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The Obama administration is considering an end to the practice of keeping immigrant detainees in for-profit centers, weeks after the Federal Bureau of Prisons announced it would stop its use of private prisons.
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, whose agency includes the immigration service and the Border Patrol, in late August ordered a review of ways to end the use of the private facilities.
For the record: A previous photo accompanying this article had a caption saying it showed the immigration detention center in Adelanto, Calif. The photo showed the Desert View Modified Community Correctional Facility, which is next to the detention center.
A decision to do so would mark a major victory for the coalition of civil rights groups and immigrant advocacy organizations that has sought to roll back the growth of the private-prison industry. Immigration detention facilities house far more detainees than the private facilities the federal prison system has used.
But immigration officials have pushed back against the idea, arguing that they have no cost-effective alternative to the private facilities and that other choices could be worse.
“It would be remarkably detrimental,” said a senior Immigration and Customs Enforcement official, speaking anonymously to comment on the internal debate.
Cutting out private companies from the system would cost taxpayers billions of dollars more a year and take more than a decade to implement, the official warned.
Johnson’s Homeland Security Advisory Council is expected to make a recommendation by the end of November. The secretary has not indicated which side of the debate he favors.
Nine of the country’s 10 largest immigration detention facilities are operated by private companies, and they hold about two-thirds of the detainees in a system that currently keeps more than 31,000 people in custody on a typical day. While some centers are located in border areas, others are far from the border because deportation officers arrest migrants living in the interior of the country as well.
The federal government contracts with four privately run detention facilities in California that hold about 3,700 people each day, including immigrants in the country illegally, asylum seekers, green card holders and those awaiting immigration hearings.
The California Legislature recently passed a bill that would block local governments from contracting with private companies wanting to run immigration detention centers in the state. Senate Bill 1289, also known as the Dignity Not Detention Act, is now on Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk.
The Obama administration has budgeted $2.1 billion for detention operations in 2017, a slight decrease from 2016 as the administration has moved to reduce the number of people held in detention each day from 34,000 to about 31,000, including 960 “family beds.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement estimates the cost of housing a person in immigrant detention at $127 a day and $161 a day for those held in facilities designed for families.
ICE has not publicly said how much of that money goes to private facilities, but an analysis of federal budget data by Grassroots Leadership, an organization based in Austin, Texas, that advocates against the use of private companies indicated that about half the annual spending — or roughly $1 billion a year — went to private firms.
Civil rights advocates have documented a pattern of poor medical care and abuse inside private immigration facilities over the last several years. They say such prisons have an incentive to cut corners and reduce costs.
Although the allegations of abuse are not limited to privately run prisons, “we certainly see a lot of these problems magnified when a company is seeking to extract as much profit as it can out of a detention center,” said Bob Libal, executive director of Grassroots Leadership.
A review by medical experts of the deaths of 18 migrants held by immigration authorities from 2012 to 2015 concluded substandard medical care had contributed to at least seven of the deaths, according to a Human Rights Watch report published in July.
In December 2012, for example, a 34-year-old Guatemalan man named Manuel Cota-Domingo died of heart disease and complications related to diabetes and pneumonia shortly after being transferred to a hospital in Phoenix from Eloy Detention Center, a private facility run by Corrections Corporation of America about 60 miles southeast.
Cota-Domingo was having trouble breathing for about three hours before detention officers responded and a medical evaluation was conducted, delays which probably contributed to his death, according to a review of the file by medical experts.
ICE officials warn, however, that if they have to reduce or eliminate private detention centers, they could be forced to put more detainees into state and local jails because the federal government does not have enough facilities of its own.
That could be a worse outcome for detainees, they say, because conditions in the jails are sometimes harsher than in the private detention centers and are more difficult for immigration officials to oversee.
The use of jails also means putting detainees who have not been accused of a crime into facilities where they are in contact with potentially dangerous criminals.
Geo Group and Corrections Corp. of America, major operators of private detention facilities, said they welcomed the Department of Homeland Security’s review of their business practices.
Geo Group said in a statement that its facilities “are highly rated and provide high-quality, cost-effective services in safe, secure, and humane residential environments pursuant to strict contractual requirements and the federal government’s national standards.”
Corrections Corp. of America said it is “proud of the quality and value of the services we provide and look forward to sharing that information” with the advisory panel.
A former senior official of ICE, by contrast, said the time has come to reexamine the government’s reliance on private companies for detention.
“They should do a real in-depth review,” said Alonzo Peña, who was deputy director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement from 2008 to 2010. Peña said he has long been concerned that for-profit prison companies have been hiring former immigration officials to help them secure favorable contract terms.
“They are not better-run, they are not better-managed, they are not providing better service,” he said.
If the immigration service stopped using private facilities, some major changes would be necessary. The federal government stopped training its own immigration detention officers in 2002 during the massive bureaucratic shakeup that created the Department of Homeland Security after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
“Before this ever happens, the facilities we currently use have to be replaced — that’s basically the only way, or it will shut us down,” said Chris Crane, president of the National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council, the union that represents federal deportation officers.
Eliminating private detention facilities “can’t be an excuse to not hold anyone or let bad guys back on the street because we can’t lock them up,” he said.
Reducing the overall number of people in detention, however, is exactly what many civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups have pushed for. They argue that the government could allow more community organizations to vouch for immigrants and work with courts to ensure that people show up for deportation hearings and other proceedings.
Even if the federal government completely ended its use of private detention facilities, the private-prison industry could still thrive — most people in custody in the U.S. are held by state and local governments, not federal authorities. Many local prisons and jails are run by private companies.
Still, a decision by Washington to cut its chief tie to the industry could set a pattern that states might follow and would be a significant blow to the industry.
In mid-August, the administration decided to end using privately run facilities for federal prisoners.
The Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Prisons determined that the private facilities were not substantially cheaper than government-run institutions and did not provide “the same level of correctional services, programs and resources,” according to a memo written by Deputy Atty. General Sally Yates.
brian.bennett@latimes.com
Follow me @ByBrianBennett on Twitter
ALSO
No more nation of immigrants: Trump plan calls for a major, long-lasting cut in legal entries
Trump’s immigration speech decoded: What he said, what it means and how it would work
California’s new climate change laws almost didn’t happen this year. Here’s how lawmakers pulled it off.
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{
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
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State-of-the-art-myocardial perfusion stress testing: Static CT perfusion.
Large multicenter studies and meta-analysis have documented the diagnostic accuracy and the prognostic implications of stress echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance and, mainly, nuclear stress tests. However, none of them provides a comprehensive anatomical and functional evaluation within the same study as stress CT perfusion. Myocardial CT perfusion is the only non-invasive modality that allows to quantifying coronary stenosis and determining its functional relevance, constituting a potential "one-stop-shop" method for the diagnosis and global management of patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. In comparison with the dynamic modality, that requires increased radiation, precise acquisition protocols and dedicated post-processing softwares, static CT perfusion was associated with less radiation exposure, non-inferior diagnostic accuracy, easier interpretation of images and is nowadays more widely available.
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{
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
}
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Stop waiting for the safe to open It's not going to happen
337 shares
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{
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
}
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In recent years, along with diversification of services, there is a known technique used by a relay apparatus such as a mobile router for relaying communication between a terminal apparatus and a destination site by switching between a private network and a public network. The relay apparatus relays communication between the terminal apparatus and the destination site using a private network in view of security. This might increase communication load in the private network as a result. Patent Literature 1: Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2008-504792 Patent Literature 2: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-20031
To cope with this, the relay apparatus reduces processing load on a server on a private network side, by switching, for example, to the public network when the destination site has high reliability and to the private network when the destination site has low reliability. At this time, the relay apparatus has a list, a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of a highly reliable destination site. In a case where an FQDN of the destination site included in a communication request from a terminal apparatus exists on the list, the relay apparatus relays communication between the terminal apparatus and the destination site using the public network instead of the private network.
On the relay apparatus, however, along with the increased number of sites to be used, the number of entries on the list also increases. This would increase processing load needed for list. As a result, control of processing might become difficult with a low-capability relay apparatus. In a case where determination of reliability of the destination site is executed on the management server side, increased number of terminals would cause high load, leading to an increase in cost to reduce the load on the server in the private network.
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{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
}
|
37 A.3d 1223 (2011)
IN RE ADOPTION OF C.T.L.;
APPEAL OF C.T.L.
No. 875 WDA 2011.
Superior Court of Pennsylvania.
October 4, 2011.
Affirmed.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "FreeLaw"
}
|
510 U.S. 870
Lawmasterv.United States.
No. 93-267.
Supreme Court of United States.
October 4, 1993.
1
Appeal from the C. A. 10th Cir.
2
Certiorari denied. Reported below: 993 F. 2d 773.
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{
"pile_set_name": "FreeLaw"
}
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from __future__ import print_function
from __future__ import division
from __future__ import absolute_import
import numpy as np
from ...core.node import OneTaskProcessorNode
class BoundingBoxTracker(OneTaskProcessorNode):
'''
Tracks bounding boxes from one frame to another.
It keeps an internal state representation that allows
it to track across frames.
'''
def _track(self, dets : np.array) -> np.array:
'''
- Arguments:
- dets: np.array of shape (nb_boxes, 6) \
Specifically (nb_boxes, [ymin, xmin, ymax, xmax, class_index, score])
'''
raise NotImplementedError("Subclass must implement _track method")
def process(self, dets : np.array) -> np.array:
'''
- Arguments:
- dets: np.array of shape (nb_boxes, 6) \
Specifically (nb_boxes, [ymin, xmin, ymax, xmax, class_index, score])
- Returns:
- tracks: np.array of shape (nb_boxes, 5) \
Specifically (nb_boxes, [ymin, xmin, ymax, xmax, track_id])
'''
return self._track(dets)
|
{
"pile_set_name": "Github"
}
|
Brad Troemel
Brad Troemel (born 1987) is an American artist, writer and instructor based in New York City. Troemel is most well known for his development of the Tumblr website The Jogging which has received attention for its work in post internet art.
Education
Brad Troemel received a BA in Visual Critical Studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and an MFA from New York University NYU Steinhardt.
Work
In 2008, Troemel launched the website On The Make with curator Karly Wildenhaus. That year, Troemel opened the Chicago-based art gallery Scott Projects.
Starting in 2009, Troemel, along with artist Lauren Christiansen, began digitally compositing images that depicted irreverent installation scenes and sculptures on the Tumblr website The Jogging. Jogging concluded with months of polarizing conspiracy images made by Troemel and the artist Edward Shenk, what critic Zachary Kaplan called "a body of image macros that took on the look and feel of Truther and right-wing, anti-Obama propaganda while simultaneously subverting it through absurdist content."
In 2011 Troemel began a series of exhibitions with his use of Bitcoin and the Silk Road black market. For the exhibition "The Social Life of Things" in Rotterdam, Troemel used a number of objects from the marketplace including a Fake ID containing his real details and picture, bump keys and psychedelic drug seeds which were presented in an installation. Those objects were presented for free to be further used by visitors and Troemel himself used Silk Road-purchased identification to travel from New York to Rotterdam for the exhibition.
In 2012, Troemel launched an Etsy store primarily featuring temporary food sculptures designed to fall apart during their shipment through the postal service.
Troemel's 2014 exhibition Live/Work at Tomorrow Gallery featured a series of hanging colored ant tanks, each indicative of a different trio of charities. The run of the exhibition served as a competition between the various ant tanks to see which could most productively dig the most tunnels, earning the charity that the ants represented 10% of the exhibitions' proceeds.
In 2015 Troemel partnered with Joshua Citarella, a former collaborator from Jogging, to create UV Production House, an Etsy store providing material kits and fabrication guidance to collectors for all-original works. In 2016 exhibition "Freecaching", Troemel concealed his entire studio inventory in Central Park and presented GPS coordinates as magnetic puzzle certificates of authenticity at Tomorrow Gallery. He described, the exhibition was meant to be a proof of concept for discretely utilizing public space as a sharing economy art storage business model.
References
External links
Category:Living people
Category:1987 births
Category:New York University faculty
Category:Artists from New York (state)
Category:Date of birth unknown
|
{
"pile_set_name": "Wikipedia (en)"
}
|
"foundations built on sand"
I am glad to see that I have (unintentionally) triggered a discussion about
the usefulness of semantic methods. I think that is an important point. For me
it is evident from the following few examples less of engineering style than
the ones provided up to now
1) ML was developed triggered by "foundational" work on PCF
(at least that's how it appears to me from my fairly incomplete
record of history)
2) purely mathematically motivated work on "Normalization by Evaluation" (NbE)
was found interesting by the partial evaluation community (O.Danvy could
say much more about it); for sake of completeness I should add that NbE
was invented by Schwichtenberg and Berger for very practical purposes,
namely using the Scheme interpreter for performing normalisation;
such an interaction of theory and practice seems to be the ideal case and
it's rather the exception than the rule, I am afraid
3) type theoretic work using semantical methode was done my M.Hofmann to
manufacture type systems guaranteeing certain complexity behaviours;
similar results were obtained by syntactical methods by Schwichtenberg,
Bellantoni and Niggl.
This last example also brings to the point that one NEED not insist on
denotational methods, also operational or proof-theoretic methods definitely
can do the job. Just sometimes denotational methods are more concise and,
therefore, much easier to grasp.
This brings me back to my original question concerning translation of SOOL
to META + F_{sub,rec,state}. From my point of view everything would be ok
if the target language F_{sub,rec,state} were endowed with an appropriate
operational semantics. I haven't seen such work and it is not contained in the
FOOL book. Some of it is sketched there but operational semantics of state
isn't dealt with at all and that's what I consider most critical.
As I understand the main theorem is that
(Sound) if t : A in SOOL then [|t|] : [|A|] in META
this definitely should be accompanied by a proof that
(Refl) if [|t|] doesn't give rise to a run time error
then t doesn't give rise to a run time error
This second property is rather assumed than proved. That's my impression
though I really might be mistaken as I didn't read everything in detail.
In any case I don't insist on denotational models though I definitely prefer
them when available. Also operational methods may allow one to find
conceptually clear invariants (`a la logical relations) that allow one to
guarantee the absence of some undesired effects.
Thomas
|
{
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
}
|
HOUSTON, Feb. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: APC) today declared a quarterly cash dividend on the company's common stock of 5 cents per share, payable March 22, 2017, to stockholders of record at the close of business on March 8, 2017.
The amount of future dividends for Anadarko common stock will depend on earnings, financial condition, capital requirements and other factors. The board of directors will determine dividends on a quarterly basis.
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation's mission is to deliver a competitive and sustainable rate of return to shareholders by exploring for, acquiring and developing oil and natural gas resources vital to the world's health and welfare. As of year-end 2016, the company had approximately 1.72 billion barrels-equivalent of proved reserves, making it one of the world's largest independent exploration and production companies. For more information about Anadarko and Flash Feed updates, please visit www.anadarko.com.
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{
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
}
|
It is known to provide such belt with a marker element that travels along with the belt and to arrange a sensor in a fixed position next to the belt for sensing the marker and to produce a control signal from the sensed marker. For producing a proper control signal, the run of the belt must be monitored with regard to any lateral excursions and also with regard to any slippage between the belt and its driving drum. The slippage is easily determined when a marker on the belt is sensed by a sensor and if the rated belt speed is known. Sensors for this purpose may be, for example, of the inductive pick-up type. Such sensors provide an impulse when the marking element passes the sensor.
It is also known to ascertain lateral belt excursions away from a centered position, by means of end switches which have sensor elements that are contacted by a belt that moves away from its central position. These switches with their sensors are arranged alongside the belt edges in stationary positions. However, the use of these end switches with their sensors requires a substantial structural investment and expense. Further end switches have the disadvantage that they make the monitoring system more troubleprone. Thus, end switches require frequent maintenance work.
German Patent Publication (DE-OS) 2,936,344 discloses a method and apparatus for controlling the linearity of the movement of a conveyor belt relative to a centered position. In this known system the effective drum radius or diameter of a guide drum or of a driving drum is increased so as to urge the belt back to its centered position. In other words, the diameter increase is made on that side toward which the belt is deviating from its centered course. Such a system has its merits. However, it is not readily adaptable for use in connection, for example, with belts in weighing scales also referred to as belt weighers.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
}
|
HPV status predicts for improved survival following chemotherapy in metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx.
We sought to further define prognostic and predictive value of human papillomavirus (HPV) status in metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx (OPC). A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results custom database identified 5940 adult patients, >18-years-old, with primary SCCHN and known HPV status, diagnosed from 2013 to 2014. Wilcoxon rank-sum and Mantel-Haenszel χ2 tests compared distributions of continuous and categorical covariates. Fine-Gray competing risks regressions estimated hazard ratios by HPV status, and predictive analyses were performed including the interaction term HPV status × Receipt of Chemotherapy. 182 of 5940 patients (4.0%) had metastatic OPC at diagnosis (106/3925 [2.7%] HPV+ and 76/1894 [4.0%] HPV-). HPV+ disease was prognostic for improved 20-month cancer-specific mortality (CSM) (47.1% vs 72.5%, HR 0.43, 95% CI 0.26-0.74, p = 0.002) on univariable analysis. HPV status was predictive of response to chemotherapy-adjusted HRs for receipt of chemotherapy were 0.11 (95% CI 0.03-0.37) and 0.34 (95% CI 0.18-0.64) for HPV+ versus HPV- disease, respectively (PHPV status∗Chemotherapy = 0.036). HPV status has known prognostic value in locally advanced OPC, but data on metastatic OPC are sparse. In this work, we demonstrate that HPV status is strongly prognostic for CSM in metastatic OPC and show for the first time that HPV status predicts for response to chemotherapy.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
}
|
Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol V:
Epistle XXIX.
Argument.-The Roman Church Declares Its Judgment Concerning the Lapsed to Be in Agreement with the Carthaginian Decrees. Any Indulgence Shown to the Lapsed is Required to Be in Accordance with the Law of the Gospel. That the Peace Granted by the Confessors Depends Only Upon Grace and Good-Will, is Manifest from the Fact that the Lapsed are Referred to the Bishops. The Seditious Demand for Peace Made by Felicissimus is to Be Attributed to Faction.
1. The presbyters and deacons abiding at Rome, to Father2 Cyprian, greeting. When, beloved brother, we carefully read your letter which you had sent by Fortunatus the sub-deacon, we were smitten with a double sorrow, and disordered with a twofold grief, that there was not any rest given to you in such necessities of the persecution, and that the unreasonable petulance of the lapsed brethren was declared to be carried even to a dangerous boldness of expression. But although those things which we have spoken of severely afflicted us and our spirit, yet your rigour and the severity that you have used, according to the proper discipline, moderates the so heavy load of our grief, in that you rightly restrain the wickedness of some, and, by your exhortation to repentance, show the legitimate way of salvation That they should have wished to hurry to such an extreme as this, we are indeed considerably surprised; as that with such urgency, and at so unseasonable and bitter a time, being in so great and excessive a sin, they should not so much ask for, as claim, peace for themselves; nay, should say that they already have it in heaven. If they have it, why do they ask for what they possess? But if, by the very fact that they are asking for it, it is proved that they have it not, wherefore do they not accept the judgment of those from whom they have thought fit to ask for the peace, which they certainly have not got? But if they think that they have from any other source the prerogative of communion, let them try to compare it with the Gospel, that so at length it may abundantly avail them, if it is not out of harmony with the Gospel law. But on what principle can that give Gospel communion which seems to be established contrary to Gospel truth? For since every prerogative contemplates the privilege of association, precisely on the assumption of its not being out of harmony with the will of Him with whom it seeks to be associated; then, because this is alien from His will with whom it seeks to be associated, it must of necessity lose the indulgence and privilege of the association.
2. Let them, then, see what it is they are trying to do in this matter. For if they say that the Gospel has established one decree, but the martyrs have established another; then they, setting the martyrs at variance with the Gospel, will be in danger on both sides. For, on the one hand, the majesty of the Gospel will already appear shattered and cast down, if it can be overcome by the novelty of another decree; and, on the other, the glorious crown of confession will be taken from the heads of the martyrs, if they be not found to have attained it by the observation of that Gospel whence they become martyrs; so that, reasonably, no one should be more careful to determine nothing contrary to the Gospel, than he who strives to receive the name of martyr from the Gospel. We should like, besides, to be informed of this: if martyrs become martyrs for no other reason than that by not sacrificing they may keep the peace of the Church even to the shedding of their own blood, lest, overcome by the suffering of the torture, by losing peace, they might lose salvation; on what principle do they think that the salvation, which if they had sacrificed they thought that they should not have, was to be given to those who are said to have sacrificed; although they ought to maintain that law in others. which they themselves appear to have held before their own eyes? In which thing we observe that they have put forward against their own cause the very thing which they thought made for them. For if the martyrs thought that peace was to be granted to them, why did not they themselves grant it? Why did they think that, as they themselves say, they were to be referred to the bishops? For he who orders a thing to be done, can assuredly do that which he orders to be done. But, as we understand, nay, as the case itself speaks and proclaims, the most holy martyrs thought that a proper measure of modesty and of truth must be observed on both sides. For as they were urged by many, in remitting them to the bishop they conceived that they would consult their own modesty so as to be no further disquieted; and in themselves not holding communion with them, they judged that the purity of the Gospel law ought to be maintained unimpaired.
3. But of your charity, brother, never desist from soothing the spirits of the lapsed and affording to the erring the medicine of truth, although the temper of the sick is wont to reject the kind offices of those who would heal them. This wound of the lapsed is as yet fresh, and the sore is still rising into a tumour; and therefore we are certain, that when, in the course of more protracted time, that urgency of theirs shall have worn out, they will love that very delay which refers them to a faithful medicine; if only there be not those who arm them for their own danger, and, instructing them perversely, demand on their behalf, instead of the salutary remedies of delay, the fatal poisons of a premature communion. For we do not believe, that without the instigation of certain persons they would all have dared so petulantly to claim peace for themselves. We know the faith of the Carthaginian church,3 we know her training, we know her humility; whence also we have marvelled that we should observe certain things somewhat rudely suggested against you by letter, although we have often become aware of your mutual love and charity, in many illustrations of reciprocal affection of one another. It is time, therefore, that they should repent of their fault, that they should prove their grief for their lapse, that they should show modesty, that they should manifest humility, that they should exhibit some shame, that, by their submission, they should appeal to God's clemency for themselves, and by due honour for4 God's priest should draw forth upon themselves the divine mercy. How vastly better would have been the letters of these men themselves, if the prayers of those who stood fast had been aided by their own humility! since that which is asked for is more easily obtained, when he for whom it is asked is worthy, that what is asked should be obtained.
4. In respect, however, of Privatus of Lambesa, you have acted as you usually do, in desiring to inform us of the matter, as being an object of anxiety; for it becomes us all to watch for the body of the whole Church, whose members are scattered through every various province.5 But the deceitfulness of that crafty man could not be hid from us even before we had your letters; for previously, when from the company of that very wickedness a certain Futurus came, a standard-bearer of Privatus, and was desirous of fraudulently obtaining letters from us, we were neither ignorant who he was, nor did he get the letters which he wanted. We bid you heartily farewell in the Lord.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
}
|
Bird Checklists of the United States
Gulf Islands National Seashore
Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Gulf Breeze, Florida
The National Seashore comprises several diverse ecological communities which
attract a wide variety of bird life. The offshore barrier islands consist of
open beaches, dunes, freshwater marshes and wooded areas. On the mainland, also,
are freshwater marshes, salt marshes and wooded areas which offer wildlife habitats.
More than 280 species of birds have been identified within the boundaries
of Gulf Islands National Seashore, since its establishment in January 1971.
This list reflects information gathered inside park boundaries and in neighboring
areas by park staff and local observers. New information in subsequent years
will no doubt add to this list. Please report unusual or new sightings to
the Interpretation Division.
c - common: 5-25 individuals per day
u - uncommon: several individuals per day or less
o - occasional: one individual per season or less
r - rare: has occurred within the area at least once since 1965
Some species have abundance information shown by state
|
{
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
}
|
Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.
Gamergate has declared another victory after software maker Adobe implicitly condemned a recent series of tweets from Gawker writer Sam Biddle that made fun of the Gamergate movement.
Biddle’s tweets came in the aftermath of generally negative coverage of Gamergate by many of Gawker Media’s blogs — including the main Gawker blog, for which he penned a piece, as well as gaming blog Kotaku, feminist blog Jezebel and sports blog Deadspin.
In one tweet, Biddle said the online movement, which is ostensibly about journalistic ethics but is in fact about trying to censure any discussion of gender politics in the gaming industry, reaffirmed the idea that “nerds should be constantly shamed and degraded into submission.”
To Gamergate supporters, who believe that media collusion and “corruption” have kept them from being heard, this was like throwing a lit match into a powder keg. Whether he was joking or not (and Biddle’s Twitter persona is very often jokey), his tweet bolstered a widely-held Gamergate narrative: That they, rather than the game developers and critics who have had their lives threatened as a result of Gamergate, are the real victims, and are being bullied by radical feminists.
“I have literally not seen a single person who is not a Gamergate supporter who did not get that I was very obviously joking,” Biddle said in an email to Re/code. “Not a single one.”
Pressed for a response to Biddle’s tweet by a Gamergate supporter, Adobe initially tweeted the following:
https://twitter.com/Adobe/status/524625011919708160
By “remove our logo,” Adobe is referring to a section of Gawker’s advertising info page that already disappeared days ago (though an archived version of the page with the section intact is available here), which contained the logos of brand “partners” Gawker Media had worked with in the past, including Adobe.
Adobe confirmed via email that the tweet did come from them, and spokespersons directed Re/code to another tweet from the same account, issued seven hours later:
https://twitter.com/Adobe/status/524727259844718592
The relationship between Adobe’s tweeted condemnation and Gamergate is more tenuous than Intel’s prior turn in a similar position. Earlier this month, Intel pulled its advertising from the website Gamasutra under pressure from Gamergate supporters, who were unhappy with an opinion column written by Gamasutra editor-at-large Leigh Alexander. Intel also apologized for its association with the movement after the fact, but declined to reverse the ad pull.
Gawker Media did not respond to a request for comment.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
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|
Smart way to stop a power surge
As huge power surges are expected to become more common, a coalition of energy providers want to build a 'smart grid' to store power
At 12.40pm on April 29, a power surge rocked the national grid as the nation tore itself from television coverage of the royal wedding. The 2,400MW electric jolt — the fourth biggest ever — was equivalent to nearly 1m kettles being switched on.
Such surges could become more common over the next few years. The problems caused by peaks and troughs in demand for power will be amplified by unpredictable swings in the amount of power being generated.
It is one thing to harness the wind’s power but it is extremely difficult to predict when it will blow. The same is true of solar energy, and many types of marine power.
A new heavyweight coalition of energy providers and technology giants reckons it has the answer. Its members want to build a “smart grid” to smooth demand and supply. Without it, Britain faces a serious risk of blackouts.
|
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We zijn een bierland, cafés zijn onze nationale trots, en toch sloten bijna 600 Vlaamse kroegen het voorbije jaar de deuren. Wat is er precies aan de hand? Wij doken in de cijfers tijdens onze zoektocht naar het Beste Café van Vlaanderen. “Misschien moeten we vaker onze smartphone wegleggen, en samen iets gaan drinken. En da’s niet alleen goed voor de sector.”
STEM HIER. Kroon jouw favoriete kroeg tot Beste Café van Vlaanderen
8.984. Zoveel cafés telt Vlaanderen anno 2019. Meer nog: bijna één vierde van onze horeca bestaat uit bars. Een stevig en indrukwekkend aantal, zou je denken. Maar in werkelijkheid is de hoeveelheid kroegen nog maar een schim van wat het ooit geweest is. “Midden jaren 90 telden we in Vlaanderen volgens Statbel nog ruim 18.000 cafés. Een kwarteeuw later blijft daar slechts de helft van over”, zegt Matthias De Caluwe, CEO van Horeca Vlaanderen.
Bron: Graydon
Zware klap voor Vlaanderen
Elk zichzelf respecterend dorp heeft een café, maar toch staan we steeds meer voor een gesloten deur. Wanneer we alle Vlaamse provincies samentellen over een periode van vier jaar, dan komen we uit bij een verlies van net geen 1.200 cafés. In het Oost-Vlaamse straatbeeld zijn er sinds 2015 maar liefst 347 cafés verdwenen. Ook in West-Vlaanderen en Antwerpen doekten meer dan 250 eigenaars hun kroeg op.
Bron: Graydon/Bewerking: Guidea
Maar vooral het voorbije jaar was de klap stevig voelbaar. In het tweede kwartaal van 2018 waren er nog 597 cafés meer dan na dat van 2019. Wat is er plots aan de hand?
LEES OOK. Cafébazen klappen uit de biecht: “Ze waren bezig op het toilet terwijl hun partners braaf in het café zaten” (+)
Snel naar de nachtwinkel
“Het is inderdaad onmiskenbaar een bijzondere daling. En er zijn verschillende oorzaken”, zegt De Caluwe. “Een samenleving verandert constant, en dat is voor onze horecasector niet anders. Vroeger ging je bijvoorbeeld vaker gewoon op café om te horen hoe de week van je vriendenkring was geweest of om nieuwe mensen te ontmoeten. Vandaag verlopen sommige contacten vaker eerst via sociale media. Misschien moeten we daar een beter evenwicht in vinden: onze smartphones vaker wegleggen in het voordeel van een koffie, cola of pint. Dat is niet alleen goed voor onze sector, maar ook voor de sociale cohesie. Daar is zeker vandaag nood aan.”
De tijden zijn veranderd, merken ze bij Horeca Vlaanderen, en dat zet klassieke cafés voor een forse uitdaging. “Het rookverbod en het feit dat mensen nu een gewijzigde kijk hebben op alcoholgebruik, doet minder mensen naar de bars trekken. Jongeren drinken ook vaker thuis voor het uitgaan, in een ‘pre-drink’. Ze halen hun alcohol in de nachtwinkel of trekken pas later naar feestjes. Ook dat heeft zijn effect op het cliënteel van de cafés.”
Het clichébeeld van de bruine kroegen is allang niet meer realiteit. Vlaamse cafés onderscheiden zich door hun eigenheid en creativiteit.
Wie in het straatbeeld op zoek gaat naar een dorpscafé ziet ook heel andere etablissementen dan enkele jaren geleden. “De grenzen vervagen tussen de verschillende types horeca. We zien steeds vaker dat het concept ‘café’ verschuift naar een eetgelegenheid. Er zijn meer koffiebars, er is een trend van meer tijdelijke pop-uphoreca”, legt de CEO uit. En die creativiteit en ruimdenkendheid is een zegen voor die eigenaars, maar een pijnlijke klap voor de cijfers van de gemiddelde Op ’t Hoekske of De Statie.
Vlaanderen toch speciaal
Toch mogen we volgens De Caluwe nog steeds heel fier zijn op onze Vlaamse cafés, dalende cijfers of niet. “In het buitenland zien we steeds meer ketens, ook als cafés. Hier mogen we nog genieten van heel originele eigenwijze concepten, van café-uitbaters die met hart en ziel een eigen zaak uit de grond stampen. Dat kunnen we alleen maar bewonderen.”
De cijfers zijn ook niet zó drastisch als ze lijken. “Daarin zitten ook die verschuivingen van cafés naar eetgelegenheden. Ze zijn dus niet per se stopgezet, maar mee geëvolueerd om zich aan te passen aan gewijzigde marktomstandigheden.”
LEES OOK. Steeds minder cafés, maar zo krijgen we onze nationale trots er weer bovenop
Hoe dan ook: onze favoriete kroegen kunnen een opsteker gebruiken. En wat beter dan hen uit te roepen tot Beste Café van Vlaanderen? Stem nog tot 29 september via Het Nieuwsblad om een winnaar te kronen.
bekijk ook
De meest memorabele momenten op café? “Gedronken en ja… wakker geworden met een eenhoorn op mijn borst”
Zo tap je de perfecte pint
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When operating a wind turbine it is sometimes desirable to be able to estimate the wind speed prevailing at the wind turbine, more particularly the wind speed experienced by the wind turbine blades of the wind turbine. When the wind speed is measured, this is often done at a point behind the rotor of the wind turbine. Thereby the measured wind speed is affected by the impact on the wind by the rotor, and therefore it does not reflect the wind speed at a position in front of the rotor. Furthermore, since the wind speed is typically measured in a single point, it will not reflect variations in the wind speed across an area defined by the rotor. Accordingly, controlling the wind turbine on the basis of such a measured wind speed may lead to inaccurate control of the wind turbine.
Therefore, various attempts have previously been made in order to provide an estimate for the wind speed at a wind turbine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,375 discloses a controller and a method for operating a variable speed wind turbine to better track wind speed fluctuations for greater efficiency in conversion of wind energy to electrical energy. The rotor speed is controlled with a wind speed supplied by a wind observer which predicts the average wind speed at a subsequent point in time over the cross section presented to the wind by the wind turbine. The wind speed is predicted as a function of the present (previously predicted) wind speed and correction terms including net torque and the difference between the predicted and actual rotor speed.
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Market Capitalization of Tokens > $1.2B
While it’s interesting to look at Token Sales in terms of in dollars raised, it’s equally important to calculate the value of the tokens after they have been issued.
Of the 56 successful Token Sales in the dataset, 34 tokens have started trading and are listed on Coinmarketcap. The market capitalization (the USD value of available supply of tokens) for these 34 tokens currently stands at $1.16B.
Figure 3: Market Capitalization of “Listed” Tokens
The 33 projects that these tokens represent raised $150M in their respective token sales. A back of the envelope calculation shows a 8x increase in dollar value, and our impulsive reaction might be to rush into every single token sale we can get into.
Tokens ARE Risky
The theoretical case for Token Sales is that it they are the optimal way to launch decentralized business models, ranging from core blockchain protocols to Decentralized Applications (dApps) on top of existing blockchains. Ethereum itself started as a Token Sale raising $18M worth of Bitcoin. In these decentralized business models tokens should be the core value unit that represent some combination of usage, work and/or ownership. As Nick Tomaino explained, we should think of tokens primarily as a product feature and not as a fundraising feature.
The majority of projects behind the tokens have not yet launched. They’re in various stages, ranging from beta launch to being stuck in endless ideation. Simultaneously, many projects are taking advantage or “exploit” the exponential growth and interest from unsophisticated investors interested in digital currencies. This ranges from projects that have no obvious network effects at all or are outright scams (Google “ico scam” for starters).
This indicates that Token Sales are a very young and very risky market. It will take time and more data to get a sense of how risky tokens are and what factors determine winners and outperformance. Sophisticated investors and VC’s in the cryptocurrency space look at the development teams, network potential and core technology as factors that could mitigate some of the risks. The average investor and many digital currency enthusiast will have very few of these skills. Nonetheless, there is some data that we can use to conduct a straightforward analysis and answer the following question:
Have Token Sales returned more money than Bitcoin and/or Ether?
Tokens Do Not Outperform Ethereum
Given the limited amount of data needed for financial return analysis, I was able to calculate the returns for 28 tokens since their sale and compared them with returns on Bitcoin and Ether during the same timeframe. The 28 tokens and the projects they represent were the only ones on which I could collect data from multiple sources to calculate the price at issuance, price now and market capitalization.
Figure 4: Absolute Returns and Hypothetical Portfolio Returns
If you were to invest $1 in each of the 28 Token Sales, held onto the tokens and sold them at the time of writing you would have made roughly 9x of the notional investment. This compares with “only” 2x if you had invested $1 in Bitcoin tokens at exactly the same times as the Token Sales. More importantly, a portfolio of Ethereum tokens would have yielded 11x, beating the portfolio of tokens.
Because of the limited data, outliers skew the results drastically. For example, Augur’s token sale took place in October 2015, when Ether was trading at $0.70. Since then, Augur REP-tokens have increased by 29x vs 134x for Ether. Taking Augur out, the results swing in favor of tokens, as per the figure below. When I remove the 2 largest return outliers for Tokens and Ether (i.e. remove 4 in total) the Ether and Token portfolios return roughly the same amount.
Figure 5: Multiples for various portfolio combinations
It’s not the goal of this analysis to determine which tokens are the best investments. We can slice and dice the dataset in many ways that tip the returns in favor of either Tokens, Ether or even Bitcoin. We must not forget that many of the Token Sales are an application layer on top of the Ethereum blockchain. By investing in tokens you are essentially exposing yourself to some (undetermined) amount of Ethereum exposure, and taking on additional risk. One could argue that the performance swings in my hypothetical portfolios are merely reflections of this additional risk. Until there is more time series data the jury is still out on whether this is the case.
Figure 6: Market Cap of Tokens vs Market Cap of Ethereum
Conclusion
The conclusion that I am confident to make is that the data shows that most digital currency enthusiasts are better off staying away from Token Sales. Unless you’re planning to actually use the tokens for the services that the underlying projects will offer, tokens as a speculative investment come with great risks.
Investors who are unable to do a full due diligence (development team, technical specifications, network model) on a new Token Sale are probably better off investing in core cryptocurrencies such as Ether. This will yield better results than rushing into every single Token Sale or even token portfolios. It’s common sense and is backed by some data now.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Appendix
All data used in the analysis is publicly accessible on the websites or via the public API’s of Coinbase, Coinmarketcap, Smith & Crown, ICOrating & Tokenmarket
Most of the terminology that I’ve used were first coined by the following persons on a variety of websites and podcasts:
Chris Dixon & Olaf Carlson-Wee: a16z podcast on tokens and polychain capital
Olaf Carlson-Wee & Ryan Zurrer: Ether review podcast
Fred Ehrsam: one, two, three, four
Fred Wilson: Decentralized Startup
Naval Ravikant: The Fifth Protocol
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Bungalow - $1,295.00
(All prices include $1,295.00 base amount)
About This Event
Our ‘Initiation to Shamanistic Ayahuasca’ is a great way for one to start their healing journey that has never experienced any sacred medicinal plants. This would also be a great place to start for someone that has some apprehensions about engaging in shamanistic practices. The 7-day retreat will still be a strong for healing purposes with 3 powerful ceremonies.
3 Ayahuasca Ceremonies
Ajo Sacha Welcome Bath
Shared Jungle Tambo * w/ Bath
All Meals, Water, Tea
One-on-One Daily Integration Support with Trained Facilitator During Retreat
Individual Meeting with Shaman’s
Harvesting and Cooking Ayahuasca Medicine on site
Post-program Counseling for Integration
Guided Meditations
Laundry Service
Gifts and Educational Items
Guided Jungle Tour “Camino de Tigre”
Transportation pick Up/Return to Iquitos
Ajo Sacha Diet (+$350)
Sapo/Kambo Ceremony (+$100)
I have traveled all over the world, and I have never been to a place with such RAW BEAUTY. Simply breathtaking!
- Paul L. (Dubai),
Thank you so much for giving me my life back.
- Robin O. (Norway),
The POWER of the MEDICINE is beyond imagination!
- Fabian C. (Switzerland),
So much care and attention to detail has gone into ensuring that we are best positioned to truly immerse ourselves in the great work. I am so happy I found you!
- Jeff A. (USA),
I was totally blown away by the beauty, power and life changing experience at Rainforest Healing Center.
- Chris L. (Australia),
The mother of the jungle gave me an opportunity for a DEEP SPIRITUAL journey. My soul loved it!
- Anita M. (Canada),
I felt like I was unplugging out of the Matrix and lucid dreaming in an Avatar-like environment while feeling the CONNECTEDNESS of all life.
- David D. (Holland),
My time at Rainforest Healing Center was nothing short of AMAZING!
- Lee C. (Thailand),
Each person who steps foot on that sacred ground will be FOREVER CHANGED.
- Michael (Atlanta, GA),
Venue Highlights
The Rainforest Healing Center is based on a parcel of land (160 acres / 65 hectares) of pristine, virgin Amazonian rainforest on Kilometer 45.5 of the Iquitos/Nauta Carretera (highway).
This rainforest backdrop breathes life and healing energy into every soul who enters this sacred space. One can receive healing benefits just from being in this part of the rainforest as it is saturated with over 110 documented species of healing medicinal plants including the Mother Vine herself.
Along our varied paths, guests are immersed in a tropical Eden where they can witness numerous varieties of sparkling butterflies including our resident colony of Blue Morphos, chattering monkeys, curious sloths, and various other jungle life. The hum and vibration of the forest is felt throughout the space, welcoming you back to nature’s incredible beauty and grace.
Throughout the property runs a stream (called a ‘quebrada’ in Spanish) that also boasts potent healing powers. Rain trickles down from the upper canopy of the forest, passing through many more layers of dense jungle growth, collecting its healing properties from all the medicinal plants on its way to the vegetation and roots below. Forest soils filter this frequent rainfall into the crisp and clean ‘quebrada’ that meanders through the center. Our guests bathe in this healing flow and receive love from each plant that the rain has touched on its journey to the stream.
As a small and intimate healing center, we’ve designed the property to create the optimal environment for self-reflection, introspection, growth, healing, and deep awakening. We deeply honor our connection with Mother Earth and therefore utilize renewable resources whenever possible. We are powered almost entirely by solar energy, compost, and Love, far away from the distractions of Western culture and technology.
Ayahuasca ceremonies will be held in the Maloca (ceremonial hut), which was constructed by a master carpenter and architect from Pucallpa and is a powerful and beautiful space.
Accommodations
Your retreat investment covers room and board. We’ve built seven Tambos (mosquito-screened, palm frond or corrugated metal roof huts) on the property. Five of the Tambos sleep two people, with the other two sleeping three. Tambos are furnished with writing desks for reflection and hammocks for relaxing when space allows.
Each of our Tambos is hand-crafted with love in carefully selected locations to provide a quiet and cozy place for guests to relax and reconnect with themselves and nature. The jungle radiates through these beautiful Tambos, and creates a unique and unforgettable experience. Each Tambo offers solar power for lighting, its own bathing area, and compostable toilets to cycle nutrients back into the land.
While they are rustic, we’ve designed them to be very comfortable and enjoyable. It’s important to understand that you will be sleeping in the jungle and life’s wild hums and vibrations will be ever-present. In time, you’ll find the jungle sounds to be a living white noise machine that will help you fall asleep.
Amenities
Kitchen
Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea
House Keeping
Menu Types
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Menu/Cuisine
Guests will enjoy three healthy and balanced meals a day. On ceremony days, guests participating in the ceremony will have breakfast and lunch, but no dinner. This restriction helps ensure that your stomach is empty by the time ceremony participants drink the Medicine. This allows your body to absorb the Medicine fully and efficiently, and also reduce the amount of materials thrown up if your purging includes vomiting.
Master Plant Isolation Diets will be on a stricter, blander meal schedule that is prepared and brought to your Tambo to reduce interactions with other people.
We DO NOT serve pork, salt, coffee, or sugar. We strive to feed everyone according to their needs and we don’t want anyone hungry or frustrated. We do request that you adhere to this diet; it greatly improves Ayahuasca’s ability to work effectively and efficiently during ceremony.
Directions
The traditional route is to fly into Lima, and then take a domestic Peruvian flight on either Star Peru or Peruvian Airlines to Iquitos.
You’ll want to plan to stay at least one night before your retreat or course start date. The Amazon is a very different place and takes a little adjustment. Having the time to relax, clean up, and get prepared for your journey is a great pleasure. Plus, you can visit one of the many wonderful cafes with WiFi to let your family know that you’re alive and well!
Our staff will meet you in Iquitos at a pre-determined location (typically Dawn on the Amazon or Chef Paz), date, and time. From there, we’ll take you to Rainforest Healing Center, which is located one hour’s drive from Iquitos on the highway Iquitos—Nauta. From the highway the walk is ~3.5km (approx. 40-mins to 1-hour) through some amazing jungle on a wide and friendly path. If it has rained you will need rubber boots since the path can get quite muddy. You can buy these in Iquitos at the Belen market for roughly 20 soles, or purchase them online prior to your trip. We also encourage people to leave their boots after their stay for use by families in need.
Please use bags that can be carried on the shoulders of our workers, e.g back packs, shoulder bags (no suitcases). If you are unable to walk this distance due to medical reasons please inform our staff in advance so that other arrangements can be made.
About the
Venue and Teacher
Welcome to Rainforest Healing Center! We are an Ayahuasca and Master Plant diet retreat center, specializing in the individualized care and small group retreats, located in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon. What Makes Our Center Different -- Personalized Healing ProgramsAt Rainforest Healing Center, we offer the opportunity to transform your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual lives through healing. A crucial part of healing lies in the facilitation process. While our shamans guide the energies of the ceremonies, purify your physical and energetic bodies, expand your consciousness and guide your spiritual growth, our facilitators work to guide and support you throughout this transformative process. During your stay with us, our experienced and qualified facilitators function as bridges between you, the shamans and the plants to guide and support you in your journey of transformative healing. Our services are tailored to your individual needs and personalized to the types of healing you are seeking. Our facilitators and shamans will work with you through one-on-one sessions to best meet your personal needs.On your first day, our facilitators will have a one-on-one session with you about what you came to heal. You will then sit down with our shamans who will prescribe additional remedies such as floral baths, plant baths, and remedial massages to prepare you for a ceremony, correct physical misalignments as well as align your energies.On ceremony days, you will have one-on-one intention setting sessions with our facilitators to help you focus your intention. Our Facilitators are trained to guide and challenge you to seek the innermost truths of your being and to uncover the layers of familial, cultural and societal conditioning to access the deepest core of your being.On the days after ceremonies, the facilitators will have one-on-one processing sessions with you to help you make sense of the powerful physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and visual experiences you have had during your ayahuasca experience, to make connections and to relate what the medicine has shown you to the healing you are undertaking.We pride ourselves on the amount of time, energy and care we devote to each guest to that we can successfully fill our mission of healing our planet, one cosmic brother and sister at a time.This rainforest backdrop breathes life and healing energy into every soul who enters this sacred space. One can receive healing benefits just from being in this part of the rainforest as it is home to over 110+ documented species of healing medicinal plants. Along our varied paths, guests are immersed in a tropical Eden where they can witness several colonies of sparkling butterflies, chattering monkeys, curious sloths, and other jungle animals. The hum and vibration of the forest are felt throughout the space, welcoming you to slow down and relax into nature’s incredible beauty and grace.The property has a stream or ‘quebrada’ as known in Spanish, that has potent healing powers as well. Rain trickles down from the upper canopy of the forest, passing through many more layers of dense jungle growth, collecting its healing properties from all the medicinal plants as it reaches the vegetation and roots below. Forest soils filter this almost daily rainfall into the crisp and clean ‘quebrada’ that meanders through the center. Our guests bathe in this healing flow and receive love from each plant that the rain has touched when they enjoy their bucket showers.Since we are a small private boutique medicinal plant healing retreat center, we’ve designed the property to create an optimal environment for self-reflection, introspection, growth, healing, and awakening on a very deep level. Each of our Tambos (jungle bungalows) were handcrafted, built, and located with love to provide a quiet yet cozy place for guests to relax and ‘tap back into’ their true essence (nature). The jungle radiates through these beautiful Tambos, and creates a unique and unforgettable experience.We deeply honor our connection with the land that we call home and therefore utilize renewable resources whenever possible. We run completely on solar, compost, and love, far away from the distractions of Western culture and technology. We do our best to farm as much vegetation and protein as we possibly can directly from the land and include them in our ‘dietas’ (ceremonial diets for purification and healing). Each Tambo includes solar power, very comfortable bedding, a showering area, and a compostable restroom to cycle nutrients back into the farm.Through our retreats, we guide guests in aiding their own healing process with one-on-one individualized care. By cleansing and detoxifying the physical body, releasing emotional blockages and toxins, the Ayahuasca and Master Plants of the rainforest help the individual achieve deep realizations and higher states of consciousness. This process can sometimes be challenging, so our experienced shaman and facilitators have the deepest compassion, patience, and love to support our guests while healing. We understand that in healing oneself we are also healing, raising the vibration of, and reuniting humankind. So, we are eternally grateful to you for doing your part of the work!“There is no EPIDURAL for SPIRITUAL BIRTH.” – Linda V. (Australia)Our vision for Rainforest Healing Center is guided by our intention to help others access the healing and tremendous gifts that each of us here at Rainforest Healing Center have received through our work with Ayahuasca and the Master Plants of the jungle. Our goal is a simple one: we want to honor those gifts by making these medicines available, in a safe and intimate way, to others. What sets us apart from other centers is the private and boutique approach we have taken. We screen applicants carefully and only allow up to 10 guests per retreat. We provide private (single or shared) occupancy Tambos to allow guests to receive an intimate yet comfortable stay whether they are on an Ayahuasca retreat or Master Plant Isolation Diet.
ESTEBAN SHANEN MESTA
Esteban started walking with a sacred medicine with this grandfather, Olivero Garcia Shanen who was a respected healer in his community. With his grandfather, Esteban learned with sacred rituals of ayahuasca. At 17, he was initiated to conduct ceremonies jointly with his grandfather. At 24, his grandfather died and Esteban became the official ‘curandero’ or healer of his community
Esteban has done various rigorous Master Plant Diets; Chiric Sanango, Bobinsana, Huayruro, Kamalanga, Uchu Sanango, Chuchuhuasi, Remo Caspi, Ayahuma, Ajo Sacha, Huara Caspi, Pinion Colorado, and the legendary master tree Nihue Rao.
OLINDA NETE AVE
Olinda was introduced into the world of medicinal plants at a very early age, due to the fact that her mother was the ‘curandera’ healer of their community. Olinda has vast memories of people seeking her mother to cure ailments ranging from snake bites to cancer. When Olinda turned 16 years old her mother instead that she would need to pass all the information from their lineage so that Olindo would be able to continue to heal the family and the community. When Olinda was 35 years old, her mother passed away.
She decided to continue the family tradition and to do that she started to do some intense Master Plant Diets; Chiric Sanango, Bobinsana, Pinion Negro, Ajo Sacha, Chullachaqui Caspi, Remo Caspi, Palo Sangre, Punga, Capriona, Tortuga.
Reviews
To review this event, visit the page for the venue or retreat leaders (above).
In light of the very recent suicide that took place at this center by one of their staff members, I would like to warn any would-be guests about attending here.
I used to work at this center a few years ago (I also attended for nearly 3 weeks as a guest). The owner displays many, MANY traits of a sociopath. He emotionally abused his staff (as well as engaging in sex with several of them). The work environment was degrading in so many ways with hardly any time for adequate sleep or self-care, but we all loved the jungle and the medicine which kept us tethered there despite the obvious abuse. I encourage more people to come forward with what they saw because I know there are a lot of other people who witnessed the darkness there.
Why am I only now coming forward? Because I just found out that a facilitator at RHC has recently stabbed himself to death there and I can’t keep quiet anymore. I will probably be personally attacked for this comment, and I am shaking as I write this… but sometimes you have to speak out, no matter how hard it is. Wishing peace to this soul and his family…
If you would like confirmation about what I have written here and additional infomation, please check out the center’s facebook page and read the comments on my review.
STAY AWAY. This center just had a death. And it's absolutely heartbreaking that the death was a facillitator who committed suicide DURING a ceremony. There are numerous stories coming out now on facebook now and already floating around in the ayahuasca community about the owner, Omar Gomez (an alias by the way. His real name is William Feldman), and his emotional and sexual abuse of staff and guests. I myself was briefly a staff member before I left in disgust.
He reaches out to female guests after retreats and tries to lure them to his home for visits and has tragically slept with many of them. This is taking advantage of women still under the influence of ayahuasca.
That a facillitator committed suicide during a ceremony speaks volumes as to the lack of safety, screening and competence happening at Rainforest Healing Center. I feel so much compassion and grief for that poor young man's family. What happened to him was in no way his fault.
I had thought about Ayahuasca for years, I know one of the founders of RHC so when I felt it was my time, there was no question on where I would go. I had no idea how lucky I was! I’ve heard horror stories of bad experiences at other retreats and I can only imagine how hard it must be to make a decision based on online reviews and pictures! All I can say is that this is your place! You can stop looking! There are so many wonderful things to say but overall the feeling of love and instant family is what was so surprising to me. I felt safe and cared for in every way. I was given so much individual attention but also time and space to myself to reflect and process. The facilitators Freddy & Nelson genuinely love and support you every step of the way! They listen, offer advice and are extremely knowledgeable and intuitive. They suggest books to read and help you with your intention for ceremonies. I don’t think I could’ve done this without them???????? Kristina is the on-site manager but she is so much more than that! She also offers Kambo and is extremely knowledgeable with that process. She just brings a sweetness to the place:)
Then there are the Shaman… If you ever considered working with Ayahuasca without a shaman please reconsider! Being in the jungle and having the shaman guide you and sing to you during the ceremonies was such a huge part of my experience and journey! They know what they’re doing, they communicate with the spirit and work on every person individually. They work so incredibly hard and are so sweet, happy, gentle and kind. They hug you like you are family and tell you they love you and you feel it. These are not things that can be simulated or faked. This boutique center has a maximum of 8 people to give the best care and attention to everyone. The facilities are somewhat rustic (you are in the jungle) but extremely comfortable and private. It felt rather luxurious compared to what I was expecting ☺️
This is by far the best gift I have ever given myself! I only went for 7 days but I’m already trying to plan my next visit. I made huge progress in just 3 ceremonies but I can’t wait to dive in deeper and learn more!
P.S. the food was delicious!????
I spent a week at the Rainforest Healing Centre, and did three ayahuasca ceremonies. I was quite sceptical before I arrived, but by the time I left, I was in love with the place, and the wonderful staff who work there.⠀
The food, the accommodation, the jungle scenery, the shamans and the support and help given by the facilitators was all top notch. Ten out of ten from me!
I just finished a week retreat at Rainforest Healing Centre in Iquitos, and it was the most amazing, profound, magical, enlightening, emotional, liberating, loving, connecting, intense, relieving, healing, learning, experience of my life.
The shamans, Esteban & Linda, are two lovely elders, a husband and wife couple, from the Shipibo tradition (originally from Pucallpa). They both have open and loving energies, and spend time with each individual person in each ceremony to help them through their journey and emotions, while singing Icaros to them personally, and using their hands to heal and massage if there is a need. They both also sing different Icaros simultaneously throughout the entire ceremony, which sounds magical. I feel extremely lucky to have had the chance to experience their ceremonies, and I now understand how important the shamans are for the process, and the human need for spirituality and connectedness (I was a spiritual skeptic before I came here).
The facilitators, Freddie and Nelson, were amazing too, so much love, support, openness, experience, and non-judgment, they do a lot to help and guide you, and create a safe space for everyone. Kristina also does a lot in the background to make sure the centre running smoothly, and brings a lovely energy to the place, and Rhaya was very helpful in the registration process and preparing for the retreat.
The centre is surrounded by rainforest, so you really feel in touch with nature while you’re there, which enhances the experience; seeing, smelling, hearing the jungle. You also stay your own personal tambo/hut to chill and process your emotions and thoughts freely and in private, without being surrounded by others, as you can’t see or hear other people from your tambo through the forest, so you can really focus on your own journey.
The retreat groups are no more than 8 participants too, so it’s really intimate and you’re not distracted or overwhelmed by many other people’s energies, and you really have time to connect with everyone, including the shamans, facilitators, and other people attending the centre.
I was able to work through a number of my fears and anxieties while there, and gained a lot of insight and knowledge, but it would have been better to stay longer, three ceremonies feels like you’re just getting into it. I’m already planning my next trip out there for a longer period of time.
Going there was the most positive, life changing, and loving thing, I’ve ever done for myself. I got things out of it that I didn’t even know I needed. I would HIGHLY recommend the Rainforest Healing Centre, what a magical place.
Stop looking, because you've found the right place...
It was an intense and profound experience, in the safest environment possible. The jungle surrounds you with it beauty, while you have the right amount of time by yourself to reflex on your Ayahuasca experiences.
Its hard to put it all into words....
Just go and you will feel it is my advise. So much hearth space and love surrounds everything about this place, the facilitators are truly amazing and the Shamans truly magical.
Just go, I promise you that you will not regret it one second.
The Rainforest Healing Center is home. I spent a long time in the process of deciding where I wanted to attend my first Ayahuasca retreat but something kept bringing my back to the RHC, I felt its warmth even through the words and pages online. So I took the leap and am infinitely grateful because of it!! My experience is tough to quantify in words but the people at the center and the space they create and hold is magic for such deep healing. I felt safe, guided, cared for, loved and for the week I spent there it became home. I did three ceremonies and each time was able to really dive deep into my intention with the help of the staff who really became such beautiful family! They were catalysts for such growth and self-reflection and to me, were guides pushing me in the right direction back to myself always respecting the gentle nature of the work. It can be an overwhelming process working with medicine like this but never did I feel I didn’t have guidance. I was also empowered to use my own guidance system and felt lovingly shown how to step into my independence. Because of the intimacy of such a small group we too became medicine for each other, family forever. Love and care are poured into everything, the massively nourishing meals, the integration talks, the helpful tips, and the medicine as its being provided. Everything so well thought out from the day to day activity to the sacredness and attention put into the ceremonies that my only focus was put on why I was there. My healing. The space is beautifully built, peaceful, secluded yet wild and free! It flows with the wild of the jungle and creates a natural, harmonious, freeing, heart filed way of being! The accommodations were so comfortable and I was given my own space for reflection, feeling held and secure yet free and independent with my time to my own. The RHC is home, it is a beautiful sacred space for medicine work. I am grateful for all of the staff, the shamans, the love poured into every piece and part of their mission and for their deep respect and honor of the vine and the traditions. I am forever changed by my Ayahuasca experience with this center and cannot wait to return!! I love you guys!!Thank you for guiding in opening my heart and expanding my mind!
I'm sitting down to write this review with a full heart. I have just returned from my first experience with ayahuasca through a 7 day retreat with Rainforest Healing Center and I would like to say a couple things to anyone who is looking to make a decision on where to do the same. Ayahuasca is a powerful medicine that should not be taken lightly and can change your life in many different ways. RHC does the best possible job at respecting this and doing everything in their power to promote healing during your journey. If you're looking to drink ayahuasca, you've found your place.
The communication and information given before leaving for the retreat is outstanding. RHC gives you so much support and so many tools to prepare you for the transformation to come. With recommendations for time in Iquitos, suggestions on prices so you don't get ripped off, recommendations for nice hotels, they have you feeling comfortable and confident leaving for Peru. The facilities are as good as you could hope for in the Amazon. Truly amazing spaces for relaxing, reflecting, processing. Someone is always available to talk to. The common area and kitchen is warm and inviting and allows you to relax in times of healing. The attention to needs and care is unmatched.
The main thing that stands out about this facility is the love. You create a family when you come to RHC. Everyone of the facilitators makes you feel loved and are there to listen and reflect with you. I don't know what my experience with ayahuasca would have been without these amazing people to lead me through the process. I am so grateful for what these beautiful souls have created and even more grateful for opening it up to those who need it. I would give 100 stars to Rainforest Healing Center if I could. 10/10. Just amazing.
It has been a few months since I was in the jungle. I wanted to wait to write this to share what has changed for me as a result of this beautiful experience and connection.
Firstly I felt the Rainforest Healing Centre (RHC) is a sacred, safe space - where all of the workers/healers are protective, loving, respectful and know there stuff. The jungle is breath-taking, wild and free, just being there allowed me the space and time to focus on what is important. At the centre the water and food is clean and fresh, detoxing. The centre feels like home and especially with the dogs and cats and a monkey running around :-)
I had two ceremonies with the Master Vine. Both times the ceremony space (due to the facilitators and healers), was safe and contained, very reassuring. I also did a Master Plant Diet with Bobinsana, wow! The experience of connecting with these plants and allowing for support and transformation was like nothing I have ever felt. They have allowed me to see different possibilities to situations that were previously thought and felt helpless to change or think differently about. This has been the best gift I have ever received.
Since being back a situation that dominated my life (in a negative way), has resolved. I believe this is because I was finally able to allow it to, after my experience in the Jungle. I have also resolved a few bad daily habits that were making me unhealthy. Being able to reset in the Jungle helped me to break the cord to these habits just enough to make the change.
Of course it has not been all smooth sailing and I have gone back and forth with some other bad habits (especially in times of stress). But the lessons from the retreat are not far from my mind. I know that I have something within that I did not have before. So I can keep moving forward and changing what I need to. After the retreat I have also reached out to RHC and received the support I needed which helped me to refocus.
I would recommend this incredible place to anyone who wants to go. I hope I am lucky enough to go back again. Forever Grateful xx Jasmine.
After my 11 day retreat in the Rainforest Hearing Center I have no doubts for plan medicine. I went there scared, angry, confused, tired, exhausted almost giving up on life from all the damage & pain experienced since I have memory. After being sexually assaulted by different family members from my mothers side, Mentally and physically broken by my own father was enough for my whole being to know that this is not how life should be for anyone. I kept everything to my self for 21 years, bubbling, heating up and getting heavier I had to take a quick decision for my self and thats when a really good friend had shared about her experience in this magical place. The energy that surrounds the facility is extremely safe and the employee are truly respectful & helpful. I did 5 ceremonies and 3 of them gave me exactly what i needed physically to get over all the mental damages and traumas. In the first ceremony I was being naive and waiting to feel the medicine after a full cup, but my body was being resistant. Heather nicely told me “you came here to do to work with the medicine if you do not feel her you need to drink a second time to fully work with her” which helped me for my next ceremony. Being alone became natural when noticing that I am part of everything.
During the days it was super important for me to not be dependent on any company from others as I wanted to be more independent and love my self, enjoy my self for who I am. Ayahuasca helped me find more than I was expecting. She let me understand how staying in the past is throwing your present away and not fully enjoying it to the fullest. The second ceremony was my first glimpse of life as she physically made me feel how she put me apart and fix every part of my heart and body putting me carefully together without hurting. After that night I felt how little by little i was giving me self love by reading, showering more often, writing and not truly thinking of what happen to me in a negative expression. Last and most important letting go of that horrible past that almost end my life in 2014-2015. I was dancing every morning in my tabu and still dance in my home. Feeding my self the right way at the right time and expressing my love for being alive and brave enough to take this journey.
Anne such a beautiful soul she truly help me understand so much of life. She’s extremely loving and can be rough when you need it { I mean this in the most helpful way. sometimes we need to hear the truth from a different perspective that is not yours} she guide me and basically gave me more therapy using such a beautiful vocabulary where you are able understand and reflect. Heathers energy also helped me in such a different way i felt very comfortable because of her honesty with life experiences. She read my tarot cards and also discussed all my dreams for 11 days!!! I went to RHC for plant medicine and left with a two beautiful friendship that i hope it last forever. The staff was so loving and caring. Olinda and Esteban gave me all the attention that i needed because i was lucky to be in a very small group and had 3 wonderful ceremonies alone. I was grateful for the food and for the creek shower every day where butterflies flew around me constantly making me smile and forgetting about everything.
Coming back to my reality being grateful for everything that has happen and for all the things that lead me to this wonderful center and plant medicine. I love my self more than ever and now I can truly focus in my life and Partner who has been supporting me since day one. Its hard work and I know from the day I left the center my choices have change for the better!
I had the sweet opportunity to meet and connect with Omar it wasn’t long yet I know our paths will cross again in the near future. He was caring and loving I truly can’t wait to see him again.
I can truly sit here give you 1000 reason why everyone in their lifetime should visit this facility yet i can’t find not one reason on why should you not. Plant medicine is so powerful and enlightening. Clean and REAL but you will only deserve it when you are truly ready to do the work to accept all your flaws and to become a better person for yourself.
I feel free, light & Happy with my decision! Still apologizing to my self & my body for all those years i spent hurting.
Thank you Ayahuasca, Rainforest Healing Center and Omar for allowing this place to feel safe for the ones that truly need safety.
You will always be part of my heart and journey because of you I can see life for what it is…. BEAUTIFUL
Seriously, your search is over. This place is home; there is simply no other way to put it. This was my first time working with Aya, but I doubt that I will ever work with another centre. Every facet of this place is so incredibly full of love and respect on the highest of levels and this absolutely made my [first] experience with the Vine.
I can honestly say that my experience with Chakra - the land and all of the people involved here - was just as, if not more so, healing as my experience with the actual plants. I've spent a long time pondering this review largely because I don't feel that human words are an adequate expression of the gratitude that I have for these people and this place. It’s all I can do to resist booking my plane ticket back “home” again, lol.
From the first point of contact, you can tell just how deeply everyone at Chakra cares about your wellbeing on all levels; expect to be thoroughly questioned about all aspects of your health/life to ensure that you are the right fit for this place and in a good space to do this kind of work, if the application wasn't already clear on that! Every member of their team treats you with the most genuine love and respect from day one, even the workers.
This is not just a retreat, you become part of a family that just keeps growing. You are being initiated into a very heart-centred way of being. This place is authentic and deep integrity is at the heart of all the work they do which helps you to let go and trust in your experience on a deeper level, which is so incredibly important. Here, you are held every step of the way while also empowered to find/utilize your own power and independence within this work. We had time with our facilitator pre and post-ceremonies to help thoughtfully prepare for and integrate our work - this was so helpful and they’re definitely doing this right. Same thing goes for the small groups; this allows you to connect more intimately with your fellow humans and your experience. These things were SO key.
Everyone here holds a deep place in my heart - Omar, Viviana, the workers, the fellow retreat participants - and I won't go into details but a special shoutout to Eddy and Cristina....wow. These two really have a special way of bridging the gap between professionalism/guidance and friendship. Feeling like I had friends holding my hand along this journey was so very helpful.
Even afterwards I had found myself in a tough spot on a few levels and I reached back out to Chakra…let’s just say that they helped me more than I ever could have imagined simply out of the goodness of their hearts - again, especially Cris and Eddy. So much wow.
I could go on for ages talking about how beyond amazing this place is but instead I’ll finish up with a little blurb on the amazing land and our accommodations. Man, what absolute paradise. It was definitely a trek traveling between our tambos and meals, etc., but the walk really helps you to appreciate the healing beauty of the jungle around you. You’re situated out in the middle of the womb of Mother Earth in all her glory. For being out in the jungle, your home for the retreat is unbelievable luxury and peace. Being in the midst of the beautiful chaos of the forest will lull you to sleep every night.
Long story, short… Just jump. You will be supported. Sending all reading this so much love on your journey.
My experience at the Rainforest Healing Center was profound.
First there is a Connection with the jungle and all the energy and beauty possesses. At the same ntime you also disconnect from the outside world of social media, internet and distraction. This alone is worth the price of admission.
You feel like your in another time and place yet there are enough comforts like nice sleeping tambos, private bathing and toilets, clean drinking water, lights ( tambos) and good healthy meals. There is even a bathtub which can be filled with herbs and flowers as you gaze at the stars. It took me a few days to really acclimate to the jungle, especially at night. It’s an otherworldly experience listening to the jungle and it’s night sounds.
The Maloca( where ceremonies take place) is a work of art, built by a master Maloca builder. You can feel the spiritual energy and is a perfect conducive place for inner work.
The Shamans Olinda and Estaban ( husband &wife) are blessed with inner abilities and are there to watch , heal and diagnose the plant energy’s. Their presence is key to having a good and healing journey.
The staff are all there to assist you in making sure you needs are met both on a comfort level as well as an emotional/ spiritual level.
Now of course it’s the Medicine I came for, but without a set and setting I believe, and many people much wiser than me also agree, is the key to unlocking the wisdom of Mother Aya.
If you come with Intention, Love, openness and an Active Imagination you will discover, and heal.
I highly recommend Rainforest Healing Center as your place to connect.
Peace and Love to all, Namaste.
It's been two weeks now, since I left Rainforest Healing Center after an eleven day Ayahuasca retreat.
My husband and I also did Ajo Sacha and Kambo. With all my heart I can say this: If you are a novice and are seriously thinking about doing Ayahuasca, then I recommend doing it here. I felt completely secure and taken care of, down to the smallest details. Because the truly important tings for such a serious endeavor are taken care of with such depth and dedication, with LOVE in other words, by everyone at RHC- even the tough moments which are inevitable when one is serious about self healing- became so meaningful and rich.
Just the place itself, deep inside the jungle felt like such a help. Under the canopy of trees and plants, the sounds and life of everything that surrounds you there are in fact helpers :) I had my own tambo and loved it. I slept like a baby. The bed was very comfortable and the mosquito netting worked perfectly- in fact I didn't get a single bite my whole stay! Almost weird. The compost WC, the bucket baths- ok, I'm Norwegian and used to simple cabin life with no running water and compost wc- but I can honestly say it was a luxury, very peaceful. The food is prepared with the obvious ayahuasca dieta- restrictions in the lovely kitchen/casa, and the cook does a great job. Writing a review of this place is bit strange, because I feel so much love and gratitude towards the whole staff who made it all possible, because this beautiful place truly deserves its name Rainforest H e a l I n g Center. The dedication of the facilitators and shamans was something the whole group, my husband and I most definitely included, were struck by. We had the luck to participate in the harvesting of chacruna leaves; and partake in the whole process of making the ayahuasca brew we used in ceremony, to replanting the Mother Vine the next day.
The ceremonies were conducted with the utmost feeling of respect and care. Pre ceremony we all had intention settings one- on- one with our facilitator. I mustn't gush too much; suffice to say I'm still stunned by how much that helped the whole experience and my personal healing. The solo processing after each ceremony was equally important for understanding and integrating the experiences. Highest quality support are words that can be used to describe this. The shamans... a whole little book could be written about them. Straight people! Totally dedicated, totally natural. They led the ceremonies like the great Maestro and Maestra they are. They even led the 'Camino del Tigre' jungle walk and showed us incredible plants. Their knowledge is vast and so is their humor!
The Ajo Sacha and Kambo ceremonies were such a great additional help, each in their unique way. I'm a kambo lover for life now,
I miss RHC. I will always cherish it and what I experienced and learned. I hope I can come back.
Thank you! Thank you Omar, Christina, Anne, Heather... for each being and smile and gesture. Thank you to the staff! Thank you to the dogs and cats and the monkey- and to the majesty herself: The jungle.
This is truly a special gem on this planet! I went to the Rainforest Healing Center back in March on a recommendation from a friend. With ayahuasca being so popular these days, it was really important for me to find a place where i could have the most authentic healing experience. From the very start, upon my arrival, everyone was extremely caring. The group was small and everyone was there to resolve something in their lives. Prior to my trip i started speaking to Omar for quite some time. His dedication and guidance was so helpful and i really felt he was doing everything from his heart. I was very impressed with the amount of information, guidance and dialogue i received. He went out of his way to be there for us in any capacity. I felt comfortable and ready to embark on this important journey. The RHC is really made out of love and everyone involved is there because they believe in the healing power of the vine and other plants. There is a deep respect for nature and a careful selection of who they work with, what you eat, and the sessions you have. We had the most incredible shaman couple who gave their hearts into every ceremony with such power and compassion, its hard to describe. I cannot imagine a better place for such an important and delicate experience. i will definitely be back and i highly recommend it to anyone interested in a true healing experience.
with great gratitude,
magda
I could spend hours writing about how incredibly breathtaking, loving and refreshing the entire process and experience was from the moment I made first contact with the staff at the Rainforest Healing Center until the present day-weeks after my return.
Love, gratitude and kindness is at the center of it all! They truly are involved with every individual as well as the group as a whole. Your comfort, security and well-being are their top priority. From the beginning stages of the “pre-purge” to the day you leave the center, and even beyond, they are there for you in every possible way; from the cleanliness, maintenance of the property, quality of food, friendliness of every staff member (seen and unseen i.e. laundry and housekeeping) and even the animals living there, I felt like I was with a loving family.
You CAN NOT go wrong by choosing the Rainforest Healing Center. Not only is the cost great, but the value far exceeds what you would expect.
If you’re reading this, look no further. You will feel at peace, make connections to last a lifetime and walk away only to leave a piece of your heart there.
5 star service and experience.
To any of the staff reading this, much love and gratitude.
My time at the Rainforest Healing Centre was quite literally life changing.
There isn't much more to be added onto that statement really; the profoundness of life, the gratitude to the earth.. the love of all living things are all learned here.
I really do hope you give yourself this gift and find this place.
You'll thank yourself forever.
You are probably reading this review because you have decided to work with a vary powerful medicine and you know this will be a life changing experience so you want to make sure you are choosing the right place. I can almost read your mind .... will these guys rip me off, will the Shaman be a genuine curadero, will I be left alone to face it all.... Well you can stop searching now, you have found it! The RHC is a place were you will feel safe, looked after and loved ..... super loved. I did the 11 days retreat in March 2018 and these guys changed my life.
The shamans I worked with were absolutely amazing, very knowledgable, loving, approachable and at times very funny. The staff , from facilitators to the cook, amazing!!! loving, caring people to say the least. I miss you all and thank you again for all your help. Eddy, Cristina, Cody you have taught me so much and I can never thank you enough. The place itself is beautiful and super well looked after. Conservation is a number 1 priority. This is what made me love RHC even more.
One piece of advice, trust them and follow their instructions. They know what they are talking about and only want the best for you.
RHC you are the best!
Choosing to attend the Rainforest Healing Center has been one the greatest gifts I have ever given myself and also has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life. The healing center is located smack dab in the middle of the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest and is a sight to behold. The sights, the smells, the feelings of awe and oneness with nature are difficult to describe in words. The staff went above and beyond in working with us and helping us and guiding us through the process of working with plant medicine and working on ourselves. They treated us with so much kindness, compassion and love and they truly gave themselves to us in order to facilitate our own healing. I am still in awe at the generosity and selflessness that my facilitators showed to me and the group.
The Healing center is aptly named and it truly has helped me in dealing with and coming to terms with many issues that have plagued me for my entire life such as issues pertaining to self love, fear and insecurity. It is a perfect and safe space to unplug from the modern world and go inside and do the deep cleaning work that is required if one wants to unburden themselves from the things that are no longer serving them in life. I could not recommend this healing center enough and I will forever be in deep gratitude to Omar, Eddie, the Shamans and the guests who truly helped me open my heart to the love and beauty that is in everyone of us and that surrounds us at all times.
With much love and gratitude in my heart,
James
I highly recommend Chakra Alegria de Amor AKA the Rainforest Healing Center to my friends, to my family (parents, grandparents, you name it!!!), and - of course - to you! I attended an 11-day retreat, and every step of the process before, during, and after has led me closer to self and to source. After decades of suffering from C-PTSD, I learned to release ALL symptoms. No more panic attacks, night terrors, or avoidance behaviors… just a deep sense of self-acceptance, forgiveness, and safety. Oh - and community!!! The shaman and his apprentice check on my daily, the guests from my retreat cheer me on whenever I need support with integrating, and the administrators continue showing and sharing their love and support. Now, one week after my retreat, many people (coworkers, peers, and even strangers) tell me, “You look so happy!!” Though the joy is palpable, that was never the point. I just wanted to feel *human* - and, fortunately, that was exactly what I needed (all guests get what they need). This healing center will make sure that your body, mind, and spirit are loved and protected. You will have countless opportunities for practicing sustainability, leading your own healing, respecting plants and animals, and compassionately witnessing yourself and others. Thanks to this healing center’s facilitators and plant medicines, I am proudly pursuing a heart-centered approach to life, and death, and everything in between ????.
The entire team at Rainforest Healing Centre went above and beyond during the 11 day Ayahuasca Retreat. Rather than feeling like a guest, it felt like I was apart of a big family.
The healing, awareness, and removal of blocks that I experienced during ceremony was so profound that I've been inspired to one day right a book. If I could describe the retreat in one line, "50 years of deep therapy in 5 ceremonies" would sum it all up. It’s been almost a week since I last drank and the effects of the medicine is still unfolding. It feels like there has been a huge weight lifted off my soul and I can fully breath to my capacity.
The Shaman, Don Joel was a 70+ y/o humble man who went out of his way to heal us with extra plant medicines, sacred baths, and special healing rituals. It was a nice bonus that was unexpected. We even got to be apart of the harvesting and brewing of the medicine.
The facilitators Esadora & Karin, made me feel safe and protected in the extreme jungle environment. What sets RHC apart is their intention setting and post ceremony integration meetings with the facilitator. Sometimes it felt like "1000 bricks” were dropped on my head and I had no idea what just happened. It was nice express my deepest insights, insecurities, and even doubts with someone who I fully trusted.
The supporting team made sure the tambos (huts) were clean and filtered water jugs filled. The tambos were nestled deep in the jungle for a truly authentic, peaceful and private jungle experience. A big thank you goes out to the extra helpers and chefs that kept us fed on the Aya-dieta and made sure the days went by smoothly.
I highly recommend RHC to anyone who is seeking deep healing and a transformation on a soul level. I loved the small and intimate feeling of the retreat. After participating in the small group setting (8ppl), I don't know if I would ever go back to big groups of 25. I left the centre with a big smile, and I’m going to miss everyone!
-Eddy Phimphrachanh
Hi there,
It’s been a little over a month ago now since I have left Rainforest Healing Center. This is a very aptly named. These people are serious about healing!
For instance there are free bi weekly integration meetings for past guests over the internet. That are very helpful in helping to adjust to our busy lives back home.
I won’t write much about the amazing facilities and staff, as they are just fantastic and already well-described in other guests’ reviews.
Everything is very professionally run by people who genuinely care and love what they are doing, something that really shows. I was really fortunately to receive a very generous family discount, otherwise I would not have been able to attend. Despite this, my opinion is in no way affected by this very kind act. This alone shows to me that this place is set up for helping people and not as a money maker. It shows in all the details of the centre.
The one word that keeps popping up to describe RHC is ‘sincere'.
For a place as alien and challenging to city slickers as the jungle can be, great efforts have been made by the staff to make it as comfortable as it can get. It still is no 5-star luxurious resort and it will never be that. It’s arguably a far richer experience than that! I personally had no issues being comfortable whatsoever.
I have attended the 11-day ayahuasca retreat with added Ajo Sacha dieta for integration purposes. All I can say that it has done more for me than years of trying to find help for my issues (a mix of generalised anxiety, mild burnout and PTSD) here in the West, which I felt is just not available. And where the standard suggestion always seems to be to take some antidepressants, which I have always kindly declined.
Deep down inside I knew that the root of my issues was trauma, regardless if it was caused by others or myself while being in a less conscious state. I had enough of these issues hampering my ability to live a full and satisfying life based on my own terms. I realised I had to go deep inside and get a more complete understanding of my condition and being.
For me the retreat was the way. It is like the reset button has been pressed and I can start rebuilding myself anew—not being hampered by old trauma, and with greater awareness and consciousness. This is the real work that needs to be done and still is ongoing. And although the healing centre could/would never claim that they can heal, for legal reasons, take my word for it that it really does. Thanks to my time in the jungle I have managed to kick unhealthy habits such as drinking too much alcohol and caffeine, having a poor diet, and not exercising.
I fully realise that I have been given this fantastic opportunity to change my life for the better and am now able to take full responsibility for my own well-being, something that I was not able to do to this extent before. This in itself has been very empowering. I am really grateful for this whole experience and am already able to experience moments of deep happiness and inner peace that I had never imagined possible.
In hindsight it is the best investment in myself that I could have ever made. Even at full price it would have been.
I have attended RHC last May and I went for a 10 days retreat.
the place is absolutely amazing. you're surrounded by beautiful, big trees and plants. There's an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. The whole area is absolutely safe day and night so there's nothing to worry about really.
I cannot be grateful enough about the Ayahuasca experience. I felt so much better once I left. But I have to admit it , I realised its wonderful benefits in full only when i returned home, back to the everyday life.
Mother ayahuasca helped me reconnecting with who i really am and with people too.
She helped getting rid that strong ego I built over the years,and a lot of my fears.
I feel more positive towards life. I am more grounded and focused, more compassionate and caring with people.
The ceremonies in the Maloca are magical in the real sense. every ceremony is different and the outcome varies all the times, but I can guarantee is for the good and the best for you. The Shaman is a humble man and the Icaros he did sing boosted the whole experience during the ceremonies. He doesn't talk much but he definitely knows what he is doing. :)
I am glad the centre hosts a few people only. And this is one of the reason why I picked RHC.
The facilitators played an important role. They supported me and the rest of the group by planning individual meetings to talk about the intentions, the way we felt , the ceremony feedback, suggestions and more.
The food was simple, delicious as well as nutritious. it was beyond my expectations!
Thanks Omar for building this beautiful healing centre and a big thanks to the facilitators ,especially Eren and Muri.
They made sure we had a great stay. and that's what happened.
So far, the best experience of my life.
Much love.
I cannot speak highly enough about this center and the people who work there. I was guided and supported from the moment I had my interview to attend the retreat in July. I had various issues with my flights from being delayed to being cancelled, but Karin and the team never let me feel alone. They were communicating with me the whole time to make sure I arrived safely. This helped to start the retreat off on a good note for me. We all lived like a family, no one was more superior than the other. We were all one.
The center is so beautifully organized and built. The huts were very spacious and comfortable. There was enough space for you to put your stuff away and an amazing bed to sleep on too.
There is a lot of space for you to have 'me' time with a beautiful view and the sound of the jungle...the jungle really does not sleep! The toilet and bath facilities are great considering you are in the middle of the jungle. And the flower bath just topped up the day.
The ceremonies were so beautifully organised and managed. As this was my first time with Ayhuaska, I was nervous and anxious however the meetings I had with the facilitators before and after the ceremonies helped me to relax, accept, understand and surrender. I also participated in the Sapo/Kambo ceremony whilst I was there. I would have liked to see more ceremonies with other plant medicines such as Cacao and San Pedro. But I believe this is something they are looking at right now.
I would definitely go back to this centre again, and next time I do, I will do an isolation retreat.
I did two Ayahuasca ceremonies in the Netherlands and two in Portugal. In June this year I went for the first time to Peru to do a ten day Ayahuasca retreat with 5 ceremonies at RHC Chakra Alegria.
Both, Netherlands and Portugal, was a nice experience for me but only after Peru I really understand what Ayahuasca can do for you and how powerful this medicine is. It is comparing amateur football with Champions League!
RHC wants to heal people and that’s why they will only accept maximum 8 guests so that every person can get the full attention of the manager, it’s staff and the Shaman.
The location is perfect, each Tambo stands alone while they’re spread over the property. A bucket shower is like a blessing, your day will start happy! ???? Because of the more than 120 plants on the domain, the water is from an unheard quality, your hair will feel softer, your skin looks better.
It’s not easy to prepare a good and delicious meal with the restrictions of the Aya diet but at RHC they manage to do so, food is of good quality and it is tasty.
I want to say once more: ‘Thank you very much Murielle’
Murielle is the manager at RHC and she is a fantastic person, dedicated her life to help others.
She travelled throughout the world, has passed her exam at the University of Life Cum Laude and in my opinion, that makes her the perfect person to run RHC and help the guests.
The Shaman was not only a nice person but also very professional, His brew was of high quality and he led the ceremonies in a very good way. Once the ceremony is finished, between midnight and 1 am, everyone sleeps in the Maloca, the Shaman and one of the staff will sleep there as well, so they will not leave you alone. As you can see at RHC they really care about you!
The rest of the staff and the volunteers, all nice and friendly people, all there to help you, also a big thank you to all of you.
And don’t forget Karin, she’s the one you will meet first via Skype. I spoke to her for 1 ½ hour, I immediately had a good feeling and no doubts about the quality of RHC. Thank you as well.
Conclusion: If you’re serious about healing and looking for a professional center I can recommend RHC Chakra Alegria with confidence and with all my heart. You don’t have to look any further.
I was in the isolation tambo, I was bathed in the love and light. I can see so many spirituality from the deep of the jungles. I can feel them touch me and my body, they are dancing and smoke the smudging that I can smell them. It is very peacefulness and love, the jungles have bought me into healing and peace. And during in my kambo frog, my third eye exploded and brung the beauty out of jungle that left me in awestruck of their beautiful. I want to be lost into their dreams of jungles with the ancestors and the kingdom. Ayahuasca drink that healed and bought me out of my childhood death that won't let me go, I have been fought for long time. The mother of vine broken the chain and bounded me from the death. I have been freed from the virus since age two. I have been transformed from kambo frog, uchu Sanango and ayahuasca. I feel so wholeness and I am!
Just booked flights for my 2nd trip back over (from Australia) for this December coming. Considering my 1st stay with you was only 6 months ago, in December 2016, clearly I can’t wait to get back. Last time I was lucky enough to travel over with my bestie and this time I get to bring my partner as well.
Knowing what the healing space at Chakra Alegria De Amor has challenged and nourished within me, I feel grateful to be returning again and paying it (the love, light and healing) forward so soon.
Anyway, in my revived excitement about returning, I felt compelled to revisit and reread your website… through the eyes of a now past guest… and I can tell you it kicked me right in the feels. Why? Because what you write about Chakra Alegria De Amor and how you portray it to be, is actually the truth. How beautiful is that?! See you lot again soon! xx
I was fortunate enough to have spent a whole month at RHC because my best friend Karin is a team member there. For the first two weeks I was there as a volunteer, helping getting the center ready for the next group. During this time I had my private tambo, which was fantastic! The location of Tambo de Luz is spectacular because you look down on the rainforest and the bathing area is just mind-blowing. You’re in the middle of pristine rainforest and especially towards dusk you can feel peace descend on the forest and the daytime creatures make room for the nocturnal creatures. This changing of the guards takes a good hour in which there is tremendous peace, which gave me a feeling of deep connection with nature and myself.
I also want to tell you a little bit about my retreat. I was with a really nice group of people, very intimate, which was perfect for me. In Holland I had participated in a few large ceremonies of over 40 people but I quickly realised that this wasn’t for me at all. So the intimate group size and the feeling of brother and sisterhood you have with your fellow retreat-goers and the staff is priceless.
The facilitator Muri helped me set my intentions for each ceremony. I couldn’t have wished for a more loving person to walk me through my journey!! We had an amazing connection and she recognised many of the things I was dealing with, so she was a great support. Setting an intention before going into ceremony was a new experience for me, and I wished I had known about the importance of it before. In ceremony, it helped me a lot to direct my attention to the issues I wanted to work on. When I purged, I knew exactly what I was purging, which helped me heal my issues much more deeply. The shaman was another essential factor in my experience at the center. I felt a very strong connection with him, which was enhanced when I lay next to him in ceremony twice. Listening to his icaros released an array of emotions in me; comfort, joy, the feeling of being held, but also the push I needed to purge. His venteadas, or private sessions with me in ceremony, were so powerful! They would induce another wave of release in my ceremony.
I wholeheartedly recommend RHC as a safe, warm and breathtakingly beautiful center in the middle of the Amazon. The staff and shaman are very loving and were always there for me. I am going back this year to continue my healing journey in this home away from home!
We absolutely loved our time here. The jungle is a special place and the people here are too. We were treated with respect and true kindness through out our time here. The people here truly care about you and your healing. You will receive one on one guidance throughout your process. I found this to be invaluable; starting from before we arrived in Peru to after our retreat. You are an individual, going through a unique experience and the people at Chakra Alegria understand that and will be there to support you during your journey. Would recommend and would return.
Have been back a week now from spending 11 days in the Jungle at Chakra Alegria De Amor, aka Rainforest Healing Center. I've scanned the other reviews here, and wholly endorse their enthusiasm. I've considered myself almost a professional skeptic most of my life. I was concerned at the time, cost, and various forms of self-denial that this trip would require; mostly concerned that it would amount to chasing rainbows. But desperation drove me to give it a try... and it was all I (the inner me, beneath the skeptic that has run my life) had hoped. In short, it was really, really (REALLY) hard, and so worth it. The people, (Eren, Muri, Omar, Juan) were amazingly genuine, open, caring, and insightful. It wasn't just singing kum-ba-ya; was real, transformative, work. I have a hard time seeing how a club-med version could deliver the same. Also- the small group size they have at one time was... wonderful. We weren't cattle, or 'patients'; we had time to get to know each other, and the staff, which in turn allowed for impactful relationships to form. I'm so thankful to Omar for creating this space, and to Eren, Muri, and Juan for... sharing themselves. They say it's a non-profit, and it clearly clearly is. It's a labor of love for them all, and it shows. If you go, you'll be challenged, but if you're really seeking healing, and are open to it, you won't be disappointed. I know in our group, we all have come away knowing this: We were in the right place.
Professional, safe, supportive and genuine. Those four words would be my summary of my 10 day retreat at the Rainforest Healing Center (Chakra Alegría de Amor, Joy of Love Farm) in December 2016. Highly recommended.
Even though I am a somewhat naïve person in regard to either therapy or hallucinogens, this experience was profoundly beneficial. Whilst an individual journey, I am thankful for the participant selection process also as I met some truly wonderful people.
The setting of the Peruvian Amazon is idyllic surrounded by more shades of green than you thought possible to house the fluro-blue butterflies, Mojo the colorful parrot etc etc. Other reviewers have described the carefully thought through facilities, which are accurate.
Small groups of eight people maximum allow a personal connection with staff and the shaman. I have heard of other groups where the participants number into the teens or even twenties; I find it hard to understand how there can be any personal connection or personal support with such a large group of people.
The information provided beforehand, whilst not overwhelming, was plentiful and allowed for good preparation. The journey starts when you sign up, not when you turn up. However, once arriving in the middle of the jungle the team very patiently re-iterated the most important information which was key for anyone who felt in unfamiliar territory, either physically in the jungle, or mentally for such an experience. The team offer follow-up afterwards.
It is not a free-ride. People who take ayahuasca can be referred to as 'pasajeros' or passengers, but that is only during the ceremonies. Whilst a magical experience, there are no magic wands with instant solutions, be prepared for some tough mental work. Good setting of intentions is vital, but beware that you may get different answers than what you expect. All extremely positive.
Initially I had been very nervous about making this trip and what my experience might be like. Karin the administrator who interviewed me before I arrived was very helpful and walked me through my uneasiness and what I could expect once there and did her best to quell any fears that I had. But still for me an unknown which could not match what my imagination could conjuour up and did at times play somersaults in my head. I knew we were somewhere special, when after about an hour’s hike through the jungle’s muddy path we arrived at the Chakra Alegría de Amor healing Forest. Before entering we were smudged on the boundary of the centre. The retreat for me started the moment I first went into the Malloka to discuss my intentions. I felt an energy, presence, vibration? I’m not sure what really, because I struggle with these concepts generally. We were looked after and nothing was too much for the people who ran the centre, I would especially really like to thank Christina, Muriel they continously gave so much of themselves to us. Our tambo’s were amazing 360 degrees of jungle views and sounds, bathing in the jungle was an experience I will always hold in my memory. I don’t think I could have found a way to improve the experience. I came here to work on myself and that was the most difficult part, however the hard work was supported so lovingly by the facilitators and the Shaman who’s icaros was enchanting. He also took us into the jungle to find out about the plant medicines and what they were used for. I went for the 7 days as an introduction course, which consisted of 3 ceremonies. I felt contained and very safe here and my ayahausca journey has just begun and I will be going back again as soon as I can for a longer visit to continue where I left off.
There simply aren't enough superlatives to describe Chakra Alegria de Amor and the beautiful people who run it. My wife and I went there for an Ayahuasca retreat as the focal point of our honeymoon in Peru, to help us heal past pain and prepare for the rest of our lives together, hopefully as parents in the near future. We are forever changed by the amazing experiences we had there.
The CAA team couldn't have been more helpful with their online resources in the months prior to going on retreat. Karin in particular was a source of many gratefully-received pieces of advice, and her recommendation of Hotel La Casona was a very good one for the overnight stay in Iquitos, prior to entering the jungle.
Right from the moment we arrived at CAA, and throughout our time there, we felt loved, safe and protected by everyone (everyone being Christian, Cristina, Eren, Juanita, Karin, Muriel, our host Omar, the jungle workers, the jungle Herself and the omnipresent Mother Ayahuasca). The whole experience was magical and cleansing. The people of CAA work so hard to make it the best possible spiritual journey for the guests, with love at the core of everything they do. They are crusaders of light and wisdom with hearts of pure gold.
The land is treated with the highest regard, and the Mother Vine is re-planted abundantly in place of that which is harvested. The medicine is brewed and blessed with love.
The ceremonies themselves are carried out with the utmost respect and integrity. The facilitators genuinely care, and are always there when needed during ceremony. Christian, the shaman, is truly incredible. He has a great wealth of knowledge, experience, and insight. His ritual practices are time-honoured and beautiful, as are his icaros. He has a humble and jovial personality too.
The medicine is potent and I am still processing everything I went through. Suffice to say I feel my personal healing has been accelerated and I have been shown some profound truths.
Ajo Sacha was available as an optional extra, again administered with maximum respect for the medicine and its tradition. Kambo was offered and lovingly applied by Cristina. Lou and I love our Kambo scars! They're a reminder of an amazing journey, both inner and outer. The center also provides Chiric Sanango and Uchu Sanango dietas.
The food, lovingly prepared by the naturally maternal Juanita, was delicious.
The tambos are a delight to stay in! The connectedness with nature is unparalleled and the bucket showers are the most refreshing imaginable.
I would recommend CAA to EVERYBODY, and would also say that it's a fantastic place at which to volunteer. We met Jimbo while we were there, a volunteer and traveler by trade, who was very happy in his work, and was yet another amazingly friendly, kind and helpful presence.
Thank you again, CAA. All of you. Lou and I think you're amazing. We're deeply grateful and always will be.
I could not have asked for a more safe place and for better guidance as I received at my stay in the Rainforest Healing Center, Chakra Alegría de Amor. Going through the experience with Ayahuasca can be the hardest thing you'll ever have to do. So for me I am forever great full for the support, guidance and unlimited love I received during my stay. Not holding back by saying I could not have done the healing I did with (Ayahuasca, kambo and Ajo Sacha) without the wonderful people that work there. So much gratitude and love to every single one. The safety it gives you when everyone that works there knows your name. The intimacy by being a small group so everyone will get noticed, and can be taken care off in the best way possible was so vital to my healing. I hope who ever reads this will have a beautiful and safe journey, Pachamama will guide you with all her love
It was simply such a blesssing to have found the Rainforest Healing Centre. Making my way to the other side of the planet for this pilgrimage literally took years of preparation, consideration and saving. Originally, I had intended on going to another, well known, retreat. However, once I was in the position to make the decision, something made me look even further than I already had. I am so glad that I did. Amidst all of the other recommendations from North American friends (for whom the distance is not so vast) and internet adverstisements there was something about this place that just had me inquire.
From the first conversation with the intake administrator to the first day at the retreat to finally leaving 18 days later (it was an extended stay), the intention and the integrity of the staff involved with this centre really resonated with me. I, and my partner who also attended, felt comtpletely safe and perfectly cared for the whole time. The facilities are very basic but are just what is needed. The food was very simple, healthy, prepared with love and amazing! We still try to emulate a couple of the meals at home. The centre keeps the groups small in number. This provides for a very personal and intimate space where each person's experience, and their safety, can be optimised.
The Rainforest Healing Centre and all of the people involved there are an absolute blessing. We are so very grateful for having had the opportunity conduct our cleansing, grounding, re-setting and healing with them at their beautiful centre.
eep inside the Amazon Jungle, there resides a special place some may call it paradise,. Where all are welcome and treated with the same love and respect and this place is called “Chakra Alegría De Amor”.
What makes this place so special is the staff, the care and attention the love is unparalleled and from the bottom of my heart I cannot thank you enough.
The Ayahuasca retreat with Rebecca Sharman is truly magical and a unique experience, you will never find any experience like it, this is a hidden gem not to be missed.
2 Sharmen’s, the balance of female and male energies, singing Ikaros together in perfect linguistic harmony.
I highly recommend Chakra Alegría De Amor, a place of mystical beauty, love, amazement, animals, true deep healing and a connection you have never felt before. As the transformative energies, cleanse and heal you into a new version of yourself.
- See more at: http://openmindtrips.com/retreats/peru/loreto/iquitos-1/chakra-alegria-de-amor/#reviews
When I decided to go to Peru I spoke with several friends who had been on retreats before, but I wanted my journey to be my own. I wanted to find a center for myself, where it would be a clean slate without any expectations. I found CAA online, and I will admit I was a bit nervous about going. It looked wonderful, but I had never worked with Ayahuasca before, and it felt like taking a huge leap of faith to trust a place and the people there without hearing firsthand that I should. But I took that leap, and I am eternally grateful that I did.
The first thing I really appreciated was the screening process. It gave me confidence that the staff at CAA was as interested in making sure I was a good fit for the center as I was about them. It also helped create the amazing family that I ended up sharing my experience with. Other centers don't have a screening process. You just have to hope that you end up with a group of people with whom you are compatible. But CAA takes that extra step to ensure that you're going to be with like-minded people; ones who are there to share their journey with you and support each other along the way. That is exactly the kind of group I ended up with as a result. Plus, Karin is wonderful :) She was so kind and genuine during our interview, and I knew that if the rest of the staff was anything like her that I had chosen the right place.
I won't go into details about my personal journey while I was there, because everyone's is unique and hearing about my work with the Vine isn't what will help you learn about CAA. I will say that my work was often very difficult for me, and I am so grateful that the staff at CAA is who they are. I don't know that the experience would have been what is was for me if I didn't have them. Yes, the journey is an individual one, and ultimately the work to be done was my own. That's why I appreciate Omar, Matt, and Cristina so much. They allowed me to do the work myself- and pushed me to do it when I needed it- but supported me the whole time. They had such an incredible balance between them as a team. There was softness and compassion, yet they held me accountable and didn't let me off the hook. They were there to hold my hand when I needed it, and there to support me from afar when I didn't. I truly felt like they cared about my experience. When I triumphed, they triumphed.
One of the things I loved about Omar's approach to the experience, was the incorporation of processing. Working with Mother Ayahuasca can be an extremely intense experience, and I think it is incredibly helpful to be able to process the thoughts and feelings that come up with others. Again, the journey is an individual one at the end of the day. It was important that we all spent time processing on our own. And we did. We were encouraged to spend time on our own and given all the time we needed to do so. But I also think it can be beneficial to work through stuff with other people. Omar, Matt, and Cristina, were always available to talk about things with us. And happy to do so. I never felt like a burden when I asked to speak with them. They were all incredibly patient and spent as much time with us as we needed. I am so grateful for their openness and kindness.
In addition to having an amazing team of facilitators, I couldn't have asked for a better curandero. Pedro is one of the kindest souls I have ever met. He is so calm and comforting. He wasn't removed from us like I know some others can be. He spent time with us. He laughed with us. I felt so safe during ceremony knowing he was there to guide us. He also has the best smile I have ever seen and his laugh will make your heart smile.
One of my other favorite things about the experience at CAA (there are a million), is that we were involved in every part of making the Medicine. We picked Chacruna leaves, we beat the vine, we cooked the medicine together, putting everything together by hand. We even got to plant new vine for future generations. It really helped me connect to the process and made the experience that much more meaningful. We did all of those things with Pedro, so it helped us connect with him as well. Omar taught us about the medicine and sat with it with us. Matt even sang to it with us :) Cristina helped us plant the vine. They were there for every part of the process. It was awesome that they were all so involved in our experience.
I wasn't worried about the facility itself, though I give that the highest marks as well. The tambos were incredibly nice and well-kept. The food that our wonderful and awesomely smiley chef, Juanita, prepared for us every day was delicious and nourishing. The staff was so helpful and friendly. They work so hard and always do it with a smile. And the jungle is just beautiful.
I will never forget my experience at CAA- I carry it in my heart every day. I am so grateful to everyone there for sharing my journey with me. And I can't wait to go back :)
So much love to you all!!
I had never done Ayahuasca before and I'm so glad I chose to have this life enhancing experience at Rainforest Healing Center. I was exploring Ayahuasca because, though I felt I had made tremendous self- awareness progress through my bi- weekly therapy, the occasional yoga class I showed up frazzled and late for, and the sea of self help books I would purchase during torturous layovers at the airport, I was still in a lot of pain and inherently knew I had some healing to do. I'm a very busy 40 year old female executive, and I mention that, because my work identity made it a difficult decision to commit to this trip. Was I going to come back a crazy tree-hugging hippie? I'm far too busy for that. Will I release horrible demons and regress to an angry teenager? That sounded dreadful. I was scared, so safety and legitimacy were my top concerns. The rainforest healing center was, in fact, safe, professional, and very high-touch. I'm so happy with the compassionate staff. Their encouragement and reassurance enabled me to work with the ayahuasca knowing I was in good hands.
My 5 recommendations
1. Don't be scared, just go to Rainforest Healing Center. They'll guide you, just get there.
2. The experience may be hard work for you, and you may feel scared or exhausted, but keep going! I did and I'm better for it!
3. It's the jungle, not a resort, "one with nature" takes on a new meaning. Bring enough clothes to wear clean things and bring bug repellent.
4. Try to recognize your ego beforehand, you're going to need to admit it is there, in order to kick it to the curb, so the medicine can work best.
5. Spend time with the staff. They are amazing people. Their mission to combat addiction, depression, and help literally everyone with anything, is real! Don't take ayahuasca with just anyone, at Rainforest Healing Center, they are the real deal, go there, you'll see.
Thank you for reading my review. I hope you make this investment like I did. It makes me happy just to think of you going to The Rainforest Healing Center. You can do it!
I spent 6 of the most life changing, memorable days of my life at the Rain Forest Healing Center in March, 2016. For my first Ayahuasca experience I spent months researching the many retreat centers in Peru. One of the biggest deciding factors in choosing the RFHC was that they only have groups of 10 or fewer at any one time. I am a 53 year old professional women and I wanted my experience to feel very personal. I didn't want to be one of a much larger group. Omar, Cristina and Mat treat you like you're family. They care for you every step of your journey. During ceremony they're at your side if you need them, always close by. After ceremony they are 100% available to talk, cry, laugh no matter how much your need to hash through your thoughts and feelings, they're there.....their support is amazing. Our Shaman, Christian was absolutely wonderful. His Icaros are incredibly powerful and you will never forget the beautiful sound of them. I came away feeling powerful, full of love and my heart is more open than I ever thought possible. I feel my experience was as strong as it was because of the staff. At all times I felt safe, loved and protected. This journey has just begun, I cannot wait to return to continue it with the loving, caring souls of the Rain Forest Healing Center. Thank you Omar, Cristina and Matt.....much, much love!!
Hola! I'm from Ukraine living in Dubai... Just came back from 7 days retreat in rainforest and would like to share my experience..
This is a magic place created with love and care.. Nature is amazing and completely dicnect you from this reality.. But also people.. All of them are big magic ayahuasca family and they are spreading their love on everyone) shearing their kindness support care generosity..
Very important how Matt Omar and Christina are taking care and helping to all guests..during ceremonies and even after (when you need a guidance to help you understand everything what happened with you)..
And how powerful and carying is Shaman! It's unbelievable..????
My ceremonies were amazing..I had a great experience which is hard to describe with words... There are different ways how ayahuasca is healing and teaching you..she knows what is better for everyone and giving her wisdom and magic generously.. I'm so impressed with atmosphere and still in my dreams I'm coming back to the jungles and feel connection with mother Aya...
Thank you so much..for everything you've done and keep doing..
Wish you more and more love inspiration and positive energy..
With love
Antonina????????????
I did a 7 day ayahuasca retreat in January 2016 at Rainforest Healing Center in Iquitos (Chakra Alegría de Amor, The Joy of Love Farm). I had a great experience and highly recommend it. It was my first time, whereas some of my fellow students have done it before, and we all agreed it was an amazing journey. Omar, Christina, and Matt are experienced, caring professionals with a true commitment to guiding their students along the healing process. The shaman Cesar, and his apprentice Jenny, are strong and gentle practitioners of ayahuasca and provided powerful ceremonies for us.
Choosing the right healing center is critical for a good experience with ayahuasca so I signed up for Rainforest Healing Center based on a recommendation from a friend I made at a 10 day silent meditation retreat (Vipassana) in Thailand two months ago.
The staff provided excellent support and guidance throughout the entire process. From their informative website, to the Skype interview process with the administrator Karin in Amsterdam (critical for screening out people who would be disruptive, disrespectful, or just looking for a recreational drug experience), their comprehensive pre-departure briefing materials (covering the dieta, the agenda, the facilities, and other frequently asked questions), to guiding us during the ceremonies (reminding us to focus on our intentions, focus on what we were purging), to helping us process our visions the morning after the ceremonies. The information provided was not only comprehensive but also timely (Karin seemed to anticipate when we'd have what questions). The center reminded us several times that they were still available to us as a resource even after we left, they referred to us as being part of their family and we are encouraged to reach out for more guidance on how to implement the wisdom imparted to us by Mother Ayahuasca.
I did not opt for the ajo sacha but a few in my group did.
The groups are generally limited to 8 participants but my retreat had 10 people, due to overwhelming demand and also Omar's interest in bringing the ayahuasca healing to as many people as possible. Because the screening process results in like-minded, sincere and committed classmates, I was happy there were 10 of us.
The tambos are very large and clean, and the toilet and bathing facilities were also clean and comfortable. The food was good despite the heavy dietary restrictions. Juanita cooks and also does laundry. Leo did a great job looking after our tambos and porting our bags.
The only unpleasant experience I would report would be the mosquitoes, but, well that's the Amazon. Bring double or triple the amount of repellent and after-bite than you think you'd need. The 3 kilometer hike through the jungle to the campus wasn't fun either but most others enjoyed it.
Christina, 34
San Francisco, California
If you’re currently looking for an Ayahuasca retreat, stop looking. You’ve found the right place. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience at the Rainforest Healing Center. Thanks to Karin, Omar, the shamans Pedro and Cesar, Juanita, and the rest of the crew, my life was changed. Trust me, this is the real deal. No tricks here, just unconditional love, respect, and a deep connection with the medicine.
That being said, there’s a reason you found out about Ayahuasca and the Rainforest Healing Center. Trust your gut and go with your intuition. I didn’t find this healing center until last minute, and it was by far the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.
The healing center is absolutely gorgeous! It’s far from town in the middle of the jungle, which is perfect for meditation and connecting with nature. You’ll only find positive energy and love here. The fresh food, hospitality, and everything else are out of this world. It makes for an unforgettable experience! Prices are more than reasonable compared to other retreats, and everything was done professionally with love and care. I felt safe and well taken care of while I was there.
I participated in three ceremonies between December 14-20th, 2015. I learned more than I would in ten lifetimes. By the end of it all, I was cleansed of all the negative energy that affected me before. And the effects are still with me weeks later. I’m happy, more grounded with myself and Earth, more calm, and at peace. I have a new perspective on life. When things get rough, I’m always reminded that everything is going to be okay. Mother Ayahuasca will heal you, and guide you to a better life. Afterwords, the last half of the healing process is up to you.
