examples of the code words they frequently used, such as the word "candy" when
they were talking about ammunition or "kitchen" or "restaurant" when they were referring to
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a laboratory, or "vegetables" when they were talking about United States currency, to name a
few.15 (Trial Tr. AM Session 38, Mar. 18, 2010.)
Vargas testified that, aside from Colombian pesos, the currency he saw most frequently
in the 16th Front was United States dollars. (Trial Tr. AM Session 39, Mar. 18, 2010.) He
confirmed that during drug transactions he sometimes saw United States dollars instead of
Colombian pesos and that "many times" from the 1990s to 2002 he saw large quantities of
United States dollars in quantities of $2 million to $3 million all in one place. (Trial Tr. AM
Session 40, Mar. 18, 2010.)
During Vargas’s testimony the prosecution played several audio recordings of
intercepted radio communications involving Vargas and the defendant. Vargas said that he
talked to the defendant about cocaine and quantities over high frequency radios and telephones
but always used code words. (Trial Tr. PM Session 3-4, Mar. 18, 2010.) Vargas identified code
words used during the intercepted communications and offered his interpretation of the
conversations during direct examination, cross examination and redirect. (Trial Tr. AM
Session 41-54, Mar. 18, 2010; Trial Tr. PM Session 4-19, Mar. 18, 2010; Trial Tr. AM Session
47-68, Mar. 22, 2010; Trial Tr. PM Session 3-14, 50-54, Mar. 22, 2010.) Vargas stated that
when he spoke to the defendant about cocaine transactions there were times when he would be
very vague to avoid identifying cocaine as the topic. (Trial Tr. PM Session 6, Mar. 18, 2010.)
He also identified and described a FARC code book that belonged to him and explained how it
identifies radio frequencies and uses lines of numbers to represent letters or words during
communications. (Trial Tr. PM Session 7-10, Mar. 18, 2010.) Vargas said the defendant had a
similar code book but he and the defendant did not use the FARC code books during their
15 The Court is citing the English translation of the Spanish code words identified by
Vargas.
__3()__
communications because they had established codes and frequencies that they commonly used
that were more efficient. (Trial Tr. PM Session 10-13, Mar. 18, 2010.)
Vargas said that he saw the defendant again in 2001 after he was forced, along with the
16th Front, to leave the Area they were working in Barranco Minas because the Colombian
army was in the area. (Trial Tr. PM Session 20, Mar. 18, 2010.) He asked the defendant
whether the defendant had a place that could process coca that Vargas stashed after one of his
planes went down. (Trial Tr. PM Session 21, Mar. 18, 2010.) Because the defendant had a
responsibility "to report all the business that took place in that area with regard to the buying
and selling of coca," he recommended a laboratory owned by a man referred to as “Mr.
Gonzalo." (Trial Tr. PM Session 22, Mar. 18, 2010.) Vargas confirmed that the defendant was
able to help him convert his coca to coca base. (Trial Tr. PM Session 4-19, Mar. 18, 2010.) He
also said that, at the end of 2001, he was able to secure 180 kilograms of cocaine from
Gonzalo’s laboratory with the defendant’s help and that the defendant was present when
Vargas picked up the cocaine and paid for it. (Trial Tr. PM Session 23, Mar. 18, 2010.) With
the defendant’s assistance, Vargas also "did two more transactions for 200 kilograms each,
with the same laboratory." (Trial Tr. PM Session 24, Mar. 18, 2010.) The defendant was the
middleman for the transactions between Vargas and Gonzalo and was there when Vargas
picked up the cocaine, which was paid for in United States dollars. (Trial Tr. PM Session 24,
Mar. 18, 2010.)
In 2002, Negro Acacio asked Vargas about obtaining ammunition for AK-47s, which
Vargas said he could do but that he would need money. (Trial Tr. PM Session 25, Mar. 18,
2010.) Negro Acacio said he would tell Guillermo Cochomea to authorize Gonzalo to release
100 kilograms of cocaine to the defendant for delivery to Vargas. (Trial Tr. PM Session 26-27,
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Mar. 18, 2010.) Vargas also had discussions with the defendant and told the defendant that he
needed an additional 100 kilograms of cocaine because he needed money. (Trial Tr. PM
Session 27, Mar. 18, 2010.) Vargas testified that he did receive the 200 kilograms of cocaine
from the defendant and sold it in Suriname. (Trial Tr. PM Session 27-28, Mar. 18, 2010.)
Vargas bought 150,000 AK-47 bullets, packed them, and then, as discussed with the
defendant, contracted a fishing boat that transported the packages 150 miles out to sea to a
second boat that took the ammunition "to the coast of Venezuela to be delivered to [the
defendant’s] people." (Trial Tr. PM Session 28, Mar. 18, 2010.) The delivery never took
place, however, and the defendant told Vargas “that the weather was bad and that the people
who were working for him hadn’t been able to go out." (Trial Tr. PM Session 29, Mar. 18,
2010.)
Vargas was a shown Government’s Exhibit 605, which consisted of a document
identifying people who owned him money for the sale of "coke” and the amounts in United
States dollars. (Trial Tr. PM Session 30-31, Mar. 18, 2010.) Vargas explained that, after 1999,
"the price of cocaine base went up. So in order to move 500 kilos out, you needed . . . 3
billion Colombian pesos. That was just too much money to get out of Bogota. So after that,
purchases of cocaine were done in dollars." (Trial Tr. PM Session 31, Mar. 18, 2010.)
Vargas also was shown Government’s Exhibit 702, which a receipt that "shows taxes
have to be paid to the guerillas for the purchase of cocaine base." (Trial Tr. PM Session 33,
Mar. 18, 2010.) He also explained that the receipt was:
[T]he receipt that you would give as a person in charge of any given area so that
the person that is moving his drug out of that area would have it on his person.
Should he run into any guerillas and they would ask, what do you have there, he
would say, well, coca or drugs. Then he would have to show them the receipt for
it or else, without the receipt, he would risk the drugs being confiscated.
-_32__
(Trial Tr. PM Session 31-32, Mar. 18, 2010.)
Vargas testified about a transaction that involved he and Negro Acacio contracting with
a man who said he could get 200 kilograms of cocaine onto a Colombian Air Force plane that
was going to the United States. (Trial Tr. PM Session 34, Mar. 18, 2010.) Vargas and Negro
Acacio had 50 kilograms put on the plane, which arrived in Texas but the drugs were seized.
(Trial Tr. PM Session 34, Mar. 18, 2010.)
The prosecutor asked Vargas about a man named Fernandino, who Vargas said was a
kingpin in Brazil on the scale of Pablo Escobar. (Trial Tr. PM Session 35, Mar. 18, 2010.)
Vargas said Fernandino bought drugs from a man known as "Jay" or "Jota,” who in turn
sometimes got drugs from Negro Acacio. (Trial Tr. PM Session 35, Mar. 18, 2010.) Vargas
said he knew Fernandino had been arrested because "he was in the plane when we were
brought down." (Trial Tr. PM Session 36, Mar. 18, 2010.)
Vargas was shown a videotape and transcript of the defendant and others moving a
vehicle across the Orinoco River from Colombia to Venezuela, which was Government’s
Exhibits 802 and 802T. (Trial Tr. PM Session 36, Mar. 18, 2010.) While the videotape played,
Vargas identified Guillermo Cochornea, the defendant, and the defendant’s voice, the location
in Garcitas, the pistol the defendant was carrying and the sheath, the defendant’s boat, the
river, and said that the movement of a vehicle on boats as shown in the video was "normal."
(Trial Tr. PM Session 42-49, Mar. 18, 2010.) Vargas said he had seen the defendant transport
in his boat food, gasoline, chemicals used to process coca, weapons or ammunition, and
finished cocaine. (Trial Tr. PM Session 50-51, Mar. 18, 2010.) Vargas said the defendant’s
boat could carry three to four tons of weight. (Trial Tr. PM Session 51, Mar. 18, 2010.)
Vargas said he was involved in moving "[m]ore or less 100 tons or more” of cocaine
during the time he worked for the FARC. (Trial Tr. AM Session 16, Mar. 18, 2010.) He said
he was also involved in shipping weapons, including buying "10,000 rifles, AK-47s," and
delivering them to the FARC’s 16th Front. (Trial Tr. AM Session 17, Mar. 18, 2010.)
