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Q:
Energy of a state of free particles
We know the the normalization of a state of free particle is indeterminate and therefore it doesn't have any physical state or definitive energy.
On the other hand, lets consider a free particle of wave function $\sin kx$. The energy of the state can be written as, $\frac{ \hbar^2 k^2}{2m} $. Since, the energy of the state is not k dependent, therefore we can say from the energy equation, Energy of a state is definite.
The two paragraph seems to me contradicting for the free particles energy.
A:
Consider a propagating particle of mass $m$. Its energy is $\hbar^2 k^2/2m$ just as you say.
Now ask what is the wavefunction for this particle? Well it depends on the initial conditions. We could start with a tightly localised particle, a particle that is only localised to a quite large region or a particle that is almost completely delocalised. All three are valid solutions to the Schrodinger equation and all three have the same energy of $\hbar^2 k^2/2m$. And of course all three wavefunctions are normalised to a total probability of one.
The diagram shows three gaussian wavepackets $\frac{a}{\sqrt{\pi}}\exp^{-x^2/a^2}$ with different degrees of localisation all normalised to unity.
When you say you want your wavefunction to be $\sin\,kx$ you are saying that you want your particle to be be completely delocalised. On my figure above that would correspond to a gaussian with infinite width and zero height. Normalising such a wavepacket is impossible because you end up trying to integrate $\tfrac{1}{\infty}$ from $-\infty$ to $\infty$ and that isn't a mathematically valid procedure. This is why it's often said that a free particle state can't be normalised.
But we can approach the completely delocalised particle by using a gaussian wavepacket of the form $\frac{a}{\sqrt{\pi}}\exp^{-x^2/a^2}$, like the ones shown above, and taking the limit of $a \rightarrow \infty$. Whatever the value of $a$ all these wavepackets are normalised to unity and have the same energy, and that's why we can treat the completely delocalised particle as still being normalised to unity and having the energy $\hbar^2 k^2/2m$.
| 2023-08-14T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/8581 |
157 P.3d 176 (2007)
342 Or. 555
CRANDON CAPITAL PARTNERS, derivatively on behalf of Willamette Industries, a nominal defendant, Petitioner on Review,
v.
Stuart J. SHELK, Jr.; Paul N. McCracken; Michael G. Thorne; Gerard K. Drummond; Kenneth W. Hergenhan; Robert M. Smelick; Benjamin R. Whiteley; Winslow H. Buxton; G. Joseph Prendergast; William Swindells; and Duane C. McDougall, Defendants, and
Willamette Industries, Inc., Respondent on Review.
Rae Ann Brown, derivatively on behalf of Willamette Industries, a nominal defendant, Petitioner on Review,
v.
Willamette Industries, Inc., Respondent on Review, and
William Swindells; Duane C. McDougall; Gerard K. Drummond; Paul N. McCracken; Stuart J. Shelk, Jr.; Michael G. Thorne; Kenneth W. Hergenhan; Robert M. Smelick; Benjamin R. Whitely; Winslow H. Buxton; and G. Joseph Prendergast, Defendants.
(TC No. 0011-11691, 0011-11695; CA A123575 (Control), A123576; SC S53170).
Supreme Court of Oregon.
Argued and Submitted September 11, 2006.
Decided April 12, 2007.
Scott A. Shorr, Stoll Stoll Berne Lokting & Shlachter P.C., Portland, argued the cause and filed the brief for petitioners on review. With him on the brief were Gary M. Berne and Steve C. Berman, Stoll Stoll Berne Lokting & Shlachter, P.C.; Edwin A. Harnden, *177 Barran Liebman LLP, Portland; and Justine Fischer, Portland.
John F. Neupert, Miller Nash, LLP, Portland argued the cause and filed the brief for respondent on review. With him on the brief was Bruce L. Campbell.
Before De MUNIZ, Chief Justice, and CARSON, GILLETTE, DURHAM, and BALMER, Justices.[**]
BALMER, J.
This shareholder derivative action requires us to decide whether plaintiffs' claim for attorney fees remains justiciable after defendants took actions that rendered the underlying substantive claims moot. For the reasons that follow, we answer that question in the affirmative.
Plaintiffs were shareholders of Willamette Industries, Inc. They filed separate actions against certain of Willamette's officers and directors seeking to remove corporate takeover defenses that Willamette had adopted and to force defendants to negotiate with Weyerhaeuser Co., which had made an offer to acquire Willamette. Before the trial court entered any judgment on the merits, defendants removed the defenses, and Willamette agreed to be (and was) acquired by Weyerhaeuser. Plaintiffs then filed an amended complaint seeking only attorney fees. The trial court ultimately rejected plaintiffs' claim for fees on the ground that it would be inequitable to require Willamette's corporate successor, Weyerhaeuser, to pay those fees. On plaintiffs' appeal, the Court of Appeals vacated the trial court judgment and remanded with instructions to dismiss the case as moot. Crandon Capital Partners v. Shelk, 202 Or.App. 537, 123 P.3d 385 (2005). We allowed plaintiffs' petition for review and, for the reasons that follow, reverse the decision of the Court of Appeals and remand the case to that court for further proceedings.
I
The facts necessary to decide the single legal issue before us are not in dispute, and we take them from the record and the Court of Appeals opinion. On November 6, 2000, Weyerhaeuser communicated to Willamette's management an offer to purchase all outstanding shares of Willamette for $48 per share, a premium over the share price at the close of the prior trading day. Weyerhaeuser publicly announced the offer on November 13, 2000. On November 15, Willamette's board of directors announced that it had rejected the offer. A 14-month struggle for control of Willamette followed, during which Weyerhaeuser announced a tender offer and engaged in a proxy fight for control of Willamette. Willamette's board of directors also instituted various corporate takeover defenses. Those defenses included new severance agreements for Willamette's senior management and a shareholder rights plan.[1] In December 2001, Willamette's board of directors began discussions with Georgia-Pacific Corporation (GP) to purchase GP's building products division. Weyerhaeuser indicated that it would withdraw its tender offer if Willamette consummated its purchase of GP's building products division.[2]
Plaintiffs Crandon Capital Partners and Rae Ann Brown began this litigation on November 14, 2000, when they filed separate shareholder derivative actions on behalf of Willamette against Willamette, as a nominal defendant, and the directors of Willamette. Their complaints alleged breaches of fiduciary duty,[3] abuse of control, and waste. The *178 two actions were consolidated on December 20, 2000, and amended complaints in the consolidated action were filed on January 4, 2001, and December 18, 2001. The complaints in the consolidated action, like the initial complaints filed in the two separate cases, did not include separate claims for attorney fees, but they did include requests for attorney fees in the prayers for relief. Plaintiffs sought, in general, to remove Willamette's takeover defenses, alleging that they were unlawful measures to entrench existing management, and to force Willamette's directors to engage in negotiations with Weyerhaeuser. Plaintiffs and Wyser-Pratte Management Company which had filed a similar action and which is not a party to this appeal also sought to prevent Willamette's purchase of GP's buildings products division.
In January 2002, prior to the entry of any judgment, Willamette abandoned the proposed purchase of GP's building products division, removed its takeover defenses, and accepted Weyerhaeuser's tender offer, which Weyerhaeuser by then had increased to $55.50 per share. The parties signed a definitive merger agreement in late January. Weyerhaeuser then paid a total of about $6.1 billion in cash for all Willamette's outstanding shares, and Weyerhaeuser caused Willamette to be merged formally into a wholly owned subsidiary of Weyerhaeuser on March 14, 2002. Those actions rendered moot the substantive claims in plaintiffs' complaint.
On March 21, 2002, plaintiffs filed a motion for an award of attorney fees on the basis of the request that they had included in the prayer for relief in their second amended complaint. The trial court denied plaintiffs' motion, concluding that the second amended complaint did not adequately state a basis on which the derivative plaintiffs could recover attorney fees and therefore did not comply with ORCP 68. Crandon, 202 Or.App. at 543, 123 P.3d 385.
Plaintiffs then moved to amend their complaint to assert an independent claim for attorney fees, and the trial court, over defendants' objections, granted the motion. On October 21, 2002, plaintiffs filed a third amended complaint seeking attorney fees of $24.25 million and asserting that their conduct in filing their shareholder derivative actions had benefitted Willamette and its shareholders by causing the Willamette board to remove the takeover defenses and to agree to sell the company to Weyerhaeuser at a favorable price. Plaintiffs included in their claim for fees an amount representing their time and expenses in preparing the attorney fee claim.
After extensive briefing, the trial court granted defendants' motion for partial summary judgment, dismissing plaintiffs' claim for attorney fees incurred pursuing the attorney fee claim itself. The court also granted the individual defendant directors' motion for summary judgment, which plaintiffs did not oppose, on the ground that the individual directors had no personal liability for the plaintiffs' attorney fees. At that point, only Willamette, representing its successor, Weyerhaeuser, remained as a defendant.
Following an additional hearing, the trial court denied plaintiffs' claim for attorney fees and entered judgment for Willamette. The trial court rejected plaintiffs' claim for two primary reasons. First, as noted, plaintiffs' claim was based on the benefit that their litigation allegedly had conferred on Willamette shareholders and on Willamette itself. However, by the time that plaintiffs filed their claim for fees, Willamette had ceased to exist as an independent corporation and its former shareholders all had received cash from Weyerhaeuser in exchange for their shares. The trial court noted that, in contrast to the actions of shareholder-plaintiffs in a number of similar cases in Delaware, plaintiffs had not asked the court to order that some part of the takeover proceeds be held back to be available to pay a later attorney fee award. According to the trial court, because all the takeover proceeds already had been distributed to Willamette's shareholders, there was no mechanism by which to spread the cost of the litigation to the shareholders who allegedly had benefitted from the litigation. Second, the trial court noted that the only potential source for an award of attorney fees was Willamette's corporate successor, Weyerhaeuser. The court held that it would be inequitable to *179 require Weyerhaeuser (and its shareholders), rather than Willamette (or its shareholders) the persons on whose behalf plaintiffs had filed their actions to pay plaintiffs' attorney fees, assuming that such fees otherwise were appropriate.
Plaintiffs appealed, assigning error to the trial court orders denying their claim for attorney fees and denying their claim for fees incurred in preparing the fee petition. Defendant cross-assigned as error four of the trial court's rulings, including the trial court's ruling that the consummation of the merger had not rendered the case moot. The Court of Appeals agreed with defendant's mootness argument, concluding that "plaintiffs' claims became moot when Weyerhaeuser acquired Willamette" and that "[t]he trial court lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate plaintiffs' request for attorney fees." Crandon, 202 Or.App. at 548, 550, 123 P.3d 385. The Court of Appeals first noted that the takeover defenses that plaintiffs had sought to remove had been removed, that the business transaction that plaintiffs had sought to facilitate the merger had been completed, and that plaintiffs did not seek to enjoin any future actions. The court then characterized the case as one "where the parties' adverse interests simply ceased to exist[,]" id. at 548, 123 P.3d 385, and held that the case therefore had become moot.
II
We begin by describing the basis for plaintiffs' claim for fees, because an understanding of the legal grounds upon which plaintiffs seek attorney fees is central to the mootness issue. We then turn to the parties' arguments as to whether, given the basis for plaintiffs' fee claim, the mootness of the substantive claims that plaintiffs raised also renders their fee claim moot.
On review, plaintiffs argue that the third amended complaint presents a justiciable controversy an independent equitable claim for attorney fees and, therefore, that the case did not become moot when Willamette dropped its takeover defenses and agreed to be acquired by Weyerhaeuser. Plaintiffs' claim for attorney fees is based on the theory that a court has the equitable power to award fees to a shareholder who brings litigation that confers a benefit on a corporation or on all of the corporation's shareholders. This court has recognized such a power. In Krause v. Mason, 272 Or. 351, 537 P.2d 105 (1975), the court held that a shareholder who brought a shareholder derivative action on behalf of a corporation could recover its attorney fees from the corporation because "the corporation realized substantial benefits as a result of the litigation." 272 Or. at 358, 537 P.2d 105 (emphasis added).[4] In support of a trial court's equitable power to award fees where a party, through litigation, has conferred a common benefit on others, the court in Krause cited Gilbert v. Hoisting & Port. Engrs., 237 Or. 130, 384 P.2d 136, 390 P.2d 320 (1963), cert. den., 376 U.S. 963, 84 S.Ct. 1125, 11 L.Ed.2d 981 (1964), a case in which this court affirmed an award of attorney fees to certain members of a union who had sued on behalf of all the members of the union to correct abuses of the democratic process in their union.
Krause also cited several treatises on corporation law before concluding, "The general rule is that attorney fees may be recovered when a derivative suit results in a gain or benefit to the corporation." Krause, 272 Or. at 358-59, 537 P.2d 105. The basis for the award of fees in such circumstances is that, *180 when a shareholder undertakes derivative litigation at its own expense and the corporation realizes "substantial benefits" as a result of the litigation, id. at 358, 537 P.2d 105, it is equitable to spread the costs of the litigation among those who have benefitted.[5]
Defendant argues that this court's cases hold that, regardless of the legal basis for plaintiffs' fee request, a claim for attorney fees becomes moot if the underlying claims in the litigation become moot. In so arguing, defendant, like the Court of Appeals, relies principally on Kay v. David Douglas Sch. Dist. No. 40, 303 Or. 574, 738 P.2d 1389 (1987), cert. den., 484 U.S. 1032, 108 S.Ct. 740, 98 L.Ed.2d 775 (1988), where this court held that an action for declaratory and injunctive relief against inclusion of a formal prayer at a 1984 public high school graduation ceremony was moot as soon as the graduation ceremony was completed. 303 Or. at 579, 738 P.2d 1389. Because the action in Kay became moot after that graduation ceremony had been held, and the trial court had not entered any order or judgment on the merits by that time, this court held that the trial court had no jurisdiction to enter a judgment on the merits or to make an award of attorney fees, but had jurisdiction to only dismiss the action as moot. See id. at 579, 738 P.2d 1389 ("The circuit court should have dismissed the proceedings after the commencement exercises were over.").
Defendant, like the Court of Appeals, reads Kay to mean that, if the merits of a case become moot before a judgment is entered, any dispute over attorney fees also is moot. Plaintiffs, however, argue that Kay does not foreclose their claim for fees because the legal grounds for the fee request in Kay required that the plaintiffs obtain a judgment in their favor on the merits, while the basis for plaintiffs' fee claim here the substantial benefit theory includes no such requirement. Plaintiffs note that the fee request in Kay was based on (1) a court's equitable authority to award fees when a plaintiff has vindicated important constitutional rights on behalf of the public, as this court articulated in Deras v. Myers, 272 Or. 47, 535 P.2d 541 (1975), and (2) 42 USC section 1988, which authorizes the award of fees to a plaintiff who brings a successful civil rights claim under 42 USC section 1983. Kay, 303 Or. at 578 n. 2, 738 P.2d 1389 (describing those two grounds for plaintiffs' fee request). Plaintiffs assert that a party may recover fees under those two theories only if the party obtains a favorable judgment on the merits. In contrast, plaintiffs argue, because their litigation allegedly conferred a substantial benefit on Willamette and its shareholders, they may proceed with their attorney fee claim, even in the absence of a judgment on the merits in their favor. Indeed, under plaintiffs' theory, the very actions of Willamette management that caused plaintiffs' substantive claims to become moot the removal of the takeover defenses and the agreement to be acquired by Weyerhaeuser provide the basis for their attorney fee claim.
For plaintiffs here to avoid dismissal of their attorney fee claim on mootness grounds, they must be correct that, in contrast to fee claims under Deras or under statutory provisions requiring that the plaintiff be a "prevailing party," their attorney fee claim based on conferring a substantial "gain or benefit" on those on whose behalf they sued survives even when the substantive claims in their complaint become moot. Both parties recognize that this is an issue of first impression for this court.
Plaintiffs note that, in Krause, this court stated that fees could be awarded in a shareholder derivative case "when a derivative suit results in a gain or benefit to the corporation," Krause, 272 Or. at 359, 537 P.2d 105, without suggesting that the "result," i.e., the gain or benefit, had to be accomplished by means of a judgment. *181 Plaintiffs acknowledge that the plaintiffs in Krause had obtained a judgment. They argue, however, that the logic of the rule that attorney fees may be awarded in a shareholder derivative case also supports the awarding of such fees even in the absence of a favorable judgment on the merits. They emphasize that it would be inequitable to deny fees to a shareholder-plaintiff on mootness grounds when the same conduct of the defendant that mooted the plaintiff's substantive claims was the conduct that conferred the benefit on the corporation and its shareholders. Plaintiffs urge the court to follow decisions from other jurisdictions holding that a fee claim in a shareholder derivative action does not require a favorable judgment on the merits. To evaluate that part of plaintiffs' argument, we first turn to a consideration of the equitable principles that underlie the awarding of attorney fees when a plaintiff initiates litigation that benefits similarly situated parties. We then briefly address cases from other jurisdictions.
III
This court for many years has recognized an equitable exception to the American rule that a party to an action is responsible for its own attorney fees. That exception allows a court to award attorney fees to a party whose legal action has conferred a benefit on others, when it would be inequitable for that party to bear all the costs of the litigation. See Gilbert, 237 Or. at 137 ("Equity may under some circumstances * * * award attorneys' fees * * * where the plaintiff brings a representative suit on behalf of other members of an organization, as for example where a stockholder brings a derivative suit against a corporation."). In those circumstances, the court may spread the cost of litigation to avoid unjust enrichment to persons who have benefitted from the litigation without shouldering any of the costs, as well as to compensate the party's attorneys for the services that they have rendered.
One form of that equitable doctrine is the "common fund" theory, which this court recently discussed in Strunk v. PERB, 341 Or. 175, 181, 139 P.3d 956 (2006):
"Under the common fund doctrine, plaintiffs whose legal efforts create, discover, increase, or preserve a fund of money to which others also have a claim, may recover the costs of their litigation, including their attorney fees, from the created or preserved fund. * * * [T]he doctrine is primarily `employed to realize the broadly defined purpose of recapturing unjust enrichment.' * * * In other words, the doctrine is used to spread litigation expenses among all beneficiaries of a preserved fund so that litigant-beneficiaries are not required to bear the entire financial burden of the litigation while inactive beneficiaries receive the benefits at no cost."
(Citation omitted.) A related equitable basis for the award of attorney fees when one party initiates litigation that benefits others is the "substantial benefit" theory, which we described above. The substantial benefit theory originated in the idea that fees may be awarded when the benefit that was conferred was nonpecuniary and thus provided no fund from which to award fees. This court expressed that view in Gilbert, rejecting the defendants' suggestion that no fees should be awarded because the plaintiffs' litigation had produced no pecuniary benefit:
"Litigation which results in correcting abuses of [the union democratic] process frequently may not give rise to an ascertainable pecuniary benefit. But the fact that no money or property is involved does not detract from the importance of the litigation. Those members of the union who in good faith seek to preserve the internal democracy of their union should not have to bear the expense of a successful suit."
Gilbert, 237 Or at 138. In a substantial benefit case (as in a common fund case), fees are awarded not, as in a "prevailing party" case, to make the plaintiff whole by shifting all costs to the wrongdoer, but instead to spread the costs among those on whose behalf the case was brought and who benefitted from the plaintiff's efforts.
This court expressly adopted that equitable rationale for awarding fees in Gilbert, and then relied upon Gilbert in holding in Krause that a plaintiff in a shareholder derivative *182 action could recover its fees from the corporation whose shareholders benefitted from the litigation. Thus, in Krause, this court affirmed an award of fees based on the financial benefit that the plaintiffs' litigation had conferred on the corporation and its other shareholders, even though that litigation did not result in a common fund from which those fees could be paid. As this court stated in Krause, the corporation had "realized substantial benefits as a result of the litigation" and therefore "attorney fees may be recovered * * *." Id. at 358, 358-59, 537 P.2d 105. For that proposition, this court cited not only its earlier decision in Gilbert, but also the 1970 edition of Professor Henn's Law of Corporations, including section 377 of that treatise. In describing the general rule that a "plaintiff-shareholder is entitled to be reimbursed by the corporation for his reasonable expenses where he has been successful in his derivative action, with consequent benefit to the corporation[,]" Henn also addressed the specific issue presented here:
"The same rules apply even though the derivative action is not pursued to final judgment, so long as the purpose of the action is accomplished. Thus, a settlement which results in a benefit to the corporation is sufficient for purposes of reimbursement. Also, merely bringing an action and obtaining a temporary injunction may produce the desired benefit."
Harry G. Henn, Law of Corporations § 377, 795, 796 (2d ed 1970) (s omitted).
That principle also is recognized in a number of shareholder derivative cases from other jurisdictions. In one of the leading Delaware cases, United Vanguard Fund v. TakeCare, Inc., 693 A.2d 1076 (Del.1997), for example, the defendant corporation signed a letter of intent to be acquired for a particular price. The plaintiff-shareholder brought a derivative action to have the letter of intent set aside and the company sold through an auction process. The corporation's board of directors allowed the letter of intent to lapse, proceeded with an auction, and sold the company at a substantially higher price than that contained in the letter of intent. 693 A.2d at 1078. Those events rendered the plaintiff's claims moot, but the Delaware Supreme Court nevertheless held that the trial court could consider whether the plaintiff could recover its attorney fees because of the benefit that its litigation allegedly conferred on the other shareholders. Id. at 1079-80.
Similarly, in Fletcher v. A.J. Industries, Inc., 266 Cal.App.2d 313, 72 Cal.Rptr. 146 (1968), the plaintiffs brought a shareholder derivative action arguing that various transactions entered into by the corporation's board of directors constituted breaches of their fiduciary duty. The corporation agreed to restructure its board and management and to rescind some of the transactions. When the plaintiffs requested an award of attorney fees from the corporation, the corporation objected, claiming, inter alia, that, because the changes had been a result of settlement rather than a litigated judgment, fees were not available. The California Court of Appeals rejected that argument:
"It is not significant that the `benefits' found were achieved by settlement of plaintiffs' action rather than by final judgment. The authorities recognizing the substantial-benefit rule have permitted attorneys' fee awards in settled cases."
266 Cal.App.2d at 325, 72 Cal.Rptr. at 153.
A current treatise also states the general proposition that a court may award fees to a shareholder who brings a derivative claim that benefits the corporation and its shareholders, even if the shareholder does not obtain a judgment:
"Even without a favorable judgment, the plaintiff is entitled to reimbursement of expenses if the result confers a substantial benefit on the corporation. So, a plaintiff is entitled to recover expenses whenever the defendants settle or take action that produces the same result sought by the derivative proceeding and confers a benefit on the corporation."
Jennifer L. Berger, Amy M. Hurwitz & Carol A. Jones, 13 Fletcher Cyclopedia of the Law of Private Corporations § 6045.01, 318-19 (2004 revised volume) (s omitted).
In plaintiffs' view, Oregon cases such as Krause and Gilbert are consistent with cases from other jurisdictions. Plaintiffs argue *183 that, although the plaintiffs in Krause and Gilbert had obtained judgments in their favor, nothing in this court's decisions in those cases suggests that a judgment was a necessary predicate for the award of attorney fees.
We agree with plaintiffs. As discussed above, this courtlike courts in many other stateslong has held that equitable principles support a claim for attorney fees by a shareholder whose derivative litigation confers a substantial benefit on the corporation and the other shareholders. And, nothing in this court's decisions, in the decisions of other state courts considering the same issue, or in the logic and analysis underlying both, suggests that a judgment in favor of the shareholder is a prerequisite for seeking attorney fees. Rather, virtually every court that has considered the issue has held that actions by the corporate defendant that moot the shareholder's substantive claims do not necessarily moot the shareholder's equitable claim for attorney fees. Contrary to defendant's suggestion, the idea of awarding attorney fees in a shareholder derivative action that becomes moot before judgment is hardly novel and, indeed, is supported by the very authorities that this court relied upon when it awarded attorney fees in Krause. Accordingly, we hold that plaintiffs' claim for attorney fees on the equitable ground that its actions conferred a substantial benefit on Willamette and its shareholders did not become moot simply because plaintiffs' substantive claims had become moot.[6] Plaintiffs' claim for attorney fees thus presents a justiciable controversy, and the Court of Appeals erred in vacating the judgment on that ground and ordering the trial court to dismiss the case as moot.
IV
The Court of Appeals based its decision on one of defendant's cross-assignments of error and therefore did not consider plaintiffs' assignments of error or defendant's other cross-assignments of error. We have reviewed, and we reverse, the decision of the Court of Appeals on the single issue that that court addressed. We express no view on plaintiffs' assignments of error or defendant's remaining cross-assignments of error, and we remand the case to the Court of Appeals for further proceedings based on those assignments.
The decision of the Court of Appeals is reversed, and the case is remanded to the Court of Appeals for further proceedings.
NOTES
[**] Carson, J., retired December 31, 2006, and did not participate in the decision of this case. Riggs, J., retired September 30, 2006, and did not participate in the consideration or decision of this case. Kistler, Walters, and Linder, JJ., did not participate in the consideration or decision of this case.
[1] Such measures sometimes are referred to as "golden parachutes" and "poison pills." See Crandon, 202 Or.App. at 541, 541, 123 P.3d 385 nn 2-3, for further discussion of those measures.
[2] Willamette's proposed purchase of GP's building products division, which faced substantial asbestos-related liabilities, was labeled a "suicide pill" by plaintiffs because of the alleged negative impact that the purchase would have had on Willamette's value. See Crandon, 202 Or.App. at 541, 123 P.3d 385.
[3] Plaintiffs also alleged direct claims for breach of fiduciary duty against Willamette management. Because plaintiffs' claim for attorney fees is based on their shareholder derivative claims, we do not discuss the direct claims further.
[4] The equitable basis for plaintiffs' attorney fee claim often is described as the "substantial benefit" test, and we use that phrase because it is consistent with the words used by this court when it awarded attorney fees to the plaintiff-shareholder in Krause. The parties here, and some courts, refer to that equitable theory as the "common benefit" or "corporate benefit" theory. Those terms, however, are less appropriate than "substantial benefit," because the term "common benefit" is easily confused with the related but distinct "common fund" theory for awarding attorney fees, see 342 Or. at 563 n. 5, 157 P.3d at 180, n 5, while the term "corporate benefit" appears limited to proceedings involving corporations and thus would exclude cases such as Gilbert v. Hoisting & Port. Engrs., 237 Or. 130, 384 P.2d 136, 390 P.2d 320 (1963), cert. den., 376 U.S. 963, 84 S.Ct. 1125, 11 L.Ed.2d 981 (1964). For a general discussion of the substantial benefit theory, see Jennifer L. Berger, Amy M. Hurwitz & Carol A. Jones, 13 Fletcher Cyclopedia of the Law of Private Corporations § 6045.01, at 316-22 (2004 revised volume).
[5] As that description demonstrates, the substantial benefit theory for seeking attorney fees is similar, in some respects, to the "common fund" theory. Under the common fund theory, which we describe in greater detail below, "plaintiffs whose legal efforts create, discover, increase, or preserve a fund of money to which others also have a claim, may recover the costs of their litigation, including their attorney fees, from the created or preserved fund." Strunk v. PERB, 341 Or. 175, 181, 139 P.3d 956 (2006). Plaintiffs do not seek an award of fees under the common fund theory.
[6] We emphasize that this holding is limited to attorney fee claims under this court's longstanding rule permitting a plaintiff in a shareholder derivative case to recover fees when it has conferred a substantial benefit on the corporation or its shareholders. Because of that disposition, it is unnecessary to address the parties' arguments regarding the "prevailing party" statute, ORS 20.077, or the requirements for seeking attorney fees under Deras v. Myers, 272 Or. 47, 535 P.2d 541 (1975).
| 2023-11-08T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/2863 |
11 weird vintage video games that were based on classic TV shows
'M*A*S*H' and 'Gilligan's Island' are classic shows, not-so-hot game cartridges.
Licensed video games have a rather patchy history. For the most part, games based on a popular Hollywood property have been cheaply produced, shallow knock-offs or maddeningly difficult. Atari, Nintendo, Coleco, Sega — landfills are stuffed with flop cartridges. Literally. The infamous 1982 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial game for the Atari 2600 was such a bust, millions of unsold cartridges ended up buried in the New Mexico desert.
While most licensed games have been movie tie-ins, there have been a small variety of video games based on television shows, too. While some were obvious choices for vintage consoles, a few were unlikely, if not kooky, adaptations of adult dramas. What kid wouldn't want to perform surgery during the Korean War just like Hawkeye?
In hindsight, they are all quite amusing. Let's take a look at this small subgenre of classic video games. Did you play any of them?
1. Space Battle & Space Attack
Intellivision / Atari 2600 (1982)
A subsidiary of toy giant Mattel, Concepts 2000 had a license to produce electronic games based on Battlestar Galactica. Mattel assumed these rights would carry over to video games, and began producing a Battlestar Galactica game for its Intellivision gaming system. Midway through production, however, the company learned it did not have a license. No worries — they just changed the name of the game. The graphic remained the same, which is why the enemy ships look like Cylon Raiders. At that 8-bit resolution, it was hard to tell the difference anyway.
2. M*A*S*H
Atari 2600 (1983)
The brilliant sitcom made for a so-so game, which altered between a helicopter stage, in which you picked up soldiers while avoiding tank fire, and a surgery stage, which was akin to the classic Operation board game, but with a sad, pink man.
3. Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator
Atari 2600 (1983)
Star Trek computer games date all the way back to 1971, just two years after the Original Series ended. (Yes, kids, there were computers back then. At least Trekkies fans had them.) That early game was text-based and made with BASIC. Sega's Star Trek: SOS was a big step up. Originally an arcade cabinet released in 1983, the game was ported over to various home consoles later that year. Though, on the Atari, the Enterprise looked more like a capital letter A flying between tiny pieces of Cap'n Crunch cereal.
Image: Sega
4. Dallas Quest
Commodore 64 (1984)
In this computer game, you play a detective hired by Sue Ellen to find a map that will lead to riches. Of course, you have to avoid J.R. along the way.
5. ALF: The First Adventure
Essentially, this was a Pac-Man clone, only with cats instead of pellets and ghosts. You can play it right now at Archive.org.
6. The Munsters
Amiga / Atari ST (1988)
This computer game proved that 1960s sitcoms had staying power. Reruns helped. The side-scrolling action game let you play as Herman, Lily and Grampa, wandering through a creepy mansion, bashing monsters.
7. Fester's Quest
Unlike The Munsters, this adaptation of The Addams Family focused on one particular family member, Uncle Fester. The beloved bald guy wandered around a town shooting pink arrows from a horn.
Image: Sunsoft
8. The Adventures of Gilligan's Island
Nintendo Entertainment System (1990)
Gilligan's Island continually resonates with new generations thanks to perpetual reruns. It was no different in 1990. The whole gang was here. Well, minus Ginger, of course. Still, despite the show's popularity, the game bombed. Perhaps due to the bizarre gameplay. You played as the Skipper — not Gilligan, who merely followed you around — clubbing apes to death around the island. That was a little too dark for this lighthearted tale of castaways.
9. The Lone Ranger
Nintendo Entertainment System (1991)
"Hi Ho Silver!" The iconic TV cowboy galloped along in this shooter. The NES had better Western games, notably Gun.Smoke, which had no relation to Gunsmoke. Though, frankly, we pretended and assumed it did at the time.
Image: Konami
10. Mission: Impossible
Nintendo Entertainment System (1991)
Peter Graves made a comeback as Jim Phelps, IMF leader, in the 1988 Mission: Impossible TV reboot. That led to this Nintendo tie-in, which featured the immortal theme song and a whole lot of punching.
Image: Konami
11. L.A. Law
PC (1992)
What sounds more fun than clicking around digitized images of an office building and reading text? That was the crux of the game play here, though it did at least feature shots of the stars. These was cutting edge graphics in 1992. You could actually tell that's Corbin Bersen! | 2024-03-28T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/3172 |
Berlin Struggles to Define 'Terror'
IVORY TOWER ARSON ARREST - Who can be defined as a terrorist? It is a question Germany is wrestling with after a Berlin sociology professor was imprisoned for terrorism after allegedly helping leftists torch cars. By Caroline Schmidt and Dietmar Hipp
Forty-year-old Berlin lawyer Christina Clemm was just 10 during the so-called German Autumn of 1977: Her recollections of the historic showdown between the German state and its enemies, the left-wing underground organization known as the Red Army Faction or "Baader-Meinhof Gang," are vague. But when Clemm visited her client, 36-year-old Andrej H., in Berlin's Moabit prison early last week, the atmosphere there was reminiscent of those dark years of leftist terrorism.
The lawyer was only allowed to shake her client's hand in the presence of a prison guard. A plate of bullet-proof glass an inch thick separated them during their conversation. In addition, Clemm's mail was intercepted. Andrej H. told her he was being held in solitary confinement 23 hours a day. He was only allowed out for exercise for one hour a day with two other prisoners. He is being held under paragraph 129a of German criminal law -- the paragraph that deals with terrorism.
And yet the academic -- who holds a Ph.D. in sociology, lectures at Humboldt University in Berlin and has three children -- is not even a prime suspect in the arson investigation that led to his arrest, according to the warrant. The federal prosecutor's office believes H. and an academic from Leipzig are the intellectual leaders of the left-wing "militante gruppe" (mg), a left-wing faction which has allegedly been responsible for about 25 arson attacks since 2001. Three other men from Berlin have also been detained. They were seen trying to place incendiary devices underneath trucks belonging to the German military.
How Far Can the State Go?
The move by the investigators to use all severity in dealing with such a case is very likely a precedent -- and seems destined to trigger a debate as to the appropriateness of the approach. The central questions are clear: In the age of bloody suicide attacks, what constitutes terrorism? And: How far can the state go?
More than 3,000 supporters, including academics from Germany and the United States, have signed a letter of protest "Against the Criminalization of Critical Science." Last week, renowned US sociologists Saskia Sassen and Richard Sennett published an article called "Guantánamo in Germany" in the British Guardian, in which they write: "We are struck by the gray zones of fragile civil liberties and confused state power that this case reveals."
The German Green Party has already said that Minister of Justice Brigitte Zypries has some explaining to do and has promised to pursue the issue in Germany's parliament, the Bundestag. Green Party Floor Leader Renate Künast has criticized the investigation as "lacking a legal basis." Former Bundestag Vice President Burkhard Hirsch, of the liberal Free Democrats, spoke of an inappropriate attempt to turn small militant groups into terrorists. "Torching a car is no small offense," was the brusque retort of Dieter Wiefelspütz, the domestic policy spokesman for the Social Democrats. One could very well speak of terrorism in such a case, Wiefelspütz added.
The bitter debate comes four years after a 2003 legal reform pushed through by the government of then Chancellor Gerhard Schröder which introduced new guidelines for the prosecution of terrorist acts. Coming not long after the al-Qaida attacks in the US, the reform took aim at international terrorist organizations -- and made the prosecution of those groups much easier. At the same time, Schröder's SPD and his coalition partners the Greens wanted to limit the application of terror laws -- originally passed to deal with Red Army Faction attacks in the 1970s -- domestically. There were also European Union guidelines to take into consideration.
Arson as Terror
Ever since, arson has only been punishable as terrorism when carried out with the intention of "significantly intimidating the population" or "eliminating or seriously damaging the foundations of a state or an international organization." Moreover, attacks need to be capable of causing "considerable" damage to the state. Jerzy Montag, one of the Green Party's legal experts, praised the new law at the time by pointing out that it makes it impossible to prosecute "every little thing" as a case of terrorism.
But how do you know when a state is severely damaged? Is every politically motivated crime equal to terrorism, or should the case of Andrej H. be approached solely as attempted arson?
A lack of case law means that an authoritative answer to these questions does not yet exist. The only relevant court decision was handed down by the Federal Court of Justice in its decision that the "pinprick tactic" of right-wing arsonists can be defined as terrorism -- because right-wing arsons are carried out with the intention of driving "all foreigners" out of the region. Cologne-based professor Claus Kress believes that terrorism charges could be leveled against Andrej H. and the other suspects as long as "more than only marginal elements of the German military were destroyed." But, he adds, setting fire to single vehicles is not enough.
Criminal law professor Thomas Weigend likewise finds fault with a broad application of terror laws. In a letter to former head federal prosecutor Kay Nehm, he found fault with the "excessive reach" of the 2003 law and called for a restrictive interpretation. An attack, he wrote, should be classified as terrorist only when "the state in its entirety suffers damage," as in the case of "large-scale attacks on the energy supply," for example. Exceptions should be made only for extreme violence against humans.
Unusually Sloppy
Even justices at the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe, Germany's highest appellate court, take this view. "Only limited effects with no broader impact are not sufficient, according to the letter of the law," two magistrates at the Federal Court of Justice note. According to that interpretation, the militante gruppe Andrej H. is accused of leading wouldn't be a terrorist organization at all. Even if the left-wing radicals have declared war on the state and have set fire to police cars, job centers and a supermarket, they have taken care not to hurt anybody. Contrary to the Red Army Faction, explosives or firearms are not part of their weapons arsenal.
But what seems like an academic quibble is vital for the future of the investigation into Andrej H's case. Only if the case is classified as terrorism does it become part of Federal Prosecutor Monika Harms' portfolio -- and only then can investigators make use of the full range of surveillance measures. Most importantly, it is only then that alleged behind-the-scenes conspirators can be prosecuted even when they have not contributed to specific crimes in a tangible way -- as with Andrej H. Investigators tapped his phone, traced his movements by following his mobile phone signal, read his e-mails and maintained video surveillance on both entrances to his house for almost a year.
If the arrest warrant issued by the Federal Court of Justice is to be believed, these measures yielded little: Policemen saw the avowed G-8 critic meet with one of the alleged arsonists in a café in February and April of this year. The meetings are said to have been arranged in secret through the e-mail account "opelprolls@yahoo.de." The investigators believe H. is the intellectual mastermind behind the group because his dissertation on urban renewal features the word "gentrification," which also appears in the communiqués of the "militante gruppe."
Last week, Ulrich Hebenstreit, the judge overseeing Andrej H's detention, carefully distanced himself from the initial accusations and temporarily rescinded the unusually sloppy arrest warrant against Andrej H. Hebenstreit argued that H. continues to be "strongly suspected of having committed an offense," but that sufficient evidence "regarding direct participation in one or more attacks by the 'militante gruppe' is not yet extant." | 2024-01-01T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/7554 |
[Electropharmaceutical anaesthesia for transcervical thymectomy (author's transl)].
One case of electropharmaceutical anaesthesia for transcervical thymectomy in myasthenia gravis is reported. Easiness of procedure, slightness of pharmaceutical intoxication, quality of awakening, simplicity of postoperative course, illustrate the interest of trying this kind of anaesthesia, whenever tonic awakening is required. | 2023-10-09T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/1828 |
1. Introduction {#sec1}
===============
The savings to the United Kingdom (UK) government from the care provided by an estimated six million unpaid informal carers is substantial \[[@B1]\], with one estimate suggesting it may be as great as *£*119 billion annually \[[@B2]\]. The profile of such carers has been raised significantly in recent years as the pressures facing them are considerable; 77% report deterioration in health as a direct result of their caregiving role \[[@B3]\]. With an ageing population, such pressures are likely to increase, and it has been suggested that, by 2017, the demands on informal carers will be outweighed by what they can realistically provide \[[@B4]\]. Such a context highlights the importance of not only identifying the needs of carers, but also ensuring that these needs are reflected in guidance purporting to set the highest standards for healthcare and healthy living.
The features of a particular condition affecting a patient are likely, in part, to determine the impact on their carer \[[@B5]\]. Parkinson\'s disease (PD), for example, is a chronic progressive condition characterised by tremor, bradykinesia, and rigidity \[[@B6]\]. People with Parkinson\'s disease (PwP) are also susceptible to psychiatric symptoms such as depression, hallucinations, and confusion, as well as the likelihood of falls and freezing of gait as the condition progresses \[[@B7]\]. To date, the impact of maintaining a caregiving role for people with PwP has been largely restricted to the assessment of caregiver burden and caregiver strain. Previous studies suggest that increased burden and strain are associated with the duration of caring, the physical health of the patient, including their increasing disability and propensity to falls, patient psychiatric symptoms, including behavioural disturbances (such as impulse control disorders and apathy), the age of the carer, and carer mood \[[@B8]--[@B16]\].
Although the concepts of caregiver burden and strain have not been well defined in the literature, they suggest a direct measure of the duty of caring. This is in contrast to the concept of quality of life (QoL) which assesses a far broader spectrum relating to an individual\'s overall well being \[[@B17]\]. The few studies that have assessed QoL in carers of PwP suggest that their QoL is related to the age and the functional state of the PwP, duration of PD, household income, and carer mood \[[@B18]--[@B20]\]. These reported associations are similar to those reported in relation to caregiver burden and caregiver strain; however, such studies have been limited by their small sample sizes and the types of measures that were used, that is, generic QoL measures or poorly validated disease specific tools.
Given this background, this study aims to make an assessment of factors influencing the QoL of carers and subsequently consider results in the context of current clinical guidelines for the management of Parkinson\'s. The recent development and validation of a PD specific carer QoL measure, the PDQ-Carer \[[@B17]\], has been a significant step forward towards achieving this aim as such a tool is likely to be more sensitive than generic QoL measures used in previous studies \[[@B18]--[@B20]\].
2. Methods {#sec2}
==========
Ethical approval for the study was granted by the Central University Research Ethics Committee and the Medical Sciences Interdivisional Research Ethics Committee of the University of Oxford.
2.1. Participants {#sec2.1}
-----------------
PwP and their carers were invited to take part in a postal survey via three routes. Firstly, branch and volunteer support officers from Parkinson\'s UK (a support and research charity for PD) were asked to promote the study to their members. Secondly, 26 local branches of Parkinson\'s UK sent information about the study to convey to their members. Thirdly an advertisement was placed on the Parkinson\'s UK Research Opportunity website.
2.2. Measures {#sec2.2}
-------------
Carers completed the PDQ-Carer, a 29-item instrument answered on a 5-point Likert scale \[[@B17]\]. The questionnaire contains four domains (Social and Personal Activities, Anxiety and Depression, Self-Care, and Stress) and has been shown to have good psychometric properties both in terms of internal consistency reliability and construct validity \[[@B17]\]. Raw scores for each domain are transformed to have a range of 0 to 100, with lower scores indicating superior QoL. PwP completed the Parkinson\'s Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (PDQ-39), a 39-item instrument answered on a 5-point Likert scale \[[@B21]\]. The questionnaire contains eight domains (Mobility, Activities of Daily Living, Emotional Well Being, Stigma, Social Support, Cognitions, Communication, and Bodily Discomfort) and is regarded as "the most thoroughly tested and applied questionnaire" for assessment of QoL in PD \[[@B22]\]. Raw scores for each domain are transformed to have a range from 0 to 100 with lower scores indicating superior QoL. Questionnaires were administered by post. Reminder letters were sent four weeks after the original mailing.
2.3. Statistical Analysis {#sec2.3}
-------------------------
Data were checked for the presence of outliers and normality of distribution prior to statistical analysis. Independent samples *t*-tests were calculated to assess differences between groups (gender and health status). Stepwise multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess predictors of carer quality of life. Domains from the PDQ-39 that were highly skewed or that demonstrated significant collinearity with others were omitted. Data were analysed using SPSS Version 20.
3. Results {#sec3}
==========
A response rate of 61% was achieved. Sample characteristics for both carers and PwP are given in [Table 1](#tab1){ref-type="table"}. Carers were predominantly female, with over half of respondents reporting that they themselves had a chronic illness or condition. The vast majority, 92%, identified themselves as a spouse or partner.
Comparisons by gender ([Table 2](#tab2){ref-type="table"}) identify female carers as reporting significantly inferior QoL as measured by all four domains of the PDQ-carer when compared to male caregivers: Social and Personal Activities, *t* = −2.76, *P* \< 0.01; Anxiety and Depression; *t* = −2.94, *P* \< 0.01; Self-Care, *t* = −3.71, *P* \< 0.001; Stress, *t* = −4.01, *P* \< 0.001.
Comparisons by carer health status (presence or absence of a long-term condition or illness) are summarised in [Table 3](#tab3){ref-type="table"}. Caregivers with a long-term condition report significantly inferior QoL in all of the four domains of the PDQ-carer when compared to healthy carers: Social and Personal Activities, *t* = 2.50, *P* \< 0.01; Anxiety and Depression; *t* = 3.54, *P* \< 0.001; Self-Care, *t* = 3.30, *P* \< 0.001; Stress, *t* = 3.08, *P* \< 0.01.
Analyses to identify factors implicated in these wide differences in carer QoL by health status assessed carer age, duration of caregiving, and age and QoL of the PwP as measured by the PDQ-39. A significant difference was identified by the age of carer, with those experiencing a long-term condition being significantly older than healthy carers (*t* = 3.76, *P* \< 0.001). No significant differences were found in any of the other variables assessed.
3.1. Predictors of Carer QoL {#sec3.1}
----------------------------
Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of the four domains of carer quality of life. Variables included carer age, length in the caregiving role, and PwP QoL as measured by the PDQ-39. The PDQ-39 domains of Stigma and Social Support were removed due to being highly skewed (i.e., low/superior QoL scores). The Activities of Daily Living domain was also removed due to collinearity with the Mobility domain. Results of the analyses are summarised in Tables [4](#tab4){ref-type="table"}(a)--[4](#tab4){ref-type="table"}(d).
Analysis of carer Social and Personal Activities ([Table 4(a)](#tab4){ref-type="table"}) identified four predictors explaining 35.4% of the variance (*R* ^2^ = .37, *F*(4,203) = 29.37, *P* \< 0.001). Significant predictors included PwP mobility (*β* = .35, *P* \< 0.001), PwP cognitive impairment (*β* = .26, *P* \< 0.001), carer age (*β* = .20, *P* \< 0.01), and duration of caregiving (*β* = .12, *P* \< 0.05).
Analysis of carer Anxiety and Depression ([Table 4(b)](#tab4){ref-type="table"}) identified four predictors explaining 28.6% of the variance (*R* ^2^ = .30, *F*(4,200) = 21.41, *P* \< 0.001). Significant predictors included PwP cognitive impairment (*β* = .33, *P* \< 0.001), PwP mobility (*β* = −.19, *P* \< 0.01), carer age (*β* = .18, *P* \< 0.01), and duration of caregiving (*β* = .16, *P* \< 0.01).
Analysis of carer Self-Care ([Table 4(c)](#tab4){ref-type="table"}) identified three predictors explaining 28.3% of the variance (*R* ^2^ = .29, *F*(3,205) = 28.31, *P* \< 0.001). Significant predictors included PwP mobility (*β* = .33, *P* \< 0.001), PwP cognitive impairment (*β* = −.25, *P* \< 0.001), and duration of caregiving (*β* = .15, *P* \< 0.01).
Analysis of carer Stress ([Table 4(d)](#tab4){ref-type="table"}) identified four predictors explaining 26.7% of the variance (*R* ^2^ = .28, *F*(4,203) = 19.88, *P* \< 0.001). Significant predictors included PwP cognitive impairment (*β* = .34, *P* \< 0.001), duration of caregiving (*β* = −.18, *P* \< 0.01), PwP mobility (*β* = .17, *P* \< 0.01), and carer age (*β* = .13, *P* \< 0.05).
4. Discussion {#sec4}
=============
The current study has aimed to make an assessment of factors influencing the QoL of carers of PwP. Achieving this aim has been significantly aided by the development and validation of a PD specific carer QoL questionnaire \[[@B17]\]. The PDQ-Carer is a short meaningful measure which taps areas of particular salience and concern to carers of PwP. As such, it is likely to be more sensitive than generic QoL measures and thereby lead to a greater understanding of the factors influencing QoL in this group.
The findings reported identify a number of factors influencing carer QoL. Analyses demonstrated that female carers report significantly inferior QoL in comparison to male carers. Although such gender differences are not uncommon in QoL data \[[@B23]\], differences in the PD caregiver burden and strain literature are inconsistent, with some demonstrating significant differences \[[@B24], [@B25]\] and others failing to do so \[[@B14], [@B26]\]. However, of the few studies that have specifically assessed caregiver QoL in PD \[[@B18]--[@B20]\], none has included gender of the carer in their analyses. Differences by carer gender have previously been explained as a function of the coping strategies employed by males and females. More specifically, it is suggested that the problem focused coping generally incorporated by males is a more effective strategy than the emotion focused coping utilised by females \[[@B27]\]. Regardless of the underlying mechanism, the significant findings reported here may have practical relevance similar to that identified in the literature relating to carers of Alzheimer\'s patients, where it has been recommended that nurses should place more emphasis on helping female carers \[[@B28]\].
Results that identify carers with a long-term condition themselves experiencing significantly inferior QoL when compared to healthy carers appear intuitive. In an attempt to explore this further, an assessment was made as to whether carer age, duration of caregiving, and PwP age, and QoL might be implicated. The finding that only the age of the carer significantly differed between healthy carers and those carers experiencing a long-term condition may again have practical relevance, with greater emphasis needing to be placed on older carers by practitioners.
Regression analyses further strengthen the findings reported previously. PwP mobility and cognitive impairment appear to exert significant influences on caregiver QoL as demonstrated in previous studies \[[@B11], [@B13], [@B16], [@B18], [@B29]\]. Additionally, results suggest that duration of caring and carer age are significant factors, with older carers experiencing inferior QoL. Previous studies have also identified increasing age as a significant factor \[[@B13], [@B30], [@B31]\], and the current study suggests that this is particularly evident in relation to engagement in social and personal activities and mental health. The importance of maintaining an active social and personal life with regard to healthy ageing is well documented \[[@B32]\], and maintenance of this should be of significant concern in the caregiver population. Additionally, declining mental health is highly prevalent in the older population \[[@B33], [@B34]\], and it is likely that this could be further affected by a caregiving role, something that requires close monitoring by relevant professionals.
The results reported have policy relevance, and none more so than for clinical guidance in the management of PD. Current UK clinical guidelines \[[@B35]\] place little emphasis on the carers of PwP. Guidance that is given focuses almost entirely on communication and information. The guidelines suggest carers require general information about PD, specific information about the person with PD (if permission is given), details of services, advice regarding effective communication as PD progresses, as well as information and support to maintain their own health and well being.
The data presented from this study suggest far broader guidance is required when considering carers of PwP and that there are multiple influences on their QoL. PwP levels of mobility and cognitive impairment are significant influences on carer QoL. Carer age and length of time in the caregiving role are also of importance, and females appear more vulnerable in their caregiving role than males do. Not only should practitioners and service providers be aware of the heightened impact of PD on carers over time and as PwP symptoms deteriorate, but this should also be reflected in guidance for the management of PD. Further studies, possibly of a qualitative nature, should be conducted to identify the specific needs of those who fall into the more vulnerable groups identified in order to facilitate the inclusion of such guidance.
A number of shortcomings from the reported study need to be acknowledged. It may be that members of a PD support group are not representative of all informal PD carers. They may be a specific sample of carers who have sought membership in a support group due to particular circumstances. This clearly has the potential to introduce an element of bias into the results. Additionally, it is acknowledged that this study assessed only PwP perceptions of their QoL, and that further studies focusing specifically on objective and clinical disorder aspects as they relate to PD carer QoL would further enhance the literature. Finally, there is a limit to what can be concluded from a cross-sectional design such as that employed in this study. Longitudinal data is required to make a more detailed evaluation of the well being of carers of PwP over time.
5. Conclusions {#sec5}
==============
Despite recognition from the UK government regarding the contribution of carers, their needs are not sufficiently recognised in current clinical guidelines for PD. Data from this and other studies suggest that this should be addressed, and further research may allow for more specific and detailed recommendations to be proposed.
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.
This study was partially funded by the European Federation of Neurological Associations (EFNA). The authors are particularly grateful for the support and the assistance of the past president of EFNA, Mary Baker MBE. They also wish to thank Parkinson\'s UK and its members and the local branches which participated in this research.
######
Sample characteristics of carers and people with Parkinson\'s.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Caregivers People with Parkinson\'s
----------------------------------------- ------------------------------ ------------------------------
Gender M : F\ 60 : 177 169 : 66
Mean age (years)\ 68.2 (SD 9.48, range 25--89) 71.6 (SD 7.78, range 44--87)
Mean length of caregiving role (years)\ 8.1 (SD 7.46, range 1--51)
Has long-term condition Y : N\ 122 : 111
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
######
Comparisons of carer quality of life by gender.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PDQ-Carer domain Male carers\ Female carers\ *t* *P*
Mean (SD) Mean (SD)
-------------------------------- --------------- ---------------- ------- ---------
Social and Personal Activities 38.12 (27.81) 49.02 (25.87) −2.76 \<0.01
Anxiety and Depression 38.41 (25.47) 49.30 (24.21) −2.94 \<0.01
Self-Care 22.67 (23.83) 36.05 (24.19) −3.71 \<0.001
Stress 34.18 (24.41) 48.27 (22.98) −4.01 \<0.001
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
######
Comparisons of carer quality of life by health status.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PDQ-Carer domain Carer has long-term condition\ Carer does not have long-term condition\ *t* *P*
Mean (SD) Mean (SD)
-------------------------------- -------------------------------- ------------------------------------------ ------ ---------
Social and Personal Activities 50.51 (26.70) 41.78 (26.33) 2.50 \<0.01
Anxiety and Depression 52.20 (25.92) 40.79 (22.52) 3.54 \<0.001
Self-Care 38.02 (25.25) 27.48 (23.15) 3.30 \<0.001
Stress 49.45 (25.02) 39.83 (22.28) 3.08 \<0.01
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
######
\(a\) Predictors of PDQ-Carer Social and Personal Activities, (b) predictors of PDQ-Carer Anxiety and Depression, (c) predictors of PDQ-Carer Self-Care, and (d) predictors of PDQ-Carer Stress.
######
\(a\)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carer Social and Personal Activities *β* *R* *R* ^2^ *R* ^2^ change Adjusted\
*R* ^2^
-------------------------------------- ----- ----- --------- ---------------- -----------
PwP mobility .35 .51 .26 .26 .26
PwP cognitive impairment .26 .56 .31 .05 .31
Carer age .20 .59 .35 .04 .34
Duration of caring .12 .60 .37 .02 .35
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
######
\(b\)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carer Anxiety and Depression *β* *R* *R* ^2^ *R* ^2^ change Adjusted\
*R* ^2^
------------------------------ ----- ----- --------- ---------------- -----------
PwP cognitive impairment .33 .44 .19 .19 .19
PwP mobility .19 .49 .24 .05 .23
Carer age .18 .52 .27 .03 .26
Duration of caring .16 .55 .30 .03 .29
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
######
\(c\)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carer Self-Care *β* *R* *R* ^2^ *R* ^2^ change Adjusted\
*R* ^2^
-------------------------- ----- ----- --------- ---------------- -----------
PwP mobility .33 .47 .22 .22 .22
PwP cognitive impairment .25 .52 .27 .05 .26
Duration of caring .15 .54 .29 .02 .28
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
######
\(d\)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carer Stress *β* *R* *R* ^2^ *R* ^2^ change Adjusted\
*R* ^2^
-------------------------- ----- ----- --------- ---------------- -----------
PwP cognitive impairment .34 .44 .20 .20 .19
Duration of caring .18 .49 .24 .04 .23
PwP mobility .17 .51 .26 .02 .25
Carer age .13 .53 .28 .02 .27
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
[^1]: Academic Editor: Marjan Jahanshahi
| 2023-12-19T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/1599 |
Snake blamed for burning down home
Deputy Randall Baggett with the Bowie County Sheriff's Office says the burning snake went into the brush pile and the brush pile caught the home on fire.
LIBERTY EYLAU, TX (KSLA) -
Authorities believe a homeowner's response to finding a snake in her yard may have led to the fire that destroyed her house Wednesday.
The fire sparked at a home on Will Smith Road in the Liberty Eylau area of Bowie County, TX just before 7 p.m.
"While cleaning up, she saw snake, threw gasoline on the snake, lit the snake on fire," said Deputy Randall Baggett with the Bowie County Sheriff's Office. "The snake went into the brush pile and the brush pile caught the home on fire."
Despite the efforts of several fire departments that responded to the scene, the flames completely engulfed the home. It is a complete loss. A neighboring home was also damaged on one side.
Liberty Eylau Fire Chief David Wesslehoft says they are still investigating the fire, but that it's not unusual for a burning animal to spread a fire.
"Yes, it could happen with rabbits and big field mice. Once they start burning the grass, they get out of their hole, they have been known to catch fire and then take off."
Still, the chief says, a fire started by a burning snake is a first for him.
There has been no word from officials on whether charges will be filed.
(AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File). FILE - This Monday, June 19, 2017, file photo shows a user signing in to Facebook on an iPad, in North Andover, Mass. Facebook has a problem it just can’t kick: People keep exploiting it in ways that could sway election...
News reports that Facebook let the Trump-affiliated data mining firm Cambridge Analytica abscond with data from tens of millions of users mark the third time in roughly a year the company appears to have been outfoxed in this way.
News reports that Facebook let the Trump-affiliated data mining firm Cambridge Analytica abscond with data from tens of millions of users mark the third time in roughly a year the company appears to have been outfoxed in this way.
In 2015, the Federal government passed the Every Student Succeeds Act, allowing states to limit the amount of time that students take standardized tests. A similar bill is traveling through the Hawaii legislature.
In 2015, the Federal government passed the Every Student Succeeds Act, allowing states to limit the amount of time that students take standardized tests. A similar bill is traveling through the Hawaii legislature. | 2023-08-01T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/4528 |
Fantasea Cruising deliver Australia’s most personalised experiences on the water. With flexibility to cater for between 2 and 1,200 people, we offer charters in a wide range of vessel sizes, from 16-seater water taxis to large vessels across a range of locations in Sydney. Our fleet operates a number of cruises and ferries on Sydney Harbour, Pittwater, Ettalong and Wagstaffe, including sightseeing, picnic cruises, evening cruises, a direct Taronga Zoo ferry and daily whale watching cruises. Our unique whale watching tours come with an experienced marine biologist on every boat, and a hydrophone to hear the whale song underwater. During whale watching season, we also run additional services out of Palm Beach.