If you’re ready to change your life for the better, go for it. You won’t regret it.
I’m so grateful for my experience. A huge thanks to Pedro for helping me as much as he did. And a special thanks to Omar and Don Kucho!!! But that’s another story. :)
Much love,
Richard
I recently did 5 Ayahuasca ceremonies and an 8 day dieta of Chirik Sanango at this center, and had a life altering healing experience. The center has a serious and respectful approach, the staff provide helpful guidance about what to expect and also help you process and integrate your experiences. The food tastes great, especially considering it's prepared without salt. The shaman was very helpful, talented and definitely 'the real deal'. The setting was also very powerful with the jungle all around me as I was very cozy in my beautiful tambo. All in all an unforgettable experience...
I learned so much from this center. The owner was friendly and informative with the integration. The staff was wonderful, and I felt safe with the shaman and curandera. I recommend this center for those who are serious about getting healed.
I don’t really know were to start. But the first thing that pops in my head when I think about our experience at Chakra Alegria de Amor (Rainforest healing center) is: WOW..that it was the best thing that happened to me in 3 years of travelling, and even one of the best things in my life. If you are searching around on the web for the perfect Ayahuasca retreat, stop searching further, because you have found it!
When we arrived in Peru a month ago (October 2015). I could not stop thinking about Ayahuasca. I felt an extremely strong urge to do it. I intensely felt I needed this.
Of course I was a bit afraid and nervous. You hear and read so many scary stories about other people’s experiences and about dodgy shamans and centers. So I spend a few days researching on the web. Than I found Chakra Alegria de Amor and knew right away this was the place for me to go. An animal rescue center, small retreat groups, English speaking people, Permaculture farm, Jungle huts and an experienced Shaman, this is what I wanted.
I emailed back and forth with the Lovely administrator Karin (Who is Dutch like me). She answered all questions really quickly and told me everything I needed to know. We were lucky enough that there we two spaces available for the following week and so we started the Ayahuasca diet straight away.
Omar picked us up from Iquitos and together with the other participant we made our way to the Jungle. I felt comfortable straight away because of Omars caring and funny personality. His workers even helped me carrying my bag to the retreat. Which is about a 45min walk into the jungle.
We were greeted by Gaja the dog, Mojo the bird and Zoey the monkey, who became my new best friend during our stay.
Everyone got their own private tamboo, which are placed isolated in the jungle. From the main area, you walk for about 10 mins over beautiful paths to get there. The tamboos are so cool. In the middle of the rainforest, with your own bucket/stream to wash yourself. Surrounded by huge butterflies, bright colored frogs, monkeys and noisy insects.
Thanks to Juanita we got delicious Ayahusca diet food 3 times a day (2x on Ceremony days). She is such a friendly and caring woman, and even massaged me one day after the ceremony when my muscles felt tense.
There were two shamans that led the ceremonies. The first two ceremonies Ceassar helpt us healing. In the third ceremony Pedro assisted him as well.
I am so grateful for both of them. They really knew what they are doing and take the healing very seriously. Ceassars Icaros are the best ever! I could not stop dancing during the ceremonies, even though I was laying on my mat.
And then Omar..You can see the passion in him to help other people. I don’t know how he does it. How he can listen to everyone’s problems day in and day out, always knows an answer to questions and gives perfect advice to every problem.
We became good friends during our stay and I hope we will stay this forever.
The ceremonies were sometimes quit intense for me and Omar or Charlene (the volunteer) were always there to help out, talk to me when needed or help people going to the toilet. I definitely got some important insights out of the ceremonies. In one of them I felt as happy as I never felt before, ever in my life. Happy about myself, happy about others, happy about life in general. In others I had to learn how to let go, stop trying to control life and trust in the universe.
I am super grateful to everyone who made the experience so unforgettable and I hope I can come back in the future to take the healing to the next level and maybe do one of their Master plant diets.
Like I said before this is the best place to go to if you are looking to get to know more about yourself, heal and change in a very positive way.
Thanks everyone!
Xxx Thaila
Last month I was lucky enough to go to the Chakra Alegria de Amor - Rainforest Healing Centre.
I had initially done a lot of research into which centre to go to and from the reviews and overall information from the site I sensed a good vibe about this centre and I must admit I am really happy with my decision.
I decided to go on the 10-day retreat and what I got from the experience was more than I could have ever imagined. To describe an experience as profound can possibly be seen as an exaggeration, however I had received a lot of healing, dealt with a lot of personal BS that has been holding me back for most of my adult life, and learnt some things that I was not expecting.
The retreat is well run and I felt reassured after talks about the medicine pre-ceremony, all early concerns and fears were put aside, being that this was my first experience with Ayahuasca I felt relaxed being at this centre. The medicine was highly respected here and in no way did this place offer an 'Ayahuasca-Tourist' experience for people to just 'trip out'. Everyone participating seemed to be there with good intentions and this seemed supported by Omar and his team.
The ceremonies, performed by Pedro were beautiful, all whilst feeling safe throughout. The aftercare and one-to-one chats offered by Omar were personal and reassuringly comforting whilst trying to process the mental download from the medicine. The information I received from the ceremonies was shocking and liberating at the same time. Omar was very supportive I was able to make some sense of the whole experience through talking to someone who has also benefited from the medicine himself.
I enjoyed time with the group I was at the retreat with and it was nice to be doing the ceremonies in a small group, this was one of the main reasons for me choosing this retreat as it would allow for a more personal experience and assistance which I thought was super important.
Considering we were all in the middle of the jungle the accommodation was great and offered a comfortable resting place pre and post ceremony. The food served by the sweet Juanita was pleasantly tasty, considering the diet we have been on for the retreat, we were well looked after and personally I really enjoyed the food.
It would be hard for me not to recommend Chakra Alegria de Amor as I got so much from my visit. I went with deeply personal reasons and feel that I got more than I could have ever expected, I am by no way healed but I have made a huge step towards self acceptance and understanding of my problems. The centre definitely helped me in getting these results. From my first interactions with Karin regarding the 10-day retreat I had a good sense that the centre had a personal approach and this was true to the end of the retreat.
The whole experience has been positively life changing. I am hoping to continue the positivity whilst still processing the information given to me from Mother Vine.
If you have been considering taking Ayahuasca to help with personal healing and looking for a centre has become overwhelming, I believe you can put trust in this place, just like so many others have too.
Many thanks to Omar and the team.
Chakra Alegria de Amor is a sacred spot in the heart of the Rainforest. Not only is the land itself blessed with native medicinal plant life, but the dedicated staff ensures its ongoing growth and respects its powers for traditional healing and ceremonial purposes. The center's beautifully eco-manicured grounds make it possible to be completely immersed in the physical beauty and spirit of the jungle while ensuring the safety and comfort of their guests. While everyone attending should be on a personal journey for self (re)discovery, the support and care I received from the staff and fellow 'retreaters' was invaluable and endearing beyond expectations...I loved the challenges and awakenings I experienced so much that although I initially signed up for the 3 ceremony retreat package, I ended up staying longer to participate in 5 ceremonies!
My intention for heading to Rainforest Healing Center Chakra Alegria de Amor (RFHC) was very clear. I had for as long as I can remember been hampered by a deep seated existential fear. Despite well over a decade of intentional work to clear past charges this was one that stubbornly refused to budge.
It was when I started to realise how instrumental this fear was in catalysing so many of my fearful actions, reeking havoc in my relationships, that I decided enough was enough. Around that time I was conveniently presented with information on Ayahuasca and after doing some research came across and booked into RFHC. 2 weeks later I was on my way to Peru.
Well, I didn't have to wait long to get stuck into it. My first ceremony proved to be a very powerful and transformative experience. I literally went to the hell in my mind. It was a challenging experience but at some point I saw how I had been carrying a deep seated belief from early childhood that should I act or not act in certain ways I would indeed go to ‘so called’ hell. The hell I had created in my mind was not something that could be survived hence the fear. This knowledge had of course been suppressed and forgotten many years ago. So the fear had continued to work away undermining pretty much anything I chose to do or not do. Until NOW!!! I am finally free of it.
Over the last few years one of the most perplexing questions I have struggled with was the question of what are my deepest wishes. What is that I most deeply long for. I asked this question during a ceremony but it is only now on writing this piece that the answer has dropped in. I long to be able to honour the quiet and often simple truth that sits in me. I long to be able to express myself, from this place, as truthfully and wholeheartedly as possible without limiting myself to avoid the disapproval of others.
I have always had a tendency to withdraw, so desperately in fear of attracting criticism I sealed off my inner world from my outer one. Inwardly a venturer into world of the mind, discovering and releasing identities but outwardly in denial of this new found space. And yet I was wondering why I lacked passion and a sense of purpose in my life. I was simply too afraid to embrace a way of living that so went against everything that I had been conditioned to believe. Though it sounds perhaps far fetched, the truth was that I felt mortally threatened by the disfavour of others. And so I rarely spoke my deeper truth. I rarely told people what I truly thought. I held back and lived in the shadows of life. When the ayahuasca showed me the hell in my mind I was terrified. But then I moved through it. And it didn't kill me. I survived and I now know it isn't real. My expressions can no longer mortally threaten me.
I am so incredibly grateful for these healing gifts. The power of working with Ayahuasca supported by such a dedicated Shaman duo of Pedro and Rossita has, I am convinced, saved me years of more traditional spiritual work in uncovering these unconscious beliefs and dissolving the associated emotional charges.
The RFHC is a indeed set on sacred land. Despite being set in virgin rain forest I never felt in anyway threatened by the setting and the creatures that exist there. Bathing each day in the pure healing waters of a forest stream, being lulled to sleep by the forest symphony and witnessing the clarity of the stars in a place where ambient light is an unknown. Just 3 of many rich experiences that supported the unfolding of my healing journey at RFHC.
None of this would have been possible without Omar, his connection to mother ayahuasca and that huge heart of his. The moment I looked into his eyes when we met in Iquitos prior to heading off I knew that I was in very good hands. He has no hesitation in putting you straight should you be heading off-course which is a blessing. Omar has built an excellent team or rather extended family of smiling, open hearted helpers including the lovely Junita who prepared the most delicious food you could hope for especially given that salt, oil, dairy and spices are off limits for the ayahuasca diet. Amongst his RFHC close family are one very cheeky and tactile orphaned capucchino monkey Zoe and a rescued Macaw called Mojo.
Pedro, the ayahauscero with he milky blue eyes, displays an extraordinary level of dedication to serving participants. I’m not sure when he sleeps because he appeared in the middle of the night on several occasions with healing remedies and on ceremony nights he worked late into the night attending to our needs. Thank you Pedro!
And Rossita, I cannot stop smiling when I catch sight of her. She’s been working with ayahuasca since she was 13, trained by her mother as she has trained her daughter and is training her grand children. Her Icaro’s dramatically opened the space of my experiences particularly when I was feeling challenged. Despite being in her years she seems to retain the purity and innocence of a young child along with the wisdom and stature that her long experience gives her. Thank you Rossita!
Thank you Omar!!! for creating this incredible healing sanctuary, offering me your open heart and your friendship. And thank you to each of your team for their part in making the experience at RFHC such a success.
Big Love
William
I had MyJourneyToMyself with 10 days of Ayahuasca & 8 days of Chiric Sanango Master Plant Isolation Diet @ this beautiful magical place Chakra Alegría de Amor Rainforest Healing Center in Iquitos Peru.
These three weeks have been the most sacred & profound of my life. I am completely transformed. I dived deep into my heart, healed everything I needed to heal & I am reborn.
Endless gratitude & love from the bottom of my heart to
- Omar for the creation & managing of this magical healing center Chakra Alegria De Amor at the sacred location in the Jungle with the beautiful comfortable tambos, the organization of the trip with so much care & attention to all the details, for the conversations & support during my hard times.
- Angel Tiffany for supporting & encouraging with her being at all times, for her big heart & unconditional care.
- Huanita for cooking delicious healthy food with so much love - inspiring me to start cooking (was having big resistance to cooking always!) and to finding the love to nurture myself. Not to forget her latina musica was exactly what I needed.
- All the helpers who kept everything in order and being always very kind and helpful.
- Beautiful Shaman Soul Rosita for her powerful icaros & support during the ceremonies and her peaceful presence.
- The Shaman Pedro for his vast plant wisdom, the ceremonies, his powerful icaros and for being always there for me with so much unconditional love, care & dedication.
- The Jungle for all its magnificence, love & teachings, its beauty, magic, peace & providing us all the sacred plants for our healing.
These Plant Spirits: La Medicina Mama Ayahuasca & Dr. Chiric Sanango have transformed me beyond my wildest expectations.
Words are not able to express this strong healing which happened holistically on all levels deep down to the cellular level.
I felt & experienced & understood my pain, suffering & negativity and could release it all and leave it all behind.
I found Myself & have gained immense understanding about Myself, life and the Universe: such a huge learning experience.
I had never felt so much gratitude in my life. I was bathing in gratitude and divine love.
I am so endlessly grateful that The Mother Vine, La Medicina called me. Love You.
It was the scariest, hardest, most exhausting & demanding work I have done on myself facing all what was deep down within me & at the same time the most precious divine experience of unconditional love & self-love, bliss, peace and freedom. Not only during the ceremonies, as well as during the entire time there - the learning and expanding was ongoing, as well as after I came back home. The evolvement never ends. And the spirit remains within me.
For the first time in my life I am falling in love with myself, my life and have the knowingness that I am transformed, healed.
I forgave everyone, I let go all negativity, suffering and limitations.
Love is our BIRTHRIGHT!
Endless Gratitude & Love,
Semiha
This is a beautiful and sacred (and very safe!) environment to do deep healing work, while surrounded by pristine jungle, staying in comfortable tambos, and cared for by true healers. I can't say enough about the shaman, Pedro, who is such a beautiful soul. I felt so cared for and I carry my sacred experiences of this retreat in my heart and soul. I highly recommend Chakre Alegria de Amor to anyone ready to undertake a life transforming journey.
Where you'll understand and feel the true meaning of unconditional love...
There are not enough words to describe the experience that I lived through Mother Ayahuasca at CAA. You got to live it to feel it...And one thing I know for sure and I'll sing it to the seven seas...it was definitely the best and most intense experience of my life :)
How did I end up at CAA? I actually got lost, had a blackout and woke up there...hehe just kidding! Well, you can browse and research online for a long long time and you'll find tons of different places with nice reviews that will leave you confused and indecisive about where to go...It is a life changing experience so there is a certain pressure about choosing the right place...and that's why I waited forl the right moment and trust me, you'll know when it comes ;)
For years I had been hearing and reading articles about Ayahuasca, even Al Jazeera talked about it! Then one day, I saw that a friend of mine had posted pictures on his Facebook about Ayahuasca and his stay at CAA and I thought the world was gonna end! He's one of the most logical and skeptical people I've ever met, so I contacted him straight away and we met. So this was the moment when I knew, where it felt right. He didn't have to convince me to hard, everything he was saying was making perfect sense to me and next thing I knew, I followed my gut feeling and there I was on a airplane (actually 3) on my way to Iquitos and about to know the true meaning of unconditional love.
He told me that I could trust the centre and everyone working there with my eyes wide shut and so I did. They make you feel like you belong there and their genuine interest in helping you is so obvious that only leaves space for you to focus on your healing and nothing else. Loved the fact that I was in the middle of the Amazon and surrounded by nature...you feel connected to everything and everybody...Food is amazing there and everything is done as natural as possible. The centre also doesn't take more than 8 people for retreat which is great...
When you decide to experience Ayahuasca is very important to feel safe and supported, as what you'll be going through can be compared to the biggest and wildest rollercoaster. At CAA you always have hands to support you and be there for you at your darkest moment...I had and I'll be eternally thankful for that...
It's not just a business, it's a group of people trying to make the difference and genuinely helping us all in the best way they can. They also have the cutest and sweetest dog ever...beautiful Gaia...miss her so much :( There's also Luna, the cat, but I'm more of a dog person.
I was very sad when I had to leave and come back to reality after 10 days...got in there with a heavy backpack (literally and figuratively) but left lighter than ever! I had never felt so much love and happiness like I felt there and many of my deep hounds were healed, specially my depression...obviously you are always learning and changing and healing is always needed throughout your life...otherwise we would all be perfect and I haven't met anyone else who's perfect besides me ;) hehe joking again!
I made a new family there that I know I'll always be able to count on and we'll be eternally connected, no matter where we'll be. Don't be afraid and follow your instinct...
"The night is at its darkest just before the dawn".
Coming from the corporate world completely lost and desperate, I found exactly what I was looking for and more: the spiritual healing, guidance, acceptance, love & light. The place is full of positive energy, Pedro the shaman was so kind, helpful and knowledgeable, the food was excellent and the staff were super friendly. I can't wait to go back and I would highly recommend to everyone!
Wow, where to begin on Chakra Alegria De Amor,
First of all this was not my first ayahuasca retreat centre, but it will definitely be the last. That's not to say i won't be going back to Peru, but i believe i've found "the one" in this centre, it's shaman Pedro, and it's owner/facilitator Omar. My other ayahuasca experiences had been somewhat useful in changing the direction of my life but i had begun to lose faith that the medicine could help me with my emotional, and psychological problems (depersonalisation disorder). This place fully restored that faith and then some. Omar is a beautiful soul and a down to earth dude who is just as much up for a good laugh as he is for a deep conversation about the progress of your healing, he's now a friend for life. Pedro the shaman is one of the most beautiful uplifting characters i've ever met in my life, I was skeptical at first because he is a young shaman (in his 30's) and everybody's idea of a stereotypical top shaman is some 80 year old Peruvian who's been working with the medicine from an early age.
Pedro blew all of my previous shaman's out of the water, with the loving, light, youthful, caring and playful way that he conducts a ceremony. it really is beautiful. and no matter whether i can get back to Peru or not in this lifetime, I'll have fond memories of that man and his icaros with me forever. The centre itself is also something to behold, a little more off the beaten path than most, it resides it virgin jungle and the scenery around the tambos is breathtaking and a perfect compliment to the healing process. Your shower consists of running spring water contained in a stream that had been built to go past all of the tambos, using this living water to bathe in daily invigorates the body and soul, and further helps you connect with the beauty around you. The Maloka is amazing, and the food is light, healthy and fantastic (i comfortably lost about 8kg in my 3 week stay). The centre also offers unique options in the way of isolation diets using sanango plants, and ajo sacha diets all of which are harvested right on the property. I myself completed a Chiric Sanango dieta, which was the toughest and most rewarding mission i've ever undertaken in my life. I implore whoever reads this to do the same if you read the outlines of the diet and believe that you're up to it...
So to save myself going on about the place for hours i'll just cut it short here and beg you to do yourself and everyone that you hold close in your life a favour, come to this place, and go back home the human being that you've always known you could be. You'll reach your human potential here i can tell you that much for sure
Ryan (Osito) from Australia :)
Rainforest Healing Center is absolutely GORGEOUS! There are Blue Morpho butterflies everywhere! Each Tambo (hut) is very comfortable with large double beds. No laying on a dirty mat for this girl! I slept so well! The food is so FRESH and DELICIOUS! I want to cook like that at home! My ceremonies were intense but MAGICAL! I walked out feeling a new sense of peace and clarity. I looked in the mirror and my eyes were clearer and I was glowing from within!
I highly recommend this center for Sanango Isolation Diets, a few fellow guests raved about them... We made our own Ayahuasca from the property and we replanted some too! I couldn't have asked for a better experience.
Thank you Omar and friends! I will be back!!!
Chakra Allegria de Amor is a great retreat to have your healing. I was looking to do an isolation diet and it ticked all the boxes. Its got a perfect balance of comfort to closeness to the jungle. For example it does not have a nice pool, which no-one really needs, but each tambo has its own private stream to have a shower in. All tambos are isolated and you have to walk a 100 yards at least to get to one. Omar and Pedro do things as they should be done. Don't expect spiritual tourism, expect proper healing.
I was unsure about the place originally, but I met Omar in person in Iquitos and he suggested I go to the retreat that night, see everything for myself and then decide and pay if I am convinced.
I ended up doing uchu sanango diet, probably one of the hardest ones. And Pedro looked after me for all these 8 days. I was unsure about Pedro at first but towards the end I realised that he is what a true healer should be -- tough enough to fight the condition you have, but empathetic enough to provide the required support.
The final ceremony was amazing. The medicine did not seem to work at all up until I thought the ceremony has ended. I thought Pedro fell asleep and that would be it. But in the end I have had the most powerful purge of my life and then I realised that Pedro was actually expecting it. He was visibly uplifted by what has happened and proud that the healing was complete. So don't expect him to give up on you until you get what you came here for!
The Rainforest Healing Center is operated with such commitment to the land, the medicine, the animals and plants that inhabit it and the way in which medicine is offered. All of the lodging are beautifully constructed and the lay out shows so much presence and dedication to a place like no other. I could tell you my story of being there and the wonderful people I met there but each person writes there own story and it is best to just say that this center is small and selective.
I looked for months for a center that felt like it held the energy I was looking for. I did not want to be in a club med jungle, I wanted to be in a respected well stewarded rainforest retreat taking baths in real water, rainforest water and melting into the myriad sounds and experiences of what is rapidly disappearing from the area and the world. Hope to go back soon. I spent a total of 21 days there in October of 2014. I loved all of the people I met there and that the medicine actually grew on the land. Beautiful.
I travelled to the Rainforest Healing Center last year, seeking healing from a broken relationship, and found all that I was looking for and much more. This center is non profit, and run for the right reasons - to facilitate healing, with love and compassion. It is built into the rainforest, with great respect for the rainforest and the environment, and with emphasis on sustainability. The medicine is grown and harvested on site, and they replant more than they use.
I worked with Pedro and Luisa whilst I stayed there, and they are everything I had hoped for, genuine healers with love in their hearts. The ceremonies are taken very seriously with safety and protection a priority. I have heard many horror stories about bad shaman, and poorly run retreats, and I can safely say from my experiences there that this is a safe and genuine place, and I would recommend it to anyone. This center is the real deal, not built for Ayahuasca tourists, but for those looking to really work with themselves and the medicine. It is completely off the grid, and as such is a very authentic experience, allowing us to get back in touch with nature, and ourselves.
Highly recommended, with love! I will certainly be returning!
Thank you!
Why Retreat?
We asked people why they go on retreat, here's what they said:
To give my ego a break from all these construction projects.
Layth
Retreat Guru's Vision
We believe human beings are innately wise, strong and kind. This wisdom, although not always experienced, is always present. Going on retreat is a beautiful way to reconnect to our basic sanity and health. Our aspiration at Retreat Guru is to inspire people to experience authentic retreats and reconnect with their innate wisdom, strength and kindness.
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Typographic Variants
Metallophile Sp8 Light Set is a faithful facsimile of an 8 point sans serif typeface as set on a 1940s vintage hot metal typesetting machine and printed on coated paper stock. The effect is very different from its modern cousins, which are drawn more rigidly, and use only one design for all sizes. Metallophile Sp 8 is best if used at or near 8 points. Metallophile Sp8 Light Set attributes include sans serif, geometric, retro, rough, and distressed.
Ascenderfonts.com has the finest, high quality fonts available for instant download. Brought to you by the font experts at Monotype Imaging, you will find a great selection of TrueType fonts and OpenType fonts from licensed type designers and foundries.
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Epidermal growth factor receptor mutations in small cell lung cancer: a brief report.
Knowledge about the current status of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has resulted in an improvement in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. In contrast, small cell lung cancer (SCLC) continues to frustrate clinicians with its tendency toward early metastasis and chemotherapy resistance. Recent studies have reported the EGFR mutation and its response to gefitinib treatment in SCLC. We would like to share our experience of EGFR studies on SCLC patients. Between 2004 and 2009, we prospectively collected 76 specimens from patients with SCLC at the National Taiwan University Hospital, Taiwan. These specimens included 10 computed tomography-guided biopsy specimens, 17 echo-guided aspiration specimens, 37 echo-guided biopsy specimens, 1 surgical lobectomy specimen, and 11 malignant pleural effusion specimens. Molecular genetic analysis of the specimens was conducted to detect the EGFR mutation. Among the 76 SCLC specimens we examined, 2 (2.6%) tested positive for the EGFR mutation and both were deletions in exon 19. One patient was administered gefitinib after several lines of chemotherapy but showed no treatment response. To date, only 11 EGFR mutant-positive SCLC patients, including our 2 patients, have been reported. Most of these patients were never smokers. The SCLC harboring EGFR mutation were more likely to be combined with adenocarcinoma compared with the whole SCLC population. The EGFR mutation is rare in SCLC patients. Despite the presence of the EGFR mutation, gefitinib may not be effective in treating SCLC patients.
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1.27.2017
Basic Eyeshadow Placement Guide
This is a general beginner's guide for my go-to shadow placement. I would like to emphasize that using fewer products is an option, however I think for a beginner, it actually makes sense to use more colors and blend less. The fewer colors you use, the more active blending you have to do, and that is the part where practice/skill are important. If you are frustrated with your blending abilities, try using a few extra colors instead of trying to just blend two disparate shades together.
Eyeshadows You Need:
Keep in mind these items are named as generically as possible- I want you to be able to make any color look with this guide, not just a matching orange one.
HIGHLIGHT SHADOW- I prefer a satin-pearl finish in a shade close to my own skintone.
SKINTONE SHADOW- matching your eyelid/eye area skin (sometimes called a "base" shadow you can substitute translucent face powder for this step as well.)
CREASE COLOR #2- soft, blendable, and only slightly darker than the above shade- I use MAC Soft Brown which is a very feathery, sheer warm orangey brown. If you're cool toned I suggest a taupey, cooler brown or gray with a similar feather-light texture and matte finish. This is used to soften the borders and help blend.
MAIN COLOR- looking at the shadow look you want to achieve, what is the "main" color that people would associate your look with? Mine for the above pic is a saturated burnt orange. Ok so I need 1 matte single shadow in that shade- orange.
SUPPORT COLOR- you're going to need a matte background player here that is harmonious with the color scheme but helps soften the edges of the MAIN COLOR. In my case, I need something harmonious with orange so I chose mustard yellow. If you're using a dark green you might use a matte lighter khaki. Anything that's a "happy medium" between the main, noticeable color you're using and your own skintone. If you're using a bright teal in the crease you should choose a grayish blue. If bright pink, choose a peachy shade. Something that splits the difference of colorful and natural.
DARK COLOR- next you'll need something that jibes with the MAIN COLOR (orange here) but has a strong contrast- in this case if I chose a deeper orange, it would just get muddy. Those shades are too similar. So I chose dark chestnut brown. If you're using blue, choose dark navy. If you're using dark purple, choose black. Light purple, choose burgundy or plum. Etc. You have to make sure that the main crease color you're using is at least 3-4 shades brighter/lighter than this, otherwise you'll end up creating less definition and a muddy mess.
MATTE BLACK self-explanatory- use this bad boy mixed with the above dark color to get the ABSOLUTE darkest point for blending. Also if you don't have a dark enough color to use for the last bullet point, you can just mix your main crease color with this black to get a darker in-between version.
Brushes You Need:
MAC 239- or any other dense-but-slightly-fluffy shadow brush. You don't want a stiff, paddle brush, but you don't want anything with loose bristles. The MAC 239 is my definite favorite but Zoeva makes a similar one that should get the job done.
CREASE BRUSH- MAC 217 or similar. Hakuhodo makes a similar brush that works as well (some people like it better, I don't) and Coastal Scents makes a really cheap, not great, but PASSABLE version for a few bucks. I like to use a goat hair bristle brush for this step because the texture makes it good for quick blending. Softer bristles (like squirrel or synthetic) can sometimes be too gentle.
PENCIL BRUSH- Pencil brushes are almost all the same. The only one I've tried (cheap or expensive) that was no good was the ELF one with the white handle. All that's required here is a very stiff, short, pointed brush.
MINI CREASE BRUSH- here's the one where I'm sorry to say you have to splurge- the Hakuhodo J5529 is just the best. It's small, slightly floppy and soft, and blends your the small outer crease/v area without muddying all the colors together. I don't have a cheaper dupe in mind and this is one where I've found that spending money helps. I was hopeless at outer v work until I owned this brush and the 217. Also it is different from the MAC 217 so you will need something different for these purposes.
FLUFFY BRUSH- anything in the same vein as the MAC 224, but for this I've found most cheap brands do serviceable versions.
Application Steps:
First apply your primer followed by your SKINTONE SHADOW from lashline all the way up to brow using your shadow packing brush.
Using MAC 217 (or dupe) and your CREASE COLOR #1, sketch a very soft arch that defines the "outer perimeter" where your shadow won't go past. At this point, you wouldn't really know there was eyeshadow there unless you were right up in the mirror. DOn't worry if it looks very subtle right now- it's meant to!
Using same MAC 217 and your CREASE COLOR #2, go over that soft arch to reinforce the perimeter, both visually, and in your own mind so that you start to build the muscle memory of where your shadow should go. This is training for the next time you do it, and the next time after that.
Using (still the same) MAC 217, first apply the SUPPORT COLOR in firm short strokes. Do not go outside your border but focus on getting the color dense. You don't need to cover your lid, just go slightly down onto your lid and above your crease up to the perimeter you laid out.
Now using MAC 217 apply the MAIN COLOR overlapping the SUPPORT COLOR but do not go all the way up to the edge. Build the color to the saturation you like, and don't worry about your unfinished lid or the edges yet. You should start to see some nice things happening with the main crease/support color border blending itself naturally. This is easier than just using your main color and trying to work it gradually so it blends into your skin by itself.
Then with your pencil brush, dip into your DARK COLOR and "stamp" your outer V area using the side of the pencil brush. First stamp a short line/chunk that follows the angle of the outside edge of your eyeball. Then re-dip and stamp a mirror reflection of that line, that follows and extends your lashline. That will look like an unfinished, chunky V shape. Do not blend with the pencil brush and don't sketch back and forth. Just stamp once, twice, you're done with that.
Repeat the V-stamp step with more dark shadow and pencil brush, then repeat the next step and blend a bit more. You will see a gradient start to appear as you take it a bit too dark, then soften, then a bit darker, then softened again. If it is still looking too harsh, blend more. If it looks too soft and muddy, repeat the V-stamp and then blend less this time.
Now take your same MINI CREASE BRUSH but this time with your MAIN COLOR and go over just the edges of your outer V dark shade. If your outer V shade looks too light, go over it with your pencil brush and a hint of black, only in the place where the outer point of your V meets.
Blend the outer corner with small circular motions and your mini crease brush but do not attempt to make all the colors blend into one big swath- they need to be separated or you won't get that sharp v shape.
Using your MAC 224 or similar domed fluffy brush, dip it into your CREASE COLOR #2 and buff the edges (JUST THE EDGES) of your outermost perimeter with it to marry it with your skintone. If you've gotten a blotchy border or gone too far, you can soften with your SKINTONE BASE shade
Using your MAC 239, press the MAIN SHADOW allover the lid, allowing it to overlap with the same color you buffer into the crease, and joining with your upper lashline. If you are interested in creating a shimmery look, the process above will have created a "base" and you can pat a shimmer or satin shade just on the lid that shares its hue with the MAIN SHADOW.
Dab your HIGHLIGHT SHADOW into the innermost corner of your eyes. Using your fluffiest crease brush, lightly apply just under the arch of your brow.
This is my favorite shadow look as it can be done with basically any color theme. It works well in daytime or nighttime, and changing up the colors and finish can create a more or less dramatic effect. I have used the above technique/guide to create a dark neutral smoky version and a shimmery green version, pictured below so you can see that, while basic, this placement technique can still be interesting if you play with colors and textures.
3 comments:
hallo, just stalking your blog late at night, so glad to find it. so many good reads. commenting to thank you for this one particularly - i'm enjoying diy-ing my own palettes from depotted shadows/singles, but i need a more structured tonal spine for my frankenpalettes to hit my sweetspot where the shadows offer enough color variety but are supportive of each other. your list on shadows gives me some well articulated structural guidelines to work off~ have been shooting in the dark with only my intuition and pre-existing palette patterns for too long! looking fwd to incorporating this info to improve my frankenpalettes futher tailored to my own style >:)
Hi Rose! Thank you for the compliment!! I think that term- "structured tonal spine" is ABSOLUTELY what I aim for with my shadow collection. I try not to buy too many things that deviate from my main themes...small branches are ok but no big departures out of the blue (no pun intended as a blue eyeshadow phobic person.)
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My three-year-old daughter is worried about dying. She tells us one morning that she’s going to die when she turns 18. Maybe to her, 18 is how I feel about turning 90 – that’s properly old. Later, I ask what is worrying her about dying. She doesn’t know. She’s three. She can’t quite articulate what it is that’s bothering her. We’re sitting in her room, getting ready for nursery. I’m trying and failing to brush her hair. She’s trying her best to not yelp in pain as I drag a brush through her curls.
I look up and see the small photo of my mum that sits on her shelf. My sister gave it to me to put in my daughter’s room around the time she was born. Mum died in 2011 and it devastated our family. She talked a lot about grandchildren, so it feels sad that she won’t be around to meet them. I start to worry that the photo is the thing that’s making my kid obsess about dying. She likes to run through various members of our family. She wants to know who my siblings are and how they are related to her, who her cousins are, who her grandparents are. She’ll ask me who my dad is, who my sister is and then make the connection with who they are to her.
When she first asked me where my mum was, I was taken aback. I didn’t initially know how to answer her. On the one hand, I hate it when parents do saccharine lies to their kids: they’re on holiday, they live on a farm far away, they’re having a long sleep. On the other, my kid’s three. She won’t really understand about death. I chose to be honest. I told her: “My mum isn’t around any more. She’s dead. She would have loved you very much.” My daughter then asked me: “Do you miss your mum?” “Yes,” I said. “It makes me feel sad she is not here.” After that, my daughter kept asking where Mum was and whether I felt sad. One day, she said: “What happens when we die?” I told her that it meant we weren’t around any more. “I don’t want to die,” she said.
I think she has an existential dread when it comes to death. It’s not so much about the dying, it’s about the simply not being there, the void created by your absence. It’s a lot for a three-year-old to take in. A visit to an Egyptian exhibition at Bristol Museum further confused her, because the mummies and the coffins and the death rituals that were explained to her didn’t really answer her question about where my mum was.
How do you talk to kids about death? There are some great books that help you talk about grief and loss with them. I like how Michael Rosen’s Sad Book tries to encapsulate the emotion of sadness and demystify it, make the reader feel like it is OK to feel sad, because we all do. Oliver Jeffers’s The Heart and the Bottle is another tear-jerker about loss and dealing with the death of a grandparent. Both of the books help kids navigate the emotions around loss and bereavement.
The particular issue I seem to have is that my mum has been dead for a while. How do you functionally explain death to a child who has no emotional attachment to the dead person, because they didn’t know them? Maybe that’s the wrong question entirely, but it’s one I keep circling back to. Mostly because I grieve for my mother every day and I wear my pain at her death very overtly on my sleeve. My daughter, being empathetic, can sense that that picture of my mum is important to me, but how does she make a connection with someone she only knows in the abstract?
These conversations we have with kids around death need to be tangible. And while I work out the best way to talk about it with my child, she’s still doing her own version of processing the very concept of death by checking in with me about what it even means. While death is something we’ll all experience in some way, is three years old too early to be dealing with the preciousness of life?
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Around 3 a.m., a BMW SUV traveling northbound on South Capitol Street struck a flower planter protecting the South Capitol Street and D Street, according to the United States Capitol Police crash team.
"As a result of striking the flower planter, the vehicle was propelled airborne and struck a tree on the southwest curbside of the United States Capitol Police secure access travel lanes where it ultimately came to rest," police said in a written statement to WESH 2.
Police said Hunter B. Harries was the only person in the car at the time of the crash. He was taken to a local hospital, where he died.
Harries is from McLean, Virginia, police said. Police are asking anyone with information about the case to call (202) 727-9099.
Dear Rollins Community-I am deeply saddened to share with you that we have recently learned that Hunter Harries, one of our students, was in a car accident and passed away yesterday. Our healing thoughts and prayers are with the Harries family and friends during this difficult time.I hope we can come together to begin our own healing process as a community. I will send out information regarding an upcoming campus memorial service as those details are confirmed.Warmly-Mamta
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The present invention relates to the removal of carbon monoxide and hydrogen as well as carbon dioxide and water from air for the production of high purity nitrogen gas.
In many chemical processes, CO and H.sub.2 are undesired species because of their chemical reactivity. For example, the electronics industry requires high purity N.sub.2 (less than 5 ppb.sub.v CO and H.sub.2) for the production of semiconductor materials. Impurities present in the N.sub.2 during formation of the silicon wafers greatly increase chip failure rates. When air is subjected to cryogenic separation to produce N.sub.2, since N.sub.2 and CO have similar boiling points, CO present in the feed air to the cryogenic column will essentially end up in the product nitrogen. If no special provisions are taken to the distillation process, hydrogen enriches in the product N.sub.2 to approximately two and a half times its concentration in the feed air. Therefore, the production of high purity N.sub.2, i.e. CO and H.sub.2 -free N.sub.2 for the electronics industry requires either 1) removal of CO and H.sub.2 from ambient air prior to the distillation column or 2) post-treatment of the product N.sub.2. Often times, electronics customers require both pre- and post-treatment for added system reliability.
The current techniques for trace CO and H.sub.2 removal involve catalytic conversion of CO to CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 to water with subsequent removal of CO.sub.2 and water impurities (or mere hydrogen adsorption).
In the conventional process for cryogenic separation of air to recover N.sub.2 and O.sub.2, feed air is compressed, then cooled to low temperature before introduction to a two stage distillation column. Unless water and CO.sub.2 are removed from the air before compression, these components will block heat exchangers employed for cooling the gas prior to distillation. The principal method for such removal is thermal swing adsorption (TSA) on molecular sieve. In the TSA system for CO.sub.2 and water removal, atmospheric air is compressed to about 100 psig followed by water cooling and removal of the thus condensed water. Then the air, which is then about 100.degree. F. (38.degree. C.), can be further cooled to 40.degree. F. (4.5.degree. C.) using refrigerated ethylene glycol. The bulk of the water is removed in this step by condensation and separation of the condensate. The gas is then passed to a molecular sieve bed or mixed alumina/molecular sieve bed system where the remaining water and CO.sub.2 are removed by adsorption. The sorbent beds are operated in a thermal swing mode with equal periods, such as four hours (maybe as long as 24 hours), being devoted to adsorption and to regeneration. By using two beds, one is operated for adsorption while the other is being regenerated and their roles are periodically reversed in the operating cycle. During the regeneration, part of the product gas (N.sub.2) or waste stream from the cold box is slightly compressed with a blower and heated to about 260.degree. C. The hot gas is passed through the bed being regenerated, perhaps for two hours, following which the regeneration gas is cooled to typically 4.5.degree. C. for the final two hours, so cooling the bed to that temperature. Regeneration is carried out in a direction counter to that of the adsorption step.
Alternatively, a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system may be used. In this case, cycle times are shorter (feed steps are 5-30 minutes), but feed temperature, pressure and regeneration gas remains the same. In the case of PSA, the regeneration gas is not heated.
Such a system is effective for the removal of CO.sub.2, water and C.sub.3+ hydrocarbons from atmospheric air. However, conventional molecular sieve beds are not effective for the removal of CO or H.sub.2 The main conventional technique currently used to produce CO-free N.sub.2 includes oxidation of CO present in the ambient air to CO.sub.2 prior to feeding to the molecular sieve system. This additional catalytic conversion system adds to capital and operating costs of a standard N.sub.2 plant. Alternatively, such CO removal steps may be applied to the nitrogen obtained after the air separation process.
In one known method CO is removed from nitrogen using a Ni on alumina catalyst. The principle disadvantages with this material are high cost, the need for activation in reducing gas and the pyrophoric nature of the activated material. Good adsorbents for trace CO removal should preferably be less expensive, easily regenerable and not pyrophoric.
The oxidation of CO to CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 to H.sub.2 O in the presence of O.sub.2 occurs readily at high temperatures (above 500.degree. C.). These reactions can be carried out at lower temperature, about 150.degree. C., in the presence of noble metal catalysts based on palladium or platinum (Anderson, H. C. and Green, W. J., Ind. Eng. Chem., 53, 645, 1961). This technique is currently used as a pre-treatment step for ambient air prior to the front-end adsorption system for CO.sub.2 and water removal on a cryogenic air plant. The main disadvantages of this removal technique include 1) the need to heat the air prior introduction to the catalyst bed, 2) an extra heat exchanger and an extra booster heater are required that result in increased plot space, and 3) the added system pressure drop and heat duty increase the power requirements of the system.
Ambient temperature processes for the removal of trace impurities from inert gases are also known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,723 discloses passing an inert gas stream through a catalyst bed containing a mixture of chromium and platinum on gamma alumina followed by a second bed composed of gamma alumina coated with a mixture of several metals. These beds both convert CO to CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 to water and adsorb the resulting impurities to form a high purity product (less than 1 ppm).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,224 teaches a one step process for the purifying gases containing trace quantities of CO, CO.sub.2, O.sub.2, H.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O in which the gas stream is passed over a material comprising elemental nickel and having a large surface area. If there is oxygen present, CO is oxidised to CO.sub.2, otherwise it is adsorbed. The specification is rather vague as regards the nature of the substrate on which the nickel is supported, referring to it merely as a `silica-based substrate`.
Processes for the ambient temperature oxidation of CO to CO.sub.2 are given in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,672,824 and 3,758,666.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,569 teaches a process for removing CO, CO.sub.2, H.sub.2 O and optionally H.sub.2 from a feed stream (particularly air) comprising 1) initially removing water and carbon dioxide, 2) catalytic oxidation of CO to CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 to H.sub.2 O and 3) removing the oxidation products. The resulting gas stream may then be purified by cryogenic distillation.
It is suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,273 that CO can be selectively adsorbed by zeolites doped with metals such as Ca, Co, Ni, Fe, Cu, Ag, Pt, or Ru. Based on this property, it is proposed there to use such doped zeolites in CO sensors, e.g. for use in sensors monitoring automobile exhaust gas systems. However, no demonstration of selectivity is shown in that specification. Also, the highest capacity for adsorbing CO demonstrated is in connection with the Na form of zeolite ZSM 8 and no CO adsorption is shown when the Co form of ZSM 5 or the Ru form of ZSM 8 are tested. Since the units in which adsorption was measured appear to be mis-stated, it is impossible to tell what adsorption capacity in absolute terms these adsorbents were found to have. However, for the purposes of U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,273 it would appear to be the change in electrical properties on exposure to CO that the zeolite exhibits that is important rather than adsorption capacity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,879 discloses the use of a zeolite containing Cu.sup.+ ions for adsorbing CO selectively. However, the CO is recovered for use as a reagent from gas streams containing large concentrations of it and there is no indication that such an adsorbent would be effective to remove ppm levels of CO from a gas stream.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,880 describes the adsorption of CO on zeolites containing silver cations. The CO concentration can be reduced below as little as 10 ppm CO.
Forster et al, `Spectroscopic investigations on sorption and oxidation of carbon monoxide in transition metal ion-exchanged zeolites A: Studies on cobalt, nickel and copper forms` Zeolites, 1987, Vol. 7, Nov 517-521, discusses the adsorption of CO on the zeolites referred to in its title. Capacity for adsorption at low ppm levels is not discussed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,569 teaches a process for removing trace quantities of carbon monoxide and hydrogen from an air stream along with larger quantities of carbon dioxide and water as a prelude to cryogenic distillation. The process is conducted by TSA or PSA using a three layer adsorption bed having a first layer for adsorbing water (suitably alumina, silica gel, zeolite or combinations thereof), a second layer of catalyst for converting carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide (suitably nickel oxide or a mixture of manganese and copper oxides) and a third layer for adsorbing carbon dioxide and water (suitably zeolite, activated alumina or silica gel). The second layer may include a catalyst for converting hydrogen to water and this may be supported palladium.
It is not disclosed that any catalyst is capable of both oxidising carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and adsorbing the carbon dioxide produced. Nor is it disclosed that supported palladium can be used to convert carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide. Equally, it is not disclosed that the supported palladium used for oxidising hydrogen is capable of adsorbing the water produced.
It is also not apparently the intention that the carbon dioxide present initially should be adsorbed prior to the oxidation of the carbon monoxide.
In FR 2739304, carbon monoxide is first oxidised to carbon dioxide and the carbon dioxide produced together with carbon dioxide and water present initially are then adsorbed using conventional adsorbents. Thereafter, hydrogen is adsorbed on palladium supported on alumina. Metals that can be used in place of palladium are Os, Ir, Rh, Ru, and Pt. It is stated that hydrogen is not oxidised under these conditions. This casts doubt on whether U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,569 is correct in stating that hydrogen can be oxidised on supported palladium or other precious metals.
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@import url('widgets.css');
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/**
* Copyright (c) Facebook, Inc. and its affiliates.
*
* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
*/
#import <ComponentKit/CKComponent.h>
#import <ABI36_0_0RCTSurfaceHostingComponent/ABI36_0_0RCTSurfaceHostingComponentOptions.h>
@class ABI36_0_0RCTSurface;
/**
* ComponentKit component represents given Surface instance.
*/
@interface ABI36_0_0RCTSurfaceHostingComponent : CKComponent
+ (instancetype)newWithSurface:(ABI36_0_0RCTSurface *)surface options:(ABI36_0_0RCTSurfaceHostingComponentOptions)options;
@end
|
{
"pile_set_name": "Github"
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* Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect the total stay price payable through our partners, including taxes and fees that are known to our partners and which are due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
Bookgreece.com
locates
35
Worst holiday ever
We are here now wishing we wasn't the water has been off all day and we are told it w ill be back in 10 minutes. But the y still keep the bar and restaurant open even though the toilets are full .our room supposed to be superior has non functioning sink and bath plugs the bath tap does not function properly the loo seat is cheap and loose the built in radio does not work and the curtains are in shreds give it a miss I wish I had.
Date of stay: September 2017
Room tip: Dont have room 401 it has a bad veiw and is noisy
Trip type: Travelled with family
Cleanliness
Service
Ask locates about Hotel Lydia's Beach
2 Thank locates
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
The hotel was really dirty the beach was not cleaned ...and the food all inclusive? 3 menuies and nowhere was not written what you eat so alergics didnt knew what are they eating...disaster!!! The toilet didnt flash really bid dissapintment never will go there again!!!!
Date of stay: August 2017
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Ask tamikaa334 about Hotel Lydia's Beach
2 Thank tamikaa334
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
I don't know where to start. Since the day we arrived there was no water at all, let alone hot water. We had to complaint every day. The food had no varaity at all. Table clothes we always found dirty. Wi-Fi very poor connection it was difficult to contact with family. I dont think i will visit this place anymore. All the stars where removed, because the building is as old as 1980's. It hasn't been reconstructed since then. Very very very disopoined.
Date of stay: August 2017
Trip type: Travelled with friends
Ask Reading An E about Hotel Lydia's Beach
5 Thank Reading An E
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
We stayed at the hotel on a package deal from an agency for 4 nights.Where do i start?The sheets and towels were only changed once in 5 days and even then because we insisted and specifially asked at the reception.The small face towel in the bathroom was in poor shape from the start and was never changed.We even left it on the ground on purpose but they never changed it.Food wise, not a lot of variety and very poor quality. Pool was not clean, smelly, and with dead insects floating around.The only good thing there was the hotel staff which was always willing to help and with a very positive attitude.I honestly dont know where this hotel gets the 4 stars from..
Date of stay: July 2017
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Ask enfrid i about Hotel Lydia's Beach
9 Thank enfrid i
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
The interior design was awful, like 70's. Faucet didn't work well and Good wasn't good at all and food selection was so small. At the evening when I tried to sleep, I felt sick because of that food. Also beds were so hard. So I stay awake almost all night. I cried. Soundproofing didn't work properly. What a nightmare! I don't recommend.
Date of stay: July 2017
Ask Odyssey682973 about Hotel Lydia's Beach
4 Thank Odyssey682973
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Lydia Hotel Beach, is the greate greate hotel, with all the tipe of places, with the gardem, pool, the beach bar, with the nice intertaiment things in the hotel area. Very kind of private beach. Colorfull flowers. Very close to the Lefkada old town. greate hospitality. i hope to comme there as soon as possible is.
Date of stay: June 2016
Trip type: Travelled with family
Sleep Quality
Rooms
Service
Ask dashohotel about Hotel Lydia's Beach
Thank dashohotel
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
|
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"Áö³ ÁٰŸ®" "Ok, you go to Aunt Honey's with me" "I go to your parents' with you and Jack's stepdad's with him" "And then we can go with Karen real quick to visit Stan in prison?" " Why not?" " Great" "Ok, I figure we each get one hour" "We'll set this timer and when it goes off" "We're out of there no matter what" "We do not respond to guilt shame, tears, or flattery" "There's still 40 minutes left on the timer What happened?" "There's really not much left to say after your husband tells you he wants you to start sleeping with other people" "He wants me to be sexually satisfied while he's in prison" "I don't know why" "He certainly didn't care while he was out" "Whatever you do do not tell my mother that Nathan and I broke up" "You haven't told her?" "You see how I went up at the end, like I cared?" "Look, she always said that I was wasting my time with him, and there's nothing she loves more than saying "I told you so."" "She's so obnoxious She even has a little told-you-so dance" "It's the one thing I asked you not to do!" "The woman was depressed" "I felt it was my duty as a fellow thespian to turn her mask of tragedy into one of comedy" "I'm gonna hurt you Right now" "Hey!" "That's enough!" "It's over!" "Ok. fasten your seat belts, folks" "You are about to meet my stepdad" "A man whose cruelty is exceeded only by his inability to love" "Welcome!" "I'm so thrilled to finally meet Jack's friends" "Hi, how are you?" "Good to see you" "Jackie!" "Father" "You're looking distant and shaming" "Àª ±×·¹À̽º 4½ÃÁð ¿¡ÇǼҵå 9 Moveable Feast (part2)" "Pick the lady and you win a dollar" "Red, black, black" "Just follow the lady" " Pick the queen" " Uh...this one?" "Sorry Jack?" "It's that one I know it is" "And once again you set me up for failure" "Those football players" "Their asses are so high" " I'm hungry" " I'm thirsty" "I could hump a tree" "It's...that one" "Sorry" "All right!" "You did it" "You know what that means, don't you?" "You get to keep my lucky cards" "No, I can't take these from you" " You said you liked 'em" " Yeah, they're great" "Come on I want you to have 'em" "No, I can't" "Oh, just take the cards, Elliot!" "Take the damn cards!" "The man wants you to have the cards take the cards!" "And you, man stop badgering the boy!" " You better take 'em" " Thanks" "All right" "Ding" "What are you doing?" "What's the matter with you?" "Ding the dang bell!" "Is there something wrong, Jack?" "If you have something to say to me, just say it" "Ok." "There is something that I've been wanting to tell you for a long time" "Gotta go Elliot!" "Well, these last few stops have been a nice warm-up now brace yourself for real dysfunction" "WASP dysfunction" "You can't say it You can't talk about it but you know it's there" "Kind of like a fart in church" "Just tell them about the code" "Oh, yes, the code" ""Business trip" is the code for my father's affair with his mistress otherwise known as "associate," "colleague," or "client."" "I learned that the hard way last Easter when I talked about taking on three clients at the same time" "If you're feeling remotely full after appetizers don't undo your top button" "You'll need that to hold in your feelings" " Hey, look who's here!" " Hey, guys!" "What's with the haircut?" "Thanks, Paul Nice to see you, too" "Hey, Willie.I just mentioned your haircut" "You don't have to cry about it" "Hey!" "Is that the brother you slept with as a substitute for the gay one you're in love with but can never really have?" "No." "That's his other brother Sam" "Paul, Peggy these are my friends" "Karen, Jack, and of course, Grace" "Grace, it's so nice to meet you" "There's a woman where I get my hair done in Westport She's Jewish, too" "Oh, sure" "I've seen her at the meetings" "Here you are!" "Oh, Will, darling" "Let me shut the door I don't want to have to deal with that gossipy new neighbor" "Hello!" "Mrs. Schaefer" "Her eldest has a lazy eye Her youngest is a prostitute" "Oh, Grace, dear I was just finishing up the soup bowls" "I saw a special on the Food Network on how to make them out of gourds" "Oh, food can be such fun" "This is where I'm going to die" "Who wants a martini?" "and I've gone to heaven!" "If you need to change there's a guest room at the top of the stairs" "No, mom This is what we're wearing" "Oh, good You should be comfortable" "I guess I'm just, what?" "Am I old-fashioned I guess?" "So, uh, where's dad?" "Oh, he had a last-minute business meeting" "It seems his...client couldn't wait till after the holidays" "Oh, you know your father and his work" "Yeah, he's dedicated" "Hey..." "I'm sorry Sam couldn't make it but I'm so glad you're here I never get to see you" "Paul, sweetie come sit next to me" "Hi, I'm Grace You must be Uncle Winnie" "Oh, don't bother, darling" "He's on medication He thinks you're a balloon" "Oh, and one more thing" "That's three" "Could you please come and help me?" "I'm having some trouble with the garbage disposal" "I called the plumber but it's a holiday so, you know" "Oh!" "Don't touch the wall, Jack" " Will, I'm a-scared" " You should be" "I like Will's family They drink" "Were you serious about what you said before?" "Are you really thinking about having sex with someone?" "Oh, for God's sakes stop fishing you big lez" "It's not gonna be with you" "Oh, shucks" "And I made myself all purty" "But, you know if I was gonna do it it'd have to be just the right situation, you know?" "And just the right kind of guy" "A big, swarthy, hunky working-class kind of guy" "You know the kind that wears a tool belt but doesn't know how to spell it" "I wouldn't hold your breath" "That kind of guy only exists in porno movies" "Uh, excuse me, ladies someone needed their pipes cleaned out?" "Oh, that sounds like your father's ring" "Let's eat" "I'll get the soup" "Tell everybody to take their seats" "Their names are on the artichokes" "Now, they're all in a particular order so no switching!" "I'm glad I get to taste mom's soup before Peggy and I have to take off" "What are you talking about?" "You're not taking off I'm taking off" "Oh, I'm sorry, buddy I have to" "No, no, no Not this year" "Come on, Will You're her favorite" "You should stay" "I am not her Even so, I'm going!" "Whatcha doing?" "Fixing things?" "Well, this disposal I've got a bolt here that just won't go in" "Oh, well, maybe you should talk dirty to it" "I mean, you were saying?" "Grace, darling please tuck this napkin under your chin" "The last time you ruined my tablecloth with all your slopping" "Well, gotta go" "Paul, could I talk to you a minute?" "Will, eat your soup Mom made it" "It's in gourds" " Guess I'm finished" " Are you?" "Or are you just getting started?" "What's left to do?" "Well, if you poke around a little bit" "I bet you could find something" "I'm sure I can" "Don't talk You'll wreck it" "What's going on here?" "I'm not sure" "Oh!" "How dare you!" "I'm a married woman!" "Sorry, man I've got obligations" "So do I!" "There is a huge difference between my obligation to my family and your obligation to your friends" "My friends are my family" "Your situation is completely different and you know it!" "You made that choice" "Choice?" "!" "Are you kidding me?" "!" "Look, let's go over this again" "My being gay is no more a choice" "Paul, don't leave yet I just want to send a little bottle of wine over to Peg's folks for the holidays" "Just a little thank you for forgetting us this year" "Well, what's going on here?" "Nothing Will's crying" "I am not!" "Look, we just both have places we need to be" "We both feel that one of us should stay" " Mom, you pick" " Oh, that is so unfair" "Don't make her choose" "You know who she's gonna pick" "I pick Paul" "Of course" " What?" "Well, I would like to propose a toast" "To our own Thanksgiving" "To no longer being at the mercy of our mothers fathers, brothers" "Plumbers" "Feels pretty good doesn't it?" "I hate the way I left things with my mom" "I feel terrible" "I feel worse about what happened between me and my step-dad" "Why worse?" "Because it happened to me" "Hey, what about me?" "Stan put me in an awful position" "And that plumber nearly did, too" "Yeah, well, I feel fine" " No, you don't" " No, I don't!" "How could she pick Paul over me?" "!" "Well, let's dig into this turkey" "Wait!" "Wait a minute!" "Um, doesn't it seem wrong to enjoy a beautiful uneaten Turkey when you have all this unfinished emotional business?" "You know what?" "She's right" "Two minutes each We say our piece and we get out" "But I'm starved" "So?" "The turkey'll still be here when we get back" "Or whatever" "Go!" "I'm sorry, Rosario but we'll try to be as quick as we can" "Have a piece of fruit to tide yourself over" "Fruit, my ass!" "Two minutes Go!" "Don't talk" "I got something to say to you and I don't have a lot of time" "I'm angry with you Stanley" "Why do you want me to have sex with other men?" "I mean, sure I'm miserable without you but it's not the kind of miserable that's gonna go away with a quick tongue wrestle with a" "I don't know 5' 10" maintenance man with a" "I don't know musky smell of Paco Rabanne and dirty metal and a" "I don't know Chinese serenity symbol tattooed on his left bicep" "Or something I mean, the point is" "I don't want any man but you" "I love you Every fold, nook and cranny of you you two-ton English muffin!" "Hey, we still got 40 seconds left What do you want to do?" "Ok." "Only this time you stick your boobs on the glass" "Come on" "Happy Thanksgiving Mr. Walker" "I love you" "Two minutes" " Go!" "Hey, everyone would you mind if I had a minute alone with my mom?" "Thanks" "There's something I need to say to you" "Oh, and what's that?" "You already told me I can't act" "Did you come back to tell me I can't sing?" "Oh, mom of course you can s" "Let's not get into that right now" "Look, I" " I hate what I said to you" "I was just upset" "But the whole "I told you so" thing it's just that sometimes it seems like you love being right even more than you love me" "Are you kidding, dear?" "I love you more than anything in the world" "That's sweet, mom" "I guess a part of me does appreciate that on some level but the dance" "Why the dance?" "Well, it's cute, darling" "Everybody thinks so" "Who is "everybody"?" "Look, the point is that it bothers you so I just won't say "I told you so" anymore" "Mom, I want to believe that but in 33 years you have never been able to restrain yourself" "I promise you, dear you'll never hear it again" " Really?" " Really" "Thank you for that, mom" " I love you" " I love you, too, dear" "I told her so!" "Two minutes Go!" "I just have one question for you" "How dare you be so nice to Elliot!" "Where was that guy when I was growing up?" "!" "Well, I was probably" "Oh, is that supposed to be your answer?" "You are ten times the father with him than you ever were with me" " No, I don't think you" " Don't change the subject!" "For my 12th birthday I asked for a "Beautiful Chrissy" doll with beautiful hair that grows" "And what did you get me?" "A dirt bike?" "!" "What the hell's a 12-year-old boy gonna do with a dirt bike?" "!" "You don't know me at all!" "Hey, you don't know me either" "It's not like you took any interest in me" "I was a kid I wasn't supposed to" "Yeah, you got me there" "Yeah, I do, don't I?" "You were a tough kid to figure out" "It was like having a foreign exchange student in the house" "You spoke your own language and wore a beret" "Well, you should have tried harder" "You're right I should have" "I was a crap father I'm sorry" "But, Jack I'm not the same guy" "Well, I am I'm still mad" "I know But what do you get out of holding on to something like that?" "I'd really like us to get closer, Jack" "Well, it won't be easy" "I'm very complicated" "I am a swirling mass of contradictions" "Sometimes I'm happy Sometimes I'm sad" "Sometimes..." "Well, I guess those are the only two" "But..." "You really want to get to know me?" "I do" "If you want to take the time to get to know me" "I guess I wouldn't be adverse to that" "I'll take that present now" " Ok, uh" " Right there on the bed" "I didn't know what to get you, so I just put some money in a box" "Oh, pop, you do know me!" "Ok, two minutes Go" "So, what?" "Paul is your favorite now?" "Where is he?" "Favorite?" "!" "I sent him home" "You what?" "I just" " I don't know I didn't want him around" "But you chose him" "You'd obviously rather have him around than me" "Oh, William, sweetheart you know I don't have favorites" "But if I did you know who it would be" "That's why I could pick Paul in front of you but I couldn't pick you in front of Paul" "Because he would have cried, right?" "Because he's the crier" "Now, go home Be with your family" "I'm giving you Thanksgiving off this year" "No, no, look I don't think you should be alone on a holiday" "Honey, I'm not alone I've got Uncle Winnie" "Bingo!" "I win!" "Do you hear that?" "He wins" "So stop treating me like I'm some fragile old woman" "I'm fine." "I mean it would be nice if your father didn't he to conduct his business on holidays but, it's not your job to take care of me" "Well, I think it is" "No, no, please Go home" "I'm busy" "I have to go through daddy's closet pick out a couple of suits he loves and give them to the Salvation Army" "Let's go" "We can still make it home in time for dinner" " Great." "I'm starved" " Me, too" "I could use some solids" "Well, wait till you guys taste this turkey" "ÀÚÀ¯ ¼öÁ¤ ¹× ¹èÆ÷ (´Ü Á¦ÀÛÀÚ Á¤º¸ ¼öÁ¤ ºÒ°¡) ¹èÆ÷½Ã Ãâó¸¦ ²À ¹àÇôÁÖ¼¼¿ä thanks"
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2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Review
2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Overview
2015 Mitsubishi Lancer will likely consolidate all renovated at this time, we also publish the cross. There are a number associated with information regarding the modern era by car, but it is supposed to get almost no different from its precursor. Dangerous aggressive collections have a slim LED lights are clearly tilted certainly will not cease to exist. Entire body associated with Mitsubishi Lancer ended up being surprisingly mixed because only realize Japanese. Your managers understand ensures that the period of time that does not completely disappear from the sporting aspect with the powerful generation. Some information on the management by the company have not been submitted for the reason that the car is not alone, but technically presented with almost any display car on earth.
2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Design Interior
2015 Mitsubishi Lancer just got to meet the expectations and discover a whole new look. True quality with all the important components will always provide. You will find reviews of large amounts of problems are usually renewed. Since the controls, which usually in most countries, are made of leather, a new head unit, touch screen to watch completely new ac, Bluetooth wireless, for example .. style of relevance 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer ES CVT will probably injected Mountain Begin helps run the LKS style will probably rampacked with parking sensors, surveillance cameras, welding, metal trolley wheels associated with sixteen ins and others. If you choose to opt for a sports car edition of the race will help 6.1 inch touch screen head unit with some quality speakers, digital camera with iPod Touch knonekcija. Of course, you can explore options for all.
2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Engine and Price
2015 Mitsubishi Lancer also, now comes to market with the possibility of electric motor or a hybrid variant of the vehicle. Two coupled electric motor and gasoline engine 2.0 liters. Gas consumption would certainly matrix around 1.8L / 100km with emissions of carbon dioxide of about 50g/km. For many who keep each of our dynamic, real power can easily decide journey, which can reach a speed of about 64 km/h. Obviously, we have a clean oil with the 4-cylinder diesel engines. It is in relation to most of what is considered exactly what responsibilities equipment work 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer.
2015 Mitsubishi Lancer will probably find some of the main opportunities abroad display car. To be held in mid-summer. For those that most of these factors, the price of the car is not only, but felt, and it is not just introduced. For many who are usually expected to buy this remains to hope that it will eventually be too high.
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}
|
Q:
Python - How to pass a variable from one method to another in Python?
I've looked around for a question like this. I've seen similar questions, but nothing that really helped me out. I'm trying to pass the choice variable from the method rollDice() to the method main(). This is what I've got so far:
import random
import os
import sys
def startGame():
answer = input('Do you want to play Super Dice Roll?\nEnter 1 for Yes\nEnter 2 for No\n'
os.system('cls')
if (answer == '1'):
rollDice()
elif(answer == '2'):
print('Thank you for playing!')
else:
print('That isn/t a valid selection.')
StartGame()
def rollDice():
start = input('Press Enter to roll dice.')
os.system('cls')
dice = sum(random.randint(1,6) for x in range (2))
print('you rolled ',dice,'\n')
choice = input('Do you want to play again?\nEnter 1 for Yes\nEnter 2 for No.\n)
return choice
def main():
startGame()
while (choice == '1'):
startGame()
print('Thank you for playing')
print('!~!~!~!~WELCOME TO SUPER DICE ROLL~!~!~!~!~\n')
main()
I know that I may have other things in here that are redundant or I may have to fix, but I'm just working on this one issue right now. I'm not sure how to pass the choice variable into the main() method. I've tried putting choice == rollDice() in the main() method but that didn't work. I do mostly SQL work, but wanted to start learning Python and I found a website that has 5 beginner tasks but virtually no instructions. This is task one.
A:
You need to put the return value of the function into a variable to be able to evaluate it (I also corrected a few bugs in your code, mainly typos):
import random
import os
def startGame():
answer = input('Do you want to play Super Dice Roll?\nEnter 1 for Yes\nEnter 2 for No\n')
os.system('cls')
while answer == '1':
answer = rollDice()
if answer == '2':
print('Thank you for playing!')
else:
print('That isn/t a valid selection.')
startGame()
def rollDice():
input('Press Enter to roll dice.')
os.system('cls')
dice = sum(random.randint(1,6) for x in range (2))
print('you rolled ', dice, '\n')
choice = input('Do you want to play again?\nEnter 1 for Yes\nEnter 2 for No.\n')
return choice
def main():
print('!~!~!~!~WELCOME TO SUPER DICE ROLL~!~!~!~!~\n')
startGame()
print('Thank you for playing')
main()
|
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|
Latest information
Every tournament
July 3 2013
12:56 PM
Ryan Palmer will be joining our weekly PGA TOUR Insiders Google+ Hangout today at 2:30 p.m. ET, live from The Greenbrier Classic. Palmer, who will have New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton on the bag this week at The Old White TPC, will be previewing course conditions and answering fan questions during the Hangout, which can be streamed live here on the TOUR Report.
You can submit a question for Palmer in the comments below or on Twitter, using #PGATOURchat.
To see all of the PGA TOUR's Hangouts with TOUR players, fans and media, click here.
|
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|
A man who called 911 to report a customer waving a gun inside a Walmart, resulting in a fatal police-involved shooting in 2014 in a Dayton, Ohio suburb, could now be charged with making a false alarm, reports The Associated Press.
Judge Beth Root of Ohio’s Fairborn Municipal Court ruled this week that there is enough probable cause to charge Ronald Ritchie with a misdemeanor in the Aug. 5 police shooting of John Crawford III, 22, in suburban Beavercreek, writes the news outlet.
From The AP:
Root reviewed sworn statements from several private citizens, who submitted a copy of Wal-Mart surveillance video synchronized to the 911 call and alleged Ritchie violated several laws. The judge leaves it up to the Beavercreek city prosecutor to decide whether to charge Ritchie.
[…]
Ritchie, the only person to call 911 from Wal-Mart before shots were fired, told police in his call that there was a man walking around with a gun in the store.
“He’s, like, pointing it at people,” Ritchie told a dispatcher. Ritchie said the man appeared to be loading what looked like a rifle and was “waving it back and forth,” according to a recording of his call.
Police have also claimed that Crawford had a real rifle and said he didn’t respond to commands to put it down.
SOURCE: Miami Herald | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
SEE ALSO:
Report: Loretta Lynch Vows To Investigate John Crawford’s Death
Also On NewsOne:
|
{
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
}
|
/*
* Cocktail, HTML rendering engine
* http://haxe.org/com/libs/cocktail
*
* Copyright (c) Silex Labs
* Cocktail is available under the MIT license
* http://www.silexlabs.org/labs/cocktail-licensing/
*/
package cocktail.html;
typedef ProgressEvent = cocktail.core.event.ProgressEvent;
|
{
"pile_set_name": "Github"
}
|
Demography, hunting ecology, and pathogen exposure of domestic dogs in the Isoso of Bolivia.
Disease is increasingly recognized as a threat to the conservation of wildlife, and in many cases the source of disease outbreaks in wild carnivores is the domestic dog. For disease to spill over from a domestic to a wild population, three conditions must be satisfied: susceptibility of the wild species, presence of the disease agent in the domestic population, and contact between the two populations of interest. We investigated the potential for disease spillover from the domestic dog population to the wild carnivore population in the Isoso of Bolivia, an area of tropical dry forest contiguous with a national park. Using questionnaires and discussions with residents, we gathered data on the demography of dogs in the Isoso, including adult and neonatal mortality, litter size, and hunting frequency. We analyzed a large data set containing self-recorded information on hunting in various communities of the Isoso to determine the extent of dog participation in hunting and the duration of hunting trips. Finally, we took blood samples from dogs in the Isoso for a serosurvey of common canine pathogens. More than 95% of dogs had positive titers to canine distemper virus and canine parvovirus. There was also a high seroprevalence in dogs for other pathogens, a high population turnover of dogs (which may allow diseases to be maintained endemically), and frequent opportunities for contact between domestic and wild carnivores. Based on our results and the susceptibility of wild species previously reported in the literature, domestic dogs represent a disease risk for wildlife in the Bolivian Isoso.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
}
|
THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE
@ iNauonal
eograpnic society
natural ioior rnotograpln n)y r-Ucwi L,.
w isnera
RED TOMAHAWK, THE NEMESIS OF SITTING BULL
This Cheyenne River Sioux was rear guard of the Indian police who in 1890 arrested the leading
figure in the famous battle commonly called the Custer Massacre. It was Red Tomahawk's shot
which is believed to have killed instantly the notorious Sitting Bull, when he attempted to escape.
The fan was formerly carried in the Sun Dance, no longer given in its old form.
XII
|
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|
Q:
A general method for a document to extend as much as needed in order to fit the content of the document
I have a python script that automatically creates a LaTex document for a given input. In this document, I have a lot of proof trees (created using the bussproofs package), though it doesn't really matter what are these proof trees. The point is that in some cases the resulted proof trees are either too long horizontally or too long vertically and that result in the proof trees not fitting in the page and making erros. So, I would like to adjust the page width or height if needed in order for all the content to fit inside the page. The problem is that I can't just put some maximal value for the page width and height.
So, I would like to put a few commends so that the page width and height would extend sufficiently in order to fit any content whatsoever.
I should note that here an answer for how to extend the page width in order to fit one line of text of arbitrary length was given, if that helps someone to come with a solution.
A:
Well I manged to find a solution that works for me, although it may not help to everyone. So, the solution is not in the tex file but in the python script: After compiling the document ones with the default
\pdfpagewidth = 597pt
and
\pdfpageheight = 845pt
I scan the log file to see if there are Overfull \hbox or \vbox errors and if there are I change the width and height values in the tex file and compile it again.
|
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RESEARCH AND BRIEFINGS
Marsh’s 2018 Communications, Media and Technology Risk Study
I am pleased to announce the release of Marsh’s 2018 Communications, Media, and Technology Risk Study. This report is based on more than 200 survey responses from risk professionals and other executives from CMT sectors globally. We thank all of those who participated in this year’s survey.
Over the past year, the speed of technology innovation kept its blistering pace. Companies have no choice but to keep up or risk dropping to the back of the pack — and eventually out of the race altogether.
Pushed on by a data-driven economy and the ubiquity of technology in society, CMT companies are meeting the challenges by taking a hard look at their traditional way of doing business. This is causing a major shift in business strategy and operating models within sectors and subsectors as CMT companies strive to stay current with consumer demands.
If you have any comments or questions about the results or our interpretations, please drop me a line at the address below or reach out to your Marsh representative. You can also send us a Tweet to @MarshGlobal using the hashtag #MarshCMTRisk.
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Crescent fractures of the pelvis treated by open reduction and internal fixation: a critique of Day's guidelines.
Day's classification and treatment guidelines are considered the gold standard in crescent fractures of the pelvis. The objective of this study was to retrospectively evaluate 10 surgically treated crescent fractures of the pelvis in the context of Day's recommendations. This is a retrospective cohort study. Ten consecutive cases of crescent fractures that were treated surgically at a level 1 trauma center formed the cohort. Six were operated anteriorly, three posteriorly and one percutaneously. Classification and treatment strategy were compared to Day's guidelines. The minimum follow-up was 13 months. Outcomes were assessed using the modified Majeed's scoring system. Three out of 10 cases were difficult to classify by Day's criteria. There were 4 type I, three type III and no type II cases. Our surgical strategy was independent of Day's recommendations in this series and based on ease of access, ability to restore the sacroiliac joint anatomy and other associated injuries. All the patients were mobilized early and the fractures united without any major incident. The results of these cases were quite good with outcome scores over 67/96. Assigning Day's classification to a given case can be difficult in up to 33% patients with crescent fractures due to the obliquity of the iliac fracture line in axial sections. Sacroiliac articular alignment is the primary factor determining the surgical approach. Besides the fracture configuration, additional factors like delay in surgery, locking of the fracture fragments, comminution of the iliac or sacral fragment as well as access to the additional injuries contribute to the decision making.
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* * * * * root /app/scripts/limit_containers
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Developmental changes in heart and muscle phosphofructokinase isozymes.
Phosphofructokinase isozymes of fetal, neonatal, and adult rat heart and skeletal muscle were characterized by DEAE-cellulose chromatography, agarose gel electrophoresis, and immunodiffusion with specific antisera. The results of these studies indicate that in skeletal muscle and heart the levels of the major liver phosphofructokinase isozyme (PFK-L2) and the muscle phosphofructokinase isozyme (PFK-M) are dependent on the developmental status of the rat. For example, PFK-L2 and PFK-M are present in fetal and early neonatal skeletal muscle; whereas in adult skeletal muscle, only PFK-M is detectable. By DEAE- cellulose chromatography, PFK-L2 activity was estimated to be 2.4 units/g (41% of total phosphofructokinase activity) in fetal muscle, very low and not resolved from PFK-M in 7-day neonatal muscle, and not detectable in adult muscle. Further, PFK-M activity was found to be 3.4 units/g (59% of total phosphofructokinase activity), 10 units/g, and 31.6 units/g in fetal, 7-day neonatal, and adult skeletal muscle, respectively. The developmental changes of heart phosphofructokinase isozymes differ considerably from that of the skeletal muscle phosphofructokinase isozymes. In fetal heart, PFK-L2 is the major phosphofructokinase isozyme (5.6 units/g), constituting 67% of total phosphofructokinase activity. Further, in fetal heart another phosphofructokinase isozyme (33% of total phosphofructokinase activity) was found by DEAE-cellulose chromatography which is different from PFK-M and PFK-L2. In 7-day neonatal and adult heart, PFK-M and PFK-L2 are the only detectable phosphofructokinase isozymes. Varying from 5.6 units/g (44% of total) in 7-day neonatal to 5.9 units/g (40% of total) in adult heart, PFK-L2 activity remains fairly constant. Also, PFK-M is very low in fetal heart but increases within 1 week postpartum to 5.5 units/g (50% of total activity) and to 8.9 units/g (60% of total activity) in adult heart.
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No deal in sight two days before Gaza cease-fire expires; Hamas says Egyptian proposal unacceptable, threatens to renew fighting; Israel says they have yet to agree to a proposal.
Israeli and Palestinian teams are set to restart indirect Gaza cease-fire talks in Cairo on Sunday, with Hamas saying the Egyptian proposal on the table is unacceptable and threatening to renew fighting, and Israel saying quiet and security will be restored “one way or another.”
Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas representative in Lebanon, said none of the proposals presented to the Palestinians meet their demands.
Offers made to the Palestinian delegation in Cairo do not meet the aspirations of the people, Hamdan, Hamas’s head of foreign affairs, said.
Israel “must accept the conditions of the Palestinian people or face a long war of attrition,” he said in speech before students in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum.
During the talks, the Palestinian delegation faced attempts to “break its unity,” he claimed.
Izzat al-Risheq, a Hamas member of the Palestinian delegation, said Egypt’s latest proposals were “unacceptable.”
The Qatar-based official said the Palestinians did not and will not accept the offers made to them.
“The Palestinian delegation has affirmed its rejection of any formula that does not meet the demands of the Palestinian people,” Risheq said.
“Many of the issues offered by the Egyptians are unacceptable.”
He said consultations were continuing among Hamas, Islamic Jihad and PLO factions to reach an agreement over a final position toward the indirect negotiations with Israel.
Another Hamas official, Musa Abu Marzouk, also sounded defiant over the weekend. “Those who were victorious will not comply with the occupation’s conditions,” Abu Marzouk said in a Facebook post.
He claimed that Hamas won the war because it prevented the IDF from entering the Gaza Strip and forced it to withdraw before the ceasefire.
In Jerusalem, meanwhile, government officials took the Hamas statements in stride, with one official saying Israel did not get excited when Hamas spokesmen were saying on Friday that a deal was just around the corner, and was not getting excited now.
The five-day cease-fire will expire at midnight on Monday.
“We will not agree to any arrangement that does not take into account Israel’s security interests,” one government official said. “They remain our primary focus. The goals of Operation Protective Edge remain the same: long-term quiet and security. And this will be achieved either diplomatically, militarily or through a combination of both.”
The official defined Israel’s security interests as a cessation of all rocket fire, preventing rearmament in Gaza, and no new tunnels.
The Israeli delegation to Cairo is made up entirely of security officials, and the diplomatic officials said the directive Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu gave them was not to compromise on the country’s security interests.
Israel, the official said, has not agreed up to this point to any proposal, and will only agree to understandings if they they answer Israel’s security concerns.
The eight-member security cabinet met on both Thursday and Friday to discuss the negotiations and the situation in the Gaza Strip, but no decisions were made public.
There are two overarching models on the table: a negotiated agreement, as was done after Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012; or a unilateral Israeli cessation of hostilities not anchored in any agreement, but resting instead on deterrence – as was the model put into play after Operation Cast Lead in 2009.
Israel, the official said, is remaining prepared for any contingency, “well aware” that Hamas could violate the truce at any time.
“If they do, we will be ready to respond if need be,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan denied his movement has agreed to postpone the discussion over its demand for an airport and seaport in Gaza – a demand included in the latest Egyptian proposal for a long-term cease-fire.
Bassam al-Salhi of the Palestinian People’s Party and a member of the team at the Cairo talks, said the chances of reaching a long-term cease-fire with Israel were “not great.”
He accused Israel of using the talks to “organize and reproduce the siege on the Gaza Strip in a different way.”
Azzam al-Ahmed of Fatah, head of the delegation, said the Palestinian leadership was expected to hold a meeting in Ramallah on Saturday night to discuss efforts to achieve a long-term truce.
Progress had been achieved during the talks over some issues, while differences remained over others, such as the airport and seaport and the release of Palestinian prisoners, he said.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas had made a clear decision that the issue of disarming Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip is nonnegotiable, Ahmed said.
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Homeobox genes are short (about 180 base pairs) extremely ancient,highly conserved and are shared across the animal kingdom. More than100 homeobox genes are known. These genes also called Master Controlgenes, control the formation of eyes, hearts, limbs etc across theanimal kingdom.For example the eye across the animal phylum was believed tohave evolved at least 40 times, however, a single Master Control Genecalled Pax 6 has been responsible for the development of eyes infruit flies (Drosophilia) further research found that the same geneor a homeologue was found to control the development of eyes invertebrates including zebra fish, squid, mice and all animals testedincluding humans. The discoverer of these genes, Professor WalterGehring was met with considerable resistance by his peers. So, In anexperiment he took the Pax 6 gene from a mouse and placed it in variousparts ofthe fruit fly, Drosopholia, what appeared was eyes, not mouseeyes, but the multi-fascited eyes of the fruit fly. So, a mouse Pax 6Gene controlled the formation of fly eyes in a fly.
www.youris.com/Health/Genetics/One_Gene_One_Vision.kl
It has been shown that another Master Control Gene called Tinman, (afterTinman movie charcter in the Wizare of OZ.) is responsible for theformation of all types of hearts from the fruit fly nK2 homeobox tohumans. In humans this gene for unknown reasons is said to be ahomologue labled NkX2-5 homeobox gene. Yet these genes had to be presentand highly functional during the Cambrian expansion.https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Tinman%20genehttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gtr/genes/3227/What is not very well understood is exactly how these homeobox geneswork. But they are said to be played by upstream genes which selectthe sections of the homeobox genes which in turn switch on genesthat cascade downstream which express the type of eye, heart, as wellas other body organ and parts. More than 100 of these master controlgenes are knownhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hox_gene
As a long term religious non-believer it it became difficult toturn a blind eye on the possible engineering concept show bythis obvious long term Hox genes which are virtually unchangedfrom the Cambrian and no doubt before the so called Cambrianexplosion. This, to me. is clearly a case of appearance of highlyfunctional and set genes long before they were needed for theCambrian radiation. And they remain highly conserved (anotherterm for fixed) to the present day and in common across the animal kingdom.
Post by Bob WardlawHomeobox genes are short (about 180 base pairs) extremely ancient,highly conserved and are shared across the animal kingdom. More than 100homeobox genes are known. These genes also called Master Control genes,control the formation of eyes, hearts, limbs etc across the animalkingdom.For example the eye across the animal phylum was believed to haveevolved at least 40 times, however, a single Master Control Gene calledPax 6 has been responsible for the development of eyes in fruit flies(Drosophilia) further research found that the same gene or a homeologuewas found to control the development of eyes in vertebrates includingzebra fish, squid, mice and all animals tested including humans. Thediscoverer of these genes, Professor Walter Gehring was met withconsiderable resistance by his peers. So, In an experiment he took thePax 6 gene from a mouse and placed it in various parts ofthe fruit fly,Drosopholia, what appeared was eyes, not mouse eyes, but themulti-fascited eyes of the fruit fly. So, a mouse Pax 6 Gene controlledthe formation of fly eyes in a fly.www.youris.com/Health/Genetics/One_Gene_One_Vision.klIt has been shown that another Master Control Gene called Tinman, (afterTinman movie charcter in the Wizare of OZ.) is responsible for theformation of all types of hearts from the fruit fly nK2 homeobox tohumans. In humans this gene for unknown reasons is said to be ahomologue labled NkX2-5 homeobox gene. Yet these genes had to be presentand highly functional during the Cambrian expansion.https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Tinman%20genehttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gtr/genes/3227/What is not very well understood is exactly how these homeobox geneswork. But they are said to be played by upstream genes which select thesections of the homeobox genes which in turn switch on genes thatcascade downstream which express the type of eye, heart, as well asother body organ and parts. More than 100 of these master control genesare knownhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hox_geneAs a long term religious non-believer it it became difficult to turn ablind eye on the possible engineering concept show by this obvious longterm Hox genes which are virtually unchanged from the Cambrian and nodoubt before the so called Cambrian explosion. This, to me. is clearly acase of appearance of highly functional and set genes long before theywere needed for the Cambrian radiation. And they remain highly conserved(another term for fixed) to the present day and in common across theanimal kingdom.
That's a basic feature of evolution: if something works, it is retained,and built upon.
--MarkA
We hang petty theives, and appoint the great theives to public office-- Aesop
Post by Bob WardlawHomeobox genes are short (about 180 base pairs) extremely ancient,highly conserved and are shared across the animal kingdom. More than 100homeobox genes are known. These genes also called Master Control genes,control the formation of eyes, hearts, limbs etc across the animalkingdom.For example the eye across the animal phylum was believed to haveevolved at least 40 times, however, a single Master Control Gene calledPax 6 has been responsible for the development of eyes in fruit flies(Drosophilia) further research found that the same gene or a homeologuewas found to control the development of eyes in vertebrates includingzebra fish, squid, mice and all animals tested including humans. Thediscoverer of these genes, Professor Walter Gehring was met withconsiderable resistance by his peers. So, In an experiment he took thePax 6 gene from a mouse and placed it in various parts ofthe fruit fly,Drosopholia, what appeared was eyes, not mouse eyes, but themulti-fascited eyes of the fruit fly. So, a mouse Pax 6 Gene controlledthe formation of fly eyes in a fly.www.youris.com/Health/Genetics/One_Gene_One_Vision.klIt has been shown that another Master Control Gene called Tinman, (afterTinman movie charcter in the Wizare of OZ.) is responsible for theformation of all types of hearts from the fruit fly nK2 homeobox tohumans. In humans this gene for unknown reasons is said to be ahomologue labled NkX2-5 homeobox gene. Yet these genes had to be presentand highly functional during the Cambrian expansion.https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Tinman%20genehttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gtr/genes/3227/What is not very well understood is exactly how these homeobox geneswork. But they are said to be played by upstream genes which select thesections of the homeobox genes which in turn switch on genes thatcascade downstream which express the type of eye, heart, as well asother body organ and parts. More than 100 of these master control genesare knownhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hox_geneAs a long term religious non-believer it it became difficult to turn ablind eye on the possible engineering concept show by this obvious longterm Hox genes which are virtually unchanged from the Cambrian and nodoubt before the so called Cambrian explosion. This, to me. is clearly acase of appearance of highly functional and set genes long before theywere needed for the Cambrian radiation. And they remain highly conserved(another term for fixed) to the present day and in common across theanimal kingdom.
That's a basic feature of evolution: if something works, it is retained,and built upon.
As you must have noted I posed this matter as a question. It's beenpointed out before that evidence is sometimes subjective.People can observe the same yet arrive at different conclusions. You maysee this as supporting evolution whereas another could see this asevidence of design by a supernatural designer. I see both sides,however, I tend to be agnostic regarding the meaning. Your are rightevolution does use and improve on whatever works.
Post by Bob WardlawHomeobox genes are short (about 180 base pairs) extremely ancient,highly conserved and are shared across the animal kingdom. More than 100homeobox genes are known. These genes also called Master Control genes,control the formation of eyes, hearts, limbs etc across the animalkingdom.For example the eye across the animal phylum was believed to haveevolved at least 40 times, however, a single Master Control Gene calledPax 6 has been responsible for the development of eyes in fruit flies(Drosophilia) further research found that the same gene or a homeologuewas found to control the development of eyes in vertebrates includingzebra fish, squid, mice and all animals tested including humans. Thediscoverer of these genes, Professor Walter Gehring was met withconsiderable resistance by his peers. So, In an experiment he took thePax 6 gene from a mouse and placed it in various parts ofthe fruit fly,Drosopholia, what appeared was eyes, not mouse eyes, but themulti-fascited eyes of the fruit fly. So, a mouse Pax 6 Gene controlledthe formation of fly eyes in a fly.www.youris.com/Health/Genetics/One_Gene_One_Vision.klIt has been shown that another Master Control Gene called Tinman, (afterTinman movie charcter in the Wizare of OZ.) is responsible for theformation of all types of hearts from the fruit fly nK2 homeobox tohumans. In humans this gene for unknown reasons is said to be ahomologue labled NkX2-5 homeobox gene. Yet these genes had to be presentand highly functional during the Cambrian expansion. >https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Tinman%20gene >https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gtr/genes/3227/ > >What is not very well understood is exactly how these homeobox geneswork. But they are said to be played by upstream genes which select thesections of the homeobox genes which in turn switch on genes thatcascade downstream which express the type of eye, heart, as well asother body organ and parts. More than 100 of these master control genesare known >https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hox_geneAs a long term religious non-believer it it became difficult to turn ablind eye on the possible engineering concept show by this obvious longterm Hox genes which are virtually unchanged from the Cambrian and nodoubt before the so called Cambrian explosion. This, to me. is clearly acase of appearance of highly functional and set genes long before theywere needed for the Cambrian radiation. And they remain highly conserved(another term for fixed) to the present day and in common across theanimal kingdom.
That's a basic feature of evolution: if something works, it is retained,and built upon.
As you must have noted I posed this matter as a question. It's beenpointed out before that evidence is sometimes subjective.People can observe the same yet arrive at different conclusions. You maysee this as supporting evolution whereas another could see this asevidence of design by a supernatural designer. I see both sides,however, I tend to be agnostic regarding the meaning. Your are rightevolution does use and improve on whatever works.
This shows that evolution is not falsifiable. It's so broad and elasticthat any newly discovered evidence can be fitted within the theory.Indeed there is no limits that any evidence can be outside the limits.
Post by Bob WardlawHomeobox genes are short (about 180 base pairs) extremely ancient,highly conserved and are shared across the animal kingdom. More than100 homeobox genes are known. These genes also called Master Controlgenes, control the formation of eyes, hearts, limbs etc across theanimal kingdom.For example the eye across the animal phylum was believed to haveevolved at least 40 times, however, a single Master Control Genecalled Pax 6 has been responsible for the development of eyes in fruitflies (Drosophilia) further research found that the same gene or ahomeologue was found to control the development of eyes in vertebratesincluding zebra fish, squid, mice and all animals tested includinghumans. The discoverer of these genes, Professor Walter Gehring wasmet with considerable resistance by his peers. So, In an experiment hetook the Pax 6 gene from a mouse and placed it in various parts ofthefruit fly, Drosopholia, what appeared was eyes, not mouse eyes, butthe multi-fascited eyes of the fruit fly. So, a mouse Pax 6 Genecontrolled the formation of fly eyes in a fly.www.youris.com/Health/Genetics/One_Gene_One_Vision.klIt has been shown that another Master Control Gene called Tinman,(after Tinman movie charcter in the Wizare of OZ.) is responsible forthe formation of all types of hearts from the fruit fly nK2 homeoboxto humans. In humans this gene for unknown reasons is said to be ahomologue labled NkX2-5 homeobox gene. Yet these genes had to bepresent and highly functional during the Cambrian expansion.https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Tinman%20genehttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gtr/genes/3227/What is not very well understood is exactly how these homeobox geneswork. But they are said to be played by upstream genes which selectthe sections of the homeobox genes which in turn switch on genes thatcascade downstream which express the type of eye, heart, as well asother body organ and parts. More than 100 of these master controlgenes are knownhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hox_geneAs a long term religious non-believer it it became difficult to turn ablind eye on the possible engineering concept show by this obviouslong term Hox genes which are virtually unchanged from the Cambrianand no doubt before the so called Cambrian explosion. This, to me. isclearly a case of appearance of highly functional and set genes longbefore they were needed for the Cambrian radiation. And they remainhighly conserved (another term for fixed) to the present day and incommon across the animal kingdom.
That's a basic feature of evolution: if something works, it is retained,and built upon.
As you must have noted I posed this matter as a question. It's beenpointed out before that evidence is sometimes subjective.People can observe the same yet arrive at different conclusions. You maysee this as supporting evolution whereas another could see this asevidence of design by a supernatural designer. I see both sides,however, I tend to be agnostic regarding the meaning. Your are rightevolution does use and improve on whatever works.
Those who point to a supernatural designer consistently ignore theelephant in the room: what are the properties of the designer? How didit arise? Keep in mind that the hallmark of science is explaining theworkings of the natural world WITHOUT invoking magical forces or beings.That is why invoking a supernatural designer is no different from anyother religion, and is clearly NOT science.
--MarkA
We hang petty thieves, and appoint the great thieves to public office-- Aesop
Post by Bob WardlawHomeobox genes are short (about 180 base pairs) extremely ancient,highly conserved and are shared across the animal kingdom. More than100 homeobox genes are known. These genes also called Master Controlgenes, control the formation of eyes, hearts, limbs etc across theanimal kingdom.For example the eye across the animal phylum was believed to haveevolved at least 40 times, however, a single Master Control Genecalled Pax 6 has been responsible for the development of eyes in fruitflies (Drosophilia) further research found that the same gene or ahomeologue was found to control the development of eyes in vertebratesincluding zebra fish, squid, mice and all animals tested includinghumans. The discoverer of these genes, Professor Walter Gehring wasmet with considerable resistance by his peers. So, In an experiment hetook the Pax 6 gene from a mouse and placed it in various parts ofthefruit fly, Drosopholia, what appeared was eyes, not mouse eyes, butthe multi-fascited eyes of the fruit fly. So, a mouse Pax 6 Genecontrolled the formation of fly eyes in a fly.www.youris.com/Health/Genetics/One_Gene_One_Vision.klIt has been shown that another Master Control Gene called Tinman,(after Tinman movie charcter in the Wizare of OZ.) is responsible forthe formation of all types of hearts from the fruit fly nK2 homeoboxto humans. In humans this gene for unknown reasons is said to be ahomologue labled NkX2-5 homeobox gene. Yet these genes had to bepresent and highly functional during the Cambrian expansion.https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Tinman%20genehttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gtr/genes/3227/What is not very well understood is exactly how these homeobox geneswork. But they are said to be played by upstream genes which selectthe sections of the homeobox genes which in turn switch on genes thatcascade downstream which express the type of eye, heart, as well asother body organ and parts. More than 100 of these master controlgenes are knownhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hox_geneAs a long term religious non-believer it it became difficult to turn ablind eye on the possible engineering concept show by this obviouslong term Hox genes which are virtually unchanged from the Cambrianand no doubt before the so called Cambrian explosion. This, to me. isclearly a case of appearance of highly functional and set genes longbefore they were needed for the Cambrian radiation. And they remainhighly conserved (another term for fixed) to the present day and incommon across the animal kingdom.
That's a basic feature of evolution: if something works, it is retained,and built upon.
As you must have noted I posed this matter as a question. It's beenpointed out before that evidence is sometimes subjective.People can observe the same yet arrive at different conclusions. You may
They don't. Religious loonies twist it to fit their beliefs. And whenobjective, real world research shows t heir beliefs are wrong, theyignore it.
Post by Bob Wardlawhowever, I tend to be agnostic regarding the meaning. Your are rightevolution does use and improve on whatever works.
Those who point to a supernatural designer consistently ignore theelephant in the room: what are the properties of the designer? How didit arise? Keep in mind that the hallmark of science is explaining theworkings of the natural world WITHOUT invoking magical forces or beings.That is why invoking a supernatural designer is no different from anyother religion, and is clearly NOT science.
If there were actually any evidence for one, science would haveinvestigated it and incorporated the results into the global knowledgebase - and it would have gone down that route.
As far as science is concerned, unless and until somebody providesobjective justification for a designer, there is nothing there.
Post by Bob WardlawHomeobox genes are short (about 180 base pairs) extremely ancient,highly conserved and are shared across the animal kingdom. More than100 homeobox genes are known. These genes also called Master Controlgenes, control the formation of eyes, hearts, limbs etc across theanimal kingdom.For example the eye across the animal phylum was believed to haveevolved at least 40 times, however, a single Master Control Genecalled Pax 6 has been responsible for the development of eyes in fruitflies (Drosophilia) further research found that the same gene or ahomeologue was found to control the development of eyes in vertebratesincluding zebra fish, squid, mice and all animals tested includinghumans. The discoverer of these genes, Professor Walter Gehring wasmet with considerable resistance by his peers. So, In an experiment hetook the Pax 6 gene from a mouse and placed it in various parts ofthefruit fly, Drosopholia, what appeared was eyes, not mouse eyes, butthe multi-fascited eyes of the fruit fly. So, a mouse Pax 6 Genecontrolled the formation of fly eyes in a fly.www.youris.com/Health/Genetics/One_Gene_One_Vision.klIt has been shown that another Master Control Gene called Tinman,(after Tinman movie charcter in the Wizare of OZ.) is responsible forthe formation of all types of hearts from the fruit fly nK2 homeoboxto humans. In humans this gene for unknown reasons is said to be ahomologue labled NkX2-5 homeobox gene. Yet these genes had to bepresent and highly functional during the Cambrian expansion.https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Tinman%20genehttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gtr/genes/3227/What is not very well understood is exactly how these homeobox geneswork. But they are said to be played by upstream genes which selectthe sections of the homeobox genes which in turn switch on genes thatcascade downstream which express the type of eye, heart, as well asother body organ and parts. More than 100 of these master controlgenes are knownhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hox_geneAs a long term religious non-believer it it became difficult to turn ablind eye on the possible engineering concept show by this obviouslong term Hox genes which are virtually unchanged from the Cambrianand no doubt before the so called Cambrian explosion. This, to me. isclearly a case of appearance of highly functional and set genes longbefore they were needed for the Cambrian radiation. And they remainhighly conserved (another term for fixed) to the present day and incommon across the animal kingdom.
That's a basic feature of evolution: if something works, it is retained,and built upon.
As you must have noted I posed this matter as a question. It's beenpointed out before that evidence is sometimes subjective.People can observe the same yet arrive at different conclusions. You maysee this as supporting evolution whereas another could see this asevidence of design by a supernatural designer. I see both sides,however, I tend to be agnostic regarding the meaning. Your are rightevolution does use and improve on whatever works.
Those who point to a supernatural designer consistently ignore theelephant in the room: what are the properties of the designer? How didit arise?
Thanks for your interest in God. God, as a spirit, has only spiritualproperties. The spiritual has too many properties. I have a simplifiedlist in my signature. You can check it out. It should be able to satisfyyour curiosity for a time.
The spiritual existence of God is nothing like our physical existence.Our physical existence has a beginning and ending. God's spiritualexistence, however, has no beginning and ending. It's the eternalincorruptible existence. So God does not have to arise since he hasalways existed.
Keep in mind that the hallmark of science is explaining the
Post by MarkAworkings of the natural world WITHOUT invoking magical forces or beings.That is why invoking a supernatural designer is no different from anyother religion, and is clearly NOT science.
Since the natural world is created by God, God can always be natural aswell as super natural. To God, there is no difference. The difference isonly the result of our limited ability to understand God's boundlesswisdom. So the problem is with us instead of God.
Why did he wait for half of forever to get over before turning thelights on?
God never left the world to leave us alone. He simply didn't want toshow himself when the human race had abandoned him. Your Bible quoteabout God not showing his face actually proves it.
You'd claim that "God knows everything". Then he'd know that showinghimself would allow even reasonable people to believe in him.
"Not showing himself" is more consistent with a nonexistent God thanwith an omniscient God.
BTW, That omniscient God would also know EXACTLY why I don't believe inhim, and what he could do about it. Doing that would requireinfinitesimal power. He continues to not do it. Why should I worry aboutHIS failing?
Why did he wait for half of forever to get over before turning thelights on?
God never left the world to leave us alone. He simply didn't want toshow himself when the human race had abandoned him. Your Bible quoteabout God not showing his face actually proves it.
IOW you are saying that since the human race abandoned God, he abondonedthe human race. I remember from the past that God was sorry he had mademan. And it repented him. But IMO this doesn't speak highly of God.
Post by Bob WardlawHomeobox genes are short (about 180 base pairs) extremely ancient,highly conserved and are shared across the animal kingdom. More than100 homeobox genes are known. These genes also called Master Controlgenes, control the formation of eyes, hearts, limbs etc across theanimal kingdom.For example the eye across the animal phylum was believed to haveevolved at least 40 times, however, a single Master Control Genecalled Pax 6 has been responsible for the development of eyes in fruitflies (Drosophilia) further research found that the same gene or ahomeologue was found to control the development of eyes in vertebratesincluding zebra fish, squid, mice and all animals tested includinghumans. The discoverer of these genes, Professor Walter Gehring wasmet with considerable resistance by his peers. So, In an experiment hetook the Pax 6 gene from a mouse and placed it in various parts ofthefruit fly, Drosopholia, what appeared was eyes, not mouse eyes, butthe multi-fascited eyes of the fruit fly. So, a mouse Pax 6 Genecontrolled the formation of fly eyes in a fly.www.youris.com/Health/Genetics/One_Gene_One_Vision.klIt has been shown that another Master Control Gene called Tinman,(after Tinman movie charcter in the Wizare of OZ.) is responsible forthe formation of all types of hearts from the fruit fly nK2 homeoboxto humans. In humans this gene for unknown reasons is said to be ahomologue labled NkX2-5 homeobox gene. Yet these genes had to bepresent and highly functional during the Cambrian expansion. >https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Tinman%20gene >https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gtr/genes/3227/ > >What is not very well understood is exactly how these homeobox geneswork. But they are said to be played by upstream genes which selectthe sections of the homeobox genes which in turn switch on genes thatcascade downstream which express the type of eye, heart, as well asother body organ and parts. More than 100 of these master controlgenes are known >https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hox_geneAs a long term religious non-believer it it became difficult to turn ablind eye on the possible engineering concept show by this obviouslong term Hox genes which are virtually unchanged from the Cambrianand no doubt before the so called Cambrian explosion. This, to me. isclearly a case of appearance of highly functional and set genes longbefore they were needed for the Cambrian radiation. And they remainhighly conserved (another term for fixed) to the present day and incommon across the animal kingdom.
That's a basic feature of evolution: if something works, it is retained,and built upon.
As you must have noted I posed this matter as a question. It's beenpointed out before that evidence is sometimes subjective.People can observe the same yet arrive at different conclusions. You maysee this as supporting evolution whereas another could see this asevidence of design by a supernatural designer. I see both sides,however, I tend to be agnostic regarding the meaning. Your are rightevolution does use and improve on whatever works.
Those who point to a supernatural designer consistently ignore theelephant in the room: what are the properties of the designer? How didit arise?
Thanks for your interest in God. God, as a spirit, has only spiritualproperties. The spiritual has too many properties. I have a simplifiedlist in my signature. You can check it out. It should be able to satisfyyour curiosity for a time.The spiritual existence of God is nothing like our physical existence.Our physical existence has a beginning and ending. God's spiritualexistence, however, has no beginning and ending. It's the eternalincorruptible existence. So God does not have to arise since he hasalways existed. Keep in mind that the hallmark of science is explaining the
Post by MarkAworkings of the natural world WITHOUT invoking magical forces or beings.That is why invoking a supernatural designer is no different from anyother religion, and is clearly NOT science.
Since the natural world is created by God, God can always be natural aswell as super natural. To God, there is no difference. The difference isonly the result of our limited ability to understand God's boundlesswisdom. So the problem is with us instead of God.
Fact is, if you accept the notion that evidence is unnecessary todemonstrate the existence of God then faith by itself is insufficient,Over the years I've seen people on this and other NGs post pointingto what could be seen as evidence: which could be seen as evidenceimplying a foward thinking intelligent creator deity. The discovery ofhomeobox genes is one solid example. For two reasons:1) they are ancient, yet called "highly conserved" (fixed) by professional.They had to be in existence before the Cambrian explosion, yet remainhighly conserved to the present. One can argue from some hypothesisthat they had to evolve. And so, this is in keeping with Darwin'stheory. But where is the evidence?2) These homeobox genes are basically universal in that every animal sofar tested has the same homeobox genes: even to the extent that a mousePax6 gene was substituted in a fruit fly and the mouse gene controlledthe development of multi-phasited fly eye on the wing of this fly.There is no justification for denying the reality of the appearance ofthese genes before they were needed. These genes are extremely ancientsufficently perfect to be highly conserved (unchanged).
There may be a naturalistic explanation for this, but none come acrossas better than the opinion that homeobox genes are the product ofintelligence. I think any open mind can recognize this possibility.I do not know of any possible better evidence of Gods existence thanthese homeobox genes.
This has rendered my agnostic. I think there must be a naturalisticexplanation that better explains this than intelligence, but I'veyet to find it.
Post by MarkAThose who point to a supernatural designer consistently ignore theelephant in the room: what are the properties of the designer? How didit arise? Keep in mind that the hallmark of science is explaining theworkings of the natural world WITHOUT invoking magical forces or beings.That is why invoking a supernatural designer is no different from anyother religion, and is clearly NOT science.
From what we have observed, intelligence must be preceded by at least13 billion years of time.
Post by Bob WardlawHomeobox genes are short (about 180 base pairs) extremely ancient,highly conserved and are shared across the animal kingdom. More than100 homeobox genes are known. These genes also called Master Controlgenes, control the formation of eyes, hearts, limbs etc across theanimal kingdom.For example the eye across the animal phylum was believed to haveevolved at least 40 times, however, a single Master Control Genecalled Pax 6 has been responsible for the development of eyes in fruitflies (Drosophilia) further research found that the same gene or ahomeologue was found to control the development of eyes in vertebratesincluding zebra fish, squid, mice and all animals tested includinghumans. The discoverer of these genes, Professor Walter Gehring wasmet with considerable resistance by his peers. So, In an experiment hetook the Pax 6 gene from a mouse and placed it in various parts ofthefruit fly, Drosopholia, what appeared was eyes, not mouse eyes, butthe multi-fascited eyes of the fruit fly. So, a mouse Pax 6 Genecontrolled the formation of fly eyes in a fly.www.youris.com/Health/Genetics/One_Gene_One_Vision.klIt has been shown that another Master Control Gene called Tinman,(after Tinman movie charcter in the Wizare of OZ.) is responsible forthe formation of all types of hearts from the fruit fly nK2 homeoboxto humans. In humans this gene for unknown reasons is said to be ahomologue labled NkX2-5 homeobox gene. Yet these genes had to bepresent and highly functional during the Cambrian expansion.https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Tinman%20genehttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gtr/genes/3227/What is not very well understood is exactly how these homeobox geneswork. But they are said to be played by upstream genes which selectthe sections of the homeobox genes which in turn switch on genes thatcascade downstream which express the type of eye, heart, as well asother body organ and parts. More than 100 of these master controlgenes are knownhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hox_geneAs a long term religious non-believer it it became difficult to turn ablind eye on the possible engineering concept show by this obviouslong term Hox genes which are virtually unchanged from the Cambrianand no doubt before the so called Cambrian explosion. This, to me. isclearly a case of appearance of highly functional and set genes longbefore they were needed for the Cambrian radiation. And they remainhighly conserved (another term for fixed) to the present day and incommon across the animal kingdom.
That's a basic feature of evolution: if something works, it is retained,and built upon.
As you must have noted I posed this matter as a question. It's beenpointed out before that evidence is sometimes subjective.People can observe the same yet arrive at different conclusions. You maysee this as supporting evolution whereas another could see this asevidence of design by a supernatural designer. I see both sides,however, I tend to be agnostic regarding the meaning. Your are rightevolution does use and improve on whatever works.
Those who point to a supernatural designer consistently ignore theelephant in the room: what are the properties of the designer? How didit arise?
For two reasons, it doesn't matter how this supernatural deity arose:As in the case of evolution, how life arose is not pertinent to thevalidity of evolution. Abiogenesis and evolution are two differentscientific disciplines.We might have created life in a test tube, but how life actuallystarted, it's unfortunate, but doubtful we will ever reallyknow.As in the case of the universe, scientist, before the discovery of theBig Bang, thought the universe was always the same, eternal with nobeginning and no end. Even Albert Einstein and Fred Hoyle believed this.Dr. Hoyle attempted to give the eternal universe a scientific basis byadvancing his "steady state theory". The "how" did the universe arisewas not pertinent. It didn't matter to the observations scientist weremaking before the Big Bang discovery.