Vargas said the last time he saw the defendant was in 2002 when they " worked together
at selling and buying drugs, that is cocaine, and from him I bought some drugs, and he sent
me the cocaine to Suriname, which is where l was." (Trial Tr. AM Session 1 1-12, Mar. 18,
2010.) Vargas explained that he was arrested that year in Suriname for cocaine trafficking,
(Trial Tr. AM Session 12, Mar. 18, 2010.) Vargas pled guilty to a United States indictment that
charged him with conspiracy to traffic drugs and was sentenced in 2008 to serve l 17 months of
imprisonment. (Trial Tr. AM Session 12, 15, 16, Mar. 18, 2010.)
The trial took nearly six weeks and ended with the jury returning a guilty verdict
against both the defendant and Martinez Vega on April 13, 2010.1° The defendant now seeks
to have the Court set aside the jury verdict against him and grant a new trial or enter a
judgment of acquittal . 17
II. MOTION FOR A NEW TRIAL
Pursuant to Rule 33(a), the Court may vacate a judgment and grant a new trial if the
interest of justice so requires. Fed. R. Crim. P. 33(a). "The Rule does not define ‘interests
of justice’ and the courts have had little success in trying to generalize its meaning." United
States v. Kuznz`ar, 881 F.2d 466, 470 (7th Cir. 1989) (Flaum, J.). "Nevertheless, courts have
16 The Court’s summary of the trial evidence is not exhaustive and omits evidence
that relates exclusively to co-defendant Erminso Cuevas Cabrera.
17 Co-defendant Errninso Cuevas Cabrera also filed post trial motions that are
addressed separately by the Court.
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interpreted the rule to require a new trial ‘in the interests of justice’ in a variety of situations in
which the substantial rights of the defendant have been jeopardized by errors or omissions
during trial. " Id.
A. IRS Francisco Garrid0’s Testimony
The defendant takes issue with the fact that IRS Garrido testified during redirect
examination that the first time he met witness Viviana Ortiz at the United States Embassy in
Bogota, Colombia, he showed her a photo array that included a photograph of the defendant.
(Def.’s Mot. for New Trial {l{l 2-4.) During a subsequent hearing outside the presence of the
jury, however, IRS Garrido testified that he had no specific recollection about whether he had
shown photographs of the defendant to Ortiz. (Trial Tr. PM Session 42, Mar. 24, 2010.) The
defendant asserts that the testimony presented to the jury during the redirect examination was
false, the government knew it was false, the government’s failure to correct the testimony was
prosecutorial misconduct, and the Court’s failure to demand that the government correct the
false testimony warrants a new trial, notwithstanding the fact that defense counsel made no
attempt to recall IRS Garrido to clarify his testimony after it became clear that he could not
recollect showing Ortiz a photo array. (Def.’s Mot. for New Trial 1l1l 5, 8, 10; Mem. of P&A
In Support of Mot. for New Trial jlil 3-5.)
"[D]eliberate deception of a court and jurors by the presentation of known false
evidence is incompatible with ‘rudimentary demands of justice."’ Giglio v. United States, 405
U.S. 150, 153 (1972) (Burger, J.). lt is well established, however, that "[b]efore finding an
error of constitutional significance, Gz`glio directs that a reviewing court must determine
whether ‘the false testimony could in any reasonable likelihood have affected the judgment of
the jury."’ United States v. Burch, 156 F.3d 1315, 1329 (D.C. Cir. 1998) (Wald, J.). This
has been referred to as "the materiality test for prosecutorial misconduct. " Icl.
__35__
The defendant argues that IRS Garrido’s alleged false testimony was material because it
bolstered Ortiz’s "questionable" in-court identification of the defendant. (Def.’s Mot. for New
Trial ll 8; Mem. of P&A In Support of Mot. for New Trial ll 5.) The problem with the
defendant’s position is that Ortiz proffered her identification based on a number of occasions
when she saw the defendant under circumstances that buttress the reliability of her in-court
identification. For example, Ortiz testified that she was a member of the FARC and that she
first saw the defendant when she was on a mission specifically to provide security for the
defendant while he passed by in a group of vehicles transporting weapons. (Trial Tr. PM
Session 61-62, 77, 80-81, Mar. 1, 2010.) The defendant stopped, exited his vehicle to speak
to Ortiz’s commander, greeted everyone, and then left. (Trial Tr. PM Session 81, Mar. l,
2010.) Ortiz said she remained at that location and the defendant passed by again later in the
afternoon with "cocaine base in the trucks" in many burlap bags. (Trial Tr. PM Session 82-
83, Mar. 1, 2010.) Ortiz also saw the defendant when she accompanied her commander to the
defendant’s house where they had lunch. (Trial Tr. AM Session 23-24, Mar. 2, 2010.) Later,
when she was Guillermo Cochornea’s radio operator, she saw the defendant arrive by boat at
their camp, speak to Cochornea, leave, and then return later in the day to give Cochornea
some cocaine base. (Trial Tr. AM Session 35-36, Mar. 2, 2010.) Ortiz testified that the last
time she saw the defendant she was a member of Negro Acacio’s special guard located at
another camp where she saw the defendant arrive by speedboat to deliver long and short rifles
to Acacio, speak to Acacio, obtain cocaine base in several sacks, and then leave by speedboat
on the river. (Trial Tr. AM Session 40, 41, 43, 44, Mar. 2, 2010.)
The trial evidence established that Ortiz saw the defendant multiple times and had the
opportunity to observe him under what appear to be routine circumstances during the regular
course of activities at FARC camps or on security missions. As a result, the totality of the
__36__
circumstances indicate that Ortiz’s in-court identification was sufficiently reliable to preclude a
very substantial likelihood of irreparable misidentification. United States \'. Ratzler, 475 F.3d
408, 411 (D.C. Cir. 2007) (Rogers, J.). In addition, Ortiz related that Negro Acacio announced
the defendant’s arrest on the day it happened. from which it can be inferred that the defendant
was a person of some importance to the 16th Front and, therefore, likely would make an
impression on a young guerilla in that Front. (Trial Tr. AM Session 45, Mar. 2, 2010.)
Consequently, the Court disagrees that Ortiz’s in-court identification could be characterized as
"questionable" or likely tainted by a prior suggestive identification that rendered the in-court
identification unreliable or mistaken. Simmons v_ United States, 390 U.S. 377, 383 (1968)
(Harlan, J.).
More to the point, though, even assuming IRS Garrido testified falsely“‘ that he showed
Ortiz photographs of the defendant, there is no likelihood that this testimony could have
affected the jury’s judgment. See Burch, 156 F.3d at 1329. As the Court recited above in
summary forrn, during the trial the govermnent presented multiple witnesses who were able to
identify the defendant in court and testify in detail about the defendant’s cocaine and weapons
trafficking activities for the FARC’s 16th Front. As a result, there was sufficient other
evidence at trial to substantiate the jury’s judgment regardless of how IRS Garrido testified or,
for that matter, regardless of Ortiz’s in-court identification.
B. Evidence that Other People were Known as "Chiguiro"
The defendant also insists that he is entitled to a new trial because the government
disclosed a document that contained a photograph of a man identified as "Angel Leopoldo
Lopez, aka Chiguiro" but who clearly was not the defendant. (Def.’s Mot. for New Trial 1l
111 Because the Court concludes that IRS Garrido’s testimony was not material it
need not determine whether in actuality it was false,
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13.) The document appeared to be a Powerpoint-type slide produced by an office of the
Colombian Military Intelligence known as "RIME 4" that otherwise bore no markings to
explain its origin. (Id.) During the trial, defense counsel had the document marked for
identification and questioned Major Guillermo Rios about it to no avail - Major Rios
disclaimed ever having seen the document and said that no such document existed in the files
of the Colombian Military lntelligence. (Trial Tr. AM Session 58, Mar. 9, 2010.)
The defendant sought to obtain identifying information about the document from the
government via a motion for the production of exculpatory evidence but the government was
unable to obtain additional information beyond the facts that the document was retrieved from
a shared electronic storage file at the DEA Bogota Country office, none of the agents currently
at that office or other data identified the origin of the document but agents who worked there
in 2001 "stated that the slide was given to them by members of Colombian intelligence in or
around 2001, in the context of the transmission of large amounts of information on numerous
FARC members at that time." (Gov’t’s Opp’n to Def.’s Post-Trial Mots. Ex. 4 at 2.) The
government advised the defendant’s counsel that, "[i]n sum, we cannot provide any additional
useful information regarding this item." (Id. at 2-3.)