Special events in Sydney are best seen from the harbour, so we offer cruises on Australia Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and during Vivid. Plus, we can organise a private charter for a more personalised experience on occasions like weddings, ash scattering, corporate events and parties, anniversaries and birthday parties.
With no traffic lights in sight, our fleet of water taxis move people around Sydney easily, and our sunset cruises and exclusive picnics on Sydney Harbour are experiences you won’t want to miss. Whether you’re exploring attractions around Sydney Harbour or getting from point A to B, we can help you get there.
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"We had a great morning with the Fantasea crew and saw a lot of humpback whales, really amazing experience. The staff was friendly and the facilities very good. We would definitely go again!"
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A Lovely Evening Cruise
"Great deal booked online and a really lovely 1 1/2 hrs cruising the harbour. We enjoyed the outdoor deck upstairs, but the inside area was just beautiful for those who preferred to be inside. Staff were lovely and overall experience was terrific. We were blessed with the weather... would highly recommend!" | 2023-08-16T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/5230 |
Hand Massage for Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy as Outpatients: A Pilot Study.
There are no studies on the effect of volunteer-provided hand massage in a busy chemotherapy outpatient practice. To assess the feasibility of introducing hand massage therapy into an outpatient chemotherapy unit and to evaluate the effect of the therapy on various symptoms experienced by cancer patients. A pilot, quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest study. Chemotherapy outpatient clinic of a large tertiary care academic medical center. Forty chemotherapy outpatients. After being approached by a trained volunteer from a hand massage team, patients consented to receive a 20-minute hand massage before chemotherapy that was individualized according to patient preference and expressed needs. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used to measure pain, fatigue, anxiety, muscular discomfort, nervousness, stress, happiness, energy, relaxation, calmness, and emotional well-being (on a scale from 0-10) before and after the intervention; a satisfaction survey was administered after the therapy. Patients' demographic data were summarized with descriptive statistics, and VAS total scores were compared between groups at each time point with the two-group t test. Feasibility was evaluated from the number of patients who were approached, received a hand massage, and completed the study surveys. Of the 40 participants, 19 were men (mean age, 59.5 years). Significant improvement after hand massage was indicated by VAS scores for fatigue, anxiety, muscular discomfort, nervousness, stress, happiness, energy, relaxation, calmness, and emotional well-being (P < .05). Pain scores also improved, but the difference was not statistically significant (P = .06). All patients indicated that they would recommend hand massage to other patients, and 37 were interested in receiving it during their next chemotherapy treatment. | 2023-10-31T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/6489 |
Selenium and mercury in widely consumed seafood from South Atlantic Ocean.
The growing ingestion of predatory fish by humans has increased their exposure to toxic chemicals. Mercury (Hg) is an exogenous and harmful trace-element that accumulates in all marine organisms. Selenium (Se) is nutritionally important as a micronutrient, but is potentially harmful at intakes above 1mg per day. Se:Hg molar ratios in excess of 1:1 are thought to counteract the adverse effects of Hg, protecting against Hg toxicity. Evaluation of the health risk posed by Hg exposure from seafood consumption requires concurrent consideration of Se content in the same individuals. This study evaluated the Se and Hg concentrations in the edible tissues of 652 individual samples of commonly consumed varieties of carnivorous and planktivorous fish, squid, mussel, shrimp and crab collected from south-eastern Brazil. The Se:Hg molar ratios showed significant variation among and within tropical seafood. All organisms presented Se concentration in muscle of less than 2.0µgg(-1), the maximum allowed selenium concentrations. Only seven individuals of a carnivorous fish species presented Hg in muscle above the maximum permissible limit of 0.5µgg(-1) established by WHO and Brazilian legislation for human consumption of most aquatic species. These same individuals also showed Se:Hg molar ratio of less than 1:1. Se:Hg molar ratios were found to decline with increasing fish length, potentially reducing Se-dependent protection. As a result of their rich Se, low Hg contents and Se:Hg molar ratios exceeding 1:1, nearly all species included in this study provide benefits for human consumption. Two popular seafoods in the region, the carnivorous fish Centropomus undecimalis (common snook) and Micropogonias furnieri (Atlantic croaker), had the most favorable Se:Hg molar ratio values of 33 and 21, respectively. Among the invertebrates, Xiphopenaeus kroyeri (seabob shrimp) and Loligo sanpaulensis (squid) had the most favorable Se:Hg molar ratio values, higher than 20. A selenium health benefit value based on the absolute amounts and relative proportions of Se and Hg in seafood was proposed as a more comprehensive seafood safety criterion. | 2024-07-20T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/5723 |
Summary:
Kurosaki Mafuyu was a juvenile delinquent and head of her gang before her subsequent arrest got her expelled from high school. Now that she's transferred to a new high school, she's determined to become an "ultra-shiny, super feminine high school student." But with a new friend like Hayasaka-kun and a homeroom teacher like Saeki Takaomi (who may be more than he seems), will Mafuyu really be able to live a girly-girl high school life!? | 2023-09-22T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/1576 |
We’ve met Beverly Hofstadter and Mary Cooper, we’ve video chatted with Mrs. Koothrappali, and we’ve heard Mrs. Wolowitz’s voice boom through our TVs.
Now “The Big Bang Theory” is introducing us to Bernadette’s mother, to be played by Meagen Fay on an upcoming episode, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Fay is the latest “Roseanne” actress to appear on the CBS sitcom. (Laurie Metcalf and Sara Gilbert have played Sheldon Cooper’s mom Mary and experimental physicist Leslie Winkle, respectively.)
Casey Sander will also revisit his role as Bernadette’s ex-military dad on the December 6 episode.
What do you think of Fay as Bernie’s mom? | 2024-04-10T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/1296 |
144 Ga. App. 707 (1978)
242 S.E.2d 290
In re WIGGINS.
54926.
Court of Appeals of Georgia.
Argued November 1, 1977.
Decided January 18, 1978.
Rehearing Denied February 7, 1978.
*710 Moore & Szczepanski, Edward W. Szczepanski, for appellant.
Lennie F. Davis, Eugene Hardwick Polleys, Jr., for appellee.
BELL, Chief Judge.
The appellant, a Columbus police officer, appeals from an order of the superior court sustaining his dismissal for conduct unbecoming an officer and for falsification of reports. The factual basis for these charges arose out of an altercation in a tavern that occurred on September 30, 1976.
Immediately following the incident, on October 1, 1976, an internal police department investigation was conducted in which witnesses were interviewed to include the appellant. The investigation was completed on October 14, 1976 and appellant was notified in writing of the results and formally charged with the above violations of the "Police Manual." At this same time he was given an opportunity by the chief of police to respond thereto at a scheduled interview with the latter on October 21, 1976. The appellant was notified by letter on October 21, 1976 that he was dismissed from the Columbus Police Department effective that date for the violations noted in his October 14, 1976 letter. Appellant was advised of his right to appeal to the personnel review board. An appeal was filed. At this hearing all the witnesses who were interviewed in the internal police department investigation were called and they testified under oath, and appellant was afforded an opportunity to cross examine them. The chief of police also testified at this trial-type hearing. The personnel review board *708 sustained the dismissal. Appellant then petitioned the superior court for a writ of certiorari. The court sanctioned the writ and the personnel board answered. The court after a hearing made findings of fact and conclusions of law and overruled the petition and sustained the decision of the personnel review board. Held:
1. At the police department investigation appellant was not confronted by any witness who gave testimony against him and was not permitted to cross examine these witnesses prior to the date of his discharge on October 21, 1976. It is on this factor that he contends that he was denied due process of law under our Federal and State Constitutions. While he was not granted a hearing prior to the initial discharge, he was granted a trial-type hearing on his appeal before the personnel review board where he was confronted by the witnesses and afforded the opportunity to cross examine the witnesses and to offer evidence in his own behalf. In Aycock v. Police Committee, 133 Ga. App. 883 (212 SE2d 456) we held, citing Arnett v. Kennedy, 416 U. S. 134 (94 SC 1633, 40 LE2d 15), that due process was not violated by the failure to grant a trial-type hearing before rather than after an adverse personnel action was taken against an Atlanta police officer. This rule applies here and the trial court correctly concluded that appellant was not denied due process by the failure to grant him a hearing prior to the dismissal action taken against him by the chief of police.
2. Appellant also contends that he was discharged in violation of section 16B-10-6 of the Columbus Code. It provides in part "... Dismissals of permanent employees shall be effective only after the person to be discharged has been presented with the reasons for such discharge, specifically stated, and has been allowed a reasonable time to reply thereto in writing. The reasons and the reply shall be filed with the personnel officer. The person to be discharged shall have the right of a hearing, not precluding representation by any individual of his own choosing, before the personnel review board..."
It is appellant's position that under this ordinance he must be given a hearing before the personnel review board prior to his discharge and since the chief of police discharged him without a hearing, his dismissal was *709 therefore in violation of the ordinance. Columbus Code sections 17-45 and 17-57 must also be read in pari materia with the above section relied on by appellant. Section 17-45 provides: "The chief of police is hereby given the authority to discipline the members of the Columbus Police Department including discharge from the service. Any punishment beyond suspension for fifteen (15) working days is subject to appeal to the personnel review board ..." Section 17-57 states: "The chief of police can dismiss any officer prior to a hearing by the police hearing board for:... (8) Conduct unbecoming an officer..." When these are read together, it is inescapable that appellant was not dismissed in violation of the municipal code. A reasonable construction requires the conclusion that the police chief has the power to discharge prior to a hearing by the personnel review board but the effective date of a discharge is not final until the board passes on an appeal or the employee has waived his right of appeal. Appellant argues that McClung v. Richardson, 232 Ga. 530 (207 SE2d 472) which discussed these ordinances controls and requires a contrary result. McClung held only that if the appellee there was discharged in violation of the provisions of section 16B-10-6, a review of the erroneous decision must be sought by writ of certiorari and not by mandamus. The record shows compliance with these ordinances and thus the dismissal was not in violation of any of them.
3. During the hearing before the personnel review board the chief of police testified that he considered appellant's past disciplinary record along with the immediate charges in determining that appellant should be discharged. The appellant states that it was error for the chief to take his past record into consideration without any prior notice to appellant that it would be considered. There is no persuasive reason why a supervisory official cannot validly consider an employee's overall past record in determining what disciplinary action should be taken for present acts of misconduct. In the absence of a specific prohibition in a regulation, ordinance, or statute this is a valid and reasonable practice.
Judgment affirmed. McMurray and Smith, JJ., concur.
| 2024-03-13T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/6732 |
# Pin name to pin number definitions
#
# Copyright (C) 2016-2019 Kevin O'Connor <kevin@koconnor.net>
#
# This file may be distributed under the terms of the GNU GPLv3 license.
import re
class error(Exception):
pass
######################################################################
# Arduino mappings
######################################################################
Arduino_standard = [
"PD0", "PD1", "PD2", "PD3", "PD4", "PD5", "PD6", "PD7", "PB0", "PB1",
"PB2", "PB3", "PB4", "PB5", "PC0", "PC1", "PC2", "PC3", "PC4", "PC5",
]
Arduino_analog_standard = [
"PC0", "PC1", "PC2", "PC3", "PC4", "PC5", "PE0", "PE1",
]
Arduino_mega = [
"PE0", "PE1", "PE4", "PE5", "PG5", "PE3", "PH3", "PH4", "PH5", "PH6",
"PB4", "PB5", "PB6", "PB7", "PJ1", "PJ0", "PH1", "PH0", "PD3", "PD2",
"PD1", "PD0", "PA0", "PA1", "PA2", "PA3", "PA4", "PA5", "PA6", "PA7",
"PC7", "PC6", "PC5", "PC4", "PC3", "PC2", "PC1", "PC0", "PD7", "PG2",
"PG1", "PG0", "PL7", "PL6", "PL5", "PL4", "PL3", "PL2", "PL1", "PL0",
"PB3", "PB2", "PB1", "PB0", "PF0", "PF1", "PF2", "PF3", "PF4", "PF5",
"PF6", "PF7", "PK0", "PK1", "PK2", "PK3", "PK4", "PK5", "PK6", "PK7",
]
Arduino_analog_mega = [
"PF0", "PF1", "PF2", "PF3", "PF4", "PF5",
"PF6", "PF7", "PK0", "PK1", "PK2", "PK3", "PK4", "PK5", "PK6", "PK7",
]
Sanguino = [
"PB0", "PB1", "PB2", "PB3", "PB4", "PB5", "PB6", "PB7", "PD0", "PD1",
"PD2", "PD3", "PD4", "PD5", "PD6", "PD7", "PC0", "PC1", "PC2", "PC3",
"PC4", "PC5", "PC6", "PC7", "PA0", "PA1", "PA2", "PA3", "PA4", "PA5",
"PA6", "PA7"
]
Sanguino_analog = [
"PA0", "PA1", "PA2", "PA3", "PA4", "PA5", "PA6", "PA7"
]
Arduino_Due = [
"PA8", "PA9", "PB25", "PC28", "PA29", "PC25", "PC24", "PC23", "PC22","PC21",
"PA28", "PD7", "PD8", "PB27", "PD4", "PD5", "PA13", "PA12", "PA11", "PA10",
"PB12", "PB13", "PB26", "PA14", "PA15", "PD0", "PD1", "PD2", "PD3", "PD6",
"PD9", "PA7", "PD10", "PC1", "PC2", "PC3", "PC4", "PC5", "PC6", "PC7",
"PC8", "PC9", "PA19", "PA20", "PC19", "PC18", "PC17", "PC16", "PC15","PC14",
"PC13", "PC12", "PB21", "PB14", "PA16", "PA24", "PA23", "PA22", "PA6","PA4",
"PA3", "PA2", "PB17", "PB18", "PB19", "PB20", "PB15", "PB16", "PA1", "PA0",
"PA17", "PA18", "PC30", "PA21", "PA25", "PA26", "PA27", "PA28", "PB23"
]
Arduino_Due_analog = [
"PA16", "PA24", "PA23", "PA22", "PA6", "PA4", "PA3", "PA2", "PB17", "PB18",
"PB19", "PB20"
]
Adafruit_GrandCentral = [
"PB25", "PB24", "PC18", "PC19", "PC20",
"PC21", "PD20", "PD21", "PB18", "PB2",
"PB22", "PB23", "PB0", "PB1", "PB16",
"PB17", "PC22", "PC23", "PB12", "PB13",
"PB20", "PB21", "PD12", "PA15", "PC17",
"PC16", "PA12", "PA13", "PA14", "PB19",
"PA23", "PA22", "PA21", "PA20", "PA19",
"PA18", "PA17", "PA16", "PB15", "PB14",
"PC13", "PC12", "PC15", "PC14", "PC11",
"PC10", "PC6", "PC7", "PC4", "PC5",
"PD11", "PD8", "PD9", "PD10", "PA2",
"PA5", "PB3", "PC0", "PC1", "PC2",
"PC3", "PB4", "PB5", "PB6", "PB7",
"PB8", "PB9", "PA4", "PA6", "PA7"
]
Adafruit_GrandCentral_analog = [
"PA2", "PA5", "PB3", "PC0", "PC1", "PC2", "PC3", "PB4", "PB5", "PB6", "PB7",
"PB8", "PB9", "PA4", "PA6", "PA7"
]
Arduino_from_mcu = {
"atmega168": (Arduino_standard, Arduino_analog_standard),
"atmega328": (Arduino_standard, Arduino_analog_standard),
"atmega328p": (Arduino_standard, Arduino_analog_standard),
"atmega644p": (Sanguino, Sanguino_analog),
"atmega1280": (Arduino_mega, Arduino_analog_mega),
"atmega2560": (Arduino_mega, Arduino_analog_mega),
"sam3x8e": (Arduino_Due, Arduino_Due_analog),
"samd51p20a": (Adafruit_GrandCentral, Adafruit_GrandCentral_analog),
}
def get_aliases_arduino(mcu):
if mcu not in Arduino_from_mcu:
raise error("Arduino aliases not supported on mcu '%s'" % (mcu,))
dpins, apins = Arduino_from_mcu[mcu]
aliases = {}
for i in range(len(dpins)):
aliases['ar' + str(i)] = dpins[i]
for i in range(len(apins)):
aliases['analog%d' % (i,)] = apins[i]
return aliases
######################################################################
# Beaglebone mappings
######################################################################
beagleboneblack_mappings = {
'P8_3': 'gpio1_6', 'P8_4': 'gpio1_7', 'P8_5': 'gpio1_2',
'P8_6': 'gpio1_3', 'P8_7': 'gpio2_2', 'P8_8': 'gpio2_3',
'P8_9': 'gpio2_5', 'P8_10': 'gpio2_4', 'P8_11': 'gpio1_13',
'P8_12': 'gpio1_12', 'P8_13': 'gpio0_23', 'P8_14': 'gpio0_26',
'P8_15': 'gpio1_15', 'P8_16': 'gpio1_14', 'P8_17': 'gpio0_27',
'P8_18': 'gpio2_1', 'P8_19': 'gpio0_22', 'P8_20': 'gpio1_31',
'P8_21': 'gpio1_30', 'P8_22': 'gpio1_5', 'P8_23': 'gpio1_4',
'P8_24': 'gpio1_1', 'P8_25': 'gpio1_0', 'P8_26': 'gpio1_29',
'P8_27': 'gpio2_22', 'P8_28': 'gpio2_24', 'P8_29': 'gpio2_23',
'P8_30': 'gpio2_25', 'P8_31': 'gpio0_10', 'P8_32': 'gpio0_11',
'P8_33': 'gpio0_9', 'P8_34': 'gpio2_17', 'P8_35': 'gpio0_8',
'P8_36': 'gpio2_16', 'P8_37': 'gpio2_14', 'P8_38': 'gpio2_15',
'P8_39': 'gpio2_12', 'P8_40': 'gpio2_13', 'P8_41': 'gpio2_10',
'P8_42': 'gpio2_11', 'P8_43': 'gpio2_8', 'P8_44': 'gpio2_9',
'P8_45': 'gpio2_6', 'P8_46': 'gpio2_7', 'P9_11': 'gpio0_30',
'P9_12': 'gpio1_28', 'P9_13': 'gpio0_31', 'P9_14': 'gpio1_18',
'P9_15': 'gpio1_16', 'P9_16': 'gpio1_19', 'P9_17': 'gpio0_5',
'P9_18': 'gpio0_4', 'P9_19': 'gpio0_13', 'P9_20': 'gpio0_12',
'P9_21': 'gpio0_3', 'P9_22': 'gpio0_2', 'P9_23': 'gpio1_17',
'P9_24': 'gpio0_15', 'P9_25': 'gpio3_21', 'P9_26': 'gpio0_14',
'P9_27': 'gpio3_19', 'P9_28': 'gpio3_17', 'P9_29': 'gpio3_15',
'P9_30': 'gpio3_16', 'P9_31': 'gpio3_14', 'P9_41': 'gpio0_20',
'P9_42': 'gpio3_20', 'P9_43': 'gpio0_7', 'P9_44': 'gpio3_18',
'P9_33': 'AIN4', 'P9_35': 'AIN6', 'P9_36': 'AIN5', 'P9_37': 'AIN2',
'P9_38': 'AIN3', 'P9_39': 'AIN0', 'P9_40': 'AIN1',
}
def get_aliases_beaglebone(mcu):
if mcu != 'pru':
raise error("Beaglebone aliases not supported on mcu '%s'" % (mcu,))
return beagleboneblack_mappings
######################################################################
# Command translation
######################################################################
re_pin = re.compile(r'(?P<prefix>[ _]pin=)(?P<name>[^ ]*)')
class PinResolver:
def __init__(self, validate_aliases=True):
self.validate_aliases = validate_aliases
self.reserved = {}
self.aliases = {}
self.active_pins = {}
def reserve_pin(self, pin, reserve_name):
if pin in self.reserved and self.reserved[pin] != reserve_name:
raise error("Pin %s reserved for %s - can't reserve for %s" % (
pin, self.reserved[pin], reserve_name))
self.reserved[pin] = reserve_name
def alias_pin(self, alias, pin):
if alias in self.aliases and self.aliases[alias] != pin:
raise error("Alias %s mapped to %s - can't alias to %s" % (
alias, self.aliases[alias], pin))
if pin in self.aliases:
pin = self.aliases[pin]
self.aliases[alias] = pin
for existing_alias, existing_pin in self.aliases.items():
if existing_pin == alias:
self.aliases[existing_alias] = pin
def add_pin_mapping(self, mcu_type, mapping_name):
if mapping_name == 'arduino':
pin_mapping = get_aliases_arduino(mcu_type)
elif mapping_name == 'beaglebone':
pin_mapping = get_aliases_beaglebone(mcu_type)
else:
raise error("Unknown pin alias mapping '%s'" % (mapping_name,))
for alias, pin in pin_mapping.items():
self.alias_pin(alias, pin)
def update_command(self, cmd):
def pin_fixup(m):
name = m.group('name')
pin_id = self.aliases.get(name, name)
if (name != self.active_pins.setdefault(pin_id, name)
and self.validate_aliases):
raise error("pin %s is an alias for %s" % (
name, self.active_pins[pin_id]))
if pin_id in self.reserved:
raise error("pin %s is reserved for %s" % (
name, self.reserved[pin_id]))
return m.group('prefix') + str(pin_id)
return re_pin.sub(pin_fixup, cmd)
######################################################################
# Pin to chip mapping
######################################################################
class PrinterPins:
error = error
def __init__(self):
self.chips = {}
self.active_pins = {}
self.pin_resolvers = {}
def parse_pin(self, pin_desc, can_invert=False, can_pullup=False):
desc = pin_desc.strip()
pullup = invert = 0
if can_pullup and (desc.startswith('^') or desc.startswith('~')):
pullup = 1
if desc.startswith('~'):
pullup = -1
desc = desc[1:].strip()
if can_invert and desc.startswith('!'):
invert = 1
desc = desc[1:].strip()
if ':' not in desc:
chip_name, pin = 'mcu', desc
else:
chip_name, pin = [s.strip() for s in desc.split(':', 1)]
if chip_name not in self.chips:
raise error("Unknown pin chip name '%s'" % (chip_name,))
if [c for c in '^~!: ' if c in pin]:
format = ""
if can_pullup:
format += "[^~] "
if can_invert:
format += "[!] "
raise error("Invalid pin description '%s'\n"
"Format is: %s[chip_name:] pin_name" % (
pin_desc, format))
pin_params = {'chip': self.chips[chip_name], 'chip_name': chip_name,
'pin': pin, 'invert': invert, 'pullup': pullup}
return pin_params
def lookup_pin(self, pin_desc, can_invert=False, can_pullup=False,
share_type=None):
pin_params = self.parse_pin(pin_desc, can_invert, can_pullup)
pin = pin_params['pin']
share_name = "%s:%s" % (pin_params['chip_name'], pin)
if share_name in self.active_pins:
share_params = self.active_pins[share_name]
if share_type is None or share_type != share_params['share_type']:
raise error("pin %s used multiple times in config" % (pin,))
if (pin_params['invert'] != share_params['invert']
or pin_params['pullup'] != share_params['pullup']):
raise error("Shared pin %s must have same polarity" % (pin,))
return share_params
pin_params['share_type'] = share_type
self.active_pins[share_name] = pin_params
return pin_params
def setup_pin(self, pin_type, pin_desc):
can_invert = pin_type in ['endstop', 'digital_out', 'pwm']
can_pullup = pin_type in ['endstop']
pin_params = self.lookup_pin(pin_desc, can_invert, can_pullup)
return pin_params['chip'].setup_pin(pin_type, pin_params)
def reset_pin_sharing(self, pin_params):
share_name = "%s:%s" % (pin_params['chip_name'], pin_params['pin'])
del self.active_pins[share_name]
def get_pin_resolver(self, chip_name):
if chip_name not in self.pin_resolvers:
raise error("Unknown chip name '%s'" % (chip_name,))
return self.pin_resolvers[chip_name]
def register_chip(self, chip_name, chip):
chip_name = chip_name.strip()
if chip_name in self.chips:
raise error("Duplicate chip name '%s'" % (chip_name,))
self.chips[chip_name] = chip
self.pin_resolvers[chip_name] = PinResolver()
def add_printer_objects(config):
config.get_printer().add_object('pins', PrinterPins())
| 2024-02-09T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/3550 |
Centre has moved a bill to split Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories. (File)
Highlights Article 370 a mistake imposed by Nehru on us: BJP' Jugal Kishore
He called Article 370 "a miscarriage of justice"
His comments were hotly opposed by Congress's Manish Tewari
Jawaharlal Nehru was again cited in the debate on the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation bill in the Lok Sabha today, with a BJP member accusing him of dividing the state and being responsible for Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
Jugal Kishore, who represents Jammu in the lower house, said, "If Nehru had not interfered, there would have been no Article 370, there would have been no PoK, there would not have been a need of this bill".
"Whether it is Article 370 or 35A, it was a mistake imposed by Nehru on us -- the people of Kashmir. I say that Nehru divided Jammu and Kashmir. PoK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) is Nehru's doing. Our image has been tainted because of Jawaharlal Nehru," the lawmaker from Jammu's Udhampur said.
Calling Article 370 "a miscarriage of justice" and the "gravest blunder in post-Independence India", he said Jawaharlal Nehru did not allow then Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to handle the Kashmir situation, which led to complications. "Panditji believed he knew Jammu and Kashmir better than Sardar Patel and therefore kept him out of it," he said. But Sardar Patel had handled both Hyderabad and Junagadh, which saw their smooth merger with India, he added.
He also blamed Jawaharlal Nehru for the creation of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, saying when the Indian forces were driving out Pakistani intruders in the 1948 war, the then Prime Minister went to All India Radio and declared a unilateral ceasefire. "If he had not done so, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir would have been part of India," he said.
His comments were hotly opposed by Congress's Manish Tewari.
"If there is anyone who went sent the Army to J&K and protected J&K, that government was Jawaharlal Nehru's government. They were the ones who took a step to make Jammu and Kashmir an inseparable part of India," Manish Tewari said.
The war of words in parliament comes amid a huge political furore over the government's move to end special status in Jammu and Kashmir through a presidential order under the provisions of the Article 370 of the constitution, which also gives the state its special status.
The bill to split Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories - Ladakh which will be without a legislature and Jammu and Kashmir, which will have one - was passed by the Rajya Sabha yesterday, with the backing from a number of regional parties. | 2023-12-17T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/5105 |
Triad Wars, a free-to-play open world online multiplayer video game that was to be a successor to Sleeping Dogs, is closing for good. The game, which was being developed by United Front Games (Sleeping Dogs, Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition for Xbox One) and Square Enix London Studios with Square Enix as the publisher, was originally announced in late 2013 and unveiled in September of 2014. The Beta started in early 2015, and with the announcement of the closure, will end in January of 2016 with refunds being offered to players that purchased Gold in-game.
Oddly enough, the announcement comes 5 days after Triad Wars' Community Manager, Iain, announced his departure with promises of "super exciting announcements coming in the New Year." Based on the announcement of the closure, it would seem that the game wasn't what players were looking for, and John from United Front Games offered some details to players on when the game would close:
During this time we have gathered immense amounts of feedback, information, and data on the game. We’ve loved seeing how you’ve played Triad Wars but we know it wasn’t right for many of you so we’re letting you know today that we are going to close the beta and service on January 20th 2016 at 12 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
The developers also mentioned that Gold is being made free for all players until the close of the game in order to fully experience it, as no further purchases are being accepted. For players that recently purchased Gold in Triad Wars, refunds are being offered, although only for players that made purchases during December of 2015 - not before. Players looking for a refund should email [email protected] to get help with processing their refund(s).
Triad Wars will close for good on January 20th, with no signs from the developers that the game will be revived in the future - and the previous statement that the close of the Beta would see no character wipe reinforces this a bit. With players announcing their displeasure at the sudden announcement, we're sure to get more details on the game's closure soon, especially with the lack of details in today's news. | 2023-08-24T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/4047 |
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Sunglass, a "Google Docs for 3D objects" startup which came out of beta at TechCrunch Disrupt last week, has a couple well-known backers who know quite a lot about 3D content creation: Second Life founder Philip Rosedale, and founding SL investor Mitch Kapor. Running on HTML5 and WebGL, as TechCrunch's Kim-Mai Cutler explains, "Sunglass users can simultaneously access a single 3D model and suggest tweaks through chat or voice chat. There’s also a sketch tool for marking suggestions." Virtual world content creator DanielRavenNest Noe noticed Philip and Mitch are listed as "Supporters" on the Sunglass site, and I just confirmed with both of them that this means they're also financial backers:
"I love what they are doing," Philip tells me by e-mail, "and I am a small investor!" When I asked him, Mitch affirmed his backing (through his venture firm Kapor Capital) specifically in relationship to Second Life:
"I'm very enthusiastic about Sunglass as a platform for collaborative cloud-based development of real-world 3D projects," Mitch tells me. "My learnings through SL prepared me to see big opportunities in tools for 3D spaces, both virtual and real."
For New World Notes readers and SL aficionados, this is quite interesting for at least two reasons: While Philip and Mitch have both devoted much more focus to other projects besides Second Life in recent years, the Sunglass investment shows they're still confident that 3D collaborative content is a technology worth pursuing. Secondly, if I'm reading this TechCrunch write-up right, it should be quite possible (and easy) for SL content creators to build 3D content together on Sunglass, and (if they're so inclined) import them as mesh objects into Second Life. So even if Mitch and Philip have been scarce in SL of late, they're still backing utilities that SLers can directly benefit from.
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With all the techies on the globe trying their best to KILL Flash, if this can be used by graphic designers to still be able to churn out animated content, but within HTML 5... it might see some retooling in that direction...
(that might seem out of left field... but while techies keep saying HTML 5 can be used to kill Flash, they forget that graphic designers don't work in code...)
To me, that's an angle with more potential - the renders out of something like this, if any.
If its just for previewing models in HTML 5, then its future is limited.
You can understand why they are putting their time and money elsewhere. The current SL architecture, what might be called, "client heavy," has probably run its course. A hat tip to Phil and all those who toiled to create (and maintain) it, it was a disruptive technology in that day. Mobile is where its all moving today, using thin clients with heavy computing horsepower provided by cloud computing (elastic and outsourced).
LL experimented with this a while back, but it dropped off the radar. The real thing I wonder about is if "user developed content" virtual worlds have likewise run their course. Do "consumers" really want this kind of experience on their Iphone(or tablets) while sipping a latte macchiato at their fav coffee shop? Then there's the whole question of how to make money. Should future virtual worlds sell every user click to advertisers? Data mine for "influencers?"
@Argo - the short pole in your approach is that ALL of the ISPs in this country are throttling back users data consumption. Today they put limits of 100G a month or so. Tomorrow it'll be 50G. And then they'll drop it to 10G, but generously allow you to pay a fine for every 10G you go over rather than simply ban you for breaking the "rules".
In such a bandwidth restricted environment, streaming video from a cloud computer will cause you to hit the bandwidth limits in mere hours, whether you are using a tablet or a monster desktop.
I really think that the rush to make everything in the world work on an iphone is silly. Corel wants to know how much I'd use Paintshop on an iphone. Yeah, like I'd be able to see or tweak anything on so tiny a screen, or be able to move my work back to my desktop after I was finished. Portables have their place, but not everything under the sun can or should be ported to them, due to wimpy processors, battery life and simple size limitations. Some programs are barely usuable with a single 24" screen (multitracks like Sonar and Reaper come to mind). You won't make that work on an iPhone no matter what tricks you use.
Not to say, its so easy to loose or break a gadget, cause all of those lil things are nothing more then gadgets to impress others!
Want to play, get a 23 inch or higher screen, a desktop and feel the power, the rest are peanuts!
Kapor and his VCs will position these 2 kids to be bought by Google( they then cash out).... Google will then recreate livley and sketchup/3dwarehouse using webgl and this set of code... It will then close as failure after enough of you have listened to hamlet and wasted your time building free content for the press releases and further devaluation of content creation for a living wage. | 2023-11-19T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/6112 |
Does anyone want to guess how this will play out?
Today at 2:30 p.m., the clock runs out on the latest deadline for the White House to turn over materials regarding the National Security Agency's eavesdropping program to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The documents were originally subpoened on June 27th and were to be turned over to the committee on July 18th. After a request from the White House the deadline was extended until today, and now White House Counsel Fred Fielding is saying that the gathering of the documents is, "by no means complete," and wants another extension. Last week Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy said:
...he'd wait no more. "You have rejected every proposal, produced none of the responsive documents, provided no basis for any claim of privilege and no accompanying log of withheld documents."
And when the White House ignores this latest deadline, what will Leahy do? Will he issue another sternly worded letter or will he act to find the administration in contempt of Congress? | 2023-12-24T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/4430 |
Chisholm was last seen in the vicinity of Strathmore Apartments in the 6100 block of Strathmore Road, south of Chippenham Parkway, in Chesterfield County, Virginia just after midnight on June 18, 1995. She has never been heard from again. Few details are available in her case.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Chesterfield County Crime Solvers
804-748-1278 | 2024-02-16T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/3917 |
News + Events
We want to hear from you!
Whether it be a career update, family news or just a shout-out to former classmates, we would like to hear from you. Please email your stories to dentalalumni@case.edu to be featured in the class notes section of the magazine or with ideas/topics you'd like to see covered in the magazine.
School of Dental Medicine Alumni Magazine
The Office of Development and Alumni Relations produces a semi-annual publication for alumni and friends of the School of Dental Medicine at Case Western Reserve University. These magazines may be viewed online by selecting the one you would like to view from the school's archive. The current issue is available in PDF format here. | 2024-03-04T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/2011 |
Quick Fact Sheets
Emerald ash borer (EAB) and other damaging insects move far greater distance by human-assisted transport than the insects move on their own. One of the most common paths of movement is in firewood. Ten years ago, we never would have guessed that firewood would spread the most destructive non-native pest in the northeast forests, but here we are today with emerald ash borer in over 10 towns.
The State of New Hampshire implemented a firewood quarantine in 2011 to prevent the arrival of damaging insects by prohibiting uncertified firewood from entering the state. Read about this out-of-state firewood quarantine. | 2024-06-05T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/1636 |
Mexico has reacted furiously to a bill signed into law by the US this week that would fund a border wall and prevent illegal Mexican migrants from obtaining US driving licences.
President Vicente Fox said he would lodge a diplomatic complaint, and was considering complaints to multilateral bodies if Mexico could not unable to resolve the problem bilaterally.
In the US, leaders of the Mexican community threatened to strike to send a message to US employers that they could not survive without cheap Mexican labour.
Santiago Creel, Mexico's interior secretary, said the “Real ID” law was “negative, inconvenient, and obstructionist”.
<snip>
---Wow!! Mexico should open up it's Southern Border before demanding we do the same. Mexico has no tolerance for illegals ENTERING their country, hypocrites. Any other taxpayers out there tired of picking up the multi - billion dollar tab we pay each year to make up for the cost of these lawbreakers abusing our delicate infrastructure? I don't know about you, but I live in Krazy Kallifornia and our state is broke because of these people busting out our hospitals and other services along with the crooks called politicians in Sacramento doing nothing about it along with thier dangerous out of control spending ( I see this first hand because I work in the political arena here)...Anyway, Mr. Fox should STFU. Yes sir, Mexicans can have driver licenses, they are called Mexican driver licenses.... :flame:
Also, these slave wage earners will really hurt the middle class down the road by bringing down our standards of living to that of Mexico and the competition to 'basic wages' will only go down from here. That along with the continued outsourcing of our jobs will be the death to the average working american. Why is this happening? So that a few greedy billionares can acquire more and create another society (maybe I should say continent) of slave wage workers just like Communist China. They will continue to outsource until there is no longer a viable middle class and the politicians will let them get away will bloody murder.
Logged
"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."--Mere Christianity
I find it funny that the Mexicans are called illegal...oh since alot of them come back with the deeds of their Grandfather or great Grandfather etc.... Many are just coming back home---New Mexico, Texas, California, Arizona etc.... But some arrogance deny the true history of the region.
I find it funny that the Mexicans are called illegal...oh since alot of them come back with the deeds of their Grandfather or great Grandfather etc.... Many are just coming back home---New Mexico, Texas, California, Arizona etc.... But some arrogance deny the true history of the region.
I am not Mexican nor Hispanic, however, I honestly understand.
Actually, I don't think you do. By that logic why don't we just hand over everthing back to the native americans since it was their land originally. Also, 90% of the kind of mexicans coming over are the more dark skinned native mexicans that are from the deep parts of the country that have no historic geographic connection to the states you mention. This is a lie usually put out by these racist la raza type groups along with other leftist wannabes that have nothing better to do than undermine our government. The mexicans you are thinking of are called 'white' mexicans and are the offspring of the Spanish Conquistadors. Beleive it or not these 'white' mexicans who hold most of the power and wealth in Mexico are somewhat racist to the more native dark mexicans and they treat them practically like slaves from what I have heard. I think this is why a flood of these illegals are coming over because Mr. Fox doesn't seem to care about improving the quality of life for his own people. There's no point in having any kind of immigration policy if we are going to reward lawbreaking by giving these people everything they want. If that's the case, then everyone should come over here illegally instead of going through the proper channels to obtain citizenship because it's so much easier to do that than by abiding by the law. I guess we can come to the conclusion that only suckers follow the law. A large majority of the American people are also getting tired of this crap and the dam politicians are doing nothing about it. This is ruining our country and it's costing us tens of billions of dollars every year. I'm so sick of it because this burden will not be felt by the degenerate class of politicans that are responsible for all of this; it will be felt by our children who will pay immensly down the road. Also, I don't want to have to learn spanish because the bums that come over here want nothing to do with blending in and becoming american. I don't want to walk into another store to find out I can't get any help because half the employees speak spanish. I don't want to hear it everyplace I call either which I find annoying. We shouldn't have to cator to any groups at all and the other ethnic groups that come here seem to do just fine blending in without bothering the rest of us english speaking people using thier language as some kind of crutch. I swear that the next person who runs for President that promises to close the border and crack down on these illegals will probably win all 50 states, even if it's Shrillary Clinton.
Logged
"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."--Mere Christianity
Well, yes, there is Israel, Kurdistan, Kosavo etc.... so the rest of the world should have it.... figure it out; Yes, I know the history...I know the difference of Spanish Mexicans versus the Indian Mexicans (true Mexicans) since I have a degree and taught in History....I say I understand because, I understand the Irish issue, the Armenian issue, the Cypriot issue, the Palestinian issue and so on....so I UNDERSTAND...I have sympathy for all who lose lands in wars since I am a war survivor! ... I say you get what you create....do you want to send Black people back to Africa too?? War never brings peace but only hell so I pray for peace for all.
I respect your opinions and beliefs and I hope for all this ends peacefully.
These are my opinions so I ask the same, although I am starting to see this forum likes disputes.
Once again the problem isn't the Mexican *people*. The problem is that their government is so corrupt that they have to emigrate in order to make money. Why do they come to the U.S.? It's not only because they know they'll make good money, but that as illegals in the U.S. they have more legal protections against having their property confiscated or stolen than they do working legally in their own country.
For more on this subject I suggest almost any book by Hernando Desoto. Not the Spanish conqueror, but the Chilean economist. Start with "The Mystery of Capital."
Let me say this. Mexicans want what everyone wants: the ability to work hard in their villages and cities and make enough to feed their families. They are uneducated and many have been fooled by Marxists from Cuba. All Marxism will do is move control of capital from one group of oligarchs to another. I realize that we have a subtle oligarchy here as well, so before you socialist sympathizers start attacking me let me say this: we are not perfect but, in general, this country began to excel *after* it started to recognize and enforce universal property rights and access to captial, generally through loans from the very wealthy.
Nacho, may be the political problem would be solved if USA invades Mexico (remember bad old Iraq?) ?
Then at least 150.000 Mexicans would be dead, several millions would be prisoners of war in their own country, and a puppet Mexican government would be manipulated from Washington. Add to all that the “Christian love” and the "values" of USA politics and you have the recipe for modern crusade.
God bless America, not anybody else. Paradise is a private place - earthly paradise at least. To everybody else we say: get out or get lost. See you in heavens Mexicans brothers but I do not want to see you here on Earth. Earth paradise is ours to enjoy, it’s our creation and privilege; you have to wait for after life.
Sorry guys, you Mexicans have to live your misery lives, and we have to live our precious lives. Mixing lives is not allowed.
Brother Nacho, if Christ accepts them in His Paradise, why don't we accept them in ours ?
Oddly, I support Bush's approach to immigration and it puts me at odds with most fellow conservatives. We can take a short-term approach to the issue -- walls, police, more jails -- but it won't fix the problem. Short of machine guns, mine fields, and border guards with orders to shoot on site, more and bigger walls won't stop the natural human desire for freedom and the economic means to support one's family. Perhaps we can temporarily stop some criminals and drugs from coming across by those means, but they'll find another way in because the market's calling them into the US. I'd hope we do not become like the former East German government. The solution is to keep pursuing vigorous trade with Mexico to boost their economy and wages, and find a way to regularize traffic for honest, law-abiding Mexicans. Like it or not, the Mexican people have left an invaluable footprint in our culture and economy and geography dictates that we have no choice but to resolve common problems as partners with the Mexican authorities rather than blanket hostility. The vast majority of these folks are here looking for work, and generally do a pretty good job from what I've seen.
« Last Edit: May 14, 2005, 10:51:45 AM by Strelets »
Logged
"The creed is very simple, and here is what it is: to believe that there is nothing more beautiful, more courageous, and more perfect than Christ; and there not only isn't, but I tell myself with a jealous love, there cannot be." ~ Fyodor Dostoevsky | 2024-06-17T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/1622 |
/*
* OpenBench LogicSniffer / SUMP project
*
* This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
* it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
* the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at
* your option) any later version.
*
* This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
* WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU
* General Public License for more details.
*
* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
* with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
* 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110, USA
*
* Copyright (C) 2006-2010 Michael Poppitz, www.sump.org
* Copyright (C) 2010-2011 J.W. Janssen, www.lxtreme.nl
*/
package nl.lxtreme.ols.client.osgi;
import static org.mockito.Matchers.*;
import static org.mockito.Mockito.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import nl.lxtreme.ols.api.*;
import nl.lxtreme.ols.api.data.project.*;
import nl.lxtreme.ols.client.osgi.UserSessionManager.WindowStateListener;
import org.junit.*;
import org.osgi.service.log.*;
import org.osgi.service.prefs.*;
/**
* @author jawi
*/
public class WindowStateListenerTest
{
// VARIABLES
private WindowStateListener windowStateListener;
// METHODS
/**
* Sets up the test cases.
*/
@Before
public void setUp() throws Exception
{
PreferencesService mockedPreferenceService = mock( PreferencesService.class );
Project mockedProject = mock( Project.class );
ProjectManager mockedProjectManager = mock( ProjectManager.class );
when( mockedProjectManager.getCurrentProject() ).thenReturn( mockedProject );
this.windowStateListener = spy( new WindowStateListener() );
this.windowStateListener.setPreferenceService( mockedPreferenceService );
this.windowStateListener.setProjectManager( mockedProjectManager );
this.windowStateListener.setLogger( mock( LogService.class ) );
}
/**
* Test method for {@link WindowStateListener#eventDispatched(AWTEvent)}.
*/
@Test
public void testMultipleWindowClosedEventCausesPreferencesToBeWrittenOnlyOnce()
{
final Window window = mock( Window.class, withSettings().extraInterfaces( Configurable.class ) );
this.windowStateListener.eventDispatched( new WindowEvent( window, WindowEvent.WINDOW_OPENED ) );
this.windowStateListener.eventDispatched( new WindowEvent( window, WindowEvent.WINDOW_CLOSED ) );
this.windowStateListener.eventDispatched( new WindowEvent( window, WindowEvent.WINDOW_CLOSED ) );
this.windowStateListener.eventDispatched( new WindowEvent( window, WindowEvent.WINDOW_CLOSED ) );
verify( ( ( Configurable )window ), times( 1 ) ).writePreferences( any( UserSettings.class ) );
verify( ( ( Configurable )window ), times( 1 ) ).readPreferences( any( UserSettings.class ) );
}
/**
* Test method for {@link WindowStateListener#eventDispatched(AWTEvent)}.
*/
@Test
public void testMultipleWindowOpenedEventCausesPreferencesToBeReadOnlyOnce()
{
final Window window = mock( Window.class, withSettings().extraInterfaces( Configurable.class ) );
this.windowStateListener.eventDispatched( new WindowEvent( window, WindowEvent.WINDOW_OPENED ) );
this.windowStateListener.eventDispatched( new WindowEvent( window, WindowEvent.WINDOW_OPENED ) );
this.windowStateListener.eventDispatched( new WindowEvent( window, WindowEvent.WINDOW_OPENED ) );
verify( ( ( Configurable )window ), times( 1 ) ).readPreferences( any( UserSettings.class ) );
verify( ( ( Configurable )window ), times( 0 ) ).writePreferences( any( UserSettings.class ) );
}
/**
* Test method for {@link WindowStateListener#eventDispatched(AWTEvent)}.
*/
@Test
public void testReopenClosedWindowCausesPreferencesToBeReadAndWrittenTwice()
{
final Window window = mock( Window.class, withSettings().extraInterfaces( Configurable.class ) );
this.windowStateListener.eventDispatched( new WindowEvent( window, WindowEvent.WINDOW_OPENED ) );
this.windowStateListener.eventDispatched( new WindowEvent( window, WindowEvent.WINDOW_CLOSED ) );
this.windowStateListener.eventDispatched( new WindowEvent( window, WindowEvent.WINDOW_OPENED ) );
verify( ( ( Configurable )window ), times( 2 ) ).readPreferences( any( UserSettings.class ) );
verify( ( ( Configurable )window ), times( 1 ) ).writePreferences( any( UserSettings.class ) );
}
/**
* Test method for {@link WindowStateListener#eventDispatched(AWTEvent)}.
*/
@Test
public void testWindowClosedEventCausesPreferencesToBeWrittenOk()
{
final Window window = mock( Window.class, withSettings().extraInterfaces( Configurable.class ) );
this.windowStateListener.eventDispatched( new WindowEvent( window, WindowEvent.WINDOW_OPENED ) );
verify( ( ( Configurable )window ) ).readPreferences( any( UserSettings.class ) );
// Ok; start over with a new event...
reset( this.windowStateListener, window );
this.windowStateListener.eventDispatched( new WindowEvent( window, WindowEvent.WINDOW_CLOSED ) );
verify( ( ( Configurable )window ) ).writePreferences( any( UserSettings.class ) );
// read should never be called!
verify( ( ( Configurable )window ), times( 0 ) ).readPreferences( any( UserSettings.class ) );
}
/**
* Test method for {@link WindowStateListener#eventDispatched(AWTEvent)}.
*/
@Test
public void testWindowOpenedEventCausesPreferencesToBeReadOk()
{
final Window window = mock( Window.class, withSettings().extraInterfaces( Configurable.class ) );
final WindowEvent event = new WindowEvent( window, WindowEvent.WINDOW_OPENED );
this.windowStateListener.eventDispatched( event );
verify( ( ( Configurable )window ) ).readPreferences( any( UserSettings.class ) );
// write should never be called!
verify( ( ( Configurable )window ), times( 0 ) ).writePreferences( any( UserSettings.class ) );
}
}
| 2024-05-03T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/2055 |
Mr. Stein: There was a telling event that was missed in the Ohio State-Iowa game. It occurred with about 81/2 minutes left in the first half, just before Iowa passed for a touchdown.
The quarterback handed off to Mark Weisman, a 235-pound back, who proceeded to lower his head while flexing his knees. When he reached the line of scrimmage the crown of his helmet was just under Ryan Shazier’s chin. Instead of plowing straight forward, he straightened those knees. When helmet contact was made, Shazier’s head snapped upward and in the process his feet and the rest of him were jerked up off the ground.
Why was this “targeting” violation ignored while Bradley Roby’s left shoulder hit was nit-picked into a violation by a group of clowns? Comments from the announcers as to what they saw were in admiration. Weisman was referred to as a bulldozer and Iowa football as powerful football.
— Robert Carroll, Galloway
Robert: I do not remember the play, but if Weisman did indeed initiate contact with the crown of his helmet, then he would be subject to penalty. If he did not lead with the crown, well, Shazier certainly wasn’t a defenseless player. As for Roby, it didn’t strike me as an egregious call, but my judgment might be clouded by the unnecessary and unsportsmanlike stomp after the play.
But to read Tim May’s story in Tuesday’s paper that “the impact caused the receiver’s facemask to strike Roby’s helmet” was beyond the pale. I laughed so hard I almost spilled my morning coffee. Readers deserve a bit more honest and impartial coverage by our crack Dispatch sports writers.
— Tony Owen, Westerville
Tony: That’s the OSU view of the play, one with which many observers agree. I do not, and obviously you don’t, either. To me, it seems clear that Roby launches, his left shoulder pad lands and a split-second later his helmet pops the receiver’s facemask.
Editor: Let me get this straight: The defensive coordinator of No. 2 Oregon, while his team is running up 62 points, is upset with his opponent for not laying down? Sounds like something out of Bizarro World.
I’m going to read it again; that can’t be right.
— Bob Hengen, Columbus
Bob: Nope, you read it right. In Nick Aliotti’s world, once a team — his team — reaches 60 points, apparently they should employ a running clock. I’m hoping that some of his $5,000 fine was for stupidity.
Editor: I always look forward to the new NHL season. This year, there’s the hope that this is the year for the Blue Jackets, the excitement of a new conference, and seeing which youngsters will establish themselves.
But the thing I look forward to the most is that I know my summer of sleepless nights are over because I get to hear the human cure for insomnia, Jeff Rimer, announce the games. How the CBJ can continue to employ such a boring, bland, uninspiring, uneventful announcer is beyond me.
I swear I saw a download the other day titled, “Soothing sounds guaranteed to help you sleep at night.” The selection included sounds of gentle rain, rhythmic ocean waves and Rimer calling a Jackets game.
C’mon, CBJ, you have an exciting product on the ice. Now, step up the entertainment value on television.
— Jim Schrader, Grove City
Jim: It seems to me that the idea of home-team announcers, regardless of the sport, is one of those things where the grass is always greener on the other side of the compound. My announcer complaints generally aren’t about blandness as much as their tendency to sugarcoat when things aren’t going so hot.
Sir: Even the national announcers referred to Mike Nugent of the Bengals as an “ex-Buckeye” when he made the game-winning field goal last week against the Lions.
A guy like Nugent is always a Buckeye and I bet he thinks of himself that way, too. Instead of “ex-Buckeye,” I propose the media begin to use “ex-player.”
— Syd Lifshin, Grandview
Syd: The problem with treating former OSU players like marines is in consistency. So Nuge is a Buckeye for life. Do you feel the same about, say, Terrelle Pryor? | 2023-12-19T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/2718 |
This invention relates to a process for retorting oil shale-coal mixtures and more particularly to a process for retorting mixtures of lean oil shale and coal.
Oil shale is a fine-grained, sedimentary rock which contains an organic material known as kerogen. Upon heating, kerogen decomposes to yield liquid oil, gases and residual carbon. The kerogen content varies with different geological formations, and some shale does not yield sufficient quantities of oil to economically justify its recovery. Unfortunately, some of the lower grades of oil shale must be mined in order to reach the richer deposits. Unless the oil can be extracted from these leaner resources, the overall costs of extraction will escalate needlessly.
Thermally efficient retorting systems use the energy of the residual carbonaceous material on the retorted shale for process heat. For example, the residual carbon may be burned to heat circulating solid heat carriers such as ceramic balls or particles, sand or spent shale. Alternatively, hot flue gases generated from the combustion can be used for direct or indirect heating of the raw shale.
The amount of carbonaceous residue remaining on the shale mineral structure after retorting is dependent upon various factors. At the temperatures required for commercial retorting, the primary factor is the grade or richness of the raw shale, with lower grades having proportionately less residue. For oil shales yielding less than about 0.13 liters of shale oil per kilogram of oil shale (30 gallons per ton), the quantity of organic residue in the retorted shale is insufficient to supply the total heat required for retorting the raw shale, when directly mixed in the preferred ratios of spent shale to raw shale.
It has been proposed to add supplementary carbonaceous material to the retorted shale in order to generate all or substantially all of the heat needed for heating the raw shale in the retorting zone. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,058,205; 3,939,057; 2,589,109; and the publication "Development of the Lurgi-Ruhr Gas Retort for the Distillation of Oil Shale," Lurgi Mineraloltechnik GMBH, Frankfurt (Main), October 1973, Page 11, Paragraph 5.
A particularly advantageous process for retorting oil shale and other similar materials is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,432, issued Apr. 22, 1980 to Tamm et al, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. In this process, fresh oil shale particles are passed into an upper section of a vertically-elongated retort and downwardly therethrough in the presence of hot heat carrier particles to heat the fresh oil shale particles to retorting temperatures sufficiently high to drive off hydrocarbonaceous materials, which are removed from the upper portion of the retort. A heated, nonoxidizing gas, e.g., recycled product gas, flue gas, nitrogen, or steam, is passed upwardly through the retort at a velocity of between about 1 to 5 feet per second. The size of the fresh oil shale particles and the heat carrier particles include particles which are fluidizable at the gas velocity and particles which are nonfluidizable at the gas velocity. The shale particles are passed downwardly through the retort at a rate providing a residence time for substantially complete retorting of the particles. The retort contains internals to substantially limit backmixing and slugging of the particles.
The retorted particles contain residual carbon. These particles are passed to a combustion zone where they are combusted with an oxygen-containing gas to heat the retorted particles along with any inert or spent shale particles present. The heated particles can then be recycled as heat carriers to the retort to provide process heat for retorting fresh shale particles. The combustion zone can be a liftpipe or an entrained bed reactor wherein the entrained particles are rapidly heated to combust residual carbonaceous material. To minimize the height of the liftpipe combustor, it is desirable to have a low combustor residence time of both gas and solids, e.g., less than about 4 seconds, preferably 1 to 2 seconds. | 2024-04-05T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/5116 |
This research examines the adjustment of normal and impaired individuals in the community over a twelve year period. Data gathered in a 1963 ten percent community household survey and a complete agency survey are being used as a baseline to examine long-range effects of various labels and changes into and out of labeled categories applied by community agencies and schools to impaired persons. The research examines: (1) the significance of being impaired, (2) the relationship of family and individual personal characteristics, and (3) the influence intervention strategies, or the lack thereof, have on subsequent adjustment in the community by impaired and normal persons. Since the research is concerned with both the agency labeled, and household identified impaired, the research will provide an empirical basis for evaluating intervention strategies as well as the effect that various labels used by community agencies have upon impaired individuals; it will provide practitioners and administrators with a scientific basis for evaluating programs and formulating policies for community services that will lead to better community adjustment among those with impairments. | 2024-06-28T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/7511 |
Published: May 2, 2019
Introduction {#sec1}
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Distinct biochemical activities are often found in specialized subcellular compartments. These compartments are demarcated either by a membrane barrier or through the process of phase transition, which drives macromolecular condensation and formation of membrane-less organelles ([@bib17]). Multivalent protein-RNA interactions induce and maintain the assembly of such membrane-less ribonucleoprotein (RNP) organelles ([@bib21], [@bib22]). RNP assemblies (or condensates) occur in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Nuclear condensates include Cajal bodies, nuclear speckles, and the nucleoli, and cytoplasmic examples are stress granules, processing bodies (P bodies), and P granules. To date, with the exception of plasma lipoproteins, high-order RNP assemblies have been detected only inside cells.
Protein-coding and non-coding RNA can spread among cells and tissues of an organism. Such mobile RNA has been documented in plants and animals ([@bib30], [@bib41]). Furthermore, RNA transfer among organisms has been reported among fungi, plants, and animals ([@bib5], [@bib6], [@bib37], [@bib44]). Transmissible RNA has been associated mainly with RNAi to modulate gene expression and immune responses in the recipient organisms. However, much about the biology and mechanisms of mobile and transmissible RNA remains unknown.
The honeybee (*Apis mellifera*) plays a key role in agriculture, pollinating a large number of crops that feed humans and farm animals. In recent years, elevated honeybee losses have become a major global concern. Bee colony losses have been linked to various biotic stressors, including the mite Varroa destructor, Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), and other viruses ([@bib23], [@bib28]). Previously, we reported on RNAi-based ingestion systems for the control of IAPV and the Varroa mite ([@bib13], [@bib24]). Field trials of the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-IAPV treatment showed a potential prolonged disease resistance in treated hives, lasting several months after the final dsRNA application, at a time when the treated bees would have been replaced by new generations ([@bib16]). Following this observation, we revealed that bees are able to share RNA among individuals as well as generations, through secretion and ingestion of worker and royal jelly (RJ) ([@bib25]). On the basis of the presence of naturally occurring RNA populations in the jellies and the transmission of biologically active RNA between honeybees, we hypothesized that the jelly has evolved means to facilitate environmental transfer of RNA.
RJ is a larval food source, secreted by the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of young workers. Whereas worker larvae are fed on RJ only for the first 3 days of development, queens are nourished on RJ their entire lives. Therefore, this secretion plays a central role in honeybee caste differentiation. RJ is an acidic (pH 3.5--4.5) aqueous solution of proteins, sugars, lipids, vitamins, salts, free amino acids, and RNA ([@bib25], [@bib38]). Major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) represent about 90% of the total RJ protein content. Nine MRJPs are encoded by the *Apis mellifera* genome (MRJP-1 to MRJP-9), but their physiological functions are not well understood. MRJP-3 is a polymorphic protein that represents 10%--15% of the total RJ protein content ([@bib12]). The polymorphic MRJP-3 alleles vary in the number of repeat units within the tandem-repeat region (TRR) at the C terminus, and it is speculated that the basic TRR has been selected for an increase in nitrogen storage to enhance nutrition ([@bib1]). MRJP-3 expression is upregulated following bacterial infection ([@bib35]), and purified protein modulates mice immune responses *in vitro* and *in vivo* ([@bib31]).
Here we show that MRJP-3, an abundant jelly ingredient, is a secreted non-sequence-specific RNA-binding protein and that multivalent RNA binding mediates the transition of MRJP-3 into extracellular RNP (eRNP) granules that concentrate, stabilize, and enhance environmental RNA uptake.