It's the same with the design in the universe. Where there might bedesign, how the designer arose is not pertinent to design. To argue it'ssomehow different is hypocrisy.
Keep in mind that the hallmark of science is explaining the
Post by MarkAworkings of the natural world WITHOUT invoking magical forces or beings.
I agree with this comment. Scientist prefer to think of nature aswithin the confines of a scientific inquiry. This way everythingevery force and every action is under sciences and the "authority" ofscience. Whatever is deemed outside the realm of scientific inquiryand understanding is deemed non-scientific, superstition or magic.So, your expression here, while true, is just a modern philosophicalstance _advanced_ by philosophers of science and accepted by certainscientist and individuals who think of themselves as "thinkers andrationalist".
Post by MarkAThat is why invoking a supernatural designer is no different from anyother religion, and is clearly NOT science.
I totally agree with you it's not science. And neither is it necessaryto invoke a supernatural designer. There is no way, at present timeto know who, what or how design occurred. Perhaps it was evolutionby mutations and natural select over vast periods of time. But somepeople disagree with this. And they are within their rights and theyhave the right to defend their views when challenged or denounced, butdo not have the right to try forcing their views on others.
Many early scientist were religious people whose religion did notalter, effect or influence their scientific experiments or research.I would point to Priest such as Gregor Mendel. He followed thescientific method in his experiments with peas: he is considered to bethe father of genetics.Another was Carl Linnaeus, a christian who believed that since Godcreated the world, it was possible to understand God's wisdom bystudying His creation. This is the man who gave us the current method ofclassification of organisms.Isaac Newton a Catholic who determined the force of gravity and gave uscalculus.Another Priest was Georges Lemaitre an astronomer who first saw inEinstein's theory of relativity and found his math showed universesexpansion and predicted a beginning which he called the Primal atom. Hegave us the (Big Bang theory, but Fred Hoyle sarcastically called itthe Big Bang.There were numerous Christians who are known as the fathers or mothersof many of the scientific disciplines we know today. While they usedthe scientific method they did not reject their religion. Neither didthey turn to their religion when engaging in scientific activities.
It might be intereisting to note that the modern scientific method inEurope was further developed by a Roger Bacon, a Franciscan frar whoturned to ancient Greek, ohilospher and Muslem scientist to furtherdevelop the scientific method.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Bacon
Another founder of the modern scientific method was Francis Bacon adevout Anglican and the father of induction.www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/scholarsandscientists/francis-bacon.html
So based on the significance contributions to science, it's obvious thatreligion is not a hinderance to science.
Post by Bob WardlawAnd they are within their rights and theyhave the right to defend their views when challenged or denounced, butdo not have the right to try forcing their views on others.Isaac Newton a Catholic
Nope. Nominally Church of England, in his heart of heartssomeone the Anglican "heretics' would consider a heretic.
Post by Bob WardlawAnother founder of the modern scientific method was Francis Bacon adevout Anglican and the father of induction.www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/scholarsandscientists/francis-bacon.htmlSo based on the significance contributions to science, it's obvious thatreligion is not a hinderance to science.
Neither is it a hindrance. :)
A religious person can have a scientific mindset, at the expense of thekind of immanent ghod that many fundamentalists insist on, the onewho answers your prayer that your corn flakes didn't wilt in the milkwhen breakfast got interrupted by your need to head to the LittleFundies' room and tinkle. It is most consonant with the Deist's"Cosmic Watchmaker" model of ghod.
Occam's razor continues to reduce the areas needed for this ghodof the gaps to tinker with, as we learn more about the universe.
Post by Bob WardlawAnd they are within their rights and theyhave the right to defend their views when challenged or denounced, butdo not have the right to try forcing their views on others.Isaac Newton a Catholic
Nope. Nominally Church of England, in his heart of heartssomeone the Anglican "heretics' would consider a heretic.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_views_of_Isaac_Newton
Post by Bob WardlawAnother founder of the modern scientific method was Francis Bacon adevout Anglican and the father of induction.www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/scholarsandscientists/francis-bacon.htmlSo based on the significance contributions to science, it's obvious thatreligion is not a hinderance to science.
Neither is it a hindrance. :)A religious person can have a scientific mindset, at the expense of thekind of immanent ghod that many fundamentalists insist on, the onewho answers your prayer that your corn flakes didn't wilt in the milkwhen breakfast got interrupted by your need to head to the LittleFundies' room and tinkle. It is most consonant with the Deist's"Cosmic Watchmaker" model of ghod.Occam's razor continues to reduce the areas needed for this ghodof the gaps to tinker with, as we learn more about the universe.Take the logic to its inevitable conclusion.
There is nothing in this response that addresses anything I believeor that I wrote.
|
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Retrospective detection of potential medication errors involving drugs with similar names.
To estimate frequencies of potential errors involving similarly named drugs using a retrospective claims database and measure the association between frequencies of potential errors and two measures of drug name similarity, edit distance (minimum number of insertions, substitutions, or deletions of characters required to change a given word into another target word) and normalized edit distance (proportion of letters that must be changed to commute one word to another, and ranges from 0 to 1, with 0 indicating identical words, and 1 indicating a pair of words with no common letters). Retrospective database analysis. Idaho Medicaid claims data from 1993 to 2000. Not applicable. Potential errors were detected using adjacent claims generated by dispensing of one drug followed by dispensing of the other drug with a similar name. In all, four potential error criteria were developed: two for detecting potential refill errors and two for detecting potential initial errors. A total of 10 drug pairs were randomly selected from the Idaho Medicaid claims database for each value of edit distance, which ranged from 1 to 30 (n = 300). Frequencies of potential medication errors in claims sequences for initial and refill claims, edit distance, and normalized edit distance. Of 300 drug pairs studied, 106 (35.33%) were involved in at least one potential error. A total of 1,138 dispensing episodes satisfied the criteria for potential errors. Frequencies of potential errors per drug pair were negatively associated with edit distance (r = -0.133, P < .05) and normalized edit distance (r = -0.226, P < .01). Frequencies of potential initial errors also were negatively associated with edit distance (r = -0.126, P < .05) and normalized edit distance (r = -0.222, P < .01). Potential refill errors also had negative association with edit distance (r = -0.134, P < .05) and normalized edit distance (r = -0.226, P < .01). Error criteria were successfully applied to a retrospective claims database to detect potential initial and refill errors that involved similarly named drugs.
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Brian Mundell
Drafted in the 7th round (197th overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2015 (signed for $185,000)
Mundell cracked 11 home runs in 2013 as a freshman for the Mustangs, mostly as a DH but at times as a catcher. He had hit just nine home runs in the following two seasons, though, and moved down the defensive spectrum to first base. Mundell has the bat speed to hit good fastballs, though, with plus raw power that he doesn't get to consistently. He had some hamstring issues that slowed him early in the season.
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Q:
'sh run global' and 'sh run nat' yield no output but a ton of NAT in 'sh run'
As the topic says, I'm investigating NAT on a clients ASA - it's running old 7.2 train code - I execute 'sh run global' and 'sh run nat' - the latter command only returns a single nat 0 line.
When I do a 'sh run | b static' (which I thought would've shown up under one of the previous two commands!) I get a long list of policy based nat in the format of 'static (outside,inside) x.x.x.x access-list ' Which is what I would expect to have seen from one of those previously attempted commands.
What commands need to be run to see everything involving nat on a 7.2 ASA? I am not seeing any kind of DST nat (which I expect in this particular case) for the tunnel I'm looking at, but yet the tunnel is up and passing traffic, so it's happening somewhere!
Thank you in advance!
A:
'show run static' is a usable show command as well.
A:
show global
show nat
show static
show conduit (unless you've switched to ACLs)
Of course, that's going to be 90% of the entire configuration anyway. (more if pdm isn't enabled, thus flooding the config with pdm location ...)
|
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Q:
display details of record in new VF page when save button is clicked
this is my page1
<apex:page standardController="Case" extensions="newClass" showHeader="false" >
<apex:form >
<apex:pageBlock title="Case Status">
<apex:pageBlockSection columns="1">
<apex:inputField value="{!Case.Status}"/>
<apex:inputField value="{!Case.Reason}"/>
<apex:inputField value="{!Case.Priority}"/>
</apex:pageBlockSection>
<div>
<apex:commandButton action="{!redirectToMyVF}" value="CloseCase"/>
</div>
</apex:pageBlock>
</apex:form>
</apex:page>
this is my page2
<apex:page standardController="Case" extensions="newClass" showHeader="false" >
<apex:form >
<apex:pageBlock title="Case Status">
<apex:pageBlockSection columns="1">
<apex:inputField value="{!Case.Status}"/>
<apex:inputField value="{!Case.Reason}"/>
<apex:inputField value="{!Case.Priority}"/>
</apex:pageBlockSection>
<apex:pageBlockButtons>
<apex:commandButton action="{!saveAndRedirect}" value="Save"/>
</apex:pageBlockButtons>
</apex:pageBlock>
</apex:form>
</apex:page>
my apex class
public class newClass {
public newClass (ApexPages.StandardController controller) {
}
public PageReference redirectToMyVF() {
PageReference pref = new PageReference('/apex/Page');
pref.setRedirect(true);
return pref;
}
public PageReference saveAndRedirect() {
if(controller.Save() != null) {
PageReference redirectPage = Page.mypage2;
return redirectPage;
} return null;
}
}
A:
From your code, I assume you create the record on Page2 and then redirect the user to Page1 with the details of the case record that you just created.
To do so, you need to pass the record id of the case record in the URL that you just created, so that when the Page1 loads, it retrieves the information about the record created.
Controller:
public class newClass {
public Case caseRecord { get; set; }
public newClass (ApexPages.StandardController controller) {
}
public PageReference redirectToMyVF() {
PageReference pref = new PageReference('/apex/Page');
pref.setRedirect(true);
return pref;
}
public PageReference saveAndRedirect() {
if(controller.Save() != null) {
//save your case record
controller.Save();
//retrieve the case record
caseRecord = ( Case ) controller.getRecord();
System.debug( caseRecord );
//pass the case id as the URL parameter
PageReference redirectPage = '/mypage2?id=' + caseRecord.Id;
return redirectPage;
} return null;
}
}
Visualforce page:
<!-- this is the page where you want to show the newly created record details -->
<apex:page standardController="Case" extensions="newClass" showHeader="false" >
<apex:form >
<apex:pageBlock title="Case Status">
<apex:pageBlockSection columns="1">
<apex:inputField value="{!caseRecord.Status}"/>
<apex:inputField value="{!caseRecord.Reason}"/>
<apex:inputField value="{!caseRecord.Priority}"/>
</apex:pageBlockSection>
<div>
<apex:commandButton action="{!redirectToMyVF}" value="CloseCase"/>
</div>
</apex:pageBlock>
</apex:form>
</apex:page>
|
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Dear users,
In anticipation of OCE listing, we are going to do a lucky draw! Retweet our countdown tweet (tweet will be sent out via OceanEx Official at 20:00 each day from March 28th to 30th)to win OCE and OceanEx Hoodies!
Five numbers (11, 30, 3, 31, 113) are selected each day to be rewarded with 300 OCE each, namely number 3rd, 11th, 30th, 31st and 113th followers who retweet the countdown tweet of each day and meet the requirements will be rewarded. These five numbers represent 2 important milestones for OceanEx —OceanEx exchange was online on 11–30 (Nov 30th) and OCE listing on 3–31 (Mar 31st). Please don’t hesitate to join us on Twitter to celebrate the OCE listing and witness another milestone together.
Event Time Period: 20:00, Mar 28th — 20:00, Mar 31st, 2019 (UTC+8)
Steps and Requirements:
1. Follow us on Twitter @OceanExOfficial
2. Retweet every day’s countdown tweet within the event time range with your wishes to OceanEx or your amazing OceanEx trading experiences, along with the hashtag #OCEListing
3. TAG 3 friends whom you would like to invite to experience OceanEx together with
Special Bonus:
OceanEx Hoodies are prepared for special followers! On 29th and 30th, followers who retweet at 03:31 am (UTC+8) and meet our requirement will get an OceanEx Hoodie each. On 31st qualified retweet at 03:31 am (UTC+8) will get an OceanEx limited edition hoodie.
Important Notice:
Winners will be announced every other day at 22:00 (UTC+8) during the event. If you are on our winner lists, please PM our official twitter to provide your OceanEx email account or address for receiving OCE or OceanEx hoodie.
If there are no RT at 03:31 (UTC+8), the Hoodie will be given to the next one who is qualified.
OCE will be distributed to all winners within 7 business days after the event.
OceanEx reserves all the rights of final explanation.
Looking forward to your participation!
OceanEx Team
Mar/28/2019
Follow us on our official channels:
Website: https://OceanEx.pro
Twitter — https://twitter.com/OceanexOfficial
Telegram — https://t.me/OceanEx_Official
|
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I’m not sure why so many people are sleeping on this game. It gives me a lot of Mass Effect vibes from it with this companion system. The Technomancer could be the dark horse of 2016. What do you guys think?
Just a content creator using his influence to create an outlet to express his views on pop culture
|
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Elnias Šiauliai
Elnias Šiauliai was a Lithuanian football club from Šiauliai.
History
It was founded by Elnias leather and shoes factory. It was the most accomplished football club from Šiauliai during Soviet times. Elnias had the most wins (7) in Lithuanian SSR Top League (1945–1989).
Achievements
Lithuanian SSR Top League
Winners (7): 1948, 1949, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1959–1960, 1960–1961
Runners-up (3): 1950, 1951, 1956
Third places (3): 1952, 1954, 1958–1959
Lithuanian Cup (Tiesa Cup):
Winners (3): 1950, 1957, 1959
Runners-up (1): 1951
3rd place in Baltic Radio Cup Tournament (1958)
Managers
Voldemaras Jaškevičius, 1948–1953
A. Sipavičius, 1955–1958
I. Urbonas, 1958–1959
V. Šambaris, 1959–1960
S. Rostkauskas, 1961–1965
H. Jakimavičius, 1966–1968
R. Jankauskas, 1969–1986
External links
Statistics – futbolinis.lt
Category:Defunct football clubs in Lithuania
Category:Sport in Šiauliai
Category:1947 establishments in Lithuania
Category:1986 disestablishments in Lithuania
Category:Association football clubs established in 1947
Category:Association football clubs disestablished in 1986
|
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A San Diego man who operated a “revenge porn” website and then charged victims to remove nude images and personal information was sentenced on Friday to 18 years in state prison, the attorney general’s office has said. Kevin Bollaert, 28, was convicted in February of 21 counts of identity theft and six counts of extortion in San Diego superior court for running a pair of websites that capitalised on the internet as a forum for public shaming.
Jilted lovers and hackers could anonymously post nude photos of people without their consent, along with personal information, at a website Bollaert created called ugotposted.com. More than 10,000 images, mainly of women, were posted between December 2012 and September 2013. People who sought to have the explicit images taken down were directed to changemyreputation.com and charged $250 to $350 to remove the content.
The compromising photos cost people jobs, damaged relationships and led to one attempted suicide. Bollaert earned about $900 a month in website ad revenue and collected about $30,000 from victims.
Bollaert’s lawyer claimed at the trial that the business was gross and offensive, but that their client did not break the law by allowing others to post the explicit material.
|
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Introduction
In the early morning of April 15, 1865, Abraham Lincoln succumbed to a gunshot wound to the head, and became the first United States president to be assassinated. While the president and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, were taking in the play Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., John Wilkes Booth entered the Presidential box where they were seated and fired one shot. In one terrifying instant, most of the nation was left griefstricken and without a leader.
Booth, a famous actor, knew the theatre's staff and floorplan very well, and went in and out of its room throughout that fateful day, planning his attack. He viewed Lincoln as a most vile tyrant. Certainly, Lincoln was an "enemy" to Booth's beloved South, whom had just conceded the brutal Civil War on April 9. Booth felt killing Abraham Lincoln was not only going to give much-needed relief to the Confederate army and government was they could regroup and continue to the Southern struggle, but he felt it was his destiny.
With this website, I hope to give you a sufficient, albeit brief, look at Booth and that night and that gunshot which forever changed the United States of America.
For a much more comprehensive and insightful look at the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, I suggest reading Edward Steers, Jr.'s Blood on the Moon (The University Press of Kentucky), which offers in incredible detail the events leading up to, during, and after that night at Ford's Theatre.
- Chad Smith
This lithograph depicts John Wilkes Booth jumping to the stage of Ford's Theatre after shooting President Lincoln:
|
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Map of Ukraine locating the eastern city of Donetsk; Ukraine's interior minister says the military is now in control of the city's airport, a day after pro-Russian separatists were defeated in the national election.
DONETSK, Ukraine — The Ukrainian army said Tuesday that it had evicted armed separatists from the international airport in Donetsk after a 24-hour gun battle, but the government in Kiev warned of a new threat as truckloads of armed Russian volunteers reportedly crossed the border.
Donetsk Mayor Oleksandr Lukyanchenko said 48 people were killed, including two civilians, in the fighting at Sergei Prokofiev International Airport.
The pro-Russian rebels said they had suffered more than 50 fatalities, many of them the result of an army attack on a truck evacuating wounded. A government spokesman said the incident was under investigation.
Shots still were being fired near the airport Tuesday afternoon, and it wasn’t clear when the facility would reopen. If the Ukraine military has cleared the facility of insurgents, it would mark a rare and swift success for a force that repeatedly has failed to dislodge separatists from city halls and police stations in eastern Ukraine.
The unity of Ukraine is riding on how the government handles the separatist uprising in the east, the latest installment of which began at 3 a.m. Monday, just hours after the conclusion of national elections that installed candy billionaire Petro Poroshenko as president. Dozens of armed insurgents of the self-styled Donetsk People’s Republic stormed the airport terminal, closed it to passenger traffic and then sent in a truckload of reinforcements.
The military waited 10 hours to respond, then flew combat jets over the scene before mounting a helicopter assault and air attacks against the insurgents.
No details of the raids have been released, including government casualties, but according to an initial account, only one government soldier was wounded. Also unknown is the fate and whereabouts of the 200 or more insurgents who took part in the assault.
U.S. Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt said Tuesday that the militants who took part in the attack on the airport had come across the border from Russia.
Donetsk was tense Tuesday, and most residents heeded Lukyanchenko’s warning to stay indoors. Many residents expected further clashes, particularly if the military decides to attack the Donetsk regional administration building, which the Donetsk People’s Republic now occupies and uses as its headquarters.
“We have posed another ultimatum to them, and if they do not surrender, we will strike them with special weapons,” Vladislav Seleznev, a government spokesman, told reporters in Kiev. He didn’t say whether the army had acquired precision-guided munitions or some other weapons system.
Equally ominous was the possibility that more armed volunteers will head to this city of 1 million for the showdown. Just hours after a Monday appeal for help to Russian President Vladimir Putin by Dennis Pushlin, the self-appointed chairman of the “Supreme Soviet” of the Donetsk People’s Republic, armed Russian volunteers were reported to have crossed into Ukraine.
In the Luhansk region, whose People’s Republic is linked to the Donetsk People’s Republic through a union called Novorossiya, Ukrainian border guards intercepted several carloads of militants who attempted to cross illegally from Russia with a stash of assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and explosives. One gunmen was captured but several escaped, the state border service said.
At another location, an enormous number of armed militants appear to have crossed in early Tuesday. The Ukraine Foreign Ministry said it was protesting Russia’s failure to take action against 40 truckloads of militants who entered near Astakhovo, also in the Luhansk region.
“There are grounds to believe that Russian terrorists are being sent onto Ukrainian territory, organized and financed under the direct control of the Kremlin and Russian special services,” the ministry said.
“In fact, we are dealing with undisguised aggression against Ukraine from Russia, the Russian export of terrorism on the territory of our country,” the ministry said, asking the international community to take “immediate and decisive action” to stop Russian “aggression.”
McClatchy independently confirmed that a large number of militants had crossed into Ukraine from Russia. A Ukrainian official who closely follows issues along the border said hundreds of Russian volunteers had entered Ukraine. The official could not be quoted by name because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
———
McClatchy special correspondent Kira Zheleznyak contributed to this report
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{
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
}
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İstanbul Güngören Oto ekspertiz Otoexper.net Profesyonel Oto Ekspertiz Güngören Profesyonel bir oto ekspertiz hizmeti almak ve bu hizmeti kaliteli malzeme ve ekipman kullanan bir firmadan almak son derece önemlidir. Oto ekspertiz hizmeti firmamız tarafından profesyonel bir şekilde, uzun yıllardan beri yürütülen bir hizmettir. Sektörün önde gelen firmalarından biri olarak, müşterilerine en kaliteli ve güvenilir hizmeti […]
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{
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
}
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disappearing text
has anybody else noticed a problem wiith text disappearing? I start to reply to a thread and sometimes if i pause to look what I've typed the txt i have just written vanishes before my eyes! Its not doing it on anything else but A-S.net!!
Useful Searches
About US
Our community has been around for many years and pride ourselves on offering unbiased, critical discussion among people of all different backgrounds. We are working every day to make sure our community is one of the best.
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{
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
}
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Djègbè
Djègbè may refer to several places in Benin:
Djègbè, Collines
Djègbè, Zou
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{
"pile_set_name": "Wikipedia (en)"
}
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Arrest report: Seahawks' Lane admitted to using marijuana before driving
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane registered a blood-alcohol-content level well under the legal limit but admitted to having smoked marijuana before he was pulled over early Sunday morning, leading to his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to a Washington State Patrol incident report.
Lane was pulled over on Mercer Island just east of Seattle after his 2006 Dodge Charger was clocked traveling 80 mph in a 60 mph zone, according to the report, which was obtained by ESPN. The arresting patrolman said he observed the vehicle drifting and changing lanes without signaling. Lane's vehicle also had its hazard lights on.
The patrolman wrote in the report that there "was a strong odor of burnt marijuana inside the vehicle" when Lane rolled down the window and that he could smell "a moderate odor of intoxicants emanating from Lane in the open air" once the cornerback stepped out of his vehicle. Lane said he hadn't been drinking and that he had smoked marijuana about three hours earlier, according to the report.
The Seahawks' Jeremy Lane told Washington State Patrol when he was pulled over that he hadn't been drinking and that he had smoked marijuana about three hours earlier, according to an incident report. Michael Zito/AP for Panini
The patrolman noted that Lane's eyes were watery and bloodshot and that his speech was slow and slurred. Lane showed possible signs of impairment on all three of the field sobriety tests he underwent, according to the report. He agreed to take a breath test and registered a BAC of .039. The legal limit in Washington State is .08.
The patrolman wrote, "I explained to Lane several times throughout our contact that he was under arrest because of his driving ability, performance on the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, and admission to smoking marijuana led me to believe that he was impaired by a combination of alcohol and marijuana."
The report states Lane expressed concern over being arrested on suspicion of DUI and that he didn't want people thinking he was drunk, with Lane quoted as saying, "This time I was more high than anything."
After being taken to Overlake Hospital for a blood draw, Lane was booked into King County Jail and was released almost four hours later on his own recognizance, according to the report and jail records.
Lane, 27, is one of the Seahawks' longest-tenured players, having been drafted in the sixth round in 2012 out of Northwestern State in Louisiana. He was Seattle's primary nickelback from 2014 to 2016 and made 21 starts, including six this past season at cornerback.
However, the Seahawks benched him twice in 2017, first after he began the season as the starter at right cornerback and then after he took over on the left side following Richard Sherman's season-ending Achilles injury. In between those benchings, the Seahawks traded Lane to the Houston Texans only to get him back because of a failed physical.
He is scheduled to make $6 million in salary and count $7.25 million against the cap in each of the remaining two seasons on his contract. Those costs plus Lane's down 2017 season have led to the belief that he's unlikely to remain with Seattle in 2018.
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{
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
}
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Evolution of the apolipoproteins. Structure of the rat apo-A-IV gene and its relationship to the human genes for apo-A-I, C-III, and E.
We have determined the nucleotide sequence of the rat apolipoprotein (apo-) A-IV gene and analyzed its structural and evolutionary relationships to the human apolipoprotein A-I, E, and C-III genes. The rat A-IV gene is 2.4 kilobases in size and consists of three exons (142, 126, and 1157 base pairs) interrupted by two introns (277 and 673 base pairs). The 5'-nontranslated region and most of the signal peptide are encoded by the first exon. Thus, the apo-A-IV gene lacks an intron in the 5'-nontranslated region of its mRNA in contrast to all other known apolipoprotein genes. Sequences coding for amphipathic docosapeptides span both the second and third exons of the rat A-IV gene. We demonstrate that this is also true for the human apolipoprotein genes. This gene family seems to have evolved by the duplication of an ancestral minigene that resulted in the formation of two exons. Thereafter, evolution of these sequences was dominated by intraexonic amplification of repeating units coding for amphipathic peptides. Sequence divergence of these repeats resulted in the functional differentiation of the apolipoproteins. However, conservation of the fundamental amphipathic pattern allowed members of this protein family to retain their lipid-binding properties.
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{
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
}
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config HFSPLUS_FS
tristate "Apple Extended HFS file system support"
depends on BLOCK
select NLS
select NLS_UTF8
help
If you say Y here, you will be able to mount extended format
Macintosh-formatted hard drive partitions with full read-write access.
This file system is often called HFS+ and was introduced with
MacOS 8. It includes all Mac specific filesystem data such as
data forks and creator codes, but it also has several UNIX
style features such as file ownership and permissions.
config HFSPLUS_FS_POSIX_ACL
bool "HFS+ POSIX Access Control Lists"
depends on HFSPLUS_FS
select FS_POSIX_ACL
help
POSIX Access Control Lists (ACLs) support permissions for users and
groups beyond the owner/group/world scheme.
To learn more about Access Control Lists, visit the POSIX ACLs for
Linux website <http://acl.bestbits.at/>.
It needs to understand that POSIX ACLs are treated only under
Linux. POSIX ACLs doesn't mean something under Mac OS X.
Mac OS X beginning with version 10.4 ("Tiger") support NFSv4 ACLs,
which are part of the NFSv4 standard.
If you don't know what Access Control Lists are, say N
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{
"pile_set_name": "Github"
}
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Oakfield Surgery relocating to new premises
Posted on 14 Jul 2017
Important Information Regarding Oakfield Surgery
Dear Patients,
Your GP surgery is relocating to new premises from Monday 12th June 2017
With effect from Monday 12th June 2017, Oakfield Surgery (21 High Street, Penge, London, SE20 7HJ) and The Park Practice (113 Anerley Road, London SE20 8AJ) will be relocating to Oaks Park Medical Centre (17 Oakfield Road, London SE20 8QA). As you will be aware, this relocation has been planned for some time and now we are pleased to confirm that the new premises is ready. Although the practices will be moving to the same site, the surgeries will remain separate. There will be no change to the practice doctors, staff or services – all will move to the new location.
The Park Practice and Oakfield Surgery very much hope that you will continue to be registered there. If you wish to remain with your current practice, you do not need to take any action. Your medical records will be securely transferred to the new location.
However, all patients have the choice to register with another practice if they wish. If you choose to find another practice, you should contact the practice directly and ask staff to register you. The practice will need to check that you live within its catchment area. You can find a surgery near you using the NHS Choices website at http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/GP/LocationSearch/4 or you can call the NHS Customer Helpline on 0300 311 2233.
If you have any questions about the move, please contact Oakfield Surgery on 020 8776 6514 or the Park Practice on 020 8778 8027.
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{
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
}
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235 F.3d 975 (6th Cir. 2000)
Richard J. Rybarczyk, Minoru Mizuba, and William Rittenhouse, Plaintiffs-Appellees,v.TRW, Inc. and TRW Salaried Pension Plan, Defendants-Appellants.
No. 97-4167
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT
Argued: December 9, 1998Decided and Filed: December 21, 2000
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio at Cleveland. Nos. 95-02800; 96-02493, Ann Aldrich, District Judge.[Copyrighted Material Omitted]
John Winship Read, Amanda Martinsek, VORYS, SATER, SEYMOUR & PEASE, Cleveland, Ohio, for Appellants.
David S. Cupps, Robert N. Webner, VORYS, SATER, SEYMOUR & PEASE, Columbus, Ohio, John Winship Read, Amanda Marinsek, VORYS, SATER, SEYMOUR & PEASE, Cleveland, Ohio, for Defendant-Appellant.
Robert D. Gary, Gary, Naegele & Theado, Lorain, Ohio, Paul E. Slater, SPERLING, SLATER & SPITZ, Chicago, Illinois, Eric H. Zagrans, ZAGRANS LAW FIRM, Elyria, Ohio, for Appellees.
Before: WELLFORD, NELSON, and DAUGHTREY, Circuit Judges.
NELSON, J., delivered the opinion of the court, in which DAUGHTREY, J., joined. WELLFORD, J. (p. 987), delivered a separate opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part.
OPINION
DAVID A. NELSON, Circuit Judge.
1
Here we have an appeal by a manufacturing company and its pension plan from a summary judgment in favor of a class of employees who took early retirement from the company. The plaintiff class-members claimed that the lump sum pension benefits distributed to them at retirement were too low in amount.
2
The district court concluded that the employer (TRW, Inc.) was collaterally estopped to make its lump sum benefit calculations under a methodology less favorable to the retirees than that mandated by this court in an earlier class action,Costantino v. TRW, Inc., 13 F.3d 969 (6th Cir. 1994). The district court further held that the members of the class were entitled to prejudgment interest at the greater of the interest rate on 52-week U.S. Treasury bills or the rate of return actually realized by TRW on the money found to have been wrongfully withheld.
3
Upon de novo review of the benefit calculation issue, we conclude that the plaintiff class is not entitled to avail itself of the collateral estoppel doctrine. We further conclude, however, that the portion of the lump sum payments attributable to service rendered prior to a certain plan amendment adopted on December 18, 1986, reflects a violation of the "anti-cutback rule"contained in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA") and the Internal Revenue Code (the "I.R.C." or "Code"). There was no violation, in our view, with respect to the portion attributable to service rendered subsequent to the amendment.
4
As to the district court's resolution of the prejudgment interest question, we find no abuse of the court's discretion.
5
The challenged judgment will be affirmed in part and reversed in part.
6
* As of 1984 - prior to the enactment by Congress of the first of a series of ERISA and I.R.C. amendments that we shall describe presently - TRW's Salaried Pension Plan (a defined benefit plan, as opposed to a defined contribution plan) offered employees a "normal retirement" option and an "early retirement" option. Employees electing to retire at age 65 were entitled to receive a normal retirement annuity consisting of specified monthly payments starting at age 65 and continuing until the retiree's death. The second option was designed to provide an incentive for early retirement by offering salaried employees who retired between ages 60 and 65 the same annuity, with the same monthly payments, starting immediately on retirement. (In addition, a slightly reduced monthly payment was offered to employees who retired between ages 55 and 60.) Because the level of benefits for early retirees was not lowered (or was not sufficiently lowered) to make up for the increase in the length of time over which payments would be made to them, the total lifetime pension benefit available to early retirees was greater than the total lifetime benefit available to age-65 retirees. The benefit received by early retirees was called, in the jargon of the cognoscenti, a "subsidized" benefit.
7
The plan also provided that retirees could elect to take their pension benefits in a lump sum, payable up-front, rather than as a series of monthly payments. The amount of the lump sum was calculated under a prescribed formula that discounted the monthly payment stream to its present value. Prior to 1986, the plan provided that the interest rate used in making the present value calculation would be the Moody's Aaa bond rate.
8
In the Retirement Equity Act of 1984,1 Congress set a ceiling on the interest rates that could be used in calculating the present value of future pension payments. (It will be helpful to keep the following relationship in mind: the higher the interest rate utilized in the present value calculation, the lower the lump sum produced by that calculation.) Under the statute, the interest rate was capped at a level set by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. This rate - the technical derivation of which need not concern us here - is commonly called the "PBGC rate." The statutory cap meant that TRW employees electing to take their early retirement benefits in a lump sum would receive payments substantially greater in amount than the payments to which they would have been entitled under the plan as originally written2.
9
The Retirement Equity Act also provided that early retirement subsidies such as those offered in the TRW plan were subject to an "anti-cutback" rule embodied in ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code. The anti-cutback rule prohibits the amendment of pension plans in such a way as toreduce benefit rights that have already accrued. See ERISA § 204(g), 29 U.S.C. § 1054(g), and I.R.C. (26 U.S.C.) §411(d)(6) (1984)3.
10
As of October 22, 1986, the Tax Reform Act of 19864 retroactively raised the interest rate ceiling where the vested accrued benefit (calculated in a manner specified by statute) exceeded $25,000. The new ceiling for such distributions was 120 percent of the PBGC rate. (The amended ceiling - i.e., the PBGC rate for distributions of $25,000 or less and 120 percent of the PBGC rate for distributions exceeding $25,000 - is commonly called the "§ 1139 rate," after the relevant section of the Tax Reform Act.) The Code and ERISA also provided that a plan could not distribute a benefit in a lump sum without the participant's consent if the benefit was over $3,5005.
11
Because of the ballooning effect of the Retirement Equity Act on early retirement lump sum distributions (or so we surmise), TRW eventually decided to eliminate any early retirement subsidy where the lump sum form of payment was chosen. This decision was implemented in plan amendments adopted on December 18, 1986 - a date critically important, as we shall see, to the resolution of the case now before us.
12
With the December 18 amendments, which were made retroactive to January 1, 1985, TRW's retirement plan provided in relevant part as follows:
13
"The lump sum benefit shall be the present value of the monthly single life annuity (excluding any early retirement subsidy) to which the Participant would have been entitled except for the election of the lump sum form of payment. The lump sum shall include the present value of the anticipated Post-Retirement Adjustments which would have been made had the Participant elected monthly payments." TRW Salaried Pension Plan, Section 5.9(b)(i), as amended December 18, 1986 (emphasis supplied)6.
14
The elimination of the early retirement lump sum subsidy gave rise to the class action in which we issued the decision reported as Costantino v. TRW, Inc., 13 F.3d 969 (6th Cir. 1994). The Costantino class was made up of TRW employees who had taken early retirement between January 1, 1985, and October 22, 1986, and who had elected to receive lump sum distributions. It was claimed on behalf of this class that the retroactive amendments adopted on December 18, 1986, violated the anti-cutback rule quoted in note 2, supra.
15
TRW argued in Costantino that the amendments had not reduced the benefit in terms of real dollars. This court held, however, that regardless of the dollar amount of the lump sum distribution, the anti-cutback rule prohibited elimination of the early retirement subsidy for a retiree who had already qualified for the subsidy. Costantino, 13 F.3d at 977-78.
16
TRW also argued in Costantino that the rate cap was applicable only to "accrued benefits," a term that according to TRW meant only unsubsidized benefits. Id. at 978. This court rejected TRW's arguments in a two-part analysis. First, we noted, a Treasury Department regulation codified at 26 C.F.R. § 1.411(a)-11(a)(2) required that the amount of any accrued benefit be calculated in accordance with prescribed valuation rules that contemplated use of the § 1139 rate. Costantino, 13 F.3d 979. Second, the regulation required that the subsidized early retirement benefit be treated as an accrued benefit for purposes of the anti-cutback rule. Id. The regulation, Costantino declared, "expressly requires that, where a plan provides that a lump sum distribution of a subsidized early retirement benefit is available as an option, the section 1139 interest rate must be applied to calculate the value of the distribution." Id. And the regulation, said Costantino, "treats subsidized benefits as if they were accrued benefits" for the purpose of "limiting an employer's ability to distribute benefits without appropriately calculating the value of any subsidies." Id.
17
Turning to the case at bar, we note that plaintiff Richard Rybarczyk represents a class of TRW retirees who retired between October 23, 1986, and July 1, 1996. Plaintiffs Minoru Mizuba and William Rittenhouse represent a class of retirees who retired between January 1, 1989, and July 1, 1996. The two classes have been merged for purposes of the lawsuit. All members of the merged class have received lump sum distributions of more than $25,000.
18
The members of this class were beneficiaries of certain plan amendments adopted by TRW on Oct. 24, 1988, retroactiveto Jan. 1, 1985. Insofar as lump sum payments of more than $25,000 were concerned, the 1988 amendments called for alternative calculations: the Moody's Aaa rate was to be applied to the subsidized early retirement benefit, and 120 percent of the PBGC rate was to be applied to the unsubsidized early retirement benefit, with the amount of the lump sum payment being determined under the calculation that would give the employee the larger benefit7. Notwithstanding that the 1988 amendments yielded more generous lump sum payments than those provided for by the version of the plan in effect prior to the amendments, the plaintiffs contend that use of the Moody's rate under any circumstance violates the relevant provisions of ERISA and the I.R.C.8
19
In granting summary judgment to the plaintiffs, the district court relied on the doctrine of collateral estoppel.Costantino, said the district court, had "clearly held that § 1139 applies whenever a plan calculates the present value of subsidized benefits." Rybarczyk v. TRW, Inc., 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3186, at *23 (N.D. Ohio 1997). Therefore, the district court concluded, TRW could "no longer assert . . .that the law allows it to calculate the present value of a subsidized benefit without using the § 1139 rate. TRW raised these very arguments before the Sixth Circuit in Costantino, and the Sixth Circuit ruled against it." Id. at *27.
20
The district court also awarded prejudgment interest to the plaintiffs at a rate determined in accordance with the following formula:
21
"[T]he greater of (a) interest at a rate equal to the coupon issue yield equivalent (as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury) of the average accepted auction price for the last auction of fifty-two week United States Treasury bills settled immediately prior to the date of the initial lump sum distribution to the class member, compounded annually, or (b) interest equal to the rate of return actually earned on the principal amount of the underpayment during the prejudgment period." Rybarczyk, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13848, at *15 - *16.
22
In the present appeal, TRW challenges both the district court's use of collateral estoppel and the court's prejudgment interest rate formula.
II
23
* The doctrine of collateral estoppel, as the district court explained, precludes a party from relitigating issues resolved against that party in a prior proceeding. See Parklane Hosiery Co. , Inc. v. Shore, 439 U.S. 322, 326 (1979). If the benefit of the collateral estoppel doctrine is to be claimed successfully,"(1) the precise issue raised in the present case must have been raised and actually litigated in the prior proceeding; (2) determination of the issue must have been necessary to the outcome of the prior proceeding; (3) the prior proceeding must have resulted in a final judgment on the merits; and (4) the party against whom estoppel is sought must have had full and fair opportunity to litigate the issue in the prior proceeding." United States v. Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Corp., 894 F.2d 825, 826-27 (6th Cir. 1990).
24
The first of these requirements, as we see it, has not been met in the case at bar. TRW asserted in Costantino that the regulations did not require use of the § 1139 rate for subsidized benefits under the 1986 plan amendments inasmuch as adoption of the amendments meant that the plan did not offer a subsidized lump sum as an option. The Costantino court responded that while TRW's assertion "may be true, it is not relevant in the present case, in which Plaintiffs qualified for their subsidies prior to the 1986 plan amendment." Costantino, 13 F.3d at 979. In the case at bar, however, the plaintiff class is presumably made up largely, if not entirely, of people who did not take early retirement until after the 1986 amendments. This class thus includes retirees who assert that they qualified for subsidies at least partially on the strength of service performed after the 1986 amendments. To that extent, obviously, this case does not involve the "precise issue" decided in Costantino9.
25
In Costantino, moreover, nothing much turned on the 1988 amendments. In the present case, by contrast, the plaintiffs concentrate most (if not all) of their fire on the 1988 amendments. That being so, we are not persuaded that the plaintiffs are entitled to avail themselves of the collateral estoppel doctrine.
B
26
The inapplicability of collateral estoppel does not mean that TRW automatically wins. We must still examine the parties' arguments in light of the Costantino decision (which has precedential effect under the doctrine of stare decisis) and the relevant federal law and regulations.
27
The plaintiffs make much of the statement in Costantino that 26 C.F.R. § 1.411(a)-11(a)(2) "expressly requires that, where a plan provides that a lump sum distribution of a subsidized early retirement benefit is available as an option, the section 1139 interest rate must be applied to calculate the value of the distribution." Costantino, 13 F.3d at 979. TRW's response is that the plan does not offer an option of a "lump sum distribution of a subsidized early retirement benefit." Before the 1988 amendments, rather, the plan offered a lump sum distribution of the unsubsidized benefit calculated with the PBGC rate - and the 1988 amendments merely added an alternate calculation method in which the Moody's rate is applied to the subsidized level of benefit. This alternate calculation, in TRW's submission, does not create a stand-alone option of a lump sum distribution of the subsidized benefit. The option entails the election of a lump sum distribution per se, and only after the lump sum distribution is selected does the plan present alternative calculation methods.
28
TRW further points to this court's definition of "optional form of benefit" in Ross v. Pension Plan for Hourly Employees of SKF Indus., 847 F.2d 329, (6th Cir. 1988), as meaning a benefit that "involves the power or right of an employee to choose the way in which payments due to himunder a plan will be made or applied." Id. at 333. TRW argues that the plaintiffs do not have the "power or right" to choose a subsidized lump sum for payment; once a given retiree has chosen a lump sum distribution, rather, the plan "automatically determines the payment amount based solely upon whether the Section 1139 rate applied to the standard unsubsidized amount, or the Moody's rate applied to a subsidized amount, yields a larger amount."
29
Finally, TRW stresses that ERISA does not mandate any particular benefits. Specifically, TRW points out, nothing in ERISA requires that pension plans "offer subsidized lump sum early retirement payments."
30
TRW's argument seems sound as far as it goes. It is certainly true that until the 1988 amendments liberalized the lump sum benefit calculation for early retirees, the 1986 version of the plan did not provide for lump sum distributions of subsidized benefits; the only lump sum on offer to an early retiree under the 1986 plan was a sum based on the present value of the normal (i.e. unsubsidized) retirement annuity benefit. And setting aside the anti-cutback rule for the moment, we see absolutely nothing wrong in this. The applicable Treasury Department regulations say, unambiguously, that
31
"if a plan that provides a subsidized early retirement annuity benefit specifies that the single sum distribution benefit available at early retirement age is the present value of the normal retirement annuity benefit, then the normal retirement annuity benefit is used to apply the valuation requirements of this section and the resulting amount of the single sum distribution available at early retirement age." 26 C.F.R. § 1.411(a)-11(a)(2) (emphasis supplied).
32
With the liberalization of the benefit calculation formula in 1988, of course, the plan introduced a possibility that thesubsidized early retirement annuity benefit would play a role in the calculation. But such use of the subsidized benefit was prescribed only where application of the Moody's rate to that benefit yielded a larger lump sum than the retiree would have received under the 1986 edition of the plan, in which the §1139 rate had to be applied to the unsubsidized retirement annuity benefit. The 1988 amendments merely provided for the possibility of some icing on the early retirement cake - and we are aware of nothing in ERISA, the Code, or the regulations that can fairly be said to make such a bonus problematic in any way.
33
Unless we ignore the anti-cutback rule embodied in ERISA § 204(g), however, the 1986 plan amendments would be highly problematic to the extent they eliminated the prospect of early retirement lump sum payments calculated on the basis of subsidized annuity benefits attributable to service performed before the date (December 18, 1986) on which the amendments were adopted. The anti-cutback rule (which is quoted in note 2, supra) clearly barred TRW from amending its retirement plan in such a way as to reduce accrued early retirement benefits "attributable to service before the amendment . . . ." Most or all of the retirees in the class before us here must have had what would amount to a mix of accrued early retirement benefits, with part being attributable to service rendered before the plan was amended on December 18, 1986, and part being attributable to service rendered after that date. Although nothing in ERISA § 204(g) prevented TRW from reducing benefits attributable to post-December 18 service, accrued benefits attributable to pre-December 18 service had to remain inviolate. And, under §204(g), benefits attributable to pre-December 18 service remain inviolate whether the age condition be satisfied "before or after the amendment.. . ."
34
As mentioned in n.8, supra, Mr. Rybarczyk raised this issue in paragraph 23 of his class action complaint. Paragraph 23 reads as follows:"TRW's Plan violates the anti-cutback provisions of ERISA and the Code, and provides lower lump sum distributions to Plan participants than they are properly entitled to receive, when it applies the present value calculation to an impermissible benefit, excluding the early retirement subsidy, notwithstanding the fact that the calculation uses the permissible interest rate."
35
Curiously, however, the plaintiffs have failed to press this point on appeal.
36
Failure to raise an issue on appeal would normally constitute a waiver of that issue. Brindley v. McCullen, 61 F.3d 507, 509 (6th Cir. 1995). Here, however, we have a pure question of law that cries out for resolution - and in such a situation we are not foreclosed from considering the issue. See Dorris v. Absher, 179 F.3d 420, 425 - 26 (6th Cir. 1999) (allowing appellate consideration of an unbriefed issue that involved a misinterpretation of a "pure question of law, with no material facts being in dispute"). Given the paternalistic purposes underlying ERISA, and given the Congressional findings and declaration of policy set forth in Title I, § 2 of the statute, 29 U.S.C. § 1001,10 we consider this a particularly appropriate case for exercising our discretion to address the unbriefed issue. We shall proceed to do so.
37
The Tax Reform Act, as we have seen, required TRW to determine the present value of the annuity benefits of employees electing early retirement "using an interest rate no greater than 120 percent of the [PBGC] rate if the vested accrued benefit exceeds $25,000 . . . ." 26 U.S.C. §417(e)(3), quoted at n.4, supra. Under the anti-cutback rule, the right to a present value calculation made under this statutory interest rate cap "with respect to benefits attributable to service before the amendment" is a right that must be treated as "accrued" as long as the amendment has the effect of "eliminating or reducing an early retirement benefit or a retirement-type subsidy . . . ." ERISA § 204(g), quoted at n.2, supra. And because such a right must be treated as having accrued insofar as it is attributable to service before the plan amendment, it is, to that extent, protected by the prohibition contained in §204(g)(1): "The accrued benefit of a participant under a plan may not be decreased by an amendment of the plan ...." That is what the statute clearly says, and that is clearly the logic of our decision in Costantino.
38
The language of the TRW plan itself suggests that the drafters shared our understanding that prior to December 18, 1986, early retirement subsidies were subject to accrual. Section 5.5 of the plan, for example, says that the lump sum benefit will be calculated as the greater of the Moody's rate applied to the "accrued or subsidized Early Retirement Benefit" [emphasis added] or 120 percent of the PBGC rate applied to the "accrued Normal or unsubsidized" benefit. By using "accrued" and "subsidized" as synonyms, this provision indicates that the early retirement subsidized benefit can be accrued.
39
Our conclusion is not undermined, as we see it, by the favorable "determination letter" that TRW received from the Internal Revenue Service with respect to the TRW pension plan as amended effective January 1, 1989. Although this letter, by its terms, "relates only to the status of [TRW's] plan under the Internal Revenue Code," ERISA contains a provision requiring the Secretary of Labor to accept favorable determination letters "as prima facie evidence of initial compliance by the plan with the standards [of relevant portions of ERISA]." 29 U.S.C. § 1201(d). As far as the anti-cutback rule is concerned, however, we are not persuaded that the letter is prima facie evidence of anything.
40
This is so because of the representations that TRW made to the IRS in requesting the letter. In an IRS form entitled "Application for Determination for Employee Benefit Plan," TRW was asked this question: "Does any amendment to the plan reduce or eliminate any section 411(d)(6) protected benefit?" (It may be recalled that § 411(d)(6) is the I.R.C. counterpart of the anti-cutback rule contained in ERISA §204(g).) In response to this question as to whether any amendment to the TRW plan reduced or eliminated any benefit protected by the anti-cutback rule, TRW checked a box marked "No."
41
TRW's answer, as we have demonstrated, was incorrect. The IRS, however, was entitled to assume that TRW had answered the question correctly - and a favorable determination based on this incorrect assumption is entitled to no presumption of validity.
42
The Second Circuit, moreover, has said that a "favorable determination letter indicates only that an employee retirement plan qualifies for favorable tax treatment by meeting the formal requirements of I.R.C. § 401(a)." Esden v. Bank of Boston, No. 99-7210, 2000 U.S. App. LEXIS 23227, at *64 (2d Cir., Sept. 12, 2000). That court went on to say that "adjudication of [an employee's] rights is for the federal courts, not the field offices of the IRS." Id. at *65. Subject to the qualification that determination letters carry a rebuttable presumption of validity, we are constrained to agree. The determination letter does not change our analysis in the case at bar.
43
In brief summary, then, our conclusion is this:
44
-Employees taking early retirement after December 18, 1986, and electing to receive their accrued retirement benefits in a lump sum, are entitled to have the § 1139 rate used in the determination of the present value of subsidized benefits attributable to service before the amendment;
45
-With respect to unsubsidized retirement benefits attributable to service after the amendment, such employees are entitled to receive the advantage of the alternative present value calculation prescribed by the plan amendments adopted on October 24, 1988; and
46
-Each member of the plaintiff class should be awarded judgment for the amount, if any, by which the lump sum to which he or she is entitled exceeds the lump sum actually paid.
C
47
As to the district court's award of prejudgment interest under the formula described at p. 11, supra, we have "long recognized that the district court may [award prejudgment interest] at its discretion in accordance with general equitable principles." Ford v. Uniroyal, 154 F.3d 613, 616 (6th Cir. 1998). We therefore apply an "abuse of discretion" standard in reviewing the award.
48
Among the constraints on a district court's discretion to shape an award of prejudgment interest in an ERISA case is the fact that we look with disfavor on simply adopting state law interest rates. ERISA is "not an area 'primarily of state concern.'" Ford, 154 F.3d at 617. Interest awards should not be punitive, but should "simply compensate a beneficiary for the lost interest value of money wrongly withheld from him or her." Id. at 618.
49
The question faced by the district court in this case, then, was how best to calculate the "lost interest value of money wrongly withheld . . . ." TRW urges that the only appropriate rate would be either that established by 28 U.S.C. § 1961 - a rate tied to the average 52-week United States Treasury bill rate for the relevantperiod - or a rate linked to the PBGC rate in the manner prescribed by § 1139.
50
We have upheld a district court's award of prejudgment interest calculated under 28 U.S.C. § 1961. Ford, 154 F.3d at 619. Other courts have done so as well. See, e.g., Algie v. RCA Global Communication, Inc., 60 F.3d 956, 960 (2d Cir. 1995) (upholding a district court's choice of the § 1961 rate on the grounds that it provided a "closer approximation of the likely return on plaintiffs' unpaid benefits").
51
This is not to say, however, that the § 1961 rate is the only permissible prejudgment interest rate. Our court and others have also upheld awards of prejudgment interest that were tied to prevailing market rates, thus reflecting what the defendants would have had to pay in order to borrow the money at issue. See, e.g., EEOC v. Wooster Brush Co. Employees Relief Ass'n, 727 F.2d 566, 579 (6th Cir. 1984) (using adjusted prime rate); Katsaros v. Cody, 744 F.2d 270, 281 (2d Cir. 1984) ("Expert testimony revealed that at the time . . . other banking institutions were in the market to borrow at a rate of prime plus one percent. Awarding prejudgment interest in accord with prevailing interest rates is consistent with prior case law"); Donovan v. Mazzola, 716 F.2d 1226, 1232-33 (9th Cir. 1983). Despite TRW's claim that an award of prejudgment interest based on the actual rate of return is unprecedented, the Seventh Circuit seems to have upheld just such an award. See Lorenzen v. Employees Ret. Plan of Sperry & Hutchinson Co., 896 F.2d 228, 236-37 (7th Cir. 1990) ("The retirement plan held money that belonged to Mrs. Lorenzen - held it on her account, as it were. Now that the collateral dispute is over, the plan must return it to her together with the fruits that it has gleaned by holding on to it").
52
Using the interest rate actually realized by TRW on the relevant funds seems an appropriate way of avoiding unjust enrichment. As we declared in an earlier case, "[t]o allow the Fund to retain the interest it earned on funds wrongfully withheld would be to approve of unjust enrichment." Sweet v. Consolidated Aluminum Corp., 913 F.2d 268, 270 (6th Cir. 1990) (quoting Short v. Central States, Southeast & Southwest Areas Pension Fund, 729 F.2d 567, 576 (8th Cir. 1984)).
53
We are aware of no decision approving a formula like the one used here, where the plaintiffs are to receive the higher of the § 1961 rate or the rate actually realized by TRW. But although this formula may be unusual, we are not persuaded that it represents an abuse of discretion. As we have already noted, the § 1961 rate has been upheld numerous times. If that rate should prove to be the higher one for the relevant period, TRW would presumably have no legitimate basis for objecting to it. If TRW's actual rate of return turns out to have been higher than the § 1961 rate, on the other hand, a requirement that TRW pay the actual rate merely deprives TRW of its profit on the wrongfully denied benefits. In neither instance would the effect be punitive, as it might have been had the district court chosen to use a state-law rate much higher than prevailing market rates of return. Cf. Ford, 154 F.3d at 617 (holding that Michigan's state law rate of 12 percent was punitive for purposes of ERISA because it was meant to compensate the winner for litigation expenses and was higher than the market rate of roughly nine percent).
54
TRW argues that the district court's award of prejudgment interest has the effect of amending the plan "to confer a benefit which no other Plan participant will receive." This argument is, in our view, misguided. If the plaintiffs received lump sum distributions in amounts less than those to which they were actually entitled, the entry of judgment for the amount of the shortfall with interest through the end of the litigation would simply make the plaintiffs whole. This is not a "benefit" for which other plan participants are ineligible; other participants would have been equally eligible for pre-judgmentinterest had they found it necessary to go to court to obtain benefits wrongfully denied them.
55
TRW also argues that the award of prejudgment interest under the formula challenged here will result in a "windfall recovery for plan participants." We disagree. If the award of prejudgment interest were lower than TRW's actual rate of return, it is TRW that would arguably receive a windfall. Because the plan with which we are concerned in this case is a defined benefit plan, TRW has to contribute only enough money to fund the plan's defined obligations. If TRW were able to keep part of the return on wrongfully withheld funds, it would have to contribute that much less to fund the plan's obligations to other retirees.
56
The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED in part and REVERSED in part, and the case is REMANDED for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion.
Notes:
1
Pub. L. No. 98-397, 98 Stat. 1426 (1984) (amending ERISA §§203(e)(2) and 205(g)(3), 29 U.S.C. §§ 1053(e)(2) and 1055(g)(3), and I.R.C. (26 U.S.C.) §§ 411(a)(11) and 417(e)(3)).
2
On its face, the proposition that Congress could and did presume to abrogate the settled expectations of the contracting parties retroactively might seem open to question. See Landgraf v. USI Film Prods., 511 U.S. 244, 271 (1994). TRW has not challenged the constitutionality of the retroactive application of the newly-adopted interest rate cap, however, and we intimate no opinion on this issue one way or the other.
3
ERISA § 204(g), captioned "Decrease of accrued benefits through amendment of plan," provides in pertinent part as follows: "(1) The accrued benefit of a participant under a plan may not be decreased by an amendment of the plan . . . .
(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), a plan amendment which has the effect of
(A) eliminating or reducing an early retirement benefit or a retirement-type subsidy (as defined in regulations), or
(B) eliminating an optional form of benefit, with respect to benefits attributable to service before the amendment shall be treated as reducing accrued benefits. In the case of a retirement-type subsidy, the preceding sentence shall apply only with respect to a participant who satisfies (either before or after the amendment) the preamendment conditions for the subsidy. . . ."
The corresponding section of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. §411(d)(6), denies favorable tax treatment to a plan amended in violation of an anti-cutback rule framed in essentially the same terms.
4
Pub. L. No. 99-514 § 1139, 100 Stat. 2085, 2487 (1986), codified at ERISA §§ 203(e)(2) and 205(g)(3), 29 U.S.C. §§ 1053(e)(2) and 1055(g)(3) (1988) and I.R.C. (26 U.S.C.) §§ 411(a)(11)(B) and 417(e)(3) (1988). The above-cited sections of ERISA and the I.R.C. were later amended by the Retirement Protection Act of 1994, Pub. L. No. 103-465, 108 Stat. 5038 (1994). That Act, however, did not become applicable until July 1, 1996 - a date which, not coincidentally, is the closing date for membership in the present plaintiff class. The class representatives and TRW have agreed that the older statutory provisions govern this case.
5
Specifically, I.R.C. § 417(e)(2) and (3) provided as follows:
"(2) Plan may distribute benefit in excess of $3,500 only with consent. -- If -- (A) the present value of the qualified joint and survivor annuity or the qualified preretirement survivor annuity exceeds $3,500, and
(B) the participant and the spouse of the participant (or where the participant has died, the surviving spouse) consent in writing to the distribution, the plan may immediately distribute the present value of such annuity.
(3) Determination of present value. --
(A) In general. -- For purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2), the present value shall be calculated --
(i) by using an interest rate no greater than the applicable interest rate if the vested accrued benefit (using such rate) is not in excess of $25,000, and
(ii) by using an interest rate no greater than 120 percent of the applicable interest rate if the vested accrued benefit exceeds $25,000 (as determined under clause (i)).
In no event shall the present value determined under subclause (II) [sic] be less than $25,000.
(B) Applicable interest rate. -- For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term 'applicable interest rate' means the interest rate which would be used (as of the date of the distribution) by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation for purposes of determining the present value of a lump sum distribution on plan termination."
ERISA's parallel provision (since amended) was codified at 29 U.S.C. §1055(g)(3).
6
The amended plan also provided, as to distributions with respect to 1985 and 1986, that the interest rate for distributions not exceeding $25,000 would be the PBGC rate at the beginning of the calendar year, while for distributions over $25,000 the interest rate would be the lesser of the Moody's Aaa rate or the § 1139 rate at the beginning of the calendar year. The amended plan contained an almost identical provision regarding interest rates for the years 1987 and thereafter, except that the PBGC rate would be the one in effect during the month of distribution. TRW Salaried Pension Plan, §§ 5.9(b)(iii)(B) and (C), as amended December 18, 1986.
7
The plan retained the distinction between years 1985 and 1986 (for which the PBGC rate was set at the beginning of the calendar year) and years 1987 and 1988 (for which the PBGC rate was set at the month of distribution).
8
The plaintiffs persistently characterize their claims as alleging violations of the I.R.C. (e.g., 26 U.S.C. § 417(e)). Technically, violations of the Code merely result in the loss of preferred tax treatment, including the employer's deduction for contributions under I.R.C. § 401(a) and the employees' tax deferral under I.R.C. § 402(a). Because ERISA provisions are deliberately designed to parallel those of the I.R.C., however, we shall treat the plaintiffs' claims as arising under ERISA and as brought pursuant to ERISA's right-of-action provision, 29 U.S.C. §1132. See Counts v. Kossack Water & Oil Serv., Inc., 986 F.2d 1322, 1324 n.1 (10th Cir. 1993). We also note that ERISA provides that regulations promulgated by the Treasury Department pursuant to I.R.C. §§ 410(a), 411, and 412 are deemed applicable to the parallel provisions of ERISA. 29 U.S.C. § 1202(c).
9
We note that TRW attempts to draw a distinction between Costantino and this case on the ground that Costantino involved ERISA's anti-cutback rule while here the plaintiffs "do not even invoke those provisions." Mr. Rybarczyk did invoke ERISA's anti-cutback rule in ¶ 23 of his class action complaint, however, so this distinction will not wash.
10
One of the considerations that led to the enactment of ERISA is described in these terms: "despite the enormous growth in such [retirement] plans[,] many employees with long years of employment are losing anticipated retirement benefits owing to the lack of vesting provisions in such plans . . . ." Id.
57
HARRY W. WELLFORD, Circuit Judge, concurring in part and dissenting in part.
58
I concur entirely with my colleague, Judge Nelson, through part II.B of his opinion. I would hold, however, that we should adhere to our usual procedure and deem that plaintiffs have waived any anti-cutback argument in this appeal under Brindley v. McCullen, 61 F.3d 507 (6th Cir. 1995); see also Wright v. Holbrook, 794 F.2d 1152 (6th Cir. 1986). This case is not about loss of vested benefits under our ruling as to pre-December 18, 1996 provisions of the plan and amended plans. TRW has, indeed, dealt generously with its employees, and I would not stretch our procedures to consider that which plaintiffs have failed adequately to argue or brief. I think that the rationale to reverse is supported by the effect of the IRS' approval or "favorable 'determination letter'" issued with respect to the TRW plan, amended effective January 1, 1989.
59
In general, I deem Constantino not controlling under the differing facts and circumstances of this case. Plaintiffs are not entitled to the post-amendment claim that they assert.
60
I dissent with respect to the award of prejudgment interest, particularly in view of the generous awards heretofore ordered by this court as to retirement benefits deemed to be accrued. In the first place, "ERISA does not mandate the award of prejudgment interest to prevailing plan participants." Ford v. Uniroyal Pension Plan, 154 F.3d 613, 616 (6th Cir. 1998). It may be awarded at the reasonable discretion of the district judge. See id. The purpose of any such award is not to punish the employer. See id. at 617. I would hold that plaintiffs are more than adequately compensated by award under 28 U.S.C. § 1961, and not some other rate. See Ford, 154 F.3d at 619. Lorenzen v. Employees Retirement Plan of Sperry & Hutchinson Co., 896 F.2d 228 (7th Cir. 1990), cited as support for the majority's prejudgment interest decision, is, in my view, readily distinguishable. See Marshall v. Security State Bank of Hamilton (In re Marshall), 970 F.2d 383, 385 (7th Cir. 1992) (distinguishing Lorenzen). It was a split decision and there was a strong overtone of wrongdoing by the employer in that case, unlike TRW's role in the instant case. The Lorenzen court was particularly concerned about the welfare and need for "full compensation of the victim" and his widow. I would, accordingly, conclude that awarding any prejudgment interest beyond that called for in 28 U.S.C. § 1961 was an abuse of discretion.
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New Orleans Saints try out linebacker Paul Hazel, according to a league source
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(2008)
UNITED STATES of America,
v.
Gregory M. PATZER.
No. 07 CR 90-1.
United States District Court, N.D. Illinois, Eastern Division.
April 28, 2008.
STATEMENT OF REASONS
JOAN B. GOTTSCHALL, District Judge.
On April 2, 2008, the court sentenced the defendant in this case, Gregory M. Patzer ("Patzer"), to a term of imprisonment of thirteen years to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release, as well as $4,923 in restitution and a $300 special assessment. The reasons for this sentence were stated in open court and are fully set forth herein.
I. BACKGROUND[1]
Patzer is a thirty-year old man with a long history of family troubles, mental health issues, and drug abuse. At the age of fifteen, he was expelled from his family and placed with a foster family. He has a history of non-violent crimes that relate to drugs or to obtaining money to buy drugs. Patzer has attempted drug treatment several times, and has endured a series of medications and treatment in an effort to ameliorate his mental health problems, none of which has been entirely successful. Patzer has been variously diagnosed with a slew of psychiatric afflictions, from depression to bipolar disorder. However, it was only recently in anticipation of this sentencing that Patzer was diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder ("ADHD").
In the six years immediately preceding the crimes for which he is being sentenced herein, Patzer had achieved some success in being a productive member of society. He had been in methadone treatment and had steady work as a welder and machinist. However, Patzer began using heroin again around February 2007. On February 24, 2007, he robbed a TCF Bank in Schaumburg, Illinois and, on February 28, 2007, he robbed a Mutual Bank in Roselle, Illinois. During both robberies, Patzer showed the teller a handgun and demanded cash. He got away with about $5,000 total, which he says he used to buy drugs. He fled Illinois and turned up a few weeks later at a Sheraton Hotel in Seattle, Washington, where he ate breakfast and left without paying. When he was confronted by a hotel security guard, Patzer told him that he was wanted for bank robbery in Illinois. The Seattle, Washington Police Department took him into custody, where he confessed to the two bank robberies. On August 15, 2007, the court accepted Patzer's plea of guilty to Counts One (bank robbery), Three (bank robbery), and Four (firearm) of the Indictment.
II. SENTENCING PROCEDURE
"In sentencing a defendant, the district court is obliged first to calculate the correct advisory guidelines range and then to decide whether to impose a sentence within the range or outside of it." United States v. Miranda, 505 F.3d 785, 791 (7th Cir.2007) (citing United States v. Robinson, 435 F.3d 699, 700-01 (7th Cir.2006)). The first step requires calculation of the applicable guidelines. Gall v. United States, ___ U.S. ___, ___, 128 S.Ct. 586, 596, 169 L.Ed.2d 445 (2007); Miranda, 505 F.3d at 791. However, "the [g]uidelines are not mandatory and thus the [district court's] range of choice dictated by the facts of the case is significantly broadened." Gall, 128 S.Ct. at 602. The second step in sentencing requires an application of the factors set forth in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), which remains mandatory even though the guidelines are treated as advisory. Miranda, 505 F.3d at 791 (citing United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220, 261-63, 125 S.Ct. 738, 160 L.Ed.2d 621 (2005)).
Typically, a court considers the Pre-Sentence Report ("PSR") and its interpretation of the guidelines and then hears arguments by prosecution and defense as to whether a guideline sentence should apply. Id. (citing Rita v. United States, ___ U.S. ___, ___, 127 S.Ct. 2456, 2459, 168 L.Ed.2d 203 (2007)). The court then determines whether to impose a sentence at, above, or below the guideline range keeping in mind that "[a] sentencing court should not consider itself constrained by the guidelines to the extent that there are sound, case-specific reasons for deviating from them." Gall, 128 S.Ct. at 598. Where the evidence presented indicates that the case falls outside the "heartland" of the intended guidelines, or where the guideline fails to properly reflect the § 3553(a) considerations, or where the case warrants a different sentence, the court may impose a sentence below the guideline range. See Rita, 127 S.Ct. at 2465 (discussing the importance of subjecting the defendant's sentence to adversarial testing by the district court). This is true "even though that deviation seemingly contravenes a broad policy pronouncement of the Sentencing Commission." See United States v. Martin, 520 F.3d 87, 95-97 (1st Cir.2008) (noting that a district court may impose a sentence below the guideline range for a career offender, 28 U.S.C. § 994(h) notwithstanding) (citing Kimbrough v. United States, ___ U.S. ___, ___, 128 S.Ct. 558, 574-75, 169 L.Ed.2d 481 (2007)).
III. ADVISORY GUIDELINES RANGE AND THE PARTIES' ARGUMENTS
At the time of Patzer's plea agreement, the government anticipated an offense level with respect to Counts One and Three of 25, an anticipated criminal history category of II, and an advisory sentencing guidelines range of 63 to 78 months' imprisonment. Count Four, the firearms charge, carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of 84 months' imprisonment. Thus, at the time of his plea, Patzer's anticipated guideline range for all three counts was 147 to 162 months.
In the PSR, the probation officer concluded that Patzer has a criminal history category of IV. This raised the advisory guideline range for Counts One and Three to 110 to 137 months, which raised the total guideline range to 194 to 221 months. Additionally, the probation officer concluded that Patzer qualified as a career criminal, pursuant to U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1,[2] based on two prior felony convictions: a controlled substance offense in 1997 and a conviction for aggravated robbery in 1999. This boosted the applicable advisory guideline range for Counts One and Three to 262 to 327 months, bringing his total guideline range to 346 to 411 months (approximately twenty-eight to thirty-four years).
The government argued that a sentence within the guideline range was appropriate. It cited Patzer's criminal history and his repeated failed rehabilitation through drug treatment and the criminal justice system. It also stressed the fact that the nature of the crime was such that Patzer was a danger to the community, and a long sentence was needed to deter him from future crimes. The defense did not object to the PSR guideline calculations, but argued that the strict application of the guidelines would lead to a sentence greater than necessary to accomplish the goals of sentencing. The defense urged the court not to apply the career offender enhancement because it overstated Patzer's past crimes, especially where Patzer's criminal activity had been precipitated by the estrangement from his family, untreated ADHD, and long-term drug addiction. The defense suggested a sentence of thirteen years (156 months) as sufficient punishment, which is approximately what was contemplated originally in the plea agreement and represents a 20% variance from the minimum guideline range before the career criminal application.
IV. 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) FACTORS
Section 3553(a) provides in relevant part:
(a) Factors to be considered in imposing a sentence. The court shall impose a sentence sufficient, but not greater than necessary, to comply with the purposes set forth in paragraph (2) of this subsection. The court, in determining the particular sentence to be imposed, shall consider
(1) the nature and circumstances of the offense and the history and characteristics of the defendant;
(2) the need for the sentence imposed
(A) to reflect the seriousness of the offense, to promote respect for the law, and to provide just punishment for the offense;
(B) to afford adequate deterrence to criminal conduct;
(C) to protect the public from further crimes of the defendant; and
(D) to provide the defendant with needed educational or vocational training, medical care, or other correctional treatment in the most effective manner....
18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). Under § 3553(a)(2), "the primary purposes of a criminal sentence are to reflect the seriousness of the offense, to promote respect for the law, to provide just punishment for the offense, to afford adequate deterrence to criminal conduct, to protect the public from further crimes by the defendant, and to provide the defendant with needed training, medical care or correctional treatment in the most effective manner." Miranda, 505 F.3d at 793.
A. The Career Offender Application
This case is atypical for a career criminal application. First, the nature of the underlying crimes is less serious than those typically encompassed by the career criminal application. Patzer's drug conviction was for selling $50-worth of marijuana and LSD to an undercover informant. The aggravated robbery involved a demand for $30 made to a giftcard store employee where, although he said he had a gun, Patzer did not display a weapon. He did not physically harm anyone in either crime, and did not commit the crimes for profit; both crimes were fueled by a need for money to buy drugs to feed Patzer's own drug addition. Although crimes resulting from drug addiction are an insufficient basis for departure under the guidelines, a court may properly consider the "realities of [the defendant's] personal history and characteristics," including reasons for the crimes, under § 3553(a)(1). See, e.g., United States v. Hernandez, 04 CR 424-20, 2005 WL 1423276, *7-8 (S.D.N.Y. June 13, 2005) (finding the career offender designation misplaced in part because the defendant's non-violent crimes stemmed from drug addiction).
Second, there is a temporal gap between the crimes on account of which Patzer qualifies as a career criminal and the instant crime. He was nineteen when he was convicted of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and twenty-one when convicted of aggravated robbery. He is now thirty years old. Almost one-third of his life has passed since those crimes occurred and the court is struck by Patzer's young age when he committed those offenses. Such circumstances may "undercut ] the need to rely on those convictions to enhance [the] sentence." See United States v. Naylor, 359 F.Supp.2d 521, 524 (W.D.Va.2005) (refusing to apply the career offender designation where the defendant was seventeen when he committed the crimes of breaking and entering).
Also, the great disparity between the guideline sentence here and the sentences imposed for Patzer's prior offenses gives the court pause. The longest period of incarceration Patzer has served thus far is a term of two years, on a five-year sentence. Now, the government requests a sentence of between twenty-eight and thirty-four years. Courts have noted that a large disparity between the punishment prescribed by the career criminal designation and the time served for prior offenses might indicate that the career criminal sentence is in excess of that needed to accomplish the desired deterrent effect. See United States v. Mishoe, 241 F.3d 214, 220 (2d Cir.2001) (citing 18 U.S.C. § 3553(b) to explain its consideration of past sentences under § 4A1.3 pre-Booker); United States v. Quails, 373 F.Supp.2d 873, 877 (E.D.Wis.2005) ("It is appropriate for a court, when considering the type of sentence necessary to protect the public and deter future misconduct, to note the length of any previous sentences imposed.").
The nature of the past felonies, the temporal gap between those crimes and the instant crime, and the huge disparity in sentences caused by application of the career offender guidelines suggests that imposing a sentence within the range recommended by the PSR may not comport with the goals of sentencing. Rather, the advisory range of 346 to 411 months pursuant to § 4B1.1 overstates the seriousness of Patzer's prior qualifying convictions and is in excess of the sentence required for deterrence.
B. Nature of Offense
The instant offenses represent an escalation in the nature of Patzer's criminal conduct, from robbery and small-scale drug sales to robbery of a bank. Also, Patzer carried a gun to the robberies. There is no evidence in the record, however, that Patzer pointed the gun at anyone or waved it around: it appears it was tucked into his belt for one robbery and was shown to one teller at the other robbery. The goal of the robbery was to obtain money for drugs and Patzer obtained about $5,000 in total from both robberies. Obviously, armed robbery is a serious crime, deserving of serious punishment. Nevertheless, on a sliding scale, this armed bank robbery was not the most heinous: Patzer acted alone, no one was injured or killed, and only a modest amount of money was taken.
Perhaps as significant, the fact that Patzer turned himself into the authorities, and the manner in which he did so, indicates he is exhausted with his criminal life.
C. Character of Defendant
The court concludes that there are several reasons that Patzer's background and character mitigate against a guideline sentence.
First, at the time the probation officer prepared the PSR, she did not have the benefit of the psychological evaluation of Patzer. The PSR does not consider Patzer's undiagnosed ADHD and its resulting mental health problems as a possible reason for departure from the sentencing guidelines under § 5K2.13. Rather, the probation officer concluded that Patzer's mental health problems were caused by his drug use. PSR at 34:937-41. However, the previously-undiagnosed ADHD explains Patzer's self-medication with illegal drugs from a very young age, as well as his intolerance for past mental health treatment that did not address his actual problems. Patzer now has the benefit of an accurate medical diagnosis of his mental health problem: ADHD, and the record indicates that, properly diagnosed, his condition is treatable. The expert reports, the school reports, and the family letters all show that with hindsight much of Patzer's behavior has been caused by his ADHD.
The new diagnosis gives hope that Patzer's condition can be treated and his incentive to commit crimes decreased without "the added encouragement of a lengthy sentence." See United States v. Miranda, 505 F.3d 785, 793 (7th Cir.2007) (reserving to the district court's discretion whether a long sentence was needed to deter a bank robber with a history of drug addiction and previously-undiagnosed schizophrenia from committing further crimes). With the proper treatment, provided for in the court's designation to the medical facility of the Bureau of Prisons, the chance of successful treatment increases and the risk of recidivism decreases. Defense counsel pointed out that the medical report indicates that Patzer's condition can be treated with medication and requested designation to the federal medical division to ensure that Patzer received the treatment he needs.
Second, Patzer had a difficult childhood, no doubt made more difficult by the absence of an appropriate diagnosis for his ADHD. The record indicates that his biological family was abusive and unsupportive, relinquishing custody of Patzer to DCFS at the age of 15. He suffered from psychological difficulties throughout his childhood and early adulthood, as indicated by repeat periods of commitment to an institution. Nevertheless, Patzer is, according to letters from friends and family, basically a good person with a heart who has never, even in the depths of his addiction, physically harmed anyone and who sincerely regrets the choices that have led him here. Patzer has a GED and some college education. He has a trade (machinist and welder). He has shown that he has the ability to be a productive member of society when he is not abusing drugs. His personal statement showed he was articulate and understood the mistakes he had made. The court concludes that the sentence imposed, plus the lengthy term of supervised release, provides ample opportunity for Patzer to receive treatment so that he can be rehabilitated.
D. Needs of The Public
Although Patzer stands convicted of a violent crime, there is no evidence he has physically harmed the public. The reports indicate that he cooperated with law enforcement and suggest a willingness to take responsibility for his actions. A thirteen-year sentence provides for a significant period of confinement which reflects the seriousness of the crime, acts as an appropriate deterrent, protects the public, and provides the necessary length of time for Patzer to get treatment for his addiction and psychological problems. The risk of recidivism reduced by sentence that includes drug treatment and appropriate medical care for ADHD. Additionally, the court imposed the maximum possible term of supervised release to ensure that Patzer continues to get the help and treatment he so obviously needs.
V. CONCLUSION
The court finds that Patzer's criminal conduct stems from his mental health problems and his ongoing drug addiction, but that these problems are treatable and Patzer's personal characteristics, education, and support from his foster family and friends indicate he has a capacity for rehabilitation. On balance, the court finds that a non-guideline sentence of thirteen years of incarceration (six years for Counts One and Three, to be served concurrently, and seven years for Count Four, to be served consecutively) meets § 3553(a)'s requirement to "impose a sentence sufficient, but not greater than necessary, to comply with the purposes" of sentencing. See 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). Following incarceration, Patzer will be subject to a total of five years of supervised release (three years for Counts One and Three, and five for Count Four, to run concurrently). Due immediately is $300 for the mandatory special assessment and $4,923 in restitution (interest waived). The court finds that Patzer does not have the ability to pay a fine, and waives costs of prosecution, incarceration, and supervision. Count Two is dismissed upon the government's motion.
NOTES
[1] The defendant filed his sentencing memorandum under seal pursuant to Local Rule 26.2, in accordance with a protective order dated March 10, 2008. He did so to ensure that Patzer's psychological evaluation, school records, and the information contained in personal interviews remained shielded from public view. In order to respect Patzer's privacy. the court discusses herein only those facts upon which the determination of sentence rested.
[2] A defendant is a career criminal if: (1) he was at least eighteen years old at the time he committed the instant offense: (2) the instant offense is a felony that is either a crime of violence or a controlled substance offense; and (3) the defendant has at least two prior felony convictions of either a crime of violence or a controlled substance offense. U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1.
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Introduction {#Sec1}
============
One of the remarkable features of the Integer Quantum Hall Effect (QHE) is the impressive precision of the quantization of the plateaus observed in the experiments. While the experimental samples have a very complex microscopic structure, depending on a huge number of non-universal details related to molecular forces and the atomic structure, the conductance appears to be quantized at a very high precision, and the result only depends on fundamental constants. The understanding of this phenomenon, via a connection between the Hall conductivity and a topological invariant \[[@CR4], [@CR40]\] was a major success of theoretical condensed matter in the 80s. The argument was later generalized to non-interacting disordered systems \[[@CR1], [@CR5], [@CR9], [@CR10]\] and to clean multi-particle systems \[[@CR3], [@CR37]\]: however, the definition of conductivity in the interacting case required the presence of an unphysical averaging over fluxes, expected to be unimportant in the thermodynamic limit, but a proof remained elusive for many years. Arguments based on Ward Identities for Quantum ElectroDynamics in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$(2+1)$$\end{document}$-dimensions \[[@CR12], [@CR24], [@CR30]\], or on the properties of anomalies \[[@CR15]\], offered an alternative view on the QHE: they indicated that quantization should persists in the presence of many body interaction, but such conclusions were based on manipulations of divergent series, or of effective actions arising in a formal scaling limit.
The problem of a mathematical proof of the quantization of the Hall conductivity in the presence of many-body interactions remained open for several years. After the works \[[@CR1], [@CR3], [@CR5], [@CR9], [@CR10], [@CR37]\], it was dormant for more than a decade, and then, in recent years, it was actively reconsidered again, starting from \[[@CR27]\], which proved the quantization of the Hall conductance of an interacting electron system using quasi-adiabatic evolution of the groundstate around a flux-torus, under the *assumption* of a volume-independent spectral gap. In \[[@CR22]\] we followed a different approach, and proved the quantization of the interacting Hall conductivity by writing it as a convergent series, and by showing that all the interaction corrections cancel exactly, thanks to Ward Identities. Our result holds for interacting fermionic Hamiltonians of the form $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {V}}$$\end{document}$ is a many body interaction, and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|U|\ll \Delta _0$$\end{document}$; this smallness condition is assumed to ensure the convergence of the power series expansion in *U* of the Euclidean correlations. The same result also follows from \[[@CR27]\], in combination with a proof of the stability of the spectral gap for such fermionic Hamiltonians \[[@CR13], [@CR26]\]. See also \[[@CR6], [@CR7]\] for alternative proofs of the main theorem in \[[@CR27]\]. Recently, the bulk-edge correspondence for a class of weakly interacting fermionic systems displaying single-mode chiral edge currents was also proved \[[@CR2]\].
Given these results on the quantization of the Hall conductivity in weakly interacting systems (i.e., with interaction strength smaller than the gap), one naturally wonders what happens for stronger interactions. We focus on the interacting extension of the spinful Haldane model \[[@CR23]\], which has been recently realized in cold atoms experiments \[[@CR31]\] and can be used as the building block of more general topological insulators \[[@CR25]\]. Extensions to related systems is straightforward, in particular to the interacting, spin-conserving, Kane--Mele model, for which the quantization of the edge conductivity has been recently established \[[@CR34]\]. We recall that, in the absence of interactions, the phase diagram of the spinful Haldane model consists of two 'trivial' insulating phases, with vanishing transverse conductivity, and two quantum Hall phases, with transverse conductivity $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\sigma _{12} =\pm \,2 e^2/h$$\end{document}$, separated by two critical curves. By \[[@CR22]\], we know that, away from the critical lines, for interactions *U* smaller than the spectral gap, the Hall conductivity is quantized and independent of *U*. However, what happens close to the critical lines, in cases where the interaction is much larger than the gap? This question, and in particular the possible emergence of new quantum phases, has been extensively investigated in the literature, mainly via mean-field, variational, and numerical studies, see \[[@CR28], [@CR29], [@CR38], [@CR41], [@CR42]\] and references therein. These works show evidence for the appearance of a new interaction-induced phase with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\sigma _{12} =\pm \,e^2/h$$\end{document}$, but the numerics is inconclusive on whether this phase, in the thermodynamic limit, emerges at arbitrarily small, positive, interactions or, rather, above a finite threshold. The main result of this work excludes the first possibility: no new phases appear close to the transition lines, as long as the interaction strength is sufficiently small, compared with the bandwidth $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$t_0$$\end{document}$. More precisely, we compute the Hall conductivity for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|U|\ll t_0$$\end{document}$ and all the values of the parameters outside two critical curves, across which the model undergoes a 'topological' phase transition: the Hall coefficient remains integer and constant as long as we continuously deform the parameters without crossing the curves; when this happens, the Hall coefficient jumps abruptly to a different integer. The main difficulties in proving such results are related to the fact that the critical lines are non-universal (i.e., interaction-dependent), thus making a naive perturbative approach ineffective. The 'dressing' of the critical lines is analogous to what happens in the theory of second order phase transitions, where the critical temperature is modified by the interaction, and one needs to appropriately tune the temperature as the interaction is switched on, in order to stay at criticality. Technically, we proceed in a similar way: we do not expand around the non-interacting Hamiltonian but, rather, around a reference quadratic Hamiltonian, characterized by the same gap as the interacting system, whose value is fixed self-consistently.
Note that our problem $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}_0+U{\mathcal {V}}$$\end{document}$ naturally comes with three energy scales: the spectral gap $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}_0$$\end{document}$; and the interaction strength *U*. Our methods are not applicable in the regime of non-perturbatively strong interactions, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$t_0$$\end{document}$ but, as remarked above, they are allowed to be much larger than $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Delta _0$$\end{document}$. Even in this regime, the interaction can induce drastic changes of the physical properties of the system, as well known in the context of interacting, gapless, 2D electron gases, where weak interactions can in general produce quantum (e.g., superconducting) instabilities. The reason why this does not happen in our case is due to a key feature of the model under investigation, namely that the critical, gapless, Hamiltonian has energy bands with conical intersections: this ensures that the interaction is irrelevant in a Renormalization Group sense, uniformly in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Delta _0$$\end{document}$. In more general cases, the interaction may be marginal, as in the case of the anisotropic Hofstadter model, recently considered in \[[@CR33]\]: in this case, the gaps with integer label are stable, but new gaps corresponding to fractional labels are expected to open. It would be, of course, very interesting to further investigate such cases, where fractional Hall conductances may potentially appear, as well as to include disorder effects, which are essential for the very existence of Hall plateaus.
Our results extend and complement those of \[[@CR19]\], where we considered the same model (in the special case of ultra-local interactions) and we proved: (i) existence of the critical curves, but without an explicit control on their regularity properties, and (ii) universality of the jump in the Hall coefficient across the critical curves, but without a proof that the coefficient remains constant in each connected component of the complement of the critical curves. Combining the results of \[[@CR19]\] with those presented here, we have a complete construction of the topological phase diagram of the interacting Haldane model.
Our presentation is organized as follows: in Sect. [2](#Sec2){ref-type="sec"} we define the class of interacting Haldane models that we are going to consider, and we state our main result. In Sect. [3](#Sec7){ref-type="sec"} we prove the quantization of the Hall coefficient, under suitable regularity assumptions on the Euclidean correlation functions of the interacting model; we stress that this part of the proof holds in great generality, for a class of interacting fermionic systems much larger than the interacting Haldane model. In Sect. [4](#Sec12){ref-type="sec"} we prove the regularity assumptions on the correlations for the model at hand, via rigorous renormalization group methods. In Sect. [5](#Sec13){ref-type="sec"} we put things together and complete the proof of our main result.
Main Result {#Sec2}
===========
The Model {#Sec3}
---------
The Haldane model describes spinless fermions on the honeycomb lattice hopping on nearest and next-to-nearest neighbours, in the presence of a transverse magnetic field, with *zero net flux* through the hexagonal cell, and of a staggered potential. In this section we introduce an interacting, spinful, version of the Haldane model. Note that, in the presence of interactions, the spin could induce a qualitatively different behaviour, as compared with the spinless case (this is a well known fact in the context of one-dimensional fermions \[[@CR14]\], including the edge theory of 2D topological insulators \[[@CR2], [@CR34]\]). Note also that the experimental realization of the interacting Haldane model involves, indeed, spin-1 / 2 particles, see \[[@CR31]\].
Let $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Lambda =\big \{{\vec {x}} \mid {\vec {x}} = n_{1} {\vec {\ell }}_{1} + n_{2} {\vec {\ell }}_{2},\; n_{i} \in {\mathbb {Z}}\}\subset {\mathbb {R}}^{2}$$\end{document}$ be the infinite triangular lattice generated by the two basis vectors $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$L\in {\mathbb {N}}$$\end{document}$, we also let $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Lambda _L= \big \{ {\vec {x}} \mid {\vec {x}} = n_{1} {\vec {\ell }}_{1} + n_{2} {\vec {\ell }}_{2},\; n_{i} \in {\mathbb {Z}}\cap [0,L) \big \}$$\end{document}$ with periodic boundary conditions. The lattice is endowed with the Euclidean distance on the torus, denoted by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$| {\vec {x}} - {\vec {y}}|_L=\min _{m\in {\mathbb {Z}}^2}| {\vec {x}} - {\vec {y}}+m_1 {\vec {\ell }}_1 L+m_2 {\vec {\ell }}_2 L|$$\end{document}$. The number of sites of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|\Lambda _{L}| = L^{2}$$\end{document}$. The periodic honeycomb lattice can be realized as the superposition of two periodic triangular sublattices $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {e}}_1=(1,0)$$\end{document}$ the first Euclidean basis vector. Equivalently, we can think the honeycomb lattice as a triangular lattice, with two internal degrees of freedom corresponding to the *A*, *B* sublattices.
It is convenient to define the model in second quantization. The one-particle Hilbert space is the set of functions $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \psi _{{\vec {x}},\rho ,s} = \frac{1}{L^{2}} \sum _{{\vec {k}} \in {\mathcal {B}}_{L}} e^{- i {\vec {k}}\cdot {\vec {x}}} {{\hat{\psi }}}_{{\vec {k}}, \rho ,s} \quad \forall {\vec {x}}\in \Lambda _{L} \Longleftrightarrow {{\hat{\psi }}}_{{\vec {k}}, \rho , s} = \sum _{{\vec {x}}\in \Lambda _{L}} e^{+ i{\vec {k}}\cdot {\vec {x}}} \psi _{{\vec {x}}, \rho , s}\quad \forall {\vec {k}}\in {\mathcal {B}}_{L}\;.\nonumber \\ \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$With this definition, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\hat{\psi }}}_{{\vec {k}},\rho ,s}$$\end{document}$ is periodic over the Brillouin zone, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\hat{\psi }}}_{{\vec {k}} + m_{1} {\vec {G}}_{1} + m_{2} {\vec {G}}_{2},\rho ,s} = {{\hat{\psi }}}_{{\vec {k}},\rho ,s}$$\end{document}$. Moreover, the Fourier transforms of the fermionic operators satisfy the anticommutation relations: $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\{ {{\hat{\psi }}}^{\dagger }_{{\vec {k}}, \rho , s}, {{\hat{\psi }}}_{{\vec {k}}', \rho ', s'} \} = L^{2} \delta _{{\vec {k}}, {\vec {k}}'}\delta _{\rho ,\rho '}\delta _{s,s'}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\{ {{\hat{\psi }}}^{\dagger }_{{\vec {k}}, \rho , s}, {{\hat{\psi }}}^{\dagger }_{{\vec {k}}', \rho ', s'} \} = \{ {{\hat{\psi }}}_{{\vec {k}}, \rho , s}, {{\hat{\psi }}}_{{\vec {k}}', \rho ', s'} \} = 0$$\end{document}$.
The Hamiltonian of the model is: $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}} = {\mathcal {H}}_0 + U{\mathcal {V}}$$\end{document}$, with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}_0$$\end{document}$ the noninteracting Hamiltonian and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {V}}$$\end{document}$ the many-body interaction of strength *U*. We have:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\mathcal {H}}_0= & {} -t_{1} \sum _{{\vec {x}} \in \Lambda _{L}}\sum _{s = \uparrow , \downarrow } [ \psi ^{\dagger }_{{\vec {x}}, A, \sigma } \psi _{{\vec {x}}, B, s} + \psi ^{\dagger }_{{\vec {x}}, A, s} \psi _{{\vec {x}} -{\vec {\ell }}_{1}, B, s} + \psi ^{\dagger }_{{\vec {x}}, A, s} \psi _{{\vec {x}} - {\vec {\ell }}_{2}, B, s} + \text {h.c.} ] \nonumber \\&- t_{2} \sum _{{\vec {x}} \in \Lambda _{L}}\sum _{\begin{array}{c} \alpha = \pm \\ j=1,2,3 \end{array}} \sum _{s=\uparrow \downarrow } [ e^{i\alpha \phi } \psi ^{\dagger }_{{\vec {x}},A,s}\psi _{{\vec {x}} + \alpha {\vec {\gamma }}_{j}, A, s} + e^{-i\alpha \phi }\psi ^{\dagger }_{{\vec {x}},B,s}\psi _{{\vec {x}} + \alpha {\vec {\gamma }}_{j}, B, s} ]\nonumber \\&+ W \sum _{{\vec {x}}\in \Lambda _{L}} [n_{{\vec {x}}, A} - n_{{\vec {x}}, B}] - \mu \sum _{{\vec {x}}\in \Lambda _{L}} [ n_{{\vec {x}}, A}+n_{{\vec {x}},B}]\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {\gamma }}_{1} = {\vec {\ell }}_{1} - {\vec {\ell }}_{2}$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$n_{{\vec {x}},\rho } = \sum _{s=\uparrow ,\downarrow }\psi ^{\dagger }_{{\vec {x}},\rho ,s}\psi _{{\vec {x}},\rho ,s}$$\end{document}$, with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\rho \in \{A,B\}$$\end{document}$. For definiteness, we assume that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$t_{1} > 0$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$t_{2} > 0$$\end{document}$. The term proportional to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$t_1$$\end{document}$ describes nearest neighbor hopping on the hexagonal lattice. The term proportional to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$t_2$$\end{document}$ describes next-to-nearest neighbor hopping, with the complex phases $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$e^{\pm \, i\phi }$$\end{document}$ modeling the effect of an external, transverse, magnetic field. The term proportional to *W* describes a staggered potential, favoring the occupancy of the *A* or *B* sublattice, depending on whether *W* is negative or positive. Finally, the term proportional to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mu $$\end{document}$ is the chemical potential, which controls the average particle density in the Gibbs state. See Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"}. Concerning the many-body interaction, we assume it to be a density--density interaction of the form:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\mathcal {V}} = \sum _{{\vec {x}},{\vec {y}}\in \Lambda _{L}}\sum _{\rho = A, B} (n_{{\vec {x}}, \rho }-1) v_{\rho \rho '}({\vec {x}}-{\vec {y}}) (n_{{\vec {y}},\rho '}-1)\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$v_{AA}({\vec {x}})=v_{BB}({\vec {x}})=v({\vec {x}})$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$v_{AB}({\vec {x}})=v({\vec {x}}-{\vec {e}}_1)$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$v_{BA}({\vec {x}})=v({\vec {x}}+{\vec {e}}_1)$$\end{document}$, with *v* a finite range, rotationally invariant, potential (we recall that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {e}}_1$$\end{document}$ is the first Euclidean basis vector).Fig. 1The honeycomb lattice of the Haldane model. The empty dots belong to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Lambda ^{\text {A}}_{L}$$\end{document}$, while the black dots belong to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Lambda ^{\text {B}}_{L}$$\end{document}$. The oval encircles the two sites of the fundamental cell, labeled by the position of the empty dot, i.e., of the site of the *A* sublattice. The nearest neighbor vectors $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {\delta }}_i$$\end{document}$, are shown explicitly, together with the next-to-nearest neighbor vectors $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {\gamma }}_i$$\end{document}$, and the two basis vectors $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {\ell }}_{1,2}$$\end{document}$ of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Lambda _L$$\end{document}$
The noninteracting Hamiltonian can be rewritten as:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\mathcal {H}}_0= \sum _{{\vec {x}},{\vec {y}}} \sum _{\rho , \rho ', s} \psi ^{\dagger }_{{\vec {x}}, \rho , s} H_{\rho \rho '}({\vec {x}}- {\vec {y}}) \psi _{{\vec {y}}, \rho ', s}\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$H_{\rho \rho '}({\vec {x}}- {\vec {y}})$$\end{document}$ are the matrix elements of the Haldane model; we denote by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$H({\vec {x}}- {\vec {y}})$$\end{document}$ the corresponding $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$2\times 2$$\end{document}$ block. We introduce the Bloch Hamiltonian $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\hat{H}}}(k) = \sum _{{\vec {z}}\in \Lambda _{L}} e^{-i{\vec {k}}\cdot {\vec {z}}} H({\vec {z}})$$\end{document}$, with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {k}} \in {\mathcal {B}}_{L}$$\end{document}$. An explicit computation gives:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\hat{H}}}( {\vec {k}}) = \begin{pmatrix} -2t_2\alpha _1({\vec {k}})\cos \phi + m({\vec {k}})-\mu &{} -t_{1} \Omega ^*( {\vec {k}}) \\ - t_{1}\Omega ( {\vec {k}}) &{} -2t_2\alpha _1({\vec {k}})\cos \phi - m({\vec {k}})-\mu \end{pmatrix} \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \begin{aligned}&\alpha _{1}({\vec {k}}) = \sum _{j=1}^3\cos ({\vec {k}}\cdot {\vec {\gamma }}_j)\;,\qquad m({\vec {k}}) = W - 2t_{2}\sin \phi \, \alpha _{2}({\vec {k}})\;, \\&\alpha _{2}({\vec {k}}) = \sum _{j=1}^3\sin ({\vec {k}}\cdot {\vec {\gamma }}_j) \;,\qquad \Omega ({\vec {k}}) = 1 + e^{-i{\vec {k}}\cdot {\vec {\ell }}_1} + e^{-i{\vec {k}}\cdot {\vec {\ell }}_2}\;. \end{aligned} \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$The corresponding energy bands are$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \varepsilon _{\pm }({\vec {k}}) =-2t_2\alpha _1({\vec {k}})\cos \phi \pm \sqrt{m({\vec {k}})^{2} + t_1^{2}|\Omega ({\vec {k}})|^{2}}\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$The size of the bands can be bounded by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\max _{{\vec {k}}}\varepsilon _+({\vec {k}})- \min _{{\vec {k}}}\varepsilon _-({\vec {k}})$$\end{document}$, which we call the *bandwidth*. To make sure that the energy bands do not overlap, we assume that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$t_2/t_1<1/3$$\end{document}$. For $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$L\rightarrow \infty $$\end{document}$, the two bands can touch only at the *Fermi points*$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {k}}_{F}^{\pm } = \big ( \frac{2\pi }{3}, \pm \frac{2\pi }{3\sqrt{3}} \big )$$\end{document}$, which are the two zeros of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Omega ({\vec {k}})$$\end{document}$, around which $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Omega ({\vec {k}}_F^\pm +{\vec {k}}')\simeq \frac{3}{2}(ik_1'\pm k_2')$$\end{document}$. The condition that the two bands touch at $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {k}}_F^\omega $$\end{document}$, with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega \in \{+,-\}$$\end{document}$, is that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_\omega =0$$\end{document}$, with$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} m_{\omega } \equiv m({\vec {k}}_{F}^{\omega }) = W +\omega 3\sqrt{3}\,t_{2}\sin \phi \;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$If, instead, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_+$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_-$$\end{document}$ are both different from zero, then the spectrum of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\hat{H}}}({\vec {k}})$$\end{document}$ is gapped for all $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {k}}$$\end{document}$, corresponding to an insulating phase.
Lattice Currents and Linear Reponse Theory {#Sec4}
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\begin{document}$$n_{{\vec {x}}} = \sum _{\rho = A,B} n_{{\vec {x}}, \rho }$$\end{document}$ be the total density operator at $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {x}}$$\end{document}$. Its time-evolution is given by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$n_{{\vec {x}}}(t) = e^{i{\mathcal {H}} t} n_{{\vec {x}}} e^{-i{\mathcal {H}} t}$$\end{document}$, which satisfies the following *lattice continuity equation*:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \partial _{t} n_{{\vec {x}}}(t) = i[ {\mathcal {H}}, n_{{\vec {x}}}(t) ] \equiv \sum _{{\vec {y}}}j_{{\vec {x}},{\vec {y}}}(t)\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$j_{{\vec {x}},{\vec {y}}}$$\end{document}$ the *bond current*:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} j_{{\vec {x}},{\vec {y}}} = \sum _{\rho ,\rho '=A,B}\ \sum _{s=\uparrow ,\downarrow } (i\psi ^{\dagger }_{{\vec {y}}, \rho ',s} H_{\rho '\rho }({\vec {y}}-{\vec {x}}) \psi _{{\vec {x}},\rho ,s} + \text {h.c.})\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$Notice that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$j_{{\vec {x}},{\vec {y}}} = -j_{{\vec {y}},{\vec {x}}}$$\end{document}$. Thus, using that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$H({\vec {x}}) \ne 0$$\end{document}$ if and only if $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {x}} = {\vec {0}}, \pm {\vec {\ell }}_{1},\pm {\vec {\ell }}_2, \pm ({\vec {\ell }}_{1} - {\vec {\ell }}_{2})$$\end{document}$, Eq. ([2.9](#Equ9){ref-type=""}) implies:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \partial _{t} n_{{\vec {x}}}(t)= & {} \sum _{{\vec {y}}} j_{{\vec {x}},{\vec {y}}}(t) = \sum _{i=1,2} [j_{{\vec {x}}, {\vec {x}}+ {\vec {\ell }}_{i}} + j_{{\vec {x}}, {\vec {x}} - {\vec {\ell }}_{i}}] + j_{{\vec {x}}, {\vec {x}}+ {\vec {\ell }}_{1} - {\vec {\ell }}_{2}} + j_{{\vec {x}}, {\vec {x}} - {\vec {\ell }}_{1} + {\vec {\ell }}_{2}}\nonumber \\\equiv & {} -\text {d}_{1} \tilde{\text {J}}_{1, {\vec {x}}} - \text {d}_{2} \tilde{\text {J}}_{2, {\vec {x}}}\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\text {d}_{i} f({\vec {x}}) = f({\vec {x}}) - f({\vec {x}} - {\vec {\ell }}_{i})$$\end{document}$ is the lattice derivative along the $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {\ell }}_{i}$$\end{document}$ direction, and:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \tilde{\text {J}}_{1,{\vec {x}}} = -j_{{\vec {x}}, {\vec {x}}+ {\vec {\ell }}_{1}} - j_{{\vec {x}}, {\vec {x}}+ {\vec {\ell }}_{1} - {\vec {\ell }}_{2}}\;,\qquad \tilde{\text {J}}_{2,{\vec {x}}} = -j_{{\vec {x}}, {\vec {x}} + {\vec {\ell }}_{2}} - j_{{\vec {x}}, {\vec {x}} - {\vec {\ell }}_{1} + {\vec {\ell }}_{2}}\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$The operators $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\tilde{\text {J}}_{i, {\vec {x}}}$$\end{document}$ are the components along the $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {\ell }}_{i}$$\end{document}$ directions of the total vectorial current, defined as$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\vec {\jmath }}_{{\vec {x}}} = \tilde{\text {J}}_{1,{\vec {x}}} {\vec {\ell }}_{1}+ \tilde{\text {J}}_{2,{\vec {x}}}{\vec {\ell }}_{2}\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$Note that, given the definitions of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {\ell }}_{1,2}$$\end{document}$, the components of the lattice current along the two reference, orthogonal, coordinate directions are:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} j_{1,{\vec {x}}}=\frac{3}{2}(\tilde{\text {J}}_{1,{\vec {x}}}+\tilde{\text {J}}_{2,{\vec {x}}}),\qquad j_{2,{\vec {x}}}=\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}(-\tilde{\text {J}}_{1,{\vec {x}}}+\tilde{\text {J}}_{2,{\vec {x}}}). \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$We are interested in the transport properties of the Haldane--Hubbard model, in the linear response regime. The *Gibbs state* of the interacting model is defined as: $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\langle \cdot \rangle _{\beta , L} = \mathrm {Tr}_{{\mathcal {F}}_{L}} \cdot e^{-\beta {\mathcal {H}}} / {\mathcal {Z}}_{\beta , L}$$\end{document}$ with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {Z}}_{\beta , L} = \mathrm {Tr}_{{\mathcal {F}}_{L}} e^{-\beta {\mathcal {H}}}$$\end{document}$ the partition function. We define the conductivity matrix via the *Kubo formula*, for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$i, j =1,2$$\end{document}$:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \sigma _{ij}:= & {} \frac{1}{|{\vec {\ell }}_1\wedge {\vec {\ell }}_2|}\lim _{p_0 \rightarrow 0^{+}} \frac{1}{p_0}\Big [-i \int _{-\infty }^{0} dt\, e^{p_0 t} \lim _{\beta , L\rightarrow \infty } \frac{1}{L^{2}} \langle [ {\mathcal {J}}_{i}\,, {\mathcal {J}}_{j}(t) ] \rangle _{\beta , L} \nonumber \\&+ i \lim _{\beta , L\rightarrow \infty } \frac{1}{L^{2}} \langle [{\mathcal {J}}_i,{\mathcal {X}}_j] \rangle _{\beta , L}\Big ]\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\vec {{\mathcal {J}}} = \sum _{{\vec {x}}\in \Lambda _L} {\vec {\jmath }}_{{\vec {x}}}$$\end{document}$ the total current operator, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\vec {{\mathcal {X}}}$$\end{document}$ the second quantization of the position operator[1](#Fn1){ref-type="fn"}, and where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\lim _{\beta ,L\rightarrow \infty }$$\end{document}$ must be understood as $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\lim _{\beta \rightarrow \infty }\lim _{L\rightarrow \infty }$$\end{document}$, i.e., thermodynamic limit first, and then temperature to zero. Note that formally, in the thermodynamic limit, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\vec {{\mathcal {J}}} =i[\mathcal H,\vec {{\mathcal {X}}}]$$\end{document}$, as it should. Equation ([2.15](#Equ15){ref-type=""}) describes the linear response of the average current at the time $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$t= 0$$\end{document}$ to an adiabatic external potential of the form $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$e^{\eta t} {\vec {E}}\cdot \vec {{\mathcal {X}}}$$\end{document}$, see e.g. \[[@CR17]\] for a formal derivation, and \[[@CR8], [@CR36], [@CR39]\] for a rigorous derivation in a slightly different setting.
**Remark.** The indices *i*, *j* labelling the elements of the conductivity matrix ([2.15](#Equ15){ref-type=""}) refer to the two reference, orthogonal, coordinate directions. Sometimes, a similar definition of the Kubo matrix is given, where, instead, the indices *i*, *j* label the two lattice coordinate directions $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {\ell }}_1,{\vec {\ell }}_2$$\end{document}$ ('adapted basis'). The two definitions are, of course, related in a simple way, via the transformation induced by the change of basis. In particular, the transverse conductivities defined in the orthogonal and in the adapted basis are the same, up to an overall multiplicative factor, equal to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|{\vec {\ell }}_1\wedge {\vec {\ell }}_2|$$\end{document}$. The longitudinal conductivities are, instead, related via a matrix relation that mixes up the diagonal and non-diagonal components of the conductivity matrix. For ease of comparison with experimental papers on graphene, or graphene-like materials, we prefer to use the definition involving the orthogonal reference directions, which we find more natural.
In the absence of interactions, the Kubo conductivity matrix of the Haldane model can be computed explicitly. Suppose that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\omega } \ne 0$$\end{document}$, both for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega =-$$\end{document}$, and let us choose the chemical potential in the spectral gap. For instance, let $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mu = -2t_{2} \cos \phi \alpha _{1}(k_{F}^{\omega })$$\end{document}$, which corresponds to choosing the chemical potential in the 'middle of the gap'. Then, it turns out that \[[@CR23]\]:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \sigma _{11} = 0\;,\qquad \sigma _{12} = -\sigma _{21} = \frac{\nu }{2\pi }\;,\qquad \nu = \mathrm{sign}(m_{+}) - \mathrm{sign}(m_{-})\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$The integer $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\nu $$\end{document}$ is the Chern number of the Bloch bundle associated to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\hat{H}}}({\vec {k}})$$\end{document}$. The zeros of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\omega }=W+\omega 3\sqrt{3} t_2\sin \phi $$\end{document}$, with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega \in \{+,-\}$$\end{document}$, define the *critical curves* of the Haldane model, which separate the different topological phases, corresponding to different values of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\nu $$\end{document}$. *On* the curves, the spectrum is gapless: the energy bands intersect with conical intersection, and the system displays a quantization phenomenon of the *longitudinal* conductivity:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \sigma _{11} = \sigma _{22} = \frac{1}{8}\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$while $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\sigma _{11} =\sigma _{22}= \frac{1}{4}$$\end{document}$ at the 'graphene points' $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{+} = m_{-} = 0$$\end{document}$.