The defendant now "asserts that the United States violated his Due Process rights by
disclosing the document . . . at a time and under circumstances when Defendant could not
ascertain the factual basis for the document." (Def.’s Mot. for New Trial ll 17.) The
defendant also contends that the Court’s decision rejecting a stipulation he proposed that would
have stated what was known about the document was error because it left the jury with the
misleading impression that "nothing resembling the document could be found in the file_s of
Colombian Military Intelligence concerning the 16th Front." (Id. (emphasis in original)) The
defendant also points out that "although the United States in this Court professes ignorance as
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to Angel Leopoldo Lopez, the United States Department of State has listed him as someone
whose assets are blocked." (Id. il 18.)
The crux of the defendant’s argument with respect to the Angel Leopoldo Lopez
document is that the government violated the strictures of Braa'y v. Ma)yland, 373 U.S. 83
(l963), which "held that the Due Process Clause imposes upon the prosecution an obligation
to disclose ‘evidence favorable to an accused . . . where the evidence is material either to guilt
or to punishment, irrespective of the good faith or bad faith of the prosecution."’ United States
v. Andrews, 532 F.3d 900, 905 (D.C. Cir. 2008) (Garland, J.). As the D.C. Circuit has
explained:
Evidence is "material" only if " ‘there is a reasonable probability that, had the
evidence been disclosed to the defense, the result of the proceeding would have
been different."’ Kyles v. l/Vhitley, 514 U.S. 419, 433-34 (1995) (quoting United
States v. Bagley, 473 U.S. 667, 682, 105 S.Ct. 3375, 87 L.Ed.2d 481 (1985)
(opinion of Blackmun, J.)). A "probability” reaches the level of "reasonable”
when it is high enough to "undermine confidence in the verdict." Id. at 435, 115
S.Ct. 1555; see United States v. Bowz`e, 198 F.3d 905, 909 (D.C.Cir.1999). The
court does not have to be convinced that it is "more likely than not that the
defendant would have been acquitted had the evidence been disclosed." Bowz`e,
198 F.3d at 909 (citing Kyles, 514 U.S. at 434, 115 S.Ct. 1555).
United States v. Johnson, 592 F.3d 164, 170-71 (D.C. Cir. 2010) (Randolph, J.). In light of
these principles, the Court will consider whether there is a reasonable probability that, had
additional information about the Angel Leopoldo Lopez document been timely disclosed, the
result of the trial would have been different.
lt appears to the Court that the defendant’s argument is premised on a misconception
about the nature of the evidence at trial. The defendant argues that "[a] critical issue at trial
was the identity of a person or persons known as ‘Chiguiro,’ someone who it was claimed was
an important logistical connection for the 16th Front.” (Def.’s Mot. for New Trial 1[ 11.) The
defendant assumes that evidence that another person associated with the FARC also used the
__39__
nickname or alias "Chiguiro" would have created doubt about whether the government was
prosecuting the right person. To prevail at this strategy, though, the evidence of the
conspiratorial acts proven at trial needed to be tied to a name rather than a person. For
example, the defendant’s strategy would have gained more traction if the evidence involved
intercepted radio communications in which the only evidence that the defendant was a
participant was a reference to the name "Chiguiro" and the witnesses made statements along
the lines of "I heard the person talking on the radio say his name was ‘Chiguiro’ and, since
this person is named Chiguiro, it must have been him talking" or "although l couldn’t see the
speedboat when it arrived at camp, l heard Negro Acacio say ‘hi Chiguiro"’ or there were
documents that contained the name "Chiguiro" but otherwise offered no other identifying
characteristics. Confronted with such evidence, the defendant unquestionably would have had
a more meritorious claim that identity was a "critical" issue and proof that another person used
the name "Chiguiro" might have undermined confidence in the verdict.
ln this case, though, from the witnesses’ perspective it did not matter what the
defendant called himself or whether anyone else was called the same name - they saw this
particular person transporting weapons and cocaine under circumstances that rendered the
name the defendant used superfluous to the question of guilt. There could have been numerous
people named "Chiguiro" who were assisting the 16th Front but that would not have
undermined the testimony by the witnesses at trial who knew the defendant under
circumstances that left little room for doubt about the reliability of their identifications of him
as the person they observed engaging in conspiratorial acts. These witnesses did not have
fleeting glimpses of the defendant, they worked with him, ate meals with him, and even lived
with him. Fuithermore, the witnesses offered consistent testimony to the extent that many of
the witnesses described similar contexts in which they observed the defendant: he typically
__4()__
was arriving or departing by vehicle or speedboat, with weapons or cocaine, in the same
geographical region of Colombia, and he met or conversed with the same three or four leaders
ll of the 16th Front. Moreover, Eugenio Vargas Perdomo testified about the wiretap
interceptions of conversations involving the defendant during which Vargas, his wife, and his
property were the subject of several of the conversations and Vargas had other reliable bases l
for knowing the identity of the speaker apart from any reference to the defendant’s name.
Thus, a revelation that some other person also was referred to as "Chiguiro" would not have
l measurably diminished the effect of the trial evidence. Even the videotape of the defendant
transporting the vehicle across the Orinoco River to Venezuela posed no real question about
identity because there was no dispute that the person seen on the videotape was the defendant,
regardless of what name was used to identify him. l
ll This case quite simply did not involve the kinds of facts and evidence that make an
ll identity defense as viable as otherwise might be the case. As a result, whatever might have
been revealed about the Angel Leopoldo Lopez document, the Court finds that it was not l
material because there was no reasonable probability that, had the sought-after information
ll been found and disclosed to the defendant, the result of the proceeding would have been
ll different. lt therefore follows that no new trial is warranted based on the government’s alleged
failure to timely disclose information about the document.
ll III. MOTION FOR JUDGMENT 0F ACQUITTAL l
Rule 29 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure authorizes a court to set aside a
ll guilty verdict and enter a judgment of acquittal in response to a defendant’s timely motion. l
Fed. R. Crim. P. 29(c)(l)-(2). When considering a motion for acquittal, the Court determines
whether, "viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the Government, according the
ll Government the benefit of all legitimate inferences, and recognizing that it is the jury’s
ll --41--
province to determine credibility and to weigh the evidence, a reasonable jury must necessarily
entertain a reasonable doubt on the evidence presented." United States v. Sz`ngleton, 702 F.2d
1159, 1163 (D.C. Cir. 1983) (Tamm, J.) (emphasis in original). "If the evidence reasonably
permits a verdict of acquittal or a verdict of guilt, the decision is for the jury to make."
Curley v. United States, 160 F.2d 229, 237 (D.C. Cir. 1947) (Prettyman, J.).
Proof that a defendant had the requisite knowledge or intent that narcotics would be
imported into the United States "may take the form of circumstantial as well as direct evidence."
United States v. Chan Chun-Yin, 958 F.2d 440, 443 (D.C. Cir. 1992) (Buckley, J.). Accora'
United States v. Martz`nez, 476 F.3d 961, 968 (D.C. Cir. 2007) (Kavanaugh, J.). "[A] jury can
infer a defendant`s knowledge of the scope of the conspiracy from the defendant’s important role
in that conspiracy." United States v. Gr;`/_’fz`n, 324 F.3d 330, 358 (5th Cir. 2003) (Del\/Ioss, J.). ln
addition, "proof of a close association between the defendant and a key player in the conspiracy
can be probative of the defendant’s guilty knowledge." Id. Knowledge of importation into the
United States also can be inferred from the combined evidence of a defendant’s involvement "in
an intemational drug distribution conspiracy," knowledge about a “large and valuable" cocaine
shipment and involvement in supervising its transport, and evidence that a shipment was in fact
going to the United States. Marrz°nez, 476 F.3d at 968. On the other hand, knowledge that
cocaine was being imported into the United States has been found insufficiently established when
the defendant was not involved in negotiations or meetings relating to the sale of cocaine, "came
into the picture only at the end" to serve a minor role as a guide for a pilot picking cocaine up in
Colombia and taking it to Panama, and there was no evidence that the defendant had been told
that the cocaine was destined for the United States. United States v_ Londono- Villa, 930 F.2d
994, 1001 (zd Cir. 1991) (Kearse, J.).
ln this case, the Court is persuaded that there was ample evidence from which the jury
could infer that the defendant knew the cocaine he was transporting and marketing would be
imported into the United States. The evidence showed that the FARC was a major international
cocaine-trafficking organization that controlled cocaine production in many regions of Colombia.
