question stringlengths 14 1.69M | answer stringlengths 1 40.5k | meat_tokens int64 1 8.18k |
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How Much Should You Share With Your Spouse?
Honesty is the basis of intimacy in any relationship — and that rings especially true for marriage. "Without honesty," says April Masini, relationship expert and advice columnist, "you second-guess people, and doubt the relationship."
There is a line between sharing and over-sharing however; it's drawn in different ways for every couple<|fim_middle|> as you figure out what works for you: "The beauty of sharing and over-sharing is that you get to create your own way of relating to each other," says Masini. "This not only becomes a special bond but it showcases the level of respect, which is not to be crossed in the relationship." | . "Some couples thrive on knowing every detail of each other's' day," says Masini. "Other couples do really well by sharing on a need-to-know basis."
The trick, Masini says, "is to know what the other person needs from you to feel secure — as well as what you need to know to feel secure." This idea of information will shift at times but keep in mind that "a fluid communication channel allows you to change your mind about what's over-sharing and what's enough," explains Masini.
For example, "if one of you has a stressful busy day at work, what's normally shared will seem like over-sharing in that moment," says Masini. "The spouse who just had the stressful day doesn't have the capacity to take in your sharing. So you have to be aware of each others stress levels, which can be caused by business, conflict, and or fatigue."
Also consider your spouse's familial environment. How he or she was raised can determine what he or she thinks is proper to share. "Some spouses don't want you going to the bathroom with the door open — or to hear details of your menstrual cycle," says Masini. "Other spouses are used to this and don't see it as over-sharing."
Remember this | 258 |
Хмелеграб виргинский, или Хмелеграб американский () — вид деревьев рода семейства .
Распространение и экология
В природе ареал вида охватывает восточную часть Северной Америки: Онтарио и Квебека на севере до Техаса и Флориды на юге; встречается в Мезоамерике: Сальвадор, Гватемала Гондурас.
Произрастает на каменистых участках и хребтах с , , и другими породами.
К почве неприхотлив, предпочитает сухие почвы и полутенистое местоположение.
Более зимостоек, чем .
Ботаническое описание
Дерево высотой 8—12 (до 20) м, со стволом диаметром 40—50 см. Крона на открытых местах шатровидная, состоящая из многих тонких, упругих, крепких ветвей, при тесном стоянии — неправильная. Кора ствола серая, бороздчатая с узкими, продольно отслаивающимися полосами. Побеги коричнево-бурые, покрытые короткими волосками и головчатыми<|fim_middle|> подсемейства семейства порядка .
Примечания
Литература
Ссылки
Хмелеграб в «Энциклопедии декоративных садовых растений».
Берёзовые
Флора Северной Америки | желёзками. Корневая система мочковатая, распростёртая.
Почки длиной 7 мм, яйцевидные, слегка опушённые, светло-каштаново-бурые. Листья длиной 6—12 см, шириной 4—5 см, со слегка сердцевидным или клиновидным основанием, продолговато-ланцетные, постепенно суживающиеся к вершине в длинное острие. При распускании листья бронзово-зелёные, острозубчатые. Летом сверху зелёные, снизу светлее, осенью — светлобуро-жёлтые.
Тычиночные серёжки длиной до 5 см; пестичные — 3—4 см, цилиндрические.
Плод — орешек длиной 6—8 мм, веретеновидный, на верхушке голый.
Плоды созревают в августе и остаются висеть до весны.
Применение
Древесина тяжелая (удельный вес 0,828), очень твёрдая, светло-бурая с красноватым оттенком или, часто, почти белая, с толстой белой заболонью. Идёт на столбы, рукоятки, мелкие поделки и другие изделия.
Растение хорошо переносит пересадку и подрезку.
Таксономия
Вид Хмелеграб виргинский входит в род | 399 |
PGN FEATURE: Getting Back to Family Golf Traditions
Matt Gajtka
Didn't have the heart to tell Lukas we're dropping from knee height these days. (MATT GAJTKA/PGN)
THOMPSONVILLE, Mich. — Shane Lowry and I have one thing in common. OK, make it two things.
One: We both play golf. What, did you think I was Irish?
Two: We both got an extra year with our most coveted piece of hardware, solely because of COVID-19.
But while we don't know if Lowry will be able to re-claim the Claret Jug this weekend at Royal St. George's, I can report that I had to hand off the Heeren Invitational trophy after my sister-in-law basically lapped our usual six-player field at Crystal Mountain Resort.
Last year was the outlier, of course, but ever since 2010, my wife<|fim_middle|>.
OK, it was technically eight, but suffice it to say the Tyke got in more than his share of swings … and breaches of etiquette. We'll work on that.
But the memory I'll always take from last week's trip was from our first night on the property. I took Lukas to the practice area, where I hoped he'd take to the short game green. It wasn't less than five minutes into our hourlong chip-and-putt session when he declared that I was Phil Mickelson and he was Tiger Woods.
Never mind that he's the lefty and I'm the righty. That hit me right in my golfing heart.
It was very good to be back.
Related Topics:Crystal MountainFeaturedPGN Features
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A 15-year veteran of sports media, Matt Gajtka (GITE-kah) is the founding editor of PGN. Matt is a lifelong golfer with a passion for all aspects of the sport, from technique to courses to competition. His experience ranges from reporting on Pittsburgh's major-league beats, to broadcasting a variety of sports, to public relations, multimedia production and social media.
Nine Holes With … Chris Mueller, Afternoon Host at 93-7 The Fan
PGN Feature: Goetz's Growth Helps WVU Recalibrate Amidst Pandemic
PGN on Facebook
Follow PGN on Twitter | 's Michigan-based family has hosted a summer trip to the northwest corner of the Lower Peninsula. It's not all about golf, but our stay is nonetheless centered around the game.
The rules of the competition aren't terribly complicated. The six golfing members of the family — my father-in-law Jim, my brothers-in-law Joel and Todd, my sister-in-law Megan, my wife Jillian and me — challenge the 36 holes on the resort property, stroke play being the game. We handicap based on our average scores over the past decade.
To emphasize recent form, we decided to switch to a three-year average for next year's handicap, but not before Megan broke out for a huge margin of victory. She outplayed her normal Crystal Mountain scores by 32(!) strokes over 36 holes.
Hey, there's no perfect system, but the idea is for everyone to be able to compete for the tan jacket and Heeren Invite trophy. Two years ago, I outperformed my usually shoddy golf trip form by a lot, so I can appreciate the redemption story.
Yes, we actually do have a jacket and a trophy, the latter of which I was happy to hand off to Meg on Sunday afternoon.
Happy to play second fiddle to a breakout performance. (MATT GAJTKA/PGN)
For what it's worth, I also lost the unofficial gross competition to Todd by five after I shot dueling 81s. I considered a second-place finish a win, though, after our one-year-old Henrik had a couple of rough nights. At that groggy point, I'm just hoping to finish the round upright.
It's a weird thing about playing with/against loved ones. Shortly after Jillian and I got married in 2008, I put a lot of pressure on myself to play well in front of her family. I still feel some of that, but not nearly as much after more than a decade.
At the same time, if there's anybody I shouldn't feel pressure to perform in front of, it's people who have accepted me into their brood. Nevertheless, I've had some of my lowest moments in golf at Crystal Mountain, leading up to the high of 2019.
Why do we do this to ourselves? Maybe that's just golf. Too much time to spend in your own head, to build up expectations and — usually — fail to meet them.
But there is something about age and experience that can tame some of those tigers. At least that's been the case for me. No way I break 90 after a crappy night's sleep a few years ago. It could be the mental toughening that parenthood inspires, too.
Now fortunate are we to play a game that allows for us to mark time in such a way? To chart our personal growth (or lack thereof) along with the development of our golf skills. In a world that glorifies youth and novelty, this sport also rewards perseverance and wisdom in equal measure.
Results be damned, this year's trip also marked our four-year-old Lukas' first time tagging along for nine holes | 642 |
by stanisland team September 3, 202112:28 pm September 3, 2021
Drake Finally Drops 'Certified Lover Boy' – Listen Here
Canadian rapper chimes in with what many see as a Drake vs Kanye West standoff.
Following a lengthy back and forth beef between the self proclaimed 'champagne papi' he finally reveals his own effort.
The album was delayed<|fim_middle|>&B/Hip-Hop format.
Tagged with: champagne papi drake hip-hop listen to certified lover boy new music | for months due to injury in which the rapper said: "I was planning to release my album this month but between surgery and rehab my energy has been dedicated to recovery."
"I'm blessed to be back on my feet feeling great and focused on the album, but CLB won't be dropping in January."
Fast forward to September 2021 and finally the project has been distributed.
With a host of features including Jay-Z, Ty Dollar $ign and Lil' Wayne among others, the album releases with 21 tracks threading classic Drake elements that remain soft and true to his hybrid R | 119 |
Sanger reflects on Obama administration
New York Times correspondent discusses president's first 18 months
Explore Steamboat | July 8, 2010
Scott Franz
The Strings Music Pavilion was packed Thursday night as people listened to The New<|fim_middle|>
Meet the band: Kellen Asebroek of Fruition | York Times chief Washington correspondent David Sanger speak to kick off the Seminars at Steamboat lecture series.
Matt Stensland
Seminars at Steamboat
All seminars are at 5 p.m. at Strings Music Pavilion, and all are free. Learn more at www.seminarsatsteamboat.com.
■ July 22: Paul Volcker, former chairman of the Federal Reserve Board: Can We Make the Government and the Economy Work for Us?
■ Aug. 5: Paul Peterson, professor of government at Harvard University and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University: Saving the American School
■ Aug. 12: Joseph Nye, professor of international relations and former dean of the Kennedy School at Harvard University: Smart Power — America's Global Position
All seminars are at 5 p.m. at Strings Music Pavilion, and all are free. Learn more at http://www.seminarsatsteamboat.com.
Steamboat Springs — Steamboat Springs resident Karen Schulman had extra motivation to go see The New York Times chief Washington correspondent David Sanger speak at the Seminars at Steamboat lecture series Thursday. Schulman called the Times on Tuesday and confirmed that she had been Sanger's fifth-grade teacher.
"I was the student tonight," she said after the lecture. "I learned so much."
Sanger addressed a full house at the Strings Music Pavilion about the state of President Barack Obama's administration and the challenges the president now faces. He offered the first in a series of four summer lectures in Steamboat on public policy.
"I have to approach the mission tonight with some humility," Sanger said in prefacing his analysis of the first 18 months of the Obama administration. "We are only beginning to learn what Obama's presidency is all about."
Sanger's book, "The Inheritance: The World Obama Confronts and the Challenges to American Power," recently was updated to include a discussion of Obama's first year in office. Bob Stein, the Seminars at Steamboat board member who introduced the speaker, said Sanger was about to deliver an "update of the update."
"We're really pleased to have him as our first speaker," Stein said.
In his presentation, Sanger discussed what he called the "curious crossroads" the current administration faces as it navigates pressing issues such as the ongoing war in Afghanistan, the fragile economy and the state of America's influence in the world. He also talked about the challenges Obama inherited from the Bush administration, as well as the effects of the decisions Obama has made during his first 18 months.
"When President Obama took office in January '09, I think it's fair to say he inherited the biggest array of problems since Franklin Roosevelt took office in 1933," Sanger said.
Sanger spent much of the speech discussing the current state of the economy, focusing on the relationship between stimulus spending and deficits. He said the administration doesn't want to run big deficits but also doesn't want to see a higher unemployment rate.
"It's fair to say the Obama administration hasn't figured this out yet," he said. "They know that the only thing worse than big deficits is higher unemployment."
Sanger discussed other challenges the administration has faced in its first 18 months, including the increase of nuclear centrifuges in Iran.
"We have two clocks ticking at different paces," he said. "We have an American clock ticking to see if sanctions against Iran will work, and an Israeli clock that is ticking faster. There is a point they cannot define in which they couldn't allow Iranians to go."
Sanger said the nuclear situation in Iran and the war in Afghanistan would continue to be issues with great consequences for the administration.
Although Sanger said the Obama administration faces many challenges, he is certain that there is plenty of time for the president's legacy to change. He noted the administration's troop reduction in Iraq, the firing of Gen. Stanley McChrystal and the ongoing BP oil leak as events that continue to change the appearance of Obama's presidency.
Steamboat resident Jim Kurowski, who has come to the lecture series for several years, said he enjoyed the speech.
"It was a very Washington perspective," he said. "It was very helpful and informative."
Songwriter Series presents guitarist, vocalist Joe Robinson | 886 |
It's a truism now to say that digital technology underpins almost every aspect of modern living including work, travel, leisure and health.
Increasingly access to digital infrastructure and services has become a barometer of the economic strength, sustainability and quality of life for rural and urban communities. With the largest internet economy across the G20 the UK has been catapulted into the digital age with far reaching social and economic consequences.
As our working lives, personal lives, our entertainment and communications are increasingly happening in the virtual world of digital technology the way in which that world operates becomes integral to the fabric of our lives as well as to the health, well-being and prosperity of our communities. The speed with which digital technology has radically transformed so many activities in the early 21st century means that we risk being unprepared for the consequences of the new dependency on digital technology.
Our communities, businesses and public services need to learn new ways of behaviour if we are to continue to thrive in the lawless 'wild west' of the internet where the stakes are high, and the risks as well as the rewards are myriad. Trust in the integrity and confidence in the delivery of digital services amongst customers, members of the public and the wider community are essential to the ongoing success of the digital economy.
This makes an appreciation of good 'cyber hygiene' a matter of public policy and a precondition for resilient communities which are able to thrive and to benefit from the social and economic opportunities of digital technology.
If digital infrastructure and services are the lifeblood of future economic success and thriving communities, then cyber resilience becomes paramount. Furthermore, a whole<|fim_middle|> learning and best practice and threat analysis across an area.
A place based approach can use local business and community networks to raise awareness and understanding of the risks to cyber resilience and the best way to combat them.
This article was first published in Local Leadership in a Cyber Society: Understanding the Challenges by the DCLG led National Cyber Security Programme - Local and iNetwork. Read the other featured articles. | place approach recognises the inter-relationship between the business imperative for cyber resilience and the links to strong local public services.
Local public service organisations have the opportunity to act as conveners, to draw out the unifying thread of cyber security across place, which equally impacts businesses and communities, using intergenerational links and existing community ties to develop and share good cyber practice. This extends into the business community by helping to foster shared | 85 |
My Job: Your Junk is My Mission
Aloha Junk Man removes clutter that people no longer want, from their property or business, and also responds to calls from insurance and remediation companies and real estate agents trying to sell houses that are unpresentable.
Krista Rados,
Co-owners of Aloha Junk Man, Matt Beasley (left) and Luke Trefny. | Photo: Aaron Yoshino
NAME: Luke Trefny
JOB: Co-owner<|fim_middle|> clarity and conciseness.
This article appears in the May 2021 issue of Hawaii Business Magazine.
Categories: Business & Industry, Careers, Community & Economy, Small Business
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Steve Petranik,
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Cynthia Wessendorf, | of Aloha Junk Man
BEGINNINGS: Trefny met Matt Beasley in 2019 at a Bible study group that Beasley led at their church. Beasley had founded the company Aloha Junk Man the year before, and was drawn to Trefny's experience in finance, real estate and the hospitality industry. They are now business partners.
The company removes clutter that people no longer want, from their property or business, and also responds to calls from insurance and remediation companies and real estate agents trying to sell houses that are unpresentable, according to Trefny.
MISSION: "Before this, I was doing business the wrong way," he says. "God spoke to me and showed me how to do business. There's another way to do it, where other people benefit. We don't live at other people's expense; we actually better people's lives.
"We see the impact it makes. We get hugs, fan mail and even tears. We have seen people dance when we give them their patio back. It's not the most glamorous job that either one of us has had, but it's the job that makes the most difference."
UNIQUE FINDS: Not everything they find is junk. Trefny says they've discovered thousands of dollars' worth of historic paintings, gold and silver coins, and even a signed Muhammad Ali boxing glove.
Valuable and reusable items are given back to the owner, donated or posted on their Instagram page, @alohajunkman, to be claimed by community members.
"We give stuff away, and even go as far as to drive across the island to donate items. It's a lot of work but there have been a lot of businesses that have closed their doors from the COVID-19 pandemic, that didn't do anything wrong, but someone decided that they were not essential enough to stay open. We have had to dismantle a lot of these closed businesses, so we donate the stuff to … other open businesses at zero cost," Trefny says.
"We love convincing others we can actually better our town by investing in it. If there's rubbish on the road, we pick it up with the resources we have. There have been a lot of jobs that we have done for no cost."
DIFFICULT DAY: "We once removed 42 cats from a house before we could clean it out. It was a hoarding situation, which took about 12 to 15 truckloads to remove all of the stuff from a three-bedroom house," Trefny says.
He says the owner loved the cats but was overwhelmed. "There was maybe over 20 years of stuff that she had piled up, and it was about 3 feet high. We used a pickax to loosen the layers of filth and the shovel to carry it. It took three days and three crews, with two guys per truck."
WHAT IT TAKES: "There are days where we walked about 7 miles repeatedly to the truck. On one job, we collected about 11,000 pounds of material and loaded it."
PAY RANGE: "We start our guys at $18 to $20 an hour," Trefny says.
This interview has been edited for | 662 |
<|fim_middle|> on those numbers," he said.
Deal has declared a state of emergency now for 16 counties, including two in southwest Georgia that were already under an emergency declaration from storms a few weeks ago.
Rep. Gerald Greene, whose district was still recovering from the last storm, pleaded with colleagues to help by giving to the Red Cross.
"I'm asking you to, please, talk to your people in your district," Greene said from the floor of the Georgia House of Representatives. "They need clothing, they need canned goods, and they need money to absolutely sustain them during this particular time."
Rep. Penny Houston, who represents hard-hit Cook and Berrien counties, said some families are unable to pay for funerals.
"We need everybody's prayers," Houston said. "Right now, I'm at a loss for words. The whole magnitude of it is just surreal."
News of the devastation was spreading as Atlanta reveled in the Falcons' victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, sending the team to the Super Bowl.
Many lawmakers were in a celebratory mood Monday, the first day back after the General Assembly took a week off.
Others, though, returned to the Gold Dome with heavy hearts.
"A lot of these people didn't even see it coming," said Rep. Jason Shaw, R-Lakeland.
Shaw, for one, was up early Sunday morning after receiving an alert from the county's warning system. He spent the morning under a mattress with his family in the hallway.
"You can only be so prepared for something like this. This one happened before a lot of people had even had a chance to wake up," he said.
Jill Nolin covers the Georgia Statehouse for CNHI's newspapers and websites. Reach her at jnolin@cnhi.com.
Jason Shaw
Funeral Notice
Marietta Lentz — A Mass of Christian Burial for Marietta Lentz was celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 17, 2020 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Loogootee. Burial followed in the church cemetery. Celebrant was Rev. J. Kenneth Walker while organist was Lynn Gee and soloist was Mar…
GRANNAN, John Sep 14, 1958 - Jan 16, 2020
Duzan, Garry
DREW, Charles Feb 15, 1937 - Jan 10, 2020
Gary Duzan
[font=font81931]WASHINGTON [/font][mdash] Visitation for Gary is Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Gill Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m.
Woman arrested for child molesting
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Alert deputy leads to felony arrests
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Washington High School 1st Semester Honor Roll
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Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A few flurries are possible. Low 14F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph..
Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A few flurries are possible. Low 14F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Washington, Indiana
Tornados and severe thunderstorms caused major damage in Valadosta and other parts of south Georgia.
Submitted photo | Jesse and Butler Caldwell
Georgia seeks federal aid for storm torn communities
By Jill Nolin | CNHI State Reporter
ATLANTA — Gov. Nathan Deal said Monday the state of Georgia will seek federal disaster assistance after a deadly storm brought destruction to a wide swath of the state's southern region.
The extent of the damage was still unknown, but Deal said he is confident that Georgia has a case for aid.
The storm, which killed 15 people based on a tally at noon Monday, had already prompted a phone call from President Donald Trump, still in his first full day on the job.
Federal emergency staffers are surveying the damage and its impact on communities, Deal said. It was unclear Monday how long it will take to process such a large area.
"I think they understand the urgency of it, and I think with the president's personal input into that, they will process it very quickly," Deal said during a press conference held in his office.
As he spoke, crews continued to search for survivors.
Homer Bryson, director of the state's Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, wouldn't say whether he feared the deal toll would climb. He also declined to say how many people were considered missing.
"We're not going to speculate on that. We have made a first sweep through on search and rescue. We're going back now and doing a second sweep through," he said a little after 3 p.m.
"It doesn't do anybody any good to speculate | 421 |
Parliament backs reform to make EU elections more transparent and democratic
S&D - Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament
Press release on socialistsanddemocrats.eu
Today, the European Parliament with an absolute majority of its component members passed a reform of EU electoral law, strengthening the European dimension of EU elections and rendering them more transparent and democratic.
S&D Group spokesperson for constitutional affairs and Parliament negotiator for the reform, Jo Leinen, said:
"The reform of the European electoral law is a necessary and much awaited step forward for European citizens. After almost three years of intensive negotiations, the European Council finally reached a unanimous agreement on this crucial issue. In 2014, Europeans<|fim_middle|> will benefit millions of citizens. The possibility of introducing postal and electronic voting will provide the citizens with more options to take part in the elections. Measures against double-voting will contribute to increased trust in the electoral process." | had a direct say on the future President of the European Commission for the first time. By increasing the awareness of the link between the national parties and candidates running in the elections and their affiliation with a European political party, the reform further enhances the "Spitzenkandidaten"-process, thus ensuring that next year's election is more than just 28 separate national elections but a truly European one. This is the first successful reform for more than 40 years, and opens the door for subsequent steps to further improve European democracy.
"The new rules will also render the elections more accessible, by giving the right to vote to EU-citizens living in third countries outside of the EU, which | 140 |
A meeting of the Board of Directors of the Williamsburg Settlement Maintenance Association, Inc. was held on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 at 5:30 P.M. at the Williamsburg Settlement clubhouse, 1602 Hoyt, Katy, Texas 77449.
Board Members present were: Katy Hall, Dave Ellis, Jim Calvert, Chris Cox, Ed Shipley, and Chase Wier. Lisa Zirot was absent.
Also, in attendance was Cindy Bojé representing Crest Management, along Sheriff Deputies Paul Wilburn, Chad King, and Wayne Felchak.
The minutes for the November 21, 2017 Board of Directors Meeting were presented and a motion to accept the minutes without change was made by Dave Ellis, seconded by Chris Cox and unanimously carried.
There were several homeowners present at the meeting.
The main topic of discussion was security. The homeowners present complimented Sheriff Deputy Paul Wilburn and his team. Their sentiments included how appreciative the homeowners were of the service being provided by these Harris County Sheriff's deputies and the visibility they maintain within the community. A number of the homeowners expressed the view that the service and safety that is currently being provided<|fim_middle|> community via a Board Communications Committee. The Committee would essentially be responsible for approving all official HOA communications with the community via email, social media, or mailings.
After a discussion, this was tabled.
2018 Community Events - This was tabled until the February meeting due to Lisa Zirot being absent.
Record Retention - This subject will be pursued further under Old Business at the February meeting.
Pool Tag Distribution - Dave Ellis suggested that the two dates for the 2018 pool tag distribution should be Saturday, March 17 from 10 A.M.- 2 P.M., and Sunday, March 25 from 1 P.M.-4 P.M.
A motion was made, seconded, and unanimously carried to approve these pool tag distribution dates and times.
ADJOURNMENT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION – With no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned into executive session at 6:53 P.M.
Delinquencies - The Board discussed delinquencies. It was noted that three homeowners remain on the trash suspension list. Katy Hall stated that three accounts which are with the Association attorney have entered into payment agreements. This leaves two accounts with the attorney's office which have not signed agreements at this time.
Deed Restriction Enforcement – Jim Calvert reviewed the Enforcement Action Report with the Board. After reviewing, Jim requested that two violations be placed on hold until the February inspection.
The next meeting will be held on February 20, 2018 at the community clubhouse. | by the Sheriff's deputies is far more favorable than what was provided in previous years when the security contract was with the Constables office.
Floyd Ball complimented the Board on their success in the collection of Association maintenance fees which resulted in a low delinquency level at the end of 2017.
Deputy Wilburn and Chris Cox, our security liaison, reported that there were no unusual problems during December and our community continues to enjoy a very low crime rate. A copy of the monthly sheriff report was included in the meeting packets.
Dave Ellis presented a detailed report on the December 31, 2017 financials. As of this date, the money in the bank totaled $561,994.46. This figure includes checking, money market accounts and CD's and are the funds required to cover both operating expenses and the necessary reserve to fund maintenance and replacement of the Association's capital assets. The delinquency total as of December 31, 2017 was $10,934.72.
a. Architectural Guidelines Document Update – Dave Ellis stated that after the guidelines were updated, the Board sent them to the Association attorney to be recorded with the County. This process should be completed within the next few days.
b. Baby Pool Leak Fix – Dave Ellis reported that American Leak Detection has completed the repair to the baby pool by replacing the skimmer that was coming loose from the pool wall.
Cul-de-Sac Islands Report - Chris Cox had nothing to report at this time.
a. Approval for American Leak Detection to repair a leak in the baby pool which had been reported by A-Beautiful Pools. The approved cost of this repair was $1,850.00.
Security Contract Renewal - A motion was made, seconded and unanimously carried to renew the 2018 security contract with the Sheriff's deputies.
Board Communications - Chris Cox discussed with the Board his suggestion to formalize Board communications to the | 410 |
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Photographic memory - Les Smithers
Cotswolds-based photographer Les Smithers
From the heady days working alongside internationally-renowned Bohemian photographer Ida Kar in the '60s and early commissions from the Beatles' Apple label, Les Smithers' photographic career has been exciting and eclectic, to say the least
Two hundred sheep form an 'X' for the Halifax Building Society's advertising campaign. Shot in the Lake District, the sheep were shipped in as the local ones were 'in lamb'. The sheep couldn't be fenced in to create the formation, as they would just naturally leap over, so we relied on the skills of a Champion shepherd and his dogs. After two days (and no retouching) the shot was in the can. Photo by Les Smithers
Photographic memory
From the heady days working alongside internationally-renowned Bohemian photographer Ida Kar in London in the 60s and early commissions from the Beatles Apple label, to commercial success with major world business and a host of lauded portrait work, Cotswolds-based Les Smithers photographic career has been exciting and eclectic, to say the least
How did your first assignment [to photograph JCB founder Joseph Cyril Bamford] come about?
This portrait, which is part of the National Portrait Gallerys collection, dates back to November 1971 when Mr Bamford, then aged 55 and the founder of JCB Excavators LTD, was still very much at the fore-front of his Empire. I was a tender 22 and it was my first assignment for JCB Publicity, the Companys in house advertising agency.
The creative department of the agency were totally aware of my association with Ida Kar, the internationally renowned portrait photographer.
More relevantly, the practical experience I had gained from assisting ZoeDominic, Britains Leading Arts Photographer and John Timbers, who wasLord Snowdons assistant. So, because of my background I guess they wanted to test my metal with the portrait of Mr JCB, as he was known.
Whilst chatting to Mr Bamford before the shoot at JCBs Headquarters inRocester, Staffordshire, I became very aware of his intense eyes, scanning the area, never missing a trick. He prided himself with the knowledge of every process involved in the manufacturing of his excavators.
It was also made clear to me that he was also a very keen photographer.
No pressure there then! However, I was totally aware of him watching my every adjustment that was made to both camera and lighting during my session.
On delivering the finished print, Mr Bamford complimented me on the result and requesting that I signed the portrait. This was an extremely satisfying result for me and the start of a really happy relationship that I experienced with JCB Publicity.
During 1972, an exhibition of my work was held in their main reception area of their Headquarters at Rocester. Mr Bamfords eldest son, Anthony,(now Sir Anthony Bamford and Chairman of JCB Excavators Ltd) who was always extremely kind and encouraging to me with my work, bought two of my prints. Over the following years my photography was part of their award-winning calendars.
How did you come to meet photographer Ida Kar?
I first met Ida on the March 31 1968 at an exhibition being held at the Midland Arts Centre in Birmingham. Following our long conversation together, Ida showed great interest in the work that I was doing and to view more of my portfolio, she kindly invited me to visit her home the following weekend in Londons Mayfair, where she lived with her husband, the art dealer and poet, Victor Musgrave.
Ida had previously advertised in the British Journal of Photography earlier that year for a student/PA. However, following the talent that had replied, it was Victors idea that Ida should change direction and form a group of young budding photographers. After Ida and Victor had viewed my portfolio that weekend, I was invited together with Lawrence Ellar and John Couzins to join the group, which Ida had named KarSEC, composed from her surname and our initials. The concept being that Ida would use her commercial contacts to help gain the group individual commissions, in return, for a percentage of the fee. It was agreed that I should live at Rex Place, ParkLane until I could afford to support myself.
16, Rex Place was quite sparse in furniture and comfort. However the wholehouse was bursting at the seems with works of art that had originated from Victors former business, Gallery One in DArbly Street, in Londons Soho.
What was missing in home comfort was more than made up for with Idas cooking, and I recollect being fed on occasions with fingers of toast spread with caviar for breakfast!
It was in the kitchen basement of this house the previous year that Victor had collaborated with the American Film Producer and Jazz Musician TonyCox and his then wife, the Artist Yoko Ono, in the making of the avant-garde film Bottoms.
Life with Ida & Victor during 1968 was really an experience. The house always seemed to be filled with visitors day and night, mainly from the art world and the life-style was certainly Bohemian, with Idas impromptu dinner parties being most enjoyable. There were invites from galleries such as the Whitechapel and the ICA, where Ida would delight in showing off her three new talents to her contacts that shed meet. It was through Idas friendship with Yoko Ono, whom by now had started a relationship withJohn Lennon, that I was introduced to the Beatles Apple Corps at their offices at 95, Wigmore Street.
Being just 19 years old and London still in the Swing, nightlife proved to be a magnet with the fantastic variety of venues. The rock musical Hair opened in 1968 and I just had to see it - twice! It was so new to me in those days and I loved it.
Working independently, you found great commercial success. Who were some of your clients?
My very first commission in 1968 came from Derek Taylor of the Beatles Apple Corps. Yoko Ono, being made aware of my work through Ida Kar had advised me to contact Mal Evans, (the Beatles ex-Road Manager). Having presented my portfolio to Mal, he introduced me to Derek, who had been brought back from the States to head Apples PR. Again, after Derek had viewed my work, I was given my very first commission. What a way to start freelancing!
Over the following two years I formed a great working relationship withDerek and Mal. Derek, acting as my mentor also introduced me to several people, including the brilliant airbrush illustrator Alan Aldridge. Of course I also had the privilege of meeting on numerous times all four of the Beatles.
While all the excitement of visiting Apple Corps in mid July1968 at their new offices and recording studio at 3 Savile Row, I was awarded a solo exhibition by Kodak LTD to be held the following year. That really kick started my career, which led to commissions from BOAC (British Airways,Harrods Way In Boutique and Faberg to name but a few). Derek, understanding my frustrations of lack of experience in a London Studio, suggested that I should combine my freelancing whilst assisting well respected London photographers. So in the beginning of 1969 I started assisting Zoe Dominic and John Timbers at their Chelsea Studio.
In the years that have followed, photography has been extremely kind to me. My studio work has ranged from still life and room-sets, to people and of course the Automotive Industry. The introduction to my first car shoot came about after Rolls Royce Motors LTD contacted me out of the blue and asked me to shoot a Bentley brochure for them. Not too many photographers can claim that privilege.
It hasnt all been studio-based work, as Ive also had the love of location photography. Again, Ive been very lucky in travelling the world. Europe, theFar East,<|fim_middle|> & The National Portrait Gallery). My portrait of 'Mr JCB' was my first assignment for his company in 1971. Undoubtedly, him being one of Britain's most pioneering industrialists, I found him a most fascinating man whose business ethics left a huge impression on me. I'm extremely proud that my portrait of him is now in National Portrait Gallery. Photograph by Les Smithers
Brochure shot for Rolls Royce Motors Ltd that was part of a campaign that I did for the company around 2006. The background / foreground was constructed and painted by the 'grand master' of scenic artists, Mr Carmel Said. Carmel and I have had the pleasure of working together on many shoots, both in the UK and Europe, for various car manufacturers over the years. Photograph by Les Smithers
The grounds of Blenheim Palace. The very first shot that I did on my newly purchased Nikon DSX Camera, October 2009. As the camera was new to me, it was firmly set to 'manual' controls, which isn't really unusual for me. I tend to use the manual setting for the majority of my work, as I prefer to be in control of the camera. Photograph by Les Smithers
Abstract shot of barbed wire. This was shot in 1967. It formed part of a collection of 'abstract photography' that I was engrossed in at that particular time. Two years later (1969), it formed part of my solo show, awarded by Kodak Ltd, and held at their London's West End Gallery. It also went on to be judged the winner of a national photographic contest. Photograph by Les Smithers
The Marascalchi Twins. The two most delightful young Anglo / Italian children, photographed in wildest Staffordshire. Photograph by Les Smithers | the USA and the South Pacific - all paid for by my clients. Surely that must be one of the best way to travel? My new website portrays a true representation of my clients - past and present.
What were some of your most memorable campaigns?
Working for such a variety of clients on products and services throughout my career its difficult to choose memorable campaigns. Working on
Jaguars Supercar, the XJ 220, or photographing two hundred sheep, forming an X in the Lake District for the Halifax building Society, or being flown Club Class to Antigua to shoot one of my clients recently purchased luxury hotel, or working with the model Yasmin Le Bon. However, the campaign that Im always asked about is the shoot I did for Slumberland Beds, which involved an elephant lying on one of their mattresses.
I did the shoot on a Sunday in a studio in Londons St Johns Wood. The elephant, Nellie, a nine-year-old female, was the lead elephant of a circus troop. The circus, not opening its big top on a Sunday, delivered the elephant in the back of a horse box type trailer to the studio. As you may imagine, Nellie caused quite a stir, with her head popping out of the trailer in sleepy St Johns Wood.
To keep things moving along as smoothly, I did the pre-session lighting setup prior to Nellie arriving. Obtaining Nellies dimensions from her trainer, I made a mock up elephant from cardboard boxes covered roughly in sacking sprayed grey and used industrial type flexi-hose for her trunk. All my lighting was suspended from the ceiling grid, so that Nellie couldnt accidentally knock anything over.
However, no matter what preparations I had made, I couldnt predict Nellies toilets. Although she was extremely intelligent and well trained for her circus routines, she wasnt exactly potty trained - if you follow my drift. As a result, we got through four mattresses before the shot was in the can. Whether it was the strange surroundings of the studio or the popping noise made by the huge banks of electronic flash with every exposure, when an elephant wants to go, well they certainly go!
You also worked with some great names in theatre, Les. Who made the greatest impression on you?
Deciding to get experience with a London Studio was relevant for my training. To land a plumb job assisting Zoe Dominic and John Timbers proved to be the icing on the cake for me. Together with studio photography the job also included working in theaters including the Royal ShakespeareCompany (Stratford upon Avon and the Aldwych), The National Theatre(The Old Vic), The Royal Court Theatre, The English National Opera at TheLondon Coliseum, Saddlers Wells Theatre, The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Chichester Festival Theatre and the BBC.
Working on such wonderful stage sets with the crme de la crme of lighting directors really opened my eyes and has left a major influence to me.
It was during these photo-calls that I met legends such as Dame PeggyAshcroft, the Redgraves, Maggie Smith, Alan Bates, Nicol Williamson,Marianne Faithful, Alastair Sim, Lindsay Anderson and Sir Frederick Ashton well, who could ask for more?
However, to choose individuals is difficult. Dame Peggy (Harold PintersLandscape, Aldwych Theatre) was so kind to me, almost like a grandmother.Meeting Maggie Smith just after Id seen her in The prime of Miss JeanBrodie was surreal. As was meeting Lindsy Anderson just after Id watched IF. Lindsey visited my exhibition at Kodak House, which was an honour for me. I really enjoyed the company of Nicol Williamson, cast as Hamlet in Tony Richardsons production at the Roundhouse.
More recently, youve worked with some great personalities near your home on the Warwickshire/Gloucestershire/Oxfordshire triangle. How have they come about?
Over recent years I have returned to my true love, portraiture, both private and corporate. Not, I must add, the type of High Street portraiture that is easily available today. Delving into my past with Ida Kar, Zoe Dominic andJohn Timbers and the vast number of people shoots that Ive done for advertising campaigns, my own distinctive style of portraiture has matured.
This part of my work has developed with me photographing the abstract painter Howard Watson and the celebrated equestrian artist Melanie Wright, to promote their exhibitions. I also photographed the author and local historian Peter Drinkwater with his pet rabbit Squidge, which was the centre of attraction at the Shipston Community Arts Exhibition. After which, things just started to flow along nicely and over the last few monthsIve photographed the master furniture designer and maker Sean Feeney, following his success in being chosen from over sixty competitors to design and produce a cabinet for the Queens Diamond Jubilee Celebrations.
Followed closely by the portrait of sculptor Jennine Parker, working in her Warwick studio, again to promote her recent exhibition. The portrait that I did earlier this year of Colin Fairbrother, Chairman of Banbury RugbyFootball Club is closer to my heart, as Colin (or Sir as we pupils addressed him) was my former schools sports-master.
At present Im working on a rather interesting project, a hard bound coffee table style book for a printer. If anyone should have a well produced and creative publication, then surely its a printer! Also I have a few portraits in hand, one for a ceramic artist specialising in the Raku process. Another being a corporate shot of a chairman for his Companys Annual Report and lastly, a portrait to celebrate a young ladies 21st birthday.
The tutor side of my business has now become popular. I offer a bespoke workshop on a one to one or to groups of four, to amateurs, students and professionals in both digital and film based photography. This part of my service was really sparked into life after I was commissioned by De Montfort University. These workshops were to demonstrate my skills in lighting. My presentations to Camera Clubs has too proved extremely popular.
I have been invited again to exhibit my work at the forthcoming Shipston Community Arts Exhibition. Im often told that I should hold a retrospective exhibition of my work and that really does appeal to me. So, Im looking for a sponsor that would help cover the huge costs involved in such a project.
The last couple of months have been quite hectic as Ive been heavily involved with the design and production of my new website. Im really happy with the finished result and how my portfolios are presented.
To find out more about Les Smithers photographic work call 01608 666217 / 07836 237080, email les@lessmithersphotography.com or visit www.lessmithersphotography.com
Peter Drinkwater – author, historian and gardener, with his constant companion, 'Squidge'. This portrait was shot in May 2011 and was the centre of attraction at the Shipston Community Arts Exhibition. It is from a series of portraits that I'm doing on local 'celebrities'. Photograph by Les Smithers
The abstract Shipston-on-Stour-based painter Howard Watson. Photographed in 2011 for publicity of his forthcoming exhibitions. I'm proud to say that I've had the friendship of this hugely talented man for more than 30 years. Photograph by Les Smithers
Nellie the Elephant, for Slumberland Beds is part of an advertising campaign that I shot for the company. Nellie was a nine-year-old lead elephant from a circus troop. It was shot on a Sunday (the circus was closed for the day) in a studio in London's St Johns Wood. The only retouching was to have her eye closed, as though she was asleep! Although Nellie was brilliant, unfortunately she wasn't potty trained! However, four mattresses later, we had the shot! Photograph by Les Smithers
Bill Jenkins, head gardener of a Stratford-upon-Avon Private Estate. Occasionally in life, you're blessed with the friendship of such a man. Worldly, intelligent and extremely gifted. Such wonderful company. Photograph by Les Smithers
Advertisement for William Powell Shotguns Ltd. It's always a pleasure to have the opportunity of photographing items of extreme quality and craftsmanship, such as this, one of the world's leading brands of shotguns. Photograph by Les Smithers
Joseph Cyril Bamford CBE, founder of the JCB Excavator Empire (courtesy Sir Anthony Bamford | 1,765 |
Health Organizations Around Philadelphia Where You Can Volunteer
Donate your time and talent to an organization in need.
By Caroline Cunningham·
Get wellness tips, workout trends, healthy eating, and more delivered right to your inbox with our Be Well newsletter.
The Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania is one of many health organizations in Philadelphia where you can volunteer. Photograph by Jeff Fusco
Want to give back to the community? Help others on their way to a healthy life? Here's a few places and ways around Philadelphia where you can volunteer your time and talents.
Know of another Philly-area health organization looking for volunteers? Email details to [email protected].
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation
What They Do: Raise money to fund research into childhood cancers.
Volunteer Opportunities: You can host a variety of fundraisers to help support ALSF — everything from hosting one online to creating a lemonade stand to raising funds through sporting events. Learn more here.
Bryn Mawr Hospital
What They Do: Serve as an acute care hospital.
Volunteer Opportunities: Without any medical experience, you can pitch in at the mailroom, thrift shop, gift shop, or serve as an elevator conductor or a greeter. Learn more here.
What They Do: Social, emotional, and educational support for those affected by cancer.
Volunteer Opportunities: This organization has seven locations, so you can find your nearest one, fill out a form, then help out by running the front desk, working an event — either leading a workshop or helping set up and clean up — or assisting with social activities for the children's program.
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
What They Do: Care for children and their families.
Volunteer Opportunities: There are a lot of ways to volunteer at CHOP — from serving in the emergency room to welcoming families to assisting families in navigating the hospital campus to reading to patients to operating the hospital's Wawa coffee cart. Learn more here.
What They Do: Make affordable, nutritious food, and healthy-eating information more accessible.
Volunteer Opportunities: Those who are 18 and older can help out at a farmers' market or work out of the office. The organization has days, evenings, and weekends available for volunteering. Learn more here.
What They Do: Research and treat cancer.
Volunteer Opportunities: Assist nurses and doctors, work in the gift shop, provide support to researchers, and work on fundraising for the center. Learn more here.
What They Do: A youth development and running program for third- through eighth-grade girls.
Volunteer Opportunities: You can join as a coach and help a team of girls train for the Girls on the Run 5K. Alternatively, you can become a "running buddy" by running the race with a student. Or you can help out the organizers on race day itself. Learn more here.
Jefferson University Hospitals
What They Do: Provide care to patients.
Volunteer Opportunities: For those with no medical experience, there's clerical and service work at Jefferson, which may include everything from providing general office work to escorting patients through the hospital. Learn more here.
What They Do: Provide community and support through different programs and services to those affected by breast cancer.
Volunteer Opportunities: You can pitch in at one of the nonprofit's community events, which happen throughout the year. Alternatively, volunteer at its headquarters in Bala Cynwyd or host your own fundraiser for the organization. Learn more here.
What They Do: Make and deliver meals to people living with life-threatening illnesses.
Volunteer Opportunities: Work in the Manna kitchen to help prepare meals, which go out to 1,200 clients in need seven days a week at no cost. Learn more here.
Maternity Care Coalition
What They Do: Improve maternal and early childhood health.
Volunteer Opportunities: You can host a bake sale or other small event to raise funds or a drive to collect items. You can work the Maternity Care Coalition hotline, provide childcare or food during meetings and events, pitch in on administrative tasks, or throw a baby shower to collect donated items. Learn more here.
Neighborhood Bike Works
What They Do: Encourage youth to ride and maintain their bikes through education and access to bike repair.
Volunteer Opportunities: Organizing a bike drive or helping clean up the bike shop on a work day. Learn more here.
Pathways to Housing PA
What They Do: Work with those experiencing mental health challenges and chronic homelessness and aid in their recovery by providing housing and treatment services.
Volunteer Opportunities: You can collect household items for "move-in kits" that help outfit apartments for program participants. You can also help by creating an opportunity for this organization to speak in front of a group you're involved with and assisting the staff in spreading their message and work. Learn more here.
Volunteer Opportunities: You can greet patients at the information or admission desks, work the register in the gift shop, work in the hospital thrift shop, help feed patients lunch, bring the hospital book cart around to rooms, act as a liaison between patients and staff in the emergency room, or provide clerical assistance. Learn more here.
Prevention Point
What They Do: Seek to prevent drug overdose deaths.
Volunteer Opportunities: You can sign up for the Amazon Smile program — so part of your purchase<|fim_middle|>
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How to Lose Belly Fat and Get Six Pack Abs | Be Well Philly | benefits the organization — or you can reach out about hands-on volunteer work. Learn more here.
St. Christopher's Hospital for Children
What They Do: Provide care to children.
Volunteer Opportunities: No matter your skill, there's a way you can use it volunteering at St. Christopher's, whether that's working with kids through the Art Cart, reading to children, helping out in guest services, or filling in in the marketing department. Learn more here.
Vetri Community Partnership
What They Do: Founded by chef Marc Vetri and restaurateur Jeff Benjamin, Vetri Community Partnership works to support healthy lives with fresh food and healthy eating education.
Volunteer Opportunities: The Monday through Friday school lunch program, Eatiquette, needs volunteers to help prepare the meals, facilitate family-style dining with students, and occasionally, with administrative tasks. The Vetri Cooking Lab after-school program also needs volunteers to assist in the classroom with fourth through sixth graders learning healthy cooking. Finally, the Mobile Teaching Kitchen needs volunteers to assist with their pop-up visits to schools, farmers' markets, and community events. Learn more here.
Additional research by Rebekah Harding.
Local Fitness and Wellness Deals and Specials to Start the New Year | 246 |
John Della Bosca has been stood down as New South Wales Education Minister after admitting he helped pen an apology given to him by a central coast nightclub.
Management of the Iguanas Waterfront restaurant and club issued the apology after staff accused Mr Della Bosca and his wife, federal MP Belinda Neal, of abusing and threatening them.
Premier Morris Iemma later repeatedly referred to the statement while defending his decision not to sack his Minister over the argument, which was sparked when staff asked Mr<|fim_middle|>, and given the matters of controversy, claim and counterclaim, for the sake of completeness and of detail, I believe that this is a matter now that does require him to stand aside from his ministerial duties."
NSW Attorney-General John Hatzistergos will be acting Education Minister, while Roads Minister Eric Roozendaal will take on Mr Della Bosca's Industrial Relations portfolio and Lands Minister Tony Kelly will act as the Minister for the Central Coast.
On Monday, the Premier only ordered Mr Della Bosca to explain his actions to Parliament and avoid driving. He said he had based his decision on his Minister's account.
But Mr Iemma has rejected a suggestion that Mr Della Bosca lied to him.
"He is a friend and a valued colleague," he said. "It does not mean that there is a prejudgement on him in this matter, which is now the subject of a police investigation."
The Premier has also been pressed by journalists who say Mr Della Bosca has lied at least twice to different media outlets about the issues.
Asked why Mr Della Bosca should not be sacked, Mr Iemma said it was appropriate that the current police investigation into the incident should be completed.
He said the club's apology still stood.
"I still have no evidence, no information that brings into question the apology," he said.
"John has been very clear from the beginning that there has been or there were negotiations around the wording of the apology and what was to be in the apology.
"He said then ... he has said throughout the entire week that he has done nothing wrong, that he was defamed and in that, he sought a retraction and an apology from the club."
But Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell says Mr Della Bosca should have been sacked.
"What message does it send to the rest of the ministry if in the middle of a crisis, the Premier asks for a full and frank account and a Minister fails to inform him that the apology the Premier used to get him off the hook was drafted by that Minister?" he said.
Mr O'Farrell says Mr Iemma should have tried to find the facts in the case on Monday.
"Morris Iemma didn't ask because he didn't want to know," he said.
"That suits the way Morris Iemma runs this state."
Asked whether he thought Mr Della Bosca was the type of person who would intimidate others, Mr Iemma was categorical today.
"He's a loyal colleague and a friend and I've known him for 20 years. In all that time, I've not known him to be a person who acts in that way," he said.
"I can think of no example, and I've been with John at branch meetings, at caucus meetings, at committee meetings, at conferences.
"I've observed him at conferences, we've debated at conferences, in all the forums of the party and community meetings, as a Minister, as a Member of Parliament, I can't ever recall John Della Bosca acting in the way as alleged."
"And in all our conversations, he maintains that he has done nothing wrong."
Mr Della Bosca says he accepts the decision but insists there has been nothing wrong with his conduct.
"This is a matter which started in a hotel over the way in which staff moved a table," he said in central western NSW this afternoon.
"It has become a ludicrous media beat-up."
Earlier today, he defended his decision to write the apology after calling one of the Iguanas owners.
"I had several discussions with the co-owner and he agreed to issue an apology in the terms that were signed," he said.
"It's a perfectly reasonable thing to negotiate the terms of an apology. I've been defamed by claims that they realised were wrong and they wanted to apologise."
It was revealed earlier this week that Ms Neal served on a board for three years with one of the club's owners.
Some Iguanas staff are standing by their accusations and a witness has come forward supporting their accounts.
But Mr Della Bosca and Ms Neal's dining companions have written statutory declarations backing their denials.
Police are investigating the conflicting statements after a request from Mr O'Farrell. If anyone lied in their declaration, they could face a maximum penalty of five years' jail.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd issued a stern rebuke to Ms Neal on Wednesday, telling her no-one's political future was guaranteed. She has agreed to seek anger management counselling.
The federal MP is also facing claims she kicked a fellow player on the soccer field, as well as a renewed attack over claims she told a pregnant Liberal MP evil thoughts would turn her unborn baby into a demon. | Della Bosca's party to move from their table.
Mr Della Bosca today said the Iguanas owners insisted he write the apology, which he faxed to them and they changed slightly before signing.
He has also come under fire for driving home from the club after the argument a week ago, despite promising to stay out of the driver's seat because his licence was due to be suspended over speeding offences.
Mr Della Bosca was seen as a potential successor to Mr Iemma a few months ago. This morning, he said the Iguanas saga had been blown out of proportion.
But in a media conference this afternoon, Mr Iemma heeded a week-long call from the NSW Opposition to stand the Education Minister aside.
He said Mr Della Bosca would be reinstated to Cabinet if he was cleared by a police investigation into the club clash.
Mr Iemma said Mr Della Bosca had not made it clear in his account of events to the Premier that he had helped write the Iguanas statement.
"I did ask John for a full and detailed account," he said.
"I am standing John aside on this basis and that is that the faxing and his drafting of the apology was something that was not in that report.
"Something as central as the apology | 259 |
A NEW FUN THEME EVERY DAY!
Kick off this year's Progressive Cleveland Boat show by experiencing the best of Put-In-Bay with a bowl of the Boardwalk's famous lobster bisque while enjoying<|fim_middle|> squirrel, paint their faces and even meet a mermaid—all while surrounded by their favorite Neverland characters, including Captain Hook and Tinkerbell, in addition to the famous undersea Ariel and a princess or two. | the island's finest entertainment.
End your week by making a night of it with the boat show's Friday Frolic specials! Enjoy live music while enjoying beer specials—while checking out merchants and their wares at the Lake Erie Market.
Missing those summer nights along the lake? No fear, the boat show's Mid-Winter Rendezvous is here! Gather friends and family to experience summer fun to come by seeing more than 450 gleaming new boats, feeling the warmth of the Lake Erie Islands and soaking in the sounds of sunshine. An added bonus? The boat show's Kids' fishing clinic at the Fish NOW Expo will give away rods to the first 100 kids!
Experience why Kelleys Island is truly "An Island for All Seasons" at this year's Kelleys Island Sunday Funday! From island specialties, including the Village Pump's famous Brandy Alexander and Docker's waterfront bar thirst quenchers, to wares from western basin merchants, Sunday at this year's boat show is all about what makes the largest fresh water American island on Lake Erie special.
Make the kids' day off from school memorable by bringing them to the boat show! An extra day added just for kids, they'll learn to fish, watch Twiggy the waterskiing | 259 |
The Pérez Art Museum Miami.
The Pérez Art Museum<|fim_middle|>, one of the largest African American–owned businesses in the food industry. Levine leads a team of professionals that provide wealth-management advice, strategies, and services to individuals, families, foundations, and endowments across six Florida-based offices. | Miami (PAMM) announced today that four new members were elected to its board of trustees: Sylvia Benito, Sebastian Echavarria, Eric Johnson, and Simon Levine. The announcement coincides with the museum's thirty-fifth anniversary as a collecting institution. With the addition of the new trustees, the museum's board now totals forty-eight members.
Benito is cofounder of the Oasis Institute, a prominent cultural center in Buenos Aires that just celebrated its twentieth anniversary. Echavarria, an avid art collector, serves as a managing partner at Sabricas Capital Management. Johnson is chief executive officer and president of Baldwin Richardson Foods Company | 130 |
We are excited to announce a partnership between WorshipPlanning.com and All About Worship.
For those not familiar, AAW is an online resource specifically designed for "equipping and encouraging worship leaders and songwriters". They do this through podcasts, training webinars, retreats, articles, and much more.
The goal of this partnership is two-fold. First, we hope it will help give WorshipPlanning.com worship leaders easier access to a variety<|fim_middle|> Twitter, Facebook, and Blog updates for when we roll it out. And we plan on updating our video tutorials in time for the roll-out as well. | of resources AAW develops. In April we will begin sharing some exciting benefits for WP Planners as part of this partnership. Second, we hope AAW will be a means by which new WP features and benefits will be shared with those that have either never tried WP, or not visited our site for a while.
AAW has a great podcast that can be found on iTunes. Their website AllAboutWorship.com also has a link to the latest podcast, as well as a growing number of other resources.
Keep an eye on our blog and twitter feed to learn more on the fruits of this partnership.
This evening we updated WorshipPlanning.com to version 3.8, and we're quite excited to share with you what these updates include. So, let's get right to it.
Helpers can view ALL services – If authorized, any of your Helpers can now access service details of all services, not just the ones for which he or she is scheduled. This includes worship flow, assignments, virtual stage, files, and printouts. Authorization is granted on the page where you add/edit the Helper's information (People >> Helpers tab >> add/edit icon). We've added a checkbox that says 'Can view all services (including ones not scheduled for).' By default, no Helpers have this checkbox checked.
Worship Flow Edits Improved – If your duties include modifying the worship flow, you'll notice a nice improvement to the way you add and edit worship elements. The worship detail fields now appear on a small pop-up window on the worship flow page. We've also changed the dropdown fields to have an 'auto complete' behavior (so you can simply start typing the desired entry, and WP will attempt to auto complete your text). Plus, we have put the Extra Notes on the same pop-up window, reducing the number of clicks needed to get all your information entered.
MyWP Home and Assignments – As we posted in our blog last week (http://blog.worshipplanning.com), we have redesigned the main page used by Helpers. The redesign makes it much easier for Helpers to access the information they need. We've also included a calendar view (that shows by default if they have no pending assignment requests), and some quick links on the home page to frequently accessed functionality, like team files, password changes, and adding text/email alerts. And our video tutorials have been updated, so anyone can always check there (or contact us) should questions arrise. If you'd like to see the updates to MyWP for yourself, you can do so by logging in to http://my.worshipplanning.com using your email address and WP password.
One last thing I want to mention is that our Worship Flow page improvements are really Phase 1 of some exciting plans we have. Phase 2 will likely include drag and drop of people and (hopefully) songs into worship elements. We also know some churches need down-to-the-second tracking of element durations. We anticipate including that in Phase 2 as well.
If you have any questions of issues with these new features, be sure to let us know via our support site: http://support.worshipplanning.com.
In the next week or so, we will be rolling out a major update to the MyWP site that we think your volunteers will really love. I'll detail it out more in a blog post the evening we roll it out, but here are the highlights, plus a little screenshot to whet your appetite.
Fancy calendar that shows their assignments and rehearsals.
Cleaner assignments page with much more intuitive access to service and team information.
Default worship flow display with Extra Notes for the Helper showing by default.
(and this is a BIG one) Ability for authorized Helpers to view services details of ALL services.
We are in the last phase of testing, so keep an eye on our | 778 |
As I said in a previous post, I recently moved to Paquis from Eaux-Vives. Paquis is a popular, diverse, lively blue-collar neighborhood. I love it. In the<|fim_middle|> but I think it definitely has the potential to become my regular coffee spot! | Spring/Summer, there are people everywhere, and restaurants' terraces are crowded with people.
Anyway, new neighborhood means I have to find a new coffee hangout because as I've told you before, I am a sucker for a good latte. Unfortunately for me, Paquis does not have a big choice in terms of coffee shops. There is Boréal next to the train station, which I love, but the place is too small to sit down and chill. It is more of a to-go scenario.