Main Result: Interacting Topological Phases and Phase Transitions {#Sec5}
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Let us now turn on the many-body interaction, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$U\ne 0$$\end{document}$. In previous works, it was proved that the quantization of the conductivity persists, but only for interactions of strength *much smaller than the gap of*$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}_0$$\end{document}$. Our main result, summarized in the next theorem, overcomes this limitation.
### Theorem 2.1 {#FPar1}
There exists $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$U_{0} >0$$\end{document}$, independent of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$W,\phi $$\end{document}$, such that for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|U| < U_0$$\end{document}$ the following is true. There exist two functions, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathfrak {d}}(U,W, \phi )$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathfrak {z}}(U,W, \phi )$$\end{document}$, analytic in *U* and continuously differentiable in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$W,\phi $$\end{document}$, such that, if the chemical potential is fixed at the value $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mu = -2t_{2} \cos \phi \alpha _{1}(k_{F}^{\omega }) {-} {\mathfrak {z}}(U,W, \phi )$$\end{document}$, then, for all the values of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$W,\phi $$\end{document}$ such that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${m_{\mathrm {R},\omega }}(W,\phi ):=W+\omega 3\sqrt{3} t_2\sin \phi +{\omega {\mathfrak {d}}(U,-\omega W,\phi )}$$\end{document}$ is different from zero, both for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega =+$$\end{document}$ and for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega =-$$\end{document}$, the interacting Hall conductivity is$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \sigma _{12}(U)= \frac{1}{2\pi }\big [ \mathrm{sign}(m_{\mathrm {R},+}) - \mathrm{sign}(m_{\mathrm {R},-}) \big ]\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$Moreover, the conditions $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_\omega ^R(W,\phi )=0$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega \in \{\pm \}$$\end{document}$, define two $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C^1$$\end{document}$ curves $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$W=W^R_\omega (\phi )$$\end{document}$, called 'critical curves', which are $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C^1$$\end{document}$ close to the unperturbed curves $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$W=-\omega 3\sqrt{3} t_2\sin \phi $$\end{document}$. The two critical curves have the same qualitative properties as the unperturbed ones, in the sense that: (i) they intersect at $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$(W,\phi )=(0,0), (0,\pi )$$\end{document}$; (ii) they are one the image of the other, under the reflection $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$W\rightarrow -W$$\end{document}$; (iii) they are monotone for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\phi \in [-\frac{\pi }{2},\frac{\pi }{2}]$$\end{document}$; (iv) they are odd in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\phi $$\end{document}$, and their periodic extension to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathbb {R}}$$\end{document}$ is even under the reflection $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\phi \rightarrow \pi -\phi $$\end{document}$.
An illustration of how the interaction deforms the critical lines is shown in Fig.[2](#Fig2){ref-type="fig"}.Fig. 2Illustration of the deformation of the critical lines induced by the electron--electron interaction. The solid red curve corresponds to the non-interacting Haldane model with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$t_1=1$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$t_2=0.1$$\end{document}$. The dotted and dashed-dotted lines correspond to the interacting case, with ultra-local (on-site) interaction and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$U=\pm \,0.5$$\end{document}$; the lines are computed by truncating perturbation theory to first order, see \[[@CR19], Sect. III.E\] for details. The connected regions of the complement of the critical lines are labelled NI (resp. TI), if they correspond to the 'normal' (resp. 'topological') insulating phase. Notice that, in the considered example, repulsive interactions have the effect of enhancing the topological insulating phase. It would be interesting to have a conceptual understanding of this phenomenon, that is, of why repulsive interactions favor the non-trivial topological phase
The main improvement of the result stated in Theorem [2.1](#FPar1){ref-type="sec"} compared to previous works is that it establishes the quantization of the Hall conductivity for values of the coupling constant *U* that are *much larger* than the gap of the bare Hamiltonian: it states that the interaction does not change the value of the interacting Hall conductivity, provided we do not cross the interacting critical curves, which we construct explicitly; this universality of the Hall coefficient holds, in particular, arbitrarily close to the critical curves. On the critical curves the system is massless, i.e., correlations decay algebraically at large distances, and we do not have informations on the transverse conductivity coefficient. However, the critical longitudinal conductivity displays the same quantization phenomenon as the non-interacting one: namely, if $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega =+$$\end{document}$ or $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega =-$$\end{document}$, and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \sigma _{11} = \sigma _{22} = \frac{1}{8}\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$while $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\sigma _{11} =\sigma _{22}= \frac{1}{4}$$\end{document}$ for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$(W,\phi )=(0,0),(0,\pi )$$\end{document}$; see \[[@CR19]\] for the proof.
We remark that the proof of Theorem [2.1](#FPar1){ref-type="sec"} is constructive: therefore, a patient reader can extract from it an explicit bound on $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$U_0$$\end{document}$. Such a bound would certainly be far from optimal; optimizing it would be a non-trivial, interesting, exercise, requiring a computer-assisted proof (at least if one is interested in getting a physically significant bound). In any case, conceptually, the only important requirement should be that *U* is sufficiently small, compared to the bandwidth of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}_0$$\end{document}$, see the definition after ([2.7](#Equ7){ref-type=""}).
Finally, concerning the model: we expect that the specific choice of the interacting Haldane model is not crucial for the validity of the result. The proof extends straightforwardly to strictly related models, such as the spin-conserving Kane--Mele model. An appropriate adaptation should apply, more generally, to any interacting Hamiltonian of the form $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}_0$$\end{document}$ has a degenerate, point-like, Fermi surface, around which the dispersion relation has a linear, 'graphene-like', behavior. Note that, as discussed in the introduction, the latter condition is needed to guarantee the irrelevance of the interaction. Even if conceptually non problematic, the extension to such a general class of many-body Hamiltonians would require a discussion of their symmetry properties, in connection with the classification of the possible relevant and marginal effective coupling that can be generated under the multiscale Renormalization Group construction of the Euclidean correlations, cf. with Sect. [4](#Sec12){ref-type="sec"} below. This goes beyond the scopes of this article: for this reason, we restrict to the specific example of the interacting Haldane model, which is physically the most relevant for applications to 2D topological insulators.
### Strategy of the Proof {#Sec6}
Let us give an informal summary of the main steps of the proof. For simplicity, we limit ourselves to the generic case $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\phi =0$$\end{document}$) being treatable analogously. Thanks to the symmetries of the model, see Eqs.([4.7](#Equ62){ref-type=""})--([4.13](#Equ68){ref-type=""}) below, we further restrict ourselves, without loss of generality, to the range of parameters$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} W>0,\qquad 0<\phi \leqslant \frac{\pi }{2}, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$which corresponds to the case $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{+}>|m_{-}|$$\end{document}$, where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_\pm $$\end{document}$ are defined in ([2.8](#Equ8){ref-type=""}). Note that, under these conditions, the amplitude of the bare gap is given by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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We expect the interaction to modify ('renormalize') in a non trivial way both the chemical potential and the width of the gap[2](#Fn2){ref-type="fn"}. In order to compute the interacting gap, we proceed as follows. For the purpose of this discussion, let us denote by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$W=m_-+3\sqrt{3} t_2\sin \phi $$\end{document}$, we rewrite $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$W=(m_--{{\mathfrak {d}}})+3\sqrt{3}t_2\sin \phi +{{\mathfrak {d}}} \equiv m_{\text {R},-}+3\sqrt{3}t_2\sin \phi +{{\mathfrak {d}}}$$\end{document}$, where the parameter $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\mathfrak {d}}}$$\end{document}$ will be chosen in such a way that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R},-}=m_--{{\mathfrak {d}}}$$\end{document}$ has the interpretation of *renormalized gap*. By using these rewritings, we find:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\mathcal {H}}={\mathcal {H}}_0(W,\phi ,\mu )+U{\mathcal {V}}=\mathcal H_0^{\text {R}}(m_{\text {R},-},\phi )+ U{\mathcal {V}}+ {{\mathfrak {d}}}\sum _{{\vec {x}}\in \Lambda _{L}}[n_{{\vec {x}}, A} - n_{{\vec {x}}, B}] +{{\mathfrak {z}}} \sum _{{\vec {x}}\in \Lambda _L}n_{{\vec {x}}},\nonumber \\ \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\mathcal {H}}_0^{\text {R}}(m_{\text {R},-},\phi ):=\mathcal H_0(m_{\text {R},-}+3\sqrt{3} t_2\sin \phi , \phi ,-2t_{2}\cos \phi \, \alpha _{1}(k_{F}^{\omega })). \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$Let us now introduce the reference Hamiltonian $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathcal H^{\text {R}}$$\end{document}$, thought of as a function of the parameters $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\mathcal {H}}^\text {R}: ={\mathcal {H}}_0^{\text {R}}(m_{\text {R},-},\phi ) + U{\mathcal {V}}+ \delta (U,m_{\text {R},-},\phi )\sum _{{\vec {x}}\in \Lambda _{L}}[n_{{\vec {x}}, A} - n_{{\vec {x}}, B}] +\xi (U,m_{\text {R},-},\phi ) \sum _{{\vec {x}}\in \Lambda _L}n_{{\vec {x}}}.\nonumber \\ \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$Note that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}$$\end{document}$ in ([2.21](#Equ21){ref-type=""}) has the same form as $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}^{\text {R}}$$\end{document}$ in ([2.22](#Equ22){ref-type=""}), with the important difference that in passing from $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}$$\end{document}$ to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mu =-2t_{2}\cos \phi \, \alpha _{1}(k_{F}^{\omega })-\xi (U,m_{\text {R},-},\phi )$$\end{document}$, and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} m_{\text {R}, -} =W-3\sqrt{3} t_2\sin \phi -\delta (U,m_{\text {R},-},\phi )\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$Our construction, described below, will allow us to fix the counterterms $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta (U,m_{\text {R},-},\phi )$$\end{document}$ in such a way that they are small, of order *O*(*U*), and that, as anticipated above, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R},-}$$\end{document}$ has the interpretation of renormalized gap: in particular, the condition $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R},-}\ne 0$$\end{document}$ implies that the system is massive, that is, correlations decay exponentially at large distances, with decay rate $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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Given these definitions, the main steps of the proof are the following.(i)We introduce the Euclidean correlations and the Euclidean Hall conductivity, which are formally obtained from the corresponding real-time formulas via a 'Wick rotation' of the time variable. In Lemma [3.4](#FPar7){ref-type="sec"}, by differentiating the Ward Identities associated with the continuity equation, and by combining the result with the Schwinger--Dyson equation, we show that the Euclidean Hall conductivity of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}^{\text{ R }}$$\end{document}$ is constant in *U*, provided that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} m_{\text {R},-} =W-3\sqrt{3} t_2\sin \phi {-{\mathfrak {d}}(U,W,\phi )}, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$ and we show that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|{\mathfrak {d}}(U,W,\phi )|\leqslant C|U| (W+\sin \phi )$$\end{document}$. The equation for the interacting critical curve has the form: $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$W=3\sqrt{3}\,t_{2}\sin \phi +\delta (U,0,\phi )=(1+O(U))\,3\sqrt{3} t_2\sin \phi $$\end{document}$.(iv)Finally, once we derived explicit estimates on the decay properties of the Euclidean correlations, we infer the identity between the Euclidean and the real-time Kubo conductivity, via \[[@CR2], Lemma B.1\].The key technical difference with respect to the strategy in \[[@CR22]\] is the rewriting of the model in terms of the renormalized reference Hamiltonian $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}^{\text {R}}_0$$\end{document}$: this allows us to take into account the renormalization of the gap and of the chemical potential, which characterizes the interacting critical point of the theory.
Lattice Conservation Laws and Universality {#Sec7}
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In this section, we show how lattice conservation laws can be used to prove the universality of the Euclidean Kubo conductivity, see step (i) above. The main result of this section is summarized in Lemma [3.4](#FPar7){ref-type="sec"}. Before getting to this lemma, in Sect. [3.1](#Sec8){ref-type="sec"} we introduce the Euclidean formalism and derive the *Ward identities*, associated with the lattice continuity equation ([2.9](#Equ9){ref-type=""}), for the Euclidean correlations. In Sects. [3.1.1](#Sec9){ref-type="sec"} and [3.1.2](#Sec10){ref-type="sec"} we differentiate and manipulate the Ward identities, under the assumption that the current--current correlations are sufficiently smooth in momentum space, thus getting some important identities, summarized in Lemma [3.1](#FPar2){ref-type="sec"} and [3.2](#FPar4){ref-type="sec"}. Finally, in Sect. [3.2](#Sec11){ref-type="sec"}, we prove Lemma [3.4](#FPar7){ref-type="sec"}, by combining these identities with the Schwinger--Dyson equation.
Euclidean Formalism and Ward Identities {#Sec8}
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Given an operator $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}^{\text {R}}$$\end{document}$. Given *n* operators $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {O}}_{t_{1}}^{(1)},\ldots , {\mathcal {O}}_{t_{n}}^{(n)}$$\end{document}$ on $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {F}}_{L}$$\end{document}$, each of which (i) can be written as a polynomial in the time-evolved creation and annihilation operators $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\psi ^\pm _{(t,{\vec {x}}),\rho } = e^{t {\mathcal {H}}^\text {R}} \psi ^\pm _{ {\vec {x}},\rho }e^{-t{\mathcal {H}}^\text {R}}$$\end{document}$, (ii) is normal-ordered, and (iii) is either even or odd in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\psi ^\pm _{(t,{\vec {x}}),\rho }$$\end{document}$, we define their time-ordered average, or *Euclidean correlation function*, as:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \langle \mathbf{T}\, {\mathcal {O}}^{(1)}_{t_1}\cdots {\mathcal {O}}^{(n)}_{t_{n}} \rangle _{\beta ,L}^{\text {R}} := \frac{\mathrm {Tr}_{{\mathcal {F}}_{L}} e^{-\beta {\mathcal {H}}^\text {R}} {\mathbf {T}} \big \{ {\mathcal {O}}_{t_{1}}^{(1)}\cdots {\mathcal {O}}_{t_{n}}^{(n)} \big \} }{\mathrm {Tr}_{{\mathcal {F}}_{L}} e^{-\beta {\mathcal {H}}^{\text {R}}}} \;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where the (linear) operator $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathbf {T}}$$\end{document}$ is the fermionic time-ordering, acting on a product of fermionic operators as:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\mathbf {T}} \big \{ \psi ^{\varepsilon _{1}}_{(t_1,{\vec {x}}_1),s_1}\cdots \psi ^{\varepsilon _{n}}_{(t_n,{\vec {x}}_n),s_n} \big \} = \text {sgn}(\pi ) \psi ^{\varepsilon _{\pi (1)}}_{(t_{\pi (1)},{\vec {x}}_{\pi (1)}),s_{\pi (1)}}\cdots \psi ^{\varepsilon _{\pi (n)}}_{ (t_{\pi (n)},{\vec {x}}_{\pi (n)}),s_{\pi (n)}} \;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\varepsilon _i\in \{\pm \}$$\end{document}$ (with the understanding $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\psi ^-_{(t,{\vec {x}}),\rho ,s}\equiv \psi _{(t,{\vec {x}}),\rho ,s}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\psi ^+_{(t,{\vec {x}}),\rho ,s}\equiv \psi ^\dagger _{(t,{\vec {x}}),\rho ,s}$$\end{document}$), and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\pi $$\end{document}$ is a permutation of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\{1,\ldots , n\}$$\end{document}$ with signature $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\text {sgn}(\pi )$$\end{document}$ such that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$t_{\pi (1)}\geqslant \ldots \geqslant t_{\pi (n)}$$\end{document}$. If some operators are evaluated at the same time, the ambiguity is solved by normal ordering. We also denote the *connected* Euclidean correlation function, or cumulant, by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\langle \mathbf{T}\, {\mathcal {O}}^{(1)}_{t_1}\,; {\mathcal {O}}^{(2)}_{t_2}\,; \cdots \,; {\mathcal {O}}^{(n)}_{t_{n}} \rangle _{\beta ,L}^{\text {R}}$$\end{document}$.
Let *O* be a self-adjoint operator on $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {F}}_{L}$$\end{document}$. We define its time Fourier transform as: $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\widehat{{\mathcal {O}}}_{p_0} = \int _{0}^{\beta } dt\, e^{-ip_0 t} {\mathcal {O}}_{t}$$\end{document}$ with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$p_0 \in \frac{2\pi }{\beta }{\mathbb {Z}}$$\end{document}$ the *Matsubara frequencies*. Also, we denote by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\widehat{{\mathcal {O}}}_{\mathbf{p}}$$\end{document}$, for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{p}= (p_{0}, p_{1}, p_{2})$$\end{document}$, the joint space-time Fourier transform of the operator $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {O}}_{(t,{\vec {x}})}$$\end{document}$:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned}\widehat{{\mathcal {O}}}_{\mathbf{p}} = \int _{0}^{\beta } dt\, \sum _{{\vec {x}}\in \Lambda _{L}} e^{-i\mathbf{p}\cdot \mathbf{x}} {\mathcal {O}}_{\mathbf{x}},\end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{x}= (t, x_{1}, x_{2})\equiv (x_{0}, x_{1}, x_{2})$$\end{document}$.
Let $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$j_{\mu , {\vec {x}}}$$\end{document}$, with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mu \in \{0,1,2\}$$\end{document}$, be the three-component operator such that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$j_{0,{\vec {x}}}:=n_{{\vec {x}}}$$\end{document}$, while $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$j_{i,{\vec {x}}}$$\end{document}$, with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$i\in \{1,2\}$$\end{document}$, are the components of the total current along the reference, orthogonal, coordinate directions, see ([2.14](#Equ14){ref-type=""}). Note that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$j_{\mu ,{\vec {x}}}$$\end{document}$ is the natural current operator, associated both with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}$$\end{document}$ and with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathcal H^{\text {R}}$$\end{document}$, because $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$i[{\mathcal {H}},n_{{\vec {x}}}]=i[\mathcal H^{\text {R}},n_{{\vec {x}}}]$$\end{document}$. Therefore, its imaginary-time evolution with respect to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}^{\text {R}}$$\end{document}$ satisfies the analogue of the continuity equation ([2.11](#Equ11){ref-type=""}), cf. with ([3.5](#Equ29){ref-type=""}) below. We define the normalized current--current correlation functions as:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\widehat{K}}_{\mu _{1}, \ldots , \mu _{n}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}(\mathbf{p}_{1}, \ldots , \mathbf{p}_{n-1}) := \frac{1}{\beta L^2} \langle \mathbf{T}\, {\hat{\jmath }}_{\mu _1, \mathbf{p}_{1}}\,; {\hat{\jmath }}_{\mu _{2}, \mathbf{p}_{2}}\,; \cdots \,; {\hat{\jmath }}_{\mu _{n}, -\mathbf{p}_{1}-\ldots - \mathbf{p}_{n-1}} \rangle _{\beta , L}^{\text {R}} \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mu _i\in \{0,1,2\}$$\end{document}$. We also denote the infinite volume, zero temperature limit of the Euclidean correlations by: $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{\mu _{1}, \ldots , \mu _{n}}(\mathbf{p}_{1}, \ldots , \mathbf{p}_{n-1}) := \lim _{\beta \rightarrow \infty }\lim _{L\rightarrow \infty } {\widehat{K}}_{\mu _{1}, \ldots , \mu _{n}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}(\mathbf{p}_{1}, \ldots , \mathbf{p}_{n-1})$$\end{document}$. The *Euclidean conductivity matrix* for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}^{\text {R}}$$\end{document}$ is$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \sigma _{ij}^{\text {E}, \text {R}} :=\frac{1}{|{\vec {\ell }}_1\wedge {\vec {\ell }}_2|} \lim _{p_{0}\rightarrow 0^{+}}\frac{1}{p_{0}} \Big (- {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{i,j}\big ((-p_0,{\vec {0}})\big ) +i \pmb {\langle } [ {\mathcal {J}}_{i}, {\mathcal {X}}_{j} ] \pmb {\rangle }_{\infty }^{\text {R}}\Big )\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where, in the second term, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\pmb {\langle }\cdot \pmb {\rangle }_{\infty }^R:=\lim _{\beta \rightarrow \infty }\lim _{L\rightarrow \infty }\frac{1}{L^{2}} \langle \cdot \rangle _{\beta , L}^{\text {R}}$$\end{document}$, and the expression $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$[ {\mathcal {J}}_{j}, {\mathcal {X}}_{i} ]$$\end{document}$ must be understood as explained in the footnote 1 above. This definition can be obtained via a formal 'Wick rotation' of the time variable, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$t\rightarrow -it$$\end{document}$, starting from the original definition of the Kubo conductivity, ([2.15](#Equ15){ref-type=""}), see, e.g., \[[@CR17]\]. A posteriori, we will see that in our context the two definitions coincide, see Sect. [5](#Sec13){ref-type="sec"} below.
The structure correlation functions, and hence the conductivity, is severely constrained by *lattice Ward identities*. These are nonperturbative implications of lattice continuity equation, which we rewrite here in imaginary time (cf. with ([2.11](#Equ11){ref-type=""})):$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} i\partial _{x_{0}} j_{0,\mathbf{x}} + \text {div}_{{\vec {x}}}{\vec {\jmath }}_{\mathbf{x}}=0\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where we used the notation $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\text {div}_{{\vec {x}}}{\vec {\jmath }}_{\mathbf{x}}:=\sum _{i=1,2}\text {d}_{i}\tilde{\text {J}}_{i,\mathbf{x}}$$\end{document}$.
For instance, consider the current--current correlation function[3](#Fn3){ref-type="fn"},$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \langle \mathbf{T}\, j_{0, \mathbf{x}}\,; j_{\nu , \mathbf{y}} \rangle ^{\text {R}}_{\beta ,L} = \theta (x_{0} - y_{0}) \langle j_{0, \mathbf{x}}\,; j_{\nu , \mathbf{y}} \rangle ^{\text {R}}_{\beta ,L} + \theta (y_{0} - x_{0}) \langle j_{\nu , \mathbf{y}}\,; j_{0, \mathbf{x}} \rangle ^{\text {R}}_{\beta ,L}\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\theta (t)$$\end{document}$ is the Heaviside step function and the correlations in the right side are the time-unordered ones (i.e., they are defined without the action of the time-ordering operator). Using the continuity equation Eq. ([3.5](#Equ29){ref-type=""}):$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} i\partial _{x_{0}}\langle \mathbf{T}\, j_{0, \mathbf{x}}\,; j_{\nu , \mathbf{y}} \rangle ^{\text {R}}_{\beta ,L}= & {} \langle \mathbf{T}\, i\partial _{x_{0}}j_{0, \mathbf{x}}\,; j_{\nu , \mathbf{y}} \rangle ^{\text {R}}_{\beta ,L} + i\langle [ j_{0, {\vec {x}}}\, , j_{\nu , {\vec {y}}} ] \rangle ^{\text {R}}_{\beta ,L} \delta (x_{0} - y_{0})\nonumber \\= & {} -\langle \mathbf{T}\, \text {div}_{{\vec {x}}} {\vec {\jmath }}_{\mathbf{x}}\,; j_{\nu , \mathbf{y}} \rangle ^{\text {R}}_{\beta ,L} + i\langle [ j_{0, {\vec {x}}}\, , j_{\nu , {\vec {y}}} ] \rangle ^{\text {R}}_{\beta ,L} \delta (x_{0} - y_{0})\;. \quad \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$Let us now take the Fourier transform of both sides: integrating by parts w.r.t. $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$x_0$$\end{document}$ and using ([3.7](#Equ31){ref-type=""}), we find$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} p_{0} {\widehat{K}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}_{0,\nu }(\mathbf{p})= & {} -\frac{1}{\beta L^2} \int _{0}^{\beta } dx_{0} \int _{0}^{\beta } dy_{0}\, \sum _{{\vec {x}}, {\vec {y}}\in \Lambda _L} e^{-ip_{0}(x_{0} - y_{0})}e^{-i{\vec {p}} \cdot ({\vec {x}}-{\vec {y}})} i\partial _{x_{0}}\langle \mathbf{T}\, j_{0, \mathbf{x}}\,; j_{\nu , \mathbf{y}} \rangle ^{\text {R}}_{\beta ,L}\nonumber \\= & {} \sum _{i=1,2} (1 - e^{-i{\vec {p}}\cdot {\vec {\ell }}_{i}}) \frac{1}{\beta L^{2}} \langle \mathbf{T}\, \hat{{\vec {\jmath }}}_{\mathbf{p}}\cdot \frac{{{\vec {G}}_i}}{2\pi }\,; {{\hat{\jmath }}}_{\nu , -\mathbf{p}} \rangle ^{\text {R}}_{\beta ,L} - i\sum _{{\vec {x}}} e^{-i{\vec {p}}\cdot {\vec {x}}} \langle [ j_{0, {\vec {x}}}\, , j_{\nu , {\vec {0}}} ] \rangle ^{\text {R}}_{\beta ,L}\nonumber \\\equiv & {} \sum _{i,i'=1,2} (1 - e^{-i{\vec {p}}\cdot {\vec {\ell }}_i})\frac{({\vec {G}}_i)_{i'}}{2\pi } {\widehat{K}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}_{i',\nu }(\mathbf{p}) + {{\widehat{S}}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}_{\nu }(\mathbf{p})\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where we used that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\tilde{\text {J}}_{i,\mathbf{x}}={\vec {\jmath }}_{\mathbf{x}}\cdot \frac{{\vec {G}}_i}{2\pi }$$\end{document}$, with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {G}}_i$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$i=1,2$$\end{document}$, the vectors of the dual basis, see definition in Sect. [2.1](#Sec3){ref-type="sec"}. More generally, denoting $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$(0,\nu _2,\ldots ,\nu _{n})$$\end{document}$ by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$(0,{{\underline{\nu }}})$$\end{document}$, one has:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned}&p_{1,0} {\widehat{K}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}_{0, {\underline{\nu }}}(\{\mathbf{p}_{i}\}_{i=1}^{n-1}) = \sum _{i,i'=1,2} (1 - e^{-i{\vec {p}}_{1}\cdot {\vec {\ell }}_i}) \frac{({\vec {G}}_i)_{i'}}{2\pi } {\widehat{K}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}_{i', {\underline{\nu }}}(\{\mathbf{p}_{i}\}_{i=1}^{n-1}) + {{\widehat{S}}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}_{{{\underline{\nu }}}}(\{\mathbf{p}_{i}\}_{i=1}^{n-1})\;,\qquad \nonumber \\&{{\widehat{S}}}_{{\underline{\nu }}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}(\cdots ) := -\frac{i}{\beta L^2}\sum _{j=2}^{n} \langle \mathbf{T}\,C_{\nu _{j}}(\mathbf{p}_{1}, \mathbf{p}_{j})\,; {\hat{\jmath }}_{\nu _{2},\mathbf{p}_{2}}\,;\ldots \,; {\hat{\jmath }}_{\nu _{j-1},\mathbf{p}_{j-1}}\,; {\hat{\jmath }}_{\nu _{j+1},\mathbf{p}_{j+1}}\,; \cdots \,; {{\hat{\jmath }}}_{\nu _{n},\mathbf{p}_{n}} \rangle _{\beta , L}^{\text {R}},\nonumber \\ \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C_{\nu }(\mathbf{p}_{1}, \mathbf{p}_{2}) = \int _{0}^{\beta } dt\, e^{-it (\omega _{1} + \omega _{2})} [ {{\hat{\jmath }}}_{0,(t, {\vec {p}}_{1})}\,, {\hat{\jmath }}_{\nu , (t, {\vec {p}}_{2})}]$$\end{document}$ (here, with some abuse of notation, we let $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\hat{\jmath }}}_{\mu ,(t,{\vec {p}})}$$\end{document}$ be the imaginary-time evolution at time *t* of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\hat{\jmath }}}_{\mu ,{\vec {p}}}$$\end{document}$), and with the understanding that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{p}_{n} = -\mathbf{p}_{1} - \ldots - \mathbf{p}_{n-1}$$\end{document}$. Even more generally, the identity remains valid if some of the current operators $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$j_{\nu _i,\mathbf{p}_i}$$\end{document}$ are replaced by other local operators $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\hat{{\mathcal {O}}}_{i,\mathbf{p}_i}$$\end{document}$: in this case, of course, the operators $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C_{\nu _i}$$\end{document}$ must be modified accordingly. In the following, we will be interested in replacing one of the current operators either by the staggered density$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\hat{\jmath }}}_{3,\mathbf{p}}:=n_{\mathbf{p},A}-n_{\mathbf{p},B}\,, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$n_{\mathbf{p},\rho }$$\end{document}$ is the Fourier transform of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$n_{(t,{\vec {x}}),\rho }:=\sum _\sigma \psi ^+_{(t,{\vec {x}}),\rho ,\sigma }\psi ^-_{(t,{\vec {x}}),\rho ,\sigma }$$\end{document}$, or by the quartic interaction potential$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\hat{{\mathcal {V}}}}_{\mathbf{p}} := \int _{0}^{\beta } dx_{0}\, e^{-ip_{0} x_{0}} \sum _{{\vec {x}}} e^{-i{\vec {p}}\cdot {\vec {x}}} \sum _{{\vec {y}}, \rho , \rho '} v_{\rho ,\rho '}({\vec {x}} - {\vec {y}}) \big ( (n_{{\vec {x}}, \rho }-1) (n_{{\vec {y}}, \rho '}-1)\big )_{x_{0}}\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$As we shall see below, the combination of the identity ([3.9](#Equ33){ref-type=""}) together with the regularity of the correlation functions has remarkable implications on the structure of the correlations.
### Consequences of the Ward Identities for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C^1$$\end{document}$ Correlations {#Sec9}
Here we start by discussing the consequences of the Ward identities for continuously differentiable correlations.
#### Lemma 3.1 {#FPar2}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{p}_{\beta , L} \in \frac{2\pi }{\beta }{\mathbb {Z}} \times \frac{2\pi }{L} {\mathbb {Z}}^{2}$$\end{document}$, such that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\lim _{\beta , L\rightarrow \infty }\mathbf{p}_{\beta , L} = \mathbf{p}\in B_{\varepsilon }(\mathbf{0}) := \{\mathbf{q}\in {\mathbb {R}}^{2} \mid |\mathbf{q}|<\varepsilon \}$$\end{document}$, for some $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\varepsilon >0$$\end{document}$. Suppose that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\widehat{K}}}^{\text {R}}_{\mu ,\nu }(\mathbf{p}) = \lim _{\beta ,L\rightarrow \infty } {{\widehat{K}}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}_{\mu ,\nu }(\mathbf{p}_{\beta , L})$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\widehat{S}}}^{\text {R}}_{j}(\mathbf{p}) = \lim _{\beta ,L\rightarrow \infty } {{\widehat{S}}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}_{j}(\mathbf{p}_{\beta , L})$$\end{document}$ exist and that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\widehat{K}}}^{\text {R}}_{\mu ,\nu }(\mathbf{p}), {\widehat{S}}^{\text {R}}_{j}(\mathbf{p}) \in C^{1}(B_{\varepsilon }(\mathbf{0}))$$\end{document}$. Then,$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \sigma ^{\text {E}, \text {R}}_{ij}= \frac{1}{|{\vec {\ell }}_1\wedge {\vec {\ell }}_2|} \frac{\partial }{\partial p_{0}} {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{i,j}(\mathbf{0})\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$
#### Proof {#FPar3}
Consider Eq. ([3.8](#Equ32){ref-type=""}) with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\nu = j$$\end{document}$, in the $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\beta , L\rightarrow \infty $$\end{document}$ limit. We differentiate both sides w.r.t. $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$p_{i}$$\end{document}$, and take the limit $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{p}\rightarrow \mathbf{0}$$\end{document}$, thus getting (recall that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {\ell }}_i\cdot {\vec {G}}_j=2\pi \delta _{i,j}$$\end{document}$):$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} 0 = i {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{i,j}(\mathbf{0}) + \frac{\partial }{\partial p_{i}} {{\widehat{S}}}^{\text {R}}_{j}(\mathbf{0}). \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$Now, recall the definition of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\widehat{S}}^{\beta ,L;\text {R}}_{j}(\mathbf{p})$$\end{document}$ from Eq. ([3.8](#Equ32){ref-type=""}): $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\widehat{S}}^{\beta ,L;\text {R}}_{j}(\mathbf{0})=- i\sum _{{\vec {x}}} e^{-i{\vec {p}}\cdot {\vec {x}}} \langle [n_{{\vec {x}}}\, , j_{j, {\vec {0}}} ] \rangle ^{\text {R}}_{\beta ,L}$$\end{document}$, where we also used that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$j_{0,{\vec {x}}}=n_{{\vec {x}}}$$\end{document}$. Taking the limit $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\beta ,L\rightarrow \infty $$\end{document}$ and the derivative with respect to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$p_i$$\end{document}$, we get $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$ \frac{\partial }{\partial p_{i}} {{\widehat{S}}}^{\text {R}}_{j}(\mathbf{0})=-\pmb {\langle } [\mathcal X_{i},{\mathcal {J}}_j ] \pmb {\rangle }^{\text {R}}_{\infty }$$\end{document}$, where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\pmb {\langle }\cdot \pmb {\rangle }_{\infty }^R$$\end{document}$ was defined in ([3.4](#Equ28){ref-type=""}), and the expression $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$[ {\mathcal {J}}_{j}, {\mathcal {X}}_{i} ]$$\end{document}$ must be understood as explained in the footnote 1 above. In conclusion,$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{i,j}(\mathbf{0}) =i\pmb {\langle } [{\mathcal {J}}_j, {\mathcal {X}}_{i} ] \pmb {\rangle }^{\text {R}}_{\infty }\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$and, if we plug this identity in ([3.4](#Equ28){ref-type=""}), noting that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\pmb {\langle } [{\mathcal {J}}_j, {\mathcal {X}}_{i} ] \pmb {\rangle }^{\text {R}}_{\infty }$$\end{document}$ is even under the exchange , we obtain the desired identity. $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\square $$\end{document}$
### Consequences of the Ward Identities for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C^{3}$$\end{document}$ Correlations {#Sec10}
Next, we discuss some other implications of the Ward identities for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C^3$$\end{document}$ three-point correlations of the current operator (twice) with either the staggered density $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\hat{j}}}_{3,\mathbf{p}}$$\end{document}$ (see ([3.10](#Equ34){ref-type=""})), or the interaction potential (see ([3.11](#Equ35){ref-type=""})), defined as$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\widehat{K}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}_{\mu , \nu , 3}(\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q}):= & {} \frac{1}{\beta L^2}\langle \mathbf{T}\,{{\hat{\jmath }}}_{\mu , \mathbf{p}}\,; {\hat{\jmath }}_{\nu ,\mathbf{q}}\,; {{\hat{\jmath }}}_{3,-\mathbf{p}-\mathbf{q}} {\rangle }_{\beta , L} \nonumber \\ {\widehat{K}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}_{\mu , \nu , V}(\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q}):= & {} \frac{1}{\beta L^2}\langle \mathbf{T}\,{{\hat{\jmath }}}_{\mu , \mathbf{p}}\,; {\hat{\jmath }}_{\nu ,\mathbf{q}}\,; \hat{{\mathcal {V}}}_{-\mathbf{p}-\mathbf{q}} {\rangle }_{\beta , L} \;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$We also let$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\widehat{S}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}_{j, 3}(\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q}):= & {} -\frac{i}{\beta L^2}\langle C_{j}(\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q})\,; {\hat{\jmath }}_{3,-\mathbf{p}-\mathbf{q}}\rangle _{\beta , L}^{\text {R}}\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\widehat{S}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}_{j, V}(\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q}):= & {} -\frac{i}{\beta L^2}\langle C_{j}(\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q})\,; \hat{{\mathcal {V}}}_{-\mathbf{p}-\mathbf{q}} {\rangle }_{\beta , L}^{\text {R}} \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$be the new Schwinger terms (recall that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{{C}}}_j$$\end{document}$ was defined right after ([3.9](#Equ33){ref-type=""})). As usual, we denote by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{\mu , \nu , \sharp }$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\widehat{S}}^{\text {R}}_{j, \sharp }$$\end{document}$ the $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\beta , L\rightarrow \infty $$\end{document}$ limits of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\widehat{K}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}_{\mu , \nu , \sharp }(\cdots )$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\widehat{S}}^{\beta , L; \text {R}}_{j, \sharp }(\cdots )$$\end{document}$, with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\sharp \in \{3,V\}$$\end{document}$.
#### Lemma 3.2 {#FPar4}
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\begin{document}$$\sharp \in \{0,3,V\}$$\end{document}$. Suppose that the limiting functions $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{\mu , \nu , \sharp }(\mathbf{p},\mathbf{q})$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\widehat{S}}^{\text {R}}_{j, \sharp }(\mathbf{p},\mathbf{q})$$\end{document}$ exist in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$B_{\varepsilon }(\mathbf{0})\times B_\varepsilon (\mathbf{0})$$\end{document}$, and that they are of class $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C^{3}$$\end{document}$ in this domain. Then:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \frac{\partial }{\partial p_{0}} {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{i, j, \sharp }((p_{0}, {\vec {0}}), (-p_{0}, {\vec {0}})) = \frac{\partial }{\partial p_{0}}\Big [ p_{0}^2 \frac{\partial ^{2}}{\partial p_{i} \partial q_{j}} {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{0,0, \sharp }((p_{0}, {\vec {0}}), (-p_{0}, {\vec {0}}))\Big ]\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$In particular, the left side of Eq. ([3.18](#Equ42){ref-type=""}) vanishes as $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$p_{0}\rightarrow 0$$\end{document}$.
#### Proof {#FPar5}
Taking the $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\beta ,L\rightarrow \infty $$\end{document}$ limit of the Ward Identity ([3.9](#Equ33){ref-type=""}) with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\underline{\nu }}}=(0,\sharp )$$\end{document}$, we find$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} p_{0} {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{0,0, \sharp }(\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q}) = \sum _{i,i'=1,2} (1 - e^{-i{\vec {p}}\cdot {\vec {\ell }}_{i}})\frac{({\vec {G}}_i)_{i'}}{2\pi } {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{i', 0, \sharp }(\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q})\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$Similarly, choosing $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\underline{\nu }}}=(j,\sharp )$$\end{document}$$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} p_{0} {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{0,j, \sharp }(\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q}) = \sum _{i,i'=1,2} (1 - e^{-i{\vec {p}}\cdot {\vec {\ell }}_{i}})\frac{({\vec {G}}_i)_{i'}}{2\pi } {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{i', j, \sharp }(\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q}) + {{\widehat{S}}}^{\text {R}}_{j, \sharp }(\mathbf{p},\mathbf{q})\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$and, exchanging the roles of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{p}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{q}$$\end{document}$, we also get$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} q_{0} {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{i,0, \sharp }(\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q}) = \sum _{j,j'=1,2} (1 - e^{-i{\vec {q}}\cdot {\vec {\ell }}_{j}})\frac{({\vec {G}}_j)_{j'}}{2\pi } {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{i, j', \sharp }(\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q}) + {{\widehat{S}}}^{\text {R}}_{i, \sharp }({\mathbf{q},\mathbf{p}})\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$Combining ([3.19](#Equ43){ref-type=""}) with ([3.21](#Equ45){ref-type=""}), we find$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} q_{0} p_{0} {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{0,0, \sharp }(\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q})= & {} \sum _{i,i' = 1,2}\Big [ \sum _{j,j' = 1,2}(1 - e^{-i{\vec {p}}\cdot {\vec {\ell }}_{i}}) (1 - e^{-i{\vec {q}}\cdot {\vec {\ell }}_{j}}) \frac{({\vec {G}}_i)_{i'}}{2\pi }\frac{({\vec {G}}_j)_{j'}}{2\pi } {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{i', j', \sharp }(\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q}) \nonumber \\&+ (1-e^{-i{\vec {p}}\cdot {\vec {\ell }}_{i}})\frac{({\vec {G}}_i)_{i'}}{2\pi }{{\widehat{S}}}^{\text {R}}_{i', \sharp }({\mathbf{q},\mathbf{p}})\ \ \Big ]\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$We now derive w.r.t. $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$p_{i}, q_{j}$$\end{document}$, and then set $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{p}= -\mathbf{q}= (p_{0}, {\vec {0}})$$\end{document}$, thus finding[4](#Fn4){ref-type="fn"}:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} p_{0}^{2} \frac{\partial ^{2}}{\partial p_{1,i} \partial p_{2,j}} {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{0,0, \sharp }\big ((p_0,{\vec {0}}),(-p_0,{\vec {0}})\big )= & {} {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{i, j, \sharp }\big ((p_{0}, {\vec {0}}), (-p_{0}, {\vec {0}})\big ) \nonumber \\&-i \frac{\partial }{\partial p_{1,j}}{\widehat{S}}^{\text {R}}_{i, \sharp }\big ((-p_0,{\vec {0}}),(p_0,{\vec {0}})\big )\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$Finally, notice that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\partial _{p_{1,j}} S^{\text {R}}_{i, \sharp }\big ((-p_0,{\vec {0}}),(p_0,{\vec {0}})\big )$$\end{document}$ is constant in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$p_{0}$$\end{document}$ (recall the definition of Schwinger term, Eq. ([3.16](#Equ40){ref-type=""}), and of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C_{j}$$\end{document}$, Eq. ([3.9](#Equ33){ref-type=""})). Therefore, after differentiation in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$p_{0}$$\end{document}$, the final claim follows. $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\square $$\end{document}$
Universality of the Euclidean Conductivity Matrix {#Sec11}
-------------------------------------------------
Here we prove the universality of the Euclidean conductivity matrix, defined in Eq. ([3.4](#Equ28){ref-type=""}). We restrict to the range of parameters ([2.20](#Equ20){ref-type=""}), as discussed at the beginning of Sect. [2.3.1](#Sec6){ref-type="sec"}. In terms of the renormalized parameters, we restate ([2.20](#Equ20){ref-type=""}) as$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} 0<\phi \leqslant \frac{\pi }{2}\;,\qquad m_{\text {R},+}>|m_{\text {R},-}|\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} m_{R,+}:=m_{R,-}+6\sqrt{3}\,t_{2}\sin \phi \;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$A key ingredient in the proof is the following regularity result for the correlation functions.
### Proposition 3.3 {#FPar6}
There exists $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$U_{0}>0$$\end{document}$ such that, for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$(\phi ,m_{\text {R},-})$$\end{document}$ in the range ([3.24](#Equ48){ref-type=""}), the following is true. There exist functions $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta (U, m_{\text {R}, -}, \phi )$$\end{document}$, analytic in *U* and vanishing at $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$U=0$$\end{document}$, such that the Euclidean correlation functions $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\widehat{K}}}^{\text {R}}_{\mu ,\nu }(\mathbf{p})$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{\mu , \nu , \sharp }(\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q})$$\end{document}$, as well as the Schwinger terms $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\widehat{S}}^{\text {R}}_{j}(\mathbf{p})$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\sharp \in \{0,3,V\}$$\end{document}$, are analytic in *U*; moreover, if $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R},-}\ne 0$$\end{document}$, they are $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C^{3}$$\end{document}$ in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q}\in B_{\varepsilon }(\mathbf{0})$$\end{document}$, uniformly in *U* and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\phi $$\end{document}$.
The proof of this proposition is postponed to the next section. Its content, combined with the (consequences of the) Ward identities discussed above, immediately implies the universality of the Euclidean conductivity matrix.
### Lemma 3.4 {#FPar7}
Under the same assumptions as Proposition [3.3](#FPar6){ref-type="sec"}, if $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{R,-}\ne 0$$\end{document}$, then$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \sigma ^{\text {E},\text {R}}_{12} = \frac{1}{2\pi } \big [ \mathrm{sign}(m_{\text {R},+}) - \mathrm{sign}(m_{\text {R},-})\big ]\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$
### Proof {#FPar8}
(*Assuming the validity of Proposition* [3.3](#FPar6){ref-type="sec"}). Thanks to Proposition [3.3](#FPar6){ref-type="sec"}, we know that the correlation functions $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\widehat{S}}^{\text {R}}_{j, \sharp }(\mathbf{p},\mathbf{q})$$\end{document}$, with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\sharp \in \{0,3,V\}$$\end{document}$, are $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C^{2}$$\end{document}$ in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{p}, \mathbf{q}\in B_{\varepsilon }(\mathbf{0})$$\end{document}$, for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|U|< U_0$$\end{document}$. Therefore, we can apply Lemma [3.1](#FPar2){ref-type="sec"} and Lemma [3.2](#FPar4){ref-type="sec"}. Using Lemma [3.1](#FPar2){ref-type="sec"}, we rewrite the Euclidean conductivity matrix as:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \sigma ^{\text {E}, \text {R}}_{ij} =\frac{1}{|{\vec {\ell }}_1\wedge {\vec {\ell }}_2|} \frac{\partial }{\partial p_{0}} {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{i,j}(\mathbf{0})\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$Then, we rewrite $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{i,j}$$\end{document}$ in terms of the non-interacting current--current correlation associated with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}_0^{\text {R}}$$\end{document}$, via the following *interpolation formula*:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{i,j}(\mathbf{p}) = {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R},0}_{i,j}(\mathbf{p}) + \int _{0}^{U} dU'\, \frac{d}{dU'} {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R},U'}_{i,j}(\mathbf{p})\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\widehat{K}}^{\text {R},U'}_{i,j}(\mathbf{p})$$\end{document}$ is the correlation associated with the ($\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\mathcal {H}}^\text {R}_{U'}: ={\mathcal {H}}_0^{\text {R}} + U'{\mathcal {V}}+ \delta (U',m_{\text {R},-},\phi )\sum _{{\vec {x}}\in \Lambda _{L}}[n_{{\vec {x}}, A} - n_{{\vec {x}}, B}] + \xi (U',m_{\text {R},-},\phi )\sum _{{\vec {x}}\in \Lambda _L}n_{{\vec {x}}},\nonumber \\ \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$cf. with Eq. ([2.22](#Equ22){ref-type=""}). Computing the derivative in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$U'$$\end{document}$:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{i,j}(\mathbf{p})= & {} {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R},0}_{i,j}(\mathbf{p})- \int _{0}^{U} dU'\, \Big [\frac{\partial \delta }{\partial U'}(U',m_{\text {R},-},\phi )\, {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R},U'}_{i,j,3}(\mathbf{p},-\mathbf{p})\nonumber \\&+ \frac{\partial \xi }{\partial {U'}}(U',m_{\text {R},-},\phi )\, {\widehat{K}}^{\text {R},U'}_{i,j,0}(\mathbf{p},-\mathbf{p}) + {{\widehat{K}}}^{\text {R}, U'}_{i,j,V}(\mathbf{p}, -\mathbf{p})\Big ]\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$We now take the derivative w.r.t. $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$p_{0}$$\end{document}$ and take $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$p_0\rightarrow 0$$\end{document}$. Using Lemma [3.2](#FPar4){ref-type="sec"}, we immediately get:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \frac{\partial }{\partial p_{0}}{\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{i,j}(\mathbf{0}) =\frac{\partial }{\partial p_{0}}{\widehat{K}}^{\text {R},0}_{i,j}(\mathbf{0})\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$that is, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\sigma ^{\text {E},\text {R}}_{ij}= \sigma ^{\text {E}, \text {R}}_{ij}\Big |_{U=0}$$\end{document}$ (we recall that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\sigma ^{\text {E}, \text {R}}_{ij}\Big |_{U=0}$$\end{document}$ is the non-interacting Euclidean conductivity associated with the quadratic Hamiltonian $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathcal H_0^{\text {R}}$$\end{document}$ at $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R},-}$$\end{document}$, which is assumed to be different from zero). The final claim, Eq. ([3.26](#Equ50){ref-type=""}), follows from a direct computation of the non-interacting conductivity, cf. with \[[@CR22], Appendix B, Eq. (B.8)\]. $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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Proof of Proposition [3.3](#FPar6){ref-type="sec"} {#Sec12}
==================================================
The proof of Proposition [3.3](#FPar6){ref-type="sec"} is a rather standard application of RG methods for fermions (see, e.g., \[[@CR11], [@CR16], [@CR18], [@CR32]\] for reviews). A similar analysis for interacting graphene, which corresponds to the case $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$t_{2} = W = 0$$\end{document}$, has been discussed in \[[@CR20], [@CR21]\], which we refer to for further details. See also \[[@CR19]\], where an application to the Haldane--Hubbard model was discussed. The RG construction of the ground-state correlation functions, uniformly in the gap, is ultimately made possible by the fact that the many-body interaction, in the critical, massless, case, is *irrelevant* in the RG sense. The only qualitative effect of the interaction, with respect to the non-interacting theory, is a finite renormalization of the gap, of the chemical potential, of the Fermi velocity and of the wave function renormalization.
We recall once more that we restrict the discussion to the range of parameters ([3.24](#Equ48){ref-type=""}). Moreover, we assume that *W* is not too large, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$M_0$$\end{document}$, the case of large *W* being substantially simpler, and left to the reader (for large *W*, the system is massive and is in a trivial, non-topological, insulating phase, as it follows from the proof of \[[@CR22]\]). Finally, for simplicity, we set $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$t_1=1$$\end{document}$, that is, we set the scale of the bandwidth equal to one.
Proof {#FPar9}
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The starting point is the well-known representation of the Euclidean correlation in terms of Grassmann integrals (see, for instance, \[[@CR20], [@CR22]\]). The generating functional of the correlations is denoted by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {W}}(f,A)$$\end{document}$, with *f* an external Grassmann field coupled to the fermionic fields, and *A* a (five-component) external complex field conjugated to the lattice currents and the quartic interaction. We have:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} e^{{{\mathcal {W}}}(f,A)}=\frac{\int P(d\Psi )e^{-V(\Psi )+(\Psi ,f)+(J,A)}}{\int P(d\Psi )e^{-V(\Psi )}}, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where: $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} g_{s,s'}(\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y})=\frac{\delta _{s,s'}}{\beta L^2}\sum _{k_0\in \frac{2\pi }{\beta }({\mathbb {Z}}+\frac{1}{2})}\ \sum _{{\vec {k}}\in \frac{2\pi }{L}{\mathbb {Z}}_L^2}e^{-i\mathbf{k}(\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{y})} {{\hat{g}}}(\mathbf{k}), \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} R({\vec {k}})= -2t_2\cos \phi \big (\alpha _1({\vec {k}})-\alpha _1({\vec {k}}_F^{\pm })\big ),\qquad m_{R}({\vec {k}})=m_{R,-}+2t_2(\alpha _2(k)-\alpha _2(k_F^-))\sin \phi , \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$and recalling that we set $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\hat{g}}}(\mathbf{k})=\begin{pmatrix} &{}-ik_0+R({\vec {k}})+ m_R({\vec {k}}) &{} - \Omega ^*({\vec {k}})\\ &{}- \Omega ({\vec {k}}) &{} -i k_0+R({\vec {k}})- m_R({\vec {k}}) \end{pmatrix}^{\!\!\!-1}, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$with the understanding that, at contact, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$g(\mathbf{x},\mathbf{x})$$\end{document}$ should be interpreted as $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\lim _{\varepsilon \rightarrow 0^+}[g(\mathbf{x}+(\varepsilon ,{\vec {0}}),\mathbf{x}) +g(\mathbf{x}-(\varepsilon ,{\vec {0}}),\mathbf{x})]$$\end{document}$;$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} V(\Psi )= & {} \int _{0}^\beta dx_0\sum _{{\vec {x}}\in \Lambda _L} \Big [U \sum _{{\vec {y}}\in \Lambda _L}\sum _{\rho , \rho '=A,B} n_{\mathbf{x}, \rho } v_{\rho ,\rho '}({\vec {x}} - {\vec {y}}) n_{(x_0,{\vec {y}}), \rho '}\nonumber \\&+\delta (U,m_{\text {R},-},\phi )(n_{\mathbf{x},A}-n_{\mathbf{x},B}) +\xi (U,m_{\text {R},-},\phi ) n_{\mathbf{x}} \Big ], \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$n_{\mathbf{x},\rho }=\sum _{s=\uparrow ,\downarrow }\Psi ^+_{\mathbf{x},\rho ,s}\Psi ^-_{\mathbf{x},\rho ,s}$$\end{document}$ is the Grassmann counterpart of the density operator, and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$n_{\mathbf{x}}=\sum _{\rho =A,B}n_{\mathbf{x},\rho }$$\end{document}$; finally,$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned}&(\Psi ,f)=\int _0^\beta dx_0\sum _{{\vec {x}}\in \Lambda _L}\sum _{s=\uparrow \downarrow }(\Psi ^+_{\mathbf{x},s}f^-_{\mathbf{x},s}+f^+_{\mathbf{x},s}\Psi ^-_{\mathbf{x},s}), \\&(J,A)=\frac{1}{\beta L^2}\sum _{p_0\in \frac{2\pi }{\beta }{\mathbb {Z}}}\ \sum _{{\vec {p}}\in \frac{2\pi }{L}{\mathbb {Z}}^2}\ \sum _{\mu =0}^4{{\hat{A}}}_{\mathbf{p},\mu }{{\hat{J}}}_{\mathbf{p},\mu }, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\hat{J}}}_{\mathbf{p},\mu }=\int _0^\beta dx_0 \sum _{{\vec {x}}\in \Lambda _L}e^{-i\mathbf{p}\cdot \mathbf{x}} J_{\mathbf{x},\mu }$$\end{document}$ and: $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$J_{\mathbf{x},0}=n_\mathbf{x}$$\end{document}$ is the Grassmann counterpart of the density; $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$J_{\mathbf{x},1},J_{\mathbf{x},2}$$\end{document}$ are the Grassmann counterparts of the two components of the lattice current,$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} J_{\mathbf{x},1}=\frac{3}{2}({{\tilde{J}}}_{\mathbf{x},1}+{{\tilde{J}}}_{\mathbf{x},2}),\qquad J_{\mathbf{x},2}=\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}(-{{\tilde{J}}}_{\mathbf{x},1}+\tilde{J}_{\mathbf{x},2}), \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$with$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\tilde{J}}}_{\mathbf{x},1}= -J_{{\vec {x}}, {\vec {x}}+ {\vec {\ell }}_{1}} - J_{{\vec {x}}, {\vec {x}}+ {\vec {\ell }}_{1} - {\vec {\ell }}_{2}},\qquad {{\tilde{J}}}_{\mathbf{x},2} = -J_{{\vec {x}}, {\vec {x}} + {\vec {\ell }}_{2}} - J_{{\vec {x}}, {\vec {x}} - {\vec {\ell }}_{1} + {\vec {\ell }}_{2}}, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$and$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} J_{{\vec {x}},{\vec {y}}} = \sum _{s=\uparrow ,\downarrow } \big [i\Psi ^{+}_{{\vec {y}}, s} H({\vec {y}}-{\vec {x}}) \Psi ^{-}_{{\vec {x}},s} -i \Psi ^{+}_{{\vec {x}}, s} H({\vec {x}}-{\vec {y}}) \Psi ^{-}_{{\vec {y}},s}\big ]\;; \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$J_{\mathbf{x},3}=n_{\mathbf{x},A}-n_{\mathbf{x},B}$$\end{document}$ is the Grassmann counterpart of the staggered density; $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$J_{\mathbf{x},4}$$\end{document}$ is the Grassmann counterpart of the quartic interaction,$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} J_{\mathbf{x},4}= \sum _{{\vec {y}}, \rho , \rho '} n_{\mathbf{x}, \rho } v_{\rho ,\rho '}({\vec {x}} - {\vec {y}})n_{(x_0,{\vec {y}}), \rho '}\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$The derivatives of the generating functional computed at zero external fields equal the Euclidean correlation functions, cf. with, e.g., \[[@CR19], Eq. (27), (28)\]. Needless to say, the Euclidean correlations satisfy non trivial Ward Identities, following from the lattice continuity equation. For an example, cf. with \[[@CR19], Eq. (19),(20)\]. $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\square $$\end{document}$
In order to compute the generating functional $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {W}}(f,A)$$\end{document}$ in Eq. ([4.1](#Equ56){ref-type=""}), we use an expansion in *U*, which is convergent uniformly in the volume and temperature, and uniformly close to (and even on) the critical lines $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R}, \pm } = 0$$\end{document}$. Note that, in the parameter range ([3.24](#Equ48){ref-type=""}) the propagator $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\hat{g}}}(\mathbf{k})$$\end{document}$ is singular only when $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R},-}=0$$\end{document}$, in which case the singularity is located at $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{k}_{F}^{-} := (0, {\vec {k}}_{F}^{-})$$\end{document}$, with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {k}}_{F}^{\pm } = \big ( \frac{2\pi }{3}, \pm \frac{2\pi }{3\sqrt{3}} \big )$$\end{document}$. Due to this singularity, the Grassmann integral has, a priori, an infrared problem, which we resolve by a multi-scale re-summation of the corresponding singularities.
The multi-scale computation of the generating function proceeds as follows. First of all, we distinguish the ultraviolet modes, corresponding to large values of the Matsubara frequency, from the infrared ones, by introducing two compactly supported cut-off functions, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\chi _\pm (\mathbf{k})$$\end{document}$, supported in the vicinity of the Fermi points $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{k}_F^\pm =(0,{\vec {k}}_F^\pm )$$\end{document}$; more precisely, we let $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\chi _\pm (\mathbf{k})=\chi _0(\mathbf{k}- \mathbf{k}_F^\pm )$$\end{document}$, where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\chi _0$$\end{document}$ is a smooth characteristic function of the ball of radius $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$a_0$$\end{document}$, with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$a_0$$\end{document}$ equal to, say, 1 / 3) and by letting $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\chi _{\text {uv}}(\mathbf{k})=1-\sum _{\omega =\pm }\chi _\omega (\mathbf{k})$$\end{document}$. We correspondingly split the propagator in its ultraviolet and infrared components:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} g(\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y})=g^{(1)}(\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y})+\sum _{\omega =\pm } e^{-i{\vec {k}}_F^\omega ({\vec {x}}-{\vec {y}})}g_{\omega }^{(\leqslant 0)}(\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y}) \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$g_{\omega }^{(\leqslant 0)}(\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y})$$\end{document}$ are defined in a way similar to Eq.([4.2](#Equ57){ref-type=""}), with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\hat{g}}}(\mathbf{k})$$\end{document}$ replaced by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\chi _{\text {uv}}(\mathbf{k}) {{\hat{g}}}(\mathbf{k})$$\end{document}$ and by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\chi _{0}(\mathbf{k}) {{\hat{g}}}(\mathbf{k}+\mathbf{k}_F^\omega )$$\end{document}$, respectively. We then split the Grassmann field as a sum of two independent fields, with propagators $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$g^{(1)}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$g^{(\leqslant 0)}$$\end{document}$:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \Psi _{\mathbf{x},s}^\pm =\Psi ^{\pm (1)}_{\mathbf{x},s}+\sum _{\omega =\pm }e^{\pm i{\vec {k}}_F^\omega {\vec {x}}} \Psi _{\mathbf{x},s,\omega }^{\pm (\leqslant 0)} \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$and we rewrite the Grassmann Gaussian integration as the product of two independent Gaussians: $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$P(d\Psi )=P(d\Psi ^{(\leqslant 0)})P(d\Psi ^{(1)})$$\end{document}$. By construction, the integration of the 'ultraviolet' field $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Psi ^{(1)}$$\end{document}$ does not have any infrared singularity and, therefore, can be performed in a straightforward manner, thus allowing us to rewrite the generating function $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {W}}(f,A)$$\end{document}$ as the logarithm of$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \frac{e^{{{\mathcal {W}}}^{(0)}(f,A)}}{{\mathcal {N}}_0}\int P(d\Psi ^{(\leqslant 0)})e^{-V^{(0)}(\Psi ^{(\leqslant 0)})+B^{(0)}(\Psi ^{(\leqslant 0)}, f, A)}, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$V^{(0)}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$B^{(0)}$$\end{document}$ are, respectively, the effective potential and the effective source: they are defined by the conditions that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$B^{(0)}(0,f,A)=B^{(0)}(\Psi ,0,0)=0$$\end{document}$. The normalization constant $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {N}}_0$$\end{document}$ is fixed in such a way that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {N}}_0=\int P(d\Psi ^{(\leqslant 0)})e^{-V^{(0)}(\Psi ^{(\leqslant 0)})}$$\end{document}$. All $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathcal W^{(0)}$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$V^{(0)}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$B^{(0)}$$\end{document}$ are expressed as series of monomials in the $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Psi ,f,A$$\end{document}$ fields, whose kernels (given by the sum of all possible Feynman diagrams with fixed number and fixed space-time location of the external legs) are *analytic functions* of the interaction strength, for *U* sufficiently small. The precise statement and the proof of these claims are essentially identical to those of \[[@CR20], Lemma 2\], see also \[[@CR22], Lemma 5.2\] or \[[@CR17], Section 6\]; details will not belabored here and are left to the reader.
In order to integrate the infrared scales, one has to exploit certain lattice symmetries of the model (which replace those of \[[@CR20], Lemma 1\]), which allow us to reduce the number of independent *relevant* and *marginal* terms generated by the multi-scale integration. In particular, the symmetries under which the effective potential $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$V^{(0)}(\Psi )$$\end{document}$ is invariant are the following \[[@CR19], Sect. III.B\].
\(1\) Discrete rotation:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\hat{\Psi }}}_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }^-\rightarrow e^{i\omega \frac{2\pi }{3}n_-}e^{-i{\vec {k}}'\cdot {\vec {\ell }}_2\,n_-}{{\hat{\Psi }}}_{T\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }^-\;,\quad {{\hat{\Psi }}}_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }^+\rightarrow {{\hat{\Psi }}}_{T\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }^+e^{i{\vec {k}}'\cdot {\vec {\ell }}_2\,n_-}e^{-i\omega \frac{2\pi }{3}n_-} \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where, denoting the Pauli matrices by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\sigma _1,\sigma _2,\sigma _3$$\end{document}$, we defined$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} n_-=(1-\sigma _3)/2\;,\qquad T\mathbf{k}'=(k_0',e^{-i\frac{2\pi }{3}\sigma _2}{\vec {k}}')\;; \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$that is, *T* is the spatial rotation by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$2\pi /3$$\end{document}$ in the counter-clockwise direction.
\(2\) Complex conjugation:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\hat{\Psi }}}^{\pm }_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }\rightarrow {{\hat{\Psi }}}^{\pm }_{-\mathbf{k}',s,-\omega },\quad c\rightarrow c^{*}\;,\quad \phi \rightarrow -\phi \;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$c\in {\mathbb {C}}$$\end{document}$ is a generic constant appearing in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$P(d\Psi )$$\end{document}$ or in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$V(\psi )$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$c^*$$\end{document}$ is its complex conjugate.
\(3\) Horizontal reflections:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\hat{\Psi }}}^{-}_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }\rightarrow \sigma _1{{\hat{\Psi }}}^-_{R_h\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }\;,\quad {{\hat{\Psi }}}^{+}_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }\rightarrow {{\hat{\Psi }}}^+_{R_h\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }\sigma _1 \,,\quad (W,\phi )\rightarrow (-W,-\phi ) \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$R_h\mathbf{k}'=(k_0',-k_1',k_2')$$\end{document}$.
\(4\) Vertical reflections:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\hat{\Psi }}}^{\pm }_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }\rightarrow {{\hat{\Psi }}}^{\pm }_{R_v\mathbf{k}',s,-\omega }\;,\quad \phi \rightarrow -\phi . \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$R_v\mathbf{k}'=(k_0',k_1',-k_2')$$\end{document}$.
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\hat{\Psi }}}^{-}_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }\rightarrow i{{\hat{\Psi }}}^{+,T}_{P\mathbf{k}',s,-\omega }\;,\quad {{\hat{\Psi }}}^{+}_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }\rightarrow i{{\hat{\Psi }}}^{-,T}_{P\mathbf{k}',s,-\omega }\;,\quad \phi \rightarrow -\phi \;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$P\mathbf{k}'=(k_0',-k_1',-k_2')$$\end{document}$.
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\hat{\Psi }}}^{-}_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }\rightarrow -i \sigma _1\sigma _3{{\hat{\Psi }}}^-_{-R_v\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }\;,\quad {{\hat{\Psi }}}^{+}_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }\rightarrow -i{{\hat{\Psi }}}^+_{-R_v\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }\sigma _3\sigma _1\;,\quad \phi \rightarrow \pi -\phi . \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$These symmetries have nonperturbative consequences on the structure of the effective interaction action $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$V^{(0)}$$\end{document}$. At fixed $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$W,\phi $$\end{document}$, the theory is invariant under the transformations (1), (2)+(4), and (2)+(5). In particular, these transformations leave the quadratic part$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} Q^{(0)}(\Psi )=\sum _{s,\omega }\int \frac{d\mathbf{k}'}{2\pi |\mathcal B|}\,{{\hat{\Psi }}}^+_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }{{\hat{W}}}_{2;\omega }^{(0)}(\mathbf{k}'){\hat{\Psi }}^-_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega } \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$of the effective potential $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$V^{(0)}(\Psi )$$\end{document}$ invariant (in ([4.14](#Equ69){ref-type=""}), $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\int \frac{d\mathbf{k}'}{2\pi |{\mathcal {B}}|}$$\end{document}$ is a shorthand for the Riemann sum $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$(\beta L^2)^{-1} \sum _{k_0\in \frac{2\pi }{\beta }{\mathbb {Z}}}\sum _{{\vec {k}}\in {\mathcal {B}}_L}$$\end{document}$). This means that:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\hat{W}}}_{2;\omega }^{(0)}(\mathbf{k}')= & {} e^{-i(\omega \frac{2\pi }{3}+{\vec {k}}'\cdot {\vec {\ell }}_1)n_-} {{\hat{W}}}_{2;\omega }^{(0)}(T^{-1}\mathbf{k}')e^{i(\omega \frac{2\pi }{3}+{\vec {k}}'\cdot {\vec {\ell }}_1)n_-}\nonumber \\= & {} \big [{{\hat{W}}}_{2;\omega }^{(0)}(-k_0',-k_1',k_2')\big ]^*=\big [{{\hat{W}}}_{2;\omega }^{(0)}(-k_0',k_1',k_2')\big ]^\dagger . \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$The values of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\hat{W}}}_{2;\omega }^{(0)}(\mathbf{k}')$$\end{document}$ and of its derivatives at $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{k}'=\mathbf{0}$$\end{document}$ define the *effective coupling constants*. By computing Eq. ([4.15](#Equ70){ref-type=""}) at $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{k}'=\mathbf{0}$$\end{document}$, we find, for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega =\pm $$\end{document}$,$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\hat{W}}}_{2;\omega }^{(0)}(\mathbf{0})=e^{-i\frac{2\pi }{3}\omega n_-}{{\hat{W}}}_{2;\omega }^{(0)}(\mathbf{0})e^{i\frac{2\pi }{3}\omega n_-}= \big [{{\hat{W}}}_{2;\omega }^{(0)}(\mathbf{0})\big ]^{*}=\big [{{\hat{W}}}_{2;\omega }^{(0)}(\mathbf{0})\big ]^\dagger \;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$This implies:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\hat{W}}}_{2;\omega }^{(0)}(\mathbf{0})=\xi _{\omega ,0}+\delta _{\omega ,0}\sigma _3, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$for two *real* constants $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{\omega ,0}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta _{\omega ,0}$$\end{document}$. Let us now discuss the structure of the derivative of the kernel of the quadratic terms. By taking the derivative of Eq. ([4.15](#Equ70){ref-type=""}) w.r.t. $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{k}'$$\end{document}$ and then setting $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{k}'=\mathbf{0}$$\end{document}$, we get:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \partial _{\mathbf{k}'}{{\hat{W}}}_{2;\omega }^{(0)}(\mathbf{0})= & {} e^{-i\frac{2\pi }{3}\omega n_-}T\partial _{\mathbf{k}'}{{\hat{W}}}_{2;\omega }^{(0)}(\mathbf{0})e^{i\frac{2\pi }{3}\omega n_-}=(-R_v)\partial _{\mathbf{k}'} {{\hat{W}}}_{2;\omega }^{(0)*}(\mathbf{0})\nonumber \\= & {} (-P)\partial _{\mathbf{k}'}{{\hat{W}}}_{2;\omega }^{(0)\dagger }(\mathbf{0}), \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$R_v$$\end{document}$ (resp. *P*) is the diagonal matrix with diagonal elements $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$(1,1,-1)$$\end{document}$ (resp. $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$(1,-1,-1)$$\end{document}$). [4.18](#Equ73){ref-type=""}) implies that:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \mathbf{k}'\partial _{\mathbf{k}'}{{\hat{W}}}_{2;\omega }^{(0)}(\mathbf{0}) = \begin{pmatrix} -i z_{1,\omega } k_{0}' &{} -u_{\omega }(-i k_{1}' +\omega k_{2}') \\ -u_{\omega }(i k_{1}' + \omega k_{2}') &{} -i z_{2,\omega } k_{0}' \end{pmatrix}, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$u_\omega , z_{1,\omega },z_{2,\omega }$$\end{document}$ are *real* constants.
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\begin{document}$$\Psi ^{(\leqslant 0)}_\omega $$\end{document}$ is performed iteratively. One rewrites $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Psi ^{(\leqslant 0)}_{\omega } = \sum _{h\leqslant 0} \Psi ^{(h)}_{\omega }$$\end{document}$, for suitable single-scale fields $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Psi ^{(h)}_{\omega }$$\end{document}$. The covariance $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\hat{g}}}^{(h)}_{\omega }$$\end{document}$ of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Psi ^{(h)}_{\omega }$$\end{document}$, supported for quasi-momenta $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{k}'$$\end{document}$ such that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$a_{0}2^{h-1}\leqslant |\mathbf{k}'|\leqslant a_{0}2^{h+1}$$\end{document}$, will be defined inductively. We consider two different regimes. The first corresponds to scales $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h\geqslant h^*_1$$\end{document}$, with$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} h^*_1:=\min \{0,\lfloor \log _2 m_{R,+}\rfloor \}, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$and the rest to scales $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h^*_1\geqslant h\geqslant h^*_2$$\end{document}$ with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h^*_2:=\min \{0,\lfloor \log _2 |m_{R,-}|\rfloor \}$$\end{document}$ (recall that we are focusing on the case that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{R,+}>|m_{R,-}|$$\end{document}$.). We describe the iteration in an inductive way. Assume that the fields $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Psi ^{(0)}, \Psi ^{(-1)},\ldots ,\Psi ^{(h+1)}$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h\geqslant h^*_1$$\end{document}$, have been integrated out and that after their integration the generating function has the following structure, analogous to the one at scale 0:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} e^{ {{\mathcal {W}}}(f,A) }= \frac{e^{{{\mathcal {W}}}^{(h)}(f,A)}}{{\mathcal {N}}_h}\int P(d\Psi ^{(\leqslant h)})e^{-V^{(h)}(\Psi ^{(\leqslant h)})+B^{(h)}(\Psi ^{(\leqslant h)}, f, A)}, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$V^{(h)}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$B^{(h)}$$\end{document}$ are, respectively, the effective potential and source terms, satisfying the conditions that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$V^{(h)}(0)=0$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$B^{(h)}(0,f,A)=B^{(h)}(\Psi ,0,0)=0$$\end{document}$. The normalization constant $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {N}}_h$$\end{document}$ is fixed in such a way that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {N}}_h=\int P(d\Psi ^{(\leqslant h)})e^{-V^{(h)}(\Psi ^{(\leqslant h)})}$$\end{document}$. Here, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$P(d\Psi ^{(\leqslant h)})$$\end{document}$ is the Grassmann Gaussian integration with propagator (diagonal in the *s* and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega $$\end{document}$ indices)$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} g^{(\leqslant h)}_\omega (\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y})=\int P(d\Psi ^{(\leqslant h)})\Psi ^{-(\leqslant h)}_{\mathbf{x},s,\omega }\Psi ^{+(\leqslant h)}_{\mathbf{y},s,\omega } =\int \frac{d\mathbf{k}'}{(2\pi )^{3}}\, e^{-i\mathbf{k}'(\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{y})} {{\hat{g}}}_\omega ^{(\leqslant h)}(\mathbf{k}'), \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where, letting$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned}&r_\omega ({\vec {k}}')= R({\vec {k}}'+{\vec {k}}_F^\omega ),\quad s_\omega ({\vec {k}}')=-[\Omega ({\vec {k}}'+{\vec {k}}_F^{\,\omega })-\frac{3}{2}(ik_1'+\omega k_2')], \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned}&m_{-}({\vec {k}}')=m_{\text {R},-}+2t_2\big (\alpha _2({\vec {k}}'+{\vec {k}}_F^-)-\alpha _2({\vec {k}}_F^-)\big )\sin \phi , \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned}&m_{+}({\vec {k}}')=m_{\text {R},-}+6\sqrt{3}t_2\sin \phi +2t_2\big (\alpha _2({\vec {k}}'+{\vec {k}}_F^+)-\alpha _2({\vec {k}}_F^+)\big )\sin \phi , \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\chi _h(\mathbf{k}')=\chi _0(2^{-h}\mathbf{k}')$$\end{document}$,$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\hat{g}}}_\omega ^{(\leqslant h)}(\mathbf{k}')=\chi _h(\mathbf{k}') \begin{pmatrix} a_{1,\omega ,h}(\mathbf{k}') &{} b^*_{\omega ,h}(\mathbf{k}')\\ b_{\omega ,h}(\mathbf{k}') &{} a_{2,\omega ,h}(\mathbf{k}')\end{pmatrix}^{\!\!\!-1}, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$with$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned}&a_{\rho ,\omega ,h}(\mathbf{k})=-ik_0Z_{\rho ,\omega ,h}+r_\omega ({\vec {k}}')+(-1)^{\rho -1} m_{\omega }({\vec {k}}'),\nonumber \\&b_{\omega ,h}(\mathbf{k}')=-v_{\omega ,h} (ik_1'+\omega k_2')+s_\omega ({\vec {k}}')\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$and the understanding that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$(-1)^{\rho -1}$$\end{document}$ is equal to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$+1$$\end{document}$, if $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\rho =A$$\end{document}$, and equal to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$-1$$\end{document}$, if $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\rho =B$$\end{document}$. The quantities $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$Z_{\rho ,\omega ,h}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$v_{\omega ,h}$$\end{document}$ are *real*, and they have, respectively, the meaning of wave function renormalizations and of effective velocities. Note that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$r_\omega ({\vec {k}}')$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$s_\omega ({\vec {k}}')$$\end{document}$ are both of order $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$O(|{\vec {k}}'|^2)$$\end{document}$, while the mass satisfies (again, recall that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R},+}=m_{\text {R},-}+6\sqrt{3} t_2\sin \phi $$\end{document}$):$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} m_{\omega }({\vec {k}}')=m_{\text {R},\omega }+t_\omega ({\vec {k}}'), \quad \text {with}\quad t_\omega ({\vec {k}}')=O(|{\vec {k}}'|^2). \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$By definition, the representation above is valid at the initial step, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h=0$$\end{document}$. In order to inductively prove its validity at the generic step, let us discuss how to pass from scale *h* to scale $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h-1$$\end{document}$, that is, how to integrate out the field $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Psi ^{(h)}$$\end{document}$, and how to re-express the resulting effective theory in the form ([4.21](#Equ76){ref-type=""}), with *h* replaced by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h-1$$\end{document}$. Before integrating the $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Psi ^{(h)}$$\end{document}$ field out, we split $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$V^{(h)}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$B^{(h)}$$\end{document}$ into their *local* and *irrelevant* parts (here, for simplicity, we spell out the definitions only in the $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$f=0$$\end{document}$ case): $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$V^{(h)}={{\mathcal {L}}}V^{(h)}+{{\mathcal {R}}}V^{(h)}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$B^{(h)}={{\mathcal {L}}}B^{(h)}+{{\mathcal {R}}}B^{(h)}$$\end{document}$, where, denoting the quadratic part of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$V^{(h)}$$\end{document}$ by$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned}Q^{(h)}(\Psi ) = \sum _{\omega ,s}\int \frac{d\mathbf{k}'}{(2\pi )^{3}}\, {\hat{\Psi }}^+_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega } {{\hat{W}}}^{(h)}_{2;\omega }(\mathbf{k}') {\hat{\Psi }}^-_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega },\end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$and the part of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$B^{(h)}$$\end{document}$ of order (2, 0, 1) in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$(\psi ,f,A)$$\end{document}$ by$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} Q^{(h)}(\Psi , A) = \sum _{\omega ,s,\mu }\int \frac{d\mathbf{p}}{(2\pi )^3}\int \frac{d\mathbf{k}'}{(2\pi )^{3}}\, {{\hat{A}}}_{\mathbf{p},\mu }{\hat{\Psi }}^+_{\mathbf{k}'+\mathbf{p},s,\omega } {{\hat{W}}}^{(h)}_{2,1;\mu ,\omega }(\mathbf{k}',\mathbf{p}){{\hat{\Psi }}}^-_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega } \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$we let:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\mathcal {L}}}V^{(h)}(\Psi )=\sum _{\omega ,s}\int \frac{d\mathbf{k}'}{(2\pi )^{3}}\, {{\hat{\Psi }}}^+_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega } [{{\hat{W}}}^{(h)}_{2;\omega }(\mathbf{0})+\mathbf{k}'\partial _{\mathbf{k}'}{{\hat{W}}}^{(h)}_{2;\omega }(\mathbf{0})\big ]{\hat{\Psi }}^-_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$and$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\mathcal {L}}}B^{(h)}(\Psi ,0,A)=\sum _{\omega , s, \mu }\int \frac{d\mathbf{p}}{(2\pi )^3}\int \frac{d\mathbf{k}'}{(2\pi )^{3}}\, {{\hat{A}}}_{\mathbf{p},\mu }{{\hat{\Psi }}}^+_{\mathbf{k}'+\mathbf{p},s,\omega } {{\hat{W}}}^{(h)}_{2,1;\mu ,\omega }(\mathbf{0},\mathbf{0}){\hat{\Psi }}^-_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$By the symmetries of the model,$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\mathcal {L}}}V^{(h)}(\Psi )= & {} \sum _{\omega , s}\int \frac{d\mathbf{k}'}{(2\pi )^{3}}\, \Big [2^h\xi _{\omega ,h}{\hat{\Psi }}^+_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega } {{\hat{\Psi }}}^-_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }+ 2^h\delta _{\omega ,h}{{\hat{\Psi }}}^+_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega } \sigma _3 {\hat{\Psi }}^-_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega } \nonumber \\&+{{\hat{\Psi }}}^+_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega } \begin{pmatrix} -i z_{1,\omega ,h} k_{0}&{} -u_{\omega ,h}(-i k_{1}' +\omega k_{2}') \\ -u_{\omega ,h}(i k_{1}' + \omega k_{2}') &{} -i z_{2,\omega ,h} k_{0} \end{pmatrix} {\hat{\Psi }}^-_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }\Big ], \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{\omega ,h}, \delta _{\omega ,h},z_{\rho ,\omega ,h}, u_{\omega ,h}$$\end{document}$ are real constants and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\sigma _3$$\end{document}$ is the third Pauli matrix. We also denote by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\gamma _{\mu ,\omega ,h}:={{\hat{W}}}^{(h)}_{2,1;\mu ,\omega }(\mathbf{0},\mathbf{0})$$\end{document}$ the *vertex functions*, entering the definition of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\mathcal {L}}}B^{(h)}(\Psi ,0,A)$$\end{document}$. Notice that their structure is constrained by the Ward Identities. E.g., using \[[@CR19], Eq. (20)\], one finds that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\gamma _{0,\omega ,h}=-\sum _{\rho =1}^2(Z_{\rho ,\omega ,h}+z_{\rho ,\omega ,h})n_\rho $$\end{document}$ (where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$n_\rho =(1+(-1)^{\rho -1}\sigma _3)/2$$\end{document}$), $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\gamma _{1,\omega ,h}=-(v_{\omega ,h}+u_{\omega ,h})\sigma _2$$\end{document}$, and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\gamma _{2,\omega ,h}=-\omega (v_{\omega ,h}+u_{\omega ,h})\sigma _1$$\end{document}$. However, in the following, we will neither need these identities, nor to identify any special structure of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\gamma _{\mu ,\omega ,h}$$\end{document}$, with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mu =3,4$$\end{document}$.
Once the effective potential and source have been split into local and irrelevant parts, we combine the part of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\mathcal {L}}}V^{(h)}$$\end{document}$ in the second line of ([4.27](#Equ82){ref-type=""}) with the Gaussian integration $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$P(d\Psi ^{(\leqslant h)})$$\end{document}$, thus defining a dressed measure $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\tilde{P}(d\Psi ^{(\leqslant h)})$$\end{document}$ whose propagator $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\tilde{g}}}^{(\leqslant h)}_\omega (\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y})$$\end{document}$ is analogous to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$g^{(\leqslant h)}_\omega (\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y})$$\end{document}$, with the only difference that the functions $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$a_{\rho ,\omega ,h}$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$b_{\omega ,h}$$\end{document}$ in ([4.25](#Equ80){ref-type=""})-([4.26](#Equ81){ref-type=""}) are replaced by$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\tilde{a}}}_{\rho ,\omega ,h-1}(\mathbf{k})= & {} -ik_0\tilde{Z}_{\rho ,\omega ,h-1}(\mathbf{k}')+r_\omega ({\vec {k}}')+(-1)^{\rho -1} m_{\omega }({\vec {k}}'), \\ {{\tilde{b}}}_{\omega ,h-1}(\mathbf{k}')= & {} -{{\tilde{v}}}_{\omega ,h-1}(\mathbf{k}') (ik_1'+\omega k_2')+s_\omega ({\vec {k}}'), \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$with$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} {{\tilde{Z}}}_{\rho ,\omega ,h-1}(\mathbf{k}')= & {} Z_{\rho ,\omega ,h}+z_{\rho ,\omega ,h}\,\chi _h(\mathbf{k}'), \\ {{\tilde{v}}}_{\omega ,h-1}(\mathbf{k}')= & {} v_{\omega ,h}+u_{\omega ,h}\,\chi _h(\mathbf{k}'). \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$Now, by rewriting the support function $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\chi _h(\mathbf{k}')$$\end{document}$ in the definition of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\tilde{g}}}^{(\leqslant h)}_\omega (\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y})$$\end{document}$ as $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\chi _h(\mathbf{k}')=f_h(\mathbf{k}')+\chi _{h-1}(\mathbf{k}')$$\end{document}$, we correspondingly rewrite: $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\tilde{g}}}^{(\leqslant h)}_\omega (\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y})=\tilde{g}^{(h)}_\omega (\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y})+g^{(\leqslant h-1)}_\omega (\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y})$$\end{document}$, where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$g^{(\leqslant h-1)}_\omega (\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y})$$\end{document}$ is defined exactly as in ([4.25](#Equ80){ref-type=""}), ([4.26](#Equ81){ref-type=""}), with *h* replaced by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h-1$$\end{document}$, and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$Z_{\rho ,\omega ,h-1}, v_{\omega ,h-1}$$\end{document}$ defined by the flow equations:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} Z_{\rho ,\omega ,h-1}=Z_{\rho ,\omega ,h}+z_{\rho ,\omega ,h},\qquad v_{\omega ,h-1}=v_{\omega ,h}+u_{\omega ,h}. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$We are now ready to integrate the fields on scale *h*. We define:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned}&e^{-V^{(h-1)}(\Psi )+B^{(h-1)}(\Psi ,f,A)+w^{(h)}(f,A)}\nonumber \\&\quad =C_h\int {{\tilde{P}}}(d\Psi ^{(h)}) e^{-F_\xi ^{(h)}(\Psi ^{(h)}+\Psi )-F_\delta ^{(h)}(\Psi ^{(h)}+\Psi )}\times \nonumber \\&\qquad \times e^{-{{\mathcal {R}}}V^{(h)}(\Psi ^{(h)}+\Psi )+{\mathcal {L}} B^{(h)}(\Psi ^{(h)}+\Psi , f, A)+ {\mathcal {R}} B^{(h)}(\Psi ^{(h)}+\Psi , f, A)}, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\tilde{P}}}(d\Psi ^{(h)})$$\end{document}$ is the Gaussian integration with propagator $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\tilde{g}}}^{(h)}_\omega $$\end{document}$,$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} F_\xi ^{(h)}(\Psi )= & {} \sum _{\omega ,s}2^h\xi _{\omega ,h}\int \frac{d\mathbf{k}'}{(2\pi )^{3}}{{\hat{\Psi }}}^+_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega } {\hat{\Psi }}^-_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }, \qquad \\ F_\delta ^{(h)}(\Psi )= & {} \sum _{\omega ,s}2^h\delta _{\omega ,h}\int \frac{d\mathbf{k}'}{(2\pi )^{3}}{{\hat{\Psi }}}^+_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega } \sigma _3{\hat{\Psi }}^-_{\mathbf{k}',s,\omega }, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C_h^{-1}= \int \tilde{P}(d\Psi ^{(h)})e^{-F_\xi ^{(h)}(\Psi ^{(h)})+{{\mathcal {R}}}V^{(h)}(\Psi ^{(h)})}$$\end{document}$. Finally, letting $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {W}}^{(h-1)}={\mathcal {W}}^{(h)}+w^{(h)}$$\end{document}$, we obtain the same expression as ([4.21](#Equ76){ref-type=""}), with *h* replaced by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h-1$$\end{document}$. This concludes the proof of the inductive step, corresponding to the integration of the fields on scale *h*, with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h\geqslant h^*_1$$\end{document}$. By construction, the running coupling constants $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {\tau }}_h=(\xi _{\omega ,h},\delta _{\omega ,h}, Z_{A,\omega ,h}, Z_{B,\omega ,h},v_{\omega ,h})_{\omega \in \{\pm \}}$$\end{document}$ verify the following recursive equations:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \xi _{\omega ,h-1}= & {} 2\xi _{\omega ,h}+\beta ^\xi _{\omega ,h}(U, {\vec {\tau }}_h,\ldots ,{\vec {\tau }}_0),\nonumber \\ \delta _{\omega ,h-1}= & {} 2\delta _{\omega ,h}+\beta ^\delta _{\omega ,h}(U,{\vec {\tau }}_h,\ldots ,{\vec {\tau }}_0),\nonumber \\ Z_{\rho ,\omega ,h-1}= & {} Z_{\rho ,\omega ,h}+\beta ^{Z,\rho }_{\omega ,h}(U,{\vec {\tau }}_h,\ldots ,{\vec {\tau }}_0),\nonumber \\ v_{\omega ,h-1}= & {} v_{\omega ,h}+\beta ^v_{\omega ,h}(U,{\vec {\tau }}_h,\ldots ,{\vec {\tau }}_0), \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$for suitable functions $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\beta ^\sharp _{\omega ,h}$$\end{document}$, known as the (components of the) *beta function*. Note that the initial data $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{\omega ,0},\delta _{\omega ,0},Z_{\rho ,\omega ,0},v_{\omega ,0}$$\end{document}$ are analytically close to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi ,\delta ,1,\frac{3}{2} $$\end{document}$, respectively; they are not exactly independent of the indices $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\rho ,\omega $$\end{document}$, due to the effect of the ultraviolet integration. However, for small values of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R},+}$$\end{document}$, the difference between the initial data, for different values of the indices, differ at most by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$O(U m_{\text {R},+})$$\end{document}$ (note that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R},+}=O(|m_{\text {R},+}|+\sin \phi )$$\end{document}$). As we shall see below, the running coupling constants remain analytically close to their initial data, for all $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h\leqslant 0$$\end{document}$. Similarly, the vertex functions satisfy recursive equations driven by the running coupling constants themselves:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \gamma _{\mu ,\omega ,h-1}=\gamma _{\mu ,\omega ,h}+\sum _{h'=h}^0\gamma _{\mu ,\omega ,h'}\,{{\tilde{\beta }}}^\gamma _{\mu ,\omega ,h'}(U,{\vec {\tau }}_h,\ldots ,{\vec {\tau }}_0)\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$whose solution remains analytically close to the corresponding initial data, for all $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h\leqslant 0$$\end{document}$.
From the structure and properties of the effective propagator on scale *h*, see ([4.25](#Equ80){ref-type=""}) and following lines, one recognizes that the effective theory at scale *h* is a lattice regularization of a theory of relativistic fermions with masses $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R}, \pm }$$\end{document}$. As anticipated above, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h\leqslant 0$$\end{document}$: therefore, it is straightforward to check that the single scale propagator satisfies$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} |g^{(h)}_\omega (\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y})|\leqslant C_N \frac{2^{2 h}}{1+(2^h|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{y}|)^N }\;,\qquad \forall N\geqslant 1\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$Moreover, the single-scale propagator admits the decomposition:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} g^{(h)}_\omega (\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y}) = G^{(h)}_{\omega }(\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y}) + g^{(h)}_{\omega ,r}(\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y}) \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$G^{(h)}_{\omega }(\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y})$$\end{document}$ is obtained from $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R},\omega }=0$$\end{document}$, and where the remainder term $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$g^{(h)}_{\omega ,r}$$\end{document}$ satisfies the same bound as $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R}, \omega } 2^{-h}$$\end{document}$, which is small, for all scales larger than $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h^*_1$$\end{document}$.
Due to the fact that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R}, +} \geqslant |m_{R, -}|$$\end{document}$, once we reach the scale $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega = +$$\end{document}$ satisfies the following bound:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} |g^{(\leqslant h_1^*)}_+(\mathbf{x},\mathbf{y})|\leqslant C_N \frac{2^{2 h^*_1}}{1+(2^{ h^*_1}|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{y}|)^N }\;; \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$that is, it admits the same qualitative bound as the corresponding single scale propagator on scale $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h = h^{*}_{1}$$\end{document}$. For this reason, it can be integrated in a single step, without any further need for a multiscale analysis. We do so and, after its integration, we are left with an effective theory on scales $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Psi ^{(\leqslant h^{*}_{1})}_{-}$$\end{document}$, which we integrate in a multiscale fashion, similar to the one described above, until the scale $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h = h^{*}_{2}$$\end{document}$ is reached. At that point, the infrared propagator $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$g^{(\leqslant h_2^*)}_-$$\end{document}$ satisfies a bound similar to ([4.32](#Equ87){ref-type=""}), with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h^{*}_{1}$$\end{document}$ replaced by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h^{*}_{2}$$\end{document}$, and the corresponding field can be integrated in a single step. The outcome of the final integration is the desired generating function.
The iterative integration procedure described above provides an explicit algorithm for computing the kernels of the effective potential and sources. In particular, they can be represented as sums of *Gallavotti--Nicolò trees*, identical to those of \[[@CR20], Section 3\], modulo the following minor differences. The endpoints *v* on scale $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h_{v} = +1$$\end{document}$ are associated either with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$F^{(0)}_\xi (\Psi ^{(\leqslant 0)})$$\end{document}$, or with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$F^{(0)}_\delta (\Psi ^{(\leqslant 0)})$$\end{document}$, or with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {L}}B^{(0)}(\Psi ^{(\leqslant 0)},f,A)$$\end{document}$, or with one of the terms in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\mathcal {R}}}{{\mathcal {V}}}^{(0)}(\Psi ^{(\leqslant 0)})$$\end{document}$ or in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\mathcal {R}}}B^{(0)}(\Psi ^{(\leqslant 0)},f,A)$$\end{document}$; the endpoints on scale $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h_{v}\leqslant 0$$\end{document}$ are, instead, associated either with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$F^{(h_v-1)}_\xi (\Psi ^{(\leqslant h_v-1)})$$\end{document}$, or with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$F^{(h_v-1)}_\delta (\Psi ^{(\leqslant h_v-1)})$$\end{document}$, or with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\mathcal {L}}}B^{(h_v-1)}(\Psi ^{(\leqslant h_v-1)},f,A)$$\end{document}$. The most important novelty of the present construction, as compared with \[[@CR20]\], is the presence of the relevant couplings $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{\omega ,h},\delta _{\omega ,h}$$\end{document}$, whose flow must be controlled by properly choosing the counterterms $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta $$\end{document}$, see discussion below. Recall that the flows of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{+,h}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta _{+,h}$$\end{document}$ stop at scale $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h^*_1$$\end{document}$; for smaller scales, we let $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{+,h'}=\delta _{+,h'}=0$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\forall h'<h^*_1$$\end{document}$. Similarly, we let the other running coupling constants with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega =+$$\end{document}$, that is, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$Z_{\rho ,+,h}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$v_{+,h}$$\end{document}$, be zero for scales smaller than $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h^*_1$$\end{document}$. It turns out that the tree expansion is *absolutely convergent*, provided that *U* is small enough and the relevant couplings remain small, uniformly in the scale $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h\leqslant 0$$\end{document}$. More precisely, the kernels of the effective potential satisfy the following bound (a similar statement is valid, of course, for the kernels of the effective source). Notation-wise, we let $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$W_n^{(h)}(\mathbf{x}_1,\ldots ,\mathbf{x}_n)$$\end{document}$ be the kernel of the effective potential $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {V}}^{(h)}(\Psi )$$\end{document}$ associated with the monomial in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Psi $$\end{document}$ of order *n*; of course, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$W^{(h)}_n$$\end{document}$ is non zero only if *n* is even. The arguments $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{x}_1,\ldots ,\mathbf{x}_n$$\end{document}$ are the space-time coordinates of the Grassmann fields; the kernel implicitly depends also on the $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\rho ,\omega $$\end{document}$ indices of the external fields, but we do not spell out their dependence explicitly. We also let $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Vert W^{(h)}_n\Vert _1:=\int d\mathbf{x}_2\cdots d\mathbf{x}_n |W^{(h)}_n(\mathbf{x}_1,\ldots ,\mathbf{x}_n)|$$\end{document}$ (here $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\int d\mathbf{x}$$\end{document}$ is a shorthand for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\int _0^\beta dx_0\sum _{{\vec {x}}\in \Lambda _L}$$\end{document}$), which is independent of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{x}_1$$\end{document}$, due to translational invariance.
Lemma 4.1 {#FPar10}
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There exist positive constants $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$U_0, \theta , C_0$$\end{document}$, such that the following is true. Suppose that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\max _{\rho ,\omega ,k\geqslant h}\{|Z_{\rho ,\omega ,k} - 1|,|v_{\omega , k} - \frac{3}{2}|,|\xi _{\omega , k}|,|\delta _{\omega , k}|\}\leqslant C|U|$$\end{document}$. Then, the kernels of the effective potential on scale $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h-1$$\end{document}$ are analytic in *U* for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|U|\leqslant U_0/(C+1)$$\end{document}$, and satisfy the bound$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned}&\Vert {W}^{(h-1)}_{2} \Vert _{1}\leqslant C|U|2^{h}+C_0|U|2^{h(1+\theta )}\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned}&\Vert {W}^{(h-1)}_{n} \Vert _{1}\leqslant C_0^n |U|^{\frac{n}{2}-1} 2^{h(3 - n+\theta )}\,, \qquad \forall n\geqslant 4\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$The components of the beta function are analytic in *U* in the same domain, and satisfy:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \big |\beta ^\#_{\omega ,h}(U, {\vec {\tau }}_h,\ldots , {\vec {\tau }}_0)\big |\leqslant C_0 |U| 2^{\theta h}\,. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$
The proof of the lemma goes along the same lines as the proof of \[[@CR20], Theorem 2\], see also the review \[[@CR18]\], and will not be repeated here. Two key ingredients in the proof are: the representation of the iterated truncated expectations in terms of the Brydges--Battle--Federbush determinant formula, and the Gram-Hadamard bound. The factors $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$2^{\theta h}$$\end{document}$ appearing in the right sides of ([4.33](#Equ88){ref-type=""}), ([4.34](#Equ89){ref-type=""}) and ([4.35](#Equ90){ref-type=""}), represent a 'dimensional gain', as compared to a more basic, naive, dimensional bound, proportional to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$2^{(3-n)h}$$\end{document}$, which is suggested by the fact that the scaling dimension of the contributions to the effective potential with *n* external fermionic is equal to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$3-n$$\end{document}$, in the RG jargon (we use the convention that positive/negative scaling dimensions correspond to relevant/irrelevant operators). Such a dimensional gain is due to the *RG irrelevance* of the quartic interaction (note that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$n=4$$\end{document}$) and to the so-called short-memory property of the Gallavotti-Nicolò trees ("long trees are exponentially suppressed"): all the contributions to the effective potential associated with trees that have at least one endpoint on scale $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$+1$$\end{document}$ have this additional exponentially decaying factor. The only contributions not having such a gain are those associated with trees without endpoints on scale $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$+1$$\end{document}$. The key remark is that, since the running coupling constants are all associated with quadratic contributions in the fermionic fields, such contributions are very simple and explicit: they can all be represented as sums of linear Feynman diagrams with two external legs ('chain diagrams'), obtained by contracting in all possible ways the two-legged vertices corresponding to the running coupling constants $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{\omega ,k},\delta _{\omega ,k}$$\end{document}$. Therefore, they only contribute to the quadratic part of the effective potential, and they lead to the first term in the right side of ([4.33](#Equ88){ref-type=""}). Note also that such diagrams do not contribute to the beta function: in fact, the beta function at scale *h* is obtained by taking the 'local part' of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\widehat{W}}}_2^{(2)}$$\end{document}$ at $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{k}'=\mathbf{0}$$\end{document}$. If we compute the chain diagrams at $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{k}'=\mathbf{0}$$\end{document}$, we see that the quasi-momenta of all the propagators of the chain diagram are equal to zero; therefore, the value of the diagram is zero, too, due to the compact support properties of the single-scale propagator.
The idea, now, is to use the bound on the beta function to inductively prove the assumption on the running coupling constants, or, more precisely, the following improved version of the inductive assumption:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned}&|Z_{\rho ,\omega ,h} - 1|\leqslant C|U|,\quad |v_{\omega , h} - \frac{3}{2}|\leqslant C|U|,&\forall h^*_2\leqslant h\leqslant 0\;,\nonumber \\&|\xi _{-, h}|\leqslant C|U|2^{\theta h},\quad |\delta _{-, h}|\leqslant C|U|2^{\theta h},&\forall h^*_2\leqslant h\leqslant 0\;, \nonumber \\&|\xi _{+, h}-\xi _{-,h}|\leqslant C|U|2^{h^*_1-h},\quad |\delta _{+, h}-\delta _{-,h}|\leqslant C|U|2^{h^*_1-h},&\forall h^*_1\leqslant h\leqslant 0\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$for a suitable $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C>0$$\end{document}$ (recall that, by definition, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{+,h}=\delta _{+,h}=Z_{\rho ,+,h}=v_{+,h}=0$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\forall h<h^*_1$$\end{document}$). Note that the bound on the beta function is already enough to prove the assumption for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$Z_{\rho ,\omega ,h}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$v_{\omega ,h}$$\end{document}$. The subtle point is to control the flow of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{\omega , h}$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta _{\omega , h}$$\end{document}$, provided the initial data $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi ,\delta $$\end{document}$ are properly chosen. This is the content of the next lemma.
Lemma 4.2 {#FPar11}
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There exist positive constants $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$U_0$$\end{document}$, *C*, and functions $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta =\delta (U,m_{\text {R},-},\phi )$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi =\xi (U,m_{\text {R},-},\phi )$$\end{document}$, analytic in *U* for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|U|\leqslant U_0/(C+1)$$\end{document}$ and vanishing at $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$U=0$$\end{document}$, such that ([4.36](#Equ91){ref-type=""}) are verified.
Proof {#FPar12}
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We solve the beta function by looking at it as a fixed point equation on a suitable space of sequences. The fixed point equation arises by iterating the beta function equation and then imposing that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{-,h^*_2}=\delta _{-,h^*_2}=0$$\end{document}$. By iterating the first two equations of ([4.29](#Equ84){ref-type=""}), we get, for all $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h^*_2\leqslant h\leqslant 0$$\end{document}$,$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \xi _{\omega ,h}= & {} 2^{-h}\big (\xi _{\omega ,0}+\sum _{k=h+1}^{0} 2^{k-1} \beta ^\xi _{\omega ,k}(U, {\vec {\tau }}_k,\ldots ,{\vec {\tau }}_0)\big )\nonumber \\ \delta _{\omega ,h}= & {} 2^{-h}\big (\delta _{\omega ,0}+\sum _{k=h+1}^{0} 2^{k-1}\beta ^\delta _{\omega ,k}(U,{\vec {\tau }}_h,\ldots ,{\vec {\tau }}_0)\big )\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$with the understanding that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{+,h}=\delta _{+,h}=0$$\end{document}$, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\forall h<h^*_1$$\end{document}$. Consider first the case $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega =-$$\end{document}$. By imposing the condition that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{-,h^*_2}=\delta _{-,h^*_2}=0$$\end{document}$, we find that$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \xi _{-,0}=-\sum _{k=h+1}^{0} 2^{k-1} \beta ^\xi _{-,k}(U,{\vec {\tau }}_h,\ldots ,{\vec {\tau }}_0),\qquad \delta _{-,0}=-\sum _{k=h+1}^{0} 2^{k-1}\beta ^\delta _{-,k}(U,{\vec {\tau }}_h,\ldots ,{\vec {\tau }}_0).\nonumber \\ \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$Plugging these identities back in ([4.37](#Equ92){ref-type=""}) with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega =-$$\end{document}$ gives$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \xi _{-,h}= & {} -\sum _{h^*_2<k\leqslant h} 2^{k-h-1}\beta ^\xi _{-,k}(U,{\vec {\tau }}_h,\ldots ,{\vec {\tau }}_0),\qquad \nonumber \\ \delta _{-,h}= & {} -\sum _{h^*_2<k\leqslant h} 2^{k-h-1}\beta ^\delta _{-,k}(U,{\vec {\tau }}_h,\ldots ,{\vec {\tau }}_0), \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$which is the desired equation for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{-,h},\delta _{-,h}$$\end{document}$. Consider next the case $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega =+$$\end{document}$. The initial data $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{+,0}, \delta _{+,0}$$\end{document}$ in the right side of ([4.37](#Equ92){ref-type=""}) are regarded as given functions of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$U,\xi _{-,0},\delta _{-,0},m_{\text {R},-},\phi $$\end{document}$, whose explicit form follows from the ultraviolet integration, such that both $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{+,0}-\xi _{-,0}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta _{+,0}-\delta _{-,0}$$\end{document}$ are of the order $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$O(U \min \{m_{\text {R},+},1\})$$\end{document}$. More explicitly, we write,$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \xi _{+,0}= & {} \xi _{-,0}+\bar{x}_+(U,\xi _{-,0},\delta _{-,0},m_{\text {R},-},\phi ), \qquad \nonumber \\ \delta _{+,0}= & {} \delta _{-,0}+{\bar{d}}_+(U,\xi _{-,0},\delta _{-,0},m_{\text {R},-},\phi ), \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\bar{x}}}_+$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\bar{d}}}_+$$\end{document}$ are analytic in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$U,\xi _{-,0},\delta _{-,0}$$\end{document}$ for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|\xi _{-,0}|,|\delta _{-,0}|\leqslant C|U|$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|U|\leqslant U_0/(C+1)$$\end{document}$, and satisfy:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned}&|{{\bar{x}}}_+(U,\xi _{-,0},\delta _{-,0},m_{\text {R},-},\phi )|\leqslant C_1|U|\min \{m_{\text {R},+},1\},\nonumber \\&|{{\bar{x}}}_+(U,\xi _{-,0},\delta _{-,0},m_{\text {R},-},\phi )-{{\bar{x}}}_+(U,\xi _{-,0}',\delta _{-,0}',m_{\text {R},-},\phi )| \nonumber \\&\quad \leqslant C_1|U|\min \{m_{\text {R},+},1\}(|\xi _{-,0}-\xi _{-,0}'|+|\delta _{-,0}-\delta _{-,0}'|)\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$for some $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\bar{d}}}_+$$\end{document}$. Plugging ([4.40](#Equ95){ref-type=""}), with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{-,0},\delta _{-,0}$$\end{document}$ written as in ([4.38](#Equ93){ref-type=""}), back in ([4.37](#Equ92){ref-type=""}) with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega =+$$\end{document}$, we get the desired equation for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{+,h},\delta _{+,h}$$\end{document}$:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \xi _{+,h}= & {} 2^{-h}\big ({{\bar{x}}}_++\sum _{k=h+1}^{0} 2^{k-1} (\beta ^\xi _{+,k}-\beta ^\xi _{-,k}) -\sum _{k=h^*_2+1}^h2^{k-1}\beta ^\xi _{-,k}\big )\;,\nonumber \\ \delta _{+,h}= & {} 2^{-h}\big ({{\bar{d}}}_++\sum _{k=h+1}^{0} 2^{k-1} (\beta ^\delta _{+,k}-\beta ^\delta _{-,k}) -\sum _{k=h^*_2+1}^h2^{k-1}\beta ^\delta _{-,k}\big )\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$for all $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h^*_1\leqslant h\leqslant 0$$\end{document}$. The equations ([4.39](#Equ94){ref-type=""}) and ([4.42](#Equ97){ref-type=""}), together with the analogues of ([4.37](#Equ92){ref-type=""}) for the running coupling constants $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$Z_{\rho ,\omega ,h},v_{\omega ,h}$$\end{document}$, are looked at as a fixed point equation on the space $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {M}}$$\end{document}$ of sequences of running coupling constants $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\underline{\tau }}:=\{{\vec {\tau }}_{h^*_2},\ldots ,{\vec {\tau }}_0\}$$\end{document}$, endowed with the norm$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \Vert {{\underline{\tau }}}\Vert _\theta= & {} \max \Big \{\max _{\begin{array}{c} h\leqslant 0\\ \omega ,\rho \end{array}}\{|Z_{\rho ,\omega ,h}-1|,|v_{\omega ,h}-\frac{3}{2} |,2^{-\theta h}|\xi _{-,h}|,2^{-\theta h}|\delta _{-,h}|\},\nonumber \\&\quad \max _{h^*_1\leqslant h\leqslant 0}\{|\xi _{+,h}-\xi _{-,h}|2^{h-h^*_1},|\delta _{+,h}-\delta _{-,h}|2^{h-h^*_1}\}\Big \}. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$More precisely, the sequence of running coupling constants, solution of the flow equation with boundary data such that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{-,h^*_2}=\delta _{-,h^*_2}=0$$\end{document}$, is the fixed point of the map $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\underline{\tau }}}\rightarrow {{\underline{\tau }}}'=\mathbf{T}({{\underline{\tau }}})$$\end{document}$ that, in components, reads (we write the argument of the beta function as $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$(U,{{\underline{\tau }}})$$\end{document}$, and we do not indicate the argument of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\bar{d}}}_+$$\end{document}$, for short):$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \xi _{-,h}'= & {} -\sum _{k=h^*_2+1}^h 2^{k-h-1}\beta ^\xi _{-,k}(U, {{\underline{\tau }}}),\quad \forall h^*_2\leqslant h\leqslant 0 \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \delta _{-,h}'= & {} -\sum _{k=h^*_2+1}^h 2^{k-h-1}\beta ^\delta _{-,k}(U, {{\underline{\tau }}}),\quad \forall h^*_2\leqslant h\leqslant 0 \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \xi _{+,h}'= & {} 2^{-h}{{\bar{x}}}_+ +\sum _{k=h+1}^{0} 2^{k-h-1} (\beta ^\xi _{+,k}(U, {{\underline{\tau }}})-\beta ^\xi _{-,k}(U, {{\underline{\tau }}}))\nonumber \\&- \sum _{k=h^*_2+1}^h2^{k-h-1}\beta ^\xi _{-,k}(U, {{\underline{\tau }}}),\quad \forall h^*_1\leqslant h\leqslant 0 \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \delta _{+,h}'= & {} 2^{-h}{{\bar{d}}}_+ +\sum _{k=h+1}^{0} 2^{k-h-1} (\beta ^\delta _{+,k}(U, {{\underline{\tau }}})-\beta ^\delta _{-,k}(U, {{\underline{\tau }}}))\nonumber \\&-\sum _{k=h^*_2+1}^h2^{k-h-1}\beta ^\delta _{-,k}(U, {{\underline{\tau }}}), \quad \forall h^*_1\leqslant h\leqslant 0 \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} Z_{\rho ,\omega ,h}'= & {} 1+{{\bar{z}}}_{\rho ,\omega } +\sum _{k=h+1}^{0}\beta ^{Z,\rho }_{\omega ,k}(U, {{\underline{\tau }}}),\quad \forall h^*_2\leqslant h\leqslant 0 \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} v_{\omega ,h}'= & {} \frac{3}{2}t_1+{{\bar{v}}}_{\omega } +\sum _{k=h+1}^{0} \beta ^v_{\omega ,k}(U, {{\underline{\tau }}})\;,\quad \forall h^*_2\leqslant h\leqslant 0 \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$with the understanding that the running coupling constants with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\omega =+$$\end{document}$ are zero for all scales smaller than $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h^*_1$$\end{document}$: $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{+,h}=\delta _{+,h}=Z_{\rho ,+,h}=v_{+,h}=0$$\end{document}$, for all $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h<h^*_1$$\end{document}$. Moreover, in the last two lines, we rewrote $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$Z_{\rho ,\omega ,0}=1+{{\bar{z}}}_{\rho ,\omega }$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\bar{z}}}_{\rho ,\omega }={\bar{z}}_{\rho ,\omega }(U,\xi _{-,0},\delta _{-,0},m_{\text {R},-},\phi )$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\bar{v}}}_{\omega }={\bar{v}}_\omega (U,\xi _{-,0},\delta _{-,0},m_{\text {R},-},\phi )$$\end{document}$ are analytic in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$U,\xi _{-,0},\delta _{-,0}$$\end{document}$ for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|\xi _{-,0}|,|\delta _{-,0}|\leqslant C|U|$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|U|\leqslant U_0/(C+1)$$\end{document}$, and satisfy:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned}&|{{\bar{z}}}_{\rho ,\omega }(U,\xi _{-,0},\delta _{-,0},m_{\text {R},-},\phi )|\leqslant C_1|U|,\nonumber \\&|{{\bar{z}}}_{\rho ,\omega }(U,\xi _{-,0},\delta _{-,0},m_{\text {R},-},\phi )-{{\bar{z}}}_{\rho ,\omega }(U,\xi _{-,0}',\delta _{-,0}',m_{\text {R},-},\phi )|\nonumber \\&\quad \leqslant C_1|U|(|\xi _{-,0}-\xi _{-,0}'|+|\delta _{-,0}-\delta _{-,0}'|)\;, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$and analogously for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\bar{v}}}_\omega $$\end{document}$. In addition, the differences $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\bar{z}}}_{\rho ,+}-{{\bar{z}}}_{\rho ,-}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\bar{v}}}_+-{{\bar{v}}}_-$$\end{document}$ satisfy the same bound as ([4.41](#Equ96){ref-type=""}).