Results {#sec2}
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RJ Proteins Bind RNA {#sec2.1}
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To investigate the role of RJ in RNA transmission, we fed beehives either on sucrose only or on sucrose mixed with labeled dsRNA (dsRNA^∗^). On day 5, queens were removed to initiate queen rearing and RJ secretion ([Figure 1](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}A). To exclude any possible contamination of the newly secreted RJ with the dsRNA^∗^ in the sucrose solution, we harvested RJ 4 days after the last dsRNA feed ([Figure S1](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}A). We then confirmed that RJ from dsRNA-fed hives contains full-length dsRNA^∗^ using RT-PCR ([Figure S1](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}B). Next, we asked how the dsRNA might be distributed in the RJ. We visualized the dsRNA^∗^ in RJ using immunohistochemistry and observed that the RNA was not distributed homogeneously in the jelly but rather concentrated in ∼0.5--10 μm granule structures ([Figure 1](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}B). We then asked if the non-dispersive RNA localization is due to association with a jelly factor. To test this, we performed electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) and found that RJ proteins bind dsRNA ([Figure 1](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}C). We observed a similar dsRNA-binding activity also in worker jelly (WJ) ([Figure S1](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}C). However, as the collection of WJ is challenging and because all bee larvae are fed on RJ for the first 3 days of life ([@bib42]), we focused on RJ for all subsequent experiments.Figure 1The Honeybee Jelly Harbors RNA-Binding Activity(A) Experimental design for RNA detection in RJ. Hives were fed with a 10% sucrose solution with or without the addition of Alexa Fluor-488-labeled dsRNA (dsRNA^∗^).(B) Immunohistochemistry-based detection of dsRNA^∗^ in RJ samples, which were reacted with Alexa Fluor-488 antibody. Scale bar represents 25 μm.(C) RJ proteins bind dsRNA. dsRNA-binding activity was tested using EMSA. Treatments included dsRNA mixed in RJ buffer, 10% RJ mixed with dsRNA, 10% RJ digested by Proteinase K (PK) and then mixed with dsRNA, 10% RJ mixed with dsRNA and then digested by PK, 10% RJ mixed with dsRNA and PK buffer, 27.3 μM purified BSA mixed with dsRNA, 10% RJ only, and 10% RJ only digested by PK. dsRNA (0.05 μM) was applied in all dsRNA-containing treatments.(D) Precipitation dynamics of dsRNA-protein complexes in RJ. Two percent RJ was mixed with increasing dsRNA concentrations.(E) MRJP-3 and its prion-like TRR. Amino acid sequence in bold: secretion signal peptide. Amino acid sequence highlighted in color: tandem repeats. Alignment of the tandem repeats, QN (in gray) and positively charged amino acids (in red).See also [Figure S1](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"} and [Table S1](#mmc2){ref-type="supplementary-material"}.
We detected RNA-binding activity in both raw and soluble RJ extracts (see [STAR Methods](#sec4){ref-type="sec"}; [Figure S1](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}D). Binding appeared to be specific to polymeric nucleic acids, as the negatively charged deoxynucleotides (dNTPs) or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotides (NADs) were not able to compete with dsRNA binding ([Figure S1](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}E). Next, we tested dsRNA binding in serial dilutions of raw and soluble RJ extracts. RJ showed detectable levels of RNA binding down to 1% dilution ([Figure S1](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}F). RJ concentration affected complex size ([Figure S1](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}F), suggesting a multivalent mode of RNA binding by jelly proteins. We noticed that the addition of RNA induces precipitation in RJ extracts. To validate the effect of RNA on RJ, we introduced increasing amounts of dsRNA to raw 2% RJ extracts. Interestingly, titrating dsRNA into raw RJ extracts triggered precipitation, which mostly dissolved back into solution at high dsRNA concentration ([Figure 1](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}D). Consistently, EMSA demonstrated that increasing RNA concentration results in decreased RNP size ([Figure S1](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}G). We conclude that multivalent RNA-binding jelly protein(s) form RNPs with the ability to aggregate; the protein/RNA ratio affects both RNP size and solubility, somewhat analogous to the phenomena of phase transition and polyclonal antibody-antigen precipitation dynamics ([@bib15], [@bib17]).
MRJP-3 Is the RNA-Binding Jelly Protein {#sec2.2}
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To identify RNA-binding proteins in RJ, we fractionated the jelly using fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) and screened the unbound and eluted fractions for dsRNA-binding activity by EMSA (see [STAR Methods](#sec4){ref-type="sec"}). By using cation exchange chromatography (68 screened fractions) followed by hydroxyapatite chromatography (82 screened fractions), we isolated a single protein with RNA-binding activity: MRJP-3. Because we also observed RNA-binding activity in WJ ([Figure S1](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}C), we tested and confirmed that MRJP-3 is indeed present in both jellies, using liquid chromatography followed by mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Twenty-eight unique peptides (overall 538 peptides) covering 70% of MRJP-3 were detected in RJ, and 27 unique peptides (overall 250 peptides) covering 63.3% of the protein were detected in WJ ([Table S1](#mmc2){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). MRJP-3 consists of three domains: an N-terminal secretion signal, an MRJP/protein-yellow domain, and a TRR ([Figure 1](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}E). A taxonomic tree for MRJP-3 suggests that although the MRJP/protein-yellow domain is widely conserved, the TRR emerged in the *Apis* genus and is associated with jelly-secreting bees only ([Figure 2](#fig2){ref-type="fig"}A).Figure 2MRJP-3 Is a Multivalent RNA-Binding Oligomer(A) Taxonomy tree analysis suggests that the MRJP-3 tandem-repeats region evolved in the genus *Apis* and is associated with jelly secretion.(B) Purified MRJP-3 binds dsRNA and ssRNA as demonstrated by EMSA. MRJP-3 was incubated with increasing concentrations of dsRNA or ssRNA. Additional controls: dsRNA and ssRNA only, MRJP-1 mixed with 43.1 nM dsRNA or 0.3 μM ssRNA, and MRJP-3 only. Protein (42.8 μM) was applied in all MRJP-3- or MRJP-1-containing treatments.(C) MRJP-3 efficiently binds ssRNA that is 18 nt and longer. Binding activity was tested using ssRNA substrates with different lengths and analyzed by EMSA. ssRNA (19.4 pmol) and proteins (42.8 μM) were applied in all ssRNA- and/or protein-containing treatments.(D) Binding curves of Alexa Fluor-488-labeled 22 nt ssRNA and dsRNA to MRJP-3 in RJ buffer conditions (left and right curves, respectively). Calculated and estimated equilibrium *K*~d~ values are shown as dashed lines.(E) The TRR of MRJP-3 is predicted to be intrinsically disordered by the PONDR VSL2 and IUPred algorithms.(F) The TRR of MRJP-3 is required for RNP formation. Proteins (13.6 μM) and ssRNA^∗^ (0.2 μM) were applied in all RNA- and/or protein-containing treatments. Scale bar represents 1 μm.See also [Figure S2](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}.
Purified MRJP-3 bound to both dsRNA and single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) ([Figure 2](#fig2){ref-type="fig"}B; [Figure S2](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}A). As observed in the jelly extracts, increasing quantity of RNA results in a gradual decrease in the size of the MRJP-3 RNP complex, again indicating multivalent MRJP-3:RNA binding ([Figure 2](#fig2){ref-type="fig"}B). Major royal jelly protein 1 (MRJP-1), which shares 80% amino acid sequence similarity with MRJP-3, assembles into an oligomeric form ([@bib39]) but lacks both the TRR and RNA-binding activity ([Figures S2](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}B and S2C; [Figure 2](#fig2){ref-type="fig"}B). Using gel filtration, we found that in the absence of RNA, purified MRJP-3 also assembles into a higher-order oligomeric form, composed of ∼20 monomer units ([Figure S2](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}D). We used microscale thermophoresis (MST) to confirm MRJP-3 self-assembly and showed that a defined oligomer size was obtained ([Figure S2](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}E). We introduced increasing concentrations of non-labeled MRJP-3 to fluorescently labeled monomer and observed elevation of the signal as the labeled protein bound to the concentration-dependent higher-order MRJP-3 oligomers. The signal stabilized at once the concentration of added MRJP-3 reached approximately 40 μM, confirming that the labeled MRJP-3 could not bind further to increasing concentrations of added protein (i.e., a stable oligomer was present). The MST analysis also showed that MRJP-3 self-association has an apparent *K*~d~ of 3.5 μM ([Figure S2](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}E). Finally, we estimated the MRJP-3 concentration in RJ to be ∼40 mg/mL (648 μM) ([Figure S2](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}F). We therefore conclude that MRJP-3 is a highly abundant RNA-binding oligomer in native RJ.
MRJP-3 binds ssRNA and dsRNA of different length and sequence, indicating a non-sequence-specific mode of binding ([Figure 2](#fig2){ref-type="fig"}B; [Figure S2](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}A). However, we tested whether nucleic acid length could be a limiting factor for binding and found that a minimal length of 18 nt was required for efficient MRJP-3 RNA binding ([Figure 2](#fig2){ref-type="fig"}C). We used MST to characterize the binding of MRJP-3 to ssRNA and dsRNA and found that introducing MRJP-3 to both RNA types results in multi-phasic binding curves ([Figure 2](#fig2){ref-type="fig"}D). Three discrete binding events were observed for ssRNA. By fitting these individual binding events, with the assumption that they were independent of one another, we obtained *K*~d~ values of 4 nM, 300 nM, and 25 μM for ssRNA. We observed two distinct binding events for dsRNA and identified *K*~d~ values of 11 nM and 150 nM. The tight interactions at low protein concentrations suggest that the MRJP-3 monomer has high affinity to both unstructured and duplexed RNA. The defined *K*~d~ values also indicate that MRJP-3 binds ssRNA and dsRNA in different self-associated states: before, during, and after the completion of oligomerization. Because the *K*~d~ for self-association was 3.5 μM and the MRJP-3 concentration in RJ is ∼26 times more than the highest *K*~d~ value measured with RNA, RNA is expected to be bound to the fully self-associated MRJP-3 oligomers in native conditions.
The repetitive unit of MRJP-3's TRR includes poly glutamine-asparagine amino acids ([Figure 1](#fig1){ref-type="fig"}E), which are characteristic of intrinsic disordered proteins and prion-like domains ([@bib14], [@bib29]). Intrinsic protein disorder analysis supports this feature of the TRR region ([Figure 2](#fig2){ref-type="fig"}E). The TRR is enriched also with positively charged amino acids such that whereas the full-length protein has a pI of 6.47, the TRR (UniProt: [Q17060](uniprotkb:Q17060){#intref0010}; aa 424--523) has a pI of 10.10, implying that this region is positively charged in the acidic RJ environment (pH 3.5--4.5). To test if the positively charged TRR plays a role in RNA binding, we produced recombinant MRJP-3 that lacks the TRR and demonstrated, using EMSA, that the prion-like TRR is required for the RNA-binding activity ([Figure S2](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}G).
MRJP-3 and RNA Form Dynamic RNP Granules {#sec2.3}
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Both jelly-purified and recombinant full-length MRJP-3, when mixed with RNA, formed a high--molecular weight RNP complex ([Figure 2](#fig2){ref-type="fig"}B; [Figures S2](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}A and S2G). To gain further insight into these RNP complexes, we imaged jelly-purified or full-length recombinant MRJP-3 mixed with labeled RNA and observed the formation of 0.1--4 μm RNP granules. The prion-like TRR, required for RNA binding, is also required for the formation of these RNP granules ([Figure 2](#fig2){ref-type="fig"}F). Both ssRNA and dsRNA mediated super-order assembly of the oligomeric MRJP-3 into large RNPs ([Figure S3](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}A). To determine whether the MRJP-3 RNP granules are dynamic, we first incubated MRJP-3 with labeled RNA and then introduced increasing quantities of non-labeled competitor RNA. We observed a gradual decrease in labeled RNP size, indicating that RNA is reversibly bound by MRJP-3 or that high RNA concentrations de-assemble the RNP granules by affecting the multivalent protein-RNA interactions ([Figure 3](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}A).Figure 3Multivalent RNA Binding Stimulates Super-order Assembly of Dynamic MRJP-3 RNPs and Isolation of RJ RNA Partners of MRJP-3(A) The multivalent interaction of MRJP-3 with RNA is reversible. MRJP-3-bound ssRNA^∗^ was introduced to increasing quantities of unlabeled ssRNA. ssRNA^∗^ (0.04 μM) and MRJP-3 (31.3 μM) were used in all ssRNA^∗^- and protein-containing treatments. Unlabeled DNA ladder served as labeling control.(B) MRJP-3 RNPs are affected by the protein/ssRNA mole ratio. Images of RNPs formed at various mole ratios of MRJP-3 and Alexa Fluor-488 labeled ssRNA (ssRNA^∗^). Scale bar represents 10 μm.(C) RNA mediates super-order assembly of MRJP-3 oligomers, resulting in RNP formation in soluble RJ fraction. RJ buffer or 4.28 μM Alexa Fluor-633 labeled MRJP-3 (MRJP-3^∗^) was introduced to 50% soluble RJ fraction. ssRNA (0.15 μM) or ssRNA^∗^ was used in RNA-containing treatments. Scale bar represents 2 μm.(D) MRJP-3 binds both endogenous (*Apis mellifera*) and exogenous (viral) RNA. Only viruses with a mapped fraction of at least 1% are shown. Points are individual biological replicates. Bars represent the mean across replicates. Horizontal lines indicate tests for significant enrichment of viral RNA over bee RNA in the MRJP-3 bound fraction, but not in RJ (^∗^p \< 0.05, two-sided t test).(E) MRJP-3 is not associated with specific honeybee RNA species. Plots show reads from RNA-seq mapping to *Apis mellifera*. Only RNA types with a mapped fraction of at least 1% are shown. "Other" represents reads mapped to unannotated regions. Points are individual biological replicates. Bars represent the mean across replicates.(F) Detection and size distribution of putative total and MRJP-3-bound RJ dsRNAs that are mapped to the *Apis mellifera* genome. dsRNA is detected when two distinct RNA molecules had at least 25 nt base pairs and the overhang on either side did not exceed 100 nt.(G) MRJP-3 binds diverse putative endogenous dsRNA and is associated with duplexed tRNA fragments. Only RNA types with a mapped fraction of at least 1% are shown.See also [Figure S3](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"} and [Tables S2](#mmc3){ref-type="supplementary-material"} and [S3](#mmc4){ref-type="supplementary-material"}.
EMSA revealed that different RNA/MRJP-3 ratios result in different binding patterns ([Figures 2](#fig2){ref-type="fig"}B and [3](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}A). To test directly whether the RNA/MRJP-3 ratio affects MRJP-3 RNP size, we mixed increasing quantities of labeled RNA with fixed MRJP-3 concentrations and imaged the resulting RNPs. Increasing the RNA/MRJP-3 ratio initially increased the RNP granules size until a point was reached after which the complexes started to decrease in size ([Figure 3](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}B), thus supporting a multivalent mode of RNA binding. To provide further evidence that RNA mediates super-order assembly of MRJP-3 oligomers into RNP granules, we used two colors to differentially label MRJP-3 (MRJP-3^∗^; red) and RNA (ssRNA^∗^; green) ([Figure S3](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}B). ssRNA^∗^ alone was homogeneously dispersed in buffer. However, green loci appeared when ssRNA^∗^ was mixed with MRJP-3, demonstrating RNA condensation and RNP formation. When ssRNA^∗^ was mixed with MRJP-3^∗^, green-red RNPs were formed and co-localized, demonstrating that RNA and MRJP-3 physically interact, and the presence of RNA leads to super-order assembly of MRJP-3 oligomers into RNP condensates. We then tested whether RNA triggers the formation of MRJP-3 RNP granules in RJ-like conditions ([Figure 3](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}C). When ssRNA^∗^ is mixed with soluble RJ fractions containing MRJP-3^∗^, red foci were formed and co-localized with the green RNA signal. Introducing non-labeled ssRNA resulted in the formation of red foci, demonstrating that the RNA itself, not the labeling fluor, mediated super-order assembly of MRJP-3 oligomers.
MRJP-3 Binds Naturally Occurring Jelly RNA {#sec2.4}
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To determine whether MRJP-3 binds naturally occurring RJ RNA, we incubated biotinylated MRJP-3 or biotinylated BSA in RJ, to pull down any associated RNA. MRJP-3 bound RNAs had similar bioanalyzer electropherogram profiles to total RJ RNA ([Figure S3](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}C), which is consistent with MRJP-3 binding RNA non-specifically. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed that MRJP-3 bound both endogenous (*Apis mellifera*) and exogenous (e.g., viral) RJ RNA ([Figure 3](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}D). MRJP-3 bound a higher proportion of Varroa destructor virus 1 (VDV-1) RNA than is present in total RJ RNA ([Figure 3](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}D). We observed full genome VDV-1 reads coverage, indicating that specific VDV-1 RNA fragments were not skewing the sequencing outcome ([Figure S3](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}D). MRJP-3 was not associated with specific honeybee RNAs and bound diverse protein- and non-coding RNAs ([Figure 3](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}E; [Table S2](#mmc3){ref-type="supplementary-material"}).
We previously demonstrated that bees transmit biologically active dsRNA, and diverse complementary viral RNA fragments occur in worker and royal jellies ([@bib25]). Consistently, MRJP-3 bound matching sense and antisense VDV-1 RNAs ([Figure S3](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}D) as well as honeybee pre-miRNA (microRNA) hairpins ([Figure 3](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}E). We screened for endogenous duplexed RNA and identified putative honeybee dsRNAs with a broad size distribution that somewhat vary between total and MRJP-3-bound RNA ([Figure 3](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}F). The majority of putative endogenous dsRNA derived from unannotated and protein-coding genes. However, MRJP-3 was associated with base-paired RNA fragments derived from tRNA genes ([Figure 3](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}G; [Table S3](#mmc4){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). As base-pairing within the tRNA molecule involves 4--7 nt, and our dsRNA detection require at least 25 base-pairing nucleotides ([Figure S3](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}E), the data suggest that MRJP-3 binds duplexed tRNA fragments that are derived from two distinct RNA molecules. Our sequence analysis indicates that MRJP-3 binds diverse ssRNA and dsRNA populations and may show some specificity for VDV-1 RNA.
MRJP-3 Enhances Environmental RNA Stability and Uptake {#sec2.5}
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Environmental RNA persistence requires RNA stabilization. MRJP-3 RNPs could potentially function to protect RJ RNA from factors such as nucleases. To test this, we mixed ssRNA with MRJP-3 or MRJP-1 and then introduced RNase-A. MRJP-3-bound RNA is protected from RNase-A degradation, whereas MRJP-1, which lacks the TRR domain, neither bound RNA nor protected it from degradation ([Figure 4](#fig4){ref-type="fig"}A). This experiment further demonstrated that the TRR is required for RNP assembly and that RNA binding facilitates nuclease protection. MRJP-3 binding also protects dsRNA from RNase-A degradation ([Figure S4](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}A). We imaged ssRNA-MRJP-3 RNPs in the presence or absence of RNase-A and did not observe substantial difference ([Figure 4](#fig4){ref-type="fig"}B). However, MRJP-3 binding does not prevent dsRNA processing by the Dicer-like RNase-III nuclease, suggesting that RNA within the MRJP-3 granules could be available for intracellular RNA-interacting factors ([Figures S4](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}B and S4C).Figure 4MRJP-3 RNP Granules Protect RNA From Degradation and Enhance RNA Bioavailability(A) MRJP-3-bound RNA is protected from RNase-A digestion. Treatments included ssRNA mixed with MRJP-3, ssRNA mixed with MRJP-3 followed by incubation with PK, ssRNA mixed with MRJP-3 and RNase-A, ssRNA mixed with MRJP-3 and RNase-A followed by incubation with PK, ssRNA mixed with MRJP-1, and ssRNA mixed with MRJP-1 and RNase-A. ssRNA (0.3 μM) and MRJP-3 or MRJP-1 (42.8 μM) were used in all ssRNA- and protein-containing treatments. RNase challenge was performed by introducing 5 μg RNase-A followed by 1 h incubation at room temperature.(B) RNase-A presence does not affect MRJP-3 RNPs. Images of RNPs formed with ssRNA^∗^ with or without RNase-A. ssRNA^∗^ (0.3 μM) and MRJP-3 or MRJP-1 (42.8 μM) were used in all ssRNA^∗^- and protein-containing treatments. RNase challenge was performed by introducing 5 μg RNase-A followed by 1--3 h incubation at room temperature. Scale bar represents 2 μm.(C) dsRNA-MRJP-3 RNPs enhance *unc-22* RNAi phenotype in *C. elegans*. Each treatment contained three biological repeats (n = 150 animals per treatment).(D) MRJP-3 RNPs enhances ingested dsRNA uptake in *C. elegans*. Animals were soaked in the presence of MRJP-3 RNPs formed with Alexa Fluor-647-labeled dsRNA-Fluc (dsRNA^∗∗^). Control groups included soaking animals with dsRNA^∗∗^ mixed with MRJP-1, dsRNA^∗∗^ mixed in RJ buffer, and MRJP-3 alone. dsRNA^∗∗^ (2.15 nM) and MRJP-3 or MRJP-1 (42.8 μM) were used in all dsRNA- and protein-containing treatments.(E) A working model describing the role of MRJP-3 in the transmissible RNA pathway in honeybees. Nurse bees secrete jelly-containing RNPs that comprise endogenous and exogenous (e.g., viral, fungi, bacteria, plant) RNAs. Bee larvae ingest environmental MRJP-3 RNPs through jelly consumption. The ingested RNA is taken up to the hemolymph, is systemically spread, and affects gene expression including an antiviral response.See also [Figure S4](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}.
In the absence of suitable genetics, we could not directly determine whether MRJP-3 enhances ingested RNA uptake in honeybees. Instead, we investigated MRJP-3 function in a heterologous *C. elegans* nematode system. *C. elegans* is susceptible to environmental RNAi through ingestion ([@bib40]), and its genome does not encode MRJP-3 ([Figure 2](#fig2){ref-type="fig"}A). In *C. elegans*, UNC-22 is required for normal muscle morphology and physiology, and RNAi targeting *unc-22* mRNA provides a quantitative uncoordinated (UNC) phenotype ([@bib11]). Therefore, we used *unc-22* RNAi system to test whether MRJP-3 affected environmental RNAi uptake in *C. elegans*. Animals fed on a bacterial diet supplemented with MRJP-3 bound to *unc-22* dsRNA (dsRNA-*unc-22*), dsRNA-*unc-22* alone, dsRNA-*unc-22* mixed with MRJP-1, or MRJP-3 bound to a control dsRNA (dsRNA-Fluc) ([Figure 4](#fig4){ref-type="fig"}C). Animals that were fed on MRJP-3-bound dsRNA-*unc-22* showed enhanced UNC phenotype compared with controls.
To test whether MRJP-3 protects dsRNA or also enhances dsRNA delivery in *C. elegans*, we designed an imaging experiment to detect dsRNA uptake shortly after ingestion. Animals were soaked for 2 h with labeled dsRNA alone, and in the presence of MRJP-3 or MRJP-1, followed by fixation and imaging ([Figure 4](#fig4){ref-type="fig"}D). Enhanced dsRNA uptake was observed in animals that ingested MRJP-3 RNPs. In *C. elegans*, dsRNA longer than 50 bp is taken up from the lumen into intestinal cells ([@bib27]). Thus, RNA degradation might hinder dsRNA uptake. To assess if MRJP-3's enhancement of RNAi might be due solely to dsRNA degradation in other treatments, we sampled soaking solutions prior to fixation and analyzed RNA integrity ([Figure S4](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}D). Although RNA was more stable when bound to MRJP-3, no substantial degradation occurred in any condition. We conclude that MRJP-3 RNPs actively enhances dsRNA uptake in *C. elegans*.
Discussion {#sec3}
==========
With the aim to uncover the mechanisms and factors that facilitate horizontal RNA transfer between honeybees, we have revealed a secreted RNA-aggregating jelly protein. MRJP-3 binds 18 nt and longer ssRNA and dsRNA in a non-sequence-specific manner. The protein is assembled into a higher order oligomeric form in an RNA-independent manner. Multivalent RNA binding drives super-order assembly of MRJP-3 oligomers into eRNP granules. These granules concentrate and stabilize RNA and enhance its uptake by ingestion. Thus, MRJP-3 is a dietary factor that likely mediates horizontal RNA flow among honeybees ([Figure 4](#fig4){ref-type="fig"}E).
We have shown previously that honeybees are able to share biologically active dsRNA among individuals and generations in the hive ([@bib25]). RNA transfer is mediated by secretion and consumption of jelly, which is highly enriched for MRJP-3. The transmission of RNA could drive social immunity against the Varroa mite ([@bib13]) and presumably against other pathogens such as viruses ([@bib25]). Consistently, sense and antisense viral RNA fragments represent a high proportion of the natural substrates of MRJP-3 ([Figure S3](#mmc1){ref-type="supplementary-material"}D). Furthermore, diverse putative dsRNAs, which are mapped to the honeybee genome, occur in worker and royal jellies and bound by MRJP-3 ([Figures 3](#fig3){ref-type="fig"}F and 3G; [@bib25]). Notably, MRJP-3 is associated with tRNA fragments, which have been shown to inhibit retrotransposons activity and regulate epigenetic inheritance of metabolic traits ([@bib8], [@bib36]). The multivalent interaction of MRJP-3 and its RNA substrates is somewhat analogous to the polyclonal antibody-antigen precipitation dynamics ([@bib15]). Thus, MRJP-3 might act as a factor that sponges environmental RNA reservoirs for downstream detection and processing by RNA receptors or effectors, such as Dicer. The presence of MRJP-3 in the hemolymph ([@bib7], [@bib34]), and the susceptibility of MRJP-3 RNPs to RNase-III digestion (in contrast to their RNase-A resistance), supports the involvement of MRJP-3 eRNPs in mediating ingested RNA bioavailability ([Figures 4](#fig4){ref-type="fig"}C and 4D). Further research is required to elucidate the mechanism of RNA uptake mediated by MRJP-3 eRNPs as well as its physiological roles at the individual and colony levels.
Assembly of membrane-less RNP organelles, such as stress granules and P bodies, involves liquid-liquid phase separation ([@bib17]). RNP compartments can be formed by another phase-transition mechanism, in which protein self-polymerization aggregates into an RNA-recruiting scaffold, as described for Xvelo in the Balbiani bodies ([@bib3]). Yet these forms of RNA-scaffolded multi-protein assembly have been identified only within cells. We suggest that macromolecular RNP assemblies may also occur outside the cell and the organism. Our data show that RNA interconnects MRJP-3 oligomers into an RNP condensate; hence, while self-polymerization could explain the formation of defined MRJP-3 oligomers, it does not exclusively drive the phase transition and formation of MRJP-3 eRNP granules.
Cellular RNP compartments are dynamic in size and content because of the continuous exchange of material with their surroundings ([@bib17]). MRJP-3 eRNPs are dynamic as well, and the RNA/MRJP-3 ratio affects their size, similar to other prion-like proteins that phase-separate upon RNA binding ([@bib22]). MRJP-3 binds a diverse RNA population in a non-sequence-specific manner. However, binding is constrained to RNAs that are 18 nt or longer. Therefore, MRJP-3 substrates include nucleic acids that differ in length and structure complexity, potentially affecting the eRNP granule properties. Inside cells, RNP organelles are thought to facilitate specific chemical and enzymatic reactions that are essential for cell viability. Here we demonstrated that MRJP-3 eRNP granules could function to shield RNA from hostile environmental factors and to enhance RNA uptake. We speculate that high-order eRNP assemblies play diverse roles within and outside the organism.
STAR★Methods {#sec4}
============
Key Resources Table {#sec4.1}
-------------------
REAGENT or RESOURCESOURCEIDENTIFIER**Antibodies**Rabbit polyclonal anti-Alexa Fluor-488Thermo Fisher ScientificCat\# A-11094; RRID: [AB_221544](nif-antibody:AB_221544){#intref0015}**Bacterial and Virus Strains***Escherichia coli* HB101 strain*Caenorhabditis* Genetics Center (CGC)HB101 strain*E. coli* HT115 (DE3) RNAi strain - empty vectorJulie Ahringer labN/A*E. coli* HT115 (DE3) RNAi strain - *unc-22* (*ZK617.1*)Julie Ahringer labN/A**Biological Samples**Commercial raw RJWell Bee-ing UK50 gr pure fresh royal jelly: <https://www.royaljellyinhoney.co.uk/buy-royal-jelly.html>**Chemicals, Peptides, and Recombinant Proteins**Recombinant full-length MRJP-3This paperN/ARecombinant truncated MRJP-3This paperN/A**Deposited Data**Raw RNA-seq dataThis paperArrayExpress: [E-MTAB-6732](array-express:E-MTAB-6732){#interref185}Raw imaging dataThis paperMendeley Data: [https://doi.org/10.17632/5w7rbd8452.1](10.17632/5w7rbd8452.1){#interref0010}**Experimental Models: Cell Lines**Sf9 (insect; *Spodoptera frugiperda*)AATCATCC Cat\# CRL-1711; RRID: CVCL_0549**Experimental Models: Organisms/Strains***Caenorhabditis elegans* wild type strain*Caenorhabditis* Genetics Center (CGC)Wild type strain N2 (var Bristol)**Oligonucleotides**List and sequences of RNA oligos [Table S4](#mmc5){ref-type="supplementary-material"}A)This paperN/AList and sequences of primers ([Table S4](#mmc5){ref-type="supplementary-material"}B)This paperN/A**Recombinant DNA**Baculovirus expression vector pVL1393Expression SystemsCat\# 91-013**Software and Algorithms**RNA-seq analysis scriptsThis paper[https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1542860](10.5281/zenodo.1542860){#intref0025}GNU R 3.4.4[@bib33]<https://www.r-project.org/>STAR 5.2.5b[@bib9]<https://github.com/alexdobin/STAR>samtools[@bib19]<https://github.com/samtools>cutadapt 1.11[@bib26]<https://cutadapt.readthedocs.io/en/stable/installation.html>bedtools 2.27.1[@bib32]<https://github.com/arq5x/bedtools2/releases/tag/v2.27.1>Subread featureCounts 1.5.0-p2[@bib20]<http://subread.sourceforge.net/>goseq 1.28[@bib43]<https://bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/goseq.html>**Other**Labeled ribonucleotide Alexa Fluor 488-5-UTPThermo Fisher ScientificCat\# [C11403](ncbi-n:C11403){#intref0065}EnvisionTM Flex kit systemAgilentCat\# K802421-2MEGAscript T7 Transcription KitThermo Fisher ScientificCat\# AM1334Ulysis Alexa Fluor 488/647 Nucleic Acid Labeling KitsThermo Fisher ScientificCat\# U21650Cat\# U21660TruSeq Stranded Total RNA Library Prep kitIlluminaCat\# 20020596ULTRA BEE pollen substituteManLakeFD-374
Contact for Reagent and Resource Sharing {#sec4.2}
----------------------------------------
Further information and requests for resources and reagents should be directed to the lead contacts, Eyal Maori (<eyalmm@gmail.com>) and Eric Miska (<eam29@cam.ac.uk>).
Experimental Model and Subject Details {#sec4.3}
--------------------------------------
### Reproductive hive system {#sec4.3.1}
Caged fertile queen bees, together with approximately 1000 worker bees, were placed in standard 5-frame wooden nuc box with separate bottom board. The hives were sealed for three days in which the combs were constructed and queen-workers recognition had been established. During the first three days, the bees were fed on a mixture of 33% honey and 67% sucrose powder (candy). Next, the hives were transferred into two net-houses separating between dsRNA treated, and untreated hives. The bees were free to fly within the net-houses and to forage for water from buckets. The first 14 days were an adaptation period, during which the colonies were fed on demand with candy, and pollen supplement patties (10 g each) which were placed on top of the combs and replaced once a week. An established colony was determined by at least two constructed combs and egg-laying activity of the queen; only these hives were included in the experiment. During the experiments, established colonies (two per treatment) were fed on pollen supplement patties (10 g each), and had an unlimited water supply.
### Nematode culture {#sec4.3.2}
*C. elegans* Bristol N2 strain was grown and maintained as previously described ([@bib4]). The nematodes were kept at 20°C, unless otherwise indicated. HB101 strain *E. coli* was used as a food source. For maintenance, animals were kept in nematode growth media (NGM) agar plates and transferred using a platinum wire under a dissecting microscope (Leica M50). Alternatively, pieces of one plate were chunked and placed facing down on a new plate.
Method Details {#sec4.4}
--------------
### Detection of Alexa Fluor-488 labeled dsRNA in royal jelly {#sec4.4.1}
50 mL 10% (v/w) sucrose solutions with or without Alexa Fluor-488 labeled dsRNA (dsRNA^∗^, 4 ng/*μ*l final concentration) were provided on days: 1, 2, 4 and 5 (two hives per treatment). On day-5, queens were removed to initiate queen rearing and RJ secretion. On day-9, 3^rd^-4^th^ instar larvae were carefully removed from queen brood cells with a fine paintbrush, and the larvae were checked to be intact without any physical damage. RJ was harvested from such queen brood cells and samples from each hive were pooled and stored at −80°C.
### Immunohistochemistry {#sec4.4.2}
RJ samples were transferred into a cryomold followed by a frozen section media treatment (Leica, FSC, 22 clear). 10μM sections were cut by a cryostat (Leica, CM1900), put on slides and left at room temperature to dry. Slides were fixed for 15 min in 4% PFA (in PBS) and washed twice for 5min with 1xPBS. Immunostaining was performed by the Dako Autostainer Link 48 with the Envision Flex kit system (Dako) according to the manufacturer's instructions using 1:250 diluted Alexa Fluor-488 antibody (Thermo Fisher, Cat. A-11094). More specifically, sections were incubated for 10 min with peroxidase-blocking reagent, 60 min with 1:250 diluted primary polyclonal rabbit anti-Alexa Fluor-488, 30 min with the EnVision FLEX/HRP Detection Reagent, 5 min with EnVision FLEX DAB+ Chromogen/EnVision FLEX Substrate Buffer mix, and 5 min with EnVision FLEX Hematoxylin. The slides were then dehydrated (3 min in 70% ethanol, 3 min in 95% ethanol and 3 min in 100% ethanol) followed by 2 times 5 min wash in xylene and then mounted.
### Royal and worker jelly samples {#sec4.4.3}
Royal and worker jellies, which were directly applied in experiments (raw or soluble fraction), were produced in collaboration with Springwell Apiaries, UK. RJ was harvested from brood cells containing 3^rd^-5^th^ instar queen larvae. Worker jelly was collected from brood cells with 4^th^-5^th^ instar worker larvae by washing cells with nuclease-free water to resuspend the low jelly quantity available. Prior to jelly harvest, larvae were carefully removed and checked for any physical damage. Commercial RJ was sourced from Well Bee-ing UK and was used for MRJP-3 isolation.
### dsRNA and ssRNA synthesis {#sec4.4.4}
dsRNA and ssRNA that are longer than 50 nt were synthesized by *in vitro* transcription using Megascript kit (Ambion) according to the manufacturer's instructions including DNase-I treatment. Transcription DNA templates, carrying a single (for ssRNA synthesis) or double opposite T7 promoters (for dsRNA synthesis), were generated by PCR or gene synthesis. HPLC-purified RNA oligos (up to 50 nt) were ordered from Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT). List of nucleic acid sequences, their corresponding NCBI accession number and source is shared in [Table S4](#mmc5){ref-type="supplementary-material"}.
### RNA labeling {#sec4.4.5}
Long ssRNA/dsRNA (\> 50 nt) was labeled by *in vitro* transcription reaction using Alexa Fluor-488 labeled UTP (Thermo Scientific). 2 *μ*l of 1mM labeled UTP was added to a standard 20 *μ*l *in vitro* transcription reaction of the Megascript kit (Ambion). Ulysis kit (Thermo Scientific) was used according to the manufacturer's instructions to label RNA oligos (50 nt and shorter) with Alexa Fluor-488 as well as the Alexa Fluor-647 labeled dsRNA.
### Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assays (EMSA) {#sec4.4.6}
Due to the large size of RNA-MRJP-3 complexes, non-denaturing agarose gel was used for the EMSA assays. Prior to the electrophoresis, RNA and protein samples (purified protein or dialysed eluted fraction) were mixed and incubated at room temperature for 0.5-3 hours, and then mixed with 1x loading buffer (Thermo Fisher Scientific, catalog no. R0611). Samples were loaded in Ethidium Bromide containing 0.8% non-denaturing agarose gel and run in 1xTAE buffer for 45 min in 150 mA.
### Extraction of soluble fraction of RJ {#sec4.4.7}
Soluble RJ fraction was prepared by diluting raw RJ with "RJ buffer" (v/v) that was formulated based on RJ ash content ([@bib38]): 77 mM KCl / 10 mM MgCl2 / 44 mM NaCl / 2.5 mM CaCl2 / 30 mM Acetate pH 4.0. The diluted RJ was then centrifuged at 16 K r*cf.* for 10 min at room temperature and the aqueous fraction was collected. The centrifugation and aqueous fraction separation were performed three additional times until a pure soluble fraction was extracted.
### RNA extraction from royal jelly {#sec4.4.8}
1 mL of 25% (v/v) RJ was split into 2 equal aliquots. RNA was purified separately from each aliquot by phenol/chloroform/isoamyl alcohol extraction and pooled together.
### RT-PCR {#sec4.4.9}
Two-step primer-specific RT-PCR was performed by following standard SuperScript-III (invitrogen) and KAPA HiFi Hotstart ready mix PCR (Kapa Biosystems) protocols. Reverse transcription was performed by applying 0.5 ng total RJ RNA template, two dsRNA-specific primers (0.25 μM final concentration for each primer; sequences are detailed in [Table S4](#mmc5){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). Same primers and 1 μl cDNA were applied in the PCR.
### Protein disorder prediction {#sec4.4.10}
Intrinsic disorder in MRJP-3 (UniProt ID [Q17060](uniprotkb:Q17060){#intref0080}) was predicted by PONDR VSL2 (<http://www.pondr.com/>) and IUPred (<http://iupred.enzim.hu/>), which apply different approaches for disorder prediction ([@bib18]). The default cutoff value of 0.5 was used in both algorithms.
### Taxonomic tree {#sec4.4.11}
MRJP-3 amino acid sequence (UniProt ID [Q17060](uniprotkb:Q17060){#intref0095}) was blasted against the available non-redundant protein sequence database (nr). The outcome was analyzed for the presence of the yellow-related protein and TRR (amino acids 1-419 and 424-523 respectively). Next, the NCBI taxonomy database was applied to generate a common tree ([@bib10]).
### Isolation of proteins from royal jelly {#sec4.4.12}
MRJP-3 and MRJP-1 were isolated by FPLC using ion exchange chromatography followed by hydroxyapatite chromatography.
#### RJ sample preparation {#sec4.4.12.1}
50 mL 10% soluble RJ was prepared and dialyzed overnight in MES binding buffer (25 mM MES, 0.15 M, pH 6.0), centrifuged at 16,000 r*cf.* and passed through a 0.22 μM filter.
#### MRJP-3 purification {#sec4.4.12.2}
MRJP-3 was purified using cation exchange FPLC. The RJ sample was loaded onto a Source 15S column (10 × 98 mm; GE Healthcare, cat. 17094401 or 28406415), equilibrated with MES binding buffer (2 mL per min) followed by a 6-column volume wash with MES binding buffer. Elution was performed with a linear 38 column volume salt gradient, from 25 mM MES pH 6.0 / 0.15M NaCl (Buffer-A) to 25 mM MES pH 6.0 / 1.0 M NaCl (Buffer-B). The cation exchange included overall 10 unbound and 58 eluted fractions. 20 fractions (approximately 5 mL per fraction) were collected over the first third of the elution gradient and their protein concentration was measured by Nanodrop spectrophotometer. MRJP-3 eluted over the first 25% gradient. Fractions containing the protein peak were run on 4%--12% gradient SDS-PAGE gel and those with the most concentrated and pure MRJP-3 were pooled and dialyzed into CHAP binding buffer (5 mM phosphate pH6.8 / 0.15 M NaCl). MRJP-3 was further purified on a Ceramic Hydroxyaptatite (CHAP) column (10 × 108 mm, CHAP Type I Tricorn 10/100 column; Bio-Rad cat. 157-0020, GE healthcare cat. 28406415). MRJP-3 sample was passed through the column (2 mL per min) followed by washing with 6 column volumes of CHAP buffer. Elution was performed with a linear 25 column volume gradient, from 5 mM phosphate pH 6.8 / 0.15 M NaCl (Buffer-C) to 500 mM phosphate pH 6.8 / 0.15 M NaCl (Buffer-D). The hydroxyaptatite chromatography included overall 12 unbound and 70 eluted fractions. MRJP-3 eluted over the first 30% gradient and 20 fractions (approximately 3 mL per fraction) were collected. Fractions with the most concentrated and pure MRJP-3 (at least 95% purity; determined by protein gel electrophoresis on 4%--12% gradient SDS-PAGE) were pooled and dialysed into RJ Buffer. MRJP-3 concentration was determined by absorbance at 280 nm value using a 1 mg/ml/cm extinction coefficient of 0.8.
#### MRJP-1 purification {#sec4.4.12.3}
Starting material was unbound protein in the run-through from the Source 15S column (in MES binding buffer) under the conditions for purifying MRJP-3. MRJP-1 was purified using anion exchange FPLC performed on Source 15Q Tricorn 10/100 column (10 × 98 mm; GE healthcare, cat. 17094720 or 28406415). The unbound protein sample was passed through the column (2 mL per min) followed by washing with 6 column volumes of MES buffer. Elution was performed with a linear 35-column volume gradient, from Buffer-A to Buffer-B. The anion exchange included overall 12 unbound and 54 eluted fractions. 30 fractions (approximately 5 mL per fraction) were collected over the first half of the elution gradient. Fractions containing the protein peak were run on 4%--12% gradient SDS-PAGE gel and those with the most concentrated and pure MRJP-1 were pooled and dialyzed into CHAP binding buffer. MRJP-1 was further purified on a CHAP column (10 × 108 mm, CHAP Type I Tricorn 10/100 column; Bio-Rad cat. 157-0020, GE healthcare cat. 28406415). The MRJP-1 sample was passed through the column (2 mL per min) followed by washing with 6 column volumes of CHAP buffer. Elution was performed with a linear 25-column volume gradient, from Buffer-C to Buffer-D. The hydroxyaptatite chromatography included overall 9 unbound and 53 eluted fractions. 20 fractions (approximately 4 mL per fraction) were collected over the first 40% of the elution gradient and MRJP-1 eluted over the first 30% gradient. Fractions with the most concentrated and pure MRJP-1 (at least 95% purity; determined by protein gel electrophoresis on gradient 4%--12% SDS-PAGE) were pooled and dialysed into RJ Buffer. MRJP-1 concentration was determined by absorbance at 280 nm value using a 1 mg/ml/cm extinction coefficient of 1.2. MRJP-1 and MRJP-3 aliquots were stored in −80 ^0^c and purified protein identities were validated by a MALDI/MS peptide mass fingerprinting, performed by the Cambridge Centre for Proteomics.
### Recombinant MRJP-3 expression and purification {#sec4.4.13}
Recombinant MRJP-3 expression was serviced from the Israel Structural Proteomics Centre, Weizmann Institute. Full-length MRJP-3 (1-544) and truncated MRJP-3 (1-424) were cloned into baculovirus expression vector pVL1393. T7-epitope and three amino-acid (aa) linker (SAG) followed by 6xHis were introduced into the gene following the authentic secretion signal (aa 1-20). Each expression vector construct was co-transfected with the ProGreen green fluorescent protein (GFP) linearized baculovirus DNA (AB vector) into Sf9 insect cells. Viruses were produced for each construct, and were used to infect Sf9 cells for protein expression. Infection efficiency was monitored by GFP fluorescence of infected cells. Cells were grown in ESF921 protein-free culture medium (Expression Systems). Three days post-infection, medium containing the secreted protein was collected concentrated and dialyzed against 50 mM Tris 8.0 / 100 mM NaCl. Protein was purified on HisTrap_FF_crude_5 mL column (GE Healthcare) followed by desalting column to exchange the buffer of the eluted protein. The protein was further purified by anion exchange at pH 8.0 on Tricorn Q 10/100 GL column (GE Healthcare) and eluted at 75 mM salt. The fractions containing the eluted protein were dialyzed against RJ buffer.
### Microscale thermophoresis {#sec4.4.14}
The binding affinities were measured using the Monolith NT.115 (NanoTemper Technologies, GmbH). Both single- and double-stranded 22 nt RNA were fluorescently labeled with Alexa Fluor-488 using the Ulysis kit (Thermo Scientific) according to the manufacturer's protocol. Labeling efficiency was determined to be 1:1 (RNA to dye) by measuring the absorbance at 260 and 488 nm. A 16 step dilution series of the unlabeled MRJP-3 was prepared and mixed with the labeled RNA at 1:1 ratio and loaded into capillaries. Measurements were performed at 25°C in RJ buffer containing 0.01% Tween 20. Data analyses were performed using Nanotemper Analysis software, v.1.2.101 and were plotted using Origin 7.0. All measurements were conducted as triplicates and the errors were presented as the standard error of the triplicates.
### Size exclusion chromatography {#sec4.4.15}
MRJP-3 was concentrated to 100 μM and the concentrated MRJP-3 was injected onto a 16/100 Superdex 200 size exclusion column (GE Healthcare, Piscataway, NJ). Protein was eluted at 0.5 ml/min in RJ buffer. The oligomer formation was judged by the appearance of a peak with an earlier retention time. The size exclusion column was calibrated with Thyroglobulin (669 kDa), Ferritin (440 kDa), Aldolase (158 kDa), Conalbumin (75 kDa), Ovalbumin (43 kDa), Carbonic anhydrase (29 kDa), Ribonuclease (137 kDa) and Aprotinin (6.5 kDa). Data analyses were performed using Unicorn 7.0 and were plotted using Origin 7.0.
### Microscopy {#sec4.4.16}
Confocal imaging was performed using an inverted Olympus FV1000 microscope equipped with the FLUOVIEW 4.2 software. Nucleoprotein images were acquired using a 60 × UPlanSApo/1.35 oil objective with 1-2x magnification. *C. elegans* images were acquired using a UPlanSApo 20x objective with 2x magnification. Imaging settings (laser power and exposure) were set so that negative control images did not show signal. The same microscope settings were then used for all treatments. Sample mounting was not applied prior to imaging.
### Super-resolution imaging {#sec4.4.17}
Super-resolution SIM (structured illumination microscopy) images were acquired using a Deltavision OMX 3D-SIM System V3 BLAZE from Applied Precision (GE Healthcare) equipped with 3 sCMOS cameras, 405, 488, 592.5 nm diode laser illumination, an Olympus Plan Apo N 60x 1.42NA oil objective, and standard excitation and emission filter sets. Imaging of each channel was done sequentially using three angles and five phase shifts of the illumination pattern. The refractive index of the immersion oil (Cargille) was adjusted to 1.513 to minimize spherical aberrations. Sections were acquired at 0.125 μm z steps. Raw OMX data were reconstructed in SoftWoRx software version 6.5.2 (Applied Precision, GE Healthcare). Reconstructions were carried out using channel specific Optical Transfer Functions (OTFs) and a Wiener filter of 0.002. OTFs were generated within the SoftWoRx software by imaging 100 nm beads (Life Technologies) using appropriate immersion oils to match the data. For figures, reconstructed data were further processed in FIJI software (open source) to remove negative values created by the reconstruction algorithm. Sample mounting was not applied prior to imaging.
### Protein biotinylation {#sec4.4.18}
11.8 nmol MRJP-3 and BSA were dialysed in 1xPBS. EZ-Link NHS-PEG~4~-Biotin (Thermo Scientific; catalog no. 21329) was used to biotinylate the proteins as follows; 170 μl nuclease-free water was added to the EZ-Link NHS-PEG~4~-Biotin ('biotin') powder aliquot and mixed gently. 3 μl of biotin solution was added per 500 μl MRPP-3 or BSA solution, mixed well and incubated at room temperature for 30 min. Biotinylated proteins were then dialyzed in 1xPBS with Slide-A-lyzer MINI dialysis units 7 KDa (Thermo Scientific) for 2 hours followed by buffer change and additional dialysis for 4 hours.
### RJ RNA pull down {#sec4.4.19}
1 mL raw RJ was diluted with 1.5 mL nuclease-free water and split into two aliquots (1.25 mL per tube). 500 μl of biotinylated protein (MRJP-3 or BSA) was added to each RJ aliquot and rotated overnight at 4 ^0^c. Next, the RJ pH was adjusted to 5.0-5.5 by adding 0.23 mL of 500 mM Tris pH 8.8. Each RJ-biotinylated protein mixture was then split into two tubes containing 0.4 mL pre-washed Pierce Streptavidin magnetic beads (Thermo Scientific; catalog no. 88816) and rotated at room temperature for 3 hours. Beads were then placed in magnetic stands for 10 min followed by removal of the RJ solutions. Next, beads were washed with 0.5 mL 1xPBS for 10 min at room temperature. After three wash steps, 0.35 mL 1xPBS was added to each beads tube, followed by Phenol/Chloroform/Isoamyl alcohol RNA extraction.
### *C. elegans* soaking {#sec4.4.20}
Animals were grown until young adult stage and washed twice in M9 medium. The animals were then transferred into 10 μl treatment solutions placed on a paraffin film, which was sealed within an empty NGM plate and incubated for 2 hours at room temperature. Next, the animals were individually picked and washed three times in M9 medium before fixation in 4% formaldehyde with PBS for 30 min. The animals were then mounted in 1xPBS for imaging.
### *C. elegans* unc-22 RNAi {#sec4.4.21}
HT115 empty vector and dsRNA-*unc-22* (ZK617.1) expressing RNAi bacterial feeding clones were kindly received from J. Ahringer's laboratory, Cambridge University. Bacteria were grown in LB- Ampicillin for 16 hours. The dsRNA-*unc-22* expressing bacteria (positive control for *unc-22* RNAi phenotype) were seeded onto 50 mm NGM agar plates containing 1 mM IPTG and 25 g/ml Carbenicillin at a volume of 50 μl bacterial culture per plate and left to dry for 48 hours. Empty vector bacteria were seeded similarly, but in the absence of IPTG. For *unc-22* dsRNA uptake assays, on day-1, 100 μl of treatment solutions were placed on the center of the empty vector bacterial loan and left to dry for 10 min. Next, 50 L1s synchronized by starvation arrest were spotted onto each plate in a drop of M9. On day-2, second 100 μl of treatment solutions were applied. On day-4, twitcher phenotype was scored at the adult stage. Each treatment had three biological repeats. 5.4 pmol (0.05 μM) dsRNA and 4 nmol (39.7 μM) MRJP-3 or 5 nmol (49.9 μM) MRJP-1 were applied in all dsRNA- and protein-containing treatments in RJ buffer.
### Mass spectrometry of royal and worker jelly samples {#sec4.4.22}
10% soluble RJ and WJ were dialyzed overnight in 1xPBS buffer, centrifuged at 16 K r*cf.* and passed through a 0.22 μM filter. Jellies proteins were identified by LC-MS/MS applied directly on the RJ and WJ solutions (serviced from Cambridge Centre for Proteomics)
### RNA library preparation and sequencing {#sec4.4.23}
Total RJ RNA or pulled-down MRJP-3 bound RNA was first subjected to Tobacco Acid Pyrophosphatase (Cap-Clip enzyme, CellScript) and Polynucleotide kinase (T4 PNK, New England Biolabs) treatments according to the manufacturers' instructions. Total stranded RNA library preparations were performed using the TrueSeq stranded total RNA sample preparation kit (Illumina) according to manufacturer's instructions omitting the rRNA removal and fragmentation steps since input RNA was of low molecular weight and did not contain obvious rRNA contaminants. In brief, total RJ RNA (ca. 20 ng) or 25% of MRJP-3-bound purified RNA was diluted to 8.5 μl total volume in Elution buffer. After addition of 8.5 μl Elute/Prime/Fragment High Mix (containing the Reverse Transcription primers), RNA was denatured at 65°C for 5 minutes followed by rapid cooling on ice. All subsequent steps were performed following the manufacturer's protocol with the following modification: PCR amplification of the MRJP-3 bound input cDNA samples was by using 20 cycles in total. All libraries were quantified by standard dsDNA High Sensitivity Qubit assay (Invitrogen) and sizing of libraries was controlled by running 1 μl sample each on a D1000 screen tape using a Tapestation 2200 system (Agilent). Sequencing was performed by a Hiseq 1500 (Illumina, USA) instrument using a 100 bp paired-end read run.
Quantification and Statistical Analysis {#sec4.5}
---------------------------------------
### RNA-seq analysis {#sec4.5.1}
Samples included three total RJ RNA libraries (RJ_1 → RJ-11-9; RJ_2 → RJ-12-22; RJ_3 → RJ-14-3) and two MRJP-3 bound RJ RNA libraries (MRJP-3_1 → MJ3-13-11; MRJP-3_2 → MJ3-8-8). RNA-seq reads were adaptor trimmed using cutadapt v1.11 to a minimum length of 10 nt ([@bib26]). Trimmed reads were mapped to a combined reference of *Apis mellifera* (GCA_000002195.1) and known honeybee viruses using STAR v2.5.2b ([@bib9]) with parameters \--outFilterMismatchNoverLmax 0.15 \--outFilterMultimapNmax 10. Honeybee viruses included Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV; accession number [NC_009025.1](ncbi-n:NC_009025.1){#intref0100}), Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV; accession number [NC_002548.1](ncbi-n:NC_002548.1){#intref0105}), Kashmir Bee Virus (KBV; accession number [NC_004807.1](ncbi-n:NC_004807.1){#intref0110}), Deformed Wing Virus (DWV; accession number [NC_004830.2](ncbi-n:NC_004830.2){#intref0115}), Varroa Destructor Virus 1 (VDV-1; accession number [NC_006494.1](ncbi-n:NC_006494.1){#intref0120}), Black Queen Cell Virus (BQCV; accession number [NC_003784.1](ncbi-n:NC_003784.1){#intref0125}), Sacbrood Virus (SBV; accession number [NC_002066.1](ncbi-n:NC_002066.1){#intref0130}), Chronic Paralysis Virus (CPV, RNA-1; accession number [NC_010711.1](ncbi-n:NC_010711.1){#intref0135}), Chronic Paralysis Virus (CPV, RNA-2; accession number [NC_010712.1](ncbi-n:NC_010712.1){#intref0140}), Bee Macula-like virus (BeeMLV; accession number [NC_027631.1](ncbi-n:NC_027631.1){#intref0145}), Slow Bee Paralysis Virus (SBPV; accession number [NC_014137.1](ncbi-n:NC_014137.1){#intref0150}), Lake sinai virus strain-1 (LSV-1; accession number [KM886905.1](ncbi-n:KM886905.1){#intref0155}) and Lake sinai virus strain-2 (LSV-2; accession number [HQ888865.2](ncbi-n:HQ888865.2){#intref0160}). Gene expression was quantified using featureCounts v1.5.0-p2 from Subread ([@bib20]) on gene level. For plotting, counts were summed over each species and, in bees, RNA biotype. To compare counts across biological samples, library size factors were calculated as the fraction of each sample's total mapped read count divided by the mean sample read count. Afterward, each sample's counts were normalized by dividing by the sample library size factor. Finally, we tested whether read counts between *A. mellifera* and *Varroa destructor virus-1* were significantly different, both for the total royal jelly fraction and the MRJP-3 fraction, using a two-sided Welch two-sample t test.
### Viral coverage {#sec4.5.2}
RNA-seq coverage of the *Varroa Destructor Virus-1* was computed strand-specifically using bedtools genomecov 2.27.1 ([@bib32]). Coverage was plotted on a log scale by performing the transformation log~10~(*x*+1) on counts *x* (and flipping the axis for the antisense strand).
### GO analysis {#sec4.5.3}
For GO analysis, genes were considered as expressed if they had a read count after RNA-seq mapping and quantification of at least 2. We considered only GO terms with at least 5 annotated genes; GO terms were downloaded from Ensembl Metazoa Biomart. A null distribution was calculated from expressed genes using the gene lengths (as the mean length of a gene's transcripts) as a bias term (via goseq 1.28 ([@bib43])). GO terms were called overrepresented when their Wallenius hypergeometric test p value was \< 0.05.
### MicroRNA screen {#sec4.5.4}
To discover unannotated microRNAs, reads that mapped to the *A. mellifera* genome were re-mapped against the "hairpin.fa" pre-miRNA reference from miRBase, release 21 as single-end reads, using STAR with parameters \--outFilterMismatchNoverLmax 0.15 \--outFilterMismatchNmax 1 \--alignIntronMax 1 \--scoreDelOpen -10000 \--scoreInsOpen -10000 \--outFilterMultimapNmax 100.
### Double-stranded honeybee RNA screen {#sec4.5.5}
Reads that mapped to the *Apis mellifera* genome were analyzed for the occurrence of putative honeybee dsRNA. Long RNA-seq data were split into first and last read of each fragment. Subsequently, we tested for pairwise overlaps of reads on the forward and reverse strand via bedtools intersect 2.27.1 ([@bib32]), where the overlap was at least 25 nt, and the overhang on either side did not exceed 100 nt. We quantified the count of dsRNA candidates falling on each annotated gene (normalized by their library size as described in DESeq ([@bib2])). We further classified unique dsRNA candidates (characterized here by unique start and end coordinates) by noting their length distribution as well as classifying the gene annotation of their loci.
Data and Software Availability {#sec4.6}
------------------------------
The RNA-seq data have been deposited in the ArrayExpress database at EMBL-EBI under accession number E-MTAB-6732. All in-house scripts have been deposited in Github and can be downloaded: <https://github.com/klmr/royal-jelly> ([https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1542860](10.5281/zenodo.1542860){#intref0170}). Other Software used in this work are all publicly available, with the links to them in the above tables. The raw imaging data, including images of gels and blots, have been deposited in Mendeley Data and can be accessed: <https://doi.org/10.17632/5w7rbd8452.1>. All the rest of the data are available in the manuscript or the supplementary materials.
