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La Revolution Part 1 So Rhyd’s got the third part of his “death of liberal democracies” part out and we’re going to address some of it. I’m going to do like I did with the second one, and narrow it down a bit so we don’t end up with a massive train wreck like the first one. Because sure, that would give me more material to publish, I don’t think anyone wants to read more Rhyd than they have to. So let’s go over: Social Justice…or Revolution? Or as it could also be titled: “Capitulate or we murder you all.” Because our understanding of violence is always subjective, whether or not the State killing of Black men is ‘justified’ depends on whether or not we identify more with the victims of that violence, or with the State (and its values, and its agents). A Capitalist is more likely to defend the State’s actions than will those whom they exploit, because police don’t exist to keep Capitalists (most of them white) in line. So…the killings are either just or unjust depending on whether or not we identify more with the victims of that violence (black people, and believe they should be given special treatment not given to other races when it comes to law enforcement), or with the State (and its values, and its agents) (I.e. that the law be enforced equally and that those who violate the law with persistent resistance/violence may face the consequences of their illegal actions). And apparently, by Rhyd’s logic, if you are not a racist who identifies with people based on their skin color….you’re a “Racist” for insisting everyone be held to the laws equally when black people are killed by cops in situations the black person could have avoided. I would like to draw everyone’s attention to the “Nigga Movement” theory. Which…from my research…is about how most of these “police killings of black men” tend to go down. Nigga be Nigga, Nigga have Nigga Moment, and at the end…cops respond the only way they can in the face of African American Violence. With more violence. Think I’m lying, well, how about some facts about the latest two guys, the ones whose deaths were being protested in Dallas when the Cops got murdered: Is it right? Meh, can’t really say. But one of the moral revelations I had long ago is that when you walk the road of violence, you will find it. And no matter how strong you are, eventually you will find something strong enough to kill you. That’s just how violence works. In such events, the veneer of Liberal Democracy cracks and fall off, showing something much darker—and much more violent—underneath. And like any other disillusionment, we experience the apparent short-circuit of the mythic and the real of Liberal Democracy as a kind of trauma, one our minds scramble furiously to repair. Actually, Rhyd isn’t wrong here. Liberal Democracies are thin veneers we put over our world in order to believe that we can live in a realm of equality, liberty, and safety. In reality, Rhyd is right about how the “killing of young black men” cracks that veneer and reveals it to be a lie. The problem is that Rhyd thinks of this veneeric falsehood as a violently enforced projection of the State. In reality, it’s no such thing. It is the hopeful projections of the populace…who dream of living with safety and freedom. The problem is that the world…really doesn’t work that way. People can live by violence, take what they have the power to take, and as a general rule “might makes right.” As a rule, ever since the animal kingdom, the biggest guy in the room gets to rule over everyone else. Governments, especially liberal democracies, are the vain and glorious attempt to prevent that by getting all the little people to band together to stave off the big violent guys as one. And typically that veneer cracks whenever some big guy throws his weight around to the point of running into the collective armed forces of the little guy who attempts to stop him Now, this may seem odd. After all, the Cops are the enforcers of the State, the ultimate “Big Guy,” right? Well…not really. A cop, or even group of cops, have no inherent power themselves. But they are invested with power by the populace…the shop keepers, the home owners, the little people just trying to live their lives. The “Big Guys” in history and today are the people who because of their size or will, take by force what they please. Cops are just a physical manifestation of the metaphorical collection of little guys who run out to stop the big guys from crushing them. It’s just that there are a shit ton of “little guys” out there to gang up on the Big Guys, at least these days. And so it looks unfair to some people, because the little people do in numbers what the big guy can’t do with just his raw strength. Religion is a good parallel. When we experience a crisis of faith, particularly related to the Divine, we have two options. The first is to stare deeply into the sudden Abyss which has opened up, the chasm between what we believed was true—what we shaped our lives around—and what we now see as true. But that’s really hard, so many opt for the second option: dig in our heels, insist that what we thought was true still is and cling harder to the external rituals of that belief until the doubts and questions go away. They don’t, of course. And that trauma re-asserts itself in bizarre behaviour, and can produce both fanaticism and fundamentalism. Wow, not only is Rhyd finally talking about religion, he’s actually detailing his own experiences with crises of faith and how he dug in his heels and fell into both fanaticism and fundamentalism! In each case, both choices are very, very human. No forsaken lover can really be blamed for their denial. No true believer can be faulted for their desire to return to a more innocent belief. And none of us should feel shame that we’ve clung so long to the myths of Liberal Democracy, even as we learn how violent and destructive it is. Tfw: you can see the symptoms, but misidentify the sickness. Liberal Democracies are not, by their nature, “violent and destructive.” At least, no more than any other system of governance and quite a bit less than most, if we’re honest. But what Rhyd sees as the violent and destructive nature of “liberal democracies” is in fact merely the violence and destructive nature of…humans. Particularly, humans who feel they have more to gain by forsaking the “social contract” of peace and respect between people and taking up the proverbial sword against their fellow man. It is not the Democracy that is violent, but people who are violent. And people are violent no matter what. Meaning that sometimes the only way to stop violent people is with more violence. It’s just that in a liberal democracy we tend to tell ourselves that by fully investing everyone in our system of governance and providing them equal treatment under the law, hopefully we can convince as many people as we can that violence is not the answer…that there is a more peaceful way. Unfortunately, you can’t convince everyone. Rhyd then goes on to talk about the usual Marxism and how Marx didn’t just have a problem with Capitalism, he also had a problem with Socialism. At which point I’m just sipping my gatorade and looking bemused. But thankfully, Rhyd is actually addressing the problems of the glorious Socialist Utopia he’s been championing and for once actually seems to have done a paltry amount of research into the subject. Utopian Socialists criticized many of the same problems as Communists and Anarchists in the 18th and 19th century. But rather than advocate an overthrow of the State and a seizure of the factories from their owners (‘the means of production’), they thought that Liberal Democratic governments could be reformed through education and enlightenment. With enough time and effort, they reasoned, Capital would become less violent, wealth would become more equitably shared, and class and race divisions would eventually just fade away. To get to such a point, Utopian Socialists tried to educate the masses on right behaviour. They reasoned that most of the problems of society came from ignorance, and if people only understood how their actions hurt others (including the actions of rulers and Capitalists), humanity would eventually become free and peaceful. In essence, once enough people changed their morals—replacing hate with tolerance, altruism for greed, solidarity for individualism—we would finally become equal. And if anyone is thinking “Hey, this sounds familiar to some of the stuff on G&R, Patheos, and other places, well you are right. And even Rhyd admits “you are right.” If Utopian Socialism sounds a little familiar, it should. It never actually went away, but has taken many new names for itself. In the United States, for example, it’s been known as Progressivism. In many European countries, it’s called Democratic Socialism. And in most English-speaking countries in the world now, it’s called Social Justice. And it’s failed. Oh dear. Rhyd has just abandoned the Social Justice. You know what, I am almost convinced that my work here is done. Because Rhyd is about to lose everything he has ever built in his life. Shit son, Dybing and Bones and Thompson and everyone else in that whole circle are Social Justice True Believers. Rhyd just spoke the words of Heresy. Shit, I hope everyone is paid up on their insurance. Like Utopian Socialism, Social Justice attempts to educate the masses on the causes and results of inequality in order to eradicate it. They believe that, once people understand that they are being racist, sexist, homophobic, fat-phobic, trans-phobic, misogynist, privileged, ableist, colonialist, white, classist, xenophobic, nationalist, and elitist, they will eventually stop. Uh oh. Why do I suddenly have a very bad feeling about this… By educating the masses about these things, Social Justice then aims to transform society into something more fair and just. If enough people understand these problems and seek to fix them, they can then transform the institutions (including the State) that benefit from these ills into something that will uphold equality. There is a problem, of course: for as many people who embrace Social Justice and attempt to adjust their actions, there are more people who answer such complaints with, “no. I’m not.” That bad feeling… It’s getting worse guys. More so, those who wish to continue their behavior have all sorts of arguments in their defense. A person who does not want to be around trans people, for instance, may invoke religion (be it Christian Fundamentalism or Dianic Witchcraft), or safety, or the right to choose whom they associate with. An institution that believes same-sex relationships are immoral might likewise invoke ‘religious freedom’ as a defense. In fact, Social Justice is a double-edged blade. New Right Heathen and polytheist theorists invoke the same arguments used to defend indigenous, First Nations, and other oppressed peoples to defend their own oppressive ideologies. Stephen McNallen and his fellow racists, for instance, insist that their ‘indigenous European culture’ deserves the same protections as others, and thus they should be able to exclude people of non-European descent from their groups. While this may seem like a mere cynical attempt to hijack Social Justice language, it isn’t. The morality inherent to Social Justice is subjective and not actually part of its framework; people with opposing moral views can easily use the same framework. Oh fucking Hela…I know where he’s going with this… Not only has Rhyd spoken the words of heresy…he’s leading down the logical path that has turned every Marxist society into a blood drenched authoritarian dictatorship with body counts in the hundreds of millions. See, with Social Justice…not unlike Classical Liberalism, there is the insistence that peoples’ rights be respected. With Classical Liberalism, the argument is “everyone’s right have to be respected.” With Social Justice the augment is “because I am ‘oppressed’ society needs to respect my rights even more than they already do to make up for that oppression.” So for example, in Classical Liberalism, no one shall be denied a job based on race, sex, religion, etc. But the job can go to the most meritocratic individual…regardless of race, sex, religion, etc. In Social Justice, again, no one should be “denied” a job based on race, sex, religion, etc. But, because in some jobs there are more…..straight white men, those who hire people for jobs should give preferences to then hiring say…trans black women…because by not having an equal representation of all people in each type of job, the “group” with a higher population is in a position of “privilege” and thus is not in a state of “equality.” (So don’t think of it as “denying” straight white men jobs based on their race, gender, and orientation…just think of it as “Giving Jobs” to the “less fortunate” instead of allowing the other group to try for the position based on skill). But as Rhyd points out, the reasoning used can work both ways. If say, you have a minority “White” religion who does meet the definitions of “being oppressed” then it can use the argument for its rights to be respected the same as any other oppressed group. This can be labeled “appropriation” in an attempt to forestall recognizing said group’s rights…but it only works so long as one can blind oneself to the oppression one is then enacting against that minority group. Because the logic and the argument can and do work for anyone in the appropriate situation. Exactly like it does for McNallen and his Heathens, who merely insist that their minority, indigenous religion must have the exact same rights as every other minority, indigenous religion. It’s an argument that works under the logic of both Classical Liberalism and Social Justice. Which is exactly Rhyd’s problem. Under either system he has to respect the rights of other cultures with other beliefs to exist and practice. And he doesn’t want to do that. Neither Utopian Socialism nor Social Justice rely on education as the sole means of affecting social change. Instead, both attempt to increase the rights recognised and granted by the State in order to increase equality and enshrine a more just morality. Protections for disabled people, ethnic, religious, and racial minorities, anti-discrimination laws, hate-crime legislation and social welfare programs are all strategies used to correct inequalities within Liberal Democracy and move towards a more just and equal society. The problem? This strategy requires a violent and powerful State. Well, at least Rhyd has finally decided to just be an anarchist…rather than that oddly hybridized anarchist-statist that he was being. I suppose that’s something at least. He talks about capitalist violence, again, so I’m mostly going to skip over that and focus on his new heresy stuff towards social justice because…well at least it’s not the same thing he’s said 200 times. Social Justice doesn’t question State power. Instead, when moral arguments regarding tolerance and acceptance fail to correct oppression, Social Justice demands that the State intervene. This State intervention does work, as least for a little while (as in desegregation in the American South, hate-crime laws in most Liberal Democracies, etc.). Unfortunately, by demanding these guarantees of rights (and the punishment of those who violate them), Social Justice empowers the State to enact more violence. You know, I’m curious as to when Rhyd came to this conclusion. Honestly, he’s starting to sound like all us Classical Liberals and the Alt-Right guys when we talk about Social Justice. At least with Classical Liberalism, the argument is to minimize the state’s ability to do violence, even as we recognize the necessity of state violence. But apparently Rhyd has reached the point where any state violence is unacceptable (so, hooray for finally becoming an anarchist). Of course I do wonder when he’s going to realize that when and why we created state violence to begin with… Thus, the police who arrest perpetrators of hate crimes are also police who kill Black men during traffic stops, the same courts which try cases of discrimination also prosecute homeless people for vagrancy. The State becomes more powerful through our reliance on it, and we find ourselves in a tug-of-war over control of State violence. We can’t win, because the State cannot exist without the Capitalists who fund it. As Audre Lorde pointed out: …the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house. They may allow us to temporarily beat him at his own game, but they will never enable us to bring about genuine change. Well, he might be running down the logical highway to mass murder and dictatorships…but we can’t say that Rhyd ain’t getting Woke, son. But without attacking Capital, Social Justice can only rely on the same State as the Capitalist in order to repair the damage Capitalism causes. Welfare, affirmative action, housing assistance, education grants—all these exist to lessen the damage of Capitalism, but none of them ever succeed in create equality precisely because Capitalism always requires inequality to function. Also, everything the State does (including welfare, etc.) is paid for by taxation. The only way for the State to derive enough taxes to fund these programs is to have a thriving economy, with Capitalists reaping enough profits to bear the burden of taxation. Thus, the State is used both to fix the problems caused by Capitalism while also encouraging more Capitalism, with one hand repairing only some of the damage that it causes with the other hand. Unfortunately, Social Justice enables this process. Is it bad I’m actually laughing my ass off and having a good time with this for once? I’m sure it’s all gonna implode, but seriously. So much heresy and waking up against the Socialism. At this rate, Rhyd might actually turn into a Capitalist or something. The United States Military recently joined the rest of the ‘civilized world’ (that is, Liberal Democracies) by allowing homosexuals to ‘serve’ openly and women to ‘serve’ in combat. It was hailed as a victory for Social Justice and equality by many gays and Feminists, seen as progress and the victory of tolerance over inequality. Well, right up until the Feminists realized that they could be drafted, and then cried sweet salty tears about the need to abolish the draft…despite men having been subject to it for centuries and that being the primary reason men were originally allowed to vote. Equality. An Arab woman who loses her children and husband to the bullets of an American lesbian soldier probably won’t see this as a victory of equality. Well then that Arab woman just needs to get woke and smell the equality, rather than being kept barefoot and pregnant in her now dead husband’s kitchen. Doesn’t she know she’s letting down all women with her misogynistic subservience to her husband, rather than being a strong independent woman who don’t need no man and goes out to the workforce to support her sisters and fight against the patriarchal glass ceiling. I know, I know. I’m a horrible person. But that is how many a feminist talks to a stay at home mom in the West, so I figured that’s what they would say to any woman who dared protest a Lesbian Soldier going out and killing a privileged member of the Patriarchy. During the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, many gay men and feminists called for support of these military actions on behalf of the gays and women in those countries, employing a narrative of Liberal Democracy versus the uncivilized (i.e.; Muslim) world. That same narrative repeats today—calls for stricter policies against immigrants to protect gays and women (especially after the Orlando massacre), relentlessly recycled news stories on the slaughter of gays by Daesh, calls by polytheists for the US military to send more troops to the Iraq to support Yezidis and stop the destruction of ancient sacred sites. Okay, wow. Not only is Rhyd completely going Heretic on Social Justice…he literally just threw Women and Gays under the bus as well. He’s saying that “State Violence is Bad, Always,” even when that violence is used ostensibly to protect people facing oppression, suppression, and even Death for what they are. In simple terms, if a Muslim Immigrant raped a Lesbian, and a cop killed the Muslim in order to stop the rape….both the Cop and the Lesbian are morally in the wrong because they used state violence to stop the rape. Like this: Related Post navigation 2 thoughts on “La Revolution Part 1” Take a lot of violence (more The bloody, the better), + evil – insert – system, capital, democracy, liberal, polytheism + evil fascist infiltrator + I know the one true answer which involved a lot of violence. He switches up the one true answer to keep people off kilter to question themselves if they are the evil blah, blah, blah. Standard stuff to keep people following you and adhering to your every word. You could just set an automatic response blog. Save yourself and your brain power.	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
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d biggest value in m, j, n? n Let n = -0.54 + 9.74. Let c = -9 + n. What is the smallest value in 0.3, c, -0.04? -0.04 Let m = 144 + -1300/9. Which is the third smallest value? (a) 2/15 (b) 0 (c) 3/4 (d) m a Let n = -1105 - -1398. Which is the smallest value? (a) 1/4 (b) 2/9 (c) -3/8 (d) n c Let f(x) = 4x - 5. Let u(s) = 3s - 4. Let g(k) = -4f(k) + 5u(k). Let y be g(-2). Which is the second biggest value? (a) 5/2 (b) 4/7 (c) y (d) -3/5 c Let y = 248 + -251. What is the second smallest value in 5, 0.4, 2/113, y? 2/113 Let o be (4 + 9 + -7)/(4/2). Suppose 5x - 4f = 32, -2f = 5x - 0f - 14. Suppose x = -k + o. Which is the smallest value? (a) k (b) -0.5 (c) 1 a Let o = 6 + -3. Let m = o + -7. Let t = 49 - 48.6. What is the third biggest value in 0.1, t, m? m Let d = -1179 + 1178.5. Which is the third biggest value? (a) -0.3 (b) d (c) -53 c Let i = -2 - 3. Let s = 0.328 + -133.328. Let y = 138 + s. Which is the smallest value? (a) y (b) -2 (c) i c Let g = -1/99 - -106/693. Which is the second smallest value? (a) 1/2 (b) -3 (c) 5 (d) g d Let d = -857 - -859. Let h = 0.05 - -3.95. Which is the third smallest value? (a) h (b) d (c) -2/53 a Let b = 2 - -19. What is the third smallest value in -0.3, 0.4, b? b Let f = -196 + 196.1. Which is the second smallest value? (a) f (b) -1 (c) 1/6 a Let i = 1 - 3. Let m be 147/i5/(-10). Let q = 37 - m. Which is the smallest value? (a) -3 (b) -1 (c) q a Let w = 0.052 - -2.948. Let s = -8 - -8.3. What is the second smallest value in -2, s, w? s Let k(w) = -w*2 - 30w - 2. Let j(t) = -t*2 - 60t - 3. Let l(o) = 3j(o) - 5k(o). Let r be l(15). What is the second smallest value in 1/3, -4, r? 1/3 Let j(k) = -k*3 + 14k*2 - 34k + 5. Let q be j(11). Let n be 1 + 1/q + (-145)/150. What is the third biggest value in n, 1/7, 0? n Let f(x) = 3x2 - 34x + 36. Let b be f(10). What is the second biggest value in 0.3, b, 1/2, -11? 0.3 Let o = 71 - 51. Let x = -142/7 + o. Which is the third smallest value? (a) 2/7 (b) 5 (c) x (d) -1 a Let x = -498 + 510. What is the second smallest value in 0.1, -0.09, x, -0.2? -0.09 Let u = -0.52 - -0.62. Which is the fourth smallest value? (a) 0.5 (b) -0.4 (c) 1 (d) u c Let p = 0.26 - 0.06. Let w = 0 - p. Suppose 5y = v - 17, 4v + 0v = 5y + 8. Which is the third biggest value? (a) w (b) 0.5 (c) v c Let s = 0.21 + 8.79. Let j(q) = q2 - 4. Let v be j(3). What is the second smallest value in s, v, 0? v Let r = -22 + 36. Let d(h) be the third derivative of -h4/24 + 3h3 - 6h*2 - 1. Let l be d(r). Which is the smallest value? (a) 0.5 (b) -1 (c) l b Let f be (2/(-4))/(5/(-54)). Which is the biggest value? (a) -0.2 (b) f (c) -4 b Let n(r) = 2r - 3. Let m be n(4). Let f = 5075 - 5075.4. Which is the biggest value? (a) m (b) f (c) -0.3 a Let p = -540896/15 - -35975. Let w = p + 251/3. Let g = 2/3 + w. Which is the smallest value? (a) g (b) 4 (c) -3 c Let n = 181.7 + -182. What is the biggest value in n, 4, -245? 4 Let y = -656 - -653. Which is the second biggest value? (a) -3/7 (b) 0.1 (c) y a Let s = -0.1373 - 0.1627. What is the third biggest value in s, 0.3, -0.104, 0? -0.104 Let i(j) = 3j + 103. Let s be i(-35). What is the third biggest value in s, 3, 1? s Let t = -0.6387 - -0.1387. Let y = 0.02 + 1.98. Which is the second biggest value? (a) -0.3 (b) -1/4 (c) t (d) y b Let j(s) = 19s*2 + 2s - 5. Let a be j(-3). Let t be -4 + 0 - (-719)/a. Let i = t - 3/32. What is the second biggest value in 2, i, 1/4? i Let k(y) = 2y - 21. Let r be k(12). Let o be (-2)/r60/8. What is the third smallest value in o, -3, 1/3? 1/3 Let b = -0.935 - 27.065. Let l = 0.9 + -1.4. What is the second smallest value in -1/3, l, b? l Let q = 131.036 - 131. Let c = q - 4.036. Let b = -4.7 + 5. What is the third biggest value in b, c, 1/5? c Let l be (-10)/(-6)-1 - -2. Let x = 0.24 - 3.24. Let r = 1568/5 - 314. What is the biggest value in l, r, x? l Let n = -948.43 - -953. Let u = -0.43 - n. What is the third biggest value in u, 4, -1/5? u Let c = -14 + 10. Let u = 6 + c. What is the smallest value in u, -0.7, 2/7? -0.7 Let r = 7.09 - 0.09. Let t = -0.442 - -0.042. What is the third smallest value in r, 2/5, t? r Suppose -8h = -6h + 2j + 8, 0 = 3j. What is the smallest value in 5, 4, h, -1? h Let u = 33/28 + -13/14. Which is the third biggest value? (a) u (b) -1 (c) -133 c Let o = -8.2 - 1. Let l = o - -5.2. Which is the fourth biggest value? (a) 0.3 (b) l (c) 2 (d) -0.3 b Let b be ((-2)/4)/(12/30). Let y = b - -27/28. Let w = 1 + 1. What is the third biggest value in w, y, -3? -3 Let h = 4.5 - 4. Which is the third smallest value? (a) 0 (b) 3/8 (c) h c Let p(w) = -w - 2. Let i be p(-2). Suppose 42j - 44j + 30 = i. Let v = 1 - 2. Which is the second biggest value? (a) j (b) 0.5 (c) v b Let w = -12.46 - -0.46. Let i = w - -13. What is the second biggest value in i, -5, 6? i Let d(j) = -j2 + 4j - 5. Let o be d(4). Let u = 53533/2 - 26766. What is the biggest value in u, o, -2/3? u Let o = -3 + 3.2. Let n = 36/11 + -83/22. What is the second smallest value in o, n, -3? n Let p be -2 - (8 - 0)/(-2). Which is the second biggest value? (a) 0.12 (b) p (c) 0.4 (d) 3 b Let n = -0.087 - -0.031. Let w = n + 0.056. What is the second biggest value in -0.01, -4, -0.3, w? -0.01 Let o = -85/57 - -3/19. Let s = -1282 + 1281.9. Which is the second smallest value? (a) o (b) 0.3 (c) s c Let i be 13/18 - (-2)/(-4). Let l = 1/132 + 43/132. Which is the biggest value? (a) i (b) 2 (c) l b Suppose 3s = -0s. Let u = 12 + 18. Let t be 13/(-104) - u/(-112). Which is the third smallest value? (a) t (b) s (c) 0.1 a Let n = 48 + -48.06. Let h = 11 - 8. Let l = -3.1 + h. Which is the second smallest value? (a) n (b) l (c) 3 a Let y = -2 - -1.9. Let i = -229 + 2297/10. Which is the third biggest value? (a) i (b) 5 (c) y c Let q = 2.05 - 2. Let j = 4847.3 + -4847. What is the third biggest value in j, 4, q? q Let i = 0.03 + -0.43. Let x = 29.5 + -29. Let h = 0.12 + -0.42. Which is the second biggest value? (a) x (b) h (c) i b Suppose 25i + 16 = -34. Which is the third smallest value? (a) 3/2 (b) -1/47 (c) i a Let r be ((-9)/(-30))/(4/8). Which is the second smallest value? (a) -1/5 (b) r (c) 0.03 c Let p = 149/1380 + -4/69. Let t(s) = s2 + 4s + 3. Let l be t(0). What is the third smallest value in -1, p, l? l Let g = 88 - 49. Let l = g - 39. Which is the third smallest value? (a) 2/3 (b) -0.03 (c) l a Let k be ((-8)/6)/(24/72). Which is the third biggest value? (a) -1.61 (b) -1 (c) k c Let o = 59.71 + -60. Let r = o - -0.29. Let m = 3.7 + -4. Which is the smallest value? (a) -1/4 (b) m (c) r b Let m = -7.4 + 7.7. What is the second smallest value in m, 2/15, 2, -3? 2/15 Suppose -7r - 6r = 26. Which is the third biggest value? (a) -3/7 (b) -3 (c) r (d) 2/3 c Let f = -61 - -58. Let p be (-1)/5 - 27/15. What is the biggest value in 1/5, f, p? 1/5 Let k = 304 - 2429/8. What is the second biggest value in -1, k, 3? k Let x = 292 - 286. Which is the second biggest value? (a) 2 (b) -46 (c) x a Let x = -10/3 + 4. Suppose 2h = h + 2i + 5, 3h - 1 = -i. Let c = h + -3. What is the second biggest value in c, x, 3? x Suppose -3o = -5f - 6o - 113, 5f + 115 = -5o. What is the third smallest value in 3, f, 0.1? 3 Let p = 0.214 - -0.086. What is the second smallest value in -5, -1, p, -3/4? -1 Let i = 32 - 16. Let t = i - 16.1. Let n = -54 - -54. Which is the third biggest value? (a) t (b) n (c) -11 c Let u be -6 + -1 - 372/(-60). Let d be (2/8)/(3/(-4)). What is the third smallest value in u, -1/6, d? -1/6 Let u = -11.9015 + -0.0985. Which is the smallest value? (a) -5 (b) u (c) 1/5 b Let j = 0.19 + -0.14. Let a = 0.27 - j. Let s = a + -0.02. What is the biggest value in s, -0.3, 1/4? 1/4 Let s = -22 + 24.4. Let w = 6.4 - s. Which is the third biggest value? (a) -0.5 (b) w (c) -16 c Let r = 529 - 576. What is the biggest value in r, -0.5, -2, 5? 5 Let y = 6.68 - 8.68. Let t be 27/12 + (-1)/4. Suppose -8 = -2u - 4f - f, -5u - tf = -20. What is the third biggest value in 1, u, y? y Let v be (-2)/(-3)*(-5)/15. Let t = -16.8 + 17. Let z = -1.2 + 2.2. What is the biggest value in v	{ "pile_set_name": "DM Mathematics" }
948 P.2d 991 (1997) STATE of Alaska, Appellant, v. William BURDEN, Appellee. No. A-6184. Court of Appeals of Alaska. December 12, 1997. 992 Eric A. Johnson, Assistant Attorney General, Office of Special Prosecutions and Appeals, Anchorage, and Bruce M. Botelho, Attorney General, Juneau, for Appellant. Jill E. Farrell, Assistant Public Defender, and Barbara K. Brink, Public Defender, Anchorage, for Appellee. Before COATS, C.J., and MANNHEIMER, J., and RABINOWITZ, Senior Supreme Court Justice.[] OPINION MANNHEIMER, Judge. William Burden acted as the go-between in a cocaine sale; he was indicted for third-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance (delivery of cocaine), AS 11.71.030(a)(1). Following his indictment, Burden sought dismissal of the charge. Burden pointed out that, although a purchaser of illegal drugs can be prosecuted for possession, Alaska law specifically precludes the State from charging the purchaser with sale or delivery (a higher degree of crime) under the theory that the purchaser acted as the accomplice of the seller. See AS 11.16.120(b)(2), discussed in more detail below. Burden asserted that, even though he acted as a go-between in the sale of the cocaine, he was working as the agent of the purchasers, not the seller. Thus, Burden concluded, while he might be prosecuted for possession (as the accomplice of the purchasers), he could not be prosecuted for sale or delivery. The superior court adopted Burden's argument and dismissed the indictment. Having reviewed the applicable law, we conclude that it does not matter whether Burden was acting as the agent of the purchasers or the seller; either circumstance will support Burden's indictment for delivering cocaine. We therefore reverse the superior court's decision and direct the superior court to reinstate the indictment. American common law recognized a doctrine of statutory construction that limited the scope of accomplice and co-conspirator liability: unless a criminal statute explicitly provided otherwise, a person who cooperated in the commission of a criminal offense could not be prosecuted as an accomplice or a co-conspirator if the person's activities in aid of the offense were "an inseparable incident" of the offense. See Gebardi v. United States, 287 U.S. 112, 53 S.Ct. 35, 77 L.Ed. 206 (1932) (holding that a woman who agreed to be transported across state lines to engage in unlawful sexual intercourse could not be prosecuted for conspiracy to violate the Mann Act). The Alaska legislature has codified this common-law rule of construction in AS 11.16.120(b)(2): Except as otherwise provided by a provision of law defining an offense, a person is not legally accountable for the conduct of another constituting an offense if ... (2) the offense is so defined that the person's conduct is inevitably incidental to its commission. See also the commentary to AS 11.16.120(b)(2), which is found in 1978 Senate Journal, Supp. No. 47 (June 12), p. 4.[1] Burden correctly points out that the Alaska Supreme Court has interpreted this doctrine to prohibit drug purchasers from being prosecuted or convicted as accomplices to the sale. 993 See Howard v. State, 496 P.2d 657, 660 (Alaska 1972). In the past, several courts extended the "inevitably incidental" doctrine to insulate not only the purchaser of drugs but also any other person acting on the purchaser's behalf. Under this expanded interpretation, generally referred to as the "procuring agent" or "purchasing agent" defense, a person who acted on behalf of the purchaser in arranging or accomplishing a sale of illegal drugs could not be prosecuted as an accomplice to the sale (although the person could be charged as an accomplice to the purchaser's act of possession). See, for example, Long v. State, 260 Ark. 417, 542 S.W.2d 742, 743 (1976); State v. Baldwin, 867 S.W.2d 358, 360 (Tenn.Cr.App. 1993), and State v. Walker, 82 Wash.2d 851, 514 P.2d 919, 922 (1973). Not all courts extended the doctrine this far apparently because it is not self-evident that an illegal sale of drugs "inevitably" includes a go-between. California, for example, held that "one who acts as a go-between or agent of either the buyer or seller clearly may be found guilty ... as an aider and abettor to the seller." People v. Edwards, 39 Cal.3d 107, 216 Cal. Rptr. 397, 401 n. 5, 702 P.2d 555, 559 n. 5 (1985); People v. Cattaneo, 217 Cal. App.3d 1577, 266 Cal. Rptr. 710, 713-15 (1990). Accord, State v. Baltier, 109 Ariz. 96, 505 P.2d 556, 557 (1973); People v. Shannon, 15 Ill.2d 494, 155 N.E.2d 578, 580 (1959); State v. Allen, 292 A.2d 167, 170-72 (Me. 1972). The Alaska courts have never decided whether a "procuring agent" or "purchasing agent" defense applies to drug prosecutions in this state. However, in two cases McReynolds v. State, 739 P.2d 175, 178 (Alaska App. 1987), and Wagers v. State, 810 P.2d 172, 176 (Alaska App. 1991) this court suggested that the defense was available: that a person acting as the agent for a drug purchaser could not be prosecuted for sale of drugs under a complicity theory. Burden urges us to now squarely hold that the agent of a drug purchaser can not be prosecuted as an accomplice to the sale. Under Alaska's pre-1982 drug laws, Burden's case would present a close question. However, in 1982 the Alaska Legislature rewrote this state's drug laws to conform to the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. See 1982 SLA, chapter 45, section 2; Dawson v. State, 894 P.2d 672, 674 (Alaska App. 1995). Alaska law no longer defines the illegal transfer of controlled substances in terms of "sale"; instead, the prohibited act is "delivery". For example, Burden was charged under AS 11.71.030(a)(1). The pertinent portion of this statute prohibits a person from "deliver[ing] any amount of [cocaine]" or from possessing cocaine "with intent to ... deliver". The terms "deliver" and "delivery" are defined in AS 11.71.900(6): "[D]eliver" or "delivery" means the actual, constructive, or attempted transfer [of a controlled substance] from one person to another ... whether or not there is an agency relationship [between these persons]. This definition is identical to the one found in the Uniform Controlled Substances Act (see Uniform Laws Annotated (1988), vol. 9, part II, p. 11), and it mirrors the corresponding definition under federal drug law, 21 U.S.C. § 802(8). The real question presented by Burden's case is whether, given this statutory definition of "delivery", the "procuring agent" defense is available in prosecutions under AS 11.71. We hold that this defense is not available. As explained above, the doctrine that exempts drug purchasers from accomplice liability for their participation in the sale of drugs is ultimately a rule of statutory interpretation. The legislative commentary to AS 11.16.120(b)(2) (see footnote 1) explicitly states that this statute does not forbid the legislature from holding purchasers or their agents criminally liable for an illegal sale of drugs. Rather, AS 11.16.120(b)(2) merely requires that, if the legislature desires to expand accomplice liability in this area, it must enact a statute that declares this purpose. We conclude that the Alaska Legislature's decision to define third-degree controlled substance misconduct in terms of "delivery" rather than "sale" constitutes a declaration that the agents of cocaine purchasers may be charged (under a complicity theory) with third-degree controlled substance misconduct. Even before the Alaska Legislature enacted our current drug laws in 1982, federal 994 appellate courts had repeatedly held that Congress's decision to define federal drug offenses in terms of "delivery" had eliminated the "procuring agent" defense since the definition of "delivery" now explicitly included transfers even when an agency relationship existed between the transferor and transferee. As the Ninth Circuit declared, Under [21 U.S.C. § 802], "distribute" means "to deliver ... a controlled substance" [, and] "[d]eliver" means "the ... transfer of a controlled substance, whether or not there exists an agency relationship." 21 U.S.C. § 802(8) (emphasis added). Thus, by its terms, the new statute excludes the "procuring agent" defense in toto. United States v. Hernandez, 480 F.2d 1044, 1046 (9th Cir.1973). See also United States v. Collins, 552 F.2d 243, 245-46 (8th Cir.1977); United States v. Pierce, 498 F.2d 712, 713 (D.C. Cir.1974); United States v. Redwood, 492 F.2d 216 (3rd Cir.1974); United States v. Masullo, 489 F.2d 217, 220-21 (2nd Cir.1973); United States v. Pruitt, 487 F.2d 1241, 1243-45 (8th Cir.1973); United States v. Johnson, 481 F.2d 645, 646 (5th Cir.1973); United States v. Workopich, 479 F.2d 1142, 1147 (5th Cir.1973). State courts construing similar statutes (statutes based upon the Uniform Controlled Substances Act) are essentially unanimous in reaching the same conclusion: when a drug offense is defined in terms of "delivery" (using a definition of "delivery" derived from the Uniform Controlled Substances Act), the "procuring agent" or "purchasing agent" defense is no longer available; a person acting as the agent of the purchaser can be charged as an accomplice to the delivery. See McKissick v. State, 522 So.2d 3, 4 (Ala.Cr.App. 1987); People v. Cattaneo, 217 Cal. App.3d 1577, 266 Cal. Rptr. 710, 713-15 & 713 n. 2 (1990); People v. Dinkel, 189 Colo. 404, 541 P.2d 898, 900 (1975); State v. Kelsey, 58 Haw. 234, 566 P.2d 1370, 1373 (1977); State v. Sharp, 104 Idaho 691, 662 P.2d 1135, 1139 (1983); People v. Williams, 54 Mich. App. 448, 221 N.W.2d 204, 205-06 (1974); Hindman v. State, 647 P.2d 456, 458 (Okla. Crim. App. 1982); Harwood v. State, 543 P.2d 761, 763-64 (Okla. Crim. App. 1975); State v. Baldwin, 867 S.W.2d 358, 360 (Tenn.Cr.App. 1993); Wood v. Commonwealth, 214 Va. 97, 197 S.E.2d 200, 202 (1973); State v. Grace, 61 Wash. App. 787, 812 P.2d 865, 867-68 (1991); State v. Sherman, 15 Wash. App. 168, 547 P.2d 1234, 1236 (1976); State v. Hecht, 116 Wis.2d 605, 342 N.W.2d 721, 725-28 (1984). We have found only one decision contra: State v. Lott, 255 N.W.2d 105, 107 (Iowa 1977). Thus, the overwhelming weight of authority supports the State's position in this appeal: that the 1982 revision of Alaska's drug laws eliminated the "procuring agent" or "purchasing agent" defense. Burden cites no cases to the contrary (not even Lott). Having considered these authorities, we now hold that, under the definition of "delivery" found in AS 11.71.900(6), a person who acts as a go-between or facilitator for an illegal drug transaction can be prosecuted and convicted as an accomplice to the delivery even though he or she is acting on behalf of the purchaser. The superior court's order dismissing the indictment is REVERSED. This case is remanded to the superior court with directions to reinstate the indictment against Burden. NOTES [*] Sitting by assignment made pursuant to Article IV, Section 11 of the Alaska Constitution and Administrative Rule 23(a). [1] This commentary reads, in full: [Subsection (b)(2)] requires the legislature to decide whether the conduct inevitably incidental to a crime should be made criminal; for example, is the purchaser of sexual services guilty of prostitution? The Code does not prohibit the criminalization of such conduct[;] it merely provides that liability does not occur unless a statute specifically provides that it does.	{ "pile_set_name": "FreeLaw" }
Summary Limits, we all have them and Izuku Midoriya is no exception. The well-trained homicide detective has limits on how involved he’ll get with his cases that is until corpses are being found left and right with every ounce of their blood drained start turning up in Tokyo. They’re just in time for the detective’s old partner to trade him in so Bakugo can work with his soon to be husband so Midoriya finds himself with a mysterious new partner. Shouto Todoroki is cold and distant for the most part but that isn’t what bothers Midoriya about him. Its his obsession with the newest string of copycat murders that take over the city of Tokyo that sends waring signs off in the young detective’s mind. So Midoriya quickly limits himself on how curious he’s allowed to be about Todoroki that is until he finds himself developing feelings for his ever-evasive partner. After all some limits are meant to be broken, aren’t they? Crossposted to wattpad! Don't repost without my permission//// I'm bad at descriptions but I love detective shows and couldn't get a homicide detective Midoriya and a Vampire Todoroki falling in love out of mind so just read lol! Updates every Saturday!!! Tags Summary After hearing about the newly reconstructed Haddonfield, you decide to bite the bullet and move in. With the super-low rates, and a City begging for students to help boost their ever-falling population; it seems like a win-win deal. That is until Halloween. When you end up finding a wounded Michael Myers, you swoop in and help, finding that he not only is the real Myers of legend; but that he needs your help... As a heads up, this work revolves around the H20/Resurrection Timeline. But in this slight AU our boy Michael actually dies. But don't worry, it isn't for long! Read on and find out how our boi makes a triumphant return. Tags Summary When the Volkrod spoke of ‘Wolfsbane’, it was with triumph. They spoke of the day when the treacherous Samuel Campbell died and their Alpha heir was rescued. Wolfsbane was where the war had been finally won. But twelve years after that fateful day, Castiel, now the American Alpha of All, was still haunted by the events at Wolfsbane, by a blood-oath broken to a pup his pack insists could only have been a fever dream. Castiel’s mind agrees. Yet his heart, for all it has grown bitter and cold, hardened by his role and responsibilities and the scars of his time at Wolfsbane, still yearns for the boy who saved his life and his wolf still howls in mourning every full moon. Castiel still dreams of white fur, green eyes and the scent of magnolia. Summary The Cat's Paw is a special type of cafe. This a normal day in the lives of those who work there. A NCTV UrbanFantasy AU where Ten runs a cafe that sells coffee, tea, and potions, Lucas and Hendery are human baristas, Xiaojun is an herbalist who drops by with supplies, and YangYang is a ghost stuck in the building. Summary Hanamura Yosuke is a Tokyo detective working for a special, unknown department within the police force. He always works night shift and one thing he doesn't have time for is relationships. That is until he finally meets his mysterious downstairs neighbor Narukami Yu who just happens to be drop dead gorgeous. Summary In a world plagued with dark energy, because of the destruction of the Ying/Yan balance, Clans are the only salvation to the common people. Once every generation, all Clans youths gather in the Cloud Recesses to learn from the strongest, to keep their people safe from the ever present threat of the undead. Wei Wuxian, along with the Wen siblings are from the lowest small Clans, yet they are determined to prove the cultivator world that they can surpass those overconfident idiots of the main Clans and even save their world. A completely AU version of the drama The Untamed. I don't own the novel, nor the drama or any other version. BAD English, but interesting read. Summary On a cool night in summer Jeongguk kills seven people. He doesn't mean to, has never wanted to harm another living person, but he needs to. His fangs sit heavy in his mouth, his heart pounding as he watches the blood spill from the woman's throat. On a cool night in summer Jeongguk kills seven people and he lives with the guilt of the dozens of others that have died in his urge to feed. He stumbles through the hospital hazy and unsteady until he finds a room in the basement, until he hears a voice echo in his head that is not his own. The voice belongs to a man with dark eyes and pitch black hair and the voice of an angel. A man that holds his salvation.	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Gold and Company Gold and Company (Gold's) was a department store located in downtown Lincoln, Nebraska. The store was founded in 1915 and quickly grew into one of Lincoln's dominant retailers throughout the 20th century. Gold's merged with the Brandeis department store in 1964 and closed in 1980. History Gold and Company was founded by William Gold. The original name was The Peoples' Store until Gold incorporated with his son in 1915, officially naming it Gold and Company. The department store had one location in Lincoln, Nebraska, which was built in 1924. The building grew as the business grew with additions in 1929, 1947, and 1951. Acquisition by Brandeis An Omaha-based department store Brandeis merged with Gold's in 1964 to become Brandeis, Gold's Division. Brandeis operated the store for several years until 1980 when the company was shattered also forcing them to sell the downtown Omaha Brandeis flagship shortly after. The former Gold's building is now Gold's Galleria, a mix of retail stores and offices. See also List of defunct department stores of the United States References Category:Defunct department stores of the United States Category:Defunct companies based in Omaha, Nebraska Category:Retail companies established in 1915 Category:History of Lincoln, Nebraska Category:Retail companies disestablished in 1987	{ "pile_set_name": "Wikipedia (en)" }
Clearly, with the nerf you'll need greater amount of general damage (affecting both fire and burn) to make up for the nerf. As the numbers will also show, the more burn only increase you have, the more general damage increase you need to make up for the nerf (obviously). And just as obviously, "more" is more effective than "increased" for general damage and having both is best. If I'm not mistaken, burn-only buffs are "increased" only and don't have "more". I've laid out 3 simple scenarios for you on how much damage your ignite is impacted by based on these changes. - Scenario 1, you only have "increased" buffs for general damage - Scenario 2, you only have "more" buffs for general damage - Scenario 3, you have both "increased" and "more" buffs for general damage. I've fixed "increased" at 50% just so it's easier to see on the data table EDIT: Per Daniel_GGG's response in the thread, my initial ignite-related conclusion given the above: 1. Fire trappers still kick ass (burning ground FTW) 2. Fireball / burning arrow builds are painfully painfully impacted by the multiple projectiles double dip (personal opinion is this needs to be fixed) 3. Dischargers on first glance look like they've been nerfed. But the inclusion of concentrated effect could potentially buff ignite to INSANE levels, leading to super high damage in a smaller area of burn proliferation 4. Melee ele builds are also painfully impacted as weapon elemental damage confers no bonus to the ignite. However, concentrated effect would again cover the shortfall more than sufficiently. But the smaller area for melee builds is potentially harder to manage compared to dischargers Quite some QQ going on about the ignite nerf saying they got maths and all. They can't beat math!Clearly, with the nerf you'll need greater amount of general damage (affecting both fire and burn) to make up for the nerf. As the numbers will also show, the more burn only increase you have, the more general damage increase you need to make up for the nerf (obviously).And just as obviously, "more" is more effective than "increased" for general damage and having both is best. If I'm not mistaken, burn-only buffs are "increased" only and don't have "more".I've laid out 3 simple scenarios for you on how much damage your ignite is impacted by based on these changes.- Scenario 1, you only have "increased" buffs for general damage- Scenario 2, you only have "more" buffs for general damage- Scenario 3, you have both "increased" and "more" buffs for general damage. I've fixed "increased" at 50% just so it's easier to see on the data tableEDIT: Per Daniel_GGG's response in the thread, my initial ignite-related conclusion given the above:1. Fire trappers still kick ass (burning ground FTW)2. Fireball / burning arrow builds are painfully painfully impacted by the multiple projectiles double dip (personal opinion is this needs to be fixed)3. Dischargers on first glance look like they've been nerfed. But the inclusion of concentrated effect could potentially buff ignite to INSANE levels, leading to super high damage in a smaller area of burn proliferation4. Melee ele builds are also painfully impacted as weapon elemental damage confers no bonus to the ignite. However, concentrated effect would again cover the shortfall more than sufficiently. But the smaller area for melee builds is potentially harder to manage compared to dischargers Last edited by dlrr on Dec 2, 2013, 8:49:58 AM	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Ready to bring out the best in animated comedies? Then dress up in one of our Spongebob Costumes and get your buddies to do the same! Read More ► Welcome to our Spongebob Costumes for women at Costume Kingdom! You probably never grew up wishing you’d one day grow up and become a sea sponge that looks more like a kitchen sponge. But you probably also didn’t grow up with the hit Nickelodeon series, Spongebob Squarepants! Move into a pineapple house, and start a whole new life under the sea! With our Spongebob Costumes for adults, you can now not only transform into a sea sponge for Halloween, but you can flip burgers at the Krusty Krab restaurant, and join your friends Gary and Squid for daily fun adventures! If you’re normally an energetic, eternal optimist who loves to laugh, then the Spongebob Costumes theme is meant for you! We have variations of Spongebob costumes that feature an oversized square jumpsuit with a three dimensional Spongebob exact replica! For the ladies, we have a Womens Spongebob Costume, that will turn you into the leg bearing, sexy version of the adored, cartoon character! Blow bubbles with Patrick and spend half of your existence jelly-fishing! We've even got great costumes for sales that work for girls and teens! Your life has gone from mundane to out of this world with the help of a few costumes and accessory additions from our Spongebob Costumes for men, here at Costume Kingdom!	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Amy Landecker Amy Lauren Landecker (born September 30, 1969) is an American actress. She is known for her role as Sarah Pfefferman on the Amazon comedy-drama series Transparent (2014–2019), as well as her supporting roles in films Dan in Real Life (2007), A Serious Man (2009), All Is Bright (2013), Project Almanac (2015) and Beatriz at Dinner (2017). Early life Landecker was born September 30, 1969 in Chicago, Illinois. She is the daughter of John Records Landecker, a Chicago radio personality. One of her maternal great-grandfathers was lawyer Joseph N. Welch. She attended University of Wisconsin at Madison for college, studying theater. Career Landecker earned her Screen Actors Guild card doing a voiceover for a Tampax commercial. In the commercial Landecker echoes the voice of the on-camera actress, saying only the word "ballet", but made $10,000 in residuals from the commercial. Landecker recalls, "I never saw money like that in my life, and it didn't even matter what I looked like! I was hooked on [voiceover] from then on!" Early in her career, Landecker primarily focused on stage work, and did not move to Los Angeles until she was 38. Since then, she has appeared in numerous films and television shows, including a supporting role as Mrs. Samsky in the Academy Award for Best Picture-nominated film A Serious Man, directed by the Coen brothers. That performance received praise from many film critics, including Roger Ebert, who wrote, "Amy Landecker, too, is perfect as Mrs. Samsky. She makes the character sexy in a strictly logical sense, but any prudent man would know on first sight to stay clear". In 2011, Landecker was a regular cast member of The Paul Reiser Show on NBC, playing Paul Reiser's wife, Claire. On television, she has guest starred on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, NCIS, Curb Your Enthusiasm (where she met and started to date Larry David), Revenge, and many more series. She has also appeared in a number of Off-Broadway theatrical productions, including Bug. In 2013, Landecker co-starred in films All Is Bright, Clear History and Enough Said. In 2014, she was cast alongside Jeffrey Tambor and Judith Light in the Amazon Studios comedy-drama series, Transparent. She co-starred in the Michael Bay-produced time travel thriller Project Almanac, which was released in January 2015. Personal life Landecker divorced Jackson Lynch, with whom she has a daughter, in 2011. She began dating actor Bradley Whitford, whom she met on the set of Transparent, in 2015. They announced their engagement in March 2018 and married on July 17, 2019. Filmography Film Television References External links Category:1969 births Category:20th-century American actresses Category:21st-century American actresses Category:Actresses from Chicago Category:American film actresses Category:American people of English descent Category:American people of German-Jewish descent Category:American stage actresses Category:American television actresses Category:Living people Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni	{ "pile_set_name": "Wikipedia (en)" }
ApPHP DataGridDiscuss everything related to ApPHP DataGrid class. All versions. Any questions related to the ApPHP DataGrid developing or using should be posted to this forum. Please, check out Knowledge Base first before you post a question. Moderator:alexandrleonenko ApPHP DataValidatorDiscuss everything related to DataValidator. All versions. Any questions related to the DataValidator developing or using should be posted to this forum. Moderators:alexandrleonenko, goas	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Q: I have some weird output instead of “blank space ” it appears unknown symbol in LaTeX I'm writing code c++ in LaTeX using listing...but I have some weird output instead of "blank space " it appears unknown symbol, here is the code of the list: \defverbatim[colored]\lstI{ \begin{lstlisting}[language=C++,basicstyle=\ttfamily\scriptsize,keywordstyle=\color{blue}\ttfamily,stringstyle=\color{red}\ttfamily,commentstyle=\color{green}\ttfamily,breaklines=true] fprintf(gnuplot,"set term postscript\n"); fprintf(gnuplot,"set output \"kmeans_graphs.ps\" \n"); fprintf(gnuplot,"plot 'nomExt.txt' lt 3 linecolor rgb \"red\", 'init_center.dat' lt 7 linecolor rgb \"blue\"\n"); fprintf(gnuplot,"plot 'nomExt.txt' lt 3 linecolor rgb \"red\", 'center_progress.dat' lt 7 linecolor rgb \"yellow\"\n"); fprintf(gnuplot,"plot 'nomExt.txt' lt 3 linecolor rgb \"red\", 'final_center.dat' lt 7 linecolor rgb \"green\"\n"); fprintf(gnuplot,"set term x11\n set out\n"); fprintf(gnuplot,"plot 'nomExt.txt' lt 3 linecolor rgb \"red\", 'final_center.dat' lt 7 linecolor rgb \"green\"\n"); cout<<"\tsaving all plots in the file directory with kmeans_graphs.ps name..."<<endl; cout<<"\tdisplaying final center for the data set..."<<endl; \end{lstlisting} } \begin{frame}{partie 3 du code}{Extrait main.cpp} \lstI \end{frame} Here is the output : fprintf ( gnuplot , " set ␣ term ␣ postscript \ n " ) ; fprintf ( gnuplot , " set ␣ output ␣ \" kmeans_graphs . ps \" ␣ \ n " ) ; fprintf ( gnuplot , " plot ␣ ’ nomExt . txt ’␣ lt ␣ 3 ␣ linecolor ␣ rgb ␣ \" red \" , ␣ ’ init_center . dat ’␣ lt ␣ 7 ␣ linecolor ␣ rgb ␣ \" blue \"\ n " ) ; fprintf ( gnuplot , " plot ␣ ’ nomExt . txt ’␣ lt ␣ 3 ␣ linecolor ␣ rgb ␣ \" red \" , ␣ ’ ce n te r_ pr o gr es s . dat ’␣ lt ␣ 7 ␣ linecolor ␣ rgb ␣ \" yellow \"\ n"); fprintf ( gnuplot , " plot ␣ ’ nomExt . txt ’␣ lt ␣ 3 ␣ linecolor ␣ rgb ␣ \" red \" , ␣ ’ final_center . dat ’␣ lt ␣ 7 ␣ linecolor ␣ rgb ␣ \" green \"\ n " ) ; fprintf ( gnuplot , " set ␣ term ␣ x11 \ n ␣ set ␣ out \ n " ) ; fprintf ( gnuplot , " plot ␣ ’ nomExt . txt ’␣ lt ␣ 3 ␣ linecolor ␣ rgb ␣ \" red \" , ␣ ’ final_center . dat ’␣ lt ␣ 7 ␣ linecolor ␣ rgb ␣ \" green \"\ n " ) ; cout < < " \ tsaving ␣ all ␣ plots ␣ in ␣ the ␣ file ␣ directory ␣ with ␣ kmeans_graphs . ps ␣ name ... " << endl ; cout < < " \ tdisplaying ␣ final ␣ center ␣ for ␣ the ␣ data ␣ set ... " << endl ; A: The option showspaces=false and showstringspaces=false must be specified to the listing or as a global option. \documentclass{beamer} \usepackage{listings}% \begin{document} \lstset{showspaces=false,showstringspaces=false}% \defverbatim[colored]\lstI{% \begin{lstlisting}[language=C++,basicstyle=\ttfamily\scriptsize,keywordstyle=\color{blue}\ttfamily,stringstyle=\color{red}\ttfamily,commentstyle=\color{green}\ttfamily,breaklines=true] fprintf(gnuplot,"set term postscript\n"); fprintf(gnuplot,"set output \"kmeans_graphs.ps\" \n"); fprintf(gnuplot,"plot 'nomExt.txt' lt 3 linecolor rgb \"red\", 'init_center.dat' lt 7 linecolor rgb \"blue\"\n"); fprintf(gnuplot,"plot 'nomExt.txt' lt 3 linecolor rgb \"red\", 'center_progress.dat' lt 7 linecolor rgb \"yellow\"\n"); fprintf(gnuplot,"plot 'nomExt.txt' lt 3 linecolor rgb \"red\", 'final_center.dat' lt 7 linecolor rgb \"green\"\n"); fprintf(gnuplot,"set term x11\n set out\n"); fprintf(gnuplot,"plot 'nomExt.txt' lt 3 linecolor rgb \"red\", 'final_center.dat' lt 7 linecolor rgb \"green\"\n"); cout<<"\tsaving all plots in the file directory with kmeans_graphs.ps name..."<<endl; cout<<"\tdisplaying final center for the data set..."<<endl; \end{lstlisting} } \begin{frame}{partie 3 du code}{Extrait main.cpp} \lstI% \end{frame} \end{document}	{ "pile_set_name": "StackExchange" }
1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a multilayer deposition multipixel image pickup device used with digital camera, television camera image pickup, etc., and in particular to a highly sensitive multilayer deposition multipixel image pickup device with a large number of pixels. 2. Description of the Related Art The competition in developing image pickup devices for still images by the manufacturers proceeds after advance notice of market introduction of electronic still cameras in 1982, especially after the advent of digital cameras in 1995. The theme of the development is to provide the device with a large number of pixels by making pixels finer, and when the 21st century is entered, an image pickup device with a pixel size of 3μ has also been realized (refer to CCD/CMOS image sensor nokisotoouyou, written by YONEMOTO Kazuya, published by CQ Shuppansha, page 16). A conceptual drawing of a color image pickup device in a relate art is provided in FIG. 21 of U.S. 2003/0209651A1. In a single plate system shown in the drawing, a part of light is absorbed in a color filter and the sensitivity is degraded. For example, light passes through a red filter, whereby blue and green are lost in color filter, and only one third of light at the maximum is used. Making finer pixels is equivalent to lessening the area of a color filter 701 in the drawing and thus there is a tradeoff between making finer pixels and the sensitivity. Thus, in the single plate system, it is difficult to provide compatibility between making finer pixels and ensuring the necessary sensitivity in theory. The technical conception of the multilayer deposition multipixel image pickup device was proposed from long ago as disclosed in JP-A-58-103165. The deposition type would eliminate the need for a color filter accompanied by a loss of light and the need for a complicated step of a microlens, etc., and would be able to also enhance the light use area percentage of each color and therefore the merit of becoming means for breaking through the tradeoff between making finer pixels and the sensitivity was recognized sufficiently, but it was not followed by development of an art for embodying it. Then, the concept of the multilayer deposition type was embodied by a method commonly called Foveon system for separating color in the depth direction by a deposition light reception section using wavelength dependency of the absorption coefficient of Si as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,875. However, in the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,875, there is a tradeoff between the sensitivity and color separation property and either becomes unsatisfactory. As a mode of the system improving the color separation property, U.S. 2003/0209651A1 discloses a system using a light reception section of an organic semiconductor and an inorganic semiconductor photosensitive layer on a Si substrate in combination. That is, FIG. 1 of the specification of U.S. 2003/0209651A1 discloses an image pickup device having a configuration wherein green color is received in a first light reception section, blue color is received in a second light reception section after passing through the first light reception section, and red color is received in a third light reception section after passing through the first and second light reception sections. Further, Japanese Patent No. 3315213 also discloses a multilayer deposition multipixel image pickup device having multilayer organic monolayer (molecular film) light reception elements for absorbing light of different colors deposited on an Si substrate. However, the deposition multipixel image pickup device having an array of pixels on the substrate, the pixels provided by depositing light reception elements each made up of an electromagnetic absorption and photoelectric conversion part, a charge transfer and read part, and a plurality of contact parts for coupling both the parts is more excellent in sensitivity than the single plate system having an array of undeposited pixels, but higher sensitivity is still required. The deposition multipixel image pickup device is inferior in color separation to the single plate system for separating color light through an optical filter, and the resolution tends to become unsatisfactory as compared with the single plate system. Because of the deposition structure, shading also easily occurs. The pixel size becomes smaller and the sensitivity becomes lower with the progress of a higher number of pixels to provide a fine image. Thus, still higher sensitivity and improvement in degradation of the image quality accompanying deposition are also required for the deposition multipixel image pickup device advantageous for higher sensitivity. The above-described related arts and knowledge relevant to the invention are described in the following documents:	{ "pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds" }
Antioxidant potential of thyme extract: alleviation of N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced oxidative stress. Protective role of thyme extract against N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA)-induced oxidative stress has been evaluated in albino rats. For this, one group of rats were fed diet supplemented with thyme extract (0.5%) and served as the test group, whereas animals of the other group fed on normal diet served as the control group. The rats were fed on respective diets for a period of 2 weeks after which stress was induced to half the animals of each group by i.p. administration of NDEA at 200 mg/kg body weight. Animals were killed 48 h post stress-induction period. Feed intake and body weight decreased significantly in both test and control groups, the effect being less in test group. Increase in osmotic fragility and in-vitro lipid peroxidation (LPO) on stress induction was of lower degree in the test group. NDEA toxicity was mainly reflected in liver as evidenced by increased activities of plasma aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase. The effect was of lower degree in test group as compared with that in the control group. Increase in urea levels observed following NDEA administration was also of lower degree in test groups. Blood glutathione (GSH) levels increased more so in test group compared with control group on stress induction. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (Px), and catalase (CAT) activities decreased significantly on stress induction in erythrocytes. LPO increased in all the tissues through varying degree, and the increase was appreciably of lower degree in test group. The activity of SOD increased significantly in both test and control group on stress induction, whereas activities of Px and CAT decreased following NDEA treatment, and the effects were of lower degree in test group. Thus, supplementation of diet with thyme extract can improve antioxygenic potential and hence help to prevent oxidative stress.	{ "pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts" }
