question stringlengths 14 1.69M | answer stringlengths 1 40.5k | meat_tokens int64 1 8.18k |
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a doctors practice, a massage practice, a hair salon, a cafe, and offices.
The site is along a developing shopping strip, a non-place between villages. Given the necessity for a large parking lot, the usual challenge when working in peripheral commercial<|fim_middle|> throughout the year. The challenges were not only to fulfill the client's wishes on a tight budget, but also to accommodate the wish list of the future tenants. | zones, raises the question of how to make a place? A place you want to come to, stay a while and even meet someone perhaps. This, above all was our starting point. In the distance there are low lying mountains, which we took into consideration as an important quality. It is important for us to find every opportunity to make a positive architectural condition, within the given constraints. A further possibility to make a meeting point developed by creating a courtyard, at the bend of the L-shaped building, where circulation is distributed, turning what would be merely functional, into a space with potential for meeting and other uses | 123 |
Cycling without a proper pair of glasses is detrimental. There are so many of us who simply ride off without even considering a pair of glasses. These cycling glasses are quite useful for a cyclist and once when you start to wear it, you will understand how advantageously it works out for you. It does save a cyclist from potentially harmful objects which are found all around in the atmosphere. Dust particles and dirt floating in the air, can be quite distracting while one is riding a cycle on the road.
There are even chances of minute or very small insects raiding the eye, all of a sudden, out of nowhere. For those who are regular with cycling, yet do not have a pair of aviation sunglasses should head towards buying one soon. These are effective and necessary tools for a cyclist and should not be taken lightly. There are<|fim_middle|> cyclist. Make sure that you pick out the right pair of glasses before you jump for your next cycling tour. This is not only safer for your eyes, but necessary for your overall security and well-being. | so many places online or even offline where you can get gears and glasses for cycling at a cost effective rate. Sadly, many of the cyclists have blurred vision and they simply cannot opt for a pair of glasses for cycling purpose.
However, you need not worry much because you can also opt for prescription glasses which are particularly meant for cyclists and it will help you to ride more carefully without any further hindrances. This way you can ride with a better vision and your eye will get all the security and protection it deserves while you are busy enjoying your ride. You can opt for a pair of glasses for cycling and the good part is they come in great varieties with protective features. They turn out being quite useful when you need to protect your eyes from destructive or damaging agents. The prescribed ones also are available with interchangeable lenses. This way when there is a change in weather conditions, you can change it as per the need of the hour. Those who feel it being a little too much and do not want to settle with interchange glasses can very well settle for glasses that come with photochromic lenses.
This way even while you are riding, with the help of photochromic lenses, the transition of the lenses will take place smoothly. Bright lights will gradually come to a low setting without you have to pause and change it. When it comes to the guiding principles of cycling, it is important, it is recommended to opt for sports eyewear that are multi-functional in nature, as it turns out being secure for a | 301 |
Bayan Business arrives at BGC!
Bayan BusinessBAYAN Business, the corporate and business solutions arm of Bayan Telecommunications Inc., in cooperation with inContact, showcased its services and solution offerings for business enterprises at Fort Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig. Among those present at the product presentation were executives from B&M Global Services Manila, Development Finance International Inc., Cormant Technologies, Eric<|fim_middle|> Association of the Philippines. Jon Arayata, Bayan Business head, said Bayan is committed to providing the most reliable data services and connectivity for businesses and potential locators in Fort Bonifacio.
"High availability and reliability is our commitment to the quality of service from Bayan that our customers need and expect for their businessgrade services requirements," Arayata said.
The Net Group, the largest office owner and developer in BGC, represented by executive vice president Raymond Rufino, hailed Bayan's entry into the area. "…We are proud to be one of your strategic partners in this exciting business district and look forward to working with you in our future projects," Rufino said. Bayan Business is one of the telecommunication companies that services BGC's E-square district, which is recognized as a Philippine Economic Zone Authority information technology park. The telco provider has started installing fiber facilities to service call centers and international companies in the area.
Community pantry volunteers win P500,000 in 'Everybody, Sing!' Viewed: 11 seconds ago | sson, Digital Media Exchange, Fujitsu, FPD Asia, Sony Phils. Inc., GN Solutions, Wrigley Philippines, Deutsche Knowledge Services, Jones Lang LaSalle and the Call Center | 40 |
NEWS-JOURNAL PHOTO/BRANDON ROBERTS Mitchell sophomore Hannah McMahan drives in on Cherokee's Timiyah Brown this past Saturday during<|fim_middle|>. But, we have young kids with a lot of experience coming back and I truly feel we have the pieces in place to keep the success going."
The Lady Mountaineers ended the season with a 20-8 overall record.
Mitchell 53, Robbinsville 51
After earning a No. 2 seed and a first-round bye, the Lady Mountaineers won their second-round game this past Thursday 53-51 over Robbinsville.
Sophomore Hannah McMahan and senior Katy Hall each had 11 points in the win.
Subscribe and see the e-Edition of the The Mitchell News, Spruce Pine, North Carolina for the complete story.
Side View: Preparation is key to being successful
Girls drop 2 as season winds down
SIDE VIEW: Future bright for Mitchell golf team
Softball team falls 15-4 to Cougars in opener | the Lady Mountaineers' 71-61 loss to the Lady Braves in the third round of the playoffs. McMahan had 12 points in the loss.
Lady Mountaineers fall to Cherokee
Brandon Roberts
editor@mitchellnews.com
LEDGER – Cherokee seems to be Mitchell's kryptonite.
After the Mitchell football team's season ended at the hands of the Cherokee Braves, the Lady Mountaineers basketball team met the same fate this past Saturday in the third round of the 1A state basketball playoffs with a 71-61 loss to the Lady Braves. It is the second-straight year the Lady Mountaineers have lost to Cherokee in the playoffs.
"(Cherokee) has six girls that shoot 34 percent or better from three-point range," said head coach Zack McCartha. "We played poorly in the second quarter and it's hard to overcome a deficit against a team that shoots that well."
Mitchell trailed by two, 17-15, after the first quarter but was outscored 24-14 in the second – Cherokee scored five points in less than a minute to begin the second quarter. Each team scored 21 in the third and Mitchell outscored Cherokee 13-11 in the fourth.
"We had some chances in the fourth to cut it down to four or five points," McCartha said. "It seemed every time we got close our shots just wouldn't fall."
Senior Morgan Buchanan led Mitchell with 17 points and sophomore Hannah McMahan added 12 in the loss.
McCartha loses six seniors from this year's team – Eden Phillips, Emma Duncan, Megan Dellinger, Katy Hall, Zoe Cloer and Buchanan – a group he called a "great group of kids."
"They did everything the right way," he said. "I'm losing six great players who are even better kids | 391 |
What is the feedback from the customers and market focus groups (if held) on the likely success of a particular product?
How many sales are budgeted to occur?
What type of promotion is going to be required to sell the number of units that have been identified in the market research documentation?
Market research forms the foundation for the preparation of budgets and cashflow forecasts. It gives the preparer of the budget something on which to anchor their forecast. Once the market research has been completed, it's possible to move into the budget process.
How many "widgets" can the company produce with its current equipment and labour team?
How does this number compare to previous years?
Have all the labour costs been reflected into the product development costs?
Normally, some of the members of the workforce have not been incorporated within the product development budgets. Has the cost of those other persons been appropriately reflected in the expense budgets for the company?
We also examine other components of the budget process. These comments apply to virtually all types of businesses.
The labour budget should examine each individual operation of the business and identify the personnel that are going to<|fim_middle|> activities, labour to turnover percentage, average sale, etc. The budgeted KPIs should be compared with KPIs established on actual financial accounts. If there are significant variances, they should be investigated. In most instances, it would be fairly unrealistic to expect significant changes in the KPIs within the budget, compared to actual performance in previous accounting periods, unless there are very strong reasons for the significant changes in the business operations.
This is the type of process directors undertake in ensuring accurate budgets and cashflow forecasts have been prepared for a company. Once the budgets have been adopted, it's then important to ensure there's regular monitoring of the actual financial performance of the company, as compared to the company's budget.
If you have any questions on the role that budgets and cashflow forecasts play, relative to corporate governance within a company, or if you require assistance in the preparation of budgets and cashflow forecasts, please don't hesitate to contact us. | be required to enable the product development targets to actually be produced.
Directors need to ensure that management has included sufficient people into the product development forecast to ensure the number of production units that have been forecast can, in fact, be produced.
The market research documents should identify the projected number of individual units of products the business could sell. There needs to be a connection between the product development forecast and the sales forecast. It's no use claiming that there's going to be sales of a million dollars if the product development budget only indicates that product, that would generate $400,000 worth of sales, is able to be produced. This could be caused by manpower problems, plant and equipment or physical restraint within the premises where the product development activities are being conducted. If the directors are satisfied that management's estimates, relating to production and potential to sell a larger volume of products is realistic, this could lead to some discussions as to whether additional premises are required or a second shift could be worked.
Is management budgeting for seasonal build-up of stock levels when the build-up is required?
Has management implemented policies to ensure stock orders are being placed early enough to ensure the manufacturers/distributors will be able to deliver the stock the business needs to be able to make the sales, by the date it's anticipated the sales will be made? The same questions also apply when the company is manufacturing its own stock for sale.
Where required, has the stock build-up been sufficient to enable the sales the company hopes to achieve to be able to make?
Most businesses have debtors because customers insist on making payments on a credit term basis.
Has a proper documented system been utilised for a new customer to open an account to obtain product on credit terms?
Are tax invoices being prepared and sent promptly to the customer so that customers might be inclined to make payment earlier?
If the company is in the habit of issuing statements to debtors, are the debtors' statements being prepared and dispatched within a few days of the end of the month? Some businesses refuse to make payments until they've received the debtor's statement. If the company is slow in getting the debtors' statements dispatched to debtors, it can lead to a significant slow-down in debtors' payments and a worrying increase in debtors' days outstanding.
Is the calculated debtors' days outstanding, as per the budgets, realistic? Whilst it might be commendable to say that management is going to introduce new systems to reduce debtors' days outstanding, from 60 days to 30 days, directors need to be realistic when assessing these types of forecasts because there could be a significant cashflow difference between 60 days outstanding and 30 days outstanding. If realistic forecasts are not being prepared, it might mean that the company has not applied for sufficient funding from the company's bank.
A creditors' budget is an integral part of the budget process.
In the first stage, the creditors' budget should be prepared on the same basis as what current payments are being made to creditors, but then the predicted creditors' days outstanding should be critically examined, to determine how the creditors' days outstanding figure compares to the negotiated payment terms the company has with its suppliers.
If the company is trading beyond the agreed credit terms, what does this represent as a monetary amount?
How would the company meet its financial commitments if a number of creditors insisted on being paid strictly in accordance with their negotiated payment arrangements?
Is the company in a position to be able to make the payments at a faster rate than what they have been doing so at this stage?
This will enable directors to ensure the budgets, which have been set for the key working capital components (debtors, stock and creditors), have been established on realistic figures.
The company's expense budget normally includes expenses that have not been directly reflected within the product development budget and labour budget and will relate to salaries, insurance, bank charges, rent, research and development, motor vehicle operating expenses, etc.
Some of these expenses may have already been allocated in some of the subsidiary budgets such as product development and labour. That type of treatment is to be encouraged because it will enable a more meaningful analysis to be undertaken on the individual components of the overall budget, rather than putting all of the expenses into the expense budget.
Ratio calculations of expenses to total turnover should be calculated and compared to actual ratios calculated on the previous financial accounts. Any significant variations should be investigated and corrected.
Once these individual budgets have been prepared, it's then possible to finalise the cashflow forecast for the next 12 months.
The directors should ensure known expenses (such as capital expenditure, dividend payments, loan repayments, etc.) have been reflected within the cashflow forecast. The cashflow forecast will indicate whether there's a need for a discussion with the company's banker for a change in the arrangements with the bank. After all, this is one of the key purposes for preparing budgets and cashflow forecasts.
As part of the budget and cashflow forecast, the final document is then able to be prepared. This is the profitability forecast. This reflects the key financial data from each of the operating budgets.
Once this document is prepared, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) should then be prepared on items such as gross profit percentage in the various business | 1,069 |
2017<|fim_middle|>theastwales.wales | YEAR OF LEGENDS CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED IN NORTH EAST WALES!
Destination Wrexham team join forces with Denbighshire & Flintshire to promote regional tourism campaign!
North East Wales Celebrates its Legends
A host of legendary promotions showcasing the North East Wales region have been released today as part of Visit Wales' Year of Legends campaign.
Wrexham, Denbighshire and Flintshire have joined forces to produce films, legendary journeys and a digital brochure to inspire new visitors to experience North East Wales.
Funded by Visit Wales' Regional Tourism Engagement Fund, the promotions explore the region's castles, landscape, arts & culture and food and drink offer as well as telling the stories behind our most legendary figures including Owain Glyndwr and Thomas Telford.
Peter McGivern, Chair of the "This Is Wrexham" Destination Partnership says, "The promotions celebrate our past, present and future like never before with attractions, events and activities at a range of legendary locations. With North Wales being named as one of the top ten places to visit in the entire world this year by Lonely Planet, we are keen to showcase the beauty of North East Wales to both residents and visitors."
"Thank you to everyone who contributed to the making of the films and brochure, we hope it will inspire visitors to experience all our hidden gems."
Included in the new materials are 12 legendary journeys across North East Wales, everything from town centre strolls to long distance trails. All with spectacular settings and all with a story attached. Locations include Wales' Coastal Path, Pontycysyllte Aqueduct, St Winefride's Well, Coed Llandegla Forest, Castell Dinas Bran, Moel Arthur, Jubilee Tower, Offa's Dyke Path and many more.
Tourism plays a vital part in the regions' economy, with a total economic impact in 2015 of £808m and over 11 million visits made.
Economy Secretary, Ken Skates, said: ""The Year of Legends celebrates our epic past, present and future and 2017 is an excellent opportunity to share the stories relating to Wales' landscape, culture and heritage. I'm delighted that Visit Wales funding has enabled the north east to work together in order to strengthen awareness and showcase some of the area's highlights which will bring the stories of the area to life this year."
The 3 Destination Partnerships will be launching their Destination Management Plans for 2017-20 this year to build on the work already done and ensure long-term sustainability for the development of tourism. The North East Wales brand will continue to be a key feature of all 3 plans to promote the region for visitors and residents to enjoy.
To view the films, brochure and legendary journeys please visit www.nor | 576 |
It doesn't get sweeter than this Krispy Kreme bridal photoshoot!
Brianna Howell of North Carolina says she's a Krispy Kreme "fanatic" and it was her dream to have her bridal portraits done at the donut shop.
Author: Megan Allman (WFMY News 2 Digital)
Published: 2:05 PM EDT September 3, 2020
Updated:<|fim_middle|> delivering wedding ring just in time for ceremony | 7:07 AM EDT September 7, 2020
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — It doesn't get any sweeter than a bridal shoot with donuts!
Brianna Howell, of Randolph County, loves Krispy Kreme so much, she had her bridal portraits taken at a store in Winston-Salem.
"I have always wanted my pictures done at Krispy Kreme! I am obsessed with doughnuts," Howell said.
Photographer Stephanie Small loved the idea.
Post by stephaniesmallphotography.
"So, [Brianna] actually came to me and told me her childhood dream was to take her bridal pictures at Krispy Kreme, and so I ran with it. I said, 'Let's do it,'" Small said.
Howell got married on Saturday, Aug. 29, and you guessed it - there were Krispy Kreme donuts at the wedding.
PHOTOS: Krispy Kreme bridal shoot
Stephanie Small Photography
Brianna Howell loves Krispy Kreme so much she had her bridal shoot there!
Arkansas couple takes jaw-dropping wedding pictures at Whitaker's Point
FedEx man saves the day, | 248 |
I just occured to me that I have been writing in this space for close to 20 months (since March 2005.) Its a good time for a look back. So, according to Google Analytics here is a list of the 10 most popular posts since this site was launched.
1. Super Bowl vs. World Cup - A comparison of two of the biggest sporting events in the world...taken from a business perspective.
2. Carnival of the Capitalists - A roundup of the best business and technology articles on the Blogosphere for the week of September 28, 2006.
3. Benchmark Your Parking Lot - A unique way to track the organizational health of your business.
4. Stack Ranking 20-70-10 - A perspective on the use stacking ranking for employee performance reviews.
5. Will History Repeat Itself - Comparing 1956 with 2006.
6. Management Portal - Showcasing an excellent listing of management tools, techniques and methodologies.
7. Physics of Sales Management - A best practice approach to sales development.
8. All Innovation is Open - Answering the question whether open source development is innovative.
9. Innovation Brain Freeze - Ideas and approaches to improve innovation in your organization.
10. Crunch of the Turnaround - The definitive "how to" on engineering a turnaround<|fim_middle|> show up in my top ten.
Dennis, my reason for publishing the list of all time top 10 posts was to allow for a new reader to quickly gain a sense for the focus of this site.
Having just finished "The Long Tail" I also realized that recommendations by other readers is value add on the Blogosphere. In my case recommendations are of number of pageviews resulting in a "top" list.
In general I agree with your insights. I would however add that original content always finds a wider audience. | of your business.
So, David, what did this little exercise tell you? I ask because I recently started looking at my own "top ten" posts every week and found a couple of interesting things such as (a) usually (but not always) the more thought I put into a post the more likely it was to show up repeatedly in the top ten (b) it wasn't always my newest posts that showed up in the top ten (I had expected more of a recency effect) and (c) some topics that I care about a great deal rarely | 114 |
Barbara Holzapfel
General Manager of Education Marketing, Microsoft, USA
<|fim_middle|> years with the Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta and Deutsche Bank in Germany. | Barbara Holzapfel joined Microsoft as general manager of education marketing. Most recently, Barbara served as chief marketing officer of Taulia, a B2B fintech company where she helped double the business through product marketing, brand building and demand generation. Before that, Barbara served as chief marketing officer at Addepar, a technology platform for financial services, where she built the entire marketing organization and helped drive 100% growth. Previously, Barbara was senior vice president and managing director of SAP Labs North America, where she drove innovation strategies, directed key innovations in mobile, cloud, and big data, and incubated various new businesses as well as the start-up ecosystem. Barbara held leadership positions at SAP since 2001, including SVP portfolio marketing, COO solution marketing, and VP supplier relationship management strategy. She started European marketing for global professional services provider Towers Perrin and worked as a management consultant in London serving clients in high tech, CPG and financial services, after spending several | 203 |
ADB Loan to Help Marshall Islands Meet Budget Targets, Reform Public Sector
Wednesday, 18 August 2010 09:24 AM
MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide loan assistance to the Republic of the Marshall Islands to help to achieve long-term fiscal sustainability and to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the public sector.
ADB's Board of Directors today approved financial assistance to the Government of the Marshall Islands comprising two loans amounting to $14.5 million. A technical assistance grant of $700,000 will also be made available<|fim_middle|> initiative to facilitate public sector reform to put the country on a path of economic stability, and sustainable growth," said Sungsup Ra, a Director in ADB's Pacific Department.
ADB has been working closely with other development partners, who have participated in designing the Public Sector Program. Under the program, the key partners agreed to establish a joint steering committee to support the Marshall Islands home-grown reform initiatives.
ADB's loan, from its concessional Asian Development Fund, will have a 24-year term, including a grace period of eight years with an interest rate of 1% per annum during the grace period, and 1.5% for the rest of the term.
The technical assistance of $700,000 equivalent will be sourced from ADB's Technical Assistance Special Fund. $600,000 of the amount will be financed on a grant basis from the fund. The Government of the Marshall Islands will provide the balance in kind.
RMI joined ADB in 1990. Since then, ADB has approved 12 loans for $78.13 million and 47 technical assistance (TA) grants for $18.98 million.
NewsRegional | to support the implementation of the Public Sector Program. The program will be supplemented by two proposed projects in the energy and social sectors funded by the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction.
The Public Sector Program supports the Marshall Islands' broad-ranging expenditure and tax reforms, including state-owned enterprise reform. The program is structured into two subprograms. During the first, policy actions were designed and the implementation of immediate reform priorities commenced. Subprogram two will largely complete implementation of the policy actions.
"ADB is a long-term development partner of the Marshall Islands and is committed to assisting the government in addressing its development challenges and achieving economic progress," said Robert Wihtol, Director General of ADB's Pacific Department. "The loan is a symbol of the strengthened partnership between ADB and the Marshall Islands."
The Marshall Islands economy heavily relies on government spending, and in turn on the foreign grants which fund more than two-thirds of government's budget. Most foreign grants are provided under an amended Compact of Free Association (or the Compact) with the United States. Increased foreign grants helped the economy grow between 2000 and 2007. However, in 2008, the economy contracted due to high food and fuel prices and a state of national economic emergency was consequently declared by the RMI government.
"Despite economic hardship, the Marshall Islands has been undertaking a new | 274 |
Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston
Initial impact on life at camp
(b. 1934) Writer
The only Japanese family in Ocean Park Impact of Pearl Harbor on her family Initial impact on life at camp Mixed blood people at camp from a child's point of view Embarrassed to talk about camp The birth of a novel through a conversation with her nephew Documenting family history for future generations Getting the book published Her father as a typical Issei East First Street the hub of Japanese American community California housing shortage after the war Farewell to Manzanar not a bestseller, but is steady Being involved in every aspect of the film Controvers<|fim_middle|> something had changed in our life, but I didn't know why. And then of course when my father came back, and he was totally changed, it was like my world had turned upside-down.
Interviewer: John Esaki
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
family incarceration internment manzanar World War II
Her grandmother comes to Manzanar
Sumiko Kozawa
Joining the hospital unit in Santa Anita Race ...
Sakaye Shigekawa
A child's memories of activities at Crystal City, ...
Mako Nakagawa
Government urged Japanese Canadians to go to Japan
Henry Shimizu
Immediately after the bombing
Howard Kakita | y over the film Trick in developing the film Unexpected positive reviews and an Emmy nomination Not a "camp story" but a human story Racism doesn't end
I think it's according to the age that people have these different experiences because of what you know – your consciousness of what was happening to you and what you were missing out in "the outs", the outside life. But, you know, at my age – 7 years old and so forth – you just continued playing with your friends and going to school. The difference for me was that everybody looked like me and then of course…
I think for me the biggest, biggest, harshest change was having to eat in the mess hall because the dinner table in our home was the center of life, our social life, was to eat at this big round table with all of us eating together. And that changed drastically when we went to camp because we ate like we were in the Army.
And I remember longing for, like, Thanksgiving or Christmas because we didn't have that anymore. But I remember that feeling of emptiness because that had changed. I knew | 225 |
Meyer Sound Offers Constellation Webinars in October
Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden
JIExpo Theatre in Jakarta, IndonesiaPhoto: Courtesy of JIExpo
Octave 9: Raisbeck Music Center in Seattle, WashingtonPhoto: Benjamin Benschneider
The Meyer Sound education team is returning with a series of Constellation discussions on three Fridays in October. Each roundtable will welcome questions from attendees and be answered by a team of roundtable panelists. The sessions will also focus on different features of Meyer Sound's Constellation Acoustic System.
The first webinar on Friday, October 9 will address "Constellation for<|fim_middle|> to medium-sized venues).
Each Constellation session will begin at 9:00 PDT/18:00 CET and will be moderated by Meyer Sound Senior Technical Support & Education Specialist Merlijn van Veen. Throughout the roundtables, Meyer Sound panelists will be available for Q&A. Sessions run approximately one hour and are free to attend in the Meyer Sound Users Community Facebook group with no registration required.
These programs are listed in the Meyer Sound Facebook events calendar and the Training page of the Meyer Sound website. All webinars are recorded and archived on the Meyer Sound Thinking Sound YouTube page.
Webinar Program
Stay tuned for more updates about upcoming webinars. Webinars run approximately one hour and are free to attend in the Meyer Sound Users Community Facebook group with no registration required. Announcements will be listed in the Meyer Sound Facebook events calendar and the Training page of the Meyer Sound website.
All webinars are recorded and archived on the Meyer Sound Thinking Sound YouTube page.
About Meyer Sound Constellation
Constellation is a flexible and highly refined system of active room acoustics. By applying digital signal processing coupled to multiple ambient sensing microphones and an array of evenly distributed lateral and overhead loudspeakers, Constellation extends or modifies the room's reverberant characteristics to create the optimum acoustics for the event at hand. With Constellation, the same physical space can emulate the acoustics of an ideal classroom, chamber music hall, symphony hall or vast cathedral.
Meyer Sound Education Program – A Legacy of Learning
Meyer Sound enjoys a long history of educating the professional audio community, dating back to the early development of the original SIM Seminar. Comprehensive and science-based, our training program delivers content tailored to all disciplines and experience levels. Whether you are an aspiring student, a touring sound veteran, a skilled system integrator, or an audio consultant with multiple advanced degrees, we present tools and techniques to help you attain the best possible performance from your sound system. | Education and Business" with Anders Jørgensen, Project Chief of Stouenborg in Denmark. The second session on October 16 will be led by John Pellowe, Meyer Sound Project Director, Constellation, and will explore "Constellation in Symphony Halls" (large venues). On Friday October 23, Pierre Germain, Meyer Sound Constellation Design Manager, will lead a session on "Constellation in Multipurpose Halls" (small | 95 |
\section{Introduction}
Let $X=(V,E)$ be a simple, undirected graph. An automorphism of $X$ is a permutation of the vertex set that preserves adjacency. The automorphism group of $X$, denoted by $\Aut(X)$, is the set of all automorphisms of the graph $X$, that is, $\Aut(X) := \{g \in \Sym(V): E^g = E\}$. A graph $X$ is said to be vertex-transitive if for any two vertices $u, v \in V(X)$, there exists an automorphism $g \in \Aut(X)$ that takes $u$ to $v$. A graph $X$ is said to be edge-transitive if for any two edges $\{u,v\}, \{x,y\} \in E(X)$, there exists an automorphism $g \in \Aut(X)$ such that $\{u^g, v^g\} = \{x,y\}$. In other words, $X$ is edge-transitive iff the action of $\Aut(X)$ on the edge set $E(X)$ has a single orbit.
Given a group $H$ and a subset $S$ of $H$ such that $1 \notin S$ and $S = S^{-1}$, the Cayley graph of $H$ with respect to $S$, denoted by $\Cay(H,S)$, is the graph with vertex set $H$ and edge set $\{ \{h, sh\}: h \in H, s \in S \}$. The automorphism group of a Cayley graph $\Cay(H,S)$ contains the right regular representation $R(H)$ as a subgroup, whence all Cayley graphs are vertex-transitive (cf. \cite{Biggs:1993}). Let $S$ be a set of transpositions in the symmetric group $S_n$. The transposition graph of $S$, denoted by $T(S)$, is the graph with vertex set $[n] = \{1,\ldots,n\}$, and with vertices $i$ and $j$ being adjacent in $T(S)$ whenever $(i,j) \in S$. A set $S$ of transpositions in $S_n$ generate $S_n$ if and only if the transposition graph $T(S)$ is connected (cf. \cite{Godsil:Royle:2001}).
If $S$ is a set of transpositions in $S_n$, then the Cayley graph $\Cay(S_n,S)$ is called a Cayley graph generated by transpositions. The family of Cayley graphs generated by transpositions has been well-studied because it is a suitable topology for consideration in interconnection networks (cf. \cite{Heydemann:1997}, \cite{Lakshmivarahan:etal:1993} for surveys). This family of graphs has better degree-diameter properties than the hypercube \cite{Akers:Krishnamurthy:1989}. The automorphism group of Cayley graphs generated by transpositions has also been determined in some cases (cf. \cite{Feng:2006}, \cite{Ganesan:DM:2013}, \cite{Ganesan:JACO}, \cite{Zhang:Huang:2005}). In the present note, we further study the symmetry properties of $\Cay(S_n,S)$, especially with regards to how symmetry properties of $\Cay(S_n,S)$ depend on the properties of the generating set $S$.
The main result of this note is the following:
\begin{Theorem} \label{thm:main:statement} Let $n \ge 5$.
(a) Let $S, S'$ be sets of transpositions generating $S_n$. Then, the Cayley graphs $\Cay(S_n,S)$ and $\Cay(S_n,S')$ are isomorphic if and only if the transposition graphs $T(S)$ and $T(S')$ are isomorphic.
(b) Let $S$ be a set of transpositions generating $S_n$. Then, the Cayley graph $\Cay(S_n,S)$ is edge-transitive if and only if the transposition graph $T(S)$ is edge-transitive.
\end{Theorem}
\begin{Remark} Three comments and corollaries of Theorem~\ref{thm:main:statement}:
1. The reverse implication of Theorem~\ref{thm:main:statement}(a) is proved in \cite[Theorem 4.5]{Lakshmivarahan:etal:1993}. Parts of Theorem~\ref{thm:main:statement} are stated in Heydemann et al \cite{Heydemann:etal:1999} and Heydemann \cite{Heydemann:1997} without a proof; they attribute the result to unpublished reports. We could not find a proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:main:statement} in the literature.
2. If the transposition graph $T(S)$ is the path graph on $n$ vertices, then the Cayley graph $\Cay(S_n,S)$ is called the bubble-sort graph of dimension $n$. Some of the literature (cf. \cite{Konstantinova:2012} \cite{Latifi:Srimani:1995} \cite{Latifi:Srimani:1996} ) incorrectly assumes the bubble-sort graph is edge-transitive. Since the path graph is not edge-transitive, Theorem~\ref{thm:main:statement}(b) implies that the bubble-sort graph is not edge-transitive.
On the other hand, if $T(S)$ is the complete graph $K_n$, the cycle $C_n$ or the star $K_{1,n-1}$, then the corresponding Cayley graphs $\Cay(S_n,S)$, which are referred to as the complete transposition graph, the modified bubble-sort graph and the star graph, respectively, are edge-transitive because $K_n$, $C_n$ and $K_{1,n-1}$ are edge-transitive.
3. The vertex-connectivity of a connected graph $X$, denoted by $\kappa(X)$, is the minimal number of vertices whose removal disconnects the graph (cf. \cite{Bollobas:1998}). Clearly, $\kappa(X)$ is at most the minimum degree $\delta(X)$. By Menger's theorem \cite{Menger:1927}, graphs with high connectivity have a large number of parallel paths between any two nodes, making communication in such interconnection networks efficient and fault-tolerant. Latifi and Srimani \cite{Latifi:Srimani:1995} \cite{Latifi:Srimani:1996} proved that the complete transposition graphs have vertex-connectivity equal to the minimum degree.
Watkins \cite{Watkins:1970} proved that the vertex-connectivity of a connected edge-transitive graph is maximum possible. Thus, Theorem~\ref{thm:main:statement}(b) (in conjunction with the theorem of Watkins \cite{Watkins:1970}) gives another proof that many families of graphs, including the complete transposition graphs, modified bubble-sort graphs and the star graphs, have vertex-connectivity that is maximum possible.
Incidentally, Mader \cite{Mader:1970} showed that if $X$ is a connected vertex-transitive graph that does not contain a $K_4$, then $X$ has vertex-connectivity equal to its minimum degree. Since all Cayley graphs generated by transpositions are bipartite, they do not contain a $K_4$, and so all connected Cayley graphs generated by transpositions have vertex-connectivity maximum possible. This gives an independent proof of the optimal vertex-connectivity of connected Cayley graphs generated by transpositions.
\qed
\end{Remark}
\section{Preliminaries}
Let $X = (V,E)$ be a graph. The line graph of $X$, denoted by $L(X)$, is the graph with vertex set $E$, and $e, f \in E(X)$ are adjacent vertices in $L(X)$ iff $e,f$ are incident edges in $X$. If two graphs are isomorphic, then clearly their line graphs are isomorphic. A natural question is the following: if $X$ and $Y$ are connected graphs with isomorphic line graphs, are $X$ and $Y$ also isomorphic? Whitney \cite{Whitney:1932} showed that the answer is in the affirmative, unless one of $X$ or $Y$ is $K_3$ and the other is $K_{1,3}$. Every automorphism of a graph induces an automorphism of the line graph. Whitney \cite{Whitney:1932} showed that we can go in the reverse direction: if $T$ is a connected graph on 5 or more vertices, then every automorphism of the line graph $L(T)$ is induced by a unique automorphism of $T$.
\begin{Theorem} \label{thm:Whitney:graph:linegraph:sameautgroup} (Whitney \cite{Whitney:1932}, Sabidussi \cite{Sabidussi:1961})
Let $T$ be a connected graph on 5 or more vertices. Then, every automorphism of the line graph $L(T)$ is induced by a unique automorphism of $T$, and the automorphism group of $T$ and of $L(T)$ are isomorphic.
\end{Theorem}
In the sequel, we shall refer to the following result due to Feng \cite{Feng:2006} and its proof (the proof sketch is given below).
\begin{Theorem} \label{thm:Feng:Aut:Sn:S:equals:AutTS}(Feng \cite{Feng:2006})
Let $S$ be a set of transpositions in $S_n$ ($n \ge 3$). Then, the group of automorphisms of $S_n$ that fixes $S$ setwise is isomorphic to the automorphism group of the transposition graph of $S$, i.e., $\Aut(S_n,S) \cong \Aut(T(S))$.
\end{Theorem}
\noindent \emph{Proof sketch:}
In the proof of this result, the bijective correspondence between $\Aut(S_n,S)$ and $\Aut(T(S))$ is as follows. If $g \in S_n$ is an automorphism of the transposition graph $T(S)$, then conjugation by $g$, denoted by $c_g$, is the corresponding element in $\Aut(S_n,S)$. In the other direction, every element in $\Aut(S_n,S)$ is conjugation $c_g$ by some element $g \in S_n$, and it can be shown that if $c_g \in \Aut(S_n,S)$, then $g \in \Aut(T(S))$.
\qed
We shall also refer to the following result.
\begin{Proposition} \label{prop:Ge:restrictedtoS:is:in:AutLT} (Ganesan \cite{Ganesan:JACO})
Let $S$ be a set of transpositions generating $S_n$ ($n \ge 5$) and let $G$ be the automorphism group of $X = \Cay(S_n,S)$. Let $g \in G_e$. Then, the restriction map $g|_S$ is an automorphism of the line graph of the transposition graph of $S$.
\end{Proposition}
The proof can be found in \cite{Ganesan:JACO}.
\section{Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:main:statement}}
In this section, we prove both parts of Theorem~\ref{thm:main:statement}.
\begin{Theorem}
Let $S, S'$ be sets of transpositions generating $S_n$ ($n \ge 5$). Then the Cayley graphs $\Cay(S_n,S)$ and $\Cay(S_n,S')$ are isomorphic if and only if the transposition graphs $T(S)$ and $T(S')$ are isomorphic.
\end{Theorem}
\noindent \emph{Proof}:
Let $X = \Cay(S_n,S)$ and $X' = \Cay(S_n,S')$. Suppose $f$ is an isomorphism from the transposition graph $T(S)$ to the transposition graph $T(S')$. We show that the Cayley graphs $X$ and $X'$ are isomorphic. Suppose $f$ takes $i$ to $i'$, for $i \in [n]$. Since $f$ preserves adjacency and nonadjacency, the transposition $(i,j) \in S$ iff $(i',j') \in S'$. Let $\sigma$ be the map from $S_n$ to itself obtained by conjugation by $f$. Denote the image of $g \in S_n$ under the action of $\sigma$ by $g'$. Since $f$ is an isomorphism, it takes the edge set of $T(S)$ to the edge set of $T(S')$. Hence, $S^\sigma = S$.
We show that $\sigma: V(X) \rightarrow V(X')$ is an isomorphism from $X$ to $X'$. Suppose vertices $g,h$ are adjacent in $X$. Then there exists an $s \in S$ such that $sg=h$. Applying $\sigma$ to both sides, we get that $(sg)^\sigma = h^\sigma$, whence $s'g' = h'$. Note that $s' \in S'$. Hence, vertices $g'$ and $h'$ are adjacent in $X'$. By applying $\sigma^{-1}$ to both sides, we get the converse that if $g',h'$ are adjacent vertices in $X'$, then $g,h$ are adjacent vertices in $X$. We have shown that $X$ and $X'$ are isomorphic.
Now suppose the Cayley graphs $X$ and $X'$ are isomorphic, and let $f: V(X) \rightarrow V(X')$ be an isomorphism. Since $X'$ admits the right regular representation $R(S_n)$ as a subgroup of automorphisms, if $f$ takes the identity vertex $e \in V(X)$ to $h' \in V(X')$, then $f$ composed with $r_{h'}^{-1} \in R(S_n)$ takes $e$ to $e$. Therefore, we may assume without loss of generality that the isomorphism $f$ maps the identity vertex of $X$ to the identity vertex of $X'$. The neighbors of $e$ in the Cayley graphs $X$ and $X'$ are $S$ and $S'$, respectively. Hence, $f$ takes $S$ to $S'$. Consider the restriction map $f|_S$. By the proof of Proposition~\ref{prop:Ge<|fim_middle|>, and hence is induced by the trivial automorphism $h$ of $T(S)$. Since $g$ is conjugation by $h$ (cf. proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Feng:Aut:Sn:S:equals:AutTS}), $g=1$. We have shown that the only element in $\Aut(S_n,S)$ which fixes $S$ pointwise is the trivial permutation of $S_n$. It follows that $L_e \cap \Aut(S_n,S)=1$.
\qed
A graph $X=(V,E)$ is said to be arc-transitive if for any two ordered pairs $(u,v), (x,y)$ of adjacent vertices, there is an automorphism $g \in \Aut(X)$ such that $u^g=x$ and $v^g=y$.
\begin{Theorem} \label{thm:edge:trans}
Let $S$ be a set of transpositions generating $S_n$ ($n \ge 5$). Then, the Cayley graph $\Cay(S_n,S)$ is edge-transitive if and only if the transposition graph $T(S)$ is edge-transitive.
\end{Theorem}
\noindent \emph{Proof}:
Suppose the transposition graph $T(S)$ is edge-transitive. Let $G$ be the automorphism group of $X = \Cay(S_n,S)$. To prove $X$ is edge-transitive, it suffices to show that $G_e$ acts transitively on $X_1(e)$. Let $t, k \in X_1(e) = S$. Note that $t,k$ are edges of $T(S)$. By hypothesis, there exists an an automorphism $g \in S_n$ of $T(S)$ that takes edge $t$ to edge $k$. Conjugation by $g$, denoted by $c_g$, is an automorphism of $S_n$ that takes permutation $t \in S_n$ to $k$. Also, $c_g \in \Aut(S_n,S)$ (cf. proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Feng:Aut:Sn:S:equals:AutTS}).
Since $\Aut(S_n,S) \le G_e$, $G_e$ contains an element $c_g$ which takes $t$ to $k$. It follows that $G_e$ acts transitively on $X_1(e)$.
For the converse, suppose the Cayley graph $\Cay(S_n,S)$ is edge-transitive. Fix $t \in S$. Let $r_t$ be the map from $S_n$ to itself that takes $x$ to $xt$. Observe that $r_t$ takes the arc $(e,t)$ to the arc $(t,e)$ since $t^2=e$. Hence, the Cayley graph $\Cay(S_n,S)$ is arc-transitive. This implies that $G_e$ acts transitively on $X_1(e) = S$. Since $G_e$ acts transitively on $X_1(e)$ and $L_e$ fixes $X_1(e)$ pointwise, the formula $G_e = L_e \Aut(S_n,S)$ (cf. Proposition~\ref{prop:Ge:Le:TS}) implies that $\Aut(S_n,S)$ acts transitively on $X_1(e)$.
Let $t, k$ be two edges of the transposition graph $T(S)$, so that $t, k \in X_1(e)$. By the argument in the previous paragraph, there exists an element $g \in \Aut(S_n,S)$ that takes vertex $t$ of $X$ to vertex $k$ of $X$. By the bijective correspondence between $\Aut(S_n,S)$ and $\Aut(T(S))$ (cf. proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Feng:Aut:Sn:S:equals:AutTS}), there exists an automorphism $h$ of $T(S)$ such that $g=c_h$, where $c_h$ denotes conjugation by $h$, and such that $h$ takes edge $t$ of the transposition graph to edge $k$. Thus, the set of permutations $\{h \in S_n: c_h \in \Aut(S_n,S)\}$ is contained in $\Aut(T(S))$ and acts transitively on the edges of $T(S)$.
\qed
{
\bibliographystyle{plain}
| :restrictedtoS:is:in:AutLT}, the restriction map is an isomorphism from the line graph of $T(S)$ to the line graph of $T(S')$. Denote these two transposition graphs $T(S), T(S')$ by $T, T'$, respectively, and their line graphs by $L(T), L(T')$, respectively. We have just shown that the line graphs $L(T)$ and $L(T')$ are isomorphic.
Since $S, S'$ generate $S_n$, their transposition graphs $T, T'$, respectively, are connected. Because $X$ and $X'$ are isomorphic, $|E(T)| = |E(T')|$ and $|V(T)| = |V(T')|$. Therefore, it is not possible that one of $T, T'$ is $K_3$ and the other $K_{1,3}$. Since the line graphs $L(T)$ and $L(T')$ are isomorphic, by Whitney's Theorem~\ref{thm:Whitney:graph:linegraph:sameautgroup}, the transposition graphs $T$ and $T'$ are isomorphic.
\qed
\begin{Proposition} \label{prop:Ge:Le:TS}
Let $S$ be a set of transpositions generating $S_n$ ($n \ge 5$). Let $G$ be the automorphism group of $X = \Cay(S_n,S)$ and let $L_e$ denote the set of element in $G_e$ that fixes the vertex $e$ and each of its neighbors. Then, $G_e = L_e \rtimes \Aut(S_n,S)$.
\end{Proposition}
\noindent \emph{Proof}:
Let $g \in G_e$. Then $g |_S$ is an automorphism of the line graph of $T(S)$ (cf. Proposition~\ref{prop:Ge:restrictedtoS:is:in:AutLT}). By Whitney's Theorem~\ref{thm:Whitney:graph:linegraph:sameautgroup}, the automorphism $g|_S$ of the line graph of $T(S)$ is induced by an automorphism $h$ of $T(S)$. Conjugation by $h$, denoted by $c_h$, which is an element of $\Aut(S_n,S)$, has the same action on $S$ as $g$, i.e., $g|_S = c_h|_S$. This implies that $g c_h^{-1} \in L_e$, whence $g \in L_e c_h$. It follows that $G_e$ is contained in $L_e \Aut(S_n,S)$. Clearly $L_e \Aut(S_n,S)$ is contained in $G_e$. Hence, $G_e = L_e \Aut(S_n,S)$.
Since $L_e$ is a normal subgroup of $G_e$ (cf. \cite{Biggs:1993}), it remains to show that $L_e \cap \Aut(S_n,S) = 1$. Each element in $L_e$ fixes $X_1(e)$ pointwise. The only element in $\Aut(S_n,S)$ which fixes $X_1(e)$ pointwise is the trivial permutation of $S_n$ because if $g \in \Aut(S_n,S)$ fixes $X_1(e)$ pointwise, then the restriction map $g|_S$ is a trivial automorphism of the line graph of $T(S)$ | 772 |
John Matthews can't think of anything but the week ahead;<|fim_middle|> description, witty dialogue, and engaging characters, Meryn's storytelling style provokes an emotional investment that leaves her audience talking.
Find out what the buzz is about. Pyrrhic Truths is available in both hardcopy and e-version from Amazon now. | whatever has been driving him to make this trip happen, despite all obstacles, should finally reveal itself to him.
Andy Leigh keeps to herself, existing in her remote, quiet, simple haven. She lives in the present. Enduring each day as it comes. Her heart is dead. Her mind is closed.
She likes her life this way. It's easier.
When John arrives, so does the terror. He brings doubts. He's searching for truths – his truths. Thruths, he is convinced, that Andy knows. Breaking down her resolve will be the most gruelling task he's ever faced, like digging through rock with his bare fingers.
But the questions are far more intricate than either foresees. Their search for answers becomes a quest of Pyrrhic Truths.
Set in the Haliburton Highlands of Ontario, Canada, Alexandra Meryn's premier novel takes her reader on a journey that makes comfort, hope, and love a recipe for danger. With take-you-there | 203 |
We usually don't think too much about our nails. We may or may keep them polished and pretty but as far as their overall health is concerned we don't put too much attention on them.
Nails are a hardened keratin layer that protects and supports the tissues in our fingers and toes. Its important to keep them strong and healthy. Developing good nail habits are important.
1. Keep nails clean and dry. This helps prevent bacteria and other infectious organisms from collecting under the nail.
2. Cut or file nails straight across, rounding them slightly with a nail file at the tips for greatest strength. Be sure<|fim_middle|> especially vigilant of nail problems if you have diabetes or poor circulation. At the first sign of a problem, see your Doctor. | to use clean (sterilized) sharp nail scissors, sterilized nail clippers or a clean glass nail file to make sure you are using bacteria-free equipment. Filing the nails into points weakens them.
3. Keep nails shaped and free of snags.
4. Avoid biting fingernails, and never remove the cuticle.
5. Trim toenails regularly to keep them short.
6. When caring for extra thick toe nails soak feet in warm salt water (one teaspoon of salt per pint of water) for five to 10 minutes. Lightly dry feet using a patting motion and apply urea or lactic acid cream. This softens the nails, making them easier to trim.
8. Wear shoes that fit properly and alternate pairs. Toes with pointy toes can aggravate toe nails so be sure to alternate shoe styles to give your toes a break from the pointy stilettos.
9. Report any nail irregularities to your dermatologist or Doctor. Swelling, pain and changes in the color of your nails could signal a serious problem.
10. Be | 224 |
Our participation in the conservation and dissemination of Greek diet started with devotion<|fim_middle|> less than an hour. We built a collaborator- supplier network of local producers, who cultivate and produce safe products of excellent quality with responsibility and know-how. The farmers we choose to work with are as passionate about quality and sustainability as we are. The fruits and vegetables we use are harvested when they reach natural maturity, when their aroma and taste are at their peak. We cook and package our products in our facilities, which are designed, constructed and operated with great consideration for impeccable sanitation abiding by ISO 22000:2005, which specifies the requirements for a quality safeguarding system. Our aim is the production and packaging of handmade products of excellent quality and high nutritional value, tasty products of 100% natural ingredients. | and concern. We chose to settle in Western Macedonia because we are well-acquainted with the tastes of this part of Greece and because the agricultural products of this region are of superior quality. Our main concern is to have these products from the farm to our hands in | 53 |
By Geneviève Gazaille. Geneviève is a member of the Ottawa Mission Foundation's Young Professionals Network executive, a communications consultant, an occasional contributor to Apt613 and is passionate about food systems and community engagement. Follow her online at @gengazaille.
On<|fim_middle|>In conjunction with educating, YPN aims to fundraise and find new sources of revenue for the Ottawa Mission and its foundation. Each member is therefore asked to make a financial contribution. In exchange, every year, YPN's executive gets to decide where the money is directed within the organization. In 2017-18, the committee chose to invest its money towards the educational programs of the Ottawa Mission.
By becoming a member of YPN on a Mission, young professionals will not only demonstrate their commitment to alleviating homelessness but will get to meet and network with dynamic individuals, have a chance to be actively involved through the network's sub-committees, gain precious experience for the future and have insider and discounted access to YPN on a Mission events.
To learn more about YPN on a Mission or purchase your ticket for the May 24th event, visit the YPN page on the Ottawa Mission website. | Thursday May 24, the Young Professionals Network of the Ottawa Mission Foundation will be inaugurating its first official event at Craft Beer Market. For $15, you get a drink, food, really cool door prizes and an opportunity to mix and mingle with other young professionals who have their community at heart.
YPN on a Mission is what it's called, and its first executive committee was recruited last summer. Ten young professionals of all horizons are currently involved and have been busy establishing terms of reference, exchanging ideas on the direction to take to support the Mission and participating in fundraising activities.
Part of the objective of YPN is to break down the stigma surrounding homelessness, raise awareness and get rid of the idea that the Ottawa Mission is a shelter plain and simple. It's not. Beyond providing meals and beds, it offers a vast array of services including employment and training resources, a medical and dental clinic, a hospice, long-term housing and even university-level classes taught by professors from all three Ottawa universities!
| 204 |
Title: Dvd-rom
Subject: Parallel ATA, Disk storage, Motherboard, List of computing and IT abbreviations, Autodesk Maya, Ico, Crazy Taxi, Enhanced CD, List of file formats, Seven (film)
This article is about the storage format. For the binocular vision condition, see Dissociated vertical deviation.
DVD-R read/write side
Optical disc
4.7 GB (single-sided, single-layer – common)
8.5–8.7 GB (single-sided, double-layer)
9.4 GB (double-sided, single-layer)
17.08 GB (double-sided, double-layer – rare)
Read mechanism
650 nm laser, 10.5 Mbit/s (1×)
Write mechanism
10.5 Mbit/s (1×)
DVD Forum's DVD Books[1][2][3] and DVD+RW Alliance specifications
16g[4]
Optical disc authoring
Recording technologies
Recording modes
Packet writing
Optical media types
Compact Disc (CD): CD-DA, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, 5.1 Music Disc, Super Audio CD (SACD), Photo CD, CD Video (CDV), Video CD (VCD), Super Video CD (SVCD), CD+G, CD-Text, CD-ROM XA, CD-i
DVD: DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-R DL, DVD+R DL, DVD-R DS, DVD+R DS, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, DVD-D, DVD-A, HVD, EcoDisc
Blu-ray Disc (BD): BD<|fim_middle|> CSS utilizes a proprietary 40-bit stream cipher algorithm. The system was introduced around 1996 and was first compromised in 1999.
The purpose of CSS is twofold:
CSS prevents byte-for-byte copies of an MPEG (digital video) stream from being playable since such copies do not include the keys that are hidden on the lead-in area of the restricted DVD.