We want to show that the map $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\underline{\tau }}} \rightarrow \mathbf{T}({{\underline{\tau }}})$$\end{document}$ admits a unique fixed point in the ball $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$B_0=\{{{\underline{\tau }}}\in {\mathcal {M}}: \Vert {{\underline{\tau }}}\Vert _\theta \leqslant C|U|\}$$\end{document}$, for a suitable $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C>0$$\end{document}$. In order to prove this, we show that, if $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\underline{\tau }}},{{\underline{\tau }}}'\in B_0$$\end{document}$,$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \Vert \mathbf{T}({{\underline{\tau }}})\Vert _\theta \leqslant C|U|,\qquad \Vert \mathbf{T}({{\underline{\tau }}})-\mathbf{T}({{\underline{\tau }}}')\Vert _\theta \leqslant C|U|\, \Vert {{\underline{\tau }}}-{{\underline{\tau }}}'\Vert _\theta \,, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$for a suitable *C*. Once ([4.51](#Equ106){ref-type=""}) is proved, the existence of a unique fixed point in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$B_0$$\end{document}$ follows via the Banach fixed point theorem, and we are done: such a fixed point defines the initial data $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{-,0},\delta _{-,0}$$\end{document}$ generating a solution to the flow equation satisfying ([4.36](#Equ91){ref-type=""}), as desired. Of course, fixing $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{-,0},\delta _{-,0}$$\end{document}$ is equivalent (thanks to the analytic implicit function theorem) to fixing $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi ,\delta $$\end{document}$: therefore, the existence of such a fixed point proves the statement of the lemma.
We are left with proving ([4.51](#Equ106){ref-type=""}). If $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\underline{\tau }\in B_0$$\end{document}$, by using the bound ([4.35](#Equ90){ref-type=""}) on the beta function, as well as the assumptions ([4.41](#Equ96){ref-type=""}), ([4.50](#Equ105){ref-type=""}) on the initial data (together with their analogues for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\bar{d}}}_+,{{\bar{v}}}_\omega $$\end{document}$), it is immediate to check that$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} |Z_{\rho ,\omega ,h}'-1|\leqslant C|U|, \quad |v_{\omega ,h}'-\frac{3}{2}|\leqslant C|U|,\quad |\xi _{-,h}'|\leqslant C|U|2^{\theta h},\quad |\delta _{-,h}'|\leqslant C|U|2^{\theta h},\nonumber \\ \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$for all $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h^*_2\leqslant h\leqslant 0$$\end{document}$ and a suitable constant *C*. Therefore, in order to check that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\Vert \mathbf{T}({{\underline{\tau }}})\Vert _\theta \leqslant C|U|$$\end{document}$, we are left with proving that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\max \{ |\xi _{+,h}'-\xi _{-,h}'|,|\delta _{+,h}'-\delta _{-,h}'|\}\leqslant C|U|2^{h^*_1-h}$$\end{document}$, for all $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h^*_1\leqslant h\leqslant 0$$\end{document}$. We spell out the argument for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{+,h}'-\xi _{-,h}'$$\end{document}$, the proof for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta _{+,h}'-\delta _{-,h}'$$\end{document}$ being exactly the same. By using ([4.44](#Equ99){ref-type=""})--([4.46](#Equ101){ref-type=""}), we have: $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{+,h}'-\xi _{-,h}'=2^{-h}{{\bar{x}}}_++\sum _{k=h+1}^{0} 2^{k-h-1} (\beta ^\xi _{+,k}(U, {{\underline{\tau }}})-\beta ^\xi _{-,k}(U, {{\underline{\tau }}}))$$\end{document}$. Now, the first term in the right side is bounded by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$2^{-h}|{{\bar{x}}}_+|\leqslant 2C_1|U|$$\end{document}$, for all $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h\geqslant h^*_1$$\end{document}$, by ([4.41](#Equ96){ref-type=""}) and the very definition of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h^*_1$$\end{document}$, ([4.20](#Equ75){ref-type=""}). In order to bound the sum $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\sum _{k=h+1}^{0} 2^{k-h-1} (\beta ^\xi _{+,k}(U, {{\underline{\tau }}})-\beta ^\xi _{-,k}(U, {{\underline{\tau }}}))$$\end{document}$, we note that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\beta ^\xi _{+,k}-\beta ^\xi _{-,k}$$\end{document}$ can be expressed as a sum over trees with root on scale *k*, at least an endpoint on scale $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$+1$$\end{document}$ (recall the discussion after the statement of Lemma ([4.1](#FPar10){ref-type="sec"})) and: either an endpoint corresponding to a difference $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{+,k'}-\xi _{-,k'}$$\end{document}$, or an endpoint corresponding to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta _{+,k'}-\delta _{-,k'}$$\end{document}$, or a propagator $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$g^{(k')}_{+}-g^{(k')}_-$$\end{document}$, with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$k'\geqslant k$$\end{document}$. The propagator $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$g^{(k')}_{+}-g^{(k')}_-$$\end{document}$ admits a dimensional bound that is the same as $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$g^{(k')}_{\omega }$$\end{document}$ times a gain factor $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$2^{h^*_1-k'}$$\end{document}$; the differences $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{+,k'}-\xi _{-,k'}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta _{+,k'}-\delta _{-,k'}$$\end{document}$ are proportional to the same gain factor, due to the assumption that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${{\underline{\tau }}}\in B_0$$\end{document}$. All in all, recalling the basic bound on the beta function, ([4.35](#Equ90){ref-type=""}), we find a similar bound, improved by the gain factor $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$2^{h^*_1-k}$$\end{document}$:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \big |\beta ^\xi _{+,k}(U,{{\underline{\tau }}})-\beta ^\xi _{-,k}(U,{{\underline{\tau }}})\big |\leqslant 2C_0|U| 2^{h^*_1-k}2^{\theta k}. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$This, together with the bound on $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$2^{-h}{{\bar{x}}}_+$$\end{document}$, implies the desired bound, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|\xi _{+,h}'-\xi _{-,h}'|\leqslant C|U|2^{h^*_1-h}$$\end{document}$, for all $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h^*_1\leqslant h\leqslant 0$$\end{document}$ and *C* sufficiently large. Exactly the same argument implies the desired bound for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta _{+,h}'-\delta _{-,h}'$$\end{document}$.
The proof of the second of ([4.51](#Equ106){ref-type=""}) goes along the same lines, and we only sketch it here. A similar argument, discussed in all details, can be found in \[[@CR11], Section 4\]. Let us focus, for simplicity, on the first component of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{T}({{\underline{\tau }}})-\mathbf{T}({{\underline{\tau }}}')$$\end{document}$, which reads:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} -\sum _{k=h^*_2+1}^h 2^{k-h-1}\big (\beta ^\xi _{-,k}(U, {{\underline{\tau }}})-\beta ^\xi _{-,k}(U, {{\underline{\tau }}}')\big ). \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$The difference $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\beta ^\xi _{-,k}(U,{{\underline{\tau }}})-\beta ^\xi _{-,k}(U,{{\underline{\tau }}}')$$\end{document}$ can be represented as a sum over trees with root on scale *k*, at least an endpoint on scale $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$+1$$\end{document}$, and: either an endpoint corresponding to a difference $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi _{\omega ,k'}-\xi _{\omega ,k'}'$$\end{document}$, or an endpoint corresponding to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta _{\omega ,k'}-\delta _{\omega ,k'}'$$\end{document}$, or a propagator corresponding to the difference between $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$g^{(k')}_{\omega }$$\end{document}$ computed at the values $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$(Z_{\rho ,\omega ,k'},v_{\omega ,k'})$$\end{document}$ of the effective parameters and the same propagator computed at $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$(Z_{\rho ,\omega ,k'}',v_{\omega ,k'}')$$\end{document}$, for some $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$k'\geqslant k$$\end{document}$. The difference between the propagators computed at different values of the effective parameters can be bounded dimensionally in the same way as $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$g^{(k')}_{\omega }$$\end{document}$, times an additional factor $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\max _{\rho ,\omega }\{|Z_{\rho ,\omega ,k'}-Z_{\rho ,\omega ,k'}'|, |v_{\omega ,k'}-v_{\omega ,k'}'|\}$$\end{document}$. Therefore, recalling the basic bound on the beta function, ([4.35](#Equ90){ref-type=""}), we find a similar bound, multiplied by the norm of the difference between the running coupling constants:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \Big |\beta ^\xi _{-,k}(U,{{\underline{\tau }}})-\beta ^\xi _{-,k}(U,{{\underline{\tau }}}')\Big |\leqslant 2C_0|U| 2^{\theta k} \Vert {{\underline{\tau }}}-{{\underline{\tau }}}'\Vert _\theta , \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$which implies the desired estimate on the first component of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{T}({{\underline{\tau }}})-\mathbf{T}({{\underline{\tau }}}')$$\end{document}$. A similar argument is valid for the other components, but we will not belabor the details here. $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\square $$\end{document}$
We now have all the ingredients to prove Proposition [3.3](#FPar6){ref-type="sec"}. In fact, in view of Lemma [4.1](#FPar10){ref-type="sec"} and Lemma [4.2](#FPar11){ref-type="sec"}, we can fix the counterterms $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\xi ,\delta $$\end{document}$ in such a way that the kernels of the effective potential on all scales are analytic in *U*, uniformly in the scale, and satisfy ([4.33](#Equ88){ref-type=""}). A simple by-product of the proof shows that the kernel $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$W^{(h)}_{n}(\mathbf{x}_1,\ldots ,\mathbf{x}_n)$$\end{document}$ decays faster than any power in the tree distance among the space-time points $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{x}_1,\ldots ,\mathbf{x}_n$$\end{document}$, with a decay length proportional to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$2^{-h}$$\end{document}$. Analogous claims are valid for the kernels of the effective source term and of the generating function. In particular, recalling that the scale *h* is always larger or equal than $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$h^*_2$$\end{document}$, we have that the kernels of the effective potential, which are nothing else but the multi-point correlation functions, are analytic in *U* and decay faster than any power in the tree distance among their arguments, with a typical decay length of the order $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$2^{h^*_2}\sim |m_{\text {R},-}|$$\end{document}$. Therefore, for any $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C^\infty $$\end{document}$ in the momenta. In the massless case, the correlations are dimensionally bounded like in the graphene case \[[@CR20], [@CR21]\]: in particular, the two-point density--density, or current--current correlations decay like $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{y}|^{-4}$$\end{document}$ at large Euclidean space-time separation. For further details about the construction and estimate of the correlation functions, the reader is referred to, e.g., \[[@CR16], [@CR21]\]. This concludes the proof of Proposition [3.3](#FPar6){ref-type="sec"}. $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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Proof of Theorem [2.1](#FPar1){ref-type="sec"} {#Sec13}
==============================================
In order to conclude the proof of Theorem [2.1](#FPar1){ref-type="sec"}, we need to prove that: there exists a choice of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R,-}}$$\end{document}$ for which the Euclidean correlations of the reference model with Hamiltonian $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}^{\text{ R }}$$\end{document}$, see ([2.22](#Equ22){ref-type=""}), coincide with those of the original Hamiltonian $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}$$\end{document}$; the Euclidean Kubo conductivity coincides with the real-time one. Cf. with the last two items, (iii) and (iv), of the list after ([2.23](#Equ23){ref-type=""}). We also need to prove the regularity and symmetry properties of the critical curves, stated in Theorem [2.1](#FPar1){ref-type="sec"}.
Let us start with discussing item (iii), as well as the $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C^1$$\end{document}$ regularity of the critical curves. In order to prove the equivalence of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {H}}^{\text{ R }}$$\end{document}$, it is enough to fix the counterterms as discussed in the previous section, and choose $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R},-}$$\end{document}$ to be the solution of ([2.23](#Equ23){ref-type=""}). Let us then show that ([2.23](#Equ23){ref-type=""}) can be inverted in the form $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{R,-}= m_{R,-}(U, W, \phi )$$\end{document}$, with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{R,-}(U, W, \phi )$$\end{document}$ analytic in *U* and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C^{1}$$\end{document}$ in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$W, \phi $$\end{document}$. We want to appeal to the analytic implicit function theorem. For this purpose, we need to estimate the derivative of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta (U,m_{\text {R,-}},\phi )$$\end{document}$ w.r.t. $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R},-}$$\end{document}$. Recall that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta _{-,0}=\delta _{-,0}(U,m_{\text {R},-},\phi )$$\end{document}$ satisfies the second of ([4.38](#Equ93){ref-type=""}), and that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta (U,m_{\text {R},-},\phi )$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta _{-,0}(U,m_{\text {R},-},\phi )$$\end{document}$ are analytically close (they differ only because of the effect of the ultraviolet integration). Therefore,$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \delta (U,m_{R,-},\phi )=-\sum _{k=h^*_2+1}^1 2^{k-1}\beta ^\delta _{-,k}(U,{{\underline{\tau }}}), \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$where $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\beta ^\delta _{-,k}(U,{{\underline{\tau }}})$$\end{document}$ accounts for the difference between $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta _{-,0}$$\end{document}$ due to the ultraviolet integration. Differentiating both sides with respect to the mass, we find:$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \frac{\partial \delta (U,m_{R,-},\phi )}{\partial m_{R,-}}=-\sum _{k=h^*_2+1}^1 2^{k-1}\frac{\partial \beta ^\delta _{-,k}}{\partial m_{R,-}}(U,{{\underline{\tau }}}), \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$which should be looked at as (a component of) a fixed point equation for the derivatives of the running coupling constants, analogous to the ones solved in the proof of Lemma ([4.2](#FPar11){ref-type="sec"}). When acting on the beta function, the derivative with respect to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{R,-}$$\end{document}$ can either act on a propagator $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$g^{(k')}_\omega $$\end{document}$, or on a running coupling constant. When acting on a propagator, it replaces $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\frac{\partial g^{(k')}_\omega }{\partial m_{\text {R},-}}$$\end{document}$, which is bounded dimensionally in the same way as $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$g^{(k')}_\omega $$\end{document}$, times an extra factor proportional to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$2^{-k'}$$\end{document}$. On the other hand, the action of the derivative on a running coupling constant should be bounded inductively, in the same spirit as the proof of Lemma [4.2](#FPar11){ref-type="sec"}. All in all, recalling also the basic bound on the beta function, ([4.35](#Equ90){ref-type=""}), we get$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \Big |\frac{\partial \delta (U,m_{R,-},\phi )}{\partial m_{R,-}}\Big |\leqslant \sum _{k=h^*_2+1}^1 2^{k}C_0|U|2^{\theta k}2^{-k}\leqslant C_2|U|, \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$for a suitable constant $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C_2$$\end{document}$. Exactly the same argument and estimates are valid for the derivative with respect to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\begin{aligned} \Big |\frac{\partial \delta (U,m_{R,-},\phi )}{\partial \phi }\Big |\leqslant C_2|U|\;. \end{aligned}$$\end{document}$$The last estimate is optimal for small $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\phi \rightarrow \pi -\phi $$\end{document}$ (the 'magnetic reflections', see ([4.13](#Equ68){ref-type=""})) to conclude that the derivative of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta $$\end{document}$ with respect to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\phi $$\end{document}$ vanishes continuously as $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\phi \rightarrow (\pi /2)^-$$\end{document}$. Moreover, by the symmetry properties of the model, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\delta (U,0,0)=0$$\end{document}$. Therefore, $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|\delta (U, m_{\text {R}, -}, \phi )|\leqslant 2C_2|U| (|m_{\text {R},-}|+ \sin \phi )$$\end{document}$.
Using these bounds and the implicit function theorem, we see that ([2.23](#Equ23){ref-type=""}) can be inverted in the form ([2.24](#Equ24){ref-type=""}), with $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|{{\mathfrak {d}}}(U,W,\phi )|\leqslant C|U| (W+\sin \phi )$$\end{document}$ for some constant *C*. The equation for the critical curve in the parameter range we are considering is simply $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R,-}}=0$$\end{document}$, that is $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\phi $$\end{document}$ and, thanks to the symmetries of the problem, it satisfies the properties stated in Theorem [2.1](#FPar1){ref-type="sec"}.
We are left with discussing item (iv), that is, the equivalence between the Euclidean and real-time Kubo conductivities. Given our bounds on the Euclidean correlations, the equivalence follows from result discussed in previous papers. In fact, our bounds imply that the current--current correlations, at large space-time separations, decay either faster-than-any-power decay, if $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$m_{\text {R},-}\ne 0$$\end{document}$, or like $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{y}|^{-4}$$\end{document}$, otherwise: therefore, we can repeat step by step the proof of \[[@CR22], Theorem 3.1\], as the reader can easily check. For a slightly modified and simplified proof, see also \[[@CR2], Appendix B\] and \[[@CR35], Section 5\].
This concludes the proof of Theorem [2.1](#FPar1){ref-type="sec"}. $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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Concluding Remarks {#Sec14}
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In conclusion, the universality of the Hall conductivity (i.e., its independence from the interaction strength) can be seen as a consequence of lattice conservation laws, combined with the regularity properties of the correlation functions. The quantization of the interacting Hall conductivity then follows from its quantization in the non-interacting case: however, an important point in the proof is to compare the interacting system and its conductivity with the right reference non-interacting system, that is, the one with the right value of the mass; this is the reason why we introduce a reference non-interacting system with mass equal to the renormalized mass of the interacting system; in order to fix the correct value of the renormalized mass, we need to solve a fixed point equation for it. The same strategy we proposed in the present context can be easily extended to prove that the Hall conductivity is constant against *any* deformation of the Hamiltonian, even non-translationally invariant ones, provided that the off-diagonal decay of the Euclidean correlations in space and imaginary time is sufficiently fast, in the sense specified by[5](#Fn5){ref-type="fn"} Proposition [3.3](#FPar6){ref-type="sec"}. Note that our universality result is valid as soon as the Fourier transform of the current--current-interaction correlations are $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$C^3$$\end{document}$ in momentum space, which corresponds to a space-time decay faster than $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$(dist.)^{-6}$$\end{document}$ (a critical analysis of the proof shows that we need even less: $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\varepsilon >0$$\end{document}$ is a sufficient condition for our construction to work; this translates into a space-time decay faster than $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$(dist.)^{-5}$$\end{document}$). This means that we do not require the existence of a spectral gap, in the strong sense of exponential decay of correlations: sufficiently fast polynomial decay is actually enough. It would be nice to provide a realistic example of a gapless model with fast polynomial decay of correlations, exhibiting a non-trivial, universal behavior of the transverse conductivity; or, in alternative, to exclude the possibility that such a model exists.
A problem connected with the one discussed in this paper, but much more challenging, is to prove universality of the conductivity for clean massless models with slow polynomial decay of correlations: by 'slow', here, we mean that Proposition [3.3](#FPar6){ref-type="sec"} cannot be applied. A first example is the Haldane model, considered in this paper, for values of the parameters *on* the critical line. In this case, as already recalled after the statement of Theorem ([2.1](#FPar1){ref-type="sec"}), one can prove the universality of the *longitudinal conductivity* \[[@CR19]\]: the proof, which generalizes the one in \[[@CR21]\], uses lattice Ward Identities, combined with the symmetry properties of the current--current correlation functions. It would be very interesting to establish the universality, or the violation thereof, of the transverse conductivity on the critical line.
Another context, where the issue of the universality of the conductivity naturally arises, is the case of bulk massive systems in non-trivial domains with, say, Dirichlet conditions imposed at the boundary. In such a setting, usually, massless edge states appear, and the edge system is characterized by correlations with slow polynomial decay. Nevertheless, universality holds as a consequence of a more subtle mechanism, which relies on the non-renormalization of the edge chiral anomaly. Using these ideas, two of us proved the validity of the bulk-edge correspondence in lattice Hall systems with single-mode chiral edge currents \[[@CR2]\], and in the spin-conserving Kane--Mele model \[[@CR34]\]. It would be very interesting to generalize these findings to lattice systems with several edge modes, as well as to continuum systems.
Finally, it would be extremely interesting to include disorder effect, even in the regime where the interaction is smaller than the non-interacting gap. Understanding the combined effects of disorder and interactions in the vicinity of the critical lines is a major open problem, even from a theoretical physics perspectives. We do not expect that the phase diagram will remain qualitatively unchanged in their presence: new quantum phases may in general arise in the vicinity of unperturbed critical lines. In this sense, we expect that the stability of the phase diagram, if valid at all, will depend on the specific features of the model under investigation. However, as far as we know, not even the effects of disorder alone are well understood in the vicinity of the critical lines.
There is an issue in defining the position operator on the torus. In order to avoid the problem, we interpret the second term in ([2.15](#Equ15){ref-type=""}) as being equal to $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$i\frac{\partial }{\partial q_j}\pmb {\langle } [ {\mathcal {J}}_{i}(\vec {q}), N(-\vec {q})]\pmb {\rangle }_\infty \big |_{\vec {q}=\vec {0}}$$\end{document}$, where: $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\pmb {\langle } [ {\mathcal {J}}_{i}({\vec {q}}), N(-{\vec {q}})]\pmb {\rangle }_\infty := \lim _{\beta ,L\rightarrow \infty }\frac{1}{L^2}\langle [ {\mathcal {J}}_{i}({\vec {q}}^{(L)}), N(-{\vec {q}}^{(L)})]\rangle _{\beta ,L}$$\end{document}$, and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\vec {q}}^{(L)}$$\end{document}$ a sequence of vectors in $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$${\mathcal {B}}_L$$\end{document}$ such that $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\lim _{L\rightarrow \infty }{\vec {q}}^{(L)}={\vec {q}}$$\end{document}$.
Here, by 'gap' we mean the rate of the exponential decay of the Euclidean correlations.
The definition in ([3.6](#Equ30){ref-type=""}) is only valid for $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$x_0=y_0$$\end{document}$ has no influence on the following formulas, in particular on ([3.8](#Equ32){ref-type=""}), which is the main goal of the following manipulations.
In ([3.23](#Equ47){ref-type=""}), we denote by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
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\begin{document}$$\mathbf{p}_2$$\end{document}$ the first and second arguments of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{wasysym}
\usepackage{amsfonts}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{amsbsy}
\usepackage{mathrsfs}
\usepackage{upgreek}
\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}
\begin{document}$${\widehat{K}}^{\text {R}}_{0,0, \sharp }$$\end{document}$, as well as of $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{wasysym}
\usepackage{amsfonts}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{amsbsy}
\usepackage{mathrsfs}
\usepackage{upgreek}
\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}
\begin{document}$${\widehat{S}}^{\text {R}}_{i, \sharp }$$\end{document}$; correspondingly, we denote by $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{wasysym}
\usepackage{amsfonts}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{amsbsy}
\usepackage{mathrsfs}
\usepackage{upgreek}
\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}
\begin{document}$$\frac{\partial }{\partial p_{1,i}}$$\end{document}$ and $\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{wasysym}
\usepackage{amsfonts}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{amsbsy}
\usepackage{mathrsfs}
\usepackage{upgreek}
\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}
\begin{document}$$\frac{\partial }{\partial p_{2,i}}$$\end{document}$ the derivatives with respect to the *i*-th components of the first and second arguments thereof.
Proposition [3.3](#FPar6){ref-type="sec"} is formulated in terms of the regularity of the Fourier transform, but, by anti-trasforming and going back to real space, the stated properties of the correlation functions can be straightforwardly translated into a condition of sufficiently fast polynomial decay in space and imaginary time. Such a formulation would be the right one in order to deal with additional, possibly non-translationally invariant, perturbations, including weak random potentials (chosen in such a way that the non-interacting spectral gap is *not* closed by the randomness).
**Publisher\'s Note**
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
The work of A. G. and of V. M. has been supported by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (ERC CoG UniCoSM, grant agreement n.724939). V. M. acknowledges support also from the Gruppo Nazionale di Fisica Matematica (GNFM). The work of M. P. has been supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation, via the grant "Mathematical Aspects of Many-Body Quantum Systems".
[^1]: Communicated by Michael Aizenman.
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Hello, and welcome to another
ML5 neural network video
tutorial.
I'm following up on what I
did in the previous video
where I built this example.
This example has
this interaction
where you click the mouse all
over this canvas and press keys
to assign each xy point
a label, C, D, E--
and I added a bunch of notes
since the previous video.
So I have the full scale
C, D, E, F, G, A, B.
Then I trained the
model with the inputs
being the xy of all these
points and the target
being the actual label.
And once the model is
trained, it can make guesses.
So in theory, I just
collected this data
set, trained the model.
When I click into it,
when I click over here,
I should hear the
musical note D.
I should hear the
musical note E, G, A.
And in between, it's sort of
interesting to see what I get.
But it works as expected.
I ran into like a pretty
significant problem
while working on this.
Because once I've collected the
data set and trained the model,
if I had a bug in the code
or something I needed to fix
or I wanted to try a
different parameter,
I have to stop the
sketch and run it again
and sit there and do this.
This highly manual process of
clicking, clicking, clicking
to collect the data set.
So in this video, I want
to look at saving the data.
And I also want
to look at saving
the model, which, those are
two pretty different things.
It might seem like
the same idea.
I want to save the data.
I want to save the model.
Why would I do one
versus the other?
Let's pause for a second
and examine all the steps
of a machine learning
project and where
we might want to save the data
versus save the model and why.
Step 1, collect the data.
Now, this could be a really
big, complicated step.
But in my scenario,
in my example,
it's just clicking the
mouse a whole bunch of times
and pressing keys
on the keyboard.
Step 2, train the model.
Once the model has
been trained, the idea
is to use that model
in some scenario.
So that we can call step 3,
deploy the model or prediction
inference.
So now the question
is, where along the way
might you want to save the
state of what you're doing?
So in the most traditional
machine learning sense,
once you've done all of this
and your model is trained,
you don't ever
need to look back.
You've got a trained model.
You can save that model.
So right here in
between steps 2 and 3
is a point where we might want
to save the model if we're done
and our model is
exactly the way we
want it and we're ready to
just use it in a project.
However, you might want
to try training the model
a variety of different ways.
And this is where you might want
to, in between these two steps,
save the data.
We also might collect a lot
of data want to take a break,
reload that data,
collect more data.
There's a lot of
different reasons
why we might want to stop
in between steps 1 and 2
and save where we are.
And the functions in
the ML5 neural network
class that we want to use
are saveData and save.
So just save is
saving the model.
SaveData is saving the data.
There are also functions
for loading it back,
which we'll look at,
loadData, and load.
Let's begin by just
looking at saveData.
So in this particular example,
all of the interaction
happens with key presses.
And certainly as I've
mentioned before,
you might want to think about
a more thoughtful interface
for doing all this work.
But for me, I'm just going
to add another key press, s,
for saveData.
So I'm going to say
elseif the key is s,
then I'm going to
call model.saveData.
I can look up more about how
the saveData function works
by looking at the ML5 website.
And we can see there's
two optional arguments.
So one argument is
a file name, which
I want to use because I
want to set the file name.
It'll just pick a
date if you don't.
And then a callback to
know that it's done.
I don't actually really
need to worry about that.
Because I'll know that it's
done when the file is there
and downloaded to the
downloads directory.
I'm going to give it the name
mouse-notes and run the sketch
and collect some data.
So I'm just going to
do a little bit just
to make sure it's working.
So now I can hit s.
And look, a file
has been downloaded.
I can take a look at this
file in Visual Studio Code.
And here's what the
file looks like.
So I've got a data
property with an array
that has all the data in it.
x, ys with a, label,
x, y with a label.
And if I reformat the JSON,
you can actually see it here,
and it's much more
legible what's going on.
So this is all of the
data that I've collected.
Not very much data,
but there it is.
So now that I've done
that, I might as well
take the time to
collect a lot more data,
knowing that I can save it.
Methodically collected
a large data set.
Now I'm going to
press s to save it.
And here's what it looks like.
Almost 400 data samples.
Let's see how it performs.
I going to train the model.
Try doing some inference.
It works pretty well.
So now, the next thing
that I want to try to do
is hit stop and run the
sketch again but have
all of my data reappear.
Let's see if I can
make that happen.
Now, instead of just
creating the neural network,
I can create the neural
network and load data into it.
And that's as easy as
saying, model.loadData
mouse-notes.json.
The only thing here
is that you have
to remember that I'm working
in client-side JavaScript only.
So if I run this
right now, well, it's
giving me this nice
error here because it's
looking for a JSON object
with an array called data.
But it can't find it because
that JSON file doesn't exist.
It doesn't exist
because I downloaded it
to the downloads directory.
And so I need, for my p5
sketch to be able to access it,
I have to manually upload it
back to the p5 web editor.
If I were writing my own
server, maybe with Node.js,
I could do something where
I could save the data
and have it reload
back automatically.
But that's another
example for another time.
Let me do Add File and drag
mouse-notes.json in here.
Now, we can see that that
file is part of my p5 sketch.
And I should be able
to run the sketch now.
All right, I think
the data was loaded.
I don't see it, because
I'm not drawing it.
So this might be something
I want to add in a moment,
be able to draw the
data that it's loaded.
But in theory, there's no reason
why I couldn't train the model.
All right, the model is trained.
And you can see, I'm
not seeing the data.
I'm not seeing those clusters.
But it's clearly been
trained based on that data.
To show you how
this can be useful,
one thing that I
might want to do
is change some property that
affects the training process.
So I could try it
multiple times.
And an obvious one might
be to try learning rate.
So let's say I make a
smaller learning rate, 0.01,
and I run the sketch again.
I've got to click in here
so that my key press gets
activated.
So I'm going to add one more
piece of data and hit T.
So you can see, with
a small learning rate,
the loss is going down very,
very, very, very slowly.
So in this case, having
a small learning rate
is not super helpful.
But I can say, OK, that
learning rate wasn't good.
Let me try a much larger
learning rate, like 0.5,
run it again, hit T for train.
And then you can can see,
with this high learning rate,
that loss is going down
really, really quickly.
Now, I don't mean
to suggest here
that universally a high
learning rate is better
than a low learning rate.
There's a lot of
it depends here.
But just to show you how you can
now retrain the model changing
all of the different
kinds of options,
and you could look at the ML5
neural network documentation
and see what other
kind of options
you might want to play
around with or change.
You might be finding
this example a little bit
tricky to follow because you
can't actually see the data.
So let's add that feature of,
once I've loaded the data, also
drawing it to the canvas.
So in this case,
having a callback
for when the data is ready
would be very useful.
I'm going to say, dataLoaded.
I'm going to write my
dataLoaded function.
And let me just look at
where I'm drawing stuff.
I'm going to grab all
this drawing code,
bring it back up here.
Let me comment it out.
And let's actually
look at what the data
looks like in the
neural network model.
So I think I should be
able to just console.log
the model's data, I think.
So this is what the ML5
data object looks like.
And for me, the important bit
here is under data under raw.
This raw data is
all of the actual xy
coordinate with
the target label.
I can make a
variable called data.
And I can iterate over it.
So here, I'm looking
at the raw data,
iterating over every
single element,
pulling out the x's
into the inputs,
the y's into the target.
And then I can add the
drawing code back in.
Only here, I'm saying,
inputs.x, inputs.y.
And this is target.label.
So I believe if I run it--
aha, I figured out
what my mistake is.
This is confusing,
because in model--
is what I'm seeing
here is model.data,
and I want to look at
model.data.data.raw.
This leads me to
think that maybe it
would make sense to have
something like a getData
function.
Because in many cases, you
just want the raw data.
ML5 is storing a
lot of information
about the data set
additionally to help it
when it loads it later.
But for looking at it again,
it might be easier just
to have a function that
just grabs that rather
than saying data.data.raw.
But take a look.
Maybe by the time
you're watching this,
this will have been
added to the ML5 library.
Let's see if this works.
There we go.
Ooh, so it drew all the circles,
but I have the label wrong.
Why do I have the label wrong?
Oops, I Copy/Pasted
mouseX, mouseY in there.
But I've got to get the
actual xy coordinate.
Always making silly mistakes.
Let's run this again.
And there we go.
Now, it's loading that data.
And maybe actually
what I want to do also
once the data is loaded is just
automatically call training.
So I could do all
this stuff right here.
I could run the sketch.
And it's immediately
going to train the model.
And I'm ready for inference.
None of this is working, I might
offer an exercise suggestion.
And I will try to remember to,
in the video's description,
linked to code that
does this in addition
to just the code
that's here right now.
So remind me in the
comments if I haven't.
But how could you take
this example, which
now loads the data set and
immediately trains the model,
to allow you to change the
state back to data collection?
So I trained the model.
Then I want to add some more
data, retrain the model,
resave the data.
How could you have a workflow
that allows you to load
the data you previously
had and add new data,
remove some of the data
even-- how would you do that--
and retrain the model?
And once we are there and
we've got this workflow where
I can collect data, train,
change parameters, train again,
recollect, all
that kind of stuff,
I'm ready for the next step--
definitely want to ring the bell
for this-- which is actually
save the trained model itself.
|
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When your game has a 4GB patch to download but your Internet connection decides to be nasty!Ryuko : "ZzzZzzzzz, so tired of waiting. ZzzZzZz"Mako : "Wake up, Ryuko!"Satsuki : "She looks so adorable when she's asleep. <3 "Thank you for viewing. I hope you enjoyed this photo. :DFB page: [ www.facebook.co... Instagram: www.instagram.c...
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Q:
Array works fine on localhost but not working on live server (gives error message Undefined offset: 0) - Laravel-5.8
Everything works perfectly okay on localhost but when migrated to godaddy live server(cpanel) I keep getting this error (Undefined offset: 0) on my blade view
I have tested the application on my localhost using XAMPP running PHP 7.2.12 and it works very fine but now I moved it to godaddy cpanel running PHP 7.3 and it keeps giving me this error
//This is my Route
Route::get('/conversations', 'DoctorsController@Conversations');
//This is my Controller
public function Conversations(Request $request){
//authenticate user
if($request->us == 'guest'){
return redirect()->intended('login');
}else{
$unread=DB::table('messaging')
->where([
['Reciever', Auth::user()->id],
['ReadStatus', '=', '']
])
->get();
$pending=$unread->count();
//retrieve previous chat;
$conversations=DB::table('messaging')
->where('Sender', Auth::user()->id)
->orWhere('Reciever', Auth::user()->id)
->groupBy('Sender')
->orderBy('ReadStatus', 'asc')
->get();
//retrieve profile of users in the previous chat
$profiles = array();
$read_status = array();
foreach($conversations as $conversation){
if($conversation->Sender == Auth::user()->id){
//check user role to know which database to query
$userRole=DB::table('role_user')
->where('user_id', $conversation->Reciever)
->get();
if($userRole[0]->role_id === 2){
#retrieve the sender details from doctors table
$profile=DB::table('doctors')
->where('doctor_id', $conversation->Reciever)
->get();
}else{
//retrieve the sender details from users table
$profile=DB::table('profiles')
->where('user_id', $conversation->Reciever)
->get();
}
if(in_array($profile, $profiles)){
}else{
array_push($profiles, $profile);
}
//retrieve the reciever details
}else if($conversation->Reciever == Auth::user()->id){
//check user role to know which database to query
$userRole=DB::table('role_user')
->where('user_id', $conversation->Sender)
->get();
if($userRole[0]->role_id === 2){
$profile=DB::table('doctors')
->where('doctor_id', $conversation->Sender)
->get();
}else{
$profile=DB::table('profiles')
->where('user_id', $conversation->Sender)
->get();
}
//retrive unread chat;
$unreadconvers=DB::table('messaging')
->select('ReadStatus')
->where([
['Reciever', Auth::user()->id],
['Sender', $conversation->Sender],
['ReadStatus', '=', '']
])
->get();
if(in_array($profile, $profiles)){
}else{
$profile['unreads'] = $unreadconvers->count();
array_push($profiles, $profile);
//array_push($read_status, $unreadconvers->count());
}
}
$i++;
}
return view('conversations')->with(['profile'=>$profiles, 'pending'=>$pending, 'unreads'=>$read_status]);
//return to the conversation blade
}
}
//This is my Blade template
@foreach($profile as $profile)
<div class="col-md-4 element-animate">
<div class="media d-block media-custom text-center">
<img src= "{{ URL::to(isset($profile[0]->image) ? $profile[0]->image : '../img/user.png') }}" alt="Image Placeholder" class="img-fluid img-fluid-doctors">
<div class="media-body">
<a href="{{ isset($profile[0]->doctor_id) ? url('/chat-doctor?db='.$profile[0]->doctor_id) : url('/chat-doctor?us='.$profile[0]->user_id) }}" class="envelop"><i class="far fa-envelope"></i><span class="unread">{{ isset($profile['unreads']) ? $profile['unreads'] : 0 }}</span>
<h3 class="mt-0 text-black">{{ $profile[0]->name }}</h3>
</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
@endforeach
At the Controller, this code is expected to retrieve all the messages from the database linking to the logged in user either send or received, store them using an array and display them at the blade template looping through each of the array.
Currently that is what it does on localhost but on live server I get this error message Undefined offset: 0 (View: /resources/views/conversations.blade.php)
A:
I have found the solution to this issue, I was using === instead of == where I have this code
if($userRole[0]->role_id === 2)
I now change this line of code to
if($userRole[0]->role_id == 2)
and now is working perfectly well.
Thank you for your response Chin Leung.
|
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Glycoligand-targeted core-shell nanospheres with tunable drug release profiles from calixarene-cyclodextrin heterodimers.
Stable core-shell nanospheres self-assemble in water from heterodimers combining a hydrophobic calix[4]arene moiety and a hydrophilic β-cyclodextrin head; their potential to encapsulate and provide sustained release of the anticancer drug docetaxel and undergo surface post-modification with glycoligands targeting the macrophage mannose receptor is discussed.
|
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|
## Contents
About the Book
About the Author
Title Page
Dedication
Foreword by Nikki Isordia
Welcome to _Homer's Odyssey_
What _The Simpsons_ Means to Me – Mitch
What _The Simpsons_ Means to Me – Dando
Season 1 (1989-90) – In Conversation
'Life on the Fast Lane' – Review
'Krusty Gets Busted' – Review
An Interview with David Silverman
Season 2 (1990-91) – In Conversation
'Bart Gets an F' – Review
'The War of the Simpsons' – Review
Season 3 (1991-92) – In Conversation
'Like Father, Like Clown' – Review
'Colonel Homer' – Review
Talking to Gods
_Maggie Roswell_
_Matt Schofield_
_Joe Mantegna_
_Harry Shearer_
Mitch's Top 5 Episodes
_'Simpson and Delilah'_
_'Radio Bart'_
_'Itchy & Scratchy Land'_
_'Homer the Great'_
_'You Only Move Twice'_
The Little Interview with Liz Climo
Season 4 (1992-93) – In Conversation
'New Kid on the Block' – Review
'Marge vs. the Monorail' – In Conversation
'Brother from the Same Planet' – Review
Trivia Challenge
An Interview with Mike B. Anderson
Dando's Backstage Tour
Season 5 (1993-94) – In Conversation
'The Last Temptation of Homer' – Review
'$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalised Gambling)' – Review
'Cape Feare' – In Conversation
A Tribute to 'Treehouse of Horror'
Dando
Mitch
Four Finger Discount's 'Treehouse of Horror'
_Act One: GROANING LISA_
_Act Two: JURASSIC PORK_
_Act Three: ONE FOR THE BELCHERS_
Season 6 (1994-95) – In Conversation
'Bart vs. Australia' – In Conversation
Dando's Top 5
_'Homer the Vigilante'_
_'Lemon of Troy'_
_'Who Shot Mr. Burns?' Parts One and Two_
_'The Springfield Files'_
_'22 Short Films About Springfield'_
An Interview with Bill Oakley
Season 7 (1995-96) – In Conversation
'Lisa the Vegetarian' – Review
'Marge Be Not Proud' – Review
Season 8 (1996-97) – In Conversation
'Homer's Enemy' – Review
An Interview with Rob Oliver
Season 9 (1997-98) – In Conversation
'Realty Bites' – Review
'Natural Born Kissers' – Review
' _The Simpsons_ isn't good any more' Our Favourite Episodes post-Season 12
_Acknowledgements_
Trivia Answers
Copyright
## About the Book
In _Homer's Odyssey_ , the hosts of the highly successful podcast **Four Finger Discount** mix insightful analysis with personal anecdotes as they delve into what makes _The Simpsons_ so iconic in this golden era of television.
Jam-packed with their favourite memories, a mega-quiz, and **featuring exclusive interviews with the likes of David Silverman, Harry Shearer, Bill Oakley, Mike B. Anderson** and many others, this is more than just an analysis of a TV show, it is a love-letter to the programme that shaped the childhoods of a generation.
**_Homer's Odyssey_ is an ode to a time when all that mattered was being in front of a TV when _The Simpsons_ was on, where you didn't just watch _The Simpsons_ , you lived it.**
## About the Author
**BRENDAN DANDO**
Brendan established his love for podcasting when working for a number of stations in the Geelong region of Australia. Drawing on his experience in social marketing, Brendan began hosting a number of successful podcasts of his own, the most prominent being **Four Finger Discount**. Brendan has a passion for TV and film, his two favourite films being _E.T._ and _The Empire Strikes Back_. He's an avid Beatles fan and when he's not talking about _The Simpsons_ , you can find him supporting his beloved Geelong Cats in the AFL.
**MITCH GRINTER**
The oldest of five siblings, Mitch has always had a great passion for reading and writing, as well as film and television. Turning his boyhood passions into a career, Mitch has written, produced, directed and starred in several stage-plays, taking home several awards along the way. _Homer's Odyssey_ is his first book, but he hopes it is the beginning of a career he has long dreamed of. Mitch is the co-host of the successful podcast **Four Finger Discount**. He lives in Geelong with his wife, Ashleigh, and their two Labradors, Murphy and Indiana.
# Homer's Odyssey
## Mitch Grinter & Brendan Dando
Dedicated to our parents, who loved us as children, and our wives, who never asked us to grow up.
## Foreword
Have you ever heard that quote that goes something like, 'Find a job you love and you will never work a day in your life'? It's true, I am proof of that. Although my job is not without deadlines, some stress at times, and hard work, I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love it. I love what I do and I am so happy and grateful.
My adventure on _The Simpsons_ began in 2005, when I was hired as the receptionist at a production company. Nine months into the job, having made some friends who worked on _The Simpsons_ , a position for a production assistant in their design department opened up. I jumped at the chance to apply. I was hired and it changed my life. I have since been promoted several times, most recently to production supervisor. I have learned so much along the way, and I still learn things every day. I have met some of my best friends working on this show. I work with some of the most amazing and talented people on the planet. I got to see the animation process change from paper to digital. I am so proud to be part of something that is such a part of TV history. If you would have told 10-year-old me that I would be working on a show I watched and loved so much, I would have said you were crazy. I had no idea I would end up here, but I am so glad that I did. Everything happens for a reason, right? I believe I landed exactly where I was supposed to be.
It means so much to me to be part of _The Simpsons_. Every day (well, Monday through Friday at least) I get to wake up and help make one of the most important and relevant animated series ever. That to me is so magical. It really means the world to me to be so lucky. Everything really _is_ coming up Milhouse!
I am so excited for you to have this book in your hands! It's such a love letter to a show that has had an impact on so many lives. Brendan and Mitch are _Simpsons_ experts and two devoted fans. The _Four Finger Discount_ podcast is so fun and a really great listen. I was so honoured when the guys asked me to be a guest – and I was completely touched and flattered when they asked me to write this foreword. It's so incredible to be part of this book!
I am so happy for the guys and so proud of how far they have come and where _Four Finger Discount_ has taken them. They deserve all the recognition and praise. They ask the right questions and really show their passion for this production. I have had such a great time watching their endeavours grow. Their expertise and fervour for this show really shines through on the pages of this book. Whether you are new to the show or a long-time fan, this guide has something for everyone. This book will give you so much insight and knowledge about the episodes and what this production is about. These two have really done a marvellous job at writing the supreme _Simpsons_ guide for fans out there. They capture the love and spirit of the show and serve it up to you in a fun and enjoyable read!
_Nikki Isordia_
## Welcome to _Homer's Odyssey_
Welcome to Four Finger Discount's guide to _The Simpsons_! Congratulations on your excellent decision to purchase this book. It is, undoubtedly, one of the few sound investments you could have made in these troubled times. Presuming you did buy it, of course, and aren't just standing in a bookstore idly leafing through pages for what by now has already started to feel like a little bit too long. You can feel the eyes upon you, the silent indignation from the staff that screams 'This isn't a library!' Guiltily, you put the book back, and are no longer reading this.
OK, now that those guys are gone, we can get stuck in. We don't like to give away the good stuff for free! Well, technically that's not true. See, for those unaware, Four Finger Discount is a free weekly podcast devoted to all things _Simpsons_. Each week we bring our take on the show to millionsfn1 of people across the world. Having spent the best part of three years bringing auditory enjoyment, we're here to give your visual earsfn2 just the same amount of fun!
The idea behind this book is to explore the unique impact that _The Simpsons_ had on our lives, and on the lives of our generation from all over the world. Through a collection of conversations about individual seasons, specific breakdowns of the episodes that had a big impact on us as fans of the show, our favourite guest stars and exclusive interviews, we'll be trying to remind you of a time when _The Simpsons_ was the most important show on television. Everybody who is a _Simpsons_ fan will have their own favourite episodes, quotes they still use every day, and memories of watching the show when they were younger. We hope that by reading about ours, it will remind you of yours. Essentially, if you're feeling a little melancholy and your doctor has prescribed a big ol' dose of nostalgia, then consider your script filled.
We'll also be throwing in the ultimate trivia challenge for diehard fans and exclusives from behind the scenes. We've got it all! Well... apart from moving pictures, or a touch screen, or sound, or a level-up progression system, or anything else the kids are addicted to these days. Frankly it's a wonder that this dying mediumfn3 is still around at all. Oh well... enjoy.
## What _The Simpsons_ Means to Me – Mitch
'Did you watch _The Simpsons_ last night?'
Growing up in the 90s, there was no single more important question that you could get asked at school on any given day. What is Pythagoras' theorem? What is Newton's Second Law? Where is your homework? – None of those questions would have as much bearing on your future as your ability to wax lyrical about Homer and Bart's antics on TV the night before. That was the question that would drive and define friendships, and has had more importance in my life than trigonometry ever will.
I fondly remember chatting with my childhood friends, Tom, Sam and Josh about what episodes had aired the night before. I went to school with Josh, and played cricket with Sam and Tom, so it often meant the same episode would be recapped two or three times in one day. The same lines, the same jokes, but always the same amount of laughter. Beyond childhood friendships, it gave me a great way to be able to enjoy something with my dad. We would both hustle through the supermarket on weekly shopping trips to make sure we made it back by 6 p.m. Later, he would make the executive decision that the shopping be rescheduled to whatever time of the week _Desperate Housewives_ was on. It was one of the first shows we could watch together and both enjoy, even if for different reasons. The show had a brilliant ability to aim both high and low with the same joke. For example, Homer suggestively talking about how much fun could be had in bed whilst imagining eating a big sandwich. I was too young to understand the sexual connotation, but I would laugh because it looked funny, Dad would laugh at the same time for the more adult reasons, and for a beautiful moment, it felt like we were on the same level.
One could argue that the 90s were a golden age for mass consumption of TV serials and sitcoms. Before streaming and on-demand access changed the scene, we were all forced into experiencing shows at the same time. It also coincided with a time of increasing popularity of American shows on foreign TV. It created a perfect storm for shows like _Seinfeld_ , _Friends_ , _Home Improvement, Roseanne_ , and of course, _The Simpsons_. It made for many great 'event' moments of television. Gathering friends together in October to watch the 'Treehouse of Horror' specials on video was an annual tradition in Australia well before anybody was going out trick-or-treating. Around this time, another cultural phenomenon was around the corner: a little thing called the internet. There's not much that makes me feel old, but remembering a time _before_ Google certainly does. In its infancy, we didn't realise the incredible connective power that would soon be bestowed upon us.
Today, the television world is in a very different landscape. In the age of streaming content at your leisure, very few people are watching anything at the same time. Rather than seek out conversations about TV with like-minded friends, I almost have to avoid them in fear of them being further ahead than I am. I still haven't forgiven my groomsman, Michael, for spoiling the first season of _Dexter_ when I was only two episodes in. So, conversations about TV today tend to be more along these lines:
'Did you watch _House of Cards_ last night?'
'Yeah, I did.'
'Oh, how sad was it when Doug got—'
'Wait! I only watched three episodes, how much did you watch?'
'Oh! Wow. I've already watched the whole season three times and read every forum about the finale.'
'Right... Sorry, what were you about to say about Doug?'
'... Never mind.'
'Did something bad happen?'
'We'll talk in a month.'
So, where does that leave _The Simpsons_? The show now exists in a vacuum; locked in a beautiful time and space known as nostalgia, where there are no spoilers and everybody knows your name. When we started our podcast, Four Finger Discount, we wanted to try and recreate the shared experience of watching a TV show together. Not in the same room. But together. We had no idea that so many around the world wanted to come along for the ride. I've always said that _The Simpsons_ was the sort of show that offered one thing for kids, and another for adults. It's now been good enough to offer me a third level of enjoyment as I get to engage with people all over the world on a weekly basis. At their core, these conversations aren't _about The Simpsons_ , despite the content. They're about connecting with people. More so than any medium, great TV shows can unite audiences and create friendships.
Many words have been written about _The Simpsons_ in the decades since it first graced the airwaves. But, hopefully, none like what you are about to read. _The Simpsons_ has transcended television in a way that very few shows ever do. It's a show that doesn't have fans so much as followers. Millions of them around the world. Followers who for the best of their formative years honed their worldview through a yellow prism. Followers who were getting a lesson in comedy, morals, emotion, love and absurdity each night at 6 p.m. This book is as much about remembering how great that felt as it is about analysing the show itself. We hope that by sharing some of our stories, it will rekindle some special memories from your own childhood spent growing up on the same stuff we did, no matter what your background is.
It can't be overstated how important the show has been to the entertainment that we currently enjoy. Virtually all modern animated comedy owes a debt to _The Simpsons_. Thanks to its influence over its fanbase, what started as a counterculture show eventually became culture itself. Sometimes satire can lag behind the changing times and becomes irrelevant. Sometimes it remains relevant for so long that it eventually becomes the truth. In the case of _The Simpsons_ , satire forced a change in the direction that the truth was going to go. _The Simpsons_ lasted so long that the shows and families they once lampooned died off, and new shows and families sprung up in their shadow. Only this time, rather than look to differentiate themselves from the rebel newcomer, they were trying to live up to their image. Were it not for asking 'Did you watch _The Simpsons_ last night?' I'd never have gone on to ask, 'Did you see _South Park_ last night?'
I really hope you enjoy our book. It's written by fans, for fans. But it's also written for my dad, and my mum, and for my friends. And for your friends, and your mums and dads and whoever else this show brought you closer to. I hope we can take you back to those special moments in your life that made you connect with the show, and I hope one day you get to share them with Dando and me. If you ever do, you'll know how to start the conversation.
So, did you watch _The Simpsons_ last night?
## What _The Simpsons_ Means to Me – Dando
Is _The Simpsons_ the greatest show of all time? Maybe. Is it my favourite show of all time? Most certainly.
For listeners of our podcast, it's no secret that I was a late bloomer when it comes to being a _Simpsons_ fan. In fact, I wasn't allowed to watch the show until 1995 when my mother's ' _Simpsons_ ban' was finally lifted. Why was I banned? I'll get into that in a moment.
I can still remember the first time I ever saw _The Simpsons_. It was a commercial for 'Bart the Genius' that aired during a syndicated episode of _The Muppet Show_ on Channel 10, which for Australian viewers was the home of _The Simpsons_ for over 20 years – 6 p.m. weeknights became an institution for all of us wanting our fix of _The Simpsons_ , which would air in direct competition to the national news programmes on the opposing commercial stations. To me, _The Simpsons_ was the single greatest investment Channel 10 ever made.
Once Australian Pay TV provider Foxtel launched in the mid-to-late 90s, the 6 p.m. weeknight Simpsons ritual that my sister Stacey and I had was then trumped by the 'Super Simpsons Weekends', where FOX8 would air back-to-back _Simpsons_ episodes for three hours every Saturday and Sunday morning. As a fan you honestly couldn't ask for much more. In their infancy Foxtel even used Bart Simpson as their mascot. His slogan of 'I want my Foxtel!' worked a charm, as it was all I needed to hear to make me beg my parents to start throwing their money away, just so I could cram in 10 more hours of _Simpsons_ reruns each week.
There's just something about the show that taps into the memory of simpler times, when all you had to worry about was what Mum was cooking for dinner, whether wrestling was real or fake, and whether or not you'd remembered to feed your Tamagotchi that day. One of my favourite memories watching the show is Stacey and I trying to solve the mystery of who shot Mr. Burns, or when FOX8 aired the 'Simpsons Fan-fest', a 24/7 Simpsons marathon that aired in conjunction with the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Whilst millions of Australians watched the legendary Cathy Freeman win gold in the 400m sprint, I was spending a good portion of my school holidays staying up late through the night and recording _The Simpsons_ , ensuring I cut out all of the ad breaks. Despite now owning the DVDs, I still have some of those tapes, probably because I can't bring myself to throw them out when I think of how many man hours went into making them.
In regard to why I was originally banned from watching the show, it's a simple story really. The year was 1992 and four-year-old Dando was watching the original 'Treehouse of Horror' special. During the segment 'Bad Dream House' I apparently thought it would be fine to imitate the Simpson family by getting a knife from the kitchen drawer and pacing back into the lounge. Mum was not amused, but can you blame her? I'm lucky I wasn't committed.
As a result, I was forced into years of having to sit and listen as all my school friends discussed what they saw on _The Simpsons_ the night prior, trying to piece together my own version of the show in my mind. Much like Bart in 'The Itchy & Scratchy Movie', I'd try and find ways to watch the show without Mum knowing. The obvious option being to go to my friends' houses and watch – however just like Homer, Mum had already told their parents of the infamous ban.
Looking back, I'm glad that all happened. Not the knife-wielding, but the ban in general. During those few years of _Simpsons_ withdrawals I developed such a strong desire to watch the show that when the time finally came, I loved it more than I think I would have if I'd always had access to it. Amazingly, it exceeded all expectations of what I had envisioned this phenomenon to be.
_The Simpsons_ connects with me on several levels. Hidden throughout the timeless one-liners and sight gags are themes that now play a key role in my day-to-day life. 'Lisa the Vegetarian' taught me tolerance and acceptance, Mr. Bergstrom showed me it's important to believe in myself, then there's the ending of 'Lisa on Ice', a moment that leaves me fighting back tears almost every time I watch it.
The magic of the show is that as I grow older I can start to appreciate it for different reasons. Bart's anti-authority antics were appealing to me as a child, then throughout my teenage years I matured and realised I was more like Lisa. Now that I'm 29 and married, the relationship between Homer and Marge is something I can truly understand. Like all good marriages, they love, they fight, they enjoy different things, but through it all they remain best friends.
Sentimentality aside, it must be said that at its core _The Simpsons_ succeeds because it is just so damn entertaining. It says something about the calibre of the writing when people still quote a line that aired 25 years ago as if it were written only yesterday. In fact many of the gags from the earlier seasons are just as topical today as they were two decades ago.
This is a show that can unite strangers and help forge friendships with people you've nothing in common with outside of the ability to recite 'The Monorail Song'. Its characters and stories are so relatable that more often than not I find myself saying, 'It's like that time when (insert Simpsons moment)', comparing a wacky Simpsons scenario to something that just happened in my day. This underlying ability to relate with its audience has been the backbone of what's kept _The Simpsons_ so successful. Even now, as I write this, I'm picturing a thousand monkeys at a thousand typewriters and wondering which of us is doing a better job.
With the development of the internet and social media, the show has managed to find a new lease on life, becoming the conduit for social satire of major global events. A simple _Simpsons_ screenshot captioned with its relevance to a news story is all a user needs to generate engagement with their post, a tactic we are now seeing used more frequently by even the most reputable of news sources. After all, the Simpsons have done everything, right?
If you're reading this then chances are we both have a lot in common. You didn't just watch _The Simpsons_ , you lived it. In your circle of friends, you're 'the _Simpsons_ guy/girl', the one they think of whenever they see or hear the show, forever tagging you in _Simpsons_-related posts on social media. Four Finger Discount was born with the intent to find and connect with fans such as yourself, creating a global forum where we could engage and discuss what the show means to us all. I look forward to hearing from you and hope you enjoy our book.
## Season 1 (1989-90)
### In Conversation
**MITCH:** Season 1 has almost become the forgotten season. It very rarely gets any airplay on TV these days, I guess due to the animation being so different. That said, I've always felt like fixating on the look of the series and writing it off is missing the forest for the trees. If you can look beyond the animation and the slightly different vocal performances, there's some great stuff to be had.
**DANDO:** To be perfectly honest, the first season isn't one I visit too regularly. Mostly for those reasons of it being a little less accessible on TV these days. That said, it does have some great moments, like Homer's (bad) advice on handling a bully by going for the family jewels in 'Bart the General', or Marge supporting Lisa through her depression in 'Moaning Lisa' _._ However, since the episodes aired in a different order to which they were produced, it can get a little jarring at times. A prime example of this being 'There's No Disgrace Like Home', where Lisa is essentially just another 'Bart' as she misbehaves at the power plant family picnic. Thankfully it didn't take the writers long to realise she needed her own identity.
**M:** I think TV writing has come a long way since then, but at that time it was common for sitcom characters to evolve throughout the early episodes, or even across the first few seasons. George Costanza from _Seinfeld_ is almost unrecognisable from Season 1 to Season 4. You also have to factor in how much lead time was involved in making an episode. I get the feeling that by the time they knew who the characters were, several episodes were already in the can.
**D:** The first few episodes may be uneven, but it really didn't take very long for the series to find its stride. By the time they got to 'The Telltale Head' all of the characters were locked down. From there they moved on to 'Life on the Fast Lane', which is stunningly good for being only the eighth episode of a series.
**M:** I nearly hold that one up in my top 10 all-time episodes. I love the way they explore Marge's doubt in her marriage at a time when so many female characters in sitcoms were married to schlubs and never really got to voice an opinion. It also gives us a decent serving of Albert Brooks as bowling Lothario, Jacques.
**D:** Interestingly, that was Albert's second time working on the show.
**M:** Exactly! That was something that had snuck past me before, but _The Simpsons'_ relationship with Albert Brooks began with a cameo as RV Bob in 'The Call of the Simpsons' _._ It gave a taste as to how much comedic energy he could put into a character that, on rewatching, left me craving more.
**D:** His sales pitch of the camper is one of the greatest of all time.
**M:** It has its own satellite! For mine, 'The Call of the Simpsons' is the best early example of the show pitching comedy at both young and old audiences. While the adults were laughing at Homer getting declined for a loan, kids were laughing at him haplessly wrestling critters or being mistaken for Bigfoot.
**D:** Just kids?
**M:** OK, adults laughed at that, too.
**D:** As absurd as 'The Call of The Simpsons' is, it's just so much fun. It was the first time the series used their capacity as a cartoon to push the boundaries of what was possible for a scripted comedy in prime-time.
**M:** It really helped set them apart, didn't it?
**D:** Exactly. Real-life sitcoms couldn't have a baby join a family of bears, or launch a rabbit through the air with a trap gone wrong. Those events would be a bridge too far for almost any other series at the time, but for _The Simpsons_ they would prove to only be the tip of the iceberg.
**M:** Another thing that set the show apart from the outset was its willingness to tackle adult issues. Whether that was a way to guard against the perception of being for children, I don't know, but it's a surprise to go back and see early episodes dealing with adultery, depression, suicide, bullying and alcoholism head on.
**D:** I was amazed by that as well. For a show in its infancy, it's a brave move to tackle those dark themes, even though I felt they may have taken it a little too far in 'Homer's Odyssey' when Homer was prepared to jump off a bridge. Homer wanting to end his life because he was embarrassed about being unemployed felt unrealistic, and doesn't set the best example for younger viewers. On the other hand, 'Moaning Lisa' taught us all a great lesson that it's OK to feel down from time to time. Marge's advice to Lisa, 'Always be yourself. You want to be sad? Be sad. We'll ride it out with you', is some of the best parenting you'll ever see on a television programme.
**M:** From the outset, it was clear that there were deeper stories trying to be told than the overlying comedy would suggest, and frankly the writing was so good that it felt perfectly natural. You mentioned Homer wanting to jump off a bridge, and you're right that it's a very dark moment, especially watching him write out a suicide note, but the show was always able to find gallows humour in those situations. Case in point: when Homer stops to oil a squeaky fence as he leaves his yard, it's a brilliant joke about Homer missing the point of a situation. He's about to walk out on everything, but still sees that as his duty. He also drags that huge boulder all the way to the bridge, only to find an identical one already there. Those moments keep the show from becoming too dark, and are reflective of the early pacing of the comedy. The downtime in between the jokes typically served to make the laughs hit harder.
**D:** I've always felt that the season finale 'Some Enchanted Evening', which was originally intended to be the pilot, comes across like an extended version of an earlier Ullman short. It makes sense, given that it was the first episode produced, however due to some animation issues they had to bring in David Silverman to essentially remake the episode, meaning it was pushed back to the end of the season. Opting to go with 'Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire' instead was either a stroke of luck or a stroke of genius, or both, as it really set the tone for the show. Heartfelt, family-based storytelling was the foundation for the series in its earlier years, and this episode delivers that in spades.
**M:** Despite one or two missteps, it's striking how much the show had already found its feet within the first dozen episodes. Considering it's only the second episode of the series, 'Bart the Genius' is about as polished as Season 1 gets. Aside from expected animation differences, this episode could slot into the second season with ease, particularly from a writing standpoint. Bart's character is given real depth as he struggles to deal with the results of him cheating on the aptitude test, showing that behind his mask of mischief hides a 10-year-old boy searching for approval.
**D:** Of all the characters introduced this season, Bart was certainly one that the writers seemed to fully grasp from the outset.
**M:** I really prefer this early version of Bart as he still has a vulnerability to him. I feel like over time as he became convinced he could get away with anything, he occasionally gets a little too cocksure. Watching Bart squirm a little bit from time to time gives his rebellious nature the extra edge of a high-wire act that could come crashing down at any moment.
**D:** It also helps him earn some sympathy. When he is sent to France to essentially work as a slave on a foreign exchange programme, you feel so bad for the kid that you can't help but forgive him when he acts out in other episodes.
**M:** Overall, if you wanted to go back and watch Season 1, your enjoyment would depend a bit on where you set your expectations.
**D:** Yeah, you can't expect it to be what you came to love in Season 6, for example, but to understand where the show is you need to go and see where it came from.
**M:** I think you could put the first four episodes in their own basket where it almost feels like the writers broke into four different groups and produced their own episodes, such is the difference in characters from one to the next, but from that point on, it feels like watching a 90% complete as we remember it show. Sideshow Bob, for example, is presented exactly as he would go on to be remembered.
**D:** There really is a huge amount to enjoy. As somebody who didn't get to watch it as a kid, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed going back through each episode. I'd certainly recommend them to anybody who hasn't watched them, if for nothing more than to get a better understanding of the show.
## 'Life on the Fast Lane'
### (Season 1, Episode 9)
Review by Mitch
_Having forgotten Marge's birthday, Homer rushes out to buy her a gift. His choice, a bowling ball with his own named inscribed (so she would know it was from him) leaves a lot to be desired. His plan backfires when Marge starts bowling out of spite, and meets Lothario of the lanes, Jacques. As Jacques pulls out all the moves, Marge's commitment to her marriage is put to the ultimate test._
'Life on the Fast Lane' is the first Marge-centric episode of _The Simpsons_ , but is remembered more for a tour-de-force performance from Albert Brooks. Albert had already guested on the show previously, playing RV Salesman Cowboy Bob in 'The Call of the Simpsons', but where he had only played a cameo in that role, here he plays his first of many memorable guest characters who are central to the plot. As something of a coming of age moment, 'Life on the Fast Lane' was the first episode to win a Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Animated Program.
I'd be lying if I said that I had this as a favourite when I was growing up. It is one of the least child-friendly episodes of the first season as it features very little of Bart, focuses on themes such as love and infidelity, and has very few _cartoon_ moments to keep young minds interested. Looking back on it now as a married man, it strikes (hehe) an emotional chord. I also have a far greater understanding of the comedy. Anything from the first season can be difficult to come across on television now, as networks try to avoid the jarring visuals, but if you have the means and haven't watched this one for a while, you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't track it down.
For the first time, the character of Marge is really fleshed out. Up until now she had mostly been a side-player to the more marketable Simpsons members. Whilst she had her moments, such as her brilliant speech to Lisa that she'll do the smiling for both of them in 'Moaning Lisa' _,_ she had never really had any defined purpose of her own outside of reacting to those around her. If the kids were sad she would comfort them. If Homer had something on his mind she would lend him her ear. But what of her own feelings beyond those that are expected of a wife and mother? It's fulfilling to see her fleshed out and driving her own story for a change.
Watching Homer and Marge simply discussing things in bed is one of the great joys of the James L. Brooks years. They are presented in a voyeuristic way that would put producers of _Big Brother_ or _Gogglebox_ to shame. The connection between husband and wife had a greater prominence in relation to the plot, as the events of the day would have a real impact on the two. This helped establish the Simpsons as real beings – entities to care about, not just to be laughed at. It's genuinely painful to watch just how _real_ Homer is as he begins to fear that he has lost his connection to Marge. Your heart breaks for the guy as he realises that his selfishness might have pushed his wife away, to the point that he can't even bring it up with her for fear of what the answer might be...
The answer that he doesn't want to hear comes in the form of Albert Brooks's Jacques. Legend has it that for his performance Albert improvised close to three hours of dialogue that hit the cutting room floor, and often scenes where Marge laughs at Jacques were unscripted bouts of laughter from Julie Kavner, unable to control herself. If there was any table-read in history that I could insert myself into, this would be right up there, but I'd settle for any day that Albert happened by the building. His ability to _create_ funny lines that aren't necessarily jokes is unparalleled. Whether explaining that brunch comes with a slice of cantaloupe at the end, or screaming out for four onion rings, he has such a hyper-intensity as an actor that virtually every character he has played has gone down in history as a fan-favourite.
As much as _The Simpsons_ would push the envelope, there were certain boundaries that were unlikely to be crossed, and Marge actually going through with an affair is one of them. Just as Homer would come to a sudden realisation and snap out of temptation in 'The Last Temptation of Homer', Marge comes to her senses at just the right time. While it's a theme that has been revisited, it has never been bettered. For a good three years, I couldn't leave a room without declaring 'I'm going to the back-seat of my car with the woman I love, and I won't be back for TEN minutes!'
A shining light from the first season, 'Life on the Fast Lane' sees the show really making its mark. In the same way 'Marge vs. the Monorail' defined the Conan O'Brien years. 'Life' is a textbook example of James L. Brooks at his best.
#### What did we learn?
To make a 7–10 split, tell them the 8 pin is a cop.
## 'Krusty Gets Busted'
### (Season 1, Episode 12)
Review by Dando
_After Homer witnesses a shoplifting, he identifies the culprit as being Krusty the Clown. Devastated by the news, Bart refuses to believe that Krusty could possibly be guilty. Teaming up with Lisa, he sets out to uncover the true culprit: Sideshow Bob._
The first season of _The Simpsons_ can sometimes be looked upon rather harshly by critics. Not only do the characters look and sound different, they also tend to behave in ways that don't stay true to who they are from Season 2 onward. These things never really bothered me, for I've always considered these 13 episodes as living within their own universe, designed to build a solid foundation for success in future seasons. The ingredients were all there, they just needed to be stirred a little more. There's no denying that 'Krusty Gets Busted' is guilty of the occasional continuity error (Krusty getting excited about pork, Lou is white, etc.), however the way it manages to establish the series' most iconic villain so flawlessly is a victory that can't be denied.
Whilst writers Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky deserve credit for such a tight script, which actually started out at a whopping 78 pages long, the episode's ability to stand above the other 12 of Season 1 can be attributed to another two men in particular, the first being director Brad Bird. Much as in 'Like Father, Like Clown', Bird's directing expertise is on full show as we feel like we are watching a film, as opposed to an upstart cartoon still finding its feet. Whether it's the way he chose to begin each act with a close-up (Krusty's banner, Krusty behind bars and then Sideshow Bob's poster), or the classic 'big shoes to fill' revelation, it's no surprise Bird went on to even bigger success in Hollywood.
The other man in question is Sideshow Bob himself, Kelsey Grammer, whose voice acting and singing talents are a thing of beauty in this story's final act as he busts out his own rendition of Cole Porter's 'Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye'. In fact, it was after hearing Grammer regularly sing Tony Bennett songs on the set of _Cheers_ that Sam Simon (a former writer on the show) decided he was the man for the role. With Grammer bringing the pompous flair for theatrics that audiences had grown accustomed to seeing in Frasier Crane, this proved to be yet another casting masterstroke from Simon. In an era when Smithers was black and Homer forgot he wasn't Walter Matthau, Sideshow Bob immediately 'feels' like Sideshow Bob from the moment we hear him speak, which in itself was a moment of directing genius...
For the first two thirds of the episode, Sideshow Bob lurks in the shadows, merely communicating with viewers by saddened facial expressions as his illiterate boss fires him from a cannon. It's not until Krusty is found guilty and Bob is handed the reins to the show that we are fully introduced to this complex criminal mastermind. Contrary to what you'd expect from a wacky sidekick on a children's afternoon show hosted by a clown, Bob is a learned man with acquired tastes and a thirst for providing his own vision of quality programming, which apparently still requires him to parade around semi-nude in a green skirt.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of it all is that even after Bob's evil plot is foiled by his 'big, ugly feet', it can't be denied that his version of the show is actually far superior to Krusty's. He offered young viewers an opportunity to learn, read classic novels like _The Man in the Iron Mask_ , as well as discuss their problems on segments such as the hilariously delivered, _Choices_ , a far cry from Krusty's tendency to encourage children to make reference to the idea of killing themselves. I know it's only a cartoon, but that moment makes me cringe every time. Whilst Bob's actions in framing Krusty were reprehensible, his motives were genuine and were having a positive impact on his audience. Even as he is being hauled away in a police van, his final words of freedom are a plea for adults to 'treat kids as equals. They're people, too!' Despite this, the right man (eventually) came out on top.
Krusty may have his faults, but nobody deserves the injustice he receives as Springfield once again falls into the trap of mob mentality, burning Krusty merchandise à la the burning of Beatles records in the 1960s. When everyone had given up on Krusty, including his loyal fanbase, Bart's determination to not join the 'winning team' and instead defend his hero is truly admirable. When Krusty looks him straight in the eye and says 'I didn't do it', he sees an innocent man; now he just has to find a way to prove it. The 'I didn't do it' line was a nice throwback to Krusty's catchphrase in the opening scene, but what I love more is how it was used once again as an homage in Season 5's 'Bart Gets Famous'.
This episode serves not only as an introduction to one of the series' main anarchists, but also one of its most infamous rivalries. It gave the writers a reason to continue to bring back Sideshow Bob as he attempts to exact revenge on Bart, resulting in some of the most golden moments of the show. Without 'Krusty Gets Busted' there'd be no classic retelling of _HMS Pinafore_ , no cousin Merl, but most importantly, there'd be no rakes.
#### What did we learn?
Heavily salted snack treats make for a perfect hideaway from armed robbery.
## An Interview with David Silverman
_David Silverman has been involved with_ The Simpsons _from the very beginning, animating the shorts for_ The Tracey Ullman Show _. His influence over the look and feel of the show can't be overstated. He is responsible for many of the animation rules for the characters, and is frequently the man behind difficult animation sequences. One of the greatest examples of his work is Homer's hallucination in 'El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer)'. He continues to exert influence over the show as a mentor to the current animation team, and is a true legend in his field. He took some time out one evening to discuss his, and the show's legacy._
How does it feel to have created an icon?
It's a funny thing because from my point of view it's hard to see it. I mean I know I'm one of the people who helped create the show but that's not something I ever think about. When I was a student at UCLA, I wouldn't say it was a _goal_ per se but I remember thinking how nice it'd be to have the opportunity to be involved with a great animated film or television show. You know, to be a part of creating an animation that really meant something to people. I guess I can check that off my list of goals I've apparently now completed.
When was the first moment you realised that **The Simpsons** was going to be a huge success?
There's actually a funny story to that. I remember when the first episode aired we had a really great bowling party with everyone, but there was no merchandising at that time since we were only just starting. What we did get though were these _Simpsons_ crew Letterman jackets which were fashionable back then, they were black with red leather sleeves and had all our names embroidered on them. On the back they featured the iconic image that I drew that has the family all waving, with Bart in the middle using his slingshot. I remember getting notes over the phone from Matt Groening and Sam Simon telling me what they wanted that image to look like, so I drew it all pretty fast. It's rather crude and I remember at one point Wes Archer cleaned it up, but then Matt and Sam said they'd rather stick with the older crude version since it had a fun energy to itself.
Anyway, I grew up in Silver Springs, Maryland just outside of Washington DC and I'd gone back home to visit my family for Christmas. So I was walking around the shopping mall as you normally do at Christmas time and people start stopping me and saying 'Hey David!' and at first I'm thinking is this an old friend or someone I went to school with that I don't remember? However, it turns out that they didn't know me, they just read my name on my jacket and wanted to ask where they could buy one for themselves. So I had to explain to them that I worked on the show and they were only a gift for the crew. After that I distinctly remember looking over the mall map trying to find a certain store and overheard someone behind me say to his friend, 'Hey did you see that _Simpsons_ Christmas special? It was really cool man, really funny', and I'm thinking, 'Wow, we've only aired one episode and people are already talking about the show!' For two years I'd never heard anyone talking about the Tracey Ullman shorts, but suddenly everyone seemed to know about _The Simpsons_.
Once more episodes aired, the show became this massive hit and we couldn't believe it. We were all just so busy. Personally, I was involved with five episodes in the first season, directing four and sort of re-directing 'Some Enchanted Evening'. Then as a few years went by and we reached Season 3, I was finally able to sit back and smell the roses a little bit.
What exactly went wrong with **'Some Enchanted Evening'?**
Well we had someone assigned to direct it and he was a very good guy, but he didn't really embrace what was happening on the show. It was really interesting, he was a bit older than Wes and me and had been in the business a lot longer, around ten years or so, actually – maybe it was less but he just came across like a guy with a lot of experience. He had a crew that he brought in who had worked on _Mighty Mouse_ and they all had a different attitude to the rest of us. They had this attitude that they were the new stars here, so they didn't really endear themselves to me, but I was taking it in my stride, I didn't have time to deal with any nonsense anyhow.
So, they gave this guy the first episode because he had experience directing half-hour animation, and by 'they' I mean the people at Klasky-Csupo. Gracie Films didn't really know what was going on in terms of the animation at that point in time. Now, I'd read the script and envisioned it in my head, but when I saw the way this guy and his team were approaching it, I was thinking that these aren't the characters I remember Wes and I working on during the Tracey Ullman days. You know, you look at the very last handful of Tracey Ullman shorts, they're not as crude as everyone seems to remember them as. The first ones were, because we were still figuring it out as we were going along, but by the time you start getting around the midpoint, around episode 20, the animation starts becoming a lot more refined. In fact, the last ten are pretty much what the characters look like because Wes and I based our model sheets on what we'd been doing at the end of our Tracey Ullman run. So, we had a sense of dimensionality and the way the characters acted.
As far as cartoons are concerned, they were much more grounded, weren't they?
There was a sort of underplayed approach to their performance that would result in more natural, calmed-down acting as opposed to what I call cartoon vaudeville where everything's a big joke. It's not a bad style, but it just didn't fit this show's sense of humour like it would for a show such as _Ren & Stimpy_. Those shows are essentially telling a different set of jokes, but if you start doing that with _The Simpsons_ it doesn't make any sense because there's more of a reality. That's what's funny about it, they're these funny-looking characters acting human-like and that's something I had a tough time communicating to the original director. Jumping forward, I guess that may be why they made me supervising director, since they liked my sense of taste.
Did he take any of your advice on board?
He still did it his way and I thought 'Well, I don't have time to worry about it because I have my own episodes to finish.' Plus, I wasn't in charge at that point, anyway. However, when it came back it was quite literally a disaster. I wasn't at the initial screening but I heard about it. At first, they were laughing because of the thrill of seeing these characters all moving onscreen and whatnot, and then it got real quiet to the point where by the end there was not one laugh. Not one. Jim Brooks got very dour and sour looking and did not move at all. He basically said we couldn't air it because it's just not going to work. So, then it became nail-biting for me because they said 'Well, we're waiting for David's show ('Bart the Genius' _)_ and _he_ worked on the shorts, so if his show doesn't work then we'll just pull the plug on the whole thing.' Now _that_ put a lot of pressure on me. I mean, I thought I'd got it right, since I animated a lot of it here, which we still do today. A lot of people think it's all animated in Korea, but it's really not, it's done here and just gets cleaned up in Korea.
So, how did you feel when you first screened your episode?
I had confidence in what I'd done but I wasn't sure they were going to like it, so I just hoped and waited to see what happened. For the first time ever, everybody turned up to the studio for the screening, which I don't think has ever happened since, I know Jim hasn't ever been back. So they're all watching the episode and everyone laughed from the very beginning. I'd forgotten that I'd added in a joke late in the process, the shot where Maggie spells out E=MC with the building blocks. The other director didn't seem to enhance his episode, he almost had a feeling of contempt for the script. I think he was unaware of the way things were working here. The annoying thing was that when I re-directed it I was only allowed to fix around 70% of it, so some scenes still look a little weird, but we just didn't have the money to be able to fix the whole thing.
When we were rewatching these episodes, we both felt 'Bart the Genius' really stood out from both a writing and animation point of view.
Jon Vitti wrote such a great script for that, I remember reading it and thinking this is the funniest thing ever written for animation. In 1989 there hadn't been a lot of hilarious animated features – I mean I love _Pinocchio_ and _Snow White_ , but they're not hilarious by any means. It was as funny as any Warner Bros short that I had seen, perhaps funnier because it's a half hour of sustained comedy and I'd never seen that before in animation. I like _The Flintstones_ but I can't tell you about a _Flintstones_ episode that I'm dying to watch again because I was laughing the whole way through or it was visually stimulating. I recognised that there had been no half-hour animation like this before and as a director I wanted to make sure I got out of the way of the funny material. Don't kill the jokes, just deliver the goods. I remember thinking 'Don't screw this up, don't kill the timing!' I'd been watching people like Chaplin since I was five, so hopefully that taught me a thing or two.
Do you have a favourite emotional scene that you animated?
I remember I always thought the animation was really solid in 'Bart Gets An F' – it may not have a lot of laughs but it's got some really great animation. Like the scene where Bart's crying, I realised it was better to have him cover his face with his paper, it was a real emotional way to present him as upset. When people are crying in public they hide their face, it's just a natural response because they don't want people to see them like that. You still get the same emotional impact and it was a little less distressing than watching Bart with his face scrunched up. A lot of thought went into that scene.
What excites you about your job now compared to back when you were directing the Tracey Ullman shorts and earlier episodes?
You know, it's almost the same thing, but what I enjoy is getting involved with very detailed drawing. It doesn't have to be a whole sequence, it might just be a little prop or something. Sometimes I like to just get involved with a whole new thing – even as we speak I'm working on co-writing a script, which is something I've never done before. I came up with an idea and Al Jean wanted me to co-write it with a very talented writer Brian Kelley, who was for some reason very jovial about writing it with me. Whether it's directing, writing or whatever I always continue to count my good fortunes, however I probably don't do as much animation now as I'd like to. Part of it just being too busy with other things, and the other part being that we now have so many great animators working on the show. That's not to say that we didn't use to have great animators, we just have a lot more of them now. There was a time when we couldn't compete with companies like Disney, but now we have a lot of ex-Disney animators coming to work on _The Simpsons_ because Disney isn't doing traditional 2D animation any more. Many have now moved into CG, but a lot of them say they just got tired of not drawing anymore. I mean we have an incredible ex-Disney/Dreamworks animator who I've known for many years named Kathy Zielinski, who was just at the studio one day and I had no idea she'd been hired. It's amazing to get the chance to work with so many talented people, they're all remarkable.
The animation style of **The Simpsons** has changed so much over the last 30 years, do you prefer the old pen to paper method or the digital techniques that get used today?
It depends. I love working on pen and paper but at the same time I also really like the capabilities of what we can accomplish nowadays due to the technology we have. There's some aspects of the old pen method that are really satisfying I do miss, but there's positives in everything and what we can achieve now from an animation perspective is incredible.
Matt Schofield credits the animation sequence in 'Homie the Clown' where Homer and Krusty ride the mini-cycle as inspiring him to one day work on the show. How does it feel working with people who you inspired?
Wow, I didn't know that! That's pretty awesome, isn't it? You know, I forget that I've been here a lot longer than a lot of the animators that we have now, I guess I never really think that they look up to me to an extent. That definitely makes me feel pretty special.
You've credited Brad Bird as one of your biggest influences: what were you able to learn and apply from your time working with him on the show?
In the beginning I was very inspired by Brad Bird's 'Krusty Gets Busted'. I learned so much from Brad; in particular he gave me a much better understanding of what can be achieved directorially. It was like a crash course in directing, he's just so passionate and had so many smart ideas about what we could all do with our episodes. He was always thinking of new ways to approach something and had such a boundless energy that was so inspiring. If we were ever stuck on something we'd always ask 'What would Brad do?' He taught us to really get into what the story was about, making sure the staging predicated what the storytelling was about, finding the best way to stage a shot so that it supported the story but didn't undermine it. He was always very gracious and applauded you when you did great work, which was an inspiring trait that I tried to carry over with me when working with my staff.
What was the first animation sequence on **The Simpsons** that made you genuinely excited?
I'd have to say the scene in the very first episode that I directed, 'Bart the Genius' _,_ when Homer is chasing Bart through the house and banging on his bedroom door. I also directed the train dream sequence when Bart is trying to solve a math equation and gets overwhelmed by his imagination.
**'** The Longest Daycare **'** is absolutely brilliant. Which Simpsons character would you love to star in your next short film?
That was a lot of fun because I did a lot of material with stuff I came up with myself – in particular I loved animating the scene where the caterpillar is crawling along Maggie's shoulder. If I was going to do another one of those I think I'd want it to star Homer, a pantomime with Homer would be a lot of fun. Everyone is used to Maggie not speaking, so doing one with a conventional character like Homer would be a great challenge, if I ever get the time!
Was there ever a piece of animation you wished you could go back and tweak?
I'm one for leaving them alone but there's always going to be a couple where I wish I had more time to get them exactly how I wanted, like Homer's heart attack in 'Homer's Triple Bypass'. A lot of people say how much they enjoy that scene but I look at it and think that I probably could have pushed myself a little bit further with it. Other ones that I worry about are only small details but I wish I could've fixed them at the time, in particular the famous scene in 'Deep Space Homer' where Homer is eating chips in space. There's a shot where he floats out of frame and it pans back down to Buzz and Race. They were supposed to glance at each other with a sort of 'what the?' look, but they didn't do the eye lines right and the characters just continued to blink and look at Homer off-screen, so it was disappointing not to get that moment. Obviously, that's something only I would know... Well, until now.
Compare your feelings before the airing of 'Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire **'** with the premiere of **The Simpsons Movie**.
I think I was more nervous for 'Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire'. That felt like a bigger deal because we were starting a new thing. By the time of _The Simpsons Movie_ premiere I was more confident in our work. I didn't know how people would respond but I knew we'd delivered what I'd intended. I'd already been to premieres of films I'd helped direct, whereas in 1989 I'd never directed a half hour of television before.
Is it true you once, after a few drinks, jokingly pitched the idea to James L. Brooks for the shorts to become a series at **The Tracey Ullman Show** party?
Apparently so! I don't remember it all too much, but I think it was just a case of me seeing Jim and thinking wow I really should introduce myself. When we were working on _The Tracey Ullman Show_ it was always great knowing we were working on a project with James L. Brooks, one of the creators of comedy. I just hoped that one day I'd get to meet him so I could tell him I thought he'd done such a great job with everything. So when I saw him at the party I remember thanking him for everything he'd done in regards to adult animation on prime-time television, maybe I said all those other things about giving him the idea for the show too but I really don't remember. I must have, though, because even Jim has since told me I did. The first time he addressed that conversation was at the 100th episode launch. Jim and I were just standing at the bar and he turned around and said something like 'David, do you remember the first time we met at that _Tracey Ullman Show_ party? I remember it distinctly because it was the first time I'd met a Simpsons animator and you had such passion about it. It made me think, wow if this is what our animators are like then maybe we could make a series out of this.'
So, we have you to thank for **The Simpsons**?
I guess so! I suppose what it means is that if you ever meet anyone you admire you should just tell them how you really feel. I didn't create the show but that conversation certainly energised Jim's desire to follow through with his vision for _The Simpsons_.
## Season 2 (1990-91) In Conversation
**DANDO:** While the first season was intended to introduce us to the show's central characters, this season focused on giving them some substance. It's clear that the writers now had a better idea of the direction they wanted to take each character and what role they would play within the dynamic of the show.
**MITCH:** Season 2 was where my love for the show really took hold. I had some VHS tapes when I was younger, and before a time of constant reruns they were my only way to watch episodes, so for maybe three to four years episodes like the original 'Treehouse of Horror' or 'Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish' were burned into my memory. I can only imagine how bizarre it must have been to see a prepubescent boy quoting Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Raven', or discussing the fickle nature of political campaigns, but I think most adults would have been less impressed if they knew the true source of my knowledge.
**D:** I've always loved David Silverman's direction in 'The Raven' segment. It's some of the most creative work ever done on the show. On the subject 'Treehouse of Horror' _,_ I think that's one of the big reasons that everything suddenly feels more familiar from a fan's perspective. That first inclusion kicked off an annual tradition that has spawned some of my favourite moments of all time. Plus, many of our favourite sub-characters like Comic Book Guy, Hans Moleman, Professor Frink and Troy McClure were being introduced at a rapid rate.
**M:** Definitely. There's none of that jarring sensation that Season 1 can give you when you go back and watch any of the Season 2 episodes.
**D:** Of all those who debuted this season, Lionel Hutz as Bart's shady lawyer in his case against Mr. Burns is by far the standout for me.
**M:** Outside of Hank Scorpio, I don't think there's been a better character introduction than Hutz. The day a man gives me a business card that turns into a sponge, I'll consider all technology to have advanced as far as it can go.
**D:** This season saw the show win yet another Emmy Award with 'Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment', which was actually written by freelance writer, Steve Pepoon. It's amazing to think that there was a time when fans like you and I could write a spec script for the show, with a chance of it becoming an actual episode.
**M:** I went as far as sending a spec-script over to Al Jean a little while ago, who was nice enough to respond personally, but he explained that there's a policy in place now where they can't read scripts that are sent in externally. I assume it's a blanket ban to prevent any possible charges of plagiarism. My suggestion that he hire me for two hours to read the script and then fire me fell on deaf ears.
**D:** Well, it was worth a try.
**M:** One thing that I see as a big shift in Season 2 is that the Simpsons themselves are more likeable. They are imperfect, for sure, but there's none of the malice towards each other that saw them electroshock each other in Season 1.
**D:** I think a large part of the credit for that has to go to James L. Brooks. He was often able to find the emotional key to an episode and his influence started to be felt more and more.
**M:** There are a few great examples of that, but the pick of them for me is 'Lisa's Substitute' _._ I love the two concurrent storylines in that episode, with Homer helping Bart run for Class President, and of course Lisa falling into a kind of love for Mr. Bergstrom.
**D:** I think everyone has had a Mr. Bergstrom enter their life at some point whether you realised it at the time or not. My Bergstrom was a teacher at primary school who would always teach us maths via songs to the tune of Beatles hits, such as 'Here Comes the Sun', which he called 'Here Comes the Sum'.
**M:** I'm willing to bet that 'Lucy In the Sky with Division' got more than one mention that year. The obvious answer to why this episode sticks out for so many people is the bittersweet goodbye at the train station, but as I understand, that's not your favourite moment from the episode.
**D:** No, for me the most powerful moment is when Homer is trying to comfort Lisa after their argument over the dinner table. He doesn't quite know what it is that he's done wrong, he just knows that he needs to fix it. 'Everyone special to me is under this roof' is one of the most brilliant lines we ever hear from Homer. This is the first time we see Lisa learn to accept her father for who he is, not what she wants him to be. While she may see Homer as an inconsiderate baboon, the loss of Bergstrom helps her to realise that Homer is the one man who won't ever leave her.
**M:** These moments of emotional truth are the defining common thread of the season as a whole. Be it Homer's relief at Bart not jumping Springfield Gorge, Grampa's heartache over the death of Bea...
**D:** Spoilers.
**M:** It was 26 years ago, I think we're in the clear. Anyway, Homer being belittled over his weight by Mr. Burns, even Smithers' distress about Burns possibly dying in 'Blood Feud'. Virtually every episode has a big emotional scene for the actors to sink their teeth into.
**D:** Some of my favourite guest stars are featured this season. Recurring guests such as Jon Lovitz and the late, great Phil Hartman joined the cast, legends of Hollywood and Broadway such as Dustin Hoffman (Mr. Bergstrom), Harvey Fierstein (Karl) and Danny DeVito (Herb Powell) were also beginning to jump on the _Simpsons_ bandwagon.
**M:** What I really enjoyed about these guest stars is that none of them come across as stunt-casting, with each guest fitting in seamlessly to the _Simpsons_ universe. I've always felt that Dustin Hoffman choosing to be credited as Sam Etic was an attempt to let the work speak for itself, and really, all the other actors disappear into their characters rather than just play up to being themselves. In later years, it started to feel like you weren't a star until you were on _The Simpsons_ , almost like it was a bucket-list activity for celebrities, but here it feels more like a genuine effort to blend in and work with great material.
**D:** I guess the one exception to that is Ringo Starr as Marge's teen heart-throb. But even his performance is my favourite of the three Beatles to appear on the show.
**M:** He also does a great job of playing up to a larger version of himself, and acts quite well throughout.
**D:** It helps that his lines are eminently quotable. It was only recently when my wife's younger cousin painted us a picture at kindergarten, when he asked what I did with it I replied, 'I hung it on me fridge, you're quite an artist!'
**M:** If I had a dollar for every time I adopted a Liverpudlian accent and corrected French fries to be chips, I'd be half as wealthy as Ringo.
**D:** Getting back to Danny DeVito, usually when a show starts introducing 'long lost' family members it's a late-season act of desperation, but in the case of 'Brother, Where Art Thou?' the show succeeds in breaking the mould while staying true to itself.
**M:** Danny's performance as Herb is pitch perfect. He's one of the first people apart from Marge to love Homer unconditionally.
**D:** The irony being Herb Powell's love for his new-found half-brother blinds him to the destruction that Homer unknowingly caused to his automotive empire. A personal highlight is the phone call from Herb's team that results in him making them tell the family the opposite of everything that they just said. You can only imagine what their original description of Homer's hygiene must have been.
**M:** Of course, Season 2 also puts some huge focus on the development of already established characters. We get the first real non-family-focused story with Skinner falling in love with Patty, which was a big step for the writers.
**D:** You get the feeling that episode showed them they could really play with the wider universe, rather than just focus on the key players week to week.
**M:** And this season also gave a deeper understanding of Homer and Marge...
**D:** That came via the first flashback story with 'I Married Marge'. It's always fun to go back in time and visit the lives of the characters before we knew them, but this one served a key purpose: to provide an explanation as to how and why a woman like Marge ended up falling for Homer. As we see in the prom sequence, Homer may not have been the best looking, he may not have been the most intelligent, but if there was one thing he did excel in it was having an undeniable love for Marge. Artie Ziff was who Marge thought she wanted, Homer was who Marge knew she needed.
**M:** Homer and Marge's marriage is one of the greatest love stories ever told. They've been through hell and back but they've got an undying devotion to each other. The cornerstone of it all is Homer's love for Marge. Whenever somebody might ask what she sees in him, it's the fact that he loves her more than any man ever could, whereas Artie couldn't ever love anybody more than he loves himself. Homer might be ignorant of Marge at times, but when the chips are down, he'd give up everything for her. A love like that is special.
**D:** So, any final thoughts on Season 2?
**M:** It's a huge step forward to what will go on to become the best few years for the show, in my opinion, but it's still heading up the mountain to the peak. Essentially, if Season 1 is sea level and we are ascending Mount Everest, Season 2 is base camp one. We've got a long way to go, but we've learned a lot about what the future has in store.
## 'Bart Gets an F'
### (Season 2, Episode 1)
Review by Dando
_On the back of declining grades, Bart is faced with an ultimatum that if he doesn't pass his final test he will be forced to repeat the fourth grade (repeat the fourth grade, repeat the fourth grade). Desperate to pass, he turns to Martin, and then God, for assistance._
Much like 'Bart the Genius', I've always complimented 'Bart Gets an F' for being one of those episodes that many tend to forget came so early in the series. The story is as believable as it is relatable, positioning Bart as someone to sympathise with, rather than laugh at. Being the first episode to air following media scrutiny of the infamous 'Underachiever and Proud of It' merchandise, this feels like a direct response from the writers and show-runners, especially when Dr. Pryor makes a reference to the line during his meeting with Marge and Homer. James L. Brooks denied any retaliation claims, so perhaps it was just coincidental timing.
By Season 2, FOX knew that they had a bona fide hit on their hands and informed _The Simpsons_ team that they'd now be moving to Thursday nights to compete with the #1 rated show at the time, _The Cosby Show._ With this episode airing at the height of Bartmania, Brooks hand-picked it to be the first soldier in the Bill vs. Bart rivalry. Cosby may have won the first battle by 0.1 in the ratings, but to this day 'Bart Gets an F' remains the highest rated episode of _The Simpsons_ in history.
We get to see an emotional side of Bart that the writers only tend to bring out when absolutely necessary, an ace in the hole that helps turn a good episode into a great one. It worked in 'Marge Be Not Proud', and it works just as well here with Bart's outpouring of tears upon failing yet another test. Nancy's performance of utter heartbreak matched with Silverman's genius direction of sinking Bart's face into his paper to seemingly hide from the inevitable, makes for one of my favourite Bart moments of all time.
It was important that Bart's laziness and lack of effort at school came with a consequence, and that said consequence was something he truly feared. During the first season Bart would often appear unfazed by punishments, passing the blame and not taking responsibility for his actions (i.e. spray-painting his 'I am a weiner' mural of Principal Skinner). This was different, as writer David M. Stern raised the stakes beyond a mere detention.
The idea of being left behind whilst all your friends move on to the next grade is terrifying for any child, and I'm sure it's a situation millions of so-called underachievers have actually lived through. It's a real-life scenario that would strike a nerve with any younger viewer. Although Bart's premonition may be a little exaggerated, the fact that he envisions himself remaining in the fourth grade until he's a middle-aged man with a peptic ulcer and a wife hawking him for a new car, certainly demonstrates that he understands the crisis he has created for himself.
With his behaviour at the beginning, such as faking an illness to avoid the test and copying answers from Milhouse, it's amazing that we can still feel sorry for this child who probably doesn't deserve our sincerity. For me, the key moment is Bart's reaction when Dr. Pryor issues the ultimatum that he may have to repeat. Exasperated, Bart snaps and refers to himself as 'dumb as a post'. Seeing this normally confident boy so down on himself makes me want to jump into the TV and reassure him that's he's smarter than he thinks.
The key to this story isn't Bart identifying his problem, it's how he addresses it. He truly wants to work hard and improve his grades, which is why after a not-so reassuring conversation with Otto, he concedes and asks for assistance from teacher's pet, and then nemesis, Martin Prince. It may not seem like a big deal, but in a world where social status in the schoolyard means everything, it's as desperate as it gets.
What's interesting here is the way Stern explores the impact of Bart's influence on the usual do-gooder Martin. The two boys seemingly reverse roles, as Bart unintentionally opens Martin's eyes to the world outside of the classroom. When he ditches Bart to go to the arcade because 'life's too short for tests', it once again leaves Bart with nowhere to turn and reinforces a sense of sympathy that eventually pays off in a big way during the episode's climax.
With his plan failed and his back against the wall, Bart resorts to 'the last refuge of a scoundrel' and prays to God for a miracle. Thankfully he gets not one, but two. The first being 'Snow Day', the funnest day in the history of Springfield. The other being his sister Lisa, who takes on the role of guardian angel as she guides her easily distracted brother on the correct path to studying, instead of having snowball fights with Burnsie. She may not get as much credit as the big guy upstairs, but Lisa is just as important to Bart's success as anybody.
At the core, 'Bart Gets an F' is a true underdog story. It silenced the critics (whether intentionally or not), adding an unexplored layer to the show's main protagonist at the time. It's possible to refer to Bart as an anti-hero, but for me he's just a kid who has yet to learn the responsibilities that come with his actions. This episode took the first steps towards teaching him that valuable lesson.
#### What did we learn?
The potential for mischief varies inversely with one's proximity to the authority figure.
## 'The War of the Simpsons'
### (Season 2, Episode 20)
Review by Mitch
_Homer's drunken behaviour at a party causes a rift in his marriage. He heads to a marriage retreat with Marge to try and repair the damage, and sneak in a spot of fishing. Back at home, Bart and Lisa take advantage of Grampa, but get in over their heads._
When Dando and I were discussing which episodes of Season 2 should be broken down, we had a really difficult time settling on which version of Homer we wanted to go with. There are many different shades of Homer, and Season 2 has them all on display. There's Homer the Incompetent, as seen in 'Oh Brother, Where Art Thou' _;_ Homer the Lover, as seen in 'The Way We Was' _;_ Homer the Sinner, as seen in 'Homer vs. Lisa and the Eighth Commandment' _;_ Competitive and driven Homer, on display in 'Dead Putting Society' _;_ Ignorant Homer, in 'One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Bluefish' _._ Finally, there's dancing Homer, as seen in 'Dancin' Homer' _._ We argued back and forth over the merits of each, trying to figure out which is the true version of the character, until we realised that 'The War of the Simpsons' is one of the very few episodes to encapsulate all sides of Homer's personality. It takes some risks by doing so, particularly as it's the more negative aspects of Homer on display early. I remember as a young child watching this and struggling to figure out why anybody would like this guy at all. He's the worst kind of drunk. He's loud, obnoxious, objectifies women and offends everybody in the room. In another age, he may well run for President, but in 1991 it was quite a shock to see something like this on TV.
As an adult, I look back and see that what made Homer so successful is that he's one of the most relatable men on the small screen. That's not to say we all share all his traits, but in a broad sense, most of us share some of them. This connection is enhanced here by the central premise being a realistic one, yet one that again is not often seen on television. The opening scenes of Marge and Homer making last-minute preparations for a dinner party (a bygone ritual where we would invite friends over to judge us and our possessions) could well have been transcripts from any number of houses in the 90s. As Homer descends into drunken boorishness, and his guests struggle more and more to hide their contempt, the party starts to describe the worst parts of his marriage.
While the party shows Homer at his worst, it's also the episode at its funniest. It's part of what keeps us from turning on Homer completely. From his opening mispronunciation of hors d'oeuvres (Horse Doovers) through to maniacally screaming at a man he's never met and threatening to quit working for him, Homer is mostly harmless. It's only when he leers at Maude Flanders that he truly crosses the line. The party also enables us to see citizens of Springfield mingling in a way we haven't before. Flanders shows his ability to make more than just Homer jealous, as he jokes to Moe about his degree in mixology ('Pfft... College Boy'). Ever the rule-breaker, Bart sneaks his way down to the party despite his supposed bedtime. Including him here was a nice touch, taking me back to a time when the increasingly loud voices of an adult party would prove too intriguing to ignore.
The way Homer is woken the next morning is telling. Anybody who has ever had their significant other wake them by vacuuming _into_ their head knows that they've got some serious 'splainin to do. Homer's desperate attempt to remember what had happened the night before leads to one of my favourites of his distortions of reality, as he pictures himself sitting at the Algonquin Round Table, quipping of wet suits, dry martinis and fake flies in ice cubes. It's a classic example of the drunk we wish we were vs. the drunk we really are.
Homer and Marge heading off to the marriage retreat opens the door for the B plot: Grampa babysitting Bart and Lisa. This almost plays out like a short film within the larger confines of everything else that is going on. It has all the makings of a great short: a clear concept that's well established, an escalation of events, and an unexpected ending. Bart and Lisa taking advantage of Grampa is wish fulfilment for grandchildren everywhere, but Grampa's revenge show's that there are few tricks that older people aren't aware of. Grampa getting the upper hand doesn't happen often, so it's great to see him genuinely outwit the kids.
Like so many of the early episodes, the sensibilities of James L. Brooks are felt in the final scenes of Homer and Marge's camp. There's a line in _Good Will Hunting_ that real loss is only something that happens when you love somebody more than you love yourself. As Homer rows back to shore after having caught the mythical General Sherman, this is exactly what he is confronted with. It's here that his love shines through. In a heartbeat, he tosses the fish back to the waters below. It's the moment that you realise Homer would give up anything for Marge. He may not be a perfect man, but he will love her more than any other man ever could. What began with a relatable moment between husband and wife ends with another. It's not a perfect marriage, but few are. That's what's so perfect about it.
#### What did we learn?
You can't avenge your partner's death with a pea-shooter.
## Season 3 (1991-92)
### In Conversation
**DANDO:** Season 3 contained the series' first 'classic' episodes in 'Stark Raving Dad' and 'Homer at the Bat'. That's not to say that those that came before aren't great in their own right, but these both took _The Simpsons_ to the next level. Even people who aren't avid Simpsons viewers know of them, in fact the latter recently earned Homer Simpson a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
**MITCH:** That, right there, says a lot about the power and shared love of _The Simpsons_.
**D:** This was the first episode to win in the ratings war with _The Cosby Show_. However, it didn't go over well with some of the cast members. Harry Shearer believed it focused too much on the guests and not the main cast, which is a fair point, but as a fan watching from the outside it's impossible not to enjoy the hilarious exploits of the power plant softball team. Regardless of the nine MLB players, Homer's slow-mo reaction to his home run, Charlie using his sister's wooden leg as a bat or even Mr. Burns being knocked off-screen by a softball in the batting cages are just some of the moments that make this a favourite amongst so many.