The defendant had an important role in the FARC’s 16th Front engaging in arms and cocaine
dealing in ton quantities for FARC leaders and he had close associations with some of the
conspiracy’s key players. The defendant confessed that he transported 1.5 tons of cocaine every
four to six months for the FARC and he was in charge of selling the FARC’s cocaine to buyers in
exchange for weapons and ammunition. The defendant received cocaine from Guillerrno
Cochomea, who was the Finance Officer for the 16th Front and he was filmed with Cochornea
during an operation to move a vehicle across the Orinoco River to Venezuela. The defendant
also engaged in cocaine business with Negro Acacio, who was the leader of the 16th Front. The
Colombian National Police intercepted communications between Negro Acacio, Guillermo
Cochornea and the defendant over radios. The defendant also worked with a major cocaine
trafficker to market the FARC ‘s cocaine and acted as the middleman for a laboratory that
processed large quantities of cocaine. The defendant was trained at a FARC military course and
FARC guerillas were ordered to provide security for him while he was transporting cocaine and
weapons.
The FARC leaders the defendant dealt with made clear that the FARC’s cocaine was
destined for the United States. The evidence revealed that it was normal to hear members of
the FARC commenting that the cocaine was being imported to the United States because the
United States most consumes it. Eastern Bloc leader Mono loJoy said during a meeting at a
FARC training school that all the cocaine was going to the United States because that was the
__43__
FARC policy. Both Negro Acacio and Guillerrno Cochomea would discuss the fact that the
Front’s cocaine was going to the United States during the time period when the defendant worked
for them, Negro Acacio also participated in a transaction that involved 50 kilograms of cocaine
being transported to the United States on a Colombian Air Force plane. The evidence further
showed that 90% of the cocaine in the United States comes from Colombia and the FARC
thought it could the most money for selling cocaine in the United States. The United States also
is a predominant destination for cocaine leaving Venezuela. United States currency also was
frequently observed in the 16th Front in quantities of $2 to $3 million.
Viewing this evidence in the light most favorable to the government, with all legitimate
inferences being drawn in its favor, including inferences about the defendant’s knowledge, the
Court cannot say that a reasonable jury must necessarily entertain a reasonable doubt about the
evidence presented at trial. Consequently, the evidence is sufficient to support the conviction.
CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, the Court will deny Juan Jose Martinez Vega’s Motion For A
New Trial [Docket No. 271] and Post-Trial Motion For Judgement Of Acquittal [Docket No.
272]. An appropriate order will accompany this Memorandum Opinion.
Thomas F'. ogan
United States Di udge
lift
August , 2010
¢¢/L,
tv
_-44__
|
AMD vs. Intel: 64-bit Windows Dual-Core Shootout
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Part II: Gunfight at the 64-Bit CorralWhen it looked like AMD was going to render Intel’s multibillion dollar IA64 effort (aka Itanium) irrelevant with its brassy push into 64-bit computing using an extended x86 architecture, Intel responded with EM64T. When it was first revealed that Intel had an x86-64 project in the works, codenamed Yamhill, the company at first denied the project’s existence. Eventually, though, EM64T surfaced, and it proved to be a near-clone of AMD’s x86-64. There are some subtle differences in calling conventions between the two processors, but the differences are slight enough that compatibility isn’t usually a worry.
Last week in Part I, we took a look at the AMD dual-core Athlon 64 X2 4800’s performance on 64-bit Windows. As it turned out, Windows XP Pro X64 ran most 32-bit applications just fine on the X2 4800, and 64-bit code showed a few modest performance gains.
Our article generated considerable interest in the community at large. We received several interesting emails on the topic. One of the most salient was from Joe Landman of Scalable Informatics. Scalable ran a variety of 32-bit-vs-64-bit tests on Opteron CPUs. Although somewhat synthetic, the tasks run were applicable to certain types of scientific computing. SI found that 64-bit code was almost always faster than 32-bit code, when properly written.
David Wren of Passmark Software, an Australian utility software company, echoed those findings, and allowed us to use Passmark’s Performance Test, which is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. PPT is synthetic in nature, but can yield interesting results that point to potential theoretical gains with 64-bit code.
Given Intel’s renewed focus on both 64-bit x86, coupled with its rapid, if somewhat improvisational, push into dual-core processing, we wanted to see just how well Intel’s dual-core processors fared with 64-bit Windows relative to AMD’s best. So we loaded up a system with an Intel Pentium Extreme Edition 840 and took it for a spin. Intel is nothing if not a fierce competitor, so let’s see how the dust settles. Continued…
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When Verdugo, the bald executioner, played by Robert Tessier gets his head pushed into a turning grindstone by Morgan, played by Earl Maynard, the blood goes spraying across the screen. And some wag in the audience yelled out: "Hmmm! That looks good!" Which left the audience in the theater ROTFL!
Robert Tessier apparently never could get a break from Earl Maynard. They both appeared in "The Deep," and while this time Tessier was one of the good guys, and Maynard was one of the bad guys, Tessier was still killed off by Maynard. |
An early-morning excursion to the gym on Monday provided a slight sign that winter is around the corner, with some wet snow on a couple of sidewalks in Bangor and Brewer.
But Bangor High School girls basketball coach Katie Herbine didn’t seem to mind.
“It’s supposed to snow on the first day of basketball, so we’re ready to go,” Herbine said.
Although the white stuff was long melted by late Monday afternoon, there were plenty of signs of winter in gyms and rinks across the state as high school basketball, ice hockey, competitive cheerleading, wrestling and track and field teams opened their preseason practices.
The first games and matches are set to start after 3 p.m. on Dec. 10.
Monday’s opening of the preseason officially kicked off a new coaching era at Bangor, in which Herbine, a former Bangor and University of Maine player, is in her first year guiding the Rams’ varsity squad after longtime coach Tom Tennett retired at the end of last season.
“I’m really excited to get started. I luckily had a lot of the kids this summer because I was able to run the summer program,” she said. “Working with them in the summer was really great, just because I got to know the kids and their personalities.”
Herbine takes over a Bangor team that has missed out on the Class A postseason the last two seasons, but the Rams nearly got in last winter after a shaky start, and Herbine hopes that momentum, along with some from regional championships in softball and soccer, will carry over.
“That’s a great point, softball was very successful last spring, soccer had a great year this year,” she said.
Among Bangor’s key returning players are Kim Jordan, who was a big part of the aforementioned regional championship squads, along with Hillary Throckmorton and Kate Treadwell.
Herbine is hoping to take the lessons she learned from Tennett as both a player and as the Rams’ JV coach last winter and pass them along.
“I think as a player for him I think I really learned the pride in Bangor sports and Bangor athletics. I’m really proud to be from Bangor and to be a part of it, so I think that’s what I learned as a player,” she said. “Coaching under him last year I think really keeping an even field and not getting too high, not getting too low, learning how to be a coach for the long haul.”
Just down Route 1A sits a Hampden Academy team that enters this season with some lofty expectations.
Not only did the Broncos have a solid run to the Class A semifinals in coach Chad Bradbury’s first year, Hampden didn’t have a single senior on its varsity squad, so that makes the KVAC North very interesting.
“They can shoot the ball, for sure, that’ll be a challenge,” Herbine said.
Among the Broncos’ lead horses are the 1-2 guard punch of seniors Michaela Stephenson and Katelyn DeRaps.
Add in the fact that Messalonskee of Oakland welcomes two proven transfers in Mary Badeen, formerly of Nokomis, and Megan Pelletier, who came in from Winslow, while Skowhegan has All-Maine third-teamer Whitney Jones running the point, and this could be a very hot winter in Eastern Maine Class A.
“I think it’s great, though, for the league. We have all these teams that are sort of top-two teams, and every night will be a battle,” Herbine said.
There certainly will be a battle on Dec. 11 when the Broncos head to Red Barry Gym for an opening-day showdown with the Rams.