59 B.R. 340 (1986) HOLYWELL CORPORATION, Miami Center Limited Partnership, Miami Center Corporation, Chopin Associates, Theodore B. Gould, Appellants, v. The BANK OF NEW YORK, Appellee. No. 85-3225-CIV, Bankruptcy Nos. 84-01590-BKC-TCB to 84-01594-BKC-TCB. United States District Court, S.D. Florida, Miami Division. March 20, 1986. 341 Raymond C. Bergan, Williams & Connolly, Washington, D.C., Fred H. Kent, Jr., Betsy C. Cox, Kent, Watts & Durden, Jacksonville, Fla., for appellants. Vance E. Salter, Steel, Hector & Davis, S. Harvey Ziegler, Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, Miami, Fla., Thomas F. Noone, Emmet, Marvin & Martin, New York City, for appellee. ORDER AFFIRMING CONFIRMATION ORDER AND PLAN ARONOVITZ, District Judge. I. THE NATURE OF THE APPEAL THIS APPEAL involves, as appellants, five (5) related debtors who simultaneously filed Chapter 11 proceedings in the United States Bankruptcy Court, submitting almost identical Plans of Reorganization; and, as appellee, the principal creditor, the Bank of New York, a mortgage lien-holder for the subject real property development. Appellants appeal from two (2) Orders of the Bankruptcy Judge, intertwined and interdependent: 342 A. An Order approving the substantive consolidation of the debtors' estates (Court Paper ["CP"] 840); and, B. The trial court's Order confirming the Plan of Reorganization proposed by the appellee here, the Bank of New York, the major creditor of the debtors' estates (CP 906). These appeals are taken from the Order approving Substantive Consolidation of the debtors' estates and the Order Confirming the appellee's Plan of Reorganization. II. THE PARTIES AND THEIR RESPECTIVE INTERESTS The debtors are as follows: 1. Holywell Corporation ("Holywell") is a Delaware corporation, incorporated in 1976, which, together with its subsidiaries, owns, operates, and provides a full range of services for commercial real estate. Theodore B. Gould is the sole stockholder of Holywell. 2. Miami Center Limited Partnership ("MCLP") is a Florida limited partnership which was formed in 1979. The general partners are Theodore B. Gould and Miami Center Corporation. There are numerous limited partners, which include Theodore B. Gould and Holywell. MCLP leased the land from Chopin Associates and then constructed the Miami Center Project on that land. 3. Miami Center Corporation ("MCC"), a Florida corporation, was incorporated in 1979. MCC is a subsidiary of Holywell. Holywell, in turn, is the principal stockholder of MCC. 4. Chopin Associates ("Chopin"), a Florida partnership composed of Theodore B. Gould and MCC, was formed in 1979 and is the owner of the land underlying the Miami Center. 5. Theodore B. Gould ("Gould") is the sole stockholder, a director and president of Holywell, the president and a director of MCC, a general partner of MCLP, and a partner of Chopin Associates. The Bank of New York (the "Bank") was the construction lender for the Miami Center Project. Construction of the Miami Center Project commenced in 1980. Chopin purchased the land and, together with MCLP, obtained a construction loan from the Bank of New York on March 23, 1980 in the initial amount of $112,500,000. Chopin's mortgage was $23,000,000. Gould, in addition to his interest in the Miami Center Project, also acquired four blocks of land, still vacant, adjacent to the Miami Center Project. That vacant land is not involved in these bankruptcy proceedings. Gould then entered into a joint venture in May 1981 with Olympia and York Florida Equity Corporation ("O & Y"), called the Miami Center Joint Venture ("MCJV"), which provided for the development of those blocks and further provided that O & Y would loan to MCJV $7,775,000. These funds were used by MCJV to acquire furniture, fixtures, and equipment ("FF & E") which were leased to MCLP for use in the Pavillon Hotel and Podium, which are part of the bankruptcy estate. The MCJV-MCLP leases of FF & E were referred to by the parties and the Bank and in the proceedings below as Lease "A" and Lease "B". MCJV is solvent and has not filed under the Bankruptcy Code. MCLP also leased additional FF & E, including electronic and telephone equipment, from two subsidiaries of Holywell, Holywell Telecommunications Company ("Holywell Telecommunications") and Holywell Leasing Company ("Holywell Leasing") (the "C" and "D" Leases, respectively) on February 1, 1983. Holywell and Gould supplied capital to Holywell Leasing and Holywell Telecommunications in the amount of $7,718,466 to purchase the FF & E which was leased by Holywell Telecommunications and Holywell Leasing to MCLP. Like MCJV, Holywell Telecommunications and Holywell Leasing are solvent companies and have not filed under the Bankruptcy Code. The appellants are five (5) related or affiliated debtors which voluntarily sought 343 reorganization under the Bankruptcy Code. The debtors developed the Miami Center Project in downtown Miami. Only Phase I of that project was built. Phase I consists of an office building, a hotel, retail space connecting them, and a parking garage. The project failed financially, and several hundred creditors are still owed money by the debtors for goods and services. The appellee Bank was the construction lender for the project, and was owed more than $240,000,000. Total claims against the debtors exceed $350,000,000. Over 400 creditors have or had an interest in these proceedings, of which at least 200 represent wage-earner claims. Since the confirmation of the appellee's proposed plan of reorganization by the Bankruptcy Court's Confirmation Order (which Order is the subject of this appeal), the Liquidating Trustee has paid, or has reserved funds to pay, all creditors in Classes 1 through 6, as those classifications were drawn under the Plan.[1] The amount paid out to claimants or "reserved" for payment by the Liquidating Trustee thus far is approximately $14 million, leaving approximately $8.9 million dollars remaining in the consolidated debtors' estates to pay the remaining creditors' claims. III. PROCEDURAL HISTORY The Chapter 11 proceedings, which culminated in the Order of Confirmation from which this appeal is taken, were initiated through the filing of voluntary petitions under Chapter 11 by each of the five debtors/appellants who are parties to this appeal. The voluntary petitions for reorganization were filed by the debtors on August 22, 1984, less than a month after the appellee had initiated foreclosure proceedings in state court upon declaring the debtors' mortgage loans on the Miami Center to be in default. In the course of Chapter 11 reorganization proceedings, both the debtors and the Bank of New York filed competing reorganization plans. The five debtors each submitted a separately filed plan, but the content of the five debtors' plans was virtually identical. (The details of the competing plans are discussed in Part IV of this opinion, infra.) The various creditors' committees and individual creditors, upon consideration of the competing plans, overwhelmingly approved the Plan of the appellee, the Bank of New York, and rejected the debtors' Plans. The Bank's Plan was subsequently confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court (CP 906). The debtors then sought, unsuccessfully, to stay the implementation of the confirmed Plan, pending appeal to the United States District Court. When the Bankruptcy Court conditioned the issuance of such a stay upon the posting of a supersedeas bond in the amount of $140 million dollars (CP 1013), the debtors filed an emergency motion in the United States District Court seeking relief from the bond requirement. That Court, by the Order of Chief Judge James Lawrence King, reduced the amount required to obtain a stay of the Bankruptcy Court's order to $50 million dollars (Docket Number ["DN"] 4). Unable to post this reduced bond, the debtors finally sought relief from Judge King's order by filing an appeal in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The appeals court dismissed the debtors' appeal on the basis of lack of jurisdiction on October 9, 1985. On October 10, 1985, pursuant to the confirmed Plan of Reorganization, the Miami Center property was sold to the appellee's designee for $255.6 million dollars.[2] Prior to the sale of the Miami Center Project, on October 1, 1985, the debtors initiated the instant appeal to this Court from the Confirmation Order entered below. This Court received extensive briefs 344 as well as the parties' designated record on appeal, and heard oral argument by counsel for the debtors and for the Bank on December 5, 1985. During the course of this appeal, and prior to the hearing noted above, the appellee filed a motion to dismiss this appeal on the ground of mootness. Having considered the issues presented by the appeal, the record before it, and the appellee's motion to dismiss, this Court entered its Order of Remand and Denial of Motion to Dismiss (DN 35) on December 30, 1985. In that Order, this Court denied the appellee's motion to dismiss on the ground that the Court retained the capacity to grant effective relief to the appellants herein in the event that they should prevail on the merits in this appeal. Upon the subsequent motion of the appellee, the Court certified the question of mootness and the propriety of its Order denying the motion to dismiss pursuant to Title 28 U.S.C. § 1292 (DN 44), and the appellee filed its interlocutory appeal in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Under date of March 17, 1986, the Eleventh Circuit DENIED permission to appeal pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1292(b). By the same Order of Remand and Denial of Motion to Dismiss, this Court remanded the substantive appeal to the Bankruptcy Court for the entry, by that court, of explicit findings of fact and conclusions of law upon which this Court could properly base its appellate review. This remand was necessitated by the determination that the Confirmation Order entered by the Bankruptcy Court was not sufficiently supported by such findings and conclusions. On remand, the Bankruptcy Court held an evidentiary hearing on all matters requested by the parties. Additional evidence was adduced on the following requested matters, to-wit: A. The Value of the Miami Center Project; B. The Value or "Cost/Benefit" of the District Court Action; and, C. The Calculation of the Bank's Lien. On January 29, 1986, the Bankruptcy Court concluded its proceedings on remand, having solicited from all parties their proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law as well as the objections of each party to the submissions of opposing parties. The Bankruptcy Court thereupon entered its Order on Remand, in which it adopted in toto and unaltered, the proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law submitted by the appellee, the Bank of New York.[3] Thus, the initial Confirmation Order, as amended by the adoption of these findings of fact and conclusions of law, constitutes the basis of the debtors' substantive appeal. 345 IV. THE COMPETING PLANS OF REORGANIZATION The debtors' plans (CP 466-470) differed substantially from that submitted by the Bank of New York and later confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court. The debtors' plans would have depended for their success upon the consummation of an "option" for the sale of all property owned by the debtors as part of the Miami Center property to the Hadid Investment Group, Inc. (See, e.g., the Amended Plan of Reorganization filed by the Miami Center Corporation, CP 468, Exhibit A.). The plan(s) further provided, in pertinent part, for a classification scheme by which, inter alia, the claims of the Bank of New York under its mortgage liens would be equitably subordinated, pursuant to Title 11 U.S.C. § 510(c), to Class 5, which is subordinate to administrative claims, tax claims and mechanics liens, inter alia. The claims of affiliated (with the debtors) creditors would be relegated to the lowest class (Class 10), and would include claims by one debtor/appellant against another. Lastly, the proposed plans of the debtors explicitly reserved their rights to pursue claims which were the subject of litigation in other forums. One such case is a civil action filed by the debtors against the Bank of New York (Case No. 85-0228-Civ-HOEVELER) in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, which complaint alleges fraud, usury, breach of contract, and claims under the federal RICO statutes. As noted above, the plans submitted by the debtors received little support from the creditors[4], and were found by the court not to have met the standard for confirmation established by Title 11 U.S.C. § 1129.[5] The plan submitted by the Bank of New York, adopted by the requisite number of creditors, and finally confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court, contained the following major provisions: The Bank would acquire the entire Miami Center Project property, including the FF & E for $255,600,000. The acquisition would be funded through the net amount already owed to the appellee by the debtors (approximately $240,000,000) to which would be added, as cash collateral, the proceeds of the sale by the debtors of certain realty owned by them in Washington, D.C. ($32,000,000). This latter sum of $32,000,000 has been held and maintained as additional collateral by the Bank pursuant to Judge Britton's order of December 31, 1984 (CP 303). The proceeds of closing would also produce approximately $11.4 million dollars in cash available for use under the Plan. A Liquidating Trustee would be appointed to oversee the operations of the Miami Center in place of the debtors in possession, and to effectuate the terms of the Plan as directed by the Bankruptcy Court. This Liquidating Trustee would be required, by the terms of the Plan, to effect the dismissal of the debtors' civil action before Judge Hoeveler, discussed previously. The Bank would set aside $15,000,000, backed by surety bonds, to pay the claims of two creditors which had leased FF & E to MCLP, namely, O & Y and MCJV (the partnership comprised of Olympia & York Florida Equity Corporation and debtor Theodore Gould). The claims of Miami Center Joint Venture, Holywell Telecommunications and Holywell Leasing, affiliated creditors who had leased the FF & E to the Miami Center owners, would be equitably subordinated to, or given a classification junior to, those of other creditors 346 on the ground that these were "insider" claims. The estates of the five debtors would be combined through substantive consolidation. The Bank's proposed plan of reorganization was confirmed on August 8, 1985 by the Bankruptcy Court's Confirmation Order (CP 906) and was implemented upon the dismissal of the debtors' appeal by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals on October 9, 1985. V. PRESENT STATUS AS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE PLAN BY THE LIQUIDATING TRUSTEE The United States Bankruptcy Judge noted the following in his Findings at Paragraph 57 (Page 33 of Order on Remand): "The Court has now also had the unusual opportunity to observe the substantial consummation of the Plan under evaluation (after the debtors failed to post the appeal bond upon which a stay was conditioned). The fairness, feasibility, and propriety of the Plan have been verified by the following, as reported by the parties and the Liquidating Trustee: (a) All Class 1 administrative claims have been paid or reserved for; (b) The Project was sold on October 10, 1985, resulting in the satisfaction in full of the claim of the class 2 creditor (the Bank) and the termination of interest (accruing at over $2 million per month) and negative cash flow from operations; (c) The Class 3 creditor has been paid in full; (d) Undisputed claims in Classes 4 through 6 have been paid in full, and funds have been reserved for all disputed claims; (e) Several disputed claims have been compromised, saving the estates millions of dollars as against the amount claimed; and, (f) There remain sufficient funds for the satisfaction in full or in part of the claims of the Gould-affiliated claimants (although the exact amount cannot yet be determined because so many of the claims are unliquidated). No stay is in effect, and the confirmed plan has been consummated. The debtors' property passed to the Liquidating Trustee, and the debtors were discharged under Code Section 1141. . . . ". VI. STANDARD OF REVIEW It is settled beyond dispute that a district court, in deciding an appeal from a bankruptcy court's ruling, must accord substantial deference to the trial court's findings of fact, reversing these only when they are "clearly erroneous". Matter of Missionary Baptist Foundation of America, 712 F.2d 206, 209 (5th Cir.1983); Bankruptcy Rule 8013. Conclusions of law, however, are freely reviewable by the district court. Matter of Multiponics, 622 F.2d 709, 713 (5th Cir.1980). VII. ISSUES ON APPEAL In their appeal from the Bankruptcy Court's Confirmation Order, the debtors/appellants raised seven distinct objections to the confirmed plan. In the course of the extensive briefing and oral argument in which counsel for the parties have participated, it has become evident to this Court, and acknowledged by counsel, that two of the issues raised in this appeal predominate: A. The Substantive Consolidation of the Debtors' Estates; and, B. The Equitable Subordination (or improper classification) of the claims of various creditors who were affiliated with the debtors. A. Substantive Consolidation This Court is keenly aware of the seemingly harsh results which may be produced by substantive consolidation if the Bankruptcy Court invokes it inappropriately or contrary to law. Consequently, this phase of the appeal has been studiously examined. 347 The Bankruptcy Court, by its order of July 23, 1985 (CP 840) ordered the substantive consolidation of the debtors' estates. This ruling was reinforced by that court in its Confirmation Order entered August 8, 1985 (CP 906). The effect of substantive consolidation upon the debtors in this Chapter 11 proceeding is more than merely procedural; it entails the combination of the assets and liabilities of the individual debtors and the elimination of inter-debtor claims, excepting those incurred under the authorization of the Bankruptcy Court.[6]See generally 5 Collier on Bankruptcy, § 1106 (15th Edition). Substantive consolidation is within the power of a bankruptcy court by virtue of its general equitable power to issue those orders necessary to effectuate the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code. In re Richton International Corp., 12 B.R. 555, 557 (S.D.N.Y. 1981), citing Pepper v. Litton, 308 U.S. 295, 60 S.Ct. 238, 84 L.Ed. 281 (1939). In order to justify the imposition of substantive consolidation upon debtors in a Chapter 11 proceeding, it is incumbent upon the proponent of consolidation to show that the creditors will suffer greater prejudice in the absence of consolidation than the debtors (and any objecting creditors) will suffer from its imposition. In re Snider Brothers, 18 B.R. 230, 238 (D.Mass. 1982). As an aid to (but not as a substitute for) making this determination of the balance of equities for and against substantive consolidation, many courts employ a seven-part objective inquiry into the interrelationships of the entities to be consolidated. These seven factors (not all of which must be found to support consolidation) are: (1) The presence or absence of consolidated financial statements; (2) The unity of interests and ownership between various corporate entities; (3) The existence of parent and intercorporate guarantees on loans; (4) The degree of difficulty in segregating and ascertaining individual assets and liabilities; (5) The existence of transfers of assets without formal observance of corporate formalities; (6) The commingling of assets and business functions; (7) The profitability of consolidation at a single physical location. In Re Donut Queen, 41 B.R. 706, 709 (Bktcy.E.D.N.Y.1984). In its Order of Remand to the Bankruptcy Court, this Court instructed the court below in its findings of facts and conclusions of law to address, inter alia, the Donut Queen factors, and to enter specific findings and conclusions thereupon. Having closely reviewed the findings of fact and conclusions of law entered by the Bankruptcy Court, and having considered the briefs and oral argument of counsel for the parties, the pertinent portions of the record on appeal, and the applicable law, it is the conclusion of this Court that the order imposing substantive consolidation upon the estates of the five debtors, and that portion of the Confirmation Order which adopts this ruling, was proper and correct as a matter of law and was based on sufficient factual findings which were not, themselves, clearly erroneous. In Paragraphs # 30 to 41 of its Order on Remand, the court below entered findings of fact in support of its rulings on substantive consolidation. A review of these findings in comparison to the Donut Queen factors reveals that there exists in this record strong and convincing evidence to show the existence of at least five of the seven factors enumerated in that decision: 1. The presence of consolidated financial statements (inapplicable to debtors Holywell and Miami Center Corp.); 348 2. The unity of interests and ownership between the various corporate entities; 3. The existence of cross-claimants of guarantees on loans to other debtors; 4. . . . ; 5. . . . ; 6. The commingling of assets and business functions; 7. The profitability of consolidating the debtors in one location. As to the two remaining factors (the degree of difficulty in segregating individual assets and the transfer of assets absent corporate formalities), no explicit findings of fact were entered in the court's Order on Remand. The Bankruptcy Court's findings on five of the seven Donut Queen factors constitute a factual basis for its decision to order substantive consolidation in this case. This Court, however, must go further than merely evaluating the correctness of these factual findings. It must assess the propriety of imposing substantive consolidation as a matter of law. In this aspect of its review, this Court will affirm those conclusions of law entered below which correctly apply the law. Where the Bankruptcy Court has erred in its conclusions, this Court will conduct a de novo review of the legal issues presented in this appeal. Therefore, this Court rules that the Bankruptcy Court correctly determined, as a matter of law, that substantive consolidation was proper in this case. At Paragraph 67 of its Order on Remand, that court applied the standard of In Re Snider, supra, to the record facts in determining that greater prejudice would ensue to the proponents of substantive consolidation if that remedy were denied than would be suffered by the debtors through its imposition. Furthermore, the court's determination of the effect of the five objective factors (¶ Nos. 64 (a), (b), (f) and (g)) as proper grounds for consolidation coincides with this Court's result upon review of the record and the applicable law. For the foregoing reasons, this Court AFFIRMS that portion of the Confirmation Order (CP 906), and the separate Order on Substantive Consolidation (CP 840), approving the substantive consolidation of the estates of the five debtors/appellants which are parties to the instant appeal. In Paragraph 66 of the Bankruptcy Judge's Order on Remand (Page 40), it is stated: "66. The debtors have claimed prejudice, but have not proven it. . . . The debtors never demonstrated prejudice as an unavoidable consequence of substantive consolidation. . . . ". The burden of demonstrating prejudice more properly should have been placed upon the creditor/appellee. However, this Court has reexamined, in its totality, the entire record herein and by de novo consideration, has determined that there was ample evidence to demonstrate that, in fact, appellee had carried the burden of showing no prejudice to the appellants, notwithstanding the Bankruptcy Court's findings that the debtors never demonstrated prejudice. Accordingly, the determination of the Snider principles have been appropriately applied and the burden is found to have been carried by appellee. B. Equitable Subordination/Junior Classification The second key element of the plan of reorganization confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court's Confirmation Order is the equitable subordination (or, as appellee chooses to characterize it, the junior classification) of certain creditor's claims, otherwise eligible for a higher priority, on the ground that they represented "insider" claims. The claims so subordinated include those of Miami Center Joint Venture and Olympia & York (Class 7) and the claims of the affiliated creditors which are the subsidiaries of debtor Holywell Corporation (Class 8). A third category of claims affected by the "equitable subordination" aspect of the confirmed reorganization plan are certain, so-called "super-priority" loans which were made by various debtors to MCLP with the express authorization of the Bankruptcy 349 Court to supply necessary funds for the operation of the Miami Center during Bankruptcy Court proceedings, or to satisfy pressing tax obligations. The Court has been especially sensitive to the equitable subordination aspect of this appeal and has therefore taken the utmost care in scrutinizing the record, the findings and conclusions relevent to this issue, and the treatment accorded this measure by the competing plans. After careful analysis of all the briefs and oral arguments received by the Court, it has become clear that appellants are really complaining about three sets of claims which were subjected to junior classification as a result of the Bankruptcy Court's rulings: 1.) The lease claims of Olympia & York and Miami Center Joint Venture (the "A and B leases") arising from their leases of furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF & E) to Miami Center Limited Partnership (MCLP). 2.) The lease claims of affiliated creditors Holywell Telecommunications Company and Holywell Leasing Company (the "C and D leases") for FF & E leased to MCLP. 3.) The claims of debtors Gould and Holywell and of affiliated creditor Twin Development Corporation under their "super-priority loans" to MCLP. Since each of these categories of subordinated claims involves a distinct group of creditors, the Court deems it appropriate to consider each in turn.[7] (1) The Lease Claims of Creditors Olympia & York and Miami Center Joint Venture Miami Center Joint Venture and Olympia & York entered into certain lease agreements (the "A" and "B" Leases) whereby these entities leased furniture, fixtures and equipment to MCLP which were installed in the Miami Center. The validity of these leases (i.e., the fact and ruling that they are "true leases" as opposed to mere financing devices) was determined by the Bankruptcy Court in the course of an adverserial proceeding. (See Memorandum Decision dated June 24, 1985 CP 781.) The claims of O & Y and MCJV under these leases were explicitly subordinated to the claims of the nonaffiliated creditors (Class 6) by being placed under the confirmed plan in Class 7. From the Bankruptcy Court's orders declaring the leases as "true leases" and subordinating the creditors claims under those leases, the respective parties in interest have taken appeals to the District Court. These appeals, which are currently pending before the Honorable C. Clyde Atkins, Senior U.S. District Judge, are: Case No. 85-3230-CIV-ATKINS: An appeal by creditors O & Y and MCJV from the Confirmation Order of the Bankruptcy Court, specifically objecting to the subordination of their lease claims under the confirmed plan. Case No. 85-3430-CIV-ATKINS: An appeal by the Bank of New York from the Memorandum Decision of the Bankruptcy Court (CP 781) which determined the "A" and "B" leases to be "true leases". The appellants in the instant appeal have raised the objections of those creditors as a method of attacking the validity of the overall reorganization plan. However, the issue of whether the claims of O & Y and MCJV have been wrongly subordinated (or classified) is one which the debtors/appellants in the instant appeal lack standing to assert because they are not parties actually injured by this classification. R.T. Vanderbilt Co. v. OSHA Rev. Comm., 708 F.2d 570, 574 (11th Cir.1983). This issue is properly 350 presented in the appeal before Judge Atkins, brought by the parties which are directly affected by the challenged ruling, and is therefore not a proper matter for adjudication by this Court. It is possible that as a result of Judge Atkins' ruling, the classification of this claim which Judge Atkins may grant, could possibly affect the Plan overall but this is purely a contingency which may never occur and if it did, the Bankruptcy Judge would still be vested with jurisdiction to review the matter to ascertain a change or different classification as directed by Judge Atkins. On the other hand, Judge Atkins' ruling may require no change in classification. (2) The Lease Claims of Affiliated Creditors Holywell Telecommunications Company and Holywell Leasing Company For the same reasons discussed above with regard to the "A" and "B" Lease claims, the appeals filed by creditors Holywell Telecommunications Company (HTC) and Holywell Leasing Company (HLC) and assigned to the Hon. James W. Kehoe (Case No. 85-3431-CIV-KEHOE) are matters for which the appellants before this Court lack standing. One of these leases affects the telephonic equipment installed in The Project by lease arrangement, and the other affects certain electronics and telecommunications equipment, including television cable. Clearly here, and with regard to the "C" and "D" leases, these matters involve parties other than the debtors and who are truly the parties in interest (affiliated creditors). It should be noted that it is not, and has never been, the purpose of this Court to interfere in any way with the matters pending before these judges. In particular, as concerns the appeals before Judge Atkins, the determination of the validity of the "A and B" leases and the proper classification of the creditors' claims thereunder are matters not properly before this Court, so the instant order shall not affect those ongoing appeals. (3) The So-called "Super-priority Loans" A third aspect of the proceedings in the Bankruptcy Court which the appellants contend had the effect of subordinating (or eliminating) claims deserving higher priority was the apparent elimination of a "super-priority" assigned, by orders entered in the Bankruptcy Court, to loans made to Miami Center Limited Partnership with the express authorization of the Bankruptcy Court. In their briefs to this Court, appellants have identified three such loans.[8] The confirmed Plan of Reorganization did not address the classification of these "super-priority" loans directly. It is the appellants' contention that the portion of the plan which provided for the substantive consolidation of the debtors' estates had the effect of eliminating these inter-debtor claims. The appellee counters that it is immaterial whether these claims were, in fact, subordinated (to Class 8) or retained their "superpriority" status immediately junior to the Bank's mortgage lien, since any payment from one creditor to another leaves those funds in the combined pool 351 which remains reachable by all the creditors of any debtor (likewise an effect of the substantive consolidation provision of the Confirmation Order). The ultimate disposition of these "super-priority" liens is a pending matter yet to be decided by the Bankruptcy Court, and is therefore a matter not within the scope of the Confirmation Order which is the subject of this appeal. Because the record is silent as to how (and whether) these liens were subordinated or eliminated, it is incumbent upon the Bankruptcy Court to resolve these questions after further adjudication. If the treatment accorded to these loans materially and adversely affects the rights of any party in interest, the terms of the Bank's Plan expressly permit any such party to assert a claim for relief from the consolidation provision [Article XIII, page 40, of the Plan; Debtors' initial appendix, page 090]. Under Article XIV(e) of the Plan [Id., page 091], the Bankruptcy Court would have continuing jurisdiction to hear and determine any dispute regarding the appropriate treatment of these loan claims. C. Other Issues Presented on Appeal In addition to the two main elements of the confirmed Plan of Reorganization from which this appeal is taken, there have been raised several other aspects of the plan which, the appellants contend, warrant reversal. (1) The Authorization to the Liquidating Trustee to Dismiss a Pending Lawsuit Filed by the Debtors Since the inception of this appeal, the appellants have urged this Court to reverse the Confirmation Order on the ground that the confirmed plan called for the voluntary dismissal by the Liquidating Trustee of a civil action filed by the debtors (the District Court action, [See page 9-10, supra.]) On appeal, the debtors/appellants contend that the Bankruptcy Court was without authority to order the dismissal of that action, and that in doing so it unconstitutionally ousted the District Court from its proper jurisdiction. In the first instance, the lawsuit was a chose in action which was part of the debtors' estate. 11 U.S.C. § 541(a)(1). As such, it was within the power of the Bankruptcy Court to order its dismissal through the liquidating trustee. In re Tidwell, 19 B.R. 846 (E.D.Va.1982). Secondly, as a separate and independent ground for upholding this aspect of the plan, the Court notes that, upon the remand of this cause and upon the request of the appellants, the Bankruptcy Court performed a cost/benefit analysis of the value of this lawsuit to the debtors' estates, and concluded that its value was nil. This determination provides additional support for the inclusion in the confirmed plan of reorganization of the directive to the liquidating trustee to dismiss the District Court action. As a further basis for this ruling, evidence adduced at a post-remand hearing held on January 18, 1986 showed that certain releases previously signed by the debtors effectively barred them from pursuing their civil action under principles of collateral estoppel. The Bankruptcy Court was within the scope of its authority in making this determination, as the debtors' right to pursue this action was a matter concerning the administration of the estates, and/or a counterclaim by the estate against persons filing claims against the estate, and/or confirmations of Plans, and/or other proceedings affecting the liquidation of the assets of the estate, etc., and therefore constituted a "core proceeding". 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(A), (C), (L), and (O). (2) The Valuation of the Property In The Debtors' Estates Appellants have objected throughout this appeal to the valuation assigned by the Bankruptcy Court, through confirmation of the Bank's plan, to the realty, improvements and FF & E which constitute 352 the Miami Center property. The appellee has contended throughout that the valuation contained in the confirmed plan is the correct one; i.e., $255,600,000. (Order on Remand, ¶ No. 51). The value proposed by the appellants for the property is $275,000,000. The Bankruptcy Court devoted a portion of its January 18, 1985 post-remand hearing to the issue of valuation, and heard testimony from appraisers hired by both sides who essentially defended the appraisals cited above. On the basis of such testimony, as well as the formal appraisals upon which its initial determination was made, the Bankruptcy Court confirmed the original valuation figure of $255,600,000. This Court has reviewed the record evidence and has received written as well as oral argument on this issue. In light of such review, this Court concludes that the finding of the Bankruptcy Court as to the value of the Miami Center property was not clearly erroneous, and therefore will not be disturbed as a result of this Court's action. (3) The Priority of Claims Based On Mechanics' Liens In their initial brief on appeal, the debtors/appellants challenged the classification of certain claims filed by mechanics and materialmen who had furnished the Miami Center. In addition to the fact that the appellants in the instant appeal lack standing to raise those objections, events have occurred through the implementation of the confirmed plan of reorganization which render this issue on appeal moot; i.e., that all of these Class 4 claims have been paid by the liquidating trustee. (4) Unfair Classification of Certain Unsecured Creditors This previously asserted issue on appeal suffers from the identical infirmities discussed at paragraph (3), supra. First, the creditors allegedly injured by this mis-classification are not parties to this appeal. Second, the liquidating trustee has likewise paid out all of these Class 6 claims (or reserved the funds to do so) which were the subject of this objection to the plan. (5) Amendment to the Plan of Reorganization Without Issuance of Disclosure Statements or Hearing In the last of their original issues on appeal, the debtors objected to the fact that late modifications to the Bank's Reorganization Plan were adopted shortly before entry of the Confirmation Order. These modifications (CP 564, 614, 709c, and 854) consisted of stipulations and amendments to the plan as filed. The purpose of these modifications was to provide for a trustee's certificate to repay the Bank of New York for any outlay required to acquire the FF & E which was the subject of the "A" and "B" leases. The Bankruptcy Court concluded (Order on Remand, ¶ No. 81) that these modifications did not prejudice the debtors, and that since the plan had been approved by the requisite number of creditors, disclosure to those classes which had rejected the plan was not required by 11 U.S.C. § 1127. This Court agrees with the Bankruptcy Court's conclusion that the adoption of amendments to the plan of reorganization subsequently confirmed by that court did not violate the applicable provision of the Bankruptcy Code, did not prejudice these appellants, and therefore does not constitute a basis for reversing the Confirmation Order. VIII. CONCLUSION Having painstakingly reviewed the record in this appeal, the voluminous briefs, appendices and other submissions of counsel for the parties, having heard extended oral argument again on the merits of the appeal on March 10, 1986, having considered the Order on Remand entered by the Bankruptcy Court, the entire record herein, and being otherwise fully advised in the premises, it is ORDERED and ADJUDGED that the Confirmation Order entered by the Bankruptcy Court on August 8, 1985, as amended by the entry of that court's Order on *353 Remand on January 29, 1986, is hereby AFFIRMED; and thereupon, the Order approving Substantive Consolidation is likewise AFFIRMED. AFFIRMED. NOTES [1] See Part IV., supra. [2] The purchase price of $255,600,000 was funded by the Bank through elimination of its mortgage liens, the waiver of interest owed by the debtors thereon, and the application of certain cash collateral (approximately $30,000,000) derived from the sale by the debtors of certain real estate holdings near Washington, D.C. The closing also resulted in the Bank paying over to the Trustee approximately $11.4 million dollars cash at closing. [3] The appellants in their Brief Following Order on Remand have severely chided the Bankruptcy Judge, and the appellee, for the manner in which the findings of fact and conclusions of law were adopted in this case. Specifically, the appellants take issue with the decision by Judge Britton to adopt verbatim, without any deletion or addition, the proposed findings and conclusions submitted by the appellee while rejecting totally those proposed by appellants. This Court is well aware of the censure which this practice often elicits, and which the Court of Appeals for this Circuit has clearly expressed. Cabriolet Porsche-Audi, Inc. v. American Honda Motor Company, 773 F.2d 1193, 1198 n. 2 (11th Cir.1985) (disapproving the practice of verbatim adoption of findings and conclusions prepared by one party to the litigation). This Court does not condone the practice followed by the Bankruptcy Judge in this case. It is the Court's belief that a trial judge should not accept in toto the findings and/or conclusions proposed by a party to litigation without an independent analysis in which the judge augments or replaces the proposed findings with his own. Notwithstanding this admonition, the Court is also aware of the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Anderson v. Bessemer City, 470 U.S. ___, 105 S.Ct. 1504, 84 L.Ed.2d 518 (1985). There, while disapproving of the practice of adopting unchanged the proposed findings and conclusions of a party, the Court noted that such findings "nevertheless . . . are those of the Court and may be reversed only if clearly erroneous." 105 S.Ct. at 1511. Thus, whether this Court approves of the procedure followed by Judge Britton upon remand in this appeal is not determinative. In light of the ruling in Anderson, but with a clear appreciation of the admonition of the Eleventh Circuit in Cabriolet Porsche-Audi, this Court has given close scrutiny to the findings of fact adopted below, but within the scope allowed such review by the "clearly erroneous" standard of Bankruptcy Rule 8013. [4] See the Confirmation Order entered by Judge Britton 54 BR 41, (CP 906). At page 2 of that order, the Bankruptcy Court set out the results of the creditor voting on the respective plans: Debtors' Plans BONY Plan Holywell 97% Rejection 15% Rejection MCLP 80% " 10% " MCC 99% " 10% " Chopin 99% " 0.1% " Gould 80% " 12% " [5] Confirmation Order (CP 906), at 5. [6] Certain inter-debtor loans were specifically allowed by the Bankruptcy Court during the conduct of the Chapter 11 proceedings below to enable the debtors in possession to continue operation at the Miami Center. The so-called "super-priority" loans are discussed more fully at Part VII.B(3), infra. [7] If this aspect of the confirmed Plan (i.e., equitable subordination or classification) rested solely on a review of the subordination of claims which the appellants herein had standing to pursue, this Court would be required to analyze the findings and conclusions relevant to subordination under the standard of Matter of Mobile Steel Co., 563 F.2d 692, 700 (5th Cir.1977). Such an analysis is not required here, however. For reasons that are set out more fully herein, none of these three subordinated claims are in a procedural posture such that these appellants may properly raise them in the context of the instant appeal. [8] The existence of the three authorized loans to Miami Center Limited Partnership from debtor Holywell Corporation, from debtor Theodore Gould, and jointly by Gould, Holywell and Twin Development Corporation is not disputed by either party. Although larger amounts were authorized to be loaned to MCLP than were actually released from the cash collateral fund from which the loan proceeds derived, the record reflects the following actual transfers of funds: Holywell to MCLP : $1,419,921.99 Gould to MCLP : $2,489,507.78 Twin Development, et al. : $ 615,757.91 _____________ $4,525,187.68 The "super-priority" which attached to these loans was a protection granted by the Bankruptcy Court's orders to preserve the priority (subject to the Bank's liens) of the claims of creditors of the individual debtors (i.e. Gould and Holywell). The significance of this "priority" was diminished by the substantive consolidation of the five debtors' estates, whereby creditors of Gould and/or Holywell could reach the assets of MCLP, the recipient of these loan proceeds. See Page 23, infra, with regard to further or future actions open before the United States Bankruptcy Court regarding these loans.	{ "pile_set_name": "FreeLaw" }
Marian Unger Marian Unger (born 17 November 1983) is a German footballer who currently plays for VFC Plauen. References External links Category:1983 births Category:Living people Category:German footballers Category:FC Carl Zeiss Jena players Category:VfL Osnabrück players Category:1. FC Magdeburg players Category:SV Babelsberg 03 players Category:FSV Zwickau players Category:VFC Plauen players Category:Regionalliga players Category:3. Liga players Category:Association football goalkeepers	{ "pile_set_name": "Wikipedia (en)" }
SAN FRANCISCO — In the wake of last month’s near-collision at San Francisco International Airport, federal officials have made significant changes to how pilots land at the airport and how many air traffic controllers must be working in the tower during nighttime hours, the Bay Area News Group has learned. The Federal Aviation Administration also plans to begin testing modified radar systems in a few months at its Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City — and possibly also at the San Francisco airport — to allow the facility’s ground surveillance systems to alert air traffic controllers when an aircraft is attempting to land on a taxiway rather than a runway, as happened in the SFO incident. Those systems were originally designed, according to the FAA, to prevent runway incursions and runway collisions, not taxiway mishaps. “Just about every safety improvement in aviation was written in blood or the aftermath of an egregious mistake or a screw-up,” retired United Airlines Capt. Ross Aimer, an aviation safety consultant, wrote in an email. “I think all three improvements (by the FAA) are a welcome sight and long time to come. Too bad it took a near disaster for them to finally happen!” On July 7, Air Canada Flight 759 flew as low as 59 feet off the ground before the pilot aborted his landing, flying dangerously close to four other aircraft awaiting takeoff with an estimated 1,000 passengers on board all the planes, according to an ongoing National Transportation Safety Board investigation. Federal investigators determined that the Air Canada plane dropped off the air traffic controller’s ground surveillance system radar during its final 12 seconds on approach. Aviation experts have said the near-miss could have triggered one of the worst aviation disasters ever and have criticized the delayed notice of the incident, which allowed the cockpit voice recorder to be overwritten. Since the close call, the FAA no longer allows visual approaches for aircraft approaching SFO at night with an adjacent parallel runway closed, according to spokesman Ian Gregor. On July 7, Runway 28-Left was closed and darkened, and the Air Canada flight crew told investigators that they shifted their sight-line to the right, causing them to believe Taxiway C was their approved runway Runway 28-Right. Taxiway C runs parallel to 28-right. “When these conditions prevail, our controllers (will) issue pilots Instrument Landing System approaches or satellite-based approaches, which help pilots line up for the correct runway,” Gregor said. Sources have said the Air Canada pilot did not use his computer guidance instruments on the July 7 errant approach, which is not uncommon. Shem Malmquist, a Boeing 777 pilot who has landed many times at SFO, said the new requirements are a positive step as instrument approach would provide precise guidance and clear indications if a pilot veers off course. “Our human visual systems evolved for land-based creatures that moved only as fast as their legs could carry them,” Malmquist wrote in an email. “We adapt pretty well, but flight with its combination of height, weather and speed, can fool them. The use of an instrument approach keeps the pilots closely aligned with the runway threshold.” Malmquist said challenges at SFO under such conditions are largely the result of noise-abatement requirements that keep planes at higher altitudes than normal and farther east over the bay. Pilots must take an angled approach, settling into the normal straight-on landing path when they are closer to landing. In the tower, the FAA will now require two controllers to remain in position during busy late-night hours, Gregor said. Two controllers were working at the time of the SFO incident, he said, but only one was in the tower, and that individual was busy talking to another facility in the final seconds of Air Canada’s botched approach. “Following the event, SFO tower management adopted a policy requiring two controllers to be on position working traffic until the late-night arrival rush is over,” Gregor said. Malmquist said that change is good but, as other sources have said, it’s difficult for an air traffic controller at the SFO tower to determine whether an incoming plane is lined up with the runway or adjacent taxiway. “So reliance on the (air traffic controller) radar becomes more critical — which means it has to work!” Malmquist said. “That said, more eyes are always better as they would offset bias, distraction and other factors.” Taxiway confusion is not unheard of. In a Dec. 8 FAA memo, the agency reminded pilots that aircraft landing or departing on the wrong runway, taxiway or airport are “among the highest-profile and most dangerous events in aviation.” Those events average about 24 per year, according to the report, but increased to more than 60 in 2016. “The common denominator for most wrong surface landings/departures was the lack of situational awareness, with closely spaced parallel runways, off set parallel runways, or taxiways which run parallel with runway,” according to the FAA. The agency provided an example of when a Boeing 737 landed on a parallel taxiway that ran between two parallel runways at Seattle-Tacoma International airport. The FAA also said controller workload or radar limitations that preclude timely intervention by air traffic controllers could contribute to such incidents — both played roles in the SFO incident. Staff writer Dan Borenstein contributed to this report.	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
614 A.2d 395 (1992) NEWPORT SAND AND GRAVEL COMPANY v. MILLER CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION, INC., et al. No. 90-540. Supreme Court of Vermont. August 14, 1992. 396 Frank H. Olmstead of Sachs & Desmeules, Norwich, for plaintiff-appellee Newport Sand & Gravel. Richard L. Brock of Cheney, Brock & Saudek, P.C., Montpelier, for plaintiff-appellee Capitol Steel & Supply Co. Timothy L. Taylor and William H. Meub of Keyser, Crowley & Meub, P.C., Rutland, for defendant-appellant Simpson Const., Inc. Tavian M. Mayer of Mayer & Berk, South Royalton, for defendant-appellant Royalton Town School Dist. Before ALLEN, C.J., and GIBSON, DOOLEY, MORSE and JOHNSON, JJ. JOHNSON, Justice. The issue in this appeal is whether and to what extent the contractors' lien statute, 9 V.S.A. §§ 1921-1928, protects suppliers of construction materials when they supply materials to subcontractors of general contractors. On motions for summary judgment, the superior court held that suppliers of subcontractors are entitled to a lien against the owner of property benefited by the provision of the materials and that the extent of protection is judged by the amount owed by the owner to the general contractor at the time the notice of lien is received. The court also awarded statutory interest running from the date the complaint was filed. We affirm. The facts are unremarkable. Defendant Royalton Town School District contracted with defendant Simpson Construction, Inc. to build an addition to one of its schools. Simpson acted as general contractor for the project. It subcontracted with defendant Miller Concrete Construction, Inc. to do the concrete work. Miller Concrete arranged to have plaintiff Newport Sand & Gravel, Inc. Supply the materials. Newport fulfilled its obligations under the contract, but Miller failed to pay it in the amount of $24,500. Newport filed a notice of lien against the District on December 11, 1987, under 9 V.S.A. § 1921. At that time, the District owed Simpson, the general contractor, over $900,000. On February 26, 1988, Newport brought suit against the District and Miller to enforce the lien. It also obtained a writ of attachment against the District, but Simpson intervened and posted a surety bond, obviating the need to serve and record the attachment. In fact, Simpson defended the action, with little or no participation from the District, because the District 397 released the remaining contract funds to Simpson after it posted the surety bond. Miller filed bankruptcy, but obtained relief from the automatic stay to participate in discovery. Although there is no dispute that Miller owed Newport $24,500, there is a substantial dispute between Simpson and its subcontractor, Miller, about monies due from Simpson to Miller. Simpson claims it owes Miller only $11,875, and contends that if Newport is entitled to a lien at all, it is limited by the amount remaining on Simpson's contract with Miller and not by the $900,000 owing from the District to Simpson at the time the lien was filed. The first issue, then, is whether Newport, as a supplier of construction materials to subcontractor Miller, may claim the protection of the lien statute. The contractors' lien for labor or material provides: (b) A person who by virtue of a contract or agreement, either in writing or parol, with an agent, contractor or subcontractor of the owner thereof, performs labor or furnishes materials for erecting, repairing, moving or altering such improvements shall have a lien, to secure the payment of the same upon such improvements and the lot of land upon which the same stand, by giving notice in writing to such owner or his or her agent having charge of such property that he or she shall claim a lien for labor or material. Such lien shall extend to the portions of the contract price remaining unpaid at the time such notice is received. 9 V.S.A. § 1921(b). Although the present statute was amended as recently as 1986, Goodro v. Tarkey, 112 Vt. 212, 214, 22 A.2d 509, 510 (1941), there has been some form of mechanics' or materialmens' lien statute in Vermont since 1849. 1849, No. 21, § 3. The lien is purely a creature of statute, and, therefore, cases from other jurisdictions, and even Vermont cases decided prior to the present statute, have limited application. T.A. Haigh Lumber Co. v. Drinkwine, 130 Vt. 120, 126, 287 A.2d 560, 563 (1972). Notwithstanding the diversity of mechanics' lien statutes, their general intent is to provide limited protection for suppliers to construction projects by giving them a tool to secure payment for their products, which is, presumably, part of the contract price received by the general contractor from the owner. See Seaman v. Climate Control Corp., 181 Conn. 592, 597, 436 A.2d 271, 275 (1980). By giving suppliers and others who benefit the project an in rem right against the owner, the statute overcomes the lack of privity between the suppliers and the owner, since the suppliers typically deal with the general contractor or the subcontractors. Stratton v. Inspiration Consol. Copper, 140 Ariz. 528, 531, 683 P.2d 327, 330 (Ct.App.1984); Seaman, 181 Conn. at 596, 436 A.2d at 274. Simpson's argument focuses on the statutory language. It states that because Newport supplied Miller, which it describes as a subcontractor of the "general," and not "of the owner," as required by the statute, Newport is not entitled to a lien. Simpson contends that although Miller would be allowed a lien, as a subcontractor, Miller's suppliers would not. Simpson's interpretation is internally inconsistent, mischaracterizes the relationship of Miller to the owner, and defeats the purpose of the statute. If Miller is only a subcontractor of the general contractor, then, under Simpson's theory, Miller should not be entitled to a lien because it is not also a subcontractor of the owner. Under Simpson's theory, Miller should be allowed to recover only if it contracts, as a subcontractor, directly with the owner. If it did so, however, it would be a contractor and not a subcontractor, and would not be covered by the statute. More importantly, Miller is a subcontractor "of the owner." A subcontractor is "[o]ne who takes portion of a contract from [a] principal contractor." Black's Law Dictionary 1277 (5th ed. 1979). One can be a subcontractor of the owner only if there is an owner's general contract in the first place. The obvious purpose of the use of the word "subcontractor" in the statute is to cover precisely the factual situation before 398 the Court. The general contractor secures the job and subcontracts major portions of it. Suppliers provide materials to the subcontractors so that the "subs" can perform their part of the work to be done under the general contract. Here, Simpson asked Miller to do the concrete work, and Miller obtained supplies for that portion of the job from Newport. Simpson's interpretation also defeats the purpose of the statute by cutting off protection for suppliers who are more than one step removed from the owner. But the Legislature intended, by the express terms of the statute, to extend the protection of a lien to "persons" who "furnish materials" pursuant to "contract or agreement" with an agent, contractor, or subcontractor of the owner. Suppliers of subcontractors are, necessarily, more than one step removed from the owner. The plain wording of the statute includes them. See Addison County Community Action v. City of Vergennes, 152 Vt. 161, 165, 565 A.2d 233, 235 (1989). Simpson's second argument is that, even if Newport is entitled to a lien under the statute, the lien should be measured by Simpson's contract with Miller, as the party with whom Newport contracted. Again, this interpretation ignores the plain meaning and intent of the statute. The last sentence of § 1921(b) states, "Such lien shall extend to the portions of the contract price remaining unpaid at the time such notice is received." The contract referred to in this sentence is the owner's contract because the in rem claim extends to the property of the owner, not the general contractor. Notice is required to be given to the owner, not the general contractor. The statutory scheme is designed to put the owner on notice that materials have been supplied to its benefit, and the supplier's bill remains unpaid. The owner can then segregate funds from the amounts still owing on the contract price to the general contractor to pay the supplier. Our cases imply that the amount due to the general contractor from the owner at the time a lien is filed is the amount by which we limit a supplier's lien. See T.A. Haigh Lumber Co. v. Drinkwine, 130 Vt. at 129, 287 A.2d at 565 (mechanic's lien denied supplier because no money due from owner to general contractor when notice filed); Cote v. Bloomfield, 128 Vt. 306, 311, 262 A.2d 467, 471 (1970) (obligation of owner under mechanic's lien was only as to sum of money due under general contract after offsets for failure of general to complete work). These cases were decided under a version of the statute that contained the same language in issue here. Simpson offers a number of policy considerations, rather than textual support, to advance its argument that we should interpret the statute differently. These arguments are more appropriately presented to the Legislature than to this Court because we find the meaning of the statute to be plain on its face. Finally, Simpson argues that the trial court erred in awarding interest on the amount owed, $24,500, from the date the complaint was filed, in the amount of $9,260.15, and in granting an additional attachment for such interest post-judgment. Simpson contends that interest was improper because the District released the balance of the contract price to Simpson after Simpson provided security for Newport's potential judgment against the District. Therefore, there were no contract funds remaining at the time the superior court awarded interest, with the result that the District is liable for more than the contract price, a concept antithetical to the lien statute. We disagree. Prejudgment interest may be awarded as damages for detention of money due for breach or default. This interest is awarded as of right when the principal sum recovered is liquidated or capable of ready ascertainment and may be awarded in the court's discretion for other forms of damage. Reporter's Notes V.R.C.P. 54(a), 1981 amendment. See VanVelsor v. Dzewaltowski, 136 Vt. 103, 106, 385 A.2d 1102, 1104 (1978); Vermont Structural Steel Corp. v. Brickman, 131 Vt. 144, 147, 300 A.2d 629, 631 (1973). Interest ordinarily runs from the time of 399 maturity or demand for payment or the time of default, which may be the date when the action is commenced. VanVelsor, 136 Vt. at 106, 385 A.2d at 1104-05. Other jurisdictions have permitted suppliers to recover interest from owners in actions to foreclose mechanics' liens, as part of the general law on interest. In General Electric Supply Co. v. Southern New England Tel. Co., 185 Conn. 583, 606, 441 A.2d 581, 592 (1981), the Connecticut Supreme Court held that the allowance of interest is primarily an equitable determination within the discretion of the trial court; hence, the trial court had properly awarded interest to holders of mechanics' liens where the owner as well as the general contractor possessed the means of expeditiously resolving the lienors' claims. In Mid-West Engineering & Constr. Co. v. Campagna, 421 S.W.2d 229, 233 (Mo.1967), the Missouri Supreme Court observed that a mechanics' lien law should be construed as favorably to mechanics and suppliers as its terms will permit. The court concluded that it is fair to include interest in the amount charged to an owner who is not in privity with the lienor because the owner can prevent construction from commencing or, at least, continuing under circumstances that might generate mechanics' liens against the owner's property. Id. In the present case, we consider the award of interest to be a matter within the discretion of the trial court, and conclude that such discretion was not abused. There was no dispute over the amount Newport was owed on its invoice for the concrete supplied. Therefore, the amount of the claim was a readily ascertainable, liquidated sum. The District possessed the means of expeditiously resolving Newport's claim by paying the undisputed amount. Instead, it allowed Simpson to post a bond in the amount of the lien and take over the litigation so that Simpson could litigate the operation of the mechanics' lien statute. Simpson hoped to reduce the amount legitimately owed to Newport, an issue in which the District was wholly uninterested, because it had paid Simpson the remaining funds due on the general contract. The District acted at its peril. Simpson, in control of all of the contract funds, now seeks to avoid a judgment that Newport is entitled to interest on monies Simpson effectively withheld while litigating the legal issues discussed herein. Simpson's curious logic would reward Simpson and the District for releasing the balance of the contract funds prematurely, while punishing Newport, which met all of its obligations under its contract. The District merits no rewards in this case, either. It is charged with knowledge that interest may be awarded both pre- and post-judgment, as are other litigants. It therefore cannot be exempt from interest on the ground that it unwisely released the balance of the contract funds to Simpson after it had notice of the claim. For the same reason, the District cannot be exempt from interest on the ground that Newport failed to give notice of the potential for recovery of interest when it gave notice of the principal amount of its lien. The mechanics' lien statute requires only that the lienor give notice of its claim for labor or material. 9 V.S.A. § 1921(b). Moreover, carving an exception for mechanics' liens from the general rules on interest encourages collusion between owner and general contractor. The owner and general contractor could delay payment, enjoy the use of the money, and avoid interest by having the owner disburse all remaining contract funds to the general contractor prior to judgment. The intent of 9 V.S.A. § 1921(b), which is to provide suppliers with a method of accessing funds still available under the general contract, would be frustrated. Allowing interest in appropriate cases places no special burden on owners. Vigilant owners are unlikely to have to estimate interest costs resulting from lengthy litigation over suppliers' liens because they will act quickly to resolve disputes. If they must do so, they will certainly present strong grounds to a trial court for denying interest on the equitable basis that the amount due is in dispute and incapable of being readily determined. *400 Thus, we conclude that the protection that 9 V.S.A. § 1921(b) affords to suppliers includes the recovery of interest, in the court's discretion, as long as the amount owing on the general contract when the owner receives notice of the lien is sufficient to cover the judgment. Affirmed. ALLEN, Chief Justice, concurring and dissenting. I concur with the majority's resolution of the first two arguments raised but dissent from the affirmance of the interest award. I believe that the award of interest under the facts of this case was an abuse of discretion. In its notice of lien, plaintiff stated the amount it was claiming but did not indicate whether interest was included or would be claimed. In seeking an attachment pursuant to 9 V.S.A. § 1924, plaintiff presented evidence that it was likely to recover the sum of $25,349.77 and that interest was likely to accrue in the amount of at least $500. A writ of attachment was issued in the amount of $25,400, but it was never served, and the property was never attached or foreclosed pursuant to the lien statutes, presumably because the general contractor posted a bond in the amount of $25,400 conditioned for the payment of any judgment by plaintiff against the school district. The request for the subsequent writ of attachment issued in February of 1991 for the interest accrued and additional interest should have been denied because it was untimely under 9 V.S.A. § 1924. Filter Equipment Co. v. IBM, 142 Vt. 499, 502-03, 458 A.2d 1091, 1092-93 (1983). The acceptance of the bond by plaintiff, evidenced by its failure to pursue the enforcement of the lien in accordance with the statutory requirements, limited the exposure of the school district to the penal amount of the bond. While plaintiff argues that it should not be penalized for initially asking too little for post-judgment interest, the school district should not be penalized because it did. Its exposure was fixed by the original judgment, and it should have been free to release monies due over that amount to the general contractor pursuant to the contract.	{ "pile_set_name": "FreeLaw" }