**M:** What amazes me about this episode is the quality of performance derived from so many non-actors. It helps that they all seem to have a true understanding of the comedy of the show. Be it Wade Boggs getting into a bar fight with Barney, Steve Sax's cries for help falling on deaf ears with the police, or Mike Scioscia getting down and dirty in a blue-collar job, all athletes are happy to play up to this crazy version of themselves.
**D:** Let's not forget Mattingly's sideburns.
**M:** My favourite thing about that is that he still _tries_ to please this crazy manager. Anyway, I think this showcases something almost uniquely American about sports stars – there are so many larger than life characters that they slot perfectly into film and TV a lot of the time. Think of Keith Hernandez in _Seinfeld,_ LeBron James in _Trainwreck,_ Or Shaq in... well... maybe not Shaq.
**D:** In comparison to 'Homer at the Bat' _,_ 'Stark Raving Dad' featured only one guest star, however that's all it needed. Known to many as 'the one with Michael Jackson', this episode is one of those few times where the guest is bigger than the show.
**M:** It's funny how often I forget that title relates to this episode. MJ casts such a huge shadow that you almost forget about the plot of Homer being thought to be insane on the grounds of wearing a pink shirt to work. Obviously, this episode predates the concept of the metrosexual male.
**D:** Jackson's performance was handled so uniquely that it almost feels like an in-joke between Jackson and those working behind the scenes.
**M:** It's almost like life imitating art imitating life. It was confusing enough that Dustin Hoffman credit himself as Sam Etic, but Michael Jackson starring as a guy who only _pretends_ to be Michael Jackson is a stroke of baffling genius.
**D:** It was a swindle that fooled naïve young Dando into thinking it wasn't actually Jackson, that it was some impostor named John Jay Smith all along. The truth is even more complicated, as Michael recorded the dialogue while an impersonator named Kipp Lennon, who was hand-picked by Michael, sang the songs. However, Michael did write 'Happy Birthday Lisa' himself.
**M:** Ensuring millions of girls named Lisa around the world had a song that would be played by friends every year from that point on.
**D:** The King of Pop may no longer be with us, but that little gem of a tune is a gift that will last a lifetime.
**M:** Aside from tentpole moments featuring massive guest stars. Season 3 really brings a focus on relationships. At the core of 'Lisa's Pony' and 'Lisa the Greek' is her relationship with Homer. 'When Flanders Failed' is largely about the conflict between Ned and Homer. Even an episode like 'Dog of Death' is a perfect exploration of the love we can feel for our canine friends. Of course, in true _Simpsons_ style, the characters are rarely well equipped to handle these emotions.
**D:** It was interesting to see the writers incorporate Bart into actual love-based stories this season. In 'Bart the Lover' he toys with Mrs. Krabappel's emotions as he plays the role of her love interest Woodrow.
**M:** There's a bit of a recurring theme with Bart where he starts a prank without realising the ways it can get out of hand, and then feels remorseful for it afterwards. 'Radio Bart' being another example of that.
**D:** The way he finds enjoyment out of making Mrs. K think she's found 'the one' is downright cruel, but the way he responds to the situation once he sees Edna's reaction after being stood up at the restaurant shows a maturity well beyond his years.
**M:** Yeah, it shows that there's no real malice at play, just a lack of understanding.
**D:** He later becomes jealous when Milhouse starts dating Samantha Stankey in 'Bart's Friend Falls in Love'. Again, as he does his best to break up their relationship, Bart comes across rather poorly. In saying that, you can slightly forgive him since you can't expect a 10-year-old boy to understand what love is.
**M:** If only he'd listened to more Haddaway.
**D:** In a sign of the show's expansion, we see more and more of the show's sub-characters receiving entire episodes dedicated to giving them more depth; we learn of Krusty's tragic past in 'Like Father, Like Clown', Flanders steals our hearts in 'When Flanders Failed' and Moe's selfishness simply shines in 'Flaming Moes'.
**M:** There's also a bit of a forgotten gem of Sideshow Bob's schemes in 'Black Widower'. Given her frequent lack of empathy, it makes sense that Selma would fall for Springfield's most notorious villain. Crucially, this is the first time we see how evil Bob can be, as it's his first murder plot. He is also yet again foiled and sent back to prison by Bart, setting up for further acts of revenge in the future. It's forever changed the way I hear 'MacGyver' in my head.
**D:** Those examples were all successful in giving the characters some substance; however when it came to 'The Otto Show' _,_ it didn't quite hit the mark. It started strong with the hilarious Spinal Tap concert, which I'm sure Shearer and the boys had an absolute blast performing.
**M:** That troupe always slip so perfectly back into those characters. I'm sure that fans of _This is Spinal Tap_ would rate this as one of their favourite episodes based on the first 10 minutes alone. From a half-inflated Satan, to promises of no encore, to the assertion that they have great sales in the 'other garia', this is classic _Tap._ It made me wonder if it was scripted or if the writers just had big blocks of '[Insert improv here]' for their scenes.
**D:** By the end of the episode, however, I think I actually _disliked_ Otto. Some characters are best left to the one-liners and Otto is a perfect example. He doesn't have a voice that you want to hear speak large chunks of dialogue, so when you combine that with a story that bases its jokes on how pathetic he is, you're left with somewhat of a failed experiment.
**M:** What the second half struggles to do is find any substance in Otto, at a time when the comedy in the show almost entirely derived from character. He doesn't really evolve, he doesn't learn anything, and Harry Shearer is only really given one note to play him with. The second half still has some great lines, and an inspired _Happy Days_ parody where Otto lives with the family, but it just lacks that meaty hook of so many of the episodes that came before it.
**D:** However, it's not all doom and gloom. Skinner's slow descent into madness while trying to merge into oncoming traffic as the school's replacement bus driver is easily one of my favourite moments of the season.
**M:** I guess there's only one real way to summarise the episode...
**D:** Good show?
**M:** Yeah, quite good.
**D:** The season ends on a high, bringing back Herb Powell for 'Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?'.
**M:** This wasn't originally part of the season's run, airing in August where the season finished in May, but when watched as part of the DVD box sets it's an undeniably strong point to go out on.
**D:** Sadly, 25 years on, we're still no closer to a baby translator.
**M:** For me, Season 3 is one step closer to the show hitting its absolute peak. It shows glimpses of what can be done, but there are still one or two missteps along the way.
**D:** The strike rate is a lot higher, though.
**M:** For sure. We also got introduced to Fat Tony for the first, and possibly the best, time in 'Bart the Murderer' _._ I spent years rather pretentiously ordering a Manhattan in bars all over Melbourne purely to make a _Simpsons_ reference. I hated the taste, but I just couldn't help myself.
## 'Like Father, Like Clown'
### (Season 3, Episode 6)
Review by Mitch
_When Krusty comes to visit the Simpsons for dinner, it is revealed that he hasn't seen his father for 25 years. Bart and Lisa attempt to reunite Krusty with his dad, a rabbi who never accepted the fact that Krusty had become a clown._
Growing up as I did in a non-religious household in a small town south of Melbourne, I had very little exposure to different faiths as a child. I was largely aware of Christianity, but the Jewish faith was not something I really came across in my day to day life. Given that, it's remarkable that 'Like Father, Like Clown' has had such a long-lasting impact on me. It speaks of the clever way that universal themes of love and family are interwoven with several meticulously researched references to religious text and culture.
For the second and final time, Brad Bird has a directing credit, assisting first-timer Jeffrey Lynch. Brad is arguably one of the best animation directors in the world, his credits including Pixar's _Ratatouille_ , _The Incredibles,_ and my favourite animated film of all time, _The Iron Giant._ It's a real shame that he only directed two _Simpsons_ episodes in his tenure, as the direction here is stellar. Despite the 22-minute run-time, this _feels_ like a feature production. The use of shade and lighting on the characters' faces in particular gives the appearance of a work of art. A still shot of the family waiting on Krusty, drenched in twilight, is a beautiful example of a shot you can really drink in. There are little moments of camerawork that add to the feeling of the direction being on a higher plane. See Miss Pennycandy turn her back on a photo of Krusty as the camera pans away as she emphasises 'Miss'. The New-York-inspired flashback to Lower East Springfield is so faithful that you can almost smell the matzah ball soup. Finally, the interior of the Jewish Deli feels so realistic I half expected to see Billy Crystal walk in and order a sandwich. Being so early in Season 3 when animation could still be patchy, it really makes this episode stand out as being different.
The entrenchment in Jewish faith to an outsider could have been a roadblock in being able to really connect to the story. To skirt around that, the issue at hand is wisely kept very relatable. At its core, this is a story of a boy trying to find his father's approval. The flashbacks to Rabbi Krustofski (played by Jackie Mason) are some of my favourites to watch as an adult. The rabbi breaking into the bathroom to find a young Krusty squirting himself with a seltzer bottle is a great example of an X-rated joke told in a PG format, and one of those golden moments of _The Simpsons_ simultaneously operating on two different levels. It's funny as a kid because Krusty got squirted in the face. It's funny as an adult because... well... you know.
Given that this virtually served as my introduction to the Jewish faith, it's a nice touch that the episode only displays positive stereotypes of religion. The Rabbi is always deep in thought, always seeking more knowledge, and is a respected member of the community. Even Christianity, usually the butt of religious jokes on the show, is treated with a softer touch. The only laughs at the expense of religion come from the overwhelming positivity of the religious community. When religious leaders are asked if they ever doubt God's existence on talk show _Gabbin' about God_ , the three emphatic 'no's' are the only time they all agree on something.
Given the fractured nature of the Krustofski family, it's fitting that the close bond between Bart and Lisa is the catalyst for reconciliation. I've always loved the episodes where Bart and Lisa team up to solve something that adults can't. The combination of Lisa's intimidating intelligence and Bart's tenacity and inability to see when he is being a genuine nuisance forms a dynamic that can get around any obstacle. Their action is well contrasted with Krusty's lack of it. With each passing day, he appears more sluggish and depressed on his show, but the scenes themselves don't suffer from the same malaise. Perhaps it is owed to the stereotype of the sad clown, perhaps it's the direction, or perhaps it's Dan's acting, but whatever the cause, there's something perversely hilarious about watching Krusty break down live on television. The fact that it's an incredibly violent _Itchy & Scratchy_ cartoon that sends him over the edge probably helps. Through the maiming and the bloodshed, his focus is on the deeper theme of Itchy having a good time with his dad.
If nothing else, 'Like Father, Like Clown' showcases the talents of Brad Bird and is interesting to reflect upon from a historical perspective, to see the early work of the animation maestro. In a more immediate sense, it lacks one-liners but has enough absurdity to keep you laughing throughout the episode. There is an adage to never meet your heroes as they can only let you down. Fortunately, watching Bart meet his hero has the opposite effect for us in the most polished example of _The Simpsons_ to date.
#### What did we learn?
Mel Brooks is Jewish.
## 'Colonel Homer'
### (Season 3, Episode 20)
Review by Dando
_After feeling Marge has robbed him of his dignity, Homer goes for a drive to be alone for a while. Stopping at a redneck bar, he discovers Lurleen Lumpkin, waitress and songstress extraordinaire. Determined to make her voice known to more people, he becomes her manager and helps her cut her first album. Marge starts to fear for her marriage as Homer spends increasing amounts of time with Lurleen, and it becomes clear that she sees him as more than her manager._
'Colonel Homer' is an episode that took me over two decades to appreciate. With my family being such huge fans of country music, I was forced to endure countless hours as a child listening to tales of heartbreak and sorrow from the likes of Slim Whitman and Conway Twitty, resulting in a real disdain for the genre. So, as you can imagine, the thought of a _Simpsons_ episode based around a country and western singer was anything but appealing to me. It wasn't until we recently went back to review the episode for our podcast that I discovered just how magical it truly was.
Just prior to our review it became apparent that I could barely remember anything about 'Colonel Homer', besides the fact that it had Lurleen Lumpkin and Homer wore a white suit, which was probably due to the fact that I hadn't watched it in over 15 years. It was rather exciting having the opportunity to go back and watch an episode from the show's golden era for essentially the first time, yet once I did, it left me disappointed to realise what I'd missed out on all these years. In his first and only solo writing credit, Matt Groening produced a beautiful tale of lust and jealousy. If this was the kind of material Groening was capable of, it's a shame he didn't put pen to paper more often. By choosing to focus on raw emotion rather than humour, the story has a more realistic feel to it than the others based around Marge and Homer's marriage. Julie Kavner's acting in the scene where Marge asks Homer if he is having an affair is about as powerful as the character gets. You can hear not only her anger, but the fear that she may be losing the love of her life. You forget that you are watching a cartoon as poor Marge is left alone and helpless to dwell on what the future may hold for her family.
Another gut-wrenching moment is when Marge almost concedes defeat as she realises Homer is more interested in his suit than to listening about Maggie cutting her first tooth. It's almost 'too real', if that's even possible, which is probably why Groening felt the need to end the scene with a bit of humour as Bart says, 'as much as I hate that man right now, you've gotta love that suit'.
At times, particularly in the moments just mentioned, Homer can come across as an inconsiderate jerk, the only saving grace being that he is completely oblivious to Lurleen's advances. That said, he still makes the deliberate and conscious decision to ignore Marge's plea for reassurance as he puts his wants and needs ahead of hers, even going so far as to spend their life savings on Lurleen's record without consulting Marge first. Put yourself in her shoes and you can truly understand the angst she feels towards this woman who is seemingly stealing her husband from under her nose.
Speaking of Lurleen, Beverly D'Angelo was an incredible choice for the role, as she brings a wholesome yet flirtatious flavour to the character that most men couldn't resist. Groening apparently met D'Angelo at a party at Frank Zappa's house and called her in to audition after her standout performance as Patsy Cline in _Coal Miner's Daughter_. Not only did she sing the songs in the episode, she also wrote both 'Your Wife Don't Understand You' and 'I Bagged a Homer'. The charm of her performance is that although Lurleen is openly willing to become a homewrecker, you still don't hate her for it. She's a beautiful, talented woman desperate for true love; it's just unfortunate that she found it ten years too late. It would be very easy for us as viewers to despise her for her actions, especially after meeting Marge and the kids at the recording studio, yet somehow D'Angelo manages to leave you feeling sorry for this poor woman who, despite now having the world as her oyster, will never get what she truly wants.
Once Homer had become aware of Lurleen's feelings for him, it was important for Groening not to let him linger on too long, deciding which path he wanted to choose. In saying that, it's understandable how confused he was, since up until this point Marge had been the only woman to ever show interest in Homer sexually. As Homer's romantic life flashes before his eyes, the move from rejection after rejection to Marge's promise to love him for the rest of her life is beautiful and powerful enough to reduce a married man to tears. When I think about that scene now, I picture my own wife in place of Marge, and it gives me chills every time that I do. Without a doubt, the episode's closing sequence is my absolute favourite Homer and Marge moment of all time. The look of despair on Marge's face as she lies naked in an empty bed, thinking she's about to watch the last remnants of her marriage disappear, only to learn that the man of her dreams is still by her side is, as I mentioned at the beginning, magical. No words are needed while Lurleen sings 'Stand by Your Manager'; the animation is perfection as the two simply look into each other's eyes and realise that nobody will ever come between them.
Besides delivering more goosebumps than this fool could handle, 'Colonel Homer' helped me realise that I actually no longer hate country music: if anything, it now reminds me of being home and surrounded by my loved ones. As this episode shows us, music is a powerful tool. It was the driving force behind Homer's motives and the only way Lurleen could communicate her feelings for him. It's amazing that an episode I once avoided as a child, due to its soundtrack, has now become one of my favourites because of it.
#### What did we learn?
Everyone should own at least one white suit.
## Talking to Gods
It's October 2015, and we are on the outskirts of Melbourne riding a tram filled with cosplayers; some of the characters we recognise, many of them we don't. As our eyes dart around the carriage looking at these people brave enough to bare their soul through the costumes they wear, we ironically become filled with a painfully real sense of naked vulnerability. At every stop the crowd grows thicker with Batmen and Harley Quinns. As the numbers count up, we start to count down. We are getting closer to AMC Expo, where we are scheduled to interview Maggie Roswell. Would she look at us and see two emperors? Or two impostors without clothing?
Three months earlier, this was a situation we only allowed ourselves occasional moments to fantasise about. We were always very aware of the fact that Geelong was a long way away from the studios of LA, but getting the opportunity to speak to a cast member was a goal from the start. In fact, in the very first episode of Four Finger Discount we anticipated what it would be like to interview Harry Shearer. Back then it was just a pipe dream... surely it could never really happen.
It's with no small degree of gratitude that we say we owe every bit of our show's success to Nikki Isordia. Nikki was the first person to agree to be interviewed for our podcast. In doing so, she gave us a sense of validation that we could never have felt on our own. To think that somebody who works on _that_ show was aware of _our_ show?! It made us believe that we belonged. That we had credibility. That we were, in a small sense of the word, emperors.
From those beginnings, we have been fortunate enough to secure exclusive interviews with the likes of Joe Mantegna, the aforementioned Maggie Roswell, storyboard director and fellow Australian Matthew Schofield, and the incomparable Harry Shearer. What we were struck by in each of these interviews is the incredible generosity and sincerity they all displayed. As soon as we met Maggie, we realised we needn't have worried about feeling unworthy. Like so many of the every-woman characters she plays, she put us at ease with her effusive welcome. It felt more like popping around to visit an aunty for a coffee than it felt like an interview. The sight of her breaking into an impromptu rendition of 'Cut Every Corner' as we recorded guerrilla style in the cafeteria is one of our life's great memories.
Indeed, this was our experience with each interview. Matt Schofield put up with a bad internet connection and dying batteries to spend two hours with us on a Sunday afternoon discussing the show from an animator's perspective. Joe Mantegna was kind enough to wait until after a delay caused by a daylight savings mishap, and still spoke to us for longer than we first thought we would get. For Harry, it was our turn to wait, pacing back and forth as he completed other media commitments. Between radio networks and TV shows, he may have done 15 interviews before speaking to us, but you wouldn't have known it for a second. Here's a guy who has done it all, but he couldn't have been warmer. No matter what happens to us in life, we can say that we made _the_ Harry Shearer laugh once. These are gifts that can never be taken away.
We wanted to include excerpts of these interviews for those who have bought this book but haven't listened to the show, for two reasons. One: they give a fascinating insight into what goes into making the show, or a character, come to life. Two: to include this tribute as a thank-you to everybody who made it possible. When we look back on that day in our lives on a tram in Melbourne surrounded by elaborate costumes, we don't see ourselves in emperors' clothing. Rather, we see ourselves dressed as Wayne and Garth, kneeling at the temple of the Simpsons' gods as we exclaim, 'We're not worthy.'
#### Maggie Roswell
_Maggie started working for_ The Simpsons _in 1989, but didn't become a series regular until the second season with the introduction of Helen Lovejoy. Known for her ability to voice 'every-woman' characters, her other notable characters include Luann Van Houten, Miss Hoover, Maude Flanders and Shary Bobbins._
On whether the job was ever taken for granted due to its success:
For me, no. Nobody really knew how it was going to go. And even though it's gone [on to great success] I quit the tenth year and came back in the thirteenth, because I went to Colorado, and then they killed Maude Flanders and there was a whole... thing.
On recording remotely from Colorado rather than a round-table:
We were kind of trailblazers initially – originally it was not the best deal [for FOX]. Now, Hank Azaria is in New York doing a TV show. Julie Kavner can be away sometimes. We don't sit around the table as much any more. Because the characters are so well known and we have such great interaction, and we'd done that for so many years, there still is that warmth among the characters. But that's only because those first ten years we were around the table doing it together for eight hours at a time.
On her favourite moments from those early table-reads:
Watching Harry really realise how much Smithers was in love with Mr. Burns, to watch his face as he was delivering it... The table-read is really a blast. Harry would rip open [the script] and he wouldn't have read it before, but he'd go through it and be brilliant. Other people would have gone through and marked their lines. But that is _really_ fun. I remember doing one with Mel Gibson... I was so thrilled that it was MEL GIBSON. I was looking down, and then I looked up a little, and then quickly looked back down. At one point I looked up and he was looking at me, and I went 'tee-hee', and I thought, 'Oh my God... did I really just do that?'
On discovering a voice:
Well, Maude Flanders had to be married to Ned. So, discovering the type of person that he would get [married to] – someone who was really nice, because that's the kind of guy he is. Then you had Helen Lovejoy, Reverend Lovejoy's wife who was just everyone you've ever met that you go 'Oh, I just hate her!' But she'll smile at your face and then stab you in the back. Miss Hoover was actually born from the episode 'Brush with Greatness': [when] the painting of Burns is unveiled a woman steps out of the crowd and says, 'He's bad, but he'll die.' They liked that voice and thought it would be perfect for Miss Hoover.
On being a fan:
I love the show! It's wild for us, too, because when you're reading the script you'll see all the little things that they're doing, but you don't see it come to life... it takes a year for us to do the show... so by the time you see it you hardly even remember it.
Stepping into the shoes of Shary Bobbins:
That's the only vocal impression I do. They thought Julie Andrews was going to do the show. They were going back and forth because at that point they were thinking they would do an _actual_ Mary Poppins. Eventually they figured, OK, it's not going to happen, so I got to do it. To be able to 'do' her was so brilliant!
#### Matt Schofield
_Australian-born Matt Schofield has worked in the animation department since 1999, and has directed several episodes. Prior to his time on the show, Matt worked on the critically acclaimed animated films_ The Iron Giant _and_ Prince of Egypt _._
The intimidation factor of working on such a big-time show:
My first time doing character layout was on 'Take my Wife, Sleaze' where Homer starts a bikie gang _._ At the end of the episode, there is a rival bikie leader voiced by John Goodman. He and Homer have a kind of swordfight, but using motorbikes, and I had to draw _that_ as my way of being dropped into the deep end. So that was sort of intimidating, but you're always being asked to draw something different, so it really pushes you in terms of your skill level.
How direction/storyboarding can differ, and how it can enhance a show:
When you're directing, you've got three months to kind of shepherd an episode through from start to finish... whereas now that I'm just doing the storyboard I've got two weeks and then I've gotta get onto the next show. Clarity is something that we are always striving for: to make the jokes read as clearly as possible, whether that's through the action itself, or whether it's through the way that a shot is composed so that everything is able to be clearly seen.
Favourite piece of animation:
The thing that comes to mind immediately is something that I saw before I'd even started working on the show. It was from the episode where Homer goes to clown college, and he's riding this really tiny bicycle. I remember seeing that piece of footage and thinking that it was so well done, it struck me that the animation on this show was great. Animation at that time had a reputation for being cheaply done. For me, that was quite eye-opening.
On the **Simpsons** animation style:
Matt Groening always has said that he wants the show to feel like a real-life situation that just happens to be animated. That's also gone into things in terms of the animation style where we don't do a lot of 'cartoony' animation. There's no stretch-and-squash, they don't distort their faces. They might go into it sometimes for a joke, but it's not like a Warner Bros. cartoon, or a Tex Avery cartoon where the characters' eyes will literally pop out of their heads. All of that reinforces the feeling that they _are_ real characters.
His favourite characters to draw:
I really like Moe, because he's so reprehensible. He's always Mr. Sadsack. You can do really fun expressions on him because he's got really big, kind of 'caveman' brows. Mr. Burns is kind of fun to draw when you draw him wide-eyed, and draw him a bit cute. I think it's fun to draw him like that because he is so evil, it's something a bit out of the ordinary.
#### Joe Mantegna
_Famous to_ Simpsons _fans for his role as Fat Tony, Joe Mantegna has over 200 film and TV credits, including_ Godfather: Part III _, and more recently_ Criminal Minds _. Not confined to the screen, Joe won the Best Actor Tony Award for his role as Ricky Roma in_ Glengarry Glen Ross _._
On landing the role of Fat Tony:
They offered me that role right when _Godfather III_ came out, probably because they knew that since I was playing the heavy in the film, I'd be a natural to play Fat Tony. I was just thrilled. I thought it was only going to be one episode and that would be that. Little did I know that the character would resonate and I would wind up doing as many episodes as I've done, and still continue to do.
On 'finding' the character:
They don't really give you much direction, but what they do give you are the words. As an actor, it's your job to find the character within that dialogue. I had an image [in my mind] with the name _Fat_ Tony, so right away I knew the guy was going to be fat, so I knew I could sell that. Since it was the first time he was appearing, I didn't know what he was going to look like. There was no prototype design because I think they drew the character to the voice, since we record the dialogue way ahead of the animation.
On the inspiration behind the voice:
_Godfather III_ had just come out, so I didn't want it to sound like Joey Zasa. I didn't want to use my own voice, I wanted Fat Tony to be somebody else. I basically tapped into the voice of one of my dearest uncles, Willie, who just passed away a couple of years ago. He was no gangster, he just knew a lot of those types of characters. He'd quit smoking 20 years prior, but had developed cancer in his throat so they removed one of his vocal cords, meaning he then sounded like [Fat Tony].
One time I brought Uncle Willie to a recording session and I said to the writers 'I want you to meet the real Fat Tony'. Of course he introduced himself and they all laughed, saying 'Oh my God! Now we know who we can use if Joe's not here!'
On what input he has into the character:
At times I've come up with ad-libs. Sometimes they use them and sometimes they don't, especially on the episodes that are very Fat Tony heavy. I remember once we put in an ad-lib that had something to do with Bob Hope, but between the recording and the time it aired, Bob Hope had died, so they switched it back to the original line. Sometimes they've indicated that they wanted Fat Tony to speak some Italian phrases but didn't know what words to use, so I would provide them with Italian slang that would resonate with people who understood it.
Comparing the recording studio between then and now:
They had this little makeshift recording studio in the basement of the FOX lot, and I remember they just had this microphone setup in a circle in this room with a ping-pong table. I mean that was it, it was very low profile, no frills, they didn't know how long they were gonna be there so they just stuck up a recorder and that's that. Well now you go to FOX and they have their own building. There's the Marge Simpson sound stage, they even have their own murals painted on walls.
On the vibe of the read-throughs:
That's actually more exciting than the recording, because what you do is you go into this big room and everyone sits around this big table. All the actors are there and then they invite guests to sit around the room. It's an exciting hour because you get to meet everybody and see the actors actually read the characters. It's become one of the hottest tickets in town.
On his passion for **The Simpsons** :
I'm probably still making the same money I was when I did my first [appearance], but for me this is not what I do for a living. _The Simpsons_ is just this fun thing I do. They know when they write Fat Tony that I want to play the character, I don't want them to get someone else who sounds like me. As long as they keep writing the character I'm glad to do it because I only do one or two each season anyway. I'm flattered that the character has taken on such importance to _The Simpsons_ , so like I said, to me it's just about doing a character and I've never looked at it as a job. When I think of _The Simpsons_ it brings a smile to my face.
#### Harry Shearer
_Beginning his career as a child actor alongside Abbot and Costello, there's virtually nothing that Harry Shearer hasn't done in entertainment. Best known for his role in_ Spinal Tap _prior to_ The Simpsons _, his voice credits include Mr. Burns, Smithers, Reverend Lovejoy, Kent Brockman, Dr. Hibbert, Otto, Rainier Wolfcastle, Ned Flanders and many more. He has written three books and these days can occasionally be found performing alongside his singer/songwriter wife, Judith Owen._
On when he realised **The Simpsons** was a success:
Somewhere in the middle of the first season it seemed apparent. FOX was a fledgling station yet we were having this rapid spike of popularity. Then because of our popularity, the network got more and more popular, to the point where I think three or four years into our run, Rupert Murdoch made a huge money bid for American football and got it away from CBS. When he did that, a lot of the former CBS stations switched to FOX because they wanted to keep football. So suddenly we found ourselves from being on Channel 54 now being on Channel 2, which was much more accessible on people's TV dials in those days. By that point we knew we were set in for quite a run.
On whether he's ever forgotten how to do a voice:
Not really. The only thing that ever really happened in that way, was we started recording Season 2 before Season 1 had gone to air, and I'd remembered most of the [voices], but I'd slipped a little in my memory of how Burns sounded, so he sounded a little different from Season 2 onward. I think Dan Castellaneta had the same issue with Homer. In Season 1 he was more knowingly doing an homage to an older American comedy performer, Eddie Mayehoff.
On the show's history with Christian conservative groups:
I have to say, I realised how long we'd been on the air around Season 15, because at the beginning when the show rocketed to popularity, the first wave of publicity that accompanied that was a lot of outrage from Christian conservatives in the United States who were upset that Bart was a bad role model for American children. My question at the time was, 'What comedy show has good role models?' If they're funny they're supposed to be silly or stupid in some way. But by Season 15 the worm had turned to the point where I was getting interviewed by and on the cover of Christian magazines because I [voice] Flanders and Lovejoy, as they realised that this was the only show on American television that had two avowedly Christian characters who go to church every week. So suddenly from having denounced the show, they were now embracing it.
On working with Michael Jackson for ' **Stark Raving Dad'** :
He came into FOX to do the actual recording, and in those days there was a second read-through right before the recording. So we're sitting there around the table and Michael is doing his spoken words, but when it came to breaking into song, Michael sits back and this white guy on the other side of the table starts singing in a very Michael-Jackson-like voice. Nobody had explained any of this, so I turn to Yeardley Smith and I say, 'I think we paid enough for the talking Michael Jackson, but not enough for the singing one.'
On how he, Nancy Cartwright and Dan Castellaneta got cameos in the 1998 film **Godzilla** :
I think the producer was a fan of the show and thought it'd be cute to have people from _The Simpsons_ in the film, so he convinced the director that it was a good idea.
On how he found the voice for Reverend Lovejoy:
I didn't base any voices on people I knew, except for at the end of the original season when they kept introducing new characters and I started running out of made-up voices. One of the last [characters] they added for me was Reverend Lovejoy, and there'd been this TV evangelist named Ernest Angley who would heal people. I did a piss-take of him on a show I once did, so I had his voice in my head and I just slowed it down a little bit until he became Lovejoy.
On keeping a sense of realism with his characters:
I think the funniest stuff going on is just observing real people. I don't try to make any of these characters that exaggerated, and I even cavil when they're written as doing things that I don't think they'd actually do if they existed. My touchstone is always to try and make them as real as possible.
On learning he has voiced at least 194 characters on the show:
I have not heard that number before, so I am actually bowled over. That's great, I'll be using that in the next negotiation.
## Mitch's Top 5 Episodes
#### #5
'Simpson and Delilah'
(Season 2, Episode 2)
_Homer scams his health insurance by charging $1,000 for the purchase of Dimoxinil, a new baldness cure. His miraculous hair growth leads to a happier life and instant promotion. Finding himself out in the cold, Smithers looks for a way to take Homer down and re-establish himself as Burns' right-hand man._
On the surface of things, 'Simpson and Delilah' may appear a left-field choice to find in my top 5 favourite episodes. It doesn't have a _lot_ of jokes, the kids barely feature, and there isn't a sub-plot to keep wandering minds focused. It does, however, allow me to answer anybody questioning why it's so special with 'My reasons... are my own.'
This rags to riches to rags story explores Homer's insecurities, power dynamics in the workplace, and insurance fraud. It's a very adult episode, so naturally it's been one of my favourites ever since I was 4 years old. In fact, so important was this episode to my life that it is the sole reason for a lingering guilt that I still feel about the closure of my local video store some 21 years ago.
It was 1992, and the world was my oyster. Australia was turning on one of its trademark summers. Beaches, cricket ovals and playgrounds everywhere were full of children, and I was making the most of it by spending as much time inside as possible. My mother took me down to the local Blockbuster on the first day of December, and with the pocket money I had saved, I rented a Simpsons video with a whopping two episodes packed into it. 'Simpson and Delilah', 'Treehouse of Horror' _._ I was an only child at the time, so I poured all the love normally reserved for siblings into that video, watching it ad infinitum until I knew every nuance of every scene. A lot happens in December, and the distractions of the holidays led my parents to forget about the video. One reminder came, then a second, then, not surprisingly, a third. Long story short, some miscommunication about whose back seat the video was on to take back to the store and a bitter divorce later, and suddenly I was an 8-year-old standing in front of a 'closed for business' sign wondering if this meant I would go to jail.
The premise of this episode is a simple one: Homer regrows his hair with the help of Dimoxinil. The details of how and why don't really matter to the enjoyment, which is a large part of why I was able to sit through it so many times as a kindergarten student. It's the feeling of desperation of Homer to seek a better life, and the sheer joy he experiences when he is no longer bald. After wishing everybody in Springfield a good morning, he checks straight into the barber's, as if he is making up for lost time. Homer sports a different haircut in every scene that follows. From a loose and ragged number that The Dude would be proud of, to a Gordon-Gekko-style power-do and everything in between. Underscoring the 'appearance is everything' mantra, Homer falls _up_ the chain at work despite having shown no competency to do so. Hailed a hero by Burns simply because accidents 'have gone down by the number Homer Simpson is known or suspected to have caused himself', Homer is soon given the key to the executive bathroom. Ironically, the moment that Homer comes of age and delivers a brilliant speech, he is mocked and sent back to his own position on the grounds of his refound baldness.
The real joy of 'Simpson and Delilah' is, for me, one of the greatest guest characters of all time: the masculine yet effeminate Karl, played by Harvey Fierstein _(Mrs. Doubtfire, Independence Day)._ Karl is the guardian angel that everybody needs in their life. It's ironic that after overlooking all the secretary candidates who 'make kissy-faces' at him, Homer ends up employing a man who loves him instantly and deeply, and who literally kisses him later in the episode – a first for American television. Karl shows us a textbook example of how to nail a job interview, summing up Homer the moment he meets him as a fraud and a phoney. This isn't done out of nastiness, however. Everything Karl does is for the betterment of Homer. He drags him out of bargain basement lime-green polyester and into a suit that cries out 'Here I am, don't judge me, love me!' Later, when Smithers discovers Homer's insurance fraud, Karl throws himself on the grenade and bears its terrible brunt. I legitimately believe that Fierstein's performance taught me tolerance and acceptance. Is Karl homosexual or not? It's certainly implied, but what's more important is how little it matters. It taught me not to question somebody who comes off a little different, but to look at their motives instead. While the plot takes the cynical route, Karl still teaches confidence and self-belief. For a show that garnered controversy by pushing the envelope, 'Simpson and Delilah' is a beautiful piece of positivity, and an episode anybody should be happy to show to their 4-year-old children.
#### _What did we learn?_
Always save money for a rainy day.
#### #4
'Radio Bart'
(Season 3, Episode 13)
_Using a microphone given to him as a birthday present by Homer, Bart convinces the town that a boy named Timmy O'Toole has become stuck down a well. When the attention spirals out of his control, he tries to put an end to things, only to become stuck down there himself._
New York can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. It's one of the greatest cities I've ever visited, and for 11 days I enjoyed a brilliant honeymoon there with my wife. The best things about New York are the unexpected gifts. I mean, everybody knows that you will see the Empire State Building, or Times Square, but there's so much hidden between the cracks that you'll find things you never expect. Even still, it took me by complete surprise that it would offer me a greater insight and understanding of what was already one of my favourite _Simpsons_ episodes.
A combination of the cold weather, five days of sightseeing and a non-existent hot water system in our hostel had taken its toll, resulting in a day of being confined to our bed, and not in the traditional honeymoon sense. Flicking through the channels available, I stumbled across a vaguely familiar black-and-white face. The actor was Kirk Douglas, the film _Ace in the Hole._ As I watched, it smacked me in the face that 'Radio Bart' was clearly influenced by the movie. So now, by osmosis, when I watch 'Radio Bart', I think of my honeymoon. For that alone, it has to make it into my top 5. The fact that it's a great episode in its own right is just an added bonus.
While _The Simpsons_ has often featured elements of social satire, 'Radio Bart' is one of the few episodes to be entirely structured around it. As a result, it's an episode that has only improved with the benefit of hindsight. 'Radio Bart' holds a mirror up to society as only the best satire can. It asks questions of us and it points out our hypocrisies without ever becoming preachy. The episode makes fun of mass hysteria and (over)reaction as well as media hype in a way that might as well have been predicting the future. In an age of social media and 24/7 news cycles, this is one of the more prescient episodes of TV to have ever existed.
The early part is spent focusing on Bart's birthday, with the main theme for comedy being the disconnect between father and son. It's hard not to feel sorry for Homer here, as he is utterly convinced that Bart is going to love his present: The Celebrity Superstar Microphone (it _is_ better than a label-maker). While Bart is initially uninterested in the idea of badly distorted singing over the AM band, he does discover the radio can be useful for making pranks. The show slips in a _War of the Worlds_ reference as Bart convinces Homer that Earth has been overrun by aliens. The sight of Homer charging through the house, rifle in hand, is one for the ages.
Bart soon starts ramping up his pranks. He tricks Marge into thinking Maggie can talk to her, and Rod and Todd into thinking God can talk to them. It almost feels like a natural progression when he lowers his radio into the well. To a 10-year-old boy, there's no way of knowing what is going to follow. The moment that Groundskeeper Willie hears the false cries for help, the episode kicks into full-blown satire mode.
Even when we see the positive sides of mob mentality in this episode, it is still laced with a touch of cynicism. When the entire town is racing to the well after the initial discovery, nobody really seems to be doing it out of any desire to help. Instead, it appears that voyeurism is the motivator. The desire to say, 'I was there.' Later in the episode when Homer and Willie are setting about digging Bart from the well, again the town races as one to the scene, although this time it feels like many of them aren't even sure why. 'A good old-fashioned hole-diggin,' suggests Jasper. Again, it seems that the motivator is less about helping, and more about just being involved in something bigger.
The most savage skewering is saved for the media and do-gooder celebrities. Krusty and Sting (fantastic in a memorable cameo) put together a 'Feed the World' style tribute song. They feel good and are praised in the media although it's very clear that none of this will help the situation. Krusty even points out that there won't be much left after the royalties, production cost, money for limos etc... What _is_ left gets thrown down the well. The media are depicted as fickle, ratings hungry merchants. They and other profiteers set up permanent camp at the well, until the public start to lose interest, at which point a squirrel looking like Abe Lincoln takes centre stage. The media giveth, the media taketh away. The episode also comments on how fickle we can be as a society, in that when a boy the town doesn't like as much is trapped, sympathy is lost. Tragedy is no match for feeling personally slighted, it would seem.
My love for 'Radio Bart' could be seen as a precursor to my eventual love for _South Park_ , and almost feels like a prototype for what that show would become. It's a peak example of _The Simpsons_ delivering a story full of substance without skipping on laugh-out-loud moments. I'll always be sending my love down that well.
#### _What did we learn?_
Sting is a good digger.
#### #3
'Itchy & Scratchy Land'
(Season 6, Episode 4)
_After watching Itchy and Scratchy promoting their new theme park, Bart and Lisa demand to be taken there for their next family vacation. Eventually, the kids get their way, much to the chagrin of Marge, who had been planning a trip to a bird sanctuary. After a horrifying shortcut, the family arrive at Itchy & Scratchy Land. All seems fun at first, but when the robots start to attack the guests, The Simpsons are faced with a fight for their lives._
There are a lot of reasons to love _The Simpsons_. I love Season 1 for the way it redefines the nuclear family and its crude charm. I love Season 2 for the underlying heart behind the laughs and its many stories that aim to make you feel as much as laugh. I love Seasons 3 to 5 for the transition from that emotionally based comedy to breakneck-speed joke writing. Where you think _The Simpsons_ peaked is totally subjective, but for me it was Season 5. That said, if I want to watch for high-concept plots and non-stop side-splitting laughter, Season 6 is where I'll turn to. I could very nearly pick out a top 5 made up of episodes entirely from this season: 'Bart's Comet', 'Homie the Clown', 'Homer Badman' – classics, each and every one, but above them, there's something special that keeps bringing me back to 'Itchy & Scratchy Land' _._
John Swartzwelder has the writing credit here, but it was apparently an effort by the whole team. While the main plot is relatively thin, the subtext is dense. In having the family travel to Itchy & Scratchy Land, the writing team poke fun at family vacations, Disneyworld, and Michael Crichton's Westworld _._ They also sneak in references to Crichton's _Jurassic Park_ , and Hitchcock's _The Birds._ Come to think of it, the final discovery of how to defeat the evil robots by using flash photography is remarkably similar to a final act revelation in the 2017 horror film, _Get Out,_ proving yet again that the Simpsons have done everything. In amongst it all, they generated revenue for transport authority departments worldwide as fans rushed out to purchase 'Bort' vanity licence plates for their cars.
A potential roadblock to your enjoyment of 'Itchy & Scratchy Land' is that it relies on some degree of knowledge of theme parks to get a full understanding of the comedy. I was fortunate enough to have family trips to Australia's Gold Coast to visit theme parks such as Dreamworld and Warner Bros. Movie World as a child. I was unfortunate enough to live some 1,800 km from those theme parks in an age where flying machines were the domain of the businessman, so I too know the pain of ill-advised shortcuts 13 hours into a 24-hour car ride. No amount of time spent posing next to the Dog on the Tuckerbox or climbing up Big Pineapples can save you from Australia's flat, ever-stretching landscape.
Once the Simpsons arrive, every theme-park cliché is quickly checked off and skewered with startling comedic precision, from theme restaurants to thrill rides and parades every five minutes. On entering the park, the Disney Dollar is replaced with Itchy & Scratchy Money, which of course isn't accepted anywhere. There's so much joy in watching Homer get swept up in the moment of the world's lamest sales pitch to the tune of dropping $1,100 of the 'fun' currency. The animators do a great job of providing a sense of expansiveness to the park, not daunted at all by the need to create entirely new sets for the majority of the episode. It gives the park a feeling that you could be there for days and not see everything, a special effort in a TV show where things can normally feel constrained.
The more time the family spends in the park, wreaking havoc on unsuspecting mascots as only Bart can, the more the park transitions from Disneyland to Westworld. The latter's recent TV remake could serve to help this episode find a new audience in the younger generation who have grown up on the show post 2000 and may not have come across it before. Not stopping with one Crichton novel to parody, _Jurassic Park_ references are littered throughout, including Professor Frink's revelation that chaos theory dictates that the park can't be controlled. In true Frink fashion, his prediction is off by 24 hours due to a miscalculation, and the destructions starts practically before he can finish his warning.
The mood change is an abrupt one, with the score quickly shifting to the dramatic. The image of dozens of robot Itchy and Scratchies taking deliberate and menacing steps towards the Simpsons has proper horror/sci-fi chops, as a well-timed commercial break helps ramp up the tension. The animation is brilliant again, as a full-scale flash-photography battle breaks out. Ultimately, Lisa's cool head and Bart's dry action hero wit are enough to prevail, but sadly, not enough to prevent Euro Itchy & Scratchy Land from financial ruin.
As jam-packed with laughs and thrills as any episode in the show's pantheon, 'Itchy & Scratchy Land' is as enjoyable as _The Simpsons_ gets when it comes to pure escapism.
#### _What did we learn?_
Bort is a remarkably popular name. Bart, not so much.
#### #2
'Homer the Great'
(Season 6, Episode 12)
_After having one of those mornings where nothing goes right, Homer notices that Lenny and Carl aregetting it all better than him: better car park, better chairs, better evening plans. Curious, and a little jealous, Homer follows them to a meeting of the Stonecutters. Discovering he is entitled to membership due to Grampa being a member, Homer joins the secret society, later to be discovered he is the prophesised 'Chosen One'._
When I was about 11 years old, I discovered in passing conversation that my grandfather was a Freemason. I didn't know what it meant then, and I honestly couldn't tell you what it means now. All I know is that it felt special. There's something about secret sects and societies that piques the curiosity in all of us. That's why conspiracy theorists like David Icke can convince millions that the government is secretly run by a race of lizard-people. This is hardly a new phenomenon. I've grown up on these stories. The great Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would write classic tales of murderous cults for Sherlock Holmes to track down, and I would lap up every word. So, when my grandfather told me he was a Freemason, it was a huge deal. The following year, when I discovered what I thought was a rival faction known as the Stonemasons, I prepared for a full-scale war. Imagine my disappointment when I discovered they were simply tradesmen.
I think people like to imagine these sorts of groups running the world because it gives a reason why things go wrong in life. Case in point, when a pipe springs a leak in Homer's basement, there's nobody to blame. When traffic is so bad it takes him hours to get to work, and even then he has to park behind his own house and begin a long walk back to the plant, it's just bad luck. There's nothing worse in life than impotent fury with nobody to direct it towards. Having a cult to blame can change that, or, as Homer sees in Lenny and Carl, maybe fix it. As they seem to have everything better, he is desperate to find out how. Lenny, great keeper of secrets, won't budge on giving up the information. Even telling Homer the secret exists is enough for him to be told to 'shhhuuudddduuupp' by Carl.
Watching Homer stalk Lenny and Carl is one of my all-time favourite Homer moments, because his idea of sticking a leaking paint tin on the back of their car is one of the most intelligent schemes he's ever come up with outside of his alcohol delivery system as the Beer Baron. His attempt to spy on the group via the skylight, however, is less successful. To repurpose Jim Carrey's line in _Batman Forever_ , their entrance was good, his was worse. It should be noted that, given the size of the building, and the sheer number of citizens who are members, it probably should have been discovered prior to now... but I digress.
While a solution to life's trivialities is a perk for Homer joining the Stonecutters, for him, it's more about a general acceptance. For anybody who has ever felt on the outside of a club looking in, or feeling like the only person in the room who didn't get a joke, it's a nice way to contextualise Homer's desire to join the club. Once he does manage to gain access, for a moment he is genuinely accepted. The usual power dynamics are flipped about, as Mr. Burns is an underling to Lenny and Carl. These are the strongest scenes of the episode, culminating with the Emmy-nominated 'We Do', a song that is impossible not to sing along to. To continue talking too much about these scenes would just break down into listing the things that make me laugh, but I do have to give special mention to the brilliance of the stone of shame/stone of triumph.
If you were to look at how _The Simpsons_ influenced _Family Guy_ , you'd need look no further than 'Homer the Great' _._ There's a litany of reality-breaking jokes packed into this episode, including the tangential conversation between Homer and Lenny about cholesterol in eggs, followed by a man running away _dressed_ as an egg who had evidently been spreading egg propaganda. Another classic is in the frat-house-style Stonecutter initiation, where Homer falls through five storeys of floors. Non-sequiter comedy like this can be so hit and miss, and incredibly subjective, but for me this is an example of the very best of it. It's hard to really explain or define; for all the words we will write in this book, it's just funny cos it is.
When I was in my early twenties, my grandparents came over to the house for a coffee. We watched 'Homer the Great' together as it happened to be on. As we laughed together, I thought about how it was such a treat to sit down and close a 50-year age gap with a cartoon. At the end of the episode, I brought up my memory of finding out that my grandfather was a Freemason.
'Stonemason, Mitch. I was a stonemason.'
'But... I thought you said...' I started, confused. Then, leaning in to me with a wink, he whispered, 'It's a secret.'
On cue, my grandmother, Dotty, looked harshly at him and said, 'Shhhhuuudddduuupppp.'
#### _What did we learn?_
A secret handshake can get you an awful lot in life.
#### #1
'You Only Move Twice'
(Season 8, Episode 2)
_Homer is offered a new job for Globex Corporation and packs up the family to move to Cypress Creek. On arrival, Homer finds his life greatly improved. He's good at his job and he loves his boss, supervillain Hank Scorpio. Oblivious as ever, Homer is thrilled with the move. The rest of the family have a hard time settling in, however, and ask for a move back home to Springfield._
In the final moments of 'You Only Move Twice', as Homer is reading a telegram from Hank Scorpio, he is told that 'Project Arcturus' could not have succeeded without him. For those unaware, Arcturus is the brightest star in the celestial northern hemisphere. Fitting, then, that this should be one of the brightest episodes in the history of _The Simpsons_ and, in my opinion, a peak that was never reached again. Rather than a negative comment on the quality of the show since, it's the ultimate compliment to the quality on display here. I wanted to come up with a more creative choice for my favourite episode of all time, I really did, but I just _can't_ bring myself to go past this one.
The law of diminishing returns can usually be applied to comedy, but with 'You Only Move Twice', the laughs are as big on the 100th viewing as they were on the first. This is a perfect example of an episode where no one character is the focus. It's not a 'Homer episode' or a 'Bart episode', it's a true 'Simpsons episode'. I'd always admired Larry David's ability to be able to write four individual storylines within the confines of a _Seinfeld_ episode and tie them all together neatly at the end. It's an incredibly difficult balancing act, and it took the entire writing staff working together to execute it so flawlessly. Such is the strength of the boss-cum-villain, Hank Scorpio (Albert Brooks), that the inclination is to call this an all-time great due to him alone, but that would be to discredit the quality of everything else. From top to bottom, this is a truly perfect episode.
I don't think there's 22 minutes of TV that have ever tattooed more quotes on my brain to be remembered for eternity. Most of those are attributable to the ad-libbing genius of Albert Brooks, who recorded a total of two hours' worth of dialogue for his role. Legend has it that Albert's improv was so good that Dan Castellaneta simply couldn't keep up. Albert would improvise dialogue and Dan would later come up with a response, only to find that when they re-recorded the scene, Albert had come up with completely new dialogue. It reduces Homer largely to monosyllabic grunts as Hank runs wild, but more than that, it keeps the viewer on their toes as well. If the actors on the show don't know what's about to be said, then how could we possibly have any idea? It gives the episode a feeling reminiscent of live television, where anything could happen at any moment. In a time when so much of television feels so structured, it stands out even more on rewatching.
From the opening minute, there isn't a moment of wasted time, as we commence with one of the best cold openings in the show's history. It's usual to see Smithers kissing up to Mr. Burns when he or others are in the room, but to watch him singing about him as he walks alone down the street is as delightfully pure as Smithers gets. I love that there's no ulterior motive to his affection, a fact underscored when he refuses to entertain working for anybody else. It turns out to be a fork in the road moment for Globex Corporation, as it moves down the ladder to Homer. One wonders if Smithers, more qualified in every way, could possibly have succeeded to the same extent as Homer. It takes a Homer-level moron to be able to both motivate a team and remain completely clueless as to their actual work; had Smithers agreed, Scorpio's reign would have ended before it began.
The trouble with Cypress Creek is that none of the rest of the family are able to keep their eyes closed. Everything seems perfect on the surface, but not too deep underneath it's a different story altogether. Marge discovers that perfection is the enemy of the housewife, Bart struggles to fit into a school where the students have their act together, and Lisa's walk through the woods offers the best visual metaphor for the town when an owl swoops down to kill a chipmunk moments after she has happily said hello to both. The lesson is clear – Cypress Creek is a beautiful town that deals in danger. Well, danger, and Tom Landry's hat.
Having grown up enjoying the wish-fulfilment fantasies that only James Bond can provide, 'You Only Move Twice' is to me what 'The Springfield Files' is to Dando. But what this provides that the movies never could is a chance to watch the villain win. And not only win, but relish winning and make us laugh while he's doing it. This shoe-farewelling, hammock-district-installing, flame-thrower-touting, sportscoat-trendsetting genius is pure evil, and yet I find myself wanting to work for him. I feel like if you could successfully keep your eyes closed to all the murder and mayhem, he would provide for quite a successful career. I, for one, would want to take that chance.
#### _What did we learn?_
You can successfully motivate a team with donuts... and the possibility of more donuts to come.
## The Little Interview with Liz Climo
_Liz Climo has worked on_ The Simpsons _since 2003 as an animation artist. She is perhaps best known for her comic series,_ The Little World of Liz Climo _, showcasing an eye for whimsy and optimism that has led to her publishing several collections and frequently posts online. She is also a published children's author, famous for her Rory the Dinosaur series._
The Seemingly Never-Ending Story is one of our favourite post-90s episodes, which was also one of the first you worked on. What do you remember about your beginnings on the show?
I was so excited/nervous when I started! One of my favourite memories is from my first day of work. I drove into the parking lot, and suddenly felt very embarrassed because I had a Homer sticker on my car. I figured I probably looked like a lame super-fan! But then, walking through the hall, I noticed all the _Simpsons_ paraphernalia decorating all of the cubicles, and I realised I had nothing to be embarrassed about. The show's employees have so much pride for what they do, it's one of the things I love about working there.
What have been some of your favourite episodes to have been a part of?
Actually, 'The Seemingly Never-Ending Story' is one of my all-time favourites, too. I was always a huge fan of that book growing up, and it was a lot of fun drawing the 'Simpsonised' versions of those characters.
Which characters and locations do you most enjoy animating on the show and why?
I only really draw the characters. The backgrounds are all done by a separate team of background artists (thank goodness, because they do a beautiful job, and are much better with perspective than I am!) Milhouse is my favourite character to draw. His features are very round and dopey, which I love. I like drawing Maggie a lot, too.
You've said in the past that you grew up watching **The Simpsons.** What's your earliest memory of the show?
I remember watching the first episode and becoming instantly obsessed. I went to school the next day and asked all the other kids if they had also watched it, and they were basically like 'No, we're 8. We're not allowed to watch that sort of thing.' But, kudos to my parents, because that early exposure is probably responsible for my career!
You seem like such a positive person and it shines through in your comics. How important is keeping a positive mindset when working in a job that requires creative thinking?
Thanks! I think it's important because the show has been on for such a long time, it's easy to become a bit comfortable or complacent. I try to remind myself often how cool it is to be working on this show that I used to love so much as a kid.
Working for **The Simpsons** is something that most fans can only dream of. Was it what you expected it to be, going in?
I think the thing that stood out the most when I started working on the show is how so many employees also grew up watching the show. It's a very specific type of job in animation, and you have to understand the subtle humour that is important in a sitcom versus, say, a Saturday morning cartoon. Being familiar with the show really helps with that.
What are some of the key things you've learned while working alongside acclaimed animators such as David Silverman?
David in particular is very good at capturing a mood in a single pose, which is very important because it's easy for the life to get sucked out of a drawing after it's passed through several hands. Starting off with a loose, expressive drawing is crucial. I'm not very good at those, but I try!
Do you have a favourite animation sequence, either that you have worked on, or one that you have seen from the show?
I worked on the Bart skating naked sequence from the movie. That was fun!
If you are ever struggling, what are some of the key reference points you might look back on to get the creativity flowing?
Relationships are the most important thing, especially for what I do with my comics. If I'm ever struggling with a joke or an idea, I try to just boil it down to a simple exchange that I may have heard in passing, and find inspiration from that. I've definitely learned a lot about that from my experience of watching _The Simpsons._
You've mentioned relationships being important to your comics. What are some of your favourite relationships on **The Simpsons?**
I really like the relationship between Marge and Lisa. They're fundamentally so different from one another, but they're both very smart and still have that lovely mother/daughter bond that shines through.
Outside of **The Simpsons** , are there any animated films or TV shows that serve as an inspiration to you?
I really love Miyazaki movies ( _Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle, etc)_. I just love how detail oriented they are, and how there's not necessarily a 'good guy' and 'bad guy' but a collection of characters who change and grow throughout the story. I think that sends a beautiful message, especially to children.
There are going to be people reading this who would have a dream to be where you are. Can you tell us about your journey to the show?
I just always loved drawing, I did it all the time. I studied animation a bit in college, but never graduated because I didn't get into the animation programme. I got a job on _The Simpsons_ shortly afterwards, thanks to a combination of the help of a friend who worked there, hard work, and incredibly good luck.
What piece of advice would you give to young artists looking to get into the industry?
Keep drawing (life drawing, especially. It's so important for animation). Also, expect to be rejected at least a handful of times, but don't let that discourage you – we've all been through it! If you want to create your own content, then stay true to your style, even if you don't think it's any good. If it doesn't look exactly like what everyone else is doing, then you're on the right track (in my opinion, at least).
Paper and pencil, or digital screen and stylus?
Cintiq tablet, now. But I resisted it for as long as I could! Before that, it was a sharpie and paper.
You're stuck on a desert island that happens to have a particularly awesome home theatre system. What three movies are on the shelf?
_Shaun of The Dead_ , _Moonstruck_ and _Fargo._
What episode best describes a day of working on **The Simpsons**?
'22 Short Films About Springfield'.
## Season 4 (1992-93)
### In Conversation
**MITCH:** I get asked a lot what I think are the best seasons of the show. A lot of people will point to the entirety of the first nine seasons as being the best, but I try to mark a bit harder than that. It's all subjective, but for me, it's Seasons 4 to 6 as being the _absolute_ peak. Just look at the first few episodes of Season 4: 'Kamp Krusty' _,_ 'A Streetcar Named Marge' _,_ 'Homer the Heretic' _._ All brilliant. If the first three seasons were a gradual evolution of the show, Season 4 was a quantum shift forward.
**DANDO:** Knowing that the show's producers were toying with the idea of turning 'Kamp Krusty' into a feature-length movie but ultimately decided against it feels like such a wasted opportunity.
**M:** That's been well documented, but oddly they ran short of time on that episode as it was, so a movie would have been a stretch. Perhaps they could have dedicated more screen time to the parents enjoying life without children and added a fleshed out sub-plot.
**D:** Surely that incredibly talented group of writers could have put together a story worthy of the big screen. Can you imagine the hype for a _Simpsons_ movie being released in 1992? It would have been a defining moment for most of our childhoods, much like the events of 'Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie'.
**M:** Oh well... we'll always have _Space Jam._
**D:** The show underwent a lot of changes this season. It was the last time the original writing staff worked together, their final hurrah being 'Cape Feare', which didn't air until Season 5 but was written at this time. Not only did the writing staff finish up, but showrunners Jean and Reiss both left to work on _The Critic_...
**M:** Which people will be happy to know didn't stink.
**D:**... the show was now animated by Film Roman instead of Klasky Csupo; even Sam Simon left at the end of the season due to creative disputes. It was definitely a change of eras.
**M:** Which coincided with a massive change in the direction of the comedy. People point to 'Marge vs. the Monorail' as the turning point, but insertions of 'unrealistic' comedy were already being planted, such as Krusty being repeatedly electrocuted in 'Lisa the Beauty Queen', or Homer springing back into the fire in 'Homer the Heretic' _._
**D:** The real-life issues and family values were still there, but so was the elevator to nowhere. 'Marge vs. The Monorail' set a new precedent of what could and couldn't exist within the _Simpsons_ universe and the writers wasted no time in exploring their new-found freedom. Suddenly it was fine for Homer to battle giant spiders in 'Duffless' or for snakes to become fans of Barry White's soothing vocals in 'Whacking Day'. Looking back, Season 1's 'The Call of The Simpsons' probably would have slotted in just nicely with this batch of episodes.
**M:** It's no secret that the biggest changes on screen were brought about by a massive injection of 'unrealistic' comedy. Conan O'Brien had an impact that most writers could only dream of. He might have only four official writing credits, but his influence went well beyond that.
**D:** Well, in 'Mr. Plow', it was Conan who thought it'd be funny for Homer to prevent his car from falling off the mountain by changing the dial on his radio.
**M:** That's exactly the stuff I'm talking about. He also created the character of Captain McCallister. Beyond that, I get the feeling he'd have lifted people around him to be better. Writers' rooms are typically boring, frustrating rooms to be in, but Conan's natural energy lifted everybody around him. I think he would have driven the confidence to chase what was funny, no matter how strange it might be.
**D:** Regardless of the newly established 'wacky' style of comedy, James L. Brooks' presence is still strongly felt as the show continued to dish up some absolute tear-jerking moments. Whether it's singing along to 'Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head' with Homer and Marge in 'Duffless' _,_ or being a fly on the wall as Maggie utters her first word, 'Daddy', it's the power of these moments that defines why this is the greatest show on television.
**M:** That sort of emotional investment is still what lifts these episodes above all imitators, whether or not people realise it. Take 'A Streetcar Named Marge', for example. On the surface, there's already a huge amount going on. There's a musical adaptation of a film adaptation of a play, which is jammed with jokes that anybody who has ever done amateur theatre will love. The songs are brilliant. There's Maggie's _The Great Escape_ inspired shenanigans at day care. But at the core it's just a story about Homer finally finding a way to connect with Marge.
**D:** There was some controversy about _'_ Streetcar, _'_ with the 'New Orleans' song as the opening number. The whole thing was blown out of proportion, all because a critic published the lyrics out of context before the episode aired.
**M:** The funny thing is, that song was supposed to be an homage to 'No Place Like London' from _Sweeney Todd_. It was never really intended to go out of its way to make fun of New Orleans.
**D:** Season 4's version of 'Homer at the Bat' came in the form of 'Krusty Gets Kancelled', bringing in a variety of guest stars in the hopes of spiking the rating.
**M:** The difference here is that by setting it in Krusty's world, it feels like a much more natural way to include a bunch of celebrity cameos.
**D:** I think I always enjoyed the latter more because I actually knew who the guest stars were. Sure, seeing Mr. Burns berate a bunch of major league players was fun and all, but that doesn't come close to environmentalist Bette Midler taking out the trash.
**M:** Or Hugh Hefner's bunny research institute. It also gave me a _very_ misinformed view of who Johnny Carson was and what he was capable of before I'd ever seen reruns of his show.
**D:** The Red Hot Chili Peppers were also a surprise package for me, the way Flea yells 'Hey Moe!' as he enters the wrap up party gets me every time.
**M:** As great as the Peppers are, my favourite music moment comes from another episode this season, with Lisa on guitar in 'Last Exit to Springfield' _._ It's such a fantastic episode overall, and has some truly memorable moments, but her protest song, followed up with a flawless cover of 'Classical Gas', is the pick of the litter. I would like to take this moment to formally apologise to all buskers I've demanded this song from in the past... and all those I will demand it from in the future.
**D:** After three and a half seasons of working around the clock, the show offered up 'So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show', an episode designed to reduce the workload of the staff.
**M:** There was a time when negotiations were pushing to have four clip shows per season.
**D:** Thankfully that never got off the ground. There's only so many times you watch Homer attempt to jump Springfield Gorge.
**M:** If there is, I'm yet to hit my limit.
**D:** As far as clip shows go, this is about as good as it gets, since it still manages to tell a genuinely interesting story. Bart's infamous April Fools prank and subsequent beer explosion is one of my favourite visuals from the earlier years.
**M:** Whenever they have done clip shows, it's made much more palatable by the amount of new content they insert to stitch the clips together.
**D:** The best thing about Season 4 is also the saddest, and it's how quickly Conan moved on.
**M:** It was always going to happen. As he has gone on to prove for years fronting his own show, he just had too much talent not to be a star.
**D:** It would be interesting to see what episode ideas he could come up with nowadays, assuming he's separated himself from the show for the last two decades. If there's anyone out there who could recapture the distinct genius of the show's earlier seasons it's him.
**M:** Given that they have had guest writers in the past, such as Ricky Gervais and Judd Apatow, I'm sure if Conan came calling they'd be more than happy to say yes. Until then, we will have to be content with him occasionally performing the Monorail song at public events.
## 'New Kid on the Block'
### (Season 4, Episode 8)
Review by Dando
_Bart falls in love with his new next-door neighbour, Laura Powers. As hard as Bart tries, he is unable to bridge the age gap and get her to take a romantic interest in him. When he finds out she has fallen for Jimbo Jones, he tries to block the two from getting together. Elsewhere, Homer fights a legal battle against an all-you-can-eat restaurant._
The beauty with writing this book has been that it's served as a reminder of just how much the show means to me. In preparation, I asked my work colleagues what their favourite episodes were, and to my surprise two of the five said 'New Kid on the Block'. Over time I'd seemed to have forgotten how great this episode was, but that discussion brought back a flood of memories from my childhood that hadn't existed in years. The charm of _The Simpsons_ is that particular moments and episodes help rekindle you with the happier times of your youth. For me, none do this quite so well as 'New Kid on the Block'.
The first episode written by Conan O'Brien manages to combine the story of Bart's first love, the aftermath of a bitter divorce, as well as my all-time favourite Homer sub-plot. In fact, I'd almost go as far as to say that Homer's 'David vs. Goliath' battle with The Frying Dutchman is my favourite Homer story, period. As ridiculous as his lawsuit may seem, Homer was well within his rights to challenge Captain McCallister's (making his first appearance) idea of All You Can Eat. He needed to do it, not just for himself, but for all of us. After all, 'that could've been me!' As I write this I realise that I could base my entire review around Homer's story alone, so let's just put it on the back burner for the time being and focus on the episode's main plot.
I like to call this Conan's forgotten episode. Whenever people are discussing his contribution to the show, 'Marge vs. the Monorail' and 'Homer Goes to College' are usually the topics of conversation, which is perfectly understandable given how special they are. However, while their fast-paced wacky plots paved the way for a new era to the show, 'New Kid on the Block' proved that Conan also knew how to tone it down.
Bart's infatuation with his new neighbour Laura Powers (played to perfection by Sara Gilbert of _Roseanne_ fame) was a story that resonated with me as an 8-year-old, for I too had a crush on the older girl next door. Much like the tomboyish traits of Laura, my neighbour was the only girl I knew who enjoyed video games, except her specialty wasn't 'Escape from Death Row', it was 'Wonder Boy' on the Sega. After seeing these similarities unfold on my television screen, I honestly remember believing that this episode must have been written about me, and me alone. It was the first time I truly connected with the show on a personal level: this wasn't just funny, it actually meant something.
Your first crush is a pivotal moment in your life. It's a feeling that hits you out of nowhere and leaves you confused as to how to handle it. Lisa had already experienced hers with Mr. Bergstrom (and to a lesser extent Corey), but up until now the idea of liking girls was never on Bart's agenda. It was only nine episodes ago that he was belittling his best friend Milhouse for having a girlfriend, so to think he had suddenly become everything he'd always hated was truly a directional change in the character's development.
Having Bart search for advice from the two key male role models in his life was certainly a nice touch. Although he normally confides in Otto for school-related issues, this was far too personal, and there's no way Bart would ever want Otto knowing he was interested in a girl in the first place. Approaching Grampa and Homer added a sense of realism to Bart's curiosity and opened the door to one of my favourite Homer flashbacks as a child, the one where the monkeys are 'killing each other', which is also the first adult gag on the show that I can remember understanding. Then as I got older I found the scene that followed to be far more entertaining, when we get another piece of classic Homer parenting as he compares women to kitchen appliances and alcohol.
As much as this is a Bart-centric episode, Homer will always be the star as far as I'm concerned. The sheer desperation to get back to his table to finish his plate of food after being ejected from the restaurant is something I aspire to. Castellaneta's delivery of 'but the sign said all you can eat?' perfectly expresses both Homer's sadness and confusion, like a child being told he can't have a second bowl of ice cream. Thankfully Lionel Hutz comes to his rescue, the only time I can remember him winning a case.
The way Conan pulled a much-loved recurring gag from left field to help resolve the episode's main story was pure genius. We all get a kick out of Bart's prank phone calls to Moe, but the idea of Moe finally getting his revenge was even more tantalising. Granted, the fact that Bart was willing to let Jimbo be brutally murdered with a rusty knife for a crime he didn't commit may have been a step too far. Still, upon first viewing it definitely made for an edge-of-your-seat conclusion to a rather simple story of unrequited love.
'New Kid on the Block' will never be as iconic as Conan's other work on _The Simpsons_ , but that doesn't stop it from being a real 'coming of age' moment for Bart. He no longer feared cooties and was willing to start putting himself in a vulnerable situation for a chance at love. Now all he had to do was grow a bad teenage moustache.
#### What did we learn?
A woman is a lot like a refrigerator.
## 'Marge vs. the Monorail'
### (Season 4, Episode 12)
In Conversation
_After a $3,000,000 windfall, Springfield must decide what to spend their money on. A travelling salesman convinces the town to build a new monorail, but is revealed to be a con-man whose shoddy craftsmanship and cheap materials have left a trail of destruction in his wake. The town just better have a damn good conductor._
**MITCH:** Of all of Conan O'Brien's contributions to _The Simpsons_ , this is the most loved and influential. It marks a paradigm shift in the style of comedy that would be portrayed for the next several seasons.
**DANDO:** Conan has gone on the record as saying that this is his favourite episode that he wrote for the show. Apparently, it still gets brought up regularly during interviews to this day, but you can tell he doesn't mind since he seems genuinely proud of it, and so he should be.
**M:** You could easily argue that, despite his short run, Conan had as much influence on _The Simpsons_ as any writer in the show's history, including James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, John Swartzwelder, etc. Up until this moment very little would happen that wasn't within the bounds of reality, but from this point on, anything was possible.
**D:** You can imagine there would have been a real contrast of styles at the writers' retreat that year. Al Jean and Mike Reiss had kept the show firmly grounded in reality until then, under strict orders from Groening of course, so you can understand their hesitation when Conan first pitched the story to them. The idea that Groening would allow guest star Leonard Nimoy to beam out in the show's closing shot would have seemed laughable at the time, so it must have been a massive but relieving shock when he gave it the green light. That one decision opened up so many possibilities, setting a precedent for a new dynamic that the show had yet to explore.
**M:** And, as a non- _Star Tre_ k fan, introduced me to Leonard Nimoy.
**D:** Interestingly, Nimoy wasn't the writer's first choice to be the guest star. But now it's hard to imagine the episode without him. He completely bought into the insanity that he was a part of, delivering some of my favourite lines in the whole episode. He won me over the moment he leaned out of the monorail and saved Krusty from certain suicide because 'the world needs laughter'.
**M:** You could almost say that this was to _The Simpsons_ what 'The Marine Biologist' was to _Seinfeld_ in terms of stretching the bounds of reality while winning over fans, and yet Yeardley Smith has said that she, along with other cast members, absolutely hated the episode. I can understand why they felt that way about 'Homer at the Bat' with its use of excessive guest stars, but what wasn't there to love here? If anything, it breathed fresh air into the series and arguably played a key role in its ability to still be on the air almost 25 years later.
**D:** Maybe it was just too big of a shift for what they were used to, or hard for them to imagine during the table-read. The episode had the most absurdly perfect bookends, kicking off with Homer's rendition of _The Flintstones_ intro and ending with the popsicle-stick skyscraper, giant magnifying glass and escalator to nowhere.
**M:** Conan has a great knack for writing visual comedy, and the animators support him brilliantly with their execution of Homer sliding along tubes and flying out a window to land in his car in that opening sequence. You can just imagine how exciting this episode would have been to draw because they got to do so much that they'd never done before. It would have been a nightmare, for sure, to create a top-down layout of Springfield for the Monorail to zoom around in, but you just get the sense that everybody involved had an extra level of excitement about the new possibilities on offer.
**D:** It was as if Conan felt like he might never have such comedic freedom in another episode, so he tried to cram in as much ridiculousness as possible. Even the fade to black as we continue to hear people's screams as they plummet from the escalator is genius. The episode literally leaves you laughing at people killing themselves.
**M:** That surreal comedy ramps up after the opening sequence as we see Burns and Smithers dumping toxic waste barrels in a park. In the past that joke might have still been included, but there's no way it would have been followed up with a mutant tree come to life and a laser-eyed squirrel.
**D:** What's amazing about this episode is that the jokes never get old upon repeat viewing. Whether it's the giant pothole filled with popcorn, the exploits of Mr. Snrub or even Sebastian Cobb's realisation that a haircut may have been unnecessary in the midst of a crisis, not a moment is wasted when it comes to delivering laughs.
**M:** Another great strength to the episode is that while it introduces a lot of reality-bending comedy, it doesn't exclusively rely on it. The writing itself is whip-smart. I particularly enjoy the back and forth between Wiggum and Quimby, arguing over who had the authority in the situation. If you work in politics and you haven't at some stage said to an opponent, 'Run along, Quimby, I think they're dedicating a phone booth somewhere' then I'm afraid you are letting your country down.
**D:** Bart's admiration for Homer was also a nice touch, since he doesn't get many opportunities to be proud of his father. Obviously Lanley selected Homer for the job purely at random, however Bart doesn't need to know that. In fact, he almost becomes Homer's little sidekick as a result, tagging along in the front cabin for the monorail ride. This allowed for some great banter, particularly their moment of reflection that it seems they're doomed to crash, but at least they'd be taking a lot of innocent people with them.
**M:** Of course, the show's centrepiece is a toe-tapping number that has gone down in history as a song that transcends the adoration of both hardcore fans and casual viewers alike.
**D:** I don't think there's a _Simpsons_ fan alive who can read the word 'monorail' in non-chorus fashion. 'The Monorail Song' is such a fun jingle that really encapsulates the enthusiasm Conan brought to the writing room.
**M:** To give an idea of how catchy that song is, there's something that hadn't really occurred to me until now. As obvious as this sounds now, $3,000,000 isn't really a lot of money in the scheme of a city budget. The Las Vegas Monorail cost something like $650,000,000 for only 4.4 miles of track. Considering that, maybe fixing Main Street, or even investing in Bart's killer ant-bots, was a much more realistic option.
**D:** I'd never thought about that before, but as a taxpayer I'd have to agree.
**M:** Of course, a budget line and logic can't compete with a catchy jingle from a confident salesman. 'The Monorail Song' stands clear at the top of the _Simpsons'_ impressive catalogue of musical numbers. I can't open a canned food item without starting to sing it in my kitchen.
**D:** When it comes to one-time characters, very few are more memorable than Lyle Lanley. You'd have to think Conan wrote the role with Hartman in mind since the man was such a comedic genius. With his sharp wit and charming demeanour, Lanley is the smooth talker Hutz always dreamed he could be.
**M:** Lanley may be a fraud, but he's a brilliant salesman. Even when being grilled by Lisa, he manages to distract her with flattery by playing to her intelligence. He has an answer for everything. It puts him up there with the best fictional con-men. I like to imagine an alternate universe where he hatches schemes with the guys from _The Sting_.
**D:** Ironically, Lanley unwittingly chose the one person in town who would have been able to stop the monorail...
**M:** What I love about Homer here is that he remains completely oblivious about how bad he is. He genuinely believes that he's a great conductor, and he takes pride in it. But, as you say, a legitimately qualified conductor probably could not have managed to stop the monorail whilst simultaneously separating conjoined twins.
## 'Brother from the Same Planet'
### (Season 4, Episode 14)
Review by Mitch
_Bart joins up to the Bigger Brother programme in an act of revenge after Homer forgets to pick him up from soccer practice. At first oblivious to his son's actions, Homer soon discovers what Bart is doing with his time, and in a fit of jealousy he joins the programme himself. Meanwhile, Lisa fights a crippling addiction to The Corey Hotline._
'Brother from the Same Planet' excels in combining the very best elements of _The Simpsons_ into one neat package. It has a perfect mix of the reality-distorting comedy that was by now making its way into more and more episodes, such as the flying nun literally exploding on impact after being swept away by a storm. It has plenty of sweetness in Pepi and, to an extent, in Lisa's battle to stop calling the Corey Hotline. It is also jam-packed with movie references and has some of the greatest non sequiturs of all time, including Homer's infamous argument with his own brain when listing his motivation for joining the Bigger Brothers ('Don't say revenge').
In pitting Homer against Bart, 'Brother from the Same Planet' sets up a brilliant rivalry between the show's two most prominent characters. The two have had moments of not seeing eye to eye in the past, and Homer's role as authority figure has positioned him as a roadblock in Bart's way, but we haven't seen them scheme and plot against each other like this before. As a movie buff, the opening sequence of Bart waiting for Homer almost feels like it was written specifically for me. Bart communicating via Milhouse to 'trab pu kcip' à la _The Shining_ is the highlight, while the joke about the kids sneaking into an R-rated movie that turns out to be _Barton Fink_ is another great example of a joke that I didn't get until I was much older. Maybe I'm not giving Milhouse & Co. enough credit, but I'm not sure that the critically acclaimed film from the Coen Brothers that contains no sex or violence isn't what they had in mind.
Homer's unique ability to be oblivious to any situation is in full force, as his environment is virtually screaming at him to pick up Bart. Marge literally reminds him before leaving the house and thinks he has taken it on. If only the _Wheel of Fortune_ answer had been 'What was that, honey?' Not even the retirement of Green Bay legend 'Bart' Starr is enough to kick Homer into action. It's not until he decides to take a bath that it hits him. To his credit, once he has realised that he is several hours late, he wastes no time on trivialities such as clothing when racing out the door. The 'acting' from Bart when Homer picks him up is quite something. The animation/direction deserves all the credit as Bart conveys a silent fury that somehow holds up even as a spilled sundae slowly melts on top of his head. As visual jokes go, it's as good as they come. Further conveying his rage, he imagines Homer's face melting and a world on fire in a scene reminiscent of _Terminator 2: Judgment Day._
While watching Krusty host _Tuesday Night Live_ (writer Jon Vitti's parody of _SNL_ , where he previously worked) Bart sees an ad for Bigger Brothers. Bart's eventual bigger brother, Tom, was written with Tom Cruise in mind. There are numerous references to Cruise's films, as Tom rides a motorbike and is an F-14 pilot for the Navy. It's hard to imagine a bigger guest star this side of Michael Jackson than Tom Cruise in 1993, and I'll go to my grave wondering what kind of energy he would have brought to the character. But, as Scientology teaches us, when one door closes a window is opened on Xenu... or... something. In any case, Phil Hartman – a frequent guest as Hutz or Troy McClure – took the role of Tom and made it his own. It's such a treat to be able to watch him play a character central to the plot. When he introduces himself at the school with his larger than life voice and tosses Bart a personalised motorbike helmet, it inspired 5-year-old Mitch to race into the shed and paint lightning bolts on his own helmet.
Not to be forgotten, Lisa and Marge face their own battles, but unlike Bart and Homer, they tackle it together. It makes sense that an isolated 8-year-old would seek companionship in the pre-recorded messages from her teen idol. Like any addict, Lisa struggles to get dry, but is able to do it with the support of those around her. This sub-plot is most notable for the inclusion of the Skinner _Psycho_ parody, with Mother's watchful gaze and swift hand an ever-present spectre looking down on the school. Skinner identifying a 900 number shows how skilled this Principal is at identifying misbehaviour and budget expenses.
A great set-up to a story is nothing without a great conclusion, and the epic battle of Homer and Tom certainly delivers. Fighting all over Springfield, down and back up the gorge, into and out of antique stores, it's a fight akin to the climax of the first _Iron Man_ film. Homer gives it his best shot, but the final wince-inducing 'crick' as his back is bent over a fire hydrant may as well be the final bell in this encounter. It's fitting that Bart, who started everything, is the one to fix up Pepi with Tom. It alleviates any guilt Bart was feeling for taking up a bigger brother when he didn't really deserve it. It's also nice to see Bart realise that while Homer may not be the perfect father, he's the perfect father for him. You can choose your bigger brothers, but you can't choose your family.
#### What did we learn?
To shake your booty means to wiggle one's butt.
## Trivia Challenge
. How much weight did Homer have to gain to be qualified as disabled?
. Who teaches the orange eating class at the Adult Education Annex?
. What food is at the top of Dr. Nick's 'Nutrition Pyramid'?
. How long was Krusty estranged from his father?
. Who is the Springfield A&M mascot?
. How many screens does Mr. Burns have in his office?
. What number Stonecutter is Mr. Burns?
. Where does Skinner first kiss Mrs. Krabappel?
. What is Freddy Quimby's licence plate?
. Which characters are on The Home Wreckers bowling team?
. What happens to Skinner when he gets upset?
. Which Mexican wrestler do The Investorettes sponsor?
. What is the name of the bootleg adults-only Itchy and Scratchy cartoon?
. How much does Chester J. Lampwick sue Roger Myers Jr. for?
. How many television channels does Springfield have?
. What medical condition does Sideshow Mel have?
. What was Barney holding at the NASA press conference?
. How many girls are on Springfield pee-wee football team?
. Where does Lisa find the secret confession of Jebediah Springfield?
. What model is Homer's auto-dialler?
. What did Bart take a bite out of at Freddy Quimby's birthday?
. What year did Marge graduate high school?
. How many members were there originally in the Flying Hellfish?
. Where is Leon Kompowsky from?
. How many times has Nelson seen _Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie_?
. What was Moe's original boxing nickname?
. According to Mr. Burns, what three demons must you slay to succeed in business?
. How much is the Springfield Bear Patrol tax?
. What colour is Poochie's hat?
. What is KBBL's frequency?
. Who steals Mr. Burns' trillion-dollar bill?
. How much does Bart pay for the _Itchy & Scratchy_ cel?
. What bridge does Hank Scorpio blow up?
. What year did someone first make jokes about Giant Handed Man?
. Who runs the Ajax Steel Mill?
. How much does Homer charge to see the 'angel'?
. What award does Lisa envision impaling Bart on?
. What business does Homer try to reach with a stick in New York?
. What is the name of the baby with one eyebrow?
. What is the title of Lisa's 'Patriots of Tomorrow' essay?
. Which NHL player did Bart pass off as Woodrow?
. What does Homer's shirt say in the continuous loop video?
. What does Nelson always bring to show & tell?
. Where was Sideshow Bob hiding at the air show?
. What is the Dean's name in _School of Hard Knockers_?
. What does Marge buy with the money from Homer's swear jar?
. What were Kent Brockman's winning lottery numbers?
. How much is Bonestorm?
. How much is a suitcase of beer at the Kwik-E-Mart?
. What game do Cooder and Spud run at the Springfield Carnival?
. What time do the mob arrive for their pretzel money?
. How many puppies does Santa's Little Helper father?
. What town does Larry Burns live in?
. What type of fruit tree did Lisa want in the backyard?
. What Gladiator is Luanne Van Houten's boyfriend?
. What drink does Grampa order at La Maison Derrière?
. Where was Homer heading when he had to stop over in New York?
. What is the title of Mr. Burns' autobiography?
. What animal is the mascot of Shelbyville's football team?
. Which band steals from Peter Frampton?
. What is the name of Bart and Lisa's Itchy & Scratchy cartoon?
. How many quarters does it cost Milhouse to play the Waterworld arcade machine?
. What fake name does Bart give to Brad Goodman?
. What does the Mr. Sparkle employee's shirt say?
. How many numbers does Homer dial to call the Mr. Sparkle factory?
. How old was Frank Grimes when he blew up in a silo explosion?
. What does Skinner's BBQ apron say?
. What do the Movementarians call their distant home planet?
. Who leaves their glasses in the toilet at the power plant?
. What does the sign say on the door to Apu's secret staircase?
. How many times does Sideshow Bob step on a rake in 'Cape Feare'?
. What two fruits do Bart and Nelson race on the school bus?
. How many teeth are visible in Cletus' overbite?
. What band does Bart think he sees in New York?
. What was the title of The Be Sharps' second album?
. What year did Sting use to open for Krusty?
. What is the address Molloy says he buried the treasure at?
. What store does Marge buy her Chanel suit from?
. What product does Barney ask the pancake syrup for directions to?
. How much does Moe pay for Krusty's bed?
. What is Sideshow Mel's real name?
. What is Homer's favourite flavour of donut?
. How many consecutive hours did Apu once work at the Kwik-E-Mart?
. How many glasses of water does Bart drink on Christmas Eve?
. How long does it take Moe's deep fryer to flash-fry a buffalo?
. Which episode featured 'The Adventures of Ned Flanders'?
. How many atoms does Mr. Burns' grandfather find in the worker's pocket?
. What's the first thing Lisa hears Malibu Stacy say?
. How much does Homer originally charge for a ride on Stampy?
. How many hours a day does Marge spend at home?
. What show do Bart and Milhouse go see on their Squishee bender?
. What episode did Itchy & Scratchy first appear in?
. What song do Bill & Marty accidentally play on Valentine's Day?
. Which football player gives Homer the Pigskin Classic game ball?
. How powerful is the bomb Sideshow Bob steals at the air show?
. What extra ingredient does Wiggum add to his chilli?
. What painting does Bart wipe away whilst cleaning the house?
. What does Comic Book Guy plan to watch while eating his 100 tacos?
. Which Little Rascal did Moe kill?
. Where was Lyle Lanley intending to fly to?
. How many bathtubs does Homer buy to brew his own alcohol?
. What did Krusty's memorial grave say?
. What is the name of Nelson's soapbox racer?
. What is the Mr. Plow phone number?
. Whose grave does Homer mistake for his mother's?
. Which Be Sharp plays the banjo?
. What is Springfield's town motto?
. What type of flower did Nelson pick for Shary Bobbins?
. What is Flanders' room number at the Calmwood Mental Hospital?
. What colour is Krusty's bowtie?
. Who was Springfield's Sanitation Commissioner before Homer?
. Who travels to space with Homer and Buzz Aldrin?
. What was the first thing to ever go wrong at Itchy & Scratchy Land?
. What team do the Pin Pals defeat first?
. What's inside the former Knoxville Sunsphere?
. How much did Homer spend on his dummy to get out of work?
. Which celebrity did Homer miss out on meeting at the mall?
. What is the name of Homer's internet business?
. How much did Mr. Burns sell the Springfield Power Plant to the Germans for?
. What is the name of cousin Merl's dog?
. What was Lisa's first word?
. Who is McBain's partner?
. How much did Homer pay for Lisa's pony?
. What does Moe do on Wednesday nights?
. What colour is the novelty foam hand Smithers buys for Mr. Burns?
. Who is the owner of the Shelbyville Power Plant?
. How many hours did Lionel Hutz babysit Bart and Lisa?
. What year did Roger Myers steal the rights to Itchy from Chester J. Lampwick?
. What number jersey does Nelson wear for the Springfield Wildcats?
. How much does Mr. Burns pay Krusty to deliver a pizza to Bart?
. What are the names of the three nerds in 'Homer Goes to College'?
. What pastry does Kent Brockman eat before reading the news?
. On which site does Comic Book Guy find out who is playing Radioactive Man?
. What mountain do Homer and Mr. Burns get trapped on?
. What fake name does Bart use to purchase Laddie?
. What is the secret ingredient of a Flaming Moe?
. What episode did Disco Stu first appear in?
. What colour was Rabbi Krustofski's hair when he was younger?
. Where was The Simpsons 138th Spectacular held?
. What is the name of Rancho Relaxo's masseuse?
## An Interview with Mike B. Anderson
_Mike B. Anderson has worked on nearly 400_ Simpsons _episodes in one role or another, doing everything from character layout to directing episodes. His directorial debut came in Season 7 with 'Lisa the Iconoclast'. Since then he has two Emmies for 'Homer's Phobia' and 'HOMЯ'._
You've directed several episodes featuring guest stars – Donald Sutherland, Willem Dafoe, John Waters et al. What are the differences or similarities in your approach to them compared to the regular cast?
_Simpsons_ acting is the visual expression of the vocal performance. The script dictates staging and the voice track informs the acting. Our main cast delivers such vivid voice tracks that it's not hard to imagine the _Simpsons_ characters' performances, especially since we've been animating them for 28 seasons. With guest stars, it's a kind of fresh start. Their voice performances have their own qualities and idiosyncrasies to consider. If they are playing a version of themselves, then it's cool to display the actor's traits, postures and iconic behaviours in their acting. I always want to study the guest celebrities' work and try to get it right. Even if they are doing a voice for an entirely new character, you can use their known traits to help realise the personality of that new character. For example, you can see a lot of Albert Brooks in Hank Scorpio's personality. In all cases, the vocal performance is the great guiding force on how to animate the character.
'Homer's Phobia' was acclaimed at the time it went to air. Twenty years later, how would the episode change to reflect today's culture?
I don't think it would have to change. It's just as relevant and entertaining as it was 20 years ago! Obviously, the gay subject matter isn't as shocking today as it was in '97, but the story of prejudice between different kinds of people is timeless and is a perfect conflict for dramatic comedy. Bias is usually a negative trait in real life. The kind of bias in 'Homer's Phobia' is endearing because it's Homer... and because he ends up being tenderised by a herd of reindeer ramming him repeatedly.
It is said that film is a director's medium, television is a writer's medium, and stage is an actor's medium. Where does animation fit in?
On _Simpsons_ , the script is the master and all efforts are to realise the vision of that script. That said, directing an episode is very much like directing a movie – you tell the story through acting and visually realising the details of the story in every way that a live-action director does.
How much direct influence do you have over an episode?
The animation director does have a big influence over the final episode and its overall effectiveness as entertainment. It's a big responsibility. Luckily, we have a great team of talented directors, who all worked their way up into that position by drawing thousands of Homers, Marges, Barts, Lisas, Maggies and everyone else in Springfield.
Who would you say has been the biggest influence on the show in your time working there?
When I first started on the show in 1990, David Silverman was the guiding force of the _Simpsons_ look and animation. He set the aesthetic style for the show with his Christmas Special, 'Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire'. He was the guy who said, 'Don't draw it like that, draw it like this.' We had meetings about elbows, hair hoops, pupil sizes and everything. Every detail was decided upon and added to the style guide. No doubt David was funnelling Matt Groening's sensibilities into this guidance, but you can feel David's style in _The Simpsons_. Brad Bird also had a huge impact on the style of storytelling in the early days of _The Simpsons_.
How was Brad's approach different to that of the others?
Brad looked to classic movies for staging inspiration and wanted shots to be very narrative and cinematic – more like movies than television. The first director I worked for on the show was Rich Moore ( _Futurama_ , _Wreck-It Ralph_ , _Zootopia_ ) and I learned a lot of animation tricks from him too – tricks I still use today.
What episode do you wish you could have made?
If you're referring to an existing episode that I didn't direct, but wish I had, I might say 'Homer's Enemy', not because I think I could do a better job (that was pure Jim Reardon and hilarious), but because I love the Frank Grimes character so much and it's one of my favourite episodes. What I'd rather say is, I would love to direct another episode with John Waters that sees his 'Homer's Phobia' character return for another adventure with the Simpsons. I have some cool ideas for a plot and would love to make that happen. I think fans would love it too!
Do you think it's a possibility?
I'm friends with John and he tells me that, even though it's been 20 years, people still constantly talk to him about being on _The Simpsons_.
Is there an episode you wish you could have done differently?
I like all the shows I've directed, some better than others, but I do admit there's a few animation moments that make me cringe when I see them. In almost every case, it's because I ran out of time and feel I didn't really make a moment shine as well as it should have. Sometimes there's a small technical flaw that there was no time to fix, and that makes me crazy. The truth is, most viewers are never aware of these flaws because they're enjoying the story. (I won't help you by telling you which episodes I think have flaws.) We do these shows really fast for how ambitious they are, and at some point, they just have to be finished. _Simpsons_ directors are notoriously schedule-challenged and try to squeeze in more time to make things better. It's because they all want to make their shows the best they can be, which drives them to revise scenes up to the last minute.
How has the process changed since you started?
Technically speaking, it's gone from the Stone Age to the Space Age. We still hand-draw all the characters, just not on paper. In the old days, everything was shot on film, which had to be processed overnight. If the animation was flawed or timed badly or just wrong, it would have to be shot again and wait another day for the retake to come back from the lab. Today, we draw on computer screens (Wacom tablets) and every artist has the software and ability to test the animation, refine the timing and add or subtract poses, then spit out a QuickTime movie to show the director. This could happen in hours, or even minutes, with endless possible revisions. The first 13 seasons of Simpsons production (1989–2002) were all drawn on paper, shot on film and finished on painted animation cels. I directed the last episode produced with animation cels, 'How I Spent My Strummer Vacation'. After that, the show was all digital ink and paint, done on computers. This opened up the colour palette too, and shows started becoming more sophisticated in their art direction. I personally like digital tools because you can fix things on the spot and adjust timing to be faster and funnier. The next big production shift happened in 2007, right after _The Simpsons Movie_ , when the show went high-def and expanded to the widescreen (16:9) format.
As someone who has worked on the show for its entire journey, during which period would you say your job was the most challenging?
It's all relative. Producing _Simpsons_ shows is always challenging, but I think the early paper and cels days were a little harder than it is now with computer tools. I like the flexibility of computers to improve animation on the spot and retime things to be more effective. Then again, the writers are aware of these advantages and so they write bigger scenes with bigger crowds and parades and events that occur everywhere on earth. It keeps it interesting, but the scope of the stories has been enlarged to fit the advantages and so I suppose it's a toss-up on the amount of work. In the history of production, one unusual challenge stands out above others – the Northridge earthquake in 1994. We were finishing Season 5 and just starting Season 6 when the quake hit early on a Monday morning. The building where we worked was deemed unsafe and so the whole production was displaced. Small batches of people were allowed inside the building to gather the drawings and materials so they could set up temporary workspaces in nearby, undamaged buildings. There were several weeks when we worked almost shoulder to shoulder to keep the shows in motion. A couple of directors set up shops in their garages at home and had their teams work there. The show must go on... and it did.
Martin Scorsese has Leonardo DiCaprio. Christopher Nolan has Michael Caine. Who is your favourite actor to work with?
The main cast always dazzle with their performances and I've had wonderful experiences animating all of them. Lisa singing for 'The President Wore Pearls' felt incredibly special. I certainly love working with all Dan Castellaneta's characters. He's just plain funny. Sometimes at table-reads (the first read-through of a new script), Dan might have to do a conversation between Homer, Grampa, Krusty the Clown and Willie – all Dan voices – and it's hilarious to see him juggle voices and personalities. A personal favourite – I've had the privilege of working with Albert Brooks' voiced characters many times, including in _The Simpsons Movie_ , and each time has been fantastic.
What were some films that influenced 'Halloween of Horror'?
I'm a big fan of horror and sci-fi movies so I was very excited when supervising producer, Matt Selman, said he wanted it to be scary. There are nods to many classic horror icons that horror buffs know well – _Halloween, Alien, Night of the Living Dead, Texas Chainsaw Massacre_. I researched an old favourite, _Lady in a Cage_ , for the home invaders' demented personalities. I also went and experienced the Universal Halloween Horror Nights event (which was really scary) for insights to do Krustyland Halloween Horror Night. My proudest moment was watching the episode with my daughter and having her tell me how scary it was to see the three scuzzos' reflections in the kitchen window.
What excites you more – a blank piece of paper, a storyboard, or a finished product?
I really enjoy the whole process. It's all about solving problems – story problems, staging problems, art problems. One of the more brain-sizzling fun activities is the bi-weekly, all-day, storyboard review process, where we analyse the rough storyboards of an entire episode. We tear them apart, add and delete shots, improve staging, make jokes work better, combine shots, add more cinematic angles, inject new ideas, etc. It's an intensely creative meeting that takes an entire day, and sometimes two, depending on the complexity of the episode. Good ideas are mined from all the participants. It's exhausting but very rewarding and a lot of magic happens.
Some people have suggested a potential for the show to start creating topical shorts for the YouTube generation. Do you see a future in this medium for the show?
_Simpsons_ recently produced humorous shorts for online consumption lampooning President Trump. That could be considered topical. _The Simpsons_ tends to explore and experiment with all new formats and media when they appear, but I don't know that being topical is on the agenda. My personal feeling is that if _Simpsons_ has something topical it wants to comment on, then it will. We have certainly proved that we can produce an animated piece on a moment's notice.
The episode 'You Only Move Twice' is highly regarded by viewers as one of the greatest episodes in the show's history. Did it have the same appeal from a director's perspective?
'You Only Move Twice' was the second episode I directed and it really felt like something special when we were making it. I was (and am) a total Albert Brooks fan boy, so the chance to animate a character with his voice was a rock star moment for me. We had six weeks to produce the animatic in those days (which is a rough, posed out version of the show for the producers to scrutinise and rewrite). Hank Azaria had performed all of Scorpio's lines at that point; quite brilliantly, actually. Three weeks into our process, we got the Albert Brooks voice track and it was maybe 75% different from the scripted lines (Brooks was famous for his ad-libs and improv). This meant we had to restage a large portion of the Scorpio performance, with only three weeks to deadline... His voice was so awesome, we just did it and had a great time doing it. The Scorpio character was so well received by the producers, they trusted me to direct the next Halloween episode, 'Treehouse of Horror VII'. Had a blast with that one too. I love my job!
Which unique qualities do you think you bring to the table when directing an episode of **The Simpsons**?
I believe I'm a good storyteller with a knack for finding the funny in any situation. It's a good fit for directing _Simpsons_ , which is loaded with hilarious dialogue and story situations that must be staged to realise both the story and humour. It helps that I have been blessed with some amazing scripts. I was elated to get the 'Trilogy of Error' directing assignment. I loved the puzzle quality of the idea and juggling all the details to make the premise work. It was much harder to make the idea work than it might look. A funny side note – the producers told me that 'Trilogy of Error' was their choice as the episode they wanted to put up for the Emmy award that year. I was very happy until I later heard they had decided on a different episode. Oh well. That's the way it goes... Then I heard it was 'HOMЯ' they chose instead and I was happy again. 'HOMЯ' ended up winning the statue that year.
What episode best describes working on the show?
At this point, 'Future-Drama' comes to mind (which I also happened to direct). No one could have predicted the future of this little show when it first aired in December of 1989. The world is such a different place than it was 28 years ago. Public tastes have changed and evolved. Huge technological advancements and new media have distracted and splintered audiences in different directions. So many other TV shows have come and gone. But _The Simpsons_ is still here, and it's hard to imagine a world without it or what future drama will finally lead to the last episode being produced. I'm positive that even after the series wraps, whenever that is, _The Simpsons_ will be with us in ways that we can't predict. Maybe not the answer you were looking for, but that's what popped into my head.
Note: I'm sure some of my responses are perhaps a little too reverent to _The Simpsons_. I can't help it – I love this show so much. I often marvel at its long history and ponder all the things that had to happen just right, and not to happen wrong, for a TV show to survive almost three decades of world events and still be popular. Maybe _The Simpsons_ is just that special. I feel incredibly lucky to have been in the right place at the right time to win a job that I'm still excited about 28 years later.
## Dando's Backstage Tour
When I asked my wife to marry me six years ago, I never imagined that our honeymoon would include a tour of the _Simpsons_ animation studios.
I must begin by thanking _Simpsons_ production supervisor Nikki Isordia for organising it all; without her this opportunity never would have happened. In fact, a lot of Four Finger Discount's success would have never eventuated had it not been for Nikki's generosity. This experience wasn't something I asked for, rather it was a special gift that she offered and for that I will be forever grateful.
Waiting by the front of the building with both my wife Nicola and one of my best friends, Matt (who was conveniently in the US at the same time), I found myself thinking back to 'The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson' when Bart found _MAD_ magazine's HQ. Standing outside those doors, I was just as nervous and excited as he was. Even Nicola, who is by no means a diehard fan of the show at all, was thrilled with excitement. How could we not be? We were about to visit _The Simpsons_!
To look at the building, you would never know that this is the home of the greatest animated series of all time. Unlike the famous FOX lot, there are no murals featuring our favourite characters sprawled across the exterior – it appears to be just another office building in the concrete jungle of Burbank, California. Admittedly, things may have changed since, as they had only moved into the building a few months prior to our visit.
Upon being greeted by Nikki and her puppy/best friend, Bowie, who has somewhat taken the role of an office mascot, the time had finally come. As we began making our way upstairs, I immediately became stricken with the fear of embarrassing myself in front of all these people who I respected so highly. A part of me kept thinking: How should I introduce myself? What should I ask? _Should_ I ask anything at all? Will they even care? Meanwhile, the other part of me was wondering why the animation studio of one of television's biggest icons was merely just another level of a multi-storey complex. Disappointingly, their floor wasn't even wedged in between bowling alleys.
As we entered the reception area we were greeted with a beautiful mural of the opening shot of the intro, with the words 'The Simpsons' in front of a cloudy sky. I've only squealed with glee a handful of times in my life, and I'm not ashamed to admit that this was one of them. Gazing around the wide-open room, I felt like a child about to visit Disneyland for the first time. Offices surrounded a hub of cubicles that were filled with _Simpsons_ sketches and memorabilia. I felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that I collect the same _Simpsons_ paraphernalia as the people who create the show themselves. From the World of Springfield action figures to a Super Nintendo cartridge of Virtual Bart, this was a museum of _Simpsons_ nostalgia. It actually had a calming effect on my nerves as I realised that these incredibly talented people are all fans, just like you and me.
Whilst Nikki was giving us a brief tour to start the day, I was busy trying my hardest to appear invisible as I peeked over the shoulders of animators at work. Watching a professional draw these beloved characters with such ease was a thing of beauty. As Bowie continued to lead us down the hallway I remember getting distracted by a storyboard and walked right into a cubicle wall. The beauty of lagging behind at the back of the pack is that nobody notices when you make a fool of yourself. After a brief visit to Nikki's office the tour ended with an unexpected stop at the office of acclaimed director, Rob Oliver. 'He's the guy who designed the covers of the DVDs!' I whispered to my wife with excitement.
As we all took a seat in Rob's office, Nikki suddenly left for a meeting. I immediately had flashbacks of my mother dropping me off for my first day of school, feeling completely out of my comfort zone. There was a sense of awkwardness in the air as neither party really knew what to expect from the other. Despite Rob being an incredibly sweet man, the same fear that filled my mind as we initially made our way upstairs suddenly came flooding back. To be fair, I'm not sure Rob was expecting to have three Aussies dumped on him that morning, but much like every other member of the crew he couldn't have been more inviting.
'So, do you watch the new episodes?' Rob asked. Not wanting to lie, I replied with 'Honestly, not every episode, but the ones I've seen like "Barthood" are fantastic.' I wasn't quite sure what I'd said, but the ear-to-ear smile on Rob's face meant I'd certainly passed the test. Little did I know at the time, Rob directed 'Barthood' _,_ so with that stamp of approval we were off to the races.
For the next two hours, we were offered one of the most incredible insights into the making of an episode that I could ever hope to experience. It was so pleasing to see that for a man who has been working on the show for over 20 years, Rob is still just as big of a fan as the rest of us. You could feel his passion as he explained the purpose and meaning of sight gags that literally appear onscreen for no more than a second, or the painstaking process of animating scenes such as Bart running down a flight of stairs. It truly made me appreciate the show's animation on a whole new level as I realised just how much these animators continue to push themselves to achieve what would be impossible for the rest of us.
Then came the highlight of the whole day – getting to draw the characters. I'd spent countless hours as a child practising my Homer, so of course Rob asked me to draw Marge. I panicked a little because I'd never really attempted Marge before, however I wasn't going to let this opportunity slip. It was in this moment that I was sitting in Rob's chair drawing Marge Simpson with his stylus that I became a little overwhelmed with the whole scenario. Nicola has since told me that I was apparently grinning the entire time. For someone who'd never used a stylus before I was rather proud of my efforts, despite how bad it looked once compared to Rob's. On that note, an interesting observation he made was that he's able to recognise which animator has worked on an episode purely by the way they draw Marge's hair. 'It should always have a nice curve to it.'
By the time Nikki arrived to pick us up 'from school' it was time for lunch. Standing in line at the downstairs café, the vast options of sushi distracted me from realising that the man in front of me was the incredible David Silverman. Then to my left I saw Mike B. Anderson, director of classics such as 'Homer's Phobia' and 'You Only Move Twice'. Learning that even Mike knew of our podcast is something I'll never forget.
Up next was a trip to the colouring department, where Eli Balser showed me some of the most incredible animation cels I've ever seen. Holding these cels from some of my favourite episodes can only be compared to the feeling of holding someone else's newborn child, for these weren't just Scratchy's arm, these were fully fleshed out classic scenes from the 90s. I was literally holding a piece of the episode. I couldn't believe it. My personal favourites were the cels of 'The Thing & I' from 'Treehouse of Horror VII', featuring Hugo and the pigeon-rat.
The visit then came to an all-too-abrupt end with an obligatory group photo in front of the Simpson family mural in the studio's kitchen area. Looking back, if there's one thing that this experience taught me it's that the staff who work at _The Simpsons_ are some of the nicest, most genuine people you will ever meet. To them, I was literally a stranger off the street, but that didn't stop them from putting their work aside for a few minutes to give me a memory that would last a lifetime.
## Season 5 (1993-94)
### In Conversation
**DANDO:** While Season 4 dipped its toe into a new brand of comedy, Season 5 dove straight into the deep end. The first five episodes are instant classics that feature heavily on fans' 'Top Ten' lists, especially 'Homer Goes to College' and 'Cape Feare'.
**MITCH:** Not to mention 'Rosebud' _,_ an episode so good it made me want to go out and watch _Citizen Kane._ Both undoubtedly classics, but if I had to pull one off the shelf to watch again on a Sunday afternoon, I'd be reaching for the one starring C. M. Burns every day of the week. It's such a pure tale about a man and his bear, and made me feel a lot better about still taking a teddy to school up until a frighteningly late age in life.
**D:** How late?
**M:** Graduation.
**D:** Well, as an avid Beatles fan, I've always had a soft spot for 'Homer's Barbershop Quartet'. You can tell the writers and animators were all Beatles fans themselves since they managed to work in a plethora of references to the Fab Four that any fan can appreciate.
**M:** Or, at the very least, they clearly did a lot of research of archival footage.
**D:** Exactly. From the infamous 'Let It Be' sessions photo recreation, to Barney wanting to take contemporary music to strange new places with his track 'Number 8', the staff treat the band and their history with a lot of respect.
**M:** After that massive start to Season 5, there's a forgotten gem in 'Marge on the Lam' _._ I think this is an episode that was easy to gloss over as a young boy, as were most Marge-centric episodes, but it's one I'd highly recommend going back to watch again. It's a brilliant parody of _Thelma and Louise_ , and has more moments of brilliant comedy than most people would remember. It also taught me that good waffles stick together, and how to cook engine-block eggs.
**D:** Although it stars the amazing Al Brooks, 'Bart's Inner Child' is probably the weakest link of the season. Brooks' talents feel wasted on Brad Goodman and the story doesn't really appear to know its end goal. It does however feature one of my favourite Smithers and Burns conversations where Smithers confesses his love for his boss, only to take it back immediately.
**M:** Goodman is the only Brooks character who doesn't have any memorable quotes. I think by writing such a calm, placid character, it robbed Brooks of his natural hyper-energy that so many of his characters are filled with. Interestingly, whilst Goodman's character was modelled on motivational speaker John Bradshaw, he appears to be physically modelled on Brooks himself. It was almost like the animators wanted to gift him that much to say thanks for what was already a great catalogue of guest characters.