CSS provides a reason for manufacturers to make their devices compliant with an industry-controlled standard, since CSS scrambled discs cannot in principle be played on noncompliant devices; anyone wishing to build compliant devices must obtain a license, which contains the requirement that the rest of the DRM system (region codes, Macrovision, and user operation prohibition) be implemented.[30]
While most CSS-decrypting software is used to play DVD videos, other pieces of software (such as DVD Decrypter, AnyDVD, DVD43, Smartripper, and DVD Shrink) can copy a DVD to a hard drive and remove Macrovision, CSS encryption, region codes and user operation prohibition.
Consumer restrictions
The rise of filesharing and "piracy" has prompted many copyright holders to display notices on DVD packaging or displayed on screen when the content is played that warn consumers of the illegality of certain uses of the DVD. It is commonplace to include a 90 second advert warning that most forms of copying the contents are illegal. Many DVDs prevent skipping past or fast-forwarding through this warning.
Arrangements for renting and lending differ by geography. In the U.S., the right to re-sell, rent, or lend out bought DVDs is protected by the first-sale doctrine under the Copyright Act of 1976. In Europe, rental and lending rights are more limited, under a 1992 European Directive that gives copyright holders broader powers to restrict the commercial renting and public lending of DVD copies of their work.
Main article: DVD-Audio
DVD-Audio is a format for delivering high fidelity audio content on a DVD. It offers many channel configuration options (from mono to 5.1 surround sound) at various sampling frequencies (up to 24-bits/192 kHz versus CDDA's 16-bits/44.1 kHz). Compared with the CD format, the much higher-capacity DVD format enables the inclusion of considerably more music (with respect to total running time and quantity of songs) and/or far higher audio quality (reflected by higher sampling rates and greater sample resolution, and/or additional channels for spatial sound reproduction). This DVD-Audio technique was first used by the brothers Lagkind.
Despite DVD-Audio's superior technical specifications, there is debate as to whether the resulting audio enhancements are distinguishable in typical listening environments. DVD-Audio currently forms a niche market, probably due to the very sort of format war with rival standard SACD that DVD-Video avoided.
Main article: Content Protection for Recordable Media
DVD-Audio discs employ a DRM mechanism, called Content Protection for Prerecorded Media (CPPM), developed by the 4C group (IBM, Intel, Matsushita, and Toshiba).
Although CPPM was supposed to be much harder to crack than a DVD-Video CSS, it too was eventually cracked, in 2007, with the release of the dvdcpxm tool. The subsequent release of the libdvdcpxm library (based on dvdcpxm) allowed for the development of open source DVD-Audio players and ripping software, such as DVD-Audio Explorer. As a result, making 1:1 copies of DVD-Audio discs is now possible with relative ease, much like DVD-Video discs.
Main articles: Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD
In 2006, two new formats called HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc were released as the successor to DVD. HD DVD competed unsuccessfully with Blu-ray Disc in the format war of 2006–2008. A dual layer HD DVD can store up to 30GB and a dual layer Blu-ray disc can hold up to 50GB.[31][32]
However, unlike previous format changes, e.g., audio tape to Compact Disc or VHS videotape to DVD, there is no immediate indication that production of the standard DVD will gradually wind down, as they still dominate, with around 75% of video sales and approximately one billion DVD player sales worldwide as of 3 April 2011. In fact, experts claim that the DVD will remain the dominant medium for at least another five years as Blu-ray technology is still in its introductory phase, write and read speeds being poor as well as the fact of necessary hardware being expensive and not readily available.[9][33][34]
Consumers initially were also slow to adopt Blu-ray due to the cost.[35] By 2009, 85% of stores were selling Blu-ray Discs. A high-definition television and appropriate connection cables are also required to take advantage of Blu-ray disc. Some analysts suggest that the biggest obstacle to replacing DVD is due to its installed base; a large majority of consumers are satisfied with DVDs.[36] The DVD succeeded because it offered a compelling alternative to VHS. In addition, the uniform media size let manufacturers make Blu-ray players and now defunct format HD DVD players backward-compatible, so they can play older DVDs. This stands in contrast to the change from vinyl to CD, and from tape to DVD, which involved a complete change in physical medium. As of 2012[update] it is still commonplace for studios to issue major releases in "combo pack" format, including both a DVD and a Blu-ray disc (as well as, in many cases, a third disc with an authorized digital copy). Also, some multi-disc sets use Blu-ray for the main feature, but DVDs for supplementary features (examples of this include the Harry Potter "Ultimate Edition" collections, the 2009 re-release of the 1967 The Prisoner TV series, and a 2007 collection related to Blade Runner). Another reason cited (July 2011) for the slower transition to Blu-ray from DVD is the necessity of and confusion over "firmware updates" and needing an internet connection to perform updates.
This situation is similar to the changeover from 78 rpm shellac recordings to 45 rpm and 33⅓ rpm vinyl recordings. Because the new and old mediums were virtually the same (a disc on a turntable, played by a needle), phonograph player manufacturers continued to include the ability to play 78s for decades after the format was discontinued.
Manufacturers continue to release standard DVD titles as of 2012[update], and the format remains the preferred one for the release of older television programs and films. Some programs, such as Star Trek: The Original Series must be re-scanned to produce a high definition version from the original film recordings. (Certain special effects were also updated to appear better in high-definition.)[37] In the case of Doctor Who, a series primarily produced on standard definition videotape between 1963 and 1989, BBC Video reportedly intends to continue issuing DVD-format releases of that series until at least November 2013.
DVDs are also facing competition from video on demand services. With increasing numbers of homes having high speed internet links, many people now have the option to either rent or buy video from an online service, and view it by streaming it directly from that service's servers, meaning that the customer need not have any form of permanent storage media for video at all.
Use as backup medium
DVD durability is measured by how long the data remains readable from the disc, assuming compatible devices exist that can read it: that is, how long the disc can be stored until data is lost. Five factors affect durability: sealing method, reflective layer, organic dye makeup, where it was manufactured, and storage practices.[38]
The longevity of the ability to read from a DVD+R or DVD-R largely depends on manufacturing quality, ranging from two to 15 years,[39][40][41] and is considered an unreliable backup medium unless great care is taken for storage conditions and handling.
According to the Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA), "Manufacturers claim lifespans ranging from 30 to 100 years for DVD, DVD-R and DVD+R discs and up to 30 years for DVD-RW, DVD+RW and DVD-RAM."[42]
Disk-drive performance characteristics
DVD region code
DVD TV game - Interactive movie
Professional disc
DVD single
Commons has media related to DVD.
has a book on the topic of: Inside DVD-Video/MPEG Format
Template:Sister-inline
Dual Layer Explained – Informational Guide to the Dual Layer Recording Process
DVD Frequently Asked Questions (and Answers)
YouTube: Segment from 1997 Toshiba DVD demo disc: Technical information about the then-new DVD format, from "DVD Gallery," an in-store demonstration disc from Toshiba
Video storage formats
Quadruplex (1956)
VERA (1958)
Ampex 2 inch helical VTR (1961)
Sony 2 inch helical VTR (1961)
Type A (1965)
CV-2000 (1965)
Akai (1967)
U-matic (1969)
EIAJ-1 (1969)
Cartrivision (1972)
Philips VCR (1972)
V-Cord (1974)
VX (1974)
Betamax (1975)
IVC (1975)
Type B (1976)
Type C (1976)
VHS (1976)
VK (1977)
SVR (1979)
Video 2000 (1980)
CVC (1980)
VHS-C (1982)
Betacam (1982)
Video8 (1985)
MII (1986)
S-VHS (1987)
S-VHS-C (1987)
Hi8 (1989)
Ruvi (1998)
D1 (1986)
DCT (1992)
Digital Betacam (1993)
Digital-S (D9) (1995)
Betacam SX (1996)
Digital8 (1999)
MicroMV (2001)
Sony HDVS (1984)
UniHi (1984)
W-VHS (1994)
HDCAM (1997)
D-VHS (1998)
D6 HDTV VTR (2000)
HDV (2003)
HDCAM SR (2003)
Phonovision (1927)
Ampex-HS (1967)
TeD (1975)
LaserDisc (1978)
CED (1981)
VHD (1983)
Laserfilm (1984)
CD Video (1987)
VCD (1993)
MovieCD (c. 1995)
MiniDVD (c. 1996)
DVD-Video (1997)
CVD (1998)
SVCD (1998)
EVD (2003)
HVD (High-Definition Versatile Disc) (2004)
FVD (2005)
UMD (2005)
MUSE Hi-Vision LD (1994)
VMD (2006)
HD DVD (2006)
HVD (Holographic Versatile Disc) (2007)
CBHD (China Blue High-definition Disc) (2008)
Media agnostic
DV (1995)
DVCPRO (1995)
DVCAM (1996)
DVCPRO50 (1997)
DVCPRO HD (2000)
Editcam (1995)
XDCAM (2003)
MOD (2005)
AVCHD (2006)
AVC-Intra (2006)
TOD (2007)
iFrame (2009)
XAVC (2012)
P2 (2004)
SxS (2007)
Video recorded to film
Kinescope (1947)
Electronicam kinescope (1950s)
Electronic Video Recording (1967)
Parallel ATA
Serial ATA, Bios, Scsi, WDMA (computer), Motherboard
Fibre Channel, Raid, Floppy disk, Sound, Laserdisc
Bios, Central processing unit, Usb, Software, 3D computer graphics
List of computing and IT abbreviations
Information technology, Raid, Microsoft Certified Professional, Computer science, Logical volume management
Linux, Futurama, South Park, Animation, Avatar (2009 film) | -R & BD-RE
Universal Media Disc (UMD)
Enhanced Versatile Disc (EVD)
Forward Versatile Disc (FVD)
Holographic Versatile Disc (HVD)
China Blue High-definition Disc (CBHD)
HD DVD: HD DVD-R, HD DVD-RW, HD DVD-RAM
High definition Versatile Multilayer Disc (HD VMD)
VCDHD
GD-ROM
MiniDisc: MD, Hi-MD
Laserdisc: LD, LD-ROM
Video Single Disc (VSD)
Ultra Density Optical (UDO)
Stacked Volumetric Optical Disk (SVOD)
Five dimensional disc (5D DVD)
Nintendo optical disc (NOD)
SFF ATAPI/MMC
Mount Rainier (packet writing)
Mount Fuji (layer jump recording)
Rainbow Books
Rock Ridge / SUSP
Apple ISO 9660 Extensions
Universal Disk Format (UDF)
History of optical storage media
High definition optical disc format war
DVD is a digital optical disc storage format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than compact discs while having the same dimensions.
Pre-recorded DVDs are mass-produced using molding machines that physically stamp data onto the DVD. Such discs are known as DVD-ROM, because data can only be read and not written or erased. Blank recordable DVD discs (DVD-R and DVD+R) can be recorded once using a DVD recorder and then function as a DVD-ROM. Rewritable DVDs (DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM) can be recorded and erased multiple times.
DVDs are used in DVD-Video consumer digital video format and in DVD-Audio consumer digital audio format, as well as for authoring AVCHD discs. DVDs containing other types of information may be referred to as DVD data discs.
2.2 Adoption
4 DVD recordable and rewritable
4.1 Dual-layer recording
5 Capacity
6 DVD drives and players
6.1 Laser and optics
6.2 Transfer rates
7.2 Consumer restrictions
8 DVD-Audio
9 Successors
10 Use as backup medium
When first invented in 1996, DVD was an initialism for the unofficial term "digital videodisk".[5] Within the next few years, certain members of the DVD Forum proposed the backronym "digital versatile disc" to express that DVDs can store other data formats. However, according to Jim Taylor, a prominent industry figure, the forum never universally accepted this name and a 1999 report decreed that DVD was "simply three letters" and stood for "nothing".[6] Since then, usage has varied and there is no universal agreement. "Digital versatile disc" has gained wide acceptance and is used by the official DVD charter,[7] while others such as Toshiba (who maintain the DVD Forum website) use "digital video disc".[6]
Before the advent of DVD in 1995, Video CD (VCD) became the first format for distributing digitally encoded films on standard 120 mm (4.7 in) optical discs. (Its predecessor, CD Video, used analog video encoding.) VCD was on the market in 1993.[8] In the same year, two new optical disc storage formats were being developed. One was the Multimedia Compact Disc (MMCD), backed by Philips and Sony, and the other was the Super Density (SD) disc, supported by Toshiba, Time Warner, Matsushita Electric, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electric, Pioneer, Thomson, and JVC. A much earlier consumer optical disc data storage device, known as LaserDisc, was developed in the United States. The original LaserDisc technology was invented by David Paul Gregg and James Russell in 1958 and first patented in 1961, with its first public demonstration in 1972. It first came to market in Atlanta, Georgia in 1978, but used much larger discs than the later formats. Due to the high cost of players and discs, consumer adoption of LaserDisc was very low in both North America and Europe, and was not widely used anywhere outside Japan and the more affluent areas of Southeast Asia, such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan.
Representatives from the SD camp asked IBM for advice on the file system to use for their disc, and sought support for their format for storing computer data. Alan E. Bell, a researcher from IBM's Almaden Research Center, got that request, and also learned of the MMCD development project. Wary of being caught in a repeat of the costly videotape format war between VHS and Betamax in the 1980s, he convened a group of computer industry experts, including representatives from Apple, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, Dell, and many others. This group was referred to as the Technical Working Group, or TWG.
The TWG voted to boycott both formats unless the two camps agreed on a single, converged standard.[9] They recruited Lou Gerstner, president of IBM, to pressure the executives of the warring factions. In one significant compromise, the MMCD and SD groups agreed to adopt proposal SD 9, which specified that both layers of the dual-layered disc be read from the same side—instead of proposal SD 10, which would have created a two-sided disc that users would have to turn over.[10] As a result, the DVD specification provided a storage capacity of 4.7 GB for a single-layered, single-sided disc and 8.5 GB for a dual-layered, single-sided disc.[10] The DVD specification ended up similar to Toshiba and Matsushita's Super Density Disc, except for the dual-layer option (MMCD was single-sided and optionally dual-layer—whereas SD was single-layer, but optionally double-sided) and EFMPlus modulation.
Philips and Sony decided that it was in their best interests to avoid another format war over their Multimedia Compact Disc, and agreed to unify with companies backing the Super Density Disc to release a single format, with technologies from both. After other compromises between MMCD and SD, the computer companies through TWG won the day, and a single format, now called DVD, was agreed upon. The TWG also collaborated with the Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA) on the use of their implementation of the ISO-13346 file system (known as Universal Disk Format) for use on the new DVDs.
Movie and home entertainment distributors adopted the DVD format to replace the ubiquitous VHS tape as the primary consumer film distribution format. They embraced DVD because it produces superior moving pictures and sound, provides superior data lifespan, and can be interactive. Interactivity on LaserDiscs had proven desirable to consumers, especially collectors. When LaserDisc prices dropped from approximately $100 per disc to $20 per disc at retail, this luxury feature became available for mass consumption. Simultaneously, the movie studios decided to change their home entertainment release model from a rental model to a for purchase model, and large numbers of DVDs were sold.
At the same time, a demand for interactive design talent and services was created. Movies in the past had uniquely designed title sequences. Suddenly every movie being released required information architecture and interactive design components that matched the film's tone and were at the quality level that Hollywood demanded for its product.
DVD as a format had two qualities at the time that were not available in any other interactive medium: enough capacity and speed to provide high quality, full motion video and sound, and low cost delivery mechanism provided by consumer products retailers. Retailers would quickly move to sell their players for under $200, and eventually for under $50 at retail. In addition, the medium itself was small enough and light enough to mail using general first class postage. Almost overnight, this created a new business opportunity and model for business innovators to re-invent the home entertainment distribution model. It also gave companies an inexpensive way to provide business and product information on full motion video through direct mail.
The DVD specifications created and updated by the DVD Forum are published as so-called DVD Books (e.g. DVD-ROM Book, DVD-Audio Book, DVD-Video Book, DVD-R Book, DVD-RW Book, DVD-RAM Book, DVD-AR Book, DVD-VR Book, etc.).[1][2][3]
Some specifications for mechanical, physical and optical characteristics of DVD optical discs can be downloaded as freely available standards from the ISO website.[11] There are also equivalent Ecma standards for some of these specifications, such as Ecma-267 for DVD-ROMs.[12] Also, the DVD+RW Alliance publishes competing recordable DVD specifications such as DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD+RW or DVD+RW DL. These DVD formats are also ISO standards.[13][14][15][16]
Some of DVD specifications (e.g. for DVD-Video) are not publicly available and can be obtained only from the DVD Format/Logo Licensing Corporation for a fee of US $5000.[17][18] Every subscriber must sign a non-disclosure agreement as certain information in the DVD Book is proprietary and confidential.[17]
DVD recordable and rewritable
Main article: DVD recordable
HP initially developed recordable DVD media from the need to store data for backup and transport. DVD recordables are now also used for consumer audio and video recording. Three formats were developed: DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW (plus), and DVD-RAM. DVD-R is available in two formats, General (650 nm) and Authoring (635 nm), where Authoring discs may be recorded with CSS encrypted video content but General discs may not.[19]
Although most DVD writers can nowadays write the DVD+R/RW and DVD-R/RW formats (usually denoted by "DVD±RW" and/or the existence of both the DVD Forum logo and the DVD+RW Alliance logo), the "plus" and the "dash" formats use different writing specifications. Most DVD readers and players play both kinds of discs, though older models can have trouble with the "plus" variants.
Some first generation DVD players would cause damage to DVD±R/RW/DL when attempting to read them.
The form of the spiral groove that makes up the structure of a recordable DVD encodes unalterable identification data known as Media Identification Code (MID). The MID contains data such as the manufacturer and model, byte capacity, allowed data rates (also known as speed), etc.
Dual-layer recording
Dual-layer recording (sometimes also known as double-layer recording) allows DVD-R and DVD+R discs to store significantly more data—up to 8.5 gigabytes per disc, compared with 4.7 gigabytes for single-layer discs. Along with this, DVD-DLs have slower write speeds as compared to ordinary DVDs. When played, a slight transition can sometimes be seen in the playback when the player changes layers. DVD-R DL was developed for the DVD Forum by Pioneer Corporation; DVD+R DL was developed for the DVD+RW Alliance by Philips and Mitsubishi Kagaku Media (MKM).[20]
A dual-layer disc differs from its usual DVD counterpart by employing a second physical layer within the disc itself. The drive with dual-layer capability accesses the second layer by shining the laser through the first semitransparent layer. In some DVD players, the layer change can exhibit a noticeable pause, up to several seconds.[21] This caused some viewers to worry that their dual-layer discs were damaged or defective, with the end result that studios began listing a standard message explaining the dual-layer pausing effect on all dual-layer disc packaging.
DVD recordable discs supporting this technology are backward-compatible with some existing DVD players and DVD-ROM drives.[20] Many current DVD recorders support dual-layer technology, and the price is now comparable to that of single-layer drives, although the blank media remain more expensive. The recording speeds reached by dual-layer media are still well below those of single-layer media.
There are two modes for dual-layer orientation. With Parallel Track Path (PTP), used on DVD-ROM, both layers start at the inside diameter (ID) and end at the outside diameter (OD) with the lead-out. With Opposite Track Path (OTP), used on many DVDs, the lower layer starts at the ID and the upper layer starts at the OD, where the other layer ends; they share one lead-in and one lead-out.
The basic types of DVD (12 cm diameter, single-sided or homogeneous double-sided) are referred to by a rough approximation of their capacity in gigabytes. In draft versions of the specification, DVD-5 indeed held five gigabytes, but some parameters were changed later on as explained above, so the capacity decreased. Other formats, those with 8 cm diameter and hybrid variants, acquired similar numeric names with even larger deviation.
The 12 cm type is a standard DVD, and the 8 cm variety is known as a MiniDVD. These are the same sizes as a standard CD and a mini-CD, respectively. The capacity by surface (MiB/cm2) varies from 6.92 MiB/cm2 in the DVD-1 to 18.0 MiB/cm2 in the DVD-18.
As with hard disk drives, in the DVD realm, gigabyte and the symbol GB are usually used in the SI sense (i.e., 109, or 1,000,000,000 bytes). For distinction, gibibyte (with symbol GiB) is used (i.e., 10243 (230), or 1,073,741,824 bytes).
Each DVD sector contains 2,418 bytes of data, 2,048 bytes of which are user data. There is a small difference in storage space between + and - (hyphen) formats:
Capacity and nomenclature[22][23]
SS = single-sided, DS = double-sided, SL = single-layer, DL = dual-layer
(GB)
(GiB)
DVD-1[24] SS SL 1 1 8 1.46 1.36
DVD-2 SS DL 1 2 8 2.66 2.47
DVD-3 DS SL 2 2 8 2.92 2.72
DVD-4 DS DL 2 4 8 5.32 4.95
DVD-5 SS SL 1 1 12 4.70 4.37
DVD-9 SS DL 1 2 12 8.54 7.95
DVD-10 DS SL 2 2 12 9.40 8.75
DVD-14[25] DS SL+DL 2 3 12 13.24 12.33
DVD-18 DS DL 2 4 12 17.08 15.90
Capacity and nomenclature of (re)writable discs
DVD-R SS SL (1.0) 1 1 12 3.95 3.68
DVD-RW SS SL 1 1 12 4.70 4.37
DVD+R SS SL 1 1 12 4.70 4.37
DVD+RW SS SL 1 1 12 4.70 4.37
DVD-R DS SL 2 2 12 8.54 7.96
DVD-RW DS SL 2 2 12 8.54 7.96
DVD+R DS SL 2 2 12 8.55 7.96
DVD+RW DS SL 2 2 12 8.55 7.96
DVD-RAM SS SL 1 1 8 1.46 1.36*
DVD-RAM DS SL 2 2 8 2.65 2.47*
DVD-RAM SS SL (1.0) 1 1 12 2.58 2.40
DVD-RAM DS SL (1.0) 2 2 12 5.16 4.80
DVD-RAM DS SL (2.0) 2 2 12 9.40 8.75*
Capacity differences of writable DVD formats
DVD-R SL 2,298,496 4,707,319,808 4,707,319.808 4,707.320 4.707 4,596,992 4,489.250 4.384
DVD+R SL 2,295,104 4,700,372,992 4,700,372.992 4,700.373 4.700 4,590,208 4,482.625 4.378
DVD-R DL 4,171,712 8,543,666,176 8,543,666.176 8,543.666 8.544 8,343,424 8,147.875 7.957
DVD+R DL 4,173,824 8,547,991,552 8,547,991.552 8,547.992 8.548 8,347,648 8,152.000 7.961
DVD drives and players
DVD drives are devices that can read DVD discs on a computer. DVD players are a particular type of devices that do not require a computer to work, and can read DVD-Video and DVD-Audio discs.
Laser and optics
DVD uses 650 nm wavelength laser diode light, as opposed to 780 nm for CD. This shorter wavelength etches a smaller pit on the media surface compared to CDs (0.74 µm for DVD versus 1.6 µm for CD), allowing in part for DVD's increased storage capacity.
In comparison, Blu-ray Disc, the successor to the DVD format, uses a wavelength of 405 nm, and one dual-layer disc has a 50 GB storage capacity.
Transfer rates
Read and write speeds for the first DVD drives and players were of 1,385 kB/s (1,353 KiB/s); this speed is usually called "1×". More recent models, at 18× or 20×, have 18 or 20 times that speed. Note that for CD drives, 1× means 153.6 kB/s (150 KiB/s), about one-ninth as swift.[24][26]
DVD drive speeds
Drive speed
~Write time (minutes)[27]
Mbit/s
MB/s
Dual-Layer
11.08 1.39 57 103
22.16 2.77 28 51
66.48 8.31 9 17
88.64 11.08 7 13
110.80 13.85 6 10
132.96 16.62 5 9
Main article: DVD-Video
DVD-Video is a standard for storing and distributing video/audio content on DVD media. The format went on sale in Japan in 1996, in the United States in 1997, in Europe in 1998 and in Australia in 1999.[28] DVD-Video became the dominant form of home video distribution in Japan when it first went on sale in 1996, but did not become the dominant form of home video distribution in the United States until June 15, 2003, when weekly DVD-Video in the United States rentals began outnumbering weekly VHS cassette rentals, reflecting the rapid adoption rate of the technology in the U.S. marketplace.[9][29] Currently, DVD-Video is the dominant form of home video distribution worldwide, although in Japan it was surpassed by Blu-ray Disc when Blu-ray first went on sale in Japan on March 31, 2006.
Main article: Content Scramble System
The Content Scramble System (CSS) is a Digital Rights Management (DRM) and encryption system employed on almost all commercially produced DVD-video discs. | 4,486 |
Carnegie Mellon University's online cloud computing course made its debut on the list of offered courses in the spring of 2013. That first semester, 55 students enrolled in the course, then 155 students the following year, 250 students in 2015, and now, 200-300 students from Carnegie Mellon's global campuses enroll in the course every semester.
At the outset, Professor Majd Sakr and his team had to work to get the cloud resources the class needed to achieve their learning objectives and design the course and projects for the students to understand and gain experience building and using cloud services. There is a growing demand for developers and information technology (IT) professionals who not only have knowledge of cloud computing, but also hands-on experience.
Carnegie Mellon "practices what they preach," since they not only teach students how to use the cloud, but also their course infrastructure is all built on the cloud. Carnegie Mellon has taken advantage of AWS Educate to provide educators with the resources needed to accelerate cloud-related learning endeavors and the Computer Science Department has built an end-to-end cloud solution for tutorials, autograding, feedback, logging, and cheat checking.
To offer a course for 100+ students worldwide<|fim_middle|> Professor Sakr's case, he is 100% in the cloud).
"We are delighted at what AWS Educate has done. It has streamlined processes, given us access to credits, and opened up forums where educators can ping each asking, 'how do you do X or Y.' This type of community is important, since we are all treading on new water. If we can work together, then it is wonderful," said Professor Sakr.
With AWS Educate, you can add cloud to your curriculum at no cost to you or your students. You'll have access to instructor-contributed content, as well as free credits to design lessons and give students the freedom to experiment on the same technology used by companies worldwide. Learn about the new features of AWS Educate and add AWS Educate to your lesson plan by joining today! | without worrying about infrastructure is a game changer. Educators can focus on learning objectives and helping students with their projects. "AWS Educate hasn't just been beneficial; it has been transformative. Scale is a big deal and we don't worry. AWS can handle it," Professor Sakr said.
To create a community of practice, Carnegie Mellon runs day-long workshops, where the faculty shares ideas and lessons learned from those who have already leveraged the cloud within their classrooms. Within this community, educators recognize that they have the support network they need and can get their most challenging questions answered. Now, over 22 faculty in the school of computer science have migrated a portion of their projects to AWS in the last academic year and over 20 courses have adopted the cloud in one way or another. (In | 162 |
"Are you sure? Isn't that dangerous? I mean, there is war!" This is what my friends said when I told them I'm gonna go to Kiew, Ukraine. First I thought those were stupid stereotypes –<|fim_middle|> I am really happy I can now abolish some prejudices and share my experiences and impressions about Kiew and our new Ukrainian friends. Next time you think about a city trip in Europe – forget about western metropoles. Go to Kiev and experience some of the most interesting cities in Europe!
Thank you AEGEE Kiev – It was a pleasure! | however, I have to admit I actually checked the German ministry for foreign affairs' website then wether they'd recommend not to go to there. It was said I shouldn't worry. It would have been too late anyways, my application for the exchange "If I Were in Your Shoes" organised by AEGEE Kiev was already accepted and flights were booked.
Almost every day had the same structure.
It really needs to be fed!
The project was about civil engagement and how, especially young, people can participate in (local) politics in Ukraine. The great organisers arranged a lot of interesting lectures and workshops by people who are very engaged with their project or initiative. From employees of Amnesty International presenting their latest idea how to fight corruption in Ukraine to an initiative watching international media's report about current events in the country (e.g. war in the east, Crimea, relationship to other countries,…) to a local project creating and demanding more bike paths in the city. The range of topics was incredibly wide and personally really enriching.
Our Ukrainian friends brought us to great places. Instead of having lunch or dinner somewhere in a fastfood restaurant we had typical local food like "kiev chicken" or special dumplings. The most important thing at lunch turned out be the drink: KOMPOT. That is some red non-alcoholic fruity and especially sweet drink everyone should have there for lunch.
Of course, the wonderful people of AEGEE Kiev, organised a classic city tour with a guide who brought us to the most famous sights. But they also prepared a special tour for us – we went to see murals which became a big and controversial thing in the city now since it's really changing the look of the city. For one trip we left the city and went to see a national park – formerly known as president Janukovich's residence including laboratories to check whether is food isn't poisoned, a private chapel and many more useful facilities.
Short version – we enjoyed each of them.
Applying for this exchange was a great decision and I don't wanna miss this experience. I want to thank again all the organisers who made all of this possible! | 431 |
Happy 35 Years and Many More
Betty Casey,
Years ago, I took my children to see Tulsa Ballet's "The Nutcracker" at the PAC with my neighbor and her daughter, who was probably 4 or so at the time. My kids were maybe 5, 7 and 9. When the Nutcracker came on stage, I'll never forget my neighbor's daughter leaning over to her mom and whispering, "He forgot his pants!"
That's just one of many memories that I have of the Tulsa PAC, which celebrates 35 years in March. Today, the staff of the PAC had a press conference to announce the anniversary and to thank those who had the vision to create a place where not only<|fim_middle|> that week, so watch for information on that.
At the press conference, I believe PAC Manager John Scott said that Aaron Copeland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" was the first performance when the PAC opened in 1977. What a fitting opening for "Everyone's Place."
Categories: Editor's Blog
"Jesus Christ Superstar" Performance Delivers on Its Rock Roots
What You Might Not Know About Safe Sleep for Your Baby
Mental Health Help for Green Country Kids | Tulsans, but people throughout the state and surrounding states could enjoy world-class performances. Two members of the original PAC Trust were honored today: John H. Williams and Robert J. LaFortune. A third member, Charles E. Norman, who is deceased, was also recognized in a video tribute.
Did you know that the slogan for the 1973 bond campaign for the building was "Everyone's Place"? I didn't. But it's a fitting tag even today. The PAC truly is Everyone's Place. Anyone can find a performance to love at the PAC.
Besides "The Nutcracker," my family has enjoyed operas such as "Carmen" and "The Barber of Seville." Many of our holidays included going to see "A Christmas Carol." We've enjoyed a few Light Opera productions, a fabulous modern dance performance from a company brought in by Choregus Productions, several plays for children over the years, "Tommy," "Rocky Horror," "The Phantom of the Opera," "Wicked" — once I start listing them, I'm surprised at how many things we've attended over the years! I could go on and on.
Probably my personal highlight was seeing "August, Osage County."
The PAC also provides so many opportunities to introduce children and teens to live theater. Years ago, Bob from Sesame Street did a show at the PAC, and I interviewed him for TulsaKids. We put him on our cover. Over the years, the PAC Trust has provided wonderful, affordable family programming through their Imagination Series. The Tulsa Children's Museum hosts their children's concert series at the PAC. SummerStage gives local entertainers a chance to showcase their talents for the community. This week, you can see the Broadway musical "The Addams Family." If you haven't taken your family to a performance at the PAC, go to their website or visit our calendar and see what's coming up.
Today, tickets go on sale for the "Original Tribute to the Blues Brothers," which opens on March 17. The show will be a fun way to celebrate the Tulsa Performing Arts Center's 35th. They'll be doing tours of the PAC for anyone who's iinterested earlier | 453 |
History of the NHL
Facts on the Formation and Early History of the NHL
Stanley Cup Quick Facts
Facts about the roots of the NHL
The History of the NHL in America
Important Facts To Know About NHL Outdoor Hockey Games
Player profiles in the NHL
Top 3 Most Famous Canadian Players in the History of the NHL
Top 3 Most Famous American Players in the NHL
NHL News and Updates
2019 NHL Draft Pick Analysis
Top Three Stanley Cup Winners
All About The NHL
Do you want to learn some juicy facts about the NHL? Do you want to impress your friends with your encycloped<|fim_middle|> The Stanley Cup
This section profiles all the popular teams that have ever won the Stanley cup.
bellastockquebec.ca Copyright © 2021. | ic knowledge of NHL players and teams in America and Canada? Then this is the site that brings you all that information.
What is the NHL?
This section highlights some major historical events around the formation, development and expansion of the NFL. It begins with facts about the cradle of the NHL and its growth into a league consisting of more than 100 teams. It also has some intriguing facts about the most coveted prize in the NHL, the Stanley Cup.
NHL and Its Roots
This section now dives deeper into the history of the NHL and traces various events like the history of the NHL in America. It also covers recent events like the introduction of outdoor hockey games. It is a scintillating read that shows that even though the NHL was formed in Canada its popularity extends beyond its borders.
Famous profiles
Every game has the players that make it to the Hall of fame. In this section you get to know which players made a mark in history. It features both American players as well as Canadian players so you are in a for a treat.
News from NHL
Draft picks are crucial in history since they impact the odds of teams winning matches. This is why this section has an in depth review of the 2019 draft picks.
Popular Teams to Win | 258 |
The 2019 PGA Merchandise Show kicked off yesterday at the Orange County Convention Center with a memorable patriotic theme, as PGA President Suzy Whaley and PGA CEO Seth Waugh opened the MAJOR of Golf Business alongside military veterans and PGA HOPE coaches from around the country.
PGA Professionals, retailers and industry leaders in attendance poured into the nearly 10 miles of aisles and one<|fim_middle|> complimentary education sessions on the Golf Fitness, Wellness & Instruction stage of the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show, presented in partnership with the Titleist Performance Institute, was a popular place to be on Wednesday. The stage is located in the 1000 aisle on the PGA Show Floor, and consultative appointments are also available to help you find a way to integrate fitness into your golf business.
Other can't-miss stops on the PGA Show floor – in addition to the 1,000 exhibiting companies and brands – include the Equipment Test Center sponsored by Insane Impact adjacent to the Equipment Hall; the New Product Zone sponsored by Chippo Golf, where attendees can examine hundreds of new products being introduced at the 2019 PGA Show; the Golf Travel Pavilion in the 3200 to 3600 aisles on the PGA Show floor; the Inventors Spotlight, where new innovations are displayed; and the new Golf Facility Innovation Center featuring PepsiCo, a 2,500-square-foot simulated golf shop located the main entrance to the PGA Show floor that will host demonstrations each day. | million square feet of interactive exhibition space on the PGA Show floor. There, they sourced the newest merchandise; took advantage of an expanded PGA Education Conference featuring more than 50 unique seminars and classes; tested the latest equipment at the Equipment Test Center sponsored by Insane Impact; heard proven best practices; networked among peers and worked to evolve the business of golf.
Hundreds of new products from 1,000 leading companies signaled the start to the 2019 golf business cycle, with numerous current and former tour professionals and personalities appearing on the PGA Show, including Nancy Lopez, Annika Sorenstam, Lexi Thompson, Greg Norman, Brooke Henderson, John Daly, Al Geiberger, Brad Faxon, Bobby Clampett, actor John O'Hurley and many others. Visit PGAShowNews.com or the PGA Show mobile app for times and booth numbers of each celebrity appearance throughout the week.
A busy schedule of special presentations on the PGA Forum Stage presented by OMEGA also marked Wednesday's opening day. The aforementioned Annika Sorenstam, who amassed 93 worldwide wins and 10 major championships before being elected to the Hall of Fame in 2003, joined Whaley and LPGA Chief Teaching Officer Nancy Henderson for "The Future of Coaching," which was one of seven informative seminars on the stage throughout the day.
More than 75 golf fitness, sports performance and instruction companies began showcasing their newest products to attendees, and a full schedule of | 305 |
The Roche Hitachi 911 Chemistry Analyzer is a fully automated and computerized system, composed of two parts: the analytical and the control units. The analytical component of this Roche chemistry analyzer operates with the photometric measuring technology called the Ion-Selective Electrodes (ISE) system and a CPU. The control unit consist<|fim_middle|> on a wide range of analytes. Potentiometric and photometric assays are also performed by this model.
We add hundreds of new listings every week. Be sure not to miss any Hitachi/Roche Hitachi 911 by subscribing to our email updates. | of a monitor (CRT), keyboard, and a printer. Other highlights of the Hitachi 911 include automatic calibration, quick delivery of STAT results and 24-hour use per day.
The Hitachi 911 chemistry analyzer makes use of various sample types including serum, urine, plasma and Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) to perform in vitro quantitative and qualitative tests | 80 |
Let's revisit the poll I posted a few days ago. I asked if boredom was necessary for creatives. I didn't get a lot of response, but that's OK. I got a couple comments — here and on other social media platforms — that helped me formulate what I want to say.
I think a quiet mind is needful to be creative with words. A frantic life seldom produces much. I don't call it boredom though. Just quiet.
That is, in a nutshell, where I stand. Or sit.
As for the poll, it is still open, but results so far are evenly split between yes and no about boredom being necessary for creatives.
I have never liked being bored. It's just not me, if that makes sense. I have always, as long as I can remember, had something with me to ensure I am never bored. That may be a pen and paper (even scrap paper in the bottom of my purse or other bag), a book to read, a sketchbook, or something to knit or crochet. I have a cousin who has commented that she has never seen me when I don't have something to do.
That is not to say I don't have quiet time or downtime. I do. I just structure it differently. My quiet time comes in the short meditations I have started doing. It comes in the times when I am knitting or crocheting and the pattern doesn't require a lot of attention. It comes in doodling in a sketchbook or writing practice/Morning Pages (refer to The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron if this is a new concept to you – I highly recommend that book/study<|fim_middle|> to that incubation time doesn't really matter. It's what you do with the results of it that count.
And who decides if it counts? | ).
Everyone is different. Don't let anyone tell you that the way you do something or what you call something is wrong. It might be different, but it's not wrong. Especially if it works for you.
What I call downtime or quiet time may indeed be boredom to someone else. Whatever you call it, it boils down to this: We need to give ourselves time for ideas to form and incubate so we can continue our creative work. Whatever name you give | 94 |
Solid-state physics, materials science, superconductivity, thin film phenomena; physical metallurgy; thin film materials for superconducting<|fim_middle|>in Luo has held research and teaching positions at UCSD since 1965. That is the same year he received his Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology. | tunneling and Josephson junctions; and interface studies.
Professor Luo specializes in high-temperature superconducting materials and their applications. He has been successful in depositing thin films of complex superconductors. Luo is the curriculum advisor for the department's graduate program in electronic devices and materials. The field encompasses the fabrication, characterization and modeling of prototype electronic materials, devices and integrated circuits based on silicon and III-V compound semiconductors, as well as processing methods employed in present-day and projected integrated circuits. Current research includes growth by molecular beam epitaxy and chemical vapor phase epitaxy; metallurgical aspects of interfaces; the electronic, optical, and electro-optic properties of heterostructures; and the study of superconductors and magnetic materials.
In his advisor capacity, Luo oversees research on ultrasmall structures (nanotechnology) as well as ultrahigh speed transistors and optoelectronic devices.
Huey-L | 189 |
Angels-Tigers Preview
DETROIT -- Two teams, two different directions and thus<|fim_middle|> the field. Last year our only purpose coming to the field was to finish out the season. And now we're coming to the field trying to extend the season."
More MLB | two approaches to roster expansion come September.
The Detroit Tigers, who are still thinking postseason thoughts, and the Los Angeles Angels, who need a reset button to get back up to .500, are using September for their own circumstances.
According to general manager Al Avila, Detroit isn't going to bring up a player from the minors next month unless he can help the team win. Recently the Tigers might bring up a youngster just to expose him to major league life on and off the field.
The club will hold an internal meeting Tuesday to determine who comes up and whether they will be recalled on Sept. 1 or when minor league seasons end after Labor Day weekend.
"We won't be as high as we were last year," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I think we were 38-39 last year.
"We definitely will add pitching depth. And definitely get another catcher up here. We will get some guys for Friday but exactly who they are ... we'll get some guys Friday and some the middle of next week."
Los Angeles will tinker with its starting rotation but Scioscia said he's not sure if that involves expanding the rotation or having newcomers dip in and out of as starters.
The Angels will look at starters they hope can help them at some point next season and give them starts so they can see for themselves what they need to work on to succeed.
"That's one of the advantages," Scioscia said. "You're going to bring up a young pitcher if you feel he's ready for the challenge and there's a role for him. If there is, I think a lot of those things you're talking about are positives. But we just want to see where we are."
Los Angeles is throwing another lefty against Detroit on Sunday, Tyler Skaggs (1-3, 5.70 ERA). Skaggs faced the Tigers at home in 2014 but did not get a decision. He pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed one earned run, striking out five.
Skaggs is making his seventh start of the season, fifth on the road. He has lost his last three starts.
Detroit's starter is right-hander Anibal Sanchez, who continues to fight for his rotation spot, as the Tigers seek to rebound from having their five-game winning streak stopped Saturday night with a 3-2 setback to the Angels.
Sanchez (7-12, 5.83 ERA) counts eight relief appearances among his 30 games when he takes the mound Sunday.
He has started five times against Los Angeles in his career and is 0-3 with a 4.11 ERA. He pitched against the Angels on May 31 but did not get a decision despite allowing six runs on eight hits in three innings.
Sanchez has a 1-1 record and 1.67 ERA in his last four home starts.
Manager Brad Ausmus has confessed to some scoreboard watching as the final month of the regular season
"I definitely look more now than I did," he said. "The first two months of the season I'll watch highlights of games, watch parts of games, but I don't look at the standings very often. Just a cursory glance every week or so.
"It's definitely more fun (now). Every game is important. You have a purpose for coming to | 688 |
South of Market in San Francisco, industrial designer Scott Summitt, is blurring the line between medical devices and sculpture. He calls what he's making the Fairing.
The word fairing typically describes the covering on a motorcycle – the curved shiny part that makes it a sleek, aerodynamic machine. Scott Summit, Director of technology at Bespoke Innovations 3D Systems is pushing the definition—his fairings are for people with prosthetic limbs.
"Typically a prosthetic limb is a very mechanically designed thing. Hardware, exposed nuts and bolts, titanium tube, carbon fiber foot," says Scott who has designed for Apple, Nike and other Silicon Valley companies.
Scott and the designers at Bespoke work individually with each person to customize and develop the look of the fairing. Leather, chrome, heavy-duty dishwasher safe plastic – simple or patterned. Some people choose plaid, or snakeskin, or a tattoo. The back covering of Sarah Reinertsen's fairing is a see- through herringbone design dipped in chrome.
The idea came to Scott about twenty years ago when he saw Aimee Mullins at a conference talking about being an amputee and how that shaped the way she goes about her life. Amy showed the audience her sprinting legs made of carbon graphite and the legs she uses for tennis and softball that have shock absorbers in them.
"Here's this lovely woman," Scott remembers, " but she had these legs that were looking so mechanical. And I thought, 'Wow, why did nobody step up to the plate and make something as sculptural and fluid as the rest of her.'" Scott realized that a major obstacle was the difficulty and expense of producing a custom device per person.
The first step in making a fairing is to scan the person's "sound side" leg using image-based 3D scanning technology. This takes less than a minute. A 3D computer model is mirrored and superimposed over the prosthetic post.
Scott explains that the term 3D printing, is a metaphor. It's not printing anything in the traditional sense of what printing<|fim_middle|> and the modem – this idea that you can transfer information over a telephone line, a crazy idea. That was exciting to see as a kid, this idea that anything is possible. | is. A 3D computer model is sent to the printer and the computer inside this machine slices it up into very thin cross sectional slices. A laser, or an electron beam, or a nozzle creates one layer after another after another. A range of materials can be used–plastics, nylon, metal, ceramics.
We walk around the Bespoke 3D Systems loft office looking at tiny plastic robots, gadgets and gizmos – all 3D printed. Small printers, about the size of coffee makers whiz and whirr layering and layering brightly colored plastic.
Scott picks up a guitar and begins to tune it. "This guitar was entirely 3 D printed—the body, the sterling silver on the badge, even the stainless steel plate on the neck.
"I grew up down the peninsula," says Scott. "My dad was one of the Silicon Valley early guys. He and his collaborators were explorers. They had these new tools—data bases, boolean searches, ascii text files, | 204 |
Анди Грюненфельдер (; род. 17 сентября 1960 года, Санкт-Галлен) — швейцарский лыжник, призёр Олимпийских игр и этапов Кубка мира. Сын известного горнолыжника Геор<|fim_middle|>, 19-м в гонке на 30 км коньком, 5-м в эстафете и 6-м в гонке на 50 км классикой.
На Олимпиаде-1988 в Калгари завоевал бронзу в гонке на 50 км коньком, кроме того принимал участие ещё в трёх гонках: 30 км классикой — не финишировал, 15 км классикой — 35-е место, эстафета — 4-е место.
За свою карьеру принимал участие в четырёх чемпионатах мира, лучший результат 4-е место в гонке на 50 км коньком на чемпионате мира-1987 в Оберстдорфе.
Ссылки
Лыжники Швейцарии
Бронзовые призёры зимних Олимпийских игр 1988 года
Лыжники на зимних Олимпийских играх 1984 года
Лыжники на зимних Олимпийских играх 1988 года | га Грюненфельдера.
В Кубке мира Грюненфельдер дебютировал в 1982 году, в марте 1984 года впервые попал в тройку лучших на этапе Кубка мира. Всего имеет на своём счету 2 попадания в тройку лучших на этапах Кубка мира. Лучшим достижением Грюненфельдера в общем итоговом зачёте Кубка мира является 7-е место в сезоне 1983/84.
На Олимпиаде-1984 в Сараево стал 11-м в гонке на 15 км классикой | 172 |
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Phil & Susan's Travel Blog
Our travelogues and photos from our travels
Listing of our trips
Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India – Jan-Feb 2011
By philsego February 15, 2011 August 15, 2017 Asia
Kuala Lampur, Malaysia
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Susan's work required her to be Asia, so we decided to combine her trip with a multi-country 3 week vacation, including Java and Bali (Indonesia), Sri Lanka, and Mumbai, India.
Susan was originally planning to leave on a Thursday. With a major snowstorm about to hit the Wednesday before, she decided – at the last minute – to leave two days early and spend the extra time in London. (Ahh… the joys of living in New England.) Susan then spent a day in Mumbai on her way to a conference in Kuala Lampur. We met up in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, at the end of a 4-day training that Susan was involved in there. Phil was on a frequent flyer ticket, and had to travel on 5 flights over 38 hours to get to our meeting place. Other than the initial scurrying to beat the blizzard, and mind-numbing jet lag, everything went remarkably smoothly.
Susan had no idea what to expect in Kuala Lumpur, but this city looks like an American city, except that there's lots of tropical greenery everywhere – median strips, pocket parks, tree lined streets. Very modern, but not futuristic like Beijing – it could easily be Seattle, complete with KFCs and McDonalds. While some women are wearing hijabs, others are wearing miniskirts and shorts. While Malaysia is certainly more conservative in the rural areas, Kuala Lumpur is multi-ethnic, very cosmopolitan, and felt quite safe.
Although Air Asia is amazingly cheap, some of their flights are at ridiculous times. Susan had to get up at 3:15am to catch her flight to Yogyakarta. Although Indonesia is east of Malaysia, it is one hour behind, her day was even longer than any day would be that starts so early in the morning.
We met up in Yogyakarta – Phil recuperated while Susan completed the work she was doing, and we then had 4 days in Jogya (as everyone calls it) Although Jogya has over 3 million people, it has no tall buildings and lots of beautiful gardens, so feels like a very appealing and attractive city. The city is full of becaws (pedicabs with the driver in back) constantly offering rides, and small shops with wonderful textiles. Most of the buildings are one-two storeys, so in spite of its size the city feels very manageable/human scale. It is the arts center of Java, and also has many students, so evidence of the arts is everywhere. There was even gamelan music at breakfast some days – a bit of a mixed blessing, but a nice touch reminding us where we are.
It was wonderful to explore Yogyakarta. We wandered around poking in batik shops, going to the Kraton (the Sultan's palace and environs) and learned to squeeze into the becaws. We walked up and down Marlioboro Street, the main drag which is lined with vendors of soft goods – lovely things, and the bargaining is gentle and good humored.
We found the Indonesian people to be very warm and friendly. Yogya felt incredibly safe, a far cry from the western images of Indonesia.
Near Jogya is<|fim_middle|> views over the rice fields, and really nice staff. A full breakfast is included as is tea with wonderful Indonesian pastries each afternoon. There is even free wifi! The swimming pool was crystal clear, and the grounds are meticulously maintained and decorated with lotus and jasmine flowers. The staff could not have been nicer, and the monkeys who occasionally visited were well-behaved.
Hotel Sapphire: For some off reason, Colombo has a gaggle of 4-star pricey hotels and some backpacker guesthouses, but few midrange choices. We found the mid-priced Hotel Sapphire and were very pleased with it. Facing Galle Rd (the main street), it was in a nice area with lots of supermarkets, had helpful and friendly staff, and was clean and comfortable. The traffic along Galle Road wasn't as bad as some had said, and we used the municipal buses to get around. (free wifi)
Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
Shalini Hotel: Not all our hotel choices were good. The Shalini Hotel was marginal, with overpriced coffee and breakfast, rooms with mildew and mold, and pricey internet. The place was run down and not very clean. The rice and curry dinner was very good, which is good, because there is nowhere nearby to eat. Fortunately we were only there for one night; we survived.
Sharon Inn: The Sharon Inn was highly recommended in guidebooks and Trip Advisor, and it was clean. However the owners are brusque to the point of rudeness and very unwelcoming. When we had trouble using the wifi, the owner became hostile and rude, even vaguely anti-American (she's European). This, combined with an odd list of rules posted on the door, made us feel unwelcome. The Sharon Inn is also a bit out of town. When we told the owner that we were leaving after two nights, his answer was a curt "Good. We need the room." And, unlike all the other hotels we've stayed at, there were no driver's rooms. The Sharon Inn did serve the best meal we had in Sri Lanka – rice with curry, at least 15 different very well-prepared dishes.