Supplemental Information {#app2}
========================
Document S1. Figures S1--S4Table S1. Mass Spectrometry of Soluble Royal and Worker Jellies, Related to Figure 1A Summary of MRJP-3 peptides detected in RJ and WJ by LC-MS/MS.Table S2. GO Analysis of Total and MRJP-3-Bound RJ mRNA, Related to Figure 3A list of GO terms and categories of total- and MRJP-3 bound jelly RNA samples.Table S3. Annotated Putative Honeybee dsRNA in RJ, Related to Figure 3Annotated honeybee genes and their corresponding mapped dsRNA countsTable S4. List of Nucleic Acids, Related to STAR MethodsInformation of nucleic acids used in this study.Document S2. Article plus Supplemental Information
We thank John Rayner (Springwell Apiaries) for providing bee and jelly samples. We thank the Heeney and Miska groups (Cambridge University) for their input on the study; Peter Lachmann, Laurence Tiley, and Shahar Avin (Cambridge University) for inspiring discussions and advice; and Nicola Lawrence and Richard Butler (Imaging Facility, Gurdon Institute) for their support on the imaging. This work was supported by Cancer Research UK (C13474/A18583 and C6946/A14492) and the Wellcome Trust (104640/Z/14/Z and 092096/Z/10/Z) to K.L.M.R, A.S., and E.A.M.; Cancer Research UK (C57233/A22356) to C.-C.L. and J.E.L.; Science without Borders doctorate scholarship (205589/2014-6; CNPq, Brazilian Federal Government) to I.C.N.; a Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship for Career Development (PIEF-GA-2010-274406); and a Leo Baeck Scholarship and Herchel Smith Postdoctoral Fellowship (XXACC_AFGLTRB2) to E.M.
Author Contributions {#sec5}
====================
E.M. conceptualized and supervised the study. E.M., J.L.H., and E.A.M. designed the experiments. E.M. performed the biochemistry and imaging experiments. H.B. and J.D.E. performed the beehive experiments. D.J.S. and E.M. purified native MRJP-3 and MRJP-1. I.C.N. and E.M. performed the *C. elegans* experiments. A.S. and K.L.M.R. generated the RNA-seq libraries and analyzed the sequencing data. C.-C.L. performed the MST and gel filtration experiments. E.M., J.E.L., J.L.H., and E.A.M. analyzed the experiments. E.M. and E.A.M. wrote the paper with input from all authors.
Declaration of Interests {#sec6}
========================
The authors declare no competing interests. E.M. is a founder and director of Tropic Biosciences. E.A.M. is a founder and director of STORM Therapeutics. Tropic Biosciences and STORM Therapeutics had no role in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data or in writing the manuscript.
Supplemental Information can be found online at <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2019.03.010>.
[^1]: Lead Contact
| 2023-08-25T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/3957 |
At Blue Nile, you'll find our hand-selected opal jewellery has a spectrum of luminescent inner colours. High-quality opals are cut and polished in cabochons to maximise their distinctive colour, not necessarily for their size. Opal is the birthstone for the month of October. Do not clean opal with an ultrasonic cleaner. | 2024-06-18T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/3040 |
Meet Hala
As a member of Prince William County community for over 35 years, Hala Ayala is running to give a new, needed voice for the 51st House District of Virginia.
An Advocate for Working Families
Hala has personally experienced the challenges of single motherhood and lack of access to affordable health insurance. She understands the concerns of working families today. She has fought for raising the minimum wage, equal pay and affordable access to health care as the founder and former president of the Prince William County chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW).
A Dedicated Public Servant
Hala worked her way up from a service job without health insurance to become a cybersecurity specialist with the Department of Homeland Security. For over 17 years, she worked to protect our nation’s information systems, enforce security measures, and prevent attacks by safeguarding computers, networks and data from criminal intrusion and security breaches. She’s ready to use that same determination and work ethic to ensure that Prince William County families can flourish.
A Champion for Women’s Rights in Virginia
Hala helped organize Virginia for the Women’s March on Washington in January. She helped organize buses to transport people to DC and raised money to help with the expenses for those who may not otherwise be able to participate. As former president of the Prince William County chapter of NOW, she fought for equal pay for equal work so that women get paid equally for the same work. Hala also currently serves on Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s Council on Women.
Only 17 of Virginia’s 100 state delegates are women. Hala believes that that number should be higher to make sure that all voices are heard, in order to create a better future for all Virginians. | 2024-03-27T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/8482 |
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
More than an Introduction to Programming
Last week Peter Wayner wrote a nice piece in the New York Times titled "Programming for Children, Minus the Cryptic Syntax". Anything that gets kids interested in programming is a good thing and the article discusses a few software products designed specifically to teach kids programing logic in a fun and intuitive way.
Real Studio would have a made a great addition to this list. Though most of the software tools Wayner mentions are great for introducing programming to kids, they can't realistically be used for much more than that. On the other hand, Real Studio can be used to introduce programming to kids without limiting what they can do to simplistic programming. Real Studio is really accessible to children and is already used in many schools around the world to teach programming.
Many people feel that you have to choose between something being easy and intuitive or difficult and powerful. I think that choice is a copout- you can have it both ways, though it may require more design and thought to achieve. We add features that make Real Studio easier and we add features that make it more powerful. We work to make it intuitive for those learning programming for the first time and at the same time, make it powerful for experienced developers.
You can have it both ways if you take the time to design your products with this in mind and the result can be a far superior product, one that students would be lucky to get their hands on early.
3 comments:
I'd love to agree with you but I can't. The documentation for Real Studio is a very serious impediment to learning the language. And, as the author of the article pointed out, there's the syntax problem. I grant that Real Studio is powerful and a good development tool, but I would never use it as an introduction to programming for an 8 or 10 year old.
Well, I will respectfully disagree. I introduced my 8 year old son to programming with Real Studio only recently. He immediately got it. Is he going to learn completely on his own? No. I suppose he could but as parents when we introduce a child to just about anything we teach them first. Later, they take off on their own.
The syntax of the Realbasic language is pretty straight forward. Yes, it's got a huge framework but I doubt that would stop a child that is interested.
Can a child learn how to move a rectangle across the screen or a picture? Sure. Can they learn how to draw lines and shapes and text using the Paint event of a canvas control? Absolutely.
Real Studio is certainly be appropriate for teaching kids programming. Just give it a try.
Learning the basics of computer programming does not require any development tool. In fact, I find it easier on occasion to teach beginners the basics of decision-making, loops, variables, etc. via a whiteboard discussion.
Once the concepts above are understood, then it's a matter of what type of software you want to create. Some kids prefer learning how to write games while others want to learn something else.
I've taught many beginners and have used various tools to do so. I feel that Real Studio is among some of the better development environments for taking the next step in putting into practice the basics we've learned above and then some. It is the only tool I'm aware of that offers cross-platform development features. | 2024-06-14T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/7007 |
<?php
/*
* This file is part of PHPExifTool.
*
* (c) 2012 Romain Neutron <imprec@gmail.com>
*
* For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
* file that was distributed with this source code.
*/
namespace PHPExiftool\Driver\Tag\ExifIFD;
use JMS\Serializer\Annotation\ExclusionPolicy;
use PHPExiftool\Driver\AbstractTag;
/**
* @ExclusionPolicy("all")
*/
class ISOSpeed extends AbstractTag
{
protected $Id = 34867;
protected $Name = 'ISOSpeed';
protected $FullName = 'Exif::Main';
protected $GroupName = 'ExifIFD';
protected $g0 = 'EXIF';
protected $g1 = 'IFD0';
protected $g2 = 'Image';
protected $Type = 'int32u';
protected $Writable = true;
protected $Description = 'ISO Speed';
protected $local_g1 = 'ExifIFD';
}
| 2024-06-03T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/6687 |
Q:
Control 'ctl00_txtDebug' of type 'TextBox' must be placed inside a form tag with runat=server
I am trying to render a ascx control as a view in MVC and I am getting the following error
Control 'ctl00_txtDebug' of type 'TextBox' must be placed inside a form tag with runat=server.
The debugger stops on this line in the ascx control
function dtpaging_Page_Selected(vPageNumber) {
document.getElementById("<%=mControlName %>txtPageNumber").value = vPageNumber
<%=Post_Method %>
}
So I am thinking that my method is working to get the control and begin the rendering. Why would it throw this error? I can attach more code if needed
A:
I found the answer to this question. I have to contain the entire ascx page in the<form runat="server">.....</form> tags. It really was that simple
| 2024-06-04T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/6685 |
Low molecular weight branched-chain and n-chain fatty acids in caprine and bovine colostrum.
Colostrum from French-Alpine and Anglo-Nubian goats and Holstein cows was collected and analyzed for both total and FFA of 12 and fewer carbon atoms. Short-chain VFA were separated from long-chain fatty acids using simultaneous distillation extraction. The n-butyl esters of fatty acids were quantified by gas chromatography, and their identity was confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The concentration of decanoic acid was 33 and 83% less in Holstein colostrum than in colostrum from Alpine and Nubian goats, respectively. Colostrum from Nubian goats had twice as much decanoic acid as colostrum from Alpine goats. The FFA in colostrum that differed between species but not between goat breeds were octanoic and decanoic acids. These respective fatty acids were approximately two and three times greater in colostrum from goats than in colostrum from Holsteins. The quantity of decanoic acid was different between goat breeds and between animal species. The ratio of total fatty acid concentration to free-state concentration for hexanoic acid appeared to be useful for differentiating between Nubian and Alpine goat colostrum as well as between Nubian and Holstein colostrums. | 2023-11-13T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/6664 |
Q:
Drawing vector images on PDF with PDFBox
I would like to draw a vector image on a PDF with Apache PDFBox.
This is the code I use to draw regular images
PDPage page = (PDPage) document.getDocumentCatalog().getAllPages().get(1);
PDPageContentStream contentStream = new PDPageContentStream(document, page, true, true);
BufferedImage _prevImage = ImageIO.read(new FileInputStream("path/to/image.png"));
PDPixelMap prevImage = new PDPixelMap(document, _prevImage);
contentStream.drawXObject(prevImage, prevX, prevY, imageWidth, imageHeight);
If I use a svg or wmf image instead of png, the resulting PDF document comes corrupted.
The main reason I want the image to be a vector image is that with PNG or JPG the image looks horrible, I think it gets somehow compressed so it looks bad. With vector images this shouldn't happen (well, when I export svg paths as PDF in Inkscape it doesn't happen, vector paths are preserved).
Is there a way to draw a svg or wmf (or other vector) to PDF using Apache PDFBox?
I'm currently using PDFBox 1.8, if that matters.
A:
See the library pdfbox-graphics2d, touted in this Jira.
You can draw the SVG, via Batik or Salamander or whatever, onto the class PdfBoxGraphics2D, which is parallel to iText's template.createGraphics(). See the GitHub page for samples.
PDDocument document = ...;
PDPage page = ...; // page whereon to draw
String svgXML = "<svg>...</svg>";
double leftX = ...;
double bottomY = ...; // PDFBox coordinates are oriented bottom-up!
// I set these to the SVG size, which I calculated via Salamander.
// Maybe it doesn't matter, as long as the SVG fits on the graphic.
float graphicsWidth = ...;
float graphicsHeight = ...;
// Draw the SVG onto temporary graphics.
var graphics = new PdfBoxGraphics2D(document, graphicsWidth, graphicsHeight);
try {
int x = 0;
int y = 0;
drawSVG(svg, graphics, x, y); // with Batik, Salamander, or whatever you like
} finally {
graphics.dispose();
}
// Graphics are not visible till a PDFormXObject is added.
var xform = graphics.getXFormObject();
try (var contentWriter = new PDPageContentStream(document, page, AppendMode.APPEND, false)) { // false = don't compress
// XForm objects have to be placed via transform,
// since they cannot be placed via coordinates like images.
var transform = AffineTransform.getTranslateInstance(leftX, bottomY);
xform.setMatrix(transform);
// Now the graphics become visible.
contentWriter.drawForm(xform);
}
And ... in case you want also to scale the SVG graphics to 25% size:
// Way 1: Scale the SVG beforehand
svgXML = String.format("<svg transform=\"scale(%f)\">%s</svg>", .25, svgXML);
// Way 2: Scale in the transform (before calling xform.setMatrix())
transform.concatenate(AffineTransform.getScaleInstance(.25, .25));
| 2024-01-01T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/8618 |
123 F.Supp.2d 203 (2000)
EMMPRESA CUBANA DEL TABACO, d.b.a. Cubatabaco, Plaintiff,
v.
CULBRO CORPORATION and GENERAL CIGAR CO., INC., Defendants.
No. 97 CIV. 8399 RWS.
United States District Court, S.D. New York.
December 15, 2000.
*204 Ribinowitz, Boudin, Standard, Krinsky & Lieberman by Michael Krinsky, David B. Goldstein, Christine S. Kim, New York City, for Plaintiff.
Morgan & Finnegan by Harry C. Marcus, Janet Dore, New York City, for Defendants.
OPINION
SWEET, District Judge.
Plaintiff Empresa Cubana del Tabaco d.b.a Cubatabaco ("Cubatabaco") has moved under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 7 and 38 to strike the jury demand of defendants Culbro Corporation, and General Cigar Co., Inc. (collectively, "General Cigar"). For the reasons set forth below, the motion is granted.
This motion requires once again peering through the mists of time, aided by precedent, to define the line between equity and law in a controversy over trademark, in this instance the "COHIBA" mark as applied to cigars. The dispute may foreshadow an effort by Cubatabaco to return the Cuban Cohiba to the market in the United States. Since Cubatabaco is an instrumentality of the government of Cuba, the right to a jury trial is both procedurally challenging and tactically significant.
Prior Proceedings
Cubatabaco filed its complaint on November 12, 1997, alleging that Cubatabaco possessed a COHIBA mark for its cigars which was "well-known" in the United States at the relevant times, and that General Cigar's efforts to exploit and trade upon Cubatabaco's COHIBA mark in order to generate profits on the sale of its own cigars entitle Cubatabaco to relief under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Intellectual Property (the "Paris Convention") Arts. 6bis[1] and 10bis (unfair competition); the Inter-American Convention, Arts. 7 (use of mark in United States by someone who knows of its prior existence and continuous use in another treaty country), 20 (unfair competition) and 21 (unfair competition); section 43(a) of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1125(c)(1) (trademark dilution) and 1125(a) (willful trademark and trade dress infringement); and New York State law (trademark dilution, willful infringement, unfair competition).
In addition to an injunction against future use by General Cigar of the COHIBA mark, Cubatabaco seeks an order directing the United States Patent and Trademark Office to cancel General Cigar's United States trademark registration Nos. 1,147,309, issued in 1981, and 1,898,273, issued in 1995, as well as an order requiring General Cigar to disgorge its profits on a theory of unjust enrichment through its exploitation of the fame and reputation of Cubatabaco's COHIBA brand in the promotion and sale of its own cigars in the United States.
General Cigar filed its answer and jury demand, and the instant motion to strike the demand was heard and marked fully *205 submitted on September 6, 2000.[2]
Facts
The parties have set forth by memoranda certain of the relevant facts which are set forth below as background, not as findings.
Cubatabaco is a Cuban state enterprise and is the owner of a COHIBA trademark registration for cigars in Cuba and the rest of the world except for the United States. It obtained the Cuban registration in 1972 and, beginning in the early 1970's, subsequently registered the COHIBA mark in over 115 countries. Directly and through its licensee, Habanos, S.A., Cubatabaco exports Cuban COHIBA cigars throughout the world, excluding the United States as a result of the United States trade embargo. Cubatabaco, through its licensee, also sells COHIBA cigars to the numerous foreign visitors to Cuba, including United States nationals.
Culbro Corporation merged into and was survived by General Cigar Holdings, Inc., of which General Cigar Co., Inc. is presumably an operating subsidiary.
General Cigar first obtained United States trademark registration for the COHIBA mark, Registration No. 1,147,309, on February 17, 1981. Cigar Aficionado magazine in Autumn 1992 featured the Cuban COHIBA in a cover story about "Cuba's Best Cigar," entitled "The legend of Cohiba: Cigar Lovers Everywhere Dream of Cuba's Finest Cigar." General Cigar applied for a second registration for a plain block letter form of the COHIBA mark in 1992, obtaining Registration No. 1,898,273.
In September 1997, General Cigar expanded its sales of cigars made in the Dominican Republic under the COHIBA name. In January 1997, Cubatabaco initiated cancellation proceedings in the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board.
Discussion
I. The Demand For A Jury Trial Is Stricken
A. The Right To A Jury Trial In Actions At Law
Rule 38(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure states that "[t]he right of trial by jury as declared by the Seventh Amendment to the Constitution or as given by a statute of the United States shall be preserved to the parties inviolate." Fed.R.Civ.P. 38(a). The Seventh Amendment provides that "[i]n Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved." U.S. Const. amend. VII.
In construing the foregoing provision of the Seventh Amendment, the Supreme Court has observed:
The right to a jury trial includes more than the common-law forms of action recognized in 1791; the phrase "Suits at common law" refers to "suits in which legal rights [are] to be ascertained and determined, in contradistinction to those where equitable rights alone [are] recognized, and equitable remedies [are] administered" .... The right extends to causes of action created by Congress ... Since the merger of the systems of law and equity, ... this Court has carefully preserved the right to trial by jury where legal rights are at stake.... "`Maintenance of the jury as a factfinding body is of such importance and occupies so firm a place in our history and jurisprudence that any seeming curtailment of the right to a jury trial should be scrutinized with the utmost care....'"
To determine whether a particular action will resolve legal rights, we examine both the nature of the issues involved and the remedy sought. "First, we compare the statutory action to 18th-century actions brought in the courts of England *206 prior to the merger of the courts of law and equity. Second, we examine the remedy sought and determine whether it is legal or equitable in nature...." The second inquiry is the more important in our analysis.
Chauffeurs, Teamsters and Helpers, Local No. 391 v. Terry, 494 U.S. 558, 564-5, 110 S.Ct. 1339, 108 L.Ed.2d 519 (1990) (citations omitted) (emphasis in original).
Consistent with the Supreme Court's warning that any seeming curtailment of the right to a jury trial should be scrutinized with the utmost care, the Second Circuit has held that "`the federal policy favoring jury decisions of disputed fact questions' ... impels us to resolve any doubts in favor of the right to a jury trial." Lee Pharmaceuticals v. Mishler, 526 F.2d 1115, 1117 (2d Cir.1975) (citations omitted).
B. General Cigar Is Not Entitled To A Jury Trial As To Cubatabaco's Claim For Disgorgement Of Profits On An Unjust Enrichment Theory
The crux of the issue presented here is whether or not a claim for disgorgement of profits in a trademark case constitutes a claim for damages entitling the defendant to a jury trial. Fortunately our Circuit has resolved this issue.
In George Basch Co., Inc. v. Blue Coral, Inc., 968 F.2d 1532, 1538 (2d Cir.1992), the Second Circuit explained that in equity a court has the power to grant complete relief by awarding profits for unjust enrichment in trademark infringement suits:
The infringer is required in equity to account for and yield up his gains to the true owner [of the mark], upon a principle analogous to that which charges a trustee with the profits acquired by the wrongful use of the property of the cestui que trust. Not that equity assumes jurisdiction upon the ground that a trust exists.... [T]he jurisdiction must be rested upon some other equitable ground in ordinary cases, as in the present, the right to an injunction but the court of equity, having acquired jurisdiction upon such ground, retains it for the purpose of administering complete relief, rather than send the injured party to a court of law for his damages. And profits are then allowed as an equitable measure of compensation, on the theory of a trust ex maleficio.
Id. at 1538 (quoting Hamilton-Brown Shoe Co. v. Wolf Brothers & Co., 240 U.S. 251, 259, 36 S.Ct. 269, 60 L.Ed. 629 (1916)).
Other courts have seen the issue the same way. See Modefine v. Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corp., 888 F.Supp. 44, 45-46 (S.D.N.Y.1995) (applying Basch in holding in infringement action that plaintiff's claim for defendant's profits on a theory of unjust enrichment triable without jury); Merriam-Webster, Inc. v. Random House, No. 91 Civ. 1221, 1993 WL 205043, at *2 (S.D.N.Y. June 10, 1993) (applying Basch in holding there was no right to jury trial in trademark infringement action where plaintiff seeking profits solely on unjust enrichment theory), rev'd on other grounds, 35 F.3d 65 (2d Cir.1994); see also Ringling Bros.-Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows, Inc. v. Utah Div. of Travel Dev., 955 F.Supp. 598, 605 (E.D.Va. 1997) ("[T]he disgorgement of defendant's profits [under 15 U.S.C. § 1117(a)] [is] wholly equitable and do[es] not create a constitutional jury trial right.").
The issue becomes clouded when a claim for an accounting is substituted for a damage claim, as in Alcan Int'l Ltd. v. The S.A. Day Manufacturing Co., Inc., 179 F.R.D. 398, 402 (W.D.N.Y.1998) ("[I]t is clear that S.A. Day seeks profits as a rough proxy measure of its damages, given the difficulty of establishing damages due to product disparagement."); The Daisy Group, Ltd. v. Newport News, Inc., 999 F.Supp. 548, 552 (S.D.N.Y.1998) (distinguishing between profits remedy as rough proxy for damages and profits remedy for unjust enrichment a traditionally equitable theory of recovery [] triable without a jury and concluding that right to jury *207 trial was preserved because plaintiff sought profits as a rough proxy measure of its damages) (citations omitted; cf. Ideal World Mktg., Inc. v. Duracell, Inc., 997 F.Supp. 334, 338 (E.D.N.Y.1998)) (claim for profits is surrogate for damages irrespective of underlying rationale).
Cubatabaco has never been able to sell its cigars in the United States due to the United States embargo on Cuban products. Thus, Cubatabaco does not and could not argue that it is entitled to damages as a result of General Cigar's allegedly wrongful conduct. Yet the law still entitles Cubatabaco to General Cigar's wrongful profits on a theory that they were wrongfully obtained by exploitation of Cubatabaco's COHIBA mark. "In substance, [Cubatabaco] seeks a determination whether [General Cigar] was enriched because of an infringement and, if so, an order requiring restitution of such money from [General Cigar] to [Cubatabaco]. These demands are equitable in nature." American Cyanamid Co. v. Sterling Drug, 649 F.Supp. 784, 789 (D.N.J.1986).
The Second Circuit in Basch discussed the three distinct bases for an award of profits, namely "if the defendant is unjustly enriched, if the plaintiff sustained damages from the infringement, or if the accounting is necessary to deter a willful infringer from doing so again." 968 F.2d at 1537 (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). Cubatabaco's request for profits proceeds solely on a theory of unjust enrichment.
Cubatabaco has relied on Basch for its position that the relief sought an accounting for unjust enrichment profits is equitable in nature. See 968 F.2d at 1537. General Cigar has cited Basch as authority that proof of lost sales is required to establish entitlement to unjust enrichment profits and, therefore, that a claim for such profits is necessarily legal rather than equitable because lost sales represent actual damages to a trademark infringement plaintiff. See id. at 1538.
However, the Second Circuit has explicitly held that proof of "lost sales" is irrelevant in cases in which the parties do not directly compete. See Monsanto Chemical Co. v. Perfect Fit Prods. Mfg. Co., 349 F.2d 389, 395-96 (2d Cir.1965). Monsanto addressed whether an accounting of profits should be allowed in a case of trademark infringement in which the parties were not direct competitors and thus there was no proof of injury to the plaintiff in the form of diverted or "lost" sales resulting from the infringement. 349 F.2d at 392. The court rejected the view that an accounting for unjust enrichment profits is not available in these circumstances, observing that permitting recovery of unjust enrichment profits furthers the purpose of the Lanham Act:
In enacting the Lanham Act, Congress observed that any trademark statute has a two-fold purpose. One is to protect the public.... Secondly, where the owner of a trademark has spent energy, time, and money in presenting to the public the product, he is protected in his investment from its misappropriation by pirates and cheats.
Id. at 395 (citing S.Rep. No. 1333, 79th Cong., 2d Sess. 1-2 (1946), in U.S.Code Cong. Serv. 1274 (1946)). The court then reiterated its holding that there is no requirement of proof of lost sales to obtain an accounting of profits when the parties do not directly compete:
We think it doubtful whether even the second of these purposes, protection of the trademark owner, is adequately served by a rule which would allow accountings only where the parties directly compete.
Id. The court emphasized that:
this rationale accords better with the language of § 35 is evident, and it is further supported by comparison of § 35 with the less generous language of its predecessor, § 19 of the Trade-Mark Act of 1905, 33 Stat. 729. We also think *208 that it is more suited to the general purposes of the Lanham Act.
Id.
General Cigar has cited on Ideal World, 997 F.Supp. 334, for its claim that a trademark-based accounting claim based on a theory of unjust enrichment gives rise to a right to a jury trial. However, Ideal World relies on the Basch court's point that unjust enrichment profits between direct competitors require proof of lost sales, which Ideal World then equates with a damage award. See Ideal World, 997 F.Supp. at 337-38. This point is simply inapposite here, where the parties do not directly compete. Second, to the extent Ideal World suggests that an accounting of unjust enrichment profits mandates a jury trial, it is in conflict with the plain language of Basch and ignores the Court of Appeals' careful categorical distinctions between "unjust enrichment" profits, on the one hand, and profits "as a rough proxy measure of plaintiff's damages," on the other. Basch, 968 F.2d at 1537-39; see Ideal World, 997 F.Supp. at 338.
General Cigar also cites Daisy Group v. Newport News, 999 F.Supp. 548 (S.D.N.Y. 1998), and Gucci America, Inc. v. Accents, 994 F.Supp. 538 (S.D.N.Y.1998), as cases "upholding the right to a jury in trademark actions where the plaintiff seeks an accounting of profits." However, Daisy Group, relying on Dairy Queen, Inc. v. Wood, 369 U.S. 469, 82 S.Ct. 894, 8 L.Ed.2d 44 (1962), simply reiterated the basic principle that a party cannot plead its way out of a jury trial when there is "an adequate remedy at law." 999 F.Supp. at 551, and then concluded that the plaintiff in that case sought "profits as a surrogate for damages, an alternative measure of damages because of the difficulty of proving actual lost sales." Id. at 552 (internal quotation marks and citation omitted).
In Gucci, plaintiffs sought actual damages, treble damages, and profits for "willful deceptiveness ... in addition to plaintiffs' actual damages." 994 F.Supp. at 540. The parties agreed that the determination of actual damages would be tried to the jury. Id. The court found that the requests for profits and trebling of damages were also jury issues because they "largely serve retributive and deterrent purposes." Id. "deterrence" is one of the three theories for an award of profits for trademark infringement that the Second Circuit identified in Basch, 968 F.2d at 1537-39 and distinguished from an "unjust enrichment" theory. In Gucci, because a jury would already be empaneled on damages, the court "in the exercise of its discretion [left] the assessment of the amount of such [deterrence] profits to the same jury." 994 F.Supp. at 541. Thus, neither Daisy Group, 999 F.Supp. 548, nor Gucci, 994 F.Supp. 538, warrant the conclusion that General Cigar is entitled to a jury trial here.
C. Dairy Queen Does Not Require A Different Result As To Cubatabaco's Claim For Disgorgement Of Profits
General Cigar relies upon the Supreme Court's decision in Dairy Queen, 369 U.S. 469, 82 S.Ct. 894, 8 L.Ed.2d 44, as its principal authority for its jury demand. Dairy Queen concerned a trademark licensing contract. Id. at 473, 82 S.Ct. 894. Dairy Queen, the licensor, alleged that the licensee breached the contract by failing to pay it some $60,000 dollars and requested an injunction to prevent the licensee from dealing in the Dairy Queen franchise, an accounting to determine the exact amount of damages owed under the contract, and a judgment of money damages for that amount. Id. at 475, 82 S.Ct. 894. The Supreme Court decided that a right to jury trial does exist as to issues inherent in the contract claim for damages, regardless of how the plaintiff chooses to characterize the claim, stating:
[W]e think it plain that [the plaintiff's] claim for a money judgment is a claim wholly legal in its nature however the complaint is construed. As an action on *209 a debt allegedly due under a contract, it would be difficult to conceive of an action of a more traditionally legal character. And as an action for damages based upon a charge of trademark infringement, it would be no less subject to cognizance by a court of law.
Id. at 477, 82 S.Ct. 894.
Cubatabaco's complaint does not present a legal claim akin to that in Dairy Queen. There is no contractual relationship between Cubatabaco and General Cigar, and Cubatabaco's claim is not for damages for breach of contract. "Rather, Plaintiff's claim is for injunctive relief and an equitable accounting, both historically suits in equity." Coca-Cola Co. v. Cahill, 330 F.Supp. 354, 355 (W.D.Okla.1971); see Kimberly-Clark v. Kleenize Chemical Corp., 194 F.Supp. 876, 878 (N.D.Ga.1961) ("Action[s] for injunctions are equitable in nature, unknown to the common law.") (citations omitted); 9 Charles Alan Wright and Arthur R. Miller, Federal Practice & Procedure 2d § 2310, at 90 (2d ed. 1995) ("Dairy Queen does not change the former principle that equity could act, and thus that a jury is not a matter of right, if the duty to account itself is of equitable origin."). Therefore, Dairy Queen does not require the denial of Cubatabaco's motion.
D. Cancellation of General Cigar's COHIBA Registration Is An Equitable Remedy
A claim for cancellation of a trademark registration pursuant to Section 37 of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1119, is equitable in nature and does not give rise to a jury trial right. For example, in Neva, Inc. v. Christian Duplications Intern., Inc., 743 F.Supp. 1533, 1549 (M.D.Fla.1990), a case where the request for cancellation was granted in conjunction with a jury trial, the case was first tried to a jury on a section 43(a) claim seeking damages and then the court ordered cancellation. See also Gear, Inc. v. L.A. Gear California, Inc., 670 F.Supp. 508, 512 (S.D.N.Y.1987) ("Section 37 of the Lanham Act empowers the court to order the cancellation of registrations in any civil action in which the validity of the mark is placed in issue."). Moreover, section 37 does not in and of itself provide jurisdiction; nor is it a distinct cause of action. Universal Sewing Machine Co., Inc. v. Standard Sewing Equipment Corp., 185 F.Supp. 257, 259 (S.D.N.Y.1960) ("[A]bsent some other basis for jurisdiction, a suit for cancellation by one in plaintiff's position may not be independently maintained in this court.").
A cancellation order is similar to other equitable orders issued by a court that require recall of infringing materials, which have been held to be wholly equitable in nature. See Perfect Fit Indus., Inc. v. Acme Quilting Co., Inc., 646 F.2d 800, 805-06 (2d Cir.1981); Ringling Bros., 955 F.Supp. at 605, aff'd, 170 F.3d 449 (4th Cir.1999); J. Thomas McCarthy, 5 Trademarks and Unfair Competition § 30:8 (4th ed.1997).
E. Cubatabaco's Federal Trademark Dilution Claim Does Not Give Rise To A Right To A Jury
Absent proof of willful intent on the part of a defendant to trade upon and to dilute a plaintiff's trademark, a trademark dilution plaintiff limited to injunctive relief as a remedy for its federal trademark dilution claim. 15 U.S.C. § 1125(c)(1) ("[T]he owner of the famous mark shall be entitled only to injunctive relief ... unless the person against whom the injunction is sought willfully intended to trade on the owner's reputation or to cause dilution of the famous mark."); see 15 U.S.C. § 1125(c)(1) (injunctive relief is "subject to the principles of equity and ... such terms as the court deems reasonable"); Ringling Bros., 955 F.Supp. at 599-600 (discussing 15 U.S.C. §§ 1125(c)(1) and (2)). As the court in Ringling Bros. observed:
[T]he Act's pertinent language makes clear the essentially equitable nature of the dilution claim and therefore reflects Congressional intent to commit the dilution cause of action to a court without a *210 jury.... In the absence of willful intention to dilute, therefore, the Act's limitation to traditional equitable relief plainly means that Congress, conscious of centuries of settled jurisprudence excluding juries in purely equitable matters, intended to commit a dilution claim to a court without a jury.
955 F.Supp. at 599-600 (citations omitted); see 9 Wright & Miller, Federal Practice & Procedure § 2308 (Supp.2000). Nor does the Seventh Amendment require a trial by jury on such a claim where the only remedy available is injunctive in nature. "[W]here only an injunction is available to remedy dilution, the Seventh Amendment does not compel a jury trial." Id. at 603 (citation omitted); see 9 Wright & Miller, Federal Practice & Procedure § 2308 (Supp.2000). Therefore, to the extent that Cubatacabo is limited to injunctive relief on its federal dilution claim, the claim is equitable in nature and does not give rise to a jury trial right.
Where willful intent is shown, a trademark dilution plaintiff:
shall [in addition to injunctive relief] also be entitled to the remedies set forth in sections 1117(a) and 1118 of this title, subject to the discretion of the court and the principles of equity.
15 U.S.C. § 1125(c)(2). However, even if Cubatabaco were able to establish willful intent on the part of General Cigar, and therefore could obtain other forms of relief besides an injunction, in this case the only additional relief sought by and available to Cubatabaco is equitable in nature. Under § 1117(a), a trademark dilution plaintiff may seek disgorgement of the defendant's profits, money damages, and costs. Under § 1118, the plaintiff may seek a destruction order. A claim for money damages would trigger the right to a jury trial. Ringling Bros., 955 F.Supp. at 605. However, where there is no evidence of damages, the plaintiff is limited to the other forms of relief under §§ 1117 and 1118, all of which are equitable. Ringling Bros., 955 F.Supp. at 603.[3]
F. The New York Anti-Dilution Claim Does Not Provide A Right To A Jury
Cubatabaco's New York State dilution claim, brought pursuant to General Business Law § 360-1, is exclusively equitable in nature. Section 360-1 provides that "dilution of the distinctive quality of a mark or trade name shall be ground for injunctive relief." N.Y. Gen. Bus. § 360-1 (McKinney Supp.2000). There is no right to damages under section 360-1. See W.W.W. Pharmaceutical Co., Inc. v. Gillette Co., 808 F.Supp. 1013, 1026 n. 2 (S.D.N.Y.1992) (noting that New York anti-dilution statute "provides for only equitable relief"), aff'd, 984 F.2d 567 (2d Cir. 1993).[4] Therefore, there is no right to trial by jury on this claim. Id. at 1015-16, 1026-27 (deciding state dilution claim after dismissing jury).
G. The New York Misappropriation Claim Does Not Provide A Right To A Jury
Cubatabaco's misappropriation claim is a species of unfair competition recognized under New York case law. See, e.g., Flexitized, Inc. v. National Flexitized Corp., 335 F.2d 774, 782 (2d Cir.1964) ("Particularly where the defendant's conduct has involved a clear attempt to profit at the expense of the plaintiff, ... New York courts have deemed the conduct to be unfair competition.") (citations omitted). It is beyond dispute that such a claim is "essentially equitable in nature." Protexol v. Koppers, 12 F.R.D. 7, 8 (S.D.N.Y.1951) *211 (holding that state unfair competition claim did not give rise to jury trial right). Thus, unless a plaintiff expressly seeks specified damages, "[c]laims such as those here set forth are not triable by jury at common law and do not come within the purview of either the Seventh Amendment ... or Rule 38(a)." Id.; see also Robine v. Ryan, 310 F.2d 797, 798 (2d Cir.1962) (misappropriation under New York law in breach of confidential business relation claim states a legal cause of action "when the relief requested is damages in a specified sum," entitling plaintiff to jury trial limited to that particular claim); cf. Spiselman v. Rabinowitz, 270 A.D. 548, 61 N.Y.S.2d 138, 140-41 (N.Y.App.Div.1946) (plaintiff alleging trade secret misappropriation may elect to "bring an action at law to recover money damages"). In addition, there is no jury trial right under the New York Constitution.[5] Therefore, there is no right to trial by jury on this claim.
H. The Request For Attorneys" Fees And Costs Is Not Tried To A Jury
It is well settled that a claim for attorneys' fees and costs under the Lanham Act does not entitle a party to a trial by jury. Nikon, Inc. v. Ikon Corp., 803 F.Supp. 910, 928 (S.D.N.Y.1992); Partecipazioni Bulgari S.p.A. v. Meige, 7 U.S.P.Q.2d 1815, 1817 (S.D.Fla.1988); see also Basch, 968 F.2d at 1543 ("The decision whether or not to award such fees (under Lanham Act) also rests within the broad discretion of the district judge.") (citing Getty Petroleum Corp. v. Bartco Petroleum Corp., 858 F.2d 103, 114 (2d Cir.1988), cert. denied, 490 U.S. 1006, 109 S.Ct. 1642, 104 L.Ed.2d 158 (1989)); Ringling Bros., 955 F.Supp. at 605 ("Costs are merely incidental to and intertwined with other available remedies. Thus, where the other available remedies are wholly equitable, costs are also an equitable remedy.") (citation omitted); cf. Daisy, 999 F.Supp. at 549 (noting plaintiff did not dispute that its claim for attorneys' fees was equitable in nature and did not entitle it to a jury trial); Ideal World, 997 F.Supp. at 335 (noting defendant's argument that plaintiff was not entitled to jury trial because it withdrew damages claim and now sought entirely equitable relief, including costs and attorneys' fees). Thus, General Cigar is not entitled to a jury on this requested relief.
I. Defendants Are Not Entitled To A Jury On Their Counterclaim For Declaratory Relief
Finally, General Cigar's counterclaim for declaratory relief presents no right to trial by jury. A complaint for declaratory relief does not give rise to a right to jury trial when the underlying issues in the action do not give rise to a right to a jury trial. See Beacon Theatres, Inc. v. Westover, 359 U.S. 500, 504, 79 S.Ct. 948, 3 L.Ed.2d 988 (1959). As set forth above, Cubatabaco's complaint for injunctive and ancillary relief raises solely equitable issues properly addressed only to the court. General Cigar's counterclaim for declaratory relief, asking for dismissal of the complaint and declaring its right to use the COHIBA mark, adds nothing new to the issues raised in the complaint and therefore raises no legal rights. Cf. Lee *212 Pharmaceuticals v. Mishler, 526 F.2d 1115, 1116 (2d Cir.1975) (counterclaim seeking injunction against trademark infringement and damages gave rise to jury trial right). Therefore, there is no jury trial right on General Cigar's counterclaim.
Moreover, assuming arguendo that General Cigar's counterclaims were to raise legal issues triable to a jury, defendants still would not be entitled to a jury trial on their counterclaims because the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (the "FSIA") precludes jury trials in all actions against a foreign state, including counterclaims.[6]Allendale Mutual Ins. Co. v. Bull Data Sys., Inc., No. 91 C 6103, 1995 WL 5895, at *2 (N.D.Ill. Jan. 4, 1995) ("The absence of a right to jury trial also applies when the claim against the foreign state is brought as a counterclaim or cross-claim."); Caribbean Trading and Fidelity Corp., No. 90 Civ. 4169, 1993 WL 541236, at *6 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 28, 1993) (observing that even in the case of a compulsory counterclaim against a foreign state, "[t]he FSIA expressly precludes jury trials in order to depoliticize such cases"); National Iranian Oil Co. v. Ashland Oil, Inc., 716 F.Supp. 268, 275 (S.D.Miss.1989) ("The counterclaim should be tried without a jury in accordance with the provisions of the FSIA."); see Bailey v. Grand Trunk Lines New England, 805 F.2d 1097, 1101 (2d Cir.1986) ("[W]e expressly have held that the FSIA strips a plaintiff of an otherwise valid entitlement to a jury trial."); Ruggiero v. Compania Peruana De Vapores, Inca, 639 F.2d 872, 876-881 (2d Cir.1981) (discussing FSIA bar to jury trial in context of direct suit against foreign state); Jones v. Shipping Corp. of India, Ltd., 491 F.Supp. 1260, 1263 (E.D.Va.1980) ("This statutory scheme [under the FSIA] delineates those actions which subject a foreign state to suit and then provides for trial by the court without a jury for those non-immune activities.").
Jurisdiction in federal courts over actions against foreign states, agencies, or instrumentalities is based upon 28 U.S.C. § 1330(a) and is expressly limited to "non-jury civil actions":
The district courts shall have original jurisdiction without regard to amount in controversy of any nonjury civil action against a foreign state as defined in section 1603(a) of this title as to any claim for relief in personam with respect to which the foreign state is not entitled to immunity either under sections 1605-1607 of this title or under any applicable international agreement.
28 U.S.C. § 1330(a).
General Cigar alleges in its counterclaim that this Court has subject matter jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1338(a) and 1331, Cubatabaco's reply erroneously admits to subject matter jurisdiction under these provisions. The parties, of course, cannot confer subject matter jurisdiction on the district court. However, as the Second Circuit made clear in Ruggiero, the sole and exclusive basis for an action against a foreign sovereign is 28 U.S.C. § 1330(a). 639 F.2d 872. The Second Circuit holding in Ruggiero was based in part on the House and Senate Reports that accompanied the FSIA at the time of its enactment. The court concluded that Congress intended that, in return for affording a limited basis for jurisdiction against a foreign state, foreign states would not be subjected to jury trial:
The reports thus confirm what is patent from the statutory language Congress wished to provide a single vehicle for *213 actions against foreign states or entitles controlled by them, to wit, § 1330 and § 1441(d), its equivalent on removal, and to bar jury trial in each. In return for conferring upon plaintiffs this clear basis of jurisdiction in actions against foreign states ..., Congress intended that the foreign state, defined broadly in § 1603, was not to be subjected to jury trial a form of trial alien to most of them in civil cases and from which the United States, in granting consent to suit, has generally exempted itself. 28 U.S.C. § 2402.
Id. at 878. The court rejected the argument that deprivation of a jury trial in actions against foreign states violates the Seventh Amendment, stating, "[w]e have been pointed to nothing to show that a right of jury trial existed under the common law in 1791 with respect to a suit against a foreign government or an instrumentality thereof; such a suit could not be maintained at all." Id. at 879. The court held that suits against foreign sovereigns, "unknown to the common law in 1791," did not fall within the scope of the Seventh Amendment's preservation of jury trial. Id. at 880-881.
Moreover, the language of § 1330(a) and the policy considerations underlying that provision directs the interpretation that an "action against a foreign state," 28 U.S.C. § 1330(a), compulsory counterclaims. See National Iranian Oil, 716 F.Supp. at 271-71. Section 1330(a) provides for original jurisdiction of nonjury civil actions against a foreign sovereign other than those claims to which the sovereign is immune, referencing inter alia 28 U.S.C. § 1607(b), which is a provision pertaining solely to circumstances under which a foreign sovereign is immune to counterclaims. See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1330(a) and 1607(b). "It follows that the phrase `action against a foreign state' was intended to refer not only to a direct claim against a foreign sovereign but also to a counterclaim against it." National Iranian Oil, 716 F.Supp. at 271.
Thus, the counterclaims asserted by General Cigar do not entitle it to a jury trial.
Conclusion
Therefore, because Cubatabaco's claims are equitable in nature and because of the strictures of the FSIA, General Cigar is not entitled to a jury trial and its demand is hereby stricken.
It is so ordered.
NOTES
[1] Article 6bis provides in pertinent part:
[C]ountries of the Union undertake, ... at the request of an interested party ... to refuse or to cancel the registration, and to prohibit the use of a trademark which constitutes a reproduction, an imitation, or a translation, liable to create confusion, of a mark considered by the competent authority of the country of registration or use to be well known in that country as being already the mark of a person entitled to the benefits of this Convention and used for identical or similar goods.
[2] Both parties submitted letters supplementing their arguments shortly after September 6, 2000. Those letters were also considered by the Court.
[3] The Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court holding without addressing this point. See Ringling Bros.-Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows, Inc. v. Utah Div. of Travel Dev., 170 F.3d 449, 465 (4th Cir.1999).
[4] W.W.W. Pharmaceutical concerned former General Business Law § 368-d, which was later replaced by current section 360-1. See N.Y. Bus. Law. § 360-1 (McKinney Supp. 2000).
[5] Of course, it is well settled that the question of right to jury trial in this action, even on state claims, is to be decided as a matter of federal law. When state-created rights are enforced in the federal courts, the federal courts are not bound by state jury practices. See Simler v. Conner, 372 U.S. 221, 222, 83 S.Ct. 609, 9 L.Ed.2d 691 (1963) ("[T]he right to a jury trial in the federal courts is to be determined as a matter of federal law in diversity as well as other actions.... In diversity cases, of course, the substantive dimension of the claim asserted finds its source in state law ... but the characterization of that state-created claim as legal or equitable for purposes of whether a right to jury trial is indicated must be made by recourse to federal law."); Byrd v. Blue Ridge Rural Elec. Coop., Inc., 356 U.S. 525, 538, 78 S.Ct. 893, 2 L.Ed.2d 953 (1958) ("[T]here is a strong federal policy against allowing state rules to disrupt the judge-jury relationship in the federal courts.").
[6] The FSIA defines a "foreign state" to include an "agency or instrumentality of a foreign state." 28 U.S.C. § 1603(b). "An `agency or instrumentality of a foreign state' means any entity (1) which is a separate legal person, ... and (2) ... a majority of whose shares or other ownership interest is owned by a foreign state or political subdivision thereof, and (3) which is neither a citizen of a State of the United States ... nor created under the laws of any third country." 28 U.S.C. § 1603(b). There is no dispute that Cubatabaco is an "agency or instrumentality of a foreign state" within the meaning of the FSIA.
| 2023-12-12T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/3519 |
the first derivative of p(d). What is w(4)?
15
Suppose 3*f - 15 = 2*f. Let d(x) = 2 - 1 - 11 - 14*x + f*x. Calculate d(8).
-2
Suppose -27 = -4*o - 3*i, -3*o + 3*i = 9 - 3. Let t(s) = 4 + 0*s + o*s + 2*s - 2*s. Let w(p) = -5*p**2 + p + 1. Let y be w(-1). Calculate t(y).
-11
Let z(f) = 4*f**3 - 3*f**2 - 7*f + 2. Let g(h) = -2*h**3 + 2*h - 1. Suppose 11 = 8*l + 19. Let n(q) = l*z(q) - 3*g(q). Calculate n(-3).
-29
Let o(j) be the third derivative of -j**8/20160 + j**7/504 - j**6/60 + j**5/30 + 13*j**4/24 - 3*j**2. Let b(m) be the third derivative of o(m). Calculate b(8).
4
Let o(l) be the third derivative of -l**4/8 + l**3/3 - 853*l**2. Calculate o(-9).
29
Let z = 77 + -60. Suppose -3*x = 7*w - 2*w - z, 19 = 5*x - w. Let i(t) = -14*t + 12. Let n(y) = -y + 1. Let b(c) = i(c) - 12*n(c). Calculate b(x).
-8
Let b(f) be the third derivative of 0*f - f**3 + 11 + 1/15*f**5 + 1/6*f**4 + f**2 - 1/120*f**6. Let d(h) = -h**2 - 6*h - 1. Let p be d(-5). Calculate b(p).
10
Let c(k) = 2*k**2 + k - 1. Suppose -413 = -48*v - 11*v. Suppose 3*g - 32 = -5. Let s = v - g. Determine c(s).
5
Let h(v) be the second derivative of -v**4/12 - 13*v**3/3 - 27*v**2 + 3*v + 1536. Calculate h(-24).
-6
Suppose a + 3*a = 12. Let k(p) = 4*p + 130*p**3 + 4 + p**2 - 128*p**3 + a*p**2 - 3*p. Calculate k(-3).
-17
Let i(b) be the third derivative of -b**4/3 - 17*b**3/3 + 1958*b**2 - b. What is i(-6)?
14
Let q(x) = 4*x**2 + x - 2. Suppose 31*r + 1015 = 2*r. Let v be (-2)/(r/20 + 2/(-8)). Give q(v).
3
Let i(c) = c**2 + 33*c + 255. Let d be i(-13). Let n(b) = 2*b + 3 + b**3 + 5*b**2 - 1 + 4 - 5. What is n(d)?
-9
Let y be 2/5*20*5/20. Let u(g) = 3 - 16*g + 4*g - g**y + 11*g. Suppose 3*v + 4*k + 20 = 0, 20 = 2*v + 2*v - 4*k. What is u(v)?
3
Let k = -86 - -90. Let w = 8 - k. Let v(h) = -4*h + 12. Let m be v(w). Let n(j) = -j**3 - 4*j**2 + 2. Give n(m).
2
Let q(k) = k + 0*k + 0*k + 5. Suppose -3 = -0*m + m + l, 5*m - 1 = -l. Suppose 5*s + 26 = m. Give q(s).
0
Let r(z) = 35*z**3 + z**2 - 2*z + 2. Let c = 5325 + -5324. What is r(c)?
36
Let c(r) = -2*r**2 + 3*r + 3. Suppose -m + 13 = 4*o, -3*o + 17*m - 19*m + 16 = 0. Determine c(o).
1
Let o = 70 - 29. Let m = o - 38. Suppose 3*v = -m + 12. Let d(w) = w**3 - 3*w**2 + 5*w - 4. What is d(v)?
11
Let x(o) be the first derivative of o**4/4 - 11*o**3/3 - 25*o**2/2 - 11*o + 2295. Give x(13).
2
Let j(z) = -z - 43. Suppose 43 = -3*a - 89. Let r be j(a). Let s(h) = h**3 + 2*h**2 - h. Give s(r).
2
Let m be (-204)/(-36) + (-2)/(-6). Let u(y) = y**2 + y - 2*y - 96 + 98 + 0*y - 6*y. Give u(m).
-4
Let k(i) = i**2 - i - 7. Let l be k(7). Let o = l + -32. Suppose -2*p + o*u + 5 = -p, -3*p = -5*u - 15. Let q(x) = x**2 - 4*x + 4. What is q(p)?
9
Suppose -3*k = -0*k + 21. Suppose -5*f + 2*f = -2*h - 28, f = -4*h + 28. Let z(p) = 5*p + f - 2*p - 6. What is z(k)?
-15
Let t be (342/180 + (-18)/(-4))*(-10)/4. Let j(r) = r**2 + 12*r - 10. Calculate j(t).
54
Let f(c) = 7*c**2 - 3*c + 4. Suppose 12*x + 173 - 197 = 0. Calculate f(x).
26
Let d(a) = a**2 - 8*a + 1. Suppose 0 = -23*b + 20*b + 24. Suppose 2*w + b = 3*w. Give d(w).
1
Let b(c) = -c**3 + 3*c**2 + 3*c + 2. Let u(n) be the third derivative of -3/8*n**4 + 3*n**3 + 0 + 0*n + 1/60*n**5 - 21*n**2. Let k be u(7). Calculate b(k).
-2
Let o(q) = -2*q**3 - 5*q**2 - 2*q + 10. Let m(y) = -y**3 - 6*y**2 - 2*y + 9. Let l = 103 - 106. Let u(n) = l*m(n) + 2*o(n). Determine u(8).
9
Let b(m) = m**2 + 2*m + 3. Let i be (-3)/9 - 632/(-6). Let k = i - 107. Calculate b(k).
3
Suppose -2*y = -18*y + 576. Let z(j) = 72 + j - 28 - y. Calculate z(-10).
-2
Let v(t) = -t**3 + 4*t**2 - 7*t + 4. Let c be v(4). Let p(q) = q + 32. Let m be p(c). Let w(y) = y**2 - 8*y - 1. Calculate w(m).
-1
Let v(u) = -369 - 2*u**2 - 3*u**2 - 3*u + 3*u**3 + 365 - 3*u. Let j(i) = -10*i**3 + 16*i**2 + 19*i + 12. Let g(h) = -2*j(h) - 7*v(h). What is g(4)?
4
Let d = -2 - 3. Let b(n) = 4*n**2 - 5*n**3 - 2*n**3 + 6*n**3 - 29*n + 6 + 28*n - 10*n**2. What is b(d)?
-14
Let y(v) = v - 6. Let t(x) = -7*x - 2. Let w be t(-2). Let p be w/((-3)/1) - -10. Suppose 5*f + p = c + 3*f, 0 = -4*c + 2*f + 24. What is y(c)?
0
Let k(m) = -8 - 27 - 33*m**2 + 37 - 3*m. Give k(1).
-34
Let h(i) = 4*i + 1. Let w be h(2). Let g be 4/(-3) - 42/w. Let y(q) = 4 - 3 + 3 + 451*q - 450*q. Determine y(g).
-2
Let q = 196 + -108. Suppose 0 = 15*i - 7*i - q. Let x(z) = z**2 - 11*z + 11. Determine x(i).
11
Let i(p) be the first derivative of -p**5/20 + p**4/6 + p**3/2 + 3*p**2/2 + 109*p + 3. Let c(x) be the first derivative of i(x). Determine c(3).
3
Let i(k) = -148*k - 19977. Let c be i(-135). Let o(z) = -z**3 + 2*z**2 + 4*z - z**3 + 0*z + 1. Calculate o(c).
-23
Let a(l) be the second derivative of -l**7/2520 + l**6/90 - l**5/20 - l**4/2 - 2*l**2 - 3*l. Let w(i) be the third derivative of a(i). Determine w(11).
-39
Let v(k) = 12*k**3 - 3*k**2 - 2*k - 6. Let x(q) = 3*q**3 + q**2 + 2. Let a(o) = v(o) + 4*x(o). Determine a(1).
25
Let i(j) be the third derivative of -j**4/4 - 3*j**3 - 2*j**2. Let q(l) = 7*l + 19. Let o(g) = 6*i(g) + 5*q(g). Suppose 96 = -13*a - 47. Determine o(a).
-2
Let f = -11816 - -11812. Let i(y) = y**2 + 76*y + 291. Give i(f).
3
Let l(t) = -3*t - 299. Let f(i) = 5*i + 479. Let k(j) = -5*f(j) - 8*l(j). Suppose 3*z - 2*c + 17 = 0, 0*z - 3*z = 4*c + 11. Give k(z).
2
Suppose -7*r + 2*r = -30. Let y(a) = -3*a**2 + 24*a + 6. Calculate y(r).
42
Let p(q) = -q - 14 + 49 - 20 - 15. Determine p(2).
-2
Let y = 36 - 24. Suppose 7*f + 95 = y*f. Suppose 10 = 2*n, -2*n - 2 = -u - f. Let j(o) = -o**3 - 7*o**2 + 2*o + 1. Give j(u).
-13
Let z(u) = u**2 + 9*u - 194. Let x be z(-19). Let h be 4/(-10)*(-50)/20. Let r be h/x - (-4)/(64/84). Let l(d) = d**3 - 6*d**2 + 5*d + 2. Determine l(r).
2
Let v(j) = -j**3 - 10*j**2 + 10. Let b = 1206 + -574. Let x be (b/(-32) - -16)/(3/8). Determine v(x).
10
Suppose -2*b + 2*w - 8 = 0, 4*b + 5*w - 20 = 2*b. Suppose 12*n = 48 + 60. Let z(c) = c + 14*c**2 - 4*c**2 - n - 9*c**2. Calculate z(b).
-9
Let b(n) = n + 3. Suppose -3 = 4*p - 19. Suppose 0*g - 4*g = -p*c - 20, 2*g = -4*c + 40. Let r(t) = -2*t**2 + 21*t - 10. Let m be r(g). Calculate b(m).
3
Let m(q) = -1. Let j(z) = 2*z + 12. Let u(l) = j(l) + 10*m(l). Let v(o) = -5*o - 6. Let x(c) = -9*u(c) - 4*v(c). Determine x(-7).
-8
Suppose 281 + 369 = 24*v + 218. Let s(t) = t**2 - 20*t + 30. What is s(v)?
-6
Let c(f) be the first derivative of -f**3 - 4*f**2 - 2*f + 502. Give c(-3).
-5
Let k(b) = b**3 + 11*b**2 + 9*b - 4. Let j(t) = -t**3 - 7*t**2 + 28*t - 30. Let n(q) = 4*q**2 + 58*q + 18. Let z be n(-14). Let h be j(z). Determine k(h).
6
Let d(v) = -v**2 - 6*v + 7. Let f be (-1 - -243)/((-8)/(9 + -1)). Let g = f - -236. What is d(g)?
7
Let q(z) = z**2 + 1. Let s(i) = -i**3 + 10*i**2 + i + 9. Let b(x) = -5*q(x) + s(x). Let n(g) = -g**2 + 17*g - 25. Let d be n(15). Calculate b(d).
9
Let c(u) be the third derivative of u**6/120 - 11*u**5/60 - 3*u**4/8 + 5894*u**2 - u. Determine c(12).
36
Let x(z) = -z**3 - 32*z**2 - 29*z + 74. Let w be x(-31). Let p(v) = -4*v - 9 - 4*v**3 + w*v + 3*v**3 + 4*v**2. Determine p(5).
6
Let j(b) = b**2 + 19*b + 18. Let w(m) = 373*m - 2255. Let q be w(6). What is j(q)?
-16
Let t(a) be the first derivative of -5/2*a**2 - 1/4*a**4 - 58 + 2*a - 2*a**3. Suppose 5*b = -0*b - 25. Determine t(b).
2
Suppose 2*v - 3*v = -8*v. Let z(d) = -2*d + 4 - 2 + v + 2*d + d. What is z(-6)?
-4
Let m(d) = 2*d - 1. Let t = 350 + -352. Let f be t + -2 + -2 + 3. What is m(f)?
-7
Suppose -5*c + 57 = 2*s, 725*c + 4*s + 81 = 730*c. Let d(o) = -o**3 + 13*o**2 + 2*o - 59. Give d(c).
-33
Let m(k) be the first derivative of -k**3/3 + 2*k**2 + 15*k + 7960. Determine m(7).
-6
Let u(a) = -13*a**2 - 2*a + 1. Let t be 30500/2500 + (-2)/10. Suppose 3*s + 14 = 8*s - q, q + 8 = 3*s. Suppose -9*d = s - t. Give u(d).
-14
Let m = 306 + -635. Let z = m - -326. Let l(n) = 2 + 2*n - 1 - 4*n. Calculate l(z).
7
Let c(v) = -2*v**3 - 2*v**2 - 3*v - 1. Suppose 0 = -l - 92 + 95. Let a be (4/(-6))/(1/l). Determine c(a).