With this being her first year coaching Bangor, Herbine will use the first couple of weeks to instill her system and get to know her players a bit more.
“I’ll probably put in a different offense than they’ve run in the past, so obviously we’ll have to get that in, and I need to get used to coaching them and what their personalities are,” she said. |
We've been working on this for over three years and it's finally happening. FREEDOM! is coming to the ENTIRE city of New Orleans. Between January 4th and January 11th, every residential mailbox in the city will receive a copy of FREEDOM! That's over TWO HUNDRED AND FOUR THOUSAND (204,000) copies!
Thanks to all of you who made it possible to get to this point, and especially our sponsors for this project, including Bitcoin.com, Dash, and SmartCash. It brings me great pleasure (and significant relief!) to announce that Operation Big Easy Book Bomb has been completely funded and organized. All that remains is execution. This is historically unprecedented, and arguably the largest explicitly Voluntaryist event ever.
I started writing FREEDOM! while in prison for civil disobedience. It's about how we can make the world a better place by getting rid of government. There are already over 50,000 copies in circulation and it's been downloaded over 3 million times. The version being delivered to the residents of New Orleans is a special edition printing. We've added a letter in the front cover from me explaining our presidential campaign's plan to peacefully dissolve the federal government, the World's Smallest Political Quiz, a plug for the Louisiana Libertarian Party, acknowledgements of the many people and organizations that helped make this project happen, and of course postage on the back cover.
This book bomb is just the first of many. We plan to replicate this all over the country (the world if necessary!) until the desired effect is achieved. In order to be able to repeat this, we need to make sure it's as successful as possible. We want to make sure that when the books gets in peoples' hands, they know that everyone else in the city got the same book at the same time. We'll be printing thousands of signs, hiring a polling company, contacting media outlets, and organizing a boots-on-the-ground effort to maximize awareness of the event. While we have already spent about $131k on the printing and mailing and have most of what we need for on the ground efforts, your donations would help take this to the next level right now. More signs, more ads, more free bumper stickers, more travel expenses for volunteers who want to help. More people who read the book. More converts. More freedom. Yeah. You get the idea. You can donate by PayPal or crypto at thefreedom.fund. We also need volunteers to help with yard signs and chalking. If you can be there at all to help at any time from January 1st to the 13th, please reply to this email or hit up our volunteer coordinator, Elijah Gizzarelli. (Elijah@thefreedomline.com)
To kick things off for the weekend, we'll have a very informal FREEDOM! Family meet-up at NOLA Brewing, 3001 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70115, from 7-9pm on the night of January 4th. We'll be organizing "sign-bomb" teams and giving out big piles of FREEDOM! signs, sidewalk chalk and assignments for territory to cover. If you would like to attend the meet-up, I do ask that you RSVP by emailing Elijah. (Elijah@thefreedomline.com) |
Effect of alpha-allocryptopine on transient outward potassium current in rabbit ventricular myocytes.
To investigate the mechanism of alpha-allocryptopine-induced inhibition of the transient outward potassium current (I(to)) in rabbit left-ventricular myocytes. We used the whole-cell patch-clamp technique to record the I(to) in the myocytes, which were isolated from the rabbit left ventricle by a Langendorff-perfusion device. Allocryptopine decreased the amplitude and the density of the I(to) in a concentration-dependent (range from 1 to 100 microM with an IC(50) value of 37 +/- 8 microM) and frequency- or use-independent manner. At a test potential of +50 mV, the peak current density of I(to) was decreased from 21.56 +/- 3.24 to 13.37 +/- 2.86 pA/pF by 30 microM allocryptopine. The fast time constant of I(to) inactivation was reduced from 9.8 +/- 1.8 to 5.7 +/- 0.7 ms and the slow time constant of I(to) was reduced from 50.8 +/- 9.0 to 32.2 +/- 12.7 ms by 30 microM allocryptopine. The inactivated curve slope was changed from -19.2 +/- 7.1 to -7.5 +/- 0.6 mV, while the half-activated voltage and activated curve slope and half-inactivated voltage values were not affected by allocryptopine. Transmural heterogeneity of the I(to) was decreased in the presence of allocryptopine. At a test potential of +50 mV, the densities of I(to) were reduced by 28.6% (epimyocardium), 50.3% (mid-myocardium) and 20.1% (endocardium) after exposure to 30 microM allocryptopine.Transmural dispersion of the I(to) was reduced from 11.2 +/- 1.2 to 4.7 +/- 0.6 pA/pF by 30 microM allocryptopine. Allocryptopine produced a blocking effect on the I(to) in cardiac myocytes, which may be an important mechanism in its antiarrhythmic effect. |
The Christian Science Church – a part of the Canberra community. Members share testimonies and talk about their lives as Christian Scientists.
This article, Lost Phone Found, is by a member of the Christian Science Church in Canberra. In it the writer tells how her prayers calmed her fears and led to the recovery of the phone.
Last year my sister and I had the opportunity to spend a few days in a game reserve in South Africa. It was a wonderful experience and we took advantage of the early morning and late afternoon game viewing safaris that were offered. Between us we took many, many photos of the beautiful scenery and magnificent animals.
My sister was taking photos on her iPhone and I was using my camera. On our last trip out, at our half-way stop my sister realised that her phone was missing. We had been sitting in the very back seat which projected out over the end of the open safari vehicle. The tracks were very bumpy and we guessed that at some point her phone must have bounced out of her pocket and fallen onto the road. We thought back to the last time she remembered using it; she had taken pictures of buffaloes about 20 minutes back.
Our guide was wonderful and offered to return to the buffaloes in the hope of finding it. Each of the seven passengers on the trip hung out of the vehicle watching on all sides as we slowly retraced our steps. At first my sister seemed quite subdued. Apart from her photos, the phone contained all her work contacts and other valued information.
My sister and I were brought up in a Christian Science family and it was natural for us to turn to God in prayer when situations like this occurred. I knew she was praying. In my prayer I claimed that God, who I know as infinite Mind, knew all things and that nothing could be lost to infinite Mind. At first I found it difficult to get over the sense of disappointment for my sister. I didn’t like to see her sad. But then I realized that this was not about a phone or about my sister; it was about what I trusted. Did I really believe that God was good and that we were safe in His care? Did I really believe that God was the only Mind, the only power? Did I really believe that God was love? I have had so many healings and demonstrations of these truths that I absolutely had to say: Yes! I do believe! As I came to this realization all sense of unrest left me and I felt totally comfortable in His love and care. At the same time my sister said: “It’s only a phone, you know. I can easily get another one” and she seemed relaxed and happy again.
Despite everyone’s concentrated efforts scrutinising the track we travelled all the way back to the buffaloes without finding the phone. It was now late in the afternoon; the light was dimming and our guide said it was time to head back. Still the comfortable feeling that all was well didn’t leave me, and my sister continued to be happy and relaxed. I knew she was feeling the same. About ten or twelve minutes down the track the young man at the very front of the vehicle called out for the driver to stop. He jumped out and picked up the phone. This was the very spot on the track where I had decided to trust and where my sister, through her prayers, had been released from all sense of loss. We had actually driven over the phone but there was not a mark on it – it was perfect.
Situations like this teach me that it is safe to trust in God’s love. I am reminded of Jesus’ statement: Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free (John 8: 32). The truth is that God is love (I John 4: 8). This is a law that can be relied upon.
To read more testimonies of healing shared by members of the Christian Science Church in Canberra click on the archive headings on the left for May, June and October 2016.
The Christian Science Church – a part of the Canberra community. Members share testimonies and talk about their lives as Christian Scientists.
This article, A Prayer and a Cat, is by Debbie who is a member of the Christian Science Church in Canberra. She describes how her prayers for the world also resulted in healing for a friend’s cat.
I would like to share a healing that happened some years ago but it’s one that has meant a lot to me.
At the time I was working as a teacher in a local primary school. There was one particular colleague that I sat with sometimes at lunch; she often talked to me about her cat, Hershey, who seemed to be a big part of her life. However, at this particular time much of her conversation was about her upcoming trip to the US – a holiday for which they had been saving for a long time.
One day I walked into the staff room to find this friend crying gently while she ate her sandwich. I sat with her and asked what had upset her. She said that Hershey was sick and the vet had said he would die any day. She was supposed to leave for the US in a few days and no cattery would take a cat that was about to die. The kindest thing to do, the vet said, was to put him to sleep before she left.