**D:** Until now Bart had been the face of the show. However, with the writers now pushing the boundaries further than ever before, it became clear that there was so much more they could do with an adult than a 10-year-old child. Do you think this was when Homer started to become the primary focus?
**M:** I think he always had a share of episodes where he was a central character, but it started to change from events happening around him to things happening _to_ him. So, rather than Homer having to work harder because Lisa is getting a pony, it's the family having to react to Homer going into space. That said, there's a block in the middle of Season 4 that was also strongly focused on Homer.
**D:** What can't be argued is that it's Bart and Homer who are the front-runners. Almost two thirds of the episodes are based around the two, with Marge and Lisa only getting one episode each dedicated to them: 'Marge on the Lam' and 'Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy'.
**M:** You could make a case for '$pringfield' revolving around Marge's gambling addiction at a push, but there was certainly an imbalance. Particularly with Marge, it seems that the writers get stuck on variations on the same theme: Marge, bored with home life, tries to break out. I guess there's only so many ways you can tell that story.
**D:** 'Homer Goes to College' and the wraparounds in 'Treehouse of Horror IV' were Conan O'Brien's final contributions to the show. Although he went on to achieve huge success in late-night television, as a _Simpsons_ fan you can only imagine what gems we'd been treated to had he stayed on as a writer. Homer is written to perfection in 'Homer Goes to College', an episode where there's never a dull moment. Homer yelling 'Nerrrrddd!' out of the car window is always the highlight for me.
**M:** He's written with the perfect mix of knowledge and ignorance. By that I mean he clearly has a _lot_ of knowledge of college movies, and how you are supposed to act should you find yourself in one. However, he is completely ignorant of the fact that _nobody_ aside from himself is acting that way. He so badly wants the Dean to be crusty and old that he's completely blind to him being young and open-minded.
**D:** I love the way this season sees Homer thrown into unique situations with characters we'd only even seen him share a few scenes with, like his trek with Apu to meet the head of the Kwik-E-Mart in 'Homer and Apu'...
**M:** Of all the visual jokes that _The Simpsons_ has ever created, I feel like this episode has some of its very best. Homer and Apu trekking on donkeys, only for it to be revealed they are yet to leave Springfield, or the world's first ever convenience store perched atop the Indian Alps feel like jokes straight out of _The Naked Gun_ to me.
**D:** Or his classic jury duty stint with Principal Skinner in 'The Boy Who Knew Too Much'. Skinner is the perfect foil to Homer's shenanigans, with Homer being too excited by the prospect of watching _Free Willy_ to worry about ensuring justice is served.
**M:** To be fair, Skinner is the perfect foil to just about any character on the show. Skinner is essentially an inactive volcano. Placid on the surface, but quietly bubbling away underneath, only very occasionally showing glimpses of his rage. Here though, we mostly just see him as a symbol of repression. Even his attempt to connect with Homer via a TV reference is met with a swift 'Shut up!'
**D:** Homer's relationship with Flanders is also explored in 'Homer Loves Flanders', an episode that has one of the more underrated heartfelt moments in the series when Homer defends Flanders in church.
**M:** That whole episode is hugely important in kind of resetting how we see Flanders as an audience member. He really is desperate to see the good in all fellow humans, and it says a lot that only Homer could possibly corrupt him, to the point that he even lies in front of his children. Rather than coming across as an occasionally smarmy has-it-better-than-you-and-quietly-revels-in-it character, we see Ned as a man who desperately believes in, and loves, his community. So, when that community is inadvertently turned against him by Homer, but it's Homer that comes to his rescue, it really is a gut-punch moment.
**D:** Shearer's delivery of Flanders' 'thank-you' is so perfect that you feel like he had to have been on the verge of tears when recording.
**M:** Season 5 continued along the trend started in Season 4 of including several high-concept episodes. While there was still plenty of time for a small number like 'Secrets of a Successful Marriage', the show was starting to gradually set us up for the future where nothing from _X-Files_ tie-ins to murderous robots were off limits.
**D:** Well, it was quite bold for the show to send Homer into space. That was certainly a concept that would never have even been considered in the earlier years, yet the writers managed to deliver a believable, family-driven story that allowed Castellaneta to showcase his full range.
**M:** 'Deep Space Homer' almost feels like watching a Jim Carrey comedy from the mid-90s where directors would essentially just point a camera at him and say 'go'. It's a tour de force by Dan, but what I really think helps seal the episode is the inanimate carbon rod, who I think was robbed for the Emmy for Best Supporting Actor that year.
**D:** One of my favourite guest spots in the whole season is Conan O'Brien in 'Bart Gets Famous', which was actually recorded before he had even begun hosting _Late Night_. Bringing Conan back was a nice gesture from his former colleagues, and a sign of respect for his many contributions to the show.
**M:** And a sign of belief and confidence in the fact that he was destined for bigger things. I mean, I'd be too terrified to record that dialogue in case I jinxed myself. Of course, I am not Conan O'Brien.
## 'The Last Temptation of Homer'
### (Season 5, Episode 9)
Review by Dando
_When Homer finds himself attracted to a beautiful new co-worker named Mindy, he does everything he can to avoid her, only to be sent to a power expo in Capital City with her for work. Back in Springfield, Bart is diagnosed with poor vision, a dry scalp, and sunken arches, with the resulting corrective items rendering him a nerd. In Capital City, Homer is torn between loyalty and temptation._
Adultery is an issue that _The Simpsons_ has never been afraid of tackling. In fact, it was only the eighth episode when we saw Marge almost do the unthinkable and cheat on Homer with the smooth-talking bowling instructor, Jacques. It's a pretty heavy subject for a show that's targeted at children as much as it is adults, yet 'The Last Temptation of Homer' manages to provide entertainment on both ends of the comedy spectrum with a story that I've appreciated far more, the older I get. While the kids are laughing at how funny Barney looks dressed in a bikini while singing the 'I Dream of Jeannie' theme, adults are laughing at the awkwardness of Homer and Mindy discussing 'getting off together' in an elevator.
This isn't the first time Homer has found himself in a situation that could destroy his marriage, the difference being that in 'Colonel Homer' the feelings weren't mutual. Homer is completely innocent in that situation as he remains oblivious to Lurleen's advances, quickly rushing back to Marge's side once the reality of the moment sinks in. Marge is Homer's safety net, she's the one woman who understands him and remains loyal through the bad times, and it's because of this that I've always had an issue with Homer kissing Mindy in this episode's final scene. It's only a peck, I get that, but I for one know that I'd be furious if I found out my wife kissed another man in such a way on a business trip. All that aside, at least Homer makes the correct decision in the end, resolving the issue by replacing Mindy with the love of his life.
I can't think of any other time when Homer is so consistently mature. As confused as he is by these new feelings, hilariously blaming the powdered gravy he ate in the parking lot, he still does all he can to control them even though everything in his life seems to be telling him to do otherwise. In an ironic twist on _It's A Wonderful Life_ , Homer's guardian angel proves life would have been much better had he married Mindy, ringworm commercials tell him to 'just do it'; even fortune cookies reveal that he'll find happiness with a new love. I love that of all things it's the cookie that convinces Homer that adultery is inevitable. Michelle Pfeiffer shines in that moment of truth – her delivery of 'desserts aren't always right' is perfectly earnest, showing a sense of understanding for Homer's concern mixed with disappointment that the night may not end how she'd hoped.
Pfeiffer is outstanding in her first voice acting role. It was important for Mindy to not be flirtatious but simply desirable, so that we as viewers could invest ourselves in this being a story about two decent people trying to fight unwanted urges, as opposed to a sleazebag husband screwing around with a homewrecker. Although Mindy is completely open to the idea of sleeping with Homer after their romantic dinner in Capital City, knowing full well it would ruin his marriage, she at least allows him to make the decision himself without being too forward. It's simply a moment of weakness for this overall nice woman.
To put it simply, Mindy is without question the everyman's dream. She's the type of girl you can imagine spending her Saturday afternoons drinking beer while playing video games in her underwear. The character is so genuine that it allows you to immerse yourself in Homer's situation as the temptations grow ever stronger the more time he spends with her. My favourite piece of animation in the whole episode is Homer's nervous pause before he approaches Mindy in the lunch room. He so desperately wants to prove that this infatuation is merely physical, yet there's always the chance that it could only intensify matters further.
So much of this episode is fixated on Homer and Mindy's relationship that it can be easy to forget about the side story involving Bart's plummet down the social ladder. For me there was so much more the writers could have explored here that could have quite easily been an episode in itself. Bart is only a menace on the surface, so it would have been nice to see him spend more time in the refuge of the damned and learn to embrace his new self; after all, these nerds saved him from what was surely going to be another hefty beating from the bullies.
It's a credit to the writing staff that the episode manages to incorporate a variety of wackiness into such a serious theme. For example Charlie gets sent away in a tube, Homer slides down the side of the power plant, we even get introduced to Joey Jo-Jo Junior Shabadoo, Stewart the Duck and the man with the giant hand. Most importantly, the greatest moment of them all, Mr. Burns and his 'flying' monkeys, is a movie parody that only _The Simpsons_ is truly capable of.
If you've ever been in a committed relationship then 'The Last Temptation of Homer' is probably an episode you can relate to quite easily. That's not to say we've all considered leaving our partners for an attractive, donut-eating work colleague, but it's a simple ethical dilemma that we can all envision ourselves in. Homer and Mindy teach us that having feelings for others isn't the issue: it's how we act upon them that matters most.
#### What did we learn?
The Burmese Melon Fly has over 1,000 sex partners and suffers virtually no guilt.
## '$pringfield (Or, How I Learned
to Stop Worrying and Love
Legalized Gambling)'
(Season 5, Episode 10)
Review by Mitch
_Looking for ways to fix a declining economy, the citizens of Springfield elect to legalise gambling. Homer finds work as a blackjack dealer in Mr. Burns' casino, while Bart starts up a treehouse casino of his own. Marge, meanwhile, falls into the traps of compulsive gambling and forgets about Lisa's school pageant. While overlooking the whole affair, Mr. Burns slowly descends into madness._
When I first started telling family and friends about this book, I was surprised at just how many people were excited to read it. I don't think it had anything to do with me, whatsoever, just that so many people were truly excited to get back into the show. That said, as surprised as I was by those positive reactions, I was absolutely blown away when a colleague told me they'd never seen an episode, and asked me to recommend where to start... 'An evaluation of your childhood' was my shocked reply.
It did get me thinking, though. If you had to show somebody an episode of _The Simpsons_ that encapsulates all that the show has to offer, what would it be? It's a show that can be so many things to so many people, loved by all for varied but valid reasons. As I thought about many of my favourites, there was one I kept coming back to... the crazy tale of Mr. Burns building a casino, and Marge's ensuing gambling addiction.
It's one of the few occasions where each main character in the family has their own compelling plot. Not only that, every character is taken out of their comfort zone but all remain true to who they are. It almost holds up as a mini-movie plot rather than a TV episode, and would have made a great script to stretch out to 90 minutes. We get a look at a more prosperous Springfield in an opening flashback. Unfortunately, the floating car industry didn't hold up in the long run, and a city with streets paved with gold soon found itself run-down and struggling. Despite having lived in this city for four and a half seasons now, this is the first time we get to see a real attempt to tell a story about its character.
The decision to turn to legalised gambling is a realistic one, which keeps the plot, if not the comedy, grounded in reality. At the town hall meeting, there is an important moment when the whole town expects Marge to complain, but surprisingly she agrees that a casino could be a good idea. Ironic, given that she experiences the worst of what gambling has to offer later in the episode. The town hall also revels in a favourite pastime of the show: poking fun at mob mentality. Even a burp is enough to solicit cheers from the town as they all race out of the meeting, and straight into a cesspool of sex and drugs.
One thing _The Simpsons_ has always done is show the perils of vice. Homer may drink a lot, but Moe's and its inhabitants are never seen in a positive light. This moral view is no different here, as we see Marge become hooked by poker machines after turning a lost quarter into a dollar. The show could arguably have gone further as we don't ever see the financial ramification of her actions, but we do see an emotional one. As a direct result of Marge's gambling, Maggie is nearly eaten by a tiger, Lisa is forced to go to a pageant as a monster version of 'Floreda', and Homer and the kids nearly fall victim to the boogeyman! Truly, when 'Gamblor' has sunk his neon claws into you, there is no escape.
I firmly believe that the best episodes have some emotional weight behind the comedy, so this episode has one of my favourite endings. Julie Kavner's quiet delivery as she admits she has an addiction is one of the only 'real' moments of the episode, but it was a brilliant choice to end things on that note. It brings to a close a brilliant episode that really should appear in more top-10 lists than it does.
And what of that colleague of mine? Last I saw him, he was holding up a scale replica of a Ferrari, insisting that his wife 'hop in'. I'll consider that a successful _Simpsons_ conversion.
#### What did we learn?
Robert Goulet will play anywhere.
## 'Cape Feare'
### (Season 5, Episode 2)
In Conversation
_After being released on parole, Sideshow Bob attempts to murder Bart. The family enter the witness protection programme and relocate to Terror Lake, but wherever they run, Bob is waiting._
**DANDO:** This episode is monumental in that although it aired during Season 5, it was a holdover from Season 4, making it the final episode produced by the original writing team. Whether by design or coincidence, I can't think of a better episode to send off one of television's greatest creative ensembles.
**MITCH:** With that information, it feels like they threw in _every_ idea they had left in the tank. The first thing I noticed when I went back to watch _Cape Feare_ was how much exists that I'd forgotten about. I don't think I'd be the only person who didn't remember that this is where _Up Late with McBain_ came from, for example.
**D:** I'd also completely forgotten about some of the non-Bob-related scenes, such as our first insight into Moe's double life as an animal smuggler. It's so unexpected that it catches me off guard every single time.
**M:** Normally for an episode that's so loved, people would remember every second, but I think what happens here is, the towering performance of Kelsey as Sideshow Bob makes you forget about almost anything else in this episode.
**D:** The best thing about those sorts of memory lapses is that they let you get a big laugh out of Moe's panda smuggling operation every single time.
**M:** Amazingly, the high rate of jokes in the first act only speeds up once Bob is let out of prison and starts his quest for revenge.
**D:** It's interesting how long it took for Bob to be revealed as the person behind the threatening letters to Bart. I'd like to know whether it came as a surprise to many viewers when it first aired or whether Grammer's appearance was heavily advertised in the lead-up.
**M:** You have to remember that prior to this episode Bob had never attacked Bart, so this truly was the birth of one of the series' longest-running story arcs.
**D:** Looking back now it's so obvious that Bob is the culprit since we have all grown accustomed to his desire to kill Bart.
**M:** And the musical score is a giveaway as it has since become Bob's theme.
**D:** I genuinely feel sorry for Bart as he deals with the pressures of receiving death threats in the mail. This would be terrifying for the best of us, let alone a child, yet nobody besides Marge seems to be taking the situation seriously. Homer, as always, is totally oblivious.
**M:** My personal highlight of the episode is Homer's ability to out-obnoxious Bob in the theatre, smoking a bigger cigar and laughing more disruptively than Bob ever could.
**D:** Or being completely unaware that bursting into Bart's bedroom with a chainsaw and hockey mask may be a little confronting given the circumstances, especially since it comes just moments after entering the room while brandishing a butcher's knife.
**M:** As you said, this is a horrible situation for Bart, but the jokes come so fast there's very little time to dwell on it. Just to rattle off a few of the iconic moments from this episode, we've got the cactus patch, 'Hello, Mr. Thompson', and of course, the rakes.
**D:** What's amazing about the rakes is that one of the series' most iconic moments was born out of pure necessity. Originally Bob was only going to step on one rake and be done with it, but with the episode falling well short of the required run time the decision was made to extend it out into a moment so fitting for a character as dignified as Bob. Despite his unmistakable intelligence and attention to detail, Bob manages to fall victim to the easiest of foils, in this case, garden utensils. Why are there so many rakes on the ground?
**M:** Who cares! I would love to have seen Kelsey's first reaction to watching the rake scene, given that he only recorded the grumble once and, like Bob, wouldn't have seen this coming.
**D:** I hope he loved it! It's a great visual that pays homage to classic Warner Bros. cartoons. In fact, the writers compare Bob's hunt for Bart to that of Wile E. Coyote's quest for capturing the Road Runner, which was the inspiration for Bob's head being trampled by a parade of elephants.
**M:** The thing is, Bob is such a contradictory character in that he has this genius-level intellect, but often misses the forest for the trees and falls victim to the simplest of pratfalls. A snapshot of that is on display when he is writing menacing letters in blood, and follows it up by a to-do list, and a letter to 'These United States'.
**D:** Even Snake is smart enough to know that's not a good idea!
**M:** _The Simpsons_ has included a lot of great movie parodies over the years, but some of the work in parodying _Cape Fear_ is out of this world. It includes the obvious references – the tattoos, exiting prison, the palm-trees shirt – but it also goes to extra lengths that only true cinephiles would appreciate. They use camera techniques never seen on the show before that brilliantly mimic Scorsese's camera direction in the 1991 film. There are so many slow twisting zooms that make the camera become a character in itself, and that gives the episode a feeling of menace unlike any other. That sort of effort shows a huge love and respect for the source material.
**D:** The musical score is another element that intensifies the feeling in a way we'd never seen. It virtually became Bob's theme from this point on, but it's never matched the story as well as it does here.
**M:** There's even a 30–40 second or so moment of Bart running around on the houseboat as Bob is chasing him where there's virtually no dialogue and the music ramps up that feels like it belongs in a cinema, not on home TV.
**D:** The final attack is genuinely menacing...
**M:** I love the direction as the boat sails down the river as it allows the darkness of the situation to build up, which makes the payoff of Bob singing the score to the _HMS Pinafore_ so much better, not to mention unexpected.
**D:** I would give anything to see footage of Kelsey performing this in the recording studio. It's still probably the best version of 'He is an Englishman' that I've ever heard.
**M:** In true _Simpsons_ style, the police are shown to be completely useless yet again. Chief Wiggum's dimwittedness is on full display, not getting the joke 'Chief Piggum'. Of course, later he needs to be corrected about there being a law against writing threatening letters. Even the fact that Bob gets caught at all is because Wiggum, Lou and Ed are... let's say, 'raiding' a brothel. In bathrobes.
**D:** As a kid, it always baffled me why the police were wearing their bathrobes when they arrested Bob. The only explanation I could think of was that they must've raced out of bed with no time to get dressed.
**M:** Sweet, innocent Dando.
**D:** The only negative is that for an episode so iconic, the ending is pretty weak.
**M:** Yeah, ending this brilliant cinematic story on a non sequitur about Grampa becoming a woman is a little baffling.
**D:** Granted, it's hard to follow a sequence that includes Kelsey Grammer's stirring rendition of _HMS Pinafore_ , but why follow it at all?
**M:** I suppose they wanted to include a scene of the family returning to Springfield and needed a joke in that moment, but it just took me a little out of the episode, rather than let me soak in the epic musical finale.
**D:** Still, it's a small price to pay for one of the greatest episodes of all time.
#### What did we learn?
Once a man is in your home, anything you do to him is nice and legal.
## A Tribute to 'Treehouse of Horror'
#### Dando
As a child, I'd spend countless hours at the local video store just browsing through the different covers of the horror section, trying to imagine what would happen in the films. I had to imagine because the owner Pete knew my parents and there was no way he was ever going to let me hire _A Nightmare on Elm Street_ at the age of six. That is why the 'Treehouse of Horror' series meant so much to me growing up. It was a way of getting a sneak peek into these movies I'd heard so much about like _The Shining_ and _Child's Play_ , like a backstage pass that my mum didn't know about.
Unfortunately for all Australian fans growing up in the 90s. Halloween was never really celebrated, in fact it's only now just starting to pick up steam, in the last two or three years. For some reason, I'd always wanted to go trick-or-treating dressed as Lard Lad, even having my costume ready to go: orange wig from the $2 shop, blue overalls and the giant inflatable donut from the pool in our backyard. Had the cosplaying industry been as popular then as it is now, you can only imagine how many Devil Flanders and pigeon-rats there'd have been floating around the convention circuit.
'Treehouse of Horror' episodes are almost like porn for horror and sci-fi buffs. With the freedom of being non-canon, the writers and animators are able to sneak in an abundance of references and parodies that showcase their love for the genre. My personal favourite is the gremlin sabotaging the school bus in 'Terror at 5½ Feet', a parody of The Twilight Zone's 'Nightmare at 20,000 Feet'. It's hard to look past the genius of 'The Shinning' though; for me it seems _that's_ the one everybody remembers so fondly. So much so that it's not uncommon for fans to accidentally refer to the Stanley Kubrick classic by its _Simpsons_ counterpart.
_Homer 3_ is the one segment that will always have a place in my heart, as it takes me back to when my Mum's ' _Simpsons_ ban' finally came to an end. 'Treehouse of Horror VI' was the first new Halloween Special to air once said ban was lifted and I remember being so excited because all week Channel 10 were hyping it as 'for the first time see The Simpsons in 3D!' That segment was so ground-breaking for its time and is a perfect example of the talent of the _Simpsons_ animation department.
Now despite them being an absolute joy to watch as a fan, the 'Treehouse of Horror' episodes are also incredibly time-consuming for the staff. Knowing this makes me appreciate them even more as it shows just how much the writers and animators must love producing them. You can only imagine how stressful it must be for the writers having to think of a way to cram three stories into 22 minutes, while the animators have to essentially redesign so many of the show's characters and backgrounds. I remember hearing during a DVD commentary that Jean and Reiss almost scrapped the concept because of how difficult it was becoming. Thankfully they didn't, as this annual tradition is one of the last remaining pieces we have left from the show's earlier years.
#### _Dando's Top 10 'Treehouse of Horror' Segments_
1. 'Nightmare Cafeteria _'_
2. 'Terror at 5½ Feet _'_
3. 'Homer3 _'_
4. 'The Shinning _'_
5. 'Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace _'_
6. 'The HΩmega Man _'_
7. 'Time and Punishment _'_
8. 'Clown Without Pity _'_
9. 'The Devil and Homer Simpson _'_
10. 'The Thing and I _'_
#### Mitch
While Australia might not have celebrated Halloween when I was growing up, there's one common tradition that we did share, and that was telling ghost stories to your friends. Telling stories around a campfire, or table, or anywhere else that a few of your friends have gathered, is a rite of passage that teaches us much about humanity. We learn our friends' deepest fears, and they learn ours. There's a weird kind of primal joy in fear, so when watching that original 'Treehouse of Horror' (the only one that actually took place in the treehouse), despite never having experienced Halloween, I found it really easy to relate to Bart and Lisa.
As the years went on, TOH became an annual tradition to be looked forward to. The sandbox environment created a sense of anticipation that couldn't be matched by regular episodes, as the sense of danger where anything could happen to any character only existed within these mini-trilogies. It was a world where Homer could shoot Flanders, or be turned into a jack-in-the-box at a moment's notice. No matter what, you were guaranteed to see something you hadn't seen before.
Like Dando, I found these episodes provided a window into a world of horror and sci-fi that I hadn't seen before. The very first TOH introduced me to _The Amityville Horror, The Twilight Zone_ and Edgar Allan Poe _._ Without even realising it, I was being given a first-class course in classic horror, sci-fi and literature. I admit, it was a bit of a stretch when I put that down on my résumé under 'Further education', but it genuinely did make me feel smarter. I could quote Poe at age five without ever having picked up one of his books. By seven I could tell you about the tragedy of _King Kong_ despite never having seen the film.
The benefit of a non-canon setting, combined with a heavy dose of references to other films and TV shows, is that the TOH series has aged brilliantly. When I first watched Francis Ford Coppola's _Dracula_ , I enjoyed thinking back to the amazing visual parody of Burns' spectre overlooking the family's passage to the castle more than I enjoyed the movie itself. Admittedly, that may have had something to do with Keanu Reeves' accent in the film. Similarly, when I first read Ray Bradbury's 'A Sound of Thunder' I did so picturing Homer as the story's protagonist.
The 'Treehouse of Horror' segment is still one of the most relevant episodes to me. I don't get to watch new episodes of _The Simpsons_ each week any more, but I do make sure I track down each TOH segment. That feeling of relevance seems to translate into the wider community, as the news that Sideshow Bob would kill Bart Simpson in TOH 26 spread like wildfire on the internet. The switch to digital has given the animators greater ability to alter the look of the episodes to remain faithful to their source material as well – as recently seen in that same episode's picturesque black & white reimagining of _Godzilla_.
Like birthdays, TOH is an annual joy for me where I'm guaranteed to like at least two of my three gifts. Long may its tradition live on. Without further ado, here are my Top 10 segments. (Dando actually stole my thunder on a couple, such as 'The Shinning' and 'Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace', so I've swapped them out to avoid double-up. That's just the kind of guy I am.)
#### _Mitch's Top 10 'Treehouse of Horror' Segments_
1. 'The Raven _'_
2. 'Attack of the 50-Foot Eyesores _'_
3. 'The Genesis Tub _'_
4. 'Fly vs. Fly _'_
5. 'The Bart Zone _'_
6. 'Bart Simpson's Dracula _'_
7. 'Citizen Kang _'_
8. 'Dial 'Z' for Zombies _'_
9. 'Hungry are the Damned _'_
10. 'Desperately Xeeking Xena _'_
## Four Finger Discount's 'Treehouse of Horror'
Now, a while ago Dando and I thought that if we were to sit here and critique other people's work, we really should try our hand at putting up some of our own. Given our joy for 'Treehouse of Horror', it seemed like the perfect vehicle for three story pitches that we could play around in with total freedom.
We sent the following ideas to Al Jean and were thrilled when he took the time to reply to us. We were, sadly, less excited when his reply informed us that current policy forbids him from reading scripts sent in by freelancers.
Regardless, there's nothing that says we can't share it with you, dear reader.
We hope you enjoy...
#### Act One: GROANING LISA
A zombie plague is slowly starting to spread around Springfield. We are in the very, very early stages, with nobody knowing what's happening and several references to people not turning up to work/school, etc. Miss Hoover is amongst the people who haven't turned up to work. This is especially annoying for Lisa, who was really looking forward to handing in an assignment early for extra credit. Not willing to miss out on a potential A++, she heads to Miss Hoover's house on the way home. She finds the front door unlocked and goes inside, intending to drop her work off for her to read, but as she is doing so, a zombie Miss Hoover lunges at Lisa and bites her. Understandably freaked out, Lisa races home where she almost immediately starts to feel unwell, passing out instantly after making it to her room.
By the following morning, news of the outbreak has spread. Miss Hoover is identified as patient zero, and Marge, knowing Lisa was going to see her, fears the worst. She checks on her room to find that Lisa has turned. Zombie Lisa, about to attack Marge, is distracted by seeing Homer trying to figure out 'Professor Provolones Picto-Puzzle', referring back to 'Lisa the Simpson'. She studies the puzzle, seemingly stuck to the spot, allowing the family to think they are safe, until she solves it in about three seconds. Homer, Marge and Bart rush out of the house with Maggie to discover most of the town have turned, apart from Dr. Nick who is trying to find a cure. When they find him, he's running an _I Am Legend_ -style series of trials on a group of infected residents, greeting them with a hearty 'Hi, every zombie!' as he injects them with various condiments and ointments, trying to find a cure.
Marge lures Lisa to his trial room, where Homer, leaving a door unlocked, causes the zombies to escape and kill Dr. Nick.
The pack bears down on the Simpson family, but at the last second Lisa recognises them and groans out a communication to stop the attack. Having realised that the zombies can be controlled to some extent, the surviving inhabitants of Springfield try to adjust to life with the zombies, even finding that productivity at the power plant has increased. Lisa becomes an advocate for zombie rights, and we close on a Zombie Rights debate between Lisa and Donald Trump. Lisa makes a slurring and groaning speech with no distinguishable words, which is met by a round of supportive groans and applause from zombies in the audience. Donald Trump gives a rebuttal, but speaks in the same guttural groaning, and is met by the same groaning by his human supporters in the audience.
#### Act Two: JURASSIC PORK
At the power plant, the daily donut delivery is noticed to have contained an expensive jelly-filled donut amongst the usual selection. As it turns out, the donuts were intended for Rainier Wolfcastle, filming an adaptation of _Billy and the Cloneasaurus_ nearby. Under threat of litigation from the movie studio if the donuts aren't returned, Smithers places the delivery under lock and key in the lunch room, to be sent back the following day. Homer hatches a plan to smuggle the rare jelly-filled donut home from the lunch room. He starts by switching off the plant's security systems by sneaking into Smithers' office. Using a temperature-controlled container disguised as a mailing tube, he loads the donuts up and races home, leaving Smithers staring at a computer monitor featuring a topless Mr. Burns repeating 'ah-ah-ah' as he tries to restart the system.
Driving home victorious, Homer starts devouring his bounty. While he is lost in the moment he doesn't realise that the strawberry-filled donut rolls out of the tube and slips behind the brake pedal. Attempting to slow down as he nears his home, he squashes the donut, causing filling to squirt into his eye, temporarily blinding him and causing him to run over and kill Plopper, AKA Spider Pig. Distraught, Homer takes his body into town to 'Give him a proper goodbye'. He returns with a leg of ham, several pork chops, and countless rashers of bacon, all arranged delicately on a platter with a bereavement card from a funeral home.
He mournfully eats all but one slice of bacon, which he keeps as a memento. He heads to Moe's after his final meal to drink away his sorrows. When he tells Moe of this last piece of bacon, a mad scientist (special guest star, Jeff Goldblum) overhears and offers Homer his services. From the final rasher of bacon, Plopper's DNA is extracted and he is successfully cloned. Everything goes well at first, until Plopper defies all natural law by becoming pregnant and giving birth to three piglets. The piglets immediately display acts of aggression towards the family, along with super-intelligence, and soon start to hunt them in their own house. Bart attempts to distract the pigs by luring them to a feeding tray, only to see one of the pigs working on a plan to lure Homer to a feeding tray of their own. When Bart sees Homer falling for it, he delivers the immortal line 'Clever girl'.
In the climactic showdown, the three piglets have Maggie cornered and rush for her. Homer runs in from the side, throwing up his hands à la Chris Pratt in _Jurassic World_ to try and stop the pigs attacking, only to have them all jump on him and overpower him. Their tiny, cute, relentless hooves beat him to a pulp, before Plopper sacrifices himself to save Homer. He fights the three piglets, but is outmatched. They kill him but, unluckily for them, he collapses on top of them, rendering the fight a tragic draw.
Homer, keen to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again, sets about disposing of the pigs the only way he knows how, and John Williams' theme from _Jurassic Park_ slowly swells around Homer devouring pork chop after pork chop. In the final scene, Homer, feeling the after-effects of having eaten four pigs in one sitting, lies on the couch in pain.
'What's wrong with him?' asks Marge.
Goldblum's scientist replies, 'He was so caught up with whether or not he could, he didn't stop to think if he should.'
#### Act Three: ONE FOR THE BELCHERS
For the finale, we have a direct reference to the second ever episode of _The Twilight Zone_ , 'One for the Angels'. In it, Death comes for a salesman, who manages to trick Death into not taking him. Having to fill a quota, Death decides to take a young girl in the building instead. Overcome with guilt, the man pitches to Death to take him instead, finally delivering his pitch for the angels, saving the little girl by giving up his own life. This final segment is also a parody of _The Truman Show_ , where the Simpsons discover that they are only actors in a television show, after discovering a commercial about themselves...
Homer is watching TV during an electrical storm, despite Marge's protestation that it's too dangerous to be using electrical goods. He assures her that he installed a new circuit breaker. When she asks if he means 'installed' or merely 'bought' a look of panic comes over his face. He rushes to the kitchen to grab it, but in that time a huge lightning bolt strikes the house, killing the TV instantly, leaving an eerie glow coming from the antenna.
The following day he purchases a new TV, and soon discovers a wide range of shows he has never heard of before. Lisa works out that the lightning must have changed the frequency of the antenna. As Homer channel-surfs, he sees a bunch of commercials for TV shows we are all familiar with, prompting him to ask 'Conan O'Brien. I thought he got fired?'
Then comes the moment that stops the family in its tracks: a promo for the last ever episode of _The Simpsons_. The promo highlights some of the touchstone moments from their history, and it dawns on them that their lives have all been a set-up, with an array of radio-jammers blocking out any news from the real world that would interfere with their timeline.
The Simpson family break the news to the townspeople, the majority of whom had no idea their lives were a sham. The only person who knew the truth was Burns, who had to power the network's massive broadcasting vans.
Everyone in the town fears for the future if the show is to be cancelled and call a meeting to decide on a course of action. The whole cast descends upon FOX HQ, where they send Grampa Simpson in as a delegate to pitch the continuation of the show to Rupert Murdoch who, they find, was solely responsible for the decision. Grampa calls upon all the truly great moments of the show and reminds everybody about what has made the show so loved.
Rupert is so moved by Grampa Simpson that he agrees to keep the show on the air – but at a price. In order to fit within budget constraints, he will have to cancel _Bob's Burgers_. This is even worse news to Homer, as _Bob's Burgers_ has been a favourite show of his ever since he was able to pick up new channels. As they walk down the FOX hallways, they see Bob Belcher clearing out his office, packing a lone Emmy into a box. Homer pleads with everybody to reconsider. His plea falls on deaf ears, as everybody is desperate to just get back to how things were, but on the way out they walk past the offices of their show and see a trophy cabinet dedicated to them, overflowing with golden awards statues, and decide they've had a good enough run.
They send Grampa back in to Rupert to plead with him to cancel the show. Rupert ponders the decision for a while, tossing a scythe back and forth between his hands as he decides who to cut. Unable to bring himself to let go of all of the love and joy he has realised the show has brought him, he is seconds away from firing the Belchers when an accountant comes in and shows him the salary figure Bart is negotiating now that he's learned he is a star. Rupert's eyes narrow and harden in an instant, all love is washed away from his face, and he unceremoniously fires the entire cast. Cut to black.
Written by 'Mutilating' Mitch Grinter and 'Bone-crushing' Brendan Dando
## Season 6 (1994-95)
#### In Conversation
**MITCH:** Season 6 is almost unfairly good. By now the show has that feeling of a well-oiled machine pumping out perfection over and over again. Kind of like Roger Federer, only funny, and with displays of emotion. The evolution towards out and out comedy was complete by this point. There were still episodes that had an emotional beat, but there were plenty that didn't worry about a moral or a dilemma and just focused on telling great stories with lots of jokes.
**DANDO:** Is that why you don't call this your favourite season?
**M:** I think so... it's not to say that these episodes aren't great. When you are going to focus on jokes without as much substance beneath them, the comedy needs to be great and it all hits the mark here, but personally I think the earlier episodes have a little more resonance. We're talking small amounts, though. It's like trying to choose your favourite child.
**D:** It's funny you'd bring up the less frequent emotional beats, because this season contains what I consider the most powerful ending to any _Simpsons_ episode with 'And Maggie Makes Three' _._ When it's revealed that Homer has kept all of his photos of Maggie where he needs the most cheering up, turning the 'Don't Forget, You're Here Forever' sign at his workstation into 'Do It For Her'. To me it's about as perfect as _The Simpsons_ can be.
**M:** Don't get me wrong, they could definitely still turn it on when they wanted to, but whereas in the past it was interwoven in all episodes, now for every 'And Maggie Makes Three' there was a 'Homie the Clown' _._
**D:** Another ending that never fails to pull at the heartstrings is that of 'Lisa On Ice'. With a younger sister of my own, I can't help but get goosebumps during the closing moments of the hockey final as Bart and Lisa reminisce about the times they've both been there for each other. I've always had a close relationship with my sister and this moment will always remind me of all of the good times we've been lucky enough to share together.
**M:** True story: I used to have a Roger Rabbit toy that was remarkably similar to Mr. Hunny Bunny. Around the time of this episode going to air, my dog had chewed it beyond recognition. I remember feeling a great level of empathy for Bart when he haplessly tried to put him back together.
**D:** It also gifts anybody who has ever played social or competitive sport so much to relate to.
**M:** I know many men who, despite being well into their thirties, still insist that they only get to ride in the front because they're a good guy at sports. I also love the reckless abandon with which Apu discover's Lisa's talent, firing a hockey puck for her to stop with her bare hands.
**D:** This season provided us with the first flash-forward episode in 'Lisa's Wedding', a nice change from the several flashbacks we'd already seen in previous seasons.
**M:** It's always nice to see what might happen in the future, as there's that lure of the unknown. Using a fortune teller as a device to be able to tell their story but then return to the enclosed time-loop of Springfield was a clever touch.
**D:** It's a little strange going back and watching it now since the supposed future they speak of is 2010; however, for me that only adds to the charm. The writers were bold in their predictions of how the world would look 15 years in the future.
**M:** Unfortunately, like most bold visions, reality falls behind. I'm yet to see a school sponsored by Pepsi, for example. That said, on a happier front, we're yet to have lived through World War III.
**D:** Personally, I love how the first thing we see in the future are what seem like robots walking down the street, only for it be revealed that they're simply actors in costume heading to auditions for _The Wizard of Oz._
**M:** As opposed to the real robots later revealed to explode after self-actualising.
**D:** However, the strongest aspect of the episode is the emotional roller coaster that Lisa finds herself on. Her entire life she's felt like an outsider, never really understanding where she fits into the madness that is Springfield. The story follows a similar path to that of 'Lisa's Substitute' _,_ except this time Mr. Bergstrom is replaced with a strapping young Englishman named Hugh.
**M:** Who I was shocked to learn was voiced by Inigo Montoya himself, Mandy Patinkin. It's amazing how often an actor who isn't exactly a household name would come into the show and deliver a brilliant performance.
**D:** As in the Season 2 classic, Lisa is embarrassed by her father and forever apologising for his behaviour, but by the end of the episode she learns that no man will ever love her more than he does. Homer's speech before the wedding about how proud he is of Lisa's accomplishments always reminds me of their conversation in her room after the 'baboon' incident, producing one of the sweetest moments of the season.
**M:** Another way that this season develops is the willingness to include greater influences from movies. I mean, there have always been great _moments_ parodying famous films, but there are more and more entire slabs here that are direct tributes to film.
**D:** 'Itchy & Scratchy Land' _,_ for example?
**M:** Definitely, or the season opening 'Bart of Darkness' that is a fantastic parody of Hitchcock's _Rear Window. '_ Two Dozen and One Greyhounds' manages to play off both _101 Dalmations_ AND _Beauty and the Beast..._ And then, of course, there is 'A Star is Burns'...
**D:** 'A Star Is Burns' was apparently quite a controversial one for those who worked on the show. Groening reportedly saw it as being nothing more than an advertisement for _The Critic_ , the show Jean and Reiss left _The Simpsons_ to go make, and wanted so little to do with it that he actually had his name removed from the episode's credits.
**M:** While I could potentially see it being viewed that way, a little context goes a long way to explaining how this came about. The staff were still feeling the pinch of 25-episode seasons, to the point that Jean and Reiss brought their _Critic_ staff over to help produce two episodes, namely this one and ''Round Springfield' _._
**D:** Bringing them back in certainly gave us some classic moments. 'Man Getting Hit By Football' is without a doubt the greatest Hans Moleman moment of all time, made even funnier by Homer's reaction. Then we get Barney's 'Pukahontas', a cinematic masterpiece.
**M:** Let's not forget Steven Spielberg's Mexican counterpart: Señor Spielbergo. While 'A Star is Burns' is as packed with as many jokes as any episode in existence, took a heavier approach by killing off Bleeding Gums Murphy. Which, now that I think about the fact that they weren't working there any more, was a little presumptuous. But it did give us Lisa's rendition of 'Jazz Man', a song worth any price.
**D:** I like the different approach the writers took with Sideshow Bob in 'Sideshow Bob Roberts', switching up his role from bloodthirsty murderer to corrupt politician. He'd already failed twice at attempted murder, so it only made sense that a man of his intellect would have identified that he needed a new game plan. Writers Oakley and Weinstein based most of the episode on the Watergate scandal, with a number of other US political references also sprinkled throughout, not to mention movie parodies such as Bob's _A Few Good Men_ speech in the courtroom.
**M:** It joins the great pieces of political satire in American entertainment. Watching the crowds lap up Bob's charisma despite not imparting any real message only feels more relevant today.
**D:** It's episodes like this that make me realise _The Simpsons_ is responsible for me knowing more about American politics than I do about politics in my own country.
**M:** You do at least know that our Prime Minister isn't called Andy, right?
**D:** Yes. But I did once have a member of parliament named Gus.
**M:** We've barely scratched the surface of how many great episodes are on offer here, but I think we agree that this is the absolute peak of their run. Even if we both have personal favourites for different reasons, from a purely critical standpoint Season 6 is hard to go past.
**D:** While they were at the top of the moment, It was around this time that Groening was pitching for a live-action sitcom based on Krusty the Clown, in fact it even got to the stage where a pilot episode was written. I get how that might not have worked in 1994, but just imagine if Netflix suddenly decided to pick up _Krusty_ starring Dan Castellaneta. It would send _Simpsons_ fans into an absolute frenzy.
**M:** That may have been for the best, however. Not long after _Krusty_ was shelved, Groening started development on _Futurama._
## 'Bart vs. Australia'
#### (Season 6, Episode 16)
In Conversation
_After placing a collect-call to Australia that costs $900 in order to disprove Lisa, Bart is indicted for fraud. Faced with a choice between a public apology or five years in prison, the Simpsons head to Australia to try and mend international relations._
**MITCH:** To properly explain 'Bart vs. Australia', we first need to look at Australia from the outside to give an idea of why this episode was so exciting to _Simpsons_ fans on the inside. Australia has a paradoxical sense of itself. We are proudly defiant about our culture and how we are perceived. The 'true blue, dinky-die, howzitgoinmate?' identity that was pushed overseas is at once rejected as cliché, and yet accepted as our way of life.
**DANDO:** It _is_ weird how we react to that. It's like we accept it as a generalisation until it gets applied to us individually.
**M:** That pretty much sums it up. We hate being thought of as somebody who wrestles crocodiles, but we love the idea that we are all strong enough to wrestle crocodiles.
**D:** What stands out in my memory is that the build-up to the episode was so massive in Australia that even news programmes were reporting on it. I can't imagine what my parents must have thought at the time hearing Peter Hitchener discussing a cartoon, but to my friends and me it was ground-breaking. Suddenly I was bonding with kids I'd barely spoken a word to prior, purely because of our mutual excitement for the episode.
**M:** Totally. Aside from the build-up to 'Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part Two' _,_ and maybe the _Seinfeld_ finale, I can't think of a TV moment that had more hype in my lifetime. The day following this episode at school, I remember that my usual group of friends sharing quotes had tripled in size.
**D:** I guess that comes down to the fact that _The Simpsons_ visiting Australia was as monumental for us down under as it was for the family themselves, since it was the first time in the show's history that they'd ever left the United States.
**M:** See, that hadn't dawned on me until now.
**D:** I wasn't aware of that at the time either, but as an Australian fan that's something I'm now very proud of. Think about it: in 1995 the show was at the height of its fame and could have selected anywhere to take the Simpsons on their first international holiday, but they chose us because of our laid-back sense of humour.
**M:** Why do you think that was?
**D:** I've always thought it was because of our laid-back sense of humour.
**M:** And we're far enough away that it doesn't matter if we get offended?
**D:** Yeah, maybe that, too.
**M:** Back to how big an occasion it was, I've always thought our relationship with the USA is akin to a dog with an owner that is a little too busy. When it comes to film and TV, at the very least, we are a nation of sycophants desperately hoping for recognition and a pat on the head. In that sense, to Simpsons fans in the 90s, 'Bart vs. Australia' was like our owner coming home with a bag full of toys, taking us to the park, and scratching our bellies for eight consecutive hours. It's the same appeal as when a touring rock band yells out the name of your town.
**D:** _They know who we are!_
**M:** Exactly!
**D:** Not only did it create a buzz in Australia that can still be heard to this day, but it also spawned its own set of trading cards known as 'The Simpsons Down-Under' which currently take pride of place on my wall. There was also a ride based around the episode at the now defunct FOX Studios theme park in Sydney, which featured a re-edited and re-animated version of 'Bart vs. Australia'. Unfortunately I've never been able to find the footage. These days the episode lives on through things such as the bootleg 'Booting Flags' that have become an Australia Day tradition, 'Tobias memes' on social media...
**M:** It just had such a big impact. I still have a hard time ordering a drink in Australia without hearing 'Beer it is.'
**D:** We even signed a petition to have our national currency changed from 'dollars' to 'dollarydoos'. It's all a testament to the love and appreciation us Australian fans have for the episode.
**M:** I think I signed that under seven different names. When I watch the episode now, while it deals in well-trod stereotypes of Australia as a backwater country, it doesn't feel offensive, or like it's coming from a place of ignorance.
**D:** The writers did such a great job of exaggerating the outside perception of our way of life that in the process they delivered a perception that we'd prefer people to believe. As a result, so many gags from 'Bart vs. Australia' have become instilled in our day-to-day lives, from 'knifey-spoony' to 'dollarydoos', these terms have become a generational nod to an experience we all shared growing up. Our parents had the moon-landing we had the mooning of the Australian Prime Minister.
**M:** There were some people who got their nose out of joint on airing, but I find it hard to believe that anyone with that reaction was a regular _Simpsons_ viewer. It's hard to call out a show for making fun of your country when it makes fun of its own at every turn. It's also impossible to ignore the element of truth to the satire. When Lisa mentions the Wolumbaloo Dirt Monument, I had to quickly check if that was indeed a real thing.
**D:** Obviously there were some 'professionally offended' critics who took the satirical look at 'Aussie culture' at face value, but you know where those reviewers are? All dead. How you doing down there, fellas? Huh? Huh?
**M:** Would now be a good time to point out that this is a book, and that without hearing that in Krusty's voice it _may_ be misconstrued?
**D:** Noted.
**M:** As time has gone on, it has become one of the most loved episodes down under. I actually think that time has given it an extra layer to enjoy.
**D:** One example of that for me is the scene where Bart makes phone calls around the world. It has become such a lovely trip down memory lane for those who lived in the 90s. There's a shot showing Bart using a corded phone, dialling a number he found in a phone book to a country he found using a globe. It wasn't a deliberate attempt to set up nostalgia, but 20 years on it sure does highlight how far we've come on a communication scale.
**M:** For me, the only negative about 'Bart vs. Australia' is that it comes to an end. I would love to see a sequel where we find out what happens with the koala hitching a ride to America on the helicopter. Perhaps if _The Simpsons_ ever comes to an end, they could revisit this with a _Planet of the Apes_ style takeover of America for their final episode.
#### What did we learn?
Don't order a hamburger in Rand McNally.
## Dando's Top 5
#### #5
'Homer the Vigilante'
(Season 5, Episode 11)
_Homer forms his own vigilante group to try and catch a mystery cat burglar who has recently started stealing from Springfield residents_.
Springfield is a city whose fragile self-belief leaves it forever teetering on the brink of impulsive, 'quick-fix' decision-making, often resulting in a situation more detrimental than beneficial to resolving the issue at hand. What happens when they receive three million dollars? They build a monorail. What happens when a 10-year-old boy steals the head of Jebediah's statue? They hunt him down with fire and pitchforks. What happens when a serial thief, known simply as 'The Cat Burglar', continues to steal their most prized possessions? Heavy sack beatings go up by a staggering 900%.
In 'Homer the Vigilante', many of Springfield's long-standing problems are hilariously exploited: police incompetence, sensationalised news reporting, reacting before thinking and, importantly, a reliance on mob/vigilante justice. You could argue it's the only form of action these poor saps know how to take when fighting against even the slightest of challenges.
Granted, having someone break into your home would frighten even the best of us. However, the idea that a vigilante group, fronted by Homer Simpson of all people, would help bring an end to the madness is the perfect example of their closed-minded way of thinking. The staggering incompetence on display is one of the many reasons why I absolutely love this episode.
It manages to poke fun at a society's obsession with firearms and taking matters into its own hands. Through the antics of doorknob-wielding middle-aged men in outrageous outfits (seriously, Moe as a Kaiser German gets me every time) it highlights the most obvious problems with vigilante justice. Then, at the climax, it seamlessly blends in one of my favourite film parodies in the series' history: the hunt for the 'Giant T', a take on the classic film _It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World_.
While it may not be a murder mystery, the overriding story that drives 'Homer the Vigilante' is one I've always considered a predecessor to the classic 'Who Shot Mr. Burns?' in that both are essentially whodunnit mysteries. The key difference being that, unlike the Season 6 cliffhanger, writer John Swartzwelder didn't try too hard to keep the big reveal here a secret. In fact, the blatant silhouette of Molloy and his trademark moustache in the opening sequence put the viewer in the driver's seat of the investigation. It adds a layer of dramatic irony to the equation, as the episode almost becomes a pantomime whenever Molloy is onscreen, encouraging the viewer to shout 'He's behind you!'
Molloy, played to perfection by Sam Neill, is a man whose ambitions and end goals are never truly explored. Was he just your average kleptomaniac, or was there a hidden agenda behind his thievery? I mean, what was he ever going to do with a stamp collection?
For me, Molloy is the result of what would happen if someone from the real world entered the bubble in which Springfield exists finding amusement by taking advantage of the dimwits that surround him. The only problem is that it was so easy that it became boring, hence he allowed himself to be captured in order to create the task of making his great escape. It would explain why Molloy remained so calm and collected when the angry mob burst into his room at the retirement home after Grampa put the pieces of the puzzle together, as obvious as they were. Congratulating his foes on tracking him down, Molloy almost escapes with nothing more than a simple apology; however, thankfully Chief Wiggum (somewhat uncharacteristically) does his job and arrests the Cat Burglar for the crimes which he committed.
Finding himself behind bars, Molloy decides to test the intelligence levels of his fellow Springfieldians one last time by nonchalantly mentioning a hidden treasure that he's buried under a 'Giant T', immediately piquing their interest. This clue proves far too difficult for Homer & co. to work out, resulting in a disappointed Molloy simply giving them all the exact address where they can find the loot.
What follows is a sequence that's almost worthy of an episode in itself. Kicking off with one of my favourite Marge moments of all time as she slides down the police station stairs and onto a motorcycle with Homer in the sidecar, this two minutes of hilarity puts a final stamp on the episode's emphasis of just how dumb Springfield truly is. Upon discovering nothing more than a letter from Molloy himself detailing how he's used his time to escape from prison, the townspeople remain so swept up in the moment that they continue to dig anyway under the orders of their mayor, who assumes that by doing so they're 'bound to find something'.
In an era when the show was beginning to venture out into 'wacky' territory, 'Homer the Vigilante' manages to ride the fine line between absurdity and believability, resulting in one of Swartzwelder's finest contributions to the series.
#### What did we learn?
Don't panic if you ever fall into a hole – simply dig up.
#### #4
'Lemon of Troy'
(Season 6, Episode 24)
_After a group of Shelbyville children steal Springfield's lemon tree, Bart leads a gang into rival territory to reclaim it. Worried about the boys, Homer leads a gang of his own to find them. When their paths meet, they join forces to bring the lemon tree back to Springfield._
I've always been a sucker for a well-orchestrated heist film. _Heat_ , _Snatch_ , _Ocean's Eleven_ , I love them all. They're fun, they're exciting, they're suspenseful, they're great stories to tell when told right, and with a little help from some good ol' fashioned town pride and a fruit tree, 'Lemon of Troy' produces one of my all-time favourites.
For me, what's always made this episode stand out from the pack is the way it finally takes viewers on a journey through Shelbyville, a town we'd heard so much about but knew so little. To be honest, its inhabitants are rather pretentious for a community who pride themselves on marrying their own cousins. However, I guess what they lack in moral substance they make up for in football skills – after all, they beat Springfield nearly half the time.
While most heists tend to revolve around cash or at least something of value, the heart of _this_ story is a lemon tree, the difference being that Springfield is technically only stealing back what rightfully belonged to it. The fact that they are so passionate about something I consider so meaningless is what I love the most. In saying that, writer Brent Forrester does such a great job at building up the tree's importance that by the time Homer & co. escape the Shelbyville impound lot, even I genuinely feel a sense of achievement for them, as if having this tree makes Springfield a better town. That's the charm of 'Lemon of Troy' in a nutshell.
At its core, this is an episode about town pride, a theme that truly struck a chord with me as a child, particularly during Marge's 'this town is a part of us all' speech. Even to this day, as a diehard Geelong Cats supporter it's hard not to get swept up when she points out the Springfield Isotopes cap, since I've never been able to fully grasp how anybody could support a team from an opposing town (I'm looking at you, Mitch!). Perhaps it's the music cue, or maybe it's Marge's repetitiveness; either way, that moment manages to make me fall in love with our home town every single time I watch it.
Up until this point in the series, nobody seemed to 'want' to live in Springfield. It was almost like their own personal prison with everybody serving a life sentence, so it was important to establish a reason for Bart to want to defend it, and who better to defend it against than his Shelbyville clone, Shelby. The confrontation between the two groups of kids perfectly encapsulates the kind of harmless banter you'd hear in the schoolyard. 'I know you are, but what am I?' 'Takes one to know one!' Seriously, perfect.
It wouldn't surprise me if Forrester actually sought input from kids while writing this script. He creates such a sense of fear and the unknown as Bart and his friends are raiding Shelbyville, when in actuality they were never in any _rea_ l danger. However, coming from experience, this type of scenario would feel like 'life or death' for any group of 10-year-olds.
When Shelby and his gang steal the lemon tree, it reminds of the time my best mate's bike got stolen by kids from a nearby suburb. Rather than seek help from our parents, my group of friends decided to live vicariously through this episode and set ourselves the goal of entering the unknown to retrieve said bike. Looking back, I was most certainly the Milhouse of the operation, for not only did I provide the walkie-talkies, but I was also good at hiding in bushes while everyone else did the dirty work. We never did find the bike, I'm not sure we even looked in the right suburb, but much like this episode, it was fun while it lasted.
After being stolen, the lemon tree became more than a source of sour fruit: it was now a symbol of their manhood. Once thriving for all to see, this symbol of their pride was now being held captive by their most hated rivals. The icing on this episode's cake is the way both the kids and the adults of Springfield eventually join forces to bring down their enemy and reclaim their position in this rivalry's food chain. It's not often we are treated to seeing two generations of Springfieldians working together, which is a shame as it works so well. Remember 'Bart the General'?
In the end, it's Bart's street-smarts that leads Team Springfield to victory, which makes sense with it being such a Bart-centric story. His idea of parking the van in front of the hospital in order to get impounded was pure genius, once again reaffirming that there's more than meets the eye with this under-achiever.
It'd be foolish of me not to mention that I found a new reason to love this episode in 2016, as it helped spawn possibly the most famous _Simpsons_ meme in years – the 'lemon' meme. If only the animators knew at the time that their drawings would still be setting trends two decades on.
Through childish banter and challenging one's masculinity, 'Lemon of Troy' gives us a story that can be appreciated on many levels. Like many earlier episodes, it proves that at their peak, _The Simpsons_ couldn't be matched for providing characters and stories we could all live vicariously through. Whether you're Bart, Homer or even Milhouse, this show is a part of us all, a part of us all, A PART OF US ALL!
#### What did we learn?
Rocky V + Rocky II = Rocky VII.
#### #3
'Who Shot Mr. Burns?'
Parts One and Two
_When Mr. Burns learns that Springfield Elementary has struck oil, he devises a scheme to steal it, and the riches it promises. The drilling operation forces the closure of Moe's Tavern, and an oil burst destroys Bart's treehouse and wounds Santa's Little Helper. Not finished with his evil bidding, Burns reveals a plot to permanently block out the sun, forcing all residents to rely on electricity 24/7. Not long after activating the blocker, Burns is shot in a back alley, sparking the greatest whodunnit mystery this side of Agatha Christie._
The first and only two-part episode remains one of the more unusual in the show's history. This 46 minutes of television became the cornerstone for an event that defined the peak of _The Simpsons'_ impact on the world of pop culture.
Designed to replicate the 'Who Shot J.R.?' concept from classic 80s soap opera _Dallas_ , 'Who Shot Mr. Burns?' went one step further by allowing fans to truly immerse themselves in the show with the 'Simpsons Mystery Sweepstakes', a contest that offered a prize to whoever could solve the case. Although nobody was successful (besides an apparently anonymous fan on an online forum), the concept opened the door to new forms of interactivity between viewers and writers, becoming one of the first programmes to combine the internet with elements of a television show. It would have thrived in today's TV podcast generation, encouraging viewer participation and engagement in ways like never before.
The fact that the culprit remained a mystery right up to the ending of _Part Two_ actually speaks volumes to the quality of the writing. Many clues that helped point the finger were cleverly sprinkled throughout, yet they were still vague enough to make us question our theory on who pulled the trigger.
Viewers managed to narrow it down to several key suspects, although Maggie never got a mention, despite the fact that she too vents her anger at the town meeting. It's a subtle hint that remains my favourite clue of the entire episode. Whilst at the time it may have seemed unreasonable to believe a baby did it, by Season 6, anything was possible in Springfield.
Sure, in hindsight these clues may make it quite easy to put the pieces together, yet this doesn't detract from the sheer joy and charm of reminiscing about the time you put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and attempted to figure it out for yourself.
The episode does an incredible job of positioning Mr. Burns as an evil villain, even more than usual, by using his greed to intertwine several unique events that help establish many Springfield residents as potential suspects.
Beginning with the unfortunate discovery of the lifeless body of class pet, Superdude, Groundskeeper Willie is issued the task of giving the beloved lizard a proper burial, a privilege not even his father had. Whilst digging, Willie discovers an untapped oil well, immediately making Springfield Elementary the richest school in the state.
Once Mr. Burns catches wind of the new-found fortune, he goes against Smithers' wishes and insists on taking it for himself by draining the oil from his own rig, creating turmoil throughout the town: the school is once again poor, Tito Puente loses his job as music teacher, Santa's Little Helper is temporarily paralysed, Moe is forced to close his bar, Smithers is fired, the Retirement Castle is damaged, everyone yells, oh – and most importantly – Burns can't remember Homer's name. Finally, in perhaps his most supervillain-esque act of all time, Burns decides to block out the sun so that the town will be forever run on electricity sourced from the nuclear power plant. This is where the 'fun' begins.
Everything leading up to the inevitable shooting forms a well-placed seed plant that makes this episode so much more enjoyable on repeat viewing. As this aired before the internet was in every home, we were required to freeze-frame and actually find the clues ourselves, rather than learning them all with a quick Google search. By ending 'Part One' with Dr. Hibbert seemingly breaking the fourth wall and asking us if we can solve the mystery, it created the perfect set-up for one of television's greatest cliffhangers.
Season 7 kicked off with Burns' long-time assistant Smithers waking from a drunken binge, believing himself to be guilty and turning himself in. Looking back, Smithers was always a 'too obvious to be guilty' suspect, but that didn't stop eight-year-old Dando from thinking he'd solved the case, spending six months obnoxiously telling his sister Stacey that 'it's obviously Smithers'.
Soon enough we learn of Smithers' innocence, with the majority of the episode then spent crossing off the potential suspects one by one as their often laughable alibis are all checked out, including my personal favourite, the iconic lie detector test of Moe Szyslak.
It's no secret that for many the final reveal of Maggie as the infamous shooter left a bad taste in the mouth, including my own at the time. After all, how could a baby have the strength to aim a gun, let alone pull the trigger? These were just some of the questions I threw out in a fit of anger once the credits started rolling, partially because I was too young to appreciate the hilarity behind the absurdness of it all, but mostly because it meant that I was wrong.
These days it'd be near-impossible to find anyone under the age of 40 who hasn't watched this episode, or who is at least unaware of who in fact shot Mr. Burns. It was such a historic moment in television history that it was THE topic of water-cooler discussions for the week following. However, if by a miraculous chance you do find somebody who, still oblivious to the hysteria, don't pass on the chance to sit them down and watch along as they too try and crack the case, living vicariously through them as you once again enjoy one of _The Simpsons'_ crowning achievements.
#### What did we learn?
Babies in Texas better not shoot anybody.
#### #2
'The Springfield Files'
(Season 8, Episode 10)
_After getting lost on his way home from Moe's after a heavy drinking session, Homer has an encounter with an extraterrestrial. Only Bart believes his story, with even Agents Mulder and Scully unable to find any evidence to support Homer's claim. After Bart manages to capture another encounter on tape, the whole town becomes convinced and sets up camp the following Friday. Only Lisa remains a sceptic, and is ultimately proven correct when the 'alien' turns out to be Mr. Burns_.
From a young age, I've always loved science fiction. Many hours of my youth were spent sitting in front of the television watching films such as _E.T._ , _The Empire Strikes Back_ ; hell, even _Mac and Me_ was on regular rotation. The only issue was that none of my friends shared the same love for aliens and lightsabres. They all looked at the genre the same way people look at me when I tell them I'm still a wrestling fan at the age of 29. I remember questioning why I seemed to be the only person I knew who was interested in seeing Yoda lift an X-Wing out of the water with nothing but his mind, then 'The Springfield Files' came along and I realised that I was not alone.
This was the first time _The Simpsons_ had dedicated an entire episode to parodying another one of FOX's hit programmes, providing us with an abundance of sci-fi references in the form of an episode of _The X-Files_. From Chewbacca singing 'Good Morning Starshine' while wearing a 'Homer Is A Dope' shirt, to a police line-up featuring the likes of Alf and Marvin the Martian, 'The Springfield Files' was a 22-minute showcase for the writers to overindulge in their inner geek. In the process, they reaffirmed to 9-year-old Dando that he wasn't out of touch for enjoying science fiction, it was the children who were wrong.
What's always made me laugh is that showrunner Al Jean actually thought of the idea for this episode while sitting on the toilet. He saw _The X-Files_ on the cover of _TV Guide_ and knew it would make for a fun parody. It was a bold concept that many of the writers initially rejected, but that didn't stop Jean and Mike Reiss from delivering a brilliant mash-up. What stands out is that the script celebrates _The X-Files_ just as much as it pokes fun at it. This wasn't like the dismissive parody of _Married with Children_ in 'Deep Space Homer', this was a crossover that fans of both shows could appreciate. Even Agent Mulder's photo of himself in a Speedo, which may seem like nothing more than a funny visual to non- _X-Files_ viewers, is actually a direct reference to the episode 'Duane Barry', in which David Duchovny wore only a Speedo. These subtle in-jokes for _X-Files_ fans were crucial to the episode's success since at the time of airing, _The X-Files_ was one of television's most popular programmes. In fact just two weeks later, _The X-Files_ episode 'Leonard Betts' became the highest-rated in the show's history. Some say that was because it followed Super Bowl XXXI, but I like to believe it was due to the buzz generated by 'The Springfield Files'.
Kicking off with Leonard Nimoy introducing us to the story (in a parody of his programme _In Search Of..._ ) immediately sets the tone that this won't be your average episode. Much like the 'Treehouse of Horror' series, extraordinary events will occur that should be treated as non-canon. It fitted the vibe of the _X-Files_ motif and allowed viewers to suspend their disbelief when the alien was revealed to be Mr. Burns all along. Credit must also be given to Nimoy, who delivered an even more memorable performance here than he did in 'Marge vs. the Monorail'. The best guest stars are always the ones who are willing to embrace the absurdity that comes with visiting Springfield.
Given the amount of sci-fi references and parodies throughout, I've always looked at this episode as the closest thing we got to _Futurama_ before the show actually launched in 1999. With _Futurama_ being set in the future, the writers had more freedom to push the boundaries a little more than they could on _The Simpsons_ , resulting in the type of story we get in 'The Springfield Files'. Although I must admit that some of my favourite references in the episode aren't even sci-fi related. Homer's retelling of _Speed_ as 'The Bus That Couldn't Slow Down' is a perfect example of the _Simpsons_ writing staff in their prime.
Aside from the guest appearances and sci-fi spoofs, the driving force of the episode is Homer's determination to prove he's not insane. Nobody believes his story, not even Marge, the one person who has always supported him whether she agrees or not. Granted, if someone with Homer's track record turned up half-sober claiming to have seen an alien, I'd find it hard to swallow his story myself. Still, as a viewer you _want_ Homer to succeed because you know he's telling the truth. When Bart reveals that he believes his father, it's a nice moment of support that we rarely get to see from him without any ulterior motive. Just like me when I first watched this episode, he's a young boy who wants to believe in the existence of life in outer space. After all, what kid would pass up the opportunity to see a real-life alien?
'The Springfield Files' may not appear in the Top 5 for most fans. While I'm sure it can be enjoyed purely for Homer's crazy shenanigans, having knowledge of _The X-Files_ , as well as the movies and characters which it satirises, adds an extra layer of hilarity that raises its glass to the geek community. This was written for those of us willing to line up for hours to secure a good seat at a _Star Wars_ midnight screening, for those of us who never really grew up, for those of us who choose to believe.
#### What did we learn?
The truth is out there.
#### #1
'22 Short Films About Springfield'
(Season 7, Episode 21)
_In a series of short scenes, we get a glimpse of the many stories of the many lives being lived out in Springfield._
Without question, '22 Short Films About Springfield' is my all-time favourite episode. Based loosely on Quentin Tarantino's 1994 hit film _Pulp Fiction_ , it incorporates one of the more unusual structures in the series' history by intertwining a number of different stories starring some of the show's favourite secondary characters. By its seventh season _The Simpsons_ had developed the largest cast on television, but more impressively almost all of these characters were capable of carrying a story on their own. Whether it's Dr. Nick saving Grampa from a dangerous case of _bonus eruptus_ , or Comic Book Guy wheeling and dealing for the sake of 75 cents, no episode does a better job of showcasing the extensive universe of Springfield.
'22 Short Films' certainly isn't for everybody. If you prefer stories with structure that lead to an emotional payoff then you're certainly not going to find that here. What you do get though is 23 minutes of short, sharp hilarity that emphasise just how far the show had come by 1996. It may have still been called _The Simpsons_ but the Simpsons were no longer the only stars of the show; everyone was important in their own right from Bumblebee Man all the way to the Very Tall Man. The Simpson family still play a role in this episode but they certainly weren't relied upon like usual. In fact Homer only appears for a little over a minute, which, as funny as that segment is (I've always loved the fact that he somehow had his quarters run over by a train, yet decided to keep them anyway), has got to be some kind of record.
Besides _The Simpsons Movie_ , this episode had more credited writers than any other _Simpsons_ project in history, which is understandable considering just how much is going on. There truly is never a dull moment as Jim Reardon's directing ensures each story ends with a direct transition into the next. In fact, the way it flows from one story to the next, it almost feels like you're watching a living comic strip. Nothing outstays its welcome, with some segments getting more airtime than others where required. A classic example of this is the 'steamed hams' segment starring Principal Skinner and Superintendent Chalmers, which was written by then-showrunner Bill Oakley.
This scene is unique in the way it was scripted, coming across more like a conversation between Jerry and George at Monks in _Seinfeld_ than a conversation we'd expect to hear on _The Simpsons_. This was a show that never wasted a single line of dialogue; everything had to be either a punchline, setting up a punchline or furthering the story, but what we get here is Skinner and Chalmers discussing nothing of any real substance since it's all a lie anyway. It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of this was improvised by Castellaneta and Shearer, it's just the little things like Chalmers saying 'of course' as Skinner goes to check on his kitchen. I think that's what makes this such a memorable moment because it feels like _real_ people having a _real_ conversation. Even visually there's not a lot going on until the aurora borealis breaks out in Skinner's kitchen, it's just one man trying to convince the other that he is telling the truth, by covering up one outlandish lie with another. Shearer's acting is amazing as he lies with enough conviction to fool a man who would normally be able to see right through Skinner's shenanigans.
It's a similar situation with Chief Wiggum's conversation about McDonald's with Eddie and Lou at Krusty Burger, a reference to Vincent and Jules' 'royal with cheese' discussion in _Pulp Fiction_. No other episode would allow for three characters to waste so much time comparing 'Krusty partially-gelatinated non-dairy-gum-based beverages' to 'shakes', but it just fits so well here. What's so great about it is that it holds up even if you haven't seen _Pulp Fiction_ , as most of my generation wouldn't have when this went to air, but for those who have it's a fitting tribute that makes all Tarantino fans smile with glee.
My favourite segment in the entire episode is actually a direct parody of one of _Pulp Fiction's_ most iconic scenes involving gimps and torture. Herman was the perfect replacement for Maynard, ensuring we could never look at him the same way again. The shot of Chief Wiggum and Snake tied to chairs and beaten is a visual that I think is quite possibly one of the darkest moments in _The Simpsons_ , especially when you know what evil intentions Herman had planned for them next. Thankfully Milhouse saves the day in the most ironic reference of them all, accidentally 'going medieval' on Herman.
The original idea for '22 Short Films' was actually spawned by the 'Adventures of Ned Flanders' clip at the end of Season 4's 'The Front'. It was a standalone clip that existed within its own bubble and had no bearing on the episode it was attached to. This is a format I'm surprised the show hasn't used more often, since I've always believed it could have evolved into an annual tradition much like the 'Treehouse of Horror' series. At the time there were even talks of creating a separate spin-off series titled Springfield Stories, which would focus on the town as a whole as opposed to just the Simpson family. We may be in Season 29 but it's certainly not too late to try something fresh, especially since some of the best episodes from later seasons have been those that break the usual format, like 'Trilogy of Error', 'The Seemingly Never-Ending Story' and '24 Minutes'.
'22 Short Films About Springfield' may lack the standard formula that made _The Simpsons_ a television icon, but there's still a freshness to it that makes it stand out from the pack even to this day. It's almost got a season's worth of classic moments within one episode, many of which I didn't have room for in this review, although that's a testament to just how fantastically produced it really is. It gives Springfield an identity by offering us a fly-on-the-wall guided tour in real time. We as fans will never get the opportunity to visit this crazy town, but watching '22 Short Films' is absolutely the next best thing.
#### What did we learn?
Everyone needs to drive a vehicle, even the very tall.
## An Interview with Bill Oakley
_After starting on the show as a writer in Season 4, Bill Oakley quickly found himself thrust into a position of seniority due to a mass change of staff. Quickly proving himself capable of both paying tribute to the style of episodes that had come before him, as well as showing an ability to experiment with new formats, Bill found himself running the show with Josh Weinstein by the time Season 7 rolled around. We spoke with Bill about coming into the show in a time of change, and what makes certain characters tick._
You and Josh Weinstein were the first 'fans' to be hired on the writing team. Do you think that helped you both to think like a fan and produce the type of stories that we all wanted?
I think it's a slight exaggeration to say that we were the first 'fans' to be hired, since I'm sure Conan would have been a fan, but perhaps not the kind of fan that _we_ were in terms of what you'd call a ' _Simpsons_ nerd'. I mean we collected _Simpsons_ merchandise and even wrote for _The Simpsons Comics_ before we got on the staff, so if anything, I'd say we were bigger nerds than anybody else in terms of Simpsonology.
To answer your question though, I don't think we were really thinking about it in terms of doing shows that appeal to the fans. We were trying to do shows that _we_ liked. Everybody says this about TV, but the kiss of death is trying do stuff that will appeal to the audience as opposed to doing what you think is great and hoping the audience will like it. For the most part during our time there, including when we were working under Mike and Al and then David Mirkin, we were all just trying to do shows that _we_ thought were really amusing and everybody else was collateral.
When first starting out as writers, what unique elements do you think yourself and Josh were able to bring to the table?
I don't believe that we brought a unique spin to the show as much as a desire to be faithful to what we thought its tenets were. We didn't come into the show saying 'We're gonna do it our way!' we were more like 'We're gonna do it just like they did before.' When we did Season 7, we literally sat down and copied Season 3, which I still say is the best season of television ever made, and we weren't even there for it. We worked out that they did six Homer episodes; one Sideshow Bob, one Itchy & Scratchy, two Lisa episodes, etc., and we patterned our work on Season 3. The stories were different but our idea was to reproduce what we considered to be the gold. The only thing that we changed was that we allowed two episodes per season that were incredibly self-indulgent format-bending stuff like '22 Short Films About Springfield' and 'The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase' _._ We thought the show was going to be over by Season 9, or 10 at the latest, so we figured why not have some fun with this thing? You know, 'Nobody's paying attention, nobody tells us what to do so let's just do what we want to.' That was how '22 Short Films' came about.
Well, '22 Short Films' is Dando's personal favourite, along with some other format-bending episodes. Did you ever think of any other concepts that didn't fit the show at the time but might have in later seasons?
I feel like Josh and I, along with our staff, were almost running out of ideas by the end of Season 8, so I don't believe there were many things we didn't do that we had wanted to. As I said, back then it was a rare, practically unique situation in the history of television where we were able to broadcast the show and nobody was paying any attention. Due to the nature of the deal with FOX, they weren't allowed to give us any notes or do anything other than broadcast the show. Jim Brooks, who was the _real_ boss of the show, was off directing his movies for several years during that time, so we didn't see him very much either. Josh and I were able to be as self-indulgent as we wanted. It's interesting because at the time I don't think people liked '22 Short Films' all that much. I don't think they liked Frank Grimes much at the time either. However, what happened was it became a self-fulfilling prophecy where the kids who were watching it at the time grew into the kind of fans who _would_ appreciate those episodes.
Frank Grimes is the most real character we've ever seen on the show, like somebody from the real world being thrown into the insanity of Springfield. Besides giving Homer an enemy, what were your main intentions with the Grimes character and what did he represent?
To take a step back for a minute, another idea that we were surprised we came up with was when Homer became Mr. Burns' assistant in 'Homer the Smithers' – we couldn't believe it hadn't already been done. With Frank Grimes we were just trying to come up with various things on TV shows and one of those things was that a character usually has an enemy. Characters had wanted to kill Homer in the past but he's never had someone who was morally opposed to him. So we wondered, 'What would that person be like?' Well, he'd be a real rule-following guy who had the opposite personality to Homer. The other thing that we added was that he would seem like he'd come from the real world, commenting on things that everyone had taken for granted for so long, like Homer being the chief safety inspector at the power plant. Obviously it was made up as a joke in Season 1, but after eight years somebody could easily point out how horrifying it is that he's responsible for our safety. So we just decided to have Frank come in and question all the assumptions that everyone had had about Homer for all this time.
You guys joined the show during a transitional period where many of the original writers were leaving for other projects. Were you disappointed knowing you wouldn't be working with this legendary group for much longer, or was it seen as more of an opportunity for you both?
It was disappointing initially but then David Mirkin came in and built a new staff. The collateral benefit of that was that we became the most senior guys on the show after having been there for only nine months. So it was an opportunity for us since I think we got bumped up around four levels almost immediately to supervising producer. Also because of our _Simpsons_ 'nerdery', we were also, well, I wouldn't say we were directing for those two years because David was, but he did let us write five episodes each season and they went on the air without too much adjustment.
Can you remember the first idea either of you pitched?
It was the gambling episode '$pringfield'. We pitched it during the weird twilight-zone era where some of the original guys were still there at the retreat, including Sam Simon. That was actually the last time we saw Sam working on the show, it was he, Mike, Al and a number of the original writers right before they all left. After that we had a weird period on the show where nobody was running it for like two months; the only writing employees were myself, Josh, Conan and Dan McGrath. We were just writing all these episodes on our own until Mirkin got hired.
On the topic of **'$pringfield'** , growing up in Australia Howard Hughes wasn't really on our radar until **The Aviator** came out. So Burns suddenly going crazy and bottling his own urine came from left field for us. Was that in the original pitch, or was that just bouncing things around in a room and that's where it got to?
That was part of the original pitch because it fit so perfectly. Howard Hughes was this casino magnet who lived on the top floor of his casino in Las Vegas as he gradually went crazy, and it just seemed natural for Burns to start his own casino and slowly turn into Hughes. It was honestly one of the first ideas we had for that episode.
You mentioned **'22 Short Films'** earlier, and you've gone on record saying that Chalmers is one of your favourite characters. We were wondering how long the 'Steamed Hams' segment took to write because every line in that is so refined and there's not a wasted syllable.
It took an afternoon for me to write. I'm sure you've heard the story of how it originated from the 'Adventures of Ned Flanders' clip at the end of 'The Front'. We always just thought that was so funny and the reason they did that was because the episode came in short. We never had that problem; in fact our episodes always came in too long. So finally someone just came up with the bright idea of let's just do a whole episode with those shorts and tie them all together. It was around the time _Pulp Fiction_ came out and we realised we could have a story that wove them. I remember we got to choose our three favourite characters and then drew one out of a hat. I really wanted to write for Chalmers because I loved all those moments that came before where Skinner would lie and Chalmers would reject briefly and then believe it. I wanted to do a whole sequence of those things, it took a while to come up with the idea but then it all unfolded quite quickly.
The thing about that sequence is that there aren't any traditional 'jokes' in there, like Homer getting hit on the head and yelling 'Doh!' or Bart prank-calling Moe. I was actually afraid when I did it that people would say there's nothing funny about it, because it's just 13 interconnected lies that become more and more preposterous as opposed to traditional jokes.
It's very straight-faced, like the line 'it's an Albany expression', for example.
Yeah, that's why I'm surprised it's taken off like it has and become so popular over the years. Again this is the perfect example of the show having a second life due to the internet, since I don't remember anybody talking about 'steamed hams' for at least the first ten years after it aired. I don't recall anybody even noticing it at all and it's only with the Internet and the way it's taken on a meme life of its own that it's finally taken off.
Do you think it might be that people have become more accustomed to watching TV comedy without laugh tracks? That's a scene where a traditional sitcom audience might need to be told where to laugh, whereas shows like **Arrested Development** and **Community** have helped people learn to find the jokes themselves?
I think that's definitely possible, that nowadays a large proportion of people are willing to appreciate comedy that doesn't have traditional set-up/punchline rhythms.
Jumping to another one of your more famous episodes, **'Who Shot Mr. Burns?'** As someone who wrote the script, what was it like watching the hysteria you caused over that summer?
There really wasn't any hysteria; it's another classic example of the pre- and post-internet world. The internet wasn't predominant back then so we didn't hear anything. We knew that FOX was spending a lot of money to promote it and putting things up in 7/11, which was rare for them to do at the time, but there was really no way for us to know if people were interested. All we knew was that FOX was interested enough to make it a whole night of programming; even then I'm not sure it was in the Top 20 rated shows for that week. Again though, it's now taken on a life of its own. My guess is that these days nobody knows what other shows were airing that week, but they still remember when they watched 'Who Shot Mr. Burns?'
It's funny that you say there was no hysteria because as a kid, we were roughly eight years old at the time, it was all we were talking about in the schoolyard. It really was a big deal to us.
That's really cool, but we had no idea. The only way we knew what people were thinking was if they wrote us a letter. We'd occasionally look at _Simpsons_ forums, but that was a rarefied group of people who usually hated everything that we loved, so we couldn't take it too seriously.
The fact that you had the dial-up modem installed in your office just so you could read the forums like alt. simpsons clearly shows that you cared what the fans were thinking. Did you ever read anything in those forums that inspired an idea for an episode?
No, not really, we had to be very careful about that. I don't remember ever reading many ideas for episodes being pitched in the forums, and if I did I'd immediately ignore it because I didn't want to be accused of stealing someone's notion for an episode. I've said before that my interest in it declined as time went by because it just became more aggravating than amusing. It was enjoyable to read when I was just a _Simpsons_ fan who was a low-level guy on the show, I actually felt a sense of camaraderie as we were all posting about the episodes. Then the more I became involved with the episodes and started producing them, seeing people's blisteringly negative reactions to them online became upsetting and I had the modem removed from my office.
You've said that 'the new guy always gets the Marge episodes', which is why Jean and Reiss assigned you and Josh to 'Marge Gets a Job'. When did you first feel like you were no longer 'the new guy' and felt like you 'belonged' at **The Simpsons**?
It happened really quickly because not long after we started, eleven people left the show. So we went from being literally the newest guys in June of '92, then in November of '92 we were the second-newest guys, and then six months later Conan left and we were the most senior guys on the show.
It's amazing that so much change didn't bring about an entire season of Marge episodes...
Well, the result of having so many new people was that we suddenly got to write the Homer episodes. Back then the Homer episodes were the gold that you only gave to George Meyer, Jon Vitti or Swartzwelder, then all of a sudden, the very first one we wrote for Season 5 was '$pringfield', which was Mr. Burns and Homer primarily.
In regard to Homer, from a writer's perspective, it feels like with that character you can draw parallels to Bugs Bunny in that depending on who's writing and directing him, Homer can go many different ways. He can be overly aggressive towards Bart, sometimes he's beyond dim-witted, yet other times he's quite clever with his schemes. What is your quintessential version of Homer?
I think Homer is essentially a well-meaning boob. I never liked it when Homer became mean or vindictive because ultimately he has a good soul and a good heart. Swartzwelder once said that the best way to write Homer was as a big, enthusiastic dog. He couldn't really control his desire to eat or know when to rest when he was tired, but still he was so lovable. That was the way we always loved to write him, then when we were head writers we forced others to write him that way also.
We always thought that on the rare occasion when Homer was shown to be genuinely good at something, that it was super-enjoyable. In 'Lisa the Iconoclast' when Homer becomes the town crier, he's really good at it and we really loved that. Having Homer have a couple of wins now and then was always really satisfying and showed that he was in fact good for something once in a while.
We couldn't agree more – with 'Dancing Homer' in particular, which is the first time we see him genuinely successful and have a lot of people behind what he does. It was uplifting to go back and watch that from a more critical point of view and actually take note of what was happening onscreen.
Yeah that episode is really great. It's also quite realistic in a way with the way it all unfolds, when you think about it.
Growing up, we struggled to relate to the character of Lisa, however the older we got the more we realised that we both are Lisa. When you were writing the show, which character do you think you related to the most?
If we're talking about the family, I'd have to say Lisa with a little bit of Bart and Homer mixed in. However, if we're talking about the universe of Springfield it's definitely Chalmers, that's why I love him so much. I remember we took a poll in the writers' room back in the day and ten of the twelve writers, including Matt Groening, said that _Green Acres_ was their favourite show, growing up. I tend to think Eddie Albert in _Green Acres_ and Chalmers are similar in the sense that they were unlike anybody else on the show. They'd be putting up with a lot of crazy people who didn't really know what they were doing but they just had to muddle their way through. That's what Chalmers is all about. He and Hibbert are the only sane guys in this whole town, but in order to function they have to simply write it off. Chalmers knows everyone's lying, he knows everyone's bad at their job, but he only cares enough just to ask one question and then he moves along because otherwise he'd lose his mind. I guess that's me in a way.
Were there any characters that you had a hard time writing for?
There are various things that are hard to write, like when Groundskeeper Willie calls people names such as 'croquet playing mint-munchers', those kinds of things take time. Sideshow Bob was difficult for the same reason – just characters that have a really complicated way of speaking. I'd also have to say Bart because he's hard to make funny in a non-corny way. Writing Homer and Lisa is pretty easy. Actually, Marge is quite easy too, even though it's not much fun because she doesn't have a lot of crazy personality flaws. Bart is difficult since you're expecting him to be original and witty, as well as a prankster while also having some relatable emotions. I certainly wouldn't want to be assigned a Bart episode if it was my first day on the job there because it's so hard to do it right.
One of the keys to Bart is that when it's done really well, he might have the wit of an older kid but the emotions or logic of a 10-year-old. For example, when Lisa's trying to figure out if he's smarter than a hamster, the lines he says are funny and beyond his years, yet he's still going to keep touching an electrified cupcake.
Yep for sure, that type of stuff was always hard to do. Jon Vitti was really good at treading that line, but also managed to keep it from being corny.
Speaking of Bart, your episode **'Bart vs. Australia'** is something we all hold very dear to our hearts. It was a phenomenon when it aired and to this day it's incredibly popular.
Cool! I just watched that last night, actually and I've always been curious about what people in Australia thought about that episode. I remember we got hundreds of letters from angry schoolchildren from Australia asking us why we treated their country so poorly. Obviously, it'd been some sort of school assignment. So really the only response we ever got from Australia was a bunch of angry letters from kids.
It's weird that so many kids would say they didn't like it. When it aired, every kid at our schools absolutely loved it.
I'm so glad to hear that. You know, it was all just cobbled together from the corniest stereotypes from Australia, and we always knew the show was big down there so we thought Australians would get a kick out of it. Also, part of the joke is that Australia is treated as such an assemblage of stereotypes and we just kept heaping them on, we literally took every opportunity. Even the guys in parliament who are all such hillbillies, it's so funny. It's the stereotypes that Australia has exported to the world being reflected back in our vision of the country.
Anyway, as I said, I'm so happy to hear that it was appreciated in the spirit in which we wrote it.
Forgive me for putting you on the spot, but what was your favourite episode prior to working on the show?
Before I got on the show my favourite was always 'Radio Bart' and I know that nobody ever picks that one...
That's actually in Mitch's Top 5 in this book...
Wow! Fantastic. Well, you and I are clearly simpatico. It's not one of those ones that stands out as super-memorable like 'Lisa's Substitute' or 'Homer the Heretic', mainly because Season 3 was so perfect that an episode like 'Radio Bart' can easily fly under the radar. That's really a testament to how amazing the rest of the episodes were, like 'Homer at the Bat'. The thing is, people always remember the ones with all the gimmicks, but 'Radio Bart' is honestly the perfect _Simpsons_ episode from A to Z. It had a ton of hilarious, well-observed gags about society, going to Chuck E. Cheese or even the social phenomenon when a kid's fallen down the well. Then there's the song 'Sendin' Our Love Down the Well' with a celebrity appearance from Sting – it had everything that you would want from a classic _Simpsons_ episode. If you explain the top 10 things that made _The Simpsons_ so great, this episode had all of them. It doesn't stick in people's minds because it's not gimmicky like the baseball one, yet it's the apex of the show's creative abilities.
Which writer from the original team did you most admire?
Of the people I worked with, George Meyer is the best TV comedy writer of all time. To vastly oversimplify it, he's incredibly perceptive and has the most jaundiced take on modern American society. He observes things about society that most of us take for granted. Similar to how Frank Grimes reacts when he first arrives at the power plant, that's the way George reacts to modern American society. George was the backbone of the show for all the years he was there.
Which episode would you say best describes working on the show?
At the risk of sounding obvious I'd have to say 'The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show'. I think we made it very clear to the viewer exactly what it was like and the frustrations one would experience. Fortunately, we never actually got forced to add the character of Roy or someone similar to the show, but that episode combined with 'The Front' is pretty illustrative of what it was like to work on _The Simpsons_.
## Season 7 (1995-96)
#### In Conversation
**DANDO:** Without question, this is my favourite season of the series. Everybody I knew was watching the show by this point, whether it be religiously or casually. We were all coming down from the high of the 'Who Shot Mr. Burns?' hysteria, but by no means were the season's remaining episodes riding on its coat-tails. From my personal favourite '22 Short Films About Springfield' to the muumuu-induced 'King-Size Homer', this season truly has it all.
**MITCH:** I don't remember ever anticipating a season as much as I did in the lead-up to 'Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part 2)'. I remember the lead-in was a special episode of _America's Most Wanted_ , dubbed 'Springfield's Most Wanted'. The idea that a true crime show would dedicate half an hour to my favourite cartoon was mind-blowing, and one of the few times I remember everybody in my family huddled around the TV with bated breath. Fortunately, the season lived up to the hype.
**D:** This was the first season under Executive Producers Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein, who had both actually been working on the show since Season 3. I love the dynamic they brought, particularly with the way they wanted to break the format with episodes such as '22 Short Films', 'The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular' and 'Who Shot Mr. Burns?' (Parts One and Two).
**M:** With a lot of shows, particularly sitcoms, the writing staff tends to change every few years. So you get this evolution where if the show is successful enough, people start working on it who were fans of it before they came on. With a show like _The Simpsons_ it means that later seasons turn into an interpretation of sorts of what the current staff liked about the episodes that came before. Luckily for us, Oakley and Weinstein were able to naturally blend their own style and voice with what came before. They clearly loved where the show came from, and managed to keep in step with the past while finding ways to push into the future.
**D:** Another moment that received huge hype this year came with the annual instalment of 'Treehouse of Horror'.
**M:** Well, talk about ways of pushing into the future. The 3D animation in 'Hom3r _'_ was ground-breaking for its time. I mean, this aired before _Toy Story_ was released, so 3D animation was new ground.
**D:** I remember being disappointed that the whole episode wasn't in 3D because of how heavily it was promoted in the lead-up.
**M:** I was also a little bit thrown off, thinking that they'd played the wrong episode for a while by mistake.
**D:** You mentioned Oakley and Weinstein's ability to blend the old with the new. I think the best example of that is in 'Mother Simpson' _._ Homer gazing up at the stars during the closing credits is one of the most iconic visuals in the history of the series. No matter how many times you watch it there's just no cure for the impact of that moment's raw emotion.
**M:** In such a rapid-fire show that never feels like it's sitting still, it's rare for such a quiet moment of beauty to be allowed to stand for so long. It has shades of the _Futurama_ episode 'Jurassic Bark' _._ It's moments like these that continued to elevate the show above all competitors.
**D:** It's even now taken on a new life of its own, quite often used as a meme when a much-loved celebrity passes away. Interestingly, I'd never really given much thought to the fact that Homer's mother hadn't been addressed by this point, besides a couple of brief appearances in flashback sequences.
**M:** You're right. You would have thought it would be a question posed much earlier in the show's run... maybe they had never figured out the way to tell the story until now. Or, maybe given the age and relative irrelevance of Grampa, it was just easier to ignore for a while. Either way, given that we've known Homer for such a long time, it helps sell Homer's confusion and despair at never having known his mother. If this story was told in Season 2, for example, it wouldn't have had the extra weight of our shared history to fall back on.
**D:** I love watching Homer practically become a boy again, making up for the childhood he never had by trying to impress Mona with handstands.
**M:** Mona's arrival was also quite a breakthrough for Lisa. It provided an explanation for the source of Lisa's intelligence, finally giving her a relative of equal intellect to engage with.
**D:** As a child, I always loved the concept of 'Bart on the Road', envisioning myself in Bart's shoes as I decided where I'd go and who I'd take along for the ride. I never had the courage to attempt such a thing, the one time I threatened to run away from home only resulted in me hiding up a tree in the front yard for two hours, wondering why nobody had come looking for me.
**M:** For me, it was 'Radioactive Man' that I desperately wanted to be my own life. The concept of open auditions felt like it would be my ticket to stardom. I remember buying a local paper when I was about eight to see if any were being held nearby, which was admittedly an ambitious wish, living on the opposite side of the planet to Hollywood. I must have read... maybe half of a classified section before getting distracted by a video game, and the dream was over.
**D:** This season gave us our first and only real insight into the personal life of the unforgettable (and irreplaceable) Troy McClure with 'A Fish Called Selma'. While McClure felt like a regular member of the cast, up until now we'd only ever experienced him in small doses, which is a shame because this episode is proof that the character was more than capable of holding a story on his own. Hartman's incredible performance in _Stop the Planet of the Apes! I Want to Get Off!_ is without question my favourite musical moment in the series; Dr. Zaius, lasers, breakdancing apes and a piano solo, that play had everything.
**M:** I shudder to think of the sum of money I'd be willing to part with to buy a ticket to see this in real life. Given that Troy had never had any personal interaction with the main characters before, he really does feel like a celebrity here. _The Simpsons_ so often puts its characters in fish-out-of-water scenarios, but here, the audience are the fish, lapping up the life of celebrity... and if Fat Tony is to be believed, sleeping with Troy himself.
**D:** Homer takes up two of my favourite sports in this season, the first being golf in 'Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield' and ten pin bowling in 'Team Homer'. Strangely enough Mr. Burns plays the antagonist in both stories; however rather than being his usual evil self, it's more a case of Smithers hiding him from the reality of his poor athletic ability.
**M:** Smithers is the ultimate yes-man. I love that Burns genuinely has no idea that he isn't a golfing prodigy.
**D:** I think every _Simpsons_ fan has referred to golf balls as reptile eggs at least once in their life, while personally I've never gone a whole round without referring to my 'open-faced club sandwich', which probably says more about my golfing skills than anything else.
**M:** This was also the season where the show finally got its ultimate revenge on George Bush for his 'More like the Waltons, less like the Simpsons' line. 'Two Bad Neighbors' was another example of the show's confidence that virtually any scenario would be bought into by its fans.
**D:** That was also the first episode to feature Disco Stu. Bill Oakley considers 'Two Bad Neighbors' a companion piece to 'Homer's Enemy' _,_ where they've essentially dropped a real person into the crazy world of Springfield.
**M:** Not making the episode political and essentially turning Bush into a stand-in for Mr. Wilson helps keep the episode a timeless classic. Oddly, though, despite all the back and forth between the Simpsons and Bushes, Skinner steals the episode for me. Nothing sums up Skinner's lack of cool better than his back and forth over buying a motorised tie-rack.
**D:** I don't know why but there's just something about Homer in a muumuu that makes me so happy, especially when you throw in his fat guy hat. What he does in 'King Size Homer' is something we'd all love to do but know we shouldn't: overindulge in some of life's tastiest treats, be it fried chicken or play dough.
**M:** Oh, if only. It's pretty much how I envision people who work from home live their lives, by the way. Not necessarily the obesity, but definitely the trying out of fabric softener samples.
## 'Lisa the Vegetarian'
#### (Season 7, Episode 5)
Review by Dando
_After the family visit a petting zoo, Lisa becomes so attached to a lamb that she decides she can no longer bring herself to eat meat. This causes a fracture at home, as Homer is planning a big BBQ. Lisa's decision is met with ridicule by all, and her fury results in her sabotaging the BBQ. Ultimately, special guest stars Paul and Linda McCartney teach her how to accept the choices of others._
For many, 'Lisa the Vegetarian' is remembered for giving people a reason to sing about salad. For the rest of us, it's an episode that shaped the way in which we live our lives.
Not only did it introduce the idea of vegetarianism to a whole new generation of youth, a concept rarely tackled in a television comedy, let alone a cartoon, but it also promoted the underlying theme of tolerance and acceptance of opposing beliefs. A lesson that has only become more relevant in a post social media world.
Lisa is stuck in a world where very little makes sense to her. Her ideologies are often met with patronising laughter and ridicule, such as her attempt to offer guests a fresh batch of gazpacho (tomato soup served ice cold) at Homer's BBBQ. Her excitement in showing everybody an alternative to meat quickly becomes an embarrassing moment for both Lisa and Homer. Homer's unjustified over-the-top reaction to Lisa's dish drives a wedge between the two.
From the beginning of the series it's established that Lisa and Homer are opposites in almost every feasible way. Intelligence, morals, beliefs, the lot. However, the one similarity they share is an unbridled father–daughter connection, a connection that reigns supreme here with a little help from 'a piggy-ba... a veggie-back ride.'
The beauty of this episode is that it's not written as a biased commercial for vegetarianism. David S. Cohen could've very easily positioned Lisa as a hero for choosing to say no to meat, leaving everyone else as the carnivorous villains. Alternatively, it would have been easy to paint Lisa as a veggie-terrorist trying to disrupt the normal order. Instead, focus is placed on an uneducated father who simply doesn't understand why his little girl suddenly hates him for what he has always eaten. Homer and Lisa both learn a valuable lesson here: Homer must accept that being a vegetarian is a mindset and not just a choice, whereas Lisa must stop unfairly judging and forcing her beliefs upon everybody else.
It isn't until Lisa stumbles across Apu in his secret garden with Paul and Linda McCartney that she fully grasps the negligence of her actions in stealing the pig from Homer's BBBQ. By revealing themselves to be vegans, they show Lisa the importance of tolerance. Lisa quickly flips from being a holier-than-thou do-gooder to feeling like a terrible person in their eyes for so much as drinking milk. It shows Lisa the other side of prejudice and acceptance. It couldn't have been written more perfectly.
This was the story that made me view _The Simpsons_ from a whole new perspective. No longer did I relate to the rebellious antics of Bart, for it was now evidently clear that I was in fact Lisa all along. That was a strange realisation to reach as a 9-year-old boy, but one I've come to understand with time. Her passion for animals is something I share, and although this episode may not have left me a vegetarian, I've never eaten lamb since.
Perhaps the most important element of 'Lisa the Vegetarian' is that it wasn't just a one-and-done. In a show where characters don't age and things return to normal each week, this was an iconic shift in the characters' timeline that changed the show's direction forever. Had Lisa once again hopped aboard the carnivorous bandwagon in future seasons, it would have undermined everything this episode taught us. Kudos must be given to Paul and Linda, who only agreed to guest star if Lisa remained a vegetarian for the duration of the series. Twenty-two years and almost 500 episodes later, Lisa has become a global symbol of vegetarianism that transcends the show itself.
In hindsight, it's quite astonishing to think that, for 132 episodes, Lisa Simpson was a fully fledged meat eater. Her vegetarianism is now so instilled in her character that whenever I watch a rerun showing Lisa gorging on Marge's world-famous pork chops, my immediate thought is that it must be a continuity error. However, the fact that we unknowingly followed Lisa on a six-year journey only added to the impact of her eventual decision to say goodbye to meat. Vegetarianism was instantly so true to who she was that it makes you wonder why it wasn't discovered sooner.
Breaking down many barriers, 'Lisa the Vegetarian' influenced my thought-process and behaviour more than any other episode in the series' history, teaching me that an opposing belief is not necessarily an incorrect one. While it may have aired more than two decades ago, its themes remain a valuable lesson for anybody lucky enough to have watched it.
#### What did we learn?
You don't win friends with salad.
## 'Marge Be Not Proud'
#### (Season 7, Episode 11)
Review by Mitch
_After Marge tells Bart she will be unable to get him a copy of a new video game for Christmas, Bart gets caught attempting to shoplift it from the local Try-N-Save. Out in the cold having lost his mother's trust, Bart tries to set things right._
It has been written by others that 'Marge Be Not Proud' suffers for falling into the television trope commonly referred to as the 'Very Special Episode'. The term refers to when a generally light-hearted TV show tackles a serious subject, usually promoted with a phrase such as 'Tonight, on a very special episode of...' Often, these episodes would introduce or use an external character, for example Tom Hanks playing a drunk uncle in _Family Ties._
In my opinion, this is not one of those episodes. In having Bart commit the crime, we have an established troublemaker learning a lesson. It feels wholly natural and earned by the seasons that have come before it. Given that we are dealing with a mother and her son, there's virtually no way for the episode not to be sentimental, nor is there any reason for it not to be. It strikes a balance between lessons and laughs, the latter primarily coming from Homer, who is reduced to comic relief in what is the best Bart/Marge story ever seen.
It gets off to a slow start with the Krusty Christmas Special being the weakest element of the episode. The scene exists to set up the first Christmas episode since 'Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire' and while it doesn't hit the mark comedically, it does set the scene well. It reminded me of watching Letterman on Christmas Eve, or the excellent _Very Murray Christmas_ more recently. The commercial for Bonestorm, in which a muscle-bound Santa crashes through a wall, picks things up instantly. The commercial sneaks in a great take on video games and marketing: The 'boring' game the kids are playing is a fighting game in which a man is literally fist-fighting a tank. Bonestorm is... essentially the same thing: two guys closely resembling Mortal Kombat's Goro fist-fighting set to heavy-metal. To my parents, every brawler I played probably looked identical, too. To be fair, as much as I love Uncharted and Zelda, there's a primal desire in a lot of us that a game like Bonestorm appeals to, eyerolls be damned.
As Bart is set on a collision course with his destiny, a few elements are established that pay off later in the episode. Chief among them is the class struggle that plays into Bart's sense of injustice at not being able to obtain a copy. In being unable to afford the game, Bart takes the role of the underdog. Marge's purity and love for her family is also underscored early on. She doesn't long for presents for Christmas, all she wants is just one good photo of the family. Just one photo that Bart hasn't ruined. Marge rarely shows signs of character development, but this really speaks to the core of who she is and how she sees the world. It makes the later betrayal of trust all the more powerful.
The class struggle is enhanced when Bart is at the Try-N-Save and sees a spoiled kid getting whatever he wants, including two copies of Bonestorm. That, coupled with peer pressure, is enough to push Bart over the edge. Crucially, he retains an element of guilt in his actions, again allowing us to stay sympathetic towards him. Bart isn't doing this to be bad, he's only doing it because he really wants something and has no other possible way to get it. Now, take my word for it, that line will _not_ hold up in court, but it does hold up enough to have us feel at least a little bit sorry for Bart.
The escape sequence showcases some of the show's best direction. It may not be _Ocean's Eleven_ in terms of caper, but the tension is palpable as Bart makes his exit, only for the hand of a security guard (the always intimidating Lawrence Tierney) to clamp down on his shoulder. While Bart initially avoids punishment, his relief is short-lived when he finds out that the family Christmas photo will be taken back at the Try-N-Save. Again, the direction is superb as Bart tries to avoid security in the store, only to be caught at the perfect time to ruin another family photo. The fact that the Simpsons still got the photo framed to take home is also (a) hilarious and (b) a set-up for the final denouement.
When Marge discovers Bart has shoplifted, we get an excellent exhibition of pathos. Mike Scully drew on his own memories of shoplifting as a child during the writing, and he conveys a great sense of fear and shame on the part of Bart. It's not Homer yelling at him that upsets him the most, it's Marge not saying anything at all. The feeling of disappointing her is worse than the feeling of angering her could ever be. Bart is lost without his mother's love. The time spent dwelling on his emptiness, and on Marge's cold shoulder, sets the scene for a wonderful redemption that hits all of the right notes.
'Marge Be Not Proud' is a throwback to older episodes of _The Simpsons_. Like some of the best early episodes, it finds a balance between sentimentality and comedy in a way that few other shows can. It also has its share of iconic moments: it gave birth to the name of our podcast, it gave us Thrillho, and it gave us Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge. That all adds up to a very special episode, indeed.
#### What did we learn?
Fads come, and fads go, but the cup-and-ball will last forever.
## Season 8 (1996-97)
#### In Conversation
**DANDO:** Much like Season 7, it's very hard to pick fault with anything from Season 8. From the Emmy-Award-winning 'Homer's Phobia' to the outstanding musical numbers of 'Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious', this season is filled with so many moments that prove the writing team were still in their creative prime.
**MITCH:** It's really a great continuation of Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein's desire to keep the show connected to its heritage while trying to explore new ground. From 'You Only Move Twice' where an entire new town was designed, to 'Mountain of Madness' _,_ where most of the episode takes place inside a cabin, there are a _lot_ of episodes that didn't feel like typical _Simpsons_ , but also feel perfectly at one with the rest of the show.
**D:** My two favourite examples of that are 'The Springfield Files' and 'The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase'. The showcase basically has a 'Treehouse of Horror' structure, just without the horror. These short stories always have me crying with laughter.
**M:** I love the way that each segment has a unique feel that perfectly captures the style of show that it's riffing on. 'The Love-Matic Grampa' _,_ for example, almost feels like a show that could have existed in the 60s, airing alongside _My Mother the Car._ They made sure to stay faithful to the way those sitcoms used to be shot, emulating a three-camera approach. It's that attention to detail that I've always loved about the show.
**D:** This formula could have easily become an annual tradition, offering the writers a fresh palette of ideas to explore with some of the show's most beloved secondary characters. It has a 'so bad that it's good' vibe that makes sure you never take it too seriously. Still, I'd give anything to see more of Wiggum and Skinner as a crime fighting duo trying to take down Big Daddy on a weekly basis.
**M:** The idea was that if they deliberately wrote outlandish ideas for spin-offs it would become a comment on their views of the quality of spin-offs in general. While it's true that great spin-offs are few and far between, it's still ironic, given that _The Simpsons_ itself was a spin-off from the Tracey Ullman shorts.
**D:** Some of the series' most memorable one-time characters are featured here: Rex Banner, Larry Burns, Frank Grimes – even everyone's favourite supervillain Hank Scorpio. While they may have only been on our screens for less than 20 minutes, these characters all left behind an incredible legacy of their own.
**M:** Well, Larry Burns is essentially Rodney Dangerfield being Rodney Dangerfield, and is all the better for it. If there's anything more enjoyable than 20 minutes of one-liners from the king of one-liners, I'm yet to come across it. He gets all the respect in the world from me.
**D:** _'El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer'..._
**M:** I'm sorry, what?
**D:** 'The Mysterious Voyage of Our Homer' _..._
**M:** Ah.
**D:**... is an episode that never translated well with me as a kid, I just didn't get it. Even now I still think Homer's hallucination is more of an animation showcase than actual storytelling, but at least now I can appreciate the genius of it.
**M:** It's one I've always been in two camps about. As you say, I can totally appreciate the brilliance of the animation, but it comes at the expense of story, and doesn't quite hit the mark in terms of visual metaphor either. It's probably best enjoyed as a piece of artwork, although the chilli cook-off opening act is excellent. I love how strongly Springfieldians will get behind a fair.
**D:** What's interesting is that George Meyer pitched this idea during the third season, which due to technological restrictions probably would have resulted in a very different episode. You can just imagine how excited David Silverman must have been when he heard Oakley and Weinstein had decided to resurrect the idea for this season. Being the perfectionist that he is, Silverman animated the hallucination sequence almost entirely on his own to ensure it turned out just how he had envisioned.
**M:** It would be interesting to see just how much more could have been done if it had been made after the switch to digital. It could have opened the door to some smooth sweeping camera angles that could have perhaps heightened the sensory experience. Part of me would love to see their next movie be a _Fantasia-_ style experience full of hallucination.
**D:** The episode also features one of the most underrated guest appearances of all time, Johnny Cash as the Space Coyote. I've always loved the idea that Johnny Cash was chewing on his own sleeve when recording the scene with the coyote gnawing on Homer's leg.
**M:** I'd throw in Frank Ormond from 'The Twisted World of Marge Simpson' as a challenger to that title. He may not have the enduring quotability, but I guess I'm just a sucker for Jack Lemmon. He's my favourite kind of guest star, somebody who isn't a household name, therefore hasn't been brought in purely for a ratings spike, but somebody who the producers clearly wanted to work with. Those sorts of stars tend to give the greatest performances, usually because they are truly great performers to begin with.
**D:** If you were a fan of both _The Simpsons_ and _Frasier_ in the 90s then 'Brother from Another Series' was everything you could've hoped for. There's so much of Frasier Crane in Sideshow Bob that it was only fitting that David Hyde Pierce should play his brother Cecil. It's essentially a crossover, with an abundance of _Frasier_ references that will make any fan smile. From the use of the _Frasier_ theme to Cecil mistaking Bart for Maris, this episode is just so much fun.