13
Suppose -5*o + 2*j = -58, -21 = 4*o + j - 57. Suppose -6*s + o*s = 0. Suppose -g + 4 = 0, -4*f + 3*g - 9 - 31 = s. Let r(a) = a + 11. Give r(f).
4
Let j(m) = m**2 + 2*m. Let r be j(-3). Suppose 3*p + 4*u + 55 = -2*p, r*p + 6 = 3*u. Let f(z) = z**2 + 7*z + 9. Determine f(p).
9
Let j(q) = -12*q**2 - 27*q - 24. Let i(g) = 17*g**2 + | 2023-09-08T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/9065 |
Hordern House named best commercial interior 2018
Hordern House was thrilled to be named Best Commercial Interior in the 2018 Belle Interior Design Awards from a stellar list of finalists. We are full of admiration for our talented and gifted designer Kate Nixon from Busatti Australia. You can see more images here and view further coverage hereand here | 2024-03-30T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/5581 |
// Licensed to the .NET Foundation under one or more agreements.
// The .NET Foundation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
// See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
using Bridge.Test.NUnit;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
namespace Bridge.ClientTest.IO
{
[Category(Constants.MODULE_IO)]
[TestFixture(TestNameFormat = "StreamTests - {0}")]
public class StreamTests
{
protected virtual Stream CreateStream() => new MemoryStream();
[Test]
public void CopyToAsyncTest()
{
byte[] data = Enumerable.Range(0, 1000).Select(i => (byte)(i % 256)).ToArray();
Stream ms = CreateStream();
ms.Write(data, 0, data.Length);
ms.Position = 0;
var ms2 = new MemoryStream();
ms.CopyTo(ms2);
Assert.AreEqual(data, ms2.ToArray());
}
}
}
| 2024-01-10T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/6380 |
From the django-users mailinglist which I'm becoming more and more helpful in:
> Could you share approximately how big your project is? I know it's
> hard to find a real measure for this, but how about number of database
> tables?
A project I worked on over the summer used a Database that was 130
tables, and getting 1gb updates every 2 minutes. I was witting a new
web app to do calculations on the data and the company wanted to use
Java since thats what they knew best and had spend huge amounts of
money (1 mil +) to support with Sun Servers, and such. But I knew
python and django would be a better fit for this particular app, but
the boss wouldnt listen. So we had 10 Developers working on the Java
version (Including me) and over 3 months we got it about 85% done,
though it had no unit tests. During the same three months, I worked on
my own time after work and basically had no life for the whole time, I
was able to get the web app 100% complete with unit tests. That
convinced my boss that Django was a good fit.
The site is an internal app that I cannot give access to (And I
actually had to get permission to give what info I have), but I can
say that Django is a suitable framework for what you are looking for.
Christ! 10 developers and no unit test!? Someone should remind them that you don't write unit tests for your bosses pleasure but for your own sanity and productivity.
I know that this quote is totally unscientific since Dj, as he says, can't back it up but it's a story interesting enough.
Comments
João Marcus -
26 October 2008[«« Reply to this]Tell your boss you're taking more time developing the application because of unit tests and then he'll probably bitch and complain that unit tests are a waste of time because "automated testing is impossible" and urge you to just do your job. | 2024-02-04T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/1852 |
Q:
svg doesn't show up in safari when used as background-image
I have following svg file that I am using as a background image for my project, however it does not appear in safari (latest version on mac) and I can't figure why as It works fine in other browsers I tested.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
<svg width="171px" height="129px" viewBox="0 0 171 129" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:sketch="http://www.bohemiancoding.com/sketch/ns">
<title>Blue dolphin</title>
<desc>Blue 8bit dolphin</desc>
<g id="d-blue" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" sketch:type="MSPage">
<image id="dolphin_blue" sketch:type="MSBitmapLayer" x="0" y="0" width="171" height="129" xlink:href="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAY8AAAEtCAYAAADwTuwCAAAAAXNSR0IArs4c6QAAFMxJREFUeAHt3U/IZld5APDvDUFTmAmhhmkNpDAtdYaUQmyILsShKtgysSCYLgy4KA3oqkJd6KZru6iFdtNaAl0I7SIGBM1spIEOhf4JtpsikxYc0oapjCKDM2DMIm/faVHw4z7P973nu/e859zzy0bnPu859zm/5515uN88udkc+YcAgdMKbE/7wYY/t2k4N6l1JPBAR7lKlQABAgQaEdA8GimENAgQINCTgObRU7XkSoAAgUYENI9GCiENAgQI9CSgefRULbkSIECgEQHNo5FCSIMAAQI9CRjb66laM+a6+dTXZtxtPVttv/LxonHcljx3Z1iiIP6sWEK14z09eXRcPKkTIEDgUAKax6Hk3ZcAAQIdC2geHRdP6gQIEDiUgOZxKHn3JUCAQMcCmkfHxZM6AQIEDiWgeRxK3n0JECDQscCDHecu9Z3A5unnOUwIlI7cTmz100vpOO6Nb/z0c4f+P2meSXInjPiGI8y776Ax3sR139D21Rf2XXKQz3vyOAi7mxIgQKBvAc2j7/rJngABAgcR0DwOwu6mBAgQ6FtA8+i7frInQIDAQQQ0j4OwuykBAgT6FtA8+q6f7AkQIHAQASN2B2GfvGk4Cjn5aReLBTYXrxSvDRc++p4w1E3g8sfCVLMx3p2nP0dCub4D25vXwwN48ghpBAgQIEAgEtA8IhnXCRAgQCAU0DxCGgECBAgQiAQ0j0jGdQIECBAIBTSPkEaAAAECBCIBzSOScZ0AAQIEQgFv1Q1p0sDsY7XPvjT7lukB1h786ifi6dFs/LDUJb5b6Y4nrFvDaPAJRxRuW8CTR9v1kR0BAgSaFNA8miyLpAgQINC2gObRdn1kR4AAgSYFNI8myyIpAgQItC2gebRdH9kRIECgSQHNo8mySIoAAQJtC4wwqjv7DGxLY7W/86ttf8FOk93X//M0n9rvM7VrlI0G75f56T69xGhw9ubc02XlUyMJePIYqdrOSoAAgZkENI+ZIG1DgACBkQQ0j5Gq7awECBCYSUDzmAnSNgQIEBhJQPMYqdrOSoAAgZkENI+ZIG1DgACBkQTSib/Ncy9Wtdj+ze/OPlZb+wylYB/8yG+XLu1i3e8/fa5qnkuM/1Y9wAk3W2I0eHPxSvrnwQkpCa9QIHsDtSePFRbckQgQILC0gOaxtLD9CRAgsEIBzWOFRXUkAgQILC2geSwtbH8CBAisUEDzWGFRHYkAAQJLC2geSwvbnwABAisUSEfzsjHXd57/+SKON7/8kXAc96FP/13Rnj+++4N43e1vx7GWIheeCLN58n0fCGMtBc6fP99SOkW5LDFS3MvYcOn4rxHfoq9aF4uM6nZRJkkSIECgHwE/tuqnVjIlQIBAMwKaRzOlkAgBAgT6EdA8+qmVTAkQINCMgObRTCkkQoAAgX4ENI9+aiVTAgQINCOQj+peuhom+s7f/FwYa2oc97//OcyzqcDj74/TWcEYb3y4ZSJLjA2PPMabVcmIb6bTd8yobt/1kz0BAgSaE/Bjq+ZKIiECBAi0L6B5tF8jGRIgQKA5Ac2juZJIiAABAu0LaB7t10iGBAgQaE5A82iuJBIiQIBA+wLFo7rb166183bcZBz37RsvV63CA5efmf9+xnjnN6244xJjw6XpX3jkXOnS2ddlI77e1Ds7d9GGRnWL2CwiQIAAgUjAj60iGdcJECBAIBTQPEIaAQIECBCIBDSPSMZ1AgQIEAgFNI+QRoAAAQIEIgHNI5JxnQABAgRCgXRUd7eqaBz3x3d/EN4wDdz+dhoOg4WjuptNfPwvvBIe/eiLHwozOVpkVDe+3dHRU7+XRcPYQw+/K4zVDly+fLn2Lbu438gjvsZ42/iKGtVtow6yIECAwGoE/NhqNaV0EAIECNQT0DzqWbsTAQIEViOgeaymlA5CgACBegKaRz1rdyJAgMBqBDSP1ZTSQQgQIFBPIJ5V/f8cwnnVzXMvlmWZjeMmI7dlNzs6yt6qm43qZvfbbkOW+qO6hW/c/eXLv54dcfbYrVu3Zt+zdMO1jwavfcTXGG/pN3//dUZ19zezggABAgQSAT+2SnCECBAgQGBaQPOYdnGVAAECBBIBzSPBESJAgACBaQHNY9rFVQIECBBIBDSPBEeIAAECBKYFHtxdDudOi8dxv/XX03c7y9U7r59l9eTabOR2csGKLtYenX3ssceq6mXnu3Hjxuy5tDT+e/fu3fB8tcd4b9+5F+Zy4ZFzYSwLPPtS+EfW0W6MNwxuLl456V9NyG4rdkzAk8cxEL8kQIAAgZMFNI+TjXyCAAECBI4JaB7HQPySAAECBE4W0DxONvIJAgQIEDgmoHkcA/FLAgQIEDhZQPM42cgnCBAgQOCYwP1R3fifhkZu3/7uv8d5Vo48cPmZyndMblf4JuI3j54IN33o4XeFsdJANjpbume2bonR4OwMpeO/tUd8szHezLP2iG+Wi1gbAp482qiDLAgQINCVgObRVbkkS4AAgTYENI826iALAgQIdCWgeXRVLskSIECgDQHNo406yIIAAQJdCWgeXZVLsgQIEGhD4P5bJuO3UP7Cr82e5ef/dv6R2y9+aPY0q2+4yPjv4++Pz3Gh7qhunEg/kdLx32zENzt97THeLJcsVnOMt/RNvPfz371xNzyGN+5O02xvXp8O7K568ghpBAgQIEAgEtA8IhnXCRAgQCAU0DxCGgECBAgQiAQ0j0jGdQIECBAIBTSPkEaAAAECBCIBzSOScf2gAptNPBlz0MTcnACB/xM46XdoPMZ76WpI+Pm/eDmM9RJoafx3iTHe7WvXeilFmOfPfeaVMNZSIBvxLR3jzc7X0ohvzTHe+ybZKK9R3exbMx0zqjvt4ioBAgQIFAr4sVUhnGUECBAYWUDzGLn6zk6AAIFCAc2jEM4yAgQIjCygeYxcfWcnQIBAoYDmUQhnGQECBEYWSEd1N8k47m7UMxzjrQ36hVfqptLLGG82jrv51Ndql2n2+22/8vFwzzWM8X7nn9oZeX/yo58MrUsDS4zxZqO6WZ7GeKd1jOpOu7hKgAABAoUCfmxVCGcZAQIERhbQPEauvrMTIECgUEDzKISzjAABAiMLaB4jV9/ZCRAgUCigeRTCWUaAAIGRBR4sPfxujDcc8639Vt0//vCm7qzuAqPBpeO/b9+IxznT15r/y1+Vlf7hx8rWLbAqGzf+0V9+uOiOpSO+b/7XvxXd7zvJurdf/sOiPZdY9MAzfzr7ttn4b+kY7+0798I8S8d4ww0HD3jyGPwL4PgECBAoEdA8StSsIUCAwOACmsfgXwDHJ0CAQImA5lGiZg0BAgQGF9A8Bv8COD4BAgRKBDSPEjVrCBAgMLhAOG573yV7q+7Ibku8Ufg3/ux/iki/9Qe/WLQuHeNNdtxcvJJEk9Cj70mCC4QufyzcNHsb7+bql8J1WaClsdosz5Zi2fjvEmO8paO6I79x11t1W/odIxcCBAisQMCPrVZQREcgQIBAbQHNo7a4+xEgQGAFAprHCoroCAQIEKgtoHnUFnc/AgQIrEBA81hBER2BAAECtQWK36pbO9GW7pe9Ubg0z3/97LuL3gz81FHZiO92W3S7o+IR31KY0nX/UPYWWCO3peD7r8usa4/x7p+9FZ48fAcIECBAYG8BzWNvMgsIECBAQPPwHSBAgACBvQU0j73JLCBAgAABzcN3gAABAgT2FtA89iazgAABAgSM6jbyHdi9VTd8w3E2xruLFZ2gdMQ3e/tv9obf0hHfosOdsKh0TPmEbbsIZyOw2QGysdpsXUux23fuhemUvnE33HCAgCePAYrsiAQIEJhbQPOYW9R+BAgQGEBA8xigyI5IgACBuQU0j7lF7UeAAIEBBDSPAYrsiAQIEJhbQPOYW9R+BAgQGEDAqG7nRd48/Xx4gu2rL4Sx0hHfcMNdIBv/zUZ8sz2XiD31599dYttm9sxGpkuTrD3im40GZ7k8+dFPhkc8f/58GBPYX8CTx/5mVhAgQGB4Ac1j+K8AAAIECOwvoHnsb2YFAQIEhhfQPIb/CgAgQIDA/gKax/5mVhAgQGB4Ac1j+K8AAAIECOwvYFR3f7O2Vnz/P8J8sjHecNEZAkuM/54hnWGXZiPT7/2t50KXbMQ3G48NN9wFsnXZOG625xKx7I27z760DW/51U9swuDm4pXwTdnhhh0FPHl0VCypEiBAoBUBzaOVSsiDAAECHQloHh0VS6oECBBoRUDzaKUS8iBAgEBHAppHR8WSKgECBFoR0DxaqYQ8CBAg0JGAUd0OirV7I2048rcbj41HBSufbTeaGN5xe/N6GFv7SGN48IUC2Xciu2U24puN1WbjuNn9SmOluXjjbqn49DpPHtMurhIgQIBAIqB5JDhCBAgQIDAtoHlMu7hKgAABAomA5pHgCBEgQIDAtIDmMe3iKgECBAgkAppHgiNEgAABAtMCRnWnXbq5mo257sZjwzHe2gfM8qydy9rvV2qdjfguMcabjfhm47hZ/bJ12f2yMd4Lj5zLbjlszJPHsKV3cAIECJQLaB7ldlYSIEBgWAHNY9jSOzgBAgTKBTSPcjsrCRAgMKyA5jFs6R2cAAEC5QKaR7mdlQQIEBhWwKjuiktfOrK5YhJHSwSy78saxniTox+98cYbYfhXHn93GBs54Mlj5Oo7OwECBAoFNI9COMsIECAwsoDmMXL1nZ0AAQKFAppHIZxlBAgQGFlA8xi5+s5OgACBQgHNoxDOMgIECIwsYFR35Oo7O4FTCiwxxpvd+qFfem8Yzt6OGy7aBR594oNZOIz9/T++GsZGDnjyGLn6zk6AAIFCAc2jEM4yAgQIjCygeYxcfWcnQIBAoYDmUQhnGQECBEYW0DxGrr6zEyBAoFBA8yiEs4wAAQIjC2yyw28uXc3CYi0IvHWvhSzkQGBSYHvz+nYysLu4ufqlKHSUjeqGi84QOHfu3BlWTy/93p+8bzqwu5qNPoeLDhDY1S+8qyePkEaAAAECBCIBzSOScZ0AAQIEQgHNI6QRIECAAIFIQPOIZFwnQIAAgVBA8whpBAgQIEAgEtA8IhnXCRAgQCAU8FbdkEaAAIGzCmQjqdtrnwvHeN+sPMZ7717ZyPsSI75nNa+13pNHLWn3IUCAwIoENI8VFdNRCBAgUEtA86gl7T4ECBBYkYDmsaJiOgoBAgRqCWgetaTdhwABAisS0DxWVExHIUCAQC0Bo7q1pN2HAIGfEehljPdnkj72i+/fev3YlXF+6cljnFo7KQECBGYT0Dxmo7QRAQIExhHQPMaptZMSIEBgNgHNYzZKGxEgQGAcAc1jnFo7KQECBGYT0Dxmo7QRAQIExhHYZEfdXLqahcVaEHir7G2gLaQuBwIlAtub18O38W6ee7Fky2XWfO9GuO/2m38UxrIR5nDRQoGddbizJ4+QRoAAAQIEIgHNI5JxnQABAgRCAc0jpBEgQIAAgUhA84hkXCdAgACBUEDzCGkECBAgQCAS0DwiGdcJECBAIBTwVt2QRoAAgWEEkrHaYQz2PKgnjz3BfJwAAQIEjo40D98CAgQIENhbQPPYm8wCAgQIENA8fAcIECBAYG8BzWNvMgsIECBAQPPwHSBAgACBvQWM6u5NZgEBAs0KLDVye+f1WY+8efr5cL/tqy/Ebw2+eCV9E3q46QIBTx4LoNqSAAECaxfQPNZeYecjQIDAAgKaxwKotiRAgMDaBTSPtVfY+QgQILCAgOaxAKotCRAgsHYBzWPtFXY+AgQILCBgVHcBVFsSIHAggZlHak91ih/eOtXH1vYhTx5rq6jzECBAoIKA5lEB2S0IECCwNgHNY20VdR4CBAhUENA8KiC7BQECBNYmoHmsraLOQ4AAgQoCmkcFZLcgQIDA2gSM6q6tos5DYAUC25vX4zfLXroan3AFY7Ob5Hzb167FLpXfuOvJI/4aihAgQIBAIKB5BDAuEyBAgEAsoHnENiIECBAgEAhoHgGMywQIECAQC2gesY0IAQIECAQCmkcA4zIBAgQIxAJGdWMbEQIECDQl0NIYryePpr4akiFAgEAfAppHH3WSJQECBJoS0DyaKodkCBAg0IeA5tFHnWRJgACBpgQ0j6bKIRkCBAj0IaB59FEnWRIgQKApAc2jqXJIhgABAn0IaB591EmWBAgQaEpA82iqHJIhQIBAHwKaRx91kiUBAgSaEtA8miqHZAgQINCHgObRR51kSYAAgaYENI+myiEZAgQI9CHgrbp91EmWBFYnsL15fRsdKnt7bLTmTNffule2/B3nytYtsCoz2752Lba+eGVTko4njxI1awgQIDC4gOYx+BfA8QkQIFAioHmUqFlDgACBwQXSv/PY/ZxscJ72j7+5eKX9JGVIgMDqBDx5rK6kDkSAAIHlBTSP5Y3dgQABAqsTSH9stbrTOhABAlUFqo/jlo7clqoscb+Gxn8zFk8emY4YAQIECEwKaB6TLC4SIECAQCageWQ6YgQIECAwKaB5TLK4SIAAAQKZgOaR6YgRIECAwKSA5jHJ4iIBAgQIZAJGdTMdMQIEDiOwxAhs4Ul248bhykXe8FB69mTEt/SNu7uDh2/c9eQRfi0ECBAgQCAS0DwiGdcJECBAIBR4cLsN/xsh4aKfBDab8InmJx/xvwQIECCwQgFPHissqiMRIEBgaQHNY2lh+xMgQGCFAprHCovqSAQIEFhaYOPvPJYmXnb/RUYFl03Z7isTSN+cW/k/VpaN1Zay736PhX+5m5299H7Zutq/3zNPTx5ZpcQIECBAYFJA85hkcZEAAQIEMgHNI9MRI0CAAIFJAc1jksVFAgQIEMgENI9MR4wAAQIEJgU0j0kWFwkQIEAgE/BW3UxHjACBgwhkI6JZQtlYbbauNFb7fqWjwUuM+HryKP3WWEeAAIGBBTSPgYvv6AQIECgVONOPrc7yb6eXJrz0Om8KXlrY/gQIrEHAk8caqugMBAgQqCygeVQGdzsCBAisQUDzWEMVnYEAAQKVBc70Vt3KuVa5nb/zqMLsJusSKP/PkcYO4Zts4yUiicDsNfLkkWgLESBAgMC0gOYx7eIqAQIECCQCmkeCI0SAAAEC0wKax7SLqwQIECCQCGgeCY4QAQIECEwLaB7TLq4SIECAQCLwvyVjNGJXaylCAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC"></image>
</g>
</svg>
using it this way:
#elementId {
background-image: url(../img/dolphin_blue.svg);
background-size: 90px 68px;
position: absolute;
width: 90px;
height: 68px;
z-index: 1;
display: block;
}
A:
use absolutely positioned div (class back-svg), that is a child of #elementId and put the svg into this div.
CSS:
html,body {
height:100%;
}
#elementId {
...
}
div.back-svg {
position: absolute;
top: 0;
left: 0;
width: 100%;
height: 100%;
z-index: -1;
}
my fiddle from other post: http://jsfiddle.net/k3v4by34/
| 2023-08-18T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/4946 |
Checklist for good programming
Identifiers: Make sure all your identifiers are meaningful. One-letter identifiers are almost never meaningful. Names like flag and temp are seldom meaningful. Instead of flag , consider naming the Boolean condition it checks for, such as valueFound . Consider multi-word identifiers, like nameIndex . Long identifiers (within reason) tend to be very readable.
Bare literals: Avoid numbers other than 0 and 1 and strings other than "" in your program except when you define constants. Don't use a literal integer as an array bound. Don't use a literal integer as a run parameter, such as a timeout or port number. Don't use literal integers to select menu entries. Don't use a literal integer to measure the size of a string or some data; use sizeof() and strlen() in C and C++ and .length() and .size in Java. Don't use a literal string for a file name. You may output literal strings, though. Don't use a literal integer to index into an array containing heterogeneous data. Don't declare an identifier with a name denoting a literal, such as "thirty".
Modularization: A program is built out of interacting components. Don't put all your code into the main() routine. In fact, don't make any routine do too much work. If it's longer than about 50 lines, it is maybe too long. If you duplicate code several times, consider whether a loop would work better, or perhaps a subroutine. If you find you are indenting very deeply, you most likely aren't using subroutines when you should. Don't reinvent library routines (unless your assignment requires it). Look in the manuals to learn about sprintf() and atoi() , for instance. Use header files in C and C++ (header files have names ending .h ) to define all constants needed by multiple files and declare all subroutines exported between files. But don't put the body of subroutines in header files (with the rare exception of inline subroutines).
Formatting: Your program should be easy to read. Look at http://geosoft.no/development/javastyle.html for clear suggestions on formatting and other presentation issues. This reference is specifically directed at Java, but it has value for other languages, too. Try to restrict all your lines to 80 characters; many people view code in 80-column windows for historical reasons. Don't use both tabs and spaces for indentation, because not all text editors treat tabs as exactly 8 spaces. Do follow a consistent indentation pattern that reflects the program's control structure. Don't put lots of blank lines in your program. One blank line between subroutines is enough. Different operating systems terminate lines different ways. If you move between Win32 (which uses \r
), Unix (which uses
), and MacOS (which uses \r), reformat your file to use a consistent termination method. Don't set the executable bit (Unix) on your source files.
Coding: You want your coding to be clear, maintainable, and efficient, in that order. Some of the rules here are very specific; others are more general. Don't use a sequence of if statements that have no else if only one can match; use else if . When you want to categorize text input, don't enumerate the possible first characters. Use shift operators instead of multiplication for constructing bit patterns. In a switch statement, always check for the default case. Likewise, in a sequence of if-then-else statements, use a final else . All system calls can fail. Always check the return code, and use perror() to report the failure. Booleans should always use the boolean type in Java, bool in C++, and 0/1 integers in C. Don't use characters t and f, and don't use -1 and 1. Use loops to initialize data structures if possible. Use each variable and each field of a structure for exactly one purpose. Don't overload them unless there is an excellent reason to do so. Don't use the same identifier for both a type, a variable, and a file name, even if you change the capitalization. It's too confusing. If you are modifying data with htonl() or a similar routine before network transmission, don't modify the data in place. Build a second data structure. Try not to use global or nonlocal variables. Declare each variable in the smallest scope you can. There are legitimate uses of nonlocal variables, but make sure you really need them. Shell, Perl, and Python programs should have their #! line as the first line of the file; otherwise, the line is just a comment. Try to avoid coding special cases. You can often use pseudo-data or other data-structure methods that allow you to fold special cases into the regular cases.
Compilers: Let them help you find mistakes. Always invoke compilers with all warnings enabled. For C and C++, use the -Wall flag. For Java, use -Xlint:all -deprecation , and use the pmd program to get suggestions for better style. For Python, use -t -W all . For Perl, use the -w flag and specify use strict . Cgi-bin scripts should have the -T flag, too.
The make utility: Use it, and use it well. A Makefile should always have a "clean" recipe, which should remove all files that can be reconstructed by other recipes in the Makefile, including object and executable files. If your project has multiple source files, the Makefile should generate object ( .o ) files as needed and link them together. The Makefile should be written so that if you run make twice in a row, the second run does no recompilation. Every recipe should create the file specified in its target. Every recipe should use every file specified in its prerequisite list. Learn to use rules for targets like .c.o to avoid repetitious makefiles. If you have just one C or C++ source file, the executable file should have the same name (without the extension .c or .cpp ). Make sure you list all .h files as prerequisites where they are needed. Consider using makedepend to generate the prerequisite list for you.
utility: Use it, and use it well. Documentation: It's not just just for the grader. It helps you as you write the program, too! Add documentation as you write the program. You can always modify it as your design changes. Write external documentation: How does one compile and run the program, and what is it meant to do? The external documentation is usually in a separate README file; for small projects, it can be a comment in the single source file. Include internal documentation: What algorithms and data structures are you using? An overview can be in a separate README file, but usually internal documentation is placed on the specific routines, declarations, and steps that it describes. Check your whole program and documentation for spelling mistakes. It is impolite to turn in misspelled work, and it bespeaks inattention to detail. Check all your documentation (and output messages) for grammar mistakes. Programs are much more readable if you put a short comment on closing braces. For instance, the brace closing a conditional can have a comment like "if value looks good". A brace closing a loop can have a comment like "for each input line". A brace closing a procedure can have a comment just naming the procedure. A brace closing a class can have a comment saying "class" and then the name of the class.
For some reason, this page is popular with translators. | 2023-10-01T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/2492 |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fastener apparatus, in particular, to apparatus and a method for fastening concrete reinforcement steel members together during concrete construction.
2. Description of the Related Art
A search of the prior art located the following United States patents which are believed to be representative of the present state of the prior art: U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,399 B2, issued Nov. 4, 2003, U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,460, issued Mar. 16, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,991, issued Dec. 13, 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,363, issued Jan. 26, 1993, U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,3888, issued Feb. 5, 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,122 issued Sep. 9, 1986, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 228,119, issued Aug. 14, 1973, German Patent No. 2,126,981, issued May 10, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 1,684,051, issued Sep. 11, 1928, U.S. Pat. No. 1,498,595, issued Jun. 24, 1924; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,025,330, issued May 7, 1912. | 2023-12-23T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/5609 |
Redox-Switchable 20π-, 19π-, and 18π-Electron 5,10,15,20-Tetraaryl-5,15-diazaporphyrinoid Nickel(II) Complexes.
The first examples of air-stable 20π-electron 5,10,15,20-tetraaryl-5,15-diaza-5,15-dihydroporphyrins, their 18π-electron dications, and the 19π-electron radical cation were prepared through metal-templated annulation of nickel(II) bis(5-arylamino-3-chloro-8-mesityldipyrrin) complexes followed by oxidation. The neutral 20π-electron derivatives are antiaromatic and the cationic 18π-electron derivatives are aromatic in terms of the magnetic criterion of aromaticity. The meso N atoms in these diazaporphyrinoids give rise to characteristic redox and optical properties for the compounds that are not typical of isoelectronic 5,10,15,20-tetraarylporphyrins. | 2023-10-25T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/1005 |
Ultrasound therapy uses high-frequency sound waves to produce heat that can reduce some types of acute and chronic pain and is often employed during physical, occupational or manipulation therapy to treat conditions such as musculoskeletal injuries, arthritis and fibromyalgia. Therapeutic ultrasound is typically delivered at frequencies between about 200 to about 10000 kHZ. Lowering the frequency of therapeutic ultrasound provides for deeper penetration of the sound waves. Sound waves penetrating the tissue of the subject cause molecules in the tissue to vibrate, producing heat and mechanical energy allowing for deep heating of tissues such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, joint capsules and bone. As is well known, therapeutic ultrasound differs from diagnostic ultrasound, which uses less-intense sound waves to create images of internal structure.
In the case of diagnostic ultrasound systems, compact electronics have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,993 to Hadjicostis et al. discloses an ultrasound mixed signal multiplexer/pre-amplifier application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for supplying voltages to a group of transducer elements of an ultrasound array, receiving voltages from the same or another group of transducer elements of the ultrasound array, and amplifying the received voltages for transmission to external circuitry. The transmit and receive groups of transducer elements are shifted to provide accurate visual images with a minimal number of transmit and receive cycles.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,664 to Randall et al. discloses a medical diagnostic ultrasound receive beamformer including an upsampler upstream of both a time delay device and a summer, and a smoothing filter downstream of both the time delay device and the summer. The receive beamformer is automatically programmed into a gate array as a single-beam, dynamic-focus receive beamformer when the user selects B-mode and as a dual-beam, fixed-focus receive beamformer when the user selects color flow mode.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,969,352 to Chiang et al. discloses a hand-held ultrasound system including integrated electronics within an ergonomic housing. The integrated electronics include control circuitry, beamforming circuitry and transducer drive circuitry. The integrated electronics communicate with a host computer using an industry standard high speed serial bus. The ultrasound system is operable on a standard, commercially available, user computing device such as a personal computer (PC) without specific hardware modifications, and is adapted to interface with an external application without modification to the ultrasound system. This allows a user to gather ultrasonic data on the standard user computing device, and employ the data so gathered via the external application without requiring a custom system, expensive hardware modifications, or system rebuild. An integrated interface program allows such ultrasonic data to be invoked by a variety of external applications having access to the integrated interface program via a standard, predetermined platform such as Visual Basic or C++.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,169,108 to Little et al. discloses a continuous wave Doppler beam former application specific integrated circuit (CW-ASIC). The beam former may be a transmit or receive beam former. In one mode, the CW-ASIC is used in a diagnostic medical ultrasound system comprising a plurality of channels forming a CW analog receive path, wherein each channel is connected with a digital beam former. The plurality of channels are mixed down in quadrature to base band using a mixer and a local oscillator (LO) generator in quadrature. The outputs of the mixer are summed and wall/high pass filtered to provide a beam formed base band signal. A sub circuit provides a digital serial control function to interface to a real time control bus providing per channel enable/disable of the mixer and the LO generator, and LO delay as well as global local oscillator frequency select. The digital serial control function also has an external delay enable signal to start the LO generator and synchronize all the internal LO delays.
Although considerable attention has been paid to diagnostic ultrasound imaging systems, the same cannot be said as regards ultrasound therapy systems. The technologies described above relating to diagnostic ultrasound imaging systems are not applicable to therapeutic ultrasound delivery mainly due to the longer ultrasound bursts and higher time average power requried. As a result, there are still numerous barriers to the construction of fully electronically steerable, focused ultrasound devices for therapy including the number of transducer array elements, interconnects and driving and monitoring electronics that are required. As will be appreciated, further improvements in the design of ultrasound therapy systems are desired.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel ultrasound therapy transducer head and ultrasound therapy system incorporating the same. | 2024-04-27T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/1711 |
As we are informed in the narrations of the hadiths, the antichrist that will appear in the End Times will work on in order to spread all kinds of evil, disorder, anarchy and corruption in the world and be the source of all suffering and oppression people encounter. The vastness of the corruption of the antichrist is informed in one hadith:
Since the birth of Adam (as) till the advent of the Judgment Day there is no fitnah (tribulation) much greater than that of antichrist. (Sahih Muslim; Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah, p. 225)
Our Prophet (saas) has described in subtle detail the characteristics of the antichrist and how Muslims may protect themselves from this great corruption. One of the main features of the antichrist is its deception of people and pretending as if he is acting for good, whereas he is dragging people into great troubles. As a matter of fact the name of antichrist which is “dajjal” in Arabic comes from the root “dajl” which means “liar, fraud, a seditious and damned person who confuse the minds, hearts, good and bad, the right and the wrong, who hides the real face of something by gilding it, who wanders everywhere."
One hadith reports:
When the dajjal appears, he will bring fire and water with him. But what the people see as fire will be fresh water, and what the people see as water will be burning fire. Whoever lives to see that day, let him be willing to fall into what the people see as fire, as that is fresh, cold water. (Bukhari, Fitan 26, Anbiya 50; Muslim, Fitan 105, (2935); Abu Dawud, Al-Malahim 14, (4315))
According to the information reported in the hadith, antichrist will inculcate people as if they are acting righteously but in reality will lead them to “fire” in other words fights, conflicts, war and shedding blood. He will appear as the false messiah and will employ virtues such as equity, social justice, love and brotherhood as to his own mind and will lie by saying that he is calling people to salvation but in effect he will pull them all into trouble. As a matter of fact, ideologies of the 20th century that see conflict as the main principle of advancement and oppress the weak and the aggrieved, regard people to be machines that may be exploited. These ideologies present wars, terror, anarchy and bloody revolutions as the only solution to people by letting them into great afflictions and right down to the fire of the antichrist. Communism is the leading one among these. Communism is an ideology that washed the 20th century with blood. Communist dictators like Lenin, Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot have murdered a total of 120 million people without a blink of their eyes. The majority of these communities were civilians who were their own people. Tens of millions of men, women, elderly, children or babies lost their lives due to this rigid, oppressive and brutal ideology.
Communism is a manifestation of the system of the antichrist and by telling lies that human beings are products of blind coincidences or deceiving people with fallacy of Darwinism and making empty promises of bringing social justice and through denial of the explicit fact of Allah’s existence and rejection of all moral values like family and morality, it has presented falsehood like the truth and the truth like falsehood and this way deceived people. Communist ideology attracted millions through claims like protecting the poor, advocating rights of the oppressed or maintaining socil justice but in practice it has executed the contrary by;
Carrying out bloody acts,
Causing anarchy and turmoil,
Slaughtering women, children and elderly without remorse,
Exploiting people ruthlessly,
Providing wealth only for the governing classes,
Impoverishing the poor more,
Employing poverty stricken people in labor camps without mercy,
Turning people into robots,
Eliminating virtues like compassion, benevolence and love as a whole,
Eradicating the family and moral values,
In this way communism demonstrated that it is in fact an extremely heartless, ruthless and bloody ideology.
Another hadith relates that notions which antichrist suggests as good to people do in fact cause misery and detriments on people:
Definitely it is his fitnah (corruption) that he will also have (two rivers he names) paradise and hell with him. Though his hell will be paradise, and his paradise will be hell... (Ibn-Majah, 4075, 4076; Tirmidhi, Fitan: 59, no 2240, 4/510)
However, since the majority of people do not evaluate events according to the morals of the Qur’an or the Sunnah of our Prophet (saas), they have imagined that communism would bring welfare, freedom and comfort to them and therefore they have adhered to this deviant ideology. Once they encountered the climate of oppression resulting with the execution of communism, they realized this was a great mistake. For that reason our Prophet (saas) warned people and informed they should act knowing that what antichrist presents as wrong is actually what is right.
One of the hadiths report that although some people will know that antichrist is a disbeliever and will bring only affliction to them, they will be deceived by worldly interests he offers and stay under his unfluence:
Some people will converse with the dajjal. And they will say: “We know that he is an unbeliever; we are his friends so that we can eat his food and benefit from his tree.” When the chastisement of Allah comes, it will come to the dajjal and all of them. (Nuaym ibn Hammad; Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah, p. 231)
In fact history is filled with examples of the great disasters and sufferings experienced when communism was put to practice. Communism claimed so-to-say a good purpose by using some concepts that the system of the Mahdi advocates or moral virtues of religion requires, yet on the contrary it caused perishing of millions of lives due to its brutal and ruthless implementations. Therefore, all societies should definitely be aware and alert in the face of this plot of antichrist which is that communism tries to deceive people by pretended use of religion or its moral values. In this respect it is highly crucial that the main system which communism promotes or in other words its real face that sheds blood should be disclosed, while at the same time, it must be explained that the system of Mahdi based on morals of religion is exactly the opposite of this divert ideology:
1. Communism makes a claim for social justice and brotherhood of people, but in reality it is an ideology that exploits people and causes conflict among societies.
Communism attracts masses with pretense arguments of saving people, yet in effect this ideology denies that human beings are entities with souls so it regards them to be a type of machinery or an animal kind. Therefore it is impossible for communism to establish an order which is based on happiness, tranquility, comfort and security of people. Communism disintegrates people into classes and is bigoted to argue that each class has to possess a specific conduct, character and worldview. This way it sees collision or in other words battles and anarchy legitimate in between these classes. Human beings are not worthy in the communist system because of its prevalent logic which is, “There is already enough in the herd, nothing will happen if one is lost.” The ones who are incapable of working or handicapped are thrown out of the herd and left to die a death. Those ones are considered to be morbid and harmful. They aspire no feelings of forgiving, compassion or loyalty. The morality, intentions or state of mind of a person are never taken into account. This crooked mentality views life as a struggle for survival and sees no harm in eliminating the weak and in fact it considers this a necessity. Not possessing the altruism seen even in even, everyone first puts himself in the fore and that is why society cannot progress. Since people are far from feelings of compassion, having a society full of peace and comfort is not possible. In communist order people are only regarded to be animals that work to produce. Villagers are especially subjected to hatred and humiliation. Marx described peasants as “potato sacks”, and Lenin along with Stalin deliberately condemned millions of them to famine and eventually to death. According to them peasants meant herds of animals that produced crops, cotton, etc. and in the end taking away their products (collectivization) was considered as rightful and reasonable as if like collecting the honey that bees produce.
Therefore in societies where communism was put to practice, there existed no social justice as claimed and on the contrary an extreme case of injustice was put in effect where only governmental groups exploited others with all their might and this way prospered. In such communist systems which drive different ethnic groups out of their homelands into exile and force them to work in the most primitive conditions in labor camps, and that perceive all kinds of conflict as the so called requirement for progress, it is not possible to talk about “brotherhood” at all.
2. The system of the Mahdi is an order where “not even a nose of one person bleeds” while communism is an ideology that sheds blood.
Communist leaders have advised their proponents to cause terror and anarchy, to shed people’s blood and to slaughter the innocent as the means of their indispensable weaponry. Lenin who was one of the foremost leaders of communism advised the method of violence to his followers as follows:
To murder the police, soldiers, governmental officials and set state institutions on fire…Take away money from treasures of state… Revolutionary communist forces must emerge as invincible armed forces by killing people, bombing them, blowing up buildings, spreading fear and this way establishing the communist dictatorship over the society are the most important elements for our coming to power. (Vladimir Lenin, On Theoretical and Practical Terror, Homizuri G.P., Moscow, 2005)
Lenin declared that the Communist Party would shed as much blood as possible even 11 years before the Bolshevik Revolution in 1906 in the Proletari magazine:
The state of affairswe are interested in is armed struggle; this struggle is led by individuals and also smaller groups. While one division belongs to revolutionary organizations, others (in certain parts of Russia, the majority) are not linked up with any revolutionary organization. Armed struggle is aimed at two different purposes that definitely need to be separated; firstly, this struggle targets assassinations against individuals, leaders and officials in the army and police forces, secondly it seizes the sources of funds that belong to both the government and private persons… (Vladimir I. Lenin, 30 September 1906, Proletari, Nr. 5)
This terror and bloodshed Lenin promoted were put into practice in various countries all over the world by communists and extended by infamous psychopath communist leaders such as Mao, Pol Pot, Ho Chi Minh to cause the destruction of millions of lives. As to the calculations of historians throughout the 20th century 120 million people were killed only because of this ideology. These people were not soldiers that died in front lines during a war but they were civilians that communist states killed within their own societies. 100 million men, women, elderly, children and infants lost their lives only because of this coldhearted, brutal and ruthless ideology. Furthermore, there are tens of millions of others who were deprived of their essential rights and liberties, who were forced to exile and systematically encountered with famine, and were imprisoned and exploited like slaves in labor camps. Millions of people at the same time became targets or were in fear of becoming targets of communist guerilla groups and shootings by terrorist organizations.
The system of the Mahdi is based on peace, love for others, compassion and mercy. Hazrat Mahdi (as) will dominate the world with morals of the Qur’an through no wars, but with love and preaching the name of Allah. The prevalence of morals of religion through peace and love is one of the most significant characteristics of Hazrat Mahdi (as). It is reported in one of the hadiths of our Prophet (saas):
People will seek refuge in Hazrat Mahdi (as) as honey bees cluster around their sovereign. He will fill the world that was once full of cruelty, with justice. His justice will be as such that HE WILL NOT WAKE A SLEEPING PERSON OR EVEN SHED ONE DROP OF BLOOD. The earth will return to the age of happiness. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi `Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, p. 29)
[Hazrat Mahdi (as)] will follow the way of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). HE WILL NOT WAKE UP A SLEEPING PERSON OR SHED BLOOD. (Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah, p. 163)
LIKE THE CUP FILLS WITH WATER, SO WILL EARTH FILL WITH PEACE. There will be no enmity left between any people. All hostility, fighting, and envy will disappear. (Sahih Muslim, 1/136)
3. Communism is an atheist, irreligious ideology. Hazrat Mahdi (as) is a holy person who has deep love of Allah and faith will dominate the earth through him.
Communism accepts matter as the only being and attempts to explain the history of humanity with material factors and is irrationally in denial of the explicit existence of Allah. It advocates the lie that human beings are the products of blind coincidences and is a materialist and Darwinist ideology. Marx examined Darwin’s The Origin of Species published in 1859 and saw that this book was a great basis for his own theory. In his 19 December 1860 dated letter to Engels, he commented for Darwin’s books with the words, “…this is the book that contains the natural-history foundation of our view point.”[1] In his letter to Lasalle dated 16 January 1861, he wrote: “Darwin’s work is most important and suits my purpose in that it provides a basis in natural science for the historical class struggle.”[2] Marx, showed his great sympathy towards Darwin by dedicating his voluminous work Das Kapital to Darwin. In the German edition of his book that he sent Darwin, Marx wrote with his own hand, "To Charles Darwin from a true admirer, from Karl Marx."
Engels also presented his admiration of Darwin with the following words: “Nature works dialectically and not metaphysically. In this connection, Darwin must be named before all others."[3] Engels praised Darwin just as equally as Marx and said, “Just as Darwin discovered the law of evolution in organic nature, so Marx discovered the law of evolution in human history.”[4]Leon Trotsky who, together with Lenin, was one of the architects of the Russian Communist Revolution, described the discovery of Darwin was “the highest triumph of the dialectic (dialectic materialism) in the whole field of organic matter.”[5]
Yet, the system of the Mahdi is the means to bring true peace and happiness based on its foundation of faith in Allah, love of Allah and the beauties of the morals of religion. Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be instrumental in the domination of belief in Allah and moral values of the Qur’an throughout the world in the 14th Hijri century we are in. The glad tidings of the world rule of Islamic morals during the period of Hazrat Mahdi (as) is reported in the hadiths as below:
... This is narrated from the Prophet (saas): “Four people became kings on earth. Two are believers, two are unbelievers. The believers are Dhu'l-Qarnayn (as) and the Prophet Solomon (as); the unbelievers are Nimrod and Bukhtu-n Nasr (Nebuchadnezzar). One from the people of my house (Hazrat Mahdi (as)) will come as the fifth, and he will be king on earth.” (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman,p. 10)
4. System of the Mahdi advocates moral virtues and this way will dominate the world with superior morals, while on the contrary communism denies all moral values.
Eliminating faith in Allah as well as all kinds of religious and moral values from societies and this way producing masses which perceive themselves as “animal herds without souls” are the basic principles of communism. They assume it will easily be possible for them to manipulate those massess and secure their power so that they may set ground for all kinds of immorality and oppression. The extreme practice of communist ideology has been to “turn people into animals” to the extent possible, to chain them like brutal animals, and to “tame” them through fear and pain and even to slaughter them when required. Society this way consists of people of a single type just like animals in a herd. Clothes, cars and houses are typically the same. Monotony dominates the entire community. Sportsmen, artists, academicians and laborers possess the same model of a single way of living. Houses are built with the mentality of an animal shelter and clothing as a “fur to protect from cold.” Aesthetics is totally out of the question. Furthermore, fear of Allah has been replaced with various “fear centers.” For instance the KGB (and before it secret services like Cheka and NKVD) operated as institutions for instilling dreadful terror in society. The idea that these institutions “see and know everything” dominated all people. Such organizations form an elimination system based on “laws of nature” and they may send millions to death without jurisdiction or right of defense. Since fear of Allah is systematically removed, people may only keep down their rage as long as they are afraid of this system. They get involved in all kinds of illegal affairs if the system is not observant or does not punish. Robbery, corruption and malversation are exorbitant. People have no one to adhere to spiritually or to trust in. Darwinist and communist state continually oppresses the individual and others in the society are seen as potential enemies who may confiscate what one has in his hand. People believe they will be annihilated after death, so they perceive a brutal way of life. They consider everyone as enemies and competitors in their struggle for survival, so they regard others’ acts to be against themselves and hold grudge. There is no concept of progress as a whole, therefore they try to rise by stepping on another. Due to treachery among all, they cannot establish friendships and everyone is condemned to live alone.
However, the system of the Mahdi on the contrary brings a climate based on morality of religion which fulfills true requirements of the human soul like love, sacrifice, loyalty, compassion and cooperation that will be the means for attaining true peace and joy. For that reason the period of the domination of morals of Islam by means of Hazrat Mahdi (as) is named to be the Golden Age. In this delightful term people will attain unseen richness and abundance, plentitude and tranquility along with enjoyment, and they will experience true love to the deepest extent. They will be one another’s sincere friends, nobody will encounter disloyalty or unfaithfulness in another, also aesthetics and arts will exist in their most beautiful form, and people will no more be in poverty, need or deprivation. Nobody will come across injustice so that justice will be manifest thoroughly. All wars and conflicts will end and peace will prevail. In the hadiths, these delighful glories realized by means of Hazrat Mahdi (as) are given as glad tidings:
The most auspicious of the community of Muhammad and your protector who will do away with your troubles… is Hazrat Mahdi (as). (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 57)
Allah will put an end to blind corruption by means of him (Hazrat Mahdi (as)). Everywhere will be made safe… (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 58)
...It is narrated from Jabir ibn Abdullah that Rasulullah (saas) said: A successor will come at the end of my Ummah, and will give goods away without counting, by the handful. (Sahih Muslim 11/351)
It is narrated from Abu Said al-Hudri that Rasulullah (saas) said: “The Mahdi is in my Ummah. A man will come to him and say, ‘O Mahdi! Give unto me!’ And the Mahdi will fill his garment with all he can carry.’ (Sunan Tirmidhi, 4/93)
Abdullah ibn Masud narrated from the Messenger of Allah: “This (Amr) [Hazrat Mahdi (as)] will fill earth with justice just as people previously filled it with cruelty. (Sunan Ibn Majah, 10/348)
There will be such an abundance of justice in the Hazrat Mahdi (as)’s time that just as all the goods taken away by force will be returned to their owners; furthermore, some other person’s thing, even if it rests within one’s teeth, will be given back to its owner. . . . Security will pervade all the earth, and even a few ladies will be able to fulfill their hajj without the company of men.(Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi `Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, p. 23)
Hazrat Mahdi (as) ... will fill the earth with justice when it was formerly full of oppression. In the time of his succession the dwellers in the earth and sky, and even the birds in the air, will be delighted with him. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az- Zaman, p. 24)
The blessings that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be instrumental in are so abundant and delightful that older people living in that period will wish to be young. This is reported in the hadiths:
The younger ones wish they were grown-ups, while the adults wish they were younger... The good become even more good, and even the wicked ones are treated well. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 17)
In his [Hazrat Mahdi (as)] time the good become even better, and even the wicked ones are treated well. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-zaman, p. 17)
5. The system of the Mahdi takes a stand for family, state and morals of religion while communism is an enemy of all these sacred values.
In communist societies, family which is the most fundamental unit of society is deteriorated. There is no marriage in real terms but only mating and reproduction. Marriage is not intended for living by moral virtues but only for the continuation of generations. The child is not taken care of by the family but by the state that they name as the “herd.” This child is considered to be a new force to fight and protect the herd so he is trained that way. Mother turns out to be wild because she hates her house and conditions of living and this is reflected to the child. Children become assaultive and negative because they are deprived of love from family. Fights are dominant in the house rather than love and respect. Child has no one to trust. Prostitution is widely spread in these societies where concepts like marriage, loyalty and chastity are not prevaling and only mentality is for reproduction. Such a way of living is inevitable in societies which have no faith in Allah. Because in these communities people are not found worthy based on their being created by Allah and possessing souls. People view each other like more advanced animals that will be annihilated with death. For that reason peace, security, solidarity and brotherhood are not experieced in society. Everyone is after their own interests and aim at seeking a profit for their own lives. Nobody thinks of others’ health, comfort or tranquility. People are not worried of any harms that may fall on others, besides they do not endeavor to prevent any. In the same way it is hard to find just governors who strive for the benefit of the etire society in irreligious societies. Each and every individual works to seek the greatest interest that he may attain for his self in current circumstances.
Whereas, the morals of the Qur’an give people an understanding where they find one another valuable as servants of Allah. They do not look after their interests for doing good, on the contrary they always realize good deeds and strive for the best in goodness in order to gain pleasure of Allah. They are well aware of the verse in the Qur’an, “… if one exhorts to a deed of charity or justice or conciliation between men… To him who does this, seeking the good pleasure of Allah, We shall soon give a reward of the highest (value).” (Surah An-Nisa’, 114), so they are always in conduct of good deeds. In doing this, they do not expect any return from people but only expect the good pleasure of Allah. At the time of Hazrat Mahdi (as), moral virtues of the Qur’an will be fulfilled completely, worth and significance of the family and moral values will be comprehended properly and all individuals will possess superior morals and become obedient to state and benignant to their nations.
Result: Running Away From Intellectual Struggle Against The System of Antichrist Means Admitting Defeat At The Start
The hadiths and reports of scholars of Islam put forward that the current period we are in is when the Prophet Jesus (as) will return to earth, when Hazrat Mahdi (as) will serve his mission and therefore when the corruption of antichrist will be to its furthest extent and vehemence. One of the mostly praised preparations that Muslims who await to see the Prophet Jesus (as) and Hazrat Mahdi (as) with great fervor and who aspire to be the followers and companions of these sacred individuals may carry out for receiving them is to wage an intellectual strugge against the system of antichrist. While this corruption of antichrist inflicts the entire world and innocent Muslims are oppressed intensely with its rigor and this causes pain and tears, keeping still in ignorance like nothing happens or zipping one’s lips in quietude would mean to admit intellectual defeat.
When something wrong or not lawful according to Qur’an occurs, a sincere Muslim cannot stay unresponsive. A Muslim would undertake the most intelligent, moderate and wise steps through intellectual struggle for correcting and amending these conditions. Any other conduct contrary to this would result in a miscomprehension by the antichrist and its followers as if they are paramount or indefeatable. Moreover, people whose faith is weak or who do not possess adequate knowledge would be caught up in a wrong way of thinking that antichrist may not be overcome or that conceit is predominant or superior which would cause antichrist to attract more followers. That would give way to an immense spread of this corruption and commotion and incapacity of its prevention. However, Allah commands Muslims in the Qur’an, “And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression.” (Surah Al-Baqara, 193)
Intellectual struggle against the system of antichrist is a religious obligation for Muslims just like prayers (salat), fasting and hajj. All Muslims should be well aware of this responsibility and take their part with all their means in this struggle as the forerunners of Hazrat Mahdi (as). By Allah’s leave, this century we are in is a very sacred period in history when falsehood will totally perish and Truth will prevail and morals of Islam will dominate the entire world where all people will live in peace, love, brotherhood and friendship. Allah has promised that Islam will have dominion over the earth and insha’Allah this promise will be grantd in this century:
Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion - the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: 'They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me.'If any do reject Faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked. (Surah an-Nur, 55) | 2023-12-29T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/8110 |
A French actor gets a tribute, Gandalf gets a shave, and Sarah Palin comes to the defense of tax credits for Hollywood.
French actor and New Wave icon Jean-Paul Belmondo, meanwhile, will be honored at this year's Cannes Film Festival with a gala celebration on May 17. And the festival's Gilles Jacob and Thierry Fremaux have already thrown down the gauntlet should any current actors feel like skipping the tribute. After saluting "his range and personal charisma, the precision of his acting, his cocky wit" and "the ease with which he carries himself," they add, "No doubt the entire panoply of French actors … will want to walk up that Cannes staircase to celebrate 'Bebel' to the sound of the rapturous applause of his diehard fans." Beat that, Norman Jewison backers. Anne Thompson has pix and videos. (Thompson on Hollywood)
From the set of "The Hobbit," Ian McKellen blogs a big moment: his transformation into Gandalf the Grey, the wizard he played in the three "Lord of the Rings" movies almost a decade ago. He documents the shaving of his real beard so he can don a fake beard, the application of a new false nose (smaller than the old false nose, at his request) and the donning of "Gandy's clothes" for the first time. "It's like old times," says McKellen, a wry and amusing blogger who documents the shave with photos. (Ian McKellen.com)
Stop the presses: Sarah Palin agrees with all those Hollywood liberals about something. The something, in this case, is a state tax credit and incentive program for filmmakers, this one in her home state of Alaska; the program offers a 30 percent credit on production money spent in the state, and reportedly delivered $1.2 million in tax credits to the TLC reality program "Sarah Palin's Alaska." State tax credits for filmmaking have drawn fire from conservatives and limited-government advocates, but Palin's all in favor: her statement on the program reads, in part, "I’ve said many times that government can play an appropriate role in incentivizing business, creating infrastructure, and leveling the playing field to foster competition so the market picks winners and losers, instead of bureaucrats burdening businesses and picking winners and losers." Scott Macaulay sums up the issue and Palin's stance; The Daily Caller has her statement in full, though she blasted that conservative outlet for only running excerpts on the first page of their story, and "burying" her full statement after the jump. (Filmmaker Magazine)
The state that became emblematic of film production tax credits is Michigan, not Alaska – but, says Anthony Kaufman, those credits "appear to have been too good to be true." New governor Rick Synder has proposed putting an annual $25 million cap on the 42 percent credit, which has caused a cutback in production even though the legislature won't address the issue until the summer. One film, he says, will receive a credit for the first three months of 2011; by contrast, the same period last year saw nine productions benefit. (indieWIRE)
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A family from Sussex, UK, is suing their GP for giving their daughter, Jodie, eight vaccines combined into just one syringe in 1993. The GP chose to do this against the parents wishes they had expressed before they came in for the appointment.
(06-04-2018, 06:16 PM)Steve Wrote: UK doctor mixed eight vaccines Into one syringe and injected it into child... here’s how you can help
A family from Sussex, UK, is suing their GP for giving their daughter, Jodie, eight vaccines combined into just one syringe in 1993. The GP chose to do this against the parents wishes they had expressed before they came in for the appointment.
Police raid scientists who discovered new vaccine dangers -—Two scientists discover that vaccines are contaminated, in the manufacturing process, with many small particles of metals that are toxic to humans when injected. Alarming.
The published research is ignored. Then the scientists are raided by police .....
A systematic review of pre- and post-licensure trials of the HPV vaccine concluded its effectiveness is both overstated and unproven. Merck’s own research reveals you increase your risk of precancerous lesions if you’ve been exposed to HPV strains 16 or 18 prior to vaccination
Reported side effects of Gardasil vaccination include immune-based inflammatory neurodegenerative disorders, suggesting something is causing the immune system to overreact in a detrimental way, sometimes fatally | 2024-03-25T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/9750 |
MrChipps
Quite clearly, Mr. Corcodilos was working in conjunction with, and was in contact with, two board members. There is no problem with that. He NEVER represented himself as a board member, and was only using his considerable intelligence and knowledge of how Government works, to get information--public information--for them. I do believe, now that I have seen these emails, that he has grounds for a lawsuit. Get out your wallets, CT residents. Where did you all get this Dincuff guy? He's scary. Get your candidates ready for November--it's your best hope.
There is an overreaction here. This is a housekeeping ordinance, to close out open permits. If the seller took out a permit to, say, put on a deck, and either didn't end up adding the deck or didn't get a final inspection, the permit is still "open" and the construction office is left with carrying the permit indefinitely. This enables the permit to be closed out by requiring a final inspection. It does not deal with work done without any permits being pulled. The cost does seem steep, however.
Interesting stuff. This is the first time I've seen a picture of Dincuff. I thought he was some fiesty young Turk. He's an old chubby guy who doesn't even have the courtesy to put on a jacket and tie to run a school board meeting. And, as has already been stated, he seems to forget that he is only one member of the board. That being said, WHERE IS THE REST OF THE BOARD? The voters did not elect them to roll over and play dead! When are they going to take back their board? ALL of their reputations are being tarnished here. And, as usual, Nick had excellent questions that deserve--and need-- to be answered. Mr. Kaplan, you post on these forums a lot, and you appear to be a smart guy. WHY DON"T YOU SPEAK UP AT MEETINGS instead of having to explain and make excuses on the forum?
So if these young men were as honorable as some of you are suggesting, and if some were truly not at the scene, and if football is so all-important, why haven't the ones who were actually involved done the honorable thing and stepped forward and confessed and said that the others were not involved? | 2023-10-17T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/8255 |
Q:
How else can I draw this apple?