And then, there is Le Fix. It is a bit further than I would like, but a nice stroll by the Lake is always enjoyable. Le Fix started as a coffee truck driving around Geneva farmers markets and they opened their cute and cozy coffee shop in 2014. A big plus at Le Fix is that all their products including their coffee beans are locally sourced in Switzerland. The latte is good, the homemade raspberry muffin I had this morning on their nice green terrace was also very tasty. For lunch, they have two affordable options: a quiche or a sandwich or a soup with a salad for 16.50 CHF.
It was my first time at Le Fix | 246 |
The John Horgan government came under pressure last week to do something about B.C.'s high gasoline prices.
While a new refinery in the province might address the supply problem, no one seriously thinks any oil company would invest $10 billion in a new refinery in British Columbia.
Horgan said his government would study the situation and consider offering "relief" or even contemplate regulating gas prices.
Gas prices inevitably drop when the demand for gasoline begins to fall, and refiners switch back to winter fuel mixes. But the problem of high gas prices in B.C. promises to get worse every year.
For one thing, B.C.'s population and economy continue to grow, raising demand in a region that is constrained by limited pipeline and refining capacity.
Moreover, the carbon tax will continue to rise every spring, and the Horgan government's CleanBC plan requires raising the renewable fuel content of gasoline and diesel to 20% from 7.4% under its low-carbon fuel standard, which will continue to increase the cost of refined fuels in B.C.
A Navius Group report last year suggested the government could consider regulating fuel prices, something that has been done in other parts of Canada and the U.S. But even the report's author has reservations about taking that step.
"There's something not quite right here," said Michael Wolinetz. "And one approach people have taken is regulating prices. I'm not strongly in favour of that, but certainly if the government took action to look at this, that should be something that they should consider.
The biggest problem is that, once prices are capped, if there is a sudden demand for gasoline – due to a refinery going down, for example – it can result in shortages because refiners won't sell into a market that isn't willing to pay the market price.
Blair King,<|fim_middle|> governments could give is a temporary reprieve or relief," he said.
But if Horgan really wants to see gas prices drop in B.C., he might just stand down in his fight against the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, McTeague suggested. The twinning project would add a new line that would allow more crude oil to flow to the West Coast. But it could also add capacity to the existing line: up to 350,000 barrels per day from 300,000, according to McTeague. If all of that additional capacity were used for refined fuel products – gasoline and diesel from Alberta – McTeague estimates, that could reduce gas prices by $0.10 per litre.
But there is no guarantee that will happen. It is up to shippers that have allocated space on the pipeline to decide what to move through the pipeline.
"It's going to be based on what kind of volume is going be nominated for and by whom," said Jason Parent, vice-president of the Kent Group. | who blogs about energy issues, agrees that regulating gas prices is a bad idea.
"If it set the price too low the Washington refineries would simply sell their limited excess supply elsewhere," he writes. "This would leave us dry.
Regulating prices can also lock in prices that can't adjust quickly when gasoline prices drop.
"Regulated markets don't react quickly to price fluctuations," King writes. "In this case the market would be locked in at a high price and the regulated market would not have the ability to fluctuate downwards to quickly address market drops.
The government could lower or eliminate one of the many taxes on gasoline in B.C. It could also cut rebate cheques, something it is already doing for some lower-income residents.
Because the government doesn't want to touch the TransLink levy or carbon tax, Dan McTeague, a petroleum analyst for GasBuddy, said the provincial government could temporarily eliminate the BC Transportation Finance Authority's $0.07 per litre tax.
"You remove that, you'd see gas prices drop seven cents a litre," McTeague said. "During a time of crisis, when you're seeing your prices now outflanking the national average by 40 cents a litre, something's got to give, and one of the things | 258 |
What is the most common type of transition between shots in a film?
What is J and L cut?
Are jump cuts bad?
What is a cross cutting?
What's a jump cut in film?
What are editing styles?
Which kind of trimming is best for J-cut?
Why is it called AJ cut?
What is parallel editing?
What is invisible cut?
An L-cut is when the audio from the preceding scene continues to play over the footage from the following scene. A J-cut is just the reverse of an L-cut. The audio from the following scene plays over video from the preceding footage.
You'll usually also see a jump cut if you put different takes of the same shot<|fim_middle|>. | together, such as different segments of interviews. Jump cuts are generally bad because they're jarring for the audience. As such, they're seen as problems or mistakes, and most of the time that's true.
Cross-cutting is an editing technique most often used in films to establish action occurring at the same time, and usually in the same place. In a cross-cut, the camera will cut away from one action to another action, which can suggest the simultaneity of these two actions but this is not always the case.
A jump cut is is an abrupt transition, typically in a sequential clip that makes the subject appear to jump from one spot to the other, without continuity. This can happen when two sequential shots of the same subject in the same scene are cut together from camera positions that vary only slightly.
The most basic of editing styles, a clean edit means that you're adjusting just the basics to clean up the image….A clean editing style is the most basic one, but also the most classic and versatile.
Damaged Film Look.
Cross-Processed.
HDR.
Warm Black and White.
Mid-Contrast Black and White.
High Contrast.
Matte Finish.
Making J-Cuts: The Quickest Way Using the Rolling Edit Tool (N), hold down the CMD/CTRL key and the ALT/OPT key and trim the video clip of "Clip B". (The video of "Clip A" will be extended at the same time "Clip B" is being trimmed.)
To explain, a J cut, so named because the clip looks like a little "J" in the timeline, is when the audio of the next shot precedes the video, and an L cut, so named because (you get the point), is when the video of the next shot precedes the audio. This is why J cuts make great scene transitions.
Parallel editing is when two different scenes, in different locations or times, are intercut which makes it seem like they are unfolding together or related in some way. It lets the editor relate characters … and storylines to one another … and create comparisons and contrasts … and even build tension. …
The invisible cut is when two shots are matched so perfectly that the result is a totally invisible edit | 451 |
Rotaract brings together people aged 18-30 to exchange ideas with leaders in the community, develop leadership and professional skills, and have fun through service.
We help those in need, learn through professional development opportunities, and enjoy social activities.
The Rotaract Club of Bundaberg has a strong and enthusiastic member base from 18-30 years of age with a focus on getting out into the Bundaberg community and making a difference<|fim_middle|> just know that contributing their time and manpower, where possible, makes a big difference.
We formally meet on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 6pm at The East End Hotel and generally meet again later in the month for a social event.
Feel free to join us at a meeting to find out more about Rotaract, our events and activities or contact us with any questions! | . We love meeting new people and forming friendships with people from all walks of life.
It isn't all serious and we don't dedicate our lives to it – in fact, our meetings are very casual, and members don't have to participate in every activity that we sign up for– | 57 |
Maxwell Willman played high school hockey in Cape Cod. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
Unknown Sabres prospect Maxwell Willman impressing at development camp
BUFFALO – Before development camp started this week, Chadd Cassidy knew nothing about Maxwell Willman. Heck, very few had heard of the winger until the Sabres drafted him 121st overall last month.
Willman mostly went unnoticed playing at Barnstable High School in Hyannis, Mass.,<|fim_middle|> here at camp," Cassidy said.
How did Willman, who will play at Brown University this fall, morph from an unknown high schooler into a fifth-round NHL draft pick in barely a year?
"I think just gaining confidence every step of the game, just knowing that I can play at the next level and I can compete with some of these guys out here and just working hard, never giving up and just keep on going," said Willman, who will attend Brown University this fall. "It's definitely exciting the journey that I've took."
Willman acknowledged he wasn't ready to be drafted after finishing high school.
"That year at Williston definitely helped a lot, getting bigger, stronger and faster and just knowing the game a lot more," he said.
Willman said he plays "a little bit" like Chicago superstar and South Buffalo native Patrick Kane.
"I like attacking on the rush, stickhandling, going by guys," he said. "I think I have a quick shot I can beat goalies with. It's not the hardest but it's quick and accurate. I like to move the puck, get it back and just use my vision on the ice."
Cassidy said Willman possesses "a lot of upside."
"Hopefully," he said, "he can put some muscle on that frame as he develops and goes to college."
The Sabres like more than Willman's skill. He takes pride in his character. After drafting him, general manager Tim Murray called him a kid you'd "want your daughter to marry."
"I saw that one on Twitter," Willman said. "That was pretty funny."
Author Bill HoppePosted on 07.18.14 10.09.15 Categories Cassidy, Development Camp, Murray, Rochester Americans, Willman
Previous Previous post: Top Sabres prospect Sam Reinhart has maintenance day from development camp
Next Next post: Long-term deal shows Sabres believe Tyler Ennis will become star | a popular tourist town in Cape Cod. He nearly left the game to attend Quinnipiac University as a regular student. But Willman transformed himself into a prospect last year playing at Williston Northampton, a prep school in his home state.
Right away, Cassidy, who's running camp, noticed the 19-year-old's skating and skill level.
"For whatever reason, my eyes kept going to him and watching him, seeing a lot of little things that he did well," Cassidy, Rochester's coach, said Thursday inside the First Niagara Center.
How impressive has 6-foot, 174-pound Willman looked?
"He's a guy that has really probably surprised me more than anyone | 140 |
The Toa Metru waited in silence. They knew the monster was still in the cavern with them, too small to see, and could strike at any moment. Whenua had suggested that Nuju simply freeze over the floor, but was reminded that the beast fed on elemental energies.
"Perhaps we should seek a narrower tunnel, where its bulk will work against it," suggested Nokama.
"A good thought, sister," agreed Onewa. "But then we would be unable to attack it together."
"And some of us need room to quick-move," said Matau, smiling. "Maybe I can dazzle it with my style – after all, it worked on you, Nokama."
"I think we need to get you back above ground," the Toa of Water replied. "Your brain has frozen."
The attack, when it came, was too sudden and swift to be defended against. The Rahi Nui shot back up to full size in the midst of the Toa, sending them flying. Whenua was the first to try to rise, only to be smashed almost into unconsciousness by the Rahi Nui's powerful forearm.
Matau mentally triggered his aero slicers, taking off with the intention of mounting an assault from the air. Seeing the creature moving to finish off Whenua, he dove. But the Rahi Nui's move had been a ruse to draw the Toa of Air in closer. As soon as he was near, the beast jerked its head and caught Matau on its horns. Then another sudden movement sent the Toa crashing to the hard ground.
Barely fighting a few seconds and we've lost a third of our number, thought Vakama. In front of him, Nokama used her hydro blades to fend off the beast's blows. Onewa and Nuju were attempting to scale opposite sides of the Rahi Nui, hanging on despite the creature's efforts to shake them off.
The Toa of Fire launched a flame blast at the ceiling above the beast's head. His fires melted through the stone, bringing a rain of red-hot magma down on the Rahi. Enraged, the beast roared and abruptly grew in size. Nuju managed to jump clear and use an ice slide to reach the ground, but Onewa had almost reached the back of the Rahi. The sudden growth caught him by surprise and he was flung from the monster to plunge to the cavern floor far below.
Nokama spotted the danger and broke into a run. She knew she would have to time her leap perfectly, or both she and Onewa were going to wind up nothing but shattered pieces. At just the right moment, she used her powerful legs to launch herself into the air. She caught the falling Onewa in mid-leap, then hurled a blast of water at the floor. The jet of water acted as a brake, lowering them gently to the ground.
"Next time, hang on tighter," Nokama said gently. "Or fall closer to Nuju, he would love tossing some ice your way."
Onewa's eyes widened. "Nokama, look out!"
The Toa of Stone shoved her hard, but too late. The Rahi Nui's stinger slammed into Nokama and buried itself in the armor of her back. Onewa's power surged from him, causing a stone vise to come forth from the floor and grip the monster's tail. Angered, the Rahi yanked hard to free itself, smashing the rock and at the same time releasing Nokama.
The Toa of Water pitched forward. Onewa caught her before she could hit the ground. Her eyes were dark and her heartlight was flashing erratically. She was barely breathing as Onewa laid her down<|fim_middle|>If I am, I won't live to regret it, he knew. One blow from that massive arm and I'll be shattered into shards.
Caught up in his questions, Vakama never saw the Rahi Nui's next attack. Moving incredibly fast, its tail stinger slashed through the air, aiming directly for Vakama's chest. Too late, the Toa spotted the danger and tried to jet out of the way. The stinger descended, death just inches away… it struck… Vakama waited for the pain and the darkness.
But he felt nothing. The Rahi Nui's stinger had passed through his body as if its owner were a ghost. The beast, still growing, looked confused. It struck again and again with its powerful arms, only to find itself unable to make contact. Vakama could see the creature's form wavering like a heat mirage. It roared, but the sound was a hollow one.
Vakama dove as the creature continued to grow and its form grew less and less distinct. Now its head and shoulders had disappeared from view, passing through the ceiling of the cave. The two Toa continued to pour elemental energy into the Rahi Nui, even as it grew larger still and faded from view. With a final, mournful wail, the beast was gone, disappearing as if it had never existed.
Nuju cut off his ice blasts and dropped to the ground, exhausted. "Let's… not… do that again," he said, making an effort to catch his breath.
"But it worked," Vakama replied. "You were right, the footprints were the key."
Nuju ran his hand along the outline of one of the huge imprints the creature had left in the stone. "Increased size without increased weight. Its body was expanding, but not its total mass. So when we made it grow, and then fed it even more power…"
"Its growth outraced its mass," said Vakama. "It eventually got too big to retain any density, and its atoms drifted apart."
Nuju glanced around at the damage done to the cave. "Let us hope it takes a long, long time to pull itself together. A thousand years would be just about right."
Behind them, Matau and Whenua had made it back to their feet. In a corner, Onewa had awakened also and was trying to rouse Nokama. Nuju didn't need his enhanced vision to see that something was very wrong with the Toa Metru of Water.
Onewa looked up at his friends, panic in his eyes. "She's dying… Nokama's dying!" | .
Onewa lifted his eyes, rage filling his heart. He triggered his mask power, but not to try to control the Rahi Nui. No, this time he sent his mental energies like a lance into the monster's brain. What I can control, I can destroy, the Toa of Stone thought darkly.
The Rahi Nui paused, feeling something strange coming over it. Then a pain more intense than anything it had ever known exploded in its mind. The beast bellowed and staggered as the power of the Mask of Mind Control tore through its thoughts.
"I don't know what you are, or what you have done before," Onewa snarled. "But you have never faced anything like me. Feel my power and fall!"
And, indeed, it looked as if that was about to happen. This attack was not something the Rahi Nui could defend against, and it reeled as Onewa increased the pressure, shrinking back to its normal size. But the beast had very little mind to blast, and after what seemed like forever, it suddenly realized the horrible pain would not get any worse. The creature drew strength from that thought. Forcing itself to ignore the blistering attack, the Rahi Nui charged.
Focused completely on tapping the mask's powers, Onewa could not get out of the way in time. The horned head of the Rahi Nui smashed the Toa of Stone into the wall and sent him down into darkness.
Now only Vakama and Nuju stood against the beast. Ordinarily, there was little that fire and ice could not accomplish when they worked together. But against a creature that could so easily demolish four Toa, what chance did they have?
Vakama turned to see that Nuju had evidently cracked under the strain. With the menace of a massive Rahi looming over them, the Toa of Ice was busy examining the creature's footprints in the shattered stone.
"Nuju!" he shouted. "You're not in a Knowledge Tower now! Stop analyzing and start fighting!"
"I think I have the key," the Toa of Ice said. "Buy me time!"
Vakama threw up a wall of flame, cutting the Rahi Nui off for a moment. Then he raced over to Nuju, still half-convinced the Toa of Ice had simply lost his mind. "What key?"
"Look at these," said Nuju. "This footprint is from the monster at normal size… this one from when he grew larger. There's something very curious about the differences between them."
The Toa of Fire glanced at both. He still didn't see what Nuju was talking about. "There are no differences. They're identical."
"That is what's very curious," Nuju replied, rising. "There should be a difference."
Beams shot out from the Rahi Nui's eyes, freezing the wall of flame. Then a single blow smashed it into icy shards. But the barrier had done its job, and Nuju's words had sparked an idea in Vakama's mind. Perhaps there was a way to defeat this creature, after all…
"We need to make him grow, and I know how," said the Toa of Fire. He attached his disk launcher to his back, preparing to use it as a rocket pack.
Nuju shook his head. "You saw what happened to Matau. That thing will swat you like a fireflyer."
"Not if I get high enough, fast enough. What other choice do we have?"
Nuju had to admit that there was none that he could see. Without another word, Vakama activated the launcher and soared into the air. The beast swiped at him as he flew by, but missed. Once Vakama had reached a high enough altitude so as to be out of the creature's reach, he began tossing fireballs that burst in midair.
Below him, the Rahi Nui grew angry. It was impatient to finish off these last two small ones and feast upon their elemental energies. But this one persisted in buzzing about and filling the air with bright light and heat. Although the Toa-created flames were in fact food for the creature, in its dim mind it still had the instinctive dislike of fire common to most Rahi. Again and again, it lashed out, only to have Vakama dodge its blows.
On the ground, Nuju waited impatiently. He had grasped Vakama's plan – it was the only course of action that made sense, now that he thought about it – but it depended on the reactions of the beast. If the beast is too simpleminded to realize the best way to stop a flying foe, he thought. Or if Vakama should fly too close…
Nuju thought he glimpsed a change, if a small one. Activating the telescopic lens in his mask, he focused on the Rahi Nui. Yes, it had begun to grow, but slowly. He wondered if the combat with the Toa had begun to tax its energies.
Well, we cannot have that, can we? the Toa of Ice thought to himself, readying his crystal spikes.
High above, Vakama had spotted the monster's size increasing as well. He gave a signal to Nuju, then launched twin streams of fire from his outstretched hands. At the same time, Nuju hurled ice blast after ice blast at the massive creature. As Vakama expected, this had the same effect as tossing a torch into a Ta-Metru fire pit: It added to the Rahi Nui's already considerable power. Practically glowing with raw energy, the beast continued to grow larger and larger.
The Toa of Fire narrowly evaded another blow. The monster was easily half the size of the Coliseum now, and its growth rate showed no sign of stopping. For a moment, he wondered if he had been wrong in his guess about the beast's nature.
| 1,234 |
Are SUV's or trucks safer than sedans for car accidents?
If you are car buying, chances are you have looked at weighing the pros and cons of an SUV (sport utility vehicle) or truck versus a sedan. One of the biggest factors is safety and another may be ease of access and gas mileage.
The law of physics dictates that SUVs are safer because of the higher center of gravity due to the larger size and weight creating more force and less likely to be moved by a smaller sedan. This is the same reason that buses do not have seat belts on them. Buses do not have seat belts because manufacturers of the buses believe that the high center of gravity makes them extremely unlikely to be impacted strong enough by other cars to make much of an impact on the passengers inside them.
However, Consumer reports also states that high center of gravity vehicles are more prone to rollover accidents that are deadly. However, SUV made in 2012 and after are now required to have Electronic stability control (ESC), which prevents rollover car accidents. However, most people that died in rollover car accidents were not wearing their seat belts.
Head on collisions are not the only thing you want to think of, though. Most car accidents are not SUV versus cars in head on collisions. Most car accidents are actually rear end car accidents and side swipe car accidents, even though the most deadly are "T-Bone" and head on car accidents. There are many other safety concerns you want to think of like cars that are up to date with the latest technology including as antilock brakes, traction control, back up cameras, blind spot warning indicators, curtain air bags, stability control, and other accident avoidance features.
Check out consumer reports or other car reviewing companies to figure out the right, safe car or SUV for you and your family. USA Today posted the 2018 IIHS safety picks in December 2017.
Should you replace your child's car seat following a car accident?
Yes, you should replace your child's car seat following a car accident because the stability of the car seat could be compromised. Your insurance company or the other driver's insurance will pay for the replacement of your child's car seat in a car accident.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has changed their stance that car seats should be replaced in every car accident and now only recommends replacing a car seat where there is a high impact car accident and not to for minor car accidents. The NHTSA states that their position is due to parent's unable to buy or receive a replacement quickly from the insurance company and don't<|fim_middle|> to the dashboard cams to dash cams that just wrap around your review mirror, with almost instant installation. Most plug into a USB outlet or the cigarette lighter plug. Installation seems like anyone can do it without having it professionally installed.
The video recording on the dash cam mount generally is either saved on a disk on the dash cam and able to be taken out or backed up to your phone with footage being erased and tapped over every 24 hours or 48 hours depending on the model that you have. It's unclear whether it is driving time, recording time, or just time that quantifies the 24 to 48 hours. You can even use your phone as a dash cam camera with certain mounts.
In summary, dash cams are not very expensive and could save you from a lot of trouble if you don't have any independent witnesses and one person is claiming something that is untrue in a car accident injury case. While there are ways to prove whose fault a car accident injury case is independent of a witness and a dash cam, it could take a lot of time to figure it out and money to prove whose fault it is. A dash cam would save all this time and bring 100% clarity to most car accidents. | use a car seat in the mean time.
This seems risky to me, to put your child's life in the hands to an estimate whether the car seat is damaged and safety compromised. While this makes sense on the outside, a more practical approach may be to require insurance companies to pay for a replacement ASAP instead of parent's just thinking the car seat is fine and continuing to allow the child to ride in a ticking time bomb.
If you have a car seat that was damaged or you no longer use it, you can recycle your car seat in Seattle. Local recycling center Total Reclaim is partnering with Old Car Seat, New Life to offer ongoing booster and car seat recycling services.
Puget Sound area parents and caregivers can bring car seats and boosters to the Total Reclaim recycling facility at 2200 6th Ave. S. between 8 am to 4:30 pm daily. Car seats with covers, straps and foam removed cost $5 to recycle, or $7 as is. Details are at recycleyourcarseat.org.
Dash Cams Save Time and Money?
With more and more Youtube videos coming out showing someone trying to perpetrate a fraudulent car accident by the perpetrator backing up into a car and trying to blame it on the innocent victim, do we all need dash cams? Could this happen in Seattle instead of China or Russia where most of these videos are taking place? Could a perpetrator try to back up their car into yours and claim a personal injury car accident in Seattle?
Dash cams have been the saving grace for most of these people as once the perpetrator trying to fake a car accident injury case sees the dash cam they high tail it out of there. Dash cams are a great idea because it gives independent evidence of what actually happened instead of a he said she said coupled with the damage to each car. Since most rear end car accidents are deemed the rear end driver's fault, dash cams could definitely come in handy to prove innocence in these rare but extreme cases.
What else could dash cams help with? Dash cams could help prove liability in a car accident where one person says they had a green light and the other claims they had the green light. They could help prove liability where one person says they had control of an uncontrolled intersection and thus the right of way in a car accident. They would also speed up the liability determination of every case and help get the victim compensation for the damages to their car and help them move forward with their case. They can even record when you are not in the car to record people that crash into your car while it is park or vandalize your car.
How much do dash cams cost and how hard are they to install? Dash cams cost anywhere from $50 to $200 on Amazon with most costing around $100. They range from mounted | 573 |
As described in <|fim_middle|> or equal than the similarity between any other pair of the leaf concepts.
Thus, DiShIn does not penalize parallel interpretations as GraSM did.
References
Computational linguistics
Statistical distance | and
DiShIn (Disjunctive Shared Information) is method to calculate that shared information content by complementing the value of most informative common ancestor (MICA) with their disjunctive ancestors by exploring the multiple inheritance of an ontology.
The shared information content of two terms in an Ontology (information science) is a popular technique to measure their semantic similarity. DiShIn re-defines the shared information content between two concepts as the average of all their disjunctive ancestors, assuming that an ancestor is disjunctive if the difference between the number of distinct paths from the concepts to it is different from that of any other more informative ancestor. In other words, a disjunctive ancestor is the most informative ancestor representing a given set of parallel interpretations. DiShIn is an improvement of GraSM in terms of computational efficiency and in the management of parallel interpretations.
Example
For example, palladium, platinum, silver and gold are considered to be precious metals, and silver, gold and copper considered to be coinage metals. Thus, we have:
metal
/ \
precious coinage
/ | \ \ / / \
/ | \ gold / \
palladium platinum silver copper
When calculating the semantic similarity between platinum and gold,
DiShIn starts by calculating the number of paths difference for all their common ancestors:
gold -> coinage -> metal
gold -> precious -> metal
platinum -> precious -> metal
gold -> precious
platinum -> precious
For metal we have two paths from gold and one from platinum, so we have a path difference of one.
For precious we have one path from each concept, so we have a path difference of zero.
Since their path difference is distinct, both common ancestors metal and precious are considered to be disjunctive common ancestors.
When calculating the semantic similarity between platinum and palladium,
DiShIn starts by calculating the number of paths difference for all their common ancestors:
palladium -> precious -> metal
platinum -> precious -> metal
palladium -> precious
platinum -> precious
For both metal and precious, we have only one path from each concept, so we have a path difference of zero for both common ancestors.
Thus, only the common ancestor precious (the most informative) is considered to be a disjunctive common ancestor.
Given that node-based semantic similarity measures are proportional to the average of the information content of their common disjunctive ancestors: metal and precious in case of platinum and gold; and precious in case of platinum and palladium, means that for DiShIn palladium and platinum are more similar than platinum and gold.
When calculating the semantic similarity between silver and gold,
DiShIn starts by calculating the number of paths difference for all their common ancestors:
gold -> coinage -> metal
gold -> precious -> metal
silver -> coinage -> metal
silver -> precious -> metal
gold -> precious
silver -> precious
gold -> coinage
silver -> coinage
As in the case of platinum and palladium, here all common ancestors have a path difference of zero, since silver and gold share the same relationships
and therefore have parallel interpretations.
Thus, only the most informative common ancestor precious or coinage is considered to be a disjunctive common ancestor.
This means that for DiShIn the similarity between silver and gold is greater | 699 |
What Does a Safari Cost?
Lake Manyara National Park contains diverse habitats, from its Rift Valley soda lake to dense woodlands and steep mountainsides. Here, the Great Rift Valley is at its most impressive, with the escarpment dropping some 500 metres down to the lakeshore. The shores of the lake, encrusted with pink flamingo, attract more than 400 species of birds, many of them waterfowl or migrants.
Large herds of buffalo, giraffe and impala roam the lake shores and the forested valley slopes. Troops of several hundred olive baboon appear alongside Sykes monkey.
Set in the heart of a mahogany forest, Lake Manyara Tree Lodge is one of only two lodges deep inside Lake Manyara National Park. The Lodge, which was designed to exert minimal impact on the environment, is situated in the Park's southwestern region. Guests are offered a mostly exclusive interpretive safari in remote game-rich<|fim_middle|>y surrounds. Each treehouse suite features generous decks suspended above the forest floor and large windows invite the lush forest inside. The classically elegant bedrooms are fitted with contemporary furnishings in neutral colours and textures, overhead fans and billowing mosquito nets. The bathrooms have freestanding baths with a forest view and an outdoor shower.
An interactive kitchen allows guests to observe the preparation of delicious Pan African food that is enjoyed in the theatrical boma, on dining decks or on private viewing decks with spectacular forest views. Breakfasts and picnics are also served on the lakeshore.
THE ROAR is a monthly newsletter delivered to your inbox each month. THE ROAR Keeps You up to date with the latest safari news from Africa and Itineraries.
The Wild Source specializes in custom itineraries crafted to best fit the desires and dreams of each individual client, thus we do not offer set itineraries but rather work with you to design your ideal safari. | wilderness.
Cradled in the boughs of ancient mahogany trees, ten stilted treehouse suites, crafted from local timber and makuti (palm fronds), are a sophisticated blend of intimacy and romance, offering privacy and exclusivity in cool, leaf | 55 |
General Motors (GM, quote), aka "Global Motors", is off >3% this AM and testing key 6 month support around the $34.25-$35.00 level where there is a congestion level that has held up.
Thursday's weaker than expected numbers highlighted that GM is still struggling in Europe and that even the highly profitable US market may be seeing some pressure form discounts and incentives.
News out today includes auto sales from Mexico and China for GM that doesn't change the cautious tone around the stock.
GM is a member of the Emerging Money Global EM Index (EMEGI) and remains well positioned globally but has been a big underperformer this year compared to other equally well positioned global players.
This morning India's Tata Motors (TTM, quote) reported profits that tripled y/y and beat analysts' estimates for the 3q.
Sales at Jaguar Land Rover continue to drive the top line as F-TYPE Convertible and Range Rover sales are showing no signs of slowing.
Tata remains in a sweet spot as a global luxury brand that has buyers from all over the world looking<|fim_middle|>19% from the rest of the world after you back out 32% from US, UK and EU. | keeping growth high.
Tata gets 23% of its sales from India, 23% from China, and another | 27 |
"That's Abuse Too" by Jereme Ford was a good presentation. Although it did not<|fim_middle|>, through the aisles, and talked to the group as if he was genuinely concerned about us, rather than just being here for the money.
Many people think that only physical abuse is harmful, but this is not true. Emotional and mental abuse are just as hurtful. Although these forms of abuse do not leave cuts and bruises like physical abuse does, they hurt someone's mental state. Jereme gave a personal example of when he was in the service and told his Sergeant, as well as his parents, that he was going to get a degree. When he told this to everyone, they all laughed at him. When he walked onto the campus of a local community college for the first day of class, he felt beat down; he let everyone's negative words get to him. I did not realize how hurtful mental abuse could be, but this example Jereme gave was a real eye opener.
Overall, Jereme's presentation taught the audience about all forms of abuse and was a good presentation to attend. Through his personal stories, the audience learned more about abuse and how to avoid it. | specifically talk about relationship abuse, Jereme's interactive presentation talked about all forms of abuse. Jereme was a fun speaker to listen to; unlike most presenters, he interacted with the crowd rather than just standing behind a podium talking in a monotone voice. He walked up and down the auditorium | 61 |
The Best Sushi in Los Angeles
By Jeff Miller Updated On 04/10/2017 at 12:53PM EST
@jeffmillerla
By Jeff Miller @jeffmillerla Updated On 04/10<|fim_middle|> price is moderate. Wins, as far as the eye can see.
Shunji -Japanese Cuisine-
Shunji
The chef at Shunji was one of the first three chefs at Matsuhisa, the LA game-changer that would be on this list if it wasn't such a cliché for it to be on this list. That dedication to quality comes through in every bite at Shunji, but the real deal is its lunch special, hard stop: For $40, you get the same 12 pieces of fish as you would at dinner at a third of the price. Now you know.
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©Ocean Photo Studio / WANANN, Inc.
Sushi Tsujita
Another lunch-deal favorite, this newer Sawtelle spot (from the people who brought you Tsujita Ramen, naturally) does a $18 chirashi bowl that's packed with high-end goodness (salmon eggs! Tamago!). The catch is that only 15 are made each day, so get there right as it opens -- otherwise, you'll have to dig far, far deeper into your wallet.
A longtime winner for the price-conscious, this specialty chirashi spot has bowls of fresh fish for under $20, with make-your-own options as well as a set-menu -- not to mention handrolls with the perfect balance of fish, rice, and veggies, as well.
A valley mainstay for decades in both its old location and after its move to Lankershim, Chiba is the type of sushi place where, once you've come a few times, Chef Shig will remember you, and start digging deep into his fish for more and more exotic options. And while you're becoming a regular, you'll love basic standbys like albacore, scallops, and much more.
Go west (and then keep going west... seriously, keep going) for this neighborhood favorite, which boasts hour-long waits of locals (and Kardashians!) sick of horseback riding and craving some of the best raw fish dishes in (far west) LA county. Specialties include a squid dish stuffed with crab that's both towering and delicious, and a spicy tuna rice-cake that doesn't skimp on either. Come hungry.
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Jeff Miller probably-definitely has mercury poisoning. It was worth it. See more pics at @jeffmillerla on Instagram and @thrillistla on Twitter. | /2017 at 12:53PM EST
Hamasaku | Aliza J. Sokolow
There's no food group that gets Angelenos more worked up than sushi; everyone has an opinion that is TOTALLY right about the best place in town to eat raw fish on rice, which is why we've risked Jeremy Piven-levels of mercury poisoning to bring you the definitive list of the best sushi in town, using both price and quality as factors (and, yes, we've tried Go's Mart. It's overrated).
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Flickr/Phu Son
Hama Sushi
Sushi Gen usually gets all the Little Tokyo love, but we're firm believers that time can play a factor in quality -- and Gen takes an eternity thanks to that massive, unrelenting line outside. Hama, however, is usually a pretty quick seat, and the traditional sushi (and baked yellowtail collar!) is second to none. Just make sure you ask what's off-menu... and then ask again. Sometimes they don't believe you want to eat it. You do.
This nondescript Little Osaka hole in the wall has been a longtime favorite, not just because its fish is unbelievably fresh, but the prices are, too: at lunch, for under $20, you can get a plateful of nigiri and rolls, which means even if you're hungry for more you can double up the order for less money than it would usually cost for fish of this quality.
Noah fecks
Sugarfish
Studio City (& other locations)
It's almost become a cliche to claim Sugarfish as some of the best sushi in LA, but it's true: when "Sushi Nazi" Nozawa closed his namesake restaurant on Ventura and launched the chain, it was a genius move -- his customers now get to enjoy signature dishes like his sauce-soaked tuna sashimi and the crazy-delicious blue crab hand roll, stuffed with perfectly warm rice, and he gets to lay in a pool of money somewhere sipping on sake, and all of LA's the better for it.
Jeff Miller/Thrillist
Q Sushi
Yeah, it's a wallet-buster. But it still may be dollar-for-dollar the best sushi in town. Master Chef Hiro came to LA from Japan with the goal of recreating as high-quality an experience as he had delivered in Tokyo, and his fish (from brilliantly briny mackerel to melt-in-your-mouth salmon) is exceptional -- and that's not even mentioning his rice, which is far more al dente than you've been grown to expect, and that much more flavorful for it.
Located in a converted house on Ventura Blvd (of course), this sushi-war survivor's been holding it down for decades, which means it's seen trends come and go, and the menu's all the better for it: current on-trend dishes like yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño are among the best versions in the city, their classic nigiri is always flavorful, and they've got creative rolls that are smart rather than just stuffed with sauce.
Kevin Eats
Sushi Kimagure Ike
What, you thought we'd publish a best-sushi list without one of Ike-san's restaurants on it? Never. The namesake of the also-excellent Sushi Ike in Hollywood is now found behind the bar here, which is what pushes it to elite status: his take on his signature seared salmon right away and grilled octopus are always worth getting from the man himself.
Sasabune
Piece-by-piece, Sasabune has always been excellent. But keeping price in mind, the bang-for-your-buck is the omakase, which -- for $50 -- offers a game-changing, gut-filling menu with fish on par with any of the fancier places (Nozawa Bar, Zo, Matsuhisa, etc.) that'll charge you at least three times as much.
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N/Naka
It's not a sushi restaurant, per-se, and reservations are nearly impossible to get, but this beautiful set-menu-only restaurant (which blew up thanks to both impeccable food and a featured episode of Netflix's hit series Chef's Table) does include a sushi course or two; every bite's immaculate, naturally, and, when you'll leave, you'll say a little prayer that someday chef Niki Nakayama actually does an all-sushi place of her own.
Daniel Krieger
Wait, Sugarfish is on this list already -- does it really deserve two spots? Yes, it does: Not only is the group's handroll-only mini-chain KazuNori one of the best sushi joints in LA, but it's also one of the most genius concepts in town. This extremely efficient/affordable lunch, dinner, and takeout spot will set you back no more than $20 and (if the line's short) 20 minutes. Brilliant.
For a part of town that's got such a huge Japanese population, it's sort of surprising there aren't more top-level sushi spots (that said, you can't throw a baseball without amazing soba, or ramen, or izakaya food). But Nozomi's a local favorite, and for good reason: they only serve ultra-fresh, traditional seafood, including uni straight from Santa Barbara that's submerged in salt to maintain its flavor and a ton of fish straight from Japan, presented with unusual toppings, marinades, and infusions made with killer technique that take it from a neighborhood restaurant to one worth traveling for.
Aliza J. Sokolow
Hamasaku
Tucked in the corner of a strip mall (natch) is this beloved roll-zone, as noted for its celebrity clientele as it is for its food. That's a shame: it's consistently great, with the rolls its known for not just over-the-top but smartly over-the-top (The Lourd: spicy tuna. Avocado. Tempura flakes. Spicy rice. Mango. Jalapeño sauce. Tell me that doesn't sound good.) and a chef who takes his omakase very, very seriously.
Sawtelle and Little Tokyo
Is this conveyor-belt sushi place the absolute best in town? No, but it is by far the most fun: Not only is there a game wherein every time you eat a certain amount of plates you get a prize (thanks for the keychain, Kula!), but when you get something to-order it comes via a SECOND conveyor belt, at approximately a billion miles per hour. When you do that -- especially for handrolls -- the quality level is high, and the | 1,418 |
Realism, Impressionism, and the Modern World
In summary in one or two sentences answer the questions at the last part.
For each era,<|fim_middle|> standout among> | identify an artifact that depicts one of the characteristics provided.
Explain which characteristic you think it represents, and why.
Realism Era
Artifact: The Gleaners (1857)
Characteristics: (Choose one)
A. Depiction of the ordinary
B. Real-life situations
C. Shift from the ideal to the real
Characteristic It Represents (Explain Your Reasoning)……….
Impressionism Era
Artifact: Large Bathers (1906)
Characteristic It Represents (Explain Your Reasoning)……………
Modern World
Person of the 20th Century: "Pablo Picasso"
Artifact: Girl Before a Mirror (1932)
Medium: (Choose one: dance, literature, sculpture, visual arts, architecture, music, performance, and so forth)
Please explain why you believe the creator felt the need to express their ideas
Person of the 21st Century: "Madonna"
Artifact: Song: "Papa don't Preach"
In one to two sentences, answer the following questions: What differences do you notice between the artifacts from each era? In the context of what you have learned in this theme, where do you think those differences stemmed from?
George Berkeley is a conspicuous mastermind and rationalist of the eighteenth century which is known for his arrangement of spiritualistic reasoning. He built up the proposal that "presence is what is seen or the person who sees" (Berman 1995). He lived and worked in the period of the modern insurgency, innovative advancement and the extraordinary logical revelations that shed light on the idea of the world; in a time when religion started to lose its hundreds of years long position in the psyches of individuals, offering spot to the logical and philosophical standpoint. Initially from Ireland, the most seasoned British settlement, Berkeley was the oldest of seven youngsters in the group of the landed aristocrat. Since early on his life was associated with religion and tutoring, he put his entire existence into the formation of a philosophical framework, intended to dispense with secularism and the related realist theory. The historical backdrop of philosophical idea Berkeley entered as a | 436 |
Portland Adventist Community Services is opening a much-needed dental clinic for people in need.
The PACS dental clinic is ready for patients.
The Lord has been doing great things in the Portland Adventist Community Services (PACS) dental clinic as staff geared up to see patients by the first of May. With the building phase finished the middle of April, they turned their sights to installing dental equipment and hiring staff. The Lord has met them time and again along this bumpy road to the opening. They are reminded often this is the Lord's clinic and He is working it out His way and in His timing.
Several weeks ago, there was a knock on the clinic door. A young woman had heard of the PACS dental clinic and wanted to be seen right away. She was missing a front tooth and expressed she was struggling to find work and came to the PACS food pantry to feed her family.
As they talked, staff discovered this woman had already been to a few low-income clinics, even the county clinics. None of the clinics were able to provide what she needed, a new tooth. There are very few cases where these clinics will do a crown, and there is a very long waiting list with no guarantee of even getting the crown. Most low-income and nonprofit clinics deal with emergency<|fim_middle|> they could ever imagine (Jer. 29:11).
If you have questions, want to donate or help in anyway, please reach out to by email or by calling 503-758-1892. PACS would love to have you on board. | issues like fillings or pulling a tooth but no crowns, root canals or dentures.
PACS goal for its clinic is to be able to offer these services and much more to patients in need. Fixing teeth is important. It may mean landing that next job and giving hope to the future. It has been witnessed firsthand the power of a restored smile. This clinic is about that. It's about loving people to Jesus and giving them a hope and future beyond anything | 96 |
A 17 cent weekend gain in the old crop (2015) Arkansas soybean market was totally lost and more on Tuesday in a 30 cent decline. The market remained essentially steady until Friday when price rose 17 cents to a closing statewide average of $10.15 (Figure 1). The closing price left the market exactly unchanged from the previous week close on Thursday. The market got even thinner with only three reporting locations for the last four days of trading. High daily individual market price of the past trading week was seen on Monday with Helena at $10.66. Low quote for the week was $9.79 at West Memphis on Tuesday. End-of-the-week quotes saw Friday closing day prices ranging from a $10.03 low at West Memphis to a high of $10.25 at Old Town/Elaine. The ending quotes represented a range of only 22 cents versus the 81 cent gap from the previous<|fim_middle|> at $9.05. The end-of-week individual market quotes on Friday ranged from a $9.55 low at both Wynne and Des Arc to a high of $10.08 at Helena. These ending quotes put the closing spread at 53 cents across the reporting markets in the state, 4 cents wider than the previous week closing range. | week closing spread. The difference came primarily from the absence of the Wynne market that ceased providing daily quotes and normally has the lowest prices in the state.
The 2016 New Crop Soybean Cash Market Booking price suffered a 15 cent weekend decline, but moved somewhat differently from the old crop market. Price opened the past week at a Monday statewide average of $9.67, and declined 9 cents on Tuesday to a weekly low before posting gains for the rest of the week. The market closed on Friday at $9.80, just 2 cents under the previous week closing price (Figure 2). High market price of the past week was reported on Friday with Helena at $10.08. Individual market daily low of the week occurred on Wednesday with Jonesboro | 163 |
Welcome to St. Raphael SchoolSMALL CLASSES, CATHOLIC VALUES, AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS FOR EVERY KIND<|fim_middle|>-school sports, and technology allow our school to serve the whole child.
A Western Catholic Association accredited school under the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, St. Raphael School is committed to the intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and spiritual development of each child.
Amazing TeachersSmall classrooms Every student learns a little differently, so St. Raphael School programs incorporate a wide range of learning styles (verbal, kinesthetic, etc.) and a wide breadth of subject matter.
As many schools reduce their offerings to focus on a narrow set of academic subjects, St. Raphael School offers a broad range of classes, activities, and after-school programs that inspire a lifelong love of learning.
Academic Innovation Every student learns a little differently, so St. Raphael School programs incorporate a wide range of learning styles (verbal, kinesthetic, etc.) and a wide breadth of subject matter.
Health and Physical Activity Research reveals a powerful connection between childhood brain development and physical activity, time outdoors, and healthy eating. St. Raphael School supplements academic programs with a variety of activities.
Community & Spiritual We see students not only as the beautiful, innocent children they are, but as the men and women they will become: Men and women of intelligence and character, leading successful lives and good lives. | OF LEARNER! St. Raphael School practices a whole-child approach to education through inclusive and rigorous academic programs, a commitment to healthy habits and physical activity, and a joyous learning environment that builds community and spirituality.
Why Choose St. Raphael School?The Gospel values guide all learning and instruction. The curriculum at St. Raphael School is aligned with national, state, and Archdiocesan standards, taking into account the various learning styles of all students.
Extracurricular opportunities such as art, music, physical education, drama, after | 110 |
This card was made for a friend of my husband. It was fun to make and I'm really happy with how it turned out.
So I began with a top folding card 4.25×5.5 in Lost Lagoon card stock by Stamping up. I found an embossing folder of an classic car and some black and white print paper. I was originally going to add some deep grey but ended up leaving it out.
So I used a stiched rectangle die cut and then cut and embossed the image on to Lost Lagoon paper. I cut the black and white paper with a larger coordinating stiched rectangle.
I stamped the Happy 50th in black ink using a<|fim_middle|> the card.
< Previous Our Nephew will be ten!
Next > Little sister turns 34! | CTMH stamp set called Advent and an old unknown set together. I then sponged the edges and embossed image with classic grey ink and put it together.
I added a little glitz with some black rinestones and some white gelly roll pen. The outside was complete, on to the inside.
I just used a coodinating stiched rectangle and stamped the word birthday. Added a little more classic grey and that completes | 89 |
Ireland Baldwin, daughter of Emmy and Golden Globe award-winner Alec Baldwin, defended her family on<|fim_middle|> checked myself into Soba for two weeks to just get away for a little bit. I'm not much a party cat but I am here [to] deal with some emotional trauma and getting the intensive therapy I needed in order to recover." | Wednesday after announcing that she had entered rehab to help recover from unspecified emotional trauma.
"This is the last thing I'm going to say about everything that's been going on," the 19-year-old model tweeted. "Both of my parents, step mom, carmen, and friends were all there for me at all times," she wrote, referring to parents Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, stepmother Hilaria Thomas Baldwin and toddler half sister Carmen. "Little do you know . . . We've never left each other's sides. #cystmuffins," she added in a hashtag, a joking reference to her having been admitted to a Los Angeles hospital on April 2 for pain she initially believed to be from appendicitis but was apparently from cysts. A photo with the tweet shows her and her father in a hospital room eating muffins.
Alec Baldwin's Twitter page retweeted those posts. The actor's wife chimed in on Twitter: "I love you @irelandbaldwin."
"I would also be so grateful if everyone didn't choose to attack & blame anyone for what I chose to do with my life. I'm taking care of me," Ireland Baldwin continued, adding lightheartedly, "I'm so behind on 'Broad City' it's making me ill."
On Monday she had tweeted, "I | 276 |
\section{Introduction}
A significant fraction of the baryons in the present-day Universe is in the form of the intracluster medium (ICM). It shines brightly in X-rays because of its high temperature resulting from the deep gravitational potential of galaxy clusters and merger shocks during their hierarchical growth. One of the most important astrophysical questions regards the microphysical properties of the ICM, which are still not very well known. The complex morphology of X-ray substructures provides indirect clues about the ICM microphysics, because when a dynamical or thermodynamic disturbance, such as a merger or an outburst of the central AGN, occurs in a system, the ICM therein must respond to the disturbance according to its microphysical properties \citep{zuhone16}.
The Perseus cluster is nearby \citep[$z=0.017284$,][]{hitomiv}, massive \citep[$M_{200}=6.65\times10^{14}M_\odot$,][]{simionescu11}, and the brightest cluster of galaxies in the X-ray sky \citep{edge90}. Because of its proximity and X-ray brightness, it has been the most extensively studied galaxy cluster at X-ray wavelengths. The brightness and the depth of observation make the Perseus cluster the best system to study the thermodynamics (i.e. spectroscopic properties) of each substructure to investigate the microphysical properties of ICM.
Many X-ray cavities have been observed around the core of the Perseus cluster. The innermost cavities are filled with radio lobes \citep{boehringer93,churazov00,fabian00}, suggesting that they are bubbles inflated by the jet from the central AGN, being filled with relativistic particles. The outer cavities are ``ghost'' cavities, which are not associated with radio emission peaks \citep{fabian06,fabian11b}. These ghost cavities should still have relativistic plasma, but it has aged and probably only appears at much lower radio frequencies. They are likely related to the past activities of the central AGN.
A deep {\it Chandra} observation of the core of the Perseus cluster revealed the existence of weak shocks and ripples \citep{fabian06}. The ripples seem to be propagating outward, and are thus likely to be sound waves associated with the bubbles, transporting the energy input from the bubble to the ICM \citep{sanders07}.
The X-ray morphology within $\sim$100~kpc from the core is observed to be asymmetric, with a spiral-like arm extending anticlockwise from the vicinity of the centre \citep{churazov00,churazov03,sanders07,fabian11b}. The thermodynamic structures \citep{fabian06} indicate that the spiral is a sloshing cold front \citep{ascasibar06,markevitch07,ichinohe15,ueda17} due to a previous merger. At larger radii, there have also been observations of the substructures associated with the outer sloshing cold front \citep{walker17,walker18}. {\it XMM-Newton} and {\it ROSAT} observations found that the X-ray morphology is asymmetric also on much larger scales \citep{churazov03,simionescu12}, which is probably related to the innermost spiral pattern.
All these surface brightness features represent disturbances that are expected to be seen also in the dynamical properties of the gas. The Perseus cluster is the first-light target that {\it Hitomi} \citep{takahashi16} observed before its communication-loss, and thus is the only galaxy cluster for which an X-ray microcalorimeter \citep[SXS; Soft X-ray Spectrometer;][]{kelley16} observation has been performed \citep{hitomi16}. Using all available Perseus SXS datasets, \citet{hitomiv} mapped the velocity structure around the core out to $\sim$100~kpc. They found that the line-of-sight velocity dispersion reaches maxima of $\sim$200~km~s$^{-1}$ toward the central AGN and toward the northwestern ``ghost'' bubble, and that at the same time the velocity dispersion appears constant around 100~km~s$^{-1}$ everywhere else.
Although a number of observations have been done and many features are investigated in detail from kpc scales to Mpc scales as mentioned above, there are a lot of features which still remain to be studied. Among such structures, we selected two which are seen in the {\it Chandra} image relatively close to the core (within $<$100~kpc from the centre), and both seem to be related to the above-mentioned sloshing cold front, and studied them in detail.
Unless otherwise noted, the error bars correspond to 68\% confidence level for one parameter. Throughout this paper, we assume the standard $\Lambda$CDM cosmological model with the parameters of $(\Omega_m,\Omega_\Lambda,H_0)=(0.3,0.7,70~\mr{km~s^{-1}~Mpc^{-1}})$. In this cosmology, the angular size of 1~arcmin corresponds to the physical scale of 21 kpc at the redshift of $z=0.017284$.
\section{Observations, data reduction, and data analysis}\label{sec:data}
We selected thirteen ObsIDs (3209, 4289, 4946, 4947, 4948, 4949, 4950, 4951, 4952, 4953, 6139, 6145 and 6146; primary focal plane detector: ACIS-S) and reprocessed the archival level 1 event lists produced by the {\it Chandra} pipeline in the standard manner\footnote{CIAO Homepage, Data Preparation; http://cxc.harvard.edu/ciao/threads/data.html} using the {\small CIAO} software package (version 4.10) and the {\small CALDB} version 4.7.8. The resulting total net exposure time is $\sim$1~Msec.
\begin{figure*}
\begin{minipage}{0.495\hsize}
\centering
\includegraphics[width=3.0in]{figures/fig_usm.pdf}
\end{minipage}
\begin{minipage}{0.495\hsize}
\centering
\includegraphics[width=3.0in]{figures/fig_reldiv.pdf}
\end{minipage}
\caption[]{{\it Left:} unsharp-masked image created by dividing the $\sigma=2$~pixel Gaussian smoothed fluximage by the $\sigma=20$~pixel Gaussian smoothed one. {\it Right:} relative deviation image with respect to the radial average.}
\label{img:perseus_unsharp_residual}
\end{figure*}
We created the exposure and vignetting corrected {\it Chandra} images (fluximage) using the \verb+fluximage+ tool. We created an unsharp-masked image by dividing the $\sigma=2$~pixel Gaussian smoothed fluximage by the $\sigma=20$~pixel Gaussian smoothed one. The unsharp-masked image is shown in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual} left. Also, in order to emphasize the low-contrast azimuthal variations, we divided the fluximage by the corresponding azimuthal average (with the centroid at the position of NGC~1275). The relative deviation image is shown in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual} right.
\begin{figure*}
\begin{minipage}{0.333\hsize}
\centering
\includegraphics[width=2.0in]{figures/fig_ktmap.pdf}
\end{minipage}%
\begin{minipage}{0.333\hsize}
\centering
\includegraphics[width=2.0in]{figures/fig_ppmap.pdf}
\end{minipage}%
\begin{minipage}{0.333\hsize}
\centering
\includegraphics[width=2.0in]{figures/fig_psmap.pdf}
\end{minipage}
\caption[]{Projected thermodynamic maps. {\it Left:} projected temperature map in the unit of keV. {\it Middle:} pseudo-pressure map. {\it Right:} pseudo-entropy map. The position of the cold front which delineates the spiral pattern shown in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual} right is shown in white. The white circles are the positions of point sources which are visually identified and subtracted.}
\label{img:perseus_thermo}
\end{figure*}
We also created the thermodynamic maps. We used the contour binning algorithm \citep{sanders06} to divide the field of view into small regions which are used for spectral fitting. The signal-to-noise ratio of each bin is about 100, corresponding to about 10000~counts/bin. We fitted the spectrum of each region using \verb+phabs(apec)+ model with the redshift fixed to 0.017284 and the hydrogen column density set to $1.38\times 10^{21}$~cm$^{-2}$, determined by the LAB (Leiden/Argentine/Bonn) radio HI survey \citep{kalberla05}. Using the best-fitting temperature $kT$ and normalization $\epsilon$, we calculated pseudo-pressure $\tilde{p}=kT\sqrt{\epsilon/A}$ and pseudo-entropy $\tilde{s}=kT(\epsilon/A)^{-1/3}$ where $A$ is the area of the corresponding region measured in the unit of pixels. The resulting maps are shown in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_thermo}.
\section{Results}
\subsection{Global morphological features}\label{sec:perseus_result_global}
In the unsharp-masked image (Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual} left) and the relative deviation image (Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual} right), we see plenty of structures. Since many of the features have already been mentioned and explored in the literature \citep[e.g.][]{churazov00,churazov03,fabian06,sanders07,sanders16b}, here we point out the structures which are related to our subsequent detailed analyses.
In the relative deviation image, we see a clear spiral-like pattern which has been discussed in the literature \citep[e.g.][]{churazov03,fabian06,sanders07,sanders16b}. Delineating the outer edge of the spiral, we see a brightness edge which starts about 50~kpc west of the core and extends anticlockwise to about 70~kpc north-east of the core in the unsharp-masked image. This spiral-like structure and the edge are also apparent in the projected temperature and pseudo-entropy maps (Figure~\ref{img:perseus_thermo}). The fact that the gas beneath the edge is cooler and has lower-entropy than above the edge, as well as the fact that no clear pressure structure along the edge is seen, indicate that the edge is a cold front, originating from the sloshing motion of cool gas in the core \citep{ascasibar06,markevitch07}.
In addition to known structure, we identify two new structures; (1) The west half of the front seems relatively smooth, while the east half of the front exhibits a more complex, double-layered structure, indicating the existence of developing instability which may be due to the sloshing motion of the ICM. We point out the similarity between this cold front and the low-viscosity numerical simulation result by \citet{roediger13a} \citep[see the middle panel of Figure~3 of][]{roediger13a}. They attributed this phenomenon to the difference of mean shear at different azimuths of the front; (2) In the unsharp-masked image, underneath the west half of the front, we see feather-like structures, namely alternating bright and faint regions which have not been reported previously in the literature. Recently \citet{werner15} found similar structures just below the northwestern cold front in the Virgo cluster. \citet{wang18} also reported similar narrow ``channels'' in the surface brightness image of Abell~2142.\\
\subsection{Double-layered structure of the eastern cold front}\label{sec:perseus_result_eastcf}
\begin{figure*}
\begin{minipage}{0.495\hsize}
\centering
\includegraphics[width=3.0in]{figures/fig_cf_usm.pdf}
\end{minipage}
\begin{minipage}{0.495\hsize}
\centering
\includegraphics[width=3.0in]{figures/fig_cf_reldiv.pdf}
\end{minipage}
\caption[]{Same as Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual}, zoomed in on the double-layered structure. White partial annuli denote the regions along which the surface brightness profile and X-ray spectra are extracted.}
\label{img:perseus_unsharp_residual_eastcf}
\end{figure*}
Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual_eastcf} shows the close-up view of the eastern part of the cold front, where we see a peculiar double-layered structure. The overlaid partial annuli are adjusted so that their curvature matches the curvatures of the two fronts.
\begin{figure*}
\centering
\includegraphics[width=7.0in]{figures/prof_cc.pdf}
\caption[]{{\it Top left:} surface brightness profile extracted across the double-layered structure. The red curve is the best-fitting projected double-broken power-law model. {\it Top right:} pseudo-density profile. {\it Middle left:} projected temperature profile. {\it Middle right:} projected Fe abundance profile. {\it Bottom left:} pseudo-pressure profile. {\it Bottom right:} pseudo-entropy profile. The solid/dashed curves are reference profiles calculated using the azimuthally averaged profile over 60$^\circ$-180$^\circ$/the entire azimuths. The gray vertical bands denote the positions of the breaks in the surface brightness profile. The radial distance from the centre at which all the plots start is $\sim$2.5~amin.}
\label{img:perseus_prof_eastcf}
\end{figure*}
The extracted surface brightness profile is shown in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_prof_eastcf} top left. In order to estimate the positions of the breaks, we fitted the surface brightness profile using a projected double-broken power law model following the procedure presented by \citet{ichinohe17}. The centre of spherical symmetry is set to the concentre of the sectors shown in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual_eastcf} left. The model describes the profile well with $\chi^2/\mr{DOF}=40.7/37$ and strongly prefers the double-broken power law model to the single-broken power law model by $\Delta\chi^2/\Delta\mr{DOF}=104.5/3$. The positions of the two breaks are $r_{12}=82.5\pm1.0$~arcsec and $r_{23}=107.0\pm0.5$~arcsec respectively for the inner and outer breaks. These error ranges are overlaid in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_prof_eastcf} as the grey vertical bands.