The Queens Hotel: Clearly a leftover from the British colonial period, this elegant hotel was lovely and charming. Located in the heart of the town, just a five minute walk from the temple of the tooth, this hotel was the polar opposite of the Sharon Inn. The wifi was free, fast, (although only in the lobby), the breakfast was a huge buffet, and the large room had high ceilings and was nicely furnished. The staff were, without exception, the friendliest and sweetest we've encountered. Our driver also loved this hotel, as the drivers' rooms are also very nice – and many of his friends stay there. It was almost double the price of the Sharon Inn, and worth every penny.
Hotel Diplomat: We usually stay at the Suba Palace (see below). Since we changed our itinerary and the Suba Palace had no vacancy for the first two nites, we chose the nearby Hotel Diplomat. This place is a bit run down, but clean, well-located – and not bad. The breakfast was fine, and the staff was helpful. Our only complaint was that the price was too high for what they were offering. The Diplomat is a 2-star hotel, but they charge NYC rates.
Hotel Suba Palace: Although some books rate the Suba Palace as a 2-star hotel, it felt like 4-star luxury after the Diplomat. Everything about the Suba was perfect in every way, and the staff could not have been more welcoming.
Yogyakarta Car & Driver
Sosro Tours (Jl Sosrowijayan Wetan GT 1/62, T: (0274) 512 054), sosro_tours@yahoo.com
There are many travel shops that offer cars – this one was prompt, the driver was helpful, and their prices were very reasonable. The car was very comfy! We booked 2 different car/driver tours with them and recommend them highly.
Sri Lanka Car & Driver
Sri Lankan Hires, Trevelyan Vanderhoven, Manager, www.srilankanhires.com
Everything about this company was perfect. The price quote was good, the manager was fast in responding to our emails, the car was comfortable, and our driver (Mr. Thilanka Thamel) was GREAT! His English was good, and his patience, skill, and warmth made our trip memorable. We had to make a number of changes to our itinerary due to flooding in the Anaradapura and Polonarruwa areas. From the first day, Thilanka put our safety first, but also did his best to get us where we had hoped to go. In Anaradapura, he found a guide who could identify which roads were still open, and we were able to visit part of the ruins. When leaving Anaradapura, many of the roads were impassable due to high waters; Thilanka calmly backtracked several times until he found a way to get us down to Kandy. He loaned us his cell phone and helped us to make changes to our hotel arrangements, and made suggestions for an alternative itinerary in the area around Kandy. Thilanka was knowledgeable about the area and a safe and careful driver. A bonus for us was his engaging and friendly personality.
« China – August 2010
Thailand: Bangkok, Sukkothai, Chiang Mai – Jan. 2013 »
© Copyright 2018-2021, Phillip Sego. All rights reserved. Text, photos, illustrations may not be reproduced for any reason whatsoever | the Buddhist temple of Borobudur, considered to be one of the treasures of the world, and it is truly impressive. It was bombed by terrorists 10 years ago but has been carefully repaired. One enters and circles around the levels, ascending as if to heaven, looking at all the incredible carvings along the way. At the top are massive domes, each with a Buddha inside. Because it is the rainy season, there are relatively few tourists, so it was great to have the place more or less to our selves. (and we had a dry day). While we were touring the temple, workers were scrubbing off the volcanic ash.
Ah, the rainy season…each afternoon it rained for between 30 minutes and 2 hrs. At the end of our day in Borobudur, the rains started when we were just outside of Jogya, and it actually felt like a hurricane – sudden stiff gusts of wind blew ceramic tiles off of the roofs, and the streets flooded. From the travel agency where we needed to settle our bill, it was about 2 blocks to our hotel. We ended up taking off our shoes and socks to walk (or rather wade) back; fortunately we had our umbrellas. It was quite an adventure. To recover, Susan had a facial around the corner from our hotel – it was GREAT, and $3 (plus tip!). In the evening, we went to a performance of the traditional Ramayana dance performance, complete with gamelan music.
On another day we visited the Hindu temples of Pramabahan – an amazing complex of towers visible from miles away. Again, the carvings just blew us away, and the lush tropical surroundings could only be southeast Asia. We also stopped at a few smaller temples as part of the tour – so much to see in this part of Java.
Ubud and Bali, Indonesia
We left Jogya and arrived in Bali around 10am (finally – a flight at a civilized time!), and it was about an hour to get up to Ubud. We were delighted to find that our hotel far surpassed our expectations – a lovely canopy bed with the towels folded into lotus blossoms, a balcony that overlooked rice paddies and a huge bathtub with views out over the landscape. On our first day, we explored Ubud a bit, and were taken a bit aback at the endless chi-chi shops and traffic. On the second day, we hired a cab to take us to several beautiful temples outside of Ubud. This was a highlight, as the scenery in Bali is gorgeous. The next day decided to do some exploring on our own. We rented a motorbike (one; Phil drove, while Susan hung on). We had some initial fears, as there is a lot of traffic in the city. However, once we got out of the city it was wonderful – lush rice paddies, beautiful blossoming trees, and an infinite number of temples. Every neighborhood has three temples – for Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma, and each family also has a private temple; size of course being a sign of status and wealth, so that some very humble homes have quite elaborate temples. In the evenings, we went out to see dance – the first was Kecak, with 40 men doing an acapella version of gamelan and dancers enacting a story from the Ramayana. The next nite we saw a Legong performance in the former royal palace. Legong dancers are able to bend their fingers backwards, and train from childhood in this art form, which includes exaggerated eye movements, similar to Indian kathak dance.
Unfortunately, Ubud is not an attractive town. There are lots of tourists and shops, Starbucks clones, pizza joints, western-style bars, and shops selling plastic trinkets. However each night there are multiple music, puppet and dance performances. We saw one performance every night we were there.
The people in Ubud look very different than in Java. The Hinduism here is quite different than India – infused with the beliefs that existed before Hinduism – and the temples are riotous edifices of sculpture, guardian gods, and flower offerings. Brahma is actively worshipped here, and temples to him are ubiquitous (In India, Brahma temples are very rare). We also saw Durga (instead of Pavarti) and Surya (an aspect of Shiva) frequently being worshipped. Of course, in India, there are regional differences as well.
Colombo, the capital, is a rambling huge city, full of traffic with no well-defined center. While few people regard Colombo as a destination, we enjoyed our time there. We visited the museums, perused the shops, and visited Buddhist temples. At sunset, we enjoyed drinks on the deck of the old Galle Face Hotel – a charming vestige of the British colonial period – while overlooking the Indian Ocean.
Sri Lanka is well-known for crowded rough roads and kamikaze drivers. Before we left home, we arranged a car and driver. One could do this on arrival, but this gave us a chance to make sure that the company was reliable. We couldn't have made a better choice. So the next morning, we were met by our driver and began our exploration of the "Cultural Triangle" – the ruins of the ancient Buddhist dynasties of Sri Lanka.
The history here of the various invaders from India and the blending/conflict of Hinduism and Buddhism create unique temples and culture, yet we feel that our experience with India is helping familiarize us with our surroundings.
Our first destination was Anuradhapura. We knew that record breaking rains had caused severe flooding in the eastern half of the island earlier in January. These came at the end of their monsoon season, and we had read that things were returning to normal. Unfortunately, global climate change had caused the region continual flooding. It started raining as we left Colombo, but despite washed- out roads and overflowing rivers, we were able to make it to Anuradhapura. We were able to get to one of the ancient Buddhist temples, founded in 300 BC, full of beautiful carvings, before battling the flooded roads to get out of the town. Due to the heavy rains (very unusual for this season) we rearranged our itinerary, needing to cancel our trip to Polonaruwa and other parts of the "cultural triangle." Kandy is the second largest city in Sri Lanka. Our hotel overlooked a beautiful lake. Once we got to Kandy, we actually had 2 days of no rain, which gave us a chance to visit the Botanical Garden and also go to the wonderful caves at Dumballa, which was a treat. These caves, over 1500 years old, have multiple images of Buddha and amazing wall paintings. We also visited spice gardens and a tea plantation.
Kandy, Sri Lanka
Kandy is the second largest city in Sri Lanka, up in the hill country, surrounded by plantations growing tea and spices. Kandy prides itself on preserving Sinhalese culture through the occupations of the Portuguese, Dutch and British. In the 18th century, the king of Kandy converted the rice paddy fields in the middle of the town into a huge lake. Many decried his waste at the time, but it is now a beautiful centerpiece to the town. Colonial buildings on one side, lovely views of the mountains, one crowned by a giant white Buddha, on the other. We have used Kandy as a base to explore – went up to Dambulla on Saturday – a series of cave temples with incredible paintings, stopping at several other temples along the way. Hinduism and Buddhism have blended here – many Buddha temples have a Buddha statue in the middle and a side sanctuary honoring Vishnu. Only one had a temple elephant so far, however.
The town itself is pleasant and has lots of great sites – including the Temple of the Tooth, which proudly exhibits a tooth of the Buddha. This relic is worshipped with great fanfare: processions, drumming, and the presence of many devotees. The city also boasts a museum, but it was mysteriously closed during our visit.
This was our third trip to Mumbai, and as before, we enjoyed every minute. There are many changes since we were last here due to the terrorist attacks. There is now security to get into the Taj Hotel and many of the nearby shops (closing the door after the horse has escaped). There are more shops aimed at the middle class – evidence of India's booming economy is everywhere. Our favorite restaurant was still there, and we ate most of our meals there – to the amusement and obvious pride of the staff.
There was an arts festival while we were there, and we were able to see great dance performances, both classical Indian and an amazing modern group called "Salsa India". By some amazing coincidence, we ran into one of Susan's friends who had worked with her in Indonesia a few weeks earlier – what are the chances of that in one of the largest cities in the world?
One evening we met some other friends of Susan's for dinner in a northern part of Mumbai. We took the Mumbai commuter rail out of Victoria Terminus (VT), an experience unto itself. Being slightly wimpy, we bought first class tickets. But the scene (stampede) was unforgettable.
We visited the Mumbai synagogue on Saturday morning. We learned that the chazzan, Benjamin Simon Dandekar, who had been so warm and welcoming when we visited before, had since passed away. We also learned that, following the terrorist attacks on Mumbai in November 2008, the three Mumbai Jewish congregations had unified and now held joint Shabbat services. The Jews of Mumbai hadn't previously, in their 2000 year history in India, experienced anti-Semitic attacks.
Hotel 1001 Malam: A small hotel with 16 rooms in a great location, near restaurants, shopping, tour/transportation companies. Located in a quiet alley, this lovely hotel had a hand-carved teak façade and hand-painted murals in each room. The interior garden was an oasis of tropical greenery. The staff was wonderful, the breakfasts (banana or pineapple crepes) were delicious, and the round-the-clock availability of coffee and tea was a nice touch. Free wifi and great prices. We could easily imagine spending more time here – if only it weren't a zillion hours away.
Saren Indah – We somehow found the perfect place to stay – at the edge of town away from traffic, a lovely room with views of the rice paddies and birds, and towels folded in amazing shapes on the bed – lotus flowers, swans, even hearts! This was an amazing hotel, about a 10 minute walk from the town, but through the monkey forest! It's like a high end resort: a canopied bed, a deck with | 2,257 |
Teresa is an experienced and successful Account Manager and Recruiter, with over 7 year's experience working within the Human Resourcing and Recruitment sector. She is a<|fim_middle|>forces, whilst successfully fulfilling clients' needs through pipelining, talent pooling, contractor management, retention strategies, process implementation and relationship management.
Her passion is to make a difference in people's lives and she feels she achieves this by watching the success in those she places in roles and the impact she makes when she is able to understand client's business objectives and deliver them a result that provides a positive impact on them and their business. | dedicated professional that strives to provide a seamless service to both her clients and candidates alike through consistency, dedication and strong relationships to understand their needs and their wants.
She is a specialist in managing contingent work | 39 |
TTC Business Solutions
Speak to a Specialist: (888) 89<|fim_middle|>, what can be protected under U.S. Copyright laws, and the benefits of registering your work with the U.S. Copyright Office.
What Is Protected Under U.S. Copyright Law?
A Copyright is a form of protection for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright covers both published and unpublished works. In short, U.S. Copyright law protects original works of artistic expression such as movies, books, songs, lyrics, computer programs, paintings, photographs, graphic designs and other similar works.
Do I have to register to get copyright protection?
No. Once registration was required to protect a work under U.S. Copyright law. However, the current law is explicit: "registration is not a condition of copyright protection." 17 USC §408(a). Copyright protection attaches as soon as "original works of authorship" are "fixed in any tangible medium of expression." 17 USC §102(a). In other words, your words, images, code, music, paintings are protected as soon as you write them down, paint them, record them on film, or otherwise.
Then why should I register my work under U.S. Copyright law?
Registration gives you several additional protections not afforded to unregistered works. For instance:
You must register your copyright before you can sue someone in court for infringement. 17 USC §411(a).
You must register your copyright within 3 months of the date of first publication (or, in the case of unpublished works, before the end of the first month after initially learning that your work was infringed) to be entitled to statutory damages and attorney's fees (more on this below). 17 USC §412.
Registration made before the end of five years after the date of first publication constitutes prima facie evidence in court that a copyright is valid and that all the facts stated in the certificate of registration are true. 17 USC §410. This shifts the burden to the defendant to show that your copyright is not valid or that you are not the owner, a valuable shift in the burden of proof of the parties.
Registration provides notice to all that you own the copyright, making it more difficult for infringers to argue that they infringed "innocently" or "unknowingly."
Registration makes it easier to transfer or assign rights in your copyright which is critical in some industries wherein you intend to sell or license your work for financial gain (e.g., authors who author a book and wish to sell it, musicians who record music and wish to distribute it for sale, etc.).
When is the deadline to register a copyright?
You can register a copyright anytime during its statutory lifetime which is currently the life of the author plus 70 years. However, as set forth above, you can obtain certain benefits only by timely registration.
What are statutory damages?
When someone infringes your copyright you are entitled to "actual damages" and "profits of the infringer that are attributable to the infringement" 17 USC §504(b). Proof of these forms of damages are highly subjective and often makes pursuing a legal remedy not worthwhile.
However, a copyright registrant may elect statutory damages in lieu of actual damages. 17 USC §504(c). Statutory damages ranges from between $750 to $30,000 per work and can even go up to $150,000 per work if the infringement can be proven to have been willful. Additionally, you may get attorney's fees and costs at the court's discretion. 17 USC §505.
How do I register my copyright?
The U.S. Copyright Office, part of the Library of Congress, is the official registrar of U.S. Copyrights. The cost to register a work is $55 or, if the registration is needed within a few days, there is an expedited fee for several hundred dollars. Given the complexities of the process and the ability of defense lawyers in copyright actions to invalidate registrations that contain even the slightest of errors it is recommended that you seek assistance from an experienced service to register your copyrights.
Registering your works is affordable and, if done properly, grants you significant additional rights making it easier and more lucrative to enforce against infringement which may occur. If you do not do not register your copyrights as set forth above you may lose certain statutory rights against infringers lessening the value of your work. Moreover, if you intend to sell or license your work in whole or in part registration makes it easier to do so and is often a prerequisite for companies who buy, license, or distribute works (e.g., publishers, record labels, etc.).
Accordingly, think of a copyright registration as an investment in your work that can result in significant benefits both by assisting to stop infringement as well as making your work more marketable for potential distribution thereof.
As always, if you have any questions regarding this or any related topics Contact Us at TTC Business Solutions.
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Individuals are often confused by the distinctions between copyrights, patents, and trademarks. In this article, we explain the basis for copyright protection | 123 |
Once you have established as a patient with Dr. Marcantel, most follow-up appointments to review lab results and discuss treatment protocols or medication changes can be done through phone consultations. Phone consultations are a convenient way of having a visit with Dr. Marcantel without having to leave your home or work to travel to our clinic.
Dr. Marcantel typically does phone appointments on Wednesdays. Call our office (480-892-0211) and speak with Colleen to schedule your appointment.
Phone appointments range from 15 minutes to 60<|fim_middle|> the phone number you would like us to call for your appointment.
Please be sure we have a current credit card on file for you. Your card will be charged for the appropriate length of your phone appointment after it is completed.
On the day of your appointment, Dr. Marcantel will call you at the appointed time.
The number she is calling from is a private number. Please be sure your phone is enabled to receive calls from "anonymous" numbers.
Dr. Marcantel will call you as close to the appointed time as possible. Please allow for the possibility that her call may be delayed by 5-10 minutes due to a previous appointment running longer than expected. In the unlikely event that the delay will be more than that, our office will call you to update you.
It is generally very helpful to have note paper and a pen handy, along with copies of your lab results and a list of specific questions you may have for Dr. Marcantel.
Dr. Marcantel will relay instructions to Colleen regarding any medication changes, supplement needs, or necessary follow-up treatments. Please call our office soon after your appointment to coordinate these with Colleen.
Dr. Marcantel notes the exact time spent with the patient during a phone consultation. Please note that if your appointment runs longer than initially scheduled, you may be charged for the actual time spent on the visit. Your credit card on file with our office will be billed for the visit by the close of business on the day of the phone appointment.
The length of time required for follow-up visits is dependent on the time necessary to provide the best possible ongoing treatment for the patient.
Please feel free to give us a call if you have any questions! | minutes depending on the nature of the visit and how much needs to be discussed. Colleen will help you determine an appropriate length of time for your appointment.
At the time you schedule, please specify | 39 |
Having a swimming pool is the Australian homeowner's dream, particularly for those without a beach nearby. A fantastic way to relax and cool off in the summer, pools can be an costly investment, but done right, a pool can be one of the best investments you'll ever make. Here are some tips for how to design the perfect pool for your backyard.
When deciding what size to build your swimming pool, it's a good idea to consider how you will be using it. Picture yourself sitting by the pool, swimming in the pool and entertaining by the pool, as well as who will be<|fim_middle|> window if your pool is raised to your home. Or, build a retaining wall along the property boundary in the form of planter boxes, if your slope goes away from your home.
In-ground pools are the typical residential or backyard pool, being easy to dive or climb into and generally offering a more finished, smooth look. Above-ground are available at a lower price point, by far the definitive advantage of this style of pool. The downside to above-ground is that they are less aesthetically pleasing, and do not last as long.
It's vital to remember that a pool is just one part of the larger landscape. Therefore it must be part of your overall plan. Overlooking this will result in a pool and landscape that do not compliment each other. You'll also lose the opportunity to integrate options that provide more value for the same or similar price.
Pools are a costly proposition, therefore it's important to put adequate time into the design process. You'll only build it once, after all. Materials and detailing should be high quality and timeless so that your pool and landscape stands the test of time. Never jump into a fad without careful consideration, and always do your research into common materials. Don't just consider pool materials either – it's the surrounding outdoor tiles that will give the finishing detail.
Determine budget.The first thing you should do when designing a pool is figure out how much you are prepared to spend on it. Be firm in your budget too, as costs can quickly build up.
Talk to people that already have a pool.Ask what they like about it. Ask what they don't like about it. How long did it take to build? Were there unforeseen costs?
Create an inspiration board.Capture pictures of designs you like, and once you've got a dozen or so, try to identify a common theme.
Make a wish list.From your file of saved ideas, make a list of all the features you'd like your pool to have. Go all in and then work your way backwards, eliminating things that don't compliment each other and things that might be out of your budget.
Do a hose layout.Find the biggest hose you can and drag the hose into the area where your pool will be. This is a great way to create a realistic visual of the placement of your pool, and garner an idea of the impact on your remaining space. If you don't like what you see, play around some more.
Visualise the setting.Swimming pools aren't just 'swimming pools' any more. Instead, they're part of a private oasis retreat that can add enormous value to any entertainment space. Not only must everything tie in together, the pool and landscape must tick health and safety facets too. Tiles around the pool, for example, should be slip resistant and UV protected. If the pool or spa is to be used at night, proper lighting is essential.
Be sun smart.The need for protective shade adjacent to the pool is essential, whether filtered through a vine shrouded arbour or the result of a solid roof structure.
Think green.The integration of greenery of any kind is what turns a pool yard into a gorgeous landscape, particularly when planting colours are coordinated with the overall site palette.
Consider storage.If space allows, place the equipment close to your pool. The closer the pump, the more efficiently it will operate. The pool filtering system should be at pool level or lower to avoid putting undue pressure on the pump.
The most ideal positioning for your pool is a spot that delivers privacy, sunshine in the autumn and spring, and shelter from the wind. If you have small children, you must also allow for safe supervision.
You should also consider obstacles such as storm water drains, gas, electricity and sewers, as this will increase costs for future repairs of any of these services. If you are unsure of their location, check with your local council. As for trees, overhanging trees can offer great shade, but tree roots can cause problems later on by placing pressure on pool walls. You'll also get exhausted of cleaning leaves from your new pool, meaning you may want to check with the council to see if they can be removed.
In a confined space, the most popular method is to position the pool against an existing feature such as the house, fence or other boundary. This will maximise space and give the illusion of grandeur.
Enjoying the pool is not just about swimming in it, with most pool owners admitting to getting just as much joy out of their water views. In fact, you'll likely spend more time looking at your pool than you will in it, so make certain your pool is the dominant focal point. Integrate the interior and exterior spaces through hard and soft landscaping elements to enhance the overall effect.
The main thing to remember when designing a pool is that it is YOUR pool. Be creative yet practical, do your research, consider all of the above, and you're well on your way to the perfect pool for you. See the big picture by viewing the pool as part of both your home and your lifestyle, and talk to those in the know to get further insights and incorporate your own unique touches. From size and shape, to style, colour and pool surroundings, the world is your oyster in terms of pool and landscape design. | using the pool. Will your pool be used for games and family fun, or do you simply want to enjoy a refreshing dip on hot days? Do you plan on doing laps or do you see yourself relaxing in a spa? Using your imagination is the best place to start when deciding size and style.
Other factors that will help determine the size of your pool are cost and running expenses, as well as available land area. New planning regulations and advantages in technology mean you don't have to live on a quarter of an acre block to own a pool, but obviously a compressed site will restrict how big and what shape your pool will be.
Certain shapes lend themselves better to complementing surrounding landscapes or structures. Pools placed by the home should fit with the home's silhouette, whereas pools placed in the backyard can afford to be a little more freeform.
Common pool shapes include; rectangular, freeform, kidney, figure-8, L-shaped, lazy L-shaped, Roman, geometric, Grecian, circular and oval. These shapes can be incorporated into modern, traditional, Mediterranean or tropical styles, and for those after a vanishing edge, infinity pools visually blend water into the sky views beyond.
Design your pool so that it is an extension of the architecture of your home. If your home, for example, is a modern rectilinear home, build your pool the same. The common right angle corners and straight lines will make the pool feel at one with the building and will provide a continuous flow when transitioning from the indoors to outdoors. If you live in a period home, make use of sweeping radius corners and Roman ended pool shapes, which lend a 'classical' look. Finish off with outdoor pavers like Siri Marble Pavers or Limetta Limestone Pavers for even more timeless elegance. If your home offers a modern, beachy vibe, you'd love our Pianura Bluestone Crazy Paving against a modern rectangular or infinity pool.
There needs to be a logical progression so that you can transition from the house to the pool simply and swiftly. Locate the exit point from your home and place the pool fence gate and pool steps in a sequence that provides continuity for seamless use. If you have a slope to the property, build your pool to take advantage of this. Consider incorporating an acrylic viewing | 464 |
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What Everyone Is Talking About
Photographer Mocks Panic Buyers, Uses Toilet Roll for Newborn Photoshoot
Aug 07, 2020 by Maria in Lifestyle
Sick and fed up with seeing people clamoring over toilet paper rolls in groceries all over the country, a baby photographer thought of a lighthearted way to poke fun at the coronavirus panic buyers.
Helen O' Brien and her husband Ben spent weeks scrolling through social media and watching the news hearing the same old thing: people were hoarding toilet paper.
The two haven't stockpiled toilet papers; they just had the normal amount because they couldn't see the point in stocking up toilet paper. Then, all of a sudden, a burst of inspiration hit Helen.
Helen said it all began with a lighthearted joke she said to her husband when she started to visualize her idea. The 32-year-old and her husband were just sitting on their sofa, watching the news, when she thought about how funny it would be if they did a newborn shoot with toilet paper since it seems like everyone treats it as something precious.
So 15 minutes later, they had everything set up in their studio. Everything is complete, the wardrobe, the cameras, the lights, the props, and of course, the precious subject—toilet paper rolls.
Posing with the "precious newborn"
She looked through her normal supply of toilet paper and searched<|fim_middle|> Safe To Eat
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Viral Revival Copyright Viral Revival. All rights reserved. | for the prettiest one, the one with patterns and thin sheets. And to make it look and feel like a real newborn, she wrapped it in one of her tiny headbands.
Helen posed with the toilet paper rolls, wearing a soft white dress, and held the toilet paper ever so preciously, just like she would hold actual babies.
The husband and wife took a couple of shots and made sure they got the perfect ones. They owned Ivory White Photography, so they took advantage of their skills and equipment to make the mock shoot look as real as possible.
Hoping to make people smile
After picking out the best shots, Helen then posted their precious newborn shoot on her social media. She said she just hoped to make her followers smile amidst all the pandemic problems. But she never expected the public's reactions.
Everyone absolutely loved it! "I haven't had one negative comment…It's good to see some positivity coming from it – it's what we need at the moment," Helen said.
Helen shared her precious toilet paper roll photoshoot on Facebook, where it quickly garnered over 19,000 likes and shares.
Another photographer, Kristine Vacca of The Flash Lady Photography also got inspired and did a photoshoot of her own. She wrapped her precious toilet paper in tiny macrame seats and also tucked it in the cutest little bed. Vacca surely had a lot of fun shooting her newborn and even named her toilet roll Baby TP.
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Learn Keeping Cookout Condiments | 363 |
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Home news The Military Connection
By Daniela Jacques
The Military Connection
1,500 organisations have now signed the Armed Forces Covenant, including charities like Help for Heroes. Independence Homes wanted to show its support by signing its own pledge. The Covenant is regarded with great significance and represents an organisation's commitment to supporting the armed forces. It seemed a fitting way to recognise all the connections our company have with the military, whether that be through staff or those that we support.
Two of our long-standing and valued staff members, Sara McCague and Karen Lorimer, have both led Cadet groups for many years, 23 and 22 respectively. Karen is a Captain in the Royal Regiment of the Fusiliers and Sara is a Sergeant Major in the Blues and Royals. I had the opportunity to catch up with them to learn more about the armed forces and our connections.
Karen informed me that the company's military connection starts with Caterham, the location of our head office and two of our services. Home to military barracks until 1995, which were built as a depot for the Foot Guards regiments in 1877.
We recently welcomed a young man called Tomas, who has served with the military for nearly eight years. Tomas is currently being supported through his long-term rehabilitation following a traumatic brain injury but the military of course still holds enormous importance in his life. Ensuring Tomas maintains his connection to the military is essential for improving his motivation, mood and general wellbeing.
Karen recalls their first meeting: "I asked Tomas which regiment he was in and he told me it was the Fusiliers, so I asked, first or second? And then, which company? He looked at me hard; there was an instant recognition – if you weren't in the military, you wouldn't ask those questions. I told him I was also a Fusilier, and he asked me what rank I was? So I told him I was a captain and from that moment on he only ever calls me 'Marm'."
Sara helps illuminate how important this could be for Tomas. He will now recognise that Karen completely understands some of his ways related to his army background. 'The banter" for example. "Just generally the way they act and speak", Karen<|fim_middle|> a lot of people from different backgrounds; we can build relationships and connections a lot quicker than some people. Breaking the ice, that can take some people months. For us it just takes a few weeks".
Sara describes how organising a Service User holiday is a 'walk in the park 'compared to 'taking three hundred cadets away'.
Tomas has been maintaining a high level of fitness since he moved to his new flat and enjoys visiting the gym several times a week. Exploring ways Tomas will have continued involvement with the military makes up part of his key-working. "There will be lots of possibilities – The Invictus Games, volunteering at the Regimental Museum and taking part in regimental events could be a few ways of achieving this", Karen tells me. "We will work with Tomas's Post Resettlement Officer and his regiment to open up as many opportunities for support as possible".
Karen was involved in supporting Tomas's attendance at a regimental lunch at the Tower of London recently, pictures of the occasion show him looking incredibly smart and smiling broadly. From this lunch Karen has had offers of support for Tomas from serving soldiers who are prepared to give up their free time to give Tomas access to activities and events.
Finding ways to support every individual in achieving their goals is one of the core principles to our support. Being part of Tomas's continued connection with the military has been a privilege and has only reinforced all of our respect for the armed forces.
Our Pledge- We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.
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Independence Homes Limited,
2nd Floor Quadrant House,
31-65 Croydon Road,
Caterham, Surrey CR3 6PB.
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Email : info@independencehomes.co.uk
Copyright Independence Homes 2019
Designed by Graphical | concludes, "Having that insight makes understanding someone a lot easier".
Sara and Karen both agree that their work with the military puts them at an advantage in working to support people with complex care needs.
"We see | 42 |
<|fim_middle|>oneixement | L'economia del coneixement és un terme que es refereix tant a una economia del coneixement centrada en la producció i gestió de coneixement en el marc de les limitacions econòmiques, com una economia basada en el coneixement. En el segon sentit, més freqüentment utilitzat, es refereix a la utilització de les tecnologies del coneixement (com ara coneixements d'enginyeria i la gestió del coneixement) per produir beneficis econòmics. La frase es va popularitzar, si bé no va ser inventada per Peter Drucker en el títol del Capítol 12 del seu llibre L'edat de la discontinuïtat.
La diferència essencial és que en una economia del coneixement, el coneixement és un producte mentre que en l'economia basada en el coneixement, el coneixement és una eina. Aquesta diferència encara està sent questionada en diferents fons literàries. Ambdues aproximacions són molt interdisciplinaries, compten amb la participació d'economistes, científics, enginyers, matemàtics, químics, físics, així com cognitivistes, psicòlegs i sociòlegs.
Diversos observadors descriuen l'economia global d'avui com una de transició cap a una "economia del coneixement", com una extensió d'una "societat de la informació". La transició requereix que les normes i pràctiques que determinen l'èxit en l'economia industrial necessiten ser reescrites en una economia interconnectada, globalitzada on els recursos del coneixement així com els coneixements tècnics i l'experiència són tan importants com altres recursos econòmics.
Segons analistes de l'"economia del coneixement", aquestes normes necessiten ser reescrites en els nivells de les empreses i les indústries en termes de gestió del coneixement i en el pla de la política pública com a política del coneixement o els coneixements relacionats amb la política.
Referències
C | 529 |
Happy Women in Business Month!
October is National Women in Business Month! We want to take a moment to celebrate all the female small business owners and entrepreneurs out there. One of our favorite female small business bloggers, Smallbizlady, recently posted about her experience hosting the American Express Open Women<|fim_middle|> on Your Customers: If you love your customers they will likely love you back. It's that simple. Customers are the most important aspect of every business so it's critical that they are treated that way. These tips and more were originally posted by Smallbizlady on her blog, Succeed as Your Own Boss. Be sure to add this blog to your weekly reading list and have a happy National Women in Business Month! | 's CEO Bootcamp Program and shared some of the best pieces of advice she heard from the top female entrepreneurs who presented.
Don't Go It Alone: Whether that means hiring help or investing time into developing relationships with mentors and fellow business owners, find support where you can and don't wait until you are overwhelmed to ask for advice.
Get Outside Your Comfort Zone: You might not love spending a significant amount of time on social media or getting out into the field to make sales pitches, but these are necessary steps to make your business succeed.
Love | 108 |
Borland and Morton are a long established family dentist in Hamilton and have built a reputation for providing high quality dental care for your entire family.
Although we only moved to our purpose build practices in 1995 Borland and Morton have been fixing smiles in Hamilton for over 70 years and continue to see some third generation families.
At Borland and Morton we pride ourselves on providing affordable pain free dental treatment of<|fim_middle|>8.
For urgent treatment or advice outside surgery hours, call us to receive our emergency details.
Selected late night appointments are available. | the highest quality.
Borland and Morton is one of the few practices in Scotland to offer this state of the art service to patients. Utilising the latest CAD/CAM technology we are able to provide patients with beautiful, strong and long lasting restorations in one visit, without the need for impressions or temporary restorations.
At Borland and Morton, we are one of the first practices in the UK to have the latest CEREC Omnicam technology which allows to provide strong and long lasting restorations that looks and feel like just a natural tooth in only one visit. With CEREC restorations there are no need for temporary restorations, impressions or 2nd appointments and the restoration is all Ceramic (metal free) so it looks great. CEREC is so versatile and is ideal to restore simple unsightly fillings to root treated and badly broken down teeth.
The tooth is prepared any decay or unsightly amalgam fillings are removed and shaped to accommodate the CEREC restoration.
The Omnicam takes high resolution images of your teeth and builds a digital model of your on the computer which allows us to design the ideal restoration in terms of function and appearance.
Staining and glazing, subtle stains and characterisations can be added to the restoration to make it look like your natural teeth.
The completed restoration is bonded into place and finished and smoothed leaving you with and brand new tooth and a smile on your face!!!
Ask us about CEREC we will be happy to advise you further.
We also use Emax Ceramic material which is the highest quality dental ceramic material giving unparallel aesthetics and strength.
Dental implants are an ideal restoration for missing teeth or stabilising dentures.. They are titanium fixtures inserted into the jawbone and fuse or "osseointergrate" to your bone an become part of you. A tooth or crown can be build up on top of this giving a restoration that looks and feels as close to a natural tooth as possible. The procedure is straightforward and has a very high success rate.
Dental implants are titanium fixtures inserted into your jaw bone that effectively act a tooth root to build up a tooth on top of it. It is a simple procedure that can be done under local anaesthetic in the dental chair although sedation is available if required.
The implant is left in the bone for an appropriate amount of time to heal and fuse or "osseointergate" to the bone.
Once integrated it is possible to attach a crown onto the implant which looks, feels and performs the same as a natural tooth, in fact there is some evidence that implants are stronger than natural teeth.
Dental implants can be used to replace single missing teeth or to restore larger spaces where multiple teeth are missing including full mouth reconstructions.
Another technique in implantology is for the stabilisation of loose or poorly fitting dentures.
A number of implants (typically 4 in the upper and/or 2 in the lower jaws) are placed and allowed to integrate. A new denture is then made which precisely clicks into the implants, securely supporting and holding the denture in place. This prevents movement of the denture greatly improving its fit and stability.
Implants are currently the gold standard for dental treatment and the replacement of missing teeth. Alternative treatments are available but these typically involve the destruction of adjacent teeth or a compromise on the treatment outcome.
If you are interested in dental implants please feel free to contact us to book a free consultation.
Veneers are a fine layer of porcelain applied to the front surface of the tooth that can be used to improve the appearance of teeth by altering the colour, shape and to an extent the position of your natural teeth. the veneer is custom made to fit your teeth and bonded in place to give you a durable and function restoration that looks great.
A crown is a dental restoration that fits around a natural tooth to effectively repair badly damaged or decayed teeth. they are also ideal restoration for teeth that are root treated to help reinforce the remaining tooth structure and reduce any chance of tooth fracturing. Dental crowns can be made from a variety of materials such as metal alloys, porcelain and all ceramic materials depending on the clinical situation and need.
Adhesive or "sticky" bridges are bonded to the back of adjacent teeth and require little or no preparation your teeth.
Conventional bridges are similar in design to crowns and surround the entire surface of the adjacent tooth to hold the false tooth in place.
Similarly to crowns bridges can be made in a variety of materials such as metal alloy, porcelain and ceramic materials on the clinical situation and need.
Borland and Morton is a long establish practice in Hamilton that has been treating the generations of families for over 70 years. We pride ourselves on providing consistently high quality dental treatment and excellent patient care that allows patients to develop trust and confidence in us and build a rapport that keeps people coming back for years to come.
We offer a full range of NHS and private treatments and would be delighted to see you for a routine exam and discuss any of your treatment needs and all the options to suit you.
Tooth whitening is a process where the colour of your teeth are permanently lightened by the application of hydrogen or carbamide peroxide to the teeth.
The bleach is applied in surgery to the teeth using custom made "trays" or "gumshields" that closely fit your teeth. This way the bleach can be applied in a controlled manner to predictably and effectively lighten the teeth. the trays can then be used overnight at home to gently whiten your teeth until you are satisfied with the end result.
Most people have no side effects of tooth whitening, however occasionally some people report an increase in sensitivity following tooth whitening. This is only temporary and can be helped during the procedure if required.
Tooth whitening only changes the colour of tooth substance and not any dental restorations. Therefore, after tooth whitening is complete it may be necessary to change any visible restorations to blend in with your new white teeth.
Duncan graduated in 1977 From Glasgow University. An experienced clinician with an ability to resolve complex cases to a high aesthetic standard. Duncan has a particular interest in Cad/ Cam dentistry. Having acquired his first CEREC unit in 2009 has now upgraded to the very latest OMNICAM technology.
Hamish graduated in 1981 From Glasgow University. Hamish provides a full range of dental procedures in a personal way, with a keen eye to detail ensuring patients leave the practice with the smile they deserve.
Graduated from Glasgow University with honours in 2009. Martin went on to complete his MFDS exams from the royal college of physicians and surgeons Glasgow in 2011. Martin worked in Glasgow Dental Hospital and the community dental service gaining experience in treating anxious children and more complex patients before joining the Borland and Morton team in 2011. He has developed a keen interest in CEREC dentistry and aims to make dental treatment as stress and pain free as possible.
Our fully qualified hygienist graduated in 200 | 1,448 |
Spend a long weekend in Germany's historic capital city. Experience Berlin's vibrant culture, tangible history and fabulous food.
Stay at Hotel le Rome for impeccable service and luxurious rooms, with stunning modern interiors and generous proportions. Also providing an excellent base to explore the city's classic sites including The Reichstag, Museum Island and the Berlin Wall.
Rome wasn't built in a day. It was created in 1889 as<|fim_middle|>armenmarkt.
Unwind in the unique spa in an original jewel vault and make use of the hotel's many facilities including a 20 metre lap pool, holistic treatments, massage, sun terrace, Finnish sauna and tranquillity zone. experience fine dining at the hotel restaurant with terrace and delightful courtyard. | a bank, and its monumental splendour and baroque proportions remain as impressive as ever. Walk into the grand ballroom of Berlin's Hotel de Rome and you could be forgiven for thinking you've stepped inside a giant wedding cake. Soaring columns sweep your eyes up to a first balconied tier – and upwards again to arches and the baroque second tier. Intricate chandeliers hang from a magnificent ceiling and subtle green and pink décor is the icing on the cake.
The grand setting of Bepelplatz in the heart of Berlin, is just minutes from the State Opera House, Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island and Gend | 129 |
We're Cred Communications, a Hong Kong-based Public Relations agency.
Getting your story seen and heard is our priority.
Engage key influencers & bloggers in your sector.
Connect with people of importance.
Use partnerships to amplify your brand.
Have worked with Cred Communications over many years for different companies, and they've never disappointed, not even once! The team has done stellar PR work and I've personally seen how they come out winning even through extremely difficult projects. I would really recommend Cred as the PR agency of choice in Hong Kong.
Led by Mandy<|fim_middle|> enthusiasm and professional service delivery, that ensured the results we required. Their local market knowledge enabled us to keep our communications and brand messaging relevant and on point to maximise our media engagement opportunities.
CRED Communications were a key partner of Emarsys for many years, managing our media relationships and creating buzz around our proposition. The team at CRED worked with us through many campaigns , offering direction and inspiration, helping us to frame our ideas, running with us as we developed those ideas into fleshed out messages and, critically, making sure those stories got to all the right people and were published in all the right places. Their highly personal approach to business means that working with them is not only 'highly effective' but also 'highly enjoyable.' A class act. | Queen, Cred's team were always available – like an extension of our team. Cred pitched and executed incredible campaigns that helped us reach our target audience in Hong Kong. We loved seeing honestbee endorsed by Hong Kong's Key Opinion Leaders, featured in media articles and listed as a partner with other influential startups. Personally, I appreciated the time they spent prepping me for our media interviews. This helped us convey our message and resulted in some wonderful articles. CRED was crucial to honestbee's success in Hong Kong, and I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a personable agency that delivers top results.
Cred Communications are PR superstars! In early 2017 we engaged Cred to create buzz around our Munch'n kiwiberry brand in the Hong Kong market – which they undoubtedly achieved by gaining us wide exposure across their large number of contacts in the food and beverage scene. All of the Cred team are very friendly, professional, seamless on communication and they all really believed in our brand from the start, which made us feel at ease. Originally they came recommended to us, we wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to others and we look forward to working with them again next season.
We were fortunate enough to work with Mandy and the team at Cred Communications during our fundraising Kickstarter campaign for The Helper documentary and I can honestly say the campaign wouldn't have been a success if we hadn't had them on board! From strategic thinking and planning, to utilizing their extensive network of both English and Chinese language media to achieve first rate press coverage – they really got our messaging out across all platforms to ensure huge public awareness of the film throughout Hong Kong.
We have been truly delighted with the work carried out by CRED that enabled us to launch our super premium brand into the Hong Kong market and generate excellent media coverage from both trade and lifestyle influencers. The CRED team worked seamlessly with us to plan and implement our launch event and follow up engagements with creativity, | 399 |
32 pairs made it for today's rerun of the Foursomes Championship postponed from early May. Most set of in murky conditions but the low cloud cover promises to clear for the afternoon.
Foursomes is such a friendly format. Overheard on<|fim_middle|> she presented the prizes, such a lot of familiar faces all coming together to enjoy the end of the season event. | the approach to the 18th green when player B was lining up a 30 yd chip and asked player A for the line "I'm not saying anything" which is always so helpful! Player B proceeded to chip to 3 yd and player A holed the putt for a par – just as well!
Pauline Davies from Royal Winchester takes the second shot on the 9th hole after partner Elise Witt had run out of fairway!
Many thanks to lady vice captain Annie MacAllister who started everyone and to the Hayling ladies out on the course ball spotting.
It was tight at the top but congratulations go to Aimee Paterson and Julie Cole who won the Championship with a gross score of 75. The pair looked like they would win the double until the Cams Hall pairing of Sarah Gilroy & Pauline Last came in late with a superb nett 69.
Well done to all players and as County Captain Kay Walshe said as | 201 |
Leads industry evolution by facilitating tailored user experiences within trading and investing.
Sax<|fim_middle|> Portal with comprehensive documentation, libraries, sample code and technical support. OpenAPI uses SignalR and WebSockets to achieve the best possible performance and lowest latency. For authentication and security control the OpenAPI also uses a combination of industry proven SAML and OAuth 2.0 protocols. | o Bank, the multi-asset trading and investment specialist, is one of the first financial institutions to give access to its trading infrastructure through the bank's new REST based API called open API. The move, which covers Saxo's multi-asset trading and back office infrastructure, will allow its partners, clients and external developers to access over 20 years of trading infrastructure innovation and enable them to customise their trading experience and create new revenue streams.
The REST-based API will become available to developers allowing them to build tailor-made apps on Saxo Bank's infrastructure. It will further allow Saxo's institutional clients, including white label partners, to integrate Saxo's trading and investing capabilities directly into their own applications and systems.
The Saxo OpenAPI will be unveiled at a conference today in Singapore, which also coincides with the launch of Saxo Markets, the bank's institutional business built around its three global hubs of Singapore, London and Copenhagen.
Matteo Cassina, Head of Business Lines, Saxo Bank, said: "This is a step change not just for Saxo but for our industry as a whole. Our commitment is underpinned by our mission to democratise trading and make markets more efficient through innovation. For a long time the industry has grappled with the dilemma of building versus buying, but the pace of technological change has made it impossible for institutions to maintain an edge when it comes to innovation. The result is a paradigm shift from a business-to-customer economy to a so-called collaborative economy.
"The accelerated adoption of technology and the increase in mobile business-to-customer interaction presents a huge growth opportunity for our partners, offering the potential to multiply trading volumes, create new revenue streams and protect their businesses against rapid digital change," added Cassina.
The Saxo OpenAPI is the foundation of SaxoTraderGO, the next generation platform launched by Saxo earlier this year which has already seen 30% of Saxo's own clients migrate to the new platform. The platform will be available in October to Saxo's white label clients, consisting of over 120 financial institutions globally already using Saxo's technology to facilitate trading for their end clients.
The OpenAPI will cover the whole trading lifecycle including access to over 30,000 instruments, the ability to monitor positions, balances and margin from a single API. To enable external developers to program against the OpenAPI Saxo is launching a Developers | 492 |
Pastures, glaciers, woods, crystal clear waters, breath-taking panoramas, pretty villages, fairy-tale castles and sparkling lakes: it is easy to understand why Ticino's many itineraries are so popular.
Ticino is a land of artists. Culture is at home here.
You'll notice that its art, architecture and history are interwoven with its nature and landscape<|fim_middle|> of the Gotthard mountains from the gentle hills of the Mendrisiotto. We can guarantee you won't get bored!
Walking is a new experience, but at the same time ancient. There is no need for special training to start walking: only good shoes, woven from natural fibre and then away. | .
Be amazed by this corner of the southern Alps, where culture is synonymous with nature.
From the Alps to the Mediterranean environment: come to Ticino to discover a destination with a thousand different personalities.
Visit this corner of Switzerland, rich in natural contrasts. Just a few kilometres are all that separates the peaks | 61 |
1.5 Million Toyota Hybrid Vehicles Sold in the U.S.
TORRANCE (May. 22, 2012) – Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) in Japan announced its global hybrid vehicle sales totaled four million units through April 2012.
Toyota currently sells 18 hybrid passenger vehicles in 80 countries and regions around the world. This year, hybrid vehicle accounted for 15 percent of TMC's global vehicle sales. Prius, Toyota's first hybrid passenger car, went on sale in Japan in 1997. Hybrid technology was later introduced to the U.S. in 2000 with the arrival of the Prius.
Since then, the Toyota Division of Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A. sold 1.5 million hybrid vehicles in the U.S., accounting for 65 percent of all hybrid vehicles sold in the region. Prius, the iconic hybrid brand, comprises half of all hybrids on the road in the U.S. with sales totaling 1.2 million units through April 2012.
The expansion of the Prius has been successful in the U.S. since the Prius v was introduced in to the market in November 2011 followed by Prius c and Prius Plug-in during the first quarter 2012. In that time, Prius family sold 60,859 units in the U.S.
"All of us at Toyota would like to sincerely thank our customers, who have made Prius the best-selling<|fim_middle|> Prius Family, Toyota's other U.S. hybrid models include versions of the Camry and Highlander, which feature larger displacement applications of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive.
Toyota calculates that the total number of its hybrid vehicles sold globally since 1997 have produced to approximately 26 million fewer tons of C02 emissions than would have been emitted by gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size and driving performance.
NOTE to EDITORS: High-resolution images and B-roll are available for editorial-use only at ToyotaNewsroom.com. | hybrid in the industry," said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager, Toyota Division. "While we're proud of this accomplishment, we are not stopping here as hybrids will continue to be a core technology for Toyota."
In addition to the | 49 |
Hand picked Japanese snacks and candies to club members around the world from only $12.99 a month!
Freedom Japanese Market is a family business that curates, packs, and ships original, made-in-Japan snacks to all corners of the globe.
What You Get: Various Japanese candies and snacks are pre-selected for each month's box, with each month offering a new combination of popular, rare, and Japanese exclusive candies and snacks. Each box has about 7 to 15 candies and snacks.
We will always give a refund if we have made a mistake on an order, however, we cannot offer refunds if the shipping address we are given is incomplete or contains the wrong information. Please double check your shipping information when creating your subscription.
Shipping is free of charge, worldwide!
Our customer service team is only able to consider two types of returns: damaged / missing goods, or a mistake on our part. If products are damaged or missing from a box, please take a picture and send it<|fim_middle|> in your order, please contact our customer support as soon as you can.
You can cancel your subscription at any time, without fees or penalties. Just remember if you cancel after a subscription fee has been collected, you will receive the remaining box(es) of that plan, but will not be charged for future subscription fees.
Example: If you have a 3-month subscription, and have already received two boxes when you cancel, you will receive the final box, but future subscription payments will not be collected. | to us via email within 48 hours of receiving the box. If you believe we have made a mistake | 22 |
You may have heard that we're finally entering the Internet of Things (IoT) era. IoT refers to everyday objects being embedded with computing devices that can be interconnected via the Internet. The connected objects are then able to send and receive data. The idea is that basically everything will be Internet connected in some form or fashion, allowing for massive data tracking and management.
Modern day technology is rapidly transforming homes across the country. The result is smarter homes that are more efficient, safer and comfortable to live in. As the Internet and Wi-Fi services expand, you can expect to see the smart home devices below become standard equipment rather than the exception.
As noted above home security was one of the first industries to make<|fim_middle|> the technology improves, voice assistants are expected to become widely adopted. It's not unfeasible for voice assistants to be as common as computers in the near future. There are also so many possibilities to expand on the technology that some experts believe devices like Echo will become a new marketing space. This is definitely true for apps like Pandora that play commercials between songs.
The number of smart home devices is expected to grow from 83 million in 2015 to over 193 million in 2020. Smart appliances will play a role in the growth.
Appliances are large, expensive pieces of equipment for the home. People are willing to pay a little extra for smart features that make an appliance safer and more efficient. Developers are not only finding ways to make the appliance itself smarter, they're also creating compatible devices like milk trays that tell you when the gallon is almost out.
Technology is helping homeowners protect their families, reduce energy consumption, improve comfort and automate tasks to save time. With so many possibilities a click away, IoT is destined to become a defining element of future homes. | use of Wi-Fi connectivity. Home security can be tricky because all it takes is one weak spot to make a house susceptible to burglary. Smart home security systems now offer a truly comprehensive way to protect and monitor your home like never before.