My friend couldn’t bring herself to put her beloved cat down and felt guilty that she was leaving him when he was so ill. Yet the holiday couldn’t be cancelled at this late date.
Without thinking too much I said: “Would you like me to mind Hershey?” Immediately she jumped at this idea and within the minute it was settled. She said she understood that he would not be alive when she returned but that at least he could go in his own time and in comfort. I agreed.
Two days later Hershey was delivered to my place. I admit I was not prepared for the sight of him. He lay motionless in his basket; he was skin and bones with dull tufty fur and sore spots; his eyes remained closed. I was informed that he needed his own quiet, dark room with no interruptions except for his medication. I had not considered the issue of medication. He had so many! She explained that Hershey had an immune deficiency condition – a cat’s version of AIDS she said. We installed Hershey in his room and she said her good-byes.
For two days I tried to give Hershey his medication but it seemed to cause him so much stress. I couldn’t see the point so I stopped. I had been brought up in Christian Science and had always solved problems quickly through prayer. Prayer for me was not a passive asking God for help but an active change of base in my thinking and spiritual reasoning.
There had been a lot of news coverage at this time around the issue of AIDS and I had been praying about this. In my reasoning I went back to my basic beliefs: I believed that there was a controlling order or principle to the universe and that principle was Love – another name for God. A God of love I reasoned could not make a dangerous universe; that a God of Love protected creation, it didn’t expose it to harm. I had proved many times that holding to spiritual truths, even in the face of evidence to the contrary, resolved inharmonious situations.
Now I applied this reasoning to Hershey. He was part of Love’s creation and I knew this Love was a powerful force for good. In the textbook of Christian Science, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy writes: You embrace your body in your thought, and you should delineate upon it thoughts of health, not of sickness (p208) so I embraced Hershey in my thought in this way. I didn’t dwell on him, but I held to this idea every time I did think of him. I felt safe that he was safe.
Very quickly he began to respond. In a day or so he was up and walking about his room; another day or two he was out and exploring the house.
At the end of two weeks my friend returned and phoned to see how things had gone with Hershey. She was very surprised to hear that he was ready to be picked up. When she arrived to collect him he was sitting on the back of the lounge in the sun looking out the window. He was plump and healthy, his fur was flawless and sleek and shiny, and he had a playful sparkle in his eyes. He was very glad to be going home.
Sometimes when I pray for the world I am tempted to wonder: Are my prayers doing any good? This experience with Hershey gave me further proof that spiritual truths are powerful, more powerful than material evidence, and that prayers are effective in bringing about harmony in any situation – even those given up as hopeless. I continue to be grateful for all that I am learning in my on-going study of Christian Science.
The Christian Science Church – a part of the Canberra community. Members share testimonies and talk about their lives as Christian Scientists.
This article, Gratitude for Healing – Headaches No More, is by Barbara who is a member of the Christian Science Church in Canberra. She relates how she has found permanent freedom from headaches through prayer and spiritualisation of thought.
Recently I read a beautiful expression of gratitude from a student of Christian Science who related how he had been healed of headaches.
It reminded me that I too had been healed of headaches so many years ago that I had really almost forgotten about it, and that healing has been permanent.
I was a fairly new student of this Divine Science at the time, and had never before experienced an instantaneous healing. My job was such that I was continually dealing with the public, and it was important to be pleasant and attentive at all times. That is not easy with a throbbing head.
I thought about God, the one and only power, and asked myself if I thought that He could have a headache. The answer was no, I did not believe He could. So then I asked myself again if I could possibly have something that God did not have, and certainly could not give me, and remain pure and loving. The answer was still no, and at that moment I was entirely free of any pain. That freedom has been mine for more than fifty years now.
Having said that, I cannot claim that the feeling of a headache coming on has not knocked at the door of my consciousness, but it has gained no admittance. I have confronted it in various ways, such as “get thee hence, Satan”, to use the words of Jesus (Matt 4:10). Satan is a Hebrew word signifying an adversary, an enemy, an accuser; or simply I would say, “I don’t do headaches” which is not very scientific, but I know that I do not have to cover the same ground again, and what God has done is done forever.
In obedience to the teachings of Christian Science I take the advice given in the textbook Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy where Mrs Eddy says, “Stand porter at the door of thought. Admitting only such conclusions as you wish realised in bodily results, you will control yourself harmoniously” p392: 24-27. Similarly, to quote the Bible again, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7).
Through the study of the Bible and the Christian Science textbook I am assured that ‘with God, all things are possible’.
The Christian Science Church – a part of the Canberra community. Members share testimonies and talk about their lives as Christian Scientists.
This article, Healing Like an Awakening, is by Christine who is a member of the Christian Science Church in Canberra. She shares how a deeper understanding of God as Principle helped to bring about the healing of a restricting physical condition.
Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science has an interesting definition of this Science: “To live so as to keep human consciousness in constant relation with the divine, the spiritual, and the eternal, is to individualize infinite power; and this is Christian Science.”
My study and practice of this Science of Being has resulted in a deep sense of peace, joy and gratitude. I am learning how thought is vital to my everyday experience and keeping my consciousness in relation to the divine, is the key to an awareness of what is real.
Many times I experienced that what was first so real, so frightening, so painful was changed totally by a change of perception, a change of thought, the realization that we are not alien to the divine Principle, or law, but are truly one with the divine Life.
I would like to explain this further with a physical healing that happened some years ago. I grew up with the practice of Christian Science Mind-healing and so it was very natural for me to turn to it in every need. So when I became ill with symptoms that were never diagnosed (listlessness, sleeplessness and no appetite) I turned to God for a greater sense of wholeness and perfection. I worked with a Christian Science healer but my condition did not change until I became quite frail.
My husband gave me an ultimatum one day and asked me to see a medical practitioner. I could see that this was a reasonable request but it also somehow awakened me to expect healing and a change in my thought that I had been working on every day – a kind of transformation. That night when I could not sleep, I got up and walked around our kitchen and thought of 7 synonyms or names for God that Mary Baker Eddy explains in her book Science & Health. These are: Mind, Soul, Spirit, Principle, Life, Truth, Love.
I often ponder them when I want to get a clearer idea of what God means to me and I did this aloud at this time of great need. For example, I thought of how my life was an expression of the one big Life, Life that could never get limited, disharmonious. There is Truth that always frees us from limitations and how Love is the one cause of all being. When I came to the concept of a divine Principle, or law, something suddenly cleared in my thinking. I realized that I was connected to the law of Life, the law of being – everyone was. I bathed in that thought and it became like a light and also something of substance I could lean on, something that had indeed great power.
During this prayerful time I became very calm and eventually I returned to bed and for the first time in weeks, slept peacefully. In the morning I was well, ate a big breakfast and although I had been quite weak, there was no need for recuperation. I quickly gained my normal weight and started living an energetic life once more. In fact just two days after the night time turn around, I saddled my horse and went for a long ride through the countryside with such a sense of unbounded freedom. The healing suddenly felt so natural, as if all that had happened was that I had woken up and realized that all was well.
The Christian Science Church – a part of the Canberra community. Members share testimonies and talk about their lives as Christian Scientists.
This article, Gratitude for Protection, is shared by Barbara who is a member of the Christian Science Church in Canberra. In it she describes her introduction to Christian Science and a significant instance of protection during a bush fire.
Recently I read a verse from the Bible which I will quote in part, “Whatsoever things are of good report; … think on these things” (Phil 4:8). This verse reminded me of how much good I have to be grateful for in my life. I have come to recognize that our Creator, God, (ever present good) is the one and only source of all harmony for all of His children.
Many years ago I became interested in these teachings through witnessing a remarkable healing which my mother had. At this time, she was suffering from a nervous break-down with strong suicidal tendencies. She herself had heard of Christian Science through her brother who had been healed of a broken neck, and was leading a normal life. She sought the help of a Christian Science practitioner, one who prays, as Jesus did, for the recovery of the sick, or of any inharmony in one’s life.
Gradually literature such as the Christian Science Sentinel and Journal began to appear in the home, as well as the textbook. At first I started to read these, wondering if I could help my mother, and to find out what it was that she was studying. I was so taken by the logic of what I read, that I could not stop reading. This was my introduction to the teachings of Christian Science, and since then I have had daily proof of the omnipotence and omnipresence of God, good.