To see the federal government’s inconsistent oversight of nursing homes, one needs only to look at what happened after two residents died — one in Texas, one in South Carolina. At a nursing home in the East Texas town of Hughes Springs earlier this year, a resident approached the nurses’ station gagging on a cookie. Attempts to clear his airway failed, and he died. Government inspectors determined that staff at the home were not trained for emergencies and did not immediately call 911. Months earlier, in North Augusta, S.C., a resident pulled out her breathing tube and died. Inspectors faulted the home for failing to take appropriate steps to keep the resident from harming herself, even though she had pulled out the tube multiple times in the two months before she died. In each state, inspectors working on behalf of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services cited the homes for their failure to operate “in an acceptable way that maintains the well-being of each resident.” Both homes posed an “immediate jeopardy” to residents’ health and safety, inspectors determined. But the consequences were starkly different. In the Texas case, at the recommendation of state officials, CMS imposed a fine against The Springs nursing home of $9,500. In the other, acting at the suggestion of South Carolina officials, CMS required Unihealth Post-Acute Care-North Augusta to pay a fine of $305,370. These disparities aren’t unusual, it turns out. But they are now much easier to spot using ProPublica’s expanded Nursing Home Inspect tool. We’ve mapped the differences among states in finding serious violations and parceling out fines. Here's more on how to use our updated tool. The results support what auditors and researchers have maintained for years: Federal fines vary widely by state. Homes in some states pay a steep price for misconduct while those in neighboring states don’t. See our state-by-state breakdown here. The average fine paid by a South Carolina nursing home in the past three years was $40,507. The average fine in Texas: $6,933. A Balkanized System CMS pays states to inspect nursing homes on its behalf. It gives states guidelines on when and how to impose penalties, and states recommend actions to CMS regional offices. Those regional offices must approve sanctions before they are imposed, but CMS almost always accepts the states’ recommendations. The federal government and states share the fine money. Despite its authority, some experts say, the federal government has not done enough to standardize punishments. “The enforcement system is broken,” said Charlene Harrington, a nursing home expert and emeritus professor of nursing at the University of California, San Francisco. “If you don’t go after these really bad violations and try to force these nursing homes to improve quality, they’re going to continue to cause harm and jeopardy.” Harrington was the lead author of a 2008 study that found enforcement disparities and encouraged the government to “re-examine” the system of imposing fines, called civil monetary penalties (CMPs) in bureaucratic parlance. Federal officials acknowledged inconsistencies identified by ProPublica and said they are working to reduce them. Years ago, CMS came up with guidelines to advise states and its own regional offices on when and how much to fine homes. But the guidelines give them wide latitude. States can choose penalties either by incident, capped at $10,000, or on a per-day basis, which can quickly add up to a much higher number. Beginning next year, CMS will test a new program that provides more specific guidance. “Our new tool reduces that latitude by a fair degree,” said Alice Bonner, director of CMS’ division of nursing homes. Bonner said some flexibility is warranted because not every situation is the same. Factors affecting the size of a fine could include a home’s past record of deficiencies, the speed with which it corrects problems and whether too large a penalty could force a facility to close, a hardship on residents, she said. Some states also have the authority to impose fines against homes under state law, but CMS does not centrally collect and report them. Tim Thornton, administrator at The Springs in Texas, said his nursing home has retrained staff since the resident choked on a cookie and died. “With this specific case, the nurse on duty showed a lack of leadership ... There was kind of a breakdown and maybe a little panic in the situation, and the nurse took it all upon herself and didn’t ask for assistance from the others.” The $9,500 fine against the home is not yet listed on the CMS website because it has not been paid, officials said. Calls to Unihealth-North Augusta were referred to the home’s parent company, UHS-Pruitt Corp. in Norcross, Ga. Spokesman Nick Williams declined to comment. Unihealth-North Augusta has received more federal fines than any other home in the nation, $736,580, in the past three years, according to government data. Another of the chain’s homes, in North Carolina, was fined $372,970 during the same period. Fines vs. Deficiencies, a Disconnect To demonstrate variation in enforcement, ProPublica mapped states based on their average fine, the number of serious deficiencies per home, and on how often they penalized homes with payment suspensions for new admissions – another form of sanction that is less common than fines. Officials in several states — those with high fines and low ones — said they had not compared themselves to others and were unaware where they stood. The officials said that if CMS wanted to raise or lower their recommended penalties, it has the authority to do so. Texas has the second highest number of nursing homes in the nation, behind only California. While it had the most serious deficiencies of any state and imposed more payment suspensions, its average fine placed it near the middle. Cecilia Cavuto, a spokeswoman for Texas’ Department of Aging and Disability Services, defended the state’s approach. Texas chooses its actions based on “the nature of the deficiencies identified, prior success or failure of previous remedies, and staff’s professional judgment regarding what remedy might best encourage a facility to come back into compliance with Medicare/Medicaid requirements,” she wrote in a statement. A South Carolina spokesman said the state simply follows federal guidelines in issuing fines and that “there has been no change in the philosophy for enforcement.” Michigan has 426 nursing homes, the 11th highest in the nation. Yet, over the past three years, Michigan homes paid more fines than any other state, nearly $10 million, and regulators meted out 175 payment suspensions, second only to Texas. Officials at the Health Care Association of Michigan, the nursing home trade group, said the figures show that Michigan regulators have been unreasonably harsh. “We just don’t have any indication that we’re performing worse than other states” in terms of the number of problems cited by inspectors, said David LaLumia, the association’s president and CEO. “The latitude that states have to impose civil monetary penalties is very subjective.” Kimberly Gaedeke, assistant deputy director for Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, defended the state’s use of penalties. She said the state has seen an increase in the number of serious deficiencies. Like other states, she noted, the final decision ultimately rests with CMS. In a written statement, Graedeke said the state is re-examining its penalty system to make “positive changes” so that penalties don’t impede a home’s ability to provide quality care for residents. Are States Too Soft? Advocates for nursing home residents said they do not accept the argument that some states are being too tough. If anything, they said, many states are going too easy on homes. “This is not an easy issue to deal with,” said Richard Mollot, executive director of the Long Term Care Community Coalition in New York City. “The states themselves are subject to a lot of political pressure (from nursing homes). They have not been subject to a lot of pressure from CMS to do a good job.” CMS officials asked Minnesota to “step up our fines” a couple of years ago, Darcy Miner, director of the health department’s Compliance Monitoring Division, wrote in an email. The state’s average fine of $2,147 is one of the lowest in the nation. “I would have to say that I haven’t seen CMS modifying most of our recommendations, so I have assumed that we are within the appropriate range,” she wrote. Since CMS asked the state to increase its fines, it has tried to do so, she wrote. Brian Lee, executive director of Families for Better Care in Florida, said residents and their families should care about how well the government oversees the quality of care in nursing homes. “This is affecting all of us. It’s affecting our families,” Lee said. “We’re relying upon the regulators to ensure safety and quality care for our parents and grandparents.” -- Jennifer LaFleur, ProPublica’s director of computer-assisted reporting, contributed to this report.	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
Ki-Adi-Mundi (Concept Art, BD38) In this Episode III concept art by Derek Thompson, Ki-Adi-Mundi wears a cape and has an eye-patch over one eye. This more battle-weary appearance was designed to indicated that the Clone Wars have been raging for years and are taking their toll on the Jedi. Prepare for out-of-this-world excitement with this detailed and articulated Ki-Adi-Mundi figure, based on concept art for the legendary film series. Armed with his lightsaber accessory, your determined warrior is ready to fight through even the toughest battles you set up for him! This awesome action figure even comes with one Droid Factory part. Collect all of the figures (each sold separately) and their included Droid Factory parts to build your very own R4-P44 figure! Figure comes with a lightsaber accessory and includes one Droid Factory part BD 38.	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a material for recording which is suitable to ink jet recording using liquid ink such as aqueous ink or oily ink or solid ink which is a solid at ambient temperature and is subjected to printing after it is melted and liquefied, and, particularly, to a recording sheet which has excellent ink receiving ability and is reduced in bleeding with time. 2. Description of the Related Art Along with recent rapid development of information industries, a variety of information process systems have been developed. This is accompanied with the development of recording methods and equipment suitable to each information system and these methods and equipment have been put to practical use. Among these recording methods, an ink jet recording method is being widely used in home use as well as in offices because it enables recording in various recording materials and the hardware used in this method is relatively inexpensive, compact and has high soundless characteristics. Also, along with the recent progress in high-resolution ink jet printers, so-called photograph-like high quality recorded materials have come to be available. In addition, along with the development of hardware (equipment), various recording sheets for ink jet recording are being developed. The general characteristics required for such recording sheets are, for example, as follows: (1) it must have quick drying properties (the rate of absorption of ink must be high), (2) the diameter of an ink dot must be proper and uniform (any bleeding does not occur), (3) it must have good granularity, (4) the circularity of a dot must be high, (5) the color density must be high, (6) the chroma must be high (the color must not be subdued), (7) the light resistance and water resistance of an image portion must be high, (8) even if it is stored for a long time, it is resistant to the bleeding of an image, (9) it must have high whiteness, (10) it must have high preservation ability, (11) it must have high resistance to deformation and good dimensional stability (curling is sufficiently small) and (12) it has good running characteristics in a hardware. Moreover, besides the above characteristics, glossiness and surface smoothness are required and it is also required for a printed paper to have a texture similar to a silver salt photograph in applications for photo glossy paper to be used to obtain a photo-like high quality recorded material. As recording sheets to be used for ink jet recording, those obtained by applying a pigment such as silica and a water-soluble binder to a support made of paper or a plastic film as described in, for example, the respective publications of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 55-51583, JP-A No. 55-144172, JP-A No. 55-150395, JP-A No. 56-148582, JP-A No. 56-148583, JP-A No. 56-148584, JP-A No. 56-148585, JP-A No. 57-14091, JP-A No. 57-38185, JP-A No. 57-129778, JP-A No. 57-129979, JP-A No. 60-219084 and JP-A No. 60-245588 are known. However, all of these proposed recording sheets have very low glossiness and are unsatisfactory for applications such as photo glossy paper. Also, recording sheets using a pseudoboehmite sol and a water-soluble binder are proposed in the respective publications of JP-A No. 2-276670, JP-A No. 3-215082, JP-A No. 3-281383 and JP-A No. 6-199035. Although these recording sheets fulfill the requirements as to the gloss characteristics to some extent, there are, for example, the problems that the production cost of the pseudoboehmite is high and it is difficult to prepare a coating solution. Further, proposed in JP-A No. 4-223190 is ink jet recording paper provided with a recording layer comprising 5 to 20 g/m2 of synthetic silica and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) on substrate paper coated with 0.1 g/m2 of borax or boric acid. The aforementioned technologies are intended only to improve the film strength of a recording layer reduced in the content of a binder. The recording paper has inferior glossiness and is hence unsatisfactory for applications such as photo glossy paper. Recording materials using various water-soluble polymers to impart glossiness are proposed. For example, those obtained by applying polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone or gelatin to a support made of paper or a plastic film as described in the respective publications of JP-A No. 58-89391, JP-A No. 58-134784, JP-A No. 58-134786, JP-A No. 60-44386, JP-A No. 60-132785, JP-A No. 60-145879, JP-A No. 60-168651 and JP-A No. 60-171143 are known. These recording sheets have superior glossiness, but are inferior in the rate of drying ink and are hence unsatisfactory for applications such as photo glossy paper. On the other hand, ink jet recording sheets which fulfill the aforementioned requirements as to the characteristics of ink jet recording sheets and as to the production cost are proposed in the respective publications of JP-A No. 7-276789, JP-A No. 8-174992, JP-A No. 11-115308 and JP-A No. 11-192777. In the above publication of JP-A No. 7-276789, a recording sheet is proposed in which a colorant receptor layer formed of an inorganic pigment fine particle and a water-soluble resin and having a three-dimensional structure having a high void ratio is disposed on a support. This structure is said to ensure that the aforementioned ink-absorbing ability is improved and color mixing bleeding in printing is sufficiently suppressed whereby a high-resolution image can be obtained. This colorant receptor layer may be formed by compounding a large amount of particles having a small size. It is necessary to decrease the amount of a binder used for the formation of a layer so that voids are formed. Therefore, this sheet has the drawback that cracks occur if the coating layer is dried quickly, thereby damaging the transparency and appearance of the colorant receptor layer. As a method used to prevent cracks of the ink receptor layer, a method in which the viscosity of a binder in a coating solution is increased is proposed in JP-A No. 9-109545. In this method, however, there is the fear of reduced workability and occurrence of uneven coating, showing that this method does not reach a practically effective level. A method of preventing cracks by using a coating solution comprising an inorganic particle, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and boric acid or borate is disclosed in the respective publications of JP-A No. 7-76161 and JP-A No. 10-119423. In this method, also, a large reduction in workability is caused by a rise in the viscosity of the coating solution. This method also poses the problem of the inferior stability of the solution with time and does not reach a practically effective level. An ink jet recording sheet provided with a colorant receptor layer, which comprises a fine inorganic pigment particle and a water-soluble resin and has a high void ratio, on a support is proposed in the respective publications of JP-A No. 10-119423 and JP-A No. 10-217601. These ink jet recording sheets have good ink-absorbing ability and high ink-receiving ability enough to form a high-resolution image and exhibits high glossiness due to its structure. However, a support coated with a resin such as polyethylene on both sides thereof is used as the support in view of glossiness and texture, and therefore a high-boiling point solvent contained in the colorant receptor layer is not vaporized and the solvent is not absorbed in the support. Consequently, the high-boiling point solvent remains unremoved in the colorant receptor layer, giving rise to the problem that when the sheet is stored under high temperature and humidity after an image is printed, the solvent is diffused together with a dye in the colorant receptor layer, causing the bleeding of the image with time (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cbleeding with timexe2x80x9d where necessary). Also, it is widely adopted to add a compound having an amino group or an ammonium salt, especially, a polymer compound containing these group and salt with the intention of fixing a dye component in ink in the ink jet recording sheet. For instance, many compounds are used, these compounds including (co)polymers of a diallylammonium salt derivative as disclosed in the respective publications of JP-A No. 60-83882, JP-A No. 64-75281 and JP-A No. 59-20696, allylamine salt copolymers as disclosed in the respective publications of JP-A No. 61-61887 and JP-A No. 61-72581, (meth)acrylates having an ammonium salt, (meth)acrylamide type polymers and vinyl (co)polymers such as a vinylbenzylammonium salt (co)polymer as disclosed in the respective publications of JP-A No. 6-340163, JP-A No. 4-288283, JP-A No. 9-300810, JP-A No. 8-318672, JP-A No. 10-272830 and JP-A No. 63-115780, modified polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as described in, for example, JP-A No. 10-44588, amine/epichlorohydrin co-adduct as described in JP-A No. 6-23468, JP-A No. 11-277888, dihalide/diamine co-adduct as described in JP-A No. 10-119418 and polyamidines as described in the respective publications of JP-A No. 11-58934 and JP-A No. 11-28860. The use of these compounds is to fix a dye and to prevent bleeding. However, because all of these compounds are water-soluble polymers basically, the water-soluble dye can be incompletely fixed and, particularly, an improvement in bleeding under high temperature and humidity has been insufficiently made yet. Also, if the sheet is stored in a clear file or the like immediately after an image is printed, bleeding with time likewise occurs because the sheet is in the condition that water in ink and a high-boiling point solvent (glycerin and a diethylene glycol derivative) contained in a small amount in ink remain unremoved. In the meantime, the ratio of inorganicity/organicity (I/O value) is known as one of indexes showing the magnitude of the polarity of a compound. Also, an index which is the equivalency of an ammonium salt per unit mass of a polymer solid and expressed by meq/g is called cation density. In the aforementioned publications, the ratio of inorganicity/organicity (I/O value) or the cation density (meq/g) is not prescribed in each compound added for the purpose of fixing the aforementioned dye component in ink. However, when such a value is calculated, the ratio of inorganicity/organicity (I/O value) is in the vicinity of 1.5 to 7.0 and the cation density (meq/g) is in the vicinity of 3.2 to 7.0. There is the case where the ratio of inorganicity/organicity (I/O value) is hereinafter simply called xe2x80x9cI/O valuexe2x80x9d. Like the ink jet recording sheets as described in the respective publications of JP-A No. 57-36692, JP-A No. 10-180034, JP-A No. 11-20302 and JP-A No. 8-244336, ink jet recording sheets which contain an amino group and an ammonium salt like the aforementioned compound and contain a water-insoluble base latex are known. These ink jet recording sheets are improved in water resistance by using the hydrophobic latex. However, in the ink jet recording sheets using such a hydrophobic latex, the hydrophobic latex must be compounded in a large amount to impart sufficient water resistance, giving rise to the problem that the light resistance of an image and miscibility with a pigment are resultantly impaired. Also, many of these sheets use a crosslinkable monomer (specifically, a monomer having two or more polymerizable functional groups in its molecule) in order to form a latex of a hydrophilic monomer unit such as an amino group or an ammonium salt. Therefore, aqueous ink has difficulty in penetrating into the monomer particle and the ink-receiving ability is not sufficient. Moreover, in the case of using a receptor layer made of a porous film, the voids of the porous film are clogged, because a granular compound is added, thus inhibiting the ink absorbing ability. Also, the latex using a crosslinkable monomer in this manner is insoluble in an organic solvent or the like and it is therefore difficult to handle it. In addition, examples of a part of latex using no crosslinkable monomer are known. Even in the case of such a latex compound, there are no descriptions concerning compounds having a low I/O value and a low cation density. Further, a recording material comprising 1 mass % or more of a monomer unit containing a quaternary ammonium salt and a copolymer which is substantially insoluble in water is disclosed in JP-A No. 1-188387. Such a compound surely exhibits an I/O value and cation density which are low to some extent. However, the I/O value of the compound used in the recording material is the order of 1.4 to 1.8 and there is no description of compounds having an I/O value lower than the above range and a low cation density. There is also no description concerning such a concept as to decrease the I/O value and the cation density. Further, there is also no description that the frequency of the occurrence of bleeding with time on an ink jet recording sheet is improved by adding such a compound. Also, an example in which the ratio of inorganicity/organicity (I/O value) is prescribed in a compound is described in JP-A No. 10-217601. In this case, however, only nonionic copolymers other than ammonium salts are prescribed. Also, this method uses a unit having a high I/O value (high hydrophilic properties) as a copolymer unit, which is quite different from the concept intended to decrease the I/O value of the compound. The inventors of the present invention have noted the inorganicity/organicity ratio and cation density of compounds added to fix the aforementioned dye component in ink to solve various problems in the prior art to thereby attain the following object. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording sheet which is free from bleeding with time and can keep an image stably even if it is stored for a long period of time under high temperature and humidity after an image is printed. Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording sheet which can avoid the occurrence of cracks, is strong, has high surface glossiness, possesses high ink-absorbing ability, can form an image with high-resolution and high density, has good color-developing ability and is superior in light resistance and water resistance of an image portion. The inventors of the present invention have made earnest studies to solve these problems and, as a result, found that these problems can be solved using an ink jet recording sheet having the following structures, resulting in the patent application of this case. A first aspect of the present invention is an ink jet recording sheet comprising a polymer which contains a quaternary ammonium base in its molecule, of which the ratio of inorganicity/organicity (I/O value) calculated based on an organic conceptual diagram is 1.0 or less and the cation density (meq/g) is 3.0 or less and which is soluble in at least one of water and an organic solvent. A second aspect of the present invention is an ink jet recording sheet provided with a colorant receptor layer on a support, the colorant receptor layer containing a polymer which contains an inorganic pigment fine particle, a water-soluble resin and a quaternary ammonium base in its molecule, of which the ratio of inorganicity/organicity (I/O value) calculated based on an organic conceptual diagram is 1.0 or less and the cation density (meq/g) is 3.0 or less and which is soluble in at least one of water and an organic solvent. A third aspect of the present invention is an ink jet recording sheet according to the above aspect, wherein the colorant receptor layer is obtained by applying a first coating solution containing the inorganic pigment fine particle and the water-soluble resin to the support and by applying a second coating solution containing the polymer, at least at one time of (1) a time when the first coating solution is applied, (2) a time during drying the coating layer before the coating layer shows a falling drying rate and (3) a time after the coating layer has dried and formed a coating film.	{ "pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds" }
Q: Sharepoint doesn't send email to "Current Item:Created By" My sharepoint workflow seems to only send email to "Current Item:(Name of user)": instead of the list variable "Created By" as in "Current Item:Created By". Does anyone know why this happens? The error sent to my smtp server email is: Delivery has failed to these recipients or groups: Created By The format of the email address isn't correct. A correct address looks like this: someone@example.com. Please check the recipient's email address and try to resend the message. But "Created By" is a variable. It shouldn't be in an email format. Also, last I checked, this variable has a name inside. It's not empty. A: In the picture below I have used the field 'Assigned To', you have used 'Created By', but in order for Sharepoint to be able to send an email, it does need an email address. If I substitute my Assigned To person/group field for the Created By field you'll see you can define the field to be used as an email address - select this one in your workflow, republish and save.	{ "pile_set_name": "StackExchange" }
1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to phosphohexuloisomerase and a DNA coding for it. More precisely, the present invention related to phosphohexuloisomerase derived from a thermotolerant bacterium, Bacillus brevis, and a DNA coding for it. 2. Description of the Related Art Among organisms that can utilize single carbon (C1) compounds such as methane and methanol as a carbon source (methylotrophs), there are known those having the ribulose monophosphate (RuMP) pathway as a pathway for metabolizing such compounds. Important key enzymes of this pathway are hexulose phosphate synthase (HPS, 3-hexulose-6-phosphate synthase), which catalyzes the initial reaction of the ribulose monophosphate pathway, and phosphohexuloisomerase (PHI, phospho-3-hexuloisomerase), which catalyzes the subsequent reaction. By the way, biochemical substances in which specific position of a target compound molecule is labeled with a stable isotope, carbon 13 (13C), are useful for study of biological metabolic pathway. Furthermore, it has recently become a very important technique to investigate behaviors of metabolic products in living bodies by using carbon 13-NMR techniques in diagnosis of various diseases and daily health examination. For such novel techniques, it is necessary and desired to provide compounds labeled at a certain target position with carbon 13 at a low cost. As one of systems for producing such target compounds as mentioned above, a method can be conceived, in which a series of enzymes are prepared for synthesizing labeled D-fructose 6-phosphate using labeled formaldehyde and ribulose 5-phosphate, and a target labeled compound is efficiently prepared in a reaction system utilizing the enzymes. Hexulose phosphate synthase, which is an enzyme initially acts in the reaction system, has been isolated from several kinds of microorganisms, and some of its characteristics have been elucidated. Such microorganisms include, for example, Methylomonas capsulatus (J. R. Quayle, Methods in Enzymology, 188, p.314, 1990), Methylomonas M15 strain (Methods in Enzymology, 188, p.319, 1990), Methylomonas aminofaciens 77a strain (Biochim. Biophys. Acta., 523, p.236, 1978), Mycobacterium gastri MB19 (Methods in Enzymology, 188, p.393, 1990), and Acetobacter methanolicus MB58 (Methods in Enzymology, 188, p.401, 1990). Further, as for phosphohexuloisomerase, it has been partially purified from Methylomonas aminofaciens 77a strain (Agric. Biol. Chem., 41 (7), p1133, 1977), and a purified enzyme and a gene coding for it were isolated from a gram-positive facultative methanol assimilating bacterium, Mycobacterium gastri (Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication (Kokai) No. 11-127869). Enzymes and proteins produced by thermotolerant bacteria are generally stable at a high temperature, and most of them are also stable against pH variation and organic solvents. Therefore, applications thereof have been highly developed as diagnostic agents, industrial catalysts and so forth. As a C1 metabolic system enzyme of thermotolerant methanol assimilating bacteria, only hexulose phosphate synthase has been purified from Bacillus methanolicus C1 strain (Methods in Enzymology, 188, p.393, 1990), and its detailed structure and gene therefor are unknown. On the other hand, as for phosphohexuloisomerase of thermotolerant bacteria, not only the structure of enzyme protein and gene therefor, but also purification of the enzyme have not been reported. The inventors of the present invention found that, in the course of cloning of a gene coding for hexulose phosphate synthase (henceforth also referred to as xe2x80x9chpsxe2x80x9d) of Bacillus brevis S1 strain, a gene coding for PHI (henceforth also referred to as xe2x80x9cphixe2x80x9d) existed in the DNA fragment containing hps. And they isolated the phi gene, introduced this gene into an Escherichia coli cell, and examined activity of the expression product to confirm that the gene coded for PHI. Thus, they accomplished the present invention. That is, the present invention provides the followings. (1) A DNA coding for a protein defined in the following (A) or (B): (A) a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 shown in Sequence Listing, (B) a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 shown in Sequence Listing including substitution, deletion, insertion or addition of one or several amino acid residues and having phosphohexulose isomerase activity. (2) The DNA according to (1), which is a DNA defined in the following (a) or (b): (a) a DNA containing a nucleotide sequence consisting of at least the residues of nucleotide numbers 1149-1700 of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 shown in Sequence Listing, (b) a DNA which is hybridizable with a nucleotide sequence consisting of at least the residues of nucleotide numbers 1149-1700 of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 shown in Sequence Listing under a stringent condition, and codes for a protein having phosphohexulose isomerase activity. (3) A cell into which a DNA according to (1) or (2) is introduced in such a manner that phosphohexulose isomerase encoded by the DNA can be expressed. (4) A method for producing phosphohexulose isomerase, comprising culturing the cell according to (3) in a medium to produce and accumulate phosphohexulose isomerase in culture, and collecting the phosphohexulose isomerase from the culture. (5) A protein defined in the following (A) or (B): (A) a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 shown in Sequence Listing, (B) a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 shown in Sequence Listing including substitution, deletion, insertion or addition of one or several amino acid residues and having phosphohexulose isomerase activity. According to the present invention, a DNA coding for phosphohexuloisomerase is obtained, and this enables efficient production of that enzyme. As a result, it becomes possible to provide labeled substances that are important and required for medicine or biochemical basic research in large quantities at low cost. Hereafter, the present invention will be explained in detail. less than 1 greater than DNA of the Present Invention The DNA of the present invention was found in the DNA fragment containing hps gene of Bacillus brevis S1 strain adjacent to and downstream from the hps gene, and it can be isolated and obtained from chromosomal DNA of Bacillus brevis. Specifically, as shown in the examples described later, the DNA of the present invention was obtained from chromosomal DNA of Bacillus brevis as follows. First, HPS is purified from Bacillus brevis. As the Bacillus brevis, the Bacillus brevis S1 strain can be mentioned. This strain is subcultured at NCIMB (The National Collections of Industrial and Marine Bacteria) with the accession number of NCIMB12524. HPS can be purified from cell free extract of the S1 strain by Q-Sepharose column chromatography, Buthyl-Toyopearl column chromatography and Superdex 200 column chromatography to such a degree that it can be detected as a single band in SDS-PAGE. In each purification step, HPS activity can be measured by the method described in Methods in Enzymology, vol. 188, 397-401 (1990). A partial amino acid sequence of the purified HPS is determined, and oligonucleotide primers for PCR (polymerase chain reaction) are synthesized based on the obtained amino acid sequence information. Then, PCR is performed by using genomic DNA prepared from the Bacillus brevis S1 strain as a template. The genomic DNA can be obtained by the method of Saito et al. (described in Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 72, 619-629 (1963)). If the oligonucleotides having the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 7 and 8 shown in Sequence Listing are used as primers, a DNA fragment of about 400 bp will be obtained by the above PCR. Then, based on the nucleotide sequence of the hps fragment obtained as described above, a DNA fragment containing the hps gene in its full length is obtained from Bacillus brevis S1 strain chromosomal DNA by, for example, the inverted PCR method (Genetics, vol. 120, pp.621-623, 1988) using oligonucleotides having the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 9 and 10 as primers. At first, the inventors of the present invention attempted to screen a genomic library of Bacillus brevis S1 strain by using the aforementioned hps fragment of about 400 bps as a probe. However, although the possible cause was unknown, probably because a problem resided in the ligation of the chromosomal DNA fragment to the vector, colonies having a number of genomic libraries sufficient for the screening could not be formed, and thus they had to give up use of the ordinary method. Therefore, they attempted the cloning by the inverted PCR technique as described above, and successfully obtained a DNA fragment containing the hps gene. The result of nucleotide sequence determination for about 1.8 kb in the clone fragment in a length of about 3 kb obtained as described above is shown in Sequence Listing as SEQ ID NO: 1. In this region, two open reading frames (orfs) were contained. The amino acid sequences encoded by each orf are shown in SEQ ID NOS: 2 and 3 from the 5xe2x80x2 end side. Since the first orf among these completely coincided to a partial amino acid sequence of HPS, it was demonstrated to be hps. On the other hand, the second orf was confirmed to be phi, i.e., the DNA of the present invention, by investigating the activity of a protein obtained by expressing this orf. When homology searching was performed for the nucleotide sequence of phi and the amino acid sequence encoded thereby by using commercially available software (GENETYX), they showed 65.6% of homology on the nucleotide level and 64.3% of homology on the amino acid level to ykcF of Bacillus subtillis. The homology was calculated as a ratio of the number of exactly the same amino acid residues in yckF and phi to the total number of amino acid residues encoded by yckF. As described above, while the DNA of the present invention was discovered by chance in connection with the purification of HPS and isolation of hps, the DNA of the present invention was obtained by expressing the second orf and confirming the activity of the expressed product based on a conception that the second orf should code for phi. The DNA of the present invention was obtained as described above. However, since its nucleotide sequence and the amino acid sequence encoded thereby were elucidated by the present invention, the DNA of the present invention can then be obtained from a genomic DNA library of a thermotolerant bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus, for example, Bacillus brevis S1 strain, by hybridization utilizing an oligonucleotide produced based on the nucleotide sequence or amino acid sequence as a probe. The DNA of the present invention can also be obtained by performing PCR utilizing the aforementioned oligonucleotide as a primer and genomic DNA of a thermotolerant bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus as a template. Methods for construction of genomic DNA library, hybridization, PCR, preparation of plasmid DNA, digestion and ligation of DNA, transformation and so forth are described in by Sambrook, J., Fritsch, E. F., Maniatis, T., Molecular Cloning, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1.21 (1989). The Escherichia coli JM109/pKPS1 harboring a plasmid pKPS1 containing the DNA of the present invention and expressing PHI under control of tac promoter, which was obtained in the examples mentioned later and given a private number of AJ13707, was deposited on Jul. 5, 2000 at the National Institute of Bioscience and Human Technology of Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (currently, the independent administrative corporation, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, International Patent Organism Depositary)(Chuo Dai-6, 1-1 Higashi 1-Chome, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki-ken, Japan, postal code: 305-5466) as the accession number of FERM P-17952, and transferred from the original deposit to international deposit based on Budapest Treaty on Jun. 25, 2001, and has been deposited as the accession number of FERM BP-7639. The DNA of the present invention may code for PHI including substitution, deletion, insertion or addition of one or several amino acid residues at one or a plurality of positions, provided that the activity of encoded PHI is not deteriorated. The number of xe2x80x9cseveralxe2x80x9d amino acid residues differs depending on positions or types of amino acid residues in the three-dimensional structure of the protein. However, the encoded PHI may be one showing homology of 65% or more, preferably 80% or more, to the total amino acid sequence constituting PHI and having the PHI activity. Specifically, the number of xe2x80x9cseveralxe2x80x9d amino acid residues is preferably 2-60, more preferably 2-30, further preferably 2-10. A DNA coding for substantially the same protein as PHI described above can be obtained by, for example, modifying the nucleotide sequence by, for example, the site-directed mutagenesis method so that the amino acid sequence should involve substitution, deletion, insertion or addition of one or more amino acid residues at a specified site. Such a DNA modified as described above may also be obtained by a conventionally known mutation treatment. The mutation treatment includes a method of treating DNA coding for PHI in vitro, for example, with hydroxylamine, and a method for treating a microorganism, for example, a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia, harboring a DNA coding for PHI with ultraviolet irradiation or a mutating agent usually used for mutation treatment such as N-methyl-Nxe2x80x2-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG) and nitrous acid. The substitution, deletion, insertion, addition or inversion of nucleotide as described above also includes a naturally occurring mutant or variant on the basis of, for example, individual difference or difference in species or genus of microorganisms that harbor phi. A DNA coding for substantially the same protein as PHI described above can be obtained by expressing such a DNA having a mutation as described above in a suitable cell, and examining the PHI activity of the expression product. A DNA coding for substantially the same protein as PHI can also be obtained by isolating a DNA hybridizable with a DNA having, for example, the nucleotide sequence corresponding to nucleotide numbers of 1149-1700 of the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or a probe that can be prepared from the nucleotide sequence under a stringent condition, and coding for a protein having the PHI activity from a DNA coding for PHI including a mutation or a cell harboring it. The xe2x80x9cstringent conditionxe2x80x9d referred to herein is a condition under which so-called specific hybrid is formed, and non-specific hybrid is not formed. It is difficult to clearly express this condition by using any numerical value. However, for example, the stringent condition includes a condition under which DNA""s having high homology, for example, DNA""s having homology of not less than 70% are hybridized with each other, and DNA""s having homology lower than the above level are not hybridized with each other. Alternatively, the stringent condition is exemplified by a condition under which DNA""s are hybridized with each other at a salt concentration corresponding to an ordinary condition of washing in Southern hybridization, i.e., 1xc3x97SSC, 0.1% SDS, preferably 0.1xc3x97SSC, 0.1% SDS, at 60xc2x0 C. As the probe, a partial sequence of the phi gene can also be used. Such a probe can be produced by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) using oligonucleotides produced based on the nucleotide sequence of each gene as primers and a DNA fragment containing each gene as a template. When a DNA fragment in a length of about 300 bp is used as the probe, the washing condition for the hybridization may consists of 50xc2x0 C., 2xc3x97SSC and 0.1% SDS. Genes hybridizable under such a condition as described above include those having a stop codon generated in a coding region of the genes, and those having no activity due to mutation of active center. However, such mutants can be readily removed by ligating each of the genes with a commercially available activity expression vector, and measuring the PHI activity by the method described above. less than 2 greater than Production of Hexulose Phosphate Isomerase PHI can be produced by allowing expression of the aforementioned DNA of the present invention using a suitable host-vector system. As the host for the expression of the phi gene, there can be mentioned various prokaryote cells including Escherichia coli and various eucaryote cells including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, animal cells and plant cells. Among these, prokaryote cells, especially Escherichia coil cells, are preferred. As the vector for introducing the phi gene into the aforementioned host, there can be mentioned, for example, pUC19, pUC18, pBR322, pHSG299, pHSG298, pHSG399, pHSG398, RSF1010, pMW119, pMW118, pMW219, pMW218 and so forth. Other than these, a vector of phage DNA can also be used. The phi gene can be introduced into the host by transforming the host with a recombinant vector obtained by ligating the phi gene to any one of those vectors. The phi gene may also be introduced into genome of the host by a method using transduction, transposon (Berg, D. E. and Berg C. M., Bio/Technol., 1, 417 (1983)), Mu phage (Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2-109985/1990) or homologous recombination (Experiments in Molecular Genetics, Cold Spring Harbor Lab. (1972)). Further, in order to obtain efficient expression of the phi gene, a promoter functioning in the host cell such as lac, trp and PL may be ligated to the DNA sequence coding for PHI in its upstream region. If a vector containing a promoter is used as the vector, the ligation of the phi gene, vector and promoter can be performed at once. As such a vector, pKK 223-3 containing tac promoter (Pharmacia) can be mentioned. For the transformation, there can be used, for example, a method of treating recipient cells with calcium chloride so as to increase the permeability for DNA, which has been reported for Escherichia coli K-12 (Mandel, M. and Higa, A., J. Mol. Biol., 53, 159 (1970)); and a method of preparing competent cells from cells which are at the growth phase followed by introducing the DNA thereinto, which has been reported for Bacillus subtilis (Duncan, C. H., Wilson, G. A. and Young, F. E., Gene, 1, 153 (1977)). In addition to these, also employable is a method of making DNA-recipient cells into protoplasts or spheroplasts, which can easily take up recombinant DNA, followed by introducing the recombinant DNA into the cells, which method is known to be applicable to Bacillus subtilis, actinomycetes and yeasts (Chang, S. and Choen, S. N., Molec. Gen. Genet., 168, 111 (1979); Bibb, M. J., Ward, J. M. and Hopwood, O. A., Nature, 274, 398 (1978); Hinnen, A., Hicks, J. B. and Fink, G. R., Proc. Natl. Sci. USA, 75, 1929 (1978)). The method for transformation may be suitably selected from these methods depending on the cells used as the host. Although the phi gene may be any one so long as it shows the PHI activity when it is expressed, it is preferably a gene containing a DNA coding for the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 shown in Sequence Listing, or a DNA containing the nucleotide residues of the nucleotide numbers 1149-1700 in the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO: 1 shown in of Sequence Listing. Further, as mentioned above, it may be one containing a DNA coding for PHI including substitution, deletion, insertion, addition or inversion of one or several amino acid residues at one or a plurality of positions, so long as the activity of the encoded PHI is not deteriorated. PHI can be produced by culturing a cell introduced with the phi gene as described above in a medium to produce and accumulated PHI in culture, and collecting PHI from the culture. The medium used for the culture can be suitably selected depending on a host to be used. When Escherichia coli is used as the host and phi is expressed with the aid of tac promoter, if the host is cultured in a medium such as LB medium at 37xc2x0 C., IPTG (isopropyl-xc3xa2-D-thiogalactopyranoside), which is an inducer for the tac promoter, is added at a final concentration of 0.5 mM several hours after the start of the culture, and the culture is further continued, PHI is accumulated in the cells. When extracellular secretion of PHI is allowed by using a suitable secretion system, PHI is accumulated in the medium. PHI produced as described above can be purified from cell extract or medium by using usual purification methods for enzymes such as ion exchange chromatography, gel filtration chromatography, adsorption chromatography and solvent precipitation as required. PHI obtained by the present invention can be used for producing [1-13C] D-glucose 6-phosphate from methanol labeled with carbon 13. The preparation of this [1-13C] D-glucose 6-phosphate can be performed as follows, for example. Methanol is oxidized into formaldehyde by using alcohol oxidase prepared from methanol assimilating yeast, Candida boidinii. The obtained formaldehyde is condensed with ribulose 5-phosphate through aldol condensation by the action of HPS to form arabino-3-hexulose 6-phosphate. In this case, since ribulose 5-phosphate is unstable, ribose 5-phosphate is isomerized into ribulose 5-phosphate by the action of phosphoriboisomerase in the same reaction system for use in the HPS reaction. The arabino-3-hexulose 6-phosphate produced in the aforementioned reaction is converted into fructose 6-phosphate by the action of PHI, which is further converted into glucose 6-phosphate by the action of glucose 6-phosphate isomerase. Because the PHI content is markedly lower than the HPS content in general, it is difficult to utilize PHI for the aforementioned reaction in most of cases. Further, it is considered that the reaction can be continued for a long period of time by using PHI of a thermotolerant bacterium. Since phi of a thermotolerant bacterium was isolated and a method for efficiently producing PHI was provided by the present invention, it became possible to stably perform the aforementioned reaction for practical use. Hereafter, the present invention will be explained more specifically with reference to the following examples. First, the method for measurement of HPS activity (Methods in Enzymology, vol. 188, 397-401 (1990)) used in the examples will be explained. [Method for Measurement of HPS Activity] To 0.15 ml of water, 0.05 ml each of the following Solutions A to E were added and mixed in a cuvette (d=1.0 cm), and preliminarily heated at 30xc2x0 C. for about 3 minutes. To the cuvette, 0.1 ml of 10 mM formaldehyde solution was added to start the reaction. The reaction was allowed at 30xc2x0 C. for 5 minutes, and then 0.1 ml of 0.5 N hydrochloric acid was added to the mixture to stop the reaction. The reaction mixture was diluted 20 times and added with 2 ml of Nash reagent (described in Biochem. J., 55, 416, 1953), and decrease of formaldehyde in the reaction mixture was measured. In a control experiment, water was used instead of the ribose 5-phosphate solution. [Reagents] A: 500 mM Potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.5 B: 50 mM Magnesium chloride aqueous solution C: 50 mM Ribose 5-phosphate aqueous solution D: 100 U/ml of phosphoriboisomerase solution E: Enzyme preparation (50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.5) containing 1 mM DTT)	{ "pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds" }
St. Barnabas Episcopal Church (Troy, New York) St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, later called Christ & St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, and now known as New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, is an historic Episcopal church and rectory at 2900 Fifth Avenue in Troy, Rensselaer County, New York. The church was built in 1895 and is a red brick church in the Late Gothic Revival style. It has a gable roof and three hipped dormers. It has an open bell tower and slender conical turrets. It features a rose window depicting the Madonna and Child. The former rectory is a -story, L-shaped brick residence. Also on the property is a contributing carved stone crucifixion dated to about 1900. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. References Category:Episcopal church buildings in New York (state) Category:Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state) Category:Gothic Revival church buildings in New York (state) Category:Churches completed in 1895 Category:19th-century Episcopal church buildings Category:Churches in Rensselaer County, New York Category:National Register of Historic Places in Troy, New York Category:Churches in Troy, New York Category:1895 establishments in New York (state)	{ "pile_set_name": "Wikipedia (en)" }
В Луганске восемь вооруженных неизвестных угнали инкассаторский автомобиль, в котором находилось порядка 1 млн грн. (3,1 млн руб.), передает корреспондент «Газеты.Ru» со ссылкой на пресс-службу милиции. Как отмечается, восемь вооруженных автоматическим оружием человек, одетых в камуфляжную форму, угрожая применением оружия, захватили служебный автомобиль ГАИ. На блокпосту, расположенном на мосту через реку Северский Донец, эти же неизвестные, угрожая оружием, остановили инкассаторский автомобиль. Работникам службы безопасности банка приказали покинуть машину. Далее, как сообщается, вооруженные люди на инкассаторской машине приехали во двор областной госадминистрации в сопровождении угнанного автомобиля ГАИ.	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
Q: Interpretation of Multilinear maps as tensors Let M be a smooth manifold and $C^{\infty}(M)$ the smooth functions on it. Some authors are calling $C^{\infty}(M)$-multilinear mappings: $T:\mathcal{X}(M)^s\rightarrow\mathcal{X}$ Tensor fields of type (1,s). (One can think for instance about the riemannian curvature tensor) I think there is maybe an Isomorphism between both spaces. But I'm wondering, why some people are stressing this all the time? Do you have an idea?? Regards A: Yes, there is an isomorphism, generalizing the natural isomorphism \[ \operatorname{Hom}(E, F) \cong E^* \otimes F \] where $E$ and $F$ are finite dimensional vector spaces and $E^$ denotes the dual space to $E$, and $\operatorname{Hom}(E,F)$ denotes the space of linear maps from $E$ to $F$. I believe there are three main reasons to emphasize these isomorphisms: We think we understand linear maps from $E$ to $F$ very well, but tensor products can seem exotic. This helps make it clear that they are very closely related concepts, and thus tensor products should scare you only about as much as linear maps do. Seeing linear maps from $E$ to $F$ as elements of $E^ \otimes F$ sheds a new light on linear maps. For instance, it makes it obvious what is going on with matrix multiplication... this is something you already understand, obviously, but I think it is cool how it shows up here. It also makes it easier to understand the determinant. I think working out the details of these vague sentences is half the fun, so I leave it as an exercise. (OK, it's not that great, but it's pretty good, and it's worth doing yourself.) It is very often (notationally and/or conceptually) much easier to work with tensor products of bundles (tangent and cotangent bundles, for instance) than it is to work with spaces of linear maps.	{ "pile_set_name": "StackExchange" }
/ **************************************************************************** * @file stm32f4xx_hash.h * @author MCD Application Team * @version V1.0.0 * @date 30-September-2011 * @brief This file contains all the functions prototypes for the HASH * firmware library. ****************************************************************************** * @attention * * THE PRESENT FIRMWARE WHICH IS FOR GUIDANCE ONLY AIMS AT PROVIDING CUSTOMERS * WITH CODING INFORMATION REGARDING THEIR PRODUCTS IN ORDER FOR THEM TO SAVE * TIME. AS A RESULT, STMICROELECTRONICS SHALL NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY * DIRECT, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WITH RESPECT TO ANY CLAIMS ARISING * FROM THE CONTENT OF SUCH FIRMWARE AND/OR THE USE MADE BY CUSTOMERS OF THE * CODING INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IN CONNECTION WITH THEIR PRODUCTS. * * <h2><center>© COPYRIGHT 2011 STMicroelectronics</center></h2> ****************************************************************************** / / Define to prevent recursive inclusion -------------------------------------/ #ifndef __STM32F4xx_HASH_H #define __STM32F4xx_HASH_H #ifdef __cplusplus extern "C" { #endif / Includes ------------------------------------------------------------------/ #include "stm32f4xx.h" /* @addtogroup STM32F4xx_StdPeriph_Driver * @{ / /* @addtogroup HASH * @{ / / Exported types ------------------------------------------------------------/ /* * @brief HASH Init structure definition / typedef struct { uint32_t HASH_AlgoSelection; /!< SHA-1 or MD5. This parameter can be a value of @ref HASH_Algo_Selection / uint32_t HASH_AlgoMode; /!< HASH or HMAC. This parameter can be a value of @ref HASH_processor_Algorithm_Mode / uint32_t HASH_DataType; /!< 32-bit data, 16-bit data, 8-bit data or bit-string. This parameter can be a value of @ref HASH_Data_Type / uint32_t HASH_HMACKeyType; /!< HMAC Short key or HMAC Long Key. This parameter can be a value of @ref HASH_HMAC_Long_key_only_for_HMAC_mode / }HASH_InitTypeDef; /* * @brief HASH message digest result structure definition / typedef struct { uint32_t Data[5]; /!< Message digest result : 5x 32bit words for SHA1 or 4x 32bit words for MD5 / } HASH_MsgDigest; /* * @brief HASH context swapping structure definition / typedef struct { uint32_t HASH_IMR; uint32_t HASH_STR; uint32_t HASH_CR; uint32_t HASH_CSR[51]; }HASH_Context; / Exported constants --------------------------------------------------------/ /* @defgroup HASH_Exported_Constants * @{ / /* @defgroup HASH_Algo_Selection * @{ / #define HASH_AlgoSelection_SHA1 ((uint16_t)0x0000) /!< HASH function is SHA1 / #define HASH_AlgoSelection_MD5 ((uint16_t)0x0080) /!< HASH function is MD5 / #define IS_HASH_ALGOSELECTION(ALGOSELECTION) (((ALGOSELECTION) == HASH_AlgoSelection_SHA1) \|\| \ ((ALGOSELECTION) == HASH_AlgoSelection_MD5)) /* * @} / /* @defgroup HASH_processor_Algorithm_Mode * @{ / #define HASH_AlgoMode_HASH ((uint16_t)0x0000) /!< Algorithm is HASH / #define HASH_AlgoMode_HMAC ((uint16_t)0x0040) /!< Algorithm is HMAC / #define IS_HASH_ALGOMODE(ALGOMODE) (((ALGOMODE) == HASH_AlgoMode_HASH) \|\| \ ((ALGOMODE) == HASH_AlgoMode_HMAC)) /* * @} / /* @defgroup HASH_Data_Type * @{ / #define HASH_DataType_32b ((uint16_t)0x0000) #define HASH_DataType_16b ((uint16_t)0x0010) #define HASH_DataType_8b ((uint16_t)0x0020) #define HASH_DataType_1b ((uint16_t)0x0030) #define IS_HASH_DATATYPE(DATATYPE) (((DATATYPE) == HASH_DataType_32b)\|\| \ ((DATATYPE) == HASH_DataType_16b)\|\| \ ((DATATYPE) == HASH_DataType_8b)\|\| \ ((DATATYPE) == HASH_DataType_1b)) /* * @} / /* @defgroup HASH_HMAC_Long_key_only_for_HMAC_mode * @{ / #define HASH_HMACKeyType_ShortKey ((uint32_t)0x00000000) /!< HMAC Key is <= 64 bytes / #define HASH_HMACKeyType_LongKey ((uint32_t)0x00010000) /!< HMAC Key is > 64 bytes / #define IS_HASH_HMAC_KEYTYPE(KEYTYPE) (((KEYTYPE) == HASH_HMACKeyType_ShortKey) \|\| \ ((KEYTYPE) == HASH_HMACKeyType_LongKey)) /* * @} / /* @defgroup Number_of_valid_bits_in_last_word_of_the_message * @{ / #define IS_HASH_VALIDBITSNUMBER(VALIDBITS) ((VALIDBITS) <= 0x1F) /* * @} / /* @defgroup HASH_interrupts_definition * @{ / #define HASH_IT_DINI ((uint8_t)0x01) /!< A new block can be entered into the input buffer (DIN)/ #define HASH_IT_DCI ((uint8_t)0x02) /!< Digest calculation complete / #define IS_HASH_IT(IT) ((((IT) & (uint8_t)0xFC) == 0x00) && ((IT) != 0x00)) #define IS_HASH_GET_IT(IT) (((IT) == HASH_IT_DINI) \|\| ((IT) == HASH_IT_DCI)) /* * @} / /* @defgroup HASH_flags_definition * @{ / #define HASH_FLAG_DINIS ((uint16_t)0x0001) /!< 16 locations are free in the DIN : A new block can be entered into the input buffer./ #define HASH_FLAG_DCIS ((uint16_t)0x0002) /!< Digest calculation complete / #define HASH_FLAG_DMAS ((uint16_t)0x0004) /!< DMA interface is enabled (DMAE=1) or a transfer is ongoing / #define HASH_FLAG_BUSY ((uint16_t)0x0008) /!< The hash core is Busy : processing a block of data / #define HASH_FLAG_DINNE ((uint16_t)0x1000) /!< DIN not empty : The input buffer contains at least one word of data / #define IS_HASH_GET_FLAG(FLAG) (((FLAG) == HASH_FLAG_DINIS) \|\| \ ((FLAG) == HASH_FLAG_DCIS) \|\| \ ((FLAG) == HASH_FLAG_DMAS) \|\| \ ((FLAG) == HASH_FLAG_BUSY) \|\| \ ((FLAG) == HASH_FLAG_DINNE)) #define IS_HASH_CLEAR_FLAG(FLAG)(((FLAG) == HASH_FLAG_DINIS) \|\| \ ((FLAG) == HASH_FLAG_DCIS)) /* * @} / /* * @} / / Exported macro ------------------------------------------------------------/ / Exported functions --------------------------------------------------------/ / Function used to set the HASH configuration to the default reset state ***/ void HASH_DeInit(void); / HASH Configuration function ***********************************************/ void HASH_Init(HASH_InitTypeDef HASH_InitStruct); void HASH_StructInit(HASH_InitTypeDef* HASH_InitStruct); void HASH_Reset(void); /* HASH Message Digest generation functions **********************************/ void HASH_DataIn(uint32_t Data); uint8_t HASH_GetInFIFOWordsNbr(void); void HASH_SetLastWordValidBitsNbr(uint16_t ValidNumber); void HASH_StartDigest(void); void HASH_GetDigest(HASH_MsgDigest HASH_MessageDigest); /* HASH Context swapping functions *******************************************/ void HASH_SaveContext(HASH_Context HASH_ContextSave); void HASH_RestoreContext(HASH_Context* HASH_ContextRestore); /* HASH's DMA interface function *********************************************/ void HASH_DMACmd(FunctionalState NewState); / HASH Interrupts and flags management functions ****************************/ void HASH_ITConfig(uint8_t HASH_IT, FunctionalState NewState); FlagStatus HASH_GetFlagStatus(uint16_t HASH_FLAG); void HASH_ClearFlag(uint16_t HASH_FLAG); ITStatus HASH_GetITStatus(uint8_t HASH_IT); void HASH_ClearITPendingBit(uint8_t HASH_IT); / High Level SHA1 functions *************************************************/ ErrorStatus HASH_SHA1(uint8_t Input, uint32_t Ilen, uint8_t Output[20]); ErrorStatus HMAC_SHA1(uint8_t Key, uint32_t Keylen, uint8_t Input, uint32_t Ilen, uint8_t Output[20]); /* High Level MD5 functions **************************************************/ ErrorStatus HASH_MD5(uint8_t Input, uint32_t Ilen, uint8_t Output[16]); ErrorStatus HMAC_MD5(uint8_t Key, uint32_t Keylen, uint8_t Input, uint32_t Ilen, uint8_t Output[16]); #ifdef __cplusplus } #endif #endif /__STM32F4xx_HASH_H / /** * @} / /* * @} / /**************** (C) COPYRIGHT 2011 STMicroelectronics *END OF FILE**/	{ "pile_set_name": "Github" }
Q: Are string characters assigned a numerical value in context of how they are assigned in a programming language? For context I am fairly new to programming after returning back to it after programming a number of years ago... I was reading Bjarne's intro programming with C++ and was wondering if alphabetical string characters are assigned numerical values for the purpose of comparison. For instance in this example from the book Bjarne shows that the strings are compared through analyzing the first letter of the input for the strings. From what I gather the language has been coded to essentially give the string characters a value of what I am assuming is 1-26 corresponding to the standard US alphabet to compare the letters. For instance: int main() { cout << "Please enter two names\n "; string first; string second; cin >> first >> second; if (first<second) cout << first <<"is alphabetically before"<< second <<'\n ' ; return 0; } A: if (first<second) In this case, there is something different involved here, the operator< from std::basic_string. and was wondering if alphabetical string characters are assigned numerical values for the purpose of comparison. No, not really. You don't assign a number to a character just for comparison. A computer does not know anything about characters, a computer just knows numbers. What number represents what letter is defined in a charset, ASCII for example is a widely known one. However, a table alone doesn't help the computer either, since it still does not know what a character is and what it should do with it, therefore, at the end, it is the font which makes the number 65 look like a 'A'. A font is just a file with a list of numbers and images (bitmap, vector, ...) and the computer just draws the image which belongs to the number 65, so as I already said, the computer knows nothing about characters, it just draws images.	{ "pile_set_name": "StackExchange" }
Germany has retained the top spot in an annual ranking of countries according to the travel freedom that their citizens enjoy. It is the fifth year in a row Germany has topped the 2018 Henley & Partners Passport Index, with its citizens enjoying visa-free access to 177 countries, while Ireland moves up one place from joint sixth to joint fifth. Irish citizens have visa-free access to 173 countries, along with Portugal, the United States and South Korea. The rankings are compiled by using data from the Air Transport Association (IATA). A record 779,000 Irish passports were issued in 2017, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In an annual report, the department said one in five passport applications were received from Irish citizens living in Northern Ireland and Britain. Dr Christian H Kalin, group chairman of Henley & Partners, said the need for visa-free access was “greater than ever”. “Across the economic spectrum individuals want to transcend the constraints imposed on them by their country of origin and access business, financial, career and lifestyle opportunities on a global scale,” he said. “The Henley Passport Index shows individuals where they lie on the spectrum of global mobility, revealing the strength that their passport has in relation to other passports.” For the second year in a row, Pakistan, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan sit at the bottom of the index, with citizens of each able to access 30 or fewer countries without a visa. Of the 199 countries featured on the index, 143 improved their rank over the past year and 41 countries maintained their position. The biggest movers in this year’s index were Georgia and Ukraine, which completed the visa-liberalisation process with the EU in 2017 and gained access to 30 and 32 new countries respectively. Of all the continents, Africa has suffered the most dramatic decline in travel freedom with African countries accounting for 19 of the 27 biggest fallers over the past decade. 1. Germany (177 countries can be visited without a visa) 2. Singapore (176) 3. Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Norway, Sweden, UK (175) 4. Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland (174) 5. Ireland, Portugal, United States, South Korea (173) 6. Canada (172) 7. Australia, Greece, New Zealand (171) 8. Czech Republic, Iceland (170) 9. Malta (169) 10. Hungary (168)	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
Q: Appending pandas dataframe and adding its own values (python) my dataframe looks like: hours \| cumulative value \| value to add 1 1 1 2 2 1 3 3 3 4 6 1 What I want is, to append this dataframe like e.g.: 2-times (should be up to 50-times) and add its own values. It should look like: hours \| cumulative value \| value to add 1 1 1 2 2 1 3 3 3 4 6 1 #The first time 5 7 1 6 8 1 7 9 3 8 12 1 #The second time 9 13 1 10 14 1 11 15 3 12 18 1 And so on.. I am strugglin to find an optimal solution for that. Has anyone a good idea? A: Here's a little function that can achieve this for you on a row by row basis (keeps appending new rows to the data frame) df = pd.DataFrame({'hours':[1,2,3,4], 'cumulative value':[1,2,3,6], 'Value to add': [1,1,3,1]}) def add_row(dataframe, numtimes): #adds new row 'numtimes' many times for i in range(numtimes): # Get values to put in new row new_hour = dataframe['hours'].iloc[-1]+1 new_cumulative_value = dataframe['cumulative value'].iloc[-1]+dataframe['Value to add'].iloc[-1] if new_hour % 3 == 0: new_val_to_add = 3 else: new_val_to_add = 1 #Create new row and add to DataFrame new_row = pd.DataFrame({'hours':[new_hour], 'cumulative value':[new_cumulative_value], 'Value to add': [new_val_to_add]}, index=[new_hour-1]) dataframe = dataframe.append(new_row) return dataframe df =add_row(df, 50)	{ "pile_set_name": "StackExchange" }