Smart cameras, alarms, motion sensors, locks and lights can all be interconnected over Wi-Fi. Some systems even allow you to sync equipment and set schedules in addition to monitoring your home security from a mobile device. If a window cracks or a motion light goes off you'll know instantly and can react quickly.
Improving the safety of your home goes beyond security systems. Fires are one of the biggest dangers within a household. The National Fire Protection Association has been collecting house fire data for decades. Since 1977 the number of annual house fires has been cut almost in half, however, there were still 365,500 fires in 2015.
· Tell the difference between smoke from cooking and smoke from fire.
· Send alerts to a mobile device if the alarm is triggered.
· Send an alert if the battery needs to be changed.
We've all come across times when we need to look something up, but doing a Google search just isn't convenient. Enter the voice assistant. Devices like Echo are quickly catching on as homeowners realize this one, relatively affordable device can make life much easier.
Voice assistants have a Wi-Fi connected computer inside that's able to listen to a person's commands and respond back. For example, in the middle of cooking a meal, you can ask a voice assistant to look up the recipe and tell you the quantity of an ingredient.
As | 329 |
Bats fabric "Ghastly Bats" by Alexander Henry, 100% cotton fabric. Black and dark grey marbled fabric side panels. Back sides of pillows covered by solid black fabric<|fim_middle|> 16″ x 16″.
I will be listing more items made out of Tula Pink's fabrics very soon.
Halloween Pinup Girl Pillows with fuzzy faux fur leopard print fabric, ribbon trim borders and bows, and glow in the dark spider web fabric. All stuffed with hypo-allergenic polyester fiberfill. Various sizes. | . Black satin ribbon trim with zigzag stitch. Both pillows are about 14″ x 14″.
15.5″ x 16″ Retro horror movie billboards with skeleton hands decorative throw pillow set. Made with "Eerie Alley" 100% cotton fabric by Robert Kaufman. Boney hands fabric is 100% cotton fabric. Inner layer of fabric for added durability. Stuffed with hypo-allergenic polyester fiberfill, not too soft and not too firm – just right! Perfect for Halloween.
Front panel made with "Coven" on vapor (teal) background. Coven is a fabric from Tula Pink's Night Shade collection that features portraits of Neptunia Von Black (pirate) and Scarlett Von Black with a Victorian-style oval frame. Black satin ribbon surrounds the panel. Glow-in-the-dark spider webs fabric background, solid black cotton on the back. Both pillows measure about | 194 |
Home / News / Samworth Brothers sells sports nutrition business
Samworth Brothers sells sports nutrition business
Mon, 05 Jul 2021 | BUSINESS SALE
UK food company Samworth Brothers has announced that it has sold the brands and assets of its sports nutrition business Sci-Max to Supreme Imports.
According to Supreme, which is based in Manchester, the Sci-Max and Pro2Go brands were both purchased from the food form for an undisclosed sum, while the companies' stock was bought for an additional £1.3 million.
Sci-Mx, a specialist in sports products such as protein bars and powders, was originally purchased by Samworth in 2015. Previously, Samworth was known for focusing on chilled<|fim_middle|> up an excellent reputation during its time of trading. As seen by the online ratings and reviews, the business is extremely popu...
Adelie Foods' Urban Eat brand acquired by Samworth Brothers | BUSINESS SALE
Samworth Brothers has completed the £6.4 million acqui... | and shelf foods such as Ginsters pasties and Soreen malt loaves.
However, a spokesperson from Samworth revealed that the Sci-Mx business has been loss making "for several years" despite strong levels of investment, adding that the company's issues were not aided by dramatic changes in the sports nutrition sector in the last few years.
"We have concluded that the business is not at a scale where we can make it work and the levels of investment that would be needed to achieve this do not make good economic sense," he said.
Commenting on the acquisition, Supreme Imports stated that it hoped Sci-Mx would prove more successful as part of its growing portfolio.
CEO Sandy Chadha said in a statement: "The acquisition adds a number of leading and long-established retail brands to the group's growing sports-nutrition and wellness category across protein powders and supplements.
"The acquisition not only broadens our product offering and delivers further scale to this segment, but also leaves us ideally placed to create additional sales traction across our extensive retail footprint in what is becoming an ever more important category for the group."
Greek Food Delivery Business
Shoreditch, London, UK
Greek food delivery business based in the busiest part of London. The business is operating for more than 3 years and serving bar customers, the worker's lunch with a kiosk facing the street, and also delivery platforms (Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Ju...
International at-home Chef Experience
A technology focussed company, operating an international private chef service where it provides its clients with restaurant quality experiences at affordable prices in the comfort of their own homes or holiday accommodation. As an innovative oper...
Highly Rated Fish & Chip Shop
North of England, UK
The business was originally established back in 2010, before the current owners took over in 2018. The business has built | 380 |
Is a Butterfly a True Bug? (Explained)
The term 'bug<|fim_middle|> bodies, exoskeletons and pair appendages.
After this, the insects become separated from others in the groups such as molluscs, which include worms, Arachnids, which includes spiders and the Myriapoda, which includes millipedes.
Insects, as a group are defined as having three pairs of jointed legs, a pair of antenna, an exoskeleton, and three sections to their bodies; the head, thorax and abdomen. Within the insect group are included flies, beetles, grasshoppers, and many other species, such as the butterflies.
A butterfly is an insect but not a member of the true bug family. However, in terms of what we might call them when out with a butterfly net on a family bug hunt, they would most certainly be called a bug.
While entomologists may not enjoy the lack of accuracy in the term, there is something friendly and familiar about the word 'bug'. It stems from a time when we were less interested in how to divide up the world and more certain that things that are small, and spend their days crawling or flitting through the world around us, are bugs, without further need for explanation.
Here's How Butterflies Contribute to Environmental Balance
Next Post: What are Butterfly Wings Made of? (The Anatomy Explained) | ' is largely used in an informal context to describe a large range of species, including butterflies. However, technically the only bugs are true bugs, such as shieldbugs, and butterflies are not a part of this group.
What is a bug?
Is a butterfly a true bug?
Is a butterfly a bug?
Who didn't love a bug hunt as a child? Lifting up rocks, staring into spiderwebs, even picking up a wiggly worm. Whether they hop, slither or skitter, we are all happy to label each and every one of these little creatures a bug.
Fear them or love them, bugs are everywhere. Yet, look to any entomologist and point out these many little creepy crawlies and it's unlikely they will be satisfied with the word 'bug'. In entomological terms, the only bugs within all this bustle are the true bugs.
True bugs are a type of insect within the Hemiptera order. The group is amazingly diverse and large, compromising over 80,000 different species.
What sets them apart from other insects is their stylets, a tubular arrangement of the various mouthparts to form a kind of sucking tube. In the majority of species, this adaptation is used to suck out sap from plants, however, a few have adapted it to feasting on blood instead.
Some well-known members of the group include cicadas and aphids. These animals are well known for piercing the skin of plants within their stylets and feeding on the sap below, the excess being expelled through the production of honeydew.
Shieldbugs are another commonly seen incarnation of the true bug group, yet while the majority of them are friendly neighbourhood herbivores some have turned carnivores, hunting down smaller insects.
Even less popular are the bedbugs, which have turned their needle-like mouthparts to piercing skin and sucking blood.
Also read: Are Cicadas and Locusts the Same Thing? (Explained)
It might be easy to confuse a butterfly for a member of the true bug family. The stylet is in many ways very similar to the butterfly's proboscis, a long thin tube that is used to suck up the nectar from flowers.
However, one of the main differences is that the proboscis is much more flexible and able to curl up under the head of the butterfly when not in use. It is also much longer. Many of the characteristics true bugs and butterflies share are to do with them both being insect groups, such as the hard exoskeleton.
The butterfly belongs to a separate order of Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. This order does not sit within the true bugs.
Both Lepidoptera and Hemiptera are insect groups. Many people use the word 'bug' and the word 'insect' interchangeably. However, while 'bug' is used as an informal term the word insect is much more precise in its meaning.
For example, 'bug' may be used for worms, spiders and millipedes, yet none of these are insects. They all belong within the Arthropod phylum, which is a diverse group with segmented | 642 |
It has become something of a cliché to hear that the pace of change in business continues to accelerate. Yet based on the evidence from thousands of in-depth interviews with senior executives for the Global C-suite Study over the course of this year, it's apparent that there is some truth to the claim. At the very least, the widespread availability of near real-time information from multiple sources — whether traditional or social media — has greatly increased awareness about what's going on around us.
C-suite executives tell us they are heavily influenced by the changing nature of the external environment and that their business strategies should follow suit. But just what are these major trends that are having the most impact on business? How dynamic are the changes that are taking place? And given such fluidity in the external environment, are traditional strategy planning cycles too rigid?
Since 2013, we have asked executives which major business trends they anticipate will drive their enterprise to develop new strategies. Industry convergence — the merging of industries as suppliers<|fim_middle|> a monthly series that highlights emerging trends from our 19th Global C-suite Study. The study features interviews with more than 10,000 CxOs. | , distributors, customers and competitors cooperate in ecosystems created to develop new products and services — was clearly the most significant driver to emerge from our last study.
This year, we have been able to track how different participants answered this question during each month of the year, to see if any major world events altered perceptions about what business leaders viewed as being most important. While there have been a few ups and downs from month to month, what is more noteworthy is the dramatic shift in overall position over time in some key areas.
For example, the industry convergence trend began 2017 considerably less important to executives than two years ago. But it began to rise later in the year as the breakdown of traditional industry boundaries and barriers again became the predominant factor affecting how business leaders plan to shape their organizations.
As convergence rises, two other trends are falling down CxOs' list of concerns: cyber risk and the Sharing Economy. Despite a variety of highly publicized security breaches occurring throughout the year, the perception of the threat that they pose to CxOs and their businesses continues to drop. Either executives feel they are already taking adequate steps to protect their systems and data, or an incident needs to take place closer to home before it gets pushed back up the C-suite agenda.
The Sharing Economy is following a similar rapid downward trajectory. This collaborative economic model, in which customers share, borrow or rent assets owned by someone else, is exemplified by Uber, Airbnb and Lyft. These disruptors shook up their respective markets so dramatically that many other sectors feared they might be next.
But while many startups have focused on creating the next big idea using this model, success requires far more than a cool app. Creating an ecosystem is hard — especially one that can upset an industry value chain. The fact that no similar disruptors have come on the scene in the last 12 months with anywhere near the same impact must be why the Sharing Economy trend has fallen off executives' radar.
What ought to be of bigger concern to business leaders is not which particular trend should have the greatest influence on their strategy, but the speed with which the relative importance of those trends change. Traditional annual cycles of strategy planning are too long when major external forces can drastically change over a three- to six-month period. A more rapid, short-term, evolutionary approach to strategy development needs to become the norm. This is something that the more agile organizations are starting to do. We'll explore this idea in more detail in the new Global C-suite Study report coming in early 2018.
This blog is part of | 517 |
Procedural approach for conversions can aid conversions of any type.
Recently, I had the privilege to be one of the presenters at TechMentor in Orlando. This year's TechMentor is a collection of two main categories, virtualizing and managing your IT environment. The virtualization track has an all-star list including Chris Wolf, Edward Haletky, Hal Rottenberg and others. During the show, Chris, Edward, Hal and I all agreed that one of TechMentor's strongest points is that it is not a sales pitch. We work hard to bring you relevant information from the field from all perspectives.
One session I gave was on advanced conversions for virtual environments. Today, this can include virtual-to-virtual conversions, as well as the traditional physical-to-virtual conversion. In the session, I had a lot of positive feedback for this flowchart resource. I encourage you to download it and customize it for your environment. This<|fim_middle|> conversion adventures. This is more detail than you would need for the typical conversion, but is helpful when you have difficult systems that you haven't converted for any reason yet. In customizing the flowchart, go ahead and implement your specific site information, host or vCenter server characteristics, security requirements or location considerations.
This material is focused on converting physical machines to VMware virtual machines using vCenter Converter and uses Visio 2007.
One important point in the conversion process is to ensure that you are aware of the security zones you are using (or crossing) during a conversion. In the example of VMware conversions, the conversion process uses the service console on the host and the requisite connectivity is required to the host. Some network situations may require transient storage to make the conversion so that specified security zones are not crossed.
When it comes to conversions, new builds are always cleaner. But the use cases for conversions are still out there and an important part of the arsenal of today's virtual administrator. | is based on real-world issues that I and others have gone through to assist you in any of your | 20 |
\section{Introduction}
\label{intro}
Stability is ubiquitous in biology, ranging from
physicochemical homeostasis in cellular microenvironments to ecological
constancy and resilience
\cite{cannon1929organization,gorshkov1994physical,justus2008ecological}.
It is noteworthy that not only can the stability phenomenon arise in normal living systems,
but it can also happen in abnormal organisms such as cancer.
As a large family of diseases with abnormal cell growth,
cancer is generally acknowledged to be the malignant progression
along with a series of stability-breaking changes (\emph{e.g.} genomic instability)
within the normal organisms \cite{hanahan2011hallmarks}.
However, some recent researches reveal the other side of cancer.
An interesting \emph{phenotypic equilibrium}
was reported in some cancers
\cite{chaffer2011normal,gupta2011stochastic,yang2012dynamic}.
That is, the population composed of different cancer cells will tend to a fixed
equilibrium of phenotypic proportions over time regardless of initial states
(Fig. 1). These findings provided new insights to the research of cancer heterogeneity.
\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=1.2\textwidth]{Fig1-eps-converted-to.pdf}
\caption{The phenotypic equilibrium of cancer cells. The figure is generated from the
data (SW620 colon cancer cell line) in \cite{yang2012dynamic}. In this experiment, two cellular phenotypes
were identified: cancer stem cells (CSCs) and non-stem cancer cells (NSCCs). It is shown that
no matter where the initial state is (as four different cases shown in the figure),
the CSCs proportion will converge to a fixed proportion as time passes.
The same is true for NSCCs proportion.
This phenomenon is termed \emph{phenotypic equilibrium} \cite{gupta2011stochastic}.}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
The experimental works also stimulate theoreticians to put forward reasonable models for interpreting
the phenotypic equilibrium \cite{gupta2011stochastic,zapperi2012cancer,
dos2013possible,dos2013noise,zhou2013population,wang2014dynamics,zhou2014multi,zhou2014nonequilibrium}.
In particular, it was reported that the intrinsic interconversion between different cellular phenotypes,
also called \emph{phenotypic plasticity} \cite{french2012complex,meacham2013tumour}, could play a crucial role in stabilizing the
mixture of phenotypic proportions in cancer. As a pioneering work, Gupta \emph{et al} proposed a discrete-time Markov chain model to
describe the phenotypic transitions in breast cancer cell lines \cite{gupta2011stochastic}. In their model, three phenotypes were
identified: stem-like cells (S), basal cells (B) and luminal cells (L). The phenotypic transitions among them can be captured by
the transition probability matrix as follows:
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{equation}
P=\left(\begin{array}{ccc}
1-P_{S\rightarrow B}-P_{S\rightarrow L} & P_{S\rightarrow B} & P_{S\rightarrow L} \\
P_{B\rightarrow S} & 1-P_{B\rightarrow S}-P_{B\rightarrow L} & P_{B\rightarrow L} \\
P_{L\rightarrow S} & P_{L\rightarrow B} & 1-P_{L\rightarrow S}-P_{L\rightarrow B} \\
\end{array}\right),
\label{Matrix1}
\end{equation}
\end{linenomath*}
where $P_{i\rightarrow j}$ represents the probability of the transition from phenotype $i$ to $j$.
According to the limiting theory of discrete-time finite-state Markov chain, there exists unique equilibrium
distribution $\vec{\pi}=(\pi_S, \pi_B, \pi_L)$ such that $\vec{\pi}=\vec{\pi}P$, provided $P$ is irreducible
and aperiodic \cite{seneta1981non}. The Markov chain will converge to $\vec{\pi}$ regardless of where it begins.
By fitting the Markov chain model to their experimental data, the equilibrium proportions of
stem-like, basal and luminal cells were predicted by the equilibrium distribution $\pi_S, \pi_B, \pi_L$ respectively.
Even though the Markov chain model fitted the experimental results in breast cancer cell lines very well,
Zapperi and La Porta \cite{zapperi2012cancer} questioned the validity of the phenotypic transitions
and gave an alternative explanation to the phenotypic equilibrium, which was based on
the conventional cancer stem cell (CSC) model with imperfect CSC biomarkers.
Moreover, Liu \emph{et al} showed that the negative feedback mechanisms of
non-linear growth kinetics of cancer cells can also control the balance between
different cellular phenotypes \cite{liu2013nonlinear}.
These works suggested that the phenotypic plasticity may not be the only explanation to the phenotypic
equilibrium. To further reveal the mechanisms giving rise to
the phenotypic equilibrium, it is more convincing to study the models
integrating the phenotypic plasticity with the other conventional cellular processes
of cancer. Motivated by this, a series of works discussed the phenotypic equilibrium
by establishing the models coordinating with both
hierarchical cancer stem cell paradigm and phenotypic plasticity
\cite{dos2013possible,dos2013noise,zhou2013population,wang2014dynamics,zhou2014multi,zhou2014nonequilibrium}.
In these works, the phenotypic equilibria were intimately related to the stable steady-state
behavior of the corresponding ordinary differential equations (ODEs) models. In other
words, if one can model the dynamics of the phenotypic proportions as the following
system of ODEs
\begin{linenomath*}
$$\frac{d\vec{x}}{dt}=\vec{F}(\vec{x}),$$
\end{linenomath*}
the unique stable fixed point $\vec{x}^*$ (if exists) corresponds to the equilibrium
proportions.
The aforementioned works have showed that the phenotypic equilibrium can be explained by
different concepts of stabilities in different models. Thus a natural
question is whether there exists a unified framework to
harmonize the equilibrium distribution of the Markov chain model and the stable
steady-state behavior of the ODEs model. In this study, we try to address this issue
by establishing a multi-phenotype branching (MPB) model \cite{athreya1972branching}.
On one hand, our model integrates the phenotypic plasticity with
the cellular processes (such as cell divisions) that have extensively been studied in cancer biology.
On the other hand, the model is stochastic and closer to the reality with finite population size
\cite{dingli2007symmetric,antal2011exact}. Based on this model, it is shown that the ODEs
model can be derived by taking the expectation of our model.
More specifically, the ODEs model is just the \emph{proportion equation} of
the MPB model. Besides, the Markov chain model is also shown to be
closely related to our model. That is, the Kolmogorov forward equation of the continuous-time Markov chain model
is a special case of the proportion equation provided that the division rates of stem-like, basal and luminal
cells are the same. Interestingly, ``same doubling time'' of the three phenotypes was just observed
in Gupta \emph{et al}'s experiment when they used the Markov chain model to explain the phenotypic equilibrium
\cite{gupta2011stochastic}, which is in line with our theoretical prediction.
Moreover, our result also shows that one should be more cautious about
the application of the Markov chain in modeling cell-state dynamics in larger time scales, since the Markov chain
model takes no account of different capabilities of divisions by cancer stem cells and non-stem cancer cells.
More importantly, by showing \emph{almost sure convergence} of
the MPB model, the stationarity of the Markov chain model and the stability of the ODEs model
can be unified as the average-level stability of our model. Note that
the almost sure convergence indicates the path-wise stability of stochastic samples,
providing a more profound explanation to the phenotypic equilibrium. In other words,
the phenotypic equilibrium is actually rooted in the stochastic nature of (almost) every path sample;
the average-level stability just follows from it by averaging all the stochastic samples.
Furthermore, it is also shown that, not only can the model with phenotypic plasticity give rise to the
path-wise convergence, but the conventional cancer stem cell model without phenotypic plasticity
can also lead to the convergence under certain conditions.
This echoes the works \cite{zapperi2012cancer, liu2013nonlinear}
that the phenotypic plasticity is not the only explanation to the phenotypic equilibrium.
The paper is organized as follows. The model is presented in Section 2.
Main results are shown in Section 3. Conclusions are in Section 4.
\section{Model}
\label{Model}
\subsection{Assumptions}
In this section we give the assumptions of our model. Consider a population composed of different cancer cell phenotypes.
For pure theoretical investigations, the number of the phenotypes can be any $n$ in general \cite{zhou2014multi,jiang2014cell}.
However, to better illustrate our theoretical results on the basis of more concrete biological background, enlightened by
\cite{gupta2011stochastic}, we here focus on the specific model consisting of three phenotypes:
stem-like cells (S), basal cells (B) and luminal cells (L). The main assumptions are listed as follow:\\
\emph{1}. Stem-like cells can perform three types of divisions: symmetric division, symmetric differentiation and asymmetric division
\cite{morrison2006asymmetric, dalerba2007cancer,todaro2010colon}.
That is, a stem-like cell can divide into two identical stem-like cells (symmetric division) or two identical differentiated cancer cells
(symmetric differentiation; it can also divide into a stem-like cell and a differentiated cancer cell (asymmetric division).
\begin{itemize}
\item symmetric division: S $\overset{\alpha_{S}P_1}{\longrightarrow}$ S+S;
\item symmetric differentiation: S $\overset{\alpha_{S}P_2}{\longrightarrow}$ B+B or S $\overset{\alpha_{S}P_3}{\longrightarrow}$ L+L;
\item asymmetric division: S $\overset{\alpha_{S}P_4}{\longrightarrow}$ S+B or S $\overset{\alpha_{S}P_5}{\longrightarrow}$ S+L.
\end{itemize}
$\alpha_S$ is the division rate (or termed synthesis rate \cite{liu2013nonlinear}),
with the meaning that a stem-like cell will wait an exponential time
with expectation $\alpha_S$ and then perform one particular type of division with probability $P_i$ (note that $\sum_{i=1}^5P_i=1$).
Suppose the waiting time and the division strategy are independent to each other,
then the product of $\alpha_S$ and $P_i$ governs the reaction rate of the corresponding division type. \\
\emph{2}. For non-stem cancer cells, \emph{i.e.} basal or luminal cells, we assume that not only can they undergo symmetric divisions
with limited times, but they can also perform phenotypic conversions. To illustrate this,
let us take B phenotype as an example. Suppose a
newly-born B cell can divide at most $m$ times. If we denote $B_i$ as the B cell that has already divided $i$ times, then we have
the following hierarchical structure:
\begin{itemize}
\item $\textrm{B}_0$ $\overset{\alpha_{B}}{\longrightarrow}$ $\textrm{B}_1$+$\textrm{B}_1$;
\item ...
\item $\textrm{B}_{m-1}$ $\overset{\alpha_{B}}{\longrightarrow}$ $\textrm{B}_m$+$\textrm{B}_m$;
\item $\textrm{B}_m$ $\overset{\alpha_{B_m}}{\longrightarrow}$ $\emptyset$.
\end{itemize}
$\alpha_{B}$ is the division rate, and $\alpha_{B_m}$ is the death rate of $\textrm{B}_m$.
Moreover, assume that a B cell can convert into an S cell (termed \emph{de-differentiation} \cite{marjanovic2013cell})
by phenotypic plasticity. Let the dedifferentiation rate of $\textrm{B}_i$ be $\beta_{B_i}$, then we have
\begin{itemize}
\item $\textrm{B}_0$ $\overset{\beta_{B_0}}{\longrightarrow}$ S;
\item ...
\item $\textrm{B}_m$ $\overset{\beta_{B_m}}{\longrightarrow}$ S.
\end{itemize}
For simplicity, it is often assumed that $\beta_{B_0}=...=\beta_{B_m}$ \cite{wang2014dynamics},
denoted as $\beta_{B}$ for short. Meanwhile, note that a B cell can also convert into an L cell \cite{gupta2011stochastic}.
Since the biological mechanisms of the phenotypic conversions between different non-stem cancer cells are still
poorly understood, for simplicity it is assumed that the phenotypic transitions between B and L can only happen
in the same hierarchical level. That is, supposing that a newly-born L cell can also
divide at most $m$ times, $L_i$ is the L cell that has already divided $i$ times, then we have
\begin{itemize}
\item $\textrm{B}_i$ $\overset{\gamma_{B}}{\longrightarrow}$ $\textrm{L}_i$;
\end{itemize}
$\gamma_{B}$ is the transition rate. In fact, this assumption implies
$\textrm{B}$ ${\longrightarrow}$ $\textrm{L}$ with constant rate $\gamma_B$ overall,
which is in line with the assumption in \cite{gupta2011stochastic}.
For luminal cells, similarly, their cellular
processes are shown as follows:
\begin{itemize}
\item $\textrm{L}_i$ $\overset{\alpha_L}{\longrightarrow}$ $\textrm{L}_{i+1}$+$\textrm{L}_{i+1}$~~~($0\leq i\leq m-1$);
\item $\textrm{L}_m$ $\overset{\alpha_{L_m}}{\longrightarrow}$ $\emptyset$.
\item $\textrm{L}_i$ $\overset{\beta_{L}}{\longrightarrow}$ S~~~($0\leq i\leq m$);
\item $\textrm{L}_i$ $\overset{\gamma_{L}}{\longrightarrow}$ $\textrm{B}_i$~~~($0\leq i\leq m$).
\end{itemize}
\subsection{Multi-phenotypic branching (MPB) model}
Based on the cellular processes listed in the last subsection, we can model this cellular system
as a continuous-time Markov process in the discrete state space of cell numbers (Chapter 11 in \cite{beard2008chemical}).
If we let $X_1$ be the cell number of S phenotype,
$\vec{X}_2=(X^{(0)}_2, X^{(<|fim_middle|> of $\textrm{Pr}(\vec{x};t)$
is equal to the transitions into $\vec{x}$ minus the transitions out of it, \emph{i.e.}
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{equation}
\frac{d\textrm{Pr}(\vec{x};t)}{dt}=\sum_{\vec{x}'\neq \vec{x}}T_{\vec{x}'\rightarrow
\vec{x}}\textrm{Pr}(\vec{x}';t)-\sum_{\vec{x}'\neq \vec{x}}T_{\vec{x}\rightarrow \vec{x}'}\textrm{Pr}(\vec{x};t),
\label{CME}
\end{equation}
\end{linenomath*}
where $T_{\vec{x}'\rightarrow \vec{x}}$ is the transition rate from $\vec{x}'$ to $\vec{x}$ and
$T_{\vec{x}\rightarrow \vec{x}'}$ is the transition rate from $\vec{x}$ to $\vec{x}'$
(see \ref{appendix1} for more details).
In next section we will show that the ODEs model and the Markov chain model can be
derived from our model. For convenience we term our multi-phenotype branching model
the\emph{ MPB model}.
\section{Results}
\subsection{Deterministic equations derived from the MPB model}
\label{section3.1}
To relate our MPB model to the ODEs model, we consider the mean dynamics of the MPB model
by averaging all the stochastic samples of it.
Let $\langle{\vec{X}}\rangle$ be the expectation of $\vec{X}$, that is, for each component
we define
\begin{linenomath*}
$$\langle X_i \rangle:=\sum_{\vec{x}}x_i\textrm{Pr}(\vec{x}; t).$$
\end{linenomath*}
We multiply $x_i$ on the both sides of Eq. (\ref{CME}), and then calculate the summation over all $\vec{x}$
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{equation*}
\sum_{\vec{x}}x_i\frac{d\textrm{Pr}(\vec{x};t)}{dt}=\sum_{\vec{x}}x_i\left(\sum_{\vec{x}'\neq \vec{x}}T_{\vec{x}'\rightarrow
\vec{x}}\textrm{Pr}(\vec{x}';t)-\sum_{\vec{x}'\neq \vec{x}}T_{\vec{x}\rightarrow \vec{x}'}\textrm{Pr}(\vec{x};t)\right).
\end{equation*}
\end{linenomath*}
For S cells:
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{equation}
\frac{d\langle X_1\rangle}{dt}=\alpha_S\left(P_1-P_2-P_3\right)\langle X_1\rangle+\beta_{B}\sum_{i=0}^{m}X^{(i)}_2
+\beta_{L}\sum_{i=0}^{m}X^{(i)}_3.
\end{equation}
\end{linenomath*}
For B cells:
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{equation}
\begin{cases}
\frac{d\langle X^{(0)}_2\rangle}{dt}=\alpha_S\left(2P_2+P_4\right)\langle X_1\rangle-
\left(\alpha_{B}+\beta_{B}+\gamma_{B}\right)\langle X^{(0)}_2\rangle
+\gamma_{L}X^{(0)}_3;\\
\frac{d\langle X^{(i)}_2\rangle}{dt}=2\alpha_{B}\langle X^{(i-1)}_2\rangle-
\left(\alpha_{B}+\beta_{B}+\gamma_{B}\right)\langle X^{(i)}_2\rangle
+\gamma_{L}X^{(i)}_3~~~~(1\leq i\leq m-1);\\
\frac{d\langle X^{(m)}_2\rangle}{dt}=2\alpha_{B}\langle X^{(m-1)}_2\rangle-
\left(\alpha_{B_m}+\beta_{B}+\gamma_{B}\right)\langle X^{(m)}_2\rangle
+\gamma_{L}X^{(m)}_3.
\end{cases}
\end{equation}
\end{linenomath*}
For L cells:
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{equation}
\begin{cases}
\frac{d\langle X^{(0)}_3\rangle}{dt}=\alpha_S\left(2P_3+P_5\right)\langle X_1\rangle-
\left(\alpha_{L}+\beta_{L}+\gamma_{L}\right)\langle X^{(0)}_3\rangle
+\gamma_{B}X^{(0)}_2;\\
\frac{d\langle X^{(i)}_3\rangle}{dt}=2\alpha_{L}\langle X^{(i-1)}_2\rangle-
\left(\alpha_{L}+\beta_{L}+\gamma_{L}\right)\langle X^{(i)}_3\rangle
+\gamma_{B}X^{(i)}_2~~~~(1\leq i\leq m-1);\\
\frac{d\langle X^{(m)}_3\rangle}{dt}=2\alpha_{L}\langle X^{(m-1)}_2\rangle-
\left(\alpha_{L_m}+\beta_{L}+\gamma_{L}\right)\langle X^{(m)}_3\rangle
+\gamma_{B}X^{(m)}_2.
\end{cases}
\end{equation}
\end{linenomath*}
Then it is not difficult to see that the dynamics of $\langle\vec{X}\rangle$ can be
captured by a system of linear ODEs,
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{equation}
\frac{d \langle\vec{X}\rangle}{d t}=G\langle\vec{X}\rangle,
\label{ODE1}
\end{equation}
\end{linenomath*}
where
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{equation}
G=[g_{ij}]_{(2m+3)\times(2m+3)}=\left(\begin{smallmatrix}
\alpha_S\left(P_1-P_2-P_3\right) & \beta_{B} & \cdots & \beta_{B} & \beta_{L} & \cdots & \beta_{L} \\
\alpha_S\left(2P_2+P_4\right) & -\left(\alpha_{B}+\beta_{B}+\gamma_{B}\right) & 0 & \cdots & \gamma_{L} & \cdots & 0 \\
0 & 2\alpha_{B} & -\left(\alpha_{B}+\beta_{B}+\gamma_{B}\right) & 0 & \cdots & \cdots & 0 \\
\cdots & \cdots & \cdots & \cdots & \cdots & \cdots & \cdots\\
\end{smallmatrix}\right).
\label{Matrix2}
\end{equation}
\end{linenomath*}
Furthermore, it should be noted that, Eq. (\ref{ODE1}) describes the cell number dynamics of each phenotype at each hierarchical level.
If we denote $X_2=\sum_{i=0}^m X^{(i)}_2$ and $X_3=\sum_{i=0}^m X^{(i)}_3$ as the total cell numbers of B and L phenotypes
respectively, then it is often the dynamics of $\vec{X}^*=(X_1, X_2, X_3)^T$ that interests people. That is,
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{small}
\begin{equation}
\begin{cases}
\frac{d\langle X_1\rangle}{dt}=\alpha_S\left(P_1-P_2-P_3\right)\langle X_1\rangle+\beta_{B}\langle X_2\rangle+\beta_{L}\langle X_3\rangle;\\
\frac{d\langle X_2\rangle}{dt}=\alpha_S\left(2P_2+P_4\right)\langle X_1\rangle+(\alpha_B-\beta_B-\gamma_B)\langle X_2\rangle
+\gamma_{L}\langle X_3\rangle-(\alpha_B+\alpha_{B_m})\langle X^{(m)}_2\rangle;\\
\frac{d\langle X_3\rangle}{dt}=\alpha_S\left(2P_3+P_5\right)\langle X_1\rangle+\gamma_{B}\langle X_2\rangle
+(\alpha_L-\beta_L-\gamma_L)\langle X_3\rangle-(\alpha_L+\alpha_{L_m})\langle X^{(m)}_3\rangle.\\
\end{cases}
\label{ODEx}
\end{equation}
\end{small}
\end{linenomath*}
We can see that Eq. (\ref{ODEx}) is not linear of $\langle \vec{X}^* \rangle$, which also depends on $\langle X^{(m)}_2\rangle$ and
$\langle X^{(m)}_3\rangle$ separately. Technically this is due to the limited capability of divisions of B and L phenotypes.
In the limit of $m$, or when $m$ is relatively large in comparison to observational time scales
(\emph{e.g.} $t\lessapprox m$), Eq. (\ref{ODEx}) can approximately be
expressed as a linear system of $\langle \vec{X}^* \rangle$:
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{equation}
\frac{d \langle\vec{X}^*\rangle}{d t}\approx G^*\langle\vec{X}^*\rangle,
\label{ODExx}
\end{equation}
\end{linenomath*}
where
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{equation}
G^*=[g^*_{ij}]_{3\times3}=\left(\begin{smallmatrix}
\alpha_S\left(P_1-P_2-P_3\right) & \beta_{B} & \beta_{L}\\
\alpha_S\left(2P_2+P_4\right) & \alpha_B-\beta_B-\gamma_B & \gamma_{L}\\
\alpha_S\left(2P_3+P_5\right) & \gamma_{B} & \alpha_L-\beta_L-\gamma_L
\end{smallmatrix}\right).
\label{Matrixx}
\end{equation}
\end{linenomath*}
In this way the model reduces to the three-phenotypic model investigated in \cite{zhou2013population}.
However, Eq. (\ref{ODEx}) should be adopted for describing larger time scales (\emph{e.g.} $t\gg m$).
Note that it is inconvenient to analyze Eq. (\ref{ODEx}) directly,
we will show later that analyzing Eq. (\ref{ODE1}) is quite helpful for
the understanding of Eq. (\ref{ODEx}), especially in the study of the phenotypic equilibrium.
\subsection{Proportion equation: Bridging the MPB model and the ODEs model}
Since Eq. (\ref{ODE1}) describes the dynamics of the absolute numbers of different cellular
phenotypes, we term it the \emph{number equation}. However, to investigate the phenotypic
equilibrium, we are more concerned about the dynamics of the relative numbers (\emph{i.e.} proportions)
of different cellular phenotypes. Let $\vec{p}$ be the vector representing the proportions of different
cellular phenotypes. By replacing $\langle \vec{X}\rangle$ in Eq. (\ref{ODE1}) with $\vec{p}$ ,
we have the equation governing the phenotypic proportions as follows (see \ref{appendix2})
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{equation}
\frac{d \vec{p}}{d t}=G\vec{p}-\vec{p} e^TG\vec{p},
\label{ODE2}
\end{equation}
\end{linenomath*}
where $e=(1,...,1)^T$. We term Eq. (\ref{ODE2}) the \emph{proportion equation}. It is noteworthy that
the stable steady-state behavior of Eq. (\ref{ODE2}) just corresponds to the phenotypic equilibrium
investigated in \cite{wang2014dynamics, zhou2014multi}.
The proportion equation thus connects the MPB model and the ODEs model in previous literature,
implying that the ODEs model can be seen as the average-level counterpart
of the stochastic MPB model. To show the stability of Eq. (\ref{ODE2}),
we have the following theorem (see \ref{appendix2+} for the proof):
\newtheorem{theorem}{Theorem}
\begin{theorem}
There exists unique positive stable fixed point $\vec{\mu}$ in Eq. (\ref{ODE2})
provided that $G$ is irreducible
\footnote{Strictly speaking, for completing the theorem
it is necessary to add a small perturbation to the initial state in rare cases,
see \ref{appendix2+}}.
\label{Thm1}
\end{theorem}
Theorem \ref{Thm1} shows that the deterministic population dynamics of cancer cells
will tend to an equilibrium mixture of phenotypic proportions
as time passes. Besides, let $\vec{p}^*$ be the proportion vector of $\vec{X}^*$,
\emph{i.e.}
\begin{linenomath*}
$$\vec{p}^*=(p^*_1, p^*_2, p^*_3)=(p_1, \sum_{i=0}^m p^{(i)}_2, \sum_{i=0}^m p^{(i)}_3).$$
\end{linenomath*}
Given $\lim_{t\rightarrow \infty}\vec{p}=\vec{\mu}$ (Theorem \ref{Thm1}),
\begin{linenomath*}
$$\lim_{t\rightarrow \infty}\vec{p}^*=\lim_{t\rightarrow \infty}(p_1, \sum_{i=0}^m p^{(i)}_2, \sum_{i=0}^m p^{(i)}_3)=
(\mu_1, \sum_{i=0}^m \mu^{(i)}_2, \sum_{i=0}^m \mu^{(i)}_3)=\vec{\mu}^*.$$
\end{linenomath*}
Thus we have the following result for $\vec{p}^*$:
\newtheorem{corollary}{Corollary}
\begin{corollary}
Under the same condition in Theorem \ref{Thm1}, $\vec{p}^*$ will tend to a fixed positive vector $\vec{\mu}^*$ as $t\rightarrow\infty$.
\label{cor1}
\end{corollary}
Corollary \ref{cor1} indicates the phenotypic equilibrium of the three-phenotypic model in Eq. (\ref{ODEx}).
Moreover, it should be pointed out that, the results in Theorem \ref{Thm1} and Corollary \ref{cor1}
can be seen as the average-level stabilities following from the the path-wise convergence of the MPB model,
which will be discussed in Sec. \ref{sectionIII}.
\subsection{The Markov chain model as a special case of the proportion equation}
Note that the Markov chain model Eq. (\ref{Matrix1}) is discrete-time and the MPB model is continuous-time;
to compare the two models in the same time scale, we turn our attention from discrete-time Markov chain
to continuous-time Markov chain. Consider the standard model of continuous-time Markov chain. That is, let
$P_i(t)$ be the probability of the Markov chain being in state $i$ at time $t$,
its dynamics can be captured by the Kolmogorov forward equation:
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{equation}
\frac{d \vec{P}(t)}{d t}=Q^T\vec{P}(t),
\label{MC}
\end{equation}
\end{linenomath*}
where $Q$-matrix $[q_{ij}]_{3\times 3}$ satisfying
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{align}
q_{ij}\geq 0 ~~ \forall i\neq j,
\label{Q1}
\end{align}
\end{linenomath*}
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{align}
q_{ii}=-\sum_{j:j\neq i}q_{ij}.
\label{Q2}
\end{align}
\end{linenomath*}
We now discuss the relation between $\vec{P}(t)$ and $\vec{p}^*$.
By replacing $\langle \vec{X}^*\rangle$ in Eq. (\ref{ODExx}) with $\vec{p}^*$,
we obtain the proportion equation governing $\vec{p}^*$
\footnote{The derivation of Eq. (\ref{ODE*}) is similar to that of Eq. (\ref{ODE2}), see \ref{appendix2}.}
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{equation}
\frac{d \vec{p}^*}{d t}=G^*\vec{p}^*-\vec{p}^* e^TG^*\vec{p}^*,
\label{ODE*}
\end{equation}
\end{linenomath*}
where $e=(1,1,1)^T$ and $G^*$ in Eq. (\ref{Matrixx}). If we let the sum of each column of $G^*$ is the same, \emph{i.e.}
\begin{linenomath*}
$$\alpha_S=\alpha_B=\alpha_L=\kappa,$$
\end{linenomath*}
then Eq. (\ref{ODE*})
becomes
\begin{linenomath*}
\begin{equation}
\frac{d \vec{p}^*}{d t}=(G^*-\kappa I)\vec{p}^*,
\label{ODE3}
\end{equation}
\end{linenomath*}
where $I$ is identity matrix.
If we denote $H=(G^*-\kappa I)^T$, it can be shown that $H$ satisfies the
conditions (\ref{Q1}) and (\ref{Q2}) for the $Q$-matrix (see \ref{appendix2}).
In other words, the Kolmogorov forward equation Eq. (\ref{MC}) is a
special linear case of the nonlinear proportion equation Eq. (\ref{ODE*}).
This relation implies that, when the division rates of the three phenotypes are the same,
the dynamics of the phenotypic proportion can equivalently be captured
by the Markov chain model where only the phenotypic transitions are accounted for.
Otherwise, the Markov chain model may oversimplify the phenotypic dynamics with unequal division rates.
Interestingly, it was reported in Gupta \emph{et al}'s experiment that the subpopulations of S, B and
L phenotypes have the same ``doubling time'' \cite{gupta2011stochastic}, which justified
their application of the Markov chain model.
However, as mentioned in the end of Sec. \ref{section3.1}, Eq. (\ref{ODExx}) is
valid only in relatively short time scale. For larger time scales,
it is unreasonable to model the three-phenotypic dynamics by the Markov chain model
taking no account of different capabilities of divisions by cancer stem cells (unlimited) and
non-stem cancer cells (limited), even if they have the same division rate.
Therefore, one should be cautious about the application of the Markov chain in modeling
cell-state dynamics.
\subsection{Path-wise convergence of the MPB model}
\label{sectionIII}
We have seen that the MPB model provides a unified framework for the ODEs model and Markov chain model.
In this section, we will show path-wise convergence of the MPB model, which provides a much stronger concept of
stability by which both the stable steady-state behavior of the ODEs model and the equilibrium distribution of the Markov chain model
will serve as average-level stabilities of the MPB model.
Much attention has long been paid to the limit theorems of multi-type branching processes by mathematicians
\cite{athreya1968some,kesten1967limit,janson2004functional,yakovlev2010limiting}.
Here we are not going to discuss the rigorous mathematical theory in general
(which is the focus of our another work \cite{jiang2014cell}). Instead
we are more interested in the specific results related to the phenotypic equilibrium, \emph{i.e.}
the conditions under which $\vec{p}$ converges to a positive vector $\vec{\mu}$.
Unlike the $\vec{p}$ in Theorem \ref{Thm1}, the $\vec{p}$ here is stochastic.
The ``convergence'' here means \emph{almost sure convergence}.
That is, if the convergence of $\vec{p}$ holds, almost all the stochastic paths
will tend to a fixed equilibrium (also termed \emph{path-wise convergence}).
We present our main results in the following two theorems (see \ref{appendix3} for the proofs and mathematical details):
\begin{theorem}
If $G$ in Eq. (\ref{Matrix2}) is irreducible and its Perron-Frobenius eigenvalue is positive,
then $\vec{p}$ will tend to a fixed positive vector $\vec{\mu}$ almost surely as $t\rightarrow\infty$
conditioned on non-extinction of the population.
\label{Thm2}
\end{theorem}
\begin{theorem}
Assume that \\
(1) all the phenotypic transition rates are zero, i.e. $\beta_B$, $\beta_L$ and
$\gamma_B$, $\gamma_L$ are zero;\\
(2) $\alpha_S>0$, $\alpha_B>0$ and $\alpha_L>0$;\\
(3) $P_i>0$ ($1\leq i\leq 5$) and $P_1>P_2+P_3$;\\
then $\vec{p}$ will tend to a fixed positive vector $\vec{\mu}$ almost surely as $t\rightarrow\infty$
conditioned on non-extinction of stem like cells.
\label{Thm3}
\end{theorem}
The above two theorems are applicable to different cases. Theorem \ref{Thm2} corresponds to the case with phenotypic plasticity,
since the irreducibility of $G$ is satisfied as long as the conversions
between different phenotypes can happen. In contrast, Theorem \ref{Thm3} corresponds to the case without
phenotypic plasticity, since all the phenotypic transition rates are assumed to be zero.
Interestingly, even though the assumptions of the two theorems are basically different,
both of them can lead to the path-wise convergence $\vec{p}$. Furthermore, it is easy to see that the path-wise convergence of
$\vec{p}^*$ is implied by Theorems \ref{Thm2} and \ref{Thm3}:
\begin{corollary}
$\vec{p}^*$ will tend to a fixed positive vector $\vec{\mu}^*$ almost surely as $t\rightarrow\infty$
under the conditions in either Theorem \ref{Thm2} or Theorem \ref{Thm3}.
\label{cor2}
\end{corollary}
Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate the path-wise convergence of $\vec{p}^*$ implied by Theorems \ref{Thm2} and \ref{Thm3}
respectively by using stochastic simulations (\ref{appendix4} shows the simulations for $\vec{p}$ in details).
In both cases, even though all the stochastic paths fluctuate at the beginning of the process,
the proportions of S, B and L cells eventually converge to their equilibrium proportions as time passes.
Since the path-wise convergence indicates the stability of (almost) every stochastic sample,
the convergence of the mean dynamics just follows from it by averaging all the stochastic samples
(see lower panels of Figs. 2 and 3). Note that both the Kolmogorov forward equation of the Markov chain and the ODEs model
can be seen as the mean dynamics of the phenotypic proportions; their stabilities just correspond to the
average-level stabilities of the MPB model, which can be seen as direct results of the path-wise convergence.
In this way, the path-wise convergence provides a deeper understanding to the phenotypic equilibrium
from the stochastic point of view.
\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{Fig2-eps-converted-to.pdf}
\caption{Stochastic simulations for the case with phenotypic plasticity (Theorem \ref{Thm2}). Upper panel shows the stochastic path-wise dynamics of the phenotypic proportions of S (blue), B (black) and L (red). The initial numbers of S, B and L cells are assumed to be 20, 0 and 0 respectively, that is, the initial proportions of S, B and L cells are 100\%, 0\% and 0\%.
According to the assumptions in Theorem \ref{Thm2}, we set $m=10$;
$\alpha_S=0.8$, $P_1=0.3$, $P_2=0.2$, $P_3=0.2$, $P_4=0.15$, $P_5=0.15$;
$\alpha_B=0.6$, $\alpha_{B_m}=0.3$, $\beta_B=0.1$, $\gamma_B=0.05$;
$\alpha_L=0.7$, $\alpha_{L_m}=0.3$, $\beta_L=0.13$, $\gamma_L=0.2$.
Thirty stochastic samples for each phenotype were produced. It is shown that even though the stochastic paths fluctuate at the beginning of the process, the proportions of S, B and L phenotypes eventually path-wisely tend to their equilibrium proportions respectively. Lower panel shows the mean dynamics of the phenotypic proportions by averaging all the thirty samples shown in upper panel.}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
\begin{figure}
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{Fig3-eps-converted-to.pdf}
\caption{Stochastic simulations for the case without phenotypic plasticity (Theorem \ref{Thm3}).
The initial cell numbers of S, B and L cells are also assumed to be 20, 0 and 0 respectively.
According to the assumptions in Theorem \ref{Thm3}, we set $m=10$;
$\alpha_S=0.8$, $P_1=0.5$, $P_2=0.14$, $P_3=0.16$, $P_4=0.1$, $P_5=0.1$;
$\alpha_B=0.4$, $\alpha_{B_m}=0.3$, $\beta_B=0$, $\gamma_B=0$;
$\alpha_L=0.45$, $\alpha_{L_m}=0.3$, $\beta_L=0$, $\gamma_L=0$.
Ten stochastic samples for each phenotype were produced. Upper panel shows the path-wise convergence of the phenotypic proportions. Lower panel shows the average-level stability of the mean dynamics.}
\end{center}
\end{figure}
As the end of this section, it is noteworthy to emphasize that, according to Theorem \ref{Thm3}, the
phenotypic equilibrium can still happen in the paradigm of conventional cancer stem cell theory.
The assumptions in Theorem \ref{Thm3} together indicate the cellular hierarchy proposed by the cancer stem cell
theory \cite{dalerba2007cancer}. That is, cancer stem cells (S cells)
are capable of differentiation into other more committed non-stem cancer cells (B and L cells)
but not vice versa. In this way, cancer stem cells are at the apex of this cellular hierarchy.
Moreover, the assumption ``$P_1>P_2+P_3$'' implies the \emph{dominance} of S phenotype during the growth of the population.
To show this, note that $\alpha_S\left(P_1-P_2-P_3\right)$ is the eigenvalue corresponding to S phenotype of $G$ in
Eq. (\ref{matrix3}), which is the only positive eigenvalue of $G$ provided ``$P_1>P_2+P_3$''
(see \ref{appendix3}). In other words, instead of the phenotypic plasticity, Theorem \ref{Thm3} also
gives an alternative explanation to the phenotypic equilibrium in the framework of the cancer stem cell theory,
as long as the cancer stem cell phenotype is dominant in the population. However, it is interesting to see that
the convergence rate of the case in Fig. 2 is faster than that of the case in Fig. 3, even though they both
give rise to the path-wise convergence. This suggests that perhaps the convergence rate (rather than the convergence itself)
could serve as an indicator to distinguish the models with and without phenotypic plasticity, which might be another
meaningful research topic in future.
\section{Conclusions}
In this study, we have presented a multi-phenotype branching model of cancer cells.
On one hand, this model can serve as an underlying model from which the ODEs model and
the Markov chain model can be deduced. On the other hand, the almost sure convergence of the
model enhances our understanding of the phenotypic equilibrium, from average-level stability
to path-wise convergence. Furthermore, our results have indicated that, even though the
phenotypic plasticity facilitates the phenotypic equilibrium, it is not indispensable in some cases.
It has been shown that the conventional cancer stem cell model can also stabilize the mixture of
the phenotypic proportions, providing an alternative explanation to the phenotypic equilibrium.
Moreover, it should be noted that even though this work is focused on
the issue of cancer, our methods can conveniently be used to
more generalized cell population dynamics \cite{jiang2014cell}.