We also extracted thermodynamic profiles along the sectors shown in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual_eastcf} left. The spectral fitting was performed in the same manner as was done for the thermodynamic maps (Figure~\ref{img:perseus_thermo}). The resulting (pseudo-) thermodynamic profiles are shown in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_prof_eastcf}.
We also plotted reference profiles in the temperature, the pressure and the entropy panels, using the azimuthally averaged temperature, pseudo-pressure and pseudo-entropy profiles. We split the entire field of view into an annular grid with radial and azimuthal intervals of 10~arcsec and 10$^\circ$ respectively, which are concentred on the cluster centre. From each grid element, we extracted spectra and analyzed them in the same way mentioned in the paragraphs above, resulting in thirty-six thermodynamic values per radial annulus. We averaged them to obtain the radial thermodynamic profiles. Since the projected pressure map shows a significant asymmetry as shown in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_thermo}, we calculated the averaged thermodynamic profiles in two ways; (1) averaged over all the azimuths and (2) averaged over the azimuthal range of 60$^\circ$-180$^\circ$. The reference profiles based on the average over all azimuths are plotted using the dashed curves and the ones using the azimuthal range of 60$^\circ$-180$^\circ$ are plotted using the solid curves in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_prof_eastcf}.
Although almost continuous, we see some indications for the change in slope and the existence of a mild jump around the first break in both the temperature and entropy profiles. These profiles show a rapid increase toward the second break, and flatten out beyond the second break. These profiles are systematically lower than the reference profiles and seem to overtake the reference profiles around the second break. While the pressure profile is continuous at the first break, it shows 10--15\% jump at just outside the second break and monotonically decreases beyond the second break; the overall pressure profile is non-monotonic and a dip is seen between the two breaks. The Fe abundance is almost constant over the entire radial range.
\subsection{Feather-like structures}\label{sec:perseus_feather_morphology}
\begin{figure*}
\begin{minipage}{0.333\hsize}
\centering
\includegraphics[width=2.0in]{figures/fig_feather_usm.pdf}
\end{minipage}%
\begin{minipage}{0.333\hsize}
\centering
\includegraphics[width=2.0in]{figures/fig_feather_reldiv.pdf}
\end{minipage}%
\begin{minipage}{0.333\hsize}
\centering
\includegraphics[width=2.0in]{figures/fig_feather_sdss.pdf}
\end{minipage}
\caption[]{The closeup view of the unsharp-masked image (left), the relative deviation image (middle) and the SDSS $r$-band optical image of the corresponding sky region. The regions employed in a detailed study of the brightness dip are overlaid on the relative deviation image. These regions are numbered from F1 to F3 from north to south.}
\label{img:perseus_unsharp_residual_zoom}
\end{figure*}
Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual_zoom} shows the same images as Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual}, zoomed-in to the vicinity of the feather-like structures, together with the SDSS $r$-band optical image \citep{eisenstein11,ahn14}. The alternating bright and faint regions are clearly seen in the unsharp-masked image (left panel). Among the structures which are apparent in the unsharp-masked image, the central faint region ({\it brightness dip}; denoted by the white polygon in the leftmost panel) exhibits the most prominent contrast against the surrounding ICM, which even can be seen in the lower-contrast relative deviation image (the polygon with the annotation ``F2'' in the middle panel).
To investigate the ICM properties in the brightness dip in detail, we chose the regions based on the relative deviation image, because the unsharp-masked image is essentially an edge-enhanced image and thus is not suitable for considering the absolute brightness of the structures. We number these regions from F1 to F3 from north to south (see Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual_zoom} middle). The areas of the regions~F1 and F3 are double compared to that of the region~F2 for each radius, lessening the uncertainty due to the difference of the radial dependency of the region shape between the regions.
\begin{table*}
\centering
\cprotect\caption{Best-fitting parameters of the single temperature model in the ``feathers'' region. (a) Calculated using $\epsilon/S$ where $\epsilon$ is \verb+apec+ normalization and $S$ is the region area in arcsec$^2$.}
\begin{tabular}{c|cccc}
\hline
Region & Temperature (keV) & Fe abundance (solar) & Area-normalized \verb+apec+ norm$^\mr{a}$ (10$^{-6}$) & nH ($10^{22}$~cm$^{-2}$)\\
\hline
F1 & 3.81$\pm$0.03 & 0.85$\pm$0.02 & 3.49$\pm$0.03 & 0.154<|fim_middle|>^{+0.39}$ & $0.72_{-0.17}^{+0.19}$ \\
2T, region~L3 & $8.34_{-0.28}^{+0.97}$ & $2.21_{-0.34}^{+0.09}$ & $2.94_{-0.32}^{+0.96}$ & $0.37_{-0.09}^{+0.29}$ \\
2T, region~L1 (comb) & $8.37_{-0.24}^{+0.27}$ & $0.59\pm0.05$ & $3.23_{-0.11}^{+0.09}$ & $0.78\pm0.05$ \\
2T, region~L2 (comb) & -- & $0.89\pm0.05$ & -- & $0.63\pm0.05$ \\
2T, region~L3 (comb) & -- & $2.15_{-0.07}^{+0.06}$ & -- & $0.44_{-0.06}^{+0.07}$ \\
\hline\hline
& Fe abundance (Solar) & $n_H$ ($10^{22}~\mr{cm}^2$) & Cstat/DOF & \\
\hline
1T, region~L1 & $0.78_{-0.02}^{+0.03}$ & $0.160\pm0.002$ & 624.8/467 & \\
1T, region~L2 & $0.79\pm0.03$ & $0.160\pm0.002$ & 730.8/467 & \\
1T, region~L3 & $0.77\pm0.02$ & $0.158\pm0.002$ & 911.6/467 & \\
2T, region~L1 & $0.72\pm0.03$ & $0.163\pm0.003$ & 533.4/465 & \\
2T, region~L2 & $0.81\pm0.03$ & $0.159\pm0.003$ & 641.0/465 & \\
2T, region~L3 & $0.81\pm0.03$ & $0.157\pm0.002$ & 829.0/465 & \\
2T, region~L1 (comb) & $0.79\pm0.02$ & $0.159\pm0.001$ & 2014.1/1403 & \\
2T, region~L2 (comb) & -- & -- & -- & \\
2T, region~L3 (comb) & -- & -- & -- & \\
\hline\hline
\end{tabular}
\label{tbl:perseus_pdip}
\end{table*}
Table~\ref{tbl:perseus_pdip} shows the fitting results. While every region prefers the 2T modelling ($\Delta$Cstat/$\Delta\mr{DOF}$=91.4/2, 89.8/2 and 82.6/2 for regions~L1, L2 and L3, respectively), letting the temperature, Fe abundance and $n_H$ in all the regions vary independently does not significantly improve the fitting ($\Delta$Cstat/$\Delta\mr{DOF}$=10.79/8), which suggests all the regions share the same two temperatures. Moreover, the ratio of the normalization of the cooler component to that of the hotter component ($\epsilon_2/\epsilon_1$) increases toward the cluster centre (regions~L3 to L1). This supports the interpretation of the double-layered structure being a developing KHI, where the hotter component represents the ambient medium, while the cooler component represents the gas which is originally inside the cold front, being mixed into the ambient medium via the currently developing KHI.
Using numerical simulations, \citet{roediger13a} indeed showed that KHIs can be induced along the edge of the sloshing spiral under certain conditions (particularly in low-viscosity cases), and that in such cases, the surface brightness profile hosts characteristic multiple edges, similarly to our case. It is also suggested by \citet{roediger13a,roediger13b} that the distance between the edges is about a fourth to a half of the scale length of the KH rolls. In our case, the distance between the two breaks is $25\pm 1$~arcsec, corresponding to the actual distance of $8.8\pm0.4$~kpc, while the azimuthal extension of the double-layered structure is 30-40~kpc, which is consistent with the prediction from the simulation. Therefore, we suggest that this double-layered structure originates from the sloshing cold front accompanied by developing KHIs.
Our detection joins a growing number of indications for the existence of KHI suggested recently. For example, a similar multiple-edge structure in the merger cold front of the NGC~1404 galaxy has been reported by \citet{su17}, and the existence of both the multiple-edge structure and the possible pressure deficit (see also the next section) has been presented also for the merger cold front in Abell~3667 \citep{ichinohe17}. \citet{werner16} found multiple sloshing-induced cold fronts in the core of the Ophiuchus cluster and proposed that they could be due to KHIs. \citet{walker17} has suggested the existence of another giant KHI roll at $\sim$150~kpc southeast from the core in association with the outer cold front of the Perseus cluster. Recently \citet{wang18} found well-developed KH eddies in the southern cold front of Abell~2142.
\subsubsection{Pressure deficit and nonthermal pressure support}
Based on the KHI scenario, here we investigate the ICM microphysical properties. As is pointed out in Section~\ref{sec:perseus_result_eastcf}, the pressure between the two breaks seems to be insufficient to balance the surrounding gas. Assuming that the gas is uniform over the line-of-sight depth of $L$, the pseudo-density $\tilde{n}$ is translated to the electron density value of $n_e = 38\tilde{n}(L/63~\mr{kpc})^{-1/2}\mr{cm}^{-3}$, where 63~kpc corresponds to the approximate distance of the structure from the cluster centre ($\sim$3~arcmin). Similarly, the physical value of the pressure deficit $\Delta p$ corresponding to the deficit of pseudo-pressure $\Delta\tilde{p}\sim0.1\times10^{-3}$ is $\Delta p_e\sim 3.8\times10^{-3}~\mr{keV~cm^{-3}}(L/63~\mr{kpc})^{-1/2}$.
In the case of the two-temperature modeling (see Table~\ref{tbl:perseus_pdip}), assuming that the cooler component of the gas inside region~L1 is uniform over the line-of-sight depth of $L_1$, the normalization of the \verb+apec+ $\epsilon_1$ is translated to the physical density value of $n_1 \sim 1.4\times 10^{-2} (L_1/63~\mr{kpc})^{-1/2}\mr{cm}^{-3}$. Similarly, that of the hotter component $\epsilon_2$ is translated to $n_2\sim7.0\times 10^{-3} (L_2/334~\mr{kpc})^{-1/2}\mr{cm}^{-3}$, where 334~kpc corresponds to the core radius $r_c = 15.85~\mr{arcmin}$ of the best-fitting $\beta$-model for the northeastern direction obtained by \citet{urban14}. Accordingly, the pressure of each component is estimated at $p_1\sim4.4\times10^{-2}(L_1/63~\mr{kpc})^{-1/2}\mr{keV~cm}^{-3}$ and $p_2\sim5.9\times10^{-2}(L_2/334~\mr{kpc})^{-1/2}\mr{keV~cm}^{-3}$.
Although there are geometrical uncertainties, in both cases, the electron pressures seem to disagree with each other by a value of order $10^{-2}~\mr{keV~cm^{-3}}$, with the gas between the two breaks or the cooler component having a lower pressure.
There are some candidates which can support the pressure deficit. The first one is magnetic pressure \citep[e.g.][]{keshet10}. In this case, assuming that the pressure deficit is fully supported by the magnetic pressure, $B^2/8\pi =\Delta p$ yields the magnetic field strength of $B\sim30~\mu\mr{G}$, where $p = (n_e+n_i)kT$ is the pressure, assuming equal temperature between electrons and ions, and $n_e=1.2n_i$. \citet{reiss14} found a thermal pressure jump of $\sim$10\% in a sample of 17 cold fronts in relaxed clusters not including Perseus. If the Perseus cold front is in fact located at the second break, our estimated pressure deficit of a similar magnitude is consistent with their scenario. However, our interpretation is that the real location of the cold front corresponds to the first break in the surface brightness profile instead.
As gas sloshing induces gas motion, turbulent pressure can be another candidate. In this case, assuming the turbulence to be isotropic, $\rho V_\mr{1d}^2 =\Delta p$ leads to the one-component turbulent strength of $V_\mr{1d}\sim400~\mr{km~s^{-1}}$, where the mass density $\rho=\mu m_p n_e$ with $m_p$ being the proton mass and $\mu=0.6$ being the mean particle weight.
The forming eddies themselves can also contribute to the pressure deficit because the central part of a vortex has lower pressure than its outer parts. This mechanism can have a significant impact especially in the early stage of the development of KHIs when the eddies remain coherent. It is difficult to distinguish these two mechanisms (turblence and eddy) from the current observation. Direct measurement of the emission line width with future calorimeter observations of this region using e.g. {\it XRISM} \citep{tashiro18} and {\it Athena} \citep{barcons15} would be thus interesting regarding the origin of this feature and also more generally the pressure component at work in the cores of galaxy clusters.
KH eddies collapse into smaller-scale eddies and ultimately dissipate into heat, and the gas will be turbulent during the dissipation. Therefore, it is interesting to estimate whether or not the turbulent heating can balance the radiative cooling at this radius, assuming that the current size of the structure and the current turbulent strength represent the driving scales of turbulence. According to \citet{zhuravleva14}, the turbulent heating rate $Q_\mr{turb}$ can be estimated using $Q_\mr{turb}=C_\mr{Q}\rho V_\mr{1d}^3/l$, where $C_Q\sim 5$ is a fiducial constant related to the Kolmogorov constant and may differ by a factor $\sim 2$, $V_\mr{1d}$ is the one-component velocity of the turbulence, and $l$ is the corresponding spatial scale. Using $l=30-40~\mr{kpc}$ and $V_\mr{1d}\sim400~\mr{km~s^{-1}}$, the heat input rate can be estimated at $Q_\mr{turb}\sim3\times10^{-26}~\mr{erg~cm^{-3}~s^{-1}}$.
On the other hand, the cooling rate of the gas $Q_\mr{cool} = \Lambda n_e n_i$ is estimated at $1-2\times10^{-27}\mr{erg~cm^{-3}~s^{-1}}$, where $\Lambda$ is the normalized cooling function calculated in \citet{sutherland93}, with the temperature of several keV and approximating the ICM as having a Solar metal abundance. Considering the uncertainties (e.g., geometry and the value of $C_Q$), we can only suggest that this cooling rate is comparable to $\lesssim Q_\mr{turb}$, meaning that the turbulent heating is able to balance the radiative cooling.
The magnetic pressure support and the turbulent pressure support can coexist, and it is difficult to disentangle the two factors. However, it is worth pointing out that our estimated value of $Q_\mr{turb}\sim3\times10^{-26}~\mr{erg~cm^{-3}~s^{-1}}$ agrees within an order of magnitude with the previous estimation of $Q_\mr{turb}\sim10^{-26}~\mr{erg~cm^{-3}~s^{-1}}$ \citep{zhuravleva14}, although these two calculations are performed on the same target but in a completely different way: the previous estimation by \citet{zhuravleva14} has been done using the surface brightness fluctuations in a statistical manner, while we estimate it thermodynamically from a single distinct substructure. This may indicate the importance of turbulent heating regarding the cooling problem of cluster cores.
The result indicates that the turbulence triggered by sloshing-induced KHIs may have nonnegligible contributions to the ICM turbulence, which has not been considered extensively based on the observational perspective. It is possible that the gravitational energy injected by minor mergers supports the heat input into the ICM because gas sloshing is easily triggered by minor mergers that are constantly happening during the growth of galaxy clusters. We though note that there is no way to regulate heat input from minor mergers to exactly balance cooling, and thus it cannot be the only mechanism.
Recently, \citet{hitomi16} and \citet{hitomiv} have measured the line-of-sight (LOS) velocity dispersion of the gas in the core of the Perseus cluster at $\sim100-200\mr{km~s^{-1}}$. Our estimated turbulent strength is higher than this value. However, there are many uncertainties regarding the comparison; firstly, the region that we used for the turbulent estimation is not covered by the {\it Hitomi} observations. Also, the turbulent scales that the two observations probed may be different from each other. Secondly, our estimated value is based on the assumption of isotropy, which is probably not correct because KHIs occur along a shear flow, which has a certain direction (in the plane of the sky and not in the LOS in our case). Thirdly, how each turbulent component that originates from each turbulent driver (e.g. AGN or sloshing) contributes to the total turbulence may be different between the two observations.
\subsubsection{Convergent flows}
Although the azimuthal average of the temperature and the entropy profiles (see Figure~\ref{img:perseus_prof_eastcf}) increase monotonically toward the larger radii, the profiles along the double edge considered here do not seem to follow them. Instead, the temperature and the entropy profiles seem flat beyond the second break. At the same time, they may also indicate a signature of flattening between the first and the second break (1.4--1.6~arcmin).
These profiles indicate the existence of convergent gas flows at the second break, where the hot and high-entropy gas is moving inward from the outside and the cold and low-entropy gas is moving outward from the inside. Such convergent gas flows around sloshing cold fronts have been observationally suggested \citep[][]{werner15} and also actually indicated in the numerical simulations \citep[e.g.][]{ascasibar06,roediger11}. The reason of the flattening of the thermodynamic profiles inside the second break being not as clear as those outside the second break may be the complex gas flow due to the developing KH eddies. The pressure enhancement above the second break may also be related to the compression due to convergent flows.
\subsubsection{Weak shock}
Inside the first break around 1.2~arcmin, a pressure break is seen. It is also seen independently in temperature, density and entropy profiles. The higher-temperature side has the higher density, which indicates that this is a weak shock front. It is possible that this feature is related to the sloshing cold front in some way, but it is more likely that it is related to the inner ripple-like structures.
\subsection{Brightness dip}
As shown in the optical image in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual_zoom}, we do not see any corresponding optical structures around the brightness dip region, suggesting the brightness dip is purely an ICM substructure, i.e., not a structure generated by stars or galaxies, but simply due to the distribution of the diffuse gas. The temperatures of the three regions agree with each other (see Table~\ref{tbl:perseus_prof_dip_1t}), which indicates that the brightness dip region is unlikely to be associated with a temperature structure such as shock-heated or adiabatically compressed gas.
The brightness dip is apparently dark, and the fitting results suggest that the normalization at the dip is lower than the surroundings. Therefore, we suggest that the brightness dip is most probably a region where the gas, whose properties are similar to the surroundings, is simply depleted in terms of the line-of-sight volume or the density.
\subsubsection{Magnetic field strength}
Based on the gas depletion scenario, here we investigate the microphysical properties of the ICM. As shown in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual}, the feather-like structures exist just beneath the western cold front. We point out the similarity of these structures to the recent numerical simulations of the gas sloshing of magnetized plasma \citep[e.g.][]{zuhone11,zuhone15,werner15}. The simulations suggest that when a tangential flow due to the sloshing motion exists and the plasma is magnetized, the magnetic fields therein are stretched and amplified along the flow direction even if the magnetic fields were initially tangled. The stretched magnetic fields push out the gas around them with the amplified magnetic pressure, resulting in a fluctuation of the surface brightness which represents the alignment of the magnetic fields inside the projected volume of the ICM.
Assuming that the ICM is uniform in each region and has a line-of-sight depth of $L$, the deficit of the area-normalized \verb+apec+ normalization of $\sim$0.4$\times$10$^{-6}$ shown in Table~\ref{tbl:perseus_prof_dip_1t} is translated to the deficit of the electron density of $\Delta n_e\sim$0.002~cm$^{-3}(L/42~\mr{kpc})^{-1/2}$, where 42~kpc is the distance of the brightness dip from the cluster centre ($\sim$2~arcmin). Given the temperature uniformity, the physical density deficit directly indicates the deficit of the electron pressure $\Delta p_e \sim 0.01~\mr{keV~cm}^{-3}(L/42~\mr{kpc})^{-1/2}(kT/3.9~\mr{keV})$, where $kT$ is the gas temperature, which should be supported by some other pressure component(s) different from thermal pressure.
Considering the apparent similarity between the Perseus cluster (e.g. Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual}) and the numerical simulation result by \citet{werner15} as well as other results of magnetized gas sloshing simulations in the literature \citep[e.g.][]{zuhone11,zuhone13}, the most natural physical mechanism operating to support the gas pressure is magnetic pressure. The $\Delta p = B^2/8\pi$ relation immediately yields the magnetic field strength $B \sim30~\mu\mr{G}(L/42~\mr{kpc})^{-1/4}(kT/3.9~\mr{keV})^{1/2}$.
The estimated magnetic field strength of $\sim30~\mu\mr{G}$ seems rather high, considering that the ambient magnetic field in the ICM has been estimated at around several $\mu\mr{G}$ \citep{carilli02,bonafede10,bonafede13}. However, there have been simulations which suggest that the ambient magnetic field can be amplified by some factors from several $\mu\mr{G}$, especially in the clusters which show dynamical activity such as gas sloshing \citep[e.g.][]{zuhone11,zuhone13,zuhone15}. Actually this value is measured only for the dip and not representative of average magnetic field strength in bulk of ICM, and given that the Perseus cluster indeed shows many signs of dynamical activity we think this estimation is not implausible. Note that even for the ambient values, there have been observations which indicate ambient ICM magnetic field strengths of $\lesssim40\mu\mr{G}$ \citep[e.g.][]{taylor93,allen01,carilli02}. Also, there have been observations which indicate magnetic field strengths of $20-70\mu\mr{G}$ \citep[e.g.][]{taylor07,fabian08,werner13a} in H$\alpha$ filaments.
\subsubsection{Other candidates for the pressure support}
The above scenario where the brightness dip is attributed to the magnetic fields amplified due to the gas motion is consistent with previous studies and simulations. However, other sources of pressure, such as non-thermal pressure support by relativistic particles or turbulent pressure support by gas motions, may also play a role. Importantly, we cannot reject some of these other scenarios, at least with the current observations.
Current radio data \citep[70--600~MHz, compiled in ][]{gendron-marsolais17} do not show any clear distinct feature at this location. However, one viable alternative scenario is that the brightness dip is a ghost bubble which represents a past activity of the central active galaxy, similarly to the other brightness cavities shown in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual}. Since such ghost cavities simply push out the gas, the resulting thermodynamic structure should be similar to the case of magnetic field amplification. However, given its relatively small size compared to the other bubbles, we do not think this is the case, because if the gas depletion were due to the ghost cavity, it would have had time to expand to the size similar to the other cavities, during its buoyant uplift.
Turbulence is another candidate, but it seems unlikely that turbulence is localized to within such a small and clearly confined region. We can in principle test this scenario by measuring the width of the emission lines using high-resolution spectroscopy.
\section{Conclusions}
In this paper, we studied substructures associated with the sloshing cold front in the core of the Perseus cluster using $\sim$1~Msec archival {\it Chandra} ACIS-S data. The main results of our work are summarized below.
\begin{enumerate}
\item We find that the west half of the cold front seems relatively smooth, while the east half of the front exhibits a more complex, double-layered structure. We point out the similarity between this cold front and recent low-viscosity numerical simulations of KHIs in the context of gas sloshing.
\item We find that the surface brightness profile across the double-layered front has two brightness edges, which is predicted by numerical simulations of KHIs along the sloshing cold front. We measure the thickness of the layer to be $8.8\pm0.4~\mr{kpc}$ and the azimuthal extension of the layer to be 30--40~kpc, whose ratio is also consistent with the prediction from the numerical simulation.
\item We find that the thermodynamic structure across the double-layered front is consistent with it being a developing KHI layer along the sloshing cold front.
\item We find a pressure deficit in the thermodynamic profile at the corresponding radii of the KHI layer candidate. Assuming the line-of-sight geometry, we estimated that the pressure deficit is of the order of $10^{-2}~\mr{keV~cm^{-3}}$.
\item If the pressure is fully supported by turbulent pressure, the turbulent strength is estimated at $V_{1\mr{d}}\sim400~\mr{km~s^{-1}}$, which is within an order of magnitude of previous estimations using other complementary methods. Assuming that the current size of the structure and the current turbulent strength represent the driving scale of the turbulence, we estimated the turbulent heating rate at $Q_\mr{turb}\sim3\times10^{-26}~\mr{erg~cm^{-3}~s^{-1}}$, which can balance the radiative cooling at this radius. It indicates the importance of turbulent heating regarding the cluster cooling problem, and at the same time that the turbulence triggered by sloshing-induced KHIs may have nonnegligible contribution to the ICM turbulence.
\item We find feather-like structures underneath the west half of the front, which are similar to the structures that emerge in the recent numerical simulations of the gas sloshing of magnetized plasma.
\item The thermodynamic properties of the brightness dip, the clearest of the feather-like structures, are consistent with it being the projected gas depletion layer induced by the amplified magnetic field.
\item Based on this scenario, we estimated the amplified magnetic field strength at $B\sim$30~$\mu\mr{G}$.
\end{enumerate}
\section*{Acknowledgements}
YI is supported by Rikkyo University Special Fund for Research (SFR). AS gratefully acknowledges support by the Women In Science Excel (WISE) programme of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), and is thankful to the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe for their continued hospitality. NW is supported by the Lend{\"u}let LP2016-11 grant awarded by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. ACF acknowledges support from ERC Advanced Grant 340442.
| $\pm$0.002 \\
F2 & 3.89$\pm$0.05 & 0.88$\pm$0.04 & 3.15$\pm$0.04 & 0.151$\pm$0.004 \\
F3 & 3.96$\pm$0.03 & 0.86$\pm$0.02 & 3.53$\pm$0.03 & 0.149$\pm$0.002 \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\label{tbl:perseus_prof_dip_1t}
\end{table*}
For each region, we extracted spectra and fitted the data with an absorbed single-temperature thermal plasma model; \verb+phabs(apec)+. We modeled each region independently allowing all the parameters to vary except for the redshift. The resulting parameters are shown in Table~\ref{tbl:perseus_prof_dip_1t}. Although the normalization shows a clear deficit with respect to the surroundings in the brightness dip region (region~F2), we do not see significant deviations of the other quantities. Note that we also tried to model these regions using two temperature model, but the parameters were not well constrained.
\section{Discussion}
\subsection{Double-layered structure}\label{sec:perseus_eastcf}
As shown in Section~\ref{sec:perseus_result_eastcf}, the projected double-broken power law model represents the surface brightness profile around the eastern part of the cold front (Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual_eastcf}) better than the single-broken power law model does. Although the best-fitting parameters other than the break radii are uncertain because the assumption of the spherical symmetry in the projection is probably inaccurate, at least qualitatively the underlying density profile must then also host a double-layered structure similar to the surface brightness profile or the images.
\subsubsection{Kelvin-Helmholtz instability}
Generally, at a shock front, when the density shows a jump, the temperature, pressure and entropy also show a jump, because a shock front propagating through the ICM heats and compresses the gas behind it. In contrast, since cold fronts are merely the interface between a cold gas parcel and hot ambient medium, when the density exhibits a drop, the temperature and entropy exhibit a jump, resulting in an almost continuous pressure profile across the front.
As shown in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_prof_eastcf}, both at the first and the second breaks, the density decreases but the temperature and entropy increase, which indicates that neither feature is a shock front. Especially, despite the jumps of temperature and entropy, the pressure is almost continuous at the first break, suggesting that this represents a (mild) cold front. At the second break, on the other hand, the change of slopes (rapid increase to flat) of the temperature and entropy profiles is associated also with a jump in the pressure, suggesting this structure is not a cold front in the classical sense.
\begin{figure}
\centering
\includegraphics[width=2.5in]{figures/khi_schematic.pdf}
\hspace{5mm}
\caption[]{Schematic illustration of the double-layered structure due to the developing KHIs on top of the sloshing cold front. The region numbers correspond to the ones in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual_eastcf} right. Note that the outwards motion of the cold front is not represented in this simplified cartoon.}
\label{img:perseus_khi_schem}
\end{figure}
Such a situation can be realized when Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities (KHIs) are developing on top of the cold front: the first break was originally a cold front due to the sloshing motion of the gas induced by a previous merger event, which currently manifests itself with the spiral-shaped morphology. Due to the shearing motion of the gas, KHIs have been set off and are currently developing, and the second break represents the envelope of current maximum heights of the KH eddies. Since the KHIs mix the gas inside the front into the ambient gas, the contrast of the initial cold front is being weakened, and the thermodynamic properties inside and outside the first break are not strongly discontinuous. Since KHI eddies are not as coherent as the cold front, we would not detect a clear jump of temperature or entropy at the second break but would observe continuous changes of thermodynamic profiles, which is what our results actually show. A simplified cartoon of this situation is schematically drawn in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_khi_schem}. It should be noted that the sloshing cold front is itself a wave phenomenon that propagates outwards in the stratified atmosphere, therefore the fluid structure at the interface is in fact different than the shear interface realised in simple, two-dimensional parallel-flow setups. 3D numerical simulations of gas sloshing demonstrate that KHI with properties very similar to our observations develop even in the conditions of this more complex flow pattern \citep{roediger13b}.
In order to test this scenario, we examined the multi-temperature properties of the corresponding regions. We combined the sectors below the inner break, between the two breaks, and above the outer break (regions~L1, L2 and L3, respectively). These regions are shown in Figure~\ref{img:perseus_unsharp_residual_eastcf}. We extracted spectra using these regions and fitted them using single-temperature (1T; \verb|phabs(apec)|) and two-temperature (2T; \verb|phabs(apec+apec)|) models. Note that three-temperature modeling does not improve the fit. In addition to the independent fitting, we also model the spectra in all the regions simultaneously, with the two temperatures, Fe abundance and $n_H$ tied together.
\begin{table*}
\centering
\caption{Summary of the two-temperature fitting results for the double-layered structure. $(a)$ APEC normalization; $\epsilon = 10^{-14}\int n_e n_H dV/4\pi[D_A(1+z)^2]$ where $D_A$ is the angular diameter distance to the source (cm), $n_e$ and $n_H$ are the electron and hydrogen ion densities (cm$^{-3}$)}
\begin{tabular}{c|cccc}
\hline\hline
Fitting condition & $kT_1$ (keV) & $\epsilon_1$ $(10^{-3})^\mr{a}$ & $kT_2$ (keV) & $\epsilon_2$ $(10^{-3})^\mr{a}$\\
\hline
1T, region~L1 & $4.53\pm0.04$ & $1.36\pm0.01$ & -- & -- \\
1T, region~L2 & $5.21\pm0.04$ & $1.50\pm0.01$ & -- & -- \\
1T, region~L3 & $6.75\pm0.05$ & $2.57\pm0.01$ & -- & -- \\
2T, region~L1 & $6.36_{-0.42}^{+0.52}$ & $0.92\pm0.10$ & $2.62_{-0.20}^{+0.17}$ & $0.47\pm0.10$ \\
2T, region~L2 & $9.03_{-1.18}^{+0.98}$ & $0.80_{-0.32}^{+0.17}$ & $3.40_{-0.32} | 1,716 |
Kenny Vance emerged from a little known group, the Harbor Lites, who recorded four sides for the Jaro and Mala labels. Through their manager, Jim Gribble, Kenny and fellow Harbor Lite Sandy Yaguda met John Traynor along with Howie Kane, and the group Jay & the Americans was formed around 1959/early 1960. They signed with Leiber & Stoller and<|fim_middle|> your car and home, you won't want the music to end. Sometimes he has told me "I just don't get it", but his fans do.
Come meet Kenny Vance and the Planotones and take a vocal ride through the atmosphere where some of Kenny's notes are still floating. | for the next 11 years recorded numerous 45s and 15 albums for the United Artists label (with Jay Black replacing J Traynor after the song She Cried).
Kenny would eventually go into producing (Steely Dan) and recording the soundtracks for many movies, including American Hot Wax, Eddie & the Cruisers 1 & 2, Hairspray, Animal House and recently Looking For An Echo. He is also responsible for jump-starting the careers of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker (Steely Dan).
It was in 1975 when Kenny first recorded Looking For An Echo. This song today, much like Gloria and My Juanita, is recorded by every a cappella group everywhere.
In 1992 Kenny formed the Planotones, a group first heard in the movie American Hot Wax.
Kenny has brought his unique style and interpretation of favourite songs that we remember from the late 50s to early 60s to disc, time and time again. His ability to hit the high notes and his easy-going personality has made him a favourite among all the oldie fans across the United States. He has already left his indelible mark on the modern pop music scene.
Here is a chance for the British collector and the rest of the overseas collectors market to be introduced to this fine talent. When you bring Kenny Vance into | 284 |
The Dead Zone: Glossary
Introduction | Mapping/Graphing Activities | Data Files | Other Activities | Glossary | Websites
Algae – a group of marine or freshwater aquatic plants, many are microscopic. Examples of algae are phytoplankton, green and brown algae or "pond scum" and marine seaweeds.
Algal bloom – an explosive increase in the population of phytoplankton. Algal blooms are often associated with excess nutrients (eutrophic) conditions and can be composed of noxious algae species.
Anoxia – the absence of dissolved oxygen; 0 mg/L DO.
Anthropogenic – conditions generated by human activities.
Bacteria – single-cell organisms that use oxygen to decompose wastes and dead organisms.
Benthos – organisms living on the bottom of aquatic and marine ecosystems.
Continental shelf – the "shallow" part of seas near the continents where the bottom gradually slopes from shore to a depth of about 200 m.
Cross section – a diagram or drawing that shows features of a vertical section of something such as the earth or a water column.
Dead zone – hypoxic area of the Gulf of Mexico where limited life can survive.
Decomposition – the breakdown of organic matter by bacteria and other organisms. Decomposition of large amounts of organic matter depletes dissolved oxygen concentrations in the water column.
Density – mass per unit volume. In the Gulf, determined by temperature and salinity.
Diatom – a major phytoplankton group characterized by cells enclosed in a thin silicon shell.
Dissolved oxygen – DO is the concentration of oxygen dissolved in water, measured in milligrams per liter (mg/L).
Estuarine – of or pertaining to estuaries.
Estuary – a coastal area where saltwater from the ocean mixes with freshwater from rivers, rainfall and upland runoff.
Eutrophication – an increase in the organic production of an ecosystem, usually associated with very high rates of nutrient supply.
Fertilizer – plant nutrients added to the soil as commercial fertilizers, animal manure and other chemicals.
Flux – movement of water or material from one place to another.
Halocline – the zone in the ocean where salinity increases rapidly as depth increases.
Hydrologic – pertaining to the properties, distribution and flow of water.
Hypoxia – very low concentrations of dissolved oxygen, generally < 2mg/L.
Impoundment – a reservoir where water is held behind a control structure.
Jubilee – the crowding of fish, shrimp and crabs onto a beach<|fim_middle|> A transect contains two or more stations.
Water column – a term applied to the vertical section of water from the surface to the bottom.
Watershed – the land area that is drained by a river, estuary or tributary; a drainage basin.
Wetland – land that is saturated with water all or part of the year. Wetlands support plants and animals that are adapted to living in a wet and sometimes salty environment. Bogs, marshes and swamps are examples of wetlands. | from deeper hypoxic waters pushed onshore because of wind shifts. A jubilee is sometimes followed by a fish kill if the oxygen level is severely low, prolonged or located so that no escape is possible for the organisms.
Life cycle – the behavioral and biological details of the cycle of a species as it goes from birth to maturity, reproduction and death.
Marine – relating to the sea.
Nitrate – water soluble inorganic Nitrogen of the form NO3 .
Nitrogen – chemical element and nutrient needed for plant growth.
Nonpoint pollution – a source of chemical and/or nutrient inputs that is not from a single discharge. Agricultural runoff, urban runoff and atmospheric deposits are examples of nonpoint pollution.
Noxious algae – a form of algae that grow under specific conditions and become a nuisance, including types that pose a toxic risk to humans or marine animals.
Nutrient over-enrichment – condition where too many nutrients collect.
Nutrients – chemical elements, containing Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Silica (Si), that are required for the growth of phytoplankton and other plants and animals.
Phosphate – water-soluble inorganic compound in the form of PO4.
Phosphorus – chemical element and nutrient needed for plant growth.
Phytoplankton – free-floating microscopic plants such as algae that are the foundation of the marine food chain.
Planktivorous – animals that feed on plankton.
Plankton – microscopic plants and animals that drift in water.
Point source pollution – pollution that is from a single source such as an outfall.
Primary productivity – the conversion of light energy and carbon dioxide into living organic material by phytoplankton and other plants.
Profile – vertical section of the water column from the surface to bottom showing specific data such as measures of temperature, salinity, density, dissolved oxygen, nutrients and other characteristics.
Pycnocline – the region of the water column characterized by the strongest change in density with depth. Temperature falls and salinity increases in this zone.
Respiration – the consumption of oxygen during energy use by cells and organisms.
Riparian – of, on or pertaining to the bank of a river or pond
River plume – the area where river water mixes with sea water at or near the mouth of the river.
Runoff – rain water that flows over land and enters streams rather than soaking into the soil.
Salinity – concentration of salts dissolved in water, expressed in parts per thousand (ppt).
Sediment – weathered rock that is transported and deposited by air, water or ice and forms layers on the Earth's surface.
Silica – a white or colorless chemical compound and nutrient used by diatoms to form outer shell.
Station – a specific location along a transect line, often identified using latitude and longitude coordinates, where samples are taken.
Stratification – the separation of water masses into layers. Stratification keeps layers of water from mixing together and hinders the transport of dissolved gases and chemicals from one layer to another.
Surface water – water occurring on the surface of land, such as streams, rivers, ponds, lakes and oceans.
Thermocline – the zone of the ocean in which temperature decreases rapidly with depth.
Transect – a sampling line that crosses a research area and delineates the area to be sampled. | 675 |
The Messier Objects - Images by James McGaha and Tim Hunter:
Latest | Earth | Solar System | Star Cluster | Nebulae | Galaxies | Messier | Egypt's Night Sky | CFHT | Personal
I would like to thank James McGaha for capturing these images as well as Tim Hunter for his hard work in capturing, processing and compiling these wonderful Messier Objects. More information about Tim Hunter and James McGaha can be found at their website, the Grasslands Observatory.
These Messier images were captured using a 24 inch reflecting telescope with a Finger Lakes Dream Machine CCD camera.
In 1758, a comet hunter and skilled observer by the name of Charles Messier began to compile a list of nebulous looking objects. His chosen specialty was a comet hunter, and the list was designed to serve as a guide to compare know objects to potential comets. When far from the Sun, comets can also look like fuzzy objects, but will move slightly during the course of a few days. Messier's goal was not to study these fuzzy objects on Messier's list, but Astronomers today still<|fim_middle|> cluster in the constellation Perseus. M35 - an open cluster in the constellation Gemini.
M36 - an open cluster in the constellation Auriga. M37 - an open cluster in the constellation Auriga. M38 - an open cluster in the constellation Auriga. M39 - an open cluster in the constellation Cygnus. M40 - "Winnecke 4" a double-star (left of center) in the constellation Ursa Major.
M41 - "Little Beehive" an open cluster in the constellation Canis Major. M42 - "The Great Orion Nebula" an emission nebula and open cluster in the constellation Orion. M43 - an emission nebula in the constellation Orion (Top). M44 - "Praesepe" or "Beehive Cluster" an open cluster in the constellation Cancer. M45 - The star Alcyone, member of the Pleiades Cluster ("Seven Sisters") in the constellation Taurus.
M46 - an open cluster in the constellation Puppis. The planetary nebula is NGC 2438. M47 - an open cluster in the constellation Puppis. M48 - an open cluster in the constellation Hydra. M49 - an elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo. M50 - an open cluster in the constellation Monoceros.
M51 - "Whirlpool Galaxy" a spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. M52 - "The Scorpion" an open cluster in the constellation Cassiopeia. M53 - a globular cluster in the constellation Coma Berenices. M54 - a globular cluster in the constellation Sagittarius. M55 - a globular cluster in the constellation Sagittarius.
M56 - a globular cluster in the constellation Lyra. M57 - "Ring Nebula" a planetary nebula in the constellation Lyra. M58 - a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo. M59 - an elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo. M60 - an elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo.
M61 - "Swelling Spiral" a spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo. M62 - "Flickering Globular" a globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. M63 - "Sunflower Galaxy a spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. M64 - "Black Eye Galaxy" a spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices. M65 (on the right) - a spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo.
M66 (on the left) - a spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo. M67 - "King Cobra" an open cluster in the constellation Cancer. M68 - a globular cluster in the constellation Hydra. M69 - a globular cluster in the constellation Sagittarius. M70 - a globular cluster in the constellation Sagittarius.
M71 - a globular cluster in the constellation Sagitta. M72 - a globular cluster in the constellation Aquarius. M73 - an asterism in the constellation Aquarius. M74 - "The Phantom" in the constellation Pisces. M75 - a globular cluster in the constellation Sagittarius.
M76 - "Little Dumbbell Nebula" a planetary nebula in the constellation Perseus. M77 - a spiral galaxy in the constellation Cetus. M78 - a diffuse nebula in the constellation Orion. M79 - a globular cluster in the constellation Lepus. M80 - a globular cluster in the constellation Scorpius.
M81 -a spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major. M82 - an irregular galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major. M83 - a spiral galaxy in the constellation Hydra. M84 - an elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo. M85 - a lenticular galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices.
M86 - an elliptical/spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo. M87 - and elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo. M88 - a spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices. M89 - an elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo. M90 - a spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo.
M91 - "Missing Messier Object" a spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices. M92 - a globular cluster in the constellation Hercules. M93 - an open cluster in the constellation Puppis. M94 - "Croc's Eye Galaxy" a spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. M95 - a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo.
M96 - a spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo. M97 - "Owl Nebula" a planetary nebula in the constellation Ursa Major. M98 - a spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices. M99 - a spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices. M100 - "The Mirror of M99" a spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices.
M101 - a spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major. M102 - the missing M object? A lenticular galaxy in the constellation Draco, some still believe it is also M101 (a duplicate entry). M103 - an open cluster in the constellation Cassiopeia. M104 - "Sombrero Galaxy" a spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo. M105 - an elliptical galaxy (right of center) in the constellation Leo.
M106 - a spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. M107 - a globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. M108 - a spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major. M109 - a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major. M110 - an elliptical galaxy in the constellation Andromeda (a companion to M31).
M68 Revisited - a globular cluster in the constellation Hydra. Image is in standard color. M68 Revisited - a globular cluster in the constellation Hydra. Image is in Infrared. | refer to the Messier Objects as some of the more prominent deep space objects. There are 110 of these objects, and they have since been absorbed into a newer catalog - called the New General Catalog (or NGC), however observational purists still refer to the "M" in Messier when viewing these objects through a telescope.
The Messier Object catalog is not specific to one type of object but has a variety of galaxies, star clusters and nebulae. All of these objects are viewable by either large binoculars or modest sized telescope (at least a 4 inch - 10 cm telescope).
Because there are 110 of these objects, I have split them up into a few pages. Please be patient while the images load...
Click for: M1 to M24 | M25 to M51 | M52 to M75 | M76 to M96 | M97 to M110 | The Complete List
I have also compiled a table of Messier Objects to other catalog listing.
Here are the Messier Objects - all 110 of them:
M1 - "The Crab Nebula" a supernova remnant in the constellation Taurus. M2 - A globular cluster in the constellation Aquarius. M3 - A globular cluster in the constellation Canes Venatici. M4 - "Cat's Eye" a globular cluster in the constellation Scorpius. M5 - a globular cluster in the constellation Serpens.
M6 - "Butterfly Cluster" an open cluster in the constellation Scorpius. M7 - an open cluster in the constellation Scorpius. M8 - "Lagoon Nebula" a diffuse nebula and open cluster in the constellation Sagittarius. M9 - a globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. M10 - a globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus.
M11 - "Wild Duck Cluster" an open cluster in the constellation Scutum. M12 - "Gumball Cluster" a globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. M13 - "Great Hercules Cluster" a globular cluster in the constellation Hercules. M14 - a globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. M15 - "Great Pegasus Cluster" a globular cluster in the constellation Pegasus.
M16 - "Eagle Nebula" an open cluster and emission nebula in the constellation Serpens. M17 - "Swan Nebula" or "Omega Nebula" an open cluster and emission nebula in the constellation Sagittarius. M18 - "Black Swan" an open cluster in the constellation Sagittarius. M19 - a globular cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. M20 - "Trifid Nebula" a nebula and open cluster in the constellation Sagittarius.
M21 - an open cluster in the constellation Sagittarius. M22 - "Great Sagittarius Cluster" a globular cluster in the constellation Sagittarius. M23 - an open cluster in the constellation Sagittarius. M24 - "Small Sagittarius Star Cloud" a star cloud and open cluster in the constellation Sagittarius. M25 - an open cluster in the constellation Sagittarius.
M26 - an open cluster in the constellation Scutum. M27 - "Dumbbell Nebula" a planetary nebula in the constellation Vulpecula. M28 - a globular cluster in the constellation Sagittarius. M29 - an open cluster in the constellation Cygnus. M30 - a globular cluster in the constellation Sagittarius.
M31 - "Andromeda Galaxy" a spiral galaxy in the constellation Andromeda. M32 - a dwarf elliptical galaxy in the constellation Andromeda (a companion to M31). M33 - "Triangulum Galaxy" or "Pinwheel Galaxy" a spiral galaxy in the constellation Triangulum. M34 - an open | 852 |
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This is a section to place an excerpt. You have 140 characters that you can use. You can link this area to any internal or external page.
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Test Headline Three. The headline can<|fim_middle|> Baked Ziti, veggie, potat...
Updates at the BullRing, Perry NY
Perry NY, so many of us are looking forward to spring and back to Super Short Track Racing… In fact, New Smyrna, during speed weeks was some of the best crowds I've seen in years. Even NASCAR is repo...
Working Toward a Big Year…
Perry, NY (February 1, 2022): Happy New Year race fans! 2022 has already been full of awesome excitement leading up to the upcoming season at 'The Bullring'. With an abundance of new programs and...
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Jim Pierce Sr was one of the nicest people you could ever meet...
Jim Pierce Sr was one of the nicest people you could ever meet. He would always have a smile on his face even during some of the hardest times, he would bring light to the situation and figure out how to overcome them. He was a very hardworking individual, with not many...more
ATTENTION RACE FANS
Perry Ny the Labor Day event will be merged with the 'ShootOut' One big event for the year end…. racecars…camping…excitement… and good food! Scheduled for Friday October 14th and Saturday October 15th HIGHLIGHTING Speed 77, Jim Pierce memorial- 126 laps $2,226 to win, SST...more
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Jim Pierce Sr was one of the nicest people you could ever meet. He would always have a smile on his face even during some of the hardest times, he would bring light to the situation and figure out ho...
Perry Ny the Labor Day event will be merged with the 'ShootOut' One big event for the year end…. racecars…camping…excitement… and good food! Scheduled for Friday October 14th and Saturday October 15t...
Track improvements are looking great at the BullRing
Perry NY, Stock Car racing Entertainment has been stressed out through the past several seasons, but the physical improvements underway during the slowdown will certainly be beneficial in the BIG pic...
Let's go racing
Paving is on its way to begin here shortly, which means Speed 77 opening day is just around the corner and set for June 25th. We'll be opening our gates early at 3pm instead of 4pm for registration....
Paving at the BullRing will improve competition
Perry NY, The 50-year-old asphalt is getting a face lift in the corners… removing much of the quilted patch work, and creating a smooth, fast racing surface. Scheduled for the end of May, Chris Finoc...
2021 BullRing Awards and Information Meeting
Perry NY, Back to the Club at SILVER LAKE… Saturday, April 9th 2022. The festivities begin at 5pm with dinner at 6. The full meal of Carved Roast beef, Herb Roasted Chicken, | 565 |
Full Moon in Capricorn | June 2018 | Feeling On Purpose
{A Full Moon happens every month. This is the part of the cycle when the Moon is in opposition with the Sun. It's a great time for us to see what we need to release or let go of, reap what we've sown (literally or metaphorically) and tune into what is really being revealed to us since this is the brightest time of the month. It's like clicking zoom in on your screen. The images and fonts become larger and<|fim_middle|> concrete.
The signs can be most obvious in earthy forms, and currency, like cash or coins. I'd recommend really tuning into your body for signs, too, as we are recalibrating our vibrations & could experience heightened senses with Uranus in Taurus. Trust your instincts.
I hope you'll share your signs with me over on Instagram! I've been doing this for a long time, but I'm always blown away by the unique ways Spirit connects with us!
Get access to exclusive content when you join me in The Sun Room #OnPatreon
The Universe, The World, Tarot, Thoth Tarot, Astrology, Capricorn, Full Moon, Uranus, The Fool, Major Arcana | enhanced. This is the opportunity we get every month to do that in our own lives.}
The Moon gets seriously illuminated in the sign of Capricorn, for the Full Moon on June 28th, 2018. Here I'll share my take on the energies of this Full Moon, including my intuitive insight for what's going on in the cosmos (astrological influence) and wisdom from the Major Arcana Tarot Card aligned with this zodiac sign, so you can leverage this collective energy and move thru this phase with greater confidence, prepared and aligned with the vibes!
Since the last New Moon in Gemini we've all been connecting the dots in some way in our lives, making more sense of things, and hopefully listening to our own shadows to bring more of our True selves into the light... It feels like this Full Moon in Capricorn could help us erect some healthier personal boundaries &/or bring together something we feel we've earned. A feeling like the time has come and now we get to feel on purpose.
We may even get a glimpse of how strategically the Universe (or whatever higher power you believe in) has set things up for us. Through connections with the people, opportunities or challenges, that have played a special role in strengthening our inner authority and ultimately helping us to take greater responsibility for ourselves and our lives.
I feel like I've been saying it every single month, but the pressure has been ON since the beginning of 2018. IN-tense seems to be the over-arching vibe of the year.
The Moon is with (retrograde) Saturn in his natural zone of genius, Capricorn, while it's fully illuminated now. And the two of them form a nice aspect to Uranus in Taurus.
I feel this brings an element of making progress in a very real way.
I see the planet Saturn symbolized through The Universe card. (I use the Thoth deck. In other decks this card is known as The World.)
A general meaning that I turn to for this card is often a sense of being in your element, knowing what needs to be done and just how to do it. It is the culmination; a destiny point. Things are in their proper place and operating at maximum efficiency. Just like our Universe, solar system, world. We know the fundamental laws of nature, the building blocks of life, which give us a sense of certainty and security.
Is it any wonder that this is the 21st and final card in the Major Arcana? All of the wisdom is contained within it, and yet somehow there is always more to explore, as we spiral and evolve.
Uranus, on the other hand, I see as represented as The Fool. The ZERO in the Major Arcana. The beginning and also the end, the summit of the mountain.
Just like the effect we feel from the planet Uranus, The Fool leaps fearlessly into the unknown. It can be experienced as the peak experience; pure ecstasy and liberation. The quantum leap. The feeling we get when we have mastered something and have now reached the Next Level, where we begin again.
With the Fool (and Uranus) we can reach Higher Consciousness, but we also experience a jolt with that... suddenly we go from Master of the Universe to Total Amateur, when presented with a higher level of responsibility or a territory we've never explored before. (i.e. A promotion that elevates your status but results in more work or having to learn something new.)
With these two energies amplified by the Moon Goddess, you can experience a feeling of making real progress because you can move on in some way to a new level. It may be disguised, as a new responsibility may come in for you to handle. But, it feels like a definite shift in gears that leads to feeling like you're moving forward. It's not the same heavy grind, and there is more work to do. But take a moment to allow yourself to feel the progress you've made. Whether that progress is externally realized, or more of an inner knowing.
I have a feeling the progress is there when you are open to seeing it as such. For some this will come easily, for others it may require some effort to really feel the progress in the midst of more work that lies ahead or the fear that comes with an ending/new beginning.
What Is Success To You?
It's a good time to give yourself some credit, Capricorn-style. Acknowledge how far you've come, how much inner or outer work you've done. Take a moment to recognize where your inner and outer realities match (integrity).
Consider how you define success.
This Full Moon is a sort of halfway mark for the year and corresponds with the January 2018 New Moon as a culmination of that energy. So what did you begin in January? What goals did you set?
Allow space for self-compassion and forgiveness. Honor your adaptability through changes, if you've had a tough year like so many of us have.
It's important to define success for yourself and trust your inner authority. As the one and only expert on you & in your own life, you can get clear and focus on what matters, what's worth working for & building, and celebrate your successes along the way even when no one else gets it.
There's a real sense of feeling on purpose now.
Living a life you love, that has true meaning, is important. Now, I feel you'll get a chance to see where you've been measuring your success by someone's else's measuring stick.
Ultimately empowering, you may readjust your focus or direction. Let your heart be your guide and block out the noise if you must. You are here for a purpose.
Signs to Watch For
[The astrological vibes affect the mode of operation, if you will, for how we tend to receive our signs. It's like this -- if you know you'll be getting an answer via email, you'll check your inbox, right? So, here's how the messages may show up for you, so you know where to look. You'll understand the mode that Spirit may use to contact you or guide you.]
With a strong Capricorn vibe during this Full Moon phase, signs may be tough to ignore. The signs may appear as an actual road sign or lit up neon words on a building.
The street I live on has been under construction while they've repaved it for the last couple of weeks. I've had times when I couldn't leave my home because they were literally using a jackhammer at the end of my driveway. (So Saturnian and personally symbolic for me.) I'll take that as a sign that the road ahead will be smoother for me. ;-)
The signs could literally be in | 1,384 |
Louise Pomeroy Inches (1861–1933) was born in Troy, Pennsylvania, the youngest of three daughters of Horace and Emma Pomeroy. When she was twenty-two, she married Dr. Charles Inches of Boston, a Harvard-educated physician twenty years her senior, who become known for giving free medical aid to the poor. At the time she sat for her portrait, Louise Inches was a prominent society hostess well known for her beauty and the mother of two young sons. She was pregnant with her third child when she posed for Sargent, wearing a fashionably daring red evening gown that had been made with detachable panels to accommodate her pregnancies. (The garment, which still survives in a private collection, is an American copy of a design by the French couturier Worth.) Apparently the artist and sitter enjoyed each other's company; both were accomplished musicians and are said to have played piano duets together.
Sargent concentrated his attention on his sitter's face and elegantly attenuated neck, painting her dress and arms more quickly and sketchily. The three-quarter length format, blank background, and slightly turned pose suggest French eighteenth-century portraits, which Sargent—and many of his patrons—admired. This reference is enhanced by the original frame selected for this painting, a decorative eighteenth-century style gilt frame crowned by an elaborate three-dimensional ribbon. The aristocratic fashionability of Sargent's Boston portraits, including Mrs. Inches, was praised in the local press when they were first exhibited at the St. Botolph Club, in Sargent's first solo exhibition, early in 1888. The critic for the Boston Evening Traveller declared that this portrait was "one of the most brilliant pieces of coloring that has been painted since the days of Titian." Writer Susan Hale noted, however, that many onlookers were "furious at the want of justice done to their friends … between those who thought them too beautiful and those who thought them not beautiful enough, all just speculation of [Sargent's] method and execution was lost." Many viewers gossiped about their peer: "I think Mrs. Inches looks as if she would bring you the head of Holofernes for the asking," Fanny Lang wrote astringently to Isabella Stewart Gardner. Mrs. Inches often made the painting available for loan, although Sargent advised against asking for it again for a 1924 exhibition, as "[Mrs. Inches] rather makes a condition about my going to see if there is not something wrong about her nose—& I haven't time." Despite such criticisms, Sargent's image of Louise Inches projects both virtue and style. Her demure gaze and pose contrast with her brilliant crimson evening gown with its daring décolletage. In this way, she personifies the bold innocence that contemporary writers, including Sargent's friend Henry James,<|fim_middle|> January 26, 1924, Grand Central Art GalleriesArchive, quoted in Richard Ormond and Elaine Kilmurray, John Singer Sargent: The Early Portraits (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998), 202–3.
This text was adapted from Erica E. Hirshler's entry in John Singer Sargent, ed. Elaine Kilmurray and Richard Ormond, exh. cat. (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1998). | found peculiarly American.
1. Henry James, "John S. Sargent," Harper's New Monthly Magazine 75 (October 1887), 683–92.
2. Edward Boit, diary, roll 83, frame 1746, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
3. Boston Evening Traveller, February, 8, 1888.
4. Boston Sunday Globe, February 19, 1888.
5. Fanny Lang to Isabella Stewart Gardner, January 30, 1888, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Archives, Boston.