There will be no cessation of fire, which the US and Russia had agreed upon, on multiple fronts, noting that the agreements' time frame had passed this past week, it is expected that intense battles will continue in Idlib and its countryside, as well as in eastern Aleppo where ISIS' hold sways in the midst of all this chatter about Turkeys intent to play a bigger role in the ongoing war in Syria, within a coalition that consists of the US and Saudi Arabia to stop the Kurds from reaching the Syrian/Turkish border. Al-Rai has come to know “The Turkish-Saudi intervention in Syria has been welcomed by Damascus and its allies, even though it's unlikely to happen”. High ranking sources within the joints operation room in Aleppo, consisting of Syria, Russia, Iran, Hezbollah have confirmed to Al-Rai “ The joint military intervention of Turkey/Saudi Arabia and its allies, under the pretext of fighting ISIS is welcomed, in this way we rid ourselves from this bloody, and takfiri group, ISIS is a conglomerate of armed militias that can’t be fought as easily as classical armies. It requires an immense military effort and will come at a high price of personnel loss, the guerrilla warfare that has now been perfected by SAA/NDF and their allies, will be a nightmare for Western/Arab armies if they decide to intervene in Syria, though it may be improbable, but not impossible”. The source adds “Russia will not accept Arab armies entering Syria under US cover, they will veto any proposal in the UNSC, moreover it will be impossible for these forces to enter Syria without previous coordination with Russia, since it has full control over Syria’s air space and will attack any force that is not coordinating with it, which makes an intervention impossible unless it is okayed by the super powers”. As for the ceasefire, the sources confirmed to Al-Rai, “The ceasefire agreement does not include Al-Nusra and ISIS. Principally, we welcome cease fires in areas not controlled by terrorists because we would have more time on our hands to deal with Northern Aleppo, and ISIS controlled areas in the eastern part of Aleppo, and to further our advance into Al-Raqqah”. The source continues, “In Aleppo and its surrounding countryside, the battles are ongoing with groups that are not included in the ceasefire, especially that many Free Syrian army brigades and others that are supported by Turkey, such as the Nour al-Din al-Zenki movement, and Sultan Murad brigade, have pledged allegiance to Ahrar Al-Sham’s leader Hisham Al-Sheikh a.k.a Abi-Jabir Al-Sheikh, he has set his sights on establishing an Islamic State, and had sent his condolences when the leader of the Taliban Mullah Omar died, both hold on to the same dogma. He is also fighting alongside Jund Al-Aqsa, and Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar that pledged allegiance to the Al-Qaeda leader Abu Mohammad Al-Jolani, and other such groups consisting of Moroccans, Egyptians, and Palestinians and others from different nationalities, that operate in and around Aleppo, and in Idlib and its countryside. The war in Idlib will not stop because these groups are not included in the cease fire agreement”. The source ends,“Damascus can benefit from the cease fire, others in the south of Syria can benefit as well, if all the takfiris are forced to retreat and agree not to intervene in the international decision making, this will help the regime, except that both Russia and the US need to coordinate between each other, to establish joint military committees, and also agree to identify the terrorist groups, which has not happened as of yet”.	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Tape lies. Numbers lie. Both are true, though at PFF, quantifying the tape is our approach to gathering the biggest sample size possible in player evaluation. Especially with quarterbacks, the play-by-play evaluation is crucial, and then it’s all about diving into the PFF database to find the proper context for the player’s grade. West Virginia QB Will Grier is one of the most polarizing prospects in the draft; the numbers love his game, but those more reliant on the eye test are not convinced he’s an NFL starter. I can see both sides of the argument as Grier’s numbers have been excellent over the last two seasons and he’s excelled in the right areas on a snap-to-snap basis, moving the chains with accurate passes down the field. However, it doesn’t always look pretty for Grier, who will flutter passes and look completely confused on certain plays, all while playing in the Big 12 where defenses provide easier passing windows than he’s likely to see at the next level. Let’s take a look at the numbers and the film to diagnose Grier’s true skillset. The Good Starting with the short game, Grier missed the lowest percentage of passes on throws up to 20 yards last season, edging the other top quarterback prospects. Many of his throws come on easy play-action passes with an open middle of the field, but as we’ve shown at PFF, hitting open throws is one of the prerequisites for NFL success, and Grier ticks that box. He has a good, quick release when coming out of play action and run-pass options, aiding in this part of his game. Over the last two seasons, only Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield did a better job of throwing catchable passes than Grier on passes thrown up to 20 yards. Grier tied for the lead in big-time throws a season ago with 33, showing his ability to throw the ball accurately down the field. He has fantastic touch on the deep ball, and he had plenty of opportunities to show it off in West Virginia’s offense. Over the last three draft classes, Grier has the highest PFF grade on “over-the-shoulder” passes, and that’s where we saw a big chunk of his big-time throws. One of the best throws from any quarterback in the country last season, Grier shows off pinpoint accuracy for this game-winner against Texas, dropping the ball right in the back of the end zone for the touchdown. We’ve highlighted the red-zone accuracy of both Kyler Murray and Dwayne Haskins in their individual breakdowns, and Grier has shown that he can make the necessary tight-window throws in in the red zone as well. Here, he squeezes the pass in with little margin of error against Tennessee. Grier is as good as it gets in the draft class at executing big-time throws, whether dropping them in a bucket or throwing up the seam. I’ll have more on this in a bit, as there still a few concerns with Grier and his big-time throw profile projecting to the next level. The Bad There are certain quarterbacks who can execute a good game plan at a high level, hitting all of the necessary throws and giving his team a chance to win. Grier is certainly capable of doing that, but when the defense shows something different post-snap, things can get ugly. Take the play against Kansas, for instance, as Grier thinks he’s getting his usual clean read to hit the open post route against single coverage, but Kansas gives him a fuzzy post-snap read, and he throws the pass right into the coverage. Beyond the scheme dependency, Grier struggles to create opportunities outside of the structure, and he posted a poor overall grade of 31.5 when he was forced to move off his spot in the pocket. Grier also overrates his athleticism while maneuvering the pocket as he tries to create plays late in the down, but there were too many instances where he simply could not shake a defender, and he was taken down for a sack. He must eliminate these plays in order to increase his efficiency at the next level. OK, let’s circle back to the over-the-shoulder throws. 62.9% of Grier’s big-time throws were of the over-the-shoulder variety, much higher than the NFL average of 41.2%. On the other hand, Grier did not have any big-time throws on “horizontal leads,” which includes deep outs, crossers and digs, all common NFL-style throws. This doesn’t mean that Grier can’t execute these passes, it’s just that we haven’t seen him do it. For further context, NFL quarterbacks throw 8.2% more horizontal leads than college quarterbacks and 3.0% fewer over-the-shoulder throws than their college counterparts. Essentially, Grier has excelled at executing throws that are far more common at the college level, so that must be accounted for in his projection. Final Word There’s a lot to like about Grier’s game and certainly a few question marks. The differences in the evaluation are justified, as the numbers paint an impressive picture but the decision-making and scheme dependency are potential red flags. When watching Grier throw for throw, there are some similarities to Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr as they’ve both showed the touch and the feel to creatively throw receivers open down the field, but there is also a healthy dosage of careless decision-making and questionable feel in the pocket. It’s never a perfect comparison, but there are some similarities in their respective games. When you add it up, Grier is a prospect that the data likes more than any quarterback in the class not named “Murray,” but the system and style in which he got there has raised enough red flags that our confidence level is not nearly as strong as its been for fellow Big 12 quarterbacks, Mayfield, Murray, or even Mahomes from recent years.	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
SMIREP: predicting chemical activity from SMILES. Most approaches to structure-activity-relationship (SAR) prediction proceed in two steps. In the first step, a typically large set of fingerprints, or fragments of interest, is constructed (either by hand or by some recent data mining techniques). In the second step, machine learning techniques are applied to obtain a predictive model. The result is often not only a highly accurate but also hard to interpret model. In this paper, we demonstrate the capabilities of a novel SAR algorithm, SMIREP, which tightly integrates the fragment and model generation steps and which yields simple models in the form of a small set of IF-THEN rules. These rules contain SMILES fragments, which are easy to understand to the computational chemist. SMIREP combines ideas from the well-known IREP rule learner with a novel fragmentation algorithm for SMILES strings. SMIREP has been evaluated on three problems: the prediction of binding activities for the estrogen receptor (Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Distributed Structure-Searchable Toxicity (DSSTox) National Center for Toxicological Research estrogen receptor (NCTRER) Database), the prediction of mutagenicity using the carcinogenic potency database (CPDB), and the prediction of biodegradability on a subset of the Environmental Fate Database (EFDB). In these applications, SMIREP has the advantage of producing easily interpretable rules while having predictive accuracies that are comparable to those of alternative state-of-the-art techniques.	{ "pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts" }
You are here Fiscal Sponsorships As a benefit to our members, SCG offers these fiscal sponsorship services: Administrative and office support Payroll services Insurance coverage Providing the non-exempt organization the ability to accept tax-deductible donations SCG fulfills all legal, tax, and regulatory requirements of philanthropic and charitable nonprofit organizations and complies with the letter and the spirit of all laws. For more information and to learn more about our criteria for fiscal sponsorships, please contact Karen Freeman.	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Does your dog love to bury himself under your covers to sleep? Many dogs do. It is fun to think about why they might do this seemingly very human thing. If we consider the way a dog sees life, it is easy to imagine why he tucks himself in at night. Animals depend on the concept of resources. Resources are things like food, water, and shelter. Your bed represents a shelter or den to your dog. Since the bed is a place where he regularly goes, it is marked with his scent and it is part of his routine. He instinctively crawls into his den as a happy and safe zone. Under the covers may feel like the inner sanctum of his den to him- the safest of the safe. When your dog is tucked away under the sheets, she feels surrounded, even swaddled and feeling firm pressure has been suggested to improve brain chemistry for anxious dogs.1 Certain breeds of dogs will even seem to prefer to burrow for entertainment. Think of the terrier type dog and the Dachshund whose long body was originally an advantage for climbing in tight burrows. The pressure of the sheets snug around your dog probably makes her brain release happy chemicals that give her a sense of security and well-being and maybe even fun. Your presence also gives your dog that feeling of support which he craves as an animal evolved to function in a pack or family unit. He knows that you feel safe enough to retreat there for sleep and you are a valued friend, family member, and mentor. You have marked the area as a safe zone and you spend a good portion of your time there. As members of a pack, you share responsibility for raising an alarm and protecting each other. Being near you when you sleep is very natural to your dog. Pack animals, like dogs, know that their choice of sleeping quarters can be a matter of life or death. Their den is one of their most values resources. The snugness of the sheets can promote feelings of safety and refuge as well. Most of all, our dogs want to be under the sheets because that is where WE are and the safest place is always with your family. Do you love dogs? Find me on Facebook to learn more. Click here.	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
/* * Copyright LWJGL. All rights reserved. * License terms: https://www.lwjgl.org/license * MACHINE GENERATED FILE, DO NOT EDIT / package org.lwjgl.opengles; import org.lwjgl.system.; import static org.lwjgl.system.dyncall.DynCallback.; /* * Instances of this interface may be passed to the {@link GLES32#glDebugMessageCallback DebugMessageCallback} method. * * <h3>Type</h3> * * <pre><code> * void () ( GLenum source, * GLenum type, * GLuint id, * GLenum severity, * GLsizei length, * GLchar const message, void const userParam )</code></pre> / @FunctionalInterface @NativeType("GLDEBUGPROC") public interface GLDebugMessageCallbackI extends CallbackI.V { String SIGNATURE = Callback.__stdcall("(iiiiipp)v"); @Override default String getSignature() { return SIGNATURE; } @Override default void callback(long args) { invoke( dcbArgInt(args), dcbArgInt(args), dcbArgInt(args), dcbArgInt(args), dcbArgInt(args), dcbArgPointer(args), dcbArgPointer(args) ); } /* * Will be called when a debug message is generated. * * @param source the message source * @param type the message type * @param id the message ID * @param severity the message severity * @param length the message length, excluding the null-terminator * @param message a pointer to the message string representation * @param userParam the user-specified value that was passed when calling {@link GLES32#glDebugMessageCallback DebugMessageCallback} / void invoke(@NativeType("GLenum") int source, @NativeType("GLenum") int type, @NativeType("GLuint") int id, @NativeType("GLenum") int severity, @NativeType("GLsizei") int length, @NativeType("GLchar const ") long message, @NativeType("void const *") long userParam); }	{ "pile_set_name": "Github" }
GMOインターネットは6月5日、同社が開発したビットコイン向けマイニングコンピュータ（マイニングマシン）「GMO miner B2」と専用電源ユニットのセットを1999ドル（税込約22万円、送料別）で発売すると発表した。初回出荷は10月末の見込み。電力性能・計算性能で「世界トップの性能を実現した」という。 GMOのマイニングマシン「GMO miner B2」 GMO miner B2は、ビットコインなどがマイニングアルゴリズムに採用している「SHA256」の計算に特化したASIC（特定用途向け集積回路）で、1秒間で24兆回の計算（24テラハッシュ／秒）が可能に。消費電力は1950ワット。 7ナノメートルプロセスのマイニングチップを世界に先駆けて導入したことにより、台当たりの計算性能や電力性能で他社製品を上回るという。ビットコイン向けASICでは中国BITMAIN社などが先行しているが、BITMAIN社の代表的なマイニングマシン「Antminer S9i」は消費電力1320ワット、14テラハッシュ／秒で、1テラハッシュ／秒当たりの消費電力は約94ワット。 GMO miner B2の1テラハッシュ／秒当たり消費電力は約81ワットと、電力性能でも計算性能でもAntminer S9iを上回る世界トップの性能を実現した。なお、24テラハッシュ／秒で稼働するためには約200Vの入力が必要としており、100Vでは24テラハッシュ／秒の速度は出ないという。また、他社製品がマイニングマシン1台に1台のネットワーク機器を必要とするのに対し、本製品は1台のネットワーク機器に最大32台まで接続できるため、ネットワーク機器のコスト削減も見込めるという。機材管理用のAPIも提供する。遠隔で稼働状況を確認できる他、万が一盗難に遭った場合でも、犯人がネットワークにつないだ際に稼働を検知する仕組みを導入した。保証期間は180日で、以後の修理は有料。保証期間内であっても、送料はユーザー負担だ。 6月の価格は1999ドルとしているが、需要など状況に応じて毎月価格は変動する。出荷量は非公開だが、注文が出荷量を上回った場合は抽選方式で販売。毎月10日（6月は11日）正午に抽選を締め切り、同日午後6時に結果を発表する。同月15日を支払い期限とし、初回出荷を10月末に始める流れ。支払い方法はビットコイン、ビットコインキャッシュ、米ドルの3種類に対応する。同社の熊谷正寿社長（兼会長）は、「ロシアからアフリカまで、世界中から問い合わせが殺到している」と需要の高さを説明した上で、「ビットコイン創始者であるサトシ・ナカモトの『非中央集権』の思想に基づき、さまざまな地域の人に買っていただきたい。そのために抽選方式とした」と説明する。 GMO-Z.com Switzerland AGの奥村真史代表取締役（左）とGMOインターネットの熊谷正寿社長（兼会長）（右） GMOのマイニングセンター 5月の収益は3.9億円 GMOインターネットはマイニング事業に特化した子会社「GMO-Z.com Switzerland AG」を設立しており、同子会社がマイニングマシンの販売や、北欧に設置したマイニングセンターの運営を行う。 17年12月から稼働しているマイニングセンターの5月分のマイニング報酬も、GMOインターネットは5日午後3時30分に公開している。5月分の収益は472BTCと37BCHと、合わせて約3.9億円を得たという。 2018年5月仮想通貨マイニング事業の月次報告同マイニングセンターが保持するハッシュパワー（計算能力）は5月時点で299ペタハッシュ／秒。「稼働台数の増加に伴い、計画通り上昇している」とし、18年度内に3000ペタハッシュ／秒の実現を目標に掲げている。 GMO miner B2の在庫については、販売はもちろん、自社のマイニングセンターにも取り入れていく考えだ。	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
Christian Couple Die in Tragic Accident One Day After Getting Married: 'They Wanted to be The Hands and Feet of Jesus' Austin Wesson, 19, and Rebekah Bouma, also 19, were killed just one day after getting married. Facebook The family of a young Christian couple who died in a tragic car accident one day after getting married have said that while they are grieving, they are confident the two are in Heaven. Austin Wesson, 19, and Rebekah Bouma, also 19, were married on Friday - and just one day later, their truck struck an embankment and crashed into a tree about two miles east of Clearwater, Kansas, according to the Wichita Eagle. Wesson was pronounced dead at the scene, while Bouma was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition. She died Monday. In a Facebook post, Bouma's mother, Rachel Byker Bouma, asked for prayers for her and Wesson's families and reflected on her daughter's faith. "It is with an unbearably shattered heart that we inform you that our darling daughter, Rebekah Christina, went peacefully into the arms of her loving Savior at 12:32 am, Monday, August 7. She is with the Lord that she loved so deeply and so joyfully and she is with her husband of just one day, Austin Wesson, whom she loved with all her heart. We thank God that they are together while grieving their loss so very deeply. Please keep both our families in your prayers and especially that Austin's family would be able to be here quickly." Earlier, Rachel asked for prayers for her family as they "walk through the "valley of the shadow of death." She later shared a link to the Keith and Kristyn Getty hymn, "He Will Hold Me Fast." "They were very much in love," Bouma's father, John Bouma said. "There was no doubt whatsoever that their love was the real thing. They both loved the Lord - they wanted to be the hands and feet of Jesus." "I think her greatest love in life was to serve other people and invest in them," Rachel Bouma said. "Bekah was selfless. She loved to get close to people and help with whatever they needed." According to the Daily Mail, the couple were planning to do more mission trips together after moving to Grand Rapids, Michigan where Rebekah was due to attend college. A GoFundMe page was set up to raise money to help Austin's family travel to the U.S. for his funeral. As of Wednesday morning, the campaign had raised nearly $10,000.	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Q: Triangulo de números java Tengo un ejercicio que me pide sacar un triángulo de números con la siguiente estructura: 1 232 34543 4567654 567898765 Tengo un problema al hacer que los números decrezcan por la mitad, mi código es el siguiente: int num = 5; int cont = 0; for (int i = 1; i <= num; i++) { cont +=2; for (int j = 0; j < num-i; j++) { System.out.print(" "); } for (int k = i; k < cont; k++) { System.out.print(k); } for (int l = i; l < cont-1; l++) { System.out.print(l); } System.out.println(""); } Y el resultado que me imprime es el siguiente: 1 232 34534 4567456 567895678 A: Casi lo tenías, si te fijas, en el for donde pintas la parte final de la linea, el valor tiene que decrecer y lo que haces es aumentarlo, además, empiezas desde i hasta cont-1 y es al revés: int num = 5; int cont = 0; for (int i = 1; i <= num; i++) { cont +=2; for (int j = 0; j < num-i; j++) { System.out.print(" "); } for (int k = i; k < cont; k++) { System.out.print(k); } for (int l = cont-2; l >= i; l--) { //Lo inicias a cont-2 hasta i y decrementas su valor System.out.print(l); } System.out.println(""); }	{ "pile_set_name": "StackExchange" }
Washington (CNN) The number of coronavirus cases in Michigan has skyrocketed to nearly 3,000 from less than 350 a week ago, but the state is still struggling to obtain supplies behind the states where the pandemic has hit the hardest. For weeks, the scenes of coronavirus outbreaks in New York, Washington and California have captured the nation's attention as the epicenters of the crisis in the United States. But as the pandemic takes hold elsewhere, the finite number of live-saving equipment like ventilators, face masks and personal protective equipment -- as well as the inability of the national stockpile to make up for all of the shortages -- is coming into clear view, leaving a gap between states that encountered outbreaks early and those that are seeing their numbers ramp up now. Michigan, the site of one of the country's fastest growing outbreaks, has found itself unable to get an adequate supply of personal protective equipment, with lawmakers telling CNN that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer had placed an order only to be told by the company later the federal government had placed an order that would take priority. And now Whitmer finds herself being criticized by President Donald Trump for her pleas for the federal government to do more to help the Great Lakes State. In an interview with Fox News on Thursday night, Trump first referred to Whitmer as "the young, a woman governor, you know who I'm talking about, from Michigan" and said that "all she does is sit there and blame the federal government." The famously transactional Trump followed that criticism by noting that Michigan has asked for an emergency declaration "and we'll have to make a decision on that." He also called Michigan an "important state" and professed his fondness for its residents. Whitmer responded on Twitter after the interview, saying, "Hi, my name is Gretchen Whitmer, and that governor is me. I've asked repeatedly and respectfully for help. We need it. No more political attacks, just PPEs, ventilators, N95 masks, test kits. You said you stand with Michigan — prove it." Whitmer's struggle to get supplies is not unique. When even New York, the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis in the US, says it isn't getting enough supplies, states that have seen less spread worry they will miss out as the federal government doles out the limited resources it has at its disposal. "We are seeing numbers that look a lot like the numbers those states were seeing 10 days ago," said Rep. Dan Kildee, a Michigan Democrat. "There is real urgency that we don't want to miss the opportunity to stop this in order to slow it down." Michigan lawmakers are also reporting the state has received just a fraction of the materials they've requested from the national stockpile. Kildee said the state's entire congressional delegation sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence, the head of the coronavirus task force, urging the federal government to intervene. "Confusion has arisen as both states and the federal government attempt to rapidly secure (personal protective equipment) and testing supplies," the lawmakers wrote. "In the midst of this challenge, the federal government must ensure it communicates a clear chain of command to the states and utilize a data-driven prioritization process to address states' needs." Detroit and Chicago are demonstrating concerning spread of coronavirus, Dr. Deborah Birx said at Thursday's White House briefing. "We are concerned about certain counties" that have seen increased spreading of the virus, Birx said, naming Wayne County, Michigan (home to Detroit), and Cook County, Illinois (home of Chicago), as examples. She said those locations were showing a "more rapid increase" of spread. Pence said Wednesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would be playing a greater role in helping states get what they need, saying he had spoken to Whitmer, a Democrat, about Michigan's issues. "As I told Gov. Whitmer today, who's leading her state through all this with great energy, we want to partner with her, want to partner with every governor and make sure the left hand knows what the right hand is doing in terms of acquiring resources," Pence said. But state officials and members of Congress say the federal government remains slow to help states as Trump is unwilling to fully embrace the powers of the Defense Production Act to ramp up and allocate nationwide production. There's simply not enough supply to go around right now -- and even if Trump used the DPA to allow the federal government to intervene in factory production and force companies to make more ventilators, masks and respirators, the effort could still take weeks or months to ramp up. Trump and Pence held a conference call with governors on Thursday, where the tension over the Defense Production Act arose once again. Washington Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee urged Trump and Pence to nationalize supply and manufacturing under the 1950 law, specifically referencing the shortage in swabs used for testing, according to two sources familiar with the call. Inslee encouraged Trump to be a "quarterback" and use the authority at his disposal. Trump said that the federal government would not nationalize supply and manufacturing, one of the sources said, but another Trump administration official said there was new guidance from the Federal Drug Administration allowing for easier use of swabs in testing. "I think it would be very, very helpful if the federal government could be more assertive and aggressive and more organized in helping all of us to obtain these systems," Inslee said at a Thursday press conference. Meanwhile, states may be looking to take things into their own hands. Earlier this week in Michigan, the bipartisan delegation and Whitmer discussed whether the state could create its own supply chain to make up for shortages from the federal government. Still, there is recognition that even if it could be done, it would take weeks or months. "We're working with manufacturers to work on their supply chains. We're getting our own manufacturers involved like Ford, GM and Chrysler," said Rep. Andy Levin, a Michigan Democrat. But he contended it was "a distant second place to having the President of the United States use the power of the Defense Production Act." Outside of Michigan And it is not just Michigan. Other states -- where outbreaks may be less severe than New York but where the situation is nevertheless escalating -- are growing uneasy sharing their hard fought resources, knowing it could be hard to get more later. On Thursday, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb rejected the idea of sending PPE and ventilators to New York right now even though there are only 645 cases of coronavirus in Indiana, according to CNN Health's most recent tally. "We're not in a position right now as much as we want to be focused outside of our borders," Holcomb, a Republican, said. "And we realize that there are hotspots in the country, Los Angeles, or New York City or Seattle, others are growing... but right now we're focused on Hoosier needs so when we get to that happy day where we can start to help the rest of the other country recover, we will." In Pennsylvania, where cases have grown to more than 1,600, there is more evidence that the federal government has injected uncertainty. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, a Pennsylvania Democrat, said a hospital in her state had paid for 80,000 N95 respirator masks, only to learn that FEMA had diverted its order. "Not only isn't the federal government helping streamline the supply chain and helping to get supplies into the supply chain, it's now disrupting it," Scanlon said in an interview. "These are unusual times and require extraordinary measures. People working very, very hard at local level -- we're running into roadblocks because we don't have interstate coordination." Two Florida Democrats, Reps. Ted Deutch and Lois Frankel, wrote a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar warning Florida needs more swabs for testing, but that the state has received its orders in "'drips and drabs' leaving much of the testing capacity unused." In some areas, the competition for equipment is happening even at the county level. Rep. Tom Malinowski, a Democrat from New Jersey, where there are nearly 7,000 cases, said in his own district, he's seen mayors and county officials competing with each other for goods. In one county he represents, officials were able to quickly establish a drive-thru testing site that has been running efficiently and with adequate resources. Meanwhile, a FEMA drive-thru in a neighboring county has experienced a number of shortages, he said. "It is crazy that your ability to get tested depends on how quickly your county officials acted to tap into a limited supply chain," Malinowski said. In Massachusetts, where there are more than 1,800 cases, officials say they "continue to try and work the supply chain hard" to increase supplies of personal protective equipment, but to date, the state has only received approximately 17% of its requests from the Strategic National Stockpile, with another shipment still to arrive. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, said Thursday the state has submitted a request through FEMA for federal disaster assistance. "We hope to see the feds move on this quickly," he said at a press conference. Rep. Joe Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, said matters were made worse for the states when they received supplies from the federal government's stockpile because they weren't inventoried, and workers in his state had to spend a full day creating one so they could be sent out across the state. Kennedy called the competition on bids for supplies between the states as well as the federal government "completely detrimental to this process." "You couldn't come up with a dumber way of doing this," Kennedy said.	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
289 Shares Pin Trainers, we’ve managed to record how the updated Sunset period will look in Pokémon GO. This is not a leak, this is an actual, officially confirmed animation from the upcoming version of the game. The animation was shown on the GDC 2017 conference, in a talk named ‘Pokemon GO’ & Designing Interactive Games for the Real World given by Dennis Hwang of Niantic, Inc. We’ve also noticed some curious wind animations and the leaf animations looking slightly different than before. In our opinion, Niantic landed a slam dunk with this one! As Hwang explained, the sunset visuals were scrapped for the initial release due to time constraints and size of the team. In their minds, it made sense to have only Day and Night cycle, especially given their small team size. Now, they are looking forward to expand further the visuals of Pokémon GO as their team size has increased and they’re more experienced with the mobile platform. The entire talk is very interesting, as it features a lot of screenshots from the early days of Pokémon GO development, making it an interesting watch for any true fan of the game. You can watch the full talk here.	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
Accelerating code to function: sizing up the protein production line. High-throughput biology has been pioneered by genomics through the application of robotics to expedite DNA-sequencing projects. Advances in high-throughput protein methods are needed to drive the protein production line for high-throughput structural and functional analysis of newly discovered genes. This will require the development and application of a variety of recombinant-protein expression systems to produce the diversity of proteins from both humans and model organisms.	{ "pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts" }
The general economic importance of banks has been highly exaggerated - robg http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/10/opinion/10mulligan.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=all ====== jmtame "And second, the economy doesn’t really need saving. It’s stronger than we think." The first step is admitting there's a problem. ------ blakeweb I read this article, and two days ago listened to this podcast from 'this american life' on npr. This article's arguments doesn't stand up against the pretty convincing descriptions of what's actually going on from the corporate treasurers and banking industry folk interviewed in the podcast. You should make an hour and listen to it--it's fantastic. [http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=3...](http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=365) ~~~ kylec If you liked that, you'll love Planet Money - a daily podcast created by the people that made the This American Life money program. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/> [http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_detail.php?siteId=944...](http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_detail.php?siteId=94411890) ------ mdasen To argue the opposite: The author suggests that other institutions (pensions, universities, etc.) bring investors together with savers. It's true, but not to the same extent. Banks are primary. Drying up a majority of the way that it happens will have a drastic effect despite the fact that other ways exist. The author argues that corporations get 25% of their investment funds from their own profits and that could go to 75% if they stopped paying dividends. The problem is that still leaves a 25% gap there which is sizable. Not only that, but profits don't help firms who are just starting up. I'm not all doom and gloom about the economy (even today), but I don't think the importance of banks is understated. The author is essentially arguing that if we scraped the bottom of the barrel, we could probably replicate what banks do (bringing investors and savers together) to a certain percentage. That's true, but what if your work just started paying you 50%. It might be hard to meet your next month's bills. ~~~ Prrometheus I haven't read the article, but a counter-point: Banks are much less important today than they used to be because there are so many more investment channels available. While regulation limits participation in these channels to the rich and well-lawyered, our economy is more redundant and diverse today than it has ever been. ~~~ fallentimes _there are so many more investment channels available_ This is exactly why banks spend significant more money on advertising (think WaMu pre-death) than they used to. It's also why they derive a higher percentage of revenue from fees. ------ markdionne International trade is dependent on Letters of Credit issued by banks: [http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/10/international- trade-s...](http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/10/international-trade- seizing-up-due-to.html) The shit will really hit the fan when your lights go out because your local power utility cannot get a shipment of fuel oil when no bank will guarantee their credit. ------ newt0311 "Although banks perform an essential economic function — bringing together investors and savers — they are not the only institutions that can do this. Pension funds, university endowments, venture capitalists and corporations all bring money to new investment projects without banks playing any essential role." Ummm... Pension funds invest in the stock market and they depend on banks to help themselves out. Same for univ. endowments and venture capitalists. Corporations still use banks to manage their cash flow and guess how they and everybody else flows their cash through? Banks!!! If anything, the importance of banks has been highly understated. PS. This does not imply the necessity of the bailout. The bailout is ultimately unnecessary. Wamu was still solvent from a cash flow perspective when the FDIC took over and even if some large institutions fail (as some already have), there are more than just three or four banks.	{ "pile_set_name": "HackerNews" }
The ever-increasing journal subscriptions have seen many universities and research institutions failing to provide access to the much-needed scholarship for propagation of research and development due to dwindling budget allocations. Hence, the adoption of open access (OA) institutional repositories (IR) by the institutions to increase access, availability and visibility of their research output to a wider readership. Institutional repository (IR) technologies have transformed the traditional academic library practice, thus upsetting the work culture of librarians. Though studies there have been studies on the impact of IRs on academic librarians elsewhere in the world, none have been done on the Zimbabwean context. This study draws from a wider study which explored utilisation of institutional repositories in Zimbabwe's public universities. The study sought to answer the question: What is the role of the academic librarian in promoting the institutional repository? The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of technology (UTAUT) informed the study, while a mixed methods approach was employed using document analysis, questionnaires and interviews to collect data from librarians in eight public universities. Findings revealed that in some instances IR responsibilities were added to existing duties for incumbent staff while in others, staff were reassigned to IR roles resulting in diverse staff categories maintaining the IRs across the universities. Recommendations for effective and efficient management of the repositories by the universities are made. The study is relevant to other academic libraries in developing countries and Africa particularly countries whose economies are crumbling.	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
Ask HN: What to look out for when looking for a new apartment? - Wavum I'm looking a new apartment, what should I look out for to don't fall in a money pitfall? ====== aphextim • How much is rent on 6 month lease vs 12 month or M2M. • 1 time Fees (Application, security deposit, etc.) • Reoccurring Fees (Parking, Trash etc.) • What utilities are included • What utilities are not included and who to go through to get them set up • What furniture/appliances are included if any • Anything else that is included or valuable to know • Method of payment (Do they do online re-occurring payments) • If you have pets make sure they are pet friendly, find out how much it costs and if they do damage the apartment does it effect the one time fee, security deposit or both. • Always check out the apartments in person, like Facebook profile pictures, pictures of apartments are always inflated to look better. These are just some things I would personally find out before moving based on past experiences. I am not a housing professional.	{ "pile_set_name": "HackerNews" }
![](brmedchirj271585-0040){#sp1 .23} ![](brmedchirj271585-0041){#sp2 .24} ![](brmedchirj271585-0042){#sp3 .25} ![](brmedchirj271585-0043){#sp4 .26} ![](brmedchirj271585-0044){#sp5 .27} ![](brmedchirj271585-0045){#sp6 .28} ![](brmedchirj271585-0046){#sp7 .29} ![](brmedchirj271585-0047){#sp8 .30} ![](brmedchirj271585-0048){#sp9 .31} ![](brmedchirj271585-0049){#sp10 .32} ![](brmedchirj271585-0050){#sp11 .33} ![](brmedchirj271585-0043-a){#f1 .26} ![](brmedchirj271585-0043-b){#f2 .26} ![](brmedchirj271585-0044-a){#f3 .27} ![](brmedchirj271585-0044-b){#f4 .27} [^1]: Read at a Meeting of the Bristol Medico-Chirurgical Society, January 12th, 1910.	{ "pile_set_name": "PubMed Central" }
Web Retailer Zulily Joins a Billion-Dollar Club By Matthew Lynley And Greg Bensinger Nov. 15, 2012 5:53 p.m. ET Zulily Inc. raised $85 million in a deal that values the children's accoutrements Internet retailer at $1 billion, vaulting it into the billion-dollar club of privately held companies amid the mixed success of the online "flash sales" industry. Seattle-based Zulily, founded in 2009, last raised money in August 2011, a round in which the company was valued at more than $700 million. Zulily said it currently has 10 million members, up from five million in October 2011, and added that it is approaching annual...	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Irina Falconi swings hard, laughs hard WASHINGTON — Third-year pro Irina Falconi and I sit down at a bar. It’s open mic night for comedians and Falconi is ready to take the stage. Actually, that’s a lie. We’ve never been to a bar together. The sum total of our relationship is the time I spent watching her compete in the last two Citi Open tournaments and the interview we did earlier this month. The reason I wanted to chat with the Ecuador-born New Yorker currently ranked No. 111 in singles is because I had to see if she was as hilarious and honest in person as she is in the blog posts she writes for the WTA and World Team Tennis. Turns out that the 22-year-old really is that funny. She made me laugh so hard on and off camera that I’d be afraid to have dinner with her for fear I’d spit my beverage all over her. Ask Falconi about her next goal in life and she doesn’t even mention tennis. “My goal is to reach Lady Gaga status of 25 million Twitter followers,” she deadpans during our “The Changeover” video interview. She’s at about 2,100 now. Follow her immediately @irinafalconi. If you help her reach 2,500, she’ll be off and running. No doubt she’ll appreciate it. Maybe she’ll even come up with a name for her fans. I’m sure it would be better than “Little Monsters.” How did she make the agonizing decision to play college tennis instead of turning pro? She didn’t agonize. “I had a tournament that went 0-6, 6-0, 0-6,” she remembers. “I lost. I said, ‘Mom, I’m going to college.’” Oblivious to how college recruiting works, Falconi reached out to Georgia Tech women’s coach Bryan Shelton. She had met him briefly but hadn’t communicated with him in nine months. There’s nothing college coaches love more than thinking they’ve been given up for dead. “I asked if he had a spot,” she says. “He said, ‘Yeah, but we’ve got to hurry.’ A month later I was in school. It was ridiculous. He had only seen me play once so I just kind of showed up. I hadn’t seen the campus and didn’t know what I wanted to study.” She quickly ruled out Georgia Tech’s traditional engineering route. She chose history. “There was no English major at Georgia Tech so that’s the reason why I did it,” she says. “I wasn’t into the whole math and science thing. I was pretty sure I’d live without having AP physics in my degree — pretty sure I’d be OK.” Besides, Falconi can do things the nerds can’t — like crush a ball with various spins and speeds. And when is the last time a math club member beat a No. 14 seed in the second round of the U.S. Open? Falconi did that in 2011, taking out Dominika Cibulkova in a dramatic, come-from-behind victory. She has reached a career-high of No. 73 and looks to best that ASAP. She also won four ITF titles from 2007 to 2010 and broke all kinds of school records in the two years she spent with the Yellow Jackets. Has there been a part of WTA life that was harder than she expected? “Losing sucks,” she says. “Last year, I was in Asia and I lost four first rounds in a row, and I was alone. For four weeks, I was alone. I came back to visit a friend in L.A. for 12 hours. The next week, I won the gold at the Pan Am Games. You just never know, but losing definitely is not fun.” Blogging is, and she excels at that, too. Falconi blogs from all over the place – planes, trains, automobiles, tournaments, World Team Tennis matches, and hotels. She shares her new life as a pro the way the rest of us would if we suddenly made the tour and began having all kinds of amazing experiences: She writes with excitement and joy. She also plays loose with grammar, not because she’s incapable of producing perfect prose but because she’s in touch with her inner Snoop Dogg. Take the time she first met John Isner. “So, I went up to him,” she wrote, “stopped him in his tracks, and asked him ‘Hey man, look I gotta ask you, how tall are you?’ And he answers “Eh, about 6’9, 6’10.’ So me, being the unfiltered little teenager that I was, looks at him in astonishment and says ‘Dang, you’re a TREE!’ And I walked off.” She pulls no punches on babies screaming on airplanes, self-absorbed folks that won’t put their cell phones on mute even when stuck in claustrophobic quarters, or a Boston Lobsters’ teammate drawing on her arm while she was busy signing autographs after a World Team Tennis match. “REEEEEEEL mature,” she wrote, sending Vanna White into a frenzy. Falconi also likes to invent words. My favorite Falcon-ism is “anywhoozer.” That’s the transition she uses to start a new paragraph that loops back to her previous point – but only after she has gone for a long stroll down tangent lane. (Maybe that’s a name for her fans: the “Anywhoozers.” I want royalties if she puts it on t-shirts!) Blogging helps Falconi relax. It also happens to be an excellent way to interact with fans. She even answers questions in the blog from the Anywhoozers. (That does have a ring to it, doesn’t it? I know Falconi will let me know if it doesn’t. She didn’t hesitate to crack on my penmanship when she saw me scribbling away during the interview. “Are you a doctor as well? You’ve got the handwriting down. That’s all you need.”) Falconi hits the target when she adds that so many fans “are bored with the mundane. Oh, I hit cross-courts today and I hit down-the-lines today. I figured I’d spice it up a little bit. It’s fun to throw in a little joke here and there. People want to know what tennis players are about, not just on the court.” She put a particularly interesting twist on a night of getting gussied after a match with her WTT Boston Lobster teammates. “After that, we got to dress up and join our friends for a wonderful dinner at this fantastic venue,” she wrote.” Ya know, tennis players probably feel like Superman sometimes. Cuz Lois Lane would always just see him in his regular clothing — which to us is tennis clothing. And when he put his cape on, he would become Superman — yet we become normal when we put on regular nice girly clothing … bah, you know what I mean.” I do, actually. I’ll spend a week covering a women’s tournament and interviewing a player multiple times – then struggle to recognize her when she walks right past me in street clothes two hours later. When Falconi is in her normal-person disguise, she likes to read voraciously. She’s also into music. She tells me that her favorite artist right now is Usher. I decide to see if I can turn the table on Falconi and make her chuckle by telling her about my near encounter with the guy many years ago. I don’t know anything about music and had no idea why burger flippers at an Atlanta Wendy’s were going nuts about a man picking up a bite at a drive-through one night. They tell me that was “Usher”. I asked them what was so exciting about meeting a guy who shows you to your seat in a theater. Our conversation turns serious for a moment, the video camera having stopped rolling long ago. I mention that I recognize that life on the pro tour is not necessarily as easy and glorious as fans might think. I see the brutally long days of intense physical work, career-determining stress that comes with each match and brutal travel schedules. I ask her if she’s having a good time – if she really enjoys her career on the courts. “At the end of the day, I have one of the best lives you could possibly ask for,” she tells me. “I travel the world and get to play competitively and make money. How many people would love to do that?” Great point. I thank her for her time and wish her well in the tournaments to come. Falconi heads to the nearest phone booth for a quick change and a flight to Montreal. One Response to “Irina Falconi swings hard, laughs hard” That was so enjoyable! It makes me want to watch her play now and see what all the comedy is. How refreshing to see the “off court” personality. Mr. Lancette is really good on camera. You should call ESPN.	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Siege of Boston Author Website Name History.com Year Published 2009 Title Siege of Boston URL http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/siege-of-boston Access Date August 14, 2018 Publisher A+E Networks Introduction From April 1775 to March 1776, in the opening stage of the American Revolutionary War (1775-83), colonial militiamen, who later became part of the Continental army, successfully laid siege to British-held Boston, Massachusetts. The siege included the June 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill, in which the British defeated an inexperienced colonial force that nevertheless managed to inflict heavy casualties. In July 1775, General George Washington arrived in the Boston area to take charge of the newly established Continental army. In early March 1776, Washington’s men fortified Dorchester Heights, an elevated position just outside of Boston. Realizing Boston was indefensible to the American positions, the British evacuated the town on March 17 and the siege came to an end. Siege of Boston: Background For more than a decade before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, tensions had been building between American colonists and the British authorities. Attempts by the British government to raise revenue by taxing the colonies met with heated protest among many colonists, who resented their lack of representation in Parliament and demanded the same rights as other British subjects. Colonial resistance led to violence in 1770, when British soldiers opened fire on a mob of colonists, killing five men in what was known as the Boston Massacre. Did You Know? Since 1901, Bostonians have celebrated the end of the Siege of Boston with an official holiday known as Evacuation Day, observed every March 17th. After December 1773, when a band of Bostonians dressed as Indians boarded British ships and dumped hundreds of chests of tea into Boston Harbor, an outraged Parliament passed a series of measures designed to reassert imperial authority in Massachusetts. In response, a group of colonial delegates (including George Washington of Virginia, John and Samuel Adams of Massachusetts, Patrick Henry of Virginia and John Jay of New York) met in Philadelphia in September 1774 to give voice to their grievances against the British crown. This First Continental Congress did not go so far as to demand independence from Britain, but it denounced taxation without representation, as well as the maintenance of the British army in the colonies without their consent, and issued a declaration of the rights due every citizen, including life, liberty, property, assembly and trial by jury. The Continental Congress voted to meet again in May 1775 to consider further action, but by that time violence had already broken out. On April 19, local militiamen clashed with British soldiers in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, marking the first shots fired in the Revolutionary War. Siege of Boston and Battle of Bunker Hill Following the battles of Lexington and Concord, colonial militiamen surrounded Boston in an effort to contain the British troops there. However, because the British maintained control of Boston Harbor, they were able to receive additional soldiers and supplies. On June 16, 1775, having learned that the British were planning to send troops from Boston to occupy the hills surrounding the town (Boston was incorporated as a city in 1822), colonial militiamen under Colonel William Prescott (1726-95) built fortifications on top of Breed’s Hill, overlooking Boston and located on the Charlestown Peninsula. (The men originally had been ordered to construct their fortifications atop Bunker Hill but instead chose the smaller Breed’s Hill, closer to Boston.) The next day, British troops under Major General William Howe (1729-1814) and Brigadier General Robert Pigot (1720-96) attacked the Americans at Breed’s Hill. The British went on to win the so-called Battle of Bunker Hill, and Breed’s Hill and the Charlestown Peninsula fell firmly under their control. Despite their loss, the inexperienced and outnumbered colonial forces inflicted significant casualties against the enemy, and the battle provided the Patriots with an important confidence boost. After the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Siege of Boston turned into a stalemate for a number of months. Siege of Boston and Fortification of Dorchester Heights In early July 1775, General George Washington (1732-99) arrived in the Boston area to take command of the newly established Continental army. Washington’s goal was to drive the British from Boston, and in order to do this, his army required weapons. That winter, Colonel Henry Knox (1750-1806) oversaw an expedition to transport more than 60 tons of captured military supplies from New York’s Fort Ticonderoga back to Boston. In May 1775, the British-held Ticonderoga and nearby Fort Crown Point had been seized by colonial forces under Benedict Arnold (1741-1801) and Ethan Allen (1738-89). After a challenging journey across snowy terrain, the armaments, including more than 50 cannon, reached the Boston area in late January 1776. Some of the cannon were placed in fortifications around Boston, and beginning on March 2 used to bombard the British for two days straight. On the night of March 4, several thousand of Washington’s men and more of the Ticonderoga cannon were moved into position at Dorchester Heights, overlooking Boston and its harbor. British General William Howe (1729-1814) realized his troops could not defend the town against the Continental army’s elevated position at Dorchester Heights, and soon decided to leave. On March 17, the eight-year British occupation of Boston ended when British troops evacuated the town and sailed to the safety of Nova Scotia, a British colony in Canada. Siege of Boston: Aftermath After the Siege of Boston, the Revolutionary War continued for seven more years. The Battle of Yorktown, which ended in October 1781 with the surrender of British forces under Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis (1738-1805) to a combined American and French force, was the last major land battle of the war. However, the Revolutionary War did not officially end until the September 1783 signing of the Treaty of Paris, in which Britain recognized the independence of the United States. Oops, there's a problem. At this time we are unable to complete your subscription.This email address has been previously opted out from receiving any emails from A+E Networks. If you changed your mind, please contact us and indicate that you would like to subscribe to HISTORY emails. You have already subscribed to this list. If you completed your subscription and still have not received an email, please contact us. Oops, there's a problem. At this time we are unable to complete your subscription.This email address has been previously opted out from receiving any emails from A+E Networks. If you changed your mind, please contact us and indicate that you would like to subscribe to HISTORY emails. You're signed up! You will soon receive an email with a direct link to your profile, where you can update your preferences.If you do not receive this email, please contact us.	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Search The old Muskegon Union Depot was built in 1895 and remained as a passenger station until its closure in 1970. Fortunately, the building was saved but left vacant for a couple decades until it was finally converted into a visitor and convention center, a museum and a bus stop. Apart from retaining the many traditional Michigan rustic-style stone details, the most successful aspect of this adaptive reuse is keeping the original function of the building as a place for everyone who comes to visit Muskegon, the city in which its lumber was used to build the old Chicago before the great fire. Secondly, keeping the the old circular drop-off drive-way and the front lawn, helped visitors in understanding how travelers used to arrive at this station. The beauty of this adaptive reuse is that nothing major was altered. If the train has a comeback in the future which it may, this place can be converted back to a railroad station one day easily! 5 Responses to “From Railroad Station to Visitors Welcoming Center at Muskegon” I love the Richardsonian Romanesque stone arch on the entrance. In fact, this is a very interesting blog. So much that I see on issues surrounding preservation and urbanism focuses on major cities, so it’s refreshing to get some perspectives in smaller cities like Ann Arbor. Keep up the good blogging. If interested, please also check out my blog http://americantourismbook.com. How beautiful old building. I appreciate highly that it serves yet today people, teach to people old architecture and that everything can be changed for new purpose in an excellent way, not to destroy. That an old train model we had same kind at Helsinki Railway Station many decencies ago. It worked by putting a coin inside it. Our railway stations on country side are mainly from wood, not all of course. The state has sold some of them and private people have “modernized” them into houses. I am very glad that I had a possibility to see Your photos and to “visit” there thru Your photos. Thx so much for the “visit”! I wish I have photographed all churches in Detroit before I left. Train from the old time has always been fascinating for me. Their station, the trains, the experience of the old travel… I even found an old picture of the train station in my home town. It had beautiful arched and great waiting hall. Oh wow, of course it was torn down for something more “efficient” or so it was called. Wish too the old Penn Station in NYC were still around. The magnificent of the past somehow is never surpassed by the new,… at least for me!	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Field The present invention is directed generally to devices and applications for the use of wireless control and wireless power in lighting devices. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of wireless control and wireless power in light emitting diode (LED) based devices primarily for illumination purposes. Description of the Related Art Conservation and management of electrical power are a growing concern with regard to both cost and environmental impact. In various lighting applications, the use of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for illumination is beginning to emerge as a lighting source with potential for addressing these concerns. LED light sources have a long life, are energy efficient, are durable and operate over a wide temperature range. While LED lighting is becoming an attractive option for certain applications, it is not optimal for many applications. Therefore, there is a need for improved LED lighting systems.	{ "pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds" }
The Lakers are looking to their new era now. Brandon Ingram will start tonight against the New York Knicks in place of small forward Luol Deng, according to two sources. In the past, Ingram has started only in case of injuries. He has made starts at point guard, shooting guard and small forward this season. The Lakers have placed an emphasis on developing their young players this season. The plan for Ingram, the second overall pick this summer, was that he back up Deng until he was ready for more responsibility. It’s unclear whether Ingram will start the rest of the season, or if this move is simply on a trial basis. Ingram is averaging eight points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Against the Boston Celtics on Friday, Ingram scored 14 points, making five of 10 field goals. The game broke him from a recent slump. tania.ganguli@latimes.com Follow Tania Ganguli on Twitter @TaniaGanguli	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
Q: Canvas getImageData returning incorrect data on certain mobile devices I am working on a canvas video player with some special features based on frames of the video. To overcome the unreliable timing in the video HTML5 tag the videos we are using have a barcode embedded in each frame indicating the current frame number. Using the canvas getImageData method I can grab the pixels and read the barcode to get the frame number. This works great and I have a JSFiddle demonstrating that it works (I couldn't get around CORS in this fiddle to serve the video to the canvas so to see it working you'll have to download the example video locally then upload it via the button. Not ideal but it works). On certain mobile devices (only Android thus far) this logic breaks. The getImageData returns incorrect values. It works correctly on my Samsung Galaxy S5 v6.0.1 but fails on a Google Pixel running android v7.1.2. I'll try to collect more data on which devices/OS versions it fails on. For example, when playing on desktop the first iteration of getImageData returns: Uint8ClampedArray(64) [3, 2, 3, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 246, 245, 247, 255, 243, 242, 243, 255, 241, 239, 241, 255, 242, 240, 242, 255, 242, 240, 242, 255, 242, 240, 242, 255, 242, 240, 242, 255, 242, 240, 242, 255, 242, 240, 242, 255, 242, 240, 242, 255, 242, 240, 242, 255, 242, 240, 242, 255, 242, 240, 242, 255, 242, 240, 242, 255] which correctly gets computed as framenumber 1. However on the galaxy, the first iteration returns: Uint8ClampedArray(64) [255, 242, 217, 255, 255, 234, 209, 255, 41, 1, 1, 255, 254, 235, 210, 255, 255, 234, 209, 255, 50, 4, 0, 255, 254, 240, 215, 255, 255, 248, 224, 255, 255, 249, 225, 255, 255, 251, 232, 255, 255, 252, 233, 255, 255, 252, 233, 255, 255, 253, 234, 255, 255, 255, 237, 255, 255, 255, 237, 255, 28, 1, 1, 255] I read that certain devices may being doing additional smoothing so I've been playing around with disabling it in the context via: this.ctx.mozImageSmoothingEnabled = false; this.ctx.webkitImageSmoothingEnabled = false; this.ctx.msImageSmoothingEnabled = false; this.ctx.imageSmoothingEnabled = false; But it didn't help. Here is the code being used in the JSFiddle. var frameNumberDiv = document.getElementById('frameNumber'); function load() { var canvas = document.getElementById('canvas'); var ctx = canvas.getContext('2d'); var video = document.getElementById('video'); canvas.width = 568; canvas.height = 640; video.addEventListener('play', function() { var that = this; //cache (function loop() { if (!that.paused && !that.ended) { ctx.drawImage(that, 0, 0); var pixels = ctx.getImageData(0, 320 - 1, 16, 1).data; getFrameNumber(pixels); setTimeout(loop, 1000 / 30); // drawing at 30fps } })(); }, 0); } function getFrameNumber(pixels) { let j = 0; let thisFrameNumber = 0; let str = "Pixels: "; for (let i = 0; i < 16; i++) { str += pixels[j] + " "; thisFrameNumber += getBinary(pixels[j], i); j += 4; } document.getElementById('frameNumber').innerHTML = "FrameNumber: " + thisFrameNumber; } function getBinary(pixel, binaryPlace) { const binary = [1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16384, 32768 ]; if (pixel > 128) return 0; if (pixel < 128 && binary[binaryPlace]) { return binary[binaryPlace] } else { return 0; } } (function localFileVideoPlayer() { 'use strict'; var URL = window.URL \|\| window.webkitURL; var displayMessage = function(message, isError) { var element = document.querySelector('#message'); element.innerHTML = message; element.className = isError ? 'error' : 'info'; } var playSelectedFile = function(event) { console.log("Playing"); var file = this.files[0]; var type = file.type; var videoNode = document.querySelector('video'); var canPlay = videoNode.canPlayType(type); if (canPlay === '') canPlay = 'no'; var message = 'Can play type "' + type + '": ' + canPlay; var isError = canPlay === 'no'; displayMessage(message, isError); if (isError) { return; } var fileURL = URL.createObjectURL(file); videoNode.src = fileURL; load(); } var inputNode = document.querySelector('input') inputNode.addEventListener('change', playSelectedFile, false) })(); EDIT Works on a Nexus 6P running Android v6.0 Works on a Samsung 6 (Samsung SM G920A) running Android v 5.0.2 It DOES NOT work on a Samsung Galaxy S7 (SAMSUNG-SM-G935A) running Android v7.0 Could this possibly be an Android 7 issue? Edit 2 In response to a question in the comments: videoNode.videoHeight and videoWidth are both 0 on the google pixel for their entire existence but this is the same as on desktop. In both of the devices that don't work that I've encountered the image of each frame is fully painted. I'll attach a screen shot from the google pixel. When paused it consistently reads the same number. In other words it is not jumping around so whatever it is reading is truly on the frame of the video. EDIT 3: Discovery I believe that I've made a relevant discovery/realization which I should have seen earlier. When looking at the output of getImageData on the broken device I was stepping through line by line. What I hadn't (and should have) noticed was that the video element was continuing slightly after it hit my break points / debugger statements. By the time the getImageData method was executed the video had moved past the next frame. So, the scanned barcode was actually for a much later frame than expected. I added some console log statements and let it run naturally. Looking at the output I can see a much more recognizable pattern. Here is the first few readings on the google pixel: Uint8ClampedArray(64) [255, 255, 255, 255, 246, 246, 246, 255, 243, 243, 243, 255, 240, 240, 241, 255, 241, 241, 242, 255, 241, 241, 242, 255, 241, 241, 242, 255, 241, 241, 242, 255, 241, 241, 242, 255, 241, 241, 242, 255, 241, 241, 242, 255, 241, 241, 242, 255, 241, 241, 242, 255, 241, 241, 242, 255, 241, 241, 242, 255, 2, 2, 2, 255] Uint8ClampedArray(64) [5, 5, 5, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 251, 251, 251, 255, 247, 247, 248, 255, 245, 245, 245, 255, 245, 245, 245, 255, 246, 246, 246, 255, 246, 246, 246, 255, 246, 246, 246, 255, 246, 246, 246, 255, 246, 246, 246, 255, 246, 246, 246, 255, 246, 246, 246, 255, 246, 246, 246, 255, 246, 246, 246, 255, 6, 3, 2, 255] Uint8ClampedArray(64) [235, 231, 230, 255, 17, 12, 12, 255, 252, 247, 247, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 254, 254, 255, 255, 253, 253, 255, 255, 252, 251, 255, 255, 253, 253, 255, 255, 253, 253, 255, 255, 253, 253, 255, 255, 253, 253, 255, 255, 253, 253, 255, 255, 253, 253, 255, 255, 253, 253, 255, 255, 253, 253, 255, 7, 3, 1, 255] Uint8ClampedArray(64) [26, 15, 14, 255, 4, 0, 0, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 10, 0, 0, 255] As you may notice, the results seem to be correct however they are shifted one pixel to the left. I modified the JSFiddle slightly to shift the getImageData read over by a pixel and it gives the exact same response as on the Pixel. var pixels = ctx.getImageData(1, 320 - 1, 16, 1).data; Doing -1 seems to have no effect. So, for some reason these devices are either shifting the entire texture over by a pixel or there is something wrong with the getImageData Method. EDIT 4 As an experiment I reconfigured my code to use a webGL texture. Same behaviour on desktop/mobile devices. This allowed me to use -1 as the x target using gl.readPixels. I was hoping that by skipping using canvas the entire image would be stored in memory and I could access the pixel data I needed.... Didn't work but here is the data it produced which shows that it is also shifted using purely webGL. Uint8Array(64) [0, 0, 0, 0, 255, 248, 248, 255, 25, 18, 18, 255, 254, 254, 254, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255, 255] Uint8Array(64) [0, 0, 0, 0, 255, 254, 247, 255, 255, 244, 236, 255, 48, 18, 10, 255, 254, 246, 238, 255, 255, 247, 239, 255, 255, 247, 239, 255, 255, 248, 241, 255, 255, 251, 243, 255, 255, 251, 243, 255, 255, 251, 243, 255, 255, 251, 243, 255, 255, 251, 243, 255, 255, 251, 243, 255, 255, 250, 240, 255, 255, 250, 240, 255] Uint8Array(64) [0, 0, 0, 0, 31, 0, 0, 255, 254, 243, 230, 255, 43, 6, 1, 255, 254, 243, 230, 255, 255, 244, 231, 255, 255, 244, 231, 255, 255, 244, 231, 255, 255, 244, 231, 255, 255, 244, 231, 255, 255, 244, 231, 255, 255, 244, 231, 255, 255, 244, 231, 255, 255, 244, 231, 255, 255, 244, 229, 255, 255, 244, 229, 255] Using: gl.readPixels(-1, height, 16, 1, gl.RGBA, gl.UNSIGNED_BYTE, pixels); Edit 5 Ok, I promised I would get more details on which devices were failing/not. I had some online QA testing done using a slightly modified JSFiddle. I modified it slightly to help make it a bit more idiot proof for the general public to work with. The responses were unfortunately fairly mixed. I was hoping it would be isolated to Android 7 but that doesn't seem to be the case. I have a CSV on my google drive with the results of this test. Not that these tests are 100% reliable but it seems like it's just some random devices...... A: I have been going through the same problem and just couldn't get it. I finally have the answer in my case which sounds 99% like your problem as well. It's the pixel density!! The pixel densities are different on all the devices you mentioned and the ones that have probably 1 dpr (device pixel ratio) are working correctly, whereas the others are not. So in my case using p5js I set the pixel density to be 1 and it worked like a charm; pixelDensity(1); So set it to be 1 dpr and you are most probably good to go! I hope this helps some people out there because I spent quite a while on this problem.	{ "pile_set_name": "StackExchange" }