Apart from daily blessings there have been potentially life threatening experiences where the acknowledgement of God’s law of harmony has saved me and others from grim situations.
One such situation which I would like to share with you is being protected in a bush fire. My husband and I were living rurally at the time, and there were out breaks of fire in the district in a number of places. On this particular day the fire was roaring up from the gully towards several properties and fanned by a wind that seems to drive the fire forward.
The usual precautions had been taken to protect the house, like the grass being cut short around the home, gutters filled with water and buckets of water in place. The only water available was precious tank water. The rural fire brigade must have been elsewhere attending to other fires, and the fire fighters on our property had only wet bags on the ends of long handles to beat the flames as they engulfed the bush and the grass.
The picture was so overwhelming that I did not seem to be able to get a thought that would calm me, and I well knew that it had to be a message from God. I felt like a little child, and the prayer for little children written by Mary Baker Eddy, which I had taught to my children rescued me. It says “Father, Mother, God, loving me, Guard me when I sleep, Guide my little feet up to Thee.” What I got from that was a trust in God that He would guard and guide and all would be well.
Almost immediately we had people as it seemed, just come from everywhere, to assist. Our house and the fire were a goodly distance from the main road, but people just came down the house road with all manner of helpful things. One man came in a small utility truck with a tank on the back full of liquid which he sprayed from a pump. We later found that it was an insecticide, but it helped douse the flames. Others came just as they saw the smoke from the main road. Another man who lived further along the road eventually left us to go and check out his own property, and there were others, and more stories.
Both properties closest to the fire were saved, and of course those further up the hill were also out of danger. There was no loss of life in the vicinity, praise be to God. To me, this is indeed “good report”, and I love to “think on these things”. |
Panels
Since Windows comes with a total of a mere one panel, I had to remove one of Xubuntu’s two default panels. This task was easily done using Xfce’s Panel Manager, which can be opened by right clicking empty space on a panel and selecting Customise Panel, or by opening Applications->Settings->Panel Manager.
Removing the first panel was simply a matter or clicking the - while the target panel was selected in the drop-down menu. Most options in the panel manager are quite straightforward as long as your realize that they apply to the panel currently selected in the drop-down menu. For my setup, I just wanted to change the size of the panel to 30 pixels and set a background image.
Wait… Did I say “background image”? There is no option in the panel manager to set a background image for your panels! Luckily, that other Xubuntu Blogcomes to the rescue.
Basically, what we will do is to override the settings of whatever GTK theme you are using to apply a background image to panels. The disadvantage of this method is that this will be applied to all panels.
The first thing you need is, obviously, a background image to use. It can be as much 1 pixel wide, if you like, because it will be tiled throughout the full width of the panel. This image needs to be saved in your home directory (e.g. /home/yourusername/). You can prepend the filename with a dot . to make it a hidden file, e.g. /home/vincent/.panelbackground.png.
Now, to apply this background image, open up a text editor like Mousepad (Applications->Accessories->Mousepad). You then have to open the file .gtkrc-2.0, but since that is a hidden file (starting with a .), it is not listed among the other files. Luckily, in the “Open” dialog, you can just enter .gtkrc-2.0 in the Location field (press Ctrl+L to make it visible if it is not) to open it. More likely than not, it is an empty file.
Now, paste the following into that file, obviously replacing .panelbackground.png with the name of your background image.
Note that the fg[NORMAL] = "white" sets the text colour to white, but you can edit that to whatever (supported) colour you like, or remove the line altogether to use your theme’s default.
And that’s it really! The next time you login, this image will be used as background image for your panel.
Wallpaper
Of course I also wanted to use a wallpaper similar to Vista’s. Setting a background image for my desktop is a breeze, luckily. All that was needed was a click on the “browse” icon next to the File input field to select the image of my preference. If you want to, you can even make a list of files, of which one will be chosen each time you log in🙂
GTK theme
Next up is changing the GTK theme, which is often one of the most notable changes because it encompasses almost everything on your screen. Download a theme you like (I used Murrina Aero) and open it (with Archive Manager). Select Archive->Extract (or the equivalent option if you use another archive manager than Xubuntu 7.10’s default) and extract it to /home/yourusername/.themes (again, enter .themes in the location field if it’s invisible).
Then open Applications->Settings->User Interface Settings, where your preferred theme should now be listed in the theme list. It will be applied when you select it.
Icon theme
Using icon themes, it is possible to change the commonly used icons. For my Vista-like setup I selected the nuoveXT icon theme.
The process of installing an icon theme is similar to the process of installing a GTK theme. After you have downloaded the theme, you extract it, however, this time you extract them to /home/yourusername/.icons.
Just as when changing your GTK theme, you need Applications->Settings->User Interface Preferences to change the icon theme. This time, however, you switch to the Icon Theme tab (surprise), where you can select the preferred icon theme in the list.
Fonts
Ultimately, I also wanted to use Microsoft’s Segoe UI font. Unfortunately, it can only be obtained together with a copy of Windows Vista.
However, there are plenty of other beautiful fonts available (like Red Hat’s Liberation fonts) that can be installed easily. You just need the TTF files, which you need to place in the .fonts directory. It can then be selected, just as your GTK theme and icon theme, through Applications->Settings->User Interface Preferences. Click the button below Font, where your font should be listed under Family.
Xfwm4 themes
The theming craze isn’t over yet, because you can also theme your window borders. By default, Xubuntu’s Window Manager is xfwm4, which can be themed with xfwm4 themes.
First you need to find an xfwm4 theme you like. Once you downloaded that theme, extract it to the .themes directory in your home folder.
The theme can then be easily applied using Applications->Settings->Window Manager Settings. The theme should show up in the list on the left-hand side, selecting it will apply it.
Emerald themes
If you installed Compiz using Emerald as window manager, then changing window border themes is a little bit different.
First, you need to get yourself an Emerald theme. Emerald themes are files that end in .emerald. I picked the theme included in the Aero-clone pack, aero_blue.emerald. To install the theme, you need to open Applications->Settings->Emerald Theme Manager. Click Import… and open the .emerald file. The theme will be selected when you click it in the list.
Conclusion
Xubuntu (and open source desktops in general) offers an enormous range of options allowing you to tweak the look to your own preferences. You can make it look as ugly or as pretty as you want. Heck, if you want to, you can make it look near pixel-perfect like another operating system! |
Flag of the Second Spanish Republic
The flag of the Second Spanish Republic, known in Spanish as , was the official flag of Spain between 1931 and 1939 and the flag of the Spanish Republican government in exile until 1977.
History
The Spanish republican flag began to be used on April 27, 1931, thirteen days after municipal elections results led to the abolition of the monarchy and the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic.
This same flag had been previously displayed by certain Republican groups as an alternative to the red-and-yellow flag that was identified with the Bourbon monarchy in Spain. As a result of this previous use, the young republic proclaimed in 1931 eagerly adopted this symbol.
The Republican flag was adopted on April 27 and presented to the army of the nation on May 6 with the following words: "The national uprising against tyranny, victorious since April 14, has hoisted a flag that is invested by means of the feelings of the people with the double representation of the hope of freedom and of its irreversible triumph."
The Republican flag was formed by three horizontal bands of the same width, red, yellow, and murrey (mulberry-coloured). The National Flag would have the Spanish Republican coat of arms at the centre (quarterly of Castile, Leon, Aragon and Navarre, enté en point for Granada, ensigned by a mural crown, between the two Pillars of Hercules). This coat of arms originated in 1868 and had been used then by the Provisional Government and later by the First Spanish Republic. The civil ensign or merchant flag would be a simple tricolour without the coat of arms.
The term "la tricolor" to refer to the flag is reminiscent of the French tricolor which, since the French Revolution of the late 18th Century, has made a flag composed of three equal strips into the symbol of a Republic. However, having horizontal strips rather than vertical ones, as in the French flag, made it possible to preserve many elements of the previous Spanish flag, used during centuries of Monarchial rule.
During the Civil War there was also a military version of the flag with proportion 2:3 and without the coat of arms used by Republican Army units in different locations. Despite not displaying the arms, this plain flag did not correspond to the civil ensign approved in 1931 for the use of merchant ships. The International Brigades added a three-pointed red star to the yellow band of the military Republican flag.