6. Sargent to Walter Clark, | 148 |
Just a few months ago I reported on a study that demonstrated a link between the amount of added sugars in a person's diet and their risk of death from heart disease (Bite, 02/19/14), even after taking Body Mass Index into account.
Eating higher amounts of added sugars has been associated with overweight and obesity, along with tooth decay, diabetes, and an overall poor diet. Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta<|fim_middle|> the list of ingredients, whether in the form of sucrose, simple sugar, or high fructose corn syrup? Best to think twice if it is. | noted this and wondered if poor cholesterol scores might also be associated with eating more added sugar (JAMA 2010; 303(15):1490-1497).
In association with the Centers for Disease Control, the scientists were able to make use of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the 1999-2006 period. Over 6,000 men and women were included in the study, all without diabetes and not being treated for high cholesterol.
Using a food questionnaire along with a trained interviewer, the researchers were able to estimate the amount of added sugars each participant typically consumed. Then the participants were grouped into five groups, based on the amount of added sugars they consumed: under 5% of calories from added sugar, 5% to less than 10%, 10% to less than 17.5%, 17.5% to less than 25%, and 25% or more of calories from added sugar.
These five groups were then compared to the subjects' cholesterol scores, including overall cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL (the good cholesterol) and LDL (the bad cholesterol).
The researchers found that those who ate the most of their calories in the form of added sugar tended to be younger, non-Hispanic black, and have a low income. They also tended to smoke more cigarettes, and over the course of the study they gained the most weight.
When compared to those who ate the least amount of calories from added sugar, those who ate the most tended to be 3 times more likely to have clinically low HDL levels, 30% more likely to have high triglycerides, and 20% more likely to have high LDL levels.
This study does not show causality. That is, there's no proof that eating more foods with added sugar actually causes poor cholesterol scores. That said, we do know that avoiding foods with added sugar does mean eating better quality calories. Read the labels on any processed foods in your pantry. Is sugar in | 434 |
Is newer better when it comes to cervical cancer screening programs?
Carly WeeksHealth Reporter
The Pap test has been the centre of cervical cancer screening programs in the developed world for decades. Now, another test that promises more accurate results and less frequent screening is vying to take its place.Getty Images/iStockphoto
The Pap test has been the centre of cervical cancer screening programs in the developed world for decades. Now, another test that promises more accurate results and less frequent screening is vying to take its place.
Unlike Pap tests, which look for abnormal cellular changes in the cervix that could pose a cancer risk, the newer test looks for the presence of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a common sexually transmitted infection that can lead to cervical cancer. If the virus is found, a woman can then undergo more comprehensive and sometimes invasive tests to see whether the virus poses a cancer threat.
Proponents say the new HPV test is more reliable, is less prone to human error and could make cervical screening simpler. Lobbying efforts are under way to persuade some provinces to publicly fund HPV testing as the primary cervical cancer screening tool.
But the head of the task force that wrote Canada's national cervical screening guidelines says this new test has not been adequately studied and that the push to embrace HPV testing is being fuelled by manufacturers of the test.
Is the new test the way of the future? Or an unnecessary threat to a well-functioning screening program that is being promoted by commercial interests?
The Canadian Cancer Society estimates that last year, 1,500 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer, while 380 died from the disease.
Until recently, regular Pap smears were a woman's best defence against cervical cancer. If doctors could spot abnormal cell changes early, they could intervene before they turned cancerous.
A sample of cells is taken from the cervix, put on a slide and examined under a microscope by a cytologist working in a laboratory. If abnormalities are detected, the woman is typically referred for follow-up testing, which could include a colposcopy, during which a doctor uses a magnifying tool to look more closely at the cervix, or a biopsy. This helps doctors determine<|fim_middle|> screening program agrees with the move to HPV testing. Cancer Care Ontario now recommends that HPV testing be used as the primary cervical cancer screening tool. Because there is no publicly funded HPV testing program in the province, the recommendations state that Pap tests should be used until such a program is created.
Dr. Linda Rabeneck, vice-president of prevention and cancer control at Cancer Care Ontario, said the recommendations reflect "the growing evidence to support HPV testing" and that the organization hopes that HPV testing will be funded.
"We have been working diligently to achieve that," she said.
But Dr. James Dickinson, head of a working group that created Canada's national cervical cancer screening guidelines, is not convinced.
While HPV testing has potential, more work needs to be done to determine how it works in women at different ages and how to properly implement the new test, said Dickinson, chair of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care's cervical cancer working group.
He said he also has concerns over the fact support for the move to HPV testing seems to originate from the company that makes one of the tests, as well as medical professionals who have been involved with the company.
For instance, Qiagen, one of the companies selling an HPV test in Canada, has hired health-care consultancy Santis Health to lobby some provinces to adopt the HPV test as the primary screening tool for cervical cancer. Last year, three Santis employees registered in British Columbia to lobby the Health Minister on the government's "future policy direction" on HPV testing. And a lobbyist registration record filed last December with Ontario's Office of the Integrity Commissioner states that HPV testing is unequivocally better than Pap testing and that provinces "have been very slow to shift to and publicly insure HPV screening for women."
The registration goes on to say that "leading clinicians and researchers" are "educating the government, the public and cancer agencies" about the need to move to primary HPV testing.
Franco is one of those experts. He has also served as a consultant to Qiagen and other companies involved in HPV diagnostics and is listed as an author of an industry-sponsored report touting the benefits of HPV testing.
Three other authors on that report also wrote Cancer Care Ontario's recommendations to adopt HPV testing, including Dr. Joan Murphy, clinical lead of the CCO's Ontario Cervical Screening Program. The report was published last December by Santis Health, the lobby firm that has represented Qiagen since 2014, and concludes that HPV testing should be the primary cervical cancer screening tool.
Dickinson said this is a potentially serious conflict of interest that highlights the need for caution. "There's a balance here," he said. "If people are going to be setting public policy, they've got to look at both sides."
Franco said in an interview that it is "ludicrous" to think Qiagen is influencing expert opinion on HPV testing. He said he does not have a close relationship with the company and that the report was written without any input from the company.
He argues that Dickinson has a conflict of interest and that there is resistance to moving away from Pap testing because it will cost many lab workers their jobs. He also rejects the idea that there is not enough evidence to support a shift to primary HPV testing.
Rabeneck said the three authors of the report are not CCO employees and that the organization does not constrain experts from working with commercial entities. She added that many countries are moving toward HPV testing and that it is clearly the way of the future.
Irma Alfaro-Beitz, vice-president of global health for Qiagen, said the company works with experts in the field because it wants to disseminate information about an important public-health initiative.
"To say we are just pushing because we are focused on sales is just not an accurate statement," she said. "It is unfortunate that people perceive that we are pushing this. I wouldn't see it as a push, I would see it as support."
Dickinson said a shift to HPV testing would probably have only a small benefit because it doesn't address the biggest challenge facing cervical screening in Canada, namely the fact that a large subset of women simply do not get tested. For instance, a 2012 study in the journal Canadian Family Physician found that women living in the lowest-income neighbourhoods in Ontario were half as likely to be screened as their peers in other areas.
"Doing a better test for those who are already getting Pap tests provides a marginal benefit," Dickinson said. "The big benefit would come from getting to those who currently are not getting tested at all or tested infrequently. That's where the big problem is."
As for what the future holds, Kathleen Decker, an epidemiologist with CancerCare Manitoba, said she believes that HPV testing will play a prominent role. But not until more research is done. "No province currently offers primary HPV testing because we're not quite there yet," she said.
Follow Carly Weeks on Twitter: @carlyweeksOpens in a new window
HPV vaccine reduces cervical abnormalities in young women: study
B.C. eyes options that may be more accurate, accessible than Pap tests
Ontario to offer HPV vaccine to boys this fall
Carly Weeks | whether the abnormality is likely to develop into cancer and, if so, take steps to remove those cells.
The arrival of the HPV vaccine about a decade ago – arguably one of the most important public-health breakthroughs in recent memory – gave women a major new weapon in cervical cancer prevention. The vaccine protects against several strains of HPV that commonly lead to cervical cancer.
While highly effective, the vaccine doesn't protect 100 per cent against cervical cancer, so screening programs will still be necessary even after all young women are vaccinated in the decades to come.
But as more women are vaccinated against HPV and the virus becomes much less common, it's going to be increasingly difficult to spot cellular abnormalities under a microscope, said Eduardo Franco, director of the division of cancer epidemiology at McGill University. That's because the cellular changes could be more subtle in women who have been vaccinated, or because lab workers will have a hard time spotting the one abnormal cell in a sea of normal ones, Franco said.
As a result, he said, it's time to look for other, more reliable methods of detecting the presence of HPV. Franco is a staunch supporter of the move to adopt HPV testing as a primary screening tool and wrote an article promoting its benefits on Healthy Debate, a website dedicated to a variety of health-care topics. Unlike Pap tests, which are prone to human error and misinterpretation, HPV testing is much more accurate because it relies on a machine to detect the presence of the virus, he said.
"We need to change the whole screening infrastructure," Franco said.
He believes that, eventually, Pap screening will become obsolete because the number of cervical cancer cases will dwindle and the HPV test will be there to help spot the remaining ones.
One major body that advises on and implements cancer | 358 |
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"Weird Al" Yankovic Performance Highlights & Interview at Gröna Lund, Stockholm on Sept 24, 2015 [YouTube Official Video]
by Zac Lavender
For decades now, "Weird Al" Yankovic has been at the epicenter of pop music parodies. In the above video, the funny music man is shown performing some of his parodies at Gröna Lund in Sweden along with a backstage interview conducted by Kenny Mattson.
The songs featured in the video are "Fat" (<|fim_middle|> Fun is available on Amazon (Vinyl, CD, MP3). You can also stream the album for free and read our review right here on Zumic.
For more "Weird Al" Yankovic music, news, and tour dates, check out his Zumic Artists Page.
Source: Al Yankovic Official YouTube Channel
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Please, enter your e-mail | a parody of Michael Jackson's 1988 hit, "Bad"), "Smells Like Nirvana" ("Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana), "White N' Nerdy" (Chamillionaire's "Ridin' Dirty"), "Amish Paradise" (from "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio which in turn samples Stevie Wonder's "Pastime Paradise"), and "The Saga Begins" (a Star Wars-based parody of "American Pie" by Don McLean).
In the interview, "Weird Al" talks about his rapport with the late Michael Jackson, and discusses the process of obtaining permission for his acclaimed parodies. Also featured in the above video are interviews with Swedish concert goers who give their rationale as to why "Weird Al" is so interesting. "He's a laughing mirror... everything from pop culture. One might think he's walking a thin line between slapstick and genius."
Mandatory | 196 |
Many beginner photographers often ask what is aperture size? What does the aperture setting do? How does aperture effect my photos? What determines the size of the aperture size I can use? In this photography tutorial on aperture size you will learn all about changing your exposure using aperture.
Aperture size is the size of the path that allows light in through your lens into your DSLR camera to the DSLR camera's sensor. This is also the same as film cameras, but instead of letting light into your camera to the camera sensor, aperture is the size of the path that allows light in through your lens into your camera to get to the film.
Aperture size can effect your photo's exposure by letting in more light through the lens, or less light through the lens, which will effect your photo's brightness. If you want a brighter photo you need to let in more light. Unlike shutter speed, the aperture doesn't change the amount of time the shutter is open, but how big of an opening light can pass through. So if you need more light to get a brighter photo, but don't want to lower your shutter speed and chance making your photo motion blurred, you can open your aperture more to allow more light into the camera.
Aperture size setting of a camera will also effect your depth of field. Which you can read about depth of field in another article, to make depth of field in a short summary it is how much depth is in focus. Just the person you are focused on, or the person behind them as well. This is how photographers blur backgrounds in portraits is using a low or short depth of field so the subject is in focus, but nothing else. Using a larger aperture (lower number) the larger the opening, the less depth of field, the more only the subject is in focus. The smaller aperture setting you select (larger number) the smaller the opening, the more other objects become in focus, not only the specific subject you are focusing on.
The lens you have attached to your camera determines the size of your aperture. Most lenses have a range of the maximum aperture size they use between the different focal lengths the lens is capable of. Some lenses may only have a single maximum aperture size on them which means you can use that size at any focal length the lens is capable of. Aperture size is usually printed on the lens and represented with an "f".
A Sigma 50-150mm f2.8 lens is capable of an aperture size of f2.8 throughout the entire focal range of the lens 50-150mm. So whether you are zoomed out 50mm you can use aperture size of f2.8 or you can zoom in a little to 80mm and still use the same maximum aperture size of f2.8, or you can even zoom in all the way to 150<|fim_middle|> are usually more expensive.
A Canon 75-300mm f4-5.6 lens is only capable of a maximum aperture size of f4 and only if you are zoomed out at 75mm, the more you zoom in the lower your maximum aperture size gets. If you zoom in all the way to 300mm you will only have a maximum aperture size of f5.6.
On both of the lenses mentioned above you can always use a smaller aperture if you choose to. You can take the aperture size all the way to f22 and have a pin hole letting light into the camera.
Use larger aperture in low light where you don't want to use a flash, flash is not powerful enough, or flash causes harsh lighting/distractions, such as indoor weddings.
Use large aperture in portrait type photos where you want to have your subject in focus and background blurred/boken.
Use a large aperture in photo shoots that you want a slightly softer look to your photos.
Use smaller aperture in landscape photos, get every object in focus.
Use smaller aperture in group photo shoots, get each person in every row in focus, not just row 1 or just row 2 people.
Use a smaller aperture in photos that you want more detail and sharpness.
I hope this photography exposure tutorial on aperture size has helped you understand aperture or at least understand aperture more than you did before you read this information on aperture size. If you have any questions, comments, and/or suggestions about aperture size please post it below! | mm and still use f2.8 aperture size as your maximum aperture size. Lenses with a large aperture f1.2, f1.4, f1.8, and f2.8 are considered "fast glass" or "fast lenses" as they can let in a lot of light. Don't ask me where they got the name "fast lenses" as I would have just called them "big hole lenses" or something. Bigger aperture sizes on these types of lenses | 100 |
Ben Benton
Ben Benton is a news reporter at the Chattanooga Times Free Press. He covers Southeast Tennessee, North Georgia and Northeast Alabama.
Ben has worked at the Times Free Press since November 2005, first covering Bledsoe and Sequatchie counties. Ben was born and raised in Cleveland, Tenn., a graduate of Bradley Central High School. He has a bachelor's degree in communications from the the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In 2014, he placed third in the Green Eyeshade Awards for Disaster Coverage- All Dailies for his story on the South Pittsburg flood, and third place in the Specialized Site category for the newspaper's Civil War 150th anniversary online special section.
Ben previously worked at The Daily Post-Athenian in Athens, Tenn., The Herald-News, in Dayton, Tenn., and at the Knoxville Journal, in Knoxville, Tenn. Ben, a lifelong UT fan, lives in Chattanooga with his wife, Lisa, and has been a Chattanooga resident since 1988. Ben has one son, Benjy, who works in town as a web developer. When he's not working, Ben likes to cook and hit the backroads in<|fim_middle|>acked at gunpoint Monday leads Marion County deputies on high-speed chase on I-24
A prisoner transport van was carjacked at gunpoint Monday by two men who took a juvenile prisoner with them as a pursuit led authorities on a chase almost to d…
by Ben Benton
Bradley County man charged in road rage hit-and-run Monday on Highway 64
A Bradley County, Tennessee, man has been charged in a road rage-related hit-and-run that happened Monday on Cleveland's APD 40 bypass, according to a news rel…
Cleveland City Hall to move into historic 1928-era Cherokee Hotel by 2024
By 2024, Cleveland City Hall will be moved into the historic 1928-era Cherokee Hotel, the longtime centerpiece of the city's downtown that will come with a pri… | search of barbecue and the region's natural beauty.
Contact Ben at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or twitter.com/BenBenton or www.facebook.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569.
Prisoner transport van carj | 58 |
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The LCT<|fim_middle|> professionally refined sound, right from the moment you hit the "record" button; well-balanced and with a pleasant high-end.
Available as an extremely well-matched stereo pair.
This acoustic guitar was recorded in stereo with two LCT 040 MATCH.
Guitar: Martin D18 "Authentic 1939"
The LCT 040 MATCH is very durable yet lightweight thanks to its CNC'ed aluminum housing. Together with its space-saving form factor positioning and setup become easy tasks.
The LCT 040 MATCH comes with a transport bag, clip, and a windscreen for outdoor use.
You were looking for a microphone suitable for Acoustic guitar, Drums, Piano, Strings, Stereo. Maybe you are also interested in one of these products. | 040 MATCH delivers drum and acoustic guitar recordings that sound excellent. The true character of guitars, drums, and percussion is within the transients. The LCT 040 MATCH delivers excellent transient response to retain the natural musicality of your acoustic instruments. It captures the very essence of your performance. We tailored the small diaphragm condenser capsule to provide you with a | 78 |
Thank you for taking the time to apply for a loan with TD, Franca. We'd be glad to help. To determine the status of your application, you have a few options. The first option is to call us directly 24/7 at<|fim_middle|>. | 800-937-5020 and speak with one of our Financial Solutions Group (FSG) Specialists. Secondly, you can stop by any TD Store during lobby hours to inquire about the status of your loan application in person. For lobby hours and locations near you please take a look here: http://bit.ly/TDStores. Additionally, within the first 10 business days after you have applied, we will send you a letter via standard mail with your loan application decision enclosed. If you are checking the status for a Mortgage Loan Application, you also have the option of checking online by clicking here: http://bit.ly/1ni9Gzu. Please enter the User ID and Password you created at the time of your application. We hope these options help, Franca and have a good day | 168 |
Larp Games
Broken Thrones Larp
Broken Thrones Deities
E<|fim_middle|> imbalance, using his powers to restore order and bring about a sense of harmony. | revan | God of Neutrality
Erevan Ancient Scrolls | God of Neutrality and Balance
Thread starter Artenen
erevan
There was once a deity known as Erevan, who was revered as the god of neutrality and balance. He lived in the realm of the gods, residing in a grand temple atop a mountain peak, surrounded by clouds and mist.
Erevan was a quiet and enigmatic deity, known for his calm and measured demeanor. He rarely intervened in the affairs of the gods or mortals, preferring to watch and observe from afar.
But despite his detachment, Erevan was deeply respected by all who knew him. He was seen as a wise and fair arbitrator, always willing to listen to both sides of a dispute and offer unbiased counsel.
Many of the gods and mortals who sought Erevan's guidance were drawn to his sense of fairness and impartiality. They knew that they could trust him to offer unbiased and honest advice, free from the biases and prejudices of other deities.
Erevan was not without his flaws, however. He could be stubborn and inflexible at times, and he struggled to see things from the perspective of others. But he was always willing to listen and learn, and he worked hard to be a better deity and to serve the greater good.
Erevan's influence and reputation only grew. He became a central figure in the pantheon of deities, respected and revered by all who knew him. And as he sat on his throne, gazing out over the mortal realm, Erevan knew that he had truly made a difference in the world.
To continue the story of Erevan, it is said that he was not only a deity of neutrality and balance, but also a god of wisdom and learning. Many mortals sought his counsel when they were faced with difficult decisions, knowing that he would always offer a thoughtful and measured perspective.
Erevan was also known for his deep love and appreciation of the natural world. He was often found wandering the forests and mountains, observing the creatures that lived within them and studying the patterns of nature.
But despite his peaceful and solitary nature, Erevan was not immune to the conflicts and strife that plagued the mortal realm. He was known to intervene when he saw injustice or | 469 |
Czech banks - a rip-off?
https://english.radio.cz/czech-banks-a-rip-8598535#player=on
Length of audio 9:12
Photo: Štěpánka Budková
Expatriates coming to the Czech Republic often find themselves shocked by the charges levied by banks on customers in the country. Postings on the expats.cz message board entitled "Ripoff banks Newcomers Beware" sum it up: "I am completely horrified," writes one blogger; "Insane" says another, "What do you expect, they are making a fortune!" says a third.
Examples of the kind of charges levied by both international and domestic banks operating in the Czech Republic include: monthly account fees, fees for deposits, fees for withdrawals, a fee for opening an account as well as closing one, for receiving a statement in the post as well as for the possession of a cash card. If a customer is unlucky enough to lose a card, then it may cost them 2,000 crowns to have it blocked as well as 750 crowns to order a replacement. In fact, they may even end up paying for unauthorized transactions on a stolen card.
So why are banks in the Czech Republic charging for what is free in other countries?
Pavel Mertlík is the Chief Economist of the Czech section of the Austrian Raiffeisenbank:
"Well, I think that there are two important issues. One of them is that it is simply a question of economy of scale. It is a rule that in big countries, where the assets of the banking sector are significantly larger, the average banking fees, and other charges like margins as well, are lower. And so it is a question of the development of the banking sector just as much. If you compare the depth of the banking market in the Czech Republic and Western countries, it's half of the depth that you can see in countries like Germany, or even less. So this is one explanation why not only in the Czech Republic but generally, worldwide, in countries with lower depths of financial intermediation, the average fees tend to be higher."
But the question that many are asking is whether this approach undermines the very concept of banking – they have your money, you make interest. Indeed, in the Czech Republic, you can actually lose money by having a bank account.
Michal Kebort is a member of the Czech Consumers Protection Association, an organization which seeks to educate consumers and raise awareness of this issue and has even taken the case of bank fees to the courts:
"There are two problems – with the structure of fees and with the volume of fees. The volume is relatively high, and the structure is definitely not transparent. So not every consumer can see how much he has to pay to his bank for a particular service. And information is relatively hidden, and so he cannot compare in advance which current account is better for him because there are so many fees that one person cannot calculate everything."
I asked Michal Kebort what he believes causes the banks to charge these fees:
"It's about the competition, our market is not very competitive. If you look at our markets, you can see three big banks, and these three banks have about three-quarters market share. So it's a big problem, because the rest of the banks have only about twenty-five percent market-share and they can do nearly nothing. They cannot start competition. Only one of these three big banks can start it, but they have no motivation for that. It's about the history - because of privatization in the 90s and the activities of past governments, when they combined the two biggest banks in the Czech Republic ČSOB and IPB, when there was the bankruptcy of IPB and now we've got only three big banks which can do nearly everything."
Those three banks that dominate the Czech sector are ČSOB, Komerční Banka and Česká Spořitelna. I approached both ČSOB and Komerční Banka for an interview, but both declined to respond, with ČSOB's spokesman saying only that these charges were both fair and legitimate. Pavel Mertlík of Raiffeisenbank:
"In the Czech Republic, in the last four or five years, banks were doing a lot of changes in their accounting systems. Basically, they were trying to express all specific costs and charge them via fees not to cover them in margins. So today, typically banks are charging lots of different fees – they certainly can not do that, but they will still have the costs so they will cover them under one general fee, or for example into the margin – into the costs of credit or some deposit product or whatever. Charging it according to the operation costs is more fair and more transparent. Even if I know that people sometimes think it's crazy that one has to pay just for keeping the account in the bank, but keeping the account means lots of work for the bank so that's the reason why there is a charge."
Partik Nacher runs a website called bankovnipoplatky which roughly translates as "bank payments" that seeks to educate and inform<|fim_middle|>. Change your bank – switch it, because you can save much of your money. I think that we should start a competition from the other side, not from the banking industry but the consumer should first say 'I want more. I want a better product.' And then some bank will come and start real competition."
So, if bank charges are to come down in the Czech Republic, it appears that it will be as the result of more demanding customers – something which Czechs fed up over high bank fees are learning to become.
Author: Dominik Jůn
Czech banks welcoming refugees but struggling to meet demand
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Czech mortgage market enjoys marked growth | customers about the issue of banking fees in the Czech Republic:
"Charges for basic payments in the Czech Republic are higher than in surrounding countries. It is not that much of a surprise that they are higher than in Western Europe, but what is surprising is that they are considerably higher than in other Eastern European countries, which at the same time, undermines the argument that these charges exist because the banks are investing in the creation of a system similar to that which exists in the West. I think that in this sense, the market does not function with the flexibility that it should have, and bank charges for basic service are above average in contrast to the rest of Europe - and we also have charges which foreign banks operating here do not charge to the customers in their country of origin."
But Michal Kebort of the Consumers Protection Association believes that the problem is as much to do with Czech bank customers as Czech banks:
"We cannot select the best product because all the products in the Czech Republic are nearly the same. And another problem lies with the the client in that he is very conservative. Not only in the meaning of switching banks, but he also wants a "real" bank, with a building and so on. And the best for him is when the branch of the bank is next to his house. And so, for example M-Bank, a new bank on the Czech market, has a big problem with that because many people don't like electronic banking – they don't believe in it."
As mentioned there, new banks are entering the Czech market; ones which appear to offer genuine change. But will it have much of a difference and would strong regulation not be a better answer? Once again bank charge campaigner Patrik Nacher:
"I don't think regulation is the solution. It's far more important that people are talking about this issue, that the European Commission is looking into the issue of bank charges and whether they are transparent and so on, that pleases me, because I think that this will all contribute to a greater debate on both sides. I hope and think that the banks will be willing to have a discussion about this subject, while the customers will be better educated because they will have far more information to help them assess what is the best choice."
Michal Kebort also agrees that education is a powerful tool which could make a difference:
"We are working right now on a European Union project where a comparison will be available on the website, so we hope that the consumers can see that a current account or some credit costs are half compared to the other. That's one way, and another is in the general motivation. We should tell people: please you've got the information so use it | 544 |
A recurring struggle in dividend investing is striking the right balance between yield and growth.
Investors<|fim_middle|>90% of its peers in Morningstar's large-cap value category during that stretch.
IN OTHER NEWS, PepsiCo (PEP) declared a quarterly dividend of 75.25 cents a share, a 7.1% increase. The stock was yielding 2.9% last week… Phillips 66 (PSX) announced a quarterly payout of 63 cents a share, up 12.5%. Yield: 3.2%…Wholesale drug distributor Cardinal Health (CAH) is raising its quarterly dividend by 16%, to an annualized $1.80 a share. It yields 2.3%… Marriott International (MAR) is raising its quarterly dividend by 20%, to 30 cents a share. It yields 1.5%. | want a nice yield, especially given how low interest rates have fallen. The 10-year U.S. Treasury was yielding 1.76% late last week, well below the Standard & Poor's 500 index's 2.2%.
But higher-yielding stocks can pose more risk, and stocks that are beaten down can stay that way for a long time, even if they offer nice payouts. Other higher-yielding stocks can carry rich valuations, as is the case with some utilities.
A ranking of stocks in the S&P that are most likely to increase their dividends in the next 12 months illustrates the trade-off between yield and growth. As the accompanying table shows, the 10 considered most likely to raise dividends for the most part sport relatively low yields—their average yield is 1.5%, which trails the S&P by nearly one percentage point. The lone exception: tobacco company Reynolds American , whose yield is 3.4%.
The good news is that these companies are very likely to raise their payouts, according to the Divcon dividend health rating system, on which the data in our table are based. The bad news is that many of these dividends are quite low to begin with.
The rating system uses seven factors, including free cash flow, earnings-per-share growth, and expected payout growth. It was developed by San Diego–based Reality Shares, an exchange-traded-fund issuer and index provider specializing in dividend-growth strategies.
Divcon ranks wholesale drug distributor AmerisourceBergen in the top spot, followed by toolmaker Snap-On , Broadcom , medical-device maker Stryker , and Nike . All have yields below 2%.
In addition to Reynolds, the other companies in the top 10 were Expeditors International of Washington , Tyson Foods , Southwest Airlines , and retailer TJX . Expeditors, which provides shipping logistics, last week declared a semiannual dividend of 40 cents a share, up 11%.
THE FLIP SIDE of this ranking—stocks whose current dividends are considered very vulnerable—is chock-full of energy companies. They include Kinder Morgan (ticker: KMI), which slashed its dividend 75% late last year; Noble Energy (NBL), which earlier this year cut its quarterly cash payout 44%, to 10 cents; and ConocoPhillips (COP), which in February lowered its quarterly to 25 cents from 74 cents.
Based on Divcon's ranking as of April 30, the 10 stocks whose dividends are considered most vulnerable sported an average dividend yield of 1.7%, versus 1.5% for the 10 companies most likely to increase their payouts. It's another example of how looking strictly for yield can be risky.
Of course, it shouldn't have to be a binary choice between yield and growth. The BlackRock Equity Dividend mutual fund (MDDVX), for example, looks for stocks with competitive current yields and superior dividend growth, according to portfolio co-manager Tony DeSpirito. Among the sectors in which the fund is overweight are banks and health care.
The portfolio yields about 2.6%, well above the S&P 500's mark. The fund's one-year return of 1.17% might not look great on an absolute basis, but it bests | 694 |
» The Little-Known Secret to Financial Success
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The Little-Known Secret to Financial Success
/ Podcast
/ By Chris
Stefanie used her tough moments working as an actor to share her experience with others. Today, she's a successful entrepreneur, author, and speaker inspiring women<|fim_middle|> Profit First.
But, I still consume new information every day from other Podcasts.
Money Round
How would you spend $1000?
I'd take a trip or save this amount for my upcoming wedding. But, that might not be the best idea for everybody.
What advice would you give to those who are currently struggling financially?
Most people would be surprised at how much power they could have their money. The problem is that most don't know where they currently stand. This brings back to the idea of knowing where your money is going
What does money mean to you?
When I started writing about money, it was the thing that was trapping me. I didn't have enough of it and was out of control.
More About Stefanie:
Get access to proven tips for building better money habits in record time!
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About the Author Chris
Chris writes personal finance and productivity articles for software companies. He gets fresh ideas through continuously investing in himself and interviewing successful entrepreneurs.
You Don't Need More Money, You Need to Be Mindful
Secure Your Financial Future with Proven Financial Strategies
How to Crush Your Limiting Beliefs to Stop Stressing About Money
Dreaming Big is Key to Improving Your Finances
Copyright 2018 by Financially Well Off. - Designed by Thrive Themes | Powered by WordPress
Great, subscribe to my newsletter and grab your checklist. This list contains 5 proven strategies to help you eliminate debt and save more money.
By subscribing you agree to our terms & conditions | to take charge of their finances. Her work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, NY Times and many more publications.
Subscribe to Financially Well-Off:
Apple | Stitcher | Google Play
3 Key Takeaways
Success is a numbers game, so don't be afraid of failure.
Tracking your money daily is one of the most important steps to improving your finances.
Be intentional when you invest in yourself.
Podcast Interview Notes:
1. How did you transition from acting to entrepreneurship?
Like many actors, I was struggling financially as a result of pursuing my passion professionally. Eventually, I decided to share my financial struggles online, hoping this would help others. As I shared my experiences I stumbled upon the world of entrepreneurship and discovered opportunities I never knew existed.
2. What tips would you give to someone who's looking to start freelancing?
One of the best lessons I learned from being an actor is that it's a number game. When you want to do something new, whether it's freelance writing or speaking or anything, you just have to ask enough people because eventually, somebody's going to say yes.
When I started speaking professionally I'd pulled up a list of a hundred faculty members at different universities around the country and I emailed all of them. The result? I heard back from two and I spoke at one place.
3. What advice would you give a Millennial who's looking to improve their finances?
You can't make a plan for what to do with your money and to get to where you want to go with your money unless you know where you're starting from. My simple tip would be to start tracking your money.
Write down where you're spending your money, and where it's coming from. If you do it on a daily basis, I'm confident this will help you improve your finances eventually.
4. What's a worthwhile investment that you've made in your life? (i.e. coaching, and retirement.
Investing in myself and my business. I now know that being intentional about my growth is already worthwhile. Investing in yourself doesn't always have to be expensive.
I once paid $20 to build a Logo for my website. I didn't see the ROI immediately, but eventually, I landed my first few clients because of it.
5. Are there any book(s) you'd give as a gift to others and why?
I haven't been reading lately and I know this isn't good. But, I've been started and stopped some of the classics like The 4-Hour Workweek and | 514 |
Is Pope Francis an imposter?
The call to celibacy
Gold, frankincense<|fim_middle|> 22:42
Victor S E Moubarak on The Coronavirus and supernatural outlook: "Thank you for this post, Countrypriest. God bless." Mar 14, 10:48
laycistercians on ESV Gospels, Reader's Set: "I read through Ezra this morning because of this bible. Thank you so much for sharing this with us." Feb 25, 00:53
© Fr John Corrigan, 2020. All blog content is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. You may share and adapt this content with attribution. | and myrrh
3 January 2016 | Homilies | 1 |
Several weeks ago, some parishioners of mine showed me a beautiful set of boxes they dust off every Christmas.
The boxes were new and ornate, but made to look old — 1001 Arabian Nights old. The interiors were lined with red satin and contained gold, frankincense and myrrh. I was confident I could find something similar online, and sure enough, I found it:
"The Original Gifts of Christmas" — www.threekingsgifts.com
These boxes struck me as very Montessorian. I've blogged about Montessorian pedagogy before. It's an effective and fruitful way of catechesis. Hence my interest in buying these myself. I located a "deluxe set" on Amazon which set me back $50, including postage and handling. Quite reasonable, really.
The chest of gold is octagonal, and contains a glass globe filled with water and large flakes of gold. The chest of frankincense is round, and contains large grains of incense. (I'm chewing on one now, which is a Mid-East custom apparently. It's a pleasant tasting gum, but not so pleasant I'd do it again.) The chest of myrrh is square, and also contains large grains of incense. I've always presumed that the myrrh presented at Bethlehem was in the form of oil, but of course the Scriptures do not specify. It could just as easily have been presented in resin form. (I haven't chewed on the myrrh, though apparently it is good for toothache!)
I put the set to good use during today's Epiphany Mass. Some of the children who frequent Sunday Mass assumed the identities of Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar. (In other words, they hung hastily prepared name tags around their necks.)
During the homily, I called each "wise man" forward, and he processed from the back of the church bearing his box. At the sanctuary steps, he opened his box and showed his gift to the congregation before kneeling at the crib and placing his gift before the infant Jesus. While all that was happening, I shared some thoughts on each gift:
Even now, gold evokes royalty, and gold is a gift fit for a king. Especially the King of Kings!
We are called to join Melchior by presenting Jesus with our own gold. We can to that literally by giving money to the Church, and to charity. But we can present other sorts of gold also. Think of the old saying: "if you want to know how rich you are, think of all the things you have that money can't buy."
Our friends, our family, health, happiness — we can present these treasures to the Lord too. We can thank and praise him for these gifts, and detach ourselves from them by freely offering them back to God.
Incense, then as now, was used in worship. Caspar's gift was fit for God, which is exactly who Jesus is: the Word Incarnate; God made man.
We can join Caspar by offering our own worship, especially at Mass. There's no greater way to offer worship, than to participate in the Mass. But there's an additional, more metaphorical way by which we can present the Lord with frankincense. Clouds of sweet-smelling incense rising towards Heaven evokes "the odour of sanctity," or as St Paul puts it, "the fragrance of Christ." (2 Cor 2:15)
Our own gift of incense to God is a desire to live a noble life. To show understanding and friendship to neighbours. To bring peace and joy to friends. To show mercy and affection to enemies. In other words, to make "the fragrance of Christ" our own.
The ancient Egyptians used myrrh in mummification. And the Jews used myrrh to anoint the bodies of the dead and prepare them for burial.
Hence Balthasar's gift of myrrh evokes death. It's a prophecy of the Lord's passion. The next time myrrh is mentioned in the Gospels is at Calvary: "They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he refused to drink it." (Mk 15:23)
We can imitate Balthasar's gift of myrrh by offering sacrifice, especially in the little things. The hot weather, a stubbed toe, illness and tiredness are common discomforts which we can offer to the Lord in place of myrrh. We can smile at those who annoy us, hold our tongue and listen to others attentively, and make good use of the time God gives us.
I think anyone who spends any time on the Internet is familiar with the old joke about "three wise women" who aren't mentioned in the Bible:
There's no doubt that the three gifts of wise men are less practical. Tradition does hold, however, that the gold and frankincense financed the Holy Family's flight into Egypt, and our Lady kept the myrrh in safekeeping, until three decades later she anointed her son's body in preparation for his burial. So the gifts were certainly auspicious.
The greatest symbol of the Epipany however, is not gold, frankincense or myrrh, but the star which guided the Magi to Jesus. The star of Bethlehem is evocative of the light of Christ, which we carry within us — the fruit of our baptism and Confirmation, replenished by prayer and holy communion. In the word's of today's Solemn Blessing:
Since in all confidence you follow Christ,
who today appeared in the world as a light shining in darkness,
may God make you, too, a light for your brothers and sisters.
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MuMu on 4 January 2016 at 9:42 am
What a great way to bring the gospel alive, Father John! Also like the metaphor of offering up our own incense of sacrifice to the Lord … especially when the extraction of those things and the discomfort to self is as painstaking as the excavation of gold and the harvesting of myrrh and frankincense.
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What the heck happened to my sense of humor?!
Well, I get it, kind of. My default humor setting is, well, a bit harsh. I have a tendency, I've been told, to be overly sarcastic, not very diplomatic, borderline judgemental, and quite frankly, kind of insensitive. I can most accurately compare my sense of humor to women like Kathy Griffin and Janeane Garofalo. No, I'm not nearly that funny, but that's my style, the sword-like skewering of others for the quick laugh.
So it's no wonder, I suppose, that I tone it down when I come to work. Let's face it, when you show up for a psychic reading, the last thing you want is to feel like you're at a bad Carrottop performance. In my work environment, I want to be kind, loving, helpful, open, and completely present for my clients. Sarcasm has no place in an intuitive counseling session. Neither does judgement. But there is, or should be, room for humor. Humor is a balm for the soul, and can help an individual in pain or turmoil diffuse the discomfort in their life and find the balance again. It can help remind us of the positives in our life, decrease physical discomfort, release endorphins and seratonin, and contribute to a sense of overall wellbeing, and when we feel better, we are more productive. It's a win-win. And for the record, spirit is funny! When I have a session where I'm communicating with a client's deceased family or friend, most often that person's spirit chooses to connect with us<|fim_middle|>, my job is be of maximum service to my clients; to help them find comfort and a way to move beyond whatever is limiting them, and to do that in a way that is positive and upbeat. To try to completely put a lid on humor in a session isn't a good way to do this, but neither is channeling Kathy and Janeane. Ahh, finding balance is always key with me. Any ideas on how to "find my funny" with love and compassion will be appreciated. | by using humor….they crack jokes with their loved ones (often private jokes that I don't get at all, but which my client finds hilarious). It seems to be their way of showing their personality, and connecting at a deeper level.
So here's my challenge: as a psychic | 57 |
Hello! I'm a relatively new diver looking for buddies in and around the Monterey area. I've done shore dives at Breakwater and a boat dive with Beach Hopper II to Eric's pinnacle and Octopus reef. I would like to go diving more. Hope this is a great way to do that!
From mhdiver: Contact Hawkeye54 on dive buddy. He lives in Monterey, has a boat, is an instructor, great guy. Dives multiple times a week. You won't be disappointed!
From Jamesvp: If you're free the first week of January, I'd be up to dive with you! I'm actually a Boston diver, but I'm visiting Monterey just after the new<|fim_middle|> of NYC. It would be great to meet up with you the first week of January. I'll send you a message!
With enough notice, i would be happy to do a boat dive with you!
My name's Scott. I'm a science teacher, and I have something around 150 dives, most of them in Monterey. I'm a safe and cautious diver.
I'm on winter break right now, and I'd kind of like to get a dive or two in this Saturday, January 5.
tanks. I usually find that I can make it to Monterey by about 10am or so, and be on the road home by maybe 4 or 5pm. | year and would love a dive buddy.
I'm from the North East, too! Spent a lot of time in Boston. Born and raised just outside | 31 |
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GAMEDAY: Jets at Islanders
6:00 pm CT - TV: SN; Radio: TSN 1290
by Mitchell Clinton @MitchellClinton / WinnipegJets.com
UNIONDALE, NY - There is one thing in particular that Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice is looking forward to in tonight's match-up against the New York Islanders.
A playing style similar to what the Jets see in the Western Conference.
"It's the style we'd like," Maurice said. "There is definitely a difference in the East. If you were watching hockey last night and you watch Toronto and Montreal then flipped over to Dallas and St. Louis, you'd think it was two different sports. The Islanders are a little more of a Western Conference style. They'll grind the game a bit harder for teams to get pucks to the net and there won't be as much flow."
Video: PREGAME | Patrik Laine
Last season, the Islanders surrendered the fewest goals in the NHL with 191 - the only team to allow less than 200. While a number of games in the league this early in the season are seeing high scores, the Islanders lost their season opener 2-1 to the Washington Capitals.
The Jets (1-1-0) will go with the same line-up tonight as they had in the 5-4 shootout win over the New Jersey Devils on Friday, including Laurent Brossoit in goal.
"I really liked his game. After they made it 4-0, I don't know if (goals) three and four he loved. He made a couple of really big saves after," said Maurice. "That gave us the chance to mount the comeback. I really liked his camp and he's been solid. He's had a day off back-to-back, I thought he was the right guy to go."
The rest of the Jets lines will look like this:
Ehlers-Scheifele-Wheeler
Connor-Copp-Laine
Bourque-Lowry-Letestu
Perreault-Roslovic-Appleton
Morrissey-Kulikov
Heinola-Pionk
Bitetto-Poolman
Patrik Laine has an assist in each of the first two games of the season and seven shots on goal total.
He's seen the Islanders defensively and knows nothing will come easy offensively.
"Just play a full 60. That's going to be big tonight. They're always good at home. It will be a tough game for us after the back-to-back. Keep our shifts short, play hard and simple."
Video: PREGAME | Mark Letestu
As the old saying goes, 'patience is a virtue,' and Mark Letestu says that will be top of mind for the Jets tonight.
"When you talk about patience, that has to be the game. You can't get frustrated with not having a lot of flow through the neutral zone," said Letestu. "We have a plan tonight, hopefully stick to it and get a result. Teams like this, they start to capitalize when you start to take those chances and open it up for more offence."
The four-goal comeback against the Devils was the first time in franchise history the Jets had erased such a deficit on the road.
It's also a way for Letestu to bond with his new team.
"It's something you can draw back on," he said. "The team showed good resolve. That's easily a game at the start of the year where we could have just gone away. But guys dug in, battled, and got a result."
They'll look to do the same tonight inside NYCB Live - formerly known as the Nassau Coliseum.
Each time the Jets have visited the Islanders the last three seasons, the game has been at Barclays Center.
The return to the old rink gave Maurice a bit of a nostalgic feeling on game day.
"I'm glad we're playing here. I enjoy being here," he said. "They've made some changes down here and changed the seats. It's a lot different than 25 years ago. It'll be a good crowd."
Bryan Little joined his team for the morning skate wearing a golden non-contact jersey on Sunday.
He's been out with a concussion he sustained one week ago in the preseason finale against the Minnesota Wild.
"You get him out there with a lot of traffic and motion and see how he feels," said Maurice. "He's moved closer, but I don't think he's ready for (Pittsburgh) because he'd need more than one full contact practice. We'll get him through at least one or two more in the gold."
-Mitchell Clinton, WinnipegJets.com
The Winnipeg Jets visit the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum tomorrow in the third game of a four-game, season opening road trip...The Jets are 1-1-0 on the road trip after coming back to beat the New Jersey Devils 5-4 in a shootout on Friday night...Winnipeg finishes the trip on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins before returning to Bell MTS Place for the Jets home opener on Thursday against the Minnesota Wild.
Oct. 4 at NJD - 5-4 SOW
Jets Scorers: Kulikov (1), Roslovic (1), Perreault (1), Pionk (1), Wheeler (SO)
Devils Scorers: Gusev (1), Coleman (1, 2), Vatanen (2)
Jets Goaltender: Brossoit (35 sv, 4 ga)
Devils Goaltenders: Schneider (19 sv, 2 ga), Blackwood (7 sv, 2 ga)
Jets PP: 0-for-2
Jets PK: 2-for-2
Recap: The Winnipeg Jets trailed 4-0 before Dmitry Kulikov scored with 11 seconds left in the second period to spark a four-goal comeback and 5-4 Jets shootout win...Jack Roslovic, Mathieu Perreault and Neal Pionk scored for the Jets in the third period to send the game to overtime...New Jersey's Nikita Gusev and Winnipeg's Kyle Connor exchanged goals in the first round of the shootout before Blake Wheeler ended the game for the Jets in the fourth round of the shootout...Laurent Brossoit made 35 saves in his season debut, including turning away the 13 shots he faced in the third period and overtime.
Three Stars: 1. Wheeler 2. Coleman 3. Pionk
VIEW TONIGHT'S GAME NOTES
Third Stanza
The Jets have scored four goals in the third period of their two games this season, which leads the NHL...Last season the Jets were fifth in the NHL with 102 third-period goals for an average of 1.24 per game...The third period was Winnipeg's most productive last season as well,<|fim_middle|> and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. Copyright © 1999-2020 True North Sports + Entertainment and the National Hockey League. All Rights Reserved.
FAQ Contact Us About us Employment Copyright Policy NHL.com Privacy Policy NHL.com Terms of Service | as they scored 85 goals in first periods and 76 goals second periods.
Comeback Kids
Friday's win was the first time in franchise history the Jets have come back from being four goals down when playing on the road...The last time the Jets came back from a four-goal deficit was Oct. 19/16 in a 5-4 overtime win against the Toronto Maple Leafs...The Jets have trailed first in each of their first two games to start the season...Last season the Jets had 18 wins when trailing first, which was second in the NHL behind the Tampa Bay Lightning (23).
Facing Eastward
Jets went 18-12-2 against Eastern Conference teams last season, including 11-5-0 against the Metropolitan Division and 7-7-2 against the Atlantic Division...Blake Wheeler (10G, 28A) led the Jets with 38 points in 32 games against the Eastern Conference last season, while Mark Schiefele had 36 points (18G, 18A) in 32 games.
The Jets went 8-7-1 in games that were a part of a four-game road trip last season...The Jets had four four-game trips and won two games on each trip.
Defensive Offence
Four of the six defenceman that have played in the first two games for the Jets have a point this season and three of the four have two points in two games...Neal Pionk had the game-tying goal and assist on Friday for his first two points as a member of the Jets, while Dmitry Kulikov scored his first goal in 72 games on Friday and had an assist on opening night...Eighteen-year-old Ville Heinola has an assist in each of the first two games for his first career NHL points...The seven points Jets defencemen have this season is third in the NHL...The defensive unit has accounted for 30.4% of Winnipeg's points this season, compared to 25.6% last season, which was seventh in the NHL.
Wheelin'
While captain Blake Wheeler was officially kept off the scoresheet on Friday, he scored the game-winning goal in the shootout and was one of four players to lead the Jets with three shots in the game...Wheeler had two goals on opening night and leads the Jets with 12 shots this season...He's been selected to the three stars in both games...Since relocation, Wheeler leads the Jets in scoring with 571 points (187G, 384A) in 618 games.
Flying Dane
Nikolaj Ehlers has a share of the NHL lead in assists with four in the first two games of the season...Ehlers is already a quarter of the way to matching the 16 assists he had last season in 62 games and is bouncing back from the career low 0.26 assists per game he had last season.
At the Dot
Mark Scheifele has taken 35.6% of Winnipeg's face-offs this season and is second in the NHL with 21 face-off wins...He's won 51.2% of his 41 draws this season after having a 46.3% face-off winning percentage last season.
How the Jets Were Built
Drafted (14) - Appleton, Connor, Copp, Ehlers, Gustafsson, Heinola, Hellebuyck, Laine, Little, Lowry, Morrissey, Poolman, Scheifele, Roslovic
Trade (3) - Beaulieu, Pionk, Wheeler
Free Agency (6) - Bitetto, Bourque, Brossoit, Kulikov, Letestu, Perreault
Waivers (1) - Dahlstrom
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The Drake equation and correlations
I have been working on the Fermi paradox for a while, and in particular the mathematical structure of the Drake equation. While it looks innocent, it has some surprising issues.
One area I have not seen much addressed is the independence of terms. To a first approximation they were made up to be independent: the fraction of life-bearing Earth-like planets is presumably determined by a very different process than the fraction of planets that are Earth-like, and these factors should have little to do with the longevity of civilizations. But as Häggström and Verendel showed, even a bit of correlation can cause trouble.
If different factors in the Drake equation vary spatially or temporally, we should expect potential clustering of civilizations: the average density may be low, but in areas where the parameters have larger values there would be a higher density of civilizations. A low may not be the whole story. Hence figuring out the typical size of patches (i.e. the autocorrelation distance) may tell us something relevant.
Astrophysical correlations
There is a sometimes overlooked spatial correlation in the first terms. In the orthodox formulation we are talking about earth-like planets orbiting stars with planets, which form at some rate in the Milky Way. This means that civilizations must be located in places where there are stars (galaxies), and not anywhere else. The rare earth crowd also argues that there is a spatial structure that makes earth-like worlds exist within a ring-shaped region in the galaxy. This implies an autocorrelation on the order of (tens of) kiloparsecs.
Even if we want to get away from planetocentrism there will be inhomogeneity. The warm intergalactic plasma contains 0.04 of the total mass of the universe, or 85% of the non-dark stuff. Planets account for just 0.00002%, and terrestrials obviously far less. Since condensed things like planets, stars or even galaxy cluster plasma is distributed in a inhomogeneous manner, unless the other factors in the Drake equation produce typical distances between civilizations beyond the End of Greatness scale of hundreds of megaparsec, we should expect a spatially correlated structure of intelligent life following galaxies, clusters and filiaments.
A tangent: different kinds of matter plausibly have different likelihood of originating life. Note that this has an interesting implication: if the probability of life emerging in something like the intergalactic plasma is non-zero, it has to be more than a hundred thousand times smaller than the probability per unit mass of planets, or the universe would be dominated by gas-creatures (and we would be unlikely observers, unless gas-life was unlikely to generate intelligence). Similarly life must be more than 2,000 times more likely on planets than stars (per unit of mass), or we should expect ourselves to be star-dwellers. Our planetary existence does give us some reason to think life or intelligence in the more common substrates (plasma, degenerate matter, neutronium) is significantly less likely than molecular matter.
Biological correlations
One way of inducing correlations in the factor is panspermia. If life originates at some low rate per unit volume of space (we will now assume a spatially homogeneous universe in terms of places life can originate) and then diffuses from a nucleation site, then intelligence will show up in spatially correlated locations.
It is not clear how much panspermia could be going on, or if all kinds of life do it. A simple model is that panspermias emerge at a density and grow to radius . The rate of intelligence emergence outside panspermias is set to 1 per unit volume (this sets a space scale), and inside a panspermia (since there is more life) it will be per unit volume. The probability that a given point will be outside a panspermia is
The fraction of civilizations finding themselves outside panspermias will be
As A increases, vastly more observers will be in panspermias. If we think it is large, we should expect to be in a panspermia unless we think the panspermia efficiency (and hence r) is very small. Loosely, the transition from going from 1% to 99% probability takes one order of magnitude change in r, three orders of magnitude in and four in A: given that these parameters can a priori range over many, many<|fim_middle|> are low V needs to be increased and the density will go down significantly (by a factor of about 100), leading to a modest jump in expected distance.
Panspermias, if they exist, will have an upper extent limited by escape from galaxies – they will tend to have galactic scales or smaller. The same is true for galactic habitable zones if they exist. Percolation colonization models are limited to galaxies (or even dense parts of galaxies) and would hence have scales in the kiloparsec range.
"Scars" due to gamma ray bursts and other energetic events are below kiloparsecs.
The lower limit of panspermias are due to being smaller than the panspermia, presumably at least in the parsec range. This is also the scale of close clusters of stars in percolation models.
Time-wise, the temporal correlation length is likely on the gigayear timescale, dominated by stellar processes or advanced civilization survival. The exception may be colonization waves modifying conditions radically.
In the end, none of these factors appear to cause massive correlations in the Drake equation. Personally, I would guess the most likely cause of an observed strong correlation between different terms would be artificial: a space-faring civilization changing the universe in some way (seeding life, wiping out competitors, converting it to something better…)
aliensautocorrelationdrake equationETIpanspermia
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3 thoughts on "The Drake equation and correlations"
Carl Feynman says:
The stars in a galaxy move relative to one another, such that after a few hundred million years former neighbors will be scattered across much of the galaxy. So if the panspermia radius is less than the size of the galaxy, the distribution of worlds with life will be smoothed out in a time short relative to the time required to evolve intelligence.
The Oort A constant is about 14.8 km/s per kpc. So if we have an initial circular panspermia of radius R kpc, after one galactic rotation the inner edge will be leading by 3.783 R kpc. That is an aspect ratio of about 6:1. If it expands outwards at velocity V kpc/year we can model this by first expanding it and then shearing it (slightly inaccurate, and ignores the diffusive effects of stars on crossing orbits – sounds like a nice simulation problem for an astronomy student!) we would get lead of 3.783 V t kpc and a time until we get an annulus (at the solar orbit the circumference is ~48 kpc) of 6.3/V years. If interstellar dust moves at 26 km/s, V is 2.65e-8 kpc/year and we get an annulus after 236 million years. That is actually way faster than it would take for the dust to go that distance (about 1.8 billion years). So on galactic year timescales only the radial creep matters; it would take 566 million years to get across the entire radial disc (15 kpc) – about two rotations. So panspermias would tend to be galactic on large scale evolution timescales.
RMAU says:
The astronomer Carl Sagan speculated that all of the terms, except for the lifetime of a civilization, are relatively high and the determining factor in whether there are large or small numbers of civilizations in the universe is the civilization lifetime, 444 or in other words, the ability of technological civilizations to avoid self-destruction. In Sagan's case, the Drake equation was a strong motivating factor for his interest in environmental issues and his efforts to warn against the dangers of nuclear warfare . | orders of magnitude, we should not expect to be in the mixed region where there are comparable numbers of observers inside panspermias and outside. It is more likely all or nothing.
There is another relevant distance beside , the expected distance to the next civilization. This is where is the density of civilizations. For the outside panspermia case this is , while inside it is . Note that these distances are not dependent on the panspermia sizes, since they come from an independent process (emergence of intelligence given a life-bearing planet rather than how well life spreads from system to system).
If then there will be no panspermia-induced correlation between civilization locations, since there is less than one civilization per panspermia. For there will be clustering with a typical autocorrelation distance corresponding to the panspermia size. For even larger panspermias they tend to dominate space (if is not very small) and there is no spatial structure any more.
So if panspermias have sizes in a certain range, , the actual distance to the nearest neighbour will be smaller than what one would have predicted from the average values of the parameters of the drake equation.
Nearest neighbour distance for civilizations in a model with spherical panspermias and corresponding randomly re-sampled distribution.
Running a Monte Carlo simulation shows this effect. Here I use 10,000 possible life sites in a cubical volume, and – the number of panspermias will be Poisson(1) distributed. The background rate of civilizations appearing is 1/10,000, but in panspermias it is 1/100. As I make panspermias larger civilizations become more common and the median distance from a civilization to the next closest civilization falls (blue stars). If I re-sample so the number of civilizations are the same but their locations are uncorrelated I get the red crosses: the distances decline, but they can be more than a factor of 2 larger.
Technological correlations
The technological terms and can also show spatial patterns, if civilizations spread out from their origin.
The basic colonization argument by Hart and Tipler assumes a civilization will quickly spread out to fill the galaxy; at this point if we count inhabited systems. If we include intergalactic colonization, then in due time, everything out to a radius of reachability on the order of 4 gigaparsec (for near c probes) and 1.24 gigaparsec (for 50% c probes). Within this domain it is plausible that the civilization could maintain whatever spatio-temporal correlations it wishes, from perfect homogeneity over the zoo hypothesis to arbitrary complexity. However, the reachability limit is due to physics and do impose a pretty powerful limit: any correlation in the Drake equation due to a cause at some point in space-time will be smaller than the reachability horizon (as measured in comoving coordinates) for that point.
Total colonization is still compatible with an empty galaxy if is short enough. Galaxies could be dominated by a sequence of "empires" that disappear after some time, and if the product between empire emergence rate and is small enough most eras will be empty.