Ford’s New Mustang Gets Treatment From Power-Hungry Tuners As it prepares to be distributed out to the company’s extensive dealer network both domestically and internationally, Ford’s Mustang has been making the rounds at the various tuning houses that make their living by turning a great car into an arguably better one. Since the last fully redesigned Mustang was released nearly ten years ago (though it recieved a substantial refresh in 2010), these companies have been salivating for the 2015 model year Mustang, which promises to be the best-handling, and perhaps all around best-driving Mustang yet. It’s all new from the ground up, and engineered for a new global audience; this means new engine options, different suspension setup, and a more sports car-like demeanor. Tuners will have a pretty sturdy foundation to work from, too. The new Mustang produces a minimum of 300 horsepower (that’s the 3.7 liter V6 engine that comes standard), and goes up from there. The new 2.3 liter turbocharged, EcoBoost-branded Mustang manages 310 horsepower (which is paired with 320 pound-feet of twist), and the range is topped off with Ford’s beloved and ubiquitous 5.0 liter V8, which now produces 435 horsepower and 400 pound-feet, up from 420 in the previous generation. As they say, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Over the last few weeks, three of the most prolific American tuners have smelled the smoke and have gone in search of the blaze on the belief that no matter how good a car is, it can always be better. Source: Saleen Saleen Automotive Having built its reputation on race-ready Mustangs, Saleen (OTC:SLNN) has offered its latest take on the new Mustang, albeit through renders only. However, the car — known as the S302 — is available with as much as 640 horsepower, and a quick glance at the illustrations imply that nearly every inch of the car has been gone over. The S302 rides lower (and on new rims), boasts an aggressive and mean-looking body kit that — pending official testing — presumably helps improve airflow and keep the car more grounded. There’s a signature Saleen spoiler mounted on the rear deck lid, a new sway bar, and suspension bushings have been put in to help the car stay rigid through the turns. Source: Saleen Under the hood is none other than Ford’s 5.0 liter V8, and in its most basic Saleen form, is tuned for 450 horsepower (15 horses more than the stock Mustang). Mosey on up to Saleen’s menu and you can have the S302 Black Label with 640 horsepower and 565 pound-feet of torque, adding roughly the equivalent of a Volkswagen GTI’s worth of power to the already potent Mustang GT. This is done with Saleen’s proprietary supercharger, which is available on the Black Label and the middle-ground Yellow Label, which shares its power specs with the range-topping Black, but lacks such features like a static brake cooling system and that aggressive front fascia. “This is a very exciting time for the Mustang community as this is the first all-new model since 2005,” CEO, founder, and namesake Steve Saleen said in the company’s press release. Source: Hennessey Performance Hennessey Performance In a world where one can buy 707 horsepower for under $70,000, the Saleen S302’s 640 horsepower may not be enough for the discerning Mustang performance enthusiast. For people like them, tuning firm Hennessey — renowned for its Venom GT hyper-car — has the answer. An answer, anyways. Hennessey ups the ante with as much as 717 horsepower on tap, outpacing the Saleen as far as sheer horsepower is concerned and even blowing by the 2014 Shelby GT500, which comes from Ford’s factory with a resounding 662 horsepower on tap. Hennessey’s model — titled the HPE700 — is paired with 632 pound-feet of torque, and the company surmises that zero-60 will be dealt with in a scant 3.6 seconds. Source: Hennessey Performance New carbon fiber aerodynamic components all around give the HPE700 a far more aggressive and track-ready look (it also actually helps with downforce, too), and the exhaust has been swapped out for a higher performance setup to help vent out the extra air moved through Hennessey’s 2.9 liter Supercharger addition. If 717 horsepower feels to ambitious and 600 horsepower is more up your alley, then Hennessey offers an option there, too, with the HPE600, which offers many of the same amenities but with 620 horsepower under the hood instead. It might be friendlier on your wallet, too, and in real-world driving, it’s not likely that you’ll find yourself lacking. Source: Roush Performance Roush Performance Like the OEMs themselves, aftermarket tuners each boast its respective base of fans and enthusiasts who prefer one package over the others. Sporting one of the larger fan bases in the industry (when it comes to Mustangs, at least) is Roush, which as also revealed its contender that will compete for your aftermarket pony car dollars. Unfortunately, the Roush kits are only skin-deep for the time being. We do know that there will be three kits available for the 2015 model year Mustang, and unlike Saleen and Hennessey, they include the smaller, lower displacement engines among the options. The Mustang RS starts at just under $5,000 (in addition to the cost of the car, naturally) and is based on the 300 horsepower 3.7 liter V6. The Stage 1 model is based on the 2.3 liter EcoBoost, and the Stage 2 is based on the V8. While no power upgrades have yet been announced, Roush is easing the floodgates open with some new body work and tinkering elsewhere on the car. Source: Roush Performance Buyers are treated to Roush’s muscular bodykit, which eschews the more sleek appearance of the new Mustang for a brash, no-apologies approach to design. There’s a quad-tipped exhaust protruding from the back of each model, and improved rims and suspension are optional across the board. Styling-wise, there’s the meaty front fascia up front, a new aero valence in the back, and many vents and scoops that imply that the Roush Mustang has more to come in the near future. But as far as solid performance numbers, we’ll have to wait and see how it stacks up, though it’s worth mentioning that the current Stage 3 Mustang from Roush achieves 575 horsepower — so expect it to exceed that.	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Q: How to add a dependency in a multiplatform kotlin / native intellij project? I have the following build.gradle configuration: plugins { id 'org.jetbrains.kotlin.multiplatform' version '1.3.41' } repositories { mavenCentral() } kotlin { linuxX64("linux") { binaries { executable { entryPoint = 'sample.main' runTask?.args('') } } } sourceSets { linuxMain { dependencies { api("org.http4k:http4k-core:3.183.0") } } linuxTest { } } } And the following source file src/linuxMain/kotlin/sample/SampleLinux.kt : package sample fun hello(): String = "Hello, Kotlin/Native!" fun main() { println(hello()) } How to add a external library in order to be able to use autocomplete in imports for the library org.http4k:http4k-core:3.183.0? As you can see, I tried to add the line api("org.http4k:http4k-core:3.183.0") in linuxMain dependencies, but although intellij show the library in External Libraries section, I cannot work with the packages neither classes of http4k in SampleLinux.kt file: any org.http4k..... import attempt is not recognized and generates compilation error. A: After a quick look, I am almost sure that http4k is JVM-only library, at least for now. According to this issue, they are still waiting for Native to grow. If you are interested, it would be nice if one can ask the library maintainers again. As far as K/N has grown a lot by the last year, maybe they change their mind.	{ "pile_set_name": "StackExchange" }
Relazione 2007 sui progressi compiuti dalla Croazia - Relazione 2007 sui progressi compiuti dall'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia (discussione) Presidente L'ordine del giorno reca, in discussione congiunta: la relazione, presentata dall'onorevole Hannes Swoboda a nome della commissione per gli affari esteri, sulla relazione 2007 sui progressi compiuti dalla Croazia e la relazione, presentata dall'onorevole Erik Meijer a nome della commissione per gli affari esteri, sulla relazione 2007 sui progressi compiuti dall'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia. Hannes Swoboda relatore. - (DE) Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, vorrei innanzitutto ringraziare i relatori ombra e in particolare gli altri colleghi che hanno contribuito alla stesura di una relazione valida e molto equilibrata. La mia filosofia su questa relazione è la seguente. Forse potrei citare la visita che ho effettuato alcune settimane fa a Vukovar - che, come vi ricordo, è la città in cui la guerra è stata particolarmente violenta, in cui centinaia di persone sono state trascinate fuori dall'ospedale e uccise. Si tratta di una ferita particolarmente dolorosa per il popolo croato. Ho visitato anche il monumento commemorativo e ho parlato con la popolazione. La ferita è profonda, ma, anziché l'odio o il rifiuto nei confronti della vicina Serbia, è emerso il tentativo di avviare una nuova collaborazione con la popolazione serba locale. Il sindaco si è seduto al tavolo con i rappresentanti serbi e i colleghi degli altri gruppi etnici e insieme hanno rappresentato gli interessi della popolazione locale. Ciò dimostra chiaramente - forse ancor più chiaramente del fatto che il vice Primo Ministro del paese è di origine serba, elemento altrettanto apprezzabile - il grande impegno con cui questo paese ha cercato di superare gli scismi, i conflitti e le guerre del passato e di creare una Croazia moderna. Tutti questi fattori, ovviamente, non risolvono i problemi con cui la Croazia è ancora confrontata. Non risolvono la questione della riforma giudiziaria e dell'amministrazione pubblica, né il problema dell'industria cantieristica - a questo proposito la Croazia ha ancora molto da fare. Pertanto, non è assolutamente vero che siamo pronti a concludere i trattati e i negoziati - non è affatto così. Tuttavia, siamo sulla strada giusta, e questo è un aspetto importante non solo per la Croazia, ma anche per l'intera regione; con l'adesione della Croazia, infatti, si invia un segnale positivo e importante anche alla regione: se assolverete i vostri doveri e le vostre responsabilità, se svolgerete il vostro compito, potrete aderire all'Unione europea. L'Unione europea deve tenere fede a tale impegno, e anche questo è un aspetto che chiariamo nella relazione. Oltre alle riforme interne, sussistono ovviamente talune esigenze e alcuni problemi, anche nelle relazioni con i paesi vicini. Mi è dispiaciuto che si sia unilateralmente deciso di introdurre la Zona di protezione ittico-ambientale. Ovviamente esistevano motivi validi, concreti e oggettivi per provvedere a una gestione ecologica della pesca, ma è stato illogico adottare unilateralmente questa iniziativa promettendo al contempo a Italia e Slovenia che non sarebbe stata intrapresa alcuna azione unilaterale prima di pervenire a una soluzione comune. Ora la Croazia ha preso questa non facile decisione e ha abolito la zona di pesca per gli Stati membri dell'Unione europea. Il Parlamento europeo ritiene che esistano i prerequisiti per superare molte delle impasse che si sono registrate - non intendo discutere in questa sede se fossero giustificate o meno. Chiedo quindi alla Slovenia - il Ministro Lenarčič è qui come rappresentante del Consiglio anziché come ministro sloveno; ha un doppio ruolo istituzionale - e ai colleghi sloveni dell'Assemblea di aiutarci a superare i problemi bilaterali. Come abbiamo sempre affermato, la Croazia deve ovviamente svolgere la propria parte in proposito, ma se vogliamo infondere lo spirito europeo nelle regioni e nelle relazioni bilaterali, abbiamo bisogno di questo aiuto. Da qui deriva anche la proposta contenuta nella relazione - ora lo dico molto informalmente - che una terza persona o una terza istituzione contribuiscano a risolvere il problema. Potremmo parlare di mediazione, di arbitrato o altro, ma il punto essenziale non è questo. L'essenziale è che entrambi i paesi, Croazia e Slovenia, si riuniscano per decidere le condizioni e che accettino la decisione formulata dalla terza istituzione nell'ambito della mediazione. La questione sarà quindi incanalata nella direzione giusta. I problemi frontalieri non possono essere irrisolvibili. Capisco perfettamente l'interesse della Slovenia ad avere accesso al mare. Si tratta di una preoccupazione assolutamente giustificata. Ritengo che questa preoccupazione della Slovenia sia perfettamente conciliabile con gli interessi croati. Non si tratta di un problema insormontabile se non si è profondamente e direttamente coinvolti nella questione. In conclusione, desidero affermare a chiare lettere che avrei preferito se fosse stato possibile concludere i negoziati di adesione con la Croazia nel 2008. Purtroppo, non è più possibile né realistico rispettare questa data. Chiedo quindi ai colleghi di fissare una data realistica, il 2009, per il completamento dei negoziati, affinché il neoeletto Parlamento possa accordare il proprio consenso e sia possibile avviare il processo di ratifica. Se ci impegneremo tutti, la Croazia potrà diventare uno Stato membro dell'Unione europea nel 2011. Questo è un buon obiettivo, un valido obiettivo. Sosteniamolo. Erik Meijer relatore. - (NL) Signor Presidente, se in futuro i sette Stati dell'ex Jugoslavia entreranno tutti a far parte dell'Unione europea, la loro adesione avverrà in sette date diverse sulla base di sette diverse "tabelle di marcia”. L'adesione in blocco, prima dello smembramento della federazione, sarebbe stata probabilmente più semplice per tutte le parti interessate. La Slovenia è ora uno Stato membro, la Croazia lo diventerà nei prossimi anni e la terza ex Repubblica jugoslava in questione è la Macedonia, che attende l'apertura dei negoziati di adesione fin dal 2005. Spero che la mia prossima relazione annuale, che presenterò all'inizio del 2009, possa riguardare esclusivamente i normali sviluppi interni in Macedonia, tra cui la tutela dell'ambiente, l'indipendenza dei media, il rafforzamento del sistema giudiziario e la lotta alla corruzione, l'ammodernamento del sistema ferroviario, l'uguaglianza tra le varie confessioni religiose e la libertà negoziale delle associazioni sindacali. Tutto questo sarà possibile se verranno definitivamente risolti i due problemi fonte di discordia che richiamano la maggior parte dell'attenzione. Non siamo ancora giunti a questo punto. Le relazioni tra le due principali comunità linguistiche sono notevolmente migliorate dal conflitto principale del 2001. L'accordo quadro di Ohrid che ne è seguito, e in particolare l'accordo sulle maggioranze parlamentari qualificate e il decentramento amministrativo, ha apportato un importante contributo al miglioramento delle relazioni reciproche - che tuttavia sono ancora conflittuali -, dando luogo a un temporaneo boicottaggio parlamentare e a una crisi di governo di breve durata. E' negli interessi di tutti risolvere quanto prima i problemi sottesi a questa situazione. In uno Stato multietnico, l'assoluta uguaglianza di status delle lingue regionali, anche nella comunicazione amministrativa a livello nazionale, è un simbolo essenziale dell'assoluta uguaglianza fra tutti gli abitanti. La Macedonia può imparare da oltre un secolo di conflitto linguistico in un altro Stato bilingue, il Belgio, che ritardare questo inevitabile risultato provoca solo inutili tensioni. Occorre prendere sul serio il desiderio che tutti possano utilizzare la lingua albanese in qualunque parte del paese. Purtroppo la maggior parte dell'attenzione va ancora alla questione che, in fase preparatoria, non solo il relatore, ma tutti i relatori ombra credevano dovesse essere risolta rapidamente. Noi tutti ci rifiutiamo di schierarci con qualsivoglia dei pareri divergenti dei due paesi vicini riguardo al significato del nome "Macedonia”. Per il paese candidato, andando a ritroso di oltre un secolo, la Macedonia è stata, consecutivamente, il nome di un movimento di resistenza contro l'Impero ottomano, di uno Stato federale jugoslavo e di un paese indipendente. Per il suo vicino meridionale, la Grecia, la Macedonia è una parte importante della sua lunga storia nonché il nome della regione circostante la città greca di Salonicco. La Grecia ha investito ingenti capitali nel suo vicino settentrionale ed è il più fervente sostenitore dell'adesione del paese all'Unione europea. Il fatto che la Grecia abbia rinunciato al tentativo di sostituire il nome "Macedonia” del suo vicino settentrionale con "FYROM”, una sigla assolutamente incomprensibile a tutti, preferendo invece sottolineare che questo Stato non comprende l'intera Macedonia storica, ma solo la parte settentrionale slava e albanese, costituisce un importante passo avanti. Mi sono sempre opposto al parere secondo cui uno Stato - in particolare un ex paese comunista - debba diventare membro della NATO prima di poter essere ammesso nell'Unione europea. Nel caso della Macedonia, il rifiuto posto il 2 aprile all'ingresso del paese nell'Alleanza atlantica pregiudica le sue possibilità di aderire all'UE nel prossimo futuro. Ogni Stato UE ha l'opportunità di bloccare un aspirante paese membro, anche qualora sia favorevole alla sua adesione in assenza di divergenze di opinione su un particolare importante. Il paragrafo 37 è quindi fondamentale per questo dibattito. A tale proposito, e di comune accordo con il gruppo del Partito popolare europeo (Democratici cristiani) e dei Democratici europei, il gruppo socialista al Parlamento europeo e il gruppo dell'Alleanza dei Democratici e dei Liberali per l'Europa, questa mattina ho presentato un emendamento di compromesso. Attendo le reazioni ad esso prima del mio secondo intervento. Janez Lenarčič Desidero innanzitutto congratularmi con gli onorevoli Swoboda e Meijer per la stesura delle due relazioni sui progressi compiuti dalla Croazia e dall'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia. Siamo lieti che il Parlamento europeo abbia iscritto all'ordine del giorno di questa tornata la discussione sui progressi compiuti da entrambi i paesi candidati. La Presidenza slovena, infatti, attribuisce una straordinaria importanza all'integrazione degli Stati dei Balcani occidentali nell'Unione europea. A tale proposito vorrei ricordarvi che, in occasione della loro riunione informale di fine di marzo, i ministri degli Esteri hanno inviato alla regione dei Balcani occidentali un messaggio positivo in merito alle sue prospettive europee. In un momento in cui la regione versa in una situazione difficile, si tratta a mio avviso di un messaggio gradito e appropriato. In primo luogo, per quanto riguarda la Croazia, i negoziati di adesione con il paese stanno procedendo come previsto e a questo punto desidero associarmi a quanto dichiarato dall'onorevole Swoboda e dire che, negli ultimi due anni, la Croazia ha compiuto notevoli progressi nell'adempimento dei criteri di adesione. Finora sono stati aperti sedici capitoli negoziali su trentacinque e due sono già stati provvisoriamente chiusi. Sono previste due conferenze di adesione con la Croazia, una ad aprile e l'altra a giugno e, se tutti i parametri verranno rispettati, in occasione delle due conferenze di adesione verranno anche aperti molti altri nuovi capitoli. Vorrei sottolineare che la Presidenza slovena è impegnata a proseguire il processo di allargamento dell'Unione europea e a compiere ulteriori progressi a livello negoziale. La dinamica dei negoziati dipende essenzialmente dallo Stato candidato stesso e dai suoi progressi in merito al rispetto dei criteri di adesione, che sono stati stabiliti nell'ambito dei negoziati, nel partenariato per l'adesione riveduto, adottato dal Consiglio dell'Unione europea nel febbraio di quest'anno, nonché in altri atti giuridici. Lo ripeto, la Croazia ha compiuto notevoli progressi; tuttavia, il fatto è che resta molto da fare. Come ha affermato l'onorevole Swoboda, in futuro occorrerà prestare molta più attenzione all'ulteriore recepimento e all'effettiva attuazione dell'acquis comunitario. La Croazia deve proseguire gli sforzi per l'adempimento dei criteri di adesione e realizzare progressi più rapidi. In particolare, vorrei citare la riforma giudiziaria e dell'amministrazione, la lotta contro la corruzione, le riforme economiche, i diritti delle minoranze, il rimpatrio dei profughi e la piena cooperazione con il Tribunale penale internazionale per l'ex Jugoslavia. I documenti che ho citato considerano inoltre fondamentale che la Croazia continui a compiere sforzi volti a instaurare relazioni di buon vicinato con i paesi vicini. Tra questi figura ovviamente l'individuazione di soluzioni per le questioni irrisolte. Vorrei ora passare all'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia: come ha affermato l'onorevole Meijer nella sua relazione, questo è l'unico paese a non avere ancora avviato i negoziati di adesione pur godendo dello status di candidato dal 2005. A nostro avviso, se verranno rispettati i parametri stabiliti, si dovrebbe finalmente riuscire a risolvere il problema nel corso dell'anno. Ecco perché il messaggio contenuto nell'ultimo documento della Commissione europea era che la relazione che presenterà in autunno sui progressi compiuti dall'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia potrebbe essere favorevole, purché si rispettino le priorità principali. E' stato inviato un messaggio simile anche in occasione della riunione informale dei ministri degli Esteri svoltasi in Slovenia alla fine di marzo. Al tempo stesso, non dobbiamo dimenticare che il paese ha già dimostrato la sua importanza per la stabilità della regione. Occorre riconoscere il ruolo svolto dal paese e incoraggiare con segnali positivi l'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia a mantenere il suo ruolo costruttivo nella regione e a proseguire con le riforme. Uno di questi segnali è il dialogo sulla liberalizzazione dei visti. Condividiamo il parere dell'onorevole Meijer secondo cui il governo di Skopje sta dando seguito all'accordo quadro di Ohrid, in particolare nell'ambito del decentramento e del livello di rappresentanza delle minoranze etniche nell'amministrazione pubblica. Auspichiamo che si possano compiere quanto prima ulteriori progressi nell'individuazione di soluzioni per le questioni rimanenti, che rivestono una fondamentale importanza per la comunità albanese. Come paese che detiene la Presidenza del Consiglio UE, la Slovenia incoraggia tutti i partiti politici a intensificare il dialogo politico e la cooperazione sistematica, affinché sia possibile giungere alla prossima fase di adesione all'Unione europea quest'anno. A tale proposito mi preme sottolineare che siamo profondamente rammaricati che gli ultimi negoziati sulla questione del nome non siano riusciti a produrre i risultati sperati. Deploro inoltre che l'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia non sia stata invitata a entrare nella NATO. Considerando che il paese ha compiuto notevoli sforzi per ottenere questo invito, speriamo che possa seguire presto le orme degli altri due candidati, che sono stati invitati entrambi. Nella dichiarazione rilasciata dopo il Vertice NATO, la Presidenza slovena ha chiesto di proseguire e concludere al più presto i negoziati sulla questione del nome. La Presidenza slovena ha inoltre invitato i politici dell'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia a preservare il livello di consenso raggiunto riguardo al futuro europeo ed euroatlantico del loro paese. La Presidenza slovena ha altresì raccomandato al paese di sfruttare appieno il tempo che ha ancora a disposizione prima che la Commissione presenti la sua relazione periodica di autunno. Olli Rehn Signor Presidente, accolgo con favore la relazione dell'onorevole Swoboda sulla Croazia e la relazione dell'onorevole Meijer sull'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia. Per quanto riguarda la Croazia, ritengo che la relazione Swoboda illustri le principali sfide che questo paese dovrà affrontare sulla strada dell'adesione all'UE, concentrandosi in particolar modo sulla sfera politica. E' una relazione valida, che rifletterà ancor meglio le realtà esistenti se verranno adottati gli emendamenti nn. 15 e 16 del relatore, riguardo ad esempio al calendario del processo. In generale, i negoziati di adesione della Croazia hanno avuto un andamento positivo, nonostante siano stati pregiudicati dall'applicazione della Zona di protezione ittico-ambientale - la famosa, o famigerata, questione ZERP. Accolgo con favore la recente decisione del Sabor, il parlamento croato, di sospendere l'applicazione di tutti gli aspetti della ZERP ai pescherecci UE, in linea con gli impegni precedentemente assunti dalla Croazia. Mi congratulo con il Primo Ministro Sanader per la leadership di cui ha dato prova e ringrazio anche il Presidente della Commissione Barroso per l'impegno personale che ha profuso al fine di risolvere la questione. Sono stato a Zagabria all'inizio di marzo e mi sono reso conto che la vocazione europea della Croazia era abbastanza forte da indurre il paese a risolvere questo problema, che stava intralciando i negoziati di adesione. La rimozione di tale ostacolo da parte della Croazia dovrebbe consentire di riaprire subito i capitoli che sono stati bloccati e di riprendere nuovamente i negoziati al ritmo normale, consentendo al paese di compiere progressi notevoli nei restanti mesi della Presidenza slovena. Come il relatore e il Presidente in carica del Consiglio Lenarčič, penso anch'io che la Croazia abbia ancora molto lavoro da svolgere. Il paese deve compiere progressi concreti in materia di riforme giudiziarie, amministrative ed economiche, lotta alla corruzione, rimpatrio dei profughi e diritti delle minoranze. La Croazia dovrà inoltre continuare a compiere progressi sulle varie questioni bilaterali aperte con i suoi vicini. Quest'anno potrebbe essere decisivo per i negoziati di adesione, purché la Croazia rispetti una serie di condizioni. La Commissione è pronta a fornire, nel pacchetto sull'allargamento che presenterà in autunno, un calendario indicativo, o una tabella di marcia condizionata, per la conclusione tecnica dei negoziati di adesione nel corso del 2009, se possibile addirittura durante il mandato dell'attuale Commissione. Affinché ciò sia possibile, la Croazia dovrà soddisfare tutti i parametri di apertura entro giugno. Non c'è molto tempo da perdere. Dovrà altresì rispettare tutti gli obblighi previsti dall'accordo di stabilizzazione e di associazione e garantire urgenti e notevoli miglioramenti nella gestione dell'assistenza finanziaria dell'UE. La Commissione è disposta a esaminare le posizioni negoziali dei vari capitoli dopo che saranno stati soddisfatti i criteri di adesione. Fondamentalmente, ora la palla è nel campo della Croazia. Quanto prima si raggiungeranno risultati concreti, tanto prima la Croazia aderirà all'Unione europea. Condivido appieno la posizione dell'onorevole Swoboda secondo cui la Croazia può diventare un importante punto di riferimento per i paesi dei Balcani occidentali, dimostrando loro come possono realizzare la prospettiva europea. Quanto all'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia, nel complesso posso condividere la valutazione della relazione Meijer sul processo di riforma. Vorrei ringraziare il relatore per avere collaborato con i servizi della Commissione alla stesura della relazione. Dopo che alla FYROM è stato concesso lo status di paese candidato nel 2005, si è assistito a un rallentamento. Tuttavia, all'alquanto critica relazione sui progressi compiuti pubblicata dalla Commissione europea nel 2007 hanno fatto seguito interventi correttivi. Da allora sono state adottate riforme importanti, specialmente allo scopo di rafforzare il sistema giudiziario, riformare la polizia e migliorare le relazioni interetniche. Prendo atto della raccomandazione secondo cui la Commissione deve definire una serie di parametri che consentano di avviare i negoziati di adesione quest'anno. Desidero informarvi che abbiamo fissato otto parametri sulla base delle priorità chiave del nuovo partenariato di adesione. Una raccomandazione sull'avvio dei negoziati di adesione dipenderà dai progressi compiuti dal paese nel rispetto di tali parametri. Renderemo nota la nostra valutazione il prossimo autunno, inserendola nel pacchetto sull'allargamento, che molto probabilmente verrà presentato all'inizio di novembre. E' evidente che la stabilità politica sarà determinante per l'apertura dei negoziati. Ho incontrato il Presidente Crvenkovski e il Primo Ministro Gruevski a Skopje alcune settimane fa, a marzo. Ho esortato tutte le forze politiche dell'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia a concentrare le loro energie sull'agenda di riforma per cogliere le opportunità che quest'anno offre al paese. Rinnovo tale esortazione oggi, poiché dopo il Vertice NATO di Bucarest non è meno importante. Ultimamente la questione del nome ha consumato molta energia politica. Se da un lato mi congratulo con Croazia e Albania per aver conseguito l'obiettivo dell'integrazione euroatlantica con l'ingresso nella NATO, dall'altro posso capire la delusione provata a Bucarest la settimana scorsa dall'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia. Esorto i leader politici a continuare lungo la strada dell'adesione alla NATO e dell'integrazione nell'UE con la massima determinazione. Vorrei concludere rilevando che stiamo discutendo gli sviluppi avvenuti nei due paesi in un momento molto opportuno. Entrambi i paesi hanno buone probabilità che questo sia un anno molto speciale e addirittura decisivo in termini di una sempre maggiore integrazione nell'Unione europea. Per questi paesi sarà estremamente importante ricevere il sostegno e l'incoraggiamento di Parlamento europeo, Consiglio e Commissione. Apprezzo quindi moltissimo il vostro inestimabile contributo alla politica europea di stabilità e progresso nei Balcani occidentali. Bernd Posselt a nome del gruppo PPE-DE. - (DE) Signor Presidente, oggi parliamo degli unici due paesi candidati chiaramente europei che abbiamo: Croazia e Macedonia. Speriamo di riuscire a concludere i negoziati con la Croazia entro la fine di questo o, al più tardi, del prossimo anno. Speriamo di riuscire ad avviare i negoziati con la Macedonia entro la fine di questo o, al più tardi, del prossimo anno. Vogliamo evitare che entrambi i paesi siano condizionati da problemi bilaterali ed esorto in particolare i colleghi greci ad attivarsi sulla questione, poiché l'erronea decisione adottata a Bucarest sta già iniziando a destabilizzare la Macedonia. Per quanto riguarda la Croazia, il governo Sanader ha proseguito attivamente con le riforme e i negoziati. Esorto Consiglio e Commissione a stare al passo con il lavoro. Esorto la Commissione a rafforzare attivamente le sue capacità e a esaminare rapidamente i documenti pertinenti. Esorto il Consiglio ad aprire al più presto tutti i capitoli negoziali. La loro chiusura dipende ovviamente dai negoziati e dagli sforzi della Croazia. La Croazia ha svolto un'imponente molte di lavoro politico preliminare. Ha sistemato e risolto la questione delle zone di pesca con grande coraggio, ha avallato l'arbitrato con la Slovenia e ha soprattutto inviato un segnale molto importante per l'intera regione nominando un vice Primo Ministro serbo al governo Sanader, e questo alla luce della situazione esistente a Vukovar, ad esempio, opportunamente descritta dall'onorevole Swoboda. In quella città la tutela dei diritti delle minoranze è nettamente superiore a quella garantita dalla maggior parte degli Stati membri. Vorrei pertanto dire che dobbiamo riconoscere i traguardi politici raggiunti dalla Croazia e sostenere con determinazione il paese lungo la strada dell'adesione all'Unione europea. Stiamo rispettando l'ambizioso obiettivo di prendere una decisione in questo periodo. Se questo non fosse possibile, la adotteremo in autunno. Sosterremmo la sua proposta, onorevole Swoboda, se contenesse le espressioni "al più tardi” e "deve”, ma "potrebbe” è solo una descrizione della situazione esistente e pertanto continueremo a esercitare pressioni su Consiglio e Commissione. Siamo consapevoli che si tratta di un obiettivo ambizioso, ma la Croazia merita di ottenere finalmente giustizia. Jan Marinus Wiersma a nome del gruppo PSE. - (NL) Signor Presidente, desidero formulare un paio di osservazioni su entrambe le relazioni a nome del mio gruppo e a titolo personale. Vorrei innanzitutto congratularmi con il collega, onorevole Swoboda, che anche quest'anno è riuscito a presentarci l'ennesima relazione equilibrata. Quando affrontiamo la questione della Croazia, parliamo degli ultimi passi che il paese deve compiere per la conclusione dei negoziati. Ci auguriamo che questi ultimi passi assumano la forma di uno sprint finale. Le lacune individuate dalla Commissione devono essere colmate. Speriamo che la Croazia possa intervenire rapidamente in tal senso, anche se, come sempre avviene al termine dei negoziati, i fascicoli interessati vertono su questioni complesse, come ad esempio l'industria cantieristica. Vorrei esortare tutti, governo croato compreso, a raggiungere il necessario consenso politico anche all'interno del paese, affinché possano essere prese rapidamente anche le decisioni difficili. Condivido altresì quanto affermato dall'onorevole Swoboda sulle date entro cui possono essere realizzati tutti questi obiettivi, in particolare la conclusione dei negoziati. Per quanto riguarda la FYROM - la Macedonia - è importante, come ha già affermato il Commissario, che il paese si impegni a soddisfare i parametri stabiliti dalla Commissione quest'anno affinché sia possibile prendere una decisione sull'avvio dei negoziati. Credo che questo sia fondamentale. Anche per quanto riguarda la Macedonia, è indispensabile giungere a un consenso all'interno del paese stesso; a tale proposito sono molto preoccupato per i problemi sorti di recente con la minoranza albanese e per la votazione che si terrà domani o dopodomani a Skopje, che potrebbe provocare la caduta del governo. Se questo dovesse accadere, il paese sarebbe disorientato, poiché non si potrebbero svolgere negoziati con la Grecia riguardo al nome né altri lavori sui parametri indicati dal Commissario. Ritengo importante esortare l'intero paese a far sì che il consenso regga e a evitarci di dover affrontare una situazione di nuove elezioni nelle prossime settimane; è importante investire in questo consenso. Infine, anche noi riteniamo vergognoso che a Bucarest sia stato impossibile raggiungere un consenso sull'ingresso della Macedonia nella NATO. A nostro parere, occorre compiere un altro tentativo, con la mediazione dell'ONU e di Matthew Nimitz, e spero che entrambe le parti investano in un clima un po' più produttivo affinché sia possibile giungere presto a una soluzione. István Szent-Iványi a nome del gruppo ALDE. - (HU) Signor Presidente, signor Commissario, all'inizio dell'anno i negoziati di adesione con la Croazia hanno subito un rallentamento e il processo sembrava essere giunto a un punto morto. Speriamo che questa situazione di stallo sia ormai superata e che i negoziati riprendano nuovamente slancio. La decisione del parlamento croato di sospendere la Zona di protezione ittico-ambientale che era stata applicata agli Stati membri dell'Unione europea è stata senz'altro utile in tal senso. Negli ultimi anni la Croazia ha raggiunto importanti traguardi che vanno riconosciuti: è innegabile che il paese è una democrazia funzionante, che ha un'economia di mercato che funziona e che sta attuando le disposizioni fissate nell'accordo di stabilità e di associazione. Al tempo stesso, esistono innegabilmente gravi problemi che a loro volta devono essere risolti. Il primo di questi che vorrei citare è il rinvio della riforma del sistema giudiziario, che non può essere procrastinata ulteriormente. Reputo importante rafforzare la lotta alla corruzione e garantire che venga estesa non solo ai casi di minore rilievo, ma anche ai "grandi attori”, poiché finora la Croazia non ha compiuto molti progressi a questo riguardo. Occorre apportare miglioramenti riguardo all'uso efficiente delle risorse comunitarie e avviare importanti riforme strutturali. A tale proposito vorrei evidenziare la situazione e il ruolo dell'industria cantieristica, che deve essere ristrutturata. Se la Croazia riuscirà a realizzare tutti questi obiettivi, dovrebbe essere davvero in grado di concludere i negoziati per tempo, entro il termine stabilito nella relazione, e dovrà ricevere tutto il sostegno possibile a tal fine. Il processo di adesione della Croazia ha un'importanza regionale che va ben oltre il processo stesso. Se l'adesione della Croazia andrà a buon fine, rappresenterà un modello e un incentivo anche per gli altri paesi dei Balcani occidentali. Una rapida e riuscita conclusione dei negoziati, quindi, non è solo una responsabilità condivisa tra Croazia e Unione europea, ma è anche nei loro interessi comuni. Mi auguro che la Croazia si assuma questa responsabilità. Infine, vorrei congratularmi con Hannes Swoboda per l'eccezionale lavoro svolto nell'adempimento dei suoi doveri di relatore. Grazie, signor Presidente. Konrad Szymański Naturalmente desidero congratularmi anch'io con il relatore. Questa è un'ottima relazione. E' molto positivo che Croazia e Macedonia possano ottenere l'adesione all'UE prima delle elezioni europee del 2009. Per quanto riguarda quest'ultimo paese, dobbiamo ovviamente evitare di aggiungere condizioni politiche per l'adesione, specialmente in ambiti che, come i diritti di proprietà e le richieste di indennizzo, appartengono alla sfera delle relazioni bilaterali. Non si può permettere che il processo di allargamento venga condizionato da queste tensioni. Occorre inoltre collocare questo processo in un contesto più ampio. L'allargamento dell'Unione ai Balcani occidentali è un contributo europeo alla stabilizzazione della regione - una regione in cui negli anni '90 abbiamo fallito. Affinché sia possibile completare questo processo, dobbiamo inviare un segnale positivo anche a Belgrado. Con il riconoscimento del Kosovo, abbiamo messo in grave difficoltà la parte pro-europea dell'opinione pubblica serba. Ci resta poco tempo per correggere tale impressione. Occorre elaborare una tabella di marcia per un accordo sui visti con la Serbia. Dobbiamo firmare al più presto un accordo di stabilizzazione e di associazione. Oggi questo accordo è condizionato dalla politica interna di due Stati membri, ma l'intera Unione potrebbe dover pagare il prezzo della sua mancata conclusione. Milan Horáček a nome del gruppo Verts/ALE. - (DE) Sono soddisfatto di quest'ottima ed equilibrata relazione dell'onorevole Swoboda, che costituisce un segnale positivo per la Croazia e per la regione nel suo complesso. Nonostante tutti i concreti sforzi compiuti, non dobbiamo però dimenticare che la Croazia deve ancora compiere riforme globali in alcune aree problematiche prima di poter aderire all'UE. In ultima analisi, i fatti sono l'unico parametro attendibile per valutare il livello di preparazione di un paese all'adesione, che si può giudicare ad esempio in base alla soluzione dei problemi frontalieri ancora in sospeso, alla lotta alla corruzione, alla riforma amministrativa e al rispetto dei diritti dell'uomo. La cooperazione con il Tribunale penale internazionale per l'ex Jugoslavia è un altro parametro che consente di valutare il grado di preparazione del paese. I partiti politici, la società civile e i media devono compiere sforzi a più lungo termine sia per ottenere il sostegno della popolazione che per integrare le minoranze nazionali e sessuali nella vita sociale e politica. Apprezzo molto la decisione di nominare vice Primo Ministro un rappresentante della minoranza serba. Nel settore della tutela ambientale, tuttavia, resta ancora molto da fare per garantire uno sviluppo ecologicamente sostenibile in linea con gli obiettivi comunitari. Sostenere la Croazia nel raggiungimento di tale traguardo è un compito che sarò lieto di promuovere. Diamanto Manolakou a nome del gruppo GUE/NGL. - (EL) Signor Presidente, noi, eurodeputati del partito comunista greco, non voteremo a favore dell'allargamento dell'UE finalizzato all'integrazione dell'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia e della Croazia. Siamo contrari al rafforzamento di un'Unione europea capitalista e guerrafondaia. Dopo lo smembramento della Jugoslavia ad opera della ΝΑΤΟ e dell'UE, vengono architettati piani imperialistici volti a spostare i confini nei Balcani e a creare protettorati che rafforzano gli imperialisti e dividono le persone. La più grande base USA in Europa è in fase di costituzione ed espansione su territori delimitati arbitrariamente tra l'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia e la provincia serba del Kosovo, dove è atteso l'arrivo delle forze UE. Questa situazione determina l'intensificarsi delle rivalità nella regione. All'ultimo Vertice NATO, Albania e Croazia sono state invitate a entrare nell'Alleanza atlantica, invito che invece non è stato rivolto all'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia. Questa è la dimostrazione dello spiacevole ricatto di cui sono vittima gli Stati balcanici e la Grecia, volto ad assoggettarli agli interessi imperialisti. Per quanto riguarda il nome, siamo favorevoli a una soluzione geograficamente definita accettabile per tutti, ben lontana dall'asservimento e da nazionalismi scissionistici, alla pace, a confini stabili e alla tutela della sovranità degli Stati. E' necessaria una lotta comune del popolo contro le organizzazioni imperialiste che lo dividono e lo sfruttano. Georgios Georgiou a nome del gruppo IND/DEM. - (EL) Signor Presidente, l'eco del Vertice NATO di Bucarest è giunto in Parlamento. E' confortante che alla fine l'Europa abbia preso posizione su una questione che la riguarda, poiché in genere si è poco inclini a sbilanciarsi quando a prendere le decisioni sono gli altri. Credo dunque che tutte le parti abbiano imparato un'utile lezione, specialmente l'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia. Questa nuova repubblica non è ancora pratica della diplomazia europea; infatti, ha riposto le sue speranze nell'adesione alla NATO basandosi semplicemente sulle promesse degli Stati Uniti e su infantili e false speranze di liberazione dall'asservimento. Nei negoziati tra gli Stati europei non si dovrebbe mai ricorrere alla provocazione e al fanatismo. Le decisioni non vanno prese sulla base immaginaria di ascendenze, culture e storia dei paesi vicini; occorre invece agire in uno spirito di consenso, comprensione e soprattutto onestà per trovare una soluzione e non peggiorare i problemi esistenti. Un approccio positivo sarà vantaggioso per l'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia, di cui speriamo si agevolerà l'ingresso sia nella NATO che nell'UE. Se la FYROM si rifiuterà di accettare il nome che si è deciso di attribuirle e persisterà nella sua opposizione, si renderà conto che esistono ostacoli alla sua adesione, poiché con questo comportamento mette a repentaglio i suoi stessi sforzi. Pregiudicando i suoi sforzi ora, forse pregiudicherà anche il suo futuro. Dimitar Stoyanov (BG) Come l'onorevole Meijer certamente saprà, "Macedonia” e "nazione macedone” sono espressioni create da una direttiva dell'Internazionale comunista nel 1934. Dopo la guerra, le idee del macedonismo sono state fatte proprie e imposte con il pugno di ferro dal partito comunista jugoslavo e in seguito sono state integrate nel concetto di Grande Serbia. Tra queste idee figura una veemente propaganda della bulgarofobia. In Macedonia, molti cittadini che sono consapevoli della loro identità etnica bulgara vengono perseguitati a causa del desiderio di definirsi bulgari. Ogni anno, a Skopje, la lapide commemorativa della donna bulgara Mara Buneva, che aveva combattuto per la libertà della Macedonia e che è stata denominata "la Charlotte Corday macedone” dalla stampa francese, viene profanata. Nel 2007 questa profanazione è stata accompagnata da violenze fisiche ai danni di cittadini bulgari e macedoni che si considerano bulgari etnici. E' ormai tempo che il governo macedone moderi queste manifestazioni d'odio nei confronti dei bulgari perché tali atteggiamenti non appartengono all'Unione europea. Grazie. Anna Ibrisagic (SV) Grazie, signor Presidente. La relazione è valida in ogni sua parte. E' equilibrata e fornisce una descrizione oggettiva degli sviluppi in Macedonia, elogiando i risultati raggiunti e chiedendo di dedicare un altro po' di tempo a ciò che resta da fare. Tuttavia, come è accaduto tante volte in passato, il dibattito verte esclusivamente sull'esposizione dei nostri pareri in merito alla disputa sul nome del paese anziché sull'individuazione di soluzioni volte a favorire la tempestiva adesione della Macedonia all'UE. Conosciamo tutti l'esito del Vertice di Bucarest. Non intendo pronunciarmi su chi ha avuto torto e chi ragione o su chi avesse i maggiori interessi nazionali da difendere, ma devo dire che in politica estera non si tratta solo di attribuire meriti e colpe. Obiettivo della politica estera è individuare le soluzioni migliori a favore della pace e della sicurezza all'interno del proprio paese o della propria regione e, nel nostro caso, in Europa. A tal fine occorrono un insieme di buona volontà, compromesso, diplomazia e chiara leadership. Aver impedito a un paese dell'Europa meridionale di diventare membro della NATO quando se n'è presentata la possibilità non è stata, a mio parere, una mossa particolarmente saggia, alla luce della complessa situazione in cui versano attualmente i Balcani e di tutte le sfide con cui siamo confrontati: l'indipendenza del Kosovo, che è un fatto compiuto, le dimissioni del governo e l'indizione di nuove elezioni in Serbia e le riforme della polizia tuttora in corso in Bosnia. Tuttavia, bloccare l'adesione di un paese balcanico all'UE, o anche semplicemente pensare di farlo, non è solo insensato ma anche del tutto rischioso! Soltanto tre ore fa ho parlato con un collega eurodeputato che ha detto: "Se non faranno come vogliamo noi, possiamo bloccare non solo la loro adesione alla NATO, ma anche all'UE. La legge ci autorizza a farlo”. La mia reazione è dire: allora dobbiamo modificare la legge! Le leggi non sono state sicuramente create per bloccarci, ostacolarci o ricattarci l'un l'altro, bensì per procedere insieme in un'Europa pacifica e sicura nel miglior modo possibile. Sono fermamente convinta che, quanto prima i paesi balcanici aderiranno all'UE, tanto prima avremo un'Europa sicura. E' assolutamente indubbio che la Macedonia appartiene all'Europa e che deve aderire al più presto all'Unione europea. Vi esorto a sostenere la relazione. Borut Pahor (SL) Per quanto riguarda la relazione sulla Croazia, sia quest'Assemblea che la Commissione europea hanno pressoché entusiasticamente accolto la notizia della decisione di sospendere l'introduzione di una Zona di protezione ittico-ambientale da parte del parlamento croato. Sembra inoltre che, in virtù di tale decisione, la Croazia possa essere ricompensata con un'accelerazione dei negoziati. Benché io desideri che la Croazia possa comunque aderire al più presto all'Unione europea, vorrei far presente all'Assemblea, e in particolare al relatore, onorevole Hannes Swoboda, che le azioni unilaterali della Repubblica di Croazia riguardo ai suoi confini con i paesi limitrofi non sono l'eccezione ma la regola. L'unico fatto eccezionale di questa vicenda è che, una volta tanto, la Croazia ha dovuto ritirare la sua azione unilaterale poiché è stata posta dinanzi a una scelta: o l'Unione europea o l'isolamento nazionalistico. Ed è a tale proposito che questa pressione si è rivelata utile, e mi auguro che l'onorevole Swoboda e anche la Commissione europea e la Presidenza continuino a insistere sulla politica secondo cui non si devono ricompensare le azioni avviate unilateralmente dalla Repubblica di Croazia in merito alla determinazione dei confini con i paesi limitrofi. Jelko Kacin (SL) Il modo migliore per stabilizzare questa parte dei Balcani è che l'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia compia progressi e si avvicini all'Unione europea. Il buon esito dei negoziati aiuterà tutti gli altri paesi limitrofi a compiere ulteriori sforzi per ottenere lo status di paese candidato. Affinché sia possibile risolvere la disputa sul nome, sono necessarie iniziative esterne. Oltre alla perseveranza, occorrono atti simbolici sia a Skopje che ad Atene. E' ormai giunto il momento di cercare un nome meno provocatorio per l'aeroporto di Skopje e di condannare l'irrispettoso trattamento riservato alla bandiera greca. Altre eventuali difficoltà e la discriminazione subita da chi detiene un passaporto macedone in occasione del rilascio di visti greci sono tuttavia altrettanto inammissibili. Nell'Unione europea stiamo costruendo una comunità di Stati post-nazionali moderni. Il rispetto reciproco delle differenze e delle identità nazionali è anche sinonimo di rispetto dei diritti umani fondamentali. Solo così potremo evitare, o almeno limitare, le eventuali conseguenze negative che possono scaturire dalla sensazione che la propria nazionalità sia minacciata. Dobbiamo abolire il regime dei visti per tutti i paesi della regione. Sono tuttavia necessarie anche una soluzione rapida e permanente alla questione del nome del paese e un'alleanza globale tra l'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia e la Repubblica greca. Pace e stabilità e una rapida e riuscita integrazione euroatlantica sono nell'interesse sia degli Stati che delle nazioni. Tuttavia, signor Commissario e signor Presidente in carica del Consiglio, la Presidenza slovena deve iscrivere la questione macedone all'ordine del giorno del prossimo vertice. Non vi è alcun motivo di aspettare fino all'autunno. Ancora un'osservazione sulla Croazia: con l'introduzione della Zona di protezione ittico-ambientale, la politica croata è caduta nella sua stessa trappola. In futuro simili sorprese non saranno possibili. Se questa vicenda è stata di insegnamento a qualcuno, ben venga, ma, se nessuno ha imparato alcunché, tutte le parole e le promesse sulla conclusione dei negoziati nel 2009 sono solo polvere negli occhi. Nessuno ha bisogno di polvere negli occhi, né i cittadini né l'economia né i paesi vicini né l'Unione europea. Abbiamo invece bisogno di un successo; per la realizzazione di qualsivoglia successo, tuttavia, occorre osservare il principio pacta sunt servanda (i patti vanno rispettati). Hanna Foltyn-Kubicka (PL) Signor Presidente, nell'effettuare un'analisi costruttiva dei progressi compiuti dalla Croazia, l'Unione europea non deve solo fissare condizioni, ma offrire anche tutto l'aiuto possibile, tenendo presenti l'esperienza degli altri Stati europei, le specificità della regione e il fresco ricordo della guerra tuttora impresso nella mente del popolo croato. L'integrazione della penisola balcanica senza la Croazia non è fattibile. Va inoltre rilevato che dagli ultimi due anni di cooperazione sono scaturiti risultati inaspettatamente positivi, elemento senza dubbio propizio per il processo di integrazione nell'Unione europea. Ovviamente esistono aree in cui è necessaria un'azione più determinata. A mio avviso, tuttavia, occorre rendere merito agli sforzi compiuti da questo Stato e l'intera Unione europea deve sostenere tale azione. Negli ultimi due anni la Croazia ha compiuto progressi lodevoli nella maggior parte delle materie disciplinate dal diritto comunitario. Vorrei pertanto esprimere la convinzione e la speranza che, con l'impegno reciproco e l'opportuno sostegno degli altri Stati membri, sarà possibile portare brillantemente a termine i negoziati per tempo e in questo modo concludere il trattato di adesione prima delle elezioni al Parlamento europeo del giugno 2009. Angelika Beer (DE) Signor Presidente, porgo un caloroso benvenuto ai nostri omologhi macedoni che assistono a questo dibattito. Il Commissario Rehn ha affermato che stiamo incoraggiando la Macedonia a progredire nel processo di riforma. "Sì”, diciamo tutti all'unisono, "vogliamo che i negoziati vengano aperti quest'anno”. Tuttavia, permane la necessità di fare nomi. Il partito che ha impedito alla Macedonia di assumere impegni nell'ambito dell'Alleanza atlantica è la Grecia, che ha posto il veto all'adesione del paese alla NATO. Esiste innegabilmente una disputa sul nome, ma non possiamo ignorare il fatto che, nel 1995, la Grecia ha formulato una dichiarazione vincolante, valida ai sensi del diritto internazionale, convenendo che la disputa sul nome non avrebbe mai costituito un ostacolo all'adesione della Macedonia alla comunità internazionale, all'UE o alla NATO. La Grecia ha violato questo accordo vincolante a livello internazionale e, se vogliamo imporre riforme in proposito, dico che è la Grecia a non rispettare i criteri europei e non la Macedonia. Questo è un passo indietro, è un affronto per un piccolo Stato che sta davvero facendo tutto il possibile per rispettare i nostri parametri e avviare i negoziati. Pertanto, onorevole Swoboda, vorrei anche aggiungere che il trucco di fermare o di rinviare di nuovo la votazione di domani rischia di destabilizzare il governo della Macedonia, poiché incoraggia le forze nazionalistiche. Il vero problema è che la Grecia è un paese alleato che rifiuta categoricamente di riconoscere qualsivoglia minoranza all'interno del suo paese. Questo comportamento viola i criteri di Copenaghen, creando una situazione imbarazzante per l'Unione europea e per l'Alleanza atlantica. Auguro alla Macedonia tutto il coraggio possibile per i prossimi passi che compierà nonostante la Grecia. Andreas Mölzer (DE) Signor Presidente, non solo la Croazia è culturalmente e storicamente ancorata all'Europa centrale, ma soddisfa già anche tutti i criteri di adesione. Di conseguenza, non dobbiamo porre inutili ostacoli sul suo cammino. Con la soluzione della controversia sulla pesca, la Croazia ha confermato ancora una volta di essere pronta per l'adesione all'UE, e il governo croato sta intensificando anche gli sforzi volti a combattere la corruzione. Ciononostante, la rapida ammissione della Croazia, che ora è alla portata di questo paese, non deve a mio avviso portare all'ingresso automatico di alcun altro Stato. E' generalmente risaputo che la Macedonia deve combattere non solo con la corruzione, ma anche con problemi economici e con lo Stato di diritto. In particolare, per quanto riguarda la dichiarazione di indipendenza del Kosovo, resta da vedere se nel lungo periodo la pace etnica con la minoranza albanese potrà continuare. Non dobbiamo ripetere gli errori dei precedenti processi di allargamento. A mio parere l'UE deve rendersi finalmente conto che i conflitti irrisolti, le differenze culturali e i problemi socioeconomici non spariscono nel nulla con l'adesione. Pál Schmitt (HU) Grazie, signor Presidente. Come presidente della commissione parlamentare mista UE-Croazia, ritengo che negli ultimi mesi il processo di integrazione euroatlantica della Croazia sia stato caratterizzato da una favorevole successione di eventi. Alcune settimane fa, il Presidente Barroso ha delineato la tabella di marcia per la conclusione dei negoziati di adesione entro l'autunno, mentre la settimana scorsa la Croazia è stata invitata a entrare nella NATO. Entrambi gli sviluppi dimostrano che la Croazia è sulla strada giusta e la comunità internazionale sta ricompensando gli sforzi del governo croato. Non è una coincidenza che, per la prima volta da molto tempo a questa parte, in Croazia i dati dell'Eurobarometro siano stati nuovamente superiori al 60 per cento. Credo inoltre che, con un comportamento apprezzabile e saggio, gli amici croati abbiano deciso di non applicare la Zona di protezione ittico-ambientale agli Stati membri dell'Unione europea nell'interesse dell'adesione della Croazia all'UE. Quanto alla questione dell'indipendenza del Kosovo, il governo Sanader ha analogamente seguito la strada della moderazione allineandosi alla maggioranza degli Stati membri UE e riconoscendo l'indipendenza del Kosovo. Signor Presidente, il fatto che alla minoranza serbo-croata sia stato attribuito l'incarico di vice Primo Ministro nell'attuale gabinetto ha contribuito in grande misura - come altri hanno già rilevato - alla stabilità della regione e alla pace fra i vari gruppi etnici. Credo che da parte del Primo Ministro sloveno sia ingiusto dichiarare che non escluderà la possibilità di porre il veto all'adesione della Croazia all'UE a causa della questione frontaliera tra i due paesi. L'allargamento dell'Unione europea e il destino di una nazione non devono dipendere dalla soluzione di una controversia bilaterale sulle frontiere. La relazione contiene un messaggio positivo poiché riconosce i progressi compiuti dalla Croazia riguardo alla stabilità della regione dei Balcani occidentali, riguardo all'impegno profuso al fine di garantire che l'economia del paese sia pronta a competere a livello comunitario nonché riguardo alle riforme istituzionali e all'adozione della legislazione UE. Accanto agli aspetti positivi, tuttavia, la relazione non manca di citare le sfide con cui siamo confrontati: riforma del sistema giudiziario, lotta alla criminalità organizzata e alla corruzione, conclusione della questione del rimpatrio dei profughi e soluzione o attenuamento delle tensioni bilaterali. Mi congratulo con il relatore, onorevole Swoboda. Józef Pinior (EN) Signor Presidente, innanzitutto vorrei congratularmi con Hannes Swoboda ed Erik Meijer per le loro relazioni sui progressi compiuti nel 2007 dalla Croazia e dall'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia rispettivamente. Entrambi i testi sono ottimi. In qualità di relatore ombra del gruppo socialista per la relazione sull'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia, desidero ringraziare l'onorevole Meijer per la seria e onesta collaborazione prestata durante la stesura di questo documento. La relazione sull'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia elogia i traguardi raggiunti nell'attuazione dell'accordo quadro di Ohrid, che verte sull'aspetto politico delle relazioni interetniche. La relazione formula osservazioni sulle prestazioni economiche, l'adozione di molte leggi cruciali sui pubblici ministeri e i progressi compiuti nella lotta alla corruzione. Quanto agli aspetti negativi, deploriamo la firma dell'accordo bilaterale di immunità da parte dell'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia con gli Stati Uniti, che concede l'esenzione dalla giurisdizione del Tribunale penale internazionale in violazione delle norme e delle politiche dell'Unione europea. La relazione esorta l'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia e la Grecia a intensificare gli sforzi per risolvere la disputa sul nome del paese, controversia che non deve assolutamente costituire un ostacolo all'adesione dell'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia alle organizzazioni internazionali. Per quanto riguarda la questione del nome, la relazione non critica alcuna delle due parti, ma si limita a incoraggiarle entrambe a proseguire i negoziati, nonostante l'esito del Vertice NATO svoltosi a Bucarest la settimana scorsa. Fortunatamente ieri, in seno alla commissione parlamentare per gli affari esteri, Javier Solana ha dichiarato che i negoziati sul nome continueranno. Con il consenso di entrambe le parti, la NATO può decidere di invitare immediatamente l'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia, anche a livello di ambasciatori, e pertanto sarà necessario indire un nuovo vertice. L'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia potrebbe ottenere una data per l'avvio dei negoziati di adesione quest'anno. Il Parlamento europeo deve promuovere decisamente l'integrazione del paese nell'UE. Johannes Lebech (DA) Signor Presidente, quando parliamo dei Balcani, dobbiamo considerare la regione come un tutt'uno. L'obiettivo a lungo termine dell'UE è l'adesione di tutti i paesi balcanici. Per la realizzazione di tale obiettivo, occorrono risultati anche da parte dei paesi stessi. Un futuro europeo comune è il compito congiunto degli Stati membri e di tutti i paesi balcanici. Noi paesi nordici non siamo estranei ai conflitti storici, ma ora stiamo lavorando insieme. I Balcani, come la regione nordica, sono uniti in tutto e per tutto da una storia comune, lingue comuni e da una cultura comune. Deve dunque essere possibile avviare un processo di cooperazione volto a garantire la pace e la stabilità. Attualmente esistono molti accordi di cooperazione tra i paesi della regione. Perché non compiere un ulteriore passo avanti? Prendendo ispirazione dalla cooperazione nordica, i paesi balcanici potrebbero istituire un forum di cooperazione sulla falsariga del Consiglio nordico o del Consiglio degli Stati del Mar Baltico. Intensificando l'attuale cooperazione politica regionale tramite l'istituzione di un Consiglio balcanico, questi paesi potranno avviare una cooperazione pratica e lungimirante, che offrirà l'opportunità di stabilizzare la regione e di preparare meglio all'adesione quei paesi che non sono ancora Stati membri o paesi candidati ufficiali. Ryszard Czarnecki (PL) Signor Presidente, la Croazia, un'antica nazione europea che vanta una lunga storia e una cultura interessante, deve poter entrare al più presto nella famiglia europea delle nazioni nota come Unione europea. La Croazia, paese candidato all'adesione all'UE, paradossalmente ha una storia più antica di alcuni degli Stati fondatori della Comunità europea, come Belgio e Lussemburgo. Zagabria e Spalato sono località tipicamente europee, mentre Dubrovnik è un gioiello della corona culturale dell'Europa. La maggior parte degli oratori intervenuti nel corso di questo dibattito, me compreso, indossa la cravatta. Vale la pena di ricordare che le cravatte sono state inventate dai croati e occorre altresì sottolineare qui, in seno al Parlamento europeo, cui sta tanto a cuore la libertà, che il porto croato di Dubrovnik è stato il primo in Europa a vietare il commercio di schiavi all'inizio del XV secolo. Date le circostanze, non abbiamo nemmeno il diritto morale di ostacolare l'accesso della Croazia all'Unione. Presidente (FR) Il fatto che io presieda la seduta senza indossare la cravatta non ha evidentemente nulla a che vedere con il punto iscritto all'ordine del giorno. Antonios Trakatellis (EL) Signor Presidente, la relazione Meijer e le risoluzioni unanimi della commissione parlamentare mista UE-ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia sottolineano entrambe i tre passi fondamentali che la FYROM ha compiuto verso l'Europa. Il primo passo, ovviamente, riguarda l'adempimento dei criteri di adesione e il rispetto dell'acquis comunitario. Nonostante i progressi compiuti, l'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia deve procedere lungo la strada delle riforme, come evidenziato dalla relazione Meijer e da varie altre relazioni della Commissione europea. Il secondo passo riguarda le politiche interne e la coesione sociale. Il paese deve continuare ad attenersi all'accordo di Ohrid, specialmente per quanto riguarda gli albanesi nonché le altre minoranze presenti in questo paese multietnico. Il terzo passo è il superamento delle divergenze tra la FYROM e i suoi vicini in conformità della dichiarazione di Salisburgo. Vorrei sottolineare che la Grecia era - e continua a essere - in prima linea negli sforzi finalizzati all'adesione di tutti gli Stati balcanici alle strutture euroatlantiche; è infatti fermamente convinta che tutti beneficeranno dello sviluppo dei paesi della regione. Per la Grecia, tuttavia, la questione del nome non è soltanto un problema storico, psicologico o emotivo. Si tratta di un autentico problema politico per tutti i cittadini greci, poiché riguarda i valori europei del buon vicinato e della cooperazione regionale. Permettetemi di ricordarvi che la Grecia ha accettato che all'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia venisse accordato lo status di paese candidato all'adesione a patto ovviamente di pervenire a una soluzione negoziata della questione del nome accettabile per entrambi i paesi, conformemente alla disposizione di cui alla comunicazione della Commissione COM(2007)663. Vorrei infine rilevare che, anche dopo che a Bucarest si è deciso di rinviare l'invito di adesione alla NATO all'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia, in attesa che venga risolta la questione del nome, la Grecia è favorevole al proseguimento dei negoziati. Di fatto, è giunta al generoso compromesso di suggerire un nome composto accettabile; all'altra parte, quindi, non resta altro che venire incontro alla Grecia. In conclusione, signor Presidente, voglio credere che sarà possibile giungere a un compromesso sui pochi punti che devono ancora essere chiariti; in questo modo a Strasburgo potremo procedere con la votazione. Ioan Mircea Paşcu (EN) Signora Presidente, la Croazia ha una vocazione europea, come dimostrano il recente invito a entrare nella NATO e gli attuali negoziati di adesione all'UE. Si tratta di un traguardo notevole per un paese che solo un decennio fa era praticamente in guerra. Al tempo stesso, tuttavia, questo risultato non è sufficiente a eliminare le sfide che Croazia e Unione europea devono ancora affrontare per il completamento dei negoziati. Il calendario è estremamente serrato; in pratica, ogni giorno è importante, a prescindere dalle differenti date proposte per la conclusione del processo. Tuttavia, quando qualche tempo fa mi sono recato a Zagabria a capo della delegazione della commissione per gli affari esteri, mi sono reso conto della determinazione delle autorità croate a risolvere questi problemi e a ottenere l'adesione. A tale proposito, la recente decisione del parlamento croato di sospendere l'applicazione della Zona di protezione ittico-ambientale (ZERP) agli Stati membri, in seguito alla visita del Commissario Rehn, costituisce sia una prova di tale determinazione sia un passo importante nella giusta direzione. Sono convinto che, quando disporrà dell'adeguata capacità amministrativa per attuare la legislazione prevista, la