The following code is written by Luji.
uniqueColorQ[x1_, x2_, y1_, y2_] :=
0.01 > Max@Abs@Variance@Flatten[data[[y1 ;; y2, x1 ;; x2]], 1];
circleData[width_, height_, color_] :=
Table[If[(j - width/2)^2 + (i - height/2)^2 <= (Quotient[
Min[height, width], 2])^2, color, {1, 1, 1}], {i, height}, {j,
width}]
normalizeColor[x1_, x2_, y1_, y2_] :=
circleData[x2 - x1 + 1, y2 - y1 + 1,
Mean@Flatten[data[[y1 ;; y2, x1 ;; x2]], 1]]
blockMatrix[a11_, a12_, a21_, a22_] :=
Join[Join[a11, a12, 2], Join[a21, a22, 2]]
quadTreeArt[x1_, x2_, y1_, y2_] :=
If[((x2 - x1) <= 1 || (y2 - y1) <= 1) ||
uniqueColorQ[x1, x2, y1, y2], normalizeColor[x1, x2, y1, y2],
blockMatrix[
quadTreeArt[x1, Quotient[x1 + x2, 2], y1, Quotient[y1 + y2, 2]],
quadTreeArt[Quotient[x1 + x2, 2] + 1, x2, y1,
Quotient[y1 + y2, 2]],
quadTreeArt[x1, Quotient[x1 + x2, 2], Quotient[y1 + y2, 2] + 1,
y2], quadTreeArt[Quotient[x1 + x2, 2] + 1, x2,
Quotient[y1 + y2, 2] + 1, y2]]]
image = Import["https://i.stack.imgur.com/GxCYF.jpg"];
img = ImageResize[image, {500, 420}];
data = ImageData[img][[1 ;; 420, 80 ;; 500]];
Image@quadTreeArt[1, 400, 1, 400]
What other ingenious methods can be used to achieve this effect?
A:
Not particularly efficient buy an easy to write recursion
ClearAll[splitMerge]
splitMerge[i_, maxSt_, minSize_, newImage_] :=
ImageAssemble@Map[If[
And[
Max@ImageMeasurements[#, "StandardDeviation"] > maxSt,
And @@ Thread[ImageDimensions[#] > minSize]
],
splitMerge[ImagePartition[#, {Scaled[{1/2, 1/2}]}], maxSt,
minSize, newImage],
newImage[#]
] &,
i, {-1}]
Using these two functions to simplify the leaves
constantImage[i_] :=
ImageAdd[ImageMultiply[i, 0], ImageMeasurements[i, "Mean"]]
diskImage[i_] := Block[
{dims, mask},
dims = ImageDimensions[i];
mask = Image[DiskMatrix[Floor[Min[dims]/2], Reverse[dims]]];
SetAlphaChannel[ImageMultiply[ColorConvert[
mask,
ImageColorSpace[i]
], ImageMeasurements[i, "Mean"]],
mask
]
]
I get
splitMerge[ImageCrop[image, {400, 400}], .1, 20, constantImage]
splitMerge[ImageCrop[image, {400, 400}], .1, 10, diskImage]
You can also try other types of matrices.
| 2024-06-01T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/3417 |
Field Notes
Vanishing Borneo: Saving One of the World’s Last Great Places
Borneo’s magnificent rain forest is being decimated to make way for oil palm plantations. Consumers of the countless products made with palm oil, from toothpaste to chocolate bars, hold the key to protecting the most ancient forest on earth.
Palm oil is the second-most important oil in the modern consumer society, after petroleum. Producing it is a $50-billion-a-year business. It’s in a multitude of the household products in North America, Europe, and Australia: margarine, toothpaste, shampoo, lipstick, cookies, Nutella, you name it. Doritos are saturated with palm oil. It’s what gives chocolate bars their appetizing sheen – otherwise, they would look like mud. Palm oil has replaced artery-clogging ghee as India’s main cooking oil. India is now the major consumer of this clear, tasteless oil squeezed from the nuts of the oil-palm tree, Elais guyanensis, originally from West Africa, but now grown pantropically, mainly within ten degrees north and south of the Equator.
Indonesia and Malaysia chose palm oil as their main economic engine after independence in the 1960s, and they together account for 85 percent of world production, which is expected to double by 2050. As oils go, palm oil gives you the best bang for your buck. Soy fields yield far less than rows of oil-palm trees and have to be replanted annually, while the palms keep bearing huge clusters of oil-rich nuts for 20 years, and can then be replaced. In 2015 17 million hectares of oil palm yielded a total of 62 million tons of oil, while the 120 million hectares planted in soy yielded 48 million tons. Palm oil doesn’t lose its properties when it’s heated, or become rancid at room temperature, and it has multiple industrial uses. It is the edible vegetable oil of choice and is not going away.
Borneo is ground zero for oil-palm devastation. Nowhere has more native rain forest been wiped out. The world’s third-largest island, Borneo’s lower 73 percent is in Indonesia— the territory of Kalimantan— and its upper portion consists of two states in Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah, separated by the small, oil-rich sultanate of Brunei. Fifty percent of the lowland Borneo rain forest, which once covered all of the island up to 10,000 feet, is gone, but it’s still the third-largest in the world, after the Amazon and Equatorial Africa’s. It is part of the most ancient rain forest— forest, period— on earth: 130 million years old, more than twice as old as the Amazon’s, and has the greatest density of higher plant species, an estimated 15,000 flowering species. Each new botanical or entomological expedition comes back with new species. Some 20,000 insect species have been found in Sarawak’s Gunung Mulu National Park alone.
There are still hunter-gatherers on the island who hunt with blowguns and have 1,200 names for different trees.
Borneo is the world capital of dipterocarps, trees with two-winged fruits that grow in tropical lowlands and tend to be “emergents,” rising singly above the canopy. It has 380 of the 500 species in existence. 250 are endemic, found only on Borneo, including Shorea faguetana, the tallest tropical tree anywhere, reaching 290 feet. Ten of the emergent dipterocarp species have beautiful, hard wood and are sought after by the logging companies, most of which are Chinese. China is the main market now for lumber from Borneo. It used to be Japan.
Fantastic butterflies and moths, like the gigantic Rajah Brooke birdwing, have come into being in this primordial forest. And the Bornean wild pig, the Bornean pygmy elephant and pygmy rhinoceros, and Pongo pygmaeus, a different species of orangutan from the Sumatran. And orangutans are easy to have an interspecies experience with because they share 97 percent of our genes and are fantastic facial mimics.
Orphaned orangutan babies at the International Animal Rescue center on Borneo.BAY ISMOYO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
There are still hunter-gatherers in the heart of the island who hunt with blowguns and leave 100 different signs of bent branches and folded leaves for each other in the forest and have 1,200 names for different trees and their corresponding spirits and until two generations ago believed that this is only one of nine different worlds in the cosmos. Every day throughout the year begins and ends with the six o’clock cicadas sounding off, and the haunting hoot choruses of the gibbons, and the fantastic arias of the bulbuls, and a riotous biophony of insects rattling and stridulating, and birds singing their hearts out.
The mountainous thickly jungled heart of Borneo was one of the last blank spots on the map, terra incognita, through World War II. The most remote bands of nomadic blowgun hunters were not reached by missionaries until the late l970s. Now they are all Christians and live in modern longhouses with TVs and electricity, but they still go off into the forest and hunt for days at a time, and a few bands still circulate in the forest and make new camps of raised pole huts every few weeks. Even the most isolated and traditional people in the central highlands are acutely aware of the modern world. Loggers are taking out their biggest trees, their rivers are being polluted and impounded by hydroelectric dams.
In the l950s, as synthetic rubber largely put an end to the natural rubber business, chainsaws and Caterpillar tractors arrived on Borneo. The following decade, the eradication of the rain forest began in earnest. First the commercial dipterocarps were felled and hauled out, then the remaining mangled forest was torched, a few days before rain was expected. But sometimes the rain didn’t come and the peat forest, with up to 20 feet of decomposing, combustible vegetable matter in its deep soil, would burn for months.
An area cleared for an oil palm plantation in Central Kalimantan province in Borneo.Bay Ismoyo/AFP/Getty Images
That is what happened in l997 when a pall of smoke from peat fires in Kalimantan, smothered southeast Asia and drifted east, all the way to Japan. That year, the peat fires released 2.5 billion tons of carbon. It happened again in 2003-4 and in 2015-6, when thousands of orangutans died of starvation and thousands of people in Kalimantan were hospitalized for smoke inhalation. Indonesia’s peat fires are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions.
By the 1980s, the deforestation rate on Borneo was the highest on the planet, and in recorded history, and this continued into the new millenium. In the last 20 years the orangutans have lost 90 percent of their habitat. There are only maybe 30,000 left, and very little available forest left to release the ones in cages in care centers.
There’s a lot the individual consumer can do. Help Orangutan Foundation International acquire rain forest where it can release its hundreds of rescued orangutans. Support the Rainforest Action Network’s Conflict Palm Oil campaign to pressure the snack-food giants to commit to zero further deforestation or child or indentured labor on the concessions from which they source their palm oil. Nestle, Mars, Unilever, Cargill (the biggest consumer of palm oil in the United States), and other snack-food giants are on board, but PepsiCo continues to be a laggard, so boycott its products. Do without Doritos. Find out if palm oil is in the things you are eating and using— it has 19 aliases— and cut down on or eliminate your consumption of these products. Some 70 percent of what is labeled “vegetable oil” is palm oil.
Species continue to be wiped out before they are even discovered, the most tragic type of extinction.
The clearing and burning of peat forest has to be permanently banned. But on-the-ground verification that there is no further deforestation, that strips of forest have been left as wildlife corridors and along watercourses, is a huge problem, with all the corruption surrounding this lucrative commodity. Meanwhile species continue to be wiped out before they are even discovered, the most tragic type of extinction. Truly sustainable palm oil is still a long way off.
Support the investigations of the Bruno Manser Fonds, a Swiss NGO that has traced laundered profits from palm oil and logging in Sarawak from the former longtime chief minister and his family members and cronies to an upscale mall and condo complex in Ottawa, and a gated golf course community in the Arizona Desert. Keep abreast of the latest developments on Borneo and the spread of oil-palm cultivation around the Equator. The sad thing is that few modern consumers are aware of this far-away biocultural holocaust or of their complicity in it.
There have been some encouraging developments, particularly in Sarawak, which has elected a new chief minister, who is more supportive of the state’s 40-some ethnic groups and has canceled the massive Baram Dam. The 20,000 forest people who would have been displaced by its impounded water will have their land restored to them. Sarawak’s entire misguided, ecologically disastrous dam-building program has been canceled. But in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, pristine rain forest continues to be annihilated. This is a global battle for the cultural diversity of the tropics. We have to keep the pressure on. | 2024-03-29T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/4366 |
Q:
applying array_unique
I have code to get the address which is separated by space and then fetching area details about that address so each time sql result is stored in array "resultArray" and that result is pushed to another array "returnArray" which is then displayed in the format of json.I want to remove duplicate area_id in returnArray so I used "array_unique" but it's not working .Please give some suggestion.
Sample Code:
<?php
include_once 'main.php';
$dac = new Main();
$add = $_POST['address'];
$noLines = sizeof($add);
$resultArray=array();
$returnArray=array();
$returnArrayMain=array();
while ($noLines>0)
{
$resultArray=array();
$result = $dac->area_detail($add[$noLines-1]);
$count=mysql_num_rows($result);
while($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result))
{
$resultArray[]=array('area_id' => $row['area_id'],'area_name' => $row['area_name'],'area_GISlat'=>$row['area_GISlat'],'area_GISlon'=>$row['area_GISlon']);
}
array_push($returnArray, $resultArray) ;
$noLines = $noLines-1;
}
$returnArrayMain = array_unique($returnArray);
echo json_encode($returnArrayMain);
?>
A:
Here is solution with a testing associative array:
// this is testing array as you are using:
$resultArray = array(
array(
'area_id' => 12,
'area_name' => 'test',
'area_GISlat'=>'test2',
'area_GISlon'=>'test3'),
array(
'area_id' => 11,
'area_name' => 'test',
'area_GISlat'=>'test2',
'area_GISlon'=>'test3'),
array(
'area_id' => 12,
'area_name' => 'test',
'area_GISlat'=>'test2',
'area_GISlon'=>'test3')
);
// take a temporary arry
$temporaryArr = array();
// initialize key's array
$arrayKey = array();
foreach ( $resultArray as $key => $values ) {
if ( !in_array($values, $temporaryArr) ) {
$temporaryArr[] = $values; // store values in temporary array
$arrayKey[$key] = true; // store all keys in another array
}
}
// now use array_intersect_key function for intersect both array.
$requiredArr = array_intersect_key($resultArray, $arrayKey);
echo "<pre>";
print_r($requiredArr);
Result:
Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[area_id] => 12
[area_name] => test
[area_GISlat] => test2
[area_GISlon] => test3
)
[1] => Array
(
[area_id] => 11
[area_name] => test
[area_GISlat] => test2
[area_GISlon] => test3
)
)
Removed duplicate arrays.
From PHP Manual:
array_intersect_key — Computes the intersection of arrays using keys for comparison
Side note:
Also add error reporting to the top of your file(s) right after your opening <?php tag
error_reporting(E_ALL);
ini_set('display_errors', 1);
| 2024-03-01T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/2743 |
IT 241 Week 9 Planning a Wireless LAN
In the final project, you assume the role of a wireless network consultant working for a company named Apex Designs. You helped the company determine that installing a wireless network in five of their office buildings would be cost-effective and beneficial.
The company wants each of its 345 employees to connect their laptops to the wireless network anywhere within the five buildings. Your task is to present Apex Designs with a plan that outlines how you intend to design their wireless network.
This assignment asks you to develop a wireless network design plan for one of Apex Designs’ buildings. Complete the recommended steps for designing a wireless LAN and create a wireless security policy. Apex Designs has already completed some of the plan’s components, but you must complete the remaining elements.
Select one of the five floor plans in Appendix I. Use the data gathered in the Floor Plan Site Survey assignment to determine the floor plan you want to use in your final project. You will use this floor plan throughout your final project.
Use the template in Appendix J to compile the following components of your wireless network plan:
Deployment Scenario
Determine the correct deployment scenario for your network.
Provide a rationale for the scenario you selected.
Identify the hardware components your wireless network will utilize. You may select components from the Wireless Network Components assignment.
Provide a rationale for how you will use each component in your network.
Estimate the approximate cost of each component in your network.
IEEE Wireless Network Type: Apex Designs has indicated that an 802.11n LAN will be implemented.
Access Point Management: Apex Designs will use thin access points to simplify the management of the wireless LAN. Thin access points allow managing the wireless network from one central location rather than to be configured separately for each access point.
Location of Wireless Devices
Develop a network performance impediment report using the data from the Floor Plan Site Survey assignment. The report must discuss any impediments to network performance located in the floor plan you selected.
Include large items such as filing cabinets, concrete walls, or other objects that might interfere with the performance of your wireless network.
Use Appendix I to place access points and switches in the proper locations on your floor plan. You must provide a strong, continuous signal to the entire floor.
Draw the necessary network cables between access points and switches using the drawing tools in Microsoft® Word.
Wireless Security Policy
Identify the types of security your wireless network will implement. Your security policy must include at least two of the security protections listed in Ch. 13 ofCWNA Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide.
Write a one-half-page summary for each protection and include an explanation of why you selected it.
IT 241 Week 9 Planning a Wireless LAN
https://uoptutorialstore.com/category/it-241/
IT 241 Week 9 Planning a Wireless LAN
In the final project, you assume the role of a wireless network consultant working for a company named Apex Designs. Yo
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Q:
Fluent nHibernate Query => QueryOver, Join, Distinct
I try to change that query to QueryOver<> to be able to do the Distinct operation yet inside the (generated sql) query
var result = (from x in Session.Query<Events>()
join o in Session.Query<Receivers>() on x.ID equals o.ID
where x.Owner.ID == 1 //the user is the owner of that Event (not null)
||
x.EVType.ID == 123 //(not null)
||
x.Receivers.Count(y => y.User.ID == 1) > 0 //the user is one of the Event Receivers
select x.StartDate)
.Distinct();
I tried something like that
Events x = null;
List<Receivers> t = null;
var result = Session.QueryOver<Events>(() => x)
.JoinAlias(() => x.Receivers, () => t)
.Where(() => x.Owner.ID == 1
||
x.EVType.ID == 123
||
t.Count(y => y.User.ID == 1) > 0)
.TransformUsing(Transformers.DistinctRootEntity)
.Select(a => a.StartDate)
.List();
but then I got the Value can not be null. Parameter name: source exception. Any ideas how can I fix that query ?
edit
thanks to the xanatos' answer, the final SQL query is correct (I used his 2nd approach):
SELECT distinct this_.StartDate as y0_
FROM Events this_
WHERE
(
this_.UserID = ?
or
this_.EventTypeID = ?
or
exists (SELECT this_0_.ID as y0_
FROM Receivers this_0_
WHERE this_0_.UserID = ?)
)
A:
"In QueryOver, aliases are assigned using an empty variable. The variable can be declared anywhere (but should be empty/default at runtime). The compiler can then check the syntax against the variable is used correctly, but at runtime the variable is not evaluated (it's just used as a placeholder for the alias)." http://nhibernate.info/blog/2009/12/17/queryover-in-nh-3-0.html
Setting List<Receivers> t to empty collection as you did (as you have mentioned in comments) means that you check is event id in local empty collection - doesn't have sense at all.
You can try do your query with subquery (should work but i'm not sure, I wrote it without testing, "by hand"):
Receivers receiversSubQueryAlias = null;
var subquery = session.QueryOver<Events>()
.JoinQueryOver<Receivers>(x => x.Receivers, () => receiversSubqueryAlias, JoinType.Inner)
.Where(()=> receiversSubQueryAlias.UserId == 1)
.Select(x => x.Id)
.TransformUsing(Transformers.DistinctRootEntity);
Events eventsAlias = null;
var mainQueryResults = session.QueryOver<Events>(() => eventsAilas)
.Where(Restrictions.Disjunction()
.Add(() => eventAlias.OwnerId == 1)
.Add(() => eventAlias.EVType.Id == 123)
.Add(Subqueries.WhereProperty<Events>(() => eventAlias.Id).In(subquery))
).Select(x => x.StartDate)
.TransformUsing(Transformers.DistinctRootEntity)
.List();
A:
As written by @fex, you can't simply do a new List<Receivers>. The problem is that you can't mix QueryOver with "LINQ" (the t.Count(...) part). The QueryOver "parser" tries to execute "locally" the t.Count(...) instead of executing it in SQL.
As written by someone else, TransformUsing(Transformers.DistinctRootEntity) is client-side. If you want to do a DISTINCT server-side you have to use Projections.Distinct .
You have to make an explicit subquery. Here there are two variants of the query. the first one is more similar to the LINQ query, the second one doesn't use the Count but uses the Exist (in LINQ you could have done the same by changing the Count(...) > 0 with a Any(...)
Note that when you use a .Select() you normally have to explicitly tell the NHibernate the type of the .List<something>()
Events x = null;
Receivers t = null;
// Similar to LINQ, with COUNT
var subquery2 = QueryOver.Of<Receivers>(() => t)
.Where(() => t.SOMETHING == x.SOMETHING) // The JOIN clause between Receivers and Events
.ToRowCountQuery();
var result2 = Session.QueryOver<Events>(() => x)
.Where(Restrictions.Disjunction()
.Add(() => x.Owner.ID == 1)
.Add(() => x.EVType.ID == 123)
.Add(Subqueries.WhereValue(0).Lt(subquery2))
)
.Select(Projections.Distinct(Projections.Property(() => x.StartDate)))
.List<DateTime>();
// With EXIST
var subquery = QueryOver.Of<Receivers>(() => t)
.Where(() => t.SOMETHING == x.SOMETHING) // The JOIN clause between Receivers and Events
.Select(t1 => t1.ID);
var result = Session.QueryOver<Events>(() => x)
.Where(Restrictions.Disjunction()
.Add(() => x.Owner.ID == 1)
.Add(() => x.EVType.ID == 123)
.Add(Subqueries.WhereExists(subquery))
)
.Select(Projections.Distinct(Projections.Property(() => x.StartDate)))
.List<DateTime>();
Note that you'll have to set "manually" the JOIN condition in the subquery.
| 2024-07-14T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/4581 |
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Help--Wattsup and System Power
I've installed Phoronix Test Suite on my Linux machine (Ubuntu 12.04). When I type "phoronix-test-suite system-sensors," the System Power Consumption is listed under "Unsupported Sensors." I have a Wattsup Pro Power meter connected to my machine and I have also installed the Linux Utility found on the Wattsup website under Support. How can I get the Phoronix Test Suite to receive data from the Wattsup Pro?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Compile the WattsUp utility and then place it at /usr/bin/wattsup and then PTS should be able to detect it with system-sensors command or when setting the export MONITOR=all environment variable during benchmarking.
Thank you, that worked! Is there a way to see the exact numbers rather than just the graphs? I was hoping to use Phoronix Test Suite partly as a data logger for the Wattsup Meter and would like to find a way to see the numbers used to produce the graph.
Thank you, that worked! Is there a way to see the exact numbers rather than just the graphs? I was hoping to use Phoronix Test Suite partly as a data logger for the Wattsup Meter and would like to find a way to see the numbers used to produce the graph. | 2024-01-27T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/8866 |
"This is the richest city in the state and in a state that has the most regressive tax system in the country", said councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, who wanted a heftier tax. The so-called "head tax" would raise roughly $48 million a year to build new affordable housing units and provide emergency homeless services. The tax has a sunset clause to end December 31, 2023.
"The battle lines on this issue were more starkly drawn than they have been on numerous other progressive issues that the Seattle city council has pushed in recent years", Nelson told TheDCNF, adding the head tax drew opposition from many divergent interests in the city.
Heather Redman, a Seattle venture capitalist, took Amazon's response to the tax more seriously than Sawant. One state Republican lawmaker said he would seek legislation next year to make clear that a city tax on employees, wages or hours is illegal.
Being the third region in the USA with the highest number of homeless people, the city has been driving reforms to tackle the problem, as at least 169 homeless people died on Seattle's streets in 2017.
The debate over who should pay to solve a city housing crisis exacerbated by Seattle's rapid economic growth comes after weeks of tense exchanges, raucous meetings and a threat by Amazon, the city's largest employer, to stop construction planning on a 17-story building near its hometown headquarters.
Council member Lorena Gonzalez said she was disappointed with Amazon's reaction and thinks their message was "clearly hostile toward the city council", and not what she expected from a business that keeps telling them they want to be a partner on city issues, such as the increasing housing problem. It should reexamine existing programs meant to help the homeless and make sure they are working.
"On one hand, people are looking at affordability of this city and death on the street...on the other hand people are saying "now you are trying to drive out business and good jobs and making policy or investment decisions that can kill our economy because we are a thriving city". Publicly traded companies are not required to break out their total employees or revenue per city.
"This not just an Amazon tax, this is a tax on these family owned grocers, and stores like..."
Tax proponents have said too many people are suffering on the streets and that the problem is deepening even though city-funded programs found homes for 3,400 people a year ago. "West Seattle Thriftway, Metropolitan Market, Uwajimaya, your golden stars here in the community".
"You can see the tax structure has a disproportionate hit on the grocery industry", she told the council. "I don't understand why businesses think it's wrong to help".
"...do not capitulate to Bezos' bullying...we need $400 million a year to solve this problem, don't water this down". However the problem has only deteriorated with the number of homeless students attending public schools in the city tripling to close to 4,300 in the last school year. The Institute for Children, Poverty & Homelessness found that in the 2015-2016 school year, one in 16 children in Seattle were homeless.
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Fairfield mother accused of child abuse due in court
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Kent State graduate's photo with AR-10 goes viral
Some Twitter users were upset that Kaitlin chose to take the images with the AR-10, while others supported her decision. The university told Refinery29 that Bennett, now that she's a graduate, is within her rights to openly carry her rifle.
OnePlus OxygenOS Open Beta update out for OnePlus 5 and 5T
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Apple seeks $1.5 billion from Samsung in lawsuit
Apple attorney Bill Lee stressed to jurors the importance of design to Apple , which "puts design before everything else". The Patent Act awards all profits from sales of any " article of manufacture " that infringes a patented design. | 2023-10-21T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/3305 |
Q:
Why does the buffering of std::ifstream "break" std::getline when using LLVM?
I have a simple C++ application which is supposed to read lines from a POSIX named pipe:
#include<iostream>
#include<string>
#include<fstream>
int main() {
std::ifstream pipe;
pipe.open("in");
std::string line;
while (true) {
std::getline(pipe, line);
if (pipe.eof()) {
break;
}
std::cout << line << std::endl;
}
}
Steps:
I create a named pipe: mkfifo in.
I compile & run the C++ code using g++ -std=c++11 test.cpp && ./a.out.
I feed data to the in pipe:
sleep infinity > in & # keep pipe open, avoid EOF
echo hey > in
echo cats > in
echo foo > in
kill %1 # this closes the pipe, C++ app stops on EOF
When doing this under Linux, the application successfully displays output after each echo command as expected (g++ 8.2.1).
When trying this whole process on macOS, output is only displayed after closing the pipe (i.e. after kill %1).
I started suspecting some sort of buffering issue, so i've tried disabling it like so:
std::ifstream pipe;
pipe.rdbuf()->pubsetbuf(0, 0);
pipe.open("out");
With this change, the application outputs nothing after the first echo, then prints out the first message after the second echo ("hey"), and keeps doing so, alwasy lagging a message behind and displaying the message of the previous echo instead of the one executed.
The last message is only displayed after closing the pipe.
I found out that on macOS g++ is basically clang++, as
g++ --version yields: "Apple LLVM version 10.0.1 (clang-1001.0.46.3)".
After installing the real g++ using Homebrew, the example program works, just like it did on Linux.
I am building a simple IPC library built on named pipes for various reasons, so this working correctly is pretty much a requirement for me at this point.
What is causing this weird behaviour when using LLVM? (update: this is caused by libc++)
Is this a bug?
Is the way this works on g++ guaranteed by the C++ standard in some way?
How could I make this code snippet work properly using clang++?
Update:
This seems to be caused by the libc++ implementation of getline().
Related links:
Why does libc++ getline block when reading from pipe, but libstdc++ getline does not?
https://bugs.llvm.org/show_bug.cgi?id=23078
The questions still stand though.
A:
I have worked around this issue by wrapping POSIX getline() in a simple C API and simply calling that from C++.
The code is something like this:
typedef struct pipe_reader {
FILE* stream;
char* line_buf;
size_t buf_size;
} pipe_reader;
pipe_reader new_reader(const char* pipe_path) {
pipe_reader preader;
preader.stream = fopen(pipe_path, "r");
preader.line_buf = NULL;
preader.buf_size = 0;
return preader;
}
bool check_reader(const pipe_reader* preader) {
if (!preader || preader->stream == NULL) {
return false;
}
return true;
}
const char* recv_msg(pipe_reader* preader) {
if (!check_reader(preader)) {
return NULL;
}
ssize_t read = getline(&preader->line_buf, &preader->buf_size, preader->stream);
if (read > 0) {
preader->line_buf[read - 1] = '\0';
return preader->line_buf;
}
return NULL;
}
void close_reader(pipe_reader* preader) {
if (!check_reader(preader)) {
return;
}
fclose(preader->stream);
preader->stream = NULL;
if (preader->line_buf) {
free(preader->line_buf);
preader->line_buf = NULL;
}
}
This works well against libc++ or libstdc++.
| 2024-01-16T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/1657 |
News
Sharks News
Art Ross, Maurice Richard, Hart Memorial and Hobey Baker On Display
by
Staff Writer
/ San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks could consider their 2005-06 season a major success when it comes to regular season accolades. Three sharks players were honored with four trophies for outstanding play and the organization wants to share with their strong fan base their achievements by displaying them and giving fans the chance to take pictures with the trophies during the first two home games of the 2006-2007 season.
Getting the four trophies, the Art Ross Trophy, the Hart Trophy, the Maurice Richard Trophy and the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, for display in San Jose proved to be a challenge but it was something that the Sharks wanted to do to show their appreciation to their fans. The Sharks organization wishes to thank the NHL, the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto and the University of Denver for their cooperation in making this happen.
On Thursday, the trophies begin their tour on display in the concourse during the opening night home game against the St. Louis Blues.
On Friday, the trophies visit the KFOX studios with Sharks on air talent Dan Rusanowsky and Jamie Baker in the afternoon and then will be on display at the Sharks Foundation Autograph session from 6-7:30 pm. It will end the night being on display at Stanley’s in Logitech Ice until 9 pm.
On Saturday, the trophies return back to HP Pavilion to be viewed at the Sharks Store from 3-5 pm and then can be found back in the concourse for duration of the New York Islanders game.
About the Trophies Center Joe Thornton was the winner of the Art Ross Trophy, which is awarded the top point scorer during the season, and the Hart Trophy, which is awarded “to the player judged to be the most valuable to his team”. It was the first time in Shark’s history that a Shark has received the Hart Trophy and the first time in the history of the NHL that a player has won the award while playing with two teams in one season.
Benefiting from the arrival of Thornton was Jonathan Cheechoo, who scored 56 goals last season, the majority of those goals scored after the Thornton trade, to win the Maurice Richard Trophy for the top goal scorer in the regular season.
Defenseman Matt Carle, who was playing with the University of Denver, received the Hobey Memorial Award awarded to the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s hockey player. It was just the fifth time a defenseman has won college hockey’s highest individual honor. | 2024-04-27T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/9651 |
NYPD has a big night thanks to video
The "Viper One" video-surveillance team nabbed three suspects within an hour of receiving a two wanted posters
Philip Messing The New York Post
NEW YORK — It was a banner evening for an NYPD video-surveillance unit in Harlem, whose eagle-eyed members within hours helped nab three suspects wanted for a shooting and a robbery, sources told The Post. | 2024-07-04T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/6890 |
Q:
Isolate a Collection of Thin Lines from a Photograph
Question
I have a photograph (shown below - quality reduced to meet upload size limit) of a paraglider with an inflated wing. I would like to extract the paraglider, wing, and the many thin lines (approximately 2-5px wide in most places) between the two for use in another composition. The paraglider and wing themselves are simple enough matters, but how can I select/reproduce the lines while minimizing my selection of the sky?
Background
Ignoring the region where the lines are in front of trees/ocean (but bonus points if your answer covers these regions!), my thoughts were to use color selections to cut out chunks of the sky - and this works in some capacity, but seems messy - there's lots of semi-transparent remnants that I have to remove and clean up by hand.
I've also tried using a black-to-white gradient layer on top of the image with an overlay or soft-light blending mode in order to normalize the lens-flare, then amping up the contrast to really give the lines definition, producing decently consistent black silhouettes that I feel may be good foundation for a mask - but I still struggle to isolate even the thin black silhouettes from the background.
My final thought is to hand-trace each line with vectors and either use the resulting path for a selection, or stroke it and play with blending in the new composition to reproduce the lines from scratch. Normally this would be my first course of action for encountering such a problem, but I was hoping there might be less time-intensive techniques that I'm unaware of!
Solution
As per the comments and Kurtis Beavers' answer below, I ended up tracing each line by hand, adjusting a contrast layer to make the lines stand out against the background of the region I was tracing as needed. My final vector-path took about three hours to produce, primarily owed to the lack of contrast between the lines and the wing itself - they become essentially invisible, and required some guess-work to approximate:
The lines' anchor points on the wing aren't entirely accurate, but it was more than sufficient for my proceeding composition.
A:
Because of the lighting in your photo, I would probably hand trace as vector paths. You can do this in Photoshop or Illustrator.
You could try to Select > Color range. then pick the black of the lines. My guess would be that the darkness of the trees will throw your selection off though.
| 2024-01-07T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/8804 |
Q:
How do I get weekday and/or name of month from a NSDate variable?
Alright. The problem we're having is that we have NSStrings filled with dates
in the format of yyyyMMdd and what we want to do is to get the current weekday and name of month. The function dagOmvandlare converts the datestring to weekday and month. The function is then called on viewDidload to name all our button-titles from english to swedish months.
our current solution is looking like this:
-(NSString *)dagOmvandlare:(id) suprDatum{
NSDateFormatter *dateFormatter = [[[NSDateFormatter alloc] init] autorelease];
dateFormatter.dateFormat = @"yyyyMMdd";
NSDate *date = [dateFormatter dateFromString:suprDatum];
NSString * monthString = [date descriptionWithCalendarFormat:@"%B"timeZone:nil
locale:[[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] dictionaryRepresentation]];
if ([monthString isEqualToString:@"January"]) {
monthString = @"Januari";
}
else
if ([monthString isEqualToString:@"February"]) {
monthString = @"Februari";
}
else
if ([monthString isEqualToString:@"May"]) {
monthString = @"Maj";
}
else
if ([monthString isEqualToString:@"June"]) {
monthString = @"Juni";
}
else
if ([monthString isEqualToString:@"July"]) {
monthString = @"Juli";
}
else
if ([monthString isEqualToString:@"August"]) {
monthString = @"Augusti";
}
else
if ([monthString isEqualToString:@"October"]) {
monthString = @"Oktober";
}
else
if ([monthString isEqualToString:@"March"]) {
monthString = @"Mars";
}
return monthString;
}
- (void)viewDidLoad {
[super viewDidLoad];
[button3 setTitle:(NSString *)[self dagOmvandlare:self.datum1] forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[button2 setTitle:(NSString *)[self dagOmvandlare:self.datum2] forState:UIControlStateNormal];
[bmanad1 setTitle:(NSString *)[self dagOmvandlare:self.datum3] forState:UIControlStateNormal];
}
And what we've figured out so far is that the
NSString * monthString = [date descriptionWithCalendarFormat:@"%B"timeZone:nil
locale:[[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] dictionaryRepresentation]];
is not allowed to be used by Apples guidelines regarding non-public api's. So the primary question is, what other way is there to get weekday and name of month out of our datestrings that contain dates with the format yyyyMMdd ?
A:
There is no need to manually convert to the Swedish words. iPhone will do it for you. Try this:
NSDateFormatter *dateFormatter = [[NSDateFormatter alloc] init];
dateFormatter.dateFormat = @"yyyyMMdd";
NSDate *date = [dateFormatter dateFromString:@"20111010"];
// set swedish locale
dateFormatter.locale=[[NSLocale alloc] initWithLocaleIdentifier:@"sv_SE"];
dateFormatter.dateFormat=@"MMMM";
NSString *monthString = [[dateFormatter stringFromDate:date] capitalizedString];
NSLog(@"month: %@", monthString);
dateFormatter.dateFormat=@"EEEE";
NSString *dayString = [[dateFormatter stringFromDate:date] capitalizedString];
NSLog(@"day: %@", dayString);
Output:
month: Oktober
day: Måndag
A:
Simple Swift 3 extensions:
// Weekday
extension Date {
func dayOfWeek() -> String? {
let dateFormatter = DateFormatter()
dateFormatter.dateFormat = "EEEE"
return dateFormatter.string(from: self).capitalized
// or capitalized(with: locale)
}
}
print(Date().dayOfWeek()!) // Wednesday
// Month Name
extension Date {
func monthName() -> String? {
let dateFormatter = DateFormatter()
dateFormatter.dateFormat = "MMMM"
return dateFormatter.string(from: self).capitalized
// or capitalized(with: locale)
}
}
print(Date().monthName()!) // October
A:
NSString *strDate=@"20110407";
NSDateFormatter *df=[[[NSDateFormatter alloc] init] autorelease];
[df setDateFormat:@"yyyyMMdd"];
NSDate *targetDate=[df dateFromString:strDate];
[df setDateFormat:@"EEEE MMMM dd, yyyy"];
NSString *s=[df stringFromDate:targetDate];
NSLog(@"Date: %@", s);
| 2023-10-09T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/5938 |
163 S.E.2d 761 (1968)
274 N.C. 416
Lucille CLEMMONS
v.
LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF GEORGIA.
No. 191.
Supreme Court of North Carolina.
October 30, 1968.
*763 Marshall & Williams, Wilmington, for defendant appellant.
W. G. Smith and Jerry Spivey, Wilmington, for plaintiff appellee.
LAKE, Justice.
Upon a demurrer to a complaint on the ground that it does not state a cause of action, the allegations of fact, together with all relevant inferences of fact reasonably deducible therefrom, are taken to be true. Corprew v. Geigy Chemical Corp., 271 N.C. 485, 157 S.E.2d 98. The question is whether, such being the facts the plaintiff is entitled to recover from the defendant. The allegations of the complaint are to be liberally construed so as to give the plaintiff the benefit of every reasonable intendment in his favor. G.S. § 1-151; Corprew v. Geigy Chemical Corp., supra; Strong, N.C.Index, 2d Ed., Pleadings, § 19, and cases cited therein. Liberal construction, however, does not mean that the court is to read into the complaint allegations which it does not contain. Brevard v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., 262 N.C. 458, 137 S.E.2d 837; Carolina *764 Builders Corp. v. New Amsterdam Casualty Co., 236 N.C. 513, 73 S.E.2d 155. Furthermore, the demurrer does not admit inferences or conclusions of law drawn from the facts alleged in the complaint. Corprew v. Geigy Chemical Corp., supra; Lindley v. Yeatman, 242 N.C. 145, 87 S.E.2d 5; Strong, N.C.Index, 2d Ed., Pleadings, § 19. The allegation of such a conclusion adds nothing to the allegations of facts upon which it is based, and, therefore, is to be disregarded in determining whether the facts alleged, and admitted by the demurrer, entitle the plaintiff to recover from the defendant. Green v. Kitchin, 229 N.C. 450, 50 S.E.2d 545; 41 Am.Jur., Pleading, § 18. See also, Stacy, C. J., concurring, in Brown v. Mewborn, 218 N.C. 423, 11 S.E.2d 372.
Obviously, the complaint in this action alleges an assault by Weeks upon the plaintiff. The question is whether it alleges facts giving rise to a cause of action in favor of the plaintiff against the defendant, Weeks' employer, by reason of this assault.
In Terrace, Inc. v. Phoenix Indemnity Co., 243 N.C. 595, 91 S.E.2d 584, an allegation in a complaint that the person executing a contract "was acting in behalf of and as agent of the plaintiff" was held to be "a mere conclusion unsupported by any allegation of fact." In Weiner v. Equel's Style Shop, 210 N.C. 705, 188 S.E. 331, an allegation that the libelous publication "grew out of the same transaction sued upon by the plaintiffs" was held to be a conclusion of the pleader, the truth of which was not admitted by a demurrer. In Brevard v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., supra, it was held that a general allegation in a complaint to the effect that an insurance policy "covered the named assured * * * for the liability rising out of the aforesaid judgment" was a conclusion of law, which was not admitted by the demurrer. In Shives v. Sample, 238 N.C. 724, 79 S.E.2d 193, a complaint was held subject to demurrer for the reason that it alleged negligence without alleging the facts establishing such negligence, Johnson, J., speaking for the Court, saying:
"[N]egligence is not a fact in itself, but is the legal result of certain facts. Therefore, the facts which constitute the negligence charged and also the facts which establish such negligence as the proximate cause * * * of the injury must be alleged."
Like negligence, the extent of the course or scope of the employment of an agent or servant is not a fact in itself, but is the legal result of certain facts. Therefore, the plaintiff's allegation, in the present case, that at all times mentioned in the complaint, Weeks was acting "within the course and scope of his employment" as agent of the defendant, is an allegation of a conclusion of the pleader and adds nothing to the facts alleged in the complaint. See: 71 C.J.S. Pleading § 27b; 41 Am.Jur., Pleading, § 19.
The allegation in the complaint that "one of the duties of * * * Weeks was the collection of premiums from this plaintiff and * * * all of his actions and words * * * were done and said in performance of that duty" is, however, somewhat, different in nature. Interpreting this allegation liberally, we think it should be construed as an allegation that Weeks did the things alleged in the complaint for the purpose of collecting the premium due on the policy held by the plaintiff. This is an allegation of fact. As such, it must be considered with the allegations setting forth the actions of Weeks in determining whether the complaint states a cause of action against his employer.
The complaint, so construed, alleges that Weeks, employed by the defendant to collect premiums due from its policyholders, went to the plaintiff's home for that purpose and for that purpose drew a pistol, pointed it at the plaintiff and said he would shoot her. For the purpose of testing the sufficiency of the complaint, the demurrer admits all of these allegations.
*765 As Stacy, C. J., speaking for the Court in Dickerson v. Atlantic Refining Co., 201 N.C. 90, 159 S.E. 446, said, "It is elementary that the principal is liable for the acts of his agent, whether malicious or negligent and the master for similar acts of his servant, which result in injury to third persons, when the agent or servant is acting within the line of his duty and exercising the functions of his employment." In Roberts v. Southern R. R., 143 N.C. 176, 55 S.E. 509, this Court held the employer was not liable for an assault by one of its employees upon another in the course of a quarrel between the two. Hoke, J., later C. J., speaking for the Court, said, "The test is not whether the act was done while [the employee committing the assault] was on duty or engaged in his duties; but was it done within the scope of his employment and in the prosecution and furtherance of the business which was given him to do?" In Colvin v. Lumber Co., 198 N.C. 776, 153 S.E. 394, this Court held an employer liable for the intentional shooting and killing of a third person by its employee, quoting 39 C.J. 1284 as follows: "Where it is doubtful whether a servant in injuring a third person was acting within the scope of his authority, it has been said that the doubt will be resolved against the master because he set the servant in motion, at least to the extent of requiring the question to be submitted to the jury for determination."
In Wegner v. Delly-Land Delicatessen, Inc., 270 N.C. 62, 153 S.E.2d 804, we affirmed a judgment of nonsuit in an action for an assault by a busboy, employed in a restaurant upon a customer of the establishment, the plaintiff's evidence failing to show that the assault was for the purpose of doing anything related to the duties of the busboy. We there said: "If the act of the employee was a means or method of doing that which he was employed to do, though the act be wrongful and unauthorized or even forbidden, the employer is liable for the resulting injury, but he is not liable if the employee departed however briefly, from his duties in order to accomplish a purpose of his own, which purpose was not incidental to the work he was employed to do." Likewise, in Robinson v. McAlhaney, 214 N.C. 180, 198 S.E. 647, Barnhill, J., later C. J. speaking for the Court, said: "If an assault is committed by the servant not as a means or for the purpose of performing the work he was employed to do, but in a spirit of vindictiveness or to gratify his personal animosity or to carry out an independent purpose of his own, then the master is not liable."
In order to hold the employer liable for an assault committed by his employee, it is not enough to allege and prove that the assault was committed while the employee was at his post of duty during the hours of work. Robinson v. McAlhaney, supra; Snow v. DeButts, 212 N.C. 120, 193 S.E. 224. It is not sufficient that the quarrel, culminating in the assault, was the result of the employee's resentment of some act of the third person, which act occurred while the employee was performing his duties. State ex rel. Gosselin v. Trimble, 328 Mo. 760, 41 S.W.2d 801; Plotkin v. Northland Transportation Co., 204 Minn. 422, 283 N.W. 758; Brown v. Boston Ice Co., 178 Mass. 108, 59 N.E. 644. The mere fact that the purpose of the employee was to benefit the employer does not make the latter liable for the wrongful act of the employee. Dickerson v. Atlantic Refining Co., supra. "When, however, the employee is undertaking to do that which he was employed to do and, in so doing, adopts a method which constitutes a tort and inflicts injury on another it is the fact that he was about his master's business which imposes liability." West v. F. W. Woolworth Co., 215 N.C. 211, 1 S.E.2d 546.
While the decisions from other jurisdictions are not in complete agreement, either as to theory or as to result, the great weight of authority is that, nothing else appearing, an agent, employed to collect accounts, turns aside from the course or *766 scope of his employment when he assaults his employer's debtor as the result of a quarrel between the two, even though the quarrel originated in the effort of the agent to collect that which was due his employer. Reece v. Ebersbach, 152 Fla. 763, 9 So.2d 805; Moskins Stores, Inc. v. DeHart, 217 Ind. 622, 29 N.E.2d 948; Hill v. McQueen, 204 Okl. 394, 230 P.2d 483, 22 A.L.R.2d 1220; Annot., Liability for Assault by Employee in Collecting Debt, 22 A.L.R.2d 1227, 1231; 35 Am.Jur., Master and Servant, § 575; Mechem on Agency, 2d Ed., § 1978; Restatement of the Law, Agency, 2d, § 245, App. Where, however, the assault, however misguided and unauthorized, was committed as an incident of the employee's duties in the collection of accounts, the better view appears to be that the employer is liable. New Morgan County Bldg. & Loan Ass'n v. Plemmons, 210 Ala. 286, 98 So. 12; Antinozzi v. A. Vincent Pepe Co., 117 Conn. 11, 166 A. 392; Moffit v. White Sewing Machine Co., 214 Mich. 496, 183 N.W. 198; Annot., 22 A.L.R.2d 1227, 1232, 1235.
It is, of course, not necessary, in order to hold the employer liable for an assault, to allege and prove that the employer authorized the assault. In Long v. Eagle 5, 10 and 25 ¢ Store Co., 214 N.C. 146, 198 S.E. 573, this Court held an employer liable for a false arrest of a customer on the charge of shoplifting, quoting Dickerson v. Atlantic Refining Co., supra, as follows: "When the servant is engaged in the work of the master, doing that which he is employed or directed to do, and an actionable wrong is done to another, either negligently or maliciously, the master is liable not only for what the servant does, but also for the ways and means employed by him in performing the act in question."
In the present case, it is alleged in the complaint, and admitted by the demurrer, that Weeks, employed by the defendant to collect premiums due upon policies issued by it, went to the plaintiff's home for that purpose and for that purpose drew a pistol, pointed it at the plaintiff and threatened to shoot her. Upon these facts, the employer would be liable in damages for the injuries caused by the assault. If, on the trial on the merits, the plaintiff fails to prove that this was the purpose of the assault, she will not be entitled to recover, but she has alleged such purpose and, for the present, that is sufficient.
The plaintiff's case is not strengthened by her allegation that the defendant knew, or in the exercise of reasonable care should have known, that Weeks had applied for and obtained a permit to purchase a pistol. Assuming the defendant had actual knowledge of this circumstance, it would by no means be put on notice that Weeks intended to carry the pistol upon his collection calls or to use it in the collection of premiums due. The complaint does not state a cause of action against the defendant on the theory that the defendant was in any respect negligent in the employment of Weeks, or in sending him to the home of the plaintiff for the purpose of collecting the premium due it. Her case stands or falls upon her ability to prove, at the trial on the merits, her allegation that Weeks used the pistol for the purpose of collecting the premium. This she has alleged. Thus her complaint is sufficient to withstand the demurrer.
While the demurrer should have been overruled, irrespective of the sufficiency of the allegations of the complaint to support an award of punitive damages, since that question will arise upon the trial of the case on the merits, we deem it advisable to consider the sufficiency of the complaint for that purpose.
"Punitive damages may not be awarded unless otherwise a cause of action exists and at least nominal damages are recoverable by the plaintiff." Worthy v. Knight, 210 N.C. 498, 187 S.E. 771. Therefore, if, upon the trial on the merits, the plaintiff fails to prove that the assault upon her by Weeks was committed in the *767 course of his employment by the defendant, she may not recover any damages, compensatory or punitive, from the defendant on account of that assault. Punitive damages may, however, be awarded against a corporate employer in a case where the plaintiff alleges and proves she was assaulted by an agent of the corporation acting in the course of his employment wilfully, wantonly and maliciously. "Punitive damages may be awarded * * from [sic] a corporation for a tort wantonly committed by its agents in the course of their employment." Binder v. Acceptance Corp., 222 N.C. 512, 23 S.E.2d 894. See also: Lutz Industries, Inc. v. Dixie Home Stores, 242 N.C. 332, 88 S.E.2d 333; Tripp v. American Tobacco Co., 193 N.C. 614, 137 S.E. 871.
In Lutz Industries, Inc. v. Dixie Home Stores, supra, this Court held that allegations in a complaint, designed to support an award of punitive damages, were insufficient for that purpose. The allegation in question was: "That by reason of the unlawful, wanton, wilful and gross negligent conduct of the defendant corporation and its agents and their failure to observe the rules and requirements of the National Electrical Code, and failure to observe the ordinance of the City of Lenoir, that this plaintiff is entitled to recover punitive damages of the defendant corporation in the amount of $50,000.00." Speaking through Parker, J., now C. J., this Court said that this paragraph of the complaint "merely states conclusions, not facts, and * * * should be stricken."
Since it is not sufficient, in order to allege a basis for an award of punitive damages, to allege merely that conduct of the defendant's employee was "wanton, wilful and gross," it follows that the insertion in the complaint of such adjectives is not essential to raise an issue of an award for punitive damages. The question is whether the facts alleged in the complaint are sufficient to show the requisite malice, oppression or wilful wrong. As Parker, J., now C. J., said in Lutz Industries, Inc. v. Dixie Home Stores, supra: "While it seems that punitive damages need not be specifically pleaded by that name in the complaint, it is necessary that the facts justifying a recovery of such damages be pleaded. 25 C.J.S. Damages, § 133, p. 758. Though no specific form of allegation is required, the complaint must allege facts showing the aggravating circumstances which would justify the award, for instance, actual malice, or oppression or gross and wilful wrong, or a wanton and reckless disregard of plaintiff's rights." The allegations in the complaint before us meet this test. What the plaintiff can prove at the trial on the merits is a different question, which is not before us.
The judgment of the Court of Appeals is, therefore,
Affirmed.
| 2023-12-11T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/3542 |
Scientist closes in on creating a superlens
With a superlens microscope, everyday people would be able to see minute details of tiny objects (such as these pollen particles), presently only possible using an electron microscope (Photo: Kleopatra)
Some day, you may have a microscope on your smartphone camera that's as powerful as a scanning electron microscope. If you do, it will likely be thanks to research presently being conducted by Durdu Guney, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Michigan Technological University. He is working on creating a metamaterial-based "superlens" - a long sought-after optically-perfect lens, that could use visible light to image objects as small as 100 nanometers across.
Currently, optical lenses are limited by natural light's diffraction limit, and are thus typically unable to see objects smaller than about 200 nanometers. While scanning electron microscopes are able to image much smaller details, they are costly, non-portable, and thus not available for most people to use.
For his superlens, Guney is looking to plasmons - particles of oscillating plasma. In his model, plasmons located near the surface of thin metal films are combined with special nanostructures. When they're subjected to an electromagnetic field, they take in light waves reflected from an object, and negatively refract them. In so doing, the diffraction limit is overcome. According to the model, such an arrangement should allow for the viewing of items less than one one-thousandth the width of a human hair, using natural light.
According to Guney, such lenses would be inexpensive to create, which is why they could conceivably end up in consumer products. He states that they could also be used in lithography for making low-cost tiny electronic items, and for replacing expensive UV lasers by intensely focusing the beam of ordinary visible-light red lasers.
With a superlens microscope, everyday people would be able to see minute details of tiny objects (such as these pollen particles), presently only possible using an electron microscope (Photo: Kleopatra)
UPGRADE TO NEW ATLAS PLUS
Our new premium service is backed by 15 years of experience covering science, technology and innovation. New Atlas Plus delivers a visual experience that is cleaner, faster loading and ad free. Join the growing list of Plus subscribers for just US$19 a year. | 2024-01-09T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/7608 |
STAR WARS: TIE in the SkySalieriAAX
A novice Imperial TIE Fighter pilot receives career support from an unlikely benefactor. Learn to fly the feeblest craft in the Imperial fleet and sock it to the Rebels.
http://shawnandtom.com/LBP/TIE_in_the_Sky/tis01s.jpg
Well, this is my second (proper) level, and it has been a slightly tougher project than Colossal Calamity. Set in the Star Wars universe, you play an Imperial TIE pilot on board Super Star Destroyer Executor facing flying challenges of increasing difficulty. It's not a very long level, and you won't encounter much in the way of interesting platforming challenges or puzzles, but plenty of character interaction and fairly detailed Star Wars-themed environments.
I've posted this as a F4F thread but I might not have a chance in the next couple of days to give feedback for levels I haven't downloaded yet as I'm going somewhere where I don't know if I'll have wireless.
I would like to offer huge thanks to Taffey, who not only provided me with some fantastic inspiration for Imperial interiors in A New Hop, but who also playtested the level several times for me and provided me with some absolutely invaluable feedback. Thanks Taff!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the level and if anyone could give me some help regarding getting some screenshots I would be enormously grateful.
EDIT - I've just reuploaded the level with an improved TIE Fighter, improved blaster fire, and some bug fixes:
TIE Fighter: All TIE's now perform much better. They are harder to tip over and don't fal out of the sky as badly if you do. Catching a wing on the Executor hull no longer unbalances you as badly, and overall the ship feels lighter and more stable. Note: There is a very slight difference in the handling of the TIE in the tutorial section and the space flight sections. This is because part of my improvements made the entire wing section grabbable, which meant that the self-righting mechanism could be operated from grabbing the bottom of the wing as well as the top, and doing so made the tutorial section a bit less slick and dynamic (losing the jumping down of the top section). Because of that, the tutorial TIE isn't quite as improved as the other ones, but there isn't really enough room in that section for this to be noticeable.
Blaster Fire: The blaster fire will now kill sackboy if it hits him. There's also a little bit of extra plot regarding the blasters that makes the battle a tiny bit more dynamic (not much, don't get excited.)
But there is one thing that i dont like that much. Unfortunatly the TIE Fighter can only fly sideways from ship to ship. But i think you cant do much about that anyway.
If i want to be nit-picky i could say that the way back out of the hangar of the rebel ship is much walking but thats just a small thing.
Really nice level: 5 Stars and a heart!
PaddyJ
02-23-2010, 01:13 PM
Amazing visuals but the ship needs work, it's too heavy so it keeps tilting if you hit a corner(maybe make the inside smaller so this happens less) and if you let go of the analogue stick(but still hold R) it just falls. Hide some peach floaty in there behind the front thin layers(if there's some already in, add more/change some of the thin layers to floaty so it's less heavy and easier to control). Great gameplay though
amazingflyingpoo
02-23-2010, 02:07 PM
Well, you already know that I am a huge fan of yours because I loved Colossal Calamity so much, so I was very excited to give this level a try, and you did not disappoint! There were so many things that stood out about this level.
First of all, the humor was excellent. You had me laughing out loud on multiple occasions with the things that Vader said. That was some incredible dialog :) I really didn't want the level to end just so I could see what you came up with next!
Secondly, the level looked outstanding. The materials we have really played to your strength on this one. Everything about the level looked just perfect. Also, your character models were amazing. Everything down to Vader's flowing cape was just fantastic!!!
Lastly, the gameplay was great. Sure, it was pretty low on the platforming, but I didn't mind one bit. The level was just plain fun! I see that some people are complaining about the ship's balance, but I think it is nothing to worry about. If you had me fly through obstacles with the ship I would have been frustrated, but I was only asked to fly in a straight line, so it wasn't bad at all. I did die once because of loosing control, but it only took me about 30 seconds to get in a ship and get back where I was. Personally, I liked the challenge of flying it :D
Great work! I hope you keep up this trend of incredible levels :D 5 stars and hearted!
PaddyJ
02-23-2010, 02:18 PM
Do you have any thermo left(probly not judging by visuals) ? Maybe increase the space between the ships(hangers?) and add some obstacles(lasers etc.) to spice things up? The levels still great even without those things. Maybe save it for a sequel ;D
Powershifter
02-23-2010, 02:53 PM
If i had a PSP I'd be there straight away....!
me too :)
I've posted this as a F4F thread but I might not have a chance in the next couple of days to give feedback for levels I haven't downloaded yet as I'm going somewhere where I don't know if I'll have wireless.
...do you really have to download levels that you want to play?
Fastbro
02-23-2010, 05:13 PM
Wowsers! Another amazing level from you! :star::star::star::star::star: and heart.
jeffcu28
02-23-2010, 10:58 PM
Hey salieri,
Well, it seems Taffey predicted right: I now officially hate you more than you hate me! :p
I'm really glad that you finally published a "full" level. I always tried to imagine what a wholesome experience from you would be like, and now with this, I know: Terrific In Every Way!;)
First of all, your doors are sick. I've seen some mighty intricate doors on the PS3 side, but for the PSP, I thought that was an ingenious way to make something simple look really complicated. Your characters have by far some of the most well-developed personalities and design. I'm horrible with stickers, and you're one of those designers who make me pop out my sticker tool to figure out exactly how you achieved such a convincing look. I also really liked the character proportions. Most levels feature relatively large ones, but these were tiny and adorable with their Sackperson treatment. This similarity in size between the actual sackperson and your characters really made the story that much more engaging. And on top of that, they were really funny in a cartoony/comic book type of way. I really enjoyed the levitating chair section, and especially the part when you walk in on Vader! Hehe. Awesome stuff.
Okay, now the TIE Fighter :D. I loved the idea, and I thought the learning curve was just right thanks to the well-implemented training sessions. My only concern was that it felt rather "heavy" and not floaty enough for me personally. Keeping it upright was a bit tricky for me sometimes too, and when it tips over, you plummet to the ground quite quickly and it loses that anti-gravity sort-of effect. In terms of construction though, this is another major technical feat, and I'm sure most players will oversee those minor issues and focus more on the amazing gameplay.
For a full level with ingenious and well-made vehicles, this deserves 5:star:s and a heart, and then some! Hehe. As for F4F, you don't have to review any of my levels as you already did...
Grabbing on to my chair,
jeffcu28
Taffey
02-24-2010, 05:15 AM
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the level and if anyone could give me some help regarding getting some screenshots I would be enormously grateful.Hmm? Someone say screenshots?
These aren't true screen captures so the quality isn't 100%, but hopefully they should do for now. Each smaller picture links to a larger version, and I've included the raw BB code below in case you want to copy and paste it into your post. Enjoy. :)
I have to say this was a complete blast to play the tie fighter was amazing how it was actually able to fly. Now I did have some issues with the tie with it not going up enough or once spinning out of control but overall I had a blast. I loved your designs and the way darth vader looked. I gave it :star::star::star::star::star: and a heart I am shocked how you are able to create these things. Also I would love some feedback from you on Target 1.1( since this is f4f)
Domik12
02-24-2010, 02:57 PM
Hi, salieri! I have no words to describe my feelings after your level... maybe just WOOOOOOOW!!!! All part of level are great. You did fantastic job with corner tool and stickers. Design of level and character are excellent. I already spend about 2 hours on trying to to things, such as you did in you level. I learn many things about using corner tool and stickers from your work! Thank you for it. And my great respect for you as level creator. You are genius! My 5 :star: and heart for level! And yopu already have my heart as creator.
And thanks for post "How To Make Walking Objects And Vehicles" - I already finished it translate into Russian and soon publish it on our LittleBigRussia community site! Looking for you next levels!