A related model is Brin's resource exhaustion model, where civilizations spread at some velocity but also deplete their environment at some (random rate). The result is a spreading shell with an empty interior. This has some similarities to Hanson's "burning the cosmic commons scenario", although Brin is mostly thinking in terms of planetary ecology and Hanson in terms of any available resources: the Hanson scenario may be a single-shot situation. In Brin's model "nursery worlds" eventually recover and may produce another wave. The width of the wave is proportional to where is the expansion speed; if there is a recovery parameter corresponding to the time before new waves can emerge we should hence expect spatial correlation length of order . For light-speed expansion and a megayear recovery (typical ecology and fast evolutionary timescale) we would get a length of a million light-years.
Another approach is the percolation theory inspired models first originated by Landis. Here civilizations spread short distances, and "barren" offshoots that do not colonize form a random "bark" around the network of colonization (or civilizations are limited to flights shorter than some distance). If the percolation parameter is low, civilizations will only spread to a small nearby region. When it increases larger and larger networks are colonized (forming a fractal structure), until a critical parameter value where the network explodes and reaches nearly anywhere. However, even above this transition there are voids of uncolonized worlds. The correlation length famously scales as , where for this case. The probability of a random site belonging to the infinite cluster for scales as ( ) and the mean cluster size (excluding the infinite cluster) scales as ( ).
So in this group of models, if the probability of a site producing a civilization is the probability of encountering another civilization in one's cluster is
for . Above the threshold it is essentially 1; there is a small probability of being inside a small cluster, but it tends to be minuscule. Given the silence in the sky, were a percolation model the situation we should conclude either an extremely low or a low .
Temporal correlations
Another way the Drake equation can become misleading is if the parameters are time varying. Most obviously, the star formation rate has changed over time. The metallicity of stars have changed, and we should expect any galactic life zones to shift due to this.
One interesting model due to James Annis and Milan Cirkovic is that the rate of gamma ray bursts and other energetic disasters made complex life unlikely in the past, but now the rate has declined enough that it can start the climb towards intelligence – and it was synchronized by this shared background. Such disasters can also produce spatial coherency, although it is very noisy.
In my opinion the most important temporal issue is inherent in the Drake equation itself. It assumes a steady state! At the left we get new stars arriving at a rate , and at the right the rate gets multiplied by the longevity term for civilizations , producing a dimensionless number. Technically we can plug in a trillion years for the longevity term and get something that looks like a real estimate of a teeming galaxy, but this actually breaks the model assumptions. If civilizations survived for trillions of years, the number of civilizations would currently be increasing linearly (from zero at the time of the formation of the galaxy) – none would have gone extinct yet. Hence we can know that in order to use the unmodified Drake equation has to be years.
Making a temporal Drake equation is not impossible. A simple variant would be something like
where the first term is just the factors of the vanilla equation regarded as time-varying functions and the second term a decay corresponding to civilizations dropping out at a rate of 1/L (this assumes exponentially distributed survival, a potentially doubtful assumption). The steady state corresponds to the standard Drake level, and is approached with a time constant of 1/L. One nice thing with this equation is that given a particular civilization birth rate corresponding to the first term, we get an expression for the current state:
Note how any spike in gets smoothed by the exponential, which sets the temporal correlation length.
If we want to do things even more carefully, we can have several coupled equations corresponding to star formation, planet formation, life formation, biosphere survival, and intelligence emergence. However, at this point we will likely want to make a proper "demographic" model that assumes stars, biospheres and civilization have particular lifetimes rather than random disappearance. At this point it becomes possible to include civilizations with different L, like Sagan's proposal that the majority of civilizations have short L but some have very long futures.
The overall effect is still a set of correlation timescales set by astrophysics (star and planet formation rates), biology (life emergence and evolution timescales, possibly the appearance of panspermias), and civilization timescales (emergence, spread and decay). The overall effect is dominated by the slowest timescale (presumably star formation or very long-lasting civilizations).
Overall, the independence of the terms of the Drake equation is likely fairly strong. However, there are relevant size scales to consider.
Over multiple gigaparsec scales there can not be any correlations, not even artificially induced ones, because of limitations due to the expansion of the universe (unless there are super-early or FTL civilizations).
Over hundreds of megaparsec scales the universe is fairly uniform, so any natural influences will be randomized beyond this scale.
Colonization waves in Brin's model could have scales on the galactic cluster scale, but this is somewhat parameter dependent.
The nearest civilization can be expected around , where is the galactic volume. If we are considering parameters such that the number of civilizations per galaxy | 1,815 |
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The Cautionary Tale of Zheng He
Posted by Rod D. Martin | Jun 27, 2015
This article was originally published as part of my Beyond the Church Door series in the Florida Baptist Witness.
by Rod D. Martin
Christians are familiar with many great figures of Chinese history, such as Lottie Moon and Hudson Taylor. But perhaps they should pay more attention to Zheng He.
Almost a century before Columbus, from 1405 to 1433, China's Admiral Zheng He led daring voyages of exploration throughout the East Indies, along the South Asian coast, all the way to the Arabian Peninsula and as far as Zanzibar.
He commanded 317 ships and 28,000 crewmen. Columbus' entire fleet would have fit in the hold of his flagship. He forced nations across half the world to pay tribute to his Emperor, and his treasure ships carried fortunes back to China.
Indeed, China was then the greatest nation on Earth: vast, rich, united, and far more technologically advanced than any possible foe. By contrast, Europe was a backwater, a patchwork of warring fiefdoms, locked in the Spanish Reconquista and the Hundred Years War.
Had Zheng He continued, within twenty years, China would likely have "discovered" medieval Europe, overpowered it and colonized it. Christian civilization would have been subjugated if not extinguished. The New World would have been the New Chinese World. And if you were even alive today, you would probably be a Taoist or a Confucianist, never having even heard the name of the Lord.
But China didn't continue.
Lacking vision, the Chinese court terminated Zheng He's voyages. They dismantled his ships and struck virtually all mention of his exploits from the record. Like those at Babel they turned inward: they became convinced not merely of their greatness but of the sufficiency of what they'd already achieved.
Over the next half millennium Europe's tiny, divided warring states become great nations. They explored and colonized most of the world, taking their faith and beliefs with them. They attained wealth and knowledge far beyond the great advantage China held in 1430. By the end of the 19th Century they'd virtually partitioned China amongst themselves, creating the opportunity Taylor and Moon would never otherwise have had.
Times have changed. Since the 1980s the story has been China's rise. But China's failure 600 years ago costs it dearly even today, not only in lost centuries and lost leadership, but in this: a billion Chinese even today are far poorer than the poorest alive in Portugal, Spain, France or England.
Where there was no vision, the people perished.
Today's China does not see Zheng He as its forebears did. It is racing to make up for lost time: to recover its lost dominance, cultural as much as military or economic. It knows that a race to settle space is just beginning, against lethargic visionless nations it means to beat.
Like individuals, nations follow the leader. Whatever civilization leads the world politically and economically will also lead it culturally and religiously. A nation that ceases to lead, to achieve, to explore, to inspire, will no longer project its convictions but will be dominated by others' faiths.
Some believe the rapture will solve our problem. Some believed that in 1430 too. Christians are commanded to occupy until He comes. We are not at liberty to rest before quitting time.
Today we face a world of near-equals, many with more vision for our future than we have. If it's a Christian future we pray for, we cannot neglect "secular" affairs: not only do we have better, life-affirming answers for them, but if we fail to shape them, they will surely shape us. Indeed, are they not already, now?
Zheng He saw the future. The courtiers and priests stopped him. On which side of that divide will we – and our pastors – fall?
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This morning I fished with repeat clients Mark and his father in lae Billy. I picked them up from their boat hose and<|fim_middle|> course was Lead Babies in the Li'l Shad size and in the Texoma Special color. Water is clear and in the low 80's. No pictures this trip but some happy clients for sure! Schools out let's get the kids fishing. | headed straight accross yyhe lake to a point and found some good White Bass hilding on a drop off. The fishing was good here and by yye time we left we had put 19 fish in the box. I took them to a similar spot but only caught 1 more there. The nect stop was a mid lake hump and after some searching I found a promising looking school of fish on the graph and we started cleaming up on the White Bass! By 10:15 they had their 50 fish limit and got out of the heat while I cleaned the catch. The fish we caught tiday were from 26 - 32 feet deep amd were biting fairky light. The bait of | 152 |
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It was the smallest speck in a vast and awesome landscape, a hut so tiny you could almost miss it. When Robyn Mundy first laid eyes on this tiny, isolated dwelling in Svalbard, an archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole, she imagined, idly, that it might be a nice little getaway. "It was ... in the southwest corner of Spitsbergen, which is a large island, part of an archipelago, and it's so picturesque," she says. "There's this massive mountain and it's just alive with birds, with breeding seabirds. It's a very picturesque setting on the edge of a fjord, there're icebergs, and you could almost miss this little trapper's hut, because compared to the mountain, it's like a speck on the ground, at sea level. "And when I saw it, I just thought, that would be a neat place to spend a summer, with a beautiful view." In fact, what she was looking at was the historic cabin once used by Wanny Woldstad, famous for being Norway's first female trapper in the 1930s. Mundy was on<|fim_middle|> capacity for Wanny to form affection for this particular blue fox."
And just as the descriptions of Wanny and Anders battling the elements and, on more than one occasion, facing down a fearsome polar bear, are disturbing to the more enlightened, modern-day reader, so too are the evocations of wild foxes behaving like the predators they are.
"I would say that one of the things I was really conscious of in writing from the point of view of a fox is I really wanted to avoid anthropomorphism, and I haven't given the fox thoughts or feelings," she says.
"Hopefully, any affection you feel is through its actions, and those actions, they're quite primal at times - it's all about survival and hunting and tearing into flesh."
Mundy herself had a less-than-stellar experience of the pandemic; the ship she was working on suffered a COVID outbreak in March, 2020. She herself caught the virus, and was forced to come home and stay put for an extended period.
But it meant she could finish writing Cold Coast, having taken a long hiatus from it after carrying out the initial research.
It was helpful, too, to imagine the pain Wanny had been through, before the story starts, when her husband died of the Spanish flu.
"I did a lot of research on that, but really, it wasn't until COVID touched all of our lives that I really got to think about what the mood of that world at that time must have been," she says.
And ultimately, she hopes her book, despite its sensitive themes and historical habits that jar with our times of looming environmental peril, is an inspiring tale of a woman well ahead of her time.
"I want to celebrate the remarkable story of an ordinary, extraordinary woman, as well as maybe raise an awareness about the Arctic and just how fragile it is, how in their time they believed it would never be any different," she says. | one of the earliest of her many trips to the region as a ship-based tour guide, and on this particular journey, the travellers included a historian, who wasted no time telling her about the hut's origins. And Mundy, a Tasmanian-based writer who is drawn to wild places, was transfixed. Her new novel, Cold Coast, is inspired by Wanny's story, and imagines her first year spent battling the elements with the taciturn Anders Saeterdal, the seasoned trapper who agreed, against all advice, to take her with him to spend a gruelling Svalbard winter, amidst foxes, polar bears, blizzards, glaciers and treacherous sea ice. "That immediately piqued my interest, I suppose because she was a woman, but also because this was an era where it was such a male-dominated orbit, and I started thinking, how did she even break into that male world, and what was the experience for her as a woman?" she says. "That was really what set me on a course of wanting to know more about her, but at the same time, being quite resistant to write about it because I was quite scared about writing about a woman from another country, a different culture, and, you know, it almost seemed too audacious to take on." She needn't have worried; the book is a thoroughly immersive account of a deeply visceral and sensuous experience - one almost unimaginable for the average person. Even just contemplating facing the elements without our modern gear - Gortex, down - is enough to keep the reader on the edge of her seat. Wanny would have worn heavy leather boots, woollen mittens and undergarments, relied on firewood, matches and hard physical labour to keep her fit and stop her from menstruating. But Wanny, a young and uncommonly capable widow, longing for a different life, is drawn to the vast, snowy landscape in a way that even she has difficulty comprehending. She leaves behind her two young sons, disregards the opinions of others, and follows her dream, beating the odds again and again throughout the winter. Through this, she earns the respect and trust of her companion, and the awe of the reader. Mundy says few people outside northern Norway had ever heard of Wanny Woldstad, although her diaries are on display in the Polar Museum in the city of Tromso, and she wrote a memoir of her experiences after eventually spending five seasons hunting on Svalbard. "When I discovered she had written this memoir, which by the way is in Norwegian, it took me about six months through a library document delivery service to get hold of a copy from a library in Wisconsin in the US," Mundy says. "I'm just lucky enough to have a friend who's half-Norwegian, has a Norwegian mother, and she did an unofficial translation for me. That was just such an invaluable resource in terms of getting a window into the day-to-day life of a trapper." Wanny's narrative is threaded through with sequences told through the eyes of animals, specifically the Arctic foxes so prized for their luxuriant winter pelts that, at the time, adorned the shoulders of wealthy European and American women. The life of the little blue runt - the rare pelt branded "blue" because of its shimmering, silvery qualities - is another startling revelation of a book that already promises to transport the unsuspecting reader to the edges of the earth and the furthest reaches of human endeavour. Human beings may have exploited rare and precious wildlife with far less awareness of the future back in the 1930s, but their actions mirror, in many ways, those of the wild beasts with whom they share the island. "One of my favourite parts of these experiences I've had and have in the Arctic - and I've been doing it now for 20 years - is that everyone wants to see a polar bear including me, but for me, the foxes are just enchanting," Mundy says. READ MORE: "I'll never forget standing actually right beside Wanny's hut, standing out on a slope, and there's a den there which is used by foxes and they're probably the ancestors from Wanny's day. Standing there and the parents were sort of snoozing outside the den, while the kits, there were five of them, were just romping and tussling and rolling down the snow slope, just like little puppies and kittens. They were so animated and not bothered by us looking on, they were running between our legs." This experience would be the inspiration for the opening sequence of Cold Coast, and for many further sequences throughout the narrative. "I knew that I really wanted to write a contrasting viewpoint to that of the human hunter, but knowing that the fox itself is a hunter, and in this instance, he's also being hunted," she says. "And I just thought, from a writing point of view, that that would be a potential for friction and tension, but also offer the capacity for Wanny to form affection for this particular blue fox." And just as the descriptions of Wanny and Anders battling the elements and, on more than one occasion, facing down a fearsome polar bear, are disturbing to the more enlightened, modern-day reader, so too are the evocations of wild foxes behaving like the predators they are. "I would say that one of the things I was really conscious of in writing from the point of view of a fox is I really wanted to avoid anthropomorphism, and I haven't given the fox thoughts or feelings," she says. "Hopefully, any affection you feel is through its actions, and those actions, they're quite primal at times - it's all about survival and hunting and tearing into flesh." Mundy herself had a less-than-stellar experience of the pandemic; the ship she was working on suffered a COVID outbreak in March, 2020. She herself caught the virus, and was forced to come home and stay put for an extended period. But it meant she could finish writing Cold Coast, having taken a long hiatus from it after carrying out the initial research. It was helpful, too, to imagine the pain Wanny had been through, before the story starts, when her husband died of the Spanish flu. "I did a lot of research on that, but really, it wasn't until COVID touched all of our lives that I really got to think about what the mood of that world at that time must have been," she says. And ultimately, she hopes her book, despite its sensitive themes and historical habits that jar with our times of looming environmental peril, is an inspiring tale of a woman well ahead of her time. "I want to celebrate the remarkable story of an ordinary, extraordinary woman, as well as maybe raise an awareness about the Arctic and just how fragile it is, how in their time they believed it would never be any different," she says.
/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/9gmjQxX8MpSQh6J68NHMnY/b687add9-6a7e-42a5-bd3b-ac44b675a445_rotated_270.jpg/r0_504_2448_1887_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
Cold Coast: Norway's first female trapper survived the elements in 1930s Norway
Sally Pryor
Robyn Mundy at Attestuppan, East Greenland. Picture: Supplied
Cold Coast by Robyn Mundy. Ultimo Press. Buy it now
It was the smallest speck in a vast and awesome landscape, a hut so tiny you could almost miss it.
When Robyn Mundy first laid eyes on this tiny, isolated dwelling in Svalbard, an archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole, she imagined, idly, that it might be a nice little getaway.
"It was ... in the southwest corner of Spitsbergen, which is a large island, part of an archipelago, and it's so picturesque," she says.
"There's this massive mountain and it's just alive with birds, with breeding seabirds. It's a very picturesque setting on the edge of a fjord, there're icebergs, and you could almost miss this little trapper's hut, because compared to the mountain, it's like a speck on the ground, at sea level.
"And when I saw it, I just thought, that would be a neat place to spend a summer, with a beautiful view."
In fact, what she was looking at was the historic cabin once used by Wanny Woldstad, famous for being Norway's first female trapper in the 1930s.
Mundy was on one of the earliest of her many trips to the region as a ship-based tour guide, and on this particular journey, the travellers included a historian, who wasted no time telling her about the hut's origins. And Mundy, a Tasmanian-based writer who is drawn to wild places, was transfixed.
Her new novel, Cold Coast, is inspired by Wanny's story, and imagines her first year spent battling the elements with the taciturn Anders Saeterdal, the seasoned trapper who agreed, against all advice, to take her with him to spend a gruelling Svalbard winter, amidst foxes, polar bears, blizzards, glaciers and treacherous sea ice.
"That immediately piqued my interest, I suppose because she was a woman, but also because this was an era where it was such a male-dominated orbit, and I started thinking, how did she even break into that male world, and what was the experience for her as a woman?" she says.
"That was really what set me on a course of wanting to know more about her, but at the same time, being quite resistant to write about it because I was quite scared about writing about a woman from another country, a different culture, and, you know, it almost seemed too audacious to take on."
She needn't have worried; the book is a thoroughly immersive account of a deeply visceral and sensuous experience - one almost unimaginable for the average person. Even just contemplating facing the elements without our modern gear - Gortex, down - is enough to keep the reader on the edge of her seat. Wanny would have worn heavy leather boots, woollen mittens and undergarments, relied on firewood, matches and hard physical labour to keep her fit and stop her from menstruating.
But Wanny, a young and uncommonly capable widow, longing for a different life, is drawn to the vast, snowy landscape in a way that even she has difficulty comprehending. She leaves behind her two young sons, disregards the opinions of others, and follows her dream, beating the odds again and again throughout the winter. Through this, she earns the respect and trust of her companion, and the awe of the reader.
Mundy says few people outside northern Norway had ever heard of Wanny Woldstad, although her diaries are on display in the Polar Museum in the city of Tromso, and she wrote a memoir of her experiences after eventually spending five seasons hunting on Svalbard.
"When I discovered she had written this memoir, which by the way is in Norwegian, it took me about six months through a library document delivery service to get hold of a copy from a library in Wisconsin in the US," Mundy says.
"I'm just lucky enough to have a friend who's half-Norwegian, has a Norwegian mother, and she did an unofficial translation for me. That was just such an invaluable resource in terms of getting a window into the day-to-day life of a trapper."
Wanny's narrative is threaded through with sequences told through the eyes of animals, specifically the Arctic foxes so prized for their luxuriant winter pelts that, at the time, adorned the shoulders of wealthy European and American women.
The life of the little blue runt - the rare pelt branded "blue" because of its shimmering, silvery qualities - is another startling revelation of a book that already promises to transport the unsuspecting reader to the edges of the earth and the furthest reaches of human endeavour. Human beings may have exploited rare and precious wildlife with far less awareness of the future back in the 1930s, but their actions mirror, in many ways, those of the wild beasts with whom they share the island.
"One of my favourite parts of these experiences I've had and have in the Arctic - and I've been doing it now for 20 years - is that everyone wants to see a polar bear including me, but for me, the foxes are just enchanting," Mundy says.
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"I'll never forget standing actually right beside Wanny's hut, standing out on a slope, and there's a den there which is used by foxes and they're probably the ancestors from Wanny's day. Standing there and the parents were sort of snoozing outside the den, while the kits, there were five of them, were just romping and tussling and rolling down the snow slope, just like little puppies and kittens. They were so animated and not bothered by us looking on, they were running between our legs."
This experience would be the inspiration for the opening sequence of Cold Coast, and for many further sequences throughout the narrative.
"I knew that I really wanted to write a contrasting viewpoint to that of the human hunter, but knowing that the fox itself is a hunter, and in this instance, he's also being hunted," she says.
"And I just thought, from a writing point of view, that that would be a potential for friction and tension, but also offer the | 2,886 |
Pandemic Has Stressed Out Doctors
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 3, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- It's a finding that stands to reason: A new study shows the pandemic has triggered anxiety and depression in many doctors.
Researchers used surveys to assess the mental health of more than 5,000 doctors in Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom at two points during the pandemic — June 2020 and November/December 2020.
Doctors in Italy had the highest rates of anxiety (1 in 4) and of depression (1 in 5) at both points. In Spain, 16% of doctors reported anxiety and about 17% reported depression, while about 12% of U.K. doctors reported anxiety and about 14% reported depression.
In all three countries, female doctors had the highest rates of anxiety and depression, the findings showed. In Italy, female doctors were 60% more likely to report anxiety. In the United Kingdom, female doctors were 54% more likely to report depression.
The study also found that anxiety and depression were more common among doctors younger than 60, those who felt vulnerable or exposed to the coronavirus in their workplace, those who reported below normal health and those who worked 40 hours or more in the previous week.
The study, published Nov. 2 in the journal PLOS ONE, can help guide efforts to protect the mental health of doctors in the current and future pandemics, said study co-author Climent Quintana-Domeque, a professor of economics at the University of Exeter, in the United Kingdom.
<|fim_middle|>, go to Mental Health America.
SOURCE: University of Exeter, news release, Nov. 2, 2021
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
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Depression Risk Assessment
Stress Trigger Assessment | "The COVID-19 pandemic has been classified as a traumatic event, with health care workers arguably having the most direct and longest exposure to this disease," Quintana-Domeque said in a university news release.
"Our study identified a high prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms among medical doctors in both the first and second waves of the pandemic," said Quintana-Domeque. "The results of this study suggest that institutional support for health care workers, and in particular doctors, is important in protecting and promoting their mental health in the current and in future pandemics."
For more on the mental health of health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic | 129 |
18 Things You Didn't Know About Ferruccio Lamborghini
Bob Murray
1. He was born in Ferrara, northern Italy, on 28 April 1916 – his star sign, Taurus the bull (there's a clue here…)
2. His parents grew grapes but Ferruccio liked the farm machinery more than the farm – he started his tractor building firm Lamborghini Trattori in 1948 to take advantage of Italy's postwar resurgence.
3. His indifference to motor racing began in 1948 when he crashed his home-built Fiat Topolino special in that year's Mille Miglia.
4. Success with tractors made him rich enough to indulge his passion in cars: Alfas, Lancias, a Mercedes-Benz 300SL, E-type and a brace of Maserati 3500 GTs.
5. He also owned Ferraris, starting with a 250GT Pininfarina followed by a Scaglietti SWB and a 250 GT 2+2. He made no secret of his view that he found the cars to have basic interiors and poor clutches.
6. After his complaints were dismissed by Enzo Ferrari he modified his 250GT with a clutch from one of his tractors to make it more to his taste.
7. Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini was set up in 1963 to make his ideal super-sports car. The Taurean loved bullfighting and chose a raging bull as his new company's emblem after visiting his bull breeder chum Don Eduardo Miura…
8. Building the best sports car ever was an impossible dream that would ruin him, in the minds of many at the time.
9. The first Lamborghini, the 350 GTV, was shown in November 1963. The 400 GT came in 1964 and just one year later a V12 mid-engined rolling chassis was shown, with the first P400 Miura (thanks Don Eduardo…) making its debut at the Geneva show in 1966.
10. Lamborghini has always attracted famous owners; Frank Sinatra, who bought an orange Miura, said: 'You buy a Ferrari when you want to be somebody. You buy a Lamborghini when you are'
11. Bull-related names for Lamborghini cars dominate: Islero, Espada, Urraco, Jalpa, Gallardo, Diablo, Murcielago, Aventador, Reventon and Estoque, among others, all relate to bulls, breeds of bull or bullfighting locations and equipment.
12. Ditto the Lamborghini Jarama, named not for the race circuit near Madrid as some may think but for the Jarama bullfighting region.
13. Lamborghini's most famous non-bull name has to be Countach, which is a Spanish expression of total astonishment. Bertone is said to have uttered it when he first saw the Countach prototype.
14.Ferruccio loved fast boats as well as fast cars. His favourite was the 1968 Riva Aquarama which he fitted with two Lamborghini V12s instead of the stock GM<|fim_middle|> Of Vinyl | V8s.
15. After selling his tractor business in 1972, Ferruccio relinquished control of Automobili Lamborghini (for US$600,000) in the wake of the fuel crisis, finally bowing out of the supercar world entirely in 1974 – he had controlled Lamborghini for just 11 years.
16. After cars he went back to his earlier businesses of making heating, air-conditioning and hydraulic equipment before returning to an estate on the shores of Lake Trasimeno in Umbria to make wine. He died of a heart attack aged 76 in 1993.
17. Ferruccio Lamborghini's son Tonino runs his own Lamborghini brand luxury goods business while his daughter Patrizia runs the family winery.
18. To mark the 100th anniversary of his father's birth, Tonino Lamborghini has organised a 100th birthday driving tour for owners and enthusiasts which takes in key Lamborghini sites in the Emilia Romagna region, including the Ferruccio Lamborghini Musuem. (see more on this here.
Images courtesy of Arnaud 25, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0, Alexandre Prévot and 'werktuigendagen' licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0,
ferruccio lamborghini
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Billy Weeks
southern based photographer
Two Views
Tomas Borge
Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. The community will be the new site of the Katie Beth Carter Memorial School to be opened soon. When all phases of the school are finished it is estimated to serve 1000 students many of them with special needs. Theses images represent daily life in the growing community of Tomas Borge.
Mercedes ,85, gets emotional talking about her children at her home in Tomas Borge. Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Jose Ramon ,54, looks for scrape medals under the trash at the dump in Tomas Borge.Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by<|fim_middle|> Weeks.)
Eulogy ,95, walks over 10 miles every day to beg for money at the market. Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Katherine ,2, sits outside her home in Tomas Borge. Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Jetson sits on his bed in Tomas Borge. Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Hugo , 34, sits on his bed in Tomas Borge. Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Anna Maria Reyes and her baby at their home in Tomas Borge.Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Sabina ,54, cooks beans for her family which includes two specials needs members in Tomas Borge. Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Tuesday, December 19th, 2017 at 3:12 pm
Categories Select Category 2015 in Sports Photos 2016 in photographs 2019 Photos of the Year 22nd Annual Chas. B. Davis Rodeo 9.11.02 Baseball II Baseball in the DR Big Hats at St. Jude's Rodeo c CA 2013 c Central America Central America 2012 Central America 2014 Central America 2016 Central America 2019 Central America Nicaragua II Central America: Honduras Central America: Nicaragua Fun with images Guatemala Guatemala 2017 Haiti: daily life Happy Ever After Honduras: Dolores Humane Education Society Light House State 2019 Nepal POY 2013 POY 2015 Stations of The Cross 2017 The Brickyards of Nepal The Decade in Images The Games The High Desert The Land:2014 The Workers: Central America 2016 Tomas Borge
Heritiage Football: Boys of Fall:
Copyright 2020, Billy Weeks | Billy Weeks.)
Reynardo ,21, looks for scrape medals under the trash at the dump in Tomas Borge. Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Kevin ,5, is playing with his grandfather Jose at their home in tomas Borge. Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Carman ,3, holds her doll at her home in Tomas Borge. Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Natalie ,4, gets sits on her bed at her home in Tomas Borge.Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Bravlia a 16 year old student stands in her home in Tomas Borge. Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
A young man trains fighting roosters in Tomas Borge.Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
A young boy holds onto his colt in Tomas Borge. Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Justina makes her families income from recycling goods at the dump in Tomas Borge. Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Bravlia, a 16 year old student, rides to the dump with her mother Justina ,52. Justina makes her families income from recycling goods at the dump in Tomas Borge. Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Bravlia a 16 year student holds her doll at her home in Tomas Borge. Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Bismark ,27, looks for scrape medals under the trash at the dump in Tomas Borge.Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Reynardo ,21, looks for scrape medals under the trash at the dump in Tomas Borge.Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy Weeks.)
Eulogy ,95, and her daughter at their home in Tomas Borge. They walk over 10 miles every day to beg for money at the market. Tomas Borge is a community located a few miles outside of Leon, Nicaragua. It has 7 Barrios with about 6,000 families living there. For 50 years Tomas Borge was the city dump and the main income was recycling. Now the dump has been moved a few miles away, but is still the lifeblood of the community. A family working in the dump can expect to make a few dollars a day digging through trash. (Photo by Billy | 1,567 |
SHOULD FOLLOWER COUNT DETERMINE WORTH?
It's a question that depends on context. For regular everyday products like shoes, toasters, or books, the answer is a clear yes—more followers means your promotional dollar goes farther. But for "high art"—where value is supposedly determined by long-term aesthetic value more than short-term commercial ups and downs—the question becomes more complicated. A Dutch artist is playing with this line, and in the process reveals some uncomfortable truths about what's behind some of those large follower counts.
The next edition of the revolutionary podcast "Serial" will be running on Pandora. That means there should be many more ways to advertise on it than through a single sold-out sponsorship. They aren't saying when the second season will start yet, but Pandora has announced that season one will be available for listening as of Nov 24.
WILL LOUSY CREATIVE SPOIL INSTAGRAM FOR THE REST<|fim_middle|> Marketing?
This week, new data from Instagram, YouTube, NPR and more suggests that the shift away from big tent marketing—where all your customers will hear your message at one, pre-determined moment—is well underway. Time to set up lots and lots of individual tents.
Instagram builds on its lead as the most important social network among U.S. teens.
Instagram announces that it will open its network to everyone this fall. Rates, minimum spend, and other requirements have not yet been released to us at Verso, but as soon as we learn more we'll let you know.
This type of insight doesn't easily map to book publishing, since every publisher is caring for hundreds to thousands of different brands (aka authors or series), but it's undeniable that editors, marketers and publicists for every house are gaining public voices—and this is a good thing.
On the subject of one-to-one advertising, this outdoor campaign for a Swiss vacation spot is brilliant at literally starting a conversation.
YouTube viewing habits are going mobile: 50% (and growing) of YouTube views are mobile.
TV viewing habits are changing: 28% of all TV watching is now streaming.
In another sign that the NPR audience is beginning to shift from live listening to on-demand, NPR podcasts have nearly doubled in hours downloaded over the last year. | OF US?
As Instagram opens up its API, some marketers are afraid of the coming wave of ads. Will a billion terrible ads ruin our sandbox? The answer, as always, is to make creative that's the best fit for book, reader, and audience platform.
File this under experiments to watch.
Next to Now focuses on the near-future of marketing, but it's worth remembering that our bread-and-butter work comes from selling books right now to readers who are buying them right now. And that means the Boomer generation. So it's worth noting that Boomers are not as easily reached with mobile marketing as the Millennials. Only 42% of Boomers own a smartphone, and those that do own a smartphone do not live through it to the extent that younger generations do. Worth considering when you're putting together a media plan.
Next to Now: The End of Big Tent | 180 |
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Publications Committee
Hesperia Editorial Advisory Board
Friends of Hesper<|fim_middle|> regional projects, and suggests new ways of interpreting the ceramic evidence produced by archaeological surveys. | ia
Search By Title Author Site Period Keyword
The Busy Countryside of Late Roman Corinth: Interpreting Ceramic Data Produced by Regional Archaeological Surveys
by David K. Pettegrew
Hesperia, Volume 76, Issue 4
Page(s): 743-784
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25068042
Using data generated by the Eastern Korinthia Archaeological Survey, the author examines the evidence for the frequently attested "explosion" of Late Roman settlement in the Corinthia, assessing the degree to which the differential visibility of pottery from the Early and Late Roman periods affects our perception of change over time. Calibration of ceramic data to compensate for differences in visibility demonstrates a more continuous pattern of exchange, habitation, and land use on the Isthmus during the Roman era. The author also compares excavated and surface assemblages from other | 196 |
DJ Lorant
Born in<|fim_middle|>.com | Istanbul and a New Yorker since childhood, Lorant's musical output is powered by the pulsating energy of observing those mega-cities.
His long-standing love affair with music began young but it was his early mentorship with legendary DJ and producer Danny Tenaglia, and subsequent affiliation with the dance music hit-factory Twisted Records that kick-started Lorant's career in the music industry.
As a producer, Lorant first won attention with his futuristic tribal remix of "The Hook" by Geoff Gains. His following single "Hot Flash" on Twisted earned him critical acclaim from both URB and HX magazines and led to his remix of the house classic "Divas to the Dancefloor" on DJ icon Junior Vasquez's JVM label. Lorant's own Royal Advisor Records was built from this momentum as a means to provide an open space for queer artists and allies to develop fresh, original work to express their unique visions. Celebrating community through the liberating power of dance music, RAR prides itself on its innovative collaborations with a diverse group of artists.
Through his imagination, natural ear for percussion, and gripping obsession with ocean deep bass lines, Lorant's productions project a unique sound. His focus constantly heightening, Lorant's mantra is that of his record label: Make you dance, make you happy, make you think!
© 2023 DJ Lorant. All rights reserved.
Contact: info@royaladvisorrecords | 295 |
Preservation: Song Of Praise
July 2007 TW Editors
The Central City Opera in Denver and historic preservation go together. The organization formed back in the early 1930s to help save and renovate the city's 1880-era opera house. That mission was accomplished in July 1932 when it reopened with a performance of "Camille" featuring Lillian Gish.
Since then, the organization is a steward for 30 other properties in the Central City/Black Hawk National Landmark Historic District—a major tourist draw.
As part of its 75th anniversary celebration, the Central City Opera presents "The Face on the Barroom Floor," based on an 1887 poem. You know the story—a painter goes into the bottle after his lover deserts him for a fair-haired boy featured in one of his portraits. The melodrama was the basis for several film versions, notably a 1914 flick starring Charlie Chaplin.
A painting of the heroine can be found at the Teller House's Face Bar—on the floor, of course. The 19th-century Williams Stables are just across the street. The horses are gone, the stalls are out and the stables now serve as rehearsal space and performance hall. During July and August, it will host the operetta, "The Face on the Barroom Floor." Nothing like a historic performance in an historic setting: 303-292-6700.
Fairbank, Arizona, has always lived in the shadow of its neighbor Tombstone, located just 10 miles east. Its population never exceeded 100. Its major claim to fame: a 1900 gunfight between lawman Jeff Milton and the Burt Alvord Gang during an attempted train robbery (TW April 2007). Fairbank is now pretty much a ghost town, located in the federal Bureau of Land Management's San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area.
But Fairbank has something to celebrate—the restoration of its 1920 stone schoolhouse. The project has been in<|fim_middle|> State of Montana and managed by the Montana Heritage Commission. The two agencies work hard to preserve the town, which is popular with tourists and researchers.
Those areas of interest merge in a workshop held from July 9-13. The hands-on experience investigates the interior and exterior finish materials used in the Virginia City buildings, such as paints, varnishes and decorative treatments. The study is aimed at preservationists of all kinds—even folks who just want to take care of an older home.
This is the second summer that the Heritage Conservation Network and the Virginia City Institute for Preservation Research and Technology have sponsored such efforts. In 2006, workshop participants researched the town's Gilbert House, an 1863 structure that's been among the most endangered buildings in the area. The group determined the extent of deterioration and the options for stabilizing the building. For information on this year's workshop: 303-444-0128.
AU NATURAL
Here's a new twist on getting back to nature. At the end of March, the last building at the legendary Mustang Ranch brothel in Storey County, Nevada (near Reno), was burned as part of a firefighting training exercise. The place was closed in 1999 after getting in bad with the IRS. Mustang Ranch became the state's first licensed brothel in 1971.
The BLM plans to return the land to its natural state and open it for public access to the Truckee River: 775-861-6400.
The Central City Opera in Denver and historic preservation go together. The organization formed back…
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Could Crazy Horse's pursuit of his Spirit Rider be an unspoken sacrament, or was his…
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In 1969's Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, are the characters Joe LeFors and Lord Baltimore based on real people?
Did cowboys in the Old West really wear that much clothes, even on sunny days?
Where is Wyatt Earp's second "wife," Mattie Blaylock, buried?
What's the difference between an Old West marshal and a sheriff?
Why do so many Westerns show bacon and beans as the campfire meal? And how did the characters cook the beans so fast?
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The Year the Stars Fell | the works for a few years, a cooperative venture of the BLM and the Friends of the San Pedro River. Most of the money came from the Federal Highway Administration.
The school closed in 1944, but former students have returned over the years for reunions. Now when they come back, the building will be a museum, information center and gift shop run by volunteers. It's not offering the old-style book learnin', exactly—but the lessons it teaches are just as valuable: 520-457-3062.
SCHOOL'S IN 2
For more than 50 years, folks probably didn't notice the old barn outside East Columbia, Texas, south of Houston. Yet that building was originally a schoolhouse, built in 1921. In fact, it was one of about 5,300 Rosenwald Schools constructed for black students in 15 southern states during the 1920s-30s. The project was a joint effort of famed black educator Booker T. Washington and Sears, Roebuck President Julius Rosenwald.
Most of the schools are long gone. The one in East Columbia closed in 1949. Local historians uncovered the building's heritage and began restoration, raising $80,000 in mostly private funds and moving the school to the grounds of the Columbia Historical Museum. Some original school desks have been donated. By the time you read this, the Columbia Rosenwald School should be open for visitors: 979-345-6125.
HANDS-ON HISTORY IN VIRGINIA CITY
In Virginia City, Montana, the legacy of the miners, outlaws and vigilantes of the 1860s lives on to this day.
The town is now owned by the | 375 |
We believe that it is important to be in community, and that when we meet together we encounter God in new and different ways. We invite you to come on a Sunday morning and explore God, life, hope and community with us. You are welcome, whatever faith, background, age, sexuality or culture you are. You are welcome, whatever your story. You are welcome, whether visiting the area, looking to join a church, or just wanting to be somewhere safe, where you can relax and breathe.
We encourage children to be part of who we are and what we do and so we welcome children, however excitable<|fim_middle|> park on Sundays. | , creative, expressive or shy. We run groups for children during part of the morning also, for ages 0-4, 4-11 and 11-14. We also have a crèche where you can be more relaxed with your young children and still hear the gathering.
We meet every Sunday at 10am and aim to be finished around 11:30. Usually the last Sunday of the month is an all age gathering and so there are no groups for children on those Sundays, but we aim to find creative ways for all generations to engage together.
Due to limited parking at the GateWay, we encourage people to use the Stars Lane public car | 141 |
A ski reality TV show, that's my daughter view of our ski trips…"Ski travels with the Burke family" would be highly scenic, a bit hectic and therefore humorous, with plenty of action packed skiing. For our pilot we could premier our family ski trip to western Canada.
Our family ski adventure would star spectacular footage of snow-capped Rocky Mountains, skiing four famous resorts in eight days, hopping from one extraordinary hotel to the next. Watch us repeatedly cram our gear into our mid-size rental, like clowns in a Volkswagen, for our scenic TransCanada drive from Calgary to Banff Lake Louise, to Jasper in Alberta, then Panorama in British Columbia. Along the way we encounter some very cool Canadians (wearing tuques, eh). No one was hurt, that could be bad for ratings, but my husband squared off with a big horn sheep and we were all frisked by Canadian Royal Mounties as we were escorted out of the country.
Until our ski series gets picked up by Bravo, MTV or HBO you have to read about our Game of Skiing, our travels and photos fer' sure (I speak Canadian now eh!).
Our premier opens at Sunshine. To get to our lodging, Sunshine Mountain Lodge is the only slopeside lodging in Banff National Park, we must ride a gondola. Of course we arrive too late (thank you airlines) despite my husband driving 140 kph (you do the math), so our gracious Albertan hosts deliver us to 7,200-feet via their Ford Excursion snowcat.
Looking out at Sunshine's jagged snow capped peaks from our loft's floor to ceiling windows gives p romise of big mountain skiing the next day. The newly redesigned hotel sports an enviro-friendly art deco mountain style. Native stones surround the oversized outdoor Jacuzzi, with views of Goat's Eye extreme terrain and starry skies above. The intimate hotel has everything you need: a delightful staff, dining and game room, high thread linens and location, location, location.
We are first skiing Sunshine's 3,368-acres by sleeping on mountain. By noon we have skied three mountains, across the Continental Divide from Alberta to B.C. and back again. Sunshine proclaims "best snow in Canada" with its highest elevation (the resort only owns two snow guns), and I would add "best views" as you look out at countless peaks including the pinnacle Mount Assiniboine – the mini-Matterhorn of the Rockies.
Episode I concludes as we hear rumors "the Dive is open." Equipped with a guide, avalanche beacons and shovels, we dove into Delirium Dive – one of the steepest runs in Canada at 50-degrees. This is gated access, no fall, no faint of heart terrain. The deep natural snow and steep shots make me delirious – its namesake, eh.
In Episode II we dog sled with burly bearded Uel, Yukon Cornelius' cousin perhaps, and his herd of happy sle d dogs with Kingmik Dogsledding. We strap into sleds for a classic Canadian adventure. My daughter pets and memorizes all her new four legged friends' Dog Sledding names. My son is psyched to take the reins and drive the dog sled. My husband loves the photo ops and is impressed by the sheer power of nine sleek strong dogs. Me, I have tears in my eyes – not from the chill, but from the beauty as I am snug in a down sleeping bag in the narrow sled as we charge through the frosted Canadian forest.
Episode III we arrive in the most magical setting, the famous Fairmont Chateau<|fim_middle|> and 8,570' summit. After cruising the lower mountain's progression from greens to black, we venture up the summit Knob Chair to find expansive snow bowls. Marmot reminds me of Loveland Colorado with its above tree line bowls, only with less skiers amid the 1,675 acres and far more stunning peaks.
After our exhilarating day skiing Marmot, we pass elk grazing lazily by the roadside in the funky frontier town of Jasper. The marmots must be hibernating.
Episode VII opens with big horn sheep standing in the road on our way thru our next park, The Kooten ay National Forest of inner British Columbia. We are all a bit punchy pulling into our fourth ski resort, Panorama. An Intrawest resort since 1994, Panorama is the perfect place for our finale, a well-planned condo resort with outdoor pools, shops, and restaurants all within walking distance so we can kiss our car goodbye for a few days in the underground parking.
Panorama is far more condensed and boutiquey than sisters Whistler or Tremblant but the mountain offers up a huge 4,265' vertical with expansive groomed resort skiing. We also find some adventuresome off piste terrain in Founders Ridge and Taynton Bowl, this terrain in the Purcell Mountains was previously accessed only by heli-skiing.
Lunch at the mid mountain Elkhorn Lodge delivers delicious homemade fare, trumped only by fantastic views and the host family's history in this cozy 1952 cabin. Don Bilodeau's bear story had the hairs on our collective necks on end. Skiing seemed tame after that.
Ending our Panorama scene, we enjoy a sophisticated evening at Earl Gray Lodge, the "prix fixed" chef's dinner followed by resort fireworks was fantastic.
After skiing four famous Canadian Rocky ski resorts and lodging at equally impressive properties, our family loved the setting of Sunshine, the terrain of Lake Louise, the light fluffy snow of Marmot Basin and the resort village of Panorama. Since you can't combine these Canadian qualities into one, and our travels are yet to be televised, I recommend you visit them all for their remarkable beauty. Alberta claims to be "the sunniest province," and I would add "the friendliest". The Canadian Royal Mounties made our full body search at the Calgary Airport pleasant, eh?! | Lake Louise. This celebra ted hotel was dreamed up by Canadian Railroad entrepreneur Cornelius Van Horne in 1890. Chateau Lake LouisieVictoria Glacier plummets to a sparkling frozen lake with the grand castle Hotel perched on its shore. Guests skate amid huge ice sculptures and sleigh rides glide around the snowy Lake. Inside the immense Chateau is luxury and opulence; grand lobbies and lounges with picture windows frame the glacial scenery outside, and a harpist plays by a sparkling holiday tree – I am not making this up.
Next morning at the grand Lodge of Ten Peaks at Lake Louise Ski Area, just a 10-minute shuttle from the Chateau, we get ready to ski. Riding three consecutive lifts we arrive at the top of the world, with extraordinary scenery and expansive ski terrain, 11` sq. miles. "If you can see it, you can ski it," goes the local mantra.
Exploring Lake Louise's 4,200-acres we find everything from groomed front side cruisers (one was 5-miles long with 3,250' vertical) to the steeps of World Cup where Bode and Lindsey competed earlier this season. But the best of Lake Louise is off the 8,765'summit,reached by an expert's only poma.
The backside bowls of Whitehorn and Powder and ten others from my quick count easily hold a torch to Vail for extreme skiing. Our crazy Canadian guide points out that Jackson Hole's ski patrol come here to train on the big steeps and chutes.
A cozy lunch at the historic wood frame Temple Lodge on the backside of Lake Louise.
Episode IV is something out of a Harry Potter film as we walk through mazes of stone archways leading to grand rooms with gorgeous views. Our one-night stay at The Banff Springs Hotel, elder-sister to the Château, built in 1888, is far too brief since it takes time just to find our room. The immense baronial castle hotel features 11 restaurants and lounges from fondue to samurai sushi, swank shops, and the most posh Willow Stream Spa with therapeutic minerals pools and cascading waterfalls in invigorating temperatures. Guests can walk to the town of Banff and ski Banff's 3 resorts, Sunshine, Lake Louise and Norquay, or just bask in their good fortune by the fire.
To conclude we feast at Banff's Sleeping Buffalo, where the elk we saw roaming near town make their way to our plates at the Buffalo Mountain Lodge.
Episode V Jasper is the largest National Park of the Rocky Mountains. No one asks "are we there yet" in our cramped three-hour car ride by miles of glaciers, gigantic peaks and acres of snow draped pines. I dub Alberta the land of a billion Christmas trees, and Greg says his fears of global warming are temporarily assuaged.
Arriving at Jasper Park Lodge, our third Fairmont hotel, we do the touristy photos with the elk and bear (ok, stuffed) in the Grand Rocky Mountain lobby. From the posh window lined bar (where I would be content to sit and drink in the views and vino), we can see Marmot Basin where we will ski the next day. We quickly recognize that many families never leave the 700-acre resort, choosing instead to skate on Lake Beauvert, enjoy horse rides, kids programs, the swimming pool, elegant restaurants and just sit by the sumptuous fireplaces. The kids are ecstatic to get their own room; we are lodged in one of the out cabins that dot the property. We bundle up like Nanook from the North to walk back to the lodge for dinner. Its cold in Canada eh?!
Episode VI has us Marmot laps on the longest, fastest high-speed quad in the Canadian Rockies. Marmot B asin just installed this lift, rising 2,000' vertical from base to near the summit. Marmot's snow was amusingly squeaky and dry – due to its northern location | 847 |
Going Home – Yale Daily News
Thomas Fernando December 2, 2022 4 min read
Ariane de Gennaro
My car jumps up as it hits the typical Pennsylvania potholes and follows the familiar route through my town to Haylie's house. The sights outside my window haven't changed in the three months I've been away, aside from a few trees that were cut down across from my elementary school to make way for more houses. Otherwise, the home is exactly as it has always been.
Except it isn't.
The bed I've slept in for the last 18 years of my life feels cold and fresh, just like a bed in a hotel. It doesn't take time to adjust to your body because it knows<|fim_middle|> "home," the capital "H," will always be the friends and family I love most. And if I ever get sick, I know the Pinocchio Hate Club is just a phone call away.
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No. 9 KU knocks out Seton Hall 91-65 in the Big East-Big 12 Battle | you won't be there for long. My walls are still adorned with peeling pink paper and old Broadway playbills, but there are noticeable gaps in decor. Once upon a time, every inch of wall space was covered. Now there are brightly colored thumbtacks in the wall, sticking out like tombstones in a floral pink field. They trace the outlines of what once was, which I have since torn down and moved to my new home five hours away.
When I arrive at Haylie's front door, she greets me with her usual big grin. "I almost burned my house down!" she exclaims as soon as she sees me, and then proceeds to explain all the things that went wrong while she was cooking the turkey for our Friendsgiving. She is dramatic and full of life as she always was, and just looking at her soothes my aching heart.
When our other two friends arrive, another wave of nostalgia washes over me. Val is still Val, arranging her charcuterie board with extreme precision and moaning about her aching stomach after dinner. And Angie is still Angie, joking about the people we know from high school and pretending to bite my shoulder when I hug her. Together the four of us form the Pinocchio Hate Club. It's not because we hate Pinocchio; It's an old inside joke that became the name for our group chat, and now it's too iconic to replace.
"It's nice to know that some things never change," I think to myself as we pass around a box of Crumbl biscuits. Minutes later, I accidentally knock said cookie box off the table, and it's clear my college days didn't make me any less clumsy. Haylie laughs, Angie gasps, Val looks in dismay at the crushed cookies, and I wish I could bottle the moment and cherish it forever. I never felt homesick in college, but in that moment I realized I was human sick. I've missed having those three rays of sunshine in my life more than I thought possible. They are familiar, they are safe; they are constants in an endless sea of ever-changing variables.
But as we sit around the table and share stories from our respective colleges, I realize that's not entirely true. Although she's still essentially the same person, Angie sits a little straighter when she speaks, and her words convey a newfound confidence. Haylie's stories about the people she met at the University of Michigan is hard to follow because they include so many characters, and it's clear that she's become even more outgoing than before — which none of us would have thought possible . Val stayed closer to home than the rest of us, but even it's different. She talks about her feelings much better and doesn't push them aside like she used to. The changes are so tiny that my friends probably won't notice them themselves, but I'm privileged to see them again after months of separation. As I kneel next to Haylie to scrub cookie icing off the floor, I wonder what changes they must be seeing in me, in turn.
I complained earlier that home feels foreign, but maybe I'm the stranger. Life at Yale couldn't be more different than life in my tiny hometown – not in a bad way, just in a "different" way. The changes in me and my friends are the same: not bad, just different. They're probably good, if anything. It is not human nature to be static.
When we first arrived at Haylie's house and reunited after months apart, Val had joked that the Pinocchio Hate Club was taking its "final form." "You make us sound like Pokemon," I teased, but maybe she was right. We're always evolving, just like Pikachu. This evolution may mean feeling like a stranger in your own bed or eating overcooked turkey with friends on Black Friday, but it's all growth. It's all change, whether we see it or not. It took me a trip down memory lane to realize it was happening. Maybe that should make me sad, but the idea of growth just makes me excited. "Heimat" is defined less by places than by people, so "Heimat" grows with me. It has already been expanded to include the people I met at Yale in addition to those I love in Pennsylvania.
My physical "home" feels different, yes, but my | 892 |
Reading: Top 5 Tools for Building an Interactive Analytics App
SmartData Collective > Analytics > Top 5 Tools for Building an Interactive Analytics App
Top 5 Tools for Building an Interactive Analytics App
Interactive analytics applications offer tremendous functionality, but require the right tools to be built.
Shutterstock Licensed Photo - By nepool | stock photo ID: 734708665
An interactive analytics application gives users the ability to run complex queries across complex data landscapes in real-time: thus<|fim_middle|> in terms of efficiency, cost, and scalability and run with it.
TAGGED: application developement, data-driven software development, interactive analytics
Matt James October 27, 2021
By Matt James
Matt James is a veteran marketer & tech geek that has helped many large brands increase their online footprint. He specializes in influencer outreach and business growth. | , the basis of its appeal. The application presents a massive volume of unstructured data through a graphical or programming interface using the analytical abilities of business intelligence technology to provide instant insight. Furthermore, this insight can be modified and recalibrated by changing input variables through the interface. Interactive analytics applications present vast volumes of unstructured data at scale to provide instant insights.
Why Use an Interactive Analytics Application?Top 5 Tools for Building an Interactive Analytics App1. Firebolt2. Snowflake3. Google BigQuery4. Druid5. Amazon RedshiftConclusion
The image above shows a typical example of an interactive analytics application. It shows that someone is interacting with the data changing different inputs to navigate through unstructured data.
Why Use an Interactive Analytics Application?
Every organization needs data to make many decisions. The data is ever-increasing, and getting the deepest analytics about their business activities requires technical tools, analysts, and data scientists to explore and gain insight from large data sets. Interactive analytics applications make it easy to get and build reports from large unstructured data sets fast and at scale.
There are many tools in the market right now to assist with building interactive analytics applications. In this article, we're going to look at the top 5.
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1. Firebolt
Firebolt makes engineering a sub-second analytics experience possible by delivering production-grade data applications & analytics. It is built for flexible elasticity: it can easily be scaled up or down in response to the workload of an application with just a click or an execution of a command.
It is scalable because of its decoupled storage and computed architecture. You can use firebolt programmatically through REST API, JDBC, and SDKs — that makes it easy to use. Firebolt is super-fast compared to other popular tools to build interactive analytics apps.
Firebolt also makes common data challenges such as slow queries and frequently changing schema easy to deal with at a reasonable price — $1.54/hour (Engine:1 x c5d.4xlarge).
2. Snowflake
Snowflake provides the right balance between the cloud and data warehousing, especially when data warehouses like Teradata and Oracle are becoming too expensive for their users. It is also easy to get started with Snowflake as the typical complexity of data warehouses like Teradata and Oracle are hidden from the users.
It is secure, flexible, and requires less management compared to traditional warehouses. Snowflake allows its users to unify, integrate, analyze, and share previously stored data at scale and concurrency through a management platform.
Snowflake offers a "pay for what you use" service but doesn't state a price; they only highlight the "start for free" button on the website.
3. Google BigQuery
Google BigQuery is a serverless and cost-effective multi-cloud data warehouse. It is designed for business agility, and that is why it is highly scalable. It offers new customers $300 in free credits during the first 90 days. BigQuery also takes it further by giving all of their customers 10 GB storage and up to 1 TB queries/month for free.
Its built-in machine learning makes it possible for users to gain insights predictive and real-time analytics. Accessing data stored on Google BigQuery is secured with default and customer-managed encryption keys, and you can easily share any business intelligence insight derived from such data with teams and members of your organization with a few clicks.
Google BigQuery also claims to provide 99.99% uptime SLA. It offers a "pay for what you" service.
4. Druid
Druid is a real-time analytics database from Apache. It is a high-performing database that is designed to build fast, modern data applications. Druid is specifically designed to support workflows that require fast ad-hoc analytics, concurrency, and instant data visibility are core necessities.
It is easy to integrate with any existing data pipelines, and it can also stream data from the most popular message buses such as Amazon Kinesis and Kafka. It can also batch load files from data lakes such as Amazon S3 and HDFS. Druid is purposefully built to deploy in public, private, and hybrid clouds and use indexing structures, exact and approximate queries to get the most results fast.
Druid has no initial price.
5. Amazon Redshift
Amazon Redshift is a fast and widely used data warehouse. It is a fully managed and scalable data warehouse service that is cost-effective to analyze all your data with existing business intelligence tools efficiently. It is easily integrated with the most popular business intelligence tools like Microsoft PowerBI, Tableau, Amazon QuickSight, etc.
Like other listed data warehouses, it is optimized for datasets ranging from a few hundred gigabytes to a petabyte or more to build insight-driven reports and dashboards at costs less than $1,000 per terabyte per year. That is very cheap compared to traditional data warehouses. In addition, Amazon Redshift ML can automatically create, train, and deploy Amazon SageMaker ML. You can also access real-time operational analytics with the capability of Amazon Redshift.
Building interactive analytics applications are critical for organizations to get quick insight that can help their operations. Interactive analysis applications work best with accessible data centralized in a data warehouse; therefore, there is a need to have analysis tools that make building applications easy, effective and efficient.
For this purpose, this article's tools such as Firebolt, Snowflake, Amazon Redshift, Google BigQuery, and Apache Druid are very suitable. If you are building an interactive analysis application, pick one of them that is suitable for your needs | 1,191 |
Home » Film & TV » Film » Keanu Review
Posted on May 25, 2016 by Andrew Dearborn // 0 Comments
So I went and saw New Line Cinema's Keanu the other day. It was fantastic! Though to be fair I may be a little biased because I love anything Jordan Peele and Kegan Michael Key are in — going as far back as their stint on MADTV in the late 2000's and especially their work together on Key and Peele for Comedy Central, a series I am devastated is over.
The film starts with an action sequence. Two thugs, know as the Allentown Brothers, wipe out a cartel drug operation, killing everyone in a Matrix-like style, flipping off walls and effortlessly wiping out everyone with impeccably aimed gunplay. These giant hulking thugs can barely be recognized as Key and Peele, having been heavily made up. While all of this is going on, the head of the operation is trying to sneak away, holding his adorable kitten. After murdering its owner, the kitten gets away only to appear on the doorstep of a recently heartbroken Rell Willams (Jordan Peele) who, along with his cousin Clarence (Keegan Michael Key), fall head over heels for the little critter, naming him Keanu.