The simplified military flag of the Second Spanish Republic was also used by the Spanish Maquis between the end of the Spanish Civil War and the early 1960s, and later by the Spanish National Liberation Front (FELN). Versions of this flag were used in the 1970s by the radical anti-Francoist groups Revolutionary Antifascist Patriotic Front (FRAP) and First of October Anti-Fascist Resistance Groups (GRAPO).
The Republican flag is now widely used by trade unions and left-wing political organizations, such as United Left, the Marxist-Leninist Party (RC) and some factions of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party. It is also used by republican platforms.
Colours
The Spanish Republican Flag has three colours: red, yellow, and dark purple.
The third colour, dark purple (), represents Castile and León by recalling the Pendón Morado, the ancient armorial banner of Castile. The colours of red and yellow symbolise the territories of the former Crown of Aragon. These three colours symbolised a new era for Spain in which no part thereof was excluded and all Spaniards were represented.
Morado
Morado, which is a generic word denoting the colour purple or violet, was previously a familiar colour in Spain because it is one of the Catholic liturgical colours that is displayed on vestments, altar cloths, and other ecclesiastical textile furnishings to signify certain seasons of the Catholic liturgical year, and, being a historically Catholic nation, this colour had annual and public use throughout Spain. Also, it was used in antiquity as the heraldic colour of the Kingdom of Castile. The coat of arms of the Kingdom of León bore a purple lion rampant and the flag reputed to have been used in the Revolt of the Comuneros displayed a yellow castle on a purple background. Morado, however, was and is prone to variations in hue and fading from time and use, which often resulted in "morado" denoting a range of hues of purple, which presently are considered distinct colours/hues, e. g. crimson or maroon. Because it is rarely present on flags, in practice the morado of the lowest band of the Flag was coloured violet, purple (purpure), or even lilac, contingent on available materials and dyes.
Controversies
Spanish monarchists resented the morado of the new tricolored flag and a famous soleá was composed when the Flag began to be used. These verses also indirectly expressed dissatisfaction for the reforms of the new republican government:
Since the restoration of the monarchy in the last quarter of the 20th century, some authors contradict previous Spanish historians by arguing that the Castilian Pendón Morado never existed or that it was actually coloured red.
Until recently the official badge of the Real Madrid C.F. had a purple band based either on the Castilian or Spanish republican colours which was added after the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931. The colour of the band was changed from morado to navy blue in 2001.
Depictions, derivatives and variants
Civil use
Military use
Present-day use
See also
Flag of Spain
Coat of arms of the Second Spanish Republic
Second Spanish Republic
Himno de Riego
Madrid Distinction
References
External links
Armada Española - Segunda República (1931 - 1939)
The Flags of Spain. Flags of the World
Asturias Republicana
Ministerio de Defensa - Insignias Jefes de Estado; Presidente de la II República
Second Spanish Republic National Anthem
Images
La bandera de la República Española ondea por primera vez en París
La Bandera Republicana ondea en París
Category:National symbols of Spain
Second Spanish Republic
Category:Second Spanish Republic
Category:Republicanism in Spain
Second Spanish Republic |
Reactive oxidants modify essentially all biomolecules and nonradical electrophiles produced as byproducts of lipid oxidation also react with proteins. However, the reactions of electrophilic products of lipid peroxidation with most proteins have not been explored. New proteomics approaches based on tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) now enable the high-throughput characterization of protein adducts, mapping of modification sites and quantitation of adducts. The objective of this project is to characterize protein adduction by reactive lipid oxidation-derived electrophiles at the molecular level and to identify protein adducts in tissues and plasma as markers for oxidative stress. We hypothesize that specific protein adducts can both provide sensitive and chemically informative markers for oxidative stress in environmentally-related diseases. The |
#pragma once
#include <mos/gfx/texture_2d.hpp>
#include <mos/gfx/target.hpp>
#include <mos/gfx/camera.hpp>
namespace mos::gfx {
/** Off screen rendertarget. */
struct Texture_target {
Texture_target(){
texture = std::make_shared<Texture_2D>(Texture_2D(128, 128));
}
Camera camera;
Shared_texture_2D texture;
Target target;
};
}
|
Bloomberg
Bloomberg | Quint is a multiplatform, Indian business and financial news company. We combine Bloomberg’s global leadership in business and financial news and data, with Quintillion Media’s deep expertise in the Indian market and digital news delivery, to provide high quality business news, insights and trends for India’s sophisticated audiences.
Tilray Inc., a marijuana company valued at nearly $9 billion, currently trades at a price-to-sales ratio of about 124. That’s more than 25 times higher than Amazon Inc. and Apple Inc., the two most valuable companies in the S&P 500. And Canopy Growth Corp.’s $11 billion-plus market value is on par with Barrick Gold Corp.’s, even though the mining firm, with 18,000 workers, is expected to post 20 times the sales this year as the 1,000-employee cannabis company.
“It’s still not a grown-up sector by a lot of portfolio managers’ standards,” said Bruce Campbell, founder of StoneCastle Investment Management Inc., which is launching a cannabis-focused mutual fund. “The valuations are off the charts if you use any type of typical metrics, so that scares a lot of institutions.”
As Canada prepares to legalize marijuana on Oct. 17, the cannabis industry has soared from virtually nothing five years ago to one with global sweep today. Canadian companies, such as Canopy, Tilray, Aurora Cannabis Inc. and Aphria Inc., are leading the way. Global consumer spending on cannabis is expected to reach $32 billion by 2022, according to U.S. firms Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics.
Jeff Sessions
Recreational use is now legal in nine U.S. states and the District of Columbia, and countries from the U.K. to Mexico are in the process of approving use of medical marijuana. But a lot of cannabis investing depends on the continued march toward legalization in the U.S., which is difficult to handicap given gridlock in Congress and Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s antipathy. Marijuana remains illegal federally in the U.S.
The latest investment frenzy really got rolling last month when Constellation Brands Inc., the maker of Corona beer, announced a $3.8 billion stake in Canopy. Since then, the BI Canada Cannabis Competitive Peers index has gained 45 percent. Large public companies and institutional investors had largely avoided the marijuana industry, fearful of running afoul of U.S. law. Constellation’s investment was seen as a validation.
The growth potential in marijuana has yet to translate into big sales or profits. Tilray reported second-quarter revenue of $9.7 million. Aurora, valued at about $6.4 billion, had sales of $12.2 million in its most recent quarter. In just the first two days of this week, Aurora’s stock rose 12 percent and Tilray was up 23 percent. Tilray added another 11 percent in early trading Wednesday to above $100 a share, bringing its total gain since its July IPO to over 500 percent. Tilray has added more than $2.5 billion in market value since the Sept 7 close.
The market is expected to grow after legalization, but that still might not be enough to justify valuations.
Canada Base
“The investment narrative centers on their ability to use Canada as a home base from which they can expand internationally as the opportunity grows,” Andrew Kessner, analyst at U.S. brokerage William O’Neil & Co., wrote in a recent note.
In a situation reminiscent of the turn-of-the-century dot-com boom, cannabis companies that would be considered reasonably valued under normal circumstances, such as Hexo Corp., are being pressured by investors who want to see them achieve the same sky-high numbers as their competitors. Riposte Capital LLC last week urged Hexo to pursue “strategic alternatives,” pointing to the fact that its enterprise value is 8.1 times 2020 consensus Ebitda versus Tilray’s at 93.8 times or Canopy’s at 89.2 times. Riposte said a conservative multiple for Hexo would be 30 times Ebitda -- earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.
The high valuations drew the attention of short-seller Andrew Left. Shares of the company Cronos Group Inc. sank recently after Left’s firm, Citron Research, said the stock should be trading at about a quarter of the price.
Reasonable Multiples
Once the industry reaches maturity, it’s likely the stocks will trade at multiples between those of a consumer products company and a pharmaceutical company -- somewhere between 12 times and 20 times forward Ebitda, said Matt Bottomley, an analyst at Canaccord Genuity Group Inc.
“Trying to pick what a reasonable multiple is on a one- or two- or three-year basis is not a very fruitful exercise because of how steep the growth profile is,” he said.
Until then, even the companies themselves acknowledge that it’s tough to know how valuable they are.
“Honestly, I don’t even know,” said Cam Battley, Aurora’s chief corporate officer. “Our CFO and I, we talk about this all the time. But nobody’s done this before.” |
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