SalieriAAX
02-24-2010, 04:04 PM
Thanks so much for all of your feedback folks. I totally understand what you're saying about the flying. I was convinced there wasn't any more I could do to get it to handle any better, however, I've just made a few adjustments that I think make it much better. It's still possible to fly out of control if you change direction quickly several times in a row, but it's definitely better. I need to reuplaod anyway because I discovered yesterday that when I changed the blaster fire (one of the last things I did) I hadn't made the gas part thick enough - as a result it's actually harmless. I can't get on wifi today but I will get a new version uploaded tomorrow.
Taffey - thanks for the screenshots, they actually make the level look pretty awesome.
Re F4Fers - as I said I can't get on wifi today, but will check out your levels as soon as I can.
I would like to mention the sense of depth in some of the rooms, it felt like there were as many layers as in the PS3 version. Clever use of shapes, colours & materials.
Flying the TIE gets some time to get used to, but you offer a tutorial, the TIE respawns if you die, and despite it's difficult riding it, you can feel it WORKS (ie, it's not broken like other vehicles in too many levels), so it's not a big problem.
Morgana25
02-25-2010, 05:28 AM
Nice level - made me laugh a lot! Who knew it was so hard to be a bad guy. Thought the humor was great and character designs were cool. Nice detail work on the ships, lifts and corridors too. Felt like a big level on a small screen. Thanks for the cool experience :)
Domik12
02-25-2010, 07:03 AM
HI, salieri! Yesterday during one of the walking through your level in some N time for carefully look and understand all details and mechanics, I discovered one bug - in Rebellion hangar, when you must destroy three X-wings, you can do such thing: player can jump on second X-wing (see picture)
http://my-lbp.narod.ru/LBP/central/SW/p1.jpg
and if you will not destroy it, but go on it wing toward it's end, X-wing ship will disappear without detonation animation. In this case, after you destruction two other X-wings on the right way with detonation animation , there is no speech pops about "that was the last one and I can go back to Empire ship" and, if you will return to Empire ship, there is no score board and player will have no opportunity to finish level.
I think that it not very big bug, but it has place. So - if you will fixed it - it will be good, but imho, it not necessary. Anyway you level now is one of brilliant levels on psp. Thanks you again for you work! Your work with layers and perspective is fantastic! Level looked as PS3 version.
And one more - if player will not be in a hurry just before finish, he can look at such picture:
http://my-lbp.narod.ru/LBP/central/SW/p2.jpg
What is it? O, NO!!! There is two Vaders!!! Rebellion now completely doomed. :)
SalieriAAX
02-25-2010, 09:53 AM
Thanks a lot Domik, you caught me just in time before my reupload, whivch is now done. See original post for more details.
jeffcu28
02-25-2010, 11:40 PM
Hey salieri,
Replayed your level! The TIE Fighter definitely feels lighter and has more stability than the previous model. You did a fantastic job with the revision. Here's another 5:star:s and a heart from me.
Keep up the good work,
jeffcu28
Taffey
02-26-2010, 04:23 AM
I gave this another play as well, and you've done a great job tuning up the TIE fighter flight. It's even more intuitive now and much more fun. Good job on the rest of the more subtle changes as well. I also forgot to add earlier that I really like the new siren sound you picked. Fits right in without being too obtrusive.
In fact, this revised version is so fun I often ask myself what I'm doing still here - I should be playing your level instead! :p (Sorry, couldn't resist)
Needless to say, 5 more stars and another heart!
CyberSora
02-28-2010, 11:58 PM
Right, my F4F promise. Now loading... ;)
Okay, so I'm loving your spaceship vibe, and ooh, outer space scenery! Nice! Now Darth wants me to take a test, alright. So far, I'm seeing no flaws here. Now the test, to pick up the TIE. Oh, it's a bit hard. And... done. Now I'm heading towards the next test, which is... simple. Not challenging as I expected for a test to be.
Okay, I'm asked to go into a elevator, and no problems. Love the magic sound to it. And... ah, Darth is hideous! Nice humor salieri. Okay, going back to the corridor. Dang! I hit the arrow, sending me back to the bottom of the elevator. Oh well...
Off into battle, not hard to steer, so bonus points to you. Now the sabotage. Not hard really. I'm loving the explosions, but I think you could have added a time bomb or something, just to make it more... difficult, or something. I don't know, it's your level.
Okay, it's over, and nice intro Darth! If only you could take pictures in LBP PSP, because tha was a photo finish! :D
So, my pros and cons results:
Pros: Fun gameplay, and great atmosphere. Also your Corner Editing skills are amazing!
Cons: That arrow I mentioned was a bit annoying. Still, no flaws besides that.
Overall, I gave it :star::star::star::star::star:'s and a ♥ for the level and a ♥ for you as a creator. :)
Peace
theswweet
03-01-2010, 01:02 AM
it was awesome...nuff said.
can you try my color me crazy?
jeffcu28
03-07-2010, 07:09 AM
MOVED:
Hey salieri,
Congratulations on yet another mechanical masterpiece on Spotlighted levels! I was really excited that you managed to frame your exquisite vehicle designs with a story full of funny characters on a full-length feature film! Great job ;)!
There's a fine line between ostentatious and real talent,
jeffcu28
Fastbro
03-07-2010, 03:07 PM
Congrats on the spotlight salieri! A very deserving level!
SalieriAAX
03-07-2010, 06:15 PM
Thanks guys, really pleased with being spotlighted again! I feel now I've set a horrible precedent that I won't be able to keep up.
PS: There seem to be quite a few sour grapes among the PS3 lot, which made me realise for the first time what a general atmosphere of mutual encouragement and respect we have in the PSP section of the forum. I mean, this is a WEBFORUM guys! How come we don't all hate each other already (except for jeffcu28, I bloody hate that guy :p)
jeffcu28
03-07-2010, 07:28 PM
(except for jeffcu28, I bloody hate that guy :p)
:D The feeling's mutual salieri, the feeling's mutual...
Waving fist in the air,
jeffcu28
VelcroJonze
03-08-2010, 12:51 AM
Congratulations on the spotlight Salieri!
Downloading this now....
Taffey
03-08-2010, 04:46 AM
Congrats salieri!
I feel now I've set a horrible precedent that I won't be able to keep up.Ah! Well now I know for sure that you're on the right path. Welcome to the club! ;)
VelcroJonze
03-08-2010, 07:54 PM
Once again congratulations on the spotlight!! This is a great level. :)
The first thing that caught my eye was how the docking bay looked. The depth of field looked amazing, with the way you layered materials it almost seemed 3-D, the squad leaving in the tiefighters looked like they actually going into space. Well done. Your doors looked great too. You totally got the starwars look perfected. Your dialogue was clever. The Moff, Tie = Terrific In Everyway, finding Vader in his uncompromising situation and the way he freaked, heheh. Nice touch with the bubbles on the ceiling too. I always have to go get those things. Now to the technical..... amazing, the tiefighter handled wonderful, I didn't play this before you updated, but what ever you did was spot on. I was flying that thing like a seasoned stormtrooper in no time. The mission was very fun, flying to the rebel base and blowing things up while Arto and Threepio watched and before I left I went over to see if there was more of your dialogue and what do you know.... Bubbles!! Nice. The droids looked great, as a matter of fact all the characters looked wonderful. Overall a great level. I feel so lucky, I have been waiting for some good Star Wars levels and the last couple weeks we have levels from you and Taffey.
Five stars and another heart for another one of your levels.:cool:
SalieriAAX
03-09-2010, 08:59 AM
Thanks a lot VelcroJonze,
I especially appreciate the comments about the characters. I've realised creating characters is possibly even better than making vehicles - they don't break themselves spontaneously part-way through creating a level when you thought you had them perfect.
Just to let everyone know, I've used the term 'spotlighted' in the new thread title and in my signature to follow the convention, and I know it's perfectly acceptable, but privately I really do prefer 'spotlit'.
amazingflyingpoo
03-09-2010, 09:13 AM
PS: There seem to be quite a few sour grapes among the PS3 lot, which made me realise for the first time what a general atmosphere of mutual encouragement and respect we have in the PSP section of the forum. I mean, this is a WEBFORUM guys! How come we don't all hate each other already (except for jeffcu28, I bloody hate that guy :p)
Yeah, I was noticing this. I have always felt that the PSP side of this site was just plain amazing. Not that I was against LBPC's PS3 side, but I just never felt like I fit in. However, when I began checking out the PSP side, I was immediately hooked, and there really hasn't been a single instance that has made me want to leave :)
I have two additional side comments:
1) I just saw that your level made it to page 1!!!!! Congratulations :)
2) [This one is much more important] I have always thought that clans in LBP were one of the silliest things in the world... however... I see that your sackboy avatar has the snake puppet on his hand, and so does mine, so I feel that we are sort or required to form an unofficial "Snake Sock Puppet Clan" :-P
Page 1 of what, by the way? I have a feeling this should please me but I don't really know what you mean.
amazingflyingpoo
03-09-2010, 09:28 AM
LOL @ page 1 of what....
Your on Page 1 of Highest Rated :) Your level is one of the highest rated levels on all of LBP!!!
I laughed because I remember back on PS3 when I made my first level that did well, and someone told me I was on Page 1, and I had no idea what they were talking about, and I sent them a message saying "I have no idea what is going on!!!!! My level is suddenly being played by people but I don't know why?????" :-)
SalieriAAX
03-09-2010, 09:49 AM
ACE! That's brilliant. I actually got a bit of a hike in plays after the spotlight was published, so I guess people must read that...
Thanks for pointing that out for me Poo, I think the saying goes "I'm well chuffed".
HA! Not any more, I just got relegated by none other than R.I.P. Sack! (shakes fist)
trianglepigsquar
03-09-2010, 03:54 PM
Love the level! I was very suprised when vader did'nt slice me in half when I was late-I nearly ran. Great sticker work(how do you create such detail). Tie fighter was great, I did'nt understand the first tutorial at first but I got there in the end. I would love to see more advanced flying(mabie more obsticles?) Great the way the Tie was'nt on a fixed track like other similar things. How do you make the scoreboard look like that? 5 stars and a heart!
spok22
03-10-2010, 05:56 AM
I am a pretty big star wars fan in general and i must say i absolutely loved this level. I loved how you made the tie fighters and i really liked the backgrounds. I can tell you put a lot of work into this level and it really showed time and time again.Although i found little to no flaws in this level, i still have a couple suggestions on how you might make your level better. I would complain about your tie fighters being difficult to control but i dont really see any way in which anybody can fix this so i am not worried about that and you shouldnt be either. MY first suggestion is that you make the final course more of a lengthy trial becasue i think that it was over way too fast. three fourths of the level is tutorial and then you finally get to go and fly it on a mission and it ends up being only like five minutes?! That was really the only thing i didnt like with your level. Other than that i think you and your level fully deserved the four stars and heart i gave it.
SalieriAAX
03-11-2010, 07:22 AM
Thanks guys, I generally agree with what you're both saying - that the mission at the end was a bit short and simple. The reason that it is like it is is down to three factors:
Planning: I didn't plan the level at all, I certainly didn't map it out geographically before I started. As a result, the Rebel cruiser is right up against the right wall, so I didn't have any space to make the flight section any longer as I might have wanted.
Thermo: I was absolutely maxed out on thermo by the end. I would have liked to have put in a timer system for the bombs but there just wasn't enough memory for them, adding any new features would have meant having to remove stuff that I already had.
Practicality: I'm really not sure what I would have done anyway short of just making the gap between the two ships wider. I couldn't have added any kinds of weapon to the TIE because it was already at maximum capturable size, and adding convincing enemy starfighters would have been a massive undertaking. I do have some ideas for flying challenges for a future level, in which I can just put a note to play the tutorial level first and then assume the player knows what they're doing, but I'm working on a completely original project first - on which I am finally making some proper progress. After this level, though, I suffer from constant Thermo anxiety as soon as I reach the 1/4 mark.
himoks
03-11-2010, 10:22 AM
your level is great! like your all levels. 5 stars and heart
rOckalOvEer x73
03-12-2010, 07:57 AM
Hello Salieri!:p
I dont know if you have previous experience from PS3, but your levels are really AMAZING.
You have a lot of creativity and your ideas are really fresh.
Since LBP for PSP was released, i´ve been waiting for a good star wars based levels, and you and Taffey gave me a good surprise :p.
I like your level design, and of course your humor! (Don´t look at me, dont look at me!!! that image will stay forever in my mind, or at least until you publish a new level :p).
Your spaceships are very ingenious, I really liked that balance element.
Star wars characters are well represented in your level, so congrats Salieri, you´ve done it again.
:star::star::star::star::star: and heart, a´ve already hearted you as a creator ;)
SalieriAAX
03-12-2010, 09:54 AM
Thanks both,
My only PS3 experience is of Dragon Age: Origins, which is great, but it didn't advance my creating skills much.
I'm very glad you think I have a lot of creativity and fresh ideas. I actually feel a bit unoriginal since my only proper, full level is based on Star Wars rather than anything from my own imagination, so I'm trying hard to come up with something totally original for my next project.
Thanks again!
S
SeekingTruth86
04-18-2010, 09:33 AM
I absolutely loved this level, salieri! Your corner editing and sticker work was phenomenal, and I love how you pulled off the TIE fighters. The fact that they might be a bit hard to control made sense to me- I mean, it's a TIE fighter- canonically they're fragile- and since there wasn't more you could do with some sort of obstacle course, the challenge of learning how to fly it added a nice touch of satisfaction once you master it. (And from a technical standpoint... it's a completely unique vehicle that you've made, something I've never seen the likes of before, and you pulled it off, then built this beautiful and awesome level around it! It's downright brilliant!)
I honestly loved every moment of playing this level... one day I passed my PSP to some friends so they could give it a try, and they were completely delighted by the experience. This was an instant :star::star::star::star::star: and heart for me, I've had you creator hearted for a long time now :)
X-FROGBOY-X
04-18-2010, 09:11 PM
This looks good, I'll play this in the near future.
ghik16
04-22-2010, 08:47 PM
- It's amazing how you can create plays and visuals with the PSP tools.(I still miss a photo tool) Darth Vader looked amazing.
- The Tie Rider's were hard to control in the start, but after some time I figured out the controls.
- You had some nice humour in there too. I'm talking about the part, where you meet R2D2 and C3PO. Great!
- It was a good idea to fight on the dark side, instead of allways being on the Jedi's side. It makes the level a bit different from the other levels with Star Wars. Great that you had made Darth Vader quite funny.
An amazing experience throughout the level. I want a sequel!
If you would try either Find the Four Eggs or The Gardens PSP of mine, I would be happy. You may play them both aswell. :) And then post feedback on them in their thread. You can find them in my creations, or just in the level Showcase.
X-FROGBOY-X
04-26-2010, 12:13 AM
I played this earlier, it was really cool. There were plenty of cool humorous parts, such as when Darth Vader had his mask off, I laughed out loud. The gameplay and visuals were very stunning too, the flying machine was awesome, it was a really brilliant idea. The opening doors were very detailed, and had a nice sci-fi type of look to them. It was a very cool idea to have it to where you were on the dark side instead of the usual good side. Keep up the good work. :)
:star::star::star::star::star: and a heart.
xero
04-26-2010, 01:26 AM
Thanks to you, I'm back, and ready to review more LBP PSP levels! After seeing this post, I just had to try this level out. Review time!
Story
+ Excellent comedy. The bit about the emperor's lack of face made me chuckle
+ Good structure, story flows nicely in the form of a flight tutorial
+ Story being told from the "bad" side (Imperials) is a nice change
? R2D2 needs to watch his language!
Gameplay
+ Very well designed, everything is aesthetically pleasing
+ Amazing sticker work helps create authentic visuals
+ The TIE Fighter is well designed and doesn't take long to get the hang of
? It would've been cool to be able to shoot, possibly have a simple dogfight by shooting at Rebel spacecraft
- TIE Fighter can be fairly easy to destabilize, and is almost impossible to correct in flight
- The level is rather short, and is limited to flying the TIE Fighter, and not much else
Final Thoughts
It was a good addition to the LBP Community. There are no real issues with your level, and everything in it is well designed and detailed. After being killed several times by friendly fire, Rebel fire, and my ship destabilizing once (and almost correcting it... had the border of the level been a little further I would've made it), I finally docked onto the ship and showed those Rebel's who's boss.
Final Score: :star::star::star::star::star:
Taffey
04-26-2010, 01:43 AM
I love your review style xero. I tend to babble on and on, but you are very organized and to the point. Good stuff. :)
klr1996
03-08-2011, 12:31 AM
i absolutly loved the level ive never seen star wars before but after seeing this lvl i saw it but truthfully your lvl was way better i give 5 stars everytime i play it wich is alot my little brother who has never played psp before got the hang of it in seconds and if you have a give away version of the tie i would love to know about it | 2023-12-21T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/3906 |
Essay
The Possibility of an Anti-Humanist Anarchism
C(ha)osmos
Guattari's later work unequivocally aligns itself with thinking of a green hue. Guattari's Les Trois Ecologies will receive examination here.
A triadic ecology problematises the subject/object dualism. The subject is decentralised and configured from an exteriority of components (the unconscious, the body). Guattari names these as components of subjectification. The hermetic self-certain interiority articulated by Descartes is questioned by Guattari for its one-dimensional emphasis. There are other "ways of existing" which would seem to be irreducible to the "realm of consciousness".
Guattari is principally interested in the possible emergence of new paradigms of ethico-aesthetic thinking and praxis. Such paradigms rethink the relationship between human subjectivity and the context (environment) within which it engages. Subjectivity seems to imply the role of the unconscious in relation to the human and natural environment. In comparison, Bookchin's analysis of the unconscious is conspicuously absent in his philosophy.
With emphasis upon the creative potentiality of subjectivity or new ways of existing, Guattari looks toward the future. He is in effect offering a "futurist agenda". Such a futurist agenda attempts to think the intersection of the human with cybernetics and more particularly with computer-aided subjectivity. In schizoanalysing the ecological, a cartography of subjectivity transcends predefined territorial limits (the orthodoxy of Oedipus for example) with the formation of new perspectives "without prior recourse to assured theoretical foundations or the authority of a group, school, conservatory, or academy".
New perspectives emerge from the intersection of social, mental, and environmental ecologies. The triadic intersection of the socius, the psyche, and "nature", Guattari believes, is an essential nodal point for decoding the general degradation of social relationships, the mind, and the environment. Guattari refuses to separate the elements of the triad. In schizoanalytic language, they form an assemblage. Schizoanalytical social ecology challenges the dualism between nature and culture with the perception that nature and culture are inseparable. Neither "human work" or the "natural habitat" are legitimate either/or choices. A "transversal" understanding of the interactions between ecosystems, the "mechanosphere" and social and individual universes of reference is encouraged by Guattari in order to rethink the possible detrimental effects of isolated social, psychological and environmental ecologies.
It should be noted Guattari is arguing from an anthropocentric as opposed to biocentric viewpoint. Guattari and Negri claim that communism's "call to life" celebrates the slender hope of a reconfigured human solidarity. However, this observation needs to be balanced for the argument presupposes the very dualism which is brought into question. Guattari does not wish to rehearse traditional debates. In a very important sense he is calling for a new eco-logic.
This eco-logic is a "logic of intensities" which examines "the movement and intensity of evolutive processes". What Guattari is seeking to describe are "processual lines of flight" that are secreted from entrenched totalities and identities. In other words Guattari is attempting to think of one-off events which once combined with subjective assemblages provide examples of new existential configurations in which social, psychic and natural elements function in a nondestructive milieu. The political project of triadic ecological praxes is the affirmation of new forms of subjectivity (new forms of knowledge, culture, sensibility, and sociability).
The social ecologies of Bookchin and Guattari both see capitalism as a system of economics hostile to the life of ecosystems. Yet, Guattari is innovative from the viewpoint of capitalism's tactic of "intension", that is to say, the way capitalism nestles into "unconscious levels of subjectivity". Guattari drives the point home :
It has become imperative to confront the effects of capitalist power on the mental ecology of daily life, whether individual, domestic, conjugal, neighbourly, creative, or personal-ethical".
Processes of re-singularisation and the practice of the art of dissensus rather than a "mind-numbing" or levelling consensus are defended by Guattari as tactics to de-stabilise capitalist subjectivity. It must be borne in mind that Guattari is advancing a generalised ecology which incorporates the "whole of subjectivity and capitalist power formations". A generalised ecology eschews a sole concern for the welfare of animals or trees. Yet, it also refuses to rigidly demarcate the three ecologies. The art of the eco endeavours to formulate this kind of "praxis openness".
On the subject of mental ecology and the ambivalence of desire, Guattari makes the interesting point that violence is the consequence of complex subjective assemblages and not an essential attribute of the human species. Guattari maintains that violence is not "intrinsically inscribed in the essence of the human species". This would seem to trouble Bookchin's alignment of Deleuze and Guattari with an anti-humanism.
Bookchin is eager to denounce those he sees as condemning the human species (or what he calls humanity) for its apparently disastrous effects upon the environment. If capitalism or Integrated World Capitalism (Guattari's concept) is to be challenged then new values, and new ecological praxes must be invented.
Guattari believes that an environmental ecology of the future ought to be much more than a "mere defence of nature". It is worth quoting Guattari in full here :
Increasingly in future, the maintenance of natural equilibria will be dependent upon human intervention; the time will come, for example, when massive programmes will have to be set in train to regulate the relationship between oxygen, ozone, and carbon dioxide in the earth's atmosphere. In this perspective, environmental ecology could equally be re-named "machinic ecology", since both cosmic and human practice are nothing if not machinic - indeed they are machines of war, in so far as "Nature" has always been at war with life!"
What Guattari means by the comment that "Nature" has always been at war with life is far from clear. Furthermore, the meaning of Guattari's demand for an ethics and politics fitting for the technological developments which are under way in respect of the "general destiny of humanity" is even less clear. Yet, Guattari's continual reference to humanity ought to repel the designation of Guattari as a vulgar anti-humanist. Moreover, Guattari's open call for a return of the practice of resingularisation and his affirmation of the art of dissensus rather than "neo-liberal consensus" does not necessarily imply that Guattari was anti-universalist. Contra Ferry's reading of differential thinking, resingularisation (process of becoming and mode of experimentation) does not necessarily imply universalism (legal rights for the whole of humanity). What Guattari points toward are the technological developments (data-processing, genetic engineering) which mean that the definitions of the human being are increasingly subject to forces of an alien and exterior nature. Such a subjection requires a rethinking of the human subject in relation to its environment and its future(s).
Postmodern Nihilism
A hindered and bleak perspective regarding postmodernism inevitably reads postmodernism as nihilistic. Such an ungenerous perspective is evident in the work of Bookchin. Hardly alien to idiosyncrasy itself, anarchism ought to find it fruitful to listen openly to the (dark) theorists of the postmodern. Instead of outlawing the apparently idiosyncratic "philosophical tendencies" of Foucault, Deleuze et al, it is better to seek common ground than to secrete a theoretical xenophobia of sorts.
Bookchin is correct in noting the post-modern question mark next to an unreflective affirmation of economic, market-driven progress. Bookchin's perspective is however myopic with respect to postmodernism's disillusionment in progress (progress for the sake of progress) for a disillusionment is also convalescence, a time for reflection, and is preparatory for an affirmation of human identity and destiny upon albeit radically renewed lines.
For the purposes of this thesis, Foucault and Deleuze will be defended against Bookchin's reading of "postmodern nihilism", though Bookchin is obviously correct in noting Deleuze and Guattari's questioning of grand narratives. Obviously if we reject all grand narratives then social ecology's grand narrative of human liberation must also be rejected.
The May-June evenements of 1968 are of utmost importance if we are to understand the impetus behind "leftist" postmodernism. At times, Bookchin seems to echo Jameson's conclusions concerning the phenomena of postmodernism. Bookchin in chartering the tendencies of postmodernism contends : Postmodern is not only a nihilistic reaction to the failures imputed to Enlightenment ideals of reason, science, and progress but more proximately a cultural reaction to the failures of various socialisms to achieve a rational society in France and elsewhere in our country.
From Bookchin's Hegelian perspective, it is consistent to view a philosophy which reads otherness and difference to be positive, as hostile to Hegel's grand narrative of the unfolding and omnivorous "Spirit". One of the chief problems of Bookchin's rejection of postmodernism is its failure to critique the very ideas which are densely articulated. Instead, a sociology of knowledge is provided which is blandly Marxist in the correlation of a fragmentary economic system and ideas which express that fragmentation. The content of postmodern ideas is not under the microscope of analysis. Bookchin instead connects the social function of philosophy with the prevailing economic system. Postmodernism from this perspective is merely an ideological support for the febrility of contemporary civilisation. But let us remember that Bookchin is writing from a political and anarchist point of view.
Basically, Bookchin's rejection of postmodernism is anchored in its questioning of the intellectual value of truth, objectivity (as opposed to relativism), rationality (as opposed to mysticism), progress (as opposed to romanticism), and universality (as opposed to the particular and irrecuperable). Such values ground anarchist philosophy in the Enlightenment tradition. Thus, from Bookchin evanescent, local and individual occurrences and thus fail to answer the wider social questions which explore the potentiality for liberation of populations and societies (free from domination and hierarchy).
This reading of desiring-machines as essentially insular and hermetic machinic assemblages is rejected by Massumi who contends that :
"Becomings are everywhere in capitalism, but they are always separated from their full potential, from the thing they need most to run their course : a population free for the mutating".
Massumi demonstrates a concern for the destruction of nature when he makes the telling point that :
"The absolute limit of capitalism must be shifted back from planetary death to becoming-other".
What is of significance for Massumi and others are the lines of flight rather than the lines of death that both equally are secreted out from the machinic workings of Capital.
To drive the point home : The equilibrium of the physical environment must be established, so that cultures may go on living and learn to live more intensely at a state far from equilibrium. Depletion must end, that we may devote ourselves to our true destiny : dissipation. The value, celebration and examination of local upsurges and ephemeral confrontations is precisely a lacuna which dilutes the impact Bookchin's analysis.
Bookchin is also inconsistent in two significant places. Firstly, in order to affirm the fertility of Deleuze's affirmative philosophy we will look at the relationship between PS and anarchism more closely. It will be argued that Bookchin's social ecology was pre-programmed to forsake a potential ally primarily because of the presuppositions derived from a Hegelian heritage. Secondly, the "nomadological politics" of Deleuze and Guattari and the "insurrectionary" politics of Foucault offer a tactical and political methodology for confronting congealed power relations and for understanding the cancerous birth of micro-fascism.
Bookchin fails to assess the possible productive relationship between the affinity group (classical anarchism's model of social organisation) and the local and temporal coalitions of "nomadological" revolutionaries. If anarchism cannot function in the absence of overarching and transcendent principles then anarchism runs the risk of abandoning fruitful tactical coalitions along ecological, racial, class and gender lines. Ironically, Bookchin in his celebration of 1968 endorses the very molecular revolutions Deleuze and Guattari sought to theorise concretely. Bookchin spoke thus : It is clear that a molecular process was going on in France, completely invisible to the most conscious revolutionaries, a process that the barricades precipitated into revolutionary action.
Poststructuralist Anarchism
Todd May formulates the relationship between anarchism and PS political philosophy in terms of PS thought forming a framework for thinking the concrete and particular without recourse to universal transcendent ideals. May constructs a "triadic" ethical schema which distinguishes formal, strategic and tactical political philosophies. Formal political philosophy would include the abstract formulations of Rawls or Nozick. Formal philosophy would thus defend one pole of the is-ought dichotomy. A strategic political philosophy approaches the is-ought dichotomy in terms of the tension in-between the two. The in-between neither supports one nor the other disjunct but thinks the relationship in terms of application and real political programmes. Thus, Lenin in asking "what is to be done?" is exploring the abstract formalism of political philosophy in connection with the pragmatic utilitarian sphere of politics. A strategic analysis is therefore encompassing and unitary in the sense that it tends toward single goals, for example, the dictatorship of the proletariat.
Tactical political philosophy is more akin to the uprisings of 1968. Rejecting representation in the form of a vanguard party whose goal is the articulation of worker's interests (for the "people" cannot formulate their own interests!), a tactical analysis is bound to the particular and the multiple. Concern with universal interests emanating from a particular group or class are absent from tactical PS philosophy.
In this sense, May contends, anarchism, at least in the classical anarchism of Kropotkin and Proudhon, is a precursor of French PS. Contra the coercion endemic in the coldest of all cold monsters, classical anarchism desires maximum freedom beyond the realm of domination. PS's denunciation of the domination of marginal groups (homosexuals, ethnic) clearly has principles compatible with an orthodox anarchist position.
The differences and similarities between classical anarchism and PS political philosophy are identifiable with respect to the constitution of power. Tactical thinking perceives power as dispersed throughout the socius whereas traditional conceptions of power consider power as emanating from a central source (the State). Kropotkin believes that power stifles chaotic-order and voluntary mutual aid organisations such as the lifeboat association (one could call this self-organisation or autopoiesis in modern terms). And this is precisely the point that philosophers like Deleuze and Foucault contest.
Deleuze disputes the a priori assumption that power necessarily suppresses and as such power is not necessarily the negation of humanity. There is nothing lurking primordially or existing pre-formed behind the alienated worker and no true knowledge waiting to be appear from the veil of ideological manipulation. In anarchist terms, there is a definite, albeit ahistorical and abstract, human essence waiting to emerge from the inhumanity of life under Capital. The paradox, of course, of the anarchist view of the human animal is as follows : if the human animal is naturally social then why is the State's existence such a widespread phenomena? If the State presumably acts contrary to humanity's "true" nature then why have humans implemented the most ruthless and predatory economic system human history has ever seen? Thus, anarchism from the perspective of PS philosophy is staid if it retains the assumptions of a benign human essence and the suppression assumption regarding the effects of power.
The negation of humanist naturalism affirms instead the creativity of power as a process of constitution-constituted between the subject and object of power. The subject is simultaneously a produced-producer rather than merely a producer from forces of an altogether alien nature.
It ought to be noted that classical anarchism is not a homogeneous "movement". Emma Goldman's thinking is difficult to incorporate into a humanist naturalism mould, for she adopted a Nietzschean philosophy of affirmation which in principle is prospective, that is to say, it concerns itself with the future as a possibilising of experimental (inhuman) becomings and practices.
Furthermore, a more contemporary anarchist, Colin Ward explicitly abandons humanist essentialism which perceives human consciousness as the centre of the universe and the ordering principle which orders everything around it. Ward in his discussion of the interaction of complexity, order, and harmony maintains that : Anarchy is a function, not of a society's simplicity and lack of social organisation, but of its complexity and multiplicity of social organisations.
Cybernetics, the science of control and communication throws valuable light on the anarchist conception of the complex self-organising process... The anarchist alternative is that of fragmentation, fission rather than fusion, diversity rather than unity, a mass of societies rather than a mass society. If consciousness is both product and producer then a theoretical resistance to a de-centring of consciousness is in danger of producing its own anthropocentric arrogance. A PS anarchism thus examines the positivity of power and also must search for a paradigm of thought which transcends a narrow humanist essentialism. | 2023-12-11T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/6759 |
Generally, a method for registering reservation recording in a personal video recorder (PVR) system can be roughly divided into two methods of a manual reservation and reservation using a electronic program guide (EPG).
In the manual reservation, a channel and a date of recording, a start time, an end time, and a recording length are manually input by a user. In the reservation using the EPG, a predetermined channel and program are selected to set reservation recording. Here, when the EPG is used, the user can set reservation recording in an intuitive manner. | 2024-03-25T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/4116 |
Design of vanadium oxide structures with controllable electrical properties for energy applications.
The electrical properties of inorganic materials has been a long-standing pursued research topic, and successfully controlling the electrical property of an inorganic material has attracted significant attention for a wide range of energy-related applications, covering energy storage, energy conversion and energy utilization. During the few past decades, vanadium oxides have been studied to gain a clear picture of how microstructural characteristics generating the e-e correlations influence the electronic structure of a material, through which the charge concentration, electrical conductivity as well as the metal-insulator transition (MIT), etc., can be precisely controlled, giving promising signs for constructing energy-related devices. In this review, we present an extensive review of the engineering of the microstructures of vanadium oxides with control of their electrical properties, and with attempts to rationally construct energy-related devices, such as aqueous lithium ion batteries, supercapacitors for energy storage, and thermoelectric generators for energy conversion. Furthermore, the MIT performance of vanadium oxides has also seen tremendous advantages for the applications of "smart windows" and magnetocaloric refrigerators for energy utilization. Collectively, progresses to date suggest that in vanadium oxide systems, the electrical properties, including electrical conductivity, carrier concentrations, and the MIT performance, were all strongly dependent on the microstructural characteristics at the atomic scale, which have presented extensive promising energy applications covering energy storage, energy conversion and energy utilization. | 2024-07-05T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/9790 |
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Colored Wedding Dresses
Today, we are in the era of colored wedding dresses. Different shades of white are still the most popular bridal choice, but now some brides are bold and opt for some color in their wedding dress. Just keep in mind a wedding dress should fit the body style, build, skin tone while matching any color themes for the wedding itself, but most importantly, a wedding dress should match the personality of the bride too. From nude, blush, ivory, or black gowns, there are a variety of choices to choose from and they will make your wedding that show stopper. Choose any color you like for your wedding dress, just make sure that you can carry it well.
3 comments:
Wow! Yes, that exactly was my reaction when I saw your turquoise dress with the sheer blues and pinks around it.. and next I know there are more awesome wedding dresses you have here. White is still the most popular colour for wedding dresses but I think that the trend is fast changing and the amazing dress you have here are just examples of that.
Pursuing beauty for girls is now more and more popular, like pearl necklace set,for their famous brand, different style. pearl gift is the weapon of girls, they would like to wear a clip on pearl earrings to make them look more cool or charming, especially in party. | 2023-10-07T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/5921 |
We need to educate the world to the phenomenon of regulatory capture, which is completely worse than regulatory control – which already exists by license requirements of the state. It is simply put “extortion by law.”
The following is an excerpt from AAPS newsletter November 2012 found at AAPSonline.org.
This essay from an ebook entitled Bad Education http://tinyurl.com/8qlmk7y relates to the history and fallacy of accreditation. In 605AD, the Chinese emperor Yang Guang established the world’s first meritocracy, based on a new system of imperial examinations. Test prep academies proliferated. As the number of degree holders increased, exams were made more difficult. A man crazed by failure on the test gathered an army that began the bloody Taiping Rebellion.
The authors suggest that “systems of accreditation do not assess merit; merit is a fiction created by systems of accreditation.” | 2024-01-03T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/7529 |
Bernie Sanders has praised Fidel Castro's 'massive literacy program', standing by comments he made praising the dictator's rule of Cuba in the 1980s.
The Democratic frontrunner and socialist, 78, defended the Communist regime as 'not all bad' during a wide-ranging 60 Minutes interview which aired Sunday.
During the interview, he told Anderson Cooper: 'We're very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba but you know, it's unfair to simply say everything is bad. You know?
'When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing? Even though Fidel Castro did it?'
Sanders had said of dictator Castro in 1985: 'He educated their kids, gave them health care, totally transformed the society, you know?'
Castro ruled Cuba for nearly half a century. A Cold War foe of the U.S., Castro's government imprisoned dissidents and imposed one-party rule on the island nation. He died at the age of 90 in 2016.
When pushed further on the dissidents imprisoned in the country, Sanders replied: 'That's right. And we condemn that. Unlike Donald Trump, let's be clear...I do not think that Kim Jong Un is a good friend.
'I don't trade love letters with a murdering dictator. Vladimir Putin, not a great friend of mine.'
Bernie Sanders has praised Fidel Castro's 'massive literacy program', standing by comments he made praising the dictator's rule of Cuba in the 1980s
Fidel Castro and his brother Raul attend a parade December 2, 1996 in Havana, Cuba
Sanders had said of dictator Castro in the 1980s, pictured: 'He educated their kids, gave them health care, totally transformed the society, you know?'
Bernie Sanders defends his 1980s comments about Fidel Castro in an interview on 60 Minutes. https://t.co/ySqvQKoiBU pic.twitter.com/lTwuXWp9sA — 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) February 24, 2020
'SHOCKED' TO BE A FRONTRUNNER
The self proclaimed Democratic socialist won a decisive victory Saturday in the Nevada caucuses, solidifying his frontrunner status in the race to choose the Democratic nominee who faces President Donald Trump in November's election.
The 78-year-old senator from Vermont was leading with about 46 percent, followed by former vice president Joe Biden at 19 percent.
But even for Sanders the results are 'shocking', adding: 'The ideas that seemed radical four years ago are now kind of mainstream.
'When Donald Trump was a private businessman in New York, he got $800 million in tax breaks and subsidies to build luxury housing. That's called corporate socialism.
'What democratic socialism is about is saying, 'Let's use the federal government to protect the interests of working families.'
Moderate Democrats are growing increasingly nervous that Sanders' call for a political 'revolution' would drive voters away from the party, both in the matchup against President Donald Trump and in House and Senate races.
'I think it would be a real burden for us in these states or congressional districts that we have to do well in,' South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the House majority whip and the top-ranking black Democrat in Congress, said Sunday on ABC's 'This Week.'
'The country can't afford to let Bernie Sanders skate by another debate without a focus on his extreme record,' said Mike Bloomberg spokesperson Galia Slayen.
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., smiles while the crowd chants his name during a campaign event on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020, in Austin, Texas
Sanders, right, labeled rival Mike Bloomberg's, left, stop and frisk policy as 'racist'
BLOOMBERG'S STOP AND FRISK POLICY WAS 'RACIST'
Labeling rival Mike Bloomberg's stop and frisk policy as 'racist' in the interview, Sanders added: 'I think the more people understand Bloomberg's record as mayor of New York, where he engaged in horrifically racist policies of stop and frisk, people in America don't want that.'
He said: 'I think this is the problem of a Bloomberg candidacy. It's not just my supporters, he is not going to be a strong candidate. But, what I have said, and you quoted me correctly, is I said on day one I will support the Democratic nominee, no matter who that nominee may be.'
Admitting he 'does not talk about personal stuff that much', Sanders said his upbringing in Brooklyn, New York, shaped his political beliefs.
But, he added: 'I'm a kind of a private person in a sense. And you know, I'm not particularly anxious to tell the world about everything personal in my life.'
Other topics touched on during the interview included how he plans to fund Medicare for All.
Sanders admitted: 'You know, I can't rattle off to you ever nickel and every dime. But we have accounted for..Medicare for All. We have options out there that will pay for it.'
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and his wife Jane Sanders arrive for a campaign rally at Vic Mathias Shores Park on February 23, 2020 in Austin, Texas
FUNDING MEDICARE FOR ALL
But despite offering no firm financial plans with universal healthcare Sanders now says he wants to also introduce universal childcare for children up to the age of four, adding: 'We have a tax on wealth to pay for that.
'You know, I get a little bit tired of hearing my opponents saying 'Gee, how you going to pay for a program that impacts and helps children or working-class families or middle-class families? How you going to pay for that?'
'And yet, where are people saying, 'How are you going to pay for over $750 billion on military spending?' How you going to pay for a trillion dollars in tax breaks to the 1% in large corporations which was what Trump did? When you help the billionaires and you help Wall Street, 'Hey! Of course we can pay for it. That's what America's supposed to be about.' Well, I disagree.'
TAKING ON TRUMP
Sanders, who says he is looking forward to taking on President Donald Trump, said: 'Anyone who tells you that Donald Trump is not gonna be a tough opponent is kidding themselves. The way you beat Trump is bring nontraditional voters into the political process.
'What we will bring up is that the president of the United States is a pathological liar. And it is increasingly clear that many people just don't believe anything that he says.
'He is a fraud. I look forward to taking him on.' | 2023-11-02T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/9429 |
Pimecrolimus cream for atopic dermatitis.
Pimecrolimus (pronounced pi-me-kro-ly-mus) cream (Elidel--Novartis) is a new topical immunosuppressant licensed for the treatment of patients aged 2 years or over with mild or moderate atopic dermatitis. It is the second topical treatment in this class, the first being tacrolimus ointment (Protopic--Fujisawa) which we reviewed in October 2002. Pimecrolimus is the first such treatment to be licensed for first-line use in atopic dermatitis. It can be used either as short-term treatment for actively inflamed lesions, or as intermittent long-term treatment to prevent the progression of early symptoms and signs to flares. The company claims that "when used at the first sign of redness and itch" pimecrolimus cream is "the only treatment clinically proven to prevent progression to flare", and that many people using it have "eliminated or reduced steroid use". Here, we consider the place of pimecrolimus cream in the management of atopic dermatitis. | 2024-06-15T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/9849 |
Tom Morton's Beatcroft
Wednesday, 27 June 2018
My 24 Hours with Herr Rottweiler
I was soaked. Drenched in a now-dried drool of a highly Germanic nature. And with a somewhat more pungent aroma than I am used to. What's more I have been forced to draw on my usually-disguised super Staffiepowers and I am drained, drained I tell you. In addition to being drained upon, if you will.
There was, briefly, a dog in the manger, or the house, in addition to I, Zetdogg, intellectual giant and guardian of all that is culturally good in the canine world of Zetlandica. I ask you, did I deserve it? After almost six weeks of gruelling exposure to urban blight, Glaswegian hipster beards and the accompanying, indeed compulsory French Bulldogs and Pugs, I arrived back in the Zetlandics with relief only to find I was expected to share Ramnavine with another creature. And I do not mean the New Doctor Morton, who has accompanied her parents and myself from the Soothlands of Doom and Crafty Beer.
This over-large, goofily affectionate and excessively bouncy thing was called Arnie (clearly, I'd prefer to keep affairs on more formal, 'Arnold' level, or indeed Herr Rottweiler) and initially I surmised that he was merely visiting. Then it became apparent (though clearly, communication was difficult, due to his continental origins) that it was intended for him to reside in Ramnavine semi-permanently.
Herr Rottweiler was the size of a small horse, like the St Bernards I used to share companions and space with, but much more...ebullient. Clearly, it was essential to dictate terms to him, show him that he was merely a guest, hopefully temporary, and that this was my territory. So some skirmishing ensued. He seemed puzzled by my admittedly diminutive aggression. As half-bear, half-pony, he was much, much larger and heavier than I, but as I say, the Zetdogg superpowers of Staffiedom could be drawn on, and I was able to escape without serious injury or at least having my head crushed to a messy pulp. And inflict a few smarting pieces of sneaky punishment on the giant hulking beast.
Alas, the new Dr Morton became enmeshed in one such encounter, injuring her foot, and the result, not entirely surprisingly, is that Herr Rottweiler has now departed for a place known in Zetlandica as Not Ramnavine. His previous abode, in fact. And I, for once in my life, am submitting without objection to the ordeal known as a bath. With relief.
Having said that, the house is rather quiet and I am in receipt of some reproachful glances from my Main Human Companion, as yes, I admit, it was I, Zetdogg, who provoked the aforementioned skirmishing. Guilty? Yes, a little. He was - is - a cheerful soul, Herr Rottweiler, and I'm sure he will find a good home. Where I, Zetdogg, am not. | 2024-02-14T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/9483 |
The influence of epitope density on the estimation of the affinity of antibody for complex antigens.
The influence of the epitope density of the antigen on antibody affinity values determined by fluid- and solid-phase immunoassays was assessed. The affinity of the interaction of a panel of monoclonal anti-DNP antibodies of different affinities (as determined by equilibrium dialysis) for DNP-protein conjugates of various hapten substitution ratios was used as the test system. The results obtained showed that the epitope density of the antigen markedly influences the observed affinity values obtained by both experimental approaches. However, the monoclonal antibodies were ranked in affinity terms by both assays in a similar order to that given by equilibrium dialysis. It is concluded that provided due care is exercised in choosing an appropriate epitope density for the test antigen, these methods can be used to provide rapid estimations of average antibody affinities. | 2024-02-14T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/9092 |
Relevant or Righteous?
“Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.” – Ephesians 6:18 (NRSV)[1]
There’s been a growing awareness within me of the importance of praying for our leaders and parishioners. Perhaps this consciousness is spurred by my conversations with church leaders, pastors, priests, and congregants.
One question that seems to be at the top of the list is: How can we (our church/parish and Christians) be relevant in our world?
For many, declining attendance and increased resistance to the claims of Christianity indicate a shift in cultural attitude and preference. Finding new and creative ways to be relevant may appear to be a good thing. However…
… I wonder if we’re asking the correct question? What’s more important: Being relevant or righteous? Henri Nouwen reminds us:
“To live a life that is not dominated by the desire to be relevant but is instead safely anchored in the knowledge of God’s first love, we have to be mystics (a person whose identity is deeply rooted in God’s first love).” 2
For some, the word “mystic” conveys an image of one isolated and out of touch with the “real world;” an individual indifferent to what’s going on around them.
However, Paul’s admonition to: “Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication,” is a timely reminder for each of us to make sure our prayers are in alignment with the Spirit’s purpose.
If we are to be relevant, we must pursue righteousness, first. Praying according to the Spirit’s purpose encourages uprightness, which is still appropriate and beneficial for our world.
Will you join me in making a purposeful decision to regularly pray for your pastor, priest, and church leaders?
Influential leaders of the future are men and women who desire to dwell in God’s presence and listen attentively to God’s voice. In Nouwen’s words:
“Christian leaders cannot simply be persons who have well-informed opinions about the burning issues of our time. Their leadership must be rooted in the permanent, intimate relationship with the incarnate Word, Jesus, and they need to find there the source for their words, advice, and guidance.” 3 | 2023-08-19T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/7318 |
The Security Council held an emergency session following an attack that killed more than 30 Turkish soldiers in Syria's Idlib.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the deaths as one of the most alarming incidents in the Syrian war.
The US made it clear that it stands by Turkey, its NATO ally, while Russia rejected the notion that Turkish forces were deliberately attacked.
Al Jazeera's Gabriel Elizondo reports from UN headquarters in New York. | 2024-07-25T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/5205 |
The moment has arrived.
This is the biggest and most eagerly awaited showdown the world’s seen since Muhammad Ali and George Foreman’s Rumble in the Jungle, 42 years ago.
Only Trump-Clinton has every potential to even more brutal, and way more historic.
The two least popular candidates in the history of US presidential races going head to head for the first time in what many believe is a winner-takes-all encounter.
The stakes could not be higher or more dramatic.
The two least popular candidates in the history of US presidential go head to head tonight in what many believe is a winner-takes-all encounter. The stakes could not be higher
Foreman, famously, wielded what he called his ‘Anywhere’ punch.
When a bemused Ali asked his training team exactly what that was, he was told: ‘Anywhere it hits, it breaks something.’
For Foreman, read Trump - a giant bear of a man whose instinctive response to any confrontation is to unload (verbal) punches of unbelievable ferocity.
Clinton’s dilemma is whether to stand toe-to-toe and trade those punches or do what Ali did that night in Zaire and soak them up for round after round before dancing off the ropes to deliver a stunning knock-out.
Her problem is I don’t think either of those strategies will work.
As we saw in the Republican primary debates, Trump is a formidable debater who likes nothing more than people either taking him on, or taking his blows.
He will be in his absolute element tonight.
Trump is a formidable debater. This is the ultimate reality TV with 100 million viewers and Trump is a reality TV superstar
There’s nothing this swaggering, cocky, publicity-ravenous, charismatic billionaire could possibly love more than 100 million people tuning in to watch him perform on TV.
This is the ultimate reality TV and Trump is a reality TV superstar.
Further, Trump has little to lose.
Nobody expected him to get this far and his brand is now ten times bigger and more valuable than it was a year ago.
If he doesn’t win in November, he can simply to back to his day job, only considerably more globally famous than he was before, which for a man who markets his brand around the world is one big massive KER-CHING!
Clinton, by contrast, has everything to lose. She’s a career politician for whom thiselection represents either the thrilling culmination of an entire lifetime’s work or the humiliating nadir of 40 years working in Washington.
If she loses to a bombastic ‘lightweight’ political outsider like Trump, she’s finished in US politics. She knows it, we all know it.
So all the pressure is on her tonight.
Cinton’s the favourite, the candidate who most of the ‘smart crowd’ on America’s East and West coasts have long assumed has this election in the bag.
Only she hasn’t.
Latest polls show this is now a neck-and-neck race, with Trump’s popularity surging at just the right time for him and just the wrong time for his opponent.
He has the momentum, while she has the hanging noose of her recent health problems.
Clinton, seen here Sunday, has everything to lose. And one coughing fit on stage, or a momentary faint-like wobble under those hot lights and her hopes could be over
One coughing fit on stage, or a momentary faint-like wobble under those hot lights where they will be standing for 90 minutes, and it would be curtains for the Clinton presidency.
Call it unfair, call it sexist, call it what you like.
But this is modern, gladiatorial politics at its most brutal and expect no mercy from either Trump or the American electorate if Clinton shows any sign of physical weakness.
The other major issue for Clinton is what tone to adopt.
There’s one new statistic that should fill her with horror.
Trump is now leading her among non-college-educated white men by a staggering 59 points, according to the ABC News/Washington Post poll.
I’ve long thought that America’s white working class men would decide this election.
Trump speaks almost exclusively to them and for them.
His whole strategy has been focused on persuading these men that he is their champion, their saviour, their Robin Hood.
And this strategy has so far been spectacularly successful.
I’ve got no doubt Hillary will come over tonight as better briefed, more intellectual, more politically experienced.
But that might just serve to confirm her in the minds of those white, working class men as precisely one of those smug, patronising Wall Street supported Washington elite politicians they loathe and directly blame for a lot of their problems.
Trump won’t change. He never does.
I confidently predict that when the actions starts at 9pm ET, we’ll see the same intimidating, swaggering, zinger-firing presence he’s been for his entire campaign and indeed his entire business life.
He’ll vociferously hammer home all the key messages that have resonated so powerfully with his key target audience in states like Pennsylvania, Maine, Ohio and Florida: the wall, the Muslim ban, the disintegration of ISIS, defending the 2nd Amendment and bringing jobs back to America.
The problem for Clinton is what the hell she does about it.
If she viciously attacks him for those things, the white working class men will hate her even more for it and feel even more determined to vote for Trump.
When the actions starts from behind these dual height podiums, we’ll see the same intimidating, swaggering, zinger-firing presence he’s been for his entire business life. The problem for Clinton is what the hell she does about it
If she doesn’t viciously attack him for those things, she risks deterring her already unimpassioned own Democrat voters from coming out for her in the numbers she needs.
There’s no easy solution but my advice to Hillary is borrow a more traditional Muhammad Ali style than the one he used to beat Foreman: float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
If she can dance around Trump’s relentless haymakers, looking and sounding cool, calm, collected and presidential, and all the while keep stinging him with irrefutable, damning fact-checking jabs of logic, then she can win comfortably on points.
Especially if in the process she succeeds in making him look small and stupid.
That will give her a huge lift heading into debates 2 & 3.
But Trump’s a highly competitive man and now he’s got this far, The Donald will be desperate to finish the job.
As he once told me: ‘You gotta win, that’s what it’s all about. You know, Muhammad Ali used to talk and talk, but he won. If you talk and talk but you lose, the act doesn’t play.’
So I expect him to come out swinging tonight and do what he promised to do: take Hillary Clinton down.
The big question is can she handle him?
Or will she be steamrollered by the Trump Train, like the other 17 Republican candidates?
By 10.30pm ET tonight, we’ll know the answer. | 2024-02-16T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/3717 |
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A Japanese railway company has issued an official apology after one of its trains departed the station 25 seconds early.
The West Japan Railway Company’s apology came after one of its express trains left the platform at Notogawa station in central Japan at 7:11:35 a.m., instead of the scheduled 7:12 a.m., on May 11.
Japan's train operators are notoriously meticulous when it comes to arrival and departure times. Credit:Shutterstock
The train conductor misunderstood the departure time and closed the train doors ahead of schedule, according to the company’s press release.
The early departure didn’t affect any other travel schedules that day, but led to one person missing their train. | 2023-11-28T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/4759 |
[Provocation of the attack of supraventricular reciprocal paroxysmal tachycardia by frequent stimulation of the left atrium through the esophagus to determine its approximate range of reciprocal excitement].
The study involved 24 patients with supraventricular paroxysmal reciprocal tachycardia (SPRT) showing no ECG evidence of ventricular pre-excitation between the attacks. SPRT attacks could be provoked by frequent esophageal left-atrial stimulation in all patients, particularly with impulse frequencies in the 160 to 200 imp/min range, associated with first-degree atrioventricular block featuring Wenckebach's phenomenon. In most cases, induced SPRT was similar to a spontaneous attack. During an induced attack, the duration of Q--P interval was less than 70 ms in 15 (62.5%) suggesting that the scope of reciprocal excitation was limited to the atrioventricular node, and more than 70 ms in 9 (37.5%), indicating the involvement of complementary ventriculo-atrial pathways. | 2023-10-14T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/4584 |
Roger Stone, the colorful Republican political consultant who has the ear of the new president, has a new book coming out that charts 'How Donald Trump Orchestrated a Revolution.'
The first set of excerpts 'leaked' to Axios' Mike Allen, who writes that Trump's 'quest' for the presidency was, at least, 17 years long.
Stone recalls a scene from Trump Tower in September 1999, when the prominent real estate investor bemoaned the country's choice between Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore.
'The one thing I know is that I'm better than any of those a**holes who are running,' Trump said at the time.
Scroll down for video
President Donald Trump, photographed arriving in Philadelphia today, is the subject of a forthcoming book written by longtime ally, political consultant Roger Stone
Roger Stone has a new book coming out that charts the rise of President Donald Trump, who Stone has known and advised for decades
Roger Stone, seen in the lobby of Trump Tower in December, said as far back as 1999 Donald Trump was gunning for the White House
Trump had been poring through the morning newspapers and predicted the match would be between Gore and Bush.
'They are both absolutely terrible – just terrible,' Stone said. 'What's going on in this country?'
What happened next was important.
'He looked me squarely in the eyes and, with a hint of a smile, said: "Roger, I want to take the next step. I want to see if Donald Trump can win the White House,"' Stone wrote.
'It this country ready for President Trump?' the businessman mused.
Seventeen years later it was, with Trump being sworn into office last week.
Stone suggested Trump was successful because he 'understood that politics is about big issues, concepts, and themes, and that the voters didn't really care about wonkish detail,' the political consultant wrote. 'If they had, then Newt Gingrich would have been president.'
He also pointed out something that may have made the blue collar billionaire appealing to working people.
'Donald ... has always had an exceptional eye for female beauty,' Stone said. 'He has the same eye for architecture, preferring towering buildings with clean lines, lots of brass, and always large signage.'
'Notwithstanding the glitter and gold of his buildings, there really is nothing fancy or pretentious about Donald Trump. He likes meatloaf, cheeseburgers, and diet coke,' Stone noted.
The book, however, charts some of the bumpier times on the campaign trail, when Trump called Stone for advice.
In May, Roger Stone (right) tweeted a vintage picture of himself at Donald Trump's side as he unofficially advised the presidential candidate after leaving the campaign
Stone had worked for the campaign early on, though broke ties, with Stone saying he left on his own volition and Trump saying he had told the political consultant, who had worked for both Nixon and Reagan, to take a hike.
During the primaries, it was Stone who suggested that Trump call Paul Manafort as the Republican establishment continued to fight against nominating the billionaire.
'On the Friday before Easter [2016], Trump called me at my south Florida home. "Can they really steal this thing from me? .. What should I do?"' Stone recalled the conversation going.
'Call my former partner Paul Manafort,' Stone recommended, providing The Donald with Manafort's cell number.
But Manafort, who replaced Trump's initial campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, wasn't at the helm of Trump's campaign for long, resigning in mid-August, amid reports that his firm had orchestrated a pro-Ukrainian lobbying campaign in Washington without properly registering as a foreign lobbyist.
'[I]n the final phase, Trump found Steve Bannon had genius ability to get his messages packed into the powerful mantras the thousands attending rallies planned on chanting, while Kellyanne Conway displayed equal acumen in keeping Trump's temperament level through the long airplane rides,' Stone wrote. | 2024-02-22T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/5158 |
The Philippine President has lashed out at another UN human rights expert for making critical remarks about his supposed role in the expulsion of the Supreme Court chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
President Rodrigo Duterte dismissed the remarks of Diego Garcia-Sayan and told him in a televised speech early on Sunday not to meddle in domestic problems and "to go to hell".
Sereno's colleagues voted to remove her from office last month, shortly after Duterte openly called her his "enemy" and demanded her swift ouster.
AP
"Tell him (Garcia-Sayan) not to interfere with the affairs of my country. He can go to hell," Duterte told reporters in Manila, insisting he had nothing to do with Sereno's dismissal.
"He is not a special person and I do not recognise his rapporteur title."
Duterte, 73, has lashed out in the past -- often using less-than-parliamentary language -- at critics of the deadly drug war he launched soon after coming to power in 2016.
Several of his opponents have since been ousted, punished or threatened.
Police say they have killed 4,279 drug suspects in the anti-narcotics campaign but rights groups believe the actual number is three times higher.
Sereno was one of the few remaining high-profile critics of the crackdown at the time of her ouster.
The UN's Garcia-Sayan said Friday that Duterte's public threats against Sereno appeared to have had a "chilling effect" on her colleagues in the judiciary.
"The use of such derogatory language... sends a clear message to all judges of the Philippines: in the so-called 'war on drugs', you're either with me or against me," Garcia-Sayan said. | 2024-05-31T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/2552 |
‘China factor’ continues to determine future of commodities outlook
Chinese demand for metals and minerals remains robust, although the pace of uptake is moving towards a plateau as the country enters a more mature economic phase, delegates at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada were told.
“There is a very clear correlation between Chinese gross domestic product [GDP] growth and commodity prices,” BCA Research chief strategist of the China Investment Strategy Yan Wang said. “When Chinese growth accelerates that’s good news for commodity prices, and when Chinese growth slows that’s bad news for commodity prices.”……………………………………….Full Article: Source | 2024-01-08T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/5795 |
Marriage rates over all have been on the decline in Gaza, and divorce is on the rise because of high poverty and unemployment rates, said the head of the Supreme Sharia Judicial Council in Gaza, Sheikh Hassan al-Jojo. Hamas itself has been trying to encourage marriage by paying the equivalent of $1,500 to any male who memorizes the Quran, a bit of cash to help finance the next step in life.
Sheikh Abdul Khaleq Buhaisi, another official with the Sharia Council, which has authority over weddings, said he preferred more traditionally arranged marriages, often through a khattaba — a woman who pays home visits in the company of the groom’s mother to search for brides.