Everything appears to be going well for Keanu until Rell and Clarence go to see a movie, leaving the kitten alone for the evening. Rell's house is broken into, with Keanu being the only thing taken. The pair find out that the 17th Street Blips are the guys who took him and they head to the Blips' hideout, Hot Party Vixens, or HPV as the sign says. The two suburban men proceed to infiltrate the gang and work for Cheddar (Method Man) doing jobs, trying to get the cat back.
The movie is funny from start to finish and is not<|fim_middle|> Eternals issues. In his spare time he reads, writes and talks... incessantly. | as cookie cutter as it may seem at first. Written by Jordan Peele and Alex Rubens, directed by Peter Atencio, Keanu hits all the notes that a fan of Key and Peele, or really all comedy fans, would want a movie to hit. I suppose that makes sense considering Rubens and Atencio both worked on Key and Peele.
It feels like a long series of Key and Peele skits in the best possible way; it is as hilarious as ever. One of the things I liked best about this movie is how realistic this completely absurd situation feels, especially as Key and Peele get more and more involved with the gang, befriending gang members Bud (Jason Mitchell), Trunk (Darrell Britt-Gibson), and Stitches (Jama Malachi Neighbors). The two best scenes in the movie occur at the same time, they are Peele's Rell going on a drug deal with Hi C (Tiffany Haddish) while also encountering and dealing with a celebrity (Anna Farris playing herself, SO funny), and then there was Key's Clarence sitting in the van with the other 3 aforementioned gang members, who are being indoctrinated into the cult of George Michael by Clarence. Both of these surreal scenes are so representative of the comedy style of Key and Peele, and play out amazingly well.
I also want to add that Keanu is played by the most adorable kittens and apparently all of the kittens they used were shelter cats. All the kittens used in the film also ended up going to loving homes as they were all adopted.
This movie gets a 9 out 10 for me as, my love of Key and Peele aside, it is a really smart, well made comedy. It works so well because you can see all of these things happening in real life, even though the situations are completely absurd and surreal, they are executed realistically, and the ending only serving to compliment that notion. Go see it, NOW!
About Andrew Dearborn (81 Articles)
Andrew Dearborn is a part-time reviewer, long-time reader, and occasional video gamer. He grew up in a small Southern Manitoba town and, as many from his area tend to do, migrated to the "big city" of Winnipeg, where he works full time as a bookseller and event facilitator for McNally Robinson as well as a substitute teacher. He is actively pursuing a career in teaching, having received his Bachelor of Education in high school History and English from the University of Manitoba in 2013. While attending the University of Manitoba he was lucky enough to have one of his many short stories, "Socrates' Last Drink", published in The Manitoban. Andrew is also a bilateral cleft palate, a Mennonite, and a nerd, having started his comic book collection at the tender age of seven with a small stack of hand me down Spider Man and Jack Kirby-drawn | 600 |
Description: Not only is this one of our oldest classes, but is also one of the oldest art forms going back to paleolithic times. Watercolor is a painting method in which the paints are made of pigments suspended in a water-based solution. Watercolor refers to both the medium and the resulting artwork. Working with watercolors is difficult because with paint, it stays put. However, with watercolor, the paper and absorption changes the outline and appearance as it dries. Additionally, you have to be careful as colors can run into each other as they are absorbed, changing the shape and color of objects. If you mess up with paint you can paint over or scrape off the paint but in watercolor you might be able to partially correct a mistake by re-wetting and blotting making errors costly. To help you with this is Avon Hall, our Watercolor instructor. While Avon has no formal instruction as an art teacher, but does have lots of experience in art. While in the Air Force, and stationed in France 50 years ago, he took some art classes in oil painting and drawing. He did not take up watercolor until eight years ago, when he heard that we had a class and he was curious about it. Avon has won several prizes for his art, and has even sold some.
Time: Wednesdays 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Description: Instead of wooden lanes and pins, Wii Bowlers hit the virtual lanes using Nintendos' Wii game system. Wii bowling tends to start out easy, building confidence, while you get use to bowling with a hand held remote. However, the better you bowl, the harder it can become. You can put too much spin and throw a gutter ball. You can even release it behind your and watch the audience scatter. Those who have trouble picking up a bowling ball will have no trouble lifting the remote control, which is a small plastic rectangular stick weighing only a few ounces. Play is done on our three big screen TVs. They are brand new 55" HD TVs donated by our Wii Bowlers. If you want you can sign up to be a substitute to get your feet wet, or bring in a team. If you don't have other players we will try our best to put you onto an existing team. No matter which way you go, you'll still have lots of fun in our Wii Bowling League. Sessions are only six weeks long. Next league registration takes place at 1:30 pm on September 14th, with bowling starting on September 21st.
Well, we have to admit that it was one of our smaller crowds for our Annual Christmas Open House, but the rain didn�t dampen the enthusiasm of those who attended. Those who did show up, made twice as much noise.
We mixed things up this time with some new acts. First we started out with a special guest, Supervisor Neil Derry, who got things festive with some Christmas Carols, before finishing with a less festive, yet very popular, Burning Ring of Fire ala Johnny Cash.
A party with no dancing? Not here. The winners of our holiday Seniors Got Talent, the Offbeats, came next. Giving hoofers a new meaning, the dancing reindeer troupe of Bobbie Anderson, Suzanne Marconett, and Jennifer Stegall, tapdanced to some holiday favorites.
Following a break of cookies, provided by the Moms and Daughters of the Inland Empire National Charity League, and cake, came the Redlands East Valley Jazz Ensemble, whose carol stylings got everyone jazzed up for Christmas. We also held some 50/50 raffles which enabled us to donate $200 for their band<|fim_middle|>. Claus. They took time out of their very busy schedule to take in some last minute Christmas wishes, and to hand out some treats to good boys and girls. Luckily no one walked away with any coal.
Special thanks to our talented musicians and volunteers to helped us to spread a little Christmas cheer. Finally we would like to thank our sponsors, Leisure Point and the San Manuel Tribe of Mission Indians for sponsoring the event. | .
Our final act was Harriet Foucher and her Kristal Bells. Everyone got into the act as the audience were given the chance to show their musical talent with handbells. This gave us time for only two more guests. Very special guests: Santa and Mrs | 55 |
ActiveOps CEO Wins WCIT Enterprise Entrepreneur Award
You are here: Home / ActiveOps News / Press Release / ActiveOps CEO Wins WCIT Enterprise Entrepreneur Award
Richard Jeffery, CEO of ActiveOps, the leading provider of digital operations management solutions, has been named Enterprise Entrepreneur at the 2018 WCIT Enterprise Awards. The event, described as the 'Oscars of the technology industry', took place at the Dorchester Hotel in Park Lane.
Jeffery won in the category of Enterprise Entrepreneur category 'from a commercial organisation<|fim_middle|>, ABSA and Barclays.
Uniquely focused on the founder rather than the businesses, the ceremony boasts previous winners that have achieved prominence in both private and public markets. The judging panel were looking for examples of vision, growth, innovation, funding, use of capital, use of resources, strategy, execution, ambition and determination to succeed.
Jeffery's company ActiveOps has experienced fantastic growth and success over the last year, as their cloud-based Workware™ solutions solves the challenges of securing the full operational value from Robotic Process Automatopn (RPA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) processing technologies.
Speaking about the award win, Jeffery said: "Being named Enterprise Entrepreneur of the Year comes as a great honour, all the more so given that it has been awarded by a judging panel of highly respected entrepreneurs. ActiveOps success is built on our team, our channel partners and our customers achieving remarkable outcomes, consistently and sustainably. We solve the challenge of driving real value out of investments in new digital technologies – and the capability to execute successfully remains the ultimate competitive advantage".
ActiveOps Workware™ enables the optimisation of individual and robotic teams and departmental resources from a single solution, with operations data aggregated, analysed and presented in real-time. Using Workware™ , managers can quantify work and time, identify processes to be automated, then plan and control efficient delivery.
ActiveOps partners with SDLC PartnersMarch 7, 2019 - 4:03 pm
ActiveOps secures G-Cloud status Intelligent Automation Week – Chicago
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Click to read more and make your cookie choices.X | with an annual turnover of over £10 million'. His company, ActiveOps, provides advanced digital operations management solutions to financial services, BPOs, government, healthcare and other service industries across the world, with clients including, RBS, ATOS, Nationwide, IRD New Zealand | 58 |
Book Review: Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki by Haruki Murakami
March 13, 2015 April 18, 2015 / jpbohannon
I used to think that it was only Americans who were so caught up with the experience of "High School." I had believed it was an American construct, an over-idealized rite of passage that had spawned too many bad television series and "coming of age" films. I had believed it was strictly an American thing.
I've known many men for whom those "high school" years were the very pinnacle of their lives. It is those days that they keep referring to, those days by which they measure all others. I mean I know men in their 40s and 50s, in their 60s and 70s, even in their 80s whose conversation invariably turn to the high-jinks and glories of their high-school days.
Haruki Murakami's novel Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage revolves around five Japanese high school friends and the long-lasting effects of the decisions they made when they were twenty years old. They are now in their mid-thirties; two are living in their hometown, one has moved to far-away Finland, one to cosmopolitan Tokyo, and the fifth one is dead, murdered. The one-time connectedness of these five high-school friends haunts the hero, Tsukuru Tazaki.
Tsukuru–whose name is the only one the five which does not have a color attached and who believes himself to be "colorless–was abruptly dropped from the group when he was a sophomore in college in Tokyo. And he never was given an explanation<|fim_middle|> suite "The Years of Pilgrimage." It is a piece that the young murdered friend played often when they all were together, and it is a record that his friend Haida had coincidentally left at Tsukuru's apartment before he had left him. Towards the end of the novel, Tsukuru visits one of his old high-school friends–still seeking enlightenment as to why he was so unceremoniously dropped–and the friend has the piece in her pile of CDs. The two reach some reconcilliation listening to Listz.
Watching the trains
Watching the people
And then finally there is the subject of trains and of Tokyo's public transportation. When Tsukuru needs time alone, when he is filled with angst and confusion, he goes to the train platforms and watches the trains and the people. There is a certain peace he finds in the uniformity and the precision which such a place exhibits, against what seems impossible odds. (Shinjuko Station handles 3.5 million passengers a day!)
I had skipped Marukami's novel before this, 1Q84, for a variety of reasons. It was a mistake on my part and one I will rectify shortly.
You can listen to the very recording of Listz that Tsukura played on his stereo in his apartment here:
Authors, Book Review, Books, Eastern thought, Literature
1Q84, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage, Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore, Le Mal du Pays, Listz, Norwegian Wood, Shinjuko Station, The Years of Pilgrimage, Tokyo, Tsukuru Tasaki
← Heaney and Plath: Two Poems about blackberry picking
Quote #44: "When I was a child I truly loved… " → | , just the order to never contact them again. The separation caused Tsukuri months of suicidal depression and then years of self-doubt, wonder, and the inability to relate to people. For Tsukuru, the five high school friends were an unprecedented harmony of spirits. And yet there were several cracks in this group which he was too nice to notice.
Tsukuru's name in Japanese means "one who makes things," and indeed, that's what he does. He makes railroad stations. And in Japan, railroad stations are a very big deal and making connections is an intrinsic part of Tokyo life. Yet his treatment by his high-school friends has left him unable to make connections with people. There have been several romantic liaisons, but nothing serious and nothing he wished to pursue further. There was a friendship–tinged with a touch of homo-eroticism–that ended as abruptly as his friendship with his high-school mates. He was simply abandoned one day, his friend moving away from Tokyo with no forewarning and no intention of staying in touch.
And so we follow "colorless" Tsukuru as he tries to make his way in the world.
I needed a novel like Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki. There had been too few novels lately that gripped me from the beginning and made me read obsessively until I was finished. And Murakami has done that for me before. While I can't remember the exact plots of his Kafka on the Shore or NorwegianWood, I do remember the obsessiveness with which I read them. I can remember jotting down notes, following up allusions, taking notes. I remember protagonists who were like Tsukuru Tazaki: thoughtful, introspective, aware young men, burdened by what they cannot change in the past and fearful of the uncertainties of the future. And I remember getting caught up in their sadness and their serious attempts to make sense of their world. Murakami's novels are both thoughtful and fascinating, outwardly exotic and inwardly philosophic.
And also I remember the fascinating side-trips of information. In Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki, there is an odd but brief discussion of the genetic dominance of a sixth finger; there is a continual look at the music of Listz, particularly the "Le Mal du Pays" section of his | 475 |
John Prine honors friends with heart, humor at Ruth Eckerd Hall
In a semi-hometown show in Clearwater, the songwriting legend made the whole house feel alive. | Concert review
It didn't take long for John Prine to reference his local ties on Saturday night at Ruth Eckerd Hall. It just didn't happen the way fans expected.
It came during Speed of the Sound of Loneliness, which he dedicated to his former longtime guitarist Philip Donnelly, an Irishman who lived for a while in St. Pete Beach, near Prine's part-time home of Gulfport. Donnelly died on Thanksgiving. When Prine told the crowd, there were a few audible gasps.
Every local John Prine show feels like a special kind of homecoming, and this was no different. It was the first since Prine released last year's The Tree of Forgiveness, his first new album since 2005. And Prine had plenty of friends among the sold-out crowd of 1,952.
"Glad you guys are living," he told a few of them.
Time is passing, and no one knows that better than Prine, 73, a two-time cancer survivor who wears his scars proudly — his chin hangs low from a mid-'90s surgery that cost him part of the right side of his neck. Donnelly wasn't the only fallen friend he honored Saturday; he also dedicated Souvenirs to Johnny Green, a veteran promoter and Tierra Verde resident who died in 2018.
RELATED: Epilogue: Johnny Green, a living rock 'n' roll Rolodex
The whole night could have been a mournful downer. Prine always was one of those powerfully poetic New Dylans, a guy whose career started with the devastating Sam Stone: "There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes / Jesus Christ died for nothing, I suppose." Yeah, he played that Saturday, and yeah, it hurt the heart.
But since The Tree of Forgiveness, Prine's been playing —<|fim_middle|> she mentioned that during a recent bourbon sampling with her mentor, Prine decided that Bardstown, Ky. label was his favorite. On a night when he could hang his hat by his own bed if he wanted, here's hoping he had a bottle in stock. There are a few local friends he'd probably like to toast.
Up next:New concerts: Mario Lopez, Jamey Johnson, Andrew Bird, more
Jay Cridlin | and living — with a little extra purpose. And that's the part that showed the most on Saturday.
Ambling out to the spirited Crooked Piece of Time, Prine strummed his acoustics with heart and much more enthusiasm than one might expect from his low, doleful baritone. Grandpa Was a Carpenter was a lively bit of campfire folk that saw Prine stepping out to the lip of the stage, gesturing at friends and fans in the front rows.
The imagery of Prine's best songs still have the power to hurl you right into the plot, from Hello In There ("We lost Davey in the Korean War / I still don't know what for / It don't matter anymore") to the country-to-the-core Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow) ("I've been brought down to zero, pulled out and put back there / I sat on a park bench, kissed the girl with the black hair / And my head shouted out to my heart / 'You better look out below!'"). As soon as he started plucking out the all-time classic Angel From Montgomery ("To believe in this living is just a hard way to go"), a lot of fans were caught between wanting to clap and sing along, and wanting to sit in awed reverence.
John Prine, left, and pedal steel player Fats Kaplin perform at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater on Dec. 7, 2019. [ JAY CRIDLIN | Tampa Bay Times ]
Things felt especially lively on newer songs from The Tree of Forgiveness. The fishing story Prine told to set up Egg and Daughter Nite, Lincoln, Nebraska, 1967 (Crazy Bone) was almost as endearing as the hilarious hoot of a tune that followed. Caravan of Fools, "a song about the current administration," swelled with foreboding and "gypsy fiddling" courtesy of Fats Kaplin. And I Have Met My Love Today brought delightful work from Kaplin and Jason Wilber, their guitars intertwined in a melodic Tex-Mex tango.
"It's a young record, and it just took off," Prine said of the album. "This old man is chasing it down the street."
Prine was a quip machine all night. When fans started shouting out requests, he said: "I know 'em all. I know the guy who wrote 'em."
When fans started whooping and hollering between songs: "Thanks for your yelps. You make me feel right at home. That's what we do at the dinner table."
On the sweet love song In Spite of Ourselves. "A lot of people are using this song for weddings these days. I don't know how well it's working. They use Please Don't Bury Me for funerals, so I got you on both ends. I got you covered."
And when a fan shouted "I love you!" Prine said he loved them back.
"When you get to be my age," he said, "you tell everybody you love them."
His age? Did people see the way he jigged around his guitar at the end of the sweet, nostalgic American epic Lake Marie, dancing all the way off stage? Did they notice how brightly he scatted alongside a kazoo on the winking When I Get to Heaven? Did they see how happy he seemed to bring opener Kelsey Waldon, his wife Fiona and guest Jimmie Fadden of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band out to close the show with the rousing Paradise?
Kelsey Waldon opens for John Prine at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater on Dec. 7, 2019. [ JAY CRIDLIN | Tampa Bay Times ]
Waldon, who's signed to Prine's label, opened the show with a set of steely Americana performed with clear-eyed reserve. The flinty resilience of High in Heels, Anyhow and All By Myself put her Appalachian twang front and center, like Tammy or Loretta; sparser songs like The Heartbreak left plenty of room for the lonely to let their hearts roam about.
When she sang Very Old Barton, | 868 |
Jack Marlowe Wise
Jack Marlowe Wise was born in Centerville, Iowa in 1928. He studied at Washington University receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1953 and Florida State University, obtaining a Master of Science in Art degree in 1955.
Following his studies Wise began teaching. He travelled to San Miguel de Allende, in Mexico where he taught and worked with the Native Americans living there at the time.
Wise immigrated to Canada in 1963. He received a Canada Council grant in 1966 that allowed him to travel to northern India, where he spent time with refugee Tibetan<|fim_middle|> explore the spiritual realm incorporating abstraction and archetypes.
Throughout the 1970's and 1980's Wise continued to paint, study and teach, at institutions such as the University of California, Victoria College of Art and the Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts.
Wise's work is found in many public collections in Canada. He was a member of The Royal Canadian Academy and the Pacific North West School.
He died in 1996. | Buddhist monks.
Wises' paintings often | 8 |
Why Egypt's newborn hearing screening initiative is important for the rest of the world
Deaf authors and writers to read and follow
Published by Catalleya Storm at November 19, 2021
As a deaf writer, I love reading the many works by deaf and hard-of-hearing authors. Here is a curated list of some of my favorite deaf authors, both past and present.
Born in Melbourne, Australia, Asphyxia likes to keep much of her personal life personal. That includes going by the nickname Asphyxia. She is a Deaf artist, writer, activist, and public speaker who was creative from a young age. Originally wanting to be a ballerina, she was instead met with discrimination and rejected by the Australian Ballet School, according to her blog. So, she joined the Circus Oz and specialized in trapeze and hoop. She later learned about puppeteering and created her own touring show called The Grimstones. This show turned into a series of books, which won the APA Book Design Awards Best Designed Children's Series in 2013.
Books: Hatched, Mortimer Revealed, Whirlwind, Music School, Future Girl
Cecelia Carolina Bell, also known as Cece Bell, was born December 26, 1970, in Richmond, Virginia. Bell is a children's book author and illustrator. One of her books, El Deafo, won the Eisner Award. It was the first graphic novel to win the Newbery Honor. It is about her life growing up as a oral deaf person.
Books: El Deafo, the Geisel Honor-winning Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover, Rabbit & Robot and Ribbit, I Yam a Donkey, Bee-Wigged, Itty Bitty, and the Sock Monkey series
Read more: Book Review: El Deafo graphic novel helps kids gain confidence with hearing loss
Cheyenna Clearbrook
Cheyenna Clearbrook was born on February 10, 1999, to a deaf family. She is a YouTuber who creates a variety of content from clothing videos to travel blogs to Deaf identity. Clearbrook starred in the mini-series "Deaf U." She self-published a book of poetry.
Book: She Carries the Sword – A book of poetry based on her experiences in life.
Read more: Check out these YouTubers with hearing loss
Michael Chorost
was born December 26, 1964 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Later in life, Chorost got a cochlear implant, which would be the catalyst for his first book Rebuild: How Becoming Part Computer Made<|fim_middle|>First Black DeafBlind journalist
Twitter introduces closed captions option for videos
Gift Ideas: Top 10 books for children with hearing loss | Me More Human. Chorost got his B.A. from Brown University and PhD from UT-Austin. He is a freelance science writer who believes that his body is the future, and often speaks on cochlear implants. He is currently working on a sci-fi novel.
Books: World Wide Mind: The Coming Integration of Humanity, Machines, and the Internet, Rebuilt: How Becoming Part Computer Made Me More Human
Read more: How deaf space and deaf gain inspire author Michael Chorost
Matt Daigle
Matt Daigle, also known as That Deaf Guy, is a stay-at-home father and cartoonist. He was born in San Antonio, Texas, and graduated from Northern State with a B.A. in advertising and graphic design. His social media is full of comic strips that depict life experiences as a Deaf person.
Books: That Deaf Guy: A Wild Ride!, That Deaf Guy: A Family Portrait – Both are comic books.
Haben Girma
Many met Haben Girma when she was labeled the White House Champion of Change by former President Barak Obama. Girma is the first deafblind person to graduate from Harvard Law School. She uses her degree to fight for the rights of those with disabilities.
Book: Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law
Read more: Haben Girma: The story of a Deafblind trailblazer
Dr. Ernest Hairson
Dr. Ernest Hairson is a leader in the Black Deaf community. He lost hearing at five due to spinal meningitis. Later, he graduated from the segregated West Virginia School for the Deaf. He is one of the founding members of Black Deaf Advocates. Hairston earned his master's in administration and supervision at CSUN and his PhD in special education administration at Gallaudet University.
Books: Black and Deaf in America, Are We That Different? (co-author with Linwood Smith) – An in-depth look at some of the problems of the Black Deaf community, including undereducation and underemployment.
Read more: A brief history of Black Deaf people in America
Born November 26, 1998, Chella Man is an actor, activist, model, and artist. He describes himself as a Deaf, genderqueer, trans-masculine, Chinese, and Jewish person. He uses social media and public speaking to be a role model for others. Aside from playing Jericho in the DC Universe's digital series "Titans," he also was recently awarded the Attitude Hero Award. In this published essay, he addresses the question, "What constructs in your life must you unlearn to support inclusivity and respect for all?"
Book: Continuum
"In this published essay, he addresses the question, 'What constructs in your life must you unlearn to support inclusivity and respect for all?'"
Read more: Who is the deaf activist, Chella Man?
Sarah Nović
Sarah Nović was born in 1987. She is a Deaf rights activist who graduated from Columbia University with a masters in fine arts. Nović's book Girl at War won her the 2016 Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction. She wrote a collection of essays featuring inspiring immigrants and a novel about the Yugoslavian civil war as told through a 10-year-old's eyes. Her latest novel takes place at a boarding school for the deaf.
Books: America is Immigrants, Girl at War, True Biz
Josh Swiller
Josh Swiller grew up deaf and mainstreamed in New York City, and has been on a journey ever since. According to his website he "studied literature at Yale, fought fires and deforestation as a ranger in the California Redwoods and poverty and disease as a Peace Corps Volunteer in rural Zambia." He was a Zen monk for 17 years, a professor at Gallaudet University and also studied with Peruvian shamans, osteopathic physicians and biodynamic craniosacral therapists. One thing that has remained consistent is his writing. He has written for the New York Times and Washington Post, among other publications.
His first book, The Unheard, is a memoir of deafness and Africa in which he details his Peace Corps experience through a deaf lens.This year he was given the 2021 Green Earth Book Award for his young adult novel, Bright Shining World. Penguin Random House describes it as "a darkly funny thriller about one boy's attempt to unravel the mysterious phenomenon affecting students in his new town."
Books: Bright Shining World, The Unheard
Jessica White was born in New South Wales and lost her hearing at four years old. She didn't have her first deaf friend till she was in her 30s. Now she embraces her Deaf identity and Deaf Culture. She is also an environmental activist and hopes to bring change to the world while she is here. She's written two novels and a work of creative non-fiction about her experiences with deafness.
Books: A Curious Intimacy, Entitlement, Hearing Maud: A Journey for a Voice
Mary Herring Wright
Mary Herring Wright was born in 1924 in Iron Mine, North Carolina. She started losing her hearing at the age of eight for unknown reasons. During World War II, she became a clerk for the Department of the Navy in Washington DC. She later received an honorary bachelor of arts degree from Gallaudet University.
Books: Sounds Like Home: Growing Up Black and Deaf in the South, Far From Home: Memories of World War II and Afterward
Do you have a book by a deaf or hard of hearing author that you'd like to suggest for the HLM Book Club? Let us know!
Hello, my name is Catalleya Storm (they/them). I work to bring awareness to issues impacting the Black, Deaf, disabled and LGBTQ communities. I was born hearing but started losing my hearing in my late teens. I identify as Deaf/HOH, with the understanding that I am apart of both the hearing world and the Deaf world. I believe that we all can bring about positive change in the world, and that's what I hope to do with the time I have here.
| 1,287 |
The 2 Wishes Bar Joke
June 21, 20<|fim_middle|> legs.""
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"TWO WISHES
A man walks up to the bar with an ostrich behind him, and as he sits, the bartender asks for their order.
The man says, ""I'll have a beer"" and turns to the ostrich. ""What's yours?""
""I'll have a beer too"" says the ostrich.
The bartender pours the beer and says ""That will be $3.40 please,"" and the man reaches into his pocket and pays with the exact change for payment.
The next day, the man and the ostrich come again, and the man says ""I'll have a beer,""
The ostrich says ""I'll have the same.""
Once again the man reaches into his pocket and pays with exact change.
This became a routine until late one evening, the two enter again. ""The usual?"" asks the bartender.
""Well, it's close to last orders, so I'll have a large Scotch"" says the man.
""Same for me"" says the ostrich.
""That will be $7.20″" says the bartender.
Once again the man pulls exact change out of his pocket and places it on the bar.
The bartender can't hold back his curiosity any longer. ""Excuse me, sir. How do you manage to always come up with the exact change out of your pocket every time?""
""Well,"" says the man, ""several years ago I was cleaning the attic and I found this old lamp. When I rubbed it a Genie appeared and offered me two wishes. My first wish was that if I ever needed to pay for anything, I just put my hand in my pocket and the right amount of money will be there.""
""That's brilliant!"" says the bartender. ""Most people would wish for a million dollars or something, but you'll always be as rich as you want for as long as you live!""
""That's right! Whether it's a gallon of milk, or a Rolls Royce, the exact money is always there,"" says the man.
""That's fantastic!"" says the bartender. ""You are a genius! Oh, one other thing sir, what's with the ostrich?""
The man replies, ""Oh, my second wish was for a chick with long | 479 |
\section{Introduction}
\label{intro}
X-ray pulsars are highly magnetized neutron stars in binary systems, accreting matter from a companion star. The companion may be a low-mass star overfilling its Roche lobe in which case an accretion disc is formed. In the case of a high-mass companion, the neutron star may also accrete from the strong stellar wind and depending on the conditions a disc may be formed or accretion may take place quasi-spherically. The strong magnetic field of the neutron star disrupts the accretion flow at some distance from the neutron star surface and forces the accreted matter to funnel down on the polar caps of the neutron star creating hot spots that, if misaligned with the rotational axis, make the neutron star pulsate in X-rays. Most accreting pulsars show stochastic variations in their spin frequencies as well as in their luminosities. Many sources also exhibit long-term trends in their spin-behaviour with the period more or less steadily increasing or decreasing and in some sources spin-reversals have been observed. (For a thorough review, see e.g. Bildsten 1997 and references therein.)
The best-studied case of accretion is that of thin disc accretion (Shakura \& Sunyaev 1973). Here the spin-up/spin-down mechanisms are rather well understood.
For disc accretion the spin-up torque is determined by the specific angular momentum at the inner edge of the disc and can be written in the form
$
K_{su}\approx \dot M\sqrt{GMR_A}\,
$
(Pringle and Rees, 1972). For a pulsar the inner radius of the accretion disc is determined by the Alfven radius $R_A$,
$R_A\sim \dot M^{-2/7}$, so $K_{su}\sim \dot M^{6/7}$, i.e.
for disc accretion the spin-up torque is weakly (almost linearly) dependent on the accretion rate (X-ray luminosity).
In contrast, the spin-down torque for disc accretion in the first approximation is independent of $\dot M$:
$K_{sd}\sim -\mu^2/R_c^3$, where
$R_c=(GM/(\omega^*)^2)^{1/3}$ is the corotation radius, $\omega^*$ is the neutron star angular frequency and $\mu$ is
the neutron star's dipole magnetic moment. In fact, accretion torques in disc accretion are determined by a complicated disc-magnetospheric interaction, see, e.g.,
Ghosh \& Lamb (1979), Lovelace et al. (1995) and the
discussion in Klu\'zniak \& Rappaport (2007), and correpsondingly can have a
more complicated dependence on the mass accretion rate and other parameters.
Measurements of spin-up/spin-down in X-ray pulsars can be used to evaluate a very important parameter of the neutron star -- its magnetic field. The period of the pulsar is usually close to the equilibrium value $P_{eq}$, which is determined by the total zero torque applied to the neutron star, $K=K_{su}+K_{sd}=0$. So assuming the observed
value $\omega^*=2\pi/P_{eq}$, the magnetic field of the neutron star in disc-accreting X-ray pulsars can be estimated if $\dot M$ is known.
In the case of quasi-spherical accretion, which can take place in systems where the optical star underfills its Roche lobe and no accretion disc is formed,
the situation is more complicated. Clearly, the amount and sign of the
angular mometum supplied to
the neutron star from the captured stellar wind are important for spin-up or spin-down. To within a numerical factor (which can be positive or negative, see numerical simulations
by Fryxell \& Taam (1988), Ruffert (1997), Ruffert (1999), etc.),
the torque applied to the neutron star
in this case should be proportional to $\dot M \omega_B R_B^2$, where $\omega_B=2\pi/P_B$ is the binary orbital angular frequency, $R_B=2GM/(V_w^2+v_{orb}^2)^2$
is the gravitational capture (Bondi) radius, $V_w$ is the stellar wind velocity at the neutron star orbital distance, and $v_{orb}$ is the neutron star orbital velocity. In real high-mass X-ray binaries the orbital eccentricity is non-zero, the stellar wind
is variable and can be inhomogeneous, etc., so $K_{su}$ can be a complicated function of time. The spin-down torque is
even more uncertain, since it is impossible to write down a simple equation like $-\mu^2/R_c^3$ any more
($R_c$ has no meaning for quasi-spherical accretion; for slowly rotating pulsars
it is much larger than the Alfven radius where the angular momentum transfer from the accreting matter to the magnetosphere actually occurs). For example, if one uses
for the braking torque $-\mu^2/R_c^3$, the magnetic field
in long-period X-ray pulsars turns out very high. We think this is a result
of underestimating the braking torque.
The matter captured from the stellar wind can accrete onto the neutron star
in different ways. Indeed, if the X-ray flux from the accreting neutron star
is sufficiently high, the shocked matter rapidly cools down due to Compton processes
and freely falls down toward the magnetosphere. The velocity of motion
rapidly becomes supersonic, so a shock is formed above the magnetosphere. This regime was considered, e.g., by Burnard et al. (1983). Depending on the
sign of the specific angular momentum of falling
matter (prograde or retrograde), the neutron star can spin-up or spin-down. However,
if the X-ray flux at the Bondi radius is below some value,
the shocked matter remains hot, the radial velocity of the plasma is subsonic, and
the settling accretion regime sets in. A hot quasi-static shell forms around the magnetosphere (Davies \& Pringle, 1981). Due to additional energy release
(especially near the base of the shell), the temperature gradient across the shell
becomes superadiabatic, so large-scale convective motions inevitably appear.
The convection intitiates turbulence, and the motion of a fluid element in the shell
becomes quite complicated. If the magnetosphere allows plasma entry via instabilities
(and subsequent accretion onto the neutron star), the actual accretion rate
through such a shell is controlled by the magnetosphere (for example, the shell
can exist, but the accretion through it can be weak or even absent altogether).
So on top of the convective motions, the mean radial velocity of matter toward the magnetosphere, a subsonic settling, appears. This picture of accretion is realized
at relatively small X-ray luminositites, $L_x<4\times 10^{36}$~erg/s (see below),
and is totally different from
what was considered in numerical simulations cited above.
If the shell is present, its interaction with the rotating
magnetosphere can lead to spin-up or spin-down of the neutron star, depending
on the sign of the angular velocity difference between the
accreting matter and the magnetospheric
boundary. So in the settling accretion regime, both spin-up or spin-down
of the neutron star is possible, even if the sign of the specific angular momentum of
captured matter is prograde. The shell here mediates the angular momentum transfer
to or from the rotating neutron star.
One can find several models in the literature (see especially Illarionov \& Kompaneets 1990 and Bisnovatyi-Kogan 1991), from which the expression for the spin-down torque
for quasi-spherically accreting neutron stars in the form
$K_{sd}\sim -\dot M R_A^2 \omega^*\sim -\dot M^{3/7}$ can be derived.
Moreover, the expression for the Alfven radius
$R_A$ in the case of settling accretion is found to have different dependence
on the mass accretion rate $\dot M$ and neutron star magnetic moment $\mu$,
$\sim \dot M^{-2/11}\mu^{6/11}$, than the standard expression for disc
accretion, $\sim \dot M^{-2/7}\mu^{4/7}$, so
the spin-down torque for quasi-spherical
settling accretion depends on the accretion rate as $K_{sd}\sim -\dot M^{3/11}$ (see below).
To stress the difference between quasi-spherical and disc accretion, it is
also instructive to rewrite the expression for the spin-down torque using the corotation and Alfven radii
as $K_{sd}\sim -\mu^2/\sqrt{R_c^3 R_A^3}\sim -\mu^2/R_c^3(R_c/R_A)^{3/2}$ (see more detail below in Section 4). Since the factor $(R_c/R_A)^{3/2}\sim
(\omega_K(R_A)/\omega^*)$ can be of the order of 10 or higher in real systems,
using a braking torque in the form $\mu^2/R_c^3$ leads to a strong overestimation
of the magnetic field.
The dependence of the braking torque on the accretion rate in the case
of quasi-spherical settling accretion
suggests that variations of the mass accretion rate (and X-ray luminosity)
must lead to a transition from spin-up (at high accretion rates) to spin-down (at small accretion rates) at some critical
value of $\dot M$ (or $R_A$), that differs from source to source.
This phenomenon
(also known as torque reversal)
is actually observed in wind-fed pulsars like Vela X-1, GX 301-2 and GX 1+4,
which we shall consider below in more detail.
The structure of this paper is as follows. In Section 2, we present an outline of the theory for quasi-spherical accretion onto
a neutron star magnetosphere. We show that it is possible to construct a hot envelope around the neutron star through which accretion can take place and act to either spin up or spin down the neutron star. In Section 3, we discuss the structure of the interchange instability region which determines whether the plasma can enter the magnetosphere of the rotating neutron star. In Section 4 we consider how the spin-up/spin-down torques vary with a changing accretion rate. In Section 5, we show how to determine the parameters of quasi-spherical accretion and the neutron star magnetic field from observational data. In Section 6, we apply our methods to the specific pulsars GX 301-2, Vela X-1 and GX 1+4. In Section 7 we discuss our results and, finally, in Section 8 we present our conclusions. A detailed gas-dynamic
treatment of the problem is presented in four appendices, which are very important to understand the physical processes involved.
\section{Quasi-spherical accretion}
\label{s_qsaccr}
\subsection{The subsonic Bondi accretion shell}
\label{s_shell}
We shall here consider the torques applied to a neutron star in the case of quasi-spherical accretion from a stellar wind.
Wind matter is gravitationally captured by the moving neutron star and a bow-shock is formed at a characteristic
distance $R\sim R_B$, where $R_B$ is the Bondi radius. Angular momentum can be removed from the neutron star
magnetosphere in two ways --- either with matter expelled from the magnetospheric boundary without accretion (the propeller regime, Illarionov \& Sunyaev 1975),
or via convective motions, which bring away angular momentum
in a subsonic quasi-static shell around the magnetosphere, with accretion (the settling accretion regime).
In such a quasi-static shell, the temperature will be high (of the order of the virial temperature, see Davies and Pringle (1981)), and
the important point is whether hot matter from the shell can in fact enter the magnetosphere. Two-dimensional calculations by Elsner and Lamb (1977) have shown that hot monoatomic ideal plasma is stable relative to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability at the magnetospheric boundary, and plasma cooling is thus needed for accretion to begin. However, a closer inspection of the 3-dimensional calculations by Arons and Lea (1976a) reveals that the hot plasma is only marginally stable at the magnetospheric equator (to within 5\% accuracy of their calculations).
Compton cooling and the possible presence of dissipative phenomena (magnetic reconnection etc.) facilitates the plasma entering the magnetosphere.
We will show that both accretion of matter from a hot envelope
and spin-down of the neutron star is indeed possible.
\subsection{The structure of the shell around a neutron star magnetosphere}
To a zeroth approximation, we can neglect both rotation and radial motion (accretion) of matter
in the shell and consider only its hydrostatic structure.
The radial velocity of matter falling through the shell $u_R$ is
lower than the sound velocity $c_s$. Under these assumptions,
the characteristic cooling/heating time-scale
is much larger than the free-fall time-scale.
In the general case where both gas pressure and anisotropic turbulent motions are present,
Pascal's law is violated. Then the hydrostatic equilibrium equation can be derived
from the equation of motion \Eq{v_R1} with stress tensor components \Eq{W_RR} - \Eq{W_pp}
and zero viscosity (see Appendix A for more detail):
\beq{e1}
-\frac{1}{\rho}\frac{dP_g}{dR}-
\frac{1}{\rho R^2}\frac{d(P_\parallel^t R^2)}{dR}+\frac{2P_\perp^t}{\rho R}-\frac{GM}{R^2}=0
\end{equation}
Here $P_g=\rho c_s^2/\gamma$ is the gas pressure, and $P^t$ stands for the pressure due to turbulent
motions:
\beq{ppar}
P_\parallel^t =\rho <u_\parallel^2>=\rho m_\parallel^2 c_s^2=\gamma P_g m_\parallel^2
\end{equation}
\beq{pperp}
P_\perp^t =\rho <u_\perp^2>=\rho m_\perp^2 c_s^2 =\gamma P_g m_\perp^2
\end{equation}
($<u_t^2>=<u_\parallel^2>+2<u_\perp^2>$ is the
turbulent velocity dispersion, $m_\parallel^2$ and $m_\perp^2$ are
turbulent Mach numbers squared in the radial and tangential directions, respectively;
for example, in the case of isotropic turbulence $m_\parallel^2=m_\perp^2=(1/3)m_t^2$ where $m_t$ is the turbulent Mach number).
The total pressure is the sum of the gas and turbulence terms: $P_g+P_t=P_g(1+\gamma m_t^2)$.
We shall consider, to a first approximation, that the entropy distribution in the shell is constant.
Integrating the hydrostatic
equilibrium equation \Eq{e1}, we readily get
\beq{hse_sol}
\frac{{\cal R} T}{\mu_m} = \myfrac{\gamma-1}{\gamma}\frac{GM}{R}\myfrac{1}
{1+\gamma m_\parallel^2-2(\gamma-1)(m_\parallel^2-m^2_\perp)}=\frac{\gamma-1}{\gamma}\frac{GM}{R}\psi(\gamma, m_t)\,.
\end{equation}
(In this solution we have neglected the integration constant, which is not important
deep inside the shell. It is important in the outer part of the shell, but since the outer region close to the bow shock at $\sim R_B$ is not spherically
symmetric, its structure can be found only numerically).
Note that taking turbulence into account somewhat decreases the temperature within the shell.
Most important, however, is that the anisotropy of turbulent motions, caused
by convection in the stationary case, changes the distribution of the angular velocity
in the shell. Below we will show that in the case of isotropic turbulence, the
angular velocity distribution within the shell is close to the quasi-Keplerian one,
$\omega(R) \sim R^{-3/2}$. In the case of strongly anisotropic turbulence caused by convection, $m_\parallel^2\gg m_\perp^2$, an approximately iso-angular-momentum distribution, $\omega(R) \sim R^{-2}$ is realized within the shell. Below we shall see that teh analysis
of rela X-ray pulsars favors the iso-angular-momentum rotation distribution.
Now, let us write down how the density varies inside the quasi-static shell for $R\ll R_B$.
For a fully ionized gas with $\gamma=5/3$ we find:
\beq{rho(R)}
\rho(R)=\rho(R_A)\myfrac{R_A}{R}^{3/2}
\end{equation}
and for the gas pressure:
\beq{P(R)}
P(R)=P(R_A) \myfrac{R_A}{R}^{5/2}\,.
\end{equation}
The above equations describe the structure of an ideal static adiabatic shell
above the magnetosphere. Of course, at $R\sim R_B$ the problem is essentially non-spherically symmetric and
numerical simulations are required.
Corrections to the adiabatic temperature gradient due to
convective energy transport through the shell are calculated in Appendix C.
\subsection{The Alfven surface}
At the magnetospheric boundary (the Alfven surface), the total pressure (including
isotropic gas pressure and the possibly anisotropic turbulent pressure) is balanced by
the magnetic pressure $B^2/(8\pi)$
\beq{}
P_g+P_t=P_g(R_A)(1+\gamma m_t^2)=\frac{B^2(R_A)}{8\pi}\,.
\end{equation}
The magnetic field at the Alfven radius is determined by
the dipole magnetic field and by electric currents flowing on the Alfvenic surface
\beq{P(RA)}
P_g(R_A)=\frac{K_2}{(1+\gamma m_t^2)}\frac{B_0^2}{8\pi} \myfrac{R_0}{R_A}^6 =\frac{\rho{\cal R}T}{\mu_m}
\end{equation}
where the dimensionless coefficient $K_2$ takes into account the contribution from these currents
and the factor $1/(1+\gamma m_t^2)$ is due to the turbulent pressure term.
For example, in the model by Arons and Lea (1976a, their Eq. 31), $K_2=(2.75)^2\approx 7.56$.
At the magnetospheric cusp (where the magnetic force line is branched),
the radius of the Alfven surface is about 0.51 times that of the equatorial radius
(Arons and Lea, 1976a).
Below we shall assume that $R_A$ is the equatorial radius
of the magnetosphere, unless stated otherwise.
Due to the interchange instability, the plasma can enter the neutron star magnetosphere.
In the stationary regime, let us introduce the accretion rate $\dot M$ onto the neutron star surface.
From the continuity equation in the shell we find
\beq{rho_cont}
\rho(R_A)=\frac{\dot M}{4\pi u_R(R_A) R_A^2}
\end{equation}
Clearly, the velocity of absorption of matter by the magnetosphere is smaller than
the free-fall velocity, so we introduce a dimensionless factor $f(u)=u_R/\sqrt{2GM/R}<1$.
Then the density at the magnetospheric boundary is
\beq{rho(R)}
\rho(R_A)=\frac{\dot M}{4\pi f(u) \sqrt{2GM/R_A} R_A^2}\,.
\end{equation}
For example, in the model calculations by Arons \& Lea (1976a) $f(u)\approx 0.1$;
in our case, at high X-ray luminosities the value of $f(u)$ can attain $\approx 0.5$.
It is possible to imagine that the shell is impenetrable and that there is no accretion through it,
$\dot M \to 0$. In this case $u_R\to 0$, $f(u)\to 0$, while the density
in the shell remains finite.
In some sense, the matter leaks from the magnetosphere down to the neutron star,
and the leakage can be either small ($\dot M \to 0$) or large ($\dot M \ne 0$).
Plugging $\rho(R)$ into \Eq{P(RA)} and using \Eq{hse_sol} and
the definition of the dipole magnetic moment
\[
\mu=\frac{1}{2}B_0R_0^3
\]
(where $R_0$ is the neutron star radius), we find
\beq{RA_def}
R_A=\left[\frac{4\gamma}{(\gamma-1)}\frac{f(u) K_2}{\psi(\gamma, m_t)(1+\gamma m_t^2)} \frac{\mu^2}{\dot M\sqrt{2GM}}\right]^{2/7}\,.
\end{equation}
It should be stressed that in the presence of a hot shell the Alfven radius is
determined by the static gas pressure at the magnetospheric boundary,
which is non-zero even for a zero-mass accretion rate through the shell,
so the appearance of $\dot M$ in the above formula is strictly formal.
\subsection{Angular momentum transfer}
We now consider a quasi-stationary subsonic shell in which accretion proceeds
onto the neutron star magnetosphere. We stress that in this regime, i.e. the settling regime, the accretion rate onto the neutron star
is determined by the denisity at the bottom of the shell (which is directly related to
the density downstream the bow shock in the gravitational capture region) and the ability of the plasma to enter the magnetosphere through the Alfven surface.
The rotation law in the shell depends on the treatment of the turbulent viscosity
(see Appendix A for the Prandtl law and isotropic turbulence) and
the possible anisotropy of the turbulence due to convection (see Appendix B).
In the last case the anistropy leads to more powerful radial turbulence
than in the perpendicular directions. Thus, as shown in Appendix A and B,
there is a set of quasi-power-law solutions for the radial dependence of the angular
rotation velocity in a convective shell.
We shall consider a power-law dependence
of the angular velocity on radius,
\beq{rotation_law}
\omega(R)\sim R^{-n}
\end{equation}
We will study in detail the quasi-Keplerian law with $n=3/2$, and the iso-angular-momentum distribution
with $n=2$, which in some sense are limiting cases
among the possible solutions.
When approaching the bow shock, $R \to R_B$,
$\omega\to \omega_B$.
Near the bow shock the problem is not spherically
symmetric any more since the flow is more complicated (part of the flow bends across the shell),
and the structure of the flow can be studied only using numerical simulations.
In the absence of such simulations, we shall assume that the
iso-angular-momentum distribution is valid up to the nearest distance to
the bow shock from the neutron star which we shall take to be the gravitational
capture radius $R_B$,
\[
R_B\simeq 2GM/(V_w^2+v_{orb}^2)^2
\]
where $V_w$ is the stellar wind velocity at the neutron star orbital distance, and $v_{orb}$ is the neutron star orbital velocity.
This means that the angular velocity of rotation of matter near the magnetosphere $\omega_m$
will be related to $\omega_B$ via
\beq{omega_m1}
\omega_m= \tilde\omega\omega_B\myfrac{R_B}{R_A}^{n}.
\end{equation}
(Here the numerical factor $\tilde\omega>1$ takes into account the deviation
of the actual rotational law from the value obtained by using the assumed power-law dependence near the Alfven surface; see Appendix A for more detail.)
Let the NS magnetosphere rotate with
an angular velocity $\omega^*=2\pi/P^*$ where $P^*$ is the neutron star spin period.
The matter at the bottom of the shell
rotates with an angular velocity $\omega_m$, in general different from $\omega^*$.
If $\omega^*>\omega_m$, coupling of the plasma with the magnetosphere ensures transfer of angular momentum from the magnetosphere to the shell, or from the shell to the
magnetosphere if $\omega^*<\omega_m$. In the general case, the coupling of matter with the magnetosphere can be moderate or
strong. In the strong coupling regime the toroidal magnetic field component $B_t$ is proportional to the
poloidal field component $B_p$ as $B_t\sim -B_p (\omega_m-\omega^*)t$, and $|B_t|$ can grow to $\sim |B_p|$. This regime can be expected for rapidly rotating magnetopsheres
when $\omega^*$ is comparable to or even greater than the Keplerian
angular frequency $\omega_K(R_A)$; in the latter case the propeller regime sets in.
In the moderate coupling regime, the plasma can enter the magnetosphere due to instabilities on a timescale shorter than that
needed for the toroidal field to grow to the value of the poloidal field,
so $B_t < B_p$.
\subsubsection{The case of strong coupling}
\label{s:strongcoupling}
Let us first consider the strong coupling regime. In this regime, powerful large-scale convective motions can lead to turbulent magnetic field diffusion
accompanied by magnetic field dissipation. This process is characterized by
the turbulent magnetic field diffusion coefficient $\eta_t$. In this case
the toroidal magnetic field (see e.g. Lovelace et al. 1995
and references therein) is
\beq{bt}
B_t=\frac{R^2}{\eta_t}(\omega_m-\omega^*)B_p\,.
\end{equation}
The turbulent magnetic diffusion coefficient is related to the kinematic turbulent viscosity as
$\eta_t\simeq \nu_t$. The latter can be written as
\beq{nut}
\nu_t=<u_tl_t>\,.
\end{equation}
According to the phenomenological Prandtl law which relates the average characteristics of
a turbulent flow (the velocity $u_t$, the characteristic scale of turbulence $l_t$
and the shear $\omega_m-\omega^*$)
\beq{Prandtl}
u_t\simeq l_t |\omega_m-\omega^*|\,.
\end{equation}
In our case, the turbulent scale must be
determined by the largest scale of the energy supply to turbulence
from the rotation of a non-spherical magnetospheric surface. This scale is determined by the velocity difference of the
solidly rotating magnetosphere and the accreting matter that is still not interacting with the magnetosphere, i.e. $l_t\simeq R_A$, which determines the turn-over velocity of the largest turbulence eddies. At smaller scales a turbulent cascade develops.
Substituting this scale into equations \Eq{bt}-\Eq{Prandtl} above, we
find that in the strong coupling regime $B_t\simeq B_p$. The
moment of forces due to plasma-magnetosphere interactions is applied to the neutron star and
causes spin evolution according to:
\beq{}
I\dot \omega^*=\int\frac{B_tB_p}{4\pi}\varpi dS =
\pm \tilde K(\theta)K_2\frac{\mu^2}{R_A^3}
\end{equation}
where $I$ is the neutron star's moment of inertia, $\varpi$ is the distance from the rotational axis and $\tilde K(\theta)$ is a numerical coefficient depending
on the angle between the rotational and magnetic dipole axis. The coefficient
$K_2$ appears in the above expression for the same reason as in \Eq{P(RA)}.
The positive sign corresponds to positive flux of angular momentum to the neutron star
($\omega_m>\omega^*$). The negative sign corresponds to negative flux of angular momentum across
the magnetosphere ($\omega_m<\omega^*$).
At the Alfven radius, the matter couples with the magnetosphere and acquires the angular velocity of the neutron star. It then falls onto the neutron-star surface
and returns the angular momentum acquired at $R_A$ back to the neutron star via the magnetic field.
As a result of this process, the neutron star spins up at a rate determined by the expression:
\beq{suz}
I\dot \omega^*=+z \dot M R_A^2\omega^*
\end{equation}
where $z$ is a numerical coefficient which takes into account the angular momentum of the falling matter. If all matter falls from the equatorial equator, $z=1$; if matter falls strictly along the spin axis, $z=0$.
If all matter were to fall across the entire magnetospheric surface, then $z=2/3$.
Ultimately, the total torque applied to the neutron star in the strong coupling regime yields
\beq{sd_eq_strong}
I\dot \omega^*=\pm \tilde K(\theta)K_2 \frac{\mu^2}{R_A^3} +z \dot M R_A^2\omega^*
\end{equation}
Using \Eq{RA_def}, we can eliminate $\dot M$ in the above equation to obtain in the spin-up regime ($\omega_m>\omega^*$)
\beq{su}
I\dot \omega^*=\frac{\tilde K(\theta)K_2\mu^2}{R_A^3}
\left[1+z\frac{4\gamma f(u)}{\sqrt{2}(\gamma-1)(1+\gamma m_t^2)\psi(\gamma, m_t)\tilde K(\theta)}\myfrac{R_A}{R_c}^{3/2}\right]
\end{equation}
where $R_c^3=GM/(\omega^*)^2$ is the corotation radius. In the spin-down regime ($\omega_m<\omega^*$) we find
\beq{sd}
I\dot \omega^*=-\frac{\tilde K(\theta)K_2\mu^2}{R_A^3}
\left[1-z\frac{4\gamma f(u)}{\sqrt{2}(\gamma-1)(1+\gamma m_t^2)\psi(\gamma, m_t)\tilde K(\theta)}\myfrac{R_A}{R_c}^{3/2}\right]\,.
\end{equation}
Note that in both cases $R_A$ must be smaller than $R_c$, otherwise the propeller effect prohibits accretion. In the propeller regime $R_A>R_c$,
matter does not fall onto the neutron star, there are no accretion-generated
X-rays from the neutron star, the shell rapidly cools down and
shrinks and the standard Illarionov and Sunyaev propeller (1975), with matter outflow from the magnetosphere is established.
In both accretion regimes (spin-up and spin-down),
the neutron star angular velocity $\omega^*$ almost approaches the angular velocity of
matter at the magnetospheric boundary, $\omega^*\to \omega_m(R_A)$. The difference between $\omega^*$ and
$\omega_m$ is small when the second term in the square brackets in \Eq{su} and \Eq{sd} is much smaller than unity. Also note that when approaching the propeller regime ($R_A\to R_c$), the accretion rate decreases,
$f(u)\to 0$, the second term in the square brackets vanishes, and the spin evolution is determined solely by the spin-down term $-\tilde K(\theta) \mu^2/R_A^3$.
(In the
propeller regime, $\omega_m< \omega_K(R_A)$, $\omega_m<\omega^*$, $\omega^*> \omega_K(R_A)$ ). So the neutron star spins down to the Keplerian frequency at the Alfven radius.
In this regime, the specific angular momentum of the matter that flows in and out
from the magnetosphere is, of course, conserved.
Near the equilibrium accretion state ($\omega^*\sim \omega_m$),
relatively small fluctuations in $\dot M$ across the shell would lead to very strong fluctuations in
$\dot \omega^*$ since the toroidal field component can change its sign
by changing from $+B_p$ to $-B_p$. This property, if realized in nature, could be
the distinctive feature of the strong coupling regime. It is known (see eg.g. Bildsten et al. 1997, Finger et al. 2011) that
real X-ray pulsars sometimes exhibit rapid spin-up/spin-down transitions not associated
with X-ray luminosity changes, which may be evidence for
them temporarily entering the strong coupling regime. It is not excluded that the
triggering of the strong coupling regime may be due to the magnetic field
frozen into the accreting plasma that has not yet entered the magnetosphere.
\subsubsection{The case of moderate coupling}
The strong coupling regime considered above can be realized in the extreme case where
the toroidal magnetic field $B_t$ attains a maximum possible value
$\sim B_p$ due to magnetic turbulent diffusion.
Usually, the coupling of matter with the magnetosphere is mediated by
different plasma instabilities whose characteristic times are too short for substantial toroidal field growth.
As we discussed above in Section \ref{s_shell}, the shell is very hot near the
bottom, so without cooling at the magnetospheric boundary it is marginally stable with respect to the interchange instability, according to the calculations by Arons
and Lea (1976a). Due to Compton cooling by X-ray emission from the neutron star poles, plasma enters the magnetosphere
with a characteristic time-scale determined by the instability increment. Since the most likely instability is the Rayleigh-Taylor instability,
the growth rate scales as the Keplerian angular frequency $\omega_K=\sqrt{GM/R^3}$.
The time-scale of the instability can be normalized as
\beq{}
t_{inst}=\frac{1}{\omega_K(R_A)}\,,
\end{equation}
The toroidal magnetic field increases with time as
\beq{BtBp}
B_t=K_1(\theta) B_p(\omega_m-\omega^*)t_{inst}
\end{equation}
where $K_1(\theta)$ is a numerical coefficient which takes into account the degree and angular dependence of the coupling of matter with the magnetosphere in which the angle between the neutron star spin axis and the magnetic dipole axis is $\theta$.
Then, the
neutron star spin frequency change in this regime reads
\beq{sd1}
I\dot\omega^*=K_1(\theta)K_2\frac{\mu^2}{R_A^3}\frac{\omega_m-\omega^*}{\omega_K(R_A)}\,.
\end{equation}
Using the definition of $R_A$ [\Eq{RA_def}] and $\omega_K$, the spin-down formula can be recast to the form
\beq{sd_om}
I\dot \omega^*=Z \dot M R_A^2(\omega_m-\omega^*)
\end{equation}
Here the dimensionless coefficient $Z$ is
\beq{Zdef}
Z=\frac{ K_1(\theta)}{f(u)}\frac{\sqrt{2}(\gamma-1)}{4\gamma}\psi(\gamma, m_t)
(1+\gamma m_t^2)\,.