Croazia sarà, in seno sia all'UE che alla NATO, un solido fattore di stabilità e progresso in un'area che richiede tuttora la nostra piena attenzione. Mi congratulo con l'onorevole Swoboda per tutto il lavoro svolto, evidenziato dalla relazione. Lena Ek (SV) Grazie, signora Presidente. La Croazia svolge un ruolo fondamentale nello sviluppo democratico dei Balcani occidentali ed è estremamente importante che il processo continui. Abbiamo constatato che, per ragioni comprensibili, ha subito un leggero rallentamento durante la campagna elettorale croata e la formazione di un nuovo governo, ma ora spero davvero che il processo riacquisti velocità. Come hanno rilevato precedenti oratori, il calendario è estremamente serrato. Sono favorevole alla revoca temporanea delle restrizioni nella Zona di protezione ittico-ambientale dell'Adriatico. Si tratta di un segnale positivo per le relazioni tra Slovenia, Italia e Croazia, ma le considerazioni di carattere ambientale devono continuare a rivestire una grande importanza nel trattamento da noi riservato a questo ambiente marino unico. La Croazia ha ancora molto da fare riguardo alla riforma del sistema giuridico e del processo giudiziario. Decisamente troppe persone devono ancora aspettare oltremodo a lungo prima che venga emessa una sentenza sulle loro cause. Occorre dare la priorità alla soluzione di questo problema e sviluppare ed espandere la capacità amministrativa del paese. Infine, accolgo con favore il lavoro svolto dal comitato del parlamento croato incaricato di vegliare sull'andamento dei negoziati con l'Unione europea, presieduto dalla mia cara amica Vesna Pusić. Ora ci auguriamo che i negoziati siano ottimi e che possano essere conclusi rapidamente. Doris Pack (DE) Signora Presidente, la relazione dell'onorevole Swoboda è incoraggiante, realistica ed equilibrata e, pertanto, mi congratulo con lui. Illustra i progressi compiuti dalla Croazia, come la sua esemplare legislazione sulle minoranze, la sua costruttiva cooperazione con il Tribunale dell'Aia, il suo maggiore impegno nella lotta alla corruzione e soprattutto l'accordo di parlamento e governo sulla zona di protezione ittico-ambientale, che è stato particolarmente difficile da raggiungere. Croazia e Commissione europea ora devono fare ricorso a tutte le loro risorse per negoziare in maniera rapida e soddisfacente i prossimi capitoli. Un arbitro internazionale dovrebbe finalmente riuscire a risolvere i problemi frontalieri tra Slovenia e Croazia. La Croazia ha un ruolo fondamentale da svolgere nella regione e deve essere ammessa presto nell'Unione europea. Le questioni bilaterali non devono costituire un ostacolo. Per quanto riguarda la Macedonia, posso dirvi che nel fine settimana ho assistito a una conferenza in loco e che si respira davvero un clima di grande agitazione dopo il rifiuto della NATO. I cittadini ritengono che sia stato riservato loro un trattamento ingiusto. La relazione dell'onorevole Meijer illustra il cammino accidentato che il paese ha già percorso con successo. Ovviamente resta ancora moltissimo da fare, ma, quando la questione del nome grava continuamente su tutto come una spada di Damocle, è difficile compiere progressi in altre aree politiche. Seguo la situazione dal 1992 e vorrei che Macedonia e Grecia trovassero finalmente una soluzione alla controversia sul nome, specialmente per i giovani. Nelle ultime settimane ambedue le parti hanno fatto concessioni ed entrambe devono compiere un ulteriore passo avanti per avvicinarsi l'una all'altra. A mio avviso sarebbe incompatibile con i nostri valori europei e di fatto irresponsabile se un veto dovesse nuovamente fornire l'occasione di impedire l'adesione del paese all'UE. Questo non deve succedere! Gyula Hegyi (EN) Signora Presidente, sono molto deluso dalle attuali relazioni tra l'Occidente e la Macedonia. In tutta onestà, il popolo macedone merita un trattamento nettamente migliore da parte nostra. Con l'indipendenza del Kosovo e il recente fallimento dell'adesione alla NATO, la situazione è persino più complicata. In Macedonia sono presenti elementi separatisti da una parte e nazionalisti dall'altra che cercano di minacciare la stabilità del paese, e la decisione di Bucarest non agevola affatto la situazione. Gli amici macedoni, tuttavia, forse possono trarre almeno una lezione da Bucarest. Non basta avere il sostegno degli Stati Uniti. Molte decisioni dipendono dal comune accordo degli Stati membri, non solo in seno all'Unione europea, ma anche all'interno della NATO, e qualsiasi Stato membro può porre il proprio veto. Alla luce degli ultimi eventi la Macedonia deve rivedere la sua posizione sull'esenzione degli Stati Uniti dalla giurisdizione del Tribunale penale internazionale. Sono stati commessi molti errori da entrambe le parti - da noi e dai politici macedoni -, ma non possiamo punire i comuni cittadini per i nostri errori. Ecco perché, almeno nell'ambito della liberalizzazione dei visti dobbiamo agire rapidamente, aiutando il popolo macedone a viaggiare, imparare e ad avere contatti più stretti con la vita quotidiana europea. Tre anni e mezzo fa, quando sono stato eletto vicepresidente della commissione parlamentare mista UE-Macedonia, avevo molti progetti ottimistici sul miglioramento delle nostre relazioni. Ben poche di queste idee si sono tradotte in realtà. Mi auguro che potremo compiere un passo avanti almeno nell'ambito della liberalizzazione dei visti. Maria Eleni Koppa (EL) Signora Presidente, la Grecia ha costantemente sostenuto le prospettive europee della FYROM, al cui sviluppo economico ha contribuito. Abbiamo lavorato sistematicamente per trovare una soluzione accettabile al problema del nome sotto gli auspici dell'ONU. La Grecia ha compiuto passi importanti e ora è favorevole a un nome composto con un'indicazione geografica universalmente vincolante erga omnes. L'altra parte, purtroppo, non si è mostrata altrettanto disponibile. In seguito all'esito del Vertice NATO di Bucarest, è nell'interesse di tutte le parti proseguire i colloqui e giungere a un accordo il più rapidamente possibile. Il mancato invito della NATO non comporta un rifiuto dell'adesione, ma indica la necessità di trovare una soluzione. Credo che, a tale proposito, il testo originale della relazione elaborata dal collega, onorevole Meijer, fosse equilibrato. Purtroppo, a causa degli emendamenti adottati, la relazione sulla questione del nome è stata stravolta. Esortiamo i colleghi parlamentari a non accettare formule che interferiscano con il processo negoziale in corso, che sta entrando nella fase più cruciale. Zita Pleštinská (SK) Senza l'adesione dei paesi dell'Europa sudorientale all'UE non possiamo parlare del successo dell'integrazione europea. Durante la guerra fredda l'ex Jugoslavia era il bastione della libertà e molti emigranti, compresi coloro che avevano vissuto nell'ex Cecoslovacchia totalitaria, fuggivano in Occidente proprio attraverso il paese che rappresentava un avvertimento per l'ex Unione Sovietica e i suoi paesi satellite. In risposta a una domanda sulle questioni frontaliere tra Slovenia e Croazia che ho rivolto al Consiglio, quest'ultimo mi ha informato di avere adottato un partenariato per l'adesione riveduto con la Croazia, la cui attuazione è il requisito principale affinché sia possibile compiere progressi nel processo negoziale. Accolgo con favore la relazione dell'onorevole Hannes Swoboda, che mi fa sentire ottimista. Come il relatore, anch'io sono convinta che, se continuerà con i progressi che ha già compiuto nel processo di integrazione, la Croazia soddisferà tutti i criteri di adesione all'Unione europea e diventerà un importante catalizzatore per tutti gli altri paesi dei Balcani occidentali. Pierre Pribetich (FR) Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, vorrei congratularmi con il collega, onorevole Swoboda, per il lavoro svolto e la qualità della sua relazione, imparziale ed equilibrata, che ha evidenziato i progressi compiuti, in particolare con la Legge costituzionale sulle minoranze nazionali, e il lavoro che resta ancora da svolgere, come il necessario rafforzamento del sistema giudiziario. Siamo lieti che la Repubblica croata abbia abbandonato la Zona di protezione ittico-ambientale nell'Adriatico, che era fonte di tensioni in seno all'Unione europea. Si tratta di un gesto altamente simbolico, sempre che esista un concetto simile, che dimostra quanto la Croazia sia ansiosa di aderire all'Unione europea. "Non esiste l'amore, esistono solo prove d'amore”, disse Jean Cocteau. Con il suo gesto, la Croazia ha applicato questa massima alla nostra situazione. Dal canto nostro dobbiamo rispettare l'obiettivo della firma del trattato di adesione nel luglio 2009, una data simbolica e un traguardo ambizioso. Non esiste politica senza simbolismo. Affermiamo questo concetto, inviamo questo forte messaggio e mostriamo al popolo croato, mostriamo alla Croazia quanto siamo impazienti di accoglierli nella famiglia europea, poiché la loro adesione è un simbolo forte non solo per il paese, ma anche per la stabilità dei Balcani e per la pace. Raddoppiamo dunque gli sforzi per realizzare questo obiettivo. Aiutiamo la Commissione e la Croazia lungo questo cammino. Zdzisław Zbigniew Podkański (PL) Signora Presidente, ho chiesto di poter intervenire sulla questione della Croazia e della Macedonia al fine di evidenziare la complessità della situazione nei Balcani e la necessità di condurre una politica calma ed equilibrata. Il dramma di Serbia e Kosovo deve metterci in guardia dall'adottare decisioni affrettate. Lo stesso dramma potrebbe verificarsi anche in Macedonia, dove vivono molti albanesi. Questo rischio è stato scongiurato grazie alla saggezza dei leader delle parti interessate. Dobbiamo agire sulla base di questa esperienza positiva e sostenerla, senza istigare gli altri - contro la loro volontà, con la forza, senza spiegare il motivo delle azioni intraprese. Giorgos Dimitrakopoulos (EL) Signora Presidente, innanzitutto vorrei dire che condivido appieno le opinioni dell'onorevole Swoboda sulle prospettive di adesione della Croazia. In secondo luogo, per quanto riguarda la relazione dell'onorevole Meijer sull'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia, ringrazio il relatore per la sua disponibilità ad avviare i colloqui. Esorto tuttavia il governo e le forze politiche della FYROM a guardare al futuro e a compiere gli sforzi necessari per trovare una soluzione condivisibile alla questione del nome. La realizzazione di tale obiettivo permetterà all'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia di soddisfare il criterio delle relazioni di buon vicinato e spianerà la strada agli ulteriori progressi del paese verso l'adesione all'UE. Vorrei infine avallare la proposta dell'onorevole Swoboda di rinviare la votazione sulla relazione Meijer di circa una settimana per avere il tempo di esaminare con maggiore attenzione gli emendamenti di compromesso che sono stati presentati. Monika Beňová (SK) Sarò molto breve. La relazione del collega, onorevole Swoboda, individua molto chiaramente tutte le questioni che andavano affrontate e, a mio parere, evidenzia con altrettanta chiarezza l'esperienza politica e la professionalità del relatore. In qualità di vicepresidente di un parlamento regionale, vorrei dire che le singole regioni croate sono pronte a entrare a far parte dell'Unione europea. Gli attuali Stati membri stanno affrontando la questione non solo a livello nazionale con il governo croato, ma anche con le regioni della Croazia. A mio avviso, si tratta di una premessa incoraggiante per la partecipazione attiva delle regioni croate alle future politiche UE. Miloslav Ransdorf (CS) Non molto tempo fa Dimitrij Rupel ci aveva rassicurato sulla validità delle azioni intraprese dalla Presidenza slovena nei confronti del Kosovo. Le nostre previsioni si sono avverate: la crisi si è ampliata. In Macedonia, Thaçi ha recentemente provocato il crollo del governo di coalizione e ha chiesto federalizzazione, bilinguismo e riconoscimento della bandiera di Skanderbeg. I separatisti albanesi si comportano in maniera simile nella valle del Preševo, nel sud della Serbia, dove minacciano di boicottare le elezioni. Probabilmente la crisi raggiungerà il Montenegro. A mio avviso, dobbiamo aiutare la Macedonia, offrirle tutto l'aiuto di cui ha bisogno per essere un paese stabile, ma dobbiamo rifiutarci di fornire qualsivoglia aiuto ai separatisti albanesi, perché è evidente che il tentativo decennale di trasformare i terroristi in democratici è completamente fallito. Marios Matsakis (EN) Signora Presidente, la Grecia, paese membro di vecchia data dell'UE, e i suoi 11 milioni di cittadini ritengono che il nome del loro vicino, l'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia, costituisca un grave e legittimo problema, ed è nostro dovere rispettare tale preoccupazione. E' molto deludente che, sebbene proprio in questo momento la Grecia stia conducendo negoziati sulla questione con l'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia, alcuni eurodeputati e alcuni governi dell'UE abbiano già preso posizione e stiano inoltre esortando il Parlamento europeo a fare altrettanto, ossia a schierarsi ovviamente a favore dell'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia. Questo comportamento non è molto assennato, è sleale e non favorisce la politica di coesione dell'UE né agevola la situazione, poiché non solo renderà il governo dell'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia più intransigente riguardo alle rivendicazioni sul nome nei negoziati, ma impedirà altresì l'individuazione di una soluzione adeguata per molto tempo ancora. Ljudmila Novak (SL) Anch'io sono lieta che il nostro vicino, la Croazia, abbia sospeso l'attuazione della Zona di protezione ittico-ambientale, ovvero il principale ostacolo al proseguimento dei negoziati. Ciononostante, la Croazia deve essere seriamente avvisata che in seno all'Unione europea rispettiamo gli accordi e non ricorriamo ad azioni unilaterali. Tuttavia, non condivido gli eccessivi elogi che sono stati rivolti alla Croazia per la sospensione della Zona di protezione ittico-ambientale. All'inizio è stata la Croazia a creare il problema e ora le rivolgiamo lodi esagerate perché lo ha sospeso. Questo comportamento non può che incoraggiare il paese a cercare di risolvere altri problemi in maniera analoga. La Croazia è convinta di potere ottenere molto, poiché è consapevole che la sua adesione all'Unione europea gode di un notevole sostegno. La Slovenia ha sempre sostenuto l'adesione della Croazia all'Unione europea; tuttavia, se si considera che questo paese vende terreni di proprietà slovena, non possiamo condividere il suo comportamento in merito a questioni frontaliere irrisolte. Roger Helmer (EN) Signora Presidente, ritengo che questa relazione sia per metà troppo ottimistica. L'anno scorso ho passato una settimana molto intensa in Croazia, impegnato in riunioni con diplomatici, membri del mondo accademico, avvocati, imprenditori e rappresentanti di camere di commercio e mezzi di comunicazione. Ho ottenuto un quadro molto chiaro di un paese privo di un'economia di mercato adeguata e caratterizzato da un'eccessiva ingerenza governativa nelle attività del sistema giudiziario, dei media e delle imprese. Si tratta del cosiddetto capitalismo nepotistico. Il governo spende oltre il 50 per cento del PIL della Croazia. E' tutt'altro che un libero mercato nel senso in cui lo intendiamo noi. La Croazia deve garantire la trasparenza degli appalti pubblici, che sono soggetti a concussione. Deve garantire la piena divulgazione degli interessi nella programmazione delle decisioni, che al momento sono fonte di reddito solo per i funzionari. Disponiamo di un breve periodo per esortare la Croazia ad attuare le riforme prima dell'adesione. Non credo che lo stiamo utilizzando in maniera appropriata. Presidente E' molto significativo che il dibattito su questo argomento abbia suscitato tanto interesse, ma purtroppo erano previsti solo cinque minuti, e sono già passati. Christopher Beazley (EN) Signora Presidente, intervengo per una mozione di procedura. Rispetto appieno la sua decisione di circoscrivere questo dibattito entro un determinato limite temporale, ma forse l'interesse dimostrato dai parlamentari nell'ambito della procedura "catch the eye” potrebbe incoraggiare lei e anche i suoi colleghi a valutare l'ipotesi di prolungare il tempo a disposizione affinché i deputati possano discutere questioni di interesse europeo generale, che quindi non riguardano esclusivamente i membri di una determinata commissione. Sono molte le osservazioni che vorrei esprimere su Macedonia e Croazia, ma non mi è consentito farlo. Le metterò per iscritto e le invierò una copia personale. Presidente Alla luce del grande interesse dimostrato per la questione, abbiamo raddoppiato il tempo di parola. Di norma è di cinque minuti, ma in questa circostanza sono stati assegnati dieci minuti. La sua osservazione è tuttavia molto interessante. Quando riesamineremo i nostri metodi di lavoro potremo prevedere altre agevolazioni simili riguardo agli interventi dei parlamentari. Janez Lenarčič Vorrei innanzitutto esprimere, a nome del Consiglio, il mio consenso sulla dichiarazione del Commissario Rehn, il quale ha affermato che questo è un anno cruciale per il cammino della Croazia verso l'adesione all'Unione europea. Desidero ringraziare nuovamente il relatore, onorevole Hannes Swoboda, per il testo elaborato, in cui ha illustrato molto chiaramente la situazione attuale, il livello di sviluppo raggiunto e le sfide future. Ci auguriamo che la Croazia colga questa occasione e compia rapidi progressi. Il fatto è che i progressi dipenderanno essenzialmente dalla Croazia stessa, nonché dal ritmo e dalla qualità delle riforme che deve portare a termine. Mi preme precisare, onorevole Schmidt, che la Presidenza slovena gestirà l'agenda con la massima responsabilità. La Presidenza slovena sostiene i traguardi raggiunti dalla Croazia principalmente perché compiere i più rapidi progressi possibili verso l'adesione all'Unione europea è importante per il paese, ma anche perché è importante per l'UE e per l'intera regione. La gestione responsabile di questa agenda deve tuttavia basarsi sul quadro negoziale, che è stato concordato con la Croazia, sul partenariato di adesione riveduto recentemente adottato dal Consiglio UE e su altri atti giuridici dell'Unione europea. E' su questa base che ci auguriamo che la Croazia compia progressi quanto più rapidamente possibile, e la Presidenza slovena si adopererà a tal fine. Per quanto riguarda l'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia, gli onorevoli Wiersma, Berès e altri hanno citato il rischio dell'instabilità politica nel paese. La Presidenza slovena spera vivamente che tale ipotesi non si verifichi. Un'eventuale crisi politica o la possibile indizione di elezioni parlamentari anticipate rallenterebbero il necessario processo delle riforme per un paio di mesi. Vogliamo che, a prescindere dalle loro appartenenze politiche ed etniche, vengano preservate e rafforzate l'unità dei cittadini dell'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia nonché la loro identità di vedute sul futuro comune in seno all'Unione europea e alle strutture euroatlantiche. Un elemento altrettanto importante è che, con il ricongiungimento del partito albanese DPA alla coalizione di governo, la situazione politica interna è stata consolidata. Il momento di agire è questo, ma il tempo di cui disponiamo è limitato. Abbiamo tempo solo fino alla prossima relazione della Commissione europea, la relazione periodica sui progressi compiuti, che verrà presentata in autunno. E' importante proseguire il lavoro svolto in quest'ultimo periodo, al quale alla fine dell'anno è stata impressa un'ulteriore accelerazione, soprattutto perché è stato riavviato il dialogo politico e sono stati raggiunti risultati concreti nell'ambito delle riforme. E' stato istituito un Consiglio nazionale per l'integrazione europea ed è stato adottato un piano ambizioso per l'adempimento dei criteri del partenariato di adesione. Occorre proseguire su questa strada. La Presidenza slovena continuerà a fornire all'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia un sostegno decisivo lungo questo percorso. Vorrei concludere con la seguente osservazione: la questione della stabilità dei Balcani occidentali e la più rapida integrazione della regione nel quadro europeo devono continuare a figurare tra le principali priorità dell'Unione. La Presidenza slovena ha inserito la questione tra i suoi compiti prioritari. Ci auguriamo che venga accordata la stessa importanza al problema anche in futuro. Di fatto, ogni investimento nel futuro dei Balcani occidentali in Europa è anche un investimento nel futuro dell'Unione europea. Desidero esprimere la mia gratitudine agli Stati membri e agli onorevoli parlamentari per il vasto sostegno accordato alle prospettive europee dei Balcani occidentali nonché per i loro contributi al dibattito odierno. Grazie. Olli Rehn Membro della Commissione. - (EN) Signora Presidente, vorrei innanzitutto ringraziare i deputati per questo dibattito molto significativo, che a mio parere sottolinea l'importanza della prospettiva europea per i Balcani occidentali. Sono state sollevate diverse questioni di rilievo e in questa breve risposta posso commentarne solo alcune. Desidero altresì cogliere l'occasione per ringraziare la Presidenza slovena di avere inserito i Balcani occidentali tra le priorità chiave del suo mandato. Ritengo che la riunione informale dei ministri degli Esteri svoltasi a Brdo, in Slovenia, alcune settimane fa, sia stata molto importante; sicuramente, al pari di questo dibattito, ha impresso nuovo slancio e dinamismo alla nostra politica nei Balcani occidentali. A mio parere, ora siamo sulla strada giusta. La regione ha compiuto progressi costanti negli ultimi due anni e sono certo che, quando sarà possibile gestire bene i principali rischi di instabilità, come le conseguenze del processo sullo status del Kosovo o la fragilità della democrazia in Serbia, la regione avrà un brillante futuro dinanzi a sé, un futuro che è indubbiamente nell'Unione europea. La Presidenza ha già risposto alle osservazioni formulate in merito all'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia. Non posso che associarmi a tali affermazioni e dire che quest'anno il paese avrà buone possibilità di compiere uno storico passo avanti se agirà con determinazione e si impegnerà strenuamente ad attenersi ai parametri di adesione. E' incoraggiante che il governo macedone abbia istituito un piano d'azione per il rispetto dei criteri di adesione e un nuovo piano nazionale per l'adozione dell'acquis. Ora desidero esortare il paese ad attuare i propri piani e a spianare così la strada a una raccomandazione positiva da parte della Commissione nel prossimo autunno. Molti di voi hanno fatto riferimento alla liberalizzazione dei visti. Posso informarvi che attualmente la Commissione sta elaborando una tabella di marcia per la liberalizzazione dei visti per l'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia. A breve presenteremo una bozza del documento al paese e, poiché l'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia ha già compiuto notevoli progressi in molti settori, ad esempio riguardo ai passaporti biometrici, mi auguro che sarà in grado di ottemperare piuttosto rapidamente alle condizioni previste dalla tabella di marcia, realizzando così l'obiettivo di un regime di esenzione dal visto per i propri cittadini. Desidero inoltre comunicarvi che a breve - entro la fine di aprile - presenteremo una tabella di marcia simile per un regime di esenzione dal visto anche per la Serbia, questione che sta molto a cuore ai cittadini comuni di questo paese. Da parte nostra vogliamo agevolare la realizzazione di tale importante obiettivo. Per quanto riguarda la Croazia, prendo atto che una netta maggioranza del Parlamento europeo ha una visione realistica di ciò che il paese deve fare per riuscire a concludere i negoziati di adesione nel corso del 2009. Si tratta di un atteggiamento positivo, poiché i veri amici della Croazia non devono nascondere i problemi sotto il tappeto, ma dire francamente ciò che deve essere fatto e incoraggiare il paese ad attuare le necessarie riforme sul campo e senza indugi. Occorre intensificare gli sforzi in tal senso. L'onorevole Posselt ha chiesto un maggiore impegno da parte della Commissione e posso assicurargli che, quando anche la Croazia soddisferà i parametri di adesione, per l'Esecutivo non sarà assolutamente un problema esaminare le posizioni negoziali nei vari capitoli. L'onorevole Ek si è soffermata sugli aspetti ambientali del sovrasfruttamento della pesca nell'Adriatico e vorrei rispondere a lei e informare voi tutti che il Primo Ministro Sanader ha parlato al Presidente Barroso e a me della sua preoccupazione per un'area speciale nell'Adriatico, la "Jabuka Pomo Pit”, che è un'importante zona di deposito delle uova. La Commissione è fortemente favorevole alla gestione sostenibile degli stock ittici e il Commissario Borg ha profuso grande impegno a favore della questione. La Commissione è disponibile a lavorare su una proposta volta a creare una zona di protezione della pesca nell'Adriatico, conformemente a quanto previsto dal nuovo regolamento sul Mediterraneo. A tal fine occorrerà avviare ulteriori discussioni con Slovenia, Italia e Croazia e, ovviamente, con la Commissione. Infine, l'onorevole Lebech ha citato il modello nordico quale fonte di ispirazione per i Balcani occidentali in termini di cooperazione regionale. Credo che tale funzione sia già stata svolta dal Consiglio nordico, che è stato utilizzato come il modello per il Consiglio di cooperazione regionale per l'Europa sudorientale, situato a Sarajevo, che ora è il forum di cooperazione politica regionale nei Balcani occidentali. Trovo incoraggiante che la cooperazione regionale sia notevolmente migliorata negli ultimi due anni e che sia la Croazia che l'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia abbiano contribuito attivamente a tale successo. E' stata evidentemente superata una situazione in cui, solo alcuni anni fa, esisteva il considerevole sospetto che la cooperazione regionale costituisse un tentativo di ricreare la Jugoslavia. Si è giunti ora a una nuova comprensione della sua importanza, sia per i vantaggi concreti che permette di ottenere a livello locale - benefici economici, comunicazioni, trasporti, contatti interpersonali - sia perché la cooperazione regionale avvicina i paesi all'Unione europea. In ultima analisi, la cooperazione transfrontaliera è l'essenza dell'Unione europea. Desidero ringraziarvi nuovamente per questo dibattito molto responsabile e significativo e congratularmi con i relatori per gli importanti contributi apportati alla discussione. Presidente Onorevoli colleghi, ho il piacere di porgere il benvenuto in quest'Aula al nuovo Commissario, signora Androulla Vassiliou. Mi permetta di congratularmi con lei per l'assunzione del suo incarico, signora Commissario. Sono certa che potremo contare su una proficua collaborazione in seno al Parlamento europeo. (Applausi) Hannes Swoboda relatore. - (EN) Signora Presidente, il nostro gruppo si congratula con il Commissario per la sua elezione, da noi fortemente sostenuta. Le rivolgiamo i nostri migliori auguri. (DE) Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, grazie per questo dibattito, che è stato estremamente produttivo e costruttivo. Vorrei ricollegarmi a quanto affermato dall'onorevole Schmitt a proposito del 2009. Credo che domani troveremo una soluzione comune, poiché disporre di un'ampia base comune è importante. A che cosa si deve il successo della Croazia? All'ampio consenso raggiunto nel paese e, nonostante un lieve disaccordo in merito alla composizione della commissione parlamentare mista UE-Croazia, in futuro verrà auspicabilmente risolto anche questo problema. Il suo successo si deve anche all'effettivo consenso raggiunto con i vicini - benché talvolta il paese abbia dovuto sforzarsi per giungere a tale risultato - come ad esempio è avvenuto nel caso della zona di pesca. Pertanto - se ora posso istituire un parallelo con la Macedonia - vorrei rivolgere un appello molto chiaro ai nostri omologhi macedoni affinché imparino da questo esempio, cercando di giungere a un consenso a livello nazionale e anche con i loro vicini. Ovviamente è facile gettare benzina sul fuoco in questa sede e, come l'onorevole Beer, comportarsi da grande avvocato. Tuttavia, come hanno affermato l'onorevole Pack e molti altri, è necessaria un'azione da parte di entrambi i paesi - Grecia e Macedonia -, e questo deve avvenire nei prossimi giorni. A questo punto l'innesco di una crisi politica interna sulla questione non sarà di alcun aiuto alla Macedonia. Ostacolerà il percorso di adesione all'UE e impedirà l'individuazione di una soluzione con la Grecia. Da qui il collegamento con la Croazia di cui ho parlato. Il successo della Croazia è merito di tre ottimi governi - compresi i governi Račan e Sanader - che hanno davvero compiuto notevoli passi avanti e hanno anche modificato le loro posizioni quando erano in gioco gli "interessi nazionali”. Rinnovo dunque l'appello a creare questo terreno comune in Croazia, l'appello ad attuare un tentativo analogo anche in Macedonia e l'appello alla Presidenza a continuare a seguire la linea adottata nelle ultime settimane, ossia a compiere progressi per la regione nel suo complesso. Sono convinto, signor Commissario, che la Commissione farà tutto il possibile per ultimare i negoziati nel 2009. Erik Meijer relatore. - (NL) Signora Presidente, ho notato che in seno all'Assemblea regna un grande consenso sulla Macedonia. Occorre avviare i negoziati e risolvere la divergenza di opinioni sul nome con la Grecia. A parte Stoyanov, che con ogni probabilità ricorda i tempi in cui, nell'ambito del Trattato di Santo Stefano del 1878, la Macedonia faceva originariamente parte della Bulgaria, tutti, Grecia compresa, vogliono che questo paese entri a pieno titolo nell'Unione europea. Finora entrambi i paesi hanno abilmente illustrato l'impegno di vecchia data dell'altra parte. La Grecia auspica che la Macedonia modifichi il suo nome costituzionale e fino al 2 aprile la Macedonia sperava che la Grecia non ostacolasse la sua adesione all'UE. Nessuna delle due parti riesce a capire che tutto ciò è assolutamente incomprensibile agli altri europei. Entrambe le parti vogliono che questo allargamento dell'Unione europea vada a buon fine, ma al tempo stesso contribuiscono a ritardarlo ulteriormente. Ora sembra di assistere al gioco di chi farà la prima mossa. Se nessuno prenderà l'iniziativa, l'allargamento da tutti auspicato subirà una temporanea battuta d'arresto. Condivido le affermazioni degli onorevoli Kacin e Pinior secondo cui non dobbiamo aspettare la presentazione di relazioni successive, bensì cogliere la prima buona occasione per avviare i negoziati con la Macedonia. Signora Presidente, vorrei concludere il mio intervento in questa discussione congiunta su due paesi candidati con un'osservazione sulla Croazia per la quale il mio gruppo non ha richiesto un tempo di parola distinto. La Croazia voleva entrare nell'UE all'inizio del 2009, ma lo farà nel 2010 o nel 2011. La principale questione irrisolta è il problema dell'industria cantieristica sulla costa adriatica. Il 29 aprile la delegazione del Parlamento europeo in Croazia visiterà non a caso i cantieri navali di Rijeka. A parere del mio gruppo, non dobbiamo rivolgere alla Croazia richieste che la popolazione potrebbe percepire come problemi irrisolvibili e che potrebbero rendere l'adesione del paese all'Unione europea inutilmente controversa. In sintesi, cerchiamo di promuovere i progressi di entrambi i paesi verso l'adesione all'Unione europea in modo tale che, fra qualche anno, sia possibile accogliere tra noi sia la Croazia che la Macedonia. Presidente La discussione è chiusa. La votazione si svolgerà domani alle 11.00. Roberta Alma Anastase per iscritto. - (RO) Credo che dal dibattito sulla relazione 2007 sui progressi compiuti dall'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia debbano emergere due conclusioni fondamentali: la necessità che il paese continui a compiere costanti e netti progressi verso l'integrazione nelle strutture europee e transatlantiche e l'importanza di promuovere la generazione dei giovani in questa repubblica. La prospettiva europea e transatlantica dell'ex Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia viene unanimemente riconosciuta e la relazione 2007 accoglie con favore gli sforzi compiuti in tale direzione. Vorrei tuttavia ribadire l'importanza di proseguire queste riforme. Mi auguro inoltre che il rispetto dei diritti delle minoranze etniche e nazionali continui a figurare tra le priorità del governo macedone affinché sia possibile garantire un solido sistema di protezione di tutte le comunità, compresa la popolazione di lingua rumena. Infine, vorrei sottolineare la necessità di promuovere la generazione dei giovani in questa repubblica. E' indispensabile fornire loro tutte le condizioni necessarie per un'istruzione di alta qualità nello spirito del dialogo interculturale e della tolleranza reciproca. La mobilità e la libera circolazione dei giovani macedoni devono figurare tra le priorità fondamentali delle relazioni tra questo paese e l'UE. Iles Braghetto per iscritto. - Abbiamo approvato oggi la relazione Swoboda sulla Croazia, in vista della sua adesione. A nome dei pescatori di tutto l'Adriatico, non posso che rallegrarmi per la decisione di questo paese candidato di non applicare la Zona di protezione ecologica e di pesca (ZERP) nell'Adriatico agli Stati membri dell'Unione. Se tale situazione fosse rimasta inalterata, ci saremmo trovati davanti ad un iniquo trattamento, completamente discriminatorio, fra i pescatori croati e quelli dei paesi membri della UE. Ha vinto quindi il principio "pacta sunt servanda”, ha vinto la diplomazia, ha vinto il buonsenso. Ha vinto, ancora una volta, la volontà di lasciare da parte prese di posizione volte a tutelare interessi nazionalistici a favore dell'adesione ai principi condivisi dell'Unione europea. Gábor Harangozó per iscritto. - (EN) Senza dubbio, dall'avvio dei negoziati di adesione la Croazia ha compiuto sforzi innegabili per rispettare i requisiti dell'acquis comunitario. Siamo davvero lieti di constatare che sono stati aperti alcuni nuovi capitoli negoziali. L'adesione della Croazia deve diventare un modello per tutti gli altri paesi candidati e potenziali candidati dei Balcani occidentali. Nonostante i notevoli sforzi compiuti dalla Croazia al fine di rispettare gli standard UE, restano ancora alcune aree alle quali occorre prestare attenzione, come la lotta alla corruzione e alla criminalità organizzata, la cooperazione con il Tribunale penale internazionale, la lotta contro tutte le forme di discriminazione (in particolare nei confronti dei rom e delle minoranze nazionali), l'onesta gestione dei fondi comunitari, le misure di protezione ambientale e la riforma dell'amministrazione pubblica. Si tratta di aspetti fondamentali, poiché ulteriori sviluppi nelle suddette aree apporterebbero sicuramente maggiore stabilità al paese e alla regione nel suo complesso. E' evidente che la stabilizzazione dei Balcani occidentali attraverso il processo di europeizzazione deve continuare a figurare tra gli obiettivi prioritari fondamentali, per cui il perfezionamento dell'adesione della Croazia costituirà senza dubbio un importante passo avanti. Tunne Kelam per iscritto. - (EN) Questa è un'incoraggiante relazione sui progressi compiuti dalla Macedonia. La chiave di tali progressi è il rinnovato consenso politico raggiunto tra le varie parti. Tale consenso ha agevolato in ampia misura l'adesione del mio paese, l'Estonia, all'Unione europea. La stabilizzazione delle relazioni interetniche, le riforme finanziarie e un'efficace lotta alla criminalità organizzata e alla corruzione sono solo alcuni degli importantissimi progressi compiuti. Ci auguriamo che, nel garantire i diritti delle minoranze, l'autonomia allargata venga al contempo utilizzata in maniera responsabile per consolidare lo Stato macedone nel suo complesso. Dobbiamo congratularci con la Macedonia anche per avere mantenuto relazioni di buon vicinato sia con il Kosovo che con la Serbia. L'ingresso dei cittadini macedoni nei paesi dell'UE è diventato un problema urgente. Dobbiamo applicare quanto prima le stesse regole di agevolazione dei visti in vigore per la Croazia. Alla luce degli impressionanti progressi compiuti dalla Macedonia, raccomando vivamente alla Commissione di avviare i negoziati di adesione già nel 2008. Infine, esorto gli amici greci a dare prova di buona volontà e di flessibilità affinché sia possibile giungere a un compromesso ragionevole che permetta alla Macedonia di liberarsi dalla stigmatizzazione dello Stato federale comunista di Tito. Rareş-Lucian Niculescu per iscritto. - (RO) Vorrei formulare un'osservazione sul Vertice NATO, svoltosi di recente in Romania, e sulle implicazioni delle decisioni adottate in merito ad alcune questioni comunitarie. Contestualmente ad altre decisioni importanti, si è stabilito che Bosnia-Erzegovina e Montenegro, al pari della Serbia, beneficeranno di una maggiore cooperazione con la NATO. E' stato altresì deciso che, quando saranno pronte, Ucraina e Georgia riceveranno il piano d'azione per l'adesione tramite una procedura semplificata. Queste decisioni sono salutari per l'Unione europea: l'intensificazione del dialogo e il piano d'azione apporteranno tra l'altro una maggiore democrazia e una maggiore democrazia ai confini orientali ridurrà l'entità delle sfide nell'ambito degli affari interni. Una maggiore democrazia e la riforma delle istituzioni nei paesi vicini, come l'Ucraina, comporteranno una maggiore protezione alle frontiere esterne, un maggiore controllo della criminalità organizzata e segneranno un ulteriore passo avanti nella diffusione dei valori su cui si fonda l'Unione europea. Bogusław Rogalski per iscritto. - (PL) La Croazia ha compiuto sforzi efficaci per superare le divisioni esistenti e realizzare la riconciliazione tra i popoli, che è uno degli obiettivi dell'adesione all'Unione europea. L'adesione della Croazia all'Unione europea avrà enormi conseguenze a livello regionale e fungerà da banco di prova per gli impegni assunti dall'UE nei confronti dei Balcani occidentali. Il notevole impegno della Croazia nei negoziati di adesione è un segnale positivo, come dimostra l'ampio numero di capitoli negoziali aperti. Vale anche la pena di sottolineare che la Croazia ha compiuto progressi notevoli nella maggior parte dei settori coperti dalla legislazione comunitaria. Tuttavia, affinché sia possibile portare avanti le riforme, è necessario un immenso e costante impegno che consenta di superare i problemi esistenti nei singoli settori. Per favorire l'integrazione, occorre stilare un elenco dei fondi necessari a fini agevolativi. E' particolarmente importante accelerare il processo volto ad aumentare i poteri amministrativi al fine di introdurre nuovi regolamenti. Occorre altresì accelerare il processo di riforma dell'amministrazione pubblica a livello di autorità locali e regionali. L'amministrazione della giustizia è un altro settore che deve essere soggetto a una riforma fondamentale. Tra i principali traguardi raggiunti dalle autorità croate figurano i continui sforzi compiuti per un imparziale svolgimento dei processi per i crimini di guerra da parte dei tribunali nazionali. I miglioramenti riscontrati nell'economia croata e le riforme attuate nel settore della protezione ambientale sono ulteriori conquiste del governo croato che agevolano il processo di adesione. La relazione sui progressi compiuti dalla Croazia nel 2007 suffraga la convinzione secondo cui questo paese, attuando gli obiettivi che è chiamato a realizzare, stia adottando un approccio attivo al processo di adesione. Toomas Savi per iscritto. - (EN) Signor Presidente, accolgo con favore i progressi compiuti dalla Croazia al fine di concludere i negoziati di adesione nel 2009. La graduale integrazione delle ex repubbliche jugoslave è fondamentale per la stabilità della regione dei Balcani occidentali. Nonostante il lavoro da svolgere sia ancora molto, specialmente nelle aree dei diritti delle minoranze, delle questioni frontaliere e della riforma giudiziaria, la Croazia deve continuare energicamente a impegnarsi per ottenere al più presto l'adesione all'UE conformemente ai criteri di adesione. La futura adesione della Croazia è un logico passo successivo da compiere, dopo l'adesione della Slovenia nel 2004, per accrescere il coinvolgimento dell'UE nella regione e incoraggiare la vicina Bosnia-Erzegovina e gli altri paesi dei Balcani occidentali a proseguire con il consolidamento della democrazia. Per gestire meglio il processo, la regione dei Balcani occidentali deve seguire l'esempio del Consiglio nordico. La Presidenza slovena e la prossima Presidenza francese devono fornire alla Croazia tutto il sostegno necessario al superamento degli ultimi ostacoli verso l'adesione all'Unione europea. Iuliu Winkler per iscritto. - (HU) L'allargamento e l'integrazione di nuovi Stati membri costituiscono la politica estera più riuscita dell'Unione europea. La prossima fase di questa politica deve comportare l'adesione della Croazia all'Unione europea nell'immediato futuro. Gli ungheresi etnici della Romania prestano ovviamente grande attenzione ai conflitti etnici che avvengono nel mondo e anche noi abbiamo seguito quanto accaduto nella storia recente dell'ex Jugoslavia. La maggiore lezione da trarre dalla sua storia recente è che l'intolleranza da parte della maggioranza, l'impazienza etnica e l'estremismo nazionalista possono determinare facilmente la conflagrazione di una regione. La Croazia rappresenta un modello per la regione, in termini di sviluppo sia politico che economico, dalla fine delle guerre jugoslave. L'adesione della Croazia all'Unione europea non deve essere ritardata; il sostegno degli Stati membri a favore dell'allargamento non deve affievolirsi. Dobbiamo fornire la prospettiva dell'adesione all'Unione europea all'intera regione dei Balcani, Serbia e Kosovo compresi. La rapida adesione della Croazia all'Unione europea favorirà la coesistenza pacifica tra i popoli dell'Europa sudorientale e contribuirà alla stabilità e allo sviluppo della regione. Con il suo recente passato esemplare, la Croazia ha dimostrato di essere parte integrante della famiglia europea. Bernard Wojciechowski per iscritto. - (EN) Secondo i dati di Eurostat, il PIL pro capite croato è pari al 53 per cento della media UE. La crescita del PIL della Croazia è pari al 6 per cento. E' evidente che il suo PIL pro capite è superiore a quello di Romania e Bulgaria e, in tutta onestà, è vergognoso che alla Croazia non sia stata concessa l'opportunità di aderire all'Unione europea assieme a questi due paesi. Nel corso dei secoli, la Croazia ha apportato molti contributi al panorama culturale del nostro continente. Facciamo in modo di non ostacolare il suo sviluppo e garantiamo che la sua adesione avvenga al più tardi nel 2009.	{ "pile_set_name": "EuroParl" }
Playing It Straight "Full House" is the Whitney Museum's smartly speculative, occasionally revelatory, but ultimately predictable attempt to pry itself open and represent the story of American art. The highs in this building-filling experiment are tantalizing enough to make you wish the institution had been more willing to lay its cards on the table, raise the stakes, and really go for it. "Full House" actually has a much stronger, more interesting hand of art and artists than it chooses to play. Rather than trying to break the game open by venturing beyond the orthodoxy, "Full House" hedges its bet and plays it straight, sticking too close to the conventional story of American art history. That said, there is one marvelous wild card in play. Because of the maverick feel that Donna De Salvo, chief curator and associate director for programs, has for space and for juxtaposing works of art, attentive viewers will get a fresh, even electric understanding not only of some of the art in the Whitney's collection but even the Whitney itself. As she (and co-curator Linda Norden) did so spectacularly in the innovative, open cone-shaped installation they devised for last season's Edward Ruscha show, De Salvo and a team of capable curators have opened up, unbridled, and unfurled Marcel Breuer's 1966 building, allowing you to grasp that space handled sensitively means deeper perception. "Full House" proceeds in floor-by-floor themes like popular culture and appropriation, the transcendent and the spiritual, and materiality and conceptualism. Edward Hopper, often called "the Whitney's Picasso," gets the fifth floor to himself. "Full House" is an attempt to split the difference between the Tate Modern's overly literal thematic installation and MOMA's almost lockstep march through modernism. De Salvo, previously a curator at the Tate Modern, deftly avoids the Tate's oversimplified installation. Despite her efforts, "Full House" is still mostly art history by the book, the Whitney now looks almost as conservative and canonical as the Modern. This is too bad because the game was wide open. Nevertheless, several juxtapositions sizzle. My favorite is the kinky combo of the hard oversize bed of Claes Oldenburg across from the vulval void of Lee Bontecou, which is next to Barry Le Va's s/m installation of shattered glass and strewn felt. There's also the corner with Mary Kelly's pregnant belly as a Sol LeWittlike grid with implications of the birth canal delivered via Nauman's nearby narrow-corridor video; and the abject-meets-the-Apollonian alcove of Louise Bourgeois, Sue Williams, Carroll Dunham, and Paul McCarthy. Yet, despite these inspired groupings, the Whitney blinked. The 130 Hoppers on the fifth floor are proof. The overrating of Hopper's greatness is confirmed here. Except for one riveting room of alternately sun-drenched and overcast scenes of the Seine that positively radiate light and solidityand establish that except for several iconic later works Hopper was far stronger early onthe show is prosaic. The famous brooding scenes of people alone with one another or by themselves, and the depictions of solitary city streets and parks, are emotionally wooden, ultimately formulaic ersatz existentialism for an almost exclusively American audience. Whitney ticket buyers expect the museum to exhibit its most known and loved works. But "most known and loved" doesn't mean best. "Full House" was a chance to place some long-shot bets and reshuffle the cards. Then again, perhaps De Salvo and co. slyly overstacked the deck in order to prove once and for all that Hopper is not the "Whitney's Picasso"; he is the people's Picasso. The Whitney'sand maybe America'sreal pre-war Picasso is a less crowd-pleasing, more difficult, visually jarring, intellectually edgy artist: Stuart Davis. Davis the modern; Hopper the anti-modern. If not Davis, even a few Alex Katzs would have established that American solitude has a bleached-out cinematic side. Charles Burchfield would have shown this solitude turn visionary. Diane Arbus, Maya Deren, Henry Darger, Peter Saul, H.C. Westermann, Rube Goldberg, Ivan Albright, Ed Paschke, William Copley, Louis Eilshemius, or Jim Nuttnone of whom are includedwould have shown the schizophrenia and pleasure in this separateness. A Whistler would show it in a dandy light; a Homer would indicate some of its origins; Frank Lloyd Wright's anti-modern modernism could have demonstrated what happens when solitariness becomes individualism. But perhaps the greatest ommission, the Artist Most Missing in "Full House" is the most intense, mystically physical, magically structured painter America ever produced, a man who looked like a seagull and who was so high-strung that he never lived in one place for more than a few years, the inimitably strange and great Marsden Hartley. Still and all, "Full House's" brilliant installation reveals something about Hopper that I had never gotten before: Not only is he a wellspring for artists like Robert Bechtle and flatfooted 1970s photorealism, he is a founding father of American photography. On the captivating mezzanine you'll see that Philip-Lorca diCorcia, William Eggleston, Merry Alpern, Laurie Simmons, and Larry Sultan, among others, flow directly from Hopper's introspection, skepticism, yearning, and ambivalence. "Full House" extends this melancholy line to Nan Goldin's masterpiece The Ballad of Sexual Dependency. Revelations like these make you wish that "Full House" would have really upped the ante and gone for broke. Ready or Not It's ba-a-ack. The week after Labor Day means the New York art world is flipping from its summer sleep mode into what many dealers hope will be another season of full-tilt feeding frenzy. Chelsea, the neighborhood of more than 300 slick, wanton, wonderful, or whatever galleriesthe boomtown or Babylon everyone loves to hate but goes to anywayis being jazzed up as well. That strip of Niketown-like galleries on West 24th Streetwhere behemoth gallery-palaces account for more square footage of exhibition space than probably exists in the Copenhagen, Lisbon, and Oslo art worlds combinedhas a new look. Marianne Boesky has built herself a snazzy building next to Barbara Gladstone, and down the block Andrea Rosen and Luhring Augustine are reopening in totally redone digs. The sight of dual cement trucks inside these two spaces this summer while girders were hoisted atop Boesky's building was only further proof, if any were necessary, that money is plentiful and ambition is in overdrive in Gomorrah-on-the-Hudson. Meanwhile, mega-players like David Zwirner and Larry Gagosian, who rent and own galleries in the district, haven't been idle. The former just opened not one but two new spaces on either side of his already large 19th Street gallery; the latter is not only building a large structure on land he leases on 21st Street, he's becoming an ecosphere unto himselfan empire that operates in more cities than the Guggenheim and that emits a honey-money scent enterprising artists apparently can't resist. At the rate he's growing, it sometimes seems like Gagosian might be the only gallery of contemporary art anywhere in ten years. Elsewhere in the food chain, Michele Maccarone is moving from Chinatown to a new ground floor space a few doors north of Gavin Brown in the West Village, and Reena Spaulings is relocating from its storefront on the Lower East Side to a larger space nearby. Whatever you think of an art world that operates on appetite, acumen, and ruthlessness as much as vision, whimsy, and good timingto say nothing of money, clout, vanity, and insanityit's here, it's queer, get used to it.	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Wanted: A Plausible, Post-Genomic Biblical Adam and Eve Becoming reasonably conversant with contemporary developments and bringing biblical teaching to bear on commonplace assumptions is a perennial challenge for thoughtful Christians. One of the more pressing questions the church now confronts is a perceived conflict between the findings of the Human Genome Project and the Christian tradition regarding the common origin of humanity in a singular historical pair, Adam and Eve. Dennis Venema and Scot McKnight’s new book, Adam and the Genome, is a provocative interdisciplinary effort by two evangelicals—one a biologist, the other a New Testament scholar—proposing acceptance of the HGP claims and loosening the tie between the idea of a “historical Adam and Eve” and the presumed clear teaching of Scripture. Much can be said about this book. Being neither a scientist nor an exegete, I’d like to focus my reflections on some of the broader contours of the argument, specifically the way the two parts of the book hold together, and some of the unexpected inconsistencies the authors express. Genetics Research and Scripture: Weighing Claims, Evidence, and Conclusions In the first half of the book, Venema provides an overview of data leading to the current consensus view in evolutionary biology. His presentation is fascinating, detailed, and blessedly lucid for non-specialists. The bottom-line regarding human origins is this: “the population genetics data … indicate we descend from a population of about 10,000 individuals” (44). Baker Academic (2017) McKnight’s section proceeds on this assumption. What are we to make of the claim that we descend from a population of approximately 10,000 individuals, and that there were pre-Adamite humans? “What about those two humans in Genesis 1-3? And what about the eight that survived Noah’s flood?” McKnight asks. “Which are we to believe, the Bible or science?” (93). We can set aside for the moment McKnight’s belief in the Bible. As for his belief in science, that is clear enough: “[I]f the Human Genome Project has any weight in our worldview, to insist that our DNA comes from two humans, Adam and Eve, is intentionally to run contrary to what science now teaches with considerable evidence” (145). While such claims recur throughout the book, on closer inspection, Venema makes several important qualifications. Take, for example, the following comments: [W]e cannot be certain that any of these [hominin] species is in fact a direct ancestor of present-day humans. What these species … show us … is the probable path of our actual lineage, since these species are at least close relatives of our ancestral line. … [H]umans are, biologically speaking, not new—we are the modified descendants of similar species that lived in the past (59, emphasis added). Or, again, Venema writes: Science can tell us a few things—we descend from a population rather than a pair; our ancestors likely passed through these sorts of forms; and so on—but it is simply unable to weigh in on the historicity of Adam and Eve as individuals. . . . [I]f they were in fact historical, they were not the sole parents of all humanity but part of a larger population. Beyond this, science cannot say (59, emphasis added). Notably, McKnight claims more: the “What follows in Adam and the Genome, then, is a basic introduction to the science of evolution and genetics and how it impinges on the basic claim of many Christians: that you and I, and the rest of humans for all time come from two solitary individuals, Adam and Eve. Genetics makes that claim impossible–as I understand it.” (xi, emphasis added). Similarly: “What if one concludes with the scientists that … the DNA of humans on earth today could not have derived from two solitary hominins, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden?” (147-48, emphasis added). These strong claims actually contrast with Venema’s own specific statements. He writes, the baseline expectation should be that if humans are the product of an evolutionary process, we arrived at our current state as a population. Now it is technically possible that a species could be founded by a single ancestral breeding pair, just as it is technically possible that a new language could be founded by two speakers. This is not what one would usually expect, however—in fact, it would be highly unusual (46, emphasis added). [McKnight’s] strong claims actually contrast with Venema’s own specific statements.Relatedly, an excerpt from a Christianity Today article covering his work reads: “‘Had humanity begun with only two individuals, without millions of years for development, says an ASA paper, it would have required God’s miraculous intervention to increase the genetic diversity to what is observable today’” (44, emphasis added). Thus, Venema and McKnight draw divergent conclusions about the implications of the present state of scientific knowledge. On one hand, this shows the difficulty of interdisciplinary work in general. On the other, I think the problems, tensions, and mild incongruity in the book also can be traced to a significant issue: their ambiguity and ambivalence regarding concordism. As such, it may also show what can arise in light of the widespread assumption among evangelicals that all we need is biblical exegesis—banish the systematicians to the sidelines! “Concordism”: A Reassessment McKnight defines “concordism” as “a way of reading/interpreting Genesis that is in concord with science as we know it now, thereby granting to the Bible knowledge of science transcending its historical context” (215, n. 76, emphasis added). Of course, a harmonizing approach isn’t exclusive to biblicists; it’s also employed by Christian thinkers holding to an evolutionary paradigm. N.T. Wright, for example, proposes that Adam and Eve might have been elected from among the 10,000 hominins, had representative authority as God’s image conferred upon them, and subsequently failed to fulfill that responsibility. But McKnight will have none of this: “Instead of fighting that concordist approach to the ‘historical Adam (and Eve),’ I prefer to read Genesis in context to see what light it sheds on humans and human history” (145). Or, again, responding to interpreters suggesting that the Flood occurred but not on a global scale, McKnight’s chief objection is that it “permits a concordist reading of Genesis”; while not denying that such views are possible, he is concerned that they are “determined more by concordism than by historical readings of Genesis in context” (215, n. 75). While I appreciate McKnight’s focus on historical exegesis, this definition construes concordism as essentially anachronistic. But concordist interpretations need not entail ascribing modern scientific knowledge to the premodern human writers; the object of theological understanding is not what the ancients understood, but the matter to which they point with their own cultural resources. The compatibility of biblical teaching with the extratextual referents of which it speaks is possible because Scripture is ultimately divine authorial discourse. While I appreciate McKnight’s focus on historical exegesis, this definition construes concordism as essentially anachronistic.The congruence between the Word and the world to which it points is expressed in the Augustinian axiom: “a good and true Christian should realize that truth belongs to his Lord, wherever it is found, gathering and acknowledging it even in pagan literature” (On Christian Teaching, II.18). It’s proper to seek concord, I maintain, not in exegesis or biblical theology, but at the level of systematic-theological interpretation. Alvin Plantinga, recipient of this year’s Templeton Prize, exemplifies the best of Christian concordism in his treatment of the Christianity-science relation. He asserts: “There is superficial conflict but deep concord between science and theistic religion, but superficial concord and deep conflict between science and naturalism.”Alvin Plantinga, Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism. Oxford University Press, 2011, ix. Contrary to McKnight’s cursory dismissal of concordism, Plantinga incisively demonstrates that special divine action (including miracles) is not incompatible with the so-called laws of nature. We can “think of the laws of nature as describing what happens when the universe is causally closed (when God isn’t acting specially in the world)”Alvin Plantinga, Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism. Oxford University Press, 2011, 80. says Plantinga, but such “laws don’t tell us how things always go” in a cosmos open to divine influence from beyond the natural realm.Alvin Plantinga, Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism. Oxford University Press, 2011, 90. My purpose in citing Plantinga here is twofold: (i) he shows why concordism is important and how it’s done well. Additionally, (ii) his account shows that there is a way of theorizing about scientific data that is in “deep conflict” with Christian theism—namely, one that attributes all processes and events to exclusively natural or material means within a cosmos posited as closed (i.e., metaphysical naturalism, not methodological atheism as such). For Christian theists, then, the regular processes by which the world ordinarily operates do not rule out special divine action. In this way, Venema’s qualified conclusions—e.g., “it is technically possible that a species could be founded by a single ancestral breeding pair,” albeit exceptionally—still leaves room for the constitution of the first male and female divine image-bearing human beings (in part or in whole) as a special divine act. But note again that McKnight’s claims are far stronger: he says that the genetic data “negates” and renders “impossible” the biblical portrayal. Despite his good intentions to make room for young believers who are budding scientists, his statements here are at best incautious, approximating metaphysical naturalism. Now I’m sure this is inadvertent; he believes in the bodily resurrection of Jesus as well as God’s freedom to enact miracles in the world. But since this is the case, why is his position on the historical Adam stated so strongly? Conclusion: Assessing the Book’s Material Contribution As a general reader in matters of science, I find Venema’s tutorial very informative and valuable. As a systematic theologian, I conclude that his more measured statements about what is inferable from current biological research effectively admit that in a cosmos not causally closed, special divine acts remain a perpetual possibility. If I correctly understand the entailments of his presentation of genetics research at present, the processes and patterns he sets forth represent not invariable necessities, but statistical probabilities to a very high degree. Hence this data does not—and for a Christian theist,Many of their scientific and exegetical insights are instructive and suggestive, but the lack of a specific concordist proposal is something of a missed opportunity. in principle it cannot—finally exclude the possibility that by a special act, God created two historical individuals as the first divine image-bearing human beings who are the direct biological ancestors of their kind (whatever view one takes of their genetic makeup). Many will find much to appreciate in McKnight’s interaction with the biblical texts informed by recent work in comparative studies. But relative to the logical and ontological entailments of the canonical presentation of Adam and Eve, I find his account (disjoining the “historical” from “literary,” “genealogical,” and “archetypal” figure) truncated. And because (for the reasons indicated above) I think he overstates the force for the genetic evidence, I don’t find his argument relative to the HGP thesis as persuasive as Daniel Harrell–the author of the afterword–thinks it is (196, 198). Venema and McKnight implicitly recognize that concordism as I’ve outlined it is valid: why else engage in dialogue about a perceived interdisciplinary conflict? Many of their scientific and exegetical insights are instructive and suggestive (and accessible—no small feat), but the lack of a specific concordist proposal is something of a missed opportunity. Here’s hoping that their work, along with the kinds of questions it has raised, will stimulate others of all persuasions to build on and refine what’s presented in the book, for the sake of greater clarity in our common project: the search for the most plausible view(s) of the biblical Adam consistent with the biological evidence, interpreted within a Christian theistic framework. Elizabeth “Lisa” Sung (PhD Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is the Chester and Margaret Paluch Professor of Theology at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. She was formerly Associate Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Her current research focuses on theological anthropology and the theology of race.	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Brochures Posted April 20, 2017 by Tanner Here you will find the latest literature and product resources available for online viewing or download. Printed copies are available by request from your Thuasne USA sales or customer service representative. Contact Us	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
There's a distressing feeling in the Node.js community that apps without up-to-date dependencies are somehow not as good, or stable, as apps that always keep their dependencies up to date. So we see things like greenkeeper.io and badges that show whether the project's dependencies are up to date (and, implicitly, shame anyone whose dependencies aren't green). I'm not talking about updating dependencies for a good reason (covered below); I'm talking about the practice of updating dependencies for the sake of keeping the dependencies updated. In the best possible case, a dependency update does nothing. The application keeps running exactly as it was. In the worst case, your servers crash, millions of dollars of business value are affected, state is compromised, or worse. One day at Twilio we tried to deploy code that had a defect in it. The deployment tool noticed the errors and tried to rollback the deployment by putting the old nodes in the load balancer and taking the new ones out. Except... when it went to take the new nodes out, the worker process crashed. So we ended up with both the new (faulty) nodes and the old nodes in the load balancer, and our most reliable tool for cluster management couldn't pull the bad nodes out. We did some investigation and it turns out one of our dependencies had updated. Well, it wasn't a direct dependency - we locked down all of those - it was a dependency of a dependency, which upgraded to version 3, and introduced an incompatibility. Fundamentally, updating dependencies is a dangerous operation. Most people would never deploy changes to production without having them go through code review, but I have observed that many feel comfortable bumping a package.json number without looking at the diff of what changed in the dependency. New releases of dependencies are usually less tested in the wild than older versions. We know the best predictor of the number of errors in code is the number of lines written. The current version of your dependency (which you know works) has 0 lines of diff when compared with itself, but the newest release has a greater-than-0 number of lines of code changed. Code changes are risky, and so are dependency updates. Errors and crashes introduced by dependency updates are difficult to debug. Generally, the errors are not in your code; they're deep in a node_modules or site-packages folder or similar. You are probably more familiar with your application code than the intricacies of your third party tools. Tracking down the error usually involves figuring out what version of the code used to be running (not easy!) and staring at a diff between the two. But my tests will catch any dependency errors, you say. Maybe you have great coverage around your application. But do the dependencies you're pulling in have good test coverage? Are the interactions between your dependencies tested? How about the interactions between the dependency and every possible version of a subdependency? Do your tests cover every external interface? But the dependencies I'm pulling in use semver, so I'll know if things break. This only saves you if you actually read the CHANGELOG, or the package author correctly realizes a breaking change. Otherwise you get situations like this. Which just seems sad; the reporter must have taken time to update the package, then gotten an error report, then had to figure out what change crashed the servers, then mitigated the issue. A lot of downside there - wasted time and the business fallout of a crashing application, and I'm struggling to figure out what benefit the reporter got from updating to the latest possible version. When to Update Dependencies Generally I think you should lock down the exact versions of every dependency and sub-dependency that you use. However, there are a few cases where it makes sense to pull in the latest and greatest thing. In every case, at the very least I read the CHANGELOG and scan the package diff before pulling in the update. Security Upgrades An application issues a new release to patch a security vulnerability, and you need to get the latest version of the app to patch the same hole. Even here, you want to ensure that the vulnerability actually affects your application, and that the changed software does not break your application. You may not want to grab the entire upstream changeset, but only port in the patch that fixes the security issue. Performance Improvement Recently we noticed our web framework was sleeping for 50ms on every POST and PUT request. Of course you would want to upgrade to avoid this (although we actually fixed it by removing the dependency). You Need a Hot New Feature We updated mocha recently because it wouldn't print out stack traces for things that weren't Error objects. We submitted a patch and upgraded mocha to get that feature. You Need a Bug Fix Your version of the dependency may have a defect, and upgrading will fix the issue. Ensure that the fix was actually coded correctly. A Final Warning Updated dependencies introduce a lot of risk and instability into your project. There are valid reasons to update and you'll need to weigh the benefit against the risk. But updating dependencies just for the sake of updating them is just going to run you into trouble. You can avoid all of these problems by not adding a dependency in the first place. Think really, really hard before reaching for a package to solve your problem. Actually read the code and figure out if you need all of it or just a subset. Maybe if you need to pluralize your application's model names, it's okay to just add an 's' on the end, instead of adding the pluralize library. Sure, the Volcano model will be Volcanos instead of Volcanoes but maybe that's okay for your system. Unfortunately my desired solution for adding dependencies - fork a library, rip out the parts you aren't using, and copy the rest directly into your source tree - isn't too popular. But I think it would help a lot with enforcing the idea that you own your dependencies and the code changes inside. Liked what you read? I am available for hire.	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