The khattaba inspects the prospective bride: body shape, skin color, teeth, hair and other physical features. Traditionally, the polite way for a groom’s family to signal a proposal request is to ask to go to the bride’s family’s house for a cup of coffee.
With the Wesal service, a prospective groom receives a woman’s address when the two have exchanged “likes” online. The man then has 48 hours to propose, something still typically done over the traditional coffee at her home.
Kholoud Sobouh, 27, said she got tired of being shown to men who knocked on her door with their mothers to propose. Through Wesal, she and her fiancé met in less than 24 hours. She requested an educated man who didn’t smoke and who could secure a home in Gaza. Her fiancé, Tareq — Ms. Sobouh did not want to give his surname, for fear of being criticized for meeting her spouse online — said he wanted a tall, light-skinned woman with religious manners. It will be the first marriage for both. | 2024-07-02T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/9671 |
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Reds
(originally published in The Outreach Connection in May 2006)
Warren Beatty has acted in only 22 films, and in only 8 in the last 30 years. Arguably half the list consists of mostly forgotten oddities; he’s had an abidingly odd affinity for fluffy comedies. He’s done nothing since the flop Town & Country in 2001, and apart from a dalliance with the David Carradine role in Kill Bill, there’s barely been any suggestion that he might do anything, except for the implausible but persistent rumours of political ambition. His box office power is certainly gone now, but despite all the evidence to the contrary, it’s hard to give up on the prospect that even at 70, he might pull off something remarkable almost out of nowhere, just as he unleashed the feisty Bulworth in 1998. It’s because the handful of films that endure – Bonnie And Clyde, Shampoo, The Parallax View and a few others – are so abidingly resonant, and although Beatty’s official role in those differs, he’s clearly always more than an actor for hire, always densely woven into the fabric.
Rundown On Reds
Today though I thought I'd write about Reds, which seems to be getting some attention lately. This is Beatty’s 1981 epic about journalist John Reed, who witnessed the Russian revolution first-hand and wrote Ten Days That Shook The World.Reds chronicles these events, as well as Reed’s romance with fellow journalist Louise Bryant, played by Diane Keaton. Jack Nicholson plays Eugene O’Neill, who had an affair with Bryant, and Maureen Stapleton won an Oscar for playing Emma Goldman. Beatty won four nominations – acting, directing, writing, producing – for it; this was the second film in a row on which he’d done that (the first was Heaven Can Wait), an achievement no one has ever replicated. Reds won him an Oscar for directing, although I think it was generally regarded as one of those Oscars based in a sense of obligation rather than passion.
Reds is primarily remembered as an achievement in audacity and business savvy rather than artistic virtue – it’s the movie where Beatty convinced Paramount to put up $40 million to make a movie about Communists. It didn’t do particularly well financially, and its epic length (200 minutes) may continue to limit the likelihood of people sitting through it on cable. I did watch it again recently though. And then a recent issue of Vanity Fair had a long article about the film, extracted from a forthcoming book on Beatty by Peter Biskind. Beatty is the subject of a disproportionate number of books by reputable critics – David Thomson wrote one too.
Biskind says that Reds today “still seems as fresh as the moment it was released – this despite the fact that the lure of the idealism it dramatizes seems even more alien today than it did in 1981, given the current cynicism about politics.” The lure of the actors is central to this magnetism: “The intensity between Beatty and Keaton is tangible on-screen and gives the film its heart.” Roger Ebert called the film a Dr Zhivago for the thinking man, and that’s apt, although the man in question needn’t be that deep a thinker. Beatty and Keaton are dripping with old style glamour, and many of their scenes are shaded with Beatty’s penchant for light comedy. In one scene for example, Keaton stands outside the kitchen door passing on important information, and he’s on the other side messing up the kitchen with his inept attempts to make a meal. Beatty is regularly accused of narcissism, and Reds would have to be a prime exhibit for that allegation.
Willingness To Gamble
The film’s most interesting formal device is the use of the so-called witnesses – real-life interviews with elderly contemporaries of Reed and Bryant interspersed with the action – they include Adela Rogers St. John, Henry Miller, George Jessel and many more. Beatty doesn’t really use the witnesses to support his depiction of events, but rather to illustrate its limitations – their recollections falter, they contradict each other, they go off on tangents, forming a tumble of human frailty. Without seeing the interview footage that wasn’t used, it’s difficult to know how exploitative Beatty’s use of the veterans might be. What’s interesting to me is how the witnesses’ apparent purpose doesn’t seem to have influenced Beatty’s approach to the narrative itself, which he tells in a linear old-Hollywood fashion, devoid of any chaos or intimations of authorial uncertainty.
In the Vanity Fair article, Beatty says: “Reds marked the end of something, in the subject matter and the willingness to gamble…Reds is a political movie. It begins with politics and it ends with politics.” But actually, literally, it begins with Diane Keaton and ends with her, after Reed’s death. It constantly mixes personal and political travails to an extent that leaves it quite unclear what Beatty regards as the greatest tragedy. In the latter stretches, Reed is trapped inside Russia and Bryant embarks on a long and hazardous journey to find him. The troubles of these two little people shouldn’t amount to a hill of beans against the bigger picture, but as in so many movies, the final confirmation of their bond almost seems to mitigate the crumbling of the greater vision. The film is fairly good at dramatizing the squabbling that consumes the emergent American left, and the crushing bureaucracy that instantly takes hold in Russia, but again presents these primarily as matters of frustrated ambition and wounded pride and petty self-preservation and so forth.
Work Of A Marxist
Thomson says, “Reds is still a fascinating picture with passages of greatness – but it never seems the work of a Marxist.” That might be considered a facetious criticism under the circumstances. Except that we've just had Syriana and Good Night, And Good Luck and other movies that if not actually seeming Marxist, are certainly more consistently ideological than Reds ever contemplates. It seems to me actually that Beatty’s comment about Reds marking the end of something makes most sense in purely personal terms, in that he never marshaled his talents on such a scale again. And it’s not so inconceivable that he might confuse a self-diagnosis as a national prescription – he’s been a celebrity longer than many of us have been alive, and even now, his name regularly comes up as a semi-plausible Presidential candidate, despite a total absence of credentials other than, of course, the vague appeal of a counterbalance to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
None of this diminishes the film’s uniqueness, or the remarkableness of its existence. But I recently wrote about how I came out of V For Vendetta – a much less interesting film – seething with anger against our current state of things. Reds surely ought to provoke something similar, but settles for poignancy and regret. Presumably this is a true gauge of Beatty’s view of things, which probably only confirms the limits of his potential as a politician.
About Me
From 1997 to 2014 I wrote a weekly movie column for Toronto's Outreach Connection newspaper. The paper has now been discontinued and I've stopped writing new articles, but I continue to post my old ones here over time. I also aim to post a daily movie review on Twitter (torontomovieguy) and I occasionally tweet on other matters (philosopherjack). | 2023-08-05T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/4631 |
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- An agreement between Kansas and a federal agency will increase the capacity of the John Redmond Reservoir by nearly 30 percent.
State officials say the agreement signed Thursday would alleviate a sediment problem at the reservoir near Emporia.
The federally-owned reservoir provides water source the cooling lake at Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant. It currently is 40 percent silted in.
The Wichita Eagle reports (http://bit.ly/17E1Gz7 ) the agreement between the state and the U.S. Corps of Army Engineers will raise the reservation's elevation from 1,039 feet to 1,041 feet. And it increases the number of gallons available in storage from 16 billion to 22 billion.
The second step to improving Redmond's capacity will be dredging the silt and strengthening the banks of the Neosho River to reduce the flow sediment. | 2024-06-08T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/8929 |
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Subjects
Abstract
Ultrathin two-dimensional nanosheets of layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are fundamentally and technologically intriguing. In contrast to the graphene sheet, they are chemically versatile. Mono- or few-layered TMDs — obtained either through exfoliation of bulk materials or bottom-up syntheses — are direct-gap semiconductors whose bandgap energy, as well as carrier type (n- or p-type), varies between compounds depending on their composition, structure and dimensionality. In this Review, we describe how the tunable electronic structure of TMDs makes them attractive for a variety of applications. They have been investigated as chemically active electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution and hydrosulfurization, as well as electrically active materials in opto-electronics. Their morphologies and properties are also useful for energy storage applications such as electrodes for Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors.
Acknowledgements
M.C. acknowledges support from the National Science Foundation IGERT programme (DGE 0903661). H.Z. acknowledges support from the Singapore National Research Foundation under the CREATE programme: 'Nanomaterials for Energy and Water Management', and NTU under the Start-Up Grant M4080865.070.706022. H.S.S. acknowledges support from WCU (World Class University) programme (R31-2008-000-20012-0) and the grant (Code No. 2011-0031630) from the Center for Advanced Soft Electronics under the Global Frontier Research Program through the National Research Foundation funded by MEST of Korea. G.E. acknowledges the Singapore National Research Foundation for NRF Research Fellowship (NRF-NRFF2011-02). L.L. acknowledges support from Academia Sinica Taiwan. We acknowledge Jieun Yang for editorial help and TOC artwork. K.P.L. acknowledges the NRF-CRP award 'Novel 2D materials with tailored properties: beyond graphene' (R-144-000-295-281). | 2024-06-07T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/7291 |
I want to acknowledge the contributions my colleague Kamal Jethwani and his team made to this post.
The business value of medication adherence tools is coming into focus. For years, I remarked that, while we could create a case for why adherence was the right thing to do, we had great difficulty creating the right financial incentives to move these programs from curiosity to scale. That is changing now with the collision in the marketplace of new payment models and exorbitantly priced pharmaceutical products.
The poster child for this phenomenon is the drug Sovaldi, which represents a miracle cure for Hepatitis C infection but costs $84,000 for a course of therapy. But if the patient doesn’t finish the entire course, the money is largely wasted. In that context, the price of any adherence solution is small compared to the cost of a failed treatment. | 2024-04-30T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/3295 |
Happening's
Saturday, September 27, 2008
In case you have wondered what happened to Tall Cotton yesterday... We traveled to visit with some old friends and the motel we are at does not have high speed Internet access. So this is via AOL dial up and Firefox..which is slow.....very slow...almost "I aint gonna do this slow..."
So we drank beer and re-fought the cold war. Strangely enough the missions have become harder, the flights longer and the enemy even more devious and evil. I was surprised that he didn't remember my secret mission into Moscow to steal a new Soviet fighter, fly it out, deal with pursuing Soviet fighters, land on the ice, refuel from a US sub and then fly on to.....Gollywood. ;-)
(No, that didn't really happen.)
But even here they have cable and FNC so we drank more beer and watched the debate.
First, I never want to hear anyone say anything about me, or anyone, calling Hussein, Hussein. Throughout the debate Senator McCain addressed Hussein as "Senator Obama." Hussein called Senator McCain, John. It was obviously meant to show disrespect, or at best, "Look mommy! I am a big boy now!" Or, more likely, it was meant to anger McCain and have him show some temper.
Didn't work! Hey all you dumb Lefties advising Hussein, when you've endured torture for five and a half years having some empty suit of a politician call you by your first name isn't going to bother you.
Being a McCain supporter I think McCain won. FNC said 85% said McCain won. I am sure CNN and MSNBC and the MSM TV have other views, reflecting the demographics of their viewers... I think I saw CNN showing Hussein winning 58% to 39%... That's bad news for Hussein because it shows he didn't reach the audience which would be composed of Hussein minions and some "independents." i.e. Their audience had few McCain supporters. When you only win by 21% when you have an audience without almost any of McCain's base.
Jake, the rancher, went one day to fix a distant fence.The wind was cold and gusty and the clouds rolled gray and dense.As he pounded the last staples in and gathered tools to go,The temperature had fallen, the wind and snow began to blow.When he finally reached his pickup, he felt a heavy heart.From the sound of that ignition, he knew it wouldn't start.So Jake did what most of us would do if we had been there.He humbly bowed his balding head and sent aloft a prayer.
As he turned the key for the last time, he softly cursed his luck.They found him three days later, frozen stiff in that old truck.Now Jake had been around in life and done his share of roaming.But when he saw Heaven, he was shocked -- it looked just like Wyoming !Of all the saints in Heaven, his favorite was St. Peter.(Now, this line ain't needed but it helps with rhyme and met er)So they set and talked a minute or two, or maybe it was three.Nobody was keeping' score -- in Heaven time is free.
"I've always heard," Jake said to Pete, "that God will answer prayer,But one time I asked for help, well, He just plain wasn't there.""Does God answer prayers of some, and ignore the prayers of others?That don't seem exactly square -- I know all men are brothers.""Or does He randomly reply, without good rhyme or reason?Maybe, it's the time of day, the weather or the season.""Now I ain't trying to act smart, it's just the way I feel.And I was wondering', could you tell me -- what the heck's the deal?!"
Peter listened very patiently and when Jake was done,There were smiles of recognition, and he said, "So, you're the one!!""That day your truck, it wouldn't start, and you sent your prayer a flying,You gave us all a real bad time, with hundreds of us trying.""A thousand angels rushed, to check the status of your file,But you know, Jake, we hadn't heard from you in quite a long while.""And though all prayers are answered, and God ain't got no quota, | 2024-01-04T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/8041 |
ESA and EDA joint research: advancing into the unknown
ESA and the European Defence Agency (EDA) are embarking on new cooperative projects for exploring unknown or potentially hazardous environments: harnessing drones for the monitoring of disaster-stricken regions or toxic spill sites and making use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to navigate across the surface of asteroids or other terra incognita.
These two new joint projects have been authorised by the ESA Council and Steering Board of EDA. They are the latest in a long history of cooperation enabled by the ESA-EDA Administrative Arrangement, originally signed in 2011 and recently extended for a second time.
Space-based services have fast become essential to Europe’s safety and security. In 2017, a previous ESA-EDA Implementing Agreement demonstrated the use of space-based assets to respond to threats from toxic and hazardous materials. The project showed that space systems were beneficial to fast and accurate response to such threats in terms of situational awareness, early warning, detection and response planning.
Based on this success, the two agencies decided to extend their cooperation in this area, and last month signed an implementing agreement to carry out a next-stage demonstration project called Autonomous Drone Services (AUDROS).
By integrating space assets in sectors such as telecommunications, navigation and Earth observation, the partners will demonstrate the benefits of using autonomous and/or remotely piloted aerial vehicles to both detect toxic material and carry out rapid response to large-scale disasters. This activity will lead to the development of operational services that will deliver support to defence and security users on a permanent basis.
Flying into the unknown
ESA and the EDA are also cooperating in the development of new AI-based capabilities in the field of guidance, navigation and control (GNC) – knowing where an asset is and steering where it is going. Advanced, autonomous GNC is set to become an indispensable element of ambitious future space missions such as rendezvousing with asteroids and comets or the active removal of hazardous space debris from orbit.
This joint project, dubbed ATENA, will develop AI-based systems with the capability of flying safely over unknown territory, such as an asteroid, to achieve enhanced navigation performance compared to current vision-based techniques based on feature tracking.
“The role of space-based services for security and defence actors is a recognised priority for Europe. The importance of space assets and applications for defence capabilities is reflected in the revised Capability Development Plan (CDP) approved by Member States at the EDA Steering Board in June 2018.” says EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq.
“ESA is a natural and trusted partner for us. Over the years we have built a cooperation that has yielded numerous successful projects, through eight Implementing Agreements totalling over €5 million in shared investments, covering several priority areas.”
For ESA, its partnership with EDA is a key component of the Agency’s relationship with the EU and of Agency commitments to the safety and security of Europe.
“Through our political and technical dialogue, we are able to identify joint priorities hand-in-hand with users of space systems and security communities,” comments Jan Wörner, ESA’s Director General.
“This virtuous dynamic is a key driving force of ESA’s space safety initiatives, as well as joint activities developing cyber-resilience, recently endorsed and funded at our Space19+ Council at Ministerial Level.” | 2023-11-24T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/8523 |
About the book:
Backgammon: Costa Rica 1994, like the previous Backgammon: Costa Rica 1999, presents a
detailed annotation of the final match of the Cariari Masters from the Tournament of the
Américas.
Of the earlier volume, world-class backgammon players Joe Sylvester and Kit Woolsey
commented in their reviews:
Backgammon: Costa Rica 1993 is an invaluable piece of backgammon literature, offering both
the average and advanced player a most unique and complete text with which to improve
their game. An absolute must for any serious backgammon player! .Joe Sylvester.
Costa Rica 1993 contains the most accurate and thorough match analysis I have ever seen in
print. No serious student of the game should fail to get a copy of this book .Kit
Woolsey.
In this new book Antonio Ortega and Mario Madrigal, two of the authors of the acclaimed
earlier volume, annotate the featured match in cooperation with world-renowned analyst
Danny Kleinman. Contestants Mike Senkiewicz and Mike Svobodny are both well-known top
experts and previous Cariari winners. Senkiewicz was voted the worlds best player in
the 1995 32 Giants of Backgammon poll. Svobodny won the 1984 World
Championship in Monte Carlo and the 1992 World Cup in Dallas. | 2024-06-30T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/9641 |
Radiation as an immune modulator.
Radiation therapy is currently one of the most widely utilized treatment strategies in the clinical management of cancer. Classically, radiation therapy was developed as an anticancer treatment on the basis of its capacity to induce DNA double strand breaks in exposed cancer cells, ultimately resulting in tumor cell death. Recently, our understanding of radiation effects has expanded widely in terms of the consequences of radiation-induced tumor cell death and the pertinent cells, signaling pathways, and molecular sensors that modify the tumor response to radiation. It is now well accepted that inflammation plays a complex dual role in promoting or inhibiting tumor growth. The capacity of inflammatory responses to alter the tumor response to radiation therapy, and vice versa, is now the subject of intense scientific and clinical investigation. Herein, we review the concepts regarding the immunostimulatory properties of radiation therapy with particular focus on the effects of radiation therapy on the tumor microenvironment. | 2024-03-27T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/7183 |
Designs are created in Photoshop CS5 with using only free fonts. All are in High resolution 300dpi in US letter flyer size. You can use them in both personal and commercial projects. Perfectly suited for promote Christmas party, eve or other winter event.
This BUNDLE contains 4 Flyers.
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US Letter Flyer size.
inches: 8,5 in width x 11 in height. (Bleeds: + 0,125 in at each border) | 2024-02-05T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/3704 |
Ghee (Clarified butter)
1 lb. Unsalted Butter
Heat the unsalted butter in a heavy pot over a low flame. It will slowly melt and start simmering. Gradually you will see the foam and/or scum rise to the top, and the milk solids settle to the bottom of the pot as the liquid becomes transparent. Be careful not to burn the solids at the bottom of the pot. They should remain at a deep yellow color with tinges of brown in them.
The foam at the top will slowly clear up and get settle to the bottom also. Once the liquid has achieved a transparent golden color it is done. Do not stir. Strain the clarified butter through a fine strainer and/or cheesecloth and discard the solids.
Ghee at room temperature looks semi-solid. It does not need to be refrigerated and will keep for many months. It has a much higher flashpoint than regular butter and will add an extra richness to the Indian foods you use it in. | 2024-03-04T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/6005 |
//
// Generated by SwagGen
// https://github.com/yonaskolb/SwagGen
//
import Foundation
extension Rocket.Profile {
/** Get the details of the active profile, including watched, bookmarked and rated items. */
public enum GetProfile {
public static let service = APIService<Response>(id: "getProfile", tag: "profile", method: "GET", path: "/account/profile", hasBody: false, securityRequirements: [SecurityRequirement(type: "profileAuth", scopes: ["Catalog"])])
public final class Request: APIRequest<Response> {
public init() {
super.init(service: GetProfile.service)
}
}
public enum Response: APIResponseValue, CustomStringConvertible, CustomDebugStringConvertible {
public typealias SuccessType = ProfileDetail
/** Details of the active profile. */
case status200(ProfileDetail)
/** Bad request. */
case status400(ServiceError)
/** Invalid access token. */
case status401(ServiceError)
/** Forbidden. */
case status403(ServiceError)
/** Not found. */
case status404(ServiceError)
/** Internal server error. */
case status500(ServiceError)
/** Service error. */
case defaultResponse(statusCode: Int, ServiceError)
public var success: ProfileDetail? {
switch self {
case .status200(let response): return response
default: return nil
}
}
public var failure: ServiceError? {
switch self {
case .status400(let response): return response
case .status401(let response): return response
case .status403(let response): return response
case .status404(let response): return response
case .status500(let response): return response
case .defaultResponse(_, let response): return response
default: return nil
}
}
/// either success or failure value. Success is anything in the 200..<300 status code range
public var responseResult: APIResponseResult<ProfileDetail, ServiceError> {
if let successValue = success {
return .success(successValue)
} else if let failureValue = failure {
return .failure(failureValue)
} else {
fatalError("Response does not have success or failure response")
}
}
public var response: Any {
switch self {
case .status200(let response): return response
case .status400(let response): return response
case .status401(let response): return response
case .status403(let response): return response
case .status404(let response): return response
case .status500(let response): return response
case .defaultResponse(_, let response): return response
}
}
public var statusCode: Int {
switch self {
case .status200: return 200
case .status400: return 400
case .status401: return 401
case .status403: return 403
case .status404: return 404
case .status500: return 500
case .defaultResponse(let statusCode, _): return statusCode
}
}
public var successful: Bool {
switch self {
case .status200: return true
case .status400: return false
case .status401: return false
case .status403: return false
case .status404: return false
case .status500: return false
case .defaultResponse: return false
}
}
public init(statusCode: Int, data: Data, decoder: ResponseDecoder) throws {
switch statusCode {
case 200: self = try .status200(decoder.decode(ProfileDetail.self, from: data))
case 400: self = try .status400(decoder.decode(ServiceError.self, from: data))
case 401: self = try .status401(decoder.decode(ServiceError.self, from: data))
case 403: self = try .status403(decoder.decode(ServiceError.self, from: data))
case 404: self = try .status404(decoder.decode(ServiceError.self, from: data))
case 500: self = try .status500(decoder.decode(ServiceError.self, from: data))
default: self = try .defaultResponse(statusCode: statusCode, decoder.decode(ServiceError.self, from: data))
}
}
public var description: String {
return "\(statusCode) \(successful ? "success" : "failure")"
}
public var debugDescription: String {
var string = description
let responseString = "\(response)"
if responseString != "()" {
string += "\n\(responseString)"
}
return string
}
}
}
}
| 2024-06-28T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/1611 |
Experience Everyday Luxury with Egyptian cotton shirts from GQ International
PR —Imagine the lusciousness of pure, unadulterated and exquisite Egyptian cotton clasping your body with lodes of cozy comfort every day that you wish you’d never have to take your clothes off.
That is the undeniable effect of fabric woven using Egyptian cotton, its luxurious feel embraces your whole being with its soft and superior feel that’s made durable to stand the test of time. So indulge in the comfort and frill of the finest Egyptian cotton-made shirts here in the Philippines, only from GQ International.
With splendid and superior Egyptian cotton inside every GQ International shirt, experience it caressing your body with unmatched comfort and affluence as you wear it every day, whether at the office, the party or just about any occasion you can think of. Be the focus of lavishing attention as people marvel at the splendor of Egyptian cotton in a shirt in all its full glory.
So what makes Egyptian cotton take its place at the pinnacle of fabric greatness?
Well, its long fibers spell the difference compared to other cotton variants in the world. It is said that Egypt, because of its highly humid climate and rich soil, particularly that along the Nile River, contributes to the growing of long cotton fibers, which puts Egyptian cotton under the “ELS” or “Extra Long Staple” category or from 1 ½ to 2 ¼ inches long. Their extraordinary length means it can be spun into a very fine thread, which makes it even more soft and shimmering, yet very robust and solid.
Add to that the fact that Egyptian cotton has a higher thread count, which determines the number of cotton threads woven lengthwise and widthwise in every fabric inch. Cotton experts say that a 200 thread count means it has good quality. But don’t be misled; a fabric sheet with a 200-thread count of any type of cotton is different from a sheet with 200-thread count Egyptian cotton. Though the count may be similar, the sheet made of Egyptian cotton is definitely silky and supple. And Egyptian cotton with an even higher thread count makes it even more desirable for those who value exquisite wear.
Experts also say that Egyptian cotton has “breathing” qualities also because of the high thread count. This means it shields off heat, which leads to less sweat. Imagine going out on a hot summer day yet you feel less sticky and clammy.
Some people also say that clothing made of Egyptian cotton is truly superior compared to other fabrics because of its liquid-absorption qualities, particularly when dyeing it compared to other cotton products. The colors are supposed to last longer and become fade-resistant and of course, the softness is always present.
Want to know if you’re buying clothes made of true Egyptian cotton? It should look and feel a little firm and rigid once you take it out of the package. But of course once you wash it and the more you use it, the fabric becomes smoother, softer, pliable and more velvety to the feel and less prone to wrinkles.
Now that’s Egyptian cotton, and that’s what you’ll get and feel while wearing GQ International shirts crafted using this globally renowned cotton type, touted as the most expensive yet über lush and opulent cotton in the world.
Find Egyptian cotton right here in the Philippines, offered by none other than leading men’s wear specialist GQ International, the first and only brand that offers shirts made of the finest and most luxurious premium Egyptian cotton to the most discriminating and fashion-conscious Filipinos.
GQ International shirts, and all other world-class and superbly designed and manufactured casual and business attire for men, dress shirts, belts and ties made with impeccable craftsmanship for that splendid look and fit, are available in all major department stores nationwide. | 2024-07-12T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/1350 |
Monday, January 4, 2010
Google has illuminated its search page today with a falling apple in honor of what it is pleased to call the birthday of Newton. (When Newton was born, the calendar showed it was Christmas Day, 1642; Google prefers to associate Sir Isaac with a later version of the calendar.)
"Hanging from the highest limbof the apple tree are the three God's Eyes…"
— Ken Kesey
"But what's beautiful can't be bad. You're not bad, North Wind?"
"No; I'm not bad. But sometimes beautiful things grow bad by doing bad, and it takes some time for their badness to spoil their beauty. So little boys may be mistaken if they go after things because they are beautiful."
"Well, I will go with you because you are beautiful and good, too."
"Ah, but there's another thing, Diamond:– What if I should look ugly without being bad– look ugly myself because I am making ugly things beautiful?– What then?"
"I don't quite understand you, North Wind. You tell me what then."
"Well, I will tell you. If you see me with my face all black, don't be frightened. If you see me flapping wings like a bat's, as big as the whole sky, don't be frightened. If you hear me raging ten times worse than Mrs. Bill, the blacksmith's wife– even if you see me looking in at people's windows like Mrs. Eve Dropper, the gardener's wife– you must believe that I am doing my work. Nay, Diamond, if I change into a serpent or a tiger, you must not let go your hold of me, for my hand will never change in yours if you keep a good hold. If you keep a hold, you will know who I am all the time, even when you look at me and can't see me the least like the North Wind. I may look something very awful. Do you understand?"
"Quite well," said little Diamond.
"Come along, then," said North Wind, and disappeared behind the mountain of hay.
Life escapes; and perhaps without life nothing else is worth while. It is a confession of vagueness to have to make use of such a figure as this, but we scarcely better the matter by speaking, as critics are prone to do, of reality. Admitting the vagueness which afflicts all criticism of novels, let us hazard the opinion that for us at this moment the form of fiction most in vogue more often misses than secures the thing we seek. Whether we call it life or spirit, truth or reality, this, the essential thing, has moved off, or on, and refuses to be contained any longer in such ill-fitting vestments as we provide. Nevertheless, we go on perseveringly, conscientiously, constructing our two and thirty chapters after a design which more and more ceases to resemble the vision in our minds. So much of the enormous labour of proving the solidity, the likeness to life, of the story is not merely labour thrown away but labour misplaced to the extent of obscuring and blotting out the light of the conception. The writer seems constrained, not by his own free will but by some powerful and unscrupulous tyrant who has him in thrall, to provide a plot, to provide comedy, tragedy, love interest, and an air of probability embalming the whole so impeccable that if all his figures were to come to life they would find themselves dressed down to the last button of their coats in the fashion of the hour. The tyrant is obeyed; the novel is done to a turn. But sometimes, more and more often as time goes by, we suspect a momentary doubt, a spasm of rebellion, as the pages fill themselves in the customary way. Is life like this? Must novels be like this?
Look within and life, it seems, is very far from being “like this”. Examine for a moment an ordinary mind on an ordinary day. The mind receives a myriad impressions—trivial, fantastic, evanescent, or engraved with the sharpness of steel. From all sides they come, an incessant shower of innumerable atoms; and as they fall, as they shape themselves into the life of Monday or Tuesday, the accent falls differently from of old; the moment of importance came not here but there; so that, if a writer were a free man and not a slave, if he could write what he chose, not what he must, if he could base his work upon his own feeling and not upon convention, there would be no plot, no comedy, no tragedy, no love interest or catastrophe in the accepted style, and perhaps not a single button sewn on as the Bond Street tailors would have it. Life is not a series of gig lamps symmetrically arranged; life is a luminous halo, a semi-transparent envelope surrounding us from the beginning of consciousness to the end. Is it not the task of the novelist to convey this varying, this unknown and uncircumscribed spirit, whatever aberration or complexity it may display, with as little mixture of the alien and external as possible? We are not pleading merely for courage and sincerity; we are suggesting that the proper stuff of fiction is a little other than custom would have us believe it.
It is, at any rate, in some such fashion as this that we seek to define the quality which distinguishes the work of several young writers, among whom Mr. James Joyce is the most notable….
Released as the main single from Abracadabra in June 1982, it became a number-one hit on the United States Billboard Hot 100 chart, and also hit number two on the UK charts. It followed Survivor‘s ‘Eye of the Tiger‘ (from Rocky III ) on the Hot 100….” –Wikipedia
Advanced Technology:
MST 682 Advanced Topics in
Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM)
An overview of the components of CIM Enterprise, System Design, Material Handling, Materials Requirement Planning (MRP), Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRPII), Manufacturing Database and Management, Expert Systems for Manufacturing. Two hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisites: An undergraduate course in CAD or CAM or CIM, or consent of instructor. —SUNY Institute of Technology
The deaths ofErnest Hemingwayon the morning ofSunday, July 2, 1961,and of Alexis Arguelloon the morning ofWednesday, July 1, 2009.See also philosophy professorClancy Martin in theLondon Review of Books(issue dated July 9, 2009)on AA members as losers—“the ‘last men,’ the nihilists, the hopeless ones.”
He read the verses backwards but then they were not poetry. Then he read the flyleaf from the bottom to the top till he came to his own name. That was he: and he read down the page again. What was after the universe?
Nothing. But was there anything round the universe to show where it stopped before the nothing place began?
"No; I'm not bad. But sometimes beautiful things grow bad by doing bad, and it takes some time for their badness to spoil their beauty. So little boys may be mistaken if they go after things because they are beautiful."
"Well, I will go with you because you are beautiful and good, too."
"Ah, but there's another thing, Diamond:– What if I should look ugly without being bad– look ugly myself because I am making ugly things beautiful?– What then?"
"I don't quite understand you, North Wind. You tell me what then."
"Well, I will tell you. If you see me with my face all black, don't be frightened. If you see me flapping wings like a bat's, as big as the whole sky, don't be frightened. If you hear me raging ten times worse than Mrs. Bill, the blacksmith's wife– even if you see me looking in at people's windows like Mrs. Eve Dropper, the gardener's wife– you must believe that I am doing my work. Nay, Diamond, if I change into a serpent or a tiger, you must not let go your hold of me, for my hand will never change in yours if you keep a good hold. If you keep a hold, you will know who I am all the time, even when you look at me and can't see me the least like the North Wind. I may look something very awful. Do you understand?"
"Quite well," said little Diamond.
"Come along, then," said North Wind, and disappeared behind the mountain of hay.
“From the Habermas-Lyotard debate (see [1] for an introduction) to the Sokal hoax ([4]), to recent atheist manifestos on the bestseller lists (e.g., [2]) the question of foundations for intellectual thought and especially for intellectual debate has never been more critical or urgent.”
Also in the February Notices–a review of a book, Superior Beings: If They Exist, How Would We Know?, in which the author
“.. uses elementary ideas from game theory to create situations between a Person (P) and God (Supreme Being, SB) and discusses how each reacts to the other in these model scenarios….
In the ‘Revelation Game,’ for example,the Person (P) has two options:1) P can believe in SB’s existence2) P can not believe in SB’s existenceThe Supreme Being also has two options:1) SB can reveal Himself2) SB can not reveal Himself….
… [and] goals allow us to rank all the outcomes for each player from best… to worst…. The question we must answer is: what is the Nash equilibrium in this case?”
The answer is what one might expect from the American Mathematical Society:
“… the dominant strategy for both is when SB does not reveal Himself and P does not believe in His existence.”
The Christmas evening Pennsylvania Lottery 4-digit number was 0666, the Christian "number of the beast." For the beast itself, see the Dec. 3 Log24 entry "Santa's Polar Opposite?" with its link to a discussion of a metaphorical tiger at the South Pole. A more realistic version of the beast appeared in the news on Christmas evening.
“Thine, O LORD is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.”
This verse is sometimes cited as influencing the Protestant conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer:
“Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever” (Mt 6.13b; compare 1 Chr 29.11-13)….
This traditional epilogue to the Lord’s prayer protects the petition for the coming of the kingdom from being understood as an exorcism, which we derive from the Jewish prayer, the Kaddish, which belonged at the time to the synagogical liturgy.
The Pennsylvania Lottery on Christmas evening paired 173 with the beastly number 0666. The latter number suggests that perhaps being “understood as an exorcism” might not, in this case, be such a bad thing. What, therefore, might “173” have to do with exorcism? A search in the context of the phrase “language games” yields a reference to Wittgenstein’s Zettel, section 173:
Language-games give general guidelines of the application of language. Wittgenstein suggests that there are innumerably many language-games: innumerably many kinds of use of the components of language.24 The grammar of the language-game influences the possible relations of words, and things, within that game. But the players may modify the rules gradually. Some utterances within a given language-game are applications; others are ‘grammatical remarks’ or definitions of what is or should be possible. (Hence Wittgenstein’s remark, ‘Theology as grammar’25 – the grammar of religion.)
The idea of the ‘form of life’ is a reminder about even more basic phenomena. It is clearly bound up with the idea of language. (Language and ‘form of life’ are explicitly connected in four of the five passages from the Investigations in which the term ‘form of life’ appears.) Just as grammar is subject to change through language-uses, so ‘form of life’ is subject to change through changes in language. (The Copernican revolution is a paradigm case of this.) Nevertheless, ‘form of life’ expresses a deeper level of ‘agreement.’ It is the level of ‘what has to be accepted, the given.’26 This is an agreement prior to agreement in opinions and decisions. Not everything can be doubted or judged at once.
This suggests that ‘form of life’ does not denote static phenomena of fixed scope. Rather, it serves to remind us of the general need for context in our activity of meaning. But the context of our meaning is a constantly changing mosaic involving both broad strokes and fine-grained distinctions.
The more commonly understood point of the ‘Private Language Argument’ – concerning the root of meaning in something public – comes into play here. But it is important to show just what public phenomenon Wittgenstein has in mind. He remarks: ‘Only in the stream of thought and life do words have meaning.’27
24
Investigations, sec. 23.
25
Investigations, sec. 373; compare Zettel, sec. 717.
26
Investigations, p. 226e.
27
Zettel, sec. 173. The thought is expressed many times in similar words.
The ‘possibility of religion’ manifested itself in considerable reading of religious works, and this in a person who chose his reading matter very carefully. Drury’s recollections include conversations about Thomas à Kempis, Samuel Johnson’s Prayers, Karl Barth, and, many times, the New Testament, which Wittgenstein had clearly read often and thought about.25 Wittgenstein had also thought about what it would mean to be a Christian. Some time during the 1930s, he remarked to Drury: ‘There is a sense in which you and I are both Christians.’26 In this context it is certainly worth noting that he had for a time said the Lord’s Prayer each day.27
Wittgenstein’s last words were: ‘Tell them I’ve had a wonderful life!’28
“Plato hadn’t tried to destroy areté. He had encapsulated it; made a permanent, fixed Idea out of it; had converted it to a rigid, immobile Immortal Truth. He made areté the Good, the highest form, the highest Idea of all. It was subordinate only to Truth itself, in a synthesis of all that had gone before.That was why the Quality that Phaedrus had arrived at in the classroom had seemed so close to Plato’s Good. Plato’s Good was taken from the rhetoricians. Phaedrus searched, but could find no previous cosmologists who had talked about the Good. That was from the Sophists. The difference was that Plato’s Good was a fixed and eternal and unmoving Idea, whereas for the rhetoricians it was not an Idea at all. The Good was not a form of reality. It was reality itself, ever changing, ultimately unknowable in any kind of fixed, rigid way.”
— as well as Cold Mountain —
Page 48: “It’s claimed that if
you take a mirror and look
backwards into a well, you’ll
see your future down in the water.”
“So in short order Ada found herself bent backward over the mossy well lip, canted in a pose with little to recommend it in the way of dignity or comfort, back arched, hips forward, legs spraddled for balance. She held a hand mirror above her face, angled to catch the surface of the water below.
Ada had agreed to the well-viewing as a variety of experiment in local custom and as a tonic for her gloom. Her thoughts had been broody and morbid and excessively retrospective for so long that she welcomed the chance to run counter to that flow, to cast forward and think about the future, even though she expected to see nothing but water at the bottom of the well.
She shifted her feet to find better grip on the packed dirt of the yard and then tried to look into the mirror. The white sky above was skimmed over with backlit haze, bright as a pearl or as a silver mirror itself. The dark foliage of oaks all around the edges framed the sky, duplicating the wooden frame of the mirror into which Ada peered, examining its picture of the well depths behind her to see what might lie ahead in her life. The bright round of well water at the end of the black shaft was another mirror. It cast back the shine of sky and was furred around the edges here and there with sprigs of fern growing between stones.
Ada tried to focus her attention on the hand mirror, but the bright sky beyond kept drawing her eye away. She was dazzled by light and shade, by the confusing duplication of reflections and of frames. All coming from too many directions for the mind to take account of. The various images bounced against each other until she felt a desperate vertigo, as if she could at any moment pitch backward and plunge head first down the well shaft and drown there, the sky far above her, her last vision but a bright circle set in the dark, no bigger than a full moon.
Her head spun and she reached with her free hand and held to the stonework of the well. And then just for a moment things steadied, and there indeed seemed to be a picture in the mirror.”
"Besides, if this fellow were right, what harm would the Divine Universals do us? I mean, aren't the angels supposed to be rather gentle and helpful and all that?"
"You're doing what Marcellus warned you against… judging them by English pictures. All nightgowns and body and a kind of flacculent sweetness. As in cemeteries, with broken bits of marble. These are Angels– not a bit the same thing. These are the principles of the tiger and the volcano and the flaming suns of space."
Under the Volcano, Chapter Two:
"But if you look at that sunlight there, then perhaps you'll get the answer, see, look at the way it falls through the window: what beauty can compare to that of a cantina in the early morning? Your volcanoes outside? Your stars– Ras Algethi? Antares raging south southeast? Forgive me, no."
A Spanish-English dictionary:
lucerom.
morning or evening star:
any bright star….
hole in a window panel
for the admission of light….
Look at the way it
falls through the window….
— Malcolm Lowry
How art thou fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
— Isaiah 14:12
The above image contains summary obituaries for Cardinal Lustiger, Archbishop of Paris, 1981-2005, and for Sal Mosca, jazz pianist and teacher. In memory of the former, see all of the remarks preceding the image above. In memory of the latter, the remarks of a character in Martin Cruz Smith's Stallion Gate on jazz piano may have some relevance:
"I hate arguments. I'm a coward. Arguments are full of words, and each person is sure he's the only one who knows what the words mean. Each word is a basket of eels, as far as I'm concerned. Everybody gets to grab just one eel and that's his interpretation and he'll fight to the death for it…. Which is why I love music. You hit a C and it's a C and that's all it is. Like speaking clearly for the first time. Like being intelligent. Like understanding. A Mozart or an Art Tatum sits at the piano and picks out the undeniable truth."
Beginning on page 853 in this book, and ending on page 856, is an excerpt from a James address that the editor has titled…
The Tigers in India
“There are two ways of knowing things, knowing them immediately or intuitively, and knowing them conceptually or representatively. Altho such things as the white paper before our eyes can be known intuitively, most of the things we know, the tigers now in India, for example, or the scholastic system of philosophy, are known only representatively or symbolically.
Suppose, to fix our ideas, that we take first a case of conceptual knowledge, and let it be our knowledge of the tigers in India, as we sit here. Exactly what do we mean by saying that we here know the tigers? ….
Most men would answer that what we mean by knowing the tigers is having them, however absent in body, become in some way present to our thought…. At the very least, people would say that what we mean by knowing the tigers is mentally pointing towards them as we sit here….
… The pointing of our thought to the tigers is known simply and solely as a procession of mental associates and motor consequences that follow on the thought, and that would lead harmoniously, if followed out, into some ideal or real context, or even into the immediate presence, of the tigers….
… In all this there is no self-transcendency in our mental images taken by themselves. They are one phenomenal fact; the tigers are another; and their pointing to the tigers is a perfectly commonplace intra-experiential relation, if you once grant a connecting world to be there. In short, the ideas and the tigers are in themselves as loose and separate, to use Hume’s language, as any two things can be, and pointing means here an operation as external and adventitious as any that nature yields.
I hope you may agree with me now that in representative knowledge there is no special inner mystery, but only an outer chain of physical or mental intermediaries connecting thought and thing. To know an object is here to lead to it through a context which the world supplies….
Let us next pass on to the case of immediate or intuitive acquaintance with an object, and let the object be the white paper before our eyes…. What now do we mean by ‘knowing’ such a sort of object as this? For this is also the way in which we should know the tiger if our conceptual idea of him were to terminate by having led us to his lair?
… the paper seen and the seeing of it are only two names for one indivisible fact which, properly named, is the datum, the phenomenon, or the experience. The paper is in the mind and the mind is around the paper, because paper and mind are only two names that are given later to the one experience, when, taken in a larger world of which it forms a part, its connections are traced in different directions.1“
The same volume also contains James’s The Varieties ofReligious Experience.
Sunday, August 7, 2005
The Rev. Dr. Theodore Alexander Gill Sr., a Presbyterian theologian, a philosophy teacher, and an influential provost emeritus of John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan, died at 85 on June 10 in Princeton. In retirement from John Jay, The Rev. Dr. Gill was theologian in residence at Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton.
Now it was Avril's turn to understand and he was frightened out of his wits.
"The Science of Luck," he said cautiously. "You watch, do you? That takes a lot of self-discipline."
"Of course it does, but it's worth it. I watch everything, all the time. I'm one of the lucky ones. I've got the gift. I knew it when I was a kid, but I didn't grasp it." The murmur had intensified. "This last time, when I was alone so long, I got it right. I watch for every opportunity and I never do the soft thing. That's why I succeed."
Avril was silent for a long time. "It is the fashion," he said at last. "You've been reading the Frenchmen, I suppose? Or no, no, perhaps you haven't. How absurd of me."
"Don't blether." The voice, stripped of all its disguises, was harsh and naive. "You always blethered. You never said anything straight. What do you know about the Science of Luck? Go on, tell me. You're the only one who's understood at all. Have you ever heard of it before?"
At 5:09 PM I read the following in the New York Review of Books, dated May 1, 2003, which arrived today.
From a review of Terror and Liberalism, by Paul Berman:
“As a general analysis of the various enemies of liberalism, and what ties them together, it is superb. All — Nazis, Islamists, Bolsheviks, Fascists, and so on — are linked by Berman to the ‘ur-myth’ of the fall of Babylon.”
Speaking of Ur, Berman likes to quote a non-Biblical Abraham, named Lincoln. The first, Biblical, Abraham was a damned homicidal lunatic, and the later American Abraham also delighted in blood sacrifice. But that’s just my opinion. For a different view, see the Chautauqua Abrahamic Program.
"The progression of a painter's work, as it travels in time from point to point, will be toward clarity: toward the elimination of all obstacles between the painter and the idea, and between the idea and the observer. As examples of such obstacles, I give (among others) memory, history or geometry, which are swamps of generalization from which one might pull out parodies of ideas (which are ghosts) but never an idea in itself. To achieve this clarity is, inevitably, to be understood."
— Mark Rothko, The Tiger's Eye, 1, no. 9 (October 1949), p. 114
Whether Holly's concept "the day that I die" is a mere parody of an idea or "an idea in itself," the reader may judge. The reader may also judge the wisdom of building a chapel to illustrate the clarity of thought processes such as Rothko's in 1949. I personally feel that someone who can call geometry a "swamp" may not be the best guide to religious meditation. | 2024-03-03T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/7436 |
Brandon Turbeville
Activist Post
As the secular Syrian government continues to mop up the mobs of death squads made up of mercenaries, religious fanatics, and the criminally insane (as well as cannibals), the second phase of destabilization is quickly taking shape – that is, the establishment of “no-fly zones” and the arming of the death squads by the West with even heavier weapons than they have previously been given. The destruction of Syria is thus apparently scheduled to take exactly the same form as that of Libya.
It is important to remember that, in the case of the latter country , the Anglo-Americans also funded terrorist death squads to cause a civil war inside the country, engaged in a propaganda campaign against Ghaddaffi’s government, and established “no-fly zones” inside Libya.
The rest, as they say, is history. After the establishment of a “no-fly zone,” air strikes began against Libyan military, governmental, and civilian targets. Death squads were simultaneously empowered further and assisted by the presence of Western intelligence, special forces, and military boots on the ground inside Libya.
Although Assad has proven more capable than Ghaddaffi of withstanding the initial onslaught set in motion by the Anglo-Americans than Ghaddaffi and has demonstrated better political connections with other powerful nations, the fate of Libya awaits Syria if something is not done to derail this war machine.
Yet, while many have become aware of the fundamentalist and fanatical nature of the death squads which have run rampant in Syria over the last two years — and some are even aware of the nature of their funding — a very common question that confronts these observers is, simply, “why?”
When one analyzes past acts of conquest and aggression as well as current and future imperialist moves, it becomes clear that there is rarely only one reason for the implementation of any aspect of an agenda on any level.
Although Anglo-American imperialism, by no means, began on September 11, 2001, overt acts of aggression, destabilization, and invasion have increased both in frequency and intensity since that time. Ever since 9/11, however, the people of the Western world and the American public in particular have been provided with “reasons” for these military adventures and, thanks to the alternative media and a small minority of courageous researchers, activists, etc., they have also been provided with the “real” reasons.
In the proper context of the specific nations being discussed, each and every one of the above-listed justifications are both valid and accurate.
Still, in the context of Syria, it is important to understand the impetus of invasion specific to the imperialist quest against the Middle Eastern nation.
While fuel for the military-industrial complex and no-bid contracts doled out to multi-billion dollar military defense firms to rebuild what was destroyed in the conflict is no doubt on the list of reasons for the destruction of Syria, it is well known that Syria represents a strategic stronghold for Russia in terms of influence in the region. Because a confrontation with both Russia and China appear to be in the cards of the Anglo-Americans, the weakening of a strategic position of Russia in the Middle East (with Iran to be the next target) would not only be considered quite the geopolitical coup, it is a virtual necessity if one is determined to engage a nation as powerful as Russia in the long run.
Yet there is one more underlying reason for Western military intervention in Syria that is rarely discussed publicly, even among many alternative media outlets – the goal of total domination by the private central banking system.
It is true that both debt and the control of currency is one of the most effective means of enslaving an entire population without their knowledge. Continually chasing financial freedom with no ability to pay off debt and save for the future ensures that a sizable majority of the population will not have the means, time, or energy to resist the totalitarian methods imposed upon them. Likewise, it is true that by controlling a nation’s currency, one essentially controls the nation. Governments who are beholden to third parties and private banks for their money are not governments at all – they are receiverships existing solely at the pleasure of the controlling oligarchy. As Mayer Amschel Rothschild once stated, “Give me control of a nation’s money supply and I care not who makes its laws.” Thus, when one takes a look at the worldwide banking system and, in particular, the amount of countries with government-owned, non-Rothschild affiliated central banks, one easily sees a monopolistic system coming into view. In addition, when one takes a closer look at those countries with government-owned central banks, independent of Rothschild and major financier control, it becomes even clearer that maintaining a government-mandated structure of currency and central banking places a nation on a very dangerous list.
Enter Syria. Existing as one of the last nations on the face of the earth that has not allowed itself to become subservient to a privately-owned central bank, Syria now finds that national financial independence does not come without the price of presenting oneself as a preferred target for the banking cartels and the nations they control.
All in all, the Syrian banking system largely consists of four state-owned banks and fourteen private banks , mostly foreign banks providing services to the private sector inside Syria. For at least forty years , the state itself has maintained a total monopoly on the Syrian banking system. Even when that total monopoly was broken, it was not in the form of the privatization of the central bank, it was merely allowing private banks to operate commercially inside the country at all.
As CountryStudies.Us writes, The primary legislation establishing a central bank and control of the banking system was passed in 1953, but the Central Bank was not formed until 1956. Its functions included issuing notes, controlling the money supply, acting as fiscal agent for the government, and controlling credit and commercial banks. It was also to act as the country’s development bank until specialized banks were established for various sectors. The Central Bank had considerable discretionary powers over the banking system but was itself responsible to and under the control of the Council on Money and Credit, a policy group of high-ranking officials. Country Studies continues by stating that “The general philosophy was that the banking system should be an agent of government economic policy.” No doubt such a concept is a novel idea in 2013, perhaps even more so than it was in 1953.
Nevertheless, the process of government control over banks began in 1958 when the Syrian government began to “Arabize the commercial banking system.” In 1961, that process morphed into “limited nationalization.”
By 1966, the Syrian government completed its nationalization of the bank by merging all of the existing commercial banks into one entity which came to be known as the Commercial Bank of Syria. The government then created subsidiary banks of the Commercial Bank of Syria for the purposes of economic development such as the Agricultural Cooperative Bank, Industrial Bank, the Real Estate Bank, and the Popular Credit Bank.
Not surprisingly, international bankers have been vocal enough among their own circles regarding their disdain for Syria’s government-owned central bank. In fact, in 2006, the IMF actually published its annual Article IV Consultation Report regarding Syria’s economic developments. Among the recommendations made by the IMF in the report were suggestions of changes to the Syrian banking system. The report reads:
Progress toward this medium-term goal should start by having the central bank gain full control of existing direct instruments. The central bank should have the right to decide on credit ceilings and credit policies of banks with a view to ensuring a pace of credit and monetary expansion consistent with maintaining price stability while fostering economic activity and employment. Banks have to abide by all prudential regulations. Beyond this, the role and responsibilities of the central bank and the ministry of finance in exercising oversight on the banks should be clearly defined. While the government could play a lead role in choosing the board and the management of public banks, the CBS should have the authority to evaluate and approve banks’ policies, and procedures related to the credit and investment. Clearly, if these are the responsibilities the IMF believes the Syrian Central Bank should have, then it logically follows that they are responsibilities it does not have currently. Thus, the Central Bank is at least kept in check by the refusal to allow it unbridled control over monetary policy as a private “independent” institution.
Thus, the Article IV Consultation Report and the suggestions contained therein provide a blueprint for turning Syria’s central bank from that of a government-owned entity which serves the government (and theoretically the people) into an entity which directs it.
If the CBS (Central Bank of Syria) is allowed to “have the authority to evaluate and approve banks’ policies, and procedures related to the credit and investment,” even if the government is able to choose the board and management, the CBS then becomes the sole independent force responsible for the extension (or refusal) of credit, inflation/deflation, bailouts, and the inevitable implementation of austerity measures. In other words, if the CBS is privatized from its current state, it will become the equivalent of the Syrian version of the U.S. Federal Reserve, a fate no nation should ever willingly inflict upon itself.
Nevertheless, Syria has not existed free and clear of economic distress simply because of the existence of a government-owned central bank. Over the years, the Middle Eastern nation has had to battle with inflation and high unemployment. However, dependency on imports, rationing systems, political unrest, rebellions, natural disasters, and war have all contributed greatly to Syria’s economic difficulties.
Most notably, the ridiculous sanctions imposed upon Syria by the Western world have acted as a major obstacle to true economic growth. These sanctions, while imposed recently , have been levied against Syria for some time with the United States sanctioning the Central Bank as far back as 2001 under the liberty-shredding PATRIOT ACT which ironically turned America into nothing more than a paranoid police state, even as it criticizes other nations for their human rights records.
Although a more stable environment would have produced a much greater possibility of successful implementation of economic programs and better management of the central banking system would have undoubtedly produced better economic results, the fact remains that the Syrian banking system, Central and Commercial, belong to the government and (theoretically) the people of Syria. These institutions are independent of the Rothschild international banking cartel. Thus, one may add yet another reason Syria has come under the fiery eye of the Empire.
Although currently facing the brunt of Anglo-American operations, Syria is not the only country to find itself in the crosshairs of destabilization and direct military confrontation with Western powers where the presence of a government-owned central bank may stand as a significant deciding factor for invasion. Cuba, North Korea, and, notably, Iran all maintain such government banking systems. Coincidentally, all three of these nations, particularly Iran, have become major targets of Western imperialism as of late.
“Coincidentally,” these nations all held government-owned central banks prior to the intervention. While one may be tempted to ignore the presence of government-owned central banks as a contributing factor toward the decision to destabilize and/or invade sovereign nations, it is interesting to note that Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Sudan have all fallen victim to NATO-backed invasions, and/or destabilization campaigns ever since the push for the New American Century took off in 2001.
After the conflict had ended, or at least subsided, all of these nations were presented with a new banking system which was privately owned; another “strange coincidence” for those unwilling to acknowledge the existence of a pattern.
Thus it now appears that “Democracy” and “private central banking” stand as the only thing the West is capable of exporting. [1] Griffin, David Ray. The New Pearl Harbor. Interlink Publishing Group. 2004.
Read other articles by Brandon Turbeville here.
Brandon Turbeville is an author out of Florence, South Carolina. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from Francis Marion University and is the author of three books, Codex Alimentarius — The End of Health Freedom, 7 Real Conspiracies, and Five Sense Solutions and Dispatches From a Dissident. Turbeville has published over 200 articles dealing on a wide variety of subjects including health, economics, government corruption, and civil liberties. Brandon Turbeville’s podcast Truth on The Tracks can be found every Monday night 9 pm EST at UCYTV. He is available for radio and TV interviews. Please contact activistpost (at) gmail.com. | 2023-09-13T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/5657 |
Dog Left in Syria Reunites With Refugee Family
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After a family had to flee their war torn country last year and leave their dog behind, they were recently reunited — and it was all caught on tape.
A mother and her two sons were forced to leave Aleppo, Syria after their home was hit by a missile in late 2015. They had to leave behind their father, who has polio and would be unable to travel; their grandmother and their dog, Fox.
The trio made their way to Canada where they were placed with refugee status in Montreal, Quebec. While the father and grandmother had to remain behind because of health reasons, the family was hoping they could be reunited with Fox.
The oldest son wrote to SPCA International in April 2016 pleading for help. “I left Syria urgently with my mom and my brother, but we left our lovely dog, Fox, in Aleppo, Syria. We left him with our dad in a very dangerous area named Syrian El-Jadideh, he wrote, according to the SPCA. “Please help us bring our Fox [to Montreal]. Mom [is] always crying. She is extremely worried about Fox.”
The SPCA stepped in, reaching out to their local partners: Syrian Association for Rescuing Animals and Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (BETA). The organizations were able to find Fox, but the journey was going to be anything but easy. He was taken out of Aleppo and driven to Damascus in the middle of the night a few weeks back. From there, he was transported across the border of Lebanon and into Beirut by the military. Once there, BETA helped Fox with export papers. He was then flown from Beirut to Germany and finally to Montreal.
When everyone reunited at the airport, Fox was unsure at first but once he got a whiff of his family, his tail couldn’t stop wagging.
Check out the happy reunion below:
Andrea Huspeni is the founder and CEO of This Dog's Life. Her mission it to help dogs live a happier, healthier and longer life. When she isn't working, she spends time with her two dogs, Lola and Milo. She resides in Brooklyn, NY. | 2024-03-04T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/7541 |
Loudness is a subjective measure relating to the physical sound pressure level (SPL) as perceived by the human ear. A number of devices have been created for controlling audio levels to modify either a signal's loudness or its range of loudness. Automatic gain controls are typically used to reduce loudness differences between audio programs (for example, between one audio track and the next). Dynamic compressors are similar to automatic gain controls, but are primarily intended to reduce the loudness range within a single track or audio program.
Compressors have a number of uses, including increasing the loudness of the softer parts of an audio program so they can be heard above the noise floor (e.g., for automotive listening), decreasing the loudness of the loudest segments (for example, to avoid disturbing neighbors during late-night listening), and keeping signal levels within technical limits required for radio broadcast.
Loudness matching and dynamic compression both pose challenges to creators of audio hardware and software. For example, different audio tracks may have different dynamic ranges, and the short-term loudness of those tracks may vary significantly over time; both factors complicate the effort to match the long-term loudness of the tracks. In the case of dynamic compression, a compressor may apply different amounts of compression to an audio track depending on how that track is scaled. Similarly, a compression scheme may apply compression to an audio track that is already highly compressed, and may apply no compression to a track that would benefit therefrom. Still further, one side effect of dynamic compression is that it can have different effects on the overall loudness of different audio tracks, making it difficult to perform post-compressor loudness matching in real-time. | 2024-04-18T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/9090 |
Inspire dad to get fit
10:55 AM,
Jun. 12, 2013
Written by
Brooke Griffin
Enquirer contributor
So your dad may have been your coach at some point or another. Whether that was a sports team, a debate team or just your personal coach, he was there for you leading your game plan.
Unfortunately, doing the same for him is a little tricky. When it comes to seriously talking about your dad's health it's best to remain emotionally connected rather than trying to "coach him."
Tell him it's not the diet you care about, it's HIM: Put it in real terms. You want him to share some of the same moments with your kids that you had with him. You don't care about the scale, you care about his heart - literally! ... | 2024-07-21T01:27:15.642919 | https://example.com/article/3331 |
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