\end{equation}
Taking into account that the matter falling onto the neutron star surface brings angular momentum $z\dot M R_A^2\omega^*$
(see \Eq{suz} above), we arrive at
\beq{sd_eq}
I\dot \omega^*=Z \dot M R_A^2(\omega_m-\omega^*)+z \dot M R_A^2\omega^*
\end{equation}
Clearly, to remove angular momentum from the neutron star through this kind of a static shell, $Z$ must be larger than $z$. Then the neutron star can spin-down episodically (we shall precise this statement below). Oppositely, if $Z<z$, the neutron star can only spin up.
When a hot shell cannot be formed (at high accretion rates or small relative wind velocities, see e.g. Sunyaev (1978)), free-fall Bondi accretion with low angular momentum is realized. No angular momentum can be removed from the neutron star magnetosphere.
Then $Z=z$ and \Eq{sd_eq} takes the simple form $
I\dot \omega^*=Z \dot M R_A^2\omega_m $, and the neutron star in this regime can spin-up up to about $\omega_K(R_A)$ independent of the sign of the difference of the angular frequencies
$\omega_m-\omega^*$ at the magnetopsheric boundary.
Due to conservation of specific angular momentum, $\omega_m=\omega_B (R_B/R_A)^2$, so
in this case the spin evolution of the NS is described by equation
\beq{}
I\dot \omega^*=Z \dot M \omega_BR_B^2\,,
\end{equation}
where $Z$ plays the role of the specific angular momentum
of the captured matter. For example, in early work by Illarionov \& Sunyaev 1975
$Z\simeq 1/4$. However, detailed numerical simulations of Bondi-Littleton accretion
in 2D (e.g. Fryxell and Taam, 1988, Ho et al. 1989) and in 3D (e.g. Ruffert, 1997, 1999)
revealed that due to inhomogeneities in the incoming flow, a non-stationary
regime with an alternating sign of the captured matter angular momentum can be realized. So
the sign of $Z$ can be negative as well, and alternating spin-up/spin-down regimes
can be observed. Such a scenario is frequently invoked to explain the observed torque
reversals in X-ray pulsars (see the discussion in Nelson et al. 1997). We repeat that
this could indeed be the case for large X-ray luminosities $>4\times 10^{36}$~erg/s when
a convective quasi-hydrostatic shell cannot exist due to strong Compton cooling
near the magnetospheric boundary.
When a hot shell is formed (at moderate X-ray luminositities
below $\sim 4\times 10^{36}$~erg/s, see \Eq{M*} below),
the angular momentum from the neutron star
magnetosphere can be transferred away through the shell by turbulent viscosity and
convective motions. So we substitute
$\omega_m$ from \Eq{omega_m1} into \Eq{sd_eq}
to obtain
\beq{sd_eq1}
I\dot \omega^*= Z\dot M \tilde\omega\omega_B R_B^2\myfrac{R_A}{R_B}^{2-n}-Z(1-z/Z)\dot M R_A^2\omega^*\,.
\end{equation}
This is the main formula which we shall use below.
To proceed further, however, we need to determine the dimensionless coefficients of
this equation. In the next section we shall find the important factor $f(u)$ that
enters the formulae for both $Z$ and $R_A$, so the only unknown dimensionless parameter
of the problem will be the coefficient $K_1(\theta)$.
\section{Approximate structure of the interchange instability region}
The plasma enters the magnetosphere of the slowly rotating neutron star due to
the interchange instability. The boundary between the plasma and the magnetosphere is stable
at high temperatures $T>T_{cr}$, but becomes unstable at $T<T_{cr}$, and remains in
a neutral equilibrium at $T=T_{cr}$ (Elsner and Lamb, 1976). The critical temperature is:
\beq{Tcr}
{\cal R}T_{cr}=\frac{1}{2(1+\gamma m_t^2)}\frac{\cos\chi}{\kappa R_A}\frac{\mu_mGM}{R_A}
\end{equation}
Here $\kappa$ is the local curvature of the magnetosphere, $\chi$ is the angle
the outer normal makes with the radius-vector at a given point, and the contribution
of turbulent pulsations in the plasma to the total pressure is
taken into account by factor $(1+\gamma m_t^2)$.
The effective gravity acceleration can be written as
\beq{g_eff}
g_{eff}=\frac{GM}{R_A^2}\left(1-\frac{T}{T_{cr}}\right)\,.
\end{equation}
The temperature in the quasi-static shell is given by \Eq{hse_sol}, so
the condition for the magnetosphere instability can then be rewritten as:
\beq{m_inst}
\frac{T}{T_{cr}}=\frac{2(\gamma-1)(1+\gamma m_t^2)}
{\gamma}\psi(\gamma, m_t) \frac{\kappa R_A}{\cos\chi}<1\,.
\end{equation}
According to Arons and Lea (1976a), when the external gas pressure decreases
with radius as $P\sim R^{-5/2}$, the form of the magnetosphere far from the
polar cusp can be described to within 10\% accuracy as $(\cos\lambda)^{0.2693}$
(here $\lambda$ is the polar angle counting from the magnetospheric equator). The instability first appears near the equator, where the curvature is minimal.
Near the equatorial plane ($\lambda=0$),
for a poloidal dependence of the magnetosphere $\approx (\cos \lambda)^{0.27}$
we get for the curvature $k_pR_A=1+1.27$. The toroidal field curvature at the magnetospheric equator is $k_t=1$. The tangent sphere at the equator cannot have a radius larger than the inverse poloidal curvature, therefrom $\kappa R_A=1.27$ at $\lambda=0$.
This is somewhat larger than the value of $\kappa R_A=\gamma/(2(\gamma-1))=5/4=1.25$ (
for $\gamma=5/3$ in the absence of turbulence or
for fully isotropic turbulence),
but within the accuracy limit\footnote{In Arons and Lea (1976b), the curvature is calculated to be $\kappa R_A\approx 1.34$, still within the accuracy limit}.
The contribution from anisotropic turbulence
decreases the critical temperature; for example,
for $\gamma=5/3$, in the case of strongly anisotropic turbulence
$m_\parallel=1$, $m_\perp=0$, at $\lambda=0$ we obtain $T/T_{cr}\sim 2$,
i.e. anisotropic turbulence
increases the stability of the magnetosphere.
So initially the plasma-magnetospheric boundary
is stable, and after cooling to $T<T_{cr}$ the plasma instability sets in, starting in the equatorial zone, where the curvature of the magnetospheric surface is minimal.
Let us consider the development of the interchange instability when cooling
(predominantly the Compton cooling) is present. The temperature changes as (Kompaneets, 1956,
Weymann, 1965)
\beq{dTdt}
\frac{dT}{dt}=-\frac{T-T_x}{t_C}
\end{equation}
where the Compton cooling time is
\beq{t_comp}
t_{C}=\frac{3}{2\mu_m}\frac{\pi R_A^2 m_e c^2}{\sigma_T L_x
\approx 10.6 [\hbox{s}] R_{9}^2 \dot M_{16}^{-1}\,
\end{equation}
Here $m_e$ is the electron mass, $\sigma_T$ is the Thomson cross section, $L_x=0.1 \dot M c^2$ is the X-ray luminosity, $T$ is the electron temperature (which is equal to ion temperature; the timescale of electron-ion energy exchange is the shortest one), $T_x$ is the X-ray temperature and
$\mu_m=0.6$ is the molecular weight.
The photon temperature is $T_x=(1/4) T_{cut}$ for a bremsstrahlung spectrum with an exponential
cut-off at $T_{cut}$, typically $T_x=3-5$~keV.
The solution of equation \Eq{dTdt} reads:
\beq{}
T=T_x+(T_{cr}-T_x)e^{-t/t_C}\,.
\end{equation}
It is seen that for $t\approx 2t_C$ the temperature decreases to $T_x$.
In the linear approximation and noticing that $T_{cr}\sim 30\,\hbox{keV}\gg T_x\sim 3$~keV,
the effective gravity acceleration increases linearly with time:
\beq{}
g_{eff}\approx \frac{GM}{R_A^2}\frac{t}{t_C}\,.
\end{equation}
Correspondingly, the rate of instability increases with time as
\beq{}
u_{i}=\int g_{eff} dt=\frac{1}{2}\frac{GM}{R_A^2}t^2\,.
\end{equation}
Let us introduce the mean rate of the instability growth
\beq{}
<u_i>=\frac{\int u dt}{t}=\frac{1}{6}\frac{GM}{R_A^2}\frac{t^2}{t_C}=
\frac{1}{6}\frac{GM}{R_A^2t_C}\myfrac{\zeta R_A}{<u_i>}^2\,.
\end{equation}
Here $\zeta\lesssim 1$ and $\zeta R_A$ is the characteristic scale of the
instability that grows with the rate $<u_i>$.
So for the mean rate of the instability growth in the linear stage we find
\beq{ui}
<u_i>=\myfrac{\zeta^2GM}{6t_C}^{1/3}=\frac{\zeta^{2/3}}{12^{1/3}}\sqrt{\frac{2GM}{R_A}}
\myfrac{t_{ff}}{t_C}^{1/3}\,.
\end{equation}
Here we have introduced the free-fall time as
\beq{}
t_{ff}=\frac{R_A^{3/2}}{\sqrt{2GM}}\,.
\end{equation}
Clearly, later in the non-linear stage the rate of instability growth approaches the
free-fall velocity. We consider the linear stage first of all, since
at this stage the temperature is not too low (although the entropy
starts decreasing with radius), and it is in this zone that the effective angular
momentum transfer from the magnetosphere to the shell occurs. At later stages of the
instability development,
the entropy drop is too strong for convection to begin.
Let us estimate the accuracy of our approximation by retaining the second-order terms
in the exponent expansion. Then the mean instability growth rate is
\beq{2dorder}
<u_i>=\myfrac{\zeta^2GM}{6t_C}^{1/3}\left[1-2\zeta^{1/3}\myfrac{t_{ff}}{t_C}^{2/3}\right]\,.
\end{equation}
Clearly, the smaller accretion rate, the smaller the ratio $t_{ff}/t_C$, and the better our approximation.
Now we are in a position to specify the important dimensionless
factor $f(u)$:
\beq{fu1}
f(u)=\frac{<u_i>}{u_{ff}(R_A)}
\end{equation}
Substituting \Eq{ui} and \Eq{fu1} into \Eq{RA_def}, we find for the Alfven radius in
this regime:
\beq{RA}
R_A\approx 0.9\times 10^9[\hbox{cm}]
\left(\frac{4\gamma\zeta}{(\gamma-1)(1+\gamma m_t^2)\psi(\gamma, m_t)}\frac{\mu_{30}^3}{\dot M_{16}}\right)^{2/11}\,.
\end{equation}
We stress the difference of the obtained expression for the Alfven radius with the
standard one, $R_A\sim \mu^{4/7}/\dot M^{-2/7}$, which is obtained by equating the dynamical
pressure of falling gas to the magnetic field pressure; this difference comes from the dependence of
$f(u)$ on the magnetic moment and mass accretion rate in the settling accretion regime.
Plugging \Eq{RA} into \Eq{fu1}, we obtain an explicit expression for $f(u)$:
\beq{fu}
f(u)\approx 0.33\myfrac{(\gamma-1)(1+\gamma m_t^2)\psi(\gamma, m_t)}{4\gamma\zeta}^{1/33}\dot M_{16}^{4/11}\mu_{30}^{-1/11}\,.
\end{equation}
\section{Spin-up/spin-down transitions}
Now let us consider how the spin-up/spin-down torques vary with changing $\dot M$.
We stress again that we consider the shell through which matter accretes to be essentially subsonic.
It is the leakage of matter through the magnetospheric boundary
that in fact determines the actual accretion rate onto the neutron star. This is
mostly dependent on the density at the bottom of the shell. On the other hand, the density structure of
the shell is directly related to the density of captured matter at the bow shock region,
so density variations downstream the shock are rapidly translated into density variations near the magnetopsheric boundary. This means that the actual accretion rate variations must be
essentially independent (for circular or low-eccentricity orbits) of the orbital phase
but are mostly dependent on variations of the wind density. In contrast,
possible changes in $R_B$ (for example, due to wind velocity variations or to the orbital motion of the neutron star)
do not affect the accretion rate through the shell but
strongly affect the value of the spin-up torque (see \Eq{sd_eq1}).
\Eq{sd_eq1} can be rewritten in the form
\beq{sd_eq2}
I\dot \omega^*=A\dot M^{\frac{3+2n}{11}} - B\dot M^{3/11}\,.
\end{equation}
For the fiducial value $\dot M_{16}\equiv \dot M/10^{16}$~g/s,
the accretion-rate independent coefficients are (in CGS units)
\beq{A(Z)}
A\approx 5.325\times 10^{31} (0.034)^{2-n}K_1(\theta)\tilde \omega
\delta^n (1+(5/3) m_t^2)\myfrac{\zeta}{(1+(5/3) m_t^2)\psi(5/3,m_t)}^{\frac{13-6n}{33}}
\mu_{30}^{\frac{13-6n}{11}}v_8^{-2n}\myfrac{P_b}{10\hbox{d}}^{-1}
\end{equation}
\beq{B}
B=5.4\times 10^{32}(1-z/Z)K_1(\theta)\myfrac{\zeta}{(1+(5/3) m_t^2)\psi(5/3,m_t)}^{\frac{13}{33}}\mu_{30}^{\frac{13}{11}}\myfrac{P^*}{100\hbox{s}}^{-1}
\end{equation}
(from now on in numerical estimates we assume $\gamma=5/3$).
The dimensionless factor $\delta<1$ takes into account the actual location
of the gravitaional capture radius, which is smaller than the Bondi value for a cold stellar wind (Hunt, 1971). This radius can also be smaller due to
radiative heating of the stellar wind by X-ray emission from the neutron star surface (see below).
In the numerical coefficients we have used the expression for $Z$ with account for \Eq{fu},
and \Eq{RA} for the Alfvenic radius.
Below we shall consider the case $Z-z>0$, i.e. $B>0$, otherwize only spin-up of the neutron star is possible.
First of all, we note that the function $\dot\omega^*(\dot M$) reaches minimum at
some $\dot M_{cr}$, By differentiating \Eq{sd_eq2} with respect to $\dot M$ and equating to zero, we find
\beq{dotMcr}
\dot M_{cr}=\left[\frac{B}{A}\frac{3}{(3+2n)}\right]^{\frac{11}{2n}}
\end{equation}
At $\dot M=\dot M_{cr}$ the value of $\dot\omega^*$ reaches an absolute minimum (see Fig. \ref{f:y}).
It is convenient to introduce the dimensionless parameter
\beq{y_def}
y\equiv \frac{\dot M}{\dot M_{cr}}
\end{equation}
and rewrite \Eq{sd_eq2} in the form
\beq{sdy}
I\dot \omega^*=A\dot M_{cr}^{\frac{3+2n}{11}}y^{\frac{3+2n}{11}}
\left(1- {\bf\myfrac{y_0}{y}^\frac{2n}{11}}\right)\,,
\end{equation}
where the frequency derivative vanishes at $y=y_0$:
\beq{y0}
y_0=\myfrac{3+2n}{3}^{\frac{11}{2n}}\,.
\end{equation}
The qualitative behaviour of $\dot\omega^*$ as a function of $y$ is shown in Fig.
\ref{f:y}.
\begin{figure*}
\includegraphics[width=0.5\textwidth]{domegadmdot1.eps}
\caption{A schematic plot of $\dot\omega^*$ as a function of $y$ [\Eq{sdy}]. In fact, as $y\to 0$, $\omega^*$ approaches some negative $\dot\omega^*$, since the neutron star
enters the propeller regime at small accretion rates.}
\label{f:y}
\end{figure*}
Let us then vary \Eq{sdy} with respect to $y$:
\beq{variations}
I(\delta\dot\omega^*)=I\frac{\partial \dot \omega^*}{\partial y}(\delta y)=
\frac{3+2n}{11}A\dot M_{cr}^\frac{3+2n}{11}y^{-\frac{8-2n}{11}}
\left(1- \frac{1}{y^{\frac{2n-1}{11}}}\right)(\delta y)\,.
\end{equation}
We see that depending on whether $y>1$ or $y<1$,
\textit{correlated changes} of $\delta \dot\omega^*$
with X-ray flux should have different signs. Indeed, for GX 1+4 in Gonz\'alez-Gal\'an et al (2011) a positive correlation
of the observed $\delta P$ with $\delta \dot M$ was found using \textit{Fermi} data. This means that
there is a negative correlation between $\delta\omega^*$ and $\delta\dot M$, suggesting $y<1$ in this source.
\section{Determination of the neutron star magnetic field and other parameters
in the settling accretion regime}
\label{s:magfield}
Most X-ray pulsars rotate close to their equilibrium periods, i.e. the
average $\dot\omega^*=0$. Near the equilibrium, in the settling accretion regime
from \Eq{sd_eq2} we obtain:
\beq{mu_eq}
\mu_{30}^{(eq)}\approx
\left[\frac{0.0986\cdot (0.034)^{(2-n)}\tilde\omega (1+(5/3)m_t^2)}{1-z/Z}\right]^\frac{11}{6n}
\myfrac{P_*/100s}{P_b/10d}^\frac{11}{6n}\myfrac{\dot M_{16}(1+(5/3) m_t^2)\psi(5/3,m_t)}{\zeta}^\frac{1}{3}
\myfrac{\sqrt{\delta}}{v_8}^\frac{11}{3}
\end{equation}
Once the magnetic field of the neutron star is estimated for any specific system, we can
calculate the value of the Alfven radius $R_A$ [\Eq{RA}] and the
important numerical coefficient $f(u)$ [\Eq{fu}]. The coupling constant $K_1(\theta)$
is evaluated from \Eq{A(Z)}, in which the left-hand side can be independently
calculated using \Eq{variations} measured at $y=y_0$ (where $\dot \omega^*=0$):
\beq{Adet}
A=\frac{I\left.\myfrac{\partial \dot \omega^*}{\partial y}\right|_{y_0}}
{\myfrac{3+2n}{11}\frac{\dot M^\frac{3+2n}{11}}{y_0}
\left(1-y_0^{\frac{-(2n-1)}{11}}\right)}\,.
\end{equation}
The coefficient $Z$ is then determined from \Eq{Zdef}. The
dimensionless factor relating the toroidal and poloidal magnetic field is also important.
Near the equilibrium we have $\omega_m-\omega^*=-(z/Z)\omega^*$, so
\Eq{BtBp} can be written as
\beq{BtBpnum}
\frac{B_t}{B_p}=K_1(\theta)\myfrac{z}{Z}\myfrac{\omega^*}{\omega_K(R_A)}=
\frac{10f(u)z}{\sqrt{2}(1+(5/3)m_t^2)\psi(5/3,m_t)}\myfrac{\omega^*}{\omega_K(R_A)}\,.
\end{equation}
Calculated values for all parameters and coefficients discussed above are listed for
specific wind-fed pulsars in Table 1 below.
\subsection{Low-luminosity X-ray pulsars with torque reversal}
Let us consider X-ray pulsars with persistent spin-up and spin-down episodes. We shall assume that a convective shell is present during both spin-up (with higher luminosity) and spin-down (with lower luminosity), provided that at the spin-up stage the mass accretion rate
does not exceed $\dot M_*$ as derived above.
Suppose that in such pulsars we can measure the average value of $\dot \omega^*|_{su}$ and $\dot \omega^*|_{sd}$ as well as the average X-ray
flux during spin-up and spin-down, respectively.
Let at some specific value $y_1<y_0$ the source be observed to spin-down:
\beq{suy1}
I\dot \omega^*|_{sd}=A\dot M_{cr}^{\frac{3+2n}{11}}y_1^{\frac{3+2n}{11}}
\left(1- \myfrac{y_0}{y_1}^{2n/11}\right)>0\,, \quad y_1<y_0=\myfrac{3+2n}{3}^{\frac{11}{2n}}\,.
\end{equation}
At some $y_2>y_0$, the neutron star starts to spin-up:
\beq{suy2}
I\dot \omega^*|_{su}=A\dot M_{cr}^{\frac{3+2n}{11}}y_2^{\frac{3+2n}{11}}
\left(1- \myfrac{y_0}{y_2}^{2n/11}\right)<0\,, \quad y_2>y_0
\end{equation}
Using the observed spin-down/spin-up ratio $\dot\omega^*|_{sd}/\dot\omega^*|_{su}=X$
and the corresponding X-ray luminosity ratio $L_x(sd)/L_x(su)=y_1/y_2=x<1$, we find by dividing \Eq{suy1} with \Eq{suy2} and after substituting $y_2=y_1/x$
\beq{}
|X|=x^{\frac{3+2n}{11}}
\left|
\frac{1-\myfrac{y_0}{y_1}^{2n/11}}
{1-\myfrac{y_0}{(y_1/x)}^{2n/11}}
\right|\,.
\end{equation}
Solving this equation, we obtain $y_1$ and $y_2$
through the observed quantities $|X|$ and $x$. We stress that so far we have not used the absolute values of
the X-ray luminosity (the mass accretion rate), only the ratio of the X-ray fluxes during spin-up and spin-down.
Here we should emphasize an important point. When the accretion rate through the shell
exceeds some critical value $\dot M>\dot M^*$, the flow near the Alfven surface may
become supersonic, a free-fall gap appears above the magnetosphere, and the
angular momentum can not be removed from the magnetosphere. In that case the
settling accretion regime is no longer realized, a shock is formed in the flow near
the magnetosphere (the case studied by Burnard et al. 1982). Depending on the
character of the inhomogeneities in the captured stellar wind,
the specific angular momentum of the accreting matter can be prograde or retrograde,
so alternating spin-up and spin-down episodes
are possible. Thus the transition from the settling accretion regime
(at low X-ray luminosities) to Bondi-Littleton accretion
(at higher X-ray luminosities) can
actually occur before $y$ reaches $y_0$. Indeed, by assuming a maximum
possible value of the dimensioless velocity of matter settling $f(u)$=0.5 (for angular momentum removal from the magnetosphere to be possible,
see Appendix D for more detail), we find from \Eq{fu} :
\beq{M*}
\dot M^*_{16}\approx 3.7 \myfrac{\zeta}{(1+(5/3) m_t^2)\psi(5/3,m_t)}^{1/12}\mu_{30}^{1/4}\,.
\end{equation}
A similar estimate for the critical mass accretion rate for settling accretion
can be obtained from a comparison of the characteristic Compton cooling time with the
convective time at the Alfven radius.
\section{Specific X-ray pulsars}
In this Section, as an illustration of the possible applicability of our model
to real sources,
we consider three particular slowly rotating moderatly luminous X-ray pulsars: GX 301-2,
Vela X-1, and GX 1+4. The first two pulsars are close to the equilibrium rotation of the neutron star, showing spin-up/spin-down excursions near the equilibrium frequency
(apart from the spin-up/spin-down jumps, which may be, we think, due to episodic
switch-ons of the strong coupling regime when the toroidal magnetic field component
becomes comparable to the poloidal one, see Section \ref{s:strongcoupling}). The third one, GX 1+4, is a typical example of a pulsar displaying long-term spin-up/spin-down episodes.
During the last 30 years, it shows a steady spin-down with luminosity-(anti)correlated frequency fluctuations (see Gonz\'alez-Gal\'an et al. 2011 for a more detailed discussion). Clearly, this pulsar can not be considered to be in equilibrium.
\subsection{GX 301-2}
GX301--2 (also known as 4U1223--62) is a high-mass X-ray binary, consisting of a neutron star and an early type B optical companion with mass $\simeq 40 M_\odot$ and radius $\simeq 60 R_\odot$. The binary period is 41.5 days (Koh et al. 1997).
The neutron star is a $\sim680$ s X-ray pulsar (White et al. 1976), accreting from the strong wind of its companion ($\dot M_{loss} \sim 10^{-5} M_\odot$/yr, Kaper et al. 2006). The
photospheric escape velocity of the wind is $v_{esc}\approx 500$~km/s. The semi-major
axis of the binary system is $a\approx 170 R_\odot$ and the orbital eccentricity $e\approx 0.46$.
The wind terminal velocity was found by Kaper et al. (2006) to be about 300 km/s, smaller than the photospheric escape velocity.
GX 301-2 shows strong short-term pulse period variability, which, as in many other wind-accreting pulsars, can be well described by a random walk model (deKool \& Anzer 1993).
Earlier observations between 1975 and 1984 showed a period of $\sim 700$s while in 1984 the source started to spin up (Nagase 1989). BATSE observed two rapid spin-up episodes, each lasting about 30 days, and it was suggested that the long-term spin-up trend may have been due entirely to similar brief episodes as virtually no net changes in the frequency were found on long time-scales (Koh et al. 1997; Bildsten et al. 1997). The almost 10 years of spin-up were followed by a reversal of spin in 1993 (Pravdo \& Ghosh 2001) after which the source has been continuously spinning down (La Barbera et al. 2005; Kreykenbohm et al. 2004, Doroshenko et al. 2010). Rapid spin-up episodes sometimes appear in the Fermi/GBM data on top of the long-term spin-down trend (Finger et al. 2011). It can not be excluded that these rapid spin-up episodes, as well as the ones observed in the BATSE data, reflect a temporary entrance into the strong coupling regime, as discussed in Section 2.4.1. Cyclotron line measurements (La Barbera et al. 2005) yield the magnetic
field estimate near the neutron star surface
$B_0\approx 4.4\times 10^{12}$~G ($\mu=1/2 B_0 R_0^3=2.2\times 10^{30}$~G cm$^3$ for
the assumed neutron star radius $R_0=10$~km).
\begin{figure*}
\includegraphics{gx_kp1.eps}
\caption{Torque-luminosity correlation in GX 301-2, $\dot\omega^*$ as a function of
BATSE data (20-40 keV pulsed flux) near the equilibrium frequency, see Doroshenko et al. (2010). The assumed X-ray flux at equilibrium (in terms of
the dimensionless parameter $y$) is also shown by the vertical dotted line.}
\label{f:gx301}
\end{figure*}
In Fig. \ref{f:gx301} we have plotted $\dot\omega^*$ as a function of
the observed pulsed flux (20-40~keV) according to BATSE data
(see Doroshenko et al. 2010 for more detail). To obtain the magnetic field
estimate and other parameters (first of all, the coefficient $A$, see
\Eq{Adet}) as described above in Section \ref{s:magfield}, we need to know
the value of $\dot M$ and the
derivative $\partial \dot \omega^*/\partial \dot M$ or $\partial \dot \omega^*/\partial y$.
The estimate of $\dot M$ can be inferred from the X-ray flux provided
the distance to the source is known, and generally this is a major uncertainty.
We shall assume that near equilibrium a hot quasi-spherical shell exists
in this pulsar, i.e. the accretion rate is $3\times 10^{16}$~g/s, i.e.
not higher than the critical value $\dot M_*\simeq 4\times 10^{16}$~g/s [\Eq{M*}].
While the absolute value of the mass accretion rate is necessary to
estimate the magnetic field according to \Eq{mu_eq} (however, the dependence is rather weak,
$\sim \dot M^{1/3}$), the derivative $\partial \dot \omega^*/\partial y$
can be derived from the $\dot \omega^*$ -- X-ray flux plot, since
in the first approximation the accretion rate is proportional to the observed pulsed X-ray flux. Near the equilibrium (the torque reversal point with $\dot \omega^*=0$), we find
from a linear fit in Fig. \ref{f:gx301}
$\partial \dot \omega^*/\partial y \approx 4 \times 10^{-13}$~rad/s$^2$.
The obtained parameters ($\mu$, $Z$, $K_1(theta)$, etc.) for this pulsar are listed in Table 1. We note that
the magnetic field estimate resulting from our model for $n=2$ (boldfaced in Table 1) is fairly close to
the value inferred from the cylcotron line measurements.
We also note that for the case $n=3/2$ the
coupling constants $Z$ and $K_1(\theta)$ turn out to be unrealistically large and
the derived magentic field is very small, suggesting
that assuming anisotropic turbulence is more realistic than
using isotropic turbulence with the viscosity described by the Prandtl law.
\subsection{Vela X-1}
\begin{figure*}
\includegraphics{vela_kp1.eps}
\caption{The same as in Fig. \ref{f:gx301} for Vela X-1 (Doroshenko 2011,
private communication). }
\label{f:velaX1}
\end{figure*}
Vela X-1 (=4U 0900-40) is the brightest persistent accretion-powered pulsar in the 20-50 keV energy band with an average luminosity of $L_{x} \approx 4\times10^{36}$erg/s (Nagase 1989).
It consists of a massive neutron star (1.88 $M_\odot$, Quaintrell et al. 2003) and the B0.5Ib super giant HD 77581, which eclipses the
neutron star every orbital cycle of $\sim 8.964$ d (van Kerkwijk et al. 1995). The neutron star was discovered as an X-ray pulsar with a spin period of $\sim$283 s (Rappaport 1975), which has remained almost constant since the discovery of the source. The optical companion has a mass and radius of $\sim 23$ $M_\odot$ and $\sim30$ $R_{sun}$ respectively (van Kerkwijk et al. 1995). The photospheric escape velocity is $v_{esc}\approx 540$~km/s. The orbital separation is $a\approx 50 R_\odot$ and the orbital eccentricity $e\approx 0.1$.
The primary almost fills its Roche lobe (as also evidenced by
the presence of elliptical variations in the optical light curve, Bochkarev et al. (1975)). The mass-loss rate from the primary star is $10^{-6}$ $M_\odot$/yr (Nagase et al. 1986) via a fast wind with a terminal velocity of $\sim $ 1100 km/s (Watanabe et al. 2006), which is typical for this class.
Despite the fact that the terminal velocity of the wind is rather large, the compactness of the system makes it impossible for the wind to reach this velocity before interacting with the neutron star, so the relative velocity of the wind with respect to neutron star is rather low, $\sim 700$~km/s.
Cyclotron line measurements (Staubert 2003) yields the magnetic field estimate
$B_0\approx 3\times 10^{12}$~G ($\mu=1.5\times 10^{30}$~G cm$^3$
for the assumed neutron star radius 10~km). We shall assume that in this pulsar
$\dot M\simeq 3\times 10^{16}$~g/s (again for the existence of the shell to be possible).
In Fig. \ref{f:velaX1} we have plotted $\dot\omega^*$ as a function of
the observed pulsed flux (20-40~keV) according to BATSE data
(Doroshenko 2011, private communication). As in the case of GX 301-2, from a
linear fit we
find at the spin-up/spin-down transition point
$\partial \dot \omega^*/\partial y \approx 5.5\times 10^{-13}$~rad/s$^2$.
The obtained parameters for Vela X-1 are listed in Table 1.
As in the case of GX 1+4, the magnetic field estimate given by our model
for an almost iso-angular-momentum rotation law ($n=2$, boldfaced in Table 1) is close
to the value inferred from the cyclotron line measurements.
\subsection{GX 1+4}
GX 1+4 was the first source to be identified as a symbiotic binary containing a neutron star (Davidsen, Malina \& Bowyer 1977). The pulse period is $\sim 140$~s and the donor is an MIII giant (Davidsen et al. 1977). The system has an orbital period of 1161 days (Hinkle et al. 2006) making it the widest known LMXB by at least one order of magnitude. The donor is far
from filling its Roche lobe and accretion onto the neutron star is by capture of the stellar wind of the companion.
The system has a very interesting spin history. During the 1970's it was spinning up at the fastest rate ($\dot \omega_{su} \sim 3.8\cdot 10^{-11}$ rad/s) among the known X-ray pulsars at the time (e.g. Nagase 1989). After several years of non-detections in the early 1980's, it reappeared again, now spinning down at a rate similar in magnitude to that of the previous spin-up. This spin-reversal has been interpreted in terms of a retrograde accretion disc forming in the system (Makishima et al. 1988, Dotani et al. 1989, Chakrabarty et al. 1997).
A detailed spin-down history of the source is discussed in the recent paper by Gonz\'alez-Gal\'an et al. (2011).
Using our model this behavior can, however, be readily explained by quasi-spherical accretion.
\begin{figure*}
\includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{fig14sep.eps}
\caption{Pulsar frequency (upper panel),
deviation of the frequency from the linear fit (middle panel)
and pulsed flux in GX 1+4 from \textit{Fermi GBM} data (M. Finger, private communication;
see also Gonz\'alez-G\'alan et al (2011))}.
\label{f:gx14_f}
\end{figure*}
As the pulsar in GX 1+4 is not in equilibrium, we cannot directly use our method to
estimate the magnetic field of the neutron star as described in Section \ref{s:magfield}. However, as GX 1+4 is currently experiencing a long-term spin-down trend, the
first (spin-up) term in \Eq{sd_eq2} must be smaller than the second (spin-down) term,
which yields a lower limit on the value of the magnetic field (see Table 1).
Let us use \Eq{variations} to quantitatively
explain the observed anti-correlation between the pulsar frequency fluctuations and the X-ray flux, as observed in GX 1+4 \citep{g1}. We use a fragment of
four-day average {\it Fermi}/GBM data on GX 1+4 (M. Finger, private communication;
see also Gonz\'alez-G\'alan et al (2011)). The pulsar is currently observed at the
steady spin-down stage with a mean $\dot \omega_{sd}\approx -2.34\times 10^{-11}$~rad/s
(the upper panel). In the middle panel of Fig. \ref{f:gx14_f}, deviations from
the linear fit are shown. Note that the frequency excursions around the mean value
is a few microseconds, while the pulsar frequency is much higher,
a few milliseconds. This means that the frequency derivative is
negative at all points within the time interval shown,
i.e. no occasional spin-ups were observed,
even at the highest X-ray flux levels.
Specifically, let us consider the prominent pulsar frequency change observed between
MJD 55100 and MJD 55200 for around $\Delta t=80$ days. During this time period, the frequency of the pulsar decreased by $\Delta\omega^*\approx -3.6\times 10^{-5}$~rad (see Fig. \ref{f:gx14_f}). From here we find $\delta \dot \omega^*(obs)=\Delta \omega^*/\Delta t\approx
-5.2\times 10^{-12}$~rad/s. Thus, the observed fractional change in the pulsar spin-down
rate is $(\delta \dot \omega^*/|\dot\omega^*|)_{obs}\approx -0.2$.
On the other hand, by dividing \Eq{variations} with \Eq{sdy}
we find the expected relative fluctuations of $\dot \omega^*$
at a given mean accretion rate (or dimensionless X-ray luminosity $y$):
\beq{}
\frac{\delta \dot \omega^*}{|\dot\omega^*|}_{theor}=
\frac{3+2n}{11}\frac{\delta \dot M}{\dot M}
\left[
\frac{1-y^{-\frac{2n-1}{11}}}{1-\myfrac{y_0}{y}^{\frac{2n}{11}}}
\right]
\end{equation}
From Fig. \ref{f:gx14_f} (bottom panel)
the range of the fluctuations relative to the mean value
$(\delta \dot M/\dot M)\simeq (0.6-0.2)/0.4\simeq 1$. Then,
for the assumed $n=2$, the expected amplitude of the relative
frequency derivative fluctuation would match the observed value if $y\simeq 0.2-0.3$.
Important is that we find $y<1$, as must be the case for the observed negative
sign of the torque-luminosity correlations.
Note here
that the drop in flux-level during about 20 days at around MJD 55140-55160 should be
translated to a
decrease in $\dot \omega^*$, which is clearly seen in the upper panel of Fig. \ref{f:gx14_f}.
A more detailed analysis using the entire {\it Fermi} data-set should be performed.
Further, note that the short-term spin-up episodes, sometimes observed on top
of the steady spin-down behaviour (at about MJD 49700, see Fig. 2 in Chakrabarty et al. (1997)) are
correlated with an enhancement of the X-ray flux, in contrast to the negative frequency-flux correlation
discussed above. During these short spin-ups, $\dot\omega^*$ is about half the average
$\dot\omega^*_{su}$ observed during the steady spin-up state of GX 1+4.
The X-ray luminosity during these episodic spin-ups is approximately five times
larger than the mean X-ray luminosity during the steady spin-down. We remind the reader that
once $\dot M>\dot M_*$, a free-fall gap appears above the magnetosphere, and the
neutron star can only spin up. When the X-ray flux drops again, the settling accretion
regime is reestablished and the neutron star resumes its spinning-down.
\begin{table*}
\label{T2}
\centering
\caption{Parameters for the pulsars in Section 6. References for the observed spin periods, binary periods and spin down rate (for GX 1+4) are given in the text as well as discussions on the values used for the wind velocities with respect to the neutron star. The parameters Z, K$_1(\Theta)$ and f(u) are defined in Section 2.4.2. Numerical estimates are given for
dimensionless parameters $\delta=1, \zeta=1$, $\tilde\omega=1$, $\gamma=5/3$ and without turbulence ($m_t=0$). The numbers in boldface are
the preferred values for a near iso-angular-momentum rotation law.}
$$
\begin{array}{lcccccc}
\hline
Pulsar & \multicolumn{2}{c}{\rm GX 301-2} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{\rm Vela X-1}
& \multicolumn{2}{c}{\rm GX 1+4} \\
\hline
\multicolumn{7}{c}{\hbox{Measured parameters}}\\
\hline
P_* {\rm(s)} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{680} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{283} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{140}\\
P_B {\rm(d)} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{41.5} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{8.96} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{1161}\\
v_{w} {\rm(km/s)} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{300} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{700} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{200}\\
\frac{\partial \dot \omega}{\partial y} \arrowvert_{y_{0}}
& \multicolumn{2}{c}{4\cdot10^{-13}} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{5.5\cdot10^{-13}} & \\
\dot M_{16} {\rm(\dot M/10^{16}}) &\multicolumn{2}{c}{3} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{3} &
\multicolumn{2}{c}{1}\\
\hline
\multicolumn{7}{c}{\hbox{Derived parameters}}\\
\hline
& {\bf n=2} & n=3/2 & {\bf n=2} & n=3/2 & {\bf n=2} & n=3/2\\
\hline
\mu_{30} & {\bf 2.7} & 0.1 & {\bf 1.8} & 0.16 & {\bf >1.17} &>0.02 \\
f(u) & {\bf 0.42} & 0.57 & {\bf 0.43} & 0.54\\
K_1(\Theta) & {\bf 39} & 3700 & {\bf 36} & 1150\\
Z& {\bf 13} & 910 & {\bf 12} & 300\\
B_t/B_p & {\bf 0.1} & 0.01 & {\bf 0.2} & 0.03\\
R_A{\rm(cm)}& {\bf 2\cdot 10^9} & 3\cdot 10^8 &{\bf 1.6\cdot 10^9}& 4.2\cdot 10^8\\
\omega^*/\omega_K(R_A)& {\bf 0.06} & 0.004 &{\bf 0.1}& 0.01\\
\hline
\end{array}
$$
\end{table*}
\section{Discussion}
\subsection{Physical conditions inside the shell }
For an accretion
shell to be formed around the neutron star magnetosphere it is necessary that
the matter crossing the bow shock does not cool down too rapidly and thus starts to fall freely.
This means that the radiation cooling time $t_{cool}$ must be longer than the characteristic
time of plasma motion.
The plasma heats up in the strong shock to the temperature
\beq{T_ps}
T_{ps}=\frac{3}{16}\mu_m\frac{ v_w^2}{\cal R}\approx 1.36\times 10^5
[\hbox{K}]\myfrac{v_w}{100 \hbox{km/s}}^2\,.
\end{equation}
The radiative cooling time of the plasma is
\beq{t_cool}
t_{cool}=\frac{3kT}{2\mu_m n_e \Lambda}
\end{equation}
where $\rho$ is the plasma density, $n_e=Y_e\rho/m_p$ is the electron number density
( $\mu_m=0.6$ and $Y_e\approx 0.8$ for fully ionized plasma
with solar abundance);
$\Lambda$ is the cooling function which can be approximated as
\begin{equation}
\label{mcore} \Lambda (T)=\left\{
\begin{array}{l}
0, T<10^4 \, {\rm K} \\
1.0\times 10^{-24} T^{0.55} , 10^4 \, {\rm K} <T<10^5 \, {\rm K} \\
6.2\times 10^{-19} T^{-0.6} , 10^5 \, {\rm K} <T<4\times 10^7 \, {\rm K} \\
2.5\times 10^{-27} T^{0.5} , T>4\times 10^7 \, {\rm K}
\end{array}
\right. \label{eqn:lam}
\end{equation}
(Raymond, Cox \& Smith 1976; Cowie,
McKee \& Ostriker 1981).
Compton cooling becomes effective from the radius where the gas temperature $T$,
determined by the hydrostatic formula \Eq{hse_sol}, is lower than the X-ray Compton
temperature $T_x$. The Compton cooling time (see \Eq{t_comp}) is:
\beq{t_C1}
t_{C}\approx 1060[\hbox{s}] \dot M_{16}^{-1}\myfrac{R}{10^{10}\hbox{cm}}^2\,.
\end{equation}
Above the
radius where $T_x=T$, Compton heating dominates.
Taking the actual temperature close to the adiabatic one [\Eq{hse_sol}],
we find $R_x\approx 2\times 10^{10}$~cm.
We note that both the Compton
and photoionization heating processes are controlled by the photoionization parameter
$\xi$ (Tarter et al. 1969, Hatchett et al. 1976)
\beq{ksi}
\xi=\frac{L_x}{n_eR^2}\,.
\end{equation}
In most part of the accretion flux, $n\sim R^{-3/2}$, so $\xi\sim R^{-1/2}$ and
independent of the X-ray luminosity through the mass continuity equation.
For characteristic values we find:
\beq{kxi_n}
\xi\approx 5\times 10^5 f(u) R_{10}^{-1/2}\,.
\end{equation}
If Compton processes were effective everywhere, this high value of the parameter $\xi$
would imply that the plasma is Compton-heated up to keV-temperatures out to very large
distances $\sim 10^{12}$~cm. However, at large distances the Compton heating time
becomes longer than the characteristic time of gas accretion:
\beq{}
\frac{t_{C}}{t_{accr}}=\frac{t_{C}f(u)u_{ff}}{R}\approx 20 f(u) \dot M_{16}^{-1}R_{10}^{1/2}\,,
\end{equation}
which shows that Compton heating is ineffective. The gas temperature is determined
by photoionization heating only and
the gas can only be heated up to $T_{max}\approx 5\times 10^5$~K (Tarter et al. 1969),
which is substantially lower than $T_x\sim 3$~keV. The sound velocity corresponding to $T_{max}$ is approximately 80 km/s.
The effective gravitational capture radius corresponding to the sound velocity of the gas in the photoionization-heated zone is
\beq{R_BC}
R_{B}^*=\frac{2GM}{c_s^2}=\frac{2GM}{\gamma{\cal R} T_{max}/\mu_m}\approx 3.5\times 10^{12}\hbox{cm}
\myfrac{T_{max}}{5\times 10^5\hbox{K}}^{-1}\,.
\end{equation}
Everywhere up to the bow shock photoionization keeps the temperature at a value
$\simeq T_{max}$.
If the stellar wind velocity exceeds $80$~km/s,
a standard bow shock is formed at the Bondi radius with a post-shock temperature given by \Eq{T_ps}. If the stellar wind velocity is lower than this value, the shock disappears and quasi-spherical accretion occurs from $R_B^*$.
The photoionization heating time at the effective Bondi radius $3\times 10^{12}$~cm is
\beq{}
t_{pi}\approx \frac{(3/2)kT_{max}/\mu_m}{(h\nu_{eff}-\zeta_{eff})n_\gamma \sigma_{eff}c}
\approx 2\times 10^4 [\hbox{s}] \dot M_{16}^{-1}\,.
\end{equation}
(here $h\nu_{eff}\sim 10$~keV is the characteristic photon energy, $\zeta$ is the effective photoionization potential, $\sigma_{eff}\sim 10^{-24}$~cm$^2$ is the typical photoionization cross-section, $n_\gamma=L/(4\pi R^2 h\nu_{eff} c)$ is the photon number
density). The photoionization to accretion time ratio at the effective Bondi radius is then
\beq{}
\frac{t_{pi}}{t_{accr}}\approx 0.07 f(u) \dot M_{16}^{-1}\,.
\end{equation}
At wind velocities $v_w>80$ km/s the bow shock stands at the classical Bondi radius $R_B$
inside the effective Bondi radius
$R_B^*$
determined by \Eq{R_BC}. The cooling time of the shocked
plasma at $R_B$ expressed through the wind velocity $v_w$ is:
\beq{t_cool1}
t_{cool}\approx 4.7\times 10^4 [\hbox{s}]\dot M_{16}^{-1} v_7^{0.2}\,.
\end{equation}
The photoionization heating time in the post-shock region can also be expressed through the
stellar wind velocity:
\beq{}
t_{pi}\approx 3.5 \times 10^4 [\hbox{s}]\dot M_{16}^{-1} v_7^{-4}\,.
\end{equation}
The comparison of these two timescales implies that at low velocities radiative cooling is
important and the regime of free-fall accretion with conservation of specific angular momentum is realized.
So, at low wind velocities the plasma cools down and starts to fall freely. As the cold plasma approaches
the gravitating center, photoionization heating becomes important and rapidly heats up the plasma to $T_{max}\approx 5\times 10^5$~K. Should this occur at a radius where $T_{max}<GM/({\cal R}R)$, the plasma continues its free fall down to the magnetosphere, still with the temperature $T_{max}$, with the
subsequent formation of a shock above the magnetosphere. However,
if $T_{max}$ is above the adiabatic temperatures at this radius, the settling accretion regime
will be established even for low wind velocities.
For high-wind stellar velocities $v_w\gtrsim 100$~km/s, the post-shock temperature is higher than $T_{max}$, photoionization is unimportant, and the settling accretion regime
is established if the radiation cooling time is longer than the accretion time.
From a comparison of these timescales, we find the critical accretion rate as a function
of of the wind velocity below which the settling accretion regime is possible:
\beq{}
\dot M_{16}^{**}\lesssim 0.12 v_7^{3.2}\,.
\end{equation}
Here we stress the difference of the critical acccretion rate $\dot M^{**}$ from
$\dot M^*$ derived earlier. At $\dot M>\dot M^{**}$, the plasma rapidly cools down
in the gravitational capture region and free-fall accretion begins (unless photoionization
heats up the plasma above the adiabatic value at some radius), while at $\dot M>\dot M^*
\simeq 4\times 10^{16}$~g/s
determined by \Eq{M*} a free-fall gap appears immediately above the
neutron star magnetosphere.
\subsection{On the possibility of the propeller regime}
The very slow rotation of the neutron stars in GX 1+4, GX 301-2 and Vela X-1
($\omega^* (R_A)<\omega_K(R_A)$)
makes it hard to establish the propeller regime
where matter is ejected with parabolic velocities from the magnetosphere during spin-down episodes.
Let us therefore start with estimating the important
ratio of viscous tensions ($\sim B_tB_p$)
to the gas pressure ($\sim B_p^2$) at the magnetospheric boundary. This ratio is proportional to
$B_t/B_p$ (see \Eq{BtBpnum}) and is always much smaller than 1 (see Table 1),
i.e. only large-scale convective
motions with the characteristic hierarchy of
eddies scaled with radius can<|fim_middle|> is gravitationally
captured from the stellar wind of the optical companion and subsonically
settles down onto the rotating magnetosphere forming an extended quasi-static shell.
This shell mediates the angular momentum removal from the rotating neutron star
magnetosphere during spin-down states by large-scale convective motions.
A detailed analysis and comparison with observations of two specific X-ray pulsars GX 301-2 and Vela X-1 demonstrating torque-luminosity correlations near the
equilibrium neutron star spin period shows that most likely
strongly anisotropic convective motions are established, with an
almost iso-angular-momentum distribution of rotational velocities $\omega\sim R^{-2}$.
A statistical analysis of long-period X-ray pulsars with Be-components in SMC
(Chashkina \& Popov 2011)
also favored the rotation law $\omega\sim R^{-2}$.
The accretion rate through the shell is determined by the ability of the plasma to enter the magnetosphere. The settling regime of accretion which allows angular momentum removal
from the neutron star magnetosphere can be realized for moderate accretion rates
$\dot M< \dot M_*\simeq 4\times 10^{16}$~g/s. At higher accretion rates a free-fall gap
above the neutron star magnetosphere appears due to rapid Compton cooling, and accretion
becomes highly non-stationary.
From observations of the spin-up/spin-down rates (the angular rotation frequency derivative
$\dot \omega^*$, or $\partial\dot\omega^*/\partial\dot M$ near the torque reversal)
of long-period X-ray pulsars with known orbital periods it is possible
to determine the main dimensionless parameters of the model, as well as to estimate the magnetic field of the neutron star. Such an analysis revealed good agreement between the
magnetic field estimates in the pulsars
GX 301-2 and Vela X-1 obtained using our model and derived from the cyclotron
line measurements.
In our model, long-term spin-up/spin-down as observed in some X-ray pulsars can be quantitatively explained by a change in the mean mass accretion rate onto the neutron star (and the corresponding mean X-ray luminosity). Clearly, these
changes are related to the stellar wind properties.
The model also predicts the specific behaviour
of the variations in $\delta \dot \omega^*$, observed on top of a steady spin-up or spin-down,
as a function of mass accretion rate fluctuations $\delta \dot M$. There is a critical accretion rate $\dot M_{cr}$ below which an anti-correlation of $\delta \dot \omega^*$ with $\delta \dot M$ should occur (the case of
GX 1+4 at the steady spin-down state currently observed), and above which
$\delta \dot\omega^*$ should correlate with $\delta \dot M$ fluctuations (the case
of Vela X-1, GX 301-2, and GX 1+4 in the steady spin-up state). The model explains quantitatively the relative amplitude and the sign
of the observed frequency fluctuations in GX 1+4.
| be established in the shell.
When $\omega^*>\omega_K(R_A)$, the propeller regime (without accretion)
must set in. In that case the maximum possible braking torque is $\sim -\mu^2/R_A^3$
due to the strong coupling between the plasma and the magnetic field.
Note that in the propeller state, interaction of the plasma with the magnetic field
is in the strong coupling regime, i.e. where the toroidal
magnetic field component $B_t$ is comparable to the poloidal one $B_p$.
It can not be excluded that a hot iso-angular-momentum envelope could exist
in this case as well, which would then remove angular momentum from the rotating magnetosphere. If the characteristic cooling time of the gas in the envelope is short
in comparison to the falling time of matter, the shell disappears and
one can expect the formation of a `storaging' thin Keplerian disc around the
neutron star magnetosphere (Sunyaev \& Shakura 1977). There is no accretion of matter through such a disc. It
only serves to remove angular momentum from the magnetosphere.
\subsection{Effects of the hot shell on the X-ray energy and power spectrum}
The spectra of X-ray pulsars are dominated by emission generated in
the accretion column. The hot optically thin shell produces its own thermal emission, but even if
all gravitational energy were released in the shell, the ratio of the X-ray luminosity
from the shell to that of the accretion column would be about the ratio of the
magnetosphere radius to the NS radius, i.e. one percent or less. In reality, it is much
smaller. The shell should scatter X-ray radiation from the accretion column, but
for this effect to be substantial, the Comptonization parameter $y$ must be of
the order of one. The Thomson depth in the shell is, however, very small. Indeed, from the mass continuity equation
and \Eq{RA} for the Alfven radius and \Eq{fu} for the factor $f(u)$, we get:
$$
\tau_T=\int_{R_A}^{R_B}n_e(R)\sigma_T dR
\approx 3.2\times 10^{-3} \dot M_{16}^{8/11}\mu_{30}^{-2/11}\,.
$$
Therefore, for the temperature near the magnetosphere [\Eq{hse_sol}] the parameter $y$ is
$$
y=\frac{4kT}{m_ec^2}\tau_T\approx 2.4\times 10^{-3}\,.
$$
This means that the X-ray spectrum of the accretion column should not be
significantly affected by scattering in the hot shell.
The large-scale convective motions in the shell introduce
an intrinsic time-scale of the order of
the free-fall time that could give rise to
features (e.g. QPOs) in the power spectrum of variability.
QPOs were reported in some X-ray pulsars
(see Marykutty et al. 2010 and references therein).
However, the expected frequency of the QPOs arising
in our model would be of the order of mHz, much shorter than those reported.
A stronger effect can be
the appearance of a dynamical instability of the shell on
this time scale due to increased Compton cooling
and hence increased mass accretion rate in the shell. This
may result in a complete collapse of the shell
resulting in an X-ray outburst with duration similar to
the free-fall time scale of the shell
($\sim 1000$~s). Such a transient behaviour
is observed in supergiant fast X-ray transients (SFXTs) (see Ducci et al. 2010).
This interesting issue depends on the specific parameters
of the shell and needs to be further investigated.
\subsection{Can accretion discs (prograde or retrograde)
be present in these pulsars?}
The analysis of real pulsars carried out earlier suggested that in a convective shell an
iso-angular-momentum distribution is the most plausible. Therefore,
we shall below consider only this case, i.e. the rotation law $\omega\sim R^{-2}$.
As follows from \Eq{sd_eq1}, at $\dot \omega^*=0$ the equilibrium angular
frequency of the neutron star is
\beq{equilib}
\omega^*_{eq}=\omega_B\frac{1}{1-z/Z}\myfrac{R_B}{R_A}^2\,.
\end{equation}
We stress that such an equilibrium in our model is possible only
when a shell is present. At high accretion rates
$\dot M>\dot M_*\simeq 4\times 10^{16}$~g/s accretion proceeds
in the free-fall regime (with no shell present).
Using \Eq{mu_eq},
the equlibrium period for quasi-spherical settling accretion can be recasted to the form
\beq{P_eq}
P_{eq}\approx 1000 [\hbox{s}]\mu_{30}^{12/11}\myfrac{P_b}{10\hbox{d}}
\myfrac{\zeta}{(1+(5/3) m_t^2)\psi(5/3,m_t)\dot M_{16}}^{4/11}\myfrac{v_8}{\sqrt{\delta}}^4
\frac{(1-z/Z)}{\tilde \omega(1+(5/3)m_t^2)}\,.
\end{equation}
For standard disc accretion, the equilibrium period is
\beq{P_eqd}
P_{eq,d}\approx 7\hbox{s} \mu_{30}^{6/7}\dot M_{16}^{-3/7}\,,
\end{equation}
and the long periods observed in some X-ray pulsars can be explained
assuming a very high magnetic field of the neutron star.
Retrograde accretion discs are also discussed in the literature (see, e.g.,
Nelson et al. (1997) and references therein). Torque reversals produced by
prograde/retrograde discs can in principle lead to very long periods for X-ray pulsars
even with standard magnetic fields. Retrograde discs can be formed due to inhomogeneities in
the captured stellar wind (Ruffert 1997, 1999). This might be the case
at high accretion rates when hot quasi-spherical shell cannot exist.
In the case of GX 1+4, however, it is highly unlikely to observe a retrograde disk
on a time scale much longer than the orbital period (see a more detailed discussion
of this issue in
Goz\'alez-Gal\'an et al. (2011)). In the case of GX 301-2 and Vela X-1, the observed positive
torque-luminosity correlation (see Figs. \ref{f:gx301} and \ref{f:velaX1}) rules
out a retrograde disc as well.
To conclude the discussion, we should mention that
real systems (including those considered here) demonstrate
a complex quasi-stationary behaviour with dips, outbursts, etc.
These considerations are beyond the scope of this paper and definitely
deserve further observational and theoretical studies.
\section{Conclusions}
In this paper we have presented a theoretical model for quasi-spherical
subsonic accretion onto slowly rotating magnetized
neutron stars.
In this model the accreting matter | 1,683 |
3 Bedrooms villa for sale in Arboleas - £169566 (Ref: AP224811<|fim_middle|>. There is a detached carport plus the villa also has cavity wall insulation which is very rare here in Spain, air conditioning, high quality double glazing, telephone and internet and a full alarm system fitted.
Located only 10 minutes from Arboleas village where you will find a selection of bars, shops, restaurants, banks, schools and 24 hour medical centre. There is also a 10 pin bowling alley and a leasure centre. On a Saturday morning the village hosts one of the best street markets in the area with a wide variety of goods and fresh food products.