**M:** They even go as far as using a _Frasier-_ style title card leading into Cecil's apartment. David Hyde Pierce slots in perfectly, I love his defence of the four years he spent at clown college...
**D:** 'I'll thank you not to refer to Princeton that way.'
**M:** We also get an origin story of Bob. It had always been odd that somebody as dignified as Bob would lower himself to the role of clown-sidekick, but as we see, it was actually Cecil who had the dream of being a clown. Bob's quiet humiliation as his hair explodes outward after being hit by a pie is a brilliant marriage of acting and animation.
**D:** It's probably my favourite incarnation of Bob as he genuinely tries to do good by everybody he's ever burned in the past, even going as far as risking his own life in order to save Bart. To be honest, it's always bothered me that Bart and Lisa never stood up for Bob when Wiggum was arresting him without any evidence of foul play on his behalf.
**M:** To be fair, Lisa does try, but she runs into the brick wall that is Chief Wiggum's incompetence. Even a voluntary confession from Cecil isn't enough to swing him around to seeing Bob as innocent.
**D:** You and I are both dog lovers. How do you feel about 'The Canine Mutiny'?
**M:** Of all the things Bart has ever done – cutting the head off the statue of Jebediah, shoplifting, graffitiing the town, playing with Mrs. Krabappel's emotions – giving away Santa's Little Helper is the one that I cannot possibly forgive him for. Of course, he quickly realises his mistake and the pair manage to get reunited and take down a drug dealer in the process, but still. You just don't do that.
**D:** I must admit I've discovered a new-found love for 'Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious' ever since we were lucky enough to interview the voice of Shary Bobbins, Maggie Roswell. Every time I watch it I'm taken back to the moment she sang 'Cut Every Corner' for us live in person. That was seriously one of those surreal moments that make me realise how giving and kind the actors on the show can be.
**M:** 'Homer vs. the 18th Amendment' is a great example of an episode I've grown to love more over time. I mean, when I was younger I still found it funny on a basic level, but as I've grown up and watched movies like _The Untouchables,_ or even shows like _Boardwalk Empire,_ you realise what a great take on prohibition this episode provides. And, of course, Rex Banner is the most intense take on an Eliot Ness imaginable, punching through glass to interrogate Barney. The man would stop at nothing to uphold the law.
**D:** It also gave us some of Homer's best ever life advice regarding beer...
**M:** The cause of...
**D:** And solution to...
**M &D:** All of life's problems.
_High five, fade to black._
## 'Homer's Enemy'
#### (Season 8, Episode 23)
Review by Dando
_After seeing a human-interest story about a man named Frank Grimes, Mr. Burns is so touched that he immediately hires him as Executive Vice-President. However, the following day, Burns appoints a dog instead after seeing a similar story, bumping Grimes to work with Homer. Seeing Homer's behaviour and subsequent lack of consequence up-close proves too much for Grimes to handle, and he ultimately snaps in a fit of rage, grabbing high-voltage cables that result in an instant death._
Dark in subject matter and sparse on light-gags, 'Homer's Enemy' is an episode that continues to divide the series' fanbase. It introduced us to one of the most 'normal' characters in Frank Grimes, a man who has had to work hard every day of his life, which in return has actually given him quite little. As a result, he's understandably bitter, cold and socially wooden, making him the perfect foil for our beloved idiot, Homer.
I've never been a fan of Frank Grimes as a person, yet I admire everything that he represents as a character. I often compare him to Superintendent Chalmers, in that neither of them _feel_ like Simpsons characters. They're more a representation of what would happen if somebody from the real world entered the insane bubble of Springfield. As viewers we never question the behaviour of the characters in the show, since we see it simply as that: a television show. Grimes on the other hand was someone who had to try and process this insanity as reality.
Basing his performance on William H. Macy, Azaria has said that this role was the most difficult in both execution and preparation. Being a cast member from the show's inception, Azaria was able to understand and channel the frustration of Grimes like no other, successfully transforming this hard-working American hero into an antagonist of sorts as he becomes fixated on wanting everyone else to hate Homer as much as he does.
If this were any other show, we as an audience would feel nothing but sympathy for the down-trodden Grimes. He's lived through more hardship and pain in his short life than any of us could even begin to imagine. Yet writer John Swartzwelder manages to make us point and laugh as fan-favourite Homer's obnoxious behaviour continues to drive him to the point of insanity, such as eating Grimes' special diabetic lunch, or using his personalised pencils to clean his ears.
Grimes challenged fans to view Homer from an unbiased perspective. We all loved Homer despite his obvious flaws, but was he as terrible as Grimes believed him to be? There's an argument for and against. Homer's behaviour was irritatingly baffling throughout the episode, yet just like us, his friends and family had learned to accept it as part of the package, for we know that deep down he is a kind-hearted soul who would do anything for his loved ones. Grimes on the other hand never got the opportunity to meet and understand the real Homer, nor did he want to. Of course, Homer is so incompetent at, well, life in general, that it's easy to understand why someone with Grimes' background would feel such disdain for him. Despite his work ethic, Grimes can never catch a break, whereas Homer is never truly held accountable for his actions.
As much as Grimes is Homer's harshest critic, 'Homer's Enemy' as a whole is an episode that the writers and showrunners use to self-critique their own work. Admittedly, I was not a huge fan of the episode when it first aired, it just felt unnecessarily pessimistic as it highlights reasons why we should hate Homer and how in a fair and just world he doesn't deserve to have a beautiful home and family, let alone lobster for dinner. However, over time I've learned to appreciate the self-deprecating commentary that came with all of Grimes' finger-pointing, coming to see it as a statement from the writing staff that they were well aware of the absurdity of the characters they had created...
Most of those who dislike 'Homer's Enemy' aren't fans of its unique tone, including former showrunner Mike Reiss, who claims that it's in 'bad taste'. It can't be denied that it spends a lot more time focusing on gallows humour than we've come to expect; however, it's impossible not to give kudos to the likes of Swartzwelder, Oakley and Weinstein for wanting to challenge themselves. The show produces some of its best work when it refuses to stick to the formula ('22 Short Films About Springfield' _,_ 'Trilogy of Error', '24 Minutes', etc.) and 'Homer's Enemy' is certainly no exception.
#### What did we learn?
Frank Grimes is most certainly not Homer Simpson.
## An Interview with Rob Oliver
_Rob Oliver has worked in virtually every role possible in the animation department on_ The Simpsons _, from character artist all the way through to directing episodes. He first came to the show in Season 8, and has gone on to direct some of the most critically acclaimed episodes of the last decade. Here, he speaks to us about his journey on the show and his early mentors, as well as the need to keep pushing forward and to strive for perfection at all times._
You started working for the show in Season 8. What was your first memory of seeing **The Simpsons** prior to then? Was it always something you'd wanted to work on?
Yes, I was hired in Season 8, in 1996. I was 19 years old. It was my first job ever. I remember watching _The Tracey Ullman Show_ with my brothers, in Michigan; and I also remember when _The Simpsons_ became a show. We watched it religiously. We loved it, it was hilarious! And I never, ever, ever, ever, ever dreamed that I could work on the show. I mean, I was a kid in Michigan. And even though I always saw those names flash by in the credits, not once did I stop to think about how it was made or who made it. When I thought about jobs in animation, I thought about Disney (who didn't?); and Disney was simply unattainable. So, to me, the fact that I ever got a job on _The Simpsons_ , and that I have lasted this long on it, is surreal.
You have had a long career on **The Simpsons** in many different roles. Was directing always the end goal, or did it just evolve that way?
My career definitely evolved into what it is. It's all been completely unplanned. When I was hired as a character layout artist, I knew nothing about animation. I knew how to draw, I knew how to listen and learn, and I knew how to put my head down and work hard. In the beginning of my time on _The Simpsons_ , I would work feverishly on a scene and then run (yes, run!) the scene across the floor to my director's office. My cousin's husband, Tim Bailey (also a _Simpsons_ director!) knew way more about animation and drew backgrounds on the show. He taught me what I needed to know to get on my feet... and then he kicked my butt whenever it needed kicking.
On each episode, and in each role on _The Simpsons_ , I have continued to want to do more and more, and to have more and more input. As a character artist, I would draw maybe 20 or 40 scenes in an episode. And while animating the characters is a _lot_ of fun (there is absolutely nothing like creating a funny piece of movement for these characters!), eventually I wanted the chance to have a more global view of each episode. I became restless and bored. Therefore, I moved into Assistant Directing and Storyboarding.
That move must have given you a great opportunity to develop skills for directing?
As a storyboard artist, I worked under two different supervising directors: Mark Kirkland and Mike B. Anderson. And as an assistant director, I learned mainly under three directors: David Silverman, Michael Polcino, and Mike Marcantel. But there have also been many other directors I've learned from: Steve Moore, Nancy Kruse, Pete Michels, Bob Anderson, Lance Kramer, Raymond Persi, Jim Reardon, and Matthew Nastuk, to name just a few. Working under, and with, so many talented artists and directors, I've learned great ways of how to tell a story; but I've also learned how to manage the pieces that go into the creation of that story.
What skills do you think best help you when you are directing an episode?
I love to work with artists and with creative minds, and to draw out of them what I can. And I also love to teach. Because of all these things, I relished the move to directing. It's more collaborative – working not just on a group of scenes for one director, but with all the writers, producers and designers; and all the storyboard, character, background, colour, FX, and CG artists. And it's that collaboration that I truly love!
How do you control the stress of such a high-pressure job?
I have a lot of fun as a director. It's a fun, fun job. And I like to share that fun with my crew. Therefore, I have three rules on all my episodes (posted in my office and at my artists' desks):
1. Visit me at least once each day.
2. Draw something funny each day.
3. Have fun!
How do you maintain a dynasty from the inside? Do you draw influence from what worked in the past, or do you look to evolve and find what will work in the future?
I'm always looking at the old stuff. I love to watch and rewatch classic moments and episodes, so that I can make sure I'm still in touch with what the show was in the beginning. That being said, I love to push the boundaries and make each episode what I think it needs to be. I have relished the chance to do many special things with the look and art of this show. I think we always must evolve, while keeping a foot firmly rooted in the original style of the show.
Can you give us some examples of that evolution?
In 'Barthood' _,_ we pushed for incredibly long scenes, reminiscent of those in _Boyhood_. I used After Effects to add airborne dust particles to show how old and dusty and closed-up Grampa's garage is. I also storyboarded the first act, adding in influence and artwork from my sons – my son Brandon helped me draw the mural on the kitchen walls; and when Bart is on the living-room floor playing with cars, he is in an identical pose to how both of my boys – Brandon and Jared – played with their cars.
In 'Sky Police', we figured out a fantastic effect for Chief Wiggum's jetpack: we hand-animated a few faint white lines to show motion and thrust, and then we added in a computerised displacement behind those lines in order to show the air being forced out of the jetpack.
'Holidays of Future Passed' was set 30 years in the future; I made it a bleak, junky, grey world. The coolest part of that episode, I think, is the Ultranet – Lisa attaches a cord to a port in her neck and enters an internet, where she sees multitudes of people flying in and out of doors that represent different websites. That took a lot of work!
In 'Treehouse of Horror XXIV', I created a Seussian world for 'Oh, the Places You'll D'oh' (with Homer as the Fat in the Hat). I storyboarded it, which was a lot of fun, because I got to do a lot of things such as curving the backgrounds and adding hatch marks, and... well, just pushing the boundaries all around.
Also in 'Treehouse of Horror XXIV', we used an almost-sepia-tone colour scheme for _Freaks, No Geeks_ (based on the 1932 movie _Freaks_ ). For framing the shots in this act, I used a lot of dark shadows, which movies in the black-and-white era did a lot. It turned out so beautiful!
In 'Puffless', we animated an army of animals and dressed the set in a more Disneyesque fashion, using highly detailed backgrounds and soft filters. I timed out the animals' actions to musical cues (à la Bambi, Pinocchio, etc.) instead of to dialogue, which was a fun thing to do! There are small moments and there are big battles, and they all work well with the music.
In 'Blazed and Confused', we used an amazing night-time colour scheme to mimic the glow-in-the-dark accessories worn at the desert festival we called Blazing Guy: we desaturated the colours for the characters and pumped up the brightness for all the glowing elements. It really stands out! The night-time visuals blow me away every time I watch it!
Finally, for 'The Town', in order to accurately represent the city of Boston, we utilised street-view maps. We were able to place the viewer at Faneuil Hall in the heart of Boston. Also in that episode, my assistant director Eddie Rosas storyboarded a great homage to Terry Gilliam (of _Monty Python_ fame). It's a fun mixture of real-looking buildings and the _Simpsons_ style.
If you reflect on your journey, what are the biggest changes in the show during your time, besides the switch to digital?
Besides the switch from drawing on paper to drawing on a Cintiq screen (still hand-drawn, mind you!), the biggest change was probably the change in the aspect ratio.
I think in 2009 or so, we switched from a 4:3 screen ratio (old television screen) to a 16:9 ratio (modern widescreen, HD). The different screen dimensions meant we had to start composing scenes completely differently. It's a much more horizontally stretched frame, which lends itself to big, epic, sweeping, cinematic shots. In our character- and joke-driven animated sitcom, the wide screen makes it tougher to show a medium shot on a character without having a lot of empty screen on the sides. Matt Groening is always pushing us to be more cinematic, and to use the entire wide screen, and it took a lot of getting used to, but now when we try to go backward and compose to a squarer format it feels very restricting!
You essentially got to direct a **Frasier** reunion in your second episode, **'** Funeral for a Fiend'. Were you a fan of the show? How was it, getting to play with those actors?
I wasn't necessarily a big fan of _Frasier_ , but I'm really, really fortunate to have been able to direct that episode. _Frasier_ was a giant of a show, and the actors and characters were all amazing and memorable. Sideshow Bob is an outstanding character alone, but add in the other two and you've got gold! In 'Funeral for a Fiend', each actor brought such fantastic reads, which made it much more fun to animate. I love the mannerisms my character artists used for each character. The voices and the designs and the acting all blended so well!
I don't know how it was ultimately recorded, but I can just imagine all three actors (Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce and John Mahoney) in the booth, recording together, and really making it a reunion! I can also imagine myself there, soaking in all that talent!
If stage is an actor's medium, film is a director's medium, and TV is a writer's medium, what is animation?
All of those _plus_ an artist's medium.
ACTING: I pride myself on the acting I coax from my artists. It is imperative that the acting for these characters is natural and expressive. Often, I will have an artist personally act out for me the acting they're trying to draw. If they can't do it, we keep at it until it's what we need. I spend half my day acting out lines of dialogue!
DIRECTING: I pay an enormous amount of attention to the cinematic qualities of my singular shots and my storytelling and how I'm leading the viewer (even subconsciously) through the story. I'm always talking about what an element of a scene or sequence does subconsciously to or for the viewer, and I'm sure it annoys the hell out of my team.
WRITING: Our writers do a darn fine job.
DRAWING: What is animation without the proper visuals? It all requires many things to be right: proper emotion, proper timing, proper composition... etc., etc., etc.
You received an Emmy nomination for 'Holidays of Future Passed', and you revisited characters at an older age in 'Barthood'. Is this coincidence, or would you like more opportunities to explore **The Simpsons** outside of their age-bubble?
I think it is purely a coincidence. The writers don't look at me and say, 'Now there's a fella that can draw older people.' (At least I hope they don't.) In both episodes, it was a real challenge to design the characters as they progressed through their lives. I was very hands-on in the design of the characters in both cases, and I am proud that we created some older versions of these characters that are still quite appealing.
One enormous difficulty in 'Holidays' was that we had to see a 30-year age progression via the family's Christmas cards. First, we perfected our ending designs, and then we had to fill in all the different ages in between – tweaking, tweaking, and tweaking some more. That sequence took a looooong time to finish!
Were you expecting the media coverage around Smithers coming out in 'The Burns Cage', or did it take you by surprise?
I did not expect it at all. We've always known that Smithers is gay, so it never crossed my mind that we were creating a big moment. The song that Smithers sings in the power plant was fun to do. We tried to really play up the loneliness that Smithers felt – and I think we got some really interesting shots in there, too!
What excites you more: a blank piece of paper, a storyboard, or a finished product?
I love every step of the process! Being a perfectionist and an artist, I like to have my hand in all of it.
## Season 9 (1997-98)
#### In Conversation
**DANDO:** I can remember this being the time when a good portion of my friends were suddenly no longer interested in the show as much as I was. That's not so much a reflection on the quality of the writing, but more a case of my friends 'growing out' of watching it as they entered their teenage years.
**MITCH:** I was probably in that boat. I'm not sure that it was necessarily a purposeful thing; if anything, I think it was just that by now there were eight years' worth of episodes to rerun each night, so the newer episodes started to get a little bit lost in the wash. The show was a money-making machine, to the point that it felt like you couldn't watch a TV for more than two hours without an episode coming on, so it just solidified those first eight seasons as being so firmly etched in my brain.
**D:** When you go back and look through the episodes, it becomes so noticeable just how jarring the show became this season. With so many new and old writers contributing, it created such a blend of styles all fighting to showcase their preferred direction for the show. In the one season, you get 'Lisa's Sax'; a heartfelt family-driven story, 'Natural Born Kissers'; an episode targeted towards an older audience and then there's 'The Principal and the Pauper', which divided fans and show members alike with its continuity-breaking story.
**M:** There was a subtle shift in writing style where the jokes in parts seemed a little bit more telegraphed. Having watched a lot of the show by now, I was starting to identify lines that were clearly just there to set up for a punchline, which robbed it of its impact. As I say, it was only small, but a character like Bart in certain episodes felt like he existed only for a comic-relief quip that never really advanced anything. Overall, I still find these episodes very funny, but I could sense a formula creeping in.
**D:** It's no secret that 'Principal and the Pauper _'_ was met with a barrage of criticism from the media and fans alike. The way it took a character we'd invested more than eight years of our life in and turned him into a fraud for the sake of a quick gag never sat well with me either. I often give credit to Oakley and Weinstein for their innovation in going against the grain with episodes like '22 Short Films About Springfield' and _'_ The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase' _,_ but this was an experiment that probably should have never happened. In saying that, Martin Sheen's performance as the real Seymour Skinner was most certainly a high point of the season.
**M:** This is a point that you and I differ on. I never had a problem with it at the time, and once I'd learned of the criticism I went back and watched it, trying to look for issues, but I feel like it was handled well for two reasons. For one thing, the episode ending serves to reset the continuity with the whole town agreeing to collectively wash their memories and return to normal. Secondly, in my eyes it doesn't _change_ any aspect of Skinner's backstory, it just adds a new layer. He met the real Skinner in Vietnam, so his flashbacks could well have been him, throw in an element of the unreliable narrator whenever Armin/Skinner is telling a war story, and this doesn't actually break anything. Crucially, it's also one of the funniest episodes from the season.
**D:** 'Bart Star' is an episode I tend to lump into the same category as all the underdog sporting films I grew up watching in the 90s like _The Mighty Ducks_ and _Little Giants_ , where a bunch of misfits find a way to take home the championship. It's filled with cliché but that doesn't detract from the fun.
**M:** Well, importantly, it's filled with the _right_ clichés. There's a reason those movies follow little battlers up against a stronger team. It's brain-candy for us. I also love a good trick-play to win a big game, and Nelson using Bart as a battering ram to run the field is up there with the best of them.
**D:** I've always loved watching Homer's armchair coaching before Flanders hands him the reins to the team, it reminds me of myself when I'm watching my beloved Geelong Cats play.
**M:** Everybody's an expert from the sidelines. And yes... there's a very much intended subtext about this book in that line.
**D:** Outside of 'Bart Star' _,_ we don't get too many Homer and Bart episodes this season, the only other one being 'Bart Carny' featuring a fantastic appearance from Jim Varney as Cooder. It's a shame because overall Homer and Bart's schemes are generally a whole lot of fun.
**M:** What we do get in place of that, though, is a greater mix of characters who don't normally interact spending time together. 'Das Bus', for example, has a group of the kids who wouldn't ever really be hanging out together, forced to spend time with each other on a deserted island. It's probably a by-product of looking for new story ideas, and a natural expansion of the _Simpsons_ universe.
**D:** Or in 'The Joy of Sect' _,_ Groundskeeper Willie is one of the main resistance fighters alongside Reverend Lovejoy and Ned Flanders.
**M:** That's an episode that almost feels like a bit of a time capsule in comedy circles. There was a period in the 90s where cults were all the rage, with everything from _Seinfeld_ to _Family Guy_ taking potshots at the Heaven's Gate movement, but it doesn't seem to be as widespread any more. It's also one that sticks out in my memory on a weekly basis. I still think of 'leader beans' whenever I have baked beans for breakfast.
**D:** For a man who is self-proclaimed 'pro-gun', Swartzwelder managed to produce a really unbiased perspective on gun control in 'The Cartridge Family'. Sam Simon actually pitched a similar idea in the first few seasons, which I'm sure gun critics would have jumped all over.
**M:** Certainly, the way the first episode was pitched almost comes across as pro-gun propaganda, but it comes down to the delivery. The writers worked hard to come across as apolitical, not trying to force anybody into a conclusion of their own. It went over my head as a kid, my only take-out from this episode is that it was very clearly anti-soccer.
**D:** This season features one of my all-time favourite subplots: Apu creating the Freak-E-Mart after Jasper freezes himself in 'Lisa the Simpson'. You just have to love the lengths Apu will go to in order to make a quick buck, taking advantage of what he assumed was a dead guy in his freezer.
**M:** Well, you've gotta play the hand you're dealt in life. Jasper finally being thawed out is such a classic moment, as he walks off in awe of what he assumes to be the futuristic food, moon-pie, a product that dates back to 1917.
**D:** The key story is also fantastic as Lisa deals with the prospect of a deteriorating intelligence after being unable to solve a simple brain teaser at school. I'm not going to lie, I couldn't solve it either when I first watched it. The ending can feel a little bit like an easy-out, but it does contain my most quoted line from the season: 'I step in front of cars and sue the drivers.' When I was 16 I jokingly included that in my résumé when applying online for my first job, assuming I'd never get hired anyway. In a remarkable turn of events the office lady was a massive _Simpsons_ fan and thought it was hilarious. Two weeks later I was serving meat in a deli.
**M:** I assume only to later be sued by somebody who deliberately dropped some cold cuts on the ground and then slipped on them?
**D:** I'm unable to comment on an ongoing investigation.
**M:** As I look through the episodes, I'm yet again finding myself connecting most with a Lisa episode, 'Lost our Lisa' _._ It's not so much the desire to visit a museum, but I have also had some horrible experiences catching buses in my youth. The very first time I tried to catch a bus to school, I ended up on a bus to a girls-only college. The bus was, not surprisingly, entirely filled with girls, which was _not_ as awesome as movies like _Dumb and Dumber_ would have you believe. It involved far fewer bikinis, and a red-faced me ultimately bailing out at a red-light after the driver saw my plight.
**D:** So, as somebody who didn't watch the season as much when you were younger, what do you think of it now?
**M:** I still view the season highly. If anything, it suffers only due to the success of what had come before it. While I don't think it was at its peak, it was still 90% of what it used to be, and better than anything else on TV at the time.
## 'Realty Bites'
#### (Season 9, Episode 9)
Review by Mitch
_Tired of being cooped up in the house, Marge pushes for Homer to go out with her for some fun and adventure. A police auction wasn't exactly what she had in mind, and when Homer buys Snake's old car without discussing it, she is pushed further over the edge. Walking home alone, she comes across Lionel Hutz selling real estate, and decides to make a run at the profession herself._
May 27, 1998 is one of the first times I remember being consciously aware of the morning news as a child. My parents would often put the news on in the morning to stop cartoons distracting me while I was getting ready for school. But what I heard on that day stopped me in my tracks, for it was the day the world lost Phil Hartman. Just five months earlier, 'Realty Bites' went to air, and featured his final speaking role as Lionel Hutz.
It's hard to compare the very real loss of a human that colleagues and friends of Phil's would have felt on that day to the imagined loss of fictional characters, but I'll do it anyway. When you constantly create characters who are larger than life, those characters create lifelike emotions when they are lost. As fans grieved the world over, even at the age of 10 I knew that we were losing a once in a lifetime talent. One who courtesy of his continual appearances on _Saturday Night Live_ and _The Simpsons_ had influenced the comedic styling of many of my generation. From his first appearance as Hutz in 'Bart Gets Hit by A Car' _,_ through to taking over as Troy McClure, or his show-stealing effort as Lyle Lanley, Hartman created some of the most memorable characters in the show's history. We wanted to take a moment to just say thank you, and reflect on all the joy he brought to our lives.
It's fortuitous that what became his final speaking appearance would allow Hutz to shine in his new role as a real-estate agent. It's a perfect transition for Hutz as he switches from one hated profession to another. Ironically, despite being a terrible law-talkin'-guy, he comes across as a damn good realtor, teaching Marge the ropes of looking for the positives in a property: Small = Cozy; Dilapidated = Rustic; On Fire = Motivated Seller. The difference between the truth and _the truth_ is one that I would later have to come to terms with as I was buying my own house for the first time. My friends described my cheap two-bedroom unit as a tiny cesspit where hope goes to die. I preferred to think of it as a snug collector of dreams. It's all in the detail.
I've always been a fan of fish-out-of-water scenarios in the _Simpsons_ universe. Be it Marge as a police officer, Homer as a boxer, Bart as a gangster or Lisa in a beauty pageant, they always offer ways to see new jokes about our favourite characters. By thrusting Marge into a _Glengarry Glen Ross_ style real estate agency, not only does writer Dan Greaney find a way to explore if honesty and sales can mix, he is also able to create several new characters. The sales agents are instantly quotable, be it Cookie Kwan defending her west side territory, or Nick Callahan introducing me to the word 'Boo-Yah.'
Of the new characters introduced here, one stands supreme. Trembling head and shoulders above the rest, and one of the few truly loved characters to be introduced so late in the series. I'm speaking, of course, of Gil Gunderson. Inspired by Jack Lemmon's _Glengarry_ salesman, Shelley Levine, Gil quickly became a fan favourite, and writers' favourite. He would go on to reappear many times, often in a new job, always a failure, never losing optimism.
Homer's side-plot of purchasing Lil' Bandit from the police auction flits in and out of the episode, seemingly without purpose. It does exist to break up Marge's main scenes, and for comic relief. It includes one of my favourite cold openings of all time as Homer enjoys what he thinks is a lazy Saturday, only to be told it is in fact Wednesday. It's a sub-plot that creates a point of contention between myself and my wife, Ash, as she is insistent that I too once bought a car without telling her. I like to think that I simply acquired some surprise transportation. Again, it's all in the details.
What can't be argued is that the scenes with Lil' Bandit supply some of the zanier visual comedy the show has to offer. Homer driving the car on two wheels offers a taste of this. Snake and Homer later fighting on the hood of the car as it careens down the road offers a great over-the-top action scene that wouldn't be out of place in a Bond film, but it's the _Road Runner_ style trap that results in Kirk Van Houten losing an arm that gets the biggest laugh.
These scenes appear to be happening in their own bubble, at first, but, in a brilliant final act, literally crash into the main plot as Homer and Snake destroy the one house Marge has been able to sell. It affords one final scene with Hutz, in a _Lethal Weapon_ inspired moment chastising Marge as being a loose cannon but, above all else, for returning Ned's deposit cheque. As we say goodbye to Phil, Marge is fired and returns to her normal life. _The Simpsons,_ however, would never be the same again.
#### What did we learn?
Real Estate agents get to live in a house until it's sold.
## 'Natural Born Kissers'
#### (Season 9, Episode 25)
Review by Dando
_Homer and Marge find that their relationship is lacking spark in the bedroom, a fact not helped by their wedding anniversary plans being ruined. After a series of unfortunate events finds them taking shelter in a barn, they find that the fear of getting caught is just what they need to reignite their love-life. The escalation of their thrill leads to them needing to make their way home from Sir Putt-A-Lot's whilst completely nude._
'Natural Born Kissers' had one of the most unusual build-ups to any episode I can remember. Promoted as 'adults-only' and featuring numerous shots of Homer and Marge running around naked in the commercial, it sent my young mind into overdrive as I tried to imagine exactly what I'd be seeing. At the time I was only nine years old and the closest I'd come to 'adult' content was watching Pamela & Co. run around in wet swimsuits on _Baywatch_ , so you can imagine my anticipation in the days leading up to it. In fact, I remember trying to ensure my mum didn't see the commercial herself, because I thought if she did, there'd be no way she'd let me watch it. What made it even more intriguing was that Channel 10 decided to air it at the special time of 9.30 p.m. Monday as opposed to the usual 7.30 p.m. Sunday, even teasing that due to its nature they might never air it again. While the episode may not be quite as raunchy as my imagination had envisioned, it's arguably the most effective and 'real' story we get based around Homer and Marge's marriage.
What _The Simpsons_ has always done well is showcase Marge's natural desire for having sex with her husband. While the wives in most classic sitcoms were turned off by the thought of making love to their spouse, Marge is often the one suggesting that she and Homer 'rock the Casbah'. She is well aware that a healthy sex life is an important part of any marriage, so you can understand her concern when a surprise visit by Santa's Little Helper is the most exciting thing to happen in their bedroom on the night of her and Homer's 11th wedding anniversary. Castellaneta and Kavner shine in this scene, giving a true feeling of awkwardness as Homer and Marge attempt to kick off the proceedings. 'Homie you got your, your elbow in...' has always been one of my favourite lines from Marge.
There's no doubt that we definitely get more nudity in this episode than we'd grown accustomed to, which helped justify its late-night billing, especially since we get our first glimpse of Marge's bare behind. However, it is Homer's bare arse that steals the show here as it gets compared to a 'hefty bag of meat' when the townspeople reach into the windmill, then prevents a field goal from being completed, and gets dragged along the glass ceiling of a church in a scene that instantly created an unforgettable visual almost purpose-built for the episode's commercial. There's also something about a cow secretly perving on Marge and Homer doing it in a barn that never fails to get a laugh; in fact Groening has said it's his favourite lead-in to an ad break. Despite those moments all being fantastic in their own right, to me nothing beats the visual of Homer covering his nipples with teacups when the maid walks into their room at the Snuggler's Cove.
Aside from the nudity, the sexual context of the conversations are also far more blatant than usual. When sex is referenced on the show it's often done through innuendo, yet here writer Matt Selman didn't have the characters hold back. Homer's conversation with Lenny and Carl is about as close to real-life locker room talk as the show has ever delivered, particularly with Carl's confession that he'd assumed Marge would be a 'dynamo in the sack', only to completely switch gears when she arrives.
You can really tell that Selman was a true fan of the show by the way he includes subtle throwbacks to previous episodes, such as Homer finding the programme for Frank Grimes' funeral, or Homer and Marge returning to their old love-nest at Sir Putt-A-Lot's, even though this time it was the windmill and not the impregnable castle. The way Moe steals Helen Lovejoy's thunder by screaming 'Won't somebody please think of the children!' is also a nice touch that would please any diehard fan of the show. In saying all that, I can't help but feel a reference to Homer nibbling Marge's elbow was an obvious chance for a joke gone to waste.
The sub-plot to the episode involving Bart and Lisa's search for treasure with Grampa's metal detector served its purpose, keeping the kids preoccupied while Marge and Homer searched for new ways to keep their love flame burning. I've always been a fan of these simple side stories that take Bart and Lisa on a little adventure of their own. This one always reminds me of when my sister and I used a metal detector in our backyard: we didn't find any alternate endings to classic films but we did find one of my Street Sharks action figures that my sister forgot she'd buried in the sandpit.
While risqué in context, 'Natural Born Kissers' manages to keep itself well grounded with simplistic storytelling. Rather than abuse its adults-only classification with crude humour, it remains tasteful in how it explores a personal issue that I'm sure most married couples face over their journey together. Homer and Marge may be fictional characters in a cartoon, but their marriage is just as real as any other you'll ever see.
#### What did we learn?
Take a picture, it lasts longer.
## ' _The Simpsons_ isn't good any more'
#### (Our Favourite Episodes post-Season 12)
The title of this chapter is a comment that tends to get thrown around haphazardly these days, without any real thought or merit behind it. It's almost become an easy out for those who choose to remember only the show's earlier seasons, many of whom haven't even watched an episode in years. Is _The Simpsons_ as consistently good as it was in 1995? Short answer, no. However, to simply dismiss the current crop of episodes purely based on the era in which they aired would be doing yourself an enormous disservice.
The common consensus is that the show's quality dipped somewhere between Seasons 10 and 12, which, I will admit, featured some rather questionable moments such as Swartzwelder's chaotic 'Kill the Alligator and Run'. That being said, sometimes you need to take the good with the bad – except in this case the good is actually quite great. 'Bart the Mother', 'Lisa Gets An "A"', 'Behind the Laughter', 'HOMЯ' and 'Trilogy of Error' are just a handful of my personal favourites from that era.
What we want to do here is shine a light on some of the quality episodes in recent seasons that deserve your appreciation. The episodes that prove that, even after 29 years, _The Simpsons_ has still got it.
#### _'The Seemingly Never-Ending Story'_
(Season 17, Episode 13)
This story-within-a-story-within-a-story-within-a-story, known these days as the _Inception_ method, about the hunt for hidden treasure gives us brilliant insights into how some of our most loved characters came to live in Springfield, including arguably my favourite Edna Krabappel moment of all time when she first meets Bart. It results in something that feels like a blend of flashback meets spin-off, as secondary characters like Snake and the Rich Texan take the spotlight. The writing is incredibly sharp as each story seamlessly intertwines with the next, leading to a fitting climax between some of Springfield's most notorious baddies.
**Highlights:** The origin of the name 'Jailbird', Burns spending some time with relatives
#### _'24 Minutes'_
(Season 18, Episode 21)
Much like 'The Springfield Files', the show delivers an incredibly funny crossover with another one of FOX's hit programmes at the time. The story follows Springfield Elementary's CTU (Counter Truancy Unit) attempt to prevent a stink bomb explosion at their annual bake sale, with the events taking place over the course of 20 minutes. It features all the trademarks of _24_ ; multiple split-screens, a timer before and after commercial breaks, as well as an unexpected plot twist that would make Jack and Chloe proud, both of whom also make guest cameos.
**Highlights:** The throwback to 'Bart the Genius', Homer and Milhouse's journey in Ol' Betsy.
#### _'Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind'_
(Season 19, Episode 9)
A Christmas episode with a twist, in that the only festive thing about it is the setting. In a take on 2004's _Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind_ , Homer must retrace his steps to learn why his family have seemingly abandoned him. It explores darker themes like fidelity, domestic violence and suicide, but still manages to leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy like any good holiday special.
**Highlights:** Duffman's secret shame, Homer's '39 Years in 50 seconds' time lapse video.
#### _'The Debarted'_
(Season 19, Episode 13)
A spot-on parody of Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning film that sees new kid Donny (voiced by Topher Grace) take on the role of DiCaprio as he is hired by Skinner to snitch on Bart. While it starts rather slowly, the writing excels in providing Donny with some great character depth that makes the episode's final scene so much more impactful. This truly is one of the great film parodies from the show, not quite on the level of 'Cape Feare', but enough references are thrown in to ensure it pleases any fans of _The Departed_ , from the use of 'I'm Shipping Up to Boston' by the Dropkick Murphys in the chase sequence to ending the episode with a rat. It also gives us a fantastic Skinner/Chalmers moment that proves the Superintendent may just have a heart after all.
**Highlights:** Grace's performance, the table and cooler in Bart's treehouse, à la _That '70s Show_
#### _'The Squirt and the Whale'_
(Season 21, Episode 19)
After a typical Homer scheme in the first act where he buys a wind turbine in order to save on electricity, the story shifts its focus to Bart and Lisa as they discover a beached whale. 'Bluella' is animated beautifully, drawn to look like a real-life whale as opposed to a Simpsonised version. You can see the fear and anguish in her eyes as the townpeople work together to help her in an act reminiscent of 'Radio Bart'. If you are an animal lover, it's easy to put yourself in Lisa's shoes as she dedicates herself to ensuring Bluella feels safe and comfortable as she lies helplessly on the shore. There's a moment midway through the episode that is as powerful as anything that's come before and is arguably one of the bravest moves in the show's history. If you have any form of a soul at all you'll be left crying like a baby just like I was.
**Highlights:** Homer's determination to do right by Lisa, Comic Book Guy's Shatner impersonation.
#### _'Brick Like Me'_
(Season 25, Episode 20)
'It's not selling out, it's co-branding!' These are the first words we hear Homer say in this episode that sees Springfield transformed into Lego. While this could have very easily just resulted in a cheap gimmick that served nothing more than to get people talking, what we get is a genuinely heartfelt story between Homer and Lisa (of course) that adds a new dimension to their relationship that we've surprisingly never seen before. Visually this episode is stunning, particularly as iconic characters and locations are destroyed in classic Lego fashion and the writing proves that the staff are clearly fans of Lego themselves. While this may have taken over two years to produce, the end result is something everyone involved should certainly be proud of.
**Highlights:** Milhouse's Lego Bart, Homer's accidental racist taunt to Apu. (You'll understand.)
#### _'Holidays of Future Passed'_
(Season 23, Episode 9)
A flash-forward Christmas special set 30 years in the future where Bart is a divorced deadbeat father of two sons, Lisa is regretfully married to Milhouse, and they have a volatile teenage daughter, while Maggie is the most influential voice in music. This was going to be the series finale had FOX's contract dispute with the cast earlier that year not been resolved, which we'd honestly have been quite content with. This episode gives you a sense of closure as it gives an insight into how our favourite four-fingered family ended up. Everything's changed but it's still much the same, except Bart is now capable of having an adult conversation with his sister. Speaking of, their discussion in Bart's treehouse about parenthood is one of the show's finest moments in decades. A truly touching story that would've been a more than satisfying conclusion to the greatest television show of all time.
**Highlights:** Lisa's lesbian phase, The Benny Hilton, the new Chief Wiggum.
#### _'Halloween of Horror'_
(Season 27, Episode 4)
After years of Halloween specials, it's amazing that this is the first in-canon episode to revolve around Halloween itself. This wouldn't feel out of place in Season 9, with Homer at the core of the story, putting all that he believes in aside for the good of Lisa. When it turns into a home-invasion movie in the second act there is a legitimate sense of fear that puts you on edge, allowing the comedy to be elevated as a form of relief. Visually, it's a delight, and a great example of how the digital format can be used to enhance a story.
**Highlights:** 'Grown-up Halloween', Lisa humming the theme from _Halloween_ to calm herself, the best Hans Moleman joke since _Man Getting Hit by Football_.
#### _'Barthood'_
(Season 27, Episode 9)
A take on Richard Linklater's 2014 coming-of-age film _Boyhood_ , this episode isn't your typical _Simpsons_ parody. Usually the _Simpsons_ staff tend to put their own wacky spin on a film's premise; however, writer Dan Greaney chooses to keep things more grounded here as we follow Bart over a 20-year journey starting at the age of six. It's hard to decide whether to accept this episode as canonical due to its format, but nevertheless it gives us a great insight into Bart's struggle to find his purpose as he deals with living in the shadows of his more intellectual and successful sister. While Future Bart is normally portrayed as a self-absorbed loser, 'Barthood' proves that there's more to this little hellraiser than his friends and family give him credit for.
**Highlights:** Grampa teaching Bart to drive, Wiggum realising he can't fly, the ending.
If there's one thing that we've learned in the process of writing this book, it's that the _Simpsons_ staff are some of the most passionate, humble and giving people we've ever met. They continue to try and push this phenomenal show's legacy further into the future, adapting it for a new audience as it comes along.
The examples we've highlighted serve as reasons why we should _all_ be hoping that the show continues running for many years to come. If it does, it's a certainty that we will get more great moments along the way.
If we lost this amazing part of our lives, it would be like losing a distant family member. One you saw all the time when you were younger, and even though you've since grown apart, there's a certain comfort in knowing they are still a part of the world, still making people smile, and while that's happening, there's still a chance that one day you will be able to reconnect.
We think that everybody needs a little bit of that feeling in their lives.
Long live _The Simpsons_.
Dando and Mitch.
## Acknowledgements
Thank you to the following people, without whom this book would not have been possible: Nikki Isordia, Harry Shearer, Maggie Roswell, Joe Mantegna, Matt Schofield, Bill Oakley, Liz Climo, Mike B. Anderson, Rob Oliver, David Silverman, Huw Armstrong and the team at Penguin Random House.
We'd also like to extend a special thanks to all those who have supported us on Patreon: Aaron Petrie, Aaron Trueman, Adam Toplass, Adam Wright, Adam Young, Alden Siminoff, Aled Rees, Alex Crockett, Alex Day, Alex Swan, Alexandra Hamilton, Alexis Fraser, Alister Dannock, Alister Arnoch, Anand Shaunak, Andrew Citarella, Andrew JM, Andrew Johnston, Andrew MacGregor, Andrew Swan, Andy Gengler, Anne Fry, Anthony Duz, Antonio Ventre, A. Stefanick, Ashley Denneman, Belol Nessar, Ben Annowsky, Ben Balanzategui, Ben Clark, Ben Joseph, Ben Weatherburn, Benjamin Lawless, Benny Kane, Beth Higgins, Bill Milgram, Bobbi Bain, Bobby Rein, Braeden Dion, Brendan Allen, Brendan Campbell, Brian Purnell, Bruce Scrafton, Bryce Strobach, Callan Gillard, Callan Sunderland, Camille Andrea, Card Shark Comics, Carl McWinter, Carlos Perez, Carlita Dubrau, Chardee MacDennis, Charise Joy Javonillo, Charlotte Tiessen, Chris Dunnell, Chris Livingston, Chris Manning, Chris Potts, Chris Turkington, Christopher Thornthwaite, Ciaran Mitchell, Clare Dyer, Conor Walsh, Conrad McMenamin, Corey Ferreira, Dale Cox, Dan Chalkley, Dan Shore, Dan Tom, Daniel De Voss, Daniel Johnsin, Daniel Maze, Danyon Mcneilly, Darren Dando, David Mott, David Nayer, Denholm Samaras, Dermot Sheridan, Dillon Haggett, Don Pudlowski, Doug Bogatz, Eden Babic, Eleanor Binney, Emily Gray, Fraser McLachlan, Gary Dunne, Gearoid Duane, Gearoid Harrahill, George Mills-Burrows, George Wilding, Glenn Gomes, Glenn Morton, Graham Reid, Gray Carroll, Greg Delaney, Greg Spinks, Gummy Davidson, Hamish Wilson, Hannah Reed, Hansel Tjia, Harrison Stroak, Henry Saba, Ian Astley, Isaac Morrison, Jacob Jewson, Jack Howard, Jack Missen, Jack Oliver, Jack Sharp, Jack Smith, Jack Valente, Jackson Grant, Jake Buswell, Jake Taylor, Jannon Murray, Jarrod Kerr, Jason Canham, Jason De Vincentis, Jazz Atmaja, Jennifer McKenzie, Jenny Subyak, Jeremy Fogelman, Jerry Johnson, Jessica Jobson, Jessica Olson, Jesska Davidson, Jimmy Croall, Jimmy Kennan, Jimmy Famigio, Joey Wilson, John Charin, John Harrison, John Healy, John Hoyte, John Kemp, John Klee, Jonathan Dafter, Jordan O'Meara, Jordan Wood, Joseph O'Hara, Joseph Seaton, Josh Brodrick, Justin Andrade, Justin Fintoski, Justin Fitzalan, Justin Jones, Justin White, Juztyn Crane, Kane Burt, Katherine Durant, Kathryn Ashworth, Katie Langford, Katie Marx, Kell McDonald, Kevin Coleman, Kirsty Roberts, Kris Toigo, Kyle Beech, Kynan Mugford, Lachie Dahlenburg, Lachlan Paton, Lachlan Pinder, Langdon Alger, Leon Hussain, Lewis Baisley, Lewis Bell, Liam Partlow, Liam Reid, Liam Rowe, Lorraine Cohn, Louis McAuliffe, Lucas Solon, Lucy Amos, Lucy Moore, Luis Ongpin, Luke Costin, Luke Mckay, Luke Russell, Madeline Corzine, Marc Newby, Mark Nelson, Mark Salmon, Mark Treleaven, Martin Frederick, Marty J, Martyn Mercer, Matt Ho, Matt Taylor, Michael Chang, Michael Tricarico, Mike Altier, Mitch Dresser, Mitch Richards, Mitchell Cross, Morris Barnes, Natasha Cooper, Neil Kennedy, Niamh Gribbin, Nick Cowling, Nick Gonzalez, Nick Stuart, Nicola Carey, Nicole Kolen, Nicole Whyte, Olivia Surmon, Paddy Townsley, Pat Wright, Patrick Kennedy, Paul Downs, Paul Kelly, Paul Taylor, Paul Watts, Penelope Cohn, Pete Connell, Peter Parker, Prime Possum, Reese Patterson, Regan Ronellenfitsch, Renee Hewett, Rhydian Hughes, Rian McDonald, Richard Franks, Rob Cundari, Rob Krasa, Robb Meehan, Ronan Diamond, Ross Thompson, Ryan Winning, Sally Hayward, Sam Croese, Sam Fairbanks, Sarah Conroy, Sean O Coilain, Sean Merrigan, Seth Wiens, Shannon Hofer, Simon Brown, Simon Fathers, Sophie Smith, Stephen Falvo, Steve Hume, Steve Matthews, Steven Kind, Steven Lofthouse, Susan Plein, Tank Hafertepen, Tayler Heaney, The Rod, Thomas Mitwollen, Thomas Richardson, Thrillho, Tim Johns, Tim Jones, Tim Kadwell, Tim Slomka, Timothy Burleson, Timothy Rudiger, Tjett Gerdom, Tom Hore, Tristan Campbell, Tyler Weber, Vicky Gonzalez, Will Corneliusen, Will Holmes, William Allen.
Finally, we'd also like to thank our fellow Simpsonsbased fan groups: Steven at 'Simpsons Quotes That Nobody Gets Anymore'; Cameron at 'The Simpsons Tattoo' Instagram; Carter at 'Rock Bottom'; NoHomers.Net; CompuGlobalHyperMegaNet; Simpsons Shitposting; 'The Simpsons Clips' Instagram; The Simpsons Archive; Eats Like a Duck; and Dead Homer Society.
## Trivia Answers
. 61lbs
. Hans Moleman
. Ice Cream
. 25 years
. Sir Oinks-a-lot
. 12
. 29
. Martin's playhouse
. FREDDY
. Jacques, Mindy Simmons, Lurleen Lumpin and Princess Kashmir
. He starts hiccuping
. El Bombastico
. Itchy and Scratchy Meet Fritz the Cat
. $800 billion
. 78
. Lactose intolerant
. A gold club
. 4
. His fife
. The AT-5000
. Giant rice crispy square
. 1974
. 9
. Patterson, New Jersey
. 17
. Kid Gorgeous
. Family, religion and friendship
. $5
. Purple
. 102.5
. Fidel Castro
. $350
. 59th Street Bridge
. 1956
. Roscoe
. 50 cents
. Her Nobel Peace Prize
. Original Ray's Famous Pizza
. Gerald Samson
. Cesspool on the Potomac
. Gordon 'Gordie' Howe
. Sit On It
. An empty can of tomato paste
. The Duff Blimp
. Dean Bitterman
. A doghouse and beer
. 17, 3, 26, 41, 38, 49
. $59.99
. $12.95
. Ring toss
. 6 a.m.
. 25
. Waynesport
. Peach
. Pyro
. Whisky sour
. Harrisburg Coat Outlet to buy an irregular coat
. Will There Ever Be A Rainbow
. Shark
. Sonic Youth
. Little Barbershop of Horrors
. 40
. Rudiger
. Champions of winning. Superb!
. 19
. 18
. Principals Do It 9 Months A Year
. Blisstonia
. Henry Kissinger
. Non-alcoholic beer
. 10
. Apple and orange
. 3
. ZZ Top
. Bigger Than Jesus
. 1969
. 4723 Maple Valley Road
. Steppin' Out Fashion Mart
. Lamp shades
. 50 cents
. Melvin Van Horne
. Raspberry swirl with a double glaze
. 96 hours
. 12
. 40 seconds
. The Front
. 6
. 'I wish they taught shopping in school'
. $2
. 23
. Cats
. There's No Disgrace Like Home
. Monster Mash
. Stan 'The Boy' Taylor
. 10 Megatons
. Merciless peppers of Quetzlzacatenango
. American Gothic
. _Dr Who_ marathon
. Alfalfa
. Tahiti
. 42
. 'Seeya Real Soon Kids!'
. Roadkill 2000
. KL5-3226
. Walt Whitman
. Principal Skinner
. A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man
. Posies
. 107
. Blue
. Ray Patterson
. Race Banyon
. Pilot mispronouncing 'possibly'
. The Channel 6 Wastelanders
. 16,000 boxes of unsold wigs
. $600
. Mr. T
. Compu-Global-Hyper-Mega-Net
. $100 million
. Geech
. Bart
. Skowie
. $5000
. Reads to the homeless
. Green
. Aristotle Amadopolis
. 32
. 1928
. 2
. $400
. Benjamin, Doug and Gary
. A Danish
. alt.nerd. obsessive
. Mt Useful
. Santos L. Halper
. Krusty's Non-Narkotic Cough Syrup
. Two Bad Neighbours
. Orange
. Springfield Civic Auditorium
. Gregory
This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author's and publisher's rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
Epub ISBN: 9781473552654
Version 1.0
Published by Century 2017
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
Copyright © Mitch Grinter & Brendan Dando 2017
Cover Doughnut © Shutterstock
Mitch Grinter and Brendan Dando have asserted their right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the authors of this work.
First published in 2017 by Century
Century
The Penguin Random House Group Limited
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www.penguin.co.uk
Century is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 9781780898261
#### **Welcome to Homer's Odyssey**
fn1 Thousands fn2 Eyes fn3 Our publishers object to the term 'dying medium' and would prefer we substitute it with 'relevancy-challenged entertainment product' – Cheerfully withdrawn.
## Contents
1. Cover
2. Contents
3. About the Book
4. About the Author
5. Title Page
6. Dedication
7. Foreword
8. Welcome to Homer's Odyssey
9. What The Simpsons Means to Me – Mitch
10. What The Simpsons Means to Me – Dando
11. Season 1 (1989-90) – In Conversation
12. 'Life on the Fast Lane' – Review
13. 'Krusty Gets Busted' – Review
14. An Interview with David Silverman
15. Season 2 (1990-91) – In Conversation
16. 'Bart Gets an F' – Review
17. 'The War of the Simpsons' – Review
18. Season 3 (1991-92) – In Conversation
19. 'Like Father, Like Clown' – Review
20. 'Colonel Homer' – Review
21. Talking to Gods
1. Maggie Roswell
2. Matt Schofield
3. Joe Mantegna
4. Harry Shearer
22. Mitch's Top 5 Episodes
1. 'Simpson and Delilah'
2. 'Radio Bart'
3. 'Itchy & Scratchy Land'
4. 'Homer the Great'
5. 'You Only Move Twice'
23. The Little Interview with Liz Climo
24. Season 4 (1992-93) – In Conversation
25. 'New Kid on the Block' – Review
26. 'Marge vs. the Monorail' – In Conversation
27. 'Brother from the Same Planet' – Review
28. Trivia Challenge
29. An Interview with Mike B. Anderson
30. Dando's Backstage Tour
31. Season 5 (1993-94) – In Conversation
32. 'The Last Temptation of Homer' – Review
33. '$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalised Gambling)' – Review
34. 'Cape Feare' – In Conversation
35. A Tribute to 'Treehouse of Horror'
1. Dando
2. Mitch
36. Four Finger Discount's 'Treehouse of Horror'
1. Act One: GROANING LISA
2. Act Two: JURASSIC PORK
3. Act Three: ONE FOR THE BELCHERS
37. Season 6 (1994-95) – In Conversation
38. 'Bart vs. Australia' – In Conversation
39. Dando's Top 5
1. 'Homer the Vigilante'
2. 'Lemon of Troy'
3. 'Who Shot Mr. Burns?' Parts One and Two
4. 'The Springfield Files'
5. '22 Short Films About Springfield'
40. An Interview with Bill Oakley
41. Season 7 (1995-96) – In Conversation
42. 'Lisa the Vegetarian' – Review
43. 'Marge Be Not Proud' – Review
44. Season 8 (1996-97) – In Conversation
45. 'Homer's Enemy' – Review
46. An Interview with Rob Oliver
47. Season 9 (1997-98) – In Conversation
48. 'Realty Bites' – Review
49. 'Natural Born Kissers' – Review
50. 'The Simpsons isn't good any more' Our Favourite Episodes post-Season 12
51. Acknowledgements
52. Trivia Answers
53. Copyright
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1. Cover
2. Contents
3. Contents
|
{
"pile_set_name": "Books3"
}
|
Scarlet Ozmafia By Kohai-Noticed-You Watch
7 Favourites 0 Comments 181 Views
I decided to draw Scarlet from Ozmafia. He was a lot of fun to color, especially his hair. I think he turned out pretty good, at least imo. Scarlet is one of my favorites though both of his routes disappointed me a bit. You don't get a kissing CG with either them which made me really sad.
I do believe Scarlet will grow up to be a tol boi one day though just like he dreams of being.
While drawing him though I noticed he had a very similar appearance to another character from another show. They are both based off the same fairy tale but they basically have the same hair style and similar weapons as well. I think I might go back and draw them in just as a side by side comparison.
IMAGE DETAILS Image size 1280x780px 1.23 MB Show More
|
{
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
}
|
Q:
Terraform version error when deploying to AWS through jenkins?
I was deploying using terraform through Jenkins Terraform v0.10.7.
After a success deployment from my local machine using Terraform v0.11.1, I can not do it again from Jenkins, I have this error :
Terraform doesn't allow running any operations against a state
that was written by a future Terraform version. The state is
reporting it is written by Terraform '0.11.1'.
A:
Using v0.11.1 run: $ terraform destroy
Remove the .tfstate file
Using v0.10.7 (or any version you want to use from now on), run: $ terraform apply
|
{
"pile_set_name": "StackExchange"
}
|
d without replacement from yfufjrm.
2/21
Two letters picked without replacement from {t: 3, a: 7, w: 3}. Give prob of picking 1 a and 1 w.
7/26
Calculate prob of picking 2 a and 2 n when four letters picked without replacement from nnanaaannnn.
21/55
What is prob of picking 1 v, 1 f, and 1 h when three letters picked without replacement from {f: 2, h: 4, o: 2, v: 2}?
2/15
Three letters picked without replacement from {a: 7, c: 2}. What is prob of picking 2 c and 1 a?
1/12
What is prob of picking 3 e and 1 d when four letters picked without replacement from {e: 6, d: 2}?
4/7
Calculate prob of picking 2 s when two letters picked without replacement from iisfiissisiif.
1/13
Calculate prob of picking 1 a and 1 l when two letters picked without replacement from {l: 1, z: 1, a: 5, k: 2, r: 2, f: 2}.
5/78
Two letters picked without replacement from ejqievx. What is prob of picking 1 i and 1 q?
1/21
What is prob of picking 2 b when two letters picked without replacement from jjbbbjbjjjj?
6/55
Four letters picked without replacement from {p: 2, z: 8, m: 1, k: 2, l: 2, d: 2}. Give prob of picking 1 z, 2 p, and 1 l.
4/595
Calculate prob of picking 1 x, 1 v, and 1 w when three letters picked without replacement from {i: 1, v: 3, j: 1, x: 3, p: 2, w: 5}.
9/91
Two letters picked without replacement from {h: 1, u: 2, v: 1}. What is prob of picking 2 u?
1/6
Three letters picked without replacement from qqqqqq. What is prob of picking 3 q?
1
Two letters picked without replacement from {v: 2, d: 1, p: 4, j: 5, e: 2}. What is prob of picking 2 p?
6/91
Three letters picked without replacement from {k: 2, n: 8, x: 4}. What is prob of picking 3 x?
1/91
Three letters picked without replacement from {m: 4, b: 2}. Give prob of picking 1 b and 2 m.
3/5
What is prob of picking 3 o and 1 i when four letters picked without replacement from xtbioitooiiiib?
6/1001
Two letters picked without replacement from {d: 5, i: 2, s: 9}. What is prob of picking 1 s and 1 d?
3/8
Two letters picked without replacement from yjjwywyj. Give prob of picking 1 j and 1 w.
3/14
What is prob of picking 1 j and 1 z when two letters picked without replacement from jfzjfijjjjjjjujjjumu?
6/95
Four letters picked without replacement from {g: 3, o: 5, k: 7, q: 1}. What is prob of picking 1 q, 1 k, and 2 g?
3/260
Four letters picked without replacement from {k: 2, t: 4, w: 5, a: 1, f: 2}. What is prob of picking 4 t?
1/1001
What is prob of picking 1 c and 1 w when two letters picked without replacement from mmmcbmkkmwmmk?
1/78
Three letters picked without replacement from {o: 5, r: 1, h: 3, l: 1, u: 2, n: 1}. Give prob of picking 1 r, 1 l, and 1 n.
1/286
What is prob of picking 1 w and 1 e when two letters picked without replacement from {w: 5, a: 3, c: 2, e: 1, f: 1}?
5/66
Calculate prob of picking 1 z and 1 y when two letters picked without replacement from {y: 1, d: 1, z: 5, v: 2}.
5/36
What is prob of picking 4 i when four letters picked without replacement from {z: 6, n: 2, i: 4, l: 3}?
1/1365
Two letters picked without replacement from wzzz. Give prob of picking 2 z.
1/2
What is prob of picking 2 c and 1 z when three letters picked without replacement from cczcccccccczzzcz?
55/112
Two letters picked without replacement from {b: 9, i: 2}. What is prob of picking 2 b?
36/55
What is prob of picking 2 q and 2 t when four letters picked without replacement from {u: 4, t: 7, q: 7}?
49/340
Calculate prob of picking 1 a, 1 c, and 1 m when three letters picked without replacement from aqmmcqwcvcqwqqcmmww.
16/969
Four letters picked without replacement from {l: 6}. Give prob of picking 4 l.
1
Two letters picked without replacement from {j: 7, u: 1, r: 10}. What is prob of picking 1 r and 1 j?
70/153
What is prob of picking 1 f and 1 w when two letters picked without replacement from {j: 2, f: 1, x: 1, u: 1, w: 2}?
2/21
Calculate prob of picking 3 p and 1 r when four letters picked without replacement from {p: 5, r: 2}.
4/7
What is prob of picking 1 w, 1 o, and 2 l when four letters picked without replacement from {o: 1, l: 3, w: 2, f: 1}?
6/35
Calculate prob of picking 1 l and 1 e when two letters picked without replacement from {w: 2, l: 6, e: 10}.
20/51
Three letters picked without replacement from qqqqnqnqqqqqnnqnqqq. What is prob of picking 2 n and 1 q?
140/969
What is prob of picking 3 g when three letters picked without replacement from {k: 6, g: 7}?
35/286
Four letters picked without replacement from {j: 5, a: 9}. Give prob of picking 4 a.
18/143
Two letters picked without replacement from {b: 7, c: 2, i: 2}. Give prob of picking 1 i and 1 c.
4/55
What is prob of picking 2 j when two letters picked without replacement from wjjjjiuemiue?
1/11
Calculate prob of picking 1 w and 1 u when two letters picked without replacement from uuzuxzuwzu.
1/9
What is prob of picking 1 f and 3 k when four letters picked without replacement from {k: 3, f: 8}?
4/165
What is prob of picking 1 q and 1 v when two letters picked without replacement from {k: 1, q: 1, v: 2}?
1/3
Three letters picked without replacement from {d: 2, q: 3, n: 3}. Give prob of picking 2 d and 1 q.
3/56
Three letters picked without replacement from bbooooooobooooo. Give prob of picking 3 o.
44/91
What is prob of picking 2 k when two letters picked without replacement from {m: 1, k: 4, b: 7, v: 1, z: 2}?
2/35
What is prob of picking 1 l and 1 j when two letters picked without replacement from njebdldej?
1/18
What is prob of picking 2 m when two letters picked without replacement from mmrrmmrmmrrrrrmr?
7/40
Calculate prob of picking 1 p and 1 r when two letters picked without replacement from {p: 3, r: 2, k: 4}.
1/6
What is prob of picking 2 u and 1 c when three letters picked without replacement from xxluhluuoooxuuluc?
3/136
What is prob of picking 1 a, 2 o, and 1 b when four letters picked without replacement from {o: 3, v: 5, b: 2, a: 7}?
3/170
Calculate prob of picking 2 x when two letters picked without replacement from {z: 2, x: 3}.
3/10
Calculate prob of picking 2 c when two letters picked without replacement from {p: 10, c: 10}.
9/38
What is prob of picking 1 a and 1 o when two letters picked without replacement from aaaaaaaaaaao?
1/6
What is prob of picking 1 u and 3 e when four letters picked without replacement from {k: 2, f: 6, u: 2, e: 3, n: 1, b: 1}?
2/1365
Three letters picked without replacement from rsereejrwwfjff. Give prob of picking 1 r, 1 j, and 1 w.
3/91
Two letters picked without replacement from {i: 1, v: 1, z: 1, r: 2, q: 1, d: 1}. Give prob of picking 1 i and 1 q.
1/21
Calculate prob of picking 2 e and 1 i when three letters picked without replacement from {e: 9, i: 3}.
27/55
Calculate prob of picking 3 a and 1 b when four letters picked without replacement from aaaaaaaabaabbaabbba.
143/323
What is prob of picking 1 p and 1 a when two letters picked without replacement from pagdvuuaauad?
2/33
Two letters picked without replacement from {l: 2, o: 1, f: 4}. What is prob of picking 1 l and 1 o?
2/21
What is prob of picking 3 h when three letters picked without replacement from {h: 17, m: 1}?
5/6
Calculate prob of picking 1 m and 1 j when two letters picked without replacement from {r: 1, g: 2, m: 4, j: 2}.
2/9
What is prob of picking 2 j when two letters picked without replacement from {h: 15, j: 3}?
1/51
Three letters picked without replacement from ekickekekaik. What is prob of picking 1 a, 1 k, and 1 i?
1/22
Two letters picked without replacement from {v: 1, j: 12}. What is prob of picking 1 v and 1 j?
2/13
Four letters picked without replacement from lxxllxlxxxlx. What is prob of picking 1 l and 3 x?
35/99
What is prob of picking 1 j and 1 n when two letters picked without replacement from {n: 2, c: 1, d: 1, j: 2, l: 2}?
1/7
Calculate prob of picking 2 t when two letters picked without replacement from {w: 4, m: 2, o: 2, t: 3}.
3/55
Calculate prob of picking 1 i and 2 f when three letters picked without replacement from hnnffif.
3/35
Calculate prob of picking 1 x and 3 j when four letters picked without replacement from djjjsdx.
1/35
What is prob of picking 1 b and 1 y when two letters picked without replacement from {d: 2, e: 1, b: 2, y: 1, s: 1}?
2/21
Four letters picked without replacement from fffacaffffffcff. G
|
{
"pile_set_name": "DM Mathematics"
}
|
Q:
Review system with login / signup required
I'm writing a review system for items in Ruby on Rails. I want the process to be as follow:
users to start entering their review/ratings
when they hit submit, if they're not logged in, users are redirected to the signup or login page,
they create and account or signup
they're redirected to the post where they wrote a review, and the review is added.
How do I do that?
A:
Some highlights
Use Authlogic
In your Review Controller, say something like before_filter :require_user_before_reviews
In require_user_before_reviews do something like
/app/controllers/reviews_controller.rb
def require_user_before_reviews
return true if logged_in?
session[:review_params] = params[:review]
session[:return_url] = new_review_path
redirect_to login_path
end
Then re-render the form on new_review_path with the session value after logged in.
There's some broad strokes in there, but that should work.
As a note: as a User, I'd want you to ask me to login before I do the review.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "StackExchange"
}
|
Effect of thiamine concentration on animal health, feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, and ruminal hydrogen sulfide concentrations in lambs fed diets based on 60% distillers dried grains plus solubles.
Limited data are available regarding the influence of thiamine supplementation on the incidence of polioencephalomalacia (PEM) in lambs fed diets containing increased concentrations of S in the diet (>0.7%). Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the influence of thiamine supplementation on feedlot performance, carcass quality, ruminal hydrogen sulfide gas concentrations, and incidence of PEM in lambs fed a finishing diet containing 60% distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS; DM basis). Two studies were conducted using completely randomized designs to evaluate the influence of concentration of thiamine supplementation. Study 1 used 240 lambs fed in 16 pens, whereas study 2 used 55 individually fed lambs. Lamb finishing diets contained 60% DDGS, which resulted in a dietary S concentration of 0.73% (DM basis). Treatments diets were based on the amount of supplemental thiamine provided: 1) no supplemental thiamine (CON), 2) 50 mg/animal per day (LO), 3) 100 mg/animal per day (MED), or 4) 150 mg/animal per day (HI). Additionally, in study 2, a fifth treatment was included, which contained 0.87% S (DM basis; increased S provided by addition of dilute sulfuric acid) and provided 150 mg of thiamine/animal per day (HI+S). In study 1, ADG decreased quadratically (P = 0.04), with lambs fed the CON, LO, and MED diets gaining BW at a greater rate than lambs fed the HI diet. In study 1, DMI responded quadratically (P < 0.01), whereas G:F tended to differ linearly (P = 0.08) to concentration of thiamine supplementation, with MED lambs having greater DMI and decreased G:F. No differences (P > or = 0.17) in lamb performance were observed in study 2. In both studies, most carcass characteristics were unaffected, with the exception of a tendency for decreased carcass conformation (study 1; P = 0.09) and greater flank streaking (study 2; P = 0.03). No differences in ruminal hydrogen sulfide concentration (P > 0.05) among treatments were apparent until d 10, at which point lambs fed the LO diet had less hydrogen sulfide concentrations than all other treatments. Lambs fed HI had the greatest concentrations of hydrogen sulfide on d 31 (1.07 g of hydrogen sulfide /m(3); P < 0.009). Ruminal pH did not differ (P = 0.13) and averaged 5.6 +/- 0.06. No clinical cases of PEM were observed during the course of either study. The use of thiamine as a dietary additive to aid in the prevention of PEM in finishing lambs does not appear to be necessary under the conditions of this study.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
}
|
Neutrophil responses to aspergillosis: new roles for old players.
Neutrophils are professional phagocytic cells that play a crucial role in innate immunity. Through an assortment of antifungal effector mechanisms, neutrophils are essential in controlling the early stages of fungal infection. These mechanisms range from the production of reactive oxygen intermediates and release of antimicrobial enzymes to the formation of complex extracellular traps that aid in the elimination of the fungus. Their importance in antifungal immunity is supported by the extreme susceptibility to infection of patients with primary (e.g., chronic granulomatous disease) or acquired (e.g., undergoing immunosuppressive therapy) neutrophil deficiency. More recently, common genetic variants affecting neutrophil antifungal capacity have also been disclosed as major risk factors for aspergillosis in conditions of generalized immune deficiency. The present review revisits the role of neutrophils in the host response against Aspergillus and highlights the consequences of their deficiency in susceptibility to aspergillosis.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
}
|
Q:
What is the best way to decorate methods of a Python class?
I am following below conventions to decorate certain methods in a Python class. I am wondering if there are some better ways to do the same. My approach certainly doesn't look good; the call to original member function doesn't look intuitive at all.
from threading import Lock
def decobj(fun):
def fun2(*args, **kwards):
with args[0].lock:
print 'Got the lock'
fun(*args, **kwards)
return fun2
class A:
def __init__(self, a):
self.lock = Lock()
self.x = a
pass
@decobj
def fun(self, x, y):
print self.x, x, y
a = A(100)
a.fun(1,2)
A:
If your decorator can only work on methods (because you need access to the instance-specific lock) then just include self in the wrapper signature:
from functools import wraps
def decobj(func):
@wraps(func)
def wrapper(self, *args, **kwards):
with self.lock:
print 'Got the lock'
func(self, *args, **kwards)
return wrapper
I included the @functools.wraps() utility decorator; it'll copy across various pieces of metadata from the original wrapped function to the wrapper. This is invariably a good idea.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "StackExchange"
}
|
Getting started with genre fiction – Rappler
Getting started with genre fictionRapplerThere was a time when this delineation of books was a form of classist separation (remnants of which are still present today). These entertaining tales with clear genres were called genre fiction, while the so-called “high-brow” stories were labeled …
|
{
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
}
|
Sulfonato-imino copper(ii) complexes: fast and general Chan-Evans-Lam coupling of amines and anilines.
Sulfonato-imine copper complexes with either chloride or triflate counteranions were prepared in a one-step reaction followed by anion-exchange. They are highly active in Chan-Evans-Lam couplings under mild conditions with a variety of amines or anilines, in particular with sterically hindered substrates. No optimization of reaction conditions other than time and/or temperature is required.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
}
|
Q:
How do I remove the delay between HTTP Requests when using Asynchronous actions in ASP.NET?
I am using HttpClient to send a GET request to a server inside of a while loop
while (cycle < maxcycle)
{
var searchParameters = new ASearchParameters
{
Page = cycle++,
id = getid
};
var searchResponse = await Client.SearchAsync(searchParameters);
}
and the SearchAsync contains
public async Task<AuctionResponse> SearchAsync()
{
var uriString = "Contains a https url with parameters"
var searchResponseMessage = await HttpClient.GetAsync(uriString);
return await Deserialize<AuctionResponse>(searchResponseMessage);
}
The thing is after every request there is a delay before the next request is started.
you can see this in fiddler timeline and also in fiddler there is "Tunnel To" example.com:443 before every request
Question : Why is there a delay and how to remove it ?
A:
I see two things that are happening here. First, depending on the deserializer, it may take a while to translate your response back into an object. You might want to time that step and see if that's not the majority of your time spent. Second, the SSL handshake (the origin of your "tunnel to") does require a round trip to establish the SSL channel. I thought HttpClient sent a Keep-Alive header by default, but you may want to see if it is A) not being sent or B) being rejected. If you are re-establishing an SSL channel for each request, that could easily take on the order of a hundred ms all by itself (depending upon the server/network load).
If you're using Fiddler, you can enable the ability to inspect SSL traffic to see what the actual request/response headers are.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "StackExchange"
}
|
Articles, Videos & Podcasts
Saffron Improves the Effectiveness of Antidepressant Medications
In a recent study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, the addition of saffron to standard pharmaceutical antidepressants was investigated in people suffering from depression.
Forty adults diagnosed with depression were randomly allocated into one of two groups. One group received a pharmaceutical antidepressant plus crocin capsules (a major component from the spice saffron) while the other group received a pharmaceutical antidepressant plus placebo capsules. This was a double-blind study, which meant that neither the researchers nor participants knew which group they were allocated into.
After 4 weeks of treatment, people on the antidepressant plus crocin capsules experienced significantly greater improvements in mood, compared to the antidepressant and placebo treated group. The crocin group experienced a 42% reduction in depressive symptoms after 4 weeks, whereas the placebo group only experienced a 16% reduction in depressive symptoms. People on the crocin capsules also reported greater reductions in anxiety and several other mental health symptoms.
This is the first study investigating the effects of treating depressed individuals with saffron and pharmaceutical antidepressants. The positive findings mean that people on antidepressants could potentially be treated with lower-dose antidepressants meaning a lower likelihood of side effects. Antidepressants are commonly associated with side effects which often increase in severity with higher doses. Further research is required to replicate this study with a larger sample size, but it provides further validation for the antidepressant effects of saffron.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
}
|
Q:
Sort array of structs by a member of each
I am compiling data using the following structs:
struct Nursing {
var leftTime: Double
var rightTime: Double
var submissionTime: Date
}
struct Bottle {
var bottleQuantity: Double
var bottleUnits: String
var submissionTime: Date
}
struct Puree {
var pureeQuantity: Double
var pureeType: String
var pureeUnits: String
var submissionTime: Date
}
Then I create arrays of each type using data from elsewhere in the app.
var nursingArray = [Nursing]()
var bottleArray = [Bottle]()
var pureeArray = [Puree]()
I then filter each array for only entries that occurred in the last day.
let yesterday = Calendar.current.date(byAdding: .day, value: -1, to: Date())
var todayBottleArray = bottleArray.filter( { ( $0.submissionTime > yesterday! ) } )
var todayNursingArray = nursingArray.filter( { ( $0.submissionTime > yesterday! ) } )
var todayPureeArray = pureeArray.filter( { ( $0.submissionTime > yesterday! ) } )
Finally they all get combined into a single unsorted array.
var unsortedTodayArray: [Any] = []
unsortedTodayArray.append(todayBottleArray)
unsortedTodayArray.append(todayNursingArray)
unsortedTodayArray.append(todayPureeArray)
Here's the question...while I know they're unrelated, the submissionTime property appears in all three. How can I sort unsortedTodayArray by submissionTime?
A:
You can have your struct conform to the same protocol. Something like...
protocol SubmissionTimeable {
var submissionTime: Date { get set }
}
struct Nursing: SubmissionTimeable {
var leftTime: Double
var rightTime: Double
var submissionTime: Date
}
struct Bottle: SubmissionTimeable {
var bottleQuantity: Double
var bottleUnits: String
var submissionTime: Date
}
struct Puree: SubmissionTimeable {
var pureeQuantity: Double
var pureeType: String
var pureeUnits: String
var submissionTime: Date
}
Then let your unsorted array be an array of the protocol.
let unsortedArray = [SubmissionTimeable]()
Then you can sort that array with submissionTime.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "StackExchange"
}
|
2015 Thailand National Games
The 44th Thailand National Games (, also known as the 2015 National Games and the Nakhon Sawan Games) were held in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand from 12 to 21 December 2015. The opening ceremony, scheduled for 11 December, was postponed by Bike for Dad ปั่นเพื่อพ่อ, to 12 December. There were matches in 43 sports and 77 disciplines. The games were held in Nakhon Sawan Sport Center and Nakhon Sawan sport school. Nakhon Sawan also hosted the 28th national games in 1995.
Marketing
Emblem
The red curve is for powerful success, the blue curve for the strength of the sport, the red circle is for knowledge of the sport, and the golden circle frame is a victory medal of competition. The emblem also has the face of a Yingge dancer.
Mascot
The mascot is a dragon named Xiao Long (Dragon, 小龙), xiaolong meaning dragon. The Chinese dragon has been long regarded as the creator of humanitarian law, building confidence, showing power and goodness, mettle, heroic effort and perseverance, morality, nobility, and mightiness like a god. The Chinese dragon does not give up until they accomplish what they want; other attributes are conscientious, absolute discretion, optimistic, ambitious, beautiful, friendly and intelligent.
Torch relay
At the grand palace, General Surayud Chulanont gave the royal flame to Assistant Minister of Tourism and Sports and Nakhon Sawan and the National games and National Para Games Organizing Committee. The route of torch relay was around Nakhon Sawan Province.
Provinces participating
Sports
Official sports
Air sports
Archery
Athletics
Badminton
Basketball
Billiards and snooker
Bodybuilding
Bowling
Boxing
Canoeing
Sprint
Slalom
Cycling
BMX
Mountain biking
Road
Track
Dancesport
Extreme sports
BMX
Inline skate
Skateboard
Slalom
Fencing
Field Hockey
Football
Futsal
Gymnastics
Artistic
Rhythmic
Trampoline
Go
Golf
Handball
Judo
Kabaddi
Karate
Muay Thai
Netball
Petanque
Pencak Silat
Rowing
Rugby football
Sepaktakraw
Beach Sepaktakraw
Sepaktakraw (Circle)
Sepaktakraw
Shooting
Softball
Soft tennis
Swimming
Table tennis
Taekwondo
Poomsae
Kyorugi
Tennis
Thai Fencing
Traditional boat
Tug of war
Volleyball
Beach Volleyball
Volleyball
Weightlifting
Woodball
Wrestling
Freestyle
Greco-Roman
Demonstration sports
Makruk
Venues
Note:Chai Nat Province is the venue for Cycling (BMX)
Ceremony
Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony started at 18:00 local time on December 12, 2015, at the Nakhon Sawan Province Central Stadium. It was attended by Minister of Tourism and Sports, Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul. This ceremony presented 4 shows including:
The first show: River of Life; Nakhon Sawan has four rivers: Ping River, Wang River, Yom River and Nan River and stream converge into Chao Phraya River at Pak Nam Pho.
The second show: Lod Lai Mangkorn (Dragon), Culture of Thai Chinese in Nakhon Sawan.
The third show: Honor the King, Loyalty of Thai people to the King.
The fourth show: Celebrating 100 years of Nakhon Sawan.
Closing Ceremony
The closing ceremony started at 18:00 local time on December 12, 2015, at the Nakhon Sawan Province Central Stadium. It was attended by Assistant Minister of Tourism and Sports, Chawani Thongroj. This ceremony presented 4 shows and handover of the Thai National Games flag to the Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand, Sakol Wannapong.
Medal tally
Suphanburi led the medal table for the third consecutive time. A total of 77 provinces won at least one medal, 67 provinces won at least one gold medal, 8 provinces won at least one silver medal and 2 provinces won at least one bronze medal.
References
External links
Category:Thailand National Games
Category:Multi-sport events in Thailand
Category:2015 in Thai sport
Thailand National Games
|
{
"pile_set_name": "Wikipedia (en)"
}
|
LNDR
Summit Jacket
£145.00
Select size
XSS (Out of stock)
ML
Style
This LNDR Summit Jacket is moisture wicking to keep you cool. It is seam-free and uses antibacterial silver technology yarns to keep you fresh for longer. It is cut for a close fit to reduce any resistance during a workout, while the circular knit allows for superior flexibility and support. Contrasting panels of differing deniers create panels of ventilation and compression. The best part? You'll look good working that Frame
åÊ
|
{
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
}
|
Amazing Bird Feeder House On Pole
By Doug SpinkaPosted on October 25, 2017October 23, 2017Amazing Bird Feeder House On Pole February 2018
Bird Feeder House On Pole – This Amazing Bird Feeder House On Pole photos was upload on October, 25 2017 by Doug Spinka. Here latest Bird Feeder House On Pole wallpapers collection. Download other photos about Bird Feeder House On Pole in our other reviews. Click on images to print Amazing Bird Feeder House On Pole in high resolution.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
}
|
High bandwidth, high resolution nanoscale sensing is a key enabling technology for nanoscale science and engineering. Application areas include life sciences, scanning probe microscopy, semiconductor fabrication and material science. Currently available position sensors based on optics, capacitors or inductive coils, although accurate and fast, do not scale down to micro-scales for use in micro-structures or in large-scale point-wise position sensing of macro-structures. Thermo-electric position sensors, on the other hand, scale down to micro-scale, but suffer from low resolution and bandwidth.
A known position sensing concept is based on the property of magnetoresistance (MR). Magnetoresistance is the property an electrical resistance of a conductive layer sandwiched between ferromagnetic layers changes as a function of a magnetic field applied to the layers. A magnetoresistive sensor typically uses this property to sense the magnetic field.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
}
|
Q:
Problem with PHP Syntax
I am trying to get a link together using 2 variables but the output is the link and title but no html / clickable link appearing.
I'm getting something link this:
http://www.mydomain.com/post1/post_title_here
Here is the code:
echo '<a href="'.the_permalink().'">'.the_title().'</a>';
Can anyone help please?
Thanks
UPDATE:
Here's the whole block of code:
<div id="MyBlock1">
<?php
$query = new WP_Query('posts_per_page=5');
while( $query ->have_posts() ) : $query ->the_post();
echo '<li>';
echo '<a href="'.the_permalink().'">'.the_title().'</a>';
echo '</li>';
endwhile;
wp_reset_postdata();
?>
</div>
A:
That's because the wordpress functions the_permalink() and the_title() display the respective outcomes already they need not be echoed. If you want functions that return the values, you have to use get_permalink() and get_the_title() instead.
So either do:
<div id="MyBlock1">
<?php
$query = new WP_Query('posts_per_page=5');
while( $query ->have_posts() ) : $query ->the_post();
echo '<li>';
echo '<a href="'.get_permalink().'">'.get_the_title().'</a>';
echo '</li>';
endwhile;
wp_reset_postdata();
?>
</div>
or
<div id="MyBlock1">
<?php
$query = new WP_Query('posts_per_page=5');
while( $query ->have_posts() ) : $query ->the_post();
echo '<li><a href="';
the_permalink();
echo '">';
the_title();
echo '</a></li>';
endwhile;
wp_reset_postdata();
?>
</div>
Both will work.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "StackExchange"
}
|
Profiling and characterization of miRNAs associated with intramuscular fat content in Yorkshire pigs.
miRNAs are short noncoding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression by binding to complementary regions of the target mRNA. The miRNAs associated with the deposition of intramuscular fat (IMF) content in pigs, which is an important meat quality trait, still remain to be investigated. In this study, the longissimus dorsi muscles (LDMs) from 234 individuals were collected from Yorkshire pigs at 90 kg body weight and the miRNA deep sequencing was conducted by using two tailed groups which were taken five individuals each from high (2.94 ± 0.04%) and low (1.62 ± 0.02%) IMF samples. The results showed that total 268 mature miRNAs were identified, of which 70 were previously known, 162 were conserved among species and 36 were identified specifically in pigs. Moreover, 28 miRNAs involved in adipogenesis were differentially expressed in the two groups, and five out of 16 miRNAs were validated by quantitative PCR (qPCR) using stem loop primers. Our results may serve as a fundamental basis for understanding the roles of miRNA in IMF development in pigs. The miRNAs identified in our study can be utilized for research IMF trait in pig population and will provide further clues to the study of meat quality regulatory mechanisms.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "PubMed Abstracts"
}
|
STEREOPHONICS frontman Kelly Jones is one person who won't be tuning in to this year's I'm A Celebrity...
STEREOPHONICS frontman Kelly Jones is one person who won't be tuning in to this year's I'm A Celebrity...
The pint-sized crooner said: "Reality is s**t. That's why everyone wants to watch telly in the first place. It doesn't make any sense. And now we've got John Lydon going on it."
Speaking to Real Radio in an interview to be aired over Easter, Kelly said he doubted whether he would ever resort to a celeb soap.
He said: "I hope not. I wouldn't want anyone to see me in 17 years' time - I would like to be a hermit with a big beard, smoking something. I can't think of anything worse than being followed round, particularly with people who haven't got a clue, who you haven't anything in common with."
|
{
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
}
|
Q:
How can I change SharedSection in registry using C#?
Regarding this stackoverflow entry in my registry System\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\Session Manager\\SubSystems I have to change in value windows > string parameter SharedSection=SharedSection=1024,20480,768 the third value from 768 into 2048.
What is the best way to do that via C#?
I tried the following:
var myKey = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey("System\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\Session Manager\\SubSystems").GetValue("Windows");
The local variable myKey contains the following string:
"C:\\Windows\\system32\\csrss.exe ObjectDirectory=\\Windows SharedSection=1024,20480,768 Windows=On SubSystemType=Windows ServerDll=basesrv,1 ServerDll=winsrv:UserServerDllInitialization,3 ServerDll=sxssrv,4 ProfileControl=Off MaxRequestThreads=32"
Do I need to change the value 768 into 2048 using regular expressions or is there a better way?
A:
for example:
try {
updateSharedSection(-1, -1, 2048);
}
catch(Exception e) {
//..
}
first param the maximum size of the system-wide heap
second param the size of each desktop heap
third param the size of the desktop heap that is associated with a non-interactive Windows station.
...
public void updateSharedSection(int z)
{
updateSharedSection(-1, -1, z);
}
public void updateSharedSection(int x, int y, int z)
{
RegistryKey key = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey("System\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\Session Manager\\SubSystems", true);
key.SetValue("Windows", _sharedSection(x, y, z, key.GetValue("Windows").ToString()));
}
/// <param name="x">the maximum size of the system-wide heap (in kilobytes) / -1 by default</param>
/// <param name="y">the size of each desktop heap / -1 by default</param>
/// <param name="z"> the size of the desktop heap that is associated with a non-interactive Windows station / -1 by default</param>
/// <param name="raw">raw data line</param>
/// <returns></returns>
private string _sharedSection(int x, int y, int z, string raw)
{
Func<int, string, string> setVal = delegate(int xyz, string def) {
return (xyz == -1) ? def : xyz.ToString();
};
return Regex.Replace(raw, @"SharedSection=(\d+),(\d+),(\d+)", delegate(Match m)
{
return string.Format(
"SharedSection={0},{1},{2}",
setVal(x, m.Groups[1].Value),
setVal(y, m.Groups[2].Value),
setVal(z, m.Groups[3].Value));
},
RegexOptions.IgnoreCase);
}
|
{
"pile_set_name": "StackExchange"
}
|
{
"acno": "D09906",
"acquisitionYear": 1856,
"all_artists": "Joseph Mallord William Turner",
"catTextResId": 1149366,
"catalogueGroup": {
"accessionRanges": "D09889-D09986; D40813; D41524",
"completeStatus": "COMPLETE",
"finbergNumber": "CXXXV",
"groupType": "Turner Sketchbook",
"id": 65777,
"shortTitle": "Chemistry and Apuleia Sketchbook"
},
"classification": "on paper, unique",
"contributorCount": 1,
"contributors": [
{
"birthYear": 1775,
"date": "1775\u20131851",
"displayOrder": 1,
"fc": "Joseph Mallord William Turner",
"gender": "Male",
"id": 558,
"mda": "Turner, Joseph Mallord William",
"role": "artist",
"startLetter": "T"
}
],
"creditLine": "Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856",
"dateRange": {
"endYear": 1813,
"startYear": 1813,
"text": "c.1813"
},
"dateText": "c.1813",
"depth": "",
"dimensions": "support: 88 x 113 mm",
"finberg": "CXXXV 10",
"foreignTitle": null,
"groupTitle": "Chemistry and Apuleia Sketchbook",
"height": "113",
"id": 37284,
"inscription": null,
"medium": "Graphite on paper",
"movementCount": 0,
"pageNumber": 21,
"subjectCount": 0,
"thumbnailCopyright": null,
"thumbnailUrl": "http://www.tate.org.uk/art/images/work/D/D09/D09906_8.jpg",
"title": "?A Tree and a Boat",
"units": "mm",
"url": "http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-a-tree-and-a-boat-d09906",
"width": "88"
}
|
{
"pile_set_name": "Github"
}
|
New York (CNN Business) President Donald Trump's escalating trade war against China threatens to inflict a powerful shock to the American economy that not even the Federal Reserve can fully absorb.
The Fed cut interest rates this week for the first time in nearly 11 years , effectively lowering the odds of a recession in the United States. Just 24 hours later, Trump raised those odds by vowing to unleash tariffs on $300 billion of US imports from China, which will for the first time directly impact American shoppers.
The new front in the trade war will only add to the downturn in manufacturing spanning the globe . It will further dent shaky business confidence and could even puncture the optimism among consumers. In short, little good can come from these new tariffs — and the ensuing retaliation from Beijing.
Tariff man is back and more dangerous than ever to our economy."
"It could be incredibly damaging to the global economy. The risk of a recession has gone up because of the ratcheting up of the trade war," said Kristina Hooper, chief global market strategist at Invesco.
Trump blindsided investors on Thursday by announcing an abrupt end to the trade truce between the United States and China. Although talks will continue, Trump tweeted that he plans to impose a 10% tariff on the remaining US imports from China.
US stocks plummeted on the tweet, a selloff that deepened on Friday. Cash rushed into ultra-save government bonds, sending Treasury yields to multiyear lows.
"That's telling me there is a lot of concern we are headed toward a significant global slowdown," Hooper said.
Trump has also kept open the possibility that tariffs on China will go up to 25%.
Consumer goods targeted
Beyond the direct impact of the tariffs, the escalation in trade tensions risks dealing a sizable blow to business confidence.
The on-again, off-again nature of the trade war makes it difficult for CEOs to plan for the future. Instead of hiring workers and opening new factories, many companies may decide to sit on the sidelines.
"Tariff man is back and more dangerous than ever to our economy," Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at Bleakley Advisory Group, wrote in a note to clients on Friday.
In an interview with CNN Business, Boockvar argued that the only thing keeping the United States out of a recession is the strength of consumer spending.
However, Trump's tariffs would impact a wide swath of consumer products, likely resulting in higher prices on items including apparel, footwear and electronics such as smartphones, laptops and tablets.
In 2018, 42% of apparel and 69% of footwear sold in the United States was imported from China, according to the American Apparel & Footwear Association.
"This is going to damper consumer spending," Boockvar said.
If the tariffs go into effect, Boockvar said there is likely a greater than 50% chance the United States succumbs to a recession.
How will China respond?
It's possible that Trump, spooked by market turmoil, backs down on his latest tariff threat. Another possibility is that the looming tariffs force Beijing to make enough concessions to allow both sides to claim victory. In either case, that would be a huge positive for the economy.
But some observers fear Trump's increased pressure on China will backfire, provoking retaliation that deepens the economic pressure.
"Trump's gambit is unlikely to work," Michael Hirson, Eurasia Group's practice head of China and Northeast Asia, wrote in a note on Thursday. "Chinese President Xi Jinping cannot afford the perception that he has been blackmailed into a deal by Trump."
A spokesperson from China's Ministry of Commerce said in a statement that although China does not want a fight, the country "will fight if necessary." The official said that China will have to "take necessary countermeasures," but did not explain what that retaliation will be.
Beijing's options include firing back with tariffs of its own, restricting the supply of the rare-earth minerals that the global tech industry relies on, and devaluing the country's currency.
Piling onto the global factory slowdown
Even before this week's trade escalation, the world's manufacturing industry was in a severe slowdown.
The Barclays global manufacturing confidence index dipped further into negative territory in July. Barclays said it's "yet another warning of an ongoing global industrial recession."
US factory activity tumbled in July to the weakest level in nearly three years.
Many blame the trade war for the global manufacturing downturn, but that may only be partially true.
Lakshman Achuthan, co-founder of Economic Research Institute, said the factory slowdown began before the trade war erupted in the spring of 2018.
"The trade war is entirely a negative. It is piling on top of the cyclical downturn," Achuthan said.
In other words, the United States is self-inflicting a shock at a time when the global economy was already exposed.
"People don't understand. We are slow walking toward a window of vulnerability. A negative shock we thought we could withstand becomes a recessionary shock," Achuthan said. "We're definitely on recession watch."
Others doubt that the 10% tariffs on China will be very destabilizing because the Federal Reserve is coming to the rescue with more easy money.
"The risk to growth is somewhat small," said Aditya Bhave, senior global economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, pointing to the Fed's rate cuts as a cushion.
Risk of a 'feedback loop'
Some have speculated that Trump is escalating the trade war to get the Fed to listen to his pleas for lower interest rates.
That would be a risky gamble because there is no guarantee the Fed will act, nor that the rate cuts will work.
"It simply makes no sense to risk a global recession in order to get the Fed to cut rates," Win Thin, global head of currency strategy at Brown Brothers Harriman, wrote in a note to clients on Friday.
Bhave said it's possible Trump turned up the heat on China because he feels emboldened by the Fed's rate cuts.
"We think the Fed is inadvertently encouraging a more hawkish stance on trade," he said.
Wall Street is already pricing in the chances of more rate cuts later this year in response to the spike in trade tensions.
"There is a risk we get stuck in a feedback loop," Bhave said. "The Fed keeps cutting rates, trade policy keeps getting more hawkish and the Fed runs out of ammunition to fight the next recession."
|
{
"pile_set_name": "OpenWebText2"
}
|
Q:
Promisifying Sheet API v4 causes undefined this
If I use callbacks, the code below using Google's Sheets API v4 works fine.
However, I am trying to apply util.promisify to the API call. This causes:
Cannot read property 'getRoot' of undefined
which is thrown from :
node_modules\googleapis\build\src\apis\sheets\v4.js:592
This line 592 says: context: this.getRoot()
I am probably not using promisify correctly and I hope that someone here can help me.
I suspect it might have something to do with concurrency.
Any tip would be appreciated.
let {
promisify
} = require('util');
let {
google
} = require('googleapis');
let sheets = google.sheets('v4');
let credentials = require('./credentials.json')
let client = new google.auth.JWT(
credentials.client_email, null, credentials.private_key, ['https://www.googleapis.com/auth/spreadsheets'])
client.authorize((err, tokens) => {
if (err) {
throw err;
}
});
let endpoint = promisify(sheets.spreadsheets.values.get);
async function test() {
let request = {
auth: client,
spreadsheetId: "xxxxxxxx",
range: "'ExampleSheet'!A:B",
valueRenderOption: "UNFORMATTED_VALUE",
majorDimension: "ROWS",
}
let result = await endpoint(request)
.then((res) => {
return res
})
.catch((err) => {
console.log(err);
});
}
test();
A:
Okay, after some more digging I got it to work.
I modified my original code to use the following:
let endpoint = promisify(api.spreadsheets.get.bind(api));
Not sure why api isn't bound to this/the context in the first place though.
|
{
"pile_set_name": "StackExchange"
}
|
Hey guys! Welcome back :D
Sorry I haven't been uploading as much recently
I'm still working through getting to know my new gear
and just seeing what type of video style I'd like to move forward with
Thanks for all your patience while I perfect my videos. I'll be creating more creative, higher quality content very soon
LET'S EAT!!
First bite is all yours :)
|
{
"pile_set_name": "YoutubeSubtitles"
}
|
Työn tila
...I'm offering $10 for someone who can create a logofor my business card. I want the initials B and A to be combined in capital letters. In a navy blue colour maybe mixed with white. No fancy letters, it's for a professional business so a font that stand out. I've attached a picture of the sort of combined letter look I'...
I need someone to create a logofor my new company matching our industry and what we do along with icon sets to reuse in emails, etc. Need business card template created as well.
Looking at blue gradients.
For the icons, flat and no skeomorphisms
Company name is Brokers Virtual
Look and feel: Light, strong, expansive, virtual.
We already have a logo, but would like to improve somehow or even redesign it all together, only if the design is right, see attached files for existing logo and logo icon.
Name: City Glitz
Description: Men's & Women's Designer Fashion Store
Website: [kirjaudu nähdäksesi URL:n]
The logo has to be:
- Simple
- Modern
- Flat
- San...
Create a logofor a bridal business that is professional, in high quality and is one-of-a-kind, which means there will be no copying other companies logos or stealing copyrighted work.
You must know Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
Be creative and show previous work
Name of company is Sara Marie
Needs to be Done within 1 hour
All bids higher than 10
Here are the guidelines of the set up we give we give with all the files.
For each agent joining We Invest, we will provide you 4 pictures (‘’portrait’’, ‘’panneau’’, ‘’site 1’’, ‘’site2’’) and an info card containing his/her name & surname, phone number, email address and IPI number.
These ...
...Kapono and my business name is MandarinMoon and I am a polymer clay artist looking to create a brand and expand my business from a part time business/hobby to a full fledged business. If you search MandarinMoon (all one word) on flickr, deviantART and facebook, you can get a sense of my style and what I do.
I am looking for a simple logo that i...
1. What is the exact name you would like used in your logo design? Duke and Pearl Brew Shop. Are there any acceptable abbreviations of the above? If so, detail. D&P Brew Shop
2. What is your mission statement, slogan or motto? Duke and Pearl regally supporting the palates for Coffee, Beer and Wine with Bulldog attitude. Do you want that included
Design a logofor our client's business. You have to be able to create unlimited concepts with no to little input, do research to come up with a great concept and deliver revisions until our client is happy without any extra costs. Client want the logo in the following formats: AI, PSD, JPG and TIFF. All rights must be transferred to our client.
New business needs logo. As many revisions as necessary. Supports booking appointments for services in beauty, massage, skin care, hair style, spa, etc
* The logo name starts with 3 G's - must be able to provide designs that reflect 3 G's
* Can create a unique and creative design.
* No placeholder bids. Please bid the amount that are was willi...
I am looking for a graphic designer to create a logofor a brand called “No Bullshit Medicine”. Within the design, I would like for the Rod of Asclepius to be included which is the correct medicine symbol.
The brand revolves around Dr. Ivan Rusilko, owner of the business called Lifestyle Medicine. The website for this busin...
Looking for a designer to create media for a Dog Training Studio. Items included, but not limited to will be logo and business card, banner (like for FB page and/or for use on a webpage), several matching postcards each with a different service (for now: obedience, trick training, nosework, board&train daycamp)
This dog training studio ...
...designers guide to creating a logo design brief
by IAN PAGET on 08/02/2015 in LOGO DESIGN
Unless you plan to create your own projects and work for yourself, in almost all cases when designing a logo you will need to work with other people. This includes people who are just starting a business, to those who have run businesses ...
...drone photography, video and mapping business as a second job. I already have a logo. I now am looking for someone to create a short 2-3 second animation with my logo that I can use at the start of my videos and on my website. I currently have two animation ideas (you can see my logo at [kirjaudu nähdäksesi URL:n]) 1. The logo...
...have the design of this site in AI format already with all the fonts. You can take the pieces of it from that file and use it to create the site template in Wordpress format. We have the logo and some images too. Thus, there's no graphic design necessary here.
Finally, here's a short list of what's required:
* CMS programming (PHP, WordPress);
* eCommerce
I am looking for someone to design a modern minimal logo and Icon.
Would like a few different initial design concepts. I must own copyrights (ownership document to be provided), and be royalty free. Require source files, vector, high res, 3D mockup, logo transparency, and opportunity for unlimited revisions.
Business is health and fitness geared
...am starting a business and am importing products, one of our products is the Mexican sugar skull. I would like to create a colourful logo to go with our product. Attached are three examples of the product for some inspiration. Our companies name is xotrade and I would like this name somewhere on the logo. I have drawn an example logo and attached that
...have the design of this site in AI format already with all the fonts. You can take the pieces of it from that file and use it to create the site template in Wordpress format. We have the logo and some images too. Thus, there's no graphic design necessary here.
Finally, here's a short list of what's required:
* CMS programming (PHP, WordPress);
* User
...our old designs and how the logos were used.
Attached are our new logos and new style guides.
For DL’s brochures and office marketing material we still have a degree of lenience but I like the clean look idea.
Remax has opted for a clean look with the logo ideally suited to a white background.
I like this idea so want to set a standard that all future
I am looking for someone to design a modern minimal logo and Icon. Business geared toward female consumers.
Would like a few different initial design concepts. I must own copyrights (ownership document to be provided), and be royalty free. Require source files, vector, high res, 3D mockup, logo transparency, and opportunity for unlimited revisions
...shop (to buy logo creation, business cards and other services linked to a Stripe account)
You need to develop and create the website on a private server before uploading live because we have an existing website that we can't put offline
Add plugins like messenger chat or online direct chat
Activecampaign listing
Instagram and Facebook feed
For all the others
...I need a logo. Something that will screen on both big and little screen before the start of the film. It will also be used on business cards, social media and the website. The name is Red Widow, so effective Red Widow films however I am mainly after something with just Red Widow. Words, pictures, I have no idea what I am actually hoping for, I do like
...
Our business Name is "Clever Advice"and our slogan is "Independent Mortgage Brokers"
We need a logo/slogan design. To help you understand us a bit more please see below:
What we do:
- Mortgage and Insurance company (Financial Products)
What we are looking for:
- A professional logo
- Sleek
- Clean
- Classic
- No...
Sariis Estates is looking to create a new logo based on these values and are looking for very creative individuals to come up with ideas for a new Company Logo
We are open to suggestions and promote creativity which is why the briefing will on the actual logo will be minimal.
Our only requirements are that the logo must be able to be easily a...
Are you able to create video's like this? [kirjaudu nähdäksesi URL:n]
It took me 20-30 mins to learn and 30 minutes to create a 30 second video
Login details - (login, click on video tutorial and watch the third video to see how to create the 3d avatar video's)
[kirjaudu nähdäksesi URL:n]
[Removed by Freelancer.com Admin]marketing!
My plan
...
we need a custom name logo design for a client of ours.
He is about to start a personal brand in personal development and business consulting. Online courses, teaching, personal brand development, this kind of area.
Since he steps up with his name as his personal brand his brand logo is what we need.
The logo consists of his name which
...100 percent finished. I will make the milestone no issue. I have had to many people take my money and just not finsih.. Type I understand the job.. If you have read this and understand my requiremnts
The most important ones that need to be finished first are
1. I have three businesses who I would like for you to take the information from their website
I will not release until the job is 100 percent finished. I will make the milestone no issue. I have had to many people take my money and just not finsih..
The most important ones that need to be finished first are
1. I have three businesses who I would like for you to take the information from their website and automatically update it on my website
I need a logo design for a business I am starting. The business itself is doing video documentaries of microbreweries and brewpubs. The documentaries will be almost like a TV show and will have the same feel as the Travel Channel's Man VS Food show. I already have a general logo design in mind but I am not a graphic designer and I don't know how to
Hi Guys,
I am looking for a competent designer to create me a logo that will represent my delivery system. It's extremely similar to businesses such as deliveroo; foodora; and uber eats.
I intend however to only be delivering fresh food from local business in the south west of france; and see where things go from there/
The colour scheeme is
Kaleidoscope Concepts is an importer of new and innovative brands into the UK. We manage sales, marketing, logistics , PR, Social media and distribution for new and exciting brands looking to launch into the UK market we need a new website to highlight these key skills, our story and our past successes.
Kaleidoscope Website:
Objectives:
• Help existing
...Graphic forLogo/T shirt design can be above or beside the name. Since we will be using this forbusiness, no copyrighted or generic stock images please. I notice several different designers using same images not their creation. anyone can copy and paste. We want someone to "Design, Create, be artistic". Thanks
I am looking for quick
Hello, I am a creating a new business called "International Social Media Strategy Gang" and I would like to create a logo. The look and feel of the logo is supposed to feel like a gang, an exclusive club. So, I would like you to look at the inspiration images and create something which suits a "gang" feel. I'd like it to include social me...
I need some help with creating a high impact video for our training event. I have already created the script and done a voiceover - now I need your help add any royalty free images/video and some kinetic text. Appropriate background music would also be cool. Creative keys are yours!
Voiceover transcript is as follows with my initial thoughts on
Hi there,
We already have the logo idea we want for our company Utopian Market but we need to now create it and improve it (see attached file).
So we ask you to recreates it with the same idea but a different style.
The changes we want are :
1) It should be with colors
2) It should be more related to a SuperMarket and more welcoming. At the moment
To createlogo of a company which is an Accounting firm. The name of the company is "DKD Chartered Accountants". This is the exact wording. The logo should be text based or its can be mix of some icon and text. There is no restrictions of choosing style and color but the logo should be simple and elegant. You can have a look at the logo of
...to design and build it. Hello;
My name is Robin Carter.
I have formed a company called “ The education sportswear company”
I am seeking the help of a web developer to create a very special website that is unique to my needs. I am aiming to start up an ecommerce website that is both functional and interactive. I have created a list of some key features
Need logo adjustments
* Old logo font with new logo design,
* need logo word coat in solid colour not faded colour
* the words under Perth`s roof and gutter restoration specialists to be same as old logo but with no red colour in words
* need logo in all file formats to use on a mixture of brochures and web
* need log for facebook, letter he...
Hello, I am looking for someone to create a logofor my business. It should consist of the name and with a mermaid (see attachment). The mermaid may be done in a very simple, minimalistic way, as an outline and preferably no color, it does not have to be identical as the original but rather simplified. It important to keep the mermaid with the house
GOING AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ROUTE BUT THANK YOU FOR THE PREVIOUS ENTIRES!
NAME OF THE COMPANY, "THE OUTDOOR MOVIE EXPERIENCE"
THINK DISTRESSED VINTAGE CAMP PATCH AND INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING TO CREATE "THE OUTDOOR MOVIE EXPERIENCE" VIGNETTE:
*OUTDOOR MOVIE SCREEN IS THE MAIN FOCUS WITH COUNTDOWN GRAPHIC ON THE SCREEN FEATURING THE NUMBER 3(INCLUDE
Project Description
Please no designs using any logos like this: [kirjaudu nähdäksesi URL:n]
No "V-Man," no "plus sign," no "ecg/ekg" symbol, no generic monograms.
We're looking for some to create a logofor a CPR and First Aid training company, named "Critical Response Skills.&q...
...self-taught, I'm a fan of design, cinema, coffee, sudoku and cultural trips. I am an entrepreneur and investor, I have a degree in Business Administration and I have a Masters degree in Marketing.
Objective: to create a virtual store to undertake sales of imported physical objects in Brazil that reflect global purchasing trends. The brand needs to
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More Like This
Preview
In the nineteenth century, there was a close correlation between literary characterization and the scientific study of human personality. In the literary development of character in the nineteenth century, the depths, recesses, and intricacies made possible by such self-alienation, rather than Mill's integrity, became the model for what it was to be a character. For psychology and literature alike in this period, Hamlet is crucial. Dickens's Little Dorrit come in the middle of this period, in returning to the model of Hamlet that had been crucial to Goethe and Coleridge and would be again for...
In the nineteenth century, there was a close correlation between literary characterization and the scientific study of human personality. In the literary development of character in the nineteenth century, the depths, recesses, and intricacies made possible by such self-alienation, rather than Mill's integrity, became the model for what it was to be a character. For psychology and literature alike in this period, Hamlet is crucial. Dickens's Little Dorrit come in the middle of this period, in returning to the model of Hamlet that had been crucial to Goethe and Coleridge and would be again for Freud and Joyce, significantly inflects both the literary genre of the novel of development and the larger cultural sense of how to understand a character. Dickens provides a focus for thinking about the process by which the modern sense of character was brought into existence through — not by — Shakespeare.
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Localized glenoid hypoplasia. An anatomic variation of possible clinical significance.
Examinations were done on 1150 scapular bone specimens from museum collections. A localized hypoplasia of the posteroinferior glenoid was found in significant numbers (20%-35%) depending on the population group studied. Criteria were established for the identification of this variant in computed tomography and magnetic resonance studies. Localized hypoplasia of the posteroinferior glenoid was detected as an incidental finding in 54 (18%) of 300 such studies. Using these same imaging criteria in a prospective manner, 9 of 12 patients seen for voluntary multidirectional instability of the shoulder displayed a localized posteroinferior glenoid hypoplasia. This phenomenon also may add to the picture of extreme posterior glenoid wear that sometimes is seen in association with osteoarthritis of the shoulder.
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