To further reveal the biological mechanisms of the phenotypic equilibrium,
more detailed dynamic models of cancer cells are needed. For instance,
the hypothesis of cooperation among cancer cells has been put forward
\cite{axelrod2006evolution}. In particular, self-sufficiency of certain growth signals
of cancer cells supports the concept of mutualism and could be an important mechanism
supporting the phenotypic equilibrium. Therefore, the models of capturing the
interactions among cancer cells, \emph{e.g.} evolutionary game models \cite{nowak2004evolutionary},
could be a promising research direction in future.
Furthermore, the genetic and epigenetic state networks \cite{huang2012molecular,wang2013phage} of cancer will enable us to explore the
molecular mechanisms of the phenotypic equilibrium, which are poorly understood.
The network methods have successfully been used to investigate the processes of cellular pluripotent reprogramming \cite{wang2012global}
and epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMT) \cite{jolly2014towards}.
Note that EMT could play a key role in regulating the phenotypic heterogeneity in cancer \cite{may2011epithelial},
further studies on it should be another important tasks in future plans.
\section*{Acknowledgements}
D. Z. acknowledges the generous sponsorship from
the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (No. 11401499),
the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province of China (No. 2015J05016),
and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 20720140524).
Y. N. is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.11401594) and the New Teachers' Specialised
Research Fund for the Doctoral Program from Ministry of Education of China (No.20120162120096).
| 1)}_2,...,X^{(m)}_2)^T$ be the vector representing the cell numbers of $\textrm{B}_i$ cells,
and $\vec{X}_3=(X^{(0)}_3, X^{(1)}_3,...,X^{(m)}_3)^T$ be the vector representing the cell numbers of $\textrm{L}_i$ cells,
then the dynamics of $\vec{X}=(X_1, \vec{X}_2,\vec{X}_3)^T$ can be modeled as a multi-phenotype branching process
\cite{athreya1972branching}.
If we define $\textrm{Pr}(\vec{x};t)$ be the probability of $\vec{X}=\vec{x}$ at time $t$,
according to the theory of \emph{Chemical Master Equation} (CME), the rate of change | 200 |
31 Fairly Obscure Literary Monsters
JW McCormack
Halloween used to belong to the monsters. Tracing a perfect near-continuum from the Frankenstein's Monsters and Gill-Men that papered many a boyhood bedroom to the disturbed teenager's diet of Lovecraftian doom and the unlaid English major's repository of Victorian dreadfuls, the creatures of the night once held a monopoly on populist hair-raising. But in the hallowed eves of today, you're more likely to see the harbingers of nostalgia — the likes of Urkel, Carmen Sandiego and drag Monica Lewinsky — than the emissaries of the undead, the restless hunger for immortality, lycanthropy, and Modern Prometheum seemingly slaked by Sexy Corn, rock star wish-fulfillment and an endless contest to achieve the slyest wordplay couple costumes (last year's winner: Baroque-en Record and Edwardian Scissorhands) or tastelessly topical shock valets (I don't mean you Binders-Full-Of-Women, I mean you, Zombie JonBenet Ramsey). When did the stop-motion lizard people of the late-night circuit, the high gothic of Mary Shelly and Siouxsie Sioux, become passé and what is to be done when Bela Lugosi is forced to take a backseat to SpongeBob and Shrek? And who will haunt the suburban thoroughfares and laborsome loft parties when we are gone? For those of us that borrowed our friends' cars to see the midnight showing of The Hunger and maintained a preference for muppets over CGI, monsters weren't a fad, but a lifestyle. Assigned Ayn Rand and A Separate Peace, we snuck away to read Anne Rice, I Am Legend,and Poppy Z. Brite. Once the moon was full enough to cover every one of us; adolescent America was one big Midnight Society gathered around the campfire and we all had hooks for hands.
Fortunately, literature — even as compared to movies and bartender tattoos — isn't just full of monsters, literature is monsters. Admittedly, the most memorable killers have come in human(ish) form, from Blaise Cendrars' Rippers-eque Moravagine to sign-of-the-time slashers like Patrick Bateman and Hannibal Lector. But that's not to say that books aren't rich with waking nightmares, undigested psychological ectoplasms and tentacles in general. The following list aims to undo the long influence of irony with its evil twin and opposite number: deliberate obscurity and humorless elitism. All vampires, Gorgons, flesh-eating cadavers, Kaiju and denizens of the Monstrous Manual have been scrupulously excised. This, if you dare, are the well-nigh forgotten monsters of classic literature, because the idle past is always preferable to the overfamiliar present, and true monsters are not just the embodiment of period anxieties, but the horrific realization of the future. For that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives.
The Sandman From "The Sandman" by E.T.A. Hoffmann (1816)
It would be remiss not to begin with the monster that gave Freud his principle instance of "the uncanny." Hoffmann's traumatized hero begins by recalling the legend of the Sandman, who steals the eyeballs of children as they wake in fright and goes on to see the Sandman everywhere; in his own memories of his father's unsavory friend Copellius, a "borometer-seller" named Coppola and lurking somewhere behind his own eyes. Grand Guignol subplots proliferate (including the love of a clockwork woman), but in the end Hoffmann dares us to look inward, to the origin of our desires where dreams mingle with half-recalled memories and where there is no guarantee that such clarity won't mean madness and suicide. Such is the price for seeing too much.
Gil-Martin From The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg (1824)
A distinctly Red State boogieman despite being the creation of a Scotsman, Gil-Martin is the otherworldy and inseparable companion — something of a homicidally misanthropic Socrates — of the religious zealot Wringhim. Gil-Martin assures his friend that there can be no sin when one is chosen by God and much of Wringham's confession is given over to Gil-Martin's sophistry: "What is the life of a man more than the life of a lamb, or any guilty animal? (…) Can there be any doubt that it is the duty of one consecrated God, to cut off such a mildew?" Convinced that he murders in God's name, Wringhim terrorizes his would-be congregation only to slip deeper into Gil-Martin's power. Unlike most monsters, more likely to eat your heart than discuss the correct interpretation of scripture, Gil-Martin is an intelligent fiend and one of the most convincing depictions of pure evil in all literature. Toward the end of the novel, the Wringhim's charismatic councilor is accused of being the devil — but the canny reader will recognize Rousseau, whose approach Hogg loosely parodies.
The Man of the Crowd From "The Man of the Crowd" by Edgar Allan Poe (1840)
If you live in a metropolitan area, you've probably caught yourself occasionally thinking of people less as individuals with distinct selves than as the tendrils of the vast and unfathomable crowd. But what if this were literally true? What if some of the people you pass on your commute had no existence separate from their abeyance to the city's inscrutable rhythm? So it is with the ragged and weirdly featureless old man that our narrator follows through the city, a criminal without a crime, a living blank of a human being onto which the crowd seems to project its random desires on a loop. Far scarier than Poe's usual neurasthenic murderers, "The Man of the Crowd" is also one of the strangest things he ever wrote (including his many comedies and "The Philosophy of Furniture"). Like the Man of the Crowd himself, the story is an enigmatic dead level unaccentuated by any plot or obvious intent.
Beatrice Rappaccini "Rappaccini's Daughter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1844)
What is it about Beatrices? The latest in a long line of awestruck young men falling into a personal hell for the sake of a Beatrice, our hero is distracted from his studies by his view of the lustrous garden of mad botanist Giacomo Rappacini, who has raised his daughter to tend his poisonous buds and assorted ivies (note the lingering sense of Italians as exotic evildoers). Technically more proficient than a lot of the stories on this list, it's still a challenge to not make "Rappaccini's Daughter," sound insipid; suffice to say, Beatrice builds up a resistance but, in the bargain, becomes pure poisonous love whose kiss is death. Disaster ensues. If there's one thing that's more amazing about Hawthorne's story than that it out-Poes Poe, is more of a page-turner than Henry James' more ambient "Turn of the Screw" or that his gift for description is seemingly without limit, it's how much Beatrice, swathed in the metaphor of thorny roses and so on, seems to anticipate the invention of the rock ballad.
Silas Ruthyn From Uncle Silas by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (1864)
A dead-on Victorian novel with all the trimmings, Uncle Silas is effectively a re-do of Charlotte Bronte's painfully anticlimactic Villette, featuring the titular cadaverous, opium-addicted, possibly-vampiric Third Uncle, who torments an ingénue before trying to marry her off to his idiot son (like Leatherface, but with a claw hammer instead of a chainsaw). One of the great villains of the era of triple-decker novels, Uncle Silas also gave the Peter O'Toole the most scenery-eating role of his career, in the BBC movie adaptation Dark Angel.
Lokis From "Lokis" by Proser Mérimée (1869)
Although Proser Mérimée is best known as the author of Carmen, if "Lokis" is any indication, his heart was really in tales of rapey Lithuanian Were-bears. Clawing his way out of the birth canal, Michel tries to repress his beasty nature. But the pressure of marriage proves too much, despite his efforts to keep it together, "Lokis" breaks out and his honeymoon turns into a bloodbath, after which he disappears into the forest to eat salmon, shit, trundle, hibernate and break into horseless carriages for the rest of his days.
The Horla From "The Horla" by Guy de Maupassant (1887)
The most frightening monster is that which is indistinguishable from madness. In this, the greatest of Maupassant's many ghost stories, a pampered bourgeois becomes possessed by a parasitic consciousness that, among other trespasses, leads him to abuse his servants and burn down his house. A parable for class privilege and the self-destructive violence of the late Nineteenth Century's landed gentry? Sure, but the suffering of our narrator and his struggle to find where he ends and the Horla (a sort of mental Mr. Hyde) makes "The Horla" the pinnacle of psychological horror and the appeal of bodily-displaced "mind vampires" has never really faded, from Freddy Kruegar and Killer BOB to the atemporal Horologists of David Mitchell's recent The Bone Clocks.
Ayesha From She and Ayesha and others by H. Rider Haggard (1887)
One of the best-selling novels in history, She is pure colonial fantasy in which a pair of gentleman adventurers discover a primitive civilization presided over by She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed, an immortal queen of a pre-Egyptian kingdom consecrated by fire and hands down my favorite mummy. Even if everything that surrounds SWMBO (or "Ayesha," to the re-incarnated lovers she lures to her den) reads as faintly dumb or familiar by modern standards, Ayesha is an amazing character and, unlike most female monsters of the period, is depicted as formidable, self-possessed and eloquent even if desire does proves to be her undoing…at least until the sequels, which kept coming and inspired an entire genre of 'lost city' novels, Tolkien's elf-queen Galadriel and a Hammer Horror film starring Ursula Andress.
The Damned Thing From "The Damned Thing" by Ambrose Bierce (1893)
Ur-American horror writer Ambrose Bierce is back in public consciousness thanks to True Detective — but if you found the actual Carcosa less frightening than your anticipations, you're in luck. The Damned Thing is not a redneck child murderer, demon from hell or, despite the claw marks left on its victims, a mountain lion. It's just some kind of thing. According to Bierce it's a color we can't see inhabiting an imperceptible air-inside-the-air. The point<|fim_middle|>iving their Hellenic salad days. This is as good a place as any to mention that when I was 8, my best friend Robert Harris locked me in the garage until his mom came home. Actually, I am still there.
Tash From The Horse and His Boy and The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis (1954 and 1956)
We all know that heavy-handed theologian worked Jesus into his Chronicles of Narnia as the lion Aslan, but did you remember that Narnia has its very own anti-Christ? That would be Tash the giant vulture-skulled Demiurge. Originally, presented as a cultural, rather than religious deity — that is, a swear word more than an actual being — Tash turns out to be totally real in the more-grisly-than-you-remember Last Battle. Tash is the false God made real, the monster we make when when we serve our own interest in Heaven's name. Or maybe Lewis is just a pedantic patriarchal family-values allegorist (see the more-stupid-than-you-remember Screwtape Letters).
The Howling Man From "The Howling Man" by Charles Beaumont (1959)
Although the Twilight Zone adaptation of the ridiculously prolific Beaumont's short story will have you believe that the man locked up in the dungeon Benedictine castle and guarded by an order of monks is the Devil, he isn't. He's the 20th century and when a boarder, tormented by screams in the night, sets him free, he unleashes 100 years of genocide, iniquity and nuclear war. Anastasia screamed in vain.
The Plants From The Genocides by Thomas M. Disch (1965)
The premier work of science hick-tion takes us out of the futuristic cities of most space opera and into the hinterlands, where spherical aliens have seeded giant deadly trees throughout planet, overwhelming the natural flora, blocking the sky, oozing sap, and replacing the welkin with a toxic atmosphere. More menacing than a Triffid, less fun than an Ent, this evil crop turns out to be an elegant metaphor for the climate's indifference to man. Disch's tiny band of backwater types enact their petty jealousies and give way to infighting, but not before taking a sylvan journey into the heart of the Other, to the place where all roots entwine. The Plants are the monstrous monoculture at the center of the world, who are still not altogether of it.
Behemoth From The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (1967)
How does Behemoth manage to stick out in a kaleidoscopic Soviet masterpiece whose other characters include Pontius Pilate, assorted succubae, a demonic assassin and Satan himself? It might be because he is a demonic seven-foot cat that walks upright, plays chess, knocks back vodka with the devil and makes wisecracks that are either untranslatable or just proof that cat humor is wasted on me. Other than being a talking feline, the louche Behemoth wouldn't be out of place in most grad programs: he is sarcastic, well-read (to the point that he's even read manuscripts that were burned by their authors) and indebted to powerful and evil forces. There may be more sinister cats in fiction, but as Satan's minion — or, rather, mascot — Behemoth combines the amorality of house pets with the blithe condescension of somebody who wants you to know he knows somebody very famous. Also, his name means hippopotamus in Russian, which is a pretty good name for a cat.
Knife-Wielding Death Dwarf From Daphne Du Maurier's "Don't Look Now" (1971)
Daphne Du Maurier's fascinating horror story "Don't Look Now" (the inspiration behind my favorite film of the same name) may be the only work of fiction entirely based on the dangers of misinterpreting metaphor. While a killer roams Venice, a vacationing couple mourning for their deceased daughter fall under the sway of a pair of identical twins and become fixated on a strange figure in a red raincoat — just like little Christine used to wear. But it isn't their little girl, it is a terrifying dwarf with a razor; the premonitions we've been following were only premonitions of an absurd and meaningless death.
The Cupboard Man From "Conversation With A Cupboard Man" by Ian McEwan (1972)
Nothing to see here, just a masturbating homunculus who lives inside a cupboard.
He's in yours right now.
Misquamacus The Manitou by Graham Masterton (1975)
Graham Masterton, the author of over two-dozen sex instruction booklets, has produced a baffling series of books probably aimed at making us forget the movie made out of his first, The Manitou. Misquamacus is an Indian spirit (more properly, a Manitou, a monster so Canadian-sounding, they named a Province after it) that takes possession of a fetus so as to exact vengeance on the white man; so far, so good but the problem is that Misquamacus doesn't wait to grow up, but just goes for it after charging out of his mother-host's uterus. A truly malevolent fetus, his rampage doesn't get much farther than the nursery but deserves massive points for effort.
Freddy From Freddy's Book by John Gardner (1980)
Freddy is the secret progeny of a University professor who keeps his enormous, ogre-like son secured in the attic, where, hidden from sight and denied any human contact, he wiles away his hours of captivity writing a book about Vikings. Freddy is, in other words, the writer we'd all like to be.
Larry the Lizard From Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalis (1982)
Mrs. Caliban is a quiet, pensive domestic drama reminiscent of Evan S. Connell's Mrs. Bridge or Chopin's The Awakening with the distinction of featuring a giant lizard-person. Larry, having escaped from an experiment, falls in love with bottled-up housewife Mrs. Caliban and reawakens the passion that has been all that snuffed out by a loveless marriage and the loss of her son. Mrs. Caliban's lizard may not seem very threatening as monsters go — indeed, he seems an affable gentlecreature and alert lover — but Ingalis' tone is less magical than it is wistful; Larry may be a figment of Mrs. Caliban's loneliness and repressed desire, which establishes Ingalis' short novel as a deeply feminist text and Larry as belonging to the same class of inner-beasts-made-manifest as Lon Chaney's Wolfman.
Mr. Hood From The Thief of Always by Clive Barker (1992)
Clive Barker is known for his vaguely kinky horror and fantasy novels, but The Thief of Always is a surprisingly durable fable about a jaded young boy with the adorably Dickensian name of Harvey Swick who is invited to the Holiday House — where every morning is Christmas and every night is Halloween — at the invitation of the mysterious Mr. Hood. His every childish whim attended to, Harvey is loath to return home; but when he does, he finds that years have passed, his parents have all but given up looking for him and Mr. Hood is the house itself, draining the years from the children he lures inside his doors.
The Thieving Bears of Thieving Bear Planet From "Thieving Bear Planet" by R.A. Lafferty (1992)
Actually, they're more like large flying squirrels, but made mostly of fluff "with not much body inside it," the better to hide the things they steal. The only known inhabitants of an otherwise worthless and uninteresting planet, the only given scientific reason for the bears' existence is that "anomalies are necessary." But woe to the spaceman who touches down even briefly on Thieving Bear Planet, for he will find himself denuded not only of all his Pepsin capsules and comic books, but — such is the cleverness of Ursus furtificus — he will soon lose even his knowledge of the cosmos beyond and, eventually, his ghost.
Mr. Potato Head From "Subsoil" by Nicholson Baker (1994)
Leave to a first-class observer of radical normality like Nicholson Baker to finally tap into the uncannyness of stem tubers. An agricultural historian Nyle T. Milner stays the night in a mysterious house well-stocked with vintage boargames, where he dares to play with an "original" Mr. Potato Head made from an actual potato (was this a thing?). The description of the potato's vengeance is impossible not to quote: "A sprout grew smoothly into his right knee, seeking his synovial fluid. Several more penetrated his elbows. These hurt quite a lot, though not nearly as much as the one that found its way into his urethra. One wan ganglion discovered his ear canal, and another a tear duct, and Nyle began to hear only the dim, low pulsation of plant hormones and potato ideology." In the night, the potato takes its vengeance, unfurling its roots to take possession of its victim and . Beware the potato, my friends, for the next fruit of the earth dug up for a child's amusement may be your skull.
Kafka's Father From Letter to His Father by Franz Kafka (First, Last and Always)
Franz Kafka's Letter to His Father is the greatest work of introspection ever written and one of the holy grails of modernism, in which Franz attempts to explain to his father why he fears him so and begs for his judgment. We can never read enough this most naked of confessions in which Kafka transforms his father into a monster more encompassing than anything in Lovecraft's loopiest penny dreadfuls, a spiraling and encyclopedic fusion of the Old Testament God and deeply-buried childhood submission, more haunting than any ghost and more homoerotic than anything of Anne Rice's vampires (understandably, the letter was never delivered). In his genius-level capacity for obsessive suffering, Kafka got it right: Dad is the ultimate monster.
Standing Inside the Revision, Afraid
Oct 31 - Tobias Carroll Read
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8 Fantasy Novels by Trans and Nonbinary Authors
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Dec 20 - Electric Literature
My grandfather taught me to believe in the American Dream and the magic of Oz. Now, I don't know what to believe.
Dec 12 - CJ Hauser | is, whatever it is, it hates us and it is everywhere all at once. Of course this Thing is only the granddaddy of all Things, from Lovecraft's indescribable Things (which, nonetheless, he never tired of describing) to John Carpenter's Thing, which not a dog in the same sense that The Damned Thing is not a mountain lion. As monsters go, Things have one big advantage over the human race: we can only describe what they aren't. In other words, you won't know it when you don't see it.
The Great God Pan From "The Great God Pan" by Arthur Machen (1894)
Welsh freakazoid Arthur Machen's grotesque novella about pagan orgies and brain surgery was just part of the prevailing fashion for Goat Gods — which were as ubiquitous in fin-de-siècle as zombies today — but he almost definitely invented the concept of tripping your balls off. Beginning with a scientist who wants to open the human mind to better understanding through creative lobotomy, he inadvertently opens the doors to Pan the pleasure god. What follows is an engagingly anarchic narrative (I use the term loosely) of rape, suicide and shape shifting women. Machen was a devoted occultist and late convert to Celtic Christianity and the tension between antiquity and modernity, what can be known and what lives just beyond comprehension, is present in all of his fiction; but not even his fae "White People" can equal Pan for sheer goat-fucking insanity.
Morlocks From The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (1895)
Whereas most science-fiction stumbles by leaping ten or twenty years into post-apocalypse, the more optimistic Wells' sets his after-scape in the 8,028th, just to be safe. Because, who's to say that the inheritors of the planet won't be subterranean albino ape-men? The Morlocks are not just literature's premier subway-dwelling mutants, they remain its most malevolent, an evolutionary step backwards toiling in the pure night of a post-electric world, emerging from their tunnels to feast on the flesh of the Eloi (basically Californians to the Morlocks' New York).
Sredni Vashtar From "Sredni Vashtar" by Saki (c. 1901–1911)
A blood-drinking polecat worshipped by a psychotic ten-year old boy. Devourer of cousins. Anyone looking for a pet name?
Count Magnus From "Count Magnus" by M.R. James (1904)
In M.R. James' genre-establishing weird tale, a travel writer in darkest Sweden fails to appreciate a series of painting depicting the Count Magnus de la Gardie and ventures into the Count's mausoleum only to encounter…something (the journal breaks off and we go back to the frame story). As ghost stories go, this may not sound too scary, but just imagine if the last piece of art you failed to fully appreciate decided to kill you.
Alraune From Alraune by Hanns Heinz Ewers (1911)
Next time you need to name check a novel about a prostitute impregnated with the sperm of a hanged man by a mad geneticist so that she gives birth to a vengeful nymphomaniac written by a homosexual Nazi, you'll be glad we had this chat. There's not a lot more to say, except this once-wildly popular answer to Frankenstein (of which it is kind of a misogynist reworking) is, I'm afraid, partly responsible for the Species movies. The more things change…
Thak, the Man-Ape From "Rogues in the House" by Robert E. Howard (1934)
Simian overlords and deadly orangutans are certainly not underrepresented in fiction, but if you're talking about giant things beating the shit out of each other, you're talking about Conan the Barbarian. In the unusual and early installment of the Cimmerion's adventures, Howard mimics the style John Webster in a convoluted story with an excellent end-boss: the usurper Thak, an intelligent ape who has replaced a powerful clergyman and plots to rule the surrounding cities as a theocrat. Do I have to say more? It's fucking Thak! All hail Thak!
The Newts From War with the Newts by Karel Čapek (1936)
Karl Čapek's unbelievably perceptive political fantasy War with the Newts centers around the titular Sumatran newt-people. Discovered just beyond the reefs of the known world, humanity quickly outsources its labor to the aquatic Newts. Only when mankind has become completely dependent on the new, hydroengineering-based economy do the Newts begin demanding a bigger cut of the coastline, by which time even the most highly-developed nations are in no position to refuse. Despite the title, the war isn't a war so much as a massacre, as frogman proves himself by far the more adaptable species. Čapek's targets are complex: nationalism, racism and, above all, capital — but the Newts are more than the means to a sociological end, as they evolve from gentle pearl-divers to an indignant proletarian class and finally take their place as the new master race.
It From "It!" by Theodore Sturgeon (1940)
Sturgeon is probably most famous for developing the useful Sturgeon's Law — that is, "Ninety percent of [science fiction] is crud, but then, ninety percent of everything is crud." — and the nameless swamp monster of "It!" is the embodiment of this philosophy; a creature of pure waste, sentient fungus and accumulated detritus that lumbers through the countryside contemplating Its own oppressive consciousness even as it absorbs more fungus, moss and rot into its membrane. Like the very best monsters (including Its direct descendants Man-Thing and Swamp-Thing), It exists in a state of in-between-ness, occupying the void between living and unloving, natural and unnatural.
Cassavius From Malpertius by Jean Ray (1943)
In this Belgian gothic-surrealist novel…sorry, I'll start again; Cassavius is the ultimate realization of Belgian oddball Jean Ray's twin interests in Cocteau-like fantasy and sublime strangeness reminiscent of Bruno Schultz or Paul Valéry. A well-traveled collector and warlock (Orson Welles in the otherwise memorable film version), Cassavius builds a sprawling mansion to house his collection, which happens to consist of figures from myth trapped in flesh and forced to roam the grounds rel | 1,412 |
HomeLifestyleTravelThe Grand Place in Brussels, Belgium: A Perfectly Preserved Town Square
The Grand Place in Brussels, Belgium: A Perfectly Preserved Town Square
November 30, 2012 Roy Stevenson Travel 0
Europe has many elaborately crafted medieval town squares, but none is as ornate or theatrical as the Grand Place in Brussels. The stunning 17th century neo-classical Flemish façades of the superbly restored guild houses on this cobble stone square tell about its days of glory when Brussels was one of Europe's main centers of industry.
After walking through dark, narrow cobblestone alleys, you suddenly emerge on the large square at the Grand Place. Tall Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque facades of elaborately crafted guild houses tower above you on all four sides, immediately taking you back four centuries. You're now looking at Europe's most perfectly preserved and most picturesque medieval square.
Brussels thrived as a commerce center from 1100 on, and to accommodate the teeming markets and trader's houses, the square was paved in the twelfth century over marshy ground. By the 13th century, tradesmen's organizations like the drapers guild, established in 1282, were built at the Grand Place. Brussels' humming markets attracted many more trade and merchants' guilds. Neighboring streets were named after the food sold there; there's still a Rue au Beurre (Butter Street) and Rue des Bouchers (Butcher's Street) close by the Grand Place.
Guild houses formed the corporate headquarters for large groups of merchants and tradesmen in the Low Countries. Becoming so economically and politically powerful, their leaders met in them to discuss new rules and regulations within<|fim_middle|> trade, even making recommendations to the city administration. As the guilds became involved in many wars ravaging Europe, they further increased their power and could command higher membership fees. And nowhere in Europe today will you find guild houses as perfectly preserved as those in Brussels' Grand Place.
Through the adornments of gilded statues and elaborately carved symbols related to their trade, the influence of the guild houses is still evident today. Their power was so great that when their guild houses were completely destroyed by the French bombardment in 1695, they were rebuilt in stone within 5 years.
The first building to catch your eye in the Grand Place is the massive 1459 medieval, sandstone Hotel de Ville (Town Hall). This Gothic masterpiece is 300 years older than the guild houses in the square, being the only building to survive the French cannonade. Its octagonal belfry spire towers 376 feet over Brussels, topped by a bronze statue of St. Michael crushing the devil beneath his feet. Over the massive wooden gateway are statues of prophets, priests, and long-gone dukes and duchesses.
The elaborate 15th century Gothic façade of the Maison du Roi opposite the Hotel de Ville, served as Charles V's administrative offices. Before it was constructed, the site was a bread hall dating from the 13th century, where bakers set out their wares. Today it houses the Musee Communal with paintings by Breughel, and fine tapestries.
The Maison des Boulangers (Baker's House, no.1-2), now a great restaurant called Le Roi D'Espagne (King of Spain), has a bust of St. Aubert, patron saint of bakers, on the first floor. Six statues on the balustrade represent the six ingredients of bread: energy, agriculture, wind, fire, water and prudence. Le Sac (no.4) is home to the furniture and cabinet-makers and coopers, with an emblem above the door of one worker holding a sack while someone removes something from it.
La Louve (no.5) has a relief statue of Romulus and Remus being suckled by a wolf, hence its name (The She-Wolf) representing the archer's guild. Atop this building is a golden phoenix rising from the sashes, signifying the rebirth of the Grand Place after the bombardment. The boatmen had their guildhall at Le Cornet, (The Horn, no.6) dating from 1434. Its façade is covered by nautical symbols. If you look up at the top level, you'll see a perfect replica of the stern of a galleon. Next door is den Vos (The Fox, no.7), the mercer's and haberdasher's guildhall—look for the beautiful wooden statue of a fox above the entryway.
Directly across from this row of guild houses you'll see Le Cygne (The Swan) dating from 1720, which was the butcher's headquarters. Today it fittingly houses an expensive restaurant. La Maison des Brasseurs (Brewer's Guildhall, no.10) is the only building today that houses its original guild. It also houses a small brewer's museum. The entire east side of the square is taken up by a magnificent wide, gold fronted monolith called the House of the Dukes of Brabant, that housed several guildhalls including millers, tanners, wagonmakers and carpenters.
Written by Roy Stevenson for EuropeUpClose.com
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The New Zealand Dollar has fallen to its lowest level in more than two-years against the Greenback on the backdrop of hawkish comments from Fed Chairman Jerome Powell bolstering expectations of an interest rate hike in December. The NZD/USD was dragged lower on Wednesday night on the back of upbeat US data and has continued to fall as the Fed look towards a possible rise in December. The NZD/USD touched a low 0.6474, a level not witnessed since Jan 2016.
The local calendar is once again non-existent, markets will turn their attention to this evenings US Non-Farm payroll numbers and the official Unemployment rate. US non-farm payrolls are expected to rise by 185k and the unemployment rate is seen falling to 3.8% from 3.9%.
On the technical front, we see support sitting at 0.6445 followed by 0.6400. On the up side, resistance sits 0.6520.
The Aussie dollar was again amongst the worst performing currencies on the day on Thursday as global equities fell sharply and rumors of Chinese industrial espionage ensured trade tensions remained front of mind for investors. AUD/USD went as low<|fim_middle|> and in the US for direction. | as 0.7066 (lowest since Feb 2016) as risk appetite retreated, largely driven by the surge in US treasury yields and the subsequent pricing of riskier assets. On the trade war front, US Vice presidency pence accused Chinese security agencies of stealing US technology including military blueprints.
The fall in the AUD/USD represented a 0.4% decline on the day whilst the AUD/NZD cross largely traded sideways, oscillating around the 1.0900 level amid the deterioration in risk appetite. Thursday was light on the data front as we head into a packed Friday session. We see August retail sales out of the domestic economy with markets anticipating a 0.3% increase following July's flat read. The key global risk event for the day is the non-farm payrolls due out of the worlds largest economy; markets are pricing an increase of 184K with the unemployment rate expected to retreat from 3.9% to 3.8%.
If the USD remains elevated, the next technical support is 0.7025 on the downside whilst any topside moves are expected to meet resistance at 0.7144 before the key psychological level at 0.7200.
After reaching a floor of 1.2920 for the Great British Pound overnight, movements were positive following Prime Minister Theresa May being backed by Ireland over her border proposals. May in her speech at Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham overnight said she was committed to securing a deal that is positive for the local economy.
Sterling saw a gradual rally higher during the European session, pushing once again through the 1.30 handle to reach intraday highs of 1.3035 despite a better than expected unemployment claims in the United States.
This evening sees the release of Halifax HPI figures which measures the price of homes financed by HBOS. A raft of data out of the United States including Non-Farm employment change is likely to influence the GBP/USD cross and determine whether the cable can maintain levels above support at the 1.30 handle.
The Great British Pound opens this morning at 1.3025.
The US dollars advance stalled through trade on Thursday as investors appeared to take stock of Wednesday's push through key technical resistance handles, consolidating positions ahead of Friday's jobs report. Having driven through 11 month highs the dollar moved marginally lower as markets evaluate the impact of a rout on global government bonds amid speculation and uncertainty across emerging markets, Europe and China.
The USD dollar continues to outperform as strong domestic growth and a hawkish central bank paint a positive picture moving through the latter half of 2018 and onward into 2019. A stark contrast to broader global uncertainty and measured macroeconomic policy outlooks. While an argument can be made for a widespread USD correction the strains of emerging markets should continue to fuel demand for the worlds base currency while the potential burgeoning gap in central bank interest rates ensures the Dollar remains an attractive carry option when compared against g10 counterparts.
Attentions now turn to todays' jobs and wage growth print. Particular focus will be afforded to the Average Hourly Earnings report for a broader inflationary outlook. This evenings print will be critical in guiding short term direction with a strong read supporting recent indications wages are rising and offers support to the Fed's recent hawkish pitch.
The Euro edged higher through trade on Thursday staving off a consolidated push below support at 1.15 and edging back above this key technical handle. Having touched intraday lows at 1.1463 the 19-nation combined unit advanced on news Italy would review its deficit targets and reduce debt through the next three years.
Touching intraday highs at 1.1535 the Euro opens this morning marginally lower but still comfortably above supports at 1.1512. Attentions now turn to US employment data for direction and guidance into the weekend while Italian political developments ensures headline risk continues to drive short term volatility. We continue to watch moves around 1.15 as a consolidated break and a weekly close below this target and yesterdays low could signal a broader downward correction.
The Loonie was hit from a number of fronts in overnight trading, recording a decline of 50 pips on a daily basis. Opening this morning at 0.7736 against its US counterpart, the Canadian Dollar felt the effects of a strengthening Greenback, softening oil prices and poorer PMI figures.
Kicking things off on the domestic front, Canada released the Richard Ivey School of Business' PMI survey which showed a steep, negative discrepancy against the expected result. A leading indicator of economic health, the PMI figure came in as barely expansionary at 50.4 against an expected 62.3.
The CAD was also unsupported in the commodity markets with a sharp fall witnessed in crude oil prices. West Texas Intermediate had rallied to highest level in nearly four years yesterday, touching $76.9/Barrell to ultimately reverse course and fall $2 on the day.
South of the border, the Federal Reserve added fuel to the fire with a decidedly hawkish comment from the Fed Chair Powell. Noting that rates were still "accommodative", Powell added that there was really no reason to think that the current expansionary cycle could not continue effectively indefinitely, a thought not shared by the market. The market did react to the hawkish comments however and the USD rose accordingly as the likelihood of further rate hikes in the near future become more probable.
Moving into Friday, Canada looks to employment rate readings at home | 1,166 |
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The Pills to Fight COVID-19
Coronavirus, Infectious Diseases
There are new weapons in the war against COVID-19: antiviral pills that you take once you've been infected to fight the virus before it multiplies and causes major damage.
Vaccines are powerful in preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19, including from the omicron variant. But to save as many lives as possible, we need other prevention strategies and effective treatments. The FDA recently authorized one, a pill called molnupiravir, developed by Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Merck. A second antiviral pill from Pfizer called paxlovid has also been authorized.
For several months, the best authorized treatment for COVID-19 is an infusion of monoclonal antibodies, which UNC Health offers at several clinics. But monoclonal antibody treatments are logistically complicated to deliver and not universally available. At the peak of the pandemic, clinics were fully scheduled, which worked against the goal of treating people as quickly as possible. Now, because of the omicron variant, the two top monoclonal cocktail therapies are not proving effective. A third monoclonal treatment called Sotrovimab is effective, but large supplies are not yet available and won't be for several weeks.
With the Merck antiviral pill, patients over 18 at high risk of severe disease and hospitalization would get a prescription filled at a local pharmacy immediately after they test positive for COVID-19. Patients take four pills twice a day for five days. The federal government has agreed to purchase 3 million courses of treatment, all of which should be available by the end of January 2022.
The federal government also has a contract in place to purchase 10 million courses of paxlovid treatment, but Pfizer says it will have about 265,<|fim_middle|> died.
New Hope for COVID-19 Treatments
Pfizer's paxlovid blocks the production of a viral enzyme that the coronavirus needs to multiply. It's the same method used in HIV and hepatitis C drugs.
Pfizer released data in early November 2021 showing that the drug reduced hospitalization and risk of death by 89 percent. About 7% of patients in the placebo arm were hospitalized and/or died. The company says the occurrence of side effects was similar between patients who received the drug and those who received the placebo.
The Ridgeback/Merck and Pfizer pills followed different clinical trial parameters, and so comparing data results is not easy. Also, real-world efficacy often does not perfectly mirror clinical trial results. But each pill shows more promise based on gold standard randomized double-blinded clinical trials for antiviral effects than any treatment to date, aside from monoclonal antibodies.
"What's really exciting is that we now have potentially two oral therapies that work differently to fight against this virus," Dr. Fischer says. "This will be important in case resistance develops to one of them or if these medications are allowed for different patient populations."
For the latest information on COVID-19, visit the CDC website and the UNC Health COVID-19 Resources page, and follow UNC Health on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
William Fischer, MD
Director of Emerging Pathogens at the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases
William Fischer, MD, is director of Emerging Pathogens at the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases and associate professor of pulmonology and critical care medicine at the UNC School of Medicine. He was deployed into the Republic of Korea and Azerbaijan by the World Health Organization early in the COVID pandemic and has led care for COVID-19 patients since the start of the pandemic while spearheading research, including clinical trials for molnupiravir and other antiviral treatments.
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People older than 65 who were vaccinated more than six months ago are at greatest risk. | 000 treatment courses available by the end of January. Pfizer says it is ramping up production of paxlovid to produce more each month and reach 10 million total doses by late summer 2022. Paxlovid will be available for adults and children age 12 and older who weigh at least 88 pounds and who are at high risk of severe disease and hospitalization.
"The oral delivery of these treatments gets around the logistical challenges of infusion based therapies, and that's critical as it will allow increased access to treatment." says William Fischer, MD, UNC Health pulmonary and critical care doctor. "A global pandemic requires global solutions – so the response to the COVID-19 pandemic requires that we figure out how to get safe and effective vaccines and treatments to people who need them. Incorporating the consideration of access into our response strategy is the only way we can slow the spread of this pathogen."
Developing COVID-19 Antiviral Pills
Emory University scientists created molnupiravir several years ago as a potential flu treatment and called on UNC researchers to test it against several viruses, including coronaviruses, with the hope of creating a medication before the next viral outbreak and potential pandemic. This UNC-led research began in 2016 and showed that the drug alters the virus's genetic code, making it much harder for the virus to multiply and cause severe disease. They demonstrated that molnupiravir was effective against various types of coronaviruses.
When the COVID-19 virus spread around the world in early 2020, UNC-Chapel Hill researchers immediately began testing molnupiravir's safety and efficacy against the particular coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19.
Ralph Baric, PhD, Kenan Distinguished Professor of Epidemiology and Microbiology & Immunology, is one of the world's foremost coronavirus researchers. His lab's experiments, led by Tim Sheahan, PhD, first showed molnupiravir's effectiveness in 2020. The pill stopped the virus from multiplying. Dr. Fischer took notice.
Fischer and colleagues in the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Disease worked with the drug company to ramp up clinical trials. At the same time, Baric at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and Gillings assistant professor, Lisa Gralinski, PhD, teamed up with UNC School of Medicine researchers Victor Garcia, PhD, and Angela Wahl, PhD, to conduct in-depth research on exactly how the drug killed the virus in human tissue without harming human cells.
Clinical trial results showed that molnupiravir reduced hospitalizations and deaths significantly in people recently infected with SARS-CoV-2. Both phase 2 and 3 trials, one of them led by Dr. Fischer at UNC Medical Center, revealed that patients who took the drug at their first sign of COVID-19 symptoms had a quicker reduction in virus levels than those in a placebo group. After five days, tests were unable to detect infectious virus in volunteers who took 800mg molnupiravir twice a day. The percentage of patients with adverse effects was similar in each group, whether patients received the drug or the placebo.
"The reduction in infectious virus in the nose of individuals who received molnupiravir have important implications for both preventing the progression to severe disease and potentially transmission," Dr. Fischer says. "This is a key complement to our current vaccines and monoclonal antibody treatments because it allows us to treat people as early as possible which is critical to stopping the virus."
Fischer adds it's important to note that 14% of people in the placebo arm of the study were hospitalized and/or | 770 |
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Sean earned a bachelor's degree in geology from Carleton College in Minnesota. He is a member of the Financial Planning Association and the Cascade County Estate Planning Council. He and his wife, Suzanne, are the busy parents of two young sons. | plans and educating them about various facets of personal finance and how their financial plans affect their personal lives. He oversees a financial planning team that also works in tandem with the firm's 350 financial consultants and the firm's estate planning, trust and insurance departments to ensure implementation of financial plans as part of an integrated approach to clients' financial matters.
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The first night on my vacation, my parents had planned to eat out to a place that had a seafood buffet, sounded yummy.
While we were waiting for the bus to take us to dinner, we run into these two women that they had met earlier in the week.
Imgaine, two widowed sisters, from Texas, in their mid-70's, living about 2 hours apart in Florida, having about 30 weeks of timeshares between them and always going on vacation together. Now add to that a penchant<|fim_middle|> loving that you have pictures.... I'll be checking them out when I've done reading! | for champagne with strawberries(I heard the Dom word said more than once) and lobster.
Long story short (I know too late). I ended up having a laugh filled "lobster cruise" dinner with these two wonderful women. We laughed, and drank and made most of the busboys and other patrons raise an eyebrow or too.
You have no idea how I abbreviated that story.
I'm | 78 |
"Salad" is stretching it! Fried meat, oily sauce, and cheese push the calories in this meal through the roof at one popular restaurant. It has about as many as a whole pint of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. The salad also packs nearly 25% more fat.
Want to use up a good chunk of your day's calories before noon? Eat this for breakfast. Better make it brunch, or you won't have many calories left to spare for dinner. This dish also has more than an entire day's worth of saturated fat and sodium.
Chicken fajitas can be a healthy option<|fim_middle|> before you've touched it -- or after you take a small portion.
Ask for extra sauce and half the cheese.
After a slice or two, take the rest home.
Fresh fruit is available at many restaurants now, even fast-food chains, thanks to demand from health-conscious diners. If it's not listed with the desserts, check the side dishes -- or ask for a special order. | . But they're often served with heaps of sour cream, shredded cheese, refried beans, and fried rice. Pack it all in, and you've got plenty of calories to pad your waistline! Instead, load up on grilled peppers, onions, chicken, and fresh salsa. Stick with just one tortilla.
Getting Chinese takeout? Don't assume the veggie options are the healthiest. Vegetarian fried rice can pack an unhealthy wallop. Instead, go for steamed dishes with lots of veggies and brown rice if it's on the menu. Keep the rice to a half-cup -- that's about half the size of half a baseball. Always ask for sauce on the side.
Grilled chicken and shrimp can be good choices. But if they're drenched in carbonara sauce, not so much. A plate of pasta with shrimp and chicken in carbonara can creep up to unhealthy levels. It also has more fat than you'd get from eating a half-dozen glazed doughnuts.
Deep dish pizza can be deep trouble. One "individual" sausage pizza serves up more calories than most people should eat in a whole day. It also packs double the daily limit of fat. Want to make it better? Skip the sausage and opt for thin crust.
Club sandwiches are sneaky. Even with lean turkey or chicken, they can serve up a ton of calories and a whole day's worth of saturated fat. Where is it all hiding? In the bacon, cheese, extra slice of giant bread, and mayo. Opt for a single-decker turkey sandwich instead. Choose plenty of veggies and add a few avocado slices for flavor.
In a pinch, you might think that just one order of fries -- and nothing else -- would be OK. Not really. Large fries can have more calories than a whole loaf of white bread, with an extra bonus of unhealthy saturated fat. If you're jonesing for fries, just get a small. You'll save 788 calories.
How bad can those cute little burgers be? If you eat the whole order, pretty bad. A plate of 4 sliders at lunch leaves you just 440 calories to spare for the rest of your day. Solution? Don't eat the whole order. Pack up one or two in a doggie bag and have them tomorrow.
You can skip the most fattening restaurant meals by reading the menu closely. Look for clues. Words like pan-fried, sautéed, battered, breaded, au gratin, cheesy, creamy, buttered, deep-fried, béarnaise, or crispy are usually signs of extra fat and calories. "Crisp" items are often deep-fried in oil.
Skip the jumbo portions and rich sides that come with restaurant entrees. Instead, go for small plates that you can share, or choose side orders for your meal. In a Mexican restaurant, try one corn taco of grilled meats, a cup of chicken-tortilla soup, a side salad, and a fruit dessert. You get exactly what you want and a fraction of the calories.
Restaurants like to give you a sense that there's plenty on the table. It starts with an overflowing basket of bread or chips. Don't mindlessly devour a few hundred calories before your main meal. Ask the waiter to take away the basket of carbs | 678 |
From the New Liturgical Movement
Coolest. Incipit. Ever!
By (Jeffrey Tucker)
Advent will soon be upon us, which means many things, among which is the annual fight--a polite one, no doubt--over who gets to sing the incipit (opening phrase) to the solemn version of Alma Redemptoris Mater.
Coming to York this Advent!
The Original Post on NLM has a splendid version of the solemn tone sung to Ambrosian Chant.
Posted by Mike Forbester at 10:28 pm No comments:
I can now confirm that the Solemn Mass on 25th October at English Martyrs' Church, will be in the Extraordinary Form. This Mass will be offered by Fr William Charlton, currently based at English Martyrs. Fr Bill is being very supportive, and is publicising the Mass within the parish as part of its October Devotions to the BVM. It would be wonderful if we could reciprocate with a strong show of support in numbers attending!
We have also received permission from the authorities at the Museum Gardens to sing Vespers there again. This will take place on 16th November at 3pm. The Schola Cantorum of the Rudgate Singers will sing here, before singing at the Missa Cantata later that day at English Martyrs. If you're in York that afternoon, please do come along.
Polyphonic Mass in York
I've already mentioned this on my own blog, but see no reason why it shouldn't be mentioned here as well, even if it's not yet been decided whether it will be in the Extraordinary Form, or the Ordinary Form ad Orientem.
There will be a solemn Mass in honour of Our Lady at English Martyrs' Church on 25th October at 3.30pm. The music will be the Gregorian Chant Proper for Masses of the BVM, Josquin's Messe Ave Maris Stella, Guerrero - Ave Virgo Sanctissima, Rivafrecha - Anima Mea, and concluding with the setting of the Solemn Salve Regina written for the Monks of St Mary's Abbey in York.
Needless to say, I'm delighted that we've been able to bring a full scale Rudgate Mass to York, as several of us live here. It's only taken 12 years - let's hope it doesn't take as long for the next one! I was tempted to claim that it would be the first fully polyphonic Mass in a catholic church in the city [in either form of the Roman Rite] for several years, but that wouldn't be true as another group of singers, largely from English Martyrs' Parish, some of whom have also sung with us, sang Palestina's Missa Aeterna Christ Munera back in June for the Patronal Feast Day of the Diocese, an excellent Mass in the Ordinary Form - the best I've ever witnessed in York. We need more groups like this, especially in this part of England. It's a subject I intend to expand upon in my own blog, so I won't say any more about it here.
What I can justifiably claim is that it will be the first such Mass with full Gregorian Chant Propers! Such opportunities as these do not come along very often in York unless you want to pay to hear such music in a concert as part of the Early Music Festival perhaps. If you're in the area, or even if you're able to get to York by train/coach for the day, then I urge you to come to the Mass. It will be an unforgettable experience!
I'm also waiting to hear from the Museum Gardens about the Schola Cantorum singing in the grounds/ruins of St Mary's Abbey. I've asked for 19th October, as this should give us enough singers for this event, and also for the monthly Mass in the Extraordinary Form which will take place in English Martyrs' Church later that evening. This may now have to change, as we've now penciled in a rehearsal for the polyphonic Mass that afternoon. We could of course sing another part of the Office earlier in the day. Wait and see!
The Schola are singing Compline again at St Mary's Bishophill this Friday at 8.00pm. If you're in the area, do come along and say hello!
Posted by Mike Forbester at 1:26 pm 1 comment:
Labels: English Martyrs Church, Rudgate Singers
Traditional Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary from St Mary's Bishophill, York
Posted by roydosan at 9:37 pm 2 comments:
Labels: Rudgate Singers, St Mary's Bishophill
Services for July.
4th: Low Mass. St Clare's, Brookfield, Middlesbrough
4th: Compline St Mary's, Bishophill, York
6th: Low Mass, English Martyrs, York.
11th: Compline. St Mary's, Bishophill, York
12th 5th Annual Founders-Day Requiem
St Mary's Church, Barnard Castle
20th. Missa Cantata, English Martyrs, York.
Further details from the calendars of
www.lms-middlesbrough.co.uk or
www.rudgatesingers.co.uk
Are we in this Diocese going to do anything to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the Moto Proprio? Suggestions welcome in the comments box!
It was a great pleasure to see several people from the Middlesbrough Diocese at Westminster Cathedral last Saturday. Amongst the 2,000 who attended the Mass, I saw at least eight people who attend the traditional Mass at York. All had made their way independantly, by coach, train or car, to London. So Middlesbrough Diocese was well represented.
Leeds Diocese did even better with a full coach from the parish of Allerton Bywater alone. And there were coaches from other areas as well. I noticed the one from Cornwall.
To read reports of the Mass and of what Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos had to say, I suggest that you look at some of the better known blogs, such as Holy Smoke, The Hermeneutic of Continuity and New Liturgical Movement. It was a day to be remembered.
Kneeling for Communion
The blogosphere is alive with reports of the celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi in Rome. New Liturgical Movement probably gives the best coverage but Fr Zuhlsdorf also covers it.
Most notable is to see everyone who receives Holy Communion from the Holy Father kneeling at a pre-dieu, and receiving on the tongue.
Of course, at every Mass there is the option for anyone to receive Holy Communion kneeling and provision should be made to make this possible. However, in practically every church in England, no provision is made for this. I notice that almost all priests stand on the floor of the nave rather than in the sanctuary to give Communion; thus denying the possibility of the faithful kneeling on the altar step. Most people who have passed middle age find difficulty kneeling on the floor (and getting up again) in any dignified manner. A pre-dieu (or better still an altar rail) would solve this problem.
Maybe, the example set by the Holy Father and by the congregants in Rome on the Feast of Corpus Christi, provides the opportunity to review the manner of the reception of Holy Communion in our parishes. Perhaps now would be a good time to request our parish priests to make provision for the faithful to receive body of Christ whilst kneeling.
Young Catholic Adults (YCA)
YCA now have a blog for information on new events, including their upcoming retreat at Douai Abbey between 4-6 July. Mgr Antony Conlon, the LMS Chaplain, will be celebrating Mass in the Extraordinary form for YCA on 6 July. Douai Abbey is a bit of a long journey from the diocese but well worth it if you can get there.