This property listing (ref: A443) is an advertisement supplied by Spanish Property Choice and does not constitute property particulars. While aplaceinthesun.com (APITS Ltd.) requests all advertisers supply correct details, it does not carry out checks on the information supplied and cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies. Aplaceinthesun.com recommends seeking independent legal advice prior to any overseas property purchase. | 6).
A truly fantastic detached high quality villa on a large corner plot. The property briefly consists of a covered entrance and terrace, large lounge with high specification log burning fire and doors leading into a separate dining room following through into the quality fully fitted kitchen with a wide selection of modern wall and base units and also a large utility area.
The 3 bedrooms are all of a good size the master having the added benefit of a recently revamped high end en suite shower room. Plus the family bathroom comes with a full sized bath tub with glass shower screen and once again lovely ceramic tiling. The property has a neutral but contemporary decor in every room and quality floor tiles throughout.
Outside the theme is continued with well maintained gardens which are well stocked with trees and shrubs, a bespoke swimming pool that features a block paving surround and which benefits from a large summer room with screening which also includes a changing room and a workshop come storeroom | 186 |
Home » Property News » UK
Current building and fire regulations for tower blocks in UK not fit for purpose
18th December 2017 UK
by Ray Clancy
A universal shift in culture is needed to help people live in high rise tower blocks in the UK believe they are safe as current building and fire regulations are not fit for purpose, according to a new report.
The interim report into the independent review of building regulations and fire safety set up by the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) after the deadly Grenfell Tower fire in London says that then whole system allows those who want to take short cuts to do so.
Chair Dame Judith Hackitt is calling on the construction industry, building owners, regulators and the Government to address the shortcomings as quickly as possible.
She says in her interim report that a culture change is required with industry taking greater responsibility for what is built and this needs to be started immediately and there should be a clear, quick and effective route for residents to raise concerns and be listened to.
'I have found that the regulatory system for safely designing, constructing and managing buildings is not fit for purpose. The current system is highly complex and<|fim_middle|> 2018.
Brian Berry, chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) said the organisation welcomed the interim report. 'There is much for the construction industry and its regulators to address post-Grenfell. The FMB submitted a detailed response to the review and many of our points have been reflected in its initial findings. We are also pleased that it has recognised that current building regulations and guidance are too complex and unclear. We look forward to working with the Government and our industry colleagues to address the areas of failure so such an incident is never allowed to happen again,' he pointed out.
'I'd also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Dame Judith Hackitt and the wider review team for the swiftness with which this probing and insightful interim report has been delivered. It's too often the case that such consultations and inquiries drag on when swift action is required,' he explained.
'Here the Hackitt Review has managed to get the balance right by consulting with a broad range of people and organisations but then taking speedy action to reflect and report back. We hope the review team maintains this momentum so we can achieve a safer built environment, and one that always adheres to the highest of standards, as soon as possible,' he added. | there is confusion about the roles and responsibilities at each stage. In many areas there is a lack of competence and accreditation,' she says.
'While this does not mean all buildings are unsafe, it does mean we need to build a more effective system for the future. That is why I am today calling for the construction industry, building owners, regulators and Government to come together to identify how to overcome these shortcomings together,' she adds.
The interim report sets out several broad areas for change including ensuring that regulation and guidance is risk-based, proportionate and unambiguous, clarification of roles and responsibilities for ensuring that buildings are safe and improving levels of competence within the industry.
It also says that there needs to be improvement in the process, compliance and enforcement of regulations, the creation of an effective route for residents' voices to be heard and listened to and improved testing, marketing and quality assurance of products used in construction.
Dame Judith consulted widely in developing her interim report and will continue to do so in the coming months before making her final recommendations.
'I have been deeply affected by the residents of high rise buildings I have met and I have learned so much from them. These buildings are their homes and their communities. They are proud of where they live, but their trust in the system has been badly shaken by events of the last few months. We need to rebuild that trust,' she explained.
The independent review will now undertake its second phase of work including targeted work in partnership with the sector and other stakeholders. A summit involving government and representatives from the building industry will take place in the New Year and a final report will be published in the spring of | 327 |
Welcome to JONN.CO.UK, the UK's best website for all things TV, Gaming and Music.
UKTV reboots Fantasy Homes By The Sea
Multi-award-winning network UKTV has commissioned a brand-new series of the hit show Fantasy Homes By The Sea (20x60'), with Michelle Ackerley taking on the hosting duties for its free-to-air channel Really.
Making its long-awaited return, each episode of the new series will see a pair of property buyers whisked off to the seaside to realise their fantasy. However, this time they'll also see homes that are let out by owners to give them an insight into how much of a profit they could turn over if they took up this opportunity. With sunshine, stunning properties and beautiful sea views, the series will offer handy tips on the best locations to fulfil any seaside fantasies.
Michelle Ackerley said:
I'm absolutely thrilled to be presenting the new series of Fantasy Homes by the Sea. I've always been passionate about redesigning properties and home is truly where my heart is. Finding the perfect place to live is such an important thing in anybody's life and to have the opportunity to help people find their dream home is just fantastic. The sea air and having a peek into the millionaire mansions will certainly be highlights too!
Fantasy Homes By The Sea is co-produced by Kalooki Pictures and Hat Trick Productions, commissioned for Really by Kirsty Hanson, commissioning editor and ordered by Richard Watsham, director of commissioning, and Steve North, genre general manager, comedy and entertainment.
Kirsty Hanson said:
We can't wait to bring back Fantasy Homes By The Sea with a fresh look and feel. In recent years the interest in holiday rentals has surged, so we feel this new series will give viewers an insight into how they too can be part of this lucrative market or transform their lifestyle with a move to the seaside.
Adam Collings, channel director for W and Really, said:
Property shows are a firm favourite for Really viewers, so we are very excited to be bringing back Fantasy Homes By The Sea and we're thrilled to have Michelle Ackerley as the new host. Property is one of Really's key genres and I'm delighted to be growing it with Michelle and a fresh approach to this fantastic format.
The series is executive produced by Jane Lush and Badannie Gee, joint founders of Kalooki Pictures and series produced by Jayne Hibbitt-Smith.
Jane Lush said:
We're delighted to be making a brand new and refreshed series of Fantasy Homes by the Sea. Focusing on the gorgeous British seaside, our property hunters discover what gems they could buy on the coast. Our audience has always loved its beautiful backdrop, homes galore, stunning vistas and dreamy lifestyle that we all hanker after. And leading our house hunters this series is the incredibly talented Michelle Ackerley, who we think is the perfect presenter.
Fantasy Homes By The Sea joins other ambitious programming for UKTV in 2018, including Into The Fire and Help! My House is Haunted on Really, and Emma Willis: Delivering Babies and Flack coming soon to W.
Fantasy Homes By The Sea will air later this year on Really.
If you would like to take part in the next series, email fantasyhomescontributors@hattrick.com for more information.
Posted by JD at 17:30
Labels: Fantasy Homes By The Sea
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The Fosters Series Finale | 479 |
All TUSCANY COURTS CONDOMINIU homes currently listed for sale in Phoenix as of 04/19/2019 are shown below. You can change the search criteria at any time by pressing the 'Change Search' button below.
"Built in 2001, this Phoenix two-story offers a tankless water heater, a fireplace, and a two-car garage. Upgraded features include fresh interior paint and new carpet in select rooms. A swimming pool is part of the Tuscany Courts Condominium HOA.Home comes with a 3<|fim_middle|> walk-in closet. The master suite boasts a sitting room and oversized double vanity with excellent storage for all of your belongings! High ceilings and" | 0-day buyback guarantee. Terms and conditions apply."
"Luxury Ahwatukee townhome located in a quiet gated community, featuring 2 master bedrooms and a floorplan everyone will love! You are conveniently located near shopping, dining, and entertainment. A cozy kitchen and family room along with two single car garages occupy the first floor. The second floor includes a guest bedroom with a full bath and | 82 |
Heavy Metal Before the Internet - Part II: The journey to Valhalla
Recollections by MetalMike
by MetalMike
For most young metal fans today, there has never been a time when you couldn't just go on to the Internet and stream a new song, download an album or check out a band's live show on YouTube. Everyone has instant access to everything and the "next new thing" is a tweet or Facebook post or board post away. Even for someone like me, who has been around the scene for over 30 years, it is hard to remember what life was like before the Internet. Recently, I posted something about this very subject on one of the boards here at The Metal Crypt and "threatened" to write about what I remembered. Surprisingly, some folks actually expressed interest so I thought "why not? I'll probably forget it all in the not too distant future." So here it is; my memories of what it was like to be a Heavy Metal fan back in the days before the Internet, before the instant access and before genres were starting to be defined and it was all just "Heavy Metal." Read on...
Part II - The journey to Valhalla
After my early exposure to Heavy Metal, both live and recorded, the search was on for more. I spent more and more time in record stores looking for new stuff and frequently striking out but around this time many of the local radio stations began airing Heavy Metal shows, usually late at night on weekends. WHJY's Two Hour Metal Hour was a favorite at first, but the DJ always played the "hit" from major label albums and wasn't afraid to play Van Halen or Rush, which you could hear any time so why stay up late? There were others but the best was WERS' Nocturnal Emissions. Now this was the shit! These guys played deep cuts from well-known bands as well as something I'd not heard of before; imports. It was around this time that Metallica was putting songs like "Blitzkrieg" and "Am I Evil?" on the b-side of the 12" single for "Creeping Death" and explaining in interviews that these songs were from British bands that were around when Iron Maiden started but had never achieved the same level of success. I started hearing the term "New Wave of British Heavy Metal" and about all these incredible bands but, other than a few Saxon albums (they had a U.S. distribution deal with CBS records, unusual for a British band at this time), where could you find this stuff? Thus began the life-long search for the rare, the unknown and the fucking cool. Say what you will about Metallica but if it weren't for them, many of us would never have known about a lot of cool music, at least not back then.
The record stores I was frequenting only had major label releases at first, then small independent/import sections began showing up. This allowed me to pick up albums from bands like Megadeth and Loudness, who were on Combat Records and Music for Nations, two labels I'd never heard of. Most of the time, the only way I found out about these bands was when they showed up in one of those import bins. There was certainly nowhere to read about them readily available to me. I was reading Hit Parader and Circus every month, cover to cover, not only to find out when new Iron Maiden or Accept albums would be coming out but also for little blurbs here and there about more obscure bands. Stuff started turning up in the import sections of my usual record store haunts regularly from labels like Metal Blade, Roadrunner and Megaforce and I ate it up. And when one of these new albums turned up<|fim_middle|> Not to mention an entire case of cassettes! This place was great! I made several purchases there including Helloween's Walls of Jericho (the original Noise Records vinyl), Q5's Steel the Light (Music for Nations, cassette), Grave Digger's Witch Hunter (Noise again, vinyl) and a cassette copy of Kill 'Em All (Megaforce). There were dozens more, purchased during many visits, basically any time I could scrape together enough money to make the trip worthwhile. To get there, we had to park at a train station, ride a couple of stops and then walk half a mile to the shop. It was on a busy street and there was never any parking nearby. This place was so great because you just never knew what you were going to find when you walked in. Sometimes, I'd leave with a couple of things that I'd seen before and picked up because there wasn't anything else exciting but, more often than not, I would come home with an armload of new albums and cassettes and just sit there and open them up and read the lyrics (when included) and agonize over which one to play first. Some stuff was great, some sucked and most was OK, but the real thrill was the discovery. It was such a rush. Who needed fucking drugs? One of the greatest things about these independent and import albums is that they often included ads or order forms for the other bands on their label's roster and, in this way, I found out about a lot of other stuff. Of course, much of it I never saw and some, I was just as happy not seeing. Kick Ass Monthly gave Hellhammer the lowest score ever and dubbed Voivod "Avoidvod," Often, though, I considered sending the mysterious "international reply coupon" overseas and seeing what came back, but I never did. A missed opportunity, to be sure.
Next up: I show my dedication by giving up every Friday night to Heavy Metal
Part I: The Beginning... | on cassette, well, I was in heaven. Or hell. It depended on the artist. :) I bought a lot of stuff on vinyl, not because that was my medium of choice, but because it was the only choice. I really refined my mix tape skills transferring those LPs to cassettes and probably put the kids of the guy who ran Maxell through college. The articles in Hit Parader and Circus on new AC/DC or Scorpions albums were getting old and covers featuring David Lee Roth and Night Ranger started getting more common, but I needed more than the occasional little blurb on some independent or import band I'd never heard of before. Radio was pandering to the major label acts, because that was where the money was. A lot of bands back then made a lot of money, including a ton of shitty ones. Even the U.K.'s Kerrang!, which, when I could find it, ALWAYS had information on new and obscure bands, was getting more and more commercial so I turned to something new, "fanzines." The best was easily the late Bob Muldowney's Kick Ass Monthly. This guy did almost everything himself; reviews, interviews, commentary, printing, editing, etc. and he wrote about REAL Heavy Metal, no commercial, pop or glam. By the time I was reading KAM (as he called it) he also had upgraded to color photography and glossy paper stock. Very professional. I'll never forget reading his review of Slayer's Hell Awaits (99/100, if I remember correctly) that scared the shit out of me or his interview with Anvil that had a picture of Lips playing his Flying V with a dildo. We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto (though had I been aware of what Manilla Road were doing around this time, maybe Kansas wouldn't have been such a bad place to be). It was through 'zines like Kick Ass Monthly that my eyes were opened to all this new music, not only via independent and import labels, but demos, directly from the bands' themselves, many of which could be yours for a couple of bucks and a stamp. I was never into tape trading, except with my friends, but I remember sending money to bands that advertised in these magazines and getting some very interesting stuff back. I think it cost me $4 for At War's Eat Lead 2-song cassette that was very pro with artwork and lyrics (and which I just sold to Sentinel Steel a couple of years ago). On the other hand, $2 got me a demo from Clay, NY's Mannslaughter and it was nothing more than two rehearsal recordings duped onto a Radio Shack blank cassette. Ah, well, what was I expecting for $2, right? The quality of these demos ranged from passable to downright atrocious and I quickly left them behind.
The search was on for quality Heavy Metal and that meant having at least an indie label behind the product. A friend and I had heard about this record store that was about an hour away and, since I had a driver's license, we were off. The place was unassuming...until we saw the left-hand wall with multiple bins of Heavy Metal albums, including a multitude of imports and independent releases. | 664 |
Food trucks are the hip new food<|fim_middle|> go with you next time! | ie trend in Los Angeles. I was ambivalent about exploring this aspect of the food world because I love the experience of a sit down restaurant meal. The thought of driving to a parked truck and standing around eating food seemed to lack ambiance. Kogi BBQ, ranked one of the top ten gourmet food trucks in Los Angeles, proved me wrong. Not only do they serve delicious Korean/Mexican dishes, but I actually loved the atmosphere and community feel of standing around eating high quality food. There are no strings attached, the focus really is on the food, and the experience feels so LA. Kogi BBQ has become my post-long run tradition. There is nothing more satisfying than sliders, quesadillas and tacos after logging miles on the beach. Below are a few photos of our recent visit on Abbot Kinney Drive.
This entry was posted in Restaurant Reviews. Bookmark the permalink.
Do the trucks play a song like an ice cream truck?
And I cant WAIT to | 195 |
Worlds Biggest Companies
People who changed the world through Internet
Entrepreneurship January 6, 2012 Mousumi Saha Kumar
Ever since the advent of the Internet, globalization is at its fastest pace, literally converting the big world into a small virtual village. Some people realized its potential and used it to change their lives; some ventured into Internet business; some transformed the means of friendship and communication; and some gave inventions and creativity a new dimension.
Today, the Internet dominates the world, impacting our daily lives more than anything else. In this article, I am featuring some people who, as many believe, changed the world through Internet.
Tim Berners-Lee (The World Wide Web)
Tim Berners-Lee is the person who invented the World Wide Web and successfully executed the communication between a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)<|fim_middle|> directory. He is responsible for changing the way people do business. Despite all the success, Jack continues teaching English at Hangzhou Teachers College. In 2001, World Economic Forum honored him as a "Young Global Leader" and in 2004, China Central Television regarded him among the "Top 10 Business Leaders of the Year". In 2005, Fortune magazine regarded him as one of the "25 Most Powerful Business people in Asia."
Craig Alexander Newmark, an Internet entrepreneur, who founded Craigslist, a free classified website. Like Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, Craig is a vocal advocate of keeping the Internet free. As of now, Craigslist has its presence in over 550 cities of 55 countries and draws 35 million unique visitors every month. BusinessWeek honored him as one of the 25 Most Influential People on the Web in 2008. In 2009, he was selected as an advisory board member of the Wikimedia Foundation.
Jimmy Wales founded the world's largest encyclopedia in 282 languages 'Wikipedia', which has approximately 3.8 million subject categories and over 20 million articles. He has transformed the way we learn things on the Internet without paying a penny. It allows readers to edit articles by accessing the website, and has got approximately 90,000 active users contributing to it regularly. It has an estimated 365 million readers worldwide and receives around 2.7 billion page views monthly from the United States alone. Jimmy has repeatedly denied the requests of companies and advertisers to use it as an advertising platform.
Steve Chen and Chad Hurley founded California-based video sharing website YouTube in 2005 and later in November 2006 they sold to Google for $1.65 billion. It has made huge contribution to the viral media, and has provided full time career to hundreds of users to earn through Google AdSense and created many stars including Justin Bieber and Rebecca Black. Chad Hurley has also contributed to eBay's and PayPal and designed their logo.
picsource: CNN Money
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Mousumi Saha Kumar Email Author
Mousumi Saha Kumar is Co-founder and Chief Contributor at Brain Prick. She covers the stories that inspire people to strive for the better and meaningful life. By profession, she is a social media marketing and online branding strategist with experience exceeding 5 years in related fields.
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BrainPrick Copyright © 2020. | client and server using the Internet. Besides, he is the director of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), a senior researcher of the 3Com Founders Chair at the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. In 2011, he was honored with an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Harvard University.
picsource:wikipedia
Larry Page and Sergey Brin
The foundation of Google was laid by Larry Page and Sergey Brin whilst they were student of Stanford. The domain google.com was actually created on September 15, 1998. The name 'Google' evolves from a mathematical term for the number 1 followed by 100 zeros. Ever since the inception, Google focused on making loyal followers and they successfully did it and the number is still growing.
In 1998, PC Magazine stated that "The 25 million pages currently catalogued seem to be good choices. The site has uncanny knack for returning extremely relevant results. There's much more to come from Google, but even in its prototype form it's a great search engine." Larry Page and Sergey Brin are known to be the most influential Internet as well business personalities who changed the world of computing and Internet. Goggle is accomplishing new milestones almost every day.
Marc Andreessen is an American entrepreneur, multi-millionaire who is best known as co-author of web-browser Mosaic, co-founder of Netscape Communications Corporation and co-founder of social network, Ning. His first modern browser, The Netscape inspired audience across the world to adopt the Internet which he made extremely and universally usable. He is responsible for widening the concept of building the software at the University of Illinois. In 1994, he became one of only six most respected inductees in the World Wide Web Hall of Fame announced at the first international conference on WWW, the World Wide Web.
David Filo and Jerry Yang
Yahoo! is considered to be the first company that defined the Internet. The acronym of "Yahoo!" is "Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle". David Filo and Jerry Yang worked together to establish Yahoo! Search Engine and the plan started while they were pursuing their Electrical Engineering at Stanford University. They first gave it a name "David and Jerry's Guide to the World Wide Web" and indexed pages, later in 1994, they renamed it with Yahoo! It flourished in 90s. The domain yahoo.com was created in 1995. Today, Yahoo! has headquarter in Sunnyale, California, and over 13,000 employees across 25 countries.
Bill Gates is an American business magnate, and philanthropist, who revolutionized the use of personal computer and took it to every household. He along with his best friend Paul Allen created many programs including a BASIC program for one of the first P.C.'s, which assisted Bill Gates to start Microsoft in 1976. Today Microsoft is the biggest program writing company that created famous products such as "Windows" Operating Systems, Internet Explorer and MSN Messenger. It has approximately 40,000 employees working across 60 countries, with annual revenues of over 23 billion dollars. He is responsible for modifying the way people live, communicate and entertain.
Bram Cohen, is an American computer programmer, who created BitTorrent protocol. He is the first person who created the file sharing program to use the protocol. By creating the BitTorrent network he revolutionized the peer to peer networking that helps break up large files into several parts and share them with many users for downloading. It also gives distinctive advantage over the traditional p2p network. He launched the program in 2004, after which thousands of websites were created for the purpose of sharing files. Today, BitTorrent protocol is widely used for legal as well as illegal or unethical purposes for Bram has been repeatedly criticized by the government bodies and the advocates of privacy.
Bram has defended by saying, " I am a technological activist. I have a political agenda. I am in favor of basic human rights: to free speech, to use any information and technology, to purchase and use recreational drugs, to enjoy and purchase so-called 'vices', to be free of intruders, and to privacy."
Mark Elliot Zuckerberg is widely known for creating social networking site Facebook with his classmates Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin, and Chris Hughes while they were still completing their studies at Harvard University. Facebook is definitely not the first and only of its kind social networking website that attracted millions and experts vary in their opinion on what made it the most successful website. However, one can't deny the fact that Facebook reinvented the way we communicate, and redefined the way we make friends. In 2010, he was the Time Magazine's 'Person of The Year'. Today, Facebook has over 850 million registered users worldwide.
Jack Ma is the Chinese Internet entrepreneur who founded Alibaba Group, which is considered to be the grandfather of business | 1,030 |
Fun Hub Magazine
Notre Dame Cathedral's organ getting 4<|fim_middle|> use shows to ease virus exile among Latinos
Copyright © Fun Hub Site All rights reserved. | -year-long cleaning
PARIS (AP) – Pipe by precious pipe, the organ that once thundered through Notre Dame Cathedral is being taken apart after last year's devastating fire.
The mammoth task of dismantling, cleaning and re-assembling France's largest musical instrument started Monday and is expected to last nearly four years. It will take six months just to tune the organ, and its music isn't expected to resound again through the medieval Paris monument until 2024, according to the state agency overseeing Notre Dame's restoration.
Amazingly, the 8,000-pipe organ survived the April 2019 fire that consumed the cathedral's roof and toppled its spire. But the blaze coated the instrument in toxic lead dust that must now be painstakingly removed.
And while the organ didn't burn, it did suffer damage from a record heatwave last summer and has been affected by other temperature variations it's been exposed to since the 12th-century cathedral lost its roof, the agency said.
Experts stared removing the organ's keyboards Monday and will then take out its pipes in a dismantling process that will last through the end of this year, according to the restoration agency. The pieces will be placed in special containers inside the huge cathedral, where the cleaning and restoration will take place.
The general who leads the agency said the organ, which dates from 1733, will next play again on April 16, 2024, marking five years since the fire.
President Emmanuel Macron hopes the cathedral can reopen in time for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. But it's taken more than a year to clear out dangerous lead residue and scaffolding that had been in place before the fire for a previous renovation effort, and reconstruction of the landmark has yet to begin.
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Legendary DJs | 438 |
Creamy cheesecake with big hunks of chocolate chip cookie dough mixed throughout, over a chocolate cookie crust. This Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake is seriously out-of-this-world!
I promised that I would tell you all about how I went crazy with chocolate chip cookie dough. Now is that time. This cheesecake kicks off a series of three different chocolate chip cookie dough recipes. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Week, if you will.
This Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake has been on my recipe To Do list for ages. I wanted to stuff a cheesecake with chocolate chip cookie dough and see what happened. Plain and simple.
I felt pretty confident that it was going to work out swimmingly, but I still needed to actually execute the idea. I'm happy to report my delectable findings today.
I've tweaked my favorite cheesecake recipe to a place where it's perfect and I know longer want to adjust it at all. It's tried-and-true, and no-fail. Sure, it cracks every time, but that's my fault, not the cheesecake's.
And there's an easy fix to that: hide it. Whipped cream, chocolate ganache, a fruit compote. Pick your poison, but if you care about a flawless cheesecake top, just hide it. That's my philosophy.
No matter what I do to this cheesecake base, it always works out. It bakes up to be perfectly creamy, smooth, and rich. So when I wanted to mix in balls of chocolate chip cookie dough to the batter, I'd hoped they would stay together in nice big hunks, like cookie dough truffles. They did! I didn't want the cookie dough to melt into oblivion. I think that would actually be totally delicious too, but that's just not what I was going for.
So when you take a bite of this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake, you are likely to also get a big chunk of chocolate chip cookie dough too, and the combination is as delightful as you might think it would be to combine cheesecake and chocolate chip cookie dough.
Just for good measure (and because the top is cracked), I loaded it up with an entire jar of fudge ice cream topping. Delicious, and a simple shortcut. For legit ganache, see here. But the fudge topping is a little less rich than chocolate ganache, and that's exactly what you want. The cheesecake and cookie dough make this dessert so rich as it is. The fudge topping, while cheating a bit, was honestly the best direction to take.
Rounding out this decadent Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake is a crust of crushed chocolate creme-filled Oreos.
Now, are you ready to see what the rest of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Week holds?
Creamy cheesecake with big hunks of chocolate chip cookie dough mixed in.
In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, sugar, flour, and powdered sugar, and beat until well-combined.
Pulse the cookies in a food processor until they are very fine crumbs.
Press into the bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar, beating until smooth.
Scatter the cookie dough balls evenly over the filling, and carefully press them into the cheesecake filling, adjusting the filling so that the cookie dough balls are completely covered. You can also gently rap the pan on the counter to shift the dough balls around.
Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until the center is still slightly jiggly, but almost set.
Remove cheesecake from springform pan to a serving plate.
Microwave the fudge topping for 45-60 seconds, or until melted and smooth.
Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Cut and serve. Enjoy!
I am speechless- this is stunning, pinning!
It really is! It was delicious!!! Thanks, Blair!
I'll take a huge slice of this please!!!
Yes!! Cookie dough stuffed into a cheesecake has got to be the best thing ever!
I like your philosophy Sarah because I do the same 😉 just cover the damn cheesecake with something and it looks perfect! This cheesecake is totally calling my name, looks SO GOOD!
I would love a huge slice of this glorious cheesecake!!! Those cookie dough bites inside have me drooling!
Thank you! It was definitely divine! I always love ALL your recipes, girl!!!
Thank you so much for stopping over, and for the pin!
I have never made a cheesecake before, but I will make this one. It's also on my Pinterest board.
Definitely! Let me know if you try it, and how it turns out!
Wow! This looks amazing! Pinned and Tweeted and planning on making this soon. Thank you for sharing on Snickerdoodle Sunday!
Stopping back by to let you know that your cheesecake is one of our features this week on Snickerdoodle Sunday. Hope to see you there for the party today.
Oh, I absolutely LOVE cheesecakes! Thank you for linking up with Thursday Favorite Things, hope to see you again this week!
The pictures are gorgeous but has anyone actually tried making this? The proportions are all off. There is<|fim_middle|> you, and please let me know! Happy Birthday to the Bday girl! | WAY too much crust for an 8 inch pan and the cookie "dough" doesn't even form a dough and just tastes like sugar. I'm an experienced baker and was disappointed by this recipe. Now have to find another to salvage my ingredients.
Hi Wendy: Sorry you didn't enjoy the cheesecake. I'd be glad to help you troubleshoot. The cheesecake batter is the one that I use for almost every cheesecake on my blog, and have made it dozens of times. It's tried and true. I also based this from a Taste of Home recipe that was well-reviewed. I didn't have any trouble with the consistency of the cookie dough. Also, I have made cookie crusts with Oreos, shortbread, and even Nutter Butters, if the cookie crumbs are crushed finely, and pressed into the 8-inch springform pan, then the crust measurements are absolutely correct. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help you otherwise. Thanks.
I made this today for a big Sunday dinner and it was delicious!!! Many compliments!
Not sure what country this is from but it looks fab and easy enough for me to try but I don't understand the measurements am in England and we use oz or grams. Is it possible to get the measurements off the ingredients in this form please.
Hi Lisa!! This is US, and I don't have the ingredients in oz or grams, but you could definitely find a substitution calculator on the internet for cups, tablespoons, etc.! I hope that you try it. It's so decadent and delicious. Thank you!
Making this now! Hoping it turns out!
Can this be made ahead and frozen? It's been requested for a future birthday.
I saw your email, btw, and I'm not sure about covering the dough balls in flour – that very possibly could work, but I've never tried it. I adapted this from a Taste of Home recipe, and I've had great luck with it, but you could Google the Taste of Home version to see what comments were left on that recipe – maybe someone left a tip in the comments at the bottom. Good luck, Carol!!
Sarah, THANK YOU for such a quick response !!! For some reason I couldn't leave a comment here and that is why I emailed you. I've been checking my email for a response and thought, maybe you left it here. And here it was !!! I am going to make it and will let you know the results. The birthday girl's special day is this coming Saturday so wish me luck with the Cheesecake. And thank you again !
P.S. I have to wait till I make it before I can rate it but I am sure it will be scrumptious !
Hi Carol! I'm glad you got my response! Did you make it yet? I hope it turns out well for | 579 |
Zink Foodservice Gets New Owners - It's Employees
Long-time foodservice company makes itself open to ownership by employees.
Foodservice manufacturer representative Zink Foodservice has something new to make available<|fim_middle|>. | —to its 75+ employees, not customers. Through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, the 40-year-old company is now employee-owned.
Managing Partner Jim Zink says the idea for an ESOP came as an answer to questions about where the company is headed in the future.
"We have worked very hard at building the organization that we have today. But with any business there comes a time when you have to look around and say, 'What does the future hold? How do we set this thing up to be successful for another 40 years?' It became clear that an ESOP was an ideal solution for our organization—one that aligns perfectly with our strategic goals," he says.
Zink Foodservice is a provider of sales, marketing, distribution and installation services for manufacturers and dealers of foodservice equipment and smallwares for 40 different manufacturers.
As seen in Columbus CEO | 179 |
Purdue reclaims No. 1 perch in Top 25 poll
Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
Purdue reclaimed the top spot and Alabama also hopscotched over Houston into the second spot of the Associated Press Top 25 poll released Monday.
The Boilermakers (19-1) received 39 first-place votes while the Crimson Tide (17-2) garnered 23. Houston (18-2) fell to No. 3 after its upset loss at the hands of Temple on Sunday.
Purdue is back to No. 1 after a four-week stint there earlier this season. The Boilermakers have won six straight since a loss to Rutgers on Jan. 3 knocked them from the perch.
Tennessee (16-3) vaults five places to No. 4 this week while Kansas State (17-2) climbs eight spots to round out the top five. The Wildcats were the week's biggest climber and enjoy their highest ranking since 2010-11 (No. 3) after knocking off then-No. 2 Kansas last week.
Arizona (17-3), Virginia (15-3), UCLA (17-3), Kansas (16-3) and Texas (16-3) round out the top 10. The Jayhawks' drop of seven spots was rivaled only by Gonzaga's precipitous<|fim_middle|> 20 Miami (FL)
No. 21 Florida Atlantic
No. 22 Saint Mary's
No. 23 Providence
No. 24 Clemson
No. 25 New Mexico | eight-spot fall to No. 14 following its shocking home loss to Loyola Marymount on Thursday. LMU ended the Zags' 75-game home winning streak.
Saint Mary's (No. 22) makes it season debut in the Top 25 and New Mexico (No. 25) returns to the poll this week, while Rutgers and Arkansas dropped out.
The rest of the poll:
No. 11 TCU
No. 12 Iowa State
No. 13 Xavier
No. 14 Gonzaga
No. 15 Auburn
No. 16 Marquette
No. 17 Baylor
No. 18 Charleston
No. 19 UConn
No. | 157 |
Aeration. You may have heard the term from a lawn care professional or perhaps, in your search to a get a healthier lawn<|fim_middle|>. Aeration initially causes stress on your lawn but, it also enables the lawn to better recover through improved fertilization. Be sure to distribute on your lawn immediately following your aeration.
Allow uprooted plugs to disintegrate into the lawn. Do not remove them. The plugs actually contain nutrients that will redistribute back into your lawn. | . First let's start with the basics. What exactly is lawn aeration? Proper lawn aeration, sometimes referred to as core aeration, will boost the success of your irrigation, fertilization and pest control efforts, especially here in Lakeland, FL and surrounding areas such as Winter Haven, Bartow and Mulberry. The aeration process removes small plugs of turf, thatch and soil from your lawn. This lets air and nutrients into the soil below. It's like a breath of fresh air for your lawn. Just like you need air to thrive, so does a lively, green lawn. Simply put, aeration allows your Florida lawn care efforts to be maximized to their full potential. If you're looking for the best way to improve the health of your lawn, you should consider aeration with your lawn care regimen.
Better Grass Health. Aeration provides access to air, water, and fertilizer for your turf and grass roots allowing them to reach further and become more complex.
Helps Thatch Control. Thatch is the thick, matted debris and plant material layer sitting on top of your soil's surface. Thatch prevents nutrients from reaching the roots of your lawn.
Improves sustainability. With a healthier root system growing your yard's ability to fight off diseases and pests increases.
Reduces Compacted Soil. As plugs of soil and thatch are removed, your lawn is relieved and soil density is loosened.
Efficient Water Use. With aeration water can flow freely to grass roots, meaning you use less yet still see great results.
Increases Nutrient Absorption. Nutrients penetrate deeper into the root system thanks to thatch and soil being removed at beneficial intervals.
Allows New Root Growth. After aeration soil is open and fertilizer is able to nourish roots more efficiently. It also provides a moist home for expanding roots to reach optimal growth and development.
When and how often should I aerate my lawn?
Puddles on your lawn after a heavy rain. Noticing that your yard is not soaking up water after it rains? It's likely not getting the moisture it needs. This prevents nutrients from reaching the soil, and inhibits growth.
You lawn fails the "screwdriver test." The screwdriver test is a simple and effective way to test your soil (this test can also be done with a pencil). Take a screwdriver and insert it into your lawn. Is is difficult? If so, it's time for a professional aeration.
You notice a thick layer of matted grass (or thatch). Thatch is described as lawn clippings, weeds and other organic material sitting between your grass and the soil. If thatch is extremely thick ( 1/2 inch or more) it gives insects and disease an environment to flourish, thus allowing more damage to your lawn.
Lawns best aerated when they are actively growing. Here in Lakeland and across Florida we have warm-season lawns, meaning it is most beneficial to aerate in late spring or summer.
Ready to aerate your lawn?
Label or tag your sprinkler heads, irrigation lines and other items that are buried under your lawn to avoid damage during lawn aeration.
If there has not been a sufficient rain in the past 24 hours, give your lawn a thorough watering the day before your aeration service. This will allow easier removal of thatch and soil plugs.
Have Fertilizer Ready | 689 |
Maryland Campaign to Keep Antibiotics Working – Keeping Marylanders healthy by fighting the misuse of antibiotics in animal agriculture.
Keeping Marylanders healthy by fighting the misuse of antibiotics in animal agriculture.
Who Supports the Keep Antibiotics Effective Act?
We had two great hearings in both the House and the Senate on the antibiotics bills. (SB 471 and HB 652).
Thanks to the mighty group of witnesses who came to Annapolis to testify. Alex Smith, Edina Avdic, Rob Sprinkle, Michael Berger, Mae Wu, Emily Scarr, and Emily Ranson.
Especial thanks to Rob, Alex, Mae, Emily S. and Emily R. for sticking around until 10:30 PM to testify in the Senate!
And of course, huge thanks to the sponsors – Sen. Pinsky and Del. Love – for leading our panels!
The Senate hearing video is here (begins at the 7:30 mark) and the House hearing video is here (begins at the 1:19 mark). Enjoy!!
Hearings on SB 471 and HB 652 will begin at <|fim_middle|> And another one from the Center for Infectious Disease Research Policy. And another one from the Annapolis Patch.
Here's the video of the event from Maryland PIRG's Facebook page.
Annapolis – The Maryland Campaign to Keep Antibiotics Working delivered a letter from public health, labor, and environmental organizations and more than 1,000 public comments to Governor Hogan asking him to revise and strengthen long-overdue draft regulations to the 2017 Keep Antibiotics Effective Act.
Public health advocates warn that the proposed regulations fail to curb the overuse of antibiotics in animal agriculture and need to be fixed in order to protect Marylanders from antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
In 2017, the Maryland General Assembly passed the Keep Antibiotics Effective Act to curb the overuse of antibiotics in livestock by eliminating routine use of antibiotics in animals that aren't sick. The bill became law without a signature from Governor Hogan. After more than a year, the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) finally released draft regulations.
The public comment period on the draft regulations ends today, and the regulations could be finalized by Governor Hogan and the Maryland Department of Agriculture as soon as September 18th.
Before antibiotics, infections were the leading cause of death in America. Now, ending the routine use of antibiotics in agriculture has been identified by the World Health Organization, American Academy of Pediatrics, and other leading health groups as a key strategy to fight the growing crisis of antibiotic resistance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the number of antibiotic resistant infections in the country at approximately 2 million cases per year. Of those, 23,000 people will die as a result of the resistant infection. The annual cost in the United States of such infections exceeds $55 billion per year.
In the United States, 70% of antibiotics are sold for use on farms, not to treat sick animals but rather to compensate for a poor diet and cramped, unhygienic living conditions. This daily use of antibiotics accelerates the development of drug-resistant bacteria which can travel off of farms and into our communities through human-to-animal contact, contaminated food and through environmental factors like water run-off, dirt and airborne dust.
We got the law. Now we need strong regulations.
In 2017, we were thrilled to watch the Maryland General Assembly pass the Keep Antibiotics Effective Act to prohibit the overuse of human antibiotics in animal agriculture.
More than a year after the bill became law, the Hogan Administration finally released draft regulations to implement the law, and unfortunately the regulations are so weak that the overuse of human antibiotics on Maryland farms will likely continue.
The Keep Antibiotics Effective Act was designed to be stronger than the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations loophole-ridden policy. But we have ended up back where we started, with the Hogan Administration wanting to allowed continued, routine use of antibiotics on animals that aren't sick.
The public has an opportunity to share comments with the Administration and demand stronger regulations that actually protect the effectiveness of our antibiotics. Comments are due September 4, 2018.
PBS Newshour has done a great series on the science and economics of antibiotic resistance. You can check on the piece on industrial farming here. See Russ Kremer, Dr. Lance Price, and Mae Wu – no strangers to our campaign.
You can check out the whole series here.
Victory in the Senate and House!
The House of Delegates passed the Keep Antibiotics Effective Act of 2017 by a vote of 139-1.
The Senate passed it by a vote of 35-12.
The bill restricts the regular use of antibiotics on animal agriculture, which is a huge step forward for protecting antibiotics.
Unfortunately, the data collection section was weakened to the point that it no longer requires any meaningful data collection.
The bills now need to clear the other chambers and then head to the Governor's desk. | 1 PM on Wednesday, February 27.
In the Senate, the Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee will hear SB 471. And in the House, the Environment and Transportation Committee will hear HB 652. Check the Maryland General Assembly website for the order of the hearings and watch it live!
You can watch them live here.
This image is from this article in the Telegraph explaining that countries are still using antibiotics to make animals get fatter.
In December, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released new data on the sales of antibiotics important to human medicine in livestock production. The good news: sales have declined. The bad news: the amount of antibiotics going to livestock is still alarmingly high.
We must do more to stop the misuse of our lifesaving drugs on animals that are not sick.
A new estimate suggests that antibiotic-resistant infections caused more than 150,000 deaths in the United States in 2010. That's seven times the Centers for Disease Control's conservative estimate, and would mean that antibiotic resistance is one of the top five causes of death in the U.S.
Yesterday, we delivered more than 1000 letters from Marylanders and a letter from local, state, and national organizations asking Governor Hogan to pass stronger regulations for antibiotics used in animal agriculture.
Emily Scarr from Maryland PIRG and Dr. Pat McLaine from the Maryland Nurses Association did a great job! And many thanks to everyone who braved the heat and humidity from Fair Farms Maryland, Maryland Votes for Animals, Maryland Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, Clean Water Action, in addition to Maryland PIRG and Maryland Nurses Association.
Here's an article in the Southern Maryland Online about the event. And another one from the Cumberland Times-News. | 366 |
The AIA<|fim_middle|> and Wales, registration number 1118333.
If you wish to apply for assistance through the AIA Educational and Benevolent Trust, please click here to download the application form, complete and return it to AIA Educational and Benevolent Trust, Association of International Accountants, Staithes 3, The Watermark, Metro Riverside, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE11 9SN, UK. | Educational and Benevolent Trust was founded to support the advancement of public education in accountancy, to encourage and assist aspiring accountants to enter the profession. We achieve this through the giving of prizes, scholarships and grants; helping individuals who would be otherwise unable to qualify as an accountant. The Trust is also there to support AIA members and their families through periods of hardship or distress.
Share your success and help to support others, giving them that all important first, or second chance. Any donations however big or small will be greatly received.
You can choose to make a monthly donation, a single donation, or pick how you would like to support the Trust. Any help you can provide is always welcomed and appreciated. Donations, investment income and legacies all contribute to the Trust.
You can donate quickly and easily online, using the button below. If you choose to donate online and you are a UK taxpayer, we can claim Gift Aid. Alternatively, you can send a cheque payable to 'The Association of International Accountants' to AIA Education and Benevolent Trust, Association of International Accountants, Staithes 3, The Watermark, Metro Riverside, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE11 9SN, UK, stating clearly that it is a donation to the AIA Education and Benevolent Trust.
The Trust is registered with the Charity Commission for England | 274 |
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Home » Fun Stuff » See Billy Currington Live in Concert at The Joe
Fun StuffLive Music & Entertainment
See Billy Currington Live in Concert at The Joe
Joseph L. Bruno Stadium to Host Its Largest Concert Yet
Hope Relly-Cobb Posted on July 23, 2019 July 22, 2020
Searching for your next concert this summer? Look no further than Joseph L. Bruno Stadium in Troy. On Tuesday, August 20, Billy Currington's Stay Up 'Til The Sun Tour is making a historic stop at The Joe and you won't want to miss it!
Image provided
The Tri-City Valley Cats and 107.7 WGNA have partnered for what will be the largest and most high-profile concert The Joe has ever hosted. Billy Currington, singer/songwriter and chart topper, has recorded six studio albums and produced a large number of country hits.
Pit and general admission tickets cost $65, while reserved stadium seating costs $35. Tickets can be purchased online at tcvalleycats.com and through The Joe's box office.
Live outside the Albany<|fim_middle|>-to-Table Restaurant, and More in the Albany Area
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Weekend Fun, a New Farm | 52 |
Minister praises Newport radio station for Energize'ing people's lives
A successful community social enterprise in Newport which supports people with learning disabilities and young people to develop new skills has been praised by the Social Care Minister.
Energize Media Community Interest Company (CIC) was established in January 2015 as a social enterprise and is based at the Shaftesbury Community Centre in Newport.
A small group of volunteers came together in 2014 with the aim of offering community radio to a group of vulnerable adults, along with young people and those with other disabilities.
The project took off and established itself when Jeremy and Nigel - 2 adults with moderate learning disabilities - used their Direct Payments and with the support of the volunteers, pooled them together and gave the project the boost it would need to keep growing.
As a result of the project, one of the founders, Jeremy Kempton, after 50 years of living with his mother has now moved into supported living, having increased his self confidence. His mother believes "the project and work done has given him a new life."
As a group, they have also established a hugely successful school project which has worked with a number of pupils both in the Centre and in the nearby Newport High School. The integration of everyone in the project and the success with turning the lives round of the young people has seen praise come from across South Wales.
One of the founders, volunteer Simon Harvey said:
"What has been achieved by everyone involved with Energize is unbelievable, with Jeremy and Nigel putting faith in the project and pooling their Direct Payments allowed the door to open to so many more people. Many vulnerable adults and their families have feared using Direct Payments and are not aware of the freedoms they can offer.
"We are now working with the Wales Co-operative Centre to strengthen and expand our work, while fully supporting their vision for more Community Enterprises to take the lead in Social Care provision in Wales."
Minister for Children & Social Care, Huw Irranca-Davies said:
"I was really pleased to visit the centre today to meet everyone involved, but it was a real pleasure to hear of the inspirational way in which Jeremy and Nigel came together to help establish it, and the wonderful way it has changed their own lives, and those of so many others, for the better.
"It's a great example of a successful social value organisation supporting people with learning disabilities and young people<|fim_middle|> with the principles of our innovative Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014.
"This project has clearly made a real difference to many people's lives. I wish them every success in the future and hope the Project continues to grow from strength to strength." | to develop skills, in keeping | 6 |
Ready or Not, Section 1071 is Coming: The Upcoming Implementation of Dodd-Frank's Women and Minority-Owned and Small Business Reporting Requirements
Blog Financial Services Perspectives
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
As part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act, Congress enacted Section 1071, which amended the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to mandate certain reporting requirements for lenders making business loans. The act aims to "facilitate enforcement of fair lending laws and enable communities, governmental entities, and creditors to identify business and community
development needs and opportunities of women-owned, minority-owned, and small businesses." Specifically, Section 1071 requires that lenders identify women-owned, minority-owned, and small businesses and collect data related to — among other things — the race, sex, and ethnicity of the business owners, the purpose of the loan, the action taken with regards to the loan, the business's gross annual revenue, and "any additional data that the [CFPB] determines would aid in fulfilling the purposes of this section." This catch-all language suggests that the CFPB has substantial leeway in determining the volume and breadth of data points required under Section 1071, and if implementation is anything like the CFPB's implementation of HMDA — a similar reporting statute related to secured residential loans — collection and reporting could prove to be onerous indeed.
Moreover, based on certain comments by stakeholders at a November 2019 CFPB Symposium on implementation of Section 1071, the universe of lenders and loans subject to 1071 reporting requirements may be quite broad. As such, all types of institutions — including banks, credit unions, and merchant cash advance companies — should pay close attention to how the CFPB goes about implementing this section of Dodd-Frank.
The Implementation History of Section 1071
In April 2011, the CFPB promised to act "expeditiously" in issuing rules implementing Section 1071. Despite this pledge, the CFPB has been deliberate in its efforts to implement the rule. In May 2017, the CFPB issued a Request for Information (RFI) regarding the small business lending landscape in order to "augment the Bureau's expertise in this space." Although the RFI suggested that the CFPB would move quickly to implement Section 1071, its Fall 2018 agenda reclassified Section 1071 implementation as a long-term action item, citing the CFPB's apparent need to focus on HMDA implementation instead. However, in mid-2019, the CFPB issued its spring regulatory agenda in which it endeavored to "recommence work . . . to implement [S]ection 1071 . . . ." This delay resulted in a May 2019 lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California against CFPB Director Kathleen Kraninger, in which a public interest group argues that the CFPB has violated the Administrative Procedures Act and Dodd-Frank by failing to implement Section 1071.
November 2019 Symposium
In November 2019, the CFPB held a symposium on the implementation of Section 1071. Reassuringly, Director Kraninger promised that the CFPB would engage in Section 1071 rulemaking with "care and consideration in order that the rule not impede the ability of small businesses — including minority and women owned small businesses — to access the credit they need." The director's comments suggest that the agency will approach implementation of Section 1071 with a light touch.
However,<|fim_middle|> of the rule, as well as the risk of increased compliance burdens, it is critical that all stakeholders monitor the CFPB and understand the potential issues surrounding Section 1071. There will — as part of the rulemaking process — be a public comment period. Banks, credit unions, and all other lenders, as well as merchant cash advance and factoring companies, should be prepared to protect their interests by either submitting a comment or urging their respective trade organizations to submit a comment on their behalf. We will also continue to monitor the CFPB for any new developments.
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP - Christopher K. Friedman and Brian R. Epling
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" The newsfeeds are very useful, easy to read and well written. They allow me to stay current with all the latest news and analysis. The précis give a clear and concise overview of the articles in each email and help me to decide which articles will be of greatest use." | several panelists issued words of caution regarding the possible challenges and burdens associated with implementation. For instance, Brad Blower, vice president of Consumer Practices at American Express, urged the CFPB to clarify that Section 1071 applied only to small business lending, in part, by applying the relatively clear and consistent definition of "small business" contained in the Small Business Act. Diego Zuluaga, a policy analyst at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, warned that "data collection requirements can pose a substantial compliance burden on lenders, causing underwriting costs to rise and discouraging some lenders from serving certain markets." Other stakeholders asked the CFPB to expand the reach of Section 1071. For instance, Richard Nieman, head of Public Policy at LendingClub, opined that merchant cash advance and factoring companies should also be subject to 1071's requirements. Other panelists expressed concern about the potential for increased cost, decreased efficiency, possible duplicative collection and reporting requirements, as well as the privacy risk of additional data collection. In a nutshell, representatives for lenders and other potentially affected industries expressed concern about the typical dangers of over-regulation: increased cost, decreased efficiency, the potential to reduce the availability of credit, and regulatory uncertainty.
Section 1071 is Coming
At the November symposium, the CFPB noted that it may take several years to fully implement Section 1071. However, the CFPB's Fall 2019 regulatory agenda lists its pre-rule activity date as beginning in November 2019, suggesting that rulemaking may begin sooner rather than later. Of course, it is impossible to predict when the CFPB will initiate a formal rulemaking process related to Section 1071. However, given the potentially broad scope | 378 |
The Social Science Research Group (formerly the Sociological Research Group) has been renamed to indicate that its scope, although mainly sociological, includes other social science disciplines, including psychology, education, demography and economics. The purpose of the group is to bring together members of the Faculty interested and engaged in theoretically significant social research which is empirically grounded. The unifying theoretical theme of the SSRG's research is the provision of an integrated account of the social relations of inequality and the processes by which inequality is transmitted and reproduced.
First, The Individual and Labour Market Reading Group (ILM), directed by Dr Brendan Burchell, continues to thrive and has an active program of meetings and social gatherings for both staff and graduate students.
Second, the new ESRC Research Priority Network on Gender Equality (GeNet), directed by Dr Jackie Scott, runs from 2004-2009. It spans eight British Universities (including Cambridge, LSE, Institute of Education, City, Open University, York, Essex and Oxford). The Network aims to move forward the theoretical understanding and empirical knowledge of gender inequalities in production and reproduction.
The origins of the Sociological Research Group were closely bound up with the seminal work on stratification that led to the development of the<|fim_middle|> an internationally comparative assessment of the structures of social interaction and stratification across a number of countries. Like virtually all other stratification measures, CAMSIS uses occupational groups as its basic units. Unlike other classification schemes, however, the scale can be used in ways that are gender-specific and appropriate for other groupings, such as ethnicity or for those not in paid employment.
The original director of the Sociological Research Group, Bob Blackburn, although now retired, is still extremely research active and continues to serve as SSRG Treasurer.
Publications of SSRG members and further details of SSRG activities can be found in the Departmental Annual Report. | "Cambridge Scale". Further developments of the Cambridge Scale (CAMSIS) are ongoing and the CAMSIS project (now based at Cardiff University) is | 32 |
Conserving America's Wetlands 2007:
Three Years of Progress
Implementing the President's Goal
Appendix E.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Civil Works
Table E-1. USACE Programs Supporting the President's Wetland Goal in FY 2008. Funding (millions of dollars)*
Program Restore or Create Improve Protect Total Wetlands Funding for Goal FY 2008 Difference from FY 2007
USACE Civil Works
Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program 51.873 170.000 0.525 222.398 -60.602
Excludes regulatory program, mitigation, and Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act. Includes funding for projects that will result in acres to be counted in<|fim_middle|> a watershed- scale perspective. Approximately $1.8 million is included in the FY 2008 budget for wetlands research.
http://el.erdc.usace.army.mil/org.cfm?Code=EE-W
Regulatory Clean Water Act 404 Program: The USACE manages the Nation's wetlands through a regulatory program requiring permits for the discharge of dredged and fill material into jurisdictional waters of the United States. In a typical year the USACE receives permit requests to fill about 25,000 acres of jurisdictional waters. Of these, about 5,000 acres are not permitted, and for the 20,000 permitted acres the USACE requires mitigation on average of more than two acres for each permitted acre lost. FY 2008 funding request is $180 million.
http://www.usace.army.mil/inet/functions/cw/cecwo/reg
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Table E-2. USACE Programs Supporting the President's Wetland Goal in FY 2008. Planned Accomplishments (in acres)
Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program 3,795 14,827 185 18,807 -242,547
USACE Projects Supporting the President's Wetland Goal
Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration: The USACE has numerous study, project-specific, and programmatic authorities for implementing aquatic ecosystem restoration projects. In addition, activities contributing to the President's goal may occur on the 12 million acres of water and land managed by the USACE for other purposes, such as flood damage reduction, navigation, and recreation. Another contribution is the use of dredged material to create, restore, or improve wetland habitat as part of routine maintenance dredging of Federal channels.
The data in the tables above represent a subset of the total USACE commitment to achieving the President's goal. Because most USACE restoration projects take several years to complete, the funds appropriated in any one fiscal year have a minimal correlation to the number of acres that count toward the President's goal in that fiscal year. Projects are included in the budget based on their effectiveness in addressing significant regional or national aquatic ecological problems. The aquatic ecosystem studies and projects proposed by the USACE for funding in FY 2008 include the following examples (the large number of projects precludes a comprehensive list within this document):
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP): The primary and overarching purpose of CERP is to restore the South Florida ecosystem, which includes the Everglades. The plan provides the framework and guidance to restore, protect, and preserve the water resources of the greater Everglades ecosystem. CERP has been described as the world's largest ecosystem restoration effort, and includes providing more natural flows of water, improved water quality, and more natural hydro-periods within the remaining natural areas. The plan is intended to help restore the ecosystem while ensuring clean and reliable water supplies, and providing flood protection in urban areas.
http://www.evergladesplan.org
Louisiana Coastal Area Ecosystem Restoration: More than one million acres of Louisiana's coastal wetlands have been lost since the 1930s; another one-third of a million acres could be lost over the next 50 years unless large-scale corrective actions are taken. The ecosystem restoration program will construct significant restoration features; undertake demonstration projects; study potentially promising large-scale, longterm concepts; and take other needed actions to restore the ecosystem. A 10-year plan of studies and projects was developed through a public involvement process, and working closely with other Federal agencies and the State of Louisiana.
http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/prj/lca/
Upper Mississippi River Restoration: Originally authorized in 1986 but significantly modified in 1999, this program provides for planning, construction, and evaluation of measures for fish and wildlife habitat rehabilitation. Multiple habitat projects are helping to revitalize the side channels and to restore island, aquatic, and riparian habitat in the Upper Mississippi River. The program also includes funds for the collection of project and systemic baseline data and monitoring.
http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/EMP/default.htm
USACE Programs that Maintain the Wetland Base
Together with their partners, the USACE provides environmental stewardship of nearly 12 million acres of public land and water and oversees the natural resources management of 456 operating civil works water resources projects nationwide. The USACE strives to provide sound environmental stewardship of lands and waters entrusted to its care, while accomplishing multiple authorized project purposes. Its Natural Resources Management Mission is to manage and conserve those natural resources (including fish and wildlife, woodlands and grasslands, wetlands, soils, and water) consistent with ecosystem sustainability principles, to serve the needs of present and future generations.
The stewardship of wetland resources is an integral part of the USACE responsibility. Although the classification and quantity of wetlands acreage under USACE stewardship has not yet been determined, an inventory of natural resources (including wetlands) is required for each project. This effort is under way and is being accomplished as fiscal resources allow.
Information from the inventories is incorporated into master plans and operational management plans and used to help manage, conserve, and protect wetland resources. Where feasible, wetland resources management is integrated to capture mutual benefits (e.g., for efforts to manage wetlanddependent plants and animals, including endangered species). In addition, the effects of existing and proposed land use activities are monitored or evaluated to guard against wetland degradation or loss. Opportunities to enhance wetland quality and quantity are implemented where feasible, employing partnerships and volunteer assistance where possible.
http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/employees/envsteward/envsteward.html
Engineer Research and Development Center: Within the Environmental Laboratory, the Wetlands and Coastal Ecology group conducts field and laboratory investigations on biotic and abiotic resources in wetlands and coastal systems and develops products/systems supporting assessment, restoration, and management of wetlands and coastal ecosystems. Examples of wetlands research include the development of improved standards, techniques, and guidelines for the planning, design, and construction of USACE wetlands restoration and creation projects; completion of a GIS-based decision support system for prioritizing candidate wetlands restoration sites with the greatest potential for success; and exploration of innovative plant harvesting/installation methods for the large-scale restoration of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) ecosystems in the Chesapeake Bay. In addition, state-of-the-art tools and methods for wetlands restoration will be integrated to forecast physical, chemical, and biological responses to water resource management activities and to manage these resources within | 1,184 |
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