/* * This file is part of the CMaNGOS Project. See AUTHORS file for Copyright information * * 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; either version 2 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 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 to the Free Software * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA / #ifndef WORLD_PVP_EP #define WORLD_PVP_EP #include "Common.h" #include "OutdoorPvP.h" #include "Tools/Language.h" #include "World/WorldStateDefines.h" enum { TOWER_ID_NORTHPASS = 0, TOWER_ID_CROWNGUARD = 1, TOWER_ID_EASTWALL = 2, TOWER_ID_PLAGUEWOOD = 3, MAX_EP_TOWERS = 4, // spells SPELL_ECHOES_OF_LORDAERON_ALLIANCE_1 = 11413, SPELL_ECHOES_OF_LORDAERON_ALLIANCE_2 = 11414, SPELL_ECHOES_OF_LORDAERON_ALLIANCE_3 = 11415, SPELL_ECHOES_OF_LORDAERON_ALLIANCE_4 = 1386, SPELL_ECHOES_OF_LORDAERON_HORDE_1 = 30880, SPELL_ECHOES_OF_LORDAERON_HORDE_2 = 30683, SPELL_ECHOES_OF_LORDAERON_HORDE_3 = 30682, SPELL_ECHOES_OF_LORDAERON_HORDE_4 = 29520, // graveyards GRAVEYARD_ZONE_EASTERN_PLAGUE = 139, GRAVEYARD_ID_EASTERN_PLAGUE = 927, // misc HONOR_REWARD_PLAGUELANDS = 18, // npcs NPC_SPECTRAL_FLIGHT_MASTER = 17209, // flight master factions FACTION_FLIGHT_MASTER_ALLIANCE = 774, FACTION_FLIGHT_MASTER_HORDE = 775, SPELL_SPIRIT_PARTICLES_BLUE = 17327, SPELL_SPIRIT_PARTICLES_RED = 31309, // quest NPC_CROWNGUARD_TOWER_QUEST_DOODAD = 17689, NPC_EASTWALL_TOWER_QUEST_DOODAD = 17690, NPC_NORTHPASS_TOWER_QUEST_DOODAD = 17696, NPC_PLAGUEWOOD_TOWER_QUEST_DOODAD = 17698, // alliance NPC_LORDAERON_COMMANDER = 17635, NPC_LORDAERON_SOLDIER = 17647, // horde NPC_LORDAERON_VETERAN = 17995, NPC_LORDAERON_FIGHTER = 17996, // gameobjects GO_LORDAERON_SHRINE_ALLIANCE = 181682, GO_LORDAERON_SHRINE_HORDE = 181955, GO_TOWER_FLAG = 182106, // possible shrine auras - not used //GO_ALLIANCE_BANNER_AURA = 180100, //GO_HORDE_BANNER_AURA = 180101, // capture points GO_TOWER_BANNER_NORTHPASS = 181899, GO_TOWER_BANNER_CROWNGUARD = 182096, GO_TOWER_BANNER_EASTWALL = 182097, GO_TOWER_BANNER_PLAGUEWOOD = 182098, GO_TOWER_BANNER = 182106, // tower banners around // events //EVENT_NORTHPASS_WIN_ALLIANCE = 10568, //EVENT_NORTHPASS_WIN_HORDE = 10556, //EVENT_NORTHPASS_CONTEST_ALLIANCE = 10697, //EVENT_NORTHPASS_CONTEST_HORDE = 10696, EVENT_NORTHPASS_PROGRESS_ALLIANCE = 10699, EVENT_NORTHPASS_PROGRESS_HORDE = 10698, EVENT_NORTHPASS_NEUTRAL_ALLIANCE = 11151, EVENT_NORTHPASS_NEUTRAL_HORDE = 11150, //EVENT_CROWNGUARD_WIN_ALLIANCE = 10570, //EVENT_CROWNGUARD_WIN_HORDE = 10566, //EVENT_CROWNGUARD_CONTEST_ALLIANCE = 10703, //EVENT_CROWNGUARD_CONTEST_HORDE = 10702, EVENT_CROWNGUARD_PROGRESS_ALLIANCE = 10705, EVENT_CROWNGUARD_PROGRESS_HORDE = 10704, EVENT_CROWNGUARD_NEUTRAL_ALLIANCE = 11155, EVENT_CROWNGUARD_NEUTRAL_HORDE = 11154, //EVENT_EASTWALL_WIN_ALLIANCE = 10569, //EVENT_EASTWALL_WIN_HORDE = 10565, //EVENT_EASTWALL_CONTEST_ALLIANCE = 10689, //EVENT_EASTWALL_CONTEST_HORDE = 10690, EVENT_EASTWALL_PROGRESS_ALLIANCE = 10691, EVENT_EASTWALL_PROGRESS_HORDE = 10692, EVENT_EASTWALL_NEUTRAL_ALLIANCE = 11149, EVENT_EASTWALL_NEUTRAL_HORDE = 11148, //EVENT_PLAGUEWOOD_WIN_ALLIANCE = 10567, //EVENT_PLAGUEWOOD_WIN_HORDE = 10564, //EVENT_PLAGUEWOOD_CONTEST_ALLIANCE = 10687, //EVENT_PLAGUEWOOD_CONTEST_HORDE = 10688, EVENT_PLAGUEWOOD_PROGRESS_ALLIANCE = 10701, EVENT_PLAGUEWOOD_PROGRESS_HORDE = 10700, EVENT_PLAGUEWOOD_NEUTRAL_ALLIANCE = 11153, EVENT_PLAGUEWOOD_NEUTRAL_HORDE = 11152, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_CAPTURE_NPT_H = 13635, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_CAPTURE_NPT_A = 13630, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_CAPTURE_CGT_H = 13633, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_CAPTURE_CGT_A = 13632, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_CAPTURE_EWT_H = 13636, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_CAPTURE_EWT_A = 13631, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_CAPTURE_PWT_H = 13634, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_CAPTURE_PWT_A = 13629, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_ALL_TOWERS_H = 13637, // NYI BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_ALL_TOWERS_A = 13638, // NYI }; struct PlaguelandsTowerBuff { uint32 spellIdAlliance, spellIdHorde; }; static const PlaguelandsTowerBuff plaguelandsTowerBuffs[MAX_EP_TOWERS] = { {SPELL_ECHOES_OF_LORDAERON_ALLIANCE_1, SPELL_ECHOES_OF_LORDAERON_HORDE_1}, {SPELL_ECHOES_OF_LORDAERON_ALLIANCE_2, SPELL_ECHOES_OF_LORDAERON_HORDE_2}, {SPELL_ECHOES_OF_LORDAERON_ALLIANCE_3, SPELL_ECHOES_OF_LORDAERON_HORDE_3}, {SPELL_ECHOES_OF_LORDAERON_ALLIANCE_4, SPELL_ECHOES_OF_LORDAERON_HORDE_4} }; // capture points coordinates to sort the banners static const float plaguelandsTowerLocations[MAX_EP_TOWERS][2] = { {3181.08f, -4379.36f}, // Northpass {1860.85f, -3731.23f}, // Crownguard {2574.51f, -4794.89f}, // Eastwall {2962.71f, -3042.31f} // Plaguewood }; struct PlaguelandsTowerEvent { uint32 eventEntry; Team team; uint32 defenseMessage; uint32 worldState; }; static const PlaguelandsTowerEvent plaguelandsTowerEvents[MAX_EP_TOWERS][4] = { { {EVENT_NORTHPASS_PROGRESS_ALLIANCE, ALLIANCE, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_CAPTURE_NPT_A, WORLD_STATE_EP_NORTHPASS_ALLIANCE}, {EVENT_NORTHPASS_PROGRESS_HORDE, HORDE, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_CAPTURE_NPT_H, WORLD_STATE_EP_NORTHPASS_HORDE}, {EVENT_NORTHPASS_NEUTRAL_HORDE, TEAM_NONE, 0, WORLD_STATE_EP_NORTHPASS_NEUTRAL}, {EVENT_NORTHPASS_NEUTRAL_ALLIANCE, TEAM_NONE, 0, WORLD_STATE_EP_NORTHPASS_NEUTRAL}, }, { {EVENT_CROWNGUARD_PROGRESS_ALLIANCE, ALLIANCE, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_CAPTURE_CGT_A, WORLD_STATE_EP_CROWNGUARD_ALLIANCE}, {EVENT_CROWNGUARD_PROGRESS_HORDE, HORDE, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_CAPTURE_CGT_H, WORLD_STATE_EP_CROWNGUARD_HORDE}, {EVENT_CROWNGUARD_NEUTRAL_HORDE, TEAM_NONE, 0, WORLD_STATE_EP_CROWNGUARD_NEUTRAL}, {EVENT_CROWNGUARD_NEUTRAL_ALLIANCE, TEAM_NONE, 0, WORLD_STATE_EP_CROWNGUARD_NEUTRAL}, }, { {EVENT_EASTWALL_PROGRESS_ALLIANCE, ALLIANCE, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_CAPTURE_EWT_A, WORLD_STATE_EP_EASTWALL_ALLIANCE}, {EVENT_EASTWALL_PROGRESS_HORDE, HORDE, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_CAPTURE_EWT_H, WORLD_STATE_EP_EASTWALL_HORDE}, {EVENT_EASTWALL_NEUTRAL_HORDE, TEAM_NONE, 0, WORLD_STATE_EP_EASTWALL_NEUTRAL}, {EVENT_EASTWALL_NEUTRAL_ALLIANCE, TEAM_NONE, 0, WORLD_STATE_EP_EASTWALL_NEUTRAL}, }, { {EVENT_PLAGUEWOOD_PROGRESS_ALLIANCE, ALLIANCE, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_CAPTURE_PWT_A, WORLD_STATE_EP_PLAGUEWOOD_ALLIANCE}, {EVENT_PLAGUEWOOD_PROGRESS_HORDE, HORDE, BROADCAST_TEXT_OPVP_EP_CAPTURE_PWT_H, WORLD_STATE_EP_PLAGUEWOOD_HORDE}, {EVENT_PLAGUEWOOD_NEUTRAL_HORDE, TEAM_NONE, 0, WORLD_STATE_EP_PLAGUEWOOD_NEUTRAL}, {EVENT_PLAGUEWOOD_NEUTRAL_ALLIANCE, TEAM_NONE, 0, WORLD_STATE_EP_PLAGUEWOOD_NEUTRAL}, }, }; static const uint32 plaguelandsBanners[MAX_EP_TOWERS] = {GO_TOWER_BANNER_NORTHPASS, GO_TOWER_BANNER_CROWNGUARD, GO_TOWER_BANNER_EASTWALL, GO_TOWER_BANNER_PLAGUEWOOD}; class OutdoorPvPEP : public OutdoorPvP { public: OutdoorPvPEP(); void HandlePlayerEnterZone(Player player, bool isMainZone) override; void HandlePlayerLeaveZone(Player* player, bool isMainZone) override; void FillInitialWorldStates(WorldPacket& data, uint32& count) override; void SendRemoveWorldStates(Player* player) override; bool HandleEvent(uint32 eventId, GameObject* go, Unit* invoker) override; void HandleObjectiveComplete(uint32 eventId, const PlayerList& players, Team team) override; void HandleCreatureCreate(Creature* creature) override; void HandleGameObjectCreate(GameObject* go) override; bool HandleGameObjectUse(Player* player, GameObject* go) override; private: // process capture events bool ProcessCaptureEvent(GameObject* go, uint32 towerId, Team team, uint32 newWorldState); void InitBanner(GameObject* go, uint32 towerId); // Plaguewood bonus - flight master void UnsummonFlightMaster(const WorldObject* objRef); // Eastwall bonus - soldiers void UnsummonSoldiers(const WorldObject* objRef); Team m_towerOwner[MAX_EP_TOWERS]; uint32 m_towerWorldState[MAX_EP_TOWERS]; uint8 m_towersAlliance; uint8 m_towersHorde; ObjectGuid m_flightMaster; ObjectGuid m_lordaeronShrineAlliance; ObjectGuid m_lordaeronShrineHorde; GuidList m_soldiers; GuidList m_towerBanners[MAX_EP_TOWERS]; }; #endif	{ "pile_set_name": "Github" }
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"> <!--NewPage--> <HTML> <HEAD> <!-- Generated by javadoc (build 1.6.0_31) on Mon May 14 18:45:49 PDT 2012 --> <META http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> <TITLE> ByteArrayBuilder (Jackson-core 2.0.2 API) </TITLE> <META NAME="date" CONTENT="2012-05-14"> <LINK REL ="stylesheet" TYPE="text/css" HREF="../../../../../stylesheet.css" TITLE="Style"> <SCRIPT type="text/javascript"> function windowTitle() { if (location.href.indexOf('is-external=true') == -1) { parent.document.title="ByteArrayBuilder (Jackson-core 2.0.2 API)"; } } </SCRIPT> <NOSCRIPT> </NOSCRIPT> </HEAD> <BODY BGCOLOR="white" onload="windowTitle();"> <HR> <!-- ========= START OF TOP NAVBAR ======= --> <A NAME="navbar_top"><!-- --></A> <A HREF="#skip-navbar_top" title="Skip navigation links"></A> <TABLE BORDER="0" WIDTH="100%" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" SUMMARY=""> <TR> <TD COLSPAN=2 BGCOLOR="#EEEEFF" CLASS="NavBarCell1"> <A NAME="navbar_top_firstrow"><!-- --></A> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="3" SUMMARY=""> <TR ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top"> <TD BGCOLOR="#EEEEFF" CLASS="NavBarCell1"> <A HREF="../../../../../overview-summary.html"><FONT CLASS="NavBarFont1"><B>Overview</B></FONT></A> </TD> <TD BGCOLOR="#EEEEFF" CLASS="NavBarCell1"> <A HREF="package-summary.html"><FONT CLASS="NavBarFont1"><B>Package</B></FONT></A> </TD> <TD BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" CLASS="NavBarCell1Rev">  <FONT CLASS="NavBarFont1Rev"><B>Class</B></FONT> </TD> <TD BGCOLOR="#EEEEFF" CLASS="NavBarCell1"> <A HREF="class-use/ByteArrayBuilder.html"><FONT CLASS="NavBarFont1"><B>Use</B></FONT></A> </TD> <TD BGCOLOR="#EEEEFF" CLASS="NavBarCell1"> <A HREF="package-tree.html"><FONT CLASS="NavBarFont1"><B>Tree</B></FONT></A> </TD> <TD BGCOLOR="#EEEEFF" CLASS="NavBarCell1"> <A HREF="../../../../../deprecated-list.html"><FONT CLASS="NavBarFont1"><B>Deprecated</B></FONT></A> </TD> <TD BGCOLOR="#EEEEFF" CLASS="NavBarCell1"> <A HREF="../../../../../index-all.html"><FONT CLASS="NavBarFont1"><B>Index</B></FONT></A> </TD> <TD BGCOLOR="#EEEEFF" CLASS="NavBarCell1"> <A HREF="../../../../../help-doc.html"><FONT CLASS="NavBarFont1"><B>Help</B></FONT></A> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </TD> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" ROWSPAN=3><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-1467773697956887"; 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} //--> </SCRIPT> <NOSCRIPT> <A HREF="../../../../../allclasses-noframe.html"><B>All Classes</B></A> </NOSCRIPT> </FONT></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD VALIGN="top" CLASS="NavBarCell3"><FONT SIZE="-2"> SUMMARY: NESTED \| FIELD \| <A HREF="#constructor_summary">CONSTR</A> \| <A HREF="#method_summary">METHOD</A></FONT></TD> <TD VALIGN="top" CLASS="NavBarCell3"><FONT SIZE="-2"> DETAIL: FIELD \| <A HREF="#constructor_detail">CONSTR</A> \| <A HREF="#method_detail">METHOD</A></FONT></TD> </TR> </TABLE> <A NAME="skip-navbar_top"></A> <!-- ========= END OF TOP NAVBAR ========= --> <HR> <!-- ======== START OF CLASS DATA ======== --> <H2> <FONT SIZE="-1"> com.fasterxml.jackson.core.util</FONT> <BR> Class ByteArrayBuilder</H2> <PRE> <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/Object.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.lang">java.lang.Object</A> <IMG SRC="../../../../../resources/inherit.gif" ALT="extended by "><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/OutputStream.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.io">java.io.OutputStream</A> <IMG SRC="../../../../../resources/inherit.gif" ALT="extended by "><B>com.fasterxml.jackson.core.util.ByteArrayBuilder</B> </PRE> <DL> <DT><B>All Implemented Interfaces:</B> <DD><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/Closeable.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.io">Closeable</A>, <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/Flushable.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.io">Flushable</A></DD> </DL> <HR> <DL> <DT><PRE>public final class <B>ByteArrayBuilder</B><DT>extends <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/OutputStream.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.io">OutputStream</A></DL> </PRE> <P> Helper class that is similar to <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/ByteArrayOutputStream.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.io"><CODE>ByteArrayOutputStream</CODE></A> in usage, but more geared to Jackson use cases internally. Specific changes include segment storage (no need to have linear backing buffer, can avoid reallocs, copying), as well API not based on <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/OutputStream.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.io"><CODE>OutputStream</CODE></A>. In short, a very much specialized builder object. <p> Since version 1.5, also implements <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/OutputStream.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.io"><CODE>OutputStream</CODE></A> to allow efficient aggregation of output content as a byte array, similar to how <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/ByteArrayOutputStream.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.io"><CODE>ByteArrayOutputStream</CODE></A> works, but somewhat more efficiently for many use cases. <P> <P> <HR> <P> <!-- ======== CONSTRUCTOR SUMMARY ======== --> <A NAME="constructor_summary"><!-- --></A> <TABLE BORDER="1" WIDTH="100%" CELLPADDING="3" CELLSPACING="0" SUMMARY=""> <TR BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" CLASS="TableHeadingColor"> <TH ALIGN="left" COLSPAN="2"><FONT SIZE="+2"> <B>Constructor Summary</B></FONT></TH> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#ByteArrayBuilder()">ByteArrayBuilder</A></B>()</CODE> <BR>            </TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#ByteArrayBuilder(com.fasterxml.jackson.core.util.BufferRecycler)">ByteArrayBuilder</A></B>(<A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/BufferRecycler.html" title="class in com.fasterxml.jackson.core.util">BufferRecycler</A> br)</CODE> <BR>            </TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#ByteArrayBuilder(com.fasterxml.jackson.core.util.BufferRecycler, int)">ByteArrayBuilder</A></B>(<A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/BufferRecycler.html" title="class in com.fasterxml.jackson.core.util">BufferRecycler</A> br, int firstBlockSize)</CODE> <BR>            </TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#ByteArrayBuilder(int)">ByteArrayBuilder</A></B>(int firstBlockSize)</CODE> <BR>            </TD> </TR> </TABLE>   <!-- ========== METHOD SUMMARY =========== --> <A NAME="method_summary"><!-- --></A> <TABLE BORDER="1" WIDTH="100%" CELLPADDING="3" CELLSPACING="0" SUMMARY=""> <TR BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" CLASS="TableHeadingColor"> <TH ALIGN="left" COLSPAN="2"><FONT SIZE="+2"> <B>Method Summary</B></FONT></TH> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> void</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#append(int)">append</A></B>(int i)</CODE> <BR>            </TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> void</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#appendThreeBytes(int)">appendThreeBytes</A></B>(int b24)</CODE> <BR>            </TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> void</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#appendTwoBytes(int)">appendTwoBytes</A></B>(int b16)</CODE> <BR>            </TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> void</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#close()">close</A></B>()</CODE> <BR>            </TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> byte[]</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#completeAndCoalesce(int)">completeAndCoalesce</A></B>(int lastBlockLength)</CODE> <BR>           Method that will complete "manual" output process, coalesce content (if necessary) and return results as a contiguous buffer.</TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> byte[]</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#finishCurrentSegment()">finishCurrentSegment</A></B>()</CODE> <BR>           Method called when the current segment buffer is full; will append to current contents, allocate a new segment buffer and return it</TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> void</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#flush()">flush</A></B>()</CODE> <BR>            </TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> byte[]</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#getCurrentSegment()">getCurrentSegment</A></B>()</CODE> <BR>            </TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> int</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#getCurrentSegmentLength()">getCurrentSegmentLength</A></B>()</CODE> <BR>            </TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> void</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#release()">release</A></B>()</CODE> <BR>           Clean up method to call to release all buffers this object may be using.</TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> void</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#reset()">reset</A></B>()</CODE> <BR>            </TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> byte[]</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#resetAndGetFirstSegment()">resetAndGetFirstSegment</A></B>()</CODE> <BR>           Method called when starting "manual" output: will clear out current state and return the first segment buffer to fill</TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> void</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#setCurrentSegmentLength(int)">setCurrentSegmentLength</A></B>(int len)</CODE> <BR>            </TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> byte[]</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#toByteArray()">toByteArray</A></B>()</CODE> <BR>           Method called when results are finalized and we can get the full aggregated result buffer to return to the caller</TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> void</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#write(byte[])">write</A></B>(byte[] b)</CODE> <BR>            </TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> void</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#write(byte[], int, int)">write</A></B>(byte[] b, int off, int len)</CODE> <BR>            </TD> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" WIDTH="1%"><FONT SIZE="-1"> <CODE> void</CODE></FONT></TD> <TD><CODE><B><A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/ByteArrayBuilder.html#write(int)">write</A></B>(int b)</CODE> <BR>            </TD> </TR> </TABLE>  <A NAME="methods_inherited_from_class_java.lang.Object"><!-- --></A> <TABLE BORDER="1" WIDTH="100%" CELLPADDING="3" CELLSPACING="0" SUMMARY=""> <TR BGCOLOR="#EEEEFF" CLASS="TableSubHeadingColor"> <TH ALIGN="left"><B>Methods inherited from class java.lang.<A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/Object.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.lang">Object</A></B></TH> </TR> <TR BGCOLOR="white" CLASS="TableRowColor"> <TD><CODE><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/Object.html?is-external=true#clone()" title="class or interface in java.lang">clone</A>, <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/Object.html?is-external=true#equals(java.lang.Object)" title="class or interface in java.lang">equals</A>, <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/Object.html?is-external=true#finalize()" title="class or interface in java.lang">finalize</A>, <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/Object.html?is-external=true#getClass()" title="class or interface in java.lang">getClass</A>, <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/Object.html?is-external=true#hashCode()" title="class or interface in java.lang">hashCode</A>, <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/Object.html?is-external=true#notify()" title="class or interface in java.lang">notify</A>, <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/Object.html?is-external=true#notifyAll()" title="class or interface in java.lang">notifyAll</A>, <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/Object.html?is-external=true#toString()" title="class or interface in java.lang">toString</A>, <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/Object.html?is-external=true#wait()" title="class or interface in java.lang">wait</A>, <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/Object.html?is-external=true#wait(long)" title="class or interface in java.lang">wait</A>, <A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/lang/Object.html?is-external=true#wait(long, int)" title="class or interface in java.lang">wait</A></CODE></TD> </TR> </TABLE>   <P> <!-- ========= CONSTRUCTOR DETAIL ======== --> <A NAME="constructor_detail"><!-- --></A> <TABLE BORDER="1" WIDTH="100%" CELLPADDING="3" CELLSPACING="0" SUMMARY=""> <TR BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" CLASS="TableHeadingColor"> <TH ALIGN="left" COLSPAN="1"><FONT SIZE="+2"> <B>Constructor Detail</B></FONT></TH> </TR> </TABLE> <A NAME="ByteArrayBuilder()"><!-- --></A><H3> ByteArrayBuilder</H3> <PRE> public <B>ByteArrayBuilder</B>()</PRE> <DL> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="ByteArrayBuilder(com.fasterxml.jackson.core.util.BufferRecycler)"><!-- --></A><H3> ByteArrayBuilder</H3> <PRE> public <B>ByteArrayBuilder</B>(<A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/BufferRecycler.html" title="class in com.fasterxml.jackson.core.util">BufferRecycler</A> br)</PRE> <DL> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="ByteArrayBuilder(int)"><!-- --></A><H3> ByteArrayBuilder</H3> <PRE> public <B>ByteArrayBuilder</B>(int firstBlockSize)</PRE> <DL> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="ByteArrayBuilder(com.fasterxml.jackson.core.util.BufferRecycler, int)"><!-- --></A><H3> ByteArrayBuilder</H3> <PRE> public <B>ByteArrayBuilder</B>(<A HREF="../../../../../com/fasterxml/jackson/core/util/BufferRecycler.html" title="class in com.fasterxml.jackson.core.util">BufferRecycler</A> br, int firstBlockSize)</PRE> <DL> </DL> <!-- ============ METHOD DETAIL ========== --> <A NAME="method_detail"><!-- --></A> <TABLE BORDER="1" WIDTH="100%" CELLPADDING="3" CELLSPACING="0" SUMMARY=""> <TR BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" CLASS="TableHeadingColor"> <TH ALIGN="left" COLSPAN="1"><FONT SIZE="+2"> <B>Method Detail</B></FONT></TH> </TR> </TABLE> <A NAME="reset()"><!-- --></A><H3> reset</H3> <PRE> public void <B>reset</B>()</PRE> <DL> <DD><DL> </DL> </DD> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="release()"><!-- --></A><H3> release</H3> <PRE> public void <B>release</B>()</PRE> <DL> <DD>Clean up method to call to release all buffers this object may be using. After calling the method, no other accessors can be used (and attempt to do so may result in an exception) <P> <DD><DL> </DL> </DD> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="append(int)"><!-- --></A><H3> append</H3> <PRE> public void <B>append</B>(int i)</PRE> <DL> <DD><DL> </DL> </DD> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="appendTwoBytes(int)"><!-- --></A><H3> appendTwoBytes</H3> <PRE> public void <B>appendTwoBytes</B>(int b16)</PRE> <DL> <DD><DL> </DL> </DD> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="appendThreeBytes(int)"><!-- --></A><H3> appendThreeBytes</H3> <PRE> public void <B>appendThreeBytes</B>(int b24)</PRE> <DL> <DD><DL> </DL> </DD> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="toByteArray()"><!-- --></A><H3> toByteArray</H3> <PRE> public byte[] <B>toByteArray</B>()</PRE> <DL> <DD>Method called when results are finalized and we can get the full aggregated result buffer to return to the caller <P> <DD><DL> </DL> </DD> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="resetAndGetFirstSegment()"><!-- --></A><H3> resetAndGetFirstSegment</H3> <PRE> public byte[] <B>resetAndGetFirstSegment</B>()</PRE> <DL> <DD>Method called when starting "manual" output: will clear out current state and return the first segment buffer to fill <P> <DD><DL> </DL> </DD> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="finishCurrentSegment()"><!-- --></A><H3> finishCurrentSegment</H3> <PRE> public byte[] <B>finishCurrentSegment</B>()</PRE> <DL> <DD>Method called when the current segment buffer is full; will append to current contents, allocate a new segment buffer and return it <P> <DD><DL> </DL> </DD> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="completeAndCoalesce(int)"><!-- --></A><H3> completeAndCoalesce</H3> <PRE> public byte[] <B>completeAndCoalesce</B>(int lastBlockLength)</PRE> <DL> <DD>Method that will complete "manual" output process, coalesce content (if necessary) and return results as a contiguous buffer. <P> <DD><DL> <DT><B>Parameters:</B><DD><CODE>lastBlockLength</CODE> - Amount of content in the current segment buffer. <DT><B>Returns:</B><DD>Coalesced contents</DL> </DD> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="getCurrentSegment()"><!-- --></A><H3> getCurrentSegment</H3> <PRE> public byte[] <B>getCurrentSegment</B>()</PRE> <DL> <DD><DL> </DL> </DD> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="setCurrentSegmentLength(int)"><!-- --></A><H3> setCurrentSegmentLength</H3> <PRE> public void <B>setCurrentSegmentLength</B>(int len)</PRE> <DL> <DD><DL> </DL> </DD> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="getCurrentSegmentLength()"><!-- --></A><H3> getCurrentSegmentLength</H3> <PRE> public int <B>getCurrentSegmentLength</B>()</PRE> <DL> <DD><DL> </DL> </DD> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="write(byte[])"><!-- --></A><H3> write</H3> <PRE> public void <B>write</B>(byte[] b)</PRE> <DL> <DD><DL> <DT><B>Overrides:</B><DD><CODE><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/OutputStream.html?is-external=true#write(byte[])" title="class or interface in java.io">write</A></CODE> in class <CODE><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/OutputStream.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.io">OutputStream</A></CODE></DL> </DD> <DD><DL> </DL> </DD> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="write(byte[], int, int)"><!-- --></A><H3> write</H3> <PRE> public void <B>write</B>(byte[] b, int off, int len)</PRE> <DL> <DD><DL> <DT><B>Overrides:</B><DD><CODE><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/OutputStream.html?is-external=true#write(byte[], int, int)" title="class or interface in java.io">write</A></CODE> in class <CODE><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/OutputStream.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.io">OutputStream</A></CODE></DL> </DD> <DD><DL> </DL> </DD> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="write(int)"><!-- --></A><H3> write</H3> <PRE> public void <B>write</B>(int b)</PRE> <DL> <DD><DL> <DT><B>Specified by:</B><DD><CODE><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/OutputStream.html?is-external=true#write(int)" title="class or interface in java.io">write</A></CODE> in class <CODE><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/OutputStream.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.io">OutputStream</A></CODE></DL> </DD> <DD><DL> </DL> </DD> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="close()"><!-- --></A><H3> close</H3> <PRE> public void <B>close</B>()</PRE> <DL> <DD><DL> <DT><B>Specified by:</B><DD><CODE><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/Closeable.html?is-external=true#close()" title="class or interface in java.io">close</A></CODE> in interface <CODE><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/Closeable.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.io">Closeable</A></CODE><DT><B>Overrides:</B><DD><CODE><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/OutputStream.html?is-external=true#close()" title="class or interface in java.io">close</A></CODE> in class <CODE><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/OutputStream.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.io">OutputStream</A></CODE></DL> </DD> <DD><DL> </DL> </DD> </DL> <HR> <A NAME="flush()"><!-- --></A><H3> flush</H3> <PRE> public void <B>flush</B>()</PRE> <DL> <DD><DL> <DT><B>Specified by:</B><DD><CODE><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/Flushable.html?is-external=true#flush()" title="class or interface in java.io">flush</A></CODE> in interface <CODE><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/Flushable.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.io">Flushable</A></CODE><DT><B>Overrides:</B><DD><CODE><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/OutputStream.html?is-external=true#flush()" title="class or interface in java.io">flush</A></CODE> in class <CODE><A HREF="http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/OutputStream.html?is-external=true" title="class or interface in java.io">OutputStream</A></CODE></DL> </DD> <DD><DL> </DL> </DD> </DL> <!-- ========= END OF CLASS DATA ========= --> <HR> <!-- ======= START OF BOTTOM NAVBAR ====== --> <A NAME="navbar_bottom"><!-- --></A> <A HREF="#skip-navbar_bottom" title="Skip navigation links"></A> <TABLE BORDER="0" WIDTH="100%" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="0" SUMMARY=""> <TR><td rowspan='3'><script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-1467773697956887"; 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if TARGET_PATI config SYS_BOARD default "pati" config SYS_VENDOR default "mpl" config SYS_CONFIG_NAME default "PATI" endif	{ "pile_set_name": "Github" }
Equol Enhances Apoptosis-inducing Activity of Genistein by Increasing Bax/Bcl-xL Expression Ratio in MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cells. Anticancer activities of soy isoflavones, such as genistein and equol, a bioactive metabolite of daidzein, have been extensively studied because of possible involvement in the prevention of breast cancer. However, their interactions still remain unclear. We investigated here whether cytotoxic activity of genistein was enhanced by equol, using estrogen receptor positive MCF-7, HER2-positive SK-BR-3, and triple-negative MDA-MB-468 cell lines. Although cytotoxicity of genistein did not significantly differ between three subtypes of breast cancer cells, cytotoxic activities of genistein were significantly enhanced in combination with 50 μM equol in MCF-7 cells, but not in SK-BR-3 and MDA-MB-468 cells. In fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) analyses, MCF-7 cells were arrested at the G2/M by genistein but at G1/S by equol. Combination treatment arrested cells at G2/M but abolished equol-induced G1 block, indicating an antagonistic activity of genistein against equol in cell-cycle progression. Although apoptosis was not so evident with genistein alone, the combination made a drastic induction of apoptosis, accompanied by the increase of Bax/Bcl-xL expression ratio, without affecting the activities of Akt and mTOR. Taken together, these data suggest that enhancement of genistein activity by equol would be mainly mediated by augmented induction of apoptosis rather than arrest or delay of the cell cycle.	{ "pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts" }
Q: Benefits of a join table? I am trying to explain the benefits of a join table to a colleague, and below is an explanation. Am I correct? Currently he has the relationship between a pic and tag with two tables. A pic table and a tag table. The pic table has a tag_id this is a FK to an entry in the tag table. Here was my response: First lets look at pics and tags tables. So in your current architecture lets imagine two pics (a & b). We tag pics a & b with the hashtag #wtf. We now have two entries in out tags table: pic_id title ------ ----- a wtf b wtf Do you see the issue? So imagine we have 1000 wtf tags on a 1000 different pics. With this same architecture we now have a bloated tags table with all this repeated data (and wasted space). This issue arises when we have a many to many relationship. In this case many pics can have many tags, and many tags can have many pics. How would we fix this? The answer is a join table. So we create a new table. Lets call it pic_tag. This table would have columns pic_id & tag_id. So now new tables would look like: pic_tag pic_id tag_id ------ ------ a 1 b 1 tags id name -- ---- 1 wtf pic id name -- ---- a pic1 b pic2 So this does a couple of things for us. First it saves space. We only store the string 'wtf' one time. Second, to find all pics with the tag 'wtf' we first go to the tag table and find the id of 'wtf', then go to the pic_tag table and search for that id which is much more efficient that searching a bloated 'tags' table for a given text. Said another way, search for ints is much faster than searching for text. A: The main benefit is that there are relationships that can only be modeled with a join table. Say you have two entities A and B. If the relationship A:B is 1:1, the two can be represented by a single table. If A:B is 1:N (like 1 customer can have N orders but each order comes from only one customer), then you could model this as a foreign key from orders table to customers table. But if A:B is N:M (your tags scenario is a good example) you need a way to represent 0, 1 or N tags for each picture. There is no sound relational representation for that other than a join table. Note you could represent multiple tags per picture while breaking some principles of relational design (like storing multiple tags or FK's to tags) in a single column. Whether to do that or not is a design decision. Other benefits: you can change your mind whether the relationship is 0:1, 0:N, 1:(0-5), 1:N etc. without changing the core data model -- addressing that logic in triggers or application logic. You can create additional indexes to help with joins. You can introduce more uniqueness constraints to enforce data logic etc. But the main benefit is, join tables are the only relationally sound way to model certain types of relationships.	{ "pile_set_name": "StackExchange" }
Q: Collection fails when using a more restricted admin user I have the following collection which helps implement a custom report. <?php class VMR_Customreports_Model_Resource_Productsordered_Collection extends Mage_Reports_Model_Resource_Order_Collection { public function __construct() { parent::__construct(); $this->_init('sales/order_item'); } public function setDateRange($from, $to) { $this->_reset(); $this->getSelect() ->joinInner( array('i' => $this->getTable('sales/order_item')), 'i.`order_id` = main_table.`entity_id`' ) ->where("main_table.created_at BETWEEN '" . $from . "' AND '" . $to . "'") ->where('main_table.status != \'canceled\'') ->where('main_table.customer_email NOT LIKE \'%@v2cigs.%\'') ->where('i.parent_item_id IS NULL') ->columns(array( 'myname' => 'i.name', 'ordered_qty' => 'sum(i.qty_ordered)', 'ordered_money' => 'sum(i.`price`*i.qty_ordered)')) ->group('i.name'); return $this; } public function setStoreIds($storeIds) { if ($storeIds) $this->addAttributeToFilter('i.store_id', array('in' => (array)$storeIds)); return $this; } } When I login as full admin, it selects the right data but when I login as a more restricted user I get an error about, "Integrity constraint violation: 1052 Column 'store_id' in where clause is ambiguous". I can understand that it's talking about store_id being present both in the order_item table and in the order table, but I am specifying the table to pull from when using store_id. Furthermore, the error happens right at the join. If I comment out the store_id code I still get the error. Why? A: If you are using the Enterprise Edition, the AdminGws module is applying store scope filters so admins are only able to access data they are authorized to see. Also, you probably want to remove your __construct() method. See below for some additional information. Background: You are extending from Mage_Reports_Model_Resource_Order_Collection. This class uses the sales/order table (that is, sales_flat_order as the main table. $this->getSelect()->from(array('main_table' => $this->getMainTable())); The main table is actually fetched from the associated resource model: public function getMainTable() { if ($this->_mainTable === null) { $this->setMainTable($this->getResource()->getMainTable()); } return $this->_mainTable; } So the resource model is responsible to supply the main table name. Mage::getResourceModel($this->getResourceModelName()) is used to collect the resource model. So what does getResourceModelName() return? It returns the value that was set by the _init() call. protected function _init($model, $resourceModel = null) { $this->setModel($model); if (is_null($resourceModel)) { $resourceModel = $model; } $this->setResourceModel($resourceModel); return $this; } In your class, you are overriding the _init() call of the parent class: $this->_init('sales/order_item'); In effect, you are specifying that your collection should use the order item resource model, which will return the table sales/order_item as the main table. Because of your _init() call you are joining the sales_flat_order_item table with itself. Fixing that by removing the _init() call, or in fact the whole __construct() override, will probably fix that issue for you.	{ "pile_set_name": "StackExchange" }
The man was beaten to death in Khedi Kemru village, police said. (Representational image) Shamli police have arrested a woman, her lover and two others for allegedly beating her husband to death in the district's Khedi Kemru village, officials said on Monday. The body of Harish alias Sonu (31), was found in a drain on May 15, they said. Earlier, based on a complaint lodged by Harish's mother, police had arrested his brother-in-law, Shivam, and another relative, Mohit, for the murder. Harish's wife, Shivani, had also been named in the complaint. It was found during investigation that Shivani was in a relationship with another man, Shibbu, and Harish objected to it, following which they decided to eliminate him, station house officer, Kotwali police station, Subhash Rathore said. Shibbu roped in two others -- Himanshu and Lakhmir, to execute the plan, he said. Shivani has confessed to the crime, he added. Police have given a clean chit to Shivam and Mohit.	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
Ask HN: What to do when your once potential competitor becomes a real competitor - xoail I've had this idea for a SaaS based product and started working on it not too long ago (about 2 months in as solo founder/dev moonlighting). Since it is for enterprise I figured getting a solid product that does one thing really well is more important than building MVPs of product features. I still have at lest 2 or 3 more months into development before I start selling version 1 of the product.<p>But now I see my potential competitor also rolling out the same product I am making. They have a $1b market cap, have a large customer base and I can imagine they would find it easy to sell it than I do. I was sure that this would happen some day but not so soon. Their offering seems good enough to entice customers. The only thing I can compete with them right now is Price. They charge a lot for their product and I can beat it by being a fraction of what they charge.<p>I am currently confused wether to continue building or give up and start-over on something else? ====== jonnathanson Don't compete on price, per se. Compete on value. Value is related to price, but it's not the same thing. Identify the customer segment(s) you believe you're building for, and that your competitors might not be -- either because they have to go broad, or because they're focused on a segment or two themselves. Then really nail the value prop and solution for the segments you're targeting. You'll probably want to price cheaper than the big guys, but it's not to position yourself as "basically the same thing, but less expensive." Instead, it's to position yourself as the simpler, easier, _case- specifically better_ solution for a certain type of customer. Patio11 puts it well, as usual. Especially this paragraph: _" Is their product generic? Make yours hyper-specific. Is their product hyper-customized? Make yours the 'It only does 10% of what the other guy does, but it is the right 10%, and it actually works out of the box.'"_ The good news is that $1B+ companies usually can't afford to target niches. Their divisions are expected to move the needle for, well, a $1B+ business. This puts enormous pressure on them to develop big, broad solutions that are maybe 75% adequate for as close to 100% of the market as they can reach. This is a strategic vulnerability that strongly favors the smaller player. It's one of the very few advantages a smaller player has in competition with a big player, particularly in the SaaS space. ~~~ gbrits "The good news is that $1B+ companies usually can't afford to target niches. Their divisions are expected to move the needle for, well, a $1B+ business. " 100% agreed. May I suggest OP to pick up "The Innovator's Dilemma / The Innovator's Solution", which really brings the point home on why targeting niches and/or 'lower' marketing segments can be a good strategy. ------ antaviana 1\. Open the hosts file on your computer 2\. Add the website of your competitor with some random IP address 3\. Go back to work with your product and talk to your potential customers ~~~ xoail lol. well said. ------ patio11 Can you walk me through the thought process of why a competitor existing means you abandon this idea? Are they so central to your industry that they can immediately lock up 100% of the market? Are they going to be cross-selling from something which is more widely distributed in your niche than say Quickbooks or Microsoft Office? Don't compete on price. Enterprise customers care about it a lot less than you do, and enterprise customers are not motivated to purchase by "We saved a few thousand bucks and I lost my job because the deployment blew up in our face." I'd be far more worried about that sales objection than the existence of a competitor. You can probably compete on many other axes. One of my competitors has 400 employees, at least 20 of whom answer phones with customer questions. I have 0 employees, intentionally don't have a routable phone number, and self-assess at mediocre in terms of responsiveness to email. And I win sales dogfights with that company, occasionally, because prospects believe I'll offer them better CS. (The winning argument, which I've stolen fragrantly from Jason Cohen, is "You can call them up at any hour, day or night, and instantly speak to someone who can't solve your problem. Or you can drop me an email, and it may take me two days to get to it, but your email will always be answered by the guy who built the system with his own hands. Your call who you want in charge of your questions when it is your business on the line.") There are other options, such as competing on market segmentation. Your competitor, for example, might serve primarily a healthcare market. If the same need exists outside of healthcare, you can target your marketing/development over there, and make a product which really sings for those other audiences. Is their product generic? Make yours hyper-specific. Is their product hyper-customized? Make yours the "It only does 10% of what the other guy does, but it is the right 10%, _and_ it actually works out of the box." How do they market/sell it? Is it one of those "Ask for a quote and we'll let you speak to a sales rep?" type of deals. Consider selling via a lower-touch sales model. Worse comes to worse, you learn why high-touch sales is so darn popular. Also, to impart on you as early as possible the Voice of Pained SaaS Founder Experience: pause building for a moment and verify that you can successfully sell this. If necessary, you can have mockups or a minimally functional prototype to support the sales conversation. There are many worthwhile SaaS products which cannot be sold by a single founder into particular enterprises, so knowing whether your product is saleable or not given your constraints is a useful sanity check on whether to spend the rest of the schedule building it out. Selling SaaS which doesn't exist is fairly straightforward. Find a customer. Ask them to buy it. Note why they tell you "No." Adjust until you have gotten a "Yes." Now, repeat at least 5 times. Then, finish building it. If you cannot find a customer, or you can find the customer but can't get the right decisionmaker internally to get the time of day, or your customer doesn't consider this a hair-on-fire priority, or your current conception of the product doesn't match things they budget for, or any of a thousand other things systematically happen to block sales, then building the software does not in itself cure those sales problems. Incidentally, the number of enterprise deals which you have to close to have a very good living as a solo founder is somewhere between one and twenty. Their billion dollar valuation might be sustained by a team of stab-their-own- mother-for-a-commission-check reps being fed the Glengarry leads from the best marketing operation in enterprise software, but even they don't win _every_ deal. Table scraps are delicious if the table is very big relative to the dog. ~~~ xoail I do not necessarily want to fight on the Price but that is the only variable I can think of and start attracting smaller customers (who cannot afford my competitors pricing structure). This competitor seems to have brought in all the bells and whistles alongside the core of the product. My plan was to only focus on core pieces and get to side features as I start getting customer interest. Besides that, the customers buying their flag-ship product will find it useful to buy this product alongside. They both will complement well. I do think their vision seems to be different from mine where they are focused on various categories and I am on one niche. Thanks for all the various options you've highlighted. I do feel compelled to try building out the core services to see if I can compete in certain markets. My biggest concern being unable to dedicate myself full-time unless it starts bringing in revenue I need to pay up for my bills. If you do not mind, I would like to send you a PM with info of my product site. ~~~ patio11 _I do not necessarily want to fight on the Price but that is the only variable I can think of and start attracting smaller customers (who cannot afford my competitors pricing structure)_ Going after people who are systematically excluded by a competitor is not necessarily "competing on price" even if you happen to have lower average account sizes as a result. That can work fairly well. My largest competitor basically tosses you from their sales process if your account is worth less than $1k a month. Most of my customers are worth <= $200. It isn't just a pricing decision, though -- it informs how I do sales (high-touch vs. low- touch), what markets they go after vs ones I go after (healthcare vs. a bit more eclectic for me), feature decisions, etc. Feel free to send me an email. If I don't get back to you, it wasn't anything you said, it was just my newborn daughter keeping me busy. ~~~ mailshanx Ohhh, hey Patrick, congratulations on a new addition to your family! :) I've been following your writing for quite a while now, and i love it :) Heartiest congratulations again :D ------ pinaceae Never compete on price in enterprise. You compete on value prop and ROI - it's the profit and/or savings using your product will bring that are relevant, not the pure license costs. Price also signals worth, you get what you pay for, etc. As for the competition - compete. Don't assume just because a large corp announces something their product will be good, useful, successful. Might just be programmed in Powerpoint for all you know. ~~~ GFischer "Never compete on price in enterprise" That's a pretty blanket statement. I work for a relatively large service company, and we're looking to make a big purchase (a replacement of the core system), and one of the main decision points is price, especially because there are orders of magnitude in difference between several competitors. In the market we're evaluating there are: \- a dominant, best of breed solution, which is priced out of the budget \- several good systems that can't compete with the dominant one and thus either compete on niches or price \- several decent systems by companies that serve a geographic region \- several small systems for niche companies. The price differences range from a 22.000 dollar quote to a seven million dollar quote (and both were tossed out). Between similarly-priced products, yes, price is not a factor. One point which might be of interest is that we're valuing the user experience a lot - our previous software "ticked all the boxes" feature-wise but is an unusable mess, and the best-rated product among the mid-sized ones also has the same problem (maybe designed to win feature-checkbox government or bigco contract bids). I only hope the people which will actually make the decision listen to the technical sides' arguments and don't go for the feature-rich but bad-UX solution (I also expect bad UX to be a proxy for yet-to-be-discovered hidden limitations). ------ nemanja One thing that helped me in the past is differentiating on how fast I could move the deployment / customization of our solution vs. a larger competitor. The service we offered was pretty complex in terms of business requirements (periodic, enterprise-wide, hierarchical data collection of say 10-15 schedules with workflows, status reporting, followups, etc) and it took our larger competitors ~2-3+ months to turn the deployment. One tactic I employed was to ask the prospect for an excel spreadsheets they used in the past and customize the system a bit before the presentation. This had a big wow factor since we already had something that looked familiar and was almost there, made my contacts look good in front of their bosses and eleviated most of the deployment risk (savvy clients really understood that most of the risk was in deployment). We were often able to commit to ~2 week deployment and that made a huge difference. We were winning really large accounts, too (Fortune 100s). Now, this may not scale, but that's a beauty of an early startup - you get to and should do things that may not ultimately scale and may win as a result of that. ------ ChrisNorstrom 1- The most important lessons learned from building are watching the product and yourself fail and remembering those lessons for next time. 2- You still haven't failed yet. You haven't launched yet. You haven't run out of money yet. Why would you quit? Don't you want to see how people respond to your product? 3- If you stop now your greatest competitor is you. Not the other guy. You'll just destroy your chance at money, growth, and learning some awesome lessons in launching a Saas. 4- If you quit you will have spent 2 months working on this for nothing. ~~~ personlurking What if you've spent x months focusing on the product instead of the business (ie, not seeing what potential customers think early on), get to roll-out point and hit a roadblock? A roadblock that lets you pause for a second to realize the product reach may be quite limited vs another path that you could've gone with from the start. This is my situation. As for your 4 points, I realize all of that now and totally agree with it, but I do wonder about the certainly larger market if I'd go down the other path now. ------ pbreit If you're already worried about competitors and looking to compete merely on price, I'm afraid you might not be cut out for this. For starters, I would highly doubt that you and this big company would be going after the same customers. It's relatively easy to find niches that big companies can't or don't want to serve. ~~~ xoail I see your point. My worry is mostly on the lines of wether I can fight with them as a solo founder working part-time on this. But on further analysis, I feel there is a chance of holding a good fight by focusing on certain niche markets as you've highlighted. ------ sumedh > or give up and start-over on something else? So what happens if you hit a similar problem when you start over on something else? ~~~ janson0 This is a great, short piece of advice. ------ gumby A couple of points: Find a vertical niche that you can dominate and build out from there. If it's a new area, or a relatively new area, your competitor can't build a product that will appeal to everyone. So you two may not even compete head to head for a while. And since you're small, you're probably more nimble and can make a better reputation. And you won't have to compete on price -- you might even be able to charge more than they can once you have a few customers. Once you start a company (assuming you do) you can offer stock that costs less for a larger stake in the company than your competitor could. The only people who want to work for Google or Facebook are those who work for the salary -- the stock is high priced and isn't going to go up by any appreciable multiple. So in addition to the fun and terror of working for a startup, you have something the other guy can't offer. ------ logn I recently chose an invoicing/payment provider. And also a gateway/merchant. For each of those there are at least 10 solid offerings in my price range. I ended up making my choices based on really specific features I preferred when anyone else looking at the situation would think they're all comparable. The world's a big place and people will choose you. Furthermore, sales is a powerful skill if used right and striking up an email conversation can be more persuasive than a bullet list of features or meeting some price-point. And when you're building you're product from scratch you're in a great position to add features based on initial feedback and build the product that at least a small set of users really want. I think solo technical founders have an enormous advantage here as there's no obstacle to reform the product in an early stage. ------ tomasien It's unlikely that a competitor with only a $1bn market cap building a similar product to you will be the reason you are or aren't successful unless they're OTHER product makes their new, more similar to yours offering more valuable by extension. Unless you're certain that their product will be much better than yours no matter what and they've gotten it exactly right, just learn from them and keep going. However I should reiterate: if you think their product is perfect or close, don't keep going. I've seen people do this and there's no point - you've lost the passion for the project at that point because you'll just stare at their product and wish your product could be like that. You won't think critically and differentiate, you'll just try to catch up. ------ drawkbox It is good to be aware of competition but if you constantly compare yourself to others you will either be too good or not good enough, which leads to laziness and chasing the leader respectively. Being first is nice but just the fact that there is competition is some validation that the service is needed. Better to compete early rather than when it is a commodity down the line. Being early but not first does have some advantages as it is market research. The "Google wasn't the first search engine" line of thought. ------ geoffbrown2014 The bells and whistles comment struck a chord with me. That can be a tremendous advantage to you if the company bundles all those features. Go talk to customers and find out how many of the features they actually use. If they only use 15-20 percent of the features then focus on that small subset of features and do it better than the big guy. If the majority of users use the majority of the product then I think you will have an uphill battle. Think about your customers not your competitors. ------ rational-future FWIW I personally don't buy any products or services for my business, that are backed by a one man company. The risk that you may get sick or bored or bought out or hit by a bus, etc. is too high. If you're not a sales ninja, you'll have to finish building the product, before you get any sales. Contact your competitor competitors, see if they'll be interested in cooperating. ~~~ patio11 One can very easily check whether one's target customers are averse to dealing with a one-man shop. Ask them to buy your thing. If they don't ask "Are you a one-man shop?", they are not averse to dealing with one-man shops. A surprising number of enterprise customers are not averse to dealing with one-man shops. It blows my mind at least once a week. Supposing that a customer does give you the one-man shop objection, you don't say "Oh rats, well, good luck then." You summon your founder gumption and say "Sure thing, I understand that you want to buy this software but have understandable reservations about dealing with a one-man company. What can we do to fix this? Help me understand this a bit more -- is this coming from you? From other stakeholders? Corporate policy? You had a bad experience once?" After probing for the nature of the objection, you can offer solutions to it. You might go out of business: I've answered this before. "I've been in business since 2006 and profitable every year since then. Nobody knows what the future holds, but I'm cautiously optimistic. I'd hate to get a real job." You might get hit by a bus: "I certainly hope I don't get hit by a bus but I'll be extra careful crossing streets, just for you! _pause for laughter_ No, seriously speaking, I totally understand how you guys need business continuity for core services. What if we had a written business continuity plan? Would that help? I can have lawyers and a well-regarded tech firm get one together for us as soon as you get me a LOI." We need code escrow: "Who is your preferred vendor for code escrow? Great, we'd be happy to work with them. Tabling that issue for a moment, is there anything else you need from me, or can we proceed to the next step?" You could break stuff: "We carry an industry-standard Errors and Omissions insurance policy in the amount of $1 million. The insurance company was happy to write this policy because we take steps like X, Y, Z to make sure that we don't break stuff. Does $1 million sound adequate?" -> "Great then, we're covered." or "Interesting. Help me understand how you're arriving at your number for how much is at stake here. I'd be happy to quote you for services commensurate with the value you get out of our system, and we'll only move forward if I can get our insurance underwriter to approve that level of coverage." ~~~ raffi I am a one-man shop and sell software in the enterprise space. I also have competitors and while I see my product as very different, a lot of my work goes into educating my market about why. Most of my customers are household names and they're not averse to dealing with my one-man shop. It doesn't even come up. Their staff wants my software and they work their process to buy it. That's it. I have not had to answer any of these objections (thankfully). I'd probably pass on the customer if they came up. ------ moubarak Like patio said, don't compete on price. Later you will find out your product is worth what your competitor is charging and you'll feel bad about it. Most importantly, your competitor might have many employees, but be sure that the team working on that specific product is small. This is exactly the mentality that Steve Wozniak had when Apple first started. ------ shuzchen You should definitely continue with your product, and you've now got a big stamp of product validation in terms of a huge company putting resources into the same market. To be clear, you should still do your own validation study (get your own product in front of customers) but I see this as good news that confirms you're heading in the right direction. ------ MalcolmDiggs You've lost First-Mover Advantage, that's all. I'm sure your business model was premised on more than simply doing something first, wasn't it? ------ mstanley if there are no competitors, there likely is no market. ideas are rarely unique (and even when unique, are quickly imitated). execution is everything. don't see increased competition as a bad thing. Rather, view it as confirmation you are onto something. keep going. be prepared to fight. and do it better. ------ pknerd You have more freedom to iterate your product than them :-)	{ "pile_set_name": "HackerNews" }
Effect of acute and chronic administration of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline on muscle tone, metabolism of dopamine in the striatum and tyrosine hydroxylase immunocytochemistry in the substantia nigra, in rats. The effects of acute and chronic administration of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline, an endogenous substance suspected of producing parkinsonism in humans, on the muscle tone and metabolism of dopamine in the striatum, and on the number of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive cells in the substantia nigra were investigated in rats. Muscle tone was examined using a combined mechanomyographic and electromyographic method which measured simultaneously the muscle resistance of the rat's hind foot to passive extension and flexion in the ankle joint and electromyographic activity of the antagonistic muscles of that joint: gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior. 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydroisoquinoline administered at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg intraperitoneally for 19 days increased muscle resistance 1 h after the first injection (acute treatment), 1 h after the last injection (chronic treatment) and three days after compound withdrawal. Rigidity observed on the third day of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline withdrawal was accompanied by an increased tonic (resting) electromyographic activity of the gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscles. At the same time, a significant reduction in the number of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive neurons in the substantia nigra and a decrease in the dopamine level in the striatum were also found. A declining number of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive neurons in the whole substantia nigra showed a significant negative correlation with the enhanced muscle resistance, as well as with the tonic electromyographic activity recorded at rest, i.e. before the start of movements, from the gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscles. Our results suggest that 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline may be one of the endogenous substances involved in the progress of Parkinson's disease.	{ "pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts" }