Labels: Douai Abbey, YCA
Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos
A reminder that, at the invitation of the Latin Mass Society, Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, President of the Pontifical Commission, Ecclesia Dei, will be visiting London on Saturday 14th June. He will address the annual general meeting of the Latin Mass Society which will be held in Westminster Cathedral Hall at 11.00am.
At 2.00pm, he will be the celebrant at a pontifical High Mass in the usus antiquior at the High Altar of the Cathedral. He will also preach. His Eminenence will process into the Cathedral wearing the Cappa Magna which is a rare sight nowdays.
The occasion will be a landmark in the progress of the campaign to restore the ancient form of the Mass to our churches; and is expected to attract a large congregation. Hopefully, this will include a sizable contingent from the Middlesbrough Diocese. I already know of four people who are going, but we would like to get a coach load. If you would like to share transport, please telephone 01757 638027 or e-mail waddington@ gooleboathouse.co.uk.
Message from Juventutem Kenya
I have received the following message from Fr Charles Mwongera in Kenya:
About the WYD,we want to register this week and book Tickets for those who might be
going to Australia. We are asking all our friends to just send the little they have
fund-raised because we are already late.<|fim_middle|> and 36,who are interested in the Extra-ordinary rite of the Mass and other traditions of the Roman Catholic Church.It was founded by Rev.Fr.Charles Mwongera,who after attending the Juventutem 2005 in Germany for the WYD,came with the good idea.
We are affilliate member of the International Juventutem Federation.
After many struggles and challenges to get the young people who are COMMITTED,we are proud to have around 20 who are serious.We are able to meet occasionary and pray together.Still we have problems with the Latin language because we have never studied Latin in our Schools here in Kenya.
Now,we are interested in joining the rest of the Juventutem from other countries all over the world for the WYD,Sydney 2008.
We are humbly appealing to well wishers both locally and internationally to help us so that afew of us can travel to Australia next year July for this holy Pilgrimage.
The most intimidating challenge remaining is geting the money to care for the AIR TICKET.
According to the International Airlines,Route,NAIROBI-SYDNEY,the cost of the lowest economy class,Return Ticket is around 2,500 USD,or 1,300 Sterling Pounds.This you can confer from the international carriers like,Virgin Antlatic,Kenya Airways,Emirates,KLM Royal Dutch and others.
May God continue to bless us all and remember each other in prayer.
In Domino,
Juventutem Kenya.
If you would like to help please mention in the com box and I will see what can be done.
Posted by roydosan at 9:59 am 1 comment:
Labels: Juventutem
There is to be a Low Mass in the usus antiquior at the church of St Peter in Scarborough on Wednesday 23rd Jan at 7pm. Fr Charlton will be the celebrant.
This Mass has been arranged by the Latin Mass Society at the invitation of Fr Loughlin, the parish priest.
Depending on how many attend,we will decide whether there can be a regular Mass in the old rite in Scarborough.
Traditional Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary fro... | So don't mind the little that you have been
able to raise for us, we will appreciate. Just send to us so that we make the travel
arrangements.
God bless all your good intentions.Say hello to all the friends over there.
From Kenya,
Fr.Charles.
If you would like to help Fr Charles and the pilgrims from Kenya reach Sydney for World Youth Day please send a donation to the Latin Mass Society at:
The Latin Mass Society,
11 - 13 Macklin Street
London WC2B 5NH
Posted by roydosan at 6:12 pm 1 comment:
Labels: Juventutem Kenya
Trip to London on 14th June
The Pontifical High Mass celebrated by Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday 14th June will be a major occasion; and an opportunity to demonstrate the strength of the demand for the return of the traditional form of Mass to our parish churches. A hugh congregation is expected with many travelling from the north of England.
It is possible that a coach could be hired to take people from Yorkshire. Alternatively, arrangements could be made to share cars. Which ever way it is done, it is important that a sizable contingent heads south on the day.
Anyone interested in coordinating transport is invited to leave a comment.
Mass at St Peter's Church, Scarborough
There is to be another Mass in the usus antiquior at Scarborough. Fr William Charlton will again be saying a Low Mass on Wednesday 16th April at 7.30pm in St Peter's Church. Last time there was a very impressive congregation of about 150.
There is a picture of the sanctuary in the post dated 24th January. It is a very fine church and very suitable for the traditional rite. Please spread the word around.
Press Release from the LMS
Cardinal Hoyos to celebrate Pontifical High Mass in Westminster Cathedral
Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos to Celebrate Pontifical High Mass in the Traditional Latin Rite in Westminster Cathedral, Saturday 14 June 2008
The Latin Mass Society is proud to announce that Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, President of the Ecclesia Dei Commission in Rome and Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Clergy, has accepted its invitation to celebrate a Pontifical High Mass in the Traditional Latin Rite (the Extraordinary Form) in Westminster Cathedral on Saturday 14 June at 2.00 pm.
Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos is one of Pope Benedict XVI's closest collaborators and is charged with oversight of the Vatican's relations with the religious communities and laity committed to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos will arrive in London on Friday 13 June in time to attend a private dinner given in his honour by Mr Julian Chadwick, Chairman of the LMS.
The LMS hopes to arrange for Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos to call on Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Archbishop of Westminster, at Archbishop's House close to the Cathedral on Saturday morning. Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos will then deliver an address at the LMS's AGM in Westminster Cathedral Hall later in the morning. He will then take lunch with the LMS's Committee members before celebrating Mass in the Cathedral at 2.00 pm.
As befits a Prince of the Church, Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos will be welcomed at the Cathedral west door in full cappa magna before processing to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel to pray; he will then vest in the sanctuary whilst the Cathedral choir sings. Pontifical High Mass will then be celebrated at the High Altar with all the breathtaking ceremony and music integral to the Traditional Rite. Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos will also preach.
Julian Chadwick, Chairman of the LMS, said, "This is the highlight of the LMS's 43 years of struggle on behalf of the Traditional Latin Rite. It will be the first time since the liturgical changes of 1969 that a Cardinal will have celebrated the Extraordinary Form in Westminster Cathedral [Note: Cardinal Alfons Stickler, Vatican Librarian Emeritus who died in December last year, presided at a High Mass in the Cathedral organised by the LMS in 1992 but did not celebrate]. Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos has been unstinting in his work on behalf of the Extraordinary Form and this Mass is a clear signal from Rome that it wants the Traditional Rite reinserted into the heart of the Church's liturgical activity. We are extremely grateful to Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor for readily agreeing to this Mass and to Mgr Mark Langham, the Cathedral Administrator, and all his staff for their help with all the arrangements. This Mass literally represents the prayers of many thousands of LMS members and supporters offered up through the years and now come true."
Posted by roydosan at 4:09 pm No comments:
Archbishop Paulos Rahho, Martyr of the 'New Iraq'
The Archbishop of Mosul, Paulos Farroj Rahho, has been found dead. It is not clear whether he was killed by his kidnappers or whether he died from his very poor health. If the latter this does not mitigate the kidnappers guilt, since by kidnapping him they deprived him of the medicine which he required on a daily basis.
Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly celebrated his requiem Mass in the Christian town of Kremlis, a short distance from Mosul. Cardinal Delly described Archbishop Rahho as "...a man of honesty, loyalty and peace. He was loved by all Iraqi people." Pope Benedict will preside over a requiem Mass for the Archbishop on Monday 17 March in the Redemptoris Mater Chapel in St Peter's Basillica.
The death of Archbishop Rahho brings the total number of clergy martyred in Iraq since the war in 2003 to seven. Two Chaldean Catholic priests, three Chaldean Catholic sub-deacons and one Syriac Orthodox priest. All but one of these have been killed in Mosul and there are now real fears for the Christian community there.
I am reminded of the words of Archbishop Romero of El Salvador – another martyr for the faith – which although they relate to another situation and another time are no less applicable to the Iraq of today.
"How sad it would be, in a country where such horrible murders are committed, if there were no priests among the victims! A murdered priest is a testimonial of a church incarnate in the problems of the people... It is the glory of our church to have mixed its blood - the blood of its priests, catechists, and communities – with the massacres of the people, and ever to have borne the mark of persecution... A church that suffers no persecution, but enjoys the privileges and support of the powers of this world – that church has good reason to be afraid! But that church is not the true church of Christ."
On the Aid to the Church in Need website, ACN's Ecclesiastical Assistant, Fr. Joaquin Alliende, expressed gratitude for the life of this "good shepherd and successor of the apostles, whose only desire was to serve his people. His death is symbolic of all the innocent people who have lost their lives in Iraq." Fr Alliende called on Christians in East and West to "pray in a particular way during the coming days of Holy Week for an end to this absurd war. Again and again, resolutely and forcefully, we must call on Cain to finally stop killing his brother Abel. May the blood shed by this disciple of Christ serve the re-establishment of unity among the people of Iraq."
Paulos Faraj Rahho, Archbishop of Mosul
Réquiem ætérnam dona eis, Dómine. Et lux perpétua luceat eis.
Labels: Iraqi Christians
Archbishop Paulos Rahho, Mosul
It has been reported today that the Catholic Archbishop of Mosul, Paulos Rahho, has been kidnapped by gunmen. Three of his aides were murdered during the kidnapping.
Please keep the Archbishop in your prayers at this time.
Juventutem Kenya
Fr Charles Mwongera in Kenya is still seeking donations to help send Kenyan pilgrims to accompany Juventutem at World Youth Day 2008. If you wish to help please send donations c/o the LMS to:
Please make cheques/postal orders payable to the LMS. They will then forward the money to Fr Mwongera.
Labels: Juventutem, Kenya
Bishop Kevin Dunn
Bishop Kevin Dunn of Hexham & Newcastle Diocese is currently critically ill in hospital suffering from pneumonia. Staff at the hospital are doing everything in their power to help the bishop.
Please remember him in your prayers.
Pilgrimmage to Lourdes
There is to be a pilgrimage to Lourdes lead by Fr Hudson of the Institute of Christ the King. It is from 26th October for four days flying from Liverpool. The cost is in the region of £500.
Anybody interested? Contact Paul Waddington at waddington@gooleboathouse.co.uk
Photographs from St Mary's Abbey
I'm indebted to David Little for taking these superb photos and posting them on his own site.
They're from the Historical service of Vespers which the Schola Cantorum sang last September - historical insofar as we sang the solemn setting of the Salve Regina written specifically for the Abbey AT the Abbey for the first time in nearly 500 years!
The link is here: http://mostlymedieval.fotopic.net/c1444155.html
And Now, for something slightly different.
Not too drastic though, as it's still Gregorian Chant!
Having over -sung the Missa Orbis Factor in recent times, I've decided to give our little Schola something else to sing this weekend. As it's Quinquagesima, I've discounted Missa de Angelis as it's far too festal in nature [in my opinion anyway!]., and it also overdone, more so than Orbis Factor. I've come across people - who ought to know much better - who think it's the only chant Mass there is, as it's the only one 'they know'!
I'll refrain from naming names here though.... ;-)
Also discounted for this Sunday is the Mass for Sundays in Advent and Lent, as we're not in Lent yet...
So, what Mass to sing? Answer: Mass IV, or to give it its proper title, Cunctipotens Genitor Deus. I heard this sung for the first time in nearly 20 years by the wonderful monks of the Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem over in West Yorkshire on the Sunday after Christmas. quite frankly it's stunning, so that's what we're going to do, minus the Gloria of course, as it's Septuagesima Season.
For those of you able to come along to English Martyrs' Church this Sunday evening, we are also going to sing the Propers, Credo I [not III, again most people I know seem to think that Credo III is the only one that exists. Credo I is actually the setting that should be used most Sundays. There are, to my knowledge, 7 - yes, seven, chant Creeds!] the Ave Maria, Anima Christi and the solemn setting of the Ave Regina Coelorum.
We still don't have a regular organist. Please let me know either via the Rudgate or Middlesbrough LMS links on the right if you can/would like to play or know of someone who could. We would be most grateful. Whilst on the subject of volunteers, if there are any Tenors or Altos reading this who fancy singing, then again I should be grateful if you could get in touch via the aforementioned links.
Mass at Scarborough
This is how the sanctuary looks at St Peter's, Scarborough; and here is a view of the congregation before Mass
The Mass at Scarborough yesterday evening was a great success. There was a congregation of at least 150 which made the church of St Peter look quite full.
Fr Charlton celebrated a votive Mass of the Apostles, so we had red vestments, which looked very well on the superb sanctuary at St Peter's Church in Scarborough. The parish priest, Fr John Loughlin had temporily removed the modern "versus populum" altar which normally stands at the foot of the altar steps, allowing the sanctuary to be seen to full advantage.
The high altar is made of white stone and is of a good size. Behind it is an elaborate reredos incorporating the tabernacle and monstrance throne. On the wall behind and above are spectacular paintings reaching up to the high ceiling. The three altar steps are of white marble and the sanctuary is spaceous. It was most pleasing is to see that the stone altar rails, complete with gates, had been retained.
We are looking into the possibility of another Mass after Easter.
Get the Guardian Today.....
Now you won't hear this very often... In Today's Guardian Newspaper there is a splendid double page colour photograph of Pope Benedict celebrating Mass ad orientem in the Sistine Chapel.
An Appeal from Juventutem Kenya
JUVENTUTEM KENYA,WORLD YOUTH DAY 2008 FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN.
Receive Christmas and New year greetings from Juventutem Kenya Members.
Juventutem Kenya is a group of young kenyans,catholics aged between 15 | 2,832 |
Autism Spectrum Disorders: Lights! Camera! Action!
Seth Shulman, a 29-year-old, self-taught film editor, cinematographer, documentary film maker, and writer is also staff editor and post production supervisor at Futures Explored Practical Film & Media Workshop in Sacramento, CA, one of four film production workshops Joey Travolta consults with. The goal of the workshops is to expose adults with developmental disabilities to film production. The ultimate goal is to train and prepare them for jobs in the the film industry.
During the summer, Seth works as a film and production assistant at Joey Travolta's short-films camp. Like Inclusion Films, the camp exposes grade-school children to the film production process. But the campers walk away with more than an understanding of the process. During those two weeks of camp, they develop self-esteem, confidence, and life skills.
At the Tenafly, NJ camp, where I'm collecting research, Seth moves like a hummingbird probing for cinematic perfection with his camera. Thin, wiry, and small in stature, he's self contained and to himself. Ask him for an interview the way I did while visiting on-site one day, and he comes alive. He is like a talk-show host–charismatic and in command. His perceptiveness, artistic acuity, philosophy on life, and wildly funny sense of humor washes over you like a tidal wave.
Here are some aspects I found most interesting about him.
He never chooses favorites. That applies to films, people, places, or even food for that matter. When I asked him why, his response was almost Zen-like. Everyone and everything has feelings (a soul for lack of a better explanation). If he chose one favorite over another, he might offend someone (or something). "Are you suggesting that your hamburger would be offended if you admitted out loud that you preferred steak?" I asked him. "Um, yeah, I guess so," he said. Even if it no longer resembles the original plant or animal, it still has feelings.
He lives by the mantra, "face your fear and do it anyway." For many adults, it's a tough philosophy to live by. But for someone like Seth, it's particularly profound. Like the kids he films, he was part of the special education system and dealt with challenges that come with having a developmental disability and ADHD.
Though he's reticent to acknowledge it–to campers, to summer interns who work at Joey's short film camp, and to subjects in his films, he's somewhat of a rock star, someone who achieved his dreams. He is a symbol of what others autism spectrum disorder or other developmental disabilities could achieve. He does what he loves. He is a success.
According to Joey Travolta, a film director, actor (yes, he is John Travolta's older brother), special needs teacher, and founder of Inclusion Films, kids with autism spectrum disorder have great potential. But,<|fim_middle|> 2014 Marble Jam Kids Film Camp and more about Elliot and the other interns will premier on Sunday, November 9 at the Tenafly Bow-Tie Theatre in Tenafly, NJ. | they need to be embraced and to feel accepted. They need to be shown. Film production requires the same skills as life and is an ideal medium for teaching developmentally disabled kids necessary life skills. It requires collaboration, role playing, flexibility, communication, process flow, creativity, and problem solving.
While in Tenafly, NJ in August 2014, Seth decided to test those skills. Despite Joey's reservations, Seth thought it would be a great opportunity for Austin, Elliot, Jeff, Nicco, and William, new summer interns working at the Marble Jam Kids in New Jersey (Inclusion Films collaborates with them and other therapeutic centers around the country) to put those skills to work. He challenged them to organize their own day trip to Manhattan and he would chaperone. The deal was this. They had to do the research, decide where they wanted to go, collaborate with each other, plan the itinerary, learn the bus and subway routes from Tenafly to Manhattan, and work within a budget (each intern was paid a per diem amount for food and minor expense). Though Seth considers himself an experienced urban traveler, on the day of the trip, he didn't lead. He followed.
Seth Shulman is a production assistant with Inclusion Films.
Even for a seasoned traveler, New York City is a challenging maze of subway and bus systems, boroughs, intricate neighborhoods, chaos, noise, filth, and congestion. For someone diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, like the five interns, the difficulties are compounded. But, Seth had faith in them. All five been involved with some type of film production, either through Joey's camps or through workshops he consulted with. All had learned valuable life skills. Would they be able to translate those skills?
Armed with subway maps and smart phones, they embarked on one of the greatest adventures without family and friend to guide and support. Elliot was the most anxious. So many of the new experiences required flexibility. There were so many unknowns. In addition to being in a supervisory role as an intern, no longer a camper, he had to work with new kids in a new location. In fact, other than a brief commuter plane ride, Elliot had never been on a real plane trip. The ride from LAX to New York is approximately five hours. Elliot was struggling.
Before attending one of the film production camps, Elliot could barely make eye contact or hold a conversation. At age 20, he had yet to graduate high school and though he had the intelligence, he simply couldn't function in a high school environment. He had become a recluse of sorts, had gained weight, and rarely left his room. According to Seth, Elliot lacked confidence in his own abilities and had low self-esteem.
The New York trip, though exhausting and anxiety-producing, would be a game changer for all of them, especially for Elliot.
Seth had prepared them beforehand. On an earlier trip, two days before the start of camp, he took them into the city to visit B&H Video, a superstore on 9th Avenue, down the street from the Empire State Building. It's a massive superstore that attracts photography, film, and lighting professionals, hobby enthusiasts, and just plain tourists. Though the interns had worked with lighting and editing equipment as campers, Seth was sure they didn't realize that the equipment came from a store. Like a student who seems shocked to learn that their teacher doesn't live in a school, the interns really had no concept where their equipment came from. "What was their favorite equipment at the store?" According to Seth, they loved the "3-D printers and ARRI lights that change colors based on environmental lighting needs." Currently, when filming in an environment, interns use a gel sheet in front lights to achieve the right colors. The ARRI light kits at B&H changed the lighting automatically. The guys were in awe.
He showed them how to buy tickets for the bus and subway from the vending machines; and how to walk through the turnstiles. The rest, he left up to them.
On the day of the trip, the ones who had paid attention during the first trip show the others what to do. Once in the city, they caught the right train headed in the wrong direction. Seth accepts fault for that one. Nicco nearly missed one train until Austin blocked the doors and pulled him into the train.
First stop was the Nintendo Store at Rockefeller Center. Then they went to Central Park and the Central Park Zoo because Elliot's dad, who had lived as a musician in the East Village in the 1970s told him how the zoo used to be free. When Elliot realized the admission was $12/person, he made a point never to listen to a man who hadn't been to the zoo since the 1970s.
The Freedom Tower was Jeff's choice. He ended up calling his grandparents in Michigan to help him with the directions, but then he navigatged the group by himself. By the time, they arrived at the Freedom Tower, Austin's legs hurt and he was getting frustrated. For awhile, he thought about heading back to the hotel on his own, but worked through the frustration and stayed on. At the 9/11 Memorial, Seth remarked how all were emotionally moved. William took off his hat as a sign of respect.
For dinner, they went to an Italian place near Times Square. Jeff wanted a food chain and negotiated with the group. After finding a Subway a couple blocks away, he walked by himself through crowds of people and met up with the others after dinner. The final stop, Times Square at night was Austin's choice. Though he'd had a hard time managing his frustration, it was all worth it to see the lights.
Though the day was exhausting, it changed the dynamics of the group; and for Elliot it changed his perspective. Though he had been anxious and fearful, supported by the group, he pushed through it and it really helped his confidence. It also made the interns closer as a group. They had faced a challenge together.
Joey Travolta noticed it too. By the end of the New Jersey film camp, he had decided he'd help Elliot find a job with one of the production companies, but on one condition. Elliot would have to satisfy high school requirements and obtain a certificate of completion.
A documentary highlighting the | 1,303 |
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We regard masterplanning as one of the most exciting tests of our skills. It addresses the very structure of our cities and concerns not only buildings, but the spaces between them, which are so important to consider as<|fim_middle|> the right way. | we go about our daily lives.
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NEWSCABAL > finance > Rallying-Indian rider Santosh flown to hospital after Dakar crash
Rallying-Indian rider Santosh flown to hospital after Dakar crash
January 6, 2021finance
(Reuters) – Indian motorcycle rider CS Santosh was flown to hospital in Riyadh after a<|fim_middle|> a period in South America and involves amateurs and professionals competing in a range of categories including cars, trucks, quads and side-by-side UTV vehicles as well as motorcycles.
READ Nadal critical of 25-second shot clock plan
WhatsApp rolls back update deadline because everyone's 'confused' | big crash during Wednesday's fourth stage of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.
The Hero team said the 37-year-old appeared to be stable. Media reports said he had been placed in an induced coma.
Husqvarna's Dutch rider Paul Spierings told the rallymaniacs.com website that he and Italian Maurizio Gerini had managed to resuscitate Santosh before the emergency helicopter arrived.
"When the helicopter arrived after 15 minutes, I luckily felt a pulse again. That was a huge relief," Spierings said.
"I was able to act well because I knew what to do, but I had never resuscitated anyone in real life."
Santosh has completed three Dakars but had to withdraw last year after the death of his Portuguese team mate Paulo Goncalves.
Dutchman Edwin Straver also died as a result of injuries on the 2020 Dakar.
The Dakar, one of the most gruelling and dangerous motorsport events, started in 1978 as a race from Paris to the Senegalese capital in West Africa.
It is now held entirely in Saudi Arabia after | 237 |
anthropod is a<|fim_middle|> | blog documenting how a cultural anthropologist thinks about research, teaching, and the ways that we live in and shape the world around us. It shows what social and cultural anthropologists do within and beyond a university setting.
anthropod is written by Lorena Gibson, an anthropologist and musician based in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand. Her research interests include culture and development, social justice, gender relations, music, and hope. Her latest project, East Side Orchestras: Music and Social Change, looks at the long-term social impacts of three charitable organisations that provide free Sistema-inspired music education programmes in urban Wellington.
Lorena's Masters research looked at Hip-Hop culture in Aotearoa New Zealand, and for her PhD she worked with small, grassroots organisations running community development initiatives in urban slums and settlements in India and Papua New Guinea. She has also worked as a consultant for various organisations involved in international development in Oceania. Lorena currently teaches in the Cultural Anthropology Programme at Victoria University of Wellington.
Thanks! I've been enjoying your blog as well. Good luck with the book!
I was lucky to find a couple of people who have experience in writing something like this, or else I doubt I would have ever finished!
I just read your brandnew blog on decolonisation. Brilliant! I am currently working with my students in South Africa on these issues, hot and burning under the skin! | 289 |
It seems like only yesterday when Buckwheat Zydeco commemorated his 20th anniversary with the career retrospective The Buckwheat Zydeco Story. A blink of a decade later, 2009 marks Stanley Dural, Jr.'s 30th anniversary as Buckwheat Zydeco, which<|fim_middle|>. does so well. | his Alligator Records debut commemorates with plenty of celebrity guests. The Steve Berlin-produced affair is Buck's most adventurous disc yet, starting with "When the Levee Breaks." He jams on keys here as well as on several other tracks, not always pumping his piano-note accordion as some might expect. On the tracks that do feature his Hyundai-sized contraption, it's not always the most prominent voice ("The Wrong Side").
With selections from JJ Grey & Mofro, Bruce Springsteen and Captain Beefheart (the mild-by-his-standards "Too Much Time"), these proceedings represent what Buck could conceivably sound like if he still led his '70s funk-soul-rock aggregation, Buckwheat and the Hitchhikers. Many tracks feature a peppering of punchy horns added to the predominantly soul/R&B/calypso arrangements; "Don't Leave Me" finds Trombone Shorty surfing a long wave solo that crests with some jaw-dropping embouchure technique.
Very little of this is really straight-up, accordion-fueled zydeco but Buck's Mardi Gras-themed "Throw Me Something Mister" is hands down a familiar-sounding party rave-up. Instead, this album showcases how Buck can still interpret contemporary material and slice a fat groove, as evidenced by the funky ska rendition of Jimmy Cliff's "Let Your Yeah Be Yeah" and Govt. Mule's Warren Haynes' slow-grinding, hypnotic title track. Zydeco, you see, is only one of the things that the artist formerly known as Stanley Dural, Jr | 326 |
Home>Croatia>Dubrovnik
Mount Srd
A 412 metre summit overlooking the city, accessed by cable-car and offering fantastic views.
TravelCurious Tip
If you're hungry, there is a spectacularly-sited restaurant at the top which isn't too much more expensive than the eateries in town.
The 412m-high Mt. Srd may seem unspectacular when seen from the Old Town, but the view from the top is nothing short of breathtaking. From here you can truly appreciate the size and completeness of Dubrovnik's world-famous city walls, whose gleaming whiteness is made all the more dazzling by the deep blue of the Adriatic Sea immediately beyond. Mt. Srd offers a fantastic panorama over Lokrum Island and the coastline around Dubrovnik, and on a clear day you can see all the way northwards to the Peljesac peninsula some 40km distant.
Taking Out the Transport
Mt. Srd was one of the most heavily bombarded sites during the Siege of Dubrovnik in the early 1990s. The shelling destroyed the cable car which had been used by visitors to ascend the mountain since 1969. In the regional turmoil that ensued, the cable car was largely forgotten, and it was not until some twenty years later that it was finally restored to working order. If you don't fancy the arduous hike up to the summit, the cable car takes around two minutes and offers some stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
A Bloody Struggle
Besides the vista, the top also features Fort Imperial, an imposing Napoleonic-era fortification used as a garrison point during the Croatian War of Independence. If you're looking to learn more about this recent and bloody conflict, there is a small, good<|fim_middle|> survivors of the terrible 1667 earthquake.
Onofrio's Fountains
These lovely 15th century fountains were once vital water sources for the townspeople.
The Synagogue and Jewish Museum
The world's oldest operating Sephardic Synagogue, with a museum telling the story of the Jews of Dubrovnik.
City Bell Tower
A beautiful landmark of the Old Town, with a bell struck by two bronze men. | -value military museum dedicated to it near the summit of Mt. Srd.
See all attractions in Dubrovnik
Pile Gate
The grand entrance to Dubrovnik's old town, complete with drawbridge and Renaissance arch.
Stradun
Iconic limestone-paved Stradun is the main thoroughfare through Dubrovnik's old town.
St Saviour Church
A plain but fascinating church, one of the few Renaissance | 87 |
A German-Iraqi who supports the U.S.-led war, a Muslim sponsored by a brewery, an elite athlete who trains without a coach: Faris Al-Sultan defies easy categorization. But there's one label the 27-year-old triathlete may soon wear proudly: world champion—he is a strong<|fim_middle|> he says. "It's just a sport, and I can't get crazy about it." | favorite to win at the October 15 Ironman World Championship, in Kona, Hawaii.
The son of an Iraqi father—a chemist who settled in Germany after traveling there for his Ph.D.—and a German mother, Al-Sultan was raised in Munich. But despite widespread German opposition to the war in Iraq, he was in favor of the invasion, saying that Saddam Hussein's dictatorship had prevented him from ever visiting his father's homeland. And while he embraces his Islamic roots, he also describes himself as "a normal German guy," one who can enjoy the fruits of his sponsorship deal with the Bavarian brewery Erdinger. "Nothing for the water bottle," he says, "just for after the race."
If all goes according to plan, Al-Sultan will have a lot to celebrate post-race in Kona. He finished a close third there last year and is coming off a dominating win at April's Ironman Arizona. "Faris clearly has the fearless attitude and physical conditioning necessary to be in the thick of the race," says six-time Ironman Hawaii winner Mark Allen.
Although he is one of the only athletes in the world capable of winning the overall in Kona, Al-Sultan refuses to let the sport consume him. He balances his workouts—up to 450 miles of cycling, 50 miles of running, and nine miles of swimming per week—with studies toward a master's in Arabic language, literature, and history at Munich's Ludwig Maximilian University. He also spends two months a year in the United Arab Emirates, training in temperatures up to 115 degrees. That should help in Kona's notorious lava fields, but Al-Sultan is reluctant to handicap his chances. "The world keeps going its way, whether I win or lose," | 362 |
TT Roadster convertible
Watchdog: Maintenance row after leak blows TT's stereo
Audi blames owner Martyn, but he says he can't reach area where blockage formed
by Julie Sinclair
To keep your new car showroom fresh, it's important to follow the manufacturer's maintenance advice. But that's not always easy, as Audi TT Roadster owner Martyn Sexton will testify. He was faced with a bill of more than £2,000 to have the Multi Media Interface (MMI) repaired in his year-old car, after a blockage in the drainage system caused a leak and blown amp.
Martyn of Barnet, North London, told us: "The stereo stopped<|fim_middle|> the roof would fold down and be stored. I couldn't access the area to check it, so I took the car to my dealer."
Martyn said Whetstone Audi in London assumed the work would be approved under warranty, but Audi refused this, arguing it was caused by a build-up of leaves or dirt preventing rainwater running off the roof and out of the car.
Martyn claimed his TT was regularly cleaned, and there was no mention of this vital maintenance in the manual. He added: "How am I reasonably supposed to ensure leaves and dirt don't build up in an area I don't have visible or physical access to?"
Martyn found other reports of a TT Roadster suffering a similar problem online, and complained again to the dealer. It agreed to cover all but £150 of the cost, and throw in a £200 goodwill payment. But while that would essentially mean Martyn was not out of pocket, he was still unhappy the firm was refusing to accept liability.
We called Audi to ask why, and its spokesman said the dealer believed "the very high degree of roof channel blockage was consistent with the car having been parked regularly under densely packed trees or foliage for a sustained period, which would have caused or contributed to an abnormally high build-up".
The spokesman added: "We do not accept this issue has arisen as a result of any design flaw or manufacturing defect." The dealer has also offered to periodically inspect the car to prevent reoccurrence.
Martyn maintained: "this is clearly a design issue", however, and told us that as he's concerned it could reoccur, he's now seeking legal advice.
Best convertibles
Audi TT Roadster convertible | working and I noticed there was a 'slushing' sound in the top of the boot – where | 20 |
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Jerry Jenkins: 'Riven' and Redemption
By Belinda Elliott
CBN.com Senior Producer
CBN.com – Best known for writing about end times in the Left Behind series of books that he co-wrote with Tim LaHaye, Jerry Jenkins tackles a new subject in his latest book, Riven. The gripping novel is book number 175 for this prolific author. In it, he explores the theme of redemption while also offering a thought-provoking look at the topics of death, capital punishment, forgiveness, and grace.
The story centers on Brady Wayne Darby, a teen from a dysfunctional family who turns to a life of crime, and Rev. Thomas Carey, a weary pastor who gives up pastoring churches to serve as a prison chaplain. When the two finally meet, both of their lives are changed forever.
I recently sat down with Jenkins to discuss the book.
You've described this book as "your life's work," why?
I think it's just that I determine whether an idea has merit by how long it stays with me, and this is an idea I've had for decades. It's just one I've always wanted to get to. I kept telling this story to my wife and to people in my orbit. Then as I wrote it, it was not a chore. It was a magnet that kept drawing me back to the keyboard every day. I write as a process of discovery.<|fim_middle|>'ve never been a pastor, but I see him as more my age and my leanings and that type of thing. You can get discouraged; you can get tired in the work. The Scripture says be not weary in well-doing. That's a tough thing to follow. But I feel like I grew. I hope I'm more sensitive to people as Thomas is.
What do you hope readers will take away from this book?
I think the main thing is reconciliation. The point is that if a person who is guilty of the worst crime you can imagine is redeemable and forgivable and reconcilable, then that's the message for anybody. I dare say 99 percent of my readers are not going to be murderers, but they are going to wonder if they can be forgiven for their past and their mistakes. And clearly my message is that they can.
Purchase your copy of Riven
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Comments? Email me
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Call The 700 Club Prayer Center at 1 (800) 700-7000, 24 hours a day.
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need. | I have a rough idea where I'm going but I write to find out what happens. So I wanted to find out every day too where it was going. It's the longest novel I've ever written. I always say I've written more books than I've read. I'm just thrilled at how it came out.
What initially inspired the idea?
It's kind of bizarre, coming from my background, because I was at a retreat. We were in a Catholic retreat center. Having been raised Protestant, I had never really considered a crucifix before, but in the room I was in there was a crucifix on the wall. So having never really considered it before, I just took a good close look at it.
I was struck by the fact that it wasn't the beautiful picture we often see with the halo and the little loin cloth and the beatific look. It was an ugly picture of what it would really look like for a man to hang on a cross. It just started working on me. I was thinking what if somebody was crucified today? I was also thinking that Jesus did this willingly. So what if a person did it willingly? That became the idea of a person, a man on death row, who has a spiritual background.
In my story this character has a godly aunt who takes him to Sunday School, Vacation Bible School , and things like that. He never really becomes a person of faith and doesn't live like a Christian. In fact he's a criminal. However, there's enough there that when he finally winds up on death row, he realizes that he's going to hell. Through the story he comes to faith, and then decides pretty much the way I just talked about that the more he studies what Christ did for us on the cross, the more he realizes this isn't a beautiful picture. It's an ugly picture, and people don't really realize what Christ went through. He chooses crucifixion as his method of execution.
Of course that's one of the reasons it's such a long book because immediately you get opposition from Washington, from the state, and from the anti-death groups, so there has to be some way to make it credible. I hope I've done that. That's basically where the idea came from.
What kind of research went into writing it?
Actually the best research I got was from interviewing a chaplain of a super max prison in Colorado. I was close to being allowed in, but those prisons are so closed and so secure that at the last minute the warden said they were not going to let outsiders in. But I did talk to this chaplain that served there for more than ten years. Almost all of the realism of the prison came from that, the idea of 23 hours behind bars and no contact between prisoners. It was all a real surprise to me because whenever you see prison documentaries you see a lot of interaction between prisoners, but at a super max, they just don't. They are never outside their cell with anybody else.
Were you familiar with prison ministry at all before that?
Somewhat. I haven't actually done prison ministry myself. Chuck Colson and I go way back, and I come from a law enforcement family. My dad was a police chief. My two older brothers were cops, so there's a lot of background like that.
In the book we see the main character Thomas, who has devoted his life to ministry, getting discouraged. Do you think a lot of people in ministry today will relate to his character?
I think they will. I've got a little orbit of people that I send my books to while they are being written. It includes people in ministry, and they could really identify. I've become a supporter of my pastor. If you are on the circuit like I am, sometimes you get picked up to speak at a church and if it's the pastor or the pastor and his wife that pick you up, within ten minutes you are hearing stories. I don't know why they feel the need to tell the outsider, but it's just brutal. It's very difficult, and people outside of the ministry don't understand that. They'll say, "Oh, it must be wonderful to be in full-time Christian service; that's like being in Heaven, with everybody on the same page, everybody agreeing." But it's just really hard. It's a hard life, so I didn't want to whitewash that part of it.
You use hymns a lot in the story, why did you decide to feature them so prominently?
I am a lover of hymns. I think the lyrics are so beautiful; there's so much doctrine in them. I think I was just allowed to do it because those characters were the right age and would have been from that tradition. I hope it doesn't alienate young people who like choruses. What I find is that people who really love music when they read those lyrics they are going to like them even if they aren't familiar with the old songs.
Your book also addresses capital punishment, I'm curious do the views in the book reflect your own views?
Well almost all the views about capital punishment are in the book, so some of them reflect mine. I won't say what they are, but I'd have to say that coming from a law enforcement family, I've always seen what I'd say is the necessity for capital punishment. Although, I have to say I've mellowed a lot on the issue. For one thing with DNA, it's proven so many have been put to death that shouldn't have been. We can't afford to do that. That should never happen.
Two, I'm sympathetic to people who believe if you've caught somebody and you've got them incarcerated, they are not a threat to anybody anymore because they are in prison. It doesn't make sense to just end their life. Some would say the Bible calls for justice, "He who sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood also be shed." But I can empathize with the side that says put them away forever and let them think about it. Then there is always hope that they will come to Christ too. So I'd have to say that I've become much less kneejerk about capital punishment after doing this book.
One of your main characters, Grady, appears hopeless to everyone, but we see a transformation in him. Is it important to you in all of your books to have an element of redemption?
Yes, especially this one. The theme really is redemption. And one of the things I wanted, and that I think is very specific in this story, is that there is no question about his guilt. As you follow him, I've had readers say they'd like to reach in there and slap him once in a while and shake him and say, "Do you realize what you are doing? You are making wrong choices every time you turn around." That's what criminals do. They aren't necessarily any more evil than anybody else. We are all sinners, and we all make stupid decisions. They just seem to make an art of it.
Once I get (Grady) behind bars, and even he is saying he did it and he doesn't want to be exonerated, to me that's the epitome of somebody that can now be saved. This is a guy guilty of murder. Can he be saved? Can he be redeemed? Can he be forgiven? That's his question too. And if he can, what does that say to any reader who has regrets, feels bad about their sin, feels bad about their past?
And there does need to be a character arc. To me, that's the essence of fiction. You see it in every movie and every novel, somebody is one way at the beginning and they are the opposite way at the end, if it works out. That should be true of the writer as well. If I don't grow in the writing of the novel, then I don't feel like I've succeeded.
How did you grow in the writing of this one? I know you mentioned your views on capital punishment. Were there other areas?
I feel like I followed the character arc of Thomas. I could really identify with Thomas. I | 1,678 |
My first experience with white-water rafting was in Bali, and it was incredible.
We chose the reputable company Sobek (foreshadowing: you'll want to choose a reputable, well-established, and insured adventure outlet if you do this) and selected the class-3/4 Telaga Waja River in the foothills of Mount Agung for our outing. Of the rafting options, it was described as the more challenging (spoiler alert: harrowing), versus the more family-friendly (though closer to Ubud) Ayun River.
After an hour drive through rice terraces, superlative volcano views, and the obligatory commerce stop (this time at a Bali coffee-tasting place, where we totally paid the extra 500,000 rupiah for the animal-poop coffee, because why not?), we arrived at the starting point, drank some water from banana leaves fashioned into crude cups (this was not Disneyland), and suited up in the provided gear: helmets and life jackets. These would be totally necessary.
Husband and I learned we'd be rafting with a group of Indonesian kids, all about 20 years old, and all the girls wearing shirts that said "I Love Happy Endings" in English. They were so sweet and innocent seeming that I don't think they could have possibly been in on the popular meaning.
Just before we headed down to the river, we were joined by James, a British guy living in Seoul, and Lama, a Syrian girl living in Dubai. They'd be sharing the raft with us, to make five with our guide.
Our guide spoke English to the group, and gave us what I'd characterize as a quick but thorough lesson on how to do this thing. Sit this way, hold the oar that way, when I yell "duck," then you duck like this, and when I yell, "boom boom," that means watch out.
Off we go! It was rapids from the very beginning, with the water level as high as it gets, it being the tail end of the rainy season — and an epic (destructive) season it had been at that.
What a thrill! The scenery to my mind most evoked Indiana Jones, and James suggested Apocalypse Now. Lush jungle, spurting waterfalls, a few ominous-looking unattended shrines and temples, and once, a naked family bathing by the banks.
But getting back to: "boom boom!" We heard that a lot. David and I were sitting in the front of the raft, and periodically we'd slam ruthlessly into a rock wall head on. After a while, I'd just close my eyes, knowing that A) there was nothing stopping that impending collision and B) the raft was actually serving, as it's supposed to, as one giant airbag.
"Duck!" also came into play often, and our guide did not yell it as a way to add drama for the tourists, or as a mere suggestion. It<|fim_middle|> some rocks on the banks at a halfway point, maybe about an hour down river after getting utterly doused by a thundering waterfall. David bought some unidentifiable canned beverage from some enterprising Indonesian kids who had a good racket going (2,500 rupiah for a can, or about the cost of a delicious meal in Ubud). After a few minutes, we were back on our way.
Shortly after getting back into the river, something happened (can't remember now — hit a rock? slipped?) and as I clutched the raft, I felt my thumb bend back until it popped. Um.
I brought my oar in the raft and sat for a minute on the floor in shock, grasping right hand with left. Since I was speechless, David was left guessing: "What is it? Did you hurt your foot? Leg? Head? Are you OK? What's going on?" Finally I blurted out that, although I have no precedent for the feeling, I think I dislocated my thumb.
I had a flash of spending a full day in an Indonesian hospital, which is not what I had in mind as part of our too-short stint in Bali. I don't remember this, but evidently the group pulled the raft over. I managed to communicate to our guide that I'd dislocated the thumb, which is pretty amazing because "dislocated" is not really in the English language 101 course material, is it? Maybe if you're a rafting guide it is.
And it was back on the river! The rest of the gang paddled for the second half, while I remained protective of my hand, and it was a great ride. At some point, the rain started coming down in massive, differentiable drops that further dramatized the dreamlike landscape.
As we got close to the finish point, we understood we'd be going over a dam (that diverts water to nearby rice terraces) of four meters, or 12 feet, in height. It was billed as a 45-degree grade, but I can tell you right now it was 80 to 90 in fact.
Our guide advised us that the two women needed to be in front to better distribute the weight. I was already in front, and Lama swapped places with David to join me. We assumed the designated protective position, which kind of looked like we were lounging back against a hot tub, with our feet up over the front of the raft. Our guide advised us to "control our legs" when we went over, to avoid them sailing over our heads and — causing us to tumble out? Or kick ourselves in the face? I don't know what.
When we went over the dam, I felt my stomach drop out, and I screamed like I was on a roller coaster. I thought, "control your legs, whatever that means." Evidently we all made crazy faces for a canoeing photographer. And I don't remember much else, but it was awesome.
Shortly there after, and about 14 kilometers, or close to nine miles, from where we started, came the ending point. We got out of the raft, where three poor kids, one of the boys barely older than my nephew, gave us frangipani flowers in the hopes for a few rupiah. I gave one of the kids 5,000 ($0.50) but couldn't get them out of my mind.
Anyway, we ascended 280 steep stairs through the jungle in the hot, driving rain.
Anyway, I totally bought the photo CD (again a racket, but worth every penny to memorialize one of the most phenomenal travel days ever) and we headed back to the Viceroy Bali for a fancy massage and candlelight dinner in direct (but welcome) counterpoint to our rugged day on the Telaga Waja River.
International Babymoon Ideas: Where Should We Go for a Safe Last Hurrah?
exciting!!! and holy dislocated thumb. glad it popped back in! | was more like, you may lower your head and body into the raft with haste, or you may find yourself decapitated by a tree or crude log bridge. We obeyed. We hooted and hollered. It was awesome.
We stopped on | 53 |
Nini Baird and Kirk Davis
"No one can foresee the future, but<|fim_middle|> as Chair of the Board of Directors. They both recognize how important it is to have a television service that provides a unique BC perspective.
As Nini explains, "British Columbians deserve a challenging, engaging, non-commercial broadcaster that they can trust. We're lucky that BC is one of only three provinces in Canada that enjoy such a service."
Kirk agrees: "Television is such an immensely powerful communications tool. I think that power is best used to reflect many perspectives in our community, not just those served by commercial and foreign broadcasters."
Nini and Kirk are not alone in their long-standing commitment to Knowledge Network. More than 1,600 donors from the first full year of the Knowledge Partners program are still donors today.
"To me that stands as a fine testament to their long-term satisfaction with what Knowledge delivers," says Kirk. "In a world of many media offerings, these donors voluntarily fund an alternative, noncommercial British Columbia product. I say bravo!"
Looking back over the past three decades, Nini and Kirk see that Knowledge has evolved into something much more dynamic than first conceived. "If anything, it is more relevant today than it was thirty years ago, because of the dramatic changes in technology," says Nini. "No one can foresee the future, but I would hope that all British Columbians, wherever they live in the province, will embrace Knowledge Network as their own. I especially hope that we will build our endowment so that future generations will continue to enjoy the stimulation of Knowledge Network programming."
Janet Bickford
"I wanted to acknowledge the fact that it has meant a lot to me during my life. Knowledge has filled so many of my..."
Ben Vorst and Jeannine Chudzik
"The quality is so high that I don't have to spend a couple hours looking for something good, which is what I find on..."
"Our world is changing so much and so rapidly, I think it's important that there's something we can hang onto through..."
Put your money where your mind is. | I would hope that all British Columbians, wherever they live in the province, will embrace Knowledge Network as their own."
Thirty years ago Knowledge Network first went on-air, and not long after, in 1988, the network's donor program Knowledge Partners (then known as Partners In Knowledge) began. Initiated by Glen Mitchell, then a Knowledge staff member, it was an opportunity to get British Columbians involved in the fledgling network and to encourage support for its programming and development.
As with any fundraising endeavor, to be successful it needed committed, talented people behind it. Nini Baird and Kirk Davis were there at the start. As Director of Programming and Manager, Partners In Knowledge, respectively, they encouraged the program's growth from a few hundred donors to more than 20,000 – and a then-record $1 million in donations - in 1994, a remarkable achievement in just six short years.
"In a way those were magical years," says Kirk. "Knowledge Network was still largely unknown, so we were really building public awareness and support."
Nini and Kirk continue to be a part of Knowledge Network today, as donors themselves, and for Nini, | 247 |
Portal (nem.: Portal, lat. portale = vrata) v arhitekturi označuje posebej poudarjen vhod, dekoracije okoli vrat ali konstrukcijo samega vhoda.
Zgodovina
V Egiptu je bil portal templjev obkrožen s piloni; v Mezopotamiji so bili portali ločni ("Ištarina vrata" v Babilonu); v Helenski umetnosti dobijo trikotni zaključek nad zgornjim nosilcem ("Levja vrata" v Mikenah), kar razvijejo Grki v pročelju klasičnega templja; Rimljani uporabljajo etruščanske ločne portale mestnih obzidij in razvijejo svoje portale, ki so kasneje vplivali na razvoj portalov v romanskih in gotskih cerkvenih portalih.
V srednjem veku je portal predstavljal vhod v cerkev. Obokan portal, ki se oblikuje v obdobju romanike ima na obeh straneh stebre. V tem obdobju nastanejo prvi kiparski portali. Timpanon (del nad vodoravno zgornjo preklado) je prostor za figuralne stvaritve. Razcvet je portal doživel v gotiki. Pri portalih romanike in gotike prostornina portala vse bolj izginja pod bogato simboliko in ikonografijo kiparskega okrasja. Renesančno in baročno naglašeni so portali s stebri. Portal je bil nadgrajen v profani arhitekturi gradov, palač in mestnih hiš kot reprezentančni vhod. Do portala pogosto vodijo stopnice. V nasprotju s sijajnimi portali javnih zgradb (gledališča, muzeji, mestne hiše, itd.), se v 19. stoletju sodobna arhitektura vrne nazaj k pretežno funkcionalni zasnovi vhoda, tako da portal kot ločen sestavni del izgine. Postmoderna arhitektura se pri<|fim_middle|>hitekture tistega časa - zelo barvit, vendar so izvirne različice zelo redko ohranjene (npr. v Lausanni) in so danes ohranjene večinoma rekonstrukcije.
Renesansa
V italijanski renesansi se portal dodaja predvsem v splošno zasnovo fasade. Pomembnost portala kot kiparskega elementa se je sicer zmanjšala, vendar je portal ostal osrednji del oblikovanja fasade. Področje vhoda oziroma izhoda na fasadi, je postalo v renesansi prelomno v razvoju sloga pri oblikovanju portala. Okvirjanje se opravi s profilirano surovim stropom iz klesanih kamnov (rustica) ali v bolj zapletenih primerih s pilastri in stebri. Portal je zaključen z vodoravnim arhitravom in je pogosto dopolnjen s trikotnim pedimentom ali dvokapnim segmentom kot nekakšno kapelico. Pri oblikovanju portala sledijo starodavnim oblikam stebrov, ki sta jih širila Sebastiano Serlio in Andrea Palladio po celotni Evropi. Medtem ko imajo portali s toskanskimi in dorskimi stebri bolj obrambni značaj in dobijo ključavnice, so za cerkve primernejši bolj okrašeni korintski. Elegantni jonski se bolj pogosto uporabljajo v mestnih hišah. V nemški in nizozemski pozno renesančni arhitekturi, se je bogato okrašen portal razvil v pomemben element, na katerem so uporabili za okras bakrorezne izdelke.
Barok
Za baročno arhitekturo so značilne dinamične oblike. Prostor nad stebri ali pilastri portala je lahko močneje izstopal iz fasade. Osnovni elementi ostajajo isti kot v renesansi.
Viri
Otto Warth: Die Konstruktionen in Stein. In: Breymann: Allgemeine Baukonstruktionslehre. 1. Band. 1903. (Reprint: Th. Schäfer, Hannover 1999, ISBN 3-88746-013-8.)
Leonie von Wilckens, Dagmar von Naredi-Rainer, Paul von Naredi-Rainer: Grundriß der abendländischen Kunstgeschichte. Kröner, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-520-37302-5.
Zunanje povezave
Arhitekturni elementi | vhodnih elementih vrača nazaj in se delno zgleduje po zgodovinskih modelih.
Slogi
Romanika
Arhitekturna zasnova romanskega portala je bila stopničasta s stebri postavljenimi proti notranjosti, pri čemer je stavbenih izkoristil masivnost pročelja katedrale. V letu 1100 so bili v Franciji že obogateni s kiparskimi deli, tako da so na portalu nastale velike slike v mozaiku (primera sta v Autunu in Vezelayu). V Italiji so cerkveni portali pogosto zgrajeni z zatrepom na stebrih (katedrala v Piacenzi).
Gotika
V gotskem obdobju je šiljast lok zajel tudi portal. Popolnoma razvit gotski portal je imel vratni podboj levo in desno od vhoda zaključen s horizontalno preklado okvirja vrat. Potreba po večjih portalih je zahtevala osrednji steber, ki se imenuje s francoskim izrazom trumeau. Levo in desno od vrat je stena razčlenjena z več stebri, postavljenimi v podboj. Ti stebri podpirajo s svojimi kapiteli in nakladami šiljaste profilirane loke, nad timpanonom. Zašiljen lok je pogosto okronan z zatrepom, ki ima lahko tudi krogovičje. Vratna krila so lahko izdelana iz lesa ali kovine (bron), vendar so slednja redka. Na fasadah so pogosto trije cerkveni portali, analogno triladijski strukturi notranjosti. Dodatni portali so lahko na transeptih ali kot vhodi v zvonik. Vsi elementi portala so lahko povečani s figuralnimi elementi. Na portalu predstavljena gotska skulptura sporoča vernikom, kaj je smisel vere. V pozni gotiki se portal razvija v skladu z različnimi oblikami lokov in tako so nastale številne izpeljanke. Gotski portal je - podobno romanski in vse druge zunanje in notranje ar | 582 |
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Reid, Taylor Jenkins
"Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go-Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it's the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she's twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things. Another band getting noticed is The Six, led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she's pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road. Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend. The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice"-- Provided by publisher.
L.A. in the late sixties. Sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, the sex and drugs are thrilling but it's the rock and roll Daisy loves most. By the time she's twenty her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things. Another band getting noticed is The Six, led by Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour his girlfriend Camila finds out she's pregnant, and Billy goes a little wild on the road. Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend. -- adapted from publisher info
Publisher: New York : Ballantine Books, [2019]
Branch Call Number: REID T
Alternative Title: Daisy Jones and the Six
From Library Staff
List - Christina Lauren
TSCPL_Miranda Apr 18, 2019
Christina recommends! She said: " I thought I knew exactly what would happen and I was totally wrong. I love when a book does the opposite of what you think and the author was right."
Read more reviews of Daisy Jones & The Six at iDreamBooks.com
reneecent Jul 15, 2019
I'm halfway through this book and LOVE it! Wish they were a real group and can't wait for the Amazon Prime adaption of this book! If you love music and bands from the 1970s era, you'll love this book.
Chapel_Hill_MarthaW Jul 15, 2019
I loved this! I was so resistant to reading it, despite all the hype surrounding it, because it didn't seem like precisely my cup of tea, but I'm so glad I gave it a shot, because I thought it was absolutely riveting and addictive. As a lot of other reviewers have said, it's hard to remember that this is not a real band by the time you're done reading; you finish the book and wish you could go look up concert clips on YouTube and download their famous record, because that's how authentic the oral-history-style format feels. These characters are all deeply troubled in a way that I generally don't find enjoyable to read about, but which I loved here. I also have to note that I listened to it, and I'm not 100% sure I would have loved it quiiiiite as much without the benefit of the full-cast audio; this is one of the best audiobooks I've listened to in the past couple of years, and I highly recommend consuming it in that format.
Linyarai Jul 13, 2019
I was surprised to find that this wasn't a real band, the story was so well written I believed it was true. I had doubts about the writing style at first since a lot of other reviews didn't like it, but I actually didn't mind the whole thing being in interview style. I found the first half of the book was really fast paced, but the second half slowed down and I was less interested. Still finished the whole thing in a day though.
gymgurl Jul 12, 2019
The PERFECT Summer read!
lilmisslibrary Jul 10, 2019
Absolutely loved this one! The transcript format of the novel is definitely different in form - at first I wasn't sure - but I was quickly sucked into the music scene of the 1970s. The magic between the characters / the writing / the story is something I won't soon forget.
ciaosusanna1875 Jul 03, 2019
Maybe I missed the point of this book but honestly I don't know what all the hype was about. Although its fiction I've heard big parts of this story many many times...drugsboozesex....and its boring. The people were not developed , the story's focal point was shallow and honestly I fell asleep listening to the end....and I considered not re=listening because I knew what was going to happen....and it did!
madimartin Jul 01, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I didn't think I would from just reading the blurb, but thought I would give it a try and am really glad I did. Liked the writing style as well, made it seem more authentic.
bookpusher Jun 24, 2019
I had about 12<|fim_middle|> surprise marriage to fallen Italian royalty between tours, and a production team that doubles as a therapy group for the band, and you've got everything you need for a dishy read so intense it'll give you flashbacks.
Written in a fast-paced interview style, Reid's prose and dialogue are sharp, real, immersive, and often quite funny. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a distraction, Daisy Jones and the Six offers the same gritty, '70s feel as the film Almost Famous. But, unlike the film, you can take this book anywhere, and you won't want to leave it behind until you're done. Don't miss it.
Women Rock Musicians — Fiction.
Rock Groups — Fiction.
Historical Fiction.
California — Fiction.
Los Angeles (Calif.) — Fiction.
Find it at TSCPL
Contact Us Library Hours Events Bookmobiles Support the Library | 0 pages left and kept thinking 'what's the big deal with this book'...I mean it was good, but nothing really special.....then it happened and I fell in love!! Cried like a baby too...lol. Really enjoyed, and I was hoping these people were real!
DBRL_ReginaF Jun 22, 2019
I have to admit that I was truly frustrated that this was about a fictional band. I really wanted to be able to listen to the album!
Ljparker5807 Jun 12, 2019
I found the book entertaining and really enjoyed it at first, but then as I got to thinking about it, I realized that the end was too neatly wrapped up. This band had a contract and they can just all walk away and there are no financial repercussions?? Did I miss that? And then Daisy's selfish nature just really turned me off to her character, ultimately.
SPL_Shauna Apr 03, 2019
Picture this: It's the mid '70s in Los Angeles, and the full force of flower power is starting to go a bit weedy. Rock has gone from festivals to stadiums, drugs have shifted from psychedelics to heroin and uppers, and the sexual revolution has veered past free love and into key parties. No one is quite sure yet what to make of any of it.
Into this scene stumbles a beautiful young singer, raised in an apathetic family with an artist father and a former model for a mother. No one much cares what Daisy Jones gets into, so she tries it all. Just as she begins to find her stride, a mid-western blues band hits the scene, and their label decides to pair them for marketability. It's the birth of legendary rock band Daisy Jones and the Six.
In an amazing turn of events for your summer beach reading, this band has more drama than Fleetwood Mac (indeed, some have speculated they're the author's inspiration). Daisy and Six frontman Billy Dunne have instant chemistry, but Billy has a slew of addictions he's trying to kick and a family; Daisy represents everything that could ruin his life. Keyboardist Karen is a rock goddess along the lines of the Pixies' Kim Deal, but her secret relationship with founding guitarist Graham Dunne threatens the stability of The Six. Add in a | 492 |
Rumors & Concept
Hybrid and Electric
Cars issues
2018 Bentley Continental GT
NiceCarsInfo Team July 6, 2016
Recently, our spy photographers captured the 2018 Bentley Continental GT doing its testing runs. First, it was the coupe and now they captured its convertible sister but wearing heavy camouflage of course. Both models will be showcased next year as 2018 models. The new model's exterior draws its inspiration from the EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept the automaker revealed in 2015 during the Geneva Auto show.
The model will thus look sleeker than the current model. Earlier, some pundits argued the car doing testing runs was a EXP 10 Speed 6 production model but spy shots reveal a 2+2 seating arrangement which dispels possibility of the EXP 10 Speed production model which was presented as a 2-seater sports car. Read along for more:
2018 Bentley Continental GT Exterior
The model is based on a new platform dubbed, the MSB platform. This platform is a joint venture between Bentley and Porsche and as such will be used in a stretched form in the upcoming Porsche Panamera. In fact, test mules of the Continental GT were disguised in the current short-version Panamera body shell. The automaker revealed that the structure will be built with high-strength steel while the body panels will largely be made from aluminum. As such, the new model will be significantly lighter than the outgoing one.
As said above, the visual of the 2018 Bentley Continental GT is inspired by the EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept. Some of the features adopted form the EXP 10 Concept includes its headlights which feature floating-like LEDs. Though this design of lighting has been a common feature for the Bentayga, the design on this Continental GT is the best yet.
Switching gears to the rear, you will notice the model's oval-shaped taill<|fim_middle|>
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NiceCarsInfo.com
Reviews, Specs, Release dates, Prices, 0-60
Disclaimer Statements
Copyright © 2020 NiceCarsInfo.com | ights and new exhaust tips similar to the ones on the EXP 10 Speed 6. Most of the model's other body parts were hidden under a plastic body leaving only the greenhouse exposed. Overall, the prototype doing test runs sits closer to the ground than the outgoing model. The prototype features muscular rear haunches which make it appear as if it's slightly wider than the current Continental GT.
2018 Bentley Continental GT Interior
As of now, it is difficult to tell how the cabin of the Bentley Continental GT 2018 will look like. What we are will be in the model's cabin is the dual-brow instrument panel and quilted leather upholstery on seats and door panels.
The model may also use a huge central display screen similar to the one on the Tesla Model S. The automaker could also decide to use a 3-spoke steering wheel to add more beauty to the cabin.
The model will accommodate 4 passengers in a 2+2 seating arrangement. More information will be available when the model nears its on sale date.
Engine Specs and performance
Bentley has not revealed engines that will power the new Bentley Continental GT. However, the models will likely use the current V-8 and W-12 engines. Perhaps the automaker will tweak the engine for more power output. The 4.0 L, twin-turbocharged V-8 mill will be tweaked to produce around 550 hp.
The 6.0 L, W-12 on the other hand is expected to be tweaked to produce around 635 hp up from the current 582 horses. There are rumors of a hybrid drive-train for the 2018 model but Bentley is yet to confirm or deny the rumors.
Price and release date
Bentley may showcase the coupe at an international auto show early in 2017, probably at the Geneva Motor Show. Sales will commence later in 2017. The release of the coupe will be followed closely by that of its convertible version.
It is way too early to expect official prices from Bentley. However, expect the new models to cost around $200,000 a small price hike from the current starting price of $193,500.
When it is released to the market, the 2018 Bentley Continental GT will fight it out with the new Aston Martin DB11 and Mercedes-AMG SL65.
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2016 Hyundai Santa Cruz Concept, Review, Specs | 579 |
The "pinworm" impression is related to pasture board horses - impossible to say who defecated the worms. Some<|fim_middle|>.
Pinworms? Not positive on one hand, but on the other hand: Good to see them - the dewormer worked! Please leave a comment with the worm name if you are sure about the type of worm! Thank you!
Bot? Not positive on one hand, but on the other hand: Good to see them - the dewormer worked! | of the horses left the stable quite frequently for competitions and meeting friends, so they could have picked up eggs easily while grazing at the other places. Anyway, since the horses were not allowed going on the field for two days after deworming, the paddocks were cleaned even more thoroughly (click here for a photo of how the standard cleaning looks like) and the following deworming did not show an infection, it looks as if it was a unique "deworming success". The "bot" impression is related to other pasture board horses that had a lot of eggs on their legs during summer.
No allergic or other health issue, just pollen that is washed out.
Pollen accumulation on ground (dried puddle).
Inhaling in Spring 09 due to a cough that affected various horses | 163 |
Was 9/11 landing gear hidden on purpose?
Matt Cantor, Newser
After surveyors discovered what appears to be plane landing gear from the 9/11 attacks, authorities are wondering how it got sandwiched between two buildings — one of them housing a much-debated Islamic community center.
"The odds of it entering that space at exactly that angle that would permit it to squeeze in there ... it had to come in at almost precisely the right angle," a police spokesman told The New York Times. Investigators are considering the possibility that it was deliberately stuck in the spot, CNN reports.
"We are also looking into a possibility it was lowered by a rope," said NYPD commissioner Raymond Kelly, who noted that some rope seemed to be wrapped up in the landing<|fim_middle|> piece was lowered, he noted.
Authorities will also investigate whether there are any human remains in the area, he said.
Newser is a USA TODAY content partner providing general news, commentary and coverage from around the Web. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY. | gear.
Still, "if you see how confined this space is, and you realize the chaos that existed on this street, I think (the situation is) understandable," Kelly said.
The wall doesn't bear any marks suggesting the | 46 |
Winners of the youth classification
We finished the inaugural Virtual Tour de France today by winning the white jersey for the youth classification. Fans were treated to a fast-paced circuit finale for the<|fim_middle|> go as good as I hoped. It was a really fast start and after the first sprint I had to go deep to stay in contact. I am a bit disappointed, because I was aiming to be able to earn some points in the final for the team's general classification hopes."
"Overall, I liked the idea of the Virtual Tour de France, especially during this period when Covid-19 is having such an impact on the world, including our sport. It was great to see Zwift provide the women's pro peloton with the same environment and race conditions as the men's tour. It was an opportunity to represent our team's partners, to gain some race-paced competition and also to compare our season preparation with other professional teams." | three-weekend tour, held on a brand new Champs-Élysées course on Zwift. Alice Barnes was our best placed rider in the bunch sprint, placing sixth.
"The race went pretty well for me personally. I got involved in the first three sprints but once it was evident we wouldn't be able to win the green jersey overall without numbers in the front, I then changed my focus on saving energy for the finish," explained Alice.
"The front group was getting smaller and smaller after every intermediate sprint. It didn't matter if you were going for sprint points or not, it was hard for everyone in that group. I had to really maintain concentration and position to make sure I stayed in contact."
Alice continued, "I wouldn't say sprinting on a turbo trainer really suits me at all, but I made sure in the final laps when I received the aero power up to save it. For the final sprint, it was a case of using that power up and digging deep. Either I went a bit early or the line was too far away?! Overall I was pleased with my race and I think the team showed great efforts every stage of the tour."
Teammate Tanja, who won the third stage, explained her race. "I guess I had one of those dark days today. I just didn't have the legs at all. It was a fast start and an early intermediate sprint. I positioned myself well in this sprint, but somehow I didn't really recover from the effort anymore and the second one gave me and my legs a hard time. I was super happy to see Alice in the front group, but felt really bad I couldn't score more points for the green jersey or the team GC. I gave it my all to at least finish in the points. It was not what I was hoping for on the Champs-Élysées, but I guess that is racing."
"Overall, I was super excited and happy about this opportunity for our team and women's cycling in general. Having the same coverage as the men's race is like a dream come true and it was evident for anyone who watched both that our races are not any less thrilling. The stage win was for sure my personal highlight, but it was even better to see the team working so well together with Dan (Bigham) doing a great job as our Sport Director. I loved the commitment everyone showed throughout the three weeks. We're pleased with the overall result and we all look forward to the upcoming road races."
Lisa, who has experienced only a handful of Zwift races, found the race has given her even more motivation for the upcoming new road season.
"The start was so hard! I was expecting and prepared for it to be hard, but I was dropped after the first sprint, and that made the rest of the race mentally challenging. It showed that I need to do more racing on Zwift and more race efforts on the trainer at home. But I'm feeling motivated by today. I have set my season goals and I'm determined to achieve them. We had a great team spirit, even if the race is virtual. The race meeting, the preparation for race day, the feeling amongst the group, it was great and I enjoyed it a lot. Also big thanks to Dan for his patience and expertise as our DS."
Christa, also gave her post-race review of the final stage and the tour. "The race didn't | 694 |
Document and Benefit Fraud
Humacao man charged, arrested for impersonating a federal officer
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico. – A Humacao<|fim_middle|> faces three years in prison. | man was arrested Nov. 15 on charges of falsely impersonating a federal officer. The arrest is the result of a joint investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG).
Frank Vega-Marrero, 56, was arrested in Humacao following allegations that he was impersonating an HSI special agent in order to gain access to the Center for Emergency Management (CEM) of the municipal government of Humacao.
According to court documents, Vega-Marrero presented a false government identification and portrayed himself as an HSI special agent to the CEM management and procured work as a voluntary staff member for relief efforts related to the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in the municipality of Humacao and its neighboring townships.
According to the charging document, ICE OPR special agents interviewed individuals working at the CEM and the Humacao municipal government who confirmed that Vega-Marrero routinely introduced himself as an HSI special agent, wore an HSI special agent T-shirt and when required, presented an alleged government issued identification from the Department of Homeland Security. The charging document also alleges that given the representations that Vega-Marrero was an HSI employee, his duties as a volunteer included following up on municipal requests for federal relief aid.
On Nov. 15, ICE OPR special agents encountered Vega-Marrero at his place of work where he introduced himself as an HSI employee. At the time, he was wearing an HSI special agent T-shirt with a lanyard containing a fraudulent DHS HSI identification. He was arrested without incident.
Vega-Marrero had his initial hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce McGiverin Wednesday. He was released on bail. The preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 29 at 10:30 a.m.
If convicted of the impersonation charge, Vega-Marrero | 415 |
From the start the Cadillac Lounge was more than just a bar. Open 7 days a week, from morning till night, the Caddy is at once a restaurant, a gathering place, a bar, a live music venue, a host to community functions, and fundraisers. Nearly every major life milestone has at one point been celebrated within these leopard print walls. Sam has, in times of great shift and evolution of consumer interest and palate stayed true to his original vision for the Cadillac Lounge. If asked what that vision is, Sam would describe it as "a place where you could imagine Johnny Cash and Dean Martin saddled up at the bar while Hank Williams echoes from the speakers. It's a bastion of Rockabilly, Honky Tonk, Country, Americana, Motown and Funk. It's the neighbourhood bar that's open for lunch and you can be sure the food is made fresh, delicious and reasonably priced. Where the servers probably live around the block and have frequ<|fim_middle|> you may well find toddlers dancing to a live band during brunch while their parents happily munch of Huevos Ranchero's and a local craft brew. More than a few summer nights have seen wedding hosted on the patio, Birthdays christenings, wakes and memorials bringing family and friends together to celebrate or seek comfort. The Cadillac and ultimately Sam's connection with the community ensures that many local fundraisers have successfully taken place at the Cadillac as well as Sam's own annual fundraiser benefiting the Diabetes Clinic and Families at SickKids Hospital. | ented the patio more than a few times before and after being employed here. It's the kind of place | 21 |
Infotel Blog
The latest news and offers from UK hotels, serviced apartments & B&Bs
The Infotel Hotel Booking Service
Category: Hotel News
Hotels in lockdown
November 2, 2020 Jade Covid-19, Hotel News, Latest News
With the Government imposing new lockdown restrictions across England from this Thursday 5 November, it's good to know we are still here to help with your hotel bookings. The new rules will see bars, restaurants and other indoor<|fim_middle|> Australia MacRobertson Air Race and having flown on to win the iconic race in record breaking time, the Comet became known across the world. Design The Comet
Crowne Plaza Marlow announces luxurious refurbishment!
August 1, 2019 Nicole Sleaford Fine Dining, Hotel News
Luxurious rooms, a tranquil setting and a gorgeous restaurant and bar area! The Crowne Plaza Marlow shines from a amazing refurbishment programme that brings even more style and elegance to this Buckinghamshire hotel. Set in five acres of scenic Thames Valley landscape and boasting plenty of facilities to impress guests, we're rounding up key reasons why the Crowne Plaza Marlow is a must for 2019. Guestrooms at Crowne Plaza Marlow The Crowne Plaza Marlow is home to 168 recently refurbished en-suite rooms! Guests can make full use of the free WiFi, complimentary toiletries and tea/coffee facilities, as well as a
Superb service rules the waves in Southampton
February 25, 2019 Ali Cook England, Hampshire hotels, Hotel News
The Elizabeth House Hotel certainly sets precedence for superb service in Southampton judging by the many glowing reviews from guests mentioning the fantastic hospitality. The hotel is a hit with many repeat bookers too so in our opinion, the team rules the waves in Southampton! The hotel was originally two Victorian houses which were converted about 60 years ago. The present owner added a further property to increase capacity back in 2001. Recently, a renovation project that took place over the last 18 months, has added even further facilities for the convenience of guests. Now open Monday to Friday, the
A new collective for The House of Thwaites!
August 6, 2018 Nicole Sleaford Hotel News
The House of Thwaites, formerly known as the award-winning family brewer with a large and wonderful collection of pubs has been quietly developing an array of high-quality hotels, spas and inns, all of which have been restored and now boast character, charm and the warmest of welcomes. The new collection features ideas and inspiration from hundreds of team members across the country who were involved in the process, from concept to design. So next time you plan a visit to a Thwaites hotel, you'll discover the story behind the building, the culture and the personality which is evident throughout the
Gourmet Seal of Approval for Thwaites Hotels
May 25, 2017 Jan Dee Latest News
Hospitality company Thwaites is celebrating success with its 4-star hotels now boasting AA Rosettes, awarded for quality dining experiences and confirming the company's gourmet seal of approval for it's delicious menus! Chris Hill, Operations Director, said: "Our hotels are much more than rooms – they're places to work, rest and play. Our dining experiences are consistently rated highly by visitors and we're delighted they've now been acclaimed by hospitality experts with AA Rosettes." If you wish to give your own gourmet seal of approval to one of the group's hotels, here's our handy starter on what's on offer! Thwaites Hotel:
Infotel Solutions Ltd board buyout confirmed
January 7, 2017 Ali Cook Latest News
Kimberley Graham, Tanya Beresford and Susie Christie, directors of Infotel Solutions Ltd, the accommodation, travel and conference specialists based in Lincolnshire, have secured a board buyout of its major shareholders as it welcomes in the New Year and looks forward to an independent and successful future. The long established company, founded in 1989, has offices in Gosberton and employs around 50 people from across the county, working under the well-known and respected brands of Infotel, Findmeahotelroom and Findmeaconference. Working with clients from the world of construction, manufacturing, conservation and charities plus independent businesses from across the UK, the recent acquisition
Registered Office: Infotel Solutions Ltd, DFC House, Boston Road, Gosberton, Spalding, Lincs, PE11 4NR. For further information visit www.infotelsolutions.com | and outdoor leisure facilities close until 2 December but as yet, there has been no announcement to say that hotels must close. We are in touch with our partners at international and national hotel chains as well as independent accommodation providers and they are all busy making plans for the next month. Some hotels will be closing as its not cost-effective to
City, countryside & coast: Discover Vine Hotels!
October 12, 2020 Jade All Locations, Countryside Hotels, England, Hotel News, Top Cities
A warm welcome is guaranteed when you stay with Vine Hotels. The UK based hotel management company has a variety of hotels across England. All of which reopened when lockdown restrictions were lifted in the summer. However, the team from Vine Hotels are continually working to keep their hotels safe and secure. Whether training staff to deliver a safe service or providing guests with contactless check-in and check-out processes, safety is paramount. Providing flexible bookings so guests have the confidence to book now and reschedule their staycation if needed, Vine Hotels have a hotel that's sure to meet your requirements
Comet Hotel London Hatfield
January 23, 2020 Ali Cook Hotel News, London, Spotlight on
Hatfield's historic Comet Hotel has completed a multi-million pound refurbishment programme. Sensitive to the original features of the art deco Grade II listed building, guests can now enjoy a beautiful combination of modern day comforts and trendy art pieces against a backdrop of period architecture. History The Comet Hotel London Hatfield gets its name from a locally built aeroplane. The de Havilland Comet DH.88 was developed to take part in the 1934 England | 340 |
Welcoming Federal Government & Supporting Industries to the R2 Portal
As we move into<|fim_middle|> Find New Technology | the last half of 2021 after a busy six months officially launching the R2 Network and subsequent Product Builder, R2 Learn, and Public Safety Event Finder feature releases, we have much to look forward to.
Thus far, the R2 Portal has primarily served entrepreneurs building life-saving technologies and first responders who provide life-saving service to the community. This month we're very excited to welcome a brand new audience to the R2 Portal; federal government agencies and their supporting industries, including the following:
Federal Government (U.S. & International)
Service Providers & Vendors
R2 Portal Stakeholder Dashboard
Stakeholders – The Backbone of the Public Safety Industry
This new user group can be summarized as 'Stakeholders' – the backbone of the public safety industry who play a vital role in the innovation ecosystem. As integral creators of public safety content, Stakeholders on the R2 Portal will enjoy admin-like abilities to contribute the following to our community:
Add Products – Using the Product Builder, Stakeholders can add their own or partner public safety innovation products that will help end-users on the R2 Network identify their solutions and understand fit.
Add Events – Through the Public Safety Event Finder (powered by GovEvents), Stakeholders can add in-person, virtual and on-demand events to engage with the public safety community about what's new in response and resiliency technology.
Add Content – Stakeholders can create new courses on R2 Learn to educate Entrepreneurs and First Responders on the unique challenges and opportunities in the public safety market.
Add Innovation Programs – Stakeholders can add their organizations' innovation programs and challenges designed to help promote and support the growth of public safety innovation, plus, recruit participants.
We welcome all federal government and supporting industries to sign up now and begin sharing content with the R2 Portal's public safety community! Be sure to stay tuned for continued feature releases to improve stakeholder functions through 2022.
Join the R2 Portal
Upcoming Releases: Product Finder, Grant Portal, and Innovation Programs
Our upcoming releases will provide vital resources to our First Responder, Entrepreneur, and new Stakeholder members, making innovative products more accessible, and helping tech innovators and agencies find available grants and innovation programs to fuel progress. Here's a look at what's to come in the next few months:
August: Product Finder Feature Release – First responders and public safety agencies will have the ability to identify the technology solutions their agency needs to address response and resiliency challenges.
September: Grant Finder Tool Feature Release – Public safety agencies will be able to use the Grant Portal to identify grants they qualify for to procure needed technology and resources. Entrepreneurs will have the ability to find funding to support the development of their technology products.
October: Innovation Programs Feature Release – Stakeholders can add programs and challenges designed to help promote and support the growth of public safety innovation opportunities and recruit participants, while innovators will be able to apply in just a few clicks!
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Virtual & In-Person Engagements with the R2 Network
This past month our team held webinars with our RapidSOS partners pertinent to entrepreneurs navigating the public safety startup landscape. If you didn't get a chance to attend (or you'd like to refresh what you learned), the webinars are now available on-demand on R2 Learn:
On-Demand Webinar: What You Need to Know About Fundraising for Public Safety Tech
Learn how to navigate the unique challenges of fundraising for public safety technology companies from Michael Martin, who successfully raised over $200M for RapidSOS and Bryce Stirton, President of the VC firm Responder Corp, who has led investments into numerous public safety companies:
Access On-Demand Webinar
On-Demand Webinar: What Public Safety Startups Should Know About 911
Karin Marquez, Senior Director of Public Safety and Jamison Peevyhouse, Director of Public Safety from RapidSOS shared insights into top of mind issues for 911 directors, major pain points 911 agencies face, and what startups should know about serving 911 agencies.
Coming to a City Near You
The R2 Network and partners are looking forward to safely attending in-person events again! We hope to see you at our presentations in the following upcoming events:
NENA 2021 Conference and Expo – Columbus, OH, July 24-29, 2021
Panel Discussion: Wednesday Jul 28th, 8:45am – 9:45am ET
Title: "Building Resilience: Disaster Response in 2021 and Beyond"
Dave Sehnert – Director of Strategy and Partnerships | NG911, RapidSOS
Bryce Stirton – President, Responder Corp
Michael Martin – CEO, RapidSOS
Karin Marquez – ENP, CMCP, – Senior Director of Public Safety, RapidSOS
Description: This session will share how a national, self-sustaining response and resiliency network can support innovators in the public safety space. Public safety leaders, fire chiefs, emergency technology experts, and top entrepreneurs will share their experience and challenges developing next generation technologies that empower first responders with the tools and technologies they need to stay safe and protect our communities, especially during unprecedented times. Attendees will learn about the need for a stronger response and resiliency network, how they can connect with other like minded innovators across the public safety space to solve existing challenges, and what they can do to prepare for large scale events in 2021 and beyond. Learn more >
APCO 2021 – San Antonio, TX, August 15-18, 2021
Panel Discussion: Wednesday, August 18th 2021, 10:00am – 11:00am
Title: "R2: Empowering First Responders and ECCs with Technology to Improve Public Safety"
Location: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, 225AB
Main Presenters:
Bill Schrier – Senior Advisor, FirstNet Authority
Karin Marquez, ENP, CMCP, – Senior Director of Public Safety, RapidSOS
Description: This partnership between public safety, entrepreneurs, and investors is a new and unique way to encourage small companies to improve and develop first responder technologies and pilot them with public safety agencies. Over 70 companies are already involved. You'll hear about the initiative, what it is developing, how it will benefit your ECC, and how to get involved. Learn more >
IWCE 2021 – Las Vegas, NV, September 27-30, 2021
Session: Wednesday, September 29th 2021, 4:30pm – 5:45pm
David Blankinship – Senior Technology Advisor, Western Fire Chiefs Association
Tyrell Morris – Executive Director, OPCD
Michael Martin – CEO & Co-Founder, RapidSOS
Karlin Younger – Investment Lead, First Responder Network Authority
Description: Discover how a national, self-sustaining response and resiliency network can support innovators in the public safety space, with public safety leaders, fire chiefs, emergency technology experts, and top entrepreneurs sharing challenges in developing next-generation technologies that empower first responders. Attendees will also learn how to connect with like-minded public safety innovators to solve existing challenges, and prepare for large-scale events in 2021 and beyond. Learn more >
Help Build The R2 Network
We are thankful to our R2 Network community and hope you'll join us in looking forward to upcoming feature releases, events, and welcoming our brand new audience of federal government and supporting industries to the R2 Portal. Make sure you've signed up for your free membership to share your own public safety content and help build our response and resiliency network today!
Announcing Innovation HQ – A Free Tool to Help Public Safety Agencies | 1,651 |
Das Haus Zum freundlichen Gesicht war ein Gebäude in Magdeburg im heutigen Sachsen-Anhalt. Es wurde im Zweiten Weltkrieg zerstört und gilt als verlorengegangenes Baudenkmal.
Lage
Es befand sich in der Magdeburger Altstadt an der ehemaligen Adresse Große Münzstraße 13 auf der Südseite der Großen Münzstraße, in einer Ecklage zur Kutscherstraße. In der Vergangenheit war das Grundstück vor einer Umnummerierung als Nummer 8 geführt worden. Heute befinden sich dort die in den 1950er Jahren errichteten Wohnhäuser Große Münzstraße 5 und 7.
Architektur und Geschichte
Das Anwesen war ein Lehn des Klosters Unser Lieben Frauen und gehörte vor dem Jahr 1631 Ebeling Alemann. Später gehörte es seiner Witwe, bevor das Grundstück dann an den Rat der Stadt Magdeburg fiel. Gemeinsam mit dem benachbarten, östlich angrenzenden Grundstück Nummer 14 schenkte es der Rat im Jahr 1647 Alexander Erskein, dem Präsidenten des schwedischen Hofgerichts in Pommern und Assistensrat beim schwedischen Hauptheer in Deutschland. Ziel war es dabei, den als Vermittler zwischen der Stadt und der schwedischen Regierung wirkenden Erskein, günstig für die Belange der Stadt zu stimmen. Seine Erben verkauften das Grundstück an Otto von Guericke junior (1628–1704), dem Sohn Otto von Guerickes, der beim Grundstücksgeschäft auch vermittelte. Das Grundstück war jedoch, wohl in Folge der Zerstörung Magdeburgs im Jahr 1631, wüst und wurde zur Ablagerung von Müll genutzt. Otto von Guericke senior ließ den Platz beräumen und das Grundstück von einer Mauer umgeben. Es wurde dann als Garten genutzt. Auf dem Grundstück des späteren Hauses Zum freundlich Gesicht wurde in der Zeit bis 1695 ein Gebäude errichtet. Es kam dann zu einem Grundstückstausch. Von Guericke gab das Grundstück Große Münzstraße 13 an die Ulrichsgemeinde und erhielt von dieser dafür das Grundstück Georgenstraße 12. Die Ulrichsgemeinde veräußerte das Haus im Jahr 1695 für 350 Taler an den kurbrandenburgischen Münzmeister Johann Christoph von Sehlen. Im Jahr 1725 wurde das Anwesen vom Münzmeister Johann Georg Neubauer für 350 Taler an Christian Grünberg veräußert.
Eine andere Angabe nennt 1724 als Eigentümer August von Haeseler, der von 1722 bis März 1724 das bis 1945 bestehende Haus Zum freundlichen Gesicht errichten ließ. Eine Taxierung des Baus mit 7468 Talern ist durch die Meister Burckard und Röthel überliefert. Es wird vermutet, dass Grünberg vielleicht nur als Strohmann für Haeseler auftrat. Als Baumeister wird J. Chr. Memhard vermutet. Es entstand ein zweigeschossiges verputztes Gebäude. Die Fassade zur nördlich verlaufenden Großen Münzstraße war im Erdgeschoss siebenachsig ausgeführt. Nach Westen zur Kutscherstraße war sie dreiachsig. Die mittlere Achse und die jeweils äußeren Achsen der Nordfassade traten nach Norden in Art von Risaliten hervor und waren durch rustizierte Lisenen hervorgehoben. Der Mittelrisalit war durch Putzstreifen gegliedert. Im Obergeschoss war der Risalit zweiachsig ausgeführt. Die beiden Fensteröffnungen wurden von Dreiecksgiebeln bekrönt, unter denen sich die Wappen der Familie Haeseler und Köpke befanden. Die Fensterbänke wurden von Konsolen getragen. Im Erdgeschoss des Mittelrisalits bestand ein als Rundbogen ausgeführtes, von Pilastern umgebenes Portal. Die Pilaster trugen Gebälkstücke, auf denen sich ein auf Voluten angeordnetes Gesimsstück befand.
Oberhalb der Haustür befand sich ein Oberlicht, das von einem Segmentbogen überspannt wurde. Im Scheitelpunkt des Bogens befand sich als Hauszeichen das Bildnis eines lächelnden, pausbäckigen Frauengesichts, worauf der Name des Hauses Bezug nahm. Links oberhalb des Hauszeichens befand sich als Inschrift eine 17, rechts eine als Z4 geschriebene 24. Die Jahreszahl 1724 verwies auf das Jahr der Fertigstellung des Hauses. Oberhalb des Hauszeichens befand sich die Inschrift Zum freundlichen Gesicht.
Auch an der schmalen Seite zur Kutscherstraße befand sich ein gefugter Risalit. Er setzte sich nach oben in Form von zwei Pilastern fort, die einen Segmentbogen trugen. An den Eckfenstern des Hauses befindliche Verzierungen traten in dieser Form erstmals in Magdeburg auf.
Unterhalb der Fenster des Obergeschosses befanden sich Felder mit Verzierungen in Form von Lambrequinen. Bedeckt war das Haus von einem recht steilen Satteldach, das etwas über die Gesimskante vorstand. Auf der Nordseite waren darin drei stehende Dachfenster angeordnet, die von Segmentbögen überfangen waren. Die Dachfenster waren zwischen den Seiten- und dem Mittelrisalit sowie oberhalb des Mittelrisalits angeordnet.
Bemerkenswert war eine im Inneren befindlich Treppe mit geschnitztem Geländer sowie ein mit einer Stuckdecke versehener Saal. Im Obergeschoss befand sich darüber hinaus ein verzierter Kamin.
Im Haus war das 1789 gegründete Handelsunternehmen Walstab & Comp. ansässig, aus dem die Vereinigten Ölfabriken Hubbe und Farenholtz hervorgingen.
Das Gebäude Zum freundlichen Gesicht wurde während des Zweiten Weltkriegs zerstört. Beim späteren, sich nicht an die gewachsene Stadtstruktur haltenden Wiederaufbau, wurde die südliche Verlängerung der Kutscherstraße ab der Einmündung der Großen Münzstraße durch eine in den 1950er Jahren errichtete Wohnbebauung überbaut. Die historische Ecksituation ist daher nicht mehr vorhanden.
Sage
Das Haus Zum freundlichen Gesicht ist Gegenstand einer Sage. Danach erwarb ein Kaufmann Gottlob Ring ein prächtiges Fachwerkhaus in der Großen Münz<|fim_middle|>ernorts in Magdeburg wirkte.
Gottlob Ring brachte über der Tür des Hauses aus Dankbarkeit für die Gesundung seiner Frau das Hauszeichen Zum freundlichen Gesicht an. Bei der Zerstörung Magdeburgs 1631 brannte auch das Haus nieder, wobei jedoch das Hauszeichen und einige weitere Verzierungen geborgen und in spätere Neubauten integriert wurden.
Literatur
Götz Eckardt (Hrsg.): Schicksale deutscher Baudenkmale im zweiten Weltkrieg, Band 1, Henschel Verlag Berlin, ISBN 3-926642-24-6, S. 267.
Ernst Neubauer: Häuserbuch der Stadt Magdeburg 1631–1720, Teil 1, Hrsg.: Historische Kommission für die Provinz Sachsen und für Anhalt, Magdeburg 1931, S. 322 f.
Einzelnachweise
Abgegangenes Bauwerk in Magdeburg
Ehemaliges Kulturdenkmal in Magdeburg
Erbaut in den 1720er Jahren
Zerstört in den 1940er Jahren
Zerstört im Zweiten Weltkrieg
Sage aus Magdeburg | straße, die damals noch Stallstraße genannt wurde, gleich neben dem Geburtshaus von Otto von Guericke. Das Haus selbst war im Inneren jedoch recht düster und besaß nur einen kleinen Hof. Er lernte nach einiger Zeit auf einer Handelsreise im Rheinland Barbara, die schöne und lebensfrohe Tochter eines Handelspartners kennen und lieben. Nach einem halben Jahr heirateten die beiden in Magdeburg und Barbara zog in das Haus ihres Ehemanns.
Die anfänglich noch fröhliche Barbara wurde zunehmend trauriger und depressiv und beklagte sich über das dunkle Haus. Häufig saß sie am Fenster und schaute traurig auf die Straße. Dabei sah sie auch, wie das auf der anderen Straßenseite liegende alte Eckhaus zur Kutscherstraße abgerissen und durch einen Neubau für den reichen Kaufmann Klaus ersetzt wurde. Klaus scheute keine Kosten und hatte bekannte Baumeister aus dem Ausland beauftragt. Erstaunlicherweise sah sie jedoch nie wirkliche Bauarbeiten. Tagsüber war Ruhe, über Nacht schien das Gebäude jedoch immer weiter zu wachsen. Mit dem Baufortschritt war Barbara immer faszinierter von dem neuen Haus in der Nachbarschaft. Ihre Depression steigerte sich, da ihr klar wurde, dass sie nie in einem solchen Gebäude wohnen würde. Sie erkrankte ernsthaft und war bettlägerig. Zum Tag der Einweihung wurden die Rings eingeladen. Barbara ging trotz ihrer Schwäche mit. Kaum hatte sie das neue Haus betreten, lebte sie sichtbar auf. Ihr Mann war von dieser Entwicklung so beeindruckt, dass er dem Bauherrn Klaus den Kauf des Hauses anbot. Klaus lehnte jedoch ab. Barbara ging es in der nächsten Zeit zunehmend schlechter. Bald war sie todkrank. Eines Tages erschien spät in der Nacht Klaus in Begleitung eines kleinen Männleins bei Gottlob Ring. Klaus berichtete, dass er eine weite Reise unternehmen müsse und es ungewiss wäre, ob er überhaupt nach Magdeburg zurückkehrt. Er bot Ring daher an, das Haus nun doch zu kaufen. Er machte allerdings eine Bedingung. Das Männlein gehöre zu dem Haus wie Fundament und Dach. Er müsse das Männlein im Hause behalten und dürfe nie danach fragen, wer das Männlein sei, wie es heiße und was es nachts mache. Gottlob willigte ein. Schon am nächsten Tag wurde der Vertrag unterzeichnet. Barbara und Gottlob zogen in das neu errichtete Haus, woraufhin Barbara ihre Krankheit überwand. Das Männlein verschwand jeweils in der Nacht und erschien erst am Morgen wieder. Eines Morgens kehrte es nicht zurück und blieb verschwunden. Möglicherweise handelte es sich um das Magdeburger Zaubermännlein, das auch and | 675 |
Destination Bristol were looking for a series of three corporate videos to promote their proposed Business Improvement District (BID) for Bristol City Centre.
For the BID to go ahead, it would be up to the businesses that fell under the proposed zones to vote on whether the project should go ahead or<|fim_middle|> act as support material in outlining why members should vote yes and to act as voting reminders on the lead up to the voting deadline.
The team were just looking for a series of short videos that would mainly consist of talking heads and title screens that outlined the main points. When meeting the team for a consultation, I suggested that the video should be scripted to ensure the video stays concise and to the point, and worked with them to decide on what the subjects and main points of each video should be. Once the script had been worked out, I was able to come up with a shot list of b-roll content that I also went out and filmed which acted as footage that would help to tell the story, and retain the attention of the viewer whilst showcasing the beautiful city of Bristol. | not. The videos would | 5 |
Luis Severino looks to give Trenton commanding lead in ELCS
Yankees pitcher Luis Sever<|fim_middle|> you look at all the numbers, the average leader was under .300 (C.J. Chatham of Portland won the batting title at .297.) Then there was a big group of guys in the .270s that were up there (six of the top 10 leaders were in that range.)
"Offensively in the league this year, it was a tough place to hit. But with our pitching, if we can push three across, or four, we are going to be in a pretty good position if we are ahead." | ino's fastball velocity topped out at 97 mph on Friday night in his rehab start for the Trenton Thunder.
Although a game one win was important to the Trenton Thunder's quest for a fourth Eastern League title, game two Wednesday night might be more critical.
A victory for the Thunder at Arm & Hammer Park sends them to Bowie with a 2-0 lead in the series. The last four times Trenton has been involved in a series when the team won the first two games of a best-of-five, the series ended in sweeps. It was the Thunder on the wrong end of each of those until the 2019 Eastern Division series, when Trenton knocked off Reading.
In 2016, Trenton lost two games in Akron in the ELCS, then came home and lost game three. In 2017, after a record-breaking 92 win season, the Thunder were stunned twice at home to start the ELCS series by Altoona, which then won game three to clinch. Then last season, Trenton lost the first two at home to eventual champion New Hampshire in the ELDS before dropping game three.
So for Trenton to take game one Tuesday night, behind the three rehabbing Yankees, only puts the team in position to take a commanding lead. With Luis Severino on the mound, and Miguel Yajure (1-0, 0.82 ERA in two Double a starts), the Thunder will be favored to win game two. But win this game they must, or else they risk making this a battle.
"It was huge (to get game one)," Thunder Manager Patrick Osborn said. "I knew this was going to be tough. We knew this was going to be tough. To get game one, with Seve coming out in game two, puts us in a really, really good position.
"But we are going to have our work cut out for us, because that is a really good club over there with good pitching in their own right, and good offense. So it is not going to be easy. We are going to need Seve, we are going to need Miguel. It is far from over, that is for sure.
"I think we will treat (game two) like a must-win game. If we are in a position where it is close, or we are up one, down one, or tied, you are going to see our best guys going out there to try to seal it down. Again, if we get out of here with two wins, it could really put us in a great spot."
This was an historic season for pitching in the Eastern League.
The league-wide batting average of .238, with teams scoring an average of 3.92 runs per game, was the lowest since 1971. The last time the league finished with a team batting average under .250 and under 4.0 runs per game was in 1989 (.249 / 3.95)
All season, when the Thunder have found a way to score four-plus runs in a game, they have been dominant. In the postseason, Trenton is 3-0 when it has scored four runs or more.
With the dominance of the Thunder bullpen, and now adding in the rehab starters to a tough starting staff, Osborn thinks that number is one that will continue to give his team success this series.
"If we can put four across, even three on some nights, depending on who is starting, it puts us in a pretty good position," Osborn said. "Our bullpen has been outstanding. I think across the league, if | 749 |
We sat face to face on the couch talking about what is "next" for me. To date I have had two separate and very rewarding careers. I have seen parts of this world I never dreamed possible. Nearly 10 years ago, I stepped back from it all. Laid down one enterprise to pick up another adventure: Raising our daughter. And, supporting my husband's path and the journey it has taken us all on.
He proposes ideas. Solutions. Me? I put up roadblocks. Speak only of excuses. Back and forth we go. Both hoping for resolution. Yet none ever reached.
Complacency can derail a dream before it has the ability to gain momentum.
During the silence within my next few days, I began to dig deep inside. Studying myself. Both versions — the once upon a time professional and the current mommy homemaker. What I unearthed was quite emancipating, but not easy to admit. So here goes.
I am in a rut called self-complacency. Yuck! What a horrible word. Complacency can occur when one is comfortable. Feeling secure. What we strive for, correct? Well, what I have learned is that that security can actually hold you back. Paralyzing along the way. Progress standing still. Growth lying dormant.
We still sit face to face every evening discussing what is next for me, but I feel freer now having been so brutally honest with myself and now you, my audience.
The soul-searching session I had with myself made me wonder how you may be feeling. So my question to you, the dancer, is this: Are you allowing complacency to creep into the work you are trying to achieve in the studio? Is a tendu just a tendu or is it a deliberate movement of the leg with a perfectly shaped foot? If you, too, are sensing complacency, join me as we reflect, recommit and find our purpose again!
Ballet should never be nor feel comfortable. I suppose that could be your first clue that you have become unconcerned with growth. Explore the reasons why. Has the safety and ease of your daily approach gotten you thinking that status quo is okay? Are you making excuse after excuse out of fear of change? Remember to improve requires change. Sadly change is what we become resistant to. We should never be satisfied by anything ordinary. So be brave. Embrace change — a change in outlook. A change in your awareness. A change in your approach. Or, maybe even change in your environment. Complacent behaviors can become ingrained habits that you eventually won't be proud of. Not to mention zapping your motivation and sucking your energy and spirit dry.
Complacency can derail a dream before it has the ability to gain momentum. We cannot have that happening. We hear the word goals a lot. Gotten kind of generic in my mind. I prefer to think, "What will I do today that is different, even better, than that of what I did yesterday?" This works<|fim_middle|> our uphill trek out of this transitory slump!
Great article! Complacency can infiltrate people's lives, no matter what their walk in life is. I've learned that if I can practice shaking complacency off when it comes to my tendus, It becomes much easier to shake it off in other areas of my life too! | like simple little building blocks getting to where I want to be (aka, the goal). Keep your steps small for feelings of attainment. Visualization is paramount, I am a key believer. Used to use it prior to stepping onto the stage. See yourself making the change. Believe you can do it. If need be, write it down. Post it somewhere and reacquaint yourself often. Share your plans with those who will lift you up when your own self-motivation falls short.
Lastly, remember that your actions and efforts directly affect any and all opportunity you will ever receive.
So now we begin | 122 |
Summary: Financial crimes are a complex legal matter that technology has made easier to<|fim_middle|> think technology is a good or bad thing? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. | investigate while also making it easier for the crimes to be hidden.
The False Claims Act can be especially hard for companies to get a handle on when there are such large amounts of data and information flowing through a company on all levels. Corporations can have a hard time detecting fraudulent activity but predictive analytics are able to analyze large amounts of data to pick out potentially questionable activity.
The enforcement of anti-money laundering statutes and compliance with economic sanctions are affected by the rapid expansion of technologies that lead to an increase in risks to how money is laundered and sanctioned internationally. Multinational companies that are aware of these risks use technology to manage the risks. Technology has come a long way to be able to detect potential money laundering and sanctions violations.
Many wonder how artificial intelligence will play a role in the investigations of financial crimes. So far artificial intelligence is used to identify and escalate the response to questionable conduct as well as investigate the conduct once it has occurred. For example, artificial intelligence identifies communications and data that show misconduct. As technology advances, its ability to pinpoint misconduct and potentially problematic matters will sharpen.
Deciding how to use artificial intelligence is something every company must carefully consider when looking at legal and factual issues and the types of data in question. When artificial intelligence is used correctly, it can be a major cost saving and time-saving venture.
Do you | 267 |
Test-retest effects : No g gains in two independent samples
August 28, 2013 / 猛虎 / 0 Comments
I analyze two studies who provide the necessary data for studying the test-retest effects, namely, Watkins (2007), Schellenberg (2004, 2006). Both used the Wechsler's subtests, and the correlations between the IQ changes among those subtests with g-loadings are negative, in line with earlier studies on this topic.
Introduction. For instance, Skuy et al. (2002), Coyle (2006), Nijenhuis et al. (2001, 2007) as well as Reeve & Lam (2005, 2007), Lievens et al. (2007), Matton et al. (2009, 2011), Freund & Holling (2011), Arendasy & Sommer (2013), were able to demonstrate that test-retest effects (or experiences) through educational meanings are not related to the g factor.
Nijenhuis et al. (2007) analyzed the effects of the secular gain, showing a perfect (true) negative correlation with g. They also re-analyzed Skuy et al. (2002) data with the results that IQ gains evidenced in black, white, indian and colored participants who took the Mediated Learning Experience (MLE) were not g-loaded. The cognitive test was the well-known RSPM. Concretely, the authors correlated gain scores with pretest RSPM scores. Also, the decline they found in the total variance explained by the first unrotated factor loading, or g, in the post-test scores is likely due to the higher test sophistication following MLE. Nijenhuis (2001, p. 306) discussed this matter earlier. Skuy et al. (2002) showed earlier that those gains in the RSPM are not generalizable to other tests (e.g., Stencil) that require abstract thinking, and thus not g-loaded again, even if the black south african students improved more than did the white students. Matton et al. (2011) found more or less the same thing. While retakers scored higher than first-time test takers on 'old' tests, the first-time test takers on 'new' tests and those retakers do not score differently on these 'new' tests. They argue that differences in mean structure suggest violation of measurement invariance.
Coyle (2006, Table 3) found, using a mix of achievement and intelligence tests, that while the SAT is highly loaded on PC1, the SAT changes loaded significantly on PC2 with its loading on PC1 being (near) zero. He also demonstrates in a second analysis that, on the one hand, SAT scores predicts GPA but, on the other hand, SAT changes do not (Table 5).
Reeve & Lam (2007, Table 3) also correlate the vector of gain with the vector of g-loadings, with proof of a significant negative association. They also found (Table 4) that while test-taking motivation is somewhat associated with score gains in the IQ composite, the motivational factor does not display a consistent pattern of correlations with score gains among the IQ scales; negative in some domains and positive in others. But if, on one hand, such relationship is established and that, on the other hand, measurement invariance in retest effects is violated, this would mean that motivation does not improve g itself. This aside, the same authors (2005) found in a previous study, on the other hand, tenability of measurement invariance, and that gs (derived from independent CFAs) at day #1, day #2 and day #3 were strongly correlated (Table 5). They also showed (Table 6) that practice effect does not cause a significant change in the criterion related validity, as the g-factor score correlation with self-reported GPA does not change significantly across day #1, #2 and #3. Nevertheless, they note "Given that not all applicants may have had exposure to practice, differences in observed test scores may not accurately reflect individual differences on the construct of interest (i.e., g). That is, although the indicators on the test continue to relate to g and to narrow group factors in the same way across testing occasions, the observed total test score is likely to increase due to changes on either test-specific skills (i.e., skills not shared across the various scales) or other non-cognitive constructs. Thus, applicants who re-test are essentially being given the opportunity to boost observed scores by practicing those non-ability components. In addition to questions of fairness, such differences might alter the predictive validity of the observed total test scores (Sackett et al., 1989), even though the predictive validity of g and narrow group factors would remain unchanged." (p. 546).
The finding in that paper is discussed in Lievens et al. (2007, p. 1680) who showed that test-retest comparisons indicate measurement bias. Statistically, they test the tenability of the four levels of invariance, 1) configural invariance (i.e., equality in number of factors and factor loading pattern across groups), 2) metric invariance (i.e., factor loadings equality), 3) scalar invariance (i.e., intercepts equality), and 4) uniqueness invariance (i.e., error terms equality). The rejection of the metric suggests that the test measures different factors across groups while the rejection of the scalar suggests that items are of unequal difficulty across groups (that is, they depend on group membership). The second level of invariance is known as weak measurement invariance, third level as strong invariance, and fourth level as strict invariance. Measurement invariance holds when at least the strong level of measurement invariance is tenable. What they found in fact is that metric and uniqueness invariance are violated. Increases in scores are due to test uniqueness, consistent with Lubinski's theory, as they describe it : "Lubinski's (2000) suggestion that practice builds up "nonerror uniqueness" components of ability tests – factors such as method-specific knowledge [1] (aka, test-wiseness), specific item content knowledge, or narrow skills unique to the item content (e.g., memorization of numbers)." (p. 1675). The non-error uniqueness they are talking about refers to the fact that uniqueness per se carries both random error and systematic variance not shared with other indicators. Their predictive bias analysis supports the view that practice effects do not affect g, as they write : "These results reveal that the general factor derived from the retested data (i.e., Group A2) did not predict GPA (r = .00, ns), whereas the general factor derived from the group who did not retest (Group B) did predict GPA significantly (r = .48, p < .01)." (p. 1678). As additional analyses (Table 5), they correlated the latent general factor with scores on a memory test that was included in the full ability battery and derived an independent g score based on the scale scores of the remainder of the cognitive battery (by conducting a principal factor analysis and retaining the first unrotated principal factor, they name it GCA variable). The correlation between the latent general factor and GCA was higher for the one-time test takers (group B) than for the two-time test takers (Group A2 for two-time test taking, A1 for first-time), with r of 0.40 versus 0.22. Also, the correlation between the latent factor and memory increases with re-administration (from -0.03 to 0.29). Furthermore, the latent factor derived from retest scores was correlated more strongly with memory (r=0.29) than it was with the GCA variable (r=0.14). This finding, they insist, is consistent with Reeve & Lam (2005, pp. 542-543) who found that after each repeated measurement or administration, the variance accounted for by the short-term memory factor increases while g, verbal, visual-spatial, and quantitative factors do not vary. Finally,<|fim_middle|> measurement bias, which indicated that retest score gains are confined to narrower cognitive abilities and do not generalize to psychometric g.
Overall, the conclusion from these papers appear consistent with the failure of most educational intervention (e.g., Milwaukee Project) in generalizing the IQ gains (Herrnstein & Murray, 1994, pp. 408-409; Jensen, 1998, pp. 340-342). Another interesting finding is from Ritchie & Bates (2013). They show that education (controlling for childhood IQ score) was positively associated with IQ at ages 79 (sample #1) and 70 (sample #2) but there was no improvement in processing speed, which strongly suggests that education does not improve g.
Study #1. The details of the Watkins' sample (N=289) are described in Watkins et al. (a paper that is worthy of reading, regardless of the present analysis), so there is no need to repeat it here. Watkins (2007, Table 3) provide us with reliability coefficients for each tests. I haven't used them for my test of correlated vectors method below, but I tried after that to correlate the r(g*d) using correction for unreliability. The correction of d changes didn't affect the correlations but the corrected PC1 (not corrected PC2) produces lower negative correlations with g-loadings. Anyway, the cognitive test used is a mix of WISC-III and achievement tests. The test-retest interval was of 2.8 years.
The first analysis displays the scatterplot of IQ changes against g-loadings. In a second analysis (see Coyle 2006), I have added to the initial (sub)test intercorrelations the IQ gains for each subtests (see the attached EXCEL at the bottom of the post) and re-ran a principal component analysis.
It is clear from the above that IQ changes are not related to g, and have high loadings on non-g variance. The same phenomenon can be seen in Rushton (1999). Further comment is not needed, as the numbers speak for themselves.
Study #2. Schellenberg (2004, 2006) gives the detail for this (seemingly non-random) sample (N=144). The experimental group comprises 72 children, and the control group 72 as well. Both groups are composed of 2 subgroups (keyboard and voice for the experimental, drama and no lessons for the control) but given these moderate samples, I chose not to divide the groups even further. The cognitive tests used are the WISC-III and the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement (K-TEA) but because I can't find the g-loadings for this battery, I left that one. The test-retest interval was of 1 year, as the groups under study received music lessons for one year.
Of particular interest, as we already see, is that the negative correlation between IQ gains and g is larger in the experimental than in the control group. This was also the case in te Nijenhuis study (2007, p. 294). It appears that the gains were larger on the less g-loaded subtests. It should be noted, nevertheless (Schellenberg, 2006, pp. 461-462), that music lessons seem to be positively associated with academic performance even after individual differences in general intelligence were held constant. Interestingly, although the long-term association beween music lessons and cognitive abilities is well proven in his (2006) study, he admits the following : "In Study 2 (undergraduates), each additional year of playing music regularly was accompanied by an increase in FSIQ of one third of a point (b = .333, SE = .134), after partialing out effects of parents' education, family income, and gender. In childhood, then, six years of lessons (assuming 8 months of lessons per year) was associated, on average, with an increase in FSIQ increase of approximately 7.5 points, which is half a standard deviation and far from trivial. But the same 6 years of playing music regularly in childhood were predictive of an increase in FSIQ of only 2 points in early adulthood. In other words, short-term associations were stronger than long-term associations, which is in line with other findings indicating that associations between cognitive functioning and environmental factors decline throughout childhood and adolescence (Plomin et al., 1997)." (p. 465).
Discussion. It's a fact that studies in which (IQ) subtest gains/changes have been reported are relatively rare, so further analyses are needed; to note, some scholars (Dragt, 2010; Smit, 2011; Repko, 2011; Metzen, 2012; Nijenhuis, 2013) have studied the relationship between g and gains. They may be worthy of reading. Also, as I said previously, MCV suffers from the small numbers of subtests, and even 10 subtests are not large enough for the results to be very robust, and just one subtest can be expected to determine most of the strength of the correlation and its sign as well. This was obvious in my analysis of the Capron & Duyme adoption study, due to Coding subtest. It does not mean we should remove this subtest, but that a larger test battery or further replication is needed. In any case, here's the Excel file (XLS) for additional numbers and correlation matrices for these two studies.
References.
Marley W. Watkins, Pui-Wa Lei, Gary L. Canivez. 2007. Psychometric intelligence and achievement: A cross-lagged panel analysis.
E. Glenn Schellenberg. 2004. Music Lessons Enhance IQ.
E. Glenn Schellenberg. 2006. Long-Term Positive Associations Between Music Lessons and IQ.
Method of Correlated Vectors, Psychometrics
A Meta-Analysis of Jensen Effect on Heritability and Environmentality of Cognitive Tests Using the Method of Correlated Vectors
Investigation of the relationship between mental retardation with heritability and environmentality of the Wechsler subtests | using Jensen's MCV, Lievens et al. report only a moderate correlation (r=0.27) between vectors of factor scores derived from group A1 and A2, seperately.
Matton et al. (2009) tried to test measurement invariance as well, and came to the conclusion that metric invariance is violated, but also that gain scores could be explained by common situational effects, as invariance in error variances has been retained which means that errors at both times were correlated. They argue that earlier studies may have tested whether or not score gains reflect test-specific abilities but not if score gains could be attributed to situational effects, which encompass all effects due to the specificity of the state of the person in the current situation, that they describe as follows : "Situational effects were first formalized within the SEM framework in the Latent State-Trait Theory (Steyer, Ferring, & Schmitt, 1992; Steyer, Schmitt, & Eid, 1999). This theory states that any test score measures characteristics of the person (traits), but also measures characteristics of the situation and characteristics of the interaction between person and situation. Taken together these factors create a psychological state specific to the situation to which the person is exposed. Following this theory, a test never measures trait differences only but also individual differences due to situational effects." (p. 413). For an illustration, see Jensen's analogy of shadow measurement (1998, p. 312).
Freund & Holling (2011, pp. 238-239) were able to demonstrate that score gains in computer-generated matrices items violate the item difficulty parameter invariance. They compare four groups : 1) training + identical retest, 2) training + parallel retest, 3) no training + identical retest, 4) no training + parallel retest. The distinction is important because training effects, as opposed to practice effects, involve interventions of some kind. It is known, as they say (p. 234), that effects sizes for training effects surpass the effect sizes for practice or retest effects. The authors report higher retest gains for the training groups (vs control). Although they also report higher gains for identical (vs parallel) test forms, it appeared nevertheless that these differential gains disappear altogether when individual's (general intelligence) variation has been controlled.
Arendasy & Sommer (2013) provide another test of measurement invariance using MGCFA. At the test score level, they found that "the strong measurement invariance model (M3) assuming equal intercepts across test forms fitted the data significantly worse than the weak measurement invariance model (M2)." even if strict measurement invariance across test forms is supported at the item level. They finally test the relationship between score gains and g-saturation using MCV. This correlation was found to be -0.29 although there were only four tests used. They conclude that retesting induce uniform measurement bias. The authors suggest that (p. 184) identical and alternate retest forms must be taken into account because this might influence the results. Their comment on the previous findings mentioned above is worth considering :
In line with Reeve and Lam (2005) our results indicated strict measurement invariance within- and across test administration sessions at the item level; indicating that retest score gains are attributable to an increase in narrower cognitive abilities. Although this finding confirmed our hypothesis regarding the two alternate retest forms, we would have expected to find measurement bias at the item level in case of the identical retest forms. The finding that measurement invariance at the item level can even be assumed for identical retest forms contradicts previous research findings (cf. Freund & Holling, 2011; Lievens et al., 2007). Several design characteristics of our study may account for this seemingly conflicting finding. First, Freund and Holling (2011) never examined measurement invariance across test form in a between-subject design. Therefore their finding that retesting induces uniform measurement bias in case of identical retest forms could also be due to differences in the psychometric characteristics of the two test forms. …
The interpretation of retest effects in terms of an increase in narrower cognitive abilities has also been supported in our multigroup confirmatory factor analyses. The results indicated that weak measurement invariance can be assumed, which means that retesting does not affect the g-saturation of the four cognitive ability tests. However, retesting induced a uniform | 965 |
Vladimir Lenin and Josef Stalin
Category: Stalin
Poster Notes: These are independently-published and printed posters placed on one backing.
Media<|fim_middle|>, Hungarian publisher Imre C...
Publisher: Publisher not indicated — | Size: Please inquire
Poster Type: Lithograph
Publishing Date: c. 1945
Technical Information on Poster: Printing Accountable Manager, Zoltán Kósa; Director, L. Nedeczky; Publisher in charge, Péter Rényi; József Ujhelyi.
Catalog Notes: PP 824 Stalin (oversized)
Artist: Ek, Sandor (Ék, Sándor) — Эк, Шандор
Sandor Ek was born Alex Keil in a small village in the Austro Hungarian Empire. He worked as a graphic artist and poster designer in his native Hungary but also worked and lived in Austria, Germany and in the Soviet Union during periods of his life. Early-on, Ek became a member of the Hungarian Communist Party. He studied at arts schools run by the Hungarian painter and communist, Béla Uitz, and by József Ne...
Printer: Szikra (Spark) Press and Publishing House, Budapest —
Szikra (Spark) Press and Publishing was located at 10 Honvéd Street in Budapest, Hungary. It served as the main literature and propaganda communicator for the Hungarian Communist Party. Formed in 1944, Szikra's infrastructure was developed via the nationalization of the Pallas and Stádium printers in the town of Szeged. When the publisher moved its headquarters to Budapest, it occupied the former Catholic Publishing Company offices. During Szikra's early years of development | 316 |
Suppliers' product knowledge is of increasing significance to purchasers when they select business partners, according to a joint report by CIPS and Oracle UK, published by the Bristol Business School.
The I-Relate study is the latest in the I-Series of research<|fim_middle|> the compatibility of suppliers' values with those of the buyer, also featured.
Some criteria previously seen as important dropped in prominence, including geographical proximity and the "likeability" of the salesperson.
Gerard Chick, CIPS head of knowledge exchange, said the findings could help focus businesses on developing their suppliers during tough economic conditions.
"This thought-provoking piece of research will help equip buyers to work with their suppliers and rise to the challenges ahead."
The study, launched at the House of Lords last week, analysed the views of senior procurement professionals, with 38 per cent of respondents from the public sector and the rest in the private sector. | commissioned by the OGC. It examined factors taken into account when organisations search for new suppliers and at post-contract review stage.
Price, quality and delivery remained critical.
Newer concerns, such as suppliers' product knowledge and | 45 |
By creating future-proof brands, user-centred designs and customer-driven communication, we transform business ideas, goals and interactions into lasting connections with customers.
Aligning business strategies, marketing, sales and communication efforts, we build brands that reflect the ambitions of their owners − from start-ups to established businesses to global organisations.
Once your goals have been set, we start building.<|fim_middle|> disappoints but actually grows on your audience.
That same brand promise defines the brand stories you need to tell. In order to design unique brand identities, we define and write your brand stories and create and add the aesthetic ingredients that serve you best. By combining the right words, a unique style and a supporting visual identity, we deliver identities your customers can recognise in the blink of an eye!
In a third step, we identify the tools and channels that are necessary to build a future-proof brand. Sometimes on location, often printed and − without a doubt − digitally as well. We create the communication tools that enable you to generate business. These essentials may vary from tons of content, to packaging and interior design, to useful apps or a brand-new website. We build the essentials so that you grow and prosper.
Get in touch & tell us all about your project, business or organisation.
Oops! It would seem that you are using an outdated browser. This might cause the website to be displayed and behave incorrectly. We advise you to install the latest version of your favorite browser. With an updated browser you can explore the internet in a modern and safe way. | We map out the DNA building blocks of your organisation and match them with your customers' expectations. The result is a roadmap that guides your brand and organisation towards short- and long-term success − an authentic brand promise that not only never | 46 |
Family Foot & Ankle Specialist, Dr. Brad Schaeffer, will be meeting visitors at the Lululemon store in Princeton, NJ on February 8, 2015.
Dr. Brad Schaeffer is a podiatrist at Family Foot & Ankle Specialists which has offices in Piscataway, Hillsborough and now Princeton, NJ. Dr. Schaeffer treats<|fim_middle|> high arches. A functional orthotic can help to prevent many problems by stabilizing your foot and correcting your gait (the way you walk). It is a simple tool that can go a long way.
Lastly, be sure to see a podiatrist whenever you experience and foot or ankle pain. Taking care of a small injury is much easier then treating a serious, repetitive injury. | many sports injuries in the office and believes prevention is the best treatment for any injury.
Dr. Schaeffer's tips for avoiding injuries are simple. First, it is essential for athletes to be wearing the proper shoes for their sport and to have a proper foot measurement by a professional. Wearing the wrong size sports shoes can cause many common foot problems.
Second, be sure to stretch. Most people know stretching is important, but many do not know the proper way of stretching. You never want to stretch on a cold muscle. Always warm up for about 15-290 minutes before stretching. Stretching your whole body is important to reduce the risk of injury.
Also, make sure you have the proper support. Many people suffer from unstable ankles, flat feet and | 156 |
Balrog's Lair
Astronomy and Space Science - Education and Outreach
Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial? An Excerpt From Brother Guy Consolmagno's Latest Book
Posted on November 19, 2014 by Bob TrembleyNovember 20, 2014
Cover of Brother Guy's Latest Book
Brother Guy Consolmagno and Father Paul Mueller have<|fim_middle|> on Twitter.
ESA_Rosetta on Twitter
Posted in Comet, ESA, Space Exploration | Tagged Comet 67P, Philae, Rosetta | Leave a reply
Bob Trembley
* Lifelong amateur astronomer
* Volunteer NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador
* Outreach Officer for the Warren Astronomical Society
* Blogger for the Vatican Observatory Foundation
I do a lot of astronomy outreach; I lecture about astronomy and space science, and set up his telescopes at schools, planetariums, conventions, and other venues.
I am fantastically interested in asteroids and near-Earth objects (NEOs), and a HUGE fan of space visualization applications like Kerbal Space Program and NASA Eyes on the Solar System.
I am determined to improve the teaching of astronomy, space science, and space history throughout Michigan, and the U.S.
BalrogsLair on Twitter
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Aurora over Chesterfield MI – Oct. 24, 2011
ISS to Flyover Lower Michigan Nov. 30, 2017 6:16-6:21 PM
Astronomy for Everyone: Asteroids!
Interview by the B612 Foundation
Chelyabinsk Poem
Orion Test Flight Infographic and Video
True color image of comet 67P taken by the Rosetta spacecraft
Where is Rosetta Now?
Philae's First Look After A Bouncy Landing
Cassini Probes the Depths of Titan's Largest Sea
Astronomy, the oldest of the sciences, is now an elective – if it's even offered
New Horizons Probe Gets A Kuiper Belt Target
Comet Siding Spring
NASA LRO Mission Finds Widespread Evidence of Young Lunar Volcanism
Why Aren't You Getting That In School?
Asteroid Day 2016 - The Catholic Astronomer on Asteroid Defense Program Needed BEFORE The Next Impact
Mike on LASER Pointer Awareness
B612 | An Interview with B612 Supporter Bob Trembley on Asteroid (117852) Constance
Bob's Posts on "The Catholic Astronomer" Blog:
In the Sky This Week – July 9, 2019
This is "Conjunction Week" with the Moon appearing near the star Spica, Jupiter and Saturn over the next several days. I thought I'd give the southern hemisphere a bit of love this week, so I included several images of the skies from the Paranal Observatory in Chile - Stellarium made it easy to find them […]
My wife and I are packing up our home of 22 years, and will be moving a few miles north. While I was clearing out my bookshelf, I found a book that I owned as a child, that has somehow remained with me, albeit a bit worse for wear: You Will Go To the Moon, […]
In the Sky This Week – June 25, 2019
The Moon appears in the eastern early morning sky all week. Venus appears very low in the east-northeastern sky just before sunrise all week; a very thin waning crescent Moon joins Venus on the morning of July 1st. Saturn rises shortly after sunset; Jupiter, high in the southern sky, made an exceptional observing target this […]
Symposium to Honor the Legacy of Astrophysicist Dr. Vera Rubin
A symposium in honor of Dr. Vera Rubin is being held at Georgetown University, June 24-26, 2019. Dr. Rubin (1928-2016) was one of the most important astrophysicists of the 20th and 21st centuries. She received her Ph.D. from Georgetown University in 1954, and pioneered the study of galaxy rotation rates that provided definitive evidence for […]
Inspiring a New Generation of Scientists and Space Explorers
I was at STARBASE One at Selfridge Air National Guard Base on June 11 & 12, 2019 as part of their Summer Academy - I taught the students how to fly rockets in Kerbal Space Program. I created several different rockets for them to launch: a small and large sounding rocket, and a crewed sub-orbital and orbital vessel; I […]
Mercury and Mars almost appear to be almost touching low in the west-northwestern sky at dusk on June 18th - don't miss this conjunction! By next week the two planets will have drifted apart. Venus appears very low in the east-northeastern sky just before sunrise all week. The Moon appears between Saturn and Jupiter in […]
A dimming Mars, and a bright Mercury appear low in the west-northwestern sky at dusk. The Moon appears near the star Spica on June 15th and 16th. The Moon appears near Jupiter and the star Antares on June 15th and 16th. Saturn, Jupiter and the star Antares appear in the southern sky before dawn. Jupiter, […]
In the Sky This Week – June 4, 2019
Mars continues to dim in the west-northwestern sky after sunset, and Mercury appears low near the horizon all week. A thin crescent Moon appears near Mars on June 5th, and moves towards the south each day. The Moon appears by the star Regulus on June 7th and 8th. Saturn, Jupiter and the star Antares have […]
In the Sky This Week – May 28, 2019
Starlink Satellites Cause a Stir SpaceX has launched the first 60 of a planned 12,000 Starlink satellites, intended to provide global broadband internet service. Despite assurances to the contrary, a train of bright lights has been seen crossing the night sky, along with some reports of Iridium-like flares. Astronomers and observatories are understandably concerned, with […]
Jupiter's Great Red Spot is Unraveling! As I was writing this post, I came upon this story on SpaceWeather.com: Around the world, amateur astronomers are monitoring a strange phenomenon on the verge of Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS). The giant storm appears to be unraveling. "I haven't seen this before in my 17-or-so years of […]
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I Support AsteroidDay!
Ask me about Kerbal Space Program!
©2019 - Balrog's Lair - Weaver Xtreme Theme | written a new book: "Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial?: . . . and Other Questions from the Astronomers' In-box at the Vatican Observatory"
Br. Guy provided me with the following from the book's introduction:
Guy: Would you baptize an extraterrestrial?
That is one of the questions people ask us all the time here at the Vatican Observatory . . . along with questions about the Star of Bethlehem, the beginning and end of the universe, Galileo, Pluto, black holes, killer asteroids, and all the other topics astronomers always get asked about.
What is it about questions of this sort that raises such interest—and sometimes suspicion and fear—among so many people? Let's face it, most people know we're not likely to be running into any ETs anytime soon; nor is the exact nature of the Star of Bethlehem essential to any catechism or creed. But people care. They keep asking us. Why?
This book is about what's behind those questions.
Father Paul Mueller, S.J.
Paul: And this book is about what it's like when science encounters faith on friendly, mutually respectful terms.
Do you think we should reject any results of modern science that seem to disagree with the Bible? Do you think that the Bible has greater authority than science, and that biblical faith should always get the last word over science? If so, this might not be the book for you. (But read on!)
Do you think we should reject anything in the Bible that seems to be at odds with modern science? Do you think that science has greater authority than the Bible, and that science should always get the last word over biblical faith? If so, this might not be the book for you. (But read on!)
Do you think that both science and faith should be taken seriously, but you struggle with how to hold science and faith together, with integrity? Do you find yourself tending to keep science and faith isolated from each other, in separate, watertight compartments, but you wish that science and faith didn't have to "take turns" in your life? Then this book is for you. Read on!
Brother Guy Consolmagno, S.J.
Guy: The two of us writing this book are members of the research staff at the Vatican Observatory, the official astronomical research institute of the Catholic Church.
Paul: Our primary work is research. But since all of us at the Vatican Observatory are Jesuit priests or brothers, we are also in frequent contact with members of the general public—people who have questions and comments about science and faith, people who want to tell us about some discovery they've made or about some theory they've devised. And also people who just want to talk. We get a lot of e-mail!
Guy: I have more than seven hundred such e-mails in my files from the last five years. Some of the messages are a bit off-the-wall. But all of them come from people who want to take science and faith seriously, and many of our correspondents are people having trouble figuring out how to hold the two together with integrity and consistency.
This book is structured around a half dozen particular questions we've been asked time and again—questions that are interesting in themselves but that also tend to presuppose a conflict of some sort between science and religion.
We start with the question of Genesis versus the Big Bang, and we discuss how science and religion can have different but complementary ways of looking at the same issue. Then we discuss how scientific theories and ideas change and evolve over time—for example, we describe what happened recently when astronomers debated the status of Pluto as a planet. And we ask how religion can or should respond when science evolves and changes. To see how that might work—and what happened when it didn't work well—we examine the case of Galileo's encounter with the Church.
People of faith generally believe that God is somehow active in the world. We talk about how that can that be, in a universe that seems to be regulated and governed by inexorable scientific laws. People of faith often believe that we are somehow important in God's eyes. We discuss how can that be, in a universe that is vast and ancient beyond human imagining . . . and that seems doomed to come to an inglorious end, eventually.
And, yes, as the title of the book promises, we also talk about whether we would baptize an alien: what could the message of Christ mean in a universe of countless planets and, for all we know, countless other races of intelligent beings?
Paul: So how do science and religion actually relate to each other? Do they have to operate in separate, watertight compartments? Is one of them supposed to complement and serve the other? Or is it possible to look at their similarities, differences, and connections not in terms of some preconceived notion of what should be the case, but by seeing how science and faith actually do—or don't—work together? The conversation we have in this book reflects how science and faith can talk to each other.
Bob: I started collecting meteorites over three decades ago. Brother Guy got me interested in the Science of Meteorites after attending one of his lectures at a Science Fiction Convention. In 2011, my wife asked me to give a lecture about meteorites in her classroom; I had to do a LOT of research.
This led to me writing my Asteroids lecture in 2013. Brother Guy and Rik Hill got an annoying number of emails from me when I was doing that research.
Brother Guy spent a wonderful evening at our home on 15 Nov. 2014. We grilled burgers and brats, and had Vernor's ginger ale, Vlasic pickles, and apple crisp. We chatted with him for hours about all manner of things – his new book, the Vatican Observatory, our kids. We also found out that until age six, he lived in the same neighborhood as my wife, Connie!
* http://americamagazine.org/content/all-things/%E2%80%98would-you-baptize-extraterrestrial%E2%80%99-author-qa-vatican-astronomers-guy
* https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20588641-would-you-baptize-an-extraterrestrial
* http://wgntv.com/2014/11/18/brother-guy-consolmagno-on-the-real-message-behind-would-you-baptize-an-extraterrestrial/
Video: 'Would you baptize an Extraterrestrial?' A public lecture by Brother Guy Consolmagno
Posted in Religion, Science | Tagged Book, Br. Guy Consolmagno | Leave a reply
David J. Eicher's New Book: Comets! Visitors From Deep Space
Cover of David J. Eicher's book about comets.
David J. Eicher, editor of Astronomy Magazine, has written a new book: "Comets! Visitors From Deep Space."
David posted the following excerpt from the book on "Dave's Universe" – his blog at Astronomy.com
"Come to think of it, that's one of the things that struck me as a teenager, lying out in that field, gazing up at Comet West. Suddenly, after I learned a little about what comets are, it hit me. They hammer home the immensity of the cosmos. Yes, they are relatively nearby. But seeing them move from night to night — changing their place against the backdrop of the stars glistening behind them — is extremely powerful. I think it triggers something deep within the soul.
And that seems always to have been the case. The earliest records of cometary observations are from China and date from about the year 1000 B.C. Similar observations may have been made by inhabitants of the marshy land in southeastern Mesopotamia known as Chaldea. By about 550 B.C., Greek philosophers recorded comets as wandering planets. In his scheme of spherical shells making up the cosmos, Aristotle (384–322 B.C.) wrote in Meteorology (ca. 330 B.C.) that comets are residents of the lowest such sphere and called them "dry and warm" atmospheric exhalations.
Comet West. Credit: Neels Raath 18 Jan 2007
Not only were comets viewed as local phenomena, but for centuries they were also taken as portents of doom, omens of some impending event, usually a disaster. Only with the writings of Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) and Roger Bacon (ca. 1214–1294) did the notion that comets may not be lurking in Earth's atmosphere begin to step forward. But further intellectual work on the subject would really have to wait until the world emerged from the gloomy deep freeze of the Middle Ages."
Source: http://cs.astronomy.com/asy/b/daves-universe/archive/2014/11/17/book-excerpt-comets-by-david-j-eicher.aspx
My family was fortunate enough to see comet Hale-Bopp; I'm thrilled my daughters got to witness and appreciate the spectacle of a beautiful comet, without all the doom, gloom, and omens. I'm saddened that comet ISON disintegrated – I was really hoping for it to be the "Comet of the Century" the media was endlessly saying it was going to be, and to have it "wow" a new generation.
Comet Hale-Bopp. Credit:NASA 1997
I've included several slides about comets in my asteroids lecture; the close relationship between comets and asteroids is fascinating!
Posted in Comet, Science | Tagged Book, David J. Eicher | Leave a reply
Numerous Bolide Events Between 1994 and 2013
Map of bolide events from 1994-2013. Yellow=Daytime, Blue=Nighttime. Sizes are proportional to the optical radiated energy in gigajoules.Image Credit: Planetary Science
A map released by NASA's Near Earth Object (NEO) Program reveals that small asteroids frequently enter and disintegrate in the Earth's atmosphere with random distribution around the globe. Released to the scientific community, the map visualizes data gathered by U.S. government sensors from 1994 to 2013. The data indicate that Earth's atmosphere was impacted by small asteroids, resulting in a bolide (or fireball), on 556 separate occasions in a 20-year period. Almost all asteroids of this size disintegrate in the atmosphere and are usually harmless. The notable exception was the Chelyabinsk event which was the largest asteroid to hit Earth in this period. The new data could help scientists better refine estimates of the distribution of the sizes of NEOs including larger ones that could pose a danger to Earth.
Finding and characterizing hazardous asteroids to protect our home planet is a high priority for NASA. It is one of the reasons NASA has increased by a factor of 10 investments in asteroid detection, characterization and mitigation activities over the last five years. In addition, NASA has aggressively developed strategies and plans with its partners in the U.S. and abroad to detect, track and characterize NEOs. These activities also will help identify NEOs that might pose a risk of Earth impact, and further help inform developing options for planetary defense.
The public can help participate in the hunt for potentially hazardous Near Earth Objects through the Asteroid Grand Challenge, which aims to create a plan to find all asteroid threats to human populations and know what to do about them. NASA is also pursuing an Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) which will identify, redirect and send astronauts to explore an asteroid. Among its many exploration goals, the mission could demonstrate basic planetary defense techniques for asteroid deflection.
For more information about the map and data, go to: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov
For details about ARM, and the Asteroid Grand Challenge, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/asteroidinitiative
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, manages the Near-Earth Object Program Office for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
DC Agle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
agle@jpl.nasa.gov
Dwayne Brown
NASA Headquarters, Washington
dwayne.c.brown@nasa.gov
Source: JPL Press Release 2014-397, November 14, 2014
JPL NEO Discovery Stats: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/stats/
Cumulative total known near-Earth asteroids versus time. The blue area shows all near-Earth asteroids while the red area shows only large near-Earth asteroids (those with diameters roughly one kilometer and larger). Credit: JPL
Posted in Asteroids, JPL | Tagged B612 Foundation, Bolide, Impact | Leave a reply
Philae Lander Drifting Across Comet 67P
Philae lander drifting across the comet. Credit: ESA/Rosetta/MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/SSO/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA
These incredible images show the breathtaking journey of Rosetta's Philae lander as it approached and then rebounded from its first touchdown on Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko on 12 November 2014.
The mosaic comprises a series of images captured by Rosetta's OSIRIS camera over a 30 minute period spanning the first touchdown. The time of each of image is marked on the corresponding insets and is in GMT. A comparison of the touchdown area shortly before and after first contact with the surface is also provided.
The images were taken with Rosetta's OSIRIS narrow-angle camera when the spacecraft was 17.5 km from the comet centre, or roughly 15.5 km from the surface. They have a resolution of 28 cm/pixel and the enlarged insets are 17 x 17 m.
From left to right, the images show Philae descending towards and across the comet before touchdown. The image taken after touchdown, at 15:43 GMT, confirms that the lander was moving east, as first suggested by the data returned by the CONSERT experiment, and at a speed of about 0.5 m/s.
The final location of Philae is still not known, but after touching down and bouncing again at 17:25 GMT, it reached there at 17:32 GMT. The imaging team is confident that combining the CONSERT ranging data with OSIRIS and navcam images from the orbiter and images from near the surface and on it from Philae's ROLIS and CIVA cameras will soon reveal the lander's whereabouts.
The insets are provided separately via the blog: OSIRIS spots Philae drifting across the comet
Source: http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2014/11/OSIRIS_spots_Philae_drifting_across_the_comet 17/11/2014 3:00 pm
Posted in Comet, ESA, Space Exploration | Tagged Philae, Rosetta | Leave a reply
New Horizons Spacecraft to Wake Up for Pluto Encounter
Artist's impression of NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, currently en route to Pluto. Operators at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory are preparing to "wake" the spacecraft from electronic hibernation on Dec. 6, when the probe will be more than 2.9 billion miles from Earth. Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute.
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft comes out of hibernation for the last time on 6 Dec. 2014. Between now and then, while the Pluto-bound probe enjoys three more weeks of electronic slumber, work on Earth is well under way to prepare the spacecraft for a six-month encounter with the dwarf planet that begins in January.
"New Horizons is healthy and cruising quietly through deep space – nearly three billion miles from home – but its rest is nearly over," says Alice Bowman, New Horizons mission operations manager at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Md. "It's time for New Horizons to wake up, get to work, and start making history."
Since launching in January 2006, New Horizons has spent 1,873 days in hibernation – about two-thirds of its flight time – spread over 18 separate hibernation periods from mid-2007 to late 2014 that ranged from 36 days to 202 days long.
In hibernation mode much of the spacecraft is unpowered; the onboard flight computer monitors system health and broadcasts a weekly beacon-status tone back to Earth. On average, operators woke New Horizons just over twice each year to check out critical systems, calibrate instruments, gather science data, rehearse Pluto-encounter activities and perform course corrections when necessary.
Position of the New Horizons Spacecraft. Credit: NASA/JPL/John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
New Horizons pioneered routine cruise-flight hibernation for NASA. Not only has hibernation reduced wear and tear on the spacecraft's electronics, it lowered operations costs and freed up NASA Deep Space Network tracking and communication resources for other missions.
Next month's wake-up call was preprogrammed into New Horizons' on-board computer in August, commanding it come out of hibernation at 3 p.m. EST on Dec. 6. About 90 minutes later New Horizons will transmit word to Earth that it's in "active" mode; those signals, even traveling at light speed, will need four hours and 25 minutes to reach home. Confirmation should reach the mission operations team at APL around 9:30 p.m. EST. At the time New Horizons will be more than 2.9 billion miles from Earth, and just 162 million miles – less than twice the distance between Earth and the sun – from Pluto.
After several days of collecting navigation-tracking data, downloading and analyzing the cruise science and spacecraft housekeeping data stored on New Horizons' digital recorders, the mission team will begin activities that include conducting final tests on the spacecraft's science instruments and operating systems, and building and testing the computer-command sequences that will guide New Horizons through its flight to and reconnaissance of the Pluto system. Tops on the mission's science list are characterizing the global geology and topography of Pluto and its large moon Charon, mapping their surface compositions and temperatures, examining Pluto's atmospheric composition and structure, studying Pluto's smaller moons and searching for new moons and rings.
New Horizons' seven-instrument science payload, developed under direction of Southwest Research Institute, includes advanced imaging infrared and ultraviolet spectrometers, a compact multicolor camera, a high-resolution telescopic camera, two powerful particle spectrometers, a space-dust detector (designed and built by students at the University of Colorado) and two radio science experiments. The entire spacecraft, drawing electricity from a single radioisotope thermoelectric generator, operates on less power than a pair of 100-watt light bulbs.
Charon orbiting Pluto. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute
Distant observations of the Pluto system begin Jan. 15 and will continue until late July 2015; closest approach to Pluto is July 14.
"We've worked years to prepare for this moment," says Mark Holdridge, New Horizons encounter mission manager at APL. "New Horizons might have spent most of its cruise time across nearly three billion miles of space sleeping, but our team has done anything but, conducting a flawless flight past Jupiter just a year after launch, putting the spacecraft through annual workouts, plotting out each step of the Pluto flyby and even practicing the entire Pluto encounter on the spacecraft. We are ready to go."
"The final hibernation wake up Dec. 6 signifies the end of an historic cruise across the entirety of our planetary system," added New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute. "We are almost on Pluto's doorstep!"
The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory manages the New Horizons mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) is the principal investigator and leads the mission; SwRI leads the science team, payload operations, and encounter science planning. New Horizons is part of the New Frontiers Program managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. APL designed, built and operates the New Horizons spacecraft.
Source: Headline from Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory News Nov. 13, 2014
Posted in JPL, NASA, Pluto, Space Exploration | Tagged Hibernation, Kuiper Belt, New Horizons | Leave a reply
Philae Lander Completes Main Science Mission Before Entering Hibernation
Philae's first touchdown seen by Rosetta's NavCam. Credits: ESA/Rosetta/NAVCAM – CC BY-SA IGO 3.0
Rosetta's lander has completed its primary science mission after nearly 57 hours on Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko.
So much hard work.. getting tired… my battery voltage is approaching the limit soon now pic.twitter.com/GHl4B8NPzm
— Philae Lander (@Philae2014) November 14, 2014
After being out of communication visibility with the lander since 09:58 GMT / 10:58 CET on Friday, Rosetta regained contact with Philae at 22:19 GMT /23:19 CET last night. The signal was initially intermittent, but quickly stabilized and remained very good until 00:36 GMT / 01:36 CET this morning.
In that time, the lander returned all of its housekeeping data, as well as science data from the targeted instruments, including ROLIS, COSAC, Ptolemy, SD2 and CONSERT. This completed the measurements planned for the final block of experiments on the surface.
First comet panoramic, 13 Nov. 2014. Credit ESA/Rosetta/Philae/CIVA
In addition, the lander's body was lifted by about 4 cm and rotated about 35° in an attempt to receive more solar energy. But as the last science data fed back to Earth, Philae's power rapidly depleted.
I just started lifting myself up a little and will now rotate to try and optimize the solar power! — Philae Lander (@Philae2014) November 14, 2014
"It has been a huge success, the whole team is delighted," said Stephan Ulamec, lander manager at the DLR German Aerospace Agency, who monitored Philae's progress from ESA's Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, this week.
My controlroom after a more than 100% successful #CometLanding (watch the party in the background) pic.twitter.com/CmnoKMBVUY
"Despite the unplanned series of three touchdowns, all of our instruments could be operated and now it's time to see what we've got." Against the odds – with no downwards thruster and with the automated harpoon system not having worked – Philae bounced twice after its first touchdown on the comet, coming to rest in the shadow of a cliff on Wednesday 12 November at 17:32 GMT (comet time – it takes over 28 minutes for the signal to reach Earth, via Rosetta).
Philae's instruments. Credit: Copyright ESA/ATG medialab
The search for Philae's final landing site continues, with high-resolution images from the orbiter being closely scrutinized. Meanwhile, the lander has returned unprecedented images of its surroundings.
While descent images show that the surface of the comet is covered by dust and debris ranging from millimeter to meter sizes, panoramic images show layered walls of harder-looking material. The science teams are now studying their data to see if they have sampled any of this material with Philae's drill
"We still hope that at a later stage of the mission, perhaps when we are nearer to the Sun, that we might have enough solar illumination to wake up the lander and re-establish communication," added Stephan.
From now on, no contact will be possible unless sufficient sunlight falls on the solar panels to generate enough power to wake it up. The possibility that this may happen later in the mission was boosted when mission controllers sent commands to rotate the lander's main body with its fixed solar panels. This should have exposed more panel area to sunlight.
Rosetta's trajectory after 12 November. Credit: ESA
The next possible communication slot begins on 15 November at about 10:00 GMT / 11:00 CET. The orbiter will listen for a signal, and will continue doing so each time its orbit brings it into line-of-sight visibility with Philae. However, given the low recharge current coming from the solar panels at this time, it is unlikely that contact will be re-established with the lander in the near future.
Meanwhile, the Rosetta orbiter has been moving back into a 30 km orbit around the comet. It will return to a 20 km orbit on 6 December and continue its mission to study the body in great detail as the comet becomes more active, en route to its closest encounter with the Sun on 13 August next year.
Thank you, @ESA_Rosetta! I did it! I became the first spacecraft to land on a comet & study it! But it's not over yet… #CometLanding
Over the coming months, Rosetta will start to fly in more distant 'unbound' orbits, while performing a series of daring flybys past the comet, some within just 8 km of its center.
Data collected by the orbiter will allow scientists to watch the short- and long-term changes that take place on the comet, helping to answer some of the biggest and most important questions regarding the history of our Solar System. How did it form and evolve? How do comets work? What role did comets play in the evolution of the planets, of water on the Earth, and perhaps even of life on our home world.
"The data collected by Philae and Rosetta is set to make this mission a game-changer in cometary science," says Matt Taylor, ESA's Rosetta project scientist.
Fred Jansen, ESA's Rosetta mission manager, says, "At the end of this amazing roller coaster week, we look back on a successful first-ever soft-landing on a comet. This was a truly historic moment for ESA and its partners. We now look forward to many more months of exciting Rosetta science and possibly a return of Philae from hibernation at some point in time."
My #lifeonacomet has just begun @ESA_Rosetta. I'll tell you more about my new home, comet #67P soon… zzzzz #CometLanding
More about Rosetta
Rosetta is an ESA mission with contributions from its Member States and NASA. Rosetta's Philae lander is provided by a consortium led by DLR, MPS, CNES and ASI.
Original article: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/Pioneering_Philae_completes_main_mission_before_hibernation (15 November 2014)
#CometLanding on Twitter.
Philae Lander | 5,822 |
(? – 867) kínai csan buddhista szerzetes, apát, ismert meghökkentő stílusáról. A Japánban rinzai zenként ismert iskolát eredeztet<|fim_middle|>élgetések Lin-csi apát kolostorában (Magyar Könyvklub 1999-2004, Írás Kiadó 2005) (németül és csehül is)
Su-la-ce: Reggeli beszélgetések Lin-csi apát kolostorában; közreadja Sári László; Magyar Könyvklub, Budapest, 1999
Su-la-ce: Az ifjú Lin-csi vándorlásai; közreadja Sári László; Írás, Budapest, 2004
Feljegyzések Lin-csiről; közreadja Sári László; Kelet, Budapest, 2011
Su-la-ce: Reggeli beszélgetések Lin-csi apát kolostorában; közreadja Sári László; Kelet, Budapest, 2013
Su-la-ce: Az ifjú Lin-csi vándorlásai; közreadja Sári László; Kelet, Budapest, 2014
Sári László (Su-la-ce): Lin-csi apát minden szava; Európa Kiadó, Budapest, 2017
Források
Sári László: Su-la-ce: Reggeli beszélgetések Lin-csi apát kolostorában. Budapest, Kelet, 2008.
További információk
A Feljegyzések című gyűjtemény angol fordításban
Buddhista egyházi személyek
867-ben elhunyt személyek | ik tőle.
Élete
A tartománybeli Nanhua faluban született, családi neve . Már fiatalon szerzetesnek állt, a kínai buddhizmus iskolái között a csanban találta meg a maga egyéniségének megfelelőt. Több kolostorban is járt, majd eljutva délre mester tanítványa lett. Mikor 850-ben elhunyt, visszatért északra, híres tanítóvá vált és hamarosan elnyerte a partján álló, Pekingtől nem messze fekvő kolostor apáti rangját. A kolostor nevének jelentése a rév szomszédsága, s innen vette szerzetesi nevét is.
A környékbéli hadurak csatározásai és a megszaporodó rablótámadások miatt el kellett hagynia a folyópartot. A kolostort egy közeli kisvárosba vitték át egy nevű mandarin támogatásával, a nevet azonban, a rév szomszédsága, megtartották. élete vége felé a kolostorba költözött át, majd itt is halt meg 867. február 18-án. Úgy tartják, miután székében ülve befejezte beszélgetését az egyik tanítvánnyal, legyintett egyet mind a tíz égtáj felé, megigazította ruháját, és csendben elhunyt.
Utóélete
Tanításait sikerrel Mjóan Eiszai mester tudta meghonosítani Japánban, aki Kínából 1191-ben tért vissza. Az iskola neve nevének japán olvasata után rinzai lett, és idővel az egyik legnépszerűbb zen irányzattá vált a szigetországban.
Magyarul Sári László (József Attila-díjas magyar tibetológus, író, műfordító, könyvkiadó, rádiós szerkesztő) írt Su-la-ce írói néven több kötetet is, melyekben Lin-csi életét dolgozza föl anekdotikus stílusban. A kötetek magyar, német és cseh nyelven egyaránt megjelentek.
Magyarul kiadott írásai
Reggeli besz | 677 |
4 Applications of Bioprocessing
As potentially carcinogenic compounds, nitrosamine concentrations are heavily regulated in consumer products. While relatively harmless in small quantities, ongoing exposure to high concentrations of nitrosamines can increase the risk of cancer. Pharmaceutical products are a particular concern as medications are often prescribed for long-term use. Over time, nitrosamine exposure can cause serious health issues.
Meeting acceptable nitrosamine limits
So, what's acceptable and what's not? In most countries, manufacturers must meet acceptable nitrosamine limits. Methods like gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) and ultra-high performance liquid-chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) are used to test nitrosamine concentrations and determine if products are safe for consumption.
"In cases where the level of a single nitrosamines impurity is observed below the interim acceptable limits, such products are generally considered safe and may remain on the market," reads the World Health Organisation (WHO)<|fim_middle|> Explosive Detection System Deployed at London Heathrow Airport
For over 50 years, HORIBA has led the development of Raman spectroscopy. Through expertise and innovation, it has advanced Raman imaging into an indispensabl...
Due to its long history at the forefront of high-performance fluorescence research instrumentation, HORIBA recognised the need for a cost-effective yet highl...
High-speed, Sensitive, Two-in-One Spectroscopy | website. "In cases where the levels of nitrosamines exceed acceptable limits, or more than one nitrosamine is observed, such products should in general not be permitted on the market."
Defining acceptable intake
What are the limits? The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) website lists the different acceptable intake (AI) limits for nitrosamine impurities. The default class specific Threshold of Toxicological Concern (TTC) is 18.0 ng/day, however this can change depending on the nitrosamine. For example, the AI for N-Nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) is 26.5 ng/day while the AI for N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is 96.0.
AI levels can vary between countries. Though in general, international regulators like the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA) and Health Canada enforce similar AI levels.
Nitrosamine recalls
Issues arise when nitrosamine levels exceed AI limits. Pharmaceutical giant Lupin Pharmaceuticals recently recalled several batches of Quinapril hypertension medication after tests revealed nitrosamine levels above the acceptable daily limit recommended by the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA).
Erin Michos, an associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University, says recalls can create serious disruptions for patients. "These are patients that were stable on their medications," explains Michos. "Suddenly you're switching their meds around, and now they have to kind of start over with trying to find the right dose." Patients will often need to power through more GP visits, testing and monitoring when switching to a new medication after a recall. Finding the right replacement and dosage can often take weeks.
As well as being inconvenient, Michos warns nitrosamine recalls drive distrust in the healthcare system. "With this loss of trust between patients and their doctors and trust in their drug supply, it's even harder to convince patients to take medications they need," she adds.
Nitrosamines aren't the only carcinogenic compounds humans are exposed to on a daily basis. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are also a serious concern and found everywhere from rugs, mattresses and furniture to vehicle interiors. Find out more in about the methods used to detect and quantify concentrations in 'Measurement of VOCs in Vehicle Interiors Using Thermal Desorption GC-MS with Nitrogen as the Carrier Gas'.
New InAsSb photovoltaic detector P16702-011MN Hamamatsu Photonics have developed a new InAsSb photovoltaic detector (P16702-011MN) with built-in preamplif...
Agilent Technologies Inc has announced the deployment of their next-generation alarm resolution technology, Insight200M, at London Heathrow Airport. This adv...
Advanced | 579 |
The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa Review - My Life Is A Fairytale That Will Never End.
The long anticipated end of this amazing trilogy! I was so so excited! And let me tell you, The Forever Song didn't disappoint one tiny bit. It was fast paced, adventurous, heart breaking, crazy scary and a huge suspense!
Allie is incredible in this book. She is fierce, strong and her mind is set on getting to Sarren no matter what. Her wish for revenge has no limits. She is going to get to him no matter what.
In this book we get to know Kanin and Jackal<|fim_middle|> traps. Still, it was exciting and terrifying.
Over all, it was an awesome ending to this astonishing trilogy. Really, I couldn't imagine a better ending. I wish I could say more, but to avoid major spoilers, I have to keep it simple like this. The Forever Song is a must read for fans of dystopia!
This really was a great ending for the series. | better. Jackal was a very important part of this book and he made the story way more intrigue and hilarious, that I found myself laughing so hard even though they were in the middle of a crisis. Jackal is freaking awesome.
The writing was beautiful, like I would expect from Julie Kagawa. The story ran smooth, although I sometimes felt like the journey was soooo long and filled with sooo many | 83 |
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