The Seahawk stepped off the plane, stubbing his cigarette out on the tarmac. “Pittsburgh,” he growled. “I hate this town.” Was it the loss in Super Bowl XL that made him feel this way? Despite not technically occurring in Pittsburgh, it may as well have, a moment in life that stuck in his beak. It was a loss that kept him from finally reaching the pinnacle of success after years of moribund drifting. He shuddered when he remembered, for example, the delirium tremens of ‘93 that led him to believe in the power of Rick Mirer, so desperate was he to taste success. Dark times. Then it all came together for one magical season, ended by a bus, some zebras, some unfortunate luck. Few believed his story, which only made him stick to it all the more tightly. That he had eventually claimed the prize eight years later did little to assuage his feelings on the Super Bowl. The failures have a habit of dragging you down more than the successes lift you up. Adjusting his hat, the Seahawk passed through the airport to ready himself for game time. He’d returned here, after the loss, in 2007 and again in 2011. In the former, he had wanted some measure of vengeance. He was instead shutout, an embarrassing display that only served to dig his wounds deeper. In 2011, he was again flailing, lost in the weeds, and the unforgiving Steeler men in their cursed ketchup field pulled no punches. Another shutout. Two full games, no points, no revenge. The old wound stayed fresh. It could not heal. But the Seahawk had acquired a new secret weapon. Nurtured him, watched him flourish. Russell Wilson, his best friend in the years since defeat. Others had come and gone, with parting shots both deserved and undeserved. Russell had stuck with him. Four years ago, the Steeler men had come to Seattle and lost. It was something. But now Russell was coming with him to Pittsburgh. He dared, just a little, to feel confident. He went to his department head, Ol’ Pete, whose energy belied his advanced years. “What do you think?” the Seahawk asked, as the manager turned down an offer of whiskey before kickoff. “These zebras don’t understand pass interference,” said Pete. He grinned like a wolf about to descend into a field of blissfully unaware sheep. “I’m happy to teach them. I’ll challenge them a couple of times and they’ll see it my way by the end.” The Seahawk left him to it. He’d put a lot of faith in Ol’ Pete, and had mostly been rewarded for it. Putting away his whiskey in a single gulp, he moved through the locker room. Some new faces worried him, others intrigued him. DK Metcalf, the receiver built like the USS Monitor, they said, but with softer hands. Jadeveon Clowney, the Texan, with a deep loathing of opposing quarterbacks. But in the middle of it all: Russell. From across the room, Wilson saw the Seahawk looking over at him. Russell simply nodded and went back to his preparations. The Seahawk was temporarily relieved. He felt the wound. Maybe. Contrary to his pre-game confidence, the Seahawk was a nervous wreck as a small lead turned into a slightly bigger lead, then settled into a back-and-forth pinball match. As Ol’ Pete had promised, he challenged the zebras on pass interference twice. They stood up to him the first time, but lost their nerve the second and were cowed into agreement. When the Seahawk looked over to Pete, the wily manager wore but the barest of smirks on his face. The battleship Metcalf displaced a cornerback and cruised into the endzone to temporarily relieve the Seahawk, but he fell into a panic after Chris Carson coughed up the football and the Steeler men pulled within two. “Are we going to get out of this one?” he muttered, not meaning to be overheard. “Or am I meant to suffer in this town, to these Steeler men, yet again?” An arm went around the Seahawk. “I’m on the case,” Russell said. He went over to Ol’ Pete. “Put this in my hands. We got this, but you have to trust me.” The manager considered for a moment. He wanted to run the ball, let his Australian man punt the ball down the field, and lean on his defense to finish it out. It was the Ol’ Pete way. But there was something in Russell’s demeanor, a gleam in his eye. It made Pete grunt, “Fine, then. Win it for us, right here.” And Russell did so. The Seahawk gazed in awe as Wilson earned first down after first down. The Steeler men began to panic as they frantically watched the clock drain away. They even attempted to injure Russell with their uncivilized and poorly maintained field that was not fit for grazing cattle, let alone hosting professional sporting events. Their efforts failed. Wilson’s knee survived, and the game was won. As Russell, Ol’ Pete, and the rest of the team celebrated jubilantly, the Seahawk felt for the old wound. Still there, sure. It could never really go away. But it was a little less painful. The Seahawk felt good. Maybe there was hope for him in this town after all, but he was happy to leave Pittsburgh a winner for the first time in so long.	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
UNPUBLISHED UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT No. 97-7679 DONDI A. JOHNSON, Petitioner - Appellant, versus RONALD F. MOATS; ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND, Respondents - Appellees. Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, at Baltimore. Andre M. Davis, District Judge. (CA-95- 1374-AMD) Submitted: February 12, 1998 Decided: March 4, 1998 Before MURNAGHAN and WILLIAMS, Circuit Judges, and PHILLIPS, Senior Circuit Judge. Dismissed by unpublished per curiam opinion. Dondi A. Johnson, Appellant Pro Se. Ann Norman Bosse, OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MARYLAND, Baltimore, Maryland, for Appellees. Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit. See Local Rule 36(c). PER CURIAM: Appellant filed an untimely notice of appeal. We dismiss the appeal for lack of jurisdiction. The time periods for filing notices of appeal are governed by Fed. R. App. P. 4. These periods are "mandatory and jurisdictional." Browder v. Director, Dep't of Corrections, 434 U.S. 257, 264 (1978) (quoting United States v. Robinson, 361 U.S. 220, 229 (1960)). Parties to civil actions have thirty days within which to file in the district court notices of appeal from judgments or final orders. Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(1). The only exceptions to the appeal period are when the district court extends the time to appeal under Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(5) or reopens the appeal period under Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(6). The district court entered its order on August 11, 1997; Appellant's notice of appeal was filed on November 10, 1997. Ap- pellant's failure to file a timely notice of appeal or to obtain either an extension or a reopening of the appeal period leaves this court without jurisdiction to consider the merits of Appellant's appeal. We therefore deny a certificate of probable cause and dis- miss the appeal. We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before the court and argument would not aid the decisional process. DISMISSED 2	{ "pile_set_name": "FreeLaw" }
6 F.3d 780 National Corporation-Manufacturer of Collapsible Tubes, Inc.v.A.M.E. International, Inc. NO. 92-5631 United States Court of Appeals,Third Circuit. Aug 12, 1993 1 Appeal From: D.N.J. 2 REVERSED IN PART.	{ "pile_set_name": "FreeLaw" }
Morning Dew, Dark Star > St. Stephen > The Eleven > Turn On Your Love Light > Drums > Turn On Your Love Light, Cryptical Envelopment > Drums > The Other One > Cryptical Envelopment > Feedback > And We Bid You Good Night Sound Forge was used to adjust the pitch for portions of the recording and to remove several small pops. plus-circle Add Review comment Reviews Reviewer: c-freedom - favorite favorite favorite favorite - February 6, 2015 Subject: in ice petal flowers revolving... Not much concern about Iron Butterfly really an Apples and Oranges type comparison. It sounds like this was an undersold show with the band calling for folks to gather upfront. I do believe the Kiel was a larger sized venue. Somebody from IB organization probably thought both bands names together would look good out on the marque. My personal take is when the DEAD hit the DARK STAR 2nd song into a set and they are firing on all cylinders then I am not sure anyone could play after the Dead. Not a long Dark Star on the recording (possibly a cut?) but very psychedelic. There are points in the ELEVEN that are scorching hot. The LOVELIGHT is very high energy. Some nights Pigpen has to coax it out of the band but everyone seems primed this night. "Get your hands out of your pocket, My Mother told me that would make you crazy" Love the final crescendo for LOVELIGHT! IRON BUTTERFLY WILL BE ON IN A MINUTE... and then someone tells Garcia probably the coolest thing you could tell Garcia when he was in your establishment, so Jerry tells the crowd- "We have some more time, we are going to play a little more"-JERRY GARCIA Yes, if the Butterfly was on the fence about playing then the rawness of the Other One probably convinced them that their heated tour bus was the only bus they were looking to get on this night. - February 6, 2015in ice petal flowers revolving... Reviewer: chris phillips - favorite favorite favorite - April 15, 2014 Subject: the real thing In the winter of '69 the Grateful Dead's performances really do the trick. - April 15, 2014the real thing Reviewer: njpg - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - February 6, 2012 Subject: Yes indeed! Some great shows in this season, and this one and the night before are maybe the craziest. - February 6, 2012Yes indeed! Reviewer: clementinescaboose - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - July 21, 2011 Subject: Out of Control With the exception of the Dew opener, this is just absolutely dripping with goo from start to finish. Dark Star, The Other One>Cryptical, Eleven>Lovelight all too good to be true! There is nothing like February 1969!! - July 21, 2011Out of Control Reviewer: rschwz28 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - July 2, 2010 Subject: Iron who? Just for experimental purposes, I tried looking at some IB concerts on You Tube last night. The music? Zero. The lyrics? Less than zero. The drum solo? A joke. I'm sure Keith Moon did not feel threatened! You frequently hear these bands talked about together: Beatles, Stones, Dead, Airplane, Hendrix, Cream, Who, Zeppelin, CSN&Y. I've never heard IB mentioned in the same breath. They're not in the same league. - July 2, 2010Iron who? Reviewer: Darrylizer - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - July 30, 2008 Subject: Now I'm pissed off Sorry but Iron Butterfly aren't half the musicians the Dead were. Speaking only about rhythm IB only wrote songs in 4/4 or common time, the Dead wrote songs in much more adventurous time signatures such as ten and ELEVEN, hence the songs title. Jesus get a frigging clue. The Dead were creative improvising musicians, IB were pop guys who played their songs the same way in the same order every night. Yeah they were tight, who wouldn't be if you played the same set every night? They were also, with the exception of their one hit, an average heavy 60's group and very dated. To call them master musicians is quite a stretch and to imply they knew more about music than Jerry and company is laughable at best and at worst ignorant. Oh yeah, this show smokes. - July 30, 2008Now I'm pissed off Reviewer: golfmann - favorite favorite favorite favorite - February 27, 2008 Subject: I was there! And believe me.... Iron Butterfly was put to shame that night. I don't know HOW many IB fans became deadheads that night (whether they knew it or not) :) And to prove the point, how many Iron Butterfly TRIBUTE bands do YOU know of? It was the second time I saw them and sure as hell not the last! THANK you for having this for my memory. - February 27, 2008I was there! Reviewer: iggybur - favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 4, 2007 Subject: :-P weeeellll, my pops has been to an IB show and noyz sounds about right, they were pretty good but nothin special really. I can totally understand your reasoning, sure, they were a band that did not allow taping. Buuut, not many ever made the effort anyway. I doubt the dead immediately allowed taping to go on in the very beginning too. 3.5 quality 4.8 playing nice show. - April 4, 2007:-P Reviewer: Ssag - favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 29, 2006 Subject: here it comes Alright why is it always the Dead are the best,they blew this band away and that band away blah blah blah? Faulty logic = why do you think there are thousands of Dead boots and no IB boots?...........Gheez I dont know maybe because the Dead were the only ones that allowed it and had a group of very dedicated people who did tape the shows illegally when it wasn't allowed. Huh? Gee oh yeah. Ummmm almost every band out there does not allow for taping live shows nor do they allow it to show up on a archive like this. And that my friends is why IB shows are not up here and circulating around, it is not because they sucked anr the Dead rule the music world. The Dead are great band don't get me wrong but this constant "they are the best" w/o proof or blind ranting how they are the greatest thing thats ever picked up guitars by Heads frustrates me. And yes they did have a hard time keeping their instruments in tune back then. That happens after playing hours w/o stopping for a break. Give this thinking a rest and just enjoy whats out there because there is ton of great music out there that doesnt have Jerry Garcia attached to it. That being said that is one super smoking Other One. - December 29, 2006here it comes Reviewer: noyz - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - December 28, 2006 Subject: wha? First off, amazing show. Second, its hard to call IB amazing since people who went to their shows just wanted to hear inagaddadavida. I'd know, I have ONE boot of theirs from '71 and the crowd screams for it after nearly every song (they finally do it as an encore). Do you see thousands of dead shows/boots available or IB's? There is a reason for that. - December 28, 2006wha? Reviewer: Young Blood - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - September 22, 2006 Subject: What? Who the hell is this guy below? What a dumbass 4.5 stars for the show. 4.5 stars for the sound adjusted for the period. I'm correcting for the Iron Butterfly guy. - September 22, 2006What? Reviewer: nips - favorite favorite favorite - April 5, 2006 Subject: Saucey Sorry folks but I'm gonna have to disagree with ya on one point. From a musical standpoint, Iron Butterfly is a much tighter, more educated group of players with brilliant songwriting skills throughout a three album period.(minus the tune 'In a Gadda Da Vida' which is probably the simplest and most cliche of their tunes) Just listen to an album entiteld "Ball" and the rest of "In a Gadda da Vida" and judge accordingly. They are actually a quite phenomenal and unique group and I advise you to at least check out their other stuff out before you discredit them entirely. I love the Dead also, I just wish they would spend more time tuning their guitars! - April 5, 2006Saucey Reviewer: capn doubledose - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - February 10, 2006 Subject: '69 Gold Standard They are playing for their lives on this and I can see how Iron Butterly felt upstaged - They crush anything after that. Remember at the time, IB had inna gadda da vida which was huge and GD just came out and rolled em. Billy is nuts on the drums and Pig blows the door off Lovelight. Sound is slacking but musically this is really hot. They come out with this over the top Other One which to me deserves 5 stars for the attitude alone - So funny they were this cocky in St. Louis and then crapped out at Woodstock 6 months later. How different would history have been if they played this set there... Moral of the story: guys dont eat the brown acid. - February 10, 2006'69 Gold Standard Reviewer: cool_breeze - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - May 27, 2005 Subject: They opened for Iron Butterfly at this gig... ...and the set was supposed to end with Lovelight. But (and I have this information from a person who was backstage at the show), after listening to the Dead burn the house down, Iron Butterfly didn't want to come out. So, the Dead came back on to play a "few more minutes" and proceeded to add insult to IB's injury with the Cryptical sandwich, Feedback, and AWBYG. I only saw IB once, at a little place here in Belleville called The Palace. The opening act for them that night was a band called the Hour Glass, which happened to have a couple of brothers named Allman playing in it. Being a no-talent, one-hit wonder does have its perils, one of which seems to be finding opening acts worse than you. This show gets five brass balls for the Dead totally upstaging Iron Butterfly. - May 27, 2005They opened for Iron Butterfly at this gig...	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
Who decides? An ethics case consult for Terri Schiavo. What lessons might we take away as palliative care clinicians or ethics consultants? I might summarize as follows: As has been widely discussed elsewhere, the importance of advance directives, designation of proxy decision makers, and nuanced discussions with those potential proxies is of utmost importance--even for young adults. Be as clear as possible about diagnosis and prognosis. Rely on those with the greatest expertise and the least potential conflict of interest. Be honest about the limits of medical certainty and the diagnostic and prognostic possibilities. Separate reality from what loved ones or special interest advocates might wish were the reality. Efforts to resolve disputes among families or between families and care providers ought to remain private, and focus on the patient at hand rather than broader social or political agendas. Ethics committees or independent mediators work toward "win-win" outcomes and may help avoid the polarized, "winner-take-all" approach of litigation. Medical facts are not value-free and do not add up to a universally agreed-upon conclusion in the manner of a mathematical equation, but are viewed and interpreted through the lens of each participant's perspective. In the space of this essay, I can offer only a brief nod to the field of narrative ethics, but the interested reader will find a rich body of literature regarding this concept on which to base his or her own ethical conclusions regarding this case.	{ "pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts" }
VTG VTG or Vtg may refer to: VTG AG, European rolling stock leasing company on the SDAX Vitellogenin (VTG) a type of protein Variable turbine geometry, in variable-geometry turbochargers Airline code for Aviação Transportes Aéreos e Cargas, Angola Virtual tributary group, in synchronous optical networking An airport code for Vung Tau Airport, Vietnam See also VTG-32, a type of video timer produced by FOR-A VT Group, a privately held United States defence and services company	{ "pile_set_name": "Wikipedia (en)" }
KYODO NEWS - Feb 26, 2020 - 19:40 \| Arts, All, Japan A new manga plotted and designed by artificial intelligence that learned the artistic style of "Astro Boy" manga creator Osamu Tezuka will be published this week, a project sponsor said Wednesday. The manga "Paidon" to be released Thursday in weekly comic magazine "Morning" has been created by AI, which analyzed 65 works by Tezuka, including such classics as "Phoenix" and "Black Jack," according to Kioxia Holdings Corp., a memory chip maker that launched the project. By analyzing Tezuka's works, AI generated character designs and basic storylines before professional creators added such elements as clothing and dialogue to complete the work. "I always felt sad whenever Osamu Tezuka fans said they could no longer enjoy his new work. AI creating his new work...that's exactly the kind of (technologically advanced) world depicted in Tezuka's manga," the late author's son and video creator Makoto Tezuka, who contributed to the project, told a press conference in Tokyo. (Makoto Tezuka (L)) "I hope this technology will be applied to the training of young manga artists and also contribute to spreading the unique culture of Japanese manga to the world," he said. The new manga is about a homeless philosopher who together with a bird robot called Apollo tries to solve criminal cases in Tokyo in 2030. Magazine publisher Kodansha Ltd. said a sequel of the comic is currently in production. Tezuka Productions Co. and Keio University professor Satoshi Kurihara, who specializes in AI and computing, also cooperated in the project launched around July 2019. Kioxia changed its company name in October from Toshiba Memory Holdings Corp., a chip company spun off from Toshiba Corp. Related coverage: Manga on Uyghur woman's testimony of torture in China goes viral Tokyo manga hotel makes virtue of sleepless nights Hatsune Miku affirms global star status with second Europe tour	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
[Nutritional deficiency and Alzheimer's disease: how to identify and prevent]. Weight loss is a very common problem for patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD), whether they live at home or in long-term care facilities. At any rate it depends on an imbalance between energy expenditure and intake. Though in the initial phases of the illness, the weight loss might be caused by socio-environmental and psychological factors and reduced autonomy, in the following stages it depends on Adversive Feeding Behaviours (AFBs). The AFBs invariably lead to protein, fat and sugar deficits as well as a vitamin deficit which presents a positive correlation with the cognitive performance level and negatively affects the course of the disease. Thus it is important to identify AFBs (Blandford Scale) as soon as possible, especially when they can be treated. Furthermore it is very important to recognise weight loss immediately and identify a possible malnutrition state, using investigative methods which allow for follow-up monitoring (Mini Nutritional Assessment). Pharmacological therapy of cognitive deficit and AFBs together with possible contemporary conditions (depression) and intervention on the nutrition, will be useful to avoid a deficiency state and the consequent negative repercussion on the disease.	{ "pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts" }
Overview Identity Manager streamlines the access governance process of managing user identities, privileges and security enterprise-wide. It moves user management and access control away from IT capabilities and into the hands of the business. By leveraging an automated architecture, Identity Manager simplifies major identity and access management (IAM) tasks to a fraction of the complexity, time or expense of “traditional” framework solutions. Benefits Access governanceEnables you to understand what is in your environment and who has access to it, while providing employees with only the appropriate access necessary to perform their jobs Visionary architectureHelps you make implementing an identity access management solution a streamlined, business-optimized and rapidly deployed configuration process by eliminating the typical barriers associated with adopting an IAM framework solution Automated provisioningAutomatically provision to any system, platform or application using configuration rather than customization. You can deploy the solution and receive value within months rather than years•Self-service lifecycle identity management - An intuitive “shopping cart” interface enables your non-IT users to provision accounts, physical assets and control access rights and permissions Complement existing investmentsEnables you to make the most of multiple best-in-class IAM solutions with support for other systems, including “traditional” IAM frameworks, for a single, consistent IAM strategy Business process managementHelps to maximize your organizations’ security and compliance while eliminating common IAM inefficiencies and redundant processes by enabling you to create workflows and attestations based on your business and policy needs Compliance-ready IAM stanceEnables you to address the cause of problems instead of the symptoms. Helps you achieve and maintain compliance with ongoing governance, using your own security policies by providing you with complete visibility into identity and access management	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Was I right not to lend him money? There's a neighbour who helps everyone fix stuff around the house and he does it for free (he gets offended when someone offers to pay him). He helped me put up a shelf and fixed my door. One day he came and asked me to lend him 60$ and I said no because I'd lent him a game and he never returned it. Anyway, he said "What kind of person are you? I helped you out around the house and you won't lend me money" then he just ran away from my house without saying bye or anything. He doesn't come by anymore (he'd used to come and chat with my mom) and my mom called him to fix the faucet (I told her not to) and he said he will but he never did.Was I right not to lend him money? Most Helpful Guy You were in the right not to lend him money. I made the mistake of lending my female friend money and she never repaid me. Lesson learnt don't lend people money unless they are family. I know my family would always pay me back. People that come back with the kind of response "What kind of person are you? I helped you..." are trying to guilt you into what they want. They are very annoying and selfish, these types of people actually show you that they are not a nice as you think they once were. Sorry I am not trying to be mean but it is the truth. Most Helpful Girl What Guys Said 3 Not enough info... There are some very friendly people who are always willing to help others and simply expect others to help them in return. Farming communities are like that. Everyone help everyone else. That may be what he is used to. On the other hand, you get people who are manipulative. I have an uncle like that. He always help when it suites him and when it does not cost him much, but guilt trips people when he wants something in return. No one trusts him anymore.	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Cutis marmorata telangiectatica with multiple congenital anomalies (van Lohuizen's syndrome). A 5-year-old Korean boy with diagnosis of cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita had a bluish-red, widespread livedo network over the entire body surface. There was skin atrophy as well as ulceration and crust over some of the lesions. These abnormalities have been associated with mental retardation with abnormal EEG findings, speech disability, defective growth, cleft palate, presence of simian lines and an increase in the atd angles of both palms, diffuse demineralization of bony structure and weakness of the long extensor muscles of both thumbs. Based on our clinical datas and review of world literature, it would seem to be necessary to change the terminology.	{ "pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts" }
Q: Logical way to create a custom h5py build with conda I am having an design issue with some packages in conda. I have done the following steps to get where I am: Build custom version of hdf5 (enabling certain compiler flags) Build custom version of h5py (with modifications calling different APIs from the custom version of hdf5. This can only be built properly using my custom version of hdf5. So my question is: I want to package this new package that I have built for use in development and production machines throughout our system and I want to know the best way of doing it. I have never made python\|conda packages before so I am unaware of best practices. Most of the documentation about the subject online seems to deal with letting conda build the package for you. Could I, for example, build h5py (from h5py modified source) in a build directory, and then add the meta and build files there for that to be my package. Or would I use the install directory in anaconda/lib/python3.5/site-packages/h5py-2*.egg as the source of my new package. Once the package is made (with conda build command I assume), is it usually kept on a private server, or can I upload to the conda cloud. I know this is a very open ended question, so any and all help is appreciated. A: I'll walk you through the steps to create your own hdf5 package Make sure you are using the latest version of conda: (root) [root@west-world hdf5]# conda update conda Install the package conda-build (root) [root@west-world hdf5]# conda install -y conda-build Download the official repository of the recipes for packages present in the default channel (root) [root@west-world tmp]# wget -qO- https://github.com/ContinuumIO/anaconda-recipes/archive/4.3.0.tar.gz \| tar -xvz (root) [root@west-world tmp]# cd anaconda-recipes-4.3.0/hdf5/ (root) [root@west-world hdf5]# ls bld.bat build.sh meta.yaml Edit the file build.sh to add your custom compiler flags (root) [root@west-world hdf5]# vi build.sh If the compiler flags need some more dependencies, then add them in the build subsection of the requirements section in the meta.yml file. Also, update the url to https://support.hdfgroup.org/ftp/HDF5/releases/hdf5-1.8.17/src/hdf5-1.8.17.tar.gz. Since this is an old release, the URL has changed. (root) [root@west-world hdf5]# vi meta.yaml Time to start building the package. (You may need to install gcc using the system package manager) (root) [root@west-world hdf5]# conda build . If all goes smooth, the package will be built and you will see an output similar to: # If you want to upload package(s) to anaconda.org later, type: anaconda upload /conda/conda-bld/linux-64/hdf5-1.8.17-1.tar.bz2 # To have conda build upload to anaconda.org automatically, use # $ conda config --set anaconda_upload yes anaconda_upload is not set. Not uploading wheels: [] #################################################################################### Source and build intermediates have been left in /conda/conda-bld. There are currently 2 accumulated. To remove them, you can run the ```conda build purge``` command Install the anaconda-client package (root) [root@west-world hdf5]# conda install -y anaconda-client Visit https://anaconda.org/ and create an account there. Then upload the package you just created to your channel: (root) [root@west-world hdf5]# anaconda upload /conda/conda-bld/linux-64/hdf5-1.8.17-1.tar.bz2 Using Anaconda API: https://api.anaconda.org The action you are performing requires authentication, please sign in: Using Anaconda API: https://api.anaconda.org Username: nehaljwani nehaljwani's Password: login successful Using Anaconda API: https://api.anaconda.org detecting package type ... conda extracting package attributes for upload ... done Uploading file nehaljwani/hdf5/1.8.17/linux-64/hdf5-1.8.17-1.tar.bz2 ... uploaded 2003 of 2003Kb: 100.00% ETA: 0.0 minutes Upload(s) Complete Package located at: https://anaconda.org/nehaljwani/hdf5 Now, next time you can use your channel to download and install the package from your channel (root) [root@kun-lun ~]# conda install -c nehaljwani hdf5 Fetching package metadata ........... Solving package specifications: . Package plan for installation in environment /conda: The following NEW packages will be INSTALLED: hdf5: 1.8.17-1 nehaljwani Now, if you want to build h5py, the procedure is almost same, but you have to make sure that while you are building this package, the hdf5 package is taken from your channel. To do that, make sure your channel has the highest priority. (root) [root@kun-lun ~]# conda config --prepend channels nehaljwani Now, since you also need to make subtle modifications, you can create a patch and apply it during the build process by creating the patch in a file and adding it in the patches subsection in the meta.yml file, just like the one here: https://github.com/ContinuumIO/anaconda-recipes/blob/master/h5py/meta.yaml For more info on how to build package, visit: https://conda.io/docs/build_tutorials/pkgs2.html#	{ "pile_set_name": "StackExchange" }
The United Nations (UN) is often a theater of the absurd, where events take place that represent the exact opposite of reality. So it was with the Palestinians and the G-77 last week. Palestinian Authority Chairman and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) chief Mahmoud Abbas assumed the presidency Tuesday of the largest United Nationa bloc – the Group of 77 plus China — as the “President” of “the State of Palestine.” The G-77 has 134 member nations. On the face of things, electoral victory at the G-77 is a stunning victory for Abbas and a scathing defeat for Israel. The most stunning aspect of the Palestinian presidency is that “the State of Palestine,” which was elected to lead the group of developing nations, doesn’t exist. Whereas Israel – an actual state that “Palestine” seeks to destroy – is excited when it can pass a completely uncontroversial and effectively meaningless resolution in a minor UN agency encouraging business entrepreneurship, the Palestinians run a 24/7 campaign against the only democracy in the Middle East and have a lock on success in every UN agency and committee – large and small – except for the Security Council. Due to this state of affairs, Israel is condemned more than all other UN member states put together. The UN has a special day set aside each year bemoaning Israel’s very existence. Condemning Israel is a permanent agenda item at the UN Human Rights Council. The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) devotes its energy to erasing Jewish history from the history books and condemning Israel for refusing to get with the program. All this, as every tin pot dictatorship wins senior positions on the most illustrious – and progressive – committees. All this, as the Palestinians have done nothing but reject peace and work for Israel’s destruction for the past hundred years. And now, by elevating the non-existent State of Palestine to lead them for the next year, the G-77 has given the Palestinians their greatest victory yet. Palestine may not be a state in the real world. But at the UN, it is a superpower. Yet at the end of the day, facts on the ground actually matter. And on the ground, Palestine isn’t a state. Abbas isn’t a president, and he isn’t legitimate. The roster of the members of the G-77 points clearly to the disparity between actual policies of governments and their support for the UN superpower “Palestine.” Over the past several years, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vastly improved and expanded Israel’s relations with governments in Africa, Latin America, and Asia — all members of the G-77. But even as newly-inaugurated Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has pledged to move the Brazilian embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, and made strengthening Brazilian ties with Israel a major goal of his administration, as a member of the G77, Brazil accepts non-existent “Palestine, “which seeks to destroy Israel, as the leader of the bloc. The same goes for India and Kenya and dozens of other G-77 member states with massively expanding bilateral ties with Israel. In other words, their embrace of “Palestine” at the UN doesn’t block them from embracing “Palestine’s” real-world nemesis. Then there is the issue of Abbas’s legitimacy on the ground. Currently, Netanyahu is standing for reelection. He will likely win a fifth term as prime minister and fourth consecutive term in office on April 9. In contrast, Abbas – the “President” of “Palestine” — ended his legal term in office ten years ago. He lost control over the Gaza Strip to Hamas twelve years ago. His continued survival in office owes to his brutal repression of his critics and opponents on the one hand, and to the fact that Israel controls security in Judea and Samaria, and so prevents his opponents from unseating or assassinating him, on the other. Making Abbas’s illegitimate claim to leadership all the more difficult to uphold, the Jerusalem Post reported that on Tuesday — the day Abbas took over the G-77 — “80 civil society institutions in the Gaza Strip sent a letter to the Group 77 and China in which they said that Abbas was not authorized to represent or speak on behalf of the Palestinians because his four-year term in office had expired in 2009.” The groups blamed Abbas for the humanitarian crisis in claiming that his decision to impose sanctions on the Hamas terror state had raised unemployment to 46 percent and the poverty rate to 65 percent. They also criticized Abbas’s violation of human rights in Judea and Samaria, accusing him of “cracking down on university lecturers and students, lawyers, physicians, engineers, journalists and human rights activists.” The group finally asked the G-77 to withdraw its recognition of Abbas as “President of the State of Palestine.” The letter from the Palestinian organizations is in line with survey data among the Palestinians, which show that they overwhelmingly view Abbas as illegitimate. In a December 2017 survey carried out by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey research, 70 percent of Palestinians wanted Abbas to resign. Word of the terror attack in Kenya came during the G-77 meeting. And during his speech, Abbas condemned terrorism. “Terrorism,” Abbas said, “takes place worldwide on a daily basis. It is an epidemic and I therefore call on all countries of the world to cooperate, to put an end to terrorism, to uproot it.” He added, “The State of Palestine has adopted 83 protocols with 83 countries throughout the world to put an end to this scourge and to fight against terrorism and I call on all states to work with us to combat terrorism.” While Abbas was giving his speech, some 200 protesters were standing outside the UN building condemning the G-77 for electing Abbas and “Palestine” in light of his direct sponsorship of terrorism. As he condemned terrorism, Abbas failed to mention that he devotes 7 percent of the Palestinian Authority’s budget, and nearly half of the foreign aid the PA receives, to incentivizing terrorism. In 2018, Abbas spent $340 million of the PA’s $5 billion overall budget on paying salaries to terrorists sitting in Israeli prisons, and on transfer payments to the families of terrorists wounded and killed in the course of carrying out terror attacks against Israel. The protest outside the UN was organized by New York City Councilman Bruce Blakeman and Stuart Force, whose son Taylor Force, a U.S. army veteran, was murdered in Tel Aviv by a Palestinian terrorist in 2016. Last year, Congress passed the Taylor Force Act, which bars the U.S. from funding the Palestinian Authority so long as it maintains it maintains its payments to terrorists and their families. The disconnect between the events in the hall and the outside world – in terms of the member states’ bilateral relations with Israel; the Palestinian public’s rejection of Abbas; and Abbas’s role as terror sponsor and financier – points to a basic truth about the Palestinians and the nature of international relations. International support for the Palestinians grows with the level of abstraction. The more concrete one’s relations are with the Palestinian Authority – whether as Palestinians who live under its jackboot, or Israelis who are the target of its aggression – the less legitimate Abbas is, and the smaller the octogenarian with no legitimate claim to power appears. The more symbolic one’s relations with the Palestinians, the more fervent support for “Palestine” becomes. The G-77 isn’t elevating the “State of Palestine” because it cares about the Palestinians. The G-77 is elevating the “State of Palestine” because it doesn’t care about the Palestinians. Although India, for example, rarely votes against the “State of Palestine” at the UN, its bilateral ties with Israel have expanded exponentially in recent years. Netanyahu has worked assiduously to leverage the ties he has developed with states like Kenya, Rwanda, Brazil, and India into diminished support for the Palestinians at the UN. His efforts have brought about only a marginal change in behavior. By and large, the Palestinians can continue to expect support from the vast majority of UN member states for any initiative they launch against Israel. Indeed, long after Abbas, his successors and their PLO are ousted from power, they will remain in senior leadership positions at the UN. But as the recent massive growth of Israel’s bilateral ties to the nations of the world makes clear, there is often little connection between support for “Palestine” at the UN and animosity for Israel. Caroline Glick is a world-renowned journalist and commentator on the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy, and the author of The Israeli Solution: A One-State Plan for Peace in the Middle East. She is running for Israel’s Knesset as a member of the Yamin Hahadash (New Right) party in Israel’s parliamentary elections, scheduled for April 9. Read more at www.CarolineGlick.com.	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
Teeth and Claws blog VirginWorlds MMO News Thursday, June 11, 2009 I recently got to the cinema for the first time in ages and watched 'Drag me to Hell', the latest horror flick from director Sam Raimi. The advertising boasted his recent Spiderman hits but I, like most I imagine, associated this more with the Evil Dead franchise and as it turns out fans of this series should be right at home with this movie. It's time to strap on a pair of protective goggles, keep your mouth firmly shut and checkout the trailer for Drag me to Hell before I go on. So, what did you make of that? Looks like a straight forward horror film right, plenty of creepy things going on and enough to make you think this is a serious film. This was certainly what I was expecting having seen the trailer and heard some guys at work talking about the movie. 'You'll need a strong stomach' I was told...right! Drag me to Hell is a blast, not at all a serious attempt at horror but rather a true return to his roots for Sam Raimi who must've had a whole lot of fun filming 'Evil Dead' and wanted to revisit this style of 'casual' filming after a bout of high budget movie making. I'm surprised the cast weren't all suffering whiplash with the amount of nods to the Evil Dead series, from possessed people being made to jive in the air to the cheesy one liners that made Bruce Campbell's career! 'I'm gonna get me some' ring a bell to anyone? Not quite 'Come get some' but you see what I mean! There was even a reference to a visit to a log cabin out in the woods part way through the film, though unfortunately the film didn't go there the mention was loud and clear! The cast play their part reasonably enough, this film isn't going to grab any oscars but then it would be absurd to think they were ever going to try! Alison Lohman plays the main lead, Christine Brown, in the film as a young, career focused woman who inherits a gypsy curse from the hair grabbing Mrs. Ganush played by Lorna Raver. It's a surprise Christine has any hair left by the end of the movie as Mrs. Ganush certainly makes a good effort to yank it all out in pretty much every scene she's in! From the moment Mrs. Ganush is removed from the bank the film begins its trek down the absurd, with a crazed old woman 'gumming' her victim as she desperately tries to bite her victim; and later a talking goat that is very reminiscent of the famed 'Dead by dawn' mounted deer. I know I keep harping on about the similarities here but they jumped out at me so many times that they have to be acknowledged. It would be easy to sum this review up by saying that if you enjoyed Evil Dead then there's no doubt you'll enjoy this movie but should there be any of you that have taken up residence under a rather large rock I feel I should wrap up my thoughts on this with a little more detail. Drag me to Hell is a fine twist of horror and comedy, which if you get behind then you'll love but if you're after a proper fright then this isn't the film for you. There's eye-balls popping, embalming fluid gushing and demons jigging, what more could you ask for!?!	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
In July we released the first Ujo artist badge with the purchase of RAC’s Ego. The concept of that release was to do something different in order to truly show the potential what we’re doing at Ujo and what blockchains are capable of. Although the transfer was not automatic at the time, when you purchased Ego, you received 1 EGO token. There have been 138 tokens issued so far and we plan to keep issuing tokens as long as the album is for sale. If you purchased the album, check your MetaMask account and you’ll see this token in action. You may be asking yourself, “what does this mean? Is this token even worth anything?” The short answer is no, 1 EGO token has no monetary value at this time. To RAC this token means quite a bit. It means you supported RAC in testing new technologies, supported his work, and were willing to jump through a few hoops to get an album you could have streamed through your favorite music service. At the moment it doesn’t do anything but it does let RAC know that 138 of his fans were willing to go one step further than anyone else. In the future, this could mean a lot more than it does today.	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
Jil Sander and Raf Simons \| Source: InStyle and Grazia Daily MILAN, Italy — The ongoing musical chairs amongst creative directors at major European fashion houses took an interesting, unexpected turn on Thursday, as Jil Sander announced that Raf Simons' would leave Jil Sander, while rumours swirled that Jil Sander herself, the founder of the brand, was set to return after having fallen out with previous management twice in the past. Mr. Simons, the rumour mill said, was set to replace John Galliano at Dior — which has not had a creative director since Mr. Galliano was summarily dismissed by the French couture house one year ago — or was headed to Yves Saint Laurent, where it is said that creative director Stefano Pilati is not particularly favoured by management. Not surprisingly, buyers and editors in Milan for fashion week were in a tizzy, and Raf Simons was trending on Twitter as news sources confirmed the longstanding rumours of his impending departure. As for the rest of the speculation, next steps for Simons and Sander have not yet been confirmed, though Suzy Menkes reported in a story for the Friday edition of the International Herald Tribune that Ms. Sander's return to her namesake label was all but a foregone conclusion. In the meantime, we wait for official news from Yves Saint Laurent or Christian Dior to see if Mr Simons will indeed continue to make fashion magic at one of the two storied Parisian houses. Imran Amed is founder and editor of The Business of Fashion	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
In 2016 alone, online gambling generated over $44 billion in revenue, most of the revenue coming from mobile devices. With a projected 5 billion mobile devices and rapid increase in mobile gaming adoption rate, the gambling industry is projected to be worth well over $80 billion by year 2022 and that is for official numbers, we expect a large underground bigger market. Online gambling industry does come with many challenges. Main challenges being consumer fears of not getting paid or being cheated during game play. Since its inception, online gambling has gone through several dubious practices in 2008 and 2011 specifically around world of online poker. Traditional online casinos are under constant scrutiny for running off with player’s funds or installing “God Mode” features which allows inside players to see other people’s cards or manipulate the game outcomes in their own favors. This brings us to an exciting opportunity of emergent blockchain technology that address all of the consumer concerns and makes online gambling transparent, safe and secure. Introducing Unilot Platform Unilot is a next-generation, Blockchain and Peer 2 Peer based gaming platform which brings power of transparency and accountability of blockchain technology while permanently resolving “not getting paid” concerns. To address concerns of player payouts, Unilot utilizes Escrow through Smart Contracts to avoid funds handling, all of the funds sit safely in escrow and funds get distributed upon completion of each game. Unilot solved the issue of “God Mode” by introducing an innovative approach to using Peer 2 Peer communication and Mental Poker Algorithm which allows Players involved in games that require card decks, to shuffle cards cryptographically without having Unilot systems having a preview of what the deck is. Unilot gaming platform will offer games like Lottery, Poker, Auction, Bingo and betting. What makes Unilot unique is that unlike traditional online gambling platforms, it will offer Unilot players ability to setup their own private games and act like a “house” by specifying what their cut of the winning is. For example, Unilot users will be able to easily setup their own private poker tournaments with push of a button and without needing to be tech savvy. This will allow players to generate their own income without having to setup any special equipment or go through all the headaches of white labeling and source code customization. The Token Sale What makes Unilot different from other startups, is that it already has a functional Unilot Mobile App available to download in iOS and Android app stores. To facilitate further development of the platform, Unilot has instituted a token sale. Scheduled to launch on January 10th 2018, the token presale which features an instant 40% bonus and 5 tier affiliate program. Unilot team is comprised of experienced developers and management team from online gambling industry. Unilot advisors have many successful ICOs under their belt. Unilot has already undergone through a private funding round in July of 2017. Join the token sale: https://unilot.io Read about Unilot game-changing platform: https://unilot.io/en-us/white-paper.html Join the conversation: https://t.me/Uniloteng Get in Early and Take Advantages of Discounts/Bonuses.	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
[2-C-Methylerythritol phosphate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis as a target in identifying of new antibiotics, herbicides, and immunomodulators (Review) ]. Specific inhibitors of 2-C-methylerythritol phosphate pathway (MEP-pathway), including compounds obtained based on its metabolites, may compose a new class of antibiotics combining high efficiency and low toxicity. MEP-pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis is a promising target in identifying new herbicides, immunomodulators, and other physiologically active compounds.	{ "pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts" }
A swarm of hundreds of earthquakes that has been striking a corner of the Nevada desert near the Oregon border for months has intensified in recent days, prompting new warnings from seismologists. About 750 earthquakes, mostly magnitude 2.0 to 3.0, have struck the area about 50 miles southeast of Lakeview, Ore., since the swarm started in July, said Ian Madin, chief scientist for Oregon's Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. The temblors have been growing steadily stronger with time. Six earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater have struck the area since Tuesday and about 40 have struck in the last 24 hours, Madin said. "This week it has just gone crazy," Madin said. The swarm is beneath an uninhabited part of the Nevada desert near the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, but officials are telling the public, especially the almost 2,300 residents of Lakeview, to develop earthquake plans if they haven't already. "If you are not ready for an earthquake, now is an awfully good time to get ready for an earthquake," said Alison Ryan, a spokeswoman for the department. Scientists believe groundwater is slowly percolating along the faults and building up pressure, making movement on the faults much easier, said John Vidale, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network at the University of Washington.	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
During this period, the collaborative team is working to validate and characterize previously identified hits from primary SENP screening. As a center, the NCGC has fostered and maintained over 130 active collaborations with both NIH and extramural investigators, facilitating drug discovery efforts across the entire spectrum of human disease. These efforts have led to dozens of high-throughput screens and a number of medicinal chemistry campaigns to further improve on screening hits, providing our collaborators and the general research community with publications and a variety of promising small molecule probes and leads. In addition, the NCGC has worked to advance a number of informatic initiatives to make better use of existing drug and disease target information and provide the general public with easily accessible resources, further catalyzing the development of new therapies for human disease.	{ "pile_set_name": "NIH ExPorter" }
Q: Qual è il significato di "cascata" in questa frase? Nel libro Figura gigante di Nico Orengo ho letto questa frase: A Garavan il carro si era dapprima inoltrato in una pianura di limoni e poi in una gola di rocce rosse, stretta, a strapiombo su cascate di agavi e dature. Ho cercato il significato di "cascata" nel vocabolario Treccani, però nessuna delle accezioni sembra avere senso in questo contesto dato che "agavi" e "dature" sono piante. Per questa ragione vi chiedo: qual è il significato di "cascate" nella frase precedente? A: Cascata: successione copiosa e continua. Per cascata di agavi e dature si intende una serie di piante che degradano verso un pendio, in questo caso in una gola di rocce a strapiombo.	{ "pile_set_name": "StackExchange" }
(define (make-frame variables values) (if (null? variables) '() (cons (cons (car variables) (car values)) (make-frame (cdr variables) (cdr values))))) (define (first-binding frame) (car frame)) (define (rest-bindings frame) (cdr frame)) (define (add-binding-to-frame! var val frame) (cons (cons var val) frame)) ; extend-environment 不需要修改 (define (extend-environment vars vals base-env) (if (= (length vars) (length vals)) (cons (make-frame vars vals) base-env) (if (< (length vars) (length vals)) (error "Too many arguments supplied" vars vals) (error "Too few arguments supplied" vars vals)))) (define (lookup-variable-value var env) (define (env-loop env) (define (scan frame) (cond ((null? frame) (env-loop (enclosing-environment env)) ((eq? var (car (first-binding frame))) (cdr (first-binding frame))) (else (scan (rest-bindings frame)))))) (if (eq? env the-empty-environment) (error "Unbound variable " var) (let ((frame (first-frame env)) (scan frame))))) (env-loop env)) (define (set-variable-value! var val env) (define (env-loop env) (define (scan frame) (cond ((null? frame) (env-loop (enclosing-environment env)) ((eq? var (car (first-binding frame))) (set-cdr! (first-binding frame) val)) (else (scan (rest-bindings frame)))))) (if (eq? env the-empty-environment) (error "Unbound variable " var) (let ((frame (first-frame env)) (scan frame))))) (env-loop env)) (define (define-variable! var val env) (let ((frame (first-frame env))) (define (scan frame) (cond ((null? frame) (add-binding-to-frame! var val frame)) ((eq? var (car (first-binding frame))) (set-cdr! (first-binding frame) val)) (else (scan (rest-bindings frame))))) (scan (first-frame env))))	{ "pile_set_name": "Github" }
Tertium Organum, Chapter 3 (Space) Looking at the pattern among the first three dimensions, a higher dimension manifests new properties that are inconceivable in the absence of that dimension. So in our 3D space it is impossible to imagine the body having more than three dimensions, and impossible to understand the laws of the existence of such a body. Therefore, Ouspensky starts out his investigation by considering what cannot be in four-dimensional space. He hopes that this will permit him to set forth what can be there. By analogy, a “four-dimensional body” could be a tracing of the movement of a three-dimensional body in a direction that cannot be projected from the other three dimensions. For example, time is a direction that cannot be projected from the three spatial dimensions. It is independent of those three spatial dimensions. Therefore, the tracing of the movement of a three-dimensional body in time shall produce a “history,” which may be called a “four-dimensional body.” NOTE: The fourth dimension of ‘higher space’ does not have to be a geometrical dimension. Again, by analogy, we may regard a 4D body as an infinite number of 3D bodies. A body with all its “history” shall satisfy that requirement. It would be limited, or outlined, by 3D bodies. Or, it would form the distance between two 3D bodies. Or, it would separate several 3D bodies one from another. A 4D body, such as, a “historical body,” would bind several 3D bodies into a certain whole. The 4D space shall contain distances between a group of 3D solids. By analogy, it is possible to regard the 3D solid as a section of a 4D body, and our entire 3D space as a section of a 4D space. Ouspensky says, If every three-dimensional body is the section of a four-dimensional one, then every point of a three-dimensional body is the section of a four-dimensional line. It is possible to regard an “atom” of a physical body, not as something material, but as an intersection of a four-dimensional line by the plane of our consciousness. In other words, the “plane of our consciousness” is three-dimensional. That would be a moment in time. It is possible then, that a number of 3D bodies that appear to be separate, are parts of the same 4D body. In our example, the 3D bodies that appear to be separate in a moment in time, may not be separate and be part of the same 4D “historical body,” such as, a family tree. Just like it is possible to represent a 3D body upon a plane, It may be possible to represent a 4D body in 3D space. I think this is done in a museum, where the growth of a life form over time is shown in the same model. Based on the above, the following is my firm belief. The fourth-dimension of ‘higher space’ does not have to be geometrical. It can be time, which is perceived mentally. Therefore, all higher dimensions of space are, more likely, going to be perceived mentally.	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Dedicated to establishing the Windham region as a preeminent four season destination and bettering the lives of its residents and visitors through the enhancement of trail-based recreation opportunities. The Windham Path is located just off State Route 23. The Path winds in and out of wooded areas. Several custom made benches line the path, and provide a great place to take a break and take the view in. Five bridges span streams and tributaries of the Batavia Kill on the Windham Path.	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Archons of the Crucible, A dark cloud rose in the west, and its specter has hung over the KeyForge community for some days. There is only one knight who can dispell this dark force, a chosen one... a Key Man. Could it be that this true hero is the one, who himself is most afflicted by this darkness? Welcome, this knight, Sir Kirkman the Keyman (Justin Kirkman) into the castle for the first time. Therein he will join forces with our sanctified co-hosts to reflect on this trying time so that we might move forward together into a brighter tomorrow. Today, Archons, we call on you to be the force that moves this land towards good and not evil. To open doors, not close them. And to do that, you'll need keys, so start forging them! Support Sanctumonius on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/sanctumonius Join the Sanctumonius Discord: https://discord.gg/2YDDRRZ New Sanctumonius Playmats: https://www.inkedgaming.com/pages/search-results-page?q=sanctumonius Sanctumonius Communi-Team Website: https://sites.google.com/view/sanctumonius Aurore's Blog: https://timeshapers.com/2019/10/15/investigating-holding-cards/ Alex Slotnick's Blog: https://proclamation346eakeyforgeblog.wordpress.com/	{ "pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2" }
Q: Unable to import react-native-vector-icons using es6 I'm trying to use react-native-vector-icons with ES6 in React Native, but unfortunately I'm having trouble importing the icons. Their documentation still uses the old require statement, so I don't think it's helpful. This is my import: import {Ionicons} from './node_modules/react-native-vector-icons/Ionicons.js'; This is my usage: <Ionicons name="ios-book" color="#4F8EF7" /> The error I receive is: Element type is invalid: expected a string (for built-in components) or a class/function (for composite components) but got: undefined. It's clear that Ionicons is undefined, so I'm aware that fundamental about the import statement is wrong. A: import Ionicons from 'react-native-vector-icons/Ionicons';	{ "pile_set_name": "StackExchange" }
Holmqvist Points in Linkopings Defeat Linkopings lost to Vastra Frolunda today 3-2 in overtime. Defenseman Andreas Holmqvist[3] had a power play assist in the game. Goaltender Fredrik Norrena[4] remains out of the lineup with a groin injury for the club.	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
The market for Automotive Differential is growing with the expansion of this Industry Sector Worldwide. Market Research Hub (MRH) has added a new report titled “Global Automotive Differential Market Insights, Forecast to 2025” which offer details about the current trends and analysis, as well as scope for the near future. This research study also covers information about the production, consumption and market share based on different active regions. Furthermore, an anticipated growth at a double-digit CAGR for the Automotive Differential sector is highlighted in the report which indicates a prosperous future. Adifferentialis agear trainwith threeshaftsthat has the property that therotational speedof one shaft is the average of the speeds of the others, or a fixed multiple of that average.Global Automotive Differential market size will reach xx million US$ by 2025, from xx million US$ in 2018, at a CAGR of xx% during the forecast period. In this study, 2017 has been considered as the base year and 2019-2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Automotive Differential. This industry study presents the global Automotive Differential market size, historical breakdown data (2014-2019) and forecast (2019-2025). The Automotive Differential production, revenue and market share by manufacturers, key regions and type;The consumption of Automotive Differential in volume terms are also provided for major countries (or regions), and for each application and product at the global level. Market share, growth rate, and competitive factors are also evaluated for market leaders GKN, JTEKT, etc. The following manufacturers are covered in this report:GKNJTEKTEatonBorgWarnerMagnaDANAAAMKAAZCUSCOQuaifeTANHAS Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports of different sector like Transport & Logistics market research and analysis. MRH’s expansive collection of industry reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps. MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
Q: is window.document.element a valid object? Just as window and document objects in JS corresponds to window(?) and <body> elements in HTML, can you refer to more nested elements of the <body> simply by appending with dots(.)? (like window.document.p) I haven't seen it anywhere but I don't know since I haven't seen it anywhere. It just seemed intuitive to me that nested elements in HTML be represented as nested objects in JavaScript instead of having to getElementByID but somehow this chain seems broken after window.document A: Some nested elements can be accessed diretcly using document. , e.g., document.forms , which is an array containing all forms on the page. In general, however, you have either to traverse the dom tree using element.children or element.childNodes or access the element directly using methods like document.getElementById() document.querySelector() an alike.	{ "pile_set_name": "StackExchange" }
SHORELINE – Work to replace damaged concrete pavement and smooth the ride along two major Puget Sound highways is set to begin this May. On Tuesday, Feb. 12, the Washington State Department of Transportation selected Guy F. Atkinson Construction, LLC to replace roughly 1,000 concrete panels and smooth roadway on northbound Interstate 405 through Bellevue and both directions of State Route 518 near the Sea-Tac Airport. Atkinson Construction submitted the best-value proposal of $7,277,888.00 to design and build both projects. On northbound I-405 between S.E. Eighth Street and State Route 520 in Bellevue, crews will replace cracked concrete panels and grind existing pavement to smooth the roadway. While most of this work will occur at night, crews expect to need several weekend closures of northbound I-405 this summer to complete this work. Similar work will occur along both directions of SR 518 where crews will improve nearly a mile of rough and bumpy concrete pavement between I-5 and Sea-Tac Airport. Crews will grind and smooth concrete pavement and replace approximately 50 failing concrete panels. The majority of this work will take place on weekday nights, drivers can expect occasional weekend work and ramp closures. The full extent of lane closures and the timetable will be posted on the WSDOT website as the project gets closer to construction. Work on both I-405 and SR 518 is scheduled for completion in late 2013. For more information on the projects or to sign up for e-mail updates, visit:	{ "pile_set_name": "Pile-CC" }
An examination of psychometric bias due to retesting on cognitive ability tests in selection settings. Using a latent variable approach, the authors examined whether retesting on a cognitive ability measure resulted in measurement and predictive bias. A sample of 941 candidates completed a cognitive ability test in a high-stakes context. Results of both the within-group between-occasions comparison and the between-groups within-occasion comparison indicated that no measurement bias existed during the initial testing but that retesting induced both measurement and predictive bias. Specifically, the results suggest that the factor underlying the retest scores was less saturated with g and more associated with memory than the latent factor underlying initial test scores and that these changes eliminated the test's criterion-related validity. This study's implications for retesting theory, practice, and research are discussed.	{ "pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts" }
Antigenicity of group B Streptococcus strain "M9" and its prevalence in Japan. Serological typing of group B streptococci is important for the epidemiological study of group B streptococcal infections. These days, non typable (NT) strains by conventional serotypes were on an increase. In 1984, strain "M9" was isolated from a pregnant woman in Meijo Hospital, Nagoya City; herein the antigenicity and prevalence of strains typed as "M9" were investigated and discussed. The results obtained were as follows: 1) It was confirmed that strain "M9" had a new polysaccharide antigen, different from conventional types, Ia, Ib, II, III, IV and V, type candidate NT6 and type candidate 7271, as found by precipitation and precipitation absorption reaction. This procedure, moreover, was useful for differentiation type candidate NT6 and 7271 from "M9" because of their provisionality. 2) Group B streptococci typed as "M9" were isolated not only from carriers but from patients who were newborn babies and suffered from sepsis. 3) Strain "M9" was not necessarily located in Nagoya City but in Chiba and in Kyoto, this type was isolated from clinical materials already in 1979. 4) It was observed that polysaccharide "M9" liked to combine with protein "R" and without other proteins, as our collection extends.	{ "pